There's a GIF For That: Prep & Pack for #BEA15

Since the last two of these seemed to be a hit, I figured now that BEA is in less than 2 weeks, we needed a GIFs for BEA prepping and packing.

Like when you realize that BEA is in less than 2 weeks ....

But you still need to survive another full week of work ....

Oh, yeah, and you volunteered to work overtime because that means more money for BEA & NYC ....

.... except you don't get paid until after you return from BEA ....

You should probably start packing ....

No, really. Start packing ....

Or maybe you should go shopping ....

You have your schedule, right?

Yes, schedule. As in the one that tells you when all the drops are, signings are ....

You just realized you have 5 MUST HAVES in the same 30 minute block, didn't you?

We've all been there ....

You've got your hotel booked ....

And you have your roommates ....

But just because you've never met one of them in person doesn't mean they're crazy or anything ....

Wait - you did pack, right?

But inevitably you'll forget something ....

And have to buy it in NYC ....

Or realize you printed your color coded schedule in black & white ....

Or notice they changed the times on half of the signings you wanted to get to ....

But it's OK, because you've trained all year for this one event ....

You've got this ....

You still haven't packed yet, have you?

Really? You're taking books to a book convention where you will get more books?

Yeah, so am I .... 

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There's a GIF For That: BEA Edition
There's a GIF For That: BookCon Edition

Blog Tour & Giveaway: 5 to 1 by Holly Blodger

Character Dossier: Asha

Full Name: Asha Pitale

Birthdate: August 23, 2037

Age: 17

Birthplace: Koyanagar

Height: 5’2”

Weight:  115 lbs

Eyes:  Dark brown

Hair: Black, wavy

Marital Status: Engaged to be married in one week

Parents:  Nissim and Haiya Pitale (but I call them Baaba and Aai).

Siblings: None, but Susa has always been like a sister to me.

Current Residence:  In a fourth floor flat in Tower B of Koyanagar Heights. For now…

Greatest accomplishment:  Getting a perfect score on both my Calculus and Algebra finals this past March.

Greatest dream: To become an engineer somewhere far away like Australia or America.

Most valuable possession: A photo of Baaba and Aai on their wedding day. They looked so happy. Couples never look like that when they get married now. The girls always look disappointed and the boys always look terrified.

Strengths:  Numbers. I’ve been able to do sums in my head since I was a child. I used to tell Susa that I was going to pick Mathematics for my last test, but when it came time to announce it, I did not see the point. None of the boys left had any chance of figuring out a complicated equation. It would have been mean to embarrass them like that.

Weaknesses:  Aai says I have a quick temper. I can’t help it. Everything about Koyanagar makes me angry, especially the leaders.

Fears: Being stuck in Koyanagar for the rest of my life.

Happiest Memory:  When Tanu told me that he would follow me to the end of the Earth.

Saddest Memory: When Aai told me she and Baaba wanted me to leave them forever.

Biggest regret: Not trying harder to make Susa see what her nani is like. I know she loves her and respects her, but that doesn’t mean she should be blind to her lies.

Character Dossier: Nani

Full Name:  Arpana Mehra

Birthdate: May 12, 1998

Age:  56

Birthplace: Mumbai, India

Height: 5’ 1”

Weight: 135 lbs

Eyes:  Brown

Hair: White/grey

Marital Status:  (Happily) Widowed

Parents:  Deceased

Siblings: One sister (Yasmin) who reminds me that she is older every single day

Current Residence:  Penthouse flat in Tower B of Koyanagar Heights

Greatest accomplishment: Coming up with the Love Your Daughters campaign. This was really what made the people of Koyanagar want to separate from India. They merely had to look at Surina’s face and they knew it was the right thing to do.

Greatest dream: To be President of Koyanagar. Yasmin thinks she will be next. Perhaps she will be. She has always had everything handed to her—a wealthy husband, Papa’s love. She never has to work for things or get her hands dirty, but she will not be a good President if this does not change. Being a leader means making hard decisions. I’m not afraid of that.

Most valuable possession: Koyanagar Registry. There is a backup copy in the State Council safe, but it does not have my notes in it.

Strengths:  I am very resourceful.

Weaknesses: Yasmin. She always finds a way to make me feel like I must obey her because I owe her for helping get Nalini and me off the street. It is a debt as deep as a well.

