Me on Some Manga I've Recently Read

Hi there! I'm still trying to find a balance between the good brain days and the bad ones, as well as regaining my interest in reading the books I have waiting for me. I think I need to mix in more visual stories, more comics, graphic novels, manga, and webcomics. That being said, here are some thoughts on some manga volumes I recently picked up at the library.

Flying Witch Vols 1-4 by Chihiro Ishizuka. Flying Witch follows the story of Makoto, a novice witch who's just packed up all of her belongings, along with her cat familiar Chito, and headed off from Yokohama to rural Aomori (I looked it up, I think it's a 9 hour drive) to freeload with some cousins, including Kei, a young man who's the same age, and his younger sister Chinatsu. It was turned into an anime for the Spring 2016 season (April to June), so I knew what the story was going it. I was mostly reading this to see how it differed from the anime (not that much) and what happened after the anime ended (because it was only 12 episodes long and I don't think there'll be a second season (this happens so much)).

It's a very gentle, easy-going slice of life story. There's a vague overall theme, which is Makoto being a witch and learning how to be a better which, as she's only 15 (even if in the witch world that's a fully-fledged adult). There aren't any enemies or rivals or fights to the death; it's just a slow, countryside tale of a teenage girl and her family and friends out in a rural town. Which sometimes you want to read about. I loved the little bits of witch lore and mythology that would pop up and be so every day, at least to Makoto and over time to Kei, Chinatsu, and their parents. The Harbinger of Spring, a fairy-esque (even though they're the size of an adult human) being who brings spring across the land. A café run by witches and hidden by a glamour spell. Whales flying through the sky. The newspaper person. It's cute and charming and funny and an overall great read. The art style is nice, too. Not too complicated, overloading the page, but also not too sparse. As always, I enjoyed the characters' faces and expressions. Currently, 6 volumes have been translated and published by Vertical Comics, with the 7th out this summer (Volume 8 will be out in Japan this fall).

Behind the Scenes Vols 1-3 by Bisco Hatori. Behind the Scenes is about Ranmaru, a 1st year in college who's come to the big city after growing up surrounded by a rough and boisterous family of fisher folk. He's never felt like he fit in with them, being the quiet one who's constantly pessimistic about everything and always gets seasick on a boat. He figured going away to college, staying with some relatives, would help him find his place. But it's been two months and he's discovered that he hates crowds and doesn't know what to do with his life. Then he stumbles onto a zombie movie shoot and faints from shock. When Ranmaru wakes up, he finds himself at the mercy of the Art Squad and their president, Ryuji Goda. I wanted to give this a read because the premise sounded interested and I was curious as to what Bisco Hatori was working on as I've read one of her previous series, Ouran High School Host Club.

I rather liked the set-up and the first 3 volumes. It's looking like the series is going to be about Ranmaru, him working through his hang-ups and problems and shyness while working with the other members of the Art Squad and helping them work through their own personal problems. Because all the members of the Art Squad has their bits and secrets. Ruka's family situation, Maasa's desperate search for a boyfriend who won't be grossed out by her love of zombies and gore, Tomu's happy-go-lucky attitude and delinquent past, Izumi's easy-going nature and the crowd of girls that wait their turn to maybe date him. And Ryuji, who you don't really learn too much about in the first 3 volumes beyond how passionate he is in the work the club does, how much he pushes them to evolve and push past any issues they might have. Ranmaru is interesting, he's quiet and always panicking about something, but he's great at crafts and creating and noticing the little details that most people miss. Like cracks around a skylight, or someone's notes in their film script, or the next day's weather. He's definitely going to be someone the club will rely on. There are currently 5 volumes translated and published by Viz Media, the 6th will be out in March (in Japan, volume 7 was released last September).

I hope you enjoyed this. I'm slowly going through a list of manga that I've been waiting to appear at my local library, ones I've seen anime adaptations of or are by artist whose work I like, so there might be more posts like this in the future. :)

Me on Let's Revisit a Book! (2)

And we're back with another fun look back at an older YA book to see if I still think it's good or not. Today, or prior to today, I reread Malinda Lo's Adaptation! (There might be a little bleed-through of the second half of the duology, Inheritance, because they do go hand in hand.)

Title: Adaptation
Author: Malinda Lo
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group imprint)

From Goodreads:

Reese can’t remember anything from the time between the accident and the day she woke up almost a month later. She only knows one thing: She’s different now.

Across North America, flocks of birds hurl themselves into airplanes, causing at least a dozen to crash. Thousands of people die. Fearing terrorism, the United States government grounds all flights, and millions of travelers are stranded.

Reese and her debate team partner and longtime crush David are in Arizona when it happens. Everyone knows the world will never be the same. On their drive home to San Francisco, along a stretch of empty highway at night in the middle of Nevada, a bird flies into their headlights. The car flips over. When they wake up in a military hospital, the doctor won’t tell them what happened, where they are—or how they’ve been miraculously healed.

Things become even stranger when Reese returns home. San Francisco feels like a different place with police enforcing curfew, hazmat teams collecting dead birds, and a strange presence that seems to be following her. When Reese unexpectedly collides with the beautiful Amber Gray, her search for the truth is forced in an entirely new direction—and threatens to expose a vast global conspiracy that the government has worked for decades to keep secret.

My revisit conclusion: it's still really good! It's like sci-fi lite, set in the present day with some creeping in of aliens and advanced technology and conspiracy theories and a secretive government (because aren't they all? *winky face*). I do like stories like this, when it's set in the present day and everything's as the reader knows it but there's something that's a little different, something unfamiliar and chaotic in all the mundane.

What books like this seem to be about, to me, is about the unexpected. How sometimes it comes right at us, barreling into us, and we're just left behind to pick up the pieces and move on. But we know something's different, something's changed, and there's no one there to ask why or how or if it can be stopped or how long it's going to last or why us. Why now. And now that it's happened, how do we navigate this familiar but slightly different space when no one's there to guide us? I mean, there are figures there to guide us as best as they can, but it's not 100%. We have to learn on our own, and that can be a frightening prospect when we don't understand what's happened.

So if you haven't read this duology and you're looking for some sci-fi, far less violent and deadly than Independance Day with a fair amount of alien confusion and romance, then give it a chance. It flips back and forth between alien secrets and tension to teenage romance and Reese questioning her sexuality.

I hope you've enjoyed this week of looking back at a couple of slightly older YA books. I'll probably do this again when I get a free week or two. :)

Me on Let's Revisit a Book (1)

Hi there! So, this spring and summer I've come across a lot of books that I've read and afterwards thought, "Well, it was okay," and that's not exciting for you. Review after review of me saying it was okay or fine is boring. I don't know if it's me or the books I've been reading or both, but it feels like fewer books have stood out for me so far this year.

So I thought I'd do something fun and revisit a book I read years ago to see if it still holds up, if I still enjoyed it, if I think you should go check it out at the library or if you happen to find it at a new or used bookstore (because it's possible it's hard to find or out of print now), of if it's horribly dated or insulting.

And I'm going to start with one of the first books I reviewed: Dia Reeves' Bleeding Violet. (Note: don't go back and read my old review. It's so bad. Long story short, when I read this in 2010 I loved it.)

Title: Bleeding Violet
Author: Dia Reeves
Release Date: January 5, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster imprint)

From Goodreads:

Love can be a dangerous thing...

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna’s tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she’s far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

My revisit conclusion: For the most part, this book is still really good. It's dangerous and silly and serious. It really fits in with what's coming out these days, what's coming out in the next year or so. It's got Hanna talking openly about being biracial and how hard it is to fit in when people keep asking where she's from, Hanna talking openly about her mental health and mental illnesses, her bipolar disorder and her depression and her hallucinations, and Hanna talking rather openly and practically about sex. It's about a town where really weird things happen and the townsfolk don't hide it. It's about secrets and family dynamics and wanting and enacting plans and plots. It's about making the impossible possible. It's about Hanna being Hanna, that the weird things she says and does doesn't mean she's broken.

Hanna's relationship with Wyatt is interesting in that she very clearly states that, in a town as weird and dangerous as Portero, she doesn't need him to protect her or keep her safe (which confuses the heck out of his ex-girlfriend). Hers is a practical no nonsense kind of confidence. She's attracted to him, sure, and he's attracted to her, but does she need him to save her? No. She needs him in other ways. It can look cold, the ways Hanna uses and needs Wyatt, but when you step back and look at everything that's going on, the conclusion that Hanna reaches, it's all very practical. And Hanna's not a cold, unfeeling girl. Look at how much she craves affection from her mother, who's unwilling to give it at the start because she believes that love only leads to pain and sorrow.

Everyone in Portero is a little broken, a little messed up. To be honest, Hanna's the most normal out of everyone in town. The only thing is it's a little gory at times, a little bloody and gruesome, and I'd certainly give it a trigger warning for self-harm and suicide. During my re-read, it felt a little like some of the discussions about mental illness and suicide were too light and flippant.

So, after all that, if you're still interested, then check out your local library or bookstore or e-book provider or choice and give it a read. I think it still holds up, but I'm wondering what someone else who's read it thinks, if there was anything they didn't agree with or thought was poorly discussed.

I'll probably do another one of these posts on Friday, so see you then!

Blog Tour: Timekeeper

Hello there! Welcome to today's tour stop for the paperback release of Tara Sim's wonderful Timekeeper!

Title: Timekeeper
Author: Tara Sim
Release Date: October 31, 2017 (paperback copy)
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Canadian distributor: Thomas Allen & Son

Two o'clock was missing.

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.

It's a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.

And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny's new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower's clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield's time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he's fought to achieve.

But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he'll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

The stunning first novel in a new trilogy by debut author Tara Sim, Timekeeper is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Victoria Schwab.

Get Your Copy Today! Indigo - Amazon.ca - Amazon.com

As this is a tour for Timekeeper's paperback release, it's a good chance to remember some of the nice things I said last year when the hardcover came out. For those interested, the full review can be found here.

Timekeeper is intriguing, enthralling, mysterious, and more than a little somber. It's a story about lonely souls and missing hours, of hope and love and selfishness... I was intrigued by the world-building here, by the need for advancement in clock mechanisms because of the changes to time. Because of time being something slightly tangible, something that can be reined in and controlled... I also liked how the author altered other parts of history, like this world's views of homosexuality. Danny isn't ridiculed or hated, but it's the default of most he comes across that, when they ask if he's seeing anyone, they assume he'd date a girl... As I read this I was struck by a sweet, melancholy tone that carried me along, rising and falling as Danny worked on the clock tower in Enfield and uncovered more and more behind the bombings and the Stopped towns. At times I chuckled and at times I wanted to cry. There were some interesting pokes and prods at a deeper mystery going on, one Danny brushes up against near the end, so I'm curious as to where the second book will go and what will be revealed.

To celebrate Timekeeper's paperback release, here's an excerpt from the eagerly anticipated (and not just by me!) sequel, Chainbreaker!

Daphne remained silent. She was painfully aware of standing between these two men—two sides of a war, two sides of her birth. There was a strangeness to her skin just then, as if it weren’t actually hers. She wanted to scratch at it, see if it would flake off and reveal something truer. Something in-between, something like a mark, that would determine what to say, what to think, what she was.

Also to celebrate, Thomas Allen & Son is holding a giveaway, the prize being a paperback copy of Timekeeper! Quick note that this giveaway is Canada only and ends on October 31. The full rules can be found in the widget.

Click here to enter!

Tara Sim can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area in California. When she’s not
chasing cats or lurking in bookstores, she writes books about magic, clocks, and explosives. Timekeeper is her debut novel. Follow her on Twitter at @EachStarAWorld, and check out her website for fun Timekeeper extras!

Tara's website - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Goodreads

Thanks so so much to Thomas Allen & Son for arranging the blog tour and the giveaway. And thank you so much to Tara Sim for the sweetness that is Danny and Colton and Timekeeper. :)

Blog Tour: The Winnowing

Hi all! It's time for a blog tour post! Vikki VanSickle is a Toronto resident, a children's and middle grade book author, a publicist with Penguin Random House Canada, and a lover of children's lit. To celebrate the recent release of hew new book The Winnowing, a curious coming of age mixed with intrigue and strange dreams, Vikki's here to talk about combining genres and how hard it can be to summarize a book like hers. :)

THE TROUBLE WITH GENRE

Despite having a number of books under my belt and spent years working in the children's book industry, when it comes to my own books I always struggle with the elevator pitch. The stakes seem impossibly high—you have one minute (or 144 characters) to hook someone on this book you've spent all this time and energy on—GO!

Me on Some Favourite Things (4)

Hi! I'm back with another one of these collective fun things posts! Only a few things this time, though.

First, Rock and Riot by Chelsey! I love this webcomic. The best way I can describe it is it's like if Grease had a huge diverse cast and every character was queer. It's about two gangs of teens, the girls of the Jaquettes and the boys of the Rollers, and their high school days. Their hijinks, their fights and squabbles. Their exploration of sexuality and gender. Their realization that they can be who they want, like who they want to like. Identify however they want to. The humourous moments mix so well with the comedic moments. Moments of two characters awkwardly flirting in loud voices and almost missing until someone clueless shows up looking for popcorn. It'll be ending soon, so you might want to start reading it now. Plus you can watch an animated version of the first chapter!

In case you didn't figure it out from last week's reviews, go check out the Horimiya manga! ;)

I've been speeding through a bunch of e-books I picked up through my local library, books I've been interested in but haven't felt like reading in order to review them. Because sometimes I want to be able to tune out when I read. Not to say that these haven't been good books, but they've either been books I don't usually review here or books where far smarter people have already posted their amazing opinions and anything I say would be inadequate. Like with Saints & Misfits by S.K. Ali. An amazing, heart-breaking, honest book. Right now I'm making my way through Cindy Pon's Want. Considering the state of the environment, I could totally buy that something like this book could happen.

See you again in a couple of months with another of these! :) And add in the comments something you've been enjoying lately so I can check it out!

Blog Tour: The Winner's Kiss

Hello! Welcome to the blog tour for the final book in the Winner's Trilogy, The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski. :)

What book is your favourite literary kiss in? Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor (which might be cheating as it's a novella, but who cares?)

Who is kissing? Everyone's favourite diminutive sidekick and rabid fairy Zuzana, and Violin Boy, who's also known as Mik.

Why is it your favourite? It's a favourite because of who they are, because of the story they're a part of. While Karou is off searching, while Akiva and his siblings are hunting down doors, we have this brief interlude with Zuzana and Mik. These two completely normal human beings who are utterly enchanted by the other. These two, full to the brim with shyness and hope, with doubt and fanciful dreams of each other. These two, who just spent an evening wandering around a small part of Prague in the dark and the cold. An evening of treasure maps and riddles and Latin, of magically moving puppets and haunting violin serenades, of sinfully delicious chocolate cake. These two, who are finally talking to each other, actually exchanging words with each other after moths of watching, waiting, hoping. And after this night of magic, after peacock footprints in the snow, they kiss. And it was perfect.

Bonus question! What kind of kiss do you hope will happen in The Winner's Kiss? Hopefully one that doesn't turn me into an emotional wreck, but odds are they all will. Maybe a good concluding kiss, whether they end up together or have to separate because their roles demand more of them before they can try to actually be together. It's the ending I'm more worried about.

Thanks for stopping by today! And many thanks to Raincoast Books and Macmillan for letting me be part of the tour for The Winner's Kiss. :)

Me on A Celebration Giveaway!

Hi all! It's time to celebrate! Me on Books turned 5 a couple of weeks ago, and tomorrow my 500th review goes up.

5 years. 500 reviews. That's a lot of time spent reading, spent writing reviews, spent writing up other posts, spent on social media talking to other bloggers and readers, spent at book events and meet-ups. It's been hard at some points, easy at others, but I still love the little piece of the community I've fallen into.

And so without further ado, this is my top 16 (because it's so hard to narrow it down) of the last 5 years:

• Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
• The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
• In Real Life by Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang
• The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton
• Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
• The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston
• Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
• Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
• Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston
• A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz
• Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
• Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow
• The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
• The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
• The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff
• Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

All of these are books that've thrilled me, saddened me, made me think about the world, about people, about history and how we'll always be doomed to repeat it. About strength and conviction of character, about the horrible things we do to others in the name of truth or fear. About hope. About love. About time travel and far-flung futures where we travel to stars beyond our own.

I want to share these books that I've loved, so 2 winners will each get their choice of 1 book and 1 winner will get a bunch of swag that I've collected over the years, things like bookmarks and buttons.

(There might be a slight issue if 1 of the winners wants a copy of Bleeding Violet or Harmonic Feedback, both are a bit tricky to find in print. Your local library would definitely have them, and they are available on e-book sites like Kindle and Kobo. I know I could've just not added these books, but they were some of the first I read when I started reviewing. Both are rather honest when it comes to mental illness and how the world is seen through their eyes.)

The giveaway will go on until the end of the month and is open internationally as long as Book Depository ships free to your country. :)

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Me on My 20 Most Anticipated Canadian YA of 2014

With the 2014 Canadian YA Lit Event only 4 months away, and with the National Post's Books Editor Mark Medley revealing his list of the 25 Canadian books he's most looking forward to in 2014, I thought I could make my own list.

And make it all YA. :)

It's alphabetical, and some don't yet have titles, but they're all on Goodreads. And, to make it clear, this is what I'm looking forward to. I'm sure there are more upcoming titles than what I have listed below, but we all have our own reading tastes.

Winterkill by Kate Boorman. The only thing that will save her family's reputation in their puritan, medieval-style world is Emmaline's marriage to the settlement leader, but her dreams are pulling her away and into the forest. Kate's debut YA will be out something this fall.

Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells by Hélène Boudreau. The fourth in Hélène's entertaining and fun series about Jade, a 14-year-old girl/mermaid trying to battle both high school and complicated underwater issues, comes out in February.

Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci. A new book by the Los Angeles Review of Books' YA editor, Tula and her family are on their way through space to a new home when they make a stop on a remote space station. This comes out late February.

Divided by Elsie Chapman. The sequel to the duology that started with Divided. West thought her time to kill was over, but the Board are sending her back out for one more, a face from her past. Look for this near the end of May.

Year of Mistaken Discoveries by Eileen Cook. Avery and Nora used to be best friends but have drifted apart. Now, in high school and after Nora's unfortunate overdose, Avery goes on a quest to honour her memory. This comes out late February.

The Worlds We Make by Megan Crewe. The last in the Fallen Worlds trilogy finds Kaelyn and her friends on the run from Toronto and the Wardens to Atlanta and the CDC with a vaccine to the virus and comes out in February (Megan's new series, starting with Earth & Sky, comes out sometime this fall).

16 Things I Thought Were True by Janet Gurtler. When Morgan's mother gets sick, it's hard not to panic, but then she discovers the dad who walked out when she was a baby is just a road trip away. Check this out in March.

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen. In this fantasy, farmer's daughter Cécile is kidnapped, taken beneath a mountain by trolls, and becomes part of a prophecy and a rebellion. This debut comes out in April.

The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston. Described by Chandra Rooney of @IndigoTeenBlog as "CanLit in its sensibilities and its humour and its completely illustrated view of what it's like to grow up in rural Canada. Also it has dragons, and swordplay, and a cast of characters you will love." Coming out early March. (quote taken from Chandra's review on Goodreads)

Hexed by Michelle Krys. Indigo is a cheerleader dating a football star, but then a guy drops dead in front of her and her mother's family Bible is stolen and she ends up in a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerors. Because she's a witch, too. Comes out in June.

Now and for Never by Lesley Livingston. Clare and Allie's time travel shenanigans continue in the third book all about ancient Britons, Romans, Druids, an annoyed evil guy, pop culture references, and an awesome friendship. Look for this near the end of May (as well as the third book in Lesley's Starling series this fall).

The Shadow's Curse by Amy McCulloch. Raim is no closer to figuring out the meaning of the broken vow that marked him as an oathbreaker, but with his former best friend now a tryannical king holding the girl he loves hostage, he finds it hard to care. This comes out in July.

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski. Taken from Goodreads: "What happens when a group of Tribeca high school kids go in for flu shots . . . and end up being able to read each others' minds?" This book comes out in March.

Untitled (Hemlock #3) by Kathleen Peacock. The final book in Kathleen's trilogy, a trilogy about werewolves, fear, the other, change, discovery, and romance starring a plucky heroine, her dead best friend, and a love interest or two, comes out in November.

Capricious by Gabrielle Prendergast. The sequel to Gabrielle's Audacious finds Ella deciding whether or not she could handle juggling two boyfriends and deciding whether or not to still be audacious in the face of school rules. This prose novel comes out in April.

The Bodies We Wear by Jeyn Roberts. Faye was eleven when some dealers forced her and her best friend to take drugs, killing her friend and ruining her life. Now she's ready to take revenge. This thriller comes out in September.

Push by Eve Silver. Miki is in charge of the team now in the Game, in charge of keeping them alive while they fight aliens in a video game-style scenario, but she's struggling to do so because things are changing. The rules are changing. And someone is watching her. The sequel to Rush comes out in June.

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone. While in Louisiana, trying to fill the hole in her heart after a terrible mistake, Monroe meets Nathan, a young man with regrets, his best friend trapped in a coma, and a court-appointed job and a B&B. This contemporary debut comes out in May.

Rain by Amanda Sun. The second in Amanda's Paper Gods series finds Katie staying in Japan, no matter how dangerous it is for her to stay, and Tomohiro, a kami with the ability to bring ink drawings to life, fighting against the ink's call. Look for this book in June.

Blues for Zoey by Robert Paul Weston. Every penny Kaz saves is to send his mother to an expensive clinic for her sleep disorder, but then pink-haired Zoey walks past his workplace and his life soon spirals out of control. This book comes out late January.

There are others coming out, of course, like a new Kelley Armstrong series, a new graphic novel by cousins Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki, and the final book in Moira Young's Dust Lands trilogy. What are you looking forward to and what would you suggest to those who might want to give Canadian YA lit a try?

Me on Underrated YA Books of 2013

It's that time of year again. :) I know this year's post is going up earlier in December than in previous years, but that's because I don't want anyone who'll be away for the holidays to miss it. Thanks to all the bloggers, reviewers, librarians, authors, and awesome readers who put in their suggestions for books published in the last year that they found to be underrated or under-appreciated.

Maybe you'll discover a book or two that you might want to add to your wish list. ;)

Inheritance by Malinda Lo
Coda by Emma Trevayne
Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow
Beautiful Decay by Sylvia Lewis
Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
Cracked by Eliza Crewe
The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe
17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten
The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch
Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
Altered by Gennifer Albin
Pantomime by Laura Lam
Antogoddess by Kendare Blake
Audacious by Gabrielle Prendergast
Absent by Katie Williams
Thornhill by Kathleen Peacock
Every Never After by Lesley Livingston
Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl by Emily Pohl-Weary
Breath by Jackie Morse Kessler
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
When We Wake by Karen Healey
The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

I've giving Marco Impossible by Hannah Moskowitz an honourable mention because it's middle grade not young adult but it's still awesome.

Ciara at Lost at Midnight Reviews: 17 & Gone by Nova Run Suma and Asunder by Jodi Meadows.

Ashley at Book Labyrinth: Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales, The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding, The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau, Letters to Nowhere by Julie Cross, When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney, How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler, The Distance Between Us by Kasie West, and Spies & Prejudice by Talia Vance.

Christa at More Than Just Magic: Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block, A Fool's Errand by Maureen Fergus, Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark, Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg, Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz, Pantomime by Laura Lam, Arclight by Josin L. McQuein, The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett, and The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell.

Giselle at Booknerd Canada: Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas.

James at Book Chic Club: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg, Man-Made Boy by Jon Skovron, Proxy by Alex London, and The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle.

E.K. Johnston: Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund.

Rick Lipman: The Savage Blue by Zoraida Córdova, Coda by Emma Trevayne, Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood, Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton, and The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell.

October 22: Maggie Stiefvater & Maureen Johnson

When I heard that both Maggie Stiefvater and Maureen Johnson would be coming to Vancouver, I was beyond excited. I adore Maggie's books, the magic and the realism and the adventure, and Maureen's books are so much fun to read. And so I went. (I knew it was going to be an entertaining 90 minutes when two teens from the audience went up to 'assist' with a reading from The Dream Thieves and stayed up there for the whole event. They were awesome.)

The event was mostly made up of questions, which lead to lots of funny stories. Here are some highlights (sorry about the length after the jump, I promise it's worth it) (I recorded the event so what's below is very close to what they actually said during the event). :)

When asked if it was difficult for Maggie to write male characters, she just said no. Maureen claims she has no line between reality and imagination. Maggie says that music keeps her in the mood, that noise-cancelling headphones are great on planes when she's still writing, how one song will come on and she's right back in the scene she needs to be in. Maureen mentioned that there's one song that she will hear sometimes and it's like she's been transported back to Suite Scarlett.

Me on 3 Years of Me on Books

So... we've come back around to this date again. But is this the right date??

If we go by when my first review went up here (which I was going to link to then decided not to because it's terrible), then Me on Books' birthday is October 23rd. But on September 15, I got an e-mail from Tumblr saying the Me on Books Tumblr page (which I don't really use) turned 3 on that day. That could mean a few things, like I was fiddling around with this blog for a good month before I posted something, or that Tumblr made a mistake, or that I lost my mind at some point.

