4th YAppiest Giveaway! “Divine Intervention” by Martha Brockenbrough

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

Tags

after-life, angels, Book Review, Divine Intervention, Elizabeth Fais, guardian angels, Martha Brockenbrough, YA, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway, Young Adult

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with giveaways of epic reads by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 4th YAppiest Giveaway! See the “Here’s How” rules for a chance to win. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

“Divine Intervention” by Martha Brockenbrough

There is a great legend of the guardian angel who traveled across time and space for the human girl he loved, slaying those who would threaten her with a gleaming sword made of heavenly light.

This is not that story.

Jerome Hancock is a total screw up as Heidi Devine’s guardian angel. I take that back. He’s not even an angel, because he was such a loser when he was alive. The arrow stuck in his head is proof of that. Technically Jerome’s in the Soul Rehabilitation Program for Nefarious Teens (deceased, of course), where he’s broken pretty much all the rules there too. He actually threw away his Guardian Angel’s Handbook: Soul Rehab Edition without bothering to read it. Messing up his after-life is one thing, but messing with Heidi’s in another matter.

Heidi is about as opposite to Jerome as two souls can be. She’s a high school junior with dreams of becoming an artist, but lacks the self-confidence to make her dream come true, partially because of Jerome. You see, as long as Heidi can remember there’s been a weird voice in her head. Jerome. He spews snarky comments at the most inappropriate moments, or sings Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. By the time Heidi reaches high school, she’s convinced she’s nuts. And the whole thinking you’re crazy thing? Yeah, not so great for the self-esteem.

These fractured souls blunder along, assuming they have all the time in the universe to sort things out. And maybe they would. Sort things out, that is. Except the unthinkable happens…

Heidi dies in a freak accident, thanks to Jerome’s slackitude. And what’s worse than costing Heidi her life, is that Jerome’s incompetence kicks Heidi’s soul on the fast-track to being lost forever … while ensuring his ticket to the place-that-shall-not-be-named.

Unless … Jerome can angel-up and set things right … for once in his after-life.

Humor, Heart, & a Lot of Soul = 1 Heavenly Read!

This story shines with tongue-in-cheek celestial wit and wisdom. But don’t let that fool you. The characters’ lives and after-lives are grounded in everything that makes us human. The predicaments Heidi and Jerome face stem from their personal weaknesses, and they must see through their character flaws to figure out what they did wrong (or didn’t do at all). Otherwise, there’s not a chance in heaven (or hell) at preventing Heidi’s soul from being lost forever.

To keep this spoiler-free, that’s all I can share with you. Except maybe for my top five faves…

The earthiness of Jerome’s celestial existence is quirky and fun. He has to use the Service Entrance — the back of a mall — to get in to heaven, because only people who know what they’re doing go in the front door (of the mall). Jerome explained, “Heaven’s sort of trick. The entrance is different for everyone.” His heaven is the mall!
The celestial rules in the Guardian Angel’s Handbook: Soul Rehab Edition are enchanting. As is Jerome’s creative approach to swearing. He gets a sizeable celestial brain zap every time he swears, so he uses substitutes for the original four-letter words. No chevy!
The problems and feelings Heidi and Jerome wrestle with are poignantly real, for teenagers and anyone who remembers anything about what it was like to be a teenager. I could totally relate to their internal challenges and was rooting for them all the way.
The relationships between the characters and their best friends and families. Heidi’s family dog, Jiminy, was a particular favorite of mine, because he showed us that no soul is too small to make a big difference.
The edge-of-your-seat suspense, especially in the final chapters when Heidi and Jerome are racing the clock (literally) towards absolution and salvation. How this unfolds is remarkable, with results that are sublimely satisfying and well-earned.

Want to win a FREE copy of this amazing book?

Here’s how…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States and Canada only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, June 7th (1 entry).
Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner at random, then announce it on this blog on Sunday June 9th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

3rd YAppiest Giveaway WINNER! For “Ditched ~ A Love Story”

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Books, Giveaway, Winner!, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Ditched--A Love Story, Elizabeth Fais, Robin Mellom, Winner, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

The 3rd YAppiest Giveaway is for Ditched: A Love Story, by Robin Mellom. And one awesome winner will receive a FREE copy of this amazing book!

And the Winners Is…

… Drum roll …

~oOo~

Tami Clayton

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

*** Tosses copious amounts of confetti! ***

~oOo~

Coming Up Next!

The 4th YAppiest Giveaway for Divine Intervention, by Martha Brockenbrough is just around the corner, so…

Stay Tuned!

For a complete list of YAppiest Giveaways, go here.

Classical To-Go: Extraordinary Music Breaks Out of the Concert Hall

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Classical, Inspiration, Music

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Beethoven, Blitz Concerts, Bus Station Sonata, Classical Close-Up Concerts, Classical Music, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Elizabeth Fais, Gene Weingarten, Joshua Bell, Peer Gynt, Stop and Hear the Music, The Oregon Symphony, Washington DC, Washington Post

I am intrigued by the incongruous and unexpected. I love being surprised by beauty in the simplest moments. It can happen at any time. Extraordinary talent can be anywhere. Literally. At the bus station, the metro, or perhaps a local bookstore or cafe.

Symphonies around the world are looking for new ways to woo younger audiences into the concert halls, as their traditional audiences age and ticket sales dwindle. If young people won’t come to the symphony, the obvious thing to do is bring the symphony to them. [images from morguefile.com, composite by moi]

The Oregon Symphony: Playing Outside the Box

The Oregon Symphony did just that … took their the music to the streets with their Classical Close-Up and Blitz Concerts. All intended to make the world of classical music accessible to all, in fun and informal settings such as Powell’s Books, outdoor plazas, churches and cafes. They hope to bring new friends and families to the symphony, while sharing their passion for music.

Flash Mob Philharmonic: Copenhagen Metro

The Copenhagen Philharmonic went one step further… They took their music right onto the train flash-mob style, playing Peer Gynt to a car full of amazed and delighted commuters.

Bus Station Beethoven

At the Haymarket Bus Station in Newcastle, England, a pianist took the interactive approach. He engaged willing commuters to help him play what he calls Beethoven’s “Bus Station Sonata”. A refreshingly fun endeavor.

Metro Maestro: Joshua Bell Incognito in a D.C. Metro

A conversation about extraordinary music in everyday places wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Joshua Bell’s 2007 performance in a Washington D.C. metro station at rush hour. Many of you may have already heard about the experiment initiated by Gene Weingarten for The Washington Post. The purpose was to see how many harried commuters would take the time to listen to Joshua Bell, one of the nation’s greatest violinist, if he appeared incognito as a typical busker. You can read the full story here. It’s amazing. The premise of the experiment was…

In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?

Sadly, in this case it didn’t. People rushed by, some kind enough to toss a few coins or a dollar bill into his open violin case. But the majority of the crowd didn’t even acknowledge his existence. He made a total of $32.00 in the 45 minutes he played on that Friday morning. That’s not counting the $20.00 given to him by the ONE person recognized him. Though, what was truly mind-boggling was over one thousand people couldn’t spare a few minutes to listen to some of the most exquisite music in the world played on one of the most priceless instruments. Beauty brought right to them … on their way to work … only three feet away.

In October 2014, Joshua Bell played an encore at Washington DC’s Union station. This time thousands packed the venue for the phenomenal free concert. You can read more about it here.

Extraordinary talent can be found in the most ordinary places. But the performers don’t have to be world-famous to be worth our time. Appreciate the beauty they bring into the world. Stop and listen. Enjoy the music.

Have you ever had an encounter with unexpected beauty,
musical or otherwise?

Hakuna Matata Dance-Party Friday

17 Friday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Animation, Dancing, Disney, Funny Videos, Movies, Music

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Animation, Bare Necessities, Dance Party, Dancing, Hakuna Matata, I Wanna Be Like You, Jungle Book, Lion King, Walt Disney Studios

I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long week for me. I met a huge deadline and it went well, but now it’s time to embrace a little Hakuna Matata.

You know the song…

It means no worries for the rest of your days… It’s a problem free philosophy…

WARNING! Fart jokes ahead.
But seriously, what do you expect from a warthog?

Hakuna Matata

[From The Lion King, by Walt Disney Studios]

Well, you’ve got to get in the Dance-Party mood somehow.

But if that’s too much, too soon… Maybe a reminder about what’s really important is in order … just the bare necessities…

This bear’ll get you dancing in no time…

[From The Jungle Book, by Walt Disney Studios]

That beat had to put a sway in those hips. No, I’m not inferring they are as big as Baloo’s! Chill, will ya?

Now go get your boogie boots. And make John Travolta wish he were like you-hoo-hoo! Note: Hula skirt, headdress, and coconut face mask are optional.

3rd YAppiest Giveaway! “Ditched ~ A Love Story” by Robin Mellom

15 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Ditched--A Love Story, Elizabeth Fais, Robin Mellom, Romance, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with giveaways of epic reads by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 3rd YAppiest Giveaway! See the “Here’s How” rules for a chance to win. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

Ditched ~ A Love Story, by Robin Mellom

Food, a cell phone, and my dignity … all things I did not have.

The sun is coming up after an all-night prom-apalooza, and Justina Griffith is lying in a ditch at the side of Hollister Road. She’s been ditched. Literally and figuratively.

What’s worse is that her hideously stained thrift-store prom dress holds the only clues to how and why it happened. The throbbing bump on her head isn’t helping much in the memory department.

Justina isn’t the type of girl who dreamed of going to prom. So she wasn’t expecting her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. But he did … promising her the most amazing night ever. Ian, the one person who knew exactly when she needed licorice (for her low blood sugar), and always knew just the right thing to say…

Justina wonders how “the best night of her life” turn out so horribly wrong? It takes reliving the night of shame–stain-by-stain–in a tell-all confession to a couple of been-there-done-that women at 7-eleven for her to figure out how she ended up dateless and ditched.

Surprising & Funny = Positively Delightful!

This is so not your typical prom-night-from-hell story. Trust me. DITCHED is fresh and surprising in more ways than I can say, without committing serious spoilers. Which you would hate me for later. No doubt.

What I can tell you is…

Justina is as honest and funny as the map of stains she traces along her iridescent blue prom dress to unravel the mess of her life. Curry, chicken marsala, soy sauce, and butter all play their part … as do the french-fry-shaped bruise, the ripped zipper (fixed with old bong-cleaner wire), and her new Tinkerbell-on-a-meth-binge tattoo. “So cliche,” Justina tells her 7-eleven confidants, “go to prom and end up with a tattoo.”

Then there’s the wonderfully quirky supporting cast of characters:

The best friend: Hailey, who has a reputation for being wild, but knows how to spin it. Roll & deflect. That’s her motto.
The guy: Ian, her best friend and — as she only recently realized — serious boyfriend material. He looks out for her low blood sugar, is the boy of every mother’s dreams, and asks her to prom with Hallmark promises.
The mom: Seriously type-A and can’t help micro-managing Justina’s life — the pride-parade-blue prom dress and dyed-to-match shoes were totally her idea — while making the best vegan curry on the planet.
The Mikes: Justina’s pot-head lab partners, and their girlfriends — Serenity and Bliss, from the wrong school and equally wrong side of town — turn out to be the best comrades-in-arms a girl could be dumped with.
The character arc: Justina’s inner journey is as comically cathartic as her outer one, but without the visible stains. Justina realizes her penchant for “assuming the worst” ensured just that … and then is brave enough to step beyond I’m-not-worthy to meet true love.

Shaken — not stirred — with copious confusion…

This just-right blend of riotous comedy and heartfelt truth makes for a read so delicious you won’t want it to end. I haven’t read anything this funny since Meg Cabot’s When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You series). And that’s saying A LOT.

Bet you want to win a FREE copy now, don’t you?