In My Mailbox (84)

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed. Regardless of the recent controversy concerning Kristi and her blog, I enjoy this meme and will continue to post it each week.

So here's what I got this week!

Package of awesomeness received from Novel Novice (thank you so very much!):

An ARC of Shut Out by Kody Keplinger and. And! A ton of signed labels, to be used as bookplates! There are so many labels here (21!), I don't even know where to start! There's one from Scott Westerfeld. And Lauren Oliver! And Ellen Hopkins! Kimberly Derting! Suzanne Young! What I should do first is go through my prize shelf at the library, to see if any of the giveaways are by these authors. But I kind of like just shuffling through the pile. LOL

eGalleys received from NetGalley:

• No-Name Baby by Nancy Bo Flood
• Seriously, Just Go to Sleep by Adam Mansbach (the children's version of the awesome Go the F*&k to Sleep. Sadly, this version isn't nearly as funny. I put my review up on Goodreads, if you're interested.)

Prepurchased from Barnes & Noble:

• This is So Not Happening (book 3 in the He's So/She's So trilogy) by Kieran Scott (it arrived on April 27, days before its scheduled release date! I cannot wait to get into this one and find out how everything works out! And then I have to figure out how to meet up with Kieran again, to get this book signed so I'll have a complete set!)

Borrowed from the library:

• Kill Switch by Chris Lynch
• Ghost Flower by Michelle Jaffe
• The Lost Echo by Kimberly Derting

What did you get?

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

Super Short Reviews (6)

Short explanation of Super Short Reviews: life got in the way of blogging--and reading. I'm doing the best I can. The primary reason I started this blog was to keep track of everything I've read, and to be able to recall if I liked it or not. So these super short reviews are for you, but also just a quick reminder of the books I've read. Enjoy!

All links go to Goodreads, and all books were borrowed from the library, unless otherwise noted.

And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky (read for 2012 TBR Challenge): I enjoyed this book sofa king much. LOL And I definitely need to work "sofa king" into my everyday convos more often. Along with "shut the front door." But I digress. This was a very sweet novel. Poor Keek is miserable with the chicken pox, shut off from all technology, forced to share living quarters with her adulterous father, and alienated from her boyfriend and best friend. She has nothing but a typewriter and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath to occupy her time. I suspect that the novel might take on more meaning if you've read The Bell Jar (I have not), but Keek's obsession with the novel is clearly demonstrated. Just a sweet novel overall. Own a signed copy!

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler (read for 2012 Standalone Challenge and 2012 Debut Author Challenge): I have been waiting and waiting to read this novel forever, and it did not disappoint. Poor Gabby, living with that wretched mother. She went from a nobody, to a somebody with a hottie boyfriend, and then back to not only a nobody again, but a criminal nobody. While I was able to see most of what Gabby could not, there were some surprises in the story, and I was definitely drawn in and captivated enough to see how the story played out. Definitely a great debut! Borrowed from library.

Enjoy your reading!
Christi

In My Mailbox (83)

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.

So here's what I got this week!


Best. Thing. EVER! Thanks to Elizabeth Scott and the fabulous people at Simon & Schuster!

I have been waiting for this book FOREVER. Now I have an ARC and have pre-ordered a hardcover--which is being released on. My. Birthday. AND. AND! My name is in the Acknowledgements!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Borrowed from the library:

• Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepherd (The Lying Game #3)
• Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot" by Michael O. Tunnell (nonfiction and one of the sweetest (no pun intended) stories I've ever read!)
• Guilty Wives by James Patterson (adult fic)

What did you get?

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George

Viking Children's, March 15, 2012

Read for 2012 Standalone Challenge

Summary from Goodreads:

Jesse cuts her own hair with a Swiss Army knife. She wears big green fisherman's boots. She's the founding (and only) member of NOLAW, the National Organization to Liberate All Weirdos. Emily wears sweaters with faux pearl buttons. She's vice president of the student council. She has a boyfriend. 

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. This is not a story about coming out, or about being a lesbian, although one of the two (three?) main characters is a lesbian. This is a story about being in high school, and being confused about who you think you should be and who you want to be. Which is awesome. Having said that, I despised Emily, the "straight" main character, and I found her chapters to be despicable. Jesse, the other main character (who Emily spends Tuesday afternoons hooking up with--in secret, of course--she wouldn't want anyone to know that she likes a girl) was fun, knows who she is and what she wants. Why her chapters were told in third person while Emily's were in first person, I can't guess. And did we real need to hear from Esther at all?

Borrowed book from library.
Enjoy your reading!
Christi

So I'm a little slow...

I'm usually so good about reading the Acknowledgements pages in novels. I love to see how a book could not possibly come together without the help of many people, and I love seeing the inner circles of young adult literature. I admit, it's also kind of funny to see how often David Levithan is thanked. :) Perhaps that's why this didn't come to my attention until a fellow librarian pointed it out to me at Books of Wonder:

Just so you know, this is from the Acknowledgements page of Kieran Scott's This Is So Not Happening, which I own. And had her sign when she visited my library! Eek. In my defense, I admit that I probably glossed right over my name. I am, after all, mentioned in the same sentence as David Levithan. AND Elizabeth Scott. **swoons**

That's all. I thought I'd share my accidental discovery!

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

True Blue by Deborah Ellis

True Blue by Deborah Ellis 

Pajama Press, January 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

The darker side of a friendship is portrayed by Jess, a 17 year old who struggles to find the moral courage to remain loyal to her best friend who has been accused of murdering an eight year old girl at summer camp. The town becomes a media circus and the pressures become too great for Jess to cope.

I found this book literally by accident. I was processing new books, and there it was. I have heard NOTHING about this book, but the inside flap had me intrigued. Our main character, Jess, is trying to come to terms with the fact that her best friend and co-camp counselor, Casey, has been arrested for the murder of one of their camp charges. This was a quick, enjoyable read. Jess is not a truly reliable narrator, and you'll spend the book questioning her version of the truth. This questioning, of course, will have you questioning Casey's innocence. And to top it all off, the murdered 8-year-old child was a despicable child--according to Jess, anyway. Seriously, this was a quick, fun mystery--I read it in just a couple of hours and am so glad it made it's way to mr library!

Enjoy your reading!
Christi

In My Mailbox (82)

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.

So here's what I got this week!

ARC received from publisher (thanks, Little, Brown and Company!): Revived by Cat Patrick:

Borrowed from the library:

• Caring is Creepy by David Zimmerman
• Slide by Jill Hathaway
• The Duckling Gets a Cookie? by Mo Willems (picture book--but I just LOVE that pigeon!)

What did you get?

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

Simon & Schuster UK, February 2, 2012

Read for 2012 Debut Author Challenge AND 2012 Standalone Challenge

Summary from Goodreads:

When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

Look! A real review! I just found this book so compelling--I was writing up a few sentences for a Super Short Review post, but honestly, the topic of Huntington's Disease deserves an entire post. Huntington's Disease is something that is not on most people's radars, unless you know someone who has it. Unfortunately, I know about it. My mom's best friend has lost all FOUR of her children to this horrible disease. Her first husband had it, but didn't begin to exhibit symptoms until his late 40's--when they'd already had all their children. If your parent has HD, there's a 50% chance that you'll get it, too. But in the case of Mom's dear friend, those odds were much, much higher. 

If you're more interested in learning about Huntington's Disease, you can visit the Huntington Disease Center of America website.

So, it's because of Mom's BFF that I was attracted to this book in the first place, and I have to say that I absolutely LOVE what Katie Dale did to make readers aware of Huntington's Disease. It's very difficult to describe HD--I've heard it said (perhaps even Katie said it) that it's similar to having Parkinson's Disease AND Alzheimer's Disease at the same time. Basically, it's a brain disorder that causes your nerves to waste away. There's a lot of fidgeting and involuntary movement (chorea), mood swings, and cognitive problems, just to name a few. Ultimately a person with HD will require around-the-clock-care for feeding, clothing, bathing. There is no cure.

To put Huntington's Disease in a young adult novel is already a brave move, and a guarantee that you'll have an emotional read. However, Katie Dale doesn't stop there. No, we've also got a heartbreaking, switched-at-birth story, a finding-your-birth-parents-story, a pair of love stories, and even an across-the-Atlantic road trip story! Any one of these plot lines would have drawn me to this book, but Katie mixes them all together--and does it in such a way that you are immediately drawn Rosie's worlds, both old (England) and new (America). Katie has taken a smorgasbord of plots that seem completely implausible and has made them a very believable contemporary story. The characters are believable and lovable--they are doing the best they can with what they've been given, and their choices might not be our choices, but they're not made without serious thought and consideration first. 

I am so grateful to Katie Dale for exploring Huntington's Disease in this novel, and I feel she did an excellent job doing so. I'm very much looking forward to more from her!

Borrowed book from the library.

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

Super Short Reviews (5)

If you're somewhat new to my blog, you might notice that I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to posting. If you're an old follower, you might notice that I used to post with far more frequency than I do now. Short version: life got in the way of blogging--and reading. I'm doing the best I can, but. The primary reason I started this blog was to keep track of everything I've read, and to remember if I liked it or not. So these super short reviews are for you, but also just a quick reminder of the books I've read. Enjoy!

All links go to Goodreads, and all books were borrowed from the library, unless otherwise noted.

Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick (read for 2012 Standalone Challenge):
Very good story, dark and uncomfortable to read at times (although not quite uncomfortable enough to put on my MAHROAT list). I couldn't read this book fast enough. Very compelling. This is not your ordinary student-has-affair-with-teacher story.

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (read for 2012 Sophomore Challenge--and also 2012 Standalone!):
This book was so very complex--it's not just a road trip story, it's not just a story of unrequited love, it's not just a music story. There are so many layers. Can I just say that there were so many aspects of this story that were visual--Colby's artwork, Bev's little sculptures, tattoos--that I was seriously disappointed with the cover of this book. None of the girls in the book really resemble the model on the cover, and the cover gives the book a whole different feel. Normally I don't really care about covers (unless they're super awesome), but I felt that this one was a total bust.

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis (read for 2012 TBR Challenge--own book):
I enjoyed this story. Luna is only 15, but she's the only child of famous and wealthy parents,  so at times she seems much more mature than she actually is. What makes her likable, though, is that she does, occasionally, let that 15-year-old side show. This wasn't as sad a book as I thought it would be--Luna is listening to the last seven messages on her dead mom's cell phone, trying to determine if her mother's death was, in fact, accidental--but that's OK. There's romance, mystery, and HELLO! New York from a rich girl's perspective!

Enjoy your reading!
Christi

Dueling Covers

I never do these types of posts--I usually leave them to April Henry, as she's really great about finding them, and I'm borrowing her blog title because I can't think of a better one--but I was catching up on my Google Reader today and came across this image:

These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen, Washington Square Press, April 10, 2012

That image immediately reminded me of another, and lo and behold, it's the same freaking image!

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, September 13, 2011

How do the publishers justify using the same image--and not even altering it in the slightest? Granted, These Girls is being touted as adult fiction, not YA, but seriously.

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

In My Mailbox (81)

Happy Easter! (If you celebrate. If not, Happy Sunday!)

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.

So here's what I got this week!

There was all the goodness that was had at the mega Books of Wonder signing--I won't repost that here but you can read all about it by following this link. Still, I will post the picture of the books I purchased at Books of Wonder (these are all signed!):

Also:

Won in the Authors for Henryville raffle: The Mephisto Covenant: Book One by Trinity Feagan:

Won in a contest over at From the TBR Pile: an ARC of Alienation by Jon S. Lewis (thanks, Kari!):

Not really in my mailbox, but look at the big purchase I made this week!

That's right, I joined the 21st century and upgraded to a smartphone. And not just any smartphone, but an iPhone! I have to say that after just one full day, I. Love. It. I love that the iCloud syncs everything between my Mac & the phone,  I love that I can take (decent) pictures easily, and I love having access to the internet whenever I want. (We'll see if I'm still feeling that love when the first bill comes in LOL)

One of the first apps I put on my iPhone was the Kindle app, and the first book I got (for free) was Night Swim by Jessica Keener. Pretty sure it's not a YA book, but it was free and I wanted to see how the whole Kindle-on-the-iPhone-thing worked, so...

Purchased:

• Stolen by Lucy Christopher (for some reason my library has YET to purchase this book, and it's a strong contender for the local high school's summer reading list, so I finally broke down & purchased it. I figure that I can give it out as an honor book this summer.)

Borrowed from the library:

• The Night She Disappeared by April Henry
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Raoul Dahl (we're doing a "Read a Movie" program at the library. Pretty sure I own this, but was too lazy to go downstairs and check.)

What did you get?

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

The Hunger Games Movie: My Thoughts

Just in case you were wondering what I thought of the movie LOL I spent an entire week going back and forth on this. People have been constantly asking me what I thought, and my response is "I don't know." I do need to see it again, but I probably won't get to, until the DVD comes out. Obviously, spoilers abound. And I apologize for the length of this post.

What I liked:

• Cinna (LOVED)
• Thresh
• Rue 
• Caesar (but I knew that ahead of time. Stanley Tucci can do no wrong.). I especially appreciated that the filmmakers expanded his role so that we, the viewers of the Game, would understand what was going on.
• Seneca Crane: Delish. That is all.
• some of the effects: I liked that when Katniss lost her hearing, we did, too--although it was far more severe in the book.
• some of Effie: I'll admit, I was not a fan of Elizabeth Banks being cast in this role. She did a good job, though--and the faults I had with Effie were not because of her acting (see below).
• some of Haymitch (the train scene, especially). 
• Katniss. After watching Winter's Bone last year, I had no doubt that Jennifer Lawrence could pull this off. What I didn't realize is that she is destined for so much more than this.
• the violence (sort of): I liked how Gary Ross handled the violence and the killings. BUT there wasn't enough.
• Donald Sutherland: I've read other reviews where he's been bashed, that he looks like Santa Claus pruning roses, not nearly as evil enough to be President Snow. I respectfully disagree. If memory serves, he's not a huge character in the first book, so we don't really know that he's evil yet. Katniss has a gut reaction to him, but it's not truly justified (except for the whole "let's send kids to their deaths every year" thing) until later on in the story. So, I think he did a great job setting up his character for further development. Especially with Seneca.
• Gale: because we only had to deal with his mug for, like, ten minutes. (Not a fan of Liam, but would TOTALLY be on board for Thor to play Finnick!)

What I didn't like:

• The build-up to the Game: I loved seeing District 12, and I totally get that there had to be some backstory, but by the time they were in the tubes at the Game, I was exhausted and actually bored.
• Peeta AND Josh Hutcherson: Hear me out. I spent the entire movie HATING Peeta. That stupid look on his face. His stupid everything. Leaving the theater, it FINALLY hit me: I don't like Peeta. And, I don't like Josh Hutcherson. Which leads me to admit that I think that dolt boy is perfect for his role as Peeta.
• the freaking mocking jay pin. Epic fail, Gary Ross. Epic fail. It didn't have to be Madge, but it should have been more than a freaking thrift store find at the Hob.
• Effie: she just wasn't ditzy enough. 
• some of Haymitch: I don't have anything against Woody Harrelson as an actor (although it's really hard for me to not see Woody the bartender from Cheers in anything he does). I know that there are people who don't like his acting, or his personality, or what have you. I'm not one of those people. I suspected that he would do Haymitch justice, and he did, but I think he could have done more. Where was the falling off the stage at the Reaping? He should have been drunker.
• the Mutts. I get it, there definitely wasn't enough time to explain the eyes and stuff. But my first thought upon seeing them was that someone borrowed the wolves from Twilight and tossed them in the arena. Of course the bulldogs don't actually look like wolves, but to me it looked like they were created using the same computer program. And where was Caesar during this part? He could have explained what they were--not even have to getting into how they're the Tributes, he could have said they were genetically mutated, like he did with the Tracker Jackers. And why weren't they walking on two legs?
• Lack of injuries (and overall general health): Katniss and Peeta (and yes, I realize what their names are, put together, and yes, I really want to use that, but yes, I realize that I might have some younger readers so I'll refrain) were definitely NOT injured enough at the end of the Game. Didn't he almost lose his leg in the book? And I felt that the starvation and dying of thirst wasn't touched on at all. How long were they in the Arena--two days? Three? A week? Twenty minutes?
• Cannon: the cannon was not consistent at all.
• Lack of couch in the final Caesar scene: to me, it was little things like this that seemed like really stupid mistakes. In the book, much is made of the fact that they have to have enough seating for two winners during the interview, so they get a couch, and Katniss takes that opportunity to play up her "feelings" for Peeta. In the movie, they're sitting on two chairs. To me, this would have been an easy and not too expensive way to demonstrate the danger KatPee was in. (That's not what I want to call them.)
• The suicide scene: in the book, KatPee are taking the nightlock because they really can't see any other option--one of them going back to District 12 just won't cut it. In the movie, it's clearly a "let's pull one over on the Capitol" move, and did nothing to demonstrate that Katniss has really developed feelings for Peeta.
• Where was the bread???? Bread plays such an important role in the book--not just with District 11's gift after Rue dies, but throughout the whole book. Katniss is amazed at how different Capitol bread tastes, the scene with Peeta throwing her the bread (something else I didn't like--if you didn't read the book, that scene was just nonsensical), etc. Little things that could have been added.
• The knowledge that Gale will be more prominent in the next movie.

Are you still with me? LOL Overall, I enjoyed the film, but I certainly can't say that it was the most faithful movie adaptation of a book ever--that honor has to go to Hugo. It was just really hard for me to separate book from movie.

What did you think?

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

Christi's Adventures: The No-Foolin' Mega Signing at Books of Wonder!

Apologies in advance: this is a very lengthy post. I don't feel too bad about that because 1. it was a very long and busy day, and 2. I'm posting! 

This past week was the NYC Teen Author Carnival in, duh, NYC. I was unable to get up there for any of the panels or events during the week, but I was definitely in for the mega signing at Books of Wonder on April Fools' Day! My friend and colleague Courtney was in for a day of fun, so we took the bus into the city nice and early. First we stopped at Schnipper's for a quick bite to eat--I've walked past here a million times but never stopped. I thought it was a decent meal for a quick, reasonable inexpensive price (I had a grilled cheese and Courtney had a burger). Then we hopped in a cab (we were too dumb chicken to figure out the subway) and headed over to Books of Wonder.

As I'm walking towards the door, who do I see? David Levithan, of course. You might recall that our paths have crossed more than once before. And of course I knew he was going to be at the signing (he's pretty instrumental in the whole week), and of course I was planning on getting books signed by him. But I wasn't expecting his face to be the first one I saw at BoW, so I immediately veered away from the door to get my bearings. And run into another librarian from NJ! I only know Carolyn from association meetings, but we have talked a few times, and we've unknowingly been at several of the same author events. Introductions were made, my resolve was set, and we entered the store.

It was crowded already, but not overly so (I'm always amazed at how well Books of Wonder manages to contain such large groups of people). Of course I had the entire schedule printed out, with books I needed to buy highlighted, so I was literally on a shopping spree. No joke, I bought NINE books--and brought five from home! Courtney was so much better about staying on her budget, and only bought 3. Carolyn bought a bunch for the summer reading program at her library. Um, I spent enough money that I qualified for a free coffee mug. :)

Once we were all purchased, we joined the line to get into the gallery section of the store, where all the signings would take place. I really appreciate how well Books of Wonder organized this humongous event. There were 15 or so authors for each 45 minute time frame, with five or so authors at one of three tables. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to see all the authors I wanted to (the 1:45 slot had me visiting six authors), but I shouldn't have. 45 minutes was plenty of time to have seen every author, had I been able to afford that many books. 

For the first section I headed right over to Daisy Whitney, author of The Mockingbirds and The Rivals. She's been really sweet about sending swag and books to share with my teens, and she's always so pleasant to talk to on Facebook, so it was really nice to introduce myself in person. Then I met Gayle Forman (Where She Went). OMG. She's amazing, and I was so happy to tell her how much my teens enjoyed reading If I Stay for book club last year.

I thought I was done for that time frame, but they had changed things slightly, and Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door) was signing now, instead of later, so I got on that line. And waited. And waited. It was worth it, though, because Stephanie was so sweet to talk to and made everyone feel comfortable. Apparently she doesn't do a lot of signings, and that's why the crowd was so eager to see her. The staff actually had to move her to her own table to wrap up her signing, in order to get the next group of authors ready! 

I actually had enough time to say hello to Susane Colasanti (who also happens to be at a lot of the same events as I am) and congratulate her on her new apartment. She was really touched that I said something to her, and she was so very excited about it. She said the online community has been instrumental in keeping her spirits up during the whole stress of home buying. I wish her all the best with her new place, and hope that it's everything she dreamed it would be!

Did I mention that David Levithan was talking to someone in front of me while I was waiting for Stephanie Perkins, and that he actually bumped into me once or twice? I'm such a fangirl.

David Levithan. He may be smiling, but inside he's making a note to get a restraining order against me. LOL

The second group was the one I was worried about, wanting to see so many authors, but it really wasn't bad at all. I got in line for David Levithan right away, and after just a couple of people, was finally able to meet the Prince of YA (as dubbed by me). I stammered just a little, but told him I was a huge fan, and gave him my copies of Every You, Every Me and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He opened WG up and was going to sign on the page prior to the title page, but then turn the page. I said something stupid like, "Yeah, could you sign on that page, please?" He commented on John Green's signature, because they didn't tour for the paperback, so having a copy signed by both authors is really rare! Woot!

Don't be jealous. Well, be jealous a little.

At the same table was Margie Gelbwasser, who is a favorite on this blog. I'm so excited to have a signed copy of Pieces of Us to go with my signed copy of her debut, Inconvenient. We chatted for a little bit about our kids (she mentioned an upcoming Disney trip and I was totally able to prevent my Disney geek from showing), and then I moved on to the second table, where I chatted with Kody Keplinger. She was promoting Shut Out but I had a copy of The DUFF for her to sign. I explained that I loved both but was partial to this one, and she talked a little about her newest novel and her fans (I said that she had a huge fan base, she argued that it wasn't huge, but they were very loyal). 