Fears: Men with power. They are too easily corrupted by it. That is why women must lead Koyanagar.

Happiest Memory: When Yasmin, Papa and I first moved to Powai. That was before Yasmin got married and moved to Koyanagar. Before Papa realized he hated me.

Saddest Memory:  When my sass told me that my first daughter had been stillborn. I knew she was lying. I’d heard the baby cry outside, right before she was murdered.

Biggest regret: That I didn’t run away from my husband sooner.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

ABOUT 5 TO 1

Sudasa doesn't want to be a wife and Kiran, a boy forced to compete in the test to become her husband, has other plans as well. Sudasa's family wants nothing more than for their daughter to do the right thing and pick a husband who will keep her comfortable--and caged. Kiran's family wants him to escape by failing the tests. As the tests advance, each thwarts the other until they slowly realize that they might want the same thing.

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ABOUT HOLLY BODGER

HOLLY BODGER has a BA in English Literature and has spent her entire career in publishing. She is an active member of RWA and is a 2013 Golden Heart finalist in the Young Adult category. She lives in Ottawa, Canada.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Tessa Ever After by Brighton Walsh

Interview:

1.) You started laying the groundwork for TESSA EVER AFTER during CAGED IN WINTER (book 1). Did you know you wanted Tessa and Jase to have their own story from the beginning? Or did they surprise you like they did me?

They totally surprised me! It wasn’t until the scene in CiW where Tessa is asking Cade if he can watch Haley while Tessa goes on a date and Jase gets all butthurt and territorial about it that I thought…wait a minute. What’s this all about?

2.)  Tessa isn't your normal New Adult heroine - most are tackling college, not motherhood and working and trying to work in romance. What do you love most about Tessa?

I love her strength. I can’t even fathom the struggles she’s been through in her life, but she’s come out on the other side, and she’s still standing. And not only that, but she has a great outlook on life and is a wonderful role model to Haley (hallway hump notwithstanding).

3.)  I gotta know - what happened to Haley's dad?!

Nothing terribly exciting. He’s a douchebag. He was eighteen and his girlfriend just told him she was pregnant. He did what douchebags do—bailed. I didn’t bring it into the story because it’s really not part of their story. Tessa isn’t missing anything by him not being in her life, and Haley isn’t either—between her uncle and his friends, she’s had plenty of male role models in her life. Tessa’s never gone after him for child support…she hasn’t wanted him in Haley’s life, so I didn’t bring him back. Plus, I sort of thought bringing him into the story would be drama for the sake of drama, and I don’t like that much.

4.) Will we ever see Tessa and Jase again ... in another book?

I see what you’re trying to do here. ;) I would love the chance to hang out with all these characters again!

5.)  The fate of the world depends on this answer, so you must decide one way or another: You're stranded on an island for 3 months - who do you have with you for, uh, company? Jase or Cade?

Man, that’s a toughie. Initial thought was Jase because, well, Jase. But then I thought, I bet Cade could find something for us to eat on the island, and he’d totally cook for me every day. Plus, Jason’s more high maintenance. LOL Plus, plus, Cade has, like, gobs of muscles. Final answer: Cade.

About TESSA EVER AFTER:

In this grippingly emotional New Adult novel from the author of Caged in Winter, what you want isn’t always what you need…

Jason’s been living (and loving) the rich playboy lifestyle for five years, but now his parents are pressuring him to get involved in the family business. The last thing he wants is another obligation, but when his best friend moves out of state and asks Jason to look after his sister, he can’t just say no.

Tessa had to grow up way too soon. After dealing with the aftermath of her parents’ deaths, then becoming a teenage mom, she knows the meaning of responsibility. Which is why, at twenty-two, she’s looking for so much more than a party boy. She’s looking for someone who can stand by her and her daughter…forever.

A relationship between them is doomed from the start, but who says they can’t have a little fun? But as Jason gets closer to Tessa—and her daughter—fun starts to turn into something else… Something Jason’s not sure he’s ready for.

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About Brighton Walsh:

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with writing. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children.

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Giveaway:

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Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Title: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Author: Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: 5.5.2015

Pages: 352

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Series: N/A

Source: ARC from NCTE

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend— two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party — three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

Review:

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the pleasure of attending book conferences in the late fall/early winter and it’s kind of become a competition with my friends so see who can get their hands on the newest Kasie West book before the others (thus triggering a stampede of anxious readers and bloggers flocking to a single booth). When I managed to lock my hands around a copy of this at NCTE in November, it was like angels heralding, babies giggling and snow falling peacefully around me all at once. I’ve been excited for the FILL-IN BOYFRIEND for over a year, and trust me, it delivers.

West has a knack for infusing wit, heart and quirk in all her main characters, and Gia is no exception. She sparkles on every page, making me laugh and swoon and sigh at all the right places. She is a good girl with a good heart and a few not-so-wonderful ideas that blow up in her face, often in humorous ways.

The scenes between Gia and H—um, I mean, non-Bradley absolutely sizzle. Their chemistry is off the charts and what starts off as an unconventional date slowly evolves into a true friendship and more. It’s definitely one of my favorite YA romances ever.

Fans of West are likely already lining up to buy THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND , but if you’ve never had the pleasure of one of her books, I encourage—beg—you to start here. You won’t be sorry!

Buy: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Review: The Secrets We Keep by Trish Leaver

Title: The Secrets We Keep

Author: Trish Leaver

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Publication Date: 4.28.2015

Pages: 304

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Series: N/A

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When—after a heated argument—Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options—confess her deception or live her sister's life.

Review:

Holy Moses, I was not expecting to love this book the way I did. I had zero intentions of reading it in one sitting, but that's just what happened. THE SECRETS WE KEEP sucked me in from the first chapter and kept me captive until the very end.

There's something about twins that fascinates me. Maybe it's that built-in soulmate angle or having a confidant forever. Despite my lofty ideals, Ella and Maddy are pretty opposite and exist separately. Ella keeps her head down while Maddy is always searching for the spotlight. When Ella wakes up after a tragic accident where she was driving Maddy's car and the identical passenger was killed, everyone assumes she is Maddy.

Maddy, the golden girl. Feeling responsible, Ella decides to bury Ella so she can live out the life Maddy was meant to have. But it's never that simple. There are layers of lies and deception in Maddy's world that she shielded Ella from. So now Ella must unravel the mysterious surrounding her sister's life and decide if she wants to right the wrongs, but if she does that, she'll be outing herself.

Ella is such a fantastic character. Complex and beautiful, and my heart broke for her. She genuinely believes that everyone is relived Maddy is the surviving twin and her guilt eats up my gut the way it eats up the pages. She tries so hard to be the Maddy everyone loved, slowly losing more of Ella in the process. She is literally tearing herself apart the majority of the book.

Trish Leaver writes with spellbinding detail. A story like this could easily get cliché or overly dark. She tempers the darkness and somberness with subtle light. She truly pulls you into the mind of Ella, breaking down where Ella begins and Maddy ends.

This novel is 90% character driven and it's absolutely beautiful. I was sad to see it end, but the end is simply perfect.

Buy: The Secrets We Keep

There's a GIF For That: #BookCon Edition

Since the BEA edition of this post seemed to be popular, I thought I would add one for Book Con based on last year's experiences. Because ... well, why not?

When you walk up to the Javits the morning of Book Con, knowing you're a blogger and these people are just readers ....

When you see the line of people waiting to get their badges ....

When you first enter the floor and are greeted by thousands of people ....

When it takes you 5 minutes to move 5 feet ....

And the same person has been mouth-breathing on your neck the entire 5 minutes...

Then you turn to talk to the friend you walked in with and they're gone ....

So you take a shortcut along the back wall to avoid the crowds and hope no one sees you ....

And find the security guards sleeping ....

When you're told by 3 people that there are 3 lines for 1 author .... 

When you realize you were woefully unprepared for this chaos ....

When you direct the 53rd person to ask where to get signing tickets ....

When you see people taking a dozen copies of the same book ....

When you wind up becoming a BookCon staff member because you feel bad that they're overwhelmed and need help ....

When you call it quits ....

And seek sanctuary on the BEA side of the floor to make sure you still have all vital appendages ....

Then you find your friend you lost hours earlier ....

When someone mentions the words "John Green" and "panel downstairs" ....

But because you're curious, you lean over the railing to see the people waiting to get into the panels downstairs ....

You go to leave and see people taking random display stuff from all the booths and publishers trying to stop them .... 

When you finally leave the Javits Center ....

When you make an entire GIF post devoted to the hells of Book Con and realize you're planning to give it another go this year ....