Showing posts with label YA Contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA Contemporary. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Friday, November 16, 2018
Sneak Peek: When Our Worlds Meet Again by Aniesha Brahma!
~ Book Blitz ~
When Our Worlds Meet Again
by Aniesha Brahma
YA/NA Romance
16th November 2018
When Our Worlds Meet Again
by Aniesha Brahma
YA/NA Romance
16th November 2018
Two years after the events of 'When Our Worlds Collide', Zayn and Akriti are now leading extremely different lives. Akriti has come back from her stint at the business school and running her mother's café. Zayn has run into trouble in his PhD program and has come home for a break. While he thinks that things are just as he’d left them two years ago, that is far from the truth. In a last ditch attempt to make Akriti remember the connection they had once shared, Zayn tries to recreate all their memories. But things are never the same when collided worlds meet again.
Goodreads * Amazon
Sneak Peek
Prologue
2015.
Akriti was sitting at the cash counter
of her mother’s little café going over the expenses for the day. Her headphones
were plugged into her ears as she listened to songs on her phone. Her laptop
was propelled open in front of her as she made notes on what else needed to be
done the next day.
In the two years that she had been
gone, the café had not changed at all. Her mother had kept all the renovations
that Akriti and her colleagues had done two years ago. The only difference was
that now there was a bulletin board next to the chalkboard menu that had been
installed just a few weeks ago. On the bulletin board hung a poster that
announced that next week’s Poetry Slam would start at 6PM sharp, and Suzanna
needed to be contacted for early registration.
Akriti finished her work and shut down
her laptop. She looked around the café in grim satisfaction and let out a happy
little sigh. The music from her phone suddenly stopped playing. Glancing down
she saw that her phone had started buzzing, flashing a number she had not seen
on her phone in quite a while.
Debating for a minute, she received the
call.
“Hi, Zayn.”
Airports have seen more sincere kisses
than weddings it is said. As Zayn Banerjee waited to catch his flight back
home, he witnessed one too many couples bidding each other teary eyed goodbyes.
It was watching these strangers that he remembered how it had felt two years
ago when he had left his home behind in pursuit of higher studies. How he had
come to this alien land which had eventually led him to a lot of heartache and
misery!
But there had been something good about
those two years. There had been someone who had seen past all his imperfections
and focused only on the good that was in him. Who had been his friend against
all odds and yet, they had fallen out of touch with each other over the course
of two years. He wondered if she was still using the same number. He wondered
if she still had his number saved.
On an impulse, he pulled out his phone
and dialed her number. She answered it on the third ring.
“Hi, Zayn.”
“Akriti.”
He was pleased as punch that she
remembered him.
“Did you want something?”
“I am just calling to let you know that
I’d be home soon.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? Honestly, I was hoping for a
reaction better than oh.”
“Zayn, it’s really late here. Let’s
talk when you’re in town?”
“I’ll do you one better. I’ll come see
you.”
“Great. Safe flight.”
Then the line went dead. Zayn stared at
the phone, wondering if their friendship was lost over the course of time. This
wasn’t like the Akriti he remembered.
This wasn’t his Akriti at all.
Akriti hung up the phone feeling
utterly drained. Once upon a time this was a source of her happiness but
tonight he was a cause of her stress. The last thing she needed was for Zayn to
come barging into her life once more.
She remembered all the memories that
they had made together two years ago. The time when she’d finally felt okay to
let her guard down and just be herself. It seemed to her like it was a lifetime
ago. But he’d left. Like everyone else in her life and she had found herself
consumed by her loneliness. Going off to business school had only made Akriti
revert back to her old self.
That’s
a lie they tell you, Akriti thought bitterly to herself, as she put her
headphones back on and started listening to music again, time doesn’t heal a
damn thing. It just burns the memories into your mind.
And here she is...
Aniesha Brahma knew she wanted to be a writer since she was six years old. She was schooled in Dolna Day School and went on to pursue B.A., M.A., and M.Phil in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur Univeristy. She currently lives in Kolkata, with her family and five pet cats. She is the author of All Signs Lead Back to You, When Our Worlds Collide, The Guitar Girl and The Secret Proposal. She compiled and edited the 10 volumes series, 'Children's Classic Stories' with love and great efforts.Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Review: Frequency by Christopher Krovatin with Giveaway
FREQUENCY
Five years ago, Fiona was just a kid. But everything changed the night the Pit Viper came to town. Sure, he rid the quiet, idyllic suburb of Hamm of its darkest problems. But Fiona witnessed something much, much worse from Hamm’s adults when they drove him away.
And now, the Pit Viper is back.
Fiona’s not just a kid anymore. She can handle the darkness she sees in the Pit Viper, a DJ whose wicked tattoos, quiet anger, and hypnotic music seem to speak to every teen in town…except her. She can handle watching as each of her friends seems to be overcome, nearly possessed by the music. She can even handle her unnerving suspicion that the DJ is hell-bent on revenge.
But she’s not sure she can handle falling in love with him.
PURCHASE LINKS CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://entangledpublishing.com/frequency.html
MY TIDBITS
Sex, drugs, and music pound through every page, luring into a dark tale which grabs, twists and brings exciting chords.
Note: Although this book is sold for the Young Adult audience, the themes surrounding sex and drugs may not be appropriate for especially the younger end of this age group. I personally see this one first for ages 16+ if not older.
Fiona was a kid when her cousin over-dosed and died, but that was the most shocking moment for her. She witnessed something much worse, and it has everything to do with a DJ named Pit Viper.
Now, years later, Pit Viper is back and all of her friends are crazy about his music. A musician herself, Fiona doesn't completely understand the obsession, but as secrets unfold and past's pieces slowly fall into place, she realizes the danger they are all in. Not only is her heart at stake, but the lives of every teenager in town.
This is such a hard book to rate. On one hand, it is good. Very good. The writing flows and draws in making it hard to put the book down. Fiona is a bit hard to grasp in the beginning. She's a bit of a loner in some respects, but still has an awkwardness about her. As the book goes on, she grows and it's easier to connect with her. But her attitude stays raw and spiky the whole way through.
I wouldn't hand this over to readers under sixteen as the topics and attitudes tend to steer toward a slightly older age group. Drugs and sex are not shied away from...although these themes don't control the plot either. This is a raw read with very dark moments, but it's powerful too. The music aspects thread in seamlessly and give this a very original and refreshing twist. That alone deserves bonus points. There is passion, hatred, manipulation and very dark desires. It's an addicting combination.
The twist around the Pied Piper is very obvious and well done. While parallels are easy to see, other aspects are completely original and give this a deliciously dark side. It slides into modern reality well while maintaining a wonderfully, slightly magical taste.
The romance on this one is not sweet or cozy or satisfying. In many ways, to classify it as a romance is slightly off. There are moments of desire and tingling feelings and hopes of love, but it's woven around secrets and deceits, throwing the entire thing out of the area of a pure romance read.
I enjoyed many parts of this, while others were a little illogical or didn't flow quite right. But it was a very grabbing read and surprised in so many ways. It's definitely worth a read.
I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley and enjoyed reading this one quite a bit. So, I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
And here he is...
Chris Krovatin is an author and journalist of
some ill repute. His past novels include Heavy Metal & You, Venomous, and
the Gravediggers series. He is a contributor to Revolver Magazine and
MetalSucks.net, and formerly sang in Brooklyn-based metal band Flaming Tusk. He
is an avid fan of weird fiction, the occult, horror movies, heavy metal music,
and Halloween. A native New Yorker, he now lives in Denver, Colorado.
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Thursday, October 4, 2018
Review: After the Fire by Will Hill
AFTER THE FIRE
by Will Hill
Sourcebooks Fire
Oct. 2, 2018
YA Contemporary
464 pages
Before, she lived inside the fence. Before, she was never allowed to leave the property, never allowed to talk to Outsiders, never allowed to speak her mind. Because Father John controlled everything—and Father John liked rules. Disobeying Father John came with terrible consequences.
