A review by Laura Beutler
I keep getting the BEST MAIL EVER!
Guess what I got!
No—guess.
Come ON—what did I get?
Fine. Whatever. I’ll tell you.
Months ago, I sat at my computer at the library and read pre-published buzz about a book. This book, the reviewers said, was very good. Very very good. I heard whispers about what powerful prose the book had. I heard it compared to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson… That’s high praise indeed.
One night, suddenly, when I saw the name of the book again, I decided there was no other option. I had to get my hands on the book. No. Matter. What.
Naturally, I did the only thing possible in such a circumstance: I whined on Twitter.
“Twitter!” I begged. “I need an ARC of The Mockingbirds by @DaisyWhitney! @littlebrown—HELP”
The begging went on for several hours. I was really quite pathetic, and rather annoying. (Bailey can attest that this went on until quite recently and was, in fact, pathetic. But not annoying because she, too, has been this pathetic.) But desperation does funny things to me, and if other people get to read exciting new books before I can get my hands on them…I start whining*.
Daisy Whitney was sympathetic. My twin**, Kelly, took pity on me. Turns out, when Kelly was working in publishing, she had scored tons of ARCs and one of them was The Mockingbirds! She agreed to send it to me, thus winning my eternal love and adoration.
I read The Mockingbirds in one sitting. I didn’t move until it was done.
The second I had finished, I went over and put my copy right next to Speak on my bookshelf, where it belongs.
The Mockingbirds is quite simply the most beautiful, powerful novel I’ve read in ages.
TEENSY SYNOPSIS TIME
Alex attends Themis Academy, an elite boarding school with an administration that expects students to follow the school’s honor code and manage their own behavior. The trouble is, the honor code alone isn’t enough to keep students safe from each other. When Alex is date-raped during her junior year, her friends take her to meet with The Mockingbirds, a secret society dedicated to right the wrongs of Themis.
From her first meeting with The Mockingbirds, Alex struggles with the trauma of what she’s been through and the ridicule of other students. Alex is an amazing protagonist—the pinnacle of what a strong female character should be. She doesn’t allow herself to be abused; instead she trusts her friends and seeks help when she needs it. I love Alex.
Personally, I think every girl should have a copy of The Mockingbirds and a copy of Speak. Preferably more than one, because I am a strong believer in having extra copies of books that inspire so I can give them away when people I know need them!
So, when I opened a package from Little Brown, and Company and discovered another ARC of The Mockingbirds, I instantly formed a plan. (And I have to say--two copies of The Mockingbirds delivered to my door? Now you understand, right? Best. Mail. Ever.)
The plan grew when I opened a note from Daisy Whitney, who must be getting some enjoyment out of my obsession with her book. She sent me a bookplate, signed to me, along with official The Mockingbirds bookmarks!
THE PLAN
I’m GIVING one of YOU an ARC of The Mockingbirds, along with a fancy Mockingbirds bookmark! Two more of you will get a The Mockingbirds bookmark.
(Psst…This giveaway is open to readers in the USA only, guys, because I’m a poor librarian.)
The contest for these cool prizes begins Monday, November 15 and runs through Monday, November 22 (midnight EST). ONE (1) entry is placed in the Contest Hat by leaving a comment below; ONE (1) entry in placed in the Contest Hat for tweeting or RT'ing about the contest on Twitter with the hashtag #MHLitContest; and FIVE (5) entries are placed in the Contest Hat for doing something creative.
Full rules, regulations, and reminders for contests can be found HERE. Be sure to read over that information before entering.
PHOTOS OF MY AWESOME MAIL
End Notes:
*Publishers—to shut me up, the easiest thing to do is to send me an ARC of the book in question! Plus, I have a Kindle! So it will be easy for you to just send the e-book my way, and since it’s digital, you know I’ll buy the hardcover the second it’s released anyway! I tend to do that. My bank account complains, but what does it know?
**Kelly and I didn’t grow up in the same home or anything, and we’ve never gone through any kind of genetic testing to prove our twin-ness, but we are clearly twins.
Guess what I got!
No—guess.
Come ON—what did I get?
Fine. Whatever. I’ll tell you.
Months ago, I sat at my computer at the library and read pre-published buzz about a book. This book, the reviewers said, was very good. Very very good. I heard whispers about what powerful prose the book had. I heard it compared to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson… That’s high praise indeed.
One night, suddenly, when I saw the name of the book again, I decided there was no other option. I had to get my hands on the book. No. Matter. What.
Naturally, I did the only thing possible in such a circumstance: I whined on Twitter.
“Twitter!” I begged. “I need an ARC of The Mockingbirds by @DaisyWhitney! @littlebrown—HELP”
The begging went on for several hours. I was really quite pathetic, and rather annoying. (Bailey can attest that this went on until quite recently and was, in fact, pathetic. But not annoying because she, too, has been this pathetic.) But desperation does funny things to me, and if other people get to read exciting new books before I can get my hands on them…I start whining*.
Daisy Whitney was sympathetic. My twin**, Kelly, took pity on me. Turns out, when Kelly was working in publishing, she had scored tons of ARCs and one of them was The Mockingbirds! She agreed to send it to me, thus winning my eternal love and adoration.
I read The Mockingbirds in one sitting. I didn’t move until it was done.
The second I had finished, I went over and put my copy right next to Speak on my bookshelf, where it belongs.
The Mockingbirds is quite simply the most beautiful, powerful novel I’ve read in ages.
TEENSY SYNOPSIS TIME
Alex attends Themis Academy, an elite boarding school with an administration that expects students to follow the school’s honor code and manage their own behavior. The trouble is, the honor code alone isn’t enough to keep students safe from each other. When Alex is date-raped during her junior year, her friends take her to meet with The Mockingbirds, a secret society dedicated to right the wrongs of Themis.
From her first meeting with The Mockingbirds, Alex struggles with the trauma of what she’s been through and the ridicule of other students. Alex is an amazing protagonist—the pinnacle of what a strong female character should be. She doesn’t allow herself to be abused; instead she trusts her friends and seeks help when she needs it. I love Alex.
Personally, I think every girl should have a copy of The Mockingbirds and a copy of Speak. Preferably more than one, because I am a strong believer in having extra copies of books that inspire so I can give them away when people I know need them!
So, when I opened a package from Little Brown, and Company and discovered another ARC of The Mockingbirds, I instantly formed a plan. (And I have to say--two copies of The Mockingbirds delivered to my door? Now you understand, right? Best. Mail. Ever.)
The plan grew when I opened a note from Daisy Whitney, who must be getting some enjoyment out of my obsession with her book. She sent me a bookplate, signed to me, along with official The Mockingbirds bookmarks!
THE PLAN
I’m GIVING one of YOU an ARC of The Mockingbirds, along with a fancy Mockingbirds bookmark! Two more of you will get a The Mockingbirds bookmark.
(Psst…This giveaway is open to readers in the USA only, guys, because I’m a poor librarian.)
The contest for these cool prizes begins Monday, November 15 and runs through Monday, November 22 (midnight EST). ONE (1) entry is placed in the Contest Hat by leaving a comment below; ONE (1) entry in placed in the Contest Hat for tweeting or RT'ing about the contest on Twitter with the hashtag #MHLitContest; and FIVE (5) entries are placed in the Contest Hat for doing something creative.
Full rules, regulations, and reminders for contests can be found HERE. Be sure to read over that information before entering.
PHOTOS OF MY AWESOME MAIL
*Publishers—to shut me up, the easiest thing to do is to send me an ARC of the book in question! Plus, I have a Kindle! So it will be easy for you to just send the e-book my way, and since it’s digital, you know I’ll buy the hardcover the second it’s released anyway! I tend to do that. My bank account complains, but what does it know?
**Kelly and I didn’t grow up in the same home or anything, and we’ve never gone through any kind of genetic testing to prove our twin-ness, but we are clearly twins.
Reading Speak in 9th grade vastly improved the quality of my life when things were exceptionally rough for me. I definitely think that every girl should have a copy of Speak and to hear that there's another book out there that can touch people out there in the same way that Speak did is wonderful. <3
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