Bookanistas: ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES

Plot without spoilers...Her mother's cancer death means that fifteen-year-old Ruby must leave her boyfriend and best friend to live with her movie star dad--the guy who left her mom before she was born--in Los Angeles.  Determined not to be wooed by her dad's wealth and access, Ruby is also blind to a secret that he keeps: one that could help her understand their past and pave the way to a better relationship.

Of literary interest...While artfully using the verse form to highlight Ruby's sense of displacement through her grief, her confusion about her father, and the difficulties of being a teen starting over in a new town, Sones still manages to create a book full of relatable moments, levity and wonderful wit. A must-read for verse novelists.

Finally, just gotta say...Despite Ruby's confession that "...blank books scare me" (a great poem about being afraid to write down her feelingg (p. 114)), her prose emails to her boyfriend, best friend, and even her late mom are sprinkled throughout the novel, lending another layer of literary texture and revealing her raw hurt and loneliness in an amazing way.  Finally, even though I'm not gonna spill it, I really enjoyed the ending of this book!

Two YA verse novelists, Sonya Sones and Ellen Hopkins, are releasing their first ADULT VERSE NOVELS this year.  Triangle by Ellen Hopkins pubs in October.  Sonya's book is out this month.  I can't wait to read it!

TO FIND OUT WHAT THE OTHER BOOKANISTS ARE READING THIS WEEK, CLICK ALONG!

Christine Fonseca Fangirls Cassie Clare


Shannon Messenger Accessorizes with White Cat/Red Glove

Jamie Harrington Praises Posession

Shelli Johannes-Wells Admires Shimmer

Carolina Valdez Miller Wants You To Find Clarity

Megan Miranda Discovers Where She Went

Jessi Kirby Hopefully Doesn't Loath The Liar Society

Shana Silver Seeks Clarity

Rosemary Clement-Moore is Overwhelmed by Wither

Corrine Jackson J'Adores Anna and the French Kiss

Stasia Ward Kehoe Cries Over One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Sarah Frances Hardy Marvels Over Matched

LiLa Roecker Brags About Bookanistas Giving Back

Wordy Wednesday: A BATMAN BY ANY OTHER NAME

Just to catch up those not familiar with Batman...

Recently, Batman appeared on the steps in new regalia...

And advised me that he was now to be called "The Little Ninja."

In this photo, my son is wearing pajamas originally purchased for his sixteen-year-old brother, Winnie the Pooh underwear once owned by his ten-year-old brother, and honestly, I have no idea where the armor came from (probably some neighbor cleaning out their garage).  Also, he appears to be dressed as a knight.

I just said, "Got it, Little Ninja."  Because the kid never asks for new clothes and I've been a mom far too long to be duped into arguing with a five-year-old.

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN AN ARC OF AUDITION AND OTHER COOL SWAG!

POETRY ON TWITTER

Check this out! The Academy of American Poetry announces 30 Guest Poets on Twitter! So cool.



And, lest we poetry folk take ourselves too seriously...

WIN a signed arc of AUDITION

APRIL is...

National Poetry Month

Greg Pincus's 2nd annual 30 Poems/30 Days at his blog, Gotta Book

and, right in the middle of this rainy month it will be 6-months-until-publication of Audition!

So April is also ALL ABOUT PRIZES here at Writer on the Side. What prizes?

** GRAND PRIZE is a SIGNED ARC OF AUDITION plus bookmarks! ** 

* 3 WEEKLY PRIZES (announced here on April 15, 22 & 29) will include a verse novel (arc or book) selected by yours truly, plus AUDITION bookmarks.

If you win a weekly prize, you'll still be entered for the Grand Prize, to be announced on Monday, May 2nd.

How do you enter?

JUST CLICK HERE!