January 14, 2014

2014. New beginnings, new you. That seems to be the trend of each passing year, right? The clock strikes midnight, and all of sudden you’re giving up sugar (and for Emily, diet coke!), you’re hitting the gym, you’re calling your grandparents more, you’re vowing to read more and you’re officially declaring that this is the year of YOU. There’s one (dreaded) word to describe this: RESOLUTIONS.

It’s good to feel ambitious in January. Even though we may be 20Somethings, the new year still feels like the beginning of the school year --- you’re reenergized from a long break, you’ve got new pencils (or milky pens, if you're faaancy) and you’ve firmly resolved to actually take notes this semester and not just perfect writing your name in 3D bubble letters. But, if you’re anything like us, it’s overwhelming to think about all the things you want to change, begin, stop, keep doing...all at once. Plus, the pressure to see immediate results can be crippling. The idea isn’t to avoid setting big goals. It’s to embrace big goals, and to understand that the best way to reach them is by taking small steps, and taking them often. Feelings of “newness” can happen throughout the year.

Obviously, we can only speak from our own experience. Take New Year’s 2012, when a young and bright Nikki firmly resolved to start enjoying herself in the moment more. Sounds like a tall order, right? It can be hard to get out of your own head. But every time she went out and was having a so-so time, Nikki consciously reminded herself that there’s absolutely nothing holding her back from having the best time of her life. It wasn’t necessarily effective every single time, but just the idea of it was a comfort. It helped Nikki let go of her social anxiety, and, in the words of the great Bard of our generation Justin Timberlake, take back the night. (Emily declined to comment. Her resolution this year is to resolve to do something. And to stop reading romance novels exclusively.)

Maybe goals like “enjoying yourself in the moment” are a little too abstract (at least in terms of newsletter example material). So here’s a list of things we’re hoping to slowly and steadily accomplish this year:

Read more books. This one’s pretty obvious. It’s tough to stick to a goal like READ 100 BOOKS BEFORE SEPTEMBER. A better approach might be to try to make better choices when it comes to your reading material --- and we have plenty of recommendations! Reading should be a pleasure, not a chore.

Drink more water. Whether you take this one literally (Nikki) or metaphorically (Emily), imbibing more H2O is a fan-favorite when it comes to resolutions. It’s also one of the hardest to stay on top (afloat?) of. As we age, we want our skin to be dewy and fresh...while we still have some of our youthful years left. This doesn’t mean you have to drown yourself in water all day every day, but maybe switch out that 3PM soda by tapping into the world’s most hydrating resource.

Actively remember the small (yet important) details of your friends’ lives. This doesn’t mean you must take a mental note of what brand of deodorant they use. But remembering that he/she has a job interview next Tuesday offers you a great opportunity to follow up afterwards, showing that you care. This could even evolve into a celebratory event (if he/she gets the job), boosting your social life. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to train your brain to remember everything, but at least make the effort to mark things in your iCal (and let’s be real: memories are so 20th century.)

The point we’re trying to make here is that resolutions...and feeling ambitious...don’t have to come around just once a year, like, you know, when you’re braving the wind chill factor in your new tights, rocking 2014 glasses, toasting your best friend with champagne and fervently searching for someone to kiss at midnight. Also, let’s be honest --- who’s doing anything, but recovering on January 1st?

We don't save our excitement just for new books in the new year. The beginning of 2014 (as with the beginning of every year) also marks awards season, with the Golden Globes kicking off this celebratory time on Sunday night. We couldn't be more pumped about it. It was hard enough to choose between the Globes, "Downton Abbey," "Girls," "True Detective," "Shameless"...the list goes on and on as Sunday is the best night for TV. Of course, the Globes was a no fail choice, and let's just say we've got a handful of celebrity speeches, successes and snafus to look forward to in the coming months.

There are a few key mental notes we made to ourselves while we sat glued to our screens for what seemed like the length of a Netflix binge session. In the spirit of how much we love lists (our most important one being "Books to Read"), it only seems natural to highlight these memorable moments of Sunday's ceremony:

• Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are the most killer comedic combination. Nothing is better than their natural flair for humor, and making the most of awkward situations. And Poehler may or may not have locked lips with Bono. Oh, U2? Naughty.
• "Breaking Bad" won big...but we ALL knew it would. Does everyone know that we LOVED this show and miss it sincerely?
• Matthew McConaughey (aka "My King") gave the best speech of the night. Jacqueline Bisset did not. (Though, she still remains a diva).
• The winner for Best Movie in the Drama category (12 Years a Slave) was a book-turned-screenplay adaptation. Famous director Steve McQueen was given a copy by his wife. Reminder here: Sharing (books) is caring.
• Unexpectedly, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" took home multiple awards. There's another show to add to our "TV Shows To Watch" list.

While we resolve to watch less TV (ha!) and read more, we’ve got some great books we’re looking forward to. First up is the new and highly anticipated Laurie Halse Anderson book, THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY. The author of the critically acclaimed SPEAK returns with a story about teen Hayley Kincain and her father, who have been on the road trying to escape the demons that have haunted him since Iraq. Will they be able to find some sense of normalcy? We’re also looking forward to THE STORIES OF FREDERICK BUSCH, edited by Elizabeth Strout. We trust the OLIVE KITTERIDGE author’s taste, and Frederick Busch was a master of the short story form; his subjects were single-event moments in so-called ordinary life. Last but not least is PHOENIX ISLAND by John Dixon, the book that inspired the CBS television series “Intelligence.” It’s about 16-year-old Carl Freeman, who risks everything to save his friends and stop a madman bent on global destruction when he is sent to an isolated boot camp for troubled orphans. It sounds like LORD OF THE FLIES meets UNDERWORLD, and we can’t wait.

Share with us via Facebook and Twitter what you're planning to read in the new year!

Nicole Sherman ([email protected]) + Emily Hoenig ([email protected])

The enticing series from author J.M. Darhower, SEMPRE and SEMPRE: Redemption, are passionate stories about love, sacrifice, death and freedom. SEMPRE is the first book in the series and is now available in eBook. Two teenagers, Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco, come from very different worlds. When they fall in love in the midst of a mafia-run sex trafficking ring, they start to question everything they once believed. SEMPRE will be released for the first time in paperback on February 25, 2014. SEMPRE: Redemption is the thrilling sequel to SEMPRE and is now available in eBook. This time around, Haven and Carmine find themselves implicated in the mafia-run organization they once tried to overthrow, and desperately try and find new ground in their relationship. SEMPRE: Redemption will be released for the first time in paperback on April 1, 2014.

- Click here to learn more about the series.

More about SEMPRE:
Two young lovers, Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco, come from very different worlds. When they fall in love in the midst of a mafia-run sex trafficking ring, they begin to question everything they once believed. This is a story about sacrifice...death...love...freedom. This is a story about forever.

Available in eBook NOW. Available in paperback on February 25, 2014.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for an excerpt.

More about SEMPRE: Redemption:
In this thrilling sequel to SEMPRE, Haven and Carmine find themselves implicated in the mafia-run organization they once tried to overthrow, and desperately try and find new ground in their relationship.

Available in eBook NOW. Available in paperback on April 1, 2014.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for an excerpt.

With haunting prose and deft psychological insight, Averil Dean spins a chilling story that explores the dark corners of obsession --- love, pain and revenge in ALICE CLOSE YOUR EYES.

Ten years ago, someone ruined Alice Croft's life. Now, she has a chance to right that wrong. She thinks she has found the perfect man to carry out her plan --- Jack Calabrese. However, it isn't long before she finds herself drawn into a labyrinth of terrifying surrender to a man who is more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.

BLOG: Literature's Most Dysfunctional Families
And you thought your family was dysfunctional? Lauren Sarner reveals literature's best dysfunctional clans, who make your family look like the Brady Bunch.

BLOG: Amanda Reviews THE KILLING WOODS
20Something contributor Amanda Assenza offers up some thoughts on the hot new novel from YA sensation Lucy Christopher.

BLOG: Defending My Degree
20Something contributor (and recent college grad) Austin Williams writes about the importance of following your dreams, and not tailoring your goals according to anyone else's wisdom, conventional or otherwise.

BLOG: Throwback Thursday: Remember We Threwback Every Thursday?
We know. We've been a little MIA...but for good reason. There's so much to look forward to in 2014, including TBT.

Special Feature: Books on Screen January 2014
While awards season kicks into full gear this month, movies take a bit of a breather from the intensity of the past few weeks. Theaters may be short on the more serious Oscar bait, but there are plenty of high-octane thrillers heating up the screens this frosty winter. Snow money? Snow problem! If you’re stuck inside this month, there’s plenty to see on TV, including a highly anticipated cult-classic adaptation and the return of a whole bunch of vampires.

