A Guide to YA Blogging

A few weeks back I thought it would be a great idea to ask YA authors and bloggers about what they expected of one another in the blogosphere. The list below is a collation of recommended conduct that you might use as a guide when starting a blog, or to see how your expectations match up to everyone elses. Forty YA review bloggers (new and established) and authors (unpublished, debut and established) were asked to contribute their expectations to construct a comprehensive list.

The most important message from all contributors was that being polite is essential.

Authors and bloggers alike were very honest in their contributions and as such I have chosen to keep this anonymous. Hopefully this can be a document that guides new bloggers around mistakes that all of us have made. I have learnt a considerable amount just from reading them as they came in.

One author’s suggestion really struck a chord with me and I think it’s the best piece of advice for all bloggers – “...find the right balance between professionalism and fun.”


ARCS
• Do away with expectations. Don’t think you deserve a review copy because you started a blog.
• Authors would love to give ARCs to every book blogger who asks but they don’t have unlimited supplies of ARCs. If authors say that they can’t, they really can’t - but they wish they could. Say please and thank you and most importantly, don’t be bitter.
• Check the author’s review policies before contacting them as it saves everyone time.
• Avoid requesting books from authors unless they have specifically stated that they have books available for review.
• Request or accept only as many books as you can read.
• Don't beg for an ARC, but if you plan to do a large feature on a specific book or author, it's okay to ask politely. If the author can't oblige (or doesn't get back to you or in any way doesn't respond in the way you had hoped), be gracious anyway.
• Never badmouth an author, online or off, for not providing an ARC. They have all sorts of reasons for saying no, keep it professional.
• Don’t badmouth other bloggers or make assumptions about how they received ARCs. The cattiness makes authors reluctant to send ARCs to anyone.
• Even if an author can’t send an ARC, they may still be able to do an interview of guest post so make sure you ask. The author may be able to send you are ARC or finished copy next time around, so stay in touch.
• Take the time to familiarise yourself with the author and the book before contacting the author. Be sure that they book is something that genuinely strikes you interest as a reader/reviewer.
• Personalise your request. Don’t send a form email or with the incorrect information (wrong book title, misspelled names, asking for an ARC of an already released book). Tell the author about yourself and why their novel piqued your interest.
• If you request and receive a specific ARC directly from an author or publisher, you are expected to post a review.
• Don’t list the person in which you received your ARC from as it makes it easier for the masses to approach that person for a copy of their own. The publicist or author deserves privacy - list the company.
• Read the requested ARC in a reasonable amount of time. No one expects it to be read immediately but if you know you can’t get to it within 1-2 months there is no point in asking for an advance copy that might better serve another reviewer.
• Don’t sell ARCs on eBay.
• If you are giving an ARC away in a contest, consider letting the author know.

Swag
• Think before you request that an author provide prizes for the contests you are running on your blog. These requests inevitably flood an author’s inbox around the release date and it’s not financially feasible for an author to do it for everyone. If you demand swag, don’t expect a polite response.
• If the author hasn’t heard of you, you won’t be receiving swag no matter how legitimate a blog you have. When inquiring, ensure you introduce yourself and your blog to the author properly and state why you specifically would like their book.

Reviewing
• Correspondence between authors and bloggers is fantastic. However, it’s the bloggers responsibility to ensure that all of your reviews are unbiased, regardless of your relationship with an author.
• Ensure the content of your review is relevant and well written. Take your time when writing the reviews and ensure that all errors are caught prior to posting. People don’t read blogs that are a minefield of spelling errors and are generally careless.
• If you don't like a book, be honest but sensitive in your review. Personal attacks should be off-limits, but thoughtful comments about the work itself are not. Bloggers are very relevant to the review community but if everyone loves everything, bloggers lose relevance.
• Reviews should be honest but not harsh. If the book is terrible (in your opinion), tell the truth but realise that other readers may love it. Reviews are subjective.
• If the author has assisted you in procuring a copy of their book (directly or via their publishers), they like to know when the review is up. Make sure you send an email with the link attached.

Interviews
• Check the author’s website for their interview policy. If a publicist is listed, contact them first, then the author if there is no publicist. Don’t contact both. Many authors don’t mind if you contact them directly but be polite.
• If you have asked an author for an interview and they say yes, pay close attention to what they write next. If they want the questions ASAP, then please follow these instructions.
• Don’t expect an author to answer your interview questions on a tight schedule. Give realistic timelines.
• If an author personally sends you their book for review ask them for an interview or guest blog for your blog.

General Manners
• Spell the individual’s name correctly - whether author/publisher/blogger.
• Reviewers should not ask authors for their publicist’s contact information and should not expect authors to forward the blogger’s information to the publicist (unless this is something the author offers).
• Bloggers shouldn’t ask other bloggers for their publicity contacts. Don’t tweet or post this private information in public chats.
• If you like a blogger’s feature, be sure to ask permission before adopting it for your own use. Don’t assume it is a meme.
• Don’t brag about receiving an ARC that everyone wants.
• Be polite and courteous to authors. You are not to beg or threaten them.
• Be polite and courteous to publishers. Don’t ask for every title in the catalogue. You can’t possibly have the time to read them all. Publishing is a business and it’s essential that you demonstrate that you are dependable and easy to work with.
• Don’t request or accept what you don’t want to read.
• The blogging community is a great way to make friends. Commenting on other’s blogs and discussing books is equally important as your own blog.
• Cover author events that you attend – there is nothing more exciting that sharing pictures and other coverage from conferences and author signings.
• If you are talking to an author face-to-face you may need to assure them that your conversation is “off the record”. Authors are human and they might not want their gossip on your blog.
• Authors are increasingly approachable with websites, blogs and twitter. Make sure that you mention their blogs and websites whenever you review or interview.
• Be grateful.

Thanks to all who gave their two cents worth, your honesty is much appreciated.

If you'd like a copy of this document, email me and I will send it your way in a prettier format.

Review - The Eternal Kiss / Ed. Trish Telep

Summary - There’s an allure to vampire tales that have seduced readers for generations. From Bram Stoker to Stephenie Meyer and beyond, vampire stories are here to stay. For those fresh-blooded fans of paranormal romance or for those whose hunt and hunger never dies, these stories have what readers want!

This collection of original tales comes from some of the hottest, most popular, and best-selling YA writers, including:
Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe)
Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)
Melissa De La Cruz (Blue Blood)
Cassandra Clare (City of Bones)
Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires)
Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Wicked)
Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof, Queen of Cool)
Kelley Armstrong (Women of Otherworld)
Maria V. Snyder
Sarah Rees Brennan
Lili St. Crow
Karen Mahoney
Dina James
They will make everyone a sucker for eternal kisses.

Review - Anthologies are like the tastiest of literary samplers - you get a little bit of this and that and (hopefully) it gives you the hunger for more. An anthology is only as strong as it's weakest link and this is quite a solid collection that leaves a good (and varied) impression on bit-lit. There is also a great mix of new and established authors presenting their take on what makes an entertaining YA vampire short story.

There are stories contained that are more effective than others due to varying degrees of success with the short story structure. Among the more impactful contributions:

UK debut author, Karen Mahoney's Falling to Ash commentates on protagonist Moth's daddy (and sire) issues but throws in some considerable URST with a mission involving some ashes and a vampire hunter. In some respects it is a warped take on an interrogation scene but instead of violence, it's heavy on the oomph - you know, an oxygen sucking, heart pounding, toe curling scene that satisfies?

American fantasy writer, Holly Black's The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was an especially strong contribution. Black possessed a stronger sense of what worked in a shortened format with a very distinct tone combined with some interesting takes on vmapire lore. By far the most emotionally taxing of the thirteen stories, Matilda's journey downward spiral leaves a chilling after taste that will stay with you.

Lastly, Ireland's Sarah Rees Brennan's Undead is Very Hot Right Now was piercingly funny. Who would have thought to combine the cliched boy band, young love and vampires in one hysterical but emotionally grounded mishmash? It takes awhile to settle into the tongue-in-cheek tone but once you're comfortable you will find yourself cackling at the many ways the band's manager tries to pimp out Christian's vampirism for album sales.

If you are fang-inclined, and not all vamped-out, then this anthology is for you.

Published: 3 August 2009
Format: Paperback, 416 pages
Publisher: Random House Australia
Origin: Everywhere

Interview - Michelle Zink

Michelle Zink's debut novel, Prophecy of the Sisters is now available in the US and in Australia from the 15th of August. Following the disintegration of an American family in the late 19th century, Zink has created a dark and mystical exploration of sisterly love, fate and the nature of good and evil. It's a fabulously involving and intoxicating read that will whisk you away into another world.

I was very fortunate to interview Michelle a few weeks ago in preparation for her novel's release. Enjoy!

What is the attraction to scary twins?
I didn't know there was one! Lol! Seriously, I don't remember thinking, "Let's make them twins - that will be scarier!" It was more my fascination with that sibling relationship that drew me to Lia and Alice. I'm an only child, and I've always been interested in the idea of coming from the exact same place as another human being. Twins only amplify that connection. Their bond is so mysterious. It was interesting to create that conflict between two people who are inherently closer than any two people could possible be.

What set off you Prophecy of the Sisters "a-ha" creation moment?
It's difficult to trace any of my books back to a single moment, because everything unfolds in a very organic way for me. I'm a little obsessed with ancient myths and legends, particularly biblical ones, and I pick books up and flip through them all the time. There's something terrifying about the supernatural - and demons especially! I came across the story of the Watchers - the angels sent to guard mortal women who then fell in love and became Fallen - and was immediately intrigued. Prophecy of the Sisters, like all my books, just sort of unfurled from there.

James is a relatively issue-free love interest, will there be someone unhinged in Lia's future?
Well, I can't say too much except that James, like all the characters in Prophecy, grows throughout the three-book series. He remains very central to the story, but there IS a very hot new guy that comes into the picture in Book Two. I'll also tell you that both men are VERY central the absolute conclusion of Prophecy at the end of Book Three.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I would label PotS as a feminist novel. The role of strong, independent females, in and outside of Lia's family, is extremely important. Was this a goal from the beginning?
I think you're right! I didn't set out to make it a feminist novel, per se, but I DID specifically vow to create a strong female main character who who had hopes, dreams, desires, and demons apart from that of her love interest. I know how much teen girls love reading about romance, but I also think there's a danger in setting up too neat a relationship, too fairy-tale a love, you know? In real life, things get in the way of love sometimes. You don't always know what to do. Sometimes you make mistakes and sometimes other things have to come first. Sometimes it's necessary to put your love for someone aside to take care of yourself or others close to you. In Prophecy, Lia loves James and wants him in her life and her future. But she doesn't NEED him to survive. I think teenage girls are smarter and stronger than we give them credit for, and I'm betting on their responsiveness to a main character they can admire and maybe even see some of themselves in.

Are some of your children's traits or characteristics found in any of the characters?
Wow. GOOD QUESTION! I've never been asked that before. Both my girls are very strong, self-contained people. They have so many interests and such innate curiosity about life and the world they live in. Lia's character traits are probably a little more evident in my older daughter who is fifteen. I already see the same kind of "do what has to be done" discipline and iron-will that I so admire in Lia.

What can we expect from Book 2?
Oh, I am SO enamored with Book Two right now! It's such a sweeping adventure! Lots of action, an epic journey, that promised, hunky guy, family secrets revealed, and a betrayal of unimaginable proportions. Plus, our girls get even stronger and braver, as all girls should!

What scares you?
Oooooo, Adele. You are GOOD! Without a doubt, it's losing the people who matter to me. They're the only thing in life that isn't replaceable. Everything else is just stuff.

Which debut book from this year would you highly recommend?
Another difficult one! Of course, I ADORE Lisa Mantchev's EYES LIKE STARS. Yes, we're friends, but that's not why! It's just an utterly imaginative, smart, frolic of a book unlike anything else in existence. I'm also super excited for Catching Fire (like the rest of the world) by Suzanne Collins and The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I haven't read that last one, but Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorites so I've been looking forward to TAG for a loooong time! Other books on my radar are Hate List by Jennifer Brown, Ash by Malinda Low, Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron, and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

* * *
Some great recommendations there! A big thank you to Michelle for her great responses and flattering comments (I am now a black belt narcissist). Go and get your hands on Prophecy of the Sisters today!
http://www.prophecyofthesisters.com/
http://www.michellezink.com/

Review - Into The Wild Nerd Yonder / Julie Halpern

Summary - It's Jessie's sophomore year of high school. A self-professed "mathlete," she isn't sure where she belongs. Her two best friends have transformed themselves into punks and one of them is going after her longtime crush. Her beloved older brother will soon leave for college (and in the meantime has shaved off his mohawk and started dating...the prom Princess!)...
Things are changing fast. Jessie needs new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way--the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone. Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?
If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?

Review - As someone who used a Chupa-Chup tin as a pencil case in year 12, I am fully aware of the need to be different without falling into the nerd category. Unfortunately, I am not positive I was all that successful. Unfortunately again, I was never introduced to Dungeons and Dragons by an awesome group of self-possessed, groovy nerds either. I never sewed original skirts or excelled at maths but I did struggle over my friendships and whether or not the angst was worth it.

Halpern makes this exploration of nerdom and evolving friendships a fun read. She has an easy, light style that translates well as the consciousness of a teen girl in turmoil over the big issues. Jessie is a relatable protagonist who's comfortable in who she is but not so much with who she's surrounded by. Her long term friends have turned into clingy, boy crazed, selfish space wasters and she's not so sure that she likes them anymore. Jessie's struggles with the abysmal Bizza were understandable but greatly frustrating as a reader. We've all had friends we've hung onto far too long because of our need to retain the familiar. It's much easier being the objective reader than the authentic conflicted protagonist that Halpern has presented us with.

The novel is just plain old fun. The nerds are delightfully random, even if you discount the D&D. They are comfortable being themselves, they aren't the socially inept messes that we often see on screen. They are warm, just like Jessie and as such Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is a warm, entertaining read. I particularly liked the use of the sibling relationship throughout. It wasn't a cliched relationship, Jessie and her brother are tight. Barrett's transformation into something more socially acceptable is an element of the book that I really enjoyed. His family wholeheartedly supported his mohawk and band and yet supported him in his new direction too. His reasons are completely individual and his strong sense of self positively affected his sister in some of her tough decisions. It was also great to see a family without obvious dysfunctions, they were a little bizarre (aren't we all?) but realistically supportive of each other in their pursuits. It was a great touch in am industry often filled with death, divorce and demonic activity.

The romance is nice, the boy scrummy but ultimately this is about accepting change. Being brave in declaring yourself openly to the world, shucking those that hold you back or weigh you down and embracing the new. Miraculously it's all achieved with a great sense of humour and a firm handle on what teens are like today.

Jessie is a great girl to get to know and Halpern's voice is one that I look forward to revisiting.

Published: September 29, 2009
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Origin: USA
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http://www.juliehalpern.com/

Reader's Snapshot - Michelle Zink

Michelle Zink's smashing debut novel, Prophecy of the Sisters was released over the weekend and as such it's Michelle Zink Week here at Persnickety Snark. This lovely lady kindly took the time to tackle my patented reader's snapshot questions.

Which book is memorable from your teen years?
I read a ton - Madeline L'Engle, Stephen King (pilfered from my dad's library), Peter Straub (ditto), Harold Robbins (pilfered from my mom's library!). It's difficult to name one as being more influential than the other. What I DO remember is that I attended a small town, combined elementary/middle school and our library was tiny. We didn't have a lot of shiny new books - most of them had been donated or had been there since the dawn of time, it seemed. Because of this, I ended up reading older mysteries, complete with torn pages and worn cloth covers and usually set in rambling old castles or manor houses. They typically featured a young girl trying to sort out some kind of mystery, and I remember being totally carried away by the different time and place despite the fact that many of the books were written at least 20 years before I found them.

Describe your high school English teacher in three words...
I had too many! I moved a lot and was never in one place for more than three years. I didn't have a specific English teacher that stood out in my mind or one that ever recognized my love for reading and writing. It makes me realize how very important passionate, insightful teachers are, because I don't remember anyone ever explaining to me what a career as a writer would LOOK like, which classes I would take, what course of study in college I would pursue. I see so many passionate teachers today who work incredibly hard to reach out to their students and to guide them toward fulfilling futures and it just makes me so happy! A fantastic teacher makes ALL the difference!

