How to Be Alone, by Tanya Davis and Andrea Dorfman

How to Be Alone: poem by Tanya Davis, illustrations by Andrea Dorfman

Available Now

Reviewed by: Honorary Sis Sarah P.

The Sisters Say: beautiful picture book for grownups (!) with some courageous things to say about the way we live now

If you are at first lonely, be patient.
If you're not been alone much, or if when you were, you weren't okay with it, then just wait . . .

From a solitary walk in the woods to sitting unaccompanied on a city park bench to eating a meal and even dancing alone, certain activities can feel strange when you're on your own. We rarely treasure those moments, even though there are abundant possibilities and delights waiting to be discovered when we have the time to just be with ourselves. Tanya Davis's words and Andrea Dorfman's beautiful illustrations soothe the disquiet that accompanies this fear of aloneness, and celebrate the power of solitude to change our views of ourselves and the world. How to Be Alone reveals how, removed from the noise and distractions of other lives, we can find acceptance and grace within.

For those who have never been by themselves, or for those who relish being on their own, this moving work encourages us to recognize and embrace the possibilities of being alone—and reminds us of a universe of joy, peace, and discovery waiting to unfold.

This beautiful little hardcover book grew out of a 4.5 minute video sensation with five million YouTube hits. The question this poem asks is beautifully subversive. Why is it sometimes so difficult to be alone? How nonsensical to feel awkward or ashamed when we are not surrounded by a gaggle of friends.

But it isn't easy, is it? What a dope I feel like, just admitting it.

The book posits that feeling comfortable being alone is a skill worth acquiring, and it's hard to disagree. The poem, just a few words on each page, starts out with the assumption that being alone is not easy. "We could start with the acceptable places: the bathroom / the coffee shop / the library." And it builds from there, finding many new ways to be comfortable all alone.

My favorite page comes about 1/3 of the way through, and it's an important enough sentiment that it might as well be the book's subtitle. "Resist the urge to hang out with your cell phone." Surely that's this generation's greatest challenge, no? With our shiny digital friends, we can always bow our heads and shut the anonymous world out. In fact, if this were my book, I'd cut to the chase and title it: How to Put Down Your Phone.

This pretty book (which would probably make a lovely gift, come holiday time) wants us to try to find the real joy in our solitude. "Dance like nobody's watching. Because they're probably not."

Aside from the beautiful poem, the book's painted art, its handwritten text and its matte cloth cover are are gorgeous. Read it, and then pass it on to someone you love.

A picture book for grown-ups!

Disclaimer: the publisher provided a hard copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pitch Dark Days Revealed

The Dark Days of Winter are here again!!! And we are representing an amazing author!  She's faster than the Regulators, more powerful than the DFA and able to leap genres in a single bound.  She's  Katniss.  She's Hermione. No she's LAUREN OLIVER!!!!  Yahoooooooo!!!! We were so excited to receive her as our author!!!! And this is what we have been doing for days, days I say!!!

Ms. Oliver's writing is one of kind.  We at the Sisterhood adore her and are envious of her writing super powers.  After reading her works, we are pretty sure that in real life, she has almost starved to death, has had gun shots raining down on her and has led a resistance in some foreign land.  Her writing is precise, vivid and full of imagery.  To open up one of her novels truly means to visit another land.  We are truly, truly honored to be hosting her for this years Dark Days of Winter.  We also have a special little treat for you, a video from Lauren herself!  She's here to share a little about her final installment Requiem from her Delirium Trilogy.  Let me just say, guys, it is AMAZING!!!

Requiem by Lauren Oliver Final Book in the Delirium Trilogy

Published by Harper

Release Date: March 5th, 2013

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

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Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader. 

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.  You can find out more information about Lauren at Lauren Oliver Books.

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Be sure to visit the Pitch Dark Days page to find out everything you need to know about the dark days of winter.

Also check out today's other big Dark Days Reveal over at Emily's Reading Room.

Yesterday's reveals at My Over Stuffed Bookshelf and Me My Shelf and I.

And, tomorrow's big reveals at 2 Chicks on Books and I Be Book Blogging.

And, a special thanks to Harper Collins and all their people for putting together the Pitch Dark Days!

Special Video from Sarah Crossan Author of Breathe

Inhale. Exhale.
Breathe.
Breathe.
Breathe . . .
The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina
has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.

Quinn
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Breathe is the debut novel from Sarah Crossan.  We have a special video clip from Harper Collins/Greenwillow that will get you up close and personal with this new author and her heart pounding story!  Breathe will be taking your breathe away on October 2nd, so be sure to pre-order your copy now!

Until I Die by Amy Plum

Until I Die by Amy Plum
ARC received from Harper Collins via Edelweiss Above the Treeline
Release Date:  5-8-2012
Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say:  Dazzling, Dynamic, and to Die for!

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.

I must implore, read Until I Die On May 8th, it’s out to buy In this book, secrets you will learn Will the Revenants world live or burn? And what about Vincent, the sexy guy? How many times will he have to die? And what about Kate, can she take the pain Of seeing her lover constantly slain? Then there’s Ambrose, Gaspard, and Jules Will the Numa play them all for fools? Of course dear Georgia we can’t forget Will her judgment still be a threat? All these answers I promise you shall find Though you may not get your peace of mind For with the truth come more whys? Read for yourself and discover the lies. I was fortunate enough to receive an arc of Until I Die from Edelweiss Above the Treeline, and I started reading it the moment it downloaded. It actually started out pretty slow with most of it focusing on character development--I even got discouraged at one point because I felt like nothing was happening. But I am SO GLAD I kept going--it really starts to pick up near the middle, adn from that point, I just had to know what was going to happen. Amy Plum did an excellent j...moreI was fortunate enough to receive an arc of Until I Die from Edelweiss Above the Treeline, and I started reading it the moment it downloaded. It actually started out pretty slow with most of it focusing on character development--I even got discouraged at one point because I felt like nothing was happening. But I am SO GLAD I kept going--it really starts to pick up near the middle, and from that point, I just had to know what was going to happen. Amy Plum did an excellent job of providing twists and turns--I mean, there were parts I never would have seen coming! Any time I tried to predict what the bad guys were up to, I was proven wrong. And even more interesting, Amy Plum doesn't even reveal who the antagonist is until the very end--another surprise I didn't see coming! Why should you read this book? 1.) If you loved Vincent in the first book, you will truly love him in Until I Die. He is even more sexy, more mysterious, and more protective.  I just love how hard he tries to keep Kate happy—even if it hurts him. 2.) You will learn even more about the Revenants--secrets they hide and prophecies they believe.  You get bits and pieces of their history as the story unfolds. 3.) You will get to know the characters even better. I really think my favorite part of Amy Plum's Revenant series is the deepness of her characters. She knows how to write so that you feel like you know her characters--even the ones that aren't focused on like Gaspard, Jean-Baptiste, and some of the other revenants. I loved getting to know Ambrose and Jules more in this one--full of loyalty, trust, and charisma. 4.) And finally--the cliffhanger ending. I had to reread the last page a few times to see if I missed anything because I quite literally wanted to fall to my knees and scream, "You can't end there!" 2013 can't come soon enough! 5.) The new characters!  There are a few new characters that play a large role in this book, and I really enjoyed seeing how other Revenants act, speak, fight, etc.  We are used to the Paris revenants, but in this book we get to see some from other parts of the world. I do wish there would have been more romance between Kate and Vincent.  Don’t get me wrong, the romance is there, but it felt a little lacking, like it didn’t progress much from book 1.  I wanted more of those secret moments where he touches her cheek and her stomach rolls; more of those kisses that just take your breath away; more of those oh la la moments that make you wish you were Kate!  Hopefully, Amy Plum will go all out in the next installment (If I Should Die). So finally, I urge you to push through the slower parts in the beginning because it is definitely worth it to see how the rest of the story unfolds!!!!!!

Teaser Tuesday: INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Releases on May 1st.

Thank you to Katherine Tegen, HarperCollins times a million for the ARC!

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"Because inside me is a beast that snarls,
growls, and strains toward freedom,
toward Tobias and, above all, toward life." (ARC, pg 341)


"His skin is slippery with water and he smells like sweat and my shirt sticks to his arms when he slides them around me.  He presses his face to my neck and kisses me right above the collarbone, kisses my cheek, kisses my lips."  (ARC, pg 400)

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I read this book (more than 500 pages) in less than 24 hours, and it was so good I felt like I read it in an hour! I just completely fell for Four all over again! I wanted to turn right back to the beginning and reread it! But since I need to get it back to big sis Amy, I satisfied myself with just rereading my favorite Four parts (which there were plenty of)!! There are no dull moments, action follow action, hate follows hate, and love follows love! You will find yourself on a rollercoaster of emotions, and you won't want it to stop! I'm already wallowing in self pity because I have to wait a year for the final book! Oh, and did I mention you will fall even more in love with Four? I did, but it bears repeating.

Also, as you probably have seen, we are apart of Team Erudite! Please help us to win this faction war by clicking on our link here.

WE ARE ERUDITE!

(GIF Source: odairess)


Friday started out just as any other day.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the kids were screaming, and I needed caffine!  Then all of the sudden the door bell rang!  My first thought was..."HIDE, its probably a salesman!" (solicitors are popular in our neighborhood).  But, before I could yell out my command, my overeager son was already shouting from the door, "its a box!"  He opens the door, grabs the box only to have it ripped from his tiny hands instantly because this is what I saw:

I then proceeded to jump around like an 8 year old going to Disney World for the first time or like my sisters and I at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  I gently, ripped open the box and this is what I found:

I then grabbed the Insurgent ARC and this is what I looked like:   

And, yes, Harper Collins could not have placed us in a more accurate Faction!  We at the YA-Sisterhood are a bunch of smarty pants that would prefer a book to basically anything!  So we will say it LOUD and PROUD...WE ARE ERUDITE!!!

Now, we are looking for more ERUDITES out there to help us spread the word and win this faction war!!!  Harper Collins is holding a little, well more like HUGE, contest between the factions.  For the month of April whichever faction receives the most hits on their Faction Page will win the contest!!!  So please, spread the word by post this link: http://bit.ly/choose_erudite wherever you can!  We know ERUDITE can do this because we have the best followers in the world!!!  Let's treat this like one of our tournaments and spread the word!!! Do it for FOUR!!!!!

I saw this quote on our Faction Tumblr Page and I just had to reblog it here:

I am Divergent says:

It makes me sad that some people are ashamed when they find out they’re Erudite. Erudite isn’t a bad faction, it just gets a bad rep because of icky Jeanine. It’s like how everyone always says Slytherin is evil just because the majority of the house was on Voldemort’s side during the war. Well, I’m a Slytherin and I’m proud. So I see no reason why you can’t be proud of being an Erudite.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!!!  So, if you want to join our ERUDITE team and help us win this, leave your name, twitter, facebook, email, any way to get a hold of you, and we will let you know how you can help!!! Be sure in all your tweets to use: #DivergentNation and #ERUDITE.

Also, Pam over at Bookalicious, who is our Erudite faction leader, is hosting a giveaway for not 1, not 2, but 3 finished, signed and personalized copies of Insurgent!  How awesome of a giveaway is that?!?! So be sure to head over there and enter to win!

Teaser Tuesday: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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          "It's the decisions the human characters make, in impossible situations, that have us still talking about them centuries later.  Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." 

(ARC, 133)

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Everneath by Brodi Ashton is published by HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray and will be released January 24th, 2012.  You do not want to miss this one!!!