YA Wednesdays

One To Watch Books: Your Guide to September YA Releases

Bye-bye Summer…..Hello Fall reading! It’s been a great summer, but we’re ready for back to school and ALL THE SEPTEMBER BOOKS!

(more…)

One To Watch Books: Your Guide To August YA Releases

Summer is almost over, but we’ve got a few more beach reads for you. Check out all the YA August has to offer.

(more…)

One To Watch Books: Your Guide to July YA Releases

We’re keeping things HOT with these July releases. Grab a beach towel and a book (or three) from our OTWB list!

(more…)

My Plain Jane Blog Tour + Giveaway

As you know, we had a BIG crush on Jane a few years back, so we’re thrilled to have the Lady Janies introduce us to yet another of their Jane’s with yesterday’s release, My Plain Jane. We’ve compiled an ode to Jane(s) with today’s playlist and hope you enjoy it!

  (more…)

When The Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore Book Review

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elements of magical realism and fairy tale storytelling combine to create this achingly lush queer love story. Miel and Sam are outsiders in a small town. Sam is a boy who paints and hangs moons in the town trees and Miel is a girl that fell out of a water tower a decade ago. Townspeople keep strangers and people considered…

Dear Rachel Maddow Blog Tour

It is Pride Month and the Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that a bakery that didn’t want to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple should have been given further due process under state law rather than just ruling that discriminating against gay couples is against the Constitution. A senator was subsequently kicked out of a refugee facility, but not before his staff noticed that children…

One To Watch Books: Your Guide To June YA Releases

Summer is here and we’ve got more books than there are days in June to lounge by the pool. Grab your beach bag and fill it with these One To Watch Books for June.

(more…)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Picture Us In The Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert

368 pages

Published April 10th 2018 by Disney-Hyperion

GOODREADS // AMAZON // BARNES & NOBLE // BOOK DEPOSITORY

Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father’s closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there’s much more to his family’s past than he ever imagined.

Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family’s blessing to pursue the career he’s always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry and Danny’s lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can’t stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan.

When Danny digs deeper into his parents’ past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed facade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Loy Gilbert believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is the author of Conviction, a William C. Morris Award finalist, and lives in the SF Bay Area. She would be thrilled to hear from you on Twitter @KellyLoyGilbert or at http://www.KellyLoyGilbert.com

CREATIVE CONTENT

Danny has an incredible artistic talent, so we decided to take him on an Arts tour of our home town.  Tampa has an unofficial “Arts District” that runs approximately from Downtown north into the upcoming Seminole Heights neighborhood along Florida, Highland and Tampa streets. If you are not familiar with Tampa, the map below should help you visualize the part of the city we visited.

Ann and I drove south from Seminole Heights into downtown a few weeks back. There are so many murals along these particular roads.  We had a blast finding hidden murals we hadn’t noticed and pointing out ones the other hadn’t seen to each other. I will say that this is not an exhaustive tour, but we chose the murals that looked best with the book cover (because we have aesthetics like that).

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS

TAMPA HEIGHTS / DOWNTOWN

  GIVEAWAY

Enter to win your very own copy of PICTURE US IN THE LIGHT book and swag pack using the Rafflecopter Link below.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY LINK

BLOG TOUR

Please visit all our amazing blogger friends and check out their creative blog tour stops!

~Carmen

First Reads Friday Presents Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

I’m not going to make this a long introduction because I have already done it once and you should check out that post anyway because I’m really proud of it–inspired by the adorable cover, I matched up the five main characters with their matching enamel pins. After the jump, I review Undead Girl Gang for you and give you all the reasons you should check this book out when it releases May 8th!

(mo…

One To Watch Books: Your Guide To May YA Releases

Happy May Day! We’ve got more books than there are days of the month. Check out all the YA goodness in this month’s One To Watch Books!

(more…)

First Reads Friday: Undead Girl Gang Blog Tour

Today is First Reads Friday, which means we give you the rundown on an upcoming book.  Usually, the rundown is in the form of a review, but this week is going to be a little different.  We’re going to feature some creative content for an upcoming book, namely, Lily Anderson’s forthcoming Undead Girl Gang.

This isn’t Lily Anderson‘s first time on the blog, but that’s because we love her words and…

The Smoke Thieves Blog Tour: Interview with Sally Green

Sally Green created and broke out hearts with the Half Bad trilogy a few years ago and she is BACK this spring in a MAJOR way this spring (correction: NEXT WEEK!!) with her full-fledged fantasy (that includes a map), The Smoke Thieves!  The Smoke Thieves can be compared to YA Game of Thrones (with demons!) and features the converging story of multiple characters.  Both her world-building and…

ABOUT THE BOOK

White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: April 24th 2018 by Feiwel Friends

Indiebound // Barnes & Noble // Amazon // Goodreads

Rufus Holt is having the worst night of his life. It begins with the reappearance of his ex-boyfriend, Sebastian—the guy who stomped his heart out like a spent cigarette. Just as Rufus is getting ready to move on, Sebastian turns up out of the blue, saying they need to “talk.” Things couldn’t get much worse, right?

But then Rufus gets a call from his sister April, begging for help. And then he and Sebastian find her, drenched in blood and holding a knife, beside the dead body of her boyfriend, Fox Whitney.

April swears she didn’t kill Fox—but Rufus knows her too well to believe she’s telling him the whole truth. April has something he needs, though, and her price is his help. Now, with no one to trust but the boy he wants to hate yet can’t stop loving, Rufus has one night to prove his sister’s innocence…or die trying.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caleb Roehrig is a writer and television producer originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Having also lived in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Helsinki, Finland, he has a chronic case of wanderlust, and can recommend the best sights to see on a shoestring budget in over thirty countries. A former actor, Roehrig has experience on both sides of the camera, with a résumé that includes appearances on film and TV—as well as seven years in the stranger-than-fiction salt mines of reality television. In the name of earning a paycheck, he has: hung around a frozen cornfield in his underwear, partied with an actual rock-star, chatted with a scandal-plagued politician, and been menaced by a disgruntled ostrich.

MOODBOARD

I am going to put this thought out there: I’m terrible at moodboards, but I’ll make one for Caleb any day of the week.

BOOK REVIEW

Overall:  Rufus just wants to enjoy a party, and, maybe, flex his new abs a bit, but his ex-boyfriend shows up wanting to talk to him and totally ruins his party vibe in milliseconds. Combine that with his estranged half-sister’s call that she needs help WITH A MURDER,  a cast of characters that have bullied and tormented Rufus his entire life, and you have the beginnings of sleuthy, emo examination of friendship, family and love, all told through the dimmed dashboard headlights of your secret ex-boyfriend’s Jeep.

The tangential thing that Caleb does is that he manages to make the greatest drama of Rufus’s Friday night NOT the dead body, the ensuing race to catch a killer, but Sebastian. Sure, they are trying to figure out a mystery and trying to stay one step ahead of an unknown killer on the loose (could they be in the car with them??), but the care with which Caleb addresses Rufus’s heartbreak can not be underscored. This is the line delicately towed by Caleb in the unique unfolding mystery that is White Rabbit. In the midst of all the murder and school drama that surrounds this night, at the heart of this novel, Rufus is stuck in a car with his ex that basically ghosted him driving him around. All his heartache and their history rises up as they circle around town attempting to make sense of the mystery and while you’re cued into the mystery, you’re wondering how the mystery of Rufus and Sebastian will unfold. It’s gentle and beautiful and keep me turning pages long after midnight.

Judge a Book by its Cover: Caleb’s books have an AESTHETIC–creepy, dark forests, blue. OF COURSE I will always pick them up!

  Me Talk Pretty: Caleb’s prose is imaginative, as it is biting sarcastic, angsty, and full of witty references to musicals and Gaga.  It’s how he captures Rufus’s voice that makes this book such a joy to read amid the terror and the chaos. Below are some quotes to demonstrate  why.  Keep in mind that I was generously provided an ARC of White Rabbit by MacMillan, so the following quotes may not be final.

He’s so good-looking it still takes my breath away, event when I’m wishing I’d never known him.

All the while, resentment gradually consumed by gut like some kind of mold.

Small town. Rumors got nowhere to go but everywhere.

I’m dimly aware that I’m only making everything worse; but the only two things I’m actually any good at are losing control and screwing up my life by antagonizing powerful adults–I’m finally in my milieu.

A sliver of resentment is lodged in my heart that I can’t seem to ignore, no matter how hard I try, and it keeps calling my attention to two little molehills that cry out to be built into mountains.

  Body Count: …

Don’t Believe the Hype: There is no sophomore slump here.  Not even a hint of one.

Open tab/Last call: If you haven’t seen Caleb’s Instagram feed, then I will point you there first so you can ogle his photos from his travels. Then, I’ll say this: Caleb, I want to meet you in the most unique bar you’ve ever been to and have the tallest cocktail ever to discuss all the spoilers for your upcoming novel, Death Prefers Blondes, your beauty regimen and maybe throw in some griping shade at the current administration.

BLOG TOUR

Don’t miss the amazing content from our blog friends!

Blog Date Content YA Bibliophile 4-17 Guest Post YA Wednesdays 4-18 Moodboard + Review Bookloving Nut 4-20 Playlist Read Sleep Repeat 4-21 Guest Post Evie Bookish 4-23 Interview Ex Libris Kate 4-24 Playlist

~Carmen

ABOUT THE BOOK

Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

Goodreads // Barnes & Noble // IndieBound // Amazon

Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close.

And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora’s blood–and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen.

Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape . . . or the reason for her to stay.

Spindle Fire is a lush fantasy set in the dwindling, deliciously corrupt world of the fae and featuring two truly unforgettable heroines.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Lexa Hillyer is the Founder and President of Publishing at Glasstown Entertainment, a creative development and production company located in New York and Los Angeles. She is also the author of Spindle Fire, Winter Glass, and Proof of Forever, all young adult novels published by HarperCollins, as well as the poetry collection Acquainted with the Cold from Bona Fide Books. Acquainted with the Cold was the 2012 gold prize winner of the Foreword Book of the Year Award for Poetry and received the Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize. Her work has been featured in a variety of journals and collections including Best New Poets 2012, and she has received several honors for poetry. Lexa earned her BA in English from Vassar College and her MFA in Poetry from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She worked as an editor at both HarperCollins and Penguin, before founding Glasstown Entertainment along with New York Times Bestselling author Lauren Oliver. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter and their very skinny orange tree.

YA WEDNESDAYS BOOK REVIEW

Overall: A fairy tale retelling with a feminist twist that will make all little girls go out and find their purpose in life–and it’s not waiting idly by for her prince charming.

Isabelle is a troublemaker. Aurora is bright and beautiful and everything her parents ever dreamed of. But due to their parent’s inability to negotiate, Isabelle’s sight and Aurora’s voice were tithed away to fairies. What made Isabelle and Aurora’s story so interesting to me is that instead of whiling away in despair, Aurora and Isabelle developed a closer sibling bond–their own language, a series of taps and touches. When Aurora’s future husband is murdered, their adventure really begins. Isbe sets out on her own to make her own way while, left behind, Aurora falls into a sleeping sickness.

Isbe sets our on a journey, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Aurora sets upon her own journey while in sleep–she is set upon an Unside-Down-type world of fae trickery and deception. Their worlds upended, each must find a way out and way back to each other and themselves.

There are other storylines outside the sisters. There is a history with other sisters, Malfleur and Belcoeur, that reveals itself as the impetus for much of what happens in the book and parallels Isbe and Aurora’s relationship. There are swoony princes, boys from the forest, and tons of prickly situations that the girls must get out of. This fairy tale will draw you in and keep you vested until it leaves you dangling on a precipice waiting for it’s conclusion in Winter Glass.

  Judge a Book by its Cover: There is no debating that aesthetically, this is a duology you want on your shelves and to bookstagram into infinity.

  Me Talk Pretty: The other thing you can not deny about this book? Lexa’s lyrical, lush and lovely prose that could pass for coming from the pages of Grimm’s fairy tales. You can read the first three chapters for yourself or just take our word for it and read the quotes below.

“One night reviled, Before break of morn, Amid the roses wild, All tangled in thorns, The shadow and the child Together were born.”

“Light, too, can be a curse.”

“Aurora is all light. She is fresh, fluffed cream, and the smell of a spring bulb’s first shoots pricking up through the earth while Isbe has always been the expendable one. All angle and elbow and hard as a gooses’s honk.”

  Audiobook Narration: Fiona Hardingham narrates the audiobook and while I don’t have a sample from Spindle Fire, you should definitely check out some of Fiona’s work. She has a perfect voice and effect for the Spindle Fire story. The audiobook did give me a little bit of a hard time understanding whether we were in the present or past, but

  Body Count:  Our reviews are spoiler-free, BUT….

      Open tab/Last call: Did you know that there’s a Sleeping Beauty cocktail? I would definitely try one with Lexa and then move on to more traditional cocktails or champagne after the taste test. I’m SO READY for a Spindle Fire/Winter Glass chat with Lexa!!

BLOG TOUR

Don’t forget to visit all our very talented friends on this tour!

~Carmen

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

April 3rd

Dread Nation (Dread Nation #1) by Justina Ireland, April 3rd, Balzer + Bray, 464 pages

In Justina Ireland’s re-imagined post Civil War America, young girls of color are sent to school for special training…training to put down the undead. Will the South rise again?

Add to your Goodreads

Queens of Fennbirn (Three Dark Crowns 0.5) by Kendare Blake, April 3rd, HarperTeen, 240 pages

“Uncover the sisters’ origins, dive deep into the catastrophic reign of the Oracle Queen, and reveal layers of Fennbirn’s past, hidden until now.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Defy The Worlds by Claudia Gray, April 3rd, Little Brown Books For Young Readers, Kindle Edition

“This is the thrilling and romantic sequel to Defy the Stars from the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Lost Starsand Bloodline.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Window by Amelia Brunskill, April 3rd, Delacorte, 352 pages

Jess thought she knew everything about her twin sister, Anna. But when Anna falls to her death while sneaking out of their house one night, Jess realizes her twin was  really a stranger.

Add to your Goodreads

As She Fades by Abbi Glines, April 3rd, Feiwel and Friends, 272 pages

“From the #1 New York Times- and USA Today-bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach and The Vincent Boys series, Abbi Glines delivers another smoldering, compulsively readable YA romance with As She Fades. ” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads 

April 10th 

Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1) by Amanda Foody, April 10th, Harlequin  Teen, 416 pages

Enne never expected to be forced to leave her posh finishing school and her spotless reputation behind for New Reynes, the City of Sin. But Enne’s mother is missing and that where the few clues she left behind lead. Armed with only her wits and a money-hungry conman as her guide, Enne will have to play the game in if she wants to find her mother. And the deck is stacked against her.

Add to your Goodreads

Son of the Dawn (Ghosts of the Shadow Market #1) by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan, April 10th, Shadow Market Enterprise, ebook,

“The Lightwoods, the Shadowhunters who run the New York Institute, are expecting a new addition to their family: the orphaned son of their father’s friend, Jace Wayland. Alec and Isabelle aren’t too sure they want a new brother, and their parents are not assuaging their fears, too occupied with the dark news that Raphael Santiago, second-in-command of the New York vampire clan, has brought from the Shadow Market.”-Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Winter Glass (Spindle Fire #2)by Lexa Hilyer, April 10th, HarperTeen, 352 pages

“A curse comes undone. A kingdom shatters. But some bonds can’t be broken.” Return to the twisted fairy tale world of Spindle Fire Book 2.

Add to your Goodreads

Sam & Ilsa’s Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, April 10th, Knopf Books For Young Reader, 224 pages

“The New York Times Bestselling duo behind Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily return with twins out to throw the party of a lifetime–or at least the best party of high school!” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Picture Us In The Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert, April 10th, Disney-Hyperion, 368 pages

“Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father’s closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there’s much more to his family’s past than he ever imagined.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Beyond A Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake, April 10th HarperTeen, 384 pages

Princess Ciara’s kingdom has been at war with the Northmen for generations. It is Ciara’s ability to control the minds of her enemies that has kept her kingdom safe. But lately, she’s been seeing a crow and visions of impending doom. When the crow leads her to a Northman named Leif who shares her dark visions, she knows there is a greater danger than the war their people have fought against each other. Ciara and Leif will have to find a way to work together to save their world.

Add to your Goodreads 

April 17th 

Suitors And Sabotage by Cindy Anstey, April 17th, Swoon Reads, 336 pages

Imogene has a list of suitors approved by her parents. Ben Steeple is not on the list…his brother is. Imogene finds Ben the far more appealing Steeple brother. Hiding her feelings for Ben isn’t the only problem Imogene faces during her visit to the Steeple family. It’s clear someone is trying to do harm to Ben, but who and why? Ben and Imogene are thrown together to find out.

Add to your Goodreads

Love & War by Melissa De La Cruz, April 17th, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books For Young Readers, 384 pages

“As the war for American Independence carries on, two newlyweds are settling into their new adventure: marriage. But the honeymoon’s over, and Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler are learning firsthand just how tricky wedded life can be. Alex is still General George Washington’s right-hand man and his attention these days is nothing if not divided–much like the colonies’ interests as the end of the Revolution draws near. Alex & Eliza’s relationship is tested further by lingering jealousies and family drama.”- Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

April 24th 

Leah On The Beat by Becky Albertalli, April 24th, HarperCollins/ Balzer + Bray, 352 pages

“Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig, April 24th, Feiwel and Friends. 320 pages

The return of the ex who dumped you….rekindled feelings….your sister covered in blood next to a dead body…This is NOT Rufus’s night! Rufus has until morning to find out who killed his sister’s ex-boyfriend and clear her name. And the only person he can turn to for help is the boyfriend who broke his heart.

Add to your Goodreads

Sky In The Deep by Adrienne Young, April 24th, Wednesday Books, 352 pages

Eelyn is a born warrior. Her life is simple: train, fight, defeat. But when she sees the brother she thought died 5 years ago on the battlefield fighting for the enemy, her life gets complicated.

Add to your Goodreads 

Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy #1) by Laura Sebastian, April 24th, Delacorte Books For Young Readers, 432 pages

Life at court is brutal when your mother is murdered and you are fostered by the sadistic Kaiser who killed her. Theodosia is smart enough to play the docile princess in order to survive, but when Kaiser pushes her too far the plots revenge by seducing his son. But seduction is a more complicated game than Theo thought.

Add to your Goodreads

From the Earth to the Shadows (Valkyrie #2) by Amanda Hocking, April 24th, Wednesday Books, 336 pages

“Malin’s mission to avenge her mother’s murder has uncovered dangerous secrets. As a Valkyrie-in-training, Malin must slay immortals who’ve had their time, to maintain balance between humans and immortals. But her quest could destroy earth’s stability – and unleash chaos.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Love Songs and Other Lies by Jessica Pennington, April 24th, Tor Teen, 284 pages

“It’s summer romance and second chances, the songs that stay in your head, and the boy you’ll never forget.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Inferno (Talon #5) by Julie Kagwa, April 24th, Harlequin Teen, 384 pages

“From the New York Times, USA TODAY and international bestselling author of The Iron Fey and the Blood of Eden series comes the fiery, hugely anticipated finale of The Talon Saga… ” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads 

Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian, April 24th, Simon Schuster Books For Young Readers, 368 pages

“A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

Trouble Never Sleeps (Trouble #3) by Stephanie Tromly, April 24th, Kathy Dawson Books, 304 pages

“Happily Ever After gets a serious makeover in this swoony, non-stop, thrill-ride of a conclusion to the Trouble Is a Friend of Mine trilogy.” -Goodreads

Add to your Goodreads

I’ll be back in May with even more books for your Spring reading.

Ann-Eliza

Did you miss any March OTWB?

Lost Crow Conspiracy Blog Tour + Fashion Set

This last Tuesday, the second and final book in the Blood Rose Rebellion duology was released–Lost Crow Conspiracy! I have had some mail issues, so while I haven’t read the book, I can get you hyped up for Lost Crow Conspiracy from my Blood Rose Rebellion reading. Anna can’t perform the simplest magical task. In fact, she’s so magically incompetent that she seems to break every magical spell…

I Have Lost My Way Blog Tour

My ears perked up a while back when I heard that Gayle Forman had a new book releasing this year. I have picked up all her books over the years and enjoyed them and so I’m ECSTATIC to be on the book tour for her upcoming novel! (more…)