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Thursday, May 02, 2013

Book Girls Don’t Cry: Genres – From Hot to Not

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Inspired by Book Buzzers, Book Girls Don’t Cry is a weekly feature where we each discuss/vent/advise on the chosen weekly bookish topic. Don’t miss Jenni on Mondays, and Amy on Saturdays:
 

From Hot to Not Anymore!



Book trends! From insta-love to love triangles to vampire romance; trends are vicious, but today we’re talking book genres! We want to know what you’re tired of, what you can’t seem to get enough of, and what you think the future holds!

Tiresome genres are not unheard of. How about dystopias? Anyone? Personally, I am so very tired of this genre, now. I was the biggest fan of dystopias when I began my blog not even 2 years ago, even now I get excited when I hear of a new one coming out (like a habit I can’t break), but it seems like those I’ve read lately have been nothing more than yet another regurgitated dystopian. I’ve been slowly getting sicker and sicker of the genre for a while now. Either everything has been done, or originality is being put aside for quantity. Within the last year, a lot of dystopians I’ve read have left me especially underwhelmed with a bad taste in my mouth, even, and it’s getting worse, guys! Here are some of the fails I’ve come upon in the last year (which, if you have not read as many as I did maybe you would enjoy them, but… maybe not.)

Dystopian fails:

Just to make sure I make myself clear:

BLEH!


Now for a side note, I do not list dystopians and post apocalyptic books together. To me they’re completely different. I know some have different ways of differentiating the two; mine is this: Dystopians are–usually years–after whatever caused the drastic change in their way of life; may it be war, an epidemic, whatever. Society has reformed, and they are living in this changed world, sometimes in the guise of a utopia, and usually amidst a corrupt government–the government are more often than not the “bad guys” of the book/series. For example: The Hunger Games, The Uglies, and all of the above. Those are dystopians.

Post apocalyptic books, to me, are either during, or immediately after the apocalypse where the story is about survival of this world’s end as we know it. It rarely includes a government entity, so the “bad guys” in these books are the force behind the apocalypse itself (aliens, zombies, etc–and/or other survivors). For example: As the World Dies, The 5th Wave, Ashfall. While I’m tired of dystopias, I’m still going strong on post apocalyptic novels. To me their vibe is much different, plus they’re not as overflowing on the new-releases shelves each week. To conclude:  

Dystopian=Refer to above giant word — Post-apocalyptic=Win!

Julie Kagawa and Teach Mentor Texts posted about this difference and my views and theirs are exactly the same.  Anyways, I know some may have different definitions for the genres, but this is mine, and with that said:

Awesome post apocalyptic books I’ve read in the past year:
What’s HOT now?  

Contemporaries (esp in New Adult)! I have almost loved every contemporary I’ve been reading lately–just like I was with dystopias 2 years ago. So maybe this is a bad sign for 2 years from now, but hey I’ll enjoy it while I can, eh? 😉

My favorite contemporary reads this year (see how many more there are!? :D):

I want to know what you think! Any genre you’re sick of?
What’s become your favorite book genre lately?

Let me know your favorite books in it!

Also, don’t forget to leave suggestions for future topics you’d like to see! 🙂

You know you love me!
Xoxo, Book Girl!
In Darkess We Must Abide: Guest Post + Giveaway

In Darkess We Must Abide: Guest Post + Giveaway

Posted by on 05/01/2013 • 13 Comments

Definitely not a new face on this blog of mine; Rhiannon Frater is here today to talk to us about her new serial–In Darkness We Must Abide. This is a new adult modern Gothic horror serial divided in 3 seasons. The first season includes 5 episodes which you can all enter to win today! 🙂 The 5th episode comes out on May 17th, and the paperback of the full first season comes out on May 24th. (Sorry if this is confusing, she likes to make our lives miserable.)

In Darkness We Must Abide Rhiannon Frater Series: In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete First Season Genre: NA Modern Gothic Horror Publication date:  May 24th 2013

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman…

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

Posted by on 04/30/2013 • 14 Comments

To thank my wonderful friends and followers for being all kinds of awesome, I decided to join the Spring Fling giveaway hop to give a little back! Plus, spring rocks my socks off (I mean, literally–hello flip flops)! Special thanks to I Am A reader, Not A Writer, and Eve’s Fan Garden for hosting!

What’s up for grabs? One YA book of choice at The Book Depository up to a value of 15$.  Open Internationally as long as TBD ships to you (is your country on the list? Click here) Giveaway ends on May 7th, 2013

Use the Rafflecopter below to enter

This giveaway was made possible by The Book Depository affiliate program. Help support future giveaways by using the link below or on my sidebar to…

Review: The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Posted by on 04/30/2013 • 25 Comments

 The Rules for DisappearingAshley Elston Genre: YA Contemp/Mystery Publication date: May 14th 2013by  Disney-Hyperion

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If…

Review: If You Stay by Courtney Cole

Posted by on 04/29/2013 • 33 Comments

If You StayCourtney Cole Series: Beautifully Broken #1Genre: NA Contemporary Publication date: February 5th 2013by  Lakehouse Press

24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.

Seriously.

He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match. But he’s got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade….

Xpresso Weekly: Stacking the Shelves (53)

Posted by on 04/28/2013 • 48 Comments

Xpresso Weekly is my edition of Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga’s Reviews featuring the books I got this week, and I also mention blog news/happenings of the past week. This week at Xpresso Reads

How is everyone this week? Spring is finally starting to show its face and I’m so happy! And is everyone ready for BEA, too? I know I am and am stoked to meet everyone there! 😀 So this week on the blog was pretty giveaway-tastic! For my Canadian peeps you can win a copy of The Beautiful and the Cursed! And my international lovelies can win book 1-3 of the Revenants series by Amy Plum which is awesome!

Reviews on the blog this week:

Xpresso Book Tours

NEW Tours open for sign ups:— Identified: The…

Fresh Batch (April 28th – May 4th)

Posted by on 04/27/2013 • 19 Comments

Exclusively titled for Xpresso Reads, Fresh Batch features the hottest releases of this upcoming week.

Flavor of the week:

Sweet Peril Wendy Higgins  Series: The Sweet Trilogy #1Publication date:  May 1st 2012by HarperTeen

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When…

Giveaway: The Beautiful and the Cursed

Posted by on 04/27/2013 • 26 Comments

The Beautiful and the CursedPage Morgan Series: The Dispossessed #1Genre: YA Gothic Publication date: May 14th 2013by Delacorte Books for Young Readers 

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure…