May 29, 2016

Spotlight & #Giveaway: The Four-Night Run

The Four-Night Run description:
"J.D. Scrbacek has just won the biggest trial of his career, but even as he crows to the press, his entire life blows sky-high. Was the bomb meant for him, or for his mobster client? In this seaside casino town where the tables run hot and the tensions run high, the odds say the attorney is a marked man.

Alone and on the run, Scrbacek flees into the city’s forgotten underbelly, a ruined corridor called Crapstown, where he is forced to confront the ghosts of his past, his present, and his future. Somewhere in the sordid stream of his own existence lie the answers he needs. But in order to emerge from the depths of Crapstown, Scrbacek must argue for his life before a jury of the forgotten and the damned. Is he lawyer enough to save his own skin?

From the bestselling author of The Barkeep comes a raucous tale of reckoning, racketeering, and revenge."

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Lashner's bio:
William Lashner is the New York Times Bestselling creator of Victor Carl, who has been called by Booklist one of the mystery novel's "most compelling, most morally ambiguous characters." The Victor Carl novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages and have been sold all across the globe, include BAGMEN, KILLER'S KISS, FALLS THE SHADOW, FATAL FLAW, and HOSTILE WITNESS. He is also the author of BLOOD AND BONE, THE ACCOUNTING, and, most recently, THE BARKEEP, which was a Digital Book World Number One Bestselling Ebook.

Lashner was a criminal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. before quitting the law to write fulltime. A graduate of the New York University School of Law, as well as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, he lives with his wife and three children outside Philadelphia.



Giveaway:
1 $10 US Amazon GC (open INT) & a copy of THE FOUR NIGHT RUN (US Only)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 25, 2016

Blog Tour: Please Don't Tell by Laura Tims


Review:
I have been waiting for this book for over three years. I kid you not. Three years ago I met an unknown Laura Tims at the Baltimore Book Festival where she told me about her book and I wanted it.

I wanted it bad. But I had to wait. And wait. All I had to go on was a title - PLEASE DON'T TELL and it made me want it more. Please don't tell what? What is the secret?

But then - this year - it finally fell into my hands and it was GLORIOUS. Everything I had waited for. Tense, thrilling and full of imaginative characters and revenge and mystery. PLEASE DON'T TELL kept me up until late at night, wondering and guessing.

This is a dark book. It's dark and delicious and I loved sinking into every second of it. I knew when I met Laura that she had a lot of promise, but her debut cements her as an author to watch throughout the coming years.


ABOUT PLEASE DON'T TELL:
Joy killed Adam Gordon—at least, that’s what she thinks. The night of the party is hazy at best. But she knows what Adam did to her twin sister, Grace, and she knows he had to pay for it.

What Joy doesn’t expect is that someone else saw what happened. And one night a note is shoved through her open window, threatening Joy that all will be revealed. Now the anonymous blackmailer starts using Joy to expose the secrets of their placid hometown. And as the demands escalate, Joy must somehow uncover the blackmailer’s identity before Joy is forced to make a terrible choice.

In this darkly compelling narrative, debut author Laura Tims explores the complicated relationship between two sisters, and what one will do for the other. It’s a story that will keep readers turning pages and questioning their own sense of right and wrong.




ABOUT LAURA TIMS:

Laura Tims is the author of PLEASE DON'T TELL, coming Fall 2015 from HarperCollins.

She's a mental health advocate, a cancer, and a reasonably cute organism. She likes Tumblr, anime, Neko Atsume, Homestuck, Steven Universe, and Undertale. She likes you even more.

She writes books about strange relationships, pain, and people who are scared but good. She loves to talk and if you also love to talk, find her on Twitter @laura_tims

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Tumblr


Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

Week 2:


Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of PLEASE DON'T TELL (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 24, 2016

Blog Tour: Spark by Holly Schindler



Review:
Sweet and poignant and oftentimes witty, SPARK is a like it's namesake - an ember of an idea that quickly blooms into an inferno that captures the readers' attention and heart. Holly Schindler is an amazing author with a wealth of talent.

SPARK made me wish I could go back in time and revisit my high school theatre - almost all of my friends were involved in theatre and our biannual productions, but I never engaged. Now I really wish I had - Quin made me nostalgic for something I never experienced.

Part mystery, part contemporary, and completely original, SPARK is a book that will resonate with a lot of readers of all ages. It's a beautiful story with sparkling characters and glittering backdrops that paint a vibrant canvas for the reader to enjoy. 



