Best of 2011: Contemporary Fiction

Best of 2011: Contemporary Fiction

I've been thinking a lot about my ten favorite books I read this year, and the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that I can't pick just ten books. Instead, I'm going to create a few different lists, starting with my ten favorite contemporary novels. It was really difficult for me to pick my top ten favorite contemporary novels that I read this year, but I managed to do it. Here they are, in no particular order.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Release date: September 29, 2011

Goodreads     |     My review

Anna and the French Kiss was amazing, so I was positive I would love Lola and the Boy Next Door just as much. I was right. Stephanie Perkins is awesome. She never fails to amaze me with her amazing characters, humorous scenes, romance, and stories. I am convinced she can do no wrong.

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

Release date: November 11, 2010

Goodreads     |     My review

I can't believe I waited as long as I did to read Five Flavors of Dumb, because it is one of the best books ever. EVER. I fell in love with everything about this novel. If you haven't read this yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??!!

Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehren
Release date: February 17, 2011
Goodreads

I didn't review Babe in Boyland, but I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It was funny and interesting, and I fell in love with the characters. I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did.

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Release date: May 3, 2011
Goodreads     |     My review

Jessi Kirby is seriously amazing. Moonglass is one of my favorite books, and Jessi Kirby is one of my favorite authors. I loved everything about Moonglass, from the cover to the characters; from the setting to the story. The writing is fabulous. Moonglass is the perfect summer read and more than that, it inspires me to do a lot of things. Like write more. And go cliff jumping. Oh, and it started my obsession with beach glass. Moonglass is basically made of awesome.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Release date: May 10, 2011
Goodreads     |     My review

It's Sarah Dessen. Is any other explanation really necessary? What Happened to Goodbye is another book that is made of awesome. Sarah Dessen never fails to amaze me. I love her characters. I love her stories. I love how much basketball was incorporated into this book. I am convinced that Sarah Dessen can do no wrong.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Release date: September 26, 2006 (13 Little Blue Envelopes)

Release date: April 26, 2011 (The Last Little Blue Envelope)

Goodreads for 13 Little Blue Envelopes     |     My review

Goodreads for The Last Little Blue Envelope     |     My review

I'm including these together because it's a series. These were the first Maureen Johnson books I read, and I fell in love with them. Reading these books was kind of like reading about the ultimate road trip, except instead of just driving around one country, there are many countries, and all are amazing. This series was fun to read, and it makes me want to travel around the world.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Release date: May 4, 2010
Goodreads     |     My review

Two words: ROAD TRIP. I love road trips. I love books about road trips. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is quite possibly the best road trip book I've read. Everything about this book is fabulous.

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Release date: December 1, 2010
Goodreads     |     My review

Twenty Boy Summer blew my mind, so I was fairly positive I would also love Fixing Delilah. I did. Sarah Ockler has an incredible way with words. She's another one of my favorite contemporary authors, and I can't wait to read more of her.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Release date: November 22, 2011
Goodreads     |     My review

I loved Saving June because it wasn't what I expected. I was worried that it was going to be the usual girl's sister commits suicide and girl struggles to understand why-type of story, but it wasn't. That was part of it, but that wasn't all of it. I love the idea behind Saving June, and I love what Hannah Harrington did with her characters and their stories. Her writing is amazing, and I can't wait for her next book.

Stay by Deb Caletti
Release date: April 5, 2011
Goodreads 

I didn't review Stay, either, because I had no words for it after I finished it. Stay was my first Deb Caletti book, and oh my goodness, how it took me by surprise. I was hesitant to read it, though I don't know why, but Deb Caletti sucked me in and held me there throughout the entire book. Beautiful writing. Amazing writing. I love it. I haven't read anything else by her yet, but I need to, because if Deb Caletti's other books are anything like Stay, they are amazing. 

Review: Why We Broke Up

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Release date: December 27, 2011
Pages: 368
Format: ARC paperback

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

I waited too long to write this review. I read Why We Broke Up in October, and I didn't take notes on it, so I'm really having to rely on my memory for this review.

So, here's what I remember: Min annoyed me. She had too many run-on sentences, and it drove me crazy. I hated that aspect of her letter. I do love the concept of the story, though, and I really enjoyed getting to see what moments and objects were important to Min and how the objects were tied to her relationship with Ed. I especially loved the illustrations throughout the book, so that we could see exactly what Min was writing about when it came to those objects. I don't remember specifically what those objects were, but I remember that they weren't all the typical objects you might see that are tied to a relationship, and I liked that, too, because the objects tells us a lot about Min and Ed as individuals and as a couple.

That said, two months later, I really don't remember much else of the story. I do remember feeling lukewarm about it when I finished reading it, and the fact that I don't remember much of it now makes me come to one conclusion: the story and its characters just aren't memorable. That's not to say that I remember every detail of every book I read, but the books I love the most are the ones that are memorable. As much as I wanted to enjoy Why We Broke Up, and as much as I hoped it would be memorable, that just didn't happen for me. It's an interesting concept for a story, so I think it's worth the read, but I don't think Why We Broke Up is a book I would re-read.

Review: Crossed

Crossed by Ally Condie
Series: Matched trilogy (#2)
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release date: November 1, 2011
Pages: 367
File size: 600 KB
Format: eBook
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***SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

I have mixed feelings about Crossed. On the one hand, I loved it. Ally Condie has an incredible way with words. I marked so many passages in Crossed as I was reading. I really felt like Crossed deals with the importance of words, through the songs and poems and stories that the Society keeps and takes away. Ally Condie shows just how important words are in Crossed. It seemed to me that every word of this book was carefully chosen and put in place, and that every word in this novel is where it is for a reason, and every word serves a purpose. That was my favorite thing about this book.

When it comes to the alternating point of views, I found that I enjoyed that as well. I liked getting to see Ky's perspective as well as Cassia's perspective. As the novel progressed, I enjoyed finding out more about Ky and Cassia through how they perceive themselves as wells as how they perceive each other. I especially liked getting to know Ky's history more. I've read reviews where people say the alternating point of views is confusing, but I didn't find it confusing in any way.

Like other readers, though, I must admit that as much as I enjoyed Cross, the story was slow. There wasn't a lot of action. There weren't really any scenes that had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Aside from the passages I marked throughout the book, there wasn't much about the characters and the story that struck my emotions and made me care about anything that was happening. Also, as others have pointed out, I don't feel that any of the questions Matched raised for me were answered in Crossed. I'm still uncertain about the Society: who they are, how they came to exist, and why.

I'm really hoping that the final book in the trilogy will be one that I can really connect with and that it will answer all the questions I have. I look forward to seeing where Ally Condie is going to take the story.

Library School: Second Semester

As 2011 comes to a close, I'm preparing for my second semester of library and information science school. Next semester, which starts on January 9, I'm taking a class called Library Materials and Services to School Age Children. For the class, I have to read a HUGE amount of children's book. I've already started the reading for my first reading log, and I'm really excited about all the amazing books I get to read for this class. While none of them are YA books (I'll be taking that class after the upcoming semester, I think, and I can't wait), I want to share some of the incredible books I'm getting to read for this class.

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

 One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, "Mommm!" His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking dinner. What's a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights--in stars that can be seen for a change--and so many neighbors it's like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun--talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal . . . but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights, and out comes the board game again.

 Mufaro was a happy man. Everyone agreed that his two daughters were very beautiful. Nyasha was kind and considerate as well as beautiful, but everyone -- except Mufaro -- knew that Manyara was selfish, badtempered, and spoiled. When the king decided to take a wife and invited "The Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughters in the Land" to appear before him, Mufaro declared proudly that only the king could choose between Nyasha and Manyara. Manyara, of course, didn't agree, and set out to make certain that she would be chosen.

Three decades and more than one million copies later children still love hearing about the boy with the long name who fell down the well. Arlene Mosel and Blair Lent's classic re-creation of an ancient Chinese folktale has hooked legions of children, teachers, and parents, who return, generation after generation, to learn about the danger of having such an honorable name as Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo.

These are just some of the books I've read for class so far. Throughout the semester, I may feature more of the books I get to read. I love children's literature almost as much as I love YA, and I've been really excited about getting to share some of the books I'm reading with everyone, especially since my YA reading is going to slow down a lot starting January 9.

Review: Notes to Self

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer
Publisher: Self-published
Release date: November 20, 2011
Pages: 200
File size: 297 KB
Format: eBook
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Two climbed up. Two fell down. 


One woke up.


In the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury, Robin Saunders has to relearn who she is and find out what happened the night everything changed. 

Notes to Self is an intense, heartbreaking story. Avery Sawyer (which is Laura Schaefer's pseudonym) blew me away with this novel. It's beautifully written and the story is haunting. I was hooked just by the summary, and as soon as I began reading the book, I knew it would be hard to stop.

One of my favorite things about this book is how uncomfortable I felt during certain parts of it. Avery Sawyer did a fabulous job of making me feel uncomfortable in certain moments, like when Robin and Emily were climbing an amusement park ride. I'm terrified of heights, so reading that scene definitely evoked that for me. More than that, though, the way Robin's classmates treated her when she returned to school made me feel a discomfort I wasn't expecting. I was furious with how she was treated, and the only person I really liked was Reno, for not treating Robin badly.

The characters in this book are wonderful, fully-developed characters, from the main players to the supporting characters. Everyone was very vivid in my mind. Reno was a very crushworthy character. He was so cute at times, and I loved it that he wanted to do things took him out of his comfort zone. As for Robin's dad, I could not stand him. He was such a jerk. Robin's mom, on the other hand, was wonderful. I loved her ambition to make her and Robin's lives better.

The most haunting thing in this book was every time Robin repeated the sentence, "I fell." She said is so many times, and not always at appropriate times, and it just amazed me how those two words affected me, because it wasn't Robin trying to explain what happened to other people, it was her trying to wrap her mind around what had happened to her. It was a great and terrible refrain to have throughout the book, and I loved it.

Two other things I adored in this book: the notes Robin left to herself and the letters from her aunt. Little things like that add so much to a story for me, and give characters so much more depth.

I have to admit that the ending did come as somewhat as a surprise for me. I wasn't expecting Notes to Self to end the way it did, but that doesn't mean I didn't like the ending. I actually feel kind of indifferent about it. On the one hand, based on everything that happened, it doesn't seem like an entirely appropriate ending, but on the other hand, based on everything that happened, it seems like a very appropriate ending. Needless to say, I haven't made my mind up about how I feel about it yet.

Lately, I've been in the mood to read nothing but contemporary fiction, and Notes to Self did not disappoint.

Review: Saving Elizabeth

Saving Elizabeth by Amy Machelle
Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing
Release date: December 14, 2011
Pages: 152
File size: 995 KB
Format: eBook
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Blaming God for the death of her father, sixteen year old Elizabeth Bridges denounces her faith and vows never to utter His name again. She tries to distance herself from anything spiritual, but the events that occur after an unwanted move make that difficult. 

First, the dreams come – dreams of evil creatures, and rendezvous with the gorgeous stranger she thinks her mind created to escape her miserable life. But her first day at Glacier High proves there’s more to it than that. 

Elizabeth meets Riel, the boy from her dreams, and he knows more about her than is humanly possible. He says she possesses a coveted gift that all of Hell is clamoring to seize. The monsters she dreams of are real, and they’re battling for her soul. Soon, Elizabeth is thrust into a spiritual realm where she doesn’t know friend from foe. She battles demons in the storage closets of her high school, with Riel, her only protection. 

Will Elizabeth be able to trust Riel and help him save what matters most, or will they both join forces with darkness and turn their backs forever on the only One who can offer them the love and peace they so deeply desire?

Saving Elizabeth is not at all what I expected it to be. It is not the typical angel story for reason: Elizabeth's spirituality. Every angel/fallen angel novel I've read has a main character who never discusses what she believes when it comes to God and Christianity. That is not the case with Saving Elizabeth. We know exactly where Elizabeth stands and why, and I really enjoyed that twist on the story, because it added another dimension to the novel.

