Bittersweet is Simply Nerdy

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler was released January 3rd, 2012 by Simon Pulse.

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been. 

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done. 

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last.

I really want to read this one. Sarah Ockler is kind of my go-to author for emotionally grueling reads, so I'm very excited for Bittersweet. Those of you who have read Twenty Boy Summer know exactly what I'm talking about, and those of you who don't should definitely go out and read Twenty Boy Summer. The summary of this book definitely leaves you guessing (you being me) and now I'm determined to know of the betrayal. I'm thinking something family related, but maybe not. 

And, of course, the cover is very pretty. It's simple--but there is something very sweet about a heart-shaped cookie in two pieces. There's something even sweeter about a heart cookie in two puzzle pieces. It kind of reminds me of Christmas and baking cookies with my mom, but I kind of like that. 

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Don't Forget About Our Current Giveaway!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel

by David Goodberg

Giveaway ends January 08, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Or, if you're not a member on Goodreads, you can enter the contest through David Goodberg's guest post.

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You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

It's been a year since Luna's mother, the fashion-model wife of a successful film director, was hit and killed by a taxi in the East Village. Luna, her father, and her little brother, Tile, are still struggling with grief.

When Luna goes to clean out her mother's old studio, she's stunned to find her mom's cell phone there—charged and holding seven unheard messages. As Luna begins to listen to them, she learns more about her mother's life than she ever wanted to know . . . and she comes to realize that the tidy tale she's been told about her mother's death may not be the whole truth.

Review: 

The best way I can describe this novel is painfully, stunningly real. It is absolutely the most down-to-earth, believable novel I have read this year. Luna's struggle with the loss of her mother is equally heart-breaking and relatable, and her raw feelings are perfectly portrayed through Lewis's skilled writing and in-depth character development. 

The novel itself had personality, and Luna's voice (as well as Lewis's writing) was unique and likeable. The truth of the plotline, story, and characters shown strongly throughout, and the romance was sweet. Many young adult novels focus strongly on passionate romances, and I was surprised by how much the sweet, kind romance of Luna and Oliver draws you in. That gentle romance is enough to satiate even the most romantic of readers, and reminiscent of most young love. 

You Have Seven Messages is a fantastic novel, quiet in it's beauty and strengths, but unforgettable and touching. The perfect read for a wide variety of bibliophiles, I would not hesitate to add this novel to my list of favorites or to recommend it to all of you. 

Grade: A+

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Best Reads of 2011

Another year is over and done! I hope everyone has a fantastic and fun New Year's Eve and an especially bookish new year. In honor of the new year (and my blogoversary) I thought it would be nice to go over the past year and highlight my favorite reads of 2011 plus a few other things (lets call it my Top Ten Countdown)! If you haven't had the chance to read any of these novels, I highly encourage you to do so!

1. The Cream of The Crop (in no particular order): 

Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1) by Lauren DeStefano

It would be a crime to exclude Wither from this list. It has to be my favorite read of all this year, and my favorite cover. It's a fantastic dystopian--it seems as if we've had quite a few great dystopians in 2011, haven't we?--and carries through an overwhelmingly stunning plot. Characters, writing, development, and dialogue are superb. It grabs you on the first page, throwing you straight into the action. I thoroughly loved every single aspect of this novel. 

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Another Dessen classic, I was very surprised by how much I loved this one. An avid reader of Sarah Dessen's novels can usually dive right in, fully expecting every plot twist and not looking to be amazed. While What Happened to Goodbye isn't my favorite of Dessen's (This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever hold those reins), it's definitely one of the best.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Everything you look for in a good novel is easily found in this one: solid characters, realistic [and believable] romance, honest friendship, mystery, suspense . . . it's like the perfect burrito at Chipotle; you won't find one person who doesn't like it.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The summary of this one is misleading, and that upsets me. I know many who have turned this book down because it seems very middle-grade, which actually turns out to be very untrue. This novel is amazing, very suspenseful and mysterious and sometimes puzzling. The writing of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children has to be my favorite aspect, as well as the very unique plotline. Read it if you haven't!

2. The Disappointment

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin; it wasn't bad, per se, it just didn't hold my interest enough for me to get into it--or read more than the first three chapters. I'll try again next year.

3. Boy, Did You Give Me a Shock

The most surprising read of 2011 (for me) has to be Hooked by Catherine Greenman. I'm not a fan of teen pregnancy novels (especially after Dessen's Someone Like You and Knowles's Jumping off Swings) so I was really shocked by how much I loved this one.

4. Have You Read it Yet?

The novel I recommended to more people than I can count is definitely Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It's definitely my #1 for this year.

5. The Next One Doesn't Come Out 'til When?

The best series I discovered this year is Mythos Academy. I recieved the first two both as ARCs this year, and hosted a guest post and contest for the first of the series. I'd kill for the next one!

6. Oh, Sorry, Were You Talking To Me?

The most un-put-downable, suspenseful, nail-biting read of this year also, I must admit, is Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I read the whole novel during a drive back home from California, and I have to say I cannot remember one thing someone said to me the entire time.  

7. Beauty and [Some] Brains

The books with both beauty (BEST COVER) and brains this year have to be: Wither (Lauren DeStefano), Hourglass (Myra McEntire), and  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Michelle Hodkin). All gorgeous covers, all great books.

8. The Teacher's Pet

My favorite (and the most memorable) character from this year is . . . Well, there are two. Gwen Frost from the Mythos Academy books and Emerson from Hourglass. Both were very kick-ass and hilarious.

9. I'm Not A Kid Anymore

My favorite non-YA read this year is Water For Elephants. I know I'm cheating, since it didn't come out this year, but I read it this year. A lot of people loved the movie and didn't read the book, which I think is so lame. Read the book!

10. If Only There Was More Time in the Day

Books I really wish I'd gotten the chance to read this year but didn't:

The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Entwined by Heather Dixon
Angelfire by Allison Moulton

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Hourglass by Myra McEntire

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Review:

I was captivated at the very first page. Hourglass is an absolutely fantastic debut from Myra McEntire. Emerson is an irresistible character, one that you love from the very beginning. She is hilarious and quirky and vulnerable and strong. She is fierce (think Gwen Frost or Evie). The story wouldn't have been as impressive with any other character: she truly makes the novel. 


Hourglass spins so many different plot twists, and is so surprising in so many ways that I don't even know where to begin without spoiling it for you, so the best advice I can give is: just dive in! It's definitely a must read.


Everything you look for in a good novel is easily found in this one: solid characters, realistic [and believable] romance, honest friendship, mystery, suspense . . . it's like the perfect burrito at Chipotle; you won't find one person who doesn't like it. 

Grade: A+

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Guest Post by David Goodberg (And Giveaway!)

South Park: The Best Non-Science-Fiction, Science-Fiction Show  

South Park in actuality, is a science fiction show.  While I recognize the magnitude of this article being posted on a book review website, I feel I have a duty to make this connection as I attempt to plug my science fiction book, Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel. There is a dangerous absence of science fiction in mainstream media, from movies and TV to even books (let alone humorous science fiction).  While books are the best resource for current science fiction, it is hardly the genre big publishers are investing their marketing dollars in. And before you try and counter-attack, let's remember that the massive influx of fantasy is hardly science fiction. Fantasy is a genre that features impossible environments while science fiction holds promise and possibility (or probability) of exiting. At least, that's the basics (that I believe to be true).  

To another level, I don’t consider drama in a futuristic environment science fiction unless there is a relationship between the story and us (the viewers).  For example, Star Wars is clearly a science-fiction series, but I would classify it more so as a dramatic adventure that takes place in the future because of the lack of science fiction themes versus the dramatic, human element that dominates. While having not read the books, I am existed to hear the buzz surrounding the Hunger Games film(s) since the books have become a huge success.  While I wouldn't consider this to be a full-blown science fiction franchise (based on minimal plot points I’ve read along with reviews). I enjoy the science-fiction elements involved and consider it a significant improvement compared to the pure fantasy content out there.  With that said, we rarely see full-blown science-fiction films. Source Code and Moon brought back the classic style of science-fiction.  Fringe and LOST (depending which season we are talking about) rebounded science-fiction on television as well. And let’s not forget about the continuing popularity of Dr. Who. But what is at fault in these examples is the expanded story.  

In many cases, science fiction is a presentation of a parallel environments that mimic our own, only with a twist. And that twist is what reels you in. It's like a puzzle - a presentation of interwoven ideas (more often satire or commentary) that leaves you thinking, simple conclusion or not.  When this is expanded into a novel or feature film, the science-fiction genre is not lost but merely becomes diluted in the inevitable addition and persuasion of drama related issues. While there is nothing wrong with drama, there are drawbacks to blending it with science-fiction.  Science fiction does not bode well with drama.  Feelings, emotions, and boring (more or less) events are far from what social commentary and parallel scenarios are about. 

Why not blend social commentary with satire? There are not enough comedy-science-fiction books/shows/movies out there.  Everything is so serious! The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem (Solaris) is a great use of short stories and humor likewise The Hitchhiker’s Guide is a humorous telling of interwoven themes in a single plotline. The Simpsons does a great job with science fiction, but rarely visits the genre outside of the Halloween specials. Family Guy does an admirable job of it too, but I find South Park to be king of comedy and science fiction, which leads me to my final [and original] thought: South Park is the greatest non-science-fiction show that is science-fiction.

With no cause or special reasoning, the show is fluttered with science-fiction episodes.  From Cartman freezing himself to skip the anticipation of a new video game system and accidentally waking up hundreds of years in the future, to the town being infested with people from the future looking for work, the show is a brilliant mix of humor, satire and science fiction. Even when there isn’t a science fiction theme, the show often resorts to extremes and bizarre commonalities to support their social commentary (let’s say apple user agreements with The Human Centipede, shall we?) 

David's Top 5 Science-fiction South Park Episodes   

(in order by air date)

1. Season 6 - My Future Self 'n' Me
2. Season 7 - Cancelled 
3. Season 10 - Go God Go (2 part-er) 
4. Season 13 - Pinewood Derby 
5. Season 15 - Funnybot  

Science Fiction is a genre with elements that are not easily defined but can surely be prioritized. Much like a powerful comedian, a powerful piece of science-fiction should be self-reflective and above all else, funny.

David Goodberg is an author and artist living in Los Angeles.  His new book, Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel, is available everywhere online and in select bookstores.  You can visit his website at davidgoodberg.com. “Synecdoche” (An animated short from his book)[youtube video to embed in post]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw2fh8ZHcIY


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Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a merry Christmas, happy Hannukah, and spectacular Quanza! I apologize in advance for the lack of posts within the upcoming weeks. Right now, we're on break, and it's all uphill from here: school starts up (without me, fortunately) and I start working for my dad so that I have money in Italy, then I get my braces off (YES), then I need to pack for a six month student exchange (any tips?) then I leave for New York (January 21st) and then it's off to Italy on January 26th. So, cleary, busy next month or so.

I should have the next guest post/contest up on Christmas day.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a happy new year!