Romance – Page 4 – Unleashing Readers

Blog Tour with Review!: Olivia Decoded (Olivia Twisted #2) by Vivi Barnes

September 23, 2016 by Kellee

Title: Olivia Twisted
Author: Vivi Barnes
Published November 5th, 2013 by Entangled: Teen

Summary: Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite?break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

Title: Olivia Decoded
Author: Vivi Barnes
Published September 6th, 2016 by Entangled: Teen

Summary: This isn’t my Jack, who once looked at me like I was his world. The guy who’s occupied the better part of my mind for eight months.

This is Z, criminal hacker with a twisted agenda and an arsenal full of anger.

I’ve spent the past year trying to get my life on track. New school. New friends. New attitude. But old flames die hard, and one look at Jack—the hacker who enlisted me into his life and his hacking ring, stole my heart, and then left me—and every memory, every moment, every feeling comes rushing back. But Jack’s not the only one who’s resurfaced in my life. And if I can’t break through Z’s defenses and reach the old Jack, someone will get hurt…or worse.

About the Author: Vivi Barnes was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. Now living in the magic and sunshine of Orlando, Florida, she divides her time writing, working, goofing off with her husband and three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes.

Find her on her blogs: http://vivibarnes.com/ and http://4chicks.wordpress.com/

Find her on twitter: https://twitter.com/ViviBarnes

Find her on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vivibarnes.author

Check out http://www.oliviatwisted.com/ for the Olivia Twisted official trailer!

Review: I was very lucky to be one of the early readers for Olivia Twisted (Vivi’s children actually go to the school I teach at! Check out the discussion questions at the back of the book, too–I wrote those!), and I fell in love with Liv and Z. I loved how Vivi retold Oliver Twist yet made the story completely hers at the same time. However, anyone that read the book had one big question looming over them: What happened between the end of the story and the epilogue?!?!? It is something that I am sure Vivi was asked over and over again, and Olivia Decoded is the answer, and it is a GOOD answer. I read this book in one sitting, and I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened because even though you knew what happened because of the epilogue in Olivia Twisted, how it got to that situation was a big mystery.

Excerpt: “Wow, who gave you that?”

“My grandfather. He left it on my car seat this morning.”

“Oh, boo. I thought maybe you had a secret admirer or something.” I try not to smile at her obvious disappointment. Emerson’s been on me to date for months now. She knows I had someone back in Richmond who was special, but only that we broke it off before I moved here. She doesn’t know anything else about Jack. No one does, because what would I say? The last guy I dated is a criminal, and the last time I saw him was right after we got kidnapped by his horrible boss and almost died trying to escape. That’d go over really well.

“I don’t know, what do you think?” Emerson breaks into my thoughts as we walk down the hallway to our lockers.

“About what?”

She sighs. “Where Kade’s taking me tonight. Girl, you are not with it today, are you? Are you doing anything tonight?”

“My grandfather’s taking me to dinner.”

“Sweet. Not so romantic, but sweet.”

I smile. “Yes, he’s sweet. But a little over the top on gifts sometimes.” Even after eight months of living the wealthy life, I’d be happier if he gave me a gift card to a bookstore instead of extravagant jewelry I rarely wear.

My phone starts buzzing, and I pull it from my pocket. Grandfather’s text reads: What gift?

I frown, typing, The bracelet you left in my car. I snap a quick picture of the bracelet on my wrist and send it to him. Maybe his text was a hint to send a picture, though I doubt it. He’s usually pretty direct about things.

“What’s up?” Emerson asks.

“Looks like Grandfather forgot he left me the bracelet.” But even as I say it, it doesn’t sound right. He’s one of the sharpest people I’ve ever known, and he runs a financial institution.

“Maybe he gave it to one of his staff to put in your car.” Her voice has the usual bitter tone whenever she’s thinking of her parents. They’re hardly ever around, and when they are, they don’t pay much attention to her.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I don’t believe that, though. Even though it’s possible Mrs. Bedwin did put it there, I doubt it. Grandfather is the type to handle things himself when it comes to me. But Emerson’s parents travel so much for their business that they often let their staff handle things like birthdays and other events they think aren’t important. So as grateful as I am that Grandfather’s always there for me, I don’t like to rub that in Emerson’s face.

