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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Guest Post with Lindsey Leavitt, Author of Sean Griswold's Head!



Lindsey Leavitt




2011- THE YEAR OF AWESOME BOOKS
by Lindsey Leavitt

I shall give you five months worth of reading, just to get you into the summer...

Like MandarinLIKE MANDARIN (March 2011) by Kristin Hubbard

This book is set in Wyoming, which I've only been through once when I drove cross country, and I remember we ate a red lobster and a lot of the diners wore cowboy hats. Yeah, so not a great base. But after reading Kristin's descriptive and magnetic debut, I feel like I KNOW Wyoming, that it seeped into me somewhere mid-book, that I can identify with the main character Grace even though we're very different.


Jandy Nelson'sThe Sky Is Everywhere [Hardcover](2010)THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE (Paperback March 2011) by Jandy Nelson

This came out last year, but it took me a year to read because I knew it was about death and was "poetic" and I just wasn't ever in the mood for a book like that. But then a friend told me that this book was funny. Wha? Funny with a sister's death?
This book is funny. And poetic. And painful and beautiful and touching and real. Although I can't believe it took me so long to read, I'm SO GLAD I did. POV changing book.

Back When You Were Easier to Love BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE (April 2011) by Emily Wing Smith

This book has such a great format, with short chapters and some jumping back and forth between Before and Now. One short chapter will be quirky/slice of life, and then I'm sucked into the loss Joy is feeling since her boyfriend Zan left their Utah town. I also lived in Utah for a few years, so all the cultural references were fun and spot-on. And there's a Vegas road trip. Need I say more?


The End of the LineEND OF THE LINE (April 2011) by Angela Cerrito

I read this book years ago when I was in a critique group with Angela. Even pre-published, this book hit me in the guts. The mystery behind what the main character is dealing with also had me reading into the night. Excited to see how this book developed after revisions.

Girl WonderGIRL WONDER by Alexa Martin (May 2011)

I just started this, and wow--this girl knows how to use language. I really love contemporaries where the MC is a shadow character that steps out. Also, there is a boy who collects mushrooms. Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods. Great start.



HourglassHOURGLASS by Myra McEntire (May 2011)

You had me with that cover. I'm seduced.

The Day BeforeTHE DAY BEFORE (June 2011) by Lisa Schroeder

I don't know what more I can say then I LOVE THIS BOOK IT IS PERFECT AND YOU SHOULD GO PREORDER RIGHT NOW AS WELL AS STOCK UP AT KLEENEX AT COSTCO.


A Need So BeautifulA NEED SO BEAUTIFUL (June 2011) Suzanne Young

I haven't read yet. I want to for a million reasons. Buzz, cover, and awesome writer. This book and I shall have a date poolside.


Small Town SinnersSMALL TOWN SINNERS by Melissa Walker (July 2011)

Do you know what Hell Houses are? I didn't. But now I do, & you should read this to find out more. Melissa managed to tell this story without judgement, which can be rare in faith-based YA, and the straight-forward voice of the MC works so well with her progression. Unique--I expect this to be a break-out


Lindsey Leavitt is a former elementary school teacher and present-day writer/mom to three (mostly) adorable little girls. She is married to her high-school lab partner and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is the author of the PRINCESS FOR HIRE series and SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD.

Praise for Lindsey Leavitt

“A heartfelt and laugh-out-loud story of first love and self-discovery….I loved, loved, loved it.” —Lauren Barnholdt, author of Two-Way Street

“Leavitt delicately handles topics of illness, evolving relationships, and what it means to grow up. Payton’s alternately sarcastic, snappy, and reflective narration carries this insightful story.”~ Publishers Weekly

4 comments:

Liz said...

Haven't read any of these, but I'll have to check them out. Thanks for sharing!

Bidisha said...

Great list. I've only read SKY from among these (and adored it to death!), but the others are on my wishlist.

Rachel Harris said...

Read some of these, have others on my TBR pile already and adding the rest :-) Thanks Lindsey

Angela said...

Lindsey,
Thank you!

Also, I love, love, loved THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE. I was laughing and crying. Heck, I'll admit it, I laughed a bit even when I was crying so hard that snot dripped out of my nose.

Yes, the book is that great!

Can't wait to read SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD!!!