Tag Archives: Young Adult

13th YAppiest Giveaway! “Revived” by Cat Patrick

15 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Book Reviews, Giveaway, Romance, Thriller, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

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

This is the LUCKY 13th YAppiest Giveaway! for Revived, by Cat Patrick. For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, see the “Here’s How” section below. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

Death might not be final, but it always has a price…

Revived by Cat Patrick, coverDaisy Appleby died in a bus crash when she was four. Then her undercover life began. She was brought back to life, along with nineteen other children on that bus, as part a covert government program for a drug called Revive.

Daisy barely remembers the fatal bus crash. Even so, now at fifteen Daisy has died and been Revived five times. She’s not exactly an expert at avoiding life-threatening accidents, her last being an allergic reaction to a bee sting.

To keep Revive a secret, each time Daisy dies and is revived it means a new name, a new city, a new identity. Daisy accepts her gypsy lifestyle without attachments … until they move Omaha and meets Matt and Audrey McKean. Audrey quickly becomes Daisy’s first real friend outside of “the program”, and then she falls for Audrey’s brother Matt. Hard.

For the first time, Daisy wants a normal life. She wants someone outside “the program” to know who she really is, including her secret. Daisy soon discovers that the Revive experiment is more sinister than she ever imagined, and her sharing her secret with Matt could very well cost him his life.

Epic Romance & Edge-of-Your-Seat Thriller

The heart of this story is wrapped in Daisy’s relationships; how she deals with her first friendship outside the program, and then a romance with and outsider. People she isn’t “supposed to” get close to, because they can’t know her secret about Revive.

The mystery simmers beneath the surface, building tension as it slowly unravels with Daisy’s deepening friendship with Audrey and her romantic relationship with Matt. Daisy can’t ignore the signs. Something isn’t quite right with the program, but she can’t put her finger on it. That is, until she uncovers disturbing information she wasn’t supposed to find. Daisy is conflicted about sharing her secret with Matt, and after she does she discovers her indiscretion has endangered his life.

Cat Patrick is a master at creating authentic characters with believable strengths and weaknesses. The supporting characters—Mason, Cassie, and Megan—are as interesting and well-rounded as Daisy, Audrey, and Matt. The author is also adept at weaving suspense throughout, hinting at what’s just out of sight until the final climax. Like a horror movie where what’s lurking in the shadows is never shown. What we don’t see is more terrifying.

I can’t tell you any more without spoiling the edge-of-your-seat ending. You’ll have to read the book to find out if Daisy can out run the Revive program after uncovering its darkest secret.

I loved this book. So much so that I immediately picked up Forgotten, Cat Patrick’s debut novel, and devoured it just as quickly. Now I can’t wait to read The Originals, Cat Patrick’s most recent release, and Just Like Fate, which she co-authored with Suzanne Young.

Here’s how to win…

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

  1. Leave a comment on this blog–explaining WHY you want to read this book— by midnight, October 20th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner, then announce it on this blog on Tuesday, October 22nd. Good luck!

Stay tuned for the next YAppiests Giveaway!

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12th YAppiest Giveaway! “Populazzi” by Elise Allen

30 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by in Book Reviews, Giveaway, Romance, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

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

This is the 12th YAppiest Giveaway! for Populazzi, by Elise Allen. For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, see the “Here’s How” section below. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

What would you do if you could re-invent yourself?

Populazzi coverCara and Claudia met kindergarten, when an embarrassing incident cemented their friendship and put them at the bottom of the social ladder … through high school.

Cara and Claudia dream of being one of the glittering few at the top of the popularity tower, one of the Populazzi. But there’s no chance that dream will ever become reality in the small town where they live.

But all that changes for Cara in her junior year, when she moves to a new school. Claudia insists it’s Cara’s chance; that she has to take this opportunity to climb the popularity Ladder. Claudia spent months researching The Ladder, and presents Cara with the bulletproof formula for social success.

It’s simple,eEarch rung on the ladder is a relationship. All Cara has to do to climb to the top of the ladder—and become a Populazzi—is to transform into the perfect girlfriend for guys that are higher up the ladder. The trick is using her current relationship to hook the next guy, one higher on the popularity tower.

Cara isn’t thrilled about The Ladder the way Claudia is; she doesn’t even think it will work. But since Claudia has been her best friend since forever, Cara follows the rules Claudia has laid out for her. What starts out as lighthearted social experiment—that actually works—quickly turns into a downward spiral into becoming a person Cara never thought she could be. When the worst thing possible happens, ruining everything she’s worked for and hurting the people she cares most about, only a truly audacious act has the chance of setting things even a little bit right for Cara.

Fresh & Funny Tossed with Sad & Soulful

It’s easy—at any age—to look at someone from afar and think their life is perfect. Up close the reality is often anything but. Cara gets glimpses of this as she rises up the Ladder, but the brutal truth doesn’t register until it’s too late. The truth is, it’s lonely at the top because the people who act like friends will do anything to push you down and take your place. Through Cara’s sharp and sensitive first-person narration we experience the highs and lows of her pursuit for what’s ultimately intangible: popularity.

Cara, Claudia, and the main characters at Cara’s new school are all unique, well-defined, and easy to relate to. Cara’s parents are an interesting juxtaposition to Cara and Claudia. They are just far enough over the edge to win Cara our empathy, but not far enough over for us to hate. What I liked most about Populazzi is how Cara’s envelope is pushed in every way possible, making me laugh, cringe, and cry, while keeping the plot fresh.

One of Claudia’s quirks is quoting Shakespeare whenever she wants to make an emotional point. Cara’s Shakespearean quote for her learning experience on the trip up and down the Ladder would have to be…

…To thine own self be true…

Here’s how to win…

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

  1. Leave a comment on this blog–explaining WHY you want to read this book— by midnight, October 6th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner, then announce it on this blog on Tuesday, October 8th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for the next YAppiests Giveaway!

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11th YAppiest Giveaway! “Pivot Point” by Kasie West

15 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by in Book Reviews, Giveaway, Paranormal, Romance, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

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

This is the 11th YAppiest Giveaway! for Pivot Point, by Kasie West. For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, see the “Here’s How” section below. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

Knowing the future doesn’t always make a choice easier

Pivot Point coverAddison Coleman is gifted, like everyone else in the paranormal compound that’s been her home since forever. But her gift is unique—she’s a Searcher. Someone who can look into the future and see the outcome of a choice that she’s faced with. A clairvoyant automatically knows when something is going to happen, which is so not Addie. Otherwise, she would have known about her parents’ divorce before being blindsided with the news.

Addison thought her gift was the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. That is, until she’s forced to pick which parent she wants to live with. That’s when she discovers that knowing what will happen sometimes makes her choice harder.

Addie doesn’t want her life to change, so her decision should easy. Should. One Search, six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

Her father is leaving their paranormal compound to live among the “Norms.” In that potential future, Addie is the new girl in a Norm high school outside the Compound. She meets Trevor, a cute guy with loads of artistic talent who totally understands her. She falls for him. Hard.

Her mother is staying in the compound, amid the life Addie has always known. In that potential future, Addie is pursued by the hottest guy in school. And even though she never wanted to have a quarterback for a boyfriend, for some reason she loses all sensibility whenever she’s with Duke.

Trouble comes with a murder in the Compound that threads through both of Addie’s potential paths. Her father—who’s gift is lie detecting—is called in to consult on the investigation, without knowing Addie and her best friend are in danger of becoming the next victims.

No matter what path Addie chooses, there’s loss…

It all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through … who she can’t live without.

Smart, Swoony, & Suspenseful

In alternating chapters we follow Addie along the two paths of her search. One living with her father, going to a normal high school outside the Compound. The other living with her mother, staying at the same high school with her paranoramlly gifted friends. Both paths end with severe consequences.

What I liked most about his book is the seamless finesse with which we become part of Addie’s world. We experience Addie’s choices as they unfold, the suspense of the mystery quietly building. The power of the mystery and the choice Addie finally makes is in the relationships that are affected by it, the people Addie cares about. The characters are authentic in a way that put me in their shoes each step along the path.

Addie is forced make a hard choice, and accept the immediate consequences. But we’re left with the hope that Addie’s best friend, Lailia, may be able to wipe away the resulting damage by extending the power of her paranormal gift. If she can learn how to master that power. The sequel, Split Second,  will be available February 2014, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Here’s how to win…

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

  1. Leave a comment on this blog–explaining WHY you want to read this book— by midnight, September 22nd (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner, then announce it on this blog on Tuesday, September 24th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

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10th YAppiest Giveaway! “Out of Reach” by Carrie Arcos

31 Saturday Aug 2013

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

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

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

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

This is the 10th YAppiest Giveaway! For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, see the “Here’s How” section below. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

How do you find someone who doesn’t want to be found?

Out of Reach coverRachel learned how to lie by watching her older brother Micah. She idolized him, and they had an unspoken pact. They lied for each other. The truth about lying is that it always catches up with you.

Rachel saw the signs of Micah’s downward spiral into drug addiction. Still, she told her parents about where Micah was going, and what she knew he was doing. She told herself that he had it under control. And she almost believed it. Even after his forced stint in rehab, she believes he can handle it. That is, until the night that Micah doesn’t come home…

That’s when reality hits and Rachel’s terrified. She feels responsible. For lying to her parents. For not confronting Micah about his using. She wishes that she’d listened to Micah when he tried to confide in her.

So when she receives an anonymous note telling her that Micah is in serious danger, she jumps at the chance to make things right. Rachel reaches out to Micah’s best friend Tyler, and with nothing more than a slim lead and a lot of hope, they set out to find him.  Along the way Rachel must confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler, and the reality that Micah isn’t going to come home until he’s ready.

This Book Should Be “Required” Reading for All Teens

I don’t make this statement that lightly. It comes from my own personal experience with a relative who was an addict. This story tackles the sad topic of drug abuse with honesty and candor. An issue that many teens deal with, but are afraid to talk about. If there’s a teen who doesn’t know an addict, they are certain to have a friend who does. Reading this story can help anyone better understand what the friend or relative of an addict is going through.

Rachel feels responsible for what happened to Micah, and that she can save him. Through the course of her search on her road trip to San Diego with Trevor, Rachel finally sees that her bother’s situation is not her fault and it’s not her job to save Micah from himself.

The power of this story is in its honesty. But as gritty as the topic of drug abuse is, this story doesn’t use it as an excuse for gratuitous violence. Rachel gets a view of the drug world into which her brother descended, but she remains a safe witness with the protection of Tyler and his friends.

Here’s how to win…

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

  1. Leave a comment on this blog–explaining WHY you want to read this book— by midnight, September 7th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner, then announce it on this blog on Monday, September 9th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

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8th YAppiest Giveaway! “The Lost Code” by Kevin Emerson

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Adventure, Atlantis, Book Reviews, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

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

This is the 8th YAppiest Giveaway! For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, see the “Here’s How” section below. The rules have changed slightly, so read them carefully. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

“The Lost Code” Book One of the Atlanteans

The Lost Code -- First Book of the Atlanteans coverIt’s 2086, after the Great Rise, when the oceans rose, the ozone layer disintegrated, the sun turned deadly, and civilization unraveled into a harsh fight for survival.

15 year-old Owen Parker is familiar with hardship. He and his father have subsisted in an underground community called The Hub—beneath the sun-baked wasteland, once part of the United States—for as long as he can remember.

Owen’s never been lucky, that is until he wins the coveted Camp Eden summer camp lottery. Out of the thousands of entrants, Owen gets the opportunity to spend an idyllic summer in a world “like it was” before the Great Rise.

Camp Eden is located inside the EdenWest BioDome, an oasis of pine trees, cool water, that’s complete with 1950’s rustic summer camp charm. Only the wealthy can afford to live in biodomes, the only habitable environments safe from the sun’s deadly rays. Camp Eden is exclusive, even for those who can afford the price.

But Camp Eden isn’t as perfect as it seems.

Owen discovers this the hard way. An unfortunate drowning incident in Lake Eden results in weird wounds that appear on his neck. At least Owen thinks their wounds until Lilly, the gorgeous lifeguard, warns him to keep them secret. Owen soon learns that the “wounds” are a biological evolution, and they are the catalyst for his uncovering the secret buried deep beneath the lake. A secret from the distant past that is powerful enough to save the ailing planet.

The camp’s location is no coincidence, and sinister happening behind the summer camp facade are proof that the people running Camp Eden have ulterior motives. Owen won his camp scholarship based on his potential for unlocking the mysteries of the ancient civilization. And there are those who will do anything to posses that power. Owen soon realizes that the only way he can save the world is to escape from Camp Eden alive.

Edge-of-Your-Seat Adventure That’ll Rock Your World

What if Atlantis was real, and it’s lost technology could save the human race from imminent extinction? This is the fascinating, and shockingly plausible premise of “The Lost Code” Book One of the Atlanteans.

An advanced civilization fell thousands of years ago because of their misuse of power. To prevent the same thing from happening again, they sequestered their knowledge. Knowledge that Owen thinks can save their dying planet. But even if he can unlock the lost code to the secret knowledge of Atlantis, what is the price for exposing that power to the world?

Before the beginning, there was the end.
Three chosen to die.
And should the time come again when masters seek to bend the terra to their will, then the three shall awaken and save us all.

What I love about this book, besides the quirky characters, spot on summer camp scenes, steamy romance, and edge-of-your-seat suspense … is the way Kevin Emerson weaves scientific truths through the story to ground it in reality. The result is a bulletproof suspension of disbelief.

I’m super excited that “The Dark Shore” Book Two of the Atlanteans is already available. I’ve ordered my copy and can’t wait to find out what’s in store for Owen and Lilly!

Want to win an Author Signed Copy?

I have a special treat for one lucky winner… a band new copy of The Lost Code, Book One of the Atlanteans, signed by Kevin Emerson!

The Lost Code autographed by author

Here’s how to win…

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

  1. Leave a comment on this blog–explaining WHY you want to read this book— by midnight, August 7th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner, then announce it on this blog on Saturday August 10th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

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7th YAppiest Giveaway! “Let the Sky Fall” by Shannon Messenger

15 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in Book Reviews, Paranormal, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

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

This is the 7th YAppiest Giveaway! For a chance to win this awesome book, see the  “Here’s How” section below. For a complete list of YAppiest Giveaways, go here.

“Let the Sky Fall” by Shannon Messenger

Let the Sky Fall coverVANE WESTON is tired of everyone telling him he’s lucky. Lucky not to have died in the category five tornado that killed his parents. Lucky to have survived without a scratch. But how is it lucky that he can’t remember anything about his parents or his life with them before the tornado ripped them away? All he remembers of that dark day is the captivating face of a dark-haired girl. The girl who’s whispered on the winds of his dreams ever since. How is it lucky to be in love with a girl who’s probably just a hallucination, when he hopes against hope that she’s real?

AUDRA is real, and she lives under the weight of a dark secret. She’s not human, but that’s why she’s driven toward atonement. She’s responsible for the death of Vane’s parents, and her father who was their guardian. Her guilt and sense of duty drove her to take over her father’s duty of protecting Vane’s life, as his guardian. She’s a sylph, an air elemental who walks on the winds, understands its songs, and manipulates its powers.

As a Gale Force guardian, Audra gave up everything to protect Vane. But then in an instant of panic, Audra unwittingly reveals Vane’s location to the enemy who murdered their families and has been hunting them ever since. The Stormers are on their way, and Audra can’t bear to fail again.

Audra makes hard choices, to prepare Vane for the impending battle. However, in the process of awakening his sylph powers, their love sparks to life. For Audra, giving in to her desire would brand her as a traitor and an outcast.

A Gusty Romance Charged with Adventure

Let the Sky Fall is a captivating romance set in the desert region of California’s Coachella Valley. The intense climate accentuates the volatile game our heroes have been thrust into, while mirroring the volatile nature of their emotions for one another. I grew up not far from Coachella Valley, and can attest to the authenticity of the world through which Shannon Messenger so deftly weaves the supernatural elements of this story.

Vane and Audra are as authentic and engaging as their world. Vane’s laugh-out-loud teenage snark is the perfect balance for Audra’s intense Type-A determination. The story is told from the alternating points of view of Vane and Audra, giving us an intimate look into their beliefs, motivations, and conflicts.

Vane is seventeen, snarky, and kind of lazy. His troubled dreams of a strange girl interfere with his connecting with any girl he tries to date. So he is blown away (pun intended) when Audra appears in his bedroom, obviously real–if a little creepy:

Now I just have to deal with the passed out, scantily clad girl on the floor of my room who’s most likely a supernatural creature.
Riiiiiiiiiight.
No clue what to do about that one.

Audra is seventeen, and older than her years from the burden of responsibility. Against all odds she convinces Vane of his sylph heritage and destiny, but as his powers emerge, so do Vane’s memories. Memories Audra is afraid he’ll recover, because then he’ll know she was responsible. Responsible for alerting the Stormers who killed his parents and her father.

The climatic fight turns a surprising conclusion and an unexpected hope for Vane and Audra. I can’t say any more without risking a serious spoiler, that you’ll hate me for later.

What I can tell you is this…

After reading this story, you’ll never think of the wind as “just wind” again. You’ll catch yourself listening for its song, and trying to interpret its call. You’ll wonder if the Gale Force guardians are out there protecting you, or if the Stormers are on their way…

I’m already waiting for the next book in this series–Let the Storms Break (March 2014)–to find out what lies in store for Vane and Audra.

Want to win an Author Signed Copy and SWAG?

For one lucky winner… an author signed copy of Let the Sky Fall and exclusive SWAG!

Let the Sky Fall autograph and swag

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.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, July 21st (1 entry).
  2. 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 Tuesday July 23rd. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

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5th YAppiest Giveaway! “First Day on Earth” by Cecil Castellucci

15 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Aliens, Book Reviews, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 3 Comments

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

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

This is the 5th YAppiest Giveaway! For a chance to win, see the “Here’s How” rules. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

“First Day on Earth” by Cecil Castellucci

First Day on Earth coverMal has a lot of reasons to be angry. His father abandoned him when he was eight, his mother is drunk and probably crazy too, and the cool kids at his high school are self-centered idiots who always make fun of him. All but one, that is. Posey.

In spite of all he’s been through, Mal loves life. That’s why Posey’s mother–the vet at the animal shelter where Mal brings the stray dogs, cats, and rabbits that he rescues–is so kind to Mal. It’s why Posey likes him too.

Mal can use all the kindness he can get.

He’s  learned to cope with being the parent to his dysfunctional mother. Just barely. He feels trapped and wants nothing more than to escape. Anywhere. He secretly hopes the aliens who abducted him when he was eight, will come back and take him with them. Permanently this time.

Mal remembers the abduction on the 4th of July, shortly after his father bailed on him and his mother. Though it didn’t take long for him to figure out that he shouldn’t talk about that experience to anyone. So many things about the three days he was missing can’t be explained any other way. But the doctors insisted he had a psychotic break, caused by the trauma of his father leaving. Mal’s memories of those three days are fragmented and fuzzy. So much so, that he begins to wonder if he really was abducted.

That is, until he meets Hooper in a 12-Step abductees meeting, and Hooper admits to being an alien. Mal has his doubts about that, until Hooper asks Mal to help him to catch his only chance at a ride back home.

A Must-Read for Anyone Who’s Ever Felt Alone

This small book, and seemingly simple story, floored me with the power of its depth. The heart of the story isn’t the aliens, or even whether they’re real or not. This is a human story, a metaphor for the isolation is intrinsic in the human experience. The characters all suffer from varying degrees of isolation. What’s beautiful is how they help each other to heal through their connection and interactions.

At one time or another most of us have all felt alone, on the outside of a group, a misfit, misunderstood, or outright invisible. To feel pain is human. What we choose to do with it, reveals our humanity. And in this, Mal shines as an example for us all.

Kirkus Reviews sums this book up in one elegant sentence:

A simple, tender work that speaks to the alien in all of us.

WANT TO WIN A FREE COPY OF THIS Remarkable 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.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, June 21st (1 entry).
  2. 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 23rd. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

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4th YAppiest Giveaway WINNERS!! for “Divine Intervention”

09 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in Books, Giveaway, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

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The 4th YAppiest Giveaway is for Divine Intervention, by Martha Brockenbrough. This book was so divine that it deserved two (count them, 2) winners! Each will receive a FREE copy of this amazing book!

Divine Intervention by Martha Brockenbrough

And the Winners Are…

… Drum roll please …

~oOo~

Cheryl Higashi

&

Kim Griffin

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

*** Tosses obscene amounts of confetti! ***

~oOo~

Coming Up Next!

The 5th YAppiest Giveaway! for First Day on Earth, by Cecile Castellucci is just around the corner, so…

Stay Tuned!

For a complete list of YAppiest Giveaways, go here.

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

31 Friday May 2013

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

≈ 8 Comments

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

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

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.

Divine Intervention by Martha BrockenbroughJerome 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.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, June 7th (1 entry).
  2. 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!

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2nd YAppiest Giveaway WINNERS for “BETA” by Rachel Cohn!

11 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Books, Giveaway, Reading, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

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

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The 2nd YAppiest Giveaway is for “BETA” by Rachel Cohn. And because you are all so awesome … TWO lucky people will each receive a FREE copy of this amazing book!

BETA by Rachel Cohen

And the Winners Are…

… Drum roll …

~oOo~

Sue Herondale

and

Barbara Forte Abate

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES!!!!

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

~oOo~

Coming Up Next!

The 3rd YAppiest Giveaway for Ditched: A Love Story, by Robin Mellom is just around the corner, so…

Stay Tuned!

For a complete list of YAppiest Giveaways, go here.

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