In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Winners!

Winners of the Reviewer Hot Seat Giveaway Announced!!

Winners--please email theclassof2k8 (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address to claim your book!

And if your name is not called--all is not lost--check out our contest page for more opportunities to win!

Winner of A Curse Dark as Gold by Bunce, Elizabeth C. :

Lis

Winner of Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Grab, Daphne:

Emily Marshall

Winner of Shift by Jennifer Bradbury:

Meredith

Winner of Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle:

Anon: Ryan (aka bigriz11)

Winner of The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman:

Breanna

Winner of Undone (ARC) by Brooke Taylor:

KisstoBetray

Winner of Breaking Up is Hard To Do by Terri Clark:

BunnyB

Winner of A Difficult Boy by M.P. Barker:

Tabitha

Winner of Bringing the Boy Home by N.A. Nelson:

Liviana

Winner of La Petite Four by Regina Scott:

Reviewer X

Winner of I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

Book~Adorer

Thanks to all the wonderful book reviewers for taking time to answer our questions and for all you do to put readers in touch with great Young Adult and Middle Grade books! And thanks to everyone for commenting on the blogs!

Get Ready for N.A. Nelson!

Last week was hot, but this week will be even hotter! We've got N.A. Nelson in the house all week for the launch of her debut novel Bringing the Boy Home! Whoo hooo!

"I've seen what the world does to the weak. It'll eat you alive."

Tirio was cast out of the Takunami tribe at a very young age because of his disabled foot. But an American woman named Sara adopted him, and his life has only gotten better since. Now, as his thirteenth birthday approaches, things are nearly perfect. So why is he having visions and hearing voices calling him back to the Amazon?


Luka has spent his whole life preparing for his soche seche tente, a sixth-sense test all Takunami boys must endure just before their thirteenth birthday. His family's future depends on whether or not he passes this perilous test. His mother has dedicated herself to making sure that no aspect of his training is overlooked . . . but fate has a way of disturbing even the most carefully laid plans.

Two young boys. An unforgiving jungle. One shared destiny.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: N.A. NELSON

N.A. Nelson was born in London, England and grew up on a cattle farm in rural Missouri. Living on a thousand acres of wilderness provided plenty of opportunities for adventure, but it also created a sense of wonderment about what else was out here. After graduating with a degree in tourism, the author strapped on a backpack and has been exploring the world ever since. Recent journeys include the jungles of the Amazon and the glaciered peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

How the book came about: “The idea for this story came from an experience I had while staying at a scientific research camp in Brazil. On my second night there, I developed a stomachache and asked our guide, Juan Diego, for some local medicine. He translated my problem to the camp cook, who grabbed a machete, went into the woods, chopped some leaves off a tree and brewed me a mild flavored tea.

As the cook handed me the cup, I realized that I was about to drink the same tea that he prepared for his own family. All of a sudden, the differences between us—our skin color, our country of origin, our place in life—disappeared. We were both just flesh and blood trying to make a sick person feel better. This realization actually became a theme of the book itself and allowed me to write about a culture of which I was not actively a part.


REVIEWS


"Told in two distinctive voices, this imaginative and beautifully realized novel, set in the Amazon, tells the story of two boys from the fictional Takunami tribe, who on the eve of their 13th birthdays must endure the soche seche tente, a test of manhood. If a Takunami boy successfully completes this ordeal, he will have warrior status in the tribe and be allowed to meet his father, who psychically guides him during the experience. Tirio, who was ousted from the tribe because of a bad foot, has not been formally trained. But now that his birthday approaches, he has been hearing the voices of his ancestors and knows that despite his lack of preparation, he is being called upon to meet his destiny. Luka, who has spent his childhood working toward this moment under the tutelage of his strong-willed mother, is ready. Their stories connect in a surprising yet totally believable way, giving psychological depth to this richly hued novel about the winding turns of destiny and the bonds between father and son, tribe and family." ~Kirkus Review



"Refreshing, well put-together, and completely original." ~Teensreadtoo.com (5 star review)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Jocelyn Pearce

Last reviewer up in the hot seat, but the first (we think) to suggest a 2K8 debut authors reading challenge, Jocelyn Pearce of Teen Book Review fame!! Be sure to leave a comment by June 29th to be entered to win Lisa Schroeder's debut novel I Heart You, You Haunt Me. Winner for this and all the other Hot Seat giveaways will be announced on the 30th! Okay, Jocelyn, time to get in the seat and let's get quickly acquainted:


What's your handle? Jocelyn, mostly...I don't really use anything but my name, though some refer to me as "teen book reviewer."
What kind of books do you review? YA, or MG or Adult books that I think will appeal to teenagers. Or at least to this teenager :-) No specific genre.
Approx # of books reviewed? I have no idea. A lot. Several hundred.
Where can we find your reviews? http://teenbookreview.wordpress.com/
Reading turn-ons: Books that grab my attention right away. I have a short attention span. I also love a great, distinct voice.
Reading turn-offs: Books that are slow to start. Or that are required to read for school. Or that are so terribly written I visibly cringe.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed:
Alive and Well in Prague, New York
The Opposite of Invisible
I Heart You, You Haunt Me
A Curse As Dark As Gold

Excellent list! Okay, now right into the questions: We love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.

I usually just use my name, and my blog's name is Teen Book Review--not too creative. I obviously wasn't thinking too hard at the moment, and now it's kind of too late to change to something better! Although I do get lots of google search hits for general terms like "teen books," so that's cool. I don't really have a good story about how I got into reviewing. I saw some book reviews, and wanted to do it, too, because I read a lot and have opinions about what I read. My friends are always asking for recommendations, and they also tend to treat my bookshelves like a lending library!

You should probably make up fun ID cards for them to use as well! Hee hee. Okay, describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?

I've stopped doing stars or numbers, because that just got too tricky and depended too much on my current mood. I just write what I think, and people can take that however they'd like to.

Sounds like a great plan. Speaking of plans, how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

I try to read everything that is sent to me for review, but there's a big backlog there, always. I get more books than I can read! So generally, I just pick what to read for trivial reasons like a cool cover, or other things like an author I like, or a recommendation from someone whose opinion I trust. Whenever I get a new book, I read the first few pages, so if those are great, I'll read the rest of the book sooner. If not, well, then, it might have to wait awhile. I do read books I'm not sure I'll like, and sometimes it turns out wonderfully--sometimes, not so wonderfully.

You do know that Teen Book Review's initials are TBR (as in To Be Read pile) Interesting coincidence? Or carefully planned... eh, not sure where I was going with that, okay, what are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?

Well, of course, there's always book blogs and review sites! Just browsing can lead you to some pretty great things, too, at the library or bookstore. If authors want attention from reviewers, they should try to have a web presence (the Class of 2k8 does a great job of this!) of some sort, the best being something often updated like a blog (and don't just blog about book news--readers want to get to know you a little more, not just how your book sales are doing). But mostly, just ask us to review your book! We love to read new books. Especially before they're available to the public (meaning ARCs); it makes us feel special.

You are special! But what about those books that maybe are less so? If you really aren't feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

Not generally, because that review would be very negative, and I'd rather recommend books to read instead of books not to read (though I do that as well sometimes). I also believe that there are so many great books in the world, and obviously I won't have time in my lifetime to read them all, even if I forgo things like showering, so why waste my time on something I'm not enjoying?

Let's not forgo showering. Yes, this is the Internet, but that doesn't make it okay. But what happens if you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

Yes, definitely! I have so many books I've reread. The entire Harry Potter series in one marathon five days. All of Tamora Pierce's books, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes' books, Looking for Alaska...Really, I often get in a mood where I want to reread an old favorite, although there's less and less time for that.

But not less time for showering. Jocelyn, we're serious about this. As serious as we are about our book reviews. Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

I don't have any specific rules. I like to include something about the plot of the book (but no spoilers!), and point out what's best about the book (great writing style, characters, suspense, etc.), and, if something stands out as being not so great, I'll point that out, too. Just your basic review. I usually try to touch on the voice, the characters, and the basic plot, but mostly it's just what I notice, for better or worse.

Let's chat about the "for better." Tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.

I'm not so easily moved to visible reactions like that, but I think it was probably Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. Absolutely brilliant. I think that's my new favorite book of all time. I had all those reactions, and much more, while reading it. I can't praise it highly enough.

That's so cool. Okay, more cool stuff...Is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

Sure, lots. When I was younger, I always wanted to go to Hogwarts. I would pull up weeds and mush them up with dirt and water and pretend it was magic potion, stuff like that. I had this plastic wand filled with glitter, and I'd take the dust jackets off of big hardcover books and pretend that they were spell books and I could do the spells with my wand. Basically, I spent as much time in "Hogwarts" as in the real world!

If we had a nickle for every time Hogwarts was the answer... speaking of getting mentioned over and over, what books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

Ophelia by Lisa Klein is one I haven't been able to stop recommending since I read it! I loved everything about it. Usually it's authors more than books that I can't stop recommending, though--Scott Westerfeld, Melina Marchetta, John Green, Garret Freymann-Weyr...These are people who have been consistently brilliant, even if there are few other consistencies in some of their books! I usually prefer to recommend authors because that gives someone lots more to read.

Excellent point! Okay, this is it folks, our very last time to ask the Extra Scandalous Question! I know, it's a moment. Let's have a pause.

*pause*

Really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

I only review books I finish, and I usually don't finish really bad books (although those I would put into that category are few in number). I've never had an author upset with me because of a completely bad review (to my knowledge), but I have had people who are really nitpicky, and even if I said some great things about their book but didn't like one small detail, they email me to tell me why I shouldn't have said what I did. Sometimes reasonably, sometimes less so. For authors who get a bad review--remember, it's just one person's opinion. There are books out there for everyone, but they're not the same books for every person. So keep that in mind, but also, remember it for next time if lots of people have the same criticisms of your work. If you get several reviews saying that your dialogue was awkward--try to make it less so in your next book. Stuff like that. Most bad reviews try to be constructive criticism rather than total bashing. Ignore total bashing.


Wonderful advice! Thanks for all the great answers! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

You can email me here! Just please don't push me to review your book. I have people who email me after a week or two asking (sometimes rather impolitely) why I haven't published a review yet. That's not the way to a good (or at least unbiased) review, or even a review at all. Remember, we're busy people, we do this for free (I love it, but school and a paying job keep me busy, too).
Excellent point Jocelyn! Okay last chance to win one of the Class of 2K8 books to be given away this week. Read what Jocelyn Pearce had to say about I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder, then comment!:

"This is a lovely verse novel–haunting, a beautiful story, beautifully written. I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME is a powerful story of life, love, loss, grief, and moving on (but not forgetting)–of finding hope after a tragedy. " Teen Book Review

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: The Story Siren

Our next reviewer is know for luring readers to great books. Here at the 2K8 blog we're known for luring book reviewers into the hot seat! We're also know for giving away amazing books--so be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win La Petite Four by Regina Scott! (deadline to comment June 29th, winner announced June 30th). Okay, Story Siren, take a seat!

What’s your handle? The Story Siren
What kind of books do you review? Anything really. Most of my reviews are Young Adult with a few MA titles and Adult titles mixed in
Approx # of books reviewed? Around 100.
Where can we find your reviews?
You can find most of my reviews at my blog, TeensReadToo and BookSwim.

Reading turn-ons: Realistic characters, humor, unpredictability, sarcasm!
Reading turn-offs: Over the top descriptions, drawn out plots, unrealistic characters/plot line.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed:
Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
I Heart You I Haunt You by Lisa Schroeder
La Petite Four by Regina Scott
In my reading pile I also have:
Braless in Wonderland by Debbie Reed Fischer
Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab
Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head by Nancy Viau

Impressive 2K8 collection! We love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.

I don’t have a funny or interesting way that I came up with my handle. I wish that I did though. I just wanted something that would reflect what I was trying to do as a book reviewer. But instead of luring people to their deaths as some sirens do, I just lure them to good books!

Obviously I read all the time and I always have. I mean, I would hit the library up every week for four to eight books for the week. So I would often find myself being asked by my friends and family what I was reading and if I liked it, or if I knew any good books, so it seemed to make sense at the time that I would just review the books I was reading. Then my book blog was born. I was just planning on reading books I’d gotten from the library. I never anticipated authors asking me to review their books! Initially my blog was just reviews, but now I have contests and author interviews too.

We love contests and interviews! Or is that stating the obvious? What's not always obvious, book ratings. Describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?

I actually just started doing a rating system. I’m really addicted to google reader, I think I subscribe to more than 200 blogs! As much as I want to read every post, I just don’t have the time. I really liked when a reviewer would use a grading system because whether or not I read their entire post, I could find out quickly if they liked the book or not. So I decided I should utilize a grading system too.

I have a five star system with five being the highest. Basically I break it down like this:

Five Stars: I love this book!

Four Stars: I really like this book!

Three Stars: I like this book!

Two Stars: This book was okay.

One Star: I didn't like it.

So a two star review doesn't mean: thanks for ruining my day, sucky author. I'll be suing you for making my eyes bleed? Good to know, this is why we need this kind of interview... why are you looking at me like that? Was that TMI on how authors think? Moving along... How do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn’t normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you’ve read?

Most of the books I review are offered to me, but I still have a say in if I want to read them or not. I don’t usually tell an author “no” if they ask me to review their book though. I’m willing to give anything a chance at least once. I’ve found myself being pleasantly surprised by some books that I never would have picked up on my own. I think that is an awesome aspect of being a reviewer. My reading horizons continue to expand. I just recently emailed an author to see if they would send me a copy of their book to review. I’ve never done that before, I’ve always been asked by the author. I didn’t have the guts to ask before, but it turned out to be a great idea. Although I’m not completely comfortable asking for some reason.

Most of us probably feel the same way about asking you! LOL. So, what are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?

I’m a frequent book store browser. I just love going to the book store and smelling the new books.. Ahhhh. So I find a lot of new books that way. Recommendations from the ladies at the library, my family and friends, and I also get really good book suggestions from some of my patients. I also check out book groups like HarperTeen First Look, BookDivas and Random Buzzers.

As far as authors getting their books noticed by reviewers, I would say network. The internet is a fabulous tool. Use it. So many authors have MySpace or Facebook. It is a great way to connect with potential readers. Just believe in your book and talk about it.

Great advice! Now, if you really aren’t feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

If I start reading a book, I have to finish it. I don’t know why but I just do. I especially feel obligated if the author asked me to review the book for them. I owe them to finish it.

And if you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

Of course! I don’t re-read books now near as much as I used to. I’m too busy with new ones to read! But I do enjoying rereading a book and many times, I find something new and find my opinion changing.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. The first time I read it I was less than thrilled and I really didn’t like Jacob, by the third or fourth time I read it, I switched to Team Jacob and it just may be my favorite book of the series.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. I liked this book the first time I read it, but I was confused at some aspects of the story. I reread it after I watched the movie, and I understood it so much better.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. This was my first faerie book. I was thinking this would be a story about Tinker Bell, although she is technically a pixie. Anyway, amidst the concepts of “glamour” and other faerie lingo, I was a tad bit confused. The second time I read it, I knew exactly what everything was and I got so much more out of the story.

That's so cool that you give book second chances! Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

I think it depends on the book and the person who is reviewing it. I like to give a overall look into the book, even though I have a hard time summarizing! If you have to, I think it’s acceptable to use the synopsis from the book. Your feelings on the book, I think, are the most important aspect.

I don’t have a set plan for my review. Sometimes the plot really grabs me, so most of my review will compliment the plot other times it is the characters or the authors writing. It just varies from book to book. I think it is important to be truthful and informative. I try to write my reviews like I’m talking to one of my friends or my sister. They are much more informal than professional!

Informal is great! After all it is hard to stay detached and professional when reading amazing books. Tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.

All of these things have happened to me recently! I finished Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot the other day. I love this series. But I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time I was reading it! On top of that there were a lot of jaw dropping moments! I love reading Meg’s books she always has me laughing. If I need a feel-good book, I’ll try to pick up one of hers. The last time I cried was while reading The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith. She isn’t a 2k8er but she is a debut author this year too. It was a very touching story, I wish that I had read it a lot sooner.

Love it!! Okay, so here comes one of our favorite questions--is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

This is a loaded question for me! Absolutely, every time I read a book I wish I could step into the pages or the character would come to life! That is what a book is for me ultimately, it is an escape to a place that I only wish could exist! If I had to pick a specific place, I would love to be a student at Hogwarts! I recently posted on my blog about how I would love to go back and live in the historical fictions books I’d been reading. Like La Petite Four and Bewitching Season! I also wouldn’t mind living in a parallel world that isn’t much different from ours now, but with a few additional characters. Like the world for Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments, or even Tantalize or Blue Bloods. I’d be more scared of the dark I think, but it would be worth it!

LOL, yeah there are a few things in books that would be downright terrifying if they came to life! So let's change the subject to something less scary! What books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

I find myself recommending authors more so than books. Jodi Picoult, Catherine Murdock, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Mary E. Pearson, just to name a few.

Excellent authors! Okay, we've been gentle up till now, but it is time for the E.S.Q. Really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It’s okay—you can tell us, just don’t name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

I don’t have a fear of giving bad reviews, but I hate the fact that someone might not read a book just because I didn’t like it. I try to remind whoever is reading the review that this is just my opinion and if they want to read the book, they should. Some of the books in my favorite pile are books I’ve read bad reviews for. And no, I haven’t had an author get mad at me, but I try not to be brutal!

If I got a bad review for a book I wrote I think I would be devastated! But unfortunately not everyone is going to like your book. So take what they say at face value and use it. The main thing I think is to remember that it’s only one person’s opinion.

Great advice!! And great answers! Thanks so much for joining us in the Hot Seat! One last question: if they aren’t scared off by all that bad review talk and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

I am always thrilled when I have an author contact me. It never gets old. It’s like Christmas morning every time! It’s really easy to contact me. You can email me at thestorysiren (at) hotmail (dot) com!

Okay reader you know what to do--leave a comment and you'll be entered to win La Petite Four by Regina Scott. Here's what The Story Siren had to say about it:

"This was a great read! I love historical fiction and La Petite Four is a wonderful addition to the genre! Regina Scott is an awesome writer! I really enjoyed this book and I hope she continues with books for Young Adults. La Petite Four has a little bit of everything; mystery, suspense, romance and of course really beautiful dresses!" The Story Siren

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: And Another Book Read

She's shown us lots of love, but that doesn't mean we're going to go easy on her! That's right Tasha, it's your turn in the hot seat! And for our wonderful readers, it's your turn to enter to win Bringing the Boy Home by N.A. Nelson! All you need to do is leave a comment before June 29th. Winner will be announce June 30th. Okay,the Class of 2K8 knows our next guest very well, but you may not--so let's get started with some quick facts!



What's your handle? And Another Read, but I usually go by my real name which is Tasha.
What kind of books do you review? I mostly review YA books, but I'm starting to get into MG books as well. Sometimes there are a few adult books thrown in there as well.


Approx # of books reviewed? Probably around 100
Where can we find your reviews? http://andanotherbookread.blogspot.com/
Reading turn-ons: When the author makes me think, great characters, exciting plots, and some good romance is always fun!!
Reading turn-offs: Slow and confusing plots, your run of the mill characters, not being able to fully picture the situation.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed:
the opposite of invisible
i heart you, you haunt me
alive and well in prague new york
read my lips
shift
la petite four
undone
bringing the boy home
to come: bewitching season, dragon wishes, a horse her own, samantha hanson has rocks in her head, the magic thief, and my so called family.




You are made of Awesome! Also awesome are the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.

I first started blogging as a way to share books, as not many of my friends read. So when I decided to finally set up my blog I brainstormed with my mom on good names. Not long after we had started did she come up with, And Another Book Read. I loved it as it seems I was always finishing a book, and thus the blog was born!!

Love it! Nothing like the satisfaction of finishing a book, even when we wish the book kept going and going! So let's get to the nitty gritty...the ratings. Describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?

I don't really have a rating system like stars or out of 10, but I clearly express my feelings in the opinion part of my review. I feel this gives the reader a chance to hear my opinion, but also formulate their own.

That's a great system. Now, how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

The books I review are usually sent to me or off of my shelf (which contain an amazing amount of unread books!) and sometimes from the library. As my name gets out there more and more I have been receiving more books to review, but I honestly love it and wouldn't have it any other way! I definitely read a ton of books that I wouldn't generally pick up. Some of my favorite books are ones that I have been asked to review that I wouldn't have pick out in the store. I even have found a new love in the vampire books after reading Claudia Gray's Evernight.

Reader Rabbit 1 loves the vamps too. You have heard of Edward haven't you? Speaking of hearing about delicious things...what are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?

The best way to find new books for me is to either go to the bookstore and pull out every one that has an interesting cover, or read author's blogs. Author's blogs always have great links to new authors and books and also some reviewers. I think the best way for author's to get their books noticed by reviewers is to have a website and/or MySpace. This enables the reviewers to easily contact authors about reviews and make the authors a little bit more familiar with the reviewers.

We have both! (shameless plug coming) Website and MySpace. Sorry, couldn't resist. Now, if you really aren't feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

Of Course. I feel that since the author put their time and effort into writing the book then it is the least I owe them to actually finish it. Some great books that I have read have started out really slowly but then ended up good. In my review I really try not to bash the book, but do point out how it got better.

And what about if you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

O yes. I believe I've read some books like 7 or 8 times. But it's not as bad as my sister who loves Lisa Schroeder's, I Heart You, You Haunt Me, so much that she's read it over 20 times!! Some books that I've read multiple times are Silver Dollar Girl by Katherine Ayers, Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng and it's sequels, and of course the Harry Potter books. This doesn't include all the books I read as a little kid as there are so many the list would be endless!

Your sister is also made of awesome! Now, back to the reviews, do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

I think it depends on the book. I always give a summary of what the book is about and then my opinion, but what's actually in my opinion changes every time. I really like to focus on the positive aspects of the book, but then also tell about what I don't like. This can range from the characters to the plot to even the author's style. It all just really depends on the book!

True, each book is different. Tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.

Hmm…well a lot o f books come to mind such as Undone by Brooke Taylor, Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones, House of Dance by Beth Kephart and Alive and Well in Prague New York, by Daphne Grab. All made me laugh and cry and just all around were great books. While I'm sure there are others these are the ones that really stood out in my mind, which is saying something as I read a ton of books!

Did you know Carrie Jones was in the Class of 2k7? *waves to Carrie* Oops sorry, back to business...Is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

I totally wish Harry Potter could come to life!! It would be amazing to be able to do magic and just be friends with the all around great guy Harry is! It would also be amazing if Narnia was real. I mean we get to see it in the amazing movies, but it would be even better if it were real and we could experience it. What could be bad about an alternate world where you could stay for ages and then return to reality not a minute older?!

That would be cool! Hey, wait--did you just travel to an alternate universe without us knowing about it? Spooky. Okay, what books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

Definitely all of Beth Kephart's book, Molly Moon, A Great and Terrible Beauty, Alive and Well in Prague, New York, The Luxe, it all just depends on the person's favorite genre or what they are willing to try. These books all hold a special place in my heart. They are all amazing and definitely deserve to be recognized. I especially think that these books would work for anyone, so I try and get their names out there.

We love that! But there are, erm, some thing we don't love. And I have to ask... the E.S.Q.—really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

I have given a couple. I mean I always try to point out the good, but sometimes it's really just not there. I always feel really bad giving them, but like I said before sometime it's just not there and why should we read bad books when there are phenomenal ones out there? I haven't necessarily ever had an author get mad at me, but I've had one ask me to take my review down. This was because it was one of the first links to pop up on google and it wasn't the most positive. I understand the author not wanting everyone to know that someone had a negative opinion of their book, but I don't think that people should form their opinions of a book on just one review. I think author's who get poor reviews should take the criticism and use it to improve their next book. I can't tell you the number of author's who have one disappointing book and then a marvelous one follows. Definitely the author with the best attitude about this subject is Alexa Young. She takes every bit of criticism and uses it constructively, and she's hilarious about it!!

Great advice! Thanks for all the wonderful answers! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

For me all the author has to do is contact me. My email is up on my blog or you can contact me via MySpace. I usually accept all requests unless they are for books that don't really fit into the age group of books I like to read. But if the books sounds interesting then I definitely go for it and review the book for the author.


Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win N.A. Nelson's debut novel Bringing the Boy Home (officially launching on our blog this Monday! Same day as winners will be announced), here's what Tasha had to say about it:

"I think this was definitely the most unique and original coming-of-age story I have ever read!" And Another Book Read

And Kirkus loved it too:

"Told in two distinctive voices, this imaginative and beautifully realized novel, set in the Amazon, tells the story of two boys from the fictional Takunami tribe, who on the eve of their 13th birthdays must endure the soche seche tente, a test of manhood. ... Their stories connect in a surprising yet totally believable way, giving psychological depth to this richly hued novel about the winding turns of destiny and the bonds between father and son, tribe and family." Kirkus Review

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Bookami

Another newly blogging book reviewer to the hot seat! Welcome Bookami! And while we don't expect her to be difficult, we would like to give away a copy of A Difficult Boy by M.P. Barker! So leave a comment by June 29th and we'll announce a winner on the 3oth! Okay, before we get to the difficult questions, let's get to know our guest!


What’s your handle? Bookami
What kind of books do you review? Ninety-nine percent of the time it's books for readers 16 and under. I have reviewed one adult book because it tied into a YA memoir.
Approx # of books reviewed? 50
Where can we find your reviews? http://www.bookami.com/

Reading turn-ons: When the setting is so carefully crafted in a novel that it becomes another character.
Reading turn-offs: Unrealistic dialogue
Class of 2K8 books reviewed:
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman.
I also bought The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas and will review it soon.



We love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.


I can't take any credit for my handle. My older brother came up with the idea for the name Bookami. As one of my majors in college was French and the way I spell my first name means friend in French, he thought Book Friend would be a cute site for a name, but also, he thought it sounded like Cartoon Network's Toonami line of programming. Since my husband is a publisher of graphic novels/manga, this also seemed appropriate. As far as how I started reviewing books, in 2007 I left my children's book buying position at Borders to become a stay-at-home mom. While that is rewarding, I found that I felt lost without my connections to the children's book world. Hence, why not create a website and review children's books? Double bonus for me was that my other major in college was journalism. I could finally tell my Dad I was using my degree.

Speaking of degrees and school, describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?


I don't really have a grading system for my site currently (My husband thinks I should have one). Since I'm the only reviewer for the site, I just write whether I like a book or not and support my opinion with appropriate examples.

How do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn’t normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you’ve read?


I pick all the books I read, and I do it the old-fashioned way for the most part - I shop the bookstores. I'm in various bookstores at least 3 times a week. Also, my husband and a few friends occasionally supply me with advance reading copies. Since I created the site in January, I find that I'm reading a lot more fantasy, which has never been my favorite genre, but I can say that I'm learning to enjoy it more. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex was a major pleasant surprise for me. I never thought a book about aliens taking over the Earth would have me laughing out loud and staying up until three in the morning to finish it.

Sounds like a winner! What are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?


I find most of the books I review just by shopping the shelves. I also subscribe to the daily Publishers Weekly e-mail. This keeps me in touch with the really big books coming out. This is why I read Tunnels, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You. None of these books would have been on my radar, particularly Part-Time Indian because the cover is awful, if it weren't for all the buzz they were receiving. I also always read the author bio before I buy a book. I'm a sucker for a debut novel.

Now that is music to our ears around here! Of course the next topic we'd rather not think about, and yet still we must ask. If you really aren’t feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?


As my site is my site and no one is telling me what to read, I don't have to finish a book that I don't like, but most of the time I do anyway. I'm a huge John Irving fan, but I really wasn't into Son of the Circus. My husband told me to stick with it through 100 pages, and he was so right. I loved it once I got past that point. The same thing happened to me with Stones from the River. Most books have some redeeming quality that can be called out even in an unfavorable review so they are still worth reading.

And what about the really good ones? If you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?


