Like her other 3 books, “Packing for Mars” focuses on one realm of science. This time, it’s outer space. Of course, Roach doesn’t actually get to fly like an astronaut, but she goes through many components of training and testing that real astronauts endure. She delves into not only the hardcore physical science, but also the politics and psychology of space travel. As a psych major, I was beyond thrilled with the chapter on Space Psychology and spent a bit of time researching it afterward. There are even college programs dedicated to it! I also loved the chapter on motion sickness as I am a sufferer and found the physical causes fascinating (your eyes and inner ears aren’t perceiving the same thing). Roach is a meticulous researcher and always includes fun anecdotes along with hard facts. Almost every page has a hilarious footnote to further explain a point!

What I love most about Roach’s books is her ability to make science fun! I know it sounds totally cheesy, but it’s true. She is the Bill Nye the Science Guy for adults. Her narration is charming and she almost has an innocent quality to her curiosity about the world of science. Her books never fail to put a smile on my face, all while I’m learning. To be honest, I’ve always been terrified by space and space travel and the only reason I even picked this up is because Mary Roach wrote it. After reading, I have such a new found respect and admiration for the men and women that work at NASA and all other space organizations. They are risking so much to further science and it was nice to gain a new perspective on the subject.

If you’re looking for a warm-up for the impending school year, pick up “Packing for Mars” by Mary Roach. Not only will it jump start your brain, you’ll totally enjoy it. I recommend this and all of her books to everyone!

LOVE HER.

I’ve been a fan of Ann Brashares for a decade. “The Sisterhood” series is one of my favorites and practically defines my young adolescence. So, when the opportunity to interview Ann Brashares and review her new book “My Name is Memory” came up, I jumped at the chance! I’m still in shock that I had an actual conversation with one of my favorite authors.

Below, find the interview with one of the neatest women I have ever met and then the review of My Name is Memory.

When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always been a big reader. I’ve always loved books, I’ve always loved stories. And I’ve always told myself stories. I used to write some of them down, but I didn’t really have the idea of being a writer. Somehow, I didn’t imagine that it was something I could actually do as a job so I got a job after college as a receptionist at a small company that produced books mostly for children and young adults. And I was madly attracted to that, to the idea of being in that atmosphere where people were working on books. And little by little I was able to take on some editorial responsibilities and got promoted eventually to being an assistant editor and senior editor and finally I think I was editor-in-chief and then I ended up buying the company with a partner.

So I was a small-business owner for a brief time. Basically I was working on a lot of manuscripts, as an editor. I was revising them, working with writers, writing revision letters, writing cover copies, and doing line editing, which is a real art and I just loved it and worked on it for years and years. So I did that for about ten or eleven years and as I did I realized that my strengths were definitely not administrative and not managerial. They were not organizational in any way. The thing that I was good at and the thing that I loved was just being close to the manuscript and I became known as the kind-off expert re-writer. So if a book was in trouble I would be brought in to do major re-writes, like write 200 pages of a book. And that was so much fun because there’s no ego in that – I just wanted to try to get into a voice and do the best job I could. And the closer I was to the most creative part of it, the happier I was. And finally I did this gigantic re-write and I gave it to an editor at Random House, who was publishing the book. She read over my work and said, “If you ever decide to be a writer, please show me your work. I strongly encourage you to be a writer.” I was very fearful about it and was afraid that I couldn’t do it, but finally with her encouragement and encouragement from other places, I decided to kind of take a risk and I wrote my first book.

So what was that first book?

It was the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

That’s an amazing book to have as your first!

Yes, it was a good start. It was a really lucky start, too.

How did you come up with “My name is memory”?

We were on vacation at the beach and I had just gone running, which always makes my mind work better and more creatively and I was thinking about this cinematic picture in my head of this couple, this young man and woman and they’re in this uncertain, but very, very dire situation, like they’re facing death. And somehow, the young man comforts the woman, saying that somehow he is going to find her again, like this isn’t the end. He’s never actually tried to convince anyone of this and she believes him. And I was thinking, “Well, why is he so sure of this?” Why does he think that he’s going to be able to find her again? And why does he think that he can navigate and see from the other side of death? And I thought, because he’s died and lived again. Then I had this whole idea that he has this memory and I started to build a bit of the mythology underlying this book. And primarily the idea that there is this character, Daniel, who has this very long, intense history and the memory of all of it.

Do you believe in reincarnation as it is a major theme in this new book?

No, I don’t know if I do. I’m fascinated by it and I feel like as a lens to view the world it’s interesting. I don’t have any religious conviction about it, but I’m interested in it and I find it from a storytelling point of view, very fascinating.

What do you think you would have done in a past life?

That’s an interesting question. I feel like I’m very drawn to certain periods of history, so I feel like maybe I’ve lived then, like I have some connection to it. I’m interested in the period of World War 1 in Europe, which is probably why I set parts of the book there. I imagine that wherever I’ve been, I would have been attracted to books and stories. Part of my idea in this book is that people think that if they have been reincarnated then they must have been like Marie Antoinette or all these sort of fabulous historical people and chances are probably most of us were pretty normal people. I don’t imagine for myself anything very exotic or [an] elevated life.

What is your favorite book?

Gosh, I should have a quick and good answer to that question. It always stops me in my tracks because it’s so hard to pick one. I feel like I could pick my twenty favorite books. It’s almost prismatic, all your favorite books. As they come together, they explain you a little bit. There have been so many books that I’ve loved totally. As a child, I loved those Frances Hodgson Burnett books: Little Princess and The Secret Garden. Those are probably the books that I have read the greatest number of times.

What is your favorite book of yours?

That’s such a tough question. I feel like I have such a maternal relationship to the books. I don’t want to single one out. The one that I’m closest to now is My Name is Memory because it’s the one I’ve been thinking about. As it recedes deeper into my past, I’ll think more about the new one I’m working on and immersing myself in my new book. My first book will always have a special place because it was how I became a writer. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood is one of my favorites. I worked on it for a very long time and I really struggled with it. Each book I feel so connected to, it’s hard to reject any in favor of any other.

The Second Sisterhood is my favorite as well!

I don’t know what it is about that book. It was one of the hardest ones to write, but I look at it and I feel really proud of it.

Because this website is called CollegeCandy, think back to your college experience. What advice would you give to college-age people?

I would say study what you love. You think that you need to be practical and in some ways, maybe it’s a good idea. But no matter what you’re going to do, college should be a time to learn and to explore your own mind and learn how to learn. Develop your intellect and do whatever it takes to do that. Because studying what you want is really going to develop your mind and your heart as well. I feel like I was a little bit too serious in college and I was in a big hurry to grow up and as I look back, I wish I hadn’t been. You have the entire rest of your life for that.

Are you working on any other novels right now? Can you give us a hint?

When I finished writing the four books about the Sisterhood, I wanted it to have an end, but at the same time I didn’t want to have these characters go on forever, so I decided to challenge myself to write new and other things, with the idea that I could come back to them. So that’s what I’m doing. It’s now ten years later and I’m coming back to them as women.

And the “Memory” series continues too?

Yes, I have a lot of plans for it, but I haven’t started it yet. It came to me as a three-act drama. I’m very eager to get to finish it.

Review of “My Name is Memory”

“My Name is Memory” is quite different from Ann Brashares’ other books. With a touch of science fiction and written like a thriller, it’s an exciting ride that I couldn’t put down. Seriously, I totaled this one in a mere three days, just reading before bed and well into the wee hours of the morning.

“Memory” tells the story of Daniel, a young man who has what he refers to as the Memory. He has lived and died many times and remembers each of his past lives vividly. He says the this condition is rare, but he has met a few others with it along the way. Daniel has been on a quest for thousands of years to find his love, Sophia, and finally live their current life together. They have been ripped apart every time they find each other, so when Daniel and Sophia end up living nearby, and are the same age, he is thrilled but terrified. Sophia doesn’t have the Memory, so in this life she is just Lucy, a normal American girl and even though she is drawn to the mysterious Daniel, she has no idea of their past. Eventually, Daniel tells Lucy of their history, but she is scared and overwhelmed and doesn’t believe him. After several years, Lucy visits a psychic who talks about Daniel and she decides to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding them.

I won’t give any more plot away, but I will say this one was FABULOUS! I can’t believe that the woman who wrote “The Sisterhood” series, books about teen girls, can write a slightly science-fiction, adult book just as well. Brashares is truly a talented writer and such a imaginative person. The characters she has created for “Memory” are wonderful. They are so complex, yet believable and real and I understood the story from both Daniel and Lucy’s side. Like I said before, I got so wrapped up in this one, I wasn’t able to even put it down.

The love story was what really got me though; I love my boyfriend and kept putting us in this scenario. I can’t imagine how heart-breaking it must be for Daniel to live for thousands of years, only hoping to be loved back by this one woman and that never happening. His one friend with the Memory, Ben, tells him to move on and practice loving other people, but Daniel’s heart truly belongs to Sophia, so he will spend eternity trying to find her and convince her of their past.

I also really liked how Ann utilized the reincarnation theme to its fullest extent. I’m sure everyone has had a moment of deja vu or has some irrational fears and she explains those. Everything in this life that seems silly or strange, isn’t random at all; you’ve experienced something in a past life that made you that way. She also says that people tend to come back together, so you’re best friend now may have been your mother in a past life, etc. It’s comforting to think that the people you’re close to now are the people who you have always been close to, since the beginning of time.

“My Name is Memory” is the perfect summer read. Whether inside on a rainy afternoon, or enjoying a sunny day at the beach, it’s simply a great book. Just make sure that you give yourself ample time to dig into this one because you’re going to be busy for a while!

Summer has just begun for me and besides working 35 hours a week (doing the best student job on the planet, might I add), I’ve been devouring book after book. Science, YA, dystopian – I’ve got it all. However, despite my plethora of reading material, I often find myself trolling Amazon.com, looking for new releases that I can’t wait to get my hands on. And because I think many of you are in the same boat as me, in need of some serious reading for your summer break, I’ve compiled a list of 5 books from a variety of genres to keep your eyes on over the summer, listed in order of release date (hint hint to any publishers/editors/authors reading this!).

Did I miss any exciting new releases for the summer?!

1. Anthropology of an American Girl, by Hilary Thayer Hamann (May 25th)
Alright, if the title sounds familiar, it’s because this book was already technically released in 2003. It quickly became a cult classic, but the publishers pulled it from print and decided to re-edit it. That scandal alone sparks my interest! It tells the story of Eveline, a lonely 17-year-old girl growing up in East Hampton in the late ’70s. When her best friend’s mother dies and she is raped by two students, she begins to spiral downward. The book develops into a love story and follows Eveline as she grows up, emotionally and literally. Honestly, it’s all the great reviews, not the content, that are drawing me to this one, but all of these critics and fans can’t be wrong!

2. The Passage, by Justin Cronin (June 8th)
I’ll admit, Amazon.com totally recommended this one to me, but it looks great! It’s an adult fiction book about vampires, more “I Am Legend” than “Twilight”, if you catch my drift. It’s being toted as a book for those who are tired of the brooding bloodsuckers and looking for something a bit more horrific. A fast-paced (albeit lengthy) thriller about the virus that causes vampirism, it’s already ripping up reviews on Amazon and the like.

3. The Eternal Ones, by Kirsten Miller (August 10th)
The sole YA item on my list, this one sounds right up my alley. It centers on Haven Moore, a dressmaking high school student living with her mother in Tennessee. The reviews have been very hush hush about how this transpires, but Haven eventually ends up in New York City. There she meets Iain Morrow, a rebel who is suspected of murdering a rock star. Again, a little blip in the plot, but Haven visit the Oursboros Society and begins wondering about her past lives and whether Iain murdered her in a past life. This one reminds me of “The Reincarnationist”, a great fiction story of reincarnation. This is definitely the book I’m most excited about.

4. Last Night at the Chateau Marmont, by Lauren Weisberger (August 17th)
Chick-lit powerhouse Lauren Weisberger is back. Author of “The Devil Wears Prada”, the only info I could gather on this one is that it is “about normal girls left behind by their new-celeb exes–and the girls’ fitting revenge!” However, it’s Weisberger and whatever she touches turns to gold, in my opinion. And revenge stories are always super fun and devilish. I can just picture myself now, reading this one on the beach, sipping a daiquiri, being waited on hand and foot….. OK, maybe not the last part, but I will definitely be sunning myself silly with this in hand.

5. Life, by Keith Richards (October 26th)
Okay, okay, October is technically not in the summertime, but I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS. I love the Rolling Stones, but even more, I love Keith Richards and his persona. Seriously, I have his Louis Vuitton ad from a few years back hanging in my office. I just think he is quirky and hilarious and I can’t wait to read his take on his wild life! Anyone who can serve as the inspiration for Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow character must have a few great anecdotes. I count the Kurt Cobain bio “Heavier than Heaven” amongst my all-time favs, so come-on, Keith, give me another one!  (And maybe give me some tips on how to make my liver as indestructible as yours…..)

Too bad it took me a little while to realize that The Unconsecrated in “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” were essentially zombies. I was spooked, to put it mildly, but by that point the book had already hooked me and I knew it would be impossible to stop.

“The Forest of Hands and Teeth” tells the story of Mary. She lives in a village in the woods, surrounded by fences that keeps The Unconsecrated out. The Unconsecrated, as I said before, are essentially zombies and they roam the Forest of Hands and Teeth, constantly threatening the village and its people. Mary has led a simple life in her village, helping her family and waiting to be married. Then one day, when patrolling the perimeter of the fences, Mary’s father gets taken by The Unconsecrated and is assumed to be “infected.” Her mother then falls into a depression and one day gets too close to the fences and is bitten by an Unconsecrated. She chooses to join the others outside the village and suddenly Mary’s life is in a tailspin.

In the village, a woman cannot live on her own, so when no one wants to marry Mary, she is forced to live with the Sisterhood (basically nuns) in their Cathedral. Once in the Cathedral, a series of events cause Mary to begin questioning the Sisterhood and her entire life in the Village. And then the fences are breached by The Unconsecrated and everything Mary ever knew is gone.

OK, so it all sounds a little weird (and zombies are scary), but this book is absolutely addictive. I spent many nights awake until the wee hours, lost in the story. I just could not put it down, and that doesn’t happen often (especially after spending hours poring over text books).

Carrie Ryan wastes no time getting into the story and doesn’t babble unnecessarily. I really liked the character of Mary and the whole supernatural aspect of this novel, too. It’s a science fiction novel by category, but reminds me of an Audrey Niffenegger novel. That is, that Ryan can seamlessly bring her readers into this new world without even questioning its existence. She covers every base and keeps you too busy with the story to even wonder. The combination of the story, the pacing and the writing kept me completely hooked and unable to put it down.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling adventure. Plus, the sequel comes out in March and I cannot wait!

[Every week, CC and John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, saddest things he hears on his college campus. Join the Overheard revolution!Leave your own overheard convos in the comments or send ‘em over!]

(Guys in a liquor store, looking at whiskey.)

Guy 1: Evan Williams? Who the f*** is Evan Williams?

Guy 2: Hey! Look at me! Evan Williams! I’m like Jack Daniel, but I scored 40 points higher on my SATs!

(Girls at a party.)

Girl 1: Fart jokes are, like, the apogee of comedy. Funny every time.

Girl 2: Yeah, it’s like, “To be or not to – ” *PPPPHHHHRRPPP*

(Girl and boy, looking into a storefront.)

Girl: Uh, what? Are you talking about child pornography?

Boy: No! I was talking about the martini glasses!

(Girl, to her boyfriend.)

Girl: I don’t want you. I want science fiction.

(Furious father, from upstairs.)

Dad: God damnit! Who put a cheese stick in the washing machine?

(Girl, toasting marshmallows on a porch.)

Girl: I’ve actually had entire relationships from beginning to end through text messages. It’s better that way.

(Two guys, walking across the street in a small Mass. city.)

Guy 1: Sensors show that all the women here are flat-chested, Captain!

Guy 2: Warp factor nine, Mr. Sulu! Get us out of here!

(Girl, on the phone.)

Girl: They’re only dating when they’re in the same zip code. It’s like they’ve got giant magnets inside their lips.

(Two girls in a pizza restaurant.)

Girl 1: Nothing big is cute.

Girl 2: One foot toddler? Cute. One hundred foot toddler? Gross.

Girl 1: Wait, one foot toddler?

(Two guys, under a rock wall.)

Guy: Dude, this isn’t your girlfriend. This is rock climbing. You use these two fingers.

(Girl, composing a text message. Rough)

Girl: Should I put a smiley? I don’t know. What if he doesn’t like smilies?  Is a smiley too happy? What about a winky? No, that’s really creepy. What about an exclamation point?  But that’s like, “ah.” But a period is like “uh.” God! I hate my life!

(Guy, watching four girls move a table out of an apartment.)

Guy: Hey, uh, can I help you girls with anything?

Girl: Yeah, you can spend nine months carrying unborn humans  in your belly for us.

“The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova is a LARGE book. I have the hardcover copy and let me tell you, this thing is by no means dainty. At a whopping 642 pages, you’re in for the long haul with this one. But what a fast-paced, exciting and intriguing haul it is!

Kostova takes the classic story of Dracula and weaves it into a story about the hunt for the real man, Vlad the Impaler, who supposedly did discover a way to become immortal. With vivid descriptions of the majestic countries of the Eastern Bloc (if you’re ever been, you will be drooling with jealously) and scary dives into crypts and ancient castles, Kostova is sure to please a history or travel buff purely with her settings.

The characters fit the plot perfectly and are very well-written; not a stone is left unturned. So well written in fact, I had no trouble imagining the frail Professor Rossi or the beautiful Helen, who insists on putting on a brave face at all times.

Anyone who has an interest in the supernatural will appreciate this a bit more than Dan Brown’s work. All the characters in this book whole-heartedly believe in the possibility of vampires and I admit, it’s hard not to get drawn in yourself.

If you’re up for some high-energy adventure to tide you over until “Angels and Demons” hits theatres or you just love a well-researched historical fiction or just love traveling, “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova will not let you down!

I love science. Figuring out how things work, studying anatomy, mixing chemicals; I love it all! So naturally, I dabble in the Science Non-Fiction section at my local bookstore. I know what you’re thinking: books about science are written by hundred- year- old men with big, scraggly beards who use big confusing words and even more confusing concepts. But that’s where you’re wrong!

Sure, you can find those kind of books if that’s your thing (for those who love science a little too much…), but there are also some really interesting ones written in totally understandable English. And guess what? They’re interesting and funny!

Mary Roach introduced me to the world of enjoyable science reading with her book about human cadavers, Stiff. I’m sure some of you shuddered at the word “cadaver,” but if you can handle it, this book is FANTASTIC! That lead me to Roach’s second book Spook, which is about the paranormal and a lot less gory. I loved both, so when I heard Mary Roach had a new book coming out this past summer, I was over the moon! And she didn’t let me down.

Written with her usual smart wit, Mary Roach creates a fun and interesting look at the scientific side of sex with her latest book, Bonk.

Topics range from Kinsey’s experiments (so interesting and this book only made me want to research them more) to the biological function of the female orgasm to even sex toys, without ever making you feel awkward or talked down to as a reader. She is able to take both serious and funny topics and turn them into interesting, informative chapters. And her research is meticulous. The woman covers her bases, especially when it comes to the studies she checks out. Heck, she and her husband even partake in the horizontal mambo for one!

Mary Roach has a rare gift: she is able to take scientific topics with the potential to be horribly boring and create fun, enjoyable, yet educational reads. As I said, she is the reason I venture to the science section. Roach is like that one teacher in high school who paid attention to you and showed you that you could survive your most hated subject and even grow to love it. She has truly found her calling as a writer and I cannot wait for her next book.

I had a lot of nightmares as a kid. Thanks to these nightmares and various frightening films I’ve developed a hilarious set of OCD habits such as opening and closing closet doors before sleeping and checking behind the shower curtain before I saddle up to the toilet (you laugh but one day someone is gonna be in there and then who’s the dumb one!)

My imagination is easily inspired. For a while I couldn’t even watch a commercial for a horror movie because I knew those 30 seconds were enough to create an entire world of horrific fantasy that I’d be trapped inside for the rest of the evening. The one thing more unnerving then horror characters and sharks (I don’t swim in the ocean, at all, ever) is muppets.

Not all muppets, Kermit is fine, Fozzy, whatever. I’m talking about those LSD muppets that creators slip in films and TV shows, mixed with other cute, lovable creatures. They lure you in with Grover and then BAM, some abomination walks onto the screen that’s burned into your mind forever. Some horribly disfigured, warbly voiced monstrosity that may as well be drenched in blood, because thats how you’ll remember them, regardless.

Here’s five of the worst perpetrators.

5) Sesame Street’s Big Bad Wolf

He first appeared in a mock ‘News Report’ that Kermit was doing about the story of the 3 Little Pigs, but eventually was cast in a full time role in my brain as the monster that lived in the crawlspace behind our dryer. His nose and mouth are almost crocodilian in length, making him a hybrid death machine that can not only eat you whole, but smell (and enjoy) your fear.

4) Sesame Street’s Yip Yip Aliens

Who the f*ck invented these? I’ve seen like 3/4th’s of every science fiction movie ever and I’ve never observed a more frightening rendition of creatures from another planet. They have no body, and their circular mouths are contorted into a look of excruciating pain. The sound they omit — ‘Yip Yip‘ — over and over gives them an almost zombie-like demeanor. Incapable of love or communication, their race knows only war.

3) Skeksis from ‘The Dark Crystal’

Bird reptiles that appear to have some type of bizarre bone disease and turn infantile when they die/age. As someone who grew up around wild turkeys, the thought of gangs of intelligent, upright walking, violent minded birds hit very close to home.

2) The Rockbiter from ‘The Never-ending Story’

Could you have designed a more horribly disfigured face? My cousins would loop this scene and force me to watch it as a form of torture.

1) The Fiery Gang from ‘The Labyrinth’

A gang of forest dwelling, possible serial rapist apes who sing about ‘showing you a good time’ while removing their limbs and creating a gallery of horrifyingly twisted body shapes. Then they try to rip your head off, in an effort to make you more like them. Awesome, just awesome.

[Got any childhood fears induced by muppets? We want to know]

I’m not joking. Seems like scientists have recently discovered how to get cute little monkeys to control a small robotic arm to help them grab food. A small grid “about the size of a large freckle” was surgically implanted in a few macaques, allowing them to use cognitive thinking to make a robot arm grab stuff they want. Scientists believe this is a huge step towards finding better ways to help human amputees.

Dr. John F. Kalaska, a neuroscientist at the University of Montreal, believes this new experiment, no matter how young, might someday help “patients with severe motor deficits to interact and communicate with the world not only by the moment-to-moment control of the motion of robotic devices, but also in a more natural and intuitive manner that reflects their overall goals, needs and preferences.”

I’m sure Kalaska and all the other scientists are right, but for some reason, I just can’t stop thinking about monkeys in sunglasses systematically destroying the earth with giant, mind-controlled machines of death.

…I guess I need to lay off the SciFi channel.

Its science fiction time, friends!

A small lab in California claims to have cloned the embryos of two men, making it the “first documented demonstration that ordinary cells from an adult human can be used to make cloned embryos mature enough to produce stem cells”.

Although the lab says it destroyed the embryos after 5 days, they insist they have all their records and assure the public that the tests were performed numerous times. Experts have supposedly acted very “coolly” to this announcement, partly because of a clone hoax executed by Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk a few years back, and partly because the creation of cloned embryos has happened before. The big announcement, researchers agree, would be if a new stem cell line has been created.

Supporters of stem cell cloning say this new development will allow for treatment of certain diseases and possible “transplant material for conditions like diabetes and Parkinson’s”, while protestors don’t like the idea of scientists creating life and then destroying that life in labs.

Even though science has never been my thing (how many times did I fall asleep in Chemistry 105? Uncountable), the idea of cloning stem cells sounds both exciting and pretty freaking scary. The curing of deadly diseases? Good. The possible reproduction (as in, someone with the exact same face, body, and genetic make-up as their donor) of human life inside a Petri dish? Weird.

Unless they decide to start cloning Brad Pitt and Jake Gyllenhaal.

That would be fine.