Reading, Writing, and Me

I've seen a lot of different conversations taking place on Twitter that all come back to a central theme. The YA space is controlled by adults. For the most part, they are the ones with the purchasing power, they have jobs in the industry, they are in a better position to amplify their voices about how they feel about different books and the category as a whole. I've been thinking about these conversations as a whole, and it really does come back to the intended audience not owning the space and what that means for the category and the conversations around it.
As a teen who's heavily involved in the YA community, I sometimes feel awkward reading all the different, slightly varied takes from adults. Some make blanket statements for themselves and some work with teens and try to be a conduit to add them to the conversation. Very rarely do I come across a real teen who gets an amplified voice in the conversation (definitely go check out Vicky Who Reads on Twitter because, as…

Dear Ally, How Do You Write A Book? by Ally Carter (and tons of other major YA authors). To Buy From Your Local Bookstore
Overview: This nonfiction, sorta-kinda anthology that is full of reader solicited questions and long answers from Ally. It also features tables full of other authors weighing in and certain letters addressed to different people. The advice within spans the basics of writing a book, writing a series, editing, publishing, and then more general advice. Overall: 3.5

There are parts of this book I really enjoyed. It's strongest asset is that it brings a giant group of very famous YA authors to give certain stats like how many drafts they tend to do, how long they wrote before publishing their first book, and how many rejections they got before becoming agented. I also loved the longer commentaries from two or three of them at the end of every chapter. While sometimes the advice wasn't the star of the show, seeing the behind the scenes into different processes was…

I can't believe that another year has already gone by! My second blogging anniversary was on Monday, but I wanted to do a post to properly celebrate. I can't wait to share some things about me, blogging, and what's coming next for Reading, Writing, and Me. Last year, I wrote the anniversary post about the things I learned, and I think all of those things still ring true.
This year, I'm going to start with an interview with myself since my focus this year is to promote and interview as many authors as I can!


What's Your Favorite Part About Blogging?
I love being a part of a community. While reading has always been a major part of my life, it was a solitary activity. I used it as a way to escape, but, in the end, it's provided me a new place to connect. I have so much fun interacting with authors and other readers here and on social media. It's provided me with an endless resource to find books, and it's amazing to work with authors that I've admired …

I'm not really a movie (or even a TV) person, so I'm not normally sitting in the first showing of a film, but Five Feet Apart got me out of my house and into a theater chair. By the time I saw the movie, I'd read the book the week before, and it was pretty good, but nothing I'd put on any must read list (I'll link to my full review here and below). I'd recommend that if you don't know much about Five Feet Apart, you read the review first so that you know a bit about the movie. This'll make more sense. But I did like the premise, and, once I found out that the book was reverse engineered from the movie, I got really excited to go see it.
Also, Cole Sprouse. As a major Disney Channel turn Riverdale turn, I guess, this fan- I will watch anything he's in.
So, as for the movie itself, I had a rough idea of how everything would go down, but I was ready to see it in a new light. And I love the story so much more for it. If you did read the book in advance…

Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott with Nikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis (281 pages) Buy From Your Local Bookstore
Overview: Will, Stella, and Poe all battle Cystic Fibrosis. They can't get within six feet of each other because they may accidentally harm or contaminate one another- especially Will. Since his bacterial infection contraction that's taken him off the transplant list is so easily spread, it'd be smart for the others with CF to stay far away from them. But Stella can't help the feelings that develop for Will. Overall: 4

Characters: 4 Stella struggles between control and wanting to be reckless which makes Will like a magnet to her. She feels like she has to be responsible and stay alive because of her carefree older sister's cliff jumping death. Focusing on her hospital treatments has distracted her from the frustration she feels with her disease and the limitations it imposes. This is only exacerbated by her falling for Will but having to stay away fro…

Today I'm chatting with Lillie Vale about her upcoming book, Small Town Hearts, which comes out in less than a week! If you haven't heard about the book, I recommend you read my review linked here and below, and if you'd like to preorder it now, you can do so here. If you'd like to connect with Lillie, you can find her on Twitter at @LillieLabyrinth and on Instagram at @labyrinthspine, and you can find me in the comments below, on Twitter at @readwriteandme, and Instagram at @readingwritingandme!

1.Small Town Hearts is full of mouthwatering food, beautiful scenery, and summer fun. Do you have a favorite memory about writing the book or a scene you enjoyed most?  Hi, Lauren! Thanks for hosting me on your blog. So excited to talk about Small Town Hearts with you today! This was the foodie, messy friendship, bi book of my heart. I adored creating the world of Babe’s beloved Oar’s Rest (the lighthouse!! the beach cave!! the Busy Bean!!), writing all the yummies, and zeroing i…

Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale (336 pages) Purchase at your local bookstore!*
Overview: Babe lives in Oar's Rest, an idyllic Maine tourist town. She works at the Busy Bean, which she loves, and she's ready for an epic summer with her best friends Chad and Penny who will both be going to college in town at the end of the summer. Nothing has to change. And then it does. Babe's ex-girlfriend that no one knew about comes back to town after ghosting her all year, Penny and Chad, who have a love story for the ages, break up for no reason, and a hot new boy starts renting Babe's mom's house. She doesn't know what to do with so much change, and the thought that her future is so uncertain does not help. Overall: 4 

Characters: 4 Babe really faces a lot of shocking things at once. She's out of the school system for the first time and suddenly the rug gets pulled out from under her. I think that readers will really identify with Babe's fear of change and the way t…

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (306 pages) Buy At Your Local Bookstore*
Overview: It's just one elevator ride. Just one elevator ride to the rest of Will's life. Eight floors takes so long when you're headed to kill someone. Even in revenge. Even for justice. Even when your brother was just murdered. It's even longer when every stop brings someone who's left your life back in. There's so much to learn before Will hits the lobby. Overall: 4 

Characters: 4 Because of the atmosphere and the point of the story, we don't get super into the characters. They each represent a stop on a horrible cycle. It starts with Buck, Will's older brother, Shawn's, older brother figure. When Buck got killed, Shawn had to avenge his death, which got him killed. He also meets his Uncle Mark, an aspiring filmmaker who's death lead to Will's father's death because of the Rules. Each character doesn't exist to explore themselves or have their own motives- they…

Waiting For Fitz by Spencer Hyde (March 5) Click to Purchase
Overview: Addie is in the hospital for inpatient OCD treatment. She's not thrilled, particularly because her mom might watch The Great British Bake Off without her, but, overall, she's ready to try whatever it takes to get better. And it turns out that most of the orderlies are nice and her fellow patients are great company, especially Fitz, who's been there for two years battling schizophrenia. Inside, she makes major strides toward recovery, but Fitz comes to her and asks for help breaking out. Against her better judgement, she can't refuse to help him. Overall: 4 

Characters: 5 I enjoyed reading from Addie's prospective. I thought that Hyde did an awesome job portraying OCD and the compulsions and obsessions that come with it. Addie is sarcastic and sensible. She has a wonderful, supportive mom and a team behind her that's determined to help. I love how she is both reasonable, and takes time to quest…