Interview with TBF Author: Jennifer Niven

Happy Holidays!

In the spirit of the holidays I decided to give you all a gift: an interview. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Niven, author of ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES.

Miranda Reads: In ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES, Finch uses Post-it notes to write down his ideas. Do you use Post-it notes to write down your writing ideas?

Jennifer Niven: Sometimes. It depends where I am when the idea happens. I’ve been known to scribble things down on napkins, receipts, wrappers, placemats—whatever happens to be handy. But recently I’ve started carrying sticky notes around with me, just in case I get inspired like Finch.


MR: In the "Author's Note", you mentioned the deaths you experienced when you were growing up. Did writing this book help you cope with the deaths of your loved ones?

JN: I wrote All the Bright Places about a hard, sad time in my life during a hard, sad time. A young writer asked me recently, “How did you write All the Bright Places without crying over it?” The answer is that I did cry while writing it, but I also knew that it was okay to cry because that meant I was tapping into all of the emotion that was going to help me write what I needed to write. Years ago, I knew and loved a boy, and that boy was bipolar. I witnessed up-close the highs and lows, the Awake and the Asleep, and I saw his daily struggle with the world and with himself. The experience of knowing him—and losing him—was life-changing. There are pieces of him and me and other people I’ve loved and lost in this book, and although I didn’t write All the Bright Places to help me cope with those deaths, I did feel some closure afterward. Writing has always been a cathartic outlet for me. Not long ago, my mother died unexpectedly, and now in the wake of her death, the writing is even more important. If you let it, the writing can save you.


MR: What do you hope readers will take away from ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES?

JN: One early reader wrote to tell me that as soon as she read the book, she ran downstairs and hugged her mother. I hope that the book inspires more of that. I also hope it inspires us to look deeper at the people and places around us. And I hope it inspires discussions about teen mental health. We need to make people feel safe enough to come forward and say, “I have a problem. I need help.” If we don’t talk about suicide or depression or mental illness, how can we expect anyone to reach out for help when they need it most? I want readers to know that help is out there, that it gets better, that high school isn’t forever, and that life is long and vast and full of possibility.


MR: Let's pretend you're performing in your high school talent show. What's your talent?

JN: I know the words to every ABBA song. I can apply lipstick without looking in a mirror. I can run very fast for short periods of time. I can count to ten in Japanese. And I belly dance. So maybe something that combines all of those things?


MR: Which author are you most looking forward to meeting at the 10th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

JN: All of them!


Thank you so much Jennifer! We are super excited to get our hands on ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES and meet you in May!

To learn more about Jennifer and her books check out her website. Also be sure to follow her on Twitter and like her Facebook page.

That's it for today. Come back to the blog for more book reviews, author interviews and more!
Miranda

Book Review: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Hello readers,

I finished reading ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES by Jennifer Niven and it was incredible. Take a look:

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

Oh my goodness! I don't know how to describe this book! I can write a book about this book using just adjectives. It was amazing, heartwarming, tearful and life-changing. And those adjectives don't give ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES justice.

Jennifer Niven's debut young adult novel is an eye-opener to mental illnesses, something that society should become aware of and be treated with care. It's real and honest. Often the subject is avoided because it scares people. Mental illnesses can also be the butt-end of a joke and is stigmatized but it shouldn't be. Becoming aware of mental illnesses will help save lives and can save yours. If you know someone who is going through a rough time, try to support them. Reaching out to someone can mean the world to them.You can even do some of your own research and educate yourself on different mental disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and more. ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES isn't all about mental illnesses and grief, it's about living life to the fullest. It's about young love, friendships and family. It's about finding those bright places that make you happy and happiness is everything.

I highly recommend this book for fans of Jay Asher, Gayle Forman (who is coming to TBF 2015!), John Green and Rainbow Rowell.

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES will be at a bookstore near you on January 6th, 2015. So save those gift cards and money to buy this incredible book!

That's it for today. From everyone here on the TBF blog, we wish you a Merry Christmas!
Miranda

Tamora Pierce

Hello readers,

Unfortunately, due to conflicting scheduling, Tamora Pierce will not be attending TBF 2015. However, she is hoping to attending TBF 2016. But chin up, readers, we still have 28 INCREDIBLE authors who are attending TBF 2015. I mean, look at these authors that are coming to Rochester this May:

• M.T. Anderson
• Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Charles Benoit
• Heather Brewer
• Jessica Brody
• Michael Buckley
• Cinda Williams Chima
• Ally Condie
• Matt de la Pena
• Kevin Emerson
• Gayle Forman
• April Henry
• Ellen Hopkins
• James Howe
• Tonya Hurley
• Julie Kagawa
• A.S. King
• Jo Knowles
• Emmy Laybourne
• Sarah J. Maas
• Jonathan Maberry
• Katie McGarry
• G. Neri
• Jennifer Niven
• Jason Reynolds
• Neal Shusterman
• Heather Terrell
• Terry Trueman

151 DAYS UNTIL TBF! Who's excited?!

That's it for today. Be sure to check out the blog again for more book reviews, author interviews and more!
Miranda

Interview with TBF Author: Charles Benoit

Hello readers,


Photo Credit: Kurt Brownell Photography

I have another interview for you this week! I had the pleasure of interviewing TBF author, Charles Benoit.

Miranda Reads: This year will be your fifth time coming to TBF. What brings you back to TBF

Charles Benoit: TBF is THE coolest teen book festival in the world, filled with rabid fans, amazing authors and volunteers who make authors feel like rock stars back when it was a big deal to be a rock star. TBF has more fun crammed into one day than many week-long book events I've attended. So it's less 'what brings me back' as it is 'try to keep me away'!

MR: Are you working on a new book? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?

CB: Just today I penned the last line in what (I hope) is the latest "last draft." We’ll see what my editor has to say about that. The working title is SNOW JOB, it's set in the last weeks of 1977 and it's my first first-person novel. Nick’s a (failing) high school senior who tries to turn his life around by following a list of four ideals that he’s sure will make him a better man. But Nick’s life gets a lot more complicated when he makes a (drunken) bet he can’t cover and is bailed out by a guy he helped send to jail. Then there’s the mysterious girl he’s falling for, the one who works for a coked-out drug dealer, the same dealer who wants Nick to work for him. The story’s got sex, violence, lies, betrayal, strained friendships, indifferent parents and just a tiny flicker of hope—so something for the whole family!

MR: In Cold Calls, the characters get blackmailed into bullying classmates. Were you ever blackmailed in high school?

CB: Not in the sense that I use in COLD CALLS, but I often did things I knew were wrong because I feared the social blackmailing that would come if I didn’t. Not just parents-say-it’s-wrong stuff that everybody does, but illegal and dangerous and totally stupid things that any idiot would be smart enough not to do. But I did them, and then had to deal with the numerous times after when someone would say, “Do this new thing or I tell about the time you [fill in the blank].” It’s an awful feeling knowing that someone else controls your life.

MR: Let's pretend you're performing in your high school talent show. What's your talent?

CB: Since my only talent in high school was doing the very least possible to earn a C, I’m going to go back in time with a current talent and wow the heck out of everyone by playing One Step Beyond on my tenor sax.

MR: Which author are you most looking forward to meeting at the 10th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

CB: Don’t try to fool me with your trick questions, Miranda! You know I’m excited to see them all. I’m pumped that my pal April Henry will be making her first TBF appearance, and I’m looking forward to hanging out with Terry Truman again (the man knows how to tell a hilarious story), and I want to track down G. Neri to tell him how much I loved SURF MULES. 


Thank you so much Charles! SNOW JOB sounds interesting and we're all excited to get our hands on it!

To learn more about Charles Benoit's books, check out his website. Follow him on Twitter and like his Facebook page.

That's it for today. Come back to the blog for more book reviews, author interviews and more!
Miranda

Interview with TBF Author: A.S. King

Hello readers,

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving and read a ton over the break! I have an interview to brighten your day. I had the pleasure of interviewing TBF author, A.S. King!

Miranda Reads: This year will be your fifth time coming to TBF. What brings you back to TBF? We love when you come!

A.S. King: I love TBF. From the minute I arrived the first year I attended, I knew I wanted to be a part of the festival as often as I could. Why? Because Rochester Teen Book Festival is the best teen book festival in the country. The team of volunteers is AMAZING and the attendees are the most enthusiastic readers I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Now that I've been there a few times, I've developed close friendships with other regular author attendees and with many local librarians and teachers and I find myself missing them throughout the year. Being an author is weird. I am usually sitting in a room by myself writing books. Human interaction can often be awkward with people who don't understand reading or writing--so coming to Rochester TBF is a little like visiting family or something. You all are my Rochester family.


MR: Have you ever considered writing outside of the contemporary genre? Maybe write a fantasy, dystopian or sci-fi novel?

ASK: That's a tricky question. A lot of people think I already do write fantasy, sci-fi or dystopian novels. I've been nominated for awards in fantasy and sci-fi. And a lot of people have called GLORY both sci-fi and dystopian. It all depends on who you ask. That said, I consider my novels mostly based in contemporary reality, and I don't think I can escape that. For me, there is magic in everyday life. There is dystopia in everyday life. I think I really love drawing those comparisons in my work, which is why I tend to chew some fantasy or sci-fi into my realistic gum. Next year's book is a surrealist novel. Some people call what I write magic realism. I'm not sure what to call it. I just hope the stories keep coming out of my head and onto the paper. So far, that's still happening. In the future, look for another historical novel from me, and maybe a graphic novel or memoir as well. I've got them all in my head, but finding the time to write them is the issue at the moment.


MR: What is your most memorable experience relating to your books?

ASK: Wow. That's a really hard question. I've been writing books for 20 years and have a lot of memories relating to books or writing. But I guess if I were to pick one memory, it would be the day I was called by the Printz committee about Please Ignore Vera Dietz. I was taking a break from writing in my basement office. I miss my kids a lot when I work even though we're all in the same house. So I came upstairs and we were all cuddled up on the couch watching the Candice Bergen episode of The Muppet Show and the phone rang. It was Sunday. It was a number I didn't recognize, so I thought about ignoring it. I then picked it up and a woman introduced herself and said something about Printz and let me explain...I knew what the Printz was, but I never thought I would ever be considered for it. I got up from the couch. My husband had a worried look on his face because I rushed to a quieter place to talk. I sat in the stairwell of the old log cabin where we used to live and asked the caller to start over. She explained why she was calling. I listened. I reacted and said thank you. I cracked a joke or two. I hung up and then I cried for a minute. See, at that point in my career, I thought my career was close to over before it started. My publisher hadn't wanted my next book, I had to move to a new place, I wasn't sure of Vera Dietz because since I'd left, the book had fallen into that quiet book abyss, you know? It never made it into Barnes & Noble. I thought everything I'd worked for for nearly 20 years was kinda almost dead. Winning that Printz Honor was a moment of true joy because it meant that maybe I could have a chance at writing more books, which is all I ever wanted to do. Anyway, I came back to the living room where my husband still had that worried look, I paused The Muppet Show and I told my family what the call was about and we all hugged and jumped up and down like we'd just won Family Feud. Then we took a walk in the snow. My memories of that day are many, but the feeling of pride was the biggest thing I remember. I felt like I'd done something good.

(Readers, check out blogger, Victoria's book review of PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ)


MR: Let's pretend you're performing in your high school talent show. What's your talent?

ASK: I have talent show talents, but I'm too shy to perform at my high school talent show. I'd be stage crew. I'd be the one who puts on the music for the lip synch contest or something. But I wouldn't dare stand up there and sing even though I could sing back then. Too shy. Hard for people who know me to believe, but I'm way too shy.


MR: Which author are you most looking forward to meeting at the 10th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

ASK: I'm looking forward to seeing EVERYONE at the 10th annual TBF. Old friends, new friends, everyone. As an author, it's really cool to meet people I've never met before who do the same thing I do. Again, being an author is weird sometimes. Meeting other authors is a relief because we all know what it's like to do what we do. So, I hate to be so all-inclusive, but it's my way. I can't wait to meet everyone.    
Thank you so much A.S. King! We can't wait to see you in May!

To learn more about A.S. King's books, be sure to check out her website and follow her on Twitter and like her Facebook page!

That's it for today. Come back to blog for more book reviews, interviews and more!
Miranda

Interview with TBF Author: Terry Trueman

Hello readers,


I have the first TBF Author Interview of the year! No surprise that the first author I interviewed was the one and only Terry Trueman.

A little side note before I get to the interview. My first time coming to TBF, the author who really stuck out was Terry Trueman. He was hilarious and sarcastic. When I met him at the autographing session, I won't lie, I was extremely nervous but Terry was one of the sweetest authors. He definitely reminds me a lot like a cuddly teddy bear.

Miranda Reads: For people who are coming to TBF for the first time, author or fan, what advice would you give him, TBF mascot?

Terry Trueman:  I’d advice them NOT to become a TBF author mascot, as a 195 lb, 6’ tall man looks BAD in a tutu, even if it IS a black tutu!

(Honestly, Terry, you rocked that tutu. Don't you guys agree?)

 

MR: What motivates you to keep on writing?

 

TT: I generally love to write. I’ve been lucky and blessed enough to get to write only about the things I want to write about. I love it. Motivation is never the problem, the problem is balancing the time I want to spend writing with the time I have to give to what lesser mortals call “a life”.

MR: Out of all the books you wrote, which one was the hardest to write? Which one was the easiest? Why?

TT: Hmmm, good question. HURRICANE required both some research as it was based on a real event in Central American (Hurricane Mitch in Oct 1998) and also it had been so many years since I’d been in Honduras, so I had to go back to old memories--but I wouldn't say it was ‘hard’ just a bit harder than the others. Easiest? Impossible to say but probably LIFE HAPPENS NEXT because I’d had so many years to think about what might happen next in the life of Shawn McDaniel, protagonist of STUCK IN NEUTRAL my first novel.


MR: Let's pretend you're performing in your high school talent show. What's your talent?

TT: Comedy, definitely a comedy routine. I’m pretty funny, at least to myself.


MR: Which author are you most looking forward to meeting at the 10th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

TT: I haven’t looked at the line-up yet but I hear that Amy King (A.S. King) will be back again with her husband Topher and I absolutely adore both of them--I have been at EVERY TBF and have met so many great authors and made so many pals. I tend to gravitate initially towards pretty women and funny guys but I try to never dismiss anyone. I’ve found that most authors, given half a chance will admit to how lucky and blessed we feel and once we start sharing that, the rest comes easily. TBF is great because it gives authors plenty of time to really hang-out together and every Y.A. author wants to be invited and invited back so all of us are on our best behavior--even though James Kennedy’s best behavior is worse than most everyone else’s worst behavior (Hmmm, thinking about that, it’s probably true for me too!) LOL

Thanks Terry! We can't wait to see you in May!

Be sure to check out Terry's books (which you all should have read by now, otherwise Terry will be very disappointed) on his website and follow him on Twitter. Seriously, readers, follow Terry on Twitter.

That's it for today. Here on the TBF blog, we all wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Miranda

ROC the DAY for TBF

Calling every TBF reader,

Help ROC the Day for TBF!

 

December 2^nd is a major day for Rochester…and for The TENTH Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival.  Fans can donate all day to TBF to help keep it FREE to attend.  Please consider helping us ROC the Day so we can continue to rock TBF!  We need just $3200 to meet our fundraising challenge goal…which will mean that many TBF planners will have to color their hair Tie-Dye colors with one special person agreeing to have her head shaved on TBF day if we meet the goal!  On December 2^nd visit here to learn more and to ROC the DAY for TBF: https://www.roctheday.org/TBFGreaterRochesterTeenBookFestival

 

 

For more info about TBF 2015 visit http://www.teenbookfestival.org/

Thanks everyone! Be sure to check out the blog again for more book reviews, author interviews and more.
Miranda

G. Neri is...

Coming to back TBF! Hooray! He is the author of CHESS RUMBLE, SURF MULES, GHETTO COWBOY, OPEN MIC: RIFFS ON LIFE BETWEN CULTURES, YUMMY and KNOCKOUT GAMES.

On another note, I want to thank Laurie Halse Anderson for coming to the TBF Read-a-Thon. It was a huge hit! We loved having Laurie with us.

Laurie Halse Anderson with TBF goddess, Stephanie Squicciarini

 

Laurie Halse Anderson with her birthday cake!

 

That's it for today. Be sure to check out the blog for more book reviews, author interviews and announcements!

 

Miranda



Book Review: Blessed by Tonya Hurley

Hola, TBF readers! :)

I recently read the novel Blessed by TBF author Tonya Hurley. Here's a brief summary from goodreads.com:

From the author of the New York Times bestselling ghostgirl series, the start to a captivating and haunting teen trilogy about three girls who become entangled with an enigmatic boy;a boy who believes he is a saint. What if martyrs and saints lived among us? And what if you were told you were one of them?

Meet Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy. Three lost girls, each searching for something. But what they find is Beyond Belief.

I have not read Tonya Hurley's popular ghostgirl series, so this was my first experience with her writing. It was definitely not something that I would normally pick up, but was an interesting read nonetheless. 

The book starts off following three teenage girls: Agnes, Cecilia and Lucy, whose paths are woven together when they all find themselves in the hospital one stormy night. They are each there for a very different reason, but all three meet a mysterious stranger named Sebastian, who gives each one a special bracelet and promises that he will see them again.

One of the most interesting things about Blessed was the surreal, almost dreamlike quality to it. It's hard to explain, but throughout reading the book, it was sometimes hard to tell what was really going on and what was all in the minds of the characters. This made the story more suspenseful and kept me wondering what would happen next.

I would recommend Blessed by Tonya Hurley to readers who enjoy paranormal or supernatural elements with their fantasy. Fans of Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys series, especially, might like this book.

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Don’t look at Them.
Never let Them know
you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase.
And I may not live to see my
eighteenth birthday.

For those of you that are acquainted with Julie Kagawa’s previous books from the Iron Fey series starring Megan Chase as the lead character, gear up for an entirely new ride. For those of you who haven’t read the other books in this series have no fear! Although I’d recommend you read those  books before starting this book as I did, by no means will you be confused if you read The Lost Prince first. The Lost Prince, manages to be a continuation of The Iron Fey series, while also being a completely new book starring Ethan Chase as the lead character.

I completely loved this book. It combines all of my favorite genres- mystery, fantasy, and romance- into one fast paced read. Decked in all black with a snarky and proud attitude, Ethan Chase’s bad boy persona makes him an unlikely hero. However, Ethan’s fierce protectiveness over the people he loves makes him not only one of the most honorable characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, but also one of the most swoon-worthy. The female protagonist McKenzie St. James, or Kenzie, is also not a person I’d ever want to mess with, but for different reasons. Kenzie’s curiosity and intellect cause her to get involved in a situation that at first seems beyond her capabilities, but it is her endearing personality and her perseverance to discovering the truth that aid Ethan is solving this novel’s great mystery. It’s also the culmination of all these qualities that leads to an absolutely adorable budding romance between Ethan and Kenzie!

Furthermore, the mystery in this novel was intense. It made the book a page turner, and I couldn’t put it down until I’d uncovered the truth with the characters. One of the great aspects of this novel is that it takes you on one dangerous and exhilarating journey with Ethan, Kenzie, and the other Fae he meets in Nevernever.  I loved the feeling of growing with the characters in this novel, as they got closer to solving the mystery! Therefore, if you enjoy intriguing world building, an adorable romance, hilarious characters, and faeries, then pick up this book today!

--Vimbai

TBF Author News

Hello readers!

