aRedMoon

So, if you follow me on Twitter (which you should!!!) you probably noticed this tweet, a few weeks back:
Just read a galley of “Tama, the Lucky Cat” to be published by @PeachtreePub – absolutely gorgeous!!!!! :):):)

It was through this really cool service, Netgalley where people in the book business (reviewers, book sellers, etc.) have a chance to read early editions so that we can write reviews. Since I review (not much, but I want to do more!) and work in a bookstore (The school Bookstore!) I decided to sign up.

You go and request various titles, and the first one that I got accepted into reading was I Am Tama, Lucky Cat by Wendy Henrichs, illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi.

It is at this point that I encourage you to look to the left, and see the cover on the Amazon listing. There’s your first taste of this piece of beauty.

It’s based on a Japanese legend, where a cat finds a broken down temple. He lives with the priest there, and they’re quite content. However, one rainy day, the cat goes outside and sits on the porch. Up comes a samurai, who upon seeing the temple, decides he’d be happier (and drier!) staying under a tree.

Tama, as he had been christened, raised his paw up, beckoning the samurai and his horse forward. The samurai comes forward, and right then, lightning strikes the tree and a huge branch falls down – right where the samurai had been.

In essence, Tama saved this samurai’s life. In thanks, the samurai restored the temple and helped it to prosper.

The writing is gorgeous, and the illustrations complement it PERFECTLY. I’m no art guy, but I’m pretty sure they are watercolors, and each page is full of this full-color, gorgeous pictures. I’d post more from the book, but I’m not sure if it’s legal. You’ll just have to wait ’til August to see them!

Yeah, we’re going to have to wait until August for the book to come out, but you’re welcome to pre-order on Amazon. Link’s above :)

But continuing on, each page is full of these spreads, picturing each sentence, bringing each and every line to life. And it all fits under the Japanese legend. When the lightning strikes, it’s said to be thrown by two Gods in the sky, and we’re shown pictures of these gholish characters.

It’s being published by Peachtree Publishers and is due out on August 1, 2011. Tweet at them and let them know you’re looking forward to it! :) They replied to me!

While back, Heidi Kling, author of the book Sea, tweeted a recommendation list. As you can see from the link, one of them was Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan.

I favorited that tweet, and when I finally had the Oomph to do something about it, I ordered the book.

Thanks to Amazon’s fast 2 day shipping, I got it pretty quick, and delve into it.

The story focuses on Blake. He’s got two girls in his life – Shannon, his girlfriend. She’s pretty, gorgeous, everything a boy could ask for. He might just possibly be in love. And then there’s Marissa. She’s a friend from his photo class. Just a friend.

But that all changes when he goes to a badder part of town and takes a picture of a passed out lady on the sidewalk. Marissa sees the picture – it’s her mom. And thus begins the search, in more ways than one, for Marissa’s mom.

As Blake gets pulled farther and farther into the personal life of Marissa, his relationship with Shannon becomes a little shakey. But it’s okay – they love each other, and they’ll get through it all… right?

Blake’s a boy we can all relate to. He’s just trying to get through life – maybe get laid on the side. But there are things that just have to be dealt with, things that he can’t turn away from. When Marissa’s life starts to slowly fall apart, Blake is going to be the one to pick it back up. It’s just a matter of if what he does will endanger his own life’s stability…

The book is good. You could almost say it’s a series of photographs. We have Blake and Shannon, and then Marissa’s mom, and Blake and Marissa… and Marissa and her mom. We have Blake’s brother and the screwed up girl he’s “seeing”, who’s a piece of pie herself.

I don’t know what else to say. It’s a good book – very much worth the $8 that Amazon wants for it.

When I tweeted Heidi to let her know that I was reading it – and enjoying it – a few days ago, and she replied
@aredmoon So glad you love. Did you hear the author recently passed away? So very sad. Her book is a masterpiece, will live on forever.

So, Lisa, here’s a post-mortem “Bravo!” for you. I hope you keep writing stories up there in Heaven, so that we’ll all have something good to read when we join you. :)

So, here’s my first review in quite awhile: Songs of a Teenage Nomad by Kim Culbertson.

First off, if you don’t like music, don’t even bother. If you like music, it’s okay. If you LOVE music, especially older stuff, you’ll get an amazing kick out of the book.

The book centers around a girl, Calle. She lives with her mother and Boyfriend/Husband of the Week. They’ve moved more times than Calle can talk, and it’s always after the guy breaks her mom’s heart.

This time she’s moved to a spot where she actually finds some friends that seem worth keeping. She fits into the drama clique; she’s helping to build the set (eventually earning title, I believe, of Assistant Stage Manager) and just getting to know the guys and gals.

The book revolves around Calle’s interactions with her mother – why do they have to move so much? What’s so wrong with her that all the guys leave? – interactions with her friends – what do you do when your friend likes you, and you don’t like him back? – and then with the other oddball guys. You have Sam, the jock who is more than he seems. (Possibly) And Cass, this rather bitchy type girl, who might have a bit of a heart.

Calle wraps this all together in her journal, which is how each chapter begins. She keeps a song journal, in which she writes down a song and then what was happening when she heard it. So, when she hears the song again, she’ll be reminded.

That’s the key music part of it. Each chapter has this song, and it’s kind of an overbearing theme. So, if you’re into older music, you’ll really be able to appreciate it. If you’re not so much, but you at least *know* them, like me, it’s a nice little extra.

So, yeah – go grab it. :) I’ll give it a 3.5/5!