Friends With Boys, by Faith Erin Hicks (book review) – one ghost too many

Jun4

book cover of Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks published by First Second BooksFirst day of public school jitters,
a ghost overstaying her welcome,
Mom gone away suddenly,
everything was so much easier in homeschool!

Canadian artist Faith Erin Hicks melded Nova Scotia’s long seagoing history and her personal experience of being homeschooled with 3 brothers to create this coming-of-age story with a ghostly twist.

Alas, she never saw a ghost in her house like Maggie does…

**kmm

Book info: Friends With Boys / Faith Erin Hicks. First Second Books, 2012.  [author site]  [publisher site]  [fan-created book trailer] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: The ghost lady may be Maggie’s smallest worry now, as being homeschooled with her three big brothers hasn’t prepared her for the people-part of attending high school.

Mags liked Mom as her teacher, but wanted to play with her brothers instead of do girly stuff with her – maybe that’s why Mom left their small coastal town in the Maritimes.

Her twin brothers fight constantly (as usual), but don’t hang out together (not usual), her oldest brother likes theater, but distrusts Maggie’s new friend Alistair, mohawked senior Alistair decided that not being a jerk to his sister Lucy was more important than being a volleyball jock, so now the team hates him, and Lucy is fascinated by ghosts and their town’s history, which all leads to a teeny-little museum caper… by the way, Dad is the police chief now.

This graphic novel follows Maggie as she tries to find her place in the high school hierarchy and make the ghost go back to the cemetery – is that really so much to ask?  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Here and Now, by Ann Brasheares (book review) – time travel to save humanity

Jun3

book cover of The Here and Now by Ann Brashares published by Delacorte PressTravel back in time to stop disaster, but
Don’t stand out,
Don’t be discovered,
Don’t fall in love… easy, right?

Yes, it’s *that* Ann Brashares of Traveling Pants fame, but this is no summer friendship tale – the entire future of mankind is at stake!

This April 2014 release should be easily found at your favorite local library or independent bookstore; if not, just ask for it!

**kmm

Book info:  The Here and Now / Ann Brasheares.  Delacorte Press, 2014. [author blog]  [publisher site]  [silly video interview] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Sent back in time to prevent ecological disaster, Prenna couldn’t imagine that the Travelers’ secrecy rules could endanger their mission or would be that difficult to follow – until she meets Ethan in 2012.

Just arriving the early 21st century might make their future worse, but the 200 youth and adults going undercover in their grandparents’ past to stop the blood plague must risk it.

Prenna tries to stay unnoticed at school, but Ethan recognizes her as the girl who fell from a strange storm cloud two years earlier, then walked away. His knowing comments to her plus subversive info from a homeless man show that the Travelers’ secret isn’t complete.

Why hasn’t Prenna’s father joined the group yet?
What do the numbers 51714 inked onto her arm mean?

When the teens discover that the first Traveler to the past is planning to doom the future world to total collapse instead of just widespread disease and disaster, they have to act, regardless of the consequences to themselves in this time-travel romance thriller from the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Second Star, by Alyssa B. Sheinmel (book review) – Wendy, Peter & surfboards

Jun2

book cover of Second Star by Alyssa B Sheinmel published by Farrar Straus GirouxLost boys, runaways, surfers,
Grieving parents sleepwalking through life,
Sister looking everywhere.

Wendy’s desperate journey up the PCH twines around the framework of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan as the big sister pushes past her own fears to find John and Michael who’ve been gone so long.

Dive into an excerpt here free, then ask for Second Star at your favorite local library or independent bookstore today to see how Wendy deals with Pete and Jas, who are trying so hard not to grow up.

**kmm

Book info: Second Star / Alyssa B. Sheinmel. Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2014.   [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Searching for her missing twin brothers, Wendy’s encounter with a group of runaways who live only to surf changes the teen forever.

Wendy believes that John and Michael are still chasing the best waves, several months after police closed their missing persons case, so she heads up the coast to find the beach in their favorite photo.

At Kensington, where cliffside houses are sliding into the Pacific, she discovers a colony of runaways who’ve seen her brothers. Pete teaches her to surf, tries to steer her away from nearby drug-dealer Jas who might have more information. Belle is Pete’s girlfriend, except that she isn’t?

If her wish on the Second Star  comes true, Wendy will make her family whole again in this California retelling of Peter Pan.   (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Hello, June! Howdy, Blogathonners!

Jun1
image of runner with computer mouse for Blogathon

Blogathon HQ banner courtesy of
Michelle Rafter of Wordcount

Howdy, book fans and Blogathonners!

If you’re new to the BooksYALove party, please note that I love young adult books, love connecting the right book to the its perfect reader, and never (ever) give away the ending!

On June 6-8, I’ll be participating in Mother Reader’s 9th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge, this year celebrating Diversity in Kids’ Books by reading and writing about young adult and middle grade books with characters of diverse race, cultural heritage, and family. My 48 hours will include writing about some of the books I’m reading that weekend for future BooksYALove posts – so many good books with diverse casts, but so many more needed. #weneeddiversebooks for all ages

I’m also doing a year-long challenge hosted by Bookish blog, trying to get my TBR shelf under control.

For most folks, TBR signifies “to-be-read” books, but for me and other bloggers, it means “to be reviewed” – in other words, all those great books from last year (or earlier) that we still haven’t talked about, even though we liked them a lot. The siren song of the newest book is so compelling, you know.

I’ve recommended 30 books with pre-2014 publication dates so far (like these), but added none to that list in May (I was resting between April AtoZ Blog Challenge and June Blogathon) – I will introduce a few more in June, for sure.

Of course, I’m looking forward to our traditional Blogathon features like Haiku Day and Word Cloud Day, as well as alerting y’all to each summer week’s free complete audiobooks available for download through the SYNC Audiobook program (Thursday-Wednesday).

Please subscribe to email updates or follow BooksYALove using the links in the right sidebar.

Happy June! Happy reading!

**kmm

 

 

 

Guy in Real Life, by Steve Brezenoff (book review) – guy, girl, gaming

May31

book cover of Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff published by Balzer + BrayOnline MMOs,
tabletop RPGs,
never the twain shall meet?

His best friend says that every online game female character is a GIRL – guy in real life – but is it wrong for Lesh to spend time online as Svvetlana if he truly wants to be with the real Svetlana?

And why shouldn’t Svetlana prefer creating fantasy game scenarios to attending boring pro soccer games with her clueless parents?

After school, Lesh hangs out with the wrong crowd by habit, Svetlana only hangs out with her dungeon friends, yet somehow their worlds overlap in this fun read.

**kmm

Book info: Guy in Real Life / Steve Brezenoff. Balzer + Bray, 2014.  [author site]  [publisher site] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: A late-night sidewalk collision brings together 2 teens from very different circles as their roleplaying and online game lives somehow intersect.

Getting grounded finally gave Lesh time to play the MMO that Greg is hooked on. But he hates being a blundering orc and instead chooses to be an elf, whom he molds into the image of quirky Svetlana at school, the girl he met when her bike ran into him that rainy night.

Svetlana’s detailed roleplaying scenarios intrigue the Central High Gaming Club, but when one guy quits, the club could lose its official status. Maybe Lesh of the black trenchcoat would join? Decidedly better than being with her crazy Minneapolis soccer fan parents.

Game life connects this guy named after the Grateful Dead’s drummer and that dungeonmaster girl in skull-embroidered skirt, but real life is more than energy levels and 20-sided dice in this quirky maybe-romance told from their alternating points of view.   (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Murderously good SYNC audiobooks free this week!

May29

This week’s free audiobooks from SYNC are murder, just plain murder!

CD cover of Confessions of a Murder Suspect By James Patterson & Maxine Paetro Read by Emma Galvin Published by Hachette AudioConfessions of a Murder Suspect
By James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Read by Emma Galvin
Published by Hachette Audio

Investigating her parents’ murder, Tandy has disturbing memory flashbacks and wonders if she can trust her 3 siblings – all four Angel children are prime suspects.

The Murder at the VicarageCD cover of Murder at the Vicarage By Agatha Christie Read by Richard E. Grant Published by Harper Audio
By Agatha Christie
Read by Richard E. Grant
Published by Harper Audio
(not available for download in UK or Great Britain)

Everyone in the village had a reason to kill Col. Protheroe discovers Miss Marple in the first of her many mysteries.

Click on either title to download these complete audiobooks for free by Wednesday, June 4th. They’re yours as long as you store them on your current computer or electronic device.

Who’s in the clear? Who did the dirty deed? Read with your ears as a teen sleuth and a venerable British lady try to find out!
**kmm

Let’s Blogathon, like we did last summer!

May27
image of runner with computer mouse for Blogathon

Blogathon banner (c) Michelle Rafter/Wordcount

It’s nearly time for my favorite blogging event of the year – Blogathon!

This free exercise to build up our blogging muscles – one post a day, every day in June – was founded by Michelle Rafter of WordCount and is being hosted this year jointly by Michelle and Freelance Success.

Sign up here by the end of May to join the blog roll = lots of new blogs for you to read and follow! lots of new readers for your blog!

Then Like the 2014 Freelance Success/WordCount Blogathon page on Facebook where we’ll share links to our daily posts, find inspiration and guest bloggers, and get tips for theme day posts (like these “25 Ideas for Daily Blog Posts” by Michelle). We’ll also tweet links to our daily posts on Twitter with the hashtag #blog2014.

And there are prizes! To qualify for the prize drawing, you must be registered for Blogathon2014 and must post on your blog every day in June. Since there are bloggers covering many subjects, the prizes are varied as well; I donated a couple of boxes of YA and middle-grade books.

So c’mon and join the fun! You don’t have to write a huge article every day – Haiku Day and Word Cloud Day are two much-loved Blogathon staples which help us get to our 30-in-3o goal.

See you at #blog2014! Lots of great books ahead on BooksYALove in June, too.

**kmm

Art of Lainey, by Paula Stokes (book review) – using war strategy to woo him back

May24

book cover of The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes published by HarperTeenHow dare Jason break up with her in public?
Everyone knows he and Lainey belong together!
This means war… to get him back.

BFF Bianca suggests using expert advice from their assigned summer reading to make Jason so jealous that he’ll be back with Lainey to start their senior year – if Sun Tzu’s Art of War  won’t work, what will?

Read the first chapters here for free, then ask for this May 2014 original paperback at your local library or independent bookstore to find out whether Lainey’s war for Jason’s heart is worth the battles.

**kmm

Book info: The Art of Lainey / Paula Stokes. HarperTeen, 2014.  [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Publicly dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Lainey uses strategies from The Art of War to get him back – with surprising results.

When Mom saw “big changes, separation” in the tea leaves, Lainey thought it meant best friend Kendall’s trip to New York, not losing Jason to his gorgeous ambulance partner! Bianca says Sun Tzu’s strategies work today, so Lainey begins her full-time war to get him back.

“Be deceptive.” Co-workers from her parents’ coffee shop help with Lainey’s campaign – preppy Leo trying to get his girlfriend back and pierced punk Micah with his mohawk, tattoos, and mysterious past.

“Be flexible.” A college play, a goth music club – Lainey and her fake dates stay busy and visible in their St. Louis suburb between shifts at Denali.

“If you know the enemy and yourself, your victory will not be in doubt.” Fretting over Jason isn’t helping her soccer scholarship chances, so she and Bianca talk while they run – five fake dates with Micah are eye-opening, especially when bumping into Jason and that Alex girl “accidentally.”

“If equally matched, we can offer battle.” Jason finally asks Lainey to sub on his summer co-ed soccer team? Bring it on!
“When you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” Fourth of July fair with more-fun-than-fake-date Micah or party at Jason’s house? Hmm…

Following an ancient Chinese warlord’s tactics will get Lainey what she really wants before summer ends, right? (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Tales of power, parents, and kings in SYNC audiobooks this week

May22

Powerful kings, vengeance and justice – Time to download this week’s free audiobooks from SYNC so you can read with your ears!

Click on each title to go directly to the SYNC download page for it and follow the easy instructions there.

CD cover of Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge Read by Elizabeth Knowelden Published by Harper AudioCruel Beauty
By Rosamund Hodge
Read by Elizabeth Knowelden
Published by Harper Audio

Betrothed since birth, Nyx plans to slay the evil ruler when they marry – Beauty and the Beast retold.

Oedipus the KingOedipus the King by Sophocles Read by Michael Sheen Published by Naxos AudioBooks
By Sophocles
Performed by Michael Sheen and full cast
Published by Naxos AudioBooks

Classic tragedy follows Oedipus as he solves the Sphinx’s riddle and commits terrible crimes before becoming king.

Remember that although these complete audiobooks are only available from Thursday through Wednesday, you have free use of them as long as you keep them on your computer or electronic device

Bookmark the SYNC site now so you can download great audiobooks all summer long: http://www.audiobooksync.com/
**kmm

Tin Star, by Cecil Castelluci (book review) – stranded in space, searching for home

May20

book cover of Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci published by Roaring Brook Press Left for dead on a space station,
no money to get home…
but where IS home now?

Tula had never imagined aliens as friends or humans as overwhelmingly untrustworthy, but after what her colony leader did and what she has to do to survive…

Read the first chapter free on the publisher’s site to start on Tula’s dangerous attempt to make it in a tin-walled future she never planned.

And if you can grab some 20-sided dice and a few friends, you can play the free role-playing game based on Tin Star here, before you even read the book!

**kmm

Book info: Tin Star / Cecil Castellucci. Roaring Brook Press, 2014.  [author blog]  [publisher site]   Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Abandoned on a remote space hub, Tula is surviving among its many non-human residents when Brother Blue returns with ominous news.

Questioning their leader when the Earth colony ship stopped at Yertina Feray space station was a deadly mistake for the 14 year old. With no identity pass or resources, Tula must join the Underbelly economy to survive.

Helping a Hort named Heckleck with his off-the-books trades and trying to avoid official notice by Constable Tournour the Loor, Tula is forging her place in the Underbelly.

But the arrival of other humans during an intergalactic political upheaval worries her – with good reason, as the colony leader reappears… in a uniform.

Can Tula stay clear of Brother Blue (or whoever he is)?
Will she ever find a way to get to Earth or their colony?

(One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)