Saturday Sights ~9~

Good morrow!

I am both excited (and sad) to introduce the FIRST topic of our Saturday Sights discussion... The Lizzie Bennett Diaries has come to an (amazingly beautiful I-SWEAR-I'M-NOT-CRYING) end. Do you remember this? When I first heard about The LBD and was all YES LET US CELEBRATE WOO-HOO! ??? Well it's been a year. One hundred episodes. And I'm so glad to have been a part of it. So glad that it happened and that I can experience it over and over again. And so can you! Watch it on YouTube or preorder your copy here.

NEXT, Doctor Who is back tonight. Yep. Geronimo. 

MOVING ON, Victoria Schwab (aka V.E. Schwab) has received arcs of her first adult novel VICIOUS and BOY ARE THEY BEAUTEOUS. I just want to devour one RIGHT NOW. Superheroes are making a comeback, people, but what's more exciting than a superhero? V's supervillians.

And FINALLY if you're in the LA area, Kina Grannis is playing a free show at USC on Tuesday, April 2nd! Click here for details!


And that's it for today! I kept it brief JUST FOR YOU. Plus, everyone is recovering from the Bologna Book Fair at the moment! Tune in next week for more lovely happenings around the bookish wide web! :)

Hearts and hugs,
Deserae

Book Review: THE ARCHIVED

It's been a while since I've done this. Since I've sat at a computer and talked. About books. Most people, when they can't quite articulate themselves or get nervous or feel silly, etc., will say, "I don't know how to explain it," as if there were no words--- none at all--- that could express what's on their minds. But the problem, for me, is that I do know.

I do know how to explain myself. Do know what THE ARCHIVED was, for me, as a novel.

I just don't know if you're going to understand me when I say THE ARCHIVED was like wood. And stone. And light.

The characters in this novel reminded me of wood. Beautiful. Organic. But cracked--- cracked all over. Cracked on the surface and those cracks running deeper and deeper beneath. We got to stay near the surface, near the beautiful sides of most of them where those cracks just looked like decoration--- like artistic nuance, if you will. But then Mackenzie would touch someone or be touched by someone and we were falling deeper and deeper between the cracks of each person, peeling the layers of facade away little by little. This is probably both my favorite and least favorite thing about THE ARCHIVED. It's almost like a signature Victoria Schwab has this brilliant and frustrating way of creating things so organically you are slowly, slowly peeling away these layers, holding your breath for the next discovery, and then feeling EVERYTHING once you get there because it hurts to see the ugliness. Because it's supposed to.

But then there's the stone. The things that keeps you grounded and make you wait and help you to forgive Schwab for teasing, teasing, teasing, and breaking your heart all the while in between. The worlds she creates. The mysteries. The stories. The people. Those solid odds and ends that feel so real you wonder if you could go there, feel that, makes you question whether or not you'd heard about The Narrows and Da and The Coronado somewhere else. They make you wonder why you haven't. It's so strange these solid things.

These beautiful itty bitty things, most of which are tiny things feel. so. real. Like Bishop's Cafe and The Coronado and The Narrows. The Archived. And you feel like you've been there. Seen that. Met Da, heard his stories, known Lindsey, seen a ripple in the air that wasn't quite right and knew there had to be--- had to be--- something more there. I could see The Archive existing, the plot thickening. The mystery unfolding. Those lives happening. And I wasn't so flustered by the cracks because I had this to hold onto. When Mac was fighting, I didn't have to think about Ben. When the adorable Nix came onto the scene or when Roland showed her around the Atrium or when Wes sat by her in the garden I could forget about the horrible things happening all around, crumbling, threatening to tear those bits of happiness away. I could just admire the world. The creativity that went into this place, these characters, this story. And then, when I had to face the cracks again, I appreciated them even more. Because they were real and they hurt and they were supposed to and that was okay.

That was okay. Feeling, hurting, becoming impatient, wanting, needing--- it was all okay. THE ARCHIVED was about Mackenzie's journey but maybe I had one, too. And that's why this novel was also light. It showed me things. It reflected some of my own thoughts.

Despite what the description says, this novel was about love. Love between families, friends. Love of past, love of present. It's about life and death and how to live in spite of tragedy. It's about light and truth and how important it is to SPEAK. To say what's on your heart. To say that you feel. And you heart, and want, and need. I don't know if you'll understand what I'm saying here. I don't care if you do or don't. In words that are actually comprehensible, I encourage you to try this novel for yourself. Tell me what you think of THE ARCHIVED. Tell me if you felt it breathing, if you can't wait for the sequel, if you sense the wood, the stone, the light as well.

If you just can't get enough of my ramblings here is something else. Click here to go to my personal blog where I give more thoughts on THE ARCHIVED from the perspective of a Literature Student who's about to take a final on Authorship. Ug.

The Sunday Post ~8~

Elsewhere News

• This week on Elsewhere, we catch up on old times by featuring Victoria Schwab's THE ARCHIVED and talking about some of the most memorable books I've read in my absence. 
• Since we're half way through March, there isn't going to be an official reading list for this month. But the books we're celebrating this week are: THE ARCHIVED, A SPY IN THE HOUSE, and the first book in Ally Carter's most recent series, HEIST SOCIETY. Next week, we'll focus on THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, THE FROG PRINCESS, and we're going to do a throwback to ONE DAY which (I can't believe) I read and reviewed here a year ago. 
• I haven't thought of a Mayhem Challenge yet, but I sorely want to start giving things away. What would really help is having people to give these things away TO! Perhaps, on Friday, I'll just do a prize pack giveaway. Stay tuned until I have more news on this. 

Reviews for Last Week's Releases

So I've been M.I.A....

...But these bloggers haven't. Let's play catch up, shall we?

REVENGE OF THE GIRL WITH THE GREAT PERSONALITY by Elizabeth Eulberg

1. Review from the ever-trusted darlings at Rather be Reading

2. A great character-driven review over at Pixie Dust Book Reviews

3. Another great review found over at Secrets and Sharing Soda

4. The Goodreads

MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza

1. A great review over in the Book Nook (but giveaway's closed. Sorry!)

2. 3.5 our of 5 stars to Mila over at A Reader of Fictions

POISON by Bridget Zinn

1. Cool response from Hobbitsies

2. The flipside and personal thoughts over at Bookshelvers Anonymous

3. Another review that hearts POISON over at Parajunkee

LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger

1. A great review from Addictive Reading

2. And another one from The Book Cellar

3. And another one from Once Upon a Twilight

REQUIEM by Lauren Oliver

1. An honest response from Two Chicks on Books who loved the series
2. A 4 star review from our beloved Mundie Moms

UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody
1. A great in depth sum up of the book from Popcorn Reads
2. A great review from That's What She Read
3. A "Fantastically Awesome" review from IceyBooks

New Releases March 17th-23rd

*All synopses and covers from Goodreads. Click the book to buy!

March 19th: EVERAFTER by Elizabeth Chandler

(seems like Book 6 in a series)

It seems the odds are forever against Ivy and her fallen angel. Tristan is still trapped in the body of an accused murderer, and as the two star-crossed lovers try to clear his name, they must battle the dark forces that would keep them apart and destroy them both. The danger is especially great for Tristan since, as a fallen angel, death would mean losing his soul. It’s up to Ivy to save the one she loves and, hopefully, find a way for the two of the them to be together…for all eternity.
The sweeping saga of Ivy and Tristan comes to a breathtaking conclusion in this final book of the all-new arc in the New York Times bestselling Kissed by an Angel series.


March 21st: OCD, THE DUDE, AND ME by Lauren Roedy Vaughn

(seems to be a standalone)

With frizzy orange hair, a plus-sized body, sarcastic demeanor, and "unique learning profile," Danielle Levine doesn't fit in even at her alternative high school. While navigating her doomed social life, she writes scathing, self-aware, and sometimes downright raunchy essays for English class. As a result of her unfiltered writing style, she is forced to see the school psychologist and enroll in a "social skills" class. But when she meets Daniel, another social misfit who is obsessed with the cult classic film The Big Lebowski, Danielle's resolve to keep everyone at arm's length starts to crumble.

March 19th: CLOCKWORK PRINCESS by Cassandra Clare
(Book #3 in the Infernal Devices series)


THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT PITY.
THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT REGRET.
THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT NUMBER.
THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING.

Tessa Gray should be happy — aren’t all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding to Jem Carstairs, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to the Magister, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan of destruction.

He needs Tessa.

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

March 19th: FOX FOREVER by Mary E. Pearson
(Book #3 in the Jenna Fox Chronicles Series)


Locke Jenkins has some catching up to do. After spending 260 years as a disembodied mind in a little black box, he has a perfect new body. But before he can move on with his unexpected new life, he’ll have to return the Favor he accepted from the shadowy resistance group known as the Network.

Locke must infiltrate the home of a government official by gaining the trust of his daughter, seventeen-year-old Raine, and he soon finds himself pulled deep into the world of the resistance—and into Raine’s life.

Mary E. Pearson brings the story she began in The Adoration of Jenna Fox and continued in The Fox Inheritance to a breathtaking conclusion as Locke discovers that being truly human requires much more than flesh and blood.





March 21st: 17 & GONE by Nova Ren Suma
(seems to be a standalone)

Seventeen-year-old Lauren is having visions of girls who have gone missing. And all these girls have just one thing in common—they are 17 and gone without a trace. As Lauren struggles to shake these waking nightmares, impossible questions demand urgent answers: Why are the girls speaking to Lauren? How can she help them? And… is she next? As Lauren searches for clues, everything begins to unravel, and when a brush with death lands her in the hospital, a shocking truth emerges, changing everything.

With complexity and richness, Nova Ren Suma serves up a beautiful, visual, fresh interpretation of what it means to be lost.

March 21st: THE ART OF WISHING by Lindsay Ribar
(appears to be the first in a series)


Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

IN PAPERBACK...
Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

In Theaters March 17th-23rd

*Synopses and posters from Moviefone

March 22nd: "Admission" 

Director: Paul Weitz
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Going to see it?: Hmm... Dunno, yet. But I do love me some Tina Fey.

Description: Straight-laced Princeton University admissions officer Portia Nathan (Fey) is caught off-guard when she makes a recruiting visit to an alternative high school overseen by her former college classmate, the free-wheeling John Pressman (Rudd). Pressman has surmised that Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), his gifted yet very unconventional student, might well be the son that Portia secretly gave up for adoption many years ago. Soon, Portia finds herself bending the rules for Jeremiah, putting at risk the life she thought she always wanted -- but in the process finding her way to a surprising and exhilarating life and romance she never dreamed of having.


March 22nd: "The Croods"

Director: Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders
MPAA Rating: PG
Going to see it?: No.

Description: A prehistoric family are forced to flee their cave after it's destroyed by a disaster that threatens to change their lives forever in this animated adventure featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone. As a protective caveman father leads his family out of harm's way, the clan crosses paths with a resourceful teen named Guy (voice of Ryan Reynolds), who offers to help them reach a distant land where they'll be safe from an impending catastrophe that will soon alter the entire world. Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman round out the cast of vocal performers.

March 22nd: "Olympus Has Fallen"

Director: Antoine Fuqua
MPAA Rating: R
Going to see it?: No. But I will probably watch it eventually. I also love me some Morgan Freeman.

Description: When the White House (Secret Service Code: "Olympus") is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As our national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning's inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President and avert an even bigger disaster.


AND ALSO...
"The Sapphires" Rated PG-13
"Love and Honor" Rated PG-13
"My Brother the Devil" Not Rated (also British)
"Starbuck" Rated R

And that's it from me this weekend! Sit tight for my "official" review of Victoria Schwab's THE ARCHIVED and linkage to a not-so-official review of myself, as a reader, over at my personal blog!

Au revoir!
Deserae

Saturday Sights ~8~

Hey, All!

Long time no talk. Recently, I've read a novel. Okay. I've read a few of them. But this novel inspired me to come back to Elsewhere, to pick up the blog again, not because I HAD TO, but because I realized that, if I didn't, no one else would.

So today, after many, many days of silence, after many, many weeks of nothing, after months, and months of yous guys having to rely on other elsewheres to tell you what's what in the world of books and other nonsensical wonders, I. HAS. RETURNED. Here is what's I've found in the past two days that if you haven't heard about, may, in fact, interest you. We have a lot to talk about this beautiful Saturday.

FIRST, The Veronica Mars Movie is HAPPENING. Not because the WB just couldn't get enough. Because the fans joined together, funded it, are making them make it happen. We all knew the internet was a dangerous and wonderful place, but the Veronica Mars Kickstarter has helped the saying "Anything is possible" make a comeback. This screenshot of the project being FULLY FUNDED was taken within the first 11 hours of the project going live. And now they're almost doubled!

Which brings me to the NEXT kick(start)er... TORMENT. A blogger I follow and adore, Adam Heine, has been working diligently along with a bunch of other game designers on an RPG called Torment: Tides of Numenera. The Kickstarter is fully funded (and with 20 days left! Huzzah!!!) but the more money the project has, the better it'll be! If you click on the link and find out that you're interested (or if like me, you have a soft spot for writers and wish  them every happiness and ounce of success in everything they do), then click the link and donate OR help by spreading the word!

MOVING ON from geeky to even geekier, I think I'm in love with this webseries called "The Chronicles of Syntax." You can find out what it's all about for yourself by watching the first episode, but in short, it's a story of good versus evil, of fighting for a cause--- even one you don't have all the details about. It's about friendship, trust, and loyalty. About destiny and callings and deciding yours for yourself. It's about taking a stand. Making a change. And oh yeah. There's also kick-butt action. Follow them on Twitter or just check it out! If you're into cheesy but awesome sci-fi stuff, you'll love it as much as I do.

REALLY QUICKLY I've just remembered something brilliant I came across and have fingers crossed is true. Rumor has it there will be a "Sherlock" Series 4--- AND 5!

But IN MORE CONFIRMABLE NEWS, Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy. Starring in a radio drama. Based on Neil Gaiman's NEVERWHERE. AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGG... It is happening. It is happening HERE. Go listen to it. Just listen to it. Listen to a story. The story doesn't begin right away (give the player a minute or two before you give up thinking I've led you astray) but you'll know when you're there. When you're there in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. And you will love it.

Okay. We're almost done, I swear. I ALSO wanted to tell you about the fact that there is now an official "John Green Book Club" site! For some of you, I'm sure this is cool. For me, it's just the incentive I need to dig into some of his other novels.

AND FINALLY, for ye writers of the utterly hilarious, The Greenhouse Literary Agency is having a brilliant contest! If you've got a manuscript that will tickle an agent's funny bone, then you should head on over, read the rules, and consider entering! There's time--- lots of it--- to decide if you want to, but there's no harm in checking it out!

And that's it for this week! I hope you found something lovely in this mess of information. Call it a peace offering--- a token of my appreciation. And then join me this week as I talk about Victoria Schwab's THE ARCHIVED and catch you up on what I've been reading since I saw you last.

Until tomorrow,
Deserae

Tuesday in Tweets -7-

Hey, Everyone!

I know. I should be focusing on class right now. But I'm sneaking around to kindly remind you that today we are bombarding Twitter with talk of all things PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I'll be joining the efforts around 7:30 my time, but be sure to use the hashtag #teamelsewhere or mention me @sommertales so that I can find your tweets.

Later, Loves!
Deserae

Monday Mayhem -7- The Mayhem Gets Classy

Happy Monday, Elsewhere!

Today is a special, special day. We are entering Week 7 with the celebration of a classic. That's right! We are talking about the one, the original, the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE written by one of my favorite authors, Jane Austen.

I don't know, I guess I'm excited because this week, I'm challenging you guys to do the funniest Mayhem Challenge I could think of. If you read the April Calendar, you already know, but the challenge I present to you for a chance at this week's Mayhem Prize Pack is...

RECOMMEND PRIDE AND PREJUDICE TO A BOY.

Yeah. The male species for some reason seems to get shy around this subject, so I just thought it would be cool if we forced the Mr. Bingleys and Darcys and Collins' and Wickhams in our lives to read the piece of literature that they fear. Isn't that great? I think it's flipping fantastic. Remember, you can read it for free right here. Maybe that'll be incentive enough for your bros.

So if you do attempt the Mayhem Challenge, you'll be entered to win an envelope filled with:
-A copy of PRADA AND PREJUDICE by Mandy Hubbard
-Ribbons
-And a copy of the 2005 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Soundtrack

If you're a dude, no, you cannot recommend it to yourself, Silly Billy. But you can recommend it to any other dude--- your dad, a friend, a blah, a blah. You get the idea, ya'll! You can give the ribbons to your sister, if you want, but be sure to snap a picture,  or make a video of your efforts and send it to myticketsomewhere@gmail.com. You can also make a Vlog Review or Response of the book in order to be entered, but be sure to leave the link in the comments below by THURSDAY, April 19th! Because that's when entries are due. Yeppers...

You could also submit something for the Wednesday Wanderings Challenge (details in the calendar so see the link above). Entries are due tomorrow if you want a second chance at that prize pack.

ANYWHO... As I said on Friday, the universe has sent a bunch of AWESOME PRIDE AND PREJUDICE hoopla my way this past week! Imagine my surprise when I saw this video by Hank Green talking about the very thing I needed to cause an uproar!

That's right people. At present, there is a webseries in the making that's reimagining PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in a 21st century context. Ain't that grand? Although they're taking LOTS of liberties with the content, I was still pretty pleased with the first episode.

What I love is that the cast is cute, the script is realistic, the content is pretty spot on, and it's a FLIPPING PRIDE AND PREJUDICE WEBSERIES! If you want to make sure they keep making episodes, subscribe to their YouTube channel and watch! It's that easy.

And agh! I'm taking up too much of your Monday. But rest assured, more goodies will be sent your way throughout the week and during our wrap up on Friday. So what do you think? Are you excited to start spreading the word about P&P? I hope so. But if you're not, why don't you check out this review (or mine!) before you go?

Have a great week!
Deserae

What it is about PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Disclaimer! This is not a review. I couldn't review a book for which I have a complete and total bias. I have seen nearly every adaptation for this story. I have read the original novel four times and that's kind of because I have a longing for it about once a year. Love is not a strong enough emotion to convey how much I enjoy the story. And the characters. And the writing. And the author, may she rest in peace.

I will, however, try to explain what it is about this story that makes me want to open it again and again. There are so many things about it that are wonderful, but the fact that it's a "classic" is not one that comes to mind.

I think the term "classic" can be a bit intimidating, first, and then misleading next. This book is not hard to read. The language is simple and fairly easy to follow and understand. And the situations then mirror, in a sort of way, some of the issues we face now. One of the reasons I would only hesitantly refer to this as one of my favorite "classics" is because it is so relevant in my life, at least, that I don't feel as if it's that far removed. I know it's not contemporary, but unless "classic" is referring to the insight and intellectual wisdom contained in the novel itself, rather than the timestamp that belongs to it, I'd rather not use the term. At least not here.

From the moment I first read about the Bennet family, I instantly felt a connection with them--- I instantly fell in love. The conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet about the new neighbor and his fortune could have easily been one between my own parents once upon a time. The fact that I have four siblings, three of which are girls, helped me identify with having a hefty-sized family. The fact that my sisters and I have always been close made me understand the Bennet Sisters' dynamic. And then there was Lizzie who I couldn't quite relate to, persay, but who instantly became a rolemodel of the type of character I one day hoped to be.

Yes, I was an instant fan of Elizabeth Bennet, the one who would not marry unless for love, the one who stood her ground against a pompous Mr. Darcy, a silly Mrs. Bennet, and a Mr. Collins. Yes, I respected her instantly. I wondered what it was like to have that kind of confidence in oneself... to know what you wanted so passionately and so surely that settling was NOT an option. In the tenth grade, I had a certain level of self, but not like Lizzie's. But after reading "her" story... After watching her sisters and her friend fall or give up or wait around or take the first man who made an offer, I realized there was no other person I wanted to be but Elizabeth. I needed her courage, assurance, and over time, it was something that came. Thank God!

But the other characters in this story were equally as wonderful. I mean, even Lizzie had her faults. You have to understand that the book is called both PRIDE & PREJUDICE. You know she had to have at least one of those attributes, and neither of them are the most flattering terms. So yes, every character was flawed, but I think every character also had something good in them, too. Without too many spoilers, I can say that although Mrs. Bennet was silly and Mr. Bennet was passive-aggressive, they both cared about their kids. A LOT. And the fact that they were willing to do anything to see that they at least start on the path of a good life was one of those things that made me appreciate my parents a little more. I think I can also say that Darcy, though uptight and rude at the beginning does make a change. It's not a turn around, mind you, but you can see him lowering his barriers. And guys always ask me why I love the guy because he's an obvious {insert obscenity here}. But I tell them constantly that I don't like him BECAUSE he's a jerk. I like him because he's a jerk that admitted his faults and tried to change! And he didn't change for the girl, he changed for himself. And THAT good people of America, is freaking sexy (I meant admirable!).

Anywho, the story I think was told masterfully doing a wonderful job of balancing plot-driven madness and character-driven chaos that the two just meshed and the outcome of that was just an entertaining story filled with "truths universally acknowledged!" That's what I like about it best. At the end of the day, it's just a really good story, one that I could read or watch over and over again... that I can appreciate every time it's in my hands.

If you can't tell, I highly recommend this book. To everyone and their brothers. If you don't read it, you're not going to explode or anything, but I think it's worthwhile to read the original interpretation. Trust me... it's just as good as any adaptation you've seen or read and if you're anything like me, you'll think it even better.

Blurb from Goodreads:

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.

Want to read this text for free? 

Visit Project Gutenberg and type in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

The Sunday Post ~7~

Elsewhere News

• Last week on Elsewhere, we spread the word about Sang Kromah's debut novel CONCEALED. This week, we turn back the clocks and pick up one of my favorite classics of all time: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE! 
• Even though Jane Austen's no longer with us, we can still spread the word about her novel. I hope you take up this week's challenges! If you submit something, you're automatically entered to win this week's prize pack. 
• Don't forget that if you don't have the money or want to buy this classic, you can find it on Project Gutenberg without risk and absolutely free. It's perfectly legal. I checked. :)
• Also, the YouTube Mayhem videos and Liveshows have been cancelled until the summer when I have more time to deal with that technical aspect, but you can still do YouTube Vlog reviews of your own and send the link to me at myticketsomewhere@gmail.com OR put them in the comments of the Monday Mayhem post.

Reviews for Last Week's Releases

So last week this happened...

...And here's what people had to say about those titles...

THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Robin Wasserman

1. Review of awesome from Electrifying Reviews

2. Grade A+ Review from Lauren's Crammed Bookshelves

3. 5 Star Review from Imaginary Reads

*KILL ME SOFTLY by Sarah Cross

1. A 4 star review from our trusted Mundie Moms

2. Another 4 star review, this time from Teen Librarian Toolbox

3. A review from The Hollow Cupboards

4. Review from Book Loving Mommy

BELLES by Jen Calonita 

1. Great review from Justin's Book Blog

2. And another great review from Book Loving Mommy

*LEXAPROS AND CONS by Aaron Karo

1. Review from Rather Be Reading that helped me decide we're reading this.

2. Review by our trusted Novel Novice

DEAR GEORGE CLOONEY, PLEASE MARRY MY MOM by Susin Nielsen

1. Review from a smaller blog like us, Screen Spinster (admittedly, we're smaller, Elsewhere, but there's a certain level of appreciation, no?)

2. Brilliant review from A&C Book Junkies

New Releases April 16th- April 22nd

*Most synopses are from Goodreads

April 17th: THE LAST ECHO by Kimberly Derting (Book #3 in The Body Finder series)

In the end, all that's left is an echo...

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye....

April 17th: MISTER DEATH'S BLUE-EYED GIRLS by Mary Downing Hahn (looks like a standalone)

Based on an actual crime in 1955, this YA novel is at once a mystery and a coming-of-age story. The brutal murder of two teenage girls on the last day of Nora Cunningham's junior year in high school throws Nora into turmoil. Her certainties, friendships, religion, her prudence, her resolve to find a boyfriend taller than she is - are shaken or cast off altogether. 

Most people in Elmgrove, Maryland, share the comforting conviction that Buddy Novak, who had every reason to want his ex-girlfriend dead, is responsible for the killings. Nora agrees at first, then begins to doubt Buddy's guilt, and finally comes to believe him innocent - the lone dissenting voice in Elmgrove. Told from several different perspectives, including that of the murderer, Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls is a suspenseful page-turner with a powerful human drama at its core

April 17th: GRIMALKIN THE WITCH ASSASSIN by Joseph Delaney (Part of The Last Apprentice series, book one of which will soon be a "major motion picture" apparently)

"I'm coming for you, and nothing living or dead can stop me."

One witch is the most feared, the most ruthless, and the most deadly of all the witches in the county. If she hunts for you, she will find you. If you have crossed her, you don't stand a chance. She is the witch assassin, and her name is Grimalkin.

Grimalkin's one alliance is with Tom Ward, the Spook's apprentice. With Tom, she plans to rid the world of the most terrifying evil, the Fiend, who once did her great wrong.For the first time, fans of the Last Apprentice series will hear the story from Grimalkin's side, as she is hunted herself by creatures of darkness set on revenge.Grimalkin has never been defeated. But can she survive an enemy created for the sole purpose of destroying her?

April 17th: GLIMMER by Phoebe Kitanidis (seems like a standalone but by the way it's described, there may be series potential).

When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future. Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.

Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

AND MORE...

Where She Went by Gayle Forman in Paperback

Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross in Paperback

Liberator by Richard Harland

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz in Paperback

Snow White and The Huntsman adapted by Lily Blake

In Theaters April 16th- April 22nd

April 20th: "The Lucky One" 

Director: Scott Hicks

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Going to see it?: I'm tired of Nicholas Sparks adaptations. But I have to say this sounds more interesting than some of its predecessors. PLUS, Zac Efron. I mean, that should be enough for anyone, I think.

Description: U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive—a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Learning her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

April 20th: "Think Like A Man"

Director: Tim Story
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Going to see it?: Yes. Yes, yes, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I need some funny in my life. THIS looks like funny. 

Description: 

Based on Steve Harvey's bestselling novel, "Think Like a Man" follow four friends who conspire to turn the tables on their women when they discover the ladies have been using Steve Harvey's relationship advice against them.

April 20th: "Goodbye First Love"

Director: Mia Hansen-Love

MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated

Going to see it?: Sounds good. I want to!

Description: French filmmaker Mia Hansen-Løve returns to Toronto after her critically acclaimed The Father of My Children with an acutely perceptive portrait of a bright young woman in the wake of her first  romance. Fifteen-year-old Camille (Lola Créton) is a serious, intensely focused girl who has fallen in love with cheerful Sullivan (Sebastian Urzendowsky), an older boy who reciprocates her feelings, mostly, but wants to be free to explore the world. When he leaves her to travel through South America, she is devastated. But over the next eight years, she develops into a more fully formed woman, with new interests and a new love—and the possibility that she'll be less defenseless when Sullivan enters her life again. Filled with scenes that showcase her extraordinary ability to evoke moods and feelings, Hansen-Løve takes the story of a girl’s first romance and makes it into a singular experience, familiar in its broad strokes and yet so specific that it feels uniquely personal.

AND MORE

"The Moth Diaries" by Director Mary Harron

"Downtown Express" by Director David Grubin

"Jesus Henry Christ" by Director Dennis Lee

"Darling Companion" by Director Lawrence Kasdan

And documentaries like "To the Arctic," "Chimpanzees," "Fightville," and "Marley"

And that's it for this weekend, Elsewhere! I wish you the best week, and I hope you'll tune in later for my "review" of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!

Ciao, Bellas,
Deserae

Saturday Sights ~7~

Hey, Elsewhere!

Happy Saturday. Today, I'm kind of going to present you with a little bit of everything: giveaways, donation opportunities, bookish news, movie stuff, and... well, actually, that's about it.

FIRST, let's talk giveaways and donations! Give and take. That's what Momma always said Life was. "It's a game of give and take," she said. I don't know why we're talking about my mother, but, you know... it kind of fit. You're probably wondering why there's a picture of a man in a dog suit, here, but after you click the picture, you'll thank me bunches. YA author, Maureen Johnson, has offered to giveaway a signed book and a "creepy" note to anyone who pledges 50 Euros to help Simon as he runs in support of either the Guide Dogs or Leukemia and Lymphoma Research foundations just because! It's not a contest, she says. ANYONE WHO PLEDGES 50 EUROS will get that from her. AND as an added treat to those of us who can't afford to give that much, Maureen will host a random drawing for two people who have at least pledged 5 Euros to the cause(s). So there! A donation AND a giveaway. How perfect is that? Only Maureen could've thought up something that brilliant. Click the pic for more info!

NOW, let's talk books, or rather... let's talk about the things that are going on in the bookish world. On a happy note! the This is Teen tour is making a stop in Austin, Texas! Thanks to this post on Mundie Moms, I can actually inform you that Maggie Stiefvater, Elizabeth Eulberg, Siobhan Vivian, and David Leviathan will be at Book People, a bookstore on Lamar St. somewhere near you Texan-folk! If you click on the image of the This is Teen banner, you'll be taken to the Book People page that has more information. But I'm excited for you! It's THIS MONDAY, ya'll, at 7. It's times like these when I wish I lived in Texas. The only other times are when I'm talking to a friend of mine who lives there, and I wish I could actually TALK to her. You know? Speaking of talk, there's a lot of it going around the interwebs about the DOJ lawsuit against Apple for their ebook prices. There's this post by recently the agent-ed Krista Van Dolzer... There's the post she references, written by Nathan Bransford... Most of it, I don't have much time or energy to care about or understand, but the parts of it that I do seem... I don't want to say TRIVIAL, but something LIKE that. The thing is, people are paying for the books, and they're enjoying the books, and at least the authors and publishers are making money for those books. I think if we weren't such a greed-driven society, things like e-book prices wouldn't matter because Apple wouldn't be "overpricing" and the DOJ wouldn't be trying to sue the life out of them for doing so. But we are a greed-driven society and because we HAVE to put a price on everything--- air, water, and yes, even our creative and intellectual pursuits--- we run across issues like this. CONSTANTLY. Maybe you'll be able to make sense out of the argument and come up with your own views on the subject. If so, let me know, 'cause I'm lost.

FINALLY, I'd like to point you in the direction of Novel Novice's Saturday Post which is especially interesting this week as it goes into flipping details about JK ROWLING'S NEW BOOK!!! Sorry. Didn't mean to yell in your face there. But I was just freaking ecstatic when I saw that. Flipping. Freaking. Ecstatic. Click on their Saturday Post Banner to be whisked away immediately! Or, check out this Yahoo article on the "Avengers" movie "secret" that Robert Downey Jr. revealed. Or do both!

Haha! Okay. That's it for me this week. I know it was a mouth-full, but thanks for bearing with me. You know what I should do? Stop talking. Good idea, Desi; let's go home.

Have an awesome weekend and start reading PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, ya'll! In case you didn't know, this upcoming week is going to be EPIC. We'll be talking about one of my favorite books of all time AND, as if in response to the way I've set up my calendar this month, the universe has supplied me with ALL OF THE EPIC THINGS. I swear.

Talk to you tomorrow!
Deserae

Friday Finale: CONCEALED

On Wednesday...
I showed you guys a song I wrote that was completely inspired by the themes in CONCEALED that I latched onto the strongest. I'd been searching for THE longest time for a song that could describe Bijou, and although I LOVE Lenka, part of me feels like I had to settle! I grumbled about it for a while--- about the fact that there SHOULD be a song already in existence that WAS Bijou Fitzroy. But when I realized there probably WAS one, and that I wasn't looking in the right places, I decided to write one of my own. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it!

Then on Thursday...
I explored the interwebs and found four different review-type things concerning CONCEALED. All of them are different (and one of them, I admit, isn't a review at all!), but the general consensus is that, although flawed, CONCEALED is a good read with a future plot-line that has tremendous potential. I can't speak for these other reviewers, but I, personally, am looking forward to seeing where Sang Kromah takes this series. The ideas expressed in this book are larger than life at times and aren't easy to pull off, but I trust this author to tell me a story, and I hope that the next book blows me away.

And now it's Friday! 
And as usual, I have TONS of goodies for you. Earlier this year, Sang did a blog tour for CONCEALED and luckily for us, that means we can see special interviews and material from her any time we want! Check out the link above to see a list of the participating bloggers and, if you're not sure about checking out CONCEALED, maybe something you see there will give you a little push!

Also, Sang has not only created a playlist for this book, but she's also done a "Casting Call" of what she imagines the characters to look like! I personally think both are fabulous, but I want to know what you think. If you read the book, do you agree or disagree with the choices? The soundtrack Bijou put together for herself is pretty flipping amazing, and gah! So many Bijous! I personally picture her differently than all of the options, but wouldn't it be AWESOME if Antonia Thomas played her? Excuse me for a second while I try not to answer my own question.

I've put together my own CONCEALED playlist featuring all the music from this week's Daily Doses AND a few bonus tracks. But I also put together a playlist of Sang's songs so that if ya'll wanted to hear them in a loop, you could. And I couldn't help it... I put two additional song in there to, in honor of the author and based on the conversations we've had on Twitter. Just know that some of the songs on our lists might be missing from the playlists because they're not on the website I'm using. I try to replace those when I can. So all of you who've seen Bijou's playlist, forgive me, in advance, for changing some of the songs. This is why I still suggest you check out Bijou's list and my Daily Doses for a more accurate portrayal of our playlists.

And finally, because I didn't do my usual Tuesday Tweets this week, I'll probably be tweeting about CONCEALED next week as well because GUESS WHAT? We're celebrating PRIDE AND PREJUDICE next week! And guess who's Sang Kromah's role model? YES! Jane flipping Austen! Oh... That's classic, that is. So yeah. We'll be doing THAT.

Take care, Elsewhere, and remember, you can start submitting Mayhem and Wanderings stuff for next week as of now! There won't be anymore Liveshows or YouTube videos until summer because life is getting on my nerves, BUT you can still submit ALL OF THE THINGS to myticketsomewhere@gmail.com if you're interested in fabulous prizes.

BAI!
Deserae