Thursday, July 29, 2010

Bookanistas -- YOU by Charles Benoit

Okay, so I got this ARC and the front cover is plastered with things like "Shattering" and "Powerful" and "Poignant" and "Unforgettable."

So I'm thinking, Yeah, right. This book isn't going to shatter me, haunt me, or any of those other things. I'm (super, uber, really) cynical like that.

So I open the front cover, check out the pages we authors all check out (you know, copyright page, acknowledgements, etc.). On the very first page, the editor says the book will be talked about for years.

Add another brick to my cynicism.

So I start reading. And I can't stop. YOU is written in a style I've never read before. It was gripping and compelling.


And I'm pretty happy to report that I was wrong. YOU is a fabulous novel that many, many readers will be able to find themselves in the main character. After all, the MC is YOU, which makes it "unforgettable."

Though it's only the story of an ordinary teen, it really is a book that you should add to your list of outstanding young adult literature. YOU comes out August 24, so be sure to preorder it or mark your calendar to get it in a couple of weeks.

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week!
Myra McEntire - SHADOW HILLS
Christine Fonseca - LINGER
Shannon Messenger - ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS
Beth Revis - PARANORMALCY
Carolina Valdez Miller - PARANORMALCY
Bethany Wiggins and Suzette Saxton - MONSTER HIGH
Lisa and Laura Roecker - YOU
Jamie Harrington - cover love for ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

29 comments:

lisa and laura said...

This book was totally unlike anything I've ever read. I think it will be a great tool for teachers in classrooms. Extremely powerful and it puts all of the little decisions we make on a day to day basis in perspective.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I never heard of the book, but I'll definitely add it to my list based on yours and Lisa & Laura's recommendation. Thanks. I'm enjoying your Thursday posts. It was another one of your awesome ideas.

M. Dunham said...

Excellent, I'm always looking to add something to my reading list.

Yvonne Osborne said...

I had first heard of YOU from Janet Reid and thought, right. Of course YOU are going to rave about YOU because YOU'VE obviously repped it. But I did add it to my "to-read" list. Now I will move it to the top. LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN just came in for me at the library and I'm excited about that. I just finished a very disappointing novel from the esteemed Ian McEwan which I'm getting ready to post a less than ecstatic review about on my blog. Well, why not? We can't like everything can we? And can't we write about those as well? Thanks Elana.

Christine Fonseca said...

can't waitto read this one!

Candyland said...

*Wants* Ever since Query Shark professed her love for this, I was sold. It sounds incredible.

Meredith said...

I'm intrigued--I'll definitely have to check it out! Thanks for the review!

JE said...

Adding it to my list now!

~JD

Hannah said...

hmmm, is this going to be the new Looking for Alaska for me? I hope so!

Erinn said...

SO many books to read. Sounds good now it's on my list!

Vicki Rocho said...

This one is on my list. I saw Janet Reid talk about it...cryptically of course so my curiosity was piqued and while you've said more about this book than I was able to find anywhere else I still don't really know what I'm gong to find so my curiosity is going into overdrive and arrrrrrrrrrgh, I'll have to order it or it'll drive me crazy!

Anonymous said...

I love it when a book proves me wrong. LOL.
Great review. Might have to add it to my ever-growing to be read list.

Zoe C. Courtman said...

Added to my towering To Be Read list! Thanks for the review!

Janna Leadbetter said...

Very intriguing!

Thanks for the stellar review, Elana.

Jonathon Arntson said...

YOU's cover is one of my favorites so far in 2010. It's almost a 1upX100 of a Patterson or Grisham novel. Which is fair to compare since they're all about the YA these days.

Tere Kirkland said...

Never heard of this before. Thanks for introducing me!

Jemi Fraser said...

Even the cover is intense! Sounds powerful - thanks for the tip :)

Myra McEntire said...

My agent had FANTASTIC things to say about this. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT.

Myra McEntire said...

My agent had FANTASTIC things to say about this. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT.

Unknown said...

Sounds interesting, thanks!

Jennie Englund said...

Wow -- sounds exciting! This is the second (amazing) review I've read on YOU.

Can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

Lisa_Gibson said...

I've been looking forward to this coming out. Glad to hear you've enjoyed it and it's worth my wait. ;)

Robert Guthrie said...

I need a sabbatical to read everything.

Melissa said...

This sounds really exciting and cool. I always like new things. This is awesome.

Hilary Wagner said...

This book sounds really different! I can't wait to read!

xoxo -- Hilary

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

I've heard so much about this book, and I'm just like you with the skepticism, but there's just been TOO many awesome things said. I'm definitely looking forward to reading it!!!

Carolyn V. said...

I haven't even heard of this book before. It's on my list! Seriously. I just wrote it down. =)

ali cross said...

Awesome! I will look for it. Thanks E!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like my next purchase. Thanks for the great review.

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