Kody Keplinger

Stewart Lewis (You Have Seven Messages, on the summer reading list this year at the high school in the town I work in!) and Sarah Darer Littman (Want To Go Private?) were also at this table. Sarah and I talked for quite a while about WTGP?--I'd said that her book made me terrified to let my 9-year-old have any Internet access at all. She also talked a little about her newest book, which she'd just sent to her agent. She didn't give too many details, but did say it was about parents and moral obligations--like, what does a teen do when they're told to obey their parents, but their parents don't have the best morals? She said the idea came from carpooling her teens. She also offered to Skype with my teens at the library! (I expressed nervousness at that, because my teens are not always...predictable...in their behavior. This is how we got on the whole carpooling-teens thing.)

Stewart Lewis, Sarah Darer Littman

Finally, at Table 3 I had Jeff Hirsch sign my copy of The Eleventh Plague. Here is the ONE book I got for my end-of-summer-giveaway at the library!

As worried as I was about getting everything done in this time frame, I was able to get everything done! And for the third session, I was only getting Trapped signed by Michael Northrop. He was promoting his new middle grade novel Plunked, but I really, really liked Trapped and was so happy Books of Wonder had a copy in stock! I think Michael appreciated that I loved this book so much, and that I was still book talking it at the library. Yay! I also took a minute to say hello to Kieran Scott, who's been so good to me and my teens at the library. And I didn't even realize this until Carolyn pointed it out today, but I'm mentioned in He's So Not Worth It! Check out the acknowledgements--I'm in the same sentence as David Levithan! Swoon! And This is So Not Happening is coming out in ONE MONTH!

Courtney, Carolyn and I headed outside for a few minutes to get some air and chat. As much as I love doing stuff with Best Girl, I know she would not have been happy had I'd come with her today. Sometimes it's just so nice to do book things with other book nerds!

So, the last session. I was ready fort, let me tell you. I met Arlaina Tibensky (And Then Things Fall Apart), Siobhan Vivian (The List), and K.M. Walton (Cracked), and was ready to go. Courtney and I walked with Carolyn a bit, then parted ways and caught a cab back to Port Authority. We had some time before the bus, so headed to the Shake Shack for some yummy Concretes (blended custard and toppings) before getting on the bus back to NJ. I started And Then Things Fall Apart on the way home.

So, that was our day. If you're keeping track, I trucked a total of fourteen books through Manhattan and home. Courtney was laughing at my ginormous backpack (actually, it's my husband's), but it really saved my back.

The five books I brought from home.

The nine books I bought at Books of Wonder.

It wasn't until we got home that I realized I didn't even see Micol Ostow (and she even had her adorable baby with her!), and although Courtney met Sarah Mlynowski, I didn't get a chance to say hi. I also wanted to say hi to Jess Rothenberg and Carolyn Macker, but didn't get the chance. Oh, well, there's always next year!!

Enjoy your reading!

Christi

In My Mailbox (80)--the John Green edition!

In My Mailbox is an Internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books received, purchased, or borrowed.

So here's what I got this week!

I entered one of the Authors for Henryville auctions to help raise money to rebuild school libraries in Henryville, Indiana. The town and libraries were devastated as a result of tornados in the beginning of March. So of course I wanted to help out, and when I saw that John Green was offering a set of four books, signed and personalized, I had to enter. I wasn't the highest bidder, but! John graciously offered TWO book sets--and yes, I was the second highest bidder! John's awesome assistant, Danica, got all my deets and on Monday the package was on my doorstep--with a bonus book! You guys, I now own a COLLECTION of personalized John Green novels!

Sure, everyone has a signed copy of TFIOS, but how many people have PERSONALIZED copies??? 

I think I'm most excited for Will Grayson, Will Grayson, wanna know why? Because I'm going to the NYC Teen Author Carnival TODAY and I'm going to meet David Levithan. AND HAVE HIM SIGN THIS BOOK TOO! *swoons* 

Borrowed from the library:

• Black and White by Paul Volponi (to book talk at juvenile detention)
• The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George
• True Blue by Deborah Ellis
• FDR's Alphabet Soup by Tonya Bolden (nonfic, for possible inclusion on the high school's summer reading list)
• Stay Close by Harlan Cobe (adult fict)

What did you get?

Enjoy your reading!

Christi