{Blast} Playing Tyler @TLCosta1

When is a game not a game?

Tyler MacCandless can’t focus, even when he takes his medication. He can’t focus on school, on his future, on a book, on much of anything other than taking care of his older brother, Brandon, who’s in rehab for heroin abuse… again.

Tyler’s dad is dead and his mom has mentally checked out. The only person he can really count on is his Civilian Air Patrol Mentor, Rick. The one thing in life it seems he doesn’t suck at is playing video games and, well, thats probably not going to get him into college.

Just when it seems like his future is on a collision course with a life sentence at McDonald’s, Rick asks him to test a video game. If his score’s high enough, it could earn him a place in flight school and win him the future he was certain that he could never have. And when he falls in love with the game’s designer, the legendary gamer Ani, Tyler thinks his life might finally be turning around.

That is, until Brandon goes MIA from rehab and Tyler and Ani discover that the game is more than it seems. Now Tyler will have to figure out what’s really going on in time to save his brother… and prevent his own future from going down in flames.



About the Author

T. L. Costa is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and has a Masters of Teaching from Quinnipiac University who taught high school for five years before becoming a full-time mom and writer.

She has lived in Texas, New York, New Jersey and Spain. Currently, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.

Buy the Book

{Review} Runt @noraraleighB !Pre-Order NOW!

This title will be released on July 23, 2013

An insightful exploration of middle school bullying from multiple perspectives, by the award-winning author ofAnything But Typical.

Elizabeth Moon grew up around dogs. Her mom runs a boarding kennel out of their home, so she’s seen how dogs behave to determine pack order. Her experience in middle school is uncomfortably similar.

Maggie hates how Elizabeth acts so much better than everyone else. Besides, she’s always covered in dog hair. And she smells. So Maggie creates a fake profile on a popular social networking site to teach Elizabeth a lesson.

What makes a bully, and what makes a victim? It’s all in the perspective, and the dynamics shift. From sibling rivalries to mean girl antics, the varying points of view in this illuminating novel from the award-winning author of Anything But Typical show the many shades of gray—because middle school is anything but black and white.


About the Author
Nora Raleigh Baskin is the ALA Schneider Family Book Award–winning author of Anything But Typical. She was chosen as a Publishers Weekly Flying Start for her novel What Every Girl (Except Me) Knows, and has since written a number of novels for middle-graders and teens, including The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah, The Summer Before Boys, and Runt. Nora lives with her family in Connecticut. Visit her at NoraBaskin.com.

I will be the first one to tell you that I LOVE DOGS!! This has to be the third or forth books ive read on bullies in the past week!  (I said I was on a roll!)  Ok so this one I really REALLY LOVED!  (yes she did write her review that way) The neat thing about this book is that we get to see all the sides to the issue.  From the person who is bulling, the person getting bullied, to even the bystanders!  We get to see it all!  This book is also about revenge!  And it really put in I think the word is perspective on what make a bully and what makes a victim!  5 Stars!

"*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."

BUY THE BOOK BAM | BN | AMAZON

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

{Review} His Clockwork Canary @BethCiotta

History is repeating itself.

For ambitious engineer Simon Darcy, winning Queen Victoria’s competition to recover lost inventions of historical significance is a matter of pride—and redemption. After all, it was Simon’s failed monorail project that left his family destitute, and winning the tournament would surely restore the Darcys’ reputation.

Simon sets his sights high, targeting no less than the infamous time-travel device that forever changed the world by transporting scientists, engineers, and artists from the twentieth century. The Mod technology was banned and supposedly destroyed, but Simon is sure he can re-create it.

His daring plan draws the attention of Willie G., the Clockwork Canary, London’s sensationalist reporter. Simon soon discovers that Willie is a male guise for Wilhemina Goodenough, the love of his youth, who left him jilted and bitter. He questions her motives even as he falls prey to her unique charm. As the attraction between the two reignites, Simon realizes that this vixen from his past has secrets that could be the key to his future…as long as he can put their history behind him.
BUY THE BOOK B-A-M | B and N | Amazon | iTunes

This is another wonderful book that I wish I had read the first book!  So again this review will be updated as soon as I snag a copy!  Anyway this one I fell in love with the cover first!  This book has a wonderful steampunk romance with unique world building and very interesting characters.  Although I didnt read the first book or the novella that I found out was out there this one I really did enjoy reading on its own.  This was a very fast paced story with characters who had been introduced previously.  I cant wait to see where Ciotta takes us next! 

"*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."

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

{Review} Breaking Glass @lisa_amowitz

THIS TITLE WILL RELEASE JULY 9TH

On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, he's not sure whether they're real or if he's losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.

BUY THE BOOK BAM | BN | AMAZON





About the Author:
Lisa Amowitz is an artist and graphic designer by trade, but writing has always been a deep and abiding passion. As a mom of an actual teen, she's not just writing YA; she's living it.

Another great story from Spencer Hill Press!  This one will keep you reading until the last pages where you will want even more!  I am so happy that I got to read this one before it came out! This one has an amazing group of characters! Its a darker unflinching story and is a must read for the mystery, suspense, supernatural crowd! Ps also loved that this was from a guys POV so many teen books have been done by the girl!  Bravo Amowitz Bravo! 

"*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."

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

{Cover Reveal} Ward Against Darkness @melaniecard

Today Melanie Card and Entangled Teen are revealing the cover for book 2 in The Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer Series, WARD AGAINST DARKNESS. Also enter below for a paperback of the book or an eBook!

On to the reveal!

Blurb:

The last thing Ward de'Ath wants is more trouble. On the run from both the law and the criminal underworld, Ward and Celia flee Brawenal City only to stumble into the mansion of a powerful evil necromancer. And when Ward discovers the man possesses a dangerous grimoire, his duty leaves him no choice. He can't allow the necromancer to keep the grimoire. But the mansion is filled with monsters--human and undead--and Ward has no way of telling who's friend or foe. The only person he can trust is Celia who dominates more of his thoughts and feelings everyday. But there are still laws in the way of anything but friendship. She's still dead and he's still alive . . . for now.

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

About Melanie:

Melanie has always been drawn to story telling. In fact, she can’t remember a time when she wasn’t telling a story in her head or on paper. In grade school, they had journal writing time which she turned into story telling time, weaving tales of magic and adventure that mimicked the fairy tales and myths that she loved to read. It was there, with the help of two very special teachers, that she nurtured this love and started her journey as a writer.

She writes fantasy, paranormal romance, and everything in between, seasoned with a good dash of adventure and mystery. Join her on my tales of magic, adventure, and romance.

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Review} Crush @simonkids #AngelaDarling

Twelve-year-old Lauren Silver is ready to hit the beach for her annual family vacation. Aside from the sun and sand, she’s especially thrilled to be reunited with her gorgeous summer crush, Charlie Anderson. Sure, she’s only spoken to him once, for exactly thirteen seconds, but she knows they are meant to be together. She’s even spent all year developing The Love Plan, a foolproof way to get to know Charlie and have him fall for her.

But plans don’t always work out, which Lauren learns when she finds out a friend from school, Chrissy Porter, will be joining her family on their vacation. As if having to make Chrissy part of The Love Plan isn’t bad enough, Lauren then has to face a very tough reality of crushes: Sometimes they are not mutual. And sometimes, when fate is playing a really mean trick on you, the object of your crush ends up crushing on your friend Chrissy.

Can Lauren survive her beach vacation? And more importantly, can she survive her first crush?






About the Author

Angela Darling was nicknamed “The Love Guru” by her friends in school because she always gave such awesome advice on crushes. And Angela’s own first crush worked out pretty well… They have been married for almost ten years now! When Angela isn’t busy reading romance novels, she works as an editor in New York City. She knows deep down that every story can’t possibly have a happy ending, but the incurable romantic in her can’t help but always look for the silver lining in every cloud.

I know that I am only 9 years old.  But I really loved this book!  Im on a roll!  I read this one in a day because it is really short and fast!  I loved Lauren's plan to get the boy she wants!  This was a really cute book that any tween girl would love to read! 5 Stars!

"*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."

BUY THE BOOK  BN |AMAZON

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

{Review} Plastic Polly @Jenny_Lundquist

Popularity has its pitfalls, and Polly is discovering them firsthand in this middle-grade M!X novel.Polly Pierce likes being the second-most popular girl at Winston Academy, right after her BFF, Kelsy. Popularity comes with special privileges, like a seat at the best table in the cafeteria and a coveted spot on the planning committee for the school’s big talent show competition, Groove It Up! And since all Polly has to do is agree with whatever Kelsy says, being popular is easy—even if kids do call her “Plastic Polly” behind her back.



But when a freak accident takes Kelsy out of the picture, Polly is suddenly in charge of the Groove It Up! committee. She’s not prepared for her new status—and neither is anyone else. Backstabbing friends, an intimidating crush, and diva demands from an injured Kelsy all threaten to derail Polly’s plans. Can she prove to everyone—and herself—that she has a personality of her own?