Yes, yesterday marked the third time I've been to a book signing with Rachel Cohn and David Levithan and their newly released Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, this time at BookCourt in Brooklyn. And it won't be my last either, but that's a whole other story. In my defense though, there were two other great authors that I wanted to see at this signing, E. Lockhart and Matt de la Peña.
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| Rachel Cohn, David Levithan, Matt de la Peña, and E. Lockhart |
To start, each author introduced his- or herself and their books. Of course, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan introduced themselves as the other, just because they're funny like that. I just love how Rachel Cohn and David Levithan manage to keep things fresh and interesting at all their signings (the three that I've been to and all).
After that, everyone read from their latest or, in E. Lockhart's case, upcoming, book. I managed to tape a little bit of the readings until I noticed that I had less than a minute left of memory left and low battery on my Flip camera. Please note that David Levithan's selection is rated PG-13. (There are a few instances of cursing, so I thought I needed that disclaimer). I thought about not even posting it at all, but David Levithan's different voices are too amusing to pass up.
Finally, there was some Q&A and then it was time for signing books! Unfortunately for me, the first two Ruby Oliver books that I ordered didn't come in time, so I couldn't get those signed, but I did get some very cool bookmarks as compensation. Not to mention some really good pictures.
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| Finally I have a picture with David Levithan and Rachel Cohn! |
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| the fabulous E. Lockhart and me |
Oh, and guess who else was in the audience? Only the most amazing Libba Bray. I was tempted to go up to her and basically gush for ten minutes straight, but then I got too intimidated. Maybe next time!
Kayla considers herself somewhat of an expert on relationships. So what if she’s only been in two, if you could even call them that. She’s learned from her mistakes and the mistakes of others around her, and now she can tell you whether a guy likes you or not, how to get his attention, and much more—for a small fee of five dollars, of course. Though only a couple of people know, Kayla is the Oracle of Dating, somewhat of an online dating advice sensation. But when some of the Oracle’s advice backfires on one of Kayla’s close friends, Kayla starts to doubt her abilities. And then there’s Jared Stewart, who Kayla can’t figure out at all. It seems like the Oracle needs to seek out some advice for herself!
It’s Christmastime in Manhattan, and Dash and Lily are each on their own. Dash solitude is by choice, tricking his divorced parents into thinking he’s with the other, so that he can maybe find some peace of mind amidst his least favorite season—the holiday season. Lily, on the other hand, feels abandoned by her parents who can finally afford a honeymoon. This is her favorite time of year, and she can’t believe she has to spend it alone. Enter a neglectful older brother, a red Moleskine notebook, and some very clever dares, and things are starting to look up. Dash and Lily never knew each other before, but through exchanging thoughts and dares via the red Moleskine, these two very different teens realize that they maybe aren’t so different after all. But is Dash-and-Lily on paper really the same as Dash-and-Lily in person? Could this notebook-based relationship ever amount to anything in the real world? Either way, Dash and Lily are ready to find out.
Sisters Scarlett and Rosie March like to think that they share the same heart. Ever since the Fenris attack that claimed their grandmother’s life and Scarlett’s eye, they have never been apart. They do practically everything together, especially fighting the evil Fenris to protect unsuspecting girls from a gruesome death. Now that they are older, though, things are a little different. Scarlett still lives for the hunt, but Rosie is finding out that she’s more interested in her friend Silas than chasing Fenris. But now is no time for distractions, especially because there are so many more Fenris showing up every day. Amidst all this danger and pressure, how will Rosie be able to choose the path she wants for her life?
Trella is a scrub. She is one of the many thousands who work in the lower levels, cleaning and performing all the other necessary duties to keep the levels functioning. She does what she’s told to—most of the time, at least. What most of her fellow scrubs and especially the Pop Cops don’t know is that Trella likes to use pipes to sneak around the Upper levels, where most scrubs aren’t authorized to go. She doesn’t take any risks except for this, until she makes the rash decision to save a prophet. Now she’s involved in a scheme that could be way over her head and will likely get her killed, but still, this girl who’s used to only looking out for herself isn’t giving up yet. The reward of Gateway may be too great.
Lily Carter just wants to get into college, or if you want to be specific, Princeton University, the alma mater of her Grandpa. So when Grandpa invites her to come along during Princeton Reunions weekend, Lily jumps at the chance to visit her dream school. So when she’s asked to take the secret Legacy Test, which will guarantee admittance to Princeton if she passes, of course she accepts this challenge to find the Ivy Key. Little does Lily know that this undertaking will change life as she knows it, because while on her search, she encounters more than just Princeton students and alumni—try a were-tiger and talking stone gargoyles. It turns out that there are two Princeton campuses, and Lily has just found the magical one. Before she knows it, Lily finds herself caught up in an age old conflict between the two worlds, a conflict that has defined her life as it is now and has the potential to destroy it. Will Lily discover the magic in her own heritage in time to do something about it?
In most cases, Vera Dietz would rather be invisible. She wishes she could just blend into the walls in high school, because she’d rather not have to deal with all the labels and rumors given to her because of her parents. But even though Vera wants to be invisible, she doesn’t want to be alone. She just wants a best friend to be invisible with. And for a while she has one in Charlie Kahn—until he betrays her. Now Vera is alone with too many secrets that aren’t hers to keep or share. When Charlie dies under suspicious circumstances, Vera is probably the only person who can even come close to the truth. But how can Vera overcome the pain Charlie put her through to do the right thing and clear his name—and does she even want to?
Bethany is an angel. She, along with her siblings Gabriel, a warrior, and Ivy, a healer, has been sent to earth to combat the growing forces of evil in Venus Cove. Bethany is the least experienced of the three, and the most amazed and drawn to humans. She knows she must distance herself emotionally so that she can spread goodness throughout the town, but when she meets Xavier Woods, that becomes impossible. Bethany feels connected to him in a way she’s never experienced—a way she shouldn’t pursue because angels and humans are forbidden to be together. As evil starts to permeate the town, Bethany will have to choose between love and duty.
Things have always been pretty black and white for Natalie Sterling. Friends are either loyal or not. Guys are either amazing or jerks. A girl has a good reputation or is a slut. But black and white are about to become very blurred for Natalie. Even as she tries to rehabilitate a clique of hypersexualized freshman girls, she starts to get involved with a guy she never thought she even liked. Desperate to preserve the perfect image she holds of her own life, Natalie nevertheless finds herself leading another secret life, in which she is not really herself—or is she? Natalie will have to realize that maybe she doesn’t want to live at either of the opposite ends of her spectrum, and that the middle, though sometimes messy, can be the best part.
Calla Tor has never questioned her destiny. She knows it is her duty as alpha of the younger Nightshade clan to become the mate of Ren Laroche, alpha of the younger Bane clan. She knows that as a Guardian, she must follow the Keepers’ rules and guard against the Searchers. Calla has never been bothered by the path laid out before her, nor has she challenged her purpose. Everything changes when Calla makes the mistake of saving a human boy from death. She figures this will be her sole violation of the Keepers’ rules. But there’s something special about Shay Doran, and it’s not just the way he makes Calla feel. Shay’s questions open up a torrent of Calla’s own until she no longer knows what’s true and what’s been fabricated. It seems it’s time for Calla to choose her own destiny.
All Shadow wants is to run away to freedom. But alas, she does not have that luxury. Years ago, it was prophesized that the young queen Audrey would die before her sixteenth birthday, and so Shadow, an orphan girl, was given the duty of being the queen’s companion and protector. When tragedy and murder strike, Shadow is forced to flee the castle under the protection of young Sir Kenway. She does not know why she must follow the knight’s orders or where she is going, yet she continues on, determined to enjoy her freedom. But with the kingdom in shambles, secrets and conspiracies abounding in the royal court, and a mysterious force at work, Shadow finds out that she has more power to save her country than she ever thought possible.
Kalix MacRinnalch is not a happy werewolf. Now that her brother Marcus is Thane and her mother remains Mistress of the Werewolves, she is relatively safe in London. She has friends now, the two humans she lives with and a teenage Fire Elemental. Still, Kalix remains her usual depressed, anorexic, and angry self. She’s tired of her life. She doesn’t want to have to go to remedial college or fight werewolf hunters. She doesn’t want to have to fend off other members of her clan intent on killing her. But with clan politics and angry Fire Elementals get in the way, finding peace for Kalix will be more than a challenge.