But there are lies behind Father John's words. Outside, there are different truths.
Then came the fire.
MY TIDBITS
Moonbeam has lived most of her seventeen years inside the compound. Her father died when she was younger. Her mother was banished only a few years before. The fence and gates protected her and her Brothers and Sisters from the evils of the Serpent beyond. They did as the lord wanted and tried to follow his rules. She tried to stay pure until she noticed the lies. Then, came the fire. Now, she's trapped again and must figure out where the truth in the past as well as the future lies.
I had read the blurb but was not prepared for this book. It is raw and hits basic questions about belief, manipulation and greed straight on. Moonbeam is a wonderful character full of strength and flaws. Sometimes she comes across a bit too clever considering her predicament, but it's not enough to snag the story. Through a trade-off between 'before' and 'after', what she experienced and what now awaits her sink in and grab. Each scene from her past and the truths it holds dribble in just at the right time as she tries to work out what happened to her and how to deal with it while gazing upon a future she never guessed she'd ever have. The author does a fantastic job pacing this just right. It keeps the tension high while allowing the emotional impact to bear down full force. And the read hits home.
Moonbeam's depictions of her past illustrate clearly how belief and trust can be twisted under the right circumstances. It shows how good people can be manipulated into something they wouldn't want to be if they realized what was going on. The scenes are harsh and cruel, but still, the novel enables the reader to understand how the circumstances can come about.
This isn't a light read but digs deep and leaves tons of food for thought. I wouldn't recommend this for younger YAers, since it addresses some pretty tough material and cruelty. But it's not a read to avoid by any means. The messages are harsh yet full of hope and make it clear what is acceptable and what not. The reader comes away thinking, and this is exactly what should happen. I highly recommend this read to ages sixteen and above.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Review: White as Silence, Red as Song by Alessandro D'Avenia
WHITE AS SILENCE,
RED AS SONG
by Alessandro D'Avenia
Thomas Nelson
September 4th, 2018
YA Contemporary / Romance
272 pages
International bestseller White as Milk, Red as Blood, has been called the Italian The Fault in Our Stars.
Leo is an ordinary sixteen-year-old: he loves hanging out with his friends, playing soccer, and zipping around on his motorbike. The time he has to spend at school is a drag, and his teachers are "a protected species that you hope will become extinct," so when a new history and philosophy teacher arrives, Leo greets him with his usual antipathy. But this young man turns out to be different. His eyes sparkle when he talks, and he encourages his students to live passionately, and follow their dreams.
Leo now feels like a lion, as his name suggests, but there is still one thing that terrifies him: the color white. White is absence; everything related to deprivation and loss in his life is white. Red, on the other hand, is the color of love, passion and blood; red is the color of Beatrice's hair. Leo's dream is a girl named Beatrice, the prettiest in school. Beatrice is irresistible - one look from her is enough to make Leo forget about everything else.
There is, however, a female presence much closer to Leo, which he finds harder to see because she's right under his nose: the ever-dependable and serene Silvia. When he discovers that Beatrice has leukemia and that her disease is related to the white that scares him so much, Leo is forced to search within himself, to bleed and to be reborn. In the process, he comes to understand that dreams must never die, and he finds the strength to believe in something bigger than himself.
White as Milk, Red as Blood is not only a coming-of-age story and the narrative of a school year, but it is also a bold novel that, through Leo's monologue - at times easy-going and full of verve, at times more intimate and anguished - depicts what happens when suffering and shock burst into the world of a teenager, and the world of adults is rendered speechless.
MY TIDBITS
Leo is as his name—a lion with untame hair and stealth. Too bad his bravery ends when he faces feelings of being alone, feelings he sees as white and empty. The most meaningful color of his life is red, the color of Beatrice, a girl he's fallen in love with but never spoken to. He's not sure she even knows he exists. But when a substitute teacher inspires Leo to find his dream and live for it, his world starts to change. Until he discovers a horrible twist of fate which threatens to crush his dreams and change his views on reality.
