Countdown to YALLWEST: Shannon Hale's Midnight in Austenland

 
So I recently found out that for the FIRST TIME EVER there is going to be a Young Adult book festival in Santa Monica. Lucky for me I live close enough to make the drive!!!
I cannot tell you how excited I am to be attending this event.
In preparation for YALLWEST I am going to spotlight various books from authors who will be there throughout the month as I countdown to YALLWEST.

Below is a list of the Day One Authors and Illustrators that will be in attendance:
(Information taken from YALLWEST Website)

*LEIGH BARDUGO (Shadow And Bone)  NYT

COE BOOTH (Kinda Like Brothers) LAT

*PSEUDONYMOUS BOSCH (Secret Series) NYT

LIBBA BRAY (Diviners) NYT, PRINTZ, LAT, TIGER BEAT 

*RACHEL COHN (Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist) NYT

ANDREA CREMER (The Inventor’s Secret) NYT

*MELISSA DE LA CRUZ (Blue Bloods) NYT

ALLY CONDIE (Matched) NYT

KIMBERLY DERTING (The Taking)

SUSAN EE (Angelfall) USA

DAN EHRENHAFT (The Last Dog On Earth) TIGER BEAT

*KAMI GARCIA (Beautiful Creatures) NYT, MORRIS

SHANNON HALE (Princess Academy) NYT, NEWBERRY

E. LOCKHART (We Were Liars) NYT, PRINTZ

RICHELLE MEAD (Vampire Academy) NYT

*LISI HARRISON (Pretenders) NYT

ELLEN HOPKINS (Crank) NYT

*ROBIN LAFEVERS (Grave Mercy) NYT

ALEXANDER LONDON (Proxy)

*MARIE LU (Legend) NYT

*TAHEREH MAFI (Shatter Me) NYT

BARNABAS MILLER (7 Souls) TIGER BEAT

G. NERI (Yummy, Knockout Games) CORETTA SCOTT KING, EISNER

MARISSA MEYER  (Cinder)

*KASS MORGAN (The 100) NYT

LAUREN OLIVER (Delirium) NYT

DANIELLE PAIGE (Dorothy Must Die) NYT

BRENDAN REICHS (Virals) NYT

VERONICA ROTH (Divergent) NYT

STEPHANIE PERKINS (Isla & The Happily Ever After) NYT

MORGAN RHODES (Falling Kingdoms) NYT

VERONICA ROSSI (Under The Never Sky) NYT

CARRIE RYAN (Forest Of Hands & Teeth) NYT

*HOLLY GOLDBERG SLOAN (Counting By 7’S) NYT

NATALIE STANDIFORD (Switched At Birthday) TIGER BEAT

*MARGARET STOHL (Beautiful Creatures) NYT, MORRIS

MAYA VAN WAGENEN (Popular) NYT

GENE LUEN YANG (Boxers & Saints) NYT, PRINTZ, NBA, EISNER, LAT

And Illustrators

*GARY ROSEN (Appleblossom The Possum)

*JOHN ROCCO (Percy Jackson)

& NICOLA YOON (Everything, Everything)

*past or present SoCal author
nyt or usa = new york times or usa today bestseller
morris, nba, printz = nominated or received
tiger beat = festival band
note: schedule is subject to change.

Our first spotlighted Author is Shannon Hale! If you are a frequent reader of Library of the Seen you will know that Shannon Hale is much beloved here. From Ever After High, to the Princess Academy Series and our new (to me) favorite from  her, the Austenland series, most everything Ms. Hale writes is golden. We start off our YALLWEST Authors countdown with a review of this illustrious author's novel Midnight in Austenland. Enjoy!

 

Goodreads Link

Amazon Purchase Link 

SYNOPSIS:

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end

REVIEW:

I LOVED Midnight in Austenland just as much (and sometimes more) as I loved Austenland. 

Although at times I missed Jane, Austenland's protagonist, I found Charlotte just as heartwarming as a protagonist. She is so real, so hurt, so broken like so many of us that she is utterly relateable, even if you haven't been in her situation. I have not been through Divorce but I watched my parents go through it, I watched how it affected my mother. I have had my own heart breaks and disappointments in love. I don't think I know anyone who hasn't felt the sting that opening your heart to someone else can bring. This is what makes Charlotte such a perfectly relateable character. We can all empathize and imagine ourselves in her situation.