I have some author news. First off, Laurie Halse Anderson will not be joining us for TBF 2015 due to an amazing opportunity for her to visit schools in Australia and New Zealand. However she will be with us for our Read-a-Thon so come see her at Barnes and Noble in Pittsford on Saturday, November 1^st at 4:00pm! For more information about the RAT, check it out here. Secondly, I'm delighted to announce the authors who will be attending TBF 2015!

• Gayle Forman: author of SISTERS OF SANITY, IF I STAY duology, JUST ONE DAY series and I WAS HERE     *I WAS HERE will hit the shelves January 27th 2015*
• Jennifer Niven: author of ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES     *ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES will be released January 6th 2015*
• Tamora Pierce: author of SONG OF THE LIONESS series, DAUGHTER OF THE LIONESS series,  IMMORTALS series and so many more! Be sure to check out Tamora Pierce's Goodreads page for all of her books.

That's it for today! Be sure to check out blogger, Victoria's book review of PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King.

Miranda

Book Review: Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Hi, everyone!

I got to read Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. Here’s the summary, if you haven’t had a chance to see or read this awesome book:

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.

So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?
Vera is a pizza delivery girl whose vocab I use to study for the SAT. She is an interesting person because she is not your usual distraught, rebel teen or your usual good girl stay in the lines, which are unfortunately many main character teen types that I find in YA books. She is an interesting mix of the two and does not always make the right decisions. She was a very real character that I liked a lot.

The book kept constantly switching point of view, time period, and even style of the chapter. It was fascinating because I would become so into what was currently happening, then it would switch and show us a piece of Vera and Charlie’s history that made them such good friends, and back to present again. There were a bunch of little side chapters and charts from Vera’s father that gave us a wider view into Vera’s life and what she was dealing with in addition to her dead friend’s mysterious death crisis.

I would recommend this book to someone who wants to read a deep yet light hearted book about friendship and just the choices we have to make in general. This book does have an aspect of magical realism, but don’t let that turn you off because I’m not a huge fan of magical realism, but it was woven so beautifully into the story that you simply cannot have the story without it.

A.S. King is an amazing author, so make sure you check out her other books too!

~Victoria

Book Review: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Hello readers!

I recently read THE NATURALS by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and it was heart-pounding thriller. Take a look:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

When I read THE NATURALS I felt like I was watching a pilot of a new TV Crime Drama show. I was sucked in after Chapter One. And when I had to do some mundane chores around the house, those were the commercial breaks. I was dying to find out what happens next.

What I found very intriguing were the Naturals, people with extraordinary skills. Cassie, our protagonist, is a Natural profiler, she can read people easily. For instance Cassie would know if someone liked their eggs scrambled or sunny-side-up without asking them. There are other Naturals in the book like Naturals at deception and lying, numbers and probabilities and reading emotions. I wondered if there are such people out there. I’ve heard about these geniuses on the news and I wonder if the FBI hires these geniuses.

I also enjoyed the very short chapters in the point-of-view of the killer. The killer’s chapters were chilling to read and I was desperate to find out who was the serial killer as much as the characters.

I highly recommend THE NATURALS to people who love TV Crime Dramas when they’re not reading a good book.

Also the thrilling sequel, KILLER INSTINCTS, coming out November 4th. Readers, I'm dying for it!

That's it for today! Make sure you check back the blog for more book reviews, author interviews and more!
Miranda

Another Author Confirmed for TBF 2015

Hello TBF readers,

I have some news to brighten your Monday! M.T. Anderson is coming to TBF 2015! M.T. Anderson is the author of FEED, THE ASTONISHING LIFE OF OCTAVIAN NOTHING, TRAITOR TO THE NATION series, NORUMBEGAN QUARTET series and more! Check out all of MT Anderson's books on his Goodreads page.

That's it for today! Be sure to check out the blog for more book reviews, author interviews and more!
Miranda

TBF Read-a-Thon

Hello readers,

Before I talk about the TBF Read-a-Thon , I would like to congratulate our wonderful TBF fans who ran in George Eastman House 5K Photo Finish. In addition, TBF raised $2,100! A huge thank you to everyone who donated and our runners!

Now let's talk about the Read-a-Thon (RAT). This is just one of the few fundraisers you can participate in. This year's fundraising goal is $10,000.  How can you sign up for RAT?
Ask your librarian at your school or library if they are involved with TBF and can get you a reader packet.  If not, contact Stephanie at StephanieS@tbflive.org. We ask fundraisers to raise a minimum of $20 to participate in the RAT. For an added incentive, the teen reader who raises the most money for RAT will receive TWO tickets to the TBF Author Dinner on Friday, May 15th, 2015.

Details about RAT
Date: Saturday, November 1^st, 1-5pm

Location: Barnes and Noble, Pittsford Plaza (3349 Monroe Avenue, 14618)

Fun: Meet Laurie Halse Anderson, who will arrive around 3:30 to meet our readers and then will stay for a short reading/presentation and book signing.  Laure is up for a National Book Award for her latest book, The Impossible Knife of Memory! (YAY! Congratulations Laurie!)

 

Snacks will be provided.  Readers should bring pillows, blankets, other comfy stuff and reading material.

 

Prizes: Readers can win door prizes and every reader will get a free TBF T-Shirt.

 

That's it for today! Be sure to check out the blog for some more news, book reviews from our new TBF bloggers and author interviews!

 

Miranda

Updated Information about George Eastman 5K

Hello readers,

If you didn't know, there's an event going on in Rochester called George Eastman House PhotoFinish 5K Run/Walk. For more information about it, check it here.

I have some update information regarding the George Eastman 5K.

• Online registration ends TOMORROW, Wednesday 24th, at MIDNIGHT. To register click here.
• The walk up registration fee increased to $30

That's it for today. Be sure to check out the TBF blog for book reviews from our new TBF bloggers, author interviews and more!

Miranda

Calling All TBF Fans

Hey TeenBookFest fans! 

We are looking for TEN fans willing to walk or run with us at the George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K Walk/Run to be held on Saturday, September 27, 2014.

To register for the 5K, simply click on this link http://photofinish5k.eastmanhouse.org/?page_id=213 and follow the steps to register for the 5K and then to join our TBF TEAM. Also, once you register, someone will be in contact with you to make sure you have a TBF t-shirt to wear that day.  

If a 5K is not your thing, consider a small donation of TEN dollars for year 10 of the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival, to be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

To make a donation, Simply follow this link: https://www.crowdrise.com/tbf2015
If you have any other questions about registering for the PhotoFinish 5K as a TBF Team member or if you want more assistance with how to donate to TBF through the fundraising page, please feel free to contact ljones1@naz.edu.

