Armchair BEA 2012 - Real-Life Experiences

So it’s day 3 here at Armchair BEA and today’s topic is a discussion of real life experiences be they...partnerships with the local literary scene, attending author events and signings, or getting together with bloggers in your area.

And well…I think to myself, “Self, you don’t really have any stories.” Even though I’ve had my blog for over a year, I still feel so new at it all. I don’t have tons of followers. I’m getting more page views. But I don’t post daily. I can’t get ARCs of every book I want. I haven’t read every book that I want to read (that my friends is an unachievable goal). Shoot, I can’t even read every book I want to read that I own. Since I’m still “new” to blogging, there’s so much I feel like I don’t know--such as how do I go about hosting a giveaway be it self-sponsored or sponsored by someone else. I didn’t even know I should be looking into partnerships with my local library (which I’ve yet to visit by the way, a crime I know) or a locally owned indie-bookstore (do we even have one of those? And how do I not know the answer to that?). How exactly do I go about doing this, and what is the goal I’m trying to achieve by doing so? All of this must be well thought out ahead of time (I’m a planner, you see.). But I’m trying not to stress out about any of those questions because I’m sure it will all come in due time, and when it does, I’ll be ready for it. In the meantime, I’ll just keep reading any free moment I can. That is the point of this afterall.

I have only one story of meeting an actual author, and I’ve mentioned it on my site before; but I’ve never really gone into full detail mode. So I guess that’ll be my experience that I share. (What’s up with me being so repetitive with my Armchair BEA posts?)

My tale starts on a May day back in 2010. My husband and I are remodeling our house. Built in the 1960s, there’s been quite a lot of work we’ve had to put into it. Well, it so happens that my dad used to work for a contractor and has years and years of construction experience, and while we love to utilize that experience whenever we can, Russ tries really hard (and does a great job) of doing everything he can on his own—he’s independent that way. But it just so happens that this was a two man job—and by man I mean I couldn’t have really helped that much. So we planned it with my dad to come over and help Russ put in our new front door on May 22nd 2010.

While the men did manly things, screwed things in, hammered some stuff, made a few trips to Lowes, etc., I was supposed to be working on some school work (ugh!). And yeah, I did some of that. But I also got sidetracked researching something else and came across an Indie Bookstore in Fairhope, Alabama called Page and Palette. And so I stopped on their website. I wasn’t on their page mere moments before I saw that Richelle Mead, the author of the Vampire Academy series, would be stopping by their store that very same day from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for a book signing. Are you serious? I couldn’t believe my eyes. I literally stared at that site for several minutes re-reading their advertisement about her appearance. Because what in the world was a best-selling author such as herself doing coming to Alabama? We have no major cities, and Fairhope isn’t even the biggest city in Alabama by any stretch of the imagination (although it’s a pretty cool little place). But who cares? Spirit Bound (book 5 in the Vampire Academy series) released only days before, on May 18th. And so I guess this was just part of her book tour, albeit a weird stop along the way.

So what did I do? I panicked, a little. And then I called up my sister-in-law to tell her all about it and see if she wanted to make a spontaneous trip to Fairhope with me. It was only like 2 ½ hours away, and we have family in Mobile, so we were both semi-familiar with the area of Fairhope. We had to make this happen. I invited my sister to go with us, but at the time she hadn’t read the Vampire Academy series (she’s since listened to them all on audiobook) so she opted out of going. I literally had less than 2 hours to shower, get dressed, meet my sister-in-law in Montgomery (30 minutes away from my house), and then get on the road to Fairhope.

Holly (my SNL) finished reading Spirit Bound in the car on the way to the signing (I’d already finished it the night before at 1:40am). And we were off. We did get semi-lost. Though luckily our cousin from Mobile was able to give us directions to fix our mistake. I might have turned into oncoming traffic (who could see the concrete barrier separating the four lane? Not I). We arrived finally at Page and Palette only to be fairly close to the very back of the line. We waited patiently, Me talking of books, especially ones we saw on the shelves and such. I was too shy to say much to Richelle Mead once we got up there. Holly didn’t so much have that problem. It wasn’t that I was star struck so much as what is there that I could say that she hasn’t heard from thousands of other fans. Luckily I had Holly with me or we wouldn’t have gotten our picture taken with her.

Holly

After getting our books signed (only Spirit Bound because who knew you could get your others signed too?), we walked back to our car. Drove to Chick-fil-a, where I got a #5 Combo 8-pack with a Coke, yum, and where we laughed at some teenage girls that came in, and discussed how glad we were not to be that young (more to the point, that immature) anymore. And then proceeded to drive back to Montgomery. Dropped Holly off. And then headed home to Husband and my new front door.

That was probably one of the most spontaneous things I’ve ever done in my life. It was an extremely fun road trip and I’m glad I got to share it with one of my book buddies and for all intents and purposes sister. It was a really great day. My first author signing. I’ll never forget it.

Much appreciation to Page and Palette for hosting, organizing, and however they got her there. And major kudos to Richelle Mead for taking a chance on a small town in Alabama. I’ve since learned that Page and Palette hosts events as regularly as they can and have various other book signings and author events as well. Though Richelle Mead didn’t make it back to Alabama for Last Sacrifice like I hoped, maybe Page and Palette can persuade her (or her agent, publicist, whoever) to come by for one of the Bloodlines books. A girl can hope, right?

And that ladies and gent is my one experience—much longer than I intended it to be. If you have any ideas, suggestions, information, whatever about the topics I was stressing about at the beginning of this post, please feel free to leave them in my comments below, or email me if it’s too long (sandyrfarmer@gmail.com). What are your book experiences?

Armchair BEA 2012 - Best of 2012

Day 2's topic for Armchair BEA is Best of 2012.

Unfortunately, I kind of answered this with my introduction yesterday. But I have no problem being repetitive.

I've had 4 books that I've rated 5 Stars already in 2012. They are:

Push: 30 Days to Turbocharged Habits, a Bangin' Body, and the Life You Deserve! by Chalene Johnson (my review). Goodreads description--Fitness superstar Chalene Johnson creates a revolutionary 30-day system that will allow readers to transform their bodies, their diets, and their lives!

Chalene Johnson built a fitness empire from the ground up, selling over 6 million DVDs and helping legions of loyal fans shed pounds and transform their lives with her trademark enthusiasm and energy.

PUSH, Chalene’s first book ever, distills the wisdom that has made her a fitness queen into a totally unique 30-day system that will help readers reset their priorities, get their lives together, and lose weight for good.

Chalene gives readers the life-changing tools they need to change their habits with 30 days of practical steps that include pinpointing goals, reverse engineering a course of action to achieve them, and kicking the clutter—whether that means junk food, draining exercise regimens, or toxic relationships. In one month, readers will learn how to create layers of accountability and support so that success is their only option.

Additionally, Chalene shares 30 ridiculously easy and delicious Throw-and-Go recipes that she (a self confessed mess in the kitchen) created herself. And, of course, no book from Chalene would be complete without a workout! Chalene guides readers to find their soul mate workouts—the exercises they’ll love for life and that will never feel like work. Finally, she gives readers the Bangin’ Body Workout: the 30 moves they need for total body fitness—for life!

Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes (my review). Goodreads description--2011 Carol Award winner for Debut Author from ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers)Jenny Lucas swore she'd never go home again. But being told you're dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank-toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella's dad . . . Who doesn't yet know he has a daughter. As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything--to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . Even overcome the impossible. A stunning debut about love and loss from a talented new voice.

Clockwork Prince (Book 2 of The Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare (my review). Goodreads description--In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend (my review). Goodreads description--Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives:. Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us and under what circumstances. Mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions. Emotional boundaries help us to deal with our own emotions and disengage from the harmful, manipulative emotions of others. Spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God's will from our own and give us renewed awe for our Creator. Often, Christians focus so much on being loving and unselfish that they forget their own limits and limitations. When confronted with their lack of boundaries, they ask: Can I set limits and still be a loving person? What are legitimate boundaries? What if someone is upset or hurt by my boundaries? How do I answer someone who wants my time, love, energy or money? Aren't boundaries selfish? Why do I feel guilty or afraid when I consider setting boundaries?

I'm currently reading A Storm of Swords (Book 3 of A Song of Ice and Fire series) by George R. R. Martin. And while I'm not finished with it, I'm in a phase where I want to go back to it every time I have to put it down.

Goodreads description--Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world...

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

But the book I'm most looking forward to in 2012 (so far anyway) is The Golden Lily (Book 2 in Bloodlines series) by Richelle Mead. Goodreads description--The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series.

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

What do you guys think? What are you favorite 2012 treasures? Let me know!

Top 10 Tuesday - Childhood Favorites

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is: Top Ten Tuesday Rewind (Pick any past topic you want!). So I'm starting at the beginning of the list of past topics: Childhood Favorites.

First off, I’m not 100% sure what’s meant by "childhood" so I’ve got kind of an array of options. Not that I’m not young now, but looking back 13 years old seems so young. Especially because I teach the kids’ class at Bible study and I’ve got a 13 year old in my class. So…my childhood favorites range from books my mom used to read to me, and I eventually read for myself once I learned how, all the way to the books I was reading that were my favorites around 13 years old.

1) The Berenstain Bears by Jan & Stan Berenstain– Specifically The Berenstain Bears and No Girls Allowed (my favorite, wasn’t that the coolest club house EVER?)! We had them all! Mama read them to me, and I read them to myself. I loved them. The Berenstain Bears and the Truth; The Berestain Bears Visit the Dentist; The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food; The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV; The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room; The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers; The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners; The Berestain Bears and the Trouble with Friends; The Berestain Bears Get in a Fight; The Berestain Bears in the Dark; The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor; The Berestain Bears and Too Much Birthday…I could keep going. I, also, specifically remember that my dad disliked those books because he thought Mama Bear was too much of the disciplinarian and Papa Bear took too much of a backseat role. Gotta love my dad!

2) Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown – My love for this book didn’t come until I was actually 19 years old I believe so maybe it doesn’t count. But considering it is a children’s book, I thought it would apply. I'll always have a place to come home to...

3) James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl – My 4th grade teacher, Ms. B, introduced me to “chapter books” and while this wasn’t the first chapter book we read that year, it’s the one that I remember the most. Luckily for my class this book was made into a movie the same year and we got to take a field trip to see it in the theater. We also read How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell and Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor that year.

Amazon description--James Trotter loses his parents in a horrible accident and is forced to live-miserably-with his two wicked aunts. Then James is given some magic crystals that give him hope. But when he accidentally spills these crystals on an old peach tree, strange things begin to happen. A peach starts to grow and grow until James is able to climb inside and escape his awful aunts! And through this adventure, he makes some interesting friends, including Grasshopper, Earthworm, Miss Spider, and Centipede, and finally finds a place where he belongs. (Amazon)

4) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien – Read this one in the 5th grade under the Dragon Lady. Between this one and James and the Giant Peach…extreme worlds of imagination for a kid. Great books. I also remember making a rat out of playdough and then painting it after our teacher baked them. Loads of fun at that age.

Goodreads description--Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. (Goodreads)

Most kids around the age of 11-12 around me at the time were reading The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin and Goosebumps by R.L. Stine, and yeah, I read some of those too. But neither were my favorite.

5) Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniel – My first experience with books where a girl has a crush on a boy. Well maybe not my very first experience, but pretty close to it. And my first book about cancer. Double-whamy. I really enjoyed watching Dawn Rochelle grow up. Books in this series are: Six Months to Love, I Want to Live, So Much to Live For, and No Time to Cry. And recently a new addition to the Dawn Rochelle story is To Live Again.

Goodreads description--Thirteen is supposed to be a great age--dances, cheerleading, boys--she never thought it would also include cancer. Dawn Rochelle is about to face the toughest fight of her life--a fight she has to win. Otherwise, she has only six months to live.(Goodreads)

6)Angels Watching Over Me by Lurlene McDaniel – Pretty much after reading the Six Months to Live series, I read everything Lurlene McDaniel wrote that I could get my hands on. And this was probably my 2nd favorite series that she wrote. Also my first experience reading about the Amish culture. And Ethan was probably the first character I ever developed a crush on while reading. I’d say “give me a break I was only 12” but the fact is I’m older and married and I still do it. So sue me. The books in this triology are: Angels Watching Over Me, Lifted Up By Angels, and Until Angels Close My Eyes.

Goodreads description--Happy Holidays! Bah humbug. "Happy" is not the way Leah Lewis-Hall would describe herself at the moment. She's spending her twelve days of Christmas in an Indianapolis hospital, while her mother is thousands of miles away on a honeymoon with husband number five. Leah went to the doctor with nothing more than a broken finger, but he ordered her to undergo some tests. Now she's stuck in the hospital, alone.

Then Leah meets her hospital roommate, a young Amish girl named Rebekah, and her big family. Cynical sixteen-year-old Leah has never known people like this before. From Rebekah's handsome brother, Ethan, who can barely look Leah in the eye, to her kind older sister, Charity, the Amish family captivates Leah with its simple, loving ways. When Leah receives frightening information about her condition, her new friends show her that miracles can happen. And that sometimes angels appear in the most unexpected places. (Goodreads)

7)I Do by Elizabeth Chandler - My first experience with lacrosse and journalism. And Adam was major drool worthy.

Goodreads description--Weddings are the perfect place to fall in love...

Jane is not looking forward to being the maid of honor in her cousin Stacy's wedding. To make matters worse, Adam, the biggest jerk at Tilson High, is going to be the best man! The last thing Jane wants to do is walk down the aisle with him. But the more Jane gets to know Adam, the more she realizes that he's actually a very cool guy. And now she finds herself wishing that the wedding would last forever...(Goodreads)

8) What We Did Last Summer by Elizabeth Craft – Goodreads description--After the perfect romance with sexy Josh Nelson, Sara Connelly is devastated to part ways and return to her hometown at summer's end. But Sara's spirits are quickly lifted when she finds out she's moving to Connecticut--where Josh lives! When Sara sees Josh in the halls of her new school, she knows they're meant to be together...until she meets Josh's girlfriend.

Sara does what any intelligent, heartbroken girl would do--she tells Josh she has a boyfriend. And she does...kind of. Her new buddy Tim Kaplan just happens to be a cute guy. After a lot of begging and pleading, Sara convinces him to play along. Tim slips into the role perfectly--so perfectly, in fact, that Josh is soon longing to pick up where he and Sara left off. At last Sara has Josh right where she wants him...but is he still the one she wants? (Goodreads)

9) Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan - I can't remember which Lois Duncan book I read first, but Killing Mr. Griffin is the one that stands out the most.

Amazon description--They only meant to scare him.

Mr. Griffin is the strictest teacher at Del Norte High, with a penchant for endless projects and humiliating his students. Even straight-A student Susan can't believe how mean he is to the charismatic Mark Kinney. So when her crush asks Susan to help a group of students teach a lesson of their own, she goes along. After all, it's a harmless prank, right?

But things don't go according to plan. When one "accident" leads to another, people begin to die. Susan and her friends must face the awful truth: one of them is a killer.

Leave the lights on when reading this classic thriller! This new edition features modernized text and a new introduction by Lois Duncan, the master of teen horror. (Amazon)

And finally...

10) Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan - And if I remember correctly, this was my first experience reading about astral projection.

Amazon description--Laurie Stratton finally has everything a sixteen-year-old could ever want. But just as her perfect summer comes to a close, things start to unravel when her boyfriend insists he saw her out with another guy-when Laurie was really home sick! More mysterious sightings convince Laurie someone very real is out there, watching her. . . .

The truth reveals a long-lost sister who has spent the years growing bitter and dangerous. She has learned how to haunt Laurie, but the visits soon become perilous. She wants something from Laurie-her life!

I don't know about you guys, but I've noticed my neices and nephews are reading earlier and more advanced books than I did at their same age. Sometimes I wonder if that's such a good thing. But ultimately, I'm just happy they're reading. What do you guys think? Did you read any of these growing up? What were you favorite childhood books? Let me know!

Armchair BEA 2012 - Introductions

So I have no idea how out of the loop I am/was. I've been backed up on emails this past week so when I finally started going through them I saw all these bloggers I follow talking about going to BEA (BookExpo America) and I was totally jealous. I might have to see about making a trip to NYC next year--which if any of you know me very well will know that's a major step outside of my comfort zone. But I'm sure it would be totally worth it. Anyway, I can participate in Armchair BEA this year. And that's what I'm going to do.

Day 1: Introductions

1) Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

My name is Sandy, and I love books. Let's face it...I love love stories. Of course that's not the only thing I love about reading, but it's a major aspect I love. And while a love story isn't necessary for me to read or love a book, it sure does help. I live in Alabama and work as a computer programmer at an insurance company (nerd much?). But I'm still really new at that, so I don't know what I'm doing most of the time. I'm married to my best friend who completes and balances me in so many ways it's amazing. And I praise God for bringing him into my life.

I started blogged in March 2011, but I wasn't really sure what I intended the blog to become so I didn't tell anyone about it really until January 2012. I've always loved to read but within the last 5 years my reading has increased exponentially. I've got several friends that are readers too and surprisingly most of us have similar tastes in books. I find myself being pushy about books I want my friends to read, but I can't help being passionate about what I love. Ultimately, I found that while we started in a very similar place and read all of the same books, my friends have begun branching off. Some read at a slower pace, some just don't read as often, some want to read different books, and various other reasons have gotten us seperated. Blogging became the best way for me to get my thoughts out about books that I'm reading when I'm reading them and a way to connect me to a community of other readers.

2) What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

I'm currently reading George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords. But my favorite books of 2012 have been Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend for giving me an entirely new way of seeing how people relate to each other, Push by Chalene Johnson for pushing and challengeing me (go figure), and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare for being one of those books that makes me scream "yes" and "no" all in the same book.

3) Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I workout five to six times per week...and mostly I love it. Obviously, I wouldn't be human if there weren't days when I hate it. We have one of those relationships.

4) What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

Well obviously I love reviews. They are the reason I started blogging in the first place. But there are two memes that I specifically love participating in. They aren't unique to my blog, but I enjoy them so much they need mentioning: In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and Top 10 Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Both of these memes are great networking opportunities. But more than that, I love being exposed to new books that are being released, but with In My Mailbox you get to see books that aren't only new releases but often times books that have been published for some time. It's really interesting to me to see the variety of new releases plus older books in different bloggers mailboxes. Top 10 Tuesday is just a really fun meme. So far the topics for each week have been really fun and interesting, and I enjoy reading other bloggers top 10 lists just as much as I enjoy creating my own list.

5) Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

Actually, my favorite post might be the one I plan to post for tomorrow's Top 10 Tuesday. The topic for tomorrow is kind of a freebie of all the past topics, and since I'm new to this meme, I have all of the past topics to choose from. I decided to start at the beginning and therefore my Top 10 Tuesday topic will be Childhood Favorites. I'm really excited to post it and hope you guys check it out.

Other than that, I'm really critical of my writing and my posts, so it's hard for me to say.

6) What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

My favorite part of the book blogging community is seriously how much of a community it is. I've never experienced so many people that love reading in my life. It's great to be in contact with others who share your passion, and I've yet to encounter someone I wish I hadn't.

I'm not sure I've been an active part of the community long enough to note any changes I'd like to see. But one of my favorite quotes is about being the change you wish to see, so you can bet that if I find something I'd like to see changed that I'll start with myself and my own blog and hope to inspire change that way.

7) Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Um, I think in some ways my reading tastes have changed. I still love my YA genres, but I've branched out some since blogging. Most notably I've read and reviewed several non-fiction books in the last year.

That's it for my introduction, if you're participating in Armchair BEA let me know so I can check out your posts. If not, feel free to answer any of the questions above in my comments so I can get to know you better.

Partials - Review

Partials (Partials, # 1)

By: Dan Wells

Published:February 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

468 Pages

Source: Won in a giveaway hosted by ReadingDiva's Blog

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

(Goodreads | Amazon)

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description—Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is stillimminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rest in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica. Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

When does book 2 come out? Anyone know? HA! Going to have to wait a bit for book 2 since this one hasn’t been out very long. But I guess you can tell that I liked it.

At the beginning of Partials, Kira and Marcus are already together. On the one hand, it was a different experience to jump into a book with an already established relationship. And you know me, I like different. I revel in different. And perhaps under different circumstances I might have loved jumping into the middle of their relationship. However, I just kind of didn’t. I’m not sure if it was the building of the relationship that was really missing or the fact that for a large chunk of the book Marcus is MIA, but overall, I felt a general lack of attachment to his character’s relationship with Kira. It could be that had I been able to experience the beginning of their relationship—where they initially fall in love—I would have felt more attached to him and thus them as a couple. But instead Kira and Marcus have one of those relationships that has been for just about always—at least for about as long as they’ve known each other. And we all know how sometimes those relationships need a good stir. Sometimes they need to be reminded of why they love each other, and sometimes they need to realize that there’s so much more out there than what they have. It could have also been that we just don’t get to spend enough one on one time with Marcus and Kira, I’m not sure. And while Kira and Marcus repeatedly declare their love for one another, I’m left…well…unconvinced. I’ve got questions in my head about where this is headed and how it’s going to turn out, but I’ll let you read it and raise your own questions.

Partials is not a “funny” book by any means, but Marcus still made me actually laugh out loud—a rarity but I do so love when that happens. I won’t spoil that for you either, but I will say that it involves maintaining control over his bladder functions. –“YAY” for him and “YAY” for Dan Wells.

I enjoyed Kira’s character. Kira desperately wants a better future for her world. She’s willing to do whatever is in her power to effect change in her world. She creates the change she wishes to see in her world. Yet another strong, independent, capable female lead. She’s a medic. She goes on scavenger trips. She decides she’s personally responsible for finding a cure to this awful virus plaguing their newborn babies and their world. She breaks the law. She carries a rifle (and uses it). She’s not scared to attack and hopefully capture the enemy and thus perform lab tests and experiments upon him for the sole purpose of finding this cure. She forces herself to run on a recently burned leg. She breaks into places and breaks out of places. She’s smart, brave, purpose-driven, and compassionate. And this is only the beginning. Never a victim, Kira repeats over and over to herself that she is stronger than her trials. (If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s the victim mentality.) Kudos Kira!

And yet I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of Partials. It’s a highly suggested read. 4.5 Stars. Check it out!

Updated: July 7, 2018