Category Archives: Books

Monthly Recap: April

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MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!

Books I Read

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal

Only one of these is YA! I’m trying to broaden my horizons a bit. I enjoyed all these reads but Anne’s House of Dreams was my favorite (which was such a relief after Anne of Windy Poplars was a small let-down).

Movie of the Month

Beauty and the Beast! It was lovely! As much as I loved Emma Watson and the guy who played the Beast though, I kind of think Luke Evans as Gaston stole the show! He was spot-on.

My husband and I are also working our way through a Star Wars movies rewatch; only episodes VI and VII to go now!

#Bookstagram Images of the Month

Camp NaNoWriMo

I needed some serious time away from the project I have spent years on, so this month I dabbled on a new story idea that I am pretty sure now is going to be my next WIP, a contemporary about two teens competing for first chair sax. I completed my goal of 10,000 words, though they weren’t all exactly in order. Oops. Anyhow, I’m really loving it and hope I get to share it one day!

Looking Forward to in May

My husband and I will be celebrating 8 years of marriage and 13 years together on the 16th! Sometimes it seems so crazy it’s been that long, but sometimes it feels like it’s been longer (in a good way)! Sadly, we don’t get to go on a vacation this month around our anniversary like we usually do because I got sick so much this winter and used up my PTO, sigh… But I trust it’ll be a good month regardless. We have a local jazz festival I am looking forward to plus a few things lined up to do with friends.

Potential May TBR

The Secret of a Heart Note by Stacey Lee

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (reread) by J.K. Rowling

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Paper Wishes by Lois Sephban

I also already finished one book after reading half of it on April 30 and finishing it the first day of May, but I’ll mention that in my recap next month. 🙂

How was your April? What are you looking forward to in May? 

*Edit May 29: I have closed comments due to an unusual amount of spam comments for this post.

My Top 10 Book Covers that Scream Summer

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Cover Theme Freebie. I always anticipate summer, though sadly my vacation this year has been delayed until fall (curse you winter sickness!), but nonetheless, there are many summer-esque covers with which to celebrate the upcoming season. Here’s my list of my favorite covers that scream summer, in no particular order.

1. Lucky in Love by Kasie West

I don’t know why the fair makes me think of summer, especially since around here it’s usually more of a fall affair, but I’m gonna roll with it anyway.

2. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord (hardcover or paperback)

I super love this book and the hardback cover (which I own), but the paperback definitely has a fun summer vibe to it (which isn’t as fitting for the story but I still like it).

3. Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Summer traveling, yes please.

4. Love & Gelato by Jenni Evans Welch

I’ve loved this cover since I first saw it online, but just saw it in person recently and loved it even more. Seriously, just look at the cuteness of the gelato!

5. Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

String lights + movies + pool = sounds like a great summer to me!

6. It Started With Goodbye by Christina June

More string light love!

7. The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

I think the only thing that really makes this feel summery other than the name is the bright, saturated colors, but I’ve always been drawn to this cover.

8. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson also has a fun summer cover featuring ice cream (I’m sensing a theme), but I do like this one more.

9. The Secret of a Heart Note by Stacey Lee

All these flowers just make me think of spring and summer!

10. Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot

Dancing on the beach feels pretty quintessential summer to me.

Which of these summer covers are your favorite? 

Discussion: “Light” Contemporary YA

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Lately I’ve been on the hunt for more fun, clean contemporary YA, in part because my next story idea I want to get serious writing about falls into this category. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find much in this category outside of Kasie West, though I did recently finish Love & Gelato by Jenni Evans Welch that met the criteria and was an enjoyable read.

As you may have noticed, I have yet to use the word “fluffy” like many would, and that’s because I still want my fun contemporary YA to have substance, and I believe several of them do. The question is, how to insert it without suddenly making your book all about an issue? How do you achieve meaningful character growth when you want to avoid the death of a family member or some other catastrophe that feels more dramatic than what you are really going for? Yes, something needs to happen to make the character grow, but I don’t think it has to be BIG AND DRAMATIC.

I was thinking recently of how Jane Austen’s books were contemporary for her time. She was writing about people in her place and time, and yet her stories have endured. Maybe it’s because the romances felt more original than what we read now (since many rehash hers), I don’t really know. Perhaps it’s a tall order, but I want to figure out how to write a contemporary YA that is fairly light in nature (not an issue book like Thirteen Reasons Why, which has obviously seen enormous success for about a decade now) but can stand out and endure. I’m not expecting it to last hundreds of years necessarily, but I would hate to see anything I might publish one day basically blink out of oblivion within a year or two.

As I think of my adoration of The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, what comes to mind is how much I love the characters Paige and Max, and love how they come together. To me, it’s just perfect. And that’s the sort of story I strive to write – with characters so lovable that you root for them hardcore and are happy when it all works out in the end, and that in the end it feels like more than just a romance.

What are your thoughts? What are your favorite light YA contemporary reads, and what makes a great one in your opinion? (Please share recs too!) 

Monthly Recap: March

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Books I Read

Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (reread)

I also DNF’d a book, which was kind of shocking to me because I usually do this about once a year late into the year, so to start March this way was a little crazy. It was my first attempt reading a Star Wars novel and there was too much technobabble for a book for me personally. I guess I ought to just stick with the movies.

Movie of the Month

I still haven’t seen Beauty and the Beast yet (I know!) but I did finally get around to watching Arrival this month. It was really well-done and well-written, but it has definitely not stuck with me the way I thought it might. I didn’t feel a real connection with Amy Adams’ character despite the poignancy of her story. It was definitely interesting and worth a watch though. Can’t say I feel the same way about the other new-to-me movie I watched in March, Batman vs. Superman. Ugh. I was “forced” to watch this by my husband. I just can’t buy into Batfleck. Don’t even get me started. And I didn’t even like Superman in this movie after liking Man of Steel. But I digress…

March Madness

If you follow me on Twitter and managed to not mute me during basketball season, then you know I am a huge fan of Middle Tennessee men’s basketball. I’ve been watching them play for about 12 years, so I was a fan before they became household names last year for beating Michigan State. I was thrilled to watch them win the Conference USA tournament again this year and clench a spot in the NCAA tournament, and even more thrilled that they “upset” in the first round again against Minnesota! Sadly they once again lost in the second round, but the program is definitely making strides in the right direction, and a 31-5 record is something to be proud of.

SE YA Fest

This year was the second annual SE YA Fest here in Middle Tennessee where several YA and MG authors come for signings and panels. It’s focused on the local schools first and foremost, but on Saturday it’s open to the public and I was able to attend this year like I was last year. For a variety of reasons I ended up not doing as much this time around, but still enjoyed it and I got Beth Revis’s writing advice book autographed.

#Bookstagram Images of the Month

Looking Forward to in April

Camp NaNoWriMo! I have a new story idea that I think I am actually going to stick with this time (I’m terrible about jumping around from idea to idea) and am looking forward to using the month of April to further develop it. Anyone else participating?

Potential April TBR

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raynourn

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (reread)

Glamour in Glass (Glamourist Histories #2) by Mary Robinette Kowal

How was your March? What are you looking forward to in April?

Top 10 Books on My Spring TBR

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(Sorry this is a day late for Top 10 Tuesday, but there’s no rule that I still can’t post this on Wednesday, right? ;))

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR. I always like having these seasonal TBR lists as a guide, even if I don’t always stick with them! Here’s what I plan to read over the next couple of months, in no particular order.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

I started this one today. Don’t you love this cover?!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (reread)

I’ll be enjoying the illustrated edition thanks to my husband! 🙂

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (reread)

Glamour and Glass (The Glamourist Histories #2) by Mary Robinette Kowal

I’m excited to continue The Glamourist Histories after loving Shades of Milk and Honey!

The Ringmaster’s Wife by Kristy Cambron

One of my recent e-book acquisitions I need to read before it becomes forgotten.

Befriend by Scott Sauls

After hearing Scott Sauls on Annie F. Down’s That Sounds Fun podcast I decided to get his latest book.

The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand (reread)

I got this one the same time as I got Befriend and I really want to reread it. It helped me while I was revising my WIP as I explored a subject I don’t have much experience with.

Anne’s House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables #5) by L.M. Montgomery

I have to admit that I didn’t love Anne of Windy Poplars, and I think that has cause me to push off House of Dreams longer than I’ve intended. Anne of the Island was just SO perfect. But Anne and Gilbert FINALLY get married in this, so it has to better than Windy Poplars.

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Another recent e-book acquisition that I have been curious about for a while!

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

I’ve heard good things about this one, and an adult historical romance feels like a good genre to break through my usual YA fare (though my list is TBR list is actually more varied this time around!).

What are you reading this spring? Have you read any of these?

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