This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is one of my favorites, because while I read a lot of debut authors every year, there are always authors I’ve checked out for the first time. While I don’t usually read as many of these new-t0-me authors as the debut novelists, I’m thrilled to share the ones that made…
Editor’s Pick: Althea & Oliver by Cristina Moracho
“Althea & Oliver” by Cristina Moracho Publish Date: Oct. 9, 2014 | Publisher: Viking Juvenile | Pages: 384 | Buy it on: Amazon ~ IndieBound What if you live for the moment when life goes off the rails—and then one day there’s no one left to help you get it back on track? Althea Carter…
Love and Fame: Open Road Summer and Something Real
In the past month I’ve read two contemporaries — “Open Road Summer” and “Something Real” — that really struck a chord, because they were romances, yes, but they were also commentaries on celebrity, fame, friendship, and family. “Open Road Summer” by Emery Lord and “Something Real” by Heather Demetrios are not fluffy bubble-gum reads; they’re…
Mini Book Reviews from Common Sense Media (2)
With the exception of two books, I’ve been on a roll this year with my book reading. I’ve read so many good books in a row, I’m constantly holding my breath worrying the next one will be terrible. Since I’ve enjoyed so many titles in 2014, I thought I would again share excerpts from my…
“RED” Blog Tour: Interview With Author Alison Cherry
“RED” by Alison Cherry Publisher: Random House, 320 pages | Release Date: Oct. 8. 2013 | Buy it: Amazon or IndieBound Felicity St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one…
Mini Book Reviews from Common Sense Media
It has been an emotional week for me. As I mentioned a few posts ago, my oldest started middle school, and my youngest started kindergarten. We’ve had to get up extra early, and then around 1:30, I start to really miss my baby, who was always with me by that time when he was in…
Giveaway! The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
A cool, sexy romance novel written by seventeen-year-old British sensation Beth Reekles. Meet Rochelle “Elle” Evans: pretty, popular—and never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn: badass, volatile—and a total player. When Elle decides to run a kissing booth at her school’s Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her…
Author Q&A: Katja Millay on The Sea of Tranquility
A few weeks ago, my friend Brittany (of the Book Addict’s Guide) and I were talking on Gchat about the last books that blew us away. Without skipping a beat, Brittany recommended Katja Millay’s “The Sea of Tranquility.” I remembered Brittany writing about the book in her End of the Year Book Survey and figured…
Review: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill Publisher: Delacorte Books | 304 Pages | Buy It Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question. It’s one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia…
ALA Young Media Awards 2013: Surprises and Excitement
Yesterday was Book Awards Day! We’d like to congratulate all of the winners of the 2012 ALA Youth Media Awards but especially to the YALSA section of the honorees, particularly the 2012 Michael L. Printz Award Winner: “In Darkness” by Nick Lake. I know that I was not the only one expecting “The Fault in Our…