“Maybe you really do have a secret admirer,” she says hopefully.

I roll my eyes.“I doubt that.”

“Oh, really?” She stops in her tracks, her eyes fixed straight ahead. I follow her gaze, a sharp sense of dread creeping down my spine. A white rose is dangling from the vent in my locker.

A rose I know wasn’t placed there by my grandfather.

Discussion Questions: Why is Olivia so hesitant to date and make friends at her new school?; How does Olivia’s mom’s decisions affect how Olivia’s grandfather treats her?

Read This If You Loved: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Loud Awake and Lost by Adele Griffin, Fingerprints of You by Kristen-Paige Madonia

Recommended For:

Giveaway!

Make sure to not miss out on any of the stops on the blog tour!

September 12^th

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review Book #2

The Book Beacon – Spotlight Post

September 13^th

RoloPoloBookBlog – Spotlight Post

Roxy’s Book Reviews – Spotlight Post

September 14^th

Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews – Author Interview

Folders Corners & Smudged Screens– Review Book #1

Book Lovers Life – Spotlight Post

September 15^th

Becky on Books – Guest Post

Worth Reading It? – Review Book #1

September 16^th

Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books – Spotlight Post

Novel Knight – Spotlight

September 17^th

Realm of the Sapphired Dragon – Review Book #2

Just One More Chapter – Spotlight Post

September 18^th

Elizabeth Delana Rosa – Spotlight Post

Once Upon a Moonlight Review… – Review Book #2

Sleeps on Tables – Spotlight Post

September 19^th

Books and Swoons – Review Book #2

Worth Reading It? – Review Book #2

Cozy Little Book Nook – Spotlight Post

September 20^th

Crossroad Reviews – Review Book #2

The Reading Pile – Review Book #2

September 21^st

Read Love Blog – Review Book #1

September 22^nd

Pandora’s Books – Guest Post

YaReads – Author Interview

September 23^rd

Unleashing Readers – Review Book #2

The Avid Reader – Review Book #1

September 24^th

The Avid Reader – Review Book #2

Folders Corners & Smudged Screens – Review Book #2

September 25^th

Read Love Blog – Review Book #2

Bookwormette – Author Interview

**Thank you to Nichole at YAReads Blog Tours for setting up this tour!**

Emma G. Loves Boyz: A True Love Journal Volume One by Taro Meyer

September 9, 2016 by Kellee

Emma G. Loves Boyz: A True Love Journal Volume 1
Author: Taro Meyer
Published November 24th, 2015 by Red Sky Presents

Summary: Emma G. Loves Boyz: A True Love Journal is the first book in the new Tween Girl Series by Taro Meyer – the exuberant journal of a star-struck fan who vows to stop at nothing – not even doing chores! – for a chance to see her favorite boy band perform live…

Emma G. is CRAZY about Aaron, lead singer of Boyz3000. Of course, she doesn’t actually know him, but so what? Feelings are feelings. That is until Josh appears… and he’s soooooo CUTE. Navigating her two crushes and her middle school life, especially with eighth-grade hater Renee around, is a challenge. And oh yeah, she’s got to earn money for an AWESOME trip to the Bahamas to see the band of her dreams. Hello???? How much can one thirteen-year-old take???

Review: Oh man! This book brought flash backs to every boy band obsessed student I have taught over the last 10 years! Emma’s love for Boyz3000 can represent any middle school fangirl/boy who is so in love with the band, their music, and one of their members so blindly that they feel that the love is the most real thing they’ve ever felt! (And this is coming from a girl who cried when she saw Hanson live for the first time, so I know this emotion!) In addition to the story about Emma’s love of Boyz, Emma also has to learn responsibility to earn money to go see them in concert as well as some mean girl issues in middle school all told in a journal format which I think middle schoolers will find true to their voice.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is a perfect book for a middle school library/classroom library! So many of my students are always looking for a romance book that is appropriate for them, and this is perfect!

Another aspect of Emma’s journal is that she writes poetry, so her story could be a perfect inspiration for students who are interested in writing poetry or need to find an outlet for emotions.

Discussion Questions: How does Emma’s want to go see Boyz make her become a bit more responsible?; How does Josh change Emma’s perception on life?; Why do you think Renee is so mean?; How does the structure of the text affect the way the story is told?

Flagged Passages: “Oh my God. I just woke up completely happy, thinking I HAD FINALLY GOTTEN A TICKET TO A BOYZ3000 CONCERT and would meet Aaron, their lead singer. I’ve entered at least five contests and haven’t won any yet.

But sadly, I’d only fallen asleep in front of my computer and it was just a dream, and I still had to write a make-up essay for Language Arts because of the stupid D I got today!

I cannot believe I got a D in Language Arts! I plan on being a writer, and really, what kind of writer gets a D on an essay?

A D could ruin my entire future!” (p. 5)

Read This If You Loved: Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker by Kristina Springer, Radiate by Marley Gibson

Recommended For:

**Thank you Brittany from Red Sky Presents for providing a copy for review!**

Review and Author Interview: Camp Rolling Hills series by Stacy Davidowitz

May 11, 2016 by Kellee

Camp Rolling Hills
Camp Rolling Hills: Crossing Over
Author: Stacy Davidowitz
Published May 10th, 2016 by Amulet Paperbacks

Camp Rolling Hills’s Goodreads Summary: A hilarious and heartfelt series about the particular magic of summer camp—a place where reinvention is possible and friends are like family—from a sparkling debut talent.

Finally, it’s summer! Stephanie—aka Slimey—has been counting the days until she can return to her favorite place in the entire world, Camp Rolling Hills. And this year she’s especially happy to be back—she’ll have eight blissful weeks away from home, where life has been decidedly rocky.

New kid Bobby, on the other hand, is pretty sure he’s in for the worst summer of his life. He does not understand his weirdo cabinmates, the group singing, and the unfortunate nicknames (including his: Smelly). But he does understand Slimey, and the two soon fall in crush. This summer might not be so bad after all!

But then a fight sets off an epic, campwide, girls-versus-boys prank war. Bunks are raided! Boxer shorts are stolen! And it’s up to Slimey and Smelly to keep the peace.

Crossing Over’s Goodreads Summary: There’s only one thing Melman loves more than soccer: her summers at Camp Rolling Hills. So she’s pumped to be back—until she realizes her bunkmates have gone totally boy-crazy over the school year and plastered their cabin in pink. Pink posters, pink t-shirts…it seems that the only not-pink thing in the cabin is Melman herself. That is, until she’s given a dare in front of the entire camp: wear a pink princess dress. For Three. Whole. Days.

Steinberg’s summer gets off to a rough start, too, when his robot (usually his area of expertise) blows up during a camp-wide robotics contest. Steinberg might feel like a loser at home, but camp’s supposed to be his place to shine.

Steinberg without robots? Melman in pink? This whole summer feels turned upside down! To set things right, Steinberg and Melman team up and hatch a fail-proof plan. The plan’s secret ingredient? Hamburgers.

About the Author: Stacy Davidowitz is a camp-obsessed writer of books, plays, and screenplays. She also enjoys acting, singing, running long distances, and teaching theater all over New York City. Her alma maters are Tufts University, Columbia University, and Tyler Hill Camp. The Camp Rolling Hills series marks her debut as an author. Visit Stacy at www.stacydavidowitz.com and www.camprollinghills.com.

Author Q&A: Thank you to Stacy Davidowitz for answering some questions I had about the books and her writing!

Kellee: You share in your author’s note that your time at camp inspired these books. Can you tell us more about what inspired you, and how it directly affected the novels?

Stacy: I love camp. Truly, deeply love it. Experiencing it as a camper and then counselor and then head staff, I really got to understand its in and outs, and most importantly, the kind of positive impact it can have on a kid. So of course plots and activities and even the camp‘s layout are derived from my experiences, but also the bigger themes: friendship, being true to who you are, firsts–that’s the heart of the inspiration. I made such fantastic friends and helped nurture friendships among campers when I worked as a counselor; I experienced life-changing firsts I could never experience at home; and I learned to embrace my quirkiness with my bunkmates by my side.

Kellee: The sequel to Camp Rolling Hills is told from different perspectives than the first. Why did you decide to switch point of views? Will the next books go through the other campers’ POVs?

Stacy: When I wrote the initial draft of the first book, it was actually told from five perspectives: Slimey, Smelly, Play Dough, Jenny, and Steinberg. But when Abrams picked it up to be a series, we talked about what would work best. Ultimately we decided that each book should be told from the perspective of a different boy and girl. So Book One is Slimey and Smelly. Book Two is Melman and Steinberg. Book Three is Jenny and Play Dough. And Book Four is Missi and Wiener. If Abrams extends the series to six books, then we’ll get the perspectives of Sophie, Jamie, Totle, and Dover, too! Camp Rolling Hills is such an ensemble piece that having the series narrated by all the kids just feels right.

Kellee: You are a teacher of theater in NYC. How has your time teaching kids influenced you to want to write and want to write specifically these books?

Stacy: I teach a lot of playwriting and creative writing, even in the theater classes I lead. My students inspire me every day. Their ideas are so uninhibited. Exciting. Fresh. Alive. Honest. So of course that makes me want to do the same! It’s really cool to be able to write wacky, sweet, and adventurous characters my students can identify with. Also, writing middle grade is just so fun! Kids are smart and silly and it’s rewarding to be able to shine that light on them.

Kellee: Other than (hopeful) sequels, what’s next?

Stacy: I’m working on a dark young adult novel at the moment called Leper. I’m also co-writing a musical for Big Block Entertainment, the producers of Rock of Ages. Camp Rolling Hills the Musical (yup, it’s a musical, too!) is getting two productions this summer. One in Westport, Connecticut at Center Stage and another in NYC at New York Musical Festival (NYMF). Plus a play of mine called Sacred Water is being workshopped at Symphony Space, NYC in early July through a festival about social change!

My Review: The crazy cast of characters are what really make this book. Oh, and the reminiscing of camp. Camp really is something that is hard to explain unless you go yourself, but Stacy Davidowitz does a great job bringing the reader into Camp Rolling Hills and all of its quirkiness. And to add to the quirkiness, the characters in the books are so much fun! They are quite the mix of personalities. From stereotypical girly-girls to a cat-obsessed, sweet girl to a do gooder to a philosophical jock. Their interactions and characterization are what keep you reading the most! I also love the mix of letters home throughout the books.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The Camp Rolling Hills books would be a fun way to get letter writing into the classroom conversation. First, I’d use the letters as conversation starters into characterization asking the students, “What can you tell about these characters based on their letters?” And discuss what clues the students used to figure it out. I’d then move to a RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) activity asking each student to write a letter as a made up character they were assigned. The Camp Rolling Hills website even has stationery!

Discussion Questions: Although each cabin is filled with friends, each character is quite unique. How do the characters differ? Compare?; What would your camp nickname be?; What makes camp so special?; How did the campers change between books?

Flagged Passages: “Things to Do No that I’m in Anita Hill Cabin (Upper Camp!)

Be a good role model.
Make a special camp collage of my friends and our inside jokes.
Box-stitch extra lanyard key chains for Mom, since stress makes her lose her keys.
Spend A LOT of time with my camp sister/soul sister/BFF.

Slimey had always wanted a sister, and she treasured the times she and Melman pretended they were fraternal twins separated at birth. Fraternal, because they looked nothing alike. Twins, because their birthdays were only three days apart, and they’d always understood exactly how the other felt.” (Camp Rolling Hills, p. 2)

“‘Well, how do you like camp so far?’
‘It’s fine.’
Fine? No one describes camp as fine. Amazing, incredible, life-changing, maybe. But never fine.”

‘The first time I came here,’ she offered, ‘it took me a couple of days to realize how much I loved it, but once you do, you love it forever. You’ll see.'