BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!

Last month, I was in a reading challenge, and it was a-maz-ing. We had a facebook group and everything. *nodnod* There were certain challenges, like...

Read a book with blue on the cover!

Read a book that starts with the first letter of your first name!

Read a book a friend recommends!

Read a book in the genre you've read least! 

*happy sigh*

Gaahhh. I miss my August Reading Challenggeeeeeeee. Seriously, besides Summer Workshop, that was easily one of the best things I've participated in this year. <3  But anyways, I was looking at my shelf from the challenge on GoodReads, and there were just so many good books. 

Soooo, guess what I decided to do?

 Book recommendations. 

Prepare to be dazzled. :D

The Grisha Trilogy, by Leigh Bardugo

Ohmygosh, these were good. Like, really, really good. I just. DARKLING. NIKOLAI. GAAAH. 

The first book is Shadow and Bone. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Two words: Fantasy. Russia.
That should completely convince you to read them. But if it doesn't...um...yeah, fantasy Russia had me sold. Besides that, though, there's the characters (NIKOLAIIIII (although he's not there till the second book)). And the magic system. So cool.

The Leviathan Trilogy, by Scott Westerfield

ASF;KLjsdG;LKDJFG"sD;LKFSOLJdf9OPWEJLFVSDLKMFsklm<cN

[deep breath]

Sorry. I just.

These books.

THESE BOOKS.

[clears throat] Um, basically, Leviathan is a steampunk World War 1. It's Clankers (traditional mechanics and machines) versus Darwinists (Fabricrated creatures). Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I love these. <3

  It is the cusp of World War I. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet. 

Aleksandar Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure….One that will change both their lives forever.

 I absolutely loved the steampunk-ness of it. But besides that (which is why I initially wanted to read them) Deryn and Alek were really fun to read about. OH, and I almost forgot the coolest part of them.
[drumroll]


They have pictures.
Leviathan, Behemoth, and Goliath are all full of illustrations showing scenes from the books and they are insanely cool.
So yeah. Read it if only for the illustrations. <3

Beastly, by Alex Flynn

Beauty and the Beast, in modern day New York City. The 'beast' (aka Kyle/Adrian) is a rich jerk who goes to a fancy private school. 'Beauty' is a poor girl who loves to read and goes to Kyle's school, too, but only because she got it on scholarship and has to work hard to keep herself enrolled. 

Eeeee, I loved this. I'm a sucker for retellings, and Beauty and the Beast is one of the coolest stories to retell. 

This wasn't a serious book. It was funny and light-hearted and cute.

I am a beast.
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright--a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever--ruined--unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

 Kyle, you snarky little cutie.

If you want to see more of my books from last month, check out my GoodReads shelf for the challenge above. :)
Bonus: currently reading...

Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Wow.

I mean, wow.

I…hang on, give me a moment. I need to try and get some coherent thoughts together.

Okay, I think I’m ready.

via

Code Name Verity, where do I start?
Do I tell you all about the characters and how insanely real they felt? Do I talk about how heartbreakingly realistic Julie is? Do I mention the tears that now stain my library’s copy of this book?

Eventually.

Code Name Verity is the story of friendship. The Book Thief may have been about a girl who loved words but this book is about people who love each other deeply and like family. It’s the story of two girls who somehow ended up being best friends and even though they were separated by miles and miles and the Chateau de Bourreaux remains so.

I don’t know what else to say about this book, honestly. I’m not going to in-depth because that will require spoilers and I want people who haven’t read this to see it and hopefully be convinced to read it because it is so worth it. 

I wouldn’t even think about giving this less than five stars. I’m a mess of emotions right now and I don’t really want to start another book, I’d rather sit here and mope for a few days. I loved the friendship between Queenie and Maddie and really everyone in this book.

I love this book.

I love it.

And I think you will too.

OLD BOOKS!

My kindle has been dead for weeks now, because I lost my charger and have been too lazy to go and look for it. A few days ago, however, I needed to upload Jill Williamson’s Storyworld First (which you should most definitely buy when it comes out). So, I spent about an hour hunting around my room for the charger, which was NOT in my room, but in my parents' room instead. .-.