I enjoyed the characters. I really felt for Elizabeth and completely understood where she was coming from, as a teenager who had lost her dad, was uprooted from her home to a place so different from what she was used to, and who had to watch her mom flirt with someone in their town. All of Elizabeth's reactions to those situations was so realistic. I liked her journey throughout the novel and how by the end of the novel, she had undergone a transformation. Gabriel was just as enjoyable. I liked hearing his side of the story throughout the novel, as it's told between Elizabeth's and Gabriel's alternating viewpoints. Initially, I was confused by the two different viewpoints, but once I figured out what was going on, it was easy to read and know who was narrating what part of the story. I enjoyed reading Gabriel's and Elizabeth's perspectives of the same situations and fully understanding their motivations. I loved it that the battle between good and evil in this book is a battle for Elizabeth's soul, instead of being a battle that she's not a part of except to act as a love interest (although she is a love interest, but not in the typical way).

My only disappointment is that Saving Elizabeth isn't longer. I enjoyed the world Amy Machelle created, and I really wish she would have expanded on it. I almost felt like as soon as the story had started, it was over. She doesn't overwhelm us with information about Elizabeth's world and the existence of angels, the way some novels do, but I felt that it could have used just a little more, mostly in terms of Elizabeth reaching her transformation point. As happy as I was to see Elizabeth change throughout the novel, her major transformation moment was sudden, and I needed a little more justification for it.

The end of the novel sets things up for a sequel, and I hope there is one, because with the cliffhanger Amy Machelle left me with, I need to know what's going to happen. Overall, Saving Elizabeth is a cute paranormal romance (yes, there is a romance, and I liked it, but I'm not sure I love it yet) and a solid debut from Amy Machelle.

Review: Unnatural Law

Unnatural Law by Natasha Larry
Series: Darwin's Children (#2)
Publisher: Penumbra Publishing
Release date: October 26, 2011
Pages: 284
File size: 537 KB
Format: eBook
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***SUMMARY CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS***Seventeen-year-old Jaycie Lerner’s psychokinetic power surge is over, and her astounding powers are under control for the time being – sort of. As she struggles to maintain her humanity in the face of the awesome terror and responsibility of her abilities, she also yearns for the chance at a normal life – and a relationship with Matt Carter, the best friend she had to leave behind. But Matt’s got a few tricks up his sleeve, and he’s not about to give up on his feelings for Jaycie.
As Jaycie and her family grapple with the day-to-day routine of trying to keep their world together, Jaycie’s mother figure, Allison Young, endures a personal crisis of her own. The superhuman blonde possesses the physical equivalent of Jaycie’s awesome psychic power. So evolved, at ninety-two she still looks twenty. But what good is extended life when everyone else around her is so fragile? With no one to share her unusual life, she’s a uniquely lonely woman yearning for the romantic love she sees all around her. But in a dream she gets her wish – and it quickly turns to a nightmare for everyone else in her life. The memory of a rose is all she can hold onto in the storm of obsession that nearly sweeps her away.
Things quickly turn deadly for the vampires, but the Dey-Vah Guard fairies refuse to acknowledge there’s an imbalance in the nature they protect. As the danger gets ever closer to Jaycie and her family, the race is on to find answers before a secret plot can destroy them all.

Unnatural Law is very different from Darwin's Children in terms of pacing. While I struggled to get through Darwin's Children because of the slow pace, things happened much more quickly in Unnatural Law, and the things that did happen were also much more interesting.

New characters were introduced in Unnatural Law, and with new characters came new superhuman abilities, and I loved it. It was great to learn about new abilities, and it was great to learn more about the abilities from Darwin's Children, and to see all the abilities in action.

The plot gets more intricate in Unnatural Law as well. At times, it was almost confusing, but everything that was happening was interesting. I liked it that not all the plot intricacies were revealed right away; it was fun to try to figure out who was behind some of the events on my own, even though I wasn't always right.

I didn't quite connect with the characters in Unnatural Law any better than I connected with them in Darwin's Children, but I understand them more,and I got to know more about them, which I liked. I just really wish that I could have connected with Jaycie and Haylee more, because it would have helped me enjoy the story more. Though I think there's still room for improvement, the characters are better developed. I enjoyed seeing Jaycie when she was focusing on her art instead of on her abilities, though those moments were rare, and I would have liked to see more of that type of thing with all the characters, not just Jaycie.

Unnatural Law is a good follow-up to Darwin's Children, and I suspect that as Natasha Larry keeps writing, her writing and storytelling will only get better.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

Today, I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

1. The Iron Knight by Julia Kagawa. I can't believe I haven't read this yet. It came out around my birthday. WHY HAVEN'T I READ THIS?!

2. Without Tess by Marcella Pixley. I've heard really good things about it, and lately, I've been in the mood to read nothing but contemporary fiction.

3. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. I've heard amazing things about this, and I mean, come on. It's Jay freaking Asher. I loved 13 Reasons Why, so I'm pretty sure The Future of Us will be equally amazing.

4. Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John. Okay, it's not out yet, but I just read Five Flavors of Dumb and fell in love with it, so I want this one NOW.

5. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler. Because it's Sarah Ockler. Do I really need another reason?

6. Ingenue by Jillian Larkin because I loved Vixen.

7. Family by Micol Ostow because even though it's written in verse, which I can't stand, I have a strange fascination/obsession with Charles Manson, so how can I not read this?

8. Divergent by Veronica Roth. No, I haven't read it yet. No, I don't know what I'm waiting for. I need to get on it.

9. Small Town Sinners by Melissa C. Walker. First of all, I just like the name of it. Second of all, I like the cover. Third, it just sounds awesome.

10. Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, because more of them are coming out, and I don't own any of them, and I am obsessed with them.

Review: Darwin's Children

Darwin's Children by Natasha Larry
Series: Darwin's Children (#1)
Publisher: Penumbra Publishing
Release date: May 10, 2011 (eBook); June 8, 2011 (print)
Pages: 262
File size: 461 KB
Format: eBook
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Life can get pretty complicated for any seventeen-year-old girl, but for a home-schooled telepathic black girl trying to survive in a prestigious private school in small-town Jonesborough, Tennessee, it can be maddening; especially when her telepathic father keeps eavesdropping on her thoughts!

Jaycie Lerner's family isn't the usual mom-dad-kid setup. Jaycie's mom is MIA, but Allison, her personal live-in trainer, is more than a mom, with her own special abilities, like being able to lift cars and run incredibly fast. And Jaycie's godfather John is more than persuasive; he can literally convince anyone to do anything.

As far as the rest of the world's concerned, Jaycie's on the outside looking in. The townsfolk love Jaycie's paediatrician father, but she doesn't fit in with "normal" kids, and she doesn't really want to. Most of her free time is spent training to keep her telekinetic and telepathic powers under control. But there's one thing she can't control; and that's her feelings, especially when her best friend Matt is nearby. If only he knew what she was truly capable of...

Everything seems to be status quo for Jaycie until she receives a cryptic message from a stranger and meets a very unusual girl new to Jonesborough. Then all hell breaks loose!

I've read books in the past about characters who have superhuman abilities, and what I've found is that most of them are very basic: the characters don't know where their abilities come from, they can't talk to anyone about their abilities, and they might have the problem of a government agency trying to hunt them down. Darwin's Children does not fall into a basic type of superhuman story. The story about how the characters' superhuman abilities came to be is actually very intricate. I liked that aspect of it, because I enjoy superhuman stories much more when I know exactly where the superhuman abilities come from and why.

I also liked it that for once, there wasn't a government agency trying to hunt down any of the characters, and the main character, Jaycie, could actually talk to her godfather, trainer, and father about her abilities, because they also had abilities. It was nice to read a book where the main character understood what she could do and worked to perfect it. It was also really interesting to read about the different kinds of abilities, especially because Natasha Larry took some superhuman abilities that could be seen as overdone and put her own twist on them.

That said, my biggest struggle with Darwin's Children is that I didn't connect with any of the characters. Jaycie really annoyed me at times, and I felt like I couldn't trust Allison. The only character I liked just a little bit was Haylee, and I thought it was unfortunate that the glimpses we got of her past and home life were so brief. I would have loved to delve into her life more. Because I didn't connect with any of the characters, I struggled to get through this book. I also had a hard time because so much of the book is based on explanations of everything, and we get those explanations more than once, as different characters have to be told what's going on. That made the story a little too redundant, and it slowed the story down, but at the same time, it gave me the background I needed in order to fully understand Jaycie's world. It did set things up nicely for the next book, but I think there could have been a little less of all the explanations and more action.

Overall, Darwin's Children is a unique spin on the classic superhuman ability book that I think will interest readers who like superhuman stories.

Blog Tour Interview: D. Robert Pease

Today, I'm happy to have D. Robert Pease, author of Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble on my blog as part of the blog tour for Noah Zarc.

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Author bio courtesy of Good Reads
D. Robert has been interested in creating worlds since childhood. From building in the sandbox behind his house, to drawing fantastical worlds with paper and pencil, there has hardly been a time he hasn't been off on some adventure in his mind, to the dismay of parents and teachers alike. Also, since the moment he could read, books have consumed vast swaths of his life. From The Mouse and the Motorcycle, to The Lord of the Rings, worlds just beyond reality have called to him like Homer's Sirens. It's not surprising then he chose to write stories of his own. Each filled with worlds just beyond reach, but close enough we can all catch a glimpse of ourselves in the characters. D. Robert's first novel, Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble is available now. He's also finishing up a sequel, due out in 2012, called Noah Zarc: Cataclysm. And there are some other stories, in various stages of completion, on his computer. D. Robert runs Walking Stick Books, a company dedicated to helping other authors succeed.

Noah lives for piloting spaceships through time, dodging killer robots and saving Earth’s animals from extinction. Life couldn’t be better. However, the twelve-year-old time traveler soon learns it could be a whole lot worse. His mom is abducted and taken to thirty-first century Mars; his dad becomes stranded in the Ice Age; and Noah is attacked at every turn by a foe bent on destroying a newly habitable, post-apocalyptic Earth. 
Traveling through time in the family’s immense spaceship, Noah, a paraplegic from birth, must somehow care for the thousands of animals on board, while finding a way to rescue his parents. Along the way, he discovers his mother and father aren’t who he thought they were, and there is strength inside him he didn’t know he had.

The Bookscape Report: Ultimately, I read Noah Zarc as a retelling of Noah’s Ark. What made you decide to write a retelling of Noah’s Ark?

D. Robert Pease: The whole book basically started with the play on words, the name, Noah Zarc. Which obviously sounds very scifi-ish. It just kind of took off from there. But the more I got into it, the more I loved the idea of taking old Biblical stories we may have heard in Sunday School and kind of turning them on their heads. What would it be like to have Noah and the Ark in space? Once I started writing, I couldn't stop. I also have another series in the works based (very loosely) on the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors. It really is a very similar thing to what Rick Riordan did with ancient Greek stories when he wrote the Percy Jackson series.

The Bookscape Report: How much research did you have to do for Noah Zarc?

D. Robert Pease: I'm not sure much of what I did can be considered research. (I hope it doesn't show.) I'm kind of a science and astronomy geek, so I tried to incorporate a lot of what I've read in books over the years. I tried to create rules within the world of Noah Zarc that were at least slightly plausible and internally consistent. But other than that I can't say I did much in the way of research.

The Bookscape Report: Which character in Noah Zarc are you most like and why?

D. Robert Pease: One of the things I really wanted to do in Noah Zarc was give a little picture of just how much parents, dads specifically, love their kids. So I poured much of what I believe a dad should be like into Noah Zarc, Sr. I would do anything and everything to save my kids if they were in trouble, just as Noah's dad would. It was kind of a fictional account for my own kids of just how much I love them.

The Bookscape Report: The version of Noah and the flood that the caveman tells Noah and his father is different from the Christian version of Noah and the flood. Was the caveman’s version a real version of Noah and the flood, or is it something you made up for the book?

