Earth and Sky Blog Tour: Review and Author Guest Post

Hey Everyone! Today, I'm excited to be the next stop on the EARTH & SKY CANADA BLOG TOUR, to celebrate Megan Crewe's upcoming release of her BRAND NEW YA Sci-fi series!

Earth and Sky
by Megan Crewe
Release Date: October 28th/14.
Source: ARC courtesy of Razorbill Canada
Add Earth and Sky to your Goodreads list here.
Synopsis and cover image, courtesy of Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Skylar has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong. But despite the panic attacks tormenting her, nothing ever happens, and Sky’s beginning to think she’s crazy. Then she meets a mysterious, otherworldly boy named Win and discovers the shocking truth her premonitions have tapped into: our world no longer belongs to us. For thousands of years, Earth has been at the mercy of alien scientists who care nothing for its inhabitants and are using us as the unwitting subjects of their time-manipulating experiments. Win belongs to a rebel faction seeking to put a stop to it, and he needs Skylar’s help--but with each shift in the past, the very fabric of reality is unraveling, and soon there may be no Earth left to save.

Order Your Copy: Amazon | Indigo 

My Thoughts:

Earth and Sky is a perfect YA Sci-fi read for reluctant Sci-fi readers!

Megan has created a unique spin on the Sci-fi genre, with some unexpected twists and turns. The actions continues through Earth and Sky, from beginning to end, that will keep the reader engaged throughout and saying "Just one more chapter". 

Skylar is the heroine of the story and does a great job narrating. She's an interesting and relatable character in the sense that, she always feels outcasted from her peers, but would love nothing more than to fit in. Ever since she can remember, she's constantly finding herself overcome with feelings of unease (something's just not right) at the most inopportune times, and over the years has developed OCD rituals to relieve her anxiety.

However, these feelings of unease are just what strange and alluring, Win may need to help him with his mission, but who is Win and where is he from exactly? Well you'll have to read the book to find out. ;)

As I stated above, Earth and Sky has a very action-driven plot, but we are also introduced to many different and interesting characters (which I hope we'll get to see more of in book 2!). There is some family heartache as well in this first book, one scene in particular with Skylar's older brother, that truly breaks your heart.

There's lots of time travel in this book, which was exciting, and as is the case with me when I often read sci-fi, I got a bit confused with the explanations of various time travel consequences, but my confusion in no way took from my enjoyment of Crewe's latest work.

It was refreshing to read a YA relationship in which both main characters aren't declaring their love for each other two chapters in, haha. No, Crewe does a great job at pacing the development between Sky and Win and I look forward to seeing where Crewe will take these in her next instalment.

The ending was perfect, it leaves the reader wanting the next instalment, but ultimately satisfied with the state of affairs up to that point.

If you enjoy Sci-fi in your YA, or even if your reluctant with this genre, I recommend giving Earth and Sky and try (wasn't even trying to rhyme there :)) it's a quick, action-packed read, with a blossoming romance.

Please join me in welcoming Megan to the blog today!!!

Author Guest Post: Megan Crewe

Author photo taken from Razorbill.ca

The importance of science fiction in YA

Talking about the "importance" of any genre is a bit tricky for me, because to be honest I don't think any genre is particular more important than another--I think it's important that we have a wide range of books to read so that everyone can find stories that interest and entertain them and that they can relate to! But as someone who's loved SF stories since I was a kid, I can share what I find special about science fiction:

-SF expands the horizons of fiction, often taking readers right out of this world, off into the rest of the universe. Not that there's anything wrong with stories set on Earth, but it's fascinating to speculate about what we might find beyond our planet and our solar system.

-SF encourages us to consider the paths elements in our current lives might lead us on. How might our laws have shifted in a hundred years if they continue in the same direction they are now? Will we become even more influenced by advertising and propaganda as marketing strategies become more refined? What will friendships and romantic relationships look like in a world where people connect as much through the internet as in-person meetings? And so on. It can be easy to take what we have right now for granted, and I appreciate being challenged to look at the possible consequences of the decisions we're making.

