Tween Blog Alert

Hello!

I received an e-mail asking me to let the book blogging community know about a new blog Emblazon, dedicated to tweens launching today. I wrote a paper once on the importance of clearly defining the YA label and think that there is a need to better understand intended ages on YA books. Which is why I am happy that New Adult Fiction is now a thing!

Sometimes YA can feel like a huge scavenger hunt and narrower labels help the reader. So if you know a tween that may be looking for a targeted read, then this is probably a great site to follow. From the e-mail, the following a description:

"Emblazon is a blog written by a collection of indie and traditionally published authors who care about producing high quality stories for kids. We have a particular focus on ages 11 to 14. We call them Tweens. The purpose of Emblazon is to celebrate tween literature. We want to draw attention to this fabulous genre, interact with other enthusiasts whether child or adult, and encourage new writers."

And there you have it! Looking for Tween books? Head on over there! And for coverage of the more general YA label, stay tuned! I think I may or may not decide to post that paper up here, even if it is outdated!

Cover Reveal: The Wind Whisperer

Title: The Wind Whisperer

Author: Krista Holle

Release Day: October 2013

Summary: (from author e-mail)

"At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious.  Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks.  But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent.

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him.  It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior.  Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief.

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered,Elan is devastated.  Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light.

While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes.  Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die."

---------------------Cover Revealed----------------------

COVER THOUGHTS:

I don't know. Doesn't she look a little feisty? Like not a completely innocent protagonist. It does a good job of portraying setting and the main characters. It is also very obvious what the plot will be about which is nice for a cover to do. Be related to the plot, you know? It makes me wonder what kind of character she will be. Someone to sympathize with or someone who loves knowing that the hearts of two men are in the palm of her hand. Verdict? I like it. I like it a lot. Just not sure if I will like Anaii...

The List

Author: Siobhan Vivian

Source: Library

Summary: (goodreads) An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

Review: Writing and reading about eight different characters can be a great way to express a bigger idea, or it could fail to connect the reader with the overall story. In this case, it was half and half. As a whole, the novel was great. The different faces of high school jogged my own recent memories of the setting and the voices of each of the girls was authentic. The story flow was almost impeccable and the plot did not feel like a prop for the writing. I enjoyed reading about each girl’s experience after appearing on the list, because each of them led a unique train of thought.

But some girls’ stories were more interesting than others. I couldn’t understand Candace as much as I wanted to, because she was underdeveloped and a bit dull. I didn’t see the growth as a person as well as I thought I should have. On the other hand, Stephanie’s story was so exciting and riveting that I wish an entire novel had been written about her and Milo. I absolutely loved it.

As for the others, Lauren was perplexing. There was a lot of grey area with this nice girl that I didn’t feel satisfied with the end of her story. Abby was a fantastic character. Her sisterly relationship with Fern pulled at my heartstrings more than once and I admit to tearing up. Danielle? Reminds me of some of the athletic girls I knew in high school. Yes, you can be beautiful and strong at the same time! I think there is a self-esteem issue here that was wonderfully addressed. Jennifer was quite the character. She was probably the most grey area character in the entire novel and the most believable. Margo and Brittany both had more going on under the surface than expected.

The standards of beauty are pitted against smarts, physical strength, talents, disorders, feelings, dialogue, actions and every other thing that makes each of us a human.

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

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