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Happy Friday! Sonia Gensler's visit to Random Buzzers was such perfect timing as we're entering fall and such chilly weather - perfect for reading a spooky Victorian mystery involving seances and murder in an English boarding school.
Sonia's been chatting with you Buzzers all week about her new book The Dark Between and here's what we learned about her:
- Although Sonia does write about ghosts in her fiction, she's never participated in a seance
- She has however, messed around with an Ouija board and visited a medium
- Sonia loves her cover as it matches the photography theme of The Dark Between
- Sonia's convinced that her dad's house was haunted - creaking footsteps upstairs, closet doors opening, and the likes
- The movie The Others with Nicole Kidman inspired Sonia to start writing ghost stories
- Sonia also lists The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson as an inspiration
- Other books recommended by Sonia - The Turn of the Screw and Libba Bray's The Diviners
- When Sonia was researching her first novel, The Revenant, she came across a non-fiction book, The Ghost Hunters by Deborah Blum, which was about the founders of the Society for Pyschical Research - a real society!
- When suffering writer's block, Sonia steps away from the computer and writes by hand for a while, or writes somewhere different for a change of setting
- Sonia is a staunch planner. She writes outlines, she fills out charts, and notecards on a corkboard, although she also deviates from the plan
- One of the first scary movies Sonia watched was The Sixth Sense
- For research, Sonia read a lot about early paranormal researchers, and Cambridge, England with a special focus on Trinity College and Newnham College
- Sonia's been to Cambridge four times!
- Sonia wishes she'd gone to a girl's boarding school because she used to be distracted a bit by boys
- Sonia does her writing in her office, surrounded by her books and her cat in her lap. Sometimes she works at her local bookstore, but the downside to that is that she has to change out of her PJs
- The time period of The Dark Between is 1901
- Sonia was influenced by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Henry James, and Wilkie Collins
That's just a little bit of what we learned from Sonia! Sonia's still responding to your questions on her board so stop by and feel free to leave her a question or two! Curious about The Dark Between? Watch the book trailer for it here, or read the Kirkus Review!
Missed Sonia's visit? Don't fret! Next week, Robin Wasserman visits to chat about her new book The Waking Dark! Killing sprees in a small town where residents can't seem to make sense of anything or remember? We're so in! We're giving away ARCs, so visit Robin's board and leave a question to enter to win!
A note from Headbuzzer: Check out this review from Kirkus Reviews of Sonia Gensler's The Dark Between! If you've also read The Dark Between, don't forget to share your reviews! Afterwards, watch the book trailer or head on over to Sonia's board to chat with her about her book!
The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler
Three Victorian teens in 1901 Cambridge, England, become perilously embroiled in the Society for Metaphysical Research’s deadly investigations of paranormal phenomena.
After masquerading as a spirit apparition for a charlatan medium, 14-year-old Kate Poole finds herself on the street when society members expose her employer’s fraudulent practices. Desperate and pragmatic, Kate arrives at Summerfield College, where society member Oliver Thompson discovers she’s the illegitimate daughter of his late friend and offers her a temporary job.
Here, Kate meets Thompson’s impulsive niece, Elsie Atherton, and skeptical Asher Beale, son of Thompson’s American colleague. Elsie suffers from seizures, during which she sees and hears spirits of the recently deceased, while Asher’s estranged from his father and at loose ends. When several dead bodies surface on campus, raising disturbing questions, Kate, Elsie and Asher bond as they explore how far society members will go to test their theories of near-death experience. Gensler captures the suspenseful atmosphere of a time when people were obsessed with the paranormal and loosely bases many characters on historical figures prominent in psychical research during this period.
Lovers of intrigue should enjoy this lively Victorian mystery whose teen heroes experience danger, romance and ethical dilemmas as they delve into “the dark between.” (author’s note with references) (Historical fiction. 12 & up)
This review was originally published on Kirkusreviews.com on May 15th, 2013.
The book trailer for Sonia Gensler's The Dark Between is so delightfully creepy! We've been rewatching it all day and we're so excited to share it with you!
After watching the trailer, visit Sonia on her board and get to chatting with her about spiritualism, seances, boarding schools, and more!
Watch the trailer for The Dark Between!
About The Dark Between:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
A supernatural romance about the powers that lie in the shadows of the mind, perfect for fans of Sarah Rees Brennan, Alyxandra Harvey, and Libba Bray.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and séances are all the rage—even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.
Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave—or risk joining the spirit world themselves.
Congratulations to Brandon Sanderson for winning not just one - but two Hugo Awards at World Con this weekend!
For those who've never heard about the Hugo Awards, these awards are presented annually, and are considered the most prestigious in science fiction, as members of the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), so this is praise in the highest form!
Brandon took the Hugo award for Best Novella for his book The Emperor's Soul! He also won another Hugo in Best Related Work for his writing podcast, Writing Excuses Season Seven, which he helms with Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, and his brother Jordan Sanderson!
A huge "congratulations!" to Brandon! Feel free to send a note his way on Twitter @BrandSanderson, or stop by his site!
In other exciting Brandon news, keep an eye out for some exciting news on the blog this week concerning Brandon and his upcoming book, Steelheart! You should also watch SteelheartBooks.com for our announcement as well!
Hurrah! Please join me in welcoming author Sonia Gensler to Random Buzzers! Sonia is visiting Random Buzzers for the first time ever this week to chat about her newest book, The Dark Between, perfect for Anglophiles who love a good boarding school story, complete with seances, secrets, and murder!
Sonia will be on her board all week chatting with you Buzzers, so head on over! Feel free to ask about about whatever you'd like, from why Sonia chose turn of the century England as a setting, what secrets could be lurking on the grounds of Summerfield College, and whatever else you may want to know!
About The Dark Between:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
A supernatural romance about the powers that lie in the shadows of the mind, perfect for fans of Sarah Rees Brennan, Alyxandra Harvey, and Libba Bray.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and séances are all the rage—even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.
Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave—or risk joining the spirit world themselves.
About Sonia Gensler:
Follow Sonia on Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr
Sonia Gensler is the author of The Revenant (Knopf '11), winner of the Oklahoma Book Award and a Parents' Choice Silver Award, praised as "a compelling ghost and love story" by Booklist, "eerie and suspenseful" by Publishers Weekly, and "stunningly taut and entirely compelling" by The Bulletin. Her latest YA Gothic mystery from Knopf, The Dark Between, hits shelves in August 2013.
As a child growing up in rural Tennessee, Sonia dreamed of teleporting to medieval Europe to experience firsthand the bygone days of chivalry and romance. When international time travel proved impractical, she compensated by devouring books and making up soap operas with her friends. Countless recess periods were devoted to swapping stories, most of which featured epic romances with favorite celebrities. This tradition continued through high school.
As an adult Sonia experimented with an assortment of professions suitable for a dreamy bookworm—museum interpreter, historic home director, bookseller, perpetual graduate student—before finally deciding to share her passion for stories through teaching. She taught literature and writing to young adults for ten years, and she still thinks fondly of her days in the classroom now that she writes full time. Sonia currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband, and together they spend summers in England.
Also by Sonia Gensler:
The Revenant:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.
Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.
Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something...
We'll be quiet on the blog and Twitter on Monday as we're closed due to Labor Day! Don't fret though - there's plenty of stuff to do!
Why not...
Chat with Sonia Gensler on her author board about her awesome new book, The Dark Between? This is Sonia's first time visiting Random Buzzers, so please make her feel at home and welcome!
Submit your application to be a Fall Ambuzzador! No really. Applications are closing soon so for those of you who have been procrastinating, you should submit yours now. Check out which books we're repping this season and learn how to submit your application.
Head on over to the activities section! There might be an activity or two you haven't done, or a poll you haven't taken. Ambuzzadors, your activities are also waiting for you there, so remember to login!
Browse our chapter samplers to find your next read, follow us on Tumblr for lovely book gifs and pictures, and of course - share reviews for what books you've read and read other Buzzer's reviews to find something that might catch your fancy!
Have a good weekend Buzzers!
We always love having David Levithan join us at Random Buzzers for a visit and this week was no different! David's been busy on his author board answering all your questions about his latest book - Two Boys Kissing!
Here's what we learned about David:
- The central kiss behind the story is based on the true story of two boys from New Jersey who broke the world record for the longest continuous kiss in order to protest inequality
- While the inspiration was drawn from Matty and Bobby (the original two boys), David created an entirely fictional story around it
- For research, David watched a lot of documentaries about the gay generation before his, including How to Survive a Plague and We Were Here - which helped define the Greek chorus
- David liked the idea of revisiting gay themes ten years after Boy Meets Boy and seeing how things have shifted or changed
- When David gets stuck on something, he just steps away and works on something else. If he's stuck the next day or next week, he starts working on a different piece. He never forces it and always keeps writing
- David's favorite part of writing is having people read it and getting the story right
- Harry and Craig are both like David
- The first real YA David read was Cynthia Voigt's Homecoming
- David would love to write a book with Libba Bray
- David's approach to being an editor and writer - being an editor is like being a very intimate reader, and those lessons you learn as a reader helps
- David made a deal with himself when writing Two Boys Kissing - he would try to write it and if he didn't think he pulled it off, he'd put it in a drawer and move on
- David thinks if the book had been published in the 80s, it would have been through a small gay literary publishing house as an adult novel, definitely not through a major publishing house as a YA book
- A high school senior named Evan Walsh took the photo that became the cover for Two Boys Kissing
- Of all David's favorite book covers, he'd pick with an adult novel called Hey Joe, or Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park
- David's advice to writers - let yourself fail and keep going
- Some of David's favorite writers growing up: Anne Tyler, Alice Hoffman, and Francesca Lia Block
- David feels more freedom to explore certain themes and situations in his writing than he would have ten years ago
- David has participated in rallies and marches and also done readings to speak up on issues that are near and dear to him
- David had the most fun writing Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
- If he had to watch only one movie for the rest of his life, David would watch Moulin Rouge
That's just a little bit we learned from David! David's still answering questions on his board, so feel free to visit his board! Curious about Two Boys Kissing? Read the Buzz Blogger review here, or David's interview on the story behind the cover, and his blog post on the inspirations and touchstones he tapped into when writing Two Boys Kissing.
Missed David's visit? Don't fret! Next week, Sonia Gensler visits to chat about her new book, The Dark Between! Love paranormal mystery, boarding schools, and historical fiction set in England? You're in luck! We're giving away ARCs, so be sure to stop by her board and leave a question to enter to win!
A note from Headbuzzer: This Buzz Blogger review is brought to you by A_Reader_of_Fictions! You can check out her blog, A Reader of Fictions, here! You can also follow her on Twitter @reader_fictions!
About Two Boys Kissing:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
SUMMARY: New York Times bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.
While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other. This follow-up to the bestselling Every Day showcases David's trademark sharp-witted, warm-hearted tales of teenage love, and serves as a perfect thematic bookend to David's YA debut and breakthrough, Boy Meets Boy, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2013.
REVIEW: After several disappointments with David Levithan's works written with Rachel Cohn and Andrea Cremer, I'd built up some healthy skepticism about whether his writing really worked for me. With Two Boys Kissing, I now know that he's an author I definitely need to be reading, and am no longer concerned about the collection of his books I already own. Two Boys Kissing is beautiful, a statement about what matters and what it's like to be a gay boy or man.
David Levithan's writing is pretentious, of that I have no doubt. It certainly will not appeal to a lot of readers, who will be annoyed by that, and I don't know how it will play with teen readers, but I love it. The writing in Two Boys Kissing is complex and beautiful and simple. There were so many beautiful quotes that are heartbreaking or inspiring or funny. Plus, I'm personally not bothered by pretentious writing so long as it fits the narrative style and it's perfect for Two Boys Kissing.
The narrators of Two Boys Kissing are, in fact, none of the boys involved in the plot of the story. In fact, they are all dead. In what the blurb aptly describes as a "Greek Chorus," gay men from times before, specifically a generation dead from AIDS watches the boys live out their lives and marvels at how times have changed. At first, I was immensely skeptical of this writing style, but I actually ended up being a huge fan of the way this played out. Though a bit distancing from the actual teen characters and their issues, I found myself highly connected to this chorus of dead men, choking up in every one of their little asides, either from sadness or the inspiring beauty of their words.
By having this chorus of men narrate, Levithan was able to do two things: universalize the experience of being a gay man into more than just what the eight boys specifically focused on have experienced and indicate how much progress has already been made in the acceptance of homosexuality. Certainly total acceptance remains in the future, but the chorus marvels at the fact that two boys can kiss in front of their high school for over a day and receive largely positive feedback. Being gay is no longer as closeted as it used to be.
Another aspect of Two Boys Kissing that I loved was the diversity of the characters, both ethnically and situationally. Characters, both main and minor, come from different racial backgrounds, and that's just a fact and not a defining characteristic. Levithan also portrays with the eight gay teens eight different experiences of being a young gay in America. There are the two boys kissing, broken up and trying to figure out how to become friends. There's a couple in a healthy relationship, accepted by both sets of parents. There's a potential couple in the making, one of the boys who is partway through his gender change from female to male. There's a boy who was badly beaten for his sexual identity, determined to support his best friends in their record-breaking kiss. Finally, there's a boy who fears no one will ever love him who trolls the internet for connection, pretending to be whatever someone wants on a gay dating website. Two Boys Kissing really focuses on capturing the whole range of experience and does so well.
My complaints are very minor. First off, and this could be very serious for some, Two Boys Kissing is definitely preachy. However, I support the messages herein and didn't mind the preaching. Still, it's worth noting that Levithan isn't setting a scene before the reader and leaving them to draw conclusions; he also sets out the conclusions he wants the reader to draw. The other thing, and this is really nitpicky, is that Levithan really loves the term "screwing," and uses it a lot. It really just seemed really out of place and overused, since I feel like it's slang that I don't hear all that much anymore.
I loved Two Boys Kissing. Levithan has written a gorgeous novel with a unique perspective and really delved into the issues of being a gay male. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in GLBT fiction.
We're getting so close to the release of The Eye of Minds! September is going to be a very busy month for us as we get ready - the full The Eye of Minds trailer will be releasing!
In the meantime, watch the latest Dashner Download as James chats about his love of video games!
Dashner Download #7: Do you play video games?
We also have a final grand prize winner from our Dashner Army Logo Contest! Check out the awesome official logo!
Want to use the logo on your own blogs, sites, and profiles? Just right click the image to save it, or you can use this URL to embed it! http://www.theeyeofminds.com/wp-content/themes/eom/img/logos/5-dashner-logo-finalist.jpg
A note from Headbuzzer: This Buzz Blogger review is brought to you by jamieallyn24! You can check out her blog, Bookmarked Reviews, here! You can also follow her on Twitter @jamieallyn24!
This year is the 10th anniversary of David Levithan's first book, Boy Meets Boy! After reading JamieAllyn24's review, stop by David's board to chat with him about this very special anniversary!
About Boy Meets Boy:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
SUMMARY: This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.
When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.
This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.
REVIEW: I love David Levithan. He is, to me, one of the most important figures in young adult literature. Not only is he the author of a dozen YA novels, but he is also the editorial director at Scholastic and the founding editor of the PUSH imprint. Rather than gush over his amazingness, which would literally take days, I encourage you to visit his website so you can see for yourself. Or, you can just pick up a copy of Boy Meets Boy.
In what was originally a Valentine's Day gift for friends, Levithan has accomplished in his first novel what most authors spend their entire careers working toward - creating an alternate universe readers wish they could live in. I think a fellow blogger friend of mine, Jessica of Forever YA Lit, said it best, "I wish Paul's world existed. But since it doesn't, I'm glad this book exists."
Boy Meets Boy is the sweetest of love stories, and Paul is the sweetest of characters. While his world can only be described as a fantasy by most real life gay teens, Paul's problems with life and love are very conventional. Readers of any sexual orientation can relate. Maybe that's what is so special about David Levithan. His stories are so realistic and emotionally uplifting, readers can't help but be inspired by his words. If you're a stranger to Levithan or haven't picked this one up yet, I will advise you buy your own copy because this is a story you will want to own.
A note from Headbuzzer: Did you know that the photo that was used as the cover of Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan was taken by a high school senior (now college freshman) named Evan Walsh? We thought the story was so interesting that we've crossposted this interview David Levithan held with EW about it!
See the cover of David Levithan's 'Every Day' follow-up 'Two Boys Kissing' -- EXCLUSIVE
Readers, we cannot describe how excited we are for Two Boys Kissing, David Levithan’s follow-up to Every Day. Let’s just say it involves many exclamation points and maybe even a little fangirl squealing. Alas, Two Boys Kissing, which centers around two teenage boys who attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest kiss, is still months away from publication, but fortunately we’ve got an exclusive peak at the beautiful cover, which surprisingly features… two boys kissing! Check it out below, then read our interview with Levithan.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Tell me about the cover.
DAVID LEVITHAN: It’s actually a great story. We were looking for a photo that captured the spirit of the book and just had two boys kissing. I felt quite adamantly that if you have a book titled Two Boys Kissing, you should show two boys kissing on the cover. [Laughs]. When we couldn’t find a good stock photo, I actually asked a fan of mine named Evan Walsh who I knew was a great photographer. He’s a senior in high school in Pennsylvania. He got two friends who are boyfriends to kiss for him and did a photo shoot and that’s how we got the cover. It is very much the audience generating the cover image.
How did you meet Evan?
We met through Facebook and he came to one of my signings. I had a look at his Facebook page and clicked on some of his photos. I was really amazed at how great they were.
What was his reaction when you told him you wanted him to shoot the cover?
There were certainly a lot of capital letters. [Laughs]. He was floored. He definitely took it very seriously. Schoolwork had to come first, but he got the photo shoot set up. He couldn’t believe it when I told him that Random House loved it and we were going to use it for the cover. He still doesn’t believe it.
What’s the idea behind Two Boys Kissing?
The idea behind it really — I mean there are many ideas — I knew the tenth anniversary of Boy Meets Boy was coming up and that put me in a very reflective mood. Boy Meets Boy is very much a book of its time, [so I wondered] what a gay teen novel [would look like] now. Things have changed so much in 10 years. I’m fascinated with the generation after me. Looking at the kids who are in high school now… I was also very curious about seeing it through the lens of the generation that went before me, which was the generation that really had to grapple and many of whom died of AIDS. I thought putting those two things together would be interesting. The lightning bolt that ignited everything was, again, another reader/fan who contacted me on Facebook. He sent me this really sweet message saying, “Hey, my friend and I just did this thing that you may have heard of, but I wanted to tell you that while I was doing it, I was thinking about Boy Meets Boy.”
What had they done?
He and his friend had, as a way of protesting marriage inequality and promoting equality in general, done this feat where they had broken the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous kiss. They kissed for over 33 hours on the campus of their college. I was like, wow, that sounds incredible. I immediately said to him, “You have to come up, I want to hear this story.” He was interesting to meet because it was both very sweet about the kissing, but also it was an endurance test — standing and putting your lips on someone else’s for 33 hours, it’s a lot. [Laughs]. So that was really interesting to me, the mix of the romantic and the endurance seemed to very much capture the time. Finally, there was the irony that they had been kissing and breaking this world record on the campus of one New Jersey college, and then five days later on the campus of another New Jersey college, Tyler Clementi killed himself. And so, it was the position of these two boys kissing to prove a point and try to attain equality, and this other boy who didn’t have that spirit to tap into who went to a much darker end. I thought that was a really interesting thing to explore.
You mentioned that Two Boys Kissing is partly a celebration of the tenth anniversary of your first book, Boy Meets Boy. Does this mean you’ll have to write a book in this vein every 10 years?
[Laughs] Maybe. I have no doubt in my mind that things will continue to change in leaps and bounds every 10 years, so I’m sure that in 10 years, it will be a very different book to write. Some of the things, the emotions involved, are absolutely the same, but certainly the world of a gay teenager now is a very different world than that of a gay teenager in 2003, not to mention when I was a gay teenager in 1993.
Two Boys Kissing seems to be such a product of your fans — from the cover to the story — are you getting lots of pitches from the Levithan fandom?
I have to be careful because then suddenly everybody’s like, “Wait I have a story, I have a story.” [Laughs]. It was really interesting with Matty, who’s one of the boys in the record-breaking kiss, I really had to say from the get-go — well, first I had to ask permission as to whether I could write about this — but then very much had to explain to him. Because of course this is the first time a novel had been based on something he’d done, I had to make sure the delineation was there. This is based on what you did, but the characters who are doing it are not you. I’m not writing about you, I’m actually writing about what you did. I have to make it my own. Your story is yours to tell. I’m just using your event as the stepping-off point. I don’t want to steal anybody’s story. I very much want to use the stories that I hear to get lost in my mind, to tell a larger story.
This post was originally published on Shelf-Life.EW.com on March 14, 2013.
Loved the cover as well, Buzzers? Chat with David Levithan about it on his author board!
Hey Buzzers! Did you guys know that we recently launched a book recommendation app called Bookscout? It's a new book recommendation app we're housing on Facebook that generates book recommendations for you, depending on the books you "like"!
How does it work? It's easy, just sync your Facebook account with Bookscout and then just start adding books to your shelves! Currently you can sort books into "want to read", "have read", or "currently reading" - but Bookscout bases its recommendations depending on what you "like".
Check out the interface below! Just click on the photos to see the larger versions!
We think Bookscout could be a fun tool to generate which book you should read next when you're in between reads or sick of looking at your TBR pile, but an app is only as fun if you have friends to play with, so invite your friends to join you and compare books! We even set up an activity for those of you who already have Bookscout accounts, so check it out here!
What do you think of this new app, Buzzers?
We've had fun chatting with Daria Snadowsky this week as she visited us this week to chat about her newest book, Anatomy of a Single Girl! Daria's been on her board answering your questions about writing about love, sex, and all the squeamish stuff!
Here's what we learned about Daria:
- While Daria agrees that being heartbroken sucks, she thinks it's better to have loved in the end
- Post breakup, Daria likes to sit on the couch with some cupcakes and watch sad movies
- While the stories are intertwined, Anatomy of a Single Girl and Anatomy of a Boyfriend can be considered standalones
- Daria's biggest inspiration was Judy Blume's Forever
- Daria decided to explore how young love may be at odds with your best interests in both her books
- Daria's favorite snacks are dried persimmons
- While Daria says rebounds can turn into real relationships, she believes in having some buffer time in between
- When Daria feels blocked, she'll take a walk or run errands to refresh her brain
- Daria's favorite place to write is her local coffee shop, Coffee Bean, in an armchair near an outlet
- Daria did not cut any love scenes from her books because they were steamy - she stuck to writing as realistically as possible
- Daria has a great breakup playlist! Check it out here!
- While Daria hardly dated in high school, she made up for it in college
- When Daria first started writing Anatomy of a Boyfriend (her first book), she didn't expect that she'd be writing love scenes
- Daria has never felt embarrassed about writing love scenes, but was a little flustered at showing the book to her friends and family
- Daria's editors were the ones who chose the titles
- Get the playlist for Anatomy of a Single Girl here!
- For the time being, Anatomy will remain a duology
- The name Dominique is named after a character in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
- Wes, Dominique's ex boyfriend, is named for Westley from The Princess Bride
- In Anatomy of a Boyfriend, Dominique originally had an older female cousin who advised her, but Daria ended up cutting her
To read through the rest of Daria's responses about writing frankly about sex, relationships, and her inspirations, visit her board here! Daria previously wrote two guest posts for us: her Top Ten Tips for Freshman Year, and Getting Over an Ex, so check them out! If you're curious about the Anatomy duology, read the Buzz Blogger review for Anatomy of a Boyfriend, or read the chapter sampler for Anatomy of a Girlfriend!
Missed Daria's visit? Don't fret! Next week, Alexandra Monir will be visiting us on the blog with vlogs! We're giving away 25 ARCs of Timekeeper, so update your mailing address and make sure to comment, since that's where we'll be choosing winners!
Photo courtesy of Lytherus.com
Calling all our Inheritance and Christopher Paolini fans! While the Inheritance Cycle has come to an end (until maybe Book V), you can still get your fix of all things Eragorn and Arya at Lytherus this week!
We've crossposted the week's schedule below! While we've hyperlinked all the content that's been posted already, we thought we should let you know that Lytherus is giving away five signed copies of the Inheritance Deluxe Edition today! So get your butts over there and enter to win!
Christopher's Very Busy Week at Lytherus!
Monday: Christopher visits Lytherus.com for an interview, guest post, and giveaways all week!
Tuesday: A look at the new contents of the Deluxe Edition of Inheritance and a possible fifth book.
Wednesday: Giveaway of five signed copies of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Deluxe Edition.
Thursday: Christopher talks future projects and the final pages of Inheritance (Book 4)!
Friday: Special guest post from Christopher!
Saturday: Giveaway of five signed copies of Inheritance!
Best of luck, Buzzers!
A note from Headbuzzer: Did you know that Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky actually has a companion novel, Anatomy of a Boyfriend? We went digging around and found this awesome review by thebookmuncher! You can visit her blog, TheBookMuncher, here!
About Anatomy of a Boyfriend:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
SUMMARY: Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.
Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.
And then came the fall.
REVIEW: The farthest seventeen-year-old Dominique Baylor has gone with a guy is a kiss, and not even the French kind. Her seemingly prudish behavior is a far cry from her best friend Amy, who will do everything by “it” with any cute guy. But then Dom meets Wes, and everything changes. She’s never felt this way about any guy before; all she can think about is Wes. She finds herself experiencing anatomy first hand instead of through the pages of her favorite book, Gray’s Anatomy. And for a while, everything is perfect in Wes and Dom’s little bubble of love. But then it pops and Dom is lost. Anatomy of a Boyfriend is a humorous yet honest account of relationships and first love.
Anatomy of a Boyfriend was definitely an interesting novel, though not particularly one I’d normally pick up. I appreciate the honest in portraying Dom’s love/sex life, but sometimes I felt the sex scenes were a little in excess. Reality was by far Snadowsky’s greatest strength in this book. Dom, Wes, and Amy were all characterized well and always felt authentic, no matter which situations they were in. I definitely loved how the characters were stereotype-free. I think I like this novel better when I look at it from a broader perspective instead of in bits and pieces. It’s about discovering love and experimenting, with the embarrassments and insane happiness to go with it. It’s told as it is without being dramatized, exaggerated, or romanticized. I felt Anatomy of a Boyfriend to be an accurate portrayal of teens and their firsts.
While I’d like to say this book should only be read by teens of a certain age or older, because of the mature scenes, I can’t deny that reading Anatomy of a Boyfriend has some value. Overall, I wouldn’t really recommend or not recommend this book; I’m stuck somewhere in the middle. Fans of Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman may also enjoy this book about relationships and love.
Have you read Anatomy of a Boyfriend, Buzzers? If you're curious about Anatomy of a Single Girl, read the chapter sampler here or chat with Daria about it!
Since Daria's chatting with you guys on her board this week, we thought we'd share a special treat with you!
Read the chapter sampler for Anatomy of a Single Girl right here! Afterwards, head over to Daria's board to chat about it, or share it with your friends for Buzz bucks! Enjoy!
Anatomy of a Single Girl:
A note from Headbuzzer: Kerry Winfrey from HelloGiggles, who reviewed Meant to Be not so long ago, has struck again! We've crossposted Kerry's review of The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan below, but you can visit the original post here!
The Kind of Book You Can't Put Down: "The Tragedy Paper" by Elizabeth LaBan
by Kerry Winfrey
There’s no better feeling than starting a book and immediately getting sucked in. It’s like the words on the page are quicksand, and the further you read, the more you find yourself trapped in the story. I’m not ashamed to admit that I live for that feeling, but it’s hard to find. Sometimes, even great books don’t draw me in right away. But from the very first page of Elizabeth LaBan’s The Tragedy Paper, I was on board. Going to work or doing anything other than reading was unbearable. And, seriously, you don’t know what it’s like to be a huge nerd until you leave a dinner with friends early so you can go home and read. But enough about me! Let’s talk about The Tragedy Paper.
At the beginning of the book we meet Duncan, who’s just starting his senior year at the way-fancy Irving School. At the same time, we also learn the story of Tim Macbeth, a senior from last year whom Duncan clearly has some issues with. We don’t know what those issues are at the beginning, but luckily Tim recorded his whole story on CDs that he left behind in Duncan’s room. Gradually, as Duncan listens to the CDs, we learn about Tim’s senior year and all the fantastic and terrible things that happened. Throughout all of this, Duncan and Tim worry about the Tragedy Paper, a huge term paper that starts to take over their lives.
Although Duncan is interesting, Tim takes center stage most of the time. An albino who left his old school because he didn’t have any friends, Tim is used to staying out of the spotlight. But when he falls head over heels for Vanessa, his life gets a lot more interesting. I wouldn’t call this book a mystery, but it is very suspenseful. As Duncan hints early on, some bad things happen in this book, and the unsettling foreshadowing was what had me flipping frantically through the pages. I know I’m being a little vague in this plot summary, but that’s because you guys need to read it and I don’t want to spoil it for you!
Aside from the plot, there are so many wonderful details that make this book fantastic. First off, BOARDING SCHOOL! I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again: boarding schools are the best settings for books. No parents, dorm rooms, sneaking around, strict teachers…what’s not to like? Tim’s story also takes place in winter, and the snow on the ground, snowballs, and igloos make the whole things seem romantic and magical.
The Tragedy Paper also has the honor of being the only YA book I’ve ever read with an albino main character. Although Tim’s albinism is central to the plot, anyone who’s ever felt left out or left behind will understand how he feels.The Tragedy Paper is about how hard it can be not to belong, and how far we’ll go just to feel like we do. It’s an absolutely fantastic book, and I hope you guys will all check it out. Just maybe not when you have to go to work or leave the house.
Some Highlights:
-A lot of the reviews I read compared The Tragedy Paper to John Green’s Looking For Alaska. Although they’re definitely very different books, that’s a good comparison. They both take place at a boarding school, they both feature main characters who didn’t have many friends at their old schools, and they both revolve around a “tragedy” of some sort. The other way they’re similar is that they’re both realistic, romantic, and literary-minded. If you liked Looking for Alaska (and, duh, who didn’t?), you’ll probably love The Tragedy Paper.
-Jennifer Weiner, who is my hero because she gives great advice and doesn’t take Jeffrey Eugenides too seriously, also loves The Tragedy Paper. In fact, she calls it “a beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak.”
-You can check out the book trailer here and read an excerpt here.
What about you guys? Have you read The Tragedy Paper? Do you love books set in boarding schools as much as I do? Let me know in the comments! As always, I love to hear your suggestions for books to feature in Young Adult Education. Leave me a comment, e-mail me at [email protected] or find me on Twitter @KerryAnn.
This post was originally published on HelloGiggles.com on Jan 22nd, 2013
A note from Headbuzzer: Check out this interview with Daria Snadowsky for USA Today! We've crossposted it below here, but click here if you want to visit the original piece! Why not chat with Daria on her board about her piece afterwards?
Daria Snadowsky: Head over heels in limmerance
by Joyce Lamb
Daria Snadowsky, whose Anatomy of a Single Girl is out today (Jan. 8), explains why we should all fall in limerence rather than love …
Daria: Ever notice how all the words associated with falling in love are derogatory? An attraction is a crush. We say we're crazy, mad or nuts about someone. At worst we brand ourselves as infatuated, obsessed, even lovesick and addicted, likening love to a disease or a drug. "Love" itself sounds menacing: Try pronouncing it without consonants and you're left groaning "uh." It's high time we call romantic love something more pleasant and pejorative-free. Luckily, such a name already exists: Limerence.
Doesn't ring a bell? It was coined in 1977 by late psychology professor Dr. Dorothy Tennov, to whom I dedicated my first novel. Instead of dismissing the experience of being in love as a frivolous psychosis, Dr. Tennov dared to elevate it to a serious area of scholarly research. What, then, distinguishes limerence from love?
Limerence is responsible for that sublime, walking-on-air euphoria which surfaces when the object of our desire shows any hint of reciprocating our affections. But if we're rejected, thank limerence for the depression and occasionally suicidal … or homicidal … fantasies that follow. Whereas love grows out of trust and loyalty, limerence feeds on hope and uncertainty.
It's true that limerence resembles obsession. While limerent, we think non-stop about our love interests, become paralyzed with shyness in their presence, and idealize their good points while ignoring their fatal flaws. Limerence drives us to reverence and hero worship, and reality can't possibly live up to our idyllic daydreams of happily ever after.
Predictably, limerence shares little in common with the stable and solid kind of love that fortifies healthy long-term relationships. Limerent beginnings certainly can morph into sustainable partnerships, but often they beget heartbreak. Limerence is what fueled Scarlett O'Hara to long for Ashley Wilkes, and Anna Karenina for Count Vronsky, and Angela Chase for Jordan Catalano. In contrast, bona fide love is closer to Hank and Peggy Hill.
It's important to note that, unlike love, limerence is not a choice. It ambushes us. The choice lies in whether we act on it, and how. Either we allow limerence to derail our goals and betray our relationships, or else we use it as an opportunity to re-evaluate our priorities and initiate positive changes. Whatever the case, limerence is exquisitely painful.
So if anybody — no matter how rational or educated or confident — can fall prey to limerence, why do we persist in degrading ourselves by identifying these emotions as "obsessive"? Owning up to "limerence" feels far less shameful and judgmental. Adopting new language doesn't excuse limerent people from hurtful behavior, but it does make the intense passion of wanting someone so much it hurts seem normal and human, which it is.
You can find "limerence" in the Oxford English Dictionary and Wikipedia, though Microsoft Word stubbornly underlines it with a reproachful red zigzag. And with Dr. Tennov no longer here to advance her discoveries, the duty falls on us to spread the "word." In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, try incorporating "limerence" into your vocabulary. Most important, the next time you're staring at the phone waiting for that special someone to call, show compassion for yourself and chalk it up to limerence rather than something morbid-sounding like infatuation, addiction or lovesickness. You'll love it to death.
Here's the blurb for Anatomy of a Single Girl (courtesy of publisher Random House):
After everything that happened — my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup — jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It's not that I didn't want to fall in love again, since that's about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I'd lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing — and devastatingly cute — guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.
The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.
But I couldn't avoid my future forever.
In Daria Snadowsky's daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through.
To find out more about Daria and her books, you can visit her website, www.daria-snadowsky.com.
Please join me in welcoming Daria Snadowsky to Random Buzzers this week! While this is Daria's first ever visit, Anatomy of a Single Girl isn't her first book, but rather a sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend! Get to chatting with Daria on her board as she answers all your questions from: love, relationships, her decision to write frankly about sex, and more!
About Daria:
Raised in Greenwich Village and Las Vegas, Daria Snadowsky has written for various publications, including Creative Loafing, Las Vegas Weekly, and Nevada Law Journal. Anatomy of a Boyfriend is her first novel.
CHAT WITH DARIA ON HER BOARD NOW!
Visit Daria's website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook
About Anatomy of a Single Girl:
Add to your RB bookshelf | Goodreads | Buy a copy
After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do.
It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.
The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered. But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.
We've had a blast chatting with Elizabeth this week as she stopped by to chat about her debut novel, The Tragedy Paper! Elizabeth's been on her board talking Shakespeare, boarding school, writing, and more!
Here's what we learned about Elizabeth:
That's just a little bit about what we learned about Elizabeth! To read her in-depth, detailed responses on writing and The Tragedy Paper influences, visit her board! You can also read the chapter sampler for The Tragedy Paper, or the Buzz Blogger review of it here!
Missed Elizabeth's visit? Don't fret! Next week we have TWO authors visiting! Daria Snadowsky is visiting to chat about her new book, Anatomy of a Single Girl, and we're giving away 25 ARCs! Just visit her board and leave a question for a chance to win!
On the blog, Alexandra Monir will be guest posting throughout the week! We're going to choose 25 random people from the comments to win an ARC of her new book Timekeeper, so remember to update your mailing address and leave a comment whenever she posts!
With Elizabeth LaBan visiting us this week to chat about The Tragedy Paper (no, seriously have you read it yet?), I've been thinking a lot about Shakespeare.
I know everyone has a special Shakespeare play they love, but lately there have been a lot of YA retellings floating around! We've spoken about modern retellings, but I want to get specific - have you read any awesome ones about Shakespeare? Since he's the greatest writer there was, it shouldn't be too hard to help me come up with a list, right?
My list of Shakespeare Retellings:
Juliet Immortal & Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay
Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle
When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle
Ophelia by Lisa Klein
Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein
Enter Three Witches by Caroline B. Cooney
Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
Juliet by Anne Fortier
Now it's your turn! Hit me up in the comments and leave your recommendations for the best Shakespeare retellings YOU'VE read!
Thanks to everyone who submitted an application to be a Spring 2013 Ambuzzador! We closed our application on Monday and are now reading through everyone's responses and getting your kits ready!
We'll post the final list of Ambuzzadors as soon as we decide on the final 60 as soon as we can so be patient!
While we're waiting, why don't you update your mailing address? This way when we get the final list we can send out everyone's kits faster! (You wouldn't want to be the one person that causes a holdup, right?)
If you missed submitting your application, don't fret! There's always next season! You can read up on our Ambuzzador Program FAQ to know what to expect next round!
We have a special treat, Buzzers! We've embedded the chapter sampler for The Tragedy Paper below! Read it and head over to Elizabeth's board to chat with her about it!
Read an excerpt of The Tragedy Paper!
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