Issue Two - Love

Love – The Beatles say it’s all you need, and we agree.  That’s why we're focusing an entire WRN? issue on books with themes of love.  We’re talking all kinds of love. There’s genuine love in the beautiful BEFORE I FALL. Magical, funny love in STUPID CUPID.  The love of a companion in EVERYTHING FOR A DOG.  And tiny-fingered, make-your-heart-melt toddler love in the delectable picture book SUGAR COOKIES:  Sweet Little Lessons on Love.

But that’s not all.  Check out our lists below to find romance, paranormal, brotherly love and books with fairy tale endings.  We’re sure you’ll find a book you can love and then come back to our Facebook wall and tell us about it.     

Each month, based on our theme, we’ll pick a book and the WRN? girlies will read it. In a chat room—sorry, not live—we’ll discuss the book and then post it to our web site for you to enjoy. Hopefully you’ll want to pick up the book and read it too. If you love it, feel free to post about it on our Facebook page. We wanna hear your thoughts…ALWAYS!

This month we chatted about the book Before I Fall, a debut novel by Lauren Oliver. Readers get a front row seat in Samantha Kinston’s so-called-perfect life—a superior boyfriend, three totally popular BFF’s, and just about anything she wants at Thomas Jefferson High. Cupid Day shouldn’t be any different for her. But, when Samantha awakens the morning after a life-ending accident, she’s given a second chance. Actually, she’s given seven more chances to discover secrets and make things right. This novel is both heartwarming and heartbreaking all tangled up in a realistic world of a teenage girl.

Kerry: girlies...great read, no?
Jill: awesome! I couldn't put it down!
Michelle: one of my favs of all time
Kerry: yeah, me too!
Kerry: the MC was so believable.
Jill: and so realistic...I almost forgot it was fiction!
Michelle: loved the dialogue...felt real
Jill: yeah, it was completely high school. So dead on, right?
Kerry: completely
Michelle: friendships seemed totally real!
Kerry: one of my fav parts was when the author said
Kerry: it's like the idea of him is better than the him of him.
Kerry: haven't we all felt that at some time?

Amy Brecount White

Hey WRN'ers!  We are super-excited to introduce you to debut author, Amy Brecount White. Her totally-amazing book Forget-Her-Nots hit the shelves on March 2nd. We got a sneak-peek of the first five chapters (okay, we're not like exclusively special or anything...it's posted on her web site so you can read it too) and we are HOOKED. Cannot wait for its arrival. Ready for some questions, Amy? Here we go.

1. Obviously, we wanna know Whatcha' Reading Now?

I’m in the middle of Soul Enchilada by David McGinnis Gill and can’t wait to see how Bug escapes her demons, so to speak.  (David and I are on Young Adult panel together at the Virginia Festival of the Book on 3/20.)

2. This is your debut novel...congrats! Can you tell us what you did before writing this?

I taught high school English for seven years, which really helped with the classroom scenes in my novels.  Then I freelanced for publications, like The Washington Post, Washingtonian, FamilyFun, and Notre Dame Magazine. I also have an “apprentice” novel sitting at the bottom of a drawer. 

Stupid Cupid - Rhonda Stapleton

Felicity Walker takes a job at a matchmaking company because what teen wouldn’t like a little extra cash?  But after being hired, she discovers she’s no ordinary employee.  She’s a cupid armed with the 21st century version of arrows – email!  With her tricked out pink PDA, Felicity gets a handful of rules and is off to make love matches at her high school. 

But, the power Felicity possesses is heady stuff.  Who can she make fall in love?  Will they stay in love after the magic wears off so she can earn her bonus?  Disaster strikes when Felicity breaks the one-match-at-a-time rule to help her shy friend Maya find love.  Felicity thinks offering Maya the choice of three boys will ensure her a better chance at lasting love. The way this love triangle, or rather pentagon, unfolds delivers pages of laughs while never losing the innocence that accompanies true love.

Stupid Cupid’s sub-plot with Felicity’s crush on the adorable Derek is fun, especially since she can’t use the cupid spell for her own benefit.  

Kudos to debut author Rhonda Stapleton for creating a light, fun series when so much of what’s popular for teens is heavier fare.  I’d been looking for a romantic comedy and now I’m looking forward to reading more of Felicity’s hi jinx in the upcoming Flirting with Disaster. 

Be sure to enter our contests this month to win a copy of Stupid Cupid! 

Everything For A Dog - Ann M. Martin

This book warms the reader with the purest sense of love—a love between a kid and a dog. In this sequel to A Dog’s Life, we are submerged in a story told in three, alternating points of view.

The first is of Bone, an abandoned dog, who after living with three different families—if only briefly—wanders the countryside season after season, picking food from garbage piles and searching for a permanent home. The second point of view is of a boy named Charlie who is struggling to find normalcy after his older brother dies. Seeking comfort in his dog Sunny, Charlie waits for the day his mom returns, dad stops hiding behind his work, and they become a family again. But, when Sunny is accidentally shot and killed by a hunter, Charlie’s world is once again turned upside down. Finally, we meet Henry, a boy who year after year asks for a dog and everything for a dog on his Christmas list. He tries, unsuccessfully, to convince his parents that he’s responsible enough to care for one. His heart aches with a hole that will only be filled by a furry friend.

I raced to the end of Everything For A Dog, desperate to find out how the three storylines would be tied together. Readers will not be disappointed to find that sometimes, love overcomes grief and opening your heart again will bring happiness despite past tragedies.

Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on Love - Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on Love is a wonderful collection of gentle vocabulary words.  The book brings meaning for young ones to words like tenderness, bliss, forgive, and considerate without ever making the lessons seem preachy.  The charming ink and water color illustrations by the mother – daughter duo, Jane and Brooke Dyer, are a whimsical combination of children, families, animals and, of course, cookies.

Other books in this series by author Amy Krouse Rosenthal are Cookies:  Bite-size Life Lessons and Christmas Cookies:  Bite-Size Holiday Lessons. Any time of year, this is a perfectly scrumptious book to indulge in with a child.

Hey WRN? peeps. We are letting the love fly for our love issue—the love of books that is!  Check this out! We’ve given away more than 20 books since the beginning of November and with this issue, we’ve got lots more to give away.  In fact, everyone can get four free books!  That’s right…E~VERY~ONE!  No joke!  All you gotta do is answer these questions in a post on our Facebook wall or by email at contests@whatchareadingnow.com:

1.    Do ya have an electronic reader (Kindle, Nook, Cybook, BeBook…)?

2.    If not, do ya wish ya did?

3.    So you’ve prolly never counted for sure, but how many books do ya think ya read each year?

Once you post your answers, we’ll privately message you the details on how to receive your free e-books.  I know, you’re thinking this sounds too good to be true.  You’re thinking:  There’s strings attached or I’m going to have to buy books for the next kazillion years.  We were skeptical too.  But, really, it’s just to test this new way of reading. 

As a double bonus, once you answer these questions, you’ll also be entered into our contest to win traditional books like Before I Fall, Forget-Her-Nots, Stupid Cupid, Everything For a Dog, and more.

Whaddya’ waitin’ for? Get posting and tell your friends to join our Facebook page and to post too.  Because, sharing the love of books is a fab thing. And sharing the love of free books is a super-fab thing!

By ChinLin Pan

This was the first book I read by Alex Flinn, and I will definitely read another one by her. A Kiss in Time is fabulous, rated PG, funny and adoringly romantic. It is like a modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty where Princess Talia is, of course, under the curse in which she gets pricked by a spindle and sleeps until she (and the rest of the kingdom) is awakened by a true love's kiss. (Well, the guy just kissed the princess, not the entire kingdom. Although, that would've been pretty funny.)

The thing is, they all sleep for 300 years (which is the awesome twist). Jack, the 17-year-old American who is on a trip in Belgium, stows away from a boring tour with his friend Travis. They search for a beach and wind up stumbling upon the kingdom of Euphrasia. One thing leads to another and before you know it, Jack returns to the US, bringing Princess Talia along with him. Talia's father--the king--is pissed at her. She and the rest of them feel as if it is her fault that Euphrasia was ruined.

The plot is so cute--a real page-turner. Jack and Talia both mature and develop in their own ways. It's funny to see how Talia reacts to technology. And Jack is no longer a guy whose only purpose is to party. He re-kindles his interest in landscape design and plants.

You'd think the story ends there, in Miami, in Jack's home, right? NOPE. It gets even better. The curse may be over, but Malvolia (the witch/fairy who had cast the curse on her) is still around. Now, I'm not going to spoil it for everyone, but take my word, there is a happily ever after for everyone.

By Jodi Turchin

Of course, for most of us, February means one thing – Valentine’s Day.  When we think of the concept of love, oftentimes we think of romantic love.  And while romance is nice (especially when we’re talking about Valentine’s Day), love often takes other forms.  In this month’s teacher feature, I’m recommending some reading that challenges the concept of a “love story.”

Brotherly Love – The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

This enduring classic is the story of the Curtis brothers – Daryl, Sodapop, and Ponyboy, who are struggling to keep what’s left of their family together in 1960’s Oklahoma.  Their love extends out to their adoptive family – the fellow “greasers” that make up their world.  With Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston, and Two-Bit Matthews, the brothers do the best they can in a world that looks down upon them for being “grease” rather than “Soc.”

Crazy Wild Instant Love – Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Okay, so Nick and Norah has some elements of a typical romance novel.  But what I’ve always loved about this book is the sense that Norah was enthralled with Nick even BEFORE she met him, through the music of the mix CD’s he’d made for his ex, who was friends with Norah.  This story that encompasses one wild night in Manhattan and the instant attraction between two people is definitely a great love story.

Paranormal Love – I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

Ava’s boyfriend Jackson died . . . and he’s back.  This love story transcends death – Jackson loved Ava so much, even after he passed away, he can’t bear to be apart from her.  This dark love story explores Ava’s torment – does she stay in love with a boy she can no longer see or touch . . . or make him go away and move forward with her life?  Lisa Schroeder’s debut novel is as haunting as its title, and a wonderful read.

Unrequited Love – Far From Xanadu by Julie Anne Peters

Mike Szabo’s life is mundane – she goes to school, plays softball, and fixes plumbing for her neighbors.  She has a gay best friend and the two of them comprise the entire gay population of Coaltown – as Jamie, her best friend puts it, “One fag and one dyke.”  Mike’s simple life is turned upside down with the arrival of Xanadu – the “most beautiful creature in the world.”  There’s only one problem – Xanadu’s straight. 

Fairy Tale Love – Beastly by Alexandra Flinn

Beastly is the story of Beauty and the Beast, told from the Beast’s perspective in a modern-day setting.  Kyle is the big man at his school – popular, rich, has it all.  Until one night when he stands up the wrong girl, and he ends up cursed.  He is turned into a Beast, and the only way to regain his handsome human appearance is to find a girl who will love him just the way he is – Beastly.

This month’s writing challenge: Write a love poem . . . but don’t use the word LOVE in it.  Good luck!

In this issue, WRN? brings you three great lists all about L-O-V-E .  The lists for teensfeatures great paranormal romances like Eternal and The Mortal Instruments series.  Our middle grade recommendations includes some all-time favs like Granny Torelli Makes Soup and our picture book list includes our featured book and some other sweet selections.

This month Jennifer Rummel, the Head of the YA department at the Otis Library in Norwich, Connecticut shares her favorite new love and romance picks for Spring 2010.  You can find Jennifer on line at http://yabooknerd.blogspot.com/ where she writes a popular blog about books for teens. We’re so happy you joined WRN? for our love issue.  So, tell us – whatcha’ reading next.

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Spring Fling: by Sabrina James - Danielle can't wait to spend Spring Break in Florida with her two BFFs, especially when she meets a bunch of cute guys living next door. Could this be the time to break out of her shell and score the perfect guy in the process?
Came out Feb 1st

I'm a sucker for teen romance and love the other two books she's written: Secret Santa and Be Mine.
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Hex Hall: Rachel Hawkins - Sophie's spell gets out of hand on prom night and as a result, she's sent to Hex Hall as punishment where she makes enemies straight away and falls for someone off limits.
Came out March 2nd by a debut author

I knew straight away that I wanted to read this book simply from the title alone. Plus the cover is awesome and it's about witches.  I bet this book will be checked out from the library the same day I return it.
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Most Improper Magick: Stephanie Burgis
Kat Stephenson is not ordinary. She has magical skills and she's not above using them to find her sisters' husbands even if magick is scandalous in Regency England.
Comes out April 20th by a debut author

Regency England draws in readers from my library. Combine the time period with romance and magick and it's sure to be a hit.
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Fire Spell: Chloe Neill
Lily's sent to a posh boarding school in Chicago.  Her roommate introduces her to the wilder side of Chicago - the battle for the city between the humans and the monsters.
Out now - by a YA debut author (Neill is the author of adult vampire series starting with Some Girls Bite)

 
Chloe Neill's adult vampire books hooked me. Now I look to gobble up everything she writes.

By Ana Carolina

My friend Kayla and I went to the Richelle Mead book signing on January 17, 2010 at Coral Gables Congregational Church in Miami. We got there two hours early to make sure we got front row seats. The church was amazingly beautiful. It had a high ceiling with beams visible throughout. Those, along with the stained glass windows and iron gate inside, made me feel like I was in the past.

Richelle arrived at seven o' clock and went straight up to the altar to begin the event. She started by reading an excerpt of her new book Spirit Bound, which comes out on May 18, 2010. It was a small part of the book that involves Rose going back to the psychic to get a second reading. Richelle changed her facial expressions with every character while she was reading and this totally drew the audience in. The surprise ending of the first book in this series, Blood Promise, is driving me insane and, now that I’ve been teased in hearing part of the second book, I cannot wait till May.

After her reading, there was a half hour of Q & A. People were excited to get answers about her characters from the Vampire Academy series and about Richelle herself. At the end, she moved to a table on the side of the altar and began signing books. Kayla and I were first in line to get our books signed—in fact she signed all of Kayla’s books. Richelle was very nice and really funny. Richelle even posed for a picture with Kayla and me. The event was an amazing time and I'm glad that I was part of it.