Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings in Books

Victorian London- The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare: I spent the last week in Cassandra Clare's 'Steampunk' London and I loved every minute of it. I loved it's rich gothic setting, The Institute, and walking with Jessamine through a foggy, tree lined park. It was a very lively picture of historical London.

Forks, Washington/La Push Beach- Twilight- Stephenie Meyer: There are two things I love about Forks and LaPush: 1. That they are actual places that you can experience time and time again, 2. That they were vividly portrayed. I love the hominess that Forks seems to have. It seems a regular, small town, with its own little quirks that you probably would never know unless you lived there. I love the surrounding Rain Forests, as they are depicted by Meyer in such a lushly beautiful way. La Push seems like a dream. With the surrounding mountains, and frothy surf, it reminds me of a sunnier Welsh beach!

The Delphic- Hush Hush- Becca Fitzpatrick: I think this is one of the greatest imaginary settings that I've ever read. The Delphic in an amusement park run entirely by angels in the Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick. Who wouldn't want to ride a roller coaster surrounded by angels in hiding?

Central America/Mayan Ruins- Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard: I LOVED Kirsten Hubbard's descriptions of Central America. It is as if she took us by the hand and led her readers to these awesome little places you might never have heard of before. Constellation filled nights, soft winds, exotic drinks, and beasts, and the scent of history all around you. Sounds like paradise!

Paris- Anna and The French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins- Having been to Paris, I thought that Stephenie Perkins' portrayal was beautiful! It is a setting to dream in. I loved her descriptions of the bustling crowds,, Notre Dame, Point Zero (Which was a new discovery for me), cafes, secluded cinemas. Brilliance.

District 1, Panem- The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins- There are too many places within Panem that I would love to visit, but District 1 would take the cake. Even just for a second....When the games aren't on. (I'm no fool :-).

Tokyo- After Dark by Haruki Murakami: After I graduated college, I began to entertain ideas of visiting Japan, and Murakami's writings have done nothing but fuel my desire to explore. After Dark particularly made me want to visit his portrayal of Japan. Anything can happen in the world of Murakami, and I love his surreality. Especially between the hours of 12 and 6 AM.

Sword and Cross Boarding School- Fallen Series by Lauren Kate- When I first started the Fallen series, Sword and Cross is what stuck out to me the most. I kept picturing a historical school likened onto Oxford, or Harvard, with it's foggy, gothic setting...once again, teeming with angels on all sides.

Sleepy Hollow- The Hollow Series by Jessica Verday: I LOVED Jessica Verday's portrayal of the legendary town of Sleepy Hollow. It's rich in fragrance, autumn, spice, and stays true to its haunting nature.

The Met Nightclub- All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin: As soon as I read of The Metropolitan Museum of Art becoming a night club in Gabrielle Zevin's futuristic Birthright Series, I was blown away. This is a place I adore, and pass at least twice a week. I can totally see it as an exclusive night club!

What are your top ten most vivid worlds/settings?

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare Book Review

 Includes the never-before-seen short story Magnus's Vow! Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still. When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
-Amazon

(First comment: Every single cover in this trilogy is the stuff of brilliance! I now MUST have each in a brand spanking new hardcover edition!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare was my first taste of the 'Steampunk' historical genre, and my initial excitement carried through to the end. Clockwork Angel is the story of the young Tessa Gray, who at first believes she is summoned to London by her brother, but discovers an entirely different underworld of supernatural beings. She has powerful abilities that an infamous man, known as the Magister, wants to use for his own evil means. She seeks refuge with Nephilim guardians called Shadowhunters, who protect the human race, and uphold the Covenant Law against all downworlders (e.g. Warlocks, Vampires, Demons, etc). I'll admit that this novel started off a bit slow for my taste, but it is a case where sticking through proves successful. 

I really enjoyed discovering this supernatural world with Tessa as secrets surrounding her life begin to surface. I think that she is an intelligent and courageous heroine, and I was rooting for her from the start! The plot of this novel, once it gets going, is pulsing and addictive. It has a great deal of intrigue and tension, and is, no doubt, the reason why Ms. Clare is lauded amongst YA readers. One of the things that Clare accomplishes is creating compelling, character driven plots. Each and every character seemed fully fleshed out through and through. It is unfortunate that this isn't true in all novels I encounter. Such great, humorous, emotional, awesome dialogue! In terms of major characters, Jem is hopeful and thoughtful. He is such a sweetheart in an unfortunate situation, but his courage makes him heroic. He is a perfect balance to the more intense Will. Will is one of the most infuriatingly, sexy, self deprecating characters I've encountered in a long while. I wanted to wring his neck countless times throughout the novel, but even still, he won me over by his wit and sarcasm, but began to make me wonder who he really is beneath it all. During emotional moments, the veil is pulled off (a little bit) of his hardened exterior, making him a bit irresistible. This is one love triangle that is very very challenging to predict; my heart belongs to Jem for his kindness, and tender ways towards Tessa, while Will is challenging, unsettling, and unpredictable, adding something new to this game. The fact that Will and Jem are pretty much blood brothers caught my heart, and I hope that this whole business doesn't drive a wedge between them!

In terms of supporting characters, Charlotte is very confident, and forward, which I adore in a heroine (can I say that Clare has written awesome heroines in this novel!), Henry is the most adorable character of the Lot, Sophie's back story made me cry, Jessamine is both hard to love and hard to hate. In terms of villains, all I'll say is that they are all exquisitely painted. There were moments of abounding eeriness. Conflicts are not resolved by the end of this novel, as it is a trilogy, but it's very engrossing. I couldn't pry myself away from this novel, with wanting to discover how it would play out. 

Cassandra Clare is a brilliant writer. The setting of Tessa's Victorian London is beautiful and gothic. It has the right amount of smoke, grimness, and magic! I came away wanting to don beautiful dresses, go on a stroll to the Bridge with Jem, and tinker with little clockwork bits and bobbins. Especially, Tessa's Clockwork Angel necklace which reads as such a beautiful keepsake.

Bare in mind: This novel discusses demons, the occult, and witchcraft. This novel also depicts violence. 

Clockwork Angel is a great novel, with wonderful gothic intrigue, pulsing tension, and a brilliant plot that will no doubt have you clamoring for more. I couldn't shake this story from my mind if I wanted to. I can't wait to start on Clockwork Prince. And have you seen that gorgeous Clockwork Princess cover?

Ladies, you know you want to get all dolled up like Tessa!
And I hope there are some striking gentlemen who want to look the part as well!

I give Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 4 out of 5 cups of English Breakfast Tea. 

 (p.s. most of the novels I've read this summer has been 4 to 5 cups of tea! Score!)

Le Salon: Pleasure is a freedom-song. Love Mr. Gibran

Pleasure. That word thrown around so much in this generation as if it is a natural right and the next breath.  It is a burst of fireflies in my stomach, and everything I would love to, and have experienced. But this idea that Kahlil Gibran penned in his heralded work The Prophet is profound, easy, and obscure, all at the same time. It is one of those truths that though it sends my mind spinning in a dozen directions, it resounds in me as truth all the same. Pleasure is a freedom-song, but not freedom itself. It's so easy to get caught up in the blessings that God gives us, to seek after them, and yet forget to cherish the One Who has the power to bless. It is so simple to revel in this state of pleasure that you forget there is much more to come than this moment. That's why this quote is so poignant. It is a reminder that pleasure is wonderful, but it is not the destination, but merely a passage to something (and/or Someone) deeper.

Pride and Prejudice Soapbox: Chapters 6-15

{via}

This past reading of Pride and Prejudice has been pretty entertaining!

Loves

The one thing that strikes me as I move forward is how practical Pride and Prejudice is. I can see why Jane Austen is known as the observer of life. Her casting of characters are timeless, and the fact that women of all ages are still talking of the same things says something. I find that every characters' 'extremes' in this novel are so quirky that they feels realistic. 

I think what I'm loving most, at the moment, is the crackling (hilarious) tension between Lizzy and Darcy. I mean, it's brilliant. Darcy seems a study in being unable to resist someone on the fact that they perplex you. He's experiencing love for the first time, I gather, and seems to have no bearing on how to deal with person to person contact. The way he analyzes every move, his own and Lizzy's, I wanted to jump in his face and say, 'Dude, please chill out. If you like Lizzy, have a normal conversation, and stop being so cocktastic (my version of egotistical) to her!' I also couldn't help but be drawn into his preoccupation with Lizzy, and 'the pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.' Who knew you had it in you Dars'! Now if you would just express this to Lizzy, you might have a chance. Shruggs.

Lizzie and Jane
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

{via}

Lizzy, on the other hand, is a woman after my own heart. This novel's so ravenously popular that she must be a person after everyone's heart! She's relaxed, and yet very strong willed. What with Darcy's pretentious attitude, I couldn't help but root her along whenever they came in contact with each other. When she rejects his invitation to dance, CLASSIC (In your face, 'Mr. Smiles affect my mood!'). Especially when she mocks him right in front of his face...that's courage! And the way she stands her ground against Miss Bingley, and others as they seeks to break her...beautiful. Lizzie and Jane's relationship warmed my heart!!!

Mr. Bennet is also a favorite of mine. It's almost as if he's there, but not there mentally. Surrounded by a host  of crazed females, Jane and Lizzy aside, he retreats to his novels and his study. He's constantly undermining them to their faces, its pretty funny. It's almost as if he's shaking his head at them as we are.

Jane and Bingley...what can be said for them save that they are adorable? I gather they must be the most pleasant relationship in the novel!

Thoroughly Disdained

Dear Mrs. Bennet, it is quite okay to be an adroit saleswoman, just not when it comes to your darling daughters! The way she is with Collins, and really any man who seeks to take her daughters' hand, it's like please calm down, Miss. RELAX! You don't run a brothel!

Miss Bingley was humorously unbearable. Her desire for Darcy is all but written all over her face, and instead of dealing with it with dignity, she jumps into every conversation, tries to manipulate people, thinks she's seriously over everyones radar, when I'm sure everyone can see her deal. This is the only instance when I felt sorry for Darcy...especially as he's trying to read his book, and she keeps interrupting...I'm like girl, do you really think you're doing anything now excepting making him frustrated with you? And when she realizes that Darcy is just a bit too fascinated by the unfit, Lizzy...look out.

Mid Range

Collins. He's the one person I'm not very sure about. After seeing so many ridiculous portrayals of him in films, I just knew he would end up Thoroughly Disdained. But instead, I just find him a bit 'doofy', if I may. He's seems as if he's trying too hard in everything. A bit boring, but nothing to think him a bad person about. The only thing that pricked my nerves about him was his motive in trying to make things right with the Bennet family masking his true desire for a wife. Come clean, sir. We all can see it! Oh, and the fact that he's so fickle. How is it so easy for him to jump from one sister in his affections, to the next? You really just want a woman, is that it, Mr. Collins? (Let me stop, before he becomes Thoroughly Disdained)

Lydia. She's crazy. She's needs to be reigned in, but with this in mind I can't hate her! Plus, I think no matter what happens I'll always look at her the way I look at the portrayal of her in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Adore!

{via}

That's been my Pride and Prejudice Soap Box! Stay tuned next week for chapters 16-25. If you haven't already, catch the start of my Soapboxes. Looking forward to it!

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard Book Review

It all begins with a stupid question: Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America--the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path. 

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan's found, is to keep moving forward. 

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back. 

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

-Amazon

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard is simply one of the best books I've read this year. It'll go down as one of my favorite books period. I can already hear you thinking, 'Wow, really?' Perhaps even becoming critical, as I know when someone tells me something like this, I'm ready to crack into a novel with the whip to see if it lives up to these grandiose expectations. But, in my book, Wanderlove exceeded my expectations. 

It wasn't the novel that I thought it would be, and I can't even truly explain what I thought I would get from it. You know that feeling you get when you're reading a novel that could add something to your life? I got that whilst reading this book, and the last time I got it, was during The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. 

Wanderlove takes you on Bria Sandoval's journey through Central America, and more, the journey of learning who she is, both as an individual, and an artist. It's a journey that is as unpredictable as the very  Central American Jungles themselves, but is so worth it.  I could relate to Bria so much during this journey...her self doubt, battling to break free from boxes that are self imposed, as well as thrust upon her, and her desire to to experience a life changing adventure. This novel deals with subtly heavy themes of manipulation, mental abuse, and abandonment, but is still lighthearted, and has that 'summer' novel feeling. These bits of heaviness added a greater intrigue to the novel that makes you fall in love with Bria, and those she meets along the way. 

During this trip she meets, Rowan and Starling, two siblings who are veteran backpackers. Bria and Rowan form an unlikely friendship, and I loved every moment. Even though it can seem predictable what happens between these two, I loved that Hubbard made it a bit unpredictable as well. Their friendship grows so smoothly and realistically. Rowan has his own demons he's running from, and it is shown in every step he makes as he travels. I couldn't help but admire his seeming self sufficiency, and bravery to want to experience every aspect of the culture around him as a local, not a traveller. I was very drawn in by his passion for diving. He brings out Bria's adventurous side, and helps her to see that it's fine to be afraid, but not to allow it to stop her from taking chances. He also helps to reaffirm her artistic self. I loved Starling's personality. She's fiesty, fun, and unwilling to live life on the sidelines. She, in a way, gives Bria this unique opportunity to seize life right in front of her, and I love her for that! I think everyone needs a Rowan and Starling in their lives.

Kirsten Hubbard's writing is so gorgeous, poetic, artful...I was sucked into every single detail of Central America: the island of Belize, the brilliance of Mayan Temples, the calm and feral nature of the Jungle, the beautiful people she meets in Laughingbird Caye, the soft wind that blows in the starlit night as you read in a swinging hammock. The author's own trips seemed to play a huge part in her specificity of setting, which I adore! On top of this, Hubbard shows off her beautiful drawings throughout the novel as Bria chronicles her journey. This aspect made Wanderlove feel like a diary. It also reads like a classic adventure story. By the end of the novel, I couldn't help but feel so excited for Bria!

I'm so happy that instead of buying the Kindle version, I bought the extra special, shiny hardcover novel. I want to take it with me on my own journeys, re-read it, make notes in the margins about writing well, and living life, and literally read until the pages fall away from its binding.

Bare in mind: Wanderlove contains slight profanity and sensuality (nothing graphic).

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard, is a journey of growth, a journal, a work of art, a drawing together of people you would never meet if you never took a chance, a romance that is more than just a romance...its the journey of freedom that we all will (by God's Grace) experience in our lives. 

I give Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard 5 out of 5 cups of pineapple licuados.

P.S.- Wanderlove is also considered a 'New Adult' novel, as Bria and her friends have graduated high school, and are between the ages of 18 and 30! Pick it up, and lets get more 'New Adult' novels showcased.

Pride and Prejudice Soapbox: Chapters 1 through 5

Pride and Prejudice Soapbox is a feature on Novel Days where I chronicle my experiences as I read it through for the first time. 

There may be spoilers.

 

NOTE: I actually posted this at my inspiration blog, Forelsket, around 2 years ago, believing myself to be the only English Major who had yet to read Pride and Prejudice. Last week, I stumbled upon The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a modern recreation of Pride and Prejudice created by the awesome Hank Green (John Green's brother and fellow Nerdfighter), in the form of weekly Youtube Vlogs. They are FANTASTIC, clever, and hilarious. Ladies and Gent's, please subscribe. Anyway, I digress...this wonderful recreation made me want to delve back into Lizzie's world once more, and finally finish one of the most highly regarded novels in existence.

This one's been a long time coming! I think I must be the only English Major, and Austen fan, who has never read Pride and Prejudice. It's sad, but it has been hailed so many times that it has lessened my desire to read it all the way through. Everyone fawns over the infamous Mr. Darcy, as if he truly is God's gift to male protagonists. I shake my head, and hope to feel the same way by the time I'm through.

I bought the Vintage Classics edition! When I first noticed the absence of an introduction or preface by a scholar, I was a bit taken a back, but then that's the beauty of this edition. Being an English major, my whole library is filled with books that have note upon note by scholars that tell you how to read, and that's fine...sometimes. Other times, its best to read a novel as it was read in the time of publication, unswayed by 'scholarly' opinion.

Loves:

-Language: One thing we can all agree on is Jane's awesome usage of language. I often read classic works aloud just to capture a sense of the art behind the words. Can you imagine calling every one you know Mr. and Mrs. (Miss)...? Or referring to insensitive jerks as 'a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him!'? We think we're insulting people by cursing them out. I think not. Further more, there's something quite elegant, romantic, and kind of fun in speaking properly. What would the world be like if we returned to this manner?

- Sisters, Mothers, and Girlfriends: In most Jane Austen novels, you get a great sense of how she valued the relationships she had with her sister, her mother, and friends. I love reading about how they stuck together, and relied on each other. It seems they had a better picture of how to appreciate one another, instead of tearing each other down (in most cases). I will say, though that on first read, Mrs. Bennet is quite meddlesome, and irritating. I find I get on more with Mr. Bennet, who seems very settled, very chill.

- Balls/Parties: Who doesn't like a good ball? I think every woman, whether she's read the novels or not, loves the movies, just to gaze in awe at the costumes, the flowing gowns, ribbons, and romance of it all. Lets not forget the line dancing!

- Bingley: He seems adorable. Fun, embracing of life, curious. He seems like the type of guy to fall in love, and you know he'll be faithful. It's lovely that he has his eyes set on dear Jane! I'm waiting for Darcy to try and ruin it!

Thoroughly disdained:

-DARCY. I'm sure he's only this way in the beginning. I'm sure you'll have 101 reasons why I should reconsider, but he's sooooo awful right now. Cocky, rude, the whole bit. How does a person get invited to an event by a friend, and look his nose down at everyone? A person of such 'high breed' should know better. How does one say, 'No one here is good enough to know?' That sucks! This line did it for me: "Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.' How is this even possible? I think you really have to be full of yourself to note smiling as a deal breaker.

-Mrs. Bennet: I just think that she needs to relax a little.

So far, so good, with my first five chapters! Stay tuned next week for my Soapbox covering chapters 6 through 15.

Source: Quotations: Pride and Prejudice | We Heart It

Oh and before you go, here is the first episode of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, just for reading through my soapbox! Enjoy!

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker Book Review

I was so excited when I bought this novel, I had to take a snap of it while in Starbucks.
In true Clem fashion!

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

-Barnes and Noble

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker is my first summery novel of the year, and I must say it's a pretty awesome start. I had heard loads of wonderful things about this novel in the blogosphere, and when I saw an autographed copy of it on a visit to Books of Wonder, I couldn't leave it behind. I love the cover, it screams 'summer holiday'!

I had a great experience with this novel. I loved that it isn't a story that is so light it failed to capture my heart, yet, it also isn't a story filled with such angst that I would want to cast it aside!

Unbreak My Heart chronicles the story of Clementine (Clem) Williams, who is pretty much forced to go on a family sailing trip for the entire summer, after having had a massive break with her best friend, Amanda. I truly felt for Clem. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it doesn't help that the other party, Ethan (who I will not get into because he's not worth it), is excused. I do not make excuses for Clem as if she is innocent, but delving deeper into her story, I couldn't help but sympathize with her pain. Thankfully, the boating trip couldn't have come at a better time. I love the thought of spending an entire summer boating, and escaping from the world a bit.

I loved the boating world that Melissa Walker's created. Her descriptions gave this aspect of the novel such serenity, and showcased Clem's growth as she gradually heals of her broken heart. During this trip, she meets, James, who is traveling along the same route with his father. James is a charming breath of fresh air that kind of reminded me of the infamous Augustus Waters (The Fault In Our Stars). He's energetic and incredibly optimistic in spite of his own issues. James and Clem have a romance that is almost as theraputic for me as a reader as it is for them. There are no overly dramatic overtures...each moment between them is somehow just right. It's what they both needed. What I also loved about this novel was that it seemed to present a dual sense of what's real and what's false in terms of both of her love interests. 

The only thing that made me want to shake Clem was her habit of taking out her frustrations on her family. I think I, her family, and James wanted to snap her out of her moping. I was so excited to see her embrace the summer, no matter how ominous her trip back home seems.

Walker has created a great cast of characters. Clem's little sister, Olive, is so adorable...the perfect picture of the annoying little sister, that you can't help but fall in love with. Clem and Amanda's relationship was very well portrayed, I could tell that they were sisters. Amanda was a little hard for me to connect with. I couldn't tell her intentions, and I did feel that she may have enjoyed having Clem in her shadows. Oh the conflict in female relationships! Ethan...I can only shake my head.

Bare in mind: this novel contains slight profanity.

Unbreak my Heart is a great summer novel that is filled with heartbreaking tension, and yet a freshness that makes you remember to seize each moment, and not allow past failures to cloud your present. 

I give Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker 5 out of 5 cups of hot cocoa with Jet Puffed marshmallows.

Discovering the New Adult Genre: Removing the Space Between Young Adult and 'Adult' Fiction

Words cannot describe how excited I am to have discovered this new and upcoming genre called, New Adult, or Upper YA. As a reader, you all know that I love Young Adult fiction, and I'll always be young at heart. There is an infusion of imagination, and overall carpe diem in Young Adult fiction that seems to lack in mainstream Adult genres. But as a writer, I must admit that my novel falls under a slightly different category. When I started writing my novel in 2007, at 21 years old, I said to myself, I wanted to write a book for us eighteen to twentysomethings stepping out, and trying to make a way in this world. 

Until recently, my novel held no place in the market according to some opinions in the publishing world. I can't help but feel like it's a bit misplaced to completely overlook an entire phase of life in favor of seeming popularity. Even more, how would anyone gage the popularity of a thing, if it's never released into the world? There are more twentysomethings and beyond reading young adult fiction in the last ten years than ever before, so how can it be that a genre dedicated to this group in question will be unpopular? Maybe it's unpopular because we don't have many options to choose from. When in high school, you learn an awareness of self that is merely a slice of what you learn in college and beyond. Your life is then steeped with a bit more uncertainty as you are now pushed out of the safe cocoon of familiarity (parents, old friends, etc),  and into an oftentimes fast paced, strange faced world. We'll often feel like we are supposed to be in a specific place that seems to say we have arrived, but many of us are still in the process of 'arriving' at our individual destinations. These moments should be explored, and are worthy of presenting to the world.

Thankfully, there are more novelists out there stepping out and proving that us twentysomethings are worthy being written about. When I read Beautiful Disaster by Jaime Mcquire, which I review here, it was really the first novel I read that showcased the experiences of college life, and even then I had no idea of how to define or categorize it. It was more mature than Young Adult, and yet still too young adult to be in a mainstream adult genre. Now, Beautiful Disaster is one of the most popular self published titles. I've also recently discovered New Adult Alley, a blog dedicated to showcasing up and coming gems in the New Adult genre. They've even put together an ongoing list of books that they recommend in the genre (I found out that Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard falls under this category, score!!). I'm now, thanks to them, looking forward to reading Love Story by Jennifer Echols. Now that I've discovered this genre, I'll definitely be showcasing more wonderful authors. I can't tell you how awesome it is to finally be able to tack my novel down to a genre, it's like coming home.

I'm sure this genre will grow to mean a lot to mature young adults out there, who will discover more characters to relate to.

What do you think of this new genre, New Adult?

Le Salon: The Scales of Love as Pondered by Ms. Austen in Sense and Sensibility

Le Salon is a feature that spotlights interesting passages.

Love spelled out, and defined in two words: Sense and Sensebility. One of my favorite novels of Austen, I thought it a very poignant endeavor to ponder what one will accept in life. Which is more important? A love filled with passion, poetry, ecstatic reverie, or, a love that simply is, no matter the environment, no matter the circumstances...that is not reliant on fireworks and poetry, but that is soft and slow? I gather that these scales are extremes that should instead seek to be balanced. Why not both? I think one would very much benefit from a love that is slow, that is measured, and savoured, and yet filled with intrigue, and passion that simmers beneath its surface. 

Sartorial Lit: Spectacular Literary Themed Weddings

If it's one thing that I adore most about literature, it's observing how the world translates it into their daily lives. Particularly, I'm in love with the mere thought of incorporating my literary love into a romantic, mysterious, and beautiful wedding. Lately, I've been looking up various wedding photography showcasing the most beautiful weddings translated from some of the worlds most favorite novels. Some are also purely inspired by the art of literature itself.  Here are a few I adored:

{The Hunger Games @ Ology}

This Hunger Games inspired wedding is perrrrrfect. Creme colored lace, intricate braiding, earthly layered tones, and even the inclusion of a bow. Wonderful.

{Twilight Inspired Wedding @ Green Wedding Shoes}

What I adored most about this beautiful Twilight inspired wedding is that it is in no ways your obvious 'twi- centered' wedding. Its adorned by beautiful blues, a simplistic wedding gown and tux, in a gorgeous field, set in the midst of an actual twilit sky, surrounded by lanterns.

{Pride and Prejudice Midnight Tea Themed Wedding Reception @ Wedding Chicks}

This is my favorite of the entire bunch. I nearly squealed upon discovering this gorgeous Pride and Prejudice photo shoot. It is entirely magical and visionary. I would have never thought of a Midnight Tea theme for a reception, yet its the most brilliant theme. Vibrant purples, blues, and greens fill the room, with twinkling crystals, bunched bouquets, and a lively atmosphere.  It seems a more glamourous take on Regency Era decor/fashion, and I'm in love!

{The Great Gatsby Themed Wedding @ Ruffled}

This Great Gatsby inspired wedding is wonderfully glamourous in a simplistic way. It's drenched in vintage flare, and even has a romantic detail to do with the brides shoes. I love her vintage broach adorned head piece, and what seems a pale blue gown.

{Random House' Literary Themed Wedding Pinterest}

I jumped right into Random House's Literary themed Pinterest, as it's a treasure trove of literary wedding ideas. I also loved their adorable engagement photography pins. 

If you had to choose one novel to theme your wedding with, which would it be? I'm brimming with so many influences that I'm not sure I could choose one!