What makes Midnight in Austenland so outstanding is that it diverts from being a romance. Yes, romance old and new, heartache and new love are all at the heart of the novel (just as in Austenland) But the driving plot of Midnight in Austenland is murder, mystery and intrigue! Hale draws from Northanger Abbey instead of Pride and Prejudice this go around allowing our imaginations to run wild and suspect everyone involved (except for Charlotte of course) of being a shifty eyed liar with murder in their hearts. 

Midnight in Austenland is a definite page turner. Still somewhat light and a great novel to pack for vacation. I sincerely hope that there is another installment to this series. It has re-awoken my love for Austen, and I hope it does the same for you (or perhaps spark the first interest!)

WHAT TO READ (OR WATCH) NEXT 

(OR IF YOU LIKED THESE YOU SHOULD ALSO LIKE THIS NOVEL) 

Spotlight on Things Are Not What They Seem (and Giveaway!)

 

About the Book

Title: Things Are Not What They Seem | Authors: Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks | Publication Date: April 9, 2014 | Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing | Pages: 268 | Recommended Ages: 10+

 Summary: What would you do if you were sitting on a park bench, minding your own business, and one of those annoying pigeons suddenly started to talk to you? And what if the pigeon didn’t just talk to you – in a meticulous British accent, no less – but pleaded with you to help untangle a piece of string that had accidentally attached his leg to a wrought iron fence surrounding the playground? And what if, while you are still convinced that this is all a big nasty trick, a hawk swoops down out of the sky and starts cursing at you, also in the King’s English, for getting in his way when he wanted to execute the pigeon? That is the quandary in which Jennifer (almost 13 years old and probably a bit too smart for her own good) finds herself one sweltering July morning while babysitting her 11-year-old (very precocious) brother James and his mopey, allergy-prone friend Sleepy. She soon learns that the bird is actually a man named Arthur Whitehair, a 19th-century Englishman who had been turned into an eternally-lived pigeon by misreading an ancient spell that was supposed to give him eternal life as a human. Likewise, an unscrupulous colleague of his, named Malman, had been turned into a hawk by Whitehair’s blunder. After years of searching, Whitehair claims (half-truthfully) that Malman has found him hiding in Central Park and is now out for revenge. On top of all this strange business, Jennifer has recently begun having weird dreams in which a crazy-looking man with curly red hair speaks cryptic phrases in Latin. Are they random phrases, or messages? And why would some sketchy guy be sending her messages in her dreams?

Amazon * MuseItUp Young * Goodreads

 

EXCERPT:

They walked toward the West Drive and headed south, following the bridle path past the tennis courts, and then, as they reached the reservoir, switching to a narrow footpath lined by gnarled cherry and apple trees. Here, the branches hung low to the ground, thickly covered with leaves that created a canopy above and around them.  They passed few people. An occasional jogger circled the reservoir on a running track that was to their left and up a short steep hill.

“Finally, you’re showing good sense,” Whitehair said. He was perched on Jennifer’s shoulder like Long John Silver’s parrot. His head never stopped bobbing and swiveling as they made their way along. “These trees are just the ticket. Gives us a chance to keep out of Malman’s sight, anyway.”

“Es fortis, Arthur,” Jennifer said. “I can feel you trembling through your feet.”

“What did you say?” asked James.

“She told me to be courageous.” Whitehair answered. “In Latin, of course.”

“So you do know the language?” Jennifer asked.

“You doubted me?”

“Fallaces sunt rerum species.”

“Come on, Jennifer. Cut it out with the Latin,” James shouted.

“The appearances of things are deceiving,” Whitehair said.

“Right,” said Jennifer. “Or, things are not what they seem.”

“But Malman did try to kill me. Twice, actually! And you saw it with your own eyes.”

“I did, you’re right.”

“And that was exactly what he promised to do the last time we were together. Back in England, of course. Oh, how I miss England!”

“And what exactly were you doing in the company of a murderer?” asked James.  “Back when you were a human, I mean.”

