Tag Archives: Ally Condie

In My Mailbox

July 1, 2012 posted by Nichole

In My Mailbox #37: Birthday Edition

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, inspired by Alea and explores the contents of our mailbox on a weekly basis

Welcome back!

This Tuesday (the 3rd) I am turning 22! That means I had an awesome Barnes and Nobles trip where I got to milk my dad for all his worth [; Let’s take a look at what I got.

For Review
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Die for Me by Amy Plum

Until I die by Amy Plum

Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells

Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Last Breath by Rachel Caine

Matched by Ally Condie

I am SO excited about all my new books! I’m also really excited to get up to date! Haha. I didn’t realize how far behind I was on all the popular books. I don’t even know where to start. I think Insurgent is next because I’m just about finished with Divergent. Where do I start after that? I have no idea!!!!

Sound off in the comments, guys!

What did you guys get in your mailbox this week? Let us know in the comments section below!

Want to see what I’m currently reading? Go check out my goodreads page here or check out yareads goodreads page here. It’s the perfect place to see what we’re reading, what page we’re on, and what we’re about to read!

Cover of the Week

June 15, 2012 posted by Kiona

Cover of the Week #79

You should never judge a book by its cover.

Sure…but they never said we couldn’t admire them. Cover of the Week pays homage to the beautiful and eye catching graphics that grace the covers of our young adult titles.

This week’s cover of the week goes to Reached by Ally Condie.

Release Date: November 2012

Cover of the Week

November 4, 2011 posted by Kiona

Cover of the Week #47

You should never judge a book by its cover.

Sure…but they never said we couldn’t admire them. Cover of the Week pays homage to the beautiful and eye catching graphics that grace the covers of our young adult titles.

This week’s cover of the week goes to Crossed by Ally Condie.

Release Date: November 2011

Pubsicle

November 2, 2011 posted by Kiona

Pubsicle #18

Flavor of the week: Frozen Peach Penguin Swirl

Pubsicle is a weekly meme that combines our two favorite things – ice cream and books. We hand the reigns over to some of our awesome publishers as they highlight what upcoming releases they’re excited about.

Crossed by Ally Condie

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky – taken by the Society to his certain death – only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander – who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart – change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Release Date: November 1, 2011

Ally Condie is a former high school English teacher who lives with her husband and three sons outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, running, eating, and listening to her husband play guitar.

Website: www.allysoncondie.com

Brotherband Chronicles: The Outcast by John Flanagan

They are outcasts. Hal, Stig, and the others – they are the boys the others want no part of. Skandians, as any reader of Ranger’s Apprentice could tell you, are known for their size and strength. Not these boys. Yet that doesn’t mean they don’t have skills. And courage – which they will need every ounce of to do battle at sea against the other bands, the Wolves and the Sharks, in the ultimate race. The icy waters make for a treacherous playing field . . . especially when not everyone thinks of it as playing.

John Flanagan, author of the international phenomenon Ranger’s Apprentice, creates a new cast of characters to populate his world of Skandians and Araluens, a world millions of young readers around the world have come to know and admire. Full of seafaring adventures and epic battles, Book 1 of The Brotherband Chronicles is sure to thrill readers of Ranger’s Apprentice while enticing a whole new generation just now discovering the books.

Release Date: November 1, 2011

John Flanagan grew up in Sydney, Australia, hoping to be a writer. It wasn’t until he wrote a highly uncomplimentary poem about a senior executive at the agency where he worked, however, that his talent was revealed. It turned out one of the company directors agreed with John’s assessment of the executive, and happily agreed to train John in copywriting.

John began writing Ranger’s Apprentice for his son, Michael, ten years ago, and is still hard at work on the series. He currently lives in a suburb of Manly, Australia, with his wife. In addition to their son, they have two grown daughters and four grandsons

Website: www.rangersapprentice.com

Playground by 50 Cent

Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn’t have much going for him. He’s teased mercilessly about his weight. He hates the Long Island suburb his mom moved them to and wishes he still lived with his dad in the city. And now he’s stuck talking to a totally out-of-touch therapist named Liz.

Liz tries to uncover what happened that day on the playground—a day that landed one kid in the hospital and Butterball in detention. Butterball refuses to let her in on the truth, and while he evades her questions, he takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today.

Release Date: November 1, 2011

50 Cent is a hip-hop artist who founded the G-Unit Books imprint.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

It’s 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet. Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM. Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on–and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

Release Date: November 21, 2011

Jay Asher was born in Arcadia, California on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar to his writing. He attended Cuesta College right after graduating from high school. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation.

Carolyn graduated from Vassar College. When her book The Earth My Butt and Other Big Round Things was named as one of ALAs Top Ten Banned Books of 2006, Carolyn became an advocate against banning books. She lives with her husband and son in New York City.

Website: jayasher.blogspot.com

Website: www.carolynmackler.com

Legend by Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths – until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Release Date: November 29, 2011

Marie Lu writes young adult novels, and has a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, she was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, she was an Art Director at a video game company where she enjoyed discussing Facebook game apps with her co-workers, hearing amusing insider stories about World of Warcraft bugs, and delighting in cute 3D renditions of buildings–all via Skype.

Website: www.marielu.org

Penguin USA can be found online at penguingroup.com.

News

March 13, 2011 posted by Christina

New Covers + First COFA Book Trailer

Hey there yaReaders, in the absence of an In My Mailbox post this week (no new books = no IMM) I thought I’d share a few exciting releases…

First is the cover for the companion novel to Anna & the French Kiss, which is Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.

“In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket—a gifted inventor and engineer—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.”

Check out Stephanie’s blog post here, which includes a hint as to how Lola is connected to Anna.

Release date: September 29th 2011 (can’t wait!)

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Next is the sequel to last year’s hugely popular release, Matched which is Crossed by Ally Condie.

“In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever”

Release Date: November 1st 2011

So excited for this one too!

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Lastly, the first of three book trailers in the lead up to the release of Cassandra Clare’s City of Fallen Angels was unveiled this week. The first one is a recap of the series so far, check it out below, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Author Interviews

November 24, 2010 posted by Christina

Interview with Ally Condie

Ally Condie is the author of the fantastic new novel, Matched, which is our November Book of the Month! She was nice enough to take the time out for a Q&A in the lead up to the book’s release on Nov. 30th (Dec 2nd for Australia).

**Beware of some spoilers ahead**

Cassia’s world in the Society is so complex and fascinating – where did the idea for the story come from?

Matched was inspired by a few different events—specific ones, such as a conversation with my husband and a time we chaperoned a high school prom—and general ones, like falling in love and becoming a parent.
Matched raises a lot of questions about our own society, as well as, what it means to be happy and the value of freedom – are they issues you wanted to particularly highlight?

Yes! I think happiness and freedom are both things we all want in our own lives now. And sometimes it feels like happiness and freedom don’t go hand in hand. Freedom means tough choices, living with consequences. But is true happiness possible without also knowing hardship and despair? I don’t think so. I think you have to have both sides of the coin.

How much research did you have to do before starting this novel?

I didn’t do any research before starting the novel, but as it progressed, I did do a bit of research into optimal fertility ages (so I’d know when the Society would match people) and also into game theory, the prisoner’s dilemma, etc. My husband is an economist so things like game theory and algorithms come up at the dinner table all the time. He was a great resource, but of course any mistakes in the book are mine alone. J

I guess, as the writer, you get to chose which paintings/songs/poems etc get to be included in The Hundred – did you pick your favorites or did you opt for a list of the most popular of each?

I haven’t actually made lists of all the Hundreds. The only ones I “know” for certain are the ones that I’ve used in the book. And my list of favorites would look very different from the Society’s Hundreds. The Society would be very careful not to include anything subversive or inflammatory. The Society has also eliminated a lot of diversity and culture when they made their Hundreds, which is creepy.

Though Cassia seems quite decided in this book on who her Match is, will we see Xander try to make a comeback?

I don’t want to give too much away—but I will say that Xander is not giving up.

The film rights for Matched have been picked up by Disney – has there been any progress so far?

Not yet! Disney is still looking for a screenwriter. But I will be sure to post any updates I can on the blog.

I know I’m dying to find out what happens next (as I’m sure everyone else will be), what can we expect from the next book?

Let’s see…what am I allowed to tell you? 😉 Book 2 will have two narrators telling the story. And it will be the next part of Cassia’s journey, both physically and emotionally.
Any quirky writing rituals or habits? Where do you prefer to write? Cafe, at home…etc

I like to write at home in my basement “office,” and I also like to write at the public library. I drink a LOT of water while I’m writing and I like to wear a certain hoodie. And I don’t snack a lot while I’m writing, but if I need to stay awake, cinnamon bears usually do the trick.
What’s currently in your to-read pile?

Where She Went by Gayle Forman, Great House by Nicole Krauss, and The Beyonders by Brandon Mull. I can’t wait to read them all!

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Thank you Ally! Check out our review of Matched here and Ally’s guest blog here

Guest Reviews

November 10, 2010 posted by Christina

Guest Post by Ally Condie

Ally Condie is the author of Matched, our fabulous Book of the Month for November.

We’d like to introduce the woman behind one of the most anticipated new releases of this year as she shares a bit of background on herself and gives more of an insight on the story behind Matched. Ally can be found on her website here, or on Twitter – @allycondie. Also, check out the official website for Matched which features the book’s newly released trailer.

I’m a mom and writer now, but before I did those things, I had a lot of other jobs. I was a high school teacher (I still keep my license current, but I haven’t taught in about six years). I was a bookstore employee. And I was the house mom in a sorority at an Ivy League school (my husband was the house dad, and we lived in a teeny tiny apartment right in the sorority, and it was fantastically entertaining and interesting).

And I got to choose all of those jobs.

In Matched, the characters don’t get to choose the people they marry, and they also don’t get to choose their vocations. Of course, this isn’t a new idea—we’ve seen it in books like 1984 and in actual governments throughout history. We live in this very rare and wonderful time when choice is seen as a right and as something that is possible and intrinsic to our happiness.

Cassia, the main character and narrator of Matched, doesn’t live in a world like that. Everything has been carefully orchestrated and everyone has been carefully manipulated. Cassia knows that her vocation will be based on her aptitudes and interests, and that it will probably be a job she enjoys. She trusts the Society to Match her not only with her mate, but also with her career. Until, of course, something happens and she begins to ask questions the Society would prefer she didn’t.

For me, being able to marry the person you love and to choose what you do are two of the most important choices of all. And they can lead you to very interesting situations. If I hadn’t been married to my husband, for example, and if we hadn’t chosen to work at the sorority while he was in grad school, I never would have had the singular experience of opening the front door while I was nine months pregnant to find a fraternity of half-naked frat boys holding tiki torches to invite the girls to a dance. I never would have seen their faces fall and some of them literally turn and run at the unexpected and gravid sight of a pregnant twenty-seven-year-old in maternity pants when they were expecting beautiful nineteen-year-olds in Sevens.

And who would want to miss out on an experience like that?

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Thanks Ally! Matched is set for release on the 30th November and 2nd December for Australia. Be sure to look out for an interview with Ally and a giveaway.