[Blog Tour] Guest Post: 16 Things I Thought Were True by Janet Gurtler (& me!)

16 Things I Thought Were True by Janet Gurtler
Sourcebooks Fire, 304 pages
Expected US Release Date: March 4, 2014

Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue

When Morgan's mom gets sick, it's hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one—until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn't as far away as she thought...

Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue

Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan's getting to know the real Adam, and he's actually pretty sweet...in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone?

5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue

With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She's not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend...and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can't imagine living without.
-------------------------Goodreads Summary

Purchase!

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | IndieBound | TBD

I am so stoked to have Janet Gurtler on my blog today! She is a powerful voice in contemporary YA lit, and I can't wait to read more of her books. In celebration of her new book, 16 Things I Thought Were True (my review will post Friday, and spoiler: so emotional and thought-provoking!), I get to post a couple things that Janet thought was true, and throw in my own things! I cheated and split mine, but I hope you enjoy anyway.

And of course, please do pick up 16 Things when it releases on March 4!

16 Things Janet Gurtler & I Thought Were True

(Or: 2 Things Janet Thought Were True, 8 Things I Thought Were True, and 6 Things I Found Out Were, In Fact, True.)

(I thought that title would be too long.)

(I was right.)

1. I thought Mall Santa’s were Santa’s employees.

2. I thought the Easter Bunny pooped chocolate eggs.

1. James Marsters is British.
Not even lying when I say finding out he isn’t is among one of the top disappointments in my life.
2. Every traffic light was monitored by people.
They manually changed the lights according to the need or car presence, and I thought they were in bad moods when they took awhile to change the lights.
3. Peppermint mochas are only seasonal.
4. Everyone loves and adores the TV show Friends.
Everyone will automatically understand every quote or reference I make.
5. Social media isn't addictive.
6. It’s easy to keep personal and professional life separate.
7. High school attitudes and drama stays in high school.
8. Friendship is forever.
The effects of friendship are forever, and if you’re lucky some are—but friendship itself is unfortunately not.

1. Justin Timberlake really did marry Jessica Biel.

This is an old one that still depresses me to know.

2. White mochas are grossly more unhealthy than a regular mocha.

3. All blue nail polish stains.

ALL.
(Unless you get a good base coat. I recommend CND Stickey.)

4. People expect an immediate response when they text you.

They’ll get immensely offended if you don’t.

5. A heart never really heals.

Sometimes you think it does, and it could be for years, but then you see something, smell something, remember something and you realize your heart has only rebuilt around the hurt.

6. Family doesn't require a blood relation.

Thanks so much for joining my blog, Janet!

Connect with Janet

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Happy Book Birthday WHEN YOU WERE HERE by Daisy Whitney!

Happy Release Day to When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney!!

About WHEN YOU WERE HERE.
Filled with humor, raw emotion, a strong voice, and a brilliant dog named Sandy Koufax, When You Were Here explores the two most powerful forces known to man-death and love. Daisy Whitney brings her characters to life with a deft touch and resonating authenticity.

Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About DAISY WHITNEY.

By day, Daisy Whitney is a reporter and ghostwriter. At night, she writes novels for teens and is the author of THE MOCKINGBIRDS and its sequel THE RIVALS (Little, Brown). Her third novel WHEN YOU WERE HERE releases in June 2013 (Little, Brown), and her fourth novel STARRY NIGHTS (Bloomsbury) hits shelves in September 2013. When Daisy's not inventing fictional high school worlds, she can be found somewhere north of San Francisco walking her adorable dog, watching online TV with her fabulous husband or playing with her fantastic kids. A graduate of Brown University, she believes in shoes, chocolate chip cookies and karma. You can follow her writing blog and new media adventures at DaisyWhitney.com.

Visit Daisy:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

You guys, I'm about halfway through this and I can't even...you want to read this. You need to read it. My review will be up early next week, but I sincerely hope by then you already have it on your shelves or sitting on your nightstand by then. If that summary above didn't convince you, check out the excerpt below!

EXCERPT.

     We eat in silence for a minute, then Holland breaks it. “So you’re going to Tokyo?”
     “Your mom told you?”
     “Yes.”
     “Did your mom send you to get info out of me or something?”
     “No. She mentioned it, and now I’m mentioning it. Why? Is there info to get? Are you going with a girl?”
      I scoff. “Yeah, right. I was supposed to go with some- one, but it didn’t work out,” I say, my eyes locked on her the whole time.
     “Well, I wanted to go, okay?”
     “So did I,” I say, so low it’s a whisper. But she hears me, and she inches her hand across the counter, just a little bit closer, and that hand, I want to grab it and hold on.
     “Me too,” she says, barely there, barely painting the space between us with all that has been broken. I glance at our hands, so close all it would take is one of us giving an inch.
     “I bought my ticket an hour ago.”
     “When do you leave?”
     “A couple days from now. I found a good deal.”
     She nods a few times, taps her fingers. I can feel the warmth from her hands. “Cool,” she says, and we stay like that. One stretch is all it would take to be back, so I wait. Wait for her to tell me she’ll miss me, to ask me to stay, to put her hands on my face and press her lips against mine and kiss me like it’s the thing that’s been killing her not to do for all these months. That it’s not cool for me to go. That if I go, she’ll be the one who’s sad.
     But she doesn’t. We just finish our food, and she washes the plates, and the other ones that were in the sink too, and she tosses out the cartons from Captain Wong’s and bags up the garbage, and she’s like a nurse. She’s here as a nurse. To take care of me. To make sure I eat enough food and clean the house and take my vitamins.
     I watch her take my vitals and check my temperature and adjust the tubes, and when she suggests we watch a movie, here on the couch, I just nod because my heart isn’t beating fast enough anymore, blood isn’t pumping smoothly enough anymore for me to find the will to say no like I did last night. Evidently I can buy tickets to fly out of the country, no problem, but I can’t even tell Holland to stop being so near to me all the time but not near enough.
     Because she is supposed to want to go to Tokyo with me now. She is supposed to invite herself, to ask me in that sweet and sexy, that bold and confident voice, to say that I should take her along, that we promised we’d go together, that we even talked about it last summer. As if I needed reminding. As if I were the one who’d forgotten.
     Instead she turns on the TV and finds a film where the hero survives a bridge being blown up. We stay like that through fire and bombs, through fists and blows, through a knife fight in an alley, a foot away from each other, not touching, not moving, not talking, not curled up together, just staring mutely at the screen.
     But faking it becomes too much for me, so when the hero clutches the crumbling concrete from the bridge, scrambling for purchase, I stand up and leave the living room, mumbling, “Be right back.” I walk to the bathroom at the end of the hall. I shut the door. I head straight for the window. I slide it open and pop out the screen. I stand on the toilet seat, then climb the rest of the way out of the window and hop into my front yard. I close the window, and I walk and I walk and I walk.
     When I return an hour later, my greatest hope is she’ll be gone. My most fervent wish is that I will have made my great escape from her, from her hold on me. But instead I find her sound asleep on my couch, Sandy Koufax tucked tightly into a ball at Holland’s bare feet.
     I kneel down on the tiles where the book she was reading has slipped out of her tired hands. It’s a paperback, The Big Sleep. I run a thumb across the cover, wondering when Holland developed a penchant for Raymond Chandler. There was a time when she would have told me her favorite parts. When she would have tried to tell me the ending because she just loved it so much, she had to share, and I’d have held up a hand and told her to stop. Laughing all the time. Then I’d have read it too, and we’d have walked on the beach and talked about the best parts. We’d have done that tonight with the movie too. Imitated the actors’ inflections at their most over-the-top moments, then marveled at the blown-up buildings.
     I shut the book we’re not sharing. The ending we’re not talking about. I place it on the coffee table and walk upstairs, because if I stay near her, I will wake her up, rustle a shoulder, and ask her. Ask her why she left. Ask her why she’s here. Ask her what changed for her.
     When I get into my bed, I am keenly aware of her in my house, as if the rising and falling of her breathing, the fluttering of her sleeping eyelids, can somehow be seen and heard from a floor above. I imagine her waking up, walking up the stairs, heading down the hall, standing in my doorway, a sliver of moonlight through the window sketching her in the dark. I would speak first, telling her the truth—that I’m still totally in love with her. That nothing has changed for me when it comes to her.
     Everything else is so muted, so fuzzy, so frayed around the edges. This—how I feel for Holland—is the only thing in my life that has remained the same. Everyone I have loved is gone. Except her. Holland is the before and the after, and the way I feel for her is both lethal and beautiful. It is like breathing, like a heartbeat. She would say the same words back to me, that she feels the same. Then she would say my name, like she’s been searching for something, like she’s found the thing she’s been looking for.
     Come find me, come find me, come find me.

Win one of 3 personalized signed copies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[Blog Tour + Giveaway] The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
Entangled Teen, 276 Pages
US Release Date: May
Source: e-ARC from publisher/tour host - thank you!
Challenges: DAC 2013, SARC 2013, Contemporary Challenge
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.
-------------------Summary provided

Notable Quote

It's not just high school. People are going to judge you for all kinds of reasons for the rest of yoru life. Because you vote one way or the other, because you go to one school or the other, because you look a certain way. It's a fact of life: you can't make everyone happy. But you can make you happy.

I've said over and over and over again how contemporary is my home. It is the only genre I will repeatedly come back to like a dearly missed friend, the genre that I will always find a friend and a love in. And The Summer I Became A Nerd is a perfect example of a contemporary I love and enjoy.

I'm definitely not quite on the geekdom level that Maddie is (despite my 5-year-and-still-going streak of attending Comic-Con), but I can relate to her pretty well. I used to be made fun of a lot because I was a "nerd" - I read all the time, worn glasses since I was 9 years old, cared obsessively about my grades and generally had my nose stuck in books or writing at all moments of every day. But really, I think anyone who has ever felt like they've had to hide a huge part of themselves for fear of being ridiculed will relate to this book and recognize a lot of the feelings.

I have to say, one of my only complaints about this book is that sometimes it felt a little over-dramatic or cliche. The popular girl afraid of tumbling, the amount of teasing she feared, the resolution and how it was a 3-page "revelation" of lessons -- but in the grand scheme? I will totally let it all slide since the rest of this book was SO awesome.

One of the best choices the author made was having Logan, the love interest, come in early and remain in the novel as one. So many times it's like they're introduced, but they don't play a real part in the story and you just have to believe he's right -- but we're really allowed to see Logan and just how perfect he is. I have such a huge nerdy crush on him, you guys! I wanted so badly to be in the back of the comic store with him, or sit in on his Awesome Logan show. He's sweet and not without his faults and so considerate, and I wanted to holler at Maddie every time she even began to think she shouldn't be with him.

And it's a smaller part -- one that I can't quite talk about in case of spoilers -- but I'm kind of glad Leah Rae Miller gave Eric a personality. He wasn't just some stupid jock with an anger issue. Sure, he's maybe not the brightest crayon in the box, but there was dimension to him and I found myself feeling for him. In fact, all of the secondary characters were so enjoyable and fun! They had their own quirks and personalities and each one is so distinct in my memory. I love all of them, no matter how weird or bad-mouthy or ridiculous they are.

Looking back on the novel, one of my favourite things was that each of the characters came from stable, loving families that were still present throughout the entire story. Not to say a novel always needs those, but I'm a little sick of seeing the same absentee parent, or that Disney thing (98% of Disney movies have the main characters missing one parent*). So it was nice to find characters who had supportive families, who had typical relationships and difficulties with the parents, whose parents cared enough to ground them but still hug the kid when they made it safely home. That is how I grew up, and I was very happy to see it in this book.

As for the plot...well, I can't quite detail of all of it because it'd give away some of the fun of the book, but I really enjoyed all of this! I loved all the fun elements, all the unique sets and sitations that come up. There was a lot going on without being too much, just enough to always keep me interested and wanting to read and find out what was happening. The progression is really good, and I like that Maddie is kind of a simple character - right away you get a feel for the type of person she is, and regardless whether or not I agreed with it, I immediately took a liking to her and wanted her to figure out how to really be happy with who she is. Some books focus on one bigger event and more of a personal growth; but I felt like The Summer I Became A Nerd did really well balancing a lot of events with a fun plotline with just a little - but still important - growth in the characters.

The Summer I Became A Nerd is the perfect contemporary novel: a light, sweet read about important matters with a fun, energetic cast and matching plot. I smiled within the first 3 pages and closed it with an even bigger one. I highly recommend you read this if you want to find a piece of yourself and see how it should make you happy to show it.

*observational guesstimate, though I'm positive I'm not far off from fact.

4.5 Stars / 5

About the Author: Leah Rae Miller
Mother, wife, and YA author living on a windy hill in Natchitoches, Louisiana. I love fuzzy socks, comic books, cherry coke, and brand new office supplies. THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD coming Summer 2013 from Entangled Teen. Stay cool!
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Win an eBook of The Summer I Became A Nerd

Three winners! INTERNATIONAL!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[Blog Tour] Belonging by Karen Ann Hopkins - Interview + Giveaway!

Today I have the extreme honor of having Karen Ann Hopkins back on my blog to discuss the second book in her contemporary romance series as the kickoff to her Blog Tour! I interviewed her shortly after Temptation released (read it here!), and I am so, SO excited to have her back for the release of Belonging, book 2! 

About Belonging, Book 2 in the series.

I left everything I knew behind. 

But it was worth it. He was worth it. 

No one thought an ordinary girl like me would last two minutes living with the Amish, not even me. There are a lot more rules and a lot less freedom, and I miss my family and the life I once had. Worst of all, Noah and I aren't even allowed to see each other. Not until I've proven myself. 

If I can find a way to make it work, we'll be NOAH & ROSE

together forever. 

But not everybody believes this is where I belong.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

What were the challenges you faced writing a sequel/continuing story? 

Overall, writing Belonging was easier than Temptation for me. The characters and setting were already well developed and I was able to jump right into the Meadowview world. The only part that gave me some difficulty was the ending. It was as if Rose and Noah were going in a certain direction, regardless of my feelings on it.

Do you feel your writing changed between books?
Yes, it definitely became grittier. Everyone thinks that the Amish world is cozy and ideal, but as with all societies, there is a darker side, which I explored in Belonging more than I did in Temptation.

What did you learn from Book 1 that influenced how you wrote/approached Book 2? 
Because Temptation was my first published work, I learned much from my editors while going through the process. I was able to take that knowledge and streamline Belonging from the beginning. I had a better feel for what the publisher wanted from the novel straight off.

Book 2 is much more about Rose living amongst the Amish and their lifestyle – how were you able to research?
I’ve been completely immersed in the Amish community I live in for the past five years. Amish teens ride at my riding stable and babysit my children. Local teens come to my home on a regular basis to hang-out with my kids or do chores around the farm. I drive Amish families to town and have spent vacations with them. I’ve attended five Amish weddings and numerous benefit dinners, auctions, school activities and get-togethers. I’m writing the Temptation series strictly from my own experiential knowledge.

If Rose could choose a song as her favourite for Book 2, what would it be? 
Pink~Try 

If Noah could choose a song as his favourite for Book 2, what would it be?
Mumford and Sons~ I Will Wait.

I really love Rose’s brothers and the part they play in her life. Are they based off anyone you know?
Being a horse-back riding instructor, 4H coach and mother of five, I’ve observed interactions between siblings for many years. I drew from those observations to create the family dynamics within the story.

I know it’s a futile question, but I have to ask: any details you can give us on Book 3 yet? I’m dying to know how it will end!
I just recently finished book three, which will be titled, FOREVER. (Ashley's note: !!!!!!)  I can tell you that there will be some dramatic surprises and more tears shed before the end…but Rose and Noah will definitely have closure.

Flash answer section!
Music or quiet? Although I love music any other time, I prefer writing in silence.
Series or Stand-alones? I enjoy writing and reading a series. It gives more time for development of the story and characters. Plus, when you love a book, you don’t want it to end!
Pen or pencil? Pen.
Washing dishes or doing laundry? I hate both. Can cleaning a horse’s stall be added to the list?
Lunch or dinner? Lunch.
Early bird or night owl? Night owl.

And as I always end my interviews now…
Last 3 items purchased? A new skillet, a pair of work boots and 50 bales of hay.
Last 3 websites visited? Chicken hatcheries in northern Kentucky, greater Cincinnati weather and movie show-times for the local cinema.
Last 3 books read? I’m still working on George R. R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons, field notes about the Lions of Tsavo, and Emily McKay’s, The Farm. 

How awesome is Karen? She's one of my favourite people to have here. 

And now you can win a signed copy of Belonging!
US/CAN only, ends 5/13
Thanks to the generosity of Karen and Harlequin :)
Please read my giveaway policy here before entering.
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Temptation, Book 1 of the series.

Your heart misleads you.

That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah.

And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms.

It should be

ROSE & NOAH 

forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish.

And I'm not.

Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

About the Author

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads

There's some great stuff coming up on the tour, so make sure to follow it!

Monday, April 22th - Ashley Loves Books
Tuesday, April 23th -  A Little Shelf of Heaven
Wednesday, April 24th - One Day YA
Thursday, April 25th - Fic Talk
Friday, April 26th - Bittersweet Enchantment 

Monday, April 29th - Reader Girls
Tuesday, April 30th - Bumbles and Fairy Tales
Wednesday, May 1st - The YA Bookworm
Thursday, May 2nd - The Book Heist 
Friday, May 3rd -  Page Turners

Monday, May 6th -  Books Complete Me 
Tuesday, May 7th -  Bookish Escape
Wednesday, May 8th - Book Sp(l)ot Reviews
Thursday, May 9th - Irish Banana
Friday, May 10th - The Cozy Reader

[Blog Tour] Review + GIVEAWAY: House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier

House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier
Orbit Books, 342 Pages
US Release Date: July 10, 2012
Format: finished paperback
Source: Publisher, via TLC Book Tours (thank you!)

Orphaned, two sisters are left to find their own fortunes. 

Sweet and proper, Karah's future seems secure at a glamorous Flower House. She could be pampered for the rest of her life... if she agrees to play their game.

Nemienne, neither sweet nor proper, has fewer choices. Left with no alternative, she accepts a mysterious mage's offer of an apprenticeship. Agreeing means a home and survival, but can Nemienne trust the mage?

With the arrival of a foreign bard into the quiet city, dangerous secrets are unearthed, and both sisters find themselves at the center of a plot that threatens not only to upset their newly found lives, but also to destroy their kingdom.
--------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

They were fond of subtle compliments in Lonne, as well as subtle threats.

One of the reasons I became a book blogger was so I could get pushed outside my usual genres and comfort zone of reading. When House of Shadows was offered to me, I went with it – I don’t know much (or anything…) about fantasy/supernatural books regarding bardic sorcery or magecraft, and this one seemed interesting and a good place to start. While I’m not so sure it’s my cup of tea, I’m glad I read this!

I think that if you do particularly like books involving sorcery and magic, this would be a great book for you. It’s interesting and compelling, and I really liked the descriptions. I felt like I was right there, standing next to Taudde and hearing the music from his pipes, or listening to the song of the sea.

I did have to look up if a keiso is a real thing; and while I couldn’t find it definitively, it’s very obvious from the first page they are mentioned that a keiso is almost identical to a geisha (I actually think they are, but as I’m not versed in either culture, I don’t want to make that sweeping statement). I loved that element – ever since reading Memoirs of a Geisha, I find that entire culture and facet absolutely fascinating, and the keiso is no exception. The peek into their world and how one ranks among the house and society itself is interesting and entertaining.

I loved the plot of the book too, but the pacing felt a bit slow for me. There’s not much action, really – a lot of it is plain description, and even though most of it is interesting, I was definitely flipping a few pages wondering when something more would happen. Even the parts that are filled with action are lengthy, and I never did get caught up in the story.

Still, I was never bored, and that’s a feat to me when it’s about subject matter I have absolutely no idea about! There’s a nice subtlety to the entire novel; nothing to knock you off you feet, but an underlying intelligence that I appreciated. There’s a nice sense of completion and satisfaction by the end as well. Even though the ending was predictable to me, and possibly a little too easy, it felt right.

I’m not sure how I feel about the characters though. I never really came around to any of them – sometimes, it was just a bit one dimensional, and on more than one occasion I felt much more annoyed than anything else. Especially with the penchant for most of them to go “mmm…” or say “well…” in the book. I get that some people do that in real life, but it appeared so often I started to get distracted. Maybe the author was going for a realism in dialogue, but we also categorize those as conversational distractions and are discouraged from doing them in real life. Of all the characters, Taudde, Leilis, and Benne were easily my favourites. Even though there’s a bit to be desired about all of them, they felt most fully developed and I really got a sense of the characters and who they were to this society. I was sad to stop reading about them.

Does anyone know if this is part of a series? Because I would love to read more about this conflict between Lonne and Kalchese! I was a bit surprised that I was taken into this political plotline – normally, I don’t like those. I’m not into politics in real life, and my reading self isn’t either; but there was something so compelling about this one I’m curious what will happen!

Speaking of what my reading self is into, I liked the bit of romance in this book. It’s small, and not a huge part is devoted to it even though relationships plays a large part to the plot movement itself; but I liked it that way. They are understated and handled perfectly: just enough to really believe in it, but not so plainly obvious we start to feel it’s forced. Romance was treated delicately, and that fit very well into this novel and the keiso world.

Overall, I really enjoyed House of Shadows; even though I looked ahead a few times, and the characters felt a little flat, the culture and story are so captivating. While I’m not able to suspend my reality enough to really believe in the bardic sorcery and magecraft, this was worth the shot. And if that is something you like, you should pick this one up.

Plus, there’s a dragon in this book. How can you turn down a dragon?!

3.5 Stars / 5

And thanks to the publisher, you can win a copy too!

Open to US/Can only (sorry, pub rules!)

Must be 13 year or older to enter, please read my giveaway policy before entering.

Ends 8/29 - Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student and needed a hobby unrelated to her research. Prior to selling her first fantasy novel, she had published only a few articles in venues such as The American Journal of Botany. However, finding that her interests did not lie in research, Rachel left academia and began to let her hobbies take over her life instead. She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.

Website | Goodreads | Tour Schedule

Amazon | BN | The Book Depository | Indie Bound

(bio taken from Amazon)

[Blog Tour] Review + GIVEAWAY: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
Random House, 288 Pages
US Release Date: June 26, 2012
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher, via TLC Book Tours (thank you Random House and TLC!)

“It still amazes me how little we really knew. . . . Maybe everything that happened to me and my family had nothing at all to do with the slowing. It’s possible, I guess. But I doubt it. I doubt it very much.”

Luminous, haunting, unforgettable, The Age of Miracles is a stunning fiction debut by a superb new writer, a story about coming of age during extraordinary times, about people going on with their lives in an era of profound uncertainty.

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life—the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.

With spare, graceful prose and the emotional wisdom of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker has created a singular narrator in Julia, a resilient and insightful young girl, and a moving portrait of family life set against the backdrop of an utterly altered world.
-----------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

There was no footage to show on television, no burning buildings or broken bridges, no twisted metal or scorched earth, no houses sliding off slabs. No one was wounded. No one was dead. It was, at the beginning, a quite invisible catastrophe.

One of the reasons I wanted to read this novel is because I saw Curtis Sittenfeld had blurbed it – and though I don’t mention her often on this blog, Curtis Sittenfeld is an insta-read author for me. There’s something so engaging and powerful about her novels, and I read them as fast as they release. (Which, can we please have a new one soon? Pretty please?)

I feel like The Age of Miracles is very reminiscent of a Curtis Sittenfeld novel, in the best way possible. There’s something similar in their writing, in that quiet, understated detail that individually seems to be simple, but together makes the most powerful picture. This isn’t the most action packed novel, not by a longshot – but there’s never a second I feel like it’s boring. There’s always something there right behind the words, always something happening just past the words we’re reading.

When I chose the book to review, I was a little confused as to if it was a YA novel, or adult fiction – and then I found out the narrator is a 12-year-old girl and was even more confused. Truthfully, I never really found out (I think it is classified as fiction), but that’s part of its structure: it appeases so many qualifications of each genre. It’s a bit Dystopian and Sci-Fi, with this not quite futuristic novel but still a different world than our own; it’s a bit contemporary, with the relationships and learning what love means; it’s a bit coming-of-age.

I’m going to say something, and it might lead you astray but let me explain: this book terrified me. It’s not a scary, thriller novel; but the imagination and detail to the world made it feel so real. And the scariest part is that I really feel like this could happen. Who can say that the world isn’t already slowing? How many times do we glance up at a clock and swear that the day lasts a bit longer? Just the other day I was astonished that it was already 8:30pm and still a bit light out. Karen Thompson Walker has built the brilliant situation that seems just out of reach, not quite inevitable but definitely possible. And that scares me shitless.

I was so impressed with how thoughtful the novel was, too. Every scenario was taken into consideration, and I felt that I was really following the fate of this planet as I read. And though I’m definitely not a scientist, the physics and scientific explanations that happen throughout seem absolutely real. I know a bit about earth’s rotation and how these seasons affect everything on a grander scale, and The Age of Miracles really felt like it was non-fiction in it’s reasonings.

Even though I feel like this novel is mostly a plot- and world-driven novel, that doesn’t mean the characters were any less than fantastic. Juliet, the main character, is an 11-year-old girl having to go through the stress of middle school in this entirely unprecedented and changing world. If we thought we had it bad wondering about training bras and how that boy suddenly smells good, imagine if you had to figure that while the world also seems to be ending! Juliet is quiet and worrisome, and she stole my heart with her sympathy, seriousness and innocence. Each secondary character was also done quite well, with features about them that I equally loved and hated. It was a really great balance of personalities with everyone; just one more way I feel like this entire story was a reality.

The Age of Miracles is both unlike anything I’ve ever read before and entirely like the best parts of my favourite authors’ writing. The story is unique and original in the best way possible, creating a world that feels familiar but is so unlike our own. There’s a soft wisdom in all of Karen Walker’s words, making a beautiful, compelling story. I highly recommend this book.

4.5 Stars / 5

And thanks to Random House, you can win a copy, too!

US/Canada only, no PO boxes allowed (sorry, publisher rules!)

Enter through the rafflecopter below and all my giveaway policy rules apply. Good luck!

ends 8/15

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Karen Thompson Walker is a graduate of UCLA and the Columbia MFA program and is the recipient of the 2011 Sirenland Fellowship as well as a Bomb magazine fiction prize. A former editor at Simon & Schuster, she wrote The Age of Miracles in the mornings before work. Born and raised in San Diego, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband. The Age of Miracles is her first book.

Website | Facebook Page | Other Tour Stops | Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Indie Bound

(bio taken from the ARC author bio page)

[Blog Tour] Review + GIVEAWAY: The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier
Crown Publishing Group, 309 Pages
US Release Date: June 5, 2012
Format: Finished Copy
Source: Publisher, via TLC Book Tours (thank you Crown & TLC!)
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Before there were blogs, there were journals. And in them we’d write as we really were, not as we wanted to appear. But there comes a day when journals outlive us. And with them, our secrets.

Summer vacation on Great Rock Island was supposed to be a restorative time for Kate, who’d lost her close friend Elizabeth in a sudden accident. But when she inherits a trunk of Elizabeth's journals, they reveal a woman far different than the cheerful wife and mother Kate thought she knew.

The complicated portrait of Elizabeth—her troubled upbringing, and her route to marriage and motherhood—makes Kate question not just their friendship, but her own deepest beliefs about loyalty and honesty at a period of uncertainty in her own marriage. 

The more Kate reads, the more she learns the complicated truth of who Elizabeth really was, and rethinks her own choices as a wife, mother, and professional, and the legacy she herself would want to leave behind. When an unfamiliar man’s name appears in the pages, Kate realizes the extent of what she didn’t know about her friend, including where she was really going on the day she died. 

Set in the anxious summer after the September 11th attacks, this story of two women—their friendship, their marriages, private ambitions and fears—considers the aspects of ourselves we show and those we conceal, and the repercussions of our choices.
--------------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

The single greatest point of interest about a woman's thirty-eight years was not what she had done, but what she hadn't told anyone she'd done.

As the daughter of a military man, I'll readily admit that sometimes my world view can be narrow despite a long list of world I've seen. My life revolved around my father's job and the military and the role they play, so it's natural for me to consider a Post-9/11 world in those terms. I think of war, lost sons and daughters, fighting, deployment, security codes and colours. But The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D opened up an entirely new world in the Post-9/11 word to me: the one of a person not directly involved, but still wholly affected. A world filled with scary news, horrifying tactics, the constant reminder of vulnerability and the question of protection, not prevention.

I'm going to be upfront about this: I'm not the target audience for this book. I'm not a mother, a wife, an East Coast suburban woman. I don't have a sister, I don't know the struggles of family, marriage, juggling a career with kids. And for that purpose, I had a hard time getting into the book. I'm at a completely different point in my life and have no experience with most of the situations in the book, which made it difficult for me to relate. What little parts I could were difficult because I felt my personality was so different from Kate. She's measured, a bit brash and a lot quiet. The way she approaches relationships, partnerships and her life is completely different from the way I do. It was frustrating for a lot of the book, because I would have handled so many things differently than she does. I also felt like Kate was quite cynical and negative, which was bothersome.

Despite my lack of connection to Kate and our differences, I can still recognize the value of the story. This one is strong. It's sad, and raw, and I applaud Nichole Bernier for confronting those feelings we're not only afraid to admit to, but feel guilty to have. There were times my heart went out for her, like a friend going through a hard time that I wanted to hug; and there were times I could feel her fear. A lot of the time I hated how much she let the news affect her, but I can see that a lot of people will share her feelings.

I did enjoy the slow reveal about Elizabeth and getting to see her real life unfold within the context of how Kate knew her. It really makes you think about how much and how closely you can possibly know a person, since what you're seeing is what has been given to you. We take for granted that what we see is what we get, even though most of us know how untrue that is. Just consider yourself - how many people see every facet of you? What do you hide from someone, and why? They're difficult questions to confront, and I think Nichole Bernier did it wonderfully.

If you're looking for a strong novel about friendship, family and relationships, The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D is for you. It'll make you feel and cry; it'll make you cherish what you have; it may make you see the world a bit differently. Most of all, you'll find the courage to examine what's presented and hidden, what's been offered and concealed for what reasons, and most of all, the 'why.'

 3.5 Stars / 5

And thanks to Crown Publishing, you can win a copy! 

US/Canada only, no PO Boxes allowed (sorry, publisher rules!)

Enter through the rafflecopter below, and all my giveaway policy rules apply. Good luck!

Ends 6/30

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nichole Bernier is author of the novel THE UNFINISHED WORK OF ELIZABETH D, and has written for magazines including Elle, Self, Health, and Men's Journal. A 14-year contributing editor for Conde Nast Traveler, she was previously on staff as the magazine's golf and ski editor, columnist, and television spokesperson. She received her master's degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, and is one of the founders of the literary blog Beyond the Margins. Nichole lives outside Boston with her husband and five children.

Twitter | Facebook | Website | Beyond the Margins

(Bio via Amazon)

Blog Tour: Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

I have the absolute pleasure of hosting Caitlen Rubino-Bradway today for her blog tour; she's the author of Ordinary Magic, a Middle Grade fantasy book that releases next week!

I have to ask about the unusual spelling of your first name - is there a story behind it? Do you like it?

First, I’m really impressed that you noticed the spelling. There are people I’ve known for years that still spell it ‘Caitlin’. I actually really love my name, especially now that I get to see it on a book cover, but I’ve kind of accepted that it’s going to be misspelled a lot. That’s okay, I’m a terrible speller myself. Just as long as they get it right on the book.

There actually isn’t a story behind my name, other than the family rumor that Mom picked out all our names from seeing them in a book. But then she just decided on a spelling she liked. Mom did say I could make up a story if I wanted, so I’m going to say she spelled it that way just to annoy people. Although once this guy in a bookstore tried to convince me that the spelling was Old Irish (I think) and that I’d been mispronouncing it. Apparently the correct pronunciation is not KATE-lin but KAT-leen. Unfortunately, the wrong pronunciation was stuck in my head by that point, so we’ll just have to go with that.

Introduce us to Ordinary Magic: what's something you'd like the reader to take away from the story?

Actually, what I love about stories is that five different people can read the same thing and each take away something completely different. The story is the same, but the reading is personal. I’m really looking forward to hearing what my readers take away from Ordinary Magic.

But, seriously, it should be how awesome Gil is.

Your previous works have all been co-written with your mom (which I love, my mom is my best friend) - was it difficult to do a solo novel?

Yes and no. It’s difficult to write any novel — no matter how much I love a story, there’s always a point where I start tearing my hair out because it is just taking so LONG. That’s what’s nice about working with Mom: there’s somebody else to talk things over when you get frustrated, to keep you going, and, most importantly, go get coffee with. Of course, you also have to have a give and take. When you’re writing on your own, you get to control everything. But then it’s also all on you: meeting deadlines, getting up in the morning, and sitting your butt down in front of that computer.

Your previous works are also all Jane Austen-centric - does Ordinary Magic have any Austen-like qualities? Or did you want to depart from that fully?

I tried to depart from that fully; Ordinary Magic’s just a different story. It’s actually interesting that Mom and I write completely different stuff apart than when we’re together. On her own Mom wrote an awesome mystery series about a single mom, and I love MG and YA fantasy, but then we have Lady Vernon, which is an adult historical inspired by Jane Austen.

Your novel sounds fabulous! Why did you decide to write a fantasy book?

I love fantasy books! Especially middle grade and young adult — I feel like they really have this sense of fun and wonder. Some of my favorite books are kids fantasies; I love The Secret Garden, and, more recently, I was really charmed by Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George. It also helps that everybody’s running around in cool fantasy clothing — because, you know, pretty dresses only ever enhance a reading experience. In fact, I often debate dressing up for my reading time, I have a couple of Renn Faire outfits, but my favorite corset laces up the back so it’s really hard to put on by myself.

Are you working on anything else now, or are you basking in the soon-to-be-published glow?

At the moment I’m working on a YA paranormal that is taking forever to finish. It is going to make me go bald from all this tearing the hair out.

What made you choose to write a MG novel?

Actually, when I was originally submitting Ordinary Magic, I thought it was a YA — Abby was 12, because she just sort of showed up at that age, but there was some scary stuff in that draft. The two villains smacked the kids around and cursed a couple times, Abby’s older siblings engaged in a bit of risqué teasing, and there are carnivorous creatures in the book that we, shall we say, saw the aftermath of.  It was my wonderful and fabulous editor who pointed out that Abby’s age dictated my audience — because she’s 12, my target audience is going to be 8-14, as kids mostly like to read up. Because I was looking at a younger audience, I had to cut a lot back to make it more age appropriate. Sometimes it was just the way I’d talk about a certain thing, and other times it was whole scenes.

Was it difficult writing Ordinary Magic? Getting it published?

The writing and publishing process always has it’s ups and downs. For instance, it’s always tough writing a full-length novel, but I feel really lucky to have had Abby. From the first she’s been a character that’s taken hold of the pen, and her POV was one of the easiest things to write.

As for getting it published, I kind of lucked out there, too. I actually work for the woman who’s my literary agent, and I originally asked her to read the book over to just give me some feedback, not expecting her to offer to represent it. I also got Bloomsbury Children’s, which handles some of my favorite authors — I was especially lucky because that draft needed a lot of work. It was a 90k word behemoth that was a little all-over-the-place. I had to cut at least 30k words, which meant I chopped an entire plot line (that will — fingers crossed — make up the backbone for Book 2), and a lot of just chatty stuff. It took me about 9 months to do the revisions, and then another year for it to work through the publishing process, so it’s been a long road.

Argus Filch from Harry Potter

What inspired you? I can't help but think of Argus Filch, the Squib from Harry Potter - but I love that in Ordinary Magic there is a negative consequence for being non-magical.

You’re so right! I actually got the idea for Ordinary Magic a while back, when my friends and I were talking about fantasy novels we liked, and I thought how often I’d seen the special person or kid who is an orphan or unloved by their family who turns out to have the biggest magic of them all. Don’t get me wrong, I love that plotline, but I just thought, you know, I’d love to see a story where the main character can’t do any magic at all. How would they function?

Shortly after that I was re-reading Harry Potter, I was really struck by that scene in Chamber of Secrets where Harry comes across Filch’s Kwikspell letter, and afterwards Ron is laughing about it, and I couldn’t help thinking how much that must stink. There’s also the moment when Neville tells how his uncle dropped him out a window because he was worried that Neville’s magic hadn’t shown up. It’s supposed to be a funny moment, but how awful is it that your family would chuck you out a window just to prove you’re not a squib?

I absolutely ADORE the cover of Ordinary Magic - it's bright and whimsical and so enticing! Did you ever envision the cover before it existed? Is it anything like what you'd imagined?

It’s better than I imagined. I was thrilled when Bloomsbury Children’s accepted Ordinary Magic, and a big part of that was that I’ve always loved their covers. So I knew I was going to get something awesome. Which is good, because I also knew, from working in publishing and the Lady Vernon process with Mom, that the cover is ultimately up to the publisher’s art department. Publishers will consult with the author, but the final say is up to them. As you can see, they came up with something completely gorgeous.

What's the best part about being a writer? The worst?

I’d say the best part is seeing your book in bookstores, but actually my favorite is the feeling I get on those special days when everything’s working. The characters are mostly doing what I want them to do, but when they’re not they’re still interesting and telling me stuff about them I hadn’t thought about yet, when I can figure out the exact way to say what I want, and I can turn off the computer and go do my laundry, feeling like I’ve accomplished something. It’s a total high.

The worst part is, naturally, the exact opposite of that. There are days when nothing is coming, when it’s pulling teeth to get a sentence written, and my characters are all acting like a sullen 15-year-old Caitlen and refusing to even talk about why they’re not behaving. (Yes, I had a very moody teenagerdom.) Those are the days when I slam my computer shut and can’t stop worrying that the story is stupid, and cliché, and no one is ever going to want to read it in a million years.

As you can see, I’m well past the moodiness now.

Anything you would like to tell the readers?

Just that I hope you enjoy it. For all of my trials and tribulations, I had a lot of fun writing this book, and I hope that translates into the reading.

How can you be contacted/found around the web?

I am on Facebook and Twitter! Also there will be a website coming.

How about some randomness to close out! What were your last 3 purchases?

A coffee, a couple of sea-salt caramels, and a ticket to Newsies on Broadway.

Last 3 websites you visited?

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Obscurus Lupa's Channel on That Guy With The Glasses

My Twitter page

And of course, last 3 books read?

Eye of the World (now that the final book is coming out in January, I’ve promised myself I’m going to read the entire series)

The Truth by Terry Pratchett

Knightly Academy by Violet Haberdasher

How awesome is Caitlen?? Anybody who loves The Secret Garden gets a plus in my book, and I can't wait to see what's in her YA novel after all she had to edit out of Ordinary Magic. Thank you so much Caitlen for the pleasure of your company on my blog, and I can't wait to read all about Abby!

Ordinary Magic hits shelves May 8, 2012!

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie Bound | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble