Throwback Thursday: Reading Lolita in Tehran

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi 2004
Random House

IQ "An absurd fictionality ruled our lives. We tried to live in the open spaces in the chinks created between that room which had become our protective cocoon, and the censor's world of witches and goblins outside. Which of these two worlds was more real and to which did we really belong? We no longer knew the answers. Perhaps one way of finding out the truth was to do what we did: to try to imaginatively articulate these two worlds, and through that process, give shape to our vision and identity." pg. 26

From 1995 to 1997, Azar Nafisi and seven of her most committed female gathered in her house to discuss Western literature, the classics that have been forbidden. They gather ever Thursday morning to discuss Vladmir Nabokov, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, Jane Austen and other greats. This book covers each of the above mentioned authors, but many others are discussed for a bit as well. Not only does the author talk about herself but she reveals an intimate portrait of each one of her young students as well as what life was like in the early days of Islamic Republic and at the end of the 20th century. The author was a professor at the University of Tehran but she was expelled for refusing to wear the veil.

If you don't want Lolita, The Great Gatbsy, Washington Square (or Daisy Miller) and Pride & Prejudice to be spoiled for you, don't read this book. I didn't mind since I'd read two of the four. Also I'm ashamed to say I'd never even heard of Henry James. Not sure where I was when people talked about his classics. Lolita I knew the gist of, but it's sounds so much more suffocating and horrifying than I anticipated. I do want to read it, if only because I think the experience will be all the richer after having read Reading Lolita in Tehran. The book is divided into four parts, each part named after Fitzgerald, James, Nabokov or Austen. What really drew me to this non-fiction story was how easily (or so it seemed to me) the author was able to make comparisons between the lives of herself and her students in Iran with the lives of those they were reading about in books. For example in talking about Lolita she states "I added that in fact Nabokov had taken revenge against our own solipsizers; he had taken revenge on the Ayatollah Khomeini, on Yassi's last suitor on the dough-faced teacher for that matter. They had tried to shape others according to their own dreams and desires, but Nabokov, through his portrayal of Humbert, had exposed all soplipsists who take over other people's lives. She, Yassi [one of the seven students], had much potential; she could be whatever she wanted to be-a good wife or a teacher and poet. What mattered was for her to know what she wanted" (pg. 33).

Unlike Lipstick Jihad this book is much more distressing to read because the rules are so much stricter. Lipstick Jihad took place in the early 2000s, this book is from the '70s to the '90s and I highly recommend both, or at least that you read this book and then one set in present-day Iran so you can see the changes. It's rather astonishing. I do think at times the author waxed on philosophically a bit too much, talking more about the books than life in Iran and/or her students. In fact, I do wish we had gotten to better know the seven girls; Yassi, Mahshid, Manna, Azin, Nassrin and Mitra. We get glimpses of their personalities, but I think the author only lightly touched on the complexities of their lives. Perhaps she couldn't go into much detail for fear of getting them (or herself, loved ones, etc.) in trouble. Stylistically I wasn't a huge fan of how the book was told. The passing of time was confusing and the conversations weren't italicized or put in " " so I wasn't always sure if the author was having an actual conversation or just thinking in her head. What bothered me most was once we hit the 2nd or 3rd part, the book became less about the author/teacher AND the girls and more about just the author. I had been expecting equal playing time so to speak so that surprised me. I also had high expectations for the Pride & Prejudice part, I think the comparisons fell flat except when talking about Iranian society and British society of the 19th century. It was truly sad to read about these young women who knew nothing about relationships but still yearned for their Mr. Darcy, even though he seemed very, very far away indeed. I did however really like this lengthy quote "Mr. Nahvi was one of the few students in whom I was unable to find a single redeeming quality. I could say, like Eliza Bennet, that he was not a sensible man. One day after a really exhausting argument, I told him Mr. Nahvi, I want to remind you of something: I am not comparing you to Elizabeth Bennet. There is nothing of her in you to be sure-you are as different as man and mouse. But remember how she is obsessed with Darcy, constantly trying to find fault with him, almost cross-examining every new acquittance to confirm that he is as bad as she thinks? Remember her relations with Wickham? How the basis for her sympathy is not so much feelings for him as his antipathy for Darcy? Look at how you speak about what you call the west. You can never talk about it without giving it an adjective or an attribute-decadent vile corrupt, imperial. Beware of what happened to Elizabeth!" (pg. 290).

Reading Lolita in Tehran delivers excellent literary analysis with the bonus of raising the curtain off of life in Iran during the early days of the Islamic Republic especially concerning what life was like for students and teachers. It's hard to read about the suffering the people went through, the jobs lost, the rather ridiculous-sounding rules, and worse, the interrogations and the executions. I found it especially sad at how people bewail the brain power that is leaving Iran. I think I can understand why young people wouldn't want to stay, but I can also see how others would see it as betrayal (i.e. why don't they stay and try to work with the system to make Iran better). This is not a book for you (I don't think) if you don't like learning about Iran and/or reading literature analysis. The story is slow-moving but that allows for plenty of details about life in Iran, although I do think the seven young women the book was supposed to be about as well, got pushed to the side towards the middle and end of the book. The transitions and passing of time was confusing as were conversations held, but I can't help but marvel at how this book manages to take seemingly unrelated topics and show how they are similar, to illustrate how classics can literally be applied to people's lives ANYWHERE. Even in what we may think of as a repressive society. For most of the book the literary references went completely over my head, but I found the analysis fascinating and I definitely intend on re-reading this book after I've read (or re-read) each of the main four classics. I'm particularly excited to read some Henry James (I definitely didn't get her comparisons when it came to his work and Iran but that's probably because I know nothing about him or his work)! My favorite part is when they put a book of his on trial in class. It was a lot of fun to read about, but stomach-churning at how much disgust some students had for the book, not all though and that was reassuring.

Disclosure: From library

PS I had quotes picked out from each part

On the Great Gatsby "[w]hat we in Iran had in common with Fitzgerald was this dream that became our obsession and took over our reality, this terrible beautiful dream impossible in its actualization for which any amount of violence might be justified or forgiven. This is what we had in common, although we were not aware of it then. [...] When I left the class that day I did not tell them what I myself was just beginning to discover: how similar our own fate was becoming to Gatsby's. He wanted to fulfill his dream by repeating the past, and in the end he discovered that the past was dead, the present a sham, and there was no future. Was this not similar to our revolution which had come in the name of our collective past and had wrecked our lives in the name of a dream?" (pg. 144), powerful! And I actually understood that connection (it helps that we just finished studying Iran).

On Washington Square "[t]hus, Dr. Sloper commits the most unforgivable crime in fiction-blindness.[...]This I believe, is how the villain in modern fiction is born: a creature without compassion, without empathy. [...] I think most of my students would have agreed with this definition of evil, because it was so close to their own experience. Lack of empathy was to my mind the central sin of the regime, from which all the others flowed. My generation had tasted individual freedom and lost it; no matter how painful the loss, the recollection was there to protect us from the desert of the present. But what did this new generation have to safeguard them? Like Catherine's, their desires, their yearnings, their urges to express themselves were manifested in bizarre ways." (pg. 224) I don't know if I agree that they expressed themselves in 'bizarre ways' , their ways of expressing themselves were merely differently from what one might expect. Honestly I think it was more of a generational thing. Maybe the author just didn't get 'young people'. Ha

Waiting on Wednesday: This Thing Called The Future

We are almost done with the school week! Not only do I like Wednesdays because it means Friday is that much closer but I get to babble about books whose summaries and/or covers caught my eye. Hosted by Breaking the Spine

This Thing Called the Future by J.L. Powers

Release Date: April 1, 2011 Khosi lives with her beloved grandmother Gogo, her little sister Zi, and her weekend mother in a matchbox house on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In that shantytown, it seems like somebody is dying all the time. Billboards everywhere warn of the disease of the day. Her Gogo goes to a traditional healer when there is trouble, but her mother, who works in another city and is wasting away before their eyes, refuses even to go to the doctor. She is afraid and Khosi doesn't know what it is that makes the blood come up from her choking lungs. Witchcraft? A curse? AIDS? Can Khosi take her to the doctor? Gogo asks. No, says Mama, Khosi must stay in school. Only education will save Khosi and Zi from the poverty and ignorance of the old Zulu ways. School, though, is not bad. There is a boy her own age there, Little Man Ncobo, and she loves the color of his skin, so much darker than her own, and his blue-black lips, but he mocks her when a witch's curse, her mother's wasting sorrow, and a neighbor's accusations send her and Gogo scrambling off to the sangoma's hut in search of a healing potion.

This story sounds very unique. Most likely it's going to be a tough read since it covers HIV-AIDS but since I'm all for becoming a global citizen, I'm eager to learn about South Africa (the extent of my knowledge would be basic apartheid facts and that they hosted the World Cup last year). A bit of magic or perhaps magical realism will bring in a bit of a creepy factor. The cover is interesting, I really want to know who the woman in the black-and-white photo is!

What are you waiting on this week? Or what are you currently reading that everyone should know about?

Fury of the Phoenix

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon 2011 (ARC) Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins

Rating: 5/5!

IQ "I would fast for you, Li Chen Yong." Ai Ling pg. 310

*No spoilers for Silver Phoenix (well 1 tiny spoiler about relationships and a big one about a death) or Fury of the Phoenix are in this review*

Oh my goodness if you've read Silver Phoenix (and if not WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, GO!) then you understand the significance and awww factor that line has. And I rarely aw, especially not out loud, but that line made my heart melt a bit. But things aren't purely sweet for Ai Ling and Chen Yong. Chen Yong has decided to go search for his birth father, to do so he will need to set sail from Xia, heading for Jiang Dao. Ai Ling has a dream that Chen Yong will be in danger on the voyage so she decides to follow him by sneaking on board. Hopefully she won't be discovered until after the ship sets sail and hopefully she will be able to save Chen Yong. But it's Ai Ling who may end up needing to be saved as well....

There's less action in this book but still plenty of excitement leaping off the pages! Everything is described in meticulous detail from the food, clothes, Jiang Dao, the ship, and of course, the mythical creatures that terrorize Ai Ling and Chen Yong. While I was both delighted and disturbed by the new creatures and fantasy elements we were introduced to (the Sea Shifters, learning more about reincarnation, etc) I was even more pleased by the character development. You all remember Zhong Ye, the villain from Silver Phoenix right? He was evil, eviillllll! Well not quite. I didn't think Cindy Pon could make me care about him, but to my complete astonishment (and I'm not exaggerating) Zhong Ye's story tugged at my heartstrings. While he starts off ambitious, he wasn't always power mad and there's a lot of talk about the sacrifices made by an eunuch. In a way the process of being an eunuch is like genital mutilation and rarely does anyone voluntarily go through that. So to think that Zhong Ye willing gave up such a delicate body part. *winces* I still don't like him but I understand how he was driven to do what he did in the previous book.

And for those who like some romance with their fantasy, be prepared because there is a A LOT of sexual tension and it's intense, smoldering. I was equally annoyed, happy, or heartbroken because of Ai Ling and Chen Yong not being able to pull themselves together. Everyone else can see that they need each other, they complement each other perfectly. Why can't they??? There's lots of teasing, stolen glances, misunderstanding and awkward moments (awkward for the characters, not the reader ;) There is also the romance between Zhong Ye and Silver Phoenix and it actually borders on sweet, again, the author makes you start to care about Zhong Ye. There are a few new characters introduced in this book and they move the plot along, adding significant intrigue. *SPOILER: highlight to read* Not that I ever seriously though Chen Yong would marry Ah Na, but I did wonder if he would want to stay in Jiang Dao.*End of Spoiler* The afterlife is explored and I don't want to give much away but it's absolutely spellbinding and I wanted to stay in that afterworld for a little longer, to learn more about how it works (the Mirror of Retribution!)

Fury of the Phoenix is a seducing, irresistible tale. I loved this book even more than the first. The worldbuilding is just as wonderful as in the first, but we also get to see further character development and while in the first book I wanted more character interaction I felt thoroughly satisfied in this sequel. At first I was sad to leave the action-packed world of Xia behind, but it was a nice change of pace to slow down and really observe (and smile knowingly) at Ai Ling and Chen Yong's relationship. Life in Jiang Dao seemed slower in general and while Xia reminds me a bit of China (says the girl whose never been), Jiang Dao reminded me more of a Western European country (loosely based of course). The ending was satisfactory, although I did think that a certain relationship was a bit too perfect (not between Ai Ling and Chen Yong but another significant relationship). A discerning attention to detail, smooth transitions from present to past, fabulous wordbuilding and great, fully-realized characters.

Disclosure: Received from publisher. THANK YOU!

And guess what? Cindy Pon is coming to Chicago on May 10th so I can get Fury of the Phoenix signed! YES (hasn't yet been officially announced).

PS while I didn't know what the Chinese characters meant, I thought they were a lovely touch. Such a talented and well rounded author is Ms. Pon ;D

Male Monday: Shooting Kabul

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai 2010 (ARC version) Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4/5

IQ "Relieved the elderly couple stood up from the bench. In the process Abay's scarf got caught in the rosebushes. Dada ]grandfather] grinned, revealing a strong set of white teeth. With gnarled hands stricken with arthritis he gently unhooked her scarf and broke off a large yellow bloom and handed it to her. Abay [grandmother] giggled like a young girl and took a sniff of the rose." pgs. 205-206

I chose the above line because I thought it was really sweet and very well described. I can see the image in my mind, and it makes me smile. Picture perfect :) Fadi and his family left Afghanistan for America. In the process, his six-year-old sister, Mariam is lost. Somehow (no one is quite sure what happens and so they all blame themselves) Mariam got lost in the melee caused by the Taliban trying to prevent the group of people Fadi's family was with from being smuggled out of the country. Fadi and his family arrive shortly before September 11th and they notice how much things change after 9/11, specifically for anyone with brown skin. It's also harder to find Mariam. Fadi's art teacher informs him about a photography competition, the grand prize is a trip to India. Fadi loves taking pictures, but India is next to Pakistan and he's hoping to locate Mariam at a refugee camp on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. A long shot to be sure, but it might be his only chance to bring Mariam home.

I was surprisingly displeased with the ending. I could tell it was coming as the amount of pages got shorter but I kept thinking, no it can't be! The ending felt rushed and I wasn't a fan of the epilogue. Ugh. I was really looking forward to the ending because of course I wanted everything to turn out happily but it was too convenient and too sudden. I also felt at times that there was no plot, which works for some books, but not so much for this particular book. Part of it might also be that I'm starting to lose patience with stories about assimilation, and this book spends a lot of time on that topic. Which is understandable but I was more concerned about Mariam and the bullying/violence as a result of 9/11.

I loved how the author explained the Afghanistan situation in such a concise way. I've never paid much attention to the situation in Afghanistan, I know the basics (i.e. we're fighting to keep the Taliban from taking over again) but I feel much more interested in not only the history of Afghanistan, but also what is currently going on over there. I think that today Americans (and Westerners in general) dismiss the Taliban as extremists, without realizing (I say this as someone who thought the former) that the Taliban did a lot of good at first. They brought peace to a country that was warring internally and that is why they had a lot of Aghan support, especially amongst the Pukhtuns (largest ethnic group in Afghanistan). I learned all that and much more from this book. The emotional scenes are very well-written. I don't think it's possible for someone to read the scene where Mariam is left behind without feeling as though your heart is breaking. Especially since Fadi blames himself and ok, I sort of blamed him too BUT only for about 5 minutes. Really he couldn't have done anything. The cover image is a great visual of what the scene must have been like and the writing really puts a human face on the terror the Taliban inflicted in the hearts of the Afghan people.

Shooting Kabul is noteworthy, to me, because the information about relatively current events in Afghanistan (a country we learn very little about in school) is presented in such an accessible way. Even if you don't like politics and/or following current events, how can you not be interested in other cultures? This book gives a great introduction to the various tribes in Afghanistan and how the Taliban came to power. I also really liked how this book was quite technical in talking about photography, it wasn't vague 'Fadi took pictures in black and white' instead it described how to set up a darkroom and what goes on in there and what exactly it takes to set up shots in different lighting settings. I enjoyed the information immensely since I know very little about photography. While the book seemed to lose its focus around the middle and the end came about too quickly, the story is stirring with a delightful cast of characters. From twelve year old Fadi to his older sister Noor, to his parents and his extended family, each character is described in great detail. The parents are active, in fact the storyline with Fadi's parents was both sad and engrossing (his father feels he has lost his honor by losing Mariam, Fadi's mother becomes depressed). Also while the ending came about quickly, the result of the photo competition was quite a surprise. *SPOILER* highlight to read: I thought he would at least place in the top 4. But to only get an honorable mention? That was cold on the author's part. And a very good twist ;) *End of spoiler*

Disclosure: Received from Lyn. Thank you!

