tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30574212500865719982024-03-13T06:45:16.509-05:00Tattooed Booksloreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.comBlogger688125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-9633971950768483762014-01-29T12:11:00.002-06:002014-01-29T12:11:43.096-06:00Movie Trailer: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is the Official Trailer!! I listened to the audiobook over Christmas & it was amazing. I'm hoping to have a review up in the next week. Until then, enjoy!</span><br />
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loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-47164263478319615302014-01-27T10:00:00.000-06:002014-01-27T10:00:02.985-06:00Oh the times they are a changin'<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Now, this is the story all about how</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">My life got flipped-turned upside down</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">I'll tell you how I fell into blogging despair</span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Catchy right? So, many of you I'm sure have noticed my absence and whether you mourned it or relished it, I'm here to apologize. I grossly underestimated graduate school, work, & my personal life. I thought that reading and posting would continue, maybe a little slower than usual, but I didn't expect it to stop completely. I am truly sorry for abandoning you dear readers and authors. For a long time now y'all have been a constant source of fun and entertainment & I have been so thankful to be a part of the blogging community. I still am thankful and I think it's time I get back into the swing of things.</span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm hoping to get a new background soon & the content of the blog will change slightly. Most notably will be the addition of movie/tv show reviews (which have been a wonderful source of entertainment & reward for completing homework assignments) & more personal posts. I don't read quite as much as I used to, but what I do read is still YA so look for those book reviews too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't promise I won't relapse again. I can't promise anything really, but this blog was once a place of enjoyment for me and I want it to be that way again. So hold on to your hats & enjoy the ride with me!</span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-60851707956427874882013-11-14T10:00:00.001-06:002013-11-14T10:00:07.875-06:00Review: Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/17233800-crash-into-you" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crash Into You cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sw_0D2kM4Lk/UoOZs1dN3YI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/RHb9PVDw608/s200/crash+into+you.jpg" title="" width="132" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText15900414184411739064"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The girl with straight
As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect
Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her
wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more
to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in
her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she
has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the
tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out
of her mind. <br /><br />Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and
how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get
tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for
kicks-no matter how angelic she might look. <br /><br />But when their
shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they
have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how
far they'll go to save each other.<a class="actionLinkLite" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17233800-crash-into-you?ac=1#"></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17233800-crash-into-you?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Isaiah got his heart crushed by the one woman he thought he could trust. Having been abandoned by his mother & bounced around the foster system for years, he's a bit prickly. He's got a great family (meaning the people he has chosen as family) who will do anything for him, but that still doesn't make him any less intimidating. In walks the gal with a car he's drooling over & the attitude to go with it. Rachel is the token daughter in a family filled with secrets & lies. To escape the pressures at home, she speeds around in her Mustang. When things go sideways at the street race the night she meets Isaiah, nothing will ever be the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You guys know I love me some Katie McGarry books. As I said in my WoW yesterday, I may not be able to wait for the boxed set to buy this book. Isaiah has been my favorite character all along, so to have a book featuring him was almost enough to make me squeal. I couldn't have imagined it would get even better when we get introduced to Rachel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Both of these teens are stubborn & hard-headed to their own detriment, but the benefit of others. They are loyal & trustworthy despite having shady tendencies. Getting to learn about their vastly different, yet eerily similar backgrounds was a lot of fun and made this a unique read. I don't know a lot about cars, but even I appreciated the muscle displayed during the racing & mechanic shop scenes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">McGarry has an entertaining writing style since we get the story from both perspectives. It would be repetitive if done by almost anyone else, but the lens she uses to show us the interactions is what really drives the story home for me. I adored getting to see the parts of these two characters that almost no one saw & how they allowed each other to see what they couldn't actually face themselves. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the romance was a little speedy in my opinion (I'm not a fan of insta-love because for me it's not very realistic) it worked well for how this story played out. There is definitely some language, violence, minor drug scenarios (although little to know actual usage mentioned), these things all served their purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Personally, I am the biggest fan of the fact that Katie isn't afraid to break her characters; both emotionally & physically. You'll just have to read to find out what I mean. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ARC graciously provided by <a href="http://oundtheworldarctours.wordpress.com/">Around the World Tours</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I sent this video to Katie since a lot of the lyrics remind me of scenes in this book & Isaiah in general. I know it's long, but it is well worth it. Enjoy!</span>
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loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-54448609541105266172013-11-13T11:00:00.000-06:002013-11-13T11:00:02.091-06:00Waiting on Wednesday: Crash into You (Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of this work/life/blog balance. Still not perfect, but I'm determined to get things situated. I'm really excited for my book this week (even though I just finished reading it). </span><i style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crash into You</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">(Pushing the Limits #3) by Katie McGarry is set for a November 26 release & I may actually buy this one. I was kind of hoping that they would make a box set of these books soon so I can just buy that, but this one might be too good to wait for that. Check out the summary below.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17233800-crash-into-you?ac=1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crash Into You cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sw_0D2kM4Lk/UoOZs1dN3YI/AAAAAAAAB1M/ApvQvQMYrAM/s200/crash+into+you.jpg" title="" width="132" /></a>
<span id="freeText12707462668207734507"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The girl with straight
As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect
Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her
wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more
to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in
her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she
has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the
tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out
of her mind. <br /><br />Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and
how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get
tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for
kicks-no matter how angelic she might look. <br /><br />But when their
shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they
have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how
far they'll go to save each other.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17233800-crash-into-you?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I love about these books (and the Fairytale Retellings by Jackson Pearce) is that they are a loosely tied series. Not all characters are major players in other books & each book focuses on a different relationship. Of the three so far, I think this one is my favorite. I LOVE Isaiah & love that Katie isn't afraid to break her characters. Check back tomorrow for my review of <i>Crash Into You</i>! What are you waiting on this week?</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-72519229977814048152013-10-23T10:30:00.000-05:002013-10-23T10:30:01.019-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: Cold Spell (Fairytale Retellings #4) by Jackson Pearce<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">We all know by now how much I enjoy a good retelling & Jackson Pearce is the queen of these! With her 4th installment in the loosely connected <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/search/label/Fairytale%20Retellings">Fairytale Retellings</a> series </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">Cold Spell</i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> is sure to make an impression on its</span><span style="line-height: 19px;"> November 5 arrival.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/16039122-cold-spell" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Cold Spell cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl-XgEoV_s/UkolbcRU3YI/AAAAAAAABzo/WZVn8ktgPx4/s200/cold+spell.jpg" title="" width="131" /></span></a>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Kai and Ginny grew up together–best friends since they could toddle around their building’s rooftop rose garden. Now they’re seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora–a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved–and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him?</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Jackson Pearce, author of the acclaimed SISTERS RED and FATHOMLESS, has returned with a unique vision of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” one about power and redemption, failure and hope, and the true meaning of strength.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16039122-cold-spell?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">This is a bit different of a story as it's not necessarily one of the more well-known fairy tales. It has been done in countless versions in many cultures, but the most recent adaptation will come from Disney in the form of its upcoming movie Frozen. Something tells me though that Ms. Pearce's book will be better than anything Disney could dream up. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Do you know The Snow Queen story? Have you read other fairytale retellings? What are you waiting on this week?</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-56096934796884507362013-10-17T10:00:00.000-05:002013-10-17T10:00:05.558-05:00Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/13335037-divergent" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuLX9WYF99E/Ul9Czu5J_PI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/LvLDd3qInQ4/s200/divergent.jpg" width="132" /></a><span id="freeText14642692177943770508"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In Beatrice Prior's
dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each
dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the
honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the
peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every
year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will
devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between
staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have
both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.<br /><br />During
the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames
herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out
the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical
tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with
devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must
determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with
a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life
she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from
everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she
discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her
seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help
her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.<a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent?ac=1#"></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Knowing that you don't belong with the family that raised you is one thing; choosing another family is a whole other thing entirely. That's essentially the dilemma that Beatrice Prior is faced with on her selection day. By choosing another faction than the one she was raised in, the newly named Tris faces untold perils. If she fails the initiation process for her new faction, she will be factionless & forced to live on the streets. Determined to find out just who and <i>what</i> she really is, Tris forges ahead in her initiation process. With untold perils lurking around every corner, Tris must decide who she trusts, who her enemy is, & just how she really feels about a particular person. Her decisions have consequences she can't even begin to imagine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Naturally I'm late to the party on reading this book. I fall into one of two categories when it comes to popular books: either I read it before it became popular or I avoid it like the plague until a lot of the hype dies down just so I can say I read it. I'm glad I waited to read this book. While I'm sure it would have been awesome to fangirl with other readers when this was first gaining steam, I am able to basically binge read by reading <i>Divergent</i>, <i>Insurgent</i>, & <i>Allegiant w</i>hich comes out NEXT WEEK!! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I dove in head first during a 13 hour ride home to North Carolina. The beginning of the book was a bit slow since there was a lot of information to cover. The world building is fairly simple since it so closely resembles our present world. Set in a near-future Chicago, the book moves at a quick pace. I think only a few weeks have passed from beginning to end, and considering just how much happens in those few weeks it was amazing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The writing style was much to my liking as it gave you just enough detail to give you the picture, but still left room for you to imagine some of the details yourself. It was also a good mixture of action & storytelling. While not an action-driven story, <i>Divergent</i> provides you with more than enough interactions to keep your heart-pumping and your mind-racing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the premise may seem overdone (girl with something special about her has to navigate her way through several tricky situations) I think this book gives us a different view on strength & self-sacrifice. Tris is not your "average" teenager. She's actually smaller and more often than not extremely underestimated. I think this is a type of character that isn't seen in this kind of role very often and I think that, if nothing else, makes it worth the read. Also, she screws up all the time (like a normal person) but learns from it and moves forward. That's something that I think everyone can learn from Tris.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll have my review of <i>Insurgent </i>(Divergent #2) up soon, but for now enjoy the teaser trailer for Divergent, due in theaters in 2014.</span><br />
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loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-10416112458947203872013-10-02T12:00:00.000-05:002013-10-02T12:00:04.712-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: Alligeant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, I finally broke down & read <i>Divergent</i>. It's one of a few reviews that I need to write up. Suffice it to say, that everyone was right, I absolutely loved it! It's every bit as incredible as everyone has made it sound. I've currently got <i>Insurgent</i> at my house waiting patiently while I write a school paper. But today I'm featuring, what is supposed to be the thrilling conclusion to this series, <i>Allegiant</i> (Divergent #3) scheduled for release in less than 3 weeks on October 22. I haven't read this summary yet since I didn't want to spoil <i>Insurgent</i> for myself, but as it comes from Goodreads (as always) I'm certain it's full of just enough to have you all salivating.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/10616322-allegiant" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Allegiant cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RoM2Ef7ePE/Ukom3AXZWTI/AAAAAAAABz0/Nxr0bXXxiiY/s200/allegiant.jpg" title="" width="132" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">One choice will define you.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><em style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">What if your whole world was a lie?<br />What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?<br />What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?</em><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10616322-allegiant">Goodreads</a></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">There you have it folks, the summary of the final book in the Divergent series. Veronica Roth has created a distinct world that I enjoy exploring. I can't wait to see what this book brings to the story. I really hope things go as I want them to...but we'll just have to wait & see! What are you waiting on this week?</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-69154675344371874952013-09-30T21:00:00.000-05:002013-09-30T21:00:01.934-05:00September Genreflecting: Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Oct. 11th, 1943-A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">When "Verity" is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn't stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she's living a spy's worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12851538-code-name-verity">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">So this was a poor choice for this specific use. It's a PERFECT historical fiction representative, but I can't even begin to write a spoiler-free review at the moment because I'm still processing what just happened. Needless to say, I completely understand why this was one of the hottest books of 2012 & that summary above does the storyline justice. What it doesn't do justice for is Wein's writing. Her intricate writing style is impeccable & perfectly suited for this type of story. That's really all I feel I can say at the moment.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">As for its historical fiction portrayal, this book was an exceptional example of what good historical fiction can accomplish. Maggie Stiefvater, a history buff who usually has trouble enjoying historical fiction books, adored this book. Check out her analytic & spoiler-free explanation on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/297750062">Goodreads</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">While many people may not enjoy the wartime setting or the prisoner of war type books, <i>Code Name Verity</i> is so much more than that. It transcends pigeon-holing because it's not just about the time period or the events facing the characters; this book represents historical fiction's ability to appeal to all reader demographics because of it's meaning & presence. The story being told, about a true and meaningful friendship, is one that can exist in any time period. The uniqueness of this particular situation is what makes it so perfect for a historical fiction piece.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Not only is this book factual, it's also emotive. The locations & information are well-researched and the nationalities portrayed are quite accurate. What makes it work so well in this historical context is the ability to bring all these characters together & have them interact in their specific manners. I'm sure that's all a bit more muddled than I would prefer, but that's the best way I can think of to explain how unique this particular book is and why it was difficult to use as a historical fiction example.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">I'll be cutting down my genreflecting posts to three a month due to my school & work load. I may combine the general & details posts or I may only review one book. My determination to finish this series is strong & I hope you'll bear with me during this transitional period.