This is Not My Hat–Blog Tour-Jon Klassen

As a fan of Jon Klassen’s award winning I Want My Hat Back picture book, I was thrilled to be invited to participate in the Global blog tour for his latest book This Is Not My Hat.  As part of the blog tour I had the opportunity to interview Jon:

Where does your artistic inspiration come from?
I think mostly I just like communicating. It's not even about communicating anything specific, I just really like the exercise of getting something across. I guess it's sort of proof that you're not crazy.

Growing up did you always want to be an author and artist? Who encouraged you?
I did always like drawing and writing, and I think I always hoped I'd be able to get a job doing something like that, because I didn't really get interested in many other things, or at least I wasn't very good at them. I've been lucky about encouragement. My parents always thought and still think that a job doing this is a totally realistic idea and a valid thing to spend your time on. They had that great balance of encouragement without the pressure. The more distance I get on it, the more lucky I feel about that. I don't think a lot of people get it.

What is your favourite thing about being a published author?
Having a book spine. A book spine with your name on it is a crazy thing to see. Also getting to sort of design them is really fun. How often do you get to design something with those kind of dimensions?

Do you have a favourite library memory? (can be a childhood memory or even now)
I think a lot of the libraries I grew up with were built in the 70s, and they have a certain way they felt inside. A lot of wide open carpeted spaces with weird raised carpeted platforms here and there, and big potted plants and very high ceilings with windows in them. It's frustrating to be in a place like that as a kid because all you want to do is run as fast as you can from one end to the other, and that's not really allowed, so you just walk around with your teeth clenched looking for book spines with the 'mystery' stickers on them until you calm

I was excited to read that you are originally from Niagara Falls, when was the last time you were back and what is your favourite activity to do when you visit?
Yeah! I try and go back a few times a year. My parents still live there. I really love driving down the parkway along the river. I used to bike it a lot, and it's still one of the nicest stretches I know of. I think Winston Churchill called it the best Sunday afternoon drive in the world, or something like that.

If you were a hat, what kind of hat would you be?
I wear a baseball hat almost all the time, so even though i might like something more original, it would be dishonest of me.


Any new books/projects in the works?
A couple, yeah! I'm working on another of my own, and another one with Mac Barnett, who wrote Extra Yarn. They are both at the stage where I take long showers and stare at nothing until the hot water runs out.

(Thanks a lot for the questions Jen! It's great to talk to somebody from the home province!!)

Thank you Jon! I have to say that interviewing and talking with authors is one of my most favourite things  about blogging and one of the reasons why I blog…feeling pretty blessed right now!

My Review

I'm happy to announce that I also have 1 copy of  the book and a "This is Not my Hat" hat (adult size) to give away. Check out My Little Bookcase tomorrow (October 16) for the next stop on the tour!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Wonder by R.J Palacio

Wonder by R.J Palacio

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

February 14th 2012 –313 pages

Source: Reviewed from personal copy

Summary:

“I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse” 

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

My Thoughts:

  Firstly, I can not believe this is a debut. Wow. just wow. What a powerful, unforgettable  story.  There is not too much to say other than this is a book for everyone. Within the pages we meet the the beautiful soul of Auggie as he experiences and adjusts to his first year going to a regular school. Told through various perspectives, as readers we learn so much about humanity, cruelty and kindness through the eyes of this young boy. If you share one book with your children, family, or friends –let it be this one.

Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Published September 18th 2012

Scholastic Press –390 pages

Source: ARC provided by the publisher

Summary:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” 

   It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.


My Thoughts:
    It should be no surprise that Maggie Stiefvater is one of my favourite authors.  The Raven Boys received a lot of buzz before the ARC release at ALA, and BEA and rightfully so, Maggie is a gifted storyteller.  She has this amazing ability to reinvent herself as a writer each time she begins a new series or writes a new book. The feel of The Raven Boys is completely different from her other novels, the pacing a little slower but from the beginning you know that it will build to something great.

I loved the premise of the novel and was immediately drawn to Blue’s matter a fact way of dealing with people and the world around her. Though Blue is the main character, Gansey is really at the centre of the story and is what propels the reader forward. He is obsessed with discovering the location Welsh King Owain Glendower, believing he rests along Ley Lines…areas with paranormal activity. *I became fascinated with the idea of Ley Lines and when I finished reading the book I began to research whether ley lines can be found in Ontario…apparently there is one about 4 hours away. One day I plan to take a road trip to see if I can locate it*

As much as I loved Blue and Gansey, I have to say that Adam was my favourite character. He’s the steadfast friend, who stands behind Gansey, adores Blue but has his own painful back story. There was just something about him that I could relate to.

Beautifully written with so many wonderful surprises throughout; there were twists that I definitely did not see coming. A riveting first book in an expected series of four.

Review & Blog Tour: Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

I was thrilled to be asked to be a part of the Rage Within Blog Tour:

Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts

Published by September 4th 2012 by Simon & Schuster 

Pages: 384

Source: ARC provided by the publisher

Summary:

      Aries, Clementine, Michael, and Mason have survived the first wave of the apocalypse that wiped out most of the world’s population and turned many of the rest into murderous Baggers. Now they’re hiding out in an abandoned house in Vancouver with a ragtag group of fellow teen survivors, trying to figure out their next move.
     Aries is trying to lead, but it’s hard to be a leader when there are no easy answers and every move feels wrong. Clementine is desperate to find her brother Heath, but it’s impossible to know where he’d be, assuming he’s alive. Michael is haunted by the memories of his actions during his harrowing struggle to survive. And Mason is struggling with something far worse: the fear that he may be a danger to his friends.
     As the Baggers begin to create a new world order, these four teens will have to trust and rely on each other in order to survive.

My Thoughts:

This was good. I mean really good. I enjoyed the Dark Inside. It was creepy, and disturbing, but Rage Within takes the “creep” factor to a whole new level. We learn much more about the origin of the Baggers in this novel and I loved the twist of how they came to be… completely unexpected. The story is narrated in a similar way to the first, with the four main characters alternating the voice in the novel. This format works with a book like this and I enjoyed reading the different perspectives of the characters throughout. If there is one thing I’ve learned from reading apocalyptic fiction it’s that I would simply not survive for very long. The way these teens, band together and survive is incredible. They way they find hope and the strength to carry on in the midst of disaster is more than admirable. Fast paced, chilling, and an interesting exploration of character; the Rage Within was what I hoped for and more. Recommended.

I am  happy to welcome CLEMENTINE; one of my favourite characters from this series for interview on the blog:

1. Do you think there is anything that would have prepared you for what has happened in the world?

I don’t know. How do you really get prepared for that? They don't really teach stuff like that in high school. It would have been nice to have a heads up about the town hall tho. Maybe then I could have warned everyone or at least gotten Mom and Dad out of town.

2.What have you learned, what advice would you give to other survivors?

Be careful with who you trust. I know, that’s almost impossible unless you plan on living all by yourself. I was alone in the beginning and I hated it. Life has been better since hooking up with Michael and the others. But at the same time, you’ve got to be careful. Baggers are sneaky and they are everywhere.

3. What is the first thing you will say to Heath when you find him?

 I think about that all the time to be honest. I don’t know. So much time has passed and I’ve changed a lot. I guess I’ll tell him about Mom and Dad. At least he’ll know what happened to them. After that, I don’t know. I think I just want to hug him.

4. Do you have any hope for the future? What do you think it will look like?

I do have hope for the future. Mason says we have to fight and I agree. There will come a time when we have to stand up to the Baggers and take back our world. We have to show them that we’re not just slaves and we’re not afraid. I think we could do a lot of good with the world once the Baggers are gone. Maybe everyone could join together and form a smaller community. It’s strange to see all those empty buildings.
Maybe everyone could start over on an island. I like that idea. It would be peaceful and quiet. It would be nice to live in a place where we could grow a vegetable garden. I’m good with things like that. No Baggers. Everyone working together to make our new life a real one.

Thank you Clementine!

About the Author:

Jeyn Roberts (pronounced Jen - the Y is silent)grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and started writing at an early age, having her first story published when she was 16 in a middle-grade anthology called LET ME TELL YOU. 

When she was 21, she moved to Vancouver with dreams of being a rock star, graduating from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Writing and Psychology. For the next few years she played in an alternative/punk band called Missing Mile before moving to England where she received her MA from the prestigious Creative Writing graduate course at Bath Spa University. Jeyn is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier and tree planter. 
An avid traveler, she’s been around the world, most recently, teaching high school in South Korea. 
A lover of animals, Jeyn volunteers regularly with helping abandoned and abused animals, especially cats.

Learn more about Rage Within.
Follow Jeyn Roberts' blog.
Visit JeynRoberts.co.uk.
Like Jeyn Roberts on Facebook.
Follow @JeynRoberts on Twitter.

Aug 27 – Blog tour kick off at yasimon.ca

Aug 28 – Lost in the Library blog - Q&A with Clementine
Aug 29 – Escaping One Book at a Time blog - Q&A with Michael
Aug 30 – The Bursting Bookshelf - Q&A with Mason
Aug 31 – Book Nerd - Q&A with Aries

Simon & Schuster has generously provided an ARC of Rage Within for one lucky reader!

Leave a comment on this blog post telling me one skill you would need to survive an Apocalypse; as well as your email address. Entrants must be 13+, Canada only. 

Winner will be chosen at random on September  2nd 2012 and announced here.

How would you survive?

Top Ten Tuesday–Favourite Books I’ve Read During My Blog’s Lifespan

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the fab Broke and the Bookish.

Each week we are invited to post a top ten list about a variety of book related topics.

This week’s list:

Top Ten Favourite Books I’ve Read Since My Blog Began

This is a challenging list to create.

I’ve been blogging for 2 1/2 years and I’ve read A LOT of books in that time…..

Be sure to check out the reviews to see why these are my favourites.

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay – Review

Delirium by Lauren Oliver – Review

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting – Review

Divergent by Veronica Roth –Review

The Fault in our Stars by John Green – Review

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater –Review

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate –Review

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern –Review

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas –Review

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky –not one I could review…..

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi -Review

If I Stay by Gayle Forman -Review

What’s on your list? Do we have any in common?

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead–Book Review

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Published by Random House Children’s Books

August 7th 2012

Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher

Summary:

When seventh grader Georges (the S is silent) moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, he meets Safer, a twelve-year-old coffee-drinking loner and self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: how far is too far to go for your only friend?

My Thoughts:

I have to begin by saying that Rebecca Stead is an incredibly talented author. I would read anything by her. She crafts memorable stories and her characters come to life. I loved the twists and unexpected turns in this book.  It’s geared towards the middle grades but still relevant for teens and adults. Liar & Spy tells the story of Georges (silent s) as he moves into an apartment after his dad has been “downsized” at work. There, he begins an unpredictable and at times frustrating friendship with Safer.

Georges is named after famed painter Georges Seurat. Seurat was a pointillist and  created Masterpieces using only dots of colour. The author used this brilliantly as she highlighted the contrast between seeing what is right in front of you, and seeing the big picture throughout the book:

(Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884)

I also have to comment on the messages that went back and forth between Georges and his mom through the Scrabble tiles… I loved this aspect so much.

Liar &Spy has so much heart as we watch these boys cope with their lives in seemingly different ways. Touching on themes of bullying, perseverance, overcoming fears, risk taking and family; to say I was moved by this book would be an understatement. Fans of Rebecca Stead’s award winning novel “When You Reach Me” will fall in love with this one as well.

Highly Recommended, This is one to buy for your reading shelf at home. It would also make a great read aloud for a family to share together.

add to Goodreads
order for Kobo

Top Ten Tuesday–Book Romances That Would Make it in the Real World

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the fabulous Broke and the Bookish.

Each week we post our Top Ten on a variety of book related topics.

This week’s theme: Book Romances that Would Make it in the Real World

My List:

Violet & Jay from The Body Finder Series by Kimberly Derting : If you have not read this series yet, you are missing out.  Violet and Jay were childhood friends until they finally expressed their feelings for each other. Jay is supportive, good looking, kind, brave and all the girls have eyes for him. They work so well as a couple.

Kate &Vincent from The Revenants series by Amy Plum – Even though Vincent fights the urge to die for others, and every now and then doesn’t exist, these two are committed.

Puck & Sean from Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater – Loved this book, loved these characters…destined to be together in my books.

Celia & Marco from The Night Circus  by Erin Morgenstern– What wouldn’t these two do for love?

Dash & Lily from Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan – It all started with a little red notebook…

Eleanor & Edward from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen – It took so long for these two to get together, they better stay together for life

Hermione and Ron from the Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling – a relationship based on friendship is always a wonderful way to begin. I loved watching Hermione and Ron fall in love.

This list proved more difficult to create than I thought. Perhaps it's because many of the couples I read about go through so much together...perhaps it's because I read a lot of Dystopian fiction which doesn't always have a happy ending:)

I do believe in Happy Endings though, and that you can find one true love. The theme of this week's Top Ten Tuesday was in honour of Jamie's (Broke and the Bookish/Perpetual Page Turner) upcoming wedding.

A toast to love and laughter, and happily ever after.

Jamie, I wish you the happiest of happily ever afters! Much love and congrats.

Epic Fantasy: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Published by Bloomsbury August 7th 2012

Reviewed from ARC provided by the publisher

Summary:

After serving out a year of hard labour in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.
Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Thoughts:

  This is a book I just wanted to sit inside and soak in. It has all the things I look for in a great read; amazing world building, strong character development, swoon worthy love interests and a kick-ass protagonist. Sarah Maas is a talented story teller, the book came alive for me and I did not want this story to end. Celaena is a complex and driven character. A perfect combination of strength and love, though she’s been taught to be a ruthless assassin, she has a softer side and doesn’t loose the girl within. (also a bookworm..-loved that)
  While reading I kept saying to my husband… why can’t I be more like her? He of course asked why I would want to be a ruthless assassin :) It’s not that I want to become an assassin, (maybe if my library gig doesn’t work out) but I would like to be stronger, (and maybe even a little kick-ass). Celaena  knows herself, she accepts her fears and moves to face them. She recognizes fears and strengths in others as well. She’s uses the pain of her past to propel and motivate her to move forward. She has quickly become one of my favourite book characters (ever) and I can not wait to read more of her story. I can not wait to place this book in the hands of every teen and adult I know.

Highly Recommended. One to buy so you can re-read over and over again.



Add to Goodreads
Order from The Book Depository

Book Review: First Day On Earth by Cecil Castellucci

First Day On Earth by Cecil Castellucci

Published by September 2011 by Scholastic Press

Reviewed from finished copy provided by publisher.

Summary

A startling, wonderful novel about the true meaning of being an alien in an equally alien world.
"We are specks. Pieces of dust in this universe. Big nothings.
"I know what I am."
Mal lives on the fringes of high school. Angry. Misunderstood. Yet loving the world -- or, at least, an idea of the world.
Then he meets Hooper. Who says he's from another planet. And may be going home very soon.

My Thoughts
  Mal is an outsider. He sits on the outskirts of activity at school. At home he is the care taker of his alcoholic mom. He also believes he was abducted by Aliens, left only with the scattered memories of those experiences. He’s alone in a world he feels he can not escape.
“There is a question that I always ask myself. I ask it many times during the day. How far away from here is far away enough? How far away would I be willing to go? My answer is always the same. You? I’d bet you’d think the moon was far away enough. I say the moon is still too close”pg16
  First Day On Earth is a short read; but it’s a powerful one. A mere 148 pages, it packs in such strength, and beauty and rawness. I think so many can relate to that feeling of not belonging, and the author captures it perfectly here. I love Cecil Castellucci’s writing style.
A book for teens and adults alike, there is much to experience and learn from this amazing novel.

If You Love to Read

I first saw this yesterday when Mermaid Vision Books posted it on Facebook and I had to share. I love the new lyrics, and this Librarian has an amazing voice!!!

L

Isn't it fabulous!?!!?