What People are Tweeting about Banned Books Week

Banned Book Review: Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
Publisher: Westside Books
Published:   March 24th 2010
Hardcover, 250 pages
Challenges: 100 Books in 2011

GoodReads

Kendra, fifteen, hasn’t felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can’t remember the most important detail– her abuser’s identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it’s her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who’s becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra’s abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl’s frightening path to the truth. 

Wow!  I am stunned at how amazing this book is.  It actually took me a while to read, not because it was boring or horrible, but because how great and heavy it was.   

Scars opens up new emotional levels you did not know you had!

Kendra is one of the strongest characters I have had the pleasure to read, and I am taking into account her own struggle with cutting.  As a survivor of sexual abuse, Kendra is haunted by memories and fears that she is only able to deal with by cutting and painting.  Not only is adding art a beautiful way of coping, Cheryl Rainfield perfectly describes Kendra’s emotions through her descriptions of her art.  You can literally imagine yourself standing in front of her work and looking up on it.  

Kendra’s life is like walking on glass, in which she finds solace through a therapist, a friend, and through a knife.  It is no wonder that this book is banned, as it does beat around the bush of real issues.  At the same time Cheryl Rainfield doesn’t shove these issues in your face but gradually makes you aware of their truths as Kendra becomes aware.  In doing so you feel closer to Kendra, feeling everything she feels as she feels it.  

You will be left speechless after reading Scars as well as a new found understanding on the affects of sexual abuse.  Scars is a book you will never forget, let alone want to.  

~ Your Official Invitation to the 1st Particular Halloween Bash ~

At the stroking hour of midnight on October 1st, the first Particular Halloween Bash will begin! 

Beware of frightful reviews on scary and spooky books that go bump in the night.

We will also be visited by some unnatural friends….

For those who are brave enough to venture, tricks and treats can be had with a few giveaways.

So I invite you to partake in all the fun to be had!

Keep a weary eye out and beware for Sunday when the Halloween Bash begins.

❤ Happy Scary Dreams!

Muahahahahah!

Giveaway: Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

In celebrating Banned Books Week, and in preparation for my review of SCARS that will be posting tomorrow, I am giving away a Brand New Paperback copy of Scars by Cheryl Rainfield.

Good Luck!

RafflecopterSettings = { raffleID: ‘ZTQ1ZDdmMGE5NmRkN2UxMjE0MzJlOWM4ZWU1YmQ0OjI=’};

<a href=”http://rafl.es/enable-js”>You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.

Banned Book Review: One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published:   October 25th 2005
Paperback, 272 pages
Challenges: 100 Books in 2011

GoodReads

Fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, her aunt, and her mother’s grave in Boston and reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to live with her father, a famous movie star who divorced her mother before Ruby was born.

Ruby is torn away from the only home she has ever known when her mother dies and she is forced to go live with her father, a father she has never met before, a father that is famous, a father she doesn’t want to have anything to do with.  Now Ruby is a world that is completely opposite from her home, surrounded by sun and palm trees and all that is Hollywood – everything Ruby is not. 

Through verse, Sonya Sones has created a beautiful story of girl finding her own way to deal with her mother’s death and the life she no longer has, only to find something different and unexpected.  Ruby’s character and emotions are very real; you can literally feel sadness and even anger:

“…But I don’t cry.

I never do anymore.

Not since Mom.

I guess I must have used up

my entire lifetime supply of tears

on the night she died.”

Ruby uses coping mechanisms, that we all use, to help, including anger and my favorite, comedy.  She is confronted smack dab in the face that her mother is gone forever, and the she is not with a father she doesn’t know.  Adding that he is famous doesn’t help her much.  

While exploring Ruby’s growth and emotions, Sonya Sones brilliantly brings up social issues without throwing them in your face:  sex and sexuality.  While she brings them up she does so in a way as making them normal, something that we all encounter and accept every day.  Despite what the tone of the title of this book might be telling you, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is a gem and a must read.

My Rating:

You can find Sonya Sones at her WebPage

Author Chat with Michelle Madow

Michelle Madow is a wonderful 2011 Debut Author of Remembrance which is already creating a wild buzz around the Book Blogging World.  I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with her to find out more about her book and her writing!  

So without further ado I welcome the amazing Michelle Madow!

I know Taylor Swift’s music was a huge inspiration for your book, but you also include Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” in your novel quite a bit.  Can you tell us how you drew inspiration from “Pride and Prejudice”? 

In the Taylor Swift music video there’s a flashback to the Regency Era, and I love Pride and Prejudice, so the parallels fell into the story very naturally.  The main inspiration from Pride and Prejudice appears in the characters – – Lizzie and Drew have similarities to Lizzy and Mr. Darcy, but they’re individuals as well.  There are also small, fun things thrown in there, like the town they live in being called Pembrooke, and how Jane Austen is from Hampshire, England, and Remembrance takes place in New Hampshire.

Remembrance is about reincarnation and love.  Do you believe we have been reincarnated, and if so what were you in your past life, or will be in your next one?