New Crayons

Hosted by Color Online. I realized that I've been remiss in replying to all the comments on my college post but I just wanted to thank everyone for leaving me bits of advice. Seriously, it meant the world and most of the advice was new-to-me :)

Things are going to be light on the blog this week I suspect. I have about 6 books to review but I'm still a bit lost after the funeral. Lots of homework to make up, thank you cards to write, etc. But as I've said before, blogging/reviewing makes me feel better so I'm going to try and have those reviews up and ready to go. Especially since all the books were wonderful.

From Goodreads BookSwap (1 of my new favorite things)

Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins

Jasmine “Jazz” Gardner heads off to India during the monsoon season. The family trip is her mother’s doing: Mrs. Gardner wants to volunteer at the orphanage that cared for her when she was young. But going to India isn’t Jazz’s idea of a great summer vacation. She wants no part of her mother’s do-gooder endeavors. What’s more, Jazz is heartsick. She’s leaving the business she and her best friend, Steve Morales, started—as well as Steve himself. Jazz is crazy in love with the guy. If only he knew! Only when Jazz reluctantly befriends Danita, a girl who cooks for her family, and who faces a tough dilemma, does Jazz begin to see how she can make a difference—to her own family, to Danita, to the children at the orphanage, even to Steve. As India claims Jazz, the monsoon works its madness and its magic.

It's Mitali Perkins. What else is there to say? Naturally I'm going to read it and wish I was on summer vacation...

What did you get this week, bookwise?

The Other Half of My Heart

The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee Frazier 2010
Delacorte Press/Random House for Children

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "'You need to remember that these bodies we're in are just vehicles. They're part of who we are, sure. An important part. But what's riding around inside is a whole lot more important.' Mama had told them this before. Keira liked to say that if their bodies were vehicles then hers was most definitely a Jaguar. Minni had decided on a hybrid-because she was mixed, of course but also because hybrids were environmentally friendly." pgs. 219-220

Minerva and Keira King made the news when they were born. Not just because they were born in an airplane, but also due to Keira being born Black like their Mama and Minni being born white like their Daddy. The twins are now eleven and still very close and even though they receive lots of stares (they tend to look like a chessboard walking down the street), it doesn't matter because they have each other. Until Mama's mother, Grandmother Johnson demands that the twins enter the Miss Black Pearl Preteen of America program (not pageant!), Keira is gung-ho but the idea of standing in front of so many people (let alone showcasing some kind of talent) makes Minni want to hide. Minni reluctantly agrees when Keira assures her that they will get through the program together. They'll need each other since Grandmother Johnson is so strict. It soon becomes clear however that Grandmother Johnson favors Minni and Keira retreats into herself, the twins aren't each other's rocks anymore and this throws Minni into confusion. How can she do well in the pageant if Keira is mad at her? Shouldn't Keira realize by now that Minni's too shy to stand up for herself, let alone anyone else?

What really disappointed me was that the story was told entirely from Minni's perspective. I was expecting to hear from Minni and Keira, but instead we only receive Minni's side of the story. Sympathy can be roused for both characters and it's both painful and rewarding to see Minni finally get 'it', understand what it's like to be the ONLY ONE. However I felt that the book could have been much stronger if Keira also got to tell her part of the story, what was it like for her being in the majority? I was surprised at how quickly the pageant/program (a running joke in the story) was over. Minni spends all this time worrying about it and then it's over in about a chapter. I was hoping to read more about preparations for the pageant and to learn about the other participants, instead they were just used to exclude Minni and befriend Keira. I also thought the writing could be heavy-handed, especially concerning Martin Luther King Jr. Minni's initials are MLK, which was intentional. That's cute but Minni talks about him all the time which is great, but so do all the other characters and I wanted to learn about other civil rights heroes (or at least I wanted someone to remind Minni that their are other civil rights leaders. No disrespect to MLK, he's one of the most inspiring figures in the history of the world). I did learn something new, Martin's first name was actually Michael. His father changed it after a trip to Germany during which he learned about Martin Luther. Maybe I just have lesser patience when it comes to stories that emphasis civil rights leaders over and over again because growing up that's what my parents talked about, we watched movies, read books, etc. Not to mention MLK is probably one of the few Black Americans we study for a long period of time in most schools and so now I'm more impatient with the BIG NAMES of the civil rights movement.

I did like Minni's narration even though I also wanted to hear from Keira. I think the author did a great job fleshing Minni out. She has a rather dry sense of humor but she can really let loose, she's insecure, doesn't always stand up for what's right and she dearly loves her sister. These components make her seem very realistic. At one point when it's starting to become clear that Grandmother Payine-in-the-Butt Johnson isn't too fond of Keira, Minni decides that "Grandmother Johnson was no small woman, but if she tried to nab Keira, Minni would jump her. It was still two against one, and Grandmother Johnson was old." (pg. 96). I found it amusing that she and Keira didn't have the stereotypical 'twin thing' of finishing each other's sentences. Dyslexia is brought up and the topic is addressed with both humor and sensitivity, it's frustrating to see how teachers just gave up instead of really working to diagnose the disability and then work with Keira to overcome/cope with the disability. Grandmother Johnson is both a nuisance and entertaining, set in her ways, hardened by life, the twins come up with some creative schemes to get back at her. I was happy to see that Grandmother Johnson is not demonized throughout the book, she's human and not evil just to be evil (I wouldn't even go so far as to say she's evil).

The Other Half of My Heart is brimming with emotions and sentimentality. The story is slow, but that allows for Minni and Grandmother Johnson to truly develop as characters. I only wish the same could be said for Keira. Keira develops into a character, but always seemed to be a secondary character and I felt that she was simply 'Minni's twin' but that contradicts with this story which seems to be trying to show that each of the twins are individuals. I would have better appreciated all the sun and moon references if they were more slyly woven in (I never would have figured out what Keira meant though) but they work well with the story and enhance the telling. I loved how Keira and Minni's parents weren't abstract, absent parents. I got a real feel for their personalities and you can draw your own conclusions on who the twins most closely resemble. I would have liked more pageant details but it isn't meant to be a pageant expose, but I do think the Miss Black Pearl PreTeen preparations could have been made more interesting instead of rushed through. In a way this book airs out our dirty laundry. Even though it's the 21st century, Black people are still silly enough to try and bring each other down. There is still a very subtle message that being dark is bad, but light is alright. There's enough prejudice in this world as it is, I don't understand why we still have so much inter-cultural prejudice. A strong story about the bond between sisters (specifically twins), being color struck and growing up.

Disclosure: Received from the author for review. Thank you so much Sundee!

Meeting Sarwat Chadda!

On March 1, I attended an event at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Illinois. This was my first YA author event (my first ever author event was when I met Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), the author was Sarwat Chadda and I was incredibly nervous. Especially since I've interviewed Sarwat (via email) and talked to him on Twitter. I may not sound 'cool' or whatever online but in real life, I'm so much quieter around strangers. Obviously it's a lot easier to 'talk' to people online, well by people I mean authors and other book lovers. I don't talk to random people! Plus I'm so in love with Sarwat's books (I even plan on writing a college admission essay on them) but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get that across.

I shouldn't have worried because Sarwat is even funnier in real life than he is in person and so incredibly nice. we didn't have much time to talk since it was a school night and Naperville is not (contrary to how the event was advertised) in Chicago, it's an hour away so my dad didn't want to stick around for long. We were late to the event (started at 7) due to the fact that my dad didn't have much faith my ability to drive to Naperville so I had to wait for him to get home from work. We walked in to Sarwat jumping around and drawing/writing on a big piece of paper. He was having the audience create their own opening scene for Devil's Kiss. Sarwat presented the characters; the young boy, Billi and Arthur and the audience had to imagine how the scene would play out. Fun to listen to, and of course, it had to be acted out. The event was also with Rachel Hawkins, who I was quite familiar with. I'd seen wonderful reviews of her Hex Hall and I ended up buying a copy because in addition to being utterly charmed by her presentation and kind personality, I remembered Jodie's review and how I said I would read it and that was almost a year ago...*ducks head in shame* Witches, and a lesbian best friend who is not defined by being lesbian. Count me in!

