Several years ago I won a contest for a signed copy of Matt Myklusch’s first book, THE ACCIDENTAL HERO, and I became an instant fan. I loved all three of the Jack Blank books and passed that enjoyment on to my husband. I look forward to sharing them with my kids soon. (You can read…
reading
How I Found YA
With all of the talk about TWILIGHT today and how it affected the young adult market, I started thinking about how I came to young adult books. It wasn’t through TWILIGHT–although I wouldn’t be ashamed if it was. Despite whatever flaws those books have, I love them because I care about the characters. Plus, I…
YA Review: THE SECRETS WE KEEP by Trisha Leaver
Although I didn’t win this book through PitchWars like the last couple I reviewed, I did pick it up after learning about it from Trisha Leaver’s PitchWars mentor bio. As soon as I read the blurb, I was dying to read the whole book. Check it out. Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella…
YA Review: DOWN WITH THE SHINE by Kate Karyus Quinn
Today I’m excited to share a review of another advanced copy I was privileged to read as a result of PitchWars–DOWN WITH THE SHINE by Kate Karyus Quinn. It’s another dark one, but it also surprised me by making me laugh out loud. I’ll get to that in the review, but first, here’s the description……
YA Review: A MADNESS SO DISCREET by Mindy McGinnis
Remember that ARC I mentioned I was reading last week? It was A MADNESS SO DISCREET by Mindy McGinnis, and it’s sooo good. It doesn’t release until Oct. 6, but you should pre-order it right now because I’m not passing this one along. It’s staying right here on my gorgeous shelves. Anyway, let me tell…
MMGM Interview & Giveaway: DON’T VOTE FOR ME by Krista Van Dolzer
Hey, my second MMGM in less than a month and two giveaways in a row! I’m on a roll! Really, though, I’ve just been reading some amazing books lately. I’m in the middle of an ARC I expect I’ll review as well, possibly next week. But this post is about DON’T VOTE FOR ME by…
YA Review & Pre-Order Giveaway: THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore
I’m thrilled to feature Anna-Marie McLemore’s THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS on the blog today and to give away a pre-order to one lucky winner! Anna-Marie and I were teammates in the first-ever The Writer’s Voice contest in 2012 (Team Krista), and we’ve stayed in touch ever since–which is why I was able to get in…
MMGM: YOU’RE INVITED by Jen Malone & Gail Nall
I love it when I win a book and then I absolutely adore it. Of course, I’d already read a book by Jen Malone, so I had high expectations for YOU’RE INVITED, the first in a new series she’s co-writing with Gail Nall. In any case, it didn’t disappoint. Here are the details about the…
YA Review: TRUST ME, I’M LYING by Mary Elizabeth Summer
I started reading TRUST ME, I’M LYING on the plane back from Alaska, continued in the summer school carpool pickup line, and then breezed through the last 40 percent in a single night. I probably would have read that first 60 percent much more quickly if I hadn’t been trying to catch up from vacation….
YA Review: THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND by Kasie West
I’m back from Alaska! Well, I actually returned last week, but I spent most of that catching up. So, Alaska. Disney is amazing at everything, so the cruise was fantastic. I basically stayed inside as much as possible due to the cold, but when I did venture out, the scenery was breathtaking. Best way to…
MMGM Interview & Giveaway: THE SOUND OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING by Krista Van Dolzer
Happy Memorial Day! I hope my fellow Americans are enjoying the day off. I’m thrilled to feature THE SOUND OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING on the blog today. It’s especially appropriate since The Writer’s Voice is in progress right now, and I was on Team Krista in 2012, the first year the contest happened. It was…
YA Recommendation: Alex Flinn’s Modern Fairy Tales
I won an ARC of MIRRORED, Alex Flinn’s Snow White retelling (scheduled to come out in September) from Cynthia Leitich Smith’s blog. After finishing it, I had to go back and read the rest of these modern fairy tale retellings. I wouldn’t call them a series, but a few of them are connected through Kendra,…