Blog Tour: Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton

Hero at the Fall
(Rebel of the Sands #3)
by Alwyn Hamilton
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: March 6th 2018
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Pages: 464
ISBN: 9780451477866
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: For Review

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Available for Purchase:
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When gunslinging Amani Al'Hiza escaped her dead-end town, she never imagined she'd join a revolution, let alone lead one. But after the bloodthirsty Sultan of Miraji imprisoned the Rebel Prince Ahmed in the mythical city of Eremot, she doesn't have a choice. Armed with only her revolver, her wits, and her untameable Demdji powers, Amani must rally her skeleton crew of rebels for a rescue mission through the unforgiving desert to a place that, according to maps, doesn't exist. As she watches those she loves most lay their lives on the line against ghouls and enemy soldiers, Amani questions whether she can be the leader they need or if she is leading them all to their deaths. (Goodreads)

Hero at the Fall, the third and final book in the Rebel of the Sands series by Alwyn Hamilton, and was also one of my most anticipated releases for 2018, (and for a good reason). I read the first two books in the series, Rebel of the Sands and Traitor to the Throne, back when they were first released, and completely adored the stories. I had the pleasure of re-reading both books again in the past two months to get prepared for this final story, and I have to say I enjoyed those books even more now having re-read them. And this third and final book was complete and absolute perfection.

Without giving too much away, since this is the third book in the series, I'm going to tell you all the things I liked about the book. The first thing, as always, was the main character, Amani. I have loved Amani since I first met her in the very beginning of the series.  I love that she is fierce and courageous, while also being completely unpretentious as well. I love how much she loved her little rebel family, and was willing to do just about anything to keep them safe. She is amazing.

Another thing I loved about the story is the amazing secondary characters. After the ending of Traitor to the Throne, I didn't know what fate to expect for some of these people that I've come to care for so much. Much like real life, not everyone gets a happy ending, and the body count was a lot higher than I expected. My heart hurt at times for them, and in other times I cheered and celebrated for them. It was hard not to. Read the story and you will see exactly what I mean.

Also, Amani and Jin are my most favorite. Just sayin'.

Another of my most favorite things about this series is the storyline for the books. I can't say I've read too many books about Djinni, but I find the stories and tales included in this series completely fascinating. I definitely need more books like this in my life. Hero at the Fall was full of both fast paced action, and slow paced anticipation. I held my breath throughout the story, waiting to see what surprise would pop up next, and I loved every minute of it. This book was the perfect ending to a great series.

Overall, Hero at the Fall was an excellent finale to this much loved sequel! I absolutely hate to see the series come to an end, as the story and characters have fascinated me for so long, and I'm going to have a hard time letting everything go. If you can't tell by my rambling thoughts above, I really liked this series, and I hope that you will too, should you decide to check it out for yourself. (Do it, you won't regret it!) *grin*





Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and lived between Canada, France, and Italy until the was three, when her family settled in the small French town of Beaune. She studied History of Art at King's College, Cambridge, graduated in 2009, and lives in London.




Rebel of the Sands  |  Traitor to the Throne  |  Hero at the Fall

REBEL AT THE SANDS SCHEDULE

WEEK ONE

1/30 – Spinatale Reviews – Review

1/31 – Library Ladies – Review

2/1 – I Fangirl about books – Review

2/2 – Aimee, Always – Quote Wallpaper

WEEK TWO

2/5 – Opalsbookjems – Review

2/6 – Mundie Moms – Review

2/7 – As Told By Michelle – Review

TRAITOR TO THE THRONE SCHEDULE

WEEK THREE

2/12 – YA and Wine – Review

2/13 – Adventures of a Book Junkie – “5 Reasons to Read the Series”

2/14 – ReadingAnyone – Review

2/15 – The Clockwork Bibliophile – Booklook + Photo Feature

WEEK FOUR

2/20 – The Lovely Books – Review

2/21 – Never Too Many To Read – Creative

2/22 – Sisters Who Read – Creative Post

HERO AT THE FALL SCHEDULE

WEEK FIVE

2/26 – Writing is Hard – Review + Social Media Promo

2/27 – Mike the Fanboy – Fun Recap of Series

2/28 – My Friends are Fiction – Review

3/1 – The Young Folks – Review

3/2 – Lisa’s Lost in Lit – Creative

WEEK SIX

3/5 – The Reader Bee – Review + Bookstagram Post

3/6 – Seeing Double in Neverland – Review + Creative Insta Post

3/7 – A  Book and A Cup of Coffee – Playlist

3/8 – Fiction Fare – Moodboard

WEEK SEVEN

3/12 – The Eater of Books – Moodboard

3/13 – Love Is Not a Triangle – Review + Bookstagram Picture

3/14 – Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Creative Content

3/15 – Forever Young Adult – Review

Blog Tour: Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

Windfall
by Jennifer E. Smith
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: May 2nd 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 432
ISBN: 9780399559372
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
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Alice doesn’t believe in luck—at least, not the good kind. But she does believe in love, and for some time now, she’s been pining for her best friend, Teddy. On his eighteenth birthday—just when it seems they might be on the brink of something—she buys him a lottery ticket on a lark. To their astonishment, he wins $140 million, and in an instant, everything changes.

At first, it seems like a dream come true, especially since the two of them are no strangers to misfortune. As a kid, Alice won the worst kind of lottery possible when her parents died just over a year apart from each other. And Teddy’s father abandoned his family not long after that, leaving them to grapple with his gambling debts. Through it all, Teddy and Alice have leaned on each other. But now, as they negotiate the ripple effects of Teddy’s newfound wealth, a gulf opens between them. And soon, the money starts to feel like more of a curse than a windfall.

As they try to find their way back to each other, Alice learns more about herself than she ever could have imagined . . . and about the unexpected ways in which luck and love sometimes intersect. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I can't even begin to tell you how super excited I was to finally start Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith. I have read two of her previous books in the past, and really enjoyed them, and I have a few more sitting on my shelf, just waiting for me to start them. As soon as I discovered Windfall , I knew I had to have it! Now that I've read it, I can tell you it is definitely a welcome addition to my growing collection!

As most of you probably  know, I'm a huge fan of contemporary novels, and I tend to read them a lot faster than most other books. This book was no exception! I read all 400+ pages in just a few hours time, and I loved every minute of it. Windfall seriously gave me all the feelings all I flew through the pages. The storyline is completely engrossing, and it's not only about teenagers winning the lottery, it's about finding yourself, and the things that really matter in life. And I love that.

I also really love so many characters in the story, including the two main characters, Alice and Teddy. Both have been through so much in their young lives, but they've had each other through it all. And they both have pretty amazing family members in their lives as well, including Alice's cousin and Teddy's best friend, Leo, who I love, and Leo's parents and Teddy's mom is great as well. So much love for and from all these people. These characters were all so great.

Overall; I really loved so much about Windfall; the storyline, the characters, EVERYTHING. It gave me all the feels, and these are the types of books that I just can't get enough of! I can't wait for the copy I preordered to arrive in May to add to my collection, and I'm now even more excited to read the rest of Jennifer's books that I haven't read yet! Get your copy of Windfall in stores and online on May 2nd, or preorder your copy today!!

About the Author:

 JENNIFER E. SMITH (@JenESmith) is the author of seven novels for young adults, including The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. She earned a master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and spent years working as an editor on a number of bestselling books, including Ballantine's New York Times bestseller Tell the Wolves I'm Home. Her work has been translated into thirty-three languages, and four of her novels are currently in development for film. She lives in New York City.

Blog Tour: The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares • Q&A

The Whole Thing Together
by Ann Brashshares
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 25th 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780385736893
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Ann Brashares, beloved author of the bestselling The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, which has sold over 8.7 million copies in all formats, is back with another unforgettable story about fractured families, first love, and loss in her latest novel, THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER (Delacorte Press / on sale April 25, 2017 / $18.99), which carries a first printing of 100,000 copies. Readers will feel the sand between their toes and smell the salty air of Brashares’s Long Island beach town setting, which serves as the backdrop for Sasha and Ray’s unusual and budding relationship.

Summer for Sasha and Ray means the sprawling old house on Long Island. Since they were children, they’ve shared almost everything—reading the same books, running down the same sandy footpaths to the beach, eating peaches from the same market, laughing around the same sun-soaked dining table. Even sleeping in the same bed, on the very same worn cotton sheets. But they’ve never met.

Sasha’s dad was once married to Ray’s mom, and together they had three daughters: Emma, the perfectionist; Mattie, the beauty; and Quinn, the favorite. But the marriage crumbled and the bitterness lingered. Now there are two new families—and neither one will give up the beach house that holds the memories, happy and sad, of summers past.

The choices we make come back to haunt us; the effect on our destinies ripples out of our control . . . or does it? This summer, the lives of Sasha, Ray, and their siblings intersect in ways none of them ever dreamed, in a novel about family relationships, keeping secrets, and most of all, love. Booklist hailed THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER as “quintessential Brashares,” and fans of Brashares’s work as well as new readers will dive wholeheartedly into this original story that is a love letter to romance, summertime, and family—no matter how unconventional they may be.

*Questions & Answers with Ann!!*

Hey Bookworms!!

Today I'm helping to spread the love for The Whole Thing Together by the awesome Ann Brashares! Keep reading to see the Question & Answer session I had with Ann, and I'll be sharing my thoughts for the book below as well!

1. The Whole Thing Together has an interesting storyline. How did you come up with the idea for it?
I was itching to write a family epic with many viewpoints. I started with three daughters of divorced parents, which somehow led me down the road to Sasha and Ray--who are deeply, strangely connected but not related.

2. There were a lot of different characters in the book to follow. Who was your favorite character to write?
That is always a difficult question for me--like choosing favorites among children. If I were forced to answer I might say Ray, because I don't write the male point of view that often and I enjoy it.

3. The story is told from many different viewpoints, which I generally like, as I feel you get more information this way. Did you always plan to write the book this way, or did you ever consider writing it from just one characters perspective?
I knew from the outset this would be a book with multiple protagonists and many perspectives, so I just tried to stay close and true to whomever I was writing at the time. I tend to write the arc of each character from start to finish before I turn to the next one, so that helps keep me attached.

4. There was a pretty emotional twist near the end of the book. Was that hard for you to write?
Very hard. That kind of scene always is. I left it as a dark hole in the book and had to gird myself when it was finally time to fill it.

5. Most of your books are contemporary novels, while you have a few from other genres as well. What is your favorite genre to write?
So far I have written mostly contemporary fiction, but I love historical fiction and history generally, so I'd like to try that too.

6. Of all the books you've written so far, which is your favorite?
Again, hard to choose. My daughter says this one is her favorite.

7. What are you currently reading, (or what was the last book you read)?
I'm reading a novel by Hilary Mantel that takes place during the French Revolution called A Place of Greater Safety. She also wrote Wolf Hall which is one of my all-time favorites.

More about Ann...

Ann Brashares is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now, 3 Willows, The Last Summer (of You & Me), and My Name Is Memory. She lives in New York City with her family. Visit Ann’s website at AnnBrashares.com and follow on Twitter @AnnBrashares.

  Blog Tour Stops:

	March 20: Bookhounds YA	April 10: The Fandom
	March 21: Butter My Books	Page Turners
	March 22: Here's to Happy Endings	April 11: Liz & Lisa
	March 23: Fiction Fare	April 12: Gidget Girl Reading
	March 24: A Midsummer Night's Read	April 13: Art, Books, & Coffee
	March 27: Emily Reads Everything	April 14: Leslie Lindsay
	March 28: In Wonderland	April 17: Swoony Boys Podcast
	March 29: The Reader Bee	April 18: Ramblings of the Perpetual New Girl
	March 30: Books, Music, And All Things Written	April 19: YA Wednesdays
	March 31: YA Book Nerd	April 21: I'd So Rather Be Reading
	April 3: Peace Love Books	April 22: Adventures in YA Publishing
	April 4: Tales of the Ravenous Reader	April 24: Adventures in YA Publishing
	April 5: Sarah's Nightstand	April 25: A Dream Within A Dream
	April 6: Novel Ink	April 26: Lost in Literature
	April 7: Fangirlish

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My Thoughts...
Of course I had my eye on The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares the moment I first saw it. I've only read a few of Ann's books so far, and have really enjoyed those, so I was pretty excited to check out this new book. When the opportunity arrive to check out an advanced copy, and to have a Q&A session with Ann, I jumped on it! You've read my Q&A with Ann above, now see what I thought of the book below!

