Reviews: All about Love

Okay, I promise I’m not usually this sappy, but this week’s blog post also has a love theme. Not due to the recent passing of Valentine’s Day but because I just finished Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Rarely do I read teen books where love/romance/the relationship is the focus of the novel, so I wanted to share my review of this totally awesome book and some other YA gems that focus on the almighty power of love. 

Eleanor & Park – Rainbow Rowell

This book is all about love, and I completely loved it! Eleanor and Park are misfits and one would never imagine that they would connect. But that’s what this book is about: their love story and their love connection. On Eleanor's first day in a new school, Park sees her struggling to find a seat on the bus and angrily tells her to sit next to him. Its weeks before they talk and months before they acknowledge their relationship, but we learn so much about Eleanor and Park through their getting to know each other. The descriptions, especially of their first time holding hands and their first kiss, are beautiful and fresh. There is some language throughout, but it reads as real and raw, not crass. As I read the last few pages, I welled up which quite unusual for me. I have to admit (without spoiling it) that I was crying for Eleanor and Park. Their love is a rare, pure gem and the story drew me in so much that I didn’t want to let go. So I did the next best thing: tracked down a copy of Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments. She’s just that good!

Boy Meets Boy – David Levithan

The title pretty much tells the gist of the story, and lets the reader know that this is ground-breaking territory. The main character, Paul is gay and has known since a very young age. He’s been in relationships before but this book is about the relationship. Paul’s voice is clear and individual, and I very much related to him. Levithan does a great job drawing the reader into this super-unique high school with its complicated map of relationships and diverse cast of characters. Each character is intriguing and quirkiness abounds in their traits. One of the best things about this book is that it’s a traditional love story with an ultra-new, ahead-of-the-curve twist in that it’s about two boys. I adored it and plan to dive into more of Levithan’s novels soon.

Forever…  – Judy Blume

High school seniors Katherine and Michael (and their love) are not the point of this story—their experiences are. They meet, start “going together” and eventually have sex. This book was revolutionary in exploring sex for teens and the consequences, both when it was published in the 70s and today. Within the space of the novel, a character gets pregnant, another is suicidal and Katherine visits Planned Parenthood so she can go on the pill to avoid pregnancy. Blume candidly makes the point that when you’re young, love seems like it will last forever. However, also when you’re young, you are naïve and still growing, therefore you don’t realize that who you love will likely change and that nothing lasts forever.

 

Hope you enjoyed these love-centric reviews!  Eleanor & Park will be on the shelves this Tuesday—I highly recommend it!

 

The Prominent Loves of YA Fiction

One can hardly pick up a YA book these days without having romance flow from the pages. Whether star-crossed, triangle-shaped or just plain complicated, love is a major theme in YA fiction. Some books are solely or mostly about love, while others simply have an underlying love story. Here are a few prominent types of love found in YA:

Star-crossed love

Forever immortalized in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers come from opposite sides of something (trenches, tracks, etc). Maybe the teens are different species, like in Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Karou is human while Akiva is seraphim (angel) and their attraction is regarded as unnatural by their own kind. Without spoiling it, their love is a serious matter. However star-crossed lovers aren’t always a matter of species, they can be from opposite sides of the track as well. Both human but still from vastly different backgrounds, June and Day are unlikely comrades in Marie Lu’s Legend. Since one is a prodigy for the Republic and the other is its most wanted criminal, any relationship for June and Day will be complicated. And a love, star-crossed.

The Love Triangle

With the popularity of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob in the Twilight series, one can hardly discuss YA love without a section on love triangles. In most cases, this is a situation where the girl has two distinct boys (usually relative opposites) who could potentially be more-than-friends. Themes of triangle-shaped love can be found in the Wings series by Aprilynne Pike between Laurel, Tamani and David. Laurel’s (human) boyfriend is the safe choice while her faerie companion, Tamani has a more dangerous, mysterious edge.  Also, in the Matched series by Ally Condie, Cassia is torn between Xander and Ky. She is matched with Xander, but Ky might be her true love.

Generally Complicated

Although most romances in YA have elements of complication (otherwise why would we keep reading?) there are some that are just generally complicated. There’s no fantasy element or triangles, just straightforward super-complicated love. One such book is Gayle Forman’s If I Stay and its sequel Where She Went. After Manilyn’s family is in a devastating car accident, she has to decide whether to let in the love of her boyfriend, Adam and whether to continue to live at all. Another example of generally complicated love is Kat and Hale’s relationship in Ally Carter’s Heist Society. Kat is the Robin Hood of teen thievery and Hale is her generous benefactor/friend, which makes it hard to have a normal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

Just for Fun

Occasionally in YA we stumble across loves that are fun and new, with only a smattering of complication. These usually appear in light-hearted, adventurous reads and I enjoy diving into them. So, just for fun let’s look at the love of Dash and Lily in their holiday NYC extravaganza in Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. If you found a notebook in a bookshop or library, would you be able to say no to its list of dares? Didn’t think so. Also, Morgan Matson wrote a fun, crushable romance between Amy and Roger in Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour. When Amy needs a companion for a cross-country journey, her mom suggests Roger, her friend’s son. Not only does Amy find a little bit of love, but she finds herself as well.

 

Happy Late Valentine’s Day!

My Reading Habit

Four years ago, I started keeping a reading journal. It lists every book I’ve read in four years, when I read it and has a one page review, with basic plot information and my opinion of the book overall. These journals (I started my second in early 2012) have been an undeniable resource in tracking my reading. Recently, I saw it fit to enter every book into Goodreads. I am happy to note that in the past 4 years, I’ve read over 200 books.

Then I stumbled upon this lovely chart that tells how many books I read each year since I started tracking:


(A note on 2008: I didn’t begin my journal until 2009, however
I do know that I read some series (namely Twilight) at the end of 2008,
so this is a rough estimate of my reading beginning August 2008.)

Whoa.

Turns out I’m all over the place with my reading. I had known that some years I read more and some years I struggled to get books read. But whoa. Turns out I had never known the exact numbers.

Reviewing this chart I noticed that:

1)     I can tell a lot about each year of my life from how much I read. There is a correlation in my job/personal situation and how much I read. I won’t go into the unappealing details, but factors in my life dictated how much I read. This is unfortunate but inescapable.

2)     I need to balance out how much I read. I need to set a doable reading goal, and make sure that my life doesn't revolve around reading (e.g. 2010) but I don’t want it to fall by the wayside either (e.g. 2011).

I first read about Goodreads Reading Challenge on Heather Marie's blog, and I loved the idea. After some thought, I decided a good reading year for me would be 30-40 books (more than 2012, but less than 2009). So I decided to set my goal for 2013 right in the middle with 35 books. It’s pretty much 3 books a month and one book every 10 days (with a little leeway). It’s an achievable goal. Reading won’t take over my life, but I won’t allow myself to forget about it either.

So here it is:

Right now, I’m on track. I read three awesome books in January, and I’m nearly done with my fourth, the newest from Ally Carter. It will be a challenge (hence the title) to stay on top of this, but it’s one that I readily accept. Who knows where 2013 will take me and if I will have time for 31 more books, but I hope I will. Because sometimes the fantasy worlds of teen books can take me farther than I have the means to travel in real life.

Happy reading!

The Precision of Words

There is an importance in the precision of words. I was recently reminded of this while reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. These books are about Karou, a blue-haired, artistic human girl who collects teeth for her chimaera “father.” When Akiva, a seraphim, descends into her life, the easy (albeit monster-filled) world that she has known becomes one of war and complication. Through both novels, Taylor’s words and descriptions are vibrant, passionate, and most importantly, precise. These words form clear, colorful, fresh images in the reader’s mind. As I was reading, some of the words and descriptions were so astounding that I paused to appreciate them, and made note of their location. Here are two such selections:

“The first time she’d come to Prague, she’d gotten so lost exploring these streets. She’d passed an art gallery and a few blocks later doubled back to find it, and… couldn’t. The city had swallowed it. In fact, she had never found it. There was a deceptive tangling of alleys that gave the impression of a map that shifted behind you, gargoyles tiptoeing away, stones like puzzle pieces rearranging themselves into new configurations while you weren’t looking. Prague entranced you, lured you in, like the mythic fey who trick travelers deep into forests until they’re lost beyond hope. But being lost here was a gentle adventure of marionette shops and absinthe, and the only creatures lurking around corners were Kaz and his cohorts in vampire makeup, ready with a silly thrill. Usually."
-Daughter of Smoke and Bone, page 183

“One world on its own is a strange enough seethe of coiling, unknowable veins of intention and change, but two? Where two worlds mingle breath through rips in the sky, the strange becomes stranger, and many things may come to pass that few imaginations could encompass.”
-Days of Blood & Starlight, page 491

 

When I read the first selection, I see a map of Prague that shifts around Karou like puzzle pieces. I see gargoyles shrinking away in the shadows and fairies with trickery in their eyes. These images form strongly in my mind. There is power in words like tangling, lure, cohorts, coiling and even absinthe. And when precise, pulsing words are strung together to form sentences and paragraphs, there is real magic in the imagery they create.

Word selection and usage can paint images within readers’ minds. They can bring an image to life, have it living and breathing and three-dimensional. This is why the precise selection of words is vital. Because there is a difference between anxious and nervous. There is a difference between blue and cerulean. There is a difference between happy, joyful, excited and ecstatic. And it’s not just a matter of using a thesaurus. Because some words, some descriptions are more innate. Maybe they come from a metaphor that no one has ever considered, and they pump life and heart into the story. They may come from a phrase of two or three hand-selected words that conjure something exact when put together in that fashion. Even if just one word is interchanged, the meaning may change and the image may fall.

Magic within words isn’t an everyday occurrence. It is unique, more so than the word ‘unique’ itself, which is why I am so appreciative of the precision of Taylor’s words within both of her novels. And why I strive for the same precision within my own work.

 

When Writing Doesn't Work

So, I’m stuck. It’s not even February, and I’m still trying to gain traction with my goals, writing and otherwise. It’s like trying to drive in freezing rain: you turn the wheel, but your car won’t follow. Your brakes take too long to respond. Or worse, you get stuck in the snow/ice/slush and no matter how much you accelerate, you only manage to dig deeper.

When I’m stuck, writing is my go-to method of de-stressing. But it doesn’t work all the time. So I have some back-up methods. Even though the rut I’m in right now can’t be solved by a visit to the gym or an hour with a glue gun, it helps. Every little bit helps.

Craft

I can be a crafty person. Recently, I did this:

Now above my TV.

 

There is something about making something with your hands. I say this as I type words on my laptop. Technically, I’m making something with my hands, but making something solid is different, somehow. Using paint or colored pencils is different than writing words on a page, for me. So, sometimes when the words won’t come, I craft. Or create. Or interior design.

Exercise

I have to admit, winter is a bad time for me and exercise. We tend to take a break when the weather drops below 50 degrees. But there are ways that I still “exercise” without actually having to *cringe* run outdoors (or something similarly ridiculous). These include: walking through the mall (as long as I don’t swipe a card, I’m good), throwing myself into work (books are heavy) and cleaning (vacuuming is sweaty). It doesn’t fill me with endorphins like a strenuous work-out, but it does the trick.

Read

Come on, you know you want to disappear into a fantasy world, full of wizards, mermaids or fairies and whatever evil they are trying to evict. A good book will clear my mind of current woes and let me escape, albeit temporary. Even as I write this, I can’t wait to dive back into my current read, letting the white walls of my apartment fall away and the decorated, dangerous ones of Days of Blood and Starlight rise around me.

Watch

Television and movies are a distraction. I have my fair share of indulgences and guilty pleasures when it comes to TV and DVDs, but I also look to them as a source of inspiration, on occasion. It is a form of art, and sometimes the imagery of a movie is beyond moving. Words spoken can make you cry. Moments of intrigue and conflict can force you to the edge of your seat. Plus, it’s another way to disengage and relax.

 

Hope everyone is having a cozy, cocoa-filled winter!

Writers Worth Admiring

Reading YA writers’ blogs makes me feel like, in the tiniest, most infinitesimal way, I know them. I already adore so many for their work and their blogs give me even more reason to sing their praises. Over the past months, I’ve discovered some awesome posts written by some awesome authors that make them even more—you guessed it—awesome.

I ADMIRE WRITERS WITH (intelligent) OPINIONS

Maureen Johnson’s Sell the Girls post

   In this long but entirely worth it post, Maureen addresses the increasingly prevalent thought that teenage boys are starving for something to read that wasn’t written by women. It’s true that more YA books are penned by women than men, but Maureen dives into history and her own experience to share this sentiment:

“For several millennia, women read the works of men. Millenia... Every once in a while we see a burst of staggering genius in the person of, say, an Emily Dickinson. Or maybe a Jane Austen, who covered up her work as she wrote. Then we see a huge break in the early 20^th century, a flux of brilliant women.”

Maureen and I are just two more women who grew up reading the works of men. We both turned out okay. Therefore, is there any harm in boys reading books written by women? Personally, I think they can handle it. They can read John Green and Scott Westerfeld, but also Cassandra Clare and even Judy Blume. They may enjoy it. They may even learn something!

Maureen sums it up nicely: “…as a lover of books and someone who supports readers and writers of both sexes, I object to the idea that there is a crisis in terms of boy books. And maybe we should do boys the favor we girls received—a reading diet featuring books by and about the opposite sex. Clearly, it must work.”

I ADMIRE WRITERS WHO ARE GENEROUS

Beth Revis’ Library of Signed Books Giveaway

   This giveaway has since closed, but when I saw the post, I was in awe. Beth Revis spent many months collecting signed books from events that she attended. In early 2012, she made a resolution to only do events with other authors, and at those events, she would buy books by her fellow authors and have them signed. Then she offered the whole library, almost fifty books, to a fan. The books were series and stand-alones; they were ones by well-known YA writers and by debut authors. Beth took time, spent money (don’t forget about the shipping cost!) and really made an effort. The sight of that luscious giveaway surely sent hundreds of fans into squeals and screams.

I ADMIRE WRITERS WHO ARE HONEST

Veronica Roth’s Some Changes of Internet Nature Post

   This is a short post, but it is one of honesty and self-awareness. Veronica explains that she closed her blog comments and Tumblr ask box for her own well-being. Not because she doesn’t like hearing from fans (as she still asks fans to e-mail her if they'd like) but because she needs to concentrate on writing and overcome anxiety issues. I fully support this effort, as I admire an author that can look in the mirror and say: “This, I can’t handle,” for whatever reason. She’s doing what is best for her and she’s honest to her followers and fans about it. I wish her the best, especially since I’m so excited and on-edge for the third book in the Divergent series (coming this fall)!

I ADMIRE WRITERS WHO GIVE (great) ADVICE

Laini Taylor’s How to Write a Novel Post

   When writers share their craft, it is an amazing thing. Recently, I was browsing Laini’s blog and came upon this gem of a post, which outlines how to write a novel in twenty steps. It’s fun and quirky yet still full of real ideas and inspiration for an eager writer such as myself. Daydreaming and brainstorming are required, and figuring out a writing routine will help. Plus, Laini is fully aware that steps 6-8 and 10-12 (WRITE) are the most difficult: 

"Yes, I know it's steps 6-8 and 10-12 that are the hard part, but the thing is, there's really nothing else for it but to just do it, even if it's hard and even if you're sure it's horrible as you're doing it. This is a place where reading how-to books can't really help you, so don't take a break from steps 6-8 and 10-12 to read Bird by Bird AGAIN and drink wine. It's like with weight loss: whatever advertising might tell you to get you to buy a product, there's really only one thing that works -- healthy eating and exercise. With writing a book it's -- sitting down and writing."

Right now, I’m somewhere around Step 11 with my WIP, but I can’t wait for Step 19, where I get to pour champagne over my head.

I ADMIRE WRITERS WHO INSPIRE

Nova Ren Suma’s Turning Points series

   Nova has one of the best blogs that I’ve discovered for an aspiring writer and YA lover. Distraction 99 is a great writer’s resource as well as a glimpse into Nova’s writing life. Her Turning Points series is an exploration of author’s writing lives and the turning points that made them who they are. Authors like Claire Legrand, Beth Revis (see above), Andrea Cremer, Gayle Forman and dozens more answer this question:  What was your turning point as a writer? The posts are inspiring and aspiring. They are bold, truthful and a great resource for all writers who are struggling toward their turning point. Nova Ren Suma’s other blog series include: Writer-on-Writer Interviews, YA Debuts, ‘What Scares You?’ and ‘What Inspires You?’ which are all worth a read as well.

The Experience of Imperfect Travel

 

When I write, I draw inspiration from experience and dream. Some of my paramount experiences have taken place while traveling. There is majesty in walking a city where cathedrals were built before this country was founded. There is mystique in knowing that the people you’re walking past most likely wouldn’t understand you if you speak. There is a certain freedom that comes with getting lost somewhere foreign.
 


Getting lost in Ghent

Not to discount domestic travel, but I’ve rarely felt out of place within America. I can blend in while hiking in Utah or lying on a Floridian beach or striding down the streets of NYC. I am at home in the US and even though accents may differ, the language does not. There is a feeling of safety for me, there is a known set of values and a relative understanding of the law. Abroad, however, these things can be fleeting. Values can differ. Language is rarely a common factor. Abroad, I know I don’t belong, which is when things get interesting.  

               “Travel is glamorous only in retrospect.” ― Paul Theroux



Walking along Omaha Beach

I speak of my travels with longing, but the truth is that they were not always enchanting at the time. I’ve run my hands through the sand at Omaha Beach. But to get there I rode in a bus with three dozen other twenty-somethings and slept in a hostel four people to a room. I’ve been to the top of a Swiss Alp, but on an overcast day, where the clouds engulfed us and the view was just fog, thousands of feet up. There were days I missed important trams and trains. There was overpriced food, and days of drenching rain. There were tears, uncertainty and the empty feeling that one can only know when thousands of miles from home.



Disappearing into the clouds in the Alps

That’s where experience comes from, the flawed days where you almost get stuck in an unknown Dutch city after dark. The days where you wake tired because the drunk Australians came back to the hostel at 2AM then snored until the sun came up. Or the day on the Brussels tram when British ex-pats make fun of your homestay mother because they thought you couldn’t understand them.  
 



Beautiful day in Antwerp

That’s where words come from, the experiences that are imperfect. The ones that were a trial at the time, but are now an amusing anecdote or appealing short story. Because the essence of a story doesn’t come from a pristine day hiking outside Dublin, but in the days of pouring rain and near failure. The imperfect days abroad helped shape me and my writing.