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!
AlthoughStolen 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.
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?
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.
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 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 coolestsetting 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.
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...
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.
'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.
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.
