7th Year Blogoversary!

I seriously cannot believe it's been 7 years since I first started this blog. It really doesn't feel like it, and that's due to how much fun I have with the members of this community and how much I love doing this.

I've talked about all the fun I've had over the years in previous posts. So I'm just going to focus on stuff that happened in the past year.

I missed BEA last year but to make up for it, I went to YALLFest for the first time and absolutely loved it. I got to meet so many people and see some friends again, and had a great weekend in Charleston. I cannot wait to go again this year.

During that time, I had gone through about a month of chemotherapy treatment by the time I went to YALLFest. I was diagnosed last September with Hodgkin's lymphoma and it amazed me so much how much love, support and generosity I got from the YA blogosphere. I feel so grateful for how many people prayed for me, kept me in their thoughts, and asked me how I was doing whenever I was at a book event (and lots of hugs too, which I loved!). While I obviously had so much love and support from my friends and family, having a whole online community looking out for me too made me feel so loved and cared for, and I cannot thank you all enough.

I also had another great milestone earlier this year with the publication of my first short story in the Best Gay Romance 2014 anthology. I was extremely excited to be included, especially among so many authors I admired, and it felt like fate. I randomly came across a retweet one morning in February of last year for a call for submissions and submitted. The other funny thing is that I rarely buy gay anthologies and adult novels, but back in 2009, I actually bought the first anthology Timothy and Becky did called Fool or Love and now they were my editors for this new anthology! I've continued working on some other short stories and submitted some others, and have made some great new writing friends- Gavin Atlas, N.S. Beranek, and Bryson McCrone who have been helping me with some feedback on my stories, which I really appreciate.

Again, thank you all for following and supporting me all these years and continuing to be such wonderful friends and peers. I am constantly astonished at the amazing authors, bloggers, and publishers I get to know and be friends with.

Also, I've started doing videos again on my Youtube channel, so please check them out and subscribe!!

6th Year Blogoversary Post!

So a few days ago (the 23rd, to be exact), my blogoversary happened and it's been 6 years now! Can you believe it? I also found out that Ticket to Anywhere, run by my friend Gail, started on the exact same day and year. It took us a few years to find each other, probably not until BEA 2010 or shortly beforehand. Book blogging was a whole different world back when I started. I mean, I had my blog on Myspace, of all things (which sucks because they got rid of the blogs, and I wasn't able to save all my reviews in time), and didn't move here to BlogSpot until 2009.

It always amazes me to look back at what I've accomplished with this blog, and all the amazing opportunities it's given me. I've reviewed over 600 books, met countless authors, publishing people, and bloggers, attended numerous events, have had meals and hung out with authors, attended several conferences and book festivals and so much more. It's been an amazing journey that hopefully will keep going on for a long time.

I cannot thank my readers and various other supporters enough. You guys have really kept me going all these years, showing your enthusiasm for my reviews and this blog as a whole. A lot of you love my vlogs, which I really need to get back into doing! It's been too long. I love getting comments that tell me you've gone out and bought the book because of my review, or are bumping it up your TBR. Or are interested in something an author said in one of my interviews. It makes me happy too seeing authors and publicists really getting behind me and my blog, and encouraging me. I've made some wonderful friends with authors, other bloggers, and a couple publicists. It's a world I'm so happy to be a part of; I don't know what my life would be like without this blog and without all those amazing wonderful books (ok, I probably would've just gotten them from the library, but they don't get everything!). I'm extremely grateful.

Now, for a bit of self-promotion- I wrote a guest blog for Gay YA earlier this month and it's been overrun by spam comments (but thank you to the two real people who commented!), so please leave some real comments in there. I'm very proud of it, and want to share it!

Finally, leave me some love in the comments. It'll do me good. :)

5th Year Blogiversary Post

Can you believe it? It's been 5 years!! Well, as of tomorrow. It's been such a fun ride and I love blogging so much. While I am cutting back on my blogging, it doesn't mean that I don't love it any less. I wish I could post every day with reviews 3 times a week but it's just not possible with my current schedule and goals.

But anyway, let's focus on the good stuff. In the past 5 years, I've:

- been quoted on/in three books: Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra (inside), Going Bovine by Libba Bray (on back of paperback as GuysLitWire), and Forever Summer by Alyson Noel (on back of book as Book Chic). It's thrilling to see my words and blog name in print on the back of or inside these awesome books.

- been to BEA 3 times (recap of this year's to start soon!), and ALA and RWA once. Every conference I go to is a blast and I love meeting fellow bloggers as well as awesome authors and publicists. It's also fun to be recognized, whether it's fellow bloggers who are fans of my blog or authors (Jennifer Echols literally yelled my name and waved at me at RWA during the literacy signing).

- done interviews and guest blogs and vlogs for authors and bloggers. You can go to my About Me page for links to all of them (it will be updated soon with 3 new interviews, so come back). I love doing these, so if you ever need someone, let me know!

- reviewed over 500 books! I don't know the exact number since I've been very lazy in updating my review page, but I do believe it is getting fairly close to 600. :)

- had some amazing experiences with authors, such as Maggie Stiefvater doodling in my copy of Shiver and it's now my header and on my business cards! There's also been Diana Peterfreund treating me to lunch (McDonald's but still!), Lisa McMann giving me $5, and having dinner at Shake Shack with Susane Colasanti and Elizabeth Eulberg which was totally unplanned and coincidental!

- made friends with some really wonderful bloggers, including Susan (Wastepaper Prose), Emily (Emily's Reading Room), Meaghan (A Bookworm's Haven), Kristi (The Story Siren), Cat (Beyond Books), Devyn, John (Dreaming in Books), Brent (Naughty Book Kitties), Pam (Bookalicious), Mitali, Lynsey (Narratively Speaking) and so many more.

- been a very lucky guy. There's a lot of blogs out there, especially now, and I'm extremely grateful to all my readers for staying with me and commenting as well as the authors and publishers who supply me with my reading material. It amazes me still that I'm able to get advance copies of books and I don't think that will ever change. I get so excited whenever a package appears on my doorstep or in my mailbox. This blogging journey has been so much fun, and I hope it continues for years to come.

Here's to 5 years (and 5 more!)!

4th Blogoversary Post!

For the past 3 blogoversaries, I ran contests and guest posts and had a huge celebration. Unfortunately, by now, I have WAY too many books to review to take off a week to celebrate my blogoversary. So I'm just doing a simple post and you all can comment to congratulate me or write something nice about me (I do like hearing nice things).

I am surprised that I'm already at my 4th Blogoversary. It seriously feels like just yesterday that I started the blog on Myspace. It surprises me to already see authors like Lisa McMann with their 4th book released and a 5th coming out in a few months. In the summer of 2007 when I started, Lisa was just starting the buzz for her debut Wake. It does not feel like 4 years ago.

I have had a wonderful time running this blog and getting to know other bloggers, my readers, authors, and publishing professionals. I love this community so much and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.

A fun surprise I got this month came from Khy of Frenetic Reader who told me that I had a blurb on the back of Forever Summer by Alyson Noel, a recent bind-up of her books Laguna Cove and Cruel Summer. Not only that, but the blurb is on Amazon as well! I was so happy to hear about that and I thank the publisher for choosing my review!

Thank you all for reading my blog and supporting me over these past four years! I really appreciate every follower I have, every comment I receive, every review copy I get, and every friend I've made. Please leave a comment telling me how awesome my blog and I are! :D

Three Year Blogoversary- Kristi from The Story Siren Guest Blog

Closing out the festivities this week is an awesome fellow blogger and friend, Kristi from The Story Siren! Yes, THE Kristi- I did have to bribe a few people just to get to her, and then had to sell my soul to get her to write the guest post (she has a lot of bodyguards; I guess fame has its costs...), but it was all worth it! Read on for some scandalous information...


THREE YEARS! That is so amazing! Is congrats even enough? WOW.

James and I have been ‘talking’ online since I first started my own blog, he was actually one of the few people who commented on my blog back in the stone ages..... he is really sweet like that. So I’ve always had a soft spot for James, even from the beginning.

I actually helped James celebrate his two year blogiversary, and I have to say, going back and looking at my post now..... it was ridiculously lame, but James was still nice enough to post it, lol. (James, what were you thinking! Did you even read that thing.... geez, embarrassing....)

But since helping James celebrate his two year blogiversary, I’ve had the chance to meet the real deal. As in, James in the flesh! And when I say flesh, I mean flesh, because I totally saw him half naked in his hotel room! No seriously! I did. Although it is much more innocent then it sounds, because you see it was really late and I crashed his hotel room when he was in bed asleep and then he happened to wake up and he just didn’t have a shirt covering his upper half.... see innocent. But still funny! But now I can say that I saw James half naked, and I like that.

I never realized how very shy James is in real life. I mean I am a shy person, but darlin’ you have me beat! But he was so very adorable! I just wanted to squeeze you, I really did. But I had to resort to hitting you and slapping your arm..... it’s a lot like how you would have the urge to kick a cute puppy..... er, that doesn’t look right. I apologize for hitting you. lol. I think that it must have been my inner ‘child-on-the-playground’ and I felt I had to hit the sweet boy because that was the only way I to tell him I liked him.

I will say that now that I’ve met James in real life, I like him even more.

So in closing, my dearest James. I wish you many more years of blogging ahead! Thank you for your constant support of your fellow bloggers and YA literature. Thank you for not being afraid to say what you feel and being the person you are. I’m so very blessed to call you a friend. (Saying that with the hopes that you still want to be my friend after you met me at BEA and I hit you multiple times..... although you did invite me to write a post for your blogiversary so that must mean something right.... ?)

I <3 U!


Isn't Kristi so sweet and awesome? Well, you all probably know that from reading her fantabulous blog. We are definitely still friends, especially since no bruises surfaced after the beatings she gave me, lol. Anyway, on to the contest, I've got a signed copy of Ballads of Suburbia (ARC) by Stephanie Kuehnert! To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on what Kristi said about me or what's got you excited for Ballads of Suburbia. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Jordanna Fraiberg Interview

On the final day of this blogoversary week, here's Jordanna Fraiberg, author of the fabulous book In Your Room, answering a few questions for me!

1) How do you handle bad reviews?

I try not to let bad reviews get to me. I personally think it's a bit arrogant to expect that *everyone* will love your book (although, let's face it, wouldn't it be nice?) and that there can be something to learn from a critical review, especially if the comments are thoughtful.


2) What are your criteria for finding bloggers to send review copies to?

I'm open to all bloggers and try to send review copies to as many that request one, as long as I have enough. I think it's great that there are so many book bloggers out there with such an avid interest not only in reading YA fiction, but in sharing their thoughts. Sending bloggers review copies so that their voices can be heard helps the industry as a whole since a YA novel's success is very much driven by its viral word-of-mouth. I'm so grateful for bloggers like you so I like to support them by sending them books. And hey, it's especially rewarding if they end up liking my work!


3) How did you find my blog, as well as any others you frequent?

Actually, you found me! I was so new to the industry when you contacted me for a review copy and it made my day -- especially since you were the very first to find me! I was even more excited after I checked out your blog and saw how thoughtful and well-written your reviews were. So, I really owe so much to you. You were my entree into this amazing world of bloggers. I have found other book blogs I like through sites like yours, by clicking on the comments or the followers' profiles, which has helped me discover more fabulous blogs. It's kind of like following a trail of bread crumbs and seeing where it leads you...


4) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews?

My only advice is to try and make the reviews as thoughtful as possible. As an author, I definitely want to know what you liked (or didn't) about a book, but I'm even more interested in the "why" of it all. Why you felt something worked or didn't work, why you found a character relatable or not, why certain themes might have resonated or others didn't, why you liked or didn't like the plot, etc., etc. Not only do these kinds of comments give insight into the blogger and what appeals to him/her, but it's also really helpful for the author.


5) Have you had a particularly memorable/meaningful review sent your way? What was it, and how did it make you feel?

I have gotten many memorable reviews and emails from readers, all of which I'm extremely grateful for. But if I had to pick just one, it would be yours, and not just because it's your blogiversary! As I mentioned above, you were the first blogger to contact me and I was so excited (and nervous!) when your review came in. But when I read it I was blown away, not just by how positive your review was, but also by how encouraging and supportive it was of me as a debut author. It made me realize that my book was actually out in the world -- and that it had the ability to impact people. It was a defining moment for me in making the transition to becoming a published author and I will never forget it!



Jordanna is one of the sweetest authors out there and I love chatting with her. It's been great fun getting to know each other these past two years. Anyway, today's contest is for an advance copy of Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart! To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on Jordanna's answers or what's got you excited for Dangerous Neighbors. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Amy Brecount White Guest Blog

Amy Brecount White is the author of Forget-Her-Nots, which came out earlier this year. We've had the pleasure of meeting a few times in person and chatting a lot online! Read on to see what Amy had to say about our encounters!


Congrats on your three-year blogoversary, James! Woo hoo! I'm so impressed by your commitment to YA books and authors. You have a great appreciation for good writing and originality. I always enjoy reading your reviews, because you have your own thoughts and you're honest.

We first met when James invited me to be the featured "Fresh New Voice of YA." I love that name -- great job, James!! -- because voice is so very important in YA novels. I felt honored to be asked to participate in this way cool feature. I had lots of fun answering the questions. (My favorite part was mentioning the Muse of gardening. I don't think there is one, but I should make one up. Maybe in a follow- up to Forget-Her-Nots ... hmmm.)

I've had the good luck to meet James in person several times. He and S. Robertson (aka WastePaperProse) came to the wonderful Virginia Festival of the Book last March. It was pretty funny, because I had an old "stupid" phone that wasn't working that well, and we were all trying to meet up. It was a comedy of texting and timing errors and missed cues for awhile, and then we finally saw each other. James is very sweet in person and lots of fun to hang out with, and I was thrilled to see him and several other bloggers in the audience for my reading and panel discussion. (Also on the panel were Jenn Hubbard, David McGinnis Gill, and Paula Chase Hyman.) It was the first warm weekend of the year after Snowpocalypse, so it was incredibly fun to hang out on the Charlottesville mall area and bask in the sunshine.

I also recently ran into James several times at BEA in NYC. Personally, I think it was very cool that so many bloggers went to BEA, and I loved meeting up with some for lunch and seeing them as we were all stalking the latest, greatest ARCS or signed books. (My triumph was an ARC of Plain Kate by Erin Bow and a signed audio version of The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.) However, I know that James snagged way more books than me, because he is one dedicated blogger, and I saw him almost everywhere I went. :-)

So congrats, James! I can't think of many bloggers who can boast a three-year longevity. Here's to decades ahead!! *raising a glass of Proseco*

Hugs, Amy (Brecount White)


Isn't Amy wonderful?! You're way too sweet and awesome, and I was so glad to see you so much during BEA! Now, on to the contest, I've got a signed copy of Amy's book Forget-Her-Nots! To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on what Amy said about me or what's got you excited for Forget-Her-Nots. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Lisa Mantchev Interview

I'd like to welcome Lisa Mantchev, author of Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream, both of which are part of the Theatre Illuminata trilogy. She stopped by to answer some questions for me!

1) How do you handle bad reviews?

I've gotten to the point where I try really hard not to read them. I've turned off Google Alerts (which I studied religiously when Eyes Like Stars came out!) and try not to go hunting for them on places like Amazon or Goodreads.

Still, the occasional one grabs me by the eyeballs, and my mantra is twofold:

"This person was not my target audience" immediately followed by a lot of internal name calling and nose-thumbing. *G*


2) What are your criteria for finding bloggers to send review copies to?

