Review: Tear You Apart

Companion novel to Kill Me Softly
By Sarah Cross
Available now from EgmontUSA
Review copy

EgmontUSA may be shutting down, but at least they're releasing their 2015 slate. The first one I just had to read is TEAR YOU APART, the companion to KILL ME SOFTLY.  The first book introduced Beau Rivage, the town where descendants of faerie-human unions are forced to live out curses, curses worse than living in Mississippi for the rest of your life.

One of the big differences between TEAR YOU APART and KILL ME SOFTLY is that Viv grew up in Beau Rivage.  She knows exactly what story she's living, and she fears it.  She is Snow White, which means the Huntsman Henley will either kill or save her.  If he saves her, her stepmother Regina will keep trying.  Once Viv loved both Regina and Henley.  But when Regina betrayed her true colors and Henley was cursed, Viv decided she couldn't trust anyone.  She can't keep herself from Henley, but she can't bring herself to trust him again either.

TEAR YOU APART weaves together "Snow White," "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," and "Rumpelstiltskin" in a darkly romantic tale.  Viv can be an utter spoiled brat, but getting out of her comfort zone and talking to people really forces her to take measure of her life.  And even when she's in spoiled brat mode, I admire her dedication to her own survival.  I liked the romance between her and Henley, but liked that she takes a chance when her prince Jasper shows up.  Even more, I like that she grows into being her own rescuer (as much as she can).

TEAR YOU APART will satisfy fans of fairytales who aren't afraid of some rather large liberties and some of the darker endings remaining in place.  Fans of KILL ME SOFTLY will enjoy that the cast of that novel makes cameo appearances.  Also nice: a reoccurring character is confirmed as a lesbian and there is a princess and princess couple that no one remarks upon.  Little details like that help the updated fairytale concept really work.

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In other news, today is Multicultural Children's Book Day.  The sponsors are holding a virtual book drive to support First Book.

Title Twins!

ETA:  Through 2/8, you can preorder VANISHING GIRLS for 4.99!

(Today is the last day to donate to the National Book Foundation in honor of National Readathon Day!)

I always love when I spot two books with (almost) identical titles.

I just finished reading THE VANISHING GIRL by Laura Thalassa, and I have VANISHING GIRLS by Lauren Oliver in my TBR.  I think the similarity in the authors' first names makes this one even better!

It looks like if you want a book about vanishing women, however, you have to go nonfiction:

National Readathon Day

Today is National Readathon Day!  Here's the basics from the Children's Book Council:

The National Book Foundation, GoodReads, Mashable and Penguin Random House are joining forces to launch the first-ever National Readathon Day. The Readathon will take place on Saturday, January 24, 2015 from 12 to 4 PM (in each time zone), at which time readers across the country will settle down for a reading session to raise funds for the National Book Foundation—delivering books to communities in need.

• You can participate individually by creating your own Firstgiving Fundraising page and inviting friends and family to donate. 

• Bookstores, schools and libraries are also invited to join the Readathon by hosting “reading parties” for their local communities. Visit Penguin Random House’s Resources section to download supporting materials and register your venue.

However you participate, be sure to share your experience online using the hashtag #timetoread

Many local bookstores are holding events, such as BookPeople in Austin.  The funds raised from the readathon pledges will go to National Book Foundation programs such as BookUp, 5 Under 35, the Innovations in Reading Prize, and the National Book Awards.

The National Readathon Day was brought to my attention by Casper Mattresses.  In one of the more unique pitches I've received, they asked me to post about my book list for the readathon.  And if you can't tell from my blog title, yes I will be reading in bed.  (Oh, the joys of lazy Saturdays!  Plus, there's nothing like piling the blankets on on a cold day.)

Here is my current reading list:

TEAR YOU APART by Sarah Cross - This is the sequel to KILL ME SOFTLY and is a twisted retelling of Snow White in modern-day Beau Rivage.  This is the book I'm currently reading; I have about 40% left.

PACIFIC FIRE by Greg van Eekhout - Another sequel! I loved CALIFORNIA BONES last year, so I'm reading for another thrilling and terrifying ride.

MARK OF THE THIEF by Jennifer Nielsen -  I love Nielsen's middle grade books, so I am very excited about the start of her new series.

SHADOW SCALE by Rachel Hartman - That's right, the sequel to Seraphina showed up on my doorstep just yesterday.  I have so many books that are coming out sooner on my docket, but no one blames me for skipping them to read this, right?

THE WINNER'S CRIME by Marie Rutkoski - This is the sequel to THE WINNER'S CURSE.  (I know, so many sequels!)  Like TEAR YOU APART, I've already started reading this one.  Let me tell you, it is good.

So join with me in reading and donating.  You can donate at my fundraising page.  You can also join my fundraising team.

Matt de la Peña at Blue Willow Bookshop

Yesterday I went to see Matt de la Peña at Blue Willow Bookshop.  He read a little from THE LIVING, then a little from THE HUNTED after we asked, and answered some questions from the audience.  If you haven't seen him speak before, he has a lot of upcoming events, including YAK Fest in Fort Worth this Saturday.

And if you haven't read THE LIVING, you should.  It is one of the seven books on the Cybils shortlist for YA Speculative Fiction.

A few highlights:

• Shy, the protagonist of THE LIVING, is the same character in his story "Angels in the Snow" from MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME (my review) and his One Teen Story "Passing Each Other in Halls".  He's been trying to find a good home for the character for ten years, so he kept trying him out in different ones.  THE LIVING and THE HUNTED were the novels that worked.

• THE HUNTED begins with a radio conversation, and part of it takes place at Sony's studios.  It comes out in May.

• When de la Peña wrote THE LIVING, he wanted to stretch himself and write something different from his other books, something more commercial.  He wants to reach as many readers as possible.

• There will be more Shoeshine in THE HUNTED and some of his mysteries will be revealed.

• de la Peña wrote a lot of THE LIVING while running, to make himself as uncomfortable as possible.  That way he could think of more uncomfortable things to happen to the characters. 

ETA: Here's a pic of the crowd!

Review: Alex as Well

By Alyssa Brugman
Available now from Henry Holt & Co. BFYR (Macmillan)
Review copy

ALEX AS WELL is a 2013 release from Australia finally making its way to our shores.  The protagonist, Alex, was raised as a boy but has recently realized that she identifies as a girl.  Her gender identity is complicated by the fact that she's intersex and doesn't fit neatly into either category.

I liked that ALEX AS WELL gets beyond the usual struggle focused on in books about gender dysphoria.  Alex knows she's a girl and is quite firm about it.  Her struggles are more about her relationship with her parents (especially her mother), getting her birth certificate changed, enrolling in a new school and making new relationships, and finding a job.  Honestly, everything but the relationship with her parents goes fairly easily for Alex, but that one thing is bad enough she deserves some easiness.

Interspersed throughout ALEX AS WELL are blog posts by Alex's mother Heather and the resulting comments.  The difference between the way Alex and Heather's tellings is striking - particularly the way Heather omits details like hitting Alex with a phone in a moment of passion.  By the end Heather is somewhat over the top, but I like that Alex realizes that it is abuse and she doesn't have to put up with it.  No matter what anyone tells her, she's not just a selfish teenager.

I thought there was an interesting progression in the narration in ALEX AS WELL.  In the beginning, she thinks about conversations with the boy Alex pretty frequently and relies on song lyrics to express her emotions.  She gets less reliant on both as she becomes more comfortable with her new life.

ALEX AS WELL is a short, engaging novel with a unique heroine and plenty of humor to balance  the darker family drama and one hideous instance of bullying posted on YouTube. 

If you're excited about ALEX AS WELL, I recommend reading Molly Wetta's list of LGBTQ fiction for teens coming out in 2015.