After the event Sarwat and I chatted for a bit, but not for too long because he had pie waiting for him and I had....homework. I'd never been to Anderson's Bookshop but I was in awe of all the author events they host and there are so many books! It would be my favorite indie if it only it was closer :( Anderson's gives authors who do presentations one book of their choice and Sarwat asked for my recommendation. I knew he was big on blood and guts and I wanted to stick to YA paranormal (and he'd already read Cindy Pon) so naturally I proposed....Dia Reeves. No-brainer. He ended up getting Slice of Cherry and I sincerely hope he likes it. I need to start SoC! (before someone claims it for the poc reading challenge ;) We also chatted a bit about the college process in America versus in England (it sounds A LOT more intense). We also talked about my being an author. I said no, but also had to admit that I hadn't tried since about the 5th grade to actually write a book. Sarwat didn't think I could shoot down the idea (please note I'm paraphrasing here, imagine someone saying this in a more eloquent manner with a slight British accent. I didn't think it was that heavy actually) until I sat down and tried to write a book. I'm pretty sure I'll write the beginning and the end and get bored/impatient with it, but I'm willing to try. Over the summer. I said I was leaning towards being an agent (if I didn't go into politics but hey this blog kinda ruined that career, my own fault. There is so much political fodder on here) but he suggested being an editor based on his experiences dealing with both. Not because being an agent wouldn't be awesome, but because based on how I described what I wanted to do, it sounded more like an agent's job. I hate grammar, but my friends are always giving me their essays to read, but I think that's just because I can catch a few spelling mistakes and help them be more concise. But that's for schoolwork, I'm not so sure if I could really help fine-tune a BOOK. I would however love to be in a position in which I can publish more authors of color. Agents get to champion those aspiring-authors but they don't get to decide if the book will be bought by a publishing house. I think I may want to be in that position. We shall see. Sarwat and I also discussed racism in publishing (we didn't have enough time to go into much detail), the need for Billi #3 (I swear if it doesn't happen...well yeah) and a possible movie deal.

Anyway, please ignore me in the photo. I'm wearing a shirt that says Brown Girls Rock! It has a double meaning for me. One of my dream schools is Brown University (not to be rude but do save your breath, my chances at getting in are so very very slim) and of course, I'm Brown ;) All in all, it was a fabulous event with two great authors. Sarwat and Ms. Hawkins complemented each other perfectly (and not just because one had a British accent and one a slight Southern one) and I hope to be able to attend more author events and not be so shy!

Have you ever been to an author event? Who was the author? If you live in the UK try and attend a Sarwat Chadda event! If you live in the U.S. you probably missed him but Rachel Hawkins is equally as cool so try and attend one of her events :)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Anti-Prom

Breaking the Spine hosts this meme that allows us to put books on each other's radars because obviously all bookworms need more books ;D


The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

Release Date: April 12, 2011

Three unlikely allies team up for a night of rebellion, romance, and revenge in a high-stakes dramedy from acclaimed young author Abby McDonald.

They’ve spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that’s all about to change. Popular Bliss was having the perfect prom until she found her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of a limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn’t be caught dead at the prom, yet here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, risking her reputation for some guy - some guy who is forty minutes late. And shy, studious, über-planner Meg never counted on her date’s standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald’s hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls and one unforgettable prom night.

-I believe Bliss is Mexican-American and most people know by now that I'm always looking for fun stories about teenagers of color. We need more of them! Revenge, prom, three points of view, three girls thrown together who barely know each other. I'm curious to see how they all meet and get started on their quest for revenge/a good time :)

What are you waiting on this week? I finally got my Goodreads TBR to 500 and it will stay there. So if you leave a recommendation and I don't add it right away, don't feel bad, that's why (I'm not so sure I can read more than 500 books in my lifetime)!

Off Color: The Iron Witch

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney 2011
Corgi Books/Random House Children's Books

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "Sometimes the longer you left something without telling people, the harder it got to open your mouth and start filing them in on what they'd missed." Donna pg. 181

Donna Underwood is the daughter of two very powerful alchemists. She is also a freak, because she wears gloves all the time but has super strength, displayed in a moment at school that she regrets. She has iron tattoos that cover her hands and arms, they are beautifully bizarre so she covers them with gloves. Donna hides everything about her life with the alchemists, not even her best friend Navin Sharma knows about her tattoos (not to mention how she got them). But Donna isn't going to be able to hide all her secrets much longer, not when the mysterious (and handsome) Alexander (Xan) Grayson keeps popping into her life and he seems to understand her, even though she barely knows him. She can't keep hiding secrets from Navin either especially when the dark exiles of Faerie are beginning to appear and they want something that Donna isn't even sure exists and they won't hesitate to hurt her loved ones to get what they want.

I think what was lacking for me the most in this book was character development in the secondary characters. Navin has personality, funny, caring, loyal, vulnerable. He knows Donna has secrets but he doesn't push. Navin is a character that everyone will root for and I really liked his relationship with Donna. It's nice to have a guy who is the best friend, like a brother, not a romantic interest. Donna and Alexander Grayson on the other hand, didn't really leap off the page. The only thing Xan has going for him is that he's mysterious and nice, willing to help Donna even though he barely knows her. I'm looking forward to learning more about him and I like that he encourages Donna to be more positive and confident in herself, but I have ambivalent feelings about him. I like Donna, at times she is a typical teen, feeling down, prone to self pity, scared of the elves. She's someone I could relate to because of the feelings and at the same time I admired her loyalty to Navin and her bravery. She's usually scared but she thinks quick on her feet and she does what she has to do to protect her loved ones. I wanted her to succeed but that was about it. The secondary characters were rather bland, Aunt Paige, Maker, Quentin and Simon never really materialized as characters, I only grasped bits of their personality through Donna and Navin talking about them, I would have liked to have learned more about the secondary characters through their actions and interactions with Donna.

Before I get to the more obvious favorite parts of the book (the alchemy!), I loved the very subtle bits in the book that showed diversity and the fact that yes this book is set in the 21st century. Donna's best friend Navin is a major character who happens to be Indian American, he's a universal character, his heritage does not define him. Quentin is head of the Order of the Dragon of which Donna's parents are members. He also happens to be gay. The author never explicitly states that but Donna mentions Quentin's partner Simon, who lives with Quentin. Of course the alchemy knowledge is fantastic. It's never dumped all over the reader, instead pieces of alchemy history and terms appear through dialogue, Donna knows very little about the Order, the adults keep everything a secret. Thus the reader is able to learn with Donna without it growing tiresome or becoming an infodump session. The book has clearly been well researched and it is also clear that the author tried to find creative ways of sharing the information and creating her own twists on the subject. In addition there are fun bits about Faerie and I found it very interesting to read about dark elves. I don't read much paranormal so my only contact with elves are the Santa Claus kind. So I had a great deal of fun reading about dark wood elves.

The Iron Witch is a fast-moving story with a genuine teenage main character, not unrealistically heroic, but not utterly selfish. Donna is independent and I love that she and Xan equally save each other. I love that she has a mostly normal relationship with her best friend Navin and that she worries constantly about telling him her secrets versus not telling him. The author didn't have to make this story diverse. She could have easily made all the couples straight, not mentioned Donna's fashion (it may seem random to mention but I liked that Donna wasn't outlandishly quirky or a dull conservative dresser. Her gloves are described in detail and I found it intriguing/sad that she took such care in choosing pretty gloves to cover scars she considers ugly) and made all the characters white (or not mentioned the race) but the fact that a conscious effort was made to reflect the real world is something I highly applaud. The premise of the book is highly unique, faeries (ok I admit I don't know the difference between fairies, faeries and fey but I'll learn) combined with alchemists (c'mon how much fun is it to read about the elixir of life?) set in the 21st century. Authentic main characters, quick and intriguing plot, all that's needed is more development with Xan and the secondary characters. I am eager to see where this story goes next and while this could be a stand-alone novel, there's plenty of extra material available to use and I feel as though it's cliffhanger-ish.

Disclosure: Received for review from the author, thank you :D And yes we are friends

PS And ok the UK version of this book is MARVELOUS. Gold trim on the pages, gold curlicues on the cover, a delicate vial (I was pleasantly surprised that its description in the book matches what's on the cover) and the lovely iron tattoos. I'm not sure how the cover of the sequel will be able to match this one, but I look forward to seeing it revealed :)

New Crayons + English Poetry Selections

Due to a death in the family I've been MIA lately. I announced on Twitter that I was going to be away from the blog for an undetermined amount of time but I forgot to post that here. I apologize. I'm doing ok, taking the death hard but it wasn't totally unexpected. Anyway, reading and blogging keeps me from getting too sad. I've finished three wonderful books and I want to work on those reviews tonight so hopefully they'll post this week. Also I only was able to mail two of the four books in my quick giveaway so the others won't be sent out for another week. Again, I apologize.

New Crayons is hosted by Color Online. Before I left on Thursday I saw that I had one SUPER awesome package. Unfortunately I didn't have any room left to pack this book but I will be reading it ASAP.

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Release Date: April 5, 2011

Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo's highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.

WoW Aww YEA!