I sadly don't have time to read books twice. If I really love a book, though, I will keep it on my shelf instead of donating it to the library. Living in an apartment in Brooklyn, my personal space is at a premium. If I keep a book, you know it's really something special.

Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?


It really does depend on the book itself. When I first started the site, I always included a synopsis of the book before my review. Now sometimes I include the synopsis as part of the review and sometimes I don't even do that. Sometimes I just write how the book made me feel. I also love when reviews include additional reading suggestions. For people who don't live and breathe books, I think it's helpful to be led to the next book you might want to read.

That is a great feature! Okay, tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.


I cried when reading The Underneath by Appelt. This book elicited such a response in me. It was really just as good as Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows. No wonder this first-time author was paired with illustrator David Small. Her book totally deserved such royal treatment.

It's amazing to really connect with a book. Speaking of... is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?


Since I love American history, I would like if Mannahatta from Gods of Manhattan existed. This wasn't my favorite book by any means, but I love the idea that there is an alternate NYC that is ruled by famous or infamous New York legends.

That would be interesting! What books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?


I'm always recommending Sarah Dessen novels. I love how her characters seem to have their act together even when their lives aren't quite going right. Elsewhere by Gabriel Zevin is another book high on list of recommendations. But my ultimate go-to-book would have to be Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt. It won the 1967 Newbery, but isn't as well-known as her Across Five Aprils. Up a Road Slowly is truly the best coming-of-age story I've ever read. When I can't sleep because my mind is reeling, I start re-reading parts of this novel and always find I'm calmer and happier. You can't ask for more than that from a book.


Wow, it's amazing the effect books have on us! Even bad books. Oh, yeah, we're going there... the Extra Scandalous Question (We can probably just call it the ESQ now, can't we?) . Really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It’s okay—you can tell us, just don’t name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?


I only started my site in January so I haven't given that many bad reviews. I don't fear giving them, but I do try to find something redeeming about a book if at all possible. For instance, I really didn't like the graphic novel, Amulet. I didn't like the art or the plot, but I could say that at least the relationship between the children and the mom was really nice. I haven't been contacted by any upset authors yet, but I'm sure it will happen. When it does happen, I'll just try to respond to their comments as carefully as I can. If an author gets a bad review, I don't think they should stress. So many writers can't get published. Getting published is the battle. Even a bad review is advertising for a book.

Very true. I think a lot of us have bought a book simply to see--is it really that bad? LOL. Thanks for all the great answers! One last question: if they aren’t scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?


E-mail me at http://us.mc575.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ami@bookami.com I buy 90% of the books I review. If an author contacts me a few weeks before their book comes out, I'll keep an eye out for it.


Don't forget to leave a comment to win our giveaway book! Bookami has yet to review A Difficult Boy, but here's what other fine reviewers are saying about M.P. Barker's debut novel:

"What was the life of an indentured servant but that of a slave? M.P. Barker brings it ringingly, cringingly to life...A Difficult Boy hinges on the efforts of two boys—one social, one circumstantially remote, soon to be friends—to escape their brutalized existence... Then there is Ivy, a horse that bonds the boys and provides their ticket out." --Kirkus Reviews, First Fiction Special Issue (15 Apr 2008, p. 17)

"How Ethan and Daniel bolster each other and escape Mr. Lyman's tyranny makes for a memorable tale of friendship and a fascinating glimpse into mid-19th-century Massachusetts. Like L. M. Elliott's Give Me Liberty (HarperCollins, 2006), this is an eye-opening look at indentured servitude in American history." --Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA, School Library Journal (1 May 2008)

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Miss Erin

She's one of the Postergirlz (along with Little Willow who kept the hot seat hot for us on Tuesday) . Sorry, Miss Erin, but there will be no cool down here. We will be offering a refreshing read though! Simply leave a comment and be entered to win Breaking Up Is Hard To Do the awesome anthology featuring our very own Terri Clark! Comment by June 29th, and watch for a winner on the 30th! Now, on with the questions...

What's your handle? Miss Erin

What kind of books do you review? Middle Grade and Young Adult, mostly fantasy or contemporary fiction

Approx # of books reviewed? A little over 100

Where can we find your reviews? http://www.misserinmarie.blogspot.com/

Reading turn-ons: Characters I care about. If I don't care, I don't want to keep reading.

Reading turn-offs: Overt preaching of "messages"

Class of 2K8 books reviewed:

A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle

Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains by Laurel Snyder

(There are several others I've read but haven't reviewed. I don't get around to reviewing everything I read.)

We love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.

Oh, Miss Erin has always been a nickname of mine. So when I started my blog and couldn't figure out what to call it, I just used that.

It's very sassy! Do people still say sassy? Um, yeah, moving on... how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

I pretty much just read what interests me. I read and get recommendations from lots of other blogs, and friends, and then I put them on my (gigantic) to-read list. Sometimes, when I'm sent or given a book that I normally wouldn't have picked up on my own, I read it and am happily surprised. An example of that: recently I read The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante. The topic - growing up in a religious commune - didn't pique my interest when I first heard about it, but when a friend raved about it over and over, I finally picked it up. I'm so glad I did; it was brilliant.

Some of the best reads are found through recommendations! What are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?

For finding what to read, look to the blogs! But not just any blogs; make sure you look them over first and see that you have similar tastes to the blogger and whose review styles you enjoy reading. Getting noticed . . . start a website, or a blog - both of those things will make you very accessible while helping to get your name out there. Email some bloggers who seem to review the type of books you write and ask if they'd like to take a look at your book.

Okay, so you get a book to review, but you just aren't feeling it—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

Never! I go by the 50 page rule - if I've gotten that far and don't want to keep reading, I toss it aside for another. There's too many books out there to spend time reading one that I'm not enjoying.

So true! Now, if you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

Oh yes. I've reread the Harry Potter series, Shannon Hale's books, my favorite of Roald Dahl's books (The Witches, The BFG...), among others. I have so many comfort reads. My mom bought me The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty when we were on a vacation once. Ever since, I've decided to make it my "trip read", and so I reread it every time I go on a trip.

That's awesome! But let's not talk about trips yet, back to the work of reviewing! Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

I believe that a review should, above all, contain my personal thoughts on it. One or two sentences can be sufficient for giving a hint about the plot. I mostly like to say what my reactions to certain things were, why I liked or disliked parts, what exactly made me love it (rather than just the fact that I loved it). I view it as myself talking about a book. If I think to myself, "I'm writing a review" it's so much more intimidating than "I'm writing my thoughts".

Tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.

The last time I did all of those things in one book was in Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale.

Wow, all in one book! That's cool! Speaking of cool--is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

Place: Hogwarts, hands down. Or Narnia, or the Gallagher Academy.

Characters: I want Kiki Strike to be my friend!

LOL--Hogwarts is in high demand around here! Not surprising. What books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

Depends on who wants the recommendation (there's nothing like recommending a list of books to perfectly suit someone I know - love that), but I'd say Shannon Hale wins top position in the authors-who-I-rave-about-constantly (just ask my blog readers/friends!).

