Bookish News: The Occupy Movement & YA Dystopians

Photo credit: AP from Salon article

Yesterday Salon.com posted an interesting article entitled "What Occupy can learn from the Hunger Games".  Mike Doherty wrote about the how the Occupy movement can learn a few lessons from dystopian novels.  He specifically cites an example of how the London Occupy movement uses slogans and visuals from the graphic novel V for Vendetta.  Doherty discusses the parallels between Occupy and popular young adult dystopian novels:

It’s fitting that the Occupy movement should have drawn inspiration from dystopian fiction, an increasingly popular genre for teenagers and young adults in particular. If, as Time magazine suggests, the person of the year was the Protester, the publishing phenomenon was the Dystopia — the story of the dissenter in a repressive society who becomes a revolutionary. The new wave was led by two trilogies, both published from 2008-10: Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” (whose big-budget Hollywood adaptation kicks off in March) and Patrick Ness’ “Chaos Walking” (now being adapted by Lionsgate).

The article discusses examples from The Hunger Games, Matched, Divergent and Chaos Walking in depth.  There are SPOILERS in the article for these books, so be prepared for them if you haven't read these stories yet.  Doherty concludes with intriguing insights:

The new YA dystopian novels are thoughtful books, but they don’t offer solutions or blueprints – they merely suggest ways of combating stifling political ideologies. They’re full of different voices, or what literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, writing in – and against – Soviet Russia, called “polyphony”: the opposite of propaganda, and the enemy of ideology. Where they resonate with the Occupy movement, it’s in the protagonists’ determination to recalibrate the world around us in creative ways: seeing a bank as an educational institution, a tent as a library, a movement as a gathering of people asking questions, and encouraging ways of thinking by which solutions could be found. 

Check out the full article. It's worth the time. While I'm reading my next dystopian, I'll think about how the storyline could parallel current events.

2012 Goals and Challenges

As promised, here are my goals and reading challenges for 2012.  Also, I joined a bunch of new reading challenges. Very exciting!  It's going to be a fun year.

2012 Goals:

• Read 65 books this year:  I read 58 in 2011 so I'll try to top that number. 65 sounds like a good goal.
• Review more:  I read a lot, but tend not to write many reviews.  I'll try to write more reviews in 2012.  I'm not satisfied with my review voice just yet.  I have to work on fine tuning my review style.  I can't let self-consciousness get the best of me.
• Spend time working on my challenges:  I basically forgot about my A-Z read and release challenge, so I actually should think about reading a few books that will fit in it.  This year I'm signing up for more challenges than ever.  I need to make an effort to keep track of them all (see below for details).
• Regularly attend and release at the local BookCrossers Meeting: I usually go to the monthly meetings (in Audubon, PA), but I'll try to bring more books to release. I will continue to only take books home that I have an interest in reading. 
• Visit official BookCrossing zones (OBCZ) more often:  I haven't stopped by Black Salt Cafe (my closest active OBCZ) in a while.  I want to release books there more frequently. 
• Visit Indie Bookstores:  I want to visit more independent bookstores (and blog about it), both in my area and while I'm on vacation or away at work conferences.
• Re-read The Hunger Games:  I'm so incredibly excited for the HG movie!  I'm going to the midnight premiere with a bunch of friends.  I can't wait!  In preparation, I have to re-read the book. When I went to the midnight premiere of Harry Potter 7 Pt. 2, my friends made a list of trivia questions which was so much fun while waiting in line.  I'll try to make my own list of trivia.
• Buy an e-reader? This is a maybe. It certainly would make my purse a lot lighter.  Plus, my public library system recently expanded to include Kindle devices.  I'm not sure what brand I might buy.  I've heard buzz about the Nook, but I don't frequently shop at Barnes and Noble. Maybe something compatible with NetGalley.

BookCrossing Challenges:

This year I'm continuing my usual BookCrossing Challenges and I'm adding several non-BC challenges open to the book blogging world.  Check out all the details:

2012 Pages Read Challenge:  It's favorite BookCrossing challenge!  I surpassed my 2011 goal of 15,000 pages so I'm bumping up my 2012 goal to 18,000 pages.

Read Ten 1001 Books Challenge:  I'm a sucker for lost causes, so I'm signing up again to read 10 books from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list.  I only read 5 books in 2011 and 6 in 2010.

2012 Reduce Mount TBR Challenge: It's my first time participating in the Mount TBR challenge.  I have so many books on my TBR list (I can't even count them). My goal is to knock 25 books off my TBR list this year. 

A-Z New Author Read & Release Challenge:  This is a tough one because the books need to be new authors you haven't read yet and after reading, you have to register and release the books.  I read so many library books that I completely ignored this challenge in 2011.  I'll try to knock a few off the list this year.  I'll shoot for 3 books.

Non-BookCrossing Challenges (open to everyone):  It's my first time participating in all of the following challenges....Yay!  Check out the links below for all the challenge details and to sign up, of course.

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)

Level 3: The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.

I think I read more than 40 YA books in 2011.  Since I want to expand my reading to knock off more of my 1001 adult books, I think 40 YA books is a good goal for this challenge.

Steampunk Reading Challenge 2012 (Dark Faerie Tales)

Level 1: Gaslight – Choose 6 books to read

I don't think I've read a steampunk book yet. That's weird. Well, now's the time to start.  Six books sounds like a good introduction to the genre.

The Dystopia Challenge  (Bookish Ardour)

Level 2:  Contagion – Choose 15 books to read

I love dystopian YA.  I have a bunch on my Mount TBR list so I should be able to hit 15 without a problem.

  

Speculative Romance Challenge (Book Chick City)

Level 3: Sexy Vampires – Read 18 Speculative Romance novels

I'm a sucker for speculative romance...sigh! I'm on an angels and demon kick right now.  Plus, steampunk and apocalyptic romance count too.  This one is going to be fun.

What challenges are you participating in this year?

HG: Our First Look At Katniss And More!

In March, I ranted a little bit when Jennifer Lawrence was casted as Katniss in The Hunger Games movie. Too blonde, too old, yada yada yada.

Now I'm breathing a big sigh of relief.  Jennifer Lawrence is on this week's Entertainment Weekly cover...and she looks pretty awesome!  The hair and makeup does wonders.  She almost looks like the Katniss image in my head.  I can't wait to see more pictures. Hopefully we'll get a glimpse of Gale and Peeta soon.

Other reasons to anxiously await and celebrate the movie's release in March 2012:
- Woody Harrelson as Haymitch: I'm doing back flips! Absolutely loved Harrelson as Tallahassee in Zombieland. Perfect casting job there.
- Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman: Incredible actor!
-  We can splurge and buy some amazing HG merchandise from Cafe Press, Etsy, Amazon, NECA, and more other sites.
- The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy: This collection of essays released last month (I haven't read it yet...I know, it's blasphemous) is a must read to add on your TBR list before the movie. Hmm, perhaps there will be books in the future on HG film criticism and interpretation.

So excited to see the movie. Gary Ross, please do it justice!

Check out these HG links:
EW's Hunger Games Central for news and updates.
My Hunger Games
Mockingjay.net
JabberJays

Katniss Casted in The Hunger Games Movie

Yesterday the world found out that actress Jennifer Lawrence was casted as Katniss Everdeen, the incredible heroine of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy.

The Hunger Games (HG) is my favorite book series, so as a fan I must admit I'm a little disappointed with the pick.  I haven't seen Winter's Bone, Lawrence's film that earned her an Oscar nomination.  But she just doesn't look like Katniss.  The movie's director, Gary Ross, says in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that "Jen will have dark hair in the role, but that’s something movies can easily achieve."  She will have to act her a** off to get this part right.  At 20, I think she's too old to portray Katniss.  Hopefully, she'll prove my assumptions wrong.  I really want to love the movie adaptation unlike my devastating letdown with the Twilight franchise. 

The New York Post reports that Ross said, "Katniss requires a young actress with strength, depth, complexity, tenderness, and power. There are very few people alive who can bring that to a role. Jen brings it in spades. She’s going to be an amazing Katniss."  I hope so.

The casting challenge will continue with finding the perfect Peeta and Gale.  I'm happy that HG author Suzanne Collins is a part of the movie process.  It'll be interesting to see the end result.  The movie is scheduled to release in March 2012.

Want more of a HG fix?  Check out the news and chatter on these links:

E! Online: The Race for Hunger Games' Peeta Mellark Heats Up

MTV Hollywood Crush: Fans React to Jennifer Lawrence As Katniss

Mockingjay.net

Jabberjays.com

Bookish News: 30 Days until Mockingjay!

I'm so excited for the release of Suzanne Collins' final installment of The Hunger Games series, Mockingjay.  I marked August 24 on my calendar months ago.  Only 30 more days to wait!

I haven't decided if I'm going to preorder it on Amazon (so it will be waiting for me when I get home from work) or if I want to pick it up at Borders or Chester County Book Company and take a vacation day to read it (is that crazy?!?). Some Borders are hosting special Mockingjay Fan Fests that following weekend, but I'm disappointed that it's not a midnight release party so not sure if I will attend yet.

Author Suzanne Collins will be promoting the book on a 12 city tour this fall, including a stop in Pennsylvania on Sept. 21 at 6:00pm at the Barnes & Noble in Fairless Hills. I will definitely be there! Let me know if you're local and plan to go.

Hunger Games tshirts are now available at Hot Topic. I haven't shopped there in a while, but I'll definitely stop by to take a look at what they have in stock. Several designs are already sold out online. These shirt designs are available on Hot Topic's website:

Also, you can shop for some amazing Hunger Games inspired jewelry at Etsy, including charm bracelets, necklaces, pins, earrings, rings and much more. I love this Girl on Fire necklace! Go Katniss!

As you could probably tell by now, The Hunger Games is currently my favorite YA series.  I gushed about it in my first ever Waiting on Wednesday post.

If you haven't read the series yet, don't wait another day. WARNING: Do NOT read the summaries/synopsis/reviews of the second or third books because they will spoil the endings of the previous books. You've only got 30 days to devour the first two books (The Hunger Games and Catching Fire)...I did it in 4 days!

Check out The Hunger Games Examiner for other news stories about the series.

You can download this Mockingjay countdown widget and other fun stuff from Scholastic.

The Summer of Reading Challenges

This summer is my chance to catch up on a bunch of books I want to read before starting grad school this fall (eek!). So here's two awesome summer reading challenges I found.  Compile your summer TBR list and join in!

Summer Reading Challenge 2010 - hosted by Julie at My Book Retreat. It kicked off last Monday, June 21 (the first day of summer) and runs until September 21.  Three whole months!  To participate, create a list of the books you’d like to read or finish during this summer season...there's no minimum and no requirements as to the type of books you put on your list. YAY!  See her blog for more details.

Summer Slimdown - Carina's (Reading Through Life) reading challenge starts TODAY June 29 and ends on September 6.  Her one rule: it has to be on your shelf already by June 28 to count. Check out blog and post your TBR list.

Since I seem to change my reading goals every few days, I can't guarantee I'll stick to it 100%.  The books with the asterisks (**) are titles that won't count toward the Summer Slimdown because they're not on my shelf yet (i.e. not yet released). 

My TBR list for these summer challenges: (in no real particular order)

The King's Mistress by Emma Campion - I won an ARC...this book releases on July 6!

Dawnbreaker (Dark Days, 3) by Jocelynn Drake

Pray for Dawn (Dark Days, 4) by Jocelynn Drake** Releases TODAY June 29!!

Dracula In Love by Karen Essex - I have an ARC. This book releases on August 10!

Dracula by Bram Stoker - I attempted to read it once but got sidetracked...need to read it before I start Dracula In Love. Plus, it's a 1001 book.

The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth

Graceling by Kristin Cashmore - I feel like I'm the only person who hasn't read this one yet.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins** Releases on August 24!  I can't wait for this one!!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - 1001 Book.  I'm behind in my 1001 book challenge (reading ten 1001 books this year).

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson - 1001 Book (part of an anthology with Frankenstein and Dracula)

That's 13 books!  I'll update my progress throughout the summer.  Happy readings!

Waiting On Wednesday: Mockingjay

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This is my first Waiting on Wednesday meme, so I want to feature the release I am anticipating most this year...the final book of The Hunger Games series:

Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: August 24, 2010

I won't post a summary description for this book because it would completely spoil the endings of the first two books of The Hunger Games series.  So instead I'll gush a little bit about why I'm obsessed with The Hunger Games.

If you're a fan of YA dystopian tales and haven't read the first book yet, don't wait another day.  The Hunger Games series takes place in a post-war North American society called Panem.  Panem is split into isolated districts, completely controlled by the Capitol.  Every year, the Capitol makes the districts draw the names of 24 teenage contestants (one boy and girl from each district) to participate in the Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death competition that's on live TV.  It's gruesome and terrifying, but the last person standing gets to live and return to their district as a hero with riches. 

The story revolves around sixteen-year-old Katniss, who volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the games.  I love Katniss' character.  She's strong, knowledgeable of survival skills, somewhat cynical but still compassionate.  Sometimes I find teenage female protagonists in YA books can get really annoying, whiny, or self-centered.  Katniss is not and it's refreshing to read.  The two other important characters are Gale (her close guy friend and confidant) and Peeta (the boy from her district to compete in the games).  They are so different from one another, yet I love them both.  I don't want to give anything else away.  Suzanne Collins created a vivid, enthralling series that's up there on my list of favorites with Harry Potter and Twilight (pre-Breaking Dawn...but that's another rant entirely).

Read the first two books and let me know what you think. 
The Hunger Games (Bk. 1)
Catching Fire (Bk. 2)
**Don't read the description of Bk. 2 until you finish Bk. 1. It'll spoil the Bk. 1 ending!**