Pretty Funny for a Girl by Rebecca Elliott Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Welcome to the Pretty Funny for a Girl Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Pretty Funny for a Girl by Rebecca Elliott on October 1st, blogs across the web are featuring original content from Rebecca, as well as 5 chances to win the hardcover!

Excerpt from Pretty Funny for a Girl

by Rebecca Elliott

CHAPTER SEVEN

The next day at school, Kas and Chloe are all hyper about our pub plans next Friday. They’re already talking about what they’re going to wear and which shoes would look best with Chloe’s new lipstick, but I’m just concentrating on trying not to sound too excited so as not to start up the whole “Pig luurves Leo” thing again.

“You do want to go, don’t you, Pig?” says Kas. “You don’t seem that up for it.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ve just gotta lot of other stuff on at the moment and it’s, well, it’s still a week away. I mean, I’m sure I’ll be excited nearer the time.”

“What stuff?” Chloe scoffs at me with a grin.

“Just…stuff.”

“Like…?”

“Like…hobbies and stuff. I have a very busy life. It’s not all about you guys!”

“Since when do have you have a hobby?” says Kas.

“I have hobbies…erm…sleeping…eating…toileting…”

Kas laughs. “They’re not hobbies!”

“They’re leisure activities that give me pleasure, so I don’t see why not,” I say grandly, hoping to dismantle the conversation with another laugh.

“I think I know the real hobby you’re into,” says Chloe with a grin that could rival the Joker’s for evilness. “Luurving Mr. Leo Jackson.”

Oh, for frick’s sake.

As the two of them giggle, Mrs. Perkins blasts over the class, “Right, who wants to take the roll back?”

I grab the opportunity for an escape route and shoot my hand into the air.

“Ms. Swinton, I’m impressed! You’re not known for your volunteering,” says Mrs. Perkins.

“It’s one of her new hobbies, miss,” sniggers Kas.

“Is it okay that I hate you both a little bit right now?” I whisper to them as I grab my bag and get up.

“Aww, Pig, we’re only messing about. C’mon, you know that,” says Chloe.

“Yeah, whatever, you evil old hags.” But I say it with a smile.

Then, as I walk between the desks to the front of the class, Dylan puts on a loud camp voice and says, “And coming down the catwalk now we have a glorious outfit from the latest collection by Jean-Paul Porkier…”

I grit my teeth, but I go along with the joke. What else can I do? So I strut down the classroom, my chin raised high, shoulders back, lips pouting, swaying my hips with each step and snapping my body then my head back to the room as I reach Mrs. Perkins. The class falls about in fits of giggles.

Mrs. Perkins is less impressed. “Yes, thank you, Haylah, most amusing, but if you mess around like that again in my classroom it’ll be detention, okay?”

“Sorry, miss,” I say, taking the roll from her.

Dylan’s such a cack-nugget.

I head to the school office, the flush leaving my cheeks with each step. Thinking back to the conversation with Chloe and Kas, I know I should just stop denying it and tell them that yes, I have a little thing for Leo, and yes, I know it’s going nowhere. Try to make a joke out of it. But this feels different. This time the joke is very much on me. I know there’s no hope for this crush. And they know it too. So if I own up to it I go from being the funny, strong one in the group to being the pathetic, heartbroken loser.

I drop the roll off at the office and walk toward the history rooms for my first class of the day. But, as I go past the lockers, I hear a familiar voice booming its big warm laugh.

Leo. He’s leaning up against his locker, talking to a bunch of his friends (mostly girls) all hanging on his every word. My heart begins to pound so loudly I start to think everyone can hear it.

Stupid heart.

I could keep walking. I should keep walking. Look at the ground, attract no attention. Instead, with what seems like no instruction from me, my feet walk into the rows of lockers behind where Leo’s is. My locker isn’t here, I have no reason to be here. So I fiddle with someone else’s locker as I listen to Leo.

For the second day in a row, I’ve turned into creepy stalker girl. Maybe that’s my new hobby.

“So your dad doesn’t mind if we all come down the pub next Friday?” says one of the girls.

“Nah, he’s cool with that, as long as you don’t try to buy any drinks—Jax, I’m looking at you!” says Leo. “And no heckling!”

“I’ll only heckle you if you’re not funny, dude,” says Jax as I continue to fiddle with the lock on my pretend locker.

Oh God, I’m an actual nutter.

Then I look around and realize there’s no one down this aisle to see me anyway, so I stop and just lean up against the locker backing on to Leo’s, willing my heart to stop clanging against my chest so loudly.

“Oh, no pressure then!” says Leo. “Actually, I haven’t got anything new written, and if I can’t bang anything out by next Friday I won’t be getting up at all.”

And now my traitorous heart skips a beat.

What? But he’s got to get up and do his thing! So that I can be there in the audience. Adoring him.

As I flip out at the thought of Leo not performing, his friends give him a hard time, asking, “How difficult can it be to write a few knock-knock jokes!” But what do they know. Bunch of comedic simpletons.

I understand, Leo—I totally get how hard it is to write the funny.

Then they leave, apparently for art class, and as they go Leo puts on a ridiculous high-pitched voice and does an uncanny impression of Mrs. O’Farrell, the art teacher. “Use your inner eye, students. Don’t draw what’s in front of you, draw the spaces between. Don’t draw what you think you can see, draw what you feel in your hearts. UNLEASH the artist within!”

They laugh. I laugh (quietly). He leaves. Then I do something stupid.

I don’t know whether it’s the thought of Leo not performing at the pub, the adrenaline from hiding making me go slightly insane, or the high of being so close to him that makes me do it. But whatever it is, with my blood pumping around my body at lightning speed, I get out a pen and paper from my bag and write down one of the jokes I’d written in my comedy diary last night.

One I could imagine Leo laughing at, but now I can also imagine him telling.

Man, it was hot the other day. So hot. I threw open the freezer, took great handfuls of whatever I could find: frozen peas, Ben & Jerry’s, you name it, and just shoved it all down my shirt. And pants.

Lay face down on the floor just enjoying the cold on my skin. 

I mean, I know it’s probably not great for the food or anything, but man, it felt good.

You understand, right? ’Cause the Aldi’s manager sure didn’t.

I sneak around the corner, check no one’s looking, and then post it through the gap at the side of his locker.

And I stride away triumphantly down the hallway.

And with this one truly heroic act she saved humanity from the impending disaster of a Leo-less comedy stage!

Then the full force of my utter dumb-nuttery begins to hit me.

Oh…holy…crapballs.

And I walk to my class on shaky legs, the harsh sting of regret hitting me a little more with each step.

What oh what the hell was I thinking?

*****

Blog Tour Schedule:

10/5 - BookhoundsYA

10/6 - Good Choice Reading

10/7 - Word Spelunking

10/8 - I'm All Booked Up

10/9 - The Fandom

“A feel-good story featuring a narrator who’s likable and genuinely funny, even at her most self-deprecating. Dreams, being true to oneself, body-image issues, single parenting, family dynamics, self-confidence, and a realistic depiction of friendship make this a refreshing coming-of-age read full of optimism, dreams, and plenty of stereotype-smashing laughs. A natural pick for Dumplin’ (2015) fans.”

— Booklist

Buy | Add on Goodreads

Excerpt | Discussion Guide

A candid and laugh-out-loud journey of family, friends, and fierce mistakes.

Haylah Swinton is an ace best friend, a loving daughter, and an incredibly patient sister to a four-year-old nutcase of a brother. Best of all, she’s pretty confident she’s mastered making light of every situation—from her mom’s new boyfriend to unsolicited remarks on her plus-sized figure. Haylah’s learning to embrace all of her curvy parts and, besides, she has a secret: one day, she’ll be a stand-up comedian star.

So when impossibly cool and thirstalicious Leo reveals he’s also into comedy, Haylah jumps at the chance to ghost-write his sets. But is Leo as interested in returning the favor? Even though her friends warn her of Leo’s intentions, Haylah’s not ready to listen—and she might just be digging herself deeper toward heartbreak. If Haylah’s ever going to step into the spotlight, first she’ll need to find the confidence to put herself out there and strut like the boss she really is.

Rebecca Elliott’s hilarious and authentic narrative voice is sure to capture readers’ hearts as her plus-sized, teenage heroine navigates learning to love the body she’s in while dealing with friends, family, and boys.

About the Author: Rebecca Elliott is an author and illustrator. She earned a degree in philosophy and once did a brief stint in a dull office. Now, she enjoys eating angel delight, loudly venting on a drum kit, and spending time in her sunny garden. She lives in England with her family, some chickens, and a cat named Bernard.

Follow Rebecca: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

• 1 winner will receive a finished copy of Pretty Funny for a Girl
• Check out the other tour stops for more chances to win.
• US/Canada only
• Ends 11:59pm ET on 10/18

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MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK by Barbara Dee Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Welcome to the My Life in the Fish Tank Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of My Life in the Fish Tank by Barbara Dee on September 15th, blogs across the web are featuring original guest posts from Barbara, plus 5 chances to win My Life in the Fish Tank and swag! 

  Author Buddies by Barbara Dee

I've seen many authors joke on social media that life under quarantine is really not so different from business as usual. Authors are introverts who crave uninterrupted solitude.  Our favorite hangout is our computer desks. We dread in-person appearances, and any type of shmoozing. 

To some extent, all that's true. I know a few authors who consider themselves extroverts, but many more who land on the "I" end of the Myers-Briggs scale. And a surprising number who, like me, identify as INFJ --a notable phenomenon, given that INFJs are rare in the population as a whole.

But I think it's wrong to call authors antisocial loners. Authors socialize with other authors all the time, engaging in the same sort of water-cooler conversation you find in any office, virtual or not.  We compare notes. We offer advice and support.  We share challenges and frustrations.

Because being an author is a privilege, a dream job, a joy--but also not an easy gig. Some days the challenges seem overwhelming. It's not just about writing and revising (a zillion times). You also have to sell and position your work in a chaotic, super-competitive and possibly shrinking market. You have to deal with rejection and criticism-- without responding. And you have to make peace with self-promotion, forcing your introverted self into some extremely uncomfortable terrain, especially these days, when we're all on camera. And who better to commiserate with about all this than another author?

So one piece of advice I'd give to new and not-yet-published authors: find your pack. Even if you're an introvert, look for other authors to hang with. Don't think of them as mentors who'll take you under their wings because (to mix metaphors) authors have enough on their own plates.  Think of them as colleagues.

And then: be a good colleague. Listen to other authors' experiences. Don't betray confidences.  Cheer them on when they have success, and try to avoid comparing yourself. Promote their books every chance you get. Include them when you're proposing book giveaways and panels. Recommend their work to educators, booksellers and librarians. Celebrate their #bookbirthdays.

Here's my most important advice:  never, ever snipe or spread negative gossip about another author, online or in person. The publishing world is small, and subcategories like kidlit make it even smaller. When you say or post something negative, it gets around, just like it would in any bricks-and-mortar office setting.  You never know when you'll be asking authors for a blurb, or sitting across from them on a panel.  If you can't say something nice...well, you remember what your mom told you.  (But you're good with words, right? So go ahead, say something nice.) 

A long time ago I realized that life in the book world could be tough. If I was going to make a career out of it, I couldn't do it alone. So I decided to try to surround myself in positivity-- at least, as much as I could from my solitary computer desk. Now I have a few author buddies who aren't just colleagues--they're cherished friends. We may not hang around actual water coolers, but we're always there for each other.

Especially when we need to procrastinate.  Because even if we're working in a virtual office, coffee breaks are definitely more fun with buddies.   

Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop | Indiebound

Add on Goodreads

From acclaimed author of Maybe He Just Likes You and Halfway Normal comes a powerful and moving story of learning how to grow, change, and survive.

When twelve-year-old Zinnia Manning’s older brother Gabriel is diagnosed with a mental illness, the family’s world is turned upside down. Mom and Dad want Zinny, her sixteen-year-old sister, Scarlett, and her eight-year-old brother, Aiden, to keep Gabriel’s condition “private”—and to Zinny that sounds the same as “secret.” Which means she can’t talk about it to her two best friends, who don’t understand why Zinny keeps pushing them away, turning everything into a joke.

It also means she can’t talk about it during Lunch Club, a group run by the school guidance counselor. How did Zinny get stuck in this weird club, anyway? She certainly doesn’t have anything in common with these kids—and even if she did, she’d never betray her family’s secret.

The only good thing about school is science class, where cool teacher Ms. Molina has them doing experiments on crayfish. And when Zinny has the chance to attend a dream marine biology camp for the summer, she doesn’t know what to do. How can Zinny move forward when Gabriel—and, really, her whole family—still needs her help?

About the Author: Barbara Dee is the author of eleven middle grade novels published by Simon & Schuster, including My Life in the Fish Tank, Maybe He Just Likes You, Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed. Her books have earned several starred reviews and have been named to many best-of lists, including the The Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books, the ALA Notable Children’s Books, the ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, the NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten. Barbara lives with her family, including a naughty cat named Luna and a sweet rescue hound named Ripley, in Westchester County, New York.

Follow Barbara: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

• One winner will receive a hardcover copy of My Life in the Fish Tank, bookmark, and button
• Check out the rest of the stops on the tour for 4 more chances to win!
• US/Can only
• Ends 9/27 at 11:59pm ET

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Blog Tour: What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume + Giveaway!

Welcome to the What I Like About Me Blog Tour!

To celebrate the US release of What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume on April 1st, blogs across the web are featuring exclusive original content from Jenna, as well as 10 chances to win a finished copy of What I Like About Me and WILAM pocket mirror, as well as one grand prize giveaway of a book, mirror, beach towel, and sunglasses!

Must Read YA Rom-Coms
by Jenna Guillaume

Romantic comedy is my absolute favourite genre, whether that be in book, movie, or TV form —which is why my first book is a rom-com, too! When the world feels dark and scary, rom-coms are my go-to source of comfort and joy. They feel more vital than ever these days. Here are some of my fave YA rom-com books that I guarantee will brighten your day…

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
I adore all of Stephanie Perkins’ books, but her debut Anna and the French Kiss will forever hold a special place in my heart. Who can resist falling in love with a cute guy with a British accent in Paris?! The book is full of so much humour, not to mention incredible chemistry. It brought me so much joy the first time I read it that I immediately knew I wanted to write YA rom-coms too.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
I’m obsessed with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before—both the book and the movie. A lot of it is down to Peter Kavinsky (whoa whoa whoa), but I also love Lara Jean. Like her, I’m a total homebody and an introvert who would rather read romance books and watch John Hughes movies than do just about anything else. This book—and the whole series—is just so fluffy, I want to die.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
This book is endlessly re-readable (and the movie, likewise, is compulsively rewatchable). Never have emails been so swoon-worthy as they are here. The banter between Simon and his mysterious pen-pal Blue is just exquisite and makes me go all gooey every time. Simon is an easy character to connect with, and I love the way the book explores complex family and friendship dynamics too.

Summer Skin by Kirsty Eagar
The characters in this book are in university/college, so it’s on the upper end of YA. And wow, it’s hot. It’s about a revenge plot that goes haywire when main character Jess finds herself wildly attracted to one of the fratty guys she’s meant to be (er, playfully) torturing. Of course, there’s more to him than meets the eye, and watching the layers peel back as they get to know each other is a lot of fun.

It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood
Natalie is a teen whose sense of security is already on shaky ground thanks to her self-consciousness about her appearance. When her comfort zones fall apart thanks to the changing relationships between her parents and her two best friends, she’s sent reeling. Enter Alex, the cute older brother of her friend, who also shakes up Natalie’s world—but this time, in a really good way. This romance is SO DAMN CUTE and includes my fave trope—having to share a bed. Ahem.

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil
Sam is an unashamed geek whose life is turned upside down when he befriends the cool, wordly new girl Camilla and eventually falls for her. Between the central romance and the wider, totally endearing cast of characters, this book is just a really good time. It’s very funny and sweet, with characters that feel real and relatable.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This is one of my all-time fave graphic novels. If you haven’t read it, it’s about two British high school boys discovering themselves—and each other—as they become friends and then fall in love. The story and artwork are equally adorable and it’s the kind of book that just makes my heart sing.

*****

Blog Tour Schedule:

March 30th - BookHoundsYA

March 31st - Sprinkles of Dreams

April 1st - The Fandom

April 2nd - Fangirlish

April 3rd - Word Spelunking

April 6th - Julie Caught Reading

April 7th - A Dream Within a Dream

April 8th - Mundie Moms

April 9th - Good Choice Reading

April 10th - Crossroad Reviews

“This is the book I would hand to teen me.”

—Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"Funny and heartfelt. I loved it." 

—Melina Marchetta, author of On the Jellicoe Road

“Debut author Guillaume's novel features funny dialogue and fresh takes on body image and personal relationships as well as a plucky heroine who slowly but surely comes into her own….Perfect for fans of Dumplin’, a hilariously sweet yet complex romance.” 

—Kirkus Reviews

Buy: Amazon | Indiebound

Add on Goodreads

Follow Jenna: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Follow Peachtree Publishing: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES? This vacation is probably not going to be that.

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing over vacation is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her Dad is AWOL and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie's already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she's always loved. But Maisie's got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this vacation is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn't let anything, or anyone, hold her back.

Jenna Guillame’s American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie’s realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one’s body and celebrating one’s self.

About the Author
Jenna Guillaume was the editor-at-large for BuzzFeed Australia, where she wrote about pop culture, identity, feminism, social media, and, most importantly, Chris Hemsworth’s biceps. Previously, she worked in the features department of Girlfriend magazine in Australia, writing about everything from bullying and body image to bad kisses and boy bands. She also contributed to Girlfriend Life Hacks, an essential guide to navigating a girl’s completely-awkward-but-totally-awesome teen years. Guillaume lives in Australia. Visit her website at jennaguillaume.com.

GIVEAWAY

• 10 winners will receive a finished copy of What I Like About Me and WILAM pocket mirror
• US/Canada only
• Ends 11:59pm ET on 4/18

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GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY

• One winner will receive a finished copy of What I Like About Me, WILAM pocket mirror, beach towel, and sunglasses
• US/Canada only
• Ends 11:59pm ET on 4/18

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Tombs by Deborah Schaumberg -- Guest Post

Welcome to Day #2 of The Tombs Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of The Tombs on February 20th (TODAY!), blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content from Deborah Schaumberg and 10 chances to win a finished copy and a custom bookmark handmade by the author!

The Falcon and The Tombs

Seraphine is one of my favorite characters in The Tombs, and she's a Peregrine falcon! Avery is given responsibility for her when her falconer-owner dies. Taking care of Seraphine helps Avery cope with loss her mother to the Tombs asylum and moving to the tenements of Vinegar Hill. Anyone who's ever had a pet can understand the special bond between a human and an animal, but people have asked me, "Why a falcon?"

I grew up with birds. We had a Mynah bird, parakeets, cockatiels, and a talking Quaker Parrot. (Not all at the same time of course! :) So I love birds, and I wanted it to be a somewhat wild pet, one that is free to fly away but chooses to stay with her. While doing research, I discovered that Peregrine falcons actually nest atop the bridges of New York and that decided it!

Then I learned what fascinating birds Peregrine falcons are, and what it means to be a falconer. The Peregrine is one of the world's fastest birds. They can reach 200 mph in a dive! And look how beautiful they are!

I spoke with a genuine Master Falconer, Mike Dupuy, who started the Pennsylvania Falconry Association. He helped me understand what "the art and sport of falconry" is all about. There are only about 4,500 falconers in the United States because it takes a serious level of dedication. If you want to become a falconer you must have a sponsor, like Mike. Once you are accepted as an apprentice, and trap your own wild bird, it will still take at least seven years before you are considered a Master Falconer. 

Birds of prey are housed in a "mews" or hawk-house where they have plenty of room to fly and places to perch. And every time the falconer releases the bird to hunt, the birds have the choice of returning back to the wild or not. In the picture below you can read about some of the equipment needed to work with a bird of prey. The leather hood that covers their eyes calms them down and simulates nighttime. Avery uses one of these to calm Seraphine on more than one occasion in the book. I don't want to give anything away but the relationship between Avery and Seraphine is very special. Seraphine follows Avery on her way to work every day and quite possibly saves her life. 

There is a Peregrine falcon webcam on top of the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York. Check it out - www.newnybridge.com/falcon-camera/. You can also go to Mike Dupuy's website to learn more about birds of prey - www.mikedupuyfalconry.com or Instagram @mikedupuyfalconry

*****

Blog Tour Schedule:

February 19th — BookhoundsYA
February 20th — Good Choice Reading
February 21st — Book Briefs
February 22nd — Crossroad Reviews
February 23rd — Novel Novice

February 26th — A Dream Within A Dream
February 27th — Positively Book Crazy
February 28th —Reading Teen
March 1st — Page Turners
March 2nd — Mundie Moms

Buy: Amazon | Indiebound

Add on Goodreads

Follow Deborah: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

New York, 1882. A dark, forbidding city, and no place for a girl with unexplainable powers.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Kohl pines for the life she had before her mother was taken. She fears the mysterious men in crow masks who locked her mother in the Tombs asylum for being able to see what others couldn't. Avery denies the signs in herself, focusing instead on her shifts at the ironworks factory and keeping her inventor father out of trouble. Other than secondhand tales of adventure from her best friend, Khan, an ex-slave, and caring for her falcon, Seraphine, Avery spends her days struggling to survive.

Like her mother's, Avery's powers refuse to be contained. When she causes a bizarre explosion at the factory, she has no choice but to run from her lies, straight into the darkest corners of the city. Avery must embrace her abilities and learn to wield their power--or join her mother in the cavernous horrors of the Tombs. And the Tombs has secrets of its own:  strange experiments are being performed on 'patients'...and no one knows why.

Deborah Schaumberg's gripping debut melds history and fantasy, taking readers on a breathless trip across a teeming turn-of-the-century New York, and asks the question: Where can you hide in a city that wants you buried?

About the Author:

Deborah Schaumberg was born in Brooklyn, not far from where her novel The Tombs takes place. She grew up renovating dilapidated old houses with her family. She and her father would walk the rooms, floor by floor, making up stories about the inhabitants that were filled with dark secrets, monsters, and, of course, ghosts. Deborah is a writer and an artist whose work always has an element of fantasy to it, and since she also studied architecture, settings are equally important. It was on a trek to the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal that she imagined a girl with the ability to see energy, and the seed of The Tombs was planted. She collects old bottles, and her favorite holiday is, you guessed it, Halloween. Deborah lives with her family and two dogs in Maryland, just outside DC. Visit her at www.deborahschaumberg.com.

• One (1) winner will receive a finished copy of The Tombs and a custom bookmark handmade by Deborah Schaumberg
• US only!
• Giveaway ends Sunday, February 25th.
• Giveaway is sponsored by Media Masters Publicity.

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Book Spotlight: Busted by Gina Ciocca + Giveaway!

Title: Busted

Author: Gina Ciocca

Pub Date: January 2, 2017

ISBN: 9781492654292

Catching cheaters and liars is a lucrative hobby—until you fall for one of the suspects. Perfect for fans of Veronica Mars, this new novel from the author of Last Year’s Mistake will steal your heart!

Marisa never planned to be a snoop for hire. It wasn’t like she wanted to catch her best friend’s boyfriend making out with another girl. But as her reputation for sniffing out cheaters spreads all over school, Marisa finds herself the reluctant queen of busting two-timing boys.


And her next case? It’s for ex-frenemy Kendall. She’s convinced her boyfriend, TJ, has feelings for someone else and persuades Marissa to start spying on him. But the more Marisa gets to know sincere and artistic TJ, the more she starts to fall for him. Worse yet, the feelings seem to be mutual. Marisa knows she needs to give up her investigation—and the spoken-for guy who may just be the love of her life. Then she uncovers new secrets about Kendall and TJ, secrets that take “cheater” to a whole new level…

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman Book Highlight + I’m giving away #Thunderhead thanks to @SimonTEEN!

Hey GCReaders!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We have a very special post for you today!

Happy Book Birthday to Thunderhead which releases today!!!! In celebration we are hosting a giveaway thanks to SimonTeen!!!

We are super excited for Thunderhead and a couple of other upcoming releases this year.

We have a feeling this year is going to be the year of PURE AWESOMENESS in the young adult world.

Book Highlight & Author Note: ROSEMARKED by Livia Blackburne + Giveaway!

Hi Everyone!

This is Livia Blackburne, and I'm thrilled to share ROSEMARKED with you at long last. There are a lot of

elements to this book, including a love story, a spy story, reflections on trauma and mortality, medical ethics, and political intrigue.  Perhaps because of this, my research for the book was equally eclectic, from archery and stick fighting lessons, to chats with memory researchers and soldiers, and lots and lots of reading, including books about leper colonies, hospice care, and PTSD. Hopefully, I wove it all into an entertaining and thought-provoking story!

This story centers on Zivah, a talented healer with an incurable illness, and Dineas, a traumatized soldier. The two couldn't be more different, and I had a lot of fun writing their unlikely love story.  In order to work together, they both have to let go of their own prejudices and preconceptions. It's a painful process, with fights and misunderstandings, anger, laughter and tears, but in the end, they both come out as stronger people.

To celebrate the ROSEMARKED release, I’m offering 3 lucky winners a ROSEMARKED swag pack, which includes a copy of ROSEMARKED and a signed bookplate! Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate. Best of luck, and happy reading!

#AListofCages by Robin Roe Giveaway! #BeBrave

HUGE thank you to Disney-Hyperion for this opportunity and for providing the AWESOME prize pack!

In honor of the release of A List of Cages by Robin Roe (January 10, 2017) I wanted to share a post about my best friend, Fanny. 

Fanny and I have known each other since we were 11 years old. She lived in our building on the fourth floor. I was very big on Spanish reggae growing up and one day I was sitting by our back window and heard loud music playing from someones window. Me, being obsessed and a little curious cat, I walked all the floors until I found who was playing this awesome Spanish reggae song. I knocked on the door and said hello to my neighbor and asked her who was playing the music? (Yes, I am a little bold one. I've never been shy. LOL!) She told me that her step daughter just recently came to live with them and that it was her. She invited me in and introduced us. Ever since then Fanny and I have been the best of friends. She is more like my sister from another mother. She even lived with us for a couple of years before she decided to move out of state. We lost touch for a while, but as we grew older we found each other again and have stepped right back into things. We are still close till this day. I recently moved to South Carolina and she now lives an hour and twenty minutes away. 

It feels good watching my kids play/grow with her kids. The best part about our friendship is that it never changed. We've changed individually, but not with each other. I love this girl with all my heart!


The picture above is a recent one we took on NYE in Myrtle Beach. We got the family together and went to dinner, saw fireworks, and walked around the boardwalk. We had such an amazing time! BFF!!! LOL!

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