GATED by Amy Christine Parker (Young Adult)
Lyla Hamilton and her parents moved to The Community following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now 17, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned: Pioneer is her leader. Will is her Intended. The end of the world is near. Reviewed by Ashley Tran.

THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson (Young Adult, Romance, Social Issues)
Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since Iraq. Now they are staying in one place so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own pain, even have a relationship. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

MINDERS by Michele Jaffe (Young Adult, Science Fiction)
Sadie Ames is a type-A teenager from the wealthy suburbs. She's been accepted to the prestigious Mind Corps Fellowship program, where she'll spend six weeks as an observer inside the head of Ford, a troubled boy with a passion for the crumbling architecture of the inner city. There's just one problem: Sadie's fallen in love with him. Reviewed by Sabrina Abballe.

PHOENIX ISLAND by John Dixon (Young Adult, Fiction, Thriller)
When sixteen-year-old boxing champion Carl Freeman is sent to an isolated boot camp for orphans, he’s determined to tough it out, earn a clean record, and get on with his life. Instead, he soon realizes Phoenix Island is actually a Spartan-style mercenary organization turning “throwaway children” into killers, Carl risks everything to save his friends and stop a madman bent on global destruction. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THIS STAR WON’T GO OUT: THE LIFE AND WORDS OF ESTHER GRACE EARL by Esther Earl, Lori Earl and Wayne Earl (Young Adult, Memoir, Nonfiction)
A collection of the journals, fiction, letters, and sketches of the late Esther Grace Earl, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Photographs and essays by family and friends will help to tell Esther’s story along with an introduction by award-winning author John Green who dedicated his #1 bestselling novel THE FAULT IN OUR STARS to her. Reviewed by Caroline Osborn.

THE ASCENDANT by Drew Chapman (Thriller)
When bond analyst Garrett Reilly discovers that US Treasury bonds are being sold off at an alarming rate, he sees a chance to become incredibly rich. But when the United States military arrives at his office, Garrett learns he has stumbled upon the first attack in a covert war of unthinkable proportions. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE COURIER by Andrew Britton (Thriller)
Thanks to an incredible discovery in the Arctic, our global enemies now have a nuke, capable of unleashing unthinkable terror. To hunt down the devastating package before it can be used, Ryan Kealey forms an unlikely partnership with the young Farsi-speaking nuclear physicist Rayhan Jafari. But once on the ground, they're on their own --- trusting only their guts and each other --- to conduct the dirty business of combating horrific destruction. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE DESCENT: Book Three of the Taker Trilogy by Alma Katsu (Supernatural Mystery)
Lanore McIlvrae once spent her days terrified, knowing that Adair, the former lover she imprisoned, would someday find her. Now, many years later, she’s looking for Adair, hoping to convince him to help her locate their mutual companion. She is plagued by nightmares and needs answers to past wrongs. Not knowing what she’ll find, Lanore goes looking for the man who gave her immortality. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.

FEAR NOTHING: A Detective D. D. Warren Novel by Lisa Gardner (Thriller)
The last thing Boston Detective D. D. Warren remembers is walking the crime scene after dark. She is later told she managed to discharge her weapon three times. All she knows is that she is seriously injured and unable to return to work. Six weeks later, a second woman is discovered murdered in her own bed, her room containing the same calling cards from the first. It soon becomes apparent that the killer isn’t just targeting lone women --- he is targeting D. D. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE FIRE DANCE: An Inspector Irene Huss Investigation Set in Sweden by Helene Tursten (Mystery)
Detective Inspector Irene Huss hasn’t seen Sophie Malmborg for over 15 years, but she’s still haunted by the strange young ballerina’s role in the fire that killed her stepfather. All her questions resurface when Sophie disappears, and the charred remains of a dancer are found in an abandoned warehouse. Irene has a startling realization that could shed light on the case that has been lingering in the back of her mind since the beginning of her career. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

FROM THE DEAD: A Tom Thorne Novel by Mark Billingham (Mystery)
A decade ago, Alan Langford’s charred remains were discovered in his burnt-out car. His wife Donna was found guilty of conspiracy to murder her husband and sentenced to 10 years in prison. But before she is released, Donna receives a nasty shock: an anonymous letter containing a photo of her husband. How is it possible that he’s still alive? Where is he? Who sent the photo, and why? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

IN THE BLOOD by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller)
Lana Granger lives a life of lies. About to graduate college and with her trust fund almost tapped out, she takes a job babysitting a troubled boy named Luke. It is through this relationship that Lana’s lies will be exposed, and the past from which she is running will quickly catch up with her. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

INNOCENT BLOOD: The Order of the Sanguines Series by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell (Gothic Thriller/Adventure)
While exploring a tomb hidden for centuries in the depths of Masada, Israel, brilliant archaeologist Erin Granger began an incredible journey to recover a miraculous ancient artifact tied to Christ himself. In this follow-up to THE BLOOD GOSPEL, an attack outside Stanford University thrusts Erin back into the fold of the Sanguines. As the threat of Armageddon looms, she must unite with an ancient evil to halt the plans of a man determined to see the world end, a man known only as Iscariot. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd (Historical Fiction)
Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. On her 11th birthday, Sarah Grimke is given ownership of Handful. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next 35 years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies, and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

THE INVISIBLE CODE: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery by Christopher Fowler (Mystery)
Bryant and May, two of the sharpest minds in all of London, tackle one of the most confounding cases of their storied --- and eccentric --- careers. An ill-timed death, a powerful curse, a mad dowager, and a dead photographer are just a few of the ingredients in this puzzling stew. And so begins an investigation that will test the members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit to their limits. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE PURITY OF VENGEANCE: A Department Q Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
In 1987, Nete Hermansen plans revenge on those who abused her in her youth, including Curt Wad, a charismatic surgeon who was part of a movement to sterilize wayward girls in 1950s Denmark. More than 20 years later, Detective Carl Mørck is presented with the case of a brothel owner named Rita, who went missing in the ’80s. As he and his assistants sift through the disappearances, they get closer and closer to Curt, who is more determined than ever to see the vision of his youth take hold. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

ROSEMARY AND CRIME by Gail Oust (Mystery)
Piper Prescott's grand opening of her own spice shop goes awry when the local chef who has agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed. Not only did Piper find the body, she handled the murder weapon and doesn't have a witness to her alibi. Desperate to uncover the truth --- and prove her innocence --- Piper enlists the help of her outspoken BFF Reba Mae Johnson to help track down the real culprit. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

STARTER HOUSE by Sonja Condit (Thriller)
Shortly after Lacey and her husband move in to what they think is their dream home, the warm and welcoming house becomes cold and dark. There is something malevolent within these walls that wants to hurt Lacey’s unborn child --- a terrifying presence that only she can sense. To save her family, Lacey must discover the truth about the house and confront an evil that has lingered in wait for years. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

THE STORIES OF FREDERICK BUSCH edited by Elizabeth Strout (Fiction/Short Stories)
A contemporary of Ann Beattie and Tobias Wolff, Frederick Busch was a master craftsman of the form; his subjects were single-event moments in so-called ordinary life. The stories in this volume, selected by Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout, are tales of families trying to heal their wounds, save their marriages, and rescue their children. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

THE TRIP TO ECHO SPRING: On Writers and Drinking by Olivia Laing (Social History)
In THE TRIP TO ECHO SPRING, Olivia Laing examines the link between creativity and alcohol through the work and lives of six extraordinary men: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, John Berryman, John Cheever and Raymond Carver. All six of these writers were alcoholics, and the subject of drinking surfaces in some of their finest work. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

WANT NOT by Jonathan Miles (Fiction)
As the novel opens on Thanksgiving Day, readers are telescoped into three different worlds in various states of disrepair --- a young freegan couple living off the grid in New York City; a once-prominent linguist, sacked at midlife by the dissolution of his marriage and his father’s losing battle with Alzheimer’s; and a self-made debt-collecting magnate, whose brute talent for squeezing money out of unlikely places has yielded him a royal existence, trophy wife included. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.

THE WAY OF ALL FISH by Martha Grimes (Fiction/Humor)
In Martha Grimes’s sequel to FOUL MATTER, hit men Candy and Karl once again venture into the murky Manhattan publishing scene. This time they come to the aid of a writer who is being sued by her unscrupulous literary agent, a man determined to get a 15 percent commission for a book he didn’t sell. The contract killers join forces with a publishing mogul and a mega-bestselling writer to rid the mean streets of the agent, not by shooting him, but by driving him crazy. Reviewed by Roz Shea.