Whitehair was silent for a moment. His forehead seemed to furrow with thought.

“Suspicious child, aren’t you? Much like your sister, I see. Well, I can assure you it was through no fault of mine.

 

The Buzz

"I LOVED "Things Are Not What They Seem"!! It is funny, exciting, and touching, and very fun to read. The characters are relatable and interesting, so I really cared about all of their adventures while I was reading. "~ 5 Stars, Hermione, Amazon

"The story line is original and makes for an incredibly fun read. This is a book which is VERY hard to put down, all of their adventures will definitely have you on the edge of your seats and you read from page to page. All of the characters in this book (both large and small) are well developed and their personalities definitely come off the page." ~ 5 Stars, Alex, Goodreads

"The characters are well-developed and fun. The story moves along at a brisk pace. Lessons on love, friendship, kindness, and finding your inner strength shine through. And the humor is plentiful! Great for tween readers, as well as a quick, fun read for adults. " ~ 5 Stars, HFBrainerd, Amazon

"Things Are Not What They Seem is a well written story and a joy to read. I was hooked from the start." ~ 5 Stars, Granny's Hill, Amazon

"What a sweet, interesting, and overall wonderful book! I love the interesting, multi-layered, realistic characters, the numerous, unexpected but extremely interesting plot twists, and the use of Latin phrases to enhance the magic. I love the simple, yet powerful message that was woven throughout- that things are not what they seem- even in the rough, harsh world of New York City. That message strongly resonates for kids, teenagers, adults, and anyone in between. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who reads this review!! " ~ 5 Stars, Pat D., Amazon

 

About the Authors: Anne Rothman-Hicks & Kenneth Hicks

 

When Anne Rothman was a student at Bryn Mawr College and Kenneth Hicks was a student at Haverford College, they began writing together in an independent-study course with one of Ken’s professors. A brief interlude ensued while Anne wrote wonderful poetry and Ken wrote a book about hitchhiking (The Complete Hitchhiker Tobey Publishing, Dell Distribution), but they soon got back together as writers when Ken was in law school at Columbia University and Anne was paying the rent by working in publishing. They have continued to write together for about forty years and in that time have published four adult novels, eleven non-fiction books for children, two fiction books for middle readers, and two photography books. They also produced three children whom they love even more than writing. Their most recent middle reader book is Things Are Not What they Seem, published by the MuseItYoung division of MuseItUp Publishing, and available in all formats. Their three latest adult novels are Kate and the Kid, a mainstream novel, Mind me, Milady, a mystery thriller, and Praise Her, Praise Diana, a thriller. Between projects, they started a web site www.randh71productions.com. In case you were wondering about the address, “R” is for Rothman, “H” is for Hicks, and “71” is the year of their marriage. No secret codes or numerology anywhere.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

"Things Are Not What They Seem" Blog Tour Schedule (2015)

February 20

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)

Rockin' Book Reviews (Excerpt)

February 21

2ReadBook (Review)

February 22

Deliciously Savvy (Review)

Adventures of a Military Family of 8 (Review)

February 23

Sher A Hart (Review)

Contest Patti (Excerpt)

February 24

Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)

Heart of a Philanthropist (Excerpt)

February 25

BeachBoundBooks (Review)

My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews (Review)

February 26

Sally Writes (Review)

Icefairy's Treasure Chest (Review)

February 27

The Book Lovers' Lounge (Review)

The Library of the Seen (Review)

February 28

Eloquent Articulation (Review)

Sunshine, Bubbles and Books (Guest Post)

March 1

Sweet Little Pretties (Review)

Stitch Says (Review)

March 2

Debra Shiveley Welch Love and Writing (Review & Author Interview)

March 3

Bookworm for Kids (Review)

For the Love of Reading (Review)

March 4

Cat's Kid Lit Book Reviews (Review)

March 5

WhenIGrowUpIWannaWriteAKidsBook (Guest Post)

 

* Blog Tour Giveaway *

 

Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or $50 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Contest closes: March 19, 11:59 pm, 2015  
Open to: Internationally  
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.  
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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The Ghost of You Book Blitz!! (and Giveaway!)

The Ghost of You

by Amanda Burckhard 

Release Date: 02/24/15

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

Emmy has everything she’s ever wanted: a hot boyfriend she adores, great friends, a promising future, and even a well-connected family. But one night rips it all away.

A car accident shatters her world, claiming the lives of her twin brother and her best friend. In the wake of the accident, her friends drift away, her family falls apart, and her boyfriend cheats.

The grief is more than she can handle, so she finds escape at the bottom of a bottle of painkillers. Taking the pills makes her brother alive again, if only in her head. Seeing and talking to her brother as if he were still alive is the only thing that keeps her going. Until Logan King moves to town.

Logan sees past the mask of pristine popularity she wears in public and he’s the only one who can tell she hasn’t moved on. His uncanny ability to read her forces her to open up and she starts to fall for him, no matter how unwilling she is to admit it. But Emmy isn’t the only one keeping secrets and when a close brush with death sparks events that bring everything to light, Emmy will have to decide what’s more important: learning how to forgive and move on, or holding onto the pills and the ghost of her past.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Excerpt:

Everything in my room reminded me of him somehow. The candle Mom got me he used to joke smelled like cinnamon on steroids. The lopsided dream catcher we made at a school carnival in middle school. The running shoes he got me last Christmas. I didn’t want to see any of it. I wanted him.

Then I was screaming, ripping, tearing, throwing anything I could get my hands on. My vision blurred. My head pounded in my ears. When my hand tightened around a smooth cylinder on my desk, I almost didn’t realize what it was in time to stop myself from shattering it against the wall. Derek had given me the green, plastic flashlight when we were ten as a way to ward off nightmares. It didn’t work anymore, even with new batteries, but I could never bring myself to get rid of it. I collapsed onto the floor, hugging the flashlight to my chest, crying and sobbing so hard I couldn’t breathe or see or think.

 What was I going to do without him? We were the Grayson twins. We did everything together. I didn’t know who I was without him. He couldn’t be gone. He couldn’t.

When I pulled myself off the floor, it was nearly dark out. I looked around the room that appeared as if a tornado went through it. The shelves from my dresser lay on the floor, their contents scattered. Papers and posters lay crumpled and torn into pieces. My bedding and clothes were strewn everywhere. Almost every visible inch of the floor was covered. I couldn’t remember doing most of the destruction. I didn’t even feel better after doing it. Something on the ground caught my eye. Something orange and familiar. I reached for the small bottle of pills and read the label. Vicodin. They were from my tonsillectomy last year. They must’ve been stuck away in a drawer, forgotten and unused. I remembered how they made me feel like I was floating on water, like my brain was fuzzy and nothing seemed like a big deal. That feeling would be a nice change to what I felt now. Throwing two pills into my mouth, I grabbed a week-old bottle of Gatorade from my dresser and took a swig. I left my disaster of a room and went down the hall to Derek’s room. The room felt dull and lifeless without him. The posters of old rock bands plastering the walls and wrestling trophies displayed on every shelf didn’t fit without the boy who had put them there.

I set the flashlight on his nightstand and crawled into his bed. His pillowcase smelled of
peppermint. Jess and I had picked out that shampoo for him a few weeks ago. He swore he’d never use it, but I guess he changed his mind. I stared at the flashlight until the pills made my eyelids droop and my mind slipped off into darkness.

Derek’s voice reached out to me just as I was falling asleep. “It’ll be okay, Em. Sleep. I’m here.”

About the Author

Amanda Burckhard grew up exploring bat caves and hunting for dinosaur bones in the Black Hills of South Dakota. When she wasn’t crossing paths with mountain lions, she was making up stories and devouring books at the library. Although, she still does that.

Amanda loves to travel and cross out things on her adrenaline packed bucket list. Some of the things she's been able to cross out include see an active volcano erupt, ride a gondola in Venice, and pet a tiger.

She currently lives in North Sioux City, South Dakota and works as a microbiologist by day. Some of her obsessions include comic book movies, hot chocolate, sushi, sunshine, and Doctor Who.

Author Links:

   

GIVEAWAY:

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Book Blitz Organized by:

My Life in Books! (or Happy Birthday to Me!)

 

 MY FIRST BOOK: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Where The Wild Things Are was my very first book. My dad bought it for me from a little bookstore that I went to until I was out of High School called Imagine That. We read this book frequently and I have to admit I loved it. San Francisco had an exhibit for awhile that allowed you to travel through the book in this big indoor playground. I may have been too old but I visited it frequently.

FIRST YEAR: 

THERE'S A MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK

 I adored Sesame Street when I was growing up. I still do. But I was born before the age of Elmo and for me Grover was the cool monster on the block. I loved There's a Monster at the End of This Book. It was so clever, and I could actually recognize that it was clever! I would laugh and laugh as we read this one.

 

SECOND YEAR: 

THE VELVETEEN RABBIT

I remember crying when the boy looses his rabbit. I had a stuffed teddy bear named softy that I carries with me everywhere until I lost him for good when I was in the 5th grade. I loved him more than anything and I always hoped that I loved him like the boy loved his rabbit and that maybe he could become real too. The Velveteen Rabbit teaches readers old and young a like a lot about love and what true beauty is.

We could all be so lucky as to be loved as much as the boy loved that rabbit. 

YEAR THREE: 

THE BIG BOOK FOR PEACE

I'm pretty sure everyone in my family read me this book at least once. I have pictures of myself sitting with relatives reading it to me. I think I was a bit obsessed with it. I loved this one story about a little girl attending her first protest when she is little, and the story about these two little girls who are best friends that are included in the anthology. The pictures were beautiful and the messages really reached me even at a young age. I credit this book, and my parents, for my political awareness and involvement at a young age.

YEAR FOUR: I LIKE ME

I'm sure my parent's liked this one because of it's excellent message about self love and body image. (Despite my obsession with the book I still ended up having issues with both of these things, which just goes to show that even when your parents try to curtail this prominent mental issues it can still hit anyone and hit them hard.) I am not 100% why I loved this book so much, but I did make my parents read it to me so many times that I had it memorized, complete with when to turn the page, when I was in preschool and For awhile I tricked my parents into thinking I could read!!

YEAR FIVE: MADELINE

I loved Madeline and her can do attitude. I loved that she was the shortest in the group but the obvious leader and troublemaker.  She taught me that you don't have to be big to be influential! Reading her books was the first step in my falling in love with Paris, and travel in general. 

YEAR SIX:

LINNEA IN MONET'S GARDEN

 Madeline sparked my love for Paris and Linnea helped create my obsession. She made me want to visit France more than anything. She helped me fall in love with an amazing artist, whose work I could never get enough of. Which in turn lead me to fall in love with more artists and impressionism specifically. My dad took me to Paris a couple of years later and we followed a lot of Linnea's itinerary. That is the trip that helped me realize that I loved art, travel and especially Photography. Linnea helped me discover a lot of my passions. 

 

YEAR SEVEN: NANCY DREW NOTEBOOKS

I have told you guys that I was a reluctant reader before. My mom blames it on the way they were teaching reading back then, I blame it on the fact that no one noticed signs of dyslexia until I was around High School age. I think we are probably both a little bit right. Nancy Drew Notebooks helped turn me into a reader. They are what changed reading from being like pulling teeth to an obsession with me. These were the books that brought the "no reading at the table" rule into our house. After I got started on these books I would read most anything I could get my hands on. 

 YEAR EIGHT:  

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF LEWIS CARROLL

I bought my copy of The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll at the AMAZING used bookstore Shakespeare and Company when my dad took me to Paris. Free of illustrations and so heavy this book felt so adult, yet was still perfect because it hand the entrance to Wonderland inside of its pages. I remember that it smelled wonderful and I felt so grown up reading it. 

YEAR NINE:  

THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB

I ate these books up like they were potato chips. I started with the Baby-Sitters Little Sister books and then just kept going. I read them all. I read the mysteries, the super specials, the diaries. Everything. I found the videos of the TV show at the library and rented those, and then the full length feature film came out and I was over the moon! (Both the show and the movie are on Netflix by the way) I didn't really fit in well at school and I desperately wished that I had a group of friends like these girls.

 

YEAR TEN: A SUMMER TO DIE 

My mom and I read a lot of Lois Lowry books together while I was growing up. I honestly loved all of her books, but for some reason this one was special. I think it was one of the first books to make me ugly cry, and I had a difficult time expressing myself when I was a kid... and as an adult. I'm pretty sure this was the first book to teach me how cathartic sad books can be.

YEAR ELEVEN: HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

I couldn't explain to you why this book was so special to me the first time I read it. I fell in love with Harry's world though and wished desperately that I could go to. It all started with this book though and soon on my darkest days I was reminding myself that I had to stay on this earth because I hadn't finished Harry's story yet. In 6th grade I was Harry for Halloween, I went to all the midnight releases and stayed up all night just to finish the book before anyone could spoil it for me. When the movies came out I went to the midnight releases of those as well, and David and I even scheduled it so our wedding was around the release of the last of the films so that we could see it together as our big celebration of being married. Harry Potter helped save my life. I am forever indebted to Ms. Rowling, Dumbledore and that wonderful trio that is Harry, Ron and Hermione.

YEAR TWELVE: THE OUTSIDERS

 I remember reading this book over and over and over and over that summer. As soon as I finished it I would start it over again. I wanted desperately for the ending to be different. It never was. 

YEAR THIRTEEN: STARGIRL

I loved Stargirl. Like I have said, I never really fit in. I was a bit of a free spirit and a lot of people didn't understand that. It's probably why I felt a kinship with the quirky Stargirl. She reminded me, in a way, of Toppenga from Boy Meets World. It made me feel more ok with being who I was.

 
YEAR FOURTEEN:  
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

I may have been kind of hippie dippy growing up but I also always had a bit of a dark side. Lemony Snicket wrote to that side of my personality. The writing style was like anything I had ever seen before then and I loved the attitude the Baudelaire siblings had through it all. 

 

YEAR FIFTEEN: THE RED TENT

I remember a mom of one of my friends gave me this one to read. We had been studying The Bible as literature in my English class and she passed this along to me. I was enthralled. I was just getting in to historical fiction, and I never really read biblical historical fiction. It helped me understand what it might have been like to be a woman during that time period, and how different faiths kind of cohabited under the same roof. It captivated me and I have loved it ever since. 

  

YEAR SIXTEEN:

 THE GREAT GATSBY

This was one of the few books I had to read for school that I fell in love with. I simply loved it. It was full of symbolism and subtext. It spoke to the heart of human nature. It showed that everyone has this hidden side to them that they try to cover up. It was fascinating. I both disliked and felt sorry for and kind of loved Gatsby. I thought Daisy was kind of terrible but I secretly hoped that she and Gatsby would get together since he wanted it so badly. As a whole there aren't really many likeable characters in the book but I liked it anyway. It remains one of my favorite novels to this day.

YEAR SEVENTEEN: 

LAMB: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD PAL

 I never really read many comedic books. Or religious books. And I wouldn't have ever thought I would enjoy a book where the two were combined. I have always been a very spiritual person. I grew up learning the Bible and about Christ. That is the religion that I have chosen to follow though I know that I have very different beliefs than the majority of Christians out there. Reading LAMB helped me with my own religious identity. I love the messages of many different religions and LAMB kind of put them all in one place and showed me how they can all be one. Deeply funny and thought provoking. I adore this book.

 

YEAR EIGHTEEN: 

THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD

This was another of the books that I read for school that I fell in love with. I credit having good teachers for both. Their Eyes Were Watching God spoke to me while I was reading it. My heart broke for Janie more than once as I read it. I liked how true to life it was and I enjoyed discussing the book as a class. It is definitely one that I will pick up more than once in my life.

  

 

YEAR NINETEEN: 

SILENCE OF THE LAMBS 

I first saw the film version of Silence of the Lambs when I was 12. I fell in love with it. The entire series has been one of my favorite horror film franchises ever since. When I was nineteen I started having really bad night terrors. I was living at the dorms in Vermont and I checked this one out from the library. Some how reading this one whenever I woke up helped calm me down. I started collecting copies whenever I saw them. I ended up with a pretty good collection of copies of Silence of the Lambs and enjoyed the rest of the series just as much. Except for Hannibal Rising. I couldn't even finish that one. 

YEAR TWENTY: THE HANDMAID'S TALE

I think that The Handmaid's Tale was one of the first dystopian books I read (besides The Giver). I fell in love with it immediately. I loved how fantastical the book seemed when, really, the issues that are brought up aren't that far fetched. The themes of feminism and social unrest were excellent. And it is meticulously written. It definitely set me up to appreciate the plethora of dystopian novels that have flooded the YA scene.

 



 YEAR TWENTY-ONE: THE PRINCESS BRIDE

A classic in our families household. We ran through many copies of the VHS and the DVD as I was growing up. I read the novel when I was younger but I didn't think it was all that great. When I read it again when I was 21 I became obsessed. I ended up loving it MORE than the movie. I read it multiple times that year and in years since. This is one of my favorite fairy tales, it always has been and probably always will be. Just writing about the novel makes me want to pick it up and read it all over again. It really does have it all. Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex. Just like it says on the book jacket. 

YEAR TWENTY-TWO:  

SOOKIE STACKHOUSE SERIES

22 was a bad year for my depression. I did a lot of lighter reading that year and Charlaine Harris' paranormal world was captivating for me. I liked the paranormal elements and the relationships that went on, plus the fact that there were mysteries involved alongside all the other drama going on. They were a great way to escape from the world for awhile. Sadly I tried to read the last book in the series when it was published and I couldn't get past the first chapter. 

 

YEAR TWENTY-THREE: SEPTIMUS HEAP SERIES

Twenty-Three I was a bit preoccupied. I was dating David, and then engaged and getting married! I was moving back to Catalina and working at camp again. Then I broke my ankle and David and I moved to the Bay Area. We started college again and then moved into our own place. A lot went on that year! It was also the year I discovered Septimus Heap. The final Harry Potter movie had just come out and I was missing that world deeply. Then I found Septimus, it wasn't the same but once again I was in a world where magic existed and enemy's could be fought. I was utterly enchanted

TWENTY-FOUR: ARTEMIS FOWL SERIES

Finding the Artemis Fowl series was like a breath of fresh air. I loved that I was falling in love with the villain of the story. Artemis was like Batman but a bad guy instead of a good guy. The series brought me deeper back into the world of fairy tales. I wanted to shout it's praises from the rooftops. I am still absolutely in love with the series and I can't wait to be able to read it aloud to someone hearing it for the first time someday.

TWENTY-FIVE:

 PARASOL PROTECTORATE SERIES

Before I found this series I was already a little bit fascinated with the Steampunk Genre. After finding this series I was in love, and looking for more that met the high standards Gail Carriger set. Once again I fell in love with the paranormal world, the romance, the mystery and now the steampunk spin on it all. I loved the England Carriger described and I wanted to crawl inside her books and live there myself! My favorite part, however, was the headstrong and willful protagonist that is Alexia Tarabotti.

 

TWENTY-SIX: 

THE VIRALS SERIES

 If you follow my blog you know I adore this series. 26 was the year I discovered it. Already and avid fan of Bones the Virals series was an exciting look into another part of the same world. I love that it is a book based on science, science fiction, forensics and mystery written for young adults featuring a female as the main main character. I love that it shows that it is ok to be different from the girly girl mold. It's ok to be a tom boy and get along with guys better. It's ok to be head strong and tough. When I found out that Brendan Reichs agreed to an interview with me I actually jumped up and down I was so excited! This is a series that this generation needs and I am so happy to have found it! 

TWENTY-SEVEN:

 EVER AFTER HIGH SERIES 

I picked up Ever After High after reading Goose Girl and the Princess Academy series. I thought it would be good for my blog and I really liked Shannon Hale. Although I was a little embarrassed to read the first book and thought it would probably be really cheesy and not that good I borrowed it from the library anyway. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the way these fairy tale characters existed and interacted. Shannon Hale helped me fall back into reading fairy tale retelling after fairy tale retelling. I was enchanted forever after and I am grateful to have found all these new fairy tales that I love so much simply because Ever After High re-lit a spark.