In My Mailbox #3

I actually purchased BOOKS this week! Not e-books like I usually do. I had just read The Demon King right before school started because I have a lovely signed copy from Cinda Williams Chima. I just wanted to add to my series in paper format. I had two 20% off coupons so for the other one I decided to just bite the bullet and finally buy it: The Woman in Black, I really want to see movie and its been on my TBR pile for about 6 or 7 years! Here they are:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima

Jane Austen Owns My Soul Pt. I

In Which Jane Austen Owns My Soul

I cannot write my WIP. I cannot blog. I cannot read contemporary young adult novels. I cannot watch documentaries on Netflix. Why, you ask? Because Jane Austen has taken over my life. I must eat, breath, and think all things 19th century. I must concern myself with manners and calling on society for merriment. I fancy to wear muslin and go for walks about the countryside.

How did I get myself into such a bind? Well, I am in my final semester at college. Before all English majors are to graduate we must take what is called a "Senior Seminar". Each semester the seminar is rotated among professors. This time around, the professor decided to do all Jane Austen. Every single novel published. In 16 weeks. Mmmhmm. This is not a complaint, of sorts, rather a testament. I honestly did not think the course work would be so rigorous.

But there it is. My head is filled with dreams of marrying for equal parts love and money. To charm all with my wit and discourse. So, I will be reviewing each book I read of Austen's in the next weeks. Here we go!

Road Trip Wednesday: Words

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic:

What words do you absolutely hate? Which ones do you adore?

My least favorite words are gross ones that have to do with bodily functions, like "snot". I also really don't like "murmur". Usually the author uses it in a sexy way...and it's not. Just no.  

My favorite words anymore are kennings. Kennings are compound words that form a metaphor. Wiki explains so much more eloquently here. Like "whale-road" for ocean or "bone-house" for skin. Pure poetry.

Top Ten Tuesdays #4

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Top 10 9 Books I'd Hand to Someone Who Says They Don't Like To Read

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (duh! this appears on ALL my lists haha) But seriously it's so full of adventure it's sure to pull in the reluctant reader.
2. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert I know I know it isn't 2008 anymore, but it seems everyone who reads the books loves it. Plus, I cannot get enough of travel memoirs. It's like a whole new level of escapist reading because someone went out and actually did these incredible things.
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett Another one of those books that seem to span across the board and yes I am aware of the controversy but it still seems to evoke good strong feelings out of people.
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Intriguing, interesting, and so full of depth. There is something for every level or taste of reader.
5. The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling If there are people still left on earth who haven't read them, then yes I will give them these books to read.
6. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Now *this* is a book. Wonderfully written and is so unique with a beautiful story underneath.
7. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon I have not met a person who has read this and didn't like. Good enough for me.
8. The Outsiders by SE Hinton When I think of classics and YA, this book is front and center, like a cornerstone of great lit. It is a cryin' shame if kids don't get to experience this book.
9. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen This book is pure love. It's whimsical and full of joy. I don't always read uplifting book but when I do, it's this one.

 

Online Literary Magazine: A Call for Submissions

Attention writers of all ages and locations!

The online literary magazine named Jenny is currently looking for submissions for short stories, nonfiction, and poetry. Jenny mag hails from Youngstown, Ohio and is a part of Youngstown State University. We need diverse and unique voices for our upcoming Spring issue. 

Please send us some of your best work! 

We could use some great YA lit or poetry you've been tinkering with. Go to the website for more information about submitting (it's SO simple!) or to read past issues. Check out my short YA story called "Idora" from last Spring while you are there. 

Any questions? Just leave a comment. 

Good luck to all who participate!

Top Ten Tuesday #3

This week was a freebie!

I went with Top Ten YA feminist friendly novels.

Disclaimer: These are only ones I have read and make my inner feminist squeal with delight, where as a lot of books makes my inner feminist squirm or yell obscenities. I have plenty more that are recommended to me by feminist friends and bloggers, but alas I have not read them therefore I cannot attest to their strength to be on this list.

My criteria was pretty simple. The female characters are the focus of the story. The MC is proactive in her life and decision making. She is full of action and established personality not in relation to male characters. Gender norms are broken or challenged. They are not Mary Sues.   

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
3. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
5. Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block
6. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
7. The Book Theif by Makus Zusak
8. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
9. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan 
10. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

"When your only female character exists to be bartered and abused, that is lazy writing. When you raise the stakes by threatening a woman with rape, that is lazy writing. When you demonstrate the “seriousness” of a situation by describing a brutal rape, that is lazy writing. When you inject emotion into a flagging scene by making the man throw the woman against the wall, that is lazy writing. Not only is it lazy writing, but when rape is used lightly and cheaply as a convenient narrative device, it hurts people.
Try harder." - Monica Byrne

Book Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

From Goodreads.com: Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest. But there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things.
Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

 My Review: I got this on my nook when it went on sale and I am so glad I did. Let's start with the cover shall we? It is a  vibrant, eye catching, INCREDIBLE cover! I'm actually kind of over the trend of zomg!poofy dresses on the covers of many books. This is one is flawless though. It really fits with the tone of the book which begins on page. The tone is mysterious and lush. Everything shimmers and sparkles with magic and silver imagery. The book is based off the Grimm's fairy tale of the 12 Dancing Princesses. Actually the original story is very glum and misogynistic. I am glad this book swayed away from that and took many liberties from the original tale. I also really enjoyed the love interest of the MC. He was adorable, I wish there was more of him within the book. The villain is creepy and well flushed out. Dancing, and skirts swishing, knights, and enchanted ballrooms oh my! I love retellings and recommend you check this book out of you do too.

My Reaction in GIF form: