Bookanista Review: A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie

This week, it's my pleasure to introduce a book by a fellow English teacher, Matt Blackstone!  I was excited to read A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE, first, because the premise is totally intriguing and different, and secondly because I love reading books written by teachers.  Writers are observers by nature.  Put a writer in a classroom, and that person will have characters and story ideas that ring uniquely true.  This is definitely the case with Blackstone's OCD main character, Rene. 

From Goodreads:



Rene, an obsessive-compulsive fourteen year old, smells his hands and wears a Batman cape when he’s nervous. If he picks up a face-down coin, moves a muscle when the time adds up to thirteen (7:42 is bad luck because 7 + 4 + 2 = 13), or washes his body parts in the wrong order, Rene or someone close to him will break a bone, contract a deadly virus, and/or die a slow and painful death like someone in a scary scene in scary movie. Rene’s new and only friend tutors him in the art of playing it cool, but that’s not as easy as Gio makes it sound.







My Thoughts:

Rene is one of those characters who grabs at your heart (and sense of humor) from the very beginning and doesn't let go.  Navigating high school is hard enough as it is, but add to it Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, an absent father, and a very tired mother, and you've got a situation that would be more than a challenge for anyone.  And Rene handles it the best way he knows how.  By wearing his cape to school, washing his hands obsessively, eating the same bowl of Lucky Charms every day, and keeping to all of his other routines that make him feel safe.  He's not shy about it.  He knows the ins and outs of his disorder and has a wry sense of humor about it.

And then things change, in a good way.  Gio is everything Rene wishes he could be: cool, calm, well-liked, friends with Mr. Head, the English teacher Rene admires.  Gio is also the thing Rene needs most: a friend.  When Gio befriends Rene, he also gives him strength and confidence enough to face the scariest scenes Rene comes up against, and that is my most favorite part of this story.  As unlikely as it seems, the friendship between Rene and Gio is real and touching.

If you've read any of my reviews, you know that character is the most important thing to me in a story.  Blackstone's characters are well-drawn, quirky, and sympathetic.  Definitely a pleasure to read.  If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to pick up A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE.

You can find it here:

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

You can also check out Matt's website here:  http://www.mattblackstonebooks.com/

And finally, go see what the other Bookanistas are up to this week!

Or on their blogs:

• LiLa Roecker glories in The Goddess Test
• Shannon Whitney Messenger delves into The Future of Us – with giveaway
• Carolina Valdez Miller shivers over The Eleventh Plague – with giveaway
• Scott Tracey and Shana Silver are wild about Wildefire
• Stasia Ward Kehoe embraces All the Things You Are
• Corrine Jackson sneaks into Sean Griswold's Head
• Christine Fonseca is impressed by Imaginary Girls

Bookanista Review: Where Things Come Back

This week it is truly my pleasure to bring you a review of WHERE THINGS COME BACK, by John Corey Whaley.  This...is a book that humbled me as a reader and a writer.  And one I have a feeling we'll all be hearing more about come award time. Yep. That's what I said.  This book will win awards, and they will be well-deserved.

From Goodreads:

Just when seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he understands everything about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town, it all disappears. . . .

In the summer before Cullen's senior year, a nominally-depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he spots a species of woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s in Lily, Arkansas. His rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker sparks a flurry of press and woodpecker-mania. Soon all the kids are getting woodpecker haircuts and everyone's eating "Lazarus burgers." But as absurd as the town's carnival atmosphere has become, nothing is more startling than the realization that Cullen’s sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.
 
While Cullen navigates his way through a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young missionary in Africa, who has lost his faith, is searching for any semblance of meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as the two stories seem at the start, they are thoughtfully woven ever closer together and through masterful plotting, brought face to face in a surprising and harrowing climax.

Complex but truly extraordinary, tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity, this novel finds wonder in the ordinary and emerges as ultimately hopeful. It's about a lot more than what Cullen calls, “that damn bird.” It’s about the dream of second chances.

My Thoughts:

Several months ago, when the Simon & Schuster Summer catalog came out, I circled the title of this book and dog-eared its page because it intrigued me.  When I found out I would be on a YA Debut Author Panel at ALA with John Corey Whaley, I made sure to get a copy so I could read it before I met him in person.  I started it on my way to New Orleans, and during my three hour flight I didn’t speak to another person on the plane, didn’t get up to use the restroom, didn’t even eat the free snack they offered me, because from the first page, I was a goner for this story.

I have to emphasize the word story here because there are writers, and then there are storytellers.  It’s hard for me to pin just what the difference is, but I can tell you this: John Corey Whaley is a true and talented storyteller--the kind that pulls you in with quietly spoken questions and truths that echo long after his story is finished.   

Cullen Witter is the voice of this story, and his is an earnest one, so real I felt like I must’ve known him in high school.  He’s sarcastic, but not overly so.  Filled with hope, and doubt, and searching.  Most of all, Cullen is searching.  Not only for his brother, but for meaning and second chances—in his small town, in his relationship with his family,  in the affections of a girl who breaks his heart.  He’s a character full of questions, with a humble sense of reverence for the answers.    

The thing I admire most about this book, though, is the way in which the different narrative threads weave their way together by the end of the story to create an ending so full of grace and wisdom I couldn't think of picking up another book for a very long time because I wanted to hang onto the feeling that Whaley left me with.  His story resonates.  I can't do it justice here.

Where Things Come Back is a book I know I’ll come back to.  It’s one I will give my friends and family as a gift, and today, it’s one I cannot speak highly enough about. When you read it, you’ll see what I mean.   

You can visit John Corey Whaley at his website.

And you can find his book at:

IndieBound

Amazon       

Barnes and Noble

 Don't forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

Elana Johnson revels in Ruby Red

LiLa Roecker  is nuts for I’m Not Her

Christine Fonseca  interviews picture book author Michelle McLean – with giveaway

Beth Revis reveals her reading recommendations

Veronica Rossi  raves about Wildfire

Shannon Whitney Messenger swoons for Supernaturally – with giveaway

Shelli Johannes-Wells features “guestanisto” author Matt Blackstone

Carolina Valdez Miller is bedazzled by Between – with giveaway

Shana Silver wonders at The Near Witch

Stasia Ward Kehoe celebrates Selling Hope

Bookanista Thursday: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

It's summertime, which means long days spent on the beach.  And after hours of soaking up the sun, there's nothing better than retiring to the shade of the backyard and the pages of a delicious book.  This past week, that book was Myra McEntire's HOURGLASS.

From Goodreads:

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant.

Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
 
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

My Thoughts:
A science fiction fan I am not. Paranormal? Not usually. But something about HOURGLASS intrigued me and I'm so glad it did, because in it, Myra McEntire delivers a a fast-paced, sexy read with a firecracker of a main character.  And characters are what matter to me the most.

Emerson Cole is an awesome one. She's smart, feisty, brave, and real.  I loved her from the start and totally enjoyed following her through the twisty-turny plot.  I was rooting for her wholeheartedly, and she did not disappoint.

Neither did the boys in this book

Clearly, McEntire knows a thing or two about chemistry and swoon-worthy boys.  Between Michael and Kaleb, she pretty much covers everything I could ever be attracted to.  And she does it with style and humor.  Watching Emerson's reactions to and interactions with each of them was priceless and perfect. 

And then the plot. I found myself sucked in immediately by Emerson's ability and the mysteries surrounding it, and the search for answers kept me turning the pages--at quite a pace, I must add.

All in all, HOURGLASS is a fantastic summer read, guaranteed to grab you and leave you wanting more--which there will be, in the sequel!

Wanna check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week? Go see!

Elana Johnson celebrates A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie

LiLa Roecker adores Torn

Christine Fonseca is crazy about Cryer’s Cross – with giveaway

Beth Revis interviews Goddess Test author Aimee Carter – with giveaway

Carolina Valdez Miller delights in Texas Gothic AND Bad Taste in Boys – with giveaways

Shana Silver fawns over Forever

Jen Hayley is hot for Wildfire

Matt Blackstone savors Something Like Hope

Stasia Ward Kehoe jumps for Bumped

Veronica Rossi  devours Bad Taste in Boys

    

Road Trip Wednesday: Inspiring Pictures

Every Wednesday morning I sit down with my cup of coffee and check out one of my most favorite blogs YA Highway for one of my favorite features, Road Trip Wednesday:

"Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic."

Every week, I think "Wow, what a great question. I should totally answer that on my blog."  And then every week I spend a whole lot of time checking out everyone else's answers and end up forgetting to write my own.

But this week's topic is perfect. I'm deep in revisions on my second novel, which means I've been going back to all of the things that inspired me, many of which are pictures.  So this will be YA Highway's 86th Road Trip Wednesday and my 1st!

This Week's Topic:

Share some images that inspire your WIP(s). We've done this topic before, but it's been quite a while, and pictures are always fun.

This is a '67 Chevy Impala, which is what Honor, the main character drives. She does not, however, take the trip with Sam and Dean from Supernatural. They're just nice to look at.

Honor's favorite boots.   

The Blue Hole, Santa Rosa New Mexico, known to scuba divers for its crystal clear water.

Desert monsoon

The gorgeous red rocks of Sedona, Arizona.

This is me trying to capture in words on hotel a notepad just how beautiful it is there.  Gotta love research!

Dance floor at the Museum Club in Flagstaff. Best country bar ever. Also a fun place to conduct research.

Perseids meteor shower.

Sunset Toro Nagashi ceremony.

So there it is. A little peek into the next book.  Can't wait to give you the rest!









 



ALA in Pictures

This week I had the incredible opportunity to attend my very first ALA and I'm still trying to process the amazingess of it all.  New Orleans was friendly, lively, hot, sticky, and filled with the best bunch of people I can think of: librarians, book bloggers, publishing folks, authors--all with one thing in common.  A love for books.  That was the best thing about being there.  You could feel the excitement and camaraderie everywhere you went. 

I could go on and tell you all about it, but today I'd rather show you.  So here you go:

ALA, in Pictures

Oh-so-official badge!

Swanky hotel room.

Bookanista Meet Up after the Newbery & Caldecott banquet, which was beautiful and so inspiring.

Pictured here from left to right: Jessica Martinez, Michelle Hodkin, Elana Johnson, Shannon Messenger, Carolina Valdez Miller, Kirsten Hubbard, and yours truly.

Next day was a visit to the Simon & Schuster booth on the convention floor...

where I got to hang and pose with the awesome Elana Johnson and her book POSSESSION. From there, we headed out to Octavia Books for our signing, where we were greeted by the friendliest staff ever.

Our display at Octavia!



After Octavia, we headed back to the hotel for a debut YA panel, hosted by the one and only Jenny Han.  She was a brilliant host and asked us hard-hitting questions like: "Who is your literary crush?" and "If you were stranded on an island and could take only one movie to watch, what would it be?" (My answers: Dexter and Wes from This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever, and Say Anything.)

After the panel, we got to speak to small groups of amazing librarians speed-dating style.  So. Much. Fun.

Pictured Above:  Jenny Han, John Corey Whaley, Frances O'Roark Dowell, Michelle Hodkin. Bottom Row: Jessica Martinez, me, Elana Johnson, and David E. Hilton.

Best Debut Crew Ever!

After that, it was off to the Printz Reception, which was amazing, to say the least.  You'd think after all that we'd all be tuckered out, but it was the last night in New Orleans, so it was time for a little adventuring which included...

Midnight beignets...

and 2am Fuddruckers with Michelle Hodkin and Corey Whaley, the best two late-night adventurers around.

Then all of a sudden it was the next day and time to go home. Almost.  The next morning, we had to make one more beignet run, and it was totally worth it, powdered sugar mess and all!

I can't thank Simon & Schuster enough for sending me or say just how much it meant, but ALA New Orleans was a truly unforgettable experience, and one that will always make me smile when I remember.  Always.











What Happened to June???

So I woke up today and somehow found myself in the middle of June.  I don't even remember getting here! I do remember looking at the calendar a few weeks ago and thinking "Wow, the end of the month is really busy," and holy cow I was right!
First, there's a little event happening next week in New Orleans and I get to go!!! Three exclamation marks aren't enough to convey how excited I am to be headed to ALA for my first conference ever!!! And New Orleans!!! I've wanted to go there ever since I read Interview With a Vampire in high school. 

Never having been to ANY type of book/author/writing conference before, I have no idea what to expect. I'm told  it'll be a whirlwind of awesomeness including speed-dating with librarians, meeting up with fellow writers, and signing with an amazing lineup of debuts and JENNY HAN(!) at  Octavia Books on Monday June 27th!  I will take and post lots and lots of pictures.  And try not to eat my weight in beignets.  Or muffaleta. 



But before all that I've got crazy June busyness happening around here: Father's Day, my husband's birthday, son's end of the year party for his 1st grade class that I thought would be a good idea to throw. At my house.  Also, I am sorely in need of a haircut/mani/pedi/eyebrow wax/massage. I can fit all that in next week, right?

