Blog Tour: Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy | Interview | Giveaway

We are thrilled to be part of Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy tour! Today, we are sharing an Q&A with Author Andrew Smith, check it out below.

This tour also includes a giveaway courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s.

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Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: July 11th 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
 

Leave it to the heroes to save the world--villains just want to rule the world.

In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view.

These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again!

Interview

1. What makes BYLTHM stand out from other books you've written or read before?

I think BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO HATE ME is unique in its unabashed admiration for villainy and evil. Everyone loves a great bad guy, and now we finally have a chance to express that love openly. Also, we in the YA business recognize the significant contribution that has been made to the genre by bloggers and BookTubers who love our stories--so what a fantastic way to bring together some of the driving forces in the evolution of YA literature!

2. Is there something you hope your readers take away from BYLTHM?

Nothing more than an insatiable drive to buy copies for every human being they know.

3. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

There are countless authors and books that have influenced me and continue to influence me. I have read some remarkable books that are coming out in 2017, and this gives me faith that literature is continuing to evolve in remarkably impressive ways. The main authors who've influenced me as a kid and as an adult: Kurt Vonnegut, William Faulkner, Salman Rushdie, A.S. King.

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Andrew Smith is the award-winning author of several Young Adult novels, including the critically acclaimed Winger (Starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, and Shelf Awareness—an Amazon “Best of the Year”) and The Marbury Lens (A YALSA BFYA, and Starred reviews and Best of the Year in both Publishers Weekly and Booklist).

He is a native-born Californian who spent most of his formative years traveling the world. His university studies focused on Political Science, Journalism, and Literature. He has published numerous short stories and articles. Grasshopper Jungle, coming February 11, 2014, is his seventh novel. He lives in Southern California.

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Follow the tour, tomorrow check out:  Bumbles and Fairy-Tales

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books That Will Make You Laugh

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

  Ten Books That Will Make You Laugh (or at least chuckle)

Book Review: Stand-Off by Andrew Smith

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Stand-Off 
Winger #2
Author: Andrew Smith
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: September 8th 2015
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

It’s his last year at Pine Mountain, and Ryan Dean should be focused on his future, but instead, he’s haunted by his past. His rugby coach expects him to fill the roles once played by his lost friend, Joey, as the rugby team’s stand-off and new captain. And somehow he’s stuck rooming with twelve-year-old freshman Sam Abernathy, a cooking whiz with extreme claustrophobia and a serious crush on Annie Altman—aka Ryan Dean’s girlfriend, for now, anyway.

Equally distressing, Ryan Dean’s doodles and drawings don’t offer the relief they used to. He’s convinced N.A.T.E. (the Next Accidental Terrible Experience) is lurking around every corner—and then he runs into Joey’s younger brother Nico, who makes Ryan Dean feel paranoid that he’s avoiding him. Will Ryan Dean ever regain his sanity?

From the author of the National Book Award–nominated 100 Sideways Miles, which Kirkus Reviews called “a wickedly witty and offbeat novel,” Stand-Off is filled with hand-drawn infographics and illustrations and delivers the same spot-on teen voice and relatable narrative that legions of readers connected with in Winger.

After reading Winger during Thanksgiving of 2014, Stand Off officially became one of my most anticipated books of 2015. Ryan Dean is a 15 year old boy who stole my heart. He’s a genius with a great sense of humor. I devoured his words, became addicted to his persona and I wanted more of him. I have to be honest, when the cover was revealed for Stand Off, I was worried. Little did I know I would enjoy this book as much as I did with Winger. Silly Leydy, there is no need worry when Andrew Smith is involved. So if you haven’t read this duology, I highly recommend that you start soon.

There is a new kid in town, well in school. His name is Sam Abernathy and he is Ryan Dean’s nightmare. Poor Ryan Dean gets bombarded and stuck with this kid during his last year of high school. ONLY IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, RYAN DEAN!

Not only is he the only 15 year old senior but now he has to advise a 12 year old throughout his last year of high school. And he is not easy to deal with. This kid is claustrophobic and quite annoying. He loves to talk and ask many questions. Worst of all, Ryan Dean thinks Sam is after his girlfriend. Not only is he stuck with Sam but N.A.T.E (the Next Accidental Terrible Experience) is still lurking around. Ryan Dean is about to have the worst high school year experience. How would Ryan Dean survive his last year of high school?

Stand Off was freaking epic. After all this is what Andrew Smith is best at. Writing epic stories. Yet, I didn't expect to tear up with Stand Off. This was a reminder of my love for Ryan Dean. Even though sometimes he makes silly decisions, his flaws is what makes me love him more. Because at the end of the story, Ryan Dean always figure a way out all on his own.

I highly recommend Winger and Stand Off. Shit¹, what are you waiting for? GO BUY WINGER & PRE-ORDER STAND OFF NOW!

¹ Nope, I didn't say that, just imagined it.

Waiting on Wednesday: Stand-Off by Andrew Smith

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Stand-Off

Winger#2

Author: Andrew Smith

Release Date: September 8th 2015

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

It’s his last year at Pine Mountain, and Ryan Dean should be focused on his future, but instead, he’s haunted by his past. His rugby coach expects him to fill the roles once played by his lost friend, Joey, as the rugby team’s stand-off and new captain. And somehow he’s stuck rooming with twelve-year-old freshman Sam Abernathy, a cooking whiz with extreme claustrophobia and a serious crush on Annie Altman—aka Ryan Dean’s girlfriend, for now, anyway.

Equally distressing, Ryan Dean’s doodles and drawings don’t offer the relief they used to. He’s convinced N.A.T.E. (the Next Accidental Terrible Experience) is lurking around every corner—and then he runs into Joey’s younger brother Nico, who makes Ryan Dean feel paranoid that he’s avoiding him. Will Ryan Dean ever regain his sanity?

From the author of the National Book Award–nominated 100 Sideways Miles, which Kirkus Reviews called “a wickedly witty and offbeat novel,” Stand-Off is filled with hand-drawn infographics and illustrations and delivers the same spot-on teen voice and relatable narrative that legions of readers connected with in Winger.

Andrew Smith's Keep YA Weird Twitter Chat + Giveaway!

We are so excited to be part of Andrew Smith's Keep YA WEIRD tour! Today we have great news and an amazing giveaway brought to you by Penguin Teen!

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Join Keep YA WEIRD Twitter chat on March 17th at 7:00pm EST with some of our favorite weird YA writers:

Andrew Smith (The Alex Crow)

Jon Skovron (Man Made Boy)

April Genevieve Tucholke (Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea)

Kat Rosenfield (Inland, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone)

Brenna Yovanoff (Paper Valentine)

It’s a movement. And it’s totally weird. #KeepYAWeird is all about celebrating literary experimentalism and extreme imagination in YA literature. We’re not going to tell you what’s weird and what’s not—that’s up to you! But we have put together a sampler of some of our favorite weird books, which you can read by entering this amazing pack! Go and enter! 

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Book Review: The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith + Giveaway

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The Alex Crow
Author: Andrew Smith
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Released: March 3rd 2015
Review Source: Dutton Children's

Once again blending multiple story strands that transcend time and place, Grasshopper Jungle author Andrew Smith tells the story of 15-year-old Ariel, a refugee from the Middle East who is the sole survivor of an attack on his small village. Now living with an adoptive family in Sunday, West Virginia, Ariel's story of his summer at a boys' camp for tech detox is juxtaposed against those of a schizophrenic bomber and the diaries of a failed arctic expedition from the late nineteenth century. Oh, and there’s also a depressed bionic reincarnated crow.

Andrew Smith is one heck of an astonishing author. He writes one book and another, yet you think there are written by completely different people. His writing is so unique that you always wonder how he does it.

What fascinates me the most about The Alex Crow is how confused one can be while reading. It messes with the reader’s mind. It challenges one to keep up. I for once had to re-read certain parts to comprehend what was going on. I wondered how he would tied up the three stories into one, leaving no space for theories.

The story is about Ariel, a fifteen year-old refugee boy who can't seem to find his place in the world. He goes through many tough situations only to find his way be reborn into a new life. He is taken to the U.S. where he meets his new family and his new brother Max. To be honest, that is where everything burst only to collide into one.

I must admit The Alex Crow is a Weird YA novel, as weird as Grasshopper Jungle. Yet as a reader, one should embrace these type of novels. One should read them, challenge our minds and be rewards with such creativity.

I do recommend this story to everyone. Andrew may give you hell to figure out the ending but it will be worth the struggles. Go read it! Challenge yourself.

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Courtesy of Penguin Teen, we are giving away a final copy of The Alex Crow!

Open US Only

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