Showing posts with label Selene Castrovilla. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Selene Castrovilla. Show all posts

Book Review: Melt by Selene Castrovilla


Melt
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: November 6 2014
Review Source: Last Syllable Books | Netgalley

Based on true events, MELT is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. MELT will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

MELT is a brutal love story set against the metaphorical backdrop of The Wizard of Oz (not a retelling). When sixteen year old Dorothy moves to the small town of Highland Park, she meets, and falls for Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism?

Told in dual first person, Joey’s words are scattered on the page – reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason – until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?


Joey has grown up in a broken home, not really knowing what love is and what it really feels like. When he meets Dorothy who is more than willing to help him get past this wall that he's built around himself. A good girl who meets a struggling boy, knowing that underneath the facade he presents there is a boy needing to be loved.

I am in love with this book. The story was depressing and beautiful all at the same time. There were times when I was unsure how I should really be feeling about the story, but in the end I just wanted everything to work out for the better. It opens your eyes to a whole different side of life-especially for me. I haven't experienced what Joey has, and I'm not sure any of my friends have, so to read this without any experience I felt a little shell-shocked at what would happen every once in a while. And all that made me do is want Dorothy to go and love him even more then she already was.

Melt was written in such a unique way, it helped to give an idea of the two different sides to life that were happening within the story. I really liked that Castrovilla used verse to show when the loss of innocence happened. That made it so much more powerful, it really hit you when you would least expect it. The ending came when I didn't want it to, I wanted the story to continue on because I wanted to see these characters and where their story took them.


Release Day Launch: Melt by Selene Castrovilla + Giveaway





Melt
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: November 6, 2014


Melt is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family’s secret – about to be unleashed.

Told in dual first person, Joey’s words are scattered on the page – reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason – until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

Melt is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.


You’ve invited to celebrate the release of Selene Castrovilla’s MELT  at her Facebook Launch Party on November 9, 2014. The party will be from 5:00 – 11:00 PM EST, so we hope you’ll stop by! There will be prizes, and very special guests: Beth Fehlbaum, Gae Polisner, Cassie Shine, and Kathy Cannon Weichman. We hope to see you there!



Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning teen and children’s author who believes that through all trends, humanity remains at the core of literature. She is the author of Saved By the Music and The Girl Next Door, teen novels originally published by WestSide Books and now available digitally through ASD Publishing. Her third children’s book with Calkins Creek Books, Revolutionary Friends, was released in April 2013. She is also a contributing author to UncommonYA. Selene holds an MFA in creative writing from New School University and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons. Visit her website www.SeleneCastrovilla.com for book excerpts and more information!





Blog Tour: Melt by Selene Castrovilla + Giveaway



Welcome to our stop on the MELT blog tour for Selene Castrovilla. Check out another post about RSVP'ing for the MELT Facebook event



Melt
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: November 6, 2014
Review Source: Last Syllable Books | Netgalley


Melt is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family’s secret – about to be unleashed.

Told in dual first person, Joey’s words are scattered on the page – reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason – until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

Melt is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.


Wow...I am drained after reading this book.

Is it wrong to say that I LOVED this story when it was so depressing to read? There were times where I was crying, no sobbing, for a fictional character. It was a really difficult read, but these are the types of books I like. Weird, huh? But we need diverse books like this where everything isn't perfect and every household is like Leave it to Beaver.

The first thing I loved about this book was the way it was set up. It's told in dual first person with Joey's part being in verse showing how shattered and broken his life is. Dorothy's chapters aren't perfect, but they're more put together than Joeys. I'm a fan of novels in verse, so I loved the mixture of the two. It's a bold choice.

As an adult reading this, I know that Dorothy should've just turned and ran when she first met Joey. I was that girl in high school thinking that if I just help him, he will be healed. We all know how that goes...while you're helping him get better, you're going down with him. I'll admit, reading Joey's parts were hard to read. You just wanted to reach in there and take him out of those situations.

It was hard to read Dorothy's parts too because you can see how much she wants to help Joey, but we all know that he's too far gone. She's pulling herself down and it killed me to see it. I've been there and it's hard to get back out once you've been down.

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others who like these types of books. It's difficult to read, but the writing was spot on and it was a quick read.


Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning teen and children’s author who believes that through all trends, humanity remains at the core of literature. She is the author of Saved By the Music and The Girl Next Door, teen novels originally published by WestSide Books and now available digitally through ASD Publishing. Her third children’s book with Calkins Creek Books, Revolutionary Friends, was released in April 2013. She is also a contributing author to UncommonYA. Selene holds an MFA in creative writing from New School University and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons. Visit her website www.SeleneCastrovilla.com for book excerpts and more information!





Monday, November 3rd - Once Upon a Twilight
Wednesday, November 5th - LuLo Fangirl
Friday, November 7th - Addicted Readers
Monday, November 10th - Fictionally Obsessed
Wednesday, November 12th - Optimistic Mommy
Friday, November 14th - Actin' Up With Books
Monday, November 17th - A Leisure Moment
Wednesday, November 19th - The Best Books Ever
Friday, November 21st - One Guy's Guide to Good Reads

Extra! Extra!: Selene Castrovilla's Melt Facebook Launch Party!





You’ve invited to celebrate the release of Selene Castrovilla’s MELT  at her Facebook Launch Party on November 9, 2014. The party will be from 5:00 – 11:00 PM EST, so we hope you’ll stop by! There will be prizes, and very special guests: Beth Fehlbaum, Gae Polisner, Cassie Shine, and Kathy Cannon Weichman. We hope to see you there!

[RSVP Here]

Cover Reveal: Melt by Selene Castrovillan + Giveaway



We're so excited to take part in the cover reveal for MELT by Selene Castrovilla! Check out the cover below, and let us know what you think in the comments. Then be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed ARC of MELT, and a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card!




MELT by Selene Castrovilla

Melt by Selene Castrovilla | Last Syllable Books | August 2014

Melt is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family's secret – about to be unleashed.Told in dual first person, Joey's words are scattered on the page - reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason - until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away? Melt is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

What do you think of the cover?

 

Selene Castrovilla

| | | |

Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning teen and children’s author who believes that through all trends, humanity remains at the core of literature. She is the author of Saved By the Music and The Girl Next Door, teen novels originally published by WestSide Books and now available digitally through ASD Publishing. Her third children’s book with Calkins Creek Books, Revolutionary Friends, was released in April. She is also a contributing author to UncommonYA. Selene holds an MFA in creative writing from New School University and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons. Visit her website www.SeleneCastrovilla.com for book excerpts and more information!

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win a signed ARC of MELT along with $25 Amazon or B&N gift card! (US/CA only) ***Any contestant that uses dummy or contest only accounts to enter will be disqualified.***
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Jen Halligan PR host

Book Review: The Girl Next Door by Selene Castrovilla

The Girl Next Door
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Romance
Released: May 24th 2013
Review Source: Blog Tour
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Two teens are forced to make some very grown-up decisions when one of them is diagnosed with terminal cancer, twisting them into an unpredictable nightmare. Best friends since toddler hood, Samantha and Jesse grapple with the realization that they are actually in love. What now? Beautifully written while handling a very heavy topic, Castrovilla addresses the universal question: In a world where the worst can strike at any time, how can we ever feel safe?


This book had my heart from the beginning. The characters and the story were very realistic. Having cancer in the family made this book hit home, though it was very sad it was very well written.

The book is about Samantha and Jesse. They have been best friends ever since Samantha moved into Jesse’s apartment building when they were two. Now they are seventeen and Jesse has come down with a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. What makes is worse is there is no cure for this type of cancer. Samantha sticks by Jesse’s side through it all.

This book was not only about cancer and the pain one goes through but it also was about teenage love and how they grew past the anger with the universe. This was a powerful read that at times had me giggling but I found myself very emotional throughout. I highly recommend this book; it gives you a new light towards life and the love within it.



OUaT participated in the blog tour for The Girl Next Door last week. You can read all about it HERE and see how SELENE CASTROVILLA TEAMS UP WITH THE AVM FOUNDATION by donating.



Blog Tour: The Girl Next Door | Selene Castrovilla | Teaser | AVM Foundation | Giveaway


The Girl Next Door Tour
Welcome to our stop on THE GIRL NEXT DOOR blog tour. The book was written by Selene Castrovilla. The tour is hosted by A Book and A Latte PR.


The Girl Next Door
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Realistic Ficition
Released: May 24th 2013
Review Source: Blog Tour
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Two teens are forced to make some very grown-up decisions when one of them is diagnosed with terminal cancer, twisting them into an unpredictable nightmare. Best friends since toddlerhood, Samantha and Jesse grapple with the realization that they are actually in love. What now? Beautifully written while handling a very heavy topic, Castrovilla addresses the universal question: In a world where the worst can strike at any time, how can we ever feel safe?
The Girl Next Door Teaser:

     I cracked my eyes open. The sun shined in through his window, right on his shelves of trophies and awards on the wall facing us. A beautiful Saturday morning. Jesse should have been buttoning his blue and yellow pinstriped uniform, pushing his cap with the navy “M” on it over his curly black hair, lacing his cleats, grabbing his bat and heading into the park. Instead, the uniform and cap hung at the back of his closet, the cleats were tossed who knew where, the bat leaned in the far corner, and Jess lay in bed, some days barely able to walk.
     He probably won’t make it to eighteen. He’ll never even get to vote.
     I didn’t know whether I should open my eyes fully or not. He might get embarrassed. Or maybe he wanted me to wake up.
     I decided to do it.



ABOUT SELENE CASTROVILLA

Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning teen and children’s author who believes that through all trends,
humanity remains at the core of literature. She is the author of Saved By the Music and The Girl Next Door, teen novels originally published by WestSide Books and now available digitally through ASD Publishing. Her third children’s book with Calkins Creek Books, Revolutionary Friends, was released in April. She is also a contributing author to UncommonYA. Selene holds an MFA in creative writing from New School University and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons. Visit her website www.SeleneCastrovilla.com for book excerpts and more information!



SELENE CASTROVILLA TEAMS UP WITH THE AVM FOUNDATION 
Selene is pleased to team with the Anthony V. Mannino Foundation helping young adults in their fight against cancer. She will donate $1 for each book ordered during THE GIRL NEXT DOOR's Blog Tour!

Selene will send a free autographed copy of THE GIRL NEXT DOOR to anyone who donates $25 or more to the foundation (click here to donate!). For your purchase to count and/or to show proof of donation, just send a screenshot or receipt of your order or donation, along with your shipping address if necessary, through "Drop me a line" in the "Latest News" section of her website, selenecastrovilla.com.
The AVM Foundation Mission:
The Mission of The Anthony V. Mannino Foundation is to financially assist young adults in the age group of 18-26 while they are undergoing their cancer treatment. We also want to help development support programs to aid this unique age group, with their special needs, as they battle cancer.

We found that Anthony's age group of 18 plus, doesn't have the emotional or financial support that other age groups do. We are also aware of the unique situations that this age group faces and want to help those adolescents and their families.


TOUR SCHEDULE
September 9th
Katie's Books (Interview & Review)
A Book and a Latte (Excerpt)
September 16th
Writer's Alley (Interview)
Oops! I Read A Book Again (Review)
September 10th
Books Over Boys (Feature)
Happy Book Lovers (Review)
September 17th
The Storyteller's Scroll (Guest Post)
Dana's YA Bookpile (Review)
September 11th
Dear Teen Me (Feature)
Read For Your Future (Review)
September 18th
YA Reads (Interview)
My Library in the Making (Review)
September 12th
Books, Authors, Blogs (Guest Post )
Musings From An Addicted Reader (Review)
September 19th
Once Upon a Twilight (Review)
Total Teen Fiction (Review)
September 13th
Books and Needlepoint (Review)
alwaysjoart (Review)
September 20th
The Unconventional Librarian (Guest Post)
Mythical Books (Review)

GIVEAWAY: Grand prize is a Kindle Fire + THE GIRL NEXT DOOR ebook (US only), and 10 second prize winners will receive an ebook copy of THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (International).

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