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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Razorbill. 2015. Reviewed from ARC.



The Plot: It's been 500 years since the Martials defeated the Scholars. At various times Rebellion has been threatened, but the Martials always destroy it.

Laia, 17, is a Scholar. The once studious and education people are now banned from anything hinting at learning. Laia lives with her older brother, Darin, and her grandparents, until the night their home is raided by the Martials and their terrible agents, the silver-faced Masks. Her grandparents are killed, Darin is arrested, and Laia flees into the night.

She stumbles upon rebels who agree to help her free her brother, for a price. Go into the heart of the Martial training ground and spy on their Commandment. To do so, she'll have to pretend to be a slave. But for Darin, she'll do it.

Elias, twenty, is a Martial who has been trained to be a Mask since the age of six. Except he has a secret, kept hidden and deep. He hates the death and torture and violence of what he his, of what he is trained to do. He doesn't want his face to be forever silver. He dreams of escape, even though it will dishonor his Grandfather, but anyone caught running away is brutally executed. As each day goes by, he finds himself increasingly bound to the Martials and to his friends and wondering if the only escape is death.

The Good: Read this book. Now. The only down side of reading this book ASAP is that the sequel is out next summer, and you're going to have to wait that long to find out what happens next.

Read this book. It is a wonderfully complex setting, influenced by the Roman Empire and other ancient cultures. Sometimes a cultural setting such as the one in An Ember in the Ashes either downplays or ignores the consequences and reality of its setting. This book does not do that; it is a brutal, violent world and both Laia and Elias have been shaped and formed by that brutality. (For those who wonder about the violence on the page, I'll put it this way. A book can describe a death in a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter -- this book goes for the sentence or two. Does it lessen the horror of that death? No, it doesn't drag it on for pages and pages.)

Laia masquerades as a slave, but, no, that's wrong. While Laia is spying, she is actually a slave and all that implies. She is owned by the Commandment, who can do anything she wants to the slaves she owns. Laia is beaten and whipped; her name is taken from her. Other slaves have been scarred, branded, mutilated. The possibility of sexual assault and rape is real. So she has to survive both the change in status from free to slave but also figuring out how to be a spy for the rebellion.

Elias has been trained since the age of six to become a Mask, like his mother and grandfather before him. (His mother is the Commandment.) He has seen children whipped to death; he has been beaten; he has killed. He has followed orders. He has become one of the top soldiers. And he hates it. One of the things I love about An Ember in the Ashes is that while it's easy to hate the Martial class and all that Elias is and represents, the reader can't help but like Elias and root for him. To like his friends and understand his loyalties.

If you're wondering, because there is a girl and a boy and it's a young adult book, whether there is a romance -- well, yes and no. Again, complexity! While Elias may look at Laia and see a pretty girl, Laia looks at Elias and sees a dangerous soldier. Elias also is the type who sees Laia as a pretty girl who is a slave so is someone who for that reason shouldn't be touched (not a sentiment towards slaves shared by others.) There's a young man who is a rebel who Laia begins to have feelings for, and Elias has feelings towards another soldier, a young woman, and he's trying to deny them. So this is more a rectangle than anything else, and very realistically done given the different positions of power people have.

The Martial Empire is HORRIBLE. I wouldn't want to live there. But, again with reasons I like this -- when Laia learns more about the history of the Scholars, she realizes that her history and society is more complex than good/bad, vanquished/conquered. Elias looks around him and doesn't like how the Empire treats people, and he may be alone in this. It's hard to tell, because to confess such things would to betrayal, punishment, torture, death. His friends, though, are also likable, though part of this may be that we only see them in a context where they aren't arresting and killing and torturing, though we know that is what they have been trained to do. And truth be told while the ways of his training are harsh and I'm running out of words that mean "brutal," it's also realistic in terms of what is needed to create the perfect killing machine -- and that appears to be the sole aim of Elias's training and schooling.

The ending -- the ending!!! Don't worry, it's a great ending for a first book in the series in that it both works well as an ending for this book but there is also a great lead in to what will happen in the next book. I don't feel cheated or frustrated; I just feel MORE MORE MORE.

And the plot is so great that I don't want to say a word about it.

One more thing. The women in this story! Of course, there is Laia, who will do anything to save her brother but has been fairly sheltered up to this point. Poor, sometimes hungry, but always loved and protected by her family. Her strength is in her ability to survive, to love, to do what it takes.

Then there is Helene. Female soldiers are only accepted once in a generation, and so she is not just the sole female in her class, she's the sole female in her school. She has to be twice as good, ignore twice as much, as those around her. The friendship between Elias and Hel is one of equality and respect.

And Elias's mother, the Commandant. She was the female soldier of her generation. And as the head of the school that trains and forms soldiers, she is the one that every student fears. She is the one every slave fears. And with good reason: punishments, torture, and death all take place at her whim.

There is the Lioness, a legendary head of the Rebellion, brilliant but ruthless and willing to sacrifice anything for her cause.

And there are Laia's fellow slaves, Kitchen Girl and Cook, who have survived years in the Commandant's house, watching other slaves come and go. (And by "go" I mean die, whether at their own hand or the result of the Commandant's brutality.) There is more to each of them . . . .

