Maw Books

Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

Natasha Maw — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:02:13 +0000

I remember Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott being a good book. Sadly, it has fallen ill to the passage of time. I read it much too long ago and I simply can not remember anything about it. And that my friends is a very sad thing because Elizabeth Scott rocks. I have no hesitations in recommending her books.

I can tell you what Love You Hate You Miss You is about from reading synopsis’s myself. In fact, I’ll share with you from Scott’s website:

It’s been seventy-five days. Amy’s sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her. And she’s really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia’s gone, and Amy doesn’t want to talk about it. No one knew Julia like she did. No one gets what life is without her.
No one understands what it’s like to know that it’s all your fault.

Amy’s shrink thinks she should keep a journal but instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia. And as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past holds its own secrets–and that the present deserves a chance.

Looking over some of the reviews myself, it feels vaguely familiar but yet I cannot recall any feelings nor basic details about the book. However, other reviewers were very enthusiastic about Love You Hate You Miss You and sad that it didn’t receive more attention at the time of it’s release. Hey, it’s Elizabeth Scott, I say go read it despite my not being able to remember anything about it. Will it stand the test of time? For me, obviously not. But I didn’t dislike it in the least. I don’t think all books have to have staying power. It was a good read at the time.

As a side note – I find it interesting to note how our feelings for a book change over time. Do you find yourself not being able to remember basic plotlines of books that you’ve read in the past?

Links of interest: My book reviews of Something, Maybe, Living Dead Girl. Elizabeth Scott website and blog. Other blogger reviews.
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Teen. May 26, 2009.
Hardcover, 288 pages.
Love You, Hate You, Miss You is available from your local independent bookstore, Powell’s, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

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Maw Books has an affiliate relationship with several bookstores, including Indiebound, Powell’s, and Amazon . When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, Maw Books earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog. There is no cost to you.

Celebrating Utah Authors – May is Utah Author Month!

Natasha Maw — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:34:37 +0000

I am so excited to be sharing book reviews, guest posts and interviews all month long from my awesome local Utah authors! But I’m not alone, Utah has a huge community of book bloggers and you’ll find many of them joining me as well. In addition to tweeting out links, at the end of each week, I will be rounding up all the posts shared from each blogger. This will give us a lot of flexibility as far as posting goes and allows for any Utah book blogger to jump in with posts of their own. (If you filled out the form, just know, that I’m still making my way through the list in emailing everybody but don’t let me stop you from your own postings). I’m excited to get back into regular blog posting and I’m hoping this exciting event gets me back into the blogging groove.

Tomorrow I’ll be sharing with you a photo post and also try to not make you too jealous about how awesome our Utah authors are! Want to know who those authors are and their books? We’ve been hard at work compiling a Goodreads book list. I hope this will be a great resource for you in discovering new reads.

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May is Utah Author Month!

Natasha Maw — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:41:10 +0000

The announcement is a long time coming, but this post is to officially let what many of you who are local to Utah already know, May is going to be Utah Author Month!

A entire month dedicated to local Utah book bloggers spotlighting our amazing local Utah authors through reviews, interviews, guest posts, reflections, and whatever else fun and wacky posts we can come up with! Utah is home to an amazing literary community and we want to share it with you!

If you are involved in the literary scene here in Utah (as a blogger, published author, writer, bookseller, publishing professional) please fill out the following form. I will respond to you and coordinate dates and posts. I’m pretty open to any ideas you have to make it a great spotlight! I’m sure there will be a few questions and such, so send them my way. And while, I may not be able to coordinate interviews, etc. with your I-must-interview-this-author-or-die author, I will say that we do have the support of our local authors behind the event, so get your thinking caps on on how you’d like to be involved. All genres, all reading levels and such accepted!

You may discover the nearly 80 Utah Book Bloggers by subscribing to the shared RSS feed, following the Utah Book Community Twitter list, or if you are a book blogger, join our ning group. I also have a great blogroll as well. But who are the authors? In preparation for this month, I started a list on Goodreads to which anybody can add a book by a Utah author. That list has already grown to over 500 books! If you would like to participate in Utah Author Month but need some direction, that list is where I’ll point you.

For the rest of you . . . here’s looking forward to May where we get to share with you how awesome our Utah authors are!

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If you have trouble seeing the form, you may also view it here.

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Photos from the Utah Book Blogger Social

Natasha Maw — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:26:08 +0000

If we keep growing like this then we are going to have to find a new place to host our Utah book blogger socials. We were literally busting through the seams this past Saturday as more than 60 book bloggers, writers and published authors gathered for a fun time.

I was thinking about how much we have grown in the past two years. Here is a photo from the first social that I hosted in my home:

Five of the people were supportive spouses! We have now grown so large that even the thought of posing for a photo with everybody in it . . . well, it simply can’t be done. I believe this social was our fifth one. Wow – time flies when you are having fun!

I am completely overwhelmed with the thought of captioning and naming everybody in all of the following photos, so please forgive me. As you can see, a great time was had by all. And surprisingly, the part where everybody stood up one by one and introduced themselves was the best part! Some people are just too funny!

Although not everybody on the following list was able to make it (we hope you at the next one – which will be in August!), here is a blogroll for you of all the fantastic book bloggers here in Utah! You may discover all of your favorite Utah Book Bloggers by subscribing to the shared RSS feed, following the Utah Book Community Twitter list, or if you are a book blogger, join our ning group.

We had several published authors in our midst, and want to send a shout out to Rick Walton, Bree Despain, Lisa Mangum, Matthew Kirby, Emily Wing Smith, Jaleta Cleggo and Cory Poulson, And oh my goodness, I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody!! We had a myriad of aspiring authors as well, which was just fantastic! I can’t wait to see them published! You will have to forgive me for not naming everybody (but do check out the other posts below – they do a much better job than I).

I think it’s funny because every time Suey fro m It’s All About Books (@sueysays), Becky at One Literature Nut (@mjmbecky) and I host this event it’s almost as if we have a whole different crowd each time. Can you imagine if we actually got everybody together at the same time. Craziness would ensue! Wait. Craziness already ensues!

And the best part about typing up this post a few days after the event, is that I can link over to others posts, who are much more entertaining than me. Particularly Brodi Ashton and Douglas Cootey. That is why they are writers and not me. Although Suey is highly entertaining as well. Other reports: Holly at Book Harbinger, Shanda at LDS Women’s Book Review, Becky from One Literature Nut, Penelope from The Reading Fever. If you’ve written a post, let me know and I’ll add it in.

I think you’ll agree when I say that our literacy community here ROCKS!!! And watch this space for a fun announcement which will highlight our local authors!

P.S. Do let me know if there is a correction or addition to the above blogroll.

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January and February Reads

Natasha Maw — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:38:33 +0000

2011 is shaping up to be a good reading year.

I read every night for at least half an hour before I go to bed, two hours a week while I’m waiting for son outside of a computer class and another two hours a week while waiting for both boys during dance class. I wish I could sit down and read while they are in preschool but I refuse to grocery shop with the boys if I have to, so use that time to run around town. I have found that even though I’m running the boys around like crazy, I really appreciate the time where I am waiting for them. It’s amazing how much I can read in a 45 minute stretch when I’m supposedly really busy.

I also tend to read with a book in one hand while stirring dinner on the stove with the other hand. It’s all about multi-tasking people!

Fiction

West of Here by Jonathan Evison (I’ll be going to his signing at the Kings English Thursday March 3rd)
The Only True Genius in the Family by Jennie Nash (A reread from 2009 which we read for book club. I never reread books, so that tells you how much I love this book.)
I Don’t Want to Kill You by Dan Wells (local author)

Young Adult Fiction

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu
The Best and Hardest thing by Pat Brisson
Lena by Jacqueline Woodson
My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter (local author)
Mississippi Trail, 1955 by Chris Crowe (local author)
Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak (He’s coming for a signing! Here in Utah!!!! March 26th! Squeeeee!)
Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (local author)
The Lost Saint by Bree Despain (local author)

Middle Readers

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata

Non-Fiction

Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting by Michael Perry

Lots of variation thus far. West of Here was my chunkster for the month. Dirty Little Secrets is about a girl who’s mother is a hoarder and was fascinating in subject matter as I’ve never read anything like it! I love Jacqueline Woodson so excited to read another fantastic backlist title, Lena. The Best and Hardest Thing as well as Chasing Brooklyn are both free verse novels which I ADORE.

Best line from The Lost Saint: “You Bedazzled my stake?”

I usually don’t care for books with talking animals but I might just change my mind after reading Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. One of the main characters is a polar bear and I didn’t mind a bit. I LOVED The Evolution of Calpunia Tate. If you’ve read it, you’ll know what I mean, when I say, what an awesome grandpa!

My husband attended LTUE, a local writers conference, and Dan Wells sent him home with the third book in his I Am Not A Serial Killer series, I Don’t Want to Kill You. I promptly abandoned everything else I was reading to rush through it. Only question – is there a fourth?

And Markus Zusak is coming! So, so, so excited! I read The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger years ago but read through his other backlist titles to prepare. Also, listening to The Book Thief on audio which is all kinds of fantastic (although I think I’d be lost and confused if I hadn’t read it in print first).

What is your favorite book that you’ve read thus far in 2011?

You’re Invited to the Utah Book Bloggers Winter Social!

Natasha Maw — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:14:59 +0000

If you are a book blogger, author, aspiring author, bookseller, or publishing industry professional, you’re invited to attend our Utah Book Blogger winter social on Saturday, March 5th at 6pm held in the banquet room at the Golden Corral at 655 East 7200 South in Midvale (map)

The cost is $9.88 per person plus drinks and tip. Be so kind as to RSVP with the number of adults attending so we can have an idea of who and how many to expect. You may RSVP by emailing utahbookbloggers (at) gmail (dot) com.

We will also be holding a book swap as well, so bring a used or loved book to exchange.

And please do spread the word! Blog and tweet about it so others don’t miss out on the news. The best place to keep updated though is by checking in with the Utah Book Bloggers group.

Let myself, Suey, or Becky (also on Twitter as @mawbooks, @sueysays and (@mjmbecky) know if you have any questions. We are really looking forward to hosting this event for Utah Book Bloggers and our local authors. Our socials in the past have been awesome and this dinner will be no exception!

Want to know who all of your Utah book bloggers are? Check out our shared RSS feed, Utah Book Community Twitter list, and the Utah Book Bloggers group.

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Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Natasha Maw — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:26:22 +0000

Well, would you look at that? It’s a post! And not just any post but a book review post! It’s time to brush off the old keyboard and see if I can still call myself a reviewer!

Whenever somebody that I know offline would ask me what my favorite read of 2010 was (surprisingly a question I hear more offline than online), I without any hesitation or doubt would say Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. “Really?” and a blank stare is what I would almost always get back. People, this book was AMAZING. Every 945 pages of it. When it ended, I wished there was another 945 pages. I was not ready to let these characters go! Lonesome Dove has deservedly been called epic. But what makes a book epic? I think it’s just one of those things that you know it when you read it. And oh, was this book epic.

Larry McMurtry is a master storyteller. I was a tad daunted opening that very first page and I do admit that even 200 pages into the book I wondered if anything was ever going to happen. And even though it was off to a slow start, I wouldn’t wish it any other way. The background characterization that McMurtry gives his essential to the story.

The inside cover of my copy of the book lists the key characters with a short description of each. I loved the summary it gave so am taking the liberty of copying it here for you.

Augustus McCrae: ex-Texas Ranger. A fierce fighter, loyal friend, gentle lover, a boisterous spinner of colorful yarns. Gus years for adventure, and is drawn into Woodrow Call’s dream – a cattle drive to Montana, to the free and wild frontier . . .
Woodrow F. Call: Gus’s partner and friend, a driven, demanding man, a leader with no patience for weakness – and a secret sorrow of his own . . .

Jake Spoon: dashing gambler, former comrade-in-arms of Gus and Call, his passions plunge him into a terrifying fate . . .

Clara Allen: the woman of Gus’s young dreams. Out of the frontier’s cruelty and death, she forgers a life as generous, brave and unyielding as the land she learns to love . . .

Blue Duck: a renegade Indian with cunning heart of a vulture. He tortures and ills across the Plains, and savors his victim’s agony . . .

Newt: the brave, bewildered young cowboy who discovers his manhood, and his past, on the hazardous journey into Montana . . .

The Hat Creek Outfit: Jake, Deets, Pea Eye and the Boys . . . wranglers, tracers and scouts, they follow Gus and Call into the heart of the adventure, through sandstorms, stampedes, bandits, floods and snow . . . living on in the undying legends of the great American frontier.

If you don’t know who these characters are from having read Lonesome Dove yourself, I dare you to love them. I dare you to hate them.

I picked up this book in every spare moment of my day when I was reading it. And when I wasn’t reading it, I wanted to be reading it. I thought about it constantly. I know I haven’t gone into all the intricacies of why Lonesome Dove is so amazing but let me tell you simply- the characters! the story! the love! the friendships! the fighting! the determination! the devotion! the heroes! the outlaws! the whores! the Indians! the frontier! the forging ahead! the friendships again! And it’s also laugh out loud funny with some great one-liners and some beautiful passages. Definitely need those lighthearted and thoughtful moments between the gun slinging, the scalping, and the hangings.

Yes, my favorite book of 2010 was unabashedly a Western. A genre I didn’t really think I read. But did I tell you I loved this book? Oh, how I loved Lonesome Dove. Officially one of my most favorite books. Ever. Do you need more recommendation then that?

(I remember when the mini-series came on TV when I was little and we all watched it together as a family. MUST re-watch it now! )

Links of interest: More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Western
Publisher: Pocket Books. 1985.
Paperback, 945 pages. ISBN 067168390X
Lonesome Dove is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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2010 Cybils Awards Winners!

Natasha Maw — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:44:58 +0000

The 2010 Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards, or better known as the Cybils, were announced today!

Check out the winners across nine different categories!

You may recall that I served as a first round panelist on the Fiction Picture Book category and was eager to find out which book from the shortlist the second round judges picked for the win. (Yes. I sat at my computer waiting for the strike of midnight refreshing the page every few seconds.) Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein!

I was also heartened to see one of my initial nominations, Yummy by G. Neri and illustrated by Randy duBurke, take the win in the Young Adult Graphic Novel category. What an amazing book.

Split by Swati Avasthi won the Young Adult Fiction category and I must agree that it’s particularly deserving.

Now off to add the rest of the Cybils winners to my TBR list! Do check the award winners as well as the amazing finalists. I’m partial to the Fiction Picture Book Finalists! I never posted anything here on the blog when the Caldecott Awards were announced. But I was beyond ecstatic with the A Sick Day for Amos McGee win. Love, love, love.

I know how difficult it is to pick winners in an awards selection like this and so a huge shout out to the Cybils organizers, panelists and judges. Job well done!

What do you think of the winners? Any surprises for you?

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Bloggiesta – The Finish Line & Survey

Natasha Maw — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:20:25 +0000

You made it! Bloggiesta is coming to a close and you made it to the end! We officially had over 250 bloggers join the fiesta. Improvements, new skills and incredible changes were taking place.

A shout out to the incredible ladies who hosted mini-challenges: Amy from My Friend Amy (@myfriendamy), Tasha from Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Books (@heidenkind), Jen from Devourer of Books (@DevourerofBooks), Jenn from Jenn’s Bookshelf (@jennsbookshelf), Callista at SMS Book Reviews (@callista83), Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? (@trishheylady), Hannah at WordLily (@Wordlily), and Jennifer at Teach Mentor Texts (@mentortexts). And thanks to Danielle from There’s a Book (@the1stdaughter) who helped me input names into the shared RSS feed and to those who hosted the flashback mini-challenges from years past.

Watch my blog in the next couple of days for prize winners. If you posted a finish line wrap up post, feel free to link it up here on the Mr.Linky. A post isn’t required this year but I know some of you would still like the Mr. Linky to go blog hopping. Which I highly encourage – the blog hopping that is.

New this year is an end-of-event survey which I would like to ask you to take the time to fill out. In Bloggiesta’s of the past, I have not conducted a survey before. This year? This year I am craving your input, your thoughts, and general demographics. So have at it!

And when is the next Bloggiesta? I’m thinking June, so stay tuned for details!

Note: There is a survey embedded in this blog post. You may also complete it with this direct link.

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Ole! Now that we have all had a fantastic fiesta, Pedro is off for a siesta!

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Bloggiesta Prize List

Natasha Maw — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:45:09 +0000

I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the following publishers who sponsored Bloggiesta with the following books up for grabs. Publishers have embraced bloggers and for that we are grateful. I was out of town for three weeks and really put Bloggiesta together in the two days before it began. So I’m particularly grateful for these publishers looking past my short-notice emails and donating to our great fiesta!

Harper Perennial

SEPARATE KINGDOMS by Valerie Laken Short stories, 5 Advance Reading Copies, US & Canada shipping

Lee & Low Books

YUMMY by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke- 1 copy, signed by author, US shipping

YASMIN’S HAMMER by Ann Malaspina, Illustrated by Doug Chayka – 3 copies, US shipping

AMAZING FACES by by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Illustrated by Chris Soentpiet- 3 copies, US shipping

Walden Media

GUYS READ: FUNNY BUSINESS ed. by Jon Scieszka – 3 hardcover copies, US Shipping

THE BILLIONAIRE’S CURSE by Richard Newsome – 5 hardcover copies, US Shipping

THE FOURTH STALL by Chris Rylander – 3 hardcover copies, US Shipping

COSMIC by Frank Cottrell Boyce – 1 hardcover copy, US Shipping

JUNIPER BERRY by MP Kozlowsky – 1 ARC, US Shipping

Maw Books

In addition to the above books, I will also be throwing in three $15 gift certificates to the store of your choice (or to a book of your choice from Book Depository) to our international participants or those who may have their interests elsewhere.

Jenn at Jenn’s Bookshelf

Jenn has also generously offered any book up to a $20 value from Book Depository shipped to any of our international participants as well. Thanks Jenn!

After Bloggiesta is complete, I’ll randomly pick winners from the Mr. Linky at the start line as well as from those who participated in the mini-challenges (one from each current mini-challenge and then one combined from the flashback mini-challenges. I don’t know if that makes sense to you but it does to me).

Many of you are already wrapping up your festivities. I’m flying by the seat of my pants this weekend, so as soon as I actually complete making the end-of-event survey, I’ll get it posted.

Carry on! Ole!

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