wildefire

What to do when a seriously funny author (check out his vlogs!) debuts a book with a lovely cover and a fantastic YA-meets-mythology mash-up premise? Read it and see if it lives up to the hype, of course. After all, I danced around the room in honor of Jennifer Estep’s Touch of Frost, another recent mythology-in-young-adult-land release. Unfortunately? Wildefire was not my cup of tea.

Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school – being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger – Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

There are people who really liked this book. I’ll be honest with you: I am not one of them. Another thing I’ll be honest about? The ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores.’ After all, my wonderful reader, you deserve only the best. The best being one of these cookies. Wait, I’m distracting you from the review?!

Things I didn’t like: 1) romance novel metaphors and vocabulary – descriptions were all about the girth of a guy’s biceps, the pregnant clouds, etc.; 2) dearth of character development; 3) cliché central; 4) unbelievable elements (one of which was the serving of alcohol to 17 year-olds. in a bar. never seen anyone who wanted to lose their liquor license that badly.).

Things I did like: 1) combo of mythologies; 2) flashback sequences (which were very well done); 3) cover art; 4) concept; 5) sometimes snappy dialogue a.k.a. moments of humor and/or lightheartedness.

To be continue with the honesty policy: Wildefire lost me almost immediately. The here-there-and-everywhere action, combined with Ashline’s inner voice and spoken dialogue, which were very different at times, created a jarring whole that failed to live up to the promise of the concept. A separate annoyance (which I cannot lay at the author’s feet) became clearer as I read farther. The blurb? Gives away a major plot point (!) from late in the book – something I would term a spoiler. Not cool, not cool at all.

Recommended for: only the most die-hard YA and mythology fans, or a romance reader with spare time and a highlighter (I dare you to go on a ‘romance novel adjective hunt!’ Report back if you do!).

Fine print: I received an e-galley for review from Simon & Schuster Galley Grab. You can check out the first 5 chapters online here.

buttermilk chicken tenders

My sister is awesome. Like fried chicken awesome. In fact, while I was staying with her this last week, she fried chicken. Seeing as I have never deep-fried anything in my life (and neither has my mother, that I know of), I was impressed. You could even say ‘deep-fried’ impressed. Too much?

In any case, she got her recipe from the Pioneer Woman (here), and with a few little adjustments, we enjoyed a fantastic meal and I have possibly conceded that I will follow the Pioneer Woman’s blog in the future. Only for the recipes, mind you. I am also planning further adventures in deep-frying. Aren’t beignets and donuts fried? YUM.

Buttermilk Chicken Tenders

INGREDIENTS

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

5 boneless chicken breasts flattened and sliced, or a package of pre-cut meat (if you don’t want to pound the chicken breasts flat with a rolling pin and then slice them thin like my sister did)

1 cup buttermilk

2 egg whites

2 cups flour

Vegetable oil (enough to be one inch deep in the pan)

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken meat in a bowl with buttermilk and let soak for at least 15 minutes.

Combine spices and flour in a separate bowl, and drizzle in the egg whites. I think you could probably use the whole egg, but we were experimenting (after I’d separated one egg, my sister handed me the shell with the yolk still in it and told me to ‘go raise a baby chicken.’ hilarious, that one.). The flour mixture is the right consistency when it’s clumpy, but not damp.

Heat one inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat. While oil is heating, place buttermilk-soaked chicken in flour mixture and turn to coat thoroughly. When covered, place on plate to await its turn in the frying pan.

After all strips are covered and oil is heated, drop one or two chicken strips in at a time. HELPFUL WARNING: Wear an apron. Oil jumps out of the pan like nobody’s business! Cook for one to two minutes on each side. You’ll know when to turn them because they’ll fry up crispy and brown.

When strips are fully cooked, remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Serve with barbeque sauce, ranch, bleu cheese dressing…whatever flavor you prefer.

If you have any doubts about the recipe or frying, just go over to the Pioneer Woman’s blog post. She has even more details and hints and step-by-step photos, and she makes it look easy. Le sigh.

Recommended for: a special night at home with an all-American menu, the perfect meal to dig into while you watch the game, or classic summer picnic fare. Also taste-tested for cold breakfast the next morning. Verdict? Addictive!

down the mysterly river giveaway

Bill Willingham is a storytelling genius. No, really, it’s true. I fell head-over-heels in love with his writing when I picked up Peter & Max, and since then I’ve been through eight of his FABLES graphic novel compilations. I was very excited to read that he was releasing a middle grade novel – Down the Mysterly River. I’d like to pass on my ARC to one of you lovely blog readers. Of course, it’s been lightly read (once), but is in otherwise sparkling condition!

Down the Mysterly River is the children’s book debut of Bill Willingham, the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel series Fables. Complete with illustrations by Fables artist Mark Buckingham, it is a spirited, highly original tale of adventure, suspense, and everlasting friendship.

Max “the Wolf” is a top notch Boy Scout, an expert at orienteering and a master of being prepared. So it is a little odd that he suddenly finds himself, with no recollection of his immediate past, lost in an unfamiliar wood. Even odder still, he encounters a badger named Banderbrock, a black bear named Walden, and McTavish the Monster (who might also be an old barn cat)—all of whom talk—and who are as clueless as Max.

Before long, Max and his friends are on the run from a relentless group of hunters and their deadly hounds. Armed with powerful blue swords and known as the Blue Cutters, these hunters capture and change the very essence of their prey. For what purpose, Max can’t guess. But unless he can solve the mystery of the strange forested world he’s landed in, Max may find himself and his friends changed beyond recognition, lost in a lost world…

Giveaway: one ARC of Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham’s Down the Mysterly River. Open internationally, will end July 31^st at 11:59pm EST. To enter, simply fill out the FORM. Winner will be selected randomly and notified via email.

Good luck!

don’t stop now

You know how sometimes a song or a particular book reminds you of a day, or a place, or a season? I’ll forever associate Julie Halpern’s latest novel Don’t Stop Now with summertime, roadtrips without air conditioning, and intense heat. It’ll be a reminder of those shimmering waves of hot air that seem to billow out of the asphalt along the horizon line, of the windows down and the music too loud (so you can hear it over the rush of the wind), and of the inevitable orange snacks you pick up at an anonymous corner store.

On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

Julie Halpern has a way with characters (and, of course, a way with words) that puts her up at the top of my list when I’m recommending contemporary YA lit. Her stories feature realistic teens, situations, and friendships – the things that broke your heart, changed your life, and formed the foundation of who you decided to grow up to be. It’s no surprise, then, that her latest novel is a winner.

With her mother’s benediction, Lillian, or ‘Lil’, has given herself the summer before college (where Sarah Dessen heroines live forever) to savor being free of responsibilities, adulthood and the real world. But on the first day of that freedom, her pity-friend (yes, I think that’s a thing) Penny calls and leaves a message that changes everything. Lil and her best friend Josh set out on a cross-country roadtrip to find out what’s really going on. What ensues is not only a fact-finding mission, but an adventure that will change them all – perhaps forever.

Ah Penny, and her fateful phone call. Penny has been a ‘quest’ for Lil – her good deed of the year is an ongoing effort to get Penny to hang out. Problem? Lil sees Penny more as an object than as a person. In fact, the reader sees her this way too, in 2D, an object to be pitied rather than a real character. The ‘mystery’ of where Penny is and what she’s doing is fairly transparent and predictable.

But the real meat of the novel is Lil and Josh’s relationship, and how it develops over the roadtrip. Speaking of roadtrip: I have LIVED THIS STORY. Really. I mean, not with a platonic best friend of the opposite sex, but I have driven cross-country in a car without air conditioning and visited these attractions (okay, most of them) in August. Multiple times, actually. I’m not going to lie, Halpern is spot on. It’s the next best thing to actually experiencing it yourself (and very possibly better than experiencing it yourself, to be quite honest).

Josh and Lil come across as real, authentic characters who have reached a point of comfort in both their skins and with each other. Lil wants to take their friendship to the next level, Josh doesn’t want to change anything – about, well, anything. Over the course of the trip they discover that much more about what they want, who they are, and where it all goes from here.

What to say? This novel felt honest. I liked it. I didn’t necessarily get what I wanted, but I did read something true, and that’s probably better. Don’t Stop Now had its flaws (ahem, Penny!), but it will go down for me as one of the most summery books I have ever read. Can’t wait to pick it up on a frigid winter day and relive the heat and memories!

Recommended for: fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han, those looking for a stellar poolside YA read on a hot day, and anyone who has experienced (or dreamed of) a summer road trip with no rules and no responsibilities.

Fine print: I received an ARC for review from the publisher (and then promptly bought my own hardcover copy!).