How to use this Page

Dana Skwirut is a Youth Services librarian at the Fanwood Memorial Library in Fanwood, NJ, and the Summit Free Public Library in Summit, NJ. She is active in the Tumblarian community and on Twitter, where her sass got her featured in School Library Journal. When she isn’t in Ice Cream story time, she is seeing the world, one tiny road trip at a time.

Add a Comment

How often can you meet five young adult authors at the same event?

The 2014 Winter Story Crush Tour features Robyn Schneider, Katie Cotugno, Melissa Kantor, Courtney C. Stevens, and Lauren Oliver. Follow this link to check out their tour dates.

We caught up with all five writers for advice on writing, getting published, and more. Highlights from the interview follows below.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Add a Comment

I've got a new copy of Melissa Kantor's The Darlings in Love, and she's here to share the Cover Story! Here's Melissa:

"I had a fantasy of the cover, which might be different from an idea. When I was a kid, there was this book Forever, by Judy Blume. On the cover was a locket with a picture of a girl's face, and when you opened the cover, you saw more of that picture--the girl's whole body, the boy she was standing with, etc. It was this amazing reveal. Well, since pearl pendants play a big role in the story of the Darlings, I wanted the cover to picture a chain with a pearl on it, and when you opened the cover, you saw that the pearl was actually on a girl's neck and that girl was standing with her two best friends. There's a name for that (a cutaway? something like that). But my editor said that covers like that tend to snag and rip and that's a real problem. As happens with so many things in life, reality intruded on fantasy.

"Once the pearl necklace idea was nixed, I think we discussed there being three of something, to symbolize the thee Darlings. The only thing I didn't want was three cupcakes. There are a lot of cupcake covers out there."

"When I first saw my cover, I hated it. I am not exaggerating. I remember calling my editor and making it clear that I was furious. I was like, This is the worst cover! What were you thinking? I hate this cover, etc. She's a very calm, rational person, and she tried to get me to be specific, so I more or less listed everything about the cover (from the font to the color to the cookies) and said why I hated it..."


Read the rest of Melissa's Cover Story at melissacwalker.com.

Add a Comment

Display Comments Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Publisher: Hyperion Books (January 4, 2010)
Hardcover: 336 Pages
Genre: YA Contemporary
Book from Publisher*

From Goodreads. Jane, Victoria, and Natalya. Together, they are the Darlings. Best friends forever. They have matching necklaces, their own table at Ga Ga Noodle, and even a shared motto: May you always do what you’re afraid of doing.

When the friends begin freshman year at three different high schools in distant corners of New York City, they promise to live by their motto and stay as close as ever. The Darlings know they can get through anything as long as they have each other. But doing scary new things is a lot easier with your friends beside you. And now that the girls aren’t spending all their time together, everything they took for granted about their friendship starts to feel less certain. They can’t help but wonder, will they really be the Darlings forever?

Review
THE DARLINGS ARE FOREVER, by Melissa Kantor, is definitely a girl-bonding book. Three best gal pals from New York City are entering high school, at three different schools. They make a promise that their friendship won't change, but without each other they are forced to find who they are as individuals. They encounter cliques, boys, and the desire to fit in.

Honestly in after the first chapter I didn't think I would like this book. I have an issue when too many characters are introduced in a book right away. I was confused who was who and what school they went to, etc. But after a few chapters, the girls started to veer off into their own mold in my head. I loved the structure of the book with each chapter being from one of the girl's POV, and Kantor left each chapter at a teetering point so I was anxious to get back that side of the story.

I was definitely surprised at this book and I am so happy I got the chance to read it. I felt these girls were so perfect for each other because they all had a special fit inside their exclusive trio. And although they were young, I didn't feel like Kantor was 'dumbing them down' to be silly teenage girls, they were really a joy to experience in their actually mature ways.

Along the line of being individuals were the girl's crushes. I enjoyed reading about how these boys in their lives would change the dynamic of the group. I have to say Colin and Jack were my favorites. Colin was absolutely an adorable nerd and I wanted Natalya to embrace that side of herself too. Then there's Jack (swoon) the artistic and charismatic boy that Victoria loved to pretend to hate. That's all I'm saying about that.

This book is a great story for women at any age. The friendships, fights, and romances that ensue will warm your heart and keep you wanting more.




*FTC Disclosure: I received this finished copy from the publisher. I do not receive payment of any

0 Comments on The Darlings Are Forever (Melissa Kantor) Review as of 1/7/2011 11:13:00 AM

Add a Comment