Wednesday, February 19, 2014

{Manga} Is Coming!! {Thanks} @yenpress

Well folks thanks to Yen Press and my daughters love of Manga!  It is now coming to the Crossroads!

So make sure you subscribe via Email to make sure you get in on the giveaways! 


{Review} No One Else Can Have You by @HaleKathleen @harperTeen @EpicReads

No One Else Can Have YouSmall towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 689 688) is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.

Unfortunately, Friendship’s police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth’s best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth’s secret diary (which Ruth’s mother had asked her to read in order to redact any, you know, sex parts), sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer.



Biography

Kathleen Hale was born and raised in Wisconsin. She graduated from Harvard in 2010. No One Else Can Have You is her first novel.




This cover is so cute. Yes cute even though its got a moose that is being hung.  It really grips you when your looking for something to read.  But from the cover to the last page this is another wonderful read!  It was a riot! And a must read!  Dont let those 1 star reviews scare you.

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

{Review} Peculiar Children Graphic Novel by @ransomriggs {Giveaway} @quirkbooks

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: The Graphic NovelRansom Riggs's haunting fantasy bestseller adapted to a graphic novel! 
As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow-impossible though it seems-they may still be alive.




Biography

Ransom Riggs grew up in Florida, where he spent his formative years making silly movies with his friends in their various backyards, snorkeling, and complaining about the heat. He studied English at Kenyon College and film at the University of Southern California. He lives in Los Angeles. He makes films you can watch on his YouTube page: www.youtube.com/ransriggs. He enjoys traveling to exotic lands and complaining about the heat. He would like to thank you for reading this short biography.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

 (What's this?)
#12 in Books > Teens






A very interesting concept.  A lot of books are being turned into Graphic Novels and I love the idea.  My one daughter will read anything that is Graphic Novel.  She sucks them up and spits them out in about 30 minutes.  And this one was no different.  As soon as it came she stoled it and it was great!

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

{Review} The Mermaid of Brooklyn by @amyshearn {Giveaway} @TouchstoneBooks


The Mermaid of Brooklyn

SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED IN LIFE IS A FABULOUS PAIR OF SHOES—AND A LITTLE HELP FROM A MERMAID.   Formerly an up-and-coming magazine editor, Jenny Lipkin is now your average, stretched-too-thin Brooklyn mom, tackling the challenges of raising two children in a cramped Park Slope walk-up. All she really wants is to survive the sweltering New York summer with a shred of sanity intact. But when her husband, Harry, vanishes one evening, Jenny reaches her breaking point. And in a moment of despair, a split-second decision changes her life forever.  Pulled from the brink by an unexpected ally, Jenny is forced to rethink her ideas about success, motherhood, romance, and relationships. But confronting her inner demons is no easy task. . . 



About this author
Amy ShearnAmy Shearn is the author of the novels How Far Is the Ocean from Here and The Mermaid of Brooklyn.





I loved this inventive, wonderfully written tale of a single mother who finds herself seeing through new eyes.  It was a great book with a wonderful story!  
"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.
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{Review} Hollow City by @ransomriggs {Giveaway} @quirkbooks

Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, # 2)The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London the peculiar capital of the world. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reacting experience.











Ransom Riggs

Biography

Ransom Riggs grew up in Florida, where he spent his formative years making silly movies with his friends in their various backyards, snorkeling, and complaining about the heat. He studied English at Kenyon College and film at the University of Southern California. He lives in Los Angeles. He makes films you can watch on his YouTube page: www.youtube.com/ransriggs. He enjoys traveling to exotic lands and complaining about the heat. He would like to thank you for reading this short biography.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

 (What's this?)
#12 in Books > Teens



This book two just blew me away!  It was even better than book one with even creepier/spookier pictures.  And don't worry folks each picture ties into the book just wonderfully.  And although the little girl on the from is missing something. This book is deff not missing anything!  It was a creepy continuation of book one and I so can't wait for more!


"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.
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Monday, February 17, 2014

{Review} Split Second by @KasieWest {Giveaway} @harperteen @epicreads

Split Second (Pivot Point, #2)Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.
Kasie West

Biography

A stay-at-home mom of four children, three of them girls, ranging in age from twelve to four, Kasie West hears lots of melodramatic versions of large-than-life events. She graduated with a BA in liberal studies, with a strong focus on linguistics and psychology, from Fresno State University. She lives in Fresno, CA.








From snarky writing to wonderful characters this book two of the Pivot Point series doesn't suffer from bookitis!  Thought this entire book I was like the following!!  Its a deff must read!  Kasie West is deff one of my fav authors of 2014!  

Other things this book was a step up from book one and it was a great combo of funny, exciting and likable characters. So if you are ready to Swoon in 2014 this is deff one you need to read! 




"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

From the Back Cover

Life can change in a split second.
Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can't believe this is the future she chose.
When Addie's dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He's a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.
Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie's memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don't want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.
As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.
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{Review} The First True Lie: A Novel by #MarinaMander {Giveaway} @HogarthBooks_UK

The First True Lie: A NovelAn utterly compelling, heartbreaking novel that introduces a revelatory young voice to the U.S. market.
Meet Luca, a curious young boy living with his mother, a taciturn woman who every now and then tries out a new father. Luca keeps to himself, his cat, Blue, and his favorite toys—words. One February morning his mom doesn't wake up to bring him to school, so Luca—driven by a deep fear of being an orphan—decides to pretend to the world that his mom is still alive. At first it's easy. Luca dresses himself for school, makes sure Blue gets his dinner, and manages to avoid nosy neighbors. He and Blue camp out in the living room and embark on imaginary expeditions to outer space, and Luca dreams about marrying his school crush, Antonella. Soon, however, the laundry starts piling up, the fridge emptying—and the smell of Mama's decaying body begins to permate the apartment. 

As Luca grapples with what to do, we ultimately witness something much more poignant than the morbid circumstance—a young boy's journey to the point at which he can say: “I am no longer an orphan. I am a single human being. It's a matter of words.”

About the Author

MARINA MANDER is the author of Manuale di Ipocondria Fantastica (A Fantastical Manual of Hypochondria, 2000), Catalogo degli Addii (A Catalogue of Goodbyes, 2010) and Nessundorma, 2013. This is her first U.S. publication. She lives in Milan and works in publishing.




This book although only 144 pages will grip you in its story.  Luca decides that his mother's death should be kept secret.  Through this story you begin to understand why Luca chose not to tell anyone about his mother.  This book again is only 144 page long but gives the reader a full story with ups and downs and it was just beautifully written!

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Marina Mander's The First True Lie

“If you liked Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, read The First True Lie, by Marina ManderMander’s English-language debut has all of Foer’s energy, despite a hard-to-stomach premise… As in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, the buoyancy of the child narrator’s voice is ultimately an act of hope — hope in the face of death, darkness, and trauma.” Cosmopolitan 
“From page one I was with Luca, the adorable and witty young narrator of this brilliant and emotionally upsetting story. I lived in his words and in his head, and stayed there for a long time after I had finished the book.” —Herman Koch, author of the international bestseller The Dinner
“Mander’s English-language debut is narrated by the ebullient Luca, whose voice is every bit as engaging as the best child narrators out there: imagine a blend of Oskar (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Blue (Special Topics in Calamity Physics), and Christopher Boone (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). This slim novel smartly focuses on the cranks and gears of Luca’s imagination….[A]t its best, Luca’s original voice will break your heart. Ultimately, Luca’s story offers a buoyant picture of hope in the face of disaster, and life in the face of death.”Publishers Weekly 
"Translated from the Italian in clear, lyrical prose, always true to the child’s viewpoint, the blend of horror and innocence captures a universal nightmare….The terse survival drama of the child marooned alone, not in the wilderness but in the crowded city, will stir readers: Could it be happening on my street? How will it end?” Booklist 
“[An] elegantly carved look into the inner life of an orphaned child.” Kirkus Reviews  
“Cruel, heart-wrenching, and surprising...As all great books do, this opens a window into a world. It will not be easy for you to close that window, nor to forget that world.” La Republica “A beautiful novel that tells a terrible story with brio and depth.” —Tiziano Scarpa
Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.
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