I Think Maybe I'm Writing Again

I'll be blunt: I have a lot of issues with the online courses I'm taking. I complain about them a lot. I am working on being more positive about it, but I run into challenges pretty frequently.

On the plus side, I'm taking a course in YA Lit which is good and a little annoying. Good because I care a lot about the topic. Annoying because I have my MA in Children's Lit and I just want to enjoy summer vacation!! (Children's Lit includes YA Lit).

Here's proof:

So anyway, I have to take this class and I have to read two books a week. I planned ahead, thankfully, and have much of the reading done already. I have to write about them, though! So I'm going to write again. I'll take what I've done for class and share it here because that's what this blog is for. (Books and baking. Baking and books).

Here goes:

One of my classmates brought up the topic of resiliency and it really resonated with me. Here's some of what I've got to say about resiliency: Resiliency is one of my favorite characteristics of a protagonist and I think maybe that's why I love YA lit so much. It is generally quite a bit more hopeful than adult literature, and I think the characters tend to be more resilient, more likely to shift, change and grow over the course of the story. Of course, this is a very broad generalization, but I think there is a lot of truth to it. 

I recently finished reading, (actually listening to), Ishmael Beah's memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and was overwhelmed by the amount of resiliency he cultivated at such a young age. If you're not familiar with his story, check out this brief video: Why I Wrote My Book. In perhaps one of the most moving passages of the book, he notes, "I believe children have the resilience to outlive their suffering if given the chance."

Resilience is an important part of this memoir. Ishmael's story is an incredibly inspiring one that leaves the reader full of hope and eager to create positive changes. His writing truly allows the reader to vicariously live these struggles with him; there were times I had to stop listening for a while just to give myself a break from the heartache. My stomach physically hurt at times. Those moments are part of what helped me to fully appreciate how drastically and positively his life has changed and I feel changed having read his memoir.

I'll just add one more thing: this was only the second time I listened to an audiobook narrated by the author. It was incredibly powerful to hear the story not only from his own words, but from his own lips. I can't encourage you enough: listen to this book. 

Happy reading, happy snacking, happy summer!

PS. I'M A NEW AUNT AND IT'S THE BEST THING EVER!! 

Perfect boy. 

February 14th and All That Jazz

Here in Northeastern CT we've been getting slammed with snow storm after snow storm.  I'm a pro at whining about how cold I am, but I love the snow.  If it has to be cold, I want it to look beautiful.  I don't care that we'll have to make these snow days up at the end of the year.  I'm cozy and snuggled up with a stack of vegan paleo cookies and hot cocoa.  There's nowhere else I'd rather be.

We've had so many snow days at school this week - I'm thrilled about it, but it means that my Valentine's Day display missed its big day. Blind Date with a Book - I didn't come up with this idea, I don't even really remember where I heard it, but I covered books with plain brown paper and then taped hearts to them.  Each heart has a word or two describing the type of book.  I had help with this project-I never could have done it without assistance.  I'm not sure yet how successful it will be, but I'm hopeful!




We don't have a genuine February vacation, but we do have two days off-thankfully the snow days gave us a six day weekend!  I'm listening to Matched by Ally Condie this break.  As far as reading goes, I'm working on Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. 

Get ready for a paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Stay safe.  Stay warm.  Enjoy the love around you.

My Featured January Reads...

The January portion of the What I'm Reading bulletin board is in place and here's how it looks:

Once I fill in the space with February, I think it'll really start to look nice.  A student cut out all of the stars for me which was so sweet-I never would have been able to do it.  I'm only going to share reviews that I give 4+ stars to, so scope out these books!  I hope you like them as much as I did:

Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal

I listened to this book instead of reading a hard copy of the book and I think it made the story very exciting.  The narrator, W. Morgan Shepard, has an incredible voice and I didn’t want the book to end.  Jeremy, the main character, can hear the voice of Jacob Grimm’s ghost and is a bit of an outcast in town because of it.  He’s very likeable and his friend Ginger is hilarious, clever and fun-loving. This story is a modern fairy tell-it reminds me of “Hansel and Gretel” and definitely gave me the creeps!   

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Since I liked Shiver so much, I decided to give the first book of this trilogy a try.  I was pulled into the story relatively quickly.  I like the dynamic in Blue’s home and am interested to see how the other two books unfold.  Gansey’s fascination with Welsh mythology is mysterious and exciting.  The boys Blue meets are really complicated characters and I enjoyed getting to know them.  I hope we’ll get to learn more about them in the following books.

 Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I listened to this book and I loved it.  The alternating perspective in the novel makes for an interesting listen because there are two readers.  The story moves very quickly and both characters are complex and fascinating. This book is sad, hilarious, stress-inducing, and possibly, possibly a tear-jerker.  Enjoy! 

I know they're not sophisticated, but I don't want them to be. I'm just hoping to grab the interest of high school students.

As far as baking is concerned, we have a snow storm heading our way and I think I'll spend it with text books, lesson planning, St. Vincent's newest song, "Prince Johnny," and vegan/paleo chocolate chip cookies.  Hopefully they'll turn out as successfully as the ones I made in August.  I'll need to pick up some coconut milk ice cream first!

 

 

Long Time Gone

Chef Glenn made me this stunning Chocolate Peppermint Birthday Cake!

I've been away and it's been a while since I've written.  Here are a few reasons:

1. ICFA (Best conference ever!!)

2. Disney trip with friends

3. Reunion with Chelsea

4. John Green - have you read The Fault in Our Stars yet?  Brilliant!

page 75 (obviously) of The Fault in Our Stars

While I took my blog hiatus, I turned 25.  This morning while packing for Yoga Teacher Training, it sunk in that I'm 25 years old.  That 1/4 life crisis John Mayer sings about in "Why Georgia" suddenly doesn't feel so far fetched.  So I had this brief moment of panic - I'm not exactly where I'd imagined, but I think that's a good thing in most ways.  For instance, I never imagined I'd be going to yoga teacher training and I hit the road tomorrow morning.

Last time I wrote, I shared the sad version of an Extraordinary Activity.  Since I wasn't feeling especially joyous earlier, I think today's the right day to share the Joyous Version:

(Joyous Version)

Hand-written (Joyous Version)

Chocolate. Yoga. Glistening.  Spark. Satisfying. Bliss. Enthusiasm. Laughter. Music. Desire. Wind. Sunshine. Thunderstorm. Aching-Sides. Pleasure. Unkempt. Ecstasy. Inspiration. Freedom. Openness. Shavasana. Enlightenment. Peace. Solitude. Writing. Cinnamon. Tuck. Elegant. Slender. Blondies. Soup. Grinning. Drop-in. Elevate. Marinade. Ponder. Happiness. Dream. Travel. Beauty. Precision. Strength. Rhythm. Bravery. Sing. Crisp. Reflection. Consideration. Pearl. Wisdom. Locket. Wall. Vegetation. Illuminate. Anthem. Intoxication. Envelop. Cozy. Comfort. Lounge. Thought. Grip. Exploration. Nostalgia. Giggle. Squirm. Tease. Caroling. Wreath. Ocean. Moonlight. Encouragement. Rolling Waves. Connection. Miles. Glory. Honor. Soul. Pastry. Grace. French. Paris. Zurich. Introspection. Frosting. Silky. Cataclysmic. Bloom. Melt. Sing. Cape Cod. J. R. M. D. Family. Fireworks. Friendship. Halo. Echo. Hush. Blanket. Grasp. Lips. Hands. Toes. Elongate. Cupcake. Stretch. Commitment. Engage. Rapture. P. High heels. Lululemon. History. Relaxation. Traveling. Letters. Love. Infatuation. Envelope. Curiosity. Smile. Tangled. Embrace. Christmas. Literature. Bless.

Sadly, I have zero recipes from my trip, but here are some photos of meals I had in Florida - yummm.  It was probably the most delicious trip I've ever been on. 

 

Allison, Christine and I went to  Dandelion CommuniTea, the most magical place I've ever been.  Picture this: artwork with children's lit quotes, gluten free and vegan menu options and...BAKED GOODS:

Vanilla Apricot Cupcake. Heaven. All it needed to be 100% perfect was a yoga studio upstairs.

 Chels and I ate at Chefs de France and I had this incredible ratatouille dish.  It was so flavorful!

My amazing, amazing, amazing friends Amanda and Nick sent me this gorgeous and unbelievably delicious birthday cake after Chels and I had dinner at Chefs de France.

Can you tell from this photo how super surprised and excited I was?!

We went to bluezoo at the Dolphin where I had this stunning drink.

 Chels had a pretty stunning Oyster.

My favorite chef on the planet made me delicious pancakes!  Check out my bday pin!

 We walked up to the California Grill check-in counter without reservations and were whisked up to the lounge where we sipped delicious drinks, I ate this extraordinary meal and we watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks.  

Chef Glenn made me extraordinary gluten free/vegan Mickey waffles.  Waffles are better when shaped like Mickey's head!

 

We wrapped up our delicious adventure with dinner at Jiko.  Amazing evening thanks to the great company, Amanda, Nick and Geir and the brilliant chefs. 

Now it's time to put on some Mumford & Sons and finish packing. Next time I write I'll have learned so much about yoga!

Rocky Neck State Park, April 16, 2012.  Woo hoo!

Oh, one more thing...I know cataclysmic isn't general associated with joy, but it's one of my favorite words, so it made the list!

On the Road Again: Rocky Road Brownies

 The reason I started this blog was to share my love of children's literature and my passion for baking in a way that would somehow bring the two together. Well, here I am twenty posts and six months later and I have only written twice about literature. So pardon the interruption (and know that a recipe follows!) and let me tell you about My Name is Mina by David Almond. 

A few weeks ago I ended my Valentine's Day post with a quote from this beautiful book and I've been meaning to say more ever since. My friend Allison wrote a really beautiful post about My Name is Mina. I highly suggest checking it out!  Mina is a prequel (of sorts) to Almond's breathtaking novel Skellig. It's written in the style of a journal and I fell in love with it the moment I heard David Almond read this part aloud:  "Went to the loo.  Listened to the lovely tinkling sound of my pee splashing down into the water.  Thought about water running through me, water and my pee being flushed away into the drains, how it'll end up in rivers and seas and how it'll evaporate into the air and come back down again as rain.  Lovely to think of water that's been my pee coming down as rain!  Maybe that's why people say it's pissing out!" (123).

Mina is amazing. I hope all children are like her. She's bright, insightful and inquisitive. There are so many elements of Almond's other fiction in this story. In one especially haunting scene, Mina goes to the park alone and wanders to an abandoned mine shaft looking for her deceased father. This scene is reminiscent of Almond's equally wonderful novel Kit's Wilderness. Mr. Almond's upbringing in Newcastle clearly influences his stories. Place really matters in his work, though there's a universality to his writing that makes one think the stories could happen anywhere. Regardless, having spent some time in Newcastle (admittedly most of that time was in the Holiday Inn lounge), I gained a lot from walking those same streets and riding the same trains. 

T. K. Maxx in Newcastle

 Mina writes out Extraordinary Activities. I've been doing them on paper in a journal a shop owner told me "suits" me for some time now, but I think I've reached the point where I should share them. I went through the book and numbered the activities and I certianly may have gotten them wrong, but the one I'm sharing today is a sad one, number 8: 

"(Sad Version) Write a page of words for sadness" 

 Pain. Uncle Gene. Uncle Mike. Loss. Emptiness. Ache. Longing. Unrequited. Reject. Neglect. Unloved. Abuse. Hurt. Suffer. Agony. Bleak. Meager. Unwelcome. Shun. Stunt. Postpone. Torture. Break. Attack. Drown. Death. Illness. Fear. Extinct. Devastation. Flood. Famine. Destitute. Desolate. Dissolve. Goodbye. Grieve. Abandon. Disconnect. Pit. Despair. Disgust. Disguise. Betrayal. Cheat. Cheating. Cheater. C. Lies. Lying. Liars. Infidelity. Adultery. Back-stab. Cruel. Cruelty. Disregard. Storm. Argue. Disrespect. Heartbreak. Distance. Separation. Divorce. Inflict. Conflict. Confusion. Selfish. Acquaintance. Lost-love. Bombshell. Shrapnel. Scare. Afraid. Darkness. Jealousy. Lack-luster. Drained. Terrify. Horror. Unknown. Disaster. Wreck. Accident. Crash. Twist. Saw. Misconception. Unwelcome. Misunderstanding. Kill. Abortion. Hunger. Disease. Cancer. War. Disillusionment. Dishonest. Untrue. Unfaithful. Disappear. Deliberate. Dissuade. Lose. Cry. Sob. Gasp. Leave. Fool. Trick. Deny. Ignore. Close. Narrow-minded. Contempt. Superiority. Shut-out. Detest. Desperation. Blow-off. Burn. Loath. Question. Fight. Catastrophe. Terror. Wrench. Stab. Knife. Avoid. Funeral. Gilman's. Mourning. Aching. Void. Eliminate. Lonely. Engulf. Conquered. Betrayed. Condemn. Rape. Regret. Resist. S. P. N. Uncertainty.

The original list, September 28, 2011

I'm pretty certain Mina would love brownies, so here's the recipe for my Rocky Road brownies. I created them based on a recipe I have in a book, but I was on a mission to bake something for my very handsome friend, Kevin Klausman in honor of his move to Austin, TX. Enjoy! 

Brownie dough.  Yum yum.

 The details: This recipe is from Cybele Pascal's The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook. I altered it by adding walnuts and vegan marshmallows.  The marshmallows I ordered are out of this world delicious. I can't recommend them enough!  The alterations I made to the recipe are in italics:

Rocky Road (Trip) Brownies

Ingredients

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup dairy-free, soy free shortening, I used soy free earth balance

2 cups granulated vegan cane sugar

8 ounces apple sauce

1 tbs. pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbs Basic Gluten-Free Flour mix (recipe follows!)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tbs double-acting baking powder

1/2 cups dairy-free, soy free chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped vegan marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

2. Combine the unsweetened chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave, stopping to check and stir every 30 seconds.  Once melted, stir in the sugar and apple sauce.  Mix well, add the vanilla, and beat until smooth.

3. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Add to the chocolate mixture in three batches, stirring well after each addition.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in the Chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts.

4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing down the top with the back of a rubber spatula or large spoon.  Bake in the center of the oven for 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  Bake until the top looks glossy and the brownie is just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

5. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then cut into squares.  Removed from the pan and store in an airtight container.

Best enjoyed with friends

Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix

4 cups superfine brown rice flour

1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)

2/3 tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)

1. To measure flour, use a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife or straightedge.  Do not use the measuring cup itself to scoop your flour when measuring!  It will compact the flour and you will wind up with too much for the recipe.

2. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-top bag.  Shake (carefully!!!) until well blended.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Eerily beautiful Northeastern Connecticut morning

Now that I'm back on track with sharing both literature and food, I'm going to crank up the Tom Petty, grab a few brownies and start reading John Green's The Fault in Our Stars.

May Your Days Be Merry & Bright All Year Long

Table set for Velija

My family is quite large.  On my Dad's side of the family, I have something like 24 first cousins, lots of aunts and uncles, and now many of my cousins have children of their own.  My Mom's side is considerably smaller, but we added a new family member this year when my cousin Christopher got married and I imagine it'll continue to grow, but probably slowly.  Because of how close we all are, our Christmas celebrations often have stages.  But stage 1 is always our Slovak Christmas Eve dinner: Velija.  It's a vegetarian meal with seven to twelve dishes served.  There is always an open seat should anyone need a meal, hay rests under our plates and we start the meal by breaking Oplatek and a prayer. We celebrate Velija with my mom's side of the family - attendance shifts over the years, but Grams always celebrates it.  Christmas Eve Day is my favorite day of the year, largely because of the anticipation of our Christmas Eve dinner.  Velija is probably my favorite meal all year long.

My first attempt at gluten free/vegan Pierogies!

 Our menu was out of this world.  My mom made risotto, I made peirogies.  We had butternut squash soup, gluten free rolls, a variety of pickles and olives, candied carrots, salad, and the non-vegan gluten loving folks (everyone but me!) enjoyed traditional pierogies and lobster.  We were full, but all had a few peppermint patties anyway!

Surprisingly small portion of my family

From our very quiet Velija, we go to my Aunt Debbie's house.  It's wonderful chaos.  So many people everywhere!  We do a great Yankee Swap with gift certificates - I ended up with Bed, Bath & Beyond this year but there were so many Chiles and Olive Gardens!  

Christmas Day Feast

Christmas Day we all get together at Grandma's house for a buffet-style meal that includes meat to make up for the vegetarian meal the night prior.  Here's a glimpse of our table-loads of cookies, risotto, ham, pickles, clam chowder, pierogies....so much food.  I enjoyed a few Coconut Nogs with Kahlua so food wasn't my priority.  But can you blame me?  

Pastry Cream and Pastry Shells

Back when I ate all kinds of foods, I baked everything, all the time, so I still do special orders when I get requests.  My friend's mom ordered a platter from me this year that included Cream Puffs, Eclairs, Lemon Bars, Magic Cookie Bars and Peanut Butter Bars.  Oh man, it's fun to bake with butter, sugar, flour and eggs sometimes even though I don't eat them.  I loved how silky the pastry cream turned out.

Wildwood, When You Reach Me, The Miraculous of Edward Tulane & The Magician's Elephant

One Day (wrapped), Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, Looking for Alaska, Octavian Nothing, Awkward Family Pet Photos, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, The Maze Runner....happy reading, folks!

And finally....gifts.  I gave a whole bunch of books this year.  I forgot to add a few to the stack, but as you can see, it was a YA Christmas.  Peter Pan and Winnie-the-Pooh are two of my all time favorites, so it seemed appropriate to share them with others.  Both copies of Octavian Nothing are signed, John Green just rules, The Hunger Games Series is addictive and fantastic and Awkward Family Pet Photos is for my 14 year old cousin who insists she doesn't like to read.

May you harness the brightness of the holiday season and keep it with you all year long.

Historical Fiction: Annexed

I took a really great class at Hollins three years ago that was all about Tomboys in children's lit. It was pretty mind blowing and I walked away from it with many new ideas that I think have shaped me as a reader and writer. So we read a lot of prairie fiction - Caddie Woodlawn, What Katy Did and Little House on the Prairie and I made this statement one day at the end of class, "I do not like historical fiction." By the last session, I revised that statement: "I do not like prairie fiction." I stand by that claim. I really, really, really do not like prairie fiction (although if anyone has read any that I should try, I'm open to changing my mind!) It turns out that I LOVE historical fiction, which brings me to the reason I'm writing....

Annexed by Sharon Dogar. I bought it for myself for Christmas (woo!) and I stayed up until 2:15 Monday night (Tuesday morning?) to finish reading it. It's the story of Peter van Pels, a young man who lived in hiding with the Franks for two years in Amsterdam. I have never read The Diary of Anne Frank, perhaps this isn't something I should admit, but I certainly want to read it now that I've read Annexed. Dogar imagines what life must have been like for Peter - " to become the target of her love, and to be so cruelly torn apart from her" (iv). It is like a diary itself, but Peter's present day thoughts (present day = his extraordinary time in the sick bay in Auschwitz [extraordinary b/c it is recorded that he survived there for over three weeks, a nearly impossible feat]) weave their way into the events in the "Annex" with the Franks.

The novel is incredibly moving. The front cover reads, "The powerful story of the boy who loved Anne Frank" but he is so much more than that. He really comes to life in Dogar's novel - I understand that he was an actual person, but I think she paints a vivid picture of what he could have actually been like. He's so...real. One of his largest concerns is that he'll never sleep with a girl - a matter of significant importance for an 18 year old - but he has so many other facets beyond that one and I think that's perhaps why he seems so real. Sometimes the world around you can be crumbling, but all you can think about it is what will happen for you specifically, and I think his agitation over whether or not he'll ever have sex is something that makes him really come to life. Because he's also terrified over whether or not his mother and father will survive, if there will be food on the table, if the people breaking into the warehouse will find them...he's a fascinating character and I really think Sharon Dogar articulates his story well.

I'm kind of blown away by historical fiction. There's so much research devoted to it and I think that's what impresses me the most. Dogar undoubtedly poured over Anne Frank's diary and countless other publications about the Holocaust to prepare for this novel. I think what makes historical fiction so profound is that it is influenced by so many details. It is such a challenge! (Susan Campbell Bartoletti is my current favorite and her work is really, really inspirational). I don't teach, but if I did, I would definitely consider using Annexed in the classroom. I'm really excited about this book and I hope other readers are as well.

Music in Two YA Novels

This is my first ever blog entry! I've been meaning to write one for ages-it took me well over a year, but here it is. Anyway, I'm getting my MA in children's lit. I'd like to be a children's librarian. The category Children's Literature doesn't apply only to picture books, but to middle grade novels, nonfiction, YA (young adult) literature. There's so much out there! Since my first summer at Hollins University, I've been keeping track of what I read. I love contemporary fiction and classic literature as well, so I've been aiming to read 5 YA books to every contemporary adult novel I read. It was going well, but lately I've only been reading YA. Which has been delightful.

So I'm writing today because I just finished If I Stay by Gayle Forman and had a really great experience with it. It reminded me a lot of my all time favorite YA novel, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly which came out last October but I was lucky enough to read in June, 2010. I could write forever about Revloution, and I will next semester when I work on a critical analysis of it as part of an independent study. I needed to write today because I am sort of furious. (It's totally possible to be only sort of furious...I think.) The only review on the front cover of my paperback copy of If I Stay is from USA Today and reads, "Will appeal to fans of Stephanie Meyer's TWILIGHT." First of all, it's rude to suggest that all Twilight fans are the same and like the same books. Secondly, I read Twilight, (because I felt an obligation to read it), but that has nothing to do with why I read If I Stay. I'll admit that I got caught up in it, but I didn't like it enough to read the rest of the series. The characters in Twilight are one-dimensional. Bella is weak and falls for an abusive guy. He's gorgeous (don't get me started on how unattractive I find the actor who played him...) and cruel. Ultimately the reader deduces that he acted that way because he was protecting her, but do 5th grade girls understand that? Do 8th grade girls even get it? True, it's not written for 5th grade girls, but there's no denying that they're reading it. And let's be honest, even if you're totally comfortable with being in love with a vampire who's 70 years older than you are, it's NEVER okay for the person you're with to sneak into your bedroom without you knowing and creepily watch you sleep. That's not love. That's having a stalker.


If I Stay is like Twilight in that both books have female main characters and their stories take place in the Northwest. I'm tempted to say that the similarities end there. Mia in Forman'solds that they are. Maybe what I love most about them is how much they love music. Mia's a classical cellist whose father was a drummer in a punk band and mother always went to his shows. Adam is a guitar player in a punk band whose entire life has been music, until he meets Mia. I should point out that Mia's story isn't really a love story. It starts with tragedy and we read the novel knowing that Mia faces an unbelievably difficult decision. I suppose it is a love story-but not just romantic love. Familial love, friendship love, the overwhelming love of music. However, Adam is a huge part of her life and their relationship to music and to one another is really meaningful. I'd go on and on about this, but it would get out of hand quickly. novel comes from an incredibly loving family, which is rare in YA literature. She's in a relationship that is certainly not flawless, but it's honest, and neither of them is creepy. Her relationship with Adam seems genuine and they act like the 17 and 18 year

If I Stay and Revolution both use music really well. Mia loves classical music and Forman writes about it beautifully. Andi from Donnelly's novel is a guitar player who loves The Beatles and The Decemberists and is writing her senior thesis on (the fictional composer) Amadé Malherbeau: "...if there was no Amadé Malherbeau, there would be no Radiohead" (83). Be still my heart. "The Decemberists come on the radio. 'Grace Cathedral Hill.' We both lunge for the volume...The DJ plays two more songs from Castaways and Cutouts. We don't talk, we just listen. Most people can't do that - just shut up and listen. I close my eyes, play some air chords. It's so amazingly beautiful, that album" (134). Okay, maybe I LOVE this because of how much I adore that album, but I really think it's beautiful. Jennifer Donnelly's writing is really moving and beautiful. Both books incorporate music so much into their main character's lives and perhaps this is why they seem so vivid. Both Mia and Andi are living through tragedies - their lives are in pieces, but music keeps them alive.
I suppose that I've said some of what I intended to. To sum up, (this isn't a paper, so I can be lazy and say "to sum up") If I Stay is nothing like Twilight. Revolution is incredible. I suggest that everyone read them. I cried. Maybe that's embarrassing, but I felt a major connection to these characters and I think about them as though they're real people, which I think is the testament of a truly great book.


What I want to know now is what others think of them....