The Best Reader:
interview

It's that time of year, Twitter and my GR is buzzing with the excitement of another year gone and another year here. With all the upcoming Reading Challenges and Goals for the new year, I can't help but feel motivated and ready (whether my classroom is or isn't is another question). Yesterday I looked at all the books I read and came up with my top ten favorites. Feeling a little extra motivated I even made a video — beware: it is my first video, and while I'm extremely proud of it, it isn't perfect.

Books mentioned:

10. Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
8. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
7. Beastly by Alex Flinn
6. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5. Matched by Allie Condie
4. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
2. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Colli ns

After making that list I still felt like something was missing, like that list alone didn't sum up 2010. I continued to think about it this morning and then it hit me: it isn't always the books that mean the most, sometimes it's the authors. I read 65 books in 2010 and the above are my favorite reads, but what about my favorite authors? The authors who were crazy kind, excited to talk to me, and who were full enthusiasm?

Here are my top authors of 2010:

• Lauren Oliver — Besides being an awesome writer, you were so approachable at BEA and I was so impressed when you remembered my name when you say me randomly walking around!
• Shannon Delany — You single-handedly were the reason Sheila and I made it to the Author Event at BEA where I met so many great women! You were so friendly, understanding, and patient with my back and forth Twittering to find where you all were. I so appreciate everything you did and can't wait for your second book.
• Courtney Summers — Your books never cease to amaze me, but I'll never forget your Author Interview with my struggling readers (and they never will either). You really demonstrated to my students that authors are people too — no matter how famous! Thank you!
• Denise Jaden — Girl, "Losing Faith" rocked my socks off but you are just as outstanding (if not more!). You have such an outreach to readers and bloggers, I am so impressed!
• Violet Haberdasher — I loved "Knightley Academy" and the main reason I bought it at BEA was because of how approachable you are! You were so friendly and excited to be at the NYC library! I can't wait for book two!
• Simone Elkeles — I haven't even read one of your books (yet), although I do have all of them on my bookshelves and in my classroom. Your books are books that I don't have to pitch to students — they pick them up, love the cover, love the synopsis, and come to me later saying "I loved this novel! Give me another one like it!" At BEA you were so friendly and even joked about me actually being a teacher because of my size (true story, my students think the same thing!). You gave me two signed posters and they were the first posters up in my classroom. My students can't believe I met you! Thank you so much for giving a first year teacher some credibility!
• Shari Maurer — I still need to read your book (I know, I'm behind), but I love your enthusiasm for reading and for struggling readers! I will never forget at BEA how willing you were to talk to me about my students (and I hadn't even met them yet!). Thanks!
• Karen Essex — I read a review of "Dracula in Love" on a blog and commented that I really wanted to read your novel but had gone to BN and it was $25, within a half an hour later you had emailed me and asked if I'd like a copy for review. It was one of those moments that my students said, "That didn't just happen, did it?" And it did. Thank you for being so awesome!
• Simmone Howell — My first Australian author! I am so excited to read your books in the near future! Your enthusiasm for reading and for students means a lot to me!

August 2010 Wrap Up

While I think six is a decent number of books read, the blog really went on hold this month. I began teaching, I was still moving in, Dan moved in, etc. I definitely struggled with keeping a balanced life in August.
Books Read:

• Linger
• I Am Number Four
• 13 to Life
• The Duff
• Losing Faith
• Mockingjay

September 2010 Wrap Up

Again, I struggled in September, only reading three books (someone slap my wrists and say "shame"). Books Read:

• Need
• Matched
• The Ivy

At least in October I read four books... right? I know, this post is beginning to sound like the post of excuses, but I did get engaged! Books Read:

• The Dark Divine
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
• Captivate
• Dracula in Love

There really is no excuse for November... world, I apologize. Books Read:

• The Eternal Ones
• Intrinsical
• Fall for Anything

Finally! Redemption! I read six books in December! WHOO! Books Read:

• Knightley Academy
• The Deathday Letter
• Pretty Little Liars
• Finding Forrester
• Shade
• To Kill A Mockingbird

Monday I will be posting my review of "Source of Miracles," and thanks to Julie at FSB Associates, I am able to post the introduction to the book as a sort of teaser for my review.