D. Robert Pease: One of the things I love about the story of Noah's Ark is there are versions of it in many cultures around the world. I wanted to play off that idea and give an account that was pretty close to the Biblical version, but still have it colored by the culture and the traditions of the storytellers. So, yes, I made it up, but I didn't want it to be unrecognizable to the reader.

The Bookscape Report: Who was your favorite character to write?

D. Robert Pease: That's pretty easy, Noah, of course. He is such a blast because he's everything I wish I were as a kid. Daring, reckless, and adventurous. I knew I'd get in trouble if I acted that way, but that's the beauty of fiction. You can do whatever you want with your characters. I also must say, I had fun writing the villain, Haon. I didn't want some two-dimensional character who was evil just for the sake of being evil. Sure that's what the Zarc family thinks at first, but I hope by the end the reader starts to see he is more than that. I really tried to get inside his mind and find out the whys behind his actions.

The Bookscape Report: If you could travel to any other time, what time would you travel to and why?

D. Robert Pease: The older I get, the more I feel like I am a time traveler. We are living in an age of technological innovation that just makes my head spin. But I guess if I could time-travel it would definitely be to the future. Maybe not as far ahead as the Zarc's timeframe -- I'm not sure humans will still be around 1,000 years from now -- but maybe a couple hundred years. I want my jet pack, darn it!

The Bookscape Report: What is your favorite science fiction book and/or author?

D. Robert Pease: Dune. No question about it. I have a soft spot for books that I call epic. Books that don't just stay tell a simple story but have characters and events that change the course of history. Frank Herbert created such an amazing universe that is so rich in detail; I can't help but feel like it exists somewhere.

The Bookscape Report: If you were Noah and you could only save one animal, what animal would you save?

D. Robert Pease: Well I hope I could at least save two, a male and female. That's a hard question though. Like Noah, I love my dog, but that seems like such a mundane answer. Maybe I should pick something more majestic, like the elephant, or the blue whale. Yikes, do I really have to choose? Ok, my dog's giving me those hound dog eyes of his right now. I have to choose him. Notice I didn't say anything about my cat. She's nowhere to be seen at the moment, so she loses out. 

In My Mailbox: 47

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. In this meme, we share the books we received for review, purchased, checked out at the library, etc.

This week, I only purchased one book.

Butterfly Kisses: Jessica's Journey by Julie Tucker

In late 2004, the Tucker family found out they were going to have a 
baby girl. They were ecstatic, and when the day finally came all 
seemed well. 

But a few months after Jessica’s birth, they discovered that she had 
an exceedingly rare disease called Niemann-Pick Type A. It was 
so rare that even the doctors had to search for it on the internet. 

This is thier journey. Raw, unedited, and powerful, it will help you 
be thankful every day for those you love.

Sorry about the Amazon image; it was the only image available for this book. Butterfly Kisses is really personal for me because my cousin's wife wrote it. I never had the chance to meet my cousin's daughter, Jessica, but my family was always kept up-to-date on what was happening. I haven't started reading the book yet, but I'm going to start it soon, and I'm prepared to have a sob-fest while I do.

Aside from that book, I checked out several books from the library. They're all children's books, so I won't list them all, but one of them was:

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

I wasn't planning on Liesl & Po, but I love Lauren Oliver, and when I found out I could read it for the library services and materials for children class I'm taking, I knew I had to read it.

That's all I got this week. What did you get? Happy reading! 

Review: Five Flavors of Dumb

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
Publisher: Dial
Release date: November 11, 2010
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Website     |     Blog     |     Facebook      Goodreads

The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.

The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.

The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb. 

I don't even know where to start with this review. I loved so much about this book that I'll just list what I loved.

1. The greater understanding I gained of deaf culture. When I was in first grade, there were some hearing-impaired kids in my class. I always loved watching the interpreter sign for them, and I loved having a sign just for my name. In college, I took one American Sign Language class. Aside from that, I didn't have a great understanding of deaf culture and what it's like to be deaf. I think a lot of people have misconceptions about what it's like to be deaf, from the fact that there are different levels/types of hearing loss, to different ways to communicate, etc. I know I had some misconceptions, and they were definitely addressed in this book. I loved it that I was thrown into Piper's world, and that through her, I really saw what it was like to be deaf and part of the deaf culture. I assume a huge amount of research had to go into this, and I love what Antony John did with it.

2. The characters. Piper is amazing. She's strong in so many ways, even when she doesn't realize it, and she just grows stronger throughout the novel. I absolutely loved her. The different personalities of everyone in Dumb was amazing. I loved the cast of characters and how diverse they were. Two characters tied for my second-favorite character: Finn and Kallie. I loved the relationship between Finn and Piper and how realistic it was. Sibling rivalry was there, but they were still there for each other in the end. As for Kallie, I loved her character because she is not at all what you'd expect her to be.

3. The music. I love books about music, and I have to say, Five Flavors of Dumb is one of the best I've read. I love it that it focused on rock music. I loved the scenes where Piper visits Kurt Cobain's and Jimi Hendrix's houses. I love the entire premise of the book and how it revolves around music. I love how music is so important to the characters in such different ways. Five Flavors of Dumb makes me want to do two things: listen to more alternative rock and grunge rock from the 90s as well as classic rock, like Led Zeppelin, and it makes me want to learn to play the guitar and piano (which I already wanted to do; the desire is just stronger now).

4. The writing. It. Is. Incredible. This is the only book by Antony John that I've read, but I am totally in love with his writing. I marked so many passages in this novel. I can't wait to read his next book, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip.

Five Flavors of dumb is one of my favorite contemporary novels. To say it's incredible is an understatement. It was one of the best books I've read this year.

Book Trailer: Saving Elizabeth

For your viewing pleasure, here is the book trailer for Amy Machelle's debut novel, Saving Elizabeth. Be sure to keep an eye out for my review of this book, which I'll be posting next week.

Review: Feyland: The Dark Realm

Feyland: The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp
Series: Feyland (#1)
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: December 15, 2011
Pages: 326
File size: 384 KB
Format: eBook
Website

WHEN A GAME… 

Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and fifteen-year-old Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries. 

TURNS REAL… 

Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her. 

WINNING IS EVERYTHING… 

Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.

I am extremely impressed by Feyland: The Dark Realm. Once I read the synopsis for it, I was sure I would love it, but I certainly did not expect to love it as much as I did. I have to admit, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be, but I loved what it was.

The blend of faeries (fey? I still don't know what the right term to use is. Someone please tell me!), ballads, and video games was amazing. It might seem like a strange combination, but Anthea Sharp wove everything together perfectly so that it wasn't strange at all. Instead, everything made perfect sense. Each element was given much thought and care. I enjoyed getting to see the elements individually and as they came together as a whole.

The characters were fabulous. I loved Tam and Jennet's relationship and how it progressed throughout the novel. I loved it that they were able to see beyond appearances and dismiss stereotypes to see each other for who they really were. They bonded quickly and had a strong friendship throughout the novel, and it was all completely believable. I never felt like the development of their relationship was happening too quickly. I also enjoyed Marny, Tam's friend, and I wish we could have seen more of her. I really hope she makes a greater appearance in the sequel.

The uniqueness of the story is fantastic; it's what made me want to read the book in the first place, and it's what kept me captivated by the story throughout the novel. The concept of fae using video games as a portal to invade our world is creepy, but so awesome. I have never read anything like Feyland: The Dark Realm, and now that I have, I want to read more like it.

Win a manuscript critique!

I recently received an email for a manuscript critique contest that I wanted to share with everyone, because I know a lot of us bloggers are also aspiring writers (myself included). Here's all the information I received in the email.

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers.  This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation.  See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.
You could win a manuscript critique from:

• Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

• Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

• Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

• Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

• Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

• Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For.  Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012.  If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript).  You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.
If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss.  To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.
Good luck and best wishes,
Logan KleinwaksPresident, Book Wish Foundation
What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen.  With a Foreword by Mia Farrow.  Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

Make sure you check it out if you're interested--and if you do enter the contest, good luck!