Rachele Alpine's Blog, page 20
January 10, 2012
R.I.P. Favorite Fictional Character
This has happened many times...
Seriously, I've sobbed at the end of books before.
Looking for Alaska The Great GatsbyTuesdays with MorrieThe Time Traveller's WifeCharlotte's WebOf Mice and Men
To name a few...
What about you? What fictional characters have you cried over?
Happy Release Day, Ditched!
I got the opportunity to read an ARC of Robin Mellom's DITCHED.
It was pitched The Hangover for YA.
I LOVED it and gushed about it/interviewed her on The Lucky 13s site.
Check it out!
January 8, 2012
Welcome, Indelibles!
If you're a fan of YA fiction, you've probably heard of the Tenners, the Elevensies, the Apocalypsies, and the Lucky 13s. Now marketing guru Shelli Johannes Wells has teamed up with twenty-four other indie and small press authors to bring you the Indelibles.
Who are the Indelibles?
"We are indie authors who write middle grade and young adult fiction. We are dedicated to leaving a permanent mark on the world with our stories and words. We are The Indelibles."
Each week, they'll explore fun, fabulous, and fierce topics for today's teens, drawing on pop culture and themes from the books they write.
Check out their official launch Monday, January 9th for fun giveaways here! They'll also be having a "Blogger chat" on January 11th and a writer/author chat on the 18th to answer questions about self and indie pubbing. See their blog for details
January 6, 2012
I Brake For John Green
How many of you are waiting to read John Green's The Fault in Our Stars???
Or are you one of the lucky who got it accidentally shipping to you last week (I. am. so. jealous. of. you. if. you. did!)?
Five more days, people. FIVE DAYS!
In the meantime...check out this awesome van that John and Hank will be touring in.
Here's some good info about the tour and book.If I saw that on the road, I'd stop anything I was doing and follow it....anywhere.
Gah! I don't think I can wait these five days!
January 3, 2012
My Big Teddy Bear
It was back to school today...waking up to that alarm was hard going. I had a pretty great break, full of family, friends, my pup and writing.
Radley liked having company all day, and I enjoyed having a writing partner. We did a lot of picture taking during break, so like the proud mama that I am, here's a few I want to share...
Watching Free Willy (seriously, she was the one who wanted to watch it...don't laugh, I wasn't!)...
Snuggling with her pillow pet twin...
Riding in cars...
Sleeping by the Christmas tree...
Exploring the Christmas tree...
Playing in the snow...
Just hanging out looking cute...
Rolling...
And curling up for a long winter's nap...
You'll forgive me for posting all these pictures, right? She's just too cute not to share!
P.S. It's a good thing I don't have kids yet...can you imagine the pictures I'd post then! Yikes! It would take you hours to look at them all!
December 31, 2011
December 28, 2011
Best Reads of 2011
I love reading everyone's best reads of 2011, so I wanted to post my own.
I know I am going to forget some books from this list, but I am so bad at writing down what I read. However, my Goodreads account is helping me a bit with that now, so I plan to keep count of my reading in 2012. I don't even know how many books I devour in a year!
NOTHING by Martin AitkenThis was a terrifying read, but is one of those books I'm still thinking about.
STOLEN by Lucy ChristopherI was able to get a class set of this book and plan to read it with my students. It is so creepy and amazing how Lucy Christopher gets you to fall in love with the antagonist of the story.
THE THINGS A BROTHER KNOWS by Dana ReinherdtThis is another book I got a class set of, and my students love and can relate to the brothers in this book. Many of them have siblings that are serving in the military right now and this book speaks to them.
THE BELL JAR by Slyvia PlathI don't know why I've never read this book before. I had to read it for one of my MFA classes and adored Plath's writing and language.
A MOVEABLE FEAST by Ernest HemingwayThis was another MFA read. Who can't help but be envious of Hemingway's life writing in Paris?
A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer EganI'm a huge fan of Egan and can't think of a book more worth of winning the Pulitzer.
THE HELP by Kathryn StockettI (and probably most of America!) adored this book! I loved, loved, loved it!
WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle FormanThis was a honeymoon read, and I loved getting the next part of the story through Adam's perspective.
ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie PerkinsThis was such a cute book and one of my top recommendations to my female students looking for a romance story.
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE SUMMER by Jenny HanThis is one of my female students' favorite books...they were all fighting for my copy of it when I finished. This was a sweet happy ending to the series.
CLEAN by Amy ReedThis book rocks! I went into it thinking it would be like all the other addiction/rehab stories I've read, but Amy Reed managed to make it new, unique and awesome!
LIKE MANDARIN by Kirsten HubbardOh, how I love this book. Kirsten Hubbard's writing is beautiful just like the story.
And my FAVORITE book of the year (which shouldn't come as a surprise, since I find every chance I can to gush about it!) is...
IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren SumaI love me some magical realism, and I found myself slowing down because I didn't want it to end. Gah! I could go on and on about this for hours!
What about you? What were your top reads? What books am I missing from this list?
I know I am going to forget some books from this list, but I am so bad at writing down what I read. However, my Goodreads account is helping me a bit with that now, so I plan to keep count of my reading in 2012. I don't even know how many books I devour in a year!
NOTHING by Martin AitkenThis was a terrifying read, but is one of those books I'm still thinking about.
STOLEN by Lucy ChristopherI was able to get a class set of this book and plan to read it with my students. It is so creepy and amazing how Lucy Christopher gets you to fall in love with the antagonist of the story.
THE THINGS A BROTHER KNOWS by Dana ReinherdtThis is another book I got a class set of, and my students love and can relate to the brothers in this book. Many of them have siblings that are serving in the military right now and this book speaks to them.
THE BELL JAR by Slyvia PlathI don't know why I've never read this book before. I had to read it for one of my MFA classes and adored Plath's writing and language.
A MOVEABLE FEAST by Ernest HemingwayThis was another MFA read. Who can't help but be envious of Hemingway's life writing in Paris?
A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer EganI'm a huge fan of Egan and can't think of a book more worth of winning the Pulitzer.
THE HELP by Kathryn StockettI (and probably most of America!) adored this book! I loved, loved, loved it!
WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle FormanThis was a honeymoon read, and I loved getting the next part of the story through Adam's perspective.
ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie PerkinsThis was such a cute book and one of my top recommendations to my female students looking for a romance story.
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE SUMMER by Jenny HanThis is one of my female students' favorite books...they were all fighting for my copy of it when I finished. This was a sweet happy ending to the series.
CLEAN by Amy ReedThis book rocks! I went into it thinking it would be like all the other addiction/rehab stories I've read, but Amy Reed managed to make it new, unique and awesome!
LIKE MANDARIN by Kirsten HubbardOh, how I love this book. Kirsten Hubbard's writing is beautiful just like the story.
And my FAVORITE book of the year (which shouldn't come as a surprise, since I find every chance I can to gush about it!) is...
IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren SumaI love me some magical realism, and I found myself slowing down because I didn't want it to end. Gah! I could go on and on about this for hours!
What about you? What were your top reads? What books am I missing from this list?
December 27, 2011
You've Got Mail
Whoooooooooooosh!
Did you hear that noise?
It was the sound of my CANARY edits being sent to my editor!
One month and four days early!
You can't argue that I don't have a Type A personality!
Woo hoo...hot diggity dog!
Now to relax and enjoy the last days of my break....I have a huge stack of books just calling my name!
What fun have you been having this holiday?
December 24, 2011
Merry Christmustache!
Jason and I wanted to send out a wedding picture this year, but we didn't want to do a traditional one. So this is what we came up with...
Here's a clearer image of the picture of on the card...our wedding had lots and lots of fake mustaches (I'm kind of obessed with them!).
Hope your holidays are full of family, laughs, love and good books under the tree.
Now, I really must stache (uhm...dash!) and get ready for Christmas Eve mass!
