artsy musings of a bibliophile

Monthly Recap: December

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LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Mother’s illness
My mother had a minor surgery to resize her AV fistula which was putting pressure on her heart because of the increased blood flow. It was a very difficult thing to deal with because the operation was several hours long and we had no idea whether her fistula would work after surgery. Thankfully, it did. But then a catheter had to be put in her neck (central venous) for the dialysis to occur. She had to endure a lot of pain and it was a difficult time for all of us. Her stitches came off only yesterday and now she’s better. Her dialysis is now supposed to happen weekly and we’re all hoping that dialysis will actually help restore her kidney functions.

#DecembeReads
So I saved up certain books to read in December because I like to torture myself like that sometimes. The only one I couldn’t get to was Marissa Meyer’s Scarlet but that’s okay because I will read it right before Cress.

I got Cinder-ed, Iko-d, Prince Kai-d and even Queen Levana-d. (I’m Prince Kai in Brittany’s Lunar Chronicles Quiz).

I tortured myself with Blood Promise. I cried a little but wow, what a smexy book.

I discovered the Raven boys; dangerous, fist-slamming Ronan, proper Gansey, complicated Adam and smudgy Noah. It was glorious and beautiful and gloriously beautiful.

I Chaolena-d myself. (Code for suicide-by-a-yell-beating-heart).

I finished reading Vampire Academy series. In fact, I spent my New Year’s finishing it and just, wow. I’m floored.

Icy and Desert-y Winters
We’re supposed to get snow in January and I’m dying for it already. I love snow so much that I will willingly move to Antarctica provided that there is WiFi, tea and books. Ha. So, I need to calm down with all the sweetmeats I’ve been consuming but what else am I supposed to do snuggled up in front of the fire reading?

TV WATCH

December was a month for catching up on all the shows. Well, not all but most. Okay, not most but few. Happy, now?

So many Steferine feels. Gah, I love them the best. Delena can go to hell and take Bonnie with them. I just want Katherine in The Vampire Diaries now. Please oh, please.
New Girl‘s Thanksgiving III was a really good episode though a bit clichéd.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is definitely a must-watch for me now. I loves it.
I’m enjoying all the pre-wedding stuff but please get to the wedding, How I Met Your Mother.
The Big Bang Theory *haves a laughing fit*

Well, I was leaning towards Mancis but now I’m all Sebary in Reign.

MOVIE WATCH

So I watched 56 movies in 2013 but I’m happy that I’ve read more books than I’ve watched ’em movies.

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (thumbs err) – Haaa, right.

The Princess and the Frog (thumbs up) – So ridiculously funny I loved it.

LIST OF READS

I cried. I laughed. I squealed. I died. December was the best month in terms of reading because feelsy feels.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Homecoming by Richelle Mead

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I posted my review of Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis.
I posted a top ten list of YA standalone releases I’m looking forward to and a top thirteen list of authors I first read and loved in 2013 (Sarah J Maas is totally on it, pretend with me here).
I interviewed Lauren Miller and got to know how Parallel came to be.
I posted my review of Pawn by Aimee Carter.
I posted end of year book survey which is full of all my #DecembeReads. No regrets.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

2014’s gonna be serie-ous.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Everbound by Brodi Ashton
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Roth

PLAYLIST

Oh my, so many awesome music discoveries. Perfection.


How was your December?

2013 End of Year Book Survey

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A survey by Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner

BEST IN BOOKS 2013


BEST BOOK OF 2013?
Vicious by V. E. Schwab. A genius, vicious book. Who needs pretty heroes when there are villains with beautiful brains?
BOOK YOU WERE EXCITED ABOUT AND THOUGHT YOU’D LOVE BUT DIDN’T?
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I’d heard way too many good things about it that I was sure I’d love it but it fell flat for me. George is adorable and Tim is the best of My Life Next Door so I’m pretty excited about his book, The Boy Most Likely To, despite the fact that it’s set to release in 2015.

MOST SURPRISING (IN A GOOD WAY) BOOK OF 2013?
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. This went from what-a-pretty-sight to will-someone-tell-me-what-is-even-happening?! So good.

BOOK YOU RECOMMENDED TO PEOPLE MOST IN 2013?
This one, of course.

BEST SERIES YOU DISCOVERED IN 2013?
Romitri, Pynch and Chaolena which basically means Vampire Academy, The Raven Cycle and Throne of Glass.

FAVORITE AUTHORS YOU DISCOVERED IN 2013?

I made a list of top thirteen authors from which Maggie Stiefvater and Sarah J Mass are at the top.

BEST BOOK THAT WAS OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE OR A NEW GENRE FOR YOU?
Not really out of my comfort zone, but the writing of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness really set it apart from the books I usually read.
MOST THRILLING, UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK IN 2013?
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill. My heart was yell-beating throughout the book.

BOOK YOU READ IN 2013 THAT YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO RE-READ NEXT YEAR:
Divergent by Veronica Roth because it is one hell of a what-did-just-happen book because nervous about Insurgent and Allegiant.

FAVORITE COVER OF A BOOK YOU READ IN 2013?

MOST MEMORABLE CHARACTER IN 2013?
Victor Vale, genius extraordinaire, master of revenge and incredibly devoted.

MOST BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BOOK READ IN 2013?
Golden by Jessi Kirby. I can quote the whole book because the words are so pretty.

BOOK THAT HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOU IN 2013?

Just One Day by Gayle Forman because Allyson is so lost sometimes which happens to the best of us and that’s the beauty of it all.

BOOK YOU CAN’T BELIEVE YOU WAITED UNTIL 2013 TO FINALLY READ?
Probably Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead because Romitri’s the endgame and I would’ve loved to have discovered them earlier. Still, I ship ’em hard.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM A BOOK YOU READ IN 2012?

Gansey, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

SHORTEST AND LONGEST BOOK YOU READ IN 2013?
584 pages of Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead and 13 pages of Free Four by Veronica Roth.

BOOK THAT HAD A SCENE IN IT THAT HAD YOU REELING AND DYING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY ABOUT IT?
The birthday scene in Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. Thankfully, I had Eve to talk about it with. Just so you all know, I died countless times reading it.

FAVORITE RELATIONSHIP FROM A BOOK YOU READ IN 2013.
Ronan and Chainsaw because just look at those two.

Source: cassandrajp

FAVORITE BOOK YOU READ IN 2012 FROM AN AUTHOR YOU READ PREVIOUSLY.
Uprising by Jessica Therrien. I enjoyed it more than I enjoyed Oppression because mythology.

BEST BOOK YOU READ THAT YOU READ BASED SOLELY ON A RECOMMENDATION FROM SOMEBODY ELSE:

Vicious by V. E. Schwab which I loved thanks a ton to Brilliant Eve (even though I mention it to her once a week which clearly isn’t enough). (I know you’re flipping your hair, Eve).

GENRE YOU READ THE MOST FROM IN 2013?

YA contemporary because I’m a contemporary girl.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH FROM A BOOK YOU’VE READ IN 2013?
Dimitri Belikov because of his beautiful, beautiful words and his deadly, deadly looks.

Victor Vale because the guy’s crazy set on revenge and plays with death.
Prince Kai because well, he’s just so wonderful.
Ronan Lynch because he fist slams first and thinks (and dreams) later. Feeding Chainsaw, racing cars and having OJ at 3 am are his way of a good time.
Chaol Westfall because even though he’s the epitome of moodiness, he sucks it up when he absolutely has to.

BEST 2013 DEBUT I’VE READ?
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis. Shit, this book’s so good.

MOST VIVID WORLD/IMAGERY IN A BOOK YOU’VE READ IN 2013?
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. So very realistic and so very vivid.

BOOK THAT WAS THE MOST FUN TO READ IN 2013?

Between Caymen’s sarcasm and Xander’s coffee-bringing-routine, The Distance Between Us by Kasie West is a fun book.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY/NEARLY CRY IN 2013?
I had a hard time dealing the ending of Shadow Kiss and then the ending of Crown of Midnight was all, no wait, please don’t leave me like this.

BOOK YOU READ IN 2013 THAT YOU THINK GOT OVERLOOKED THIS YEAR OR WHEN IT CAME OUT?

Not exactly overlooked but it is not such a known book when it comes to contemporaries. So I want everyone to read This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales to know what music and Elise are all about.

BOOK BLOGGING/READING LIFE IN 2013


NEW FAVORITE BOOK BLOG YOU DISCOVERED IN 2013?
Well, I discovered a ton and I’m not kidding. I have to mention Eve’s PaperGrey, Asti’s A Bookish Heart, Reem’s I Read and Tell and Hannah’s So Obsessed With.

FAVORITE REVIEW THAT YOU WROTE IN 2013?
Probably my review of Golden by Jessi Kirby because the book do more than just tell a story.

BEST DISCUSSION YOU HAD ON YOUR BLOG?
I posted a discussion about love triangles and how they can and do hurt and it turned out to be pretty popular.

MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING REVIEW OR DISCUSSION YOU READ ON SOMEBODY ELSE’S BLOG?
A lot. The one I remember is Reem’s blogpost on The Different Types of Villains. It is snarky and fun.

BEST EVENT THAT YOU PARTICIPATED IN?
Sci-Fi Month hosted by Rinn in November. So much science fiction and I loved every bit of it.

BEST MOMENT OF BOOK BLOGGING IN 2013?
All my Twitter talks about books with bookish people. Best moments ever.

MOST POPULAR POST THIS YEAR ON YOUR BLOG?
I posted a top ten list of sci-fi covers redesigns that I want to see in print which io9 featured on their website which is why it got 2569 views. Um wow, self.

POST YOU WISHED GOT A LITTLE MORE LOVE?
My interview with Lauren Miller because it goes to show just how much work an author puts in their book. So proud of how Parallel came to be.

BEST BOOKISH DISCOVERY?
Vicious trading cards and how Victoria Schwab offered to send them to me because she’s awesome and because they depict the characters perfectly.

DID YOU COMPLETE ANY READING CHALLENGES OR GOALS THAT YOU HAD SET FOR YOURSELF AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR?
Can I just say no and get it over with? Okay then.

LOOKING AHEAD…


BOOK YOU DIDN’T GET TO IN 2013 BUT WILL BE YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN 2014?
It’s actually The Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo and this is the first series I plan to start in 2014.

2014 NON-DEBUT YOU ARE MOST ANTICIPATING?
The third books in Throne of Glass and The Raven Cycle series

2014 DEBUT YOU ARE MOST ANTICIPATING?
The Half Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno because suspense and dissociative identity disorder.

SERIES ENDING YOU ARE MOST ANTICIPATING IN 2014?

Two words: MARA. DYER.

ONE THING YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH OR DO IN YOUR READING/BLOGGING IN 2014.
Read 100 books (this will be my fourth year of hoping) and be more creative with any feature that I do on the blog.

Review: Pawn by Aimee Carter

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ACP

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pawn by Aimee Carter
young adult dystopia published by HarlequinTeen on November 26th, 2013
first book in The Blackcoat Rebellion series

You can be a VII. If you give up everything.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There’s only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that’s not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she’s only beginning to understand.

Read More »

Interview: Lauren Miller + Giveaway

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I only read Parallel last month and loved every bit of it. Seriously guys, it’s heartwarming, mindblowing and edge-of-the-seat nervous. So I thought why not interview the author herself and give away a copy of Parallel because awesome author and a must-read debut.
THE INTERVIEW

It says in your bio that you decided to write Parallel during the first 100 days of your baby’s life. You even blogged about it. How was the whole experience?

It was an experience like none other in my life! Super intense, but doubly rewarding. For those who don’t know, I called the whole experiment “Embracing the Detour” (the detour being motherhood – my husband and I weren’t planning to try for kids for several more years when we found out I was pregnant, and the pregnancy had me panicked that I’d never make the transition to full time writer with a baby at home). The point was, yes, to write a book, but it was also to see whether I could turn what most people say is the most draining period of a woman’s life into the most creatively fruitful of mine. And it worked! It was remarkable, really, how productive I was able to be, simply because I didn’t allow myself an alternative. I wish I could have kept that up after the 100 days was over! 🙂
You are a practicing lawyer, what sparked your interest in science?