Also I wanted to share my final English poetry selections. 100 lines of poetry to memorize and I chose more humorous poems. Thank YOU ALL so much for all your help!

"Gentle Alice Brown" by W.S. Gilbert

IT was a robber's daughter, and her name was Alice Brown.
Her father was the terror of a small Italian town;
Her mother was a foolish, weak, but amiable old thing;
But it isn't of her parents that I'm going for to sing.

As Alice was a-sitting at her window-sill one day,
A beautiful young gentleman he chanced to pass that way;
She cast her eyes upon him, and he looked so good and true,
That she thought, "I could be happy with a gentleman like you!"

And every morning passed her house that cream of gentlemen,
She knew she might expect him at a quarter unto ten,
A sorter in the Custom-house, it was his daily road
(The Custom-house was fifteen minutes' walk from her abode.)

But Alice was a pious girl, who knew it wasn't wise
To look at strange young sorters with expressive purple eyes;
So she sought the village priest to whom her family confessed,
The priest by whom their little sins were carefully assessed.

"Oh, holy father," Alice said, "'t would grieve you, would it not?
To discover that I was a most disreputable lot!
Of all unhappy sinners I'm the most unhappy one!"
The padre said, "Whatever have you been and gone and done?"

"I have helped mamma to steal a little kiddy from its dad,
I've assisted dear papa in cutting up a little lad.
I've planned a little burglary and forged a little check,
And slain a little baby for the coral on its neck!"

The worthy pastor heaved a sigh, and dropped a silent tear--
And said, "You mustn't judge yourself too heavily, my dear--
It's wrong to murder babies, little corals for to fleece;
But sins like these one expiates at half-a-crown apiece.

"Girls will be girls--you're very young, and flighty in your mind;
Old heads upon young shoulders we must not expect to find:
We mustn't be too hard upon these little girlish tricks--
Let's see--five crimes at half-a-crown--exactly twelve-and-six."

"Oh, father," little Alice cried, "your kindness makes me weep,
You do these little things for me so singularly cheap--
Your thoughtful liberality I never can forget;
But O there is another crime I haven't mentioned yet!

"A pleasant-looking gentleman, with pretty purple eyes,
I've noticed at my window, as I've sat a-catching flies;
He passes by it every day as certain as can be--
I blush to say I've winked at him and he has winked at me!"

"For shame," said Father Paul, "my erring daughter! On my word
This is the most distressing news that I have ever heard.
Why, naughty girl, your excellent papa has pledged your hand
To a promising young robber, the lieutenant of his band!

"This dreadful piece of news will pain your worthy parents so!
They are the most remunerative customers I know;
For many many years they've kept starvation from my doors,
I never knew so criminal a family as yours!

"The common country folk in this insipid neighborhood
Have nothing to confess, they're so ridiculously good;
And if you marry any one respectable at all,
Why, you'll reform, and what will then become of Father Paul?"

The worthy priest, he up and drew his cowl upon his crown,
And started off in haste to tell the news to Robber Brown;
To tell him how his daughter, who now was for marriage fit,
Had winked upon a sorter, who reciprocated it.

Good Robber Brown, he muffled up his anger pretty well,
He said, "I have a notion, and that notion I will tell;
I will nab this gay young sorter, terrify him into fits,
And get my gentle wife to chop him into little bits.

"I've studied human nature, and I know a thing or two,
Though a girl may fondly love a living gent, as many do--
A feeling of disgust upon her senses there will fall
When she looks upon his body chopped particularly small."

He traced that gallant sorter to a still suburban square;
He watched his opportunity and seized him unaware;
He took a life-preserver and he hit him on the head,
And Mrs. Brown dissected him before she went to bed.

And pretty little Alice grew more settled in her mind,
She nevermore was guilty of a weakness of the kind,
Until at length good Robber Brown bestowed her hand
On the promising young robber, the lieutenant of his band. From poetry-archive

"At the Theatre: To the Lady Behind Me" by A.P. Herbert

Dear Madam, you have seen this play;
I never saw it till today.
You know the details of the plot,
But, let me tell you, I do not.
The author seeks to keep from me
The murderer's identity,
And you are not a friend of his
If you keep shouting who it is.
The actors in their funny way
Have several funny things to say,
But they do not amuse me more
If you have said them just before;
The merit of the drama lies,
I understand, in some surprise;
But the surprise must now be small
Since you have just foretold it all.
The lady you have brought with you
Is, I infer, a half-wit too,
But I can understand the piece
Without assistance from your niece.
In short, foul woman, it would suit
Me just as well if you were mute;
In fact, to make my meaning plain,
I trust you will not speak again.
And—-may I add one human touch?—-
Don't breathe upon my neck so much From oldpoetry.com

and finally "Standing Room Only" by Spike Milligan

This population explosion
Said Peter to St. Paul
Is really getting far too much
Just look at the crowd in the hall.
Even here, in Heaven
There isn't any room
I think the world could do with less
Much less fruit in the womb.
Thus Heaven is overcrowded
The numbers are starting to tell
So when the next lot knock at the gates
Tell 'em to 'Go to Hell'

From allpoetry.com

Not looking forward to memorizing 100 lines but at least the poems aren't dry...

What new books did you get this week? What are your favorite funny poems, English (British) or not?

Waiting on Wednesday: Boyfriends with Girlfriends

Breaking the Spine is le host


Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez

Release Date: April 19, 2011

Lance has always known he was gay, but he's never had a real boyfriend. Sergio is bisexual, but his only real relationship was with a girl. When the two of them meet, they have an instant connection--but will it be enough to overcome their differences?

Allie's been in a relationship with a guy for the last two years--but when she meets Kimiko, she can't get her out of her mind. Does this mean she's lesbian? Does it mean she's bi? Kimiko, falling hard for Allie, and finding it impossible to believe that a gorgeous girl like Allie would be into her, is willing to stick around and help Allie figure it out.

-You already know a cover is the first thing that usally catches a reader's eye and this one is no exception. This may sound weird but I feel like this is an authentic teen pose (y'know how sometimes models are just in awkward positions and you think 'I would never do that in real life'? No? Well ok that's just me then), my friends and I write on our arms/hands/legs all the time and while I don't like getting that close to people, my friends do lie like that when we are just vegging out. But enough about me. I like that the four models on the book look like they may actually resemble the main characters. And I heart the fact that this book is not only about gay people, but also bisexuals. I really liked The God Box by Alex Sanchez and I want to read more by him :)

Share your WoW pick with me!

Top Ten Characters I Want as Family Members

This is my first time particpating in this meme but I've always read a few of these lists every week because they are so much fun to read. Now I get to share, yay!

This week's topic is Top Ten People You (I) Would Want in Your (My) Family. The meme is hosted by The Broke & The Bookish

1. Hands down I want Mare from Mare's War as my grandmother. Although I would give anything to have one more conversation with my own maternal grandmother. I even talk about how I should call her more in my original (very young) review. I only learned my lesson for a few months unfortunately. But this is getting to sad, so moving on. Mare wears stilettos, bright red lipstick (my grandmother does too) and drives fast. She's also chockful of stories, she went on some awesome adventures and she was in the army during World War II. Oh you know, no big deal. Psych! How cool would that be, the places Mare has been, the things she's seen. I want a book dedicated solely to her time in the war and afterwards.

2. I adore my little brother but it would be really fun to have Lamar (from How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Buba-Sized Trophy) as my brother too. He would have me rolling all the time and he could teach me how to bowl! So much fun.

3. Yumi from I Wanna Be Your Shoebox as my sister. I like my sister and she's similar in age to Yumi but Yumi is so..with it. She's a fighter, loyal to the core and quriky.

4. Junior from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian as my cousin. He's SO FUNNY! And I would actually just want to hug him and share books with him and just discuss life. As corny as that sounds. I don't have many cousins in America so it would be nice to have someone with such a great personality. I would also remind him that he's poor because he's stupid or ugly, I would tell him that he's one of the most intelligent people I know and a handsome kid ;)

5. Davie from 32 Candles as my older sister. I don't have an older sister and I sometimes wish that I did. I would want her to be just like Davie, kind and crazy. Cuz Davie kinda loses it in the book but then she pulls herself together and she sings at a nightclub. Plus she could give me tips on how to reinvent myself after high school. I accept my Invitation to Crazy

6. Rosalee from Bleeding Violet as my mom. I know that sounds insane but I'm not an affectionate person so I would like that Rosalee wouldn't constantly be trying to smother me in hugs. Like my own mother, Rosalee is incredibely strong and I love that about her. Although I wouldn't go on any 'field trips' with Rosalee nor would I want to live in Portero.. And hey, Rosalee is gorgeous. Although so is my mom and I don't have her looks so maybe I'm just doomed not to look like gorgeous women?