I'm not usually a huge fan of deep thoughts and literary literature. As I read the first chapter, I was fairly sure I might be setting this book aside. The idea of a teenage boy viewing life in two colors didn't seem realistic. But after another chapter, I was hooked. The words pull in, never too many and never too few. Leo is exposed in all of his simpleness, complexity and rawness. And it's addicting.
During the first chapters, Leo's thoughts are more random, shooting off with a bit of chaos in the same way his views of life and those around him are unsettled. The modern day references make it easy to connect with him, and his concerns are very normal for his age. He's a little lost, but not completely, and wishes to find more sense in life and everything around him. Because nothing really sits perfectly. As the chapters continue and those around him as well as the situations cause him to rethink his views and opinions, his thoughts become more focused and settled. The writing matures as Leo does—a masterful weave.
Despite the depth of the emotions and thoughts, this was an easy read. The chapters are kept short, letting each moment hit and leave a quick impression before moving on. This also keeps the pacing afloat, guaranteeing that there's never too much time spent in one area. The problems hit hard and targeted, making the messages clear before heading right into the next. There's also a tad bit of teenage snark built it (a tiny dash), which keeps the story for growing too heavy at times. And there are heavy moments which Leo has to work his way through and understand. The religious aspects flowed in just as smoothly, never preachy and perfectly natural. In other words, everything is well done, and in my opinion, this book deserves all the praise it's received.
Having already sold over a million copies in Italy, Alessandro D’Avenia’s debut novel is considered the Italian The Fault in Our Stars. Now available in English for the first time, this rich, funny, and heartwarming coming-of-age tale asks us to explore the meaning—and the cost—of friendship, and shows us what happens when suffering bursts into the world of teenagers and renders the world of adults speechless.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
So Glad To Meet You by Lisa Super with Giveaway
So Glad to Meet You
by
Lisa Super
YA Contemporary / Romance
"At once bitingly funny and strikingly poignant, Lisa Super's powerful debut touches on grief, identity, and first love, the perfect read for fans of John Green, Mary H. K. Choi and Rainbow Rowell." --Julia Lynn Rubin, author of Burro Hills
"At once bitingly funny and strikingly poignant, Lisa Super's powerful debut touches on grief, identity, and first love, the perfect read for fans of John Green, Mary H. K. Choi and Rainbow Rowell." --Julia Lynn Rubin, author of Burro Hills
Daphne
and Oliver have almost nothing in common...
Seventeen-year-old
Daphne Bowman, a bookish drama nerd in public school, might never
have crossed paths with Oliver, the popular, outgoing mascot for his
private school's football team, but one event has bound them
inextricably. Daphne's older sister, Emily, and Oliver's older
brother, Jason, who were high school sweethearts, committed suicide
together seven years earlier.
When Daphne uncovers
Emily and Jason's bucket list--a list comprised of their "Top
Ten" places to visit before they die--she knows she has to tell
someone. The one person who might actually get what she's going
through and who might not think it's silly that she wants to complete
the list, is also someone she's never spoken to--Oliver Pagano.
Throwing caution to the wind, Daphne sends Oliver a Facebook message
that will come to change the course of both of their senior
years--and maybe their entire lives.
Tackling grief with a
wry voice and an unflinching eye, So Glad to Meet You tells the story
of two people who, in searching for what they've lost, end up finding
what they never knew they needed--each other.
Lisa Super is a brunch enthusiast based in Los Angeles. She's worked on a number of TV shows ranging from pop culture phenomenons (Flavor of Love) to traumedy gold (One Mississippi). While every day in LA is an adventure, traveling with her husband across the globe is her favorite hobby. SO GLAD TO MEET YOU is her first novel.
Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
Friday, July 27, 2018
Happy Book Birthday, The Heart of Aleppo by Ammar Habib with Giveaway!
The Heart of Aleppo
by Ammar Habib
YA Coming of Age/Contemporary
235 pages
After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo’s ruin came overnight. Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity’s spirit of hope burns brightest.
