It's Not You, It's Me

Dear Dystopia,

I know we have had a few flings. But, as fun as they were, I am going to have to say goodbye.

When I first met you, I was enchanted. The quintessential bad boy, you were dark and moody and mysterious and promised great thrills. Sadly, you turned out to be just that: a bad boy. And after awhile, I realized you were not good for me. Things never ended well with you. After giving you a second, third, even fourth chance, I have been forced to admit that you are completely and utterly predictable. I do not doubt that you can be shocking and full of twists, but your stories – and our relationship – ultimately end the same way: disappointment.

Such a relationship is not healthy. It is not fair to you and it is not fair to me. We need to end things once and for all. No more sharing stories, no more tempting me, no more forgetting our past and starting fresh. Believe me when I say it’s not you, it’s me. Honestly, you are wildly popular and loved by so many people. I am just not one of them.

I think I have known this for many years. Remember when we first met? With Ender’s Game? If I were smarter, I would have ended things then and saved us all of this trouble. But, alas, I led you on and gave you shot after shot.

I can no longer go on like this, though. It is time that you and I say goodbye. I hope you find happiness and success in all of your endeavors.

Sincerely,

Jessica

P.S. Please know I will never forget those blissful times of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. Hopefully this letter does not make things awkward on March 23. It is my hope that we can have a cheerful, if brief, reunion.

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Release: January 3, 2012

Others in the Series: Nightshade and Wolfsbane

Source: Purchased

The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy

Bloodrose is the happy median between Nightshade’s lush emotional conflict and Wolfsbane’s captivating pacing. The strengths of Bloodrose’s two predecessors combine to create an epic conclusion full of strife, love, loss, and shocking twists. Readers will be kept on their toes as they jump around the globe with the Searchers and Guardians, facing shocking surprises and terrifying barriers.

Building on the fast-paced roller coaster that was Wolfsbane, Cremer tells the final installment in Calla’s story swiftly and without rest. There is something happening every page, pushing the story – and the characters – deeper into the battle between the Keepers and the Searchers. Each development is rendered masterfully. Whether it is a tragic death or a shocking surprise, nothing feels forced or unfair, thanks to Cremer’s excellent character and plot development in the previous novels. Even the final, shocking twist feels inexplicably right.

As Bloodrose is the final book in the series, and thus the final battle, I knew that there would be many casualties. I feared for Calla and Shay and the rest of the pack, of course. What I did not expect, however, was to be fearful for the Searchers. After all, they are far newer additions to the series and had only one, very fast-paced book to develop. Surprisingly, however, they were the ones for whom I feared the most. The Searchers quickly became my favorite characters with their quirky personalities and outspoken, sarcastic natures. Cremer did a marvelous job of creating a brilliant cast of characters who will not soon be forgotten.

Calla too shines brilliantly in this final installment. Of all of Calla’s traits, complexity is her crowning glory. In Nightshade, she revealed layer after layer of emotional turmoil, loyalty, and instinct. The rapid events of Wolfsbane forced these warring traits to the background. In Bloodrose, they are finally let free. From the very first chapter, Calla’s conflicting desires are out in full force, and remain that way throughout the entirety of the novel. Bloodrose was Calla at her best, the perfect way to say goodbye to her and her journey.

A fitting ending to an epic trilogy, Bloodrose will captivate readers and leave them satisfied,if a bit teary. Cremer would be hard pressed to create a better last hurrah for Calla, Shay, Ren, and the rest of the group. 

5 stars!

Coliloquy Unmasked

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you probably remember me mentioning a little book called Sea. It was heartbreaking, and real, and romantic...and left me wanting more. I, along with a handful of other bloggers, harassed - I mean, gently reminded - author Heidi R. Kling about this. Of course, being a wonderfully evil author, she repeatedly teased us with tweets about #SexahMagicBook, her next release.

Last fall, Kling revealed that the mysterious #SexahMagicBook was actually titled Witch's Brew and would be the first in a ten book series published by the equally-mysterious publisher Coliloquy.

Well, today is finally the day when everything comes to light. After months of little more than a cheerful homepage promising information soon, the mystery that is Coliloquy (and Witch's Brew) is finally being revealed. Check out the press release below to find out about this intriguing new Kindle-centered publisher!

PALO ALTO, January 17, 2012 – Coliloquy (www.coliloquy.com), a publisher of active and interactive fiction, launches today with four adult and young adult romance (YAR) series from award-winning authors and screenwriters, now available exclusively in the Amazon Kindle Store. Coliloquy represents the next generation of digital publishing, taking advantage of new technology to reinvent the way authors and their audiences interact with reading and narrative. Coliloquy’s new publishing format enables multiple story lines, serials and episodic story-telling, personalized content, in-book engagement mechanics and the delivery of prompts and special or exclusive extras to create a more fluid and immersive story-telling experience.

Coliloquy comes out of the Kindle Developer Program for Active Content and will be available immediately on Kindle, Kindle Touch, and Kindle Keyboard devices. By delivering titles as active content applications, rather than static publishing files, Coliloquy enables new kinds of engagement made possible by advances in electronic book distribution. Multiple “what if” story lines let authors and readers explore different permutations of character relationships. TV-like episodes can grow and change, based on reader choices, voting, and feedback. Fans can reread a key scene from a different character’s point-of-view or unlock new content.

Digital non-fiction, children’s books, and textbooks are being revolutionized with new forms of delivery and interactive multi-media features, but Coliloquy is the first publisher to focus on the narrative experience of adult fiction.

Coliloquy’s underlying platform also introduces a new type of in-book feedback for authors.  In combination with a serial format, this approach de-risks the writing process and allows authors to test and refine new ideas based on insights from their readers.

Coliloquy Authors and Titles

Coliloquy’s launch authors include award-winning authors and screenwriters, all using the platform in different ways. They include:

Heidi R. Kling, Witch’s Brew (The Spellspinners of Melas County): a contemporary young adult series about a modern day witch who must betray everything she knows to save her magic and her forbidden love.

Kira Snyder, Dead Letter Office (Parish Mail): a contemporary southern gothic mystery series about a teenager who discovers a cache of centuries-old letters containing clues to crimes happening in the present day.

Liz Maverick, Arcania, Trial by Fire #1 (Arcania): a young adult fantasy series about an underachieving  teen thrust into an MMO-like world of magical combat, where she must master her own genetic gifts while investigating her twin sister’s suspicious death.

I must admit, I am rather curious to see what Coliloquy is all about. What about you?

Cover Judge

Cover Judge is a semi-weekly feature that spotlights the covers of upcoming novels on my wishlist. This week's cover is a rare exception to my insistence that one can judge a book by its cover. At least, I hope it is. Otherwise, I will be very disappointed.

The Savage Grace by Bree Despain

Release: March 13, 2012

Synopsis: 

A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

Cover: As much as I hate to say it, I really do hate this cover. It saddens me because the past two covers in this series have been some of my favorites, especially The Lost Saint's cover. I had thought The Savage Grace's cover would be even better. Instead, I was disappointed.

Before I get into my complaints, I will say the color is lovely. The pink-ish red is gorgeous and goes along beautifully with the other two covers' colors. And there ends my praise.

Now that I have been nice, can I please point out how completely awkward and unnatural the model looks? I'm sorry, but no one is that long. The top and bottom halves of her body are completely out of proportion. The only allowance I will make is that maybe the sheet/fabric around her waist is the cause of this oddity. Still, that does not make it any better visually. It really is a shame, considering how pretty the other covers were. And while we're discussing other covers...why didn't they stick with leg thing? It worked so well with the other two covers and would have fixed this whole inhuman length issue.

What do you think? Was this cover a hit or a total miss? Let me know what you think in the comments. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Release: January 3, 2012

Source: Publisher

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…

I went into Bittersweet fairly blind. My brain registered “Sarah Ockler” and “cupcakes,” and then promptly exploded in happiness.

Bittersweet was a fast, fun read as sugary sweet as the cupcake creations Hudson cooks up. Though Ockler’s signature teenage angst and family dysfunction played a major role, the book was surprisingly unencumbered. This was a new, more relaxed side of Ockler. There were no huge deaths, no breakdowns, no screaming fights or major blowups – just life. It was real, it was simple, it was lovely.

The romance in Bittersweet was likewise uncharacteristic yet wonderful. The relationship was not immediate, but rather slowly developing, often veering wildly off course. It was, in other words, authentically high school. While I know many couples who are completely lovey-dovey, I also know that they did not get there in one step. The road was full of potholes and surprise curves and a whole lot of drama. I love that Ockler was able to capture this journey.

What astounds me about Ockler’s writing is that each book and its heroine are one-hundred percent unique.  Take Hudson for example. Her father cheated on and left her mom, giving her more than enough reason to act out. Instead of going wild, however, Hudson takes comfort in baking, building a highly successful cupcake business. She also refocuses her life from figure skating to holding what is left of her family together, stepping in as a quasi-mother for her little brother and sharing financial responsibilities with her mom. Externally, Hudson is an incredibly strong young woman who seems to be firmly rooted in the present. Internally, however, she is a hopeless dreamer who wants more than a diner job in a forgotten town. This internal conflict between being who she is and who she wants to be provided a great impetus for the plot and made Hudson all the more relatable as a narrator.

Of course, that is not to say that Hudson was perfect. To be honest, she flummoxed me. At times, I felt we were perfectly in sync. And then she would go do or say (or, should I say, not do or say) something, and I would be thrown. More than a few times I wanted to smack her. “Come on,” I wanted to yell. “Don’t just stand there. You are allowed to react.” Had I been in control, Bittersweet would have panned out quite differently. But, as that is not the case, I will admit that the ending was quite satisfactory. I was proud of the person Hudson had become and understood her character, even if I did not fully agree with all of her choices.

Truly, Bittersweet is not a book about ice skating or hockey, divorce or cupcakes; it is a book about life and learning to appreciate it – no “what ifs,” no regrets. This alone is reason to pick up a copy. Whether one is looking for more from Ockler or simply a great contemporary read, Bittersweet will not disappoint.

4 stars!