#peter bognanni

[bookaddict24-7]

Somehow, Peter Bognanni just knows how to hit me emotionally with his work. A couple of years ago, I read THINGS I’M SEEING WITHOUT YOU during a particularly emotional moment in my family’s life. Now, this protagonist has suffered a loss similar to one I went through years ago. I can’t recommend this author enough. Thank you @penguinteenca for the opportunity to read an ARC of this beautiful book! ❤️📚

[penguinteen]

Penguin Teen Interns Recommend!!!

Summer is almost over, and sadly, it is time to say goodbye to our Summer 2017 Penguin Teen interns. They have been hard at work reading manuscripts, posting online Penguin Teen content, creating eBooks, planning author tours, attending lots of fun meetings and of course, doing lots and lots of reading! Before they left, we asked them for a few of their MUST READS you don’t want to miss out on!    

An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir

Oona Ryle (Publicity Intern) “An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir could not have been more aptly named –  it won’t burn you, but the story will draw you closer with the warmth she creates in the character relationships. I’m reading the sequel, A Torch Against the Night, right now, and somehow, it’s even better than the first book!”

Perfect Ten by L. Philips 

Dan Denning (Retail Marketing & Advertising Intern)  “They say to never judge a book by its cover, but I fell in love with this book the instant I saw the cover… whoops. Still, the vibrancy, romanticism, and humor you see on that cover is exactly what is inside the book too! Sam’s journey to find his perfect boyfriend in a town where he is one of the only gay boys kept me 100 percent invested throughout all 352 pages. Read it for the captivating story, the adorable characters, the juicy romantic drama, and because you REALLY want to know which of Sam’s four crushes ends up being the final boy behind that unicorn mask on the cover.” 

This is Really Happening by Erin Chack

Elizabeth Aaron (Production Intern) “As a fan of both memoirs and young adult lit, this book is best of both worlds. Erin Chack is both witty and real, and never shies away from brutal honesty. Her embarrassing moments are probably more relatable than I’d like to admit, and I found myself laughing with her, rather than at her. This book is perfect for readers who are sick of the same YA tropes, and are looking for a voice that sounds a little more like a friend than a character.”

Rebel Belle trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

Ema Barnes (Editorial Intern at Putnam) “What other trilogy starts off with a Homecoming queen killing someone with a shoe? I binge read the Rebel Belle trilogy in May and am enamored with spunky Harper Price. She’s the type of girl I want on my side: charming, witty, and entirely too sassy. Read this thrilling adventure of mystical Paladins and powerful friendships before school starts, because once you’ve started, you’ll be unable to put these books down.”

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Shaina Verma (Editorial Intern at Dial) “I read Roller Girl recently, and for someone who normally prefers Silence of the Lambs-style stuff I was blown away. The artwork was so fun and the storyline was fantastic – I felt like I was back in 6th grade, going through all the emotional turbulence again. I loved seeing Astrid’s character develop and learning about roller derby lingo, and the message about positivity, hard work, and maturity was pretty dang heartening. Pick this one up – you won’t regret it! Victoria Jamieson’s All’s Faire in Middle School is coming out this summer, too, so you won’t have to wait too long to read more by this amazing author.”

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Oona Intemann (Online Marketing Intern) “Usually I'm hopeless at keeping track of alternating points of view in a novel, but Sepetys does something magical here that keeps me in touch with these storylines the entire time.  I love historical fiction, especially WW2-era, but knew very little about this event and about the people it affected.  This is a heavy story, but so important.  There is some romance, but just the right amount -- the real draw is reading about the lives of these young people, thrown into unspeakable danger and tragedy, caught between military powers in war-torn places. I was hooked from the start!”

Things I’m Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni

Nicole Benevento (School & Library Marketing Intern) “When you open Things I’m Seeing Without You, you are immediately transported to the world of Tess Fowler, where high school has been left behind, her family’s inability to get along is typical, and the love of her life, Jonah, has committed suicide. This book is the perfect balance of hilariously funny and heartbreakingly beautiful with just the right amount of twists and turns to draw you in, as Tess begins to try to work through her grief in unconventional and unexpected ways.  Things I’m Seeing Without You is the kind of book you won’t be able to put down until you turn the very… last… page. Pick it up as soon as it comes out October 3rd!” 

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore 

Tanu Srivastava (Editorial Intern at Puffin) “This book, from the author of The Graceling Realm series, starts out normally—Jane, who makes umbrellas, accepts an unexpected invitation to an opulent mansion, and finds herself mixed up with missing children, stolen artwork, mysterious frogs and hypnotic color-coded libraries. The story has five different endings, which get progressively more outlandish until reality is turned completely upside down. Bonus: References to classics like Jane Eyre and Rebecca! It comes out September 19th and you CAN’T miss it!”

Applications for our Fall 2017 internships are no longer being accepted, but we take interns every season Spring, Summer, and Fall! Keep an eye on our career page and definitely apply in the future. We’d love to have you!

[mugglenet]

Book Review: "Things I'm Seeing Without You" by Peter Bognanni - http://blog.mugglenet.com/2017/10/book-review-things-im-seeing-without-you-by-peter-bognanni/

[ablogforreaders]

Each one of us is the center of our own universe. That's the only way it can be. From our point of view, we are stationary and everything else is swirling around us, dropping into our lives just for our reaction.

Peter Bognanni, The House of Tomorrow

[bookaddict24-7]

MUSIC MONDAYS!

A series where I recommend a book, review it, and create a short playlist to give a sense of what the book is about.

This review may contain spoilers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Peter Bognanni and I have an emotional past. Mind you, the author himself doesn’t know that. When his novel Things I’m Seeing Without You was first out in ARC format, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy via the publisher. It just so happened that when I was nearly halfway through, my family suffered a tragic loss. If any of you have read TISWY, then you know how sensitive the topic of that book is (if you haven’t, I recommend it with caution because of the aforementioned sensitive topic). Ever since that summer, Bognanni has held a special place in my heart. The title of his prior work is also an inspiration for a future tattoo that I want to get because it just speaks so well to those who’ve lost someone. 

With that long disclaimer-ish paragraph out of the way, let me say that This Book is Not Yet Rated is both very different from Bognanni’s prior work and still just as emotionally touching for me. Through witty and personable writing, Bognanni’s newest title will resonate with anyone who loves film, or has had a love for something that has greatly defined them growing up. 

Ethan is the manager at the old movie theatre, The Green Street Cinema, that used to feature films for his dad’s college students. Nicknamed Wendy by the lost boys who work alongside him, Ethan has been using the theatre as an escape from his grief after losing his dad three years before. He’s also conveniently avoiding the pressures of growing up. But when a new face pops up with the threat of shutting down the theatre, Ethan must question what the theatre really means to him and his crew. As if these pressures weren’t enough, Ethan’s old friend and crush return to his life after she’s suffered a breakdown of her own. Will Ethan be able to save his sanctuary and will his friendship ever recover from the past?

For the most part, I enjoyed Ethan’s story and growth. I liked how his progress follows the obvious route that contemporary books usually take, but then gets derailed because life isn’t that simple. Bognanni shows us that anything important to us is worth the hard work. Simple solutions aren’t the answer and nothing in life is linear--despite how much we want to emulate film. 

And that’s one of the interesting things I noticed in this book: the parallels shown between film and life. In order to escape from the difficulties and unpredictable nature of life, Ethan submerges himself into the intricate world of film where most stories have storylines that follow patterns, or eventually lead to a climax of some sort--something controlled by a director and editor. Up until the theatre is threatened, Ethan has been living a predictable life. This “shake-up” is where the story deviates from being film-like. Or, to play devil’s advocate, it could even be argued that Ethan’s life becomes more film-like because of the abrupt changes he’s experiencing. 

This book being titled This Book Is Not Yet Rated is perfect because of all of the connections to film. The book itself is like a love story for film and its effect on people. I loved that at the beginning of every title Ethan explains various filmmaking terms that his dad must have taught him. His experience with movies makes the reader want to have a paper and pen ready to write down all of the recommendations.

Raina, Ethan’s old best friend, is in film as well and knows all about the importance of film in life. Though she at times falls into the unfortunate trope of being a manic pixie dream girl (something that affected my overall rating for this book), Raina is the character who helps Ethan see that it’s okay to dare to want more. She pushes him to stand outside of his comfort zone, while also trying to figure her life out. While her conclusion in the story was a tad convenient (and a little under-developed), I did like the effect she had on Ethan. 

The other characters are like the perfect seasoning for an enjoyable storyline. They add flavour to a story that could have easily been boring or a little too formulaic. I loved that each had their own quirk that made up the feeling of a dysfunctional family. Their hijinks and commentary were some of my favourite moments in this book. Ethan on his own was at times depressing, so adding in these dynamic characters was a great touch. I do wish we’d have known a little more about them, but I’m happy we got to meet them regardless.

The emotional aspect of this book that really hit me was the dad’s death. While we don’t actively get to meet him because this takes place three years after his passing, he is like an honorary character hidden in every page of the book. His presence is what drives Ethan to do better and it’s what made me connect to Ethan in the first place. I almost teared up when Ethan finally explains how he died and the little quirks they had together, because it was like reading about me and my dad. 

My negatives about this book would probably be the portrayal of Raina, the at-times one dimensional side characters, and the sometimes slowly paced writing. There were moments where I became stuck on a specific chapter and I felt drawn to other books. 

Despite the things I wasn’t a big fan of, I did really enjoy this book. I strongly recommend it for anyone who loves film and a story about how film can help us grow and understand the world. Also, it’s a read I’d recommend for anyone who’s ever had to grieve a loss because Bognanni always touches on the unspoken things that grieving people often experience, and how our lives are affected by the death of a loved one.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Age Recommendation: 14+

Genres: Contemporary, Death & Grieving, Family, Friends, Romance

Add it to your Goodreads here.

See the playlist on Spotify here.

The Playlist: 

Dancing With A Stranger by Sam Smith & Normani

Ruin My Life by Zara Larsson

You & Me by James TW

Dust in the Wind by Kansas

Come and Get Your Love by Redbone

Figure It Out by Royal Blood

Hollywood by RAC & Penguin Prison

Have you read this book yet? Would you recommend it?

Happy reading!

[penguinteen]

Read more about our Fall 2017 game-changers here!

[bookaddict24-7]

Currently reading Things I'm Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni. I'm only two chapters in and I'm already liking the tone! What are you reading this weekend?

[candidcover]

(via Review: Things I'm Seeing Without You)

Things I’m Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni is a book that took me by surprise.  It is about a girl who loses her boyfriend to suicide, and the main character has an entertaining personality. But what really drew me in was the alternative funeral business. It makes the story a little bit lighter and glances out the sadness of the story. I really enjoyed this one, and I found it to be a unique approach to the grieving process.