Quintana of Charyn Preview

Quintana of Charyn will be released March 12, 2013 in North America. Candlewick, the North American publisher, has posted a preview of Quintana of Charyn on Scribd! It's the first two chapters, which you can read below. Or you can access it through the direct link, if the file isn't showing up. And don't forget that you can read the prologue HERE. Enjoy!

Shelf Envy with Melina Marchetta

This is the final post for the Quintana of Charyn blog tour! If you missed the other dates, you can find the entire schedule here.

First and foremost, I'd like to thank Melina for the intrusion. I'm sure she's wondering why in the heck I've asked her to show us her bookshelves. Well, my primary reason is that I'm nosy and I've always wanted to know the type of books she reads or have read. It wasn't easy; but asking her to do this post took a few self-inflicted slaps in the face as I psyched myself out. I'm just glad I didn't have to resort to liquid courage.

1.    What was the last book you purchase?

Damien Echols’ Life After Death. It’s an autobiography written by one of three men wrongly accused of the murder of three little boys in West Memphis Arkansas almost twenty years ago when they were teenagers. It’s an amazing read about injustice and faith and growing up different.

2.    Which literary characters (other than yours) would you like to hang out with?

Too hard a question, but apart from Sydney, I love New York so I wouldn’t mind spending a night listening to Mia and Adam (from Gayle Forman’s Where She Went) play music.

3.    Name your ultimate top 5 books.

I’m very fickle about this so if someone is to ask me in a year’s time I’d probably have another list of five and if someone is to ask me about my most influential novels, I’d have a different list and so on and so forth, but for now my five are: The Yiddish Policeman’s Union by Michael Chabon; The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner; The Broken Shore by Peter Temple; Persuasion by Jane Austen; and Hills End by Ivan Southall.

4.    What is the most random item (knick knacks or book) in your bookshelf?

 Holy water (from my mum, who wants me to bless my house with it.

5.   Do you have a go-to book when you hit a wall in your writing? 

No, I think the worst thing I could do to myself is read someone else’s work when I’ve hit a wall with my writing.  But for solace, I find myself re-reading fantasy novels. My last re-reads were two of Anne Bishop’s books from the Ephemera Series. 

Huge thank you to Melina Marchetta for taking the time to answer our questions and to the bloggers who participated in the blog tour! This tour wouldn't have been successful without you all. It was our first time hosting a blog tour, so it was definitely a big learning experience for us. We hope everyone enjoyed following the tour and reading the posts for the past 9 10 days. :)

The giveaway is still up and will be running until the end of November. Please don't forget to enter for a chance to win the entire Lumatere Trilogy!

- Joy & Alexa

Melina Marchetta on the Secondary Women

You can find the entire schedule for the Quintana of Charyn blog tour here. For this guest post, we asked Melina Marchetta about the secondary female characters and how they find strength in hopeless situations.

---

I just wanted to start by saying a big thank you to Joy and Alexa and all those who have written such kind words about Quintana of Charyn.  I came back from being away and read all the posts and the art work this week and loved them all.

Joy and Alexa asked me to write a post and we settled on a question about the secondary characters of women.

What you do when you need characters to find the strength to keep going, even when everything seems hopeless, is you give them a role model. That’s why Quintana gets the title of the novel.  Because through watching her and understanding her past, the women of the valley begin to understand the complexity of Quintana.  Apart from Froi and Lirah, they are the only people who grow to love Quintana for herself, rather than because she’s the mother of the future King. She may not always be nice, but she earns that love by hunting for them, arming them, and being the leader her father never was.

When I was working on Froi of the Exiles, I knew that the women of the valley would be important to Quintana’s journey.  By the time I started the last novel, I had changed my mind and felt that Tesadora and Japhra and the Mont girls better assisted her journey.  And then I changed my mind again.  If I had just relied on Tesadora and the Mont girls, I think I would have gone over old ground and missed out on finding out more about the women of Charyn.  In one of the most crucial scenes in Quintana, Phaedra begs for their lives and Cora refuses to kneel at the feet of any man, and I loved them both for it.   That’s what I wanted to explore.  What would I do? Who knows, but I think I’d like to refuse to beg like Cora, yet I’d do anything to live much like Phaedra.

I loved writing those powerful prickly moments between Quintana and the women in her life because I got to discover more about her. Things I didn’t know. Her words to Florenza about the filth of memories are one of my favourite lines. It breaks my heart that I can’t remember this moment, but years ago, the real Jimmy Hailler (from Saving Francesca) told me that a defining moment for him was when we were sitting on the front steps of the school where I taught him and I told him something along the same lines. Something about not letting our past write the story of our future lives.  So I used that sentiment in this novel.  That’s how strange writing is.  You can have a conversation with a teenage boy about life, and ten years later it can end up a conversation between women in a fantasy novel.

And of course I didn’t want to forget about Tesadora.  Apart from the Queen of Lumatere, she’s one of my favourite characters and her story line and that of the generation of Charyn women who missed out on having children was the most heart breaking to write. Cora and Tesadora, and the women of Charyn who missed out on having children because of the curse, were very real to me. What I loved about Tesadora is that she didn’t give in and take a woe-is-me attitude. Nor did Cora.  Cora is the planter of the hope seeds. Japhra is a healer. I’d like to think there’s more to women than being defined by society’s expectations. I really wanted these women to be more than the sum of their experiences.

---

Don't you just love anything Melina Marchetta writes? It's always great reading what she thinks about her characters and this post was insightful. Thank you, Melina, for writing out this wonderful post for the tour! :D

Lit Chat: Joy and Alexa on Quintana (and Giveaway)

See the full schedule for the Quintana of Charyn blog tour HERE.

So. Alexa and I spent an hour or two one Sunday afternoon fangirling chatting about Quintana. Please bear with us because we were all over the place. We wanted it to be as spontaneous as possible so we didn't really have any prepared topics or questions. We flew by the seats of our pants and if you can bear with our ramblings, I'm sure we've made a bit of sense...somehow.

Please note: We had to block out a couple of spoilery things below. We could tell you what they were...but then we'd have to kill you...just kidding!  

12:46 PM Joyousreads: Oh hey!

12:47 PM Alexa: I was looking everywhere and finally found the invite on this talk thing lol

 Joyousreads: Sweet. :)

12:48 PM You read Quintana pretty fast!

12:49 PM Alexa: I've realized I can read fast when it's a book I REALLYREALLY want to read. Other books just take me days. lol

 Joyousreads: I hear ya. I forced myself to slow down. I've read and re-read this book already.

12:51 PM Alexa: Ooh I want to reread it too along with Froi. Not sure when tho.

12:52 PM Joyousreads: I knowwwww. I had this plan to write a post on 132 about all the things I was looking forward to about Quintana before she comes but time ran out on me.

12:53 PM Anyway. I don't need to ask if you loved it because...that's just a stupid question. LOL. Of course, you did!

12:54 PM Alexa: That would have been an interesting post to compare to after reading.

  Yes, same for you!

 Joyousreads: Exactly. Rhetorical question. :)

12:57 PM Well what were you looking forward to the most about Quintana?

1:00 PM Alexa: In the summary it said that there was a showdown between Isaboe & Quintana in the valley and I couldn't wait to read that!

1:01 PM Who was going to gain power & who was going to go through heartbreak?

1:02 PM It made me really nervous. D:

1:03 PM Joyousreads: For me, I wanted to know if Froi would be forced to take sides. I knew his bond with Isaboe would make it difficult and it was interesting to see it all play out.

1:06 PM Alexa: Yes I wondered how that was going to work out. I know he cares so much for Isaboe, Finnikin, and Lumatere, but I wanted him to be with Quintana and his real parents.

  Everyone has just been through so much. I wanted everyone to be happy.

1:08 PM Joyousreads: They got there but it wasn't easy though, wasn't it? But I'm not complaining. I love that about MM's books. Her characters go through so much before she gives them their HEA. The books are always fraught with hardships and heartaches.

1:10 PM Alexa: So true. Wouldn't be an MM book without all that.

  Who did you think would get the power or the heartbreak?

1:15 PM I didn't want either Quintana or Isaboe to go through any sort of heartbreak. But I admit I did want Quintana to get the power...

 Joyousreads: I was more hedging on the fact that no matter what, both kingdoms would be united as one. Froi is the bridge that would link them to peace. As for heartbreak...well. It was across the board. Like you said, it wouldn't be an MM book without it.

1:16 PM And I agree. Charynites deserved peace after all the years of their struggle.

1:20 PM Alexa: They did deserve! Actually while I was reading, I remember finally deciding who I wanted to have the power. I was like, 'Okay, Isaboe, I'm sorry. It's Quintana's turn.' As soon as I thought I turned the page to the next chapter..

1:21 PM Spoiler: And I found out Isaboe and Finnikin had lost their baby!!

1:22 PM Joyousreads: Lol! We're going to have to block that one out!

  But yeah, that was...hard to read.

 Alexa: (lmao Okay!)

1:24 PM Yeah, it was. So sad. :'( I wanted to go in there and comfort them. I regretted thinking that one deserved more happiness than the other. Quin&Isa both deserved happiness.

1:28 PM Joyousreads: I love what Finnikin said when Isaboe asked him that question and his answer was that he'll shout out to the goddess in fury why he was given so much and other men so little. God. This is what I love about her writing. It doesn't take much for her to reduce me to tears.

1:36 PM Alexa: Aww Finnikin... While it all just broke my heart, I'm glad that MM still had Finnkin and Isaboe go through heart wrenching moments. They were going through things like everyone else.

1:37 PM Joyousreads: I must admit, I was a little irritated with him right from the get to. I mean, come on, Finch. You really think Isaboe is going around dreaming of another man while she's in bed with you? Duuuude.

1:44 PM Alexa: Oh I know! I wanted to punch him! His assumptions and some of things he said were funny to me because they were so ridiculous. :p

 Joyousreads: :)

1:45 PM Do you ever find yourself going to the map to track where everyone was? I did that a lot. Lol.

1:46 PM I think this is the only fantasy book where I'm completely vested in every facets of the novel.

1:47 PM Alexa: Heck yea! I would have been lost without those maps. This time I kept getting Sarnak and Sorel mixed up.

1:48 PM Same here. Usually I don't pay much attention to maps in other books, but I loved looking at the ones in this series.

 Joyousreads: I was more obsessed about how much traveling they had to do. Like that part where Grij had to take Phaedra back to the valley. Mind you, it probably was more because I was dying for a reunion with Luc-ien!

1:49 PM Alexa: Phaedra and Lucian!! <3 <3

1:50 PM I was definitely looking forward to scenes with them. I needed to know what would happen between them! :D

 Spoiler: Joyousreads: Yessss. God. I expected a lot more temper throwing from that Mont though. Especially when he found out his wife was alive the entire time.

1:51 PM Alexa: lol I wanted the opposite. I didn't want him to get angry at all!

1:52 PM Joyousreads: What?! Come on, Mont boys are hot when they lose their tempers! Actually, so do the boys from the Rock...and the Flatland...and the River. Well...I like them when they lose their tempers anyway. :)

1:55 PM Alexa: I know, you're right! But....I didn't want him to be angry at Phaedra. Because she's awesome, and I wanted him to be understanding.

1:56 PM Joyousreads: MM's books are littered with strong heroines...even secondary ones. A lot of writers could use a lesson or two from her.

1:58 PM Alexa: For real. And her secondary characters leave an impression. I actually care about them and want to know what happens to them as much as the main characters.

1:59 PM Joyousreads: Which brings me to this question: if MM would write a short story about a couple of her secondary characters, which two would you pick?

2:00 PM ...that is, if we were given the chance to choose. :)

2:01 PM Alexa: After finishing Quintana, I would definitely love to read more about Perri and Tesadora.

2:02 PM Joyousreads: God. Yes! It'd had to be R-rated. There's just no way those two wouldn't have fierce...er, relations. Lol.

2:03 PM Alexa: I loved those two before, but when I found out what happened to them all those years ago.. I need to know more!!

  YES! lol And Perri is just... faints

2:04 PM Joyousreads: Yes. That scar on his face. That fierce, dangerous aura? And Tesadora could give as much as she could take. They're perfect.

2:08 PM Alexa: They made me smile so much. X3 That reminds me, when Lucian tried to warn Perri about Tesadora's mood...that was hilarious! Oh Lucian. XD

2:09 PM Joyousreads: Tesadora is one scary witch.

2:10 PM Was it everything you hoped for?

2:13 PM Alexa: It was completely satisfying. I felt so relieved and happy when I was done. :) What about you?

2:16 PM Joyousreads: That and more. I can't pinpoint what I liked best about the book but I can say in all honesty that I didn't like the fact that this is the end for this series. I mean, don't get me wrong. It ended how it was meant to end but I just can't. I don't. You know the feeling you get when you've prepared and worked hard to achieve something for the longest time and instead of feeling relieved you're just kind left feeling empty? Like a deflated balloon? That's how I felt. Not because the book was unsatisfactory but it's like..."now what do I do?" yanno?

2:18 PM Alexa: It's weird; I did feel like that in a way as well. I didn't want it to ever end!

2:19 PM Joyousreads: Oh well. Anyway, the boy is screaming for his afternoon snack. I'll catch ya later on Twitter. Nice chatting with ya :)

2:21 PM Alexa: hehe Okay

  Enjoyed chatting about the book. :)

 Joyousreads: Same. We should do this often. :) 

Quintana of Charyn Blog Tour Schedule

The blog tour for Quintana of Charyn officially kicks off tomorrow! Who else is excited?! Thanks to all the lovely bloggers and fellow Melina Marchetta fans who volunteered to participate in this blog tour. We hope everyone has fun reading all the posts during this blog tour! (FYI: There's a tour giveaway in each post, so be sure to enter!) Here's the schedule of what you can expect for the next nine days:

November 1

132 Minutes - Book Chat

Joie de Lire - Excerpt

November 2

Bookittyblog - Review

A Girl Books and Other Things - Top Five Characters

November 3

Carina's Books - Review

Whole Lotta Mama! - Favorite Character

November 4

WinterHaven Books - Review + Giveaway

We Fancy Books - Excerpt

November 5

Joyous Reads - The Romance
Love is not a triangle - Review

November 6

Collections - Fanart

The Ink Spills - Series Review

November 7
A Book and a Short Latte - Series Cast

The Readers Den - Excerpt + Giveaway

November 8

The Fairytale Nerd - Reasons to Read the Series

GrowingUp YA - Dream Cast

November 9

132 Minutes - Melina Marchetta's Guest Post
132 Minutes - Shelf Envy + Wrap-up

US Cover Reveal: Quintana of Charyn

Quintana of Charyn was released last week in Australia, but it's still on its way to being released in North America. Thanks to Raquel S. at Candlewick for allowing us to reveal the fierce cover for the North American edition of Quintana!

Previous books in the Lumatere Chronicles

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta 
Release Date: March 12, 2013 | Pages: 528 | Publisher: Candlewick

Pre-order: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy trilogy!

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

Happy Release Day!

Melina at the Quintana launch in Sydney (image source)

Quintana of Charyn is finally out in Australia! Yay! Happy release day to Melina Marchetta! If you don't live in Australia or can't wait for the North American edition to be released in March 2013, Quintana of Charyn can be ordered through Fishpond, which provides free worldwide shipping.

In other news, 132 Minutes reached 10,000 pageviews yesterday! Thanks to all those who have visited and continue to visit this page. We love you, Melina!

Update on Quintana of Charyn blog tour

Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far to participate in the Quintana of Charyn blog tour! The blog tour will begin November 1, and sign-ups will be closing on September 30. If you're interested, please go to the sign-up post HERE.

We know not everyone will be able to get their hands on a copy of Quintana of Charyn from Australia, so just another reminder that you don't have to read the book to join the blog tour. Your post can be about anything relating to the Lumatere Chronicles! :)

If you signed up before today, you should have received an email from us today. Didn't receive it? Please let us know as soon as possible because that email is very important! And if you have received it, please make sure you reply.

There will be another blog tour in March 2013 to coincide with the North American release. Sign-ups for that one will open later, and more details about that tour will be released probably near the end of the year.

Any questions about the blog tours can be left in the comments or sent to us via email.

Quintana of Charyn Prologue

Melina Marchetta has posted the prologue to Quintana of Charyn! The prologue is in Quintana's point of view, and you can read what Melina has to say about Quintana's perspective on GoodReads. It's pretty fascinating. The prologue is pasted below, but please keep in mind that it contains MAJOR spoilers to the ending of Froi of the Exiles. So, don't read it unless you've already read Froi!

Finished Copies of Quintana

The awesome Penguin Teen Australia tweeted a picture featuring finished copies of Quintana of Charyn straight from the printer!

Isn't the book beautiful? Can't believe it's already less than a month before its release in Australia. Let's just keep staring at the photo and maybe a copy will magically come through the computer screen and into our eager little hands.

Quintana of Charyn Teaser Quotes

Melina Marchetta posted examples of the six point of views that will be featured in Quintana of Charyn! All of them are posted below.

And here where we’re hidden, I sleep in a corner. My dreams are consumed by She who has stealth. I feel her, I fight her, I grit through my teeth, ‘Keep far from my king or I’ll tear you to pieces.’ I call out your name to help fight this demon. I call out your name.
‘Froi! Save Charyn’s son.’

---

'Are you calling me a liar?’ Isaboe asked softly. ‘Because I’d be careful of that, my love.’

---

‘But I failed,’ Froi said, pained to think of how much he had.‘You don’t know how that feels.’
Arjuro’s laugh was humourless. ‘You are saying those words to the wrong man, Froi. Failure is more of a twin to me than my own brother.’

---

Phaedra of Alonso’s death was a never-ending pain that gnawed at his insides. It made him a prisoner in his own cottage.

---

Up in the distance the whistle of the wind sang to her from the mountain. From Lucian’s mountain. It beckoned and taunted and she wanted to run towards it. To be enveloped in its coat of fleece and to hear its safe sounds.

---

Outside the inn, Finnikin watched the man and woman before him. They were of the same height. Both reed thin. And they loved each other. That was the fact Finnikin wanted to forget. That he was about to assassinate a man who loved someone.

Thoughts on the teasers? I am loving them and also kind of freaking out over the last one!

Ferragost Review

Ferragost by Melina Marchetta
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Published in: Review of Australian Fiction - Volume 3, Issue 4

"Lady Celie of the Lumateran Flatlands is visiting the Belegonian spring castle on the isle of Ferragost. Cut off from the rest of Belegonia by poor weather, she is confined to the island with four others, including the mysterious castellan of the castle. When the body of one of the guests is discovered on the rocks outside the east tower, Celie is not only considered a suspect, but finds herself embroiled in events that are entwined with her own kingdom's cursed history, as well as the future of the entire land of Skuldenore."

Every spring the King of Belegonia and his family stay at the Ferragost castle located off the coast of Belegonia. This year they invite Lady Celie of the Lumatere Flatlands to join them at Ferragost. While the arrival of the royal family is delayed by the weather, someone is murdered at Ferragost Castle and Celie decides to help the Castellan of the isle, Banyon, solve the murder. But it becomes tricky when Banyon suspects her of the murder and accuses her of being a spy for Lumatere.

Although it's a short story, Ferragost pretty much has everything I love to find in a Melina Marchetta story! There's always a surprise (or two or three!), something I never see coming. Even when I think I have the mystery solved, I never would have guessed the real reasons behind the characters' motives and actions. It tends to leave me in awe with my mouth hanging open and wondering how Melina Marchetta always manages to do this to her readers.

Melina's characters and the relationships in her stories are some of my favorites ever. Celie and her relationship with Banyon is no exception. On the outside Celie looks frail, but on the inside she's a total badass. I adored her! I also loved Banyon and Celie's interactions with him. Banyon doesn't seem to trust her and comes off as really rude, but there's an attraction there between them. So you can imagine the tension that builds whenever they're around each other. Celie will play a role in Quintana of Charyn, and I'm really really hoping Banyon will too! Even if it's a minor one, I don't care. He is up there with how I feel about the other male leads in the series. It amazes me how quickly and easily I can fall in love with Melina Marchetta characters. They are just that awesome.

According to Melina, Ferragost takes place around the same time as events in Quintana of Charyn but doesn't spoil anything. If you're a fan of the Lumatere Chronicles, I highly recommend you read Ferragost! It'll make you want the final book in the series even more, but at the same time it'll satisfy you and be the fix you need while you wait for QoC's release.

(Ferragost is featured in an issue of the online journal Review of Australlian Fiction. More info here. And it can be purchased here!)

Ferragost in Review of Australian Fiction

Review of Australian Fiction is an online journal that publishes short stories every two weeks by established and emerging Australian authors. RoAF invites an author to write a story, and then that author chooses an emerging author to be featured with them in an issue.

In the case of their upcoming issue (volume 3, issue 4), they invited Melina Marchetta and she chose Kirsty Eagar, the author of Raw Blue. Kirsty Eagar's story is called Molasses and set in the Australian city of Rockhampton. Melina Marchetta wrote a story called Ferragost, which is about Lady Celie, a character from the Lumatere Chronicles.

Volume 3, Issue 4 will be available on August 7 for purchase at the price of $2.99AUS on the Review of Australian Fiction's website, exclusively through Booki.sh. Accounts are free on Booki.sh, and it is the ONLY site where you'll be able to access issues of Review of Australian Fiction. RoAF's ebooks are DRM-free, though, and once you make a purchase, you can download it as an Epub file and you'll be able to convert it to whichever type of ebook format you need to.

If you have any questions, you can tweet Review of Australian Fiction @AustFicion or find their email contact info on their website. Thanks to the editor Matthew Lamb for providing all the info about Review of Australian Fiction and Booki.sh!

So while we wait for this exciting issue to be released, you can read an extract of Ferragost that Melina Marchetta posted here. It already sounds good! Be sure to add Ferragost to your GoodReads bookshelf and check back on 132 Minutes soon for an early review.

Synopsis: Ferragost and Quintana of Charyn

Penguin Australia's official synopsis of Quintana of Charyn has been out for awhile, but we actually never posted it on the blog until now. We also have the synopsis of Ferragost, a short story in the Lumatere Chronicles, from Melina Marchetta. According to Melina, it takes place at the same time as the events in Quintana of Charyn. We'll have more information on that soon. In the meantime, here are the synopses:

Ferragost

Lady Celie of the Lumateran Flatlands is visiting the Belegonian spring castle on the isle of Ferragost. Cut off from the rest of Belegonia by poor weather, she is confined to the island with four others, including the mysterious castellan of the castle. When the body of one of the guests is discovered on the rocks outside the east tower, Celie is not only considered a suspect, but finds herself embroiled in events that are entwined with her own kingdom's cursed history, as well as the future of the entire land of Skuldenore.

Quintana of Charyn

Quintana of Charyn is the spine-tingling and unforgettable final volume in the Lumatere Chronicles, which began with Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles. An achingly satisfying and masterfully plotted novel from the pen of internationally best-selling and multi-award-winning author Melina Marchetta.

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child's right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face to face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other.

July Events Recap

Melina Marchetta at the Books of Wonder event (Image source)

During the past month Melina Marchetta has been busy with author events in Australia and the United States. Some bloggers who were able to attend these events have posted awesome recap posts on their blogs. There are some very interesting info about Melina's novels, and her views on certain book-related subjects. Be sure to check out these great posts!

Balmain Library in Sydney on July 12:

• VeganYANerds

Comic-Con in San Deigo on July 15 at the What's Hot in YA panel with 8 other authors:

• Lytherus
• whatchYAreading?

Books of Wonder in New York City on July 17 with authors Kristin Cashore & Gayle Forman:

• Bunbury in the Stacks
• Janicu's Book Blog
• The Readventurer

Melina Marchetta also had an event at the LA Public Library in Los Angeles, California on July 26 with authors Rachel Cohn, Josephine Angelini, and Jessica Brody. So yes, she was all over the place in July! More tidbits and pictures from each event can be found retweeted on the @MMarchettaFans Twitter feed. If I happened to miss your event recap post, let me know and I'll add it to the list asap.

Melina Marchetta a finalist in NPR's Best-Ever Teen Novels

NPR is creating a list of the top 100 young adult novels and allowing readers to nominate and vote for their favorite titles. NPR states:

"[...] we considered both a book's popularity — as represented by the number of nominations it received — and the question of how well it fits the YA category. [...] The judges looked at qualities such as a book's themes, the age of its main characters, its reading level. But in the end, the most important test was often whether a given book is one that teens themselves have claimed — whether they do, in fact, voluntarily read it. The resulting list is an interesting mix of classics and new titles."

Melina Marchetta is included FOUR times in the finalist list! With Jellicoe Road, the Lumatere Chronicles, The Piper's Son, and Saving Francesca. Not sure when voting will end; however, if you can, please vote for Melina Marchetta and her wonderful novels! You can vote for up to 10 titles. To vote, check out NPR's article Best-Ever Teen Novels? Vote For Your Favorites.

Blog Tour Sign-up for Quintana of Charyn

We here at 132 Minutes would love to host a Quintana of Charyn blog tour! Of course, the only way this will work out is if there are other blogs participating in the tour. So, we're hoping there is some interest from fellow Melina Marchetta/Lumatere Chronicles fans and bloggers.

Not sure what a book blog tour is? Basically, a number of blogs have posts scheduled during a particular date or time-frame where they talk about a certain book. A list of all the blogs participating will be made so that readers can find the posts.

In order to participate in this blog tour, you must have a blog (or a blog you can guest post** at) and be a fan of the Lumatere Chronicles. We know not everyone will be able to obtain a copy of Quintana of Charyn from Australia or read an early copy from the US, but whatever the reason, don't worry! We're not going to make reading Quintana of Charyn a requirement to participate in the tour. Just be a fan of the series!

Your post should be about Quintana of Charyn or the Lumatere Chronicles. Some examples: a review of QoC or the series, music that reminds you of the series, your dream cast... Anything! The point is to support the series and have fun while doing it.

**Guest posting on someone's blog is fine as long as that blogger knows and you keep them up-to-date about the schedule, which will be decided later. 

Fill out the form below if you would like to participate. Click here to access the direct link to the form. Sign-ups will most likely be open for awhile (as long as it's necessary, really). Edit: Signing up guarantees you a spot on the tour. No one will be left out!

Giveaway Winners Announcement

Time to announce the winners of the two giveaways that ended this week at 132 Minutes!

Froi of the Exiles hardcover:

Kate (@ECFantasy)

Set of Melina Marchetta novels:

Laura C. (@Loopy_Lu_)

Congratulations, Kate and Laura! Enjoy the books! If you didn't win, no worries. Melina Marchetta's novels can be ordered at Book Depository or Fishpond (both sites have free worldwide shipping!) or you might find them at your local library if they're published in your country.

It's really great reading the enthusiastic comments from fellow Melina Marchetta fans and from those who are curious about her novels on the giveaways and other recent posts. Hopefully you all decide to stick around because we will continue to keep everyone up-to-date on Melina Marchetta news and maybe we'll host more contests in the future. So, thank you to everyone who spread the word about 132 Minutes! This fan page just wouldn't be possible without the support of all the awesome Melina Marchetta fans. :)

US Cover Reveal: The Piper's Son

The US version of The Piper's Son had a cover change for the paperback and here it is!

It looks so good. Must have it! Also, want to point out that this version is slightly different from the one appearing on Amazon (there's no red behind the bottom text). Thinking that one is the final cover, but couldn't find a high quality picture. (Replaced with final cover!) Either way, awesome job, Candlewick Press! And guess we'll find out for sure when it's released on August 14, 2012! For international readers, it can be pre-ordered at Book Depository or Fishpond.

Froi of the Exiles Reviews & Giveaway

If you're a regular on this site, then you've been privy to practically every news about our most revered author, Melina Marchetta. But this blog isn't only about the latest happenings with MM and her writing but as well as the latest wonderful reviews of her books in and around the book loving community.

This batch of reviews is about Froi of the Exiles.


Janina from Janina reads:
"This story has a very peculiar atmosphere. It is actually hard to describe: almost dream-like in some parts, but so very real in others - simply an extraordinary combination. Especially the scenes taking place in and around the Citavita induced the strangest feeling in me. This feeling is almost impossible to grasp, and I’m certainly not able to put in into words – but I loved the experience. It gave me chills, it was different and it is impossible to forget."


Rachel from GoodReads:
"Who would have thought that I would develop such a soft spot for Froi?! Froi, the thieving, spitting, contrary boy, that tried what he did with Isoboe, has experienced such growth in the three years in Lumatere. Being with people that show him love has turned Froi into a worthy person with a desire to be a better man. I love Quintana and Froi’s story. I hope with an anxious heart all turns out well for them."


Olivia from GoodReads:
"On the contrary: Admirable as Marchetta's stories are – fantastic or realistic with twists and turns and satisfactory solutions and all that stuff favorites are made of – their true, distinctive magic is hidden inside the characters. When it comes to Marchetta-made characters I feel like a snake dancing to an enchanted flute's song: My loyalty, my love and my repulsion place themselves at the author's whim."


A.J. from Collections:
"When I started Froi, I stayed up really late the first day because I just could not put it down! It's definitely the fastest I've read through a Melina Marchetta novel. I can't say that taking my time and savoring it ever crossed my mind. EVER. There was no way I would have been able to do that. It was my most anticipated novel of the year! [...] Everything you expect from a Melina Marchetta novel can be found in Froi of the Exiles."



To coincide with this post and Froi of the Exiles's North American release back on March 13, Melina Marchetta's US publisher Candlewick Press is providing a finished hardcover copy to one lucky reader! The giveaway is open to US/CA residents and ends April 11. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Good luck and huge thanks to Candlewick Press!

News in Less Than 132 Minutes #3

- For the International Reading Association's ENGAGE site, Melina Marchetta wrote a post and included photos about the landscape in the Froi of the Exiles: Researching the Landscape in FROI OF THE EXILES

- Melina revealed the cover for the Australian ebook bundle of Finnikin of Rock and Froi of the Exiles on GoodReads.

- If you missed the reveal for the lovely Australian cover of Quintana of Charyn, you can check it out here! Quintana will be out this October in Australia and March 2013 in US.

- MM finished the first draft of Quintana of Charyn back in February! She shared on GoodReads what she planned on doing during her break from working on QoC.

- Also back in February, MM updated us on her travels in Europe, which helped with the setting in QoC. Find out more at her blog.

- The ladies at whatchYAreading? had Melina Marchetta Week during the week of Froi of the Exiles's US release (March 12-16) where they shared their thoughts on some of Melina's books and they also had a really wonderful interview with her!

• Finnikin of the Rock and Melina Marchetta Week
• Froi of the Exiles
• Jellicoe Road
• Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son
• Interview with Melina Marchetta

- Chachic at Chachic's Book Nook hosted Marchetta Madness this past week (March 18-24)! There were lots of fan posts from readers and also authors where they shared their love of MM's novels, including an awesome guest post from MM!

• What was for your first Marchetta?
• Elizabeth Fama - Melina Marchetta, From the Perspective of a New Fan
• Jo @ Wear the Old Coat - An Ode to Marchetta’s Men
• Trish Doller (Jonah Griggs)
• Brandy @ Random Musings of a Bibliophile - How Saving Francesca Often Saves My Day
• Flannery @ The Readventurer (The Piper's Son)
• Megan Whalen Turner (Parents in MM's novels)
• Nomes @ Inkcrush (Looking for Alibrandi book + movie)
• Lisa and Maja @ The Nocturnal library (Finnikin of the Rock & Froi of the Exiles)
• Joy @132 Minutes - Evanjalin of the Monts
• Alexa @ 132 Minutes - Before I Read a Melina Marchetta Novel
• Kirsty Eagar (Chatting with MM in a video)
• Melina Marchetta - The sequel, the companion novel, the audience and me.
• Random Facts + wrap-up

- There were also more great fan posts written during and for Marchetta Madness Week!

• Alex @ A Girl, Books and Other Things
• Favorite Secondary Characters
• At the Movies: Looking for Alibrandi
• A Romantic Spotlight
• Aaron @ Guy Gone Geek - The Duality of a Narrative
• Lissa @ The Real Book Critique - Magic Writing by Melina Marchetta

- And on Twitter, @PenguinBTL found out about a new word to descirbe 'mega fan hype and activity': fandemonium. They came up with a few words of their own!

Marchetenmonium! haha There's been plenty of Marchetenmonium going on around the web these past two weeks with all the Melina Marchetta posts, and there's definitely some here at 132 Minutes. :D Thank you all for visiting this fan page!

Eva's Review: The Piper's Son

Today's review is from Eva at The Book Stoner!

"Thomas Mackee wants oblivion. Wants to forget parents who leave and friends he used to care about and a string of one-night stands, and favorite uncles being blown to smithereens on their way to work on the other side of the world.

But when his flatmates turn him out of the house, Tom moves in with his single pregnant aunt, Georgie, starts working at the Union pub with his former friends, winds up living with his grieving father again, and remembers how he abandoned Tara Finke two years ago, after his uncle's death.

And in a year when everything's broken, Tom realises that his family and friends need him to help put the pieces back together as much as he needs them."


The Piper's Son is a sequel (more like a companion novel) to Saving Francesca but I loved it more than the first one. While Saving Francesca deals with depression, The Piper's Son shows how death changes everything and that ruined relationships that seem hopeless can be rebuilt through forgiveness and acceptance, and when one finally decides to let go of grief.

I shed a bucket of tears because of this book. I did not look all too great after reading it. Dried tears on my cheeks and neck and snot all over.

Tom's favorite uncle, Joe, died when he was overseas for a job. Since then, his life has never been the same. His mother and sister moved away when his father, Dominic, turned to alcohol and left them. All too consumed with anger and grief, Tom turns away from his friends and the love of his life, Tara. Two years after, Tom's roommates kick him out so he he's forced to live with his aunt, Georgie. The thing is, Georgie has problems of her own. She's pregnant and Sam, her long time love, cheated on her. Since she ended their relationship, she thinks she's ready to raise the child alone but the problem is she's having trouble getting over Sam because he's always been there for her when Joe died. A few weeks after, Dominic comes back and stays with her and Tom but it's not always easy staying with people who are angry at each other.

So you see, this book is full of unhappy people. Their experiences are too painful. I don't think they deserve that much pain though. They're such good and likable people that I hoped things would get better for them. I wanted (a) Dominic to admit his faults and make an effort to fix his family, (b) Tom to get his shxt together, fix his relationship with his friends, and figure out what he wants in life, and get Tara back if he's sure about her, and (c) Georgie to figure out what she wants too - patch things up with Sam or move on.

Georgie, Tom, and Dominic living together may not be the best idea, but they find in each other what they need to see so they can get better, become better versions of themselves. Alas, the ending was a happy one and so my tears weren't for naught.

I remember thinking that exact moment, I want to change the world with her... That's a pretty powerful gift you have there, Ms. Finke. To make the laziest guy around want to change the world with you. So next time you remember standing in your bedroom naked, know that it is the most amazing view from any angle, especially the one where we get to see inside.

Love always,
Always,
Tom

Melina Marchetta, I love you. You're one of the best out there.

P. S. I want to know where Jimmy Hailer is.

A fitting song?

Original review can be found at Eva's blog The Book Stoner.

Giveaway: Collection of Melina Marchetta's Novels

In celebration of Froi of the Exiles's US release, 132 Minutes is giving away all six of Melina Marchetta's YA novels to one lucky follower! The editions are all shown above. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway is open worldwide and ends April 13!

Giveaway Rules:
+ Must be 13 years old or older to enter.
+ Must be a follower of 132 Minutes (through GFC, email, or Twitter).
+ Winner will have 72 hours to reply to our email or a new winner will be chosen.
+ 132 Minutes is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged prizes.

If you have any questions about the giveaway, contact us at marchettafans(at)live(dot)com or on Twitter @MMarchettaFans. Good luck! And happy release day to US Froi! :)