Giveaway: June New Release Hop (INT)

welcome to the june new release giveaway! 

In collaboration with Book Twirps, I'm giving away a May new young adult release from the Book Depository or Amazon!  

Don't forget to go to the rest of the hop for more great prizes! 

International as long as TBD ships to your country! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



while you're here ... 

Review: The Murmurings by Carly Anne West
Writing Tips: From the Pros #1 
Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green 
Books by Theme: Best Books from my Shelf Vol 2
Writing Tips: Using, Buying, and Creating Cover Art (series)
Books by Theme: Underrated and Amazing Young Adult Books Vol 2



rules

This giveaway will run until June 30th 

This giveaway is open to anyone whom Book Depository ships to.  

The winner of the giveaway must respond to my winner e-mail within 48 hours to claim the prize. 

Thanks for stopping by!  

Book News: Young Authors Give Back Panel

musing

                      young authors give back

This summer, four brave and lovely young adult authors embarked on a grand quest:  road trip across the United States to hold workshops for young, aspiring writers.  The authors were Sarah J. Maas (my writing idol and author of Throne of Glass), Susan Dennard (author of Something Strange and Deadly), Erin Bowman (author of Taken), and Kat Zhang (author of What's Left of Me).  

I was flabbergasted and amazed that I got to go.  Author tours don't usually hit my area, so it was like a dream come true.  Not to mention, these are all authors of books I either already love or have been dying to read.  They're authors whose careers I've been following on the blogosphere.  I spent the car ride there in a giddy stupor and nearly died when, as I waited with my computer in the back of the bookstore, Susan Dennard passed me.  Then nearly died again when Sarah recognized me from Sarcasm and Lemons.  Then again when Susan and I bonded over the unnecessary presence of Tom Bombadill while waiting for the cafe.  It was seriously one of the best days I've had, and one of the most inspiring steps in my writing career.  

Didn't get to go?  Here are some highlights from the queens of YA.  Keep in mind that these are from my notes.  

Ask why questions.  Why is the world this way?  Why would this character do this thing?

  

Use what you know to ground fiction in reality.  That means you can write outside of what you know--because somewhere, you have an experience that can relate.  

Listen to inspiration music.  People watch.  Read great books.  

Try writing freeform.  Or, try an outline.  Write out the whole chain of events or pick a few big ones and write around them.  Try a bunch and see what works for you.  

Set goals you can control.  I will submit to 10 agents, not I will get 10 requests for fulls. 

Find a critique partner who works for you and will do the level of critique you want.  Trade a few pages first and see if you're a good fit for each other.  

Carve out writing time, no matter what.  

Practice writing pitches.  And synopses.  And check out Susan Dennard's fantastic guide for help.  

Don't query all your favorites at once.  Try some and then rework the query if it's not working.  

Always be working on something.  While you're querying one project, be writing the next.  

Stop comparing yourself to other writers.  You're unique.  That's a good thing.  

Don't give up.  

Wonder what they like to read?  Some of their most loved authors and YA books.  Because I asked, and they have good taste.  

Robin Hobb 

Melina Marchetta 

Elizabeth Wein (Code Name Verity) 

Rainbow Rowell (Fangirl) 

Jandy Nelson (The Sky is Everywhere) 

Garth Nix (Sabriel) 

Waiting on Wednesday: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a feature hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine to feature yet-to-be-released books.

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT

sarah j. maas

Learn more

coming august 27, 2013

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

c.j.'s thoughts

I have borderline inappropriate affections for Throne of Glass.  I mean, not really.  I just love it in a way that I haven't loved a YA fantasy since the glory days of Tamora Pierce, as you might notice from my glowing review and the fact that I've featured it at least once.  I also happen to adore the author, but that came later.  What struck me was the authenticity of the first book and how closely it stuck to traditional high fantasy while still being fun and new.  I think sometimes, fantasy authors these days try so hard to be original that they avoid any cliches that might brand them "trite."  This means getting rid of wizards, assassins, evil empires, dragons, etc.  Sure, that's okay.  You don't want to rewrite The Lord of the Rings.  But there's no reason you can't stick to elements people love and make them fresh.  That's what Maas did in book one, along with a badass female heroine and an appropriately-paced love interest.  I'm dying for book two and I hope to see some of the same thrills, adventure, and tight writing.  

Musing: Just watched the Game of Thrones season finale

George R.R. Martin

just destroyed

my soul. 

x_x 

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

review

                 book

	title:  Daughter of Smoke and Bone author:  Laini Taylor pages: 432 format: Hardcover isbn/asin: 0316134023 buy it: Amazon  Goodreads  B&N rating: 4/5 [in the genre] or 7.5/10 [all books I’ve ever read]. recommended for:  Fans Cassandra Clare (e.g. City of Bones),  tragic romance, exceptional worldbuilding, and angels and demons.  My Ratings Explained

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

the basics

I went into this book expecting to fall madly in love with it.  I did, and then I didn't.  The writing is gorgeous, like something out of a poem but with more edge and more accessibility.  The characters are witty, rich, and authentic.  The back story and worldbuilding is some of the best and most unique I've seen in fantasy, hands down.  I drank up the atmosphere like a drug--you know, the kind you drink?--and giggled with thrills from how clever it was, how interesting the chimaera and the teeth and the wishes, how eerie and beautiful and rich the world and the plot.  I loved absolutely everything--until I got to the romance.  

Then I wanted to kill it with fire.  The twist is crazy and clever and wildly cool, but instead of sloughing off the stain of insta-romance for me, it just gave me another instance of insta-romance.  I would have loved everything about this book if the initial romance had built up realistically, but I found myself groaning over another Romeo and Juliet retelling.  That said, everything else about the book was near perfection and I will be reading the rest of the series and hoping that Taylor's incredible talent will take the sour taste of instalove from my mouth.  But to be fair, it's hardly the worst instance of instalove I've seen, and it could almost be excused as strong attraction at first sight turned love.  So not enough to keep me away from the sequel.  

plot . 4/5

So, you know why that point is gone.  Oh, right.  I see you, I love you, OMGSTARSANDRAINBOWS.  Yeah.  I don't have a problem with attraction at first sight or lust at first sight or liking at first sight, but I felt that the connection between the two characters was a little extra-strong for my taste.  My opinion now isn't as extreme as it was when I first read.  The backstory does excuse the instalove that first irked me.  However, I still would have enjoyed seeing more of how the two characters fall in love rather than being told that they do.  Then I would have been okay with the quick connection, as Veronica Roth brilliantly describes.  Complaints out of the way: this was a well put together book.  The plot unfolds at a good pace, leaving you tantalizing hints that rip you along.  I think the only bad part was the very extended flashback, which yanked me out of the action and sort of made me forget what was going on by the time I got back to the present.  That said, the twist was fantastic, the ending came at a great place, and I had a super hard time putting it down.  

concept . 5/5

Fantastic.  Think you know angels and demons?  Ha.  You a'int seen nothin' yet.  Taylor takes old myths and combines them with dreams from her own imagination, creating a secret world of seraphs and chimaera who inspire the religions of humans but have their own myths and their own wars.  The angels are made out to be kind of bad guys and I'm hoping for more nuance later, but it's a really richly detailed world, so I can't much complain.  The magic system--pain for power--is clever and exciting.  I'm also in love with the concept of the wishes.  

characters . 4/5

Am I the only one not in love with Akiva?  Honestly, I found him to be kind of tritely stoic and self-righteously martyr-y.  Blech.  I loved Karou, though.  I think I loved her even more when she was just the art student.  She's witty and delightful.  A little Mary Sue-ishly beautiful and talented, but I think she has enough faults to keep her likeable.  Brimstone and the other chimaera are some of my favorites.  Especially Kishmish, weirdly enough.  And Zuzanna, the obligatory best friend, is spunky and awesome and given way more screen time than the usual best friend, which I found refreshing.  A main character who actually cares enough about her relationships not to abandon them totally for some hot fantasy guy?  Yes please!  The Madrigal storyline was pretty awesome and I enjoyed her character (while still finding her somewhat naively you-mean-I'm-pretty? annoying), but I wish Taylor hadn't strayed into the mean-homely-girl-jealous-of-pretty-girl trope.    

style . 5/5

Karou is an art student and you can tell that in every inch of her perspective.  The world we're given is colorful, tactile, vibrant.  Taylor layers each page with rich descriptors and unusual phrases that are so spot-on.  It's not overwhelming or purple though, just very beautiful.  

mechanics . 4/5

Like I said, the extended flashback was disorienting.  I would have preferred parallel stories and then later seen how they came together.  

take home message

A vibrant, richly detailed epic of good and evil, with a freshly unique world and unforgettable atmosphere.  



