[Blog Tour] Character Interview with Cheyenne + Giveaway: The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray

Hi guys! The Dollhouse Asylum is one of my most anticipated reads for 2013 so I'm excited to be a part of this blog tour, organized by Patrice of Spencer Hill Press. I have a character interview with Cheyenne, the heroine of the story. Stick around for a giveaway later!

Character interview with Cheyenne (as she is at the beginning of the book):

So tell us about yourself.
I'm a senior at Khabela high--a math and science school in Austin my mom's boyfriend, Mayor Tydal picked. I love literature and to get lost in books, and tend to make a few, good friends. I'm in love with someone I wish I wasn't.

What was your first impression of Elysian Fields?
I didn't like it, but Teo knew what was best, so I allowed myself to see what he saw. Instead of maniacally perfect homes and a street isolated in the middle of an all-encompassing woods, he built this paradise where we could be together away from the Living Rot. He kidnapped me to get there, but looking back, I know he must have done it that way to save time. He wanted his world to work and so did I.

Could you describe Teo to us?
He has this amazing dark skin, and the kind of voice that always carefully enunciates every single word. He's not robotic, though. He's so very far from that. He's graceful, and when he moves, it's as if his muscles are connected to music. He was the only person to talk to me at Khabela when I moved in, and we immediately had a connection as we saw that we read the same kinds of books.

When you were younger, have you ever thought that you could have a relationship with one of your teachers? Why?
I never would have dreamed of it, mostly because it sounds so sick and is against the law. But then you think of Medieval cultures where the women married at thirteen and the men were thirty-five, and you look at my mom who's six years younger than Mayor Tydal. Six years is all that separates Teo from me. Six years. When I'm forty-two, he'll be forty-eight. How many of us think there's much of a difference between those two ages? Of course, the nay-sayers would say, "But you're in high school, and he's your teacher." Do you think I chose for it to be like this? One month from now, I'll graduate and he won't be my teacher anymore. According to the law, we'll suddenly be legal, all will be okay. One month. And yet right now my relationship is considered gross. We love who we love. We can't help who we have a connection with. Now, if I was a freshman, and Mr. Richardson hit on me, that would be gross.

What are the things that you value in life?
Quality conversation and looking to history via the classics. (Teo, I might add, is fully equipped to handle both.) I despise small talk. I want to talk to someone about things that matter, depth. I want to learn from the stories of old and bring the lessons the people learned in our lives and become better.

If you could change one thing in your life now, what would it be? Why?
You mean, besides the Living Rot devouring the better half of the earth? And the fact that Teo and the others aren't getting along? That he doesn't know how to lighten up and they don't get him? In my old life, I would say I wanted my mom not to be influenced by Mayor Tydal so much. Now, I just want Teo's and my relationship to be cemented and smooth and for everyone to live in peace with us here.

Could you tell us one thing that you regret?
I regret not saying anything positive to my mom the last time I saw her. We'd barely spoken the past few weeks, and I don't even really remember what we last talked about.

Any last words?
Um... watch out for snakes?

Paperback, 296 pages
October 22nd 2013, Spencer Hill Press

A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when Cheyenne wakes up in Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.

At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to question the perfection of his world.

The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone," and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass the test, they must play along.

If they play it right, then they'll be safe.

But if they play it wrong, they'll die.

Puchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Mary Gray has a fascination with all things creepy. That’s why all her favorite stories usually involve panic attacks and hyperventilating. In real life, she prefers to type away on her computer, ogle over her favorite TV shows, and savor fiction. When she’s not immersed in other worlds, she and her husband get their exercise by chasing after their three children. The Dollhouse Asylum is her first novel.

Follow Mary: Website | Twitter

Giveaway

Thanks to Spencer Hill Press, one of you will win a signed copy/print copy of The Dollhouse Asylum!

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[Blog Tour] The Grand Finale: Hero by Alethea Kontis

The Grand Finale

(In case you missed anything!)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Hero

by Alethea Kontis



Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. 


Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?" 


As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.  Excerpt

   

Alethea Kontis

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube

Sail Away on the 

Fairy Tale Adventure Tour*

*Family Welcome

Sept 22 - LAUNCH

Sept 23 - The Missing Piece - Althethea Kontis 

 I wrote them. And I cried. And I sent them in. And my editor was touched. And then somewhere between then and publication, they fell through the cracks...

 - Video Rant on Debz Bookshelf

Something about Saturday’s story just touched me... and that made my experience reading this book even more powerful. - Debz review

 - Celebration on Deal Sharing Aunt

Sept 24 - Interview with Miss Print 

The plan is for the Woodcutter Sisters Series to encompass 7 books — one about each sister. That’s always been my original plan. The publisher’s plan was for Enchanted to be a solo book...INTERVIEW

Hero is another excellent installment in the Woodcutter Sisters story and a mandatory read for anyone looking for an antidote to the typical princess story.  - REVIEW

Sept 25 - Interview with Carina Olsen  

What was the first fairy tale you remember falling in love with?  I started reading when I was three and was crazy about reading by the age of five. When I was eight, my French grandmother gave me a giant copy of unexpurgated Grimm and Andersen tales. I mark that date as The Beginning of The End...

 - The Grandfather Pirate on Living a Goddess Life

 - Meet the Inspiration Part I on The Wonderings of One Person

I was a normal kind from a REALLY NOT NORMAL family. My biggest feelings of inadequacy came from comparing myself to my parents and siblings and everyone else and just not measuring up...

Sept 26 – Review on Shannon’s Blog

Coming from a large family, I liked the way the author not only made the heroine one of many siblings, but managed to include all her brothers and sisters...  It wasn’t just an interesting biographical fact that Saturday came from a large family; it actually mattered to the story.

Sept 27 – My Amazing Sister on Leeana Me

My little sister, Soteria, always asks me who she is in the Woodcutter stories, but it’s hard to say. She and I were so close growing up–if I am every single one of my characters, then she is always my sister in every scene.

Sept 30 -- USA Today Happy Ever After interview

My 8-year old daughter loves Alethea Kontis. She's never read one of her YA books, but she knows her as "Princess Alethea" who hangs out with Mommy at book festivals. Alethea lives and breathes fantasy, fairy tales and girl power, and it always pours out of the page. The second book in her Woodcutter series, Hero, is out, and this one has all the trademark spunky heroine and swashbuckling (there are pirates!) fantasy adventure you will find in her books. I was fortunate enough to grab a few moments with Alethea to ask her a few questions...

 

- Review of Enchantment on Colorimetry

What a deliciously fairy tale filling read… with just enough light-hearted fun, deeply dark antagonists, magic straight out of real fairy-tale-dom with real fairy god mothers… and characters that carry their faults around like real people that accidentally fell into the story.

Oct 1 - RELEASE DAY!

 - Alethea at Waterworld Mermaids - "Last Minute Wonder"

I can’t even call it procrastination, because it was more like Self-Imposed Ninja Boot Camp...

 - "My Favorite Bit" guest essay by Alethea - Mary Robinette Kowal

...clothes may be an expression of who you are, but they are not the definition.

 - Review at Library of a Book Witch

I think that this series is really good at setting that fairy tale tone with the writing style, being a hard core lover of fairy tales, it makes the books perfect for me. I also love how she weaves in the different stories and pieces it togther like one of Fridays quilts.

Sunday

- Interview & Review at Tressa's Wishful Endings

Alethea: I have been accused many times of "cramming all the fairy tales into one book like it was some sort of challenge"--and indeed, it sort of started out that way.I just have to ask, what is your favorite fairy tale and fairy tale princess and why?Alethea: Yay! I love answering this question... Interview

Saturday is such a great character! She is struggling with figuring out her place in the world and who exactly she is...  I loved that she isn't dramatic, but rather sarcastic... Review

Oct 2 - Video Rant Geek Girl In Love 

Princess Alethea rants about Petronella 

I found Hero to be a creative and exciting work of fantasy.  The highlight of the book was the exploration of gender roles, and the romance, which was based very much on the idea that people’s differences can complement each other.

  - "The Big Idea" John Scalzi's blog 

Every author wonders if they’ll be able to hack it in a trial by fire. Well, this author knows she’s got what it takes. I wrote that manuscript in three months, and when they didn’t like that, I took the fourth month to rewrite the whole thing. But I did it, against all odds, and what came out was magic.

Ironically, this is exactly what Hero is all about.

  - My Bookshelf on Mel's Shelves

I was intrigued with the summary for this book. I come from a family of 7 daughters (and 2 sons). I line up with daughter number 4, Thursday, who ran off with the Pirate King and sends trunks of gifts back home, haha!  - Review of Enchanted

The Shelf I Can't Live Without

  - Did You See? on Cu's eBook Giveaways

Princess Alethea has had a busy week!

Oct 3 – Hightlighting The Missing Piece on I Am a Reader, Not a Writer 

Last but not least I must thank the members of my very large family... thank you for keeping my feet tied to the ground while I reach for the stars. You are my heart, and I love you all more than these humble words can say. 

 - Review at Books for Kids

I love the way she writes.  Her characters are vibrant and full of life.  Saturday is a fabulous protagonist.  I adore her strength and her stubbornness, her fire and her fight.  I love the way she solves her problems (with her brain) and the way she carries out her plans (with her strength).

Oct 4 - Podcast Anything Goes with Bennet Pomeranz

More Entertainment Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with BennetPomerantz on BlogTalkRadio

 - Review of Hero on Colorimetry

The scene with the lake is burned on my memory forever:  Surrounded by icy walls, with water so clear you can see that the lake is deep, so deep you don’t know how deep, heated from molten lava within the mountain. It’s amazing. I want to go there!!

Oct 5 - Hero LAUNCH PARTY at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA

...where you can get a personalized, signed copy from Alethea!!

 - Meet the Inspiration Part II on Bookmarks

...So you see, I didn’t just have family members growing up. I had legends. I may have been destined for greatness, but only because my family set the bar SO HIGH.

Oct 7 - Character interview with Saturday Woodcutter at I Smell Sheep

Troubadour: I’m here today with Saturday Woodcutter, sixth of the seven Woodcutter daughters, and sister to the Queen of Arilland. Princess Saturday, could you tell me--

Saturday: Call me "princess" again and I punch you in the face. 

 -  Craft "Stealing from the Best" on Romance Writers of America & Fantasy Futuristic &Paranormal Chapter

In my teen novels, I retell the classic Grimm and Andersen (and a few others') fairy tales. I don't regurgitate the exact same sequence of events--though as they're public domain, I suppose I could. I prefer, instead, to fill in the blanks I feel the original authors left.

Oct 8 - Families in Fiction at A Backwards Story

In real life, we have families. Some of us have REALLY LARGE AND OBNOXIOUS families. And though we feel alone sometimes in those awkward middle school years, we're never really alone-alone.
Even when we want to be.

 - Review at JL Mbewe

There’s that saying that “it takes a village to raise a child” — well, in the publishing world, books are the author’s children. And it takes a village to raise them, too...

The first thing that jumped off the page at me was the author’s style. It’s playful, fun, and fresh filled with an out-of-this-world yet grounded fairy tale experience. I loved it... Review

Oct 9 - Enchanted Inkspot

AK – Beloved is a parallel novel to Hero, chronicling the adventures of Friday and the rest of the Woodcutter crew back in Arilland, in the tragic aftermath of the appearance of Saturday's "impossible ocean." Apprentice seamstress Friday becomes a leader of the children (because that's Friday's thing), and gets caught up in trying to break a curse involving seven swans, a mute girl, and the need to weave seven shirts out of stinging nettles. 

I've always loved all the bird-tales ("The Goose Girl" is my favorite) and I have to say...I am SO IN LOVE with writing this book. Beloved is such an appropriate title.

 - Deleted Scene at Fragments of Life

It was a sad road that led Peregrine to his mother's bedside... 

All in all, Hero was like a tapestry of fairytales interwoven together: vibrant, fun, humorous, tragic and100% magical. I strongly recommend this to readers who love fairytale retellings and fantasy. - Review

Oct 11 - 13 - Caplave

Oct 11-15 - GRAND FINALE

Contact BurgandyIce(at)live(dot)come if you're interested in sharing this Grand Finale!

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * The Book Depository * Indie Bound * Powell's * Book Tour

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Sept 22 - Oct 17



Fairy Tale Gift Basket (US only): Signed copies of both Enchantment and Hero by Alethea Kontis plus swag!



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[Blog Tour] Review + Deleted Scene + Giveaway: Hero by Alethea Kontis

Hardcover, 304 pages
October 1st 2013 by Harcourt Books

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?" As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

Source: Alethea Kontis + Netgalley! (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Saturday was the daughter who had so much energy for a gift. Aside from this seemingly never-ending energy, she considered herself normal enough unlike all her sisters. To be honest, I didn’t expect to like Saturday as much I did. In Enchanted, I loved Sunday who was so different from her older sister. In Hero, I got to see the world from a very different perspective, all-too-practical and somewhat ‘magic-proof’ in such a way that she herself didn’t believe that she had magical capabilities until the day she summoned the sea to her doorstep. Quirky, daring yet in her own way, sensitive, Saturday grew on me.

Peregrine’s character was an intriguing addition to the set of characters. His story was just haunting and traumatic for me. It was a version of faery-wish-gone-wrong with just enough dark humor to make me pity Peregrine and at the same time wish that he could have thought over his decision. With his wish granted, he roamed the Top of the World as an immortal. He was a man stuck in a woman’s body, literally. For this reason, humor and tragedy coexisted in Hero.

Top of the World was freakishly intriguing. Betwixt, the witch and all the secrets and magic lying in the multitude of caves there, were part of why I kept reading on. I wanted to know more about each and every one of them, especially Betwixt.

I was curious how the author would mix together bits and pieces of fairytales into an original story. Alethea Kontis does it again with a vibrant, crazy-like (in a good way) novel. The plot was good, as unpredictable as ever.

All in all, Hero was like a tapestry of fairytales interwoven together: vibrant, fun, humorous, tragic and100% magical. I strongly recommend this to readers who love fairytale retellings and fantasy. (Though do take note that this isn’t, exactly, a retelling. This is more of a mix of more than one fairytale.)

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

If you're up for more Hero and want to check out Alethea's writing style, here's a deleted scene from the manuscript. This is a part of the original chapter one of the book from Peregrine's POV:

Deleted Scene From Hero by Alethea Kontis

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a goddess, a force of nature, and a mess. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, turning garden gnomes into mad scientists, and making sense out of fairy tales.

Alethea is the co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s  Dark-Hunter Companion, and penned the AlphaOops series of picture books. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in a myriad of anthologies and magazines. She has done multiple collaborations with Eisner winning artist J.K. Lee, including The Wonderland Alphabet  and Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Her debut YA fairy tale novel, Enchanted, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012 and was nominated for both the Andre Norton Award and the Audie Award in 2013.

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea now lives in Northern Virginia with her Fairy Godfamily. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Sept 22 - Oct 17

Fairy Tale Gift Bundle: Signed copies of both Enchanted and Hero by Alethea Kontis plus swag!

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[Blog Tour] Deleted Scene: Not Pretty Enough by Jaimie Admans + Giveaway

Title: Not Pretty Enough
Author: Jaimie Admans
Date of Publication: August 1, 2013
Genre: contemporary YA comedy

Blurb:

“New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Lloyd Layton will know I exist. He once said three whole words to me, so this is obviously progress. If I don’t get a proper conversation out of him soon, then I’ll take my top off and streak through the cafeteria, because nobody could fail to notice these boobs.
2. I will not get expelled for streaking through the cafeteria.”

Those are the words that begin her mission.
Chessie is fourteen, not pretty enough, and very much in love. Lloyd Layton is hot, popular, and unaware of Chessie’s existence.
Her goal is clear: to get Lloyd to love her as much as she loves him, and she has exactly one year to do it.
As Chessie’s obsession with Lloyd reaches boiling point and she starts to spin a web of lies that spiral out of control, Lloyd turns out to be not quite the prince she thought he was. Can Chessie avoid the gathering storm before things go too far?

-- -- -- -- --
Not Pretty Enough is a contemporary young adult comedy suitable for ages thirteen and over.

Book two in the series will be released early 2014.

Amazon

About Jaimie Admans

Jaimie is a 28-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, drinking tea and watching horror movies. She hates spiders and cheese & onion crisps. She has been writing for years but has never before plucked up the courage to tell people. Afterlife Academy is her third novel and she hopes you enjoy it. There are plenty more on the way!

Follow Jaimie: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter

Deleted Scene (for Precious at Fragments of Life)

Thanks to Dianne + Jaimie, I have giveaway for you! For the giveaway, these are the prizes: $40 Amazon GC + swag. It's open internationally so anyone can join. :)

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[Blog Tour] Review: Sky's End by Lesley Young

Paperback, 430 pages
July 15th 2013 by Soul Mate Publishing

A secret she must never share. A secret that two warring species are determined to control. A universe's future at stake. Twenty-year-old Cassiel Winters joins Earth's new space academy in hopes of finding her brother, one of Command's top pilots and her only family, who's been reported MIA. But she quickly realizes she may not be cut out for life in space, where female cadets are outnumbered, competition's fierce, and she's already failed her hand-to-hand combat test once. Even the station's most respected officer, Lt. Damian King, probably can't help Cassiel pass the second time around-so why is he so interested in her progress? If only one of her freaky deja vu visions would offer an answer instead of mysterious messages like hide. When Cassiel's manipulated into a perilous mission, she encounters a warrior species bred to protect the universe from an even greater threat. And she learns that her secret visions are at the heart of it all. Now Cassiel must fight to control her own destiny and race to save her brother-even if it means pretending to be the pawn of Prime Or'ic, the cold-as-steel Thell'eon leader. Even if it means risking her life, facing hard truths, and making the ultimate sacrifice.

Source:Samantha + JKS Communications, Lesley Young

My Thoughts:

Sky’s End was atmospheric in the sense that from page one I was sucked into the semi-claustrophobic world of the military academy. There was a definite sense of progression in technology and way of living. One of the things I liked in Sky’s End was the scientific-alien-encounter-vibe that it had. The cultures that were involved in the story, going beyond humanity and including other races, was one of the things I enjoyed. Imagine studying anthropology for various alien races? It’s just so intriguing for me.

The main character, Cassiel, was an average girl with not so average problems. Her commentaries and reactions to the things that were happening around her was the main reason why I kept on reading. Although I understand that ranting about one’s problems might seem like a turn off for some readers, for the first part of the story, I think it was good, normal.

Damian King, the missing brother’s best friend, was a mystery. I can’t decide if I want him for Cassiel or not. He was the image of the protector but at the same time, there were just little things about him that made me think he wasn’t love-worthy.

Or’ic, the Thell’eon guy, was another story. His inhumanity and charm caught my attention. There’s just something about an inhuman guy who slowly, gradually learns to become more and more human. The transformation awed me. I’m particularly looking forward to what will happen in the next book because of him.

Sky’s End is an enjoyable quick futuristic read, with the metallic tang of sci-fi and a dash of romance. Though this is science fiction, I would say it was more focused on travel and alien cultures instead of the technology. If you liked Earth Girl by Janet Edwards, you might enjoy this, too.

Rating:

About the Author:

Journalist Lesley Young never thought she would delve into the world of writing fiction, but when she sat down for the first time to put pen to paper, ideas for what would become her first novel just poured out naturally. Young’s first book, “Sky’s End,” is a multi-genre tale that showcases her unique style of weaving romance, action and wit
into one page-burning story.

Young was born in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. She holds an arts degree from the University of Alberta and a journalism degree from the University of Victoria. Young now lives in Loretto, Ontario where she works as a journalist, freelance writer and editor for health, décor and business magazines. Since 2008, Young has written more than 300 articles for print and online media including Profit, Toronto Life, MSN Green, and Elle Canada among others. She is a regular contributor to Reader’s Digest, Best Health, Canadian Living and House and Home Magazine.

Young has won three gold honors for feature stories from the National Business Magazine Awards and another top media award from the Canadian Dermatology Association.

Soul Mate Publishing releases “Sky’s End” on July 15 in paperback and ebook. The novel is Young’s first installment in a series about Cassiel Winters, a futuristic heroine, and her outer space escapades.

Follow Lesley: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Feature + Giveaway: Hardcover of Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick

The Changed are on the move. The Spared are out of time. The End...is now.

When her parents died, Alex thought things couldn't get much worse--until the doctors found the monster in her head.

She headed into the wilderness as a good-bye, to leave everything behind. But then the end of the world happened, and Alex took the first step down a treacherous road of betrayal and terror and death.

Now, with no hope of rescue--on the brink of starvation in a winter that just won't quit--she discovers a new and horrifying truth.

The Change isn't over.

The Changed are still evolving.

And...they've had help.

With this final volume of The Ashes Trilogy, Ilsa J. Bick delivers a riveting, blockbuster finish, returning readers to a brutal, post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe and hope is in short supply.

A world where, from these ashes, the monsters may rise.

Purchase: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indiebound

If you haven't started the series, here are a few praises given to the first book of the trilogy, Ashes:

“Bick mixes apocalypse zombie fiction with dystopian political narratives and makes it into something that is a little more than the usual young adult fiction. This book will get you thinking, scare the crap out of you and have your heart-breaking all in one paragraph. DON’T MISS THIS ONE. I haven’t been this freaked out by a young adult novel in a long time.” — Parajunkee

“It will keep you reading til the wee hours of the morning, and once you get to the end you will probably re-read the last page one more time just to make it last that little bit longer (I know I did, especially with the cliff-hanger it leaves you dangling from!) I really cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy. Read it now. You won’t regret it!” — Book Monkey Scribbles

“Ashes is an action-packed, fast-paced novel full of wonderful characters, sweet romance and it’s a thrilling start to an exciting new series!” – The Moonlit Bookshelf

“As with Ms. Bick’s earlier YA horror novel, Draw the Dark, much of Ashes strength in terms of characters is with how genuine they feel and resonate, psychologically and emotionally, and this is especially true for Tom and Alex… Once again, Ms. Bick proves herself as a formidable storyteller with a gift for complex characters.” – The Book Smugglers

Giveaway
Thanks to Media Masters Publicity, one lucky reader of Fragments of Life will win a Hardcover of Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick!

Open to US residents.
*If you have a US addy, you can join as well!
Ends on October 20th.

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[Blog Tour] Review + Giveaway: Life, Love, & Lemons by Magan Vernon

Life, Love, & Lemons by Magan Vernon
Publication date: August 20th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary

Synopsis:

When life hands you lemons, sometimes you have to say screw the lemons and bail.

Seventeen-year-old Bentley Evans had it all. Then her Dad got laid off.

Now she has to move across town to a small apartment and leave her life of luxury for public school and a job at the local burger place. Just when her world seems like it's crumbling she finds solace in the unlikely punk boy next door, Kai Stone. But as their relationship blossoms, a jealous ex-girlfriend and a secret to tell that threatens to bring disaster back into Bentley’s life.

Add this on Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Source:Magan Vernon + Giselle

My Thoughts:

The premise of Life, Love, & Lemons was similar to a few YA contemps that I've read in the past. Although the plot was nothing new, it was definitely packed in charm and humor. Magan did a good job in blending the light and heavy parts of the book. For the majority of the book, I didn't feel the heaviness of it until the last half. The humor balanced out the heaviness. Though the financial and emotional problems, as well as regrets and dark pasts, were tackled, I felt that this was still a light read.

Bentley, just like any person used to a life of luxury who was taken away from it, was dreading the small apartment, the public school and the newness of it all. Though I expected her to complain a lot and maybe even be a bitch about it, she ended up being the opposite. She was nice and considerate. I found her to be a patient girl, taking everything in and adapting to it as fast as she could. What I really liked about her was that she kept moving forward, not letting challenges and obstacles deter her. She lived one day at a time, dealing with school, work and home.

Now, moving on to Kai. He was the boy nextdoor clad in skinny jeans and the always-present eyeliner. At first, the appearance threw me off balance. I couldn't really imagine him as the love interest. But the moment he started talking, I knew he was the one. Kai was a gentleman through and through; a good boy despite the outfit. Just like Bentley, he had his own struggles in life. Seeing his vulnerable side and romantic side were two of the things that I liked most in Life, Love, & Lemons.

Kai and Bentley were an unlikely couple, the emo and the preppy girl. It's not the usual combination so they get teased a lot by their schoolmates. To make matters worse, Kai's ex-girlfriend, Brynne, was always looking for trouble (aka verbally or physically attacking Bentley). Kai and Bentley gravitated towards one another. It was just something that happened naturally. They lived close to one another, worked in the same burger joint and went to the same school. Little by little, they discovered that the emo boy wasn't actually emo by heart and that the preppy once-rich girl was not as snobbish as she was in the beginning. I liked how these two got closer with every page.

Life, Love, & Lemons is charming, cute and funny. This is the ideal one-sitting read for readers of YA contemporary. If you just want to take a break from paranormal or science fiction and want to taste reality for a few hours, I recommend Life, Love & Lemons to you.

Rating:

About the author:

Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.

Follow Magan: Website | Goodreads |

Giveaway:

Open internationally!
Prizes: A Coach wristlet, lemon drop EOS lip balm + swag
PS: The photo is upside down for some reason when I uploaded it on Blogger. :)

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