Trailer Thursday: The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

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The Midnight Lie

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Release Date: March 3, 2020

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, Marie Rutkoski's The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us―and the lies we tell ourselves.

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down, and a dangerous secret close to her chest. 

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away, who whispers rumors that the High Kith possess magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Book Review: The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend

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The Other F-Word
Author: Natasha Friend
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date:  March 7th 2017
Review Source: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

A fresh, humorous, and timely YA novel about two teens conceived via in vitro fertilization who go in search for answers about their donor.

Milo has two great moms, but he's never known what it's like to have a dad. When Milo's doctor suggests asking his biological father to undergo genetic testing to shed some light on Milo's extreme allergies, he realizes this is a golden opportunity to find the man he's always wondered about.

Hollis's mom Leigh hasn't been the same since her other mom, Pam, passed away seven years ago. But suddenly, Leigh seems happy—giddy, even—by the thought of reconnecting with Hollis's half-brother Milo. Hollis and Milo were conceived using the same sperm donor. They met once, years ago, before Pam died.

Now Milo has reached out to Hollis to help him find their donor. Along the way, they locate three other donor siblings, and they discover the true meaning of the other F-word: family. 

The Other F-Word is a story of two sperm donor babies who share the same biological father going on a journey to find him. They learn to grow with one another and they learn that family is really all you need.

This story is such a good concept. I loved it. It was adorable and sweet.The fruition of the concept was what got me. I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. I felt like the writing was too teenage-ish for me. The writing and the language just did not grip me and for that I gave it this low rating.

Audiobook Review: The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

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The Winner's Kiss
The Winner's Trilogy #3
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 29th 2016
Review Source: Farrar, Straus and Giroux | ReadingTeen

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people―and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

Why do good things have to come to an end? Why do I have to say goodbye to this series? Why, why, WHY?! I am currently going through the stages of grief while writing this review, currently: denial. Maybe this review will be cathartic and I’ll be able to work through my book hangover and hopefully pick up a new book up after this, but I just can’t make myself any promises, this series is so hard to part with.

The Winner’s Kiss picks ups right where The Winner’s Crime left off. Kestrel’s dad knows everything, Arin knows nothing, and this war is about to come to a fury. Okay, that might’ve been a little harsh to Arin, he’s not Jon Snow, he knows things; just not the important Kestrel things and the true identity of our Moth. While Arin is preparing to overthrow the empire with uncertain allies, Kestrel is taken prisoner to work in an intense boot camp for her letter of truth and treason.

While I would LOVE to sit here and tell you all about The Winner’s Kiss I would never deprive someone from experiencing a book for the first time, especially this book/series. The twist and turns, the plotting, the games, the conniving, and the swoony moments is something you don’t want someone to ruin for you. Since I won’t give away any secrets, I will tell you that I did do this book on audio and had a blast with the narrator, Justine Erye. I am tad picky when it comes to the audiobooks I’ll listen to, I really need them to become the characters, switching up the voices, heavy infliction when needed and just an enjoyable voice that I just don't want to stop listening to. And Justine Erye was perfect!  A lot of laundry and cleaning got done while I was listening to it.

UGH I just don’t think I have worked through my grief for the ending of this series. And series are so much harder to work through, you’ve been with those characters for many books, over multiple years, it’s hard to say goodbye. I think I skipped a step or two, I am very much still in denial that it’s the end, because Marie could definitely give us a novella, right?! Do you think I could bribe her?

Full disclosure - I really did enjoyed the ending of this series and it brought me to tears. Sometimes I just cry when things end because I’m happy to have had experienced them at all.

Book Review: Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend

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Where You'll Find Me
Author: Natasha Friend
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Contemporary
Released: March 8th 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

 

In this powerful and buoyant YA novel, a thirteen-year-old girl learns to navigate the shifting loyalities of friendships in middle school and deals with challenges at home.

The beginning of the eighth grade is not what Anna thought it would be. Her lifelong best friend has ditched her for the cool kids, and her mom is in the hospital after a suicide attempt. Anna finds herself where she least expects to: living with her dad, his young new wife, and their baby, and starting a new year at school without a best friend. With help from some unlikely sources, including a crazy girl-band talent show act, Anna learns that sometimes you find what you need to pull you through in the most unlikely places.

Life is not always rainbows and puppies. Some people have it worst than others, like our main character Ana. She's not having the ideal start to her eight grade year. First, her best friend doesn't want to be friends with her. She's popular now and cannot hang with an "outcast". God, I don't miss those those days. Then and on a more serious note, her mother tried to kill herself. Now, Ana needs to move in with her father (whom is not open to her) and her new step-mother, while her mother is hospitalized.

Ana may see herself as a weak character but as a young girl dealing with these type of issues, the girl is a tough cookie.

Middle grade? Are you kidding me? No, don't ever say you're too old for middle grades reads. Where You'll Find Me is an adorable yet inspiring story of a young girl trying to cope with life. This story is so real with a believable character. While reading some parts, I wanted to hug Ana. Feeling alone and full of remorse toward herself is something one shouldn't go thru. So sad! Ana blamed herself for things... things she had nothing to do with. Oh, I am crying. I just wanted to tell her it's not her fault.

This is really sad because now in days, this is more common. It's sad to see kids have to grow up at a young age because either both or one parent is not there to do their job. I loved when Ana's mom apologized and made her feel better.

Where You'll Find Me is an incredible story. Ana is easy to relate and plain adorable. She did her best, more than what I would be capable of doing. There is so much to say but it's best that you read this story. Just be warned, you will have tears while reading.

Waiting on Wednesday: After the Woods by Kim Savage

Waiting on Wednesday

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

After the Woods

Author: Kim Savage

Release Date: February 23rd 2016

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Would you risk your life to save your best friend?

Julia did. When a paroled predator attacked Liv in the woods, Julia fought back and got caught. Liv ran, leaving Julia in the woods for a terrifying 48 hours that she remembers only in flashbacks. One year later, Liv seems bent on self-destruction, starving herself, doing drugs, and hooking up with a violent new boyfriend. A dead girl turns up in those same woods, and Julia’s memories resurface alongside clues unearthed by an ambitious reporter that link the girl to Julia’s abductor. As the devastating truth becomes clear, Julia realizes that after the woods was just the beginning.

Blog Tour: Underwater by Marisa Reichardt | Guest Post | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on Underwater tour for Marisa Reichardt. This tour is hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club Tours.

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Underwater
Author: Marisa Reichardt
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: January 12th 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux

 

Morgan didn’t mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive—first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then, herself.

But Morgan can’t move on. She can’t even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she’s underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school.

When it seems Morgan can’t hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside.

Underwater is a powerful, hopeful debut novel about redemption, recovery, and finding the strength it takes to face your past and move on.

STORY BEHIND THE COVER

I was so honored to have the opportunity to speak with my cover designer, Andrew Arnold about the phenomenal cover design he did for Underwater. Here’s our chat.

1. One of the most exciting parts of the debut experience was that first moment when I opened my email to see your AMAZING cover design for UNDERWATER. I literally gasped. I loved it so much. How do you begin the brainstorming process for a cover design and, more specifically, what were some of the things you took into consideration for UNDERWATER?

I'm so glad you're happy with it—and I'm so glad that I was able to design it!

With every cover I design, one of my main goals is to capture the tone of the story. Sometimes a scene can help me do that, or sometimes it's an icon. Or, maybe it's an image—or several images—that come to mind as I'm reading the book. As I read UNDERWATER, a few things kept coming to mind: Morgan's apartment, couch, and high school swimming pool. I wasn't entirely sure how—or even if—these images could work together, but they interested me the most so I started laying out a few of my ideas.

2. Conceptually, I'm in love with the couch underwater. From the moment I saw it I knew it was perfection. How did you think to merge the isolation of Morgan on her couch with the pool?

I had several versions of this cover where Morgan was laying on the couch against a blue wall. I really liked those earlier versions and thought one could work, but the more I looked at them the more I thought the wall wasn't enough. They felt like they were missing something. I quickly swapped it out with water (fully convinced that it would look silly, by the way...) but was surprised by how much I liked it once it was there. After some tweaking and patience, it finally felt right to me.

3. The scale of Morgan is so small compared to the shock of blue water. Was that scale intentional? To show pressure on Morgan?

Yes, that scale was most definitely intentional! I hadn't intended for it to show pressure but loneliness. When the cover had a big blue wall, I thought it did a really good job of capturing that. Once I swapped the wall with water, that sense of scale took on a new meaning. It's interesting how things can just sort of happen when you continue to explore, you know...?

4. I know you have a background in comics and cartooning. How did we get so lucky to find you in the world of YA book cover design? 

The beauty of having a background in comics and cartooning is that it can lead you into so many different places: comics, picture books, film, animation, design... Similar to cartoonists, cover designers use both words and pictures together to relay information to readers. I know the link between these two professions may sound like a stretch, but for me it's what I find most enjoyable about what I do!

5.  Do you have any exciting upcoming projects you can tell us about?
My fellow co-authors James Sturm, Alexis Frederick-Frost and I putting the finishing touches on HOCUS FOCUS, the last picture book in the Adventures in Cartooning series. Aside from that, I'm in the beginning stages of putting together some other picture book ideas that I hope to have ready in the near future... Hopefully more on those soon!

Thanks so much, Andrew! This is great insight to the world of book cover design!

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I'm a SoCal native and high school writing instructor. I currently live in Los Angeles and can usually be found huddled over my laptop in coffeehouses or swimming in the ocean.

My debut YA contemporary novel, UNDERWATER, will be out 1/12/16 from Macmillan/FSG and 4/7/16 Macmillan Children's UK.

I love all books and all genres. While I do keep track of all the books I've read here, I generally don't do ratings or reviews.

   

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Book Review: Underwater by Marisa Reichardt

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Underwater
Author: Marisa Reichardt
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: January 12th 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux

 

Morgan didn’t mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive—first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then, herself.

But Morgan can’t move on. She can’t even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she’s underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school.

When it seems Morgan can’t hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside.

Underwater is a powerful, hopeful debut novel about redemption, recovery, and finding the strength it takes to face your past and move on.

Underwater was a fascinating story!

We follow Morgan and her self-imposed house arrest. What is Moran so afraid of?

Well, as a reader, we do not know the reason but we are given clues, comments and as the reader, it is your job to put the clues together.  Something I really enjoy doing. Yet, when you learn the truth, you feel the need to hug Megan. To tell her everything will be okay. Also, that life is too short to be afraid to enjoy it.

Seriously, as you read about the truth, how this tragedy has effected her so much, you can't bare to ease her guilt and pain.

When Morgan meets her new neighbor, she is intrigued by his present. From the very beginning, he ask her for a favor. Afraid to step outside her door, Morgan fibs. She tells Evan she is sick. But after meeting him, she is curious and wants to know him. And she start to feel like there is a need. A need to live life. That life has so much to offer and she cannot let her fear stop her from doing things.

With the help of her family and Evan, Morgan will take baby steps to conquer the world. Trust me, you will cheer for her.

This story feels real. Which is the reason why I enjoyed it so much. You feel like you know Morgan, like she is your best friend. With this fact, you want her to get well, to be that bubbly Morgan she used to be.

Learning the truth was not easy. As this tragedy is becoming common in the real world. It's scary to know kids are not safe in school. Yet we shouldn't let this fear stop us from enjoying the little things life has to offer us.

Underwater is truly a fascinating story. I would recommend this story to everyone, specially lovers of YA contemporary. Give this story a try. As Morgan is learning, she will teach you one or two things about life.

Blog Tour: Rules For 50/50 Chances by Kate McGovern

Welcome to our stop on the Rules For 50/50 Chances tour for Kate McGovern. This tour is hosted by Fierce Reads.

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Rules For 50/50 Chances
Author: Kate McGovern
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: November 24 2015
Review Source: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux

A heartrending but ultimately uplifting debut novel about learning to accept life's uncertainties; a perfect fit for the current trend in contemporary realistic novels that confront issues about life, death, and love.

Seventeen-year-old Rose Levenson has a decision to make: Does she want to know how she's going to die? Because when Rose turns eighteen, she can take the test that tells her if she carries the genetic mutation for Huntington's disease, the degenerative condition that is slowly killing her mother.

With a fifty-fifty shot at inheriting her family's genetic curse, Rose is skeptical about pursuing anything that presumes she'll live to be a healthy adult-including her dream career in ballet and the possibility of falling in love. But when she meets a boy from a similarly flawed genetic pool and gets an audition for a dance scholarship across the country, Rose begins to question her carefully laid rules.

INTERVIEW 

1. What inspired rules for 50/50 chances?

RULES was inspired by a story I read in the newspaper many years ago about a young woman who was in a similar situation to Rose. Her story really stuck with me. I've always been interested in medicine, genetic medicine in particular. In the fall of 2011, I found myself in a moment of major change and upheaval in my life. I was considering a total career change—I actually thought about becoming a genetic counselor. Instead, I started doing a ton of research, and ended up writing RULES.

2. Was it difficult writing about disease?

Some of the scenes were hard to write, particularly moments when Rose is dealing with the ways her mother's health is deteriorating and how her mother's personality changes affects their relationship. I'm very close to my mom, and I found that piece of Rose's journey particularly hard. But in my research, I was also very inspired by the personal journeys of many people living with or at risk for Huntington's disease. There's incredible strength reflected in their stories.

3. What were your biggest challenges in writing rules for 50/50 chances?

Probably getting the portrayal of Rose's mother's symptoms right. Some of the symptoms—like how her speech slurs—were hard to portray on paper. I got some very generous guidance from a nurse who specializes in Huntington's care, and Lisa Genova, the amazing author of STILL ALICE whose newest novel, INSIDE THE O'BRIENS, is about Huntington's, also gave me some really helpful feedback.

4. What was your favorite scene to write?

I don't have a single favorite scene, but I will say that the train scenes were really fun. I rode the California Zephyr in 2012 and took a ton of notes that I got to put to use in those chapters. And I loved reliving that train ride by writing about it.

5. What do you aim to teach your readers through rules for 50/50 chances?

I'm not aiming to teach anything in particular—I was really just hoping to tell a good, honest story. But I think as we have more and more access to information about what our genes say about our futures, more people are going to be facing tough decisions like Rose's. How much do we want to know? What helps us live better and what gets in the way of living? So I'd love it if readers gained empathy for people who are dealing with those tough choices, and perhaps started considering what they would do.

6. If you had a writing do-over, would you do anything differently with rules for 50/50 chances?

Oh man, there are plenty of tiny little things I could change—word choices here and there—but that's always going to happen. It took two years for RULES to go from signing the contract to publication,so inevitably, there are going to be little things you'd like to change. That's
why I don't plan to read the book closely again :).
But I wouldn't change anything major. It's the book it's supposed to be (thanks in large part to my wonderful editor, Joy Peskin, who has the magic touch).


7. What are 5 random facts about yourself?

1. I have three fake front teeth. I'll leave it to you to imagine what happened to the real ones...
2. I love trains. I've gone across the country by Amtrak three times so far, and I'd love to do it again.
3. I'm the youngest of four, and the only girl. But my brothers were 13, 15 and 17 when I was born, so in a lot of ways I also grew up like an only child.
4. I did theatre from age 7 all the way through college and for a few years in New York—acting, playwriting, set and lighting design, the whole thing.
5. Thanks to my theatre training and three years living in the UK, I can do a lot of pretty convincing accents from all over the British Isles.

8. What is the best writing tip you've ever received?

My college playwriting professor always told us, "Write the things you obsess over." That's my go-to writing advice. Earlier this year, I scrapped a nearly 200-page work-in-progress because it didn't meet that criteria, and it just wasn't working.


9. What is an unknown fact about rules for 50/50 chances?

I would call this a little known fact: RULES is a "diverse book," in that its central romance is interracial—Rose is white and Caleb is black. And while race isn't the central issue of the story, Rose and Caleb do have some tough and important conversations about race (and class).


10. What is the hardest part of being a writer?

The writing part. Writing is so hard! But I wouldn't do it if I didn't love it, and I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to be published and read by amazing readers—I continue to be in awe of this whole experience.

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Kate McGovern has taught theatre and language arts to middle schoolers in Boston, New York, and London. A graduate of Yale and Oxford, she currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was born and raised. RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES is her first novel.