Our Masterpieces...Err, Our Novels

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

RTW: Best Books of August!

Reading Song of the Day: "What It Is to Burn" by Finch

It's Wednesday, so let's hit the road with the lovely ladies of YA Highway for another Road Trip Wednesday. This week they want to know:


What's the best book you've read in August?


Well, since you're asking...


Pam's Choice:



So, I didn't get to read nearly as much as I wanted to this summer, let alone August. But I have a sneaking suspicion that my answer would still be this book right here:




If you've been following this site for a while, you may know how much I gawked over Steve Brezenoff's The Absolute Value of -1. So much so, in fact, that I kind of stalked his life at the LA SCBWI conference so that I could nab an early copy of this book. He was really awesome about it--he signed it for me and everything. :)


Now, Brooklyn, Burning. Wow. I'm utterly speechless about what I can say about it. I was nervous to read it since I loved his first YA novel so much, but Brezenoff does not disappoint. I've never been a fan of imagery (guess because it's my weakness), but he uses this incredible cocktail of naturalness and poetry to describe Brooklyn; the city was painted before my eyes even though I've never been there before (shame, since that's my dad's hometown). And as some of you may have heard, neither the narrator, Kid, nor Kid's love interest' genders were revealed. I LOVED this--I was able to imagine these two characters the way I wanted to, and I ended up becoming very protective over them.


I'll end with: read this book. Now. It's not for everyone, but if you enjoy beautiful writing and breaking rules, then this is the book for you.



Quita's Choice:



I sooooo wish I could say I met the author of the novel that I chose as the best book I read in August. I did e-mail Blake Nelson once and HE RESPONDED! That's almost as good as meeting him, right?? Anyway, you loyal followers have heard me love all over Mr. Nelson before (Paranoid Park, The New Rules of High School, etc.) but Recovery Road is by far THE BEST book I've read of his!






This is the first book of Nelson's that I have read from a girl's POV and the man is just as much as master at capturing the female's teen voice as he is at capturing the male's. The book goes on a roller coaster with the MC, Maddie as she battles her addictions, and struggles to keep her first true love...who, by the way, she fell in love with at rehab.


A MUST READ!!!


What about you all...what's the best book you read in August??


18 comments:

Rebecca B said...

Not revealing gender is such an interesting choice! Did you read David Levithan's THE LOVER'S DICTIONARY? The lovers in it were gender-less and that made it ever awesome-r.

Katy Upperman said...

Eek! I haven't read BROOKLYN BURNING or RECOVERY ROAD. Looks like it's time to remedy that. Adding them both to my list now, and thanks for the awesome recommendations!

Angela said...

You two are so well read.

I read The Help this month, which was really good. But that ones pretty well liked already. I assume you're already read it?

Alicia Gregoire said...

So many books... So little time. Thanks for the sharing ladies!

Kaitlin Ward said...

Wow, both of those books have such gorgeous covers and sound so great!

Tracey Neithercott said...

Both of these sound great. BROOKLYN BURNING sounds pretty cool without having the protagonist or his/her love interest's gender mentioned. I can't imagine how that would work, but since you say it does I'm really interested to find out how.

Meredith McCardle said...

Holy crap, both of these sound amazing. I'm going to check them out. Thanks!

Alex Mullarky said...

Good choices! I gave you an award over on my blog btw!

Rachel Searles said...

Wow, right now I can't even imagine how you would write a book without genders. What about the pronouns?? Sounds really interesting, thanks for the recommendation!

Cara said...

I'm so excited to read Brooklyn, Burning! I've heard so many great things about it. :) Recovery Road seems amazing as well.

Alison Miller said...

Oooh - I love writers who break the rules. And the way you describe the author describing Brooklyn - I think I have a few more adds to my TBR. Thanks!

Angelica R. Jackson said...

Both of those sound intriguing--that's why I love these RTWs, they introduce me to good reads I might otherwise not even pick up.

Unknown said...

I haven't read THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF -1 yet, but I guess now I have to. Thanks for your recs.

Ghenet Myrthil said...

I need to read both of these! Especially Brooklyn, Burning since I live in Brooklyn. :)

Angie said...

More to add to my list! Thanks for the recs guys.

Marquita Hockaday said...

Thanks for the comments, peeps :)No, we haven't read The Help, but we do intend to!

Thanks for the award, Alex :)

And The Lover's Dictionary has been in our TBR piles forever!

Jolene Perry said...

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson, but in my mind, she can do no wrong.
Also - I'm a LOVER of language, and she rocks for that :D

Kelley Vitollo said...

I want to read both of these!! Good choices.

I usually read mostly YA, but my friend made me read the Outlander books and I've been devouring them for the whole month. lol.