The fourth book in P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast’s House of Night series, Untamed, was definitely my favorite, by far. Zoey has sworn off boys (as she should have after her confusing boy blunder during Chosen) and is focusing on revealing the truth about Neferet and stopping the evil that she has summoned to take over. With the help of former hateful hag, Aphrodite, Zoey’s friends (AKA the nerd herd) are supporting her and trusting her again, which is what she will need to reveal the truth in the end. The next book in the series is set to debut in March.

Chosen, the third installment in the House of Night Series, really shocked me. At first, though the plot was certainly entertaining, I didn’t care a whole lot for the series. However, they have certainly grown on me. Yes, there are still things (mostly the incessant cursing) about the book I would love to change, but this novel, more than the other two, dealt with real teen issues that arise from vulnerability and naivety. In Chosen, evil hag Neferet begins to unfold her dark plot, Zoey is confused and juggling three guys without a clue who to pick, she strangely becomes friends with an enemy and an enemy with a friend, and her closest friends abandon her in a time of desperate need. This book (which I once again pathetically read in one sitting) left me hanging at the end with the promise of more sinister plots.

The second book in P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast’s House of Night series, Betrayed, didn’t disappoint. I was a bit grossed out by the whole imprinting with the almost ex-boyfriend thing, but other than that, it was a fun, quick read. As with Marked, I read Betrayed in a single sitting (I really need to get a life), and I am glad to know that with all the stress in my life, I am still observant enough to pick up on foreshadowing because my assumptions turned out to be right. This book–if you have ever been around high school students (five days a week)–will certainly make you laugh with its clever dialogue and humorous teen dilemmas; but it also has the power to nearly reduce you to tears when Zoey Redbird deals with substantial tragedy. This series is not my absolute favorite but is still a good read. As my students know, I am not a huge fan of the f bomb, so its overuse and some other derrogatory terms are included in the dialouge that I could live without, but it is a novel about teenagers–and teenagers are notorious for such outbursts. Despite my complaints, the authors have achieved their goal: to keep me turning the pages.  And I will. I just bought Chosen and Untamed, so their reviews will be next.

Not that my endorsement counts for anything (being that I am nobody from nowhere as of now), but I must officially say that Evernight by Claudia Gray is a great choice for reading material. Of course, I recommended this book a few days ago, so you are probably asking yourself why this book is suddenly cooler now than it was. The answer is simple. I emailed Claudia Gray, and she responded. In today’s impersonal society, the fact that a published author took the time to shoot me an email and encourage me to follow my dreams is nothing short of monumental.  Plus, it wasn’t one of those impersonal, generic emails, either. I asked her how she found an agent, and she answered the question and encouraged me to give it a shot. It may seem like a silly thing to get excited about, but I opened her email during a frustrated moment when I really needed the moral support. So if you get a chance (and you are a teen or adult who likes vampire stories), I highly recommend Evernight, as well as the second installment in the saga, Stargazer, which is scheduled to come out in March.  And if Claudia Gray ever happens to stumble across my site, thanks a million for your nice email!

I finally finished my book proposal this weekend, other than a few minor errors I caught in yet another edit. I must admit that after writing an entire novel, editing the novel a gazillion times, writing a query letter, and writing a synopsis, the proposal, by far, was the most difficult thing I’ ve ever written in my life. That includes the 25 page research thesis I completed on all six Jane Austen novels my senior year of college.  It has been five years since I graduated from college, and until now, I have found nothing that could rival the Austen thesis. Anyway, with just a few minor correction, the proposal (I hope! gulp!) will be ready to send to the agents who require them.

I haven’t even been back to work for a week, and already, I am out with a snow day! And what could be more wonderful than sitting at home watching the beautiful snow? Not much.  As it so happens, I am not just sitting at home, however.  Again, I am working. Always working. Right now, I am reading the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, edited by Chuck Sambuchino, which has proved to be one of the best thirty dollar investments I have ever made. This amazing book, which can be found in the reference section of your friendly Books-A-Million, lists around 500 agents, the year they established their agencies, their specialty areas, contact information, and even tips for aspiring writers seeking agents. In addition, the book also provides helpful (and to-the-point) information regarding how to write query letters, synopses, and book proposals. So this morning, I have been researching agents and have found several who represent young adult fiction that sound great.  So if you are slaving away right now, sifting through all the jumbled information on google or other agent sites, I highly recommend this book, which cuts out much of the hopeless searching.

Since my last entry, I have not worked as much on my proposal package as I would like, but anyone who knows me is aware that I am one of those irritating people who gets obsessed over a project and works ceaselessly until it is complete. However, I have been back to work for two days, and so far, I have had lengthy conversations with my students about To Kill a Mockingbird and the poetry of Robert Frost. In my opinion, that’s much more enjoyable than a book proposal. 

As far as the proposal goes, I have been conducting market research, reading books in my target market and looking up statistics. Aside from the others I had already read, I have read four new books, which I must admit are fairly decent. If I was still a sixteen year- old girl, I would love them to the point of obsession.

Of course, I had already read the Twilight saga (at least four or five times each, being the “Twerd” that I am), …» more