Happy Halloween! It's Giveaway Time! Undeadly by Michele Vail

Undeadly by Michele Vail
Release Date: November 20th/12.
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:
The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

This title is one of the most highly anticipated Fall YA releases of this year, and with good reason, it's a great book!  I will be posting a full review on this exciting paranormal read, closer to it's release date, BUT I wanted to give you all a chance to win some awesome swag!

Please read the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter!

There will be THREE winners, oh and it's INTERNATIONAL!

Good Luck to All! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

This week's pick doesn't come out until May of 2013! But it looks amazing!

Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield

Release Date: May 7th

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

Sing and the darkness will find you.

Shipwrecked on an island seven years ago, Lucy has been warned she must never sing, or disaster will strike. But on All Hallows Eve, Lucy hears tantalizing music in the air. When she sings it, she unlocks a terrible secret: She is a Chantress, a spell-singer, brought to the island not by shipwreck but by a desperate enchantment gone wrong.

Her song lands her back in England — and in mortal peril, for the kingdom lies in the cruel grasp of a powerful Lord Protector and his mind-reading hunters, the Shadowgrims. The Protector has killed all Chantresses, for they alone can destroy the Shadowgrims. Only Lucy has survived.

In terrible danger, Lucy takes shelter with Nat, a spy who turns her heart upside-down. Nat has been working with his fellow scholars of the Invisible College to overthrow the Lord Protector, and they have long hoped to find a living Chantress to help them. But Lucy is completely untrained, and Nat deeply distrusts her magic. If Lucy cannot master the songspells, how long can she even stay alive?

Beguiling and lyrical, dangerous and romantic, Chantress will capture readers in a spell they won’t want to break.

What titles are you waiting on this week?

Happy Reading!!!

Teaser Tuesday: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

This week's teaser is brought to you from Tahereh Mafi's upcoming sequel to Shatter Me, Unravel Me. Which will be available from HarperTeen in early February 2013!

Enjoy!

It's like swimming in molasses, this kiss, it's like being dipped in gold, this kiss, it's like I'm diving into an ocean of emotion and I'm too swept up in the current to realize I'm drowning and nothing even matters anymore. Not my hand which no longer seems to hurt, not this room that isn't entirely mine, not this war we're supposed to be fighting,  not my worries about who or what I am and what I might become.

Unravel Me, p. 104

Happy Reading!!!

Some Exciting News!

Hi everyone, I apologize for my lack of What's the Story McCoy? posts for the past two weeks, but I promise next week's is going to be epic!

But I have some very exciting news, the blog will be welcoming a second reviewer! That's right, we're getting a SECOND REVIEWER, so there will be twice the reviews, woohoo! 

This is going to be especially special because she will be reviewing Middle Grade Titles, and here's the exciting part, SHE'S ONLY 9-YEARS-OLD. That's right you're gonna be getting real thoughts on MG titles from a REAL MIDDLE-GRADER!

Exciting, right? I guarantee you she's excited to start this adventure. I will be posting her reviews on Fridays and she will have her own weekly feature. She's still deciding on a pen name for herself (as we will not be using her real one) and once she's decided I will announce it here on the blog.

I can't wait for this next adventure!

Happy Reading!!!

ARC Review: The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams

The Shattered Dark (Shadow Reader #2)
By: Sandy Williams
Release Date: October 30th!!! (Psst that's the day before Halloween!)
Publisher: ACE (Division of Penguin)
Source: E-ARC provided from publisher via Netgalley
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

WARNING!!! THIS IS A SEQUEL, AND MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS FROM THE SHADOW READER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...

McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows… 

McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save.

My Thoughts:

Fans of THE SHADOW READER will not be disappointed with Williams sophomore novel!

The action is just as heart-pounding and the love-triangle develops further, in the most unexpected ways.

Sandy took McKenzie and her gang all over the map in this sequel, I could never anticipate where they would end up next, loved the mystery of the adventure. McKenzie sets out to rescue her best (and only) friend, Paige who's been captured by the enemy, but are they really the enemy? New characters and a love interest for Paige, leave McKenzie wondering who the true bad guys are. Unlikely alliances just may develop out of this instalment.

We get to learn a lot more about McKenzie in THE SHATTERED DARK. Williams gives the reader a few glimpses of her past, and we find out how she and Paige met and the reason they became best friends. We're also given flashbacks into the ten-year relationship between McKenzie and Kyol, after reading these scenes, the reader can understand why McKenzie was willing to wait so long for Kyol to finally commit. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Aren, but I wouldn't write Kyol off just yet!

Because we do learn something important about Aren's past loyalties that has the chance of ruining any possibility of a future between him and McKenzie, romantic or otherwise. (I'm not going to spoil the mystery, so you'll just have to read to find out :) but I will say, it's pretty big, and pretty relevant to McKenzie's past.)

I can't believe I have to wait another year for the next instalment, it's almost enough to make me wish I waited until the entire series was released. It's really just that good! Definitely on my top 5 list of best Urban Fantasy, and that ending? It will leave you screaming at both Aren and McKenzie.

My only complaint about THE SHATTERED DARK is that there wasn't enough one-on-one time between McKenzie and Aren, but only because there was just so much action going on. I look forward to seeing where Sandy will take these two (and Kyol) in book #3!

Do NOT pass up this series, if you love Urban Fantasy with a kick-butt heroine, and two devastatingly handsome Knights-in-shining-armor, than you must reader Sandy Williams' SHADOW READER SERIES! I look forward to book #3.

Happy Reading!!!

Waiting on Wednesday: With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

This week's pick leaves me with a feeling of nostalgia. I still remember calling up all my local chapters the day of My Soul to Take was released, requesting to put a copy on hold. It was HarlequinTEEN's first release and the beginning of a long love affair with all of this publisher's work. (I even had the amazing opportunity to intern for a Summer for the TEEN imprint). And it all started with the release of Vincent's first YA book.

Sigh, Kaylee, Nash, Tod I'm going to miss you all SO MUCH! Sabine- not so much haha

I'm sorry I have no synopsis for this book but I've linked back to Goodreads so you can get a feel for Vincent's Soul Screamers series

With All My Soul (Soul Screamers #7) by Rachel Vincent

Release Date: March 19th/12.

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Synopsis: N/A

That's my pick this week! What titles are you waiting on?

Happy Reading!!!

Teaser Tuesday: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading

This week's teaser is brought to you from Kimberly Derting's upcoming Simon and Schuster release, The Essence (Pledge #2). Enjoy!

I held my breath and took a step. Only this time I wasn't standing on the same slimy surface I'd been on before. This time I stood on something rigid, something scaly, something alive.

The Essence, p. 195

Happy Tuesday and Happy Reading!!!

Stitch Blog Tour: Spotlight and Review

Today I'm glad to be one of the blog stops on the STITCH BLOG TOUR to celebrate the release of Stitch (#1 Stitch Trilogy) by Samantha Durante.

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Here's a little info on the book!!!

STITCH (#1 Stitch Trilogy)

By: Samantha Durante

NOW AVAILABLE!!! (Order here)

Source: Finished copy from author

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence.  In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless.  But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…

About the Author:

As an avid lifelong reader of fiction of all sorts, there’s nothing I find more engrossing than an epic sci-fi/fantasy/romance series. I’ve whiled away countless weekends of my life immersed in richly-woven worlds that someone else was kind enough to put on paper, and I’ve always felt a debt of gratitude to these wonderful authors – J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Christopher Paolini, Sharon Shinn, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, and most recently Lauren Oliver and Veronica Roth, to name a few.

Stitch – my very first novel, and part one of an upcoming trilogy – is my humble attempt to return the favor. My dream is to bring the same enjoyment and delight to readers that these authors have brought to my life. If you find yourself staying up just a little too late to finish another chapter, or sneaking into the bathroom at work to read when things are slow, I will know I have done my job!

Contact Samantha:

Facebook

Goodreads

Blog

Contact Page

My Thoughts:

I have NEVER read anything like Stitch.

Durante has taken the popular genres of today's YA, (i.e. Dystopian, Romance and Sci-fi) and put her own unique spin on them, with a bone-chilling plot that combines the harsh society of Divergent with the cruel "Reality" T.V. experience of The Hunger Games and Truman Show.

I found myself sympathizing with Alessa throughout my reading of Stitch, not just for her loss, but her loneliness. She's attempting to reinvent herself, after suffering through a year of guilt and grief, once an A student, she's now forced to go to the one University that would accept her, after her disastrous final year of high school. She lives with a bunch of Sorority sisters but finds a companion in her one sister, Janie and a ghostly, blue-eyed figure that continues to pop-up at the most unexpected moments. She feels this magnetic pull towards this ghostly figure, Isaac, that she doesn't understand. Along with Alessa, I to was feeling confused and even frustrated over these feelings. I was so desperate for her to figure out why this boy kept appearing, but once I did I was blown away by the twist in Stitch's plot. The synopsis does not even cover HALF of the depth of this book! (I'm not going to go into depth regarding this twist because I think it's essential to the mystery of the book).

While a large portion of Stitch is narrated from Alessa's third person point-of-view, we're given a few chapters from Isaac's perspective, which was a nice change of pace and gave the reader a look into Isaac's side of the story, and we find out he's just as confused as Alessa! I kept wanting to scream WHY???? I'm a huge fan of romance, as I state quite frequently, so I would've liked more development between Alessa and Isaac on the physical side, but I understand it's hard for them both knowing that their memories have been stripped.

While there isn't that much action in the first half of this book, Durante certainly does a great job of building up the suspense to a very dramatic, and unexpected climax. I believe that it's predecessor, Shudder will have much more action and hopefully a more developed romance! I also wouldn't mind the return of Nikhil. :)

Durante's debut relies heavily on descriptive prose. There is dialogue, of course, throughout Stitch, but we're mainly given descriptions on characters internal thoughts and emotions and the environment surrounding them, one might worry that the story might grow stale. But Samantha's writing stays fresh throughout the story, that the reader isn't distracted by any repetitive verbs or adjectives, and has a clear image of the events surrounding Alessa and Issac. 

After reading Stitch, I'm kind of left wondering, what's real and what's created to make me believe it's real, is Sarah really my sister, is my house REALLY my house? Do I really have privacy, who's watching me? What century is it, really?! Yes I know paranoia galore, but once you've read the book you'll understand what I mean!

Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of Dystopian and Sci-fi, the twist of this book is just so innovative and refreshing. Can't wait to get my hands on Shudder, let the showdown commence!

Special thanks to Samantha for allowing me to participate in this blog tour!!!

Happy Reading!!!

Who will you ENTICE? Blog Tour

Today I'm excited to be one of the stops on Who will you ENTICE? Blog Tour celebrating Jessica Shirvington's Sophomore release, Entice!

Here's some info on the book!!!

Entice  (Embrace #2)

by: Jessica Shirvington

Now Available!!!

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: ARC swap with another Blogger

The war between Exiles and Angels is on—and she’s wanted by both sides.

Seventeen-year-old Violet Eden is learning what it means to be Grigori: part angel and part human with a destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels. Knowing who to trust is key, but when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even her partner, Lincoln. Violet has to learn to live with her feelings for him while they work together to stay alive and stop the exiles from discovering the key to destroy all Grigori.

It isn’t easy. Especially when the electricity between Violet and Phoenix ignites, and she discovers his hold over her has become more dangerous than ever. With Lincoln’s secrets and Phoenix’s mysterious schemes, Violet is truly on her own. The race to find the one artifact that could tilt the balance of power between Angels and Exiles brings them to the cradle of civilization, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

The story continues with EMBLAZE in March 2013!

Here's a teaser trailer for ENTICE!

My Thoughts:

Like Embrace, except sexier and more action-packed!

I can't get enough of this series, I really wish I lived in Australia, so I could get my hands on the rest of this series! Haha

Entice basically picks up, where Embrace left off. Violet is training to be the best Grigori she can, while trying to not let her true feelings for her partner in crime, Lincoln, affect her improvement, and vice versa. There were times throughout this book that I just wanted to take both their head and smack them together because they're so frustrating! But at the same time I love the tension that Shirvington builds between them. There were some steamy moments, moments of irritation and  then there were moments where I wanted to hug them both and tell them we'd work through this, because Violet and Lincoln are meant to be, it's as simple as that.

And let's not forget the elusive Pheonix. I still can't figure out the true motives behind this character. I feel like there may be some good left in him, and he may even truly care for Violet, BUT some of his actions (especially in this book) give me pause. You just wouldn't treat someone you claim to love and care about, in that manner. He's way to selfish to be truly sexy in my book. 

We're introduced to a new group of Grigori in Entice, among them, Spence, who is quickly becoming my favourite character of all (he's tied with Lincoln). He's the comedic relief that Embrace was definitely lacking, and I actually wouldn't mind him as a possible love interest for Violet, but I think he's going to remain her male bestie. 

We also see the return of Onyx, who is now human, and has a whole personality to go along with his mortality. I really love this new Onyx, although I worry he may be needing to attend some AA meetings in the near future...

Magda returns, as well, as Violet's arch-nemsis in more ways than you'd think (you'll have to read to find out what I mean...) :)

As I said before, the romance that Violet and Lincoln share is bittersweet. Shirvington does a great job of showcasing their feelings for one another, but has penned a reasonable reasons for why they can't "consummate" these feelings. I seriously wanna cry, for them, at the injustice of it all!

I do feel a need to mention that the paranormal elements of this book, more specifically, the Angel Hierarchy, at times had me a bit confused. I never knew who had the more power, and how one related to the other. Shirvington does include a legend which explains the Hierarchy though, I guess I just need to review it again. haha.

Overall, I loved this second instalment and have already put in my request for Book 3, Emblaze so fingers crossed it's ready soon haha, cause I'm not sure I can wait until March 2013!

Fans of Shirvington will not be disappointed with this one. If you enjoy a good Angel story with a clear cut Good vs. Bad (Angels and Exiles), and a love interest from both sides, than you're sure to enjoy Jessica Shirvington's Embrace series!

Happy Reading!!!

ARC Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2) 

By: Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: October 23rd/12.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: E-ARC from publisher
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

My Thoughts:

Warning!!!! This is a sequel and I strongly recommend that you not read this book until you have read THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER. There are many references to the Unbecoming. You have been warned!

This was a heavy read, Hodkin's writing is unparalleled to any other YA of it's genre. The drama that surrounds this book and its characters can be a little overwhelming at times. But it is entertaining, nevertheless.

The dialogue between the characters, especially Mara and Noah, reminded me of the old show, Dawson's Creek, I almost always felt the need to go and grab my dictionary to figure out what the hell they're saying to each other. I mean, I get that they're suppose to be smart and well-educated, but what teenager talks like that?

Noah is still sexy and dangerous as ever, he's also incredibly reclusive and secretive, but I never once questioned his feelings towards Mara- in fact, I'm still jealous of her. I wouldn't mind having my own Noah, willing to do whatever it took to keep me safe. Plus who doesn't love a man who loves animals?

Mara is really challenged in this book, her whole world is completely turned upside down. She is taken out of her high school and forced to attend a day program for disturbed students. The doctors and nurses all seem to want to help her, but Mara knows that something more sinister is going on within those walls. Someone is messing with her day and night, and her sleep patterns grow out of sync, and suddenly we, along with Mara, are left wondering what is reality and what is memories or un-concious thoughts of hers. 

This carries on throughout the book, and I found the middle to become kind of stale, I grew lost in my reading, much like Mara, and I'm not sure if this was Hodkin's intentions. But the story picked right back up for the last couple hundred pages and than I found I couldn't stop reading- I just had to get to the end!

A couple things that I feel the need to comment on though. While I can understand the urge to jest when you feel like you don't need to be there (I'm referring to Mara's feelings towards the day group) I thought she showed poor taste in her judgement of others, and the way she poked fun at them. Not everyone who attends a day program is insane, some just need an outlet for their feelings and concerns, and I just didn't like the way it was portrayed in this book, through Mara's eyes. The second thing being, that I had a hard time believing that a 17-year-old girl, as smart as Mara, wouldn't say no to suspicious and unlabelled drugs given to her. She has every right to refute them.

Now I know it sounds like I didn't enjoy this book, with all my moaning, but the truth is, I loved it! It challenged me in ways I never see in YA and I think Hodkin is a beautiful writer, who has a strong passion for words, and a knack for writing a compelling love story. 

And that ending!!! What are you trying to do to us Michelle? I demand book 3 right now! The wait is definitely going to kill me.

Overall, if you enjoyed The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, you're guaranteed to enjoy this next instalment. If you enjoy an equal mix of dark contemporary and paranormal with a healthy side of romance, than you have to give the Mara Dyer series a try!

Happy Reading!!!

Of Blood and Bone Blog Tour: Featured Review

Today I'm happy to be hosting my feature review of Of Blood and Bone by Courtney Cole, for the Of Blood and Bone Blog Tour hosted by Kismet Blog Tours. In case you missed it, go here to find a teaser excerpt from an earlier release notice on Cole's newest release.

Here's a little info on the book:

(Psst... look at that new cover, gorgeous right?!)

Of Blood and Bone

By: Courtney Cole

NOW AVAILABLE!!! (Order you copy here)

Publisher: Lakehouse Press

Source: E-ARC supplied by Kismet Blog Tours

Find it on Goodreads

As a little boy, Luca Minaldi was told he was a monster.

As an adult, he knows it is true.

He lives in Malta, a fairytale-like place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets. And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best kept of them all.

Eva Talbot arrives in Malta for the summer to finish up her doctoral dissertation. When she meets Luca, a mysterious andhandsome shipping tycoon, there is an instant attraction, a disturbing and beautiful energy that she has never felt before. But she senses the darkness that lives within him. Eva is hired to care for his mother, who suffers from dementia, but it is Luca who Eva will eventually risk everything to save. Her life becomes a swirling chaos of darkness and romance, of secrets andmystery. And the question that emerges will become the most important answer of all.

Can she save Luca from the darkness that plagues him without losing herself?

The answer is a matter of life or death.

My Thoughts:

Of Blood and Bone is a sexy read! Warning!!!! This is an adult title and does contain mature content.

I enjoyed reading OBB from the first page. Cole has a knack for keeping her writing exciting and pacing, smooth. She accomplishes this, with short, succinct chapters, narrated from the multiple, first-person-perspectives of Eva, Luca and The Beast. I mean for the first few chapters, our heroine, Eva, did nothing but sleep mostly, but I wasn't bored or deterred at all.

I enjoyed Eva as a character, but it's Luca who truly shined, for me, Of Blood and Bone. Even though I usually only enjoy reading from the heroine's perspective, I enjoyed reading from Luca's perspectives, because it let me see the real motivations behind his reactions to Eva. It's always nice to know what a man is REALLY thinking, haha. My heart did go out to Luca in this book though, for many different reasons. The first being, his relationship to his parents (more so his mother) she suffers from Dementia, so she can be cruel, un-intentially at times, after watching my mother go through the same thing with her mom, I know these moments between Luca and his mother are difficult, and my heart went out to him. Although to be fair, Luca and his mother have an unusual relationship of a paranormal nature :).The second, Luca has a lot of emotional baggage. His guilt is eating him alive, and he can't control the Beast inside of him. He wants to be the good guy, but finds it impossible- which is why he's always so hesitant to start anything with Eva.

The Beast adds an element of murder mystery. We're not given many chapters through his eyes, but when we are, passion and chaos unwind, and the reader is left to wonder who this evasive Beast is?

There's a little bit of a love triangle in Of Blood and Bone, as Adrian plays the part of the charming, friendly rogue against the reclusive, enigmatic Luca. Of course these two are childhood friends, which makes the triangle all the more awkward and interesting. But I believe Eva knows which she wants to be with from the get go. The chemistry between her and Luca is electrifying and steamy to say the least. Cole knows how to write some good steam scenes! And I really enjoyed the international setting of Cole's work, I really want to go to Italy and find myself a man and some good food! Haha

Overall, I would categorize Of Blood and Bone as Romance novel, but I think that fans of Urban Fantasy would definitely enjoy this steamy series as well!

Bring on book 2!

Happy Reading!!!

About Courtney Cole 

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could.

She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. Every Last Kiss is her debut novel and she followed it with the rest of The Bloodstone Saga (Every Last Kiss, Fated, With My Last Breath and My Tattered Bonds).Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

Get In Touch With Courtney

• Courtney Cole's website | twitter | facebook | facebook fan page

Thank you so much to Courtney and Kismet Blog Tours, for allowing me to participate in this tour!

Stealing Parker Home Run Blog Tour: Author Guest Post

Hello All!!! Today I'm excited to be one the stops on the Home Run Blog Tour for Miranda Kenneally's latest release from Sourcebooks Fire, Stealing Parker!

Here's a little info on the book:

Stealing Parker

By Miranda Kenneally

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Now Available!!!

Ages 13+

She just got thrown a major curveball.

Miranda Kenneally’s newest novel is already knocking it out of the park as The Los Angeles Times dubs it one of the most “most highly anticipated young adult books for the fall.”  Parker Shelton is desperately trying to prove that she is NOTHING like her mom—who caused a scandal by leaving Parker’s dad for another woman.  In response, she leaves her all-star softball reputation behind and creates even more gossip for herself by chasing after the hot new assistant baseball coach who understands her feelings of loneliness and isolation.  But flirting with a 23-year-old might be taking it a step to far…especially when he starts flirting back.

Curveball Dodging:  Miranda explores the importance of recognizing your own self-worth instead of placing value on other’s opinions.

This is a topic that’s super important to me.

When I was seventeen years old, I decided to apply for colleges outside of Tennessee. I wanted to try new things and see the world. I’d felt like that since I had gone to France when I was fourteen.

I applied to American University in Washington, D.C., and I was ecstatic when I got in. In high school, I had a 3.9 GPA and I made mostly As. Sure, I partied some and didn’t take school all that seriously, but I had drive and I knew I wanted to attend a great school so I would have great opportunities later in life.

After I received my acceptance letter to American University, the school guidance counselor called me into her office. She suggested that I go to the community college in the next town over, because I would probably fail in Washington, D.C. She thought I wouldn’t make it at a big school.

I went home, brokenhearted that she didn’t believe in me. But then I realized it didn’t matter what the stupid guidance counselor said. I wanted to go to D.C., so I was going there. End of story.

In my book STEALING PARKER, Parker places way too much emphasis on what other people think. She lets the prejudices of others determine her behavior. People think Parker’s a lesbian just like her mother, so Parker decides to show them she’s not. She quits the softball team, loses 30 pounds, and makes out with lots of guys. Instead of people thinking, “Oh, Parker’s not a lesbian like her mom,” they think, “Oh, Parker’s kind of slutty.”

You can’t do something you don’t want to do in hopes of making people think a certain way about you, because nobody thinks the same way.

During the book, Parker learns what she thinks about herself is what’s important. She realizes that until she does what she wants to do, she’s never going to be happy and people aren’t going to know who the “real” Parker is.

Who is the real you? Have you ever let someone else decide your path?

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, Miranda. And thank you to both Miranda and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to participate in this story.

Happy Reading!!!