Introduction — The Lord's Prayer

Kathleen McGowan

Author of The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer

On Easter Sunday in the year 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported that two billion people worldwide were united by one powerful common denominator: the Lord's Prayer. On that date, nearly one third of the planet's population

While Christianity has been divided since its inception into factions with theological differences, this single prayer unifies all of them. The content of the Lord's Prayer cannot be affected by dogma or politics. Even while different denominations may make minor variations, the essential words and the teachings they impart remain unchanged since the day that Jesus first taught them to his followers. The two billion souls who call themselves Christians often differ in more ways than they are alike, yet this single prayer is the common ground for all of them. Jesus gave us a prayer so universal and impactful that it would endure for thousands of years and against the harshest odds. It is not only indelible, it is eternal.

The Lord's Prayer is now, as it was when Jesus lived, the incorruptible formula for personal and global transformation.

Most Christians learn the Lord's Prayer in early childhood and can recite it by rote and without effort. It is so ingrained in our memories that we don't even have to think about it.

And therein lies the problem. We don't even have to think about it.

While most of us can rattle off this greatest of prayers and know that it is a cornerstone of Christianity, the full extent of our understanding often ends right about there. Many of us have forgotten the extraordinary power and meaning behind the words, if we ever thought about them to begin with. I learned the Lord's Prayer when I was three years old, in preschool, many years before I would ever know what words like hallowed, trespasses, or temptation mean recited that prayer in their native languages as an expression of faith.t. There wasn't a child in my class who could have told you the meaning behind the prayer, and yet we were all able to recite it flawlessly on Parents' Night. We were taught to speak it on cue, like obedient little parrots who could make the appropriate sounds come out after endless repetitions but had no ability to understand the somewhat exotic-sounding syllables.

I can assure you that we were not taught the origins of the prayer as children, and even if someone had tried to explain it to us, we were far too young to understand it as a dynamic spiritual practice and a fool-proof recipe for creating a joyous and fulfilled life.

So we grow up never knowing that, with the Lord's Prayer, Jesus was giving us the formula for manifesting miracles — not only when we most need them, but on a very regular basis.

While interviewing a random selection of Christians from different denominations, I was stunned to find how few of them even knew that this prayer came directly from Jesus. "Wait a minute — Jesus created the Lord's Prayer?" was the shocked question I heard over and over again. Even some truly devout churchgoers looked at me in surprise when I said this prayer was the work of Jesus. Some didn't believe me, even when I cited the gospel accounts that attest to this origin. One replied, "But they didn't teach us that in school," as if such an omission in our spiritual education were unusual!

But Jesus was, in fact, the author of this most perfectly constructed blueprint for spiritual change. In the New Testament, the Lord's Prayer can be found in the Gospel of Matthew in chapter 6, verses 9-13, as a component of his Sermon on the Mount, and then again in Luke, chapter 11, verses 1-4, when one of the disciples asks Jesus to "teach us to pray." And teach us he did. In doing so, he gave us this priceless treasure: a set of simple and unchangeable directions, in the form of a prayer, for discovering the real secret of how to have the life you truly desire — a life filled with love, happiness, and yes, even wealth. The prayer shows us that all these wonderful gifts come about through an increase in faith: faith in God, faith in ourselves, and faith in our fellow humans — in that order.

The Lord's Prayer addresses the issues that hurt us, confound us, and impede our progress, and illuminates the way in which we can overcome these obstacles. The prayer is our guide to purifying our spirit of anything that troubles it and holds us back from being "fully realized" human beings — which is to say, human beings functioning at our highest potential, a potential that leads directly to happiness and abundance. Using this prayer regularly as a spiritual practice creates real and lasting change at the soul level, change which becomes manifest in very earthly, visible ways.

When spoken with faith and intention, these are literally magic words.

On the eve of my thirtieth birthday in the spring of 1993, I became an ordained minister as an expression of my commitment to studying and understanding the teachings of Jesus. Fifteen years, thousands of pages of reading, and hundreds of hours of spirited discussions later, I have come to what some may consider a simplistic, and therefore perhaps controversial, view of Christian teachings. I believe that if you study and hold tight to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, a handful of parables, and what Jesus tells us in Matthew 22, verses 37-39 — love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and love thy neighbor as thyself — then you pretty much have everything you need to live a perfect life and encourage peace on earth. But foremost of these gifts, the center from which all blessings spring, is the Lord's Prayer. While the other elements teach us valuable spiritual lessons, this great prayer is the tool that connects us immediately and directly to the source that is within each of us: the source of faith, the source of love, the source of forgiveness. And in combination, those things are the source of very real miracles.

My own life has been transformed dramatically by utilizing the Lord's Prayer as a regular spiritual practice. As a result, I have witnessed the most miraculous events, including wonders of life and death. I have been blessed with extraordinary abundance and joy. But this was not always the case.

To show you how I came to truly know the Lord's Prayer as the perfect formula for dramatic transformation — and how you can do the same — I must first take you with me into the past, through the once locked doors of a secret society and into the heart of a medieval mystery school.

I must first introduce you to the Mystery of the Rose with Six Petals.

The above is an excerpt from the book The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer by Kathleen McGowan. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen McGowan, author of The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer

Author Bio

Kathleen McGowan, author of The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer, is an internationally published writer whose work has appeared on five continents and in at least fifteen languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three sons. Kathleen is a dedicated activist, and commits a portion of her time and royalties to causes that protect women and children from the horrors of human trafficking and sexual slavery. She has teamed with The Emancipation Network and Made by Survivors to fund and participate in programs which provide shelter and safety for victims of abuse, and raise awareness of this global epidemic.

For more information about the book, please visit www.KathleenMcGowan.com.

The purpose of this blog is to inform reluctant readers of great literature that will get them passionate about reading.

I accept review copies from authors and publishers and I love to participate in blog tours, host contests and interview authors. As a first year teacher, my time is limited; because of this, I am not able to accept every book offered.

All my reviews are original and honest. I have never been compensated and all of my thoughts are my own.

Types of Genres I enjoy: While Young Adult and Adult literature is my main focus, I do accept and review some middle grade and children's titles. I am partial to fantasy, paranormal, chick-lit, romance, historical fiction, literary fiction, anything that addresses social issues, mysteries and thrillers.

I do not prefer to read a series out of sequence. If you have a review request that is part of a series that I have not read, I will ask that you provide a copy of each of it’s predecessors. This will allow for a more effective review, all reviews of the series will be posted as well.

Genres I don't usually pick up: I normally do not read non-fiction, memoirs/biographies or science-fiction. But, if you feel that a particular book would be beneficial and interesting towards reluctant readers — I'd be willing to consider it. Currently I do not accepting e-books or pdfs for review. I do occasionally accept self-published books.

When I accept a novel to review: It does not guarantee that I will write a review. While I strive to complete each book, if I find myself unable or unwilling to finish it, I will not force myself to read. I truly believe that reading should be enjoyable — if the book I am attempting to read becomes a "chore," I will put it down. I do promise to read 100 pages of each book accepted for review before putting it down. If I do not finish a book, I always pass it on (unless the provider of the review book asks me not to) in, what I call, a "Quick Giveaway." I simply give the book to the first responder with a Guest Review. An example of a Quick Giveaway. If you do not want a book to be passed on, please tell me before hand or I can make no guarantee that it won't be handed off to another reader.

While I try to only accept review books I think I will like, I cannot guarantee that the review will be positive, but it will be fair. I don't take pleasure in negating someone's work, but my reviews will be my honest opinion. My reviews include a synopsis of the novel (generally provided by Amazon or the publisher's website) and my personal thoughts about the book.
How long will it take for a review: I try to read the review titles that I receive in a timely manner but I do have time constraints. If the book is an ARC, I will try to review the book in the month surrounding its release date, in most cases before the book is released or shortly after. If the book is already released then it may take me anywhere from 2-4 months to read and review it.

Note of Clarification: Review if I do not plan on keeping the book in my classroom. If this is not something you want, please tell me before hand — just in case. Also, I love hosting giveaways or Author Interviews — if this is something you'd be interested in, please let me know.

Traffic Details: According to Google Analytics, I receive about 200 visitors a day and generally have 10 to 15 comments a day. This blog is not particularly meant to generate huge amounts of outside traffic. This blog is meant to introduce reluctant young readers to different novels. During the school year my students visit this blog daily and will contribute to the reviews listed. My students will use this blog as a reference when looking for a "good book to read for fun."

If you're interested in knowing a bit more about me — please visit my About Me page.

Disclosure: All of the books I receive for review are provided by the publisher or the author. I do not expect, accept, or receive monetary compensation for my reviews.

"Be prepared when picking up this addicting novel: it is the most honest and utterly raw novel I have ever read." — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on... but are some questions better left unanswered?"

Why I read this: After adoring "Cracked Up to Be " and "Some Girls Are " and interviewing Courtney Summers, I knew I had to read "Fall for Anything."

Plot: The plot of this novel, like all Summers' novels, is fast moving and completely addicting. I couldn't put this book down. I found myself crying throughout the novel at it's realness (yes, I cried during 6th period). Even though you know the outcome, he's dead (right?), you will it to not be true — to have an alternate ending (much like "Before I Fall "). I kept willing the book to go faster in order to find the next nonsensical clue.

Characters: I think all of the characters in this novel, even the father, are extremely strong and real. Eddie and her mother's pain are honest and excruciatingly sad. I couldn't help but become curious about Culler Evans and found myself in love with his image — that sympathy card was so... perfect and honest. I adored Milo, Eddie's best friend, and couldn't help but want to date him myself (shh, don't tell Dan). But not everyone is who they seem in "Fall for Anything."

Cover: This cover is amazing! It's so dark and completely captures the tone/mood of the story.

Random Thoughts: The ending of this book was so honest and almost anticlimactic — it was perfect.

Final Thoughts: This book did not disappoint — it was absolutely perfect. I was surprised at the ending, almost foolishly so. After reading this book my school librarian and the student who begged me to email Courtney about an interview wrestled over the book to see who got to read it first (no student was harmed prior to reading this novel) and the librarian won (after promising to have it to the student in 24 hours). This teacher didn't like it because it was so heartbreakingly honest; the student adored it because of it's honesty. Be prepared when picking up this addicting novel: it is the most honest and utterly raw novel, fiction or non, I have ever read. With a topic like this, I would expect nothing less from Courtney Summers.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 98/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Received from the Author

"Fall for Anything" will be released on December 21st, 2010

A few weeks months ago I asked for your opinion: what books would you recommend to my students. I had a fantastic response. If my stats for that post are any indication, this question has been asked many times before and people, especially teachers, are still looking for those great recommendations. Well, after asking my mom (a school librarian) and the librarian at my school, I'm finally making public what we have put together. I'm pretty sure everybody can find something on this list; I know that nonfiction is an area I need to work on as well and as I'm expecting one nonfiction read from my students by the end of the semester I've set the same standard for myself.

If you'd like to look at these lists in a Google Doc format: Recs from Readers and Recs from Teachers

Here are the recommendations from other readers:
Title of Book
Diary of Anne Frank
In the Garden of Beasts
Manhunt
Farewell to Manzanar
Graphic Novels: Maus and Persepolis
Half Broke Horses
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed
What is the What
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Freakonomics
Under the Black Flag
Cleopatra: A Life
All But My Life
Freedom Riders
Einstein's Refrigerator
Brothers in Arms
The Devil In The White City
Little Princes
360 Degrees Longitude
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

You Had Me at Woof
Decoded
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Night
Eat, Pray, Love
I am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee I am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee
The Glass Castle
The Children's Blizzard
Rocket Boys
Stitches: A Memoir

And here are the recommendations compiled by two fantastic school librarians:

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At the beginning of this school year I realized that I had at least three girls who were severely struggling, not only academically but socially as well. When these girls came into my classroom each day they had this look of defeat on their faces — such a sad look for a freshman. When we started talking about recreational reading and that each freshman would be required to read two recreational books a quarter and that each Friday would be devoted to reading, I heard many of groans of agony I assumed I would receive.

These three girls came up to me after school and said, "Miss Remmers, we have no idea what to read. Nothing sounds good. Nothing is real." I immediately turned to my trusty bookshelf and handed them my copies of "Cracked Up to Be" (review) and "Some Girls Are" (review) . Four days later, each of the three girls had devoured both of these books and were begging for more. I don't have a copy of Courtney's next release "Fall For Anything," so I needed to find something to stall their ferociously growing appetite for YA.

I emailed Courtney's agent asking for an author interview; to my absolute delight, Courtney responded. When I told these girls, which has now gone from the original three to my "Girls Read" thirteen student After-School Book Club, they couldn't wait to put in their questions. Without further ado, I would like to welcome Courtney Summers, author of "Cracked Up to Be," "Some Girls Are," and the upcoming "Fall For Anything," not only to this blog, but to my classroom as well.

You have fantastic characters. They are so honest and real — just like us! How do you come up with your characters? Do you have any inspiration? Do you have a writing process you do for character development?

Thank you! Inspiration varies from character to character. With Parker and Regina, I was interested in writing female protagonists who were not traditionally nice. Parker was inspired by the pressure we place on girls to be perfect, often at the expense of themselves. In Regina, I wanted to write a character who didn't make likeable choices, but I wanted to see if I could make readers understand why she made those choices. I don't do any pre-writing in terms of character development (like interviewing my characters etc.)--once I have their general story in my head, I usually dive right into the book.

While I loved "Some Girls Are," it was almost painful to read it because of the issue of bullies. What was your inspiration for Regina and the other characters in "Some Girls Are"?

As a girl who bullied and was bullied, I had a lot of questions about my own experiences. I wanted to make sense of them and find out if I was alone in them, and that's ultimately why I wrote the book. As I mentioned above, in Regina, I wanted to write a female character who wasn't always nice or made good choices, but I wanted readers to understand why she made them. She's in a very toxic relationship with these girls she has known all her life and thinks of as her friends and she's constantly worried about her own immediate survival within her group. This fear inspires her to act in not always the best ways. But I think that's a sadly common situation girls find themselves in.

We learn in school that we have to practice our craft and setting up a routine is the best way to be consistent. Do you have a routine when you write? Any thing you have to have when you sit down to write? When do you write and where?

It's definitely important to be consistent; that will help you turn your writing into a discipline. I write every night (I'm a night owl) at a desk in my room. Pretty basic! I like to have water or coffee nearby and I absolutely have to have my headphones, so I can listen to my favorite songs while I type.

Parker, from "Cracked Up to Be," and Regina, from "Some Girls Are," were such fantastic characters. I can't wait to read your next novel. "Fall for Anything." Can you tell us anything about the protagonist of that novel?

Thank you! The protagonist of Fall For Anything is a girl named Eddie Reeves. She's seventeen and she's VERY unlike Parker and Regina.
She's my first non-mean girl character. Eddie is a very vulnerable and open girl who is trying to make sense of her father's death (he killed himself). She's very single-minded in her quest to unravel the mystery and find out the truth.

What advice do you have for fourteen year old aspiring authors?

If it's what you really want to do, don't let anyone talk you out of it. And always set flexible goals!

What's your favorite and worst high school memory?

My favorite memory of high school is when the last bell went and I got to go home.;) The worst memory was walking down the hall and seeing a boy get publicly humiliated. A crowd had gathered and they were all laughing at him. It was awful.

What songs are on your iPod right now?

Sooo many. Here's a sampling:
Marina & The Diamonds' album, The Family Jewels (fave tracks: Oh No! and I Am Not a Robot)
Florence + the Machine's album, Lungs (fave tracks: Dog Days Are Over, My Boy Builds Coffins)
Lissie's album, Catching a Tiger (fave tracks: Record Collector, Bully, Stranger)

Who is your best friend? How did you meet?

I have a few best friends who have come into my life in different ways... one of them is in the dedication of every one of my books.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you so much for reading my books and for your thoughtful questions! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

Thank you so much Courtney for taking the time to talk answer my girls' questions. They were so excited to read your answers and demanded a printed out copy. These two novels not only opened up a world of YA fiction to these struggling readers, but they also provided an outlet and new found community. "Girls Read" meets every Tuesday after school; we are currently reading "Shiver."

"Fall For Anything" comes out December 21st, 2010.

What a week! I wish I would have been more prepared to have reviews of Banned Books! But plenty of people knew how to celebrate in style! But before I get to that, I still have "I Read Banned Books" pins to give out! There (at last count) nine still to ship out! No entries necessary! Send me a review and I'll send you a pin! Remember, the review can be of a book you've recently read or a review you wrote a year ago. Interested? (Of course you are!)

Ok, back to the important things — Banned Books Week and Blogs. To sum it up...

• Mary at The Sweet Bookshelf celebrated by reviewing Lord of the Flies
• Natasha at Maw Books celebrated with an awesome list of challenged books she's read and a video
• Misty the Book Rat celebrated by listing the top ten most challenged books
• Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books celebrated with a contest!
• Kristen at Bookworming In the 21st Century celebrated with a video and an interview
• Leslie (That Chick That Reads) celebrated with a vlog about censorship
• The Park Avenue Princess celebrated with a contest
• Misty the Book Rat celebrated AGAIN by listing childrens' book that have been challenged
• Leslie (That Chick That Reads) celebrated AGAIN by asking "Who Started This Mess?"
• Thea, from the Book Smugglers, celebrated by posting the list of books and trends of banned books
• Mary at The Sweet Bookshelf started her celebration off with a bang! (Probably one of my favorite posts)
• Misty the Book Rat celebrated YET AGAIN by looking at words more closely

BBAW is finally here and I am so excited to welcome Chachic from Chachic Book's Nook.

You're from the Philippines! That is so cool! Are there other book bloggers in your area? If so, what are they! I'd love to visit their blogs!
I'm so glad you think it's cool that I'm from the Philippines! There are actually a number of book bloggers here. I only started blogging this year but I noticed that there have been Filipino book bloggers for several years and more and more are popping out lately. I noticed that we didn't have a site that brings together all Filipino book bloggers so I decided to create Filipino Book Bloggers (http://filipinobookbloggers.wordpress.com/) . I know the name isn't that creative but I'm happy to get to know some of the book bloggers out there. We're having our first meet up soon and I'm really excited for that.

That's so awesome about the meet up! I hope it goes awesome! Because English is your second language, is it hard to read YA novels written in English? What about writing the reviews? Here in the Philippines, we actually use English as the medium of instruction. The Philippines was colonized by the United States and it was Americans who established education in the Philippines. All of our subjects, starting from nursery up to college, are taught in English except for Filipino and a couple of other History subjects. That's why English books aren't translated to Filipino over here and I'm comfortable with reading books and writing reviews in English. Also, I've never mentioned this on my blog but I actually work with Americans. I'm a research analyst for a Business Process Outsourcing company and I report directly to people in the US.

As an international book blogger, what differences in book blogging have your noticed between international and US book blogging?
One of the main differences is we don't get review copies. International shipping is really expensive so I understand that publishers would have a hard time sending review copies and it also takes a couple of weeks for the books to get here. I've never received a copy for review and most of the other Filipino book bloggers that I've talked to also haven't received any review copies. The books that I review on the blog are given as gifts, bought, or borrowed.

On a positive note, I love it when US book bloggers are amazed with some of the things that I mention in reviews like how I've never seen snow or how we don't have public libraries over here. You don't have public libraries! Wow, that really makes me appreciate my library.
You host a meme called "Want Books?" where readers can highlight books that they want but can't have either to it not being released in their country yet, not having the money for it, a far-out release date, etc. Where did you come with the idea? When is your weekly post up? How many bloggers generally participate? I love the photo too! Are you familiar with the meme Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), which is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine (http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/) ? In WoW, you can feature upcoming releases that you're eagerly waiting for. I used to use that meme but then I realized that it would be better if there's a meme that lets you feature books that have already come out that you can't get for some reason. Instead of complaining about books not being available here, I thought it would be better if I could create a meme to highlight them. So that's how I came up with Want Books. I put up a post every Saturday and anyone can participate. It isn't a popular meme though and only a handful of book blogger friends have participated. I don't mind because I don't think I'll ever run out of material for the meme, there will always be books in my wishlist.:)

I see that you have a giveaway ending TOMORROW! What is it and who is eligible? Yes! I have a Mortal Instruments giveaway but sadly, it's only for residents of the Philippines. All you need to do to enter is tell me what review of mine is your favorite and why. Learn more about it here. We both read a lot of YA, what books would you recommend to struggling young adult readers? Oh gosh, I have so many recommendations! Here you go:

Fantasy
The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
Sasharia En Garde duology by Sherwood Smith
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
The Changeover by Margaret Mahy

Fairy Tale Retellings
Beauty by Robin McKinley
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

YA Contemporary Fiction
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Jessica Darling books by Megan McCafferty

Historical Fiction
Sunbird, The Lion Hunters, The Empty Kingdom by Elizabeth Wein
A Countess Below Stairs, The Reluctant Heiress and A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson
Thanks for all the great recommendations! Wow! I'm going to steal one of your questions because it was so good! What is your "good read" preference — contemporary YA, epic fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction or dystopian? I read read books from all of those genres but I have a special place in my heart for epic fantasy.

What are your comfort reads? Books that you go to on a rainy day for a reread when nothing seems to be going your way. The books that I listed in the recommendations section are my favorites so they're really my comfort reads. I've reread most of those several times already.

What book are you pinning for — that you can't wait to get your hands on? Oh so many! Check out my Want Books meme because I have weekly posts on books that I'm pining for. Although if you're asking for books that are yet to be released, I can't wait to get Bayou Moon and Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews, Pegasus by Robin McKinley and Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier.

Chachic, thank you so much for stopping by! It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you and discovering your blog. Readers, please remember to stop by and visit Chachic at Chachic Book's Nook.

So I kind of completely forgot to do this. But I figure, better late than never.

Books Read:

• New Moon — Stephenie Meyer
• Elemental Shaman — Omar Rosales
  
• Benny and Shrimp — Katarina Mazetti
  
• Dancing with Ana — Nicole Barker
  
• Blue Bloods — Melissa de la Cruz
  
• Eclipse — Stephenie Meyer
  
• On the Bluffs — Steven Schindler
  
• Masquerade — Melissa de la Cruz
  
• Revelations — Melissa de la Cruz
  
• Breaking Dawn — Stephenie Meyer
  

• Nicole Barker — Author of "Dancing with Ana"
  

• My Name is Will — Jess Winfield
• Benny and Shrimp — Katarina Mazetti
• Boy Toy — Barry Lyga
• Dancing with Ana — Nicole Barker
• Sugar Time — Jane Adams
  

• The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
  
• The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte — Syrie James
  
• Suite Scarlet — Maureen Johnson
  
• Sugar Time — Jane Adams
• Now and Then — Jacquelin Sheehan

• Everything Austen Challenge

• I Rock Award
  
• Lemonade Award
• Zombies and Chickens Award
  

I need to get back on track; school has started and I need a steady routine. I miss my blog and I miss having reviews to post. I hate having to use "fillers" so that throughout the week I've posted something. Life is stressful, my job is stressful, I have tons of work to do, lessons to prepare, and assignments to correct; but for the past three weeks it seems that is all I've done. The only time I read for me is on Fridays when six of my seven classes have recreational reading. As much as I love talking books with struggling readers who don't really believe me, I really miss talking books with people who already love to read. This is apart of my life I miss.

To "get back on track" I'm going to start a little list of things I want to accomplish this week (blog-related). I'm counting on you all to keep me accountable.

• Do my BBAW interview (I've really neglected my partner)
• Surprise Author Interview #1
• Surprise Author Interview #2
• Ask Author #3 for an Interview
• Ask Author #4 for an Interview
• Jane Austen Giveaway
• Write culture post
• Contact Publishers about Mysterious Classroom project
• Find three author guest posts
• Print off Author Pictures for bulletin board
• Request Blogger Guest Posts
• Devote at least thirty minutes a day to blog hopping and keeping up with my Google Reader
• Read for an hour everyday recreationally — not the stories/books I need to read to teach
• Collect at least ten Guest Reviews. This is a habit I got out of and it makes me sad. That, and I feel it's a huge loss for my students.