Author Guest Review (4) - Stephanie Burgis (The Midnight Tunnel)

This post features YA Authors as guests sharing their thoughts on books they have loved. It was inspired by YA Reads.

The wonderfully magical author Stephanie Burgis has stopped by today for a guest review! Stephanie Burgis is an American writer who lives in Wales with her husband, Patrick Samphire, their son, "Mr Darcy", and their crazy-sweet border collie, Maya. Her first book, Kat, Incorrigible is coming out from Atheneum Books on April 5, 2011. You can find out more about her and read the first three chapters of Kat, Incorrigible on her website! Kat, Incorrigible releases today in the US!

THE MIDNIGHT TUNNEL by Angie Frazier

Stephanie's thoughts:

When Sabrina first asked me to review a historical novel I love, the first book I thought of was Angie Frazier’s Everlasting, a YA historical fantasy that I’d just read and adored. Swashbuckling adventure with giant spiders, storms at sea, a forbidden (and very hot) romance and explosive family secrets - oh, it just swept me away. As a fan of Indiana Jones and the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, it was exactly the perfect book for me.

When I was nine or ten years old, though, it would have been a different book that most enthralled me: Angie’s Frazier’s The Midnight Tunnel, her first Suzanna Snow mystery. Yes, it was written by the same author, but wow, is it different in tone and genre. But after I finished reading it, I was left with even more admiration for Angie Frazier as an author who can cover very different ranges so beautifully.

Suzanna (Zanna) Snow is the eleven-year-old daughter of a pair of hotel owners in sleepy 1904 New Brunswick. Her mother is a perfect lady (albeit of a lower class than we often read about in historical novels), and her parents hope for her to follow in their footsteps. Zanna has other aspirations, though: her uncle Bruce is a famous detective in the big city of Boston, and Zanna is determined to follow in his footsteps. When one of the guests disappears from the hotel, her uncle Bruce is called in to investigate…but it’s Zanna, of course, who cracks the case.

I loved Zanna as a heroine so, so much. She’s smart, thoughtful, and driven in her need to prove herself as a detective worthy of her uncle’s respect. But she’s also a perfectly believable eleven-year-old, as she gets distracted dreaming through her theories about the case and ends up forgetting the chores she’s promised to do and burning the meals she’s cooking for the guests. She might have the potential to be a great detective in the future, but she’s seen by the hotel staff as a bit of a disaster, unable to focus properly on what’s “really” important in life.

And the surrounding cast of characters is fabulous, from her famous uncle - who turns out to be more than a bit of a jerk - to her parents, who love her even though they don’t support her dreams…to her friends, female and male…including a couple of very appealing guys who might well develop into love interests later in life.

The Midnight Tunnel is a very different book from Everlasting. There are no explosions, no giant spiders, no hot romantic storylines or fantasy adventures. This is a quieter book, but it’s just as gripping in its own way. If I’d read it as a nine or ten-year-old, I would have spent a lot of time fantasizing about being Zanna myself, forcing the adults around me to grant me their respect through my feats of intelligence and bravery.

And as an adult, I love Zanna so much for that same intelligence and courage, which make her such a fabulous heroine for any age.

I’m really looking forward to reading Zanna’s next adventure next year, as well as the YA fantasy sequel to Everlasting. Most of all, though, after reading her first two books, I can’t wait to read whatever Angie Frazier wants to write next.

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Watch the Trailer of Kat!

TWO KINDS OF RESEARCH, ONE MAGICAL MOMENT (Guest Post by Saundra Mitchell)

When it comes to writing historical fiction—any fiction, actually—there are two kinds of research: the necessary and the ritual.

Necessary research is what you need or the book won't work. For historical fiction, this tends to be the standard of living details: what are people wearing? Eating? How do they light and heat their homes? What kind of homes do they have? What are their jobs? How do they get from place to place? These are the basics—everything that makes a historical novel historical.

And then there's the ritual research, mmm, sweet ritual research. Anything an author studies to add little bits of truth to a novel, that doesn't actually forward the story is done for ritual—for pleasure.

It makes you feel like your fictional world is more complete if all the train schedules are accurate on that day in history. The world on the page is more real if all the food the characters eat is in season and locally available on that day in 1885; if you know in which issue of Harper's Bazar, on which page, your characters could find the very dress they're wearing.

Because you have to do your necessary research, it's sometimes not as much fun as the ritual variety. It's homework really—and you won't be graded on it for several years. It's not until the book is published, and in people's hands, that you find out whether you did enough. And invariably, it's where you'll find out you failed to look into something you should have.

And that's when ritual research pays you back again. It was fun to goof off and learn exactly how the Liangzhu artisan shaped jade into a cong. It's equally fun to hear from people who already knew and are delighted you got it right.

In the end, writing books is all about making connections between strangers. The necessary research of a historical novel presents an invitation: will you come to this place with me?

But it's the ritual research that pulls special readers into a corner, and whispers a secret in their ear. It creates a moment—an intimate, wonderful moment—when author and reader perfectly connect. Which is why it's my favorite, even though I'll never again need to know how to make lye soap from wood ash.

Learning all that trivia is so worth earning that moment when I get to meet you.

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Saundra Mitchell has been a phone psychic, a car salesperson, a denture-deliverer and a layout waxer. She's dodged trains, endured basic training, and hitchhiked from Montana to California. She teaches herself languages, raises children, and makes paper for fun. She's also a screenwriter and executive producer for Fresh Films and the author of Shadowed Summer and the forthcoming The Vespertine and The Springsweet. She always picks truth; dares are too easy.

Author Website / Book site

Author Guest Review (3) - Lisa Schroeder (Anna and the French Kiss!)

This post features YA Authors as guests sharing their thoughts on books they have loved. It was inspired by YA Reads.

Today I have one of my favorite Contemp authors, LISA SCHROEDER raving about sharing her thoughts on one of the most anticipated 2010 contemporary releases, and personally, my favorite realistic fiction this year, Anna and the French Kiss!

Lisa is the author of three verse novels for Young Adults published by Simon Pulse (I Heart You, You Haunt Me, an ALA 2009 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Far From You, a Texas TAYSHAS selection, and Chasing Brooklyn (See my review!). She is also the author of It's Raining Cupcakes, a middle-grade novel published by Aladdin.

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS 

by Stephanie Perkins

Lisa's thoughts:

I have dreamt of visiting Paris since I took French in high school. One of my best friends went as a foreign exchange student her senior year, and even now I ask myself, why didn't I DO that?
I think I was scared to go and live with a strange family, but if I could go back in time, that'd be one thing I'd definitely change.

Note to everyone reading this: If you have a chance to travel when you're young, DO IT!!!

Anyway, knowing that ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS takes place in Paris, I couldn't wait to read it.

And let me tell you, Stephanie Perkins does an amazing job at making Paris come alive for the reader. It's a book I know I'll reread simply because it feels like you are there, IN Paris with the characters.

Oh, the characters!! Anna is funny, and smart, and a girl I'd love to have as a friend. Now that I've finished the book, I find myself missing her. And St. Clair too, who I'll get to in a second. And don't we all know that missing characters is  the best sign when a book is finished. I felt the same way when I finished LOOKING FOR ALASKA all those years ago after I read it, before anyone even knew a guy named John Green. Julie Strass-Gabel is obviously an editor who knows and understands that characters make all the difference in a story. 

The characters in this book make mistakes. St. Clair, the hot boy is part French, part American, part English, but in my mind, just the hot boy in Paris, is the guy everyone loves, and yet, he's not perfect. And still, with every page, I loved him more and more, because he is kind and thoughtful when it really matters. Not to mention, he has an accent and he's hot! I mean, come on!!

The romance, the feelings, the ups and the downs as the story winds here and there and back again are SO realistic.

I told Stephanie on twitter one night - this is perfection on the page, and I really mean that. There were places I laughed out loud, and places I teared up because my heart hurt for the characters. I've always said - my favorite books are the ones that are able to bring that full range of emotions.

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS is *definitely* one of my favorite books.

I expect big things for this book and for Stephanie Perkins in the years to come. This is the kind of book you read and can't wait to tell everyone about. 

Thanks for letting me share my love of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, Sab. I honestly can't sing its praises loud enough!!

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Thank you so much Lisa!

Anna and the French Kiss comes out this December 2nd, which makes it THE perfect X-mas gift for everyone. This is the single one book you don't want to miss, so be sure to preorder your copy today!

Author Guest Review (2) - Anastasia Hopcus

What better recommendation than one from our beloved authors, right? This post features Author Guest Reviews for books I've really loved. This post was inspired by YA Reads.

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Anastasia's thoughts:

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready was absolutely fantastic! I had a feeling I would love it before I even cracked it open. In fact, I was so convinced that I bought the book without even reading the first page--something I never do. (Of course, I did have some reason for thinking this; I'd seen that a few bloggers that enjoyed Shadow Hills had also really liked Shade. I figured they must have impeccable taste. ;D (I kid. Sort of.)

Luckily, my instincts proved to be correct. As soon as I started reading Shade, I became enthralled and ripped right through it. I loved all of the details about music---surprise, surprise! It helped me get to know the characters and made them feel like real teenagers. I often listen to this traditional Irish pub songs CD that includes the song ‘The Parting Glass’ and I was totally blown away when it was mentioned in Shade. I’ve even told my boyfriend several times over the years that I would like to have that song played at my funeral. While he’s always found the suggestion creepy and my fixation on funerals morbid, that little detail just helped to increase the immediate connection I felt with the characters in Shade.

The characterization is excellent. Each character is very distinct, even the more minor ones like Logan's parents or Aura's aunt. Both, Zachary and Logan are completely crush-worthy. This is one of the only books I've read where I really felt torn between the two guys. I just loved both of them so much!

The whole set-up Jeri Smith-Ready established regarding ghosts and those who can see them was really fascinating to me. I'm so eager to find out more about the whole mystery regarding Aura's mother. And what happened at the end really surprised me, too, which is not usually the case.

The only problem I have with Shade is that I don't know how I'm going to manage to wait for the
next book!

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Thank you SO MUCH, Anastasia! I also loved Shade.
Be sure to check out Ansatasia's awesome debut novel Shadow Hills! See my review of Shadow Hills here.

Other posts:

- Author Guest Review (1) - Tara Kelly

Author Guest Review (1) - Tara Kelly

I had this crazy idea of hearing what YA authors have to say about other YA books, specially Unsung YA (as in: not so commercially-popular titles). What better recommendation than one from our beloved authors, right? So I will be doing Author Guest Reviews for books I've really loved.


This is the first author review and the idea was not totally mine, I saw a great Harmonic Feedback review by Ballads of Suburbia's author Stephanie Kuehnert at Nikki's blog YA Reads a while back (See it here). So one day I was chatting about books with Tara Kelly (Harmonic Feedback's awesome debut author) she mentioned how much she loved this amazing book and I decided she should be my first guest and talk about it. The book was:

By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
(Goodreads / Amazon)

Tara's thoughts:

I can count on one hand the books that have made me tear up. I'm a very tough reader--it's hard to get an emotional reaction out of me. By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go until the last page. This book gives readers an unapologetic view into the mind of a bullied teen, making it a difficult but unforgettable read that will haunt readers long after putting it down.

Daelyn has been bullied about her weight since Kindergarten. She remembers every single name she was called. Every incident that happened in vivid detail. To quote Daelyn herself: "I don't know why I can't let the insults go, but I can't. I'm the product of every hurt that's ever been laid on me. Human waste product. Dispose of it." (p 27) After a couple failed suicide attempts, she's desperate to get it right this time. Turn the light out for good. She begins visiting a pro-suicide website called Through The Light where she shares her painful experiences and suicide plans. And her plan is set in stone--right down to the exact day.

Enter Santana. Not the band. The persistent boy who sits with her every day after school. Despite her best efforts to push him away, he slowly burrows his way into her shell and shows her a completely different point of view--one she can't seem to ignore.

While I wasn't suicidal, I was bullied in school--and reading Daelyn's experiences brought back a lot of my own painful memories. Like Daelyn, my experiences played in my head for years--to the point where I made myself invisible and kept everyone at arms length. Peters' portrayal of how bullying affects one's self esteem is painfully realistic and heartbreaking. That being said, there were times I wanted to shake Daelyn and tell her to grow a pair. Fight back. But I also understood that--from her perspective--there was no hope. Life would never get better. In a sense, her meticulously planned suicide was an attempt to gain control over her life. Peters didn't shy away from this to make Daelyn more 'likable' so to speak. She chose the realistic route--and I commend her for that.

I'm just glad hope arrived in the form of Santana--who is probably one of my favorite boy characters of all time. He's unique, funny, charming, and perfectly flawed. I can't think of a more perfect match for Daelyn. Even if their connection wasn't romantic, he's just the friend she needed.

While some may call this book 'too dark', I think it's important that we see just how far bullying can push people. How absolutely destructive and life altering it can be for the person being tormented. And I also think it's important that teen readers--who may be in a dark place themselves--see that there is hope and there are people out there who will understand them. They just may not be the people they'd expect or WANT to understand them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a gripping read that will hit them right in the gut. But I'll warn you of two things--keep a box of Kleenex nearby and prepare to have a mega-crush on Santana.

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Thank you SO much Tara!! I, too, absolutely LOVED this book. See my review of By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead here. Check out Tara's book Harmonic Feedback that will be available on May 25th, and my review of it coming next week. Hint: LOVE!