To Read or Not to Read

Lately, I'm finding that I have a hard time reading books that I've been excited for, for a long time. Crazy, right? Here I am, anticipating this great book by an awesome author, then I get it and...

just...
can't...
read...
it.

Now, don't get me wrong. Once I do start reading it, I usually absolutely enjoy it. I devour the book and can't believe I had put off reading it for so long. So, what's the problem?

First, I think that lately, I have a hard time getting back into series that I haven't read in awhile. Maybe I got into a trilogy after book 2 came out, then read both books back-to-back before waiting a year for book 3. Once book 3 rolls around, I'm not in-the-moment like I was when I had read the first two. Somehow, I have a hard time getting back to that place where I was super excited to read about those characters. That may be due to the time it's been since I had read the others or the fact that I've read so many other books in between and the excitement for that particular series has ebbed in the mean time.

Second, sometimes, it's hard to read that final book in a series. A series that has been thrilling from the beginning is ending and that's sad. I want to hold onto the series a little longer, so I put off reading the ending. This is something I heard other people say in the past and I could never completely understand. How could you possibly wait to find out what happens?!

Yeah.

I guess I get that now.

Third, I know I've forgotten a lot about the lore, since it's been so long since I've read the earlier books, but I also know I don't have time to go back and read them. I don't want to go into the book not quite remembering what happened, but I also know I either (1) won't go back and read them because I have other books I'd rather read or (2) don't have time to go back and read them. My answer to the dilemma: put off reading the book...which really doesn't solve the problem at all. I know I'll read it eventually. Really, I'm just making the problem worse.

Does this happen to anyone else? What do you do?

Weak vs. Strong Wrap-Up

Last week, I presented four lead heroines that I felt fell in different parts of the Weak Character--Strong Character Scale. Now, it's up to you to decide. Which character is your favorite?

Bella Swan

Katniss Everdeen

Rose Hathaway

Kaylee Cavanaugh

Leave any explanations or discussion in the comments.

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Weak vs. Strong: Kaylee Cavanaugh

Soul Screamer's Kaylee Cavanaugh is someone I'd consider to be weak with moments of strength, at least at the beginning. Towards the later books, I'd consider her more of a strong character, but that's a discussion for another day.

At the beginning of the series, Kaylee has no idea what's going on with her or anything about bean sidhes, reapers, or the Netherworld. Because of this, she must rely on others to fill her in and help her control her bean sidhe nature.  She's weak in the sense that she doesn't have the necessary knowledge and she is physically overwhelmed by some of the characters and challenges she faces.

What I like about Kaylee is that she doesn't allow this weakness to overtake her. She doesn't have knowledge, so what does she do? She seeks it. She's not as strong physically as some of her opponents, so she finds creative ways to engage them in an attack. Kaylee doesn't allow herself to be overwhelmed by her challenges. She starts off as a weak character with moments of strength and develops into someone I'd consider to be a strong character (although, she is disadvantaged in many ways).

What do you think about Kaylee? Should she be weaker or stronger? Stay how she is?

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Weak vs. Strong: Rose Hathaway

One of the best examples I have of a well-rounded strong and weak character is Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series. She's a character I would consider as strong with moments of weakness.

Rose is clearly a kickbutt fighter from her guardian training. She can not only keep up with the boys in her class, but she is considered better than most (if not all) of them. On top of being able to kick your butt, she's intelligent, sexy, sassy, and fun. What's better than that?

Although Rose is a strong character, there are things too large for her to handle. She needs help sometimes and has to learn how to ask for it. Also, she does become overwhelmed emotionally on occasion (with good reason). She doesn't necessarily like others to see it, but she does break down with some people she's comfortable with. This gives her a realness that's hard to replicate.

Overall, I'm 100% satisfied with Rose as a character. She's strong, yet vulnerable, and learns from her mistakes. What do you think?

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Weak vs. Strong: Katniss Everdeen

Katniss Everdeen is  the anti-Bella. She's exceedingly strong and independent. So much so, that she rarely shows any vulnerability. When she does reveal her vulnerability, it is often when she is alone, like she can't break down to other people. 

In my opinion, Katniss comes off as a little too strong. Don't get me wrong, I love her as a character. I think she's a great character and a good person for young people (and not-so-young people) to read about. However, she holds her emotions inside. She can't bare to let other people see any hint of weakness. Given her circumstances (particularly the Hunger Games themselves), this makes perfect sense. However, it doesn't give us a good well-rounded experience of Katniss.

I've heard readers say they love Katniss as a character, but they wouldn't think they'd ever be friends in real life. Now, that's not necessarily a criticism, but I think it can be. Katniss is so rough around the edges that readers don't think they'd be able to make a real connection to her if she was a real person. To me, this signifies a character that could benefit from allowing their vulnerable side to show more often.

What do you think? Should Katniss tear down some of her walls? Continue on as is? Or harden herself even more to become stronger?

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Weak vs. Strong: Bella Swan

Okay, let's just get this one out of the way early. Who's our favorite damsel in distress? Bella Swan

The biggest complaint I ever hear about Bella is that she's too weak as a character. She allows her love for Edward to completely take over her life. She relies on him and can't function when he's away from her. Additionally, she's weak physically. She's described as a small person who can easily be overpowered by humans, let alone vampires. For this reason, she rarely fights back for anything that happens to her (what's the point?).

I'm actually going to argue this one a little. I think Bella is extremely strong-willed. Yes, you may disagree with what she's fighting for (to be indefinitely connected to Edward), but it is something she fights for. She's determined to get what she wants and won't be easily swayed by others. And, let's get real here, it would be kind of pointless for her to fight back against vampires. She's entirely too human.

Now, my rebellious let's-say-something-nice-about-Bella-because-I-still-kinda-like-her stuff aside, she does fall on the weak end of the scale. I would have preferred if she was a bit stronger and I think her likability would have improved greatly if she was. Sure, I wouldn't expect her to be physically very strong, especially against vampires, but isn't she really smart? The book implies that she is. If so, why isn't she portrayed as a great strategist or something? Having that extra element would have made her more interesting and shown off how she could be an asset to the Cullen Coven.

So, what do you think? Is Bella fine as is? Needs a strengthening make-over? Or (heaven forbid) should she have come across as weaker?

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Weak vs. Strong

I recently had an interesting twitter conversation about weak and strong characters. In my opinion, characters are the most realistic and work the best when they have a mixture of weak and strong. A character who is strong all the time is boring and one who is weak all the time is annoying. But, when you can combine the characteristics, make a weak character have moments of strength or have a strong character reveal his or her vulnerability, that's when magic happens.

Personally, I'm in love with tortured strong characters. Nothing brings me more delight than watching my favorite strong characters break down (I'm sadistic, I know).

What about you? Do you like the strong lead or a weak one who finds strength? Do you prefer the strong to stay strong and the weak to stay weak?

All this week I'll be exploring different characters and where they fall on the strong/weak scale. I will say that an entirely weak or entirely strong character isn't wrong, it's just not my favorite. Authors have a variety of reasons for the choices they make, regardless of whether or not I like them. I'm going to stick with lead heroines for this discussion and you can see how they compare.

Writer Wednesday

Characters can make a break a story, no question. The problem is, readers and writers have different opinions of what a good character is. In my mind, there are three different types of characters:  realistic characters, role models, and fantasy characters.

Realistic characters are those characters often found in contemporary fiction (though, definitely present in all genres). These characters are real. They are the people you meet on the street, your friends, your family, you. They have good and bad aspects of themselves that are portrayed throughout the novel. And, their flaws are not the type of "I'm too loving, that's why I'm over-protective" type of flaws. They're real flaws like, "I'm stubborn and kind of moody," or "I lie a lot."

GOOD: Realistic characters feel real. You can relate to them and see yourself in their shoes. You can also watch them grow from the mistakes they inevitably make.

BAD: Realistic characters can be frustrating. Some times you want to yell at them for the stupid decisions they're making. Also, when you're looking for an escape from real life, reading about such realistic characters isn't always the kind of fix you need (at least, it's not for me).

EXAMPLE: Samantha Kingston from Before I Fall. Samantha is a popular girl who smokes, drinks, and is not always nice. She's got plenty of flaws and they're all out on display (especially in the beginning). But, she's real. All those bad things she's done, are they really all that bad when you think about your high school experience? Even if you didn't do all those things, they aren't exactly breaking the mold here.

Role models are the types of characters you want to be. They are healthy characters who make good decisions and should be looked up to for those reasons. Sure, authors may give them some flaws too, but these are often more minor flaws that they are able to overcome or the "I'm too loving, that's why I'm overprotective" kind of flaws. Role models are often characters that you'd want to hang out with because they are just good people.

GOOD: Role models give the reader something to strive for. These characters set a good example and show the reader that they can do the right thing in tough situations. I find that many people seem to want all YA characters to be role models because they want the young adult readers to only be reading about good influences.

BAD: Role models are often unrealistic. Do you seriously mean to tell me that while in the middle of a huge, chaotic fantastical plot where secrets have been harbored for years, you're part of some strange new world, and lives may be at stake, that you're really worried that some magical being may have magically stolen a $2 cup of coffee? That's noble and all, but I doubt that's what would really be on your mind in that moment.

EXAMPLE:  Clary Fray from The Mortal Instruments. She's eager to please and doesn't want to upset anyone. She has high moral standards and does her best to always stick to them. Even when she's angry or does something that would upset someone else, she always comes back around. She can see her own flaws and work on them.

Fantasy characters are similar to role models. They are the people we want to be or the people we want to be around. Role models are all noble and such, but they don't always say or do the right thing (socially). Their morals are right where they belong, but role models may still not be able to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Fantasy characters can. They know exactly what to do or say in every situation. Sure, they may have some of those not-flaws, flaws like "I'm too loving, that's why I'm overprotective," but they usually don't have many real flaws either. Fantasy characters are most prominent in romance, but they can be found anywhere.

GOOD: As the title implies, fantasy characters give you exactly what you want: fantasy. Reading books about these characters completely takes you away from reality and satisfies the wish-fullfillment aspect of reading.

BAD:  Fantasy characters are entirely unrealistic. Don't go try to find your real man based on a fantasy character because it won't work. He's not out there. Honestly, if I found someone in the real world who acted just like a fantasy character, I'd probably run away screaming. No one is that perfect and anyone who appears to be has got something hidden up their sleeve.

EXAMPLE:  Edward Cullen. He always says the right thing, does exactly what you'd want him to, and his flaws make you love him even more (ie, too overprotective because he loves you). He's practically the definition of fantasy character.

Of course, these designations aren't completely black-and-white. There's lots of overlap and mixing that occurs. For me, I think the best characters are a mix, particularly a mix of realistic and role model. But, I also love reading about fantasy romance leads.

Which types of characters do you like to read about most? Are there any other clear-cut examples in your mind?

Thankful for...Harry Potter

Beth Revis is currently doing a really awesome giveaway on her blog where she is telling everyone the books she is thankful for and giving away the most amazing book bundle ever. Check out her giveaway here.

I usually don't repost giveaway stuff on the blog, but I really wanted to blog about this one because it's not just a giveaway. It's about sharing what you're thankful for. I am immensely grateful for books in my life. For me, they are a source of strength and a way for me to manage stress. I can always tell when I'm getting overwhelmed in my life because my reading picks up to hyperspeed. That's when I know I need to reevaluate what's going on and see if I can make some changes (not that I don't like reading tons, but there's a limit to how much is healthy for me).

Also, reading led me to writing which is another outlet. I'm not a naturally creative person, so finding a creative activity I can engage in on my own without embarrassing myself is very helpful. I've come to love working on my craft and creating my own stories. Again, another stress reliever, but also just an activity I enjoy.

Clearly, being a book blogger and twitter person, I love books. I read tons, but that honestly wasn't always the case. I enjoyed reading when I was younger, but along the way, I fell out of habit. Around the time of adolescence, I couldn't find books I liked anymore. I wasn't really ready for adult books (though I tried a few) and all the other books I found had been too young for me. Oh, YA. Why weren't you as prominent then as you are now?

I didn't get back into reading again until...

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series is magical in many ways and to many people, but for me, it truly changed my life. I know that sounds a little drastic, but before Harry Potter, I basically was only reading for school. Even then, I wasn't finishing every book assigned.

I read Harry Potter as part of an English assignment and it completely changed my world. I fell in love with the story, the characters, the world, and with reading. It's embarrassing to admit how many times I've read each book. I stopped counting when I reached 12 times for each book (and that was before the sixth book came out and I've reread the entire series several times since then, as well as picked up individual books from time to time). At any point in time, I'm always in the middle of a Harry Potter book. I keep one by my bed to read to help me sleep.

Since then, I started reading other YA books. Obviously, I read a lot now. I read a few books a week, maintain a book blog, maintain an active recommendation twitter, and have written a novel (though there's lots of editing to be done). I'm entertaining the idea of submitting my manuscript for publication at some point (if I can ever be satisfied with it).

All because I picked up a book about a boy wizard.

I am so grateful for reading and what literature has brought back to my life. None of what's happened would have been possible if my spark for reading hadn't been rekindled.

So....I raise my glass to Harry Potter. The boy who lived and taught me how to live through books again.

Musically Minded (Or Not)

I like music. The way it can pump you up or conversely make you cry. The way the notes, lyrics, instrumentation, and vocals come together to form a perfect synergy. A sum greater than its parts.

Music is moving. It's touching. It's heartfelt. All the things that the right book can be too. So, if music and books can both breed those same types of feelings, why not combine them?

Because my brain explodes.

That's right. I can't handle music and books together unless the music is quiet enough to ignore. And that's not just for reading. I can't write to music either. I suffer from left-brain syndrome (ie, math is my friend & creative things are not). I can't think properly if music is on. I either want to completely concentrate on the music, or need to ignore it to do whatever else I want. The only things I can combine well with music are mindless tasks, like cleaning, driving, and doing math homework. (I'm a complete and total weirdo because I always found math homework soothing. Something about working out a problem that has a clear and correct answer as well as logical steps to figure out how to get there just relaxes me. Crazy, right?)

Being that my brain can't handle music and stories at the same time, I feel like I'm seriously missing out. I hear authors talk about writing to music and how it helps them get the emotions in a scene or helps with the pacing. Nope. I can't do that. It would throw me off more than anything, though listening to an emotional song right before writing an emotional scene might help (note to self:  try that next time).

So, how about you? Do you listen to music while you read or write? What type of music works best?

Banned Books Week

As I'm sure you are all aware by now, it's Banned Books Week. In celebration, all my YA Book of the Day recommendations this week come from the ALA list of banned and challenged books.

Now, I don't shy away from banned books to begin with. After reviewing the list on the ALA website, I was surprised by how many books I enjoy are on the banned or challenged list. I've posted several recommendations for these books, including the Harry Potter series, Twilight series, Hunger Games series, and His Dark Materials series (lots of series, huh?). I've also recommended others such as classics like Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and 1984 by George Orwell and more modern books like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and Looking for Alaska by John Green.

So, if these books have been banned or challenged, why is it still so easy to go to a bookstore and pick one up? Answer:  teachers, librarians, and others who fight against censorship. These are the people who allow writers to write whatever story they feel close to, and allow us readers to decide whether or not it's the right story for us.

Thank your teachers, librarians, and booksellers for keeping banned and challenged books in easy access. Show your support by buying and reading a banned or challenged book this week. I'm purchasing The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. (Surprisingly, I've never read it.)

What about you?

Cover Copies

I absolutely love looking at book covers. I could sit in a book store all day looking at each and every one. There is such a range between strikingly beautiful images to stock random body parts (you know the ones I'm talking about). The cover can tell you so much from the genre to the tone. It can make me want to pick up a book or make me hesitate. The point is, there is lots of variety.

Which is why it's funny when I see covers that appear so similar.

Now, I'm not talking about the stock body part books. We've all seen the photographed girls with their heads chopped off or random legs dangling on the cover. I'm talking about the other ones. The ones that would appear very original if not paired up against each other.

Let's take a look, shall we?

Both As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott and Fury by Elizabeth Miles are Fall 2011 releases. To be fair, they aren't completely similar. However, the coloring, combined with the hair turning into fire is pretty distinctive. And they both share it. For Tod's sake, the authors even share the same first name.

Fateful by Claudia Gray and Hurricane by Jenna-Lynne Duncan are being released within about a month of each other. In each we have a girl with her back to us, long hair falling down her back, looking out at the water. It seems to be about the same time of night with similar coloring in each cover.

This pairing really gets me. Just look at the body positioning. Sure, they aren't in the exact same pose and their hair is blowing in different directions, but come on. The door on the Hourglass cover is in the same place as the wall of water on the Imaginary Girls cover. They were even released on the exact same day! (June 14, 2011) Craziness.

Anyone else seen similar cover pairings lately?

Heart-Breaker Recap

I hope you all had as much fun with my sidekick/funny man week as I did. It was great to get your feedback and discussion about some of my favorite characters. You all are a passionate group, that's for sure.

As I suspected, most of the votes were against me (or, my team, I should say).

Heart-Breaker #1:
Dylan 6%
Logan 19%
Zachary 76%

No surprises here. Zachary didn't make it to the finals of the YA Crush Tournament for nothing. I suspected most votes would go to him, but I'm proud of the Team Logan and also the support for Dylan. :D Totally didn't expect him to get the votes, but glad he did.

Heart-Breaker #2:
Ash 75%
Puck 25%

Also, no surprises here. Ash is a great character, whom I also love dearly. However, I hadn't yet read Summer's Crossing at the point I wrote this post. Oh man, do I love Puck even more or what?

Heartbreaker #3:
Nash 28%
Tod 72%

Aaaaand....holy Tod am I glad he won! :D I suspect this has a lot to do with his potential for being a romantic interest in the next book. Again, pointing to the YA Crush Tournament, I wasn't surprised at this outcome.


So? What can I make of these results?

I stand by my first conclusion: I fall for the wrong freaking dude...most of the time. But that's okay. I'll keep my sidekicks, my funny men, my heartbreakers. If you don't want them, more for me!

Heart-Breaker #3: Tod Hudson

Last, but absolutely not least, Heart-Breaker #3:

Tod Hudson from SOUL SCREAMERS series by Rachel Vincent

**SPOILER LEVEL:  Moderate (through book 3ish)**

Tod Hudson is your friendly, neighborhood, grim reaper. Okay, so maybe he's not always so friendly, or neighborly, but he is a reaper. He's described as having curly blond hair, bright blue eyes, and "cherubic lips." He was a bean sidle before death, so his eyes do that cool swirly thing too. Tod has a wicked sense of humor and specializes in showing up at the most annoying time. I swear the line, "Damn it, Tod!" is Nash's most uttered phrase.

Oh my Tod, the ways in which I heart you. First, did I mention he's hilarious? He's got that quick witted humor that makes me laugh out loud. If taken seriously, his words would make him sound like a serious jerk, but he's not. Being a reaper takes some emotional strength and I suspect Tod uses humor to deal with it.

Second, Tod may come off as a jerk sometimes, but he's incredibly protective of those he loves. Example, he went to the Netherworld to help save his ex-girlfriend's soul. When he couldn't do it, he spent time with her soul everyday to help keep her sane. Also, have you read REAPER? What is more self-sacrificing than that? Tod wasn't always this protective of Kaylee, but she doesn't need him to be. He's her friend and she can handle herself, for the most part. That said, he's always there to help when she asks and he has become more careful of putting her in danger. He stands up for her against Nash, but doesn't fight her battle for her.

Third, I love the curse potential with his name. "For the love of Tod," "Oh my Tod," "For Tod's sake," "For all that is Tod and holy," are some of my favorites (*not in the books). Honestly, after reading the books, I went around randomly saying "Damn it, Tod!" to all my siblings and friends (*in the books). Hilarious.

Tod hasn't been a romantic interest in the books, but I'm hoping that changes with IF I DIE. He is totally swoonworthy and I'd love to see him with Kaylee. He's not a total bad boy, but not a complete sweep-you-off-your-feet good guy either. He's your hilarious friend that you begin to realize is hot and not such a bad guy to be with.

Let's end with a picture, yes?

Um, yeah. *wins my heart*

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Heart-Breaker #2: Puck

Continuing our funny man/sidekick week, I present to you, Heart-Breaker #2:

Puck from THE IRON FEY by Julie Kagawa

**SPOILER LEVEL:  Slight**

Puck (aka Robbie Goodfell, Robin Goodfellow) is Meghan's best friend at the beginning of THE IRON KING. He's also the same Puck from A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM. He's a prankster. The court jester. He's constantly causing trouble and teasing Meghan. Puck has red hair and green eyes. Plus, he's fey, so he's obviously beautiful. Don't believe me? Just look at this image from the back cover for THE IRON KNIGHT:

*dies*

Okay, back to why I love him. *takes one more peak at picture* Puck is Meghan's friend from the beginning. He knows her. It's not a lust-at-first-sight kind of thing that happens all too often in YA books. Puck has spent years around Meghan, being her friend and protecting her (though she didn't know about that bit). And you know what? Meghan likes him too. Sure, she's only seeing him as friend material (at least for now), but she likes him. She finds comfort in his presence and would do anything to protect him as well.

Not only is the sexy, sarcastic Puck able to make us laugh, but he can kick some serious butt too. He's skilled with weapons and can duke it out with the brooding bad boy, Prince Ash. Since Ash's fighting prowess is highlighted as exceptional, that means Puck's no light weight. He's a serious contender in any match. Better yet, he gets a mischievous glint in his eye and a wicked smile on his face as he does so (reference picture above).

Prince Ash fans, I'll concede that the tortured soul has my empathy too. He's a good match for Meghan and has tons of awesome qualities to his name. But, given the choice between the two, I'd pick Puck everytime. I'd want someone who can make me laugh, not just have my back in a fight. All that broodiness is a real downer when you've already got the weight of the Nevernever on your shoulders.

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Heart-Breaker #1: Logan Keeley

Let's start off this week's sidekick/funny man celebration with:

Logan Keeley from SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready

**SPOILER LEVEL:  Minimal**

Logan Keeley is Aura's boyfriend at the beginning of Shade. He's described as having a lanky build and spiky bleached hair with black streaks. He's the singer/guitar player for his family's Irish band, The Keeley Brothers. His character is so fully fleshed out, he jumped out at me from the moment he came onto the page. Instant love. 

Logan's on the brink of greatness. He has an amazing family, loves his girlfriend, and is about to break into the music industry with all his talent. Then he's an idiot and dies. *bangs head on desk* Freaking breaks my heart. 

BUT! He's still around as a ghost. And he still loves Aura. 

Given the difficulty of being with the dead, I completely understand why Logan doesn't remain the main love interest. His story is a tragedy and Aura needs to move on with living people. That said, I can't get behind Zach when Logan's still present, even if it is in ghost form. Sure, Logan's impulsive, immature, and has a little bit of a temper. BUT! He's in a difficult situation (have any of you ever tried being a ghost?). He doesn't know how to handle it. He's watching the love of his life start to get closer to another guy. 

If being dead isn't hard enough, watching everyone try to move on while you're still there (kind of) has to be torture. 

Is he immature? Yes. Does he make some terrible decisions? Absolutely. Do I love him any less? Nope. Logan's got that rare kind of energy that's infectious. When he's happy or excited, it's impossible to not join him. There are so many moments that make me fall in love with him, but I don't want to be too spoilery. Let's just say, he clearly loves Aura with all his heart.

Now, what about the competition? Zachary Moore is a great guy. He's kind and considerate. He tries to help Aura through losing Logan and is always there for her. Is he a good guy? Sure. The problem:  I can't get Logan out of my head. In this case, I do actually want Aura to get with Zach because being with a ghost isn't healthy. *helpful advice* However, it's almost painful for me to read. I need Logan to move on, so my heart can go to Zach. (Hmmm...sounds like Aura's dilemma too.)

Oh, and Dylan Keeley is pretty cool too. *smiles*

With all due respect to Team Kilt, Keeley Brothers FTW!

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Confessions of a Sidekick Swooner

Lately, I've been reading a lot of YA fantasy books with romance. After being crushed several times, I've come to this conclusion:  I fall for the wrong freaking dude. 

That's right, I love the sidekick. The funny guy who may be slightly immature but can always bring a smile to the main character's face (and mine). The guy who is no less protective than the main dude, but manifests his protective nature in a different way. The guy who makes me roll my eyes when he does something stupid (which, he inevitably does) or snort while reading because he's absolutely absurd.

That's my guy. :D

Yeah, sure, the brooding bad boy is cool too and I've fallen for my fair share of them, but pit against a funny, immature friend...chances are my loyalties are towards the sarcastic sidekick. 

So, this week is for the funny man. The one who wins my heart but never the heroine's. I'll be posting about three awesome dudes who don't have the girl (yet) that I root for anyway. Make sure to check out the posts and vote for your favorite guy. 

Who are your favorite romantic leads? Do you go for the bad boy or does the funny man steal your heart too?

Don't Judge Me

We've all heard the old adage, Don't judge a book by its cover. I'd love to say I adhere to it one hundred percent. I really, really do.

But I don't.

I want to. I want to say, The cover is not a reflection of the author's work, so I won't even pay attention. 

But I don't.

Because the truth is, a cover has the power to pull me in or push me away. Let's take an example, shall we?

Beautiful, beautiful cover. I came across this while searching for something else on Amazon. I read the description. Meh. I wasn't really interested in fallen angels, but, oh man, the cover had me coming back a few days later. Maybe if I just read the prologue, I'll be into it. *read prologue through Amazon* Meh. I pretty much hate prologues anyway and this one didn't grab me. Again, I let it be. A week later I walked into a bookstore to buy something else. Holy crap this cover is even more beautiful in person! I rushed over to it willing to give it another chance. I read the first few pages of the first chapter. I wasn't hooked, but it was interesting. And I had to own this cover.

So I bought it.

That's right ladies and gentleman, the awesomeness of the cover led me back to the book again and again until I bought it. And you know what? I liked the book. A lot.

But, if it had a crappy cover, would I have given it as many chances? I'd like to say yes, but I'm not really sure.


Let's take another example:

Holy goodness this cover creeps me out. After reading the book, it's completely fitting, but absolutely creepy. I'm not always a fan of creepy.

Anyway, several twitter followers recommended this book to me. Highly recommended. One look at this cover and I thought, Really? You want me to read that? I set it aside in my mind for a few days. Then I looked at the recommendations again. *sigh* I read the description. Interesting. But the cover was still creepy. I put it on my library holds, still not sure if I'd read it. *book arrives* Cover is still. Freaking. Creepy. I put it at the bottom of my library TBR pile, thinking I'd get to it if I got to it.

Finally, finally, I read it. OMG it is amazing! One of the best books I've read. EVER! But, you know what? If I hadn't received so many awesome recommendations about this book, I never would've picked it up off the shelf. And the cover isn't even a bad cover. It's just not my choice.


So, book covers can definitely sway me. They aren't the be-all and end-all, but they carry some weight. And I know I'm not alone in this.

How important are book covers for you? Have you ever picked up a book or boycotted one solely on the cover?

Forbidden Discussion

Holy crap. After finishing FORBIDDEN by Tabitha Suzuma that's about all I could say. It is a fantastic book that my mind continues to drift to almost a week (and several books) later.

FORBIDDEN is not for everyone. I'll give you the three reasons you should be wary of reading.

1) It's about incest. Yup. You heard right. The love between a brother and sister. If the idea of reading about this completely turns you off, then you know right now it's not for you. But, if you are the slightest bit curious about how Tabitha Suzuma approached this topic, I urge you to pick it up.

2) It's a book for mature readers. Yes it's YA and I'm not going to put an age limit on it because I think age is irrelevant, but the subject matter requires a mature audience. I'm not saying anyone can't read it, but I'm not sure an immature reader would be able to get through it.

3) There's explicit sexual content. If you like the closed door variety, this isn't for you. That being said, it's not trashy or pornographic. It's realistic. It matches the tone of the story and (in my mind) it adds to the story as well.


Okay, now that I've scared you all off, I'll tell you why you should read it:  it's beautiful. Heartbreakingly, devastatingly, tragically beautiful. And I'm not just talking the relationship. The whole story made me ache after reading. It's about so much more than a brother and sister in love. It's about all kinds of love.

Besides beautiful, the best descriptor I have is that the story is raw. Everything's raw. The emotions, the characters, the writing. There is an emotional vulnerability present from the first words to the last.

I'm not usually the type of person to explore the greater themes of a novel and contemplate the reasons an author may have chosen to write about a certain topic. However, I definitely did with this one. I'm not sure what the author was thinking when she wrote this, but here are the themes and ideas more pertinent to me while reading.

FAMILY: How far would you go to protect them? To love them? To put yourself aside and make choices in their best interest?

LOVE: What is love and its boundaries? How can love be wrong? Who's to say what kind of love is right or wrong?

CHOICES: The characters have difficult choices to make throughout the story and these choices ultimately define them as people and define the outcome.

SOCIETY: Why do other's opinions have so much impact? What right do outsiders have to condemn individuals and their actions if they aren't hurting anyone?


If you're looking for a book that's going to make you think and feel and ponder long after you close it, you should try this one.

I'd really like to have a discussion about FORBIDDEN, whether it's in the comments or on twitter, so give me a shout out either way (whether or not you've read it).