For Your TBR Pile - The Last Time We Say Goodbye

The Last Time We Say Goodbye
By Cynthia Hand

Published: February 10,  Harper Teen

From GoodReads: The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be. As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

Thank you Harper Teen for the ARC!

My Thoughts:

This book was love at first sight for me. I read the synopsis and my first thought was, "This book is going to wreck me." And it did on, like, the fifth page.

The funny thing is every time I've talked about this book, people cringe when they hear it's about a girl whose brother commits suicide. But this book is not so much about suicide, and more about how a family can recover from it.

Cynthia Hand's prose is gorgeous and countless times I wanted to start highlighting passages (but didn't because I hear book abuse is bad).

The guilt Lex carries with her is palpable and raw. I loved that the character was so analytical and used her logical skills to overcome grief. It was an interesting how she rationalized her brother's death, pushing away her friends and boyfriend, comforting her mother, and forgiving her father. Most of all, the relationship she had with her brother was loving and wonderful. It completely broke my heart how much she loved him and missed him--and even sought him out when she new logically he wasn't there anymore.

Yes, this book will wreck you. But in a very, very good way.

Whats Up Wednesday - 10.8.14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up.

You can participate by going to Jaime's blog here. Or Erin's blog there.


This new pic still makes me want an apple...





What I'm Reading

I'm still nursing a horrible reading hangover. So I've been listening to a lot of audio books while commuting to work. This week I'm really into The Tyrant's Daughter! It has an awesome voice and such an intriguing premise. Has anyone read this one?

What I'm Writing

I'm kinda kicking myself in the ass. A few of my RWA friends and I created this #BICHOKathon event over the weekend. We were going to write and get a lot of words down. I started off okay Friday night with 1,300 words, but then Saturday I fell apart with a migraine. I was starting to beat myself up pretty bad when I figured, "hey--one day doesn't matter. Just pick yourself back up and keep going."

I'm going to keep using the hashtag to meet my word goals. Anyone can join anytime!

What Else I'm Up To

One more week til vacation. One more week til vacation. One more week til vacation!!!

That is the only thing I am fixated on right now. It is my finish line in the form of a huge cruise ship with virgin pina colatas (since I don't drink) and comfy chairs to read in. 

Currently Reading - October 2014

As of this blog post, I am at 96 books for the year! Seriously, I wasn't sure I was going to read 60 and somehow I upped my game.

So the big challenge is...I'm about to go on a late vacation and will be cruising on down to the Caribbean for a week. Which books should win an all-access pass to the Lido deck with me?

I went through my shelf and tried to look for things that were either:
A) beach reads
B) paperbacks or older ARCs--anything light that can be shoved in my suitcase
C) stuff I just really want to finally read

The pile keeps growing so I'll have to hack this down a bit still. With as fast as I've been reading lately, I might go through a book a day.

2014 Reading Challenge

Valerie has read 1 book toward her goal of 55 books.

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Whats Up Wednesday - 10.1.14

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up.

You can participate by going to Jaime's blog here. Or Erin's blog there.

Woot! What's Up Wednesday! I love this new photo! It makes me want a honey crisp apple NAOW! :)

PS--OMG When did October happen!?


What I'm Reading

Oof...I don't know...I just finished two AMAZING books and have total book hangover! Stacey Lee's Under A Painted Sky and Cynthia Hand's The Last Time We Say Goodbye were such perfect books. I have a huge stack, and nothing's really grabbing at me...which might be a good thing because I need to do some serious damage on my own word count.

What I'm Writing

I'm around 30K on my current WIP. I had a little issue when I wrote myself into a corner, had to back up, and figure out which new way to go. I still a little green at plotting, and sometimes that plotting doesn't get the story moving how I want it to.

Before I started writing, I painted a lot. I learned that you should never focus on one small piece for too long and keep taking steps back to look at the whole picture. So I've been trying to look at the whole picture to figure out what I need in that one small piece that is screwing up my pacing.

What Inspires Me

Last weekend I went to the Chapter By Chapter BookRave in New Rochelle, NY. Everyone was there. EVERYONE! Including BFF Kelly and me.

But overall a huge thanks (and watch me drop all these names) to Jodi Meadows, Joy Hensley, Lee Bross, CJ Redwine, Elizabeth Eulberg, Megan Whitmer, Kelsey Macke, Dahlia Adler and Sarah Guillory (Sarah--I'm sorry I didn't talk to you longer!) for being there and being awesome.

Oooh! Also, Jay Crownover was there! She is so cute in person and was giving out ARCs of Rowdy, (plus a ton of tattooed boy swag!). If you want a fun NA romance to cuddle up to and like your boys inked, check out her Marked Men series.

What Else I'm Up To

I'm in full-blown vacation mode. I have three weeks until I board a cruise ship for the Caribbean and I've started throwing all my sundresses in a suitcase and stacking up which books I want to take with me. I am ready to go! 

I will end this post with pictures of where I will be in three weeks so we can all ooh and ahh. Ready?

OOOOOH!

AHHHH!

[photo credit: Carnival Cruise Line]

Book Signing - Joy Hensley's Rites of Passage

I'm lucky to live in Philadelphia where signings aren't hard to find--and going to NYC for them is always a quick jump in the car. I've been trying to go to more signings to learn more about that public part of promoting a book and interacting with readers.

So when writer friend and all-around awesome person, Joy Hensley was celebrating the launch of her book Rites of Passage, I trekked down to Virginia. Not only did I get to crash on Jodi Meadows' couch, but I got to attend one of the coolest, most unique signings ever!

Because Rites of Passage is based on Joy's own experiences attending a military school, the signing was held at the Staunton Military Academy (SMA) and Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership museum. Joy did the usual reading and taking questions--but then the women who were attending the school presented her with a really nice jacket and showed us some of their drills.

The turnout was amazing, with a lot of Joy's family in attendance as well as her former students (she taught 8th grade), former colleagues and military school friends. She talked about her experience at military school--some of which made it into her book! She advised anyone who is considering military college or an ROTC program that, "It will suck. But it will be worth it in the end."

Plus, she had cool swag and cupcakes!

I loved Rites of Passage. It was full of chilling suspense and gave me a huge appreciation for those who pursue military careers. Add Joy's book on GoodReads here.

For Your TBR Pile - Wildlife

Wildlife
By Fiona Wood

Published: September 16,  Little, Brown (Poppy)

From GoodReads: During a semester in the wilderness, sixteen-year-old Sib expects the tough outdoor education program and the horrors of dorm life, but friendship drama and an unexpected romance with popular Ben Capaldi? That will take some navigating.

New girl Lou has zero interest in fitting in, or joining in. Still reeling from a loss that occurred almost a year ago, she just wants to be left alone. But as she witnesses a betrayal unfolding around Sib and her best friend Holly, Lou can't help but be drawn back into the land of the living.

Thank you LBKids for the eARC!

My Thoughts:

Some of my favorite stories have come from Australian writers (Kirsty Eagar, Cath Crowley, Melina Marchetta), and I am so happy to include this one on that list. Told in duel POV, Sib and Lou tell their stories from an outdoor education camp. Popular Sib is still adjusting to her newfound popularity while new girl Lou tries to find her footing in starting over with a broken heart.

I loved getting Sib's POV from her first person narrative, while Lou's was written like journal entries. In the beginning, Lou's chapters come across as distant and a bit confusing at times, but she warms up. Sib also comes across as excitable and jumpy--a bit hard to grasp onto at first, but as the drama at school unfolds, she shows her depth.

I really liked the questions this book tackled about friendship and first love. And I felt like this book examined boundaries very well--How far do we let someone push us before they cross a line, especially if that person is someone we trusted? Who do we let into the most private areas of our lives?

As a picky thing: I had a hard time with some of the Australian words, only because I'm not familiar, but it didn't pull me out of the story too much.

Hayley's Story

Two years ago, my best friend got sick. What started as a hospital stay for some strange symptoms became a two year battle for an answer. Hayley was diagnosed with vasculitis, a rare disease that has few treatment options and little recognition (not even when a former GhostBuster died from it earlier this year). I'll let her explain in her own words.

What do you do when your friend gets sick? With half a country between us, there wasn't a lot I could do from Philadelphia while Hayley suffered in Alabama. I couldn't rush to her side or sit in the hospital to keep her company or help her at home. I tried my best: I mailed books and presents, sent balloons, checked in as much as I could. It could never, ever be enough.

My friendship with Hayley has taught me a lot about faith. Faith that life truly won't give you more than you can handle. Faith that a simple prayer can make the biggest difference. Faith that true friends won't leave you in your time of need.

I can't do much for Hayley. I can't find a cure or alleviate any of her pain, but I can help share her story and donate to the fund set up to help her in this time of need. If you feel it in your heart, please help my friend.