Let's Talk Trash

Forget the cover, forget the blurbs, forget all that author promo--have you ever read a horrible review, and think--I have GOT to read THAT book? I must admit that any book that is hauled out in the public forum by a reviewer and called "Trash" is pretty much an auto-buy for me.

You'd think I would've learned my lesson from Rainbow Party (Cursor over for Spoiler Alert: there was no actual Rainbow Party) and The Garden which I ended up putting down before I got to the snake sex part (or maybe I read it and was too daft to realize what was happening). I do love the cover though...

But why am I so swayed by a bad review, particularly one that promises a vulgar trashy read? Is it the train wreck factor? The what's-the-fuss factor? Or is that maybe, just maybe I like naughty books?

Okay, you got me. As a teen I read Flowers in the Attic, Forever, and Go Ask Alice--those were our big, bad, trashy books. They were also really good and have stood the test of time. Something tells me the trashy books of today won't. At least not the ones I've read.

But here are two more for my consideration--


Swoon which is touted to have a “Homecoming Orgy” and "sexual havoc" and as Publisher's Weekly claims: "This book makes Gossip Girl look like Sweet Valley High." SOLD!

and...wait for it...

Castration Celebration by Jake Wizner (Spanking Shakespeare)--yes it's exactly what it sounds like--a kind of "High School Musical" meets "Saw." Only late night giddiness, illegal substances, and a well-timed re-run of the John & Lorena Bobbitt Story could breed such a premise. I can only imagine what my agent or editor would've said to me had I trotted it out. But alas, I did not.


This book, as you can imagine, has been making the reviewer rounds and I cannot ignore it any longer. I give you the NY Post Review. As ridiculously insulting as Andrea Peyser is, the review is on some level (the is-she-on-something? level to be exact) hilarious. She bleats like sheep, she calls Random House--Random Partners House, and in a big, big finish (I'm imagining jazz hands) she implies that the author is a child molester:

"Wizner's biography lists his hobbies as writing, teaching and "going to the playground."

Just not near my kid.

I mean she doesn't just call the book trash--she calls the author trash and the publisher trash--Hullo? Auto buy!!

What do think of these books? Any others I need to check out?

Bragging on Miss Roxy

I'm a proud momma! Miss Roxy Anne Rockstar graduated from Advanced Obedience last night and also became CGC certified (Canine Good Citizen) which is a lot harder than it sounds. But she rocked it! So in honor of my baby girl growing up...I thought I'd share some of her pics--in case you are wondering, she is a Long Coated Akita.

Remember last year when she was this small????

And how she couldn't even reach the water bucket???

And here she was at 4 mos--so cute, but oh so rowdy!! Well here she is now, 1 year old and all grown up!

Going for car rides with her friends...And hanging out with the "big" boys Bear & Wolf (but they kinda look little next to her, LOL).

She brings so much joy into the lives around her and is such a gorgeous spirit inside and out, love her, love her, love her!!! And so very proud, because as Roxy would tell ya--bein' good is HARD!

Winner Winner!

And the winner of the Geektastic ARC is.......

I'm sooooo glad that I used a random number generator to pick the winner and didn't have to decide who was the "geekiest," because some of y'all really brought it! Loved reading all of the comments!

As for what makes me a geek--well I'm a book geek for sure. The sight of well-stocked bookshelves gets me tingly. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve musty libraries. I buy hardbacks whenever possible, because one day, when I'm all grown up, I'm going to have a library in my home. It's going to have floor to ceiling cases with those cool rolling ladders and everything. All of the artwork will be from illustrators AND there will be at least one shelf that is a secret doorway. Squee--I'm all excited just talking about it!!!

Anyhoo.... where were we? Ah yes--congrats Not So Closet Geeks--please email me at Brooke(at)Brooketaylorbooks(dot)com with your mailing addy!

And if you didn't win--stay tuned I have more ARCs to give away!!

Last Chance + Awesome News

Geektastic won't be available for months and months, who can wait that long to get their geek on with awesome authors like M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr? Not you!

Deadline to enter the Geektastic ARC is tonight at midnight! So go HERE now and tell me some geeky things about you!




Also--some awesome news!! Undone is a National Readers Choice Award finalist! Whoo hoo! Readers are teh awesome! Thank you!!!

More from Susan Boyle

Wow...just WOW

Geektastic Contest!!

****WIN WIN WIN****

ARC

of

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

"Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside)and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on."

How To Win It:

Leave me a comment telling me what makes you a geek (multiple entries welcome--limit 10).

Want EXTRA CREDIT? Of course you do!

Spread the geek love and blog about this contest, leave me a linkie doo in the comments ,and you'll get an extra 5 entries and a gold star!

When is it due?

Leave your comments by April 22nd, 2009 at Midnight!

Today's Twilight Parody