Before that I read a YA that I wasn’t too hot on, so it goes un-named here. At first, I didn’t think I would be able to make it to my 50 page cut off, let alone past it (I give all books 50 pages before I quit). However, about page 40 I started getting in to it. It wasn’t what usually turns me off that was keeping me from enjoying it (pacing, unbelievable dialogue), it was the style. The author used certain words and phrasing over and over and over, which I guess she thought was “repetition” in a good way that gave it voice, but which I just found highly annoying. Obviously the editor didn’t mind…

The book was laugh out loud funny in highly emotional spots, which really worked beautifully to relieve reader tension (it was a very depressing story), but the forced voice keeps me from recommending it, or really liking it, or even wanting to read this author again, so it remains un-named here on my LJ. The other weird thing is it had a very, very strange title and I never did figure out what it was supposed to mean! Not a clue.

I really liked it a lot. The word sentimental was used on it’s blurb, saying it’s nearly too sentimental, but I think it’s more a bit tidy than sentimental. Granger has that habit anyway, and frankly, I kind of like tidy books, as long as there’s lots of drama and tension too, which she does not skimp on at all.

In fact, if you’ve ever read WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass (my other reading this week), you might recall him talking about the balance of working backstory in and still keeping tension high being a very difficult thing to do. Well, I think Granger is excellent at that, so if you’re not, it’s worth reading her books to see how she does it.

Okay…I’m off to write on my YA that’s been tucked away since the spring. Yes, that means I finished my revision on True Blue Baby and it’s on its way to the powers that be (i.e. agent, editor).

So, after finishing ANNIE ON MY MIND by Nancy Garden, I realized that it’s unfortunately not nearly as dated as one would hope. And if that doesn’t make sense to you, too bad, you’ll have to read it. I liked it a lot this time around too. Unfortunately, I think it could happen exactly like it did then, now. I was kind of hoping for change…

Anyway, on my day off, I spent the whole time on the porch. It was a cool 75-80 degrees, with a slight breeze, which is the coolest it’s been in weeks and weeks. I read Pip Granger’s THE WIDOW GINGER, which is a sequel to NOT ALL TARTS ARE APPLE. Now, I have not really been able to figure out if this is YA or not, although that’s where the library has it, it’s not marked YA. So…it doesn’t really seem like YA to me, but what do I know? 

I LOVED both of these books, but I am a bit partial to British stuff, so if you’re not, you might not like it. And you also have to have a very good understanding of British slang to slog through it (although there is a glossery in the back, it only covers the basics and I never remember to check for those until I’m all done anyway!). I would say, even with my excellent knowledge of the British English language (after living there and watching lots of Brit Coms and British movies and reading Harry Potter in the British form), I probably missed at least 25% of the humor/meaning and probably another 25% I gleaned through context alone. There are, unfortunately in a climactic moment, a fair number of mistakes in this edition too. Some spelling, but one where they call the character by the name of another character who’s not even in the neighborhood, let alone the room! That always takes me out of a good climactic moment! Calling the wrong name, and all…<g>

Okay…time to go watch baseball. I’m now mostly reading WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, although, one of the first things the author does is ask you to go get your top three books and pile them in front of you, and now I’m tempted to start reading PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (the other two, at this moment in time, of course, are BETSY AND THE GREAT WORLD and ROUND THE BEND).

I’m reading ANNIE ON MY MIND when I have time, which I remember loving ten years ago. I still like it a lot, but so much has changed in the world in 25 years since it was written, that sometimes the reactions to what’s happening seem pretty dated. Still, it’s an important book.

Okay…gotta go…gotta write…I now have real deadline instead of a self imposed one because someone needs my help on her project and I said I would…must finish my stuff first though.