</span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-816861974332173892013-09-25T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-25T10:22:58.610-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This week I'm very intrigued by the November 5 release of </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">The Naturals</i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I've read the first book in her Raised by Wolves series & liked it. Her writing style works for my reading preference; but that's not what interests me with regard to this book. The cover is awesome, but the content is riveting. I've been on a reading path recently of these types of books & this one sounds perfect for my current reading mood.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/13597723-the-naturals" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="The Naturals cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-19QW-6rdWIE/UjphMw_DakI/AAAAAAAABzI/vWZpCCoXOB8/s200/naturals.jpg" title="" width="131" /></span></a>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides— especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13597723-the-naturals?from_search=true">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">This book has so many touches of several subgenres, predominately from science fiction, that I can't exactly pinpoint where it falls on the spectrum. What I do know is that I can't wait for November to hurry up & get here. Would it be wrong to ask for this as an anniversary present? :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">What are you waiting on this week?</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-21067530185770945852013-09-23T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-23T10:00:03.431-05:00Where have the posts gone?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I'm sure you're all beginning to notice the decrease in posting. I just thought I'd give you a heads up that things will be slowing down around here. I was accepting into graduate school for Student Personnel Administration & am taking 6 hours this semester. While I fully intend to keep up with my Genreflecting posts & Waiting on Wednesdays, regular review posts will be sporadic as most of my time is spent reading for class and/or writing papers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm still around & don't plan on going anywhere, but things will be a bit more sluggish than usual.</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-52402064888251844292013-09-20T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-20T10:00:08.007-05:00September Genreflecting: Review: Lyddie by Katherine Paterson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/1735619.Lyddie" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Lyddie cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hbwSZBuTIG8/UjpbP7ikIFI/AAAAAAAAByo/ic9PFJQ_pIs/s200/lyddie.jpg" title="" width="128" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">When Lyddie and her younger brother are hired out as servants to help pay off their family farm's debts, Lyddie is determined to find a way to reunite her family once again. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">When Lyddie hears about the mill jobs in Lowell, Massachusetts, she heads there with the goal of earning enough money to reunite her family. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Six days a week from dawn to dusk Lyddie and the other girls run weaving looms in the murky dust - and lint-filled factory. Lyddie learns to read - and to handle the menacing overseer. But when the working conditions begin to affect her friends' health, she has to make a choice. Will she speak up for better working conditions and risk her job - and her dream? Or will she stay quiet until it is perhaps too late?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1735619.Lyddie">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">The industrial revolution in the United States was just as harsh on the population as in Europe. With constant in-fighting among all the companies & factory owners, the workers suffered heinously. Lyddie is no exception. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">When her father runs off in search of better fortunes for his family, leaving behind several young children [of which Lyddie is the eldest] and a mentally unstable wife, Lyddie steps in to manage the family's affairs. It's not long until her mother finally loses it and ships Lyddie and her younger brother off to work out the debts their father </span><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">incurred while she prays for salvation with the two youngest children.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">At first Lyddie dreams of returning to her family's farm & getting things back to the way they used to be. She holds on to the good memories she has while working her way towards a better future. Unfortunately the lights on her dreams are dimming with each bit of news she receives. Will she survive the tumultuous factory setting & thrive or will she just become another </span><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">casualty</span><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"> in the war of progression?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><i>Lyddie</i> is an incredible read. While at times difficult to comprehend given the vernacular used, it still paints a realistic and accurate portrait of life in the industrializing era of United States history. Lyddie displays so much character & strength as she tries to do what's best for her family. What she sometimes forgets though is that she is still just a child herself and cannot solve every problem.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">The setting & social issues represented in this book are spot on. From the Quaker family, to abolition, to hiring help, this book is an impeccable representation of a bygone time. While I do not wish to live it, the history that it represents is very important to the development of today's society. I find it incredibly fascinating that I can pinpoint to certain situations & scenarios that lead to particular events in history. This may be a small, rural area story, but that makes it even more vital to the history component. It shows that the situation was the same all over the place.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">There wasn't a finalized resolution to the story & I think I prefer it that way because it allows me to dream up my own ending for Lyddie's life.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">What are some of your favorite historical fiction books?</span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-79606267105095009912013-09-18T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-18T10:00:08.889-05:00Book Spotlight & HUGE Giveaway: The Secret Side of Empty by Maria Andreu<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week I'm excited to be part of the Book Spotlight Tour for Maria Andreu's debut novel <i>The Secret Side of Empty</i>. This spring 2014 release sounds like a powerful story that has the potential to help so many people. Check it out below & be sure to enter the giveaway for a Kindle Fire or $250 Amazon giftcard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What's it like to be undocumented? High school senior M.T. knows all too well. With graduation and an uncertain future looming, she must figure out how to grow up in the only country she's ever called home... a country in which she's "illegal."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">M.T. was born in Argentina and brought to America as a baby without any official papers. And as questions of college, work, and the future arise, M.T. will have to decide what exactly she wants for herself, knowing someone she loves will unavoidably pay the price for it. On the way, M.T. must navigate first love, letting go of her childhood friends as they begin a life she can't share, a difficult relationship with a father who grew up a world away and a mother struggling to find her way in America. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is it like when the only country you've ever known says you don't belong? The Secret Side of Empty offers an intimate, often surprising glimpse into a story you often hear on the news but have never heard told this way before.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPQnZknFEJA/Ujj4mrCofJI/AAAAAAAAByY/wiYen5jD2yg/s1600/Maria+Andreu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Maria Andreu" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPQnZknFEJA/Ujj4mrCofJI/AAAAAAAAByY/wiYen5jD2yg/s1600/Maria+Andreu.jpg" title="" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maria’s writing has appeared in Newsweek, The Washington Post and the Star Ledger. Her debut novel, <i>The Secret Side of Empty</i>, is the story of an “illegal” high school senior. More than that, it's a story that will touch anyone who has ever felt excluded or unsure about the future or has kept a secret she felt was too big too share. It was inspired by Maria’s own experiences as an undocumented teen. Since becoming a citizen, Maria has run her own business and has become a soccer mom. She lives with her 13-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son in northern New Jersey.</span></div>
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Links</div>
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Preorder The Secret Side of Empty-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Side-Empty-Maria-Andreu/dp/0762451920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379465890&sr=8-1&keywords=secret+side+of+empty">Amazon</a> </div>
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Maria Andreu’s website- <a href="http://mariaeandreu.com/">http://mariaeandreu.com/</a></div>
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Maria Andreu on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/WritersideofM">https://twitter.com/WritersideofM</a></div>
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Maria Andreu on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/maria.andreu.books">https://www.facebook.com/maria.andreu.books</a></div>
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Giveaway Info:</div>
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Maria is giving away two separate prizes on her tour, a $250 Amazon Gift Card AND a Kindle Fire.</div>
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For a chance to win the $250 Amazon gift card, OR the Kindle Fire leave a comment on her blog post for that day. Winners will be randomly selected on September 30th.</div>
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(I am in no way responsible for this giveaway. Winners will be chosen from all the entrants from all the tour stops.)</div>
