tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26710378992932697792024-02-07T08:22:48.639-05:00Reading on the F TrainReading and Writing Wherever I CanUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-63091392672157458242014-12-18T23:19:00.001-05:002014-12-18T23:19:27.176-05:00Class of 2014 YA Superlative Blogfest: Day 4--Best In Show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black;"><b>The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest</b> (hosted by <a href="http://jessicalovewrites.blogspot.com/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>, and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/" target="_blank">Katy Upperman</a>) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety of fun superlative categories. <b>See the host's pages for the categories of each day and to join the link-up!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>My 2014 Reads This Year: </b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165932-independent-study" target="_blank">Independent Study</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378508-blue-lily-lily-blue" target="_blank">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309803-unmade" target="_blank">Unmade</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821284-brown-girl-dreaming" target="_blank">Brown Girl Dreaming</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667792-conversion" target="_blank">Conversion</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21863930-one-two-three" target="_blank">One, Two, Three</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934647-push-girl" target="_blank">Push Girl</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20517739-far-from-you" target="_blank">Far From You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17560541-don-t-even-think-about-it" target="_blank">Don't Even Think About It</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079527-the-impossible-knife-of-memory" target="_blank">The Impossible Knife of Memory</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after" target="_blank">Isla and the Happily Ever After</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control?from_search=true" target="_blank">Control</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18222767-a-death-struck-year" target="_blank">A Death-Struck Year</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15844362-the-one" target="_blank">The One</a></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hRS2VPua1nplwwMmI1sje_zcqywxzHQHPnFgVpyM4Mlj9F1GWN56OMKm483K4rVOfw1Ulnq94BYUe7oeR9F2Mxhv866tnupnUC8Cte1h5Z8SjbbjQX5QRjPXynj8IzePK0jSwknae8E/s1600/Control.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hRS2VPua1nplwwMmI1sje_zcqywxzHQHPnFgVpyM4Mlj9F1GWN56OMKm483K4rVOfw1Ulnq94BYUe7oeR9F2Mxhv866tnupnUC8Cte1h5Z8SjbbjQX5QRjPXynj8IzePK0jSwknae8E/s1600/Control.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3klecHCPx2DLCApERleqdmThlpruFYrN0DfOaOPEo6-x8EnwWpqp0ClE5rnYzOWA7YyVLetk_ypKgcOg54Vu1zIvoeMkgDFvAT6SIANLrpkQqLvSxFkS_kpfHw13iW-UlUAO1x_ha57I/s1600/OneTwoThree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3klecHCPx2DLCApERleqdmThlpruFYrN0DfOaOPEo6-x8EnwWpqp0ClE5rnYzOWA7YyVLetk_ypKgcOg54Vu1zIvoeMkgDFvAT6SIANLrpkQqLvSxFkS_kpfHw13iW-UlUAO1x_ha57I/s1600/OneTwoThree.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">So I think <i>Control </i> was my winner last year, even though the book hadn't been published yet when we did this. But of the rest of them--I do love <i><b>One, Two, Three</b></i> but I may be biased because I saw that coming together. I also love the dreaminess of <i><b>Everything Leads to You</b>.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3klecHCPx2DLCApERleqdmThlpruFYrN0DfOaOPEo6-x8EnwWpqp0ClE5rnYzOWA7YyVLetk_ypKgcOg54Vu1zIvoeMkgDFvAT6SIANLrpkQqLvSxFkS_kpfHw13iW-UlUAO1x_ha57I/s1600/OneTwoThree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3klecHCPx2DLCApERleqdmThlpruFYrN0DfOaOPEo6-x8EnwWpqp0ClE5rnYzOWA7YyVLetk_ypKgcOg54Vu1zIvoeMkgDFvAT6SIANLrpkQqLvSxFkS_kpfHw13iW-UlUAO1x_ha57I/s1600/OneTwoThree.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPLeRPBN4_7xHRB6KVy49JN_XBh5nRwr8215pBOeji9pTyhLu2bGjpeA-JP4-CfDW-phPmTnH6uU-G7ABHNqX17Fce79RdyHUmILAkqGtDlZGMog4QE6JrcyIq8u97Mi5_aVPVs89Fbc/s1600/Everything+Leads+to+You.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPLeRPBN4_7xHRB6KVy49JN_XBh5nRwr8215pBOeji9pTyhLu2bGjpeA-JP4-CfDW-phPmTnH6uU-G7ABHNqX17Fce79RdyHUmILAkqGtDlZGMog4QE6JrcyIq8u97Mi5_aVPVs89Fbc/s1600/Everything+Leads+to+You.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-af1C6HDcw-6qWewXrnkvnIXFr0wRjVePkoajd9tN5Z43ilpC9bcKfqhddmJzZYJOA7mcqlxO0-z3LImrtPPT_WNha0vvxW9TlEv9_tJIQpLcbn9TFV3L3hznVN5QAbiI1_MV06pqtSE/s1600/Brown+Girl+Dreaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-af1C6HDcw-6qWewXrnkvnIXFr0wRjVePkoajd9tN5Z43ilpC9bcKfqhddmJzZYJOA7mcqlxO0-z3LImrtPPT_WNha0vvxW9TlEv9_tJIQpLcbn9TFV3L3hznVN5QAbiI1_MV06pqtSE/s1600/Brown+Girl+Dreaming.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkO0L62P5HwxF_B5boCSKBR88Ns4ycgZHj8wZ4KQ-eZkxqzZxK4ehuAnJgWCW33HPdAmg_-j4KZEKWhjvWiQ0J89cpBKvB0SToBVLc_cnSOY5_xCnNtrLhoWgC0KsLgBw71gNTXrSci8I/s1600/We+Were+Liars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkO0L62P5HwxF_B5boCSKBR88Ns4ycgZHj8wZ4KQ-eZkxqzZxK4ehuAnJgWCW33HPdAmg_-j4KZEKWhjvWiQ0J89cpBKvB0SToBVLc_cnSOY5_xCnNtrLhoWgC0KsLgBw71gNTXrSci8I/s1600/We+Were+Liars.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Most Likely to Succeed (Pick a Printz Winner)--</b><i><b>Brown Girl Dreaming</b> </i>has already won the National Book Award, and also it's amazing, so this feels a little like cheating. But <i><b>We Were Liars</b></i> could definitely make a run at it, too.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKcNcRLHLDkVVHCcQNBE4-dXAsm4AsjJwNllbadrtIdn4sWwGC6kGIvH6rHXvo_frBIa3-EwKYEWqbcYLuOB-DJJ1cxHlSjYn99a_8rnKrleP7LfnuF7WfuGNVzNCcP38vQ8NA6vaq4A/s1600/Blue+Lily+Lily+Blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKcNcRLHLDkVVHCcQNBE4-dXAsm4AsjJwNllbadrtIdn4sWwGC6kGIvH6rHXvo_frBIa3-EwKYEWqbcYLuOB-DJJ1cxHlSjYn99a_8rnKrleP7LfnuF7WfuGNVzNCcP38vQ8NA6vaq4A/s1600/Blue+Lily+Lily+Blue.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath--Nata. And. Tonio.</b> (From <b><i>One, Two, Three.</i>)</b> I mean...Tonio is involved ;)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP2ULz88HSvxnxoteKHNOlA6_pU_XZ7AkxSrwEiB_K55FjyKKvYFAh0ICgrHbGFaFOSAqkxHQPWEWlDgKbG5hM3TyKKwk62z83FR4d_Uh3ZDaxVh3j6KSKyy9hxmo0LkIJIBzBDXqjMU/s1600/forge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP2ULz88HSvxnxoteKHNOlA6_pU_XZ7AkxSrwEiB_K55FjyKKvYFAh0ICgrHbGFaFOSAqkxHQPWEWlDgKbG5hM3TyKKwk62z83FR4d_Uh3ZDaxVh3j6KSKyy9hxmo0LkIJIBzBDXqjMU/s1600/forge.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1U24bb5CosIm2XKVVhYXt5h3b8zvHQnBg9zwep8RP6XHr0CkkDM8t_cAbFD-horVUQFNRukU2BUjDBkTVG74A9ochfuduESon-P2J3FUrixKTEkWmStE7SsoRApa9oAS0AVmKaNZbLnk/s1600/charmandstrange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1U24bb5CosIm2XKVVhYXt5h3b8zvHQnBg9zwep8RP6XHr0CkkDM8t_cAbFD-horVUQFNRukU2BUjDBkTVG74A9ochfuduESon-P2J3FUrixKTEkWmStE7SsoRApa9oAS0AVmKaNZbLnk/s1600/charmandstrange.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Best Old-Timer (Favorite Book Published BEFORE 2014)--<i>Charm and Strange</i> by Stephanie Kuehn </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">and <b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><i>Forge </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">by Laurie Halse Anderson</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">. <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Two very <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">different and totally unp<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">utdown<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">able books. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8r8GTS2SNDx-qRu1NrHAnR-igSHH5-CjuapyZdTZXvFaHsEkqwdtu26lBG3K6vianqi3LGVO2XKOE9r1u8SX17BEnENTmCJbTAZhJAMAWg2MXIwJh4ujtd7DTAW7UJ-K57JqNVtmhAk/s1600/whenaudreymetalice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8r8GTS2SNDx-qRu1NrHAnR-igSHH5-CjuapyZdTZXvFaHsEkqwdtu26lBG3K6vianqi3LGVO2XKOE9r1u8SX17BEnENTmCJbTAZhJAMAWg2MXIwJh4ujtd7DTAW7UJ-K57JqNVtmhAk/s1600/whenaudreymetalice.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0GfXIYflQe6_YkHJD2SlxzWqhGDL0iNXfeCNGOrHActadzB-qKbTq8cCSSVWxbTzEOaoP4-wShrjtU0HQp73tcyg3SxR7zATT2ogBNo1T_YGLGjhOae_7rkrQB1K2LXSqbIZDuPYNl8/s1600/hawkeye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0GfXIYflQe6_YkHJD2SlxzWqhGDL0iNXfeCNGOrHActadzB-qKbTq8cCSSVWxbTzEOaoP4-wShrjtU0HQp73tcyg3SxR7zATT2ogBNo1T_YGLGjhOae_7rkrQB1K2LXSqbIZDuPYNl8/s1600/hawkeye.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> </b></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UNPIGRpv2aAdWlp2CnBbwA7Vp7XPSZ_TfYhyphenhyphenEe1bxRBmcBQm7_xbzLwywu4C_-LSH8GLJxtpAzqOOYntAP9xj2AkHLZDpZ3uE4yGF9XI7phiT7OlBQ4ZePdWGhfEVuz_MXa7uDEkrqM/s1600/thejacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UNPIGRpv2aAdWlp2CnBbwA7Vp7XPSZ_TfYhyphenhyphenEe1bxRBmcBQm7_xbzLwywu4C_-LSH8GLJxtpAzqOOYntAP9xj2AkHLZDpZ3uE4yGF9XI7phiT7OlBQ4ZePdWGhfEVuz_MXa7uDEkrqM/s1600/thejacket.jpg" height="200" width="162" /></a><br />
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Favorite Outlier (Best 2014 Picture Book, MG, NA, or Adult Novel)--Picture book: <i>The Jacket </i>by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova</b>. I've been paying attention to picture books for the last few years because I became a step-aunt when my mom remarried and it's so much fun to hunt down new books for my little niece and nephew. This one is a sweet, funny story that reminds me of<i> Corduroy</i>...if Corduroy himself was a book. <b>MG: <i>When Audrey Met Alice</i> </b>by Rebecca Behrens. I loved this glimpse of feisty, kick-ass first daughter Alice Roosevelt through the eyes of a more modern (fictional) first daughter. And I'm going to add one--<b>Comic Book: <i>Hawkeye</i> by Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Annie Wu.</b> I've started getting into comics this year, entirely because of the humor, heart, and weirdness of this run of books. (It helps that there are two Hawkeyes, Clint Barton and Kate Bishop--apparently this is quite a thing with superheroes--and they play off of each other really well. It's one of those great almost-entirely-platonic-but-not-quite things.</span><br />
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Create Your Own Superlative: </b>What is the 2014 release you are most excited to read after participating in this blogfest???</span><br />
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>(My list:<i> I'll Give You The Sun, Complicit, Panic, Let's Get Lost, The Winner's Curse</i>)</b></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest</b> (hosted by <a href="http://jessicalovewrites.blogspot.com/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>,
and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/" target="_blank">Katy Upperman</a>) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December
18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety
of fun superlative categories. <b>See the host's pages for the categories of each day and to join the link-up!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>My 2014 Reads This Year: </b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165932-independent-study" target="_blank">Independent Study</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378508-blue-lily-lily-blue" target="_blank">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309803-unmade" target="_blank">Unmade</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821284-brown-girl-dreaming" target="_blank">Brown Girl Dreaming</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667792-conversion" target="_blank">Conversion</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21863930-one-two-three" target="_blank">One, Two, Three</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934647-push-girl" target="_blank">Push Girl</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20517739-far-from-you" target="_blank">Far From You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17560541-don-t-even-think-about-it" target="_blank">Don't Even Think About It</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079527-the-impossible-knife-of-memory" target="_blank">The Impossible Knife of Memory</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after" target="_blank">Isla and the Happily Ever After</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control?from_search=true" target="_blank">Control</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18222767-a-death-struck-year" target="_blank">A Death-Struck Year</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15844362-the-one" target="_blank">The One</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Elements of Fiction – Wednesday, December 17th</b><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Most Formidable World--</b><i><b>Brown Girl Dreaming.</b> </i>If you'll allow me a serious moment at a festive time of year: one of the things that <i>Brown Girl Dreaming</i> does really well is reveal the gaps between the ways laws have changed and the ways people haven't. Progress doesn't happen nearly as quickly or cleanly as we hope it would, and given the events of the last few weeks and months in America, I think it's safe to say that we still have a long way to go. The world of <i>Brown Girl Dreaming</i> is our world, and our world feels pretty formidable at the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Most Wanderlust-Inducing--</b><i><b>Everything Leads to You.</b> </i>I thought about <i>Isla</i>, because that book is full of amazing places...but in the end, <i>Everything Leads to You</i> was the book that made me actually want to visit LA. For someone who hates driving and heat as much as I do, that's a real feat. Emi clearly loves LA so, so much that I've been won over.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Loveliest Prose--<i>The Raven Boys</i></b> (on the technicality that <i>Brown Girl Dreaming </i>is poetry!) Maggie. No one is surprised.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Best Performance in a Supporting Role--Jesse Dittley</b>, <i>Blue Lily, Lily Blue. </i>BECAUSE I HAVE A WEAKNESS FOR CHARACTERS WHO TALK LIKE THIS.<b> </b>(And "ANT"!!!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Best First Line--</b><i><b>We Were Liars.</b> </i>The whole opening, in fact: </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;">No one is a criminal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">No one is an addict.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">No one is a failure.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The Sinclairs are athletic, tall, and handsome. We are old-money Democrats. Our smiles are wide, our chins square, and our tennis serves aggressive.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;">Most Dynamic Main Character</span>--Hayley Kincain, <i>The Impossible Knife of Memory</i>.</b> Hayley's growth isn't magical or instantaneous, but it is striking. And she's such a vibrant character, with an incisive wit (that seems to be what Laurie Halse Anderson does best!)</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Most Jaw-Dropping Conclusion--</b><i><b>Isla and the Happily Ever After.</b> </i>I liked this book, but the end was maybe my favorite thing I've read all year. It was such a satisfying payoff to not one but three stories and it made me so, so happy.</span></div>
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Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-20163719394268432014-12-16T21:30:00.001-05:002014-12-16T21:30:21.385-05:00Class of 2014 YA Superlatives: Day 2--Popularity Contest<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><b>The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest</b> (hosted by <a href="http://jessicalovewrites.blogspot.com/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>, and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/" target="_blank">Katy Upperman</a>) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December 18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety of fun superlative categories. <b>See the host's pages for the categories of each day and to join the link-up!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>My 2014 Reads This Year: </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165932-independent-study" target="_blank">Independent Study</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378508-blue-lily-lily-blue" target="_blank">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309803-unmade" target="_blank">Unmade</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821284-brown-girl-dreaming" target="_blank">Brown Girl Dreaming</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667792-conversion" target="_blank">Conversion</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21863930-one-two-three" target="_blank">One, Two, Three</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934647-push-girl" target="_blank">Push Girl</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20517739-far-from-you" target="_blank">Far From You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17560541-don-t-even-think-about-it" target="_blank">Don't Even Think About It</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079527-the-impossible-knife-of-memory" target="_blank">The Impossible Knife of Memory</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after" target="_blank">Isla and the Happily Ever After</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control?from_search=true" target="_blank">Control</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18222767-a-death-struck-year" target="_blank">A Death-Struck Year</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15844362-the-one" target="_blank">The One</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Popularity Contest – Tuesday, December 16th</span> </span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAp2ldvOTPQGof-B-MmOV3DWSZzPtgNfWiRb7pwk5MiziYv82rXVLdSOJobgBRkOLXgp0W7685qaGaZRJBcYVjBpXCIYRewM1g50-udxc01xw80KJ_EDG8x-F_FnDxBHDdProWIJ7RSc/s1600/unmade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAp2ldvOTPQGof-B-MmOV3DWSZzPtgNfWiRb7pwk5MiziYv82rXVLdSOJobgBRkOLXgp0W7685qaGaZRJBcYVjBpXCIYRewM1g50-udxc01xw80KJ_EDG8x-F_FnDxBHDdProWIJ7RSc/s1600/unmade.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Villain I Love to Hate--Rob Lynburn, <i>Unmade<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">. </span></i></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Classic evil dude. UGH.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Fashion King and/or Queen--Kami Glass, <i>Unmade. </i></span></b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">I love that Kami is smart and weird and loud and has the <i>cutest</i> clothes, all at the sam<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">e time. (Of course, that's par for the course with SRB. Like I said. Hella feminist.)</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Favorite Parental Figure</span></b><i><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">--</span></b></i><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Glass</span></b><i><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">, <i>Unmade</i></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">. </span></i></span></b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Who are we all going to choose for this categor<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">y next year?</span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAp2ldvOTPQGof-B-MmOV3DWSZzPtgNfWiRb7pwk5MiziYv82rXVLdSOJobgBRkOLXgp0W7685qaGaZRJBcYVjBpXCIYRewM1g50-udxc01xw80KJ_EDG8x-F_FnDxBHDdProWIJ7RSc/s1600/unmade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAp2ldvOTPQGof-B-MmOV3DWSZzPtgNfWiRb7pwk5MiziYv82rXVLdSOJobgBRkOLXgp0W7685qaGaZRJBcYVjBpXCIYRewM1g50-udxc01xw80KJ_EDG8x-F_FnDxBHDdProWIJ7RSc/s1600/unmade.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Most Likely to Start a Riot</span></b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>--Jared Lynburn/Ronan Lynch</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>, <i>Unmade</i>/</b><i><b>Blue Lily, Lily Blue</b>--</i></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Um, especially if they were in the same place at the same time. I'll let you imagine that scenario. You're welcome.</span></span></span></span><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coolest Nerd</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">--Zelia, <i>Control--</i></span></span></b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Zelia is an old-school nerd--she spends a lot o<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">f time in a lab, working with DNA. But she's doing it <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">to try and save her sister--what<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">'s cooler than that?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> Character I’d Most Want For a BFF--Becca, <i>One, Two, Three--</i></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">I think I've written before about my love for Becca. She's got her own life and<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"> her own issue<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">s</span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">, </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">but she always makes time for Nata, even when Nata is prickly. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Character I Wish I’d Dated in High School--Jack, <i>Push Girls--</i></span></b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Jack is</span><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><i> </i></span></b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">a</span> sweet boy with a brain full of trivia, who loves <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Kara and thinks she's beautiful--<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">full stop. Who tells her <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">how great she is and looks out for her (be<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">cause he cares about her, not because he thinks<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"> she can't take care of herself) and is a great all-around c<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">heerleader? Wh<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">y didn't he live in Schene<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">ctady<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">, NY circa 200<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">1?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Most Likely to Become President--Charlo<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">tte, <i>Everything Leads to You--</i></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Charlotte is my kind of <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">gal. She's super-organized, professional, and all-around awesome. I <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">know she plans to <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">work in museu<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">ms, but...you never know. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="border: 0px none; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.8px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Quirkiest Character--Toby<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">, <i>Everything Leads to You--</i></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Even though we don't see much <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">of Toby<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">, he pops. His <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">love of films, his <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">special iced tea arrangement with the Ethiopian place around the corner, his demand that Emi does something epic <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">while she<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">'s borrowing his apartment--quirky to a T.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-33277553050253666732014-12-15T22:37:00.000-05:002014-12-15T22:37:28.492-05:00Class of 2014 YA Superlative Blogfest: Day 1--Head of the Class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBeI6rSQcpwzb3I8cI2qdIprDHRJTcmFGfBtxeELmVffViRExYpGEmBtqjfCgBSS-yUSe8crEov2Alr5gjRFBCEGb5BHcgRUvmS0NY54rjQG0zn6PGZM8kokE9UYMHIvWkoj6ag6zjlE/s1600/class-of-2014_banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBeI6rSQcpwzb3I8cI2qdIprDHRJTcmFGfBtxeELmVffViRExYpGEmBtqjfCgBSS-yUSe8crEov2Alr5gjRFBCEGb5BHcgRUvmS0NY54rjQG0zn6PGZM8kokE9UYMHIvWkoj6ag6zjlE/s1600/class-of-2014_banner.png" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>The Class of 2014: YA Superlative Blogfest</strong> (hosted by <a href="http://jessicalovewrites.blogspot.com/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>,
and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/" target="_blank">Katy Upperman</a>) runs Monday, December 15th through Thursday, December
18th and will highlight favorite books published in 2014 using a variety
of fun superlative categories. <strong>See the host's pages for the categories of each day and to join the link-up!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>My 2014 Reads This Year: </strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165932-independent-study" target="_blank">Independent Study</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378508-blue-lily-lily-blue" target="_blank">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309803-unmade" target="_blank">Unmade</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821284-brown-girl-dreaming" target="_blank">Brown Girl Dreaming</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667792-conversion" target="_blank">Conversion</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21863930-one-two-three" target="_blank">One, Two, Three</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934647-push-girl" target="_blank">Push Girl</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20517739-far-from-you" target="_blank">Far From You</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17560541-don-t-even-think-about-it" target="_blank">Don't Even Think About It</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079527-the-impossible-knife-of-memory" target="_blank">The Impossible Knife of Memory</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after" target="_blank">Isla and the Happily Ever After</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control?from_search=true" target="_blank">Control</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18222767-a-death-struck-year" target="_blank">A Death-Struck Year</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15844362-the-one" target="_blank">The One</a></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;">Favorite Dystopian</span>--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17165932-independent-study" target="_blank">Independent Study</a> by Joelle Charbonneau</b></div>
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I'm seeing some conflicting release dates for this one but at least one was in 2014, so let's go with it. I think the dystopian deluge has let up a bit, but I did read this one and I really enjoyed it. It's pretty standard dystopian fare, plot-wise, but I thought it was well-executed and it held my attention even though I've read more than my fair share of dystopians over the last few years.</div>
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<b>Favorite Science Fiction--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control?ac=1" target="_blank">Control</a> by Lydia Kang</b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This is technically a 2013 release, but it came out after the YA Superlative Blogfest last year so I'm including it. This is a science fiction that's heavy on the science in a totally fascinating way. Her main character lives with a chronic condition known as Ondine's Curse--a real thing, in which your body doesn't remember to breathe on its own--and scientific research plays a large role in the story. (If you don't know Lydia, check out her Medical Mondays archives--she's answered a ton of medical questions for writers, and all the info is <a href="http://lydiakang.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;">Favorite Fantasy</span>--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378508-blue-lily-lily-blue?ac=1" target="_blank">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a> by Maggie Stiefvater</b></div>
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<br />I guess this is where I'd class this? I don't need to tell you about this book, you already know. But it brought me boundless joy and much agony. (There was a scene not too far in when I thought I had finally answered the question of "Which Raven Boy do I love the most?" because something was just so adorable...and then, like clockwork, the magnitude of the terrible things that character was experiencing became apparent and my heart broke into a million tiny pieces. MAGGIE. YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE. This is why I love you.)<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Favorite Contemporary--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you?from_search=true" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a> by Nina LaCour</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> I had this in my classroom library but hadn't gotten around to it until recently, when a student read and recommended it. I'm so glad I made time for it because I loved it. It's a great, slowly-unspooling romance between Emi, a brilliant young set designer learning the ropes in Hollywood, and Ava, a baker-actress-Home Depot employee with a mysterious past. I love Emi and Ava; I also love their respective best friends, Charlotte and Jamal. Emi's dedication to her career is fantastic and engrossing, and I love the glimpses we get of her family as well. <br /><br />**Honorable mentions to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934647-push-girl?ac=1" target="_blank">Push Girl</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21863930-one-two-three?from_search=true" target="_blank">One, Two, Three</a>--both awesome contemporaries about trauma and recovery, by the extremely talented and hard-working Jessica Love (and Chelsie Hill) and Elodie Nowodazkij, respectively! I haven't been able to stop myself from a little bit of "I knew them when" whenever I recommend those titles to students!**</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;">Favorite Historical Fiction</span>--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667792-conversion?from_search=true" target="_blank">Conversion</a> by Katherine Howe</b></div>
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I guess I can count this here--part of the book takes place in Salem, MA during the witch trials. I got this book through my <a href="http://oblongbooks.com/oblong-insider" target="_blank">Oblong Insider </a>subscription--it's a really fun YA book-of-the-month style subscription plan, tailored to your interests, and so far they have chosen very well indeed! <i>Conversion</i> imagines parallels between a (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/magazine/teenage-girls-twitching-le-roy.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">real</a>!) mysterious condition that caused symptoms in a large number of girls in one small town (not far from where I live) just a few years ago, and the mass hysteria of the Salem witch trials. I couldn't put it down!</div>
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<span style="color: black;">Favorite Mystery</span>--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars?ac=1" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a> by E. Lockhart</b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Not so much a "whodunit" as a "what happened?" but it certainly had the suspense and twists of a mystery! This is another one I don't think I have to say much about--but if you haven't read it, what are you waiting for?</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;">Favorite Romance</span>--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after?ac=1" target="_blank">Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins</a></b></div>
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I actually <i>wept</i>--like, not just teary eyes, but active crying-- with joy at the end of this one. Is there a better criteria for a great romance? I loved Isla and Josh but the return appearances from some old friends made this one of my very favorite reads of the year. (And BOY do my students agree; this series has gotten more check-outs this year than the rest of my library combined, I think.)</div>
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<b><span style="color: black;">Favorite Paranormal</span>--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18309803-unmade?from_search=true" target="_blank">Unmade</a> by Sarah Rees Brennan</b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I loved this series so, <i>so</i> much. It was funny, it was sweet, it was heartbreaking, it was beautiful. And it was hella feminist. Paranormal is not generally my jam but there's no resisting the Lynburn Legacy series. I don't care if you think you will like a book with sorcery. If you enjoy feeling human emotions you will like this series. Trust me. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>Favorite Genre Bender--<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821284-brown-girl-dreaming?ac=1" target="_blank">Brown Girl Dreaming</a> by Jacqueline Woodson (memoir/poetry)</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I finished this book at midnight last night--a school night, sorry kids, but it was just that kind of book. This memoir in verse about Jacqueline Woodson's childhood in the '60s and '70s could go in the "historical" category, although suddenly the moments in which the molasses pace of America's progress toward equality becomes apparent feel startlingly current. It could go under poetry, but it's more like a long song that hums in your head when you set it down. And it's memoir but it's so inviting that it feels more like a storyteller leaning in to whisper to her audience than a slickly packaged life. This is a gorgeous, necessary book and I'm so glad it's part of the conversation right now.<b> </b></span></div>
Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-75247454697288742462014-11-05T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-05T07:49:41.787-05:00What's Up Wednesday: NaNo Energy Edition!<br />
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What’s Up Wednesday is a meme started by the awesome <a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/">Jaime Morrow</a> and <a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.com/">Erin Funk</a> as a way to keep up with your writer/reader/blogger pals in a quick, fun way. Link up with other participants at Jaime's blog and make sure to leave some comments along the way!<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;"><b>WHAT I'M READING</b></span><br />
I recently re-read <i>The Raven Boys</i> and <i>The Dream Thieves</i> to prepare for reading <i>Blue Lily, Lily Blue</i>. I'm in the middle of BL,LB and I'm loving it (duh). I forgot how much I loved being immersed in that world. I also picked up<i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47944.Empress_of_the_World">Empress of the World</a></i> by Sara Ryan yesterday (we had all-day parent/teacher conferences and I didn't feel like driving home on our two-hour break but also was too burned out to work;<i> Empress</i> was in my classroom library but I hadn't gotten to read it yet. I am super loving it and by the time this post goes up I'll definitely be done flying through it.) <br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">WHAT I'M WRITING</span></b><br />
I'm nearly 7K words into my NaNoWriMo project, and it feels amazing. I forgot how much fun it is to write every day. I have a pretty distinct feeling that this draft is truly awful so far--and I also really, really don't care. I'm loving every minute of it.<br />
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So far, my WiP has: <br />
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<li>cast list day </li>
<li>Shakespeare </li>
<li>the boy next door </li>
<li>lousy gym classes </li>
<li>anxiety </li>
<li>big brown eyes </li>
<li>major flirting </li>
<li>backstage sofas </li>
<li>"would you rather" </li>
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<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">WHAT WORKS FOR ME</span></b><br />
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Writing with my students! I've got a dedicated crew of student writers working on their own novels; collectively, students at my school have already written 57,455 words! I had a lunchtime write-in in my room on Monday, and I'm going to keep those going as often as possible. I'm also hosting a twelve-hour write-in (8-8) at school on Sunday, so students can come in and out or spend the whole day writing. I imagine I'll get a lot written that day! <br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;"><b>WHAT ELSE IS NEW</b></span><br />
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I've started reading comic books (thanks to Mr. S) and I'm totally obsessed with the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16002136-hawkeye-vol-1?from_search=true">Hawkeye</a> run that's currently in progress (by Matt Fraction, with a few different artists). You may know about Hawkeye from The Avengers (if you saw the movie, he's Jeremy Renner, aka that one guy who shot an arrow one time) but it turns out there are TWO Hawkeyes (superhero identity tends to be fluid, I guess?) and the second one is a lady. So for Halloween, Mr. S and I both went as Hawkeye; he was <a href="http://marvel.wikia.com/Clinton_Barton_%28Earth-616%29">Clint Barton</a> and I was <a href="http://marvel.wikia.com/Katherine_Bishop_%28Earth-616%29">Kate Bishop</a>. (Bonus: we both own purple Converse now!) I'm also loving the beginning of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18757876-ms-marvel-1?ac=1">Ms. Marvel</a>--the new Ms. Marvel is a Pakistani-American Muslim teenage girl living in Jersey City. (Marvel seems to be figuring out this "diverse books" thing! And these titles are selling, so hopefully no dumb arguments about money will get in the way.)
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Today I'm excited to participate in the cover reveal for the prequel novelette to <a href="http://readingontheftrain.blogspot.com/2014/06/happy-book-birthday-to-one-two-three-by.html" target="_blank"><i>One, Two, Three</i></a>! Congrats to Elodie Nowodazkij on the lovely cover--I can't wait until the big release day!</div>
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<b> Cover designer: </b>Derek Murphy of <a href="http://bookcovers.creativindie.com/" target="_blank">CreativIndie</a><br />
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<b>Title</b>: ONE DREAM ONLY (ONE, TWO,
THREE #0.5)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTscmKqpJ9xt4TYRjSjyIwz3oG-InmlTNtKbQAIUm1YBvm0q2zD-QHRkSB9NAMICbXTFmyL5d_5mZlGgGZgwEw_31cmJzsXJZlaC8xLRVzMKLfn7Egd-w7v_7jb727TOHpWXoBnjAAgjk/s1600/ONE+DREAM+ONLY+-+preorder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTscmKqpJ9xt4TYRjSjyIwz3oG-InmlTNtKbQAIUm1YBvm0q2zD-QHRkSB9NAMICbXTFmyL5d_5mZlGgGZgwEw_31cmJzsXJZlaC8xLRVzMKLfn7Egd-w7v_7jb727TOHpWXoBnjAAgjk/s1600/ONE+DREAM+ONLY+-+preorder.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Summary</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>:
Sixteen-year-old Natalya Pushkaya has only one dream: becoming the
best ballerina ever. Dancing's always been who she is and she's
working her hardest to land the main role of the School of Performing
Arts' end of the year recital.<br /><br />But...will she make it?<br /><br />Within
a week, Natalya's life will be changed forever.<br /><br />Prequel
novelette of One, Two, Three.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22740072-one-dream-only?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22740072-one-dream-only?ac=1"></a>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Dream-Only-Two-Three-ebook/dp/B00N0QVVIG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409487714&sr=8-2&keywords=nowodazkij" target="_blank">Available for pre-order on Amazon</a>
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<b>About the author</b>: Elodie
Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could
always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US,
where she learned she'd never lose her French accent. She graduated
with a bachelor's degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and
later earned master's degrees in German Cultural Studies and European
Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories
in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat
(who doesn't seem to realize he's not human), and uses her commuting
time to write the stories swirling in her head. She's also a serial
smiley user.</div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/22b3ef7e4/" id="rc-22b3ef7e4" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-44523545511354908702014-08-18T17:08:00.002-04:002014-08-18T17:08:58.785-04:00SQUEE.So this came today...you guys, I cannot speak highly enough of <a href="http://www.oblongbooks.com/" target="_blank">Oblong Books</a>. Someday I will actually go to the store. Someday. In the meantime, I'm thinking seriously about signing up for <a href="http://www.oblongbooks.com/12month-ya-insider" target="_blank">Oblong Insider</a>--it's a YA Book-of-the-Month type program. They seem so cool I figure their selections are likely to be excellent. Anyway, if you're looking for indies to support, I've had very good experiences with Oblong in the past and today I lucked out and won this adorable tote with my pre-order of Isla. Yay indies, yay swag, YAY ISLA!!! Just what I want for my last few days of summer!<br />
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Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-31872189135630286822014-07-22T18:52:00.002-04:002014-07-22T18:52:24.934-04:00ReadalongsWhile my blog is looking suspiciously empty again this summer, I've actually been blogging quite a bit. For the fourth summer in a row, I'm reading classics with some of my students from New York (who are now all grown up and in college!) I've put my notes on those books online for three books, and I'm in the middle of a fourth (the very first summer, it was just me and one student, so we used email rather than a blog; this summer, we felt ambitious and decided to do two.) <br />
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Our current book is <i>A Tale of Two Cities</i>, which I read in tenth grade and <i>just absolutely hated</i>. Most of what I remember is one endless packet of reading questions and vocabulary to define and use in sentences, though, and I have since come to love other Dickens, so I decided to give it another chance. (Plus, my best friend in 10th grade--my very first internet friend, who lived a few hours away and whose teacher must have taken a different approach--told me I had it all wrong, it was a great story and <i>so</i> romantic and when she talked about it I felt kind of cheated. So I've always kind of wanted to go back for it.) If you'd like to join in, I posted notes on the first two chapters <a href="http://ataleoftwocitiesreadalong.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br />
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The full list of readalong blogs is below; they're still up and running, so if you ever feel like revisiting an old favorite (or trying out one you never got around to) leave your impressions in the comments and we'll have a little classics club! (Also, because I'm writing for my students--even if they are adults now--I keep things pretty PG. So if you know a kid or teenager who wants to read one of these--or who has been assigned to--feel free to bring them along!)<br />
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<a href="http://greatexpectationsreadalong.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><i>Great Expectations</i></a><br />
<a href="http://littlewomenreadalong.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><i>Little Women</i></a><br />
<a href="http://northangerabbeyreadalong.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><i>Northanger Abbey</i></a><br />
<a href="http://ataleoftwocitiesreadalong.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><i>A Tale of Two Cities </i></a>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-79258709100024809842014-07-20T01:46:00.003-04:002014-07-20T01:46:41.298-04:00Summer TV and a Winner!First of all: Congrats to <a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/">Jaime Morrow</a>, winner of my <i>One, Two, Three </i>Giveaway! A giftcard for <a href="http://donorschoose.org/">DonorsChoose.org</a> is on its way to your inbox!<br />
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So, I don't know what normal human beings do between the time everyone in the house is home from work and bedtime, but in our house...it's mostly TV. Both my husband and I manage to be big readers somehow, but that evening time is pretty much reserved for TV. We're big TV watchers--and in the summer, we get a chance to catch up on shows we've missed during the regular season.<br />
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(Warning: some of these shows lean pretty hard into their adult content. Do your homework before watching. That said, all videos posted here are clean.) <br />
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So far this summer:<br />
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<i><b>Bob's Burgers</b></i>: While we try to do heavily serialized things that really benefit from binge-watching, this was the first one we tried out and I'm really glad. I had avoided it thinking it was the kind of show that would go in for the shock factor of a <i>South Park</i> or the misogyny of a <i>Family Guy</i> and I could not have been more wrong. Tina Belcher--the oldest kid--is a nerdy, awkward, boy-crazy, horse-loving, fan-fiction-writing middle-schooler, and the show loves her! There is no cynicism in Bob's Burgers--the dad isn't an incompetent boob, the mother isn't a joyless nag, the kids are unmistakably kids--this is a delightfully weird family and the show celebrates that. Linda Belcher might be the most realistically enthusiastic mom I've ever seen on TV--even when her kids aren't on board with her made-up songs or goofy schemes, she just keeps doing her in that slightly oblivious, 100% confident way that I totally recognize from many, many of the moms in my life. And it turns out that that is a really awesome thing. (Example: a household that shall remain nameless in which the youngest child is 23 but Santa still brings the presents <i>and anyone who wants to argue with that just won't get any presents, understand???</i>)<br />
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I also don't want to overlook middle child Gene--I'll let him speak for himself:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zia8NjQCEnU?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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<i><b>Silicon Valley:</b></i><br />
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This is a new-ish show, so it only has one season. It's about a ragtag group of computer programmers who stumble upon the Next Big Thing and then have to prove themselves over and over as the season goes on. I liked the show, but I loved Zach Woods in it. (You might know him as Gave from <i>The Office</i>--he is even more bizarre in <i>Silicon Valley.</i>) <br />
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<i><b>The Leftovers:</b></i><br />
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We've just gotten caught up with this one--it's only three episodes in--and so far I like it a lot more than I usually like things that are universally described as grim. I think the music might have a lot to do with it, particularly the use of the song "Retrograde" by James Blake. The music sets the tone in a lot of ways; that particular song is haunting and lovely but other music cues work in different ways. <br />
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<b><i>Orange is the New Black:</i></b><br />
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Continues to be great; while it is still nominally the story of Piper Kernan (an affluent white woman who participated in a drug trafficking operation and went to prison for it) the other inmates quickly become just as important, if not more so. My favorites are Taystee and Poussey. I cannot talk enough about how great they are. (And then I have like seventeen next-favorites. Sophia. Suzanne. Sister Ingalls. Red. The list goes on.) <br />
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<i><b>Orphan Black:</b></i><br />
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If you are not watching this: what are you even doing with your life. Yes, it is about clones. No, I don't care if that's not usually your thing. Watch anyway: Tatiana Maslany plays I've-lost-track-of-how-many characters and she is a genius. Don't believe me? Watch her shoot a dance party with herself.<br />
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<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/XE2u_N8g6cs?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/XE2u_N8g6cs?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
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<b><i>Playing House:</i></b><br />
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Another great performance from Zach Woods, but here it's the ladies who stand out. A great, goofy show about female friendship. <br />
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<i><b>Broad City: </b></i><br />
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But taking the gold in the "great goofy show about female friendship" category is <i>Broad City. </i>It's unapologetically raunchy, sometimes gross, and very New York City, so it may not be for everyone (which is ok! We're finally getting to a point in entertainment where not every ladies' comedy for ladies has to be for ALL ladies! Hooray for that!) but I love it so hard. I guess this was more of a spring show, but it's too good not to include. One of my favorite sequences depicted the process for picking up a package once you've missed the delivery guy (I swear I have done this.)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/P8XILH1ZlpE" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>What are you watching this summer?</b>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-89795113458163237962014-06-26T00:43:00.001-04:002014-06-26T00:43:41.479-04:00Happy Book Birthday to One, Two, Three... by Elodie Nowodazkij!!! Fancast + Giveaway!I am so excited to celebrate the release day of <i>One, Two, Three...</i> by my friend Elodie Nowodazkij! I had the privilege of reading this story nearly two years ago now, and I fell in love with Nata and her friends. Since then, the characters have all gotten even richer and more human, and I can't wait for you to meet them! Congrats, Elodie!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydf9f5smJ01VXxtOGMHF8h8S43zrpcZIKX0RPjS990EgCSPQOWMNlehL5q_IX2UKfAsVWqfVLXKgkHlSCXOOf5MrDDYaYQSiYnoiVSPk2dn3h75RWyr5EuqhU6syjyY9C0EKk8bSW-O8/s1600/OneTwoThree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydf9f5smJ01VXxtOGMHF8h8S43zrpcZIKX0RPjS990EgCSPQOWMNlehL5q_IX2UKfAsVWqfVLXKgkHlSCXOOf5MrDDYaYQSiYnoiVSPk2dn3h75RWyr5EuqhU6syjyY9C0EKk8bSW-O8/s1600/OneTwoThree.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Book & Author Details:</span></b></div>
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One, Two, Three… by Elodie <span class="il">Nowodazkij</span><br />Publication date: <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1251219747" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">June 26th 2014</span></span><br />Genres: Contemporary, Romance,<wbr></wbr> Young Adult</div>
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<br /><b>Synopsis:</b></div>
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<i>When
seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a
car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her
mother—or open up to love.</i><br /><br />Last year, Natalya was attending
the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well
on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father
was still alive.<br /><br />But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya
can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in
New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic
mother; and has no hope of a dance career.<br /><br />At her new school,
however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya,
or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually
draw her out of her shell.<br /><br />But when upsetting secrets come to
light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again,
this time turning to alcohol herself.<br /><br />Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?</div>
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<br /><b>Goodreads</b>: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20656288-one-two-three?ac=1" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>goodreads.com/book/show/<wbr></wbr>20656288-one-two-three?ac=1</a></div>
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<b>Purchase:</b></div>
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--Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Two-Three-Elodie-Nowodazkij/dp/149531961X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403543032&sr=8-1&keywords=Elodie+Nowodazkij" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.<wbr></wbr>com/One-Two-Three-Elodie-<wbr></wbr><span class="il">Nowodazkij</span>/dp/149531961X/ref=<wbr></wbr>sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403543032&<wbr></wbr>sr=8-1&keywords=Elodie+<wbr></wbr><span class="il">Nowodazkij</span></a></div>
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--B&N: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-two-three-ms-elodie-nowodazkij/1119819780?ean=9781495319617" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>barnesandnoble.com/w/one-two-<wbr></wbr>three-ms-elodie-<span class="il">nowodazkij</span>/<wbr></wbr>1119819780?ean=9781495319617</a></div>
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--iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id889729288" target="_blank">https://itunes.<wbr></wbr>apple.com/us/book/id889729288</a><br />--Kobo: <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search/Query?q=9781498999212&fcmedia=Book&query=9781498999212" target="_blank">http://store.<wbr></wbr>kobobooks.com/en-us/Search/<wbr></wbr>Query?q=9781498999212&fcmedia=<wbr></wbr>Book&query=9781498999212</a> </div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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AUTHOR BIO</div>
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Elodie <span class="il">Nowodazkij</span>
was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found
a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned
she'd never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor's
degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master's
degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to
her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in
Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn't seem to realize
he's not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories
swirling in her head. She's also a serial smiley user.<br /><br />Author links:</div>
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<div style="color: #0433ff; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.elodienowodazkij.com/" target="_blank"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">www.elodienowodazkij.com</span></a> </span></div>
<div style="color: #0433ff; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Twitter</b>: <a href="https://twitter.com/commutinggirl" target="_blank"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>commutinggirl</span></a> </span></div>
<div style="color: #0433ff; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Facebook page</b>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elodienowodazkij" target="_blank"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>elodienowodazkij</span></a> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Newsletter</b>: Sign up <a href="http://elodienowodazkij.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4fe2ebb3f95df52e0954e0044&id=f404024751" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0433ff; letter-spacing: 0px;">here</span></a></span></div>
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To celebrate these awesome characters, I've decided to share the fancast that I've had stuck in my head as I've read:<br />
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<b>Nata: Julia Goldani Telles</b><br />
<b></b><br />
I first read <i>One, Two, Three...</i> the summer I started watching <i>Bunheads</i> on ABC Family. It made sense that I'd picture one of the young dancers on the show as Nata, but I really think Sasha (Telles' character) and Nata have a lot in common. And, once Nata gets her haircut and dye job, it's even a pretty good physical match. Rather than a picture, here's the dance that made me fall in love with her: <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WTO10Xgl0eM?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>Becca: Madison Burge</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGk9qDst1DjGir4UN7_RqCWknNxXxTTqxqzNO8Xpz8XeznNG3R9a7_nYijnIuGcPrql2EKTWJVJcgiIL0dMoWzBvzc8QgsLvdEs89Q-b8wvFzieGIfUNK1uf0594sepsi7VR7HaB3wMs/s1600/madisonburge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGk9qDst1DjGir4UN7_RqCWknNxXxTTqxqzNO8Xpz8XeznNG3R9a7_nYijnIuGcPrql2EKTWJVJcgiIL0dMoWzBvzc8QgsLvdEs89Q-b8wvFzieGIfUNK1uf0594sepsi7VR7HaB3wMs/s1600/madisonburge.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fanforum.com/f243/madison-burge-becky-sproles-1-there-more-her-than-what-meets-eye-62935862/">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b> </b>I know Madison Burge as Becky from <i>Friday Night Lights</i>--she has a combination of irrepressible cheerfulness and real sadness underneath that I think is hinted at in Becca (and someday, <i>someday</i>, Becca will get her own book and I can finally hear her whole story!) Becca has been my favorite part of this book since before her name was even Becca, and once I pictures Madison there was no going back.<br />
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<b>James: Beau Mirchoff</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvr6IAyDUuRwtYPR0SgNhprW69a3dW9bfSCztuD7ceTlRgOSZjos4AT0pG0Qxn_o4Oi8OGQqZESDTA8_53xf1FIS42pt-pEbDNKmmqfS_9MhyphenhyphenhdS0HHawhENlvDsWG1TwhUwxetnvZFsk/s1600/beaumirchoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvr6IAyDUuRwtYPR0SgNhprW69a3dW9bfSCztuD7ceTlRgOSZjos4AT0pG0Qxn_o4Oi8OGQqZESDTA8_53xf1FIS42pt-pEbDNKmmqfS_9MhyphenhyphenhdS0HHawhENlvDsWG1TwhUwxetnvZFsk/s1600/beaumirchoff.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2155525/">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Beau Mirchoff plays the athletic, goofy Matty McKibben on <i>Awkward. </i>I'm not sure he's quite what I had in mind for James (too much hair, for one!) but he's close. Maybe add a dash more earnestness, a la Corey Monteith or one of the boys from <i>Friday Night Lights.</i><br />
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<b>Camilo: Francis Capra</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvX20mTTDz98vG69xPWzS8yZR_t27_IeOxYHWat_6SGyt8C32i5JUKAz83tbUam1Ih8IgI0BgYqvwLEbBhadqcfM50CLbJIqIE7XI8aHmJYM1gnGyJmdWD28P98QVZpYJFM5hOg2krR0/s1600/francis-capra-veronica-mars-movie-300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvX20mTTDz98vG69xPWzS8yZR_t27_IeOxYHWat_6SGyt8C32i5JUKAz83tbUam1Ih8IgI0BgYqvwLEbBhadqcfM50CLbJIqIE7XI8aHmJYM1gnGyJmdWD28P98QVZpYJFM5hOg2krR0/s1600/francis-capra-veronica-mars-movie-300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tvline.com/2013/06/10/veronica-mars-movie-cast-francis-capra-weevil/">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tough, but complicated. And that's all I'll say because I don't want to ruin anything!<br />
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<b>Nata's Dad: John Shea</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfN9fWp7oXfsj9qcWJl9I94QWexpIt5CO5npaCcbWobUMB8nbrfOcOOorfg0mdcAXRzw6xsvy0OzVx3hKIi2QlPeZUdGWd91RyDDcQWJahe7UzAQRm_bqDgSn7uhWEMjBNLp978Lzfmk/s1600/haroldwaldorf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfN9fWp7oXfsj9qcWJl9I94QWexpIt5CO5npaCcbWobUMB8nbrfOcOOorfg0mdcAXRzw6xsvy0OzVx3hKIi2QlPeZUdGWd91RyDDcQWJahe7UzAQRm_bqDgSn7uhWEMjBNLp978Lzfmk/s1600/haroldwaldorf.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gossipgirl.wikia.com/wiki/Harold_Waldorf">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This is another one that popped into my head early: Blair Waldorf's father from the <i>Gossip Girl</i> TV show. I love his sweetness and his troubled by loving relationship with his daughter--both of which fit perfectly here.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Nata's Mom</b>: <b>Kelly Rutherford</b><br />
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Because no show had more messed up parents than <i>Gossip Girl</i>. Blonde, cold--and I have no doubt she could pull off drunk. (I'm sure she did on <i>Gossip Girl!</i>) At the same time, she can dig into her emotional side when needed.<br />
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So...you may have noticed an important omission. <b>Where's Tonio? </b>Well, to be honest...I haven't been able to think of an actor who would do Tonio justice! So I'm turning it over to all of you. Once you've read <i>One, Two, Three...<b>, leave your ideal Tonio in the comments! I will pick an entry at random to win a $10 giftcard to Donors Choose</b></i><b>, </b>where you can put it toward projects that include school sports (for Tonio, James, and Camilo) or arts programs (for Becca, Nata, and little Karina!)<br />
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The contest will close in two weeks, on Thursday, July 10th--so get reading!Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-17105311389792112902014-05-28T21:56:00.001-04:002014-05-28T21:56:20.017-04:00#YesAllWomenThe Washington Post reports that <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/05/28/this-is-how-women-feel-about-walking-alone-at-night-in-their-own-neighborhoods/?tid=sm_fb">over 40% of women are afraid to walk alone in their neighborhoods after dark.</a><br />
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Ok, though, but what does "afraid" mean? Afraid like I wouldn't do it? Or afraid like I make extra sure I have my keys between my knuckles? Who are these women saying they AREN'T afraid? Did their mothers let them walk ten blocks to the ice cream shop without their guy friends when they were teenagers? Did their college security people never tell them to yell "fire" instead of "rape" if they got assaulted? Have they never been pressed to let someone drive them three blocks home at 6pm in December, because "it's dark! You can't walk home!"<br /><br />Nothing in my life has ever suggested that walking outside alone after dark is a good idea, or a safe idea. So I want to know, who are these women who aren't afraid? And should I try to teach our girls to become these women, or is it safer to be afraid? <br /><br />I am SO ANGRY that I have to ask these questions. That on top of the fact that we live in a world where anyone would commit violent crimes to begin with, we also live in a world that takes for granted the notion that women will be the victims of a disproportionate number of those crimes, or at least of certain types of crimes. That I have to choose between trying to make my students afraid or worrying that I am endangering them by making them fearless.<br />Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-10683336431999559702014-05-26T13:14:00.002-04:002014-05-26T13:14:48.765-04:00Reading on the F Train v. 3.0Friends! It has been too long. After a tumultuous year of working at two different schools, teaching a total of six completely new and completely different courses, and buying a house, things are finally calming down as I head into my last three weeks of work before summer break. As usual, I have a whole mess of goals for my summer, but in a nutshell:<br />
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1) Read more.<br />
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2) Write more (both WiP and this blog).<br />
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3) Move more.<br />
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4) Prep for next school year.<br />
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I had planned to re-launch the blog in a few weeks, after school ends for real. Going forward, I'm going to keep writing about the world of YA lit, but I want to broaden my horizons a little more. Working at an all-girls school this year, I've started focusing more on the ways women and girls are treated both in real life and in pop culture. I'm planning to make this a place for discussions of women and girls in books, music, TV, movies, and also in real life. I hope you'll stick around and join me in Reading on the F Train v. 3.0! <br /><br />The reason I bumped up my re-launch is that I came across an article today that was too fascinating not to share: <br />
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<a href="http://the-toast.net/2014/05/26/fairy-tales-are-womens-tales/">Fairy Tales are Women's Tales</a> (from <a href="http://the-toast.net/">The Toast</a>, which I cannot recommend highly enough.)<br />
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The article examines the transition of fairy tales from stories that belonged to women--like, adult women--to stories that we now think of as belonging to children. It also looks at how those stories changed as that transition took place--turns out, our ideas about what's ok for kids hasn't changed much since the Grimms took it upon themselves to polish up their stories for a young audience. (So: tons of violence, no sex whatsoever!) <br />
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The part I was most interested in, however, echoes something I talk about in my classes. "Traditionally, fairy tales had seen luck and chance count for more than
hard work and obedience, but Wilhelm put a stop to that – instead the
sweet, well-behaved, godly women were rewarded, and those who deviated
from that mold were punished." There's a lot of debate about the role of morality in YA literature, especially where sex is concerned. Many critics seem to wish it would disappear altogether, but if it must exist, then it should have <i>consequences</i>: pregnancy, STDs, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPrNLm9nR3A&feature=kp">DEATH</a>. The feeling seems to be that appropriate punishments for all "wrongdoing" in YA will keep teenagers in line, and so under the right circumstances, reading about sex might be fine. (Violence, as always, <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/statistics">is mostly ok</a>.) This is similar to the treatment of other controversial acts: I took a great class in grad school that focused on queer representation in different eras of theatre; in nearly every play written before, I don't know, 1990? Later? The GLBTQ characters wound up dead or tragically alone. <br />
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So I tell my students, when we are looking at literature as a lens through which to view a particular moment in time, to ask themselves: what is rewarded here, and what is punished? Sometimes the answer is obvious (Oedipus tries to outsmart the gods and he is punished; Noah ignores his mocking neighbors to follow God's instructions and he is rewarded.) <br />
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Other times, the message is a little more subtle. I started one class this year by looking at the music videos for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw">You Belong With Me</a> by Taylor Swift and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIy3n2b7V9k&feature=kp">Sk8er Boi</a> by Avril Lavigne. In each video, you get the classic "The boy I like was dating this other girl who wasn't right for him, but then I won him over because I'm perfect for him." And in each video, there are different criteria for being "the right kind of girl." <br />
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In the Swift video, the "right girl" is rocking an awesome periodic table t-shirt, which she later ditches for a demure white dress. Her rival wears "short skirts" and "high heels" most of the time, and comes to the dance in a flashy red number with midriff cut-outs. So in the morality of this video, liking science and band and looking sweet are good; liking cheerleading and showing skin are bad. How do we know? Because version one is rewarded (gets the guy) and version two is punished (gets dumped at the dance.) <br />
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In Avril's version, we don't see much of the losing girl, but we hear all about her. She's a ballet dancer with long, golden curls, who lets her friends talk her out of dating the titular baggy-jeaned "punk." Her loss, though: not only does she lose the guy, but the same friends apparently ditch her later on when the Sk8er Boi hits it big--they all bought tickets for his rock show without her. The narrator, on the other hand--rocking streaked hair, matching baggy jeans, and studded wrist bands--appreciated the guy when he was rejected by Miss Toe Shoes. She is rewarded for some combination of her perception (she saw "the soul that is inside" hiding under those punk clothes) and her ability to run with the guys. <br />
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This fundamental question has become the starting point for most of my analysis of literature and pop culture these days. What is rewarded, and what is punished? In some cases, there's another step: how does the book/TV show/song <i>feel</i> about the punishment and reward? In <i>Mad Men</i>, for example, characters are constantly being punished and rewarded for who they are, based on gender, race, sexuality, age, appearance, etc. The show walks a line between showing us a time with a different morality from our own and using today's morality to judge those characters. Usually, when a character suffers for his or her identity, we are meant to sympathize with that character and not with his or her oppressor. So, while that punishment takes place in the <i>plot</i> of the show, the character is ultimately rewarded with the esteem of the viewers.<br />
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As YA writers, I don't think it is our place to safeguard the virtue and moral fiber of our young readers above all else; sometimes people make bad or stupid or hateful choices and get away with them (although that's rarely satisfying, from a story standpoint.) I do think we should be mindful of what we reward and what we punish, even in minor ways. What kinds of clothing do our protagonists wear, and what kinds of clothing do our antagonists wear? Are all the good guys members of higher-status groups (whether that's jocks or guys or straight people or white people or thin people or attractive people--and yes, even attractive-but-self-conscious people and "not conventionally attractive but somehow stunning" people count here--or able-bodied people or blonde people or whatever) and the only characters from other groups are the antagonists? Do our protagonists always demonstrate social graces that are considered "correct" for their gender/class/race/whatever, while the antagonists are maybe a little too outspoken or flirtatious or confident? <br />
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This is not to say that we all need to run screaming in the other direction. There is no magic formula for a protagonist that will magically make all teenagers love themselves and turn into awesome adults who are committed to equality and social justice and responsible enjoyment of their bodies. But we do need to ask ourselves: What am I rewarding, and what am I punishing? What are the embedded messages about identity and social norms in my story? Am I ok with putting those ideas out into the world? Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-78673123130148832612014-04-08T00:30:00.000-04:002014-04-08T00:30:01.291-04:00Cover Reveal and Giveaway: One, Two, Three by Elodie NowodazkijYOU GUYS. I am so excited. Today I get to participate in a cover reveal for the first book I ever beta read! This book, y'all. You are going to love it. Ballet and bad boys and best friends--this book has it all (Nata's best friend is my favorite character, and their relationship is so fabulous--but I know a LOT of you are going to lose it for Tonio.)<br />
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<em style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.</em><br />
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">But when upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...the cover!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogfGIvgh-GEfYMXXGbL7wMPzlYSbq04RnWyilHhCLs1WS4utZJQvBxQ_IL5GwFw5mXGJdsiiar890vZsGQ8DMkZmmP8sG1f5bIXJTp7pnSMo4H5RV0e73eWoxp5MnlgQ81TKTwfZzsE0/s1600/ONE+TWO+THREE+COVER+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #6fa8dc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogfGIvgh-GEfYMXXGbL7wMPzlYSbq04RnWyilHhCLs1WS4utZJQvBxQ_IL5GwFw5mXGJdsiiar890vZsGQ8DMkZmmP8sG1f5bIXJTp7pnSMo4H5RV0e73eWoxp5MnlgQ81TKTwfZzsE0/s1600/ONE+TWO+THREE+COVER+3.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;"><b><br /></b>I think this cover just nails it...once you get a chance to read this, I'm sure you'll agree. It fits the mood of the story perfectly! I can't wait for you all to get to know the wonderful characters Elodie has created! And speaking of Elodie, here's a little bit about her:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-xiTUt-Jdv9rF-rUitj_u9msat-KJLb1TFqf5O8yNjO7Wi6PbGGdn-HlSQtIvpALoxu0LJNMW1zDTbDK1ZxR3pSDGP-pBLAXylrPYWiq-3VkSWO2NSJCOAH8BoVr0ThlDm3TaORU0o0/s1600/Elodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #6fa8dc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-xiTUt-Jdv9rF-rUitj_u9msat-KJLb1TFqf5O8yNjO7Wi6PbGGdn-HlSQtIvpALoxu0LJNMW1zDTbDK1ZxR3pSDGP-pBLAXylrPYWiq-3VkSWO2NSJCOAH8BoVr0ThlDm3TaORU0o0/s1600/Elodie.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master’s degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn’t seem to realize he’s not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories swirling in her head. She's also a serial smiley user.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">ONE TWO THREE is her first novel.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">You can add <i>One, Two, Three </i>to your Goodreads shelves <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20656288-one-two-three?ac=1">here</a>, sign up for Elodie's newsletter <a href="http://elodienowodazkij.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4fe2ebb3f95df52e0954e0044&id=f404024751">here</a>, and follow Elodie on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/commutinggirl">here</a>. <i>One, Two, Three </i>will be released on June 26, 2014!</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">Giveaway: </b><br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/22b3ef3/" id="rc-22b3ef3" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></div>
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<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-35341500265306004032014-03-26T19:36:00.000-04:002014-03-27T10:55:23.018-04:00Quick Review: Text/Chat/Email by Erin Mallory Long<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vULqpkGIhZih1DN3QH7EipGnyDJTmXgnv1PX_yKt22fQNqHLV_0cNVFCqbAP7vIhtrlqGh2j1KRU4L80K3ImxiGWrNEbazKhUvHER6cbr8WKsHxZfoc0Gkbhyphenhyphen1IPOSTjWKnOnlmydpk/s1600/textchatemail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vULqpkGIhZih1DN3QH7EipGnyDJTmXgnv1PX_yKt22fQNqHLV_0cNVFCqbAP7vIhtrlqGh2j1KRU4L80K3ImxiGWrNEbazKhUvHER6cbr8WKsHxZfoc0Gkbhyphenhyphen1IPOSTjWKnOnlmydpk/s1600/textchatemail.jpg" /></a></div>
It's spring break at one of my two schools, which means that I am tearing through books! Today I want to highlight a fun, quick read by a friend of mine from high school: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J8320IA/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0"><i>Text/Chat/Email</i></a> by Erin Mallory Long. (Full disclosure: while I know the author, I bought the book on my own, and I have not been compensated for this review.)<br />
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<i>Text/Chat/Email</i> follows 24-year-old Emily as she navigates a romantic crisis: she's living with Brian, the guy she's been dating since high school, but she can't stop thinking about a guy she just met. And (hello, did you see where I said she's 24?) she does not handle it well. What I really loved about this book is how messy it is, in a way that often gets smoothed over in books and television. Sometimes people make bad choices, or weird choices, or just put off making choices, and the results are complicated and unpredictable and confusing. I also really appreciated the way that Emily's choices in one relationship affect her other relationships; nothing is neatly cordoned off. Reading <i>Text/Chat/Email</i> is like eavesdropping on someone at Starbucks, crossed with a Taylor Swift album (and let me be clear: those are two of my favorite things.)<br />
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Oh, and did I mention it's funny? Here's one of my favorite lines: "If you were looking at two sides of a coin, Brian would be the really shiny side that looked like hardly any homeless people had put it in their mouths." I also really enjoyed the interactions (in chat, because DUH, what do people do at their jobs all day?) between Emily and her co-worker Britney. Emily's deadpan responses to Britney's weird doofiness made me laugh out loud, but I really appreciated that Britney gets fleshed out a little more as the book goes along, so she isn't just a ditzy stereotype.<br />
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This book is solidly New Adult material, which means that there is some (totally realistic) language and drinking (obligatory mention since this is usually a YA blog!) There is not, however, the graphic sex that most articles on NA seem to think define the genre. This is a character-driven story about taking stock of yourself, owning your choices, and trying to make sense of adult life. <br />
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Edited to add: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21668218-text-chat-email">Here's a link</a> to the Goodreads page!Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-3207751035723301902014-03-15T23:06:00.001-04:002014-03-15T23:07:10.037-04:00A Long Time Ago...We Used To Be FriendsStill here! I'm just stupid-busy at school (took on an extra, brand-new, never-before-taught-by-me class this trimester with about two weeks notice! These are the things that keep me on my toes and honestly, I love having the opportunity to dive into new things, but <i>whew--</i>it's a lot of work!) and so not doing much blogging or reading of YA at the moment.<br />
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HOWEVER--I have to mark the occasion of the <i>Veronica Mars </i>movie! Mr. S and I drove all the way up to Waterloo, ON (that's Canada, for those of you not conversant in province abbreviations!) because it wasn't playing in Buffalo.<br />
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I won't say anything spoilery, except that I remain Team Piz and pretty much got what I expected from that quarter. (Also, <i>hello</i> Wallace. You grew up nice.) But it was a great time, well worth the wait, and totally sets up a whole new bunch of stories that I hope Rob Thomas will get to tell!Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-81090368317044142642014-02-09T00:08:00.001-05:002014-02-09T00:10:36.986-05:00Sunday Sunshine: Tough Going EditionUm, the book I finished this week was <i>Allegiant</i>, so...this is not a particularly sunny Sunday post. (Serves me right: I assigned my students <i>Unspoken</i> this week. My reading quiz started with the words, "I'm so, so sorry" because pretty much all my kids came in and just draped themselves over their desks, drowning in sorrow.)<br />
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Anyway, before my thoughts on <i>Allegiant</i>, let me share with you the thing that is making me SO SO SO happy this week: ice dancing. Olympic ice dancing. (Yes, I have some serious issues with the political situation in Russia, no, I am not boycotting the Olympics coverage because I'm not convinced that it would do anything, especially since we are not a Nielsen family. If I thought it would help, I would boycott.) I hate to be a bad patriot, but I can't help rooting for reigning gold medalists <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLjOvPiYgho">Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada</a>. (Seriously, follow the link and watch them dance. On skates.) They just have the most amazing chemistry of any two people I've ever seen. Of course, I also adore the American team of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Aa1lqELNcI">Charlie White and Meryl Davis</a>--and I love that all four of them are training partners and good friends!<br />
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<b>What I Read This Week: </b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17383918-allegiant" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Allegiant (Divergent, #3)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1368111284m/17383918.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17383918-allegiant">Allegiant</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4039811.Veronica_Roth">Veronica Roth</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/848065173">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I'm way more destroyed than I thought I would be. I can weigh in on what I gather was a controversial ending and say I think it was perfect and it couldn't have gone any other way. I really admire Veronica Roth for staying true to her characters and I feel absolutely satisfied. The only thing I take issue with is (SPOILERS--highlight to view) <span class="spoilerContainer"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: white;">the way Tris and Four's sexual
relationship played out in relation to Tris's death. I think all of
Tris's decisions--sex and war--made sense, but there's a pretty deep
literary tradition of killing off unmarried women who have sex (or
anyone else who breaks sexual norms) and this fits into that tradition
more than I'm comfortable with. I wish they had made the decision to
have sex sooner--maybe during that cute picnic?--so that Tris's death
didn't seem like such a direct response. (It's like the dad from <em>Freaks and Geeks</em>:
"I knew a girl who had sex before marriage. You know what happened to
her? She DIED.") To balance that, though, I will say that I enjoyed the
subtle allusions to <em>Romeo and Juliet</em> in the morning-after
scene. I don't know for sure that it was an intentional nod, but
starting with the birds, and basically all the dialogue...well, I was
pretty sure after reading that scene that it was not going to end well
for Tris and Four</span></span>.</span> O<span class="spoilerContainer" style="display: none;">[the way Tris and Four's sexual relationship played out in relation to Tris's death. I think all of Tris's decisions--sex and war--made sense, but there's a pretty deep literary tradition of killing off unmarried women who have sex (or anyone else who breaks sexual norms) and this fits into that tradition more than I'm comfortable with. I wish they had made the decision to have sex sooner--maybe during that cute picnic?--so that Tris's death didn't seem like such a direct response. (It's like the dad from <i>Freaks and Geeks</i>: "I knew a girl who had sex before marriage. You know what happened to her? She DIED.") To balance that, though, I will say that I enjoyed the subtle allusions to <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> in the morning-after scene. I don't know for sure that it was an intentional nod, but starting with the birds, and basically all the dialogue...well, I was pretty sure after reading that scene that it was not going to end well for Tris and Fou</span>verall, though, this was probably my favorite of the whole series.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6481540-mrs-s">View all my reviews</a>
Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-19131969982620504452014-02-04T21:19:00.003-05:002014-02-04T21:19:56.938-05:00Happy Book Birthday to When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens!Congratulations to the awesome <a href="http://rebeccabehrens.com/">Rebecca Behrens</a> on the release of her fabulous new MG novel, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17814086-when-audrey-met-alice"><i>When Audrey Met Alice</i></a>!<br />
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You guys, I have been so excited for this book, you don't even know. I mean, Rebecca is fabulous, and I was always going to nerd out when this day came. BUT, a story about a kick-butt First Daughter, with a dash of US history? It's like it's targeted to everything I love.<br />
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Today when I got home, just after an icicle hanging from our awning stabbed me in the head on my way up the iced-over porch steps, I saw the UPS guy coming around the corner, holding what I knew was my copy of <i>When Audrey Met Alice</i>. I risked my neck going back down the stairs to get it and then hurried inside to read.<br />
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I devoured this book! And it's a good thing, too, because another member of the family wanted a turn...<br />
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Willow is happy to report that this book is great for people <i>and</i> cats, although she is looking forward to putting it to the ultimate test of curling up on top of it.<br />
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Here's my full review--I loved it! Thanks for such a great read, Rebecca!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17814086-when-audrey-met-alice" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="When Audrey Met Alice" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1381158551m/17814086.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17814086-when-audrey-met-alice">When Audrey Met Alice</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6894558.Rebecca_Behrens">Rebecca Behrens</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/743696574">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Ok, I did not expect a book this fun and delightful to make me tear up a little at the end. It was total happy crying, but it took me by surprise anyway. Audrey Rhodes, First Daughter, is one of my new favorite people. Reading her story was a blast, except for the parts where I was in SO MUCH PAIN because one thing this book gets SO EXACTLY RIGHT is what it feels like to do something that seems like a great idea at the time and then <i>immediately</i> regret doing that thing. What I love about Audrey is that she responds totally realistically in those situations--sometimes with frustration or anger--but she works to fix the things she messes up, and to see things as other see them (once she's calmed down.) Her final bold choice is so satisfying and exciting, and I was thrilled to see a smart girl taking a stand for something she believes in. In short, she's a normal, imperfect, smart, courageous kid. And her historical counterpoint, Alice Roosevelt, is the same. I rooted so hard for both girls, and I'm sure I won't be the last one to add a biography of Alice to my TBR list after reading this! <br />
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In the end, while I loved the historical parallel stories, the way politics and the workings of the White House got worked into the story, and the sweet romance, the thing that got me right in the feels was Audrey's relationships with her family members, particularly her mom. (Alice's relationship with her family was a close second.) I love a well-done family story, and this one had a payoff that had me smiling through tears. I recommend <i>When Audrey Met Alice</i> to anyone who wants to eat up the world!
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6481540-mrs-s">View all my reviews</a>
Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-55915302907894567452014-01-29T18:11:00.001-05:002014-01-29T18:11:46.168-05:00What's Up Wednesday: EXTREME COLD EDITION!!!<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What's Up Wednesday is a meme started by <a href="http://www.jaime-morrow.com/" target="_blank">Jaime Morrow</a> and <a href="http://erinlfunk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Erin Funk</a>
to bring reading and writing bloggers together once a week. Go to
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Four or five things at once--but all re-reads! I'm wrapping up <i>Beauty Queens</i> in class, so I just completed a re-read of that. (Satire! Sex-positivity! Intersectional feminism! Why isn't this in every classroom everywhere?) I'm also teaching <i>Persuasion</i> in a different class and I'm really enjoying coming home to Austen and tea every day. About a week ago I picked up <i>Divergent</i> so that I can re-read that in time for the movie AND work my way through the whole trilogy--I cannot BELIEVE it's taken me this long to get to <i>Allegiant.</i> Plus, my book clubs at my other school are reading <i>The Sound and the Fury</i> and <i>Great Gatsby</i>. I've taught <i>Gatsby</i> before, which means that I don't need a full re-read, but I haven't gone back to <i>The Sound and the Fury</i> since I read it in college and--much to my surprise--really enjoyed it. </span><span></span><span></span><br />
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...Work stuff? Tests, quizzes, prompts for response papers, curriculum materials. But I've got a project simmering in the ol' brain crockpot (ew) and it's starting to bubble (sorry this metaphor got gross.) <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></span>
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<span>Nesting! Having a house is a lot of work. (Thank GOODNESS for the snowblower my mother gave us, and also for Mr. S's willingness to get up early and snowblow...all the fricking time. This is a real Buffalo winter.) </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>OOH! And because it's so disgusting out all the time, we finally went ahead and bought a piece of indoor exercise equipment! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>At the moment it's hanging out in our living room, which isn't the prettiest, but it means I use it pretty regularly. Eventually it would be nice to put it upstairs, either in our room or the "rec room" (board games, table, yoga mat, keyboard). But until we can get three-pronged outlets up there so we can plug in a TV, I know it will just gather dust. So, one thing at a time. I am horribly out of shape and biking is hard, but it feels SO good to be moving again. </span> <br />
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My students! I feel like this is my go-to answer, but seriously: I work with such great kids. My upperclassmen at the one school are incredibly thoughtful, articulate, and motivated, and my freshmen at the other school are so curious, open-minded, and full of energy. Mr. S said to me recently that he thinks the reason I'm a good teacher is that I'm so interested in what teenagers are interested in, and I think he's right. I find my kids completely fascinating, and the things they have to say about the world are so, so, so smart and important. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span></span></span><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6579743641200851816" itemprop="description articleBody">
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Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-46052800306054752932014-01-20T12:02:00.001-05:002014-01-20T12:02:02.908-05:00Sunday Smiles: Long Weekend Edition!This is the weirdest month: it started during Winter Break. Then we went back to school...for one day. Then we were snowed out for two days. Then two days on, then a weekend. This week we actually managed a full five-day week...and today we have off in honor of MLK Day. So it will be another short week.<br />
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Anyway, I figure I can count today as my Sunday, and tell you all about the book I finished yesterday. This one isn't YA, but I think will appeal to a lot of the readers of this blog:<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17380041-longbourn" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Longbourn" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1364853806m/17380041.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17380041-longbourn">Longbourn</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/965819.Jo_Baker">Jo Baker</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/817005683">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I read this book close on the heels of re-reading and teaching <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, expecting that I would need to remember details, but really this is a standalone story. Sure, it gives another perspective on the Bennets (especially the parents) but mostly, this is the story of the servants at Longbourn, the ones who keep the house running and let Jane and Lizzy focus on looking pretty at balls. <br />
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I don't want to say too much, because I think one of the strengths of <i>Longbourn</i> is its plot, and the way in which everything ultimately falls into place. The characters held my attention and I would love to read more about all of them, especially Sarah: she came to Longbourn as a child, after the rest of her family died of illness. As a result, she has a vague sense of a different life, and while I wouldn't say any of the servants love their jobs, Sarah's past makes her particularly dissatisfied with her situation.<br />
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As a <i>Downton Abbey</i> fan (but a critical one), I also appreciated the lack of sugar-coating. It's easy to romanticize service (Downton is notable for doing that) and this book really exists to do the opposite. The servants in <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> are nearly invisible, and so is the work they do: bringing slop buckets to the pigs, hauling water and lighting stoves, and washing up after every trace of any and all bodily fluids (plus all that mud Lizzie is always tromping through.) This felt different than a lot of other depictions of service that I've seen and I appreciated that.<br />
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Ultimately, you don't have to be a <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> fan to read and enjoy <i>Longbourn</i>. (Also, I feel compelled to note, you may not enjoy this just because you liked P&P: in particular, there is some strong language and the unsavory elements are not nearly as tidily referenced as in P&P. Wickham, in particular, while not surprising to fans of the original, is even grosser than I imagined, and a few scenes that take place in a war zone are really tough. It all works with the story, and it didn't bother me more than it was meant to, but it's there nonetheless. So, if there is an easily shocked P&P fan in your life, maybe go another way at their birthday.) This is a satisfying story with original characters. It's a family story, a coming of age, a romance, and in parts an adventure. It's a novel written for adults, but with elements that would appeal to many readers of YA (especially older teens and adults.)
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6481540-mrs-s">View all my reviews</a>
Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-26563794377391935892014-01-08T14:28:00.001-05:002014-01-08T14:28:13.477-05:00Snow Day Smiles: Blizzard Edition!I'm hoping to get back to reading and reviewing regularly in 2014. I've finished two books so far this year, which is not bad, but in the rush of "vacation is over, back to school" I forgot to post on Sunday.<br />
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Then we got a blizzard.<br />
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And so no sooner had we gone back to school than we got not one but TWO snow days! And really, immediately post-vacation is a great time for snow days, because there's always something left over that didn't get done on vacation. </div>
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Anyway, here's what I've read so far this year! </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15801763-untold" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Untold (The Lynburn Legacy, #2)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366665607m/15801763.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15801763-untold">Untold</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/836009.Sarah_Rees_Brennan">Sarah Rees Brennan</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/584233209">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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It feels silly to review this because who could possibly have read <i>Unspoken</i> and not be dying to read <i>Untold</i>? If you haven't read <i>Unspoken</i> and you enjoy romance, laughter, creepiness, or emotions, go read that and then this review will be totally unnecessary because you'll already be on your way out to buy <i>Untold</i>. But if you are somehow on the fence: yes, this is as good as I had hoped it would be and the late-in-the-game twists had me gasping in shock even more than the twists toward the end of <i>Unspoken</i>. Plus, this one has some really excellent kissing. REALLY excellent.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Control (Control, #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1359416962m/16718816.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16718816-control">Control</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5436815.Lydia_Kang">Lydia Kang</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/502474018">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This exciting debut from author/blogger/ACTUAL MEDICAL DOCTOR Lydia Kang (whose blog I've been following for a few years now, so I guess I should note that I "know" her in that weird blogging community kind of way, and I think she's great) has all the action (both fighting and kissing!) and suspense I've come to expect from a sci-fi futuristic thriller. It also has a meticulous world-building and a totally non-threatening and fascinating amount of science. A lot of people are talking about the science stuff because Lydia's a doctor--all I can say there is that I found it really interesting and that everything I needed to understand was explained in a way that made perfect sense. I want to shout out the political background of the world itself, though, because the setting felt so plausible. As best I can tell, the US has fractured into a loose coalition of nation-states, with a few states fused together to makes up each one, based on shared beliefs and value systems. This isn't a huge part of the plot or anything, but I was intrigued whenever I got a glimpse of the differences between states. <br />
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But you don't want to hear about the political background; you want to hear about the characters! And they do not disappoint. Zelia, the protagonist, broke my heart for a lot of the book. At first I was a little frustrated with her (not as a character, as a person): her father raised her to follow every rule, obey his whims about her courses of study and even her interests, and only try new things if she was likely to succeed. I just wanted to shout "NO NO NO DO THE OPPOSITE OF THAT!" As the story unfolded, more and more context was added, and Zelia started to grow and change in little steps that felt very realistic. I think the highest praise I can give is that Zelia feels like a teenage girl in an extraordinary situation...which means that she is sometimes extremely impressive and sometimes doesn't have great judgement. There were times when I could see a little farther than her, and times when she and I were taken completely by surprise together. <br />
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The supporting cast was also great; I don't want to say too much about them or give anything away, but there are a few characters who had relatively less page-time in this book that I hope to see more of in the next! I will say that I think the genetic differences in many of those characters were well-thought-out: some were more helpful or attractive than others; some were hard for Zelia to look at or be around at first; they all required a great deal of work to understand and more to turn them into something useful to others. <br />
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While I will admit that I've been excited for this book for a long time because Lydia wrote it, I can now properly recommend it on its own merits. Science+action+family+oh yeah did I mention kissing? Check it out!
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6481540-mrs-s">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<b>Currently Reading: </b><br />
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Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-50791198173820983932013-12-19T14:42:00.002-05:002013-12-19T14:42:30.635-05:00YA Superlative Blogfest Class of 2013: Day Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;">I am so excited to participate in the YA Superlative Blogfest again this year! It's hosted by some of my favorite ladies: <a href="http://www.jessica-love.net/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>, and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/">Katy Upperman</a>. I'm
trying to bust my recent reading and blogging slumps, and I have a
hunch this just might do it! Here's the best of the best!</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br /></span></b><br />
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<b>Favorite Cover: </b><br />
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Well, this one is a tie--one of my favorite covers has already been changed to match more closely with the upcoming sequel, and one is for a book that hasn't been released yet but WILL (just barely) be a 2013 book.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoeEtH7bHf6Zdpo8Gp-2uNd4NnNDLhyphenhyphennfq3iZesXS3VqyleYAhvUh_5MLjXgXaNg0pG5O5ZdS4-o3PTlm5lCh5BKVXOqtBWTt0UbHhoGnh5tQmdnCpxtcIDmsdWeyWg153NoQeluudos/s1600/starglass.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoeEtH7bHf6Zdpo8Gp-2uNd4NnNDLhyphenhyphennfq3iZesXS3VqyleYAhvUh_5MLjXgXaNg0pG5O5ZdS4-o3PTlm5lCh5BKVXOqtBWTt0UbHhoGnh5tQmdnCpxtcIDmsdWeyWg153NoQeluudos/s320/starglass.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Starglass</i> by Phoebe North</td></tr>
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Seriously, when we finally get around to painting/decorating our house, I think I may bring this book with me because THE COLORS. I bought socks because they match this color scheme. Love. (The new cover is also pretty great, though, and mayyyyybe even matches the story better.)<br />
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<br />My other favorite cover of the year? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m3_dykX3wE9ahbxRYuLYXsuECsOxseliK8lIcrGQcPWP0v09q9kZ__Ls-KaH9nApjpy9ol3yrcnLZethkbU2n6FAXXG9jBEdpfv4w7uG45niyGDICfic8ml0VDv-GTUdQGZoKD91RKg/s1600/control.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m3_dykX3wE9ahbxRYuLYXsuECsOxseliK8lIcrGQcPWP0v09q9kZ__Ls-KaH9nApjpy9ol3yrcnLZethkbU2n6FAXXG9jBEdpfv4w7uG45niyGDICfic8ml0VDv-GTUdQGZoKD91RKg/s320/control.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Control</i> by Lydia Kang</td></tr>
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Never mind how excited I am to read this...LOOK how pretty. I just want to stare at it all the time.<br /><br />
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<b>Cutest Couple:</b><br />
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Ellie and Graham from <i>This is What Happy Looks Like</i> by Jennifer E. Smith. <br />
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<b>Most Likely to Succeed (Pick a Printz Winner.)</b><br />
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Hmm...<i>Code Name Verity</i> didn't win last year, but it was a Printz Honor Book. I don't know if that affects <i>Rose Under Fire</i>'s chances one way or another, but I think that one has to be a contender. My other favorite that seems Printz-able is <i>The Lucy Variations</i> by Sara Zarr. But then again, Nova Ren Suma's writing is pretty fabulous, so...maybe <i>17 & Gone</i>? <br />
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<b>Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime (Book you couldn’t put down.)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52LeyKa3ri8bkq2_zfLryf3JgsPPmIx6wuGJSTCiKGt4DqnNUDSWCrJg5J0tBmXKP32_HKhwqA-Xi18yYDaCnt1N-YJAWsSjxjL12LHRdVV6em5JaDd3syHlqQUfLSaqvBYpUSy1TxJo/s1600/darktriumph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52LeyKa3ri8bkq2_zfLryf3JgsPPmIx6wuGJSTCiKGt4DqnNUDSWCrJg5J0tBmXKP32_HKhwqA-Xi18yYDaCnt1N-YJAWsSjxjL12LHRdVV6em5JaDd3syHlqQUfLSaqvBYpUSy1TxJo/s320/darktriumph.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dark Triumph</i> by Robin LaFevers</td></tr>
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The drama! The suspense! The violence! The romance!<br /><br />
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<b>Best Repeat Performance (Favorite sequel or follow-up.)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQUZScY-T7J9hzFkO6Lkg5ifxJZm40ldiv6WGnXQDV6IEEjS0xI0lDxODaRXpL21q5uyHFtif6dBSrNWAxry5-skPVz8iuWDx6nqkhCMxQTaLpvASzcHsCKygZwetUjO5OqUfZwWj3G4/s1600/dreamthieves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQUZScY-T7J9hzFkO6Lkg5ifxJZm40ldiv6WGnXQDV6IEEjS0xI0lDxODaRXpL21q5uyHFtif6dBSrNWAxry5-skPVz8iuWDx6nqkhCMxQTaLpvASzcHsCKygZwetUjO5OqUfZwWj3G4/s320/dreamthieves.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Dream Thieves</i> by Maggie Stiefvater</td></tr>
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A surprise to exactly no one.<b> </b><br />
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Favorite Finale or End of Series Novel</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAT5eLnhAn7vcD_xr8YBeZXenhQYTQ1j7mFzhICJGsn5ddUXQQTg2RfbqPrbpU4wratdv3LaP-N0xpHVc4RuUqFhYU0NXBgd89LUm6O95Rs7p_NfpTswWtCunM4YkHb-qwYQLREZkH8o/s1600/sever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAT5eLnhAn7vcD_xr8YBeZXenhQYTQ1j7mFzhICJGsn5ddUXQQTg2RfbqPrbpU4wratdv3LaP-N0xpHVc4RuUqFhYU0NXBgd89LUm6O95Rs7p_NfpTswWtCunM4YkHb-qwYQLREZkH8o/s320/sever.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sever</i> by Lauren DeStefano</td></tr>
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I didn't get to a lot of the series-enders I meant to this year (I am really, really hoping to get to <i>Allegient</i> over break!) but the few I did read were excellent. I heard mixed things about this series so I went in kind of skeptical, but the characters and the world really took hold of me and I really enjoyed this ending.<br />
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I mean...but also:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9L9UGza_yiZpI6Rz4spRb6LIjrIKhEzPrvVf-rl3wUPJyIM47QVYXVAFoOanUfzDfmNHSlABL5mRNHjn__hJau-H8xd4qY0G0vyF5JAwKQU7xV5d9U1y2rAszqpuVxYRasNFLCoXGxg/s1600/shadesofearth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9L9UGza_yiZpI6Rz4spRb6LIjrIKhEzPrvVf-rl3wUPJyIM47QVYXVAFoOanUfzDfmNHSlABL5mRNHjn__hJau-H8xd4qY0G0vyF5JAwKQU7xV5d9U1y2rAszqpuVxYRasNFLCoXGxg/s320/shadesofearth.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shades of Earth </i>by Beth Revis</td></tr>
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Breakout Novel (Your favorite book by a debut author.)</b><br />
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Sorry to go all broken-record on you, but:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoeEtH7bHf6Zdpo8Gp-2uNd4NnNDLhyphenhyphennfq3iZesXS3VqyleYAhvUh_5MLjXgXaNg0pG5O5ZdS4-o3PTlm5lCh5BKVXOqtBWTt0UbHhoGnh5tQmdnCpxtcIDmsdWeyWg153NoQeluudos/s1600/starglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoeEtH7bHf6Zdpo8Gp-2uNd4NnNDLhyphenhyphennfq3iZesXS3VqyleYAhvUh_5MLjXgXaNg0pG5O5ZdS4-o3PTlm5lCh5BKVXOqtBWTt0UbHhoGnh5tQmdnCpxtcIDmsdWeyWg153NoQeluudos/s320/starglass.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Starglass</i> by Phoebe North</td></tr>
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Best Old-Timer (Your favorite read of the year published BEFORE 2013.)</b><br />
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These two are hardly old--in fact, one came out DURING the YA Superlative Blogfest in 2012!<b> </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgn0AXX132e5XPs9kmwr_ASAl9CsvIWBXgVWIJDj4B9fmVvhS0EekvGEQPAyMZn8je7HaLXeC-e4lKWNIyM1ajNDI0d-vifvzRhpjKOWUbzuUz-6i_DfQNbN-x180c_ClFx7BKi5Klv0/s1600/unspoken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgn0AXX132e5XPs9kmwr_ASAl9CsvIWBXgVWIJDj4B9fmVvhS0EekvGEQPAyMZn8je7HaLXeC-e4lKWNIyM1ajNDI0d-vifvzRhpjKOWUbzuUz-6i_DfQNbN-x180c_ClFx7BKi5Klv0/s320/unspoken.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unspoken</i> by Sarah Rees Brennan</td></tr>
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I was convinced to read <i>Unspoken</i> by all the love it got during last year's YA Superlatives and I'm so glad I did!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljQyTbg2UzXw3BXpkWxHJedHSTRUrUty1Cp3VJCUEhPLkgKq9ijfpF1oDWgs_dOy255fW_O05zGoPF6Pr3WTUSjs2e9hU6h1XuyVTEbDsf3zoBr8R8SiH-zlqzU2actawwcE5QKE6ET4/s1600/darkestminds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljQyTbg2UzXw3BXpkWxHJedHSTRUrUty1Cp3VJCUEhPLkgKq9ijfpF1oDWgs_dOy255fW_O05zGoPF6Pr3WTUSjs2e9hU6h1XuyVTEbDsf3zoBr8R8SiH-zlqzU2actawwcE5QKE6ET4/s320/darkestminds.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Darkest Minds</i> by Alexandra Bracken</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And according to Goodreads, <i>The Darkest Minds</i> came out on Dec. 18th, 2012--too late for last year's superlatives and too early for this year's! But man, was it an awesome read.<br /><b><br />
Favorite Outlier:</b><br />
<br />
<b>Adult: </b><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gUQPnMoh5SoAkI9qK4dB8L2uU75tw_P1m0dCJVoCIHI47m8zY87SvBzx85YdApLCZ85gdjynIYCyIlGWzZzYx791_qrSrt62OnvkkKL3sgih3msIK_Em-hOIy5IJthHCgbq5Yf0pSJw/s1600/interestings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gUQPnMoh5SoAkI9qK4dB8L2uU75tw_P1m0dCJVoCIHI47m8zY87SvBzx85YdApLCZ85gdjynIYCyIlGWzZzYx791_qrSrt62OnvkkKL3sgih3msIK_Em-hOIy5IJthHCgbq5Yf0pSJw/s320/interestings.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Interestings</i> by Meg Wolitzer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Middle Grade: </b><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5HOeQxt0BpAaOdW0oaYWDp2QB1uin23jdejLe3hyTg76MWAVhcOzolEsBzJvf5nBlRuTaASx3qHs9a90fm-ZFgPvtz0cGBraDnMPDkfszX8FDLGFW2rVf63Ehup9KRvIDB1t915xrZQ/s1600/runawayking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5HOeQxt0BpAaOdW0oaYWDp2QB1uin23jdejLe3hyTg76MWAVhcOzolEsBzJvf5nBlRuTaASx3qHs9a90fm-ZFgPvtz0cGBraDnMPDkfszX8FDLGFW2rVf63Ehup9KRvIDB1t915xrZQ/s320/runawayking.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Runaway King</i> by Jennifer A. Nielsen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My category: </b><br />
<br />
<b>Book You're Rooting For: </b>What book did you read in 2013 that you just can't stop pushing on your friends, nominating for awards, and sneakily turning cover-side-out on bookstore shelves? (Sorry, bookstore employees. I promise I don't do this often.) <br />
<br />
<b>My answer: <i>Starglass</i>, by Phoebe North.</b> I loved it so much, and with its sequel coming out in the summer, there's plenty of time for people to get caught up! This is the rare book for me that I loved for reasons very specific to me but I also think most all of my reader/blogger/writer friends would love it because it's such a good story. You know? <br />
<br />
<b>What 2013 book are you rooting for?</b>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-66195753676794040812013-12-18T16:08:00.005-05:002013-12-18T16:08:53.291-05:00YA Superlative Blogfest Class of 2013: Day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU4LOobpTt-LxRd72mg3ggfHl956QVfyAIpOV6Ov9C-uVADH6qfeoo6c-kKENiyYVjCrVyRpOIcihCLOLL2b5B8M9x54D_BPYCwHIsHsWWsFlzfNIizRIp3W-4dU3z5-yB0OePBFqpSk/s1600/superlatives-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU4LOobpTt-LxRd72mg3ggfHl956QVfyAIpOV6Ov9C-uVADH6qfeoo6c-kKENiyYVjCrVyRpOIcihCLOLL2b5B8M9x54D_BPYCwHIsHsWWsFlzfNIizRIp3W-4dU3z5-yB0OePBFqpSk/s320/superlatives-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;">I am so excited to participate in the YA Superlative Blogfest again this year! It's hosted by some of my favorite ladies: <a href="http://www.jessica-love.net/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>, and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/">Katy Upperman</a>. I'm
trying to bust my recent reading and blogging slumps, and I have a
hunch this just might do it! Here are some of the<b> </b>best bits of the books I read this year:</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br /></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Most Formidable World (Setting you definitely would NOT want to visit.)</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;">Space, <i>Starglass</i> and <i>Shades of Earth</i>. No way. No how. These books do not do anything to change my mind (although I loved reading them.)</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Wanderlust-Inducing (Setting you’d happily travel to.)</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;">Henley, Maine from <i>This is What Happy Looks Like</i> by Jennifer E. Smith. The perfect summer getaway--Maine totally has the best beaches, and Henley is the ideal beach town.</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Loveliest Prose</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;"><i>The Dream Thieves</i> by Maggie Stiefvater.</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"> </span></b><span style="line-height: 1.7;">I mean, this category was made with her in mind, right?</span><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Best First Line</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;">"Today is the last day I will see my brother." --<i>Taken</i> by Erin Bowman</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Most Dynamic Main Character</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;">Sybella, <i>Dark Triumph </i>by Robin LaFevers. She is a force to be reckoned with.</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Most Jaw-Dropping Ending</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;"><i>Starglass</i> by Phoebe North. No spoilers, but...I am DYING for <i>Starbreak</i> to come out.</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 1.7;"><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.7;">Best Performance in a Supporting Role</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.7;">Roza<i>, Rose Under Fire</i> by Elizabeth Wein. Really, all the women Rose meets at Ravensbruck. But Roza especially.</span><br />
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Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought
of yourself.)</div>
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Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you definitely would
NOT want to visit.)</div>
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Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel
to.)</div>
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Loveliest Prose</div>
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Best First Line</div>
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Most Dynamic Main Character</div>
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Most Jaw-Dropping Ending</div>
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Best Performance in a Supporting Role</div>
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Best Use of Theme</div>
- See more at: http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/2013/11/class-of-2013-ya-superlative-blogfest.html#sthash.DuO7luR5.dpuf</div>
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Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought
of yourself.)</div>
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Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you definitely would
NOT want to visit.)</div>
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Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel
to.)</div>
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Loveliest Prose</div>
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Best First Line</div>
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Most Dynamic Main Character</div>
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Most Jaw-Dropping Ending</div>
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Best Performance in a Supporting Role</div>
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Best Use of Theme</div>
- See more at: http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/2013/11/class-of-2013-ya-superlative-blogfest.html#sthash.DuO7luR5.dpuf</div>
Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought
of yourself.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you definitely would
NOT want to visit.)</div>
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Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel
to.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Loveliest Prose</div>
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Best First Line</div>
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Most Dynamic Main Character</div>
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Most Jaw-Dropping Ending</div>
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Best Performance in a Supporting Role</div>
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Best Use of Theme</div>
- See more at: http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/2013/11/class-of-2013-ya-superlative-blogfest.html#sthash.DuO7luR5.dpuf</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought
of yourself.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you definitely would
NOT want to visit.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel
to.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Loveliest Prose</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best First Line</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Dynamic Main Character</div>
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Most Jaw-Dropping Ending</div>
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Best Performance in a Supporting Role</div>
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Best Use of Theme</div>
- See more at: http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/2013/11/class-of-2013-ya-superlative-blogfest.html#sthash.DuO7luR5.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought
of yourself.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you definitely would
NOT want to visit.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel
to.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Loveliest Prose</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best First Line</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Dynamic Main Character</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most Jaw-Dropping Ending</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best Performance in a Supporting Role</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best Use of Theme</div>
- See more at: http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/2013/11/class-of-2013-ya-superlative-blogfest.html#sthash.DuO7luR5.dpuf</div>
Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-9779465857052662812013-12-17T20:25:00.003-05:002013-12-17T20:25:40.179-05:00YA Superlative Blogfest Class of 2013: Day Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU4LOobpTt-LxRd72mg3ggfHl956QVfyAIpOV6Ov9C-uVADH6qfeoo6c-kKENiyYVjCrVyRpOIcihCLOLL2b5B8M9x54D_BPYCwHIsHsWWsFlzfNIizRIp3W-4dU3z5-yB0OePBFqpSk/s1600/superlatives-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU4LOobpTt-LxRd72mg3ggfHl956QVfyAIpOV6Ov9C-uVADH6qfeoo6c-kKENiyYVjCrVyRpOIcihCLOLL2b5B8M9x54D_BPYCwHIsHsWWsFlzfNIizRIp3W-4dU3z5-yB0OePBFqpSk/s320/superlatives-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I am so excited to participate in the YA Superlative Blogfest again this year! It's hosted by some of my favorite ladies: <a href="http://www.jessica-love.net/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>, and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/">Katy Upperman</a>.<b> </b>I'm
trying to bust my recent reading and blogging slumps, and I have a
hunch this just might do it! Here are some of the characters who stood out to me in 2013:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Mostly Likely to Start a Riot</b><br />
<br />
Ronan, <i>The Dream Thieves</i> by Maggie Stiefvater.<b> </b>A riot with explosions.<br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> Biggest Flirt</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<br />
Orla, <i>The Dream Thieves</i> by Maggie Stiefvater. Orange. Bikini.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Fashion King and/or Queen </b><br />
<br />
Rachel, <i>Starglass</i> by Phoebe North. She even winds up assigned to work in a clothing shop--sometimes those dystopian job assignment systems work out!<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Girl You’d Most Want For Your BFF </b><br />
<br />
Lucy from <i>My</i> <i>Life After Now</i><b> </b>by Jessica Verdi. As a fellow theater nerd, I think we would have a ton of fun belting out showtunes together. Many of my best relationships have been built on showtune sessions.<br />
<br />
<b>Boy You Wish You’d Dated in High School </b><br />
<br />
Noah, <i>The Dream Thieves</i> by Maggie Stiefvater. I mean...kind of. Probably not the early Noah that's hinted at in <i>The Raven Boys</i>. And I mean, later Noah is problematic for the obvious reason. But I do just find him so dear and lovely.<b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Most Likely to Become President </b><br />
<br />
Adam, <i>The Dream Thieves</i><b> </b>by Maggie Stiefvater. Gansey seems the obvious choice...but he fights his roots so hard while Adam's ambition is boundless.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Quirkiest Character </b><br />
<br />
Iko, <i>Scarlet</i> by Marissa Meyer. Everyone's favorite vain, snarky, android<b> </b>takes on a new role in this second book!<br />
<br />
Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-43899967092743990172013-12-16T14:51:00.000-05:002013-12-16T14:51:04.432-05:00YA Superlative Blogfest Class of 2013: Day One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlfW-3rURUKi_uUS8yktQvNdkkT9kHZPZqbb5qDmyseCuB-cu5QfqexOfFj4pk_9xFWVk7Av9jWXp9xGwmz_YgGj68iO3GiRw8rmR8Xrym_EwOO1la4qxC8UwpsRSkt5stioQc-9ixK0/s1600/superlatives-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlfW-3rURUKi_uUS8yktQvNdkkT9kHZPZqbb5qDmyseCuB-cu5QfqexOfFj4pk_9xFWVk7Av9jWXp9xGwmz_YgGj68iO3GiRw8rmR8Xrym_EwOO1la4qxC8UwpsRSkt5stioQc-9ixK0/s320/superlatives-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I am so excited to participate in the YA Superlative Blogfest again this year! It's hosted by some of my favorite ladies: <a href="http://www.jessica-love.net/">Jessica Love</a>, <a href="http://thewordsonpaper.blogspot.com/">Tracey Neithercott</a>, <a href="http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/">Alison Miller</a>, and <a href="http://katyupperman.com/">Katy Upperman</a>.<b> </b>I'm trying to bust my recent reading and blogging slumps, and I have a hunch this just might do it! Here are some of my favorites from 2013:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite Dystopian</b><br />
Sever by Lauren DeStefano<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><br /></b>
This trilogy stood out in a crowded field; while the premise (all women die at 20 and men at 25, due to a plague) is similar to others I've seen, the execution feels very different and I got sucked into the world.<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite Science Fiction</b><br />
Starglass by Phoebe North<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoeEtH7bHf6Zdpo8Gp-2uNd4NnNDLhyphenhyphennfq3iZesXS3VqyleYAhvUh_5MLjXgXaNg0pG5O5ZdS4-o3PTlm5lCh5BKVXOqtBWTt0UbHhoGnh5tQmdnCpxtcIDmsdWeyWg153NoQeluudos/s1600/starglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoeEtH7bHf6Zdpo8Gp-2uNd4NnNDLhyphenhyphennfq3iZesXS3VqyleYAhvUh_5MLjXgXaNg0pG5O5ZdS4-o3PTlm5lCh5BKVXOqtBWTt0UbHhoGnh5tQmdnCpxtcIDmsdWeyWg153NoQeluudos/s320/starglass.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This is one of my very favorites of the whole year. A generation ship, centuries removed from Earth, guided by principles and traditions that have evolved from contemporary Judaism. <i>Fiddler on the Roof </i>meets <i>Across the Universe</i>: I'm in love. <br />
<br />
<b>Favorite Contemporary</b><br />
The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b> </b><br />
This could also easily have gone under favorite family drama. Sara Zarr creates amazing, complex families for her characters, and they are as well-drawn and central as ever in this novel. Lucy struggles to determine what <i>she</i> wants over the deafening roar of what her family wants, and I couldn't put the book down.<br />
<br />
<b>Favorite Action/Adventure</b><br />
False Sight by Dan Krokos<br />
<br />
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This is not my usual genre, but Krokos does a great job of grabbing the reader's attention and not letting it go. (Plus, he was really nice to my students when we met him at the Rochester Teen Book Festival last year, so I'll always give his books a try. I hope they stay this awesome!)<br />
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<b>Favorite Historical Fiction</b><br />
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein<b> </b><br />
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One of my overall favorites of the year. This was a very different read from <i>Code Name Verity</i> but just as riveting. <br />
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<b>Favorite Mystery</b><br />
17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma<b> </b><br />
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This is also a genre-bender, but I think it qualifies as a mystery (among other things.) And I was certainly in suspense and wondering what was actually happening (in a good way!) most of the time I was reading.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Favorite Romance</b><br />
This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith<br />
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Just the <i>most</i> fun. So much fun. A fabulous summer read but I'm tempted to revisit it now to bring some sun back into my snowy, snowy life.<br />
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<b>Favorite Paranormal</b><br />
The Dream Thieves<b> </b>by Maggie Stiefvater<br />
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This could go in half-a-dozen different categories, but paranormal certainly fits. I love Blue, and I remain incapable of picking a favorite Raven Boy. <br />
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<b>Favorite Family Drama</b><br />
<i>Dark Triumph </i>by Robin LaFevers<br />
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Ok, this genre is a bit of a stretch, but this book turns family drama up to 11. And by drama, I mean <i>worst possible family</i><b> </b>amounts of drama.<br />
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<b>Favorite Genre Bender </b><br />
<i>Scarlet</i> by Marissa Meyer<br />
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Fairy-tale? Sci-fi? Adventure? Romance? Comedy? Yup. In a year when I was TERRIBLE at reading sequels to things I loved, this was one of the few that I made time for--and I will be making more time when the next installment comes out!Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-80503798160452805502013-11-26T18:19:00.003-05:002013-11-26T18:19:51.803-05:0030 Days of Gratitude: Time, Customer Service, Grandparents, New Things, Laundry Chute, Books, Mr. S, Technology, Remote-Controlled Light<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i>Because
I want to get back into the habit of blogging, and because I've been
meaning to do this for a few years now, I will be doing 30 consecutive
days of blog posts focusing on 30 different things I am grateful for.
Who says Thanksgiving is only one day a year?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I'm such a rotten ingrate! I went eight days without a gratitude post! Well, I guess that's sort of fitting as we gear up for a very early Hanukah? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Time: </b>I'm grateful that I've been able to find time, even amidst all the boxes and end-of-term grading and holiday stuff, to start reading again. I finished <i>The Raven Boys</i> (love!) and started <i>The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There</i> (also loving!) Little by little, I'm training myself to find the time I already have--time spent reading Buzzfeed lists and poking at mindless iPad games--to read (and soon, SOON--to write.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Customer Service: </b>I know customer service can be a totally awful and thankless job, especially at this time of year. But lately I've had small issues with two companies I love (some tea tins missing from an order at <a href="http://www.davidstea.com/">David's Tea </a>and my <a href="http://www.powells.com/indiespensable/">Indiespensable </a>shipment went to my old address because I didn't change it in time.) Customer service can absolutely make or break my opinion of a company, and the customer service at both David's and Powell's Books (which runs Indiespensable) was stellar. Prompt, helpful, personable...there's a reason I love them! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Grandparents: </b>Today was Grandparents' Day at one of my schools. We had an incredible turnout (and remember, I teach high school!) I loved seeing our students show their grandparents around, and a ton of girls got up to speak in our packed morning meeting because everyone wanted to show their grandparents their own special part of our school. It made me think of the grandparents in my life--my own grandmother just moved four hours closer to me than she used to be, to an independent living facility near my mom, and it's so nice that we can see her more often. My great-grandmother lived to be 106 years old and until about the last six months or so of her life, she lived at home with my grandmother. So it's only been the last few years that my grandmother is on her own, and it's almost like she's an empty-nester for the first time! When we visited her, she showed off the pub where she has dinner, the pool where she swims every day, and the room where she competes in a senior Wii bowling league! I love that she's having such a good time. And closer to home, Mr. S's grandmother lives in an assisted living facility just a few minutes away from us. We had dinner with her there this weekend and she's the same as ever--cracking jokes, shaking her cane at us, and insisting that we take home leftovers! I'm grateful to have both grandmothers in my life!</span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>New Things: </b>This weekend, I helped the residential students (mostly from China or other Asian countries, with a handful of German girls who are here for a semester) make pumpkin and apple pies to bring to the families who will host them over Thanksgiving. For many of the girls, it was their first time baking, or at least baking these desserts! (The German girls informed me that pumpkin pie was "weird" and they would need to take apple pies where they were going.) Seeing the girls try something new and have so much fun with it was really a great experience.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Laundry Chute: </b>We have one. In our bedroom. It is glorious. (I am not, by nature, a tidy person. Neither is Mr. S. This is going to make our lives so much better.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Books: </b>Ok, so we're getting to the end of the month, and it's time to start busting out the obvious ones. Like I mentioned before, I'm finally reading again and I'm SO happy about it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Mr. S: </b>Another obvious. But just as an example: I had grades due at the end of this weekend, plus the aforementioned pie-baking. So Mr. S quietly did all the laundry AND started unpacking the rest of the clothes. Because that's just how he rolls. (Also: I forget if I've mentioned this or not, but this blog can now be reached at ReadingOnTheFTrain.com! The domain name was a birthday present, way back in September. Because he's awesome.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Technology: </b>Well, yeah, duh. But I've really been up to my ears in tech this year, as one of my schools is a one-to-one tablet computer school, which means that every student gets a laptop that they bring back and forth to school and to all their classes. We also have a great learning management system that lets me put up calendar assignments, documents, links, etc. very easily. Printer's broken? Ok, I'll just upload the handout for today and they can fill it out using their styluses and email it to me! I'm not totally paperless yet, but it feels plausible here.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Remote-Controlled Light: </b>This combines technology and books and time and our new house: the light in our bedroom has a remote! That means I can get in bed and read until I can't keep my eyes open...and just click the light off without getting up! It is genius. GENIUS.</span></span>Mrs. Silversteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081113623522933830noreply@blogger.com3