The Librarian Writer

So I had a think about what I wanted for this blog. I realized that the name I chose for it is the answer. Things about writing, things about being a librarian, these are the subjects that I have something to say about. And when I think I have something worthy to share, I will. Which brings me to ... Schrodinger's Submission. I was talking to a friend about how after a long spell of not making any submissions, I was finally putting myself out there again. And as soon I hit Send, it becomes Schrodinger's Submission. Most of you are probably familiar with Schrodinger's Cat , the famous thought experiment about quantum mechanics involving a cat, a box, and potential death. The upshot of it is that the poor kitty is both alive and dead on a quantum level. But in the real world, the observer doesn't know which until she opens the box. When I send out a submission, I feel like that observer. The submission is both accepted and reject...

If you've been following my blog, I'd be stunned. There's a huge gap between my last post and now. Because life. So I'm doing a rethink of what I want this blog to be. What I have to say that's worth my time and yours. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Until next time, Monica

Title: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B Author: Teresa Toten Publisher: Delacorte Press Publication Date: March 10, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0553507867 304 pp. ARC provided by publisher If this gem of a book slipped your notice when it first came out, go ahead and put it on your TBR pile. It's one of those sad, funny, honest, and ultimately optimistic contemporary YA novels that remind you why you love YA. Adam starts group therapy for his OCD and is instantly captivated by fellow OCD sufferer, Robyn. As the group bonds over superheroes as a way to express themselves, Adam becomes Batman to Robyn's Robin (I see what you've done there) . But as much as Adam wants to get better - for the group, for his mom, for his little brother, for himself, and especially for Robyn - he's not. He's getting worse and there's no way he can save Robyn when he can't even save himself. You can tell that Teresa Toten loves her characters and has done the res...

Now that the shitstorm that was 2016 is over, it's time to greet the New Year with some hope. I have sorely neglected this blog, but I hope to do better this year. In fact, that's pretty much my resolution for the year. To do better. Not perfect. But better. Better will do. 2016 isn't something to put behind me, but something to learn from. So here's a bit of optimism for 2017:

Title: Eden West  Author: Pete Hautman Publisher: Candlewick Publication Date: April 14, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0763674182  320 pp. ARC provided by publisher This is a book that could be confused for dystopia at first glance. Jacob lives in the community of Nodd, home to the people known as the Grace. Their prophet, who has a penchant for young wives, says that the Grace will be spared when the rest of the world is destroyed. The fences and guns are there to protect the Grace from the impending evil outside. But Jacob actually lives on a ranch in Montana and life within a cult is the only life he remembers. When Tobias and his family join the Grace, very much against Tobias' will, Jacob begins to question their strict rules and the punishments that follow if they're broken. Jacob also meets Lynna, a Worldly girl who lives on the ranch nearby. Lynna wants to know about Jacob and the Grace and Jacob finds her simple questions more and more difficult to answer....

Hey everyone! Summertime is the perfect opportunity to catch up on the Teens' Top Ten nominees. Check out the video below for the 2016 nominees. Happy reading!

Title: Secret Coders Author: Gene Luen Yang Illustrator: Mike Holmes Publisher: First Second Publication Date: September 29, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-1626720756 96 pp. ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley Secret Coders is exactly the kind of book I love to booktalk, especially when promoting Summer Reading Club. It has a mystery, it has a diverse cast, it has basketball, it has a friendship theme, and it has STEM. And best of all, it's a graphic novel. Graphic novels are my go-to booktalk because they appeal to kids who say they don't like to read. These kids may have reading difficulties, they may be English learners, or maybe they just haven't found the right book yet. But a graphic novel, especially one like Secret Coders , has the visual appeal to grab their interest and keep them turning pages. Mike Holmes delivers a lively and cartoony style. His artwork during the coding explanations are clear and accessible. Secret Coders is the first in a se...

Title: Undertow Author: Michael Buckley Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers Publication Date: May 5, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0544348257 384 pp. ARC provided by publisher Undertow by Michael Buckley is a Romeo/Juliet story about a human girl named Lyric and a sea prince named Fathom set in modern day New York. It's not subtle in its parallels to current immigration fears as the sea folk known as Alphas arrive on Coney Island and are immediately vilified, segregated, and threatened with violence. Lyric is forced to befriend Fathom at school and, of course, sparks fly. There's lots of conflict, lots of tortured feelings, lots of high stakes as Lyric finds out THE TERRIBLE AND COMPLETELY OBVIOUS TRUTH about her family. Undertow isn't particularly groundbreaking, but it is a fun, fast read for paranormal romance fans. I'd recommend Undertow to readers who enjoyed Of Poseidon by Anna Banks or The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black.

