Author/Blogger party!

I'm planning an awesome party (in a party hall!) for both YA authors and bloggers to mingle. I've already gotten some fantastic confirmed bloggers & authors coming, but we're looking to make it an even bigger party! If you're around the Ohio area (near Cleveland) on December 12th (between 3pm-7pm), email me at thepageflipper(at)yahoo(dot)com for more details!

There will be cupcakes and awesome a'plenty.

Dead Like Me

I started watching this TV show called Dead Like Me, which comes highly recommended by yours truly. I was telling one of my friends about the fiction book I was working on, and she thought it'd be good "research". So I, um, did research. Oh, such a tough homework assignment.

Honestly, I'm beyond glad Megan recommended it. I have this morbid love for any books or movies related to the afterlife. That's probably why I like Tim Burton so much. Such an upstanding gentleman, with his corpses and human pies, yah know?

So Dead Like Me not only filled up my morbid quota, but it had some of the most quirky, witty writing in a show I've ever seen. The main character would narrate at points, and it was just so real and well-written. I've never watched a show or movie before and thought anything about the script. Until now. The show is about George Lass, a girl who dies and becomes a grim reaper. She's still living on earth, with a different face, forced to fill a quota of soul-stealing before she can move on in the afterlife. There's a team of grim reapers, all of whom I love, that help her out and eat waffles. And Mason. Oh, Mason.

I just want to reap whoever the hell canceled the show after two seasons.

Anyway, the point of the matter is this: I NEED more books about the afterlife. I've read Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin and loved it. I've tried The Lovely Bones, but I was kind of neutral on that one. I've been told to read The Everafter, which I'm definitely plannong on doing. And that's where I blank. I'm writing my own spun version of an afterlife tale, and I'm craving some more, erm, "research". Anyone want to make my day?

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Han Alister is an ex-streetlord with mysterious silver cuffs around his wrists and a gift for finding trouble. Raisa is the princess heir to the throne of Fellsmarch (during her courting season), and is in possession of a stubborn, admirable personality. Both of them are main characters of The Demon King, and both of them are awesome.

The Demon King is told in alternating chapters, and both Han's and Raisa's stories are intensely enthralling. With Han, you get more adventure, and with Raisa you get a lighter, slightly political tale. This book is telling two separate stories, but they're both interconnected and part of the same mystical world. Usually I'm iffy about novels that have different POVs, but with The Demon King, it really worked. I felt like there were two crossover books in one binding, but in a good, unique way.

Fantasies, specifically, can create an entirely new world for you. The world created in this book was one filled with a lot of different kingdoms and societies. The clans, in particular, I found really interesting. They sounded, to me, a lot like Native American tribes - they had their own customs and were really earth-bound and healing-focused. Half of Han's chapters detailed this culture, and the other half showed a completely different society - life on the streets of Ragmarket. Finally, Raisa's chapters showed more of a higher upbringing accustomed to nobility. It sounds like a lot to take in, but each of these cultures were slowly introduced throughout the entire book, so it wasn't overwhelming. They also had a grounding in reality that a lot of high fantasy lacks. The whole book takes place in a completely different world, but you can find a lot of similar societies in history, minus the magic. It had a very subtle world-creating thing going on, which makes it a good read for people who aren't usually into fantasy.

It's a very, very good book, and it has the makings for a great new series. I'll definitely be checking out her previous books, The Wizard Heir series, soon.

I'll have to warn you guys, though. The ending of The Demon King is very, very frustrating. Not because it wasn't good (it was), but because it makes you intensely crave for a sequel. Bad. This is why I have such a hate-love relationship with series. I am Jack's impatience.

*I met this author at a signing about a month ago, and she was a great speaker. If she's ever in your area, make sure to visit! I have a summary of the event and an interview to follow this review, so check back if you're interested in the series!

Hamlet, anyone?

I was completely surprised by how much I liked Hamlet. I've never read Shakespeare before, and I've always had the idea that it'd be stifling and boring. But, actually, Hamlet was ridiculously hilarious. I was laughing every other line, which was something I definitely wasn't expecting. I was up until 6 am reading it, partly because I had a deadline for school and partly because it was decidedly fun. My favorite line: "I am but mad north-north-west." Totally with yah there, Ham.

Now I really, really want to read Ophelia by Lisa Klein.

So, my question is: Shakespeare fans. What should I read next? I'm thinking A Midsummer Night's Dream. Especially since one of the characters, Puck, is in The Iron King, which is coming out next year.

I love YA retellings, whether they're of fairytales (like Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, a personal favorite) or of classics. Isn't there a series about classics coming to life, too? Wuthering High, I think? Any of you guys read it? I need to get my hands on that!

So. What say you? What are some of your favorite retellings? Or what classic or fairytale would you love to see retold?

Bubble Comedy - Win Hush, Hush!

Flip the Page! is the winner of Break! Email me your address, please. This week I'm giving away an ARC of one of my absolute favorite books (as you can attest to by reading my review). Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It's fantastic. And it's signed. I'm expecting a load of comments this week. Bring it.

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

I asked my Bubbles what they were currently reading last week. Here's what was whetting their pallets: Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves, Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney, The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl, World War Z by Max Brooks, Just Breeze by Beverly Stowe McClure, How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford, Tangled by Carolyn Mackler Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, and Geektastic.

Question Time!

Amy asked..."What are some good books on dance?"

Answer: Confessions of a Backup Dancer is a really great book. Definitely recommended. Anyone else know of any? Leave 'em in the comments, if so!

Snazel asked..."What is your opinion of reading inside your genre to get ready for writing?"

Answer: I approve. I think keeping your own voice is important, so try not to mix your MC's personality with the characters of the books you're reading. But it can be really, really inspiring to read a book in your own genre, whether it be realistic fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, whatever. Even just reading a great piece of writing, no matter the genre, inspires me to open Word and type, type, type. Just make sure you keep it your own, you know?

Jenna asked..."Do you watch Glee?"

Answer: YES! LOVE IT! "What's your favorite show?" Hands, down? Buffy. So when I heard Joss Whedon was going to direct an episode of Glee, my reaction was: "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Erica asked..."What comes first, the chicken or the egg?"

Answer: Chicken. I can say this with 100% accuracy. I know everything.

Erica also asked..."Given the choice, would you rather spend the rest of your life reading, but you'd also have to eat meat or being able to stay vegetarian and being banned from reading?"

Answer: I'd, without a doubt, eat meat. Sorry, animals, I love you, but I love reading more. I'd eat five entire cows raw if I had to. No one takes away my books. *deathglare*

Lea asked..."If you could use any book/movie title for the story of your life, what would it be?"

Answer: Good question! Just a title? Probably "Along for the Ride." Or maybe "The Battle of the Labyrinth."Anyone else?

Khy asked..."What clown skill is the most entertaining?"

Answer: Ha. Hahaha. I love the added "(MIND OUT OF GUTTER)" at the end of your question. Totally necessary. But I like when clowns fall on their asses. And the loudspeakers make one of those exaggerated falling sounds. It takes precision and determination to fall every single day. I would know.

Thanks for the questions, guys. Keep 'em coming! How about you guys answer some of them? It's something to comment about. Speaking of which, this week's homework assignment is to name a book(s) that begins with H. Besides Hush, Hush, obviously. "Homework assignments" are just for fun, and for something to comment about. You don't have to do them to get entries, but I'll post all the answers I get the following week. I'd prefer if you guys could think of YA H titles, if you can find/think of them! And with that, off we go...

If you're new to the blog, here's how we play Bubble Comedy:

-You can comment as MANY times as you want, and each one gets you an entry. BUT you have to say something in your comment(s). You can't post something blank, or the same phrase over & over again. Spice it up, because I'm reading all of these. A lot of them are pretty dang amusing, actually. I'll usually post a topic for you guys to talk about, but anything is game!

-Every 100 comments equals a bookmark added to the prize. (And, authors/pubs, if you'd like to send some bookmarks for me to include for the winners, just email me. I have a decent bin right now, but I have a feeling they'll run out quickly, with these crazy commenters I love so much.)

*I can only send to U.S. addresses, so if you're foreign (and don't have anyone in the U.S. who can ship prizes to you), I'm sorry.

*Each contest will run for roughly a week, when winner(s) are announced and a new contest pops up.

*Ask me questions! I'll pick some to answer on the next post, and they open up more discussion for commenters.

gogogogogogogogogogo!

NaNoWriMo

Are you Nano'ing this year? I am! I assume most of you know what NaNoWriMo is, but if not, head to the website. Basically, you write a novel in a month. If you want, you can add me as a writing buddy here so we can share progress. It's already three days in (yikes!), but you can still join and get a late start, if you haven't already. Get your BIC (Butt In Chair) and start writing, lazybones.

If you don't think you can write 50,000 words through November, there's also a Young Writer's Program you can join, and still participate in Nano with your own goal.

Happy writing!

Book Meme

I found this meme a long time ago and saved it for a rainy day. Well, it's a-stormin', so here it is. You're supposed to use book titles of novels you've read in the past year. This is when I'm really wishing I'd read more, because this was freaking HARD. But fun. & I realized just how useful Goodreads is. If you do/did it, leave me a link so I can check out your answers.

Describe Yourself: Twisted
How do you feel: Magyk
Describe where you currently live: If I Stay
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Other Side of the Island
Your favorite form of transportation: Gone
Your best friend is: Wicked Lovely
You and your friends are: Along for the Ride
What's the weather like: One Lonely Degree
Favorite time of day: Same Difference
What is life to you: Simply Irresistible
Your fear: Blood of the Fold
What is the best advice you have to give: Love is the Higher Law
Thought for the Day: Hush, Hush
How I would like to die: Death by Latte
My soul's present condition: Something, Maybe