Book Review: I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson

I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson. This book, you guys! One of the (many) reasons I love to read so much is because stories can be absolutely pure magic. I never understand it when someone says “I don’t really read,” because who doesn’t need magic in their lives? If you ask me, we could all use a little magic and this book has got it. I wish I could string together all the right words in all the right ways to properly express how much I loved it. I identified not only as a sister, but as a daughter and as a mother. Not an easy thing to do.

Here’s the description from Goodreads:

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once. 

I have to agree with that last sentence. I was teary-eyed almost the entire time. And not just because things were sad. Sometimes because they were so unbelievably happy! If you know me, you might be like, “Sure Sarah, but let’s be real, you cry at everything.” Ok, I’ll give you that. BUT THIS WAS SO MUCH MORE. There was so much beauty and heartbreak and truth.

Noah and Jude are twins and the story is told from both perspectives. Noah at thirteen with his quiet vulnerability and self-captioned commentary on life. Who views the world through a lens of such vivid, brilliant colors that you can’t help but see it the way he does. And then Jude at sixteen, with her quirky superstitions, her conversations with her dead grandmother and her determination to make things right. From one time to the next, Noah and Jude seem to have completely flip-flopped their entire personalities. Obviously some major events went down to cause such dramatic shifts and Nelson does an incredible job of weaving the two timeframes in order to unravel the mystery.

Both Noah and Jude are talented artists and at thirteen are preparing to apply for a competitive high school for the arts. Maybe the most amazing part of Nelson’s story-telling is her use of art. Her words are written as beautifully as if they themselves were being painted across the page. You can see her images so clearly. Both Noah and Jude use their artwork to express themselves, to confess, to hurt, to heal. If I could wish for anything, it would be to steal a fraction of Nelson’s talent for descriptions.

The supporting characters are equally colorful and complex. Everyone is a little imperfect, a little broken and very human. The boy across the street, Brian who just seems to “get” Noah. The older, bad boy, Oscar who tries to draw Jude out of her self-imposed shell. The eccentric, master sculptor, Guillermo who reluctantly agrees to mentor Jude. Everyone has their own demons to battle and their scars to prove it.

I think you get the idea. If there was a book that I would slip under my pillow at night so that I could dream about it, (like my 5-year old does) I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN is it.

I hope you read it. And I hope it’s magical.

Coping With Writer's Block

OK I was going to call this post: how I “manage” writers block, but I don’t. Manage it, that is. I cope as best as I can, until I can move on. 

We’ve all been there: staring at a blank screen willing our fingers to move or our brains to barf something anything out! But, all that happens is a cramp in your creativity muscle. The paper stays blank, the screen white or whatever medium you use doesn’t get used. 

You tell yourself it’s time to walk away. Time to crack open that favorite book that always inspires you, turn on the TV for a while as a distraction or jump in the shower – that’s where the magic happens. But, sometimes nothing works and you find yourself STILL sitting. STILL staring. With nothing more than a half-eaten bag of chips and a half-empty glass of wine to show for it. 

What to do?

There are times when I have to recognize that forcing something isn’t going to make it what I want. It’s going to sound forced or awkward and I’ll just end up having to rewrite it later. 

It is hard to walk away. Believe me, I know! Maybe (like me) this is your only chance to write for the whole day or week! The kids are at school/taking a nap/at grandmas/sequestered in their rooms, it’s now or never. Maybe you set a goal to write 2,500 words this week and you have 1,900 and you want to just push out the last 600. 

I will sometimes shut my eyes as I turn my computer (the green box with buttons) off and bolt out of my office. I’ll go fold clothes/clean bathrooms/do dishes…you know all the other stuff that needs to get done. 

And you know what!? Not long after I’ve let go of my writing frustration my characters start talking again telling me where they want to go and not the other way around. With my mind clear (usually doing mindless things helps) MAGIC happens! Inspiration strikes! And soon enough, I’m back at the green box letting my story pour out of my fingertips!

It’s hard to let go, but I find that sometimes the best thing to do is to forget for a while. 

If that doesn’t work…try standing on your head.

Book Review: UNMADE by Sarah Rees Brennan

If you’ll humor me for a moment, before I get to today’s book review.

A little backstory on Reader Monica: I don’t read Stephen King. It isn’t because he isn’t fabulous at what he does. Duh. He’s STEPHEN KING! But the two King books I have read scared the living bee jeezus out of me, and I don’t so much like having the bee jeezus scared out of me. So I leave him for the readers who appreciate and enjoy his work. I was thinking about my relationship with Mr. King, as I was reading the book I’m reviewing today.

Now, having said that, I can review this week’s book: Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan. Unmade is the third/last book in the Lynburn Legacy trilogy. Here’s a little about the series, FROM GOODREADS: On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back…A darkly humorous take on Gothic romance, Sarah Rees Brennan's Lynburn Legacy weaves together the tale of a heroine desperate to protect those she loves, two boys hoping to be saved, and the magical forces that will shape their destiny.

 I loved the first book, Unspoken, its very original premise, its setting, and the budding love story, and couldn’t wait to read the next one. {Premise: Kami has had a voice in her head her whole life—a boy she’s talked to through their thoughts, and whom she has fallen in love with. Then one day she finds out he’s real—when she meets him! So cool!} While I still enjoyed the second book, Untold, some of the reasons I loved the first book were missing in the second, but I was so attached to the characters I read it with glee. However, a dark edge was creeping into the second book that was starting to make me squirm a bit. Still a great story, and still some of the best character development out there, but with that dark edge to the story. That creeping darkness blooms into a full on shadow in Unmade, and my increased squirming caused me some troubles. But that being said, it’s a great book, a fantastic conclusion to an imaginative series, and readers who enjoy the darker side of paranormal will love it. While the Reader Me may have struggled with the evil that plays a large role in the book, the Writer Me appreciated that this is a wonderful book with excellent writing.

Even though I had my Creeped Out moments, there were some things I loved about this conclusion to the trilogy. First, throughout the three books there are wonderful moments of clever comedic relief. The protagonist Kami, her father, and one of her best friends are funny in all of the books, but perhaps as a balance to the uglier stuff in this last book, the comedy reaches a new level of Laugh Out Loud Funny in Unmade. Those lines of funny dialogue are like little moments of respite from some of the other things going on in the book—a little like the last two Harry Potter books. Second, Sarah Rees Brennan keeps the reader guessing and turning those pages as she keeps on tricking you and going places you weren’t expecting. Third and most important, the ending is gratifying and happy and just what you may have been hoping for when you read the first book. I know it’s what I was hoping for. In fact I would have been mighty upset had it ended any other way.

Paranormal readers, you should really check out The Lynburn Legacy trilogy if you’ve somehow missed it!!

When Inspiration Strikes… Use Caution If Operating Heavy Equipment

The Oregon Coast - Where I'd like to be whenever Inspiration strikes!

This is not necessarily a post on “Finding Inspiration,” or how to get the creative juices flowing, but rather what it’s like when you’re walking along and KAPOW! It knocks you upside the head and demands your attention. (I promise that if I ever figure out how to actually find it on demand, you’ll be the first to know.)


As a writer, I would say I have a fairly healthy imagination, but that doesn’t mean that it’s always spitting out the ideas when and where I need it to. Unfortunately, inspiration does not always come in a nice, pretty package tied up with string. It does not always wait patiently for your convenience. Like when you are finally ready to sit down for your appointed writing time, waiting while you pour your coffee and get comfy at your desk. That would be too easy, right?


No, inspiration usually comes when you are least prepared. Like when you are in the shower, mid-wash and instead of a writing utensil, you have a loofa and a hand full of body wash and if you don’t write it down or tell someone immediately, all those brilliant thoughts or witty dialogue might just flow out of your mind and slide right down the drain along with your tangerine soap bubbles. OH! Watch out…yep, there they go. If you don’t have a personal assistant (i.e. spouse, roommate, child who can read/write) you might just have to run out of the shower to the nearest piece of paper, dripping water and all.


Maybe it’s when you are driving your kids to school and you get an idea or an answer to a troubling plot hole and suddenly you tune out the giggles and screams from the back seat and drive right on by the exit you’ve taken every day since school started. What then?! Grab the phone recorder and barf it out while it is still fresh. (You’re already going to be a few minutes late, what’s two more?!)


As a writer, I’ve learned that inspiration can be fleeting and elusive company to keep and usually has a “Don’t call me, I’ll call you” kind of attitude. When it strikes, you have no choice but to listen or risk losing it forever. Do what you can to hang on to it. Write it down on the back of a receipt, phone a friend, record it on a voice recorder, and keep a notebook next to your bed for middle of the nights thoughts.


These are a few things that happen in the life of this writer. What are some of the crazier moments you’ve been struck by inspiration for a new/current WIP and did you manage to keep hold of it?


P.S. If you find yourself looking for inspiration, hop in the shower or take a long drive. Just don’t be on a time constraint and keep a pen and paper close by.

Book Review: HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J. Maas

Description from GOODREADS:

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.


While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

FINALLY!!!!!

HEIR OF FIRE by the amazing Sarah J. Maas is probably the book I’ve been most excited/anxious about for 2014 and it did NOT disappoint!

If you love Fantasy books or epic assassins who kick some serious ass, then HEIR OF FIRE probably needs no introduction. If, however, you are new to the genre or the world of Celaena Sardothien, then welcome. Forget that you’re a little late to the party. The important thing is that you’re here now, because you should not wait a minute longer to read this series!

HEIR OF FIRE is the third book in the Throne of Glass series, picking up where CROWN OF MIDNIGHT left off. Celaena has arrived in Wendlyn, broken, mourning the loss of her friend and seeking answers. What she finds is more than she hoped or bargained for. Being in a new land, we are introduced to a whole new imaginative setting where magic is alive, the creatures are darker and scarier and the Fae are a force to be reckoned with. Celaena is forced to face her past, her fears and to choose what role she is willing to play going forward. SJM truly created an amazing heroine in this series. Celaena is broken time and time again throughout this book, but you just keep rooting for her and by the end, you love her even more than before (if that’s possible!).

Along with all new settings, we are also introduced to a host of new characters. This seemed like it should be daunting as I went into it wanting to only care about Chaol and Dorian!!! But again, these characters were so 3-dimensional and well developed that by the end, it would be hard to imagine them NOT existing! They each come with their own unique back stories and motivations and even though I fought not to make room for them in my heart, they all managed to squeeze in and make themselves comfortable. From the loud and obnoxious Aedion, general in the King’s army as well as Celeana’s cousin, to Rowan, the brooding Fae, who seems void of all emotions and is in charge of pushing Celeana to reach her full potential. From the dark mountain caves where the Wyvern are being kept to the healing rooms of the Palace, we meet some very interesting characters.

Don’t be discouraged, Chaol and Dorian are still present and dealing with their own internal struggles and choices. And we see them really mature throughout the story. Dorian muddles through his magical abilities and how to gain control. In doing so he finds an unexpected ally in quiet, gentle Sorcha. Loyal to a fault, Chaol has other decisions he battles with. How to stay loyal to his kingdom, his friends, and the woman he loves. In sending Celaena away, he sacrificed himself and now must return home to his family and responsibilities, though he puts it off as long as possible in order to offer help where he can. Even if that means giving aid to the rebellion. I had secret hopes for a Chaol/Celaena reunion though it became more and more obvious that it wasn’t likely to happen in this book. I’ll still hold out hope for book 4!

In what I’m discovering to be true SJM fashion, there was no sparing of heartache. There were definitely a couple jaw-dropping, teary moments. All I can say is this, “Please, Sarah. Please don’t kill anyone else!” Though that is probably an unrealistic plea. Despite or because of the heart-wrenching moments, I loved HEIR OF FIRE so, so much! It is the kind of book that sits with you for days after and you just have to talk to someone about it.

The only thing I don’t like is having to wait a whole year before finding out what happens next to Celaena and company! If you haven’t read this series yet, do it! You won’t regret it!

Why I Write Paranormal and Historical YA

I’m the YA Triple Scoop’s resident paranormal and historical writer who is, of course, currently working on a contemporary. All I can say is, these things happen.

So I guess my tastes are eclectic—both as a reader and as a writer. When the little voices in my head start talking to me I know I ignore them at my own peril, so naturally the high school students in the contemporary could not be ignored. But usually the voices insist on paranormal or historical stories, or best of all a combination of both!

This is true for both my YA writer self, and my alter ego—the adult romance writer. My first published novel is a contemporary paranormal with a tiny historical twist, and its prequel is equal parts paranormal and historical. Except for that current work in progress, the contemporary, all of my writing falls into these categories.

Why?

I’ve wondered that myself! My interest in the paranormal is probably the easiest to explain. For almost as long as I can remember I’ve had the occasional odd psychic experiences, ranging from BIG unexplainable occurrences of precognition—the kind that can really shake you up for a lifetime—, to the pretty run of the mill premonitions, like getting a strong feeling the day before it hits that the Bay Area is going to have an earthquake. When these things happen to you it makes you take an interest in unexplainable phenomena. It also makes you freak out when you dream about tsunamis or earthquakes or harm coming to loved ones. (NOT every dream is psychic—you just never know which ones are!) One of my favorite YA authors has mentioned in interviews that she’s had some similar experiences to mine—in fact one is almost identical to one of mine—and interestingly she is a writer of paranormal fiction. So maybe it really does go hand in hand.

As for historical, the answer is simple. I’ve just always loved history and am always entranced by the stories of people’s lives long ago. As a storyteller I like weaving my fiction in with the threads of historical facts. For those months that I’m writing that historical fiction it’s like I myself have traveled through time to that particular time and place. Next best thing to a time machine. Oh, and I love doing research! I can hear a lot of groans right now, but I’m just weird that way. Love it!

After I finish the contemporary, I have a story waiting for me that I’ve wanted to write for years. I’m not sure why I’ve put it off so long, except now I’m happy I have, because I think my writing and storytelling skills have improved with each manuscript I’ve finished. There’s a notebook waiting for me with all of the characters sketched out, some of the historical research completed, and the general plot planned. It is the perfect blend of historical and paranormal, and the kind of book—a subgenre of the paranormal/historical— that has always been my favorite. That’s all I want to say about it now, but I’ll probably say more here when the real writing happens.

I love writing YA because you get to mix genres in ways that the publishing world doesn’t let you get away with in books aimed at the adult audience. It makes for a very liberating writing experience. And besides, I love reading YA, so writing it is awesome fun!!

Book Review: MORTAL DANGER by Ann Aguirre

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Just that one line on the back of the book was enough to suck me in! I was basically already sold on this book before reading a single word about it because I know I LOVE Ms. Aguirre’s writing. Once I started reading reviews and the summary; I couldn’t wait!

Here’s the summary from Goodreads: 

 

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind..

Faust.

That’s the first thing that comes to my mind once Edie made her “deal”. Edie is literally on the edge when we meet her. She’s about to jump off a bridge when a handsome stranger stops her and takes her to a strange diner to “talk”. Kian (the beautiful stranger) offers her a bargain and she accepts. This is very much a “devil's deal” with all the strings attached and little to no knowledge about who she’s actually making said bargain with or what they can ask for in return. Is Kian the devil? (I thought so) Each “favor” comes with a price and she must use all three within the span of five years. 

The bargain Edie strikes is with a “company” that finds people in what they call Extremis (people about to snuff themselves out) and offers what seems like an amazing gift. What you discover is that it is all part of a larger “game” being played between rival factions. Intriguing? I’d say so. 

Now. Let’s talk about Kian and Edie’s relationship. Kian, who is a liaison of sorts, is assigned to watch Edie – her struggles with the High School from hell, her family and basically her entire life. He falls in love with her before they even officially meet. They have this sort of push and pull relationship that I enjoyed. He loves her but knows – because of his company ties- that he can’t be with her. He struggles to let her go and all she wants is him. 

Ultimately Edie has to make some tough choices and in the end the choice she makes could either save or destroy Kian. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mortal Danger and highly suggest it! It was new and fresh with a little bit of scary thrown in there.