Currently…

Happy New Year, everyone! I missed my one-year blogiversary (oops!), but things have been pretty busy for me, lately. I’ve (sort of) been doing this blogging business for a year, now. Best way to get back in the swing of things is with a good ol’ meme! (Is that what this is?)

CURRENTLY …
(see this post by Katy Upperman for the chain of inspiration)

Loving…
Salted Almond Chocolate Bites – These things are amazing and totally addicting. People never really know what I’m offering when I give them one and they are seriously blown away. (SO GOOD!)

P!nk – Just Give Me a Reason
Alabama Shakes – I found these on the Grammys nominations page and have been loving their retro vibe ever since.
B.o.B. – Don’t Let Me Fall
Girls Soundtrack (from season 1) – so much great music, including this Michael Penn song. Plus I Love It by Icona Pop. Also, White Nights by Oh Land.
Damien Rice – Delicate
Nada Surf – Popular

Reading…
My TBR is insane, let’s start with that. I have a couple manuscripts to read, but in the books that are published world, I’m reading This is Not a Test and The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden. Up next: Taken and Nobody But Us!

Watching…
Football (Well, I was, until the heartbreaking–yes, HEARTBREAKING–loss to the Falcons)

Catfish - Although I knew my husband face-to-face and we had many an interaction before we officially started dating, we got to know each other well over IM over a vacation, so I understand how relationships form online. As my brother-in-law said, though, those who are “Catfished” should have their internet privileges revoked. Truth?
Girls – No joke, I’ve re-watched the first episode of this season three times. Love it. Oh, and Donald Glover being on the show? LOVE IT.
Friends/Sex and the City reruns - Always. Even with SatC, if it’s on cable, I will watch the edited crappy episodes. I have the box sets for both these shows so I really should just have a marathon some day. Both shows still make me laugh, so much!
Pitch Perfect – I love this movie! Add that I have also watched Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit a couple of times in recent history, and maybe there’s a recurring theme…

 

Thinking About…
Friends - I’m so lucky, I think, because I have the greatest friends in the world. We don’t get to see each other often, but when we do, there’s no time lost. A couple of them are going through difficult, life-altering situations and they’re on my mind and in my heart constantly.

Anticipating…
The Muse concert on February 1st!! The husband got me tickets for my birthday and I’m so pumped, especially after a great Lady Gaga concert on Monday.

A new semester at school. I seriously need the second semester shake-up (we keep the same students but the class periods get jumbled up).

 

Wishing…
There was a such a thing as grading fairies. It seems like I’m consistently wishing for more time?

 

Making Me Happy…
Classic music that, without fail, makes me happy (or teary, if need be): Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Nirvana (I know–do they have any upbeat songs? But, I can listen to them all and love them) Try Unplugged if you haven’t!

And, as always, my family and friends make me the most happy!

Sorority girlfriends this summer (minus Heather and Jessica–we missed you)!

Me with my mom, aunt and cousins at Lady Gaga!

What are you currently LOVING?

YA Superlative Blogfest – Best in Show

This has been really fun for discovering new books and finding new people to chat it up with on Twitter. Thanks to Jessica Love, Alison Miller, Tracey Neithercott, and Katy Upperman for hosting!

Okay, I worked really hard to pick one book per category. But, since the goal of this blogfest is to highlight great YA, again, sorry, I’m not sorry for listing more than one at times.

Thursday, December 20th: Best in Show

Favorite Cover: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith



Cutest Couple: Anna & Bennett in Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
Honorable Mentions: Augustus and Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars, Samantha and Jase in My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Gray and Dylan in First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky


Most Likely to Succeed (pick a Printz winner): The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I can’t even write any more about how I love this book and why people should read it.


Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
I miss my bedtime thanks to MANY books, but this one was a (cliché alert!) total page turner.

Best Repeat Performance (sequel or follow-up): Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I just really love these books. And really love Tris and Four. Okay, I really, really love Four. And can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Favorite Finale or End of Series: Reached by Ally Condie
This is the only series finale I read (thanks, authors!) but it was definitely satisfying. It wasn’t my favorite of the series, however.

Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath: Easy by Tammara Webber
Because it was classified as YA in the Goodreads Best Books survey, I’m calling this, here. Try and stop me!

Best Breakout (novel by a debut author): Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone and False Memory by Dan Krokos
Both great for different reasons, but great and second read-worthy! False Sight and a second Anna and Bennett book come out this year (squeeeeeeee)!

Best Old Timer (favorite read of the year published before 2012): Sloppy Firsts (really, the whole Jessica Darling series) by Megan McCafferty
Honorable Mention: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
If you’ve read any of these books you probably understand why they are all 5 stars on my Goodreads. Click on the titles to see my reviews. I just loves them!


Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Duh. It takes a lot for a book to even make me cry, and this one had me in full-on, snotty, ugly cry.


Most Pleasant Surprise (book I liked that I wasn’t sure about): Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay
This mostly stems from my insecurity about reading a verse novel–I didn’t realize it was one when I downloaded it and almost didn’t read it, as such. But, I was hooked early on reading about the Marcie’s family problems and being transplanted from Idaho and her missing her friends.

Most Creative Use of a Love Triangle: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
I am a little ashamed to say the reason I initially picked up TRB was because David Levithan mentioned a love triangle was present. Then I read the book and thought… huh, there’s not really a love triangle (yet). I think the way this love triangle has been revealed so far is masterful.

Sleeper Hit (book I loved and wish had been hyped more): Every Day by David Levithan
I didn’t think a David Levithan book could be a sleeper but based on the feedback from today’s post I think it is flying under the radar. Read it!

Favorite Outlier (Middle Grade or Adult of 2012): Easy by Tammara Webber and Losing It by Cora Carmack
They’re baaaack! They’re either super upper YA, crossover adult fiction, or New Adult (NA). No matter what, I really like both these novels. And, I didn’t read any MGs or Adult Fiction this year!? OH WAIT, I did read Why Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling and laughed my ass off. I am a Jonathan Tropper fan as well and haven’t read his latest (and need to) and didn’t read any of his others this year–I read THREE in 2011.

My Category
Most Likely to Succeed in 2013 (otherwise known as the 2013 book you’re most excited to read this year–I’m working on that TBR list!)

Thanks for stopping by! I am horrible about blogging but have found a good blogfest keeps me honest (or consistent or whatever) so please let me know if you guys find others that you think I might enjoy.

YA Superlative Blogfest – Elements of Fiction

The YA Superlative Blogfest is hosted by Jessica Love, Alison Miller, Tracey Neithercott, and Katy Upperman. Feel free to jump in today and tomorrow if you haven’t participated!

Sorry I’m a rule breaker, kids, and just can’t pick one. I will force myself to do single entries for each prompt tomorrow, I promise.

Wednesday, December 19th: Elements of Fiction

Envy-Inducting Plot: Every Day by David Levithan
A is some kind of spirit or entity that wakes up in a different body each day. The day provides new questions, challenges, and a fresh lifestyle (good or bad, healthy or otherwise). A falls in love and this creates complications for a person who can’t be attached or anchored to one body or one town. I wish I could have my students read this book. I’m trying to think about how I can get a handful of copies for my classroom for free-reading time. See the last prompt on Theme for more about why this book is so special to me. But really, where do authors come up with this stuff? Y’all are geniuses.

Most Formidable World: The whole planet in The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore, Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I tried to think of the most scary or volatile worlds I experienced through reading and these came to mind. The Rise of Nine is set in present day and the characters are not safe no matter where they are in the world. In Insurgent, it really seems that even thought the main characters have allies and are formidable themselves, you realize they aren’t invincible and their world is only unraveling with each discovery they make.

Wanderlust-Inducing: Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone, Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
In Meant to Be, the England setting lending itself to mentions/appearances of two of my two favorite things in life: The Beatles and Shakespeare. Truly England is a mothership to me, and it’s calling me home!
Yet… if I could appear in any setting in any time I could watch The Beatles live, or, watch Shakespeare performed in the original Globe. Anna has her own wanderlust in The Time Between Us and the places she and Bennett visit are enviable!


Loveliest Prose: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
I think my big three books are probably sticking out at this point. While I love Green’s writing, he has that elevated writing and dialog that sometimes makes characters feel like old souls (this isn’t a criticism). The Raven Boys had the vocabulary and language that I love and feel that elevates a novel, and it fits the characters and setting perfectly. The prose didn’t cause any distractions, but felt lovely and flowed nicely. I have the sudden urge to re-read this book.


Best First Line:
There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently. -The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
It was the biggest competition night of my life, but all I could think about was the cheetah bra. -Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she’s been told that she would kill her true love. – The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater


Most Dynamic Main Character: Hazel Grace in The Fault in Our Stars or “A” in Every Day
Oh, this is tough. You know… you just think you know how a character will behave when she has cancer. You think that it would be easy for that character to crawl up in a ball and be angry, stagnant. Hazel is definitely not.
You might also think a character who is as worldly as A might not have any growth to experience. Or, that the character couldn’t get so attached and set in his/her ways. You would be wrong.

Most Jaw-Dropping Ending: This is tough… isn’t it kind of a spoiler alert if someone knows there’s a jaw dropper? I think Insurgent had me going “Wait, what!? WHAT’S NEXT!?” Definitely The Raven Boys. Both are part of a series, hence the cliffhangers I guess!


Best Performance in a Supporting Role: Parents & friends in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Gus would win HANDS DOWN. But every character plays a significant role in TFiOS and they have an impact on Hazel. They don’t have throwaway lines or scenes, but every. Single. Interaction. Helps move the plot along or develop and strengthen the character. At the moment I’m having trouble thinking of secondary characters in other novels that really stick out.


Best Use of Theme: The Fault in Our Stars and Every Day
No question, right? A book that forces the reader to examine imminent death and the role an individual plays in the universe, but then getting to read “It’s a good life.” I think it’s special that a book written for young adults has been appearing on a number of best fiction of all of 2012 lists.

In Every Day, when you have a character that wakes up in a different body every day, think of the different lives one would get to lead: disabled, diseased, dysfunctional, athletic, über popular, beautiful, hideous, etc. and obviously different races and sexual orientations. I did so much underlining in this book because there were moments like “…we all have about 98% in common with each other… For whatever reason, we like to focus on the 2 percent that’s different, and most conflict in the world comes from that.” And, when the narrator is not a specific gender but falls in love with a girl, the reader is forced to open her mind about relationships and gender or appearance biases. One theme of the book is along the lines of it’s not the package that matters, it’s the person/soul underneath. But as much as I like to think I believe this in every day real-life practice, this book really made me consider it all with a fresh set of eyes.

Tune in tomorrow for the grand finale. I will posting the Best in Show tomorrow!

YA Superlative Blogfest – Popularity Contest

The YA Superlative Blogfest is hosted by Jessica Love, Alison Miller, Tracey Neithercott, and Katy Upperman. The goal of the blogfest is to promote and share extraordinary young adult novels (and have fun, of course).

Tuesday, December 18th: Popularity Contest

Class Clown - Gus in The Fault in Our Stars
As my friend Katy mentioned, if Gus can make you laugh through cancer, that conquers all!

Most Likely to Become a Rock Star - Bev, Meg & Alexa in The Disenchantments
We know they weren’t great, but I think a girl band with a lot of charm can go a long way.

Mostly Likely to Start a Riot - Tris in Insurgent
It may be rooted in principal or her best intentions, but Tris can incite or easily be part of a riot against the man. Or woman. Whoever might be in charge (and who knows at this point!?).

Biggest Flirt - Jason in Meant to Be
I’m only 42% through the book and his friendly banter-flirting is kind of endearing.

Fashion King and/or Queen - Alexa/Meg in The Disenchantments
I can’t totally remember if it’s one or both of them, but I think one of the sisters was even more unique with colorful hair and fun outfits? I remember thinking the whole band was pretty unique, actually.

I also think I love Phoebe’s fashion references in Meant to Be–I mean, a 90s Dick Tracey T? I LOVED that movie!

Girl You’d Most Want For Your BFF  - Anna in Time Between Us
Anna is just so down-to-earth and relatable for me. Plus, she gets to time travel, listen to great music, be with Bennett, and help fix my life if I mess up!

Boy You Wish You’d Dated in High School - Four in Insurgent or Xander in Reached or Bennett in Time Between Us
I don’t know that any of these guys needs much explanation. Four = strong, thoughtful, caring when you’re dismissive or selfish, etc. Xander = smart, thoughtful, a doctor, and like a wonderful, loyal puppy dog. Bennett = interesting, time traveling, clever concert goer.

Most Likely to Become President - Four in Insurgent or Captain Westfall in Throne of Glass
I think Four has more of the instinct and chops, but the Captain… he’s well-trained and already protecting a king, so that has to translate, right?

Quirkiest Character - Julia in Meant to Be
Again, I’m not done with this one, yet, but Julia is smart and klutzy and sarcastic and interesting. And like any well written character, this all makes her interesting and charming.

Villain You Love to Hate - Ronan in The Raven Boys
Ronan is one of those mysterious, smouldering, brooding guys that I don’t think I’m supposed to like, but I do. And the fact that his buddies stick around and protect him says something to me.

Favorite Parental Figure - Mom and Dad in TFiOS
I don’t even know if they had names! But watching them care for and struggle with Hazel’s illness felt authentic and painful and lovely and just REAL. Young Adult has a lot of absentee parents, either because they’re just not interesting or they’re at work, etc. and Green wrote a great pair for fragile Hazel.

Coolest Nerd - Gansey in The Raven Boys
He seems like a hybrid of a lot of great things (see my excessive use of conjunctions in the previous character descriptions) but at the heart seems to be a thinker and explorer. All of this makes him come off pretty studly, actually, but that just makes him a cool nerd, I think.

Keep tuning in, folks! I will be doing my best to continue participating throughout the week:
Wednesday, December 19th: Elements of Fiction
Thursday, December 20: Best in Show