One more thing. With this book there is always one more thing. I recognized the ancient Rome references in names and family structure; Tahir's guest post at the Perpetual Page-Turner goes into that research, as well as the research needed for everything from weaponry to the names of the other nations and groups in the book.

ARGH. I want to revisit this world, even though I was so worried about Laia that at times I could read no more than a few chapters at a time. My heart just couldn't take it.

OF COURSE this is a Favorite Book of 2015.










Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Readers looking for tension, angst, fantastical myths, well-rounded characters, and a very human tale of survival will delight in this quick and engrossing page-turner of a story, sure to inspire the inner-Zodiac in everyone.

Liz Tingue is an associate editor at Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Wow! This month is proof of good reads, everything remains the same on our best selling kids series list; including the blast from the past ... the Mr. Men and Little Miss books.

This month we have a blast from the past on top of The Children’s Book Review’s best selling kids series list. Who remembers the Mr. Men and Little Miss books?

Lauren Miller is the author of Parallel and FREE TO FALL, both published by HarperTeen. She is an entertainment lawyer and television writer. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids.

Nightingale’s Nest
By Nikki Loftin
Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin)
$16.99
ISNB: 978-1-59514-546-8
Ages 10-14
On shelves now.

Magical realism in children’s novels is a rarity. It’s not unheard of, but when children’s authors want fantasy, they write fantasy. When they want reality, they write reality. A potentially uncomfortable mix of the two is harder to pull off. Ambiguity is not unheard of in books for youth, but it’s darned hard to write. Why go through all that trouble? For that reason alone we don’t tend to see it in children’s books. Kids like concrete concepts. Good guys vs. bad guys. This is real vs. this is a dream. But a clever author, one who respects the intelligence of their young audience, can upset expectations without sacrificing their story. When author Nikki Loftin decided to adapt Hans Christian Andersen’s tale The Nightingale into a middle grade contemporary novel, she made a conscious decision to make the book a work of magical realism. A calculated risk, Loftin’s gambit pays off. Nightingale’s Nest is a painful but ultimately emotionally resonant tale of sacrifice and song. A remarkably competent book, stronger for its one-of-a-kind choices.

It doesn’t seem right that a twelve-year-old boy would carry around a guilt as deep and profound as Little John’s. But when you feel personally responsible for the death of your little sister, it’s hard to let go of those feelings. It doesn’t help matters any that John has to spend the summer helping his dad clear brush for the richest man in town, a guy so extravagant, the local residents just call him The Emperor. It’s on one of these jobs that John comes to meet and get to know The Emperor’s next door neighbor, Gayle. About the age of his own sister when she died, Gayle’s a foster kid who prefers sitting in trees in her own self-made nest to any other activity. But as the two become close friends, John notices odd things about the girl. When she sings it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before, and she even appears to possibly have the ability to heal people with her voice. It doesn’t take long before The Emperor becomes aware of the treasure in his midst. He wants Gayle’s one of a kind voice, and he’ll do anything to have it. The question is, what does John think is more important: His family’s livelihood or the full-throated song of one little girl?

How long did it take me to realize I was reading a middle grade adaptation of a Hans Christian Andersen short story? Let me first tell you that when I read a book I try not to read even so much as a plot description beforehand so that the novel will stay fresh and clear in my mind. With that understanding, it’s probably not the worst thing in the world that it took a 35-year-old woman thirty-nine pages before she caught on to what she was reading. Still, I have the nasty suspicion that many a savvy kid would have picked up on the theme before I did. As it stands, we’ve seen Andersen adapted into middle grade novels for kids before. Breadcrumbs, for example, is a take on his story The Snow Queen as well as some of his other, stranger tales. They say that he wrote The Nightingale for the singer Jenny Lind, with whom he was in love. All I know is that in the original tale the story concentrates on the wonders of the natural world vs. the mechanical one. In this book, Loftin goes in a slightly different direction. It isn’t an over-reliance on technology that’s the problem here. It’s an inability to view our fellow human beings as just that. Human beings. Come to think of it, maybe that’s what Andersen was going for in the first place.

It was the writing, of course, that struck my attention first. Loftin gives the book beautiful sequences filled with equally beautiful sentences. There’s a section near the end that tells a tale of a tree that fails to keep hold of a downy chick, but is redeemed by saving another bird in a storm. This section says succinctly everything you need to know about this book. I can already see the children’s book and discussion groups around the country that will get a kick out of picking apart this parable. It’s not a hard one to interpret, but you wouldn’t want it to be.

As for the characters, there wasn’t a person here that I couldn’t recognize as real. I was quite taken with the fact that Loftin continually sidesteps a lot of the usual middle grade tropes. Gayle’s nasty foster brother Jeb, for example, could easily have been labeled the typical bully type character for this book. Bullies in children’s books, after all, have a tendency to be one-note characters. Jeb, in contrast, is capable of talking like a normal human being from time to time. He’s a horrible human being at other times, but at least you get the sense that he’s not just a walking two-dimensional caricature. It makes a difference.

The ending is going to be problematic for some folks. It is not, I should say, unsatisfying. I think even people who don’t have a problem with what it says will only have a problem with HOW it goes about saying it. But the end of the book goes so far as to make it clear that this story really doesn’t take place in the real world in which we live. The characters face real world problems, but that doesn’t preclude the presence of something magical. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio . . .” and all that jazz. For some readers, this may feel like a kind of betrayal. As if the author didn’t have the guts to stay in the real world from start to finish, but instead had to rely on something otherworldly for her climax. I don’t see it that way. Loftin’s choices seem very deliberate here, from page one onward. Just because something is magical, that doesn’t mean you can’t interpret the book in other ways. Don’t like the supernatural element at the end? Then why are you assuming it’s real? After all, we’re getting this whole story through Little John’s perspective. Who’s to say he’s the world’s most reliable narrator? Just because a book is written for children, that doesn’t mean you have to take it at face value.

In any case, I don’t believe the magic detracts in the least from what Loftin is saying here about the banality of poverty. This isn’t a book that romanticizes what it’s like to be poor. It’s just Little John’s everyday existence, to a certain extent. And with the introduction of The Emperor, readers get to see firsthand how money, or the lack thereof, has a lot to do with self-worth and what you have to do with your pride and sense of self-worth when you’re indebted to another person. Little John witnesses firsthand his own father’s humiliation at the hands of the Emperor, and then finds himself in possession (in a sense) of something The Emperor wants. But rather than give him power, this just focuses the rich man’s attention on the boy, making him easy prey. Better that you never have something the wealthy think that they need. And as Little John says at one point, “What was right didn’t have a thing to do with what was.”

Reading the book, I found it enormously painful. But I at least had the wherewithal to realize that it was uniquely painful to me as a mother. Any parent reading this is going to instantly fret and worry and think about Gayle’s position in her foster home. But for kids reading this book they’re going to identify with Little John and Gayle as children, not as parents. This is a book about terrible decisions made, for the most part, by good people. This can, at times, make the story emotionally hard to follow, but I like to think Ms. Loftin had things well in hand when she came up with her tale. There’s a great comfort in knowing that even when you screw up royally, you can still find forgiveness. If kids take nothing else away from this book, I hope that they understand that much. Smart and beautiful by turns, The Nightingale’s Nest does one thing that few will contest. Once you’ve read it, you’ll have a hard time getting it out of your head.

On shelves now.

Notes on the Cover: It was indeed the cover that I noticed first about this book. Unfortunately the name of the artist has been difficult to find, but it’s lovely isn’t it? The girl, clearly Gayle, could be floating or flying or just lying on the ground, depending on how you look at it. Of course, most notable is the fact that she appears to be African-American. There’s been a lot of talk over the last few years about showing black faces on our book jackets, so I applaud Razorbill for having the guts to do a cover that isn’t a silhouette. That said, I did notice that at no point in the novel does the book specifically say that Gayle is dark-skinned. In fact, it doesn’t really describe her skin at all. We get a sense of how soft her hair is and how beautiful her voice, but nothing much more beyond that. Could this be one of the very few cases in which a kid’s race isn’t mentioned in a book and yet that kid isn’t just assumed to be white? If so it’s a big step forward in the world of book jackets. Someone should conduct an interview with Razorbill’s art director about the decision to go with this cover. I’d love to know if this is indicative of books in the future. If so, it’s a trend I’ll be watching with great interest.

Source: Galley sent from the publisher for review.

Like This? Then Try:

• Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

• The Season of Secrets by Sally Nicholls

• Skellig by David Almond

Other Blog Reviews:

• Views From the Tesseract
• Nerdy Book Club
• Bird Brainz
• Charlotte’s Library
• Bookanistas

Professional Reviews:

• A star from Kirkus
• Publishers Weekly

Interviews:

• Seattle Mystery Bookshop speaks with Nikki about her work.
• Charlotte’s Library does the same.
• One at The Book Cellar.
• And there’s yet another with BookPeople Teen Press Corps.
• One more – Imaginary Reads.

Misc: Finally, you can read an excerpt over at I Read Banned Books.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

9 Comments on Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis, last added: 1/11/2012

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Paige Cuccaro said, on 1/10/2012 9:49:00 AM

Love the name of the ship! Murder mystery, sci-fi, dystopia, and romance, this sounds pretty cool. Nice review. Thanks!

Amber said, on 1/10/2012 10:09:00 AM

So glad you enjoyed this one! I thought it was such an unique read and it was impossible to put down. Great review!

Elodie said, on 1/10/2012 11:02:00 AM

Thus book sounds so good :) !! The sequel is coming out soon so I realy need to buy a copy of this one ! Great review :)

Sophia Rose said, on 1/10/2012 12:37:00 PM

This story really has my attention with all the elements you describe that are in this book. I have it on my wish list.

Thanks for the review!

manda-rae said, on 1/10/2012 2:58:00 PM

I'm happy you enjoyed the book! I loved this one and am excited to read the next one!!! Great review!

The Avid Reader said, on 1/10/2012 6:21:00 PM

This sounds like something I will need to check out!

Respiring Thoughts said, on 1/10/2012 7:47:00 PM

I still need to read this one, but it sounds so good. It sounds really unique, and, of course, the cover is gorgeous, ;) Thanks for posting this!

Renae @ Respiring Thoughts

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said, on 1/10/2012 9:10:00 PM

I just finished this and so enjoyed it. The only drawback to the book for me was that it was written from two different POVs. I often found myself going back to the beginning of the chapter to see who was speaking (even though the chapters were short). This was a bit jarring but definitely not enough to make me stop reading.

