Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Twenty Boy Summer - Book Review

Twenty Boy Summer

By: Sarah Ockler

Publisher: June 1st 2009 by Little Brown & Co

Pages: 290

Read: 7/4/2010

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age

First Line: Frankie Perino and I were lucky that day. Lucky to be alive - that’s what everyone said.

I am notorious for not reading the synopsis before I open a book (ask Jen), this time I pulled it up on my nook. However, I must admit I am extremely happy that I did not. The shock, happiness, and sadness that wrapped around me was purely from the words on the paper in front of me. Ockler also had me recommending this book to others by page 11. Yes, I really did!

~Warning~ if you are expecting this book to be a fluffy fun beach read you need to stop! Read the synopsis or take my advice. This book mainly deals with grief. Don't get me wrong. There are a few wonderful beachy romance scenes that made me crave the smell of salt water and the feel of hot sand under my toes.

The story of secrets started off with a cute adorable cake fight between Anna and her neighbor Matt. They were washing Anna's 15th birthday cake frosting off themselves, Matt kissed Anna. Lets toss in a twist, Matt happens to be the brother of Frankie, Anna's best friend. They have been neighbors for years, the three of them formed a tight bond. Sort of a three musketeers thing.

BAM! Now things are different. Cute perfection does not last long. This book is surrounded by the loss of Matt. He died of a broken heart, a hole that no one knew about until it was too late. Frankie and her family are dealing with this loss. Anna is dealing with her grief on her own, she promised Matt that she would not tell his sister. However, Matt never had the chance to tell his sister before he died.

It is a year later and the loss is still heavy around everyone. Due to the fact that they are all trying to move on, Frankie's parents decided to invite Anna on their yearly vacation to Cali. Frankie comes up with a brilliant plan. After all, Anna needs to loose her virginity, AKA the albatross. Twenty boys in one summer and she is bound to find the right guy. This will be the BEST summer ever!

Throughout the summer in Cali the girls film their vacation, sneak out of the beach house, and of course, one of them gets a huge sun burn. Naturally, there were boys. Boys, Boys, and more Boys. Their friendship is tested, along with the anxiety of being at the beach house for the first time without Matt. Anna is afraid of erasing all of her memories of Matt. Will she let loose and enjoy the Twenty Boys Summer?

The book is deep and tender as Ockler touches the taboo subject of death and loss. I loved this debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from her!

Rating:

Quotes:

"As I lick a runaway line of meting cherry chocolate ripple from my hand, I become hyperaware of our surroundings. The back-and-forth ancient lull of the tide. The cry of seagulls passing overhead. The smell of salt and fish carried on the warm breeze. With each step along the old wooden planks of the pier, tiny grains of sand that hitchhiked from the beach below are pulverized under our heels. Sand that traveled a millions of miles over billions of years across shifting continents and churning oceans, surviving plate tectonics, erosion, and sedimentary deposition is crushed by our new sandals. The cosmos can be so cruel."

"He's probably wondering why the women in this family are so certifiably nuts."

"'Hungry?' I ask. 'We could make chocolate chip pancakes'. It's not psychotherapy, but chocolate chip pancakes work for a lot of things."

Monday, October 4, 2010

Sexy. Writing. Feature. #2

Has come up with a writing feature to get all of those creative itches scratched.

The idea was developed as my creative writing professor was telling me that I need to open up my writing skills. Personally, as Black Disaster Fairy or otherwise I do not consider myself a writer. She feels I have hidden talent.

The idea is to take a photo, a few select words, theme, question, or particular place and develop a story around the selected medium.

Rules. There even has to be rules in the bedroom.

1.) Post the link for your story by Friday
2.) Limit yourself. Arounds 450 words.
3.) You have to have your story include the below medium of choice.
4.) This is a Adult Blog so no need to write censored work.
5.) It must be an original piece of work.
6.) Have some wicked fun with your words!!

Story #2

Drool now or later but I expect one heck of a racy story for this chiseled back of perfection!!

Photo selected by:

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Book Hop Right on Over :)

Welcome all bloggers to the book blogger hop! Sorry we are so behind in getting this post up, blame it on lack of computer time, 2 children and a crazy life that never gives. *smiles*

Okay, so this weeks question is:

How do you spread the word about your blog?

GoodReads, Blog Hopping, and making sure we feed other blogs our snarky sexy comments.

Plus, people tend to make their way over here with promises of seduction because we flash our frilly red knickers all over the blog-O-sphere.

or

We give out the allure of having many fictional boyfriends stashed over here.
Oh yes, Man Flesh on a stick is littered all over my bathhouse.
But... You will have to get your own male harem.

TRUST US, it is so worth it!

Adult Blog is hosted by Bitten by Paranormal Romance.
Follow the sent of scrumptious reads and head on over to sign up for the Tag :)

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sexy Monday. Wicked Stats.

Monday is Here!! What is so special Monday? Monday is the day

will share a fun sexy photo with all of our stunning followers. Plus we will let you know what is being read and by who?

Why?

Because I am sure that everyone is dying to see what is on our shelves. With the added perk of incredible anticipation for some risque reviews.

However, this week we have something special.

Speak Loudly!

This week there has been a huge outcry over a article claiming three beloved books to be filth.

Jen and I were disturbed over this abomination!

Yes, Deeply Disturbed!

We have put together a most wonderful post for our followers.

We also got together and decided that we were going to read one of the three

books that Scroggins called Filth!

We decided to read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Personally, for me I really wanted to read Speak. I just had to find out what would make this guy consider a rape scene to be soft porn. I also want to mention... that I feel that if you think rape is porn then Fairy thinks there is something wrong with you in more ways then one. But please get your head checked first.

I don't like ANYONE telling me what I can and can't read. For that matter, someone dictating the same for my children. I am perfectly capable of making those decisions and I don't need anyone bringing up a lack of morals or spirituality as their defense to such. So, I bought Speak for me, because any book helping young people with rape should never be pushed aside!

Wickedly Great & Finished:

Scrumptiously Devoured:

Have you read Speak?

Take a moment to tell us what you felt after you first read this book.

Questions:

Would you consider the rape scene to be pornographic?
What was your favorite part of Speak?
How did the book make you feel afterward?

After a few days we will post our responses

Post a duo review for

SPEAK

Speak Loudly. SPEAK LOUDLY!

Banned Book week is shortly upon us, September 25 - October 2. We love this time of the year because this is when the readers get to speak out against the people who would like to take the right away from us to read any book we may choose. The first amendment of the Bill of Rights gives us the right - no the freedom - to do so. Black Disaster Fairy was lucky enough to venture over to the National Archives to see the Bill of Rights in all its preserved glory. It is just mind blowing how powerful a piece of parchment can be - a piece of parchment with a voice of its own.

On the current circuit of banning books is an article written by a Mr. Scroggins that has the book blogging community in an uproar causing everyone to SPEAK up! We are so proud of the blog community! It seems as everyone has gotten together to take our thoughts and stand up for what we believe in. As well as, those authors who would write and create books for those situations of discomfort.

Here is a link to the article that has created such a huge response:

Filthy Books Demeaning to Republic Education

Scroggins has spoken out against one of my favorite books of this year, Twenty Boy Summer. This has deeply upset me. Along with this one, two other books that are definitely on my never ending to be read list. He is trying to get Speak banned, saying that the two rape scenes are considered soft porn. Really, if you are reading rape scenes and getting a bit turned on I think you just may have a problem you need to address. Sexual violence is not the same thing as porn!

Yes! And I wonder if the man has even read Speak. Just because of his atrocious article I bought the book and read it. The rape scene is barely described, as in it basically says it happens. Plus the tone of the book during all of the scenes that Scroggins is so dismayed about is almost sarcastic and regretful. Like what Melinda (the main character) thought about life before the rape is all just a joke to her now. When you read the words, you can feel their meaning, and that meaning is not that drinking and sex are what life are all about. So, Scroggins should get off his self-important duff and actually read this book. A book that is about teaching people to speak up. SPEAK UP!

~ Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

~ Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

~ Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Laurie Halse Anderson's rebutle article:

This Guy thinks SPEAK is Pornography

"We" believe that it is not good to shelter your children from an issue as important as this. Rape and molestation should not be looked at as soft porn. It truly is dirty and degrading but unfortunately it is apart of life. It happens! To me, you, adults, children. Anyone. To be powerless, to feel powerless and to have no where to turn has to be the worst experience. To be afraid and alone, exposed. Banning books on this issue does not help or detour from the possibilities of such horrendous events. By banning books that write about these tough dark happenings... how could you not feel like you are supporting the issue by hiding it? We need to be aware, our children need to be aware. Do not take that freedom away from them!

However, we as parents... yes both of us are parents, need to be responsible as well. Parents should feel inclined to be apart of their child's life. We are charged with providing them with strong values and teaching them about life, especially the rights and wrongs. Censorship is not teaching them about rights and wrongs or providing them with a strong value to live by. Censorship covers up an issue and brushes it under the table. What!! Why would anyone want to do that? It is just outrageous! I feel like banging my head on a brick wall.

It's so true. There are so many issues now a days that are being swept under the rug and that is so often why teens feel that they cannot say anything. Like it's a taboo subject to bring up their molestation or rape. This topic hits close to home for me. I have a younger sister who was molested by some kid in her school and she almost didn't say anything! She almost let it all go by and sit and fester. If it had not been for a school nurse who was really close to the students who had the ability to coax it out of her she would have dealt with it on her own. There are so many REAL issues that need to be addressed and tackled in grade schools that never would if it weren't for books like SPEAK and Twenty Boy Summer.

I love taboo subjects. It is a whole new ballgame when you talk about something that shouldn't be talked about. Pushing the unwritten line of comfort. People, we are unique in the fact that we can can think and have emotions, even in the way our brain presents certain issues as taboo. Why does a thing or event have to be classified in such a unnatural way? You said it, Jen! This schmuck should get of his duff and read the book. Banning such a book is just another way taboo exerts its power over us. I'm using a Harry Potter comparison because most people have see the movie/s or read the book/s. For example, Voldermort. Fear in a name creates fear in the thing itself. We sure do that! Stop sweeping important issues under the proverbial rug and talk to your children. If the kids of today were taught what to expect out in the world, good and bad, they will be equipped with the power they need.

Excellent points BDFairy! Just because of this Scroggins article, I WILL be reading 20 Boy Summer. Dealing with grief is no easy feat even as an adult, let alone a teenager with all consuming hormones and indecision that comes with that age. There is so much heartache and devastation in life and for me personally, I don't know what I would do without books. There have been so many books that have shown me how I have the option to deal with things and have helped me through hard times. What about you BDFairy?

Oh, one should mention that as soon as someone cries out you can't do that or read that I am there. Along with so many people of society. I had to find out more about what this huge outcry was about. I rushed to my Nook and ordered Speak just because someone said NO! Well, that and I have to find out why this guy would consider the rape scenes in this book to be soft porn. Curiosity will kill the Fairy!!

So, far the book is amazing and I passed on the "You Must Read This" message to many of my bookish friends at school. The outcry and united literary community is just pure amazingness! (Ok, it is not a word but it should be!)

In parting I guess I'd like to say this: To all you people out there who think that teenagers can't deal with these books, you are wrong! They deal with more than this kind of thing on a daily basis. Wonderful authors like Laurie Halse Anderson and Sarah Ockler have the amazing grace to send books our way that help through these times. They help us to know what to do in tough situations, who we can turn to. Because in an alternate reality, yeah, the world we live on would be perfect and teenagers wouldn't be having sex and drinking and doing some unspeakable things, but WE DON'T! We live in a world of chaos that needs some kind of control, some kind of guide through the mess we call life. Anderson - who also gave us Wintergirls for helping with eating disorders - and Ockler aren't the only ones either, some others are Julie Ann Peters who gave us By the Time You Read This I'll be Dead (bullying and suicide) and Jandy Nelson who gave us The Sky is Everywhere (death and grief).

So, don't tell me what I can and can't read and don't try to tell me what my children can and can't read. That's right, I have children of my own and I will decide what is appropriate for them. Not You. Not some elitist fascist who thinks he has the right to dictate his beliefs upon others.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Book Blogger Hop (September 24-26)

For me, I definitely wait until I finish the book. Besides the obvious reason that I do not have the time with 2 kids hanging off me to write a review in the middle of a book, there is the other reason. That reason is that my feelings could totally change by the end of the book. I definitely feel that I need the whole book to discover if an author is a good author and has the ability to make me fall for their characters. It's one of the reasons I try to finish books I read, because I may end up really liking a book that I originally did not.

I can tell you that I most defiantly wait to write and rant about a book until I have finished every last word. The beginning of the book might stink and the ending will redeem the book to be an okay... pretty good read. Or the book can have an amazing beginning and then have the crappiest of crap endings.

Let's sum it up:

Oh me...oh my...oh goodness...I wait until the entire book is read.

Looks like me and Black Disaster Fairy have similar opinions on the matter which makes it even more likely that we are twins from different mothers. So, that being said we'd like to welcome all new bloggers to our blog and happy hopping!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Wicked (Sexy) Monday Stats

Monday, September 20th 2010

(Okay, so I've been a little intrigued as of late with body art. It's just so....amazing)

Monday is Here!! What is so special Monday? Monday is the day

will share a fun sexy photo with all of our stunning followers. Plus we will let you know what is being read and by who?

Why?
Because I am sure that everyone is dying to see what is on our shelves. With the added perk of incredible anticipation for some risque reviews.

Now I feel dirty. But in a most delightful way ;)

Sexy and simple. We will let you know what we have read, are reading, and will probably be reading next. If we have completed a sexy review we will handcuff you, provide the link, and let you enjoy the Wicked fun banter about said steamy book!

Wickedly Great & Finished: