Summary of If I Lie (From Goodreads): A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

** Corrine Jackson’s Website **
** Follow Corrine Jackson on Twitter **
** If I Lie releases on August 28th, 2012 from Simon Pulse **

Ashley B:

• Are you from a small town?
  I was born in a town that is hardly a blip on the map. It had one stop light, the population was less than 1,000, and it takes up all of a half mile. My family moved to southern California when I was very young, but I used to go back to Haxtun, Colorado to visit my father. The simplicity of that place has stayed with me. I once rode a lawnmower down the sidewalk at age six, the only restaurant in town gave Dum Dums suckers to all the kids, and a whistle blew at noon every day to tell the grain factory workers that it was lunch time. Everyone knew everyone else, and sometimes I daydreamed about a swimming through the piles of grain. Those are the kinds of things I think about when I write about small towns.
• Does the military play a role in your life?
  My uncle did two tours in Vietnam. He was mentally ill the rest of his life and spent a lot of time at the VA Hospital. I also have an honorary uncle who fought in Vietnam. The stories I’ve heard from them and my family definitely had an impact on my writing and the inspiration for IF I LIE.

Alexis K.:

• What goes on with this other guy to make her do what she does?
  Sh. I can’t tell. Honest. It would ruin the book for you if I gave away all the secrets.
• Does this other guy know her boyfriend?
  Yes, he’s a close friend. In fact, he’s Carey’s BEST friend. Scandalous, right? Things aren’t always what they seem to be, though.

Brittany:

• When you started writing this book, did you expect it to get published?
  At first, I didn’t know what I had. I couldn’t figure out where to start the story and wrote about six different beginnings to IF I LIE. The problem was that I knew how I wanted to open the book, but it required me to weave flashbacks and memories throughout the story. I was taught that flashbacks are like your mom wearing Crocs – something she should know better than to do. But then something clicked and I figured out how to weave those moments in so they felt natural. After that, the pieces fell together and I thought I had something that might see a bookshelf.

Wesley:

• As an author, what do you feel is the most important aspect of your work?
  I think it’s important to do my best to get the story “right.” For me, this means doing a lot of research. In IF I LIE, Quinn is from a military town and her father is a Marine. Quinn is also working with a Vietnam Vet on the Veterans History Project, which is a project run by the Library of Congress to record the stories of our soldiers. I was sick that I would do this experience an injustice. My publisher sent IF I LIE to the Veterans History Project, and my greatest fear was that they would tell me I was off base. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, and I’m proud to know that they were very touched by the story.
• Who’s your favorite author?  What do you like about his/her work?
  Laurie Halse Anderson. Hands down. SPEAK blows me away, and I used to read sections of WINTERGIRLS to inspire me while I was writing IF I LIE. She’s brilliant at symbolism and voice. I also love her willingness to play with structure. For example, SPEAK is told in a journal format and WINTERGIRLS has an awesome use of strikethroughs and repetition that mirrors the internal angst of the narrator. Most of all, I find her use of language to be borderline poetic at times, and I love to sink into some of her lines and reread them. She makes me feel things when I read her work and that is a huge gift.

Sarah W:

• Do you like the cover?
  I couldn’t imagine what the cover would look like. My main request to my publisher was that we stay away from girls in pretty dresses. I thought that would make light of the story or make it seem like a different kind of book than it is. My editor emailed me the cover while I was at my day job. My coworkers gathered around when I opened it, and I cried like an idiot. I think it’s so beautiful and mirrors the heart of IF I LIE in a way that surprised me. The black-and-white photo is both stark and full of emotion, and I could hug the designer for giving me that cover.
• Have you ever been cheated on?
  Not that I could prove, but I had strong suspicions once. The fact that I couldn’t trust my boyfriend was enough to wake me up, and I ended up breaking the relationship off. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t stay with someone who didn’t respect me. I believe cheating causes a lot of damage. Beyond the pain it unleashes, cheating can break up families and leave kids growing up in a single-parent home. We should make t-shirts that say, “Cheating Sucks. Don’t Do It.”

Jazzmyn:

• Who would you recommend this book to?
  The reactions from my male and female readers so far are pretty balanced, so I think that both boys and girls will like it. It’s kind of heavy and emotional, but I wouldn’t really call it a “girl” book. I think the topics it covers are pretty universal and not unique to any gender.
• Who is your favorite character in the book?
  Aside from Quinn, I love George. He’s a Vietnam Vet that Quinn gets forced to work with at the VA Hospital. He’s grouchy, flirts with all the nurses, and cheats at cards. I love the scenes with Quinn and George because they have fun and don’t take any crap each other. He can make Quinn laugh when she feels like crying, and that’s a valuable trait in a friend.

Becca:

• Do you think “cheaters” in real life are really abandoned by friends because of what they did/have done?
  It depends on the friends and the community. If you’re in a military family or dating/married to a soldier, cheating is considered deplorable. In all the interviews I did and the research I conducted, everyone agreed that cheating on a deployed soldier makes you the scum of the earth. When a soldier goes to war, they are comforted by the thought of the family waiting for them at home. In that community, it’s considered a betrayal to abandon that person. Outside the military (and maybe some religious communities), though, I think that friends will often choose sides. Some friends will stick by the “cheater,” and others won’t.

Shannon:

• What does the title have to do with the book?
  Good question! Quinn is keeping a major secret to protect her boyfriend. She can tell the truth and free herself from the town’s condemnation, or she can lie to protect her boyfriend. She is constantly asked to choose between her boyfriend and herself, and she struggles to act with honorable when her sacrifices add up to more than she can take. What would you give up for someone you loved? Would you lie to protect them at great cost to yourself? That’s what the title is about.

I want to note that I am by no means some kind of classroom library expert (if there is such a thing), nor do I think my way of doing things is the best.  Through Twitter conversations and other blog posts, I’ve discovered lots of ways that I’d like to improve my library and my system, but for right now my system is alright.

Background:

I decided to create a class library when I took my college Young Adult Lit class.  That may have been the first class I decided to keep all of my books and not sell them back!  After that, word got around to my family and friends that I was a Y.A. reading machine, so many of my friends and family bought me books as a graduation present.  I devoured those and then spent a big chunk of my summer job money at the book store buying more books and searching through the shelves at used book stores for more.  I started teaching the fall after I graduated from college, and I’m pretty sure my class library was made up of maybe 35 books.  I was the only one in my department with a class library, so my students weren’t quite sure what it was all about.  They caught on pretty quick though

My library before my first day of teaching.

Creating Your Library and Spending:

I’ll admit, creating and managing a class library can be expensive.  It’s just something that I’m willing and excited to spend money on.  Not only am I reading and enjoying the books I’m buying, I’m watching them read and enjoyed by my students countless times over.  If you’re just starting out as a teacher, I recommend creating a library budget for yourself so you don’t over do it or get too overwhelmed.  I also strongly recommend checking out Donors Choose and writing up a project proposal for books.  I’ve created at least three different fundraisers for books and all have been fulfilled.  It takes some effort on your part after writing up the project; you’ll want to spread the word to your family and friends, on Facebook, Twitter, at school, etc.  It’s free for you, and all you need to do after your project is fulfilled is have your students write thank you letters, take some pictures to post on your project page, and write a thank you letter as well.  With each project I created, I ended up with 40+ books added to my class library that I didn’t have to pay for.

Another way to add books to your classroom library is to let students know that they can donate their books.  Some of my students hand them over without my prompting because they won’t read them again.  Others like the idea of helping me out and adding to my classroom.  I can’t remember where this idea came from, I think it was Kelly Gallagher, but now when students donate books I add a label to the inside cover with the student’s name and his/her graduation year.  This way students can see who donated the book whenever they read that copy.  It gives students  a piece of ownership in my classroom.

Student donated book label. You can always write this in w/o a label.

Organization:

My graphic novels shelf

When it comes to organization, I keep it simple.  For the most part, I have my library organized alphabetically by author’s last name.  That changes with series because I order those according to the series order.  Students are always asking me which order the series is in, and which books comes first, so I keep it that way to help them.  Last year I added colored circle stickers with numbers on them so my students know which book is next in the series.  I bought a pack of green, yellow, and pink dot stickers from Target for less than $2.  One thing I keep in mind is to avoid using the same color stickers next to different series to avoid series confusion.  Most of the time students know the difference in series because of author, cover design, etc., but you never know when someone might get confused.  My graphic novels have their own shelf so they’re easier to find.  My non-fiction titles start right before my fiction titles start (author’s last name starting with “A”).  Eventually I’ll have a separate shelf for non-fiction, but I’m not there yet.  I considered organizing my library according to genre, but my students vastly voted against it.  Most of them said that they like randomly picking a book not knowing if it’s the genre they’re used to or looking for.  For example, one of my freshmen girls reads pretty much only contemporary fiction.  She just finished reading Isla and the Boy Next Door, Bittersweet, and Anna and the French Kiss, so she wanted something similar to those.  I handed her The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer because I knew she wouldn’t pick that herself.  It may not have worked for her, but she came back a couple days later raving about it

Two series stickered and in order by number in series.

Check-out System:

Check-out sheets

This is an area of my class library that I really want to improve, especially now that I have so many books (near 1,000).  For the past few years I’ve had a binder with check-out sheets that require the student’s name, the author, the title, and the check-out and return dates.  Last year many of my students were complaining because they could never find the sheet where they checked out their book.  This year I bought a larger binder and dividers to mark my four classes, plus an additional spot for my students that aren’t in my class anymore.  Each tab is labeled with the hour.  This has been much better for my students; there’s been less confusion and complaining.  I’d love to use an online resource, but I think I’d need a laptop or something in my room because I’d have students in charge of maintaining it.  Right now, though, this is working well enough.  Once a student checks out a book, I initial the spot.  When the book is returned, I check it off and initial it again.  This is a way for me to remember later that the student returned that book.  It’s an easy system that I introduce to my classes at the beginning of every new trimester.  The binder stays in one spot on my class-length bookshelf near my desk.

An important part of my check-out system is keeping my books labeled.  Every time I add a new book to my library, I grab a black Sharpie marker and write my last name across the top of the pages and along the outside of the pages.  The picture I included shows two different books with my name across the top and along the side.  If my books goes missing in school and someone else finds it, they’ll know it’s mine.  I keep a Word doc of all the books I put in my classroom as well.

I always label my books with my last name.

Sometimes though, books go missing.  Most times it’s because a student forgot to check out my book when he/she borrowed it.  When I notice a book’s missing and not checked out, I add it to my list of missing books on the board.  At this time of year I’m a little more serious about keeping up the list in hopes that all of them will be returned.  I’ve even given extra credit when a student finds one of my books or tells her friend that I need her to return it (if she’s finished).  Sometimes I don’t get them all back, and I figure of all things to go missing from my room, I’m glad it’s a book.

“Missing Books” list

Displays & Misc.:

When Borders was closing I took advantage of their sales and bought two of their shelves.  I’m pretty sure that I need to start adding books to those shelves now, but all this year they’ve served as display shelves.  I’ve used them to display newly added books, banned books during Banned Books Week (always a class favorite), student recommendations, and recently I’ve displayed books by genre.  The student rec shelves were popular because one a student would finish a book, I’d ask him/her to pick a colored note card and write a quick blurb about their thoughts.  Then I’d laminate the cards (to avoid bending/tearing), tape it to the shelf, and then place the book there for other students to read.  Even though most of my students didn’t want my entire library organized by genre, many of them often ask for specific types of books (funny, mystery, sports, etc.) which is why I’ve created this display.  So far, it’s been quite popular and has drawn quite a bit of interest, especially since the covers are face out.  I’ve also taped student rec cards with pictures of the covers on top of my shelf so students can choose books that way as well.

Last summer I was perusing the Target dollar aisle and found some cute plastic bottle bins in pink, black, and white (the colors of my classroom).  I bought them to use as additional book displays, which sit on my long bookshelf.  I’ve displayed them by theme, holiday, etc.  I just tape a note card to the outside of the bins so my students know what type of books they’re featuring.

My class library this year, along with plastic bin displays along the top.

If you ever receive or win swag (bookmarks, stickers, buttons), I recommend finding a place for it in your classroom.  I have a wicker basket behind my desk next to one of my shelves full of swag that my students know they can pull from whenever they want or need a bookmark.

Basket of swag!

I hope this is helpful to those who have classroom libraries or plan on creating one!  It’s been a work in progress, and continues to be, but I love my class library.  The books on my shelves and the displays in my room add a sense of warmth to my classroom.  My students don’t like this time of year when I start taking things down because my room ends up looking so bare.

My Library  Today:
*The pictures are a little off. There are four sections of shelves.**

Novels I’ve Read:

Refresh, Refresh: A Graphic Novel by Benjamin Percy, James Ponsoldt, Danica Novgorodoff (illustrator) (Goodreads): I decided to start with a graphic novel since we just discussed them during last night’s #titletalk.  This is probably the most popular graphic novel in my classroom right now.  It’s about a group of boys whose fathers are all serving in Iraq.  They don’t have role models readily available, so they’re trying to figure out life and how to grow into adulthood on their own.  We see them constantly refreshing their email just in case they receive a new email from their father.

Heroes by Robert Cormier (Goodreads): This is historical fiction based during WWII.  Francis has returned from the war, but he no longer has a face after he fell on a grenade.  Heroes deals more with Francis trying to move on after the war, the mental effects of being severely disfigured, and Francis plotting to kill his childhood war hero.   Just like most of Robert Cormier’s books, he mixes character motivation and psychology into a blend that manipulates the reader because while we know killing someone is wrong, you can’t help but feel for Francis.

Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen (Goodreads): Soldier’s Heart is a historical fiction novel set during the Civil War that works for both middle grade and Y.A. readers.  It’s about a boy who enlists at the age of 15 because he doesn’t want to miss out on this experience.  It’s been a long time since I’ve read this, but I remember plenty of battle scenes as Charley tries to survive the war.

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick (Goodreads): Patricia McCormick is one of my favorite authors because she takes so much time researching her topic, which is obvious in Purple Heart.  I like this novel because we watch Private Matt Duffy trying to recover from a war wound and also trying to regain his memory.  He receives the Purple Heart, but he doesn’t remember exactly what he did to receive it and something’s nagging at him to make him feel like he doesn’t deserve it.  We get a glimpse of how soldiers recover and are sometimes rushed back to the field to continue serving.  Purple Heart is a very real book that allows readers to see a different side of the war than what’s portrayed in the media.

While He Was Away by Karen Schrek (Goodreads): I’m including While He Was Away because even though we aren’t following a soldier, we’re following Penna’s life after her boyfriend, David, leaves to serve in the military.  I think this would be a good read for those who have a significant other serving and either want someone to relate to or maybe they want to know what to expect.  Penna’s story is a little different because she really only had David while they were dating, but now that he’s in Iraq, she has to branch out and start making friends and moving on with her life while she waits for him to return.  We do, however, get glimpses of what David’s going through via Skype chats, emails, and phone calls.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (Goodreads) (My Review): I’ve read 40+ books so far in 2012, and Something Like Normal is still in my top three favorites.  It’s told from a guy’s point of view, it’s current, and it’s authentic.  Travis is home on leave from Afghanistan and not only is he dealing with troubles at home, he’s desperately trying to cope with PTSD after seeing his best friend die.  We’re not watching him fight the war, but we’re there for his nightmarish flashbacks.  We’re watching him fight himself.  This releases on June 19th, and I REALLY hope you buy it.  I plan on buying multiple copies for my classroom.

Novels I Want to Read:
I’m including the summaries since I haven’t read these books yet, but I will say that I’m pumped about If I Lie!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Goodreads): Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it’s barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she’s sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?

Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers (Goodreads): An exciting, eye-catching repackage of acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers’ bestselling paperbacks, to coincide with the publication of SUNRISE OVER FALLUJAH in hardcover.

A coming-of-age tale for young adults set in the trenches of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, this is the story of Perry, a Harlem teenager who volunteers for the service when his dream of attending college falls through. Sent to the front lines, Perry and his platoon come face-to-face with the Vietcong and the real horror of warfare. But violence and death aren’t the only hardships. As Perry struggles to find virtue in himself and his comrades, he questions why black troops are given the most dangerous assignments, and why the U.S. is there at all.

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers (Goodreads): A powerful new novel about the heroics and horror of war from Walter Dean Myers, whose bestselling book FALLEN ANGELS celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Operation Iraqi Freedom, that’s the code name. But the young men and women in the military’s Civil Affairs Battalion have a simpler name for it: WAR.

In this new novel, Walter Dean Myers looks at a contemporary war with the same power and searing insight he brought to the Vietnam war of his classic, FALLEN ANGELS. He creates memorable characters like the book’s narrator, Birdy, a young recruit from Harlem who’s questioning why he even enlisted; Marla, a blond, tough-talking, wisecracking gunner; Jonesy, a guitar-playing bluesman who just wants to make it back to Georgia and open a club.

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson (Releases August 28th, 2012) (Goodreads): A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

Title: Darker Still

Author: Leanna Renee Hieber

Student Reviewer: Zach H.

Summary (From Goodreads):

I was obsessed.

It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I’d ever seen–everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable…utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.

There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.

I’ve crossed over into his world within the painting, and I’ve seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked–bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still.

Student Review:

Everyone has believed in the concept of spirituality at least once in their lives. Well, even if one is not a believer currently, they will become one after reading Darker Still. I was drawn to this book originally because I had heard that it was inspired by Oscar Wilde’s groundbreaking novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. Having enjoyed Wilde’s novel not even a month before, I was eager for a new twist on the story. By the time I finished this book, I determined that it wasn’t only a unique twist on Wilde’s story, but surpassed it in terms of an engaging story as well.

Darker Still follows Natalie Stewart, an eighteen-year old girl who has been mute ever since her mother died years earlier. Over time, she feels extremely drawn to a painting of the handsome Lord Denbury, who supposedly committed suicide. However, Natalie comes to find out that Denbury is still alive and trapped in the painting, having fallen backwards into a plot that is so much bigger than simple magickry. At the core of this captivating tale is a very engaging plot which I would love to elaborate upon, but sadly can’t.

Besides the plot, the characters were what really sold the story in Darker Still, especially Natalie, Denbury, and Mrs. Northe. For instance, seeing the whole events of the story from Natalie’s point of view was quite fascinating, mainly due to the fact that, being mute, she sees the world and handles interactions differently from the average Jane. Denbury, on the other hand, provides a tender and loving air that exudes strength even when things seem most dark. Additionally, Mrs. Northe serves as an excellent supporting protagonist as her knowledge of most things supernatural makes her the perfect helper to both Natalie and Denbury despite the increasingly dark situation.

Despite how good the plot and characters are, like all great novels, Darker Still does have its occasional drawbacks. For example, some of the characters, such as Maggie, are so wooden and unimportant that I feel the novel could have gotten along perfectly well without them. I was also disappointed that Natalie’s father wasn’t fleshed out too much considering the fact that her mother is dead. If the novel could have focused just a little bit more on Natalie’s relationship with her father, I would’ve felt just a bit more emotionally attached. Additionally, I didn’t like how the whole novel is basically a diary kept by Natalie recounting the events because it sometimes it showed a feeling of emotional detachment from Natalie. Not always, but just enough.

Despite these significant shortcomings, Darker Still is a very good book. The often disturbingly detailed imagery and prose leaps off of almost every single page. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good, mystery, or even supernatural fiction. Darker Still is a novel for everyone.

Summary (From Goodreads):

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

(If only it were that easy.)

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “vacation” has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.

But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?

** Sarah Tregay’s Website **
** Like Sarah Tregay on Facebook **
** Love and Leftovers is available in stores! **

Allison:

• Was writing in verse difficult or do you prefer it?
  Marcie’s character fit well with the verse format, as did her story, so writing LOVE AND LEFTOVERS in verse felt very natural. Verse has some challenges, but that’s what makes it interesting to write. For instance, when I went from 8.5×11 paper (for the manuscript) to the smaller page size (for the book) I had to edit some lines so they’d fit. On the other hand, verse can be easier than prose in the rewriting/revising stages because you change the order of the poems without much editing. I enjoy writing—and reading—novels in verse.

Delia:

• Why did you choose to write a long distance love story?
  Before I wrote LOVE AND LEFTOVERS, I had written a handful of manuscripts that didn’t sell. My friends said these stories were “too quiet.” (They were nice enough not to call them boring.) So When I was thinking about LOVE AND LEFTOVERS, I made a list of very bad things that could happen to my main character because I wanted the stakes to be high and the story interesting. Being away from friends was on that list, and Marcie being away from her boyfriend, Linus, added to her loneliness and upped the stakes.

Sarah W:

• Do you plan on writing more books?  If so, are they going to all be in verse?
  I’m working on another novel or two, but they may not end up in verse. My editor asked for me to try one of them in prose instead. It’s an experiment, so I guess we’ll have to see how it goes.

Morgan:

• Why are some of the kids called leftovers?  Were you considered a leftover?
  The Leftovers are a group of friends that don’t fit into the usual cliques in their high school, for example, one is an athlete who also gets good grades, another is a girl scout, and three are in a band. My friends at my lunch table in high school didn’t call ourselves “leftovers”, but we were a hodgepodge mix of AP students and students who were scraping by with Cs, field hockey players, photographers, and musicians.

Jordin:

• How do you manage to say and mean so much with so little written (referring to verse)?
  I think with verse a writer can lean on the reader a little more than in prose. Each reader brings their own feelings and experiences with them when they read a book and an author can tap into these emotions without explaining every minute detail by using word choice, turns of phrase, and even white space. Verse definitely has the “read between the lines” aspect where a reader uses a combination of their own experiences and imagination to fill in the spaces. So in some ways, reading a novel in verse is a collaboration between the author and the reader.

Summary of The Way We Fall (From Goodreads): It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you’re dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn’t?

Summary of Fever (From Goodreads): Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago – surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous – and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion…by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price – now that she has more to lose than ever.

My readership survey will help me construct my post, but it will also give me some important insight about my audience.  I have a pretty good feeling about who makes up my readership, but I don’t know that for sure, nor do I know which posts you find the most useful and want more of.  The survey I created is brief, but it and your responses will hopefully help me make Y.A. Love a better blog!  I truly appreciate your time and help   If you feel there’s something else you’d like to add that isn’t addressed in the survey, please feel free to leave it in the comments or email me.

Natalee!

The winner has been contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond.  If there is no response another winner will be announced.  Thanks to those who entered and stopped by to read Geoff’s post!

Author: Jessi Kirby

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release Date: May 8th, 2012

Interest: Author / Sophomore Reading Challenge

Source: ARC received from the publisher

Summary (From Goodreads): A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”

Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.

Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

Have you ever started reading a book and knew right away that you were going to love every single page?  That’s how I felt when I started reading In Honor by Jessi Kirby.  I can’t explain what about a book wins me over when I have this experience, but I’m happy about it nonetheless.  I felt similarly when I read Jessi Kirby’s debut Moonglass as well.  Her writing draws me in and doesn’t let go until I’ve finished her book.

I love that In Honor starts with Honor describing taps being played and the 21-gun salute.  If you’ve been to a funeral when taps has been played and the salute is given, then it’s easy to relive it while reading someone’s experience.  It’s an emotional experience which becomes an emotional reading experience.  I don’t have an immediate family member serving, but I have former students serving, I have cousins serving, I’ve had friends serving.  I may not know what it feels like to lose a brother in the war, but I can certainly empathize with Honor and Rusty as they navigate through their grief.  In Honor is an emotional read, but it’s balanced with love, hope, and humor that many readers will appreciate.

The road trip setting gives In Honor a lighter mood despite the circumstances which I really appreciated because it made the emotional scenes even more powerful.  Road trip books are entertaining because characters are forced to interact with one another, given the close quarters, which provides more character development and insight.  Honor pretty much wears her heart on her sleeve, but Rusty is harder to read.  Honor and Rusty don’t get along very well and the tension is palpable, but there’s something just beneath the surface that lets the reader know that there’s more to Rusty than meets the eye.  Besides the fact that I had a character crush on him, I really enjoyed watching his character grow and discovering his secrets as their journey to California progressed.  He and Honor are learning more about each other, but they’re also learning about themselves through this entire ordeal.

I don’t know if this makes sense, but reading In Honor made me wish I could either live in Texas or at least visit Texas.  I love living in Michigan, so maybe I just wish I could have gone to Texas years ago and met a cute guy like Rusty?  I don’t know, but the whole southern atmosphere described was alluring.  I have been to Sedona (a pit stop Honor and Rusty have to make), so I know how beautiful it is and really want to make a return visit.  More than anything, I think this awkward paragraph just goes to show how well Jessi Kirby created the atmosphere and setting of In Honor.  So many elements of this book won me over and made me feel like I was there with Honor and Rusty.

If you take anything from this review, know this: In Honor is a book that will resonate with readers.  The characters are dynamic and true and ones you’ll wish you could meet in real life.  Jessi Kirby wrote a wonderful debut, but her sophomore novel, In Honor, is even better.  Without a doubt, In Honor will be extremely popular in my classroom and I really hope you read it.

1. What about a book draws your attention the most?

• Cover design–58%
• Author/reviewer blurb–3%
• Summary–39%

2. What kind of cover design do you prefer the most?

• Models on the cover–25%
• Objects/scenes related to the story–75%

**Note–This was the same in my Y.A. Lit class**

3. What kind of color combination draws you the most?

“There isn’t really a color combination that draws me in more than others.”

“Red and black”

“Bright colors”

“Red mixed with black and white”

“Bright and dark in one”

“Pink, purple, blue–cute colors”

“Green and yellow”

“Orange and blue”

“Neon or 1 or 2 solid colors and an all caps, stencil, huge title.”

“I really don’t care, but if it has fun colors it will catch my attention.”

“It doesn’t matter, I pretty much read what you say is good.”

4. Is font style & placement important to you? Explain.

• Yes–40%
• No–60%

“Bold and artistic to draw me in to see what the title is.”

“Not really. It’s more about what it says than the font or placement.”

“I like it when the font is popped out and in your face.”

“Not really, it really depends on what’s between the covers.”

“The author’s name should be at the bottom.”

“Not really because I’m going to read the title no matter what.”

“I Hunt Killers is a good example when font matters.”

5. Would you feel comfortable reading a book w/a gender-specific feel to it? (Guys reading a book w/a “girly” cover.)

• Yes–65%
• No–35%

“Not really, unless somebody points it out (multiple times).” –Male

“I don’t care as long as it’s a good book.” –Male

“Yeah, as long as it’s not hardcore manly.” –Female

6. Do you prefer to see the character’s “face” or would you rather imagine the character on your own?

• See the character’s face–34%
• Use your imagination–66%

“Seeing the face ruins the book for me.”

“Seeing their face is easier, but imagining them is more fun so either one.”

“I do sometimes. I really like the models on the covers of Wither and Fever.”

7. If possible, please provide some examples of covers that you like and why.

“Divergent–The symbol looks to be on fire, and it is connected to the story.”

“Bad Girls Don’t Die, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, If I Stay, Where She Went, Night World.  All of these books have interesting covers.”

“I like the cover for Stupid Fast because it looks like he’s alone; it makes you wonder.”

“Payback Time because it’s about sports.”

“Epic Fail–It’s cute and fun.  Catching Jordan–It kind of explains the book.”

“The Hunger Games–Looks tough and serious.  Shiver–Draws my attention.”

“Anything by Simone Elkeles. Hers have models and they really interest me.  I like covers that look romantic.”

“Fracture, The Hunger Games, and Living Dead Girl because they leave you with questions.”

“Other Words for Love because it’s cute.”

“Split and Crescendo“

“Catching Jordan–Cute and pops”

“The Pull of Gravity because I like the colors and how you can see the characters, but everything’s sort of muted.”

“I like the cover for I Hunt Killers because it catches my attention.  I also like the cover for Trapped because it helps me visualize the school they were trapped in.”

“Forever by Judy Blume and Boy Meets Boy because Forever is girly and I like the colors in Boy Meets Boy.”

“House of  Night, The Mortal Instruments, Hush, Hush, stuff like that.  I like that the models aren’t too detailed but enough to get an image of the character.”

“I like the cover for Across the Universe because there are people but not faces; it’s mysterious.”

“Boy 21, Paranoid Park, and I Hunt Killers because they just stick out or have the character on it.  They let you picture something while staying mysterious.”

“The House of Night series: This is because they show the main character’s unique tattoos.”

“Divergent–very bold”

“Insurgent because it makes me wonder why there is a tree with a circle around it.”

“The cover for Hold Still is good because even though it shows the girl, it also briefly tells the story just by looking at it.”