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

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

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.

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.

Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Let the book fall open to a random page
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• You also need to share the title of the book where you get your teaser from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given
• Please avoid spoilers

Before I get on with this week’s teaser, I realized I had an interesting dilemma on my hands because I’m reading an ebook. I can’t randomly flip to a page and quote it. So, how, then, to quote? With the help of random.org, that’s how. I plugged in the total pages, let the Random Machine do its job and went to that page. OK, I know that was a useless fact to most people, so I’ll just get to the teaser.

This week’s teaser:

“I couldn’t believe it. Here I’d just told him I was a monster, that I was designed to suck souls out of paranormals, and he was okay with it.” ebook pg. 198 Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

This book has been on my radar for at least a year, but I never had an opportunity to read it before. Now I do.

I’m not that far into it, but it already has a fun campy feel. This can get overdone in a heartbeat and I’m not far enough in to know for sure if it does, but for now, it’s perfectly balanced. I’ve already laughed out loud a few times.

I especially love the interaction with the vampire in the opening chapter. That was a hoot.

Fun fact

Well, that inspired me to ask this multi-talented man to a virtual tea party and told him he could bring three guests: an artist, a musician, and an author. Then I asked what shenanigans are likely to ensue, you know, so I can be prepared. Here’s what Isaac had to say about that…

This is an interesting question because you didn’t specify living artists, which means there are so many opportunities here beyond just meeting artists I admire, which let’s face it, is always underwhelming. For instance, I could meet Beethoven and force him at gunpoint to compose an original symphony with my name in the copyright. Can you imagine how much I’d make in royalties with a brand new release from the legendary Ludwig Van Beethoven? And I could meet Da Vinci and force him to tell me where he hid the secret map that leads to the secret vault that holds Jesus Christ’s secret sex tape, or whatever The Da Vinci Code is about. (Haven’t read it.) And speaking of Jesus, God is generally believed to be the author of the Bible, right? So I could meet God, and maybe slip some kind of magical drug into His tea that would make Him lose consciousness for a few hours, during which I could steal the Divine Battery that powers all His powers and use it to become God. This is going to be the best tea party ever!

It raises the question, though, how did you, gentle blogger, gain the power to raise dead historical figures and summon the Almighty to tea? Does this involve time travel, or the kind of dark, dead-raising magic I launched my career writing about? Because if these are zombie artists we’re talking about, that changes things. A lot. Would Zombie Beethoven still have the musical chops to compose a hit single? Or would he write me some kind of dull, plodding adagio that wouldn’t make it anywhere near the classical charts, much less dominate them? Would Zombie Da Vinci even remember where he hid Jesus’ sex tape, much less be able to teach me how to fly an ornithopter? And I don’t even want to think about Zombie God. That just sounds like bad news for everybody.

I hope I’ve answered all your questions.

Yes, Isaac. Yes, it did. A very big thank-you to Isaac and his wonderful publicists for allowing this post to happen. If you haven’t already, check out the Warm Bodies giveaway–you still have a few hours to enter. And if you can’t wait that long, then visit Amazon (or your favorite ebook retailer) and download yourself a copy because that book rocks. It’s filled with zombies.

Marion uses excellent, sometimes poetic and often hilarious, prose to tell the story of ‘R’, a zombie trying to make sense of his existence. When he eats the brain of a man named Perry, he begins to experience Perry’s memories. Part of those memories include Perry’s girlfriend Julie. ‘R’ subsequently saves Julie and what happens next is an inexplicable connection that will have you glued to the pages.

Well, enough gushing about the book, on to the giveaway details. Rather than have the standard “leave a comment” to enter, I’m mixing things up a bit. For this giveaway, I’d like you to write a zombie haiku!

Yep. You read right. A zombie haiku. To enter, leave a comment with your haiku below.

In case you aren’t sure what a haiku is, it’s a short poem consisting of 3 lines. The first line contains 5 syllables, the second 7 syllables, and the final 5 syllables. Your haiku can be poignant or funny, gross or silly, just have fun with it. No profanity, please. Or, if you absolutely must include a profane word for effect, euphemize it. (Example: s**t.) Thanks.

This giveaway will run until 11:59PM EST April 26, 2011. You can enter as many haikus as you can write (however, duplicate or obviously spam haikus will not be eligible). For extra entries, you can also tweet about this giveaway or blog about it—just make sure to come back and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog post.

All entrants must use a legitimate email address (otherwise they’ll be no way to contact you if you win). If you do not have a website or blog, leave the space for a URL blank.

To finish up, there are a couple stipulations: You must be at least 13 years old to enter and the giveaway is open to those with a U.S. mailing address. And if you have any questions, just ask.