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loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-28852030917484145512013-09-13T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-13T10:00:04.445-05:00September Genreflecting: Historical Fiction: The Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Based on the Collins English Dictionary, a subgenre is "a category that is a subdivision of a larger genre." (</span><a href="http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/subgenre" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Source</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) Historical Fiction can be divided many different ways depending upon the reader's focus. There really is something for everyone in this genre.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many people like to read books about specific time periods. Considering the length of man's written history, there are a multitude of options ranging from indigenous peoples in pre-colonization eras, the Industrial Revolution, the 1960s, & even wartime (which one, I'll let you decide). Each period has distinct characteristics that attract certain readers & allow them to more fully enjoy the plot. It can add a lot of texture and meaning to the story depending on the characters' actions in particular time periods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another way to divide this genre is by location. England in the 1850s would be completely different than the United States in the 1850s which would be even more different from the indigenous people of the Amazon Rain Forest during the 1850s. To quote The Doctor, <span style="background-color: white;">"<span style="line-height: 18px;">People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000252/quotes">IMDB</a></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">) That's how I feel about how these events transpire. When we think of the timing of events, we tend to put things chronologically to organize them, even if they had/have no effect on one another. That's what I love about location-based historical fiction, it's like getting 2 books in one: another place and another time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ann Rinaldi has some great words about writing the <i>fiction</i> in historical fiction.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Where in your novels does the history end and the fiction begin?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">" I will only invent in history when history doesn't provide information...only when I run into a brick wall in research." I include in my novels an Author's Note which clarifies verifiable fact from personal creation. I look at gaps in recorded history as a challenge and an opportunity to create character."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Have you ever received any backlash for your depiction of history?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">"No. I recognize that there is a definite risk involved in creating a personality/childhood/feelings for a historical figure. However, one must take risks in life. I never contradict documented fact and always note what is my own invention."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/rinaldi1.html">Rutgers Interview</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be sure to check back next Friday when I review <i>Lyddie</i> by Katherine Paterson.</span></div>
loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-65344153584291977552013-09-11T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-11T10:00:00.075-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles #1) by Lauren DeStefano<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This week I'm getting really excited for <i>Perfect Ruin</i> (The Internment Chronicles #1) by Lauren DeStefano that is coming out October 1. I loved <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/search/label/Chemical%20Garden">The Chemical Garden</a> series (although I have yet to review <i>Sever</i>) & I've heard wonderful things about this book, so I'm sure it'll be just as amazing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17339241-perfect-ruin?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are so many incredible parts of this summary that I can't pick which one I like the most! It sounds very dystopic & science-fictiony with a hint of romance. Lauren does such an incredible job with her characterization that I'm pretty sure this will be one of those "I read it in a weekend" kind of books. What do you think about it? What are you waiting on this week?</span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-47271027379374842492013-09-09T10:00:00.000-05:002013-10-10T11:20:58.549-05:00September Genreflecting: Historical Fiction: The Basics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wanted to do a reading challenge for the subject of Genreflecting, but I didn't get much feedback (maybe because it asked you to read 2 books for each genre and discuss them or because it's not really a "reading challenge" per se, but more an educational experiment), so I've turned it into a monthly feature! For each month of 2013, there will be a specific genre that will be analyzed. I'm planning to have author input and at least 2 reviews of books in the genre as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">September's genre is Historical Fiction! These books, obviously, are set in the past and can vary from recent past (like the 1960s and 1970s) to several centuries ago (1700s). These kinds of books appeal to all manner of readers based on place, time period, & character backgrounds. It's a way to travel back in time to a personally unfamiliar (or favorite) era and experience someone else's life for a while. Equal parts entertaining & informative, these books never cease to please a reader because of the amount of variety available. Some people prefer to read about certain eras or time periods, while others prefer certain places to be predominately featured. No matter what you're looking for, you're sure to find something to like. (adapted from the Teen Genreflecting, 2nd edition)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I enjoy a wide variety of historical fiction books ranging from:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anna Godbersen's <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2009/08/luxe-by-anna-godbersen.html">The Luxe series</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">17th century Salem, Massachusetts (<i><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-of-witches-by-anna-myers.html">Time of the Witches</a>)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The 1960s are always fun (<i><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2011/04/purple-daze-by-sherry-shahan.html">Purple Daze</a></i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And pretty much anytime there was a struggle (<i><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2012/03/ten-cents-dance-by-christine-fletcher.html">Ten Cents a Dance</a>, <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2010/06/nostalgic-friday-inheritance.html">The Inheritance</a></i>)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm excited to say that I've chosen my two books, one older and one newer, to read for this challenge. The older book is <i>Lyddie</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> by Katherine Paterson (originally published in 1991) and I'll have a review and analysis up on Friday, September 20th. The newer book is <i>Code Name Verity</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> by Elizabeth Wein (originally published in 2012 [in the US]) and I'll have a review and analysis up on Friday, September 27th. I'll also be hosting a giveaway, so stay tuned!</span><br />
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loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-64887901392826145772013-09-06T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-06T10:00:04.723-05:00Review: The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The September Genreflecting post has been moved to Monday. It will resume its Friday position next week. Thank you!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/17714301-the-prayer-box" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Prayer Box cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a3DwhAKBDxY/UgLlpmC3_LI/AAAAAAAABuw/T5xUYQQHkmI/s200/prayer+box.jpg" title="" width="132" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17714301-the-prayer-box?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Tandi Jo is about as lost as a person can be in life. A former professional horse jumper who grew dependent upon prescription drugs after a career-ending accident, she finds herself recovering from her addiction (and hiding from her soon-to-be-ex husband) with her two children on Hatteras Island. As the tenant in Iola Anne Poole's bungalow, she is the unlucky person to find Miss Poole after her passing. Tasked with cleaning out the house for the church that now owns the property, Tandi Jo finds herself enveloped in walking down Iola Anne's past via the letters to Father in dozens of prayer boxes.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">While juggling hiding from her ex, trying to make a budding relationship grow, and wrangling a wild teenager & reserved pre-teen, Tandi Jo finds herself really connecting with Iola Anne in a way that never happened while the older woman was alive. Through the letters Tandi Jo is slowly crawling back to where she ought to be in her life & her children's lives.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">This was an incredibly powerful book. Subtle, but tempered just so, </span><i style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">The Prayer Box</i><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"> is an uplifting and unique book. The characters are quite memorable and the setting is </span><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">impeccable</span><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">. Being a Carolina girl, I'm not ashamed to say I'm a little biased, but the lifestyle of the Outer Banks gave this story a little something extra because of the situations that presented themselves through the book.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">While I'm not usually a fan of inspirational/Christian fiction, this book is more affirmation-driven than necessarily religious. Tandi Jo undergoes a personal transformation while reading Iola Anne's letters to God, but the content of those letters isn't preachy. It's just a simple woman ruminating over situations and events in her life. It was fascinating watching the subtle changes in Tandi Jo as the story progressed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Even more appealing to me though were the relationships. Raising children is difficult, but raising them alone when you've been mostly absent from their lives for the past few years is bound to cause some waves. Seeing how those interactions change over time & examining Tandi Jo's working relationship with the locals gives the story its meter and pacing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">This is a great crossover book because there are lessons to be learned for all age groups. I think there are so many different ways to see what transpires during this novel that everyone can take something away.</span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-54839773853307359932013-09-05T10:00:00.000-05:002013-09-05T10:00:07.810-05:00Interview with Lisa Wingate, Author of The Prayer Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I am thrilled to be hosting and interview with the lovely Lisa Wingate, author of <i>The Prayer Box</i>. While I normally stick to Young Adult books, this one has quite a lot of crossover power. It's a story about family, hope, & love in so many ways. I'll save the rest of my thoughts for my review that posts tomorrow. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you're interested in how to make your own prayer/gratitude box, be sure to check out Lisa's post on </span><a href="http://www.southernbelleviewdaily.com/making-using-and-sharing-prayer-boxes/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Southern Belleview Daily</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> For now, enjoy the interview!</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0BMklVeBz18/Uhq4VGaAQxI/AAAAAAAABw4/DlQQlt8EK2g/s1600/prayer+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Prayer Box cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0BMklVeBz18/Uhq4VGaAQxI/AAAAAAAABw4/DlQQlt8EK2g/s200/prayer+box.jpg" title="" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Q&A WITH LISA WINGATE</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You originally had the book set in Texas. What made you switch to the coastal setting?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My special reader-friend, Ed Stevens, visited the Outer Banks (his daughter Shannon has a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">beach house in Duck) after Hurricane Irene, and he asked me to set a book in the Outer Banks to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">draw attention to the destruction there and the</span><br />
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plight of residents—Irene was mostly thought of as <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a “nonevent” because it didn’t hit New York, etc. as was predicted. But the damage was very bad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s a post-hurricane story, and we’ve had our share of hurricanes here in Texas. We lost </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">our family beach houses (relatives on the coast) during Ike several years ago, so I understand the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">aftermath of having family treasures scattered to the tides and the feeling of losing a place you’ve </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">loved and where you’ve made memories.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6Qm09rUjDU/UhrWrL6X5JI/AAAAAAAABxM/xIyWxRZdhko/s1600/prayer+box+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Star shaped prayer box" border="0" height="146" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6Qm09rUjDU/UhrWrL6X5JI/AAAAAAAABxM/xIyWxRZdhko/s200/prayer+box+1.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You researched the book from the Outer Banks?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our trip was amazing. We canvassed the place. A reader friend–now–gal pal and my </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">mother (my assistant) went with me. We photographed like crazy, talked to locals, found a location </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for the fictional village of Fairhope, and learned about what the people on Hatteras here going </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">through. And that was pre–Hurricane Sandy. Now it’s even worse there. I do hope the book will </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">bring attention/tourism/help, etc. to the Outer Banks, and Hatteras in particular. They are great </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">people and it’s a beautiful place with rich history.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your fans make big impacts on your writing—and your family. How did your aunt Sandy</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">contribute to <i>The Prayer Box</i>?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aunt Sandy is my mom’s sister, and while she and my mom (who I based the character </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sharon on) wish I would have made them a bit younger in the book, they are great inspirations. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My aunt designed her character and the Seashell Shop and made beautiful sea glass necklaces, glass </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">boxes, and hummingbird suncatchers that will be given away as reader prizes. She is an amazing </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">glass artist.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I0RgKdXEvZk/UhrWrPblN2I/AAAAAAAABxU/hvMUuO5bpmM/s1600/prayer+box+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Believe prayer box" border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I0RgKdXEvZk/UhrWrPblN2I/AAAAAAAABxU/hvMUuO5bpmM/s200/prayer+box+2.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What exactly are prayer—or gratitude—boxes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can create the boxes for your own life and as gifts for occasions. Wouldn’t it be </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wonderful, when a child graduates, to be able to give that child the box of hopes and prayers </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">written during the first year of life? Or for a couple on their twenty-fifth anniversary to reopen the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">box from their first year of marriage? For years, I’ve given journals or prayer boxes to couples as </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wedding gifts and encouraged them to write down their hopes and gratitudes during their first year </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of life, then keep them. It’s a great exercise while they’re doing it and a precious keepsake for later. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s also their story, preserved.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How do you write for both Christian and secular audiences?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I try to write books that can be shared between people who are in vastly different places in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">their faith and spiritual lives, and I see The Prayer Box as that type of book—appropriate for a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Christian person to bring to a book club that is not specifically Christian, for instance.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What’s the overall message?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this cyber age, it’s more important than ever to equip families with ideas for generating </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">family table talk and storytelling. My first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, was inspired by stories </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">shared by my grandmother. I’ve since watched that book travel around the world, and her stories—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">those simple remembrances from a farmwife’s life—have affected many lives. Our stories have </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">amazing power and value, yet we’re in danger of losing that tradition of sharing our stories, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">particularly with the next generation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What’s on your nightstand?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Endorsement books, usually! One of the best things about being an author is having the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">chance to read and discover new books before they travel out into the world. Aside from early read </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">copies, there’s usually some research material on my nightstand. Currently I’m reading about the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lost “little races” of the Appalachian Mountains, for the novel that will follow The Prayer Box. Also </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">on the stack is a journal given to me by a reader, where I write down quotes and story ideas I don’t </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">want to forget.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell us about the e-novella prequel to <i>The Prayer Box</i> you released in July.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Titled <i>The Sea Glass Sisters</i>, this is a story of the sisterhood in Sandy’s Seashell Shop, a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">prominent theme in The Prayer Box. In this prequel, Sandy’s sister, Sharon, and Sharon’s daughter </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Elizabeth travel to the Outer Banks determined to convince Sandy to move back to the family land </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in Michigan and give up Sandy’s Seashell Shop before the financial costs of hurricane repairs </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">bankrupt Sandy. The three women end up riding out the second hurricane on the Outer Banks </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and form a life-changing sisterhood.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How did you write twenty books in twelve years with kids at home?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve always loved to write, but I didn’t get serious about freelance writing and selling until </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">after I’d graduated college, married, and started a family. I wrote and sold various smaller projects </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in between naps, diapers, and playgroups.And when the boys were older, during soccer practices, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in carpool lines, while helping with homework, and in all sorts of other situations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People often ask me if I need quiet in order to write. With boys in the house, if I’d waited </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for quiet, the writing would never have happened. I learned to lose myself in a story amid the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">noise of life and I loved it that way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I asked myself what makes a story last, what really makes a story worth telling and worth </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">reading? I wanted to write books that meant something, that explore the human soul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I came across a notebook in which I’d written some of my grandmother’s stories. I’d never </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">known quite what to do with those stories, but I knew they were significant in my life. When I </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">rediscovered the notebook, I had the idea of combining my grandmother’s real stories with a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">fictional family who is like and unlike my own family. That little germ of an idea became my first </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">women’s fiction novel, Tending Roses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now that the boys are practically grown and the house is often quiet, I’m redefining the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">writing routine again. Just as in books, life is a series of scenes and sequels, beginnings and endings, and new discoveries.</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-16334113653447895892013-09-04T14:30:00.000-05:002013-09-04T14:30:05.641-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="line-height: 19px;">Just One Year</i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> is the stunning conclusion to the story begun in <i><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2013/02/just-one-day-by-gayle-forman-review.html">Just One Day</a></i> by Gayle Forman and is set to arrive on October 15. I devoured the first book, which was also the first Gayle Forman book I'd ever read and I am really interested to see what happens with Willem. Check out the summary below!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/12842134-just-one-year" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Just One Year cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwMIKslp2ew/Uh9zzUbrP6I/AAAAAAAABxo/S2s-9PBa4Oo/s200/just+one+year.jpg" title="" width="131" /></span></a>
<span id="freeText9184120510355468782"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>The heartrending conclusion—from Willem’s POV—to the romantic duet of novels that began with Allyson’s story in Just One Day</strong><br /><br />After
spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is
Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their
year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to
Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning
his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.</span></span><br />
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From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12842134-just-one-year?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How incredible does that sound? It's unlike any other series continuation I've ever read. Switching narrators is going to give us access to such much more context about the first book while still carrying the story forward. Are you as excited as I am? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you read <i>Just One Day</i> or any of Gayle's other work? Any favorites? What are you waiting on this week?</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-30566211635728316052013-08-30T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-30T10:00:06.169-05:00August Genreflecting: Review: Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WtytnBSDuA/UPt9TPtUgRI/AAAAAAAABX4/kwWOi6sw6Jc/s1600/genreflecting+wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Genreflecting wordle" border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WtytnBSDuA/UPt9TPtUgRI/AAAAAAAABX4/kwWOi6sw6Jc/s320/genreflecting+wordle.jpg" title="" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/3852015-secret-keeper" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Secret Keeper cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JrFN6faZ-s4/UhhKHlblCwI/AAAAAAAABwo/1j5k6lBZKTA/s200/secret+keeper.jpg" title="" width="131" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When her father loses his job and leaves India to look for work in America, Asha Gupta, her older sister, Reet, and their mother must wait with Baba’s brother and his family, as well as their grandmother, in Calcutta. Uncle is welcoming, but in a country steeped in tradition, the three women must abide by his decisions. Asha knows this is temporary—just until Baba sends for them. But with scant savings and time passing, the tension builds: Ma, prone to spells of sadness, finds it hard to submit to her mother- and sister-in-law; Reet’s beauty attracts unwanted marriage proposals; and Asha's promise to take care of Ma and Reet leads to impulsive behavior. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">What follows is a firestorm of rebuke—and secrets revealed! Asha’s only solace is her rooftop hideaway, where she pours her heart out in her diary, and where she begins a clandestine friendship with Jay Sen, the boy next door. Asha can hardly believe that she, and not Reet, is the object of Jay’s attention. Then news arrives about Baba . . . and Asha must make a choice that will change their lives forever.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3852015-secret-keeper?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><i>Secret Keeper</i> was unlike any other book I've read. Set in the tumultuous times of 1970's India, we follow the story Asha, her older sister Reet, and their mother as they adjust to life with their in-laws and without their father. Suffocating under the oppressive and strict rule of her Uncle, Aunt, & Grandmother, Asha escapes into her journal writing on the roof and by pushing boundaries. Not comfortable with giving up her liberty, Asha clings to the hope that the day that her father sends for his family will come soon.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Things don't go nearly as smoothly and Asha's patience begins to run out. With options dwindling by the day, she chooses to take matters into her own hands as much as possible. In a setting where her opinion is of little to no value and her place is decided for her, will she ever learn to fit in or will she have to fight for every little thing her father always wanted for her and their family?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">I was completely blown away by this book! Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, I found myself shocked by what <i>actually</i> happened. It was in those moments that I realized that I had been conditioned to expect certain events to occur in my books. Which if they were set in modern day (or even historical) America, I might have been right. The cultural differences really made this book stand out to me. While some might write off Asha as weak or submissive, I think her actions in this book show great courage when viewed in context. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">There was so much more going on under the surface of this book. It was as if every action or event had a double meaning, the meaning for the story and the meaning for society. I think it was beautifully written with just enough contextual clues to give the reader an overview of the historical and cultural importance of events transpiring without bogging down the storyline. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Most importantly, I think this book is a gateway book. I was so engrossed in it that it made me want to read more books like it. These can be the best way to meet new cultures and experience life in someone else's shoes. This book did an incredible job showcasing how teenagers in all societies are really the same because they struggle with themselves and their place no matter what situation they are in. I think I prefer this kind of book that follows someone within their own culture because I think it presents a more multi-dimensional presentation of the society without focusing on the differences between groups.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">I hope you'll all take this long weekend (for those of us in the US celebrating Labor Day on Monday) to expand your reading horizons if you haven't done so recently. It's really worthwhile.</span></div>
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loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-90587306702176906482013-08-28T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-28T10:00:01.130-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Words cannot adequately explain how intrigued I am by Josin L. McQuein's</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="line-height: 19px;">Premeditated</i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> that is set for an October 8 debut! While I prefer the minimalist Goodreads summary, I have also provided the Amazon summary to help you get a better clue as to what will be happening in this story.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.</span></span></li>
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<span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13446537-premeditated?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.390625px;">If you enjoyed </span><i style="line-height: 22.390625px;">Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why,</i><span style="line-height: 22.390625px;"> you will race through the pages of this YA novel as 17-year old Dinah pieces together the mystery that surrounds the near death of her 14-year old cousin Claire. </span><br style="line-height: 22.390625px;" /><br style="line-height: 22.390625px;" /><span style="line-height: 22.390625px;">While Claire is holding on her for her life in the hospital, Dinah goes in search of the boy Claire writes about in her journal. The boy who forced her to do something she didn't want to do. The boy who caused her such humiliation that the thought of having to live one more day was just too much. </span><br style="line-height: 22.390625px;" /><br style="line-height: 22.390625px;" /><span style="line-height: 22.390625px;">Dinah is on a mission for revenge, but as things start to unfold, her plan isn't as simple as it seemed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22.390625px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Premeditated-Josin-L-McQuein/dp/0385743297/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377313675&sr=1-1&keywords=premeditated">Amazon</a></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.390625px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are so many questions that I don't even know where to begin! While I'm sure we've all had revenge scenarios play out in our minds, I don't think I've ever seen one presented this way. Normally we see the victim avenging themselves, but I think I like the idea of someone doing the avenging for them; especially in the type of scenario that I'm perceiving here. Either way, I seriously can't wait to since into this book! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.390625px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have any of you read it? What are you waiting on this week?</span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-85711991971382694612013-08-26T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-26T10:00:08.585-05:00Autographed Giveaway & Cover Reveal from Amy Helmes & Kim Askew!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Authors Kim Askew and Amy Helmes are excited to offer a sneak peak at the third book </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">in their “Twisted Lit” series of Shakespeare-inspired YA novels. I was fortunate enough to score <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2012/12/interview-with-kim-askew-and-amy-helmes.html">an interview</a> with these incredibly talented women in December. Be sure to check that out for more inside scoop on what they're cooking up next. This time around, they’ve </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">put their unique spin on Romeo & Juliet. Published by Merit Press,<i> Anyone But You</i> will be </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">released in January, and is currently available for pre-order at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Anyone-But-You-Third-Twisted/dp/1440570019/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377322803&sr=1-9&keywords=anyone+but+you">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anyone-but-you-kim-askew/1115872733?ean=9781440570018">Barnes & Noble</a> </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">and <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781440570018-0">Powell’s</a>. (None of these are affiliate links as I do not participate in those programs.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-6037266f-5b44-5df1-b666-70217460d5e3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Anyone But You: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Book #3 in the Twisted Lit series) by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes</span></span></div>
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</span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18177749-anyone-but-you?ac=1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gcmhNyQnAv0/UgLimtvRlNI/AAAAAAAABug/GZCfc7gVOw8/s200/AnyoneButYou_cover_reveal.jpg" width="130" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summary:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two Italian restaurants, both alike in dignity, in Chicago’s Little Italy where we lay our s</span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">cene... After her family’s struggling eatery, Cap’s, falls prey to another of the Monte clan’s </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">vicious and destructive pranks, sixteen-year-old Gigi Caputo finds herself courting danger </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">during a clandestine encounter with Roman Monte, the very boy whose relatives have </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">brought her family such grief. When the daughter and son of these two warring factions fall </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">for each other, their quest to mend this bitter family feud turns out to be a recipe for disaster. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Their story is irrevocably linked to the summer of 1933, when two twelve-year-olds, Benny </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">and Nick, hop the turnstile at the Chicago World’s Fair. While enjoying some of the fair’s </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">legendary amusements, Nick has a “love at first sight” encounter with Stella, a young girl </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">who unintentionally causes a lasting rift between the two boyhood pals. Deftly winding its </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">way through past and present day, this modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet has </span><span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">much to do with hate — but more with love.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://twistedlitbooks.com/">http://twistedlitbooks.com/</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now on to the giveaway! Since I really loved </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2012/12/tempestuous-twisted-lit-1-by-kim-askew.html">Tempestuous</a></i> these lovely ladies have agreed to let me giveaway an autographed copy of it to one of you lovely readers! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win. Must be 13 years or old & have a US mailing address.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/699c8513/" id="rc-699c8513" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></center>
loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-90882929325452741632013-08-23T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-23T10:00:00.467-05:00August Genreflecting: Review: Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WtytnBSDuA/UPt9TPtUgRI/AAAAAAAABX4/kwWOi6sw6Jc/s1600/genreflecting+wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Genreflecting wordle" border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WtytnBSDuA/UPt9TPtUgRI/AAAAAAAABX4/kwWOi6sw6Jc/s320/genreflecting+wordle.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/215693.Habibi" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Es081ydkXf0/Ug1vLYXlLTI/AAAAAAAABv4/EcoT7kCKaLU/s200/habibi.jpg" width="116" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The day after Liyana got her first real kiss, her life changed forever. Not because of the kiss, but because it was the day her father announced that the family was moving from St. Louis all the way to Palestine. Though her father grew up there, Liyana knows very little about her family's Arab heritage. Her grandmother and the rest of her relatives who live in the West Bank are strangers, and speak a language she can't understand.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It isn't until she meets Omer that her homesickness fades. But Omer is Jewish, and their friendship is silently forbidden in this land. How can they make their families understand? And how can Liyana ever learn to call this place home?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">From </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/215693.Habibi?ac=1" style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Liyana has a valid reason to feel like an outsider in so many ways. An Arab-American who grew up in the very modern & liberal United States is obviously going to have some adjustment issues when moving to a more rural & structured life in Palestine. There are so many expectations to be met and protocols to be followed in a world where your whole life can be in upheaval at any given time. What's most important is how each situation is handled. As she begins to navigate the slippery corridors of social interactions, Liyana begins to find herself and more importantly her position in her new world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Considering this book's age (originally published in 1997) the story itself is still quite relevant for today's struggling teens. While some things have gotten better, and some worse, in the Palestine/Israel area, one thing remains the same: people must continue to live their lives. Time stops for no man & it certainly doesn't stop for children. This book gives us a small glimpse into a pretty typical experience for people who embark on the adventure of living in a foreign country or culture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What really has an impact on the reader are the responses to certain situations. It's in those moments that we learn so much about the culture, story, & character(s). Watching Liyana spend time with her grandmother, with whom she can't communicate, is important because her grandmother is trying to impart their heritage onto her. With each passing scenario, we see Liyana wrestle not only with her feelings, but also with her desires. These little interactions really drive the narrative and help to focus the story on Liyana.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This book settles nicely into the subgenre based around one's own culture. While there are several represented in the book (Arab, Jewish, Armenian, and more) what we're really attuned to is Liyana's role within her own culture and how <i>that</i> impacts her interactions with the other groups. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be sure to come back next week when I host a giveaway & review <i>Secret Keeper</i> by Mitali Perkins!</span></div>
loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-59690933622574398392013-08-21T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-21T10:00:02.296-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: Wild Cards (Fullriders #1) by Simone Elkeles<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at </span><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breaking the Spine</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">While I know I've already read and review this one, I am still really excited for its release! </span><i style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2013/07/arc-review-wild-cards-by-simone-elkeles.html">Wild Cards</a></i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> (Fullriders #1) by Simone Elkeles comes out October 1 and is sure to be another smashing hit for her. She really does have a keen ability to portray unique characters. And I love her romantic writing style! Check out what's in store this time.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/13065327-wild-cards" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i3ni1tyk3Tc/UhLZbN9sg7I/AAAAAAAABwI/IL-1jWyPkgw/s200/wild+cards.jpg" width="133" /></span></a>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.</span><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><br style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" /><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13065327-wild-cards?ac=1">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Derek is pretty awesome & Ashtyn is very spunky. They compliment one another quite well & make for a fun read. What I love best about her work though is that it's not all light and fluffy. Simone gets into the nitty, gritty reality that her characters face and brings them face to face with it. They have to deal with their issues in order to succeed & I think that's a very positive message to send to readers. Do you have a favorite <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/search/label/Simone%20Elkeles">Simone Elkeles</a> book?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">What are you waiting on this week?</span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-36438044688175092702013-08-20T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-20T11:41:11.740-05:00ARC Review: Through the Zombie Glass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2) by Gena Showalter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/15755296-through-the-zombie-glass" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Through the Zombie Glass cover" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAWCjnFbi7U/UgXIJPld2HI/AAAAAAAABvk/vbqu-pCdqbQ/s200/through+the+zombie+glass.jpg" title="" width="132" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home. After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15755296-through-the-zombie-glass">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Alice Bell has been through a nightmare in the last few months. Coming to grips with the fact that your dad wasn't nearly as crazy as you thought because the monsters he was constantly protecting his family from really </span><i style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">are</i><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"> real, losing said family all the same, & </span><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">discovering</span><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"> your true purpose as a slayer would shake anyone. Ali is </span><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">resilient though.</span><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"> While still settling into her new surrounds with Grams & working around the clock between school and slaying, Ali is still managing to enjoy time with her friends and most importantly Cole.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">But there's always a rabbit hole waiting just around the corner for the smart-mouthed heroine. The zombies are becoming bolder & so the slayers follow suite. Unfortunately that boldness leads to accidents. When Ali begins to have cravings for violence and attacking her friends, they all know something's wrong. The clock is ticking & right when she needs them the most, those most capable of helping her are pulling away, especially Cole. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">This was another wonderful installment in the White Rabbit Chronicles series. You've all read my rants & raves about Gena Showalter's other works, so it comes as no surprise that this book is just as riveting as the rest. Her ability to breathe such life into these complex & mysterious characters is something that has always mesmerized me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">We pick up not long after we left the gang in <i><a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2012/09/alice-in-zombieland-by-gena-showalter.html">Alice in Zombieland</a></i>. That being said, things quickly continue on as we hit the ground running with zombie fights & drama. School does not play nearly as large a roll in this book as the first one because it's no longer needed as the buffer between Ali & the slayers. As a full-fledged slayer, with some awesome abilities, Ali is a force to be reckoned with on the field and off. Her personality squares off regularly with Cole's in a sort of dance. Everyone else seems to play off of their vibe for the most part.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">I have to say that the storyline got very interesting this go around. Since we already have the back story and are up to speed, we got to spend a lot more time learning about the characters and their histories in and outside of slaying. With a few new players on the board, things heat up romantically and plotwise quickly. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">The most incredible thing though is the multifaceted way that Gena can write her characters. Everyone has an alter ego in this book, a sort of different front they put up depending on who/what they're dealing with at the moment. It becomes crucial to the reading to pay attention to those clues because they'll lead you to the right answer. Otherwise you might find yourself really surprised by what's going on.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 17.265625px;">With witty dialogue that keeps you flipping from page to page and just enough steamy romance to qualify as PG-13, <i>Through the Zombie Glass</i> continues down the path of awesomeness! Be sure to check it out when it drops onto shelves September 24!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.265625px;">ARC graciously provided by <a href="http://aroundtheworldarctours.wordpress.com/">Around the World ARC Tours</a></span></span>loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057421250086571998.post-8657965552262516172013-08-16T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-16T10:00:00.191-05:00August Genreflecting: Multicultural Fiction: The Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WtytnBSDuA/UPt9TPtUgRI/AAAAAAAABX4/kwWOi6sw6Jc/s1600/genreflecting+wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Genreflecting wordle" border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WtytnBSDuA/UPt9TPtUgRI/AAAAAAAABX4/kwWOi6sw6Jc/s320/genreflecting+wordle.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: start;">Based on the Collins English Dictionary, a subgenre is "a category that is a subdivision of a larger genre." (<a href="http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/subgenre">Source</a>) Multicultural Fiction is a fairly broad topic that tends to be all encompassing. Even so, there is still plenty of niche room available in this domain. You can choose to read about just one type of culture or you can choose to read about just one type of situation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: start;">As I pointed out in The Basics post, there are two main types of books in this genre. The first follows a character within their own culture. They could be struggling to come to terms with certain aspects of their heritage, opening resisting their culture, or simply engaging in traditional rites of passage. These types of books can go any number of ways, but for the most part they focus on just one experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: start;">The other types of books in this genre involve some sort of clash. This could manifest itself in the shape of gang violence, interracial relations, or all out war. Any manner of encounter between two differing cultural groups gives these books their story. Personally these are the books that I tend to find myself reading more often because I like books to be driven more by events involving several characters rather than focusing on just one person's experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: start;">Now, with all that being said, there is a third type that many might not consider officially "multicultural." I believe that if a core character of the story represents any type of minority group that the book should be considered multicultural. In all honesty I believe this simply because we are never able to turn our backs on our heritage. It will always play a role in how we interpret & react to the situations that arise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: start;">I think these excerpts from interviews with Jacqueline Woodson & Tanuja Desai Hidier really highlight what I've been trying to explain about Multicultural Fiction & why it deserves to be its own genre.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TEACHINGBOOKS: Can you share part of what you’re striving for in your writing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">JACQUELINE WOODSON: I write realistic fiction because I want to put onto the page people </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who I didn’t get to see in books when I was growing up. A lot of the books I read did not have </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">some part of who Jacqueline Woodson was in them. There weren’t a lot of books at the time </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">about growing up in Brooklyn or about African-American girls. I never read a book where there </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was a deaf kid, or where there was a single mom and a grandmother making up a family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was growing up in a rich culture where all different people are living around me, having </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">different experiences — this was the real world to me. So to go to read books sometimes and not </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">see myself in the pages made me think, “Well, where am I?” and by extension, “Who am I?” It </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">made me start writing about the things that really mattered to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From <a href="http://www.teachingbooks.net/content/Woodson_qu.pdf">TeachingBooks,net</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tanuja wanted to tell her desi (<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">term for the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent or South Asia and, increasingly, to their diaspora)</span> story to the world in her short stories - Desilicious anthology. "... <i>Born Confused</i> was my way of writing about how positive it is to have desi heroes and heroines from the diaspora. I wanted to shape a period of cultural confusion and cultural exhilaration. I wanted to find out - What does it mean to be Indian? To be South Asian? To be American? And at the heart of that: To be yourself? I also wanted to redefine the C in ABCD - the term 'American Born Confused Desi' - because there certainly are people who are unsure about their cultural identity."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From her <a href="http://writernmusiciantanujahidier.blogspot.com/">blog</a> [definition from <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">Desi]</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope this was education but fun! Be sure to check back next week when I review <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">Habibi</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;"> by Naomi Shihab Nye.</span></span></div>
loreleimarshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13510548017737768418noreply@blogger.com0