Love and Probability

With a title like, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, one may assume or hope (well, someone like me) that this book may offer a cynics view of the term "love at first sight." Instead, the title has made me, even if only for a few days, believe that happenstance meetings that lead to great love affairs really do exist. I could not put Jennifer E. Smith's young adult novel down! I am so glad that I have worked ten minutes of independent reading time into my students' library class schedules as this allowed me to sneak in a few pages of reading even while at work! I was one hundred percent on board with Hadley, the main character. Even more than recognizing a piece of myself in her, I was shocked to find my chin quivering and giant tears pooling in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks as I read her adventure. That I can recall, the last time I cried over a book was in sixth grade when I had to read the end of Bridge to Terabithia on my own and in bed while recovering from a bout of mono. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and it's characters will be sticking with me for a long time to come!

The book takes place in the space of twenty-four hours during which Hadley misses her original flight to London for her father's wedding to the woman he left Connecticut, Hadley and her mother for. Hadley's relationship with her father is broken and she is only attending the wedding because her mother forced it. I can relate to Hadley, not because I've had a similar family experience but because I know myself well enough to know I'd hold a grudge and be just as stubborn, unmoving and unforgiving even when I knew attending the wedding was the "bigger" thing to do. Hadley's personality flaws are my personality flaws so I feel a special kinship with her. Hadley is only able to relax and ignore the disaster waiting for her in London when she meets Oliver while waiting for another flight. Chance has it that they are seated in the same row which obviously leads to sitting next to each other for hours over the Atlantic. Oliver is just the type of guy I could talk to for hours on end. Their cheeky back and forth flirtation feels completely natural and honest. At one point Hadley muses, "Is it possible not to ever know your type-not to even know you have a type until quite suddenly you do?"

After a night of conversation and unmistakable chemistry, Hadley fears that she will never see Oliver again once they land. I feel the same panic as Hadley when she and Oliver must part at Customs. I read just a little faster waiting and hoping for him to make a reappearance so I could be assured that love works out for at least someone-even if she is a literary character. I was so caught under his spell that I inwardly sighed when Hadley remembered Oliver like a song, "He's like a song she can't get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn't think she could ever get tired of hearing it."

As the story in London unfolds and Hadley walks through the wedding in a daze, my heart got heavier and heavier. I was sad for Hadley - for everything she lost - for the way her father broke her heart and made her mistrust marriage, but I also realized (as she realizes as well) that without that hurt and sadness, she never would have met Oliver who holds so many possibilities for happiness. He is a representation of hope. For my taste, Hadley forgives a little too easily. I felt like her father was let off the hook. Everything else about this book felt so real and authentic that it ruined the illusion a bit that what should have taken months and possibly years to fix, took only a few conversations in the span of a few hours. I would love to read a version told from Hadley's father point of view just so I can hear his guilt and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he realizes what a horrible thing it was that he did to his family.

This book read like a movie...a really good one that's bound to become one of my favorites. The kind that I watch (or read) over and over again even once all the lines have been memorized!

Whatever happened to brown eyes?!

Let's get something straight. I have brown eyes...dark chocolate, coffee bean colored brown eyes, and I love the color! I'm starting to get really tired of authors giving their heroines and romantic leads every other eye color under the sun. I'm not positive, but I would venture to say that if I did a little research, I would find that brown eyes are in fact the most common eye color. But then every time I pick up a book someone has amber, gray, gold, green, or blue eyes that smolder, darken, dazzle, or cloud. If I believed fiction, I'd think brown eyed people never get to fall in love (which had better not be the truth!) Personally, I think brown eyes are warm, kind and constant and authors are missing out by not including them in their stories.

I've been spending most of my time reading young adult literature. December was the last time I read a book from the adult section. Not that I'm complaining...I have three adult books waiting for me, but I'm finding it difficult to commit the time needed for them. And honestly, even though I'm in my mid thirties, I can still relate to many of the common themes found in young adult literature. What I don't remember from my own angsty teen aged years is the constant obsession with love stories as part of the plot in books. I can't remember the last book I read that didn't have some sort of love story included. And always, always,  these love stories have 'clear blue eyes' that 'smolder and flash to darker blue' when they lock with their love interest!

