Review: This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki

This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: May 6th, 2014

Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the publisher. This did not affect my review in any way, and I am not being compensated to write this review.

"I didn't love it, as there were many aspects that bothered me a bit, but I didn't hate it either."

The synopsis completely drew me in at first, as well as the illustrations. I'm very new to graphic novels, but I enjoy reading them when I want to read something in a non-traditional book format. Plus, these tend to be quick reads for me. (I finished This One Summer in one sitting.)

I'm new to reviewing graphic novels, but I had relatively high expectations for this book for various reasons. I wasn't necessarily disappointed, but the book didn't turn out to be what I thought it was going to be (if that makes sense). I didn't love it, as there were many aspects that bothered me a bit, but I didn't hate it either.

Firstly, I don't know if it's because it's a graphic novel and thus very different from other books, but I really couldn't feel any connection to the characters, nor did I particularly feel anything towards them. I also felt that there was a lack of character development. There seemed to be a very interesting, well thought out set up because of the events in the book that would have allowed for great character development, but by the end, I felt like it fell a bit flat. I don't know that any of the book's characters learned anything from the events of the summer, and that bothered me a lot.

Another huge aspect that bothered me was what seemed to be very blatant slut-shaming and sexism in the book. I don't know if the intention was to do this so as to spark a conversation about the topic, but it seemed like very poor choice and taste in my opinion. There's one part when Windy calls Rose out on her sexism and slut-shaming, but Rose just goes on to make fun of Windy. This bothered me for so many reasons, but one of the things that bothered me most about it was that nothing ever came out of this. Rose didn't learn from it, and I doubt she stopped thinking the way she did, which was what bothered me the most. Maybe it's because she's jealous (in the beginning) of Jenny, but again, it just doesn't stick right with me.

Along the same vein, there were some parts when I really felt bad for Rose, and I really sympathized with her, but then she would say or think things that just really irked me. For example, she would be watching a movie with Windy, and I don't know if she was trying to criticize the girls for being so dumb and not being able to save themselves or if she was criticizing the movie for portraying girls in that way, but it felt as if it were more the former than the latter and that just bothered me so much.

But there were still parts that I enjoyed about the book. I love the complexity of family dynamics portrayed in the book even though I feels like it is left unfinished. I love how, save for slut-shaming, there's a very large representation/diversity of body types, and there's a perceived acceptance of them. I love how Rose and Windy are clearly very different, but they're still great friends. Something that Windy did at the end for Rose, in part out of friendship, in part to acknowledge that she's accepting Rose's VERY UNspoken apology, just tugged at me, and I found that to be one of the most beautiful scenes in the entire book. Additionally, while the ending felt empty and flat in that it left a lot unresolved and was incredibly anticlimactic, I found the symbolism behind the last scene (the image more than the words) to be really powerful and meaningful.

This One Summer: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository
Jillian Tamaki: Website | Blog | Tumblr | Twitter
Mariko Tamaki: Website | Twitter

Characterize It (#16): Wild Card

Hosted by Em @ The YA Book Butterfly

Wild Card (Any favorite character from any book)

New book choices, yay!

Will(iam) Fletcher FROM  A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

Who's your favorite character from A Mad, Wicked Folly?

Guest Post: S.M. Hineline (+Giveaway)

Hey guys! Today I have a guest post by S. M. Hineline about editing, which is always a talked about topic. :)

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Editing is probably the best worst thing ever.

It’s true, everyone hates it, but yet we slog our way through it, and in most cases we do it more than once…heck we probably do it more than fifty times for each book. Why? I mean, it’s horrible and we all hate it with a passion, so why do we keep putting ourselves through the pain? Because without editing we’d send books out to publishers and agents, or publish them ourselves, with horrible errors that will keep the people reading them from seeing the awesome because they’ll be too focused on the fact that we said they’re when we meant their.

Editing is for me, the most painful part of writing. When I’m creating I just write and write, I don’t worry about spelling or run on sentences, or even if what I’m writing truly makes sense. I just write away and enjoy the flow of awesome I’m sure is pouring onto the page. And then, I go back and I attack every word with a pointy stick. Does this really need to be here, does that word capture the feeling I’m trying to convey, and why did I think I needed to spend a paragraph explaining that? I slash and hack, and tear it all apart. And then when I’ve made a pass at slaying the monsters in my manuscript…I send it out to trusted alpha readers and make them go through the same process with me.

I am always amazed at how many issues my alpha readers spot that I missed. I usually send my work out to two trusted editors. First one, and then the other, so that I don’t get edit conflicts or confusion, and it always shocks me how much they both spot. It’s proof that you shouldn’t be the only one looking at your finished work and if you can swing it, more eyes are always better.

Once my alpha readers are finished going over everything with a fine toothed comb, I send my work out to beta readers. These are the folks who’ve said they loved my work in the past. They’re the folks I want to tell me if a part of the story doesn’t make sense, or if I’ve messed up a storyline from a past book. In my heart of hearts I want them all to come back raving about how amazing my work is, but that’s not really the point. The point is for them to serve as a final check before I send my baby out the door into the world.

I self publish, so for me editing is crucial, and I believe it is for anyone who is planning on having someone else read their work. If you’re sending out to an agent or a publisher, you don’t want them missing your story because they can’t get past the spelling and grammar errors, and if you’re self publishing, you don’t want to put something out there that isn’t as perfect as you can make it. You may only get one chance to capture a reader, and you don’t want to loose them or have them write a bad review that could lead to you missing out on other possible readers. 

S.M. Hineline has written and self-published two novels.

Find her and her work online: Hunting (book #1) | Discovery (book #2) | Twitter | Goodreads | Hunting Wiki

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Friction Fiction (#4): Hogwarts Houses vs. Divergent Factions

These posts are meant to bring about some conversation, discussion, and perhaps even a debate. These discussion posts can occur at varying days of the week, mostly depending upon what's scheduled on the blog and what I feel like discussing.

Having recently watched the Divergent movie and having read an article on Hypable that stated that "Like at Hogwarts, teenagers in Divergent are asked to suppress their originality and conform to a specific set of ideals," I knew I wanted to write this discussion post. Why? Because I refuse to agree with that statement and for particular reasons.

I must start off by saying that at the time that I'm writing this post (3/22), I have not yet read all of Divergent. I'm basing most of my points off of the movie, and I can only hope that they are accurate with what's in the books. If they're not, please let me know and then decide on your own thoughts based on the books. 

I firmly believe that though they are similar in idea, they are very different in execution and are fundamentally different. They are similar in that they group people based on personality, but that's close to where the similarities stop, in my opinion.

In Divergent, yes, people are ultimately allowed to choose their factions. But once they decide, they're stuck there. They have to learn to conform to their factions' way of life, attitude, personality, etc. They learn that it's "faction over blood." The statement the author of the Hypable article made isn't that far from the truth for factions. People are limited and are forced to become one and the same. They're told how to dress, how to act, and they're even told that aren't even allowed to see their family (except on family visitation day, if I remember correctly from what I read in the book). In Divergent, they are very much expected to conform to the ideals and expectations of their faction. They are told that being Divergent is a bad thing and that human nature is their enemy.

But I believe that Hogwarts Houses are different. Yes, they are similarly based on personality, but the Sorting Hat sort of makes the choice for you. It knows who you are, deep down inside, even if you don't know yourself. You don't have to know who you are yet. Otherwise, would Neville have been put into Gryffindor? I highly doubt he'd ever consider himself brave. Yes, there is some room for choice if you're a hat stall and are like Harry. Even in this idea, I think the two are fundamentally different. At Hogwarts, you're sorted into the House that the Sorting Hat knows is right for you, regardless of what you think. In Divergent, you're given the liberty to make your own choice. I think factions are less about your personality and more about who you think you are, who you want to be, and what you value most. Tris chooses Dauntless because she values their bravery. She wants to be like them. She isn't necessarily like them yet (depending on your definition of bravery). I don't doubt that the Sorting Hat would put her in Gryffindor anyway, but I think there's a specific distinction between the two in that sense.

But the thing about Houses is that it doesn't confine you to one set of ideals and personalities. You can still be yourself. You're just put with people that also have the same biggest personality trait. Hat stalls and even non-hat stalls show that you can be a little bit of everything. Luna, for example, is in Ravenclaw, largely, I'd say, because of her creative spirit. But isn't Luna also brave? Yes. I think so (for various reasons). Houses give you a place to feel at home where you're surrounded by people that are similar to you but not the same. You can be friends with people from other Houses because you recognize that their strongest quality has its flaws and strengths but that you might have some of that within yourself as well. The Golden Trio, Ginny, and Neville are all friends with Luna. She is not from their House. Yes, they tend to stick with people in their Houses, but they're not limited to those Houses.

Houses allow people to be a mix of everything without condemning them if they are. They even acknowledge the fact that people may have various very strong personality traits. Harry and Hermione are examples of this.

Yes, there may be some sense of the pressure of conformity in Hogwarts, and I will not deny that, but it isn't comparable with that of the factions. Besides, you certainly won't be kicked out of your Hogwarts House, as far as I can tell. Do both factions and Houses cause some kind of conformity? Yes. But Hogwarts Houses do not necessarily tell you who to be, especially at the moment (ahem Neville). Hogwarts Houses do not tell you that you can only be one thing/have one personality trait and nothing else. Houses are much more flexible and fluid, and they don't condemn people that have a mix of personality traits. And no, I'm not just saying this because I obviously love Harry Potter. I believe that factions and Houses are similar in idea but very different in execution.

What do you think? Am I completely wrong? Or do you agree with me?

Music Monday (#8): Cities + It's Just Love by Nat and Alex Wolff

Every other Monday, I'll share a song/artist/album that I'm either currently listening to or currently obsessed with, though they often go hand-in-hand. Some may have special themes or surprises. This means that I might share a playlist, fan!mix, Top Ten list, etc.

I've been so busy that I've forgotten about my Music Monday posts, so here's one (finally)!

I went to their concert on Saturday, and I just love them so much. So of course I'm extremely excited about their two new singles, and I'm really hoping we'll get news on Album #2 soon because it's been too long!

Anyway, these two songs are just amazing, especially Cities, which I just love with my whole heart.

Now, there are two different versions: the official, recorded version and the live version. I love both in different ways. The recorded version is much simpler, but I also love the live version. Since it hasn't been released yet, I don't have a Youtube video of the recorded versions, but you can listen to them here! I highly recommend listening to this version!

The live versions from the concert I went to are below. These aren't my videos, as mine aren't as great quality.

What do you think? Which version do you prefer?

Blitz: My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris (+Giveaway)

HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

GoodReads

MY NOT SO SUPER SWEET LIFE is a special digital only, fan requested addition to the series!

It's also told in DUAL POV. Woohoo!

TEASER

Read the first chapter...

http://rachelharriswrites.com/books/super-sweet-life

GET YOUR COPY TODAY

 Amazon † B&N † iTunes

To celebrate the release author Rachel Harris is hosting a giveaway!

US - A Signed RARE paperback copy of MY NOT SO SUPER SWEET LIFE & SWAG PACK
INT - An eBook copy of MY NOT SO SUPER SWEET LIFE

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ABOUT RACHEL HARRIS

Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong families are a staple in each of her Rachel Harrisbooks…and kissing. Lots of kissing.

A Cajun cowgirl now living in Houston, she firmly believes life’s problems can be solved with a hot, sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations. She homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches way too much Food Network with her amazing husband.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and losing herself in story. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Website †Facebook † Twitter † GoodReads † Tumblr † Instagram

Summary Saturday (Technically Sunday): 4/19/14

I'm in the middle of a huge reading and blogging slump because I've been so stressed about school, so I apologize if I barely post in the following weeks. I have a few scheduled posts, but it's not much and many of the posts are for May, so there may not be much in the coming weeks. I'm so sorry!

Sunday (4/13/14):

Fiction Friction (#3): Book Boyfriends

Monday (4/14/14):

Review: Nil by Lynne Matson

Tuesday (4/15/14):

TV Tuesday (#3): Thoughts and Hopes for Orphan Black Season 2

Wednesday (4/16/14):

Waiting on Wednesday (#8): The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

Thursday (4/17/14):

Characterize It (#15): Most Loving Parents

Characterize It (#15): Most Loving Parents

Hosted by Em @ The YA Book Butterfly

Most Loving Parents (Parent that is actually around/big part of story)

Andi's Dad in Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Candace's Mom in We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Hazel's Parents and Augustus' Parents in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Sally Jackson in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

BUT...MY ALL TIME FAVORITE IS...

 

Atticus Finch FROM To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley FROM Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling

Who's your favorite literary parent that's actually around/important?

Waiting on Wednesday (#8): The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

This feature is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

For more info on this feature, see my features page.

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

Publisher: Greenwillow (HarperCollins)

Release Date: June 10th, 2014

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Why I Want to Read This Book

 Firstly, I've heard SPECTACULAR things about this book. So many people seem to love it, many of them with the same reading interests as me.

This seems like an intense thriller, and the plot seems extremely interesting. I'm also really interested in how Meadow will be portrayed. I'm hoping she'll be as complex as Celaena from Throne of Glass: someone that's not just a killing machine. So interesting!

TV Tuesday (#3): Thoughts and Hopes for Orphan Black Season 2

Once a month on a Tuesday, I'll showcase a TV in some way, whether it be an episode review (or bundle), a discussion, some thoughts and reactions, Top Tens, a fan!mix, or a recommendation.

Before I get started, I want to link you to four things: 

Season 2 trailer, which part of this is based on

Orphan Black--Why Everyone Should Watch This Show (aka my review of S1)

Orphan Black's Entertainment Weekly Cover

New Clone! Information from EW

Having recently rewatched Season 1, having recently watched the Season 2 trailer and teaser clips, and having recently gotten Willa @ Willa's Ramblings and Lit Up Review (go check us out! ;)) into Orphan Black, I've been thinking a lot about Season 2 and about my hopes and thoughts/theories for the coming season. So here's a brief(ish) break down of the main parts! (PS. This includes some S1 spoilers!)

New clones--YES NEW CLONES. Apparently we're getting two new clones, which I'm SO excited for! I wonder what their personalities will be like, where they are in life, and how they'll fit into the story. But then the next question is: will some of our beloved clones leave the show? At the moment, I think Cosima has the biggest potential to die, but with such a large fanbase + the whole Delphine storyline, who knows? Helena also has the potential, but I'm not sure! (See below for more) I just can't imagine Tatiana taking on anymore clones. I guess if anyone could do it, it's Tatiana. There's the bald Tatiana in the trailer that could be any of the existing clones or a new clone. (PS. I'm writing this as of 3/12, so there's a large chance we'll learn more before this is posted.)

Rachel aka Pro-Clone--I'm really interested in learning more about the pro-clone. I doubt she's going to die, but I wonder what she's got up her sleeve. I don't really know what else to say about her...

Paul--Paul is such a big give-take character. He could swing either way. In Season 1, he became loyal to Sarah and the Clone Club, yet it seems as if in Season 2, he's siding with the pro-clone (based on the trailer). Maybe he'll go with the side he thinks is winning? I'm HOPING he'll stay loyal to the Clone Club and Sarah. My theory is that he'll stay loyal, but maybe that's just me wishing that was the case. Also, I think stuff about his military past/what happened in Afghanistan will come up this season.

Kira--AHHHH KIRA. Well, I'm going to say she'll definitely be saved/rescued at some point, which is hopefully sooner rather than later. I think they'll learn...interesting things about Kira, such as see what happens when clones create new life *ahem*. Something about how she was able to survive the car crash. Skylar's acting thus far has been spectacular, and I have no doubt she'll continue to shine in the coming season.

Mrs. S--She's definitely somehow involved in this whole thing, but I hope think she's on their side (Sarah/Felix/Clone Club). She seems to really care for Sarah and Felix and Kira (but then again, I guess Paul and Donnie also seemed to really care for Beth and Alison, respectively). I don't think she'd do anything to hurt them. I hope I'm not wrong.

I recently saw a piece of fan!art with Mrs. S as a monitor and that got me thinking. Of course, it's a possibility, but hope there's more to Mrs. S and her involvement. I hope she's not Sarah's monitor, as highly probable as that is.

Police Investigation--I kind of hope Art finds out the whole truth, so that they can work with the police again, but based off of the trailer and teasers, I guess that's not going to happen, at least in the beginning. I'd like for them to work together, as improbable as that is. I just feel like they should focus more on the clones and that fight than on the police investigation aspect of it. I love the characters, but I'm hoping it'll be resolved.

Donnie--Donnie's such an amazing actor (I mean the character himself). I really hope Alison finds out he really is her monitor (though she'd just die of guilt over Aynsley), but I want to see Alison angry again. Is that bad of me to think? Anyway. I hope he'll play a bigger role, but it seems as if unlike Paul, he knows more about what's going on, and he's more willing to leave Alison and side with Leekie and the pro-clone than Paul.

Dr. Leekie--Speaking of Leekie, I'm hoping he'll die this season! I can see that happening, but that would depend on the direction the show goes in. If he's a big part, they'll keep him in, but I'm kinda hoping he'll die. Also, I assume we'll learn more about him, and I hope we learn a bit more about his background

Cosima--I sure hope she doesn't die, but I think she's a give-take character right now, meaning they could go either way with her character. I really just want to see her relationship with Delphine develop and grow. Orphan Black's done such a great job with queer representation and about just allowing it to flow into the story line without making it a big deal. I feel like in general, Cosima's story has always been kind of put on the back burner, with Sarah demanding the most attention and time, so I'm hoping that there will be more focus on Cosima, not just for the audience but also from the clones themselves, and I think that it'll happen, especially with the focus on her illness. She'll definitely be more involved in that aspect, and I'm hoping Delphine won't betray her, especially as she gets sicker and sicker. With the new clone and all, I'm really scared about Cosima's future, but I sure hope she beat the odds or else I'll probably cry.

Felix--Firstly, I think Felix and Alison's relationship will become stronger than it is now. It's funny because they were so different and so annoyed at one another in the beginning. I hope he's the one that will primarily help her deal with her guilt over Aynsley. I also think that with Sarah on the run, they'll be separated again. As in Season 1, they obviously remain close, regardless of where she is, and I think that especially now that he's in on what's going on, he'll understand, but I wonder if it'll place a strain on their relationship. I hope not! I love their banter and obvious love for one another. I hope Felix remains sassy, but I'd like to see him get some more action too (not that kind of action; are you like 12?).

Alison--Oh the guilt she'll suffer. That's for sure. Especially if she finds out Aynsley wasn't involved. I don't think Alison will get arrested for it, but I wonder what will happen when she gets kidnapped. What about her kids? Is she now willing to give up her old, Suburban life? (Not sure she's gonna get kidnapped so...)

Sarah--Of course there's also Sarah. That guy she's with in the trailer? I sure hope that's not Kira's dad, but I can see that potential...I also hope Sarah doesn't get into too much trouble. She has to find Kira, move around Art, deal with Rachel, deal with Leekie, deal with Vic, and so much more! That girl's going to go crazy! But Sarah remains my favorite clone, and the show wouldn't be the same without her. I know that part of it is to keep up with the intensity of the show, but one of these days, I'd like to see a more relaxing episode.

Vic--GAHHH VIC WHYYY. This sort of ties back to the police investigation. I certainly hope it gets resolved soon, and I hope it doesn't end up with all of them being in jail or something. There's so many variables that I don't even have a theory on how they'll go about this situation. But anyway, Vic. I sure hope he's officially gone. Fingers crossed!

Guest Stars--Admittedly, I don't know much about the guest stars, but I do know that Patrick J. Adams will be guest starring, though nobody's announced his role or anything yet. I guess that makes sense, especially if it'll give something away, but. Adams is a fantastic actor (he's the lead in Suits), and I can't wait to see what he brings to the table in the second season.

What's the one thing I can almost guarantee S2 will include? Suspense, drama, intensity, sass, wit, intelligence, fantastic writing, and a fantastic cast and crew. I really can't wait for this coming season. I've been waiting for far too long! Consider yourself lucky, Willa! You haven't had to wait this long for the next season! Anyway, I look forward to Season 2! Be sure to tune in to BBC America THIS SATURDAY for ALL NEW EPISODES! Long live #CloneClub. ;)