Utah Books Quote Quiz WINNERS and ANSWERS

A few weeks ago at the beginning of Utah Book Month, I posted a challenge... a quote quiz asking people to guess which Utah book the quote was from. Turned out, it was sort of hard. So I had to modify the quiz a bit and give some hints.

1. She gritted her teeth as the time passed. How long had she been kneeling? An hour, maybe longer.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

2. I trip on a rock, dodge a bush too late. It sinks its teeth, its prickly seeds into my clothes and my leg. Our feet crunch frost.

Crossed by Ally Condie

3. "You are without a doubt the weirdest guy I have ever met."

I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells

4. It's Friday night at Ballad of the Sad Cafe and the air smells like melodrama and espresso.

Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith

5. He wanted to prolong the evening. He wanted to keep chatting... or something.

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

6. I looked at the charcoal drawing he left behind. The black lines laced together into the silhouette of a lone, familiar tree.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

7. Everything about this school was wrong.

Variant by Robison Wells

8. The lass hesitated, but only for a moment. There was a singing in her blood and her heart pounded as though it would leap out of her chest.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

9. "My preserve is a secret. I have all the necessary licenses, but if my neighbors complained, those could be revoked. You must not tell a soul, not even your parents."

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

10. The enormous stone wall to the right of them seemed to defy every known law of physics as it slid along the ground, throwing sparks and dust as it moved, rock against rock. The crunching sound rattled his bones.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Book Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Book: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Genre: YA SF/Fantasy
Rating:'''''
For: Classic Double Challenge
From: The library

With this book, I've completed one pair of Melissa's (One Librarian's Book Reviews) Classic Double Challenge. The idea of the challenge is to read a classic and then to read a re-telling of that classic. This book is a wonderful, unique and very cool re-telling of Jane Austen's Persuasion...which I re-read and reviewed earlier this year.

I feel like the trick with re-tellings is that the familiar story is there.. yet... you are still kept guessing. I love it when the "new" story is different enough that you don't know for sure what direction it will take. Yet, I also love it when you can totally recognize the original story too. It's a fine line, don't you think?

This book did that perfectly. I loved it.

It is set in a world where several generations in the past people experimented with DNA, trying to create a "better" human, to the point that it back fired and soon people were being born with major problems. At the point when the story opens, people have been divided into two groups... those that believe these experiments were totally and completely wrong and have since sworn off all technology... and those who are the result of the experiments and who have now basically become slaves of the first group.

However, enough time has gone on that now babies are being born to the "slaves" who are totally normal again. And now what's society to do with them?

But not only is it about the ethical questions all that brings up, but it's about a girl (named Elliot who lives in the big house) and a boy (named Kai who is her servant)  and their sweet at first, and then intense, relationship. The narrative bounces between events of the present time, and letters that these two have written to each other in the past. So slowly but surely, we see their relationship develop.. in the past... and then we see them now when Kai has returned after being gone for years. And suddenly, their whole relationship is rocked because of the strong emotions based on the unique rules of this particular society.

Ah... am I making any sense at all? It's actually quite hard to explain! You just have to read it! And it takes awhile to "get it" even when you do read it. But then, bam... there's no putting it down.

It's a sweet beautiful love story, and a lovely coming of age story... then throw in the cool science fiction... all mixed with a beloved classic. Awesome.

Bottom line: LOVED it!

Other Reviews:

Book Harbinger
Becky's Book Reviews
One Librarian's Book Reviews
Emily's Reading Room

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RIP VII Begins!

It's started! Carl's (from Stainless Steel Droppings)  seventh annual RIP reading "challenge." That's where during the months of September and October we all read "spooky" sorts of books. Books, as Carl says, that fall into categories like:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

For all the details and to sign up, click on over!!

As for me, I'd like to read at least four books during these two months that fit this category. The problem is, I'm not sure which books yet! I think at least:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

and The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, which is a group read hosted over at The Estella Society.

What else should I read? Is there something you want to read that I should be reading with you?

(as I figure out my list, I will add them here.)


And as always, I'd love to watch a good old spooky movie! Suggestions?

Anyway, I hope you join in the fun!

Photoaday August Pictures!

