reading rainbow

the poshdeluxe book club: how to deal with TEABS

WHAT’S UP READING CLUB!!!!!

i know, i know, we haven’t had a real meeting in aaaages. and i didn’t even bring refreshments this time. but don’t worry, levar, i’ve still been reading plenty! and, since i was sick over the weekend, i managed to whiz through three YA (young adult, y’all) books that were all QUITE exceptional. seriously, reading really IS the best medicine (besides painkillers, obvs) cos i’m totally better and REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE THESE BOOKS WITH YR PANTS!

so, you know that feeling you get, after reading a totally amazing and incredible book? i’ve decided to give it a name: TEABS. it stands for The End of an Amazing Book Syndrome. here are the symptoms so we, as a book club, can be vigilant:

1. after finishing the final sentence, you stare at the last page for at least two minutes. an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath are common side effects during this stage.

2. you immediately flip back to all of yr favorite parts and furiously read them again in order to pretend like It’s Not Really Over.

3. after you’ve exhausted every single cherished page, you stare off into space while imagining the characters in new scenarios, living life beyond the boundaries of the book (this stage can evolve into an obsession known as FanFic, which most TEABS experts discourage).

4. you call every friend you know who’s read the book just so you can rehash every single story line and character and, basically, totally spazz out* (*scientific term meaning highly energetic and ridiculous spasms of conversation and exclamations).

5. you read reviews of the book online just so you can shout “TOTALLY!” and “I KNOW, RIGHT?!!!” at yr computer screen.

6. you do a search on amazon for future sequels and, if unsuccessful, turn to the general internet for RUMORS of a sequel, no matter how baseless they are because OMG IT CAN’T BE OVER! IT CAN’T BE!

WARNING: TEABS IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS AND IS TRANSMITTED VIA SHARED BOOKAGE.

i provide you with this list, dear readers, after careful analysis of a victim of TEABS… MYSELF!

because, this weekend, i read this:

HOLY PANTS YOU GUYS!!!! THIS BOOK IS FREAKING AMAZING!!!!!!!! I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!! (<– TEABS alert!).

ok ok i’ll try to collect myself for a minute so i can describe to you WHY this book is so insanely good and you MUST READ IT IMMEDIATELY.

now, i know some of you aren’t really into YA, but, trust me, this book transcends all genre borders because it’s just plain FANTASTIC. it takes place in a future, postapocalyptic version of today, where the government (“the capitol”) rules over 12 districts (kinda like states) with an iron fist. the heroine of the book, katniss, is a teenage resident of district 12, which is like, the crappy, ghetto district. it’s not dangerous as much as flat out poor, and katniss has been forced to become a badass in order to provide for her mother and sister by hunting in the woods (which is illegal, FYI). anyway, in order to remind the districts that the capitol is always in control, the country holds the annual “hunger games,” where two teens from every district are randomly chosen to compete in a fight to the death– think “battle royale” or “lord of the flies.” the 24 competitors, called tributes, are dumped in a vast wilderness arena, and the entire event, which takes about two weeks, is not only televised but is required viewing for all districts.

as you can easily guess, katniss ends up as a tribute in the games… and ok, i don’t want to give away any more plot, cos the twists are obvs part of what make the book so gripping. just trust me when i say that, once you get through the first chapter of this book, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN. it’s exciting and romantic (yay!) and REALLY SCARY (seriously, i had to close it a few times and take some deep breaths),not to mention utterly, utterly compelling. it’s a human story, but it’s also a political one, and collins does a superb job of storytelling (i.e. she doesn’t get preachy like SOMEONE i know, whose name ryhymes with forge borewell).

the best part? HALLELUJAH THERE’S A SEQUEL!!!!! it doesn’t come out until sept 1 though so… i’m gonna have to get a grip on my TEABS til then.

anyway, i give this book four out of four pants, plus PANTS TO INFINITY COS IT’S SO GOOD. we’re talking, definite poshie 2009 nominee folks. and, you know i don’t say this lightly: “read it. i KNOW you’ll love it!” AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT!! I’M DYING HERE!!!!!

+ INFINITY PANTS

ok, two more quick reviews on books that were really great but just not up to the epic standard set by “hunger games”:

ok, i am totally in love with this book too. I HAVE MULTIPLE CASES OF TEABS, YOU GUYS. this is bad.

i am SUPER late in the game on the jessica darling series (this is book one) which debuted in 2001 but you better believe i am catching up FAST (guess who requested all four of the other books from the library already, holla!!). cos jessica darling is totally one of my favorite YA heroines that i’ve EVER encountered. she’s hilarious and hormonal and super super smart and dramatic… you know, a teenager. just like sarah dessen, one of my most revered YA writers, megan mccafferty perfectly captures the inner (and outer) dialogue of a teenager– the highs of a crush, the lows of crappy friends, the politics of high school, the jumping to ridiculous conclusions, the embarrassments that threaten to End Life As We Know It. jessica’s voice is refreshingly honest and 100% authentic as she navigates a lunch table full of mean girl friends, an obsession with a boy who doesn’t know she exists (of course), a mom who totally doesn’t get her, and a super weird new friendship with the resident stoner guy. now, that description may sound like run of the mill YA stuff, but trust me when i say that jessica’s cynical attitude and brutally honest commentary turn this typical faire into a gem of a book.

think of it as the “my so-called life” of the YA world. and THANK GOODNESS there’s not just one sequel, but FOUR!!!!

maybe the most compelling thing i can say about this book is that it made me want to go back to high school. no seriously. and you know it’s the TEABS talking cos THAT’S CRAY CRAY!!!!

i give this book four v. enthusiastic pants!!!!!!!!!

ok, third and finally!

“undercover” is such a sweet and lovely read– in fact, it’s more like a poem than a book, which is a bit unusual in YA-land. the story centers on elisa, a girl who delights in weaving words together while her family falls apart. her talent as a wordsmith has transformed her into the cyrano of her school, with boys asking her to write little love poems in order to win the hearts of more popular girls. elisa prides herself on being an observer, but while she finds tiny bits of beauty around her, she fails to be an active participant in her life. all of this changes when she strikes up a friendship with a boy at school and decides to teach herself to ice skate on a tiny pond she discovers in the woods behind her neighborhood.

i often feel like i need more poetry in my life, and after reading this book, my heart felt refreshed by elisa’s magical, etherealwords. as a heroine, elisa is a marvelously complex character– quiet and bookwormish on the outside, curious and whimsical on the inside. kephart does a wonderful job of balancing the poetry with the plot, although i think she ultimately falls a little too heavily on the poetic side (there are a few moments that ring a little bit contrived). overall, though, i really cherished this book, which is why i give it a glowing endorsement of three and half pants!

now it’s YR turn. what are you guys reading? anybody got a case of TEABS they need therapy for?

p.s. PLEASE READ THE HUNGER GAMES AND THEN CALL ME.

LINKS

i realize this is kinda old news but OMG THE NEW HP TRAILER GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS PANTS!

randy sent me this video of a renegade “sound of music” dance performance. maybe it’s cos i was sick over the weekend when i watched it but it totally brought tears to my eyes! cos, like, look at people, bringing secret joy into mundane places!!! ha ha i am ridiculous.

meredith sent me one of the best “night out” pieces ever– cos COLIN HANKS! I LOVE COLIN HANKS! the only thing missing from this piece is the part where i get to hug him.

new mandy moore video! i know erin with a little e will be the only one who cares but YAY!!!

© 2009 Poshdeluxe.