June Genreflecting: Fantasy: The Basics

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.

June's genre is Fantasy! Fantasy books lead readers on trips into magical realms or worlds where our rules don't necessarily apply. There are dragons, faeries, wizards, and more. It is a genre based upon reality suspension. You don't have to puzzle through the mechanics of the inner workings, you just have to go with the flow. Magic, whether embodied in wands or nature, is a binding agent for most books in this genre as well as magical creatures. The biggest conflict of definition stems from crossover books that mix fantasy with science fiction or paranormal books. There are lots of subgenres in this category ranging from fairy tale retellings to epic adventures, so be sure to check back next week for the details post. (paraphrased from Teen Genreflecting, 2003)

A few of my favorite authors you may recognize in this genre are:

• Michelle Harrison; 13 Treasures
• Maggie Stiefvater; Lament
• Karen Marie Moning; Darkfever (adult)
• Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia; Beautiful Creatures
• Kristin Cashore; Graceling
• Jackson Pearce; Sisters Red

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 Briar Rose by Jane Yolen (originally published in 1992) and I'll have a review and analysis up on Friday, June 21st. The newer book is Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (originally published in 2012) and I'll have a review and analysis up on Friday, June 28th. I'll also be hosting a giveaway, so stay tuned!

Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Goodreads

As many of you know, I am a pretty big fan of Maggie Stiefvater. Her Mercy Falls trilogy was amazing & while I was disappointed with The Scorpio Races, I naturally had to try The Raven Boys. With all the hype surrounding this book, I was surprised to find myself underwhelmed. That's not to say I didn't like the book because I definitely did, I just didn't quite realize what kind of a book I was going to be reading.

To say that this is a puzzling book would be imprecise. It's not that the book is too complicated, it's really just a very busy book. There is constantly something going on, so much so that I felt like I was constantly being pulled in first one direction, and then another. Add in the changing points of view, which really added to the story, and the supernatural element, and you've got yourself one heck of a story. What it all boiled down to though were the character interactions & overlap. There were so many layers of connectivity that at times I felt like I could anticipate who was going to say something next or at the very least predict their reactions.

I will say this, Maggie does an incredible job handling the amount of information she throws at you. Since this is obviously going to be a series, there was some ground information that had to be laid out in order for us to move forward. These basic rules & guiding principles allow us to follow along the constantly twisting plot line. They become fundamental when dealing with the supernatural elements. While we're rooted in the real world, when you start messing with these elements, there need to be predetermined rules for how our world interacts with the "other". Maggie is able to break things apart & disperse them at pivotal intervals rather than dumping everything on you at once and expecting you to remember it all. This allowed me to progress through the book at a more leisurely pace while I processed just what all had taken place.

Unfortunately I had trouble really identifying with any of the characters. While I felt like I could predict their actions & reactions at times, I didn't feel any emotional connection to any of them. They actually seemed kind of flat to me; rather than being the multi-faceted characters I've come to expect, they felt kind of calculable. That may just be my perception & it didn't really effect my feelings about the book, it just made it a bit difficult to get through at times because there wasn't any "need to know" driving force.

Overall I'd say it was just okay. I'm not dying to read the next installment, but I figure I'll pick it up at some point in time. Am I alone in my assessment or does anyone else feel the same way?

May Genreflecting: Mystery & Suspense: The Details

Based on the Collins English Dictionary, a subgenre is "a category that is a subdivision of a larger genre." (Source) Mystery & suspense books are by nature very inquisitive. There is either a puzzle to be solved or some future event to be anticipated. When I hear the word mystery I often find myself thinking of a good detective novel like Sherlock Holmes. It's the thrill of the chase that allows me to thoroughly enjoy these stories. Suspense novels often times give me a sense of dread that I just can't quite pinpoint. They're not necessarily scary or of-putting, they just exude a sense of anticipation that keeps me on the edge of my seat.

While suspense doesn't really have subgenres per se, mystery certainly does. Depending of what kind of setting and characters you enjoy, there is definitely something to be found for you among mystery books. I personally prefer paranormal mysteries. While contemporary mysteries are alright, I prefer basic realistic/contemporary fiction. I have been known to enjoy a historical mystery for the sake of the time period. The 1920's & 1940's are some of my favorite decades, so if a mystery is set during those years I am far more likely to read it. When it comes down to it though, I love a good paranormal mystery for the simple fact that there are so many non-traditional elements. In a paranormal book, almost anything can happen, so I find the over-abundance of possibilities even more exciting in a mystery context.

Some of my favorite books that fall under these categories are The Raven Boys by Maggie Stievfater, Heist Society by Ally Carter, & The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. 

While you may hold strong to the notion that The Raven Boys is simply a fantasy/paranormal fiction book, I would argue that it falls under paranormal mystery. We are presented with a challenge/puzzle at the very beginning of the book. We know the two possible outcomes for the book & now we must follow the characters are they work their way through each obstacle to discover the truth. 

Heist Society on the other hand is a fantastic example of what I love in a good suspense novel. While for the most part the stakes are not life & death in these fun novels about a teenager burglar & her band of merry thieves, there is definitely a sense of an impending situation. Nothing is as simple as a heist, the motives behind all of these jobs are what drive the story and leave you guessing as to whether they will succeed & where they will go next.

Do you have any favorite mystery or suspense novels? I'm looking to broaden my reading palate & would love some suggestions! Come back next week when I discuss my older book The Killer's Cousin.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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 Breaking the Spine.

So if you've read this blog for any length of time (or even if you're newish around here) I'm pretty sure you know that I love Maggie Stiefvater's work. Her Wolves of Mercy Falls series swept my heart away & while I wasn't a fan of The Scorpio Races I still appreciated the writing & style. The Raven Boys set for a September 18th debut promises to fulfill my hopes for her new series. Check out the blurb.

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Goodreads

This just sounds amazing! It reminds me of the Gothic nature that  drew me in to Beautiful Creatures. I really hope that this is as rich a story as I'm envisioning in my head. There are so many possibilities left wide open by that blurb that I absolutely cannot wait until September!

What are you waiting on this week?

Armchair BEA Day 4: Beyond the Blog: Author Events!

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

I don't have much desire to write outside of my blog & I don't currently monetize, so today's post is going to focus on a fun aspect of my blog.

While I could talk about Nostalgic Fridays (which is something I'm trying to bring back) or how my blog got its name (I love tattoos [I have 3] & books, so kind of not much to talk about there) I'm going to discuss the shenanigans of author events/signings.

I thoroughly enjoy collecting books that have been personalized at an author signing. Over the last 2.5 years I have attending at least a dozen events (some larger than others) & collected several autographed books. Although I am proud of these books & love them to death (they have their very own shelf on one of my bookcases), the most fun are the authors themselves. These people are what make it all worthwhile. Without their hard work & dedication to their craft & their fans' experiences, the book community just wouldn't be as wonderful as it is. On top of responding to comments on their Facebook, Twitter & blogs, these authors hit the road (sometimes in style & sometimes with very little fanfare) to visit with their fans.

For me, it's all about the stories they tell & the relationships that build. Yes it's nice to hear them read from their book or discuss their writing process, but for me the stories behind all that are the most important. Ally Condie remarked that she had a writing epiphany while trying to match up her sons' tiny socks. Any excuse not to do laundry is a good one, right? I have seen Maggie Stiefvater twice (once in Charlottesville, VA & once at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh). As stated in those articles, Maggie is hands down the best live author event ever. Her quirky sense of humor & hilarious tales (TSA woes & real-life wolves licking her face) leave you in awe of her writing talents. Even better was that on Maggie's last trip to Raleigh she was kind enough to take a picture with me and Loki (her gorgeous car) while telling me about all the things that had happened on the tour prior to that stop.

I find that I tend to forget that authors are just people. Incredibly talented & unbelievably kind people, but people none the less. They have this kind of celebrity aura surrounding them & a lot of people feel like they might be unreachable. I go to the author events to meet the real people, not just the feeling you get from blog posts, books, & interviews. In person is where the magic happens & I am drawn to the magic. The authors I have met are some of the most amusing & humble people I've had the pleasure to encounter. If you've never been to an event I highly recommend them!

Armchair BEA Day 2: Best of 2012 & a giveaway!

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters. They sum up the event with:

So, what exactly does being a[n Armchair BEA] participant entail? First and foremost, you'll be able to celebrate and participate in an event that happens each year in New York City, Book Expo America, from the comfort of your very own home, hopefully a snugly armchair! Secondly, and we hope equally as important, you'll be able to meet new book bloggers and join together in a celebration of the wonderful community that comes out of book blogging. Last year we had over 600 participants, so you're bound to meet some new great bookish friends! Lastly, it means participating, however you're able to. This can be by posting, tweeting, discussing, or even by simply reading and commenting on participating blogs. Your level of participation is entirely up to you, but we hope you'll find something to get you involved in this fabulous event! 

Each of us has an entirely valid reason for not being able to make to BEA in NYC, including many of the organizers. Because of that the organizers and publicity team are working hard behind the scenes to give you an event that you won't soon forget!

-Posted from 2012 Participant Registration Now Open 

I haven't kept the closest eye on the books that are available at BEA mostly because I am always more interested in the authors. Collecting signed books is a hobby of mine, thus my attendance at author events & signings, but the books that I am most excited about are:

 Alpha & Omega: Vol. 1: Cry Wolf (graphic novel) by Patrica Briggs
 This is the graphic novel version of the book with some exquisite artwork!
 Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer- and son- of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf- a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
Years later . . . what really happened to Christopher Creed? When Torey Adams posts on his blog that a body has been found in Steepleton—four years after Christopher Creed disappeared—college reporter Mike Mavic sells his laptop and hops a plane to capture the story that will undoubtedly launch his journalistic career. But what Mike finds is a town suffering under a cloud of bad frequency and people with an underlying streak of meanness. To the teens of Steepleton, Chris is nothing more than history—but to Justin Creed, a teen obsessed with his older brother’s memory and balancing on the edge of sanity, discovering what really happened to Chris Creed is a matter of life and death.

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Sacred by Elana K. Arnold
Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

TILT is the story of three teens inter-related through their parents' family relationships and friendships. As their parents pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the kids' worlds tilt, through love--good and bad:

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year, and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer, and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister's impending death. Can he accept Alex's love, knowing his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

(all blurbs from Goodreads)

While I'm rather saddened that I will most likely have to wait until these books come to my local library, one of you lucky folks can win a book! It won't be one of the ones mentioned above, but you will have your choice between one of four novels. To enter, you must be 13 years or older & live in the US. Fill in the Rafflecopter information & you're good to go! Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater review

MAJOR SPOILERS for Shiver & Linger ahead. Please don't read if you haven't read those. If you'd like a refresher of those books, please read my reviews of Shiver & Linger.

Grace is lost to the winter as a wolf & Sam is annoyingly still human, despite the cold. His longing for Grace is only mitigated by the frustration he feels towards those who accuse him of having something to do with Grace's disappearance. Yes, technically, he did have something to do with it, but not in the nefarious way that everyone seems to want to believe. Now he's stuck in this endless cycle of waiting for it to warm up enough so Grace can shift back to being a human & they can plan their next steps.

Cole is not making her absence any easier to bear. He spends most of his time seemingly aimless in his wanderings in & outside of the Beck's house. It turns out though that Cole is on to something. He's trying to figure out the trigger to becoming a wolf so that he can reverse the process.

And mixed in with this party of fun is Isabel. With her brother Jack still very dead, her father is still on the hunt for suitable retribution. Luckily another girl shows up dead in the woods by the wolves' paws. The aerial hunt, and the obliteration of the pack, is imminent. Can these three unlikely teammates pull off the greatest miracle or is it already too late to save the wolves of Mercy Falls?

What an ending to one of the most memorable & inexplicably captivating series I have read in quite some time. Maggie Stiefvater is, in my opinion, the supreme queen of character development. Each character was carefully built to give as much vitality to the book as possible. Their dynamics & interactions were so full of emotion & feeling that I truly felt an understanding with them. I absolutely adored the ability to watch these characters evolve & establish themselves as individuals.

Grace may have started as a too-good-to-be-true kind of gal with a serious penchant for the wolves, but she really blossomed into an authentic adult making the best of the situation she was dealt. And while emo boys do have some appeal, Sam really broke my heart from the very beginning of this series. Maggie crafted the most beautifully heart-wrenching scenes for Sam's transformation from scared & scarred follower to a fear-fighting leader doing the very best for everyone, despite the cost. Even Cole & Isabel, despite not having to change as much, really did become better versions of themselves.

As always, the storytelling was divine in the way that I couldn't put the book down. Maggie has noted that she feels more satisfied when writing from multiple characters points of view because they all see things differently about the world than each other, allowing a greater understanding of the situation. And also, you want to use the character that will change the most during the scene in order for the story to progress. This style of writing really lends itself to the way this series unfolds. There is so much going on & so many people involved that I really think the reader would lose something if it had only been told from one (or two) people's points of view.

While I am probably among the minority of people who didn't technically "like" the ending (I'm a big believer of the "tidy little bow" concept) I think it worked perfectly for this storyline. There is no easy way to leave a world behind (even a mythical one) once you've become so invested in it. The way Maggie left things allows the reader to use their own understanding of the series to drawn their own conclusions.

So now that so many people have read the book, I want to hear your thoughts. Did you enjoy this finale? What did you think about the ending? What would you like to have seen happen?

A big thanks to Around the World Tours for the ARC & Maggie Stiefvater for the wonderful event night in Raleigh!

Author Event: Maggie Stiefvater with Forever at Quail Ridge Books

In case y'all didn't know, Maggie Stiefvater's signings have got to be (hands down) one of the best live author events. Her antics & animation leave you with sore sides from laughing so hard.

It all started out innocently enough and then the vandalism began. :D Instead of standing behind the podium & using the microphone stand, Maggie moves it all out of the way & takes the mic in hand. Naturally, being a storyteller and all, she has to be moving around to effectively engage the audience. I'm sure the 7 hour car ride from Decatur also made for an energetic author.

Maggie told the audience a few anecdotal stories about how wolves have affected her life. She told about her nerve-racking experience of being stuck on a plane when she got the phone call about Linger being #1 on the NYT bestseller list. (A small PSA here: as per NASA, when they tell you turn off your electronic devices, it really is because it messes with the gauges in the plane. So TURN THEM OFF!) Then she told us about a group in Minnesota that traps, tracks & monitors wolves. This is where she got a few ideas that come out in Forever.

Even more awesome though was when she was on world tour in Hungary (a phrase she never gets tired of saying) and got to meet Zoltan the wolf man (an animal trainer specializing in wolves) and his furry friends. They provided her with 2 raincoats & purple galoshes... with ducks on them. If you've never meet Maggie, you might not know that she's the kind of gal who wears work boots & black clothes. A lot. So ducks aren't exactly her thing. Back to the story, Zoltan asks Maggie if she's ever heard a wolf howl up close, naturally being from Virginia she had not, and so Zoltan the wolf man got the wolves to howl. Each member of the pack chose 1 single note to howl & they sounded like a choir in harmony. There was something so primal about it, that while Maggie was not scared, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up & there was a nasty little voice whispering that she was going to die. Of course she didn't, but the experience was profound nonetheless.

Then we moved into the q & a where people asked a lot of really great questions about her writing style, the Shiver movie, & her best & most interesting moments as an author. Quick & dirty:

• Shiver has been optioned for a movie, there is a screenplay & a director, but Maggie is not involved in any way, shape or form & has no more information than that.
• She enjoys writing from multiple points of views (mainly different characters) because she feels like she can write a better story when we can see everything for different angles. It also allows her to use the character that will move the action forward the fastest.
• Her best moment was when she realized that the kindness she had shown to a foster facility really had impacted at least one of the kids in a really positive way because he was writing an English paper about it & his teacher was contacting Maggie to get some details.
• The most unique & interesting thing that has happened to Maggie on tour was in Bulgaria. The last event she was attending turned out to be a masquerade ball & they presented her with Bulgarian bagpipes... and asked her to play them. (For those of you who might not know, Maggie played the Scottish bagpipes competitively in college. It's a good thing she tells the truth on her blog, because she never really knows what may come from it.) She succeeded & ended up having a mosh pit moshing to her notes.

After all was said and done, we formed our line to get our stuff signed. I even hung out afterwards to get a picture of Maggie with Loki. It was the best signing I've been to in a long while. Not that they're not all fun, but this was just exceptional. Thanks Maggie for coming to Raleigh!

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Sam & Grace can't really believe their fortune. After thinking they had lost Sam to the woods as a wolf forever, he sauntered out as a real boy. Permanently. Or at least they hope. With every chill wind, Sam braces for the change that never comes. The couple relax into a comfortable routine of school for Grace, work for Sam, and nights spent together.

Then some of the wolves start to shed their pelts. To be specific, Cole is the new wolf who can't seem to hold his wolf form. As a boy he is angry, edgy, and unstable. All he wants is to get lost in his new skin and he's not making his presence any easier on anyone else involved.

None of them are alone in their suffering though. Sam is in a constant struggle with his wolf, Grace is harboring a secret within herself, and Cole is trying to hide his true nature. Everyone is trying to protect someone, but really all they're doing is allowing themselves to linger over what could be.

So, you know how in many series (mainly trilogies) the second book just feels like filler and pretty much sucks (The Lord of the Rings, Twilight Saga, Gemma Doyle Trilogy)? Well Linger decimates that preconceived notion with such force I swear there was an audible sigh when I came to that realization. I knew Maggie was good, but I wasn't aware of the extent of her abilities until this book.

Linger picks up where Shiver left off and begins to answer a lot of questions that plague readers from the beginning. We discover some pack magic, more of Sam's history, and the reality of the wolves' futures. These things are combined to give us a clearer picture of what is in store for our favorite characters as they travel down an unknown path to an uncertain existence.

Of course our favorite people remain very true to character providing tears, laughter, and occasionally a rueful smirk. For example:

"The Boy should watch where he's going," she said.
"Rachel should not manifest in doorways, " (Sam) replied. p. 144 of uncorrected ARC

AND

"That said, we ought to get you some clothing."
His lips curved more. "Eventually?"
I smiled nastily at him. "Yeah, let's get that freak show covered up."
He made a little whoo shape with his lips. "Harsh." p.84 of uncorrected ARC

Isabel is every bit as green as always. She has some real depth to her, but her actions undermine her intelligence sometimes. Sam is the strong, silent type for the most part. We see a more personal side of him through his flashback memories & little habits that we discover. Cole is a force to be reckoned with and someone who can balance the fire & ice personality of Isabel. I have a feeling that we'll see even more of them in the final installment.

Overall, the world of Mercy Falls continues in this spell-binding, mesmerizing tale. I honestly don't know where the story will go from where it left off, but I can assure you that it won't disappoint. Maggie has created something truly unique & magnetic with the story of the wolves of winter in Minnesota. A must read for 2010, Linger will leave you breathless & wanting more. Bravo!

Author Interview & Giveaway with Maggie Stiefvater

Today is a very special day for me as this is my very first blog tour stop! To make things even sweeter, my blog tour is for Linger, the incredible sequel to Shiver, by the ever amazing Maggie Stiefvater. If you haven't read Shiver, then be sure to read my review here first and be forewarned that there are first-book-ending spoilers below. Other than that, this is a spoiler-free interview!

Be sure to check out the Shiver series micro-site for all the up-to-date information about the wolves of Mercy Falls, the gorgeous trailers for both Shiver & Linger and the Linger Twitter Party tonight starting at 8:30 EST. Also, this afternoon I'll be posting my thoughts on the novel, but for now, enjoy the interview!

1. Did you intend for “The Wolves of Mercy Falls” books to be a trilogy or did the story just pan out that way? If you needed to, could you write more?

Well, as I wrote it, I thought it would be a standalone. Then when I was done, I thought I
could really use another book to tie up loose ends. But as I started to plot out what I was
doing in book two, I realized I needed three. And that seems to be pretty true; FOREVER
is a pretty definitive ending point. I’m sure with all the characters in that world, there
would always be more to tell, but I don’t think I will be. Best to leave readers wanting
more rather than overstaying your welcome.

2. How did you come up with the idea of wolf-change due to cold? Any particular reason they “burn-out” after so many transformations?

Through a dedicated process involving whisky and reality TV. No, I’m kidding. I wanted something that was cyclical and natural and predictable and longer than a month. And I can’t tell you about the second bit. It’s spoilery.

3. What’s your opinion on fanfiction in regards to your own work? In regards to others’ work?

I’m pretty ambivalent. As long as folks aren’t making money off it and are crediting me,
why not? The only time it burns my biscuits is when I get a google alert for one and can
see that it’s basically a chapter from my book, word for word, but with just the names
changed. That’s just plagiarism, not the spirit of fan fiction, I don’t think.

4. Do you find that your music (both what you listen to and what you play) influences your writing?

Definitely. Have you heard that poem about the blind men and the elephant? It is a bunch of blind men all on different sides of an elephant, and they’re all touching a different part and guessing what it is. One’s got the tail, the other an ear, the other a foot, and they’re all guessing different things. I feel like music, art, and writing is like that. They are all just different sides of the elephant. Different ways of describing the same thing. I will often use music to get unblocked on my writing.

5. So, you write, you play musical instruments, you have amazing artistic skills… what is a skill you wish you had?

Oh, there are too many to list here. I’m never happy with how much I know. I’d like to
learn cello and the uillean pipes. I’d like to take karate. I’d like to get better at dressage.
I’d like to get better at speaking German. I’d like to fly a plane. I’d like to play the
electric guitar. I want to learn how to do barre chords better. Also make tortillas. There
are a million things I want to learn to do. And I’m gonna do them.

There you have it folks! A big thanks to Maggie for taking the time to answer my questions & for stopping by. Now on to the really fun part.

Giveaway Time!!!

Thanks to the WONDERFUL people at Scholastic, I've been authorized to give away ONE copy of what will surely become the hottest book of 2010! All you have to do to win is fill out the form below. That easy; no muss, no fuss. Good luck!
CLOSED

Maggie Stiefvater Signing

As many of you know, I was fortunate enough to go to Charlottesville, VA this past weekend to go see Maggie Stiefvater. My ever-adoring husband road the four hours through small towns in NC and VA to get to Charlottesville with me and promptly drove to Richmond to come home via a real highway.

I was a bit confused as we arrived about 5 minutes late, but I figured I would just miss the introduction. Imagine my surprise to see Maggie taking questions from the audience. After that she simply signed books. It was over and done with in 15 minutes, but that's where the fun just started.

After getting my books signed, I took a seat and waited for everyone to file through the line to see if there was going to be anything else afterward. I picked up on a conversation nearby and discovered fellow book bloggers S.F. Robertson from Wastepaper Prose and Monica from Bibliophilic Book Blog. These ladies are wonderful and their sites are amazing. Check them out if you get a chance. After chatting with them for a few minutes and after the line dissipated, we all moved up closer to just hang out and chat with Maggie. She was signing stock and book plates and then just wanted to chat.

She regaled us with stories of airport mishaps (I'm sorry ma'am, we need to scan your sketch book three more times, just in case there's something funny with the buckle) and information on her upcoming international trips and book ideas. Don't worry, she didn't give away anything she was supposed to, but we did enjoy debating the merits of zombie stories with her. I even got her to draw a wolf in my book after seeing her quickly sketch one in the a stock book. ------------------------------------->>

After a rousing afternoon of jokes, laughter, and general misbehavior, it was time to part. We all went on our merry ways, hoping to meet again some time. I have to say that of all the signings I have been to, this one was the most informal and most fun. Don't get me wrong I love that at most signings we hear about the books, have a passage read, and then get to ask questions before getting our books signed; this was just different. I really enjoyed it and had a blast. I can't wait to go to my next one. If anyone knows of any author signings around NC, just let me know.

If you read YA, you should read this rant by Maggie Stiefvater

On her blog, Maggie defends the YA genre and those who read it. Check it out!

Extra, extra: what do you think?

An interesting event occurred on Maggie Stiefvater's blog and I am looking for some extra analyses.

Maggie received a public note on a networking site asking for homework help (asking to be reminded of the ending of Shiver for a project) that was due the next day. She posted the note on her blog as an example of the dozens of notes she receives asking for homework help and her annoyance at these shortcut-seeking actions. In the comments, lots of people chipped in about the laziness of students and the ridiculous idea that an author should help you with your homework.

Well apparently things got a little heavy-handed and it turned out that the inquirer in question was only a middle-schooler who did not realize his/her error. Maggie has since taken down the post and reassured everyone that "poking at the ignorant and innocent is not amusing like poking at the lazy and indolent." I believe that to be a very diplomatic way of saying, "play nice with those who actually try versus those who don't try."

Now it seems, some fans are revoking their fandom claiming that she is cruel for ridiculing a poor student and that she should apologize for her behavior. They also claim that she is not being a very good role model for the young adults that she writes for.

Personally, I think she has every right to do what she pleases. If it had been a confidential letter I would say otherwise, but this person made it public on their own and it ended up becoming a case of being in the "wrong place at the wrong time." This student got caught in an author's justifiable frustration and annoyance due to a constant bombardment of requests for help that is not really warranted. I believe that Maggie has done nothing to be sorry for and that she reacted accordingly. Some of the comments (which were also taken down) seemed to rant and rave a bit much on behalf of Maggie and bordered on crossing a line, but I don't think that was Maggie's intention.

So now that you have the details, what do you think? Do you think Maggie's actions were inappropriate? What about the commenters? Should they get off scot-free, while Maggie is taking some mean comments? Also, do you think that this is a wider issue of social media and networking? Let the comments/ideas roll!

Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

The Thornking-Ash Conservatory is unlike many other specialty high schools in the fact that is focused on fostering musically-gifted teens. Oh, did I forget to mention the slightly demonic fey who tend to gather nearby and want to prey on the students. I think they left that out of the brochure.

Ballad continues the story a few months after the ending of Lament. If you have not read Lament, I would suggest that you start there as this review will contain spoilers for that book. And then once you've read it, you can read my review here. Then come on back and read the tempting review I'm spilling now for Ballad.

So, after battling an evil faerie queen, James Morgan and Deidre "Dee" Monaghan are starting to move on with their lives when they chose to go to Thornking-Ash. Other than the fact that they don't talk much and aren't nearly as close to one another as they once were, things seem to be taking on a rather normal rhythm.

Then in walks Nuala. A waif of a girl, she begins her obvious enticement of James, only to find that he resists her completely. Nuala is not one to deal with rejection easily, so she pursues him more vigorously. Her plan backfires when he gets her to tell him what it is she is really after. A life-stealing, half-faerie, muse is following him around and he is at a loss of how to get rid of her. As his relationship with her morphs and grows into a closer bond, James starts to realize just how far Dee has drifted from him. Not to mention, there is something nefarious about this school. There are too many faerie for having so much iron around and they are stronger than they should be. Something is brewing and it's going to take everyone to fight the forthcoming battle.

Astounding! That is how I would sum up all that happens in Ballad. Dee and James continue to be interesting individuals as we learn more about them. Lament was mostly the story of Dee as a cloverhand. Ballad is mostly about James's incredible talent at his chosen instrument, the bagpipes. I felt like James really grew as a character and that we as readers obtained a more in-depth understanding of the complexity of emotions that he feels for Dee, while she was far removed from the main storyline.

Nuala added the same kind of intrigue and mysteriousness that Luke added to the last novel. She wasn't upfront with what she was, she was fighting her fate, and she couldn't help but be drawn to a human. While at times I found her mischievous nature amusing, sometimes it could get old and I just wanted her to get on with whatever she needed. James could be whiny at times, but I felt like his character really stood up and started to act like he was worth something.

Overall I really enjoyed this companion novel (because I don't really think it's a sequel and half the major players last time aren't really involved) with its new settings, new characters, and general shenanigans. The ending was quite a surprise to me, but I'm glad it ended up where it did. I wouldn't be surprised if she continued this world, but I think if she decided not to, that this was a fitting stopping point.

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

Cloverhands must help to control the fey. Too bad Deirdre Monaghan didn't know she was one of them. The gifted harpist meets a dashing young man named Luke at a local music competition and is wooed by his amazing flute talents. Deirdre knows that there is something different about Luke, but she just puts it off until he confesses the truth to her. Luke is a faerie assassin entrapped by the Faerie Queen due to the fact that she possesses his soul in a cage. Lamentably, Deirdre has been targeted as Luke's next victim.

Sixteen year old Deirdre finds herself out of her element as she is truly a realist. She bases her existence around tangible, provable facts. Since Luke entered her life, her certainty of the world has been in question. Naturally she turns to her fellow music geek, and quite hot, best friend James. While he accepts the seriousness of the situation, he is a solid ground to the real world. His pragmatism comes in handy when another faerie assassin named Aodhan takes an interest in Deirdre and tries to complete the job that Luke seems incapable of.

The ultimate showdown between the Faerie Queen herself and Deirdre if Luke is ever to relieved of his duties. This task is not as easy to complete as it sounds when complication arise surrounding Deirdre and she must make choices that could have dire consequences for many, if not all.

While I am very picky about the faerie books I read, this one struck home with me. Maggie Stiefvater's writing is just so captivating to me. I have tried quite a few other faerie series and find that they are either too cruel for my tastes or too innocent. There has to be a balance between mischievous and out right evil. This author have found that harmonic balance and it creates an enjoyable story. I also enjoyed the callbacks to tales told to children as a warning. Many adults forget that as children we were warned, through story and song, about the nature of the faeries. This book brought those stories and song back to life for me in a thoroughly delectable fashion. I can't wait to read Ballad, the next installment!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Werewolves don't necessarily change with the phases of the moon. At least not in Minnesota. There they change with the season. When the winter comes, they lose their human forms and become wolves. When spring's sun rewarms the earth, they shed their pelts and return to their human lives.

Grace has watched the wolves from her back yard since she was a child. One wolf in particular has always been "her" wolf. The yellow-eyed beauty seemed to be ever-present during her winters. One fall, after a local boy is killed by the wolves, Grace finds herself face-to-face with a naked, gunshot-wounded, human who has her wolf's eyes. Sam is Grace's wolf. As they spend time together, growing in their love for one another, Sam is constantly having to fight the cold to keep his humanity.

As winter pursues them and more controversies arise surrounding the local boy's death, the wolves find them selves running out of time and Grace and Sam must face the impending reality that will keep them apart.

A wonderful love story filled with hope and humanity, Shiver is an incredible novel. There was some lack of minor character development and some loose ends left undone, but the main story is resolved and the reader receives a feeling of completion. Beautiful!