Writing Tips

This is old news, I know, but for anyone doing Nanowrimo, you should check out the writing advice being given out at Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld's blogs. Two excellent posts that I've read is Stealing from Chandler (in which Scott Westerfeld endorses the four-hour rule) and Breaking with Stereotypes.

Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt

(We're back! And, with regular reviews, I promise.)

The accidental murder of Henry's brother shocks the town of Blythbury-by-the-Sea, especially as it was done by one of them. Chay Chouan is the accused murderer-and a Cambodian immigrant. As the already barely manageable racial tensions elevate, Henry finds himself caught between conflicting ideas. So, he decides to climb Mt. Katahdin , as he had planned with his brother before his death, hoping that it will solve his confusion. But, he's planning on going up alone. Fortunately for him, his best friend, Sanborn and the recently-adopted stray, Black Dog (in case you're wondering, yes, it's a dog, and yes, it's black-that's what I like to call originality) come along with him. What he hadn't bargained for is the company of the very same man who seems to have caused all the trouble-Chay Chouan.

Trouble is a beautiful book-in writing, in story and in characters. Gary D. Schmidt wove a truly seamless tale of growing up, and with so much skill that it all seemed effortless. The story, itself, is realistic and unsentimental yet completely captivating. Although the book covers the serious issues such as racism and loss-and does so with originality and depth- it also possesses a huge amount of humour. There were many, many moments when this book had me laughing out loud especially at the interactions between Henry and his best friend, which seemed so true of all good friendships. Schmidt easily juggles the multiple plots and characters. And, despite the complexity of the story, the characters never lose out, each of them seeming fully real. Henry's growth throughout the book, in particular, was very believable. As the story proceeds, Henry is not only forced to deal with the death of his brother but also confront the idealized image he had of him.

This was my second time rereading Trouble and yet, it remains one of the most satisfying books I have ever read.

Chloe by Lyn Cote

Chloe is the first in a quartet that covers four generations of woman across Ivy Manor. This one is about (you guessed it! :0) Chloe. It spans thirty years of her life, beginning in 1900 and ending during the Great Depression.

Growing up, Chloe Kimball was subject to the political whims of her father and the social whims of her mother. But, when she turns 17, she's offered a chance to escape from her parents and the life that they planned for her. She escapes to New York City, taking on a job as a model. But her newfound freedom is short-lived as she finds herself tested by ill fortune.

I never would have picked this book up if my friend hadn't lent it to me. The blurb made the book seem all melodramatic and...well, kind of cliched. And, when I first started it, it seemed as if I was right. The book did tend to be overdramatic and Chloe seemed like a Mary Sue character; beautiful and perfect at everything with everyone falling in love with her. Chloe lost the Mary Sue-ish qualities a little throughout the book; although, most of the other characters are not well-developed.

The plot (as mentioned) covers thirty years which mostly worked. However, there were a couple moments where it would be a little confusing as to when something was going on.

Nevertheless, the historical parts of the novel were excellent. It was interesting seeing each of the characters deal with issues in that century in their own way. Both the war and the Great Depression are discussed in the book. As well, the racial issues of the time period are mentioned. Minnie, the Kimballs' black servant and my favourite character, leaves with Chloe to New York City. She decides to pursue a career as an actress and is fortunate enough to snag a modeling job with Chloe. This decision (to have a black model) is met with surprise and shock by the audience.

Despite my problems with the book, I ended up enjoying the book. So, if you're at all interested in historical fiction (especially that of the twentieth century), then you should definitely pick this book up.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Nora Grey’s doesn’t want any new complications in her life, but when she’s paired up with an utter stranger for Biology, her life takes a turn for the more dramatic. Patch is everything that Nora does not need. He’s perversely attractive and has eyes that seem to bore right into her. Nora knows he’s dangerous but she can’t help but be lured to him.

Try as she might, Nora just can’t stay away from Patch and he always seems to be near her. But along with his closeness comes a series of terrifying events which cause Nora to throw everything into question. She doesn’t know who she can trust, what’s going on and she can’t figure out exactly how she feels about Patch. And how he feels about her.

And as things become clearer and clearer, it’s too late for Nora to get out of the battle she’s wound up in. A battle between the fallen immortals. A battle in which Nora herself is only a pawn.

While the synopsis of Hush, Hush seems reminiscent of Twilight, it would be unfair to write Hush, Hush off as yet another Twilight-wannabe. While it does encompass similar elements to Twilight such as the bad boy who may want to kill the heroine who meet in a science classroom, a supernatural type battle and such, Hush, Hush is more.

For one thing, the plot is significantly more twisty and warped than Twilight, and in a good way. The story, while revolving around Patch and Nora, comes with a jagged storyline that leaves you confused and bendy trying to figure everything out.
And for another, the characterization in Hush, Hush is terrific. Nora is not your simple, boring teenager. She has her own mind, her own hobbies and a bit of common sense, unlike most heroines. She knows she has to stay away from Patch and does her best to make it happen, to a point.

Patch is also three-dimensional. He’s intriguing, alluring and a jerk. It’s easy to see why he’s ohsoattractive but yet oh so bad for Nora.
I’d have to say, though, one of my favourite characters was Nora’s best friend, Vee. She’s tall, with a lot of spunk and also is one of the characters who tends to lighten the mood with her appearance.

The only thing that irked me was the pacing of Nora and Patch’s relationship. Things seemed to happen fast, too fast, at times.

On the other hand, Becca Fitzpatrick’s writing is smooth and easy to get into. Hush, Hush is a book that you can curl up with and finish within a couple of hours. For those of you who love Twilight, it’s a no brainer, you’ll adore Hush Hush. And for those of you who didn’t? Hush, Hush would still be a decent way to pass by a few hours.

Be sure to pick Hush, Hush up on Oct 12. when it's released!

Happy Reading,
Reader Rabbit

And the Winners are....

Chosen by the random number generator, the winners are..

Charlotte

lulubee183 (Wendy C)

Kate

Shawna

Indigo

Send us your addresses and we'll get the book sent out to you right away!

The Navel of the World by PJ Hoover

*spoilers for the first book*

Last summer, Benjamin and his friends did what every average kid does: hung out, had fun and oh...saved the world. But, this summer, the quintet has an even more difficult challenge to tackle. They must find Benjamin's missing brothers-a task that proves to be far more difficult than they ever could have imagined. In fact, it turns out that Benjamin's brothers are not to be found in the present. Somehow, someone has hidden them in the past. The Navel of the World is a fabulous adventure filled with mythology, magic and, even, a little bit of time travel.

 The great part about sequels is the reader is already acquainted with the setting and the characters. And, there's always something awesome about going back to a familiar world, especially one you liked. And, in this book,  PJ Hoover didn't disappoint.  The Navel of the World is one of those wonderful times where the sequel of a series is even better than the first.  It was funnier, more original and faster paced. This book was just so much fun to read! One of the aspects that I love about the series (and I've mentioned it before) is the sense of humour. Just to give another example:

"What should I call you?" Andy ground his teeth together, hardly getting the words out. 

The boy laughed. "Ah, my friends call me Nick."

"I'm not sure that clears it up," Benjamin heard Andy say telepathically. Heidi must have heard too as a huge smile broke out across her face. 

In my review of the first book, I mentioned that the characters were quite stereotypical. But, by the end of this book, I felt that they were much less so.  

And, of course, a review of this book would not be complete without a mention (or two!) of the time travelling. PJ Hoover had a really original concept about the way time travelling works in Lemuria  which  you may be able to guess if you've read the first book. Anyway, I'm not going to tell you it (you'll have to read the book to find out) but let's just say that it's pretty impressive. 

-RR2

Giveway: Ruined!

Today, we're hosting a giveaway for the book Ruined by Paula Morris. A link to the trailer of the book is HERE!

Summary: When Rebecca Brown goes to New Orleans to stay with her voodoo-obsessed aunt, she finds the beautiful city haunted by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Rebecca is also startled to discover a haunting of a different kind: near a graveyard one night, amid the Spanish moss and beneath the moonlight, she meets a ghost girl named Lisette, who has been dead for 150 years. Lisette helps Rebecca unearth an ancient mystery in her aunt’s house, along with some troubling historical truths. Meanwhile, Rebecca must juggle adjusting to her snooty new prep school, developing a serious crush on a handsome boy, and dealing with an elite group of popular girls who may be linked to the ghostly mystery themselves.

How to enter:
+1 for commenting on this post
+1 for linking to this contest from your blog, facebook etc. You can have up to 3 entries for this. Please provide a link to each in your comments

Deadline: October 2, 2009

There are 5 copies up for grabs! So start entering!

Note: This contest is only open for US mailing addresses only. No PO Boxes

GOOD LUCK