What Are You Reading?

What are you reading this September?

I always seem to be in the middle of a few books.

I just finished this one:

GOOD CHINESE WIFE: I was attracted to this memoir because the author, Susan Blumberg-Kason, is an online writerly friend of mine and we have a Hong Kong connection. I've followed her blog for ages. This was an interesting read, as her story traces the complexities of a bi-cultural marriage that didn't work out because of massive communication breakdown. I loved seeing Hong Kong and mainland China through Susan's eyes. And, funnily enough, I found out we went to the same Hong Kong doctor! Small world.  

THE SCORPIO RACES: I just started this one a few nights ago. So far, I like it. I know it's very popular. Has anyone else read it? I'm still at the very beginning, so no spoilers, please! 

THE BOOK THIEF: This book is wonderful, but it's taking me forever to get through it. I'm talking MONTHS. Which seems ridiculous, because it's so beautiful and tragic. But I think that's part of the reason it's taking me so long: I want to savor every word and not rush through any of it. I'm not eager for it to end in the slightest. I know this is another hugely popular book. Have any of you read it or seen the movie? (I haven't.) 

I'd love to hear what you're reading now. Let me know in the comments! 

FitG Update: The Giver

I'd seen THE GIVER by Lois Lowry on so many favorite-book lists over the years, and what with it being a Newbery Medal winner, I couldn't resist adding it to my Fill-in-the-Gaps list (which I have neglected for much too long, by the way).

I can see why THE GIVER received such accolades. What a fascinating concept and world! And it was a page-turner, too. I was so curious to find out what would happen to Jonas (who was precious!).

I think what makes this book so sticky (in a good way, in that it STICKS in your head) is that the world was so haunting and brilliantly (and patiently) unraveled. As a writer, I received a good lesson in what it looks like to show-don't-tell.

Have you read THE GIVER?

Next up in my Fill-in-the-Gaps reading challenge:

I'm only on the second chapter, but the voice in this book is freakin' amazing. I'm enjoying it so much! 

What are you reading?

Where in the World...?

I know I've been MIA around here lately and I'm SORRRRRY!

I decided to take it easy during the month of April, and taking it easy somehow morphed into DON'T BLOG AT ALL.

I attended the Western Washington SCBWI conference in Seattle last weekend and it was fabulous! I learned so much at this conference, I'm still reeling and living off fumes. I'll probably be sharing little writing tip tidbits over the next few weeks (nothing copyrighted, I promise!).

I've also been writing a lot -- trying to get the first/second/third draft of my WiP finished. The reason it's a first/second/third draft is also something for another blog post. *rolls eyes*

And I've been reading. One book on top of another. In fact, the little table next to my bed is piled so high with books, I'm often afraid it will collapse in the middle of the night.

Here's what I'm reading:

Novel in verse! *swoon*  And I got to meet Author Stasia Kehoe at the conference AND Editor Kendra Levin.

My first Justina Chen novel! And the love interest is a Chinese American boy with a cleft lip! So cool.

Sara is an agent sister of mine; wonderful book so far! I love the concept.

What have you been up to in the month of April? Any good books you've read that I should know about?

Cover Love: With a Name Like Love

I'm finally sitting down to read Tess Hilmo's WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE.

It's taken me way too long to get to this book. I'm utterly ashamed.

But I wanted to pause before I start reading and give some cover love, because having this book in my hot little hands made me appreciate the beauty of the cover even more.

Isn't it lovely? I love the colors so much. The clouds are cool. The RV in the background gives us a hint as to the book's era. Just all around great middle grade cover.

Have you read a book with a pretty cover lately?

The Problem with Pontification

Being a writer is a curse, I tell you.

Half the published books I read, I can't completely enjoy BECAUSE I ANALYZE THEM.

You see, we writers have little rules-of-thumb and tips-for-cleaner-writing floating around in our heads at all times. Which is usually great, because they help us become better writers (in theory). The problem is, they nag even when we're reading. Which is annoying. They make us want to take perfectly good published books and go at them with our red pens flourished.

For instance, I've been reading a book that is filled with creative tags.

I'm sure the writer thought she was very clever using lots and lots of big words to describe how her characters were saying certain things. Words like "pontificated" and "enthused" were thrown around freely, as if they could improve the dialog.

But all they made me want to do was throw the book across the room. 

They distracted me. I realized after I finished a page that I had no idea what the characters had been talking about, because I'd been too busy counting the author's creative alternatives to "said."

Please put me out of my misery!

If you've ever received a critique from me and you are a creative-tag-user, you probably listened to my spiel about simple tags (only "said" and "cried" allowed, and maybe "shouted"). My argument always is, if your dialog is strong, you don't need fancy tags.

I know some people choose to take my advice and some don't. Which is totally fine. It's one of those rules we throw around in the writing community, but outside the writing community? Let's face it, normal readers probably DON'T CARE.

But "pontificate?"

Please don't use "pontificate." For the love of all things tidy, if your character is pontificating, please show us they're pontificating instead of telling us the sentence they just said is a pontification. This is all I ask!

*weeps hysterically*

How about you? Do you use creative tags? Do you have other writing rules ping-ponging in your head that make you a fault-finding reader?

Photo credit: Andalusia from morguefile.com 

I Recommend: Cowboy and Octopus

I haven't done an I Recommend post in a long time (in which I recommend a picture book my family has enjoyed). As you know, I'm the mother of many small children, so I read more than my fair share of picture books. With joy and pleasure, I might add. I love this genre!

And I adore this zany collection of tales by Jon Scieszka. If you like Scieszka's humor (who wouldn't?) you will love Cowboy and Octopus. It's totally weird and hilarious. We borrowed it from the library and kept it out as long as we could. My son would carry it around the house reciting bits and pieces from it.

And we'd all laugh. The entire family. Over and over again.

We now own a copy, so we can live in the Land of Mirth. Permanently.

Have you read any Jon Scieszka books? Which is your favorite?

Insecure

From a writer's perspective there are three types of great books in the world.

Ego Booster: "Great book. And, you know, I think I can write just as well as this author. This book gives me hope that eventually I will get published if I keep working hard and don't give up."

Inspirational:  "I love this book! I want to write and write and write until I can write as well as this author and create a masterpiece like this one!"

Dream Dasher: "This book is so amazing. It is so amazing that I will never, ever be able to write so magnificently or come up with an idea so awesome. I might as well just quit."

I admit, I'm reading a dream dasher right now. It is so amazing and so clever. I've been reading it aloud to anyone who will listen. And it makes me want to throw my own middle grade verse novel in the garbage.

I'm sure this was not Katherine Applegate's intent when she wrote Home of the Brave, but unfortunately it can be a side-effect of a terrific novel.

Do amazing books ever make you feel insecure?

I Recommend: Belinda and the Glass Slipper

We made a fun library-book-discovery this week.

BELINDA AND THE GLASS SLIPPER is a delightful twist on the Cinderella story.

I've read it at least once a day since we brought it home. Even my son stopped to listen when I was reading it aloud to the younger girls and he laughed in all the right places.

My favorite part is this one:  

Lola smiled sweetly at Belinda and said, "I really want this part, and I always get what I want. Plus, I have perfect, tiny feet -- just right for Cinderella."

"Belinda had perfect feet, too, but they happened to be huge.

As a fellow large-footed person, I was rooting right away for Belinda!

This is one book that when my kids say, "Read it again!" I say, "Okay!" without any hesitation.


Any book recommendations for me? What are you reading?  

Writing a Mosaic

I've been working on writing my middle grade verse novel while my contemporary YA is out with one of my fabulous critique partners (thank you, Kristin!).

Writing a verse novel, after writing mostly prose, is scary. It's a completely different type of challenge.
 
If I were an artist, I might compare it to working in oils one day and switching to mosaics the next.

Verse novels consist of bite-sized bits that you have to piece together perfectly in order to tell a larger story.

But each of those bits has to stand alone as a work of art.

So yeah, although I'm at a little over 13,000 words and will probably wrap up the entire novel in another 1000 words, it's tough. My hammer-it-out and get-the-first-draft-over-with approach isn't serving me so well.

I worry about each poem's placement.

I worry I've missed some vital piece of information, because I'm working so hard on brevity.

I worry about my audience. Am I being too vague? Am I using too many symbols for this age group? Is anyone going to understand any of this?

Part of writing a verse novel is reading lots of verse novels, and I've been trying to do that. Here are a few titles I've been devouring lately:

LOVE & LEFTOVERS is a YA and I LOVED the voice. Such a beautifully written story and so totally YA at the same time. I was impressed by this author and would like to read more from her.

In this MG verse novel, the main character struggles with a learning disability that makes reading difficult. Easy read with some moments of truly beautiful writing. I also adore the cover. MG novel covers can be such works of art!

