Two Great Online Teaching Resources

Hey all,

While at a professional development seminar earlier this week, I learned about two awesome websites that can easily be incorporated into the English classroom, but would come in handy for other subjects as well.

The first is commonsensemedia.org. Among other things, this website has book reviews for many popular books, but what makes it unique is that it has a chart along the sidebar that for categories like: positive messages, positive role models, violence, sex, language, etc. When you like on the category it tells you the explanation for the rating. There is also a chart for the recommended age group. This is a great resource to know about the appropriateness of a book. After all, as teachers, we read many books, but we can't read them all.

The second website is newsela.com. This has teen-appropriate newspaper articles. Categories include: war and peace, science, kids (which is like pop culture), money, law, health, and arts. You can even change the lexile level of the article to adjust it to the students' needs. The picture stays the same, but the lexile adjusts. This is an easy way to accomodate differentiated instruction while bringing current real-world issues into the classroom.

Check them out!

-Beth

Book Spotlight: Love and Other Games

The Olympics are just around the corner and to celebrate I caught up with Kara Leigh Miller, one of the authors of the Love and Other Games (A Very Sexy Short Story Collection). Want to know what it is like to co-author a collection or what the best part of writing a sultry Olympic read is? Scroll down to find out!

BP: Could you briefly tell us about your story?

KLM: Love and Other Games is a collection of four short, sexy novellas written by me (Kara Leigh Miller), Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, and Aria Kane. My story specifically, Ice Gold, is about a US Olympic hockey player (Colton “Cole” Campbell) and the photographer (Brenna Jessup) who won’t give him the time of day. There are a lot high jinks, pranks, laughs, and a ton of sexy stuff, too. It was a blast to write.   

BP: What inspired you to write this? Why did you choose to write about the Olympics?

KLM: Credit for this idea goes to Aria Kane. She’d read an article about the ridiculous amount of condoms used during the last Olympic games, and the wheels starting spinning in her mind. She contacted the rest of us and presented the idea. After hundreds of emails back and forth, we pinned down the idea of each of us writing a short novella that would be tied together by a few common threads: the winter games, Switzerland, and the superstition of a lucky torch. Then we all started calling dibs on which sport we wanted to write about. Lol. I knew from earlier on I wanted to write a hockey player.

BP: Ha! Aria and I must have read the same article then, because one of my characters in PODIUM FINISH makes a joke about the massive number of condoms used at the previous Olympics.

BP: Did you have to do any research? If yes, how did you approach it?

KLM: Yes, we did do quite a bit of research about the Olympics in general and each of our sports in particular. We created a Google doc that we all had access to and in that we would share links to helpful articles including pictures of hot athletes. Hey, we all needed a bit of inspiration ;) I did some basic research online about hockey, but then went to a reliable source. Jen Talty, a member of my local RWA group is a hockey mom, so she was really great about answering all of my questions no matter how ridiculous they may have seemed to her. And I also contacted my close friend, Chris, of Christina Wallace Photography to help with all my technical camera questions. 

BP: Which scene was your favorite to write?

KLM: The airplane scene! It’s the first time Cole and Brenna meet face to face, and he’s such a jackass to her, but he’s also very loveable. Here it is:

"It's Cole, ma'am," he said with a slight incline of his head.

Was that a southern accent she heard? It was faint, but unmistakable. Ma'am, a subtle nod … yup, Colton Campbell was a southern boy. Huh, who knew? "Right, Cole." She cleared her throat. She was so totally screwed. There was only one type of man on this earth that made Brenna weak in the knees—a southern man.

"So, you've heard of me, huh?" Cole said with a smirk. "Wish I could say the same about you." His gaze lingered on hers for a moment before lowering.

Brenna rolled her eyes. "Well, you do have quite the reputation." She stood.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes, I'd like to go use the restroom. Now, if you'll please excuse me."

"Don't let me stop you." Cole remained seated, his long legs bent at the knees, touching the seat in front of him, making it impossible for Brenna to get by him—unless she were to climb over him, and she refused to do that.

Brenna crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "Do you mind?"

"No, not at all." He laced his fingers together and rested them on his stomach, settling deeper into his seat. "I'm used to women staring at me. Go ahead, get your fill."