Note: I purchased this copy.  The price of the book and its origin in no way affected my stated opinions.

Announcement: Guest Posts and Reviews Wanted!

announcement

So, one person, namely me, has a lot on her plate.  That means fewer books can be read and fewer reviews and quasi-interesting tips and musings can be purveyed.  That's where YOU lovely readers come in!  Fellow bloggers, booksellers, authors, fans....lend me your keyboards!  I'm interested in people who want to get their name to a new audience or maybe try their hand at something new.  I'm looking for reviews, interesting posts on writing tips or topics, book news, features, and more.  Books should be young adult or middle grade, but that's the only stipulation.  

If you're interested, please email me at sarcasmandlemons (at) gmail (dot) com!  

Review: The Murmurings by Carly Anne West

review

                 book

	title:  The Murmurings author:  Carly Anne West pages: 384 format: Hardcover isbn/asin: 978-1442441798 buy it: Amazon  Goodreads  B&N rating: 4/5 [in the genre] or 6/10 [all books I’ve ever read]. recommended for:  Fans of The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee, ghost stories and hauntings, psychological thrillers, Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson, or The Ring.  My Ratings Explained

Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….

the basics

I wanted to love this book.  I did like it, a lot, but there were a few bits that kept me from loving it.  That said, I know I'm picky and if you like a good psychological thriller with some ghosts and ghouls thrown in, this is definitely your kind of book.  Like Garseen's The Unquiet, West takes a girl who thinks she's going crazy--but the truth might be far worse.  I was left wondering between reality and mental illness to the end, so it was a great thriller and twist.  She sets up the foreshadowing well so I was constantly forcing myself not to peek ahead.  I also liked Sophie a lot.  She's smart and a little edgier than your typical young adult character.  But like many horror leads, I also wanted to punch her several times for being stupid and impulsive.  Despite that, I was really drawn into the world, the story, and the atmosphere.  What kept this from being a 5 was that I thought the supernatural elements could have been developed more, and some parts of the plot felt a little contrived.  Overall though, it was an enjoyable read. 

plot . 3/5

The plot felt pretty standard as far as young adult horror goes.  You have the dead sister's secrets, the girl thinking she's going crazy, the weird happenings, the girl being stupid and running into the arms of death, the obsessive  and cruel doctor.  It wasn't bad by any means. Just not overly original, which is why the lowered score.  I was waiting for West to do more with the Takers and other supernatural elements.  Waiting for more sordid secrets about what had happened to Nell.  There was also a twist that I wish had gone a different way, so I admit, I'm a little bitter that it didn't because I thought it would have been really cool.  It's definitely a thrilling and compelling plot, though.  Also, thank you, Ms. West, for not letting the romance overshadow the plot! 

concept . 5/5

Very cool concept.  It's been done before, but West does it in a very different way.  You have real supernatural abilities masquerading as craziness (or are they?) and underground conspiracy theories of dangerous spirits and the unlucky ones they're drawn to.  The theories about the hallucinations / spirits were pretty cool, especially the soul splitting part.  It was also interesting having the mental hospital turned creepy experiment center.  I wish there had been more about Sophie's experiences being tortured there, because it really would have amped up the horror, but that's plot stuff.  The concept was very old-school asylum horror movie and I loved it.  

characters . 4/5

The characters were pretty good but some of the side ones fell a little flat.  I really liked Sophie.  She was a nice change from the quiet, bookish types populating young adult novels these days.  She was edgy, a little rebellious, and impulsive, which made me slightly forget her later horror movie-esque stupidity.  I also connected with her well.  Nell was also a great character, despite being dead.  She came alive through her journals and Sophie's recollections.  Evan was okay.  I felt like he could have been developed more past the jocky sweet hero, and given some more face time.  Same with Aunt Becky and mom.  They were useful for characterizing Sophie's life, but could have gotten deeper treatment.  

style . 4/5

West's style is good for a thriller-type horror novel of the young adult variety.  She doesn't get hung up on fancy words or flowery descriptions.  Instead, she lets the story doing the talking.  A great example of "show, not tell."  She was very good at building atmosphere.  When Sophie was trekking into the creepy abandoned basement or the weird old town, I felt a building sense of dread and eeriness, which is key for a good horror novel.  I only dock points because I feel that some of the dialogue was a little forced and some of the scenes a little rushed and uncut, which is a pet issue of mine.  

mechanics . 5/5

It was well-polished and the presentation was good.  I liked the interspersed journal entries with the action.  They were always paired appropriately and added a lot to what was going on, both by building suspense and foreshadowing some of the later surprises.  

take home message

The Murmurings is an exciting young adult horror novel with psychological flair, a thrilling plot, and just a touch of romance.   



Note: I purchased this copy.  The price of the book and its origin in no way affected my stated opinions.

Musing: Slow posting until further notice

musing

Hey there.  Sorry for the lack of posts.  I'm ready to review The Murmurings by Carly Anne West and I'm trucking through Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and I have a few other posts in the works, but my academic life is sort of falling apart right now, so I'm taking some time to get that on track and that means (a) doing academic stuff and (b) relaxing.  So I'm planning to get a post up this weekend and schedule things will stay scheduled, but if you're waiting on an email reply, stay tuned!  I'm getting to the backlog slowly.  

Waiting on Wednesday: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a feature hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine to feature yet-to-be-released books.

FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK

matthew quick

Learn more

coming august 13, 2013

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I'm sorry I couldn't be more than I was—that I couldn't stick around—and that what's going to happen today isn't their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

c.j.'s thoughts

So, apparently I like issue books, after having read a slew of them last year when I was having a dark moment.  I think what I like most is what this blurb promises to be "unflinching."  I love the books that go where others are afraid to go.  The ones that talk about what everyone else keeps hushed up.  It's like they teach you when you're learning to be a therapist.  When you talk about abuse, rape, violence, sex, drugs--you need to do it in a way that's open and honest.  A way that says, "these are real things and it's okay to talk about them."  That's what I'm hoping from this book.  I'm hoping for a view of the moments before a suicide, a view that is both authentic and not maudlin or preachy.  Something that really expresses the pain and ambivalence and fatalism.  Can't wait for this one.  

Writing Tips: From the Pros #1

Writing Tips

                     from the pros

So I love giving writer tips from a readerly perspective.  I love reading them too.  They're useful because the readers are your market, and you want to know what that market is thinking and what it loves and loathes.  That said, it's also insanely helpful to get advice from people who have been through the great publishing journey:  the published writers.  They have a different perspective because they've, worked with editors, publishers, agents, etc. and know the innards of the business.  So once a week or so, I'm going to gather the best articles I've found from both readers and writers on writing.  Hopefully in the process, all you writing hopefuls will find a few gems that give you some new perspective.  




From the Writers, Agents, and Publisher 

Marketing Dos and Don'ts for Self Publishing
Going the self-publishing route?  Author and PR exec has tips on how to market yourself and traps to avoid. 

Write the Stand-Alone Book with Series Potential
Selling a series can be tricky.  For agents and authors, it's a gamble.  But they still want to see that you have a lot of books in you.  Middle-grade author Kurtis Scaletta talks about how to write a book that can stand by itself but give you room to grow.  

What Novelists Should Know About Short Fiction 
Author Susannah Winsdor Freeman talks about short stories and how reading and writing more of them can help novelists hone their craft.  

What Not to Do When Beginning Your Novel 
Literary agents from some big names talk about what they hate to see in novel beginnings.  This is important for those of you sending out those first 10 pages! 




From the Readers and Reviewers

What Makes a Blurb Sort of Effective to Me
Blogger and reviewer Oh, Chrys talks about what bits of book blurbs (that back of the cover piece) make her want to grab the book, and what keeps her away. 

What I Look for in Books: A Checklist 
Blogger and reviewer Renae at Respiring Reviews gives her two cents on what turns an okay or good book into a great book.  

What I Want to See More of in YA
Christina Reads YA talks about some annoying fiction stereotypes and some topics and characters are are missing from the genre--perfect for an author looking to do something fresh and new!