Saturday, June 30, 2012

TOP 10 Contemporary Fiction Books + HUGE Giveaway!

The Contemporary Fiction Month at Bookish is officially over, but there's still a couple things that I have to share with you!

First, some of the fabulous ladies working in publishing industry are here with us today to share their lists of TOP 10 Favourite Contemporary Novels. There are some truly wonderful picks here, so be sure to check them all out, add them to your TBR-lists and read them as soon as possible!

TOP 10 FAVOURITE CONTEMPORARY NOVELS

Lindsey Reeder from Random House Canada: 
(Lindsey is the fabulous lady behind Reeder Reads - make sure to visit her and say hello!)

1. Wonder – R.J. Palacio
This is an uplifting novel that examines what it means to look different.

2. Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom – Susin Nielsen
Violet is on a mission to help her Mom finally meet the perfect man… who she believes is People’s sexiest man, George Clooney. A heartfelt story that is sure to be loved by young and older readers.

3. Gold – Chris Cleave
A gripping novel that explores the pursuit of two women who are trying to achieve Olympic gold.

4. Everybody Has Everything – Katrina Onstad
This novel examines whether or not everyone is fit to be a parent. It’s the perfect combination of tragedy and humor.

5. Unless – Carol Shields
One of my favorite novels that features a beautiful depiction of family, Toronto and the word “Goodness”.

6. Words that Start with B – Vikki VanSickle
If there’s one thing I love in a YA novel, it’s a spunky main character and that’s exactly what you’ll get when you read Vikki VanSickle’s debut novel.

7. Natural Order – Brian Francis
This beautiful novel is told from the perspective of a flawed 87 year old woman who is looking back on her life and her complicated relationship with her son.

8. Girls in White Dresses – Jennifer Close
Filled with stories that showcase what it’s like to be a woman in her twenties; weddings, relationships, baby showers, etc... Jennifer Close covers all the bases when it comes to her feature debut novel.

9. There is No Dog – Meg Rosoff
Meg Rosoff has created a gripping YA novel that examines the trials and tribulations that might occur if God were a 19 year old boy named Bob.

10. Web of Angels – Lilian Nattel
The main character(s) in this novel have DID, dissociative identity disorder. This is the story of Sharon Lewis, her multiples and the web they gets created when tragedy occurs in their home town.


Shannon Parsons from Harper Collins Canada: 
(Shannon runs the awesometastic Savvy Reader website - don't we all love it?!)

1. The Sky is Falling trilogy by Kit Pearson

2. Words That Start with B by the lovely and talented Vikki VanSickle!

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

4. 40 Things I Want to Tell You by Alice Kuipers

5. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series (especially Sisterhood Everlasting, I cried BUCKETS of tears) by Ann Brashares

6. The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. Danforth

7. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

8. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler


Vikki VanSickle from Harper Collins Canada: 
(Vikki is the gal behind the fantastic HCC Frenzy magazine - check it out here!)


1. Audrey, Wait! By Robin Benway

2. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

3. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockheart

4. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

5. Alice, I Think by Susan Juby

6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

7. Stay by Deb Caletti

8. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han




Vimala Jeevanandam from Penguin Canada: 
(Vimala is one of the wonderful ladies behind the Razobill Canada - check it out here!)

1. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

3. Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

4. Bloodlines by Rachelle Mead

5. Opposite of Tidy by Carrie Mac

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

7. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

8. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

9. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

10. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys



GIVEAWAY

To celebrate Contemporary Fiction, we have some truly fantastic prize packs + books to give away!

First, I would like to thank all the wonderful publishers who generously offered to sponsor the prizes: Harper Collins Canada, Raincoast Books, Simon & Schuster Canada, Random House Canada, Thomas Allen & Son, Scholastic Canada and Sourcebooks Fire - without you this feature wouldn't take place. 

THANK YOU!!!