The Whole Thing Together was a very interesting read. I've read a lot of contemporary novels in my time, and I can't say that I've read any other book that has such an storyline with such a... I'm going to say entwining storyline. With so many characters being related, and not related, but still somewhat related. Well, I'm not doing a very good job of describing this, so you'll just have to read the book to see what I'm talking about! Also, the book was a very quick read; I started and finished it in just a few hours time. (I'm a pretty big fan of contemporary novels, and I tend to read them quicker than most other genres .)

There were a lot of interesting characters to keep up with in the book, and trying to keep them sorted was a little confusing in the begining, but once I figured out who went where, it was a lot easier to read. Some of these characters you will really like, and some will definitely have to grow on you over time. I like that the story is told from different viewpoints, actually from at least 4 different viewpoints. I enjoy getting multiple characters perspectives, as I feel like you really get so much more information when the author writes this way. (And I'm all about the details!)

Overall;  The Whole Thing Together was a very interesting read, and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to check it out, and to participate in this blog tour! I still have quite a few more of Ann's books that I still need to read, including finishing up the Sisterhood series, which I'm hoping to tackle this summer. (What better time to read them, right?)  Get your copy of The Whole Thing Together in stores on April 25th!!

Top Five Reasons Why I'm Excited for Traitor of the Throne! (& Rebel of the Sands Giveaway!!)

Hey Bookworms!!

Today I'm sharing my *Top Five Reasons why I'm SUPER Excited for Traitor of the Throne* by Alwyn Hamilton, and sharing a giveaway so YOU can win your own copy of Rebel of the Sands!

I've just recently finished my reread of Rebel of the Sands, which I started in anticipation of the Traitor of the Throne release in March. I was super excited to have the opportunity to reread Rebel of the Sands, as really wanted to have the story fresh in my mind before I started Traitor of the Throne. This reread, of course, just made me even more excited to start Traitor, and I can't wait to dive into the story!!

Check out my Top Five reasons why I'm excited for
Traitor of the Throne:

1. Amani Al'Hiza.

Amani is the main character in this series, and she alone is reason enough to be excited for Traitor of the Throne. This girl is AMAZING. She's strong and courageous, and proves over and over again throughout Rebel of the Sands that she can take care of herself. I love Amani, and I absolutely can't wait to see what she's up to next in Traitor of the Throne.


2. The Secondary Characters.


I had to put Amani in her own category because she's just so awesome, but I also have to mention the secondary characters that are in the story! There are SO many well written characters in this book, and I can't wait to see what all they're up to, and to meet all the new characters that I'm sure will be in Traitor to the Throne as well!


3. The Story.

I can't seem to get enough of the world that Alywn created in Rebel of the Sands. The descriptions of the setting are perfection, and the story is one that will keep you completely captivated as you turn the pages. It's full of action and suspense, magic and mystical creations, and, most importantly, djinni! I can't wait to completely immerse myself in this world again with Traitor of the Throne!


4. The Cover.

I'm not really a fan of cover changes mid series, and while I still love the old covers a lot, I actually really love the new covers for Rebel and Traitor as well! Amani looks amazing and fierce on these covers, and I definitely love that.



5. That Ending.

If you've read Rebel of the Sands, you'll know that it ends in a way that will leave you pining away for the next book in the series. I am absolutely dying to know what is going to happen next for Amani and her friends in Traitor of the Throne! Not too much longer until we find out!

There  you have it, just a few reasons why I'm excited for Traitor of the Throne.
So tell me, are you excited as well???

If you've not yet read this series, you totally should!
Keep reading to learn more about Rebel of the Sands,
and it's lovely author, Alwyn Hamilton.
And don't forget to enter to win your own copy as well!!

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The Giveaway:

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of ten (10) paperback copies of Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton (ARV: $10.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on February 13, 2017 and 12:00 AM on March 6, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about March 8, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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REBEL OF THE SANDS Summary:

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands. Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him... or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

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Author Bio:

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often. Follow her at @AlwynFJH.

Blog Tour: A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody

A Week of Mondays
by Jessica Brody
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Pages: 464
ISBN: 9780374382704
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

When I made the wish, I just wanted a do-over. Another chance to make things right. I never, in a million years, thought it might actually come true...

Sixteen-year-old Ellison Sparks is having a serious case of the Mondays. She gets a ticket for running a red light, she manages to take the world’s worst school picture, she bombs softball try-outs and her class election speech (note to self: never trust a cheerleader when she swears there are no nuts in her bake-sale banana bread), and to top it all off, Tristan, her gorgeous rocker boyfriend suddenly dumps her. For no good reason!

As far as Mondays go, it doesn’t get much worse than this. And Ellie is positive that if she could just do it all over again, she would get it right. So when she wakes up the next morning to find she’s reliving the exact same day, she knows what she has to do: stop her boyfriend from breaking up with her. But it seems no matter how many do-overs she gets or how hard Ellie tries to repair her relationship, Tristan always seems bent set on ending it. Will Ellie ever figure out how to fix this broken day? Or will she be stuck in this nightmare of a Monday forever?

From the author 52 Reasons to Hate My Father and The Unremembered trilogy comes a hilarious and heartwarming story about second (and third and fourth and fifth) chances. Because sometimes it takes a whole week of Mondays to figure out what you really want. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I was super excited to finally start A Week of Mondays, as it is the first book I've ever read by Jessica Brody! I've had her Unremembered series on my TBR for way too long, and I was really excited to finally read something by her. I love a good contemporary novel, and I really, really enjoyed A Week of Mondays more than I expected to!

I really, really liked the main character in the story, Ellie. After a really horrible day, she asks for a do-over, because she just knows if she had another chance, she could do everything differently. And that's exactly what she got, a chance to make things right, and chance to find her real self along the way. I really enjoyed going on the journey with Ellie to find herself. So much that she went through in this book reminded me of my time at high school, both the good and the bad, and it was interesting to see it through someone else's eyes.

The storyline for this book was a lot of fun, even though it did have some emotional moments, and it made for a perfect summer read! I adore contemporary novels, so it only took just a few pages for me to become completely engrossed in the story. The more I read, the more I loved the book, and at 464 pages, I did not expect to finish this book as quickly as I did. One of the things I loved most about the storyline was how much it reminded me of the movie Groundhog Day, which just happens to be one of my favorite movies. That alone had me in love with the story before I even started it!

Overall; A Week of Mondays is the first book I've read by Jessica Brody, but it definitely won't be the last! I enjoyed this book SO much more than I expected to, and I'm really, really looking forward to reading more of her books as soon as possible, starting with her Unremembered series!

Thank God It's Monday!! Blog Tour - Guest Post with Jessica Brody!!

*Hey, Bookworms!!*

Today we are kicking off the
Thank God it's Monday! Blog Tour
for Jessica Brody's upcoming release, A Week of Mondays!!

Keep reading to find out more information on this awesome book and author,

and check out the guest post from Jessica below as well!!


*About the Book*

Ellie is having the worst Monday of her life. She messes up her school  speech for the class vice presidency position, she manages to take the world's  worst school picture, she bombs softball tryouts, and the icing on top  of this awful cake: her perfect boyfriend who is in a high school rock band dumps her. At the end of  the day, Ellie wishes she could redo everything. When she wakes up the  next morning, she discovers that it's Monday again! She has six more chances to redo the day in the hopes of having everything go exactly the way she wants. But in the process, she just may find out that what she really wants and what she actually needs are two very different things.

Add to Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository



*Guest Post from Jessica!!*

ELLISON “ELLIE” SPARKS: An idealistic, ambitious sixteen-year-old junior with a lot on her plate.

Those were the first words I ever wrote about Ellie Sparks. They were written in a synopsis for my publisher when I was first trying to sell them on the idea for a book called A WEEK OF MONDAYS.

Of course, you can’t write an entire book about a one-sentence character. Just like you can’t live your entire life as a one-sentence person. But every character has to begin somewhere. And this is where Ellie began for me.

As an idealistic, ambitious sixteen-year-old junior with a lot on her plate.

In my mind, this is who she had to be. I thought, if you’re going to write about a girl who relives the same horrible Monday over and over again, trying to “get it right,” these are the adjectives that must describe her. She has to be idealistic enough to think she can fix everything in her life. Yet, she also has to be ambitious enough to try it. And how else are you going to fill seven Mondays with interesting storylines if the main character doesn’t have a lot on her plate.

So there was Ellie. And there was me, ready to write her, thinking I understood her. Thinking I knew everything I needed to know about her. 

This is the writing process for me. I start with an idea of who someone is. I draw a box around them, like an identity fence. I stuff them inside and I lock the gate. I tell them, “This is who you are. Don’t try to change that. Don’t try to be or do anything else. I don’t have time for detours. I’m on a deadline.”

I never learn.

A WEEK OF MONDAYS is my tenth published novel and I’m still trying to lock characters inside fences. Eventually, though, they always break free. They always get bigger than their boxes. And even though I try to adjust, I keep drawing bigger and bigger boxes around them, trying to contain them to the world I built, the world I envisioned, they never quite want to stay inside. Just like people. You can try to identify them, label them, build a fence around them that makes you feel safe, and yet they’ll always surprise you. Because no character—no human being—fits inside a box.  

One of my favorite reviews of A WEEK OF MONDAYS says, “Watching Ellie relive her horrible day is something like peeling an onion. Each Monday, a piece of her people-pleaser facade melts away, revealing more of her real self.”

I smiled when I read that because it wasn’t until then that I realized exactly what had happened in the writing of this book. I had done it again. I had tried to put yet another character in a box, and she had slowly, word by word, page by page, Monday by Monday broken free.

This book is ultimately a story of self-discovery.

Seven days. Seven chances to completely reinvent yourself. Wear different clothes, make different choices, explore different paths, say different things, be different people.

Because sometimes it takes a whole week of Mondays to figure out who you really are. And when you finally do, you may find yourself thinking 'Thank God It's Monday' after all.

For the next five Mondays, blogger friends across the internet will be sharing their best and worst Monday. Follow along with us online with #TGIM and #AWeekofMondays, because whether a Monday is memorable for good reasons or memorable for bad reasons, we stand to learn a lot about ourselves.


*About the Author*

Jessica Brody is the author of several popular books for teens, including the Unremembered trilogy, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, and The Karma Club, as well as two adult novels. She splits her time between California and Colorado. Find out more at jessicabrody.com.

Blog Tour: Night Speed by Chris Howard

Night Speed
by Chris Howard
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr

Publication Date: May 3rd 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780062415349
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Source: For Review

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

Only those young enough can survive the pulse-pounding rush of tetra, a dangerous and addictive new drug that fuels a nine-minute burst of superhuman strength and speed. Alana West has been trained to use the drug so she can pursue the young criminals who abuse its power—criminals like the breakneck who nearly killed her kid brother.

On tetra, Alana is unstoppable. The rush makes her an explosive blur as she surges through New York City, battling to bring down breaknecks before they leave more people dead or injured in their wake. But with the clock ticking down to her eighteenth birthday, Alana will soon be too old for the rush...when just one more dose will prove deadly.

Supported only by her strong and steady handler, Tucker, Alana goes undercover, infiltrating an elite gang of breaknecks to stop the supply of their drug. But when Alana gets trapped on the wrong side of the law, she learns the breaknecks are not quite what they seem—especially Ethan, the artistic boy whose bottomless brown eyes seem to see the truth inside her. With her own dependency on tetra increasing, Alana must decide where her loyalties lie before the rush ends. Forever. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
When I was first approached to be a part of the blog tour for Night Speed by Chris Howard, my curiosity was instantly piqued. The book sounded as addictive as the drug used in the book, and I couldn't wait to read the story.

Tetra is a dangerous and addictive new drug that can give its user a nine minute burst of strength, as well as speed. Alana West has been trained to use the drug safely, to help stop the criminals who abuse it. Alana loves the rush that comes with using the drug, and also the fact that she's helping to stop the breaknecks who hurt and destroy when they use. With her 18th birthday right around the corner, Alana knows she will soon be too old to use, and when she finds herself on the other side of the law, she discovers that things in her world are not at all what they seem.

It was really interesting to read this story from Alana's eyes. While she tried to justify her using the drug as helping to catch the criminals, and to keep her family and others safe, she was completely addicted, constantly looking for the next fix to give her the rush that she craved so much. To be honest, it was sometimes painful to read, as it felt really realistic. I love how much she loved her family, however. Especially her relationship with her brother. It was super sweet.

The storyline for the book was also really interesting, and a little bit predictive. (I guessed early on about something that I figured would happen, and it did!) However, there was enough action and suspense throughout the novel that completely kept me turning the pages. I basically read this 400+ page novel in just one days time. I was super curious to see how it was all going to come to an end.

Overall; If you're a fan of action and suspense filled sci-fi novels, you should definitely consider adding Night Speed to your to-be-read list. It was a quick, thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Howard's novels in the future.

Happy Reading!!

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Chris Howard was born and raised in England, and it was there he first began writing stories and songs. He now lives in Denver, Colorado, where he and his wife enjoy mountains, music, and mugs of good coffee. Chris is also the author of the Rootless trilogy. Connect with him online at www.ChrisHowardBooks.com.



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Blog Tour: The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

The Darkest Corners
by Kara Thomas
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Publication Date: April 19th 2016
Publisher: Delacorte
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780553521467
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Source: For Review

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Available for Purchase:
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The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.
    There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.
    Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.
    Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.
    But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.
    Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
When I was first approached to read The Darkest Corners, I was definitely intrigued. I always love a good mystery, and I especially love them when they keep me guessing. I was hoping this one would do just that, because the story sounded awesome, and it did!

When Tessa was nine years old, her and her best friend, Callie, testified to help put a serial killer in jail. But did they really see what happened that night? When another body turns up, killed in the same way as the previous ones, the girls start to question if the right person is behind bars or not, or if there is killer is still at large.

Both Tessa and Callie have been through things that no child should ever have to go through. Having not seen each other for almost 10 years, their relationship was very strained when they first meet again, but before long they were working together to try to figure out what really happened. I really admired their determination throughout the story, even though they put themselves into some pretty dangerous situations more than a few times. Despite all they went through, these girls were very strong young ladies.

The storyline for this book is very mysterious and secretive. The first half of the book was a bit slow paced, as it was a lot of information gathering, but the second half was full of mystery and secrets and SO MUCH who-done-it guessing on my part. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out mystery novels pretty early on, and while I guessed right on one thing, there were SO many things that I completely missed, or were slipped in where I didn't expect them at all. I love that it keep me guessing throughout, and to be quite honest, it made me a little paranoid as well! I will totally be double checking my doors and windows tonight.

Overall; I really enjoyed The Darkest Corners, so much more than I expected to. Once I really got into the story, I absolutely could not put it down, and I love that it kept me guessing the whole time. Definitely check this out if you're into mystery reads! I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by this Kara Thomas in the future.

Happy Reading!!

Kara is the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, coming from Penguin Random House/Delacorte Press in Spring 2016. She also wrote the Prep School Confidential series (St. Martin’s Press) and the pilot The Revengers for the CW under the pen name Kara Taylor. She’s represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or on the couch with her rescue cat, Felix.


Official Website : TheDarkestCornersBook.com

Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on this blog tour!!

Blog Tour

3/14 Fresh Fiction	3/27 The Eater of Books!	4/9 Reading Nook Reviews
3/15 Jessabella Reads	3/28 Reading Teen	4/10 Downright Dystopian
3/16 Book Addict Confessions	3/29 Chapter by Chapter	4/11 Such A Novel Idea
3/17 Hollywood News Source	3/30 Winter Haven Books	4/12 Across the Words
3/18 Undeniably (Book) Nerdy	3/31 Once Upon A Twilight	4/13 Reviews From a Bookworm
3/19 Curling Up with a Good Book	4/1 Intellectual Recreation	4/14 Itching For Books
3/20 Out of Time	4/2 The Hiding Spot	4/15 Waste Paper Prose
3/21 Supernatural Snark	4/3 Carina Books	4/16 The Irish Banana
3/22 Live to Read, review	4/4 Cover Contessa	4/17 The Book Rat
3/23 Dark Faerie Tales	4/5 Me Read A Lot	4/18 YA Reads
3/24 Ex Libris	4/6 The Writer Diaries	4/19 No BS Book Review
3/25 Reading with Cupcakes	4/7 Whimsically Yours	4/20 Serenity’s Lovely Reads
3/26 The Reader Bee	4/8 Hook of a Book	4/21 Pandora’s Books