Several days ago I completed Madapple and my mind is still reeling a little bit.

First, the subject matter. I knew it was coming. There was this ominous feeling deep in my belly,  churning and bubbling as I read. But when the moment arrived I still reeled. It’s one thing to know it’s coming and quite another when it actually arrives.

Second, I’m not sure how I feel about the end. It felt too…easy, for lack of a better word. It was like reading a very twisted episode of Jerry Springer that wraps up with an “and they all lived happily ever after” when you know damn well that isn’t true.

Would I still recommend reading the book? Was is still very well written? Was it still a page turner? Yes on all counts (the first with the caveat that if you can’t handle child abuse/incest stories, skip it). And I do love how the story itself unfolded, switching between the two time periods and points-of-view.

Please allow me to scoop my mind up off the floor before I write a proper review. All I really know at this point is that the next book I read needs to be light and fluffy because this one was (almost) as heavy as it gets…at least where young adult fare is concerned.

OK. So I’m at roughly page 250, and I think my mind’s about to explode.

I keep reading and I’m still enthralled by how the story is unfolding (i.e. from Auslag’s point of view and from the court transcripts) and how it all seems like a game of cat and mouse with just so much information given.

And now things are getting stranger and slightly more ominous. After Auslag’s mother dies she stumbles onto some family she never knew she had (and aunt and two cousins) who take her in. (That situation just stretch the belief muscles a little bit, but it worked out, and it’s getting explained as the book goes along.)

But as she discovers more information about her family—learns about her mother, her possible father, her grandfather, her mother and aunt’s life in Denmark, her aunt’s evangelical ways—and as she starts to question the meaning of life, spirit, and so many other things, the story has taken on an ominous feel.

We know that a fire happened. We know there are some unusual circumstances surrounding that fire. We know that Auslag had something to do with it, we’re just not sure what. (And I’m really not liking that whole what she’s feeling about her male cousin because, really, he’s the closest she’d ever come to a real live boy and he also happens to be somewhat attractive. Also, I’m getting nervous about who her father might be because as it stands, it could mean her ex-uncle-in-law was a pedophile or she could be the next coming of the world’s saviour borne of a virgin, or it could just be something entirely worse.)

Oh yeah, this book is becoming a mind-warp. But in a good way. I’m eager to keep reading, find out what happens next. I’m also learning quite a bit about botany as that seems to be a significant thread (along with religion/belief) throughout the story.

CONTINUE: Part 2

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

First line: Madeleine Tully turned fourteen yesterday, but today she did not turn anything.

Initial thoughts: I read the description and was immediately intrigued by the premise of the story (plus it brought to mind ‘The Lake House‘—a movie I secretly love) in that it’s about two people connecting with each other from two impossible places (in this book’s case, rather than across time, it’s across dimensions or worlds).

The first few pages have a nice, easy writing style and made me smile more than once. I’m worried that it might switch from a quaint, balanced sentiment into something overly maudlin, though, because we already get a glimpse into Madeleine’s life and it seems anything but glamorous. Only time will tell.

Depending on my mood after I finish Madapple, I might just have to give this a quick read—but I’m being cautious because I’ve learned this is part of a trilogy which means I’ll either be left hanging or yearning for more without a quick fix. Must prepare my mind for that.

Book description:

Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in cramped quarters in a rainy corner of Cambridge, England.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Cello, Elliot is searching for his father. He disappeared a year ago, the same night that Elliot’s uncle was found dead on the side of the road. Official word is that a third-level Purple is responsible, but talk around town is that Elliot’s dad may have murdered his brother and run away with the high-school physics teacher. Elliot refuses to believe this, and is determined to find both his dad and the truth.

When Madeleine and Elliot begin to exchange messages across worlds—through an accidental gap that hasn’t appeared in centuries—the large and small events of their lives start to intertwine. Danger Colors are storming across Cello (a second-level Gray will tear you to pieces; a first-level Yellow can blind you), while Madeleine is falling for her new friend Jack. In Cello, they are searching for the tiny Butterfly Child, while Madeleine fears that her mother may be dangerously ill.

Can a corner of white hold a kingdom? Can a stranger from another world help to solve the problems—and unravel the mysteries—in your own? And can Madeleine and Elliot find the missing pieces of themselves before it’s too late?

Book Details: 384 pages; Arthur A. Levine Books (an Imprint of Scholastic); Pub. April 2013

I’d started reading the book once before, but put it down once I’d gotten to page five or six. It just didn’t grab my interest at the time. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right place (mentally) for it, and now maybe I am. So far, it alternates between the past and present: the past is from Auslag’s point of view of the events unfolding before her, and the (relative) present is the transcript from an ongoing court case in which Auslag is charged with murder and attempted murder.

To back up a bit, the first chapter of the book is entirely cryptic and taken out of context, isn’t really a good indicator of what’s in store for the rest of the book (so far). In fact, don’t really like the first chapter, but I’m certain it plays a pivotal role in the unfolding events.

As far as character development goes, it’s fascinating. I’ll admit I’m not entirely sold on the relationship/interaction between Auslag and her mother, there are definitely so moving moments and the characters are so delightfully broken and raw that I can’t help viewing them as real people most of the time. There were a few moments where I had to stop and scratch my head and say, “um, that doesn’t quite fit” but for the most part, the story is flowing and I’m itching to find out what happens next.

For those who aren’t already familiar with this book, I’ll sum it up so far: Auslag is a bastard child (true definition, not the one used when we’re pissed off). Auslag doesn’t know who her father is and has absolutely no sense of self because—get this—her mother kept her sheltered away from the real world. They survive by foraging and very rarely do they venture into the city…and when they do, Auslag is kept under lock and key by her mother. Then everything takes a heinous turn when Auslag wakes up and discovers her mother’s dead body.

The writing style takes a bit of getting used to, but other than that, smooth reading. This looks like it’s going to be one of those books I’ll recommend—that is, if the middle and end are just as engrossing as the beginning has been.

CONTINUE: Part 2, Part 3

Over the next few months I hope to have a new design up (not too different in feel from the current look—I love people knowing that this is a warm and friendly place where commenting and interaction are encouraged) and I’ll also be publishing a few reviews that have been waiting for transcription in my reading notebook.

I’m also planning to host some giveaways and other contests to say “thanks for waiting” and a few other things. In the meantime, I’ll just have to settle for posting up some recent arrivals. (I love getting books in the mail.)

Here’s a breakdown of what I use:

1. A pen that makes me smile (in this case, Dong-A Miffy Scented Gel Pen in Lavender Purple)
2. A quality journal (I prefer Kikkerland)
3. An inexpensive spiral or composition notebook (New Leaf makes some cute ones)
4. Index tab stickers (one of the greatest inventions ever—pictured JStory Index Fun Rabbit)

And if I’m feeling particularly spunky, I might use some Post-It flags and highlighters, too.

Now to explain as best I can why and how I use all of those things…

When I read, I tend to jump around from book to book depending on my mood. At any one time, I could be reading four or five different books. That’s why I have the inexpensive spiral notebook.

Whenever I finish reading a section in one of the books, I’ll write a quick summary along with any notable excerpts (marked with the Post-It flags as I read) or personal thoughts I have during the reading. And when I pick that book up again, be it a day or a month later, I’m able to quickly catch up without needing to start the book over.

The reason I use an inexpensive notebook for this is because it’s not very useful in the long term—one page might be about Book 1 while the next page may be about Book 2 while the next several pages may be about Book 7. It’s rather haphazard. In fact, it usually ends up in the recycling bin. That’s why I have the fancier journal…

The real action happens when I finish a book. I crack open my “completed reading” journal and add a new entry. I’ll add an index tab sticker to mark its place, then I’ll add the book’s vital statistics: Date Read, Title, Author, ISBN, Page Count, Genre, Personal Rating, etc., and then I’ll write a full and thorough book summary followed by notable quotes and personal thoughts. Nice, neat, and organized.

Once complete, I’ll flip to the front and add the book’s title and rating to the journal’s table of contents. Which brings me to why I prefer the Kikkerland* journals—quality binding, quality paper, and they come with pre-numbered pages with a dedicated table of contents.

This process allows me to keep track of the books I’ve read, which ones I’ve enjoyed and would like to re-read, and which ones I can safely give away without feeling guilty. And I don’t have to worry about forgetting a particular book’s storyline if I do give it away.

Now, if I were less A.D.D. I could probably nix the “in progress” notebook and just jot everything in my completed reading journal when I’m finished. But, I’m not, so…

And although this is a post on how I manage my books in an analog way, I must concede there’s a bit of digital involved, too. I tend to keep a spreadsheet where I note the title of a book and whether or not I’m reading or finished, and whether it’s awaiting review. I could probably manage this list using Goodreads, but I haven’t found a groove within that system…so I’m sticking with what I know.

There you have it…my system in a nutshell.

*It’s a sad day as it looks like Kikkerland is discontinuing its Leuchtturm notebook line. I’ve already stocked up so I’ll at least have several more reading journals available when I need them—each one can hold roughly 20 book summaries. And when they’re finished, guess I’ll have to start numbering Moleskine journals. (Or maybe I’ll get lucky and another notebook manufacturer will smell the potential and start producing quality journals with numbered pages and tables of contents.)

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Underworld by Meg Cabot

First paragraph: "Pierce keeps having the most terrible nightmares." My mom used to say this to all the doctors we saw right after the accident. "She talks in her sleep–sorry, sweetheart, but you do–about a boy following her. Sometimes she even wakes up crying. It doesn’t seem normal. I’ve never had dreams that vivid."

Initial thoughts: I literally squealed like a little fangirl when this arrived on my doorstep. And I love that cover—it’s much shinier in person. Thank goodness I keep a book summary journal* because I only remember a few bits and bobs of Abandon, but I remember enough to know I enjoyed it**, so I’m looking forward to reading the continuation of Pierce and John’s story.

Book description:

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead. Not this time.

But she’s been taken by John Hayden, lord of the Underworld, to the dim, twilit place between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

John claims it’s for her own safety, to protect her from the Furies who yearn for vengeance against him. But John may have reasons of his own for wanting to keep Pierce close…

And soon she learns that while she might be safe from the wrath of the Furies in the Underworld, the people she loves back on earth are not. Can Pierce convince John to release her in order to save the life of someone in her family–or will the price he asks her to pay for her freedom turn out to be too high?

Book Details: 336 pages; Point; Pub. May 8, 2012

* Book summary journal: After I finish reading a book (usually immediately afterward unless I’m feeling lazy), I’ll write a 5-10 page summary of all the major plot points, character list, and other relevant notes so I can reference it later. This system has been working out well—except for the books I didn’t get around to summarizing.

** I’m such a dork. I wrote the review for Abandon, but never edited or published it. I thought I did, but didn’t. Expect that soon-ish.

You may not think this affects you because you’re just a reader or book blogger or whatever (to be honest, I didn’t think it affected me either), but believe it or not, it does.

These two bills will basically give the government the right to deny access, for however long they feel like it, to any website it so chooses whenever it so chooses without prior warning or explanation to the website owner. That’s a generalization, but that’s essentially what it boils down to.

So, if you or one of your favourite bloggers were to link out to a website that was hosting something deemed to be pirated, access to the website that did the linking could be blocked. Just for linking to a site that MIGHT have pirated material on it. Heck, the blogger doesn’t even need to be the one to provide the link…it could be a commenter or guest author or a spambot.

Millions of people, especially small businesses, to include small publishing houses, indie authors, and bloggers in general, will be adversely affected by this. They won’t have the resources necessary to fight should their site (and livelihood) get shut down. They can have their payment processors* cut all ties with them. Oh, and they can be sent to prison for up to 5 years. (What due process?)

All over one little link.

Or if that doesn’t get you, how about the larger sites that have become a major part of your internet life? Sites like Google, or YouTube, or even Amazon or Barnes & Nobles. Yes, even these sites could be blocked because, guess what?, they allow user submitted content and should one of those users post an unseemly link in the forum or publish a video with a copyrighted song playing in the background, POOF goes the site.

To me, that’s just plain stupid and infuriating. Whoever came up with it (eh hem…RIAA, MPAA, major publishers, television networks, etc., I’m looking at you) needs to yank their heads from their rear ends and wake up. Breaking the internet is not the answer.

In protest, I’ve decided to join the likes of Reddit, Wikipedia, and WordPress and go dark tomorrow from 8AM through 8PM.

I urge other bloggers to join in and help spread the word to kill these two bills where they stand, for should they pass, blogging and socializing on the internet will become a lot less fun and a lot more like an unnerving dystopian novel. (I swear George Orwell must have been psychic.)

*If you sell digital goods, for instance your ebook, directly on your site, yes, this affects you, too.

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

First paragraph: I feel as though I’ve been waiting for the masquerade ball for my entire life. At fourteen, I am eligible for marriage and finally old enough to attend. The torchlight flickers on the sandstone facade of Lord Suffit’s palace on the Thames, and the roses woven into my hair are heady and sweet. I remember to push my mast up over my face before I walk through the great arched doorway.

Initial thoughts: Let me say up front that I’d not heard word one about this novel. Never read anything by Avery Williams before and, in general, have been out of the loop. But when I checked my mail and saw a package from Simon & Schuster and with tucked inside a book with a very pretty cover, I couldn’t resist checking out the back cover and blurb. (By the way, the picture does not do the actual cover justice.)

My first thought was, Hmm, this reminds me of that episode of The Outer Limits where the cops were chasing those spirit orb glow-y things that kept leaping from body to body. Before you think that’s a bad thing, it’s actually not. The Outer Limits happens to be one of my all time favourite shows. So while the gist of the story sounded quite similar to that episode, it was different enough to grab my attention—different in a way that made me want to read this book—like—yesterday.

As luck would have it, the book doesn’t appear over-long, so it should only take a few hours, however, it’s the beginning of a series, so I’m a little worried that this won’t be a fully contained story. I saw a lot of that going around last year—an almost story with a cliffhanger ending in an attempt to shove you into the next book—but the good news is that I haven’t seen it too much with stuff put out by S&S.

Book description:

Her first love made her immortal…

Her second might get her killed.

After spending six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world’s riches, but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans by jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human’s life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she’s done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.

Then sixteen-year-old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she’s inhabiting–and falling for the human boy who lives next door. Buy Cyrus will stop at nothing until she’s his again, and every moment she stays, she’s putting herself and the people she’s grown to care for in great danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that’s eluded her for centuries: true love?

Book Details: 246 pages; Simon & Schuster; Pub. January 3, 2012

But what if these changes were broken down into bite-sized manageable pieces? I’m thinking it would be a lot easier to make those changes stick, especially with continued and repeated effort.

This year I have many plans for this blog, including the reintroduction of the newsletter, more interviews, giveaways, general commentary, and, of course, book reviews. I’m also thinking of coming up with a proper publishing schedule (which, as I think about it, seems like a very good idea) with features on specific days. Once I get my personal life back in line, I’ll certainly be revisiting the idea.

For now, I’ll just post up a quick note about a nice boon that arrived on my doorstep recently: three copies of 52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier New You by Brett Blumenthal to giveaway to a few lucky readers.

I’ve already started to read a few of the tips and I’ll admit, some seem fairly common sense (i.e. drink more water), but there are a few in there that have grabbed my attention. I also like that Blumenthal offers a few helpful tips for actually making those small changes less painless. Once I’ve finished reading it all the way through and making notes, I’ll post up a proper review, along with progress reports.

With that, I’m going to finish up with: I hope you had a splendid, varied, and wonderful 2011 and I hope that your 2012 will be even better.