All are possible. ;)

I'm so happy to have met and talked with so many bloggers and reviewers and authors over the past 3 years. All the BC/Vancouver bloggers are awesome (Caitlin, Nafiza, Alita, Jenny, Ariella, and Aly), and I'd love to meet the Ontario bloggers one day (Michele, Jenn, Liz, Sara, Christa, Melissa, Angel, Brenna, Amanda, Audrey, Kathy, Ciara, Emilie, Jessica, and Meaghan). Maybe I should start a Kickstarter campaign where everyone who donates gets a postcard from me in Toronto. ;)

And so, like with past birthdays (meaning last year because I ignored when Me on Books turned 1), I'm giving away a present! :) If Book Depository ships free to where you live, feel free to enter. And, as always, a second winner will be added if we break 100 entries.

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Me on Top Ten Tuesday (3)

Top Ten Tuesday is a bunch of weekly fun hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. :)

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far in 2013

I've read 102 books so far this year. Some were great, some weren't. Some had amazing worlds, some had wonderfully-flawed characters. :)

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. Putting this book first (on an unnumbered list) when the release date is mid-September is rather telling. If The Raven Boys was curiosity and magic, this is more. This is the aftermath, this is what they didn't expect would come.

Coda by Emma Trevayne. This book was so creative, so imaginative, so intuitive, so musical. Anthem is, so far, the year's best unlikely hero.

Ink by Amanda Sun. Dark magic, ink drawings that come alive, the allure of Japan and its rich culture.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Sort of kicking myself for not reading this sooner. An intriguing tale of two teenage boys as they navigate a summer together and attempt to discover what the universe is made of.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Such a sweet, funny, sad, intelligent, geeky little thing of a book. This was so much fun to read, and I was surprised at how much of myself I could see in Cath.

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. I imagine tortured, snarky boys like Ezra Faulkner are why some go nuts over contemporary YA. He has his moments, that's for sure.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab. I adore the way Victoria has with words. Mac is all kinds of sad and tortured, and things don't get any easier for her.

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan. At times sweet and sad but always magical. A curious look at wanting to be seen and wanting to be invisible.

Reboot by Amy Tintera. When I picked this up at ALA Midwinter earlier this year, I started reading it that evening. A fast-paced high-tension story of a girl who's torn between following orders and possibly proving she's more that just a soldier with no emotions who never says no.

Absent by Katie Williams. A look at life, high school, friendship, rumours, and what you do with the time you're given if you're still around after you die.

I wonder how different this list will look at the end of the year. ;)

Day 13 - Amanda Sun

Day 13. :) You all know of my love and undying support of debut Canadian YA authors, and if you're a reader of my weekly recap posts (where I babble on about my week and if I happened to get any books), you might remember last year's rediscovered love of anime and manga. When I first heard about this book and this author, I freaked out a little. Okay, maybe a lot. ;)

Amanda Sun currently lives in Ontario with her husband and daughter. When she's not busy writing YA, she's either reading YA, watching Japanese dramas, making fun geek crafts like a knit Companion Cube from Portal, or sewing costumes for anime and fantasy conventions. Her Twitter profile pic currently claims she's Fluttershy from My Little Pony (but I've seen pictures of her without the pink hair). Previous short stories have been published in the anthologies Playthings of the Gods and Tesseracts Fifteen. Her debut YA novel, Ink, is set to be released on June 25, 2013 by Harlequin Teen, the publisher's teen fiction imprint. The prequel novella Shadow will be available in e-book form on June 1, 2013. You can find her at her blog and on Twitter (@Amanda_Sun). :)

Q: Since it's an event featuring Canadian authors, I figured I'd ask all the authors who chose the Q&A to say how they would count as a Canadian author, be it they were born here, lived here, or moved here. So, how Canadian are you?

A: I'm Canadian through and through! I was born in Deep River, Ontario, a small town surrounded by forest on the banks of the Ottawa River. Stranger safety there is comprised of what to do if you meet a skunk or bear on the walk to school. One time I did meet a bear, by the way. He was on his hind legs scratching his claws against the tree bark. I just backed up quietly and went a different path to school. Never met a skunk, but I did meet the occasional fox. :)

We only had one traffic light, no buses, and everyone knows everyone--and their business. Since then I've lived in Toronto, then B.C. for a few years, and then back to Toronto. My dad was born in Calgary, and my mum was born in England.

Q: You said in the Q&A at the back of the ARC for Ink that your experience as a high school exchange student inspired Katie's trip to Japan. What first brought on your decision to go to Japan as an exchange student?

A: I started a fascination with Japan early on, thanks to a Hello Kitty doll I had. My interest in Japan really took off, though, when I saw my first anime, Sailor Moon. I started teaching myself Japanese writing, carefully comparing Sailor Moon character names with their Japanese counterparts. The more I learned of the language and culture, the more I wanted the chance to try it out. I think part of being a reader and writer is wanting to experience living a completely different life. All I did was take it off the page and into real life :D

There's an obscure New Zealand movie called Bonjour Timothy, about a girl from Montreal who goes to NZ on exchange. When I watched that, I knew for sure that I had to live on exchange. I wanted that to be me. I needed it to be me! That's when I looked seriously into exchange programs and ended up living in Osaka with a wonderful host family.

Q: With Katie, she's very much a stranger in a strange world, going from New York to Shizuoka. There's a lot she has to overcome in terms of change, such as the different foods, social customs, and the language. How much of Katie's 'first time' experiences were based off your own?

A: Quite a lot, actually, but only in the subtle details. I kept a daily journal of my time in Japan, which I referred to while writing INK. Most of Katie's cultural blunders are her own, but her reactions to Japanese sights, sounds, and smells are often borrowed from my own experiences. Katie forgetting to switch her school slippers with her outdoor shoes is her mistake, but walking through Sunpu Park as the cherry petals brush against her skin and tangle in her hair is from my experience walking through the park myself. Or, take the fact that Katie joins Tea Ceremony Club at school. My host grandmother was a Tea Ceremony teacher, and taught me the basics. So many parts of INK are real, but distorted in a way to fit to Katie's own life there.

Q: How much research did you have to do for the Kami and their abilities? Was it always your intention to write a book with this mysterious paranormal/mythological element?

A: INK actually started out as a contemporary YA. Can you believe it? :D I wanted to write about Tomohiro, this Japanese teen who wanted more out of life. I pictured him sketching in his notebook, surrounded by trees and wagtail birds. I kept seeing it over and over in my head, as he hunched over his drawings. He wanted to be an artist, but his dad wanted him to be a doctor or banker. I thought through meeting Katie, the two of them could find themselves in life. And then one day, while I was daydreaming about Tomo sketching, I saw his drawing move on the page. I was as shocked as Katie was, and I started to pursue him in my mind. He slowly revealed everything to me about himself.

When I was little, I had a beautiful children's encyclopedia of myths, including the story of the kami Izanagi and Izanami, and of Amaterasu. The idea of non-western mythologies was also fresh in my mind after books like Cindy Pon's SILVER PHOENIX. And in university I'd taken Asian History, and knew a bit about the kami and the story of how they saved Japan from the invasion of Mongols by sending a divine storm. So I started to research more, and everything fit with what Tomo was telling me about himself.

And kami means both "spirit/god" and "paper," which is how The Paper Gods came about, and provided the final connection between the moving ink and the mythology. ^_^

Q: The prequel novella, Shadow, comes out on June 1st. Where did the idea of the novella come from? Was it your idea, your agent's, your editor's or publisher's? Do you like the growing trend of prequel novellas?

A: The novella was my editor's idea, but I was so glad he approached me with it because I'd be hoping to write one too. I was surprised when he suggested a prequel, though--I'd been thinking a bridge novella. INK starts with Katie very newly in Japan--what could happen in the prequel? But the more I thought about it, the more I saw there was an opportunity to dig deeper into what Katie and Tomohiro were dealing with before INK. What did Katie do in those months leading up to Japan? How did she cope with her mom's death and the news of being sent across the world to live with an aunt she barely knows? And for Tomo, the precarious life his abilities force him into--what happened to him before INK that shaped him into the person he is now? I wanted to write SHADOW from two POVs, and I'm glad my editor agreed! It was really exciting for me to delve into Tomohiro's mind and see what he's really thinking, and what kinds of nightmares are haunting him every night.

I've really enjoyed some of the novellas out there. Not only are they a helpful series fix in between release dates (sometimes it's too long to wait for the next book!), but I always feel like I'm in on some kind of secret information, that I have a more intimate friendship with the characters because I've seen past what's provided in the books. And I hope that's what SHADOW will be for readers. A lot of the novella refers back to subtle comments in INK, and vice versa. I think readers will get a lot more out of INK from reading SHADOW, and will enjoy the secret nods and handshakes hidden in both of them to provide a wider view of The Paper Gods world. ^_^

Q: You're a debut author, Ink is your first published book. Are you feeling any kind of pressure as a debut author, or has it been fairly easy going so far with Ink's release date near the end of June? Is there anything specific on or after Ink's release that you're looking forward to, like being referred to as a 'published author' or seeing your book in a bookstore and racing over to take pictures?

A: Haha, yes, you could say there's a lot of pressure! I really hope everyone enjoys INK. I don't want to let readers down. But my agent, editor, and Harlequin TEEN have been FANTASTIC about the whole experience. TS Ferguson, my editor, is a total genius, and Harlequin TEEN has put so much care into the details of my book, from the flip animations in the corner to the beautiful covers that made me flail. I'm just so grateful for the experience and attention, watching everything come together with people who really care about INK the way I care about it.

I'm really mostly concerned about one thing--connecting. I so badly want to connect with the reader, to share that quiet moment where we both feel understood and validated as human beings. I love that moment when I'm lost in a book and I read something that I thought only I felt, and realize that I'm not alone in the world. So it's that connection that I'm really hoping for, and already I've found it happening with the ARCs of INK circulating. I'm finding and connecting with wonderful people--yourself included!--and I'm so grateful for that.

And yes, I can't wait until I see INK in bookstores. I already grab my author friends' books and flail them at everyone in the stores, so I can't wait until it's my own book I'm flailing wildly with! Haha :D

Q: Is there anything you can share about the next book, or is everything (apart from the sneak peek in the back of the ARC) being kept a secret until after Ink comes out?

A: Hmm...well, most of that is still top secret. ^_~ But I can tell you that we'll find out more about why the ink plagues Tomo and Katie the way it does. There will be more out-of-control ink and more kissing. And LOTS more Japanese food. ^_^

Q: And finally, what could be the hardest question. What is your favourite Japanese food that you miss the most, be it a meal or snack food?

A: Ooh, great question! First and foremost, okonomiyaki. Oh my gosh, that stuff tastes like magic. You start with pancake-type batter and add all the ingredients you like--for example cabbage, bacon, eggs, noodles, onions, or anything else. And then you fry it up into a giant tasty pancake/pizza thing. I miss it so much! I miss curry rice too, but I can make it easily at home.

The other thing I really miss is all the drinks in the vending machines and convenience stores. They have so many delightful combinations of iced coffee, iced tea, fruit drinks, etc. Every time I visit Japan, the first question I ask the locals is "Where is the closest convenience store?" Haha!

Thank you so much for having me on Me on Books. I really appreciate it! Yay Canadian authors! :D

Thanks so much to Amanda for taking part. Go check out Ink when it comes out next month! :) (Also, the weird thing? The movie Amanda mentions near the beginning of the Q&A... I totally know what movie that is. O_o Spooky.)

Day 1 - Kathleen Peacock

Day 1. It begins again... again. ;) This author is the main cheerleader of this event, and so I have to feature her on Day 1. :)

Kathleen Peacock lives in New Brunswick. Her childhood was spent fighting imaginary dragons, commanding make-believe armies, and piloting invisible spaceships. Her teen years were spent crushing on authors and writing stories about vampires. She used to work in an office until she discovered she's allergic to cubicles. Her debut YA novel, Hemlock, was released on May 8, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. The second in the trilogy, Thornhill, is expected to come out this fall on September 10. You can find her at her blog and on Twitter (@kathleenpeacock). :)

Q: Since it's an event featuring Canadian authors, I figured I'd ask all the authors who chose the Q&A to say how they would count as a Canadian author, be it they were born here, lived here, or moved here. So, how Canadian are you?

A: Pshaw! I practically grew up on Degrassi Street! Actually, I grew up in New Brunswick in a small town on the banks of a river renowned for salmon fishing (seriously: there is a 27’ tall stainless steel salmon sculpture in the middle of town).

Q: Some authors have crazy stories about how they got their agent (multiple rejections, slush pile, multiple offers). Do you have one of those crazy stories?

A: Alas, no. I am incredibly dull. I had a list of agents I thought would be a good fit. One (happily the agent at the top of my wish list) rescued me from her slush pile.

Q: How important are critique partners/early readers/writer friends like Jodi Meadows and Debra Driza to you?