On behalf of the GREATER ROCHESTER TEEN BOOK FESTIVAL INC, thanks so much for your support!

Introducing Three New TBF Bloggers

Happy Monday!

Today I'm going to introduce to you, three new bloggers who will join Elizabeth and myself on the TBF blog team. Please give a warm welcome to Vimbai, Victoria and Tia.

Vimbai is a senior who enjoys acting, debating, writing, and best of all, reading. Her favorite pastime activity is reading paranormal romances with strong female leads, as well as science fiction novels. In the future, Vimbai hopes to one day pen her own novel or television series for a young adult audience. This will be Vimbai’s seventh year attending the Teen Book Festival, as well as her fourth year volunteering for the festival.


Hey! I'm Victoria, a senior in high school. I enjoy reading a variety of books. One of my favorite things about TBF would have to be getting to meet and know both the authors of books I like and others who read those books too.


Hi, my name is Tia. I'm a twelfth grader. My favorite genres to read are fantasy (especially different takes on fairy tales and/or Shakespeare) and "pirate-y" fiction, such as The Brethren of the Coast series. My favorite part of TBF is that we get to meet published authors and learn more about how they write and do so as their job.


Be sure to check out the blog more for a ton of book reviews from our new bloggers throughout the year!
Miranda

Book Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Hello TBF readers,

Summer may have ended but the TBF blog is just getting started! I have the first book review of the season. Take a look at Katie McGarry’s PUSHING THE LIMITS.

So wrong for each other…and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
 
Let me make this short and sweet: I’m a huge fan of Katie McGarry. I fell in love with PUSHING THE LIMITS and after reading it I bought every single book of hers, without reading the description. So imagine my response when I heard Katie McGarry was coming to TBF: full blown fangirl mode.

Now back to the book review. What I love about PUSHING THE LIMITS is the chemistry between Echo and Noah. Although there is teasing and sweet moments between the two characters, their chemistry begins when they realize they have a lot in common. Before the book starts, they share the experience of losing loved ones and later bond by trying to get information from their school file; Echo wants to know more about what happened on that unfortunate day and Noah is desperate to find out the foster parents of his two younger brothers. Although PUSHING THE LIMITS is a love story, it’s also a story about friends, family and loss. It is definitely not a book you want to disregard as a “typical teen romance novel”. PUSHING THE LIMITS will leave you breathless and possible make you shed a tear or two. You will be dying to read the other books in the series and know more about the secondary characters you meet in PUSHING THE LIMITS.

I highly recommend PUSHING THE LIMITS for fans of TBF Alumni, Simone Elkeles. Also check out Katie McGarry’s other novels and e-novellas on her Goodreads page.

Be sure to check out the blog for more book reviews and author interviews.
Miranda

More TBF Author News

Hello TBF readers,

I hope I can shine some excitement on your back-to-school day. I'm delighted to announce two more authors are confirmed for TBF 2015!

• Julie Kagawa: author of the IRON FREY series, the IRON FREY: CALL OF THE FORGOTTEN series, BLOOD OF EDEN series and upcoming series, TALON      *TALON will be released October 28th*
• Katie McGarry: author of PUSHING THE LIMITS series     *BREAKING THE RULES, the fifth novel, will released December 7th, only in e-book format*

That's it for today! Be sure to check back for some more exciting news!
Miranda

TBF Author News is on Fire

Hello TBF fans!

I have some exciting news to start off the Labor Day Weekend: Emmy Laybourne and April Henry will be attending TBF 2015. Emmy Laybourne is the author of the Monument 14 series and upcoming book, Sweet    *Sweet will hit the shelves in 2015*.  April Henry is the author of Shock Point, Torched, Girl Stolen, The Night She Disappeared, The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die and Point Last Seen series.

That's it for today! Enjoy the last couple days of summer vacation!
Miranda

George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K

Hello TBF FANS,

We are officially kicking off the community efforts to raise awareness and support for the Tenth Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival.     

Our first fundraising event of the season is the George Eastman House Photo Finish 5K Walk/Run to be held on Saturday, September 27, 2014.

There are a number of ways you can help us spread the word about TBF and help us meet our fundraising goal for the year.

1. WALK/RUN a 5K with TBF FANS as a part of our Photo Finish 5K Walk/Run team.   
We are hoping to get at least 10 TBF fans to walk/run in order to celebrate YEAR 10 of the Festival!!!! Simply click on this link http://photofinish5k.eastmanhouse.org/?page_id=213 and follow the steps to register for the 5K and then to join our TBF TEAM. Also, once you register, someone will be in contact with you to make sure you have a TBF t-shirt to wear that day.  

2. BE AN ACTIVE FUNDRAISER as part of our 5K TBF TEAM.  
If participating in a 5K is not something you can commit to this year, then consider giving a small donation to TBF. Simply follow this link: https://www.crowdrise.com/tbf2015

3. WEAR YOUR BEST TBF GEAR and COME CHEER ON THE TEAM on Saturday, 27, 2014.
This is the fourth year of the PhotoFinish K5. It is also known as "The Philanthropy Challenge" because you can be a part of continuing Mr. Eastman's wish to make Rochester the healthiest and best place in the world to live and work. Pull out your TBF swag from your closet and come show the community how the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival embodies George Eastman's philanthropic spirit. 

If you have any other questions about registering for the PhotoFinish 5K as a TBF Team member or if you want more assistance with how to donate to TBF through the fundraising page, please feel free to contact ljones1@naz.edu.

On behalf of the GREATER ROCHESTER TEEN BOOK FESTIVAL INC, Thanks so much for your support!

TBF Author News

Hello readers!

I have some exciting news for all of you: Ally Condie is coming to TBF 2015! Yay! Ally is the author of the Matched trilogy and upcoming standalone book, Atlantia     *Atlantia will be released October 28th*

That's all the news I have for you today! And if I don't talk to you guys before, I hope you have a wonderful start to the school year!

Miranda

Another Author is Confirmed!

Good afternoon readers!

I'm happy to announce that James Howe is coming to TBF 2015! He is the author of the Misfits series and the Bunnicula series. Also James wrote a ton of other books so check them out on his Goodreads page.

What a day, filled with author news! Stick around for more!
Miranda

Three More Authors Added!

Hello readers!

I'm excited to tell you guys more author news. Take a look:

• Jennifer Lynn Barnes: author of , Every Other Day, Nobody, The Natural series, The Perfect Squad series, the Golden series, the Tattoo series, Raised by Wolves series and upcoming series, the Fixer     *The Fixer is scheduled to be released Spring 2015*
• Cinda Williams Chima: author of the Heir Chronicles and the Seven Realms series   *The epic conclusion of the Heir Chronicles, The Sorcerer Heir, will be released October 21st*
• Tonya Hurley: the author of Ghostgirl series and the Blessed series

That's it for today! Enjoy the weekend readers!
Miranda

More TBF Author News!

Hello readers!

Three more authors have been confirmed for TBF 2015:

• Sarah J. Maas: author of Throne of Glass series and upcoming series, A Court of Thorns and Roses    *A Court of Thorns and Roses is expected to be released May 2015*
• Jo Knowles: author of See You at Harry's, Lessons from a Dead Girl, Jumping Off the Swings series, Pearl and Read Between the Lines    *Read Between the Lines is expected to hit the shelves March 2015*
• Jason Reynolds: author of When I Was the Greatest

That's it for today. Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Miranda

Another TBF Author Confirmed!

Hello readers!

Yes, we have another author confirmed! I'm happy to announce that Neal Shusterman will returning to TBF! He is the author (just to name a few) of Unwind series, Skinjacker series, Antsy Bonano series, Dark Fusion series, Shadow Club series, the Star Shards Chronicles & Darkness Creeping In series. Check out his Goodreads page to learn more about this books (since there's a ton).

That's it for today! We will keep you all posted on the authors coming to TBF 2015!
Miranda

More TBF 2015 News!

Hello TBF readers!

I have some exciting news for you guys: Laurie Halse Anderson is coming to TBF 2015! Yay! Laurie is the author of Speak, Prom, Catalyst, Twisted, Fever 1793, Wintergirls, Seeds of America series and The Impossible Knife of Memory.

And for advanced excitement: Laurie Halse Anderson will be joining us for the TBF Read-a-Thon!

TBF Read-a-Thon
Where: Barnes and Noble in Pittsford
When: Saturday, November 1st
Time: TBD

More information about the RAT will be posted later.

That's it for today! Read a lot and enjoy your vacation!
Miranda

Another Author Confirmed for TBF 2015

Hello readers!

I hope you all had a great 4th of July. I have exciting news to share with you: Matt de la Peña is coming back to Rochester for TBF 2015! Yay! Matt is the author of Mexican WhiteBoy, Ball Don't Lie, We Were Here, I Will Save You and The Living series.

Enjoy the sunshine! Read a ton this summer!

Miranda

TBF 2015

Hey readers!

TBF 2014 was a success! YAY!

For readers who didn't get a chance to come to TBF 2014, have no fear because there's always TBF 2015! The 10th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival will be May 16th, 2015. And yes, TBF fandom, we already have some confirmed authors!

• Charles Benoit: author of You, Fall From Grace & Cold Calls
• Heather Brewer: author of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, the Slayer Chronicles & the Legacy of Tril series
• Jessica Brody: author of 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, The Karma Club, My Life Undecided & the Unremembered trilogy
• Michael Buckley: author of the Sister Grimms series and the NERDS series
• Kevin Emerson: author of the Atlanteans series, the Oliver Nocturne series and the Exile series
• Ellen Hopkins: author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, Fallout, Perfect, Tilt, Smoke & Rumble   *Rumble will be released in August*
• A.S. King: author of The Dust of 100 Dogs, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, Everybody Sees the Ants, Ask the Passengers, Monica  Never Shuts Up and Reality Boy
• Jonathan Maberry: author of the Benny Imura series
• Heather Terrell: author of Fallen Angel duology and Books of Eva series
• Terry Trueman: author of--he'll be very disappointed if you don't know his books by now, readers J --Stuck In Neutral, Life Happens Next, Inside Out, Cruise Control, No Right Turn, 7 Days at the Hot Corner & Hurricane

During the summer, I will be announcing more confirmed authors for TBF 2015 authors. I'm just letting you know ahead of time to not expect authors to be confirmed every week.

Good luck to everyone with end of the year exams, congratulations to the Class of 2014 (especially to our dear co-blogger Elizabeth!) and enjoy the summer, readers!
Miranda

Post TBF 2014

Hello TBF readers!

It's been weeks since TBF 2014 and I'm riding the high from meeting all of these amazing authors and the wild excitement. I mean look at the excitement seeping through these awesome videos and pics!

TBF President Goddess Stephanie Squicciarini dressed up in Steampunk because readers met their fundraising challenge

Photo Credit: TBF Live on Twitter

TBF Author Parade from the POV of excited fan (aka me)

Video Credit: Miranda Reads

The crowd for the Opening Author Panel

Photo credit: Jay Asher on Twitter

Photo credit: BN Pittsford on Twitter

Photo credit: Sue Kowalski on Twitter

Opening Author Panel: Truth or Talent.

Alethea Kontis and Amber Lough sang and while author Jay Asher did a seaweed dance to "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid

Video credit: Alethea Kontis on YouTube

G. Neri and Jay Asher sang and beat-boxed to Selena Gomez's "Come and Get"

Video Credit: Miranda Reads

Lauren Myracle showed us she can still do a hand stand

 Photo credit: TBF Live on Twitter

Author Breakout Sessions

Left to Right: Amber Lough, Cristin Terrill, Michelle Madow and Tess Sharpe

Photo Credit: Amber Lough on Twitter

E. Lockhart and Lauren Myracle

Photo Credit: TBF Live on Twitter

Jonathan Auxier and Aaron Starmer

Photo Credit: TBF Live on Twitter

Gina Damico

Photo Credit: TBF Live on Twitter

Autographing Session

Photo Credit: TBF Live on Twitter

Photo Credit: TBF Live on Twitter

For more blog posts about TBF 2014 check out these fun blogs!

Jay Asher

Gina Damico

The Well-Read Redhead

A HUGE thank you to several people. Thank you to the authors who hopped on planes and drove all the way here to Rochester; you truly made hundreds of readers' day. We hope you enjoyed TBF and would consider coming back again! Thank you to the publishers who sent these amazing authors to TBF; we are grateful that you guys were supporters of this book festival and we can't thank you enough. Thank you to the sponsors; without you there wouldn't be a TBF. Thank you to all of the TBF volunteers; you guys put aside your entire day to make TBF enjoyable for the readers and authors. Thank you to the incredible TBF Committee; you guys put a lot of energy and time year-round into this event. Thank you to TBF President (or Goddess, either one), Stephanie Squicciarini, for shedding blood, sweat and tears and doing this festival for 9 years! And lastly, thank you readers for taking some time out of your day to read the TBF blog.

See you all at TBF 2015!

Miranda 

All Our Yesterdays

Thank you for attending TBF 2014 at Nazareth this past Saturday. Today's review is by guest blogger Florence who read Cristin Terrill's All Our Yesterdays: 

This story is told through the perspective of time-traveler Em who is being held by The Doctor in a secret military base along with Finn, the boy she loves, who resides in the cell next to hers. Em finds a set of instructions in the drain of her cell, which she has been obsessing over for months, that she left there for herself to execute. The note tells Em "You have to kill him." and she knows immediately that her worst fear and hardest choice to live with is the last possible way to stop The Doctor from destroying the world. The story is also told from the perspective of Marina and follows her traumatic story with her best friend James whom she's loved since she can remember. When James' brother is shot and killed she makes it her mission to help him find the killer and to be there for him in any way she can, even if that means putting herself in danger. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill creatively and brilliantly explains time travel and builds a chaotic world where the characters race against the clock to save the world and alter the course of history. This sci-fi novel filled with time-travel, adventure and true love is a must read and will keep is readers intrigued until the very last word, which leaves them wanting more.

Book Review: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

It’s a tough life on light crew. Every day is full of danger, crawling through the dark hulls of abandoned, beached ships, searching for wire and metal salvage. To Nailer, it’s the only life he’s ever known, and even though he hates it, he has to find some way to support himself. Especially since there are so few people he can trust.

After a devastating hurricane, Nailer and Pima, his best friend, make the discovery of a lifetime – a swank ship, filled with all sorts of riches, riches that can get them out of this life. But when they scavenge the ship, they find something they weren’t expecting – a survivor. Against his better judgment, Nailer decides to rescue the girl, Nita, and she reveals that if they help her get back to her family, she’ll reward them handsomely. But dozens and dozens of miles of wasteland are between them and the nearest drowned city that they could venture to. Not to mention the goons trying to catch Nita, dead or alive – including Nailer’s father. Nailer isn’t quite sure what he’s gotten into, but he is going to survive.

Ship Breaker was an AMAZING book. As you probably know from my reviews, I don’t generally enjoy dystopias, but Ship Breaker…well I guess you could call it a literary dystopian thriller. There’s a reason it won the Printz Award and was a National Book Award finalist. Ship Breaker defies all expectations, and goes by so quickly that you’d can’t believe it isn’t only 200 pages. And once you’re finished, you’ll just sit there thinking, “What did I just read? I need to read it again.” I was extremely impressed with Paolo Bacigalupi’s novel, and I definitely plan on reading it again. You should definitely check it out and buy it if you have the money.

Just a reminder that the festival is TOMORROW!! (I can’t believe it, can you?) You all should come bright and early at 8:45 for the author parade and stay as long as you can – you won’t regret it. Can’t wait to see you all there! :)

Happy Reading!
Elizabeth

Book Review: My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald

Wow! TBF is tomorrow! I hope you are excited as we are about the festival. Guest blogger Carli submitted this review of Lisa Greenwald's My Life in Pink and Green. Happy Reading! - Kim

The book My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald is a terrific story that teaches the importance of family and maintaining a business. It deals with drama-queens, cute boys, family, money, the environment, girly things, and your average girl who isn’t exactly average. The main character Lucy Desberg works at her family-run pharmacy, Old Mill Pharmacy, with her grandma and her mom. When the business is put in jeopardy due to overdue mortgage payments, and not enough business Lucy takes it on as her duty to save it. She helps a popular (2-time homecoming queen) high school girl, Courtney Adner with a major hair dilemma and suddenly the pharmacy is full of girls desperate for her help, asking for makeovers. Thanks to her older sister Claudia, Lucy has been in love with beauty and make-up since she was little. She puts her great ideas to use to help save the pharmacy. She also is trying to help the environment by using eco-friendly ideas with the help of her mom. Along the way she has to help her best friend Sunny with boy drama, and even deals with some herself. The book is full of beauty tips, business tips, and some great quotes. It is truly an amazing book that every preteen or teenage girl should read.

Guest Blogger Book Review: Unwind Dystology #1: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman is kind of a big deal in the world of YA literature. Check out his super cool website. Better yet, come meet him at TBF on Saturday!

In this dystopian tale, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies reach an agreement that end the Second Civil War in America. The two sides agree to end the practice of abortion but create an alternative called "unwinding." Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child by having every part of their bodies harvested to be "donated" to another person. Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. This becomes an accepted practice in society. It also allows for troublesome or unwanted teens to be easily unwound. The book follows three teens who all become runaway Unwinds: Connor, Risa, and Lev.

Unwind is a gripping, thought-provoking novel. I kept wanting to read on to see how each runaway Unwind grappled with their terrifying reality. This book will make you review your own ideas about abortion, organ donation, religion, and politics. Unwind is the first book in the Unwind Dystology. Unwholly is book #2 and Unsouled is book #3.

-Carly

Guest Blogger Book Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

3 days until ‪#‎TBF2014‬! I'm pretty excited about meeting E. Lockhart, the author of We Were Liars on May 17th!

Cady is a part of the beautiful and distinguished old money Sinclair family. She has grown up spending her summers on their private island off the coast of Massachusetts. Every year she is reunited with her cousins, Johnny and Mirren and the nephew of Johnny’s mother’s boyfriend, Gat. Something happens during “summer 15” when Cady, Johnny, Mirren and Gat are all fifteen years old. Cady no longer remembers anything about that summer due to traumatic brain injury and must piece together what happened. There is love, loss, and plenty of secrets. Stick with the story until the end-- it has an amazing twist.

We Were Liars is a great, quick read. It is beautifully written and unlike any other book I’ve ever read. E. Lockhart did a wonderful job of crafting memorable characters and she set just the right pace for the story. I spent days thinking about Cady, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. It was fun to flip back to earlier parts to see what I missed the first time around. Check it out!

-Carly

Guest Blogger Book Review: Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

12 Days until #TBF2014! I am so excited to meet our authors this year, including Jonathan Auxier, who wrote Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes.

Peter Nimble is an orphan who has taken up a life of thievery to support himself. Peter was blinded when he was a child ; this makes his other senses more powerful and Peter of the best thieves in his port village. One night, Peter steals a box from a traveling haberdasher. There are pairs of magical eyes inside the box- each has a different power. Soon, Peter is given a quest, accompanied by Sir Tode, a knight who has some problems of his own. Peter and Sir Tode find themselves trying to solve a riddle in the Just Deserts. There they meet many interesting characters and find danger.

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is a fun read. I really enjoy the narrator's commentary about the events in the novel. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fantasy or interesting characters. Check out the book's website: http://www.peternimble.com/

Jonathan Auxier's new book, The Night Gardener, is being released on May 20th.

Check out Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes at your local school or public library. Meet Jonathan Auxier at TBF on May 17th!

Happy reading!

-Kimberly

Interview with TBF Author: Cristin Terrill

16 DAYS UNTIL TBF!!!

And 16 days until we see Stephanie and the rest of the TBF committee members dress up in steampunk. How exciting is that?! I had the pleasure of chatting with Cristin Terrill, author of All Our Yesterdays. Take a look:

Miranda Reads: Do you have a title and release date for the sequel of All Our Yesterdays?

Cristin Terrill: I'm afraid I can't answer this question yet!


MR: Do you believe that "villains" can be redeemed from their horrific acts?

CT: I suppose that depends on what you mean by "redeemed." I think villains can change, become better people and atone for their crimes, but that doesn't wipe away the bad things they've done. Personally, I'm not interested in villains who are totally evil or good guys who are totally good, though, so I enjoy those shades of gray.


MR: Elizabeth, the TBF co-blogger, asks: Are you a Whovian? If so, which doctor is your favorite?

CT: I'm totally, obviously a Whovian! (Although it didn't occur to me until way late in the game that calling one of my characters "the doctor" -- SOLELY BECAUSE HE HAS A PHD -- would seem like I was ripping off Doctor Who!) I love all the New Who Doctors, but I do have a special place in my heart for David Tennant since I was a fan of his many years before he became Ten. He was in this one play in London that I went to see so many times I probably could have taken over a role if one of the actors had suddenly gotten sick or something.


MR: One of your five fun facts says that Alan Rickman once yelled at you. We're talking about Severus Snape Alan Rickman right? Why did he yell at you? And how in the world were you able to meet Alan Rickman?

CT: Haha, okay, the Alan Rickman story. I feel a little bad for even telling this, because he was probably just having a bad day or something, and to be honest I was kind of thrilled it happened. So for several years I lived in London and worked in the theatre as a stage and house manager. One night we were understaffed and very busy at the theatre where I was house managing, so I took over selling programmes and similar items, which is not something I normally did. All of a sudden Alan Rickman was in front of me, buying a couple of programs. The lobby was rammed with people who were jostling and being annoying, I had another patron trying to talking to me at the same time, and I got a little flustered and was struggling to make change from the money bag that I wasn't used to using. Then he snapped at me to hurry up. It was really not that dramatic I'm afraid!


MR: Let's pretend you're on the talent show, America's Got Talent. What talent would you perform?

CT: Oh lord, I have no idea! I do sing, but I'm not all that great, and sitting at my laptop and writing a novel onstage probably wouldn't be too entertaining. Maybe I'd just do something totally ridiculous and hope for some William Hung-style viral fame.


MR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting at the 9th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

CT: There are so many amazing people coming I can hardly choose! I am a huge E. Lockhart fan, so she might be #1 for me. I may be too shy to try to meet her, though, because I'm afraid I would just end up fangirling in her face and embarassing myself!


Thanks for chatting with me Cristin! See you in 16 days!

That's it for now. Make sure you check out the blog again for more author interviews and book reviews!
Miranda

Guest Blogger: Book Review: Croak by Gina Damico

TBF Countdown: 17 days!

Hello! My name is Kim. I'm a school librarian in the Rochester area. I read Croak by Gina Damico a few months ago in anticipation of TBF!

Lex Bartelby is shipped off by her parents to her uncle's farm in the Adirondacks after she causes havoc at her school. Her parents hope that a summer of hard work on the farm will change Lex's behavior. However, when Lex meets her Uncle Mort, she learns that he is not as he appears: he is actually a Grim Reaper. Lex's strange behaviors are much like her uncle's. Lex learns that she has the powers to be a Reaper, too. However, if she decides to follow in her uncle's footsteps, what will she have to give up?

Croak was a fun read! The plot is fast-paced and the characters are interesting. I enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other. 

Croak is the first in a trilogy, followed by Scorch and Rogue. All are about Lex's adventures in Croak. Check them out at your local public or school library!

Interview with TBF Author: Michelle Madow

18 DAYS UNTIL TBF!!!!!

I hope you guys are more excited for TBF than Elizabeth and I are! Without any further delay, please meet Michelle Madow, author of the Secret Diamond Sisters.

Miranda Reads: Which Secret Diamond Sister do you most relate to?

Michelle Madow: There are SO MANY differences between these three girls. Peyton is the oldest, the most stubborn, has taken the brunt of the difficulty of dealing with an irresponsible mother who recently spiraled into alcoholism. She hasn't gotten over a certain heartbreak, and has trouble trusting anyone anymore. Courtney is the responsible, goal-oriented sister, who oftentimes acts as the mediator between Peyton and Savannah, and has put school and work before having friends or a boyfriend. Savannah is the youngest and most naive -- she's been protected by her sisters -- and is very innocent in comparison to them, but it also leads to her being an optimist who always believes the best in everyone. When I was in high school, I related the most to Savannah, but nowadays, I'm definitely the most like Courtney, because of my focus on writing and how I put it before anything else in my life.

MR: I'm dying to read the sequel to the Secret Diamond Sisters, Diamonds in the Rough. When will it be released?

MM: Thank you! It comes out November 2014. [MR: Psst! Check out the stunning cover of Diamonds in the Rough on Michelle's blog!]

MR: Who are your top 3 favorite YA sisters?

MM:

1) My original favorite YA sisters were Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield from the Sweet Valley books. I read tons of those books when I was younger! I always preferred Jessica because she made mistakes that got her into such interesting adventures. 

2) Elizabeth and Diana Holland from the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen. 

3) They're not sisters by blood, but Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir from Vampire Academy have such a strong bond that they always struck me as more sisters than best friends, and I loved reading about them through the series. 

 

MR: One of your five fun facts says that you listen to Taylor Swift all of the time. What's your top 3 favorite T-Swift songs? Also have you seen her in concert?

MM: My favorite Taylor Swift song is definitely "Love Story," since it's the song that inspired my first novel, Remembrance! Other than that, I have a really hard time picking my other two favorites, because I love all her songs SO MUCH! Probably Long Live, because I find it so inspirational, and Forever & Always, because it's so fun to jam out to. And yes, I've seen Taylor in concert -- I think I've seen her around six times! I really love her shows :) 

MR: Let's pretend you're on the talent competition show, America's Got Talent. What talent would you perform?

MM: I'm sadly not talented in anything involving the stage. I'm an okay singer, but not good enough that I could be professional. I can strum a few chords on guitar, but I'm unfortunately not very good at playing it. I CAN do the Cups song from Pitch Perfect, so I guess I would do that! I even have a YouTube video of myself doing it that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VikPSL1jwQ

 

MR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting at the 9th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

MM: Ann Brashares, because I was a huge fan of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series when I was in high school!

Thanks Michelle! See you in 18 days!

That's it for now. Make sure you come back here for more author interviews and book reviews!

Miranda