Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Sweet Dead Life Blog Tour and Review


My Review:
The Sweet Dead Life is told from the point of view of an 8th grade girl named Jenna Samuels. Jenna’s family is falling apart and she is too sick to do anything about it. Her father left five years earlier with nothing more than a short note and a coupon to a Mexican restaurant to explain his absence. Her brother, Casey, is left picking up the pieces as Jenna has a mysterious illness that no doctor can explain and his mother never leaves the house and is slowly losing her memory. After a car accident, everything changes. Casey didn’t live through the accident and was sent back to earth to figure out what is happening to his family. The story revolves around Jenna’s illness and what really happened to their father five years earlier.
                The voice of Jenna is very believable throughout the story. The way she acts, talks, and behaves is exactly as a real 8th grade girl would act. She is tough but vulnerable as well. I loved seeing the characters transformations throughout the book. Casey goes from being a total stoner to a guy his family can count on, while Jenna learns to forgive and move on with her life. There are many humorous scenes throughout the story where you can’t help but laugh at the situations they are going through. I also enjoyed the character of the mysterious Amber Velasco and see the transformation in Jenna as she slowly comes to accept Amber as a part of her life. The coolest part of the story, in my opinion, was the mystery that is being investigated throughout the whole book. Casey, Jenna, and Amber have to figure out what is happening to Jenna and her mother and how their father is involved in everything that is happening around them. In the beginning the plot was a little slow moving but overall I really enjoyed the story. It has a little bit of everything. There is fantasy, mystery, and teenage angst all rolled into one Texas tall story that will have readers enamored.

-The Sweet Dead Life by Joy Preble
Published May 14, 2013 by Soho Teen

THE SWEET DEAD LIFE if now available for order! Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, GoodReads

Learn about the Author, Joy Preble!

Joy Preble is the author of the popular and highly acclaimed Dreaming

Anastasia series. A former English teacher, Joy grew up in Chicago and is a

graduate of Northwestern University. She is now a full time writer and lives with

her family in Texas, where she has learned to say "y'all" without any hint of irony.

A tireless advocate for literacy and great books, she is at the center of the allimportant Texas YA scene.

Joy Preble Social Media and Website




Now, to everyone's favorite part! The giveaway! Please enter below and good luck! The winner will be contacted through email once the giveaway is over.
Unfortunately, the giveaway is only open to those in the United States and Canada.

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Sunday, May 12, 2013

Maid of Secrets Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway

I am so excited to be one of the stops on the Maid of Secrets blog tour, hosted by Sel from Bookcase to Heaven. I was extremely excited to read this book because it sounded so interesting, and I was not disappointed. Continue reading to see my review and enter the giveaway!

Blurb via Goodreads:
My Review: 

Maid of Secrets is a story full of excitement, mystery and action. I loved this book and I believe that Jennifer McGowan did a magnificent job in developing the characters and the relationships in this book. Queen Elizabeth has just taken the throne and she is faced with people, foreign and close, who wish to see her off the throne. In order to uncover the truth of what is happening and to keep her crown safe, she has contracted five maids to be her spies. Meg is employed as the eyes and ears of the queen and is to report on anything she overhears, but she is not only responding on the queen, but is asked to spy on her as well. As Meg goes through her time as a spy she is forced to do things that go against her conscience, betray her friends, and she falls for an unlikely courtier. I loved the development of the plot, how the mystery was mixed in and the excitement of trying to figure out what comes next. The book is lengthy, but there is never a dull moment. It was nice to have a book so well detailed and explained that I couldn't put it down until I finished the last page. I also enjoyed learning the pasts of a few of the maids and to see how it brought them all together. Maid of Secrets is a fresh new tale in the young adult literature world and I think it will be met with a great response!
- Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

Buy It Now: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | IndieBound | The Book Depository

Learn a little about the Author, Jennifer McGowan 

Author Bio via Goodreads:

Jennifer McGowan writes Young Adult romance full of swash and buckle. Her first novel, MAID OF SECRETS, debuts in Spring, 2013 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Age: Royal Secret

Came From: A small town in northern Ohio

Became a Maid of Honor: After bringing her tale of spygirls to the noble city, and winning the favor of the great house of Simon (& Schuster).

Special Skill: Matrix-like reflexes, superior strength, fabulous wit… okay, ah – we’ll get back to you on that.


Now, Time for the Giveaway! Make sure to enter and good luck :-)
  
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