Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
September 2010
Author Website: www.jonathanmaberry.com

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human. 



Normally I would never pick up a book like Rot & Ruin. Zombies? Bounty Hunters? Me? Really? Yes! Really! I do like zombie movies and am trying to branch out from the books that I typically read, so I thought I would give it a chance. I am so glad that I did because I loved Rot & Ruin. Loved it!


Rot & Ruin is the story of Benny Imura, who lives with his bounty-hunter brother Tom, in the small town of Mountainside. For years, Benny and his friends Chong and Morgie, listened with great admiration to the tales of renowned bounty hunters Charlie Pink-Eye and The Motor City Hammer, and even idolized them. When Benny begins searching for a job and is unable to find one, he reluctantly joins his brother in the Ruin, on a bounty. On this journey, he begins to see his brother with new eyes and understands that he never really knew his brother at all. Benny thought his brother was cowardly for what happened on First Night and saw weakness in his quiet ways, unlike those of the boastful bounty hunters
  
After visiting the Ruin, Benny begins to question all the he knows about zombies, the bounty hunters, his brother, and his life in Mountainside. He tries to go back to the same amused wonder with this friends, but an incident with a collector zombie card and an act of defiance changes everything for Benny.


One of my favorite quotes from Rot & Ruin is when Benny and Tom are getting ready to leave for the Ruin to search for the bounty hunters and the lost girls. Tom says, "The world is bigger and harder to understand than you think, Benny. It was before First Night and is still is now. You have to keep your mind as wide-open as your eyes, because almost nothing is what it seems." (page 244) He wants Benny to know that he must be strong in their venture where he may have to do things he would never fathom doing.

Maberry has written an entertaining and thought provoking story filled with heart-pounding adventure, intensity and humanity. He touches your heart and leaves you scared at the same time. I cannot say enough good things about this book and can't wait to read the sequel. Oh, and I want my own zombie card!

In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme run by The Story Siren which explores the books that have been delivered to our mailbox or doorstep or directly into our hot little hands.

Purchased:

How Beautiful the Ordinary ed. by Michael Cart

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Ruined by Simone Elkeles
The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart

Used (but in a Good Way):

Exile by Blake Nelson

Won:

Morning Glory by Diana Peterfreund

Thanks to Erin at Lit Snit!

More Purchases:

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (e-book)

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (e-book)

(with giftcard from my husband)

Yes, I willingly admit that I went a little overboard this week. Sometimes I just can't help myself and this is one of those times. But I did purchase The Treasure Map of Boys back in August and I just now got it because it was backordered, then ready for shipment, then canceled, then reordered, then ready for shipment and then canceled again. Finally B&N got it together and I got it just in time for my Ruby Oliver read-a-thon set for before the final book comes out!

I know I got some really great books this week, and I'm not going to feel guilty about it. Nope, not a bit. Of course I will need to remind myself that next week when I'm rolling change to put gas in my car!

So, what did you get in your mailbox?

Books Read in 2009

Yes, I know it is almost the end of 2010, but I wanted to backtrack to all of the books I read last year. At the time, it seemed like a lot (42), but compared to how many books I've read so far this year (74), it is not that impressive. Since I just started Actin' Up with books in July 2010, I don't have any reviews posted for these book, but I hope to revisit them at some point and share my thoughts.

The date listed is when I finished the book.
*Library Book
**Loaned from a friend
***reread

January
30: Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? ed. by Marissa Walsh

14 of today's most popular and critically acclaimed YA authors weigh in on the topic of body image. How often do you find yourself looking in the mirror? And smiling at what your see? More likely, you're thinking what you see is: Fat, Ugly, Skinny, Round, Stacked or Flat, Bad or Good. From reality television to tabloid headlines, we're all surrounded by weight and discussions of weight. In this collection, a stellar lineup of YA writers sound off on body image, self-esteem, diets, eating disorders, boys, fashion magazines, and why trying on jeans is a bad experience for everyone. (Goodreads)

I wanted to share a little about this one because it includes some of my favorite YA authors.



February
14:  First to Die by James Patterson*

March
1: Ordinary Ghosts by Eireann Corrigan
4: Sticky Fingers by Niki Burnham
9: Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
14: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler*
28: Breaking Up is Hard To Do by Niki Burnham, Terri Clark, Ellen Hopkins and Lynda Sandoval

April
12: Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty***
16: Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty
19: Devilish by Maureen Johnson*
20: As Simple as Snow by Gregory Galloway**

May:
8: Tweak by Nic Sheff
10: I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
11: Wake by Lisa McMann
23: It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini*
23: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott*
25: Dear Diary by Lesley Arfin
29: The Pact by Jodi Picoult**

June:
10: The Disreputible History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart*
21: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson*
24: Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott*
29: All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Janelle Brown

July:
2: Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl**
2: Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar (audiobook)
20: What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook
31: King Dork by Frank Portman

August
3: Bloom by Elizabeth Scott
31: How to Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson

September:
9: I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert
19: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
24: Almost Home by Jessica Blank
24: Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin (audiobook)
25: My Little Red Book, ed. Rachel Kauder Nalebaff
26: How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot

October
none - What? How did that happen?

November
2: Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks
9: Luna by Julie Anne Peters
14: Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen
15: I Can't Tell You by Hillary Frank
27: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer***
27: Lessons from a Dead Girl

December
5: Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
27: Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going

Waiting on Wednesday - What Can't Wait

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

What Can't Wait

Ashley Hope Pérez

Lerner Publishing Group

Pub Date: 03/01/2011







 

Seventeen-year-old Marisa Moreno has smarts and plenty of promise, but she’s marooned in a broken-down Houston neighborhood—and in a Mexican immigrant family where making ends meet matters more than making it to college. When her home life becomes unbearable, Marisa looks for comfort in a dangerous place, and suddenly neither her best friend nor her boyfriend can get through to her. Because she has a secret that makes it impossible to walk through the crowded school halls without cringing, a secret that will grow darker until she faces it. 

(from AshleyPerez.com)

PUSH Author Interview - Siobhan Vivian

Siobhan Vivian's latest novel Not That Kind of Girl was published in September 2010. With recognizable female characters and a swoon-worthy hottie, Not That Kind of Girl has easily become one of my favorite books of the year.

Siobhan is also the author of YA novels A Little Friendly Advice and Same Difference. You can visit her website at www.siobhanvivian.com 





Can you describe your experience having your first book A Little Friendly Advice published by PUSH?

It was a dream come true. I had such respect for David Levithan, and the PUSH philosophy, and so I was thrilled to make my writing debut within that imprint.

Where is your favorite place to write? Do you participate in writing circles or workshops?

I like to write in my home office. I didn't have the luxury of having a dedicated workspace when I lived in Brooklyn, but it's been a definite perk of Pittsburgh. And while I don't participate in a regular critique group, I do have a few writer friends who I share work with. 

I just read Not That Kind of Girl and loved it. I could identify parts of my teenage self in Natalie, Spencer and Autumn. How would you describe yourself as a teenager?

I was definitely a Spencer kind of girl, though I didn't behave as extreme. But I certainly sought approval from boys with some questionable behavior. 

One of my favorite scenes in Not That Kind of Girl is when Natalie is dressed in the eagle costume at the football game, and she hears Connor defend her to Mike, "That girl is seriously tough, I wouldn't mess with her." Please tell me he didn't know she was the eagle when he said it. 

He didn't! Natalie is totally incognito during that scene. None of the boys think she is in the suit. They think it's another boy--Nick Devito. 

Searching for new books to read is a small part of my love for books. What are some determining factors when you are selecting new books to read? Current favorites?

I like taking recommendations from my friends. And as for books that I'm attracted to, I am all about the voice. I just read Diablo Cody's memoir (she wrote the movie Juno) and it was incredible. 

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Sigh. Yes, I'm afraid I do. I won't use cover to ultimately make up my mind, but yes...it is considered. 

The blogging community is growing daily. What influences do you think bloggers have on writers?  

For me, it's always exciting to see a blogger "get" my book. I'm not so much thinking about them as I write, but I definitely feel so lucky to  have advocates all over the internet talking about my books and helping create some buzz. 

I think the music we listen to can tell a lot about who we are. If you could make a playlist that reveals something about you, which songs would you include?

Great question! I am going to put my top 5 most played songs on my iTunes. 

1. Joy Division - LOVE WILL TEAR US APART AGAIN (probably my most favorite song ever)

2. New Order - AGE OF CONSENT (this song totally brings me back to my wild, rebellious youth. sneaking out, smoking cigarettes, making out with boys, all that good stuff) 

3. The Hidden Cameras - A MIRACLE (this is just a super sad love song and i loved the stripped down guitar)

4. The Radio Dept. - PULLING OUR WEIGHT EP version (This is my go-to song come the first cold September day. Feels so Autumn-y and fall.)

5. Air - PLAYGROUND LOVE (so moody and depressing. also, from one of my favorite movies, The Virgin Suicides)

Are you are currently working on anything new? Is there anything you would like to share about it?

I am! I just turned in my first draft of what will be my 4th YA novel. I think the title is going to be THE LIST, or something like that. And it's all about girls, identity, and beauty.

Thanks Siobhan for your interview!

In My Mailbox (12)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme run by The Story Siren which explores the books that have been delivered to our mailbox or doorstep or directly into our hot little hands.

Library:

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

Swapped:

Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky

(from Paperback Swap)

Won:

Teenage Waistland by Lynn Biederman and Lisa Pazer

Thank you to Random Buzzers

Won:

 To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory (e-book)

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory (e-book)

Thank you to Sparkling Reviews

I'm so happy with my book haul this week. I swapped, won, or check out all of my books and didn't purchase any! (at least for myself) I hesitated posting Anatomy of a Boyfriend because, yes, sometimes I do feel a little too old to be reading YA and I feel old reading this one. It doesn't happen often, yet it does happen. Moving on . . .

Can't wait to see what you got in your mailbox this week.

The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block

Love is a werewolf, influenced by the moon and terror, and always about to change. Liv has a secret. Something happened to her when she was thirteen. Something that changed everything. Liv knows she doesn't belong anymore-not in her own skin, not in her family . . . not anywhere. The only time she truly feels like herself is when she's with her boyfriend, Corey, and in the woods that surround her town. But in the woods, a mysterious woman watches Liv. In the woods, a pack of wild boys lurks. In the woods, Liv learns about the curse that will haunt her forever. The curse that caused the frenzy four years ago. And that may cause it again, all too soon.While Corey and Liv's love binds them together, Liv's dark secret threatens to tear them apart as she struggles to understand who-or what-she really is. And by the light of the full moon, the most dangerous secrets bare their claws. . . . (from Goodreads)

I know when I read books by Francesca Lia Block, I'm never sure exactly what I am going to get. She has a unique writing style that is sparse and sometimes random, constructing stories while leaving out so much. As a reader, it forces me to create my own scenarios and imagine what may have happened. Usually, this frustrates me as a reader, but with Block, I do expect it and somewhat enjoy it.


Typically, I don't read too much paranormal fantasy, but I was drawn in by the idea of a female werewolf and wanted to know Liv's story. At the age of thirteen, Liv experiences a terrifying awakening in her body that she can't describe and barely remembers. All that she knows is that she is frightened of what she may become or what she may already be. Seen as an outcast in her town, she seeks solace in her friendship with Pace and her relationship with Corey. They all have secrets to hide. Secrets that bring them closer together but also pushes them apart.

Under the veil of the typical story of a werewolf cursed by the moon, Block addresses issues of bigotry, homosexuality, self-awareness and self-acceptance. The Frenzy deserves a closer look and shouldn't be dismissed easily.