Ready to Fall for These Books

Ready to Fall for These Books

Sep 17, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!

This is one of my favorite topics each season - I love browsing my Goodreads shelves and trying to think about what I'll most be in the mood to read over the next few months. I finished five out of the ten on my Summer TBR post, so I did just fine. It certainly wasn't a huge success, but I ended up really focusing on the Summer Series Challenge and am so glad I did!

So, what's on my radar for fall?

Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

Because I Said I Would

1. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton - Okay, so I requested this from NetGally because I like the cover, the summary sounds awesome, and it's already being named as a book that could win literary awards. The only problem? I had NO idea that it was so long. Anyway, I'm ready to hunker down with this chunkster and hopefully fall in love.

2. The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway - This is the only book from my Summer TBR to make an appearance on this list, too. I'm still planning on reading this lovely-looking book! I bought a hard copy recently because I just needed to have it on my shelves. Yes, I'm that person.

Because Exciting Things Are Coming

3. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon - I have some really fun things planned with Cassie, and this book plays a part in that. Rave reviews from so many bloggers I trust and an interesting concept means I'm ready to dive into this new world.

4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty - Another book that will play a role in my upcoming excitement! Cassie's already reading this one, so now I'm dying to find out what this book has in store. It helps that I've read some awesome reviews and was really intrigued by the small sample I've already read!

Because My TBR Is Toppling Over

5. Orphan Train by Christine Baker Kline - I picked this up on a whim at Target one day, and I'm so glad I did now that I've seen so many great reviews of it. It covers a part of history I know next-to-nothing about, so I'm really curious about what I can learn in this one.

6. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey - Although it's probably more wintery than fall-ish, I'm dying to read this book that's been on my TBR since the beginning of the year. I wanted to wait for cooler weather, and it looks like that time has finally arrived!

Because They're New & Shiny

7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - You better believe this is on my fall TBR! I bought this one the minute it came out (read: pre-ordered), so I'm really excited to go to college with Cath and Rainbow Rowell. I took a little time to read Eleanor & Park, but I just don't think I can hold off on this read!

8. In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters - This book seems a little creepy, which is obviously perfect for October. I mean, it's like it was made to be read in the fall. Alyssa recommended this and The Caged Graves to me, and I loved the latter so I'm really looking forward to being able to chat about this one with her, too.

Because I Pre-Ordered Them

9. Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller - I really liked Something Like Normal, but I wasn't actually planning on purchasing this one right away. Well, repeated good reviews and Cassie's book enthusiasm finally prompted me to just do it. Now that I've read a sample? Well, dang! I want this one NOW.

10. The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead - If I could only read one book this fall, I seriously think it might be this one. I LOVED The Indigo Spell, and it left me dying for more (particularly for more of my new favorite couple). I'm frantically anticipating this book's release... it can't come soon enough!

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An Interview [Part Two!] With Liza Palmer

An Interview [Part Two!] With Liza Palmer

Sep 16, 2013

I finished reading Nowhere But Home back in the beginning of June, and I was just a bundle of love and happiness. It immediately moved to the top of Favorite Reads of 2013 list, but I didn't even know how to write about it. I quietly simmered on my feelings - my love just growing day by day. I finally reviewed it in August, and promptly told Cass that she HAD to read it, too. I barely knew Cass at that point, but I did know that she had a major crush on the South. I had a feeling this book would only fuel that fire! Thankfully, I was totally right in my recommendation. Cass LOVED it, and she's been pushing it everyone since then. 

After a few awesome Twitter conversations with author Liza Palmer, Cassie suggested we ask her to do an interview with us. And that brings us to this moment - one I'm SO excited to share with y'all! We've got tons of fun to share with today: Part One of the interview is over on Cassie's blog AND Liza was kind and generous enough to offer to do a giveaway of three SIGNED copies of Nowhere But Home. I MEAN, I'M JUST TAKING DEEP BREATHS OVER HERE. Y'all, I'm pleased as punch to be able to introduce you to this talented author! Enjoy finding out a little more about her, and make sure you enter to win a copy of Nowhere But Home. This Southern girl thinks it's high time you took a trip to Texas! P.S. - Follow Liza on Twitter! You'll love her!

If you weren't a writer, what do you think you'd be doing?

I'd like to think that I would have mustered the passion to be a chef or something wonderful, but the truth is writing saved me. It's always been the only thing for me. So, if I wasn't writing I'd be wiling away in some nowhere job (which is exactly where I was) watching my life just tick away.

(cue sad tuba)

We've been proclaiming our love for Nowhere But Home from the rooftops. 
What's the last book you read that inspired this reaction in you?

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars WRECKED ME. I took it on a plane with me to the Texas Book Festival. So, I'm SOBBING uncontrollably on the plane coming back and the flight attendant is handing me tissues and the businessman next to me on the plane is continually asking if I'm okay...

That book. Beautiful. I'm totally looking forward to the movie adaptation - it's a great team of people. The same guys who did Spectacular Now and I love that Shailene Woodley.

Say you just got big news - Nowhere But Home is going to be a movie! Can you DREAM CAST for us?

I think Taylor Schilling from Orange is the New Black would make an awesome Queenie. I also think Elizabeth Banks would do a great job - she was fantastic in People Like Us. Merry Carole has always been Christina Hendricks in my eyes - I wouldn't mind her being a red head.

I was totally thinking of Ian Somerhalder for Hudson, he just has that looooook that you know he's trouble (and now I have that Taylor Swift song stuck in my head).

Everett. You know he was a tough one. The eyes? The green eyes? Are Jensen Ackles.

And for awhile it was Chris Evans, but this particular picture. It was the bitten down fingernails and the chin up defensive thing that I loved. And that it's Chris Evans. I mean:

Then it kind of morphed into, as all things should, Tim Riggins (when Everett mentions he let his hair grow out? I mean... I had to, right?). And again with the greenish eyes...

[Hannah's Interjection: Thanks for making this blog a WHOLE LOT HOTTER! Swoon.]

What would you choose as the theme song for Nowhere But Home?

I did a whole blog post on this - you know how I love to make a playlist! I also made the Number One and this blog post has the pictures to prove it!

[Hannah's Interjection: The Number One is a famous meal from Nowhere But Home. So, check out the pictures and tell me you don't immediately want to read the book!]

Congrats! We got you a puppy. Now, what literary character is your new dog being named after and why?

Hilariously, I've already accidentally done this with my current dog. Fourteen years ago, I'm walking around a farmer's market here in LA and there's this little girl walking around with two puppies on her shoulders. I couldn't resist and took the Little Girlie Puppy off her hands. I'm walking away with my friend and say, "I think I'm going to name her after a poet." My friend says, "Poet is a great name."

So my dog is named Poet because I didn't have the heart to correct a friend that I no longer even remember.

I mean...

Tell us five things to expect from your upcoming novel, Heroine!

1) Romance Novel Cover Models

2) The steamiest couple I've ever written

3) A bit of commentary on being marginalized because you're a woman who speaks for and makes products predominately for women.

4) Be ready to fall for Mr. Lincoln Mallory - I know I did.

5) Great multi-generational female characters and the complicated relationships that come with that.

[Hannah's Interjection: WOW! I was already dying to read Heroine - just based on this announcement - but now I'm even more excited for this book to be released!

LIGHTNING ROUND!

Dogs or Cats? DOGS. SO DOGS.

Sweet or Sour? SWEET.

Cucumbers or Pickles? PICKLES

Sushi or Steak? SUSHI!

Radio or iPod? IPOD!

Thank you SO much, Liza! I'm so glad I found Nowhere But Home - and I'm so excited to help introduce more people to your incredible characters!

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of this AMAZING book!
P.S. Betty loved it, Lauren loved it, and Asheley loved it. I mean, come on y'all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents Only.

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A Pawn In A Deadly Game

A Pawn In A Deadly Game

Sep 12, 2013

Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta

Release Date: September 2013
Publisher: Tyndale
Pages: 433 pages
Source & Format: NetGalley; e-ARC
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston's position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia's first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother's mysterious past. Before she knows what's happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country's most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.

Thoughts on Born of Persuasion

I first spotted Born of Persuasion on NetGalley, and I immediately went to the author's website to read more about her debut. I was drawn to the summary, and the comparisons to Austen had me even more intrigued. I'm all about anything reminiscent of my very favorite author!

Julia Elliston is an orphan at seventeen. She's alone in the world, and it's not a good time or place to be without a trusted protector. Julia finds herself in the care of a nameless and unknown guardian, and he wants to send her to Scotland to work as a servant. She can't imagine anything worse - all she wants is to be able to marry her childhood sweetheart, Edward. Julia travels to Am Meer, the home of one of her closest friends. She's finally close enough to see and speak to Edward, but what has happened in the four years since they last spoke?

Nothing is the same was it once was, and Julia begins to unravel as many secrets come to light. As things fall apart around her, Julia decides to take matters into her own hands. She makes an agreement with a wealthy woman who promises to help her make a successful match. It's a decision that marks a turning point in Julia's life and takes her down a dangerous path.

While Born of Persuasion has drawn comparisons to Jane Austen, I actually think the book more closely resembles the novels of the Brontes. This is a very Gothic tale, and I didn't think it really resembled Austen at all. The story is filled with drama, and it has a twisted plot that leaves you always feeling a little out of the loop. I thought Julia was an incredibly unreliable narrator - she's naive, too trusting, prone to hysterics and seems completely unaware (or unconcerned?) with proper behavior.

Although it's historical fiction, it didn't feel entirely accurate. The inordinate amount of time Julia spends alone with men just didn't quite ring true to me. I'm not a Victorian expert, but I would think that Julia would be more concerned about her reputation (particularly in light of the fact that she has no real protection in the world after the loss of her parents). I was constantly baffled by her behavior, and I found her to be a very frustrating character.

Born of Persuasion is Christian fiction, and I was really pleased with the way spiritual themes were more thematic rather than overt or lengthy discussions of faith. There are several elements of the story that hinge of Julia's lack of faith (her father was a well-known atheist) and how it interplays with Edward's faith and role in society.

There are several "big reveals" in the book, and I found them surprising but somewhat frustrating. This book relies heavily on all the conflict and angst - and my frustration with Julia didn't leave me very invested in the outcome of the bind she had gotten herself into by the end of the novel. In some ways, I think this read like the Gothic tales that Austen parodies in Northanger Abbey. It has dangerous men, deadly consequences, the potential for comprised virtue, the damsel in constant distress and a seemingly improbable flow of problem after problem. That doesn't mean it wasn't interesting and readable! In fact, I tore through this novel in much the same way that Catherine Morland did The Mysteries of Udolpho. However, it becomes a puzzle that doesn't necessarily make sense, even as the pieces begin to come together.

My main criticism is that, while entertaining, Born of Persuasion felt as though it lacked real substance or depth. It was a high-stakes, high-drama read, but in some ways it reminded me of a roller coaster. There's that rush and thrill while you're on it, but the adrenaline fades quickly once you're back on solid ground. I liked Born of Persuasion, but I was disappointed by the number of inconsistencies that kept me from loving a book that seemed like it'd be a new favorite for me.

So Quotable

"I have found that those who try to shield us from the truth, regardless of the reason, end up doing the greatest harm. Truth alone sets you free, not lies and omissions."

*I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

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Make These Into Movies!

Make These Into Movies!

Sep 10, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!

Top Ten Books I'd Love To See As A Movie or TV Show
From Books I've Read in 2013

1. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham - Good thing this is already being turned into a TV show! I loved this debut from one of my favorite actresses, and I would love to see Franny come to life on screen.

2. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick - A sweet summer romance with a little drama to spice things up? This was made to be a movie!

3. The Distance Between Us by Kasie West - Hot rich guy + snarky girl + witty banter = I can already picture myself smiling at the screen. I was totally picturing this as a movie the entire time I was reading, so now I just need for it to actually happen.

4. Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer - DUH! This is totally a situation where the book would be better than the movie, but I'd still totally want to see this book on the big screen. North Star, Texas, and the people who call it home should totally be immortalized on film.

5. The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni - If done correctly, this is totally the kind of scary movie that I'd actually see. I refuse to watch most horror movies, but I would work up the courage to see this if it became a movie. Plus, knowing how it ends would help me get over my fear!

6. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - I'd go by myself with only a box of tissues to keep me company, but I still want one of my favorite reads of the year to become a movie. Nicholas Sparks doesn't have anything on Jojo Moyes. This book as a movie? It would scar me for life.

7. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead - I want this series to become a TV show! Forget turning it into a movie. I want to follow this series from week-to-week and became invested in all the characters. I want to go to work the next morning dying to talk to my co-workers about what happened the night before. Can't you just picture it now?

8. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - I didn't really love Cinder, but I absolutely fell in love with this series after reading Scarlet. I'd like the whole series to be turned into movies... Because that would be so awesome! Imagine how cool this would look with some awesome special effects and some kickass leading ladies.

9. Heist Society by Ally Carter - This book reads like a movie, so it only makes sense that it's been optioned already. I'm so hoping this makes it to movie theaters because I'd totally go see this during opening week. A heist movie with savvy teens? Count me in!

10. The Betsy-Tacy Series by Maud Hart Lovelace - Maybe it's my love for mini-series, but I can totally see this on screen a la the Kevin Sullivan Anne of Green Gables films. I'd want them to follow the books a little better than those did (especially that last movie!), but I can already see myself binge watching episodes and crushing on Joe Willard. MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

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They Will Not See Me

They Will Not See Me

Sep 9, 2013

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Release Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown
Pages: 336 pages
Source & Format: NetGalley; e-ARC
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard.

Riveting and rich with lyricism, Burial Rites evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and place, and asks the question, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?

Thoughts on Burial Rites

How do I even begin to describe my love for this book? From the stunning cover to the gorgeous prose inside, I love everything about Burial Rites. Hannah Kent's debut novel is a work of fiction, but it is based on real events. It is stunning, moving, and without a doubt, one of the best things I've read in a long time and certainly a favorite of this year. It deserves all the praise it's been getting and more.

Burial Rites is the story of Agnes Mangúsdóttir - a woman convicted of murder in Iceland in the 1820s. She is sentenced to death, and she is sent to an isolated farm to live with a family there and await her execution. The family is horrified about housing her, but there are no jails in Iceland and they cannot refuse the District Commissioner. But that doesn't mean they have to be kind to her. The only person who listens to her - who wants to hear her story - is Tóti, the priest Agnes has chosen to be her spiritual guardian.

Each chapter opens with an item - a letter, a public notice, a legal document - related to Agnes or her case. It provides a unique perspective and a wider view of everything that's going on. Most of the book is in third-person and focuses on the people around Agnes (the family housing her and the priest charged with leading her to repentance). There are also shifts to first person when you get to hear from Agnes. Her thoughts are sharp, brittle, and shadowed. Agnes is an enigma, and her own thoughts don't do much to bring light to her past. But oh, they're so incredibly evocative.

Consider this passage:

"I remain quiet. I am determined to close myself to the world, to tighten my heart and hold what has not yet been stolen from me. I cannot let myself slip away. I will hold what I am inside, and keep my hands tight around all the things I have seen and heard, and felt. The poems composed as I washed and scythed and cooked until my hands were raw. The sagas I know by heart. I am sinking all I have left and going underwater. If I speak, it will be bubbles of air. They will not be able to keep my words for themselves. They will see the whore, the madwoman, the murderess, the female dripping blood into the grass and laughing with her mouth choked with dirt. They will say 'Agnes' and see the spider, the witch caught in the webbing of her own fateful weaving. They might see the lamb circled by ravens, bleating for a lost mother. But they will not see me. I will not be there."

Agnes is accused with two of people of killing her former master by beating him, stabbing him, and then setting his house on fire. Agnes' story pierced my heart much like her knife supposedly pierced his. Her story got under my skin and into my thoughts. I was eating and breathing this book during the two days it took me to read it. Every spare moment had me flipping open my Kindle, sneaking bits and pieces whenever possible.

This isn't a happy book, and it won't sweep you away with the drama. But it's a haunting story. The setting is bleak, isolated, lonely and desolate... much like Agnes' future. Kent has painted a picture of Iceland that makes you feel as though you're there. The setting is the perfect reflection of Agnes' desperation. But there's also this quiet hope, this yearning for the truth, and this desire to be understood. To be known.

At its heart, this book is about the difference between who a person is and what they have done. It's about how a person's whole identity can be dictated by stories told by others and how every story has two sides. Agnes is not a perfect woman, but is she as bad as they say? Where do the stories end and where does the truth begin? The questions this book wrestles with are central to the story but also applicable even to the world we live in today.

I was enthralled - hanging on every one of Kent's words. I honestly cannot believe that she's only twenty-eight, and the fact that she's from Australia has me further convinced that there must be something in the water over there. How do they keep producing such incredible authors? Her writing is lyrical and poetic, and it's the kind of book you want to listen to or read aloud to fully appreciate its beauty.

I feel like I haven't even done this book justice. It's dark and rich - a story that will leave you aching inside. I couldn't pick up anything for several days after closing the final page. My mind just wanted to keep turning over what I'd read. If you're a fan of adult fiction, this is a book that MUST be on your reading list. I haven't read anything quite like it before, and it makes me so incredibly excited about Kent's future. I've already pre-ordered a copy of Burial Rites because it's something that I have to own so I can return to it again and again... and I have a feeling I'll be doing that often. I loved it that much! Burial Rites is a moving, lyrical debut that will impress you with its depth and beauty.

So Quotable

"God has had His chance to free me, and for reasons known to Him alone, He has pinned me to ill fortune, and although I have struggled, I am run through and through with disaster; I am knifed to the hilt with fate."

"To know what a person has done, and to know who a person is, are very different things."

*I received a copy of this book from Little, Brown in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

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