My New Book Review Site

Hello Scribblers and Book Bandits!

Long time no talk. I just wanted to let you know that I have started blogging again over at Christy Luis Reviews: Book Reviews for You. It's not a writing blog, just a review blog. I don't post there on a regular schedule, like once a week; I usually post a review every two or three weeks. There's no set day.

But I hope to see you over there, whether you're a Scribbler or a Bandit or both.

Thanks for reading, friends.

-Christy

YA Book-to-Movie News Roundup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ender's Game premiered Nov. 1, 2013.

The Book Thief premiered Nov. 8, 2013.

Catching Fire premieres Nov 22, 2013.

Divergent premieres Mar. 21, 2014.

The Maze Runner premieres Sept. 19, 2014.

I, for one, love to watch as Hollywood discovers YA Fiction. 

The Lakeport Cinema is doing a special double-feature for The Hunger Games and Catching Fire on Thursday, Nov. 21 for $12. What a fun event for a family outing!

The Mockingjay movie (third in Hunger Games Trilogy) will be split into two parts (thanks to screenrant.com for the news). Boo! The book isn't long or detailed enough to merit the split, but Hollywood WILL MAKE THEIR MONEY, Y' HEAR?

The Divergent movie trailer looks good! Much better than the teaser trailer did. I read Divergent in one sitting when I should have been doing homework, which speaks to its thrills and pacing. This book also packs a thematic punch, which I love, but it has some plotting and worldbuilding problems. But! Check the new trailer:



Thanks to GreenBeanTeenQueen for the news.

The Giver, a classic in Children's Literature, is also being filmed and is scheduled to premiere on August 15th 2014 (thanks to ropeofsilicon.com for the news). The book is a wonderfully lyrical, disturbing Dystopia by Lois Lowry (a prolific author of several critically acclaimed children's and young adults' novels).  Many famous actresses and actors populate this cast, including Meryl Streep. Exxxxcited! Certain readers, however, are rumbling about Hollywood's choice to cast a 24 year old actor for Jonas, the 12 year old main character of the book. Personally, it doesn't worry me too much--Hollywood can remake Jonas into a teenager without impacting the story line too much. I hope.

Though filming for The Maze Runner is over, the director protracted the release date until September 19, 2014 (thanks to Hypable for the news). Again, boo. But maybe that's a good thing--we wouldn't want an undercooked film, after all. I enjoyed the trilogy, which is why it made my 2013 Summer Reading Recommendations. If you want to read my book review + craft post on the trilogy, you can click here. By the way, have you seen these Maze Runner trading cards?

*11/21/13 Update: I forgot to mention that the film adaption of Meg Rosoff's How I Live Now premiered on Oct. 4th 2013.

Photo Attribution:
I, Sailko [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5) or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

8 Things for Christian (and Other) Parents to Love About Twilight

I'm not a parent...but I was a teenager during that first humongous Twilight boom and I really enjoyed the books. I've just reread the first book to see if all the criticisms about it are true. Coming back to it as an older person, more experienced reader, and aspiring writer, I can understand the criticism; but there's been plenty of that. It's time to give Twilight a little well-deserved lovin'.

*By the way, this post contains some spoilers. But if you're reading these words, you've probably either already read and love/hate the book, or you are curious about its content. So read on!

Bella and Edward As Teen Role Models (Don't laugh, yet.)

 



1) Bella and Edward wait to have sex until after they get married. I mean, seriously, do you want your sixteen year old having sex with her boyfriend? How about her second or third boyfriend? No? Then Bella and Edward can be an example in this regard.

2) Edward is a respectful, old-fashioned kind of guy. He respects Bella's dad Charlie, and he's actually the one in the relationship who insists on marriage before sex.

3) Bella is a responsible young adult. She finishes school essays several days before their due dates. She reads literature. She shops and cooks for her father. She was ready and willing to buy her own car with her own money. Are you liking this, parents? She's actually not a bad role model, in a lot of ways.

Spiritual Matters

 



4) This book touches on a few spiritual matters. During chapter 14, "Mind Over Matter," Bella asks how vampires might have originated. Edward replies,

"Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation?

Couldn't we have evolved the same way as other species,

predator and prey? Or if you don't believe that all this

world could have just happened on its own, which is hard

for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the

same force that created the delicate angelfish with the

shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both

our kinds together?"
 

I thought this was a beautiful way to suggest the question of origins to a teenager. This idea appears in few books, much less in Teen lit where it should be since teens are still feeling all this out for themselves. (Check out this video, around the 5 minute mark, for a minute long overview of Stephanie Meyer's religious views, and how they impacted her book.)

5) The books don't glorify the blood-sucking, evil sides of vampires. I haven't read Dracula, so I know very little about the classical metaphors, etc. But I do know that these are "vegetarian vampires," meaning they've found a way to control their thirst without drinking the blood of humans. Edward worries about his soul. These don't sound like the dangerous, evil vampires that Christians worry might influence the minds of their children. And anyway, most kids know the difference between fantasy and reality. Twilight won't demonize the minds of your children. I understand that this is a personal opinion, though. If you aren't comfortable with it, I won't try to convince you any farther.

Good Reading Experiences



6) Moms and daughters can read and enjoy these books together. It's been done. Seriously.

7) It'll get your teen girl reading! What's not to like? One positive reading experience can easily lead to another. Would you rather your daughter be watching TV or reading Twilight? By the way, Twilight is a pretty big book for a reluctant reader to pick up (my copy has 498 pages and rivals a few of my Bibles in thickness). If they're reading it, I say give 'em a gold star.

8) The classical references throughout the series spur teens on to read and listen to the classical sources. How do I know? Because I read Wuthering Heights after Twilight piqued my curiosity about it. I didn't like "the classics" back then, but Twilight helped me along. And if it makes your teen curious about vampires? Tell her to read Dracula. That's kind of a classic, you know?




Before I leave you to consider these things, let me tell you that the books are NOT the same things as the movies. I really...dislike the movies. But I like the books. And before you decide you don't like the books, give them a fair trial, please.

2 New Book-To-Movie-Trailers

Another new Catching Fire Trailer, this one with some exciting glimpses:



Also, another book trailer for The Book Thief movie (yippie!):



Thanks to GreenBeanTeenQueen for the news!

Three Goodies: New Narnia, TTT & Self-Publishing Done Right

I have three announcements!

First, the next Narnia movie is in the works: The Silver Chair!

Second, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) announced the Teens' Top Ten Winners- Woot!

For a list of the books and other information about Teens' Top Ten, check out YALSA's website page, or this post in which I explain why I love the TTT competition.

And, finally, earlier today the blogging sensation Nathan Bransford released his first self-pubbed book, a writing guide. Happily, Bransford presents writers an example of "the right way" to self-publish for a large audience. He hired two editors, a cover designer, the whole shebang to prepare his book for the public. I haven't read it yet, but I certainly will.

YA Fiction Booklist: Twisted Fairy Tales and Retellings

Fairy Tale Retellings

Check out these twisted and retold fairy tales, all available at the Lakeport Library,or upon order from nearby Redbud library. And don’t forget about our ebook and audiobook downloads. You can download certain books on your home computer through “overdrive” onto your Kindles, ipods and other ereaders and mp3players. Some books are Adult Fiction that appeals to Young Adults, and others are Juvenile Fiction that appeal to Young Adults.



Cinder / Marissa Meyer

The book of lost things / John Connolly (Adult Fiction)

Golden / Cameron Dokey

Bewitching : the Kendra chronicles / Alex Flinn

Princess of the Midnight Ball / Jessica Day George

Just Ella / Margaret Peterson Haddix

Fire and Hemlock / Diana Wynne Jones

Snow / Tracy Lynn

Beauty : a retelling of the story of Beauty & the beast / by Robin McKinley (Juvenile Fiction)

Deerskin / Robin McKinley

Rose daughter / Robin McKinley (Juvenile Fiction)

Mermaid : a twist on the classic tale / Carolyn Turgeon

Spindle's end / Robin McKinley (Juvenile Fiction)

Beast / Donna Jo Napoli

Bound / Donna Jo Napoli

East / Edith Pattou

Sisters red / Jackson Pearce

Bella at midnight / Diane Stanley

Nobody's son / Sean Stewart

The swan maiden / Heather Tomlinson

Midnight pearls : a retelling of "The little mermaid" / Debbie Viguié

Breadcrumbs / Anne Ursu

Briar Rose / Jane Yolen

The following books are available Ebooks or Audiobooks AND in hard copy at the Lakeport.

A little princess / by Frances Hodgson Burnett (audiobook, Juvenile Fiction )

Entwined / Heather Dixon (ebook)

Book of a thousand days / Shannon Hale (audiobook)

The goose girl / Shannon Hale (ebook & audiobook)

Fairest / Gail Carson Levine (audiobook, Juvenile Fiction)

Impossible : a novel / Nancy Werlin (audiobook)

The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents / Terry Pratchett (ebook)

Order These From Nearby Redbud

Into the Wild : a novel / Sarah Beth Durst

Confessions of an ugly stepsister / Gregory Maguire

The swan maiden / Heather Tomlinson

Briar Rose / Jane Yolen


 

Teen Library Events in July & August (+Pictures from June)

Our first teen meeting went really well! We made food collages in accordance with our theme "Reading is Delicious." Here are some crappy phone pictures for your viewing pleasure (because...I forgot my camera).

Some other kids showed up later, so I think we had about...10 total? Anyway, we decorated the Teen Space (middle of the library under the hanging posters) with the collages:

On June 19, a crazy group of 15(ish) teens and tweens decorated cupcakes. The library staff were very impressed and chose a winner that looked almost exactly like the one with the tongue in this picture from Martha Stewart's cupcake book. We also taught teens how to use piping bags and tips and how to make butterflies (pretzels dipped in chocolate and decorated). I forgot my camera (again), and my hands were too sticky to take phone photos, this time. But trust me. It was bomb. (Thanks to Bruno's for the wonderful cupcakes and frosting!)

Amy also taught a well-attended sourdough breadmaking class on Saturday, but I wasn't able to go, so I can't give you the juicy (floury?) details.

Here's the list of teen events in July and August. I don't have the times for you,* but you can always get a schedule at the library. This is just to whet your interest!

 

• On Saturday, July 6, teens and parents can meet Amy and me at the Steele Wineries Farmer’s Market (also near Rainbow Ag) for a cooking class. Following the class, we will tour a farm. We're going organic, folks.

• On Wednesday, July 10, we will have a "Chocolate Night" (early evening. Whatever). We'll make little chocolate mice and listen to an excerpt of a relevant teen book. Location: Lakeport Library.

 

• On Wednesday, July 17, Alethea Eason, author of several novels including the wonderfully imaginative Middle Grade novel, Hungry, is going to pay our teens a visit. A real author! And her book even fits the theme. Location: Lakeport Library.

• On Saturday, July 27, we're all going to visit the Community Garden. (This one is obviously not at the library. Amy has more info.*)

•  On Wednesday, July 31, Amy will show us how to make mini herb gardens and macramé slings to hang them in. Location: Lakeport Library.

•  On Saturday, Aug 3, we will meet with teens so they can plan their party (It's my party and I'll...) & turn everything in. Location: Lakeport Library.

•  And on Wednesday, Aug 7, we'll have our partaay!  We will raffle off the grand prize Kindle Fire (book reviews = tickets) and give out other prizes. Location: Lakeport Library.

*You can also call Amy at the library for more info about these teen events: 263-8817.