7. I love my dad but I wouldn't mind Percivel (Percy) from Devil's Kiss being my second dad. Not only is he a nice guy but he could teach me how to use various weapons. Sweet :)

8. Maddie from Saving Maddie as another cousin. I need all the stlye help I can get so besides Davie, Maddie could also help me. I dearly wish I was confident as her. Maybe she could me with that too? She would also be fun to just hang out with, especially when some Christians at our school got too intense and I needed someone who knew when to relax.

9. Marcelo from Marcelo in the World as my older brother. Well yes Marcelo and I are the same age but he's several months older ok? ;p Marcelo is brillant and shy but I feel like he could easily step into the role of protective older brother. Also he could discuss religion with Maddie and me for as long as we wanted (not that I would want to for very long, I think all his deep questions would leave me at a loss for words after awhile).

10. Genna from A Wish After Midnight may be two years younger than myself but she's basically my twin. From her heritage (half Panamanian-half Black) to her personality (well a bit more of an attitude in the 1860s) to her thoughts about being Black. <3

So who would be in your family?

Male Monday: Deadline (Off Color)

Deadline by Chris Crutcher 2007
Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins

Rating: 3/5

IQ "from my point of view, there is simply nothing like her. I know other kids feel the same way about people they're with, which is what makes life on earth interesting. I want to be here longer. I am aware that this might very well be the crowning glory of my life, as I am aware that I am very old if you count back from my end, rather than up from my birth. I think I am in love, and the idea of losing that love fills me with such deep longing I think I might disappear through the gym floor." Ben pg. 117

Ben Wolf has been diagnosed with a blood disease and given one year to live. He wants to make an impact on the world but that's awfully hard to do in small-town Trout, Idaho. He's a senior and he decides that he's not going to die without leaving his mark, at least on Trout. He's determined to learn as much as he can his senior year, challenge his teachers and even though he's the shortest, skinniest kid, he's fast so he's going out for football. He's also had his eye on the beautiful, 5 ft. 11 Dallas Suzuki and if he could just work up the courage to ask her....Ben has decided not to receive treatment for his disease, and he's keeping his diagnosis a secret which turns out to be much harder than he expected.

I think the difficulty in writing a book about a teen whose dying is in not sounding too preachy, too...rushed I suppose. Rushed as in 'hurry-this-teen-is-going-to-die-but-first-they-must-share-an-earth shattering-revelation-about-Carpe-Diem.' If that makes sense. Basically I feel like all these books are about teens realizing that they must live each day like it's their last, but this is the first book I've read where the main character is dying so I really can't say. It just seems to me that when writing that kind of book, the author wants to make sure he or she leaves big nuggets of wisdom about living your life to the fullest, appreciating family, etc. In Deadline I thought the author could have done a better job weaving in these tidbits of life advice in a more subtle, authentic (for teenagers) manner. Instead the author creates Hey-Soos who basically spouts vague bits of wisdom that are supposed to get Ben thinking and to draw his own conclusions. Ben's insights are revealing, but it feels too much like an easy way of throwing in lots of Important Lessons via dialogue. I would have rather seen these discussions been between Ben and a friend or family member. I also thought the whole Malcolm X thing was a bit overdone, I felt that I got beaten over the head about how complicated a man he was, but I have to remember there are people who completely hate Malcolm X or have never even heard of him.

All that being said, I appreciated reading about Ben's exploits as he tried to seize the day and I loved the ending. It seems wrong to say I loved it, but I liked that the author doesn't pull any tricks or throw in any twists. It wouldn't be a Chris Crutcher book if the main character wasn't a pain in the butt to narrow-minded teachers so of course Ben is focused on 'fighting the Man' (or the power or the system, whatever you want to call it). I really admired Ben for not seeking treatment and the fact that he remained so strong when death was so close. I would (am) be terrified out of my mind but I think if my family situation was like, I would have tried to keep it a secret too. The Rudy storyline was a rather shocking revelation although I had my suspicions, but I really hoped they were wrong. It's a storyline that could upset a lot of people, shoot it upset me, but the author kept a surprisingly neutral attitude about Rudy's whole plotline which was a wise move (I think because it could so easily be misconstrued).

Deadline is a painful tale that will force teenagers to confront the fact that we could die at any time, which is something that I personally don't like to think about. I wish the book had been less didactic in nature, the lessons are important but I felt the author was too heavy handed in spreading his message. I love that the main character is short and not ashamed of it, I love that he wants to go out with a girl who towers over him and I love that Dallas Suzuki has such a horrific, heartbreaking storyline and yet she is also a terrific, confident athlete. Her tragedy doesn't define her and neither does Ben's and that's awesome. I also firmly believe that Chris Crutcher has this magical ability to make seemingly random historical facts fit well with the story including Malcolm X and the Japanese concentration camps. I don't always agree with some of the sentiments expressed by the author through the characters (there seems to always be one super conservative character and one very liberal character with the main character being the happy medium) but I'm glad the sentiments are being expressed in such a thoughtful and oftentimes humorous way. There's a lot of football talk (plays, positions) that had me completely lost so if you're like me and know nothing about football, I don't think you'll really learn much. But if you already liked football, you will probably get a little more out of those parts!


Disclosure: Received from my Secret Santa Katie @ Bookishly Yours. Thank you!


PS Please, please, please donate money to relief organizations, specifically ones working to help Japan, such as the American Red Cross.

Quick Giveaway

HarperCollins sent me 4 ARCs. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, none of them are about poc. This is going to be a quick giveaway because I want to mail these books out asap, before I head off on spring break. All you have to do is fill out the form below, first come first serve. The only requirements are that you are U.S. based (or willing to pay international shipping) and that you have a book blog. I want these books to be reviewed. They are May-July releases



Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Release Date: June 21, 2011

Sometimes falling in love means you have to kill somebody.

Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were destined to be together forever. Of that, Jana was sure.

But Jana just died—in a bowling accident. And now she’s trapped in Dead School. Jana is certain that it won’t be long before Michael kills himself in order to spend eternity with her—but the days are passing and Michael is, inexplicably, still alive. So Jana decides to take matters into her own hands. And nothing—not even Dead School bad boy Mars Dreamcote’s enticingly warm touch or the devastating secret he holds about her death—will stop her from making her dreams come true.

Romeo and Juliet meets Heathers in this hilariously macabre take on paranormal romance, packed with heart-stopping suspense and sizzling star-crossed love.




Nightspell (Mistwood #2) by Leah Cypess

Release Date: May 31, 2011

A stand-alone companion novel to the much-acclaimed MISTWOOD. When Darri rides into Ghostland, a country where the living walk with the dead, she has only one goal: to rescue her younger sister Callie, who was sent to Ghostland as a hostage four years ago. But Callie has changed in those four years, and now has secrets of her own. In her quest to save her sister from herself, Darri will be forced to outmaneuver a handsome ghost prince, an ancient sorcerer, and a manipulative tribal warrior (who happens to be her brother). When Darri discovers the source of the spell that has kept the dead in Ghostland chained to this earth, she faces a decision that will force her to reexamine beliefs she has never before questioned - and lead her into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens the very balance of power between the living and the dead.

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw


Release Date: June 21, 2011

Kate Winters isn’t who she thinks she is. Burned out of her family bookstore by a suspicious fire, she will be pursued across a country riddled by fear and war before she discovers the extent of her skill and her destiny. Her pursuers include Silas Dane—one of the most compelling villains since Rowling’s Professor Snape and Pullman’s Mrs. Coulter—and Edgar, a young man who worked at the bookshop and who seems to know much more about the secrets of Wintercraft (a mysterious book that has been in Kate’s family for generations; a book responsible for the disappearance of her parents years ago) than he lets on. Highly original, dark, and riveting, this is the first in a three-book series by debut author Jenna Burtenshaw.

Voice of the Undead (Alex Van Helsing #2) by Jason Henderson


Release Date: July 26, 2011

Now that Alex is in the know about the deadly vampires that live—and hunt—clustered around his boarding school, everything is different. Putting his talents to use, Alex is training with the Polidorium to become a vampire hunter, just like his Van Helsing ancestors. Sure, he’s only fourteen, but c’mon, this runs in his blood.

Meanwhile, Alex’s arch-nemesis Elle, a vampire whose youthful appearance and blond hair disguise a vengeful rage, is out to get him before a powerful leader called “Ultravox” arrives on the scene. Ultravox specializes in assassinations, but who is he targeting? Dodging Elle’s attacks, Alex is on a mission to uncover Ultravox’s deadly plan before his friends and his school become collateral damage. There’s no time to report back; innocent lives hang in the balance, and it’s up to Alex to act now—or else.

FORM

ETA: There is only 1 book left, Voice of the Undead.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

THE COLLEGE POST (Part 1)

As you read this I am either a) trying not to fall asleep while taking the SAT (this would only happen during the math section. I simply CAN NOT concentrate on math for 20 minutes. I'm working on it though since it's kinda-sorta-majorly important) b) Anxiously waiting for the SAT to be over, c) Stressing out over what I'm going to get on the SAT, d) Hanging out with friends in an effort to forget about the SAT

I've been known to ask some college questions on Twitter (such as whether or not I should talk about my blog on my applications, which got a resounding yes and makes me want to hyperventilate or just to bemoan how expensive college is) and often people give me college recommendations. Sometimes it's their alma mater or they have a good friend there or they sent a child (or two or three) there. I decided I needed to a post for all that information. Basically, this is a post where I need, WANT advice.

What do you wish you knew about applying to college? What do you wish you knew about college?

Any advice is so greatly appreciated. Also feel free to leave college recommendations, and scholarship info. But let's keep it realistc. I don't think there's any point in suggesting Harvard because my GPA is higher than a 3.0 but lower than a 4.0. Dartmouth is out not only because of grades but because it's in a rather remote area. I don't know much about what I want in my college experience but I do know 5 things

1. Medium-Large student body (preferably with school spirit. I really like sports but I can deal if school spirit is lacking).

2. Suburban or city. NO RURAL

3. DIVERSITY (if the school only has 4% AA and 2% Latinos I can't do it. I would love to be at school where there are many Asian students and Muslims and Jewish kids because I've never been around that kind of environment on a daily basis).

4. Service opportunities. Giving back is a big deal for me so the school needs to have more than one service club, even better if it actively encourages its students to go out there and do something.

5. Excellent study abroad program. I haven't yet figured out how I'll pay for it (unless it's DukeEngage which is probably one of the greatest programs I've ever come across because it's service and traveling) but I want to have that option.

Bonuses: Field hockey team and I really really really don't think I can handle a school that requires 3 years of math. Preferably no math requirement, but I can deal with 1 year.

So I already hinted a bit at one of my dream schools but I refuse to deluge those details. why? I'll be mortified if I don't get into my dream schools and it wouldn't be fair for me to post the schools I don't really want to go to. Believe me I have a lot of reach schools and based on my GPA I'm probably in for some disappointments. But I'm going to try!

March 19-27 is my spring break and I'm going on a college road trip. Any recommendations of questions I should ask? I don't want to ask questions that could easily be found by searching their website.

Hmmm any more details needed? Oh! I have no idea if I'm going to go into politics/international relations or publishing. I do know that (at the moment) I want to major in International Relations and minor in something that I could use for publishing (marketing, English, not really sure what would be helpful right now).

But enough about me. This post is also going to contain my list of Diverse College Reads. That way, if by some off chance, a teen is scouring my blog and wants a list of books about/set in college, she will find the list and some advice :) I think that books about college students counts as YA and I know that I'm not the only one who wants to see more of these books. College is the great unknown and I think it's ripe for writers! It could be a really fun, challenging topic. I've seen a few more college books popping up, but to my knowledge, none of them feature a main character (or even secondary character) of color. So prove me wrong, leave lots of recommendations :D Some of these books have to do with applying to college and all that stress, and a few others talk about options besides college, which I deem as relevant to Young Adults.

About the College Process

Good Enough by Paula Yoo

She's So Money by Cherry Cheva

What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

Efrain's Secret by Sofia Quintero

Pull by B.A. Binns

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

An Ocean Apart, A World Away by Lensey Namioka

Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa (the summer before college) by Micol Ostow

So Punk Rock: And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother by Micol Ostow, illustrated by David Ostow

Set in College

Beta Gamma Pi series (Work What You Got=1st book) by Stephanie Perry Moore

Colorful Interview with Neesha Meminger!

Everyone get ready to be blown away! Today I have the absolutely phenomenal Neesha Meminger stopping by, yay =D

Neesha is the author of Shine, Coconut Moon and Jazz in Love and I admit, I count her as one of my dear friends. Even if we didn't interact so much online though, I would still be in awe of Neesha's brilliance (and yet she still manages to sound very down-to-earth and funny). Read on to see what I mean....

One of my favorite quotes from the book occurs when Tyler and Jazz are looking at the stars. Jazz says "The stars. They were like a thousand suns. And at night, that's what they felt like, little pricks prodding everyone to do what's deep down inside, and not worry about anyone or anything else. They were like a veil, letting the secret part of you be heard-the part you kept shut and quiet under the harsher light of the daytime sun." (pgs 142-143). Do you put a secret part of yourself in books? And growing up, did you feel as though you could never lift that veil?

A: I think I do put a secret part of myself in books. Somewhere in those pages are things I've never told anyone. And when I was growing up, it wasn't safe to lift the veil. It would have put me in a position of having to choose between people/things I didn't have the resources or emotional capacity to choose between. But there was always a part of me that knew. There was always that wavering, flickering voice down there that held the truth. That's why I wrote Jazz in Love - it's all about listening to that inner voice that knows the truth, even if the truth is not popular, "acceptable", or about to get you into a whole heap of crap.

And that is why book bloggers/reviewers feel a tinge (or in my case-a pang) of guilt when they criticize a book! The resounding messages of having to choose and the truth not always being acceptable, are ones that make Jazz in Love universal.

Cindy and Jazz have a relatively drama-free friendship. Today it seems that in YA friendships between girls always revolve around guys and guys are the ruin of the friendships. Jazz and Cindy talk about guys but most of their discussions have to do with schoolwork, food and getting together Auntie Kindner and Dr. Babaloo. Why did you decide to keep Jazz and Cindy's friendship very low-key?

A: A couple of reasons. 1) There *are* drama-free relationships between girls. What gets media play, of course, are the cat-fights, the rivalries, jealousies and backstabbing. I've written extensively about the Reena Virk case in Canada, where the media picked up this *one* story of "girl-violence" and played the "girls can be bullies, too" angle incessantly. The truth is that the story was far more complex than that. It was a devastating story, no doubt, but for the media to play the "girl violence" angle over all the other issues that were in play was problematic. And (2) When we create stories, part of what we do is create new possibilities and realities through the rules of the world we create. Women and girls have had functional, loving, caring, nurturing relationships for centuries. Women can work together in teams and partnerships where there is respect and compassion. That doesn't mean there isn't conflict - and this does occur between Cindy and Jazz when Cindy disagrees with Jazz's relationship with Tyler. Remember--they stop talking for a while, but that conflict is resolved respectfully and with love.


You briefly take us to the UK in your second storyline between Dr. Babaloo and Auntie Kinder. What kind of research did you do to get a feeling for being Asian in the UK?

A: Well, I grew up in Canada, which started as a collection of British colonies until it gained full sovereignty (in my lifetime) and Britain ruled India for almost a hundred years, so my connection to the UK goes way back. And it is still embedded in my pores in many ways. But besides all that, I spent a lot of time in parts of Britain when I was growing up. We visited yearly for a while and stayed with aunts and cousins in Birmingham and Wolverhampton - all of my British family members fascinated me.

I was in awe of the South Asian scene in Britain because South Asians really seemed to have made a home for themselves there. And in spite of this, those South Asians still struggled with being viewed as outsiders and immigrants, even when they'd been there for generations. But I loved all of it - the different regional accents, the connection to South Asian culture (in a way I didn't have when I was growing up), the over-the-top way of celebrating functions, etc. It was an entirely different way of being South Asian based on the history and geography of the nation.

Then, in my twenties, when I was in the thriving arts and culture scene of Toronto, I was part of an organization that brought a lot of UK-based South Asian artists and activists to screen their films and participate in a festival. We brought Gurinder Chadha (director of Bend it Like Beckham) to screen her first film, Bhaji on the Beach, and Pratibha Parmar, who screened her groundbreaking film about the South Asian LGBTQ community, Khush. There were many discussions then about the arts and culture scenes of London and Toronto and how the two compared politically, socially and economically, and how the South Asian communities were evolving in both places.

I suppose all of this filtered into the novel.


I've only read a few books about South Asian teens in the UK and a few more about South Asian teens in the U.S. but I would agree that the way of celebrating being South Asian seems to be very different in the UK than how it is in the U.S. Not necessarily better (to my mind), just unique. I wonder if there are more South Asians in the UK or the U.S.?


It must have been so much fun to visit your extended family in the UK! Then to go home to Canada. It's fascinating how you didn't grow up in the U.S. but (I would argue) your 'voice' is distinctly American. But I never would have thought Canada had a thriving South Asian community.

Jazz loves romance novels. A South Asian TEEN loving romance novels? You can practically hear the gasps of shock. Why did you decide to give Jazz this love of books that are often looked down upon and dismissed?

A: I guess because *I* was a South Asian teen who loved romance novels! Also, it's not a stretch for South Asian teens to connect with romance novels because most grow up with a strong connection to Hindi movies (also known as Bollywood films) - almost all of which have a strong romance component. And most of the teens I knew when I was growing up (and the ones I know now) - South Asian or not - weren't too concerned with what was looked down upon. If they liked something, they read it/watched it/listened to it. Even if they had to do it in secret, which is what Jazz does. :)

Do you have any recommendations of some good romance books, YA or not (bonus points if they're multicultural ;)?

A: I really enjoyed Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix - it was such a sweet, beautiful romance mixed with adventure--how could you not love it? I've always loved Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier. I also liked The Season, by Sarah MacLean, very much. But I think I have a special soft spot for His Own Where, by June Jordan.

I will forever be grateful that you introduced me to His Own Where, a pure and simple love story with captivating language. I LOVE it! I second your recommendations of The Season (fun historical romance!), Silver Phoenix (we need a romance resolution though!) and Born Confused (awww).

Do you see Jazz in Love as chick lit? Do you feel that this label is beneficial or potentially hurtful?
A: Personally, I don't take offense to the term, but I can see how it could be limiting and trivializing. Jazz in Love has many layers and is more than just a book about a girl who wants to date. There are topics like spousal abuse, dating violence, class, and caste that are explored. I would hate for people to gloss over these important issues just because I didn't hit the reader over the head with them. The truth is that people navigate these issues while they are living their lives and having experiences and relationships--and other things, like falling in love, or falling in crush, are just as important when you're young. Maybe the term "chicklit" makes these books seem shallow and unimportant, somehow? That would be sad--and potentially turn away readers who might otherwise really connect with the characters and story.

You mention a few Bollywood films and what's good and the bad about these films. Do you have a favorite Bollywood film, and would you mind sharing it with us?

A: I have several! I loved Paheli, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee; Chak De India; Veer-Zaara; Swades; Jodhaa Akbaar; Asoka; Fanaa; Mangal Pandey; Dil Se and so many more. Bollywood, like romance novels, is a genre. There are traits unique and specific to the genre and you either love it or you hate it. Bollywood films tend to be epic, or sweeping, and lavish with very dramatic music scores and over-the-top acting. They are completely escapist and the good ones are great fun :).

You took the leap and self-published Jazz in Love. From experience, I've read some not-so-great self-published books. but I've also read some great ones (A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott and now Jazz in Love). Do you have any tips for those who also want to self-publish? And what would you say to readers who are wary of giving a self-published book a chance?

A: The best tip I have for anyone who wants to self-publish is to make your book the absolute best it can be. It will be competing for attention on bookshelves and it has to be able to hold its own. The production quality has to be excellent, the cover has to be arresting, and the story has to be engaging to its target audience (therefore, you really have to *know* your audience!). I would strongly advise people to hire a professional editor, if at all possible. If you don't have the finances for it, save up. Seriously--you NEED an editor.

For readers, I would say that things are changing. Most readers are not wary of independent film or independent music because these are accepted forms of expression. Publishing is heading down a similar path where there are options for people who have stories to tell, but for whatever reason, aren't finding a home for their work. I would read a sample or excerpt of an author's work before buying it--Google has a preview function, as does Amazon. A few pages of writing will give you a sense of whether an author has a style you enjoy, and a few chapters will let you know whether you're interested in the story enough to continue reading. I would check the author's track record, their online presence, the marketing they've done for the book--are they professional? Do you connect with anything else they've got out for readers (i.e. a blog, guest posts on others' blogs, interviews, etc.)? But I would definitely encourage people to broaden their reading choices. L.A. Banks, who is a NY Times best-selling author, self-published this year because no publishing house would acquire her YA novel. Imagine ruling out her YA books simply because she chose to self-publish?

YES to the needing an arresting cover! Even bigger yes to needing an editor! I've read quite a few self-published novels with some serious potential but they are poorly edited.

In a guest post at the Rejectionist called "A Kind of Blindness to the Truth" you make the most excellent point that "more and more people are looking behind what is shown. More and more people are less and less fooled by our constant diet of the single story and a culture that, however unintentionally, promotes a kind of blindness to the truth. I see it everywhere, all around me-people want the truth, they want what's real, they want to live in a world based on values of justice and equality and they want to see that reflected back in their stories and mythologies. This is the information age-people are getting smarter, and less likely to be fooled. Myth-makers and image-creators would do well to take heed, and some are. In the long run, it's about so much more than just the bottom line." This post is specifically talking about science fiction and fantasy, but it could apply to any genre. How do you think, as readers, we can make publishers see that every culture has more than a single story? Obviously there's no easy answer but do you think there are small, concrete steps we can take?

A: I think the power of persuasion is in the bottom line. Publishers, film production houses, music labels--all tend to give something a chance if it will make money (and perhaps if it conforms to certain accepted ideals). And the only way for a product to make money is if consumers "vote" with their dollars. If you are a librarian and find that your collection is scant in books by and about marginalized voices, make a concerted effort to order more books reflecting diverse experiences and put those books front and center for readers. If you are a teacher and find that your curriculum/syllabus is mostly offering one or two types of stories, include a wider range of voices and encourage students to seek out diverse opinions and perspectives. And if you are simply a reader who enjoys lots of different kinds of books, talk them up. Enthusiastically share all the diverse books you've read with everyone you know :)

In Shine, Coconut Moon, the main character, Samar is called a coconut. Jazz arguably fits the bill of being a coconut, especially in the eyes of her cousin, Camel (well actually her name is Kamal) who is annoyed by Jazz cutting her hair and says "it takes courage to assert your Indian-ness in the west." Yet she never outright calls Jazz a 'coconut'. Why did you decide to make this a non-issue in Jazz in Love?

A: Jazz is far more immersed in Indian culture than Sam ever was. Sam's mother deliberately raised her to be "American", whereas Jazz is having the same struggles that all her other cousins and South Asian peers have--they live in a country where most things are black and white. There are very few images of South Asians in the media, in magazines, and in books. So, Jazz is making her own choices, sure, but she is definitely in the same boat as other South Asian teens around her. Her cousin, Kamal, might see courage in asserting "Indian-ness", but Jazz might argue that playing by the cultural, traditional, familial "rules" is the easier way out. And that it takes courage to go against one's parents, community, culture, and traditions in the pursuit of one's own truth and one's own path of learning. Jazz wants to be able to make her own mistakes--make her own choices and deal with whatever consequences arise as a result.

I was clear, at the onset, that Jazz in Love was not going to be a novel about identity. Jazz doesn't struggle with whether she's Indian or American, or both or neither. That's never an issue for her. Yes, her parents want her to be *more* Indian, but she never worries about whether she's American enough and she never really worries about whether she's Indian enough. For Jazz, this is a struggle for autonomy. She wants to be able to do what *she* wants to do. She questions some of the restrictions and limits her parents place on her, but that is a generational battle that has to do with culture, tradition, religion, and gender roles.

I wanted more Tyler time! And more Jeeves time! And more time with everyone in Jazz's world. Is there a possibility that we will get to revisit Jazz and friends? Or at least, do you have any plans on writing another YA contemporary?

A: I really missed the characters in Jazz's world when I finished writing the book. They were a huge part of the reason I decided to put the book out myself, in the end. I *know* young people like Jazz and Jeeves and Tyler and Pammi. I felt such a strong sense of responsibility and . . . love . . . toward them (sorry to get hokey) that I couldn't help feeling I was letting them down if I didn't succeed in putting their representations out into the world. I am in a position to tell their story and have it heard by people who wouldn't normally listen. If I didn't do it, it would just be one more step toward invisibility for South Asian youth.

As for revisiting . . . I am already, mentally, sketching out a Jazz 2 plot. But shhhh--that's a secret ;).


My (very early, very very early) review of Shine, Coconut Moon and my more recent review of Jazz in Love. Thank you so much Neesha!


*I am currently on a (mandatory) school retreat so I have no Internet access. Don't let that stop you from leaving comments! I will check my email and reply to all comments upon my return :)