Book Nerds Across America

Monday, September 9, 2019

EXCLUSIVE: Miami Book Fair YA Author Reveal!

The Miami Book Fair is one of my most anticipated events of the year. Every November, tons of amazing authors descend upon the 305 for panels and autographing, vendors sell great books new and old, and I have the opportunity to just have a blast with my bookish friends. So I am *beyond the moon* excited to be partnering with the Miami Book Fair this year on their YA author lineup reveal!

First, here is some general information for this year's Fair:

36th Miami Book Fair

Nov. 22-24, 9am-dusk

Downtown Miami MDC Wolfson Campus, 300 NE 4th Street, Miami

FREE for children 12 & under; Teens 13-18 & Seniors: $5 and adults: $10

Parking: FREE, Building 7, block sized garage between NE 1 & 2nd Avenues & between 5 & 6th Streets (6th one way going West, and 5th Street is one way going East)

For more information, visit miamibookfair.com.

And now, without further ado--

2019 Miami Book Fair YA Authors

Brittney Morris, Slay “The YA debut we’re most excited for this year.” —Entertainment Weekly “A book that knocks you off your feet while dropping the kind of knowledge that’ll keep you down for the count. Prepare to BE slain.” —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out Ready Player One meets The Hate U Give in this dynamite debut novel that follows a fierce teen game developer as she battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther–inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for Black gamers.

Cecil Castellucci, Girl on Film insightful memoir of making art, the nature of memory, and being a teenager in 80s New York City. One thing young Cecil was sure of from the minute she saw Star Wars was that she was going to be some kind of artisté. Probably a filmmaker. Possibly Steven Spielberg. Then in 1980 the movie Fame came out. Cecil wasn’t allowed to see that movie. It was rated R and she was ten. But she did watch the television show and would pretend with her friends that she was going to that school. Of course they were playing. She was not. She was destined to be an art school kid. Chronicling the life of award-winning young adult novelist, and Eisner-nominated comics scribe Cecil Castellucci (Shade the Changing Girl, Star Wars: Moving Target), Girl On Film follows a passionate aspiring artist from the youngest age through adulthood to deeply examine the arduous pursuit of filmmaking, while exploring the act of memory and how it recalls and reshapes what we think we truly know about ourselves.

Kat Cho, Wicked Fox An addictive fantasy-romance set in modern-day Seoul. Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret--she's a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt. But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead--her gumiho soul--in the process. Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl--he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to men. He's drawn to her anyway. With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous and reignite a generations-old feud . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's.

David Yoon’s Frankly in Love  One fake dating scheme. What could possibly go wrong? Frank Li is a high school senior living in Southern California. Frank's parents emigrated from Korea, and have pretty much one big rule for Frank - he must only date Korean girls. But he's got strong feelings for a girl in his class, Brit - and she's not Korean. Frank Li has two names. There's Frank Li, his American name. Then there's Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California. Even so, his parents still expect him to end up with a nice Korean girl--which is a problem, since Frank is finally dating the girl of his dreams: Brit Means. Brit, who is funny and nerdy just like him. Brit, who makes him laugh like no one else. Brit . . . who is white. As Frank falls in love for the very first time, he's forced to confront the fact that while his parents sacrificed everything to raise him in the land of opportunity, their traditional expectations don't leave a lot of room for him to be a regular American teen. Desperate to be with Brit without his parents finding out, Frank turns to family friend Joy Song, who is in a similar bind. Together, they come up with a plan to help each other and keep their parents off their backs. Frank thinks he's found the solution to all his problems, but when life throws him a curveball, he's left wondering whether he ever really knew anything about love—or himself—at all. In this moving debut novel—featuring striking blue stained edges and beautiful original endpaper art by the author—David Yoon takes on the question of who am I? with a result that is humorous, heartfelt, and ultimately unforgettable.

Liz Braswell, A Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale What if Ariel had never defeated Ursula? It's been five years since the infamous sea witch defeated the little mermaid... and took King Triton's life in the process. Ariel is now the voiceless queen of Atlantica, while Ursula runs Prince Eric's kingdom on land. But when Ariel discovers that her father might still be alive, she finds herself returning to a world--and a prince--she never imagined she would see again. Liz Braswell, author of The Nine Lives of Chloe King, a series that was adapted as a 2011 television show of the same name.

G. Willow Wilson, The Bird King (YA) An epic journey set during the reign of the last sultan in the Iberian peninsula at the height of the Spanish Inquisition, which tells the story of Fatima, a concubine in the royal court of Granada, the last emirate of Muslim Spain, and her dearest friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. Hassan has a secret―he can draw maps of places he’s never seen and bend the shape of reality. When representatives of the newly formed Spanish monarchy arrive to negotiate the sultan’s surrender, Fatima befriends one of the women, not realizing that she will see Hassan’s gift as sorcery and a threat to Christian Spanish rule. With their freedoms at stake, what will Fatima risk to save Hassan and escape the palace walls? As Fatima and Hassan traverse Spain with the help of a clever jinn to find safety, The Bird King asks us to consider what love is and the price of freedom at a time when the West and the Muslim world were not yet separate. G. Willow Wilson’s debut novel Alif the Unseen was an NPR and Washington PostBest Book of the Year, and it established her as a vital American Muslim literary voice.

Maritza Moulite, Maika Moulite, Dear Haiti, Love Alaine  Thanks to “the incident” (don’t ask), I’m spending the next two months doing what my school is calling a “spring volunteer immersion project.” It’s definitely no vacation. I’m toiling away under the ever-watchful eyes of Tati Estelle at her new nonprofit. And my lean-in queen of a mother is even here to make sure I do things right. Or she might just be lying low to dodge the media sharks after a much more public incident of her own…and to hide a rather devastating secret. All things considered, there are some pretty nice perks…like flirting with Tati’s distractingly cute intern, getting actual face time with my mom and experiencing Haiti for the first time. I’m even exploring my family’s history—which happens to be loaded with betrayals, superstitions and possibly even a family curse.

F. C. Yee & Michael Dante DiMartino- Avatar: The Rise of Kyoshi  The Rise of Kyoshi delves into the story of Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom–born Avatar. The longest-living Avatar in this beloved world’s history, Kyoshi established the brave and respected Kyoshi Warriors, but also founded the secretive Dai Li, which led to the corruption, decline, and fall of her own nation. The first of two novels based on Kyoshi, The Rise of Kyoshi maps her journey from a girl of humble origins to the merciless pursuer of justice who is still feared and admired centuries after she became the Avatar.

Nina Moreno, Don't Date Rosa Santos For fans of GILMORE GIRLS and TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, this effervescent love story from debut author Nina Moreno will sweep you away. Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that's what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you're a boy with a boat. But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home, and Cuba, the island her abuela refuses to talk about. As her college decision looms, Rosa collides-literally-with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon?

Stephanie Garber, Caraval #3, Finale: It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist. With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Walter Naegle’s Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington A biography for younger readers about one of the most influential activists of our time, who was an early advocate for African Americans and for gay rights. Congressman John Lewis Bayard Rustin was a major figure in the Civil Rights movement. He was arrested on a bus 13 years before Rosa Parks and he participated in integrated bus rides throughout the South 14 years before the Freedom Riders. He was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., teaching him the techniques and philosophy of Gandhian nonviolent direct action. He organized the March on Washington in 1963, one of the most impactful mobilizations in American history. Despite these contributions, few Americans recognize his name, and he is absent from most history books, in large part because he was gay. This biography traces Rustin’s life, from his childhood and his first arrest in high school for sitting in the “whites only” section of a theater, through a lifetime of nonviolent activism.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Book review: Suggested Reading by Dave Connis

Book Summary

Clara Evans is horrified when she discovers her principal’s “prohibited media” hit list. The iconic books on the list have been pulled from the library and aren’t allowed anywhere on the school’s premises. Students caught with the contraband will be sternly punished.

Many of these stories have changed Clara’s life, so she’s not going to sit back and watch while her draconian principal abuses his power. She’s going to strike back.

So Clara starts an underground library in her locker, doing a shady trade in titles like Speak and The Chocolate War. But when one of the books she loves most is connected to a tragedy she never saw coming, Clara’s forced to face her role in it.

Will she be able to make peace with her conflicting feelings, or is fighting for this noble cause too tough for her to bear?

Flo's Review

I was lucky enough to snag an early copy of this book from agent extraordinaire Eric Smith (sadly, not my agent 😔). As soon as I read the synopsis, I was intrigued. How can a booknerd like me not love a book about a book lover and books?!

So I got the book and the first thing I was noticed....was the the author is from Chattanooga! That's my hometown! I was already so excited about that, but then I started reading and this book is based in Chattanooga, too! It's so fun! All the places he describes in the story, like the Walnut Street Bridge and the Hunter Museum -- I've been there. A lot. Chattanooga is my place. It was really cool to see the story unfold in a setting so near and dear to me.

I read this book in a day, while waiting for No Show Hurricane Dorian. (Side note: I am still so sad about the Bahamas! Sending out prayers and well wishes to them for what they endured.) Anyway, even though I joked to my husband that I was able to read this in a day because the words were big, it was really because of the short chapters and the writing style. Connis has a simple, direct writing style. It's just so easy. I found myself flipping page after page and hardly realizing how many had gone by.

There were so many cool things about this story. Each chapter started with a quote from a banned book. The author created the protagonist's favorite book and a few of the quotes were from that. I thought that was a really good way to ensure that he had a story that fit with Clara's story.

This book was full of such insight and heart. I loved so much about it. I loved that Clara really questioned her underground library. She didn't just accept that she was doing it as a reflex response to what the school was doing. She really asked herself why. I loved that she had one opinion of Ashton and Jack (what did she call them? The super-supers or something?), but then she had the opportunity to really see them -- and, importantly, she took the opportunity. This changed her view of them. This allowed her to make friends she never thought she would have. I love that her view of books was challenged and how she was able to expand her view of the effects of books on herself and others. I loved that from the beginning she had teachers and school staff members who were allies and, importantly, weren't afraid to share with her and the other students what they thought and why. I loved the queso book club. (Because, really, who doesn't love queso?!) The quote lover and collector in me loved how patrons of the Unlib shared quotes about the books on their white covers when they returned them. I loved the moment in the book that was a reference to the movie Spartacus. I loved Clara's non understanding of football!

I could probably go on and on. There was so much that I loved about this book. So much. Suggested Reading comes out September 17th and I suggest you read it. Even though I just made that horribly bad pun! Because I would love to hear what you love about it.

Audiobook review: Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch

Flo's Spoiler Free Review
Ack! What can I say without giving anything away?! Let's see...

I will say that this one was definitely my favorite of the three. Meira undergoes some amazing personal growth that was cool to witness. But she wasn't the only one. I also really enjoyed learning more about what was the behind the masks of Ceridwen, Mather, and even Sir.

Also, dang you Sara Raasch for making me cry during my commute! (That's what I get for listening to the audiobook!)

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Primoria. Reading this trilogy makes me so excited to meet Sara Raasch at the Epic Reads Tour this month. I'm also now super curious about her Stream Raiders books. Has anyone read These Rebel Waves or These Divided Shores?

Monday, September 2, 2019

Book review: No Judgments by Meg Cabot

Book Summary
When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.

But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

Flo's Review
Well I'm here in South Florida hanging out in the "calm before the storm" as I wait to see what Hurricane Dorian will do. Seemed like a perfect time to read this new book from Meg Cabot. I've been looking forward to it ever since I was lucky enough to snag an ARC at BookCon.

No Judgments did end up being the perfect hurricane watch read. Not only because I felt I could completely relate to everything going on weather-wise, but because it was a quick and cute story. Meg did a good job of writing the attraction between Bree and Drew. You could just feel the romantic tension rising off the pages as you read. I also really enjoyed the storyline about Bree and Drew helping look after people's animals -- taking care of your pets is an important part of hurricane prep that doesn't always get talked about as much as it should.

Just as important is Lucy Hartwell's hurricane dip. That sounds amazing! I wish I had some of that as I wait for Dorian.

I feel like the book summary could have done without the last paragraph. First of all, that happens very close to the end of the book -- I think it would have been a nice surprise in the story. (Actually, it probably was meant to be.) Secondly, that whole scene was just...I don't know...it kind of fit with the story but was also a little too... I don't know. Not my favorite.

I'm seeing that Meg Cabot is going to keep writing in this Little Bridge Island universe? That's great! I enjoyed meeting all the characters. There's already a novella out that I may read next. I hope she focuses a story on Bree's roomie Daniella -- I feel like her story would be a lot of fun!

No Judgments comes out September 24th, and if you love hot men who are hot because they love animals then this is the story for you! (I'm talking, like, those calendars of hot men holding kittens, ya know?!? ;-p)

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Book review: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Book Summary
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

Flo's Review
Wow. I don't know where to start with this book. I really enjoyed it. I think one of my favorite parts about it was how invested all my Goodreads friends were with my status updates. I've gotten more likes and comments on updates for this book than I have for any other in a long time. I think it's because this book has been heavily hyped.

And let me just say -- worth the hype! The many details and intricate plot points were impressive. It seemed to me that this book really took a lot of thinking and plotting to pull it together. On top of that, it was just fun. I immediately loved these two together, and so I was rooting for them all the way through. That made me feel the range of emotions for them and their relationship as I read.

I also really enjoyed some of the secondary characters, especially Ansel and Coco. It's a little random, but Ansel is just adorable and I love him. I hope I get to see more Ansel in book #2. Speaking of book number two -- some major reveals at the end of this book! I won't give anything away, but a major reveal about one the characters has me already anticipating book 2. And that last sentence left me questioning and wanting answers immediately.

Serpent & Dove comes out September 3rd.

On a side note, I am so excited to meet Shelby on the Epic Reads Tour next month and gush with her about it!

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Book Review: Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols

Jacque's Review:

I picked up a copy of this book at BEA 2014. Yes...that is correct - 2014. I thought it looked really cute and even added all of the companion novels to my TBR list as they were announced, but never got around to reading them. A few weeks ago I was looking for something light and fun to read at the pool and this finally jumped off the shelf at me.

Tia is getting ready to start her senior year of high school. She has a reputation for being a party girl, but she is also extremely smart and a talented drummer in the school's marching band. Her mother left years ago and she has watched her three older sisters make epic mistakes in the relationship department. As a result, she vowed to always keep it casual and to never have a boyfriend.

Will is the new kid at school. He recently moved from Minnesota to Florida and his entire world is turned upside down. At his old school he was the drum captain, student council president, and a star hockey player. Now that he has to start over, he is no longer the star of the show.

Tia and Will meet his first night in town and immediately hit it off. When Will wants to continue their relationship she shuts him down due to her no dating rule. As Tia gets to know him and sees everything they have in common, and the great chemistry and friendship they have developed, she begins to question why she is holding onto this rule. Then she becomes jealous when Will starts dating someone else and she knows she has to do something to get him back.

This series is based upon a school survey taken at the beginning of the year, which places all of the seniors into various categories for the yearbook. Most likely to succeed, perfect couple, biggest flirts, etc. After only a couple of weeks of band practice prior to the start of the school year, Will and Tia's actions led them to being voted biggest flirts. The pressure of the title put a strain on their easy going relationship and led to some entertaining drama. I loved both of their characters and everyone could see they were perfect together except Tia. I was happy to see her come around in the end and hope we will see more of them in the companion novels.

We were introduced to several of Tia's longtime friends throughout the book. I'm pretty sure the companion novels will focus on some of them, which will allow us to continue the series with the same basic group of characters.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Book Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Goodreads Overview:

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Jacque's Review:

Sweet Peril is the second book in the series and was just as good as the first. After the discovery of a prophecy that could free the Nephilim from the control of their fathers, they begin recruiting allies from around the world. This is a very delicate task and has only succeeded to this point with the help of Anna's father. Unfortunately, the other Dukes are beginning to questions some of the unusual activity taking place amongst the Neph, and Anna's father is under suspicion. I was happy to see there is a possibility the Nephilim may gain their freedom and could possibly live their lives without the controlling influence of their fathers. They are; however, putting themselves in an extreme amount of danger. The outcome is far from guaranteed, but they believe the reward exceeds the risks they are taking.

Anna and Kaidan have finally agreed to give in to their feelings for each other, but understand they must be extremely careful. As a son and daughter of the Dukes of various sins, they are expected to spread their father's evil while forsaking their own feelings and desires. Personal relationships between Neph are not allowed. Things were definitely heating up between the two of them, but they can still only see each other when her father tells them the coast is clear. Obviously this isn't an ideal situation, but it is a drastic improvement from their previous circumstance.

Another character that I really enjoyed was Blake, the son of envy. who really seemed to have it all. An amazing house with a pool, ocean view, and all the toys imaginable. He excelled at just about everything and was always the center of attention. He was able to share some of his energy with Anna and take her mind off of things when she needed it the most.

I am really enjoying this series and would definitely recommend it to any YA fan. It has some fantasy/paranormal elements, but reads more like a contemporary. Without the umbrella of fear the Neph are constantly under, the characters wouldn't be much different from any other teenager. I can't wait to see how everything unfolds for them in the final installment, Sweet Reckoning.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Book review: Deposing Nathan by Zack Smedley

Book Summary
Nate never imagined that he would be attacked by his best friend, Cam.
Now, Nate is being called to deliver a sworn statement that will get Cam convicted. The problem is, the real story isn’t that easy or convenient—just like Nate and Cam’s friendship. Cam challenged Nate on every level from the day the boys met. He pushed him to break the rules, to dream, and to accept himself. But Nate—armed with a fierce moral code and conflicted by his own beliefs—started to push back. With each push, Nate and Cam moved closer to each other—but also spiraled closer to their breaking points.

Flo's Review
Aww, come here Nate and Cam, and let me hug you both! I was lucky enough to win an annotated copy of this book, and it was the best thing ever. Zack's comments had me laughing most of the time, but he also pointed out a lot of details about the writing that I wonder if I would have noticed were they not pointed out. For example, things are often said 3 times, and that represents the Holy Trinity. I think I would have noticed the triple plays, but I don't know what I would have known why. There are several allegorical settings and phrases as well.

The short chapters in the book were great, because it made me just want to keep reading on. And the scenes. The scenes! I think this is where Zack excels. There is so much emotion, both good and bad, in this scenes that I left every one really feeling something. It makes sense that the individuals scenes are so stand out, because Cam has the kind of memory where he remembers them all. The scenes were across the board as well. Some made me so mad; others so sad; others put a sweet smile on my face with their delicacy.

There were also a few twists with the story that I didn't see coming -- because let's be honest, I never see these things. Mind blown!

I'm really glad I got to experience this story. If you have the chance, I hope you are able to as well.

Audiobook review: A World Without Princes (The School For Good and Evil #2) by Soman Chainani

Flo's Non-Spoilery Review
So, last year at the Miami Book Fair, they were having this amazing deal on The School for Good and Evil books. It was a BOGO, and you got a free tote bag, and he was there to sign your books! It was truly the best thing ever. I already had a signed copy of book one, so I happily bought books two and three. Sometimes buying books in a series when you haven't read the first one backfires on you, so it was, admittedly, a gamble. Thankfully, it went my way.

It was so nice to head back to the School, even if it was different this time around. I still enjoyed spending time with some of the characters that I'd met in the first book. It was a little slow for me around the middle, but by the end I was holding my breath as I listened to the audiobook and thought to myself, "Come on! Do it! Do it!" There was also a plot situation that I thought I'd figured out mid-book, and it turns out I was wrong! (Honestly, not that surprising. Lol.)

Like its predecessor, A World Without Princes started strong with the action and kept it pretty steady throughout. I am fully invested in this world and in these girls, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to tackle next in the third book.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

EXCLUSIVE GUEST POST: Alison Gervais, author of The Silence Between Us

Guest post

The Silence Between Us is my very first own voices novel that tells the story of Maya, a Deaf teen, attending her senior year at a hearing high school. One thing that makes this book a little different is its inclusion of American Sign Language, which is a lot different than English.

One of my favorite scenes inThe Silence Between Usto write – while not necessarily an exciting one – was later on in the story when Maya visits her new Ear, Nose & Throat doctor at Children’s Hospital. There are different types of hearing loss and our hearing can sometimes change, so it’s important to check in with an ENT every once in a while (if not regularly, depending on your situation) to make sure everything is looking good. I felt it important to include this scene because the medical aspect can sometimes be overlooked when you think about hearing loss.

This was like a blast to the past for me, not only because I used to be a patient at Children’s Hospital in Denver, but also because from the age of five onward I had frequent visits with my own Ear, Nose & Throat doctor. I never enjoyed having my ears poked and prodded at, or the procedures that came about over the years. Because my own hearing loss increased over time, it was important to have regular visits with my doctor to monitor how things were progressing. All the hearing tests I needed to have as a result got old pretty quick.

There’s been this running joke between my mom and I about the speech perception part of all my hearing tests, when the audiologist would say certain compound words to me while I sat in the soundproof booth – like hotdogor rainbow. Anytime my mom or I hear one of those words, we have to finish off the list with all the other words, like pancake, doghouse, baseball, ice cream. To anyone not in the know, it definitely comes across as pretty weird, but it still gets a good laugh from us. Even if I don’t have very fond memories of my various doctor visits over the years, at least I can smile about this particular one.

I hope readers enjoy the glimpse into this part of Maya’s story and maybe even view hearing loss as a whole a little differently afterward.

About the author

Watty Award winning author Alison Gervais is an undergraduate student at Colorado State University Pueblo, and has been writing for as long as she can remember. In 2011, she began posting her work on Wattpad.com, and has been active on the site for the past five years.

About the book

Moving halfway across the country to Colorado right before senior year isn’t Maya’s idea of a good time. Leaving behind Pratt School for the Deaf where she’s been a student for years only to attend a hearing school is even worse. Maya has dreams of breaking into the medical field and is determined to get the grades and a college degree to match, and she’s never considered being Deaf a disability. But her teachers and classmates at Engelmann High don’t seem to share her optimism.

And then there’s Beau Watson, Engelmann’s student body president and overachiever. Maya suspects Beau’s got a hidden agenda when he starts learning ASL to converse with her, but she also can’t deny it’s nice to sign with someone amongst all the lip reading she has to do with her hearing teachers and classmates. Maya has always been told that Deaf/hearing relationships never work, and yet she can’t help but be drawn to Beau as they spend more and more time together.

But as much Maya and Beau genuinely start to feel for one another, there are unmistakable differences in their worlds. When Maya passes up a chance to receive a cochlear implant, Beau doesn’t understand why Maya wouldn’t want to hear again. Maya is hurt Beau would want her to be anything but who she is—she’s always been proud to be Deaf, something Beau won’t ever be able to understand. Maya has to figure out whether bridging that gap between the Deaf and hearing worlds will be worth it, or if staying true to herself matters more.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Audiobook review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Flo's Spoiler Free Review
I'm opting out of putting the book summary up as usual because this is a sequel and the summary is completely spoilery for book #1.

Because I'm trying to be spoiler free, this will be a short review. I am fascinated by this world. I love reading about the characteristics of the Seasons and the Rhythms, and their interactions with each other. In this book, Meira and her crew travel to another Season and two Rhythms, and I really enjoyed the immersion into their worlds.

Unfortunately, I continue to not like Meira. I just can't with her. But I don't want to be talking bad about the girl so I'll just say this: it's definitely the world building and the plot that are keeping me going with this series.

There was a twist at the end of this one that I wasn't expecting, and it left me with so many emotions. Though I'm going to take a little break from Primoria right now, I am looking forward to reading the 3 POV finale for this trilogy, Frost Like Night.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Blog Tour with Giveaway: Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker

ABOUT SAY YOU STILL LOVE ME:

The bestselling author of The Simple Wild and Keep Her Safe and “master of steamy romance” (Kirkus Reviews) delivers a sizzling novel about an ambitious and high-powered executive who reconnects with her first love: the boy who broke her heart.

Life is a mixed bag for Piper Calloway.

On the one hand, she’s a twenty-nine-year-old VP at her dad’s multibillion-dollar real estate development firm, and living the high single life with her two best friends in a swanky downtown penthouse. On the other hand, she’s considered a pair of sexy legs in a male-dominated world and constantly has to prove her worth. Plus she’s stuck seeing her narcissistic ex-fiancé—a fellow VP—on the other side of her glass office wall every day.

Things get exponentially more complicated for Piper when she runs into Kyle Miller—the handsome new security guard at Calloway Group, and coincidentally the first love of her life.

The guy she hasn’t seen or heard from since they were summer camp counselors together. The guy from the wrong side of the tracks. The guy who apparently doesn’t even remember her name.

Piper may be a high-powered businesswoman now, but she soon realizes that her schoolgirl crush is still alive and strong, and crippling her concentration. What’s more, despite Kyle’s distant attitude, she’s convinced their reunion isn’t at all coincidental, and that his feelings for her still run deep. And she’s determined to make him admit to them, no matter the consequences.

FLO'S REVIEW
Happy book birthday to Say You Still Love Me!

Say You Still Love Me is the perfect end-of-summer read. It's a book about summer (partly), but it's a summer of the past, so the summer scenes are misted with nostalgia. These scenes were my favorite, because I spent many summers in the woods as well. And while my adventures were nowhere near as steamy as Piper's, I, too, have fond memories of those weeks away from real life. I love that the friends Piper made in the past have stayed with her in the present.

I struggled with Piper Present in the beginning. She was just so ... wallowy. (Is that a word?) She was supposed to be this rockstar #girlboss, and all her thoughts were just stuck and stuck on this guy, and not on all the work drama going on around her. Luckily, that shifted as the book went on and she did end up rocking the office situation.

I was completely floored by the reveal at the end -- did NOT see that coming! It seemed super dramatic and I don't know that things needed to be that serious, but I understand that it had to be something big that Piper discovered at that time.

This was my first K.A. Tucker book, and after reading it I am interested in picking up another one of her titles, whether past or future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge. She is the bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series and the novels He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, and The Simple Wild. She currently resides in a quaint town outside Toronto with her husband and two beautiful girls.

SAY YOU STILL LOVE ME

BY K.A. TUCKER

Atria Books Paperback ǀ On Sale: August 6, 2019 ǀ 320 pages ǀ ISBN: 9781501133442; $17.00

eBook ISBN: 9781501133466; $7.99

Grab your copy of SAY YOU STILL LOVE ME:

Now for the fun….the #SayYouStillLoveMe Contest!

Enter the Rafflecopter to win a finished copy of SAY YOU STILL LOVE ME! (3 prizes in total). Contest is open until 8/27.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Book review: A Song for the Road by Rayne Lacko

Book Summary
When a tornado destroys his Tulsa home, fifteen-year-old Carter Danforth is trapped in the pawnshop where his daddy hawked his custom, left-handed Martin guitar six years earlier―and then took off, leaving Carter with nothing but a hankering to pluck strings and enough heartache to sing the blues. Injured by the storm, Carter’s mother is laid up in the hospital. She wants Carter to fly out to Reno and stay with her sister. Too bad Carter already spent her hidden cash stash to buy his dad’s guitar. Rather than tell her the truth, he embarks on an epic road trip in search of his father in Santa Monica. But Carter isn’t a runaway. He reckons he’s a “running to.”

On his way west, Carter picks up licks, chord changes, and performance techniques from a quirky cast of Southwestern charmers: a rock star, a thief, a bluesman, a chanteuse-turned-chef, and the dream of a girl back home. A Song for the Road reads like a mash-up of The Wizard of Oz and Easy Rider―by the time he reaches the end of old US Route 66, Carter has learned how to deep-fry yucca blossoms and tell the truth of his life through music.

Flo's Review
I'm a sucker for a good travel story and this one did not disappoint. Carter met his fair share of characters along the road, and it was interesting to learn about them as he did. I might have cheered when some people from the beginning of the novel made a reappearance down the line.

A Song for the Road is deeply about music -- finding yourself in music, learning music, music as liberation. Carter's love of music is so apparent, and perhaps the one constant in his life at the moment. Everything that happens to him somehow involves music. I liked the little touches of detail in the novel -- the way that Carter would write letters to Kaia in sparkly pen and how he created a new dish (the recipe is in the back of the book.) Also, who of us doesn't have a Ledbetter type person in our lives?! I think he was my favorite person Carter met on the road.

While I was reading, I flagged the comment "Love doesn't walk away." It's such a powerful phrase -- four words that hold a lot of meaning, intention, commentary. I thought, "Wow, nice." Little did I know that they would come back around! How does it come back around, you ask? I guess you'll have to read and find out!

A Song for the Road publishes August 27th from SparkPress. Thank you to the publisher for sending me an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Friday, August 2, 2019

Book Review: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Goodreads Overview:

First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.

Jacque's Review:

I added this book to my TBR list when I was watching the PBS Great American Read series. I enjoy murder mysteries and felt this was a classic I should probably read. Then it was on my son's freshman year summer reading list, so we decided to read it together.

The book starts out with each of the guests receiving an invitation for an unforgettable week on an exclusive island. Some are enticed through a needed vacation, while others are offered various forms of employment. For example, a doctor is summoned to evaluate Mr. Owen's wife who supposedly refuses to seek medical care. A police officer is asked to investigate/uncover some suspicious activity. A married couple is offered employment as the cook/housekeeper and butler/handyman.

All of the guests appear to have nothing in common, but they soon discover a link between them. A recording accuses each of them of committing a murder the legal system can not hold them accountable for. As the guests begin to die one after the other they realize these are not suicides as they originally thought. They are being targeted and nobody will leave this island alive unless they are "very careful." They search the island and can't find anyone else, so they conclude it must be one of them that is committing the murders. Then they search everyone's possessions. There aren't enough clues to point at anyone, yet the guests are falling faster than dominoes.

This was an interesting tale, but it wasn't your typical murder mystery. The author didn't leave a number of clues that in retrospect should have enabled the reader to solve the mystery on his or her own. There is a very lengthy epilogue that spells out everything that took place on the island. Without this additional information, I don't think anyone could have uncovered the truth. That isn't exactly my idea of a murder mystery. I realize this book was written in the 1930's and times and expectations may have changed. This may have been the norm in that time period, but it wasn't nearly as engaging as trying to solve the mystery yourself. As my son and I were reading we would discuss who we thought was the leading suspect, who was going to get picked off next, etc. Without credible clues and evidence this soon became a fruitless process and my son began to lose interest.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and could piece things together in the end with the help of the epilogue. I do not think Preston was too impressed with the story and was just happy when it was over. If it weren't for the help of an audio book when we had a weekend car trip, I don't think he would have ever finished it.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Audiobook review: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Book Summary
The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.

This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.

But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…?

The School for Good & Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.

Flo's Review
This has literally been on my TBR list for the longest! I met the author at YALLFEST several years ago and got this book signed. Then I put it on my shelf. Then I heard it was going to be a movie (is this still true?), so I told myself to bump it up on my TBR. But it still sat on my shelf. Then at last year's Miami Book Fair, they had a great sale on the books in this series, so I went ahead and got the next two, and got them signed. All three sat on my shelf. Finally, my book club made this our August read, so I dove in.

I'm not 100% sure how I feel about this book. I think it's a 3.5 stars, but a solid 3.5. Like, I don't want to round it up to 4 stars, because I don't know that it warrants that for me. I enjoyed it as I was listening to it, and I thought about it at times when I wasn't listening to it. But it just felt short of, "I love this!" I'm not really sure why.

A lot happened in this book, y'all. A. Lot. It felt like so much action was packed into 488 pages. This may be because it's a middle grade book and so there's less of the teen angst and introspection and more of the big action. I never came to like Sophie. Agatha was alright.

What I liked most about this book was the creativity. I don't know the story of how Soman came up with the idea for this series, but it reads like he might have started with this one idea -- "Hey, what if there was this fairy tale school with 2 sides: good and evil" -- and then everything built from there. The world building is fantastic. I loved seeing all the tiny details and thought put into what made Good good and Evil evil.

For all my indecision on how I feel about it, I did immediately download and start book 2. I'm setting it aside for now so I can read another trilogy for an upcoming author signing, but I may actually flip back and forth between those books and these? Or maybe I'll come back to these when I'm done with those? However I do it, I don't think I'm done with the School for Good and Evil quite yet.

Book review: Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud

Book Summary
Fiercely independent and smart, Zora Emerson wants to change the world. She's excited to be attending a prestigious summer program, even if she feels out of place among her privileged, mostly white classmates. So she's definitely not expecting to feel a connection to Owen, who's an actual prince of an island off the coast of England. But Owen is funny, charming...and undeniably cute. Zora can't ignore the chemistry between them. When Owen invites Zora to be his date at his big brother's big royal wedding, Zora is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, along with her family and friends. Everyone is talking about her, in real life and online, and while Owen is used to the scrutiny, Zora's not sure it's something she can live with. Can she maintain her sense of self while moving between two very different worlds? And can her feelings for Owen survive and thrive in the midst of the crazy? Find out in this charming romantic comedy that's like The Princess Diaries for a new generation.

Flo's Review
Happy book birthday to Truly Madly Royally! I knew I wanted in on this book as soon as I heard about it. I was lucky enough to meet the author and snag an ARC at BookCon, and it's the first book I got from that event that I've read.

"I love me some Owen!" I told the author on Instagram, and it's so true. He is formal, and it's totally adorable. He's also sincere. Best of all, the banter between him and Zora is so natural and easy. They really are great together. There was an incident that made Zora mad at him, and I totally agreed! It was such a dilemma because I'm like, "I totally understand why Zora is mad! She'd better not just forgive him because he's a prince!" At the same time I'm like, "But I want them together!" Lol. Apparently Zora was not the only one to have a full range of emotions over this man.

This kind of felt like multiple books to me? Let me try to explain. It's a good thing to have other characters with their own stories -- that is realistic, because supporting characters' whole existence isn't just conversing with protagonists. But it almost felt .... extraneous here? I'm not talking about the Walk Me Home storyline -- that's integral to Zora. But the details of her family members lives. I understand going into her parents' divorce, but, I don't know, I felt we didn't need her brother's and best friend's relationship. I think because usually when I see another relationship in a story like this, it's acting like a foil for the main relationship. But this one wasn't. It was just .... there? Okay. Good for Skye?

The second part of the book also felt like it could have been it's own story. Zora and her mom's time in Landerel felt a little rushed. Just a little. Actually, it read fine. It just could have been so much more. It would have been amazing to really dive deep and explore the country. Then the tension between Zora and Owen's mom could have been played out a little more, again with more time. That whole part of the story really felt to me like it should be expanded and turned into a separate story.

On the flip side, I enjoyed this story because it was an easy, quick read. I think that's part of the charm for a story like this. So if you're harboring fantasies of meeting and falling in love with a real life prince, this one's for you.

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