-SF gets readers thinking about the future in general. I think sometimes we can get too short-sighted about life, only worrying about our immediate concerns and goals. A reminder that the long-view is important too, and that it matters what the world and our lives will look like decades from now, can't be a bad thing.

-SF allows us to take off on imaginative and fantastic adventures often far beyond the bounds of our current reality… but that are still--more or less, depending on the story, but always at least a little--based on what might be scientifically possible, rather than being completely made up. As much as I enjoy outright fantasy, there's something particularly exciting about a story that gives me an otherworldly experience that I know isn't entirely impossible.

I'd be curious to hear what other readers especially enjoy about science fiction!

Thanks so much, Megan for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! :)

Be sure to stop other host stops on the blog tour for reviews, Author Q&As and more!

Oct 18 Me on Books 
Oct 20 Cherry Blossoms and Maple Syrup
Oct 21 Read My Breath Away
Oct 22 Booking it with Hayley G
Oct 23 The Book Wars
Oct 24 Curling Up by the Fire
Oct 27 CanLit for Little Canadians
Oct 28 Esther’s Ever After
Oct 29 Bookish Notions
Oct 30 Feisty Little Woman
Oct 31 Chapter by Chapter
Nov 1 Cozy Up with a Good Read

Special thanks to Megan Crewe and Razorbill Canada for allowing me to participate in this tour!

Happy Reading!!!

The Art of Getting Stared At Blog Tour: Review Stop

The Art of Getting Stared At
by:Laura Langston
Now Available!!!
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: ARC received from publisher
Image and synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

After a school video she produced goes viral, sixteen-year-old Sloane is given the biggest opportunity of her life – a chance for a film school scholarship. She has less than two weeks to produce a second video, something with depth, and she’s determined to do it. The trouble is she has to work with Isaac Alexander, an irresponsible charmer with whom she shares an uneasy history.

On the heels of this good news/bad news opportunity, Sloane finds a bald spot on her head. The pink patch, no bigger than a quarter, shouldn't be there. Neither should the bald spots that follow. Horror gives way to devastation when Sloane is diagnosed with alopecia areata. The autoimmune disease has no cause, no cure and no definitive outcome. The spots might grow over tomorrow or they might be there for life. She could become completely bald. No one knows.

Determined to produce her video and keep her condition secret, Sloane finds herself turning into the kind of person she has always mocked: someone obsessed with their looks. She’s also forced to confront a painful truth: she is as judgmental as anyone else…but she saves the harshest judgments for herself.

My Thoughts:

A beautiful and compelling contemporary tale of looking beyond the superficial!

My choice tagline for THE ART OF GETTING STARED AT: Never judge a book by its cover!

I loved this story. Langston has does a wonderful job of telling Sloane's journey of self-discovery with a realistic point-of-view that many teenagers will be able to relate to. Sloane is a terrific character who wants to be judged for her artistic ability and not by her looks, she's never cared to put much effort into her looks- until she discovers that she has begun to lose her hair. I liked that she continues to keep her "disease" in perspective in the sense that things could be much worse- luckily it's not terminal. With that being said, I think many will agree that high school is a battlefield in itself, but add the element of losing your hair and you can only imagine the true bravery it takes Sloane to embrace herself as a whole- and I believe she truly comes out a stronger person having faced these struggles. Luckily she's got a support system in her close friends, Lexi and Harper and her close family.

I really enjoyed the familial element to Langston's novel, and the relationship that evolves between Sloane and Kim- which also brings me back to my choice of tagline for this novel, never judge a book by its cover, I think both these two characters can learn a thing or two from this.

Breanne and Matt were made for each other and I had a hard time finding any likeable qualities in either character. I'm still baffled that Sloane was friends and dated Matt for so long! You need to read the story yourself to truly understand :) haha.

Isaac has book boyfriend material written all over him! Although I'm not a fan of dreads, Isaac has everything else going for him, haha. He's the resident celebrity with a smooth voice and handsome face. His charms seem to work on every girl, including Sloane. I really enjoyed the build-up between these two and I absolutely loved Isaac's response when he finally finds out Sloane's secret.

There's not much action in this novel, as it is very much character driven, but Langston has done a fabulous job writing a unique cast, each with unique and realistic personalities.

If you enjoy contemporary YA then I definitely recommend you pick up THE ART OF GETTING STARED AT, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Happy Reading!!!

Middle Grade Monday with Ava: I Funny by James Patterson

I Funny 

by James Patterson

Now Available!!!

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Synopsis cover photo, courtesy of Goodreads:

Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a mission: he wants to become the world's greatest standup comedian--even if he doesn't have a lot to laugh about these days. He's new in town and stuck living with his aunt, uncle, and their evil son Stevie, a bully who doesn't let Jamie's wheelchair stop him from messing with Jamie as much as possible. But Jamie doesn't let his situation get him down. When his Uncle Frankie mentions a contest called The Planet's Funniest Kid Comic, Jamie knows he has to enter. But are the judges only rewarding him out of pity because of his wheelchair, like Stevie suggests? Will Jamie ever share the secret of his troubled past instead of hiding behind his comedy act?

Ava's Thoughts:

"I Funny" is a story about a boy named Jamie Grimm. He was in an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair.

But he doesn't sulk just because he cant do everything that everyone else can. He just keeps telling jokes and keeps a smile on his face. But it isn't always that easy. He lives with a family that doesn't smile, A.K.A. The Smilies. He also lives in the garage, and also lives under the same roof as the torturous bully at his school. But he always goes to his uncle's restaurant, "Frankie's Good Eats By The Sea," where he is famous for yo-yoing and cooking... one hand for each.

One thing that keeps him going is telling jokes to people who do smile. The customers at the restaurant. One Russian customer always tells him "You Funny." This is what convinces him to go to a contest for a funny kids.

Follow Jamie in his travels to contest to see who really is the funniest kid in Long Island. I give this book a 10/10 because it was funny and sad. I recommend this book for people who like books by James Patterson, or funny books with pictures.

Ciao,

Ava

Frenzy Presents: Fall/Winter 14/15 YA Line-up from HarperCollins

It was a Frenzy!

The awesome HarperCollins Canada offices!

Last Sunday I had the great pleasure of joining my fellow YA Canadian bloggers in a Frenzy Presents Event, in which the amazing ladies of the Frenzy HarperCollins team introduced us to their exciting YA line-up for Fall and Winter 14/15! 

And let me tell you, my TBR list has gotten A LOT bigger since :)

Frenzy ladies holding their fav pick of the Fall/Winter Line-up

We chatted about YA got to take some goofy photos with props, oh and let's not forget about the awesome refreshments!

We then got to watch a slideshow presentation of Frenzy's most highly-anticipated upcoming YA releases (I took notes on all the buzz) *Cover images were taken from Harpercollins.ca and Goodreads.com:

ENDGAME: The Calling

by James Frey 

Releasing October 7th/14.

Buzz: The movie rights have already been sold!

-The first of a trilogy

-Includes interactive puzzles that take you around the world (you might want to make some international friends) because the prize is $500,000 - NO IT'S TRUE- YOU COULD WIN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!

POSITIVE

by Page Rawl

Now Available

Buzz: A memoir of a brave young girl whom is HIV positive

- Important recommendation to Teachers

-Discusses the prevalent and universal issue of bullying

TRANSCENDENT 

by Lesley Livingston

Releasing December 23rd

Buzz: Final chapter in Livingston's thrilling trilogy

-Written by a fabulous fellow Canadian (got to meet her in person- she really is awesome!)

TELL ME AGAIN HOW A CRUSH SHOULD FEEL

by Sara Farizan

Releasing Oct. 7th/14.

Buzz: For fans of IF YOU COULD BE MINE

-Centres around the theme of acceptance

BONE GAP 

by Laura Ruby

Releasing Mar. 3/15.

Buzz: For fans of NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU

-Contains dual perspective and eccentric characters

-Based on the Greek Myth of Persephone

THE JEWEL (THIS IS MY MOST ANTICIPATED!)

by Amy Ewing

Releasing Sept. 2nd/14 (so close!)

Buzz: AMAZING COVER

-Dystopian

-The Selection meets Handmaids tale

-Similar society to Hunger Games (i.e. rich vs. poor)

VANISHING GIRLS

by Lauren Oliver

Releases Mar. 3/15

Buzz: Contemporary story of two sisters who could be more opposite

-Theme of learning to love yourself

-Contains mystery

FALLING INTO PLACE

by Amy Zhang

Releasing Sept. 9/14.

Buzz: Theme of different versions of yourself

-An unexpected ending!

MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES (THIS ONE SOUNDS INTRIGUING!)

by Jasmine Warga

Releasing Feb. 10/15.

Buzz: Deals with relevant mental heath issues

-Physics nerd obsessed with plotting her own death

RED QUEEN (A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RELEASE!)

by Victoria Aveyard

Releases Feb. 10th/15.

Buzz: Suman is obsessed with this book!

-Full of betrayal, death and love

-Fans of Game of Thrones will enjoy the tons of scheming that takes place in this book!

THE PERFECTIONISTS

by Sara Shepard

Releases Oct. 7th/14.

Buzz: 5 completely different girls are thrown together and share a common dislike for one guy

-Contains murder and mystery

THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE

by Cynthia Hand

Releases Feb. 10th/15.

Buzz: Very emotional read

- Deals with the prevalent issue of suicide

So which release are you most excited for?!

That wasn't the end though! No, we had a great surprise waiting - YA trivia game hosted by the amazing EVE SILVER!!!

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't know my YA as well as I thought, but luckily my teammates (the awesome Ottawa bloggers) REALLY knew their stuff, and let me ride their coat tails to the win! Thank ladies! Haha

Eve signed finished copies of RUSH for everyone and we got to go home with a swag bag full of amazing goodies!

Here's what I got to go home with:

-Signed finished copies of CRUEL BEAUTY and RUSH

-An ARC of ENDGAME

-An ARC of A WICKED THING

-A DVD of Divergent (so excited to watch!)

- A gorgeous swag bag (that I will use over and over again)

-Tons of awesome swag (postcards, bookmarks, hairbrush/mirror, lip balm)

-I also won a copy of the Soundtrack to Divergent but gave it away 

It truly was a Frenzy and I enjoyed EVERY minute of it!

Thank you so much Suman and the amazing ladies of the Frenzy team for an amazing afternoon!

Happy Reading!!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Willowgrove by Kathleen Peacock

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Please forgive the pun but, wow it's been a LONG time since I posted my last WOW- I'm thinking over a year (shameface) but I'm so excited to announce WILLOWGROVE as my first WOW pick of 2014!

I'm addicted to this series and can't wait to see how Peacock will conclude Mac's story! Team Kyle! :)

Willowgrove (Hemlock #3)

by: Kathleen Peacock

Release Date: Jan. 6th/15 - Ahh!!! Too long, too long!

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins)

Synopsis and photo courtesy of Goodreads.com:

Willowgrove is Kathleen Peacock's riveting conclusion to the Hemlock trilogy, a dark, romantic, paranormal suspense series that pits friendship against survival, and trust against love.

Ever since Mac's best friend, Amy, was murdered, Hemlock has been a dangerous place. But now that Mac, her boyfriend, Kyle, and Amy's ex, Jason, have investigated a mass breakout from Thornhill, a werewolf "rehabilitation" camp, the danger has only grown. Fear of the infection spreading is now at an all-time high, and anyone with a scar is suspected of being a wolf.

What makes Mac even more afraid, though, are the dark experiments that the warden of Thornhill was performing on wolves in a secret asylum called Willowgrove. Uncovering the truth about what happened may be the only way for Mac to save everyone she loves and end her nightmares for good.

What titles are you looking forward to this week?

Happy Reading!!!

Depth of Field Blog Tour Stop: Excerpt and Giveaway

Hey Everyone! I'm so pleased to be the next stop on ECW Press's blog tour to celebrate the release of Chantel Guertin's second YA release, DEPTH OF FIELD!!! 

Depth of Field (Pippa Greene #2)
by: Chantel Guertin
Now Available!!!
Publisher: ECW Press
Purchase your copy: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | B & N | Kobo
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:
Warning!!! May contain spoilers for The Rule of Thirds...
Two weeks in New York City should be the time of Pippa’s life: she’s attending the prestigious Tisch Photography Camp, her boyfriend, Dylan McCutter (two months and counting!) is coming with her, and their parents are 500 miles away. Talk about lights, camera, (swoony, unchaperoned) action! But what should be 14 unforgettable days of bliss turns into chaos when her one and only nemesis, Ben Baxter, proves to be surprisingly more complex than she could’ve ever imagined, and her Tisch mentor, a renowned photographer, seems to have a lot more to do with her parents’ past than anyone wants her to know. Is Pippa out of her depth?

Picking up where she left off in The Rule of Thirds, Pippa Greene returns in Depth of Field, in a story full of the same heart, comedic touches, and romance that made readers fall in love with Chantel Guertin’s charming YA series. 

Excerpt from Chapter 1

THE PLAN

                                   

1.     Go to NYC! For the first time in my life! (Aside from the 72 hours I lived there after traveling down the birth canal — TMI? probably — and being born, but I was 0–72 hours old, so I don’t remember much. Correction: I don’t remember anything.)

2.     To Tisch photography camp! Yes! Because even though Ben Bastard (a.k.a. Ben Baxter) came first place at Vantage Point this year by using my photos, I came second!

3.     Ignore Ben Baxter because there will be 22 other students there from the East Coast. And …

4.     There will be Dylan! A.k.a. Official Boyfriend. (Or OB, as Dace is now calling him, which makes him sound like a feminine hygiene product.) Dylan’s going to work for his uncle, the Manhattan-based concert merchandise mogul, and totally see the ins and outs of working in the music industry. And meet a ton of bands. Maybe even pitch his own music to a record producer? Pipe dream, probably, but then he could forget about college—what Harvard?—and move to New York, with me (if I get into Tisch for college of course, small detail). Bottom line: Dylan + me + NYC = pretty much as awesome as it gets.

5.     And Dace! Who’s coming along to find an agent and start her path toward becoming the next Cara Delevingne. Minus the drug scandal.

6.     So, in sum: 336 Hours. 1 Big Apple. 0 Rules.

                                   

THE REVISED PLAN

                                   

1.     Go to New York alone. Why? Because:

2.     Dace’s mom decided that the likelihood of Dace becoming the next Cara Delevingne with the drug scandal was possibly greater than her becoming C-Diddy without. Or that all she’d end up doing was shopping. (Likely.) And that algebra was more important than all of the above. (Debatable.) And:

3.     Dylan isn’t coming either. Turned out Dylan’s uncle isn’t going to be in NYC because he’s going to be on the road managing merch sales for the Cherry Blasters. Feeling guilty, maybe, about kiboshing Dylan’s NYC trip, he offered Dylan the chance to join him and the Cherry Blasters on tour. And Dylan took it. (Obvi.)

4.     So now I’m going to be in New York WITHOUT my BFF or my OB. And instead:

5.     Stuck in New York WITH the single person I despise most in the world: Ben Baxter.

                                   

                                   

“I have to say, for someone who hasn’t stopped talking about Vantage Point and Tisch and New York for, like, months, you are totally missing the point right now,” Dace says, winding a section of my hair around her new five-attachment curling wand. It’s the kind without the clamp, which gives you great waves, only you have to wear the glove or you’ll burn your fingers off, which is why Dace is curling my hair for me while I moan. It’s late Saturday afternoon and we’re in my room—me on my desk chair, Dace standing behind me.

            “I’d like to feel sorry for you,” she says, “but I don’t think I need to remind you that I’m the one who’s stuck in Spalding, while you’re in the greatest city in the world. Even your emo boyfriend is traveling across the East Coast with one of his favorite bands. So can I get a little pity party over here, please?” she says, making sad eyes at me in the mirror.

I laugh. “OK, OK. You have a point.”

            “Aaaaaand you’re done. Shake it out.” I flip my head over and shake my head as instructed, then flip it back again. Dace smoothes it and nods her approval just as the doorbell rings.

            “It’s your big night,” she says excitedly.

            What she means is it’s my final date with Dylan pre-departure. He’s planned something—no idea what. Dace thinks it includes sex. Which I’ve told her a billion times it doesn’t, on account of my three-month rule. She thinks I’m just holding out so that she can have sex before me, since she’s always claimed she’d be first, but she doesn’t even have any prospects at this point. Which would be totally fine with me, because I’m in no rush. I mean, OK, I’m not exactly the poster child for virginity at this point—er, technically—but Dyl and I haven’t actually done it. No Capital S sex. Yet. And I do think that’s a big deal, which is why I’m determined to stick it out for three months before I turn in my official V-card. Three months is kind of arbitrary I suppose, but when Dylan and I finally became exclusive BF/GF, I decided on it: Three Months. It seemed like a respectable amount of time to wait—more than, say, summer vacation, but less than an entire semester of English class, which is where we seem to only read about star-crossed lovers: Catherine and Heathcliff, Lancelot and Guinevere, Romeo and Juliet. Anyway, tonight is our last night together before we’re separated for two whole weeks. Parting really is such sweet sorrow.

            I check my outfit one last time—scoop T, black crop jeggings, brown booties, brown military jacket—and dab on some lipgloss before I run downstairs to open the door. Dylan. Those green eyes. Swoon. He grins at me, then holds out a cactus—one of those ones with the round bulb on top so it kind of looks like the Space Needle. “Needs no water while you’re gone.” I back up so he can come inside. He kicks his snowy boots against the doorway’s metal ledge—today was December’s first snowfall—as I take the cactus and place it on the small table where we throw our keys.

            “You look gorgeous.”

            “Dace did my hair,” I say awkwardly.

            “I wasn’t looking at your hair.” He grabs me by the hips and pulls me in to him. My breath catches as he leans forward, and then his lips are on mine.

           Excerpt from Depth of Field by Chantel Guertin © 2014 by ECW Press. Used with permission from the publisher.

Wanna continue Pippa's story? Well here's you chance, enter the rafflecopter below, for a chance to win a finished copy of DEPTH OF FIELD by Chantel Guertin!

Please read the terms and conditions and the bottom of the form!!!

Good luck to all that enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't miss the beginning of Pippa's journey in THE RULE OF THIRDS, click here to read my review of Guertin's YA debut!

Be sure to stop by other stops on the DEPTH OF FIELD blog tour, for reviews, excerpts, guest posts and SO MUCH MORE!!!

Words of Mystery - Friday, August 1 - Giveaway & Review

Sukasa Reads - Saturday, August 2 - Review & Giveaway

Stay Bookish - Monday, August 4 - Tisch Camp post, Dream Cast, Giveaway

Booking it with Hayley G - Tuesday, August 5 - Excerpt & Giveaway

The Book Belles - Wednesday, August 6 - Review

Read My Breath Away - Thursday, August 7 - Review

Write All the Words! - Friday, August 8 - Review & Guest Blog

Ramblings of a Daydreamer - Sunday, August 10 - Review & giveaway

The Book Bratz - Monday, August 11 - Review & Giveaway

Special thanks to Chantel and ECW Press for allowing me to participate in this tour!