Here's all the rest of the pictures from Photoaday August. And in so sharing, you can get a quite a glimpse into my life of late:


And this is where I got behind and did a whole bunch of pictures sitting in one spot to catch up with all the days: (I actually thought this was quite the fun little exercise... to figure out a picture for the theme of several days while sitting in one spot. You should try it sometime!)

And now... end the catch up moment!

Whew, now.. on to September! I think I'll keep doing it, but just stick them on Instagram for now. Maybe I'll share the "really awesome ones" here, if they happen. Anyway, follow me there if you want to see them all! And any other random pictures I might take from my life.  I'm SueySays there, same as Twitter.

August/Utah Book Month Reading Wrap Up

It's been a great month of reading Utah books! I've had a blast. Here's how the month shook down:

Utah Books
(books written by authors currently in Utah)

Witch Song by Amber Argyle: Even though Brusenna has been raised by her witch mom, she has never had to learn how to practice their singing magic until now, when everyone is counting on her.

The Kill Order by James Dashner: The story of what happened years before The Maze Runner, right after the sun flares occurred.

Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson: A mythical mermaid comes back to choose another bride for the sea prince.

The Limit by Kristen Landon: Matt is taken to the work house after his family's limit has been reached.

Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett: Evie finds herself in the middle of a battle between two boys who say she is their soul mate.

Shear Luck by Heather Justesen: Chelsea meets up with the crush of her childhood days.

Sort of Utah Books
(books written by authors formerly from Utah)

Vodnik by Bryce Moore: Thomas moves back to Slovakia where he finds himself in a turmoil with supernatural creatures.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card: A young boy is chosen by this futuristic government to learn how to command the war against the Buggers.

Deftly Dunne and the Keys of Death by Carmen Wye: In which we meet Deftly who loves typewriters, but isn't sure if he can actually write on them! And then there's a murder.

Non Utah Books

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Jane and Darcy fall in love despite their prejudices.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund: A science fiction retelling of Persuasion.

Favorites of the month include The Forbidden Sea, Eternal Starling and the lovely re-reads of Ender's Game and Pride and Prejudice... but the best book of the month by far was For Darkness Shows the Stars.

Plans for September:

• A re-read of The Handmaid's Tale for book club
• Something for RIP, but I'm not sure what yet
• Insurgent
• Pandemonium
• The Running Dream, the first eBook I've borrowed from the library
• Finish The False Prince
• Finish Robin Hood, once and for all
• and I'll be doing good to get all that read!

Wow, I'm looking forward to ALL those!

And in case you missed it, here are some other links from things that happened here on this blog for Utah Book Month:

Interview with Rob Wells
Quote Mini Challenge (closes this weekend)
Interview with Jennifer from My Life With Books
Interview with Jessica from Books: A True Story
Authors Pick Five with Sheila Nielson
Authors Pick Five with Kristen Landon
Authors Pick Five with Amber Argyle
Utah Book Blogger Party
Top Ten Tuesday: Real Romances from Utah Books

Authors Pick Five: Amber Argyle

Here's yet another Utah author that I've invited to participate in Utah Book Month by highlighting her in this  Authors Pick Five feature. Please welcome Amber Arygle, author of Witch Song and its soon to be released sequel, Witch Born.

Here's what she had to say:

1. My scriptures. I'm a very religious person. I grew up with them and I've never stopped reading.

2. Eragon was the first true fantasy book I've ever read. Plotting gears started turning in my brain before I'd ever finished and I felt this incredible drive to write in the same genre--something that had never happened to me before. I remember distinctly thinking that if this kid could write and publish a book, so could I.

3. Robin McKinley--I searched for books like what I wrote--YA high fantasy with a female main character--they were few and far between. Robin gave me hope.

4. Harry Potter--For so many years, dry literature was force fed to children who responded by never picking up another book after graduation. Rowling opened the doors for reading. She made it possible for people to see books as fun instead of dreary. And she opened the doors for the rest of us.

5. Books on the craft of writing. King and Card both have one. Farland has a fantastic newsletter.

Thanks so much for participating Amber! I love these books too.

Amber Argyle is the author of Witch Song and its sequel Witch Born which will be released next week. She grew up on a cattle farm with her three brothers and says she spent much time in their creepy barn which fueled her imagination for high fantasy! She currently lives in Utah with her husband and three children. Places where you can connect with her:

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