

What, you may ask, is a reading slump
From Alley of Book’s Dictionary:
Reading Slump: A period when no book, of any genre, seems appealing enough to read. When one knows that picking up a book will only end with reader hating the book for no rhyme or reason.
I would like to say that I tried beating the slump again and again and again. In the end I failed. For the past three weeks, I have tried to pick up various books gotten 40 pages into it and given up for numerous reasons. Annoying mc, disgusting setting, scenario is implausible. You name it. When I reached the 8th book, I realized I had to stop or the poor books would start hating me. (Yes, I think that books are human beings and have feelings. Yes, that sounds insane. I know.)
I could feel them starting to look at me with sad little eyes and implore me to stop. I gave up. I tried to read other genres. Same result. I had many friends suggest books- books that they’d recently read and LOVED and they kept badgering me to read it. But honestly, I knew the minute I started reading it I would hate it. So for now, I’ve decided to catch up on reviews and stop reading anything new. This should help me catch up to everyone else.
I also would like to add that I sympathize with every writer out there who has ever experienced writer’s block. If it’s anything like the slump I’m in, I feel your pain. It is killing me inside that I am in such a position where I want to read a book but nothing is working for me. Until I find that phenomenally mind-blowing book I am going to be stuck in this rut. I just hope it ends sometime soon.
But, I also decided to write this post and at the end of my brainstorming session I ended up asking myself the question a lot of us (bloggers), authors, and other kidlit-ish people have been asking.
Why do I read YA?
Here’s a little conversation I had with myself following the moment said question popped up in my head. (Please don't judge)
Me: Why do I read YA? Hmm, why DO I read YA?
Me: Well, the very obvious answer would be because I am a teen.
“Not for too long though”. A little voice in my head added.
Me: (Freaks out) Umm.
Me: (Chews on lip) Besides that.
Me: Well, you read because-
Don’t you mean I. You’re talking about yourself to yourself. You’re weird.
Me: So are you.
Mom: Are you talking to someone?
Me: Yeah. Myself.
Don’t forget me!
Me: And the voice in my head.
Mom gave me the I-can’t-believe-this-child-is-mine look.
Me: I read YA because? I read YA because it makes me feel alive.
Cliché much?
Me: Well, I do!
After much pondering I came up with a few that sounded incredibly lame. So this is what I will be doing this week. I am going to think about why I read YA and what is it that is so addicting about it.
Have you written a similar post? Had a similar conversation with yourself? Tell me! I am open to all of your suggestions! I need to be out of this reading slump yesterday!
I will be back when I have thought of at least 5 reasons why I read YA!
Until next time,
Synopsis (From Siobhan's website)
Slut or saint? Good friend or bad friend?
In control or completely out of it?
Life is about choices, and Natalie Sterling prides herself on making the right ones. She’s avoided the jerky guys populating her prep school, always topped honor roll, and is poised to be the first female student council president in years.
If only other girls were as sensible and strong. Like the pack of freshmen yearning to be football players’ playthings. Or her best friend, whose crappy judgment nearly ruined her life.
But being sensible and strong isn’t easy. Not when a prank nearly gets her expelled. Not when her advice hurts more than it helps. Not when a boy she once dismissed becomes the boy she can’t stop thinking about.
The line between good and bad has gone fuzzy, and crossing it could end in disaster . . . or become the best choice she’ll ever make.
I have been dying to read this book since I heard about it. I have a little surprise for you guys!
I HAVE AN EXCERPT! Siobhan reading from Not That Kind of Girl.
Exclusively on Alley of Books!
Hey all,
Today, I am so excited to bring to you Adele of Persnickety Snark fame. She is one of the few bloggers I look upto. I'm so glad she agreed to write this guest post.
ADDITIONALLY: Its Adele's BIRTHDAY TODAY!
Happy Birthday Adele! >
I cannot wait to meet you in August!
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A big hug and a thank you for inviting me to be part of your blogoversary celebration. You are a valued friend and I am beyond excited to meet you in New York in August.
***
It says a lot about a person, what their immediate thought is about a topic.
When I think of Hunger Games, I think of Gale.
When I think of Vampire Diaries, I think of Damon.
If you haven’t figured it out already, I am into the dark, mysterious and douchey guys. While you may be cheering (or jeering) my choices there are bigger concerns at play. Why don’t I think of the strong, female protagonists?
I empathise with both of the protagonists. Katniss is a strong, capable girl who does everything to keep her family going. Elena is terminally conflicted by her man, her friends and her family. I understand them, I really do. But I don’t like them all that much. Katniss definitely has the edge. Elena is simply someone who bares a lot of cleavage, annoys me with her stupidity and talks from a weird place in her throat. Plus side...she’s not played by Miley Cyrus and her mouth acting. Boob acting I can live with, mouth acting I cannot. Katniss doesn’t do any of these things. Thank goodness.
What do they have in common?
In my opinion they both choose the wrong guys. Not for the pure reasons of love or being soul mates but for entertainment value. I think that Gale and Damon are vastly more entertaining than their counterparts as they are quite unpredictable and have a tendency to be arseholes when necessary. What can I say? I like guys in books and on television that I would never pick for myself in real life.
Nice guys bore me. In the entire time I have been blogging young adult literature reviews I have only found myself siding with the nice guy around three times – LM Montgomery’s Gilbert Blythe (the ultimate nice guy), Robin Benway’s ginger haired James (Audrey, Wait) and Melina Marchetta’s Jonah Griggs (Jellicoe Road). There are a few that live in my grey area but I err on the side of douche baggery.
It reflects society in some ways. We tend to be much harder on females than we are on males. There is expected behaviour attached to being respectful and step outside those lines and a girl can very quickly become a whore or bitch with the snap of the fingers. A guy does these things and not only is it okay, it’s pretty hot. I am a traitor to my gender.
What I would like to point out is that Gale and Damon would not hold as much charm for me if their counterparts weren’t equally fleshed out (if not as charismatic). Peeta and Stefan are white knights in shining armour. Chivalrous, kind and built – yummy, scrummy, cheeseboard abs built. They are beyond delectable. But even these guys wouldn’t hold any attraction if Katniss and Elena didn’t provide a strong central role in the storytelling.
That’s the message here. While the abs and the banter are bliss, it is the sum of the parts that make both The Hunger Games and The Vampire Diaries so good. That doesn’t mean I won’t continue to lust after my fictional hotties, and neither should you!
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Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH Adele! Don't forget to look at and comment on the other guest posts about the Hunger Games & Vampire Diaries as a part of my blogoversary celebration!
Until next time,
Synopsis (From Borders.com)
Abby Goodwin has always covered for her sister. Maya's screw ups started out ordinary enough: Broken curfews. Failed classes. Hanging out with the wrong crowd.
But now Maya's been accused of murder. And Abby's not sure she'll be able to cover for her anymore. Abby's certain of Maya's innocence--but she's the only one.
With the police closing in, Abby helps Maya escape...and then starts investigating, hoping to clear her sister's name. What she finds, though, shows that you can't trust anyone - not even the people you think you know.
From the author of The School for Dangerous Girls comes a page-turning thriller about the things we do for family--and the limits we can reach.
Review:
This book first caught my attention when I attend a panel discussion during The NYC Teen Author Festival in March where the author, Mr. Schrefer was a panelist. The excerpt he read of The Deadly Sister was quite gripping. I wrote down the name of the book and made a note to look it up later.
A few weeks later, much to my surprise I received The Deadly Sister in the mail from Scholastic and I was pretty excited to read it. And now that I have, boy did I enjoy it! The Deadly Sister is one those books that when you’re done reading them , you need a minute to process all that had happened and what you take away from the book is not just momentary but rather long-lasting. It stays with you at weird times of the day and night and makes you question some of your own actions and makes you rather pensive. The Deadly Sister is classified under Mysteries & Detective Stories and Family/Siblings according to Scholastic and there is not one page in this book that does not make you stop and analyze YOURSELF and your family/siblings and your behavior/attitude towards them. TDS was one horrendous rollercoaster ride, at the end of which the reader is left aghast. I won’t go too much into detail but until pg 250 the reader doesn’t have ANY inkling of what’s coming next.
The Deadly Sister is a fast paced, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat kind of book. I’ve always liked a good mystery and The Deadly Sister is definitely one I would pick up again. Schrefer portrays the damaged relationship between the Goodwin family in way that makes it believable AND relatable. The relationship between the two sisters- the protector and the protectee is complicated albeit one that many teens can relate to. The first page sets the tone for the novel where Abby is firmly set into her role of Maya’s protector. The book follows a chain of intricately intertwined events that at the end culminate into a shocking discovery that will leave the readers minds reeling but at the same time absolutely and thoroughly entertained.
What I especially liked about this book: Cheyenne, the best friend. Despite her flaws, she stood by Abby. Not to say that Cheyenne wasn’t flawed either, but she was definitely the better person of the two. Readers will enjoy this book immensely as Schrefer’s writing style is very simplistic not throwing too many tricks into the story. Although sometimes things jump out at you without the reader realizing it was coming. This is the first book I’ve read by Mr. Schrefer although I have to say I am definitely looking forward to reading his backlist.
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Believability: 5/5
Ending: 15/5
Overall: 92/100 = A
GIVEAWAY! I'm giving away my copy of The Deadly Sister.
To enter fill out this from HERE.
Until next time,
I'm so sure there are tons of people Ihave to thank but I can't remember at the moment! like I'm sure you've had enough of my ramblings! I will be back tomorrow with a series of guest posts that some wonderful librarian/blogger friends have written!
Thank you so much for sticking with me!