Your book of the moment?
A small picture book called A Roomful of Questions by Tracy Gallup. I'd try to explain it but I don't think I can. Let's just say it's an enchanting book for philosophers of any age.

What do you use to mark your page when reading?
I dog-ear the pages. I know some people say it's wrong, but I love my dog-eared books! It tells me that they've been read - and loved - many times over. They feel familiar and comfortable to me, and I like them just that way. It's probably the same reason I like old houses, antique furniture (the not-precious kind), and vintage clothing!

Favourite place to read?
In bed before sleep. AFTER I've washed my face so I don't have to sit there and dread the whole before-bed-face-washing routine! (am I the only one who does that?!)

Favourite word?
It changes, but I think right now it might be "wraith".

Favourite book store?
Oh, no way can I choose! I don't have an Indie within 30 minutes of my house, so I frequent the closest bookstore possible - the Borders in my small-town mall. It's very small, but it's the place I used to go to smell books and coffee and dream about what it would feel like to have see my book on one of the shelves.

Character you wish you had created?
Ingrid in Janet Fitch's WHITE OLEANDER. Such a horrifyingly complex character. And what a book!

Thanks Michelle. You can read my thoughts on Prophecy of the Sisters here but I think it's in your best interests to go and buy a copy so you can dip yourself in a pool of literary deliciousness!

Review - Beige / Cecil Castellucci

Summary - Dad's an aging L.A. punk rocker. Daughter's a buttoned up neat freak. Can this summer be saved?
Now that she's exiled from Canada to sunny Los Angeles, Katy figures she'll bury her nose in a book and ignore the fact that she's spending two weeks with her father - punk name, "The Rat" - a recovered addict and drummer for the infamous band Suck. Even though Katy doesn't want to be there, she won't make a fuss. After all, she is a nice girl, a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she?

Review - Beige had been sitting on my shelf for awhile when I read an entry over at Stephanie Kuehnert's where she was absolutely raving about it. That was enough for me...Stephanie can write like a dream and turns out, can recommend like a dream too.

Beige tells the story of conservative and restrained Katy who is sent to stay with her father in LA for the summer. Katy is a complete fish out of water in the grimy world of punk rock, the smell of it particularly permeates through the pages and it allows you to feel as though you are in the world with her. Katy is completely buttoned down, rigid and shut off and as such The Rat's world doesn't really mesh with her standards. Katy is a completely relatable protagonist, she's never been cool or ever been all that into music. This is most likely influenced by her desire and fear of becoming like her parents, both recovered drug addicts. Her need for order and control can be a little distancing at times but it is always justified.

Every character that appears in Castellucci's novel is extreme - whether extreme in their prickliness, obviousness, softness, rigidity or kitschiness - they are all well formed and have unique and sparky interactions with one another. Lake is a character that works as a great foil for Katy, she's the "expected offspring" of a punk rocker but has missed out on the maternal care that Katy has taken for granted. Lake's a cactus wrapped around a pillow with a piece of coal battling her heart for position in her chest cavity. These two rocker babies with diametrically opposed personalities force one another to really confront who they are and their motivations. It's a friendship that is fun, sparky and organic - there are no false notes to be found.

The Rat is a character that really grabs the reader. He's forever trying too hard to win his daughter over. The author takes the great path of not making him compromise himself at any point in his efforts to ingratiate himself into his daughter's affections. He's an immensely flawed man but one with a huge heart and perhaps too sensitive to the world.

Beige is a fast read. You find yourself whipping through the pages to the most satisfying conclusion. It is a conclusion that rejects the need to tie everything up in a cliche ridden, predictable, pretty package. Instead, this coming of age story, which details Katy's personal growth, settles on a complete realistic and satisfying conclusion.

A fantastic start to a (hopefully) long Castellucci reading journey!

Published: March 2009
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Origin: USA
_ _ _
http://www.misscecil.com/

In My Mailbox - 2 August

Some lovelies to share thanks to Alea and Kristi.

Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink
Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her.

PotS is coming out here in Australia on the 15th of August through Hachette. It's exactly the same, design features and all but it's a paperback. It's so pretty. My review is here.

White Star - Beth Vaughan
In Palins, a land in the throes of upheaval, Lady High Priestess Evelyn leads a rebellion against an unjust usurper. But when she is taken prisoner by Orrin Blackhart, their clashing souls will be forged in desire, redemption, and glory.

I don't know what to think of this one, it's apparently the second in a series that I haven't read before.

Gotta B - Claire Carmichael
Looking back, Talbot Blair realised that it all began that Monday morning when his best friend, Rick Lawrence, abruptly became a disconnect ...In the near future, all communication devices are linked to individual users no-one can use an electronic item belonging to someone else. The worst possible fate is to lose that link and become a disconnect. If you can't connect with your friends, you might as well cease to exist. In Talbot Blair's world, changes in brain structure have been detected in young people, who have never known a world that didn't contain computers and the Internet. They have always been immersed in an electronic sea of interconnectedness and instant communication. Social psychologist Carter Renfrew's theory is that constant exposure to this electronic environment has re-wired adolescent brains so they are developing into a different species. Renfrew dubs this next evolutionary leap in humankind 'Homo electronicus'. But what happens when Homo electronicus is taken offline?


I'll have to wait to read this one when I am fully alert. Subject wise this book has the power to lose me along the way.

Fill Out This Application and Wait Over There - Ruth Starke

Swerve - Phillip Gwynne
One of the country's finest young cellists, 16 year-old Hugh Twycross has a very bright future. A future that has been mapped out by his parents, his teachers, by everybody, it seems, except Hugh Twycross.
Hugh has a secret, though: he loves cars and he loves car racing. When his newly discovered grandfather, Poppy, asks him to go on a road trip to Uluru in his 1970 Holden HT Monaro, Hugh decides, for once in his life, to do the unexpected.
As they embark on a journey into the vast and fierce landscape of the Australian interior, Hugh discovers that Poppy has a secret that will unravel both their lives and take them in a direction they never expected.

Gwynne is a talented writer. I am excited to read this one.

That Summer - Sarah Dessen
For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister,the always perfect Ashley,is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.

So pretty!

Persnickety Snark July Wrap Up

It's been a tremendously fun month. I have been having more review requests from US authors, have interviewed up a storm for August, been invited to serve on the Inky's judging panel, lived vicariously through the numerous people attending ALA and renewed my The Cutting Edge obsession with scary intensity.

Statistics time - I have 165 followers, 237 subscribers and 180+ unique visitors a day. Not bad for someone who doesn't hold competitions :)

My reviews really fell off the bandwagon this month, only 12. That being said I covered several genres, some older publications, a number of Australian titles and renewed my faith in faery novels.

Reviews:
Review - Princess Ben / Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Review - Raw Blue / Kirsty Eagar *
Review - The Book of Luke / Jenny O'Connell
Review - Suite Scarlett / Maureen Johnson
Review - Beastly / Alex Flinn
Review - Pink / Lili Wilkinson *
Review - Saltwater Moons / Julie Gittus *
Review - Knife / RJ Anderson
Review - After / Sue Lawson *
Review - The Demon's Lexicon / Sarah Rees Brennan
Review - Lovestruck Summer / Melissa Walker
Review - Beautiful Creatures / Kami Garcia & Marga...
*Australian

Big News:
Call me Judge Snark...seriously!

Discussion Posts:
Teens on TV: I like 'em real
The Problem with Sequels...

In August:
The Inkys will be launched on the 20th of August, hurrah! My reviews will again be less frequent due to reading the Inky's longlist but I am hoping to post more discussion posts, so if you want to hear my take on anything just post it in the comments section. I will be posting my thoughts on the most realistic teens in movies this week as a follow up to my thoughts on teen realism in television.

This week you will see Michelle Zink as the subject of my Author Spotlight as Prophecy of the Sisters is released today.

Other interviews: Australian author Kirsty Murray, Lisa Mantchev, Lisa Ann Sandell and maybe more.

Reviews: Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, The Eternal Kiss and Beige.