Pub Crawl 2013 - The Blogger Side of Things

If you've been following me or Jen from Jenuine Cupcakes (@cupcakegirly) on Twitter, you might have seen this hashtag lately: #PubCrawl2013

(No, this isn't Jen and I building up to going on a drinking binge.)

Back in July, Jen and I were having dinner and she mentioned how for her birthday she would like to go visit one of her favorite publishing houses in NYC for a day. I readily threw myself on that idea because that sounded freaking fantastic. Then we kept talking and decided why stop at one publishing house when NYC is full of them?

And thus, Pub Crawl 2013 was conceived.

This Thursday, Oct. 17, Jen and I will be taking the Megabus up from where we live in Maryland and into NYC where we're going to visit some of our favorite publishers and publicists. They're agreed to sit down and talk to us about publishing, marketing, publicity, and even give us a tour around their offices!

I'm sure we'll be posting all over Twitter and Instagram as we go as well as recapping what we learn and see on our blogs afterwards. We're doing this in two parts: Jen will be covering topics from the perspective of an author trying to break into the publishing world (what to expect, tricks to know, and how a book makes it from someone's head to on the shelves). I'm covering the blogger end of things - what do publishers expect from bloggers? How can a blogger get you to take notice of their blog? What are some dos and don'ts?

That being said, if there's any questions you'd like us to ask these awesome publicists about blogging (or anything else), feel free to shout them out here and we'll see what we can do!

If you're an aspiring author with questions about how books are published, head over to Jenuine Cupcakes!

Follow Pub Crawl 2013 on:

Twitter

@irish_banana | @cupcakegirly | #PubCrawl2013

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CHECK OUT THE RECAP!

Review: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Title: Where the Stars Still Shine

Author: Trish Doller

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Publication Date: 9.24.2013

Pages: 308

Genre: Contemporary

Series: No

Source: eARC from publisher

Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

Review:

I have to admit first off that I never heard of this book before Jen (JenuineCupcakes) and I were in a car together talking about our favorite books—as we’re prone to doing when together. She started raving about it and Trish Doller and the way she was so enthusiastic made me want to read it. So I did what any good blogger does … Went home, found it on Netgalley and clicked that pretty REQUEST button.

This is one of those time that Jen can shout “I TOLD YOU SO” until cupcakes fly because OMG was she right. Trish Doller just earned her way onto my short-list of authors I will forever love because of this one book.

Callie is one of those characters that is just so real, so visceral, that it hurts. You ache for this girl, you cheer for this girl … you bang your head against a wall and want to climb inside the pages of the book so you can stop her from making a mistake. It brought tears to my eyes watching as Callie struggled to reconcile her past with her mom to the future her dad was offering her. Watching as she struggled and stumbled and ultimately found a way to keep going was equally heart-wrenching and encouraging.

And did I mention it has just one of the best romances ever? Yes, guys, ever. The best romances are the ones where no one is trying to change anyone. Alex was exactly what Callie needed—he never made her feel like less of a person because of her past and what she went through.

While I might be all swoony over the romance (seriously, it’s like a punch in the feels, guys!), the over-all theme here is family. Doller created a vibrant, brilliant characters that filled these voids in Callie’s life she didn’t even know were there with a quiet grace.

Where the Stars Still Shine is a beautiful tapestry of words. It’s moving, poignant, and a book that lingers long after the last page is turned. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Buy: Amazon

Review: The 100 by Kass Morgan

Title: The 100

Author: Kass Morgan

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 9.3.2013

Pages: 277

Genre: SciFi

Series: The 100 #1

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland... before it's too late.

Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust - and even love - again.

Review:

Can you guys just give me a moment to cuddle this book and revel in the awesome Kass Morgan created? Seriously. Gimme a sec.

OK. Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you why I absolutely adored The 100.

There’s been a bit of rumbling and grumbling about the fact that there are a lot of POVs in this book. Four, actually. And this book takes place on Earth and in space. I honestly found these to be huge strengths. I loved hearing about what was happening from Clarke and Wells and Bellamy and Glass—it gave me an all-encompassing feel of what was happening. I didn’t feel like I was scrambling around in the dark.

Clarke was definitely my favorite. She has this strength, but also this vulnerability that makes her completely reliable and loveable as a narrator. She has a very complex relationship with Wells that we learn about via flashbacks. I am seriously rooting for these two long-term in the series.

We also have Bellamy down on Earth who was never part of the 100 originally slated to go to Earth—he jumped on the ship to protect his little sister who was being exiled. Yeah. Feel free to start swooning, ladies.

Glass meanwhile is back on the ship, which gives us a much-needed insight into what is happening to those not fighting for survival on Earth. I have a feeling her role is going to be crucial later on in this series.

It’s not hard to guess why The CW snapped this show up so fast (it will air next  Spring). If the TV show is half as good as the book, I will be an insanely happy girl. I cannot wait for more of Morgan’s series. It moves fast and is a quick read, not bogged down in a ton of jargon and terminology that usually makes me head hurt in SciFi. Definitely one everyone needs to read!

Buy: Amazon

Review: Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Title: Wild Cards

Author: Simone Elkeles

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 9.24.2013

Pages: 352

Genre: Contemporary, Sports

Series: Wild Cards #1

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: C+

Summary (from Goodreads):

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Review:

You might have seen the way I was raving about needing this book at BEA this past year. I was all over the place, freaking out and making a general fool of myself because I was so excited. I am a huge fan of Simone Elkeles’ Perfect Chemistry series. When I saw she was doing a football series I about lost my mind.

But then I got a copy. And then I read it. And then I was really kind of disappointed.

It’s hard to get into a romance when you strongly dislike half of the couple. Derek I liked. I liked his snark, his wit, and the way he simply is. It was Ashtyn I had a harder time getting into. She seemed too girly and, at times, weak to be the leader of a football team.  She also could never seem to make up her mind which left me endlessly frustrated. Their romance felt so rushed because for a large chunk of the book, Ashytn was in love with another guy.

It might sound like I hated this book, but I see the potential for future books in this series. I think Elkeles laid the ground work for the future books, introducing a bunch of characters in Wild Cards that I’m sure will get their own tale. Despite my issues with Ashtyn and her relationship with Derek, I truly feel like this is just the beginning and this series will only get better.

Buy: Amazon

Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Title: How to Love

Author: Katie Cotugno

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: 10.1.2013

Pages: 389

Genre: Contemporary

Series: No

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: A

Summary (from Goodreads):

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

Review:

Katie Cotugno, where have you been all my life?

That’s how I felt about mid-way through How to Love. This absolutely stunning, vibrant debut from Cotungo was definitely a highlight of my reading year. It’s an emotional ride that people simply cannot miss.

The story is told in alternating chapters by Reena. We flip back and forth from past to present to see what led up to Sawyer leaving Reena, seemingly alone and pregnant, to his return, and how they both deal and move on.

I loved that Cotugno didn’t victimize Reena. I feel like I’ve read a handful of books lately where the heroine simply reacts to what happens to her, but doesn’t try to do anything about it. Reena isn’t that girl: She’s one of the most visceral, utterly human characters I’ve read in a long time. She isn’t perfect. She’s made mistakes, but she’s a good mom and she has a strong support network.

The relationship with Reena and Sawyer was just magic, both past and present. I love that Sawyer didn’t burst back onto the scene with a, “Hi, honey, I’m home. We’re together again, right?” It wasn’t that simple. Sawyer had to work to earn back Reena’s trust, and that made their relationship all the more plausible and relatable.

All in all, this is a fabulous start to a promising new writing career. I cannot wait to see what Cotugno comes up with next!

Buy: Amazon

Cover Reveal: Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs

 In book two of her breathtakingly magical series, Abigail Gibbs draws us even further into the dangerous and romantic world of the Dark Heroines.

Autumn Rose lives in a sleepy seaside town in the southwest of England, but buried deep under the surface of her quiet life are dark secrets. Her grandmother is dead, murdered eighteen months before, and the whirling social scene of London in which she was brought up is a world away. Even worse, at her new school she is shunned and condemned-all because of the swirling marks on her skin that prevent her from blending in the crowd.

But the appearance of a handsome young man at her school-who has the same curious markings as Autumn Rose-sends her world into turmoil. Suddenly the marks are cool and Autumn is thrust into the limelight, but her sudden popularity brings danger as her secrets threaten to come to light. Plus, there is the fact that Autumn keeps dreaming of a human girl who is about to be seduced by a very dark Prince… and Autumn must figure out how to save her before it is too late.

Amazon
| Barnes & Noble
| IndieBound
| Books-A-Million
| iBookstore
| Image Map

Abigail Gibbs was born and raised in deepest, darkest Devon, England. She is studying for a B.A. in English at the University of Oxford and considers herself a professional student, as the real world has yet to catch up with her. Her greatest fear is blood and she is a great advocate of vegetarianism, which logically led to the writing of her first novel, Dinner with a Vampire. She splits her time between her studies, stories, and family, and uses coffee to survive all three.

Review: Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young

Title: Just Like Fate

Author: Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: 8.27.2013

Pages: 304

Genre: Multi-verse

Series: No

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape--both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.

The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths--and she's about to live them both.

Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted.

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...

Review:

Here's the thing: I had a chance a few months ago to hang out with Nicole from Paperback Princess. We both adored this book so we decided to do a joint review vlog. Check it out!

 Buy: Amazon

Blog Tour: FAÇADE by Nyrae Dawn

I would like to extend a big welcome to Nyrae Dawn who is here to talk about her newest New Adult novel, FAÇADE.

Describe a day-in-the-life for NYRAE DAWN:

My life is definitely not very glamorous J. I usually get up with my oldest and get her ready for school. My husband takes her to school while I check emails. Then my youngest gets up and I get her ready for school. Hubby then takes her and heads to the gym, which gives me a couple hours of uninterrupted writing time. He gets home, and we have lunch and then I write a little more before he picks the girls up from school. And of course, there is some social media time in there J After school it’s homework, dinner, hanging out with the family. Once my kids are in bed, I write, read, or hang out with my hubby. Of course there are days in there I have errands in between and I also like to go write at the bookstore a couple days a week.

About FAÇADE:

Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

About Nyrae Dawn:

Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn's passion. Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she's a total romantic at heart and proud.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Cover Reveal: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I am so, so very excited to share the cover of Jennifer L. Armentrout's new book, Don't Look Back, with you guys today! I actually got to see the cover over the weekend when I saw Jennifer, and I (along with the other people with me) absolutely fell hard and fast for it.

You ready? Watch the cover carefully!

Don’t Look Back synopsis:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

Don’t Look Back release date: 04/15/2014 

Amazon | B&N

Author the Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Review: 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Title: 3:59

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: 9.17.2013

Pages: 368

Genre: Multi-Verse

Series: No

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: A-

Summary (from Goodreads):

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo. 

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

Review:

I’ve seen so many conflicting reviews of Gretchen McNeil’s 3:59 and I just gotta say: What is wrong with y’all? I freaking love this book! Why aren’t you all reading and loving it, too?

Josie is a bit of an odd character. It took me a little while to warm to her because while I get she had stuff going on, she was just so aloof in the beginning. But once she was trapped in Jo’s world, she came to life and I loved following her.

The paradoxes and similarities that McNeil throws up in both worlds are commendable. It amazed me the precision used to create two totally different but eerily similar worlds in one book. It think I’m in love with her brain. For real.

This book is original and fun and dark and twisted … Yes, there’s a few WTF? moments, but doesn’t every book have that? Just sit back and enjoy the ride, guys, because McNeil throws up a ton of curveballs and creative turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

I have to warn you all: The ending nearly did me in. I’m still trying to recover from it. I’m not above begging Gretchen McNeil to write a sequel. Maybe if we all do it together it’ll happen?

Buy: Amazon