But I did find something in my room that made me maybe a little too happy.

My copy of Anne of the Island my LM Montgomery. Seriously, look at this book. I read it so much, although it’s not the worst-looking book in my AoGG collection. :3 That title belongs to Anne of Ingleside.

So I flipped through it for a while, and came across this quote.
“Averil is such an unmanageable heroine. She will do and say things I never meant her to. Then that spoils everything that went before and I have to write it all over again.”

Hey, wait a second…that sounds really familiar...

OH. That’s what I go through all the time with my characters! No wonder I loved these so much. :3

After that I started looking through all my old books that I’ve shelved on the teeny-tiny shelf up top that only they will fit on.

So. OLD BOOKS. YAY.  

Unfortunately, NOT the old books I get at used bookstores, but...

  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

I guess you were expecting that one. I mean, I did just spend all that time up there talking about the third book in the series. ;) But out of all my books that are worn down from years of rereading, Anne of Green Gables definitely gets first place.

      Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.

…I did say they were all in pretty bad condition, you know.

I think I read these sometime in 4^th grade.  And right now, I’m waiting on the Blood of Olympus to release this October (please hurry up, Uncle Rick. I need the last book.)

Percy was a sarcastic little dork, and I loved that. I loved Annabeth Chase and I loved the whole atmosphere of Camp Half-Blood. I think I subconsciously decided to use ballpoint pens more after reading those.  I honestly could go on forever about Percy Jackson, because I still love these books as much as I did 5 years ago.
And besides PJO, Rick Riordan wrote everything I read in 5^th and 6^th grade. The Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, the Demigod Files…<3 

American Girl Mysteries

These are all the AG books I ever owned.

…

Hahaha.

Haha.

That’s funny.

A few months ago I went through and cleaned out my shelves, and a lot of my AG mysteries went bye-bye. These are just my favorites: Samantha, Kit, and Molly.

American Girl mysteries are pretty much just the doll-characters solving mysteries and such with their best friends in their respective time period. One of the Molly books I remembered involved a German family that had been good friends with Molly’s family for years, and were taken to the internment camps.

Dear America…/My Name is America

Ohmygosh. These books. <3 Fictional diaries of people in different time periods? Along with a tiny history lesson in the back? Oh yes. These were a favorite.

Oh, look,  PAIN.

I’ve never actually owned any of these (*cries*)  mostly because the library had most of them and it’s maybe (maybe) 10 minutes away from our house.  Dear America were usually about girls and My Name is America were typically guys, I think.

One of my favorites (and one that I’m still really sad about) is a Dear America on the Titanic. Owwwww. 
(spoiler alert: the love interest dies)

(but at least he didn’t die Jack-style.)

(sorrynotsorry)

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.

I wanted to be in the Mysterious Benedict Society so much when I read these. I still do, actually. xD

[picture of mbs books]

Oh gosh. How do I even describe these.

They’re kids books, but honestly, anyone can (and should) read them. If only for Constance Contraire, read them.

Mr. Benedict is a fabulous old man with narcolepsy and he’s basically my favorite character in the entire series.  <3

And the plot?

The plot revolves around 4 clever children who passed several tests in the first book and now get to live with Mr. Benedict and Rhonda and solve mysteries and yeah. These books are special. <3

Honorable Mentions:

The 39 Clues Series

Harry Potter (because I read these still today and refuse to admit they ended)

Jane Eyre (Illustrated Classics Edition)

Where the Red Fern Grows

Artemis Fowl 

That’s it for now. J I hope to be back sometime next week with a review of Storyworld First! 

~Emma

My Summer To-Be-Read List and a Very Important Event

*slides into figurative room* Heyyy, everybody. *awkward laugh* Uh, how've things been?

Yeah, I know. I've been pretty bad about posting lately (lately being since I created this blog. *shakes head*). But, I have books! And Super Important News about a Very Important Event that is happening in 9 days!!!! And since I know you guys are eagerly awaiting such awesome news, I'll cut the introduction/apology bit of this post and get to it. :3

The Selection Trilogy, Kiera Cass 

Via

Blurb (from GoodReads):

"For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. 

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.  

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

First of all, let's talk covers. "Don't judge a book by its cover"? Hahaha, forget about that. Judge these covers, because they are beautiful.
Anyways...
I read The Selection last fall, and remember being very interested in the story. At the time, I was technically supposed to be reading LOTR (a looooong story for another time), so I didn't read the second one. This summer, I intend to read the entire trilogy and fangirl for the rest of time.

The Blood Of Kings Trilogy, Jill Williamson

Via

Confession time: I already read these. *insert loud gasps*  To be fair, I read them at the beginning of summer, so they still qualify as 'Summer TBR list" material. :P
Since I've read them, though, I can guarantee that they are wonderful. I absolutely loved the dual POVs of Vrell and Achan, the plot twists, the story world...everything. I highly recommend these. :)

Blurb (from GoodReads):

"Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan's owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince--more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan's head cause him to fear he's going mad. While escorting the prince to a council presentation, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes from prison--only to discover a secret about himself he never believed possible."

The Gallagher Girls,  Ally Carter

Via

Blurb (from GoodReads):

"Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?"

Last summer, I read the Heist Society (great series, by the way) by Ally Carter. Art thieves, foreign settings, and a spunky teen protaginist? Definitely my kind of story. I loved reading about Kat and the "family business" and the trouble that often ensues because of it.
Along the same lines, the Gallagher Girls series focuses on Cammie Morgan, a spy-in-training at the Gallagher Academy. I can't wait to get started on these!!!

I'm sure that after I read all of these, I'll have to find some other reading material, but for now, this is all I've got. :) I hope to review these after I've read them.

*dramatic music* And now...it's time.....for....the Big News.
About a Big Event, known as....

Via

What is Summer Workshop?
It's a week-long teen writer's workshop. It's critique groups and fangirling/boying. and writing sessions from published authors, literary agents, and publishers.
It's my first time going, and I am beyond excited.
And it's 9 days away.
*screams*
You can find out more about Summer Workshop here. I'm sure that after I get back, there will be a rambling post about SW, and a lot of pictures, and a lot of crying gifs.

So, until Summer Workshop withdrawals kick in,

2 Chapters In

About 3 weeks ago, I finished chapter 2 of my book.
But wait, isn't this post called 2 chapters in? Is this late or something?
Not exactly.
See, I finished 2 chapters of a book that wasn't too terribly deep. Oh, it had meaning and symbolism and all that jazz, but honestly, I didn't even care about my characters.
I had let my mom read what I had so far, and the next morning at breakfast, I tentatively asked her about it. It went a little something like this:
Me: *munching on waffles* So, uh, did you finish reading it last night?
Mom: I did.
Me: Oh. Did you...like it?
Mom:Yes. But I didn't care about her brother being kidnapped. And her reaction was stilted.
Me: *melts into a puddle of tears and waffles*

Okay, maybe not exactly like that. But the point still stands; I didn't care about my characters, not really, and apparently, neither did my reader.
(Gee, how'd ya figure that one out, genius?)
So, 2 chapters in, what have I learned?
I need to care.
I need to have meaning.
And most of all, I need to write from my heart rather than my mind.

 If Writing Doesn't Hurt You, You're Doing It Wrong.

I'd heard a lot of quotes along those lines, and I'd sit back and think, Oh, it hurt outlining. It hurts my brain to write. It hurts my hands to type that much, etc, etc. Hahaha. No.

Writing is something incredible--there are people who, one day, have an idea and instead of forgetting about it or saying, Oh, that's neat, they sit down, and plot and develop and write and intake an unhealthy amount of caffeine, and they create something beautiful. Out of their own minds, out of their hearts. It's a tiny part of their soul that they're pushing out tentatively into the world to be devoured by critics and fans alike. 

Source

And somehow, even though I knew this, I still thought I could scrape by with only being partially-invested in said beautiful thing. It's a wonder I've gotten as far in writing and, I dunno, being a person as I have, if I've been thinking those things. 

In my story, my main character's (Emmaus) younger brother is taken by Dark Servants as a hostage-type situation. Think blackmail.

And yet, there were no scenes with Charley (the younger brother) before he was kidnapped, really, not even a mention of him. Somehow, I expected that the fact that 'Omg he's my little brother I luv him soooo much' would be enough to create emotion in the reader when he was taken.

Again, how have I gotten this far?

So I copied and pasted the entire of my chapter 2 and what I had written on chapter 3 into a blank document (labeled as "Chapters 2 and 3 (discarded-ish)"), and revamped my first 3 chapters. 

It frustrated me. I had worked so hard, I had spent so long typing away and putting those words down, and now they were gone. It wasn't that I was angry at my mom for pointing out that my story was flawed. No, it was the fact that I knew what she was talking about, and I had known for quite a while, and now, I had to deal with it. 

It's not been fun, I can tell you that. It's hard. Most days, when I start writing, I delete roughly the last 100 words of what I had written yesterday, and rewrite it.  But I know my story will be so much better for it, so it's okay. I'll fight through it.

Later,

Emma.

A Post about Emmaus St. Johns

This is Emmaus.

She's not a real person, first of all. No, she's only real to me, and to future readers of my novel. And she's been begging for some attention lately, so without further ado, and interview with Emmaus.

Who are you?

You already told them that, you dork.

That wasn't nice. 

Don't care.

What's the most important thing in your life?

My brother, which YOU already knew because you THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE HIM KIDNAPPED BY DARK SERVANTS. 

Why?

He's all I have left, besides my mom. And she's...she's not the same as she used to be. Not since my dad died. 

Best friend? 

Tarynne, obviously. But next to her, Elijah. We've been in school together since we both started, and I remember him, his sister, and I would play in the alley between our apartment buildings. We'd pretend we were fighting bad guys and save the day.

Who do you hate the most?

You.

Hahaha. Very funny. Seriously, though?

*sigh* The Dark One. He's torn my life apart, and he's done the same to countless others.

Why do you care so much about defeating him?

Besides what I said above? He's...he's evil. He crafted a war that destroyed half of our world and has killed hundreds of people all for the sake of protecting himself and his power. He has the world in the palm of his hand and no one knows it. Nobody knows they're being lied to and tortured. I have to stop him.

Why You Need To Be Reading Jennifer E. Smith

I'm back from the dead with good news, guys.
Jennifer E. Smith has a new book coming out soon.
This is big news.
Why?
About a year ago, I came across a book on Goodreads called "The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight". Long story short, it's a story about a girl named Hadley who meets a boy named Oliver in an airport and they fall in love on a flight from New York to London.
It's one of my favorite books and I highly recommend it.
I read all of her other books (The Comeback Season, You Are Here, This is what Happy Looks Like) last summer and into the fall, and I have been patiently waiting for another.
The next one is called The Geography of You and Me (link to the Goodreads listing), and I am so excited for it I'm starting to bounce off the walls.
So why am I so excited about her new book?

• She takes stories that would normally be cliched (Really? They fall in love in one day? Pssshhh. I'm not buying it...) and makes them so unexpected and beautiful that you're left smiling and wanting more. Some of her books are very bittersweet, and some are...well, some are fluff. But it's good fluff. The best fluff to ever fluff.
• Her characters are amazing. Ryan in The Comeback Season is a great example of this. From page one you feel like you actually know Ryan, and Nick, and all the other characters. They're so incredibly real. 
  
• They're short, sweet, and to the point. Have you ever been reading a book (YA or not) where the author just drags on and on and on about this and that and you find yourself wanting to skip pages until something happens other than description? I have. Very, very rarely is there anything like that in her books, and when it is there...you don't really mind.
  
• They're all filled with gorgeous writing, like the quote above. Small tidbits about the world and life, read through the eyes of 16-17 year olds, surrounded by comedy and romance and happiness.

So, have I convinced you? If I have, what are you waiting for? Go find a Barnes and Noble or your library or a Books a Million and buy them all! 

or not

I mean, you don't have to.

But I think it would be a lovely decision for everyone involved.

~Emma