Cover Characteristics Swamps

Cover Characteristics is a meme by Sugar and Snark- every week a characteristic is selected and we post 5 books with that week's theme.   

This week's pick- Swamp

Swamp - a fun topic. I knew urban fantasy had some swamp covers but I found some others I was not expecting- including the recently released River of Teeth which is my clear favorite. 

Sunday Post #199

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

It was HOT this week! We hit 90's just about every day. Summer is here folks. Hope everyone else is having a great start to their summer as well. I found out this week my neighbors are moving- that's a bummer since they're awesome neighbors. They had an open house and the place was swamped- they got 4 offers. There's been a lot of turmoil in the neighborhood lately- one woman two houses over had her husband leave her (nice), so she's there alone although her kids are there a lot, and on the other side next door some new chick moved in with the guy there and now her kids are all in the road so you gotta make sure you don't run 'em over. Sigh. 

Okay enough with the neighborhood update. I did good with reading this week and binged Shetland on Netflix. Murder on Scottish islands. Other than that a pretty quiet week. Did anyone catch the Orphan Black premiere last Sat?   

I reviewed Grit this past week-  a very nice first novel. Next week is Brave New Girl and Dangerous Girls is also on the way. 
  

Song of the week

PULP COVER OF THE WEEK: 

NEW ARRIVAL/ UPCOMING REVIEWS:

BOOKISH LINKS

Bookcover Spotlight #105

Grit

Grit is a debut novel that started a bit iffy for me but soon gathered momentum, and before long I was reading straight through to the end. I liked this one a lot and a lot of that has to do with the characters. Darcy is the protagonist, a girl who knows how to have a good time, but underneath her hard drinking exterior is someone who has taken some hard shots and is stronger for it. Darcy has a reputation and doesn't really care- her mom is permissive and her aunt hates her, but she has a good relationship with her sister Mags and her cousin Nell.  She has a good heart but is also carrying around a lot of baggage- something happened the summer before between her and Rhiannon Foss, a girl who used to be her best friend- and when Rhiannon disappeared people think she had something to do with it. Or that she knows more than she is letting on. 

The disappearance of Rhiannon has affected the town in a big way- this is set in rural Maine- and in many ways this is an exploration of what it's like to grow up in a small town, with the petty jealousies and everyone knowing everyone else's business. As the story unfolds we find that not only is Darcy carrying around guilt for Rhiannon, but there are other secrets she is carrying around- and they may hit close to home. I don't want to say much else on that front, but I thought the author skillfully unveiled this realization as the book progresses, so that a story that seemed to have one mystery going on really has two. And not only that but Darcy has her own personal issues to resolve, not the least of which is her relationship with Jesse. 

I liked Jesse and it was nice to seer him develop. We all know how guys can be in high school, and this story looks at hook up culture and all the ways that girls have to struggle with coming of age, slut shaming, and everything else. Jesse seemed at first like he might be another guy just out for a good time, but he cares about Darcy and has her back. The only thing I didn't like was at one point I thought Darcy took offense at something in a ridiculous way, and it felt manufactured. But other than that the relationships seemed real and I really cared about Darcy's dysfunctional family. 

One thing I also enjoyed was the writing style and the narrative voice. There's a wry awareness here of life in a small town, how it can affect those living there, and she gets the little details of daily life right in a way that feels very real. I thought a few times that the descriptive voice and the feeling of recognition I got with some of her characters really enhanced the story. And while I thought this would be more of a mystery or even a YA thriller it had enough mystery, especially as it moves along, to keep me reading. 

Grit is a book that I liked more and more the farther along I got. I wasn't sure about Darcy and some of her choices at times, but the author really sold why she did what she did, or at least I thought she did. I cared about the family and was anxious to see where things would go, and there were genuine moments where I felt awful for Darcy and the things she had been though- things that anyone who has lived through high school and adolescence can relate to. That's the true beauty of this one- it makes you think, and remember- I was really touched by one scene in particular- and this is one of the better, more thought provoking YA stories I've read. 

Tips For A Successful Comic (Or Fan) Convention

So you're going to Comic-Con? Or a book or game convention? If you're a veteran of the convention scene then you know what to expect- the awesomeness, the spectacle, the feeling of kinship with thousands of like- minded fans. But what if you're a first time attendee? It's likely that your enthusiasm is tempered with a bit of uncertainty, or maybe even a little apprehension? It's normal to be a little nervous of course, but here are some tips and tricks to help you not only survive your first convention, but to get the most out of the experience. And soon you'll be one of those who can say, with pride- Oh yeah. I was there. Speaking of being there- the Las Vegas Comic-Con is THIS weekend- June 23-25, 2017. If you're in the area (or even if you're not, but would like to be) check out the Deals and Packages at the Vegas.com website. It looks like it will be a great con!

Convention Do's and Don'ts

DO

• Plan ahead. Planning is your friend when it comes to the large cons. It's impossible to see everything, so decide what your priorities are- whether it's a signing, a cosplay contest, certain panels, or whatever. Maybe even make a mini- schedule for yourself so you can stay focused. A big convention can be overwhelming, and plans can quickly go out the window in the rush so a little planning goes a long way. This includes, if possible, knowing where your various events are located, and the best way to get there.   
• Dress comfortably. It's often warm outside but the convention hall will be air- conditioned, so keep that in mind. If you get cold in the AC bring a light sweater. Also wear comfortable shoes. This might be the most important tip of all. You will be doing a lot of walking, and standing, and your feet will probably be killing you by the end of the day- no way around it. Comfortable footwear makes all the difference. 
• Have a back-up plan. Things change, sometimes events get moved or signings end early or whatever- be flexible. And don't over- schedule! Keep some time free to wander the exhibit hall and to just soak up the atmosphere. Take pictures, talk to celebrities or other fans, be a part of the show. You'll almost certainly be rewarded if you just wander a bit or explore some of the different events. 
• Be respectful. Everyone gets excited and it's easy to get carried away. If you want a picture with a cosplayer or exhibitor model, ask. It's just common courtesy to do that. Don't assume just because someone is in costume that they are available for photography. They probably won't mind but remember that they are people too- treat 'em with respect. 
• Have fun! That's the point, right? But whenever you're in a large group of people there will be frustrations, you might run into hotel issues or miss an event or whatever- keep cool and remember not everything will go according to plan. If it does, bonus! But if not, roll with it and remember- you're at a convention. Have a blast! 

DON'T

• Get too discouraged if you miss an event or don't make a certain panel. There are a zillion and one things to do at a big con and the sheer variety of things can be overwhelming. As noted above, have a plan but stay flexible too. 
• Go without eating! Believe it or not, first time attendees can get so excited they go-go-go and may skip meals. Bring a sandwich or breakfast bar in your backpack, or take a pit stop at one of the food kiosks if available, but you need to keep your energy up. A good breakfast is key and will set the tone for your whole day.  And stay hydrated. Bring a bottle of water or get one at the con, you'll be doing a lot of walking and water or a sports drink will keep you going. 
• Forget to sleep. Especially for first time attendees, you can be having so much fun that a good night's sleep falls by the wayside. Trust me, you'll have a better convention experience if you get some z's.
• Forget where you're at! As awesome as the con is, sometimes you need a break. Most cities that are hosting a convention will have lots to do. Whether it's great food or some nightlife, don't miss out on whatever the host city has on offer. It can be nice too to get a break from the convention, believe it or not. 
•  Assume all cons are equal. Comic- Con is huge but there are lots of smaller cons, both those specializing in comics and those that are more book related, or gaming related. I've been going to GenCon for years, even as it relocated cities, and every con has its own thing. If you like a smaller, more intimate con those can be a great way to meet people, including guests of honor. The bigger cons will be much more intense but you're surrounded by thousands of fellow fans, and the offerings can be limitless! The main thing- have fun. 

Cant Wait Wednesday - Valerian

Can't Wait Wednesday is a meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books that we're looking forward to. Generally they are books that have not yet been released. It's based on the previous meme Waiting on Wednesday which was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. More info here. 

I haven't done a  Waiting on Wednesday in ages and I see that Wishful Endings has picked up the baton and is carrying the tradition forward. This week I'm jumping back in but I'm going to spotlight a movie instead of a book- because us book bloggers can be such rule- breakers right? Seriously though this movie looks awesome- I think? Visually stunning. But will the story be there? I'd like to know what you all think- is this one a yea or nay? 

Top Ten Father's Day Freebie

 

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted. Everyone is welcome to join. Link back to The Broke and the Bookish so everyone can check out other bloggers' lists. It's a fun way to get to know fellow bloggers.

This week is a Father's Day Freebie. I decided to do what I did for Mother's Day and divide this up between good dads and bad dads. It was kinda fun to think of these. Let's see what we got...  

Her dad was way cool and they had a great relationship. 

Her dad is a Special Forces guy. He comes to help her at one point along with some buddies.

One of the dads in this one is mentally ill and the protagonist writes him. 

Dad in this one is just getting to know Lina, who just found that ... he's her dad. As you can imagine this one's cute. 

So I was running out of good dads... Ned Stark- a good guy. Not the canniest player of the game, but an honorable man and a good dad. 

Gemma's dad is an ass from what we know. 

This guy's drunk most of the time. 

This dad's a doofus. A nineteen year old is coming on all strong to his sixteen year old and he goes with it? Dipshit. 

For every good dad in this series there are like 1,078,000 bad ones. Exhibit A: Tywin Lannister. 

Exhibit B: Balon Greyjoy.