Title: The Reluctant Assassin Author: Eoin Colfer Narrated by: Maxwell Caulfield Publisher: Listening Library Publication Date: May 14, 2013 ISBN-13: 978-0804123358 Listening copy via Sync Eoin Colfer is most well known for the Artemis Fowl series, a series I tried and never really got into.  But since the good people at Sync offered The Reluctant Assassin , I thought I'd give this series a go. The Reluctant Assassin in question is Riley, a Victorian orphan who's raised by a former magician. Alfred Garrick has turned his sleight-of-hand skills into becoming a master assassin and he expects Riley to complete his apprenticeship by committing his first murder. But what they don't know is that their intended target is a 21st century time traveler and things go from bad to worse when Riley ends up in modern day London. Riley meets Chevron Savano, a 17 year old FBI agent, an orphan herself who was brought into the FBI for a secret assignment. Riley and C...

Happy New Year! Those two fine looking cats are Elwood and Jake. Litter mates, trouble makers, and cutie pies. And what better way to celebrate the New Year than with some random cat videos! First, there's Cat + Monkey:   Next, there's Dogs Annoying Cats with Their Friendship: Finally, some solid reasons on why You Should Get a Second Cat:

Title: Trouble Is a Friend of Mine Author: Stephanie Tromly Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books Publication Date: August 4, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0525428404 336 pp. ARC provided by publisher There are hi-jinks aplenty in this screwball mystery by Stephanie Tromly . Zoe is the new kid at school when she meets Digby, a weird, smart, completely impossible boy who drags her into an investigation of a missing girl. An investigation that may be linked to Digby's sister, who also went missing years before. The dialog snaps, crackles, and pops as Zoe becomes Digby's somewhat willing accomplice in break-ins, drug deals, and fictional class assignments ... all in the name of finding the truth. The action is over the top, from a mysterious cult next door to a Gatsby themed winter formal where nothing goes right. It reads like a television pilot that's been turned into a YA novel, because while one mystery is wrapped up, another is remains, sending up for a sequel. And th...

Title: I Remember You Author: Cathleen Davitt Bell Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Publication Date: February 10, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0385754552 320 pp. ARC provided by publisher Juliet is a good student who has never had a boyfriend before. So when hockey player Lucas tells her he remembers their first kiss, she's not sure what to make of him. Cathleen Davitt Bell creates a premise where Lucas-from-the-future is trapped in the body of Lucas-of-the-present, sort of Peggy Sue Gets Married set in the 1990's. Juliet is left to wonder if Lucas is nuts or if this weird phenomenon is actually happening to him. And if it is, what can she do to help him? It's a romance story with (very) light science fiction elements. The novel is told from Juliet's POV and it's mostly reactive. I think the tension and stakes would have amped up if was a dual POV of Juliet and Lucas. Juliet is also dealing with friendship drama and figuring out if the future th...

It's that time of the year again! Voting has opened up for Teens' Top Ten nominees! Get the vote out to teens! Voting will close at the end of Teen Read Week, which is October 24th, so there's still time to catch up on the titles you haven't read yet. Teens can vote here . This year's nominees are: Alsaid, Adi. Let’s Get Lost. Harlequin Teen. Armentrout, Jennifer L. Don’t Look Back. Disney Hyperion. Blackburne, Livia. Midnight Thief. Disney Hyperion. Blake, Kendare. Mortal Gods. Tor Teen. Clare, Cassandra. The Bane Chronicles. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry. Cremer, Andrea. The Inventor’s Secret. Penguin Group/Philomel. Dellaira, Ava.  Love Letters to the Dead. Macmillan/Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books. Despain, Bree. Into the Dark: The Shadow Prince. Egmont. Han, Jenny. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Simon & Schuster. Howard, A.G. Unhinged. Abrams/Amulet Books. Lu, Marie. The Young Elites. Penguin/G.P. Putnam's Sons. Ma...

Title: Night Film Author: Marisha Pessl Narrated by: Jake Weber Publisher: Random House Audio Publication Date: August 20, 2013 ISBN-13: 978-0307932655 Listening copy via local library Marisha Pessl's debut novel, Special Topics in Calamity Physics , was a hot read a few years ago. I read it and thought it was intelligent and intricately plotted, but overall a meh from me in terms of being invested in the characters. There was a lot of buzz about her second book, Night Film , and I decided I'd give it go, especially since the audiobook is narrated by Jake Weber. I've been a fan of his since American Gothic , so I was willing to spend a few hours listening to him. Night Film centers on a disgraced reporter, Scott McGrath, who's obsessed with finding out what happened the night the daughter of a famous director committed suicide. The director is Stanislas Cordova, a provocateur as much as an auteur, whose controversial horror films are only shown at ...