"Uh!" she huffed. Brenna knew Cole had a playboy reputation, rivaled only by his arrogance, but for the love of God, was he serious right now? One look at his handsome features and she knew he was teasing her. Well, she'd be damned if she let him get the better of her. "For your information, Mr. Campbell, I'm staring at you because I can't wrap my mind around your complete lack of manners." Brenna cautiously stepped over him.

"A complete lack of manners would be doing this." Cole lifted his knee and bumped her ass, causing her to lose her balance and fall forward.

It happened so fast all she could do was put her hands out and grip the back of Cole's seat. Her hands were on either side of his head, her legs straddling his, and their faces were inches apart. Christ, did he have to smell so good? She started to push herself away, but Cole shifted his legs just enough so she couldn't move. Damn him and those tantalizing lips—they were so close, she could almost taste them.

"I don't find this amusing," she said.

The corners of his mouth twitched, and he cocked a brow. "Arousing?"

"Annoying."

Cole leaned forward and put his mouth to her ear. "Five minutes says I can change your mind."

BP: Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

KLM: All of the authors can be found on their websites and on Twitter:

Kara: www.karaleighmiller.com / https://twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1 

Ana: http://anablaze.blogspot.com / https://twitter.com/ana_blaze

Melinda: www.melindadozier.com / https://twitter.com/MelindaDozier

Aria: www.ariakane.com / https://twitter.com/Aria_Kane

 

Thank you so much, Kara, for sharing an excerpt and telling up about the writing process! Be sure to add Love and Other Games on goodreads and check it out on kindle! And check back later this week for another Winter Olympics author interview with Jennifer Comeaux, author of the Edge series.

Bronze! Podium Finish Debuted at Number 3!

Hi all,

Thank you so much to all those who have purchased Podium Finish and all those who have sent warm wishes my way.

Here's the tweet I woke up to today:

And here's the screen shot from Amazon:

-Beth

Happy Book Birthday to Me!

It's here! Isn't the cover awesome? Podium Finish is finally here, available for purchase at Barnes and Noble and Amazon Kindle. It will be listed on goodreads soon, so please don't forget to mark it as "to read" once it's up and also to post a review on goodreads and amazon.com if you can.

There will be a print run, but not for a little while, so if you don't have a kindle e-reader, you can download the Kindle for PC or Kindle for iPhone apps and start reading from there!

I feel like I should blast "La Bamba" now. (If you read the book, you'll understand the reference.)

Happy reading!

Book Review: My Sister's Reaper

I must say there has been a fair amount of hype about My Sister's Reaper in the past few months. I'm not normally a fantasy/paranormal reader, but after reading the synopsis, my interest was piqued.

 

Sixteen-year-old Zadie's first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper's Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn't the same anymore--Zadie isn't even sure she's completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara's soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister's Reaper, or let Mara die...this time for good.

See what I mean? Interesting, right?

So what worked? First of all, I love the cover. Slam dunk on that front. Also, the book was very well paced. We dive right into the action without all the boring buildup. Mara's in a coma, and Zadie uses her powers to make her wake up. However, Mara doesn't act the way she used to, and Zadie doesn't really understand her own abilities. Add it all together and throw in some strange townspeople who may or may not have the answers Zadie's looking for and consider the spook factor met. 

As for what didn't work, for me, the narrative voice didn't feel authentic. Zadie's your average teen. She's got good friends, a working father, and an older, more popular sister, but she didn't jump off the page in my opinion. There were some great moments of prose, but overall, the narrative voice fell flat; so, while I loved the premise, I was disappointed in its execution.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you're looking for a quick paranormal read, definitely check out Dorothy Dreyer's My Sister's Reaper, available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Laurie Crompton Interview

 

* Blogger has been giving me lots of problems, so I apologize if the font is weird or if there are random spots of white. I'm working on fixing the problem.

I'm so excited to interview with the fabulous Laurie Boyle Crompton, author of Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillians), as part of the 2013 Debut Authors Bash.


 
 Blaze is tired of spending her life on the sidelines, drawing comics and feeling invisible. She's desperate for soccer star Mark to notice her. And when her BFF texts Mark a photo of Blaze in sexy lingerie, it definitely gets his attention. After a hot date in the back of her minivan, Blaze is flying high, but suddenly Mark's feelings seem to have been blasted by a freeze-ray gun, and he dumps her. Blaze gets her revenge by posting a comic strip featuring uber-villain Mark the Shark. Mark then retaliates by posting her "sext" photo, and, overnight, Blaze goes from Super Virgin Girl to Super Slut. That life on the sidelines is looking pretty good right about now...

 Q & A with Laurie Crompton Boyle

BP:  Could you give us an "elevator pitch" of Blaze?

LBC: When 17-year-old Blaze creates a comic about her evil ex, he retaliates by posting a ‘sext’ of her online and an epic battle begins.

BP: What inspired you to write Blaze?

LBC: Blaze came into my mind fully formed as this comic-obsessed girl who was completely stuck in her life but making the best of things. I immediately knew I wanted to set her free. Unfortunately, once I started writing her story, I discovered things get much, much worse for her before they get better! The comic book element was definitely drawn from my life since I was a bit of a comic book nerd back in high school. Also, Blaze gives her minivan a fun makeover in the novel, which was actually inspired by my spray-painting my first car hot pink when I was seventeen. My friends from high school still talk about that car, and I'm so glad I was able to pay homage to it in a book.

BP: What is your writing process like? Do you have a favorite place or time of day to write? Do you outline? Do you listen to music or anything when you write or do you need silence?

LBC: I'm not exaggerating when I say I can write anytime, anyplace. I've written chunks of text on my cellphone while waiting for my kids to et out of school and snippets of ideas are on index cards all over my house. I love to have silence when I write, but I live on a noisy corner next to a train station in Queens, NY, so I'm accustomed to writing with a lot of noise. 

BP: Which do you like better, writing or revising, and why?

LBC: I enjoy all stages of writing. There's nothing quite lie exploring a shiny, new idea, but so much great stuff comes out during revisions too. My favorite art is usually whatever I happen to be working on at the moment.

BP: Could you please explain your journey to publication? Was Blaze the first novel you wrote? Was it difficult to find an agent?

LBC: Blaze was actually the third novel I wrote, and I can attest that having the right agent is absolutely crucial to an author's success. I go more in-depth about my (winding!) journey to publication here in an interview I did with Writer's Digest. Digest.

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/debut-author-interview-laurie-boyle-crompton-author-of-blaze 

BP: Is there a specific scene or chapter that was your favorite to write? 

LBC: There's a scene on page 52 of the finished book that was a lot of fun to write It was a chance for me to really channel my inner fan-girl in a way that felt more romantic than pathetic. It has all the perfect elements for a comic book geek's first kiss, but of course, doesn't go the way you'd expect. 

BP: What has the response been like from readers? 

LBC: I've really enjoyed hearing from those readers who could relate to Blaze. My favorite response was from a girl who found Blaze's situation at home familiar and thanked me for writing the book. The fact that Blaze deals with slut shaming has brought its share of controversy, but I'm glad that is has served as a springboard for important conversations about that issue. 

BP: What are you working on now? Can you tell us anything about your sophomore novel? 

LBC: I'm just finishing copy edits on my next book with Sourcebooks Fire title THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH to be released in February 2014. IT's a dark comedy about reality shows with a Mean Girls twist, and it's lots of fun. Then in Fall 2014, I have ADRENALINE CRUSH being released with FSG/Macmillian. It's about a thrill-seeking girl who has an accident one fateful day and must learn to live with the consequences. 

BP: Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? 

LBC: Spend as much time writing as possible. Do a lot of reading, and limit time spent on the internet. Seriously, I saw a pie-chart claiming that writing was 90% ignoring the internet. I'd  say it's more like 98%. 

BP: What's one thing you've learned since publishing Blaze? 

LBC: Writing books is only one aspect of being a published author. Doing interviews, blog post, vlogs, and book signings are all part of building towards a successful carer. The thing that make all of this totally cool, of course, is getting to write more books. 

BP: One final question: What's one thing you wish you knew before you started writing your novel? 

LBC: Since I wrote Blaze without a contract, it would've been nice to know beforehand that it was going to be published! It takes a lot of faith to write a whole book that you only hope will find a publishing home. I had faith in Blaze and am definitely grateful that her story has been able to reach readers.

BP: Thank you so much for your time!

LBC: Thank you so much for having me!

For more info about Laurie's books, check out her website: http://www.lboylecrompton.com, and be sure to pick up a copy of Blaze.

Review: Investigating the Hottie

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an unbiased review.

3.5 stars or a Red belt based on how I rank :)

Investigating the Hottie is a quick, cute read. When 15-year-old Amanda Peterson steps off the plane, she expects to spend her week long break with her free-spirited aunt. Her aunt, however, as it turns out is not so free-spirited and has big plans for Amanda's stay. Her aunt is a spy and her organization has been tracking young recruits, including Amanda, to help with certain operations. Amanda's assignments, should she choose to accept it, is to spend the week at a private school and get to know super hot soccer Will, a person of interest, as he is believed to be a hacker.

The novel is well-paced and the connection between Amanda and Will stays PG (maybe PG-13 by the end). It's not insta-love. She acknowledges he is good looking and admits how he makes her feel, but the romance is relatively love key, good for younger YA readers. I'd say the target audience is 13-15.

I enjoyed Amanda as a narrator, but my favorite character was actually the aunt, Christie. She's spunky. The banter between her and her spy partner Nic is great. I would have liked Will to have been more developed. Also, some of the kids at school seemed to be mean girls just for the sake of being mean, to add tension. While this does speak to a the high school experience, it was not needed. I would have liked to know more about the spy stuff. Amanda accepts it relatively quickly. Also, the resolution to the hacking situation seems too simple. This was a point where there could have been excellent tension and the author did not take advantage of it. Amanda and Will's relationship resolves satisfactorily.

Overall, this was a fun story, a very quick read. It has the potential to be a series. In fact, I think that is the plan for it, and I'm glad because I would like to know more about Amanda and Will's adventures.I also want to see more of Christie and Nic.

Summer Book Recommendations

Hi all,

So it's about to be winter here in South Africa, but it's summer in the US. I'm halfway done with my Fulbright grant! I've had lots of time for reading and writing lately. Stay tuned for a writing update post, but for now, here are some books I've read and enjoyed.

In a previous post I ranked the books I liked using the martial art belt system. My version of stars or a two thumbs up. Black belt is 5 stars. Brown belt is 4 stars. Red belt is 3.5 stars. 

Bruised by Sarah Skilton

I love sports-themed YA and as a black belt myself, I wanted to read this book as soon as I first saw it on goodreads. I'd probably give this book a 4 star rating. It's not quite a black belt based on my ranking scale, but definitely a brown belt. I loved the complexity of the main character, Imogen, and while I don't think I would have reacted the same way she does--she gives up martial arts completely and begins teaching self-defense and falls for the guy in the process--I found her character consistent and believable. Imogen witnessed a crime and when she arguably needed her martial arts skills the most, she froze. Her training failed her or maybe she failed it. Imogen begins to question her training and wants to prove that she can defend herself. This includes demanding her new training partner punch her. Imogen still upholds some of the training principles she learned over the years, as martial arts isn't just about kicking and punching. It is also about respect, self-control, and discipline. The other characters, Imogen's friends and family were so well-rounded and complex, which definitely added to the story. Overall, the writing style was very good, and I don't think you need to have a background in sports or martial arts to appreciate the book, though as an athlete, I found I enjoyed the book more. Plus the cover is pretty cool. It took me a second to realize it was a broken trophy, but I love it. It fits the book well.

Boost by Kathy Mackel

If Bruised is a 4 star or brown belt ranking, I'd say Boost is equally as good, but for a slightly younger audience. The main character Savvy Christopher is 6 feet tall and a basketball star. She's new in town and is confident enough to ditch the tryouts for her age bracket to try out for the next group up. Savvy makes the team and even catches the eye of other coaches. Savvy's sister is her opposite. Savvy's very tall for her age and is slim. Her sister is petite and needs to watch her weight to fit in with her fellow cheerleaders. The book deals with the possibility of substance abuse. Savvy is accused of taking performance enhancing drugs. Overall, I liked Savvy as a narrator. She is confident (which is important. It was refreshing to have such a self-confident narrator) and funny at times. The author does a good job of showing the basketball team's dynamic as well. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I think the lower age bracket of YA 13-15-year-olds, especially 13-15-year-olds who play basketball will enjoy Savvy.

