Review: The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati

The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati

Expected Publication: October 11th 2016 by Delacorte Press

Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disorder, almost triumphed once; that was her first suicide attempt.

   Being bipolar is forever. It never goes away. The med du jour might work right now, but Zero will be back for her. It’s only a matter of time.

   And so, in an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list.

   The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.

   This is a story of loss and grief and hope, and how some of the many shapes of love—maternal, romantic, and platonic—affect a young woman’s struggle with mental illness and the stigma of treatment. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you, Karen, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

   There are books you know you will like, and there are books that manage to exceed all your hopes and expectations. The Weight of Zero was high on my list of anticipated reads of 2016 and it didn't fail to deliver, beat all my expectations by a tenfold and easily stands a giant chance at being my book of the year 2016, even though it's only April.

   The Weight of Zero belongs to my favorite kind of books, those contemporaries that deal with hard topics such as depression and bipolar, as in the case of this one. Knowing that, I was painfully aware, and afraid, of all the tropes that could possibly litter this one, but, thankfully, I found none of them. The Weight of Zero shows a very truthful and realistic, raw and honest portrayal of those two mental illnesses, of life, friendships, and love with them, and it does it brilliantly.

   Our protagonist in The Weight of Zero is Catherine who, as mentioned before, is suffering of bipolar and depression which drives her to the decision that, at some point in the foreseeable future, she wants to commit suicide. That sounds really sad, might be discouraging to some, but her tale isn't sad. It's very honest, intriguing and funny at times, offering insights into both the social and psychological aspect of living with a mental illness, or multiple ones. 

   I absolutely loved Catherine. Her voice felt like that of a young adult with quirks and thoughts that felt like ones something someone of her age would actually have. I loved how passionate she was about their history project, loved her relationship with her new friends and the way she started to change over time. Her character arc was amazing and I loved every second of it. She wasn't one of those perfect Mary Sue type girls who only realized their true worth and everything because of a boy, no, she does it all on her own and it's beautiful to watch. Something else that stood out to me was how she learned to differentiate between her self and her illness, understanding that they are two different things, not a single one.

   Speaking of her friends, I loved Kristal. She was an amazing character, a wonderful friend, and just generally someone I would love to be friends with in real life. I loved every scene in which we saw the two of them interact, even the sadder ones, because it really felt like reading about two young girls and not forty year old philosophers.

   And Michael was just perfect in every way. He wasn't your typical swoon worthy "Mr. Six pack I could have every girl I want and I'm a bad boy" type love interest, but rather an ordinary boy with a wonderfully crazy family. He was amazing, toward Catherine and his friend. He also seemed like someone I would have loved to be friends with during my school times.

   Another thing I loved about The Weight of Zero was the fact that it showed that the right medication and psychiatrist can really have very positive effects on you and your journey with mental illnesses. Usually, we only see medication shown in a either neutral or negative way, but here we see the positive one, which is definitely something I wish we could see more often. The same goes for Catherine's psychiatrist who is great at his job and shows that they are really there to help you and not make you feel worse or force you into talking and doing things you don't want to my manipulating you.

   When it comes to Karen Fortunati's writing style, I can only say that I think it's amazing and her voice for Catherine was intriguing, realistic and great. Her trains of thoughts made sense, the way she described certain scenes and moments was captivating, and it really made you feel whatever it was that was happening to Catherine. I cannot wait to see what Karen will write next because I will definitely read it.

   All in all, I think The Weight of Zero is one of those wonderful examples of a hard topic book done very much very right. It shows a really realistic view at mental illnesses and living with them, it gives you hope and shows that you can still have a normal and happy life despite them, that even during dark moments, there are still good ones. So I can only dearly recommend this book on so many levels, no matter if you're looking for a book with wonderful friendships, a cute romance or a hard topic book in general, this one is a very good choice fitting all three of them.

I give The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati 5 out of 5 Stars.

Hamilton Book TAG

   Welcome to the Hamilton book TAG!

   Just like basically everyone else in the book community, I'm obsessed with Hamilton. For

those who don't know, Hamilton is a musical that is basically the big thing right now. Getting tickets is basically impossible since it's just THAT good. It took me a while until I actually checked it out, despite having seen people talk about it on twitter like crazy. But once I checked it out, I can't stop anymore.

   This TAG was created by maureenkeavy over on YouTube and I discovered it through polandbananaBOOKS. Of course I immediately thought that I simply have to do it too. So strap yourselves in and let's get this party starting!

   THE QUESTIONS:

   1. The Room Where It Happens: Book world you would put yourself in.

   Okay, this is probably my favorite song of the entire musical because of just how upbeat and fun it is, a great song to dance to. But that's not the point. 

   Okay, the answer I think is definitely a no-brainer, since I'm sure everyone and their grandmother will say this very same one: Harry Potter. I mean, why would you want to live in any other fictional world when you can live in the wonderful world of Harry Potter. And don't tell me I can't pretend I'm 11 so I can go to Hogwarts.

   2. The Schuyler Sisters: Underrated Female Character.

   This one was a tricky one because I had the option between going with an obvious or different answer. In the end I think I want to go with the latter, a non-obvious answer. So, I will go with Maddie Freeman from the Awaken trilogy by Katie Kacvinsky. I love her character, love the trilogy, and am really sad that so few people have read it and appreciated her and the world she fights against.

   3. My Shot: A character that goes after what they want and doesn't let anything stop them.

  Another one of my favorites from Hamilton. This was actually the first song I ever heard from it during their live stream from the White House.

   For this one I'm going to do with Penryn from Angelfall. Throughout the entire book her only focus was finding her sister and she didn't let anyone get in her way of doing just that. There was no getting sidetracked, no forgetting about it for half the book and then being offered some lame quick solution, but it was THE thing on Penry's mind.

   SPOILER WARNING!

   4. Stay Alive: A character you wish was still alive.

   Because I don't want to bring up any dramatic spoilers, Allegiant looking at you again, please simply refer to answer #6 for this one, though ONLY if you you're all caught up on BBC Sherlock, or don't care about the show.

   SPOILER WARNING!

   5. Burn: The most heartbreaking end to a relationship you’ve ever read.

   This song is beautifully tragic and filled with emotions, I love it.

   My answer for this one will definitely be Champion by Marie Lu. I don't even know how to formulate my thoughts for the way this relationship ended.

   6. You'll Be Back: Sassiest villain.

   For this one I will just go ahead and take a TV show character, who also happens to be a book character actually, simply because I can and love this character lots. Of course I am talking about the one and only James Moriarty from BBC Sherlock. I love that series, I love Moriarty, I love the actor who plays him and the way he plays him. He is sassy and amazing.

   7. The Reynolds Pamphlet: A book with a twist that you didn’t see coming.

   I will not answer this one because, just like Christine (polandbananasBOOKS) I REALLY don't like to know about a twist before going into a book. I want the twist to take me complete by surprise and not be wondering all through the book WHEN it will come. That isn't the point of twists!

   8. Non-stop: A series you marathoned.

   The series that comes to my mind, besides my usual answer being the Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkins, is the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. I bought this one maybe a week before my mock exams, which might have not been my wisest move, and one I picked up the first book, I felt myself unable to stop until I was done with all six of them. My grades ended up pretty good despite that, so there was no damage done.

   9. Satisfied: Favorite book with multiple POVs.

   Love, love, LOVE this song.

   I'm not quite sure if this book counts, but I will just pretend it does for the time being, and say Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. This book blew my mind while I read it and I am anticipating the sequel like nothing else because I HAVE to know how the story continues. If you've not read this one yet, definitely give it a chance even though it's a massive book. The audiobook is also truly amazing with a while number of different voice actors reading the different characters. So good!

   10. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: A book/series you feel like will be remembered throughout history.

   As much as I would LOVE to say the Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin, Some Boys by Patty Blout or The Weight of Zero by Karen Fortunati, we all know the one and only true answer to this question is Harry Potter, because Harry Potter. No need for further explanation.

   And that was it, that was the Hamilton Book TAG. I had so much fun doing it, and of course listening to Hamilton while answering because that's just a must and a given. What are your thoughts on Hamilton? If you do this TAG, leave a link in the comments below or tweet it at me (@Alice_Reeds) so I can check out your answers!

#ContinuousPractice: Day 1-31 - UPDATE #1!

   Welcome to my first update!

   Thirty one days ago I posted my commitment to the #ContinuousPractice challenge (read here) and, surprisingly enough, I've actually been truly committing to it. So in this post I want to give you an overview of how I've been holding up word count wise and hour wise.

   In my original post I've stated that, each day I want to work on my current work in progress for at least one hour, be it by writing new chapters, editing already existing ones, or outlining those to come. I've written every day, except for three days which I've spent all day filming a YouTube project. On those three days I've outlines chapters and edited/revised the chapters I'd already written, meaning that I still filled the hour I committed to.

   To give you an idea on how writing has been going I can give you some stats:

   Average word count written per day: 2.202 words

   Total word count day 1-30*: 66.069 words

   * I've left out day 31 since that's today and I've not written anything today yet since I usually write in the evening/at night.

   So far I can tell you that this challenge has been doing wonders for me, as silly as that might sound. Every day I was reminded of the challenge, which meant that I felt this need to write every day for at least that hour (which usually expended more in to two or three hours) which, of course, had a very positive effect on my daily word count. The challenge definitely gave me the motivation I needed to make myself sit down and write so I could write a good update on my Instagram, show that I've been really putting in the work I said I would.

   Therefore, I can only recommend the challenge so far. If you're struggling with your daily motivation to write (or do whatever else you'd want to commit to) I'd give it a try. I was skeptical at first, because I'm really bad at committing to things like these types of challenges, so I was surprised at how well it works for me right now. I've definitely made big progress on my current work in progress at a much higher pace then I usually would, which is amazing and I'm very happy with it.

   I'm curious how the challenge will continue for me, hope that I'll be able to keep up the good work and my commitment to it. In April I'll be doing Camp NaNoWriMo which I am quite sure will, again, add extra motivation to my daily writing, so I hope I'll have a just as positive update as this one at the end of April.

   Tell me down below, or tweet me (@Alice_Reeds), how you've been doing, if you're also doing the challenge. Has it been working for you? Yes? No? Why? I'm curious!

Cheers!

Ask the Author: Lorie Langdon (Gilt Hollow)

   For this weeks edition of Ask the Author I've reached out to Lorie Langdon, the co-author of Doon and author of Gilt Hollow. I'm very interested in the latter so of course I couldn't resist writing her to ask about an interview. Luckily, she agreed to do it!

   Here are her A's to my Q's:

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Expected Publication: September 27th 2016 by Blink

Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Willow Lamott’s best friend is a murderer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. For four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

   Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow reminded him what he’d been missing. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton fears his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves, especially the girl he left behind. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Lorie Langdon

   1 – Describe Gilt Hollow with a haiku or twitter pitch.

   Since poetry isn’t really my thing, I’ll give you the twitter pitch: A boy convicted of manslaughter returns home seeking revenge and the life he lost, including the girl he left behind.

   2 – In a genre like mystery/thriller, how hard is it to stand out? And in what way do you think does Gilt Hollow stand out and offer something that should make people want to read it even more?

   For any book to stand out, it needs a strong hook; a quick high-concept line that hooks the reader. It’s actually what hooked me on the idea of writing this story: Willow’s best friend is a murder, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it.

   Outside of that, as with any new book, strong writing, a compelling cover, and a good marketing budget helps. ☺

   3 – What was the most challenging thing about writing Gilt Hollow and which scene was the most fun to write?

   The most challenging aspect of writing Gilt Hollow was researching the legal side of the story, such as: Ashton’s requirements to his parole officer after his release from juvie, the details surrounding his conviction, and how local law enforcement would react to Ashton’s return and the crimes that seem to follow him.

   The most fun scene to write was the Sleepy Hollow Ball! It’s a tradition in Gilt Hollow that the mayor throws a huge costume party for everyone in town in the fall. It’s eerie and atmospheric, the perfect place to set up the chilling climax of the book!

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Willow?

   Willow was an interesting character to write. When she refuses to stop defending Ashton’s innocence, even after his conviction, she’s alternately bullied and ostracized by her classmates and even some of the townspeople. As a result, her type-A personality becomes her worst enemy and manifests in the form of panic attacks. In the beginning of the book, we see her retreating and not standing up for herself, but when Ashton comes back, he awakens something fierce inside of her. I loved writing her as she emerged from her shell and took control of her life.

   5 - In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?

   I love this story as it is! If I had to change something, it would be to add a little more about Ashton’s friend and roommate in juvie, Toryn.

   6 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by thousands of people and how do you feel now, years later, before your next book will be released?

   Did the feeling change or is it still the same? Well, Gilt Hollow will be my fifth published novel. But the first time I realized my book DOON would be read by thousands of people, I first felt disbelief, shortly followed by terror (what if they hate it?), and then a wondrous kind of joy in knowing that my dreams of sharing my stories with the world were coming true. I still sometimes feel this way when I get fan mail or hear from readers across the globe.

   7 – What do you think about the cover? Is it anything like you imagined it being?

   The Gilt Hollow cover is beautiful and a bit creepy, just like this story. I love the trepidations look on the model’s face playing Willow and the boy lurking in the forest. It’s perfect!

   8 – Seeing as you’re a YA author I’m sure you also read YA, so I wondered, what were the last three books you’ve read and what did you think of them?

   The White Rose by Amy Ewing: a good sequel to The Jewel. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

   Lois Lane, Fallout by Gwenda Bond: a fresh take on one of my childhood role models.

   An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir: My absolute favorite read of the year!

   9 – Book adaptations – movie or TV series?

   TV series…if it’s done right.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Write every day until it becomes a habit. Also, learn as much as you can about creative writing and the publishing industry. The biggest step I took towards becoming a published author was joining a local writer’s organization. The national society of children’s book writers and illustrators (www.scbwi.org/) has local chapters all over the country. It’s inspiring to connect with other writers and the monthly workshops these groups provide are a great way to learn.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   The power to heal. I have Crohn’s disease and I’ve passed it along to both of my sons. It’s a chronic illness that effects the digestive system and there is no cure. Healing others from illness is the most amazing superpower I can imagine!

   This was fun! Thanks so much for having me on your blog!

About the Author

   Lorie Langdon is co-author of DOON, a YA reimagining of the musical Brigadoon, available now from Blink/Harper Collins! www.doonseries.com

   A few years ago, she left her thriving corporate career to satisfy the voices in her head. Now as a full-time author and stay-at-home mom, she spends her summers editing poolside while dodging automatic water-gun fire, and the rest of the year tucked into her cozy office, Havanese puppy by her side, working to translate her effusive imagination into the written word.

Readers can find her online at:
Twitter : https://twitter.com/LorieLangdon
Instagram : https://instagram.com/lorielangdon_doonseries
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLorieLangdon
GILT HOLLOW on Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25041551-gilt-hollow

Waiting on Wednesday: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

   Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.

   The book:

Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes
Expected Publication: May 17th 2016 by HarperTeen
Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No

   Maguire knows she’s bad luck. No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch. But then on her way out of her therapist’s office, she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star, who wants to help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away, but staying away may be harder than she thought. (goodreads.com)

   My thoughts:

   This book sounds amazing, and truly intriguing. I cannot wait for May to come around so I can go buy and read it. Also I love the orange/red cover along with the font. It really catches your eyes well so props to the cover designer for this one.

   Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!

Ask the Author: Meredith Russo (If I Was Your Girl)

   For this edition of Ask the Author I decided to contact the amazing Meredith Russo, author of If I Was Your Girl, to ask if she'd be interested in doing an interview with me. She was. I sent her my Q's and received amazing A's from her, which you can all find below. I cannot wait to get my hands in If I Was Your Girl, even more after having the chance to talk to Meredeith, and discovering that she feels the same way about the My Chemical Romance breakup as I do, so can May please hurry up a little?

   Anyways, here is her book and her wonderful A's to my Q's:

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Expected Publication: May 3rd 2016 by Flatiron Books

Number of Pages: 272 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   A big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are.

   Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret. She's determined not to get too close to anyone.

   But when she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can't help but start to let him in. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself--including her past. But Amanda's terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it.

   Because the secret that Amanda's been keeping? It's that she used to be Andrew.

   Will the truth cost Amanda her new life--and her new love?

   If I Was Your Girl is a universal story about feeling different--and a love story that everyone will root for. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Meredith Russo

   1 - Describe If I Was Your Girl with a haiku.

   A girl with a past

   Who wants to have a future

   Gives it her best shot

   2 - What inspired you to write a story about a transgender girl?

   There aren’t very many stories about trans women or trans girls, and the novels that do exist, at least the ones written by cis people, aren’t necessarily very comforting to trans kids who might read them, so I wanted to write something for a trans teen who’s looking for themselves in what they read, something that tells them they can maybe be happy and have a future that, while complicated, won’t necessarily be tragic.

   3 - How much research did you do on transgender and the life transgender people face on a daily basis? And did you, at some point during research, feel discouraged or anxious in terms of writing about it, or rather incorporating it into your story?

   Not much really, at least not that aspect of the story. I am trans, so I already know what gender dysphoria, transitioning, and post-transition are like. I do live in a city though, and I didn’t have to go to high school in a small town like Amanda does in the story, so I interviewed some other trans people who went through that to make sure I was doing it right. Me being trans is another huge reason I wanted to write this novel: there are, so far as I’m aware, no mainstream YA novels about trans girls written by an actual trans woman, which is something I wanted to correct. So no, I never really had to deal with the feeling that I was getting anything wrong and the anxiety that comes from that.

   4 - As I’ve mentioned plenty of times already on my blog, I think books that tackle hard topics are immensely important, and seeing as you wrote a story that does so, I believe you think the same. How important do you think is it for authors to do it in YA literature and do you think it’s a good way to make young people think about these things and discuss them?

   I think books about diverse characters, whether the diversity is neurodivergence, race, gender, sexual orientation, whatever, are really important, but I think educating readers is a fringe benefit. More than raising awareness of these issues, I think these books are important for kids and adults going through the same issues because they help them feel less alone, help them contextualize their lives and their pain in a way that makes them feel less alone and maybe even gives them hope. The example I always come back to is Perks of Being a Wallflower which, while I’m sure it helped people become aware of things like mental illness, gay kids, sexual assault, and bullying, was so important for me and so many of my friends who were going through the issues dealt with in that book. So I think diversity is important for those reasons, but also because homogeneity is boring, and reading stories about nothing but white, straight, cis, largely neurotypical characters gets boring after a while.

   5 – What, besides the obvious, makes Amanda stand out in the sea of female contemporary main characters?

   She’s dealt with bullying. Mental illness has played as big a part in her life as being trans-- she has an anxiety disorder and she tried to kill herself a few years before the beginning of the novel. She’s a closet nerd, a holdover from the days when she didn’t want to live as a boy so she spent all her time in her room. If you’re curious, her favorite anime is Sailor Moon and her favorite video game is Final Fantasy 10.

   6 - How long did it take you from first thought until publishing deal? Out of curiosity, how many queries did you have to send until you found 'the one'?

   About a year and a half, I think. Take that with a grain of salt though, because my memory is the worst. I never actually wrote any query letters though! I work with a book packager, which kind of changes how the process works in a lot of ways.

   7 - How do you feel about the fact that in only a few more months thousands of readers will be able to hold and read your debut novel?

   Absolutely mortified. I have faith in my work, and the reviews from the advance copies have been really good, but writers are neurotic people and I can’t ever shake the idea that everybody is going to hate me, the trans community is going to reject me for representing us poorly, and the book will be a huge flop. Hopefully not though!

   8 - While writing the story did you ever imagine how a cover might look like and what do you think about the absolutely gorgeous final version?

   I had no idea! I told my publisher I wanted either a trans model or a trans artist because I wanted to keep trans people involved at every possible step, but I really wasn’t prepared for the absolutely stunningly gorgeous Kira Conley’s involvement. And then there’s the UK cover, which I only just saw: it’s art instead of a photograph, but I think it’s just wonderful as well.

   9 - Did you listen to any particular songs or artists while writing If I Was Your Girl? If so, could you give us an example?

   I listened to a lot of The Magnetic Fields, specifically All My Little Words and The Book of Love, which is technically a cover but I like their version better. I also listened My Chemical Romance (I’m still not over them breaking up!) with a focus on Danger Days, not because it’s my favorite album but because it’s the most energetic and it kept me up on the long nights. My favorite songs on that album are Na na na na (is that the correct number of na’s? I’m not sure), Party Poison, and Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back. 

   I think my main inspiration was The Mountain Goats, because John Darnielle is maybe my favorite person in the world after my kids and my girlfriend. I listened to way too many of their songs to mention so I’ll just say my favorite albums are Tallahassee, All Eternals Deck, and Heretic Pride, and all three of those got a lot of play. Against Me! was another huge inspiration because of Transgender Dysphoria Blues (my faves are the eponymous track and True Trans Soul Rebel, but I can’t listen to it too much because it kind of hits too close to home). And, finally, I listened to People That Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World, which is one of my favorite albums of all time, and my favorite songs off it are Brave as a Noun and Survival Song. I just realized this is my longest answer of all, which should tell you a lot about my writing process.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Write fanfiction, write a blog, write articles, write in a journal, write short stories, write essays, write as much of any idea for a novel as you can, because it doesn’t matter what you’re writing as long as you are writing. Also, and this is important, don’t turn down paying work, even if it’s not something you necessarily want to write. Patton Oswalt, one of my favorite comedians, speaks at length about how you do the paying work to give yourself room to do the work that inspires you, and I think that’s hugely important.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   Invisibility, for a few reasons. The first is so I could commit lots of crimes and get away with it, because I’m honest with myself. The second is that I’ve always been kind of a wallflower, and being invisible would make it easier to just walk among people and see them as they really are when they’re not worried about being judged or observed. The third is that you don’t have to worry about passing when you’re invisible, though I guess I could have just gone with shapeshifting instead.

About the Author

   MEREDITH RUSSO was born, raised, and lives in Tennessee. She started living as her true self in late 2013 and never looked back. If I Was Your Girl was partially inspired by her experiences as a trans woman. Like Amanda, Meredith is a gigantic nerd who spends a lot of her time obsessing over video games and Star Wars.

   If I Was Your Girl is her debut novel, but definitely not her last. When she's not busy writing she can be found reblogging pictures of cats and babies, reading high literature (and definitely not fanfiction and fantasy novels), arguing with strangers about social justice, and, of course, raising her two amazing children, Vivian and Darwin.

   You definitely, absolutely should not be shy about contacting her, even if it's just to talk. She's always open to new opportunities and chances to speak with new people.

Check out her website and twitter, @Mer_Squared!

Waiting on Wednesday: Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee

   Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.

   The book:

Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee

Expected Publication: July 26th 2016 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 336 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   In a powerful and daring debut novel, Sonya Mukherjee shares the story of sisters Clara and Hailey, conjoined twins who are learning what it means to be truly extraordinary.

   Seventeen-year-old conjoined twins, Clara and Hailey, have lived in the same small town their entire lives—no one stares at them anymore. But there are cracks in their quiet existence and they’re slowly becoming more apparent. Clara and Hailey are at a crossroads. Clara wants to stay close to home, avoid all attention, and study the night sky. Hailey wants to travel the world, learn from great artists, and dance with mysterious boys. As high school graduation approaches, each twin must untangle her dreams from her sister’s, and figure out what it means to be her own person.

   Told in alternating perspectives, this unconventional coming-of-age tale shows how dreams can break your heart—but the love between sisters can mend it. (goodreads.com)

   My thoughts:

   The second I've laid eyes on this book and read it's blurb I knew I want this and I want it really, really badly. I've never read a book about conjoined twins, never even heard of one, so color me extremely intrigued. I cannot wait to see how the story will play out and just everything about it, the life these twins live and how life looks like through their eyes. 

   And also, that cover is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to have it standing on my shelf!

* * *

   Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!

#ContinuousPractice: A 100 Day Challenge

   Today while scrolling through my twitter feed I spotted a tweet posted by Kim Graff linking to her blog talking about #ContinuousPractice. I was intrigued so I clicked the link, read the post and decided that, since I'm always on the hunt for new ways to motivate myself into writing every day, I want to do it.

   So, I'm presenting you the 100 day #ContinuousPractice challenge.

   This challenge was originally started by Saundra Goldman, where you pick something you can practice every day, be it writing, editing, outlining, yoga, meditation, etc. and do it daily for a set amount of time, which you can decide for yourself.

   Here is what you need to do exactly as listed on her page:

   1) Select a practice. Writing practice, meditation, yoga. Something you can show up for every day.

   2) At the end of your session, snap a picture or make a note of where you are.

   3) Post the photograph or description of your practice and locale and to Facebook, Google+ or Instagram.

   4) Don’t forget to include the hashtag, #ContinuousPractice.

   5) If you’re on Facebook, ask to join our Forum.

My 100 day #ContinuousPractice commitment

   With this post I'm committing to participate starting as of today, March 1st 2016, and going for 100 days. I will write/edit/revise/outline for at least 1 hour a day, since that seems more then doable, and then, once I'm done each day, post a update picture on my Instagram. Through posting this on my blog I'll at least have the fact that I'm participating documented and thus no way to just stop doing it after two days.

   Fell free to join me with whatever you'd like to practice daily. If you decide to do it, post it below in the comments or tweet me, @Alice_Reeds. Let's see how this will go!

Ask the Author: Rahul Kanakia (Enter Title Here)

   For this edition of Ask the Author I'm bringing you the amazing author behind the upcoming Disney-Hyperion title, Enter Title Here: Rahul Kanakia. Enter Title Here is one of my most anticipated titles of 2016 so of course I had to write him an e-mail kindly asking if he'd be interested in doing an interview. Luckily, he agreed and answered all my Q's with some awesome A's.

   Here is his book and his answers:

Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia

Expected Publication: August 2nd 2016 by Disney-Hyperion

Number of Pages: 352 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   I’m your protagonist—Reshma Kapoor—and if you have the free time to read this book, then you’re probably nothing like me.

   Reshma is a college counselor’s dream. She’s the top-ranked senior at her ultra-competitive Silicon Valley high school, with a spotless academic record and a long roster of extracurriculars. But there are plenty of perfect students in the country, and if Reshma wants to get into Stanford, and into med school after that, she needs the hook to beat them all.

   What's a habitual over-achiever to do? Land herself a literary agent, of course. Which is exactly what Reshma does after agent Linda Montrose spots an article she wrote for Huffington Post. Linda wants to represent Reshma, and, with her new agent's help scoring a book deal, Reshma knows she’ll finally have the key to Stanford.

   But she’s convinced no one would want to read a novel about a study machine like her. To make herself a more relatable protagonist, she must start doing all the regular American girl stuff she normally ignores. For starters, she has to make a friend, then get a boyfriend. And she's already planned the perfect ending: after struggling for three hundred pages with her own perfectionism, Reshma will learn that meaningful relationships can be more important than success—a character arc librarians and critics alike will enjoy.

   Of course, even with a mastermind like Reshma in charge, things can’t always go as planned. And when the valedictorian spot begins to slip from her grasp, she’ll have to decide just how far she’ll go for that satisfying ending. (Note: It’s pretty far.)

   In this wholly unique, wickedly funny debut novel, Rahul Kanakia consciously uses the rules of storytelling—and then breaks them to pieces. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Rahul Kanakia

   1 - Describe Enter Title Here with a haiku.

   A girl schemes and schemes

   But evil never prospers

   Or does it? We'll see

   2 - What was the first initial thought or thing that sparked the idea for Enter Title Here? Was it a name or the most basic idea of a story about a girl dealing with the challenges of high school and trying to excel?

   I was reading an essay about South Korea and it mentioned, in an off-handed way, that students in South Korea are so overworked that after a spate of suicides, teens created a national protest movement--they had marches where they chanted "We are not study machines!" It was something about that phrase that set me off. "We are not study machines!" It made me think of all the kids in the world who are driven to work so desperately hard, even though the potential rewards seem so distant and far out of sight.

   3 – What do you like the most about your protagonist, Reshma, and what do you think makes her stand out?

   I admire her work ethic. I wasn't a hard worker in high school, and I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, schoolwork is BS and kind of a waste of time. On the other hand, it meant I never learned how to work hard. And because of that, when I found something that was worth working on (my writing), I didn't quite know how to do it. I think Reshma is a tremendously effective person--she knows how to get what she wants--and there's always something awe-inspiring about that.

   4 - Did you have a personal motivation behind writing a story dealing with the high school overachieving culture and stereotypes, or was it simple the interest in the topic? Or the need to talk about it since, in today day and age, teens face an unbelievable amount of pressure and stress from both their parents and the world around them?

   I went to college with a lot of overachievers, and I think they're underappreciated (at least in literature). It's easy to denigrate them and call them soulless, but I wanted to write a book that took them seriously and tried to explore what it meant to work really really hard.

   5 - How long did it take you from first thought until publishing deal? Out of curiosity, how many queries did you have to send until you found 'the one'?

   I first thought of this book in July of 2012. I wrote the first draft in January of 2013. My agent sent it out in April of 2014, and it sold within 5 weeks. So maybe two years? This was the second book my agent sent out for me. The first didn't sell, but it was the one that landed me as an agent: I sent out 93 queries, but in the end the agent I got was one that I never queried. The story of how I got in touch with him is a bit funny, actually. I came in second place in the Tu New Visions Contest, and the winner, Valynne Maetani, got in touch with me and offered to send my manuscript to an agent that she knew!

   6 - How do you feel about the fact that in only a few more months thousands of readers will be able to hold and read your debut novel?

   I don't know. It still feels very unreal. When you write, you get rejected a lot, and those rejections make you get used to the idea that no one else is ever going to read your work. At this point, a hundred or so people, including strangers, have commented about my book online, and their praise does make me happy in some abstract way, but it's still hard to connect it with the actual book that I wrote. Part of this is that I finished the first draft of ETH something like three years ago, so at this point it feels very much like something my younger self did (rather than myself).

   7 - Why do you thing the readers out there should pick up Enter Title Here? What makes the story stand out and, in a way, important?

   They should pick it up because Reshma is a blast. She's so much fun. She's evil and manipulative and self-absorbed...and that's why you love her.

   8 - While writing the story did you ever imagine how a cover might look like and what do you think about the very unique final version?

   I always thought the cover would be kind of abstract: all bright colors and sharp angles. I actually imagined that they might use a typewriter motif, since that seems to be a common cover. I wasn't expecting the old-fashioned word processor look, but I instantly loved it! The cover designer, Maria Elias, did a fantastic job both with that and with laying out the inside of the book. She really loved Enter Title Here, and I think you can see that love on every page of the book.

   9 – Seeing as you’re a YA author I’m sure you also read YA, so I wondered, what were the last three books you’ve read and what did you think of them?

   The most recent book I read was actually a middle-grade novel: Andrew Chilton's The Goblin's Puzzle. It's a classic humorous MG adventure, in the style of Harry Potter, but it's also emotional and thought-provoking. The book is about a nameless and powerless slave who, with the help of an extremely logical goblin, needs to use his wits to save two girls named Alice (one of whom is a Princess). Riddles and puzzles are a running theme throughout the book, which makes it a feast for the mind, but what I admired most was the wit. Even throwaway lines are extremely wry and funny. I blew through the book, and I'm sorry that it's Chilton's debut: I wish there were a hundred more books of his for me to read.

   I also recently read Hannah Moskowitz's Not Otherwise Specified. I'm bisexual myself, but I've never seen another bisexual character in YA. Her protagonist, Etta, is a fantastic and complicated girl, and everything about the book is so well-realized. I also recently read Catherine Lo's not-yet-released How It Ends: about two girls becoming friends and then having that friendship fall apart. What I loved about the book was that at first everything seems so stereotypical: the shallow mean girls; the obnoxious older sister; the evil stepmom. But as the book goes on, you see that there are so many more facets to everything, and, in the end, there are no easy answers.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Enjoy being unpublished. I know it sucks, but trust me, it has its upsides. I feel so nostalgic for the days when I didn't have a publisher and an agent and I could just write whatever I wanted to. Of course I feel grateful, but there's also a sense of loss. It's like growing up. We all get older, but we still miss what we left behind. Similarly, if you work hard enough, you will get published eventually, so instead of dwelling on that event, aspiring writers should try to enjoy their freedom...while they still have it.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   To read thoughts! I can't imagine anything more wonderful or intimate than to directly experience the vitality and fertility buried deep within the minds of all the people around me.

About the Author

   Rahul Kanakia’s first book, a contemporary young adult novel called Enter Title Here, is coming out from Disney-Hyperion on August 2nd, 2016. Additionally, his stories have appeared or are forthcoming in Apex, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, The Indiana Review, and Nature. He holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins and a B.A. in Economics from Stanford, and he used to work in the field of international development. 

   Originally from Washington, D.C., Rahul now lives in Berkeley. If you want to know more you can visit his blog at blotter-paper.com or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/rahkan 

Review: Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Beyond the Red by Ava Jae
Expected Publication: March 1st 2016 by Sky Pony Press
Number of Pages: 360 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Currently no.

   Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

   Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

   When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Sky Pony Press for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review *

   Beyond the Red is everything my little sci-fi heart wanted it to be. Non stop action, amazing characters and a world distant from ours, an alien princess and a rebel soldier as protagonists, what more could I want?

   I've had my eye out for this one for a while, even had an interview with Ava Jae a while back, so when Sky Pony Press gave me an ARC I was overjoyed. I would lie if I'd say that I didn't read this book in literally one sitting because I just couldn't stop reading, I had no know what happens next and where the story would ultimately lead.

   I loved this planet, Safara, that Ava created, the endless red desert and the bone white palaces topped off with technology, unforgiving, intriguing and magical all at the same time. Would I want to live there? Probably not, would I want to read way more about it? Yes please! But what made this planet even better was the mere fact that Ava wrote it so convincingly and beautifully, showing of her skills as author. Whenever I read sci-fi set on a planet unlike our own, I fear that it won't be believable or won't seem realistic in any sort of way. Beyond the Red and Safara definitely didn't disappoint me in any way.

   The characters, Kora and Eros, were amazing, too. I loved these aliens Ava created, tall, tan-skinned and marked by tattoo-like black markings different from person to person. And then there were also the half-bloods like Eros, people considered worthless since mixing the races is strictly forbidden in their world. Seeing them come together was intriguing and one heck of a sizzling romance. I am most definitely looking forward to seeing whom Kora will choose in the end, seeing as there is a triangle in this story, so let's hope there will be a sequel!

   Another thing I loved about Beyond the Red is the fact that it dealt with down to earth problems, even if it didn't play on Earth, or even a place that looked remotely like ours. Throughout the novel we see topics such as segregation, war, love, loss, racism and many more. I really liked the way these things were handled a lot. Despite being a sci-fi novel, Beyond the Red is surprisingly relatable.

   All in all, I had an amazing time reading Beyond the Red. I loved the world, the characters, the abundance of action and politics, and the romance. I basically devoured this book in one sitting, emerged myself in both POVs, loving both instead of, as I usually do, favoring one other the other. Ava Jae has an amazing writing style and I cannot wait to read more of her work, and dearly hope that there will be a sequel to Beyond the Red.

I give Beyond the Red by Ava Jae 5 out of 5 stars.