Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Book Read in September

Can you believe September is almost over? I can't. Maybe it's just me. Most of my month blogging-wise was taken over by three high-profile agent pitch contests: Cupid's Literary Connection's CAGI, Deanna Barnhart's Gearing Up to Get an Agent (GUTGAA) and Brenda Drake's Pitch Madness. While GUTGAA is still onging, the other contests earned me some agent interest (yay!) with half the agents requesting to read my full manuscript and the other half partials. One agent I found on twitter (lurking during Pitch Madness) said to pitch her and she asked for a full. Whoa! All that to say, if you are ready to dive into the agent query process for traditional publishing, keep up with the blogs mentioned since they offer opportunities like this.

Beyond that, it's Wednesday and time for YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday.


The topic today is: Favorite Book of September.

Image: Goodreads
This is the first month in probably a year or more that I only read a couple of books. It's partly due to spending more time writing and on the blog stuff mentioned above, and second I've also had a few health issues :/ BUT. I'm currently reading Gillian Flynn's GONE GIRL which is fantastic. I will probably finish it this weekend, because whenever I pick it up it's really tough to put down.

This is a current bestseller, and I can see why. The story is told from two alternating points of view: Nick, who in the present finds his wife has disappeared on their 5th anniversary, and his wife Amy, narrating through journal entries from the five or six years leading up to her disappearance. What's fascinating is the examination of their crumbling marriage from the differing POVs, and that neither narrator is entirely trustworthy. Something sinister is afoot, and it's unclear whether Nick is capable of hurting his wife, or if she mastered a plan on her own. Either way, I don't buy that she was kidnapped. I've been guessing the whole time.

Beyond the psychological thriller aspect, the writing is fabulous. Flynn wrote for Entertainment Weekly (for which I'm a long-time subscriber) and her knowledge of the industry and of the downfall of magazine publishing seeps through the pages in both obvious and unexpected ways. It's also darkly funny. I can't wait to finish this one.

How about you? What's the best book you've read this past month?

23 comments:

  1. One of my coworkers is reading this. Sounds like a good book.

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  2. Sounds like an interesting read. My TBR pile is towering (both virtually with e-books and physically with paper books), but I might have to add this one.

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    1. I've been working through the books I already own, and I had this one for most of the summer just waiting to be read. I keep adding to my lists too, I can't believe I ever was at a loss of what to read!

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  3. Oh, that sounds really good. Congratulations on all your requests! These contests really do help you get a foot in the door. Which number are you in GUTGAA? I'm #17.

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    1. Mine is #20. Got a partial request last night from the agent who reps only adult. Said she's "sort of intringued." I guess that's a win? Haha. I'll take it. :) Let me go read yours now!

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  4. Another one with Gone Girl. I say I have to check it out, right? =P
    Oh, my poor ever growing TBR list ...

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  5. Gone Girl sounds amazing, and thanks for the tips! I didn't do GUTGAA (my MS is almost ready but not quite), so I'm glad to have links to these resources.

    Best of luck with those agent requests!!!

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  6. This is the 2nd time I'm seeing this book. I read Entertainment Weekly and I love that magazine. I really need to get around to this book soon! lol

    http://wordsareinnermusic.blogspot.com/2012/09/road-trip-wednesday-best-book-ive-read.html

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  7. Gone girl sounds great.

    Glad you are getting requests!

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  8. Wow, I don't normally go beyond my usual realm of YA but I think I'm going to add this one to my list.

    Congrats for the requests!

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  9. Congrats with all the requests!

    Gone Girl sounds interesting - thanks!

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  10. As has been said, you're not the first to list this book. I guess I better pick it up.

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  11. This is the second recommendation I've read today for GONE GIRL. I added to Goodreads and I think I'll have to get to it soon. :)

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    1. I don't usually splurge for a hardcover but Costco had this for about $13. I use the library so much I figured it all balances out! I kept reading how good it was.

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  12. Congratulations on all the agent interest, Stephanie!! You must be really excited. I would be! :) I hope you get THE CALL soon!! :D

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    1. Thanks! Well, I need to send out the requests first, and after I of course make some last minute edits thanks to a fabulous critique I recently received. I'm so glad my vacation is next week so I can get to work.

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  13. That's great that you're getting requests from agents for your MS! I participated in GUTGAA, but didn't pitch anything this year. I'll check out the other blogs you mentioned.

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  14. How exciting to have agent interest. Hoping it ends up in something brilliant!!

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  15. I love how validating these kinds of contests can be! So much better than a form request (and loads better than a form rejection!) because you get a sense of their excitement.

    I have heard marvelous things about Gone Girl but haven't gotten around to it yet.

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  16. Congrats on the querying. Hopefully you'll be hearing back from some of these agents pretty soon :)

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  17. Congratulations on the requests! It's so validating to get requests from other avenues even if some of the contests don't pan out.

    The best book I read this month was Allan Wolf's The Watch That Ends the Night, a novel in verse about the Titanic.

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  18. Congratulations on your interest from various agents! That's fantastic. Isn't it great that there are so many opportunities for people to find agents these days?

    I have Gone Girl on my Audible list but haven't started it yet. It sounds amazing. I always love a good, can't-put-down mystery.

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  19. Oooh, I'll have to check this out. Sounds good! As far as agent interest.. YEAH. YOU GO GIRL. Keep us posted!

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