Blog Tour: The Land of 10,000 Madonnas by Kate Hattemer (Author Interview)

Item: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High
Rating: 4
Author: Meredith

Hey everyone! I’m super excited to be on the blog tour for Kate Hattemer’s The Land of 10,000 Madonnas (April 19, 2016 – Knopf)! Today, I have an interview with Kate to share with you. First, here’s more about the book:

Five teens backpack through Europe to fulfill the mysterious dying wish of their friend.

Jesse lives with his history professor dad in a house covered with postcards of images of the Madonna from all over the world. They’re gotten used to this life: two motherless dudes living among thousands of Madonnas. But Jesse has a heart condition that will ultimately cut his life tragically short. Before he dies, he arranges a mysterious trip to Europe for his three cousins, his best friend, and his girlfriend to take after he passes away. It’s a trip that will forever change the lives of these young teens and one that will help them come to terms with Jesse’s death.

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository
Kobo | IndieBound

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And now for the interview! Enjoy!

Question: Congrats! When this interview goes live, you’ll be just a few DAYS away from release! What will you be doing for the next month to prepare for release? And in the last few days before release?
Answer: Thank you! I can’t believe it’s finally happening! Based on my experience last time, I’ll spend the month before release alternately freaking out it’s happening and forgetting it’s happening, and I’ll spend the last few days working through key last-minute preparations (googling “how to walk in high heels,” doodling exclamation points in my planner, etc.).

Question: The Land of 10,000 Madonnas is such a unique, intriguing title! Who came up with it? What’s the significance of the title in relation to the story?
Answer: Thank you! One of my students, trying to remember this title, said, “I know it has something to do with Beyoncé!” But no, it refers to the original diva, Madonna, the mother of Christ. The phrase has been in the book from very early on – it’s what Jesse calls his apartment, which his art-professor father has wallpapered with postcards of Mary – but it wasn’t actually the title until I realized how much significance it holds. To me, the book is all about where we find home, and I think we’re all searching for our own lands of ten thousand Madonnas, for the places filled with our mothers, literal and figurative. We’re searching for the lands of the people who love us and take care of us, of people who rejoice with us and grieve at our sides – just as Mary is doing for Christ in every single representation of her in the past two thousand years of Western art.

Question: And speaking of the story, what a fascinating concept – sad, but beautiful and heart-warming, all at once. Where did the idea for the plot come from?
Answer: Thank you again! A lot of elements came together to form the plot, but the journey the characters take was inspired by my own travel during the summer of 2012. I was fortunate enough to spend about six weeks in Europe with, variously, a cousin, a few friends, and a sister. It was an amazing trip: we saw a massive amount of art, went on some jaw-dropping, thigh-quivering hikes, and ate our weight in gelato.

Question: There are some really important life lessons in The Land of 10,000 Madonnas. What’s the MOST important message you wanted to convey to your readers – the one thing you hope they take away with them after reading the book?
Answer: Given how much this book changed from conception to final product, I’m surprised to realize that my central goal stayed the same. I wanted to write a book about grief that was about the tawdry, tedious underside – not the shock of the first few days, not the black clothes and the crying, but about the way your world’s still shattered a year later, two years later, ten years later, and you have to wake up every morning and go into that shattered world and pretend that everything’s okay when it isn’t okay, when you’re starting to suspect that it will never be okay. I wanted to write about grief that’s never resolved because it springs from an event so fundamentally wrong that it shouldn’t be resolved. This probably sounds incredibly dire and depressing, but to me, I think, as a grieving teenager, it would have provided some hope. If I am sad for the rest of my life, his life meant something. It means something. I wanted to write about this paradox, which I fiercely believe: you will never stop grieving and you will feel joy. You will never lay eyes upon him again and he will always be at your side.

Question: This is your second book. How was the publishing process different the second time around? What lessons did you learn as a debut that helped make things easier?
Answer: I like how you assume it’s been easier.
…
…
…

Just kidding: it has been! The revision process was a lot tougher this time around, but I think that without my experience revising my debut, it’d have felt even worse (and that’s saying something). I’ve felt a good deal of anxiety with both books – for some reason I don’t worry about how they’ll do, but I absolutely dread feeling so publicly exposed – but it’s gotten more manageable. I’m trying to embrace the strange shift in control: when you’re writing, you’re the god of your book’s universe, but then suddenly it’s out in the world and doesn’t belong to you at all anymore.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a WIP?
Answer: “Best German karaoke songs.” This, as I’m sure you can imagine, led to an intense afternoon of YouTube research. It was one of those days when you think you’re a writer, and the person next to you in the coffeeshop thinks you’re a fool.

