Let's Talk is a pseudo-regular feature here at i swim for oceans where we create an open forum for all bloggers to discuss issues not only pertinent to the blogging world, but to simply weigh in on the little things. In this case, it's book covers. 

You all know that I'm a cover slut. Truly. I pick a book with my eyes before ever reading a single sentence. It's petty, I know, but I'm sure I'm not the only one out there that does this.

I was looking at my shelves the past few days, and I noticed a lot of really interesting (and odd) trends going on in the young adult market. The most prominent one was a phenomenon I now refer to as simply:

"The Year(s) of the Girls in Dresses"

You all ready for this?

Everneath by Brodi Ashton & Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White & Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini & Die for Me by Amy Plum

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the vast majority of these books. I also happen to think they're hella pretty. A lot of these covers don't need girls in dresses though (yes, Paranormalcy is relevant, I know), but otherwise...I'm perplexed. Love the eye-catching visuals though!

What other cover trends have you seen lately, and what do you wish you could see more of?

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Favorite Minor Characters ( you know... all those great supporting character or a VERY minor character that might have been only in there a page or two but had an effect on you):

1. Tiny from Will Grayson, Will Grayson - Talk about a physically big character with a small part but a huge impact! Tiny wasn't around too much, but he made the book that much better. I just loved him.

2. Tonks from Harry Potter - I don't know if she's as minor as some people think, but in a long series with a huge cast of characters, her face time was minimal. That said, she made a massive impact in the parts in which she participated.

3. Madge from The Hunger Games - Well, let's be honest...Katniss would never have had that Mockingjay pin if it weren't for her, and that pin became a symbol for the Districts. So, it's arguable that she made a far bigger impact that some of the more active characters.

4. Adnarel from Many Waters - Adnarel should have had much more face-time than he did. As one of the Seraphim, he was obviously good, but was far more lovable than the author gave him credit for. I love him...can he have a spin-off, please?

5. Jenna from Wither - She was the least featured of Linden's three brides, but she had the biggest heart, in my honest opinion. I wish Rhine could have been more like her because she made that book for me.

6. Mia from Vampire Academy - I hated her, then I liked her, then I learned to adore her character. She wasn't around too, too much, but when she was, she made a huge difference in every single scene. That's the definition of a great character for me.

7. Murdoch from The Rules of Survival - His name meant a lot to the main character of the book, Matt, but he wasn't actually around that much. Whenever he was brought up though, all I felt was hope for Matt and his sisters.

8. Basil from Redwall - His impact grows throughout the book, but he's fairly minor in a massive cast of characters. He is, however, incredible comic relief and incredible brave. Yes, I have a hare on my list.

9. Emily from Dark Song - She's behind the scenes for a lot of the story after the initial action, but she remains in the background as a constant for Ames, even when her life is falling apart. She broke the mold and made the story more powerful.

10. Jon from This World We Live In - I loved this series until this book, but Jon managed to redeem what was left of the book for me (a little bit) at least. When all the characters lost hope and became pathetic, Jon still held out hope, and that, in turn, gave me hope.

Title: Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: March 22, 2011
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 356
Source: Galley Grab

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Rhine is sixteen years old. In our world, it's the time of your life, made of sweet-sixteens and parties. In Rhine's world though, she's nearing the end of her life, and she only has four years left. Bought into an unwilling polygamous marriage, Rhine is fueled by the hope of escaping to her twin brother. But in this unfamiliar world of holograms, medicine and counted days, Rhine has found sisters in her sister wives, and it's getting harder and harder to escape. Can she escape in time, and will she find Rowan? And what happens to her husband, Linden, who genuinely cares for her, and what will become of Gabriel, the attendant she's come to care for?

Wither is most definitely a unique take on dystopian YA fiction. Lauren DeStefano has merged a strong protagonist, a bitter and crippled world and a fierce cast of characters into a powerful story of what happens when society tries and fails to play the hand of the Creator. DeStefano has a knack for descriptions, both beautiful and painful, making Wither into a story that's exhilarating, thrilling, heart-wrenching and strangely beautiful.

I'm a little bit torn on Wither overall though. Wither presents a great protagonist in Rhine. She has a clear, refreshing voice and a definite goal. I really loved her resolve. I also loved Jenna, the oldest of the three sister wives and, despite my resistance, I found myself really feeling for Cecily (a 13-year-old bride) and Linden, as well. I'm a little lost on Gabriel, Rhine's love interest though. I felt his character was a bit flat and one-sided. All I ever saw was the love interest. I never felt any depth. I also struggled with the world-building aspects at times. I get that one generation was perfect and lived a full lifespan, but I want to know what made the change in the next generations that started this epidemic of youth deaths. So, I felt the characters drove the novel, while the plot and world lagged at times.

Overall, Wither is a very strong and unique debut, and I'll definitely want to read the sequel, despite my reservations and lingering questions from Wither. I believe the positives outweighed the negatives in the end. I give it a high 3.5 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy dystopian fiction.

I received this eARC free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW

Forsaken by Keary Taylor

(Thank you, Keary)

It's been four months since Alex gave everything to save Jessica. Life should be perfect; she has Alex, she's been freed of the nightmares, and most of all- she's alive. But some things have changed, some things haven't. That's the problem. Alex still hasn't asked "the question". Jessica can't see the reason why and it's tearing her apart. He's keeping something from her.

Alex isn't the only one who has changed though. Something is different about Jessica but she doesn't understand what's happened.

FOR REVIEW

Hex, A Witch & Angel Tale by Ramona Wray

(Thank you, Ramona)

Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable…especially for Lily. For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. 

And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily’s life. So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out—and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can’t take his eyes off of Lily. 

FOR REVIEW

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

(eARC - Thank you, S&S Galley Grab)

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. 

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, Rhine has one purpose: to escape.

FOR REVIEW

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

(eARC - Thank you, S&S Galley Grab)

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.