readergirlz’s knockout November lineup

If you thought that all of the special events at readergirlz got used up in October, with our amazing week of live chats for Teen Read Week and the featured chat with Ms. Libba Bray, well… think again. November is another stellar month at readergirlz. Check it out:

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, our featured author this month is Marlene Carvell, whose novel Sweetgrass Basket, is the readergirlz pick. I read it just a few weeks ago. Written in prose poetry in alternating voices, it is the story of two Mohawk sisters who are sent to a residential school. It’s about the power of a strong sisterly bond, and the importance of protecting one’s culture and traditions in the face of oppression. I found it a very moving read. Discussion will be happening all month long at the blog, and the live chat with Marlene will be on Tuesday, November 24th at 6pm PST.

On November 21st at 6pm PST at the blog, we’ve got a fun Twilight event planned to coincide with the release of New Moon in theatres. This is sure to be a packed chat – with lots of twihards in attendance!

Finally, on November 30th at 6pm PST at the blog, you absolutely must join in the readergirlz RAVE chat Homecoming event. So, so many outstanding authors who have been featured on readergirlz in the past will be joining in that night for a giant live chat. (I cannot even imagine how busy that will be. I’m not sure the chat program will be able to handle the insanity). Here are just some of the people who will be joining us that night: Mary Pearson, Sara Zarr, Laura Resau, Libba Bray, Kristin Cashore, Cecil Castellucci, Ellen Hopkins… and more! Wow. Incredible. That will be a chat to remember.

So pick up Sweetgrass Basket this month and join in at all three of these amazing readergirlz events.

 

 

readergirlz goes fantastical: Teen Read Week Day 5

After a week of simply outstanding author events at readergirlz, tonight is the Gala closing event: into our beyond, with readergirlz diva Dia Calhoun and pioneer YA Sci-Fi Sylvia Engdahl.

I am certain this is going to be a really special event, with two outstanding fantasy writers to wrap up the week. Here are a few great links about Dia and Sylvia:

Sylvia, at Teens Read Too (and a wonderful page full of all the cats Sylvia has ever loved)

Dia, at Little Willow’s

Come celebrate the end of a great week-long party with the readergirlz gang, tonight at the blog at 6 pm PST.

readergirlz goes fantastical: Teen Read Week Day 4

Teen Read Week Day 4 at readergirlz. That’s today!

I may be a tired Elf, burning the midnight oil here in Canada to participate in the chats, but I’m a smiley Elf. It’s so much fun hanging out with such talented authors and lovely readergirlz, chatting about fantastic books. Join us please! (Just keep drinking coffee and we’re all going to make it!)

Tonight is another amazing lineup: readergirlz diva Melissa Walker, Cassandra Clare and Patrick Ness. Going to be good.

Here are a few teaser treats:

Melissa, at a fab feature all about her at M.I.S.S.

Cassandra, at Cynsations

Patrick’s Q&A at Publishers Weekly

Seriously. We are dripping with talent here. Don’t miss it.

readergirlz goes fantastical: Teen Read Week Day 3

The Teen Read Week fun just keeps going today, as we hit day 3 of live chatting at readergirlz. Tonight, the theme is: Beyond Daily Life, featuring the fantastic Holly Cupala, Lisa McMann and Cynthia Leitich Smith. Wowza! That’s a lot of talent in one sentence.

Swing by the blog tonight, at the usual time (6 pm PST), to keep the party grooving. To introduce you to tonight’s talented trio, here’s some good stuff:

Holly, at her own blog, showing off her pink hair

Lisa, at Authors Unleashed

Cynthia, at In Bed With Books

See you this evening!

readergirlz goes fantastical: Teen Read Week Day 2

Were you at the first livechat at readergirlz last night, in celebration of Teen Read Week?

It was awesome!

Come on back for night #2: Beyond Hardship, with readergirlz diva Lorie Ann Grover, and fellow writers Elizabeth Scott and Lynn Weingarten.

