STACKED

books

L.K. Madigan, Flash Burnout, and a giveaway

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We were devastated to read this news from L. K. Madigan last week. As a burgeoning talent in the YA Lit world, it is heartbreaking to think her life and career will end long before it should. Her debut novel, 2009’s Flash Burnout, took home the much-deserved Morris Award last year, and in 2010, she published The Mermaid’s Mirror.

We’ve been brainstorming what we can do — what best way we can herald her work and keep her in our thoughts through this difficult time — and we wanted to relink you to Kelly’s original review of Flash Burnout, as well as bring you Jen’s new review of this title. Likewise, we’re giving away a copy of this title (form at the bottom). In addition, we have made a contribution to the American Cancer Society in her name.

You can check out reviews and additional chances to win Madigan’s titles by stopping this week at GreenBeanTeenQueen, GalleySmith, YA Librarian Tales, and Fat Girl, Reading. There is also a fantastic post up by the 2009 debutantes here that includes a giveaway of 40 copies of her books.

Flash Burnout

Blake has finally found his first girlfriend: Shannon, she of the gorgeous body, sleek shoulders (Blake’s a shoulder guy, what can he say?), and sparkling wit. It’s all he can do to keep his hands off of her, dreams about the day they’ll finally have sex, and actually truly enjoys her as a person, too. But then there’s Marissa, Blake’s new friend in his photography class, the one he can joke around with and share photography techniques with. And the one who comes to depend upon him when the “gritty” photograph Blake takes for a class assignment actually turns out to be Marissa’s mother: homeless, meth-addicted, strung out, and skeletally skinny, someone in need of both finding and help. As Blake helps Marissa locate her mother, he becomes

inextricably intertwined in her life. But she’s just a friend who needs his support, right? Then why is Shannon so jealous? And why is the pull of Marissa so strong?
I was absolutely blown away by Flash Burnout, L.K. Madigan’s debut novel, the winner of the 2010 William C. Morris Award, which honors the year’s best young adult debut novel. Blake’s voice is spot-on, and if I didn’t know otherwise, I would have thought that, due to this authenticity, Madigan was actually a male. Blake is the perfect mix of snarky, impulsive, thoughtful, and sensitive. As an aspiring comedian, he keeps mental tallies in his head of when he makes people laugh. And he’s hormonal, yearning for sex and skin: “She’s so luscious in her little white top–it barely reaches the waistband of her baggy shorts…I want to touch her like a junkie wants his drug” (paperback, p. 6-7). Madigan does not hold back from expressing the genuine urges that teenage boys feel. Everything is out there, which results in a genuine, true to life protagonist.
Another refreshing aspect of Flash Burnout is the supporting characters, especially Blake’s family, who are not exactly what you would call normal. His parents are wrapped up in death–his father is a medical examiner who leaves pictures of bullet wounds on the kitchen table, while his mother is a hospital chaplain who regretfully knows the seedy side of town all too well. But it is the presence and emotional support of his parents that truly shines through, especially in a genre that all too often shuttles parents away or presents the token divorced, unsupportive authority figures. Blake’s parents listen, they help and guide, disciplining Blake when necessary and asking no questions at all when necessary. His older brother Garrett is spot-on, as well: a condescending, tormenting sibling who nevertheless comes through for Blake when Blake really needs it.

Madigan portrays a slice of teen life that truly blooms to life on these pages. I honestly felt that Blake was a real person: flawed, despairing, yearning, and confused. Like many teenagers, he is impulsive and rash, following his emotions rather than stopping to wait for logic and reason to catch up with him. And these actions have consequences, ones that affect both Blake’s life and the life of his friends and loved ones, consequences that are not even wrapped up by the novel’s conclusion.
Maybe that’s what I most loved about Flash Burnout–the realism and the open-endedness of it all. Madigan created a character so real and so genuine that he worked his way into my heart. And at the end, Blake’s journey was left unresolved. So I can still see him out there, fumbling around, trying to find his way in life. Just like all of us.

In My Mailbox (20): ALA edition

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Welcome to In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It’s a weekly look at the books received for review, purchased, or picked up at the library.

I’d like to call this week’s a sneak peek at a ton of great books to come. Links take you to GoodReads.

Picked up at ALA Midwinter, organized by publisher. Not all of the books listed are pictured.:

Candlewick

The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta (March) — This one is supposed to be much different than Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road, which I did not love.

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones (March) — The rep talked this one up a lot.

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald (April) — McDonald writes great lighthearted reads.

What Comes After by Steve Watkins (April) — A book about grief.

Sister Mischief by Laura Goode (July) — Debut novel about a lesbian band.

Bloomsbury

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors (available now)

Taking Off by Jenny Moss (available now) — For some reason, when I first heard of this book, I thought it was middle grade. Then I got really excited hearing the main character is a senior in high school. An interesting take on the Challenger explosion. I’ve been into the 80s historical fiction lately.

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt (March) — This one is part of the Contemps challenge.

In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap (April) — A London girl gets the chance to work with Florence Nightingale. This one sounded like it might be up Kim’s alley.

Flawless by Lara Chapman (May) — This debut is a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey (June)

Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer (June) — A debut drawing comparisons to Pretty Little Liars.

Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker (July) — A Contemps book. I read this one already and am impressed with the departure Walker makes from her previous titles. There is a fuller review to come when it gets closer to pub date, but the teaser is this: this is a story about religious conviction and the discomfort one has when their worldview is challenged. It is one of the most fair and thoughtful takes on this topic I’ve read.

The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogler (August) — A little supernatural and a little historical fiction, a la King Arthur.

Amulet

Shine by Lauren Myracle (May) — A southern mystery.

Francis Lincoln

Almost True by Keren David — The companion to When I Was Joe, which I reviewed here.

Egmont

Family by Micol Ostow (April) — This verse novel is part of the Contemps challenge and is loosely based on the Manson family murders.

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski (May) — The rep sold this debut as similar to Sarah Dessen.

Little Brown

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky (April) — Debut

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (May)

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown (May) — I found Brown’s Hate List extremely powerful and expect the same of this story about abuse.

Harper Collins

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (available now) — This is a debut paranormal about angels, but I’ve been assured it is top notch in the genre.

Father of Lies by Ann Turner (February) — A historical fiction about the Salem Witch Trials.

Cloaked by Alex Flinn (February) — Flinn’s known for her fairy tale mash ups, and this one fits into that niche she’s made.

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer (February) — Another debut but this one’s about rivalry and friendship over music.

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting (March) — Sequel to The Body Finder.

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo (March) — A debut that sounds a bit like Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs but for the older set. We need more books like this, so I am really excited to see this one.

The Incorrigible Children of Aston Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood (March)

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer (April) — This debut looks like a bit of a mystery. It’s also set in West Texas which is an area that fascinates me to no end. Honestly, most books set in Texas do it for me.

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon (April)

Divergent by Veronica Roth (May) — A debut dystopian. If that weren’t enough, this one’s set in Chicago, a city that does NOT get enough stories set in it.

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson (May)

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow (June) — I read Sharenow’s My Mother the Cheerleader, which is about a group of women in 1960s New Orleans who harass a black student in the first segregated school in the city. I loved this story and am eager to see what this one brings.

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw (July) — A debut that begins in a book store and a crime that may be solved through a book.

Ten Things We Did and Probably Shouldn’t Have by Sarah Mlynowski (July) — Sounds a little like a bucket list for teens.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison (July) — I loved (but got burned out on) Georgia Nicholson. I love the humor with which Rennison writes, and since this one’s garnered a lot of praise in Britain, I am even more excited.

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young (July) — I’m eager to see Young’s writing progress from her first book, The Naughty List. And boy, did the lovely people at Harper work hard to find this book for me. Thank you!

Penguin

Across the Universe by Beth Revis (available now) — Another debut dystopian.

Leverage by Joshua Cohen (February) — This debut is about steroid use and is supposed to be incredible realistic and heart stopping. I don’t read enough sports stories, either.

No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko (February)

Close to Famous by Joan Baur (February)

Glitz by Philana Marie Boles (February)

Chime by Franny Billingsley (March) — And here’s another debut.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman (April) — I really didn’t think this book needed to happen. I thought that If I Stay was such a wonderful standalone with the perfect conclusion. It almost feels like cheating that there is a second book. And yet, I’m also a little curious if I’m judging too soon. I’m guessing I’ll still hold my convictions here, but I thought I’d be fair.

Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith (April) — A quirky romance that’s part of the Contemps challenge. Also, this one fits into the other theme I’m seeing this year, which is characters named Xan/Zan.

The Returning by Christine Hinwood (April) — This debut is set during war and is supposed to be a literary story.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (May) — All of Dessen’s books feel the same to me but it doesn’t stop my desire to want to read the new one.

Flutter by Erin E. Moulton (May) — This debut is a story about sisters and miracles. Sisters seem to be one of the emerging trends in 2011.

Displacement by Thalia Chaltas (June) — Verse novel in the style of Ellen Hopkins. I really dug her first book.

Crossing Lines by Paul Volponi (June) — Jocks and bullying. It sounds very timely.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (June) — Probably the book I was most looking for. It, too, is a sister story and it sounds a little like Feathered by Laura Kasishke which I liked quite a bit.

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (July)

Scholastic

Sequins, Secrets, and Silver Linings by Sophia Bennett (available now)

Warp Speed by Lisa Yee (March) — This middle grade novel was hand sold by the rep as one of her favorites of the season.

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell (March) — 1950s New York. This is Blundell’s second novel writing as herself. I wasn’t a huge fan of her first title, What I Saw and How I Lied, but I can’t resist the setting here again. Anyone else find it impossible not to refer to her only as Jude Watson?

Clarity by Kim Harrington (March) — A debut paranormal murder mystery.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (May) — Confession: I’ve never read Libba Bray. Well, actually, I tried to read the first book of the Gemma Doyle series but failed. I’m hoping this one is just the right mix of bizarre and funny to work for me.

Disney Hyperion
* I won’t say much about these, since you can read my report on the preview here.

Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout (available now) — I went out with Drea a couple of weeks ago to a book store and we saw this book and both were embarrassed we didn’t know the authors, since they’ve put out a few books. Glad to be able to “meet” them.

The Darlings by Melissa Kantor (January) — A trio of friends.

Mission (Un)popular by Anna Humphrey (June)

Mercy by Rebecca Lim (May) — Debut fallen angel novel.

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin (May) — Debut.

Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jennifer Violi (July) — Can I just say this debut novel looks so good? It’s about a girl who, after losing her father, wants to become a mortician? How many books like this exist?

Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracy (June) — This book falls in with the contemps challenge.

Nerd Girls: The Rise of the Dorkasaurus (July) by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Flux

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson (available now) — I’m really excited about this debut. It’s a poc title and hits on topics that aren’t covered enough in ya lit.

The Shadow Walkers by Brent Hartinger (available now)

Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis (available now) — Another debut and this one’s got a bit of mystery, a bit of adventure, and biking.

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler (March) — I liked Schindler’s A Blue So Dark and am eager for this sophomore effort.

Popular by Alissa Grosso (May) — Another debut. I am so impressed with how many debuts have been available this year.

Macmillan

The Flirt Club by Cathleen Daly (available now) — Another debut novel.

The Girl Who Became a Beatle by Greg Taylor (available now)

The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan (available now) — I am curious about Levithan’s first adult novel.

Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney (March) — A debut historical mystery. Sounds up my alley.

The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisher (May) — I’m really excited about this debut. It came highly recommended via some folks on Twitter.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (May) — This book is an import from Germany, where it’s been a huge hit. It was a hand sell from the rep.

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (June) — Brody’s sophomore effort after The Karma Club. I’m curious about this one since it centers on a girl who uses her blog to determine what she does in life.

Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks (August) — A 1940s Sanitorium story.

Glow: The Sky Chasers by Amy Kathleen Ryan (Fall 2011) — Hand sold this one twice. I’ve read it already and cannot express how eager I am to discuss it with other readers. It’s a space fantasy with Puritan ties and is a story about religion and secularism and leadership. It’s meaty and dense and one I can’t stop thinking about.

Simon and Schuster
Again, since most of these were covered here, I won’t talk much about them.

Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann (February)

Haven by Kristi Cook (February) — Debut

Red Glove by Holly Black (April)

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan (April)

Stay by Deb Caletti (April) — The rep said this was her favorite Caletti title to date.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young (June) — And you already know this is a debut.

Random House

Timeless by Alexandra Monir (available now) — A debut that was named Goodreads best for January 2011.

Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman (available now) — I’m kind of tired of the fact so many books featuring African American characters take place inside juvenile facilities.

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal (available now) — Another debut title. It’s gotten a lot of good blogger buzz.

The Running Dream by Wendy Van Draanen (available now) — This one sounds so good. About a girl with a prosthetic limb who wants to run.

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus (February) — A debut that’s being compared to Ellen Hopkins for its gritty, edgy flavor. The rep told me this was her favorite of their offerings this spring.

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard (March) — This book is both a debut AND part of the contemps challenge. It’s one I’ve been looking forward to a while. It sounds a bit quirky and is set in rural Wyoming. It really takes little for me, I’m seeing.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus (April) — I remember Kraus talking about this at Anderson’s two years ago. I’m eager to read it because it’s about grave robbing. What a rich (hee) subject.

The Lucky Kind by Alyssa Sheinmel (May) — I realized how much I’ve read in the past year when I asked the rep if this book was by the same author as The Beautiful Between and she didn’t know. It is, by the way.

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher (May)

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard (June) — A debut set in a boys’ boarding school. Should be interesting to see a story like that from a guy’s perspective. Maybe flavorings of some well-loved classics?

Hooked by Catherine Greenman (August) — This debut is the only pregnant girl story I picked up. Is this a dying trend?

And if that wasn’t enough, when I got home, I also had this one in my mailbox!

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker (March, Sourcebooks)

Bought:

Before I left for my trip, I ended up buying a book for my nook. I haven’t read it yet but am eager because it sounds so good and up my alley for a love story. And actually, I did buy another book this week but it hasn’t come yet. Maybe next week!

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman — Love without being about love and romance without being romance while being romance. It makes sense, right?

Dirty Secret: A Daughter Comes Clean by Jessie Sholl

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When Jessie’s cancer-stricken mother makes a phone call asking her to fly out to sign the legal paperwork that would give her possession of her home when she passes, Jessie comes face to face with the reality of what has plagued her mother for years: hoarding. Although she knew her mother hoarded, nothing could prepare Jessie for what she was about to face head on — piles and piles of stuff, much of it in bags with tags still attached. While sitting in the lawyer’s office, Jessie debates whether or not she even wants the responsibility of the home in the future. Is the time and effort worth it?

As you may be aware, I have an interest in hoarding. In reading Sholl’s book, I found a unique take on the mental illness — here, the hoarding isn’t really at the center of the book nor is it made glamorous or hideous (as it has been on certain television shows). Instead, we have an honest exploration of family dynamics and relationships, many of which have little to do with the hoarding itself.

Sholl is an honest and, at times, perfectly snarky narrator: we see her ups and downs right along with her mother. What I found refreshing about her was her voice and her ability to not wallow in her sadness nor seek pity for what she’s dealt with in her life. As the child of divorce with a brother who has all together left the family, it’d be easy for her to go the pity route, but she doesn’t. Instead, she’s fair in her treatment of her mother and her mother’s problem, supplementing her impressions and experiences with research.

While cleaning her mother’s home, Jessie begins to notice a few mysterious bumps on her ankle. She ignores them, but when she flies back home to New York, it’s not long before they’re getting bigger and itchier. Then she passes them on to her husband. She thinks she may have been bitten by something while cleaning, and when she calls her mother, she says it’s entirely possible that the used pillow on her bed may be the culprit. But rather than get rid of the pillow, Jessie’s mother has kept it. It takes years of different treatments before Jessie and her husband are able to rid themselves of the bites.

I bring this aspect of the book up because I think it spoke well to how the memoir is structured — much of Jessie’s experience with her mother is like her experience with these bites. It’s an issue she can only ignore so long before it sneaks back up and demands attention. Although I thought this particular issue dragged on a little too long in the book, the parallel itself was done well while also giving a vivid picture of what her mother’s living situation is. Mom knows she lives among bugs and knows precisely where they’re coming from, but she cannot let herself let go of the object where they reside.

The fusion of fact and experience in this book is seamless; in fact, this may have been one of the most seamless memoirs of this ilk I’ve read. We learn, for example, that her mother is a “clean” hoarder, differentiated from those who are “squalor” hoarders, food hoarders, or animal hoarders. Clean hoarders don’t live among putrid water, piles animal or human feces, and generally don’t keep rotting food in their homes. Squalor hoarders are often so ashamed of their homes they don’t let repair people in when issues arise and thus often do not have running water or sometimes even gas or electricity. Another fact that struck me was that hoarding isn’t an American-based problem which many assume given our culture’s obsession with consumption; it’s a condition found on every continent on Earth, except for Antarctica. In fact, the illness might not be most prevalent in America — in Melbourne, Australia, it’s reported that 1 in 4 people who die in a house fire are hoarders. These bits of research further contextualize Jessie’s mothers problem and they help us as readers understand where she and her mother come from.

Dirty Secret is a must read for anyone who has an interest in shows like Hoarders or Clean House. The voice is honest but offers enough humor to make the sad situations (because this is extremely saddening to read about, particularly through the eyes of a family member impacted) easier to read. This isn’t a quick read nor one that offers a lot of conclusions. At times, the off-topic issues such as Jessie’s repetitive stress injury challenge compete with the bigger picture, but this is still a book worth reading. There is sensitivity in discussing a mental issue that has become a bit of a perverted interest in the last few years.

Readers interested in psychology will find this a satisfying read, as well those with an interest in well-written and approachable memoirs that stray from the trope of addiction and recovery. I found this to be an excellent companion to my reading experiences with Omololu’s fictional account of a daughter of a hoarder and Frost and Stekee’s non-fictional explanation of hoarding — this is where those two come together.

* Book accepted for review from author pitch.

ALA wrap-up #3: On more fingernail art.

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Saturday morning was rough. I mean, it was ROUGH. Abby and I got up early but then we remembered what an awesome day we had ahead of us and it wasn’t so rough being up anymore. We got ready and made our way back to the exhibit hall, where we met up with Julia again. We all discussed what we were hoping to find out and what our plans were for the day, and then the doors opened.

The pace on Saturday morning was much slower than on opening night, so we were able to wander and be more selective in what we were picking up. This was also our prime time to talk to vendors and find out about titles that excited them. We made some good contacts, and we walked away with books many had been telling us to find for a long time (including The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta).

We picked up a ton of great books again, and I think we made a couple trips to the mailing center and our hotel room to drop them off and ship them out. A bit before noon, we met up with Drea and Sarah and headed back to our hotel, where we attended the Simon and Schuster lunch which I blogged right here.

Post-luncheon, Drea and Sarah had to scoot to committee meetings, and Abby and I took a run to the exhibits again. We stopped to see Sarah Stevenson sign her book The Latte Rebellion, then we went and saw Melissa Wiley and Mitali Perkins signing for their forwards in the rereleased Betsy-Tacey books (and Mitali knew me!). We did another walk through before seeing Brent Hartinger signing Shadow Walkers and Rebecca Fjelland Davis signing Chasing Alliecat shortly after. Did I mention how great all of these people were yet?

After Rebecca’s signing, Abby and I hit up another book preview, this time for Disney Hyperion. We went over to the Hardrock Hotel for a swank snack and look at a ton of new books coming out in the next few months. In this preview, unlike the Simon and Schuster one, we were read to — each of the reps took a pair of books to read to us, which really helped give a feeling for the books. For your viewing pleasure, here’s a sampling:

Mercy by Rebecca Lim: A fallen angel book with a bit of a mystery is the first in a series by this debut author. This one’s actually out already.

Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin (May 2011): Another debut author for this one — the writing on this title about love and jealousy was tight and easy to imagine. Sounds a little bit like there might be some mean girls in this one, too. I believe the main character has a learning disorder.

Mission (Un)Popular by Anna Humphrey (June 2011): This tween novel features mean girls but has a nice humorous beat to it. The main character is a dorky girl (a trend I noticed in a number of titles).

Perhaps the funniest one they read aloud is one I might pick up despite it being out of my normal reading tastes: Aliens on Vacation by Clete Smith (May 2011). This humorous tween novel is about a boy who goes to spend time at a relative’s place. That place happens to be a hotel where aliens who come to visit Earth on vacation room. The rep read aloud the portion where the main character meets his first alien and it was laugh out loud funny. A great voice and a book that has definite appeal for middle schoolers.

Because we had not yet had enough of the exhibit hall, Abby and I went back after the preview to scope out even more books. We picked up just a few select titles this time, then headed back to our hotel room to ship some books home. First though, I went through the big pile and pulled out about ten titles to pack in my carry on luggage for immediate-ish reading. When I finished agonizing, I slugged everything down to the UPS in our hotel and shipped it off. I think in the end I probably spent about $150 on shipping. We also had a little fun trying to eat an apple in such a manner it would match the one on the cover of Melissa Walker’s Small Town Sinners (Bloomsbury, July). I think I did a good job, no?

After that, we were back up to our hotel room to get ready for one of the most exciting events of the entire conference: an intimate dinner with Lisa McMann. Abby and I both got these mysterious invites and struggled to figure out how well we needed to dress and just how intimate an intimate dinner was. Abby was dressed in no time, since she was already dressed nicely, but I probably spent way too long analyzing what to wear. Fortunately, it was worth it, as I got a lot of comments on my little number (which is totally a fist pump moment for someone who is *not* into fashion in the least). We donned our finery and went downstairs to take a cab to Suite & Tender, where we’d be enjoying our dinner. But see, we lucked out even more than you’d imagine — it was no cab we took. We got to take a town car and arrived in total class.

When the event began, there was a lot of mingling and we did some counting: 20 people total were at this dinner. That included the reps from Simon and Schuster, as well as Lisa McMann, her editor (who was a riot!), and her publicist (also a riot). All that they could keep saying to us was how much Abby and I looked like sisters that evening. While schmoozing with everyone, I noticed a name tag on the table for an attendee that was incredibly familiar to me, but because this person was sitting on the other side of the table, I didn’t get to talk to her immediately. I made a mental note to stop by after.

Let’s start with the food. It was….incredible. We all began with a ceviche-like palate cleanser, and then we had a few choices for meals. I went with a butternut squash soup with a white chocolate drizzle, one of the most delicious pieces of grilled chicken on top of home made mac and cheese, followed by a lovely piece of cheesecake (and maybe a bite or two of some lemon ice cream from the extra dessert they accidentally brought). Delicious!

While we dinned, Lisa talked about her book, as did her editor. It was nice to hear both sides of the writing and editing aspects of the book, and it made me more excited to read Cryer’s Cross. Both talked about the goals of the book and the readership that it will appeal to. Then we all talked what book and movie we would take with us if we were to be deserted on an island forever.

It was probably two hours into the meal when I saw the person I wanted to talk to getting up, ready to leave the dinner. I was about ready to jump up from my seat and approach her, but lucky me — she came to me first!

So a little back story here: when I first began library school and subsequently this blog, it was this particular person who inspired how I thought about books. I did a project in my very first library class about science fiction books — a genre with which I had little familiarity at the time — and her book became my guide to learning how to be a good reader and reviewer. It’s her openness to read a variety of things and pick out who it would work for that guided my initial reviewing beliefs and still helps me think through books today.

Needless to say, meeting Diana Herald, the woman behind genreflecting, was one of the best moments of my trip. It was wonderful to put a face with a name, especially since we’ve talked before. Not only that but she tweeted the kindest comment EVER. I mean, words can’t explain how special this was!

Shortly after she left, most of the other guests at dinner left, and it was Abby, myself, the kind folks at Simon and Schuster, as well as Lisa and her editor and publicist. Lisa begged to sign a book for me, and because I had one already, I didn’t want to be greedy….but then I said sure. But oh! That wouldn’t be enough. Abby suggested that, like her, I have my finger nails signed. So, I did. This left everyone there in stitches, and Lisa’s name, unlike Lauren’s, actually fit perfectly on ten fingers. We had a lovely conversation about some of our favorite books and authors while she scrawled each letter onto my nails.

After the nail fun, Lisa made us go with her into the bathroom, just so we could see it because it was apparently a very fun bathroom. It was trippy – a unisex bathroom with walls made of rocks. Weird.

Abby and I headed out, getting a cab back to our hotel, and spent the rest of the night marveling over new manicures. Since I was leaving early Sunday, I had to begin packing all of my goods for the next day. But she and I still stayed up late and talked, something we never have a problem with.

But don’t worry — when Sunday came, I had time to stop by the convention center for just a few more minutes to pick up a handful of titles other people suggested I seek out, including The Pull of Gravity and Hooked. Those made it into my carry on, as well.

About 9:30 am on Sunday, I said my teary goodbyes to the wonderful people I had the chance to spend the last couple of days with, and I may or may not have received about eighteen hugs from my roommate. This was one of the hardest goodbyes I’ve had in a while.

That would be where my post could end naturally, right? It would if my weekend didn’t get even more awesome. When I got to the airport, it took forever to get through baggage and security, but I want you to know it was well worth it. While waiting for my flight, I heard that it had been oversold and they were offering $300 and the cost of a one-way ticket in vouchers to whoever would give up their seat. I found out the next flight home would get me in only a couple hours later, so I offered.

Friends, I made over $500 in travel vouchers, meaning my flights to future fun are completely set. I spent the extra few hours in the airport reading and writing on the free wifi, so the wait wasn’t even painful.

Midwinter was one of the best conferences I’ve ever been to, and I was so fortunate to have been given the opportunities I had to meet and mingle with people — the things that are the heart and soul of these events. I was loaded down with books I’ll read and share not only on my blog but with my teens at work through giveaways and our summer reading program. Again, a huge thanks to the publishers, the authors, and the lovely librarian bloggers I had the chance to spend time with for making this such a great and memorable event.

And since you’ll ask: I started two books almost immediately — Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker (which is so different from her previous titles and an excellent readalike to This Gorgeous Game) and Glow: The Sky Chasers by Amy Kathleen Ryan (which was hand sold to me by two people and so far is bizarre but in a very good way).

Recent Reads, Twitter-Style

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Yep, it’s my turn for another set of Twitter-style reviews: short, snappy reviews of some of my recent reads.


My Mos

t Exc

ellent Year: A Story of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park

Stev

e Klu

ger

I’ve bee

n meaning to read this book for ages, and finally purchased it last month. Oh, am I glad I did. In three alte

rnating narratives, the reader meets Tony Conigliaro

(T.C.), a die-hard Red Sox fan w

ho is crushing hard on the hard-to-get Ale; Ale, an ambassador’s

daughter whose real passion is

the stage; and Augie, a recently out of the closet musical theater fanatic who is developi

ng his first crush on a boy. The three come together when they stage a school variety show and become involved in the life of a young deaf boy. As a Massachusetts n

ative, the Brookline and Boston locations fascinated me and the format (a mix of narrative, journa

l entries, IM chats, and posters) pulled me quickly through the text. But it is the heart of this novel that truly grabs the reader. I fell in love with each and every one of these loving, quirky, and charming characters.

Prom and Prejudice
Elizabeth Eulberg
Lizzie Bennet is a scholarship student at Longbourn Academy, an institution where

prom is the social event of the season and wealth and privilege are prized commodities. As she is only at Longbourn because of her music abilities, Lizzie is an outcast, tormented and excluded by all except for her kindhearted roommate, Jane. Jane, who is dating the sensitive Charles Bingley, introduces Lizzie to Charles’ friend Will Darcy, a snobby, self-

righteous student at their brother school, Pemberly. Lizzie and Darcy’s eventual clashes and misunderstandings subsequently follow the plot of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. While this book was, of course, predictable, Eulberg does a wonderful job of modernizing this oft-redone tale. While this is a fairly short book, Lizzie becomes a three dimensional character, and the twists and turns of Lizzie and Darcy’s courtship, though predetermined by Austen’s plot, ring true to the modern time period.


Beautiful Darkness
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
This sequel to Beautiful Creatures, while engrossing, suffers a bit for me under the weight of its mythology. Although Ethan and Lena evaded Lena’s potential fate as a Dark Caster at the end of Beautiful Creatures, Lena is just as confused as ever in Beautiful Darkness, suffering from the weight of her guilt over a loved one’s untimely death and fearing that her seventeenth birthday will now bring the determination of her fate. As Lena begins to avoid Ethan, hanging out instead with the eerie, inscrutable John Breed, Ethan is pulled even deeper into the Caster world beneath the town of Gatlin. Aided by Link, Ridley, and Liv, Marian’s new apprentice, Ethan must figure out how to stop Lena from leaving him–and Gatlin–forever. While the reappearance of old characters was welcome and the new characters were well-integrated into the already established universe, I felt like there was almost too much mythology in this sequel, too many details piled on to one another. Nevertheless, Garci and Stohl excel at both world-building and sensory details, creating a vivid world that leaps from the page.
NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children (audiobook)

Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman
A fascinating compilation of intriguing recent scientific studies of child development that purports to upend tradition thinking about both childhood and parenting. The authors reveal why lying is actually a good thing in children, how praising children can end up backfiring, why parents should speak to their children openly and honestly about race, and what exactly encourages optimal and advanced language development in children. Narrator and co-author Po Bronson has a warm, engaging voice that truly invites the reader in to his fascinating research, and the book itself is quite accessible. While some of the advice that claimed to be revelatory in fact seemed like plain common sense to me, NurtureShock was nevertheless an intriguing read.