Tag Archive | US author

Brave women of WWII in free SYNC audiobooks

Jun12

This week’s free audiobooks from SYNC feature women who risked everything to save others from Nazi brutality and the horrors of World War II.

Download these free full-length audiobooks before Wednesday June 18, and you can listen to them for as long as you have them on your computer or electronic device.

CD cover of Code Name Verity By Elizabeth Wein Read by Morven Christie & Lucy Gaskell Published by Bolinda AudioCode Name Verity  (download here)
By Elizabeth Wein
Read by Morven Christie & Lucy Gaskell
Published by Bolinda Audio

Captured by the Gestapo when their  plane crashes in occupied France, young British spy Queenie survives her friend Maddie, but for how long?

CD cover of The Hiding Place By Corrie ten Boom, John Sherrill & Elizabeth Sherrill Read by Bernadette Dunne Published by Christian Audio
The Hiding Place (download here)
By Corrie ten Boom, John Sherrill & Elizabeth Sherrill
Read by Bernadette Dunne
Published by Christian Audio

The memoir of Dutch Resistance heroine who helped many Jews escape from the Nazis and later became a noted evangelist.

Such tales of bravery against terrible odds! Which one will you download first?
**kmm

Shelter, by Patricia H. Aust (book review) – escaping Dad’s abuse…maybe

Jun9

book cover of Shelter by Patricia Aust published by Luminis BooksDad in dictator mode,
Family can never do anything right,
Bam! The abuse begins again…

While machismo may be the norm for Puerto Rican men on the island and in the US, Miguel’s dad inflicts mental and physical abuse on his family, plain and simple.

A great #diversebook from my 48 Hour Reading Challenge last weekend – ask for Shelter at your local library or favorite independent bookstore. In memory of its author, the publisher is donating part of the royalties to the women’s shelter where she volunteered before her death in 2012.

Share Miguel’s story with others once you’ve finished – for some it will be interesting information; for others it will be the hope and knowledge that they need to escape family violence.

**kmm

Book info: Shelter / Patricia H. Aust. Luminis Books, 2014.  [author obituary]   [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: When Mom can’t take Dad’s abuse any more and escapes with Miguel and his big sister to a shelter, the teen is certain that his father won’t rest until he finds them.

Every detail of family life must be done exactly as Dad demands, or else! At first, Mom could keep the bruises hidden when she went to work, but not this broken jaw.

Fleeing to the women’s shelter is just the first step for Mom, Ellie, and Miguel – restraining orders, new cellphones, getting off the camp bus two stops early so the shelter location isn’t known, going to court.

But Ellie’s boyfriend Diego isn’t any happier with her being gone than Dad is that his family disappeared – even in Connecticut, no piece of paper should come between a Puerto Rican man and his woman!

During this anxious summer in another town, Miguel has to decide if he must always be in control like Dad or will follow his tae kwan do instructor’s teachings and become a honorable man.  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Books, books, books for 48 hours? Oh, yeah!

Jun8
clipart of guy with cloud of question marks

Question_Guy by Scout (c) Openclipart.org

What did you read on Friday night? Yesterday?
Whatcha reading today?

I’m nearly done with the 48 Hour Book Challenge reading #diversebooks – realistic fiction, graphic novels, historical fiction, fantasy – featuring characters who aren’t white/middleclass/straight. I’ve logged 17.5 hours so far and am trying to get to 20+ before bedtime tonight! [update – did it!! 20.5 hours in 48 hours]

See y’all tomorrow with one of the many great titles that I’ve enjoyed this weekend, thanks to Mother Reader’s hosting of the Challenge, with more to come as future recommendations on BooksYALove.

**kmm

p.s. What *have* you been reading lately?

 

Orleans, by Sherri L. Smith (book review) – post-hurricanes, Delta Fever rules

Jun7

book cover of Orleans by Sherri L. Smith published by GP Putnam's SonsCategory 6 hurricane blasts New Orleans,
incurable blood disease rampant,
the Gulf Coast states excised from the USA.

In 2056, Fen tries to remember everything that her scientist-parents taught her before Delta Fever felled them, like countless thousands after Hurricane Jesus (which made Katrina look like a mild breeze) – but will it be enough?

Get a taste of Fen’s life in the free short story “Orleans: Carnivale” here, then look for the 2013 hardcover or recently released paperback to travel deep into dangerous Orleans, one of my #weneeddiversebooks 48-hour Reading Challenge favorites this year.

As Sherri wrote in my copy of the book, “Tribe is life” – it’s up to Fen to ensure her tribe’s survival now.

**kmm

Book info:  Orleans / Sherri L. Smith. G.P. Putnams’ Sons, 2013 (hardcover); Speak, 2014 (paperback). [author site]  [publisher site]  [book trailer] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Carrying the hope of her tribe in 2056’s death-dealing Louisiana swamps, Fen will leverage any advantage to ensure their survival, including an outsider scientist’s misguided help.

In drowned New Orleans, descendants of mega-hurricane survivors live and die in tribes based on blood type to slow the incurable Delta Fever’s mutations. After an ambush, only Fen and Lydia’s baby remain of the O-Positive tribe. She must get that baby over The Wall before Delta Fever gets into her blood!

Scientists in the Outer States still seek a cure for Delta Fever; Daniel has found it. To test the cure, he sneaks into the Separated lands in a quarantine suit, hoping to survive long enough to see the results.

When blood farmers capture them, Fen and Daniel work to escape so they can get Baby Girl over The Wall… at least, that’s what Fen plans.

This ecological disaster adventure from the author of Flygirl  tests the boundaries of trust and humanity as surely as the soldiers guarding The Wall will shoot anyone trying to leave the Delta. (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)

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)