Cover Reveal: The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

This is something you've got to check out! Today I'm helping to reveal the cover for Jennifer Salvato Doktorski's new YA contemporary, out March 2015. Jen is one of my favourite authors and I'm so happy for her that THE SUMMER AFTER YOU AND ME got such a beautiful cover. I love it! What do you think? 

Here is the summary to go with it:

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

Where to find Jen Doktorski and her books: www.jendoktorski.com | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

  

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Huge Pre-Order Giveaway - Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little

I've got a very special post for you today! Kimberley Griffiths Little is giving away a ton of fabulous goodies to you wonderful readers. All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

On November 4th, HarperCollins unveils Forbidden, a seductive YA debut from award-winning middle grade author Kimberley Griffiths Little. Forbidden transports readers back in time to the deadly deserts and sweltering heat of Ancient Mesopotamia for a tale of danger, duty, and forbidden love. Jayden is on the brink of womanhood and betrothed to her tribe’s prince, cold-hearted Horeb. But when tragedy strikes, Jayden meets Kadesh, a mysterious visitor from the south who makes Jayden doubt everything she knows. Torn between loyalty to her tribe and the chance to escape her fate, Jayden must make a choice that will change her life forever.

Kimberley is also offering a HUGE preorder giveaway from October 6th to November 4th (release day!) to celebrate. See below for full details on how to enter.

 
TO ENTER:

* You must preorder Forbidden through an online retailer or your local bookstore, then email a photo of your receipt to forbiddengiveaway@gmail.com.

* Fill out the rafflecopter below

* US/Canada Only

* Ends at midnight EST on November 3, 2014

* Optional entries: share the trailer on your own site or social media, follow Kimberley on twitter, and tweet about the giveaway (can be repeated daily for extra entries!)

 

* Winners will be announced and contacted November 4th (release day!)

* If the winner does not respond with their mailing address within one week, a new winner will be chosen.

PRIZES:

(1) GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

1. NEWLY RELEASED Kindle Fire HD6 Tablet with 6" HD Display, Wi-Fi, Front and Rear Cameras, 8 GB -- choose your color! (Black, Magenta, White, Citron, or Cobalt)

2. GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

3. CHAOS OF STARS by Kiersten White

4. Satin Belly Dance Skirt

5. Belly Dance 150-Coin Hip Scarf

6. Red Silk Veil (not pictured)

7. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

8. Belly dance DVD: Sensual Belly Dance with Blanca, a professional dancer (technique, choreography, and performances)

9. "Will YOU risk it all?" button (not pictured)

10. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

11. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

(1) SECOND PLACE WINNER:

1. GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

2. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

3. Red Silk Veil (not pictured)

4. Belly dance DVD: Sensual Belly Dance with Blanca, a professional dancer (technique, choreography, and performances)

5. "Will YOU risk it all?" button (not pictured)

6. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

7. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

(13) RUNNERS-UP WINNERS:

1. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

2. "Will YOU risk it all?" button (not pictured)

3. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

4. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preorder:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

About Forbidden: In the unforgiving Mesopotamian desert where Jayden’s tribe lives, betrothal celebrations abound, and tonight it is Jayden’s turn to be honored. But while this union with Horeb, the son of her tribe’s leader, will bring a life of riches and restore her family’s position within the tribe, it will come at the price of Jayden’s heart.

Then a shadowy boy from the Southern Lands appears. Handsome and mysterious, Kadesh fills Jayden’s heart with a passion she never knew possible. But with Horeb’s increasingly violent threats haunting Jayden’s every move, she knows she must find a way to escape—or die trying.

With a forbidden romance blossoming in her heart and her family’s survival on the line, Jayden must embark on a deadly journey to save the ones she loves—and find a true love for herself.

Set against the brilliant backdrop of the sprawling desert, the story of Jayden and Kadesh will leave readers absolutely breathless as they defy the odds and risk it all to be together.

Follow Kimberley:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

About Kimberley: Award-winning author Kimberley Griffiths Little was born in San Francisco, but now lives in New Mexico on the banks of the Rio Grande with her husband and their three sons. Her middle-grade novels, When the Butterflies Came, The Last Snake Runner, The Healing Spell, and Circle of Secrets, have been praised as “fast-paced and dramatic,” with “beautifully realized settings.” Kimberley adores anything old and musty with a secret story to tell. She’s stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. You can visit her online at www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com.

Share your thoughts on the trailer in the comments!

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Behind The Pages #9 - Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer

Welcome to my new Behind The Pages post! You can find last month's post of this feature, with Adi Alsaid and Let's Get Lost, here. Today I'm sharing pages Mary Elizabeth Summer annotated from her debut novel TRUST ME, I'M LYING. Have you read it yet?

What is Behind The Pages all about? I asked some of my favourite authors and a bunch of promising 2014 debut authors to annotate a scene, page or more of one of their books. I see the feature as a chance to show readers what's behind a page. Authors can share their favourite writing memories, the music that influenced a certain scene or anything else that comes to their mind. We might get hints to what the characters were thinking and feeling that exact moment or other fun details about their story. Hope you enjoy Behind The Pages as much as I do. I'm intending this feature to be a monthly post here on the blog.

Thanks to all the incredible authors who took the time to annotate a page or scene for us, your comments are always so insightful and fun to read. When readers can't get enough of a book and its characters it only shows how much the author's work means to them, to us. Thank you!

___________________________________________________

Julep Dupree tells lies. A lot of them. She’s a con artist, a master of disguise, and a sophomore at Chicago’s swanky St. Agatha High, where her father, an old-school grifter with a weakness for the ponies, sends her to so she can learn to mingle with the upper crust. For extra spending money Julep doesn’t rely on her dad—she runs petty scams for her classmates while dodging the dean of students and maintaining an A+ (okay, A-) average.

But when she comes home one day to a ransacked apartment and her father gone, Julep’s carefully laid plans for an expenses-paid golden ticket to Yale start to unravel. Even with help from St. Agatha’s resident Prince Charming, Tyler Richland, and her loyal hacker sidekick, Sam, Julep struggles to trace her dad’s trail of clues through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts, family secrets, and worse, the threat of foster care. With everything she has at stake, Julep’s in way over her head . . . but that’s not going to stop her from using every trick in the book to find her dad before his mark finds her. Because that would be criminal.
  
 

Mary Elizabeth Summer is an instructional designer, a mom, a champion of the serial comma, and a pie junkie. Oh, and she sometimes writes books about teenage delinquents saving the day. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her daughter, her partner, and her evil overlor–er, cat. TRUST ME, I'M LYING, a YA mystery, will be released by Delacorte in Fall 2014. (Author bio found on www.mesummer.com). Follow Mary Elizabeth on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.  

 

 _____________________________________________________

Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer 

_____________________________________________________

Snap Shots
 

Here are a few pictures Mary Elizabeth Summer took of the actual racetrack she went to for "research" purposes. 

 

_____________________________________________________

Soundtrack

Mary Elizabeth Summer has mentioned a few songs in her annotations that are her characters' theme songs. 'Ain't No Rest For the Wicked' by Cage The Elephant is one of Julep's songs. I hope you enjoy it!
 

 

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Book Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1)
Author: Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Doubleday Children's Books
Publishing Date: September 11th 2014
Length: 320 pages
Keywords: MG, friendship, magic school, elements
Source: Publisher

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst – and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

Summary by Goodreads

Callum, our protagonist, is such a kind and lovely boy. He is also a lonely boy. That is, until his life changes radically when he is accepted into the Magisterium, the one place on earth he's always wanted to avoid at all costs. 

   He has a disability and has been an outsider all his life. So even if he didn't want to attend the new school, this opportunity means a new start for him. It's his chance to make new friends and prove the world that he can be good at something, maybe even the best. 

   The character of Callum is a character who represents all the kids who are struggeling with a disability themselves. He shows that many things are possible when you believe in yourself. Call will encourage many readers to be as brave as he is.

Together with his new friends Aaron and Tamara, Call introduces readers to a new generation of magic apprentices at the Magisterium. THE IRON TRIAL kind of reminded me of the Harry Potter world. Yet Cassandra Clare and Holly Black's book has so many bewitching peculiarities that are solely Magisterium-made that you can't but think of it as its own magical world. I'm sure many readers will enjoy this new and different brand of magic. 

The three kids are only getting to know the Magisterium and its rules. As part of their apprenticeship Callum and his friends are presented with little tasks and small missions to develop their magic skills.  They are mostly harmless missions, so the story comes along less adventurous than expected. It is a very innocent kind of magic the kids are practicing. And they are learning to control the elements with the help of their mentors.
   Despite the big author bonus and the friendship story that works great I am not fully content with the rather slow pace of the story. The introductory part was longer than necessary and it was a while until I felt at home in the Magisterium.

This Middle Grade read is suitable for younger readers. The friendship part of the story is very important. Cassandra and Holly go into detail how such a strong bond of friendship between Callum, Tamara and Aaron develops over time and how trials are mastered together. I really like this wizard trio!

3,5/5 ***/* THE IRON TRIAL - Readers all over the world will fall in love with Callum's story of bravery, magic and friendship!  
 
Two beloved authors of mine teamed up to write a new magic school series, and now that I know there will be five books in this series I am an even happier reader. Clare and Black's writing is rich in detail and very strong in creating lovely atmospheric background settings to every chapter. I would recommend THE IRON TRIAL to younger readers but older fans of magic schools will definitely get their money's worth, too.

"As he bent closer, he realized they were words - words his wife had carved into the cave ice with the last of her dying strength.

As he read them, he felt them like three hard blows to the stomach. 

KILL THE CHILD" ― p.4-5

THE IRON TRIAL you might enjoy HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL by Soman Chainani and THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan. These are YA and MG reads with a good portion of magic.

* Check out the German cover for THE IRON TRIAL. 

* THE COPPER GAUNTLET, the second book in this series comes out 2015.

* Click here to watch the THE IRON TRIAL book trailer.

* Here's an excerpt of THE IRON TRIAL for you to read.

* For more information about the authors and their books visit www.blackholly.com and www.cassandraclare.com.

* Thanks to Random House UK for sending me a proof copy of THE IRON TRIAL for review!

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Book Review: Get Even by Gretchen McNeil

Title: Get Even (Don't Get Mad #1)
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publishing Date: September 16th 2014
Length: 320 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, thriller, mystery, romance, friendship, bullying
Source: Edelweiss

Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot have nothing in common—at least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think. The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers.

When their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.

Summary by Goodreads

Kitty, Margot, Bree and Olivia couldn't be more different. Olivia is the theater girl, Kitty the sporty type, Margot the tech pro and Bree is the daughter of a Senator. They are in the same high school and know how hard trying to be oneself can be. It is not friendship that connects them, but something bigger, something stronger. Revenge and justice.

   The four girls formed the group DGM in order to protect other students who have become victims to bullying and oppression. Together they have to withstand an accusation of murder themselves and find out who killed bully Ronny. This constellation kind of reminded me of Pretty Little Liars. But in comparison GET EVEN would make a much better Tv show since Gretchen McNeil's girls are  stronger, smarter and more independent than Aria and her friends.

While GET EVEN is about proving the girls' innocence, Gretchen McNeil throws in hints, clues and evidence that make you suspicious of all four girls in some way, too. Very sneaky!

   The story switches back and forth between all four girls and their perspectives. Bree was by far my favourite person to follow around with her best friend John and her growing feelings for him. Friendship becoming romance, yes, I really liked that and the way Bree started to realize her true feelings at some point. The other girls have interesting romances and friendship stories, too.

I am so glad that Gretchen McNeil decided to bring out the girls' story as a duology, with the first book releasing in September 2014 and the second in summer 2015. This way there was much writing space to form a believable story background, and especially with a murder investigation going on. Gretchen considered love stories for each girl and one big part of GET EVEN is about the possibility of them becoming friends in the end despite the big differences between the girls.

   It was hard to put the book aside when it ended and now wait a few months until I can pick up its sequel. Hope that it starts right where the first ended. There are still a few questions and problems to solve so I'm looking forward to the second book.

4/5 **** GET EVEN - Gretchen McNeil's best book so far!

The words "dying for the sequel" really fit in the case of GET EVEN. Bree and John's relationship is by far my favourite and the way things ended for them was so mean. It's been a long time since I read something so suspenseful and with so much teen drama. I can't wait for GET DIRTY!

"Bree rolled her eyes. Most days John's geeky instance that there was a Star Wars quote for every occasion was relatively entertaining, but today is was about as welcome as a raging case of the herps." ― p.2

GET EVEN you might enjoy PRETTY LITTLE LIARS by Sara Shepard, THE DOLLS by Kiki Sullivan and DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas. There's lots of girl drama and murderous plotting going on in these three books. Perfect for fans of Gretchen McNeil's newest book.

* Have you read TEN by Gretchen McNeil? 

* GET DIRTY, the sequel to GET EVEN is scheduled to release June 2015. 

* Click here to read an excerpt of GET EVEN.

* For more information about Gretchen and her books visit www.gretchenmcneil.com. 

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Book Blitz: The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow + Giveaway

The Secret Diamond Sisters
by Michelle Madow



Published:
February 25th 2014
by Harlequin Teen










Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.

The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite.

Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.



AMAZON | B&N | BOOKS A MILLION | BOOK DEPOSITORY | iBOOKSTORE

At seventeen years old, Peyton is the oldest Diamond sister. She’s been hurt in the past, but because of it, has developed a thick skin. She will do anything for her sisters, going as far as protecting them from their mom’s outbursts and getting home first from school to make sure everything in the house (including their mom) is ready for them. She’s tough, doesn’t trust easily, and while she has many people she hangs out with, the only people who she feels truly know her are her sisters. She doesn’t like school (she gets restless sitting in classrooms!) and can’t wait until graduation so she’ll be done forever.

Peyton’s a natural night owl, and waking up in the morning is a constant struggle. (Her sisters usually resort to throwing things at her to wake her up, and often yell at her to hurry up showering so they can have time for their morning routines, too.) She needs at least three cups of coffee to get going. She loves rock music, and can usually be found with an earbud attached to her ear, even during her classes. She loves partying and dancing and getting lost in the music. She also enjoys an occasional chill night of movies and television shows, as long as it’s not a rom-com chick flick.

She wears mostly black clothing—why bother with colors when black always looks hot on her? Her nails are usually painted black as well. She’s not afraid to speak up for what she believes in and she will always stand up for her sisters. She tries to not let anyone in to avoid getting hurt—but really she just wants to find that one person who cares enough to break down her walls.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Michelle Madow was inspired to write The Secret Diamond Sisters series while walking through her favorite hotel in Las Vegas. The next book in the series, Diamonds in the Rough, launches in October. Prior to The Secret Diamond Sisters, she successfully self-published The Transcend Time Saga. A tireless promoter of her work, Michelle is active on social media networks and has toured across America to promote her books and encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. A graduate of Rollins College, Michelle lives in Florida ... but she loves going to Vegas.

To chat with Michelle and other fans about her books, join Michelle Madow's Street Team on Facebook!



AUTHOR WEBSITE | GOODREADS | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

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Frankfurt Book Fair 2014 - Book Haul

After my regular book haul and the US book haul, now comes my Frankfurt Book Fair haul. I've got no idea where to put all the books I got in the past month. I need new shelves...haha. I attended the fair on Saturday and Sunday and met a few of my favourite German bloggers. On Saturday we went to an event with Libba Bray who promoted the release of her The Diviners in Germany. She was so funny and signed my (still unread) UK copy of The Diviners. It was a fun weekend and I'm already looking forward to Frankfurt Book Fair in 2015!

Thanks to Libba Bray for signing my copy of The Diviners!

Books, Books Books...

 

 Harper Collins

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis

The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Sourcebooks

Gone Too Far by Natalie D. Richards

See Jane Run by Hannah Jayne

 Penguin

Half Bad by Sally Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Sophomore Year Is Greek To Me by Meredith Zeitlin

Harlequin Teen

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

 

Scholastic

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Books Crossing Borders

Miles From Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Winterspell by Claire Legrand

 

Macmillan

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Scotland Publishers

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

Giveaway

The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.  But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* You enter for a chance to win a copy of A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
* INTERNATIONAL (please check if The Book Depository ships to your country)
* The giveaway starts on October 14th and will end on October 31st
* Enter the rafflecopter form!
* Good luck :) 

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Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander

Love and Other
Unknown Variables
by Shannon Lee Alexander

Published: October 7th 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Format: Ebook

Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he’ll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover solutions to the universe’s greatest unanswered questions. He’s that smart. But Charlie’s future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl’s neck.

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she’s counting on the present. She’s not impressed by the strange boy at the donut shop—until she learns he’s a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. But, in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy.

By the time he learns she's ill—and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte’s illness—Charlotte’s gravitational pull is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he’s always relied on or the girl he’s falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second squared).



AMAZON | B&N | iTUNES

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
At first I was a little hesitant whether I wanted to read the book or not. It was compared to The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and you remember what happened with that. Not my favorite book, though I didn't hate it either. The main problem was I thought it would be about one thing, but as it turned out, it was about completely another thing!
Well, the same thing happened here, kind of. I expected the focus would be on Charlie and how he's a complete geek and completely fells for this girl, who is ill. It was a little bit like that, but something was missing.

Everything was just too.. mild. For example the synopsis describes Charlie's prank "the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history". It would be a completely different thing if Charlie pranked Charlotte's sister for the right reasons (like, for having fun etc.) but to take her attention off Charlotte? Really didn't get that.
And the whole pranking thing felt just a little awkward over all. As in this is actually funny haha vs. I'm trying to act as if this is funny.

I was also having hard time with their whole romance, cause I didn't really feel the vibe. Maybe there was some chemistry, but again I felt like things were really mild.
This was probably why I had no urge to finish this book. I usually read a little before going to bed and halfway through the book began checking the page numbers. Cause I felt like I had been reading this book for weeks and I was convinced I was nearly finished. As it turned out, I wasn't even halfway through which usually means it's way too slow-paced for me.

So overall, I loved the idea of this book, but as it turned out, ended up just liking it.


My thanks to Entangled Publishing for providing a copy for review!

ABOUT AUTHOR

Shannon Lee Alexander is a wife and mother (of two kids and one yellow terrier named Harriet Potter).
She is passionate about coffee, books, and cancer research. Math makes her break out in a sweat.
Love and Other Unknown Variables is her debut novel. She currently lives in Indianapolis with her family.



WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

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New Books On My Shelf #69

Here's what showed up while I was in the US. So many wonderful books. Can't wait to read all of them. I've already started with THE JEWEL.

For review. A bunch of Harper Collins International ARCs. Thank you!!

A limited, signed copy of THE BODY ELECTRIC by Beth Revis. A huge thanks to Beth for sending me a copy for review and for the beautiful swag pack! x

Bought. I had a copy of NOT IN THE SCRIPT pre-ordered that showed up while I was gone. Of course I couldn't resist to get the Divergent Blu Ray and I'm really looking forward to the second season of Grand Hotel. 

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Back To Blogging - USA Vacation - New Books

How has it been almost a month since I last published a blog post? I better not start rambling about how time flies. The reason for my blogging silence was a fantastic 3 1/2 week vacation of traveling the US with my two friends Sandra and Sabine. We saw many different cities and places and it was such a fun, unforgettable experience I wouldn't want to miss. Unfortunately, I didn't have any time to read or write reviews. So I'm a bit behind on everything right now. Still catching up. Here's what my vacation looked like and the new books I got.

Miami- Fort Lauderdale

Skyscrapers and tropical beaches. That's how I'll remember Miami. While the humidity was way too high for my taste I really enjoyed relaxing on the beach or swimming in our hotel's pool. Miami Beach and Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne with their crystal clear water were definite highlights.

Las Vegas - Grand Canyon - Flagstaff - Las Vegas

When we arrived at the airport we were greeted in authentic Vegas style. With loud music and big, blinking neon signs.  After a short night we got our rental car and were on our way to the Grand Canyon. Just wow! None of my pictures does this wonder of nature justice. It was so beautiful! We spent the night in Flagstaff and then drove back via parts of the Route 66. I'm not much of a driver, but I loved the open roads and the wide view this street has to offer. Back in Vegas we spent two nights in the Stratosphere hotel and got to go up their tower for free. Stunning view! We toured the casinos at night and my friend Sandra even won some bucks. I really liked Vegas and will come back!

 

Los Angeles

I wouldn't come back to the US with the sole purpose to explore this city. I think that's because we saw some parts of the city that were dirty and scary...more so than we could tolerate. That does not mean we didn't have fun moments in LA, too. One day we drove to Santa Monica beach and the sun set was paradisic. For movie fans the Warner Brothers VIP Tour is an absolute must. They were currently filming Hart of Dixie so we got to tour Bluebelle's town square. Look at the gazebo! Gilmore Girls for ever! We had a treat at the Cheesecake Factory. Aaaaaand on our last day in LA we got to attend a live taping of The Big Bang Theory. WOW! A dream come true. We had to wait all day to get in but it was so worth it because Sandra and I scored first row seats directly in front of the boys' living room. The episode they were filming airs next Monday, Season 8 Episode 5. It was HILARIOUS! It was fun to see how many times they had to film a scene and how they recorded every single laugh of the audience. The cast was so awesome. Kaley and Johnny thanked everyone for coming and they told us that they were filming a behind the scenes special (air date: December 26th). Best experience ever and my highlight of this US trip!

This is Kunal's autograph who stayed a few extra minutes to sign. He's the sweetest guy!

San Francisco - Yosemite National Park

We only had one day to see everything in San Francisco we wanted to see. We took a Cable Car, strolled Fisherman's Wharf, saw the seals at Pier 39, had awesome breakfast in a diner near our hostel. On day two we rented another car and attempted to drive to Yosemite National Park and back on the same day. Unsurprisingly, we didn't have nearly enough time to see all of the park we wanted to see. We marvelled at the giant trees in the Mariposa Grove and drove through the thick forrest and high, stunning mountains. Yosemite is beautiful and I will definitely try to come back with more time in tow. On our long and dark way back to San Francisco we stopped at In-N-Out Burger and loaded up on delicious fries and burgers. Another highlight on this trip was our San Francisco bay cruise. Blue sky, a warm breeze and a relaxing sailing tour under the Golden Gate Bridge. Doesn't it look pretty?

Chicago

Chicago was hands down my favourite city. The parks were beautiful, Lake Michigan gigantic and we had the chance to plan another beach day. The bean, Buckingham Fountain and the Lincoln Park Zoo were some things we saw in our three days there. I even saw Four's ferris wheel, hehe. Didn't get to ride it but I thought of my favourite YA boy. We all went up Willis Tower and sat in a glass box over 100 stories above the ground. We had the best weather and I'm practically planning my trip back to Chicago now.

New York

New York was the city that finally fulfilled my bookish dreams. We saw the Times Square, Statue of Liberty, walked the Brooklyn Bridge, went to Top of the Rock, and spent a fab day in Central Park. But my New York favourite moment was the launch event at Books of Wonder I attended and the time spent in The Strand. So the books get an extra paragraph. After four days in New York we flew back to Germany.

Books and the City

New York was my favourite city when I get to rate all of them by book stores. In Barnes & Noble LA I bought four books, including a signed copy of RUIN AND RISING by Leigh Bardugo.

For the same amout of money I got ten books at The Strand. When I came to The Strand I thought I'd just walk through the store and head to my next destination. I'm not into used books so I was conviced I wouldn't buy a single book. In the end I bought ten. I absolutely LOVED this book store and immediately felt at home between the high shelves and the creaking floor boards. This would be a weekly stop if I lived in the NY area.
You can't imagine my fangirling when I noticed the TFIOS bench in front of the YA section. So much love! I teared up a bit when I read the plaque.

At San Francisco airport I bought a copy of THE ART OF LAINEY. And on October 2nd I attended the launch event at Books of Wonder for Sara Raasch's SNOW LIKE ASHES and Claire Legrand's WINTERSPELL. They were so great and of course I got a copy of SNOW LIKE ASHES signed. Thank you Sara!


The Strand

 Books of Wonder

Book Haul 

San Francisco Airport (The Art of Lainey) & The Strand

Barnes & Noble LA & Books of Wonder ( Snow Like Ashes)

Signed Books 
 

Other Stuff  + tons of clothes that cannot even fit into five pictures, ha!

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