Tea Tree Publishing is Live!

I've been meaning to get on here and tell you all, but I've been a little busy with work. First, I got accepted to the Children's Literature MFA at Hollins University in VA, which is really awesome and exciting. So WOO!! And second...

Tea Tree Publishing, the independent publishing company I hoped to open with my former professor, is finally real! Our primary focus is publishing local (at least for now) children's and young adult literature as well as local folklore. For more information you can check out our website at teatreepublishing.com and see what we're about, or jump from there to our social media accounts and follow us.

I can't tell you all how excited I am to be starting this adventure. :)

Book Review: House of Ivy & Sorrow

Title: House of Ivy & Sorrow
Author: Natalie Whipple
Published: April 5th, 2014 by HarperTeen
Format: eBook, 368 pgs.
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Parnormal, Mystery

Description:

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

Review:

If you think you know witches, think again. There is no good magic, only dark. The only difference between the good witches and the bad, then, is whether or not they let the magic consume them, to eat them alive from the inside. And then there's the Curse. The thing that drained the life from Josephine Hemlock's mother and countless other witches throughout time. That sucks the magic from them until there is nothing left. Where it comes from, no one knows, but when a man appears at the heavily fortified Hemlock house dripping in evil and darkness, Jo and her grandmother must finally come to terms with the loss of Jo's mother to figure out just who killed their dear Carmina and stop the Curse from obliterating what remains of the Hemlock family.

Natalie Whipple offers up another piece of her heart in this beautiful tale of family and sacrifice. As is her way, she crafts fantastic worlds within our own populated by real people. It's hard not to grow attached to the characters when it seems as if you are reading about your own best friend, boyfriend, or grandmother. Whipple captures what it is to be in love for the first time, to be an ugly duckling, to shun someone close, and be so completely terrified of losing those we hold most dear.

But Whipple's success with this story does not come solely from the relatability of her characters; it also stems from the ease with which we accept the world she has built for us and the skill with which she shapes the story. Far too often plots are easy to predict, but the mysteries in House of Ivy & Sorrow are not so easily unwound. Delightfully, it distracts with little details that you see coming, only to wait until the last moment to reveal something bigger. So while you may guess a few smaller facts while reading, Whipple has mastered the art of concealing the bigger picture until she is ready for the reveal.

Another wonderful tale of supernatural wonder and the beauty of family from an author who continues to inspire and persevere. Do check out her other books, including Fish Out of Water (out Feb. 5th!), as she never fails to impress.

But It Now:
Amazon. B&N.com. Book Depository. IndieBound.

Short Story #3

Standing on the edge of the roof, the boy looked out at the dying land and sighed. He had done all he could. There was nothing left to plant, no water to spare. He was all that remained. It was over. There would be no harvest this winter, and the food inside was too little to last beyond the week.

His shoulders sagged and his breaths came more slowly; the panic had long since passed. This was the end. The end of his land, his family's heritage, his very life.

The world stretched out before him, beckoning him to the far corners of the earth, and he was ready, now, to listen. With Mother and Father gone there was no one left alive to keep him; even the land, it seemed, had given him leave to go. And he would listen.

Inside, the boy packed what meager things still fought the ravages of time into a well-worn knapsack. He traded his slippers for more sturdy boots and shrugged on a leather coat; the sky may have been empty these last months, but the wind grew fiercer daily. Last bits of bread and cheese found their way into pockets and pouches, and with one final look around the bare house, he closed the door and followed the wind.

Book Review: Fish Out of Water by Natalie Whipple

Title: Fish Out of Water

Author: Natalie Whipple

Published: February 5, 2014 by Hot Key Books

Format: eARC

Age Group: Young Adult

Genre: General Fiction, Romance

Description:

Mika Arlington was supposed to spend the summer after her junior year shadowing her marine biologist parents at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but when her estranged grandmother randomly shows up on the doorstep one day, those plans are derailed. Because Grandma Betty isn't here to play nice—she is cranky, intolerant of Mika's mixed-race-couple parents, and oh yeah she has Alzheimer's and is out of money.  While Mika's family would rather not deal with Grandma Betty, they don't have much choice. And despite Mika's protests, she is roped into caring for a person that seems impossible to have compassion for. And if that wasn't hard enough, Mika must train the new guy at her pet shop job who wants to be anywhere else, and help a friend through her own family crisis. Something's gotta a give, but whichever ball Mika drops means losing someone she loves. Not exactly a recipe for Best Summer Ever—or is it? 

Review:

I've had my review copy of this book for about a month now, and while the release is still a little ways off, I wanted to take my time getting this up because I wanted it to be right. It's only recently that I've come to enjoy realistic fiction, books without superpowers or imaginary worlds with great battles; I like to submerge myself in science fiction and fantasy novels, and part of the reason why is that I rarely found a realistic novel that, well, felt real to me. Even books like Hold Still, 13 Reasons Why, and The Fault in Our Stars (all of which I loved, by the way) are stories that don't belong to the everyday; yes, they happen, but I don't consider these types of stories as things that occur on a regular basis to the average person; they are exceptions, and, yes, they are real and heartbreaking and wonderful. 

But what Natalie Whipple has delivered is a moment of truth. 

Mika (and that's Meeka, not Micah) finally gets the opportunity to work at the Aquarium with her marine biologist parents when two strangers bring all her plans crashing down. Dylan is the new guy at work, but he's also the boss's hot troubled nephew with more than a few issues, but Dylan's not even the worst of Mika's problems. When an old woman she's never seen before shows up on her doorstep, Mika thinks she must have the wrong address, but Betty Arlington turns out to be Mika's estranged grandmother who has no money, no home, and a developing case of Alzheimer's. Torn from her summer internship and caught between the two people she wants nothing to do with, Mika's life becomes an emotional roller-coaster that feels all too familiar.

I wanted to read this book because I have followed Natalie Whipple's journey online for years and have become a huge fan of all her work, and I wasn't the slightest bit disappointed when I cracked this book open; of course, it doesn't hurt that she references The Princess Bride, like, a lot.

While I don't have a relative with Alzheimer's and I haven't fallen in love with a bad boy, I connected with this story so much more than I thought possible. From fights with parents and the fear of falling in love for the first time to quoting movies with best friends and hating the way the world works, this book nails what it is to be human, to have family, to struggle with why people are the way they are. It is real, and it is raw, and it is a great story about acceptance in a world with far too little of it. Whipple shows us what it is to keep swimming when all we want to do is give in, to fight for the things and the people we love and believe in rather than living a life of regrets, and to never give up on anyone, especially those we call family.

Fish Out of Water is a must-read for anyone who has ever lived, laughed, loved, lied, or lost, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Order It Now:

Amazon. B&N.com. Book Depository. 

Short Story #2

I started this the other day; it popped into my head when I was hurting and angry and driving home. It isn't finished, and it still needs loads of work (some bits just don't add up and are really rough), but part of this series is just to keep me writing, and I promised to share the unaltered versions here. So, feel free to share your thoughts below.

Behind Closed Eyes

The other me smiles through her pain without so much as a twinge in her eyes. Even the dimple is there, in her right cheek, telling the world that she's happy. That everything is more than okay. But she is me, and I know better.

I watch her. Every time I close my eyes she's there. Her life plays out before me in the spaces between my own, and I wonder if she sees me too, but then her life would mirror my own; would it not?

Opening my eyes, I stare at the tiled ceiling above me, trying to find new shapes and pictures in the lines etched into each one, like clouds in the sky. I wonder if it's still blue beyond the walls or if the smog has gotten so bad there is no sky now. Mostly I just hope there are still birds somewhere.

My eyes itch. The air is too dry in here for me to keep them open long. I blink, and a fraction of a second feel like an eternity. She's hiding in the bathroom, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. But she won't cry. Not 'til she's alone.

Time. Time no longer flows from one moment to the next. It pauses and slows down and speeds up so that I may live another life within my own, but I can't keep up. The moments jumble in my head so fast now that I no longer remember which past belongs to me. Which life is real.

The guard knocks on my door, and I try to remember what time it is.

Behind my eyes, she closes the door behind her, bolting the lock, and sliding down the door into a heap on the floor where she finally, finally let's it all out.

It's time for my session, the guard reminds me, and I force my eyes open. I need to make it down the hall, up the stairs and through two rooms without so much as blinking. Blinking means losing time, means living whole minutes or hours in the span of a second and coming to mid-step in a stairwell.

In this moment I am glad the other me cannot see through time and space the way I do. Glad she does not have the doctors and the shrinks and the drugs that I do. She has a family. Mine are all gone. It is better this way.

Book Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)
Author: Kiera Cass
Published: April 23, 2013 by HarperTeen
Format: Paperback, 323 pgs.
Age Group: YA
Genre: Romance, Dystopia

Description:

The Selection began with thirty-five girls. Now, with the group narrowed down to the Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever--and America is still struggling to decide where her own heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen, who she always thought was the one?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want--and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

Review: 

A romance that's equally thrilling and heart-wrenching, Kiera Cass delivers a fabulous sequel, with all the glamour of the first book and more ruin and war that develop the world America calls home.

Following the announcement of the six Elite, America feels more doubt than ever, and not just about where her heart lies; she begins to lose sight of herself as well. Torn between the familiarity and comfort that is Aspen and the passion she has for Maxon, America walks the line between them, constantly back and forth in her affections and decisions. But her heart isn't the only thing at risk, and America has seriously begun to question her ability and desire to run a country. Does she have the strength to do what others cannot? To stand up against the injustices of her world? Does she even want to?

This book gave me more than I hoped for, appealing to the nerd in me by delving into the country's history and unraveling the mystery of its birth. Also held within these pages: secrets about Maxon's family and past that give insight into his character and actions. I fell more in love with these people with every page I turned, grew more annoyed with America's indecisiveness, and questioned everyone's motives until I reached the end. Now I have entirely new questions, and I want more, more, more. Cass has a way of turning something as simple and ridiculous as a public mating ritual into a tale of social unrest and upheaval with danger, intrigue, and mystery. And let's not forget the cat fights and the dresses and the prince and the kissing. I could use more of the kissing (which, if the preview at the end was any indication, book three holds even more of!).

Most sequels have a tendency to fall flat or over reach, but this one doesn't disappoint in the slightest. Even if you're not a romance fan, the world building alone is enough to keep you reading. Once again, I highly recommend this series.

Buy It Now:

Amazon. B&N.com. Book Depository. IndieBound.

Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Published: March 26,2013; Paperback; 327 pgs.
Age Group: YA
Genre: Romance, Dystopia

Description:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.


Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review: 

Not your usual Bachelor setup, but a fun read just the same.

Kiera Cass has created something unique that sits somewhere between The Hunger Games and The Bachelor, featuring characters who are easy to connect with and a world that's not far off from our own media-obsessed culture. While this ins't something I'd normally pick up, I was intrigued by the idea of a girl being forced to participate in a competition to be queen of a country built on the caste system, a system which has done nothing but make every day of her life a struggle.

America is a pretty, talented girl, but it's easy to forgive her for being so much better at life than the rest of us at that age (or even now) because she's human too. She's passionate and stubborn and, now that I'm thinking about it, reminds me a lot of Elizabeth Bennet, always fighting someone or something, even if it's herself. It's easy to relate to her and her struggles, whether that's butting heads with her mother, grieving over lost love, or suffocating under social pressures; you just want the girl to catch a break.

The world in which America lives is possibly even more fascinating than the characters themselves, having been built out of the ashes of the United States after the Fourth World War. With little left of their country and their livelihoods, the people created a monarchy and divided the classes into nearly impossible to break castes. The only perk being The Selection, a contest started by lottery to pick the Prince's bride from among the commoners, which serves to remind them all of their history and rise from ruin.

I was sucked in by Cass's writing and America's magnetic personality and read the entire book in one sitting. Honestly, I've been pitching this story to my friends since I finished it, regardless of their tastes, because of how easy it is to fall into it. Once I reached the end, although it's pretty obvious we expect America to make it through the contest, I needed to know what would happen next, who she would choose to be with, what she would do about the world around her. I highly recommend this to anyone remotely interested in romance, reality television, dytopian worlds, or realistic fiction.

Buy It Now:

Amazon. B&N.com. Book Depository. IndieBound.