bookshelves of doom

Favorite Thanksgiving movies?

Mine are Hannah and Her Sisters:

 

Pieces of April:

 

Okay, and I really like Nobody's Fool, too:

 

And I WANT to like Thankskilling, but it's SO. TERRIBLE. that I think I'd need to be with a larger crowd to truly appreciate it:

 

What about you?

The New York Times has released...

...their Notable Children’s Books of 2013 lists.

Here are the YA titles:

Boxers and Saints, by Gene Luen Yang

Eleanor & Park and Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell

The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey

Picture Me Gone, by Meg Rosoff

The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson

Rose Under Fire, by Elizabeth Wein

I've only read Fangirl and The 5th Wave. Loved 'em both, though I haven't written about them. WHOOPS!

Click on through for the middle grade and picture book titles.

Odd find in the Christmas books.

So, what do you think?

Was this book written by Bar Code Tattoo-Suzanne Weyn?:

Relatedly, do your Christmas books circulate year-round?

Because holy cow, MINE DO.

Another gift idea for your favorite YA reader.

Like Lizzie Skurnick Books, Strange Chemistry offers a subscription plan:

Get your e-mitts on every new Strange Chemistry ebook published between now and 12 months from now.

That's at least 22 ebooks for one, significantly discounted, up-front price!

And if you live outside of Europe, you won't be charged the sales tax (VAT) that we have to charge here, making the cost of your subscription approximately $109 (depending on the exchange rate, currently around £1 = $1.62).

If we publish more than the indicated number of books between the start and end of your subscription, you will get the additional ebooks free of charge.

*drools*

"Going by the traditional Hollywood rules, make no mistake: Peeta is a Movie Girlfriend."

I just tweeted this link, but it's a really thought-provoking essay (and then there are the comments, ZOMGGGGG), so I don't want you non-Twitter folks to miss out:

Peeta is Pepper Potts and Gwen Stacy, helping and helping and helping until the very end, when it's time for the stakes, and the stakes are: NEEDS RESCUE. Peeta is Annie in Speed, who drives that bus like a champ right up until she winds up handcuffed to a pole covered with explosives. Peeta is Holly in Die Hard, who holds down the fort against the terrorists until John McClane can come and find her (and she can give back her maiden name).

In fact, you could argue that Katniss' conflict between Peeta and Gale is effectively a choice between a traditional Movie Girlfriend and a traditional Movie Boyfriend. Gale, after all, is the one whose bed she winds up steadfastly sitting beside after she helps bind his wounds. Gale explains the revolution to her. She puts up a plan to run; Gale rebuffs it because he presumes himself to know better. Gale is jealous and brooding about his standing with her; Peeta is just sad and contemplative.

Free excerpt: These Broken Stars.

Coincidentally, I read this one earlier this week, and my column about it will run at Kirkus next week. How's that for timing?

Anyway, click on over to USA Today for a sneak preview of the book!

Best patron ever?

Yep, pretty much.