Interview teasers:

Lorie Ann, at Book Crumbs

Elizabeth, at Becky’s Book Reviews

Lynn, at In Bed With Books

See you tonight at the readergirlz blog!

readergirlz goes fantastical: Teen Read Week Day 1

It all starts tonight for Teen Read Week. This evening’s author chat theme: Beyond Imagination.

And look who’s coming:

Justina Chen Headley

Alyson Noël

Zoë Marriott

To get you in the spirit, here are a few interviews:

Justina, here at Shelf Elf

Alyson, over at Little Willow’s

Zoë, at The Compulsive Reader

Tonight you get to chat with these ladies live at the readergirlz blog. Yay for Teen Read Week!

readergirlz October: Libba Bray & The Sweet Far Thing

Big month at readergirlz in October! There is so much going on, and at the heart of it all is Libba Bray, the author of The Sweet Far Thing, the featured title this month.

Hang out with Libba, the readergirlz, the divas and postergirlz at the readergirlz blog all month long for great discussions and then join in the rgz LIVE chat with Libba on October 28th. Learn more about Libba and be amazed by the accolades her series has received by checking out this post at the rgz blog. I’m pretty sure that October 28th will be one of the busiest (and funniest) chats we’ve had. Why funny? Well, take a look at Libba, promoting her new book Going Bovine:

The Sweet Far Thing is the final book in Libba’s Gemma Doyle Trilogy, which is completely captivating (and really long – a delicious combination for us lucky readers). Here’s the a trailer from Borders:

One question for those who know the books: what’s with the Kartik actor here? First… doesn’t look Indian to me. Second, not really gorgeous, as I had imagined him. Something to ask Libba about at the chat perhaps?

Three cheers for October at readergirlz! It’s going to be a great month.

readergirlz Read Beyond Reality

I am beyond excited about what readergirlz has planned for YALSA Teen Read Week. The theme for this year’s Teen Read Week is Read Beyond Reality (I love all the directions this theme can go!) Here’s an excerpt of the press release explaining how readergirlz is getting involved this year:

In support of this tremendous literary initiative, the readergirlz divas will host nine young-adult authors—eight of whom are nominees for the Teens’ Top Ten—throughout Teen Read Week. By visiting http://readergirlz.blogspot.com, teens will be able to chat with these author stars, live, to ask burning questions about the authors’ books, find out about their daily lives, and learn about their writing process.

The week’s chats will culminate with an online gala celebration, where Sylvia Engdahl, a pioneer in young-adult science fiction, will be hosted and honored for her contributions to the literary landscape.

Like the monthly chats readergirlz is known for, the five-day series of candid online conversations with authors includes giveaways of signed books and swag from iHeartDaily.com. Promising to be a stellar week, the complete line-up is as follows:

* Monday, Oct. 19: Beyond Imagination with authors Justina Chen Headley (NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL), Alyson Noël (EVERMORE) and Zoe Marriott (DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES)
* Tuesday, Oct. 20: Beyond Hardship with rgz diva Lorie Ann Grover (HOLD ME TIGHT), Elizabeth Scott (LIVING DEAD GIRL) and Lynn Weingarten (WHEREVER NINA LIES)
* Wednesday, Oct. 21: Beyond Daily Life with rgz diva Holly Cupala (TELL ME A SECRET), Lisa McMann (WAKE) and Cynthia Leitich Smith (ETERNAL)
* Thursday, Oct. 22: Beyond Our World with rgz diva Melissa Walker (LOVESTRUCK SUMMER), Cassandra Clare (CITY OF ASHES) and Patrick Ness (THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO)
* Friday, Oct. 23: Into Our Beyond with rgz diva Dia Calhoun (AVIELLE OF RHIA) and pioneering YA sci-fi author Sylvia Engdahl (ENCHANTRESS FROM THE STARS)

It all happens at the rgz forum (http://readergirlz.blogspot.com) beginning at 6 p.m. Pacific Time (9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time), Oct. 19-23.

Read the full press release by readergirlz publicist Sara Easterly here. Head to the blog for the downloadable rgz Teen Read Week poster, plus the groovy banner in all sorts of sizes designed by diva Holly Cupala (what can’t this gal do?)

Now watch the trailer:

(Holly’s work again!) I plan to read as many of the featured books as I can before next month. Right now, I’m working on Wherever Nina Lies. Review soon!

Can’t wait to Read Beyond Reality! Be sure to join in!

readergirlz September: GRACELING!!!

Yippee yippee yay yay yay! It’s Kristin Cashore this month at readergirlz, author of Graceling, one of my favourite books EVER (not exaggerating even the tiniest bit, honestly).

First, race on over to the readergirlz blog to welcome Kristin and check out her playlist for the book. You’ll also find the awesome recommended reads selected by us postergirlz, including another one of my best-loved books of late, Princess Ben. The blog is the place to be all month long to chat about the book and to get to know more about Kristin. Cannot. Wait.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristin last year. Read that interview here.

Read my gushy review of Graceling too, while you’re at it.

Just to make all this even sweeter, Fire, the companion novel to Graceling is released this month.

The chat will take place at the blog on September 16th at 6pm PST / 9pm EST. Do not miss it!

Secret Keeper

I was so impressed by Mitali Perkins’ Rickshaw Girl when I read it two years ago for the Cybils awards that I had a humming excited feeling as I prepared to read her latest, titled Secret Keeper. Today I turned the last page one very happy reader. This is a beautiful book that you won’t soon forget, a story about true sisterhood that is full of heart and heartbreak and characters you’ll care about.

Set during the political turmoil in India in the mid-1970s, Secret Keeper focuses on a family facing a major transition. Asha’s father loses his job and makes the difficult decision to leave his family behind to travel to America to look for work. He plans to secure a job and then send for them to join him. This means that in the meantime, Asha, her older sister Reet, and their mother must move from their home in Dehli to Calcutta to stay with Baba’s brother and his family. This is not something that anyone really wants. Even though Uncle is welcoming and quite kind to his relatives, since he is the man of the house, the three women are entirely at the mercy of his decisions. They wait for word from Baba, hoping that it won’t be long before they leave to start their new life in America. Things don’t progress quickly, however, and money starts to run low. Reet’s beauty attracts a lot of attention in the neighborhood, and soon there are marriage proposals. Asha doesn’t want to lose her sister, and she has never felt more confined by the traditions and expectations of her Uncle’s household and the community beyond. She dreams of continuing her education and having the freedom to do the things she loves, to play sports and enjoy herself like her cousin Raj. She escapes to the rooftop where she writes in her diary and steals some time for herself. In these stolen moments, she meets the boy next door, Jay Sen, and over time, the two begin to care for one another. Then news arrives from America that changes everything and sets Asha and her family on a course none of them ever imagined.

Secret Keeper is incredibly moving. It kind of sneaks up on you, because at first it’s just the story of a family, going through a lot of changes, but then it slowly becomes a lot more than a simple family story. Mitali creates the relationship between Asha and Reet so convincingly. I can’t think of a YA novel in which I’ve appreciated a depiction of sisterhood more than here. Their bond comes through on these pages with real intensity, which makes what happens in the later part of the novel heartwrenching, and really quite unforgettable. You will be inspired to imagine these characters ten, twenty, fifty years down the road in their lives. You will wonder what happened after. I love books like that. I think Mitali also has a talent for writing about the culture of distant places in a way that is fully integrated with the rest of the story. You will never feel like she’s just taking a moment to fill you in on Indian society before getting back to the narrative, and yet you finish her book feeling as if you have gained substantial insight into a different place and the people who lived there. Another thing I admire in this story is the ending. It’s hard, but it’s perfect. Mitali didn’t choose the easy way out. I kept waiting for something to happen to take the story towards a more conventional “happily ever after,” but it is just right.

I’d seen the book trailer for Secret Keeper when it came out earlier this year, and for some reason it left me with the impression that the story was middle grade, so it came as something of a surprise as I was reading along that this is definitely a book for teens that deals with intense emotions and issues.

Secret Keeper is rich and powerful and crafted by a writer of true talent. I’m not waiting two more years to read all the rest of Mitali’s books. I’m off to the library right now.

Secret Keeper is published by Delacorte.