Goodreads / Amazon
SNEAK PEEK
Two days before Nabeel leaves for the last time, I find him standing at the kitchen counter with his friend, Zakariah. I don’t know his rank, but Zakariah serves directly under Nabeel in the army and only lives two miles down the road. The two of them always seem to be on leave at the same time. Their voices are low, almost secretive, but I catch the look in Nabeel’s eye. Except back then, I didn’t recognize it. “What are you guys talking about?” Seeing me enter and hearing my voice, they both look my way before exchanging glances. That gleam in Nabeel’s eyes disappears. I excitedly run up to the two of them. “Tell me!” Nabeel looks back down at me as he stops leaning against the counter. Reaching down, he ruffles my hair. “You’re too young to know about that, Zaid.” “Aww, what’s that about? I’m not part of the group now—” My brother playfully flicks me on the forehead as he crouches down a little. “I’m sorry, buddy. Maybe next time.” “You’re always saying that.” Zakariah laughs as he comes closer to me. He puts his hand on my shoulder. “That’s just not fair, Nabeel. You’re a horrible brother for leaving Zaid out like that.” I see a concerned expression momentarily wash over Nabeel’s face. However, Zakariah glances up at Nabeel and shoots him a quick wink as he continues. “Why don’t I just tell you then?” My eyes light up. “Really! You’re the best, Zakariah.” Coming to his knees, he puts his arm around my shoulders and leans close, acting as if he is about to tell me the world’s biggest secret. “You see, Zaid, your brother and I were having a discussion about which one of us would win in a wrestling match. We all know that I’m stronger, but he just won’t admit it.” He sighs and shakes his head as he looks back at Nabeel. “But you agree with me, don’t you, Zaid?” I don’t hesitate to respond. “No way!” He moves his head back in surprise. “Huh?” “Sure you’re pretty strong, but my brother would beat you!” Zakariah is slow to reply, taken aback by the statement. “C’mon, Zaid. You do realize that I’m older than him—” “Age has nothing to do with it, Zakariah! My brother was the school’s wrestling champion. He wouldn’t lose to you.” I whip my head to look back at Nabeel. “Right, big brother?” Nabeel is slightly smiling now. With a chuckle, Zakariah rises back to his feet. “Alright, alright. Well, I best be off, Nabeel. We can finish our little discussion next time.” Nabeel shakes his hand. “Give my greetings to your folks.” “I will.” Zakariah grabs my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “See you, Zaid—no, sorry: Dr. Zaid.” Did he really just call me that? How did he know? Hearing Zakariah’s footsteps grow faint, I turn back to Nabeel. He opens the fridge door and rummages through it. “You told him?” I ask. Nabeel doesn’t look my way. “I tell everyone.” I watch him pull out a pound of chicken meat rolled up in brown paper as he turns back to me. “Aisha is visiting her parents tonight and Abbi and Ummi are having dinner with friends. So looks like it’ll just be you and me.” Nabeel shoots me a wink. “I’m going to make some shwarma for dinner. Just the way you like it: tomatoes, lettuce, onions, lots of chicken, and even more spices.” He starts setting the ingredients on the countertop. “I went by Sohail’s shop today. The mangoes he was selling were ripe, so I picked some up. We can have them for dessert. That is if we have room.” He looks back at me with a smile, but it fades when he sees my expression. “What’s wrong, Zaid?” I glance at the ground before replying, “I don’t think I want to be a doctor anymore.” “Why not?” “…I don’t think I can.” He takes a few steps towards me before crouching down to come to my eye level, urging me to continue. “Ms. Farooq said I’m not smart enough.” “She did?” “I got the lowest score in the class on the last math test. She said I’m not cut out for it.” “I didn’t realize Ms. Farooq could tell the future.” I don’t respond. “Did you tell Abbi or Ummi?” I shake my head. He takes a deep breath and glances down at my feet. His eyes look like he’s weighing something, wondering if he should say it or not. When he does speak, his voice is different. It’s no longer speaking to me as his younger brother but as his friend. “You know, Zaid, Zakariah was joking about what we were talking about.” “Really?” He nods before his gaze focuses back on me. “Not even a few weeks ago, my soldiers and I were in a bit of a… well, situation.” “What happened?” “We were in Homs. The people we were fighting—the rebels—had heavy control of some neighborhoods. We were trying to take them back. It was…” A silence ensues as he searches for the word. “Difficult.” Nabeel pauses. “Some soldiers were pinned. The army tried an airstrike to break the rebel lines. It was a heavy bombardment that leveled entire streets. The cost was high. But we couldn’t break their lines.” I don’t interrupt him. “Our intelligence said it was a lost cause. We were ordered to abandon the soldiers. They said we would lose more men than we would save. But even the army’s ‘intelligence’ doesn’t know everything.” He looks away. “Zakariah and I disobeyed our commanding officer. As did our men. Those soldiers that were pinned weren’t just men. They were my friends… my brothers. And I would never abandon them, even if it led to…” For a moment, his eyes again display that same gleam, but it disappears as quickly as it came. His gaze again meets mine. It’s firmer this time, stronger. “It doesn’t matter what people say, Zaid. It doesn’t matter what the facts say. All that matters is what you say. And, maybe more importantly, what you do.” I hang on his words, unable to say anything. “Why do you want to be a doctor, Zaid?” “I’ve always wanted to.” “But why?” “Because… I don’t want to see people suffer. I… I want to be the one to help others. I want to save lives, make a difference and put others before myself. I want to make this world a better place. Just like the Imam always talks about.” Nabeel smiles. “Never forget that. And never go back on your word. No matter what happens. Please never forget one thing, Zaid: I love you. No matter the circumstance—no matter if I’m so far from you that you may never see me again, know that I’m with you.” He presses his finger against my heart. “I believe in you, Zaid.”
And here he is...
Ammar Habib is a bestselling and award-winning author who was born in Lake Jackson, Texas in 1993. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining but will also stay with the reader for a long time. Ammar presently resides in his hometown with his family, all of whom are his biggest fans. He draws his inspiration from his family, imagination, and the world around him.
You can find Ammar Habib...
Website:www.ammarahsenhabib.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ammarahsenhabib
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmmarAHabib1 @AmmarAHabib1
Blog: www.ammarhabibblog.wordpress.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Ammar_Habib
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ammar.a.habib/ @Ammar.A.Habib
GIVEAWAY!!!
In conjunction with the release of The Heart of Aleppo, Ammar is running a giveaway from July 26th to August 3rd. The prize of the giveaway is a signed copy of his national award-winning novel, Memories of My Future. Memories of My Future is a historical/inspirational novel that was published in 2016. It received several accolades after its release, including the Independent Press Award in May 2017. Go here to visit the giveaway!Why Ammar wrote The Heart of Aleppo:
I personally believe that the Syrian Civil War is one of this generation’s greatest tragedies. With the way it is proceeding, it’ll be remembered by future generations in the same manner that we remember the Rwandan genocide and the Bosnian War of the 1990s. The motivation for writing The Heart of Aleppo was simple: I wished to bring more global attention to this crisis. Although the characters are fictitious, this novel accurately depicts the events that transpired in Aleppo during the summer of 2012. I hope that reading this will lead readers to have a greater understanding of the plight those in Syria face, as well as those in other war-torn regions. If this work helps garner more attention for those in Syria, then I will have considered this project a success. In an over-politicized world, my wish is for this work to humanize those we call “refugees”. The Heart of Aleppo is not about the politics of the Syrian Civil War or any other conflict. Its aim is not to convince readers to support any faction or political party. Instead, this story is about the unbreakable spirit of humanity. It is about how humanity often shows its true strength during the darkest times. I truly hope that these themes of hope and strength will resonate with readers. I know that simply writing this The Heart of Aleppo changed me as a person, and it made me more aware of everything that transpires in the world around me. Although the world will never be perfect, I believe that if we keep our faith in the human spirit and keep striving to always better ourselves and those around us, then we can create a little piece of heaven on earth.Saturday, July 21, 2018
Guest Post with author Meg Leder, Letting Go of Gravity, and Giveaway!
Letting Go of Gravity
by Meg Leder
Simon Pulse
July 17th 2018
YA Contemporary
“The anticipation and slow burn of Parker and Finn’s relationship is electric…[an] absorbing novel that will appeal to fans of Rainbow Rowell.” —Booklist
Parker struggles to reconnect with her twin brother, Charlie—who’s recovering from cancer—as she tries to deal with her anxiety about the future in this powerful new novel.
Twins Parker and Charlie are polar opposites.
Where Charlie is fearless, Parker is careful.
Charlie is confident while Parker aims to please.
Charlie is outgoing and outspoken; Parker is introverted and reserved.
And of course, there’s the one other major difference: Charlie got cancer. Parker didn’t.
But now that Charlie is officially in remission, life couldn’t be going better for Parker. She’s landed a prestigious summer internship at the hospital and is headed to Harvard in the fall to study pediatric oncology—which is why the anxiety she’s felt since her Harvard acceptance is so unsettling. And it doesn’t help that her relationship with Charlie has been on the rocks since his diagnosis.
Enter Finn, a boy who’s been leaving strange graffiti messages all over town. Parker can’t stop thinking about those messages, or about Finn, who makes her feel free for the first time: free to doubt, free to make mistakes, and free to confront the truth that Parker has been hiding from for a long time.
That she keeps trying to save Charlie, when the person who really needs saving is herself.
GUEST POST by MEG LEDER...
In my new book Letting Go of Gravity, my main character Parker struggles with anxiety, even though she doesn’t quite know what’s going on until the end of the book. As someone who also has a hard time getting out of her own head, like Parker, I’ve discovered a few ways to help manage my busy mind. Here are some of the tricks Parker and I have used to calm ourselves:
- Immerse yourself in the words of others. For Parker, it’s listening to Taylor Swift. For me, it’s finding a book that I can lose myself in. Sometimes, the mere act of letting yourself spend time with other voices is enough to give your worried mind a break.
- Get busy. In my book, Parker starts helping out at a local ceramics shop, working with a group of old women while discovering the joy of making things with her own two hands. For me, it’s writing and being a reading buddy at a local elementary school. Creating and volunteering are both great ways of slowing the worry train, letting your mind focus on other avenues.
- Be kind to yourself. It’s very easy to be mad at yourself when you’re anxious. You know that you’re not thinking rationally, but that doesn’t stop the anxious thoughts. But being mad at yourself doesn’t help you feel better—in fact, it makes Parker (and me) feel worse. Instead of being hard on yourself, be kind. You can’t always stop the thoughts, but you can at recognize that anxiety is hard and you’re doing the best you can.
- Talk to your friends and family. Throughout the book, Parker’s new friends Ruby and Finn encourage her to talk about her feelings, and it’s only when she starts to tell people that she’s worried and scared that things start to get better. I’ve found that being open about my worried thoughts with people I trust—my family, my best friends, my therapist—is often the first step toward owning and overcoming my anxiety.
- Know that it’s okay to seek help. It takes Parker a long time (a whole book!) to recognize she needs help in managing her worry. It took me twenty-plus years. More than anything, I hope that anyone who sees a little or a lot of themselves in Parker knows it’s okay to ask for help, whether it’s from a teacher, trusted adult, therapist, or good friend. Anxiety can be a hard road, but having someone on your side can make the journey a lot easier.
I hope you enjoy Letting Go of Gravity, and if you’re anxious too, please know you’re not alone—Parker and I are both with you.
And here she is...
A former bookseller and teacher, Meg Leder currently works as a book editor in New York City. Her role models are Harriet the Spy and Anne Shirley. She is the coauthor of The Happy Book, and spends her free time reading, looking for street art, and people watching. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Monday, July 16, 2018
Sneak Peek: The Boyfriend Whisperer by Linda Budzinski with Giveaway
The Boyfriend Whisperer
by Linda Budzinski
Swoon Romance
November 15th 2016
YA Contemporary, Romance
As President and CEO of Boyfriend Whisperer Enterprises, Lexi Malloy is Grand View High School’s undercover Cupid. One problem: She’s stuck in the friend zone when it comes to her own crush, Chris Broder. She and Chris have been best friends since the third grade, and he doesn’t even seem to realize she’s is a member of the opposite sex.
