The Covers of If I Stay - Gayle Forman

US Hardcover

US Paperback

UK Hardcover                                  UK Paperback

UK Hardcover (other edition)

PORTUGUESE Hardcover 

PORTUGUESE Paperback

DUTCH: Front and Back

I lovelovelove this book. I don't have a copy yet, but it's definitely one I NEED would love to own. The copy my library in Australia has is the UK hardcover looking down on the girl with purple font. Not really my fave. I can't decide which edition I would choose.  

Obviously, I'd have to go with one that's written in English ;)

 I do think the Dutch one looks awesome-beautiful-arty, even though it doesn't match the actual story as well as the others and the model is perhaps a bit old-looking for Mia. I adore the pink butterfly on her jaw and the back cover is particularly crush-worthy.

I think I'm keen on the US Paperback, but what is that sliver of ice stuff down the right hand side??? And the quote about it appealing to fans of Twilight (!) I mean, it would appeal to anyone, but I personally can't see the connection with Twilight at all...

The Uk Paperback is on sale atm @ my local bookstore, but I'm so indecisive about which cover I want I haven't picked it up.

What do you guys think? Own any?

Other Stuff about If I Stay

You can go here to author Melissa Walkers blog to read what Gayle Forman has to say about her cover story. And, giving a shout out to Melissa Walkers blog, who often does cover stories and I never get tired of reading them :)

Most of you probably know that the sequel to If I Stay is coming out in April 2011! Can I hear an amen?

It's called "Where She went" -- from Adam's point of view and is set three years later. Ooooooh....

I cannot wait :) Really, really. As in, seriously pumped.

Go here to read Gayle's blog post about her decision to write the sequel. 

Aaaand... also hanging out for the movie. Which will probably be forever away, but I can see why If I Stay would make a super compelling movie. Here's a post by Gayle on the movie which basically says she's as out of the loop as we are in regards to casting, directing, etc.

I Capture the Castle - Book v Movie

I Capture the Castle is a favourite book of mine. It's just one of those books you sink into and, you know, they live in a old rambling castle, which is just about the coolest setting for a book ever. I would love it to be the setting of my life :)

Cassandra has the most addictive voice that makes you fall in love with her and see the world through her eyes. And it was written over sixty years ago, but still features one of the charming-est YA female protags ever :)

It's one of those books that I knew I should read (being a classic) and then was definitely surprised how much I loved it when I did read it. I have been known to procrastinate on reading classics, because, well, they're classics and my brain somehow correlates that to mean boring. Blame my high school texts for that.

This is one not-boring classic.

Here's a blurb from GoodReads: 

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over a six-month period, first in a sixpenny book, then in a shilling book, and, finally, in a splendid two-guinea book, to hone her writing skills. And it is within these pages that she candidly chronicles her encounters with the estate's new, young, and handsome American landlords, the effects of her sister Rose's marital ambitions, her writer's-blocked father's anguished and ultimately renewed creativity, and her own hopeless, first descent into love.

By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

Then there's the movie. 

Sometimes I get nervous about watching movies that are from my fave books (you know they just can't be as good) BUT I really love the movie. 

It's different to the book, but so well cast that I really felt Romola Garai (also from Atonement) made the perfect Cassandra. And Rose Byrne plays her sister Rose, and Rose is one of my fave actresses -- and she's just so lovely in this. I just can't help but love her in her spoiled beauty. Bill Nighy is the dad and he's pretty unbelievably awesome. And the setting is just gorgeous. And I'm not even one of those people who use the word gorgeous. 

The movie uses Cassandra as a voice over narrator, which I'm normally not into, but I thought it was perfect here, it helped translate that charming voice from the book onto the screen. 

And I keep using the words charming and perfect. Huh. 

Speaking of perfect...

And then there's Henry Cavill. Which just takes Steven to a whole new level*. If all else fails, you know you'll enjoy the scenes in which he appears ;)

I am definitely recommending them both, the book and the movie (and Henry Cavill, too, while I'm at it :). I'm split on which I prefer more, as they both use their medium well to tell the story. The book's great if you're in that rainy day read kinda mood. If not, the movie is just as appealing and the storyline is unpredictable: two sisters, two brothers, one hot gardener-type-boy who turns to modelling (cue some nice scenes there), a ramshackle castle, crazy father, love and unrequited love all charmingly told and that's just a snippet of the story.

So, have you read the book? Seen the movie? Planning on either?

I recommend watching the trailer until the end :) It's very cute...

And on a side note. The Brief History of Montmaray is a YA book that was recently released and is being compared to I Capture the Castle. Has anyone read it yet? I know I'm intrigued...

* of hotness, that is.

Dreaming of Amelia (The Ghosts of Ashbury High) - Jaclyn Moriarty

This is the story of Amelia and Riley. 

They're bad kids from the bad crowd at bad Brookfield High, and  they've just transferred to Ashbury High for their final year. 


Brilliant, mysterious and probably evil, they have the rich kids at Ashbury spellbound.


This is the story about ghosts and secrets, of passion, locked doors and femmes fatales; of final-year-of high school tension and intrigue.


This is the story of the PAST and the FUTURE that has come to get YOU. (from back cover - and don't you just love the line: Brilliant, mysterious and probably evil...?)


Every time I've read Jaclyn Moriarty's books, I think: Oooh, this book is just so delicious that I can't imagine she's ever going to think up such awesomely wonderful sentences again. But I keep getting proven wrong. Dreaming of Amelia took me longer to read because I kept pausing to re-read sentences, they just feel so good in my brain :)  However, I am determined to maintain my fan-girl tendencies and try to bring you a dignified blog post about it. Some info about the book:

The story's told in a series of student's HSC exam responses (written essays of the gothic - but comedic -  nature), blog posts (with oh-so-awesome comments), memos, emails and meeting agenda sheets, from multiple POV's: students from Ashbury High and staff as well.

And, because Jaclyn is obviously a genius, she presents them all in a sometimes chronological time line, other times not and other times overlapping so you end up with a layered and slightly chaotic telling of the events. Each layer adds intrigue and a different POV that swivels the story around slightly. So... it is unlike any other YA book out there, really. It's like Jaclyn just invented her own thing and I can't really compare it to anything else I've read. Because the structure is so different to many books, you just have to sink into to it and settle in for the ride.

The main thing you need to know about this book is that it is Funny.

Also, whimsical.

Expect to feel good. And smile a lot.

And if you're a laugh-out-loud-while-reading kinda person, you will be laughing out loud, loudly.

Plus, I kind of ached in some of the more poignant moments.

Sometimes, it gets a little bit crazy. But I like that.

And, for me, I just adore the characters.

...and, I'm starting to wonder if they aren't real people, roaming around Castle Hill.

I particularly loved re-visting Em and Lyd and Cassie (of The year of Secret Assignments, who also cameo in Bindy MacKenzie), they are some of my fave YA characters ever. And, Seb. Sigh. Riley's not bad either, I definitely feel the love there.

And och, aye, Toby's Irish history and convict storyline was grand, to be sure (okay, so that sounds lame from me, but from Toby, you will feel the Irish love).

Other random things to love:

• there's an axe murderer
• there's a mental asylum of the old fashioned kind
• everyone's going crazy about Riley and Amelia and the mystery and wonder of them...
• there's ghostly activity at Ashbury High
• there's love and broken hearts and kisses in a classroom 
• the staff at the school are just as gloriously entertaining as the students
• you will learn about black holes. I know!
• there's parties and secrets and nostalgic moments that made me feel nostalgic too

Overall though, I am in awe of the lovely chaotic storyline and the weaving of it all together and the beautiful, mysterious climax - how does Jaclyn do that? She's a genius and I don't think her style can be mimicked - it's so deliciously unique.

I keep this one near my bedside, so I can randomly flick through it and re-read passages. It's very therapuetic :)


And, if you've never read Jaclyn Moriarty -- Go here right now and scroll down and click on the link to read the first pages...and you will fall under her spell. Haha :) No, seriously, you will. 


It is the fourth in a series, but also a stand alone. However, if you were to read one before this, read The Year of Secret Assignments (Finding Cassie Crazy). Which you should read asap if you've never had The Jaclyn Moriarty Experience.

I'm feeling a little like this review is all over the place. Heh. My thoughts get all scrambled when I try to make sense of the wonder that is this book. Anyway, the main point of this is: I thoroughly and highly urge you to read this book. And, it's now out in the US. And, as a side note - which cover calls out to you? I have the silver one (Australian). The cute blonde chick is the UK version, and the gothic high school one is the US.

My Big Birkett by Lisa Shanahan

My Big Birkett by Lisa Shanahan

'The sweet, terrible, glorious year I truly completely lost it.' (both titles are the same book).

IN MY FAMILY, when anyone rides the wave of their emotions, we say they're chucking a birkett. When the emotion drives out all common sense, we say they're chucking a big one. The telltale signs are: flaming cheeks, shortness of breath, bulging eyes, and a prolonged illogical outburst.

Gemma Stone is convinced that it's always unseemly to chuck a birkett and that it's actually insane to chuck one in front of a complete stranger. But that was before she fell for a boy who barely knows she exists, before she auditioned for the school play, before she met the family of freaks her sister Debbie is marrying into, before the unpredictable Raven De Head took an interest in her, and before she realized that at the right time and for the right reason, a birkett could be a beautiful thing. 

It's about Gemma, and her family (her sisters getting married and, mate, is it hilarious) and school, where she auditions to go in a production of the tempest. She's crushing on the popular, cute boy, but gets assigned to rehearse with Raven, the bad boy (really, like from the town's derro family) who's always flirting with her.

I adored this book. It's funny (silly-grin-on-your-face-half-the-time-you're-reading-it-funny) and it produced the occasional snort of laughter (and I'm not a snorter, even at the best of times). It's utterly charming, really. I just love Gemma, whole-heartedly. She's dramatic and honest and comes from a crazy but genuine Aussie family and I would so be best friends with her (you would be, too). When she stuffs up, I really felt that little sinking feeling in my stomach along with her.

Plus, Raven De Head.

Stroke of genius, that name. Haha.

He is one of the coolest fleshed out love interests ever. Seriously. He is so unpretentious. Somehow, his bad boyness is not at all cliché, but rather heart-wrenchingly honest. I loved the scenes with Raven and the De Head family. The whole De Head family really struck a chord with me. One of those families that have a bad reputation, multiple wrecked cars on the front lawn, a brother in jail and the whole town against them. I actually ached for the boys, so sweet, but all tough exterior. And I could see why Gemma struggled with becoming friends with them. There's one fight scene at the De Head house that is so well done, I swear, I was in that room, wide-eyed and scared alongside Gemma.

This book was short-listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia awards. It is very Australian - Aussie humour and a heap of our slang. Who doesn't love Aussie humour ;)?

Here's a quote from the School Library Journal that sums it up nicely: "Shanahan's quirky characters are a riot, but the depth of Gemma's growth and heartbreak is genuinely profound."
—Terri Clark

And a winner :)

I used a random number thingy and commenter #8 Angie  won! So let me know which book you'd like and I'll get some details from you :)

Oh, and some things I noticed about my top YA list

• Australian - 6 (my top five are all Aussie authors)
• Read when I was actually a teenager - 3
• Part of a series - 4
• Dystopian/post-apocalyptic - 2
• War - 2
• Cops as love interests - 2 (Hmmm. interesting...)
• Hermits in them - 2 (gotta love the occasional hermit as a subplot*)
• About amazing/tortured artists - 2 (I love the whole artist prodigy scene...)
• Dual timelines - 2 and a half (half being the ghost story in Dreaming of Amelia.)
• Where school is a setting - 5
• Male authors - 1 (with a female protag)
• Male protags - 1 (from a female author. Although Jaclyn Moriarty has 6 POV's in Finding Cassie Crazy, 3 of them guys. And multiple POV's In Amelia, lots of guys in there too.)

* I wrote a few hermit in the bush type stories when I was a teen. Heh heh. 

winter artwork...

The pic is a little blurry as I took it with a camera rather then scanning it in (don't have an A3 scanner). I used felt tip pen and my Derwent Artist pencils - love my pencils :). I often draw these little critters in my scenes rather than cartoon people. They're kinda a cross between a monkey and a teddy bear.

Here's a few close up's cropped from the picture:

It's winter here tomorrow :) Despite my snow pic, winter in Coffs Harbour is mild. We're still in shorts and t-shirts and when I walk along the beach, there's always someone swimming in the surf (and that someone will never be me. I'm happy to wait until summer). I've only seen snow a couple of times ever - when I lived in the Blue Mountains as a child. And it was cold (I had to wear gloves!). And kinda dirty (not pretty blue and purple like I've drawn it) but very very cool. 

And, despite it being winter - the next three books in my YA TBR pile all have summer in the title:

• Endless Summer - Jennifer Echols - pumped for this one!!!* Plus, it's two books in one - 'The Boys Next Door' and the sequel, so 600+ pages of Echolite Pleasure :)
• The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han - I have high expectations for this (due to universal rave reviews). One girl, two brothers, one summer, I'm feeling it already...
• Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler (recommended to me by a friend who has the best taste in all things YA...)

Tomorrow, I'll announce the winner of my Top Ten YA post - so leave a comment if you want a chance to own a copy of a book off my list. (I'll use The Book Depository - so open internationally)

x Naomi

*I am not an exclamation mark kinda girl - but! Jennifer Echols!

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Reasons Why I loved it:

• I loved Clay's voice (a fantastic male protagonist.)
• I loved the premise and fresh twist on a suicide themed book
• It was compelling and I found the pacing to be pretty much spot on
• I was surprised by just how moved I was by the end of it. It's one of those books that tell such a good story that I didn't even realise until the end just how strong and impacting the overall message was
• I'm in awe of how the book masterfully handled the darkness and tragedy with hope and I felt kinda empowered by the end of it (haha - cheesy, I know)
• It was original and all the characters felt grounded. It didn't feel cliché.

I know this is one of those love/hate books. Obviously, I'm in the love camp :) But I do get why people can't connect with it.

• Those that say Hannah was vindictive/calculating/cruel to leave the tapes behind. Really, her voice does not come across as calculating, cruel, spiteful or vindictive. And imposing those ideas onto her is kind of mixing up the character with the premise. I know she did make the tapes - but I think it was an awesome way to explore one girls act of taking her own life and the little things that impact on it. So I didn't get too worked up on the reasons behind the actual making of the tapes, sometimes I think you're best just to flow with the premise and read the story.
• There are also those that say the reasons why were stupid and incidental. Hmmm. In some ways, that's highlighting the message. Really, most victims of suicide don't have some HUGE major revealing Hollywood reason why they took their own life. Suicide isn't about that. It's about a state of mind. Losing hope. Little things aren't so little anymore.
• Then again, if you don't connect with Hannah's voice, I guess you don't connect...

As a writer, there's lots to admire about how well Jay Asher handled the story. It can't have been easy to write: The way he handled setting around town with the listening of the tapes. Juggling Clay's story as well as Hannah's voice. The non-chronological time line (trust me, I once tried to write a non-chron = fail). The fact that it reads so effortlessly just shows how well crafted it is. I know I'm looking forward to his next book.

I've also read that agents are looking for more books like this: Using an idea that is quite prevalent in the YA market (suicide) but has a fresh angle/twist. As a reader, well, I just liked it. I did take a while to warm into the story and at first I was unsure about Hannah and how I felt about her (but I loved Clay from the start - he's just an all-round great guy), but somewhere along the line, I started to really care about Hannah. I even started wishing that she hadn't really killed herself after all and somehow, it would all work out for her...

You should check out the official website for the book, which is very snazzy and also list all the awards it has won.

Which cover do you like best?

US - with Hannah on the swing

UK/Australian - with the soulful grey tones. (I have this one.)

I like them both. I think the UK matches the mood of the book and Hannah looks how I imagined her*

But, the US one has a swing on it - so that gives it an edge :) And I think I'd be more drawn to pick up this version in the bookshop than the UK one.

* Although, you know, I guess I imagined her like that b/c I saw her on the cover first ;)