Title: We Should Hang Out Sometime Author: Josh Sundquist Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication Date: December 23, 2014 ISBN-13: 978-0316251020 336 pp. ARC provided by publisher Josh Sundquist is a Paralympian, motivational speaker, and YouTuber who's not so good with the ladies. This biography tells the tale of all the girls he's loved before (or at least crushed on) and what went horribly wrong. It's a quick, funny read about a guy who thinks having a girlfriend means a pretty girl likes him and he doesn't have to, you know, talk to her or actually have to work at a relationship. It takes a long time, a pseduo-scientific study, and some honest friends to set him straight. This book shows how clueless guys really are about girls, and the big reveal is that girls are human beings with their own inner lives and don't exist to make boys feel special. Josh is not entitled to a girlfriend just because he's a nice guy. ...

Title: Exquisite Corpse Author: Penelope Bagieu Publisher: First Second Publication Date: May 5, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-1626720824 128 pp. ARC provided via NetGalley Fun fact: "Exquisite Corpse" was a game invented by Surrealists where a piece (of art, of literature) was constructed by each participant adding to what the earlier participant had created.   This French import by graphic novelist Penelope Bagieu plays with that conceit in Exquisite Corpse . Zoe is a "booth babe" with a ne'er-do-well boyfriend and no real direction in life. Then she has a chance encounter with famous author, Thomas Rocher. Except she doesn't recognize Thomas as a famous author. And she certainly doesn't know that Thomas is supposed to be dead. All she knows is that she's met a lonely, kind of weird guy who treats her so much better than she's used to. But when she finds out the truth, everything about their relationship changes. I absolutely loved th...

Title: Mort(e) Author: Robert Repino Publisher: Soho Press Publication Date: January 20, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-1616954277 368 pp. ARC provided by publisher "I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords."  Kent Brockman Mort(e) by Robert Repino was an ARC I picked up at last summer's ALA Annual Conference and I finally found the time to read it. I was intrigued by its animal apocalypse premise: superintelligent ants bring sentience to animals, who rise against humans in "the war with no name." A neutered housecat, Sebastian, becomes a soldier and possibly a messiah. You don't expect something like that to be especially realistic, and the science given to explain how the ants brought about the war is nonsensical. The author would have better served his readers by making this a Great Unknown. (Not particularly spoilery: the ants put hormones in the water to mutate the animals. And yet it doesn't affect the humans. If you...

Title: The Time Machine Author: H.G. Wells Narrated by: Sir Derek Jacobi Publisher: Listening Library Publication Date: June 11, 2013 Listening copy via Sync H.G. Wells' The Time Machine is one of those science fiction classics that I just never got around to reading, so I thought listening to a free Sync copy would be a perfect way to finally get around to it. I've seen the Hollywood movie adaptations (the Rod Taylor version is infinitely better than the Guy Pearce version) and knew the basic plot already ... Victorian inventor creates time machine that takes him millennia into the future where the human race has evolved into the docile Eloi and the subterrestrial Morlocks. But this audiobook also has Sir Derek Jacobi, one of the top ten dulcet speakers of the English language. He reads this unabridged edition of The Time Machine with appropriate wonder, charm, and suspense. This recording is delight from beginning to end. And speaking of the end, the ...

Title: Landline Author: Rainbow Rowell Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman Publisher: Macmillan Audio Publication Date: July 8, 2014 ISBN-13: 978-1427239327 Listening copy via public library Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park is still crazy popular, and maybe one day it'll be in the library long enough for me to check it out. In the meantime, I listened to the audiobook of Landline . Landline isn't YA, although an argument could be made that it's New Adult since a good portion happens in flashbacks when the main character, Georgie McCool, is in college. The conceit of the story is that Georgie's marriage to college sweetheart Neal is at a crossroads, a road that could split off into either divorce or reconciliation. And Georgie is able to talk to Neal -- the actual Neal she knew in college -- on an old landline phone. Given that conceit, the novel is largely made up of long phone conversations. There's humor and regret and hope in these conver...

Title: Beautiful Music for Ugly Children Author: Kirstin Cronn-Mills Publisher: Flux Publication Date: October 8, 2012 ISBN-13: 978-0738732510 288 pp. Copy provided via publisher I picked up a copy of this title (signed by the author!) at the ALA Annual Conference last year, and though it's taken me awhile to get to it on my TBR pile, I am absolutely in love in with it. Beautiful Music for Ugly Children is the story of Gabe, a high school senior who's looking forward to his post-high school life. He wants to put all the bullying and awfulness behind and start over in a new life. Because Gabe has spent the past 18 years as Elizabeth and now he's ready to transition. His neighbor/friend/mentor John gets him a DJ gig on the local community radio station and a part-time job in an indie record store.  Gabe never thought transitioning would be easy, but his radio show becomes an underground hit. It's the one bright spot in his life, but he's scared h...