The Sunday Salon 09.21.08
September 21, 2008 at 1:35 pm | Posted in Books, LIfe | 12 CommentsTags: Bad Monkey, BBAW, Immortal, Matt Ruff, Megan Kelly Hall, Philippa Gregory, Sisters of Misery, The Other Queen, The Sunday Salon, The Torn Skirt Rebecca Godfrey, Traci Slatton, TSS
It is such a gorgeous day today! This is the first morning I woke up feeling chilly. A few months from now I’ll no doubt be complaining about this, but it felt really, really good. I’ll be wearing long pants and a long sleeve t-shirt today for sure. And, since I’ve finally gotten my seasonal blahs to a manageable place, I can enjoy the cooler weather and the changing of the colors. 🙂
What a week! Book Blogger Appreciation Week was an inspiration to me. Jen at Devourer of Books made my week early on and it just stayed that way. I enjoyed visiting new blogs and presenting four of the awards and two contests. It culminated in a wonderful book blogger wide shout out to Amy at My Friend Amy that was really impressive. It’s amazing what a group of people who don’t know each other can do in such a short period of time. I want to personally thank Trish at Hey Lady, Whatcha Readin’ for the gorgeous button she created for Amy. It is absolutely lovely!
The Literate Housewives’ Book Club is also back up and running. After 9 months, we’re giving it another try. In addition to the blog, I’ve created a forum and will be creating a newsletter. Our first book is Immortal by Traci Slatton. A couple of the members have finished the book, but I’m about 10 chapters in myself. We’re not actually describing the book until we’ve finished, which will probably be closer to the end of the month. So, there’s still time to join if you’re interested.
In addition to the blogging, I got a good deal of reading done. I finished Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelly Hall. I read that novel to help out Andi at AndiLit. It was really good and I just noticed that in the activity of BBAW that Amy hosted a guest post by the author. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the sequel. I also read and enjoyed The Torn Skirt by Rebecca Godfrey. I’ll be writing and posting the reviews for these novels this week.
I have a question about young adult literature for those of you who regularly read and review it. Sisters of Misery is listed in the YA Lit category. It was about a group of high school aged girls, so that fits YA to me. However, there were quite a few references to drugs, sex, rape, and gang rape. Two characters, one of whom is a high school character, smoke. What really stuck out to me as being inappropriate for a YA novel is my least favorite word, c*nt. Are these topics and the use of that kind of language acceptable or common in the YA literature of today? It’s been since the late 80s since I’ve read YA fiction and I know that a lot has changed…
I’m starting Bad Monkey by Matt Ruff and The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory in addition to Immortal for my reading this week. A lot of great reading is heading my way.
Next weekend I’ll be heading to the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. and I cannot wait! I’ll have pictures and a report back on those festivities in my next Sunday Salon. In the meantime, have a great week everyone!
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The Literate Housewife Review 
Yikes. I didn’t know we were already reading-for some reason I was waiting for the newsletter first-must have gotten my wires crossed. I’ll start on it straight-away. It’s cool here too-I’m in long pants and a fleece coat but at least there’s no snow.
I’m excited to hear about the book festival when you get back! I’m off to finish up Half of a Yellow Sun-it’s a good book. Have a great Sunday.
Darlene, you didn’t get my email? ACK!!!! I’m so sorry! Please don’t feel terribly rushed about the book. We have some slightly off-topic conversations going on right now and we should be able to have a full discussion around the first of the month.
Comment by Darlene— September 21, 2008 #
Good Sunday afternoon to you, too! I wish the weather here would cool off like that. Soon, I hope.
Sounds like good reading ahead for you. Woo!
What really makes me happy is that I’m getting really close to Janeology!!!!
Comment by Karen— September 21, 2008 #
It’s turning into a beautiful day where I live too. I think a walk with the dog is in order! BBAW was so well put together. I enjoyed it very much. I didn’t get around as much as I would have liked, but I did enjoy the places I was able to visit and the posts I did read.
Oh! I am eager to hear your thoughts on Bad Monkey. I saw that in the store yesterday and was so tempted to bring it home. I also hope to read Immortal.
Have a great time at the National Book Festival. I tried to talk my husband into going to that for our anniversary instead of Hawaii, but no dice.
Wasn’t BBAW great? I hope that we can do this again next year. Regarding Bad Monkey, I will be having a contest of some sort along with it because I got two copies from the publisher. Stay tuned! Hmm… Philippa Gregory… Hawaii… PG… Hawaii… I would need my husband to make that call, too! 🙂
Comment by Literary Feline— September 21, 2008 #
It’s getting cooler here, too! Part of me is happy and part of me is sad, because I do like summer.
I’m looking forward to seeing how you like The Other Queen. I’m not always Philippa Gregory’s biggest fan (is that blasphemy on your blog?), but it always interests me how authors treat Mary, Queen of Scots.
Boy, it’s a good thing I’m already fond of you… 😉 I know that she’s not for everyone. I’m just glad that she’s for me. I think part of it is that I’m not a student of history, so I can sit back and enjoy without noticing every inaccuracy. That said, I also don’t take fiction for fact, either. What I read makes me look more deeply into the history. Who is your favorite historical fiction author?
Comment by Meghan— September 21, 2008 #
I signed up for the book club and am looking forward to reading Immortal along with the club and getting to know everyone. I need to get a copy of the book and start reading!
Have a great time at the book festival and I’ll be
looking forward to hearing about it when you get back.
Bonnie, that is so great! I’m glad that you jumped on board! I think you’ll enjoy this. So far, everyone has. I’ll have pictures to post next week!!!!
Comment by Bonnie— September 21, 2008 #
Gah, I’ve been biting my nails every day this week as I check my mailbox, waiting for my copy of Immortal… I get all excited every time there’s a book-shaped package, and then it winds up being a BookMooch book… not that those aren’t exciting as well, but… gah!
Autumn is my favorite season, but it’s still no cooler than it’s been for most of the summer… we had a few days last week where the high was in the low 70s, but mostly it’s continued to be around 80.
I know exactly how that must feel! I’ve got my finger’s crossed that this will be your week! We’re going to be back up in the mid to upper 70’s tomorrow, but I think the nights will be cooler and that makes me so happy!
Comment by fyreflybooks— September 21, 2008 #
Another thanks to Trish. That button was so pretty!
Can’t wait to see what you think of The Other Queen, Jennifer.
I’m looking forward to reading the answers to your question re: YA lit. I am not familiar with the genre myself, at least not enough to offer up an opinion. But as the mom of a 14 year-old I have wondered the same thing myself.
I’m going to repost my question about YA lit separately. I know that there are experienced YA readers out their. I really want to know if I’ve completely lost touch. 🙂
Comment by Shana— September 21, 2008 #
I’m so jealous of your fall weather!! 🙂 It’s actually cooler here, too, and I’ve been enjoying it.
I wonder the same thing about YA lit! I hadn’t read it in years and then I read Wicked Lovely. Don’t misunderstand..I LOVED it, but I thought I might not as a parent. It had the drugs and sex, too. Then I read Living Dead Girl which was somewhat heavy on the language and really was quite a serious book.
I’ve not heard of Wicked Lovely, but I like the title alone. I wonder if it’s in the same category as Sisters of Misery?
Comment by Amy @ My Friend Amy— September 21, 2008 #
I’m really enjoying the first cool breezes of fall…inspires me to curl up with a good book 🙂
Young adult fiction has changed considerably since I was a “young adult” back in the (gulp!) 1970’s!!!
But then, young adults themselves have changed a lot too. I work with high school students, and I’m amazed at some of the pressures they face.
Becca, I’m sure you’re right about the change in pressures. The 70s aren’t that far away – when you’re asking someone who grew up in the 80s anyway… 😉 I am thrilled that I enjoyed YA fiction. It means I can’t be too old, right?
Comment by Becca— September 21, 2008 #
I’m in the same boat as Darlene. I didn’t realize we were reading already. Good thing I’m at a point where I’m ready to start a new book. 🙂
Hopefully work will be quiet and I can get some reading in.
Marcia, the book has gone by super fast for me. I’m not quite to the middle, but I feel like I just picked it up. I figure that if I don’t finish it this week, I can read it on the drive up to DC on Saturday.
Comment by Marcia— September 22, 2008 #
[…] she announced it in August but I didn’t see any updates until today when I across it in her Sunday Salon post. Now I’m a bit behind the 8 ball, so to speak, but I’m so excited. This month […]
Pingback by Musing Monday … Book Clubs « The Printed Page— September 22, 2008 #
Hey, I’m giving you an award!
Comment by Devourer of Books— September 25, 2008 #