Foreign Fridays?

So I've got it in my head to start a new feature on the blog and I want to know what you think. Recently, I've been on a mad hunt to find out which of my authors are published in Russian and potentially Lithuanian. (Not that I speak either language yet, but I'm studying Russian in school right now.)

Many authors do have a special section on their site with pictures of their foreign covers. I've always found these fun to look at, even if I can't understand the words (after all there's no guarantee that the title is the same). Sadly, not every author out there does this.

So here's what I'm thinking... I would like to have a special feature each Friday where I display the foreign editions of YA books. Here are my questions for you:

1. Does this sound like a cool idea to you at all?
2. Which format do you prefer?
a. Feature multiple foreign editions of just one author in each post.
b. Feature multiple authors/books of just one language in each post.

Leave me a message in the comments, or email me at wantmyya at gmail dot com.

Authors, if you're interested in having your foreign editions featured please send me an note at the same email.

You Recommend Wednesday

It's Wednesday again and that means I need your help. Tell me what to read. What do you think is noteworthy? What are you loving that you don't think is getting enough attention?

I used to find all kinds of fabulous books at work, but alas, the bookstore I worked for is no more. This means that I'm depending on you, yes you my lovely readers, to tell me what's new and hot. For the next few months I'm going to have my head buried in text books so it's your job to help me find the good stuff and retain my sanity. :)

So come on, leave a comment and tell me what you're reading.

Eyecatcher: Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

Dearly Departed
by Lia Habel
http://www.liahabel.com


Del Rey
ISBN: 9780345523310
Release Date: October 18, 2011

from the author's site:

Almost two hundred years in the future, Nora Dearly lives in a world of bustled gowns, fake manners, watery tea, and uppity lords and ladies.

Thank God the zombies came to rescue her.

Dragged into the night by the living dead, Nora soon finds herself fighting for the father she thought long gone, the friend she was forced to leave behind – and the love of a handsome, noble young army captain.

Who just happens to be a walking corpse.

why it caught my eye:

Gorgeous cover, don't ya think? How could it not catch your eye? I'm a sucker for steampunk and this one looks like a good one. I can't wait for it to come out. What do you think? Anyone else looking forward to this release?

Review: The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

The Ghost and the Goth
by Stacey Kade
http://www.staceykade.com

Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423124870
Release date: May 10, 2011
(above info is for the paperback version)

from the author's site:

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star…and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

my thoughts:

The Ghost and the Goth is a fun quick read. Stacey Kade's characters are people that you enjoy reading about - even queen bee Alona. The book is also set up in an unusual format: each chapter is told in first person, but they switch from Alona's perspective to Will's. It's not as confusing as it sounds since each chapter clearly labels who's talking.

I liked the way the friendship (maybe romance?) develops between Alona and Will. These are two people who never spoke to each other at school, they wouldn't dream of it (ok, maybe he dreamed about it). Now that Alona's dead, her choices are rather limited. While you still occasionally see Alona's popular girl side come out, you also see who she really is inside. Turns out that Alona isn't that bad after all. She and Will are good for each other; I'm looking forward to watching them team up again.

Now that I've finished The Ghost and the Goth, I'm really looking forward to reading The Queen of the Dead. I've already grown attached to Alona and Will and I want to see what they're up to next. Book 3, Body and Soul releases next spring and you know that one's going on my wishlist too.

Highly Recommended for anyone looking for a light-hearted book that they can fly right through. Check it out!

Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen

by Lauren Kate

http://www.laurenkatebooks.net

Ember

ISBN: 9780385739139

Release Date: September 28, 2010

(above info is for the paperback version)

from the author's site:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

my thoughts:

It took a little bit for me to get into Fallen, but once I was hooked, I was hooked. I need to get a hold of Torment and Passion, pronto. Fallen reminded me of my favorite gothic stories where you're never sure who to trust. And in typical gothic style Luce has two guys to choose from and you're not sure who the safe choice is. Both seem dangerous and appealing at the same time.

If you like a good gothic tale with a classic love-triangle then I strongly recommend reading the Fallen books by Lauren Kate.