The Covers of Graceling - Kristin Cashore

Cover Comparison Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Bailey @ Abyss. Head over there and link to your blog to join in.

This week I have ten covers for Kristin Cashore's Graceling

        US and Canada

                                                                                                                                                                                           

I love this cover. It's very distinctive and stands out (in a way that could become iconic) I love the textured look of the colours in the background and the blues and greens look great against the yellow. The font is perfect and I love the reflection in the sword. 

UK, Australia and New Zealand Adult Edition

This is the one I own :) It's really different to the US one, but I like it. A lot. When I was reading it, I kept flipping to the front to look at it :) I love the stance of Katsa and her outfit and the snow in the background and the font. I loke how the snow in the foreground blends into the clouds in the background. I think it matches the atmosphere of the book and personality of Katsa.

UK, Australia and New Zealand Young Adult Edition

Okay, so I love the Adult version of this - but the YA version does not a lot for me. It just looks too dark and doesnt have the same atmosphere. It doesnt have the same little details, a lot more bleak...

UK Large Print Edition

Katsa reminds me of a nun here. A nun who is about to play cricket with her sword. And what's going on with the sky? It looks like a pond. It looks like a book for old people. (actually, maybe that's why? It is the large print edition, haha ;)

German (title translates to:"One Who Has been Given A Gift")

I like this cover. I love all the swirly stuff on the left hand side and on her neck. I'm liking the font and the hairstyle's looking pretty funky. But I'm not sure it's all that well suited to the story, it could be a cover to any book, really. Still, nice, nice :)

French

Not bad. For some reason makes me think of Dr Zhivago. Anyway, I like the colours and the feel of it. I like looking at it. Obviously, Po is a lot hotter than the boy on this cover (despite sharing his name with a tellytubbie). I like the looks on their faces: intelligent and determined. they look like people I'd like to read about, on some sort of an adventure...

Denmark

This kinda looks like one of those classic texts you have to read in high school. It's making me think of The Pilgrim's Progress. It's not calling out to me. I kinda feel bored just looking at it.

Finland

I know Katsa cuts her hair, but I definitely think her long hair makes for a much more appealing cover. Something niggles at me with this one. It looks a bit like the girl has been superimposed over a background and she's not really in the scene. And the legs? For some reason I keep thinking her body has been swivelled around at the waist and her crotch is her butt and her knees are the back of her knees. It also looks like it was published in a different generation.

China

So, this one makes me grin :) it looks like exactly the kind of thing the Chinese would love, lol. It is arresting, the purple and blue, against the streak of blonde hair and the flawless porcelain face. I do like the bodice, not sure what's going on there with the collar? feathers? Because it's so busy with details, the pure face stands out. So, I wouldn't really say this is a fave, but I do think it's quite arresting.

In Catalan (language) Spain and Andorra

This one's hard for me to comment on. I am so used to seeing the US version, that it startles me. But if i forget about the US version and just look at this...wow. It's really striking. I love the indigos and blues and greys and the silver title looks stunning. The gold and blue in the sword looks particularly compelling against the background. I <3 this one. I think I may even like it better than the US colour scheme...

What about you? Which cover is calling out to you? Please, please, feel free to lay the love on ones that amused me :)

Two Fab YA's from a Male POV - and a Give-away

Over in the Young Adult Forum @ Absolute Write the lack of male protags in YA often comes up in threads. So true, so true... So I wanted to highlight two awesome reads starring male protags (both read this year).

Both of these books I randomly picked up not having not heard of them. I was only a few chapters into I Know It's Over when I was thinking, mate, this book is good.

I really love that feeling of having zero expectations about a book and then being wowed. Like an unexpected gift.

I Know It's Over - C K Kelly Martin


PURE. UNPLANNED. PERFECT. Those were Nick’s summer plans before Sasha stepped into the picture. With the collateral damage from his parents’ divorce still settling and Dani (his girl of the moment) up for nearly anything, complications are the last thing he needs. All that changes, though, when Nick runs into Sasha at the beach in July. Suddenly he’s neck-deep in a relationship and surprised to find he doesn’t mind in the least. But Nick’s world shifts again when Sasha breaks up with him. Then, weeks later, while Nick’s still reeling from the breakup, she turns up at his doorstep and tells him she’s pregnant. Nick finds himself struggling once more to understand the girl he can’t stop caring for, the girl who insists that it’s still over. (goodreads)


The first thing I noticed is that it is blurbed by Jaclyn Moriarty <3! "This book is compelling and unswervingly honest. It takes on real complex issues with a light, deft touch. The second half broke my heart a little every page or so." Awesome blurb, hey?


As a writer, I am a little in awe of the non-chronological time-line.  Plus, the male POV is truly outstanding. It's honest and raw (such a cliché word, but, hey, it's true) and complex. And, things just don't turn out how you expect them too. 


Not going to review it, just wanting to tell you that I loved it :) And, I am definitely going to be reading more work by C K Kelly Martin. 


You can read Adele @ Persnickety Snarks review and also what Courtney Summers has to say about it. (both are pretty amazing reviews...)


What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know - Sonya Sones


My name is Robin.

This book is about me.

It tells the story of what happens when after almost 15 pathetic years of loserdom, the girl of my dreams finally falls for me.

That seems like it would be a good thing, right? Only it turns out to be a lot more complicated than that.

Because I'm not gonna lie to you -- there are naked women involved. Four of them, to be exact. Though not in the way you might think.

Don't get me wrong -- my girlfriend's amazing. But the way things have been going lately, I'm starting to believe that the only thing worse than not getting what you want, is getting it. (goodreads)

This book, I just loved it.

First off, it is a verse novel. And I find most verse novels to be compelling and richly drawn. I read this curled up in bed on a rainy day and flew through the pages. The thing about this book is it gets cooler and cooler as it goes on.

There were parts in it where my heart just ached for Robin and Sophie. I was definitely cheering them on. And, some events in the book filled me up with warmth in the best kind of uplifting way. Other events broke my heart and had me holding my breath - I definitely felt the tension and Robin's pain.

This book feels like high school and reminds me why teenagers are so cool and such an incredible age-group to read about. It reminds me how hard it is to be a teenager - but also how awesome it feels.

By the end, I just had this happy feeling :) In fact I have a happy feeling now just thinking about it.

Have you read either of these? What did you think? 

Now for a give-away - yay!

The winner will receive their choice of either I Know It's Over or What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know - just sharing the love :).


I use The Book Depository - so it's open internationally.

To Enter 

Leave a comment (below) and recommend to me either: a favourite verse novel, or a favourite YA novel with a male protag. And I'll use a random number thingy and announce the winner on Sunday the 27th :)

Penguin Australia's YA Blog - get a free book today :)

Today I stumbled across Penguin Australia's Young Adult blog. Which looks awesome and will keep me updated on all things YA.

Anyway, I was flicking around on it and if you subscribe to their email newsletter - which is full of news, competitions and giveaways (including give-away's of proof copies and ARCs) - you get a free book.

Whoo Hoo!

You can chose from the three choices below. I chose Beautiful Creatures (my library already has the other two in its catalogue. Probably should check them out...). Has anyone read Beautiful Creatures yet? What did you think? I'll probably let you all know what I think ;)

Go here to subscribe - anyone can subscribe, of course, but the free book is only for Australians :( However, I know all my wannabe Aussie overseas buddies are all pumped for me...

Speaking of free books, tomorrow I will be having a give-away - the winner will win their choice of one of two YA books I read and loved this year starring a male protag. ( I <3 YA with male MC's)

xx Naomi

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac - Gabrielle Zevin

From Goodreads: If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn’t have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn’t have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn’t have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her “Chief.” She’d know about her mom’s new family. She’d know about her dad’s fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss him back. 

But Naomi picked heads. 

After her remarkable debut, Gabrielle Zevin has crafted an imaginative second novel all about love and second chances.


From me :)
I was surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. Surprised because despite loving the premise of Elsewhere, I kinda got bored in it.


I think to enjoy a head trauma/amnesiac book, it's best just to go along for the ride and read the story not getting all caught up in the logistics of the scenario, yeah?


Things about the book:
Naomi was a popular girl, with a jock boyfriend and a goofy best friend, Will.
When she loses four years worth of memories, she doesn't really get who she turned out to be. Doesn't find anything appealing about her boyfriend, or even her favourite hobbies. She doesn't remember that her mum and dad are divorced -- or that her mum is remarried with a four year old daughter (her half-sister) and her dad is engaged to a dancer. She can't remember how to drive or if the pills in her bedside table means she's not a virgin any more. 


It definitely sucked me in.


Around about the middle of the book, I started feeling the restless-want-to-start-skimming feeling. But then, the book kinda changed direction (in the coolest of ways) and I was super into it again. And it occurred to me that while I could see how some plot threads would be resolved, I really had no idea where the book was headed. 


And I like that feeling. 


I also wasn't sure how I wanted things to be resolved, which is another feeling I like - because it feels like various outcomes could satisfy me.


I didn't connect all that well to Naomi (same problem-o I had with Zevin's début novel). This didn't stop me from enjoying it, but it does stop me from raving about it. There's plenty going on plot wise, and I especially like how well drawn some of the other characters are -- it makes them interesting and their actions unpredictable yet still realistic.


Random stuff:

• It was slightly unnerving continuously seeing my name in print.
• I kept getting James (new bad-boy crush) and Will (best bud) mixed up in the first half. Odd, I know. The names don't even really resemble each other, apart form being one syllable slightly generic names.
• The back of the book has deleted scenes and extras, which greatly amused me. I have often thought about the idea of keeping deleted scenes in a book (mainly as when I snip my own fave scenes from my writing (due to pacing/plot diversion) I'd still love to keep them, you know?
• Included in the extras is a few pages of all the CD mixes Will made for Naomi - complete with all the title tracks. Love it :)

Overall: I had a good time reading it. And I love amnesia type novels - provides a compelling platform for conflict and mystery. It's definitely an original read and also makes you think... about life and stuff :) I think I am between I like it and I really like it :)

Oh - on the topic of amnesia books. My all time fave is The Land of the Living by Nicci French. Totally absolutely recommending it :)

Blog Award and Seven Things About Me

So the ever-awesome Caitlin, Bri and Bailey  have all chosen me for a Blog Award! Which is super cool as my blog is only a baby (3 and a half weeks old) and I already feel very welcomed to the blogosphere. Thanks guys :) Edit: Plus again from Erin thank you thank you :)


So now I have to:

1) thank and link back to the person who gave you this award

2) share seven things about yourself

3) pass this along to fifteen bloggers... 

Seven Things About Me:

1. Since I was a little girl I've always wanted to be an artist and write and illustrate children's books, along the way I became a Primary School teacher.  Last year I decided to write a YA novel as I am always reading YA,  and since then I've written two MS's but have a lot to learn.  Here's one of my more recent pics: A boy and his invention - a draft for a children's book I was toying with making (the pic is a bit blurry, but if you click on it you can see it better)

2. I was married two days after I turned twenty and had three kids by the time I was twenty-four. And b/c I can - here they are:

           Sam                                                  

Reuben

Carissa                                  

3. Right now my husband is in Uganda (see pic below) and I am doing the single mum thing for four and half weeks. He is really into all things Social Justice and is doing some aid work and research with orphan soldiers from the LRA army (like in Blood Diamond). He is always reading world-changing poverty/social justice books while I'm reading my YA and other fiction :) Aaand - I just got off the phone from him (finally got through) and he was in a car crash today, where the vehicle rolled a few times and they landed upside down and had to crawl through the window while the radiator was leaking everywhere - all drama and explosion-y. I know (!) 

4. I have never tasted: coffee, tea, mangoes, avocado, vegemite, olives, mayonnaise, sour cream,  porridge (ugh!), sun-dried tomatoes, soft cheeses, white wine, salmon, chai, oh, I could go on forever... name a food and I probably haven't tried it yet :) 

5. One of my first TV crushes was Macgyver. I know, I know :) I still get hacked out about it... And, I had a copy of this poster on my wall.  Heheheheh.

I don't really do crushes any more...except, maybe a slight appreciation for this guy ;)

                             

6. I am really accident-prone. I've broken my nose five times, but I think the crooked nose look kinda suits me :)

7. I go by drummergirl on Absolute Write - but I actually play the guitar :) (my husband plays the drums) but I like to think I drum to my own beat in life. haha - so corny that I'm grinning as I type it. 

And, because it'd take forever, I'm just going to choose 5 fab bloggers to tag :)

1. Creative A @ Headdesk who I've beta-ed for and will totally be famous one day :)

2. Rachael @ Writer's Chasm who is a fellow Dr Who nutter addict enthusiast.

3. Angie @ Daydream Believer - who writes the best reviews and has one of the most compelling first chapters ever :)

4. Girl Friday @ My Girl Friday who is an Aussie living in the ever-cool Melbourne and co-incidently just started watching Friday Night Lights this week (like me)

5. The lovely Jill Wheeler who I admire for her shopping abilities :) (Buying gifts, one for you, one for me style :)

Courtney Summers Next Book - Fall For Anything

Fall For Anything - Courtney Summers third book set for release December 21st 2010 - yay for christmas readng :)  This is the blurb taken from Goodreads


I stare at the bonfire until I realize it’s fallen quiet and everyone is staring at me. 
“Oh. It’s okay,” I say to Deacon. “It’s okay.” 
“Sorry about your dad,” Deacon says. “That was supremely f***** up.” 
“Yeah,” I agree. “It was.” 
“Is it true your mom’s like, catatonic?” 
“Deacon!” Jenna. 
“What?” Deacon asks. “It’s not like we’re not all thinking it.” 

A gritty story of one girl’s attempt to make sense of her father’s untimely death…


Ooooh - sounds good, right?  I became a lifelong fan of all things Courtney Summers after devouring her first two books. Has anyone not read these yet?  

Anyone else dying hanging out for the new book?


Check out Courtney's Blog - on her latest post she teases us with some info on the cover for Fall For Anything. And check out this post for some recommendations of books/movies she recently read and loved :) Books she hearts below:

Of which I haven't read any yet! 


Although Stolen is in my library's catalogue, but since being short-listed for CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia Awards - biggest awards for Aussie YA) it's no longer available for regular peeps like me as it's doing the rounds with the librarians. Check out the 2010 short-list for best book of the year. 


I am also a fan of C K Kelly Martin, so I really should bump The Lighter Side of Life and Death up my wish list a little.


And Dirty Little Secrets is another debut I'm super interested in.

Finding Cassie Crazy/The Year of Secret assignments - CCT

Cover Comparison Thursday (CCT) is a brand new weekly meme (now!) hosted by Abyss to showcase international covers of a certain book, and share our opinions on each.

(and this is the first week (whoo Hoo!), so feel free to join in on your blog and link in at Abyss - and check out the international covers of Twilight there).

Here are the covers of one of my favourite books by the wonderfully funny and whimsical  Jaclyn Moriarty.

This is the Australian edition (and the one I own). I like it a lot. I like the image of the three girls, laughing, It feels natural and I so want to be friends with them. I also love the colours and the blue/white title text which looks striking to me over the black and white school uniform. I'd pick this one up for sure.

UK Cover. Hmm, I think this would stand out in a bookshop, but it doesn't actually inspire me much. Maybe it looks better in person? Although I do think it's a cute idea, the ransom-style letters on the strawberry.

This is the German Edition. I actually don't mind the pink background, but not sure if I like the texture of it? It looks a little busy against the texture of the strawberry. I think it's interesting that they pretty much used the same idea as the one above, but found a different strawberry for the image :)

So, here's the US copy - complete with a title change. I love the new title - it sounds very mysterious. I also love how fun this cover looks. I love the font and the smiley face and the white background. It's simple, but eye-catching. This is one I'd pick up and check out.

And... here's a brand new paperback edition for the US to coincide with the release of the Ghosts of Ashbury High. When I first saw this one, I wasn't sure about it - but now I love it. I love the blues, and green and orange/yellows. I love the upturned collar and the blue nail polish. It definitely has my attention.

New 2010 UK Edition

The thing that I find interesting about these four different covers is they're all so different (including a title change) yet all the same book. I love the new US one, but I would have a different impression about the books content if comparing it to the German one, you know?


The other thing about these covers are they are actually part of a larger set that matches the other titles in the Ashbury/Brookfield High Series. I 've chucked a few up below so you can see how they work as a part of the series:

These are the new release US covers:

These are the old US covers

These are the UK ones:

Overall: I like the Australian Finding Cassie Crazy AND the New US The Year of Secret Assignments (with the secret-agent girl). I love both titles for the book, not sure which title is my favourite. Maybe The Year of Year of Secret Assignments, as it is more attention grabbing.

What do you guys think? Would you be drawn to any of them? Which is your fave?