Here's what you can win:

Prize Pack no 1:

- Girl Meets Boy by various
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
The Summer Of No Regrents by Katherine Grace Bond
While He Was Away by Karen Schreck
Rock God by Barnabas Miller

This Prize Pack is sponsored by Raincoast Books and can be won by anyone anywhere! (OPEN WORLD WIDE)


Prize Pack No 2:

- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
-It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
-Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman (ARC)
-Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
-The Catastrophic History of You And Me by Jess Rothenberg (ARC)


This Prize Pack is sponsored by me and can be won by anyone anywhere! (OPEN WORLD WIDE)

PRIZE PACK NO 3:

- Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock
- Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale
- Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne

This Prize Pack is sponsored by Random House Canada and can be won by a Canadian resident ONLY.

PRIZE PACK NO 4:

- Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
- Running On Empty by Don Aker
- 40 Things I Want To Tell You by Alice Kuipers 

This Prize Pack is sponsored by Harper Collins Canada and can be won by a Canadian resident ONLY!



A copy of Miracle by Elizabeth Scott 
sponsored by Simon & Schuster CA 

Open to: CANADA ONLY



A copy of Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer 
sponsored by Simon & Schuster CA 

Open to: CANADA ONLY




A copy of This Is So Not Happening by Kieran Scott 
sponsored by Simon & Schuster CA 

Open to: CANADA ONLY


Enter via Rafflecopter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Interview with Hilary Weisman Graham, author of Reunited + Giveaway


I'm honoured to be joined today by the wonderful Hilary Weisman Graham, author of the funny and extremely entertaining YA contemporary novel, Reunited.


1. Welcome to Bookish Hilary! Thank you so much for being one of the guests during the Contemporary Fiction Month feature! Could you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Here are the main details, in no particular order: In addition to being a novelist, I’m also a filmmaker and a screenwriter. I live in the middle of nowhere and I love it, but I used to be a city girl and I still go stir crazy if I go more than a few months without going into Boston or visiting LA or New York. People know me by my big, wild, curly brown hair. As of this month, I’ve been married for nine years. I have one son, and he loves to joke and make up funny stories, just like me. ;)

2. You debut YA novel, Reunited, features three ex-best friends, a broke-up band, and a disastrous road trip! Sounds like just the perfect summer read! Could you tell us who or what inspired you to write it?

I had a friendship break-up of my own freshman year of high school, and even though my story is very different than Alice, Summer, and Tiernan’s, the feelings around that break-up always stuck with me. For most 14-year-old girls, their best friends are the most meaningful relationship they’ve had at that point in their lives, apart from their family, so I thought the idea of ex-best friends reuniting at the end of high school, when they’re older and wiser, would make for an interesting story.

3. Could you share with us your favourite quote from Reunited?

“Fortunately, the boys were both deeply entranced in a game that involved a fork, a balled-up straw wrapper, and Toad’s open mouth.”

4. Have you always wanted to be a writer? At what point in your life did you decide that writing is something you want to do?

I spent most of my career as an indie filmmaker and TV producer, but writing was always a big part of my job. Even in my free time, I found myself participating in poetry slams, or composing humorous essays to share with my friends. But for a long time, I considered myself a “filmmaker who wrote,” as opposed to a writer.

Then, in the summer of 2007, I was selected to be a contestant on the Mark Burnett/Steven Spielberg-produced On the Lot, which, if you never caught it, was like American Idol for filmmakers, and aired on Fox for only one season.

It was there, in Los Angeles, competing head-to-head with seventeen other talented filmmakers on live television that I suddenly realized it was the writing part of filmmaking I’d always enjoyed most. After that, I made it my goal to become a working screenwriter and novelist—and that dream has now come true!

5. What's next in line for you? Are you working on a new book now?
I’m currently working on a new contemporary YA novel and I’m also writing a movie for The Disney Channel.

6. Is there a band or singer you're so obsessed with that you'd travel 2000 miles to see them play?

My new musical obsession is Andrew Bird. It’s hard to believe I’ve been on the planet for this long without listening to him.



7. Which three of your favourite contemporary books would you recommend everybody to read? 


1) 13 REASONS WHY by Jay Asher. 2) THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen 3) HARD LOVE by Ellen Wittlinger

8. Summer is (almost) here and we're all prepared to tackle our enormous summer TBR lists (To-Be-Read), can you share with us what's on your reading pile this summer? 

 Right now, My bookshelf is super crowded since I just got back from BEA (Book Expo America) in New York. Currently, I’m reading an ARC of LEVEL2 by Lenore Appelhans. Next up is an ARC of SKINNY by Donna Cooner THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green, ONE FOR THE MURPHYS by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and THE GIVER by Lois Lowry (which I'm ashamed to admit, I've never read).

9. If your book had a soundtrack to accompany it, what songs would be on it?

Anything and everything by Level3. To listen, go to www.level3theband.com where you can download two of their hit singles -- “Heyday” and “Parade” -- for free!

10. Do you have a favourite contemporary fiction character/couple? 

 They’re not a couple, but I love the friendship between Tiny Cooper and Will Grayson from WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON by John Green and David Levithan


Hilary, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us here today! I'm looking forward to reading Reunited - sound like a perfect summer read!




About the author:

Hilary Weisman Graham is an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and novelist. She lives in rural New Hampshire with her husband and son, roughly thirty minutes away from the nearest grocery store.

!!! ~Giveaway~!!!

Hilary Weisman Graham has generously offered to give away one finished copy of Reunited

OPEN TO: US/Canada only
Ends: July 14th

To enter: 
Be a follower of this blog
Enter via rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This Interview + Giveaway was posted as part of the Contemporary Fiction Month feature. Click on the picture for full schedule.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Guest Post by Sasha Soren, author of Random Magic [Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Technology]

Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Technology 
Guest post, Sasha Soren (Random Magic)

Contemporary fiction is the focus of this event, but thought it might also be interesting to think about the contemporary technology that’s changed the way everyone enjoys the reading experience, just in general.

Here are some of the top five technological changes that have forever altered the way we read books – and, in some ways, have even slightly redefined just what a book actually is:


 Kindle and other e-readers 


 There are still the occasional holdouts, people who refuse to use an e-reader because they say it’s nearly a sacrilege to read a book in a digital format, when there are traditional print copies available. And there are people who love e-readers, but still appreciate the nostalgic feeling that a new book brings them, the feel of the pages and the very slight scent of ink. 


 But the rise of the e-reader, predicted in the past but now a reality, has, in many ways, altered the experience of reading. 


 The link between the words and the reader, that’s still there. But now the actual words can be personalized to suit the person reading them - they can make the text larger or smaller, arrange the text along the screen horizontally or vertically. 


 So, digital reads have changed the way people can personalize their experience – maybe instead of using a cheerful new bookmark, or making notes in the margin, or turning down the corners on a favorite page, people can electronically bookmark specific quotes they love, or make the font larger for tired eyes, or make a playlist of their favorite titles. 

 But e-readers have also changed the small and nuanced delights attached to the very experience of being a reader. 

 What are the small things that delight you most about printed books? Maybe one or two of the simple pleasures below:

The anticipation of waiting for a book to arrive has changed - for every person who still gets a charge of energy when a parcel arrives at their door, containing a book they’ve been waiting to read, there’s another type of personality, who gets a thrill out of being able to read the book they crave right now, just by downloading it. 

 For every person who loves being surrounded by books, with shelves on every wall, heavy with their most adored reads, there’s another person who loves the fact that they can carry their library in their pocket. Dozens of hundreds of wonderful stories – and they’re all contained in a handy tablet that’s usually around the size of most trade paperback books, or even smaller. 

 There are lots of other ways e-readers have changed the basic experience of reading, but trying to keep this to a brief overview, not a dissertation – although, of course, you’re definitely welcome to leave your views about e-readers in the comments, if you like. 


 If you love print books, but also love your e-reader, what are the things you love about both formats - and what will you miss, if you had to permanently give up one format or the other?




Actually, here’s an interesting discussion on the topic of e-readers that was part of a Bookie Brunch, you’re welcome to drop by to see what people had to say: Browse this discussion


Video 


 Do you know what people online - whether they’re at home or out and about - are searching for, these days? Videos. We see you there, on YouTube, pretending to be hard at work on something, but tempted by the opportunity to see just one more ‘awwww, look at this cute animal!’ clip. ‘Fess up, it’s you, isn’t it! 

 No, really, videos are one of the things people look for the most, these days. Video-sharing site YouTube isn’t even a decade old, it was launched in 2005 and acquired by search engine behemoth Google, just a year later. 

 There are plenty of studies and infographics out there, which can give you all the data you need on which video-sharing sites are the most popular, and what billions of people are searching for yearly, monthly, weekly and even right this very minute. 


 Data really isn’t necessary here, because it’d just back up something that everyone already knows – videos are fun, they’re cool, and there’s something for everyone, at any hour of the day or night, from mundane, to entertaining, to useful, to just bizarre. 

 Now, movie trailers have been around since movies first made their way onto the screens. Someone watching a film in New York City, or Paris, or Buenos Aires, could be seeing the same preview trailer as someone sitting in a theater in London. 

 So, movie trailers have always shared the word about some upcoming feature. One of the natural progressions, then, would be teasers and trailers for other things – for restaurants, dance shows, theater events, travel destinations – and books. 

 Do you enjoy movie trailers? Sometimes they’re fun to watch, and give you a little intriguing view of what the film experience might be like. It helps give you a preview of that particular film, so you can decide if it’s something that might interest you. It’s just the same with book trailers – and now they’re becoming a lot more common.

 Actually, this might be a good spot for a book trailer, and just so happens that we happen to have one handy…






Shown above: Book trailer, Random Magic 


 Before easy access to online video sites like YouTube, which went from being a little start-up idea in 2005, to a worldwide standard by 2009 and onwards, a book tour was actually a book tour – an author would physically be on the road, and go from point to point, to different destinations. 

 Why? To interact with readers, talk about the book, answer questions, have discussions, read from their books. To connect with people, in different places. 

 With the advent of live streaming events, though, an author can be in one city, but connect with people all around the world, in real time. 

 The quality of video and audio, with high definition (HD) footage rapidly becoming a standard for video footage, creates a viewing experience so detailed that it’s like being in the same room with someone. Whether or not the particular event is streamed live, people can still enjoy amazing video and audio quality in the playback. 

 So, video has changed the way people experience books; or, maybe it’s more accurate to say that it’s expanded the way people experience books. 

 What you imagine in the pages, can now be seen, visualized for you, in a book trailer. If you’d like to interact with your favorite author, but they’re in Australia and you live in Wisconsin - it doesn’t matter anymore. 

 Live streaming brings the immediate experience, and video footage brings an archived experience, and video trailers give you a sampling of what you might experience in reading the book, but no one has to trek anywhere or wait on line anymore. 

 Even just a few years ago, if someone wanted to meet an author they really liked, maybe they might have to go all the way to another city, and what a bother. 

 Or, if someone was giving a reading, they might broadcast only to people in a room in a specific book shop, but with live streaming, that one reading is now accessible to people all around the world, like a virtual audience, and nobody gets left out because the shop ran out of chairs. 

 And, instead of reading reviews or features about some particular book, waiting for a paper or magazine to come out, or trekking to a book shop to page through a few likely-looking titles, you can easily browse book trailers from anywhere – and you have a fabulous world of book vloggers, or booktubers, who steadily and generously read all kinds of books, and then let you know about them.

 Here, for example, is a review of Random Magic - in video form. So, you can sit at home, with a cup of coffee, and check out what this vlogger thought about this book, and even comment back with thoughts or questions. 

 It’s a comfortable and interactive way to browse a book – not just reading the cover blurb, but hearing someone’s thoughts about their experience. And you can sit at home quite comfortably to tune in, and not even have to get out of your pajamas, if it’s a nice weekend morning and you’re feeling a little lazy. 

 Or, maybe you stumble home from a club at 5 a.m. and are just in the mood to tune in to something a little more quietly entertaining, like a book review. This doesn’t seem like it’s likely to be someone’s first choice after falling through the doorway, but, if this is you, feel free to leave a comment to say hello, if just for the novelty value of meeting someone who’s that unusual…





Shown above: Vlogger LexieVamp666 discusses her experience with reading Random Magic
You can visit her video channel, here. (http://tinyurl.com/4xoa525) 

 Some vloggers mix their love of books with other things they enjoy – music, makeup or food, for example – and come up with interesting takes on bookish topics. 

 Have you ever thought you’d like to hear someone reviewing a book, in the form of a song? Well, now you can, if that sounds like fun. The Bushwick Book Club (Seattle) does exactly that! Here’s their review of Random Magic - as a song.





Shown above: The Bushwick Book Club (Seattle) reviews Random Magic, in their own quirky way. 
You can visit them here, if you like, to find out which other books they might be singing about: The Bushwick Book Club (Seattle) (http://tinyurl.com/cu2u5vx) 

Twitter Ah, Twitter. 

It’s a bit like a water cooler, a cocktail party, the neighborhood gossip and a news bureau, all rolled into one. 

 Twitter’s currency is information. All kinds of information. Some of it is useful, some of it is appalling, some of it is hilarious, and some of it is just rather puzzling. 

 But, as noted, it’s a bit of everything. What’s interesting about Twitter, at least, when thinking about it and its relevance to contemporary fiction, is that it’s also another way for writers and readers to connect. 

 Let’s say, 50-100 years ago, you enjoyed some particular book and really wanted to just let the author know. You might send a letter, which might be sent ahead, which might or might not get to the destination, and you might or might not get a reply back, and it was all very complicated. 

 This traditional but quite slow sort of situation went on for, let’s say, up until 10-20 years ago, when the Internet slowly but surely went from being a communications infrastructure used mainly by researchers and techies, to become a common tool that most people started using, more and more, in everyday life. 

 Maybe 10-15 years ago, if you happened to know the publisher of some particular book, you might be able to find a basic page or so about the author on their web site. 

 If the author happened to maintain a site, there might be a contact form or comments section or even an email, and you could save a stamp and just send a digital note. But it was all still a bit remote.

 Five years ago, or even earlier, if an author maintained a blog, you’d have a little window into their daily world, through posts and personal commentaries, and news. 

 Today, there’s Twitter. Now, if that author has a Twitter feed, it’s perfectly possible to just hang out with them online. 

 No stamps, no publishers, no sites, blogs, email or comments required. Have a question? Wondering what that writer is thinking? Want to say hello or that you enjoyed their work? There they are, tweeting away. 

 You don’t even have to send and wait for an email back, you can talk to them, essentially, in real time, just as if you’re having a conversation somewhere in a café or book shop together. 

 Of course, this is true to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the person - not everyone with a Twitter account does actually use it, instead letting other people tweet for them, and, if they do have one, and do personally send tweets out, they might not use it very often.

 But, the point is, it’s just another way to connect, and a far more immediate way that anything involving a stamp, a post office, a plane, or the Pony Express. 

 Pinterest 

 This is basically 2010-2013’s communication tech’s hotspot, at least in terms of social media, where tech is used, not to store and analyze data, or to run programs, but to share information. Love it or hate it, it’s here, and it’s got pictures. 

 What does that have to do with expanding the reading experience? Maybe if we think about a particular book as a particular sports figure; baseball trading cards, for example – they have the player image, bio and stats, they’re cute, compact, and tradeable. 

 Now, as it applies to Pinterest, let’s say you like a book. In fact, you like that book very much, and want to find people who like that book. Or tell people about that book. Or collect info and quotes from that book, or post a link for people who’d like to buy that book. 

 Someone, somewhere, has had that same thought. Maybe a lot of someones - and just by doing a simple search, you’ll pull up dozens of people from around the world, who also love that book. Or that writer. Or something connected to that book or writer. 

 People can share image and text very quickly, add quotes they like, include Amazon links, and make basically the electronic equivalent of trading cards about their favorite reads. Want to meet a few other people who like the same books you like? If they’re not on YouTube and they’re not on Twitter, you’ll find them on Pinterest. 

 Twitter is text-based, so you can scan your page and get a variety of info, but in text. YouTube appeals to people who prefer their information visually, but they can only watch one video at a time. 

Pinterest is a sort of blend of both – it appeals to people who engage best with visual information, and it most of the information is available at the same time. Of course, this doesn’t only apply to books and writers, but nearly any subject you can possibly come up with – there’s a page for it. Often there are pages and pages of it, and all there for your enjoyment. 

 Pinterest, like both YouTube and Twitter, is open all night, and there’s always something new to look at. Don’t like what’s on TV? There are plenty of other options! 

 So, then. There we have four ways that contemporary technology modifies the way contemporary fiction is read, experienced, talked about, and shared. 

 We did mention at the top of the feature that we’d be talking about five ways this is true, of course, and that’s only four, so far. What could the last one be? The fifth one is something you're experiencing right now.  

Credit: CC Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com/Flickr
Book bloggers and vloggers 

 Book bloggers (and vloggers, or booktubers) have made it easy to have a lunchtime chat with friends in a local book shop, but this time, their friends are people they haven’t met, the local book shop is anyplace you can find an internet connection, and the reach is all around the world.

 So, book lovers can be in 10 different countries, and participate in the same conversation, via comments, book tours, special events and weekly memes.

 Book blogging (and the companion format, in video form, vlogging) is the fifth way that contemporary technology has changed the reading experience, and often, enhanced it. 

Yes, of course, blogging has been around for some time, but the difference in book blogging is the addition of community features. Book bloggers don’t just broadcast information, they engage, through commenting, guest-posting, participating in memes, features and reading challenges, and other special events. 

 All of which are specifically created by and for other book bloggers. They also make use of some of the other contemporary technology already mentioned – Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, to share info about their events or give shout-outs to fellow bloggers and vloggers. 

 There’s also a lot of cross-over, when authors and book bloggers team up on specific projects, which would be unusual in any other traditional form of media, like newspapers, magazines, or television. The focus is less on promoting a book, and more on coming up with something fun and sharing the same cool experience. 

 The same is true for book vloggers, or booktubers, who’ve taken the opportunity to create a video dialogue with people worldwide, and decided to use it to talk about something they love - books. 

 There are, of course, lots of other ways contemporary technology has changed the experience of reading - audiobooks, anyone? - but those are some of the ones that seem to have made the greatest impact. 

 Agree? Disagree? Do feel free to leave your take on the discussion below – which contemporary technologies have changed the way you find out about, read, share, or experience contemporary reads? 

 And what’s next, in your opinion? Holograms! Who can say… 

 Contemporary technology is just that, contemporary; technology changes and evolves with each generation, whether that generation is a 100 years or a 100 days. 

 So, yes, who’s to say what’s up ahead, holograms or experience immersion technology, pick your favorite story, and you’re in it. And perhaps readers from the 22nd century examining a Kindle Fire, in a museum and thinking, ‘Oh, how quaint.’ 

 In the meantime, readers have digital books they can format, for ease of reading, video experiences to share, authors to talk to about their work, in real time, and ways to swap cards on their favorite anythings. Is it fun? Oh, it very well could be. Wouldn’t you say? 


 About Random Magic
When absent-minded Professor Random misplaces the main character from Alice in Wonderland, young Henry Witherspoon must book-jump to fetch Alice before chaos theory kicks in and the world vanishes. 

Along the way he meets Winnie Flapjack, a wit-cracking doodle witch with nothing to her name but a magic feather and a plan. Such as it is. 

 Henry and Winnie brave the Dark Queen, whatwolves, pirates, Strüths, and fluttersmoths, Priscilla and Charybdis, obnoxiously cheerful vampires, Baron Samedi, a nine-dimensional cat, and one perpetually inebriated Muse to rescue Alice and save the world by tea time. 

 Explore this book: Print  | Kindle  | Twitter  | YouTube  
R.S.V.P. – You’re invited!




Shown above: Video Week: Random Magic 
About: From July 21-30, 2012, a week of reviews, features and fun, as vloggers from around the world chime in with their takes on Random Magic
Schedule (http://tinyurl.com/6u8kabp) 

 If you enjoy books and videos, and think it’d be fun to check out a video tour, filled with reviews, discussions and mystery features, you’re welcome to join us for a cool video tour in July 2102, featuring some great book vloggers, or booktubers, from around the world. See you there! 

 Browse the line-up: Check out event schedule (http://tinyurl.com/6u8kabp) 
Or drop by to say hello: Leave a comment (http://tinyurl.com/7cuq9bf)

Guest Post: Christa's Top Ten Contemporary YA titles with GLBTQ characters

Today I have the fabulous Christa from Hooked On Books stopping by to share with us a her TOP 10 Contemporary YA titles with LGBT characters! Christa has a great blog event happening over at her blog right now in which she talks about books with LGBT themes - make sure to stop by and say hi to her! 

Top Ten Contemporary YA titles with GLBTQ characters:


1) Shine by Lauren Myracle.
If I had to pick one and only one title off of this list, this would definitely be one of the big contenders. A heart-breaking and moving novel, Shine by Lauren Myracle is one of the most gritty and authentic books I have ever read. Can not recommend it enough.

2) Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.
David Levithan is like the Gay YA god. His books are straight up incredible. Not only does he have an amazing way with words, he writes the most incredible love stories I have ever read. The nice thing about Boy Meets Boy is that it’s not a coming out story, and it’s not depressing or tragic. It’s just a good old fashioned love story (ok maybe not “old fashioned” but you know what I mean)

3) The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth
A debut author this year, Emily Danforth’s The Miseducation of Cameron Post is not to be missed. Don’t be intimidated by it’s size! You’ll be so wrapped up in Cameron’s story, the pages will just fly by. Brave and independent, Cameron is one of my all time favourite female characters.

4) Way to Go by Tom Ryan
Another fabulous debut author! And a fellow Canadian!
Way to Go takes place on the fabulous Canadian east coast. There’s music and cooking and some crazy small time adventures. And this is simple, no frills writing - no fluff. Just a great story about a boy trying to figure out who he is..

5) Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger
The story of a boy named Grady, who was once a girl named Angela. Grady is a great character and his determination to be himself is incredibly admirable. If that wasn’t good enough, there are some really interesting secondary characters. Particularly a geeky boy named Sam. 




6) Pink by Lili Wilkinson
I have to put Pink of every LGBTQ list I write because of the main character Ava. There are few characters I find as easy to relate to as Ava. She struggles with who she really is, who her friends and family expect her to be and how society might see her. Plus she (and many other characters in this book) are total nerds! Nerd power!

7) Luna by Julie Anne Peters
Simply put, if David Levithan is the Gay YA god, than Julie Anne Peters is the Gay YA queen. Like David she has scores of amazing books, most dealing with LGBTQ issues. They’re all amazing, but if I had to pick the one I recommend the most, it would be Luna, hands down. It’s a beautiful book and a National Book Award finalist. Can’t go wrong there.

8) The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson
I actually haven’t read this one but it has come highly recommended from a number of trusted sources. Maureen Johnson is a fabulous writer (you should follow her on Twitter if you don’t already) and her book asks the question “What happens when your two best friends fall in love...with each other?”

9) Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford
A lot of books deal with teen depression and suicide but I don’t usually see book about what happens after an attempted suicide. In this way Suicide Notes stands out as a unique and thought provoking read. And I personally think Michael nails the voice of 15 year-old Jeff.

10) Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
One of my all time favourite books. LGBTQ or otherwise. What else would you expect when two brilliant writers come together? Trust me, you’ve never met a character like Tiny Cooper. And if you’re into audiobooks, you’ll want to add Will Grayson Will Grayon to your to-listen list.


I'm loving this list! I haven't actually read any of this titles yet, but I'm definitely planning to! Thanks for sharing it with us, Christa :) 

What do you guys think? What is your favourite book with a LGBT character? Have you read any? Are you planning to? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (Review)

Genre:Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Drama
Publication.Date  December 1st 2011
Pages:284
Published By:  Sourcebooks Fire | 
WebsiteMiranda Kenneally 

Catching Jordan - Goodreads
My review copy:Finished copy purchased by me.
Where to get:



"Whoever said football and girls don't mix hasn't read Catching Jordan. I couldn't put it down " -- Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Greeen moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

"A beautiful novel with a real and captivating depiction of high school relationships, Catching Jordan shows the same reverence for the human heart that it does for the game of football." --Karsten Knight, author of Wildefire (Goodreads)



“One thing I learned a long time ago is that even if you think you're meant to be with someone, that doesn't necessarily mean you get to be with them."
“When unrequited love is the most expensive thing on the menu, sometimes you settle for the daily special.”
“You know, there's no more dangerous creature on Earth than the teenage girl.”
“Sometimes friendship is just that, just being with someone.”
“But what happens when you don't find that right person? Do you just spend the rest of your life in a relationship where the conversation isn't great, everything isn't perfect, but it is nice and sweet?” 




     Catching Jordan is a complete break-away from your typical YA romantic novels. Not a single thing about this book could be called ordinary or predictable. Everything - from the characters that defy the usual romantic stereotypes to love story that is concluded in a totally unpredictable way, is fresh, crisp, and completely unputdownable. I went into reading it expecting something along the lines of "She's the man" - a cute, not necessarily ambitious, mildly entertaining romantic comedy packed to the brinks with cheesiness and cliches. What I got, though, exceeded all my expectations. See, Catching Jordan is not only entirely original and compulsively readable, it's also intelligent, gorgeously mood-lifting, and infused with energy so positive that by the time you reach its last page you'll be clapping, dancing, and performing various unpredictable stunts around the house. Or at least grinning like a maniac. How many books can give you such an awesome boost? The answer is: not many!

     The main character in this novel is a chick named Jordan. And she's not just any chick, but one that happens to be a kick-ass captain of a high school football team. Physically attractive, strong and athletic, she's a starting quarterback and a role model for her fellow team players. She's tough, persistent and supportive. All the guys on her team treat her with respect and adorable brotherly protectiveness. Jordan loves all the guys on her team but it's a sister-brother kind of love at the very best. Her dream is to get a football scholarship at the University of Alabama, and she's determined to make it happen. Love stories, dating, shaving legs for guys? Jordan is so not interested in all that! At least not until Ty moves to her school. He's a gorgeously handsome quarterback and Jordan can't keep her eyes off him. For the first time ever, she's falling for a boy. Can she stay focused on achieving her goals while dating the hottest guy at school? Or will Ty prove to be too much of a distraction for her? 

     This book was simply awesome. It rocked my world. I did not want to put it down - and I didn't, I actually read it in just one sitting. I don't know if it's the sweet taste of summer, refreshingly different way of approaching a YA romance, or the insanely cool characters and the fantastic relationship between them, but I absolutely couldn't get enough of this book. Miranda Kennneally pulled off something incredibly difficult - she wrote a beautiful and heart-warming tale of love and friendship, infused with vivid emotions, meaningful thoughts and inspirational messages, and set it against an incredibly unique and realistically drawn sports background. Aside from Stephen King's Blockade Billy, I don't think I ever enjoyed a sports-related novel that much (or at all). Thankfully, Catching Jordan offers a perfect blend of romance and action. Kenneally gives just enough football-related details to keep the reader interested and well-entertained, but not too much as to put them off. At the same time, though, football does play a very important role in her book, and I really appreciated the time and effort that Kenneally obviously must have put into researching the subject matter. She did a thorough job, exploring both the glamorous and exciting side of an athlete's life, as well as the darker side, filled with tears, sweat, frustration and struggles. The end result was stunning, and while she didn't exactly make me want to pick up a ball and run around the field with a bunch of jocks, I might actually watch some games on TV, and whenever I will, I will think of Catching Jordan.

     As much as I loved the great plot line and sweet romance, what I liked the most about this book was the in-depth characters and the way they interacted with each other. To me, Catching Jordan is not only a book about following your dreams and believing in yourself, fighting for your future and overcoming obstacles. It's also - or perhaps even most of all - a book about relationships and how they affect us, shaping our personalities, dictating our choices, putting us down and building us up. And this book is filled with wonderfully depicted relationships of all sorts, from friendships, romantic relationships, to the different flavours of relationships between family members. Kenneally talks about support, protecting each other, jealousy, rivalry, animosity, sacrifice, respect, and different kinds of love. And she does it with such skill and conviction, it's absolutely enthralling

     Catching Jordan is a book that has a lot to offer. If you like love stories that are just as sweet and charming as they are clever and memorable, you'll definitely appreciate this one. It's irresistibly compelling, funny, and it comes with a perfectly satisfying ending and surprising depth. I want more books like Catching Jordan, and can't wait for Miranda Kenneally's next novel -Stealing Parker -to be out!


Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for a chance to win Catching Jordan and other fabulous books from Raincoast Books!




This review is posted as part of the Contemporary Fiction Month feature!


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About the Author
Evie is the Blogger behind Bookish. She enjoys reading many different genres, especially YA, Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction and Fantasy.
She loves talking to authors and is always happy to welcome them for interviews, and guest posts. She also likes spreading the love for awesome books and  chatting with fellow book-worms.
You can find Evie here: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Shelfari | The Library Thing
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