Posts Tagged ‘YA Contemporary’

Excerpt and Giveaway ~ One Queen Of An Ending by Zachary Ryan

Posted: September 18, 2019 in Contemporary Literature, giveaways, YA
Tags: ,
47

one queen banner

One Queen of an Ending
by Zachary Ryan
(The High School Queens Trilogy, #3)
Published by: Kingston Publishing Company
Publication date: August 26th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

one queen cover

Synopsis

It’s time to say goodbye to our Johnson Prep favorites before they all head off to college.

After the gossip-worthy events of graduation and the shocking death of one of their classmates, it seems The Queen of Queens wants to give Danielle, Bethany, Calvin, Tucker, and Aman one last hurrah.

Will everything have a happy ending, or will one of our favorites end up 6 feet under? How will the war end with the salacious arrival of returning students, Andrew and Jasmine? They all had one lesson left to learn: Just because high school is over, doesn’t mean the high school drama ends. They’re all about to take their curtain call, but will it end as a comedy or a tragedy?

Discover this sultry and thrilling end to the High School Queens Series.

 
Purchase: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
.

Check out this peek inside:

For every girl’s big day, they say ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.’ At Johnson Prep, a girl’s big day was something sinister, something designer, something sexy, and something red. It was the day you were marked by The Marked Queen. A package was delivered to your house, and you were supposed to be a good servant as you were a messenger of the Queen now.

Jasmine opened her package that morning, and squealed for joy because she had been dreaming of this day. She had always wondered when she would be marked by the Queen, and when her day to stroll down the hallway in a red leather dress would come true. She pulled out the dress, and saw her black devil pin was under it.

Jasmine, you’ve been marked. We know how you’ve waited for your day to wear the prized red dress. I did make it a little loose for you, because no one wants to see your back rolls. You better wear the dress with pride, or you will go downhill. Have a fun day being my bitch. We know how much you love being in the spotlight. -The Marked Queen.

She looked at the note that she was supposed to spread, and she couldn’t have been happier. She was marked, and she got to take down her least favorite person in the world. It was a day she would never forget. Yes, most girls would think their wedding day was their biggest moment, but for Jasmine, it was when she was marked.

About Author Zachary Ryan

one queen author

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status–and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or “soul cluster,” that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

Author links: Facebook / Website / Goodreads

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Letting Go Of Gravity ~ Author Guest Post and Giveaway

Posted: July 21, 2018 in Contemporary Literature, giveaways, YA
Tags: ,
8

letting go banner

Letting Go of Gravity
by Meg Leder
Published by: Simon Pulse
Publication date: July 17th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
.
letting go cover
.
Synopsis
.

“The anticipation and slow burn of Parker and Finn’s relationship is electric…[an] absorbing novel that will appeal to fans of Rainbow Rowell.” —Booklist

Parker struggles to reconnect with her twin brother, Charlie—who’s recovering from cancer—as she tries to deal with her anxiety about the future in this powerful new novel.

Twins Parker and Charlie are polar opposites.
Where Charlie is fearless, Parker is careful.
Charlie is confident while Parker aims to please.
Charlie is outgoing and outspoken; Parker is introverted and reserved.
And of course, there’s the one other major difference: Charlie got cancer. Parker didn’t.

But now that Charlie is officially in remission, life couldn’t be going better for Parker. She’s landed a prestigious summer internship at the hospital and is headed to Harvard in the fall to study pediatric oncology—which is why the anxiety she’s felt since her Harvard acceptance is so unsettling. And it doesn’t help that her relationship with Charlie has been on the rocks since his diagnosis.

Enter Finn, a boy who’s been leaving strange graffiti messages all over town. Parker can’t stop thinking about those messages, or about Finn, who makes her feel free for the first time: free to doubt, free to make mistakes, and free to confront the truth that Parker has been hiding from for a long time.

That she keeps trying to save Charlie, when the person who really needs saving is herself.

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
.
~~~~~
.
Enjoy the guest post from Author Meg Leder
.
Back in 2000, strange messages started appearing on major overpasses in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, e.g. “TONY DANZA IS MY DAD” and “I PLAY YOGA.” Each time I saw one, I was surprised, confused, and delighted. Later identified as the work of artists Buddy Lembeck and Darius Jones, they were my first introduction to the marvelous world of street art.
In Letting Go of Gravity, my main character Parker goes through a similar experience. When strange messages start appearing on bridges in her town, she wants to know what they’re about. Ultimately they become the first step in her journey of self-discovery.
I was really excited to work street art into a novel, because I love it. For me, it represents a disruption of the everyday, a little bit of the unexpected that asks you to stop and look at the space around you differently. Parker in particular needs that jolt to start thinking about her world in new ways.
If you’re looking for some similar inspiration, here are some artists to check out:Invader: An anonymous French street artist, Invader places ceramic tile compositions of old video game characters around major cities. You never know when one will appear, which makes finding them all the more exciting. There’s even an app, so you can register the ones you find, like a scavenger hunt!Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: This artist uses street art to combat harassment, creating posters with images of women and captions about their experiences being harassed. Titled “Stop Telling Women to Smile,” the project is an incredibly powerful statement about the way words are used to control women in public spaces, and how women can take some of the power back.Os Gemeos: Identical twin brothers from Brazil, Os Gemeos create vibrant murals inspired by folk art, hip hop, and Brazilian culture. Their creations are both dream-like and grounded in the world around you, and their appearance in the world makes you feel like you’ve discovered a little bit of magic.Steve Powers: Powers used to create street art under the name ESPO. Now a full-time artist, he creates word-based and iconic images under his own name. Bright, blocky letters share messages like “YOUR EVERAFTER IS ALL IM AFTER” and “LETS ADORE AND ENDURE EACH OTHER.” (Powers’ work majorly inspires the street artist in my book.)Jenny Holzer: Conceptual artist Jenny Holzer’s work involves using words to deliver brief truisms on billboards and walls and galleries. Each one is strange and wonderful, e.g. “Protect me from what I want” and “In a dream you saw a way to survive and you were full of joy.” Holzer’s work startles you out of the everyday, asking you to question and tease out what she means.

These are only a few of the artists who inspire me. Are there some you love? I

.
~~~~~
.
Aythor Meg Leder
.
letting go author
.
A former bookseller and teacher, Meg Leder currently works as a book editor in New York City. Her role models are Harriet the Spy and Anne Shirley. She is the coauthor of The Happy Book, and spends her free time reading, looking for street art, and people watching. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Author Links:  Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
.

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Friday 56 #137 ~ Every Last Word

Posted: February 3, 2017 in Contemporary Romance, Romance, The Friday 56
Tags: , , , , ,
27

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from:

 Every Last Word 

by Tamara Ireland Stone

23341894

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: YA Contemporary/Romance/Mental Health

From page 56 in the hardcover.

Everyone stands, clapping and cheering, and Sydney holds her skirt to one side and curtsies. Then she throws her arms up in the air and her head back and yells, “Yes! Stick me!”

~~~~~

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

If you could read my mind, you wouldn’t be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can’t turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn’t help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she’d be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam’s weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet’s Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more “normal” than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

AMAZON

~~~~~

Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Book Trailer and Spotlight on Revelations by T. Marie Alexander

Posted: December 20, 2016 in Contemporary Literature, Trailer, YA
Tags: , ,
2



Revelations
T. Marie Alexander
Publication date: January 27th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Have you ever craved something so badly that all reason was just an excuse getting in your way?

Have you needed something so desperately that you didn’t care how you got it or who you hurt in the process?

I have—and not that long ago.

Acceptance.

Acceptance… from family and friends…

Acceptance of the person I am inside and not outright rejection.

It didn’t come easily for me, and now I believe the world needs to know just how ruthless life can be. How that overwhelming yearning for acceptance can mold you into someone you don’t recognize when you look in the mirror. I’m through hiding behind one façade after another—it’s time for the world to meet the real me.

~Antoinette Justice

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

BOOK TRAILER:

 

Author T. Marie Alexander

T. Marie Alexander lives in Arkansas. She can be found sitting at a computer on any given day, usually writing or looking up something to do with fashion. When she is not doing either of those things, she’s reading on her Kindle or binge watching Roswell on Netflix time and time again. She shares her apartment with her husband and some annoying ghost that like to take her belongings. Her dream of becoming an author started around the age of seven when she would glue small pages together and write about her favorite thing at the time, boy band crushes. T. Marie writes Young Adult Science Fiction and Paranormal Fiction.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

XBTBanner1

*****

Thanks so much for visiting!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky Christmas kitty below!

christmas tree photo: TreeLightsCat TreeLightsCat.gif

Under A Million Stars by Rita Branches ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Posted: August 11, 2016 in Blitz, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, YA
Tags: , , ,
18

Under A Million Stars
Rita Branches
Publication date: August 8th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Can a beating heart bleed from the shattered pieces?

Her heart cracked when her best friend walked away; it completely shattered when she lost her family in a tragic accident.

Now orphaned at seventeen, Charlotte Peterson is forced to live with her former best friend, Jacob Parker. Charlie, a talented pianist, desperately wants their loving friendship back, but something is holding Jake back. The more she spirals into the darkness of depression, the more she needs him.

Jacob vowed to stay away from her—no matter how much he still loved her. Armed with secrets that would have destroyed both of their families, he chose to end their friendship and walk away, which nearly killed him. As he watches the girl he once knew begin to fade away, however, he realizes that their relationship is more important than the truth he’s hiding.

Now it’s up to Jacob to put the pieces of Charlie’s broken heart back together—even if it means revealing the secrets he so desperately wants to protect her from.

Will Jacob find a way to bring back the carefree, talented girl he once knew, or is it too late for both of them?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

Jacob

These two weeks had been hell for me.

I didn’t know how I was going to pull this off for the eight months I still had left in this hell of a town. My parents didn’t get me, and she was around all the time, suffocating me. My heart skipped a beat every time I heard her voice, and it doubled in speed when she was near me. I wouldn’t be able to stay away, I knew it. She was breaking my heart all over again.

I heard her at night, when she thought everyone was sleeping. I just sat on the floor, resting my head against the wall, and listen to her cry and throw up every other night.

I stayed there like a jerk, as if I didn’t give a crap about her or her feelings, but I cried. I missed her. I wanted to hold her at night and tell her that everything would be alright, but I couldn’t. I promised I would stay away—I couldn’t hurt her, anymore. I pushed my knees to my chest to hold myself together and to keep me from crumbling. Sometimes, I had to place my closed fist against my mouth, so she wouldn’t hear me sob. I wished she would have, though. I wished she would have opened the door and saw me sitting there, caring about her, suffering like she did.

My mom was getting suspicious about me. She knew about her, or at least that something wasn’t right. My face, the permanent dark circles under my eyes, and my lack of appetite wasn’t normal, though. I was okay, before her parents’ accident—I had started to pull myself together.

***

This night was especially bad. She stayed in the bathroom for hours. I had been on the other side, hearing her cry and wishing I could take it all away.

I was starting to get really scared for her. I left before my parents woke up, unable to face them and those disapproving looks, anymore, like I wasn’t doing anything right with my life. They wanted a perfect son and they didn’t have one.

I was in no condition to go to college—I couldn’t even imagine myself being closed behind four walls for another four or five years. I needed something to take my thoughts away—something that would fuel me with adrenaline. They wouldn’t approve of the plans I’d been making. They’d hate them, in fact, but I didn’t care, anymore, I just needed to get away.

 

Author Bio:

Rita Branches is an independent YA (young adult) author who enjoys spending every free moment (when she´s not reading) writing emotional stories. Visit: http://ritabranches.wordpress.com/

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Kiss Kill Love Him Still ~ Scavenger Hunt Giveaway

Posted: November 6, 2015 in Contemporary Romance, giveaways, YA
Tags: , , ,
2
.
Kiss Kill Love Him Still
by Jamie Blair & Dawn Rae Miller
Release Date: November 10th 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg
Synopsis:
Jackson Landis kept secrets. It’s how he got girls into bed, the grades he wanted, and a reputation for being the life of the party.
But now he’s dead, and no one knows how or why. Especially not the four girls whose secrets he protected. Secrets so scandalous they could cause each girl to lose something valuable. Secrets so dark, someone may have killed for them.
The four girls – a campus drug dealer, an overweight bookworm, a closeted lesbian, and a spoiled princess have one thing in common – they’re terrified the things Jackson knew may not have died with him. As Reggie, Haddie, Val, and Livie try to piece together her own role in Jackson’s death, each girl realizes Jackson had some not-so-pretty skeletons of his own.

Which makes a girl wonder, who really wanted Jackson Landis dead?

WELCOME TO THE SCAVENGER HUNT BLOG TOUR!
We’re trying to discover who killed Jason Landis in Jamie Blair and Dawn Rae Miller’s book. In the 7 days that the tour will be running, you will find interviews with the suspects, their profiles and music playlists that will help you decide who you think did it.
Each day you will find a team that will introduce you one character. The winner team will be picked on November 11th and will have the pleasure to host an exclusive excerpt from Kiss Kill Love Him Still.
Please note that reviews from bloggers will be published on November 11th and November 12th, see schedule, and that might give you an extra insight to the book, too!

 

Height: 5’1”
 
Weight: 105 lbs
 
Hair: Shoulder length, blond and wavy.
 
Eyes: Hazel
 
Demeanor: Agitated. Hysterical. Manipulative
 
Motivation for killing Jackson Landis: His chronic cheating, which she claims to have no knowledge of.
Livie: Are we done, Officer Ruiz? I have a full afternoon of shopping ahead of me.
Ruiz: “You’ve only been here for a half an hour. Shopping can wait.”
Livie: I had nothing to do with Jax’s death. Why would I? He was my boyfriend. He gave me everything I wanted.”
Ruiz: He wasn’t exactly faithful.
Livie: And you can prove that how? Have other girls told you that? Wouldn’t that make them suspects too? Why are you only torturing me?
Ruiz: I can’t discuss that with you, and we are not torturing you. We’re questioning you.
(Long pause)
Livie: Arrest me or let me go. I know my rights, and I have nothing left to say to you without my attorney.
Ruiz: Very well, you may go, but I’m sure we’ll be speaking again soon.
Livie: Whatever.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO DECIDE!
This is what the authors propose:
Follow the Kiss Kill Love Him Still by Jamie Blair & Dawn Rae Miller Scavenger Hunt Blog Tour and don’t miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.
.
ffbc followthetour
Young adult author of the Kirkus-starred novel Leap Of Faith (Simon & Schuster 2013), and Lost To Me (2014), featured in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling anthology, Dirty Boys of Summer. Represented by Rebecca Friedman of RF Literary.
Dawn is a Twitter and fashion addict whose favorite things in life are her family, gorgeous dresses, tea leaf salad, and French macarons. She splits her time between San Francisco and Northern Virginia, and is always up for a trip to Paris.
During release week the book will be on sale for $.99. On top of this sale Dawn and Jamie will also be giving away 2×3 book buttons to the first 100 people who buy the book!
Do you want some Kiss Kill Love Him Still button? Just click here to submit your entry.

 

ffbc circle banner
~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Will she be able to fill her….Empty Cup ~ Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted: March 9, 2015 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Literature, giveaways, reviews, YA
Tags: , ,
20

Empty-Cup-Banner

I’m so glad you stopped by for my stop on the tour for Empty Cup.

This is Author Suzanne Costigan’s debut novel and I very much enjoyed it.

Please enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

Title: Empty Cup

Publication date: November 3, 2014

Publisher: Rebelight Publishing Inc.

Author: Suzanne Costigan

Empty-Cup-Cover

 

 My Review

While this story delves into a traumatic and,sadly, common subject, it’s also about courage, hope, and strength.

Raven’s home life isn’t perfect but she manages. Until her birthday, when her step-father goes from the usual leers and innuendos to an attack that leaves her beaten and bloody. Saved by her mother arriving home, she’s mistaken to think she’ll be okay. Her mother refuses to believe her, blames her, and throws her out in the winter cold with nothing but a sheet wrapped around her naked body.

Raven now has to find a place to live and face what’s happened to her. She’ll need to be strong, rely on friends, and find the courage to begin her life again.

I was surprised to discover this was the authors debut novel. It’s powerfully written, and while it touches on a delicate subject, it also breathes hope.

Raven is so sweet and so broken. I loved her courage. The people she should have been able to trust and protect her, instead did the opposite, and and while she was ashamed and hurt by what happened, she turned to her friends and a kind teacher, drawing on their loyalty and wisdom.

This was a book I was hesitant to read as it’s a tough topic and one many avoid. The authors writing is tough where it needs to be and delicate too.  I’d recommend this to teens and adults.

4 Stars

~~~~

Mom’s new boyfriend is creepy.

On the night of her seventeenth birthday, Raven finds out he isn’t just creepy, he’s dangerous. He leaves Raven broken and bleeding, but Mom blames her for what happened. She kicks Raven out of the house with nothing but a blanket to protect her from a frigid winter night.

Alone.

Devastated.

Abandoned.

As Raven struggles with the aftermath of the ultimate betrayal, she seeks solace in her imagination and a teacher who seems to understand her situation. She ultimately discovers that her world won’t change if she relies upon someone else to do it. Real change begins within.

“…Sure to prompt reflection and provocative discussions on important issues.”

-Allan Stratton, author of Leslie’s Journal

“Not an easy story, but an important one. Compelling, powerful, and engaging.”

-Eric Walters, author of Power Play.

~~~~~

ABOUT SUZANNE COSTIGAN:

empty cup 6x suzanne

Suzanne Costigan is a child welfare advocate, supporting high risk children in her home, and an active member of the Winnipeg writing community. Empty Cup is her first novel.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Teaser Tuesdays #71 ~ Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Posted: June 24, 2014 in Contemporary Literature, Meme, Teaser Tuesdays, YA
Tags: , ,
8

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~~

My Teaser for today is from

Torn Away

by Jennifer Brown 

15845648

1771e-addtogoodreadsblack

Genre: YA Contemporary

Teaser #1 from page 21 .

It felt like a never-ending stream of chaos. Like my whole world was being shaken and tossed and torn apart, and like it would never stop. Like I would be stuck in this terror forever.

I was confused, and my arms, legs, back, and head stung. I coiled into myself, gripping my head and crying and crying, half-sobbing, half-shrieking. I don’t know how long I stayed that way before I realized it was over.

Teaser #2 from page 78.

“I’ve seen videos of tornadoes before, but Jersey, I’ve never seen anything like this. It was huge. Had all these little tornadoes circling it too. The thing was so big it looked like it could swallow the whole world.”

It did, I thought. It swallowed my whole world.

~~~

My kindle battery died so I picked this up last night to continue reading, and I paid for it this morning. I have no idea what time it was when I fell asleep with the light on. And I felt like a zombie all day at work. But it was worth it.

Luckily, I only have about 30 pages until the end, so I’ll get plenty of sleep tonight!

~~~

Book Description:

Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives — but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she’s sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she’s never considered before — one in which her mother wasn’t perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that’s something no tornado can touch.

~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif