Tag Archives: Young Adult

2nd YAppiest Giveaway! “BETA” by Rachel Cohn

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

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

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

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 2nd YAppiest Giveaway! See the rules below for a chance to win. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

BETA, by Rachel Cohn

BETA by Rachel CohenEarth. After the Water Wars. Scientific breakthroughs have restored the planet’s ecosystems, and provided the ability to create new ones. BETA takes place on a bio-engineered island paradise where only the fabulously wealthy can afford to visit, much less live. Bio-engineering made advances in other areas too, such as the ability to clone humans. Clones whose sole purpose is to serve humans…

Elysia is a sixteen-year-old clone, a trial teenage model called a Beta. She wakes up in a laboratory after being replicated from a human teenage girl who had to die for Elysia to exist. Or so she is told by the doctor who made her, along with the facts that she has no soul, no feelings, or desires. Everything has been programmed into her data chip, and clones that deviate from their programmed behaviors are defects that are expired.

Aesthetically perfect, Elysia is purchased as a companion for a wealthy family. Her life is idyllic, until she discovers she can taste and enjoy chocolate, something only a defect could do. Determined to keep her defect a secret, Elysia goes to great lengths to serve her human family. The island paradise is heaven on earth, still Elysia soon sees that the human inhabitants are filled with discontent. Then come the hushed rumors of turmoil among the island’s worker clones.

Elysia wouldn’t dream of fighting for her freedom, until the clone boy she falls in love with is taken away from her. Emotions she doesn’t understand consume her: rage, terror, and desperation. But if she’s to survive and find the boy she loves, she must be stronger than she ever thought possible.

A Spellbinding Tour De Force

This story is wonderful on many levels. I as hooked by the first line:

It’s me she wants to purchase.

Written in the first-person, Elysia — the Beta clone — takes us on her journey of awakening and self-discovery. We experience the island paradise through her eyes, as well as the self-centered family who buys her and their discontented friends.

BETA is a compelling love story where horrifying stakes unfold. Elysia lives in a world where clones are brutally tortured and murdered, if they show the slightest sign of individual thought or emotion. This makes Elysia’s defect experiences all the more dangerous.

To us, owning slaves is a repulsive, archaic practice. But this story puts a new spin on the age-old question: Is it right to own another living thing? Just because we *think* something doesn’t have feelings, doesn’t mean it’s true. Elysia, shows us that her subjugation is every bit as real and painful as it would be for any human.

In order for Elysia to change her destiny, she has to dig deep for the courage to fight back and go after what she loves. It’s ironic that in her decadent and corrupt world, Elysia–the Beta clone–is more compassionate and alive than the humans she’s come to know. We’re left hoping Elysia finds the boy clone she loves, and that the insurrection succeeds in winning clones their freedom. But we’ll have to wait for the sequel to find out…

Awesome, right?
Want to win a FREE copy?

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, May 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 Saturday May 11th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways

Operation Teen Book Drop ~ My First “Rock the Drop!”

19 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Reading, Rock the Drop, YA, Young Adult

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Teen Literature Day: April 18, 2013

Operation Teen Book Drop (OTBD) has been a Teen Literature Day event since 2009. It was initiated by readergirlz, a literacy and social media project for teens that has been awarded the National Book Award for Innovations in Reading.

Here’s what Publishers Weekly says about OTBD…

… followers of the Readergirlz blog and others celebrate [Teen Literature Day] by taking part in “Rock the Drop,” the guerilla-style book distribution scheme in which YA fans leave copies of favorite books in public spaces for readers to pick up and enjoy.

How awesome is that?

I’m embarrassed to admit that OTBD only came onto my radar last year, when I noticed #rockthedrop on the Twitter feed. This year, I FINALLY got a clue and joined the fun!

Getting Ready to Rock the Drop!

Rock the Drop book plateThere was a little prep work to get ready for “the drop”. This was to make sure the teens who find the books know they are a “gift” and theirs to keep.

First I printed out the  book-plate designed by the talented Lindsay Frantz! Then, I fixed a book-plate inside each book.

Next, to make it super obvious (at first glance) that the books are *supposed to* be taken, I created bookmark-style signs that I stuck in each book. Here’s my OTBD stash and prep work:

Rock the Drop Books and Preperation

Next year I’ll be better prepared! Just days before finding out about OTB, I donated several bags of YA books to the public library. Next year they’ll all go to Operation Teen Book Drop. And I’ll custom design snazzy “TAKE ME ~ YOU WIN!” bookmark thingies too.

Note: Anything worth doing well is worth overdoing!

Rocking the Drop!

Here’s how it works:

  1. Leave books in public places where teens are most likely to find them.
  2. Take photos. I used Instagram on my iPhone.
  3. Tweet the photos, along with the location, using the hashtag #rockthedrop.
  4. Follow @readergirlz on Twitter and watch the #rockthedrop feed. Fun!

Proof I Rocked the Drop! 

Rock the Drop Proof

Rock the Drop proof, combo image

Did you Rock the Drop? If not, how about next year?

YAppiest Giveaway! “Because It Is My Blood” by Gabrielle Zevin

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Giveaway, Review, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

17 YA Authors + Disneyland = The YAppiest Day on Earth!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, you can still be one of the YAppiest crowd by participating in this giveaway. The YAppiness keeps rolling with FREE giveaways of epic reads by each of the 17 authors. You can win this book by following the Sweet Rules below.

This is the first YAppiest Giveaway! For a list of the upcoming giveaways, go here.

“Because It Is My Blood” (Birthright Book 2)

YDOEG_cover1In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal. Anya Balachine is the teenage daughter of the most notorious (so notorious he’s dead) chocolate mafia lord. Family chocolateering aside, life was pretty normal, until she was falsely implicated in a poisoning caused by her family’s bootleg chocolate. Circumstances spiraled out of control, ending in a shooting that landed Anya in prison.

BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD begins with Anya’s release from Liberty Children’s Facility.  If prison’s taught her anything, it’s that she wants to be on the other side of the bars. Always. Anya Balanchine is determined to go back to her normal life, where all she had to worry about was falling in love with the wrong boy, and graduate from high school with the rest of her class.

Unfortunately, no school will to take her now that she has a gun possession and shooting charge on her record. Even more disconcerting, the people who were so important to her moved on while she was away. Her genius sister Natty skipped two grades and no longer needs her mothering supervision. Her best friend Scarlet is dating her old ex, and her used-to-be boyfriend Win is seeing someone else.

Things pretty much suck. And then they get worse when she’s driven back into the criminal world she was determined to escape. Her only hope is to leave the city and people she loves, and across the ocean to the birthplace of chocolate.

Dark and Rich, with Mysterious Undertones

Nothing is sugar-coated in Anya’s life, but her story is rich in mettle and meaning. It’s a rollercoaster ride of danger an intrigue, with friends that are enemies and enemies that  turn out to be friends.

Caught in her family’s mafia past, Anya makes a daring escape to Mexico where chocolate is still legal. On the cocoa farm where she’s taken in by plantation family, Anya learns the real truth and mystery of chocolate.  Anya discovers she can’t run from your problems, when her past seeks her out in Mexico and endangering the family who have treated her like their own.

Anya returns to New York ti deal with her mafia relations, and face the lengths they’ll go to take over the failing Balanchine chocolate empire. Her personal relationships are no less messy, and honesty and forgiveness don’t come easy for Anya. But Anya has to dig deep and realize her  convictions, and devise a plan to restore her family’s company and bring it back to the honest side of the law. The decision is the right one for Anya, but it could cost her the boy she loves and bring retaliation from family members set on keeping Balachine chocolate illegal.

Embossed cover designI love this book for its rich world-building, complex characters, mafia intrigue that kept me guessing, but most of all for its heart.

And as if that wasn’t enough… the cover underneath the dust jacket is embossed to resemble a bar of Balanchine bittersweet chocolate! 

I’m so looking forward to Gabrielle Zevin’s Birthright Book 3!

Doubly Sweet Giveaway!

BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD is the sequel to the first Birtright book, ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE. And because I LOVE these books so much, and want you to enjoy the full awesomeness of Anya Balanchine’s story, one lucky person will win BOTH Birthright books!

Giveaway Book Covers

Sweet Rules…

NOTE: This giveaway 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, April 24th, telling us about your favorite type of chocolate (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 Saturday April 27th. Good luck! 

Stay tuned for these YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways

Dangerous Reflections & Twisted Reflections ~ GIVEAWAY Winners!

20 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by in Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction, Young Adult

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

It’s time folks! What we’ve all been waiting for … The Adventures of Alexis Davenport giveway winners! A BIG Thank You to everyone who participated!!!

The Deets: The winners were randomly selected from everyone who left a comment on Monday’s Guest Blog by Shay Fabbro. One winner receives a signed copy of Dangerous Reflections and another a signed copy of Twisted Reflections, both by the fabulous Shay Fabbro.

Dangerous Reflections (Book 1) Giveaway Winner!

Alexis Davenport wants to go home. She hates her new school, her mother for moving her away from her friends, living in her aunt’s guesthouse, and her father for walking out.

To make matters worse, Alex is haunted by the images of strange girls reflected in her mirror. It is bad enough juggling homework, a relentless bully, boys, and a deadbeat dad. Now, she must save the world from an evil presence hell-bent on changing the past–and our futures. Who knew her A+ in history was going to be this important?

And the winner is…

Tami Clayton
*** Tosses confetti ***

Twisted Reflections (Book 2) Giveaway Winner!

Alexis Davenport wants to be rid of her gift of time travel, and the duty that has been thrust upon her to protect the time line from an evil lunatic trying to change the past.

When she travels back to ancient Egypt, Alex gets a most unexpected surprise; she meets a fellow Traveler like herself, someone who can possibly help her figure out how to use her powers to stop Drifter from altering the past.

But can she learn how to control her gift before Drifter finds a way to stop her from meddling in his plans?

And the winner is…

Lisa Gail Green
*** Tosses even more confetti ***

Stay connected with Shay:

  • Check out her Website
  • Visit The Adventures of Alexis Davenport fan page on Facebook
  • Follow @DrShayFabbro on Twitter

Devil’s Kiss Giveaway!

30 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Badass, Knights Templar, Mystery, Paranormal, Sarwat Chadda, Templars, Vampire

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

In honor of all the badass heroines ever, this week’s giveaway is a signed copy of Devil’s Kiss, by Sarwat Chadda. Billi SanGreal is a truly awesome heroine and badass demon slayer!

Review Redux ~ by The Ravenous Reader

Devil’s Kiss, by Sarwat Chadda

As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn’t normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order’s ancient battle against the Unholy. Billi’s cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He’s ready to reclaim his place in Billi’s life, but she’s met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart.  But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order’s ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years—a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London’s firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined. (Goodreads Synopsis)

Click this link for The Ravenous Reader’s awesome review of Devil’s Kiss! 

Enter the FREE Giveaway! Here’s how to win…

  • Enter a comment on this post to have your name entered once.
  • Enter a comment on this post and tweet the link to this post including — #BilliSanGreal — to have your name entered twice.
  • The deadline is Sunday, April 1st at 12:00 NOON Pacific Daylight Time (no joke!).
  • I’ll draw a name at random and post the winner on this blog next Wednesday, April 4th.
  • You must live within the continental United States to qualify. Sorry, but international postage rates make shipping outside the USA cost-prohibitive.
In case you were wondering … this book was signed by the awesome Sarwat Chadda at Kepler’s Books, in Menlo Park, California.

Good Luck! May the baddestass win!

A New Breed of Badass

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Badass, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Elizabeth Fais, Emmie Mears, Femme Phenom, Paranormal, Supernatural, The Matrix, Vampire, Young Adult

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Badass looked like this…

That is, until Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Buffy was a new breed of badass … the Femme Phenom. (As in, phenomenal. Come on people, keep up.) Joss Whedon created Buffy, because he was tired of the  pathetic female characters in horror films who maybe screamed before letting themselves get killed.

So not Buffy. She saved the world. A lot. And always did it with a witty quip, while rocking the hottest fashion. She wasn’t just tough, she was feminine and had depth of character. Buffy continues to save the world, as Emmie Mears so aptly points out.

I mean, would there have been a Trinity (of The Matrix series) if Buffy hadn’t blazed the Femme Phenom trail? Not to mention the other terrific Femme Phenoms, in fiction and film?

Take Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games (the heroine of the uber-popular book series, now a movie), an awesome Femme Phenom. She’s strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. She has to be to survive the horrific Hunger Games. Check out May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor, if you haven’t read the books or seen the movie.

So… in honor of Buffy, Trinity, Katniss, and all the other hot badass chicks, I declare this National Femme Phenom Week! And to celebrate, I’ll be hosting a phenomenal giveaway! A book with a truly badass Femme. You won’t be disappointed. Promise!

Sign up to follow this blog so you don’t miss out!

Badass is the New Awesome…

At least … during National Femme Phenom Week!

So, tell us … who’s your favorite badass … in film or fiction?

And for the record, badass guys are a total hot commodity in my book.

Out of Sight, Out of Time

23 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Ally Carter, Author, Mystery, Spy, YA, Young Adult

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

There’s Still Time to Enter the SPY-TACULAR Giveaway!

It’s easy and FREE! Click this link and enter a comment! You could win a copy of “Out of Sight, Out of Time” signed by Ally herself!

Review Redux ~ By Mundie Moms

Out of Sight, Out of Time
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: February 12, 2012

Synopsis: With more than a million Gallagher Girls books sold, a legion of fans have fallen in love with the New York Times best-selling spy-girl series, and the fifth book delivers the most nerve-wracking, high-stakes adventure yet.

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan—an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

SPY-TACULAR Gallagher Girls Giveaway!

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Ally Carter, Author, Mystery, Spy, Young Adult

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

Out of Sight, Out of Time, by Ally Carter

It’s time for the SPY-TACULAR Gallagher Girls Giveway! The fifth book in the Gallagher Girls series, Out of Sight, Out of Time, signed by Ally Carter.

Oh, and if you haven’t stopped by the Gallagher Girl Academy web site yet, you totally should. It’s AWESOME!

Rules of Engagement

Here’s how it works:

  • Enter a comment on this post to have your name entered once.
  • Enter a comment on this post and tweet the link to this post including — #SpytacularGG5 — to have your name entered twice.
  • The deadline is Sunday, March 26th at 12:00 NOON Pacific Daylight Time.
  • I’ll draw a name at random and post the winner on this blog next Wednesday, March 28th.
  • You must live within the continental United States to qualify. Sorry, but international postage rates make shipping outside the USA cost-prohibitive.

Good Luck! And may the best spy win!

Spy Hard, with a Vengeance

18 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Ally Carter, Author, Mystery, Spy, YA, Young Adult

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Move over James Bond…

The thrill of a good spy story can be addicting. Which pretty much explains the huge box office draw for the James Bond and Bourne Identity films. Yeah, I’m right there with you. I admit it. I’m hooked. But even so, it kind of bothered me that the heroes were always guys. The women were beautiful … but not much else. That was how it rolled in high stakes espionage.

That is … until the Gallagher Girls.

…Make room for the Gallagher Girls!

The spy game totally changed when the Gallagher Girls hit the scene. Exceptional young women who attend a top-secret all-girl school … for spies.

But don’t let their ages and keen fashion sense fool you. Sure they can completely change their appearance with nothing but a pair of nail clippers and a little shoe polish. These girls can kick butt and take names in fourteen different languages, while making change for a dollar in eight currencies and factoring in the exchange rates. In short, they’re tough and have the smarts to match.

Take Cammie “The Chameleon”…  At the age of seven, she helped her father design a Trojan horse to infiltrate a former Soviet nuclear missile silo that had been take over by terrorists. Now at fifteen, she’s twice the match for 007. And her Gallagher Academy classmates are equally talented, because they have to be. They’re not in a game … they’re up against pros who mean business. These girls put the estrogen in espionage, with a vengeance.

But as spooky smart as they are (you try acing molecular regeneration, conversational Swahili, and Advanced Encryption & You in the same semester!) they are still teenagers grappling with love, loss, and betrayal. Except they deal with all that on top of heart-stopping life and death stakes that reach national proportions. If you haven’t read this series yet, get started NOW! The Gallagher Girls are AWESOME!

Ally Carter (a total Gallagher Girl!) is the mastermind of this exciting and fun series. The fifth book, Out of Sight, Out of Time released last week. In honor of the release, I’m hosting a SPY-TACULAR Giveaway on Wednesday, so stop by! The lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Out of Sight, Out of Time, by Ally Carter.

  • If you’ve read the Gallagher Girls series, who’s your favorite character?
  • For those who haven’t, who’s your favorite spy?

I LOVE hearing from you!

Another Jekyll, Another Hyde

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural, YA, Young Adult

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Review Redux ~ YA Litwit

Of all the reviews I’ve read this week, this is the book I’d move to the top of my to-be-read pile … if it were out. A real edge-of-your-seat paranormal mystery that hits the stores March 27th. Can’t wait!

What book are you excited about reading next?

Another Jekyll, Another Hyde, by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: March 27th, 2012

An elusive stalker is targeting Marlowe kids – and something unearthly has gotten into its wealthiest student – as the Another series builds up to a fiendish finale. When his billionaire father marries French governess Nicola Vileroy, high society is all abuzz – but Thomas, the most popular student at Marlowe, is just plain high. Ever since his girlfriend Belle dumped him, he’s been spending less time with old friends and more time getting wasted at clubs. But after someone slips him a designer drug one night – and his stepmother seems to know way too much about his private life – things really start to get scary. As Thomas’s blackouts give way to a sinister voice inside his head, and as news of a vicious hate crime has students on edge, Thomas comes to the sickening realization that Madame Vileroy has involved him in a horrifying supernatural plan. How can he muster the strength and will to stop it? The pulse-quickening climax revisits Jekyll and Hyde as a current-day cautionary tale laced with a heady dose of paranormal intrigue.
(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Read Karis Jacobstein’s review at YA Litwit.