Question: According to your bio, you previously worked as a bookseller. What was it like being on that side of the publishing world, as compared to being a published author now?
Answer: I loved my bookseller job – for one, thanks to my intensely well-read colleagues, I always had a great TBR stack! And I think it’s thanks to my time in the bookstore that I now feel so grateful whenever someone reads one of my books. There are so many books out there, so many freaking wonderful books, and you’re choosing mine?! Like: you are the light of my life.

It’s also nice, though, to have a day job that has nothing to do with publishing. I’m teaching high school Latin now, and I adore every minute. I think I do my best writing (and personing) when I have a healthy mix of interests and priorities.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: Yes! I’ve spent some time lately returning to my roots as a Roald Dahl fanatic (when I got in trouble as a kid, my mom would confiscate his oeuvre as punishment), so I tried my hand at a ridiculous middle-grade novel. And now I’m working on a YA about a feminist firebrand. I hope they’ll both see readers someday!

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About the Author:

KATE HATTEMER graduated with a degree from Yale in Classics. She works as a bookseller in Cincinnati and is the author of The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy, which has received five starred reviews.

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Blog Tour: Ascenders: SkyPunch by C.L. Gaber (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Apr13

Hey everyone! I’m excited to be on the blog tour for Ascenders: SkyPunch by C.L. Gaber and to share an excerpt from the book with you!

In the Midst—a place for those who die young—there are no rules except one.

And Walker Callaghan, dead at seventeen, just broke it. She briefly revisited her earthly life . . . and the punishment is eternal. Longing for her rebel love interest, Daniel Reid, Walker finds an ally in Cass, whose attraction to her is as alive as he is. “Life is short,” he tells her. “I’m banking on eternity. With you.”

In the second book of the Ascenders Saga, a realm-jumping journey takes Walker and Daniel back to life again when they search for something buried in history. They team with students from several other schools in the middle realm including a place for teens born with oddities. It’s home to the Claires . . . beautiful, ruthless, and quite dead seventeen-year-old quads who each have a different clairvoyant gift.

Can Walker survive another adventure of an afterlife-time—or will she find herself on the downside of eternity?

(Buy Links coming soon!)
Amazon | Kindle | Itunes

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Book One: Ascenders

Walker Callaghan has just arrived at the Academy after a tragic car accident. “Is this heaven or is this high school?” she asks.

She finds out her new life is a bit of both as she falls in love with tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid who is about to break the only sacred rule of this place. He’s looking for a portal to return back to the living realm.

He needs just one hour to retrieve his younger brother who strangely never arrived at The Academy. Bobby is an Earth Bound Spirit, stuck at a plane crash site that took both of their lives as their rich father piloted his private jet nose-first into a cornfield on Christmas Eve.

Walker loves Daniel and risks it all to go with him.

Have they learned enough to outsmart dangerous forces while transporting a young child with them? Can their love survive the fragmented evil parts of themselves that are now hunting them down as they try to find a way back to the middle?

At the Academy, you learn the lessons of an after-lifetime.

Amazon | Kindle | iTunes

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Now here’s the excerpt! enjoy!

“Two things are nonnegotiable. You’re not part of this and I want to swim,” Daniel yelled, as he leapt to his feet.

“Wait,” I cried because for a minute he was lost in the fog.

“I can’t wait,” he yelled, running backward now. “I’m not sure if I have the time to wait. But I am sure that I have the morning and the beach. And I’d rather have five minutes with you in this sand than eternity elsewhere.”

He stretched out his arms and held out his open hands.

Knowing my response like it was his own, he kicked off his boots and stripped off his clothes. Before I could say anything, he put two fingers to his lips, blew me a kiss, and took off. What else could I do, but swallow my fears and rage, and strip down to a bra and panties to follow him as he jettisoned into the foamy surf. Under fat, white clouds, we swam hard, matching each other stroke for stroke in water that tasted salty sweet.

We weren’t cold, but we sure were wet. And when Daniel picked me up and tossed me in even deeper, I vowed payback. He was too big to topple, but it was fun to try. A gleam entered his eyes.

“Hold your breath—or don’t,” he said.

Why?

I might want to administer CPR,” he teased as I raced up and grabbed him by the shoulders to dunk him. “A dreamer with attitude and visions of grandeur,” he said, lifting me gently and then sending me flying into the warm summer air.

For the first time in months, I saw him smile where his eyes crinkled at the corners. He didn’t look like a man on borrowed time, but someone who was content with whatever happened.

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And now for the giveaway! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About C.L. Gaber:

C.L. GABER is the author of ASCENDERS, the first book in Ascenders SAGA. She is also the co-author of “Jex Malone.” A lifelong entertainment journalist, she interviews A list film and TV stars for the New York Times wire and various other publications. C.L. lives in Nevada with her husband Ron, bonus daughter Sabrina and two unruly dogs. You can reach her at CLGaber@yahoo.com

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Release Day Launch: Ascenders: Sky Punch by C.L. Gaber (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Apr12

Today is the release day for Ascenders: SkyPunch by C.L. Gaber! I am so excited to share this fantastic YA paranormal. Check out the excerpt and C.L.’s giveaway, and be sure to grab your copy today!

In the Midst—a place for those who die young—there are no rules except one.

And Walker Callaghan, dead at seventeen, just broke it. She briefly revisited her earthly life . . . and the punishment is eternal. Longing for her rebel love interest, Daniel Reid, Walker finds an ally in Cass, whose attraction to her is as alive as he is. “Life is short,” he tells her. “I’m banking on eternity. With you.”

In the second book of the Ascenders Saga, a realm-jumping journey takes Walker and Daniel back to life again when they search for something buried in history. They team with students from several other schools in the middle realm including a place for teens born with oddities. It’s home to the Claires . . . beautiful, ruthless, and quite dead seventeen-year-old quads who each have a different clairvoyant gift.

Can Walker survive another adventure of an afterlife-time—or will she find herself on the downside of eternity?

(Buy Links coming soon!)
Amazon | Kindle | Itunes

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Book One: Ascenders

Walker Callaghan has just arrived at the Academy after a tragic car accident. “Is this heaven or is this high school?” she asks.

She finds out her new life is a bit of both as she falls in love with tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid who is about to break the only sacred rule of this place. He’s looking for a portal to return back to the living realm.

He needs just one hour to retrieve his younger brother who strangely never arrived at The Academy. Bobby is an Earth Bound Spirit, stuck at a plane crash site that took both of their lives as their rich father piloted his private jet nose-first into a cornfield on Christmas Eve.

Walker loves Daniel and risks it all to go with him.

Have they learned enough to outsmart dangerous forces while transporting a young child with them? Can their love survive the fragmented evil parts of themselves that are now hunting them down as they try to find a way back to the middle?

At the Academy, you learn the lessons of an after-lifetime.

Amazon | Kindle | iTunes

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Now, enjoy this exclusive excerpt!

She was waiting.

A tall, well-built woman with sparse black hair pulled back into a prim bun, her onyx eyes were close-set and her nostrils flared like they were two wide tunnels with direct access to brain matter.

A whisper of an old woman’s grayish-pink top lip rested on a nervously bitten and frequently chewed bottom one, and neither hinted at a smile. ”

“She was dressed in all black, but the freaky part was that Lizbeth, dean of women prisoners, didn’t wear the standard-issue ITT guard uniform of unflattering pants and a crisp, black, collared shirt.

She was clad in a flowing Victorian dress that reached the floor, her arms completely blanketed in yards of sooty-colored lace, and her throat obscured by a collar that reached upward to her chin. A white cameo pin rested on the neck of her turn-of-the-century fashion statement, and a small gold heart locket dangled against her chest. It was open to reveal two blurred black-and-white photos.

I couldn’t decide what to stare at harder, the small nameplate on her desk that read DEAN BORDEN or the two faces in that locket.

One was a middle-aged, wealthy-looking man. She knew where my eyes had settled. “My father, Andrew. Mur . . . der . . . ed,” she said in a voice so scratchy and old that it sounded as if she was on her last words. The other photo was a woman who couldn’t have been her mother because there was absolutely no family resemblance. Lizbeth was dark and brooding; the woman was in when the blade remained lodged. Her face contorted viciously as she ripped it out hard and then plunged it in even harder.

“My father, struck ten times. No, eleven times, so said I,” Lizbeth told me in her wispy, singsong voice as she moved closer. My eyes never leaving the glint of that ax blade, I could feel my heart begin to drum so hard in my chest that I thought it might rip open my flesh. I couldn’t move away because the office was a prison cell of sorts. There was absolutely nowhere to go.

Focus. Stay calm. Steel.

My eyes went wide when she found a new victim. Lizbeth began to slice her left hand with the freed ax blade and a strange calm returned to her face when her own blood began to freely rain down in small plops to the floor. She took delight playing with the thick liquid snaking through her fingers and smiled to reveal several holes in rotted, blackened teeth.

That stupid, childish song raced through my mind: “Lizzie Borden took an ax, and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one….”

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And now for the giveaway! To enter, fill out the Rafflectoper below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About C.L. Gaber:

C.L. GABER is the author of ASCENDERS, the first book in Ascenders SAGA. She is also the co-author of “Jex Malone.” A lifelong entertainment journalist, she interviews A list film and TV stars for the New York Times wire and various other publications. C.L. lives in Nevada with her husband Ron, bonus daughter Sabrina and two unruly dogs. You can reach her at CLGaber@yahoo.com

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

Review: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Apr11

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee
Series: DC Super Hero Girls #1
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on March 1, 2016
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

This groundbreaking new middle grade series follows DC Comics' most iconic female Super Heroes and Super-Villains . . . as high schoolers. At Super Hero High, the galaxy's most powerful teens nurture their powers and master the fundamentals of what it means to be a hero.

Wonder Woman isn't like most high school students. Super Hero high isn't like most high schools.

Wonder Woman is an Amazon warrior and princess. She has never left her home on Paradise Island. But she wants to be a super hero - the best super hero she can be. At Super Hero High, she has to juggle intense training, new friendships, and a roommate who shares every embarrassing moment on social media. Not to mention... Wonder Woman has never seen a boy before.

This is going to be harder than she thought.

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (March 1, 2016 – Random House Books for Young Readers) This book was an incredibly fun read, so I’m really excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

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This book was twice as entertaining and adorable as I expected it to be! It was both hilarious and awesome seeing these future super heroes – and super-villains – as teenagers, just coming into their powers and their identities. Seeing them gain confidence and self-respect, while still making mistakes along the way, was empowering – it showed that everyone makes mistakes, but we must learn and grow from them. These important lessons, coupled with likable characters and an epic plot, made for an epic read!

I’ve never been a huge follower of DC comics but I know the main super heroes and villains (Like Wonder Woman, Superman, Supergirl, Batman, Poison Ivy, etc) and I’ve always been fascinated by them, even if I didn’t devour the comics and movies. Despite not being a devout follower of the comics, I was still completely fascinated by this book! In fact, it made me want to do some research and learn who everyone is – Their backstory, who they become (hero or villain), etc! This makes me think that this series will be a great way to introduce a new generation of tweens and teens to the original comics!

And honestly, I think it was GOOD that I didn’t know who everyone was. Except for the rare few (again, Wonder Woman and Poison Ivy, etc), I didn’t know who was a super hero or a villain, so I couldn’t judge them based on who they become. I could only judge them on their behavior NOW. Like, Poison Ivy was really, really nice! And I LOVED Harley Quinn! On the other hand, Star Sapphire seemed to be the resident mean girl and Golden Glider was like her second in command. It was nice being able to come up with my own opinions of these characters, just based on the way they behaved in this book and not based on their comic book alter egos. And again, not knowing who everyone was just made me want to do some research and find out!

On the flip-side, I think this book’s level of entertainment would have been upped a notch if I HAD known who everyone was and if I had been able to understood some of the references. Still, I never felt like I was at a disadvantage because I hadn’t read them. So whether you’ve read the original DC comics or not, I don’t think you’ll have trouble understanding this book or following along. If you HAVE read the comics, you might catch more and understand more. But I don’t think you’ll be confused if you HAVENT read them.

Like I mentioned above, I loved these characters. Poor Wonder Woman dealt with a LOT of culture shock and she takes everything so literally, which leads to a lot of hilarity! I loved Harley Quinn, Lois Lane, Hawkgirl and Bumblebee! I really wanted to like Star Sapphire but I never really trusted her (though she did end up growing on me!). I was indifferent to Golden Glider until near the end and then all the things happened..!! And then there was Cheetah.. man, I did’t like or trust her AT ALL! Of all the characters, I was especially fascinated by Harley Quinn. I really hope she gets her own book!

Overall, I really loved this book! Again, as someone who didn’t devour the DC comics, I was definitely a little bit behind on who everyone was and what some of the references were. But I knew enough and understood enough, so it was still incredibly enjoyable! I’m very excited for book two, which comes out in July, and I can’t wait to see what the other books bring in 2017! This is a short, fast read that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the DC comics, as well as to anyone who wants to get into the comics, but who wants a quick and easy introduction to the characters first!

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About the Author:

Lisa Yee’s debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. With over two million books in print, her other novels for young people include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, So Totally Emily Ebers, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes).

Lisa is also the author of American Girl’s Kanani books and Good Luck, Ivy, and this year’s Lea Clark novels. Her novel, Warp Speed, is about a Star Trek geek who gets beat up everyday at school. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa’s books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

The Kidney Hypothetical – Or How To Ruin Your Life In Seven Days is Lisa’s latest novel for teens. Lisa’s 2016 books include the DC Super Hero Girls middle grade novel series and the American Girl, 2016 Girl of the Year books.

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Review: When We Collided by Emery Lord

Apr9

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When We Collided by Emery Lord
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on April 5, 2015
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever.

I’ve read all of Emery Lord’s books and I’ve loved them all. But When We Collided was by far my favorite. It has everything that made me love Emery’s first two books, but it also has MORE. I don’t even know how to process the raw emotion and realness of this story and these characters. I can’t even put it into words, so I’m sorry if this review is mostly blubbering and babbling. I loved these characters, this plot, the writing – basically everything about this book.

Vivi is so vivacious and so full of life, you’d never know she was struggling with internal demons and darkness. She’s a whirlwind of emotion, completely unfiltered, saying and doing whatever. While she’s trying to pull Jonah out of his black hole, she’s falling into one of her own, but she hides it so well – from Jonah, from her mom… Even from herself, to a certain extent.

As Vivi was spiraling out of control, I could actually feel the change in her – in the way she was talking, thinking and behaving. I appreciated that she KNEW she was being horrible to Jonah (“snippy and unyielding,” as she put it), yet she couldn’t help it or stop it. She hits this point where she’s completely erratic and an absolute loose cannon.

Meanwhile, poor Jonah is so young and has such a heavy burden on his shoulders. He’s so embarrassed by his family and the things that have happened that he’s worried Vivi will run for the hills if she finds out. Yet she, better than anyone, would understand and comfort him, if only he’d open up to her. But since she radiates joy and happiness on the outside (and hides her turmoil on the inside), he can’t see her as anything other than this bright, carefree person, someone he doesn’t want to burden with his troubles. It just goes to show you that everyone handles things differently and you can’t judge someone by their outward appearance or attitude.

As Jonah was hitting his breaking point – when the burden of taking care of his family became too much and he couldn’t handle the mounting responsibilities – I could feel the change in him, like I did with Vivi, and it absolutely broke my heart to see him breaking down.

The big difference between Jonah and Vivi is, when Jonah hits his breaking point, it motivates him to make something happen, to change things for the better. For Vivi, hitting her breaking point means breaking down into a manic, self-destructive spiral. But that’s understandable – it goes back to the differences in the state of their mental health. They’re complete opposites in this and it really shows.

I loved Ellie and what she did for both Jonah and Vivi. It’s hard to discuss her role without spoilers, though, so I’ll just leave it at that. I also loved cold, shrewd officer Hayashi and how fatherly and protective of Vivi he was. There are a lot more secondary characters that I could discuss, but I don’t want to bog this review down with that (because I could go on and on about them!). So I’ll just say, in general, all the characters in this book were real and wonderful and played an important part in the story.

The depiction of depression and struggling with sadness is so spot-on and so perfect and real, I just found myself nodding along to things that were happening and things that the characters were saying and doing.

The things that happened near the end blew my mind. My heart was pounding a mile a minute and the shock was so great, I actually had to read certain parts over a few times in an attempt to take it in – and even then, it was hard to comprehend. And the actual ending was heartbreaking yet beautiful and perfect. I don’t think it could have ended any other way, though it’s hard not to wish for a different ending – But explaining why would be a spoiler, so you’ll just have to read the book for yourself to find out what I mean.

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from reading my review, this book was gorgeous, heart-breaking and perfect. It’s hard to understand how one book could be all those things at once, but trust me, it was. I loved Vivi and Jonah right away – they’re complete opposites (on the outside, at least), yet they kind of balance each other out in a weird (but cute!) way. I loved how real, truthful and in your face this book was. Emery Lord managed to give an honest depiction of what it’s like to struggle with mental health issues without sounding like she was lecturing or trying to teach readers a lesson – and yet, she did teach readers some important lessons. But it’s up to each reader to take away their own lessons from this book – Because in my opinion, no two readers will walk away feeling the same way. And that’s a rare, beautiful thing for an author to manage.

So yes, I highly recommend this book. There are definitely some trigger warnings for mental health, but I feel that this is an important book to read. If you’re a fan of Emery Lord’s previous two books, you’ll love this one! It’s very different but it’s absolutely amazing and will resonate with you for a long time after that last page.

Spotlight Post: The Society by Jodie Andrefski (Contest Announcement)

Apr8

Hey guys! I’m really excited for The Society by Jodie Andrefski! Which is why I’m really excited to help announce this epic contest! All the info you need can be found here

Blog Tour: The Fallen Prince by Amalie Howard (Excerpt)

Apr7

Hey everyone! I’m super excited to be on the blog tour for Amalie Howard’s The Fallen Prince! Today, I have an excerpt to share with you. First, here’s more about the book:

Riven has fought for a hard-won peace in her world, and has come to shaky terms with who and what she is—a human with cyborg DNA. Now that the rightful ruler of Neospes has been reinstated, Riven is on the hunt for her father in the Otherworld to bring him to justice for his crimes against her people.

But when she receives an unwelcome visit from two former allies, she knows that trouble is brewing once again in Neospes. The army has been decimated and there are precious few left to fight this mysterious new threat.
To muster a first line of defense, her people need help from the one person Riven loathes most—her father. But what he wants in return is her complete surrender.

And now Riven must choose: save Neospes or save herself.

Goodreads | Amazon
Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound

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And now for the excerpt! Enjoy!

The flare of blue fire is blinding. Then again, it’s gone so quickly that even if you were staring right at me, you’d blink and it’d vanish. The emissions from the process of eversion—shifting between universes—are unavoidable. However, I try to be careful, everting in concealed areas away from people, and away from the eyes of the Faction and the Guardians. They’re always watching for those who break the law—those who don’t remain where they belong.

Me, more so than ever.

I belong in Neospes, a domed city in a parallel dimension to the Otherworld. But I’m here in pursuit of a man who everted over a year ago. A man who nearly destroyed my world in his quest for power. A man so consumed with retaliation that to let him loose in either world would be a colossal mistake.

And so I hunt him. I’ve been hunting him—across thirty states and always a step or two behind. He’s clever, brilliant, and a master strategist.

After all, he’s my father. And he’s my creator.

I may look like an ordinary girl, but I’m far from one. It’s something I’m still coming to terms with, ever since I learned the truth. I am a product of genetic experimentation and advanced robotics. I am the girl with nanoplasm for blood—the perfect combination of human and machine, an aberration of nature—and yet, its greatest creation. I am the only one of my kind.

My name is Riven.

And I am a killer.

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Celebrate the dual releases of The Riven Chronicles–THE ALMOST GIRL and THE FALLEN PRINCE–by participating in this awesome, fun, month-long contest.

Are you up to the challenge? Join the initiative starting on March 24th 2016 to celebrate The Riven Chronicles’s THE ALMOST GIRL and THE FALLEN PRINCE!

It’s easy… Complete at least one challenge, earn points with each completed challenge, and have a chance to win a Lenovo Ideapad 11.6″ laptop. Yes, you absolutely read that right–enter for a chance to win a LAPTOP (*US only due to shipping restrictions).

Join Here!

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About Amalie:

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie Howard’s poem “The Candle,” written at age thirteen, was published in a University of Warwick journal. She was also a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society essay award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, “Mothers of the nation: right-wing women in Weimar Germany.” She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge, A-level Examinations as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. She is a member of SCBWI.

Release Day Blitz: The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Apr5

I am so excited that THE GLITTERING COURT by Richelle Mead releases today and that I get to share the news, along with a special giveaway for a signed copy of the book and a $25 Sephora Gift Card courtesy of Richelle, Penguin Teen, and Rockstar Book Tours! First, here’s more about the book!

Title: THE GLITTERING COURT
Author: Richelle Mead
Pub. Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook
Find it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

The Selection meets Reign in this dazzling trilogy of interwoven novels about three girls on a quest for freedom and true love from #1 internationally bestselling author Richelle Mead.

“Brilliant and original, Mead’s new series starts off with a bang and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.” —School Library Journal

For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.

After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him.

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else’s property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

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And now for the exclusive excerpt! Enjoy!

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And now for the giveaway! One winner will receive a hardcover of THE GLITTERING COURT & a $25 Sephora Gift Card. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

Richelle Mead has written over twenty-five novels for teens and adults. She is the author of the international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series and its spinoff series, Bloodlines. Her recent standalone novel, Soundless, draws upon Chinese mythology and history, and her forthcoming series, The Glittering Court, follows the adventures of girls destined for arranged marriages in a fantasy world inspired by colonial America. A lifelong reader, Richelle has always had a particular fascination with mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses to wear on tour. She is a self-professed coffee addict, works in her pajamas, and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Release Day Blitz: The Fallen Prince by Amalie Howard

Apr5

Happy Book Birthday to Amalie Howard and The Fallen Prince!

Riven has fought for a hard-won peace in her world, and has come to shaky terms with who and what she is—a human with cyborg DNA. Now that the rightful ruler of Neospes has been reinstated, Riven is on the hunt for her father in the Otherworld to bring him to justice for his crimes against her people.

But when she receives an unwelcome visit from two former allies, she knows that trouble is brewing once again in Neospes. The army has been decimated and there are precious few left to fight this mysterious new threat.
To muster a first line of defense, her people need help from the one person Riven loathes most—her father. But what he wants in return is her complete surrender.

And now Riven must choose: save Neospes or save herself.

Goodreads | Amazon
Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound

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Celebrate the dual releases of The Riven Chronicles–THE ALMOST GIRL and THE FALLEN PRINCE–by participating in this awesome, fun, month-long contest.

Are you up to the challenge? Join the initiative starting on March 24th 2016 to celebrate The Riven Chronicles’s THE ALMOST GIRL and THE FALLEN PRINCE!

It’s easy…Complete at least one challenge, earn points with each completed challenge, and have a chance to win a Lenovo Ideapad 11.6″ laptop. Yes, you absolutely read that right–enter for a chance to win a LAPTOP (*US only due to shipping restrictions).

Join Here!

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About Amalie:

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie Howard’s poem “The Candle,” written at age thirteen, was published in a University of Warwick journal. She was also a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society essay award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, “Mothers of the nation: right-wing women in Weimar Germany.” She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge, A-level Examinations as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. She is a member of SCBWI.

Author Interview: Nightstruck by Jenna Black (Giveaway)

Apr4

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to have Jenna Black, author of Nightstruck (April 5, 2016 – Tor Teen) here for an interview! First, here’s more about the book:

The start of a paranormal horror series from Glimmerglass author Jenna Black.

The night is the enemy, and the city of Philadelphia is its deadliest weapon.

Becket is an ordinary teenage girl, wrestling with the upheaval of her parents’ divorce. Her biggest problems to date have been choosing which colleges to apply to, living up to her parents’ ambitious expectations of her, and fighting her secret crush on her best friend’s boyfriend. That all changes the night she tries to save an innocent life and everything goes horribly wrong.

Becket has been tricked into opening a door between worlds. As dark magic trickles into Philadelphia, strange creatures roam the streets and inanimate objects come to life, all of them bloodthirsty and terrifying. The city returns to normal when the sun rises each morning. The moment the sun sets, most citizens shut themselves in their houses and stay there no matter what they hear.

The magic is openly hostile to most mortals, but there are some it seems to covet, trying to lure them out into the night. While Becket struggles to protect her friends and family from predatory creatures of the night, she is constantly tempted to shrug off her responsibilities and join them.

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository
Kobo | IndieBound

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And now for the interview! Enjoy!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: The night has teeth. Literally. Stay inside!

Question: Now let’s talk about that plot – Epic doesn’t even begin to describe it! Where did you come up with the idea for Nightstruck?
Answer: I’ve played around with the idea of a setting that physically changes at night for years, the first iteration coming so many years ago that I don’t remember what triggered the idea. However, always before these changes had taken place in an imaginary world, and Nightstruck takes place in modern-day Philadelphia. I’ve been writing since I was a child, and sometimes I find that ideas I played with years or even decades ago are worth revisiting now that I have the skill set to tackle them.

Question: If you were in Becket’s shoes and stuck outside, would you survive the night?
Answer: Nope. I’m not a person who thinks particularly quickly or well during a time of crisis, and that would not bode well for me in the night version of Philadelphia.

Question: You’ve written a LOT of books! How do you continue coming up with such amazing ideas for new stories? How do you get through writer’s block and avoid burnout?
Answer: I come up with the ideas simply because that’s the way my mind works. I love thinking of “what if” scenarios, and those are the basis for my stories. I don’t really get anything I would describe as writer’s block (though I do sometimes get stuck on a plot point—usually how to get my protagonist out of the terrible jam I got her into). I do struggle with burnout sometimes. I love my job, but sometimes it’s very hard to be creative on command, and my energy starts to wane.

The best way to combat burnout is to have a life outside of your writing. I have quite a number of hobbies (ballroom dancing, golf, knitting, Zentangle drawing, to name a few), and those help a lot. Of course, when the burnout is particularly severe, those hobbies get awfully tempting … Really the only thing you can do is give yourself a break and hope to come back fresh.

Question: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in all your years of being a published author?
Answer: Dare to be bad! It’s amazing how much fear of being bad can stifle creativity. I think that’s why a lot of people who want to write don’t actually do it or don’t finish what they start. It’s like learning to ice skate—you’ll never be able to do it if you’re not willing to take a fall. Then get up again and fall again. In writing terms, that means being willing to take chances and to stretch yourself, even when that leaves you open to criticism.

Question: Favorite reader experience so far?
Answer: Meeting Patricia Briggs at the RT Booklovers Convention. She’s one of my all-time favorite authors, and I had never met her before. She was on a panel that I attended, and when it was over, I went up to the front to introduce myself. When I did, she told me she loved my books, and I had a big, embarrassing fangirl moment as I realized one of my favorite authors actually knew who I was. Even now, the memory makes me both smile and blush.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: I haven’t had to Google anything all that crazy (at least not so far). I am not a very good Google researcher—I tend to get frustrated if I don’t find what I’m looking for right away, and I’m usually trying to find something ridiculously specific. I do remember way back when I was writing my Morgan Kingsley adult urban fantasy series, I went pretty crazy trying to find out what you do with a Taser after you’ve fired it and are ready to put it away. I had no trouble finding plenty of info and videos and info about how to fire one, but no information on dealing with the aftermath. I mean, what was Morgan going to have to do to put the thing away after she’s fired it and there are wires coming out of it and attached to the bad guy? It seems like such a simple question, but (at least with my Google skills) it was really hard to find an answer.

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: I absolutely must do revisions on paper. If I have to write whole new scenes, I’ll probably do those on the computer, but when I’m making corrections or adding a few lines or paragraphs, I will handwrite them on the printed out manuscript. It means I always have to transcribe all that work later, which is always a pain, but it’s the only way I’m comfortable working.

Question: According to your Bio, you’ve done a LOT of different things, including ballroom dancing, traveling to all seven continents, and singing in a barbershop chorus – to name a few. How have these activities and adventures influenced your writing, if at all?
Answer: Little bits of my life’s adventures work their way into my stories, sometimes in obvious ways, sometimes not so obvious. For example, in the Faeriewalker series, my sixteen-year-old heroine, Dana, travels to London and is supposed to be met at the airport by someone her father is sending to pick her up. When she gets off the plane, there’s no one there to meet her. I knew exactly what she felt like, because at that age, I made a trip to Africa (Zaire, Rwanda, and Kenya), and at one point along the way—in Rwanda—my mother was supposed to meet my plane and didn’t show up. (I tell this story of my first travel unaccompanied by an adult on my website, here.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I’m currently working on the revisions to the second book of the NIGHTSTRUCK series, which doesn’t have an official title yet. I’ve also just finished reading the proofs (all 1,000+ pages) of the Nikki Glass omnibus edition, DESCENDANT, which is coming out on June 28.

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And now for the giveaway! One lucky winner (US only) will win a copy of Nightstruck!

-Giveaway is US only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-Neither I nor the publisher are responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

Jenna Black is your typical writer. Which means she’s an “experience junkie.” She got her BA in physical anthropology and French from Duke University.

Once upon a time, she dreamed she would be the next Jane Goodall, camping in the bush making fabulous discoveries about primate behavior. Then, during her senior year at Duke, she did some actual research in the field and made this shocking discovery: primates spend something like 80% of their time doing such exciting things as sleeping and eating.

Concluding that this discovery was her life’s work in the field of primatology, she then moved on to such varied pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation. Among her other experiences…

-Ballroom dancing.
-Traveling all seven continents. Yes, even Antarctica.
-Becoming a Life Master in Bridge.
-Singing in a barbershop chorus.

Read the true story of Jenna’s first trip out of the country by herself at the age of 16: Jenna’s Zaire Adventure. And remember, insanity is a good thing for a writer.

She’s also a proud member of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, and would love for her readers to support her fellow authors!

Jenna is represented by Miriam Kriss, of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

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