finding ruby starling by karen rivers

June 8, 2015 Emily 4 Comments

Finding Ruby Starling was nothing like I expected it to be! The book was cute, and funny, and everything I love in a Middle Grade contemporary – but there was also a turn of events I most definitely wasn’t expecting. The book is written through a series of emails between Ruth and her long-lost twin sister, Ruby, and their friends emailing them. The voice of a modern-day twelve-year-old is so on point, it was hilarious!

Title: Finding Ruby Starling

Author: Karen Rivers

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Source: borrowed from the library (hardback)

Synopsis: THE PARENT TRAP comes to the digital age!

When Ruth Quayle used a special app to search for pictures of herself online, she found dozens of images of “Ruth Quayle” — and one of “Ruby Starling.”

When Ruby Starling gets a message from a Ruth Quayle proclaiming them to be long-lost twin sisters, she doesn’t know what to do with it — until another message arrives the day after, and another one. It could be a crazy stalker … but she and this Ruth do share a birthday, and a very distinctive ear….

Ruth is an extroverted American girl. Ruby is a shy English one. As they investigate the truth of their birth and the circumstances of their separation, they also share lives full of friends, family, and possible romances — and they realize they each may be the sister the other never knew she needed.

I love how the book is described in its blurb – “The Parent Trap comes to the digital age!” I love long-lost twin stories, and I especially loved how Ruth and Ruby reacted when they found out the truth, thanks to some pictures on the internet. I thought I was going to cry, I was laughing so hard! Here’s an excerpt from when Ruth emailed Ruby about being twins.

And then, just like that, it was obvious. I figured it out!!! It wasn’t like in movies where the heroine solves the case and then there is a big swell of music, even though I sort of felt like there should be. My eyes were overflowing with tears. Because… well… Ruby Starling, WE ARE IDENTICAL TWINS!

At first, I was a little wary about the book because a lot of internet lingo was used, like “obvi” and “j/k.” The first several emails had a lot of exclamation points and all-caps, and I was worried Ruth would be like that the entire book. I really liked Ruby best at first, because this is how I would react if something emailed me this.

‘Ruth’: You are mad. Bonkers. Get stuffed. And don’t write to me again, please. Your note was very upsetting. Yours truly, Ruby Starling P.S. You are very good at Photoshop. A little TOO good, don’t you think?

Everything – from the reactions, voices, and feelings – of the twelve-year-old girls is SO perfect. I can totally see a twelve-year-old girl being just like that! I couldn’t even imagine an adult writing the book. Karen Rivers’ voice was just so funny. I really hope my friends (who aren’t much of a bookworm) read this book, because some of them (cough cough Sydney) talk just like Ruby and Ruth. 😉

I also loved the parents in the book – Ruby’s and Ruth’s. They were very realistic, and great parents, but of course you see through the eyes of a twelve-year-old girl, and the way Ruby and Ruth see the world and their parents is realistic, too. However, the girls weren’t rebellious and didn’t talk back to their parents, even though (in my humble, thirteen-year-old girl opinion), their parents didn’t really pay attention to their daughters at times.

I didn’t like how Ruth’s dad talked about Buddhism all the time, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. I mean, hey, Buddha did have some good quotes. Ruby’s mom totally bugged me, too. It wasn’t until the end of the book that Ruby FINALLY got to talk to her mom about having a twin. I was so anxious to see how that played out, and it really went deeper than I thought would happen for this book. How could a mom keep one twin and not the other?!

Another interesting aspect of the story was the internet. Aside from emails, Ruth also had a tumblr blog, and that was really neat. I don’t think I’ve read a book like this one in the way that it portrayed and used the internet to tell the story.

I also didn’t know that this was the second book in a series – it turns out some of the characters in this book first appeared in The Encyclopedia of Me by Karen Rivers. I really didn’t need to read the first one to understand Finding Ruby Starling. I think it’s more of a companion novel than a sequel, which is great. I can’t wait to read The Encyclopedia of Me, though!

Finding Ruby Starling gets five stars!

Have you read Finding Ruby Starling or The Encyclopedia of Me? What do you think of them?

lists

things i’m looking forward to

June 5, 2015 Emily 5 Comments

I’m looking forward to…

having fun at a “cousins camp” today and Saturday with all my cousins on my dad’s side 😉
Summer/church camp
Rachel Coker’s Dream Factory Workshop
upcoming blog posts: pictures of my trip, my first e-ARC review, book slumps, and MG vs. YA (!!)
the next episode of When Calls the Heart, which I am obsessing over
the next scene in my WIP, whatever it is! (I’m completely in the dark here. Somebody please tell my characters to get moving and tell me what happens next!)
the pile of library books I have to read
My piano recital Sunday (sort of. I just have to let the nerves not get to me!)
sleep when I get home from everything I’ll be doing within the next two weeks. (that would be all of the above)
Camp NaNoWriMo in July (hopefuly!)
the next letter from my pen pal (I’m always looking forward to this)
sleepovers with my cousins (there are dozens in the summertime!)
jumping into a pool in a few hours… summer always comes early in Georgia! (read: it is HOT.)
~~catching up on Latin~~ oops wrong list.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

author interviews

interview with author erin e. moulton!

June 3, 2015 Emily 6 Comments

Hey, everyone! Monday I reviewed Chasing the Milky Way by the lovely Erin E. Moulton, so today she’s visiting us and will be answering a few questions. 🙂 I’m really excited to have gotten to interview her! Thanks, Erin!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://clifonline.org/assets/Erin-Moulton-325×325.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Erin E. Moulton grew up on a mountain in Vermont. She loved reading and playing with her imaginary friends, which led her to jobs working in libraries, schools, and theaters. Erin graduated with an MFA in writing for children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and now lives in southern New Hampshire with her husband and two pups, where she writes, reads, drinks tea, and dreams.[/author_info] [/author]

Hi, Erin! Chasing the Milky Way was such an amazing story! I know I couldn’t write those events without any personal experiences in mind. What inspired the book? Did you use personal experiences/people for inspiration behind Lucy’s mom’s illness, or robot competitions?

That is a great question. I wish I had a great answer for it. But inspiration is tricky like that. For some stories it arrives as a clear spark, and at other times, it arrives in fits and starts. This story was a fits and starts story–One that was really fleshed out as I wrote and researched. However, one thing that seems to be part of the inspiration for every one of my stories is a line, words or poems. In this case, Robert Frost’s, Acquainted With The Night, played a big part in accessing the mood of the book. I read the poem over and over again. Whenever I thought I was getting off track, I went back to it…I have been one acquainted with the nigh/I have walked out in rain and back in rain./I have outwalked the furthest city light./ I have looked down the saddest city lane.

I hung onto that from the start of the book to the end of it. I hope the emotional resonance is in there, even just a wisp.

I loved that poem as I read it throughout the book. I can see how Lucy’s mom loved it, too.

As Lucy’s mom has a mental illness, I was really interested in how people like her deal with their depression, and what it means for their kids. (Like Lucy and Izzy in Chasing the Milky Way.) What sort of research did you do for the book? Did you begin with the research, or writing the story? What was the writing process like for you?

Thanks for bringing this up. People do hate to talk about mental illness, so it is refreshing to talk about it in an interview. First off, when talking about mental illness, and accessing how Mama might have felt in the story, it’s important to remember that mental health is just like physical health. In other words, you can be very healthy at one point in your life, and very unhealthy at other points in your life. So, I don’t think of it as a “people like Mama” scenario as much as another aspect of the human condition-that we all could run into at some time or another. Does that make sense?

I think people all deal with mental illness differently. And that is exactly what I tried to zero in on when writing this story. It wasn’t about how people deal with mental illness, but how would Mama deal with this episode at this time in her life. What brought her here? What is making her tick? What does she care most about? What dream is she hanging onto? What does it feel like to be manic and what does despair look and feel like? I dug into these emotions by reading some great biographies: An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison and A Brilliant Madness by Patty Duke. I also listened to many personal stories from the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) website. Once I heard the stories, I was easily able to relate, and all I needed to do was make sure that each scene with Mama was one that I could also understand form her perspective. So even though the story is written through Lucy’s point of view, I also had to be fully aware of Mama’s emotions during each scene. I previewed the scene in her eyes (in my head) and also did some writing exercises to make sure I fully understood what was happening. Of course, because Mama is in a very bad episode, and because she goes up and down so swiftly, and because her moods also impact Lucy and Izzy, the writing process was a very emotional one. Especially when I was getting into her character, I had a really difficult time sleeping. Sometimes, my anxiety would crop up. Sometimes, I had a very fuzzy head. None of my other books have been so hard, emotionally, to write.

I can definitely see that writing the story would be emotional for you. I shed a few tears, myself, reading the book.

As a wanna-be author myself, I’m dying to know from the pro’s. 🙂 Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I think one of the most important and understated things you can do as a writer is observe. Observe everything. Watch people, watch reactions, watch emotions, watch situations (don’t be too blatantly nosy). Watch life. Watch flowers bloom. Watch the light catch on dragonfly wings. Observe everything. Your stories will stand out because of your unique perspective on the world. So, give yourself plenty to work with.

I’ll remember that! You’re right – it is understated, but fantastic advice.

Do you have a favorite scene or quote from Chasing the Milky Way?

sure do. By the time I am done writing something, I usually can’t stand looking at it one more time…but in this case, the end—the last paragraph before the time jump. P. 266. That’s my favorite paragraph/moment. I just loved how it tied up. Not too neatly, but exactly like it would. I can’t quote it because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone!!

I loved that part, too! I thought the ending came about perfectly. What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Construct robots like PingPing200? Steal RV’s and collect moon shells?

I wish I had time to construct robots! I keep pretty busy. I work as a teen librarian at the Derry Public Library, so I do a lot of programming and collection development. It’s a great way to connect with teens and also share our favorite titles. I have a wonderful writers group. I also love activities like yoga and reading. When I have a big pocket of time, I like to put on my noise cancelling headphones and just listen to music. I also have a very sweet little baby who is a joy to hang out with all the time. So, he keeps me pretty busy these days!

Thanks so much for having me on your wonderful blog!

Thank you, Erin!

Be sure to check out Erin’s books, and my review of Chasing the Milky Way! 🙂 Until Friday,

reviews

chasing the milky way by erin e. moulton

June 1, 2015 Emily 7 Comments

Whoa! I was so impressed by Chasing the Milky Way. The first thing that caught my eye was the gorgeous cover, and then the synopsis totally cinched the deal. Every word kept me freaking out, but it was so beautifully written, I couldn’t help but feel right at home with Lucy, Izzy, and Cam. It’s one of those books I randomly decided to pick up in the library, but I’m so glad I did!

Best day ever - cat curled up in my lap and a good book! :) — Best day ever – cat curled up in my lap and a good book! 🙂

Title: Chasing the Milky Way
Author: Erin E. Moulton
Publisher: Philomel Books
Publication Date: June 12, 2014
Source: borrowed from the library (hardback)
Synopsis: In a book that pairs science with mental illness, and heart with adventure, Erin E. Moulton delivers a moving story about family, friendship and the lengths we go for the people we love.

Lucy Peevy has a dream–to get out of the trailer park she lives in and become a famous scientist. And she’s already figured out how to do that: Build a robot that will win a cash prize at the BotBlock competition and save it for college. But when you’ve got a mama who doesn’t always take her meds, it’s not easy to achieve those goals. Especially when Lucy’s mama takes her, her baby sister Izzy, and their neighbor Cam away in her convertible, bound for parts unknown. But Lucy, Izzy and Cam are good at sticking together, and even better at solving problems. But not all problems have the best solutions, and Lucy and Izzy must face the one thing they’re scared of even more than Mama’s moods: living without her at all.

I always love books that show a unique child’s perspective under serious circumstances. However, I was slightly surprised at how much Lucy (the main character, who is twelve years old), took control. I mean, she really had to be, because at times her mom could be a sorry excuse for a mother. And I mean that in the best way possible, because Lucy’s mom really did try. And I admit, I was pretty ticked off at her for the majority of the book, but she really came through. You could really tell Lucy and her mom both loved each other, and had a special bond.

The book did read a little slow for me at first. Once Lucy and her friend Cam are on their way to BotBlock (the robot competition they saved all year to enter – planning to use the money they win to save for college), I thought there would be more scenes at BotBlock, but most of the book was their journey TO BotBlock. (Side note: seriously, BotBlock is a total tongue twister!) The scenes were Lucy’s mom would get in one of her moods (good or bad) or hallucinate were intense, but some scenes in between were a little slow.

I did love all the descriptions and detail that went in to Lucy’s mom’s mental illness. This is one of the few books that I’ve read where the parent has a depression or something unbalanced in their mind, and it was so done so well. The thing is, Lucy’s mom’s lows are LOW, but her highs are also extremely HIGH. Both sides of her were equally touched on, so I could see her good and bad points. Lucy was angry with her mom at parts of the book – and I admit so was I! – but like I said, they both came through.

I will say it made me extremely grateful that I don’t have to remind my parents to take medicines so that I can go to school and not worry my mom will disappear, or she’ll forget to buy groceries. I was SO angry with Lucy’s mom… pretty much the entire book. And there were some parts when I was mad at Lucy, too – I was all “NO JUST ASK FOR HELP OMG YOU’RE JUST A KID.” Of course, that just made the story more realistic, but I was still mad. Like I said earlier, though, Lucy’s mom does come around, and you get to see all of her moods and see who she is when she’s on her medicines, being herself, and who she is when she’s not at her best point.

Also – BotBlock. I really liked reading about Cam and Lucy’s robot, PingPing200. How they began to make it, descriptions of what he looked like. PingPing was pretty much a character himself throughout the book, because the main goal in the story is to make it to BotBlock. And PingPing is there for the whole ride.

There’s so much more I could go on about – the worry about being taken away from their mom, the ending just being SO beautiful. It was an amazing story!

[box type=”warning”] There was some foul language in the book; on the following pages: 15, 17, 103, 121, 151, and 190.[/box]

Chasing the Milky Way gets four stars!

Have you read Chasing the Milky Way, or any books by Erin E. Moulton? Do you want to? Have you read any books where the parent has a mental illness?

Come back Wednesday for an interview with author of Chasing the Milky Way, Erin E. Moulton!

stacking the shelves

stacking the shelves & short monthly recap

May 30, 2015 Emily 8 Comments

Well, it finally feels like summer.

In two ways: the heat. And glorious HOURS for reading! (WHOOP WHOOP.)

So of course, that leaves plenty of time for getting books to read! I’m so happy, because I’ve got several books you’ve all recommended to me, and one that I’ve heard A LOT about. I have to see all the hype!

Soooo first up is Cinder by Marissa Meyer, which… I’m a little iffy about, since it’s not something I’d pick out on my own. BUT I’M HOPING I LIKE IT. I mean, really hoping. So pray for me, ya’ll. I really want to like this one!

I also got The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan, which is written in verse, like Serendipity and Me, and The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. Both of these were recommended to me by one of you (I’m thinking Maddy? Correct me if I’m wrong!) Anyway, thanks for recommending them! I’m really excited to read both of them. Plus, I just read a Shannon Hale book – Princess Academy – which many of you were gushing about, and I loved! So I’m hoping this one doesn’t disappoint. 😉

And last but not least, Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. I’m a big fan of Ella Enchanted by Miss Levine! I tried reading this a few years ago, but I totally DNF’d it (which I feel bad about, ’cause it’s awesome so far.) Plus Brooke said she loved it, and she only recommends the best books.

Also this little beauty, which is a loner in my e-book grabs this week.

Ana of California is, as its synopsis puts it, “A modern take on the classic coming-of-age novel, inspired by Anne of Green Gables.” It doesn’t come out until June 30th, but I’ve been lucky enough to read it as part of The Fantastic Flying Book Club blog tour. So be looking for my review on July 1st!

Oh, and I read three books this week! Not a whole lot, but I’m proud.

– The Secret Language of Girls by Frances O’Roark Dowell: 3 stars. It was okay. I think I would have liked this one a whole lot more had I read it two or three years ago. Still not sure if I want to review this one or not, since… I have very mixed feelings about it. Do I like it? Yes. Do I hate it? Meh.

– Dear Opl by Shelley Sackier: 4 stars. I got Dear Opl as an e-ARC from Netgalley, and loved it! It covers a lot of things, and is so funny! Look for it on August 4th. My review will be coming up in late June! 😉

– Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli: I haven’t rated it yet! I’m having trouble rating books here. I’d like to give every book I read 4 or 5 stars, because I don’t get books I *think* I’m going to not like. The truth is, Jake and Lily was fabulous! There were some flaws. So I’m going to write everything out before I rate it. So we’ll see!

That’s it for the stack! As for my weekly/monthly recap…

– You all took a survey last week that helped me out a lot with seeing how you liked For the Bookish. I learned a lot of things! Like:

Your favorite posts are my personal life ramblings! (I was so surprised by that! Thanks!) And in second place, discussion posts, which are my favorite, too. 🙂
Your least favorite posts are book reviews. (Hey, only three votes! A lot of you didn’t even vote for this one.) I admit, though – they’re my least favorite to write.
You also had some great advice! I need all that I can get for my book reviews (they’re tough to write. I honestly don’t even like rating books.) And you said I could give a better explanation of why I gave the number of stars I did, try out different formats, and possibly relate the book to another book.
And you had some fabulous post ideas. Most of you said “Bring Friday Ramblings back!” I’m so happy to know you liked those, but they weren’t my favorite to write. I felt like it truly was rambling, and I didn’t like how disorganized my thoughts were, when I did manage to come up with what to write. So we’ll see. I might try to brainstorm some ideas and bring it up sometime. =)

– I woke up to this the other morning.

It’s safe to say I completely DRAGGED myself out of bed. These critters got to hang out in my bed all day long. (They think I’M sleeping in THEIR bed, evidently.) And Mittens slept a good portion of the day sitting up like that. We call it his “yoga pose.”

– FTB reached thirty followers on Bloglovin! Think you can keep it going up this week/month? 😀 I’m thinking of doing a mini giveaway when we reach 50… (hint hint)

– The search engine terms always trip me up. This month, I got views from these searches:

the selection by kiera cass characters – yes, yes, yes. I can see how that might link my blog.
books they read in mdbc – I’m a huge fan of the Mother/Daughter Book Club.
me and you t cup love pics – I’m confused. What is this??
loved it – ha-ha! I say that a lot. “Overall, I LOVED it. 5 stars!” (I like making fun of myself; and, as you all know, I’m terrible at reviewing books.)
one for the murphys – well, well, well. I did love One for the Murphys.

– The post with the most views this month was my review for Princess Academy!

that’s pretty much it for today! what books have you gotten and/or read this week? have you read any of the ones i mentioned? happy almost-june!

discussions

do you really read books cover to cover?

May 29, 2015 Emily 21 Comments

I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard the phrase “cover to cover.” As in, “I read books cover to cover.” But DO YOU read books cover to cover?! I know what you’re saying. “YES, of course! I’ve read 173850382+ this year already and I even have a blog and/or insane bookish friend and talk about everysingleone and how can you accuse me of NOT reading books cover-to-cover?” Hold your horses.

I mean one of five things. (Or maybe even all five.) 1) reading the copyrights page. (AM I THE ONLY ONE?), 2) the dedication, 3) author’s note, 4) acknowledgements, 5) about the author. Do you truly READ them? Or are you lying when you say “I read books cover to cover.” ?? HMM.

the copyrights page

I don’t always read the copyrights page. But WHEN I DO, I find some pretty neat things. For example.

1) If there is one thing you should know about me, it’s that I have grown up on Nancy Drew mysteries. I still read them! I lovelovelove the wondermazing (that’s wonderful and amazing, you know), Carolyn Keene. But did you know her actual name was Mildred Wirt Benson?! (I much prefer Carolyn Keene.) Of course, there are many other interesting things about Miss Benson, but I didn’t even think to look her up until I read the copyrights page! (For the record, Miss Benson, apparently, isn’t the only writer of The Nancy Drew series. RESEARCH, everyone!)

2) I love seeing what year books were published. I’m not picky about how recently the book was published (even though I have been reading more books that were published within the last two years), but it’s so fascinating, to me!

3) It’s rare when this happens, but it’s so annoying if there’s no blurb/synopsis on the back of the book. So check the copyrights page! There’s a little two-sentence summary in there. =)

the dedication

Some dedications are just awesome. Kiera Cass’ are always the best.

And we couldn’t forget Lemony Snicket, who makes everything a mystery.

author’s note

Author’s notes are really cool, especially with a historical fiction. It tells you a little bit about the research that went into making the book, and how historically accurate the book was. I loved the author’s note in Code Name Verity.

It pains me to admit that Code Name Verity is fiction — It *pains* me to admit that *Code Name Verity* is fiction

acknowledgements

I admit, I don’t always read the acknowledgments. They can be kind of boring! To my publisher, to my kids, to God. Thanks for reading, bye. And I know it’s important to recognize awesome people who put together a book, but COME ON, authors! We just spent three weeks or maybe even a day or possibly even an hour (hello, speed-readers, how I envy you), with your characters! Make us laugh! Say something important. Plus, writing a book is HARD WORK. AREN’T YOU EXCITED? AREN’T YOU CRYING YOUR EYES OUT? Let us know. (And for more helpful tips, please refer to this post. Thank you very much.)

Another reason I love Miss Heather Vogel Frederick – heartfelt acknowledgements are the best! And readers, please, please don’t skip the acknowledgements if the book is the last in a series! (Hint: they’re the best kind of acknowledgements.)

it isn't easy saying goodbye to a world you've come to love. Even if it's a world of your own creating. — it isn’t easy saying goodbye to a world you’ve come to love. Even if it’s a world of your own creating.

And again, I turn to Kiera Cass, because, well, everything about her books is awesome. And, might I add, hilarious.

God, for being God, but mostly for making a world where things like kittens wearing bowties are a reality.

about the author

This person wrote a book! THEY WROTE A NOVEL. That’s tough! That’s excruciatingly hard work! Give ’em some credit. I love about the authors for two reasons: 1) I’m CURIOUS about this person. 2) I love to stalk authors, especially if I loved their book, because if I loved their book, of course I love THEM. 3) Okay I lied, three reasons. Sometimes (most times) they have a website, which is awesome because MORE STALKING. (Rachel Coker, Kiera Cass, and Heather Vogel Frederick, I’m looking at you.)

SO. Do you read these parts of books? Or are you a skimmer? I demand to know the truth! Love to hear from you!

books, discussions, lists, miscellaneous 'bookish' things

bookish pet peeves // part two

May 27, 2015 Emily 20 Comments

Last week, I talked about my bookish pet peeves concerning the physical parts of a book. You know, the book jacket, cover, fingerprints on Kindle sort of thing? So this week, I’ll be talking about my pet peeves in plots, characters, etc. I’ve got a lot. Even though it’s rare a day I give a book a rating beneath three stars, I can still be pretty tough.

1) Insta-love
This isn’t just my bookish pet peeve. I’ve seen pretty much every single book blogger mention insta-love as an issue in books. I see this going on a lot in cliche romance… I’ve read one Sarah Dessen book, and the amount of insta-love that went down was overwhelming. I love romance in books – you know, the FLUFF. The ooh-ah-awwww moments and kisses and weddings. But “Hey-you’re-cute-this-is-crazy-but-call-me-maybe” stuff doesn’t cut it with me.

2) Whiny characters
I’m talking about you, Eadlyn Schreave. Look, I don’t even like myself when I’m in a whiny, ungrateful mood. I stay clear of anyone who throws a tantrum when they don’t get their way. So why would I want to spend 200-400+ pages with a whiny person?! I give grace if the characters’ parents dropped dead or something. Or even if I’m reading YA, because teenagers are hormonal people and I understand! But really. Uh-uh.

3) Characters dying out of the blue
They’re there, they’re gone. WHAT HAPPENED.

(The Family Tree series by Ann M. Martin – OMG, IT KILLED ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. Pun intended.)

4) Overly-quirky characters
This might sound a little strange, but let me explain. It’s important to have unique characters. Right now, I’m reading Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli, and they’re so different! They’re really cool. Diverse characters and books are great. But sometimes, characters are really quirky. Take The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, for instance.

Not only does its title alone tell you it’s got some quirky characters, the book is really… fascinating! Don’t get me wrong, it was a fantastic book, but honestly? I thought the characters were a little over-the-top.

7) Predictable plots
As much as I love The Princess Spy and The Captive Maiden, Melanie Dickerson’s books are usually pretty predictable. They’re not the only ones, but they’re the ones I’m gonna pick on today. I mean, really, though, does ANYONE like this??

6) Abrupt endings
They bother me so bad! I’ve been waiting to see the ending, and the book is good, and then… well. That’s the end. Huh.

Well that’s it bye!

hahahahaha! You didn’t think I could simply END a blog post like that, did you?! Those are all the bookish pet peeves I can think of for today. I’m sure I’m missing some, so let me know if you anything to add!

reviews

once was lost by sara zarr

May 25, 2015 Emily 14 Comments

Whoa. Yep. This was a… whoa book. I mean, I finished it and just stared at a wall for five minutes. I’m not even kidding. It’s a book I tear up talking about. Or in this case, writing about it. Hang on, lemme grab some tissues. Kay. Got my tissues. *deep breath.* (Sorry, I’m a crier, alright?!)

Title: Once was Lost

Author: Sara Zarr

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Source: bought at consignment sale

Synopsis: Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor’s kid, it’s hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam’s personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.

From what I’ve noticed, Sara Zarr writes some pretty deep books. I got this one at a consignment sale, and I recognized the author’s name. It wasn’t until I got home I realized Sara Zarr is also the author of The Lucy Variations, a book I totally DNF’d (Did Not Finish), because it was, uh, boring. I could see how some people might think this one is boring, too, and in the beginning I’m gonna be honest. It was all I could do to not just throw the book across the room. The whole mood of the book was so SAD!

Let me explain. PK. (Preacher’s Kid.) Whose mom just landed in rehab because of a DUI. And her father may or may not be flirting with the young youth pastor. And one of her friend’s (or more-than-a-friend) sister has just disappeared. Uh-huh. Sam’s starting to doubt God, and I was starting to doubt this book. Buuut I kept going, and it was ah-maaaaz-ing. Grace. (Hahahahaha! See that? What I did there? Once Was Lost. Amazing Grace. Yep.)

The main character, Sam, was completely confused. About God, love, her mom, her dad, her friends. Basically, her whole life. I seriously wondered how Sara Zarr could pack so much in such a short book. But one way or the other, she did, and it was awesome.

The little love story was pretty good, but what I really appreciated about the romance in this book is it’s not the main plot. If anything, the relationship between Sam and her love interest, Nick, got them both through some hard times. But then it wasn’t like they were together just because they were hurting. It was more than that. It was perfect. And the way it ended was perfect, too. It left you wondering, but pretty confident in how it would turn out.

Okay, THE ENDING. The ending was PERFECT. I know I’m throwing that word around a lot in this review, but it seriously was. But it was sad, too. (I know, I know, I’m not making any sense.) It just sort of left me stunned. Plus I finished it at night, and the thought of the 13-year-old girl who went missing in the book tugged at my heart. Because that happens everyday. And it freaks me out. But the great thing about this book is Sam learns that whether or not you know it, God’s got everything in his hands.

While we’re talking about the girl who went missing in the book. This book has some pretty heavy material. [learn_more caption=” Spoilers! (More Detail about the content; if you’re not sure about reading this, or are a younger reader, have your parents check this out. ;)”] The girl does end up being found, but as it turns out, she was kidnapped by a 47-year-old man no one even ever suspected, an organist at their church. (I know, awful and creepy!) It doesn’t say what he did to her or go into detail. (It just gives that. The facts.) The book talked about the fact that the girl could have been murdered, but nothing went into detail. As the story progresses, it’s on the news that a human hand is found in the woods, but it’s not linked to the little girl who went missing, and it’s kind of joked about. “Hey, everyone, if you’re missing a hand, call this number on the radio…” Still, the book does have some content that may not be appropriate for younger readers, or depending on your standards. [/learn_more]

Overall, this book was incredible! Five stars!

So does this sound like something you’d like to read? Have you read Once Was Lost, or any books by Sara Zarr?

blog segments

stacking the shelves & questions for you!

May 23, 2015 Emily 6 Comments

I’ve got so many books on my hands! Today, I’m linking up with Stacking the Shelves, where I show you all the books I’ve acquired this week – be it virtual or physical!

Sometimes, I don’t know which is better – having no books at all, or the stress of having too many books. But hey, lots of books count for a good stacking the shelves. (And I love doing these posts!) I’ve also got some polls at the end of this post, so keep reading!

the books i got this week

Here’s the stack for this week. Three of them are school required reading, but I’m excited to be reading all of them!

Defeating Darwinism by Phillip E. Johnson: School-required, but still ecstatic to read it!
The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson: I won this in a giveaway on Goodreads, and I’m super excited to be reading Melanie Dickerson’s new book. (I’ve reviewed The Captive Maiden and The Princess Spy; go check them out!) It sounds a lot like Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman, but I can’t wait to see how it goes.
The Phantom Tollbooth: School-required – I’ve been meaning to read it for sooo long! Glad I’m going to finally get to it!
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom: Another school book that I’ve wanted to read for a while, especially because a lot of my blogger-friends love the book so much. I know for sure this one’s going to be a favorite.

Which book should I read next?? (I’ve got a handy-dandy poll for you here.)

the books i read this week

Chasing the Milky Way by Erin E. Moulton – there is some language in this book, which I did not like. However, I gave it four stars, and I’ll be having Miss Moulton over for an interview soon!
Finding Ruby Starling by Karen Rivers – OMG, I LOVED THIS BOOK. Ahem. Excuse me. SERIOUSLY THOUGH FIVE STARS. Ahhhh it was just so cute!
The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone – the cover is SO misleading. It was not what I was expecting, but nevertheless, I loved it, and give it five stars.

i want to hear from you!

I’ve got some questions for you all regarding For the Bookish! I need your advice, so go here to help me out with that.

Sorry this is a bit of a short post – hopefully I can make that up next week. 😉 I can’t wait to hear from you all in the polls and in the comments! Happy weekend!

miscellaneous 'bookish' things

my autographed books

May 22, 2015 Emily 15 Comments

I have a lot of signed books, and they’re my favorites. My precious babies! I wanted do a showcase of them today because, well, I haven’t before, and… I thought you might like to see them. Plus, I’ve kind of forgotten myself which ones I have signed. So here they are!

It’s a good collection, really. Of course, you all know about meeting Kiera Cass and getting The Selection and The Heir signed, and those books are the only ones I’ve met the author and gotten them signed in person. But about the other ones…

I was seven or eight years old when my parents went on some business trip (Orlando? Chicago? I don’t know know-o.) Anyway, they brought me back this book at a book signing for a book called Flash of Freedom by Dakota Lee. Dakota was twelve when she wrote this book! I remember liking it, but I haven’t read it since. I love that the signing is personal!

Two summers ago, my mom ordered the first three books in the Fairy Tales series by Melanie Dickerson. (One of my favorite series of all time!) and one of them came signed! We ordered it from Amazon, and it said nothing about being signed. Lucky me!

The next book in the stack is Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord, which I won in a giveaway on Bookish Serendipity. And… I haven’t actually read it. Agh! I know, I know. Horrible.

The next one is the first book in the Countryside series by J.T. Cope IV. (Who happens to have the same last name as me! What are the odds?!) The book was sent to me by the author, but… I haven’t finished the book. I’ve tried, I have, and I need to – and will! – finish it one of these days.

Then the last book I’ve got signed is Dead Fred, Flying Lunchboxes, & The Good Luck Circle. (Phew! What a title!) This is another book my parents got me when they went on a trip somewhere. I’ve read about half of it with my mom, but it’s not really my cup of tea. I think my little sister would love it, though.

Do you guys have any signed books? Which ones? 🙂

Edit: I actually have another book signed, and I forgot about it! It’s by Heather Vogel Frederick – my favorite book in the Mother/Daughter Book Club series, Pies & Prejudice. My friend gave it to me about two years ago. (She bought it at a used book store!) I also have two book marks from Heather in a letter she wrote back to me. (I actually have two letters from Heather, since I’ve written her twice.) 😉