I’ve always been drawn to stories that have a supernatural element, but that respect readers enough to give them a WHY. Science, for me, is the most satisfying “why,” because it feels plausible

I feel that at its core, Parallel answers one of the big what if questions. How did it end up with parallel universes and paths that change over and over?
When I started writing Parallel, I knew I wanted to give Abby a “do-over” of sorts, and so I set out to find a scientific (or, at least, pseudo-scientific!) explanation for how a girl might get to experience the consequences of the path she didn’t take. I knew I didn’t want it to be a time travel story — Abby going back in time to make a different choice. I wanted her to wake up in the life she would’ve had if she’d made a different choice without her actually making that different choice. Entangled parallel worlds is where I ended up.

I should confess that my heart stopped every time Abby’s path changed. How did you keep track of all that was happening in the book?
With a giant white board! I’ll admit, it was a little crazy keeping track of it, but it was also a lot of fun! I loved working the cause and effect out in my head, trying to imagine how parallel Abby’s actions might play out in Abby’s life.
Abby and her parallel are merely living in different points of time but their destiny is fixed. Do you believe that destiny transcends space and time?
I believe that destiny is about becoming the person you were created to be — it’s not about finding the right path, it’s about finding the right YOU. In Parallel, my two Abby’s are not the same person, so they have different “destinies” — they are meant to become very different people, with different lives and different loves, not because they live in different worlds but because they are different souls.

Parallel portrays a strong friendship between Abby and Caitlin. How did that come to be?
I am a strong believer in — and proponent of — female friendships, especially among young women. There is so much focus in our culture on romance, when we should be paying at least as much attention to friendship, since these relationships can be as — if not more — formative. Our friends help shape who we become, so it was important to me that Abby have someone great by her side. Caitlin was very easy for me to write, because I based her my own best friend!

Despite being a sci-fi, Parallel reads like a contemporary. Was this your intention?
Absolutely. As much as I love science, I’ve never been a sci-fi reader. I’ve always gravitated toward contemporary stories that have some mind-bendy twist, so when I started writing I set out to write that. I want my books to appeal to readers who, like me, don’t read a lot of sci-fi.

The ending of Parallel is suggestive, did you always knew that you were going to go for a not-so-definite ending or it’s just something that happened?
Oh, I knew the story had to end the way it did. But, in my mind, it’s as definite as any ending could be. At the end of any story, the characters are left to live out their lives. In Parallel, I wanted to put Abby back in the driver’s seat of her life at the end of the story, but I also wanted to leave her on the hook. I wanted to make her work for the happily-ever-after she wants, to force her to put what she’s learned about the power of her choices into practice. If she wants to end up with Josh, she’ll have to do two things: make good, forward-thinking decisions while at the same time not trying to micro-manage things. She’ll have to find the balance between action and trust. Will she and Josh end up together? I hope so. But in the end, it’s up to Abby not to screw it up. 🙂 The other thing that was important to me was to give Josh the opportunity to fall in love with the “real” Abby. Live, in real time. For most of the book, his love for her comes from his memories of his parallel’s experiences with parallel Abby.
As a writer, what comes first when you’re writing a book?
The themes. For Parallel, it was the power of our choices and the interplay between fate and free will. For Free to Fall, it was the trade-off between “happiness” and freedom. Once these themes take root in my mind, a story begins to take shape. Then I move towards an outline.
How would you describe you upcoming book, Free to Fall?
We’re calling it a “puzzler,” a term I adore, because it just fits so well. Free to Fall is a puzzle! It’s set in the near-future, a point in history at which two things are true: (1) everyone’s lives are orchestrated by an app called Lux that makes all their decisions for them, and (2) the proverbial “whisper within” — that inner voice that guides you along — has been labeled a psychosis that should silenced with medication. My protagonist, Rory, is a 16-year-old girl who begins to discover that there is more to the story when it comes to both of these things. I’m super excited about it!

Lastly, everyone should know that you are – ?
Working on a third book! It’s still super secret, but I’m having a lot of fun writing it, and can’t wait to see what it becomes. I mentioned that I start my books with themes – the theme of this one is Beauty with a capital B.
Thank you!

Lauren Miller can be found at
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THE GIVEAWAY
I love Parallel so much that I’m giving you guys a chance to win a Kindle copy of it. Good luck and please see Terms and Conditions in the widget below before entering!