When pretty and popular cheerleader Lindsay LaRouche hires Lexi to whisper Chris, she has to decide whether to place her commitment to her company—and Chris’s happiness—before herself.
SNEAK PEEK
I start with Jolene. I watched Brendon staring at her this afternoon during the pep rally. He’s falling hard. No need to play it subtle. He likes spicy food, so Red Hots are an obvious choice, in a heart-shaped tin. What should the card say? Something super flirty. “Let’s heat it up on Valentine’s.” No … “spice it up.” I jot that down and move on to my next client.
Just as I’m picking out a sweet YouTube link I want her to send her BF-to-be, Coach Reilly pulls my earbud out and scares me half to death.
“Malloy! I’m talking to you. What are you working on?”
I slam my tablet shut. “What? Homework. Sorry. What do you need?”
She shoves my backpack to the floor and plops down beside me. “Let’s talk about tomorrow. We’re expecting scouts from all over. Rumor has it someone from U Conn might even turn up.”
She pauses as if to gauge my reaction, so I force a smile. “U Conn? Wow. That’s great.”
She leans in. “There’ll be a lot of buzz in that arena. Parents, coaches, other players. They’ll all be talking about the scouts and about you and your future. Here’s the thing: You need to ignore them.”
“Ignore them.”
“Exactly. You have one job tomorrow, and that’s to play the best game Alexis Malloy knows how to play. Run, pass, shoot, rebound. That’s it. The rest is static. Ignore the static.”
“Got it. Static.”
Coach furrows her brow. “You nervous?”
“Maybe a little.”
She pats my arm as she stands. “A little nervousness is good. You’ve got this, Malloy. You can do it.”
I smile and slump back into my seat. The fact is, I’m not at all nervous. I only said that so she wouldn’t launch into a lecture about being too cocky. She’s forever vacillating between warning me not to be too nervous and not to be too cocky, when in reality, I’m neither. The truth is, when it comes to college scouts, I just wish they’d leave me alone.
And here she is...
My young adult novels, EM & EM (2015) and THE FUNERAL SINGER (2013), were both published by Swoon Romance YA. My upcoming novel, THE BOYFRIEND WHISPERER, scheduled for publication in fall of 2016 by Swoon, received the Romance Writers of America Young Adult Chapter’s 2015 Rosemary Award and the Virginia Chapter’s 2015 Fool for Love Award.
I live in Northern Virginia with my husband, Joe, and our feisty chihuahua, Demitria (also known as Dee Dee, The Puppy, and Killer). I’m a sucker for romance and reality TV and have been known to turn off my phone’s ringer when watching “The Bachelor.”
My favorite flower is the daisy, my favorite food is chocolate, and my favorite song is “Amazing Grace.”
When I’m not writing, I work in nonprofit management. I’m represented by the amazing Andrea Somberg of Harvey Klinger Inc.
Happy Book Birthday, Groupie by Denise Jaden
Groupie
by Denise Jaden
YA Contemporary (with romantic suspense elements)
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s Reviews & PR
Kass, never in a million years, would have pictured herself as someone’s groupie, but when Eli and his band score a spot on the hot new reality TV show, Hold That Note, she decides to surprise him in L.A… and hopefully win back his heart.
Denise Jaden’s novels have been shortlisted or received awards through the Romance Writers of America, Inspy, and SCBWI. The first draft of her debut novel, Losing Faith, was written in 21 days during NaNoWriMo 2007 and she loves talking with writers and students alike about her Just-Get-To-The-End fast-drafting process.
Find out more at denisejaden.com.
Author Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2Ge6uID
Twitter: https://twitter.com/denisejaden
Buy Links:
Outcast: http://amzn.to/2Gikqlf
Roadie: https://amzn.to/2Ghfn0Y
Pusher: https://amzn.to/2JJh8p7
Runner: https://amzn.to/2IiU2Z7
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