Breathless by Jessica Warman

I loved the way this book started, but then it dragged on. I finished it, but it was a bit of a disappointment. The book spans almost two years of high school and though it is well-paced, the novel would have greatly benefited from a narrower scope.

Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green

I hate to say it, but this book is not worth it. I'd say two stars, which in keeping with the martial arts theme would make it a yellow belt. I read the sample on my kindle and was interested in the premise and the characters. It seemed similar to Pretty Little Liars, which I loved when those books first came out. This book drags on. It is far too long and too slowly paced that I stopped caring about the characters and had to resist the urge to skip ahead or stop reading altogether. The ending was completely predictable and cliche and thus, very unfulfilling.

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

Some aspects of this book are predictable. Two of Jude's three older sisters have their hearts broken by the Vargas boys, so they make then 12-year-old Jude swear to never be involved with a Vargas. Five years later, Jude and her father need a mechanic to help fix his motorcycle and guess who they end up hiring? Emilio Vargas. Yeah, bet you didn't see that coming. Okay, so it's predictable, but Emilio and Jude don't fall for each other right away. Their banter is really cute. I love how Ockler handles the dialogue. Also Jude's inner monologues are also pretty funny. Her narration makes me pardon the predictability. The other aspect of the novel I enjoy is that there is some depth to the story when we learn Jude's father has early onset Alzheimer's disease. His memory is slowly slipping, but Jude gets to see a side of her father she didn't know about when he talks about riding through Argentina on his motorcycle. Jude chooses to spend time with her father, arguably because she doesn't know how long it will be before he forgets who she is completely and even though she has sisters, her older sisters have moved away, so much of the responsibility of caring for and protecting her father falls on Jude. (One of the sisters does visit though.) Consequently, Jude does not get to spend much time with her friends. I like the relationship between Jude and Emilio. I also like that Jude is a sassy narrator who chooses to put family above all else.

Other "black belt" books I read recently:

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

Great male narrator and an interesting plot. Not predictable. Strong description from the very beginning. It's definitely worth a read.

Small Damages by Beth Keplart

I loved the prose in this book. The writing was beautiful and while the book deals with teen pregnancy, I thought it was a refreshing take on the issue.



-Beth

Winter YA Reads

I got my black belt on December 8th!

Before I continue, I should say I'm not a book blogger. I don't write super long, in depth reviews, but I adore people who do. That being said, I compiled a list of my favorite books from the fall a couple months ago, and, since I survived the end of the world (and if you're reading this, you did too, congrats, welcome to the club), I thought I'd do another list for winter. Most people use stars, but in honor of my black belt, I'm going to use belts. (The belts my martial art uses, so if you do another martial art and it doesn't match, that's why.)

Without further ado,

The Black Belts (equivalent to a 4.5 or 5 star rating)

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

**Nothing I say will do this book justice, but in case you haven't heard of it, it's a YA time travel romance. Wonderfully written and tightly crafted. It also made me add Thailand to my travel list.

The List by Siobhan Vivian

**A fantastic look at HS drama. The narrative voice was impeccable, truly getting into each of the character's heads and capturing their motivations. Also, there is a large cast of characters and each one is complex and well-developed.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

**Male narrator done really well. This book is clearly well-researched. An overall great read. (Now, go to goodreads for a real review.)


The Brown Belts (4 star rating)

Jersey Tomatoes are the Best by Maria Padian

**I adore books with female athletes in them. This book is more for the younger YA crowd, maybe 14-16 years old, but it was cute and dealt with more than just sports. It's a story of friendship, family, and body image as well. The main characters are a tennis player and a ballerina.

To Read: Bunheads by Sophie Flack (another ballet story)


Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

** I loved The List and wanted to read more by the author. This book was good, but not incredible. I related to the main character and was pleased that the writing style and complexity of the narrative voice was also present in this book, but it just didn't compare to black belt status of The List.


Legend by Marie Lu

Another wonderful dystopian-esque read. I loved Divergent and The Hunger Games. This is another good read. As a writer of contemporary YA, I think reading outside my main genre has helped my writing. Legend is told in alternating POV's and this aspect is done very well. The characters' motivations are clear. It's a great Les Mis-esque parallel. On a writing level, I grew frustrated with the eons of passive sentences that could have easily been made active. Why was this not caught in editing? I respect that it could be the author's style, but still, it was distracting. The next book in the series will be released at the end of January 2013. Looking forward to it.

Red Belts (3.5 Stae Rating)

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington (Had a lot of potential, but ultimately fell flat. Clean writing. Read like a horror movie, which worked well in some places and hindered it in others. The gemstone knowledge was interesting but also a major gimmick--the MC is named Jade and collects gemstones. Also, the stepmom's character was cliche. Worth finishing and an entertaining read, but not what I thought it was going to be.)

Blue Belts (3 star rating)

Spotting for Nellie by Pamela Lowell (Starts out wonderfully, but drags on and has one, maybe two too many POV characters.)


Up Next:


Ask the Passengers by A.S. King
Balancing Act by April Adams  
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins






**There are a ton of amazing books being released in 2013. I can't wait. I'll update this list as the winter continues and will do another list in the spring.

-Beth

Fall YA Reads

I recently completed the first draft of Borrowed Time. While I was writing, I made sure to stay away from any other YA books that are narrated by someone who has died, as the second part of my manuscript is narrated by a ghost. Technically, I completed the ghost portion in early 2011 and then worked my way backward, but still, I didn't want to be influenced by other "ghost" stories, so I stayed away. Once the first draft was done, however, I was curious to see how my work compared to published works that had a ghost as a narrator.

I recently finished reading The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg. I liked the book enough that I will definitely read her future work, that being said, my opinion swayed over the course of reading the novel. I loved opening. The narrator, Brie, has just died, quite literally, from a broken heart after her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her. As a narrator, Brie is funny, sometimes laugh out loud funny and her voice pulled me into the story. I was intrigued by the idea that Brie must go through the stages of grief. Enter Partick Darling, Brie's guide to the afterlife. Brie doesn't fall for Patrick right away, but it's obvious from the beginning that the two will end up together. (Trust me, there are enough plot twists that saying they end up together is not a spoiler.) Brie struggles to accept the fact that life must go on without her. She watches as her family falls apart and one of her best friends seemingly betrays her. Toward the end of the book, Brie realizes things are not necessarily as they seem--both the events leading up to her death and the months after. One of the things I grew frustrated with was that there seemed to be a few points where the book dragged on. Then things would seem to be wrapped up nicely. Was the book over? Nope. There were a few plots twists in the story, a couple I loved and a couple I thought the book could have done without. Still, TCHOYAM was carefully planned and well-written, one that YA lovers should check out.

I started reading Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin yesterday. I haven't finished, but so far I'm not loving it as much as TCHOYAM, probably because even though both protagonists are 15 going on 16 when they die, Brie has a voice that will resonate with readers of Upper YA, specifically ages 16-18. Elsewhere seems like it would appeal to a younger audience, maybe 13-15. Elsewhere tells the story of Liz, who has just died after being hit by a car. Liz then learns that she will live her life backward, that the dead reverse age in Elsewhere. This story is told in third person. Although the plot sounds interesting, the narration isn't as clever as Brie's. I'm trying to hold off judgment until I finish the book. Elsewhere isn't a bad read. I just don't think I fall into the target audience.

UPDATE: The first part of Elsewhere is slow, but it gets better. I did enjoy it in the end. Didn't love it, but it did get better and was a cute book. I'd recommend it for the 12-16-year-old crowd.

Another book of note is The Book Thief, which is narrated by "death." Markus Zusak has a phenomenal command of language. I read The Book Thief this summer and was completely enthralled. For me, The Book Thief is one of those books that is so powerful that it is next to impossible to describe because anything I write won't do it justice. Adults and older teens will love this book.

So what's next on my reading list?

Number one is 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma: Unfortunately, it won't be released until 2013, so I have to wait. In the meantime, I hope to get my hands on her other work,  Imaginary Girls. UPDATE: Read Imaginary Girls and wasn't a big fan. There were some great descriptions, but the plot did nothing for me. Chloe seemed way too in love with her sister. I read a sample of 17 & Gone and it seemed more interesting.

Send me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt: this will be released pretty soon, so I won't have to wait too long. UPDATE: I could not put this book down. There might have been one too many "friend fights" for my taste, but overall, this is a wonderful YA contemporary book about a high school senior who finds out she has leukemia and decides to try to keep it a secret from her best friends and boyfriend. Plus, Tiffany Schmidt seems super nice.

After You by Jessica Corra: again, not released yet, but I'm patiently waiting.

Also on the radar are:
Insurgent and Divergent by Veronica Roth
Slide by Jill Hathaway UPDATE: Read this and enjoyed it. It's a series, so I will be patiently awaiting the next book. I thought the premise was interesting. The main character "slides" into other people's bodies by coming into contact with something they've touched. Onlookers think she is a narcoleptic. Anyway, she witnesses a murder but can't exactly tell people why she knows the girl who died was murdered and didn't in fact commit suicide.
The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski
Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily danforth

ADDED:
Wonder by R.J. Palacio: This is more of a middle grade book than YA, but I think it will have crossover appeal. It's a heartwarming story of Auggie, a boy with a facial deformity, who goes to public school for the first time in fifth grade. The story switches POV, starting with Auggie, then switching to his 14-year-old sister, then his classmates.

See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
This one was pretty good, though I'd argue the little brother's character was inaccurate at times for a three-year-old. It delves into an interesting family dynamic.

Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy
Very cute middle grade story (and great title) about a young medium who gets a little help from the great beyond to deal with tween problems like a first school dance and dealing with the school bully. A great read for the middle school aged crowd.
 
One for the Murphys Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Read an excerpt. Did not purchase yet.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Still on my to-do list.

The List by Siobhan Vivian
Told in 3rd person POV, alternating into the heads of a full cast of characters, The List tells the story of high school girls, two from each grade, one named the prettiest, the other the ugliest. I loved this story and am reading more of Siobhan Vivian's work.

What are you reading?

-Beth

Summer 2012 Reads and Some Thoughts on Sports Fiction

What's the best book you read this summer?

For me, it was Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Every once and a while I read a book and think "I wish I could write a book this good." Code Name Verity is exactly this type of book. From the beautiful and often times humorous prose, to the multiple plot twists, to the careful historical research, to the honest, emotional and down right sassy narration, this book is a great read for YA readers and adults.

So what's it about? That's a tough question without giving too much away. (I can't even tell you one of the main characters names without spoiling parts of the plot.) That being said, Code Name Verity is an engaging read with strong female characters. Find a copy at the library, a bookstore, kindle, audible.com. I don't care where you get it, but you really should read this book!

The book On the Jellicoe Road came in a close second. I highly recommend that one as well.

Other notable books:

I love books about sports. Shocking I know, since one of my work-in-progress manuscripts is about the Olympics and the other is a ghost story in which the main characters are a cheerleader turned track star and a ghost (who was a track star in her own right while alive).

If you are looking for sports themed books, here are a few of the best I came across this summer.

Gold, by Chris Cleave (adult fiction)
The Running Dream, by Wendelin Van Draanen (YA fiction)
Catching Jordan, by Miranda Kenneally (YA fiction)

There is also the Dairy Queen series, which I read (and thoroughly enjoyed) last summer.

Truth be told, I'm not the best book reviewer out there. I did write a review of Gold for Goodreads that I was pretty proud of, but rather than rehashing the plot of the above three novels, which you could find anywhere, I'd like to provide a little insight into what I think makes a good sports themed novel.

So...I'm a writer and if you've looked at the about me picture on my blog you know that I can do a cartwheel (or 25 of them on the beaches of Spain, but that's another story for another day.) I was a three season varsity athlete in middle school and high school. I have 5 DIII collegiate varsity letters (1 in soccer and 4 in track and field) and I am a red belt in martial arts (hopefully I will get my brown belt in October!) Basically, I love sports.

That being said, when I was a teen, there were very few sports themed books out there and of those that were published at the time, the vast majority were geared toward boys. Title IX was passed in 1972. I remember thinking "if girls can play sports, why can't they read about them?" That thought combined with my interest in the Olympics led to Podium Finish (the Olympic themed work in progress I referenced above.)

So what makes good sports fiction? First of all, there has to be more to than plot than simply sport. Research helps too, as do character development and believable dialogue, though the last two are key to any kind of writing, not just sports fiction.

What do I mean by "more to the plot than simply sport?" Take Gold, for example. In Gold, one of the main characters, Kate, is raising a child with leukemia. The other main character, Zoe, is dealing with memories of her brother's death, which occurred when both Zoe and her brother were children. Zoe engages in some risky/reckless behavior and her friends and coach worry what will happen once the two-time gold medalist has to retire from the sport.

Gold also tackles friendship, family as well as the coach/athlete relationship which is also important in sports fiction. My favorite character in Gold Tom, the coach. Coaches play a huge role in athletes' lives, and many times what happens off the field effects practice (whether athletes and coaches want it to or not), so it is important for a coach to know his athletes well.

RESEARCH: Chris Cleave researched cycling in order to make the sports aspects of the novel more believable. I read somewhere that he even trained while writing. His descriptions of how the body feels when racing and what it feels like to be on a bike greatly benefited from this research. Cleave has a beautiful prose style as it is, but when it comes to writing about sports, athlete readers will call your bluff if you haven't done your research. We can see the importance of research in The Running Dream as well.

The Running Dream involves an up-and-coming runner who loses her leg below the knee in a bus accident. Like Cleave's novel, The Running Dream is well-researched in regards to the recovery process and how one is fitted with a prosthetic limb. These details could have been glossed over, but I'm glad they weren't. This insider knowledge adds a sense of authenticity to the novel. Also, The Running Dream highlights character development. The main character vacillates from self-pity and the desire for independence to the realization that she wants to run again and can't achieve this goal on her own. I appreciated the array of emotions. I know some writing teachers what to see nice clean-cut character change, but let's be real here, no one, especially not teenage girls, goes form emotion A to emotion B smoothly (and given the main character's situation, if she had, readers would have called the bluff; therefore, the vacillation was realistic and made the character change at the end of the novel believable). Our emotions are like little roller coaster rides. We go up and down, back and forth and at the end of it all, hopefully we've come out of the situation a better, more mature person. Without spoiling the plot, in the end, the narrator does run again, and she finds a clever way to give back to a classmate who, due to her cerebral palsy, is confined to a wheelchair and cannot run.

DIALOGUE: I said earlier that character development and believable dialogue are important to writing in general, not just sports fiction. Dialogue has to move the story forward. It has to tell us something about the character or it might as well be cut. I loved the dialogue in Catching Jordan. The scene where Jordan and Henry become parents to Jerry Rice, a mechanical baby given to them in family and consumer science class is wonderful. There is funny banter (present in that scene as well as throughout the book) that not only makes the characters themselves likable, but calls attention to their friendship. Jordan's relationship with Sam Henry reminds me of the classic writing advice "show, don't tell." We are shown what close friends they are from the onset. The dialogue helps our understanding of who these characters are. Personally, I admire the dialogue in this book because showing a friendship between characters is harder than telling about it. Novice writers tell. Experienced writers show.

As a side note, my mom teaches Family and Consumer Science and has brought the mechanical babies home a couple times. My favorite moment was her holding one up and saying "and this is my crack baby" like she was Vanna White showing off a prize. She has a fetal alcohol syndrome baby too, and for one night, a little over a year or so ago, I had three fake infant siblings. Luckily she was able to shut them off so we didn't have to do nightly feedings and diaper changes like she expected her students to. (For the record, my mom is an awesome teacher. She was Teacher of the Year in 2011.)

If you've read this far, thanks for putting up with a somewhat dry post. I hope you were motivated to read the books I referenced. In case anyone is curious about my works in progress, especially Podium Finish, I hope to put up more info about them once I get the hang of formatting my blog.

-Beth