ABOUT SPARK:
The local Avery Theater was just a run-down building to Quin—until her mother told her the tragic love story of Nick and Emma that played out on the theater’s stage all those years ago. Quin is convinced it’s the perfect story to rewrite for her drama class, but when she goes searching for more information, she makes a startling discovery—the Avery is rapidly regaining its former splendor and setting the stage for her classmates Dylan and Cass to relive Nick and Emma’s romance. Quin can see the spark between them, but it’s up to her to make sure her friends—and the Avery—can both be saved this time around.




ABOUT HOLLY SCHINDLER:
Holly Schindler’s work has received starred reviews in Booklist and Publishers Weekly, has won silver and gold medals in ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year and the IPPY Awards, respectively, has been featured on Booklist’s Best First Novels for Youth and School Library Journal’s What’s Hot in YA, and has been a PW Pick of the Week. She is owned by a Pekingese named Jake, and can be found working on her next book in her hometown of Springfield, Missouri. She can also be found athollyschindler.com.



Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

Week 2:


Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of SPARK (US Only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 18, 2016

Blog Tour: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes



Review:
GIRL AGAINST THE UNIVERSE is about a girl, Maguire, figuring out her life and place in the universe that has dealt her a lot of leveling blows. Seems somber and morose, but with Paula Stokes' wit and genius, Maguire becomes a sarcastic and genuine character that worked her way into my heart by the second chapter.

The relationship between Maguire and Jordy was definitely the best part for me - and not just because I am a diehard romantic. I love the way Stokes let it build and crescendo naturally. It never felt forced or fake, and when there were problems - significant problems - they didn't just smile and accept it. Multiple times they walked away and had to come back and work things out.

While, yes, there is a romance (and a great one at that) in GATU, it's more about Maguire finding herself and learning about herself; what she can change and can't change. Watching Maguire as she set goals for herself and worked through her issues always gave me a sense of hope. We all have our own universe we're trying to overcome.

Stokes is a brilliant writer who is able to seamlessly blend humor and heart to captivate her audience. 

ABOUT GIRL AGAINST THE UNIVERSE:
Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.


LINKS:

ABOUT PAULA STOKES:
Paula Stokes writes stories about flawed characters with good hearts who sometimes make bad decisions. She’s the author of several YA novels, most recently Girl Against the Universe and Liars, Inc. Her writing has been translated into eleven foreign languages. Paula loves kayaking, hiking, reading, and seeking out new adventures in faraway lands She also loves interacting with readers. Find her online at authorpaulastokes.com or on twitter as @pstokesbooks.


LINKS:

Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

Week 2: 


Giveaway:
1 - $25 B&N gift card, or in the event of an INT winner, choice of one book from The Book Depository or Wordery. 
2 - Swag pack winners


a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 17, 2016

Blog Tour: A Totally Awkward Love Story


Hey all!

I am so excited to welcome the dynamic duo behind A TOTALLY AWKWARD LOVE STORY, Tom & Lucy, to the blog so they can share their favorite books!


TOM:
1. Just William - Richmal Crompton. This was the first book that made me realize how much fun reading can be. It's a series about a mischievous English schoolboy, William Brown, in the 1930s and 1940s, who loves nothing more than coming up with crazy plans and having fun with his friends. I read these books when I was probably 10 or 11, and saw William as a proper hero - he was always very anti-establishment; always in trouble with teachers and his parents, and I remember wanting to be just like him!

2. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 and 3/4 - Sue Townsend. This is basically the Bible of awkward teenage comedy. It's a "diary" written by a pretentious, unlucky-in-love, socially awkward British teenager called Adrian Mole. Serious laugh-out-loud comic writing. Reading this for the first time made me realize I wanted to write funny books.

3. Molesworth - Geoffrey Willians & Ronald Searle. Yet ANOTHER funny, old British book about ridiculous, badly-behaved schoolboys...! I read this when I was probably about 13 or 14, and it was the first time I realized a book could be capable of causing uncontrollable laughter. It's the story of Nigel Molesworth, a scruffy, over-imaginative, and usually quite grumpy, public schoolboy, who talks the reader through all aspects of his life, from how to avoid the craziest teachers, to how to attract girls. As well as finding it extremely funny, I also remember (as a 13-year-old) being struck by how deep it was, since it contained lines like: "History started badly and hav been getting steadily worse" and "Grown ups are what's left when skool is finished."

4. At Swim-Two-Birds - Flann O'Brien. This is probably my all-time favorite book. It was written in 1939, and it's the story of a disheveled, permanently drunk, Irish student who tries to write three different novels, only to find that his characters’ start getting away from him and embarking on lives of their own. It switches between insane fantasy and brilliantly grubby reality, and contains such amazing lines as: "My uncle went out to the hall, sending back his voice back to annoy me in his absence".

5. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling. We have tons of Harry Potter references in A TOTALLY AWKWARD LOVE STORY, and this is probably my favorite book of the series. It's got it all - the Tri-Wizard Cup, the lake, the dragons, the ball, Ron wearing that ridiculous gown... Everything. Plus, I really fancy Fleur.

LUCY:
6. I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith. I think this is one of the most beautiful books ever written. It’s about what it really means to love somebody. It’s about heartbreak and growing up and family. It’s beautiful and perfect and is the first book I felt really spoke to me and what I was thinking and feeling.

7. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen. It’s the most famous for a reason. So many imitations but nothing ever quite matches it.

8. Ariel - Sylvia Plath I studied this when I was seventeen. It has notes I swapped with my friends in class all over it. It just reminds me of school in a way no other book does.

9. Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare. I studied this in year nine and all I could think about was how much I wanted to feel that way about someone else.

10. The Tiger That Came to Tea - Judith Kerr. A tiger just casually turns up for tea and no one really thinks it’s weird. It’s so mental. I just love it.

Make sure you check out the website: atotallyawkwardlovestory.com
You can make your own cover to share with your friends!

About A TOTALLY AWKWARD LOVE STORY:
The summer before college Hannah is finally going to find The One. Then again, meeting him in the master bathroom of a house party--definitely not romantic. But for five perfect minutes, she's found him. She just wishes she caught his name, because "Toilet Boy Cinderella" really lacks sex appeal.
Sam is over the moon that he met this strange and hilarious girl at a house party. Of course, with his luck, it couldn't last--without knowing her name, he'll probably never see her again, and remain a girlfriendless moony-eyed virgin. Forever. What follows is a summer hell-bent on keeping Sam and Hannah apart. For two people so clearly destined for one another, they sure have a lot of trouble even getting together. 
Filled with madcap, hilarious moments, and deep romance, A TOTALLY AWKWARD LOVE STORY will have teens and adults laughing-out-loud as they commiserate with Sam and Hannah, and remember their own awkward moments.  Bustle hailed the book as “totally relatable” and one that will transport adult readers “back to your awkward teenage years.” With Ellen writing Sam’s parts of the story and Ivison writing Hannah’s, A TOTALLY AWKWARD LOVE STORY has a truly authentic feel and is the perfect balance of humor and heart that all readers will enjoy.

TOM ELLEN AND LUCY IVISION met at the end of high school and quickly became sweethearts. Though they broke up in college, they remain best friends. Lucy runs the online teen magazine Whatever After and teaches in girls’ schools across London, specializing in building confidence and creativity. Tom is a journalist and has written for Time Out, Vice, ESPN, Glamour, and many other publications. They cowrote A Totally Awkward Love Story, which was partially inspired by their own high school relationship. This is their first novel. Follow Lucy on Twitter at @lucyivison

Tour Schedule:
April 26: Fiktshun 
April 27: The Fandom 
May 3: Hypable.com
May 11: Butter My Books 


May 10, 2016

Blog Tour: Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann

 Review:
Christine Heppermann's sophomore release is just as strong and striking as her debut. But where her debut was a series of poems, ASK ME HOW I GOT HERE is a full novel, but told in verse.

Heppermann excels at verse - she's a master of capturing raw honesty with beautiful verses that keep a reader completely engaged and hooked on her every word. 

I will admit that it makes getting into the book a bit more difficult, and understanding Addie is a bit harder, but once you fall into the cadence and rhythm of the book, it's a beautiful and powerful story.



ABOUT ASK ME HOW I GOT HERE:
Addie has always known what she was running toward. In cross-country, in life, in love. Until she and her boyfriend—her sensitive, good-guy boyfriend—are careless one night and she ends up pregnant. Addie makes the difficult choice to have an abortion. And after that—even though she knows it was the right decision for her—nothing is the same anymore. She doesn’t want anyone besides her parents and her boyfriend to know what happened; she doesn’t want to run cross-country; she can’t bring herself to be excited about anything. Until she reconnects with Juliana, a former teammate who’s going through her own dark places.




ABOUT CHRISTINE HEPPERMANN:
Christine Heppermann writes fiction, poetry, and criticism. Her books include Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty (2014), City Chickens (2012), and Backyard Witch (with Ron Koertge, 2015). She currently reviews young adult books for the Chicago Tribune.

Christine grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended an all-girls Catholic high school. As an undergraduate she studied philosophy and literature at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She has a masters degree in children’s literature from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Christine lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her two daughters, two cats, and one husband.


LINKS: Website | Twitter


Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

Week 2:


Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of ASK ME HOW I GOT HERE (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway