Oh, dang--I have Landline waitin for me on my kindle. I also just read Attachments ( the email one) and enjoyed it. It wasn't big amazement but it was decent and sweet.
And I actually came in here to give a recommendation, which I'm somewhat surprised to do. Just read a series of three books (plus a novella) and inhaled them. So surprisingly good! I think the first was rec'd on Smart Bitches maybe? "The Year We Fell Down". It was billed New Adult, and much as I HAVE read many of those, they're mostly awful. Crack-tastic but awful. And these were actually good! The first is about a girl who is somewhat newly paraplegic and a freshman, and her hottie neighbor in the accessible dorm who is recovering from a broken leg. Which sounds weird, but was really good. The second book is slightly more "normal" new adult--the problems the characters have are slightly more what you'd usually see in those--but even though they are important issues, it's not constant and overly melodramatic. And the THIRD book shocked the heck out of me--it's gay dudes!! And again, pretty good! The novella was probably the least interesting of the four but it was still cute.
I have never read any of her other works, and it could just have been me. I might not have been in the right mood for a novel that was just sweet. I guess I like my sweet to be funnier and/or sexier. I kept expecting the characters
to grow and make major life changes, but no one ever did.
I read a series of paranormal mysteries by Deborah Coates recently, did I mention her already? She's really good. They're not urban fantasies because they're set in rural South Dakota and everyone is basically a ranch hand.
The heroine is in the Army in Afghanistan, gets injured badly enough to die briefly, and when she is revived, she can see ghosts. She comes home to South Dakota when her sister dies, and that's how it starts. Turns out there's more in the world than just ghosts.
But they're really well written, with a vivid sense of place and clear, believable characters. I really like the lead character, and the slow-building relationship she gets into with one of the sheriff's deputies. Recommended.
sj, if you get a chance, try Eleanor & Park or Fangirl. Those two just made me happy! I tried Attachments, but the concept kind of creeped me out, and Landline hasn't really caught my attention.
I recently tried a book called ... "Dark Heroine"? anticipated to be part of a series called Dinner with the Vampire (not sure ... obviously it made quite an impression on me) by someone named Gibbs. She was in her teens when she began writing, doing it online (fan fic?). Anyway, I can't really recommend it, even to Jilli - there were some good ideas but she seems to have been a little young to really address them.
Anyway, I can't really recommend it, even to Jilli
I am delighted that I am the low bar recommended reader for trashy vampire books.
I'm at John Darnielle's (of the Mountain Goats) book reading/signing for his novel
Wolf in White Van.
Exciting! During the Q&A I asked him if he'd ever consider writing YA - I think he'd be perfect for that audience.
Kate, did you read his 33 1/3 book? It has a teen protagonist.
I am delighted that I am the low bar recommended reader for trashy vampire books.
What I love about this is that Jilli is saying it with zero sarcasm.
I am delighted that I am the low bar recommended reader for trashy vampire books.
What I love about this is that Jilli is saying it with zero sarcasm.
HA. Yeah, I wouldn't read it any other way. It's Jilli!
