There are many fairy tale retellings, and an especially large number of Cinderella stories, but I can’t recall ever coming across a cyborg fairy tale heroine. Cinder, book one in the Lunar Chronicles, takes place post-World War IV in the busy streets of New Beijing, the capital of the Eastern Commonwealth, an area ravaged by an outbreak of a fatal plague. Linh Cinder is a cyborg and a talented mechanic who lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters, her adoptive father having passed away long ago. Her stepmother, Adri, has never accepted Cinder as her daughter, but as a cyborg she is considered a second class citizen and is bound to her stepmother by law. When her sister Peony contracts the plague, Adri offers Cinder up for vaccine research. In the palace’s laboratory she discovers new information about herself, about her past, and decides to work with the doctor to find a cure, and to find a way to break free of her unhappy home life.

Did I mention there’s a handsome Prince? In this Cinderella story, the Prince Charming gets some personality, some soul. Cinder first meets Prince Kai while working in the market. It seems that Prince Kai has an android in need of some discrete tech servicing. The two meet again later when Cinder is working with Dr. Erland in the palace laboratory. Prince Kai is especially concerned with the doctor’s mission to find a cure for the plague because his father, the Emperor, has fallen victim to the fatal disease.

And yes, there is a ball and a fairy godmother (well, a friendly android at least). All of the elements are here and there are some sweet little nods to the original Cinderella. For example, in the opening scene, Cinder removes her “too-small foot”, which brings to mind the small feet of our classic Cinderella that made it clear that the abandoned glass slipper belonged to her alone. Though there is much familiarity in the story elements, Marissa Meyer really makes Cinder her own. The New Beijing setting, the letumosis plague, and the impending conflict with the Lunar Queen are all welcomed additions. Having a fairy tale heroine as resourceful as Cinder is also appreciated. We don’t have to rely on magic to make things happen.

As the first book in a planned four books series, we don’t get our happily ever after ending. The next three books in the series are based on three other fairy tales, but with Cinder remaining as our main hero. I am curious to see how this intermingling will work. I’ve enjoyed other fairy tale retellings which mix different tales together – the Fables graphic novels and the television show Once Upon a Time – so I’m hopeful that Marissa Meyer’s series will continue to grow in creative and interesting ways.

Em’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (January 2012)

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Zeitghost Media, we are giving away a copy of Cinder! To enter, fill out this form by January 29th. One entry per person, US/Canada residents, 13 years of age or older. Winner will be contacted by email and announced on this site.

And as a special treat, here is a personal favorite Cinderella story! As a little kid, I was shocked by the disrobing of a cartoon character, but I loved the music and the weird sisters and their funny toes.

13 year old Sam Childs, son of a well known civil rights activist, has grown up believing that the non-violent protest methods of his father and Dr. King will lead to change. One day, Sam discovers literature about the Black Panthers under his older brother Stick’s bed. Stick brings a home a gun, and then soon after runs away to join the movement. After witnessing police brutality on the streets and learning of the assassination of Dr. King, Sam starts to question his father’s tactics and yearns to learn more about the Black Panther Party. Torn between two role models and caretakers – his father and his brother – Sam must make sense of his world and choose which path to take.

The Rock and the River takes place in 1968, the year in which Dr. King was assassinated, towards the end of the time period generally referred to as the Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968), and in the early days of the Black Panther Party (founded in Oakland in 1966). Sam is on the brink of adulthood and still looking for guidance from his father and brother, who seem to be on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. As the racial violence strikes closer to home, it becomes harder for him to understand and truly believe in the non-violent protest methods that his father has raised him on. But is he ready to throw those beliefs away? His anger draws him to the Panthers, but as he joins the party, he learns that there is more to them than uniforms and guns.

I was not taught anything about the Black Panther Party in school, aside from seeing occasional images of them (in the context of comparison to the non-violent protesters) wearing leather jackets and berets and carrying guns. And I doubt that I’m unique in this gap in my formal history studies. It’s a shame because, as Magoon’s novel proves, it’s valuable to see the various methods employed in the struggle and the connections and differences between the various parties. I also appreciate that Sam’s introduction to the Black Panther Party has him recognizing that there is more to them than their militancy. While he wavers back and forth between being drawn to and scared of the gun-toting aspect of the Panthers, Sam gains a feeling of hope for the movement and connection to his brother when dreaming of the Panther’s plan for a neighborhood clinic.

Sam isn’t only thinking about Civil Rights though. He’s 13 and he’s becoming an adult. He’s thinking of his future and his girlfriend Maxie, and yet also yearning for the comfort of childhood – of the days when he and Stick used to build a tower in their bedroom and share bedtime stories. His male role models have drifted apart from one another because of their politics and he’s not sure which one’s footsteps to follow in. It’s a confusing and emotional time for him, and as a reader it’s impossible not to root for him and wish to lend him a hand when he’s feeling alone.

I started off reading The Rock and the River by listening to the fabulous audio recording, read by Dion Graham whose vocal performance is spot on as usual. About mid-way through, I switched to reading the physical book, not because the audiobook wasn’t working for me (oh how it was), but rather the environment I was in made reading more appropriate than listening. And I think I switched at just the right time, being able to read at my own pace as the action picked up. About 3/4 of the way into the book, I simply couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. Sam, his internal struggles, and his connection to family during these trying times, is what really kept me engaged throughout the novel. Yet Magoon also inspired me to learn more about the history of this time period and specifically about the Black Panther Party. This is what I appreciate most about quality historical fiction – when authors manage to bring history to life in a way that encourages continued exploration.

Em’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Author: Kekla Magoon
Reader: Dion Graham
Publisher: Brilliance Audio (May 2010) and Aladdin (January 2009)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at the fabulous The Broke and the Bookish, featuring weekly top ten lists on a variety of bookish topics. This Tuesday’s topic is Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book, so um, get to work? Pretty please?

1. Octavia Butler – it is hard to move past this one. Octavia Butler wrote one of my absolute favorite books, Kindred, and I love her other work as well. Sadly, she passed away in 2006, and so my wish will not come true. At least I still have Wild Seed on my TBR.

2. Eric Carle – what a dear sweet man. His work is beautiful and he has a whole lot of heart.

3. Sherman Alexie – more YA please! I’ve loved everything that I’ve read by Sherman Alexie, but I want more from him specifically in the YA department. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Flight are both solid.

4. Sara Varon – her artwork is darling. If Sara put out a new book every year, that would be just fine by me. Robot Dreams is a personal favorite.

5. Jennifer Donnelly – ok, I admit it, I still need to read A Northern Light, so I shouldn’t be begging for more yet, but Revolution was so good! I want more! Now! Please?!

6. Jonathan Safran Foer – I would take anything JSF sent our way, which is why I am out of JSF books to read. Keep them coming!

7. Zetta Elliott – I’m getting my wish! Very soon! I loved Elliott’s picture book Bird and A Wish After Midnight was fabulous! Can’t wait to read Ship Of Souls!

8. Jacinta Bunnell – that’s right. I want some more gendertastic coloring books in my life!

9. Nnedi Okorafor – I still have plenty to read (all on my shelf) by Okorafor, but I can’t deny that I want MORE! (feeling kind of greedy on this one). Zahrah The Windseeker is one of my all time favorite books.

10. Terry Pratchett – I was having trouble deciding who to give this final spot to. The truth is I’ve never read a book by Terry Pratchett. The truth is that even if I started today, reading at my normal pace, I would still have plenty of books by him to read for a very long time. But my dear friend, Quinn, who is 11 years old and a huge Terry Pratchett fan, would appreciate some new books to listen to. And there you have it, my final wish.

I hope all my wishes come true (even the hopeless ones)!

Alex is a somewhat nerdy and average teenager living outside of London and attending high school. He goes over to the house of a friend, and the next morning he wakes up unable to remember anything. Alex doesn’t recognize his room or body, and it suddenly becomes clear that he is no longer himself. He has turned into Flip, a semi-posh and popular teenager from another part of England.

While this book could easily be a Freaky Friday type farce, it is actually pretty well done. It ponders questions of the soul, and makes the switch pretty believable. The subplots involve girls and other people who have switched souls. The girl subplot, in which popular player Flip suddenly likes a nerdy girl, could have been better developed. However, the friendship Alex has with the head of the soul switching message board online is very interesting. Namely, it serves to point out how impossible it would be to live someone else’s life.

The book goes quickly, and contains a lot of good detail about the British school and social class system. I did wish the book would get a bit grittier in parts, as Alex always seems a bit too controlled. I also would have liked his love interest to be more believable and more developed. Still, the book is fun and interesting. It goes into a sci-fi theme that isn’t all that overdone recently, and the addition of technology (Internet, cell phones, etc…) gives it new life.

Nora’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Author: Martyn Bedford
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (April 2011)

thanks to Jeffrey West for the lovely banner image!

His team is called The Swindon Town Swoodilypoopers and includes outstanding players such as Bald John Green, Other John Green, and heroic goalie, Fat Lucas. Bald John Green is the star forward of the team, who often overshadows Other John Green with his sexy mustache, but as John claims, Other John Green is “a hero in his own right.” During John’s quest to take the Swindon Town Swoodilypoopers all the way to the Premier League, he covers subjects such as how he got engaged, his friendship with Maureen Johnson, high school pranks, the American economy, and Pants the Cat.

The reason I love these videos? Well first, it’s impressive how well John can multi-task and how well he moves back and forth between story and goal celebration. For example, during one game the following commentary happens: “Could John Green do it? [goal] He’s a finisher!…That was as suave and smooth as the way I asked out my wife for the first time.” But the main reason that I love the Swindon Town Swoodilypoopers is that they captured the attention of my husband! My husband is an avid reader, but the world of YA lit is one that he is seemingly uninterested in. That is until soccer is involved. One day I was watching a video where the Swindon Town Swoodilypoopers play Colchester while John talks about his first date with his now wife, and I was utterly surprised when my husband came over, sat down next to me, and watched the WHOLE VIDEO (he too was impressed by John’s ability to play and tell stories at the same time). I’m sure it helped that the story was romantic and adorable and that we watched this video together right around the time of our wedding, but I felt the magic of FIFA 11, of Hank Games, of the Miracle of Swindon Town, uniting us for a solid 12 minutes in the world of YA. My husband may never return to that world, unless of course a new season begins, but I’ll always have those 12 special minutes.

For more information on John Green Week, visit I Eat Words.

For more information on John Green, John Green may be able to help you out.

*edit: since posting, a new video has gone up! let the 2012 season begin!

Here’s a little taste of the January releases that I’m excited to check out!

The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Poppy
Anticipated release date: January 2, 2012

I’m reading this one now and enjoying it. I like chance encounters in random places and male love interests who are as kind as they are handsome. Contemporary love stories aren’t usually my cup of tea, so this one has been a pleasant surprise thus far.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends
Anticipated release date: January 3, 2012

I love a good fairy tale reworking and a good sci-fi story, so make Cinderella a cyborg and you’ve got my attention. Can’t wait!

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Dutton Juvenile
Anticipated release date: January 10, 2012

I’ll be curious to hear what the final count of pre-orders for this book are when it finally comes out January 10. I was one of the many who decided to help John Green use up his Sharpie collection, when he generously offered to sign all the pre-orders. John Green hasn’t failed me yet. The Fault In Our Stars sounds like an especially heartfelt offering from him.

Fracture by Megan Miranda
Walker Books for Young Readers
Anticipated release date: January 17, 2012

This debut sounds in some ways like a lot of recent YA releases – near death experience followed by strange happenings – but the reviews I’ve read for Fracture make it sound like it will standout in the crowd. The main character wakes from a coma seemingly fine despite what the brain scans show, but then she finds herself drawn to the dying. You can read the first two chapters here. I’m curious to see if/how debut author Megan Miranda’s science background (she studied biology at MIT) comes into play in the story.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Katherine Tegen Books
Anticipated release date: January 31, 2012

This is one of my most anticipated debuts of 2012. I love a good fantasy story and Incarnate sounds like it has some pretty unique world-building and a fascinating plot. In a society where souls are reborn time and time again, a new soul is born and an old soul is lost forever. Ana, the new soul, as a young adult sets out in search of information about her birth and the disappearance of Ciana, the old soul. This book is the start of a series and I hope it’s one worth coming back for more.

What books are you excited for this month?

Nora is always willing to lend a hand

This was an especially bookish year for me. The biggest highlight of the year, of course, was marrying my best friend and the love of my life. This is arguably not very bookish (although we read some books to help plan our ceremony), but with my blog buddy Nora as a bridesmaid and my top read of the year accompanying me on our honeymoon, I’ll let it count. Italy, where we spent our honeymoon, also has the most bookstores I’ve ever seen. In Florence, for example, there were three bookstores on the street where our hotel was located, not to mention the many other stores throughout the city.

L to R: what most YA collections in Italy look like, a panel from the ceiling of the library in Venice, me reading The Passage and avoiding the shade of the Leaning Tower, Spy Girls!, a bookstore in Florence that didn't let lack of space inhibit its collection growth, and a window display at the cutest kids bookstore I've ever seen.

Another bookish highlight: my 11 year old buddy Quinn and I started a radio show called Bound By Books at the beginning of the year, back when our community radio station first launched. We toyed around with calling the show Donkey Cabbages, after a Grimm’s fairy tale with a funny name, but after finally reading the story decided that it was just too plain weird to name our show after it. So Bound By Books was born, we had two new friends join us later in the year, and the three of us have a grand old time talking about books on the radio each week.

Maddy, Antonia, and Quinn talk about Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

The Passage by Justin Cronin, is easily my favorite read of 2011. In the rush to catch a train, I neglected to pack any books to bring with me on my honeymoon and so bought a copy of The Passage at the airport bookstore. Aside from my super-sweet-awesome husband, I could not have asked for a better travel companion. If you haven’t read it, I highly suggest it! No reservations! Don’t let the enormity of the book dissuade you (as it did me for a good year) from picking it up; it’s a fast read, because you won’t want to do anything but read it until it’s through (and you won’t want it to end). I haven’t figured out how to successfully describe the story without giving too much away or making it sound kind of stupid. Here’s my latest effort (tell me how I do): The Passage is the story of a very unique girl named Amy and the many people around her whose lives are greatly impacted by an outbreak of vampiric creatures who either kill or convert those they come in contact with. It’s scary. It’s post-apocalyptic. It’s awesome. I can’t wait to read the sequel, The Twelve, coming out sometime in 2012.

My favorite audiobooks of the year include another adult title, Room by Emma Donoghue, whose narrator, Michal Friedman, had me convinced that she was a five year old boy named Jack. It’s an amazing bit of storytelling that I’m glad to have finally gotten around to reading. But now on to the YA! Another audiobook highlight for me was Patrick Ness’ The Knife of Never Letting Go narrated by Nick Podehl. I listened to this one while gardening during the summer, and can say it definitely did wonders for my garden by keeping me out there all day long. Podehl is a fabulous narrator who, along with MacLeod Andrews, also narrated another favorite audiobook from 2011, John Green and David Levithan’s fabulous Will Grayson, Will Grayson. The beauty of this audio recording is not just the narration, but also that the songs of Tiny Cooper are brought to life! And lastly, my most recent audiobook favorite is the debut from Wendy Wunder, The Probability of Miracles, a wonderful story with a lot of heart, read by Emma Galvin in an understated performance that I much appreciated.

My suggested books list is quite extensive for this year (for a link to reviews of my favorite reads, click here; Nora’s here), but I’ll list my top picks below (minus those titles already listed above):

Nothing by Janne Teller
Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor
The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Huntress by Malinda Lo
Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Don’t Stop Now by Julie Halpern
Trapped by Michael Northrop
Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (another great audiobook!)
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (this one made me bake)
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

I still owe many of these lovely reads a review, so look for those in the coming year. I’m currently reading three books (yes three) that have great potential for making the best of 2011 cut, if I am able to finish them before the new year: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, Winter Town by Stephen Emond, and The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon (narrated by Dion Graham who is one of my favorite audiobook narrators).

On that note, I’m off to do a little pre-party reading! Hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve! And happy reading in the new year! Thanks to Nora and Alicia and all our fellow bloggers, authors, booksellers, librarians, publishers, publicists, and readers out there in the blogosphere for sharing this wonderful year with us!

Alicia is back! Alicia is a music, movie, and book lover with a critical eye and a feminist heart. A freelance artist of many talents, when opportunities arise Alicia finds herself a writer, editor, performer, radio DJ, and cultural commentator, particularly on pop culture and the media. She blogs over at pop!goesalicia and guest posts with us here at Love YA Lit once a month!

It’s that time of year again. The holiday season is upon us – a brief moment of time known to most of us in western culture as the season of giving. With the current economic crisis, and a heightened awareness of conservation due to our struggling environment, many Americans are preoccupied with the challenge of gifting those we love. This holiday season why not stay away from the stores and give someone the gift of yourself. If you’re unsure of how to do that, as most of us are, take a deep breath, smile and try the following:

1. Start with the heart: Although I have seen this movie at least ten times, this time around I was struck by a single moment – the moment we learn of Edwards’s creation. In a brief yet poignant flashback we see Edward in his original form, a nearly faceless robot preparing for the holidays in a room full of concoctions. From across the room the Inventor approaches, in his hand a heart shaped sugar cookie which he holds up to Edwards’s chest. It is precisely this choice that motivates the entire subtext of the movie. The Inventor was inspired to bring Edward to life by giving him a heart. Not a thinking mind, not a perfect body but the ability to feel. In our constantly chaotic, success driven society the importance of feeling, or loving, is often neglected, but in truth it is the one thing we all have in common. So while many articles have commented on Edward’s difference – a loner, a misunderstood artist – I’d like to suggest that it is not the differences that endears us to Edward, and eventually turn the townspeople against him, but rather how we are the same.

2. Share yourself: Humans, at least Americans, spend most of their lives hiding our vulnerabilities and guarding ourselves from being hurt. Our protection isn’t as obvious as a fistful of knives, but is often just as harmful. With Edward Scissorhands, director Tim Burton provides a physical metaphor for vulnerability. And while his hands do not have the tangible ability to feel, Edward touches people none the less. Front yards are transformed into botanical works of art, and every woman in town lines up to receive a distinctive hairstyle. Everything as far as the eye can see is marked by Edward’s unique talents.

3. Make it snow: Just as it began, the movie draws to a close with a simple, beautiful act – Kim dancing in the snow. In this brief moment, we realize Kim’s love for Edward as she turns circles in the snow flakes created by his sculpting, literally enveloped in his love. Edward has no social understanding of how to participate in the life he has been brought into. He knows only how to be – that’s it, just be. And it is in this expression of who he is that Edward liberates Kim and she learns how to love without fear. For years, Tim Burton has been “making it snow” in Hollywood by sharing his vision with an audience through innovative films like Beetlejuice and Sweeney Todd. It is the gift of truth – our talents, our love, ourselves – that is most worth giving. So this holiday season, when you’re thinking presents, think of yourself. Maybe it’s a mixtape of your favorite songs, or the chance to see a classic film on the big screen. Let us give to each other the passion in our souls and the love in our hearts. And by all means touch someone, because you can.

Films stills from Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.

Ellen Jensen Abbott’s Watersmeet tells the story of Abisina, an outcast from Vranille whose call to adventure comes when a new leader comes to power. With her dark hair and skin, and her lack of a father, Abisina is an outcast in Vranille and has been treated horribly all of her life. Her mother’s role as the village healer is the only thing that has offered them protection. One day, Abisina’s mother tells her of her estranged father, and promises that soon they will leave for Watersmeet. But when a long-awaited leader arrives and turns the town against all outcasts, Abisina must flee for her life. On her own now, she must seek out her father and the place called Watersmeet. Along the way she meets dwarves, centaurs, and other classic fantasy creatures, and begins to come to terms with her own prejudices.

The Centaur’s Daughter, the follow up to Watersmeet, picks up two years after where book one left off. In an attempt to avoid too many spoilers, I’ll keep the summary here vague. Abisina has found her place in her new home, but there are new threats, new challenges, and Abisina must set off to forge alliances between various lands/groups/creatures. As she comes of age, she also struggles with what it means to be her father’s daughter – contemplating leadership, exploring her special abilities, and dealing with her own lingering prejudices.

Several memorable characters and locations from Watersmeet return or are revisited in the second book. Abbott doesn’t leave new readers to the series in the dark, but instead finds ways to fill them in on what they missed. This is generally a pet peeve of mine, but since it had been a while since I first read Watersmeet, I was happy for the refresher. I think a reader could hop right into The Centaur’s Daughter without having read the previous book, but I wouldn’t suggest it. Watersmeet is a fabulous read and the issues that Abisina continues to struggle with in The Centaur’s Daughter are much richer given the context of the first book.

What I appreciate most about this series is that it is classic fantasy, reminiscent of Narnia and Earthsea novels. The story deals primarily with issues that are common place, but explores them in a fictional land inhabited by humans, centaurs, fauns, dwarves, fairies, and minotaurs. The books both have maps that make it easier to get a sense of the land and to follow along where the various adventures take the characters. And while the novels are considered YA, and our main character is a teenager in both stories, I think that this series is especially appropriate for younger readers.

While I have enjoyed both books so far, I would definitely suggest Watersmeet more enthusiastically than The Centaur’s Daughter. Watersmeet has a strong balance of character development and action, and introduces us to an interesting and complicated new world. It works well as a stand-alone, which is something that I always appreciate in a series book. The Centaur’s Daughter is a great follow up for those who fall for the world, characters, and story that Abbott created in Watersmeet, but it felt at times like an interlude. Sure there was action, but it felt like it was building up to something that was just too big to fit into this installment of the series. I suppose we’ll have to wait for book three! (not the worst thing that could happen to a person) That being said, Abisina’s character development in The Centaur’s Daughter is captivating, and makes for an engaging and worthwhile read.

Em’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars (Watersmeet)
Em’s rating: 3 out of 5 stars (The Centaur’s Daughter)
Author: Ellen Jensen Abbott
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish (April 2009 and October 2011)
Note: ARC of The Centaur’s Daughter received from publisher for honest review.

Dear December,

Thank you for the manageable and exciting reading list.

Yours truly, Em

p.s. your covers are lovely.

Winter Town by Stephen Emond
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Anticipated Release: December 5, 2011

I’m not totally sold on the storyline for this one – straight-laced dude tries to find his old childhood pal underneath her new Goth exterior – but what makes this a highly anticipated release for me, is the fact that Emond is a comic artist. While Winter Town is not a graphic novel in the strictest sense, I’m looking forward to seeing how Emond incorporates illustrations into the story. Plus the cover design incorporates paper hole punches as snow. Yes, I judge books by their covers.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Razorbill
Anticipated Release: December 8, 2011

A terminally ill teen moves to a strange town, where miraculous events are commonplace. There she finds a mysterious envelope containing a bucket list which will change her life forever. Sounds like a sweet, quirky, heart-warming debut novel. Alloy Entertainment is involved. I’m sure Nora would have something to say about that.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Little, Brown Book for Young Readers
Anticipated Release: December 27, 2011

I love the stories of objects. And Lemony Snicket. So how can this one go wrong? The story of why Min and Ed broke up is told via a long letter from Min, delivered with a box of trinkets (and a thunk) that help her to explain why their relationship has come to an end.

What December releases did I miss that you’re excited about?