It would be so cool if we were reincarnated, but as cool as I think it would be, I’m not a believer of reincarnation myself.  If I were reincarnated…. I could see myself being from Ancient Rome around the time of the Golden Age, because I’ve always had a fascination with the art and architecture of that time.  Or a time period with lots of pretty dresses and magnificent parties!

I read in another interview that you actually designed your book cover (amazing by the way!!).  Are you the girl on the cover??

Thank you! You have no idea how many people ask me that; I didn’t even realize we looked similar until people started pointing it out to me.  But the answer is no – – the girl on the cover is a model from a stock-image website.  The second I discovered the image I was like, “OMG, it’s Lizzie in her gold mask at the dance!” and was instantly inspired to design it into a book cover.  I’ve been so happy with the reception the cover has received! 

While you are an author, you are also a Book Blogger.  Did sharing your love for books help in any way while you were writing Remembrance? 

I actually wrote Remembrance a few years before I discovered book blogs, but I was SO HAPPY when I found an online community of people who love reading as much as I do! I’m just as much a reader and lover of young adult books as I am a writer, so I was really excited to create a book blog of my own.  It’s been great sharing the books I enjoyed and learning about new books to read, and I’m so grateful for the love and support that the book blogging community has shown towards Remembrance <3. 

 Can you share a weird and unknown fact about yourself (just for fun!)?   

I’m a huge fan of the Star Wars movies, and have a foot long Millennium Falcon displayed on my bookshelves! Nest to it is an action figure of Luke Skywalker holding a lightsaber, because I collected Star Wars action figures in elementary school.  I was cool like that 😉 

That’s okay, I won’t tell anyone – and if it makes you feel any better, I’m a huge huge Doctor Who and Stargate fan – – we all have or ‘dork-dom’ qualities!

 Now that Remembrance has been a fantastic hit, what are you going to do now? Do you have anything in the works? 

Since Remembrance I’ve written two other novels, both in the YA genre.  Once is a fusion of Greek mythology and witchcraft and the other is “Gossip Girl meets Las Vegas.”  I’ve also got a surprise in the works right now and I plan on announcing what that is in the begining of October! 

Well I for one cannot wait!  Only a few more days until October… I will be stalking, I mean keeping an eye out, on your site.

Thank you so much Michelle for chatting a bit!

For those that have not read Remembrance, get off your bums and read it!! 
 
Thank you so much for interviewing me on your blog, and I’m so glad you enjoyed Remembrance!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can find Michelle on your Site / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Goodreads / Amazon

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England … but she doesn’t know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie’s school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can’t stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can’t she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn’t going to be easy.

Banned Book Review: Forever… by Judy Blume

Forever…. by Judy Blume
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published:  April 24th 2007
Paperback, 192 pages
Challenges: 100 Books in 2011

GoodReads

There’s a first for everything.

When you build up something in your mind — really imagine it, wish for it — sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn’t live up to your expectations.

True love is nothing like that.

Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can’t get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven’t been together all that long, they know it’s serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom.

But it’s senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big “first”: a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?

Forever is the perfect young adult novel to bring together many topics that are still just as prevalent today as they were when it first was published in 1975.  Katherine is a normal teenage, waiting for her Senior year in High School to be over with. Most importantly, Katherine has found love, but is unaware of all the things that come with that.  

“In the old days girls were divided into two groups – those who did and those who didn’t.”

As with many teenagers, sex is always a topic of discussion.  For Katherine this is not an exception.  Katherine is in love with Michael, and wants to explore everything that entails.  While Katherine is every bit a teenager she is also very grown up in many ways.  As a reader, it is refreshing that an authors has allowed her characters to grown into themselves without pushing them into the final version of themselves (after all the drama and events they are meant to go through).  Katherine responsibly handles the pressure about sex while at the same time being completely aware about her own desires and reservations.

While the topic of “first love” and “sex” is in the forefront of this book, Judy Blume has ingeniously managed to bring attention to many other taboo topics. Just to name a few:  sexuality (GLBT), drugs, STDs, and birth control.  While these topics were not explored as fully as Katherine’s self exploration into becoming a woman and an adult, they were relevant to the overall plot line and characters. 

I found Judy Blume’s book to be a fantastic read, discussing the major issues that surround everyone today, of any age group or gender.  Judy Blume’s book is timeless look into the complicated transition from being a teenager to an adult. 

My Rating:

~~~~~~~~~~

You can find Judy Blume on her 

WebSite / Facebook / Twitter 

Judy Blume is a popular American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults. Blume received a B.S. degree in Education in 1961 from New York University.

Review: Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Remembrance by Michelle Madow
Publisher: Create Space
Published:  July 27th 2011
Paperback, 314 pages
Challenges: 100 Books in 2011, 2011 Debut Author

GoodReads

 New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England … but she doesn’t know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie’s school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can’t stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can’t she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn’t going to be easy.

Michelle Madow’s debut, Remembrance, is a refreshing read about the question of love transcending time. Lizzie is a very strong character, following both her heart and her mind – even when the handsome Drew shows up at school, tempting to spin her head (which he does do too). Lizzie finds herself in a bit of a predicament when she starts to drift away from her boyfriend, and Drew’s arrival doesn’t help much either.  She doesn’t know why, but she cannot stop thinking about him ALL the time.  Lizzie has the sneakiest feeling she knows Drew…  And Drew’s hot and cold attitude isn’t helping Lizzie’s sanity. 

“I tried to think of where we could have met before, but nothing clicked. It was like trying to recall a forgotten dream – each time I felt close to remembering where we’d met, but the memories slipped away.”

To hear that this novel had elements of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was enough for me to jump up and read it right away.  I am a huge Austen-ite! And I was not disappointed.  Michelle Madow’s writing style and characterization show a maturity that is rare for debut authors.  Not once will you be confused about the plot or even the true ‘character’ of your characters.  Michelle Madow stays true to how high school teens really are: Jeremy becomes obsessed with himself, especially as he soars in sports, while at the same time finds regret in loosing Lizzie;  Chelsea’s heart-break screams reality of a teen, becoming all consumed; Drew’s hold and cold attitude only creates frustration and confusion for both him and Lizzie; and Lizzie’s heart and mind fight for the finish line.  


Michelle Madow’s debut novel is a perfect balance between reality, love, drama (in the high school love way) all with a dash of mystery and paranormal.  Remembrance raises the bar high for Michelle Madow, in which you will not be disappointed. 

My Rating:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In the fall of 2009, I saw Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” music video for the first time. I thought up a story to go along with the video, and decided to write the beginning of this story as a homework assignment for class. That story eventually became my first novel, Remembrance. I’m so happy to be able to share this novel with you, and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it!

Check out my website, http://www.michellemadow.com, to add me on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and my many other social networking sites. I love making new book friends! 🙂

I’m currently studying creative writing at Johns Hopkins University, and am hard at work writing more novels for young adults.”

YA Saves Sunday 4 – Banning Books

Yesterday (September 24th) was the start of the National Banned Books Week, and continues until October 1st.

For me the goal of Banned Books Week is simple:

celebrate books that have been banned and the First Amendment

Discussing banned books is nothing new around the Blogosphere, and we need to keep discussing it.  For me, at least, I notice more Young Adult books are banned than adult books.  I can understand wanting to make sure Teen books are appropriate for Teens but we all know what teens do – you tell them they can’t do something, that is exactly what they are going to do.  Plus, who wants to read a book that reads like a normal day of a normal life? What fun is that? What would be the point of reading the book then…

I want adventures, explorations, mysteries, thrills, and curiosities.  I want my mind to pushed to the brink of sadness, happiness, anger, and frustration.  I want to be called out on any prejudices I might have, and didn’t know I had.

I want the finger to be directly pointed at me, screaming for me to pay attention and to open my mind!

Isn’t this one of the main goals of books, amongst many?  Reading such books allows us to come to our own conclusions and to think for ourselves.  We aren’t robots!  This is why I believe books are banned, and it can be summed up into one word:

FEAR

People stay away from what they fear or don’t understand (and I know I say this allllll the time, but its true!) So what things are others afraid to the point of banning books?  Usually, especially in Young Adult and Children’s literature this includes: Sex, Drugs, ‘Improper’ Language, Sexual Orientation, and Racism.  All of which we see everyday in our ‘real’ world.  We don’t need books to tell us they exist but we need books to help us process what they mean, and their affects on others and ourselves, and how to understand the ‘why’s’ and the ‘how’s’.   For those don’t want to take the time to do this, it is easier to ignore and/or squash the chance for others.

Here a short compiled lists of books that have ever been banned, for many different reasons (this list is nowhere near complete): 

1984 by George Orwell

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Baby Be-Bop by Francesca Lia Block –

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Forever by Judy Blume

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

House of Night Series by P.C. Cast & Kristen Cast  

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelous

Lessons From a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin by Mark Twain

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

The Giver by Louis Lowry

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chosky

The Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyers

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Again these are to name just a few – the list wold be way too long if we included every single YA book that has ever been banned, but these are the most common.

So go out there and read Banned Books to show your support!

If you are an author and have had your book banned for any reasons please leave a comment so we can add it to the list!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Catch up on all of YA Saves Sunday

• YA Saves Sunday 1 – What or How has YA Lit saved you?
• YA Saves Sunday 2 – 9/11 Special
• YA Saves Sunday 3 – GLBT Characters & YA Literature

Looking for a list of YA Saves Books?

Go Here for a “Work-In-Progress” List

You can help too!

Releases This Week: September 25th – October 1st

If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) by Rachel Vincent (9/27/11)

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (9/27/11)
My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin (9/27/11)

 
The Mephisto Covenant (The Mephisto Covenant #1) by Trinity Faegen (9/27/11)

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan (9/27/11)
The Centaur’s Daughter by Ellen Jensen Abbot (9/28/11)

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson (9/29/11)
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler(10/1/11)

 Angel Fire (Angel Tirlogy #2) by L.A. Weatherly (10/1/11)
Variant by Robison Wells (10/1/11)

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday (10/1/11)
The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (10/1/11)

Zelah Green by Vanessa Curtis (10/1/11)
Eve (Eve Trilogy #1) by Anna Carey (10/4/11)