Kate said, on 1/11/2012 6:34:00 AM

This has become one of my favorite series.

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By: Casey (The Bookish Type), on 11/20/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  bestselling author, HarlequinTeen, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, New Release Roundup, Young Adult, Feature, contemporary, Razorbill, debut author, new release, Add a tag

A weekly feature I started to showcase the exciting new releases hitting shelves this week.

November 21

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Razorbill

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

November 22

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

HarlequinTeen

My Review

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn�

0 Comments on New Release Roundup: November 20 - 26, 2011 as of 1/1/1900

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What am I reading now? The Lemonman by Natasha Ferrill
 

Razorbill

On Monday, October 17, 2011, I was fortunate enough to interview Lynne Missen, Penguin’s newly appointed Publishing Director for Young Readers, regarding the launch of Razorbill in Canada. Our interview touched on what both Canadian and international readers can expect from Razorbill. And now, without further ado:

The Pen Stroke: When is the official launch date of Razorbill?

Lynne Missen: The launch of Razorbill is two-fold: Firstly, it will be marked with the paperback release of Cathy Ostlere‘s Karma. It’s a book about fifteen-year-old Maya who returns to her homeland of India after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Secondly, at the end of January 2012 a social media platform will be unveiled.

 

TPS: How many books will be published under the imprint annually?

LM: There will be half a dozen original content books. In addition, there will also be the release of second editions.

 

TPS: What types of books will be published under the imprint?

LM: Razorbill will be mainly comprised of young adult fiction for ages 12 and up.

 

TPS: How did the decision to launch Razorbill come about?

LM: It came from the desire to have an authentic and compelling voice. For that reason, readers will see a wide range of books being published under the imprint.

 

TPS: How does Razorbill plan to set itself apart from other imprints?

LM: We plan on making Razorbill the go to list. The aim is to foster a logo that will be recognized and respected by both teens and adults.

 

TPS: I’ve heard that Razorbill will be publishing Joseph Boyden’s latest novel. Can you speak about that?

LM: We are really excited about this. Boyden’s book will be based on his short story Turtle Island published in The Globe and Mail in July 2011. Turtle Island is about a young boy caught between the contemporary life of gangs and the struggle to come to terms with his Native heritage.

 

TPS: Can you shed light on some of the other authors you’ll be publishing?

LM: Scot Gardener, Hiromi Goto, Charles de Lint, Carrie Mac, Mariko Tamaki and Emily Pohl-Weary, to name a few.

 

TPS: With the increasing popularity of eReaders, will Razorbill books be made available as eBooks?

LM: Absolutely.

 

TPS: Earlier you mentioned a social media platform. Can you elaborate on what shape that will take?

LM: Razorbill.ca, a virtual community, will be a forum for readers and writers to discuss books as well as a platform that will allow them to share content and videos.

 

I would like to once again thank Lynne Missen for taking the time out of her

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12. Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) - Review

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By: fishgirl182, on 10/7/2011
Blog: Read Now Sleep Later (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Spooktacular, kimberlybuggie, young adult, vampires, fantasy, paranormal, boarding school, Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead, Penguin, Razorbill, Add a tag

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

Publication date: 16 August 16 2007 by Razorbill

ISBN 10/13: 0316015849 | 9780316015844

Category: Young Adult Fantasy
Keywords: Vampires, Boarding School, Best Friends, Fighting
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

From goodreads:

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Kimberly's review:

Lissa Dragomir is a vampire princess and must be protected from another kind of vampire race, the Strigoi, who are fierce and dangerous vampires. Rose Hathaway, a half human-half vampire, is her classmate, her best friend and her partner in crime.

After two years of freedom, the BFFs are captured and dragged back to their exclusive boarding school where they have to train to become, respectively, a political figure and a fighter/bodyguard. But they soon realize that inside their school, it's just as dangerous as outside its gates.

Rose is a strong, fun and cocky character. She is quick-witted and throws herself into dangerous situations--my kind of girl! Her narration is very clear; you learn a lot about her character.

Lissa is seen through Rose's eyes and while Rose is the physically stronger and more aggressive of the two, Lissa is not a whimp. She has some special powers (not going to tell you!) and a few problems of her own. She is the last Dragomir princess alive. Um, that's a lot of pressure.

This is a great female relationship. They're totally loyal to each other. It's easy to see how they are best friends. It's refreshing to see a functioning, healthy friendship where the two characters genuinely care about each other, instead of other dramatic relationships where there is a lot of jealousy and backstabbing.

And oh, the boys! Dimitri, stoic, hot and Rose's instructor, is sexy and a lean mean fighting machine. The chemistry between them is ... whew. Sorry. Got hot in here. Lissa finds her match in an unlikely hero.

I want to stress that the story is about way more than boys, even cute vampire boys. It's about friendship, about growing up and finding oneself. Lissa and Rose may have been dragged back to St. Vladimir's unwillingly, but that doesn't mean they stop fighting for what they want, what they believe in. They continue to grow as characters, not just through the book, but throughout the series. Their relationships with each other grows and evolves, the best parts of each of them coming out to protect the other

3 Comments on Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) - Review, last added: 10/10/2011

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fishgirl182 said, on 10/7/2011 5:58:00 PM

love this series! the one time that the kindle sample thing actually worked. after reading it, i immediately downloaded the book. and the rest is history...

Laura Drennon said, on 10/9/2011 9:12:00 AM

Great review Kimberly! I have only read the first book in the series but now you make me want to read the rest of the books! I may have to tackle that task next year.

kimberlybuggie said, on 10/10/2011 12:01:00 PM

Thanks! This is such an awesome series, Richelle Mead is a favorite author of mine!
I should mention that on www.thewindypages.com we are having a giveaway for one of two Richelle Mead books in her adult fantasy paranormal series: Succubus Blues or Succubus Revealed.

Thanks!

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13. Waiting on Wednesday: The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

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By: Casey (The Bookish Type), on 9/6/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Meme, Young Adult, Romance, contemporary, Razorbill, debut author, Waiting on Wednesday, upcoming release, December release, The Probability of Miracles, Wendy Wunder, Add a tag

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to highlight upcoming releases we're anxiously awaiting!

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Release Date: December 8, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Preorder: Amazon| Barnes & Noble

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As

23 Comments on Waiting on Wednesday: The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder, last added: 9/9/2011

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LindsayWrites said, on 9/6/2011 9:18:00 PM

okay, wow, i haven't heard of this one before, but it sounds so cool! like ethereal and stuff :)

here's my post! stop by and let me know what you think of all my choices? :)


http://lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/waiting-on-wednesday-lots-of-ya-books.html

Sophia said, on 9/6/2011 10:36:00 PM

Sounds like Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes! I haven't read that book, but I think the premises are pretty similar. Nice choice this week! :)

My WoW :)

Stephanie (PoetrytoProse.com) said, on 9/6/2011 10:45:00 PM

Yes! This sounds really amazing and I can't wait to uncover all the magic within the pages. Great pick!

Steph @ Poetry to Prose

KTJ said, on 9/6/2011 10:54:00 PM

Hi, new follower here!

I haven't heard of this one, but it sounds really good and really sad! Great pick.

-Kate
my WOW: http://nomaliciousreads.blogspot.com

ashelynn hetland said, on 9/6/2011 11:04:00 PM

Oh, it does sound sad. I might have to add this to my to-read list since I love contemporary. Great pick!

My pick: http://gypsybookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/waiting-on-wednesday-3.html

Jan von Harz said, on 9/7/2011 2:03:00 AM

Yes please I would like this one now!

Christina T said, on 9/7/2011 3:21:00 AM

I hadn't heard of this but it sounds so promising that I will have to add it to my TBR list. Fantastic pick!

I am finding myself moving away from the paranormal genre. There are still some books that I read but I no longer feel the need to try every new paranormal series out there. They are becoming too similar and the love triangles get on my nerves!

Greta is Erikasbuddy said, on 9/7/2011 7:09:00 AM

Very cool!! That book sounds great!!

Paranormal Wastelands WoW
http://paranormalwastelands.blogspot.com/2011/09/waiting-on-wednesday.html

Zompacolypse is coming. Are you infected?

Christy @TheReaderBee said, on 9/7/2011 7:44:00 AM

This book sounds really good! I'm definitely going to have to add it to my list!

Crystal (Book Snob) said, on 9/7/2011 8:32:00 AM

This book sounds really good and really sad too. I also love the cover! Check out my WoW:

Crystal @ Elegantly Bound Books

Sash and Em said, on 9/7/2011 9:37:00 AM

We're excited for this one too!

Here's our WoW

Tia said, on 9/7/2011 9:59:00 AM

I haven't heard of this! Great pick!

My WoW

Tribute Books Mama said, on 9/7/2011 10:04:00 AM

Sounds like an interesting choice.

http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2011/09/waiting-on-wednesdy.html

Arianna said, on 9/7/2011 10:27:00 AM

I hadn't heard about this one, thanks for the suggestion!

Please check out my WOW!

Lauren M said, on 9/7/2011 10:33:00 AM

I can vouch for this one--The Probability of Miracles is fantastic! I think it's one you'll really enjoy, Casey. :)
My WoW

Emma said, on 9/7/2011 11:39:00 AM

I do enjoy a good conteporay fiction at the moment also. I will need to add this to my TBR.

Check out my WOW here.

Emma @ LostinaYAbook

Peggy said, on 9/7/2011 1:00:00 PM

This one looks good! It's on my TBR list!

Peggy
Pawing Through Books

fivealarmbookreviews.com said, on 9/7/2011 1:32:00 PM

I haven't heard of this before, but it looks mega awesome. Thanks for the intro. My WOW

Casey said, on 9/7/2011 5:49:00 PM

Great pick! I'm looking forward to reading this one.

Sarah said, on 9/8/2011 6:34:00 AM

I hadn't heard of this one, but like you I'm all about the sarcasm, so I'll have to check it out! Purple dandelions would be so cool :0)

Sarah @ The Book Life

Book Crook Liza said, on 9/8/2011 12:02:00 PM

This is definitely going on my TBR list! This sounds really interesting!

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said, on 9/8/2011 5:08:00 PM

Oh new one to me. And does sound really interesting. Hope you get and enjoy it. :) Thank you!

girlsinthestacks.com said, on 9/9/2011 5:08:00 AM

I have this one, just haven't read it yet...if it's sad I might stay away longer, lol.

As for me (stacy), no not moving towards contemp. I love fantasy, paranormal and historical too much!!

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14. Youth Media & Marketing Jobs: Razorbill, Crown Media Family Networks, Highlights For Children

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By: Anastasia Goodstein, on 7/15/2011
Blog: Ypulse (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Jobs, highlights for children, razorbill, time out new york kids, mcgraw hill, crown media family networks, mtvk, Add a tag

Today we bring you our weekly sampler of the cool youth media and marketing gigs. If your company has an open position in the youth media or marketing space, we encourage you to join the Ypulse LinkedIn group, if you haven’t yet, and post there... Read the rest of this post

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15. Teach Me - Review

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By: Read Now Sleep Later, on 6/28/2011
Blog: Read Now Sleep Later (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Realistic, Penguin, Razorbill, R A Nelson, Add a tag

Teach Me by R. A. Nelson

Publication date: 25 August 2005 by Razorbill

ISBN 10/13: 1595140840 | 9781595140845

Category: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction
Format: Paperback (also available in hadcover and eBook)
Keywords: Love, taboos, obsession

Kimberly's review:

Uncomfortable topic? Yes. Well written? Yes. Carolina "Nine" begins a parent's nightmare of having an affair with her teacher, the complicated, tortured and sensitive Mr. Mann. As the romance intensifies, and then abruptly ends, Nine must deal with the consequences and face who they were to each other; great loves or Mr./Mrs. Right Now. As with most teenage breakups, this one is full of drama, loathing, conflicted feelings and anger. But unlike most, because of the taboo situation, it adds another layer of heartbreak.

Nelson does a fine job showing the relationship as Nine sees it--two lost souls who have finally found each other. Never mind the age difference. Never mind he's her teacher. Never mind she's 17 when they meet. It's first love. It's young love. Then why is it so wrong?

Granted, the novel brings up questions no one has the answer to. Is it wrong because of the age difference, because she's so young, or because of the teacher-student relationship? Perhaps all three. All of these questions are there as Nine begins her descent into chaotic madness. Her drastic actions cause a lot of pain. But she's hurting. Does he deserve it? Didn't he know it was wrong?

I can't say I was rooting for Nine and Mr. Mann. They're both selfish, self-absorbed creatures, so in that way they are perfect for each other. But I'm also sympathetic. I can say she's just a teenager, but really at 17 teenagers aren't quite so innocent as we may like to think. Her obsessive, sad, self destructive behavior I can relate to, as most people can. She goes a little crazy, and really who doesn't go a little crazy when love is gone.

Nelson's writing captures the despair of a teenage break up, the confusion and abandonment. And the ending, well, it does answer who they were to each other, or who they could have been: bittersweet. So in the end, I thought this book is one that should be read and digested slowly: every exciting second of falling in love with Mr. Mann, every uncomfortable moment of tearing out Nine's heart. And putting it all back together again.

---

Visit R. A. Nelson online at http://www.ranelsonbooks.com and follow @RANelsonYA on Twitter. Alethea also highly recommends Days of Little Texas

1 Comments on Teach Me - Review, last added: 6/29/2011

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Karen said, on 6/29/2011 4:15:00 PM

Now I want to read this book--I love books that give me something to think about, and this seems like that kind of book. But I'm also a little scared to read it. Thanks for the review!
Book Light Graveyard

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16. Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler to Pen New YA Novel

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By: Maryann Yin, on 5/5/2011
Blog: Galley Cat (Mediabistro) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Young Adult Books, Deals, Penguin, Carolyn Mackler, Jay Asher, Razorbill, Ben Schrank, Thirteen Reasons Why, Laura Rennert, Writers House, Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Jodi Reamer, The Earth My Butt and Other Big Round Things, The Future is Us, Add a tag

Thirteen Reasons Why author Jay Asher and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things author Carolyn Mackler have signed a deal with Penguin’s Razorbill imprint for a young adult novel they co-wrote.

The Future is Us will come out in November with an initial printing of 500,000 copies. Publisher Ben Schrank negotiated the deal with two literary agents, Laura Rennert of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and Jodi Reamer of Writers House.

Here’s more from the release: “The Future is Us is set in 1996, when less than half of all American high school students have ever used the internet. Facebook will not be invented for several more years. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD-ROM with 100 free hours. When she and her best friend Josh log on to AOL they discover themselves on Facebook … fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what life has in store for them. Josh and Emma are about to find out.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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17. MARCEL THE SHELL Becomes A Book!

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By: Annie Beth Ericsson, on 4/6/2011
Blog: Walking In Public (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  videos, video, coming soon, razorbill, marcel the shell, dean fleischer-camp, jenny slate, Add a tag

There’s no doubt in my mind that Marcel The Shell With Shoes On is the best stop-motion animation video I’ve ever seen.  If you’re not familiar with this Youtube sensation, I won’t even bother to explain – just do yourself a favor and watch the film (above)!

Now, I’ve been itching to announce for awhile now that Marcel will star in his own picture book, the first from YA imprint Razorbill.  When Marcel made a video guest appearance at work, to talk about how excited he was to be part of the Penguin family, we couldn’t be more excited for him (and his creators, Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp).

How will Marcel The Shell translate to a picture book?  I initially pictured it as a photographic Chronicle-style gift book, but turns out, the images will be traditional oil paintings instead.  Now… who is the artist going to be, I wonder??  And if you’re worried about this style of humor losing its touch without Jenny Slate’s hilarious voice, don’t be.  The press release assures us that there will be an interactive audio version to add the voice of Marcel to the reading experience.

Can’t wait for November 1 to see Marcel pulling his lint “dog” around by a hair!

“Sometimes people say that my head is too big for my body, and then I say, ‘Compared to WHAT?’”

Filed under: videos Tagged: coming soon, dean fleischer-camp, jenny slate, marcel the shell, razorbill, video 1 Comments on MARCEL THE SHELL Becomes A Book!, last added: 4/6/2011

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#1 Annie Fan said, on 4/6/2011 11:56:00 AM

I love Marcel… always have

“You know what I use for a pen?” “What?” “A pen but it takes the whole family”

XOXO

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18. ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ Film Adapted as Picture Book

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By: Maryann Yin, on 3/4/2011
Blog: Galley Cat (Mediabistro) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Children's Books, Celebrities, picture book, Deals, Adaptation, Penguin, Razorbill, Ben Schrank, Kirby Kim, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, animation film, Dean Fleischer-Camp, Erin Malone, Jenny Slate, William Morris Endeavor Talent Agency, Add a tag

Actress Jenny Slate and film director Dean Fleischer-Camp will turn their award-winning film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, into a picture book. The video embedded above showcases the entire animated movie.

The children’s title will have an initial print run of 100,000 and is set for November release. Razorbill publisher Ben Schrank negotiated the deal with William Morris Endeavor agents Erin Malone and Kirby Kim.

Here’s more from the press release: “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things about Me will feature oil paintings based on photographs of Marcel in his home environment and will be aimed at readers of all ages. Razorbill will simultaneously publish an enriched, interactive digital version of the picture book, and an audio version of the text, recorded by Jenny Slate, will be available as a digital download.”

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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19. Happy Launch Day! Across the Universe by Beth Revis!

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By: Shelli, on 1/11/2011
Blog: Faeriality (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  across the universe, razorbill, launch party, beth revis, Add a tag

As most of you know, us Southerns are pretty much shut down due to six inches of snow.

We never get snow so basically we are all trapped inside - killing each other, renting movies, and eating junk.

But......

I'm poking my head out of the snow for a minute to wish my good friend Beth Revis a wonderful launch day today.

I met Beth online a couple years ago way before we had agents. When we each probably had less than 10 followers and a dream. I loved meeting her finally in person this fall for drinks and am happy to see her day finally here after all the struggles and hard work.

Across the Universe is hitting the stores and everyone needs to go get this book. I got an ARC early last fall and loved the whole creativity and world building around this book.

As the spaceship Godspeed travels toward a new earth, the lives of 100 cryogenically frozen settlers hang in the balance after someone endeavors to quietly murder them. The other passengers aboard the ship have never known life outside its walls and are enslaved by the machinations of Eldest, their tyrannical leader, who divides them into three distinct classes. When Amy, a frozen settler from earth, survives being thawed in a murder attempt, she immediately bonds with Elder, Godspeed's lone teen and future leader. Amy’s individuality, her rebellion, and her fierce desire for freedom, inspire Elder to act on his own doubts and defy Eldest--his mentor and keeper--with shocking results.
The book's web site launches today so go check out the space ship blueprints! So cool.

Or check out all the stuff going on at Beth's site.

Happy Book Bday Beth! Can't wait to see you soar to the stars - at Godspeed :)

Ill announce all the ARC winners later this week after I dig myself out of the ice.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faeriality?alt=rss

12 Comments on Happy Launch Day! Across the Universe by Beth Revis!, last added: 1/12/2011

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Carole Anne Carr said, on 1/11/2011 9:27:00 AM

Wonderful news about the book. Yes, my friend in Marietta has just had to be towed back home. Would venture out! :0)

Stasia said, on 1/11/2011 9:45:00 AM

Can't wait to read this book! Congrats, Beth, and keep warm, Shelli!

Natalie Aguirre said, on 1/11/2011 9:46:00 AM

So happy for Beth! Can't wait to read her book.

Deb Salisbury said, on 1/11/2011 9:46:00 AM

Sounds like a cool book! I'll watch for it.

Shudders over snow so far south. Stay warm! It's not worth driving in that mess.

Nikki said, on 1/11/2011 10:20:00 AM

I have this book sitting with a ton of ARCs from ALA. Can't wait to read it!!

Anita Saxena said, on 1/11/2011 12:54:00 PM

Definitely excited about reading this book. Stay warm. It's chilly here in Alabama too.

Christine Fonseca said, on 1/11/2011 1:36:00 PM

So very happy for Beth! And the website is freakin amazing!!!

Stephanie said, on 1/11/2011 3:38:00 PM

Sorry, I have to snicker at least a little bit ;) 6 inches is a dusting for us!!

But congrats to Beth on the release!!!!

Jemi Fraser said, on 1/11/2011 4:24:00 PM

HUGE congrats to Beth!!! :)

Stephanie Faris said, on 1/11/2011 4:48:00 PM

Congrats to Beth. AWESOME cover!

Susan R. Mills said, on 1/12/2011 6:39:00 AM

I really can't wait to read this one!

Carol Riggs said, on 1/12/2011 3:20:00 PM

Yay, Beth! I have your book on my TBR list! It sounds very intriguing. :)

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20. Ypulse Youth Media Movers & Shakers

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By: Anastasia Goodstein, on 4/5/2010
Blog: Ypulse (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Disney, facebook, myspace, razorbill, sony pictures, bebo, Youth Marketing, shine, the gotham group, smarty pants, nmeTheFacebook.com, Add a tag

Today we bring you another installment of Youth Media Movers and Shakers. We've culled through industry publications looking for the recent executive placements we think you should know about. If you have executive news that you want us to... Read the rest of this post

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21. Dreams do come true

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By: Samantha Clark, on 3/16/2010
Blog: Day By Day Writer (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Beth Revis, editor Bill Shrank, novel writing, Razorbill, books, publishing, Inspiration, Add a tag

Manuscript update: Started my new final round of revision yesterday. The last round was the make-every-word-great round, after going through plot and scene revision rounds earlier. So this is the polish, the I-want-to-make-sure-every-word-is-still-great-and-I-didn’t-type-something-weird-last-time round. I’m excited, and plan to be finished in a week or so. Fingers crossed.

With the economy the way it is and all the bad news that has been coming of the publishing industry the last few years, it’s great to see all the deals still being reported by Publisher’s Marketplace. But when it’s a deal for a debut writer, it’s even more wonderful, it’s inspirational.

As I was shutting down my computer last night, I saw fellow blogger Beth Revis had posted the news that her book, Deep Freeze, has been picked up by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin, for a spring 2011 release. According to Publishers Weekly, Razorbill editor Bill Shrank “said he thinks the book will do for popular sci-fi what The Hunger Games did for postapocalyptic fiction.” Wow!

Beth also scored a three-book deal, which shows the confidence Razorbill has in her writing.

This is fantastic news for Beth, and I’m so excited for her. I also can’t wait to read the book, because it sounds wonderful.

But it’s also exciting news for all unpublished writers. It shows us that despite the layoffs and low financial quarters at publishing houses, editors are buying books, and they are buying books from unpublished writers.

Sure, I’ve heard over and over that manuscripts need to be really polished before they’ll even attract an agent nowadays — hence my new polish round — but if you put in the work, the rewards will come.

Go on, dare to dream, then get to work on making that dream a reality. It will take work, a lot of hard work, but it will be worth it in the end.

Write On!

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22.

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By: Alice Pope, on 1/11/2008
Blog: Alice's CWIM blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Razorbill, Ben Schrank, Ben Schrank, Razorbill, Add a tag

New CWIM Listing: Razorbill...

Penguin YA imprint Razorbill has not previously appeared in CWIM. Below is information on the imprint. (See my interview with President and Publisher Ben Shrank here.)

RAZORBILL
Penguin Group, 345 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014. Imprint estab. 2003. (212)414-3448. Fax: (212)414-3343. E-mail: [email protected]. Web site: www.razorbillbooks.com. Specializes in fiction. Acquisitions: Laura Schechter, Editorial Assistant; Kristen Pettit, Lexa Hillyer, Jessica Rothenberg. Publishes 10 middle readers/year; 30 young adult titles/year. "This division of Penguin Young Readers is looking for the best and the most original of commercial contemporary fiction titles for middle grade and YA readers. A select quantity of nonfiction titles will also be considered."
Fiction Middle Readers: adventure, animal, contemporary, graphic novels, fantasy, humor, problem novels. Young adults/teens: adventure, animal, contemporary, fantasy, graphic novels, humor, multicultural, suspense. Average word length: middle readers--40,000; young adult--60,000. Recently published Spud, by John Van de Ruit (ages 12 and up, South Africa's fastest selling book); Thirteen Reason Why, by Jay Asher (ages 14 and up, a suspenseful psychological thriller); Those Girls, by Sara Lawrence (ages 13 and up, a peek at the privileged lives of fabulous private school seniors).
Nonfiction Middle readers: activity books, arts/crafts, biography, cooking, health, how-to. Young adults/teens: biography, concept, health, how-to.
How to Contact/Writers Submit outline/synopsis and 3 sample chapters. Responds to queries/mss in approx. 8 weeks. Publishes a book 1-2 years after acceptance. Will consider e-mail submissions and simultaneous submissions.
Terms Offers advance against royalties. Authors see galleys for review. Catalog available online at www.razorbillbooks.com.
Tips "New writers will have the best chance of acceptance and publication with original, contemporary material that boasts a distinctive voice and well-articulated world. Check out www.razorbillbook.com to get a better idea of what we're looking for."

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23. New Literacies and Learning

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By: Vivian, on 7/3/2007
Blog: Critical Literacy in Practice - CLIP Podcast (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Podcast, new literacies, jerry harste, joanne larson, sonia nieto, colin lankshear, michelle knobel, andrew manning, jim gee, Add a tag

I'm still working on getting the Manitoba teachers' audio released. I'll post that episode soon. I promise. If you are looking for past podcast episodes keep scrolling down this page or click on the past/previous shows button. I've had a busy but eventful weekend. I spent Sunday and Monday of this week in [...]

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