Once Upon a Modern Fairytale

Once upon a time we remember having fairy tales read to us as children. Fairy tales do not have to be forgotten in our teenage years. Alex Flinn takes these fairy tales and makes them into modern versions. She is most known for writing Beastly which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and was made into a movie as well. She suggests the following website http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/ for a review of original fairy tales. She has also written Cloaked and A Kiss in Time based off of fairytales.

Additional books that have modernized fairytales:

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

Bound by Napoli

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Into the Wild by Sarah Durst

The Looking Glass Wars by Beddor

My Fair Godmother by Jannette Rallison

Need by Carrie Jones

Once Upon a Marigold by Ferris

Princess of Glass by Jessica George

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

And we read happily ever after.

Do Dystopes Make You Mope?

Dystopian novels tend to make you mope. That is their intent. They are not your happy ever after books.
According to dictionary.com, dystopia is defined as "a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding". I like the World English Dictionary's definition, "an imaginary place where everything is bad as it can be".

Dystopian novels seem to be the latest craze to write about following the Hunger Games popularity. Other current dystopian novels to read are Matched by Allie Condie, The Thirteenth Plague by Jeff Hirsch, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Gone series by Michael Grant and The Compound by S.E. Bodeen

The following dystopian novels have recently been published: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Enclave by Ann Aguirre, Legend by Marie Lu, Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, Glow by Kathleen Ryan, Salt series by Maurice Gee, and Tankborn by Karen Sandler.

Here are some other dystopian novels that have alredy made their mark: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, Feed by M.T. Anderson, The Shadow Children by Margaret Haddix, The Atherton Series by Patrick Carman, The Ember Series by Jeanne Duprau, The Giver series by Lois Lowry, The Moon Crash trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Uglies series by Scott Westerfield and Unwind by Neil Shusterman.

If you prefer classics, try these dystopian novels: Lord of the Flies by William Golding, 1984 by George Orwell,  Brave New World  by Aldous Huxley, and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.

The Future of Jay Asher

Jay Asher's future as a young adult writer looked pretty good with his first novel, Thirteen Reasons Why. The story of Hannah Baker is told through the cassette tapes she leaves behind after committing suicide. Find out more information on this novel on the following site: http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/

You can also check out Jay Asher's blog for book covers from other countries: http://jayasher.blogspot.com/

Asher recently decided to write his second novel, The Future of Us, with Carolyn Mackler. This story takes place in 1996 before the invention of Facebook. Emma and Josh somehow get connected to Facebook in which they see into their future. If you could see into your future would you attempt to change it or keep it the same? That is the decision that Emma and Josh must make.

The future of Jay Asher continues to look promising.

Hungry for Hunger Games

Today I got a visit from Mrs Lewis. She had just finished reading Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and wanted to get her hands on the second book in the series, Catching Fire. The only copy I had to offer her was our e-book. (Note: If you are interested in our e-books, please see me to get signed up.)

International Book Covers

Suzanne Collins grew up in an urban area. After reading Alice in Wonderland, she was intrigued by what might be discovered if you fell down a manhole in New York City. This inspired her first series, Gregor the Overlander. Suzanne says she is similar to Gregor, "I think I’m like Gregor because we both want to do the right thing but sometimes have trouble figuring out what it is. Also, neither of us likes to ride roller coasters and we’ve both changed a lot of diapers. But Gregor is much braver than I am…if I even see a regular sized rat in New York City I immediately cross the street."

Her idea for the Hunger Games series occured one night as she was watching television. As she was flipping through the channels, she began watching a reality show and another program on the Iraq war. It was also inspired by her interest in Greek mythology. Specifically, the minotaur and Theseus. Her father also was a member of the Air Force during the Vietnam War. Through his experience, she felt she understood poverty, starvation, death, and the impacts of war on the world. Collins explained more in detail in an interview with School Library Journal. "My father was career Air Force. He was in the Air Force for 30-some years. He was also a Vietnam veteran. He was there the year I was six. Beyond that, though, he was a doctor of political science, a military specialist, and a historian; he was a very intelligent man. And he felt that it was part of his responsibility to teach us, his children, about history and war. When I think back, at the center of all this is the question of what makes a necessary war—at what point is it justifiable or unavoidable?"

It makes for a good discussion about the novels. At what point is war justifiable or unavoidable?

Are the Sirens Singing to You?

I am surprised that Ripple by Mandy Hubbard came out in July of this year and has not made a bigger splash. Lexi is a siren. The sirens in Greek mythology were mermaids that would sing at passing sailors causing them to be shipwrecked. Lexi has received the curse of being a siren and is tortured by the death of her boyfriend. As she is trying to overcome her loss, she begins to fall for Cole. There has to be a love triangle. That is where Erik, a boy cursed as a nix, comes in to stir up a little trouble. Who will Mandy choose? Cole or Erik? Will she sing a song that leads to one of their deaths?

Two-a-days

Two-a-day in sports is a term referred to when you train twice a day. You might have football practice twice a day or if you're a runner you would run twice a day. I decided to try a two-a-day with books. My goal was to read two books a day for one week. A few days I even put in an extra training.

Monday:

Shelter by Harlan Coben (Mickey's girlfriend has vanished leaving him to discover shocking details about his own life. Higly recommend for those that like thrillers.)

Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand (I read this for an 8th grade assignment involving WWII. I could not put it down. This is a true story of Louis Zamperini's survival after his plane goes down in an ocean full of sharks in enemy territory.)

Tuesday:
Heist Society by Ally Carter (This was a fun book about a girl involved in an art heist to save her family. If you liked the movie Ocean's 11, this book is for you.)

The Clueless Guide's Girl to Being a Genius by Janice Repka (Funny! This book had so many funny lines. Aphrodite is a genius that has graduated college at 13 and returned to be a math teacher at her middle school.)

Wednesday:
Girl's Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler (Extraordinary! I loved this book! You will cheer for Myra as she deals with boys, school, and her family.)

The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine (Mike has a math disability. So do I! This book is filled with eccentric characters as Mike struggles to learn about math and life.)

Darwen Arkwright and the Pergrine Pact by A. J. Harley (Darwen discovers the fantasy world of Silbrica through a mirror that is the portal. Typical fantast book.)

Thursday:
Chime by Franny Billingsley (I was not charmed by Chime. Briony, who is a witch, believes she is responsible for many accidents which causes her to hate herself. A love interest gives her new insight.)


The Slayer Chronicles First Kill by Heather Brewer (This is a companinon book to The Chronicles of Vladimir. This is Joss's story of becoming a vampire slayer. Graphic but good.)

Friday:
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (Dessen knows how to write a good chick book. She does not disappoint with this one.)

Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon (Ella is struggling living in an all white town until Bailey moves into town. She then struggles with friendships and inner strength.)

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt (This book was just okay for me. This is a coming-of-age story for Doug Swieteck during the Vietnam War era.)

Saturday:
Ripple by Many Hubbard (Loved it! I could not put this story down. Lexi is a siren who has has killed and must stop herself from doing it again.)

Notes from an Accidental Band Geek by Erin Dionne (You have to be in band, or better yet, have survived marching band to really find this book humorous. It is quite funny and brought back memories of being on the dance team and marching with the band.)

The Underdogs by Mike Lupica (Lupica brings in economical struggles to this story of a small town football team trying to raise money to be able to play football.)

Sunday:
The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix (I was a little disappointed with Haddix. Tessa follows Gideon to find out the truth about their community. This is a dystopian novel that falls flat for me.)

Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby (Sarah becomes lost in the Everglades with Andy. It was interesting reading about the challenges they faced in the Everglades. I know I don't want to be lost there!)

Fiction or non-fiction Feinstein?

John Feinstein is known for his fiction young adult sports novels:

Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery
Vanishing Act
Cover Up: Mystery at the Superbowl
Change-Up: Mystery at the World Series
and his latest The Rivalry: Mystery at the Army Navy Game.

Some may not know that John Feinstein is also a sports commentator and the author of two of the best-selling non-fiction sports books in history. In A Good Walk Spoiled (1995), Feinstein traveled on the PGA Golf Tour for a year and tells the stories of 17 golfers. In A Season on the Brink, Feinstein follows Bob Knight and the University of Indiana basketball team during the 1985-86 season. If you are bored with fiction sports books, then you should consider Feinstein's non-ficiton novels.


Here are some additional non-fiction titles by Feinstein:
Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four,
Living on the Black: Two Pitchers, Two Teams, One Season to Remember,
                             The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the Fight That Changed Basketball Forever

If you can't seem to get enough of John Feinstein, you can follow his blog: http://feinsteinonthebrink.com/index.php

Don't mess with Dessen!

It is not always easy to be an adult and write from a teen perspective, but Dessen has it down to a science. I recently read her latest novel, What Happened to Goodbye, which happens to be her tenth novel. She fills the novel with everything interesting to a middle school or high school female in a voice that is realistic. Her characters are well-developed and memorable. So, how does Dessen do it even though she is way past her teenage years?
Dessen says, "In high school, I was lucky enough to have a big group of girlfriends that have really inspired a lot of the stories in my books. I’m still close with my friends from that time, so it’s never very hard to put myself back into that place, that voice."
Dessen goes on to say, "When I found an author who seemed to say just what I was feeling, it really struck me and resonated. I hope that my books do that for the people who read them: I think it’s the best thing to which any writer can aspire."

I think Dessen does resonate with teenage girls. Don't mess with Dessen! She knows how to write a good young adult novel.

See more about Dessen on her webiste: http://sarahdessen.com/

Is it time to slay the vampire craze?

The Twilight series phenomenon began shortly after the release of the first novel in 2005. Since then the vampire popularity has stirred authors to create a new genre of young adult literature. Here are a few that fit the vampire genre: Melissa de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series, P.C. Cast's House of Night series, Christopher Pike's Thirst series, Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak series, and Maggie Stiefvater's Mercy Falls series.

I have to admit I am a little over the vampire books so I was a little excited to read Heather Brewer's The Slayer Chronicles. This new five books series is a companion to The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. The Slayer Chronicles tells the other side of the story. Joss McMillan, Vlad's former friend, reveals his perspective of becoming a vampire slayer. If you are ready to see vampires go away, then this series is for you! First Kill explains in detail Joss's recruitment into the Slayer Society and his first killing of a vampire.

Stephenie Meyer's also attempted to tell Edward Cullen's side of the Twilight  series. Unfortunately, the first 12 chapters were leaked to the internet. She decided not to finish the book and instead posted the unfinished novel, Midnight Sun, on her website. You can read the partial novel here: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html . Stephenie has mentioned that if she would write from another character's perspective she would choose Renesmee Cullen, Bella and Edward's daughter.

So, the question remains are we ready to slay the vampire craze or will it become an official genre of literature?

Where have chapter titles gone?

I love chapter titles! I love when I open a book to find a table of contents and a list of predictions for each chapter. Chapter titles intrigue me about the chapter's contents. We usually find chapter titles in non-fiction books or school textbooks. This text feature helps keep the information organized. So, where have chapter titles gone in ficiton novels?

I don't always like to read the list of chapters in advance because they can give the book's plot away such as Franny Billingsely's Chime. Some of the chapter titles:
"Help to Get Them Witches", "Please Let Him Live", "A Good Little Boggy Mun", "The Party's Always Over at Midnight", "Happily Ever After", and "The Trial".

Girls Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler takes chapter titles a little higher level. Each chapter title provides a definition of a term related to birds but connects it to the plot. Here are some of her chapter titles: "Habitat: The place where your're stuck.", "Skein: A V formation that birds fly in to avoid being a drag.", "Rehabber: A person who is supposed to know what to do with messed-up birds.", and "Striking: When a bird bites you to let you know who's in charge. Not you."
I was anxious to turn the page to see the next catchy chapter title. I learned a lot of new words about birds too.


In the novel Back When You Were Easeir to Love" by Emily Wang Smith, the character says, "Some people remember their life in landscapes. I remember mine in titles." You have to admit, chapter titles are so much better than turning the page and seeing, "Chapter 1".

Lovin' the First Line

Christopher Paolini
"Die puny human!"

I recently saw Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon. He was able to determine his favorite line from all four books of his series, "Die puny human." That got me thinking about great lines from books. After looking at the cover of a book, the next thing that grab's my attention is the first line. Here are some of the best first lines from books:

• “I’ve confessed to everything and I’d like to be hanged. Now, if you please.” Chime by Franny Billingsley
• "I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going cold, surrounded by wolves." Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
• "My father died saving my life when I was seven years old." and "It all started with a party." The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
• "Things had been getting a little better until I got a letter from my dead sister. That more or less ruined my day." Dead Girls Don't Write Letters by Gail Giles
• “Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty.” True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
• “We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck.” Feed by M.T. Anderson
• "The Early summer sky was the color of cat vomit." Uglies by Scott Westerfield.
• “First he hit her, then he stabbed her with a small knife, but Lark didn’t die from this. She died from the cold.” Lark by Tracey Porter
• "One minute the teacher was talking about the Civil War. And the next minute he was gone. There. Gone. No 'poof.' No flash of light. No explosion." Gone by Michael Grant
• "I have been accused of being anal retentive, an over-achiever, and a compulsive perfectionist, like those are bad things." Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
• "If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year for it." The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck



"They took me in my nightgown."
Shades of Gray
by Ruta Sepetys

• "The best day of my life happened when I was five and almost died at Disney World." Going Bovine by Libby Bray
• "The first thing you find out when your dog learns to talk is that dogs don't got nothing much to say. About anyting." The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
• "Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse, I saw the dead guy standing next to my locker." Marked by P.C. Cast
• "When the doorbell rings at 3 in the morning, it's never good news." Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

What is your favorite first line from a book?