Being able to recommend the perfect book for someone is an art! Book reviews go a long way toward getting books into the hands of people who love them! Of course those are usually the good reviews... you know where I'm going don't you??? Yes! It is time for the Extra Scandalous Question! Really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

I don't usually give negative reviews. If I have major quips with a book, I'll generally only review it if I have just as many good things to say. An instance when I will give a book a negative review is if it's a popular book - one that everyone seems to love. In that case, sometimes I feel like I need to give an opinion of someone who didn't like it, too.

That makes perfect sense! Thanks for all the great answers! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

Email me: mimagirl(at)gmail(dot)com.

Well that's easy enough! And something else that is easy--entering to win Breaking Up Is Hard To Do an anthology about falling out of love that features out very own Terri Clark whose book Sleepless will be out September 1st. Simply leave a comment before June 29th to be entered. Winner will be announced June 30th!

Miss Erin has not reviewed Breaking Up, but here is what other fine reviewers have had to say:

"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do is the perfect short story collection to read about, well, breaking up...I definitely recommend getting this book as soon as it comes out. It's awesome." TeensReadToo.com

"The writing is straightforward and perceptive, from Clark's funny and fast paced style to Hopkins's beautiful and striking poems. This is one book that holds a powerful message between its two covers: heartbreak happens, and along with it is something better if you can let go and continue to move forward." The Compulsive Reader

"Terri's story is an extremely hilarious paranormal story that has a very awesome girl power message...A wonderful anthology from four unbelievably great authors, and one that everyone should read." Book Chic

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)

In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Reviewer X

She's a new kid on the block with only 25 books--but for only being in the book reviewing biz for 3 months, she's on a roll! X marks the spot in our Hot Seat! Also hot is Brooke Taylor's debut novel Undone! All you need to do to be entered to win is post a comment by June 29th, winner will be announced June 30th!

Okay, Reviewer X, let's review the facts:

What's your handle? Reviewer X—but my real name's Steph. :)
What kind of books do you review? Anything. (But I have a soft spot for YA books because, wouldn't you know it, I am a young adult.) I have no inhibitions in my reading habits. ;)

Approx # of books reviewed?25 or so? I've only been around for three months, so I'm working on it!

Where can we find your reviews? On my blog, http://reviewerx.blogspot.com/. I also post them on Amazon and Good Reads for good measure.

Reading turn-ons: Dude. Great characters and great prose. Biggest example is Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, my favorite book of all times. Not much of a plot there, but Curtis Sittenfeld's prose is flawless and her character, Lee Fiora, is very relatable. <3>

Reading turn-offs: You would think this doesn't happen a lot, but of the books I've read recently, about half have this undying tendency of ending abruptly. I'm not too sure why—is it a word count limit authors are pushing? Or are they getting bored with their own books? Please, don't end your book right where the real story begins! The only things worse than this are weak writing and horrible characters.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed: I've read both Undone by Brooke Taylor and Braless in Wonderland by Debbie Reed Fischer, but neither of those reviews are posted yet because I'm working with Debbie in branching off an event based on fashion books for my blog and I'm in the process of interviewing Brooke. Oh, and Nancy Viau offered me an ARC of her novel this morning!

Awesome! Okay, so as you know, we love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours!

The original name of my blog was X-Rated Reviews. I created the name Reviewer X to give my blog's name some ambiguity. (I love ambiguity.) See, it could be just another meaninglessly chosen name—X-Rated Reviews; but it also could mean reviews rated by someone named X. I ultimately changed the name because I hated it, so now my blog is just the self-titled Reviewer X entity.


LOL. And maybe people might think you reviewed something other than YA books, eh? So how did you get into the book review biz?

I wanted to talk to authors. I wanted to interview them. So I created a blog, emailed Lauren Baratz-Logsted (lovely lady, by the way) and she got back to me within hours agreeing to do an interview. I sent off the questions, she sent them back the next day, and bam, blog was finally started. From there on out I have started several other features, like Young Adult Weekly, Reviewer Profiles, and Author Weeks. All of it brings me a wider crowd and what can I say, it's a blast talking to you beautiful author people!

Aw, thanks, we love doing interviews and talking to book lovers! What we don't like is not knowing if 4 stars is a great accomplishment or means we need to take up tennis. Describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?

I've been back and forth on my grading system, from a 5 star scale to a 1-10 grade and now I'm at letter grades, which I love and have decided to stick to. The official key reads something like this:


A: Dude, this is incredible.
B: Great read.
C: Meh...
D: Tanks, but doesn't fully suck.
F: Are you kidding me?

You can also translate this into a star system—A is five stars, B is four stars, and so on.

The letter grades are very appropriate for YA and MG novels, just like being back at school! Okay, so how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

As a reviewer, I receive quite a few books from authors and publishers, so that puts the whole "picking what books you read" thing into perspective. I love the variety of books I've been receiving, though, and it's probably good that I don't choose all books I get. This way, receiving a lot of books I probably wouldn't have picked up if they hadn't been sent to me, my knowledge of the YA field grows exponentially. Whoever complained about an expanded horizon?

What are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?


Whoa, hold up—you guys worry about attracting our attention? Really? It seems to me it's the other way around. Honestly, a simple email to the reviewer will do—we love receiving free stuff! 'Cause if piquing our interest is what you're worried about, you've got no problems—email, email, email!

Now, my question to you guys is: Does it bother you when reviewers email you asking for ARCs or review copies?

(Would this be the place to add in here that I am dying to read so many of the Class of 2k8's books and if anyone wants to send an ARC or something to me, I'd jump on you and scream in delight?)


LOL. Hold on while I hop up into the hot seat... Yowzer--it really is hot up here! Okay, forgive the politically correct answer--but it just depends. As the letterhead states, we're a diverse group of debut authors so the answer varies depending on the author and more importantly the book's publisher. But I don't think any of us like to say no, especially when a reviewer is dying to read our books and would jump and scream in delight. :-)

Okay, back in the hot seat X. If you really aren't feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

If it won't cause me any internal bleeding then sure, why not. However, my health comes first and if a book is radioactive waste, it gets tossed aside and reviewed from a partial read because number one rule of writing is not damaging your readers' insides.

If you really love a book, will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

Hell yes I will! I love revisiting books, whether I hated them or not. (It's funny to see if my opinion changes given time.) As for what books I've loved and reread, well, the list is quite long, but here's an abridged version:

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (Best. Book. Ever.)
A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
Looking for Alibrandi (On The Jellicoe Road, which I just finished, will probably be reread many a time—and I also have Saving Francesca up next to read, which I expect will be fantastic) by Melina Marchetta
The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance by Catherine Ryan Hyde
However, the book that I've reread the most is:
The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols. Love its everything.

Quite a diverse collection of greatness! I bet it is easy to review books you love and would re-read. Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

My basic philosophy for reviewing is: The author wrote a book, right? That took a lot of work. (Queries, agents, editors, copy editors, booksellers, professional reviewers, the readership—all of it is tons of stress, work and pressure.) The least I could do is try to give as thoughtful and detailed a review as possible, whether positive or negative. What I mention in each review (aside from the characters, which I always touch on) depends on each book, but I really do try to give a full account of all my thoughts and reactions to each book I read. This often results in long-winded reviews that probably bore people to tears, but to hell with it. If I get a book to review, I do go through that entire process.

That said, some books do, from time to time, provoke me in such a manner that they cause me to lose the control to my snarky side. Hence a category on my blog called Reviewer X Goes All X. I can get pretty sardonic. (But always with substantiated evidence!)

No need to Go All X! Let's talk about the good times, when was the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book?


This wasn't the last book I read, but I thought it might interest you, Class of 2k8 authors, to know that I cried while reading Undone by Brooke Taylor. I remember it distinctly: I was having one of my usual insomnia episodes and grabbed Undone from my TBR pile to read. At 1:30AM or so, I got to a really sad passage and began crying. I got up and went to my laptop to email Brooke about it, actually—at 1:30AM, folks. It was that compelling. (And I proceeded to sleep at 3AM or so, for those interested!)

Last book I read was On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (and I do love me some Marchetta books)—it was great. I got all of those reactions mentioned above from it and more.

Is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

I really want to meet Jessica Darling from Megan McCafferty's books. I think we'd have a lot to talk about because she and I are much the same.


You and Not So, eh? That Marcus wouldn't be bad to meet either. So what books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

I always recommend any books by Curtis Sittenfeld, Libba Bray, Megan McCafferty, Melina Marchetta, and Jodi Picoult. (Though, for Jodi Picoult, I'd stay away from any books before The Pact.) Why? Great voice, great characters, great writing, great plots, great messages, great authors, and great books.

Okay Reviewer X, we can't avoid it any longer, it is time for the Extra Scandalous Question—


I love scandalous ordeals!

Then here we go... really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

No fear. I've given my share of negative reviews so far, and the turnout has been great—people take your opinion more seriously when you offer a balanced perspective. (Or so the people who have emailed have said!) Also, no hate mail thus far, though I am curious! Feel free to tell me what I can do with my blog if I give your book a bad review ;)

As for advice on how to take a negative review, first thing to remember is, it's only an opinion. Yeah, it sucks that you didn't conquer all who read your novel with its brilliancy, but remember, someone's always bound to all-out love it and, like all things in life, someone else is bound to think the exact opposite. Take comfort in that because reviews (especially blog reviews, as much as it pains me to say so) are not know-all-and-end-all. Also, if you're a glass-half-full kind of person, you might to extract something from that negative review to help you strengthen your writing. (And this is considering the review is actually well written and founded—some negative reviews suck, and if that's the case, it's not your problem but the reviewer's. Ignore.)

Good point! Thanks for all the great answers! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

I'll start by saying that the review isn't the first thing you should be scared about; my response to your offering your book is. You might be met with an abundance of exclamation points and capital letters; it's only my usual acute psychosis, really, but it's still frightening. (If you don't believe me, ask Christina Meldrum how I replied to her when she offered up Madapple.) If you can handle my enthused hairball response, and the possibility of a negative (and possibly snarkastic) review, then shoot off an email to reviewerx (at) gmail.com


Okay, readers are you like Reviewer X and love to get offered free books? Simply leave a comment and you'll be entered to win an ARC of Undone. Reviewer X hasn't written her review yet, but here's what another reviewer is saying about Brooke Taylor's debut novel:


"(Undone) totally grabbed me in and wouldn’t release its grasp until the very last page. The story took twists and turns that I never suspected in the least. I think that half the time I was reading my mouth was hanging open in shock of what had just happened. My only complaint is the book ended!" And Another Book Read

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In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Elizabeth Bird

The hot seat is getting even hotter with Elizabeth Bird, aka Fuse #8! She's one of the top 50 reviewers on Amazon and has reviewed for School Library Journal and Kirkus among others! She's got Jody Feldman's Gollywhopper Games in her TBR pile, and so could you! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment before June 29th. Winner will be announced June 30th! Let's get started:

What's your handle? Well, the blog is called A Fuse #8 Production. So I end up signing much of my correspondence (correspondence, in this case, meaning comments on other blogs) as Fuse 8. The name hasn't any real connection to anything children's literary whatsoever. It's named after my car, but I've found that it sticks appropriately in people's brains, so I am pleased.

What kind of books do you review? I review children's books. Basically anything between the ages of 0-12. I have been known to make exceptions for teen and YA titles, however, if they are A) Necessary in terms of communicating with my co-workers (Sherman Alexie is a good example of this) or B) Graphic novels. First Second's line of GNs, for example, are infinitely reviewable.

Approx # of books reviewed? Uh-oh. Ever or on blogs? The difficulty in answering this is that I don't quite know. In terms of children's books I make sure to duplicate all of them onto Amazon.com. Right now I'm #48 of the top Amazon reviewers with 1,458 reviews on there. That doesn't count my reviews on Epinions.com, where I put all my YA reviews. That just comes to 95. Then on top of that you have my professional reviews written for places like School Library Journal and Kirkus. I guess I'd estimate that I've done some 150 or so of those. So... a lot.

Where can we find your reviews? Well, everything ends up on my blog anyway, but not too long ago Kelly Herold of Big A little a created a Children's Book Reviews Wiki. You can find many of my aggregated reviews on my own little separate portion of the site at A Fuse #8 Production Collection of Reviews. I'm still adding them from my old blog site, so it isn't complete yet, but it's getting there.

Reading turn-ons: New takes on old tropes. Humor. Sentences that make me want to hit my knee in glee.

Reading turn-offs: Familiarity without a sense of anything fresh or new. Celebrities who think that writing for children is a piece o' cake. Poorly done humor.

Class of 2K8 books reviewed: Well, truth me told there were so many YA novels this year that I haven't had much of a chance to review anyone. I do have Gollywhopper Games in my To Be Read pile, though, so I think that I'll make that one the next book I read.

You won't be disappointed! But before you dive into Gollywhopper Games--let's dive into the questions! Tell us more about how you came up with your alias, Fuse #8! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.

Well, I came about it in a weird roundabout way. Years ago I had a car. A little 1989 Buick Century. It was my grandmother's, so you can imagine the state it was in around 2000. One day I drive it home, park it in front of my apartment, and take out the key. All of a sudden the locks on the car start going up and down and up and down and up. Clearly the vehicle is possessed and, worse still, it's shorting out the battery. Now I had just graduated from college and the last thing I needed in my poor poverty-stricken state was a huge car bill. But I dutifully walked it into a Richmond, Indiana garage. The fellow there hears my problem, reaches into my glove compartment, and pulls out . . . .Fuse #8. Turns out, the little fuse (once removed) solved all my woes. How does this apply to my blog, you say? Well, my husband's a bit of a filmmaker. Years ago he was looking for a good name for a production company. We tossed about a couple titles when all of a sudden I said "A Fuse #8 Production". That idea was squashed, but I liked the sound of it so much that I vowed to someday put it on something myself. When the blog idea popped up it was a perfect fit. And so it goes. Since then I've thought of more appropriate blog names, but this one will do for now.

As for reviewing, I came across it during library school. On a lark I had taken a children's literature course (I really wanted to be an archivist, originally) and part of the course consisted of learning how to write reviews of children's books. In fact it was so much fun that I started doing it on Amazon. As I kept reviewing I got better. Then I started to do it professionally. Finally I was doing it professionally for pay.

We're so happy that lark turned into much much more (and that your car was not possessed!). Speaking of school, let's talk grading systems, describe how you rate books in your reviews and how that translates to the reader?

Grading system. Hm. I don't do much of one on my blog. I know that some bloggers like to use "five star" systems and the like. I once thought about doing a "five fuses" thing on my site, but it was too much work. I do participate in grading on Goodreads and Amazon, though. Basically I don't give many low scores. Only if a book particularly offends me or I perceive it to be insulting to the child reader. Middling books that are fine if not extraordinary get 3s. Most books get 4s. They're strong but they just don't have that extra oomph to give them a 5. 5s are reserved for the cream of the crop.

That sounds fair, so how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

When I review books for professional journals then I'm sent them in the mail without knowing what they will be. I can request specific titles if I'm looking forward to something, but I don't often get it. I pick my own books for review on my blog. Often I'll read quite a few books, but only review a handful. The ones that really stick out for me (for good or for ill) are the ones I write about. And yes, I'm often surprised by what I read. A book that everyone and their mother has enjoyed will sometimes comes across as horrid. Or I'll find a small unassuming gem from a small publisher that nobody's talking about. Small gems are my favorite things to find in a given year.

We love a good gem too! What are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?

Well, depends on what kind of reviewers you mean. Your publishing company will send out books to the professional journals, so no worries there. Sometimes they will also have a handful of ARCs or F&Gs that you may suggest be sent to one blogging reviewer or another. Be warned that just because you send a title, even autographed, to a blogger that does not guarantee a review. I suggest you look through the different bloggers out there, read their reviews, and find the ones that best suit your book. The last thing you want to do is send a YA novel to a site that only reviews picture books or a verse novel to someone who hates poetry. Interestingly enough I tend to pay more attention to a book if it's sent to me by an editor rather than the author themselves. If I'm not familiar with a writer, I trust that their editor knows enough to pick and choose what they send to me. Authors are always going to think their book is great. Editors are more choosy. I pay attention to that.

Great advice! So you get a book, but let's say you really aren't feeling it—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

Professionally I always finish a book. Always. And even when I'm reading a book for potential review on my blog, I do try to finish them. Once in a while the book is just so ludicrously terrible that I have to stop, but that tends to be the exception rather than the rule. I'm so picky on what I pick up in the first place that I rarely put anything down on a whim. When I start, I like to see it through.

And if you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

In theory, I guess. But I just don't have time these days. Between my blog and my professional life as well as my library, I'm always reading several things at once. One of these days I'll get back into rereading. But for now it's just a lovely pipe dream. I can say sincerely that the books I have reread for fun have included things like Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury and 90% of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series of mystery novels. Oh! And A.S. Byatt. I've lots of her stuff read and reread. She's painful but I love her.

Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

On my blog I have several rules. First of all, I almost never do a critical review of a first-time author's title. Professionally I'll do it, but there's no reason to do it blogwise. I'll change this rule if a big publisher's marketing machine has revved up or if they're a celebrity author. Then they're fair game. Critical reviews always contain some positive notes, just as positive reviews should always contain some critical notes. Unless, of course, the book is so good that you can't find anything you'd want to change in it. That happens sometimes too. And books that don't spark my interest one way or another usually sit on my To Be Reviewed shelf until the end of the year, whereupon they are donated to the library.

As for the book that did more than just spark your interest--tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.

Honest-to-god, this happened just the other day. I have an Advance Reader Copy of the Suzanne Collins novel Hunger Games. Collins is an author you may know from her Gregor the Overlander series. This new book has been getting rave advance reviews hither and thither, and I had a hard time believing it was as good as everyone said. So I pick it up and weirder still it's a dystopian novel. Dystopian novels, by and large, aren't that gripping. I say that, but this book grabbed me by the throat and would not let go. I do much, maybe even most, of my reading on the New York subway system. This book not only began to mess with my mind (I'd step onto the platform at my stop and suddenly wonder if hidden cameras were tracking my every move) but when a beloved character died in the book I began to choke up in front of every jaded New Yorker in my car. Come October, I'm gonna be highly recommending that everyone read Hunger Games.

Oh wow. Let's hope there aren't any hidden cameras tracking our every move! But speaking of books coming to life--is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

Hmmm. Always an embarrassing question to give to a children's librarian. I'm going to pass on the character question, not because I don't have an answer but because it truly shows my nerd colors in all their sickly green glory. I do wish, on some level that (here it comes) Hogwarts existed, but maybe just because I'd love to work in the school library. Now THAT's a dream job!

LOL, you're not the only one who's mentioned Hogwarts! What books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

Good ones, typically. Oh, but as a librarian I get the same requests over and over. "My son only reads Captain Underpants. What can I do to get him reading other books?" Or "Do you have anything exactly like Eragon?" But I have a few books I turn to over and over. They fit certain categories.

For people who want something so new it defies description:

The Arrival by Shaun Tan
For kids who want someone to bring the funny:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
For tween girls who want something that looks old but is just right for them:

Shug by Jenny Han
For kids into ghost stories:

A Drowned Maiden's Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz
For kids who want something really really scary:

The Spook's Apprentice - Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
My favorite fantasy of last year:

Faeries of Dreamdark - Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
My favorite graphic novel of this year:

Jellaby by Kean Soo

Great list! Okay, we're getting toward the end here, it's time for the Extra Scandalous Question! The blog readers need to know: really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

Oh yes. Yes yes yes. I used to do more, back when I only reviewed on Amazon. In fact, I got a very angry email on Thanksgiving Day from a well-known author. It wasn't even for a new book but one of his older (and definitely not as good) titles. I could only assume that he was drunk since what major author cares about Amazon reviews on Thanksgiving Day? I wouldn't change my opinion but I did say that I'd write an afterword in which he could state his own views. He was contrite the next day (hence my drunk theory) and so it went. On my blog, no one has ever objected to a negative review to my face. I always remember who I've made them for, however, and I always keep one eye out at book parties just in case I run into them.My advice regarding bad reviews comes from Roger Sutton. He once said this about reviews and I don't think I could possibly say it better."I once read an interview with soprano Dawn Upshaw, who said that she never read reviews of her performances but trusted her husband to do so and share with her any excerpts that could be useful in making her a better singer omitting those that would make her head explode from vanity or dismay. You might want to consider this."

That is excellent advice! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

An author should always e-mail me first, just in case I'm so swamped with submissions that I can't take the time needed to give the book proper attention. Also remember that I do not review YA these days except in very rare moments. If I like the sound of the book I'll pass on my address. Plus I never ever ever do a negative or critical review of a book an author has sent to me personally. Bad form that.

We agree! Thanks so much for stopping by the hot seat and answering all of our questions! Now you may crack open Gollywhopper Games!

Remember leave a comment, and you could win your very own copy of Jody's Feldman's debut book . Fuse #8 has yet to review it, but here's what another reviewer has said about Gollywhopper Games:

"Feldman includes truly despicable villains, unexpected kindnesses, and a surprise ending ... Nonstop action, appealing pencil illustrations, and increasingly difficult brainteasers will keep readers engaged, and readers will pull out paper and pencil to try and solve the puzzles as they work through the book." Booklist

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