Book 12 of '10 The Hollow by Jessica Verday

Hello Followers!

Dust Jacket Description:

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

Characters: There were too many that didn't really matter. Although I did enjoy Abbey's character over time. The characters acted like they were from black and white 1920 movies in the sense that they overreacted in the most unrealistic way. Every other character besides Abbey made my head spin. Too many useless names and little relevance attached to some of them. 2 and a half flowers.

Writing: I was groaning when I first started this book because of the detached prose, but Verday found Abbey's voice half way through and I grew to like it. But the dialogue was lacking, and there is nothing that pulls me out of a story more than that. 3 flowers.

Plot: Oh boy. The only real plot or endearing quality appeared at the END of this novel. This is something I've found in a few novels recently. Please, authors, I want to read a novel where things HAPPEN. I am so frustrated because this book had so much potential. 1 flower.

Ending: Brilliant. If only Verday had started at the end and not the beginning. 3 and a half flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: There is absolutely nothing that entices me to read the book here. Half a flower.

Cover: I don't know who the girl on the cover is supposed to be. She looks too much like a model to be any of the characters. This is way too overdone. 1 flower.

Overall: So much potential wasted. If only is the one thing that came to mind when I closed the book.
Emma Out!

Sunday Special; The Importance of Being Well Read with April

Hello Followers!

April from Good Books and Good Wine was kind enough to write a lovely guest post for me. Her blog is wonderful and you should all check it out. I will give you cookies.

Thank you, Emma!

It seems, we as a human race are facing a severe shortage. What, friends, is this shortage? Why, we aren't getting enough reading in our day. In doing a quick google search, I found out 58% of adults don't read books for leisure after high school. According to this site on average high schoolers read 7 minutes for leisure per day, but on the other hand watch 2 hours per day of TV.

I know statistics can be scary, and often, misinterpreted, and biased. I'm not here to play Chicken Little. I just want the reading revolution to occur. Here's the thing, reading is GOOD for you.

• It lowers your stress level - according to the Super Stress Solution - by 68%
• It helps you use your brain, unlike TV
• It gets you away from our crazy digital world
• Your vocabulary will improve.
• Reading will keep you out of prison. I read one state uses 4th grade reading scores to determine how many prison beds to order.

Now, I don't know if you had something like DEAR time in school (Drop Everything And Read) also called sustained silent reading, where you got a certain amount of time every day to read whatever you want, but this really is something you should carry with you throughout life, because it's true reading will make you a better person.

That said, I am done preaching to the choir!

Thank you again, Emma for letting me guest post!

Now. Go check out April's blog. This minute.

Emma Out!

Book 11 of '10 Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

Hello Followers!

I just finished a charming book called Scones and Sensibility!

Dust Jacket Description:

Polly Madassa is convinced she was born for a more romantic time. A time when Elizabeth Bennet and Anne of Green Gables walked along the moors and beaches of the beautiful land, a time where a distinguished gentleman called upon a lady of quality and true love was born in the locked eyes of two young lovers.

But alas, she was not.

This, however, does not stop our young heroine from finding romance wherever she can conjure it up. So while Polly is burdened with a summer job of delivering baked goods from her parents bakery (how quaint!) to the people in her small beach town, she finds a way to force…um…encourage romance to blossom. She is determined to bring lovers, young and old, together…whether they want to be or not.





Characters: Into the first three pages, I fell in love with Polly Madassa. Her proper Victorian English manner of speaking reminded me of Little Emma. She reminded me frequently of Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables, one of her own favourite heroines. She was full of delightful charm. She's the sort of character I would love to babysit or even be friends with. Despite her language, she never came across as shockingly mature. Eland did a great job of articulating Polly's emotions in a quirky, age appropriate way. The other characters were lovely. Polly's elderly friends were fun and sweet. Her bosom friend Fran endured Polly's dramatic tendencies with grace the majority of the time. Fran's father came across as a sweet man. Her sister Clementine had an incredibly bad taste in young men and fit the role of the stereotypical teenager. Polly's love interest was the sweetest boy. All of these characters were like a donut, fluffy but delicious. I loved every moment with them. 4 and a half flowers.

Writing: What was so unique about this novel was the way Polly spoke. I could see how it would get annoying to some people, but I loved her drama and her Austenlike prose. It illustrated her quirks well and quickly. 4 and a half flowers.

Plot: Eland wove Polly's three matching making attempts together as well as Polly's romantic subplot with Bradley, her old foe. The book didn't seem weighed down by the amount of plots but wasn't too simplistic either. 5 flowers.

Ending: Completely predictable, but all the more lovely. 4 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: Charming. 4 flowers.

Cover: This cover is absolutely gorgeous. I can't think of anyone denying a book with such a lovely cover. 5 flowers.

Overall: This book will appeal to both girls between the ages of 8-12 as well as their mothers. Absolutely delectable. I cannot wait to see more of Eland. 4 and a half flowers.

Emma Out!

Book 10 of '10 Help Me, Jacques Cousteau by Gil Adamson

Hello!

After finishing The Gemma Doyle Trilogy for the third time, which was absolutely brilliant and inspiring, I started on the book I received from House of Anansi Press.

Dust Jacket Description:

Help Me, Jacques Cousteau presents the life and times of Hazel and her brother Andrew, who are born into an extraordinary family of modern-day eccentrics. This funny and poignant portrait of an offbeat family showcases Adamson's powerful prose, which uniquely combines a scientist's attention to detail, a comic's delivery, and a poet's ear.









Characters: Hazel's family was a bunch that never lost their realism. I could see these people living on the edge of my life. Little habits and endearing traits rang true, even at their most flamboyant and obsurd. Hazel herself reminded me a lot of Alaska from Looking for Alaska by John Green. She possessed the same mystery and unknown air that Alaska had, but was less screwed up and more observant. From the first chapter there was a magnetism to Hazel that I lapped up. 5 flowers.

Writing: The voice of this novel was very odd and rich. Hazel's perspective reminded me of my own lack of logic. The plot twists surprised me in astonishingly clever ways. My one problem was how no matter what age Hazel was, her view of the world remained the same. Perhaps this added to the exotic mystery of this novel, but it took me away from the actual story. 4 flowers.

Plot: What plot? The story centers around Hazel's family life, but there was no driving mission. The story would've felt fake otherwise. 3 and a half flowers.
Originality: I am definitely going to read The Outlander now because of Adamson's strong and refreshing voice. 4 and a half flowers.

Ending: If it had ended any other way I would've been disappointed. Not to mention I would've been significantly less surprised. 5 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: The description gave me very little indicator about how delightfully manic this book was. 1 and a half flowers.

Cover: This cover is really appealing and I love the title. I would've liked more foreshadow about the ending, but I am really pleased with this new cover. 4 flowers.

Overall: Ridiculous and gorgeous in equal measures. The vibe reminded me a lot of Going Bovine, and any comparison to Libba Bray from me is a serious compliment. 4 and a half flowers.

Emma Out!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? March 22, '10

Hiya Followers!

I'm rereading my favourite book in the entire universe right now. This meme is hosted by J. Kaye.

In My Mailbox March 21, '10

Hiya Followers!

I've gotten my first review book EVER. I need to share with you! This meme is hosted by The Story Siren.

Goodreads Description:

It is through Hazel's observant but detached eyes that we watch the family's goings-on, her unflinching vision informed by the precocious perception that however bad things may be they are only likely to get worse. She watches with bemusement as they go through the rituals of a Christmas dinner that culminates in attending the funeral of a man not one of them knew, and of a wedding that ends with the bride storming out. She senses that her mismatched parents, narcoleptic and impractical North and prosaic Janey, are headed for a rupture but is content to let things unravel in their own ineluctable fashion. Hazel's younger brother Andrew shows signs of following in the family's unconventional footsteps with his addiction to TV, his bizarre questions (`If you had to kill your best friend or your parents, which would it be?'), and his strange inventions, like solar-powered curtains. Yet however odd and even slightly menacing the world inhabited by these fully-fleshed characters, there is an unnerving familiarity to their dilemmas and discordancies that makes the stories resonate with conviction.

Doesn't it look GOOD? I cannot wait to read this.

Emma Out!

Bree Despain Interview + Contest

Hiya Followers.

I've been awful, I know. Give me some time. My life has been weird and stressful and BLAH. But look how I make things up to you? I give you an interview with the lovely author of The Dark Divine AND a giveaway!

Bree Despain's bio from her site:

Bree rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New York. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo. The Dark Divine is Bree's debut novel.









THE BEGINNING OF A STORY:

Where did you get the idea for The Dark Divine?

TDD was inspired by a conversation between a brother and a sister that popped into my head while I was stopped at a traffic light. The brother was warning his sister to stay away from a dangerous ex-friend who had suddenly returned to town. I was so intrigued by this conversation that I had to know what was going on in these character’s lives. I went home and started writing right away.

I loved the gripping beginning of The Dark Divine. What do you think are the keys to writing a good prologue?

I’m not sure I really know the keys to writing a good prologue. I kind of just go with what feels right. I originally didn’t intended for there to be a prologue to TDD, but one day I was sitting in church and the words in the prologue just came into my mind. I couldn’t shake the words, and couldn’t concentrate on anything else, so I wrote the prologue on the back of the service program. After I looked at what I’d written, I knew it was the right opening to the book.

My advice for a good prologue is to keep it short (under two pages is you can) and make sure it’s compelling. I’ve read many manuscripts with long prologues that are just there for the sake of giving background information that isn’t actually necessary for the story. I think if a prologue makes reading the rest of the story more compelling or intriguing—then it’s probably a good prologue.

When did you realize that you wanted to write a paranormal novel?

I didn’t originally conceive of TDD as a paranormal story. At first it was just about three friends trying to reconcile their past. However, as I started writing it, I kept thinking, “Wow, wouldn’t it be cool if there was something paranormal going on?” I fought the idea at first because I didn’t see myself as being a paranormal author (up until then I’d only written contemporary fiction) and I only put hints in the first draft that there might be something paranormal going on.

However, people who read the manuscript said that they felt like something was missing from the book. I put the MS away for a while and started writing another book that was a straight-up paranormal romance. I loved it so much and started getting new ideas for TDD, so I pulled out that book and completely rewrote it with a paranormal twist. And I absolutely loved the result.




THE PROBLEMS AND RITUALS:
How has music affected your writing?
I love music. I have playlist for my book comprised of songs that help me get into the mood of my book. I don’t always listen to it while I’m writing. But I listen to it in the car, or just before I start a writing session. Whenever I am having a hard time capturing the emotion or mood of a certain scene, I’ll turn to my iTunes and find a song that has a similar feel to what I’m trying to accomplish.
You can check out my TDD soundtrack here:
http://www.breedespain.com/TDDsoundtrack.html
What's the most difficult aspect of writing for you?

I hate those days when I can’t get into the groove—especially when I have a deadline so I feel like ever second I’m not writing is wasted time. I think the hardest part is remembering to not beat myself up over these bad days and just start over with a positive attitude the next day.

How has being in a critique group helped your writing?

It took me 9 years of serious writing before I got an agent and sold my book to my publisher. Having a critique group helped me stay focused and driven during that time. It was great to have a deadline to work towards each month, and a support group to lean on when I got rejections or just felt discouraged. My critique group sisters (called The SIX) are some of my best friends, and I honestly don’t know if I would have ever gotten published without their love and support.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR READING AND WRITING:

Do you have any projects on the go?

Working hard on the sequel to TDD called THE LOST SAINT, and thinking about possibly doing a third book. I also want to return to that other paranormal romance I started writing before finishing TDD.

Have you read any YA books recently that you've loved?

I was a little slow to get on the bandwagon, but I finally read the HUNGER GAMES books and now I am totally obsessed. I can’t wait for the third one!

Thank you SO much for shedding some light on the writing process! (Be sure to check out http://lilibethramos.blogspot.com/ tomorrow for more Dark Divine fun!)

And now, for a GIVEAWAY.

Egmont USA has provided three nail polish containers. They're the same colour as the girl's toe nails on the cover! Three people will get one nail polish container.


(Photo from Parajunkee)

I LOVE swag and I'm sure you guys do too! (Be sure to check out
http://lilibethramos.blogspot.com/ tomorrow for more Dark Divine fun!)

Blog Schedule

My Followers,

After hearing multiple suggestions that I create a weekly blog schedule, I decided, why not? So here it is. I'll be starting next week and then you'll be getting SICK of me.

Sunday-Opinion Post or IMM
Monday-It's Monday, What Are You Reading, Weekend Book Review
Tuesday-TBR/Teaser Tuesday, Review
Wednesday-Waiting On Wednesday
Thursday-Link A Contest Thursday
Friday-Friday Finds, Review
Saturday-IMM or Opinion Post

If you have any other suggestions or would ever like to do an opinion guest post, let me know!

Emma

My Friends

So. I wrote an excuse post.

And I am not making one again.

I am just going to tell you that I am spending the next two days devoting myself to finish my favourite book again for the third time, so if you don't hear from me in that time span, don't consider me GONE, just reading.

I still love you.

Emma

And The Winner Is...

I'm sorry I couldn't post on Sunday, blogger wasn't working!

The winner of the fabulous Donut Days is...

Ah Yuan!

Please email me your address and I'll get Lara to send it to you!

Emma Out!

My Followers Oh My Followers

My lovely magnificent followers.

I am SORRY about February. It was a crappy month. Trying to figure out custody issues is both exhausting and stressful. I apologize IMMENSELY. But no more excuses, I'm going to be posting a lot from now on. Don't worry, I'll pick the winner of Donut Days tonight.

I am going to be writing three reviews of books I've reread this week as well.

You will be seeing A LOT OF ME NOW.

Emma