Happy Belated Book Birthday to SOULS ESTRANGED!!!

This past week was momentous because it was the release for the second book of my CP's The Souls Trilogy. Yes, second book. To think that way back in February of 2013, I was reading a draft of the first book. Time really does fly.

My CP Anne is so selfless and supportive, and if you've read this post of mine, then you'll know that she was a driving force behind my completion of HESPERIA. Seriously, if you're drafting a tough book, you want her by your side. We have yet to meet in person, but I know that when I do, I'm going to tackle with the biggest hug.

So without further ado, behold the beauty:

I am so jealous of her covers.

Back from their adventures in Souls Entwined, Sam Daggett begins a new relationship with Gretta Dobbs, whose memories of their time traveling experience have been erased. Determined to never leave her again, Sam vows to help Gretta, despite the bad luck curse on her heirloom ring. Within hours of their return, tragedy strikes. 

As Sam becomes the third victim of the bad luck curse, Gretta’s memories of her time spent in the past begin to return. Unable to remember more than snippets, she realizes that anyone close to her is in grave danger. In order to keep Sam and her family safe, she flees in the middle of the night. 

Finding the perfect summer job in the back hills of Virginia, Gretta unknowingly crosses paths with a serial killer. With guidance from their ancestral spirits, Roxana and Katarina, Sam desperately attempts to find Gretta before the curse strikes again. 



FIND IT HERE: Soulmate Publishing   ●   Amazon   ●   Goodreads

And here's where you can find out more about the first book of the trilogy/get your hands on it:

My Post From Last Year

Soulmate Publishing

Amazon

Goodreads



If you're reading this, congratulations Anne!!! Already bought book two and getting ready to read :)

My Favorite (YA) Books

Still seeking readers for my NA Contemporary, IF LIFE WERE FAIR.

For some reason, I don't have this post up when it was actually when of the first post ideas I had come up with. And so I (UBER-EXCITEDLY--who doesn't love books?) present to you:

MY FAVORITE (YA) BOOKS

Disclaimers: *I won't be including any of the mega popular books (Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, you get the gist). If you really want to know, Harry Potter is REALLY up there on my fantasy list, The Hunger Games is one of my favorite dystopians, and Twilight is...okay. It did introduce me to paranormal before the fever set in, so I'll give it that. 

**I'll be trying to post only genres that I've read at least semi-widely in so that I can provide an educated nomination.

***Some genres might have multiple nominations because who said that there has to be limits on cream of the crop?

****There will be NO SUMMARIES. Or else this post will eat your computer. I recommend Goodreads if you're interested in learning more!

*****MOST IMPORTANTLY, all of the following are purely base on my opinion! Please don't take personal offense if I don't nominate one of your favorite books in a genre--instead, comment below and tell me what you think should have been nominated! A 60% chance I've probably read the book.

Fantasy - Urban

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS series (MELTING POT)

BY RICK RIORDAN

MG or YA--I don't care because what can I say? The dialogue, the snarking characters, the humor, the mythology (and really, if I want completely accurate mythology, I'll go read a textbook) all come together into something that is utterly un-put-downable. 

THE SPACE BETWEEN (BEST VIBE+ORIGINALITY)

BY BRENNA YOVANOFF

I said I wasn't going to give summaries but I can't help but pitch this: the daughter of Satan and Lilith comes down to Earth and with the help of a suicidal boy, tries to find her brother. Really, I've never read anything REMOTELY like this, not in plot nor tone nor character. The Space Between is an indulgent mix of horror, mystery, fantasy, and romance.

Fantasy - Hardcore

THE PRINCESS ACADEMY (BEST COMING OF AGE)

BY SHANNON HALE

Don't be deceived by the pretty cover! Or the title! This book has a beautifully crafted plot and complex characters that will stick with you for ages (I read first read this in 5th grade and I still remember EVERYTHING that happens). The main character is 14, so I guess it could also be shelved as middle grade, but I my opinion it's a YA coming-of-age story with a fantastical world and customs that resonate with you. 

Scifi - Dystopian

UNWIND (WINNING CONCEPT)

BY NEAL SHUSTERMAN

Holy-moly. The concept of this! Instead of the option of abortion, parents can have their children "unwound" (which basically equals each and every body part and organ getting shipped off to someone in need) at age thirteen? At first glance, this sounds ludicrous, but once you think about it, you can start to see the argument for WHY "unwinding" is better than abortion. Doesn't mean you have to agree with it! But that's what's great about the book--it really, really makes you think. 

BIRTHMARKED trilogy (WINNING AURA + MALE CHARACTER)

BY CARAGH O'BRIEN

EXTREMELY underrated series. First off, sort of unrelated, but Caragh is one of the FRIENDLIEST authors I have ever met. Not just for emails--comment on her blog and she'll be SURE to reply back with an insightful response! But onto the books. The world-building is solid, the writing is full of life and color (really well-done 3rd POV!), but what really steals the show is Leon, the romantic interest. Seriously, I don't think I've ever read a character this fleshed out, so flawed and yet so redeemable. 

CHEMICAL GARDEN trilogy (WINNING AURA + WRITING)

BY LAUREN DESTEFANO

Now, in the book world, The Chemical Garden trilogy is one of those series where you either love it or hate it. For me, I understand that there are world-building flaws and that there are some weak characters (just as there are strong ones). But this series continues to steal a soft spot in my heart simply because of the aura--or mood--that it's lyrical, breathtaking yet humble, writing creates. I can FEEL the gloom of this futuristic world, even with some world-building holes. I can taste the saccharine opulence, smell the smoke. Lauren DeStefano is an author whom I will follow simply for her writing. 

Scifi - Hardcore

ENDER'S GAME (PERFECT MIX OF CHARACTER + PLOT-DRIVEN)

BY ORSON SCOTT CARD

Here's a book that I think deserves to be on school reading lists. Here's a book that I think that everyone should have in their repertoires, author personal-beliefs aside. Sure, it's a great read for those hardcore scifi lovers out there (space, aliens, battle-training school--what more is there to have?), but it goes deeper than that. Ender's Game, as straightforward as the writing is and as interesting but simple as the plot is, offers a deep, psychological perspective on childhood, growing up, and relationships. Think of it as a spice. The undertones are all there. 

Speculative - Post-apocalyptic 

HOW I LIVE NOW (POSSIBLY MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME)

BY MEG ROSOFF 

Proves my theory on how shorter books (Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby) are often mind-shockingly brilliant. I picked this up from my decrepit library two summers ago and still get shivers when I think about it. It really is a simple story. Girl goes to countryside England to live with her cousins, World War ??? breaks out. But the characters...oh the characters. And not even that. This book is like chocolate. It's sweet and bitter, and yet there's so much more to its flavor than that, flavor that I just can't describe. 

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT (MOST REALISTIC/BEST DIARY-STYLE)

BY SUSAN BETH PFEFFER

A little less underrated than How I Live Now, but still underrated :( Seriously, this is one of the best post-apocalyptic survival tales out there because it's SO real. Yes, despite its inciting incident being that the moon blows up in our faces, the characters and their struggles were tangible. This is also one of the best diary-style books that I've ever read. Miranda, our narrator, isn't really likable, but you have to admire her for the hell that goes down in this story. 

Paranormal

A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT (BEST GHOST STORY)

BY LAURA WHITCOMB 

I've read all the walks of paranormal (super/psychic powers, angels, demons, vamps, trolls, faeries, as so the list goes) and many ghost stories. The problem is that a lot of them blend into each other and then I can't remember any of their plots with much distinction. But A Certain Slant of Light? Oh, I wish it never ended. Theme-wise, it's more contemporary than paranormal, but that's really what makes it so great. The romance...possibly the best couple in the universe of paranormal. And the writing is a treat. In fact, this is one of the most literary YA's (not even just within the paranormal genre) that I've ever read. 

Contemporary

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE (BEST SLICE OF LIFE)

BY SARA ZARR

Now, of all the genres, I had the hardest time picking my favorite for Contemporary because for me, at least, Contemporaries are quiet, thoughtful sort of books. From John Green to Sarah Dessen, they leave me sort of depressed (in a good way!) after reading because they all leave a mark. However, my FAVORITE of all the Contemporary authors is Sara Zarr. Her writing is fantastic, her characters are real, and her plot conflicts are twisty but still fathomable. How to Save a Life is no exception. 

Historical 

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY (BEST STORY + SIDE-CHARACTERS)

BY RUTA SEPETYS

I mentioned this title once and someone confused it with FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY. Probably the worst mix-up in the world. Between Shades of Gray is one of the most moving tales of human compassion and strength, based on the events of the deportations of the Baltic States orchestrated by the Soviets during WWII. Yes, a new angle on all the atrocities of WWII! I saved this for last because I THINK that my favorite genre might be historical fiction, but sadly there just isn't that much out there in the YA world. However, keeping in mind that less can be more sometimes, I am wholly satisfied with gems like Between Shades of Gray to represent the YA Historical Fiction sector!

This is one of my harder posts just because there are SO many awesome books in each of the aforementioned genres that I would love to nominate. However, keeping in mind that reading (and writing) is such a subjective business, a lot of these nominations are based on the gut feeling I have when I think about these books. Just as I had fun writing this, I hope you had fun reading! I'd LOVE to hear of your (dis)agreements/nominations, so please comment below!

Giveaway: LEGEND by Marie Lu

I just got back from four amazing days at the beach with my haul of sandy clothes and saltwater taffy :D Though I'm definitely going to miss it, I have to admit that I don't write as well or as much outside of an environment that I'm familiar with. Therefore, I'm excited to be back to reading and writing in the comfort of my room.

I'm ALSO very excited to say that while I was away, my Amazon order of books I've read in the past year and that I would like to collect and my summer to-reads arrived on my porch. Like the careless person I am, I ordered two of Marie Lu's LEGEND, the first of a trilogy. Apparently I am "valued customer" and Amazon was kind enough to allow me to keep the extra book and the refund. Guess what that means?

GIVEAWAY!

Here's an overview of LEGEND from Goodreads in case you haven't heard of it/read it:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.



I LOVED this book (hence why I wanted to collect it) and am dying to read the last and final book of the trilogy, CHAMPION. Marie Lu's story to publication is inspirational as well--she's been writing novels since her childhood! So go on and enter the giveaway below :D You have until June 30th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: TIGER FORCE

(Not my usual spastic self because A. It's a somber book and B. It's a formal book review).

 My review can also be found on Goodreads. Link to the book.

Sallah, Michael, and Mitch Weiss. Tiger Force: A True Story of Men and War. New York, NY: Little, Brown, 2006. Print.

                                             * * *

            Tiger Force throws no curves; it is a straightforward book that delivers what Michael Sallah and Mitch Weiss promise to deliver right from the front of the cover. The “true story of men and war” presents itself in a simplistic, chronological structure that nevertheless does justice to a highly disturbing story.

The book begins with a prologue that sets up the after-story of one of the most notorious killers on Tiger Force (a reconnaissance platoon of the 1^st Battalion/327^th Infantry developed for the largely guerilla nature of the Vietnam War)—Sam Ybarra. In 1975, following the anticlimactic conclusion of the Vietnam War, Ybarra, an alcoholic suffering from PTSD, is living with his mom on the San Carlos Indian Reservation. An agent from the CID called Gustav Apsey has arrived for an interview, but Ybarra turns him away.

Flashback to 1967; the signs of mental cracking are already beginning to manifest. Replacements fill in for the two killed and the twenty-five wounded Tigers after the Mother’s Day Massacre. In addition to Ybarra and his best friend Kenneth Green, the reader is introduced to the surviving and new members of the platoon. There is happy-go-lucky surfer Kerrigan, tough-love sergeant Doyle, idealistic medic Bowman, and many more. Later on, these succinct profiles melt away until only the killers and the anti-killers remain.

The book is essentially divided into three phases: The Song Ve Valley, Operation Wheeler, and the post-war investigation. In the South Ve Valley portion, Tiger Force receives the mission to relocate villagers living in the fertile, rice paddy, which feeds the Viet Cong. Despite the many leaflets and the promise of food and shelter at the relocation camps, the Tigers are met with resistance. By the end of the South Ve Valley, ten unthreatening farmers are killed; elderly men are beaten until their brains come out; hamlets are torched; and ears are cut off and collected for trophies and necklaces. The killings only escalate with Operation Wheeler, a search and destroy missions during which the entire area of Quang Tin becomes a free fire zone. The most grotesque of atrocities, one that is repeatedly underscored during future investigations, is the beheading of a baby by Ybarra.

The third phase of the book, the investigation, opens in 1972. The reader follows the diligent and relentless CID agent Gustav Apsey. In order to get the reluctant ex-Tigers to talk, Apsey faces long hours in the office, numerous flights to track down Tigers who have scattered to other outposts in the army or to civilian life, and even gunpoint at the home of an unstable veteran. Then, just as his work comes to fruition, he is shipped away to Korea. The case is closed. No one receives justice.

For a book of this moderate size, Tiger Force packs in a hefty blow of information to the gut. It leaves the reader at once reeling and numb from the sheer amount of information and the horrid nature of the events described. Its inconclusive ending may drive the reader to look up more information on Tiger Force. As the book would suggest, however, an Internet search on Tiger Force turns up an unfortunate dearth of information. As a result, it is only more incredible that Sallah and Weiss were able to write in the third person narrative, fleshing out details of events, backgrounds, and in-the-moment actions.

As expected from Sallah and Weiss, both of whom received the Pulitzer for their journalism detailing Tiger Force, the writing is streamlined, frank, and at times, dry. The dryness, however, serves the story well, for what takes the stage in the book is what happened. Though it brushes on some of the psychology of war and men, Tiger Force is not by any means a book unraveling the beauty of life and the ugliness of war. Any flowery language would detract from its mission: why did the atrocities happen? Why did nobody stop them?

            However, in asking the question why? Sallah and Weiss flaunt the weakest point in the book.

While an empathy link between the reader and the soldier in any book of war is incredibly difficult—even foolish—to establish (after all, no amount of living vicariously through words will truly recreate that fine tightrope between life and death), sympathy toward men of war can and has been achieved in other war books. Tiger Force, however, vacillates between portraying the Tigers as men who committed the atrocities because they were frayed to the quick and men who committed atrocities because a factor in their psyches and backgrounds made them susceptible to becoming bloodthirsty, twisted killers who beheaded babies. At times, Sallah and Weiss seemed to favor the latter explanation, tossing out hypotheses not limited to abusive parents and rocky childhoods. In addition, the clear distinction made between Tiger Force’s story and My Lai’s make it harder for the reader to attribute the killings to “madness” brought about by weeks of being picked off by snipers and booby-traps (which seemed to be the favored explanation in the beginning). In particular, the reader may be confused as to how to view Sam Ybarra. His post-war days are tragic, flooded with alcohol, nightmares, and guilt, but Sallah and Weiss do not expand that into point about personal punishment versus punishment by justice.

The problem with Tiger Force is that it is minimally biased in details, word choice, and tone. That is all very well—for journalism. Tiger Force, however, is not journalism. As a book, it should be doing more than to inform; it should offer a unique perspective from the authors themselves on the subject matter. The problem with Tiger Force is that it suspiciously resembles a collage of news articles from the authors’ work in the Toledo Blade’s Tiger Force series.

Thus, the praise of Edward Nawokta serves as a double-edged sword:

“Tiger Force is a shining example of how journalism can fulfill its most noble aims: informing and, consequently, empowering the public.”

Perhaps the point of the authors is there is no answer to the why.

Perhaps the point of the authors is that it all happened. And not a thing was done about it.

Summer and Books and Stuff

A few matters to disclose!

My summer vacation begins soon! Very soon, as in two days. I am beyond excited, because that means four things:

1. I will have unlimited time in the world to sleep.
2. I will have time to write more of my WIP.
3. I will have time to write non-WIP related stuff, too. Like, this blog. And tweet. Yes, I am miserably failing at twitter (AKA I tweet maybe once a week.)
4. I will have more time to read.

Essentially, I will have time. Who knew that time could be so valuable?

In addition to the usual stuff that goes on this blog (my writing process, my WIPs, my musings), I hope to do more posts on books. Summer is the best time to catch up on new titles of the year and reread the old favorites and I'd love to share with you some of my to-reads, my favorites, and my go-to list for inspiration.

Speaking of books, you're wondering about that nonfiction book on the Vietnam War that I was talking about, right? Well, turns out that we DON'T have to take notes on it, but I DO have a book review that I will post tomorrow right here and on Goodreads. Tiger Force by Michael Sallah and Mitch Weiss was eye-opening, informative, and gruesome. If you know about the My Lai Massacre that occurred during the war, then you might not be surprised. If not, I would brace yourself before reading this. It delivers what it promises--a story of men and war--but it also goes much deeper than that, digging into the psychology and platoon politics on the field. I do have some criticisms, but that will all be in the book review.

Do you usually have more time in the summer to do writing/reading related activities?

Hijacking the Blog

We have an interesting assignment for class! One that involves a blog!

Basically, we have to select a book that is about a historical event between 1960-present day and blog about it as we read. A lot of people will be making blogs for the first time--isn't that exciting?

But since book reviewing *is* technically something that I have listed as a topic of this blog (wayyy back in the first post), I figured I'd hijack it for the next 3 weeks to do my book reviews. So if you like to read my posts because they are about writing, then I'm sorry :( But if you are up for some spazzing as I read (actually, I'll probably be pretty sane because my teacher will be reading these posts) then by all means, hop on for the ride! Comment! Discuss! I'll reply! I read just as much as a write and though I mostly swim in fiction, I do dabble a little here and there in the nonfiction waters.

As for what I'm going to read, I have my eyes set on something about the Vietnam War right now. I've just finished THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O'brien, which is a beautifully written blend of fact and fiction about the Vietnam War, so I guess you could say I've had my dose of the subject, but now I'm fascinated!