It would be nice to have an author, if they feel the need to describe their character's eyes, use good old warm and friendly brown eyes for a change. Just my humble opinion as a 'brown-eyed girl.'

I did just finish a book yesterday (and yes, it turned out to be a love story along with the fantasy and mystery it began with.) It partially takes place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I've been vacationing in the UP since I was a toddler and am headed there later this week. Once there, I'll write my review of the book while being inspired by the beauty that is this often overlooked treasure in the region!

Unspoken is difficult to speak about...

I realize that I have been seriously lacking in the blog entry department. I mean when I logged on today and realized that it has been a solid month since I last wrote, I began to grasp for what type of excuse I could offer.

• Excuse number one: I needed time to fully digest the last young adult novel I read (although, really a month seems excessive so on to the next excuse.)

• Number 2: My current graduate (6 week) course has begun to make my brain matter melt and ooze out of my ears.

• Number 3: I so thoroughly enjoyed the last book I wrote about that I've had a hard time enjoying anything new. To be honest, I've been trying to let my mind relive that type of genre by rereading and rewatching movies of a similar sensibility.

• Number 4: It is now summer vacation and I've been busy meeting other friends that don't work during the summer for brunch or lunch as well as spending lots of time outside usually in a pool. When the weather is beautiful I feel it my sacred duty to be outside enjoying it since I spend the rest of the year in the school library that has no windows.

Okay, so here goes...

And yes, it’s another pre-pub. Sorry to those of you who might be looking for something to read right now. But may I point out that Secret Letters (see previous posting) is now available for purchase.

                                         

As the title of my entry makes completely clear, Unspoken: The Lynburn Legacy Book 1 by Sarah Rees Brennan will be strange to put into words. I didn't love the book, but I couldn't stop reading it. Brennan created something magical and I kept being drawn back to her story. Of course it helps that she has an uncanny ability to leave you saying, "What?!" at the close of a chapter! While I didn't adore this book, I am fully confident that many middle school girls will.

Kami Glass lives in Sorry-in-the-Vale (yes, a hyphenated and ridiculous name, but go with it.) It's a relatively small town with plenty of secrets and not many outsiders. Kami doesn't have many friends because she is rather strange, frequently retreating to the imaginary voice and friend, Jared, in her mind. The adventure and danger really takes off in a particularly humorous and intense scene in the elevator of the local library. It is in this moment that Kami realizes she isn't actually crazy but the victim of some strange magic that has connected her mind to another's.

Kami and her rag-tag gang of friends (cousins Ash & Jared Lynburn, Angela, and Holly) begin an investigation into the odd happenings that have begun in Sorry-in-the-Vale under the guise of writing for the school newspaper. It doesn't help that people in town seem to think the animal sacrifices and odd attacks are all because the Lynburn family has returned to their manor after decades of being away. The more Kami looks into the mystery surrounding the town, the more she isn't sure whom to trust.

The reader feels all the frustration and confusion that Kami feels when she is finally brought into the loop that Sorry-in-the-Vale was established as a refuge for sorcerers, and that the regular townsfolk once accepted the practice of a yearly sacrifice to them. Kami's connection to Jared runs much deeper than their ability to communicate with each other sans spoken word, and she begins to question whether this is altogether healthy or desirable for either of them.

The climax in the final chapters of the book is as dangerous and exciting as lovers of the fantasy genre crave. As I'm reliving the novel for this post, I'm realizing how much I really did enjoy the story. Kami is a likable and brave heroine who at times makes head strong decisions without fear of consequences, one reason why adolescents are likely to relate to and enjoy her character. My hesitation to fully jump into the Lynburn world stems, I expect, from having read a pre-published copy of the book. Some chapters were better written and thought out than others. At times I was so confused by the author's writing that I almost abandoned the book, but Sarah Rees Brennan so fully captivated me with her magic, danger and mystery that I was compelled to continue on. The physical and emotional tension between Kami and Jared is palpable and in the end is resolved in both a perfect and frustrating manner! I can only assume and hope that some editing changes have taken place between the copy I read and the one that will be released later this year. Either way, the book is likely to be a success which is good as I would like to see where Kami ventures next! 

The book won't be released until September 11, 2012 and upon reading the final few paragraphs you will be left wanting the next installment to the series immediately. So, if you are someone who doesn't like to wait, file away this title for a few years until the author has released a more titles in the series.

Victorian Mysteries...one of my favorite genres!

In my last post I mentioned that I was already hooked on a new book after only two chapters. I finished the book this afternoon and it didn't disappoint. My only disappointment comes from desperately wanting more of the sweet, tense, awkward, humorous, and biting interactions between the two main characters. Secret Letters by Leah Scheier is a mystery set in Victorian London. Two of my most favorite adult book series are mysteries set in Victorian London (The William Monk series by Anne Perry) and turn of the century London (The Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King.) That being the case, I was a little worried about how this book would stack up to such beautifully written and beloved characters. Remembering that the book was written for young adult readers, I tried not to compare it to the much more complex adult mysteries I'm used to reading. As I read, I couldn't help but wonder if Leah Scheier is familiar with and influenced by Anne Perry and Laurie R. King. Maybe this book will serve as a bridge for young readers leading them to a love of the genre!

Dora Joyce is a 16 year old in the care of her aunt with a shameful secret. She has traveled with her cousin, Adelaide, who is being blackmailed over old love letters, under the pretense of seeking help from a private investigator. Her aim is Sherlock Holmes but must settle instead for a Mr. Porter after Sherlock Holmes is thrown from a waterfall. Through Mr. Porter, Dora meets the mysterious Peter Cartwright, a young apprentice to Porter. The tentative relationship that develops between Dora and Peter is where the real beauty of the novel lies. Looking into Adelaide's blackmailer leads to a connection with another case in which Dora deceives her cousin in order to go undercover as an assistant to Peter posing as a maid at a country manor.

Dora has always been a bit of a rebel and a disappointment to her family since she finds it difficult to conduct herself in the proper, demure manner that is expected of upper class women. There are whispers of Mary Russell (Laurie R. King's heroine) and Hester Latterly (Anne Perry's heroine from the Monk series) in Dora which only served to increase my affinity for her! She is clever and strong-willed, frequently speaking before thinking. While many other young adult books rely on descriptions of physical relationships in order tell a love story, Scheier relies on brilliantly constructed conversations to build the chemistry between Dora and Peter. Obviously, this is as it should be since the story is set in Victorian England. In my opinion, the delayed gratification that comes from witty word play is much more satisfying for my romantic sensibilities. Plus, as I've previously admitted, I crave a literary love/hate relationship between characters!

While some lovers of the mythology of Sherlock Holmes may be put off by the liberties Scheier takes with Holmes' character and reputation, I didn't find it to be distracting. I hope that Scheier continues to write. Her mysteries will only get better and more intricate with time and practice. Both her main characters are tortured by feelings of personal guilt which will allow her to further develop them as she continues her writing career. There is also a looming unsolved mystery from Peter's past that beautifully sets the stage for many more books to come. Although the book has been marketed for young adult readers, I would recommend it for readers of all ages!

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier will be released on June 26th. Please purchase it or request it from your library! I would love for this author to be a success!

Start your summer reading list!

I know, I know. I have heard from many friends reminding me that I haven't written a post in many days. My excuse is of the best sort though. I've been reading. Three new books to be exact. I will be completely honest though, the only reason I'm writing a post at this moment is because I'm at my parent's home this morning and I've forgotten my charger for the iPad and am almost out of power. If I had the charger, I would most definitely be reading further than the two chapters I got in this morning of a pre-pub called Secret Letters by Leah Scheier. I'm already thoroughly enjoying the introduction of the main characters, so more about the book once I've finished it!

What have I been reading? Insurgent by Veronica Roth, which I finished far too quickly. Funny how I always rush to get through a book, but am disappointed when I have to leave the characters behind! It is doubly frustrating that I must wait for the final book in the trilogy to be written and published. I'll hold back from saying anything of consequence about the book for those of you who may still be planning to read the series. However, I will say the twists and turns of the plot, the progression of the love story, and the questions of loyalty further enhanced my love for this particular dystopian society. Read it soon. There is a particularly satisfying exchange between Tris and Tobias near the end. And as my sister knows, I have a particular fondness for yelling matches that have declarations of love attached...I'm sick, I know.

The second book I devoured was the 5th installment in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, City of Lost Souls. One of these days I will write a post attempting to explain my love affair with the teen drama and angst that is so prevalent in YA fiction. One of my favorite things about these books is there are a bounty of colorful characters, and while Clary and Jace are the main story, the other characters get a lot of page time. Midway through the book I started to think this would be the last book in the series since Clare appeared to be tying up a lot of loose ends. As I came to the last fifty pages or so it began to be evident that she was setting up a new plot twist that will need to be continued in another book! Thank goodness, as I have clearly confessed my addiction for a great series! Again though, there's the problem of being current and having to be in a perpetual state of waiting for what's next!

Lastly, I made my way through Tomorrow Land by Mari Mancusi. Interestingly, after doing a little digging, I found that this book was previously published as an adult novel (with some adult content) under the name Razor Girl. The main character's name was changed from Molly to Peyton, and while the main characters in the original manuscript were adults, they are teenagers in Tomorrow Land. I have not read the original, but after reading the author's own plot summary, they sound identical. It sounds like Mancusi "cleaned it up" and decided to take advantage of the current dystopian craze. Tomorrow Land is a post apocalyptic tale of love and survival among zombies. I didn't love the book, but I did enjoy the suspense of the story. I figured out the end before it was revealed which I think is more likely a sign that I read a lot rather than of the plot being too basic. I would recommend this book for middle and high schoolers because there are sexual references. For instance, teenagers must get inoculated against AIDS before they can have sex. (All adults receive the vaccine at 18.) Teenagers have nicknamed the paperwork that proves you've had the shot an LTF (license to...well, you get the idea.) The story is told in alternating chapters of the year 2030, just before the apocalypse, and 2034 after Peyton emerges from her underground shelter. The pop references Peyton and her friends make about 2011 are funny. They range from Edward and Jacob to the Kardashians. Here is the crux of my issue. Mancusi refers to reruns of Kardashian reality TV as an "obscure and ancient family." While we can only hope that in 18 years they will, in fact be obscure, I don't know that ancient is the correct term. I mean, we're only talking about 18 years in the future. I'll only be 52! Hardly ancient, thank you very much! Even so, the book was written for teenagers and let's face it, they certainly think 52 is ancient, so maybe I should let the reference slide! If you decide to read it, you'll have to overlook the numerous editing errors which really don't make sense because of the earlier publishing of the manuscript. Tomorrow Land is only available in e-format for about $3.99 which makes it worth it if you love teenager angst, romance, cyborgs, and zombies.

Technology is hazardous to my health...

I have recently acquired an Ipad. It is my first gadget-y piece of technology. I don't even use a smart phone, but with my new position as a librarian, I felt it was time for me to delve into technology head first. I must admit, I don't know what I did without the Ipad. It's just so sleek and fun to use! I feel infinitely more cool whenever pulling it out in public. Here's my problem: I can't read it in bed before drifting off into dream land. Not because (as you might assume) the glowing light from the screen is painful to my eyes. That is easily fixed both in the settings of the device itself but also in the settings of whatever App I've downloaded my book to. The problem is I frequently fall asleep while reading and wake in the morning with my book still lying on the bed next to me...but, on occasion, the book has been flung onto to the floor. I do not have a carpeted bedroom so flinging the Ipad to the floor in my sleep would likely shatter the screen. Even that, while annoying isn't really a threat to my health!

If you are a bedtime reader, this will sound quite familiar to you. You only have another page and a half to read before the end of the chapter, and you are determined to stay awake until you've finished. (Which is so silly to me because the next day I have no memory of those few paragraphs I forced myself to read and must reread them anyways.) But, while forcing my eyelids open again and again, and nodding off, all my muscles relax, and I frequently have a habit of being startled awake because the book smacked me in the face. Not a problem if I happen to be reading a pocket sized paperback...but an Ipad?! I'm sure most people wouldn't believe me if I explained that my black eye, broken nose, or swollen lip are from dropping my Ipad on my face while reading in bed! Because of this, I have decided to be sure to always have a print copy of something next to my bed to read at night. So...it's seriously funny that because of my addiction to novel series, my current book of choice is City of Lost Souls the 5th installment in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series that just came out last week. At 535 pages it has some serious injury capabilities! And let's not forget, traditional books are still technology even if it is low tech. Only I could somehow make reading a contact sport!

More Dystopian Love Triangles...

I really hate that I'm about to review a sequel to a book before mentioning the first in the trilogy. But it isn't enough to stop me! I will try to be extremely careful regarding all plot details I share so as not to discourage any of you from starting at the beginning!

That being said, I will start with some important background about Matched  by Ally Condie, the first book in the series. Matched is once again a dystopian novel...surprise, surprise! It's never clear to me whether or not the setting of the book is on land that was formerly the United States. What we do know is that "The Society" has different provinces and there is a war being fought against "The Enemy" in the outer provinces. If you are a member of society, you want for nothing. You are educated, given a job, matched with a perfect mate, and live a disease free existence until your life ends. Living this perfect life means giving a lot of control to The Society. Jobs are given based upon your aptitude and talents, you are scheduled for recreational time and most of your communications are monitored by officials in The Society. Written language has fallen by the wayside. Of course, members of society can read and write but only what has been printed on computer screens. Society decided that is was too saturated with music, art and creative writing so committees were formed to select only 100 of each. One hundred pieces of art, poetry, songs, movies, etc.

The first book opens with Cassia on the eve of her Match Banquet where she will find out whom she has been matched with by the society for the maximum chance at happiness. When she is matched with her best friend Xander, Cassia's belief that The Society knows best is reinforced. That is until she inserts the data card that is loaded with information about her match and Xander's face doesn't appear. Instead it is Ky, another boy from her city that she has barely noticed. The next time Cassia looks at the data card, Xander appears, as he should. Now Cassia can't help but notice and watch the mysterious Ky. She is torn between being drawn to the familiar and safe that she loves and the mysterious and unknown that is new and exciting.

I didn't love Matched, but I liked it and was drawn to it. I couldn't stop reading. The overwhelming mood of the book is dark even though it deals with something that should be carefree and happy like first love. There is clearly something sinister going on. For me, the entire set up was even more upsetting because members of the society don't seem to understand how much they are actually being studied and controlled. What I really had a hard time with was getting on Ky's side, which is I'm sure what Condie wants of her readers. I just couldn't believe the draw and power he has over Cassia, and I sympathized with Xander. Because of that, I didn't get caught up in the character development. But, as I've said in a previous post, I am compelled to read the entire series so I forged on with Crossed.

What I will say about the sequel is the reader meets new characters in Vic, Indy, and Eli. The chapters are told from alternating points of view from Ky and Cassia as they are both trying desperately to get back to each other. For me, this book was less about the characters and more about the mystery of The Society. We find out more about the history of The Society, the people who chose to live outside of it, and the underground rebellion called The Rising. This book feels like it's setting up the final book in the trilogy, Reached, which is out on November 13th of this year. I am hopeful that the reason I couldn't connect with the original love story is because Condie always planned to take the characters down a different path that Crossed seems to set up. At first I thought this would be a series I would have a "take it or leave it" attitude about, but now I'm inclined to believe that I will be rewarded for hanging on until the last installment.

No doubt there are some of you who are reading this thinking The Society can be compared to the community in The Giver by Lois Lowry. Yes, there are some similarities, but when creating a dystopian society, many authors have recycled or tweaked someone else's imagined future. These books are less philosophical. Any similarities you might notice doesn't mar the fact that middle school and high school girls will likely gravitate to these books on plot premise alone.

The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook

In my last post I talked about my constant search for the next book that will recreate how I felt while reading something I loved. I have found that in the book, The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanne Rocklin. This realistic fiction story took me back to how I felt while reading Bud, Buddy Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis and Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. I read both of those books with a giant grin plastered on my face! And now, Oona, the narrator of The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook has taken me to that same happy and care-free place in my heart.

                 

Oona and her brother, Freddy own a beloved cat named Zook, short for zucchini. Although the book is named for the cat, it isn't strictly an animal story. It's a story about how life changes and how we aren't always ready and willing for that change when it comes. Oona's story telling is delightful! She has theories about everything from telling lies (whoppers) to cat owners vs. dog owners to her "hope-of-the-world theory."

 I think one reason this book resonates so much with me is because I recognize the voice of the writer. I'd like to think that if I ever had a good story to tell, my own writing style would mirror Rocklin's. Oona has many side tracked thoughts and personal commentaries on life that are very familiar to me. I laughed my agreement out loud when Oona complains, "Freddy's school is called the Little Tots Playskool. That's the way they spell it. Playskool. It seems weird that an educational establishment would use the wrong spelling on purpose, but there you go." Her wicked sense of humor shines when she comments on her classmates, "Our class is made up of Rowdies and Listeners. I'm in the latter group. Rowdies are a few sandwiches short of an all-day picnic, as my daddy would have said." I'm sure as you read you will recognize Oona in yourself or someone you know!

While The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook is lighthearted and funny, I was almost brought to tears during a scene in a vet's office. I found myself imagining how I will feel someday when I have to put my own beloved pet down. Tears stung my eyes as I imagined staring into Max's sweet eyes during his last moments. There are beautiful lessons in this story about learning to continue living even after a loved one (in this case a father and husband) has died.

I would recommend this book for 4th-6th graders or as a read aloud. There are stories within the story as Oona crafts tales for her brother about Zook's previous lives as she tries to reassure him about the cat's fate using the cat's nine lives myth. This book could easily be used to get students excited about trying their hand at writing their own stories.

Divergent: Just Read It!

It was almost three years ago now that I fell in love with Katniss, Peeta and the world that Suzanne Collins created in The Hunger Games. Katniss has become a literary hero of mine and I have no idea the number of people that the series was passed on to because I put the book in the hands of someone I knew. When I have that kind of literary experience I find myself comparing everything else I read to it. I'm hoping to recapture the way I felt while caught up in the story. I'm hoping to read characters that inspire and challenge my thinking again. I'm hoping to feel compelled to read into the wee hours of the morning. And honestly, anything that doesn't stand up to it leaves me desperately wanting more. While I've read plenty of excellent books since I first discovered Katniss, I've not been excited about a book until I read Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Divergent is another dystopian society set far into the future in my beloved Chicago once Lake Michigan has been reduced to a marsh. Most of the familiar landmarks of Chicago's downtown make an appearance in the book but are mere remnants of their glory days. Part of my love for the book is the role Chicago plays. Teenagers zip-line off the top of the Hancock building, climb the defunct Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, and jump on and off of the moving El all in an attempt to prove their bravery. But, my familiarity with Chicago landmarks only adds to my love of the characters and the way I'm forced to think about myself while reading this book.

In order for the current society to be at peace, the people have broken into five different factions. At the age of 16, adolescents go through a virtual test that helps them decide which faction they will live in for the rest of their lives. Either you choose to stay with your family and the people whom have shaped you thus far, or you choose a new faction effectively turning your back on family and friends. Once your choice is made you must go through a battery of tests to prove your worth in order to receive full status as a citizen. Each of the five factions represents a specific character trait that their members uphold above everything else. Candor (honesty), Dauntless (bravery), Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (peace), and Erudite (intelligence.)

The less I say about the actual plot, the more you will love the story that unfolds as Beatrice, the heroine of the story, makes decisions about her future. As the story develops, Beatrice learns that everything and everyone is not as they may seem. The real beauty of this story comes from the questions you will ask yourself while reading, beginning with, "What would I choose?" There are questions raised about prejudices and stereotypes and worth as each group has another faction that they view as particularly repugnant. Veronica Roth is really taking a long hard look at how something in society that was originally created for good and peace can become distorted and an agent for harm. Somewhere, within that oppression is a group of people who are hungry for rebellion. And who doesn't love a story about righteous rebellion?!

Today marks the release of the second book in Veronica Roth's trilogy. Insurgent hits stores today in both print and ebook format. Sweet sister that I am, I opted to purchase the book in print rather than download it to my iPad because my roommate and sister said, "You aren't going to let me borrow your iPad to read it are you?" So I am anxiously awaiting the delivery of a good-old-fashioned copy of Insurgent. If you see it on a shelf and are intrigued by the cover art, just be sure to check out book one first!

I have a confession to make...

...if it's part of the series, I'll probably read it! I can't help myself.

I don't remember there being nearly as many book series when I was a kid. Let's see...there were The Little House books, The Chronicles of Narnia, Ramona Quimby, The Boxcar Children. I know there were more, but those are the few I was most familiar with. But now...now it seems every author is writing a series with trilogies being the most popular. Don't get me wrong, I love it and can't help myself. I mean I might need a 12 step program to stop sending all my money to publishers. I don't even know how many books I've pre-ordered in the past three years. It's a genius plot to ensure job security by authors because I'm convinced that the world is populated by people like me who are compelled to read until the bitter end. Honestly, I'm disappointed when a book is a stand alone. I think the reason I'm so drawn to the idea of a series is because I get so totally and completely wrapped up in the creation of the author that I crave more of it.

I've started to learn my lesson when it comes to reading a novel series. It's pure agony waiting for the next book to be published. Rule: Don't read anything that doesn't already have at least three books written in the series. Being a teacher and librarian makes following that rule particularly difficult as I try to stay abreast of what's new for my students to read. This means, unfortunately, that I'm constantly waiting for the next installment of a gripping tale. Luckily, most of what I read these days is YA and the turn around on the next novel can be fairly quick. I have had to adopt a new rule: Don't tell other people (especially impatient ones) about a series that is still being written!

Why not? Because, I will inevitably get an angry phone call from a frustrated reader! That's what happened when I introduced my brother to Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. He couldn't believe that upon finishing Catching Fire he would have to wait a meager two months before reading Mockingjay! I mean I had been waiting five months longer than him! I believe his actual words might have been, "How dare you tell me to read a series that I have to wait to be finished!" I'm more careful now and he's been very gracious and not gotten mad about waiting a few short weeks for the sequel to Veronica Roth's Divergent (Insurgent which hits stores on Tuesday, but more about that in a later post.)

I on the other hand feel that I'm in a constant state of wanting. I've recently joined a site that allows it's members to download pre-pubs to their mobile device for free. Of course, I was drawn to a science fiction novel set it Los Angeles in a future where some of the population is suffering from a mutated rabies virus that turns them into cannibals. I almost fell off the elliptical machine at the gym when I finished the book because the ending was so unsatisfying! The author clearly left it open for a sequel. Great! Awesome! Fantastic! Looking forward to it! Except The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker won't be available for purchase until May 15th which means I'll be waiting a long time for rest of the story!

The bottom line: don't turn your nose up to a series! Don't assume that if the book is part of a series it is less than stellar. Instead, pick a series and commit. In my experience, many of them get better as they go on. As you invest in the series, you are usually rewarded with greater depth of character which always draws you in even more.

If you're tired of dystopia...

 

I realized some months ago while looking at my reading record for the year that I seem to currently have an obsession with science-fiction. Who would have thought?! While I've never really gotten into space and alien stories, I can't get enough of time travel and future societies! But let's face it, future societies almost always mean a dystopia, and while I love dystopian fiction and the stories of characters foraging ahead and fighting to get their humanity back, they can be depressing and dark if that's all you read! Insert The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler, a humorous science-fiction tale that has the ability to resonate with the high schooler in all of us!

Instead of a sinister tale of a bleak future for mankind, the reader peers into the inner turmoil that we all carry around regardless of age. That nagging worry of what our personal futures hold. Will I be happy? Will I land my dream job? What is my dream job? Will I meet my perfect match? What will my children be like? Will I have children? The list goes on an on and is ever changing at each stage of our lives! The novel follows Emma and Josh, high school students in 1996. When they upload AOL onto Emma's new personal computer, they are immediately taken to a strange website called Facebook. Since Facebook hasn't been invented yet, the two get a tiny glimpse of their lives ten years in the future. They become obsessive about checking their posts and finding out who they are married to and whether or not they are happy with the way life turned out. Emma thinks she isn't happy in the future and sets out to change it. As Emma bases her current decisions on what she thinks her future holds, she effectively 'messes up' Josh's perfect future life with the prettiest (and wealthiest) girl in high school. Josh, of course, isn't very happy with the changes that Emma causes and they must decide if knowing the future before it happens is desirable or healthy.

Nearly every page in this book was a piece of nostalgia for me! It brought me back to my own high school experience. I was a senior in 1996, and I remember the familiar scratchy sound of a computer connecting to the Internet. I didn't even start using email until my sophomore year of college. The pop culture references made by Emma and Josh transported me back to high school when a particular song received plenty of play time on the radio or a technology was new and exciting. Beyond the way the authors made me recall a time in my life that I rarely reminisce on, the central theme of making decisions and fretting over the future still hit home even 16 years after high school graduation. Asher and Mackler couldn't help themselves and are clearly commenting on our society today and our willingness to over share extremely personal as well as the mundane details of our lives. Emma wonders that her future self would post something as inane as eating macaroni and cheese for dinner and is horrified that she would discuss her unhappiness in marriage for all to see on the Internet. I myself am grossly guilty of sharing the silly details of my life on Facebook under the guise that someone cares what I made for dinner.

My how our lives have changed! I can't really be the only one who writes a post about a restaurant or bar I'm at in the hopes of making a friend 'jealous' so they will write a snarky and funny comment that will lead to fun banter back and forth!

Never enough time...

I have been in love with books for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories involve being read to, so it is no surprise to me that I have carried this love of reading into adulthood! It is sheer joy to me that my job now requires me to read as many books as possible! I have always been frustrated with my inability to stay abreast of new children's and YA literature let alone adult fiction. My mother's aunt currently lives with my parents and spends an extensive part of her day reading. It occurred to me while on the phone with my mother that there is a part of me that is longing for old age when life's worries begin to fall away and I have time...time just to read everything I never got around to...books I missed out on while in high school, books I meant to read 3 years ago, books that stay perpetually in a pile on my nightstand. I'm flat out jealous of my 80+ great aunt who reads to her heart's content everyday!

I'm hoping to use this blog to write about the books I'm reading and my response to them...how they make me feel, what I like or don't like, what I'm excited about, and what I recommend for students. I envision an outlet for talking about the books that I read (since one of my favorite discussion partners now lives on the other side of the country.) If I grab some followers along the way that add their own opinions and suggestions, great! If it ends up that I'm just typing away into cyberspace without anyone listening...at least I'll have a record from here on out of what I've read. I really should have started this years ago!

Now...what book to start with...?