POC in Pub Presents: Diversity in Design

Last month, People of Color in Publishing organized a "Diversity in Design" event at Penguin Random House. Aimed at recent graduates and junior/senior art students of color, the event had me equal parts excited and nervous. While I already have some design experience in publishing, I knew this would be another great opportunity to network and hear from professionals.

Views from Penguin Random House

We have all heard the phrase "(Insert any industry) is so white," and the design/publishing industry is no different. Walking into the room of the event and seeing people of so many different races and ethnicities was welcoming and hopeful. As I looked around and saw my peers carrying their backpacks and portfolios, I realized this was the next generation of designers who would change the status quo.

After checking in and piling food on our plates, the event kicked off with a panel of Penguin Random House designers. The speakers included a junior designer, creative director, assistant director (digital campaigns & media planning), senior designer, junior art director, and marketing manager. They spoke about their paths to design as well as to their current position, being the only POC in the room, and how being a POC can consciously or subconsciously affect our perspectives. Furthermore, they showed a sampling of their design work (aka book covers).

In the next portion of the event, a different set of speakers presented best practices and tips for resume, cover letter, website, and portfolio. They showed examples of such from applicants and people who were subsequently hired. Lastly, we had the opportunity for a designer to review our portfolio and have an intimate conversation. I spoke with an art director and we discussed my portfolio, my future goals as a designer, and how it is possible to integrate your personal passion projects into your work career.

Thank you to People of Color in Publishing for setting up this wonderful event and the Penguin Random House employees who shared their time and experience with us! I recommend visiting People Of Color in Publishing's website if you are a person of color wanting to pursue a career in publishing.

People of Color in Publishing

A shelfie at Penguin Random House :)

A grassroots organization created by book publishing professionals dedicated to supporting, empowering, and uplifting racially and ethnically marginalized members throughout the industry, we seek to create a safe and inclusive space celebrating and promoting diversity.

Through a planning committee and network of chaired subcommittees, we advocate and foster career development and advancement of people of color (including Native/Indigenous) professionals’
and writers’ work.

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins | KILLER THEORIES (no spoilers) + GIVEAWAY!

Title: There's Someone Inside Your House
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Pages: 289 pages
Release Date: September 26th, 2017
Source: Partial ARC from Penguin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Scream meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss.

One-by-one, the students of Osborne High are dying in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted.

International bestselling author Stephanie Perkins returns with a fresh take on the classic teen slasher story that’s fun, quick-witted, and completely impossible to put down. 

Preorder now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Because I received a partial arc from the publishers, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to share who I think the killer is so far. Of course, there aren't going to be any spoilers for the book because it was only a partial arc and that means I don't know who the killer is. Still, read this post with caution because I might talk about some of the events that occur in the book, even though they may not be spoilers for the big ending.

Acclaimed author, Stephanie Perkins, is a releasing a new horror YA book. With the popularity of her first series, who wouldn't be excited for this release? This is my first Stephanie Perkins book, so I was expecting a lot. Plus, it's horror and I love me some scary shit.

**DISCLAIMER: I have only read up to pg. 148 of the partial arc that the publishers kindly sent me, so I do not really know who the killer is! This is just my theory using based on the few pages that I read. Warning: I may speak of some of the events that occur leading up to 148 so if you're not interested in that, just click out.**

Who could be behind the murders of multiple students at a high school in a small town? There are so many characters that I can point the finger at. There was one character who I immediately suspected from the beginning, and who I still believe is the killer! The end of that partial arc left me on such a cliffhanger and it wasn't actually revealed, but I believe the killer can be none other than the main character's love interest, Ollie Larsson. 

Exhibit A

"Ollie had a skinny frame with hip bones that jutted our in a way that reminder her of sex, and cheekbones so prominent they reminded her of a skull-- the illusion of which was enhanced by his blond, invisible eyebrows.... He kind of looked like a skeleton."

- Makani, pg. 9 of an uncorrected partial proof. 

"At the far end of the bay, at the far end of the bench, a slender figure sat with their back to him. Their hoodie was up, and their head was down... Matt couldn't tell if it was a girl or a guy, but it wasn't one of his teammates. They were too small to play football.

- Matt Butler, pg. 79 before he is brutally murdered by the killer  

In the beginning she describes Ollie as a 'slender figure', which could be the figure that Matt is describing just before he gets brutally murdered. It could just be coincidence because Ollie isn't the only slender figure in the world, but why would Perkin's include this description if it was just a coincidence? Or maybe she's trying to trick us into thinking it's Ollie? I DON'T KNOW, IT'S ALL SO QUESTIONABLE. I COULD BE READING INTO THINGS TOO MUCH.

Exhibit B

"So, have you?" she asked. "Done something bad?"
Ollie paused, his hand on the ignition, to look at her square. "Have you?"
"Yes," she said. It was the most truth that she could admit.
"Yeah." He turned the ignition. "Me too."

- Makani and Ollie having a conversation, (i forgot what page lol, and I'm too lazy to grab the book again)

OMG could this be Ollie secretly admitting to the murders but Makani doesn't know what he is talking about yet? I also got a mischievous vibe coming from his answer so this might also be proof that he's "done something bad", if ya know what i mean ;)

Exhibit C

"But Alex straightened as she recalled a favorite theory. 'They think the killer was angry beacuse Haley could sing? That it was someone who was jealous of her talent?'

'Or,' Ollie said, 'maybe she said something that she shouldn't have said.'

- Alex and Ollie explaining their theories on why Haley was killed to the rest of the group, pg. 49

If this isn't proof that Ollie did it, I don't know what is! In this scene he also explains a lot about the details of Haley's murder, stuff that a person shouldn't know. I understand that his brother is a police officer but as he explains the details, he seems to explain the motives of the killer too. Only the killer would be able to explain the motives if he were the actual killer!!! We also know that Ollie has something that he's not telling Makani, so maybe he's killing these people because they know his secret and they spoke out about it.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between August 9, 2017 and August 31, 2017. Open to US residents, 13 and older. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. See Official Rules at http://bit.ly/2vP4Jgg for full details.

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BLOG TOUR: A Map For Wrecked Girls by Jessica Taylor | The Book Lover Survival Tag

Title: A Map for Wrecked Girls
Author: Jessica Taylor
Pages: 368 pages
Release Date: August 15th, 2017
Source: ARC from Penguin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

We sat at the edge of the ocean—my sister Henri and I—inches apart but not touching at all. We'd been so sure someone would find us by now.

Emma had always orbited Henri, her fierce, magnetic queen bee of an older sister, and the two had always been best friends. Until something happened that wrecked them.

I'd trusted Henri more than I'd trusted myself. Wherever she told me to go, I'd follow.

Then the unthinkable occurs—a watery nightmare off the dazzling coast. The girls wash up on shore, stranded. Their only companion is Alex, a troubled boy agonizing over his own secrets. Trapped in this gorgeous hell, Emma and Alex fall together as Emma and Henri fall catastrophically apart.

For the first time, I was afraid we'd die on this shore.

To find their way home, the sisters must find their way back to each other. But there’s no map for this—or anything. Can they survive the unearthing of the past and the upheaval of the present?

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hello guys! Long time no talk. Lately, I've been feeling really disconnected from blogging just because of all the madness with school and tests that I need to take. I love when I'm able to do these fun tags and blog tour posts because they always inspire a little creativity in me. Today I'm here to do the Book Lover Survival Tag created by Penguin Teen in celebration for A Map For Wrecked Girls by Jessica Taylor. Although I haven't read my copy yet, I was immediately drawn to the premise because of the promise of a close sister relationship. I hope it compares with me and my sister's relationship.  

What are five to eight books I'd choose to bring with me on a deserted island?

    

 

1. Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom. You're probably so sick of hearing me say that this is my favorite book of all time. I know it's kind of pointless to have a book you've already read, but I plan on reading this one over and over again. I'm probably going to feel really stuck, being on that deserted island because I'm no Bear Grylls. This book always puts me in such an inspiring mood, one that will probably encourage me to save myself when I fall into a giant quicksand pit and not hopelessly sink to the bottom. 

2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding. LOTF was the first book that ever made me think to myself, 'Wow I don't ever want to be trapped on a deserted island'. But if this tag permits me to be deserted, then so be it! If a bunch of kids can survive on a deserted island, then so can I (right?). 

3. The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald. Gonna need my favorite classic right? I wouldn't be bored with this book because every time I reread it, I notice something new. That's the most exciting part about opening and closing it. Do I think I can live without this book? Probably not. Also on a island with no civilization, I'm going to need a book that sets the foundation of our history. Why not start with the 1920's? 

4. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. I'm guessing Penguin Teen is going to drop me on that deserted island pretty soon so if so, I'd want to take my ARC copy of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao. This book comes out in October so I'd be damned if a deserted island got in the way of me reading this book. There are so many other anticipated releases I could choose, but I really can't bear the thought of never having the chance to read this one (if I'm never saved). Better safe than sorry. 

5. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I've actually never had the pleasure of reading this book! I feel like being deserted on an island is the perfect opportunity for me to try out this minimalist lifestyle. I mean, I won't have many things with me anyways so I'm going to have to learn how to be less materialistic as I create a new life for myself. I've heard great things about this book and how it helps with transitioning into a minimalist lifestyle, so I'd definitely have to bring this with me!

Giveaway!

Enter for a chance to be one (1) of three (3) winners to receive a hardcover copy of A Map for Wrecked Girls by Jessica Taylor. (ARV: $17.99 each). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on August 7, 2017 and 12:00 AM on August 28, 2017.  

Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about August 30, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Jessica Taylor 

Jessica Taylor adores atmospheric settings, dangerous girls, and characters who sneak out late at night. She lives in Northern California, not far from San Francisco, with a law degree she isn’t using, one dog, and many teetering towers of books.

Author Links:  Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 

BLOG TOUR: Zodiac by Romina Russell | Galaxy Nail Art + GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys! I'm super stoked to be participating in the Penguin Teen readathon blog tour for the Zodiac series by Romina Russell! This tour is gearing up for the release of the final installment, Thirteen Rising, which comes out on August 29th. I've been meaning to get to start this series so I'm really grateful for the opportunity to be apart of this readathon, where everyone else is also rereading while I'm reading for the first time.

Title: Zodiac
Author: Romina Russell
Pages: 325 pages
Release Date: December 9th, 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancerian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Embark on a dazzling journey with ZODIAC, the first novel in an epic sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy series set in a galaxy inspired by the astrological signs.

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Today's nail inspired art look will be based by the vibes that I'm getting off of these beautiful covers. I've never really done nail art for a book post before, but I would really love to go back to my roots of nail art. I used to love doing different designs and changing it up every week but unfortunately my workplace doesn't allow nail polish at the moment, so I've had to close that hobby. But... since it is the weekend, I figured this galaxy-inspired nail look couldn't wait!

1. Formula X Nail Polish in color Dark Matter 
2. Base & Top Coat (my favorite is the Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Top and Base coat)
3. Any brand of white acrylic paint 
4. A point ball pin tool/bobby pin/toothpick (anything sharp you can find in your home)

My inspiration! http://www.nailzini.com/2016/05/zodiac-signs-nail-art.html

My nail art skills are mediocre at best but it was still fun to whip out the tools and the nail polish and get to work again! I forgot how fun it was just to do your nails while the music is on in the background. If I were to redo this look, I'd probably have to be more careful when drawing these precise lines and corners. I think precision and accuracy is the most important thing when it comes to drawing on your nails with a sharp tool. 

Enter for a chance to win either one (1) grand prize set of Romina Russell’s Zodiac Series in paperback, including Zodiac, Wandering Star, and Black Moon (32.97) or to be one (1) of five (5) second place winners to receive a copy of Zodiac by Romina Russell (ARV: $10.99 each). 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on June 26th, 2017 and 12:00 AM on July 17, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about July 21, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Author Bio

Romina Russell (aka Romina Garber) is a Los Angeles based author who originally hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a teen, Romina landed her first writing gig—College She Wrote, a weekly Sunday column for the Miami Herald that was later picked up for national syndication—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. When she’s not working on ZODIAC, Romina can be found producing movie trailers, taking photographs, or daydreaming about buying a new drum set. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core.

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 

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Don't forget to join the exciting twitter chat on the 16th! 

BLOG TOUR | Flame In the Mist - Learn Some Japanese + Giveaway!

Title: Flame In the Mist
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Pages: 368 pages
Release Date: May 16th, 2017
Source: ARC from PenguinTeen
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 3/5 stars

The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.

Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the ranks of the Black Clan, determined to track down the person responsible for the target on her back. But she's quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, his best friend Okami. Still believing her to be a boy, Ranmaru and Okami eventually warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she's ever known.
 

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Welcome to today's tour stop for Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh. As a third-year Japanese student, I was so excited at the possibility of a book that takes place in feudal Japan inspired by the character and story of Mulan. I've been taking a course in the Japanese language in my school for the past three years of high school. I'm really lucky to have a teacher that is as passionate to teach the language as I am to learn it. Kawamoto-sensei often brings objects and candy back from Japan on vacations to share with us.

Although it has proved to be quite a challenging course, I do enjoy learning and speaking the language. I think the best part is writing the characters though because some are very similar to Chinese characters. For today's post I'm going to share a little bit from my knowledge of learning Japanese for the past three years. Now keep in mind that I'm not a native speaker but the first thing I learned was the hiragana system of Japanese writing. 

There are three Japanese systems of writing: hiragana, katakana and kanji. The names in Ahdieh's book are in romaji, which is a representation of Japanese sounds using the English alphabet.

I will be teaching you how to write the names in the book in hiragana characters. I'm not 100% sure if the author intended her names to be in romaji but that's what it seems like. Traditional Japanese names are usually written in kanji, but I won't be writing it in kanji for today because those characters are really complicated and there are many kanji that could represent the same hiragana.

This is a hiragana chart! These sounds represent a different character. You can use these sounds to create a word. For example the word tachi (which means long sword) is composed of the two separate syllables ta and chi. You could look on the hiragana chart and look for which Japanese hiragana characters represent the worlds ta and chi. Let's see! 

We found them! Now put them together!

Let's try with some of the character names! 

TIP: Feel free to try writing some of the other words in the book in hiragana! It's not hard once you remember the hiragana chart. With good study habits and dedication, you'll be writing sentences in no time! In my opinion, out of the three Japanese writing systems I find that hiragana is the easiest. My Japanese teacher started teaching me with hiragana, so as a tip I'd say to start with learning this before you jump to remembering words and definitions. 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (ARV: $17.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on May 8, 2017 and 12:00 AM on June 5, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 10, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Renée Ahdieh 

Renée Ahdieh is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Wrath and the Dawn and The Rose and the Dagger. In her spare time, she likes to dance salsa and collect shoes. She is passionate about all kinds of curry, rescue dogs, and college basketball. The first few years of her life were spent in a high-rise in South Korea; consequently, Renée enjoys having her head in the clouds. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and their tiny overlord of a dog.
 

Author Links: 

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

BLOG TOUR | The One Memory of Flora Banks Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

Title: Flora Banks

Author: Emily Barr
Pages: 303 pages
Release Date: May 2nd, 2017
Source: ARC from publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.

With little more than the words "be brave" inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to Svalbard, Norway, the land of the midnight sun, determined to find Drake. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must "be brave" if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home.

Get it now! 

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Hey everyone! Today I have a special guest joining me today on my Flora Banks tour stop. It's the one and only Emily Barr, author of The One Memory of Flora Banks. I'm sure you've all seen this book floating around the blogosphere, but if it still hasn't piqued your interest then I'm hoping this post will. In books, I am captivated with the idea of memory loss. A lot of the books I have read that include characters that lose their memories have been thrillers or mystery books. I've never seen a contemporary one. I took this tour opportunity to ask the author Emily Barr about the research that was required to write about a character with anterograde amnesia and how she was able to capture this essence in a young adult book. Here is her answer. 

Research About Amnesia
by Emily Barr

It sounds so easy to write a book about amnesia. In fact I’d wanted to write one for ages but had held back because the ‘knock on the head/ can’t remember anything’ trope felt so clichéd and I didn’t know anyone in real life who’d had anything remotely like that happen to them. It felt as if fiction-amnesia was a whole different thing from real-amnesia.


I did, however, have experience of older people with dementia, losing their recent memories while remembering things from long ago. I remember, as a young child, visiting my grandfather who had Parkinson’s with the associated memory loss. It was incredibly distressing. I also knew people with younger family members who had experienced different kinds of memory loss and I could see that brains were complex, incredible things.


When I started writing The One Memory of Flora Banks I knew I had to do everything I could to get it right. I read books by Oliver Sacks (who is an absolute hero of mine: The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat is a brilliant starting point for anyone writing about anything brain-related). I read anything I could find about anterograde amnesia. I got in touch with an old university friend who works in this field, and he sent me all kinds of reading material, and looked over my plans for Flora to tell me what was plausible and what wasn’t.


I went through the book again and again, doing everything I could to make it logical. Because Flora can remember things from before she was ten she has the basics about how things work: I have a ten year old of my own and she certainly know about charging phones and laptops and those kinds of daily-life things. However, I kept catching myself letting Flora remember things she shouldn’t have remembered. In fact, I’ve never written so many drafts of anything.


I am left with the overwhelming feeling that the human brain is a remarkable thing, that memory is not a static objective thing, but a weaving together of impressions of sights and smells and sounds and tastes, and the way things make us feel. We can forget things, and we can remember them, and we can remember them wrong. A tiny change in those mechanisms can make an enormous difference to a person’s life, and that is, in the end, going to happen to a lot of us.

 GIVEAWAY! 

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr (ARV: $17.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on May 1, 2017 and 12:00 AM on May 22, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about May 24, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Emily Barr

Emily Barr (www.emilybarr.com) began her career as a journalist at the Guardian before realizing that she was drawn more toward books. After taking a year to go backpacking for a column assignment, she returned home with the idea for her first book, the New York Times bestseller Backpack, and never looked back. She has since written 11 additional books for adults. The One Memory of Flora Banks is her young adult debut. Emily lives in Cornwall with her partner and their children. You can follow her on Twitter @emily_barr.

#ReadADessen | Best Literary Friendships + GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys! I'm so glad to be apart of this campaign curated by Penguin Teen in anticipation for Sarah Dessen's newest novel, Once and For All. I haven't read much Sarah Dessen in my days, so I thought this was the perfect time to be reacquainted with her. In an effort to countdown Dessen's already published titles, bloggers are going to be sharing some content from her books in their own little posts! This week's post will center around That Summer and Someone Like You. 

Title: Once and For All
Author: Sarah Dessen
Pages: 400 pages
Release Date: May 29th, 2017 

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance 

Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that's why she's cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm's length. But Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged, now that he's met the one girl he really wants.

Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself.

Pre-order now! 

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This post is inspired by... 

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. This novel features two best friends, one who loses someone dear to her and the other who must lend her shoulder to that friend. The relationship between these two young ladies is unparalleled, and it inspired me to reminisce about my favorite friendships in YA history. 

I feel like Cinder and Iko is one of the most iconic duos in YA. Made popular by the Lunar Chronicles series, these intergalactic retellings showed the true power of friendship as well as the lengths one would go to in order to protect each other. Their friendship is valuable because in a world where betrayal is commonplace and trust is not given easily, it's best to have someone you know you can count on by your side. 

Tis' true that Paige and Warden from The Bone Season series get involved romantically in the future, but they begin as friends. Wait no. Friends is maybe too generous of a term. I think accomplices is the best term to describe their relationship. Although reluctant to trust each other in the beginning, they soon begin to realize that their trust towards each other is the only thing keeping them alive. I personally think they have the best literary friendship because their bond is stronger than most. Their hearts and minds are also connected when it is generally shielded from others. Although not quote obvious, I definitely think their relationship was based more on their respect for each other rather than their hatred. 

We Are Still Tornadoes tells the story of two best friends Scott and Cath. Best friends are separated when Cath decides to go to college and Scott stays home. The entire story is told through correspondence as the two are writing back and forth to each other about their different lives, new friends and new relationships. I didn't think it was possible to tell an entire story through letters and emails but authors Michael Kun and Susan Mullen sure proved me wrong. Their letters are extremely detailed and filled with emotion without being too long. I also think if you're into books that take place in the 80's, you'd like this title. It's riddled with old song titles and nostalgic vibes. I really like how through their constant messaging and being apart, they realize that they might mean something more to each other. Their relationship really transcends throughout the novel. 

If you know me at all, this is my favorite classic of all time. I own more than three copies of this book and so, of course, I had to include it. Nick and Gatsby have a friendship that I'm envious of. I think a great thing to note is that Nick isn't Gatsby's friend because of his money, like the reason as to how a majority of people are acquainted to Gatsby- because of his money. It's safe to say that their relationship translates to that of two brothers. They protect and worry for each other. Nick stays by Gatsby's side when no one else does, and that itself is admirable. 

Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews. Her books have been published in over thirty countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is the recipient of the 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for outstanding contribution to young adult literature for her novels: Keeping the Moon, Dreamland, This Lullaby, The Truth about Forever, Just Listen, Along for the Ride, and What Happened to Goodbye. Her newest novel, Once and for All, will be released in June 2017. An NC native, she currently lives in Chapel Hill with her family.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY!

Enter for a chance to win one (1) set of Sarah Dessen’s books in paperback (ARV: $132.00).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on April 17, 2017 and 12:00 AM on May 29, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 1, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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