I wasn't as crazy about this verse novel. The subject was heart-wrenching and I did enjoy learning more about this aspect of history, but unfortunately I felt most of the story was telling, which meant I didn't connect with the main character. The premise was excellent, however: a deaf girl  has to flee the Nazis during WWII and falls in love with a gypsy disguised as a homeless man.

I loved this book. Beautifully written and such an interesting premise: the main character must flee Vietnam with her family after the fall of Saigon. There are themes of culture shock and finding your identity in a new land. INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN deserved those awards on the cover (and what a beautiful cover it is, too!).

I haven't started this one yet, but it's on my night stand calling my name. Karen Hesse's OUT OF THE DUST is my favorite novel of all time (yes, I'm serious), so I'm really excited to read WITNESS.

Have you read anything captivating lately? If you're a writer do you usually read within your "writing-genre" or do you branch out?

And, in a completely unrelated vein, are you following the Olympics? (Of course you are!) Which is your favorite event? Mine is gymnastics. I'm always in awe of how those athletes can defy gravity. Incredible!

Poetry Month Verse Novel Read Along

Although I'm jumping in a little late, I'm participating in Caroline Starr Rose's Poetry Month Verse Novel Read Along this month!

To participate, I need to read at least three verse novels during the month of April.

Here are the four verse novels I've chosen:

If you'd like to join in, there's still time. Believe me, verse novels have a lot going for them. They're not only beautiful reads, but they don't take as much time to read as novels in prose. Two weeks is plenty of time. If you haven't read one before, now is your chance to dive in to a new reading experience.

Check out >>Caroline's blog<< for more information.

Here are some other verse novel titles I highly recommend*:

Have you read a verse novel that you would recommend? Any of you up for Caroline's Read Along? If you haven't read a verse novel before, is there something holding you back? I remember feeling very uncertain when I picked up my first verse novel, so don't feel alone. 

*I haven't read AUDITION yet, but man, it looks so good! Waiting for my library to get the print version so I don't have to read it on my computer. 

What's Your Reading Style?

I was thinking about this the other day as I stared at my little Goodreads page. I think I'd entered a contest for a book and everybody else who entered had thousands of books on their lists and I had some pathetic number--42, I think.

Don't let this number fool you. I love to read.

But when I started thinking about it, although I love reading and I make reading a regular habit, I don't get through a huge number of books in a year. My writing definitely takes precedence over reading. Also, I'm not a fast reader. Editing has trained me to be slow and careful.

When I sink into a book, it's like sinking into a hot bath. I'm not a woman on a mission. I'm there to enjoy it, savor the moment.

I'm curious ... what's your reading style? Do you devour book after book or are you more of a tortoise? If you're a writer, do you spend more time reading than writing, or are you primarily a writer? 

It's my birthday next week, and since I'm sneaking up close to 300 hundred followers, I'm planning a little critique giveaway. I have one critique in the lineup that I promised a friend, but after that, my schedule is wide open, so I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate a birthday and a milestone at the same time. I hope you'll check back next week to enter!

Also, on a side note, Sharon Mayhew has a little critique fest going on right now at her blog. I'm entry # 2 if you'd like to head over there and leave a comment. These are lots of fun and I always walk away learning something from the experience. (My writing friend Grace, who guest blogged for me once before, also decided to enter. This is her first time putting something up for public critique, so if you have time, check out entry #8. Thanks!) 

Photo credit: grafixar from morguefile.com

Winner! & Review: This Burns My Heart

Well, Sam, you did it. I have you to thank for these dark circles under my eyes, because there were three nights in a row I stayed up WAY too late reading THIS BURNS MY HEART when I should have been sleeping!

This novel was not only beautiful, but it was an interesting exploration into the anatomy of a wrong decision.

Here's the back copy to give you an idea of the plot, because I'm terrified of giving away too much:

On the eve of her marriage, beautiful and strong-willed Soo-Ja Choi receives a passionate proposal from a young medical student. But caught up in her desire to pursue a career in Seoul, she turns him away, having impetuously chosen another man who she believes will let her fulfill her dreams. Instead, she finds herself tightly bound by tradition and trapped in a suffocating marriage, her ambition reduced to carving out a successful future for her only daughter. Through it all, she longs for the man she truly loves, whose path she seems destined to cross again and again....

What I loved about this book:

• The characters felt real and I think this was because Samuel Park did an expert job giving each one depth. As a writer, I know what a temptation it can be to make our characters extreme. We want to make our villains purely evil and our heroines purely good, but Park's characters were never wholly evil or wholly good. They were a mix and balance, just like real people are. Soo-Ja does make a bad decision when she marries her husband, Min. But Min isn't purely bad. Park could have easily made him a drunk wife beater, but he held back so that I liked, pitied and hated Min at different points in the novel. I felt this way about all Park's characters. I was in awe of main character, Soo-Ja, and of course liked her and could relate to her, but I was aware of her flaws, too.
• There is a portion of the book that I cannot describe without spoiling it for other readers ... but in this portion my heart bled for Soo-Ja and I could not put the book down even though I knew it would mean I would only get a few hours sleep. Perhaps it was the mother in me that related to her so strongly and it's true-- Soo-Ja had a three-year-old daughter and I also have a three-year-old daughter. I could imagine myself going through her situation, imagine the panic attached to it, imagine my own daughter as the victim. Ugh! It was intense! (Incidentally, my dreams after I finally went to sleep were very weird that night.) Bravo, Samuel, for making me feel so strongly for your characters!
• You all probably know I have a soft-spot in my heart for Asian novels. I love novels set in China, especially, but Korea has to be a close second. When we worked in China, seventy-percent of the kids in our international school were Korean nationals. Koreans were some of my husband's favorite students and my kids' best friends. I also got to rub shoulders with many Korean moms and eat their kim bop. So, even though I've only been to Korea once, I found the setting for this novel and the cultural nuances absolutely fascinating. I love enjoying an amazing, heartfelt story and also learning about a different part of the world at the same time.
• Along those same lines, I loved the time period Park chose for this novel. I didn't know a lot of Korean history from this era (1960's & 70's) and I feel more educated now. The descriptions of the protests at the beginning of the novel were fascinating, as were the details about the city of Seoul near the end.

Overall, this was a beautiful, heart-felt read. I won't quickly forget Soo-Ja, Yul or Min. Even Eun-Mee burrowed her way into my heart, although this was more for pathetic, pitying reasons (...which shouldn't surprise you at all if you've read the book).

If you missed it, I interviewed Author Samuel Park last Wednesday about query letters and first pages, and thanks to Simon and Schuster's generosity, I'm able to award a free paperback copy of THIS BURNS MY HEART to one lucky commenter from that post. 

Without further ado, the winner is (thanks to Random.org) :

SAM Posey

Congratulations, SAM!

 

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. We're on spring break here, which, when you have five kids, translates into craziness. I'll be posting again next Monday. Until then, enjoy your spring!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Why Fiction?

"We demand windows. Literature as Logos is a series of windows, even of doors. One of the things we feel after reading a great work is 'I have got out.' Or from another point of view, 'I have got in'; pierced the shell of some other monad and discovered what it is like inside ...  In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. Like the night sky in a Greek poem, I see with a thousand eyes, but it is still I who see. Here, as in worship, in love, in moral action, and in knowing, I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do." 

~C.S. Lewis

Do you ever wonder why fiction exists-- why you write or read it? I love Lewis's take. Any additional thoughts?

Romancing the Snow

When bloggy buddy Jen Daiker asked me to read and review the short stories (hers included) in the SNOWBOUND HEARTS anthology, I agreed. Jen is so fun and awesome, of course I wanted to celebrate her first publication.

Full disclosure ... I am not a romance-genre expert. Certain friends told me I should read more romance (for educational purposes, mind you), so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to be educated in another genre AND support a bloggy friend. The problem is, writing a review about a genre you're not well-versed in ... it's a little scary.

But I'm going to do my best. Keep in mind, I'm probably one of the most naive people on the planet (despite the fact that I have five children running around). And yes, I do get sort of middle-schooly when it comes to talking about sex. Giggling. Blushing. The whole bit. 

Thankfully, all that worry was for nothing with SNOWBOUND HEARTS. The stories were mostly playful and lighthearted. One story did seem more serious than the others, but I was delighted with the character development and the setting in that story, so it was just as entertaining.

Every story was unique and I enjoyed the variety of voices. For instance, "Sophie's Snow Day" is a paranormal romance about cat shape shifters (I'd never read a paranormal romance before). Jen's story, "Snowbanked," is a sweet romance about a girl who comes home to find herself. "The White Lion" is set in England and had all the romance and intrigue of old English houses that really appealed to this Downton Abbey nut, while "Winter Twilight" has wonderfully gritty characters and a vivid downtown Seattle setting.

My biggest problem with SNOWBOUND HEARTS was that it's only available digitally. And, of course, I don't have an e-reader. So every time I sat down to read it felt an awful lot like I was working. I would have loved to curl up with these stories on my couch in front of a roaring (gas-lit) fire. Instead, I was forced to sit bolt upright at the computer. Which made it less enjoyable, for sure, because I kept accidentally putting on my editor's cap. But this is not the fault of the anthology, just my lack of gadgets.

If you have an e-reader, though, it's super easy to download SNOWBOUND HEARTS from the Still Moments Ebook store. It's only $3.99, which, when you consider how much content you're getting, is really a steal.

Congratulations, Jen, on your publication accomplishment! I know there's a lot more in store from this talented author.

**

In unrelated, silly news, Janet Johnson and I inducted our first victim member into the Hacky Sack Hall of Shame Fame. Catherine Denton put down her paintbrush and bravely went where no red-dress wearing woman has gone before and not only hula-hooped, but hacky-sacked with her hands at the same time. It's absolutely breathtaking. You have to check it out >>here.<< If you'd like to join the silliness, just email me (address in the sidebar) and I'll tell you how. No hacky sack required. Our motto is: "To embarrassment and beyond!"

Hello, Spring?

I think spring is almost here.

Even though it snowed yesterday.

Even though I still crank the heater in my van up to 90.

Even though I'm still wearing my big coat and furry boots.

Even though the trees are still bare and the dirt is still brown.

I know spring is almost here because MY ALLERGIES ARE BACK.

I've got the sniffles and my arms have broken out in a rash. My eyes are itching and I wish there was a way to scratch the back of my throat. My body is telling me something my eyes can't see. And for once, I don't mind the allergies because winter is almost over! And I bet I'm more reliable than that darn groundhog.

How about you? Are you close to spring where you are, or does it still feel decades away? Or do you live in perpetual spring weather? (If you do, boy, am I jealous of you!)

By the way, on Thursday I'm planning to review the SNOWBOUND HEARTS anthology. Bloggy buddy Jen Daiker's romantic short story is in it!

Book Giveaway: And Then You Were Gone

My dear friend Becky Avella's non-fiction book AND THEN YOU WERE GONE was just released in Nook and Kindle format. To celebrate, we're giving away a free copy (your choice: print, Nook or Kindle). 

Becky's heartbreaking journey through numerous pregnancy losses is one to which many women can unfortunately relate. Even if you haven't experienced a pregnancy loss yourself, you've no doubt been close to someone who has. This book is not only for those who have lost a baby, but for those comforting others after a loss.

I bawled my eyes out reading the opening chapter. Becky's writing brought me into the hospital room with her. I could feel her anguish and disappointment. But the best thing about this book is that Becky offers hope. She's lived through this, so she understands what losing a baby feels like. Her words are golden.

Here's the Barnes & Noble description:

And Then You Were Gone is a spiritual and practical guide to healing after pregnancy loss. It points grieving hearts to real hope, and equips family, friends, churches, counselors, and others with understanding and tools for ministering to hurting families after loss. 

You can read reviews >>here<<. (They're all really good.)

Entering this giveaway is easy. Just leave a comment below and you'll be entered. If you spread the word in any way (Twitter, Facebook, or your blog) I'll give you an extra entry. Just let me know in the comments.


I'll announce the winner next Monday, Feb 6. The contest will stay open until Sunday, Feb 6, 11:59 PST.

Have a wonderful Monday!

WQI: Cath Crowley's GRAFFITI MOON

photo by Darren James

I'm honored to have Cath Crowley here for a World's Quickest Interview (WQI).  I read her book, A LITTLE WANTING SONG, and raved about it >>here<<. Cath has a beautiful, amazing voice and her characters are unforgettable. A LITTLE WANTING SONG reminded me why I love reading (and writing) contemporary YA.

GRAFFITI MOON is Cath's newest book and will be available in the US on Feb 14 (Valentine's Day release date - how awesome is that!), but it's already out in Australia where it's picking up awards right and left.

Australian cover.

Describe GRAFFITI MOON in one sentence.  



Light-scattered dream.

How long have you been writing? 



About ten years.

Who or what inspired GRAFFITI MOON?* 

Graffiti Moon is a story about a group of teenagers who are outsiders. They spend one night together, out in the city, and it changes things for them. They don’t work out who they are – that would be hard in one night – but they work out that it’s okay to be different.

Shadow and Lucy, the main characters, connect through art. So the conversations they have are inspired by the artists I love - Mark Rothko, Sam Leach, Rosemary Laing, Jeffrey Smart, Pablo Picasso, Johannes Vermeer, Michael Zavros, Rosalie Gascoigne, Bethany Wheeler, Ghostpatrol and Miso. I wanted to write about two people who speak through images as well as words.

Poet is my favourite character. He mostly comes from my imagination, but he’s partly inspired by all the teenagers I’ve worked with who say they can’t write and then they produce these amazing lines.

The inspiration for Shadow and Lucy’s love story was the painting The Lovers by Magritte; it’s of two people kissing through sheets. I thought that first dates might be easier if people couldn’t see each other.

How long did it take you to write it? 

About two years.

US cover.

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?  

Reading.

Grilled chicken, fried chicken or no chicken?



Grilled chicken.

What's your favorite holiday and why? 

A mix of lazing around reading and going out and seeing things that inspire me to write.

Watch sports or play sports?  

Not really. I like Pilates and walking.

One wish. What is it?

More empathy in the world. And that there would be another series written by Aaron Sorkin. Oops. That’s two. But one wish is never enough.

Any advice for aspiring writers? 

Read. Study great writers. Write every day to find your own style. Be curious about the world. Write about thing things that matter to you. 

Thank you, Cath! In our back-and-forth email exchanges, Cath has been a huge encouragement to me. I'm so thrilled she could be here to share a little bit of her wisdom. I hope you're all salivating over GRAFFITI MOON like I am! And if you haven't read A LITTLE WANTING SONG yet, add it to your TBR list. 

If you get a chance amid holiday festivities, leave a comment and let Cath know how awesome she is!

*I decided not to hold Cath to the Twitter-length answer for this question. For one thing, I forgot to mention the short-answer thing when I asked Cath to do the interview (this is when I pull the I'm-a-mom-with-tons-of-little-kids card and claim scatter-brainedness). Then, after I read the answer, I thought it was so cool, I didn't want to cut it down at all. Nobody minds, right? :)

Book Vlog: SPACEHEADZ

My eight-year-old, Gabe, wanted to share his thoughts on Jon Scieszka's SPACEHEADZ series, so we decided to experiment with a vlog interview. 

What do you think? Do you like this vlog format? If so, I might do this more often.

Have you or your kids read the SPACEHEADZ books? What did you think? We've read the first three books and are anxiously waiting for MORE. Thank you to Jon Scieszka for making my son excited to read every night!

A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley

Okay guys, I read the best book! It's the kind of book that reminds me why I love contemporary YA.

Australian author, Cath Crowley's, A LITTLE WANTING SONG, was wonderful. She captures something about being a teenager that's rare and beautiful. As I was reading, I was right there with the characters-- especially Charlie, who I could relate to the most (because she's really shy and awkward at the beginning, just like I was as a teenager ... although her most embarrassing moment beat mine by a long shot).

Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

A summer of friendship, romance, and songs in major chords. . .

CHARLIE DUSKIN loves music, and she knows she's good at it. But she only sings when she's alone, on the moonlit porch or in the back room at Old Gus's Secondhand Record and CD Store. Charlie's mom and grandmother have both died, and this summer she's visiting her grandpa in the country, surrounded by ghosts and grieving family, and serving burgers to the local kids at the milk bar. She's got her iPod, her guitar, and all her recording equipment, but she wants more: A friend. A dad who notices her. The chance to show Dave Robbie that she's not entirely unspectacular.

ROSE BUTLER lives next door to Charlie's grandfather and spends her days watching cars pass on the freeway and hanging out with her troublemaker boyfriend. She loves Luke but can't wait to leave their small country town. And she's figured out a way: she's won a scholarship to a science school in the city, and now she has to convince her parents to let her go. This is where Charlie comes in. Charlie, who lives in the city, and whom Rose has ignored for years. Charlie, who just might be Rose's ticket out.

Told in alternating voices and filled with music, friendship, and romance, Charlie and Rose's "little wanting song" is about the kind of longing that begins as a heavy ache but ultimately makes us feel hopeful and wonderfully alive.

Seriously, if you like contemporary YA and you haven't read this one yet, add it to your TBR list. What are you reading right now? What's your favorite genre--or do you read across the board?

Olivia Reviews MAY B.

May B. is a exiting emotional book. I thought it was scary at first when May was trapped in Mr. Oblinger's house alone.The book was so exiting, I read it in one night!

~ Olivia, age 9

Yes, folks, there's a review of Caroline Starr Rose's MAY B. from a real live child reader! Aren't you dying to read it? Well, there's still approximately 6.5 hours left to enter the ARC giveaway for MAY B. Just click >here< and leave a comment.