A: Having critique partners is awesome. You obviously learn from the feedback they give you, but you also hone your skills by providing feedback to them. They push and inspire you to be better.

Feedback aside, having friends who understand the writing process and the publishing industry—who know what you’re going through and who are willing to pull you down from ledges, give you an occasional kick in the butt, or celebrate with you—is such a lifesaver.

Deb and Jodi, in addition to being incredible writers, are amazing and supportive friends. I can’t imagine taking this crazy journey without them.

Q: In Hemlock, Mac is crushed by Amy's death and works to discover who murdered her on her own, not knowing what she's about to discover. Is Mac looking for redemption?

A: Absolutely. Mac is incredibly protective of her friends and has a habit of assuming responsibility for things that really aren't her fault. She has an almost unhealthy capacity for guilt—something that manifests in dreams. The version of Amy who haunts Mac is different than the girl she knew in life. Mac reflects on that difference in Thornhill, the second Hemlock book: I wondered, suddenly, if Jason and Kyle had their own versions of Amy, if their guilt, like mine, warped her like a fun -house mirror.

Q: Was Hemlock always planned to be the first in a series?

A: I always wanted Hemlock to be the first in a trilogy, but not being sure if an agent or publisher would be interested in three books, I tried to write it so that it could stand on its own. Once HarperCollins was on board for three novels, I ended up moving an entire subplot to book two and tweaked the ending of the first book so that it left a few threads untied.

Q: You've written blog posts and tweeted links to music videos that you've listened to while writing. How important is music while you're writing? Have you ever been pulled off course while writing because the music demanded a certain scene that wouldn't have fit in either Hemlock or Thornhill?

A: I enjoy writing much more when listening to music. Music helps me tap into specific moods and helps me visualize and work through scenes—almost like I’m seeing a music video inside my head. I try to tweet and post about music as a small way to show my appreciation and to (hopefully!) turn people on to artists they might not be familiar with.

I don’t think music has ever pulled me off course in terms of what actually ends up getting written.

Q: Are you excited for Thornhill's release, even though it's still a few months away? Is there anything you can share?

If by “excited” you mean “mammoth butterflies are living in my stomach,” then yes! Totally excited! ;)

Hmmmm. Sharing, eh? Here’s a tiny snip:

“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

I wanted to answer, but my throat was clogged with all of the things I should have said back in the office. A cold, black wave rose up as my hand curled into a fist. I lashed out, aiming for the door even though my eyes were closed.

The impact came too soon and was too soft.

My eyes sprung open. Jason stood in front of me, his palm a barrier between my hand and the metal.

“If you’re going to hit something, hit something a little softer.” He closed his hand around mine, cradling my clenched fist. “Trust me. I've had plenty of practice.”

Q: I know you love the anime Fruits Basket, we've talked so much on Twitter about it. What is it about Fruits Basket that keeps you going back to watch episode after episode? A specific character? The story? The fun of it all?

A: I have a handful of “comfort books” that I find myself turning to when I need a respite from a bad day(s) or need to have my faith in goodness restored. Fruits Basket is my television equivalent of that. It’s just this wonderful series about how one person—entirely by virtue of being themselves—can save someone else just by accepting and loving them. It’s about finding a place you belong and finding peace with the past. It’s this wonderful mix of humor and drama that always manages to make me feel just a little bit better.

All of the thanks go to Kathleen for taking part. Go check out Hemlock now and Thornhill this fall! :)

Day 1 - Canadian YA Lit Event

Day 1. It begins. Again. :)

I'm so excited to be holding this event for a second year. The feedback I received from last year's event was amazing, thanks to all the people who dropped by during those two weeks and to all the authors who took part.

This year will, hopefully, be just as amazing. :)

Over the next two weeks you'll be seeing posts featuring different Canadian authors, those born here or moved here or moved away or lived here for a time, and their books. There should be a variety of posts, although this year seems to be Q&A-heavy. It's like you guys were forcing me to think up intelligent questions. Besides the Q&As, there will be some guest author posts and some reviews.

I like the group of authors taking part this year. Some are with big publishers, some are with smaller Canadian publishers. Some have multiple books out, some have just one out right now, and some have their first book coming out this year. Which is awesome. :)

I was debating on whether or not to spoil it and list who you'll be seeing over the next two weeks, but I'm all about surprises so you guys will have to wait. Unless you're on Twitter and you know who I've been talking to over the past few months.

Now, to the giveaway portion that I'm holding. It's pretty much the same as last year. If you win, you'll get your choice of a YA book written by a Canadian. This post is interspersed with possibilities. And like last year, the book has to be out by at least the end of June so you're not waiting months for it.

So, just fill out the Rafflecopter thing, and perhaps the mystical being inside it will pick you as the winner. :)
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Me on This Week's Book(less) Week (49)

This Week's Book(less) Week is like Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews only with more babble and less books. ;)

No new books this week. Well, it's been a while since there was a bookless week, I imagine I was due. :)

The Canadian YA Lit Event starts on Wednesday CUE THE FREAKING OUT. Well, I guess I could freak out because not all the posts are scheduled yet (meaning I'm waiting on a couple of authors and their parts), but I'm sure everything will work out. :)

I hope you'll all come by during the event, read about some Canadian authors and their books and discovering something new to read. :)

A quick update on my health situation. I'm about 2 and a half weeks into 6 weeks worth of antibiotics. Everything's still the same, same weird finger that's kind of getting better I guess (the nail is getting less gross) and same tube in my arm. I told a couple friends I've had since high school about it this week, they were surprised and a bit concerned but I told them I'd be fine. :) I'm going to have dinner with them soon. It'll be fun. :)

There's only one review going up this week, Reboot by Amy Tintera. Then comes the daily posts for the Can YA Lit Event, which will be a mix of Q&A's, guest posts, and reviews. :)

What I read this past week:
What Really Happened in Peru by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan (certainly a must-read for fans of Cassie's Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series)
The Originals by Cat Patrick (My review was posted yesterday. Cat's books are often this awesome blend of straight-up contemporary with a single sci-fi or fantasy twist that makes it interesting.)
Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels by Hélène Boudreau (I love this series. 14-year-old and plus-sized Jade is dealing with friendship, cute boys, and the fact that she's a mermaid. It's a fun and witty series with moments of action and suspense and teen girl body issues.)
Reboot by Amy Tintera (A re-read because my review goes up on Monday and when I read it back in January at ALA Midwinter I didn't take any notes. I also met Amy there and got her to sign it. :))

Me on Kobo (1)

Me on Kobo is a new thing here at Me on Books. Every Thursday (or every other Thursday, I'm trying to work out a schedule) a new post will go up as I discuss the bits I've discovered about the new Kobo Aura HD, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The Kobo Aura HD releases on April 25th.

Week 1: The Basics

I'll be going through the setup and the general look of the Kobo Aura HD this first week. Later on, I imagine I'll be getting into the features, the readability of different kinds of e-books (PDF and ePDF, etc.), and all the extras.

(Disclaimer: I received a free sample of the Kobo Aura HD from Kobo in exchange for an honest opinion and evaluation of the product.)

First, the setup.

The setup was quick and easy. I've already been through a Kobo setup previously (I was given a Kobo Wi-Fi as a present a couple of years ago), but this was far simpler and ran much faster (same computer for both setups). The booklet (pictured above to the right of the device) is quick-forward and simple, but one recommendation for anyone going through the setup for the first time (with any type/version of Kobo): download and install Kobo Desktop and set up an account FIRST before plugging in the device. It's possible that, after the initial download and install of the desktop app, you'll need to reboot your computer. Of course, this is a personal choice thing. In the end, it's up to you. For this, I opened the desktop app first in case there was an update (and there was, but no reboot was needed) and then plugged the Kobo into my laptop.

It's all basic setup instructions. Pick a language, wait for it to sync with the desktop app. Then you're pretty much free to go nuts adding books (to a point, you will need to add a credit card to your Kobo account to be able to purchase books, but there are a number of free books available to download immediately.)

Second, the looks.

As you can see, this one is black. It looks rather sleek. It also comes in white and dark brown. For comparison purposes, I have set it next to the Kobo Wi-Fi version. (NOTE: the Kobo Aura HD also has Wi-Fi. The selling point of my previous Kobo was it was just like its predecessor, only it had Wi-Fi so you didn't need to plug it into your computer to add books to it.) There isn't much of a size difference between the two, slight variations in height and width, similar thickness. The Kobo Aura HD is a bit heavier and the screen is bigger (I've left the protective film on to protect the touch screen).

The back is rather interesting. The Kobo Aura HD claims to have an "iconic and ergonomic design" in order to fit in your hand "just like a physical book." As I use it, I'll have more to say on that feature.

At the top edge is the sliding power button (far right) and the ComfortLight button (right but closer to the middle). The bright red of the power button bothers me. On such a slim, sleek device, a red button just doesn't work for me. Perhaps small icons to show which button does which, or perhaps the light button could also light up when turned on. For a device that is all black with some dark grey text, the red just doesn't work.

So far, after the initial setup and first glance, it looks nice. It has the look of a regular tablet and not just an e-reader. It looks crisp and clean and, in black, very professional.

Next time, I'll go deeper into the device, perhaps look at the different features like the light, the altering of fonts, and how enhanced the readability really is. Of course, you are welcome to suggest topics. :)

Me on This Week's Book Week (48)

This Week's Book Week is like Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews only there are no shelves or any mentions of stacking. ;)

So... this was an odd week.

The PICC line for my antibiotics went in on Monday. Then on Tuesday I woke up all dizzy and nauseous, but after some water I felt better, then after lunch I felt better, then I felt weird again and napped, and then I felt better for the rest of the week. Kind of goes so show that I'll need to take it easy for the next little while. My sister and I went through the home training for my antibiotics, so instead of going to the clinic every day it's only once a week for a check-up and some blood work. Yay. :)

During the week I got an e-mail from someone at Kobo in Toronto asking if I was interested in testing out the new Kobo Aura HD before it comes out on the 25th. And I said yes. And it arrived on Friday. Now, you guys know how I'm still not that interested in reading by e-book, that I resist often and cave as a last resort, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Compared to my plain Kobo with Wi-Fi, it's a nice upgrade. There's a lot I don't like about my old Kobo, so we'll see how this new one goes. I might do weekly updates on how I'm doing with it, maybe on Thursdays. Let me know what you guys think. (My sister asked if I'd have to give it back after a while but I said I wasn't sure, it's a valid question.) (My sister was also interested in playing the games it has.)

It's a three review week next week. Reviews will go up on Icons by Margaret Stohl (Monday), Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan (Wednesday), and The Originals by Cat Patrick (Friday). :)

Received:
The Uprising by Lisa M. Stasse (to review from Simon & Schuster Canada)
The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch (to review from Random House Canada through NetGalley) (Amy's a debut Canadian author, even though she lives in the UK. :) Her book comes out at the beginning of June.)
Kobo Aura HD (as discussed above)

Purchased:
What Really Happened in Peru by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan (e-book)
Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels by Hélène Boudreau (e-book)

Me on This Week's Book Week (47)

This Week's Book Week is like Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews but with a different name and more rambling. ;)

It decided to be a cliché this week and rain. ;) But it was weird, we had a few days where the weather was nice and not cloudy. Usually, it's raining a fair amount between mid-February and mid/late April.

The plague finger. *sigh* The bone density scan results came in and my doctor said they think the infection is in the bone. This is pretty serious. I mean, it's in the end of my finger, it's not like it's in my back or a major joint or bone, but it's still serious. It means that I'm now on a 6 week course of IV antibiotics that need to be pumped into me every day. I so see it turning me into a hermit. Hopefully I'll be less of a hermit than when I broke my ankle. Driving could be hard. I'm also curious if I'm ever going to get billed for any of my treatment. I never was for my ankle (apart from physio), so we'll see. *hugs for Canada's heathcare*

At the moment, I'm not sure what this will do to Me on Books in terms of me taking some time off. It's a bit different than when I broke my ankle a couple years ago. Still complicated, but this seems to be a bit more serious. Reviews for next week are scheduled but not the week after, I'm currently reading those books. Everything will depend on how I react to the antibiotics (I'm feeling good so far, and that round in January didn't do me any harm) and how easy it'll be to type with the line in my arm. Hopefully, everything will proceed as normal with me not on Twitter as much. Also, right now, there's an IV needle in the back of my hand so it's a bit hard to type.

I've started a Tumblr about the treatment that I'll be posting at every day over the next 6 weeks. I always want to be honest with you guys, and that's why I've told you what I've been going through with my finger. The doctors still don't know how I got this infection, but I've got it, and they're going ahead with treating it. The new blog is so it's kept separate from book stuff.

This week's reviews will feature Arclight by Josin L. McQuein (Tuesday) and Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike. :)

Bought:
Nameless by Lili St. Crow
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills