Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Birthday to me & Excerpt of Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere

So yeah...you haven't heard from me in awhile. As most of you know, I was in New York City for a week for Book Expo America last week (which was excellent...I will be recapping as soon as I can steal pictures from my book blogger pals). This week I am visiting dear friends in Ohio. And today's my birthday.

I didn't get my review copy of THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE before I left for the US, so I haven't read it yet, but I've heard wonderful things. Today I have an excerpt of it for all of you who haven't read it yet either. You can read the previous excerpt at Teenage Fiction for All Ages and the next one at Bookalicious Ramblings.

I say softly, “I feel so guilty,” almost hoping the night will suck my words
away before Toby hears.
“I do too,” he whispers back.
“But about
something else too, Toby…”
“What?”
With all the darkness around me, with
my hand in Toby’s, I feel like I can say it. “I feel guilty that I’m still
here…”
“Don’t. Please, Len.”
“But she was always so much … more—”
“No.” He doesn’t let me finish. “She’d hate for you to feel that way.”
“I know.”
And then I blurt out what I’ve forbidden myself to think, let
alone say: “She’s in a coffin, Toby.” I say it so loud, practically shriek it –
the words make me dizzy, claustrophobic, like I need to leap out of my body.
I hear him suck in air. When he speaks, his voice is so weak I barely hear
it over our footsteps. “No, she isn’t.”
I know this too. I know both things
at once.
Toby tightens his grip around my hand.
Once at Flying Man’s,
the sky floods through the opening in the canopy. We sit on a flat rock and the
full moon shines so brightly on the river, the water looks like pure rushing
light.
“How can the world continue to shimmer like this?” I say as I lie
down under a sky drunk with stars.
Toby doesn’t answer, just shakes his head
and lies down next to me, close enough for him to put his arm around me, close
enough for me to put my head on his chest if he did so. But he doesn’t, and I
don’t.
He starts talking then, his soft words dissipating into the night
like smoke. He talks about how Bailey wanted to have the wedding ceremony here
at Flying Man’s so they could jump into the pool after saying their vows. I lean
up on my elbows and can see it as clearly in the moonlight as if I were watching
a movie, can see Bailey in a drenched bright orange wedding dress laughing and
leading the party down the path back to the house, her careless beauty so huge
it had to walk a few paces ahead of her, announcing itself. I see in the movie
of Toby’s words how happy she would have been, and suddenly, I just don’t know
where all that happiness, her happiness, and ours, will go now, and I start to
cry, and then Toby’s face is above mine and his tears are falling onto my cheeks
until I don’t know whose are whose, just know that all that happiness is gone,
and that we are kissing again.

And a poem:



33 comments:

Carla said...

This book is just beautiful, it really is! I love the poems too and the UK cover for the book is quite possibly one of the nicest I have ever seen, it's bound like a diary.

Happy Birthday!!!! Hope you have a fantabulous day!

Karen Mahoney said...

Happy Birthday, Lenore!! :)

*sends you birthday sparkles*

Kaz
xo

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Happy Birthdayyy!!!! Day after mine, that's so funny. What a bummer I didn't see you at BEA. I was only there Wednesday though. :)

-lauren

Collegiate Bookworm said...

Happy Birthday! Glad you enjoyed BEA- wish I could have made it :/

Bookalicious Ramblings said...

This book is absolutely amazing and I hope you'll like it too!

Oh and HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIIIRTHDAAAAY! I do hope you have a great one! :D

Sandy Nawrot said...

Happy Birthday Lenore! Missed those kitty pix. Glad to have you back, and can't wait to hear about all the fun!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Lenore! :)

The excerpt is beautiful. I must really check the book out.

Donna (Bites) said...

Happy, happy birthday, Lenore!

Allison said...

Happy Birthday, hope you have fun celebrating :)

The Sky is Everywhere is definitely my favorite read so far in 2010, and I bet you'll absolutely love it! It'll be patiently waiting for you when you get home :)

Hannah S. said...

I absolutely loved this book! Sure, I've read books like this already, but it was so sweet, and so real.
Also, happy birthday, Lenore!
I hope your birthday wishes come true on your special day. (I know that totally sounds like something off of a Hallmark card, but I do mean it!)
Love, Hannah

mo said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! *throws confetti* *blows horn thing* *eats cake*

The Sky Is Everywhere is my favorite read so far of 2010. Or possibly ever. :) I have a sort-of review of it up on my blog, if you're interested. I look forward to reading up on how you felt about it! Hope you hve a great birthday!!

http://juniper-breeze.blogspot.com/2010/05/oh-dear-me.html <--- the review :)

Michelle said...

Happy Birthday!! I hope you had a wonderful day hanging out with friends state-side! We'll have to try to get together on your next visit to the States!

Priya said...

Happy Birthday, Lenore!

brizmus said...

Happy Birthday!
I so can't wait to read this book!

Sarah Laurence said...

Happy Birthday!

The excerpts were good, but it feels like every other book these days is about a girl's dead sister and her ex boyfriend (or vampires/werewolves/fairies.)

Chachic said...

Happy Birthday, Lenore! :) I have a copy of this book but I haven't read it yet.

Jess said...

Happy birthday, Lenore! The Sky is Everywhere is my favorite read of 2010 so far. Breathtaking. Can't wait to hear what you think!

Melody said...

Happy, Happy Birthday!! :D

Ali said...

Happy birthday! Hope you're having a wonderful day with your friends.

Linda said...

Happy Birthday dear sweet niece! Hope you're having fun in Ohio!

Shweta said...

Happy Birthday Lenore!! Have have a wonderful time :)

Josette said...

Hey Lenore, happy birthday to you! :) Enjoy your time in Ohio.

PJ Hoover said...

Yes, Happy Birthday to you!

Zibilee said...

Happy Birthday Lenore!! I hope you have a great time on your trip and a wonderful birthday!!

Lorin said...

Happy birthday, Lenore! Enjoy the rest of your trip.

PS: I loved Cloud Atlas. When I dig myself out of the TBR pile a little, I have to read something else by Mitchell. Fantastic.

Anna said...

Happy birthday! Looking forward to your BEA recap.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Esme said...

Happy BIrthday.

Jodie said...

Happy birthday!

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

This sounds wonderful - the picture of the tree makes me want to write poetry!

Lenore it was wonderful meeting you at BEA! Hope your birthday was a lot of fun!

Mari - Escape In A Book said...

Happy belated birthday, Lenore! I hope you had a marvelous day =)

Michelle said...

**sings**

Happy Birthday to You!

The Sky is Everywhere is one of my favorite reads this year. It is truly an amazing story and written so well. Loved it! I hope you love it too :)

Serena said...

I hope you enjoyed your birthday!

Eesti said...

The secondary characters were interesting as well. There's Lennie's absent mother, she plays a big role in Lennie's life even though she isn't there. There's Joe and Toby. Then there's Gram and Uncle Big. Gram has a way with flowers and Big is the town Lothario. A richer cast of characters you won't find in another young adult novel. I loved everyone.