#LRFYA

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[fyasummershowdown]

And the (2017) winners are…

Y’all played a tough game this summer, with several teams swapping spots on the Scoreboard each week. Ultimately, though, the points ran out, and left our playing field thusly:

In 3rd Place, with a commendable 613 points, LONFYA!

In 2nd Place, barely scraping past London with 620 points, KCFYA!

And cinching the grand prize at last, with a runaway 661 points, LRFYA!

The rest of the Scoreboard can be found on the Hub in the dropdown menu (the permalink will change as 2018 approaches, so just look to the Hub!). 

Thank you thank you thank you all for all your amazing work!

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LRFYA’s Cover Switch Challenge!

Both of these books are about complicated, impressive women and their royal head-of-state partners. Inevera and Shahrzad are both ruthless and not always likeable, and both have endured trauma that made them a little cold but also incredibly powerful. - Maggie

I actually think that these covers would be BETTER if switched! Jennifer and Cameron from Sweethearts are soul mates who meet young and are reunited later in life, so the completed puzzle piece cookie perfectly encapsulates them. And it’s still a SWEET HEART, literally. Bittersweet is actually about a girl who is obsessed with making cupcakes, so you’d *think* her cover would have a cupcake on it...but I suppose adding frosting gets her one step closer? - Rosemary

Hey, have you read that book about some plucky young people on a daring adventure full of magic and intrigue? The one with a vain, wealthy villain trying to corner the market on a dangerous new magical discovery? The one with an Asian character added in later on in one of the sequels? The leader of the rag tag group falls in love with a female member of the group, and two of the other dudes in the group end up paired off, as well? The one with a giant black wing on the cover? What do you mean you still don't know which book I'm talking about? - Maggie

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LRFYA Audiobook Rec’s!

From Susannah:

Jim. Dale. The voice of all 7 Harry Potter books, as well as classics like Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and many more, could read the ingredient list off a cereal box and I'd listen. Best voice ever.

(Seconded by Rosemary)

From Maggie:

Simon Jones reading the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. He's perfect for it and one of the alarmingly few male voice actors who reads women like real people: they all speak in normal voices and you can tell them apart by their cadence and tones. (I get so annoyed with Generic Lady Voice.) Also Bahni Turpin reading literally anything. She is a fucking goddess. She reads Everything Everything, The Sun Is Also a Star, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Bad Feminist, The Hate U Give and so many other great books.

From Shanna:

The Chaos Walking trilogy is an absolute must-listen. Not only is it narrated by Nick Podehl and MacLeod Andrews (two of my favorites), but the way the audiobook translates the "Noise" from the book is really great. If you've read the books, you know that some pages are just filled with random words in different sizes and fonts to show the "Noise" Todd hears. In the audiobooks, you actually get to *hear* that Noise. I wasn't sure how they would make it work, but it turned out to be excellent. Listen to a sample here.

I also want to recommend A Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare for the sole reason that Ed Westwick narrates it and his voice is dreamy. I'm trying to think of others reasons, but...yeah, Ed Westwick. Listen to a sample here.

From Laura:

I love Will Patton narrating The Raven Cycle books. He's amazing. He has an almost other-worldly voice that fits the tone of the series perfectly. They really did such a good job on that one. The music and stuff is cool too. I get that choral blue Lilly stuck in my head all the time.

(Seconded by Shanna)

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When you’re trying to get your YA read on, but the ankle biters wanna play.

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LRFYA Lewk For Less

I don’t know about you, but when we think of style the first YA character that comes to mind is Riverdale’s favorite ginger goddess, Cheryl Blossom. We recreated her look with a red fleece blanket (it’s the one the cats sleep on!) and dollar store hair extensions. A rubber spider stands in for Cheryl’s signature brooch, and candy wax lips “seal” this Lewk with a kiss (groan).  Now you too can impress everyone’s second favorite ginger goddess, Archie Andrews! - Kate

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FRANDS.

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I avoided his stare, turning for the kitchen. “You must be hungry. I’ll heat something up.” He straightened. “You’d--make me food?” “Heat,” I said. “I can’t cook.” It didn’t seem to make a difference. But whatever it was, the act of offering him food … I shook a dozen of the frozen pizza rolls out of the bag and onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and turned on the oven to preheat. “I don’t know the rules,” I said, my back to him. “So you need to explain them to me.” He lingered in the center of the cabin, watching my every move. He said hoarsely, “It’s an … important moment when a female offers her mate food. It goes back to whatever beasts we were a long, long time ago. Some mated pairs will make an occasion of it--throwing a party just so the female can formally offer her mate food … That’s usually done amongst the wealthy. But it means that the female ... accepts the bond.” I stared at the small, frozen pizza rolls. “Tell me the story--tell me everything." He understood my offer: tell me while I cooked, and I’d decide at the end whether or not to offer him those pizza rolls. … He leaned back, loosing a long breath. Slowly, I turned around, to where the pizza rolls were now slightly brown and crispy on the outside, and put them onto a plate with a little side of marinara dippy sauce. He watched every step I took to the table, the steaming pizza rolls in my hands. I stopped before him, staring down. And I said, “You love me?” He nodded. And I wondered if love was too weak a word for what he felt, what he’d done for me. For what I felt for him. I set the plate of hot pizza rolls down before him. “Then eat.”

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Damon Salvatore orders a pizza : an inner monologue.

Craving pizza...let’s order one. First up: crust? That’s like bread, right? Let’s go with thin. The less of it the better.

Choose a sauce. Blood? Is that blood? I want that. Extra of that. Special notes...hmm...”No cheese, please. Just add more sauce blood.”

Okay, toppings. Let’s do...meat. All the meats. One of each meat. But raw. Where’s the box to specify uncooked meats only?

Vegetables? Lol. No.

::hits confirm::

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The Signs as YA Love Tropes

aries : hooking up with their best friend’s older brother

taurus : the been-together-since-kindergarten couple

gemini : opposites attract

cancer : insta-love

leo : love triangle

virgo : unrequited love

libra : the summer fling

scorpio : enemistry (love/hate relationship)

saggitarius : forbidden romance

capricorn : obsessive stalking

aquarius : fake dating to prove a point

pisces : slow-burn romance

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Laura’s Angel Wings (Recipe)

Angel Wings, created by Laura

This drink might look like the white feathered wings of the angels you know, but like the angels in Daughter of Smoke and Bone, it has a delicious, fiery kick. The result is sweet like your favorite dessert with an unexpected spiciness, and all that rum will have you falling head over heels, just like Karou fell for her favorite angel.

In a highball glass (Moroccan themed if you have one), combine:

Crushed ice 2 ½ ounces spiced rum 3 ounces cream soda a dash of cinnamon creamer

Stir and top with whipped cream, sprinkle with gold sugar glitter, cinnamon and chili powder.

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Every Arkansas summer is That Burning Summer.

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LRFYA on the road to AMAZING, a.k.a. Diagon Alley. Has there ever been a road that led to a more amazing destination than this?

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Daughters of Firewater and Ice

Our Daughters of Firewater and Ice party was inspired by a combination of Karou’s three “homes” - Prague, Marrakech, and Eretz.

Our screen, chandelier, glassware and shimmery table fabrics were inspired by Morocco, while our centerpieces and crude pottery were inspired by Eretz.

The food was mostly Czech and included Klobasnek (sausage kolaches), a cheese board with rustic sausages, cheese and breads, gyros, fruit, smoked fish, and Trubochki - cream-filled horns.

Once we’d stuffed our faces, it was time to MAKE DRINKS!

A few of our favorites, clockwise from top left:

Vivian Apple at the End of the World, created by Katy

A refreshing combination of vodka, Izze Sparkling Apple soda, muddled mint and blackberries, simple syrup and ice. A fruity apple drink to help you keep your cool during the Rapture. Has a cult following.

The Luna Lovegood, created by Rosemary

Fizzy champagne gets its eccentric layered color scheme from a splash of grenadine followed by a splash of blue raspberry snowcone syrup, which isn’t made for cocktails, but Luna was never one to go by the book. Effervescent and sweet with an unexpected tartness. Blue like Ravenclaw.

Karou’s Wishmaker, created by Laura

Blue Curacao and vanilla vodka create a tasty, sweet sipper reminiscent of Karou’s blue hair. Bubbly club soda makes it fly. Silver sugar rim adds a dash of magic.

The Song Girls, created by Kate

Sweet as a freshly-baked pie. Whipped cream vodka, orange juice, and cranberry juice make it taste like a Song girl’s baked goods. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of silver sugar and it’ll be better than all the drinks you loved before.

Izil’s Moroccan Mint Tea, created by Maggie

A Marrakech mocktail for our favorite toothless rascal. Made from green tea, cranberry juice, a splash of cranberry-lime soda, ginger syrup, and garnished with mint. Goes down smooth, has no bite.

But our official favorite and the drink we’re submitting as our 2017 Mixology cocktail is (drum roll please)...

Angel Wings, created by Laura

This drink might look like the white feathered wings of the angels you know, but like the angels in Daughter of Smoke and Bone, it has a delicious, fiery kick. The result is sweet like your favorite dessert with an unexpected spiciness, and all that rum will have you falling head over heels, just like Karou fell for her favorite angel.

In a highball glass (Moroccan themed if you have one), combine:

Crushed ice

2 1/2 ounces spiced rum

3 ounces cream soda

a dash of cinnamon creamer

Stir and top with whipped cream, sprinkle with gold sugar glitter, cinnamon and chili powder.

And of course, it’s not a party without a PHOTO BOOTH! We had a Marrakech-inspired backdrop, and props like peacock feathers, masquerade masks, antlers, horns, a fez, and blue “hair”.

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If you want to find out where Benedict put the cloak...

Things calmed down a lot after that night. There were no more reports of werewolves kidnapping people. In fact, some weird stories began to surface about vigilante werewolves: showing up and saving younger kids from bullies, tackling burglars and returning stolen belongings to grateful families, that kind of thing. Maybe Dacey had turned over a new leaf. Emily didn’t seem to think so, but I didn’t see her as often now because I was spending a lot of time with Diana. Once Diana had her brother back and we had more time to actually get to know each other, she turned out to be a really incredible person. After a few months of skirting around the issue, I finally got the courage to ask her out. I took her to this wild lesbian rave. Just kidding. It was your typical high school date: dinner and a movie and home by ten. I insisted on walking her to her door when I dropped her off. “That was more fun than I expected!” she beamed. “I’m happy that I get the benefit of your low expectations.” I was trying too hard to be funny. She was smiling at me, and it felt so good to see her happy. Of course, then I managed to ruin it. I leaned in to kiss her on the forehead, but at the same time she leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. We bumped faces awkwardly and I panicked and decided to SHAKE HER HAND. What is even wrong with me? She gave me a puzzled look, but then we both laughed. “I’ll see you at school on Monday,” I said, and turned to walk back to my car. As I turned, I thought I saw her wink at me, but I wasn’t going to risk another giant awkward failure by turning back around. As I made my way down the sidewalk, I was feeling ok about the date. The handshake was … pretty awful. But then she maybe winked, right? I can recover from that. Should I text her when I get home tonight? Normally I’d text her, but maybe I shouldn’t? I was too lost in my hopeful speculation to even see it coming. I slammed into the ground and felt a rough cloth slip over my head. I was too scared to yell, but the arms holding me down were covered with coarse fur. Shit. “Look what do you want? I don’t know where the cloak is!” Was it possible Dacey was still after that stupid cloak? I felt them--at least three of them?--shove me into a car and pile in after me, still holding my arms. A few second later the motor started. “Hello?” No one answered me. None of them have said a word. I was in no position to fight back, so all I could do it wait and see where they were taking me, and try not to freak out. My shoulder was sore from where it hit the pavement, but they hadn’t really tried to hurt me. Yet. They drove for less than five minutes before we stopped. I was trying to pay attention to as many details as I could, but this stupid bag was still on my head. They pulled me out of the car. I planted my feet, hoping one more time that I might get some answers. “Look, just tell me where we’re going? I don’t have anything you want. What could Dacey possibly want with me?” Suddenly I heard a low snarl that seeped into a deep, breathless laugh. “Where have you been?” one of them finally said. “We don’t answer to Dacey anymore. I would think that’s obvious.” What the actual heck? I mean, I guess it would explain the recent spate of good deeds. But kidnapping me was most definitely NOT a good deed. None of this made sense, but just as I was about to ask another probably dumb question, one of them pushed me in the back and I stumbled forward. “Get moving. The boss demanded to see you and we’ll be in trouble if we waste any more time.” As they led me forward, I heard what sounded like a massive door swinging open. I could tell we were no longer outside when the wind stopped making the bag on my head smack into my face. Inside wherever we were, I could hear breathing from all sides of me. There must have been hundreds of them. I got scared all over again. Finally we stopped walking. “We brought her, unharmed just like you said.” One of my captors was apparently reporting to the boss, whoever that was. “Good. I may change my mind later, but right now I just want to ask her a few questions. You know how protective I can be of my family.” And whatever I expected the boss to sound like? This was NOT it. It sounded… well, it sounded a LOT like Diana. But that was impossible! I was wrestling with that quandary when I felt them yank the bag off my head. It took me a second to realize I had my eyes closed, and then another few seconds to adjust to the light once I opened them. I was in an enormous cave, and I couldn’t even count the number of werewolves but suffice it to say there were roughly a bajillion. At the front of the room, commanding everyone’s attention, was a small figure sitting on a… I mean, I guess it was a throne? It was a big chair. As my eyes began to focus, I could finally see the person sitting in that big chair. It was a boy, no more than 11 years old, wearing a bright red hooded cape. He was the only one in the room who wasn’t a werewolf. I gasped, “Benedict?”

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Rosemary, Penelope, and Maggie

When thinking about what we’d like to do for the Hometown Heroes artifact hunt, the LRFYA gals knew we’d like to do something for one of our favorite local organizations - Lucie’s Place.

Lucie’s Place provides homeless LGBTQ young adults in Central Arkansas with safe living environments, job training and counseling services in order to ensure lifelong stability and success, and works to promote equality and acceptance for LGBTQ young adults.

This organization has a special place in our hearts, so we called up the Executive Director Penelope Poppers and asked her what Lucie’s Place needed right now. Penelope said SNACKS. So LRFYA held our own little snack drive and gathered as many munchies as we could at our Summer Showdown cocktail party, then delivered them to the Lucie’s Place offices.

If you’d like more information about Lucie’s Place, visit their website or follow them on Facebook.