And then there's this other little thing called REVISIONS.



Just got round two notes for book two this week! Normally, this would mean I'd disappear into my cave for hours at a time each day, then emerge in the evening, just in time to enjoy dinner with the fam.  But now it's summer, which means kids at home and long hours for the lifeguard husband. 

THIS means that instead of pouring an evening glass of wine and settling into one of the many ARCs I plan to acquire at ALA, I will be firing up the coffee pot as soon as I tuck the little people in and trying to make magic with words until the wee hours. This will take some getting used to.  But. I'm excited, because I SO love this story and its people and if there's one thing I've learned about writing so far, it's that the very best of it actually does happen during revision. 

So there it is. June--or what's left of it, anyway!  I don't even know what the next page on the calendar has in store, but I'm hoping it's full of sunshine, Hawaiian Tropic, and a wardrobe made almost entirely of bikinis.

Until then!

Bookanista Thursday: Imaginary Girls

The first time I saw this cover, I knew I had to read IMAGINARY GIRLS.  I had no idea what the story was about.  But this...

 

I can't think of a more hauntingly beautiful cover.  At all.  And it's so perfect for the story of Ruby and Chloe, two sisters bound by blood, water, and the secrets that lie beneath the surface.

Goodreads Summary:

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

 
But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

My Thoughts:

Nova Ren Suma is brilliant.  This is one of those books that's difficult for me to review because it has a palpable magic to it, but I can't figure what exactly it is, or how she's done it, because every aspect of this novel is so beautifully executed. 

The Plot

The story of Ruby and Chloe unravels slowly, layer by eerie layer, through sharp prose and haunting images.   We're pulled along with Chloe as she returns to her small town, promised by Ruby that everything can go back to how it was before London Hayes was found floating in the reservoir.  Only it can't, and we realize it little by little, as Chloe does.  This isn't an action-packed, fast paced story, but Suma creates such an eerie tension you'll be turning the pages as quickly as you possibly can because you HAVE to know what in the world is going on.  Which brings me to...

The Writing

Suma's writing is subtle and nuanced, the images she paints sharp and elegant.  All of these things come together in perfect balance to create a world where the impossible is possible, and we accept it in the same way Chloe does.  It's reminded me of the magic realism of Isabel Allende, but it's unlike anything I've read.  Just masterful.

The Characters

Chloe has lived her life mostly in the shadow of the definitely mythic Ruby, but she shines in her own right.  She's a character I fell into easily--admired and feared Ruby with her, felt her need to step out of the intense and sort of twisty relationship with her sister, and needed, more than anything, to untangle the mysteries swirling around at their feet.

Ruby is a force to be reckoned with.  She lures and scares at the same time and is so boldly drawn it's easy to understand the loyalty and devotion everyone who comes into contact with her seems to have.  But as otherworldly as she seems, she's not invincible.  Her faults and her devotion to her sister make her very real, and though she holds everyone but Chloe at a distance, these things give the reader something relatable about her.

The Reservoir and Olive.  There's no question in my mind that these are characters.  The water in the reservoir and the town beneath it live and breathe.  They watch.  They haunt.

I've written this review ten different ways, trying to capture the things that are so perfect about it, and I don't think I can do it justice.  This is a book I will buy, read again, tell anyone who will listen that they have to read it, but oh so politely remind them that they'll have to get their own copy because I won't want to part with mine.  And they can do that June 14th!

Also, this Bookanista Thursday would not be complete with out a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Elana Johnson and her debut POSSESSION!!!

If you want to see what the other Bookanistas are up to this week, check out their blogs: 

*Special Note--you SO want to see what they're up to, because they've got a very special surprise for a very kick-ass Bookanista.  But I won't ruin the surprise.  Go see!

Elana Johnson and  Stasia Ward Kehoe savor Bad Taste in Boys
LiLa Roecker celebrates The Summer of the Bear
Christine Fonseca has got a surprise for a Bookanista buddy (ooh—curious?)
Beth Revis  interviews Blood Magic author Tessa Gratton
Carolina Valdez Miller enjoys a special celebration
Bethany Wiggins is crazy about Delirium
Shana Silver sings praises for Starcrossed
Jen Hayley applauds Possession
Veronica Rossi hails Hereafter
Carrie Harris glories in Texas Gothic

Megan Miranda gushes over Imaginary Girls