Today would have been L.K. Madigan's birthday! She was a YA author who passed away early last year due to pancreatic cancer. You can see a post I did on that here to find out more details. In said post I stated:
"I have no intention of ever letting the literary world forget her part in it or the contribution she made to it through her wonderful books. Lisa shall never be forgotten!"
This is me staying true to that promise! I saw a post on Lisa Schroeder's blog revealing the cover of her new book Falling for You (see post here) and she also mentioned that today would have been Lisa Madigan's birthday. I'm doing this post to bring her books to your attention, because they deserve every ounce of it. So here we go people.
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pub. Date: October 19th, 2009
Pages: 320
Age Level: 14+
Synopsis via Goodreads
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Telephoto lens. Zoom. In a shutter release millisecond, Blake’s world turns upside down. The nameless woman with the snake tattoo is not just another assignment. “That’s my mom!” gasps Marissa.
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Saturated self-portrait: Blake, nice guy, class clown, always trying to get a laugh, not sure where to focus.
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Contrast. Shannon, Blake’s GF. Total. Babe. Marissa, just a friend and fellow photographer. Shannon loves him; Marissa needs him. How is he supposed to frame them both in one shot?
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Chiaroscuro. Lightdark. Marissa again, overexposed. Crash and burn.
Talk about negative space.
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What I Thought (From My Review)
"Humorous, honest, and full of photographic awesomeness, Flash Burnout is a fast-paced, page-turner of a story and I did not want to put it down."
Quote from Book (Noteworthy Passages Post)
"I think of Gus's angel tattoo, a constant reminder of his loss. I don't need something etched into my skin to remind me. I've got tattoos on my heart."
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository
The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. MadiganPublisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pub. Date: October 4th, 2010
Pages: 336
Age Level: 13+
Synopsis via Goodreads
Lena has lived her whole life near the beach — walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves — the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.
As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.
But her father — a former surfer himself — refuses to allow her to take lessons. After his near drowning years ago, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.
Yet something keeps drawing Lena to the water . . . an ancient, powerful magic. And one morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman — with a silvery tail.
Now nothing can stop Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.
And soon . . . what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life forever.
What I Thought (From My Review)
"All in all, The Mermaid's Mirror is a radiant, touching story that beautifully twines together both coming-of-age aspects and mythical elements. I would highly recommend this unique and refreshing read to anyone; I know I'll sure be reading it again in the future."
Quote from Book (Noteworthy Passages Post)
"Lena," persisted Cole. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Her parents and Grandma Kath had stopped talking and were looking at her now. Lena raised her eyebrows at them and said to Cole, "Happy."
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository
I hope you will take this as an opportunity to try a new book. Or two. Maybe you've heard of these before, maybe you haven't. But they are worth reading and Lisa deserves to have her books remembered!
Happy Birthday Lisa! You are most surely missed.
2 comments:
Oh, L.K. Madigan. I remember reading The Mermaid's Mirror on Netgalley - it was actually the first one I ever reviewed on there. It seems funny that it was only last year... God, she was such a fighter, and I was shaken up when I heard the news. I still haven't gotten to reading Flash Burnout, but the thought to do so has never completely left my mind.
Thanks for mentioning her again. And Happy Birthday Lisa!
Dear Brianna,
Thanks very much for remembering Lisa on her Birthday. I really appreciate everything you, Her author friends, librarians, and the writing community at large have done to honor all of her hard work. Nate and I are truly blessed to have you as our champions.
Neil
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