Waiting on Wednesday {108}: Love, Lies, & Spies

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Love, Lies, & Spies.

Love, Lies, & Spies

by Cindy Anstey

Publication date: April 19th, 2016

From Goodreads:

Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She’s much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she’s determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish their research.

Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana’s traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself.

Waiting on Wednesday {107}: Anna and The Swallow Man

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Anna and the Swallow Man.

Anna and the Swallow Man

by Gavriel Savit

Publication date: January 26th, 2016

From Goodreads:

A stunning, literary, and wholly original debut novel set in Poland during the Second World War perfect for readers of The Book Thief.

Kraków, 1939. A million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. This is no place to grow up. Anna Łania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father, a linguistics professor, during their purge of intellectuals in Poland. She’s alone.

And then Anna meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall, a skilled deceiver with more than a little magic up his sleeve. And when the soldiers in the streets look at him, they see what he wants them to see.

The Swallow Man is not Anna’s father—she knows that very well—but she also knows that, like her father, he’s in danger of being taken, and like her father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. She follows him into the wilderness.

Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgment, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous. Even the Swallow Man.

Destined to become a classic, Gavriel Savit’s stunning debut reveals life’s hardest lessons while celebrating its miraculous possibilities.

Two ways I was able to spread the #booklove last month

I don't blog all that often about stuff I've been doing, but I wanted to share a couple things real quick because I was blessed to be involved in two bigger-than-normal things last month, and I'm all about celebrating the good shtuff. (FYI, I tried and tried to format this better, but the photos and I weren't getting along, so I finally gave up.)

Anyway. The first of two Good Things that happened in September took place in the coastal town of Pismo Beach. The day before Good Thing #1 happened, we came across this sign after dinner:


For those of you unaware of what Boba is, this is what I found online to describe it: 

Boba tea (also called pearl tea, or bubble tea) is a sweet drink that combines milk, flavored tea and tapioca pearls that are sucked up through an extra large straw and chewed. The pearls have a soft, chewy consistency similar to that of gummy candy.

Boba can be good, bad, or meh, but this little shop in Pismo was straight-up YUMMY. And, visitors from all-over had put up Post-It notes around the Boba menu, which was really cool. We had so much fun checking them out and finding out what towns had passed through before us!

Me, Boba in hand, showing off the view right outside the shop.

The day after our Boba finding, I participated in the Central Coast Book and Author Fair. (I am showing you my table because it looked very nice, whereas the photos of me IN the shots were horrible as I was facing the sun and had serious squinty-eyes.) I met some wonderful people, and am definitely going back next year! Check out my table:

EEK! Isn't it lovely? See my owl candy jar? :D

Then, the following weekend, a fellow YA author and I spoke at my local library! We each had a half-hour time slot, and boy did the time fly. It was great getting to talk not only about my books and YA in general, but also how to spread the #booklove! 

(This is my I LOVE BOOKS face! I am a nerd.)

And... there you have it...  two fun things I was involved with in September!

I also made a HOW TO SPREAD THE BOOKLOVE chart (you may have seen it a few weeks back on Twitter).  I'm including it below, in case you want to share it!

To add to Pinterest, CLICK HERE

Have a blessed week, and don't forget to enter my #JLBbirthdaybash over there in the sidebar! -->

Waiting on Wednesday {106}: Wendy Darling

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Wendy Darling.

Wendy Darling

by Colleen Oakes

Publication date: YESTERDAY (but had to post it anyway) October 13, 2015

From Goodreads:

From the Best-Selling Author of Queen of Hearts comes a dark and mesmerizing twist on the beloved Children's Classic, Peter Pan.

Wendy Darling has a perfectly agreeable life with her parents and brothers in wealthy London, as well as a budding romance with Booth, the neighborhood bookseller’s son. But while their parents are at a ball, the charmingly beautiful Peter Pan comes to the Darling children’s nursery and—dazzled by this flying boy with god-like powers—they follow him out of the window and straight on to morning, to Neverland, a intoxicating island of feral freedom.

As time passes in Neverland, Wendy realizes that this Lost Boy’s paradise of turquoise seas, mermaids, and pirates holds terrible secrets rooted in blood and greed. As Peter’s grasp on her heart tightens, she struggles to remember where she came from—and begins to suspect that this island of dreams, and the boy who desires her—have the potential to transform into an everlasting nightmare.

Happy Blessed birthday to meeeeee (my 3rd annual #JLBbirthdaybash)

You guys! I turn another year young this month, and am celebrating with my 3rd annual birthday bash!

After searching here and there for the *perfect* things (and a bit of collaboration with some peeps), I've finally come up with what I want to share: a bunch of lovely things I know you will love to have (or even pass along to others)! I'll probably add more items over the next few weeks, so check back often!

The deets:

 * Giveaway is US only (sorry guys, but shipping).

 * Ends Sunday, October 25th at 11:59 p.m. PST

There are MANY ways to enter. Because it IS my birthday and, therefore, about me and how much I love connecting with others, I added more entry options than usual. Feel free to enter all or only one or two, if you like.

And now, a quick breakdown of the winnings:

* Living Wonders Color Art coloring book (this thing has birds, owls, lots of other animals. It totally rocks).

* The Spectacular Now DVD

* a paperback of Elsker by ST Bende

* Live Wondrously pocket journal by Hafsah / IceyDesigns

* Three lovely books/coffee/tea custom-made bookmarks by Katie / Punk Projects (notice she made the mugs as a bird, fox, and owl... I love them so much)

* A Woodland Pals sticker book

* adorable hot air balloon PostIt notes

*various swag

All of which comes to a value of over $55 dollars!!!

Are you excited? I sure am! Go ahead and enter below!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finally Friday {7}: We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

Finally Friday is a meme started by me (Jessica, aka @coffeelvnmom) and J from @life_love_fandoms. This week's I-finally-read-this-waiting-on-Wednesday-book is: WE'LL NEVER BE APART.

4.5 stars 

We'll Never Be Apart is a haunting read taking you into the lives of twins stuck in the foster system after surviving a horrific event in their young lives. It's graphic. It's disturbing. It's raw. And, though I never thought I'd use this word for WNBA, it's surprising.

We'll Never Be Apart begins with one twin (Cellie) telling her story about revenge: what she did to her sister, and how much she enjoyed it. By the end of that first chapter, you're pulled in and wanting to know more due to the sickening way Cellie's mind works. What had Alice done that was worth doing that? Why would someone want to hurt her own sister the way she did?

When the book takes off, however, it's never again in Cellie's point of view. Instead, Emiko Jean takes you through the story via the other twin, Alice's, viewpoint. Stuck in a "treatment facility" (read: mental ward), Alice is adamant that she had nothing to do with the horrible things that went down, only her sister, Cellie. Her therapist tells her it's pertinent that she get better, and offers her a journal to write things down, come to terms with what's gone on, and so on.

And... this is where some of the most haunting things come in. As Alice retells her life with Cellie from approximately four years old and on in her journal, you begin to understand why Cellie is the way she is; why Alice, though unable to understand Cellie's twisted ways, protects her regardless of the things she does; and what brought them to this horrible point where they are both being charged with murder.

Along with the stories of their past and getting to know Jason, Alice's now dead boyfriend, Emiko Jean introduces various foster parents/homes and fellow patients at the mental ward, including one Alice befriends and another who helps Alice see things in a new light.

Nothing you read is as it seems. Everything is laid out to give you little tidbits of the story, but the further in you go, the more everything connects. I don't really want to say too much more because of potential spoilers, but I will say this: by the time you reach the end of We'll Never Be Apart, you will be left completely beside yourself. Ms. Jean flips everything on its head and the true meaning of the title smacks you right in the forehead.

This may not seem like a book for everyone (and it's certainly not something I'd normally pick up), but I highly recommend stepping out of the box and checking WNBA out, even if it isn't your usual cup of tea. I believe the best books are the ones that stick with you, poke at you after you've finished them. Mess with your head. WNBA is definitely one of those, and I'm glad that I read it.

Note: I'd say this is upper YA due to language and adult situations.

Add to Goodreads | Buy on Amazon | Buy at Barnes & Noble | Buy at The Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday {105}: ONCE UPON A KISS

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Once Upon A Kiss.

Once Upon A Kiss

by Robin Palmer

Publication date: January 5th, 2016

From Goodreads:

So much has happened since 1986, and Zoe Brenner is about to find out just how much.

From the author of the book that inspired the Disney original movie Geek Charming!

It's 1986 and sixteen-year-old Zoe Brenner's world revolves around Depeche Mode, Judd Nelson, exercise-obsessed parents, and her best friend Jonah. Then one day, in a freak Fun-Dip choking accident, Zoe falls unconscious, and awakes in the year 2016. So much has changed, and Zoe needs Jonah to help her make sense of it all. But in this life, Zoe is the most popular girl in school, and she soon realizes this Zoe doesn't associate with nerds like Jonah. As Zoe juggles new technology, attempts to hide her enthusiasm for poet blouses, and manages to keep her super jock boyfriend at bay, she tries to rekindle her friendship with Jonah and use her popularity for a good cause. Will she ever get back to 1986? And more importantly, does she want to?

Hug a teacher! It's World Teacher Day!

Grammarly shared a really cool infographic about teachers and how IMPORTANT they are, and I wanted to pass it on. Make sure to thank a teacher you know for what they do (any time of year, not just today)!

https://www.grammarly.com/plagiarism-checker

Go HERE to read their entire blog post.

COVER REVEAL: ST Bende's PERFEKT ORDER

Hey, guys! I'm so excited to share the cover of my sweet pal, ST Bende's new book! If you read ELSKER, ENDRE, and/or TRO, you'll know how fun it was getting to know Ull (an um, NORSE GOD) and his cohorts! So check out ST's new series, and make sure to stop by her Facebook page for a chance to win the novella before ELSKER: TUR!

✰✯✰ COVER REVEAL ✰✯✰

Perfekt Order 

The Ære Saga: Book One

by ST Bende

Release Date: December 8th, 2016

All's fair when you're in love with War.

For 18-year-old Mia Ahlström, a world ruled by order is the only world she allows. A lifetime of chore charts, to-do lists and study schedules have helped earn her a spot at Redwood State University’s engineering program. And while her five year plan includes finding her very own happily-evah-aftah, years at an all-girls boarding school left her feeling woefully unprepared for keg parties and co-ed extracurricular activities.

So nothing surprises her more than catching the eye of Tyr Fredriksen at her first college party. The imposing Swede is arrogantly charming, stubbornly overprotective, and runs hot-and-cold in ways that defy reason . . . until Mia learns that she’s fallen for the Norse God of War; an immortal battle deity hiding on Midgard (Earth) to protect a valuable Asgardian treasure from a feral enemy. With a price on his head, Tyr brings more than a little excitement to Mia’s rigidly controlled life. Choosing Tyr may be the biggest distraction—or the greatest adventure—she’s ever had.

Amazon

Kobo

Smashwords

iBooks

Add Perfekt Order to your Goodreads TBR:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26308021-perfekt-order

Before finding domestic bliss in Suburbia, S.T. Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly fond of Peet's coffee) and Europe... where she became overly fond of the musical Cats. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired the Elsker Saga. She hopes her characters make you smile and that one day pastries will be considered a health food.

Connect with ST Bende at:

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | AMAZON | GOODREADS

TUR is currently available for FREE for newsletter subscribers!

FALL 2015 YA SCAVENGER HUNT (#YASH) + exclusive #giveaway

It's #YASH time! *throws coffee bean confetti* 

Welcome to the FALL '15 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author (that's 160 this year), you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one book from each author on that team! This means there are EIGHT SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES of at least 20 books in each grand prize!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only last until noon PST on Sunday, October 4th!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off. :) If you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Directions: Somewhere below, you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in pink). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM PINK, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally. Anyone below the age of 16 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 4th. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

And now for the author and book I am hosting: Lisa T. Cresswell, and THE COLOR OF WATER! Lisa is a professional archaeologist that writes fanciful stories for young adults. She lives in Idaho with her family and way too many furry pet friends!  


THE COLOR OF WATER bonus material: 

Everyone's heard of Blackbeard, right? The terrible pirate? Hollywood staple pirate character? But did you know that Blackbeard was a real person named Edward Teach? I remember as a kid thinking he was just a cartoon-ish character and being amazed to learn he was real. You can read all about him on Wikipedia.  Born in 1680, he only lived to be about 35 or 40 years old because he was finally captured and beheaded in 1718. Perhaps because it was so long ago, he's become the stuff of legends? Even his flag is kinda creepy.

The ghost of Blackbeard is the main baddie in my new novella The Color of Water. He was such delicious fun to write, re-imagined as a modern day biker. Here's a sneak peek of my heroine, Samantha, unexpectedly seeing Blackbeard, aka Teach, on the streets of Beaufort ~


    The summer sun was still hot enough to make me sweat, but it was cooling down as the shadows got longer. The rain had left steamy puddles along the sidewalks, but the sky was clearing just like Matt said it would. Seeing nothing unusual at the Queen Ann’s, I kept walking, turning down an alley to avoid all the tourists on Front Street. That’s where I saw them – a man and a woman having a hella fight in the alley. My heart jumped up into my throat when I realized it was Harley man – Teach.

    I ducked behind a dumpster and tried to blend into the back of a building. It didn’t seem to matter to Teach and his lady friend because their screaming argument suddenly dissolved into a groping, kissing thing. I couldn’t stop staring at them. Teach’s beefy, tattooed arms wrapped the woman like an octopus’s tentacles, his fingers snaking through her God-awful, red-orange dye job. She didn’t seem to mind. She kissed him like she was starving and he was a steak dinner. After coming up for air, they stumbled back inside the building.

    I saw the door was printed with ‘No one under 21 admitted’ as I hurried past. If he was going to kill her, he would have done it right there, wouldn’t he? I resolved not to tell Matt about it, since he obviously didn’t want me anywhere near Teach. I didn’t want to risk making him mad again. I picked up my pace, running a few blocks so I wouldn’t be late.

You can find The Color of Water in print and ebook on Amazon and Goodreads! Enjoy~

Check out THE COLOR OF WATER 5 different ways: at Lisa's website | Buy The Color of Water | Request it on NetGalley | Check out the Pinterest Page | Add it to Goodreads

Here are the books up for grabs for Team PINK:

Make sure you head over to Nicole Zoltack's to keep playing!

Also, IN CELEBRATION of the FALL YASH, I'm giving away all three books currently in the Flora series (paperbacks for a US winner, or ebooks for an INTL winner), plus a $5 Amazon e-gift card!  Happy hunting!

a Rafflecopter giveaway