Sunday Brunch #1

Hi all,

I have decided on a new feature for this blog - one which hopefully I will do religiously every week (*cough* unlike my Essays and Classics features *cough*).

The main idea of this feature is to talk about books without it being a review (where I only talk about one book and its themes) or a meme (because, even though I like IMM, it just lists books I received and doesn't leave much place to debate).

The name of the feature is quite simple to explain: I am starving after a busy week at work, I like chilling out on a Sunday morning with good food and friends with whom I catch up on news and gossip about everything and anything. And that's what I want to do with you fellow bloggers and readers!

The blog:

So you might have noticed (or not!) a little slowing down in the blog activity with fewer reviews and no meme, but I am trying to get used to my new full time work schedule. I am also participating in NaNoWriMo this month, which is really great to motivate me to write at least once a week and has given me the opportunity to find some brilliant (says me) ideas for my Work In Progress! Even though I am pretty sure I won't reach the 50k, it is definitely better than before!

As you may know (or not!), I am organising a HIV/AIDS in YA Literature Week from 28th November to 5th December (if you want more info, hop over here) and I had some amazing response from other UK Bloggers (because they're the best!) and it is going to be a really cool event (again - says me!) so don't hesitate to check it out and put the YA Book Bloggers Raise Awareness logo on your blog!

Books:

I have read this week, as part of UK Book Tours, When I Was Joe and Almost True by Keren David and I have loved them so much!! I was hooked to the story and basically read the books whenever I could spare a minute (in the tube, during my lunch break and as soon as I got home from work!). They are thrillers for YA and I really liked the voice of Ty/Joe (and the regular reader of this blog knows how picky I am with male characters).

I have a new obsession in life, and this obsession is Anne McCaffrey! 

Though I review a lot of YA on here, I am a huge fan of Fantasy / Science Fiction and I am always annoyed at how little time I have to read all the books I would like to read. Anyways, Anne McCaffrey is made of awesome, she has written *tons* of books on Science Fiction and Fantasy and has received many many awards for her books.

Her most famous work is the Dragonriders of Pern series (more than 20  books which can work as stand alones) about colonists from Earth on a planet called Pern living with, among others, creatures they call dragons, as well as books on people with Talents (telekinesis, telepathy...), aliens, a Unicorn Girl and many others. She has written many series (mostly adult but there are some YA) and also some stand alone, including Restoree which was written as a criticism of how women were portrayed in Science Fiction (see why I am obsessed?!!).

Anyways, I am going to organise a Anne McCaffrey Reading Challenge in 2011 so I can share my obsession with you. *beams*

Books for review: All links to Goodreads

You Against Me, Jenny Downham out 2nd Dec 2010 Thanks RHCB!

My Soul To Take, Rachel Vincent (UK cover) out January 2011, Thanks Mira!

Dawn Of The Dreadfuls, Steve Hockensmith, Thanks Quirk Books!

Books I bought: All links to Goodreads

Empress Of The World, Sara Ryan

Between Mom And Jo and Keeping You A Secret by Julie Anne Peters

Annie On My Mind, Nancy Garden

Sugar Rush, Julie Burchill

(Why, yes, someone is planning a lesbian teen novels week, how did you know? :D)

Stuff I read and want to share:

Press:

Nick Hornby opens a Ministry of Stories in the UK to get Britain's kids writing again (Guardian)

Interesting interview of Anne Rice where she talks religion and vampires (Guardian)

Barack Obama has written a children's book (review on the Guardian)

Blogs:

Asamum organised a fascinating week on Anti-Bullying check out her posts (here)

The Bookette is searching for all UK debut novels for 2011 (here)

Questions keeping me up at night: eBooks edition

I am having heated debates with myself (and occasionally with other people) over eBooks. I aim to buy myself a kindle at Christmas (because it seems like the cheapest and the device best suited for my needs) and I am wondering about the whole eBooks revolution. I am half convinced by the whole thing: it will never replace a book for me but I think it is pretty useful in the long term. 

What I am unsure of is the price. If you read many articles on the subject, people have basically no idea what the price of an eBook is, i.e. the optimum price between costs/profit for publishers/writers and the price reader/consumers would be willing to pay. Do you think there should be one price for all books like it is the case for songs (£0.99 regardless of the song) or that it should depend on the work? 

I am really feeling that we are at a turning point in the industry and things will be changing in the next 18 months. 

So that was my first Sunday Brunch post, hope you enjoyed it!

Have a lovely Sunday and talk next week!

x Caroline