With Eyes Like Stars, I didn't so much as find bloggers as I put out the word that I was open to ARC requests and then filtered through those who responded. Mostly what I want to see is that the blogger has an established blog or website with at least a month or two of regular updates, writes thoughtful reviews in a timely fashion, that they are professional and courteous in their dealings with me and with others, and that they read YA fantasy.


3) How did you find my blog, as well as any others you frequent?

I almost always find new bloggers through other authors and bloggers... those Roll Calls in the sidebars of most sites come in very handy! Other times, I am approached via Facebook or Twitter or my website by people hoping to review the novels.


4) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews?

All opinions are welcome as long as they are grounded. Nothing tweaks my nose more than a review that says "Meh, I don't know why I didn't like this." In my mind, it's part of the reviewer's job to be analytical, to take the time to really think about why something worked or didn't work or why they couldn't connect with a given book. Similarly, squee-reviews (squeeviews? *might have coined a new phrase there) do nothing for me either, unless you can justify the squee.


5) Have you had a particularly memorable/meaningful review sent your way? What was it, and how did it make you feel?

I think I still cling to my Kirkus review for Eyes Like Stars... it was a starred one, and came in fairly early, so it was like a security blanket every time someone didn't care for the book. I could just sit in the corner, rocking, thumb in my piehole, clutching my review-blankey thinking, "Well, KIRKUS liked it, and Kirkus doesn't like anyone!" *G*


I'm wondering if every author has a review-blankey... they should hand them out at conferences! Also, I've done WAY too many squeeviews (I really like that word, Lisa!) in my reviewing history. Anyway, on to the contest, I've got a copy of A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on Lisa's answers or what's got you excited for A Conspiracy of Kings. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Susan from Wastepaper Prose Guest Blog

Today, I'd like to welcome blogger friend and fellow Virginia resident Susan of Wastepaper Prose to my blogoversary! Susan and I have gotten to know each other and hang out a lot since we first met not so long ago (only like half a year so far!) and it's been a blast. Here she is with her thoughts on our friendship:

When you’re a blogger in central Virginia you don’t tend to run into a lot of other bloggers. There just aren’t a lot of us here. And I’d like to say that when James and I met that we had a field of daisies moment – that our connection was effortless and instantaneous – but that would be a lie.

Honestly, I think James was scared of me.

I can’t blame him. I do tend to come on a little strong. Come to think of it. The first time he met me, I was sitting in Fountain Bookstore having a rather loud discussion about critique groups, mermaid sex, and epicly bad epic fantasy. Trust me when I say it was enough to send anyone running, and James and I hadn’t even been introduced yet!

It wasn’t until earlier this year, when I came to grips with the fact that Twitter wasn’t going away, that James and I reconnected. I forget how we ran across each other or who found who, but it happened and it allowed us to build a relationship that I don’t think we’d have otherwise. (In case you didn’t know, James is a bit shy.)

It gave us a buddy system to rely on. We could plan for events together, chat and get lost together. As Book Expo America drew near and I found myself in a jam, James was there and ready to save me.

Girl bloggers were flaking on me left and right. I had three roommates plan the trip out with me then fall through just over a month before. That was when I ran into James at a signing and we got to talking about it.

“Are you going to BEA?” he asked.

“Yes. But I’m homeless!” I said.

“Well, I have a room to myself and we can get a rollaway or something.”

Translation: We’ll make it work. James single-handedly rescued my BEA trip by offering to let me share his hotel room. But that’s just the kind of guy he is. He’ll bend over backwards for a friend.


Isn't that so sweet? Although Susan was the one to single-handedly upgrade our room at no extra cost to us, so kudos to her! Thanks for dropping by, Susan! Now, on to the contest, I've got a copy of Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on what Susan said about me or what's got you excited for Low Red Moon. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Cyn Balog Interview

Cyn Balog, author of Fairy Tale and the forthcoming Sleepless, has agreed to answer a few questions! Let's see what she has to say!

1) How do you handle bad reviews?

Not very well at first. I had to learn not to take them personally and to just let them go. My process is to ignore them for as long as possible. Before, I used to go to Goodreads and read my one-star reviews and cry into my keyboard. Now, I've been learning to laugh at them because even the most amazing books get bad reviews. Nobody is immune. And they really mean very little in the grand scheme of things. So says the author through gritted teeth.


2) What are your criteria for finding bloggers to send review copies to?

I don't want to turn anyone down, because I understand the difficulties of both sides. Publishers will only send to established blogs because they have a limited number of review copies and need to determine the best use of those, but then how does a blogger become established unless they have copies to review? Well, I check blogs to make sure that they've been around awhile and at least have been posting regularly, maybe if not on pre-releases, but at least on books that are already out there. That anyone can do, and it shows a commitment to blogging. Then I will send the name to my publicist as I don't send anything myself. If she can't send a book for review I try to send bookmarks, at least.


3) How did you find my blog, as well as any others you frequent?

All of my favorite blogs, I have on a reader I visit every day. Of course yours is one of them, obviously. It is like air and water and the TV show GLEE to me. I think that whenever I see someone make a good comment on another blog or maybe their tweet is retweeted, then I'll add them. I've gradually grown and added favorites over the years, so I have a lot of them.


4) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews?

Always write nice ones for my books. Har. Well, my thought is not to have a star-rating system. Why? Because when you have one of those, a lot of people will just say, "Oh, she gave that 3 stars, she just thinks it's okay" and then not read the rest of what you have to say. I personally, NEVER do that, but some people are in a hurry. I am sure the reason people write reviews in the first place is because they want people to read them, yes?


5) Have you had a particularly memorable/meaningful review sent your way? What was it, and how did it make you feel?

I just got a review for SLEEPLESS from Kirkus, which was glowing. After the bitch-slapping they gave me for FAIRY TALE, I'd been living in fear of them. I half-expected Kirkus to start picketing outside my window any day, holding up a YOU SUCK sign. So to not have that happen was great.


No one will ever hold up a "You Suck" sign in front of your house because you and your books are awesome! Look for my review of Sleepless coming in early July. Now, on to the contest, I've got an ARC of Siren by Tricia Rayburn. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on any of Cyn's answers or what's got you excited for Siren. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Suzanne Young Guest Blog

Today, we're welcoming Suzanne Young to the party! She is the author of The Naughty List, So Many Boys, and the forthcoming A Good Boy is Hard to Find, all part of the same series. She's also got two books coming out in 2011: A Need So Beautiful (Summer) and Delinquents (Fall), which both sound absolutely amazing. You can find out more about her at her blog!

WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN

I love you. There. I said it. Being a debut author is a scary experience. It’s like the first day of middle school only the school is populated with all the people you admire in the world. And nobody knows who you are.

But see, that’s when I met James. THE NAUGHTY LIST wasn’t even out in ARC form yet, but James had gotten a copy from my editor and then of all things… he emailed to tell me he loved it. To say I cried is an understatement. I CALLED MY MOM! It was the first time a real person (because my agent, editor and friends don’t count for unbiased opinions) had read my book. And James is now forever part of my life-changing publishing experience.

Now he’s more than that. He’s a friend, an advocate, a voice in YA review that I trust. I know that I can send him something and get his honest thoughts, even if it’s just me freaking out about a new idea. I also love his blog, the way he does a thorough job with his posts (including videos) and the way he reaches out to authors—debut or not.

James, I appreciate you. Thank you for sharing the journey with me.

Love,

Suzanne Young

Thanks so much for stopping by, Suzanne! That was really sweet of you!! As a bonus, Suzanne is giving away a signed set of The Naughty List and So Many Boys! So leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm EST on June 30 if you want to be entered. US Only though! Good luck to all!

Three Year Blogoversary- Courtney Summers Interview

I'd like to welcome Courtney Summers, author of the sparkly made-of-awesome books Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are, to my three year blogoversary! She's here to answer a few questions.

1) How do you handle bad reviews?

As long as I'm writing and being published, there will be people out there who hate my stuff. That's just the way it goes. It's important to remember a bad review is not a personal attack. When I see a bad review of my work, I remind myself that fiction is incredibly subjective and that bad reviews are usually strongly felt reviews. It's always a good thing to inspire a strong response from readers, in my opinion. It's the indifferent reviews that worry me!


2) What are your criteria for finding bloggers to send review copies to?

That the blogger--whether they're just starting out or have been long established--takes books seriously. That they're passionate about YA lit. In my experience, those types of book bloggers are definitely the majority, so that's lucky. But it makes it a bit painful to choose who to send books to when I have a very limited amount of ARCs. :)


3) How did you find my blog, as well as any others you frequent?

When I realized I wanted to write YA, I lurked about the YA book blogosphere. I was shy! Little Willow and Bookshelves of Doom were my very first book blogs and I read--and still read them--faithfully. When Cracked Up to Be was acquired by St. Martin's Press, more and more book blogs came on my radar. Sometimes I found them, sometimes they found me--which was the coolest thing. I discovered your blog in the later months of 2008, if memory serves me correctly, before Cracked Up to Be came out. I was also familiar with the He Said/She Said feature you do with Little Willow. I loved reading those! You guys dissect books in very fun and interesting ways and that quality extends into how you run your solo blog as well, which I also find fun and interesting to read. Your enthusiasm for YA definitely defines your blog. Also, this seems like a good time to say: happy anniversary! Here's to many more! It just wouldn't be the same without Book Chic!


4) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews?

Oh, gosh. Not really. Every book blogger has their own approach and their own voice, and these are the things that keep me reading their blogs time after time. Just keep doing what you're all doing and thanks for doing it!


5) Have you had a particularly memorable/meaningful review sent your way? What was it, and how did it make you feel?

Hmm. I have to be honest with you: every review that gets sent my way means a lot to me. As an author, it's very gratifying when people take the time to not only read your work, but to blog about it as well. I've been fortunate that many of the reviews I've gotten for both Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are have been so thoughtful and careful and constructive. It's really hard to describe how it feels to have a book you've written being on the receiving end of that kind of thing. It's amazing and not something I'll soon forget.


Thanks so much for stopping by, Courtney!! I'm glad you enjoyed those He Said, She Said posts; LW and I need to work on doing more of those! Now, on to the contest, I've got a signed copy of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on any of Courtney's answers or what's got you excited for Before I Fall. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Lisa Schroeder Guest Blog

Lisa Schroeder, author of the verse novels I Heart You, You Haunt Me, Far From You, and Chasing Brooklyn as well as the middle-grade novel It's Raining Cupcakes, has decided to drop in for my blogiversary! She's got an awesome guest blog on how we first met and her thoughts on my reviewing. Without further ado, here's Lisa:


I met James way back when he had first started blogging, on myspace. Wow, those were the days, huh, when lots of people still hung out on myspace and it was easy to friend people without knowing much about them. I'd friend people who enjoyed YA literature, and it was a great way to make connections.

I remember reading some of James' first reviews, and what I loved was how positive he was in them. Even if he didn't like something, he put a positive bent on it somehow. I also love what I think must be his favorite thing to say - "This book was simply amazing."

When my first novel, I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME came out, I really hoped James would review it because his reviews didn't scare me. I knew that no matter what he thought of the book, his review would be kind and thoughtful. And he would find good things to share even if there were things he didn't care for. It's scary having your first novel come out! Of course authors know not everyone is going to like it, but still, we don't want to be raked over the coals in a review. It can hurt!

Anyway, I scrolled through many, MANY reviews on myspace and found the one James did for I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME. Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? Here's what he wrote, way back on January 18, 2008.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
Ava's boyfriend Jackson has died, and she's at the funeral, with the knowledge that he has died. But when she returns back to her house, she begins to smell his signature scent- sandalwood, feels a shiver down her spine when she walks into various rooms, and hears and sees messages from what she supposes is Jackson. But he's dead, so he can't still be around… can he?

In this brilliant, haunting debut, Lisa Schroeder gives the reader a very well-executed balance of creepiness and sentiment. Written entirely in verse, this story follows Ava's life for a while after Jackson's funeral, and shows the emotion of losing a loved one extremely well. Quite honestly, it's a book with a premise I don't think I've found in any other YA book, and it's written with such passion. This is one amazing book from an extremely talented debut writer, and I'm sure you'll be seeing much more from her in the coming years.

Ahhh, see, I still read it and go - James, I LOVE YOU!!!

Three years is an amazingly long time to be blogging and doing book reviews. James, let me take this opportunity to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading your blog over the years, but even more, I've enjoyed getting to know you. You are just the sweetest person, and your love of YA literature shines through in everything you do on your blog. I'm so blessed to know you!!

Happy blogiversary - and many more!!!


Thanks so much for stopping by, Lisa!! I loved reading that and it brought a smile to my face. I've enjoyed getting to know you too and am so glad I've had the chance to read your wonderful books. Not only that, but I was right that we'd be seeing more of you- four books in three years! Also, I am now wondering just how many times I've called a book "simply amazing"; I should go research that...

Anyway, today's contest is for an advance copy of Virals by Kathy Reichs! To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on what Lisa wrote or what's got you excited for Virals. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.

Three Year Blogoversary- Daphne Grab Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Daphne Grab, author of Alive and Well in Prague, New York and The Star Shack (as Lila Castle), to the start of my three-year blogiversary!

1) How do you handle bad reviews?

Before I read any review I remind myself that it is just one person’s opinion, that there are other reviews out there that are positive, that every book gets at least a couple of bad reviews and that that is part of the process. Then I steel myself and read. If it’s positive I’m elated. If it’s mediocre, I try to focus on the good parts but then generally end up obsessing about the not so good parts. And if it’s straight up bad, I feel crummy, no two ways about it. I let myself sulk a bit, eat some chocolate, reread a good review and then force myself to move on.


2) What are your criteria for finding bloggers to send review copies to?

If I have copies of a book I will send to any reviewer that asks me. I also have a list of blogs I particularly like and I let those bloggers know about a book early, then am sure to send them ARCs. Book Chic would be pretty top of that list!


3) How did you find my blog, as well as any others you frequent?

I feel like we were newbies together- I was getting ready for my first book release and you had just started your awesome blog. I first found you on MySpace but then we also connected on Facebook. I wrote to ask if you would review the book and you agreed. With a lot of bloggers it would stop there but we hit it off and became cyber friends. We connected beyond books which was just a really cool thing. I’ve been so pleased to see your blog flourish and you were one of the first people I told about my new book!


4) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews?

Well, this will come around to bite me at some point but I think it’s important to be honest in your reviews. It’s tough if you’ve kind of connected to an author and I’m never a fan of a review that shreds a book and I also think you can always find something nice to say about a book. But if a weakness is there, you owe it to your readers to put it out there. I review books for Publishers Weekly and I try to be upfront about flaws while also always finding something positive to say.


5) Have you had a particularly memorable/meaningful review sent your way? What was it, and how did it make you feel?

So far my reviews for The Star Shack have been positive (it will not stay this way and I am dreading that first harsh review!). One I particularly like is from Kirkus because they say the characters are smart and articulate and that the book is a starry beach read. Somehow I just really like the starry beach read part. I am going to get reviewed by a newspaper in Charlotte and I am very excited about that- I’ve never been reviewed in a paper before. But honestly it is the blog reviews that I will keep with me the longest- people who’ve read the book and then put out their thoughts, fresh and unfiltered- when those are positive it is the most amazing feeling!

Let me close by saying how much I adore you, Book Chic- I am happily waiting for your review of this book, I look forward to your thoughts on my future books, and I am very thankful our paths have crossed and we have become friends!


Thanks so much for stopping by, Daphne!! You are too sweet! Now, on to the contest, I've got an advance copy of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on any of Daphne's answers or what's got you excited for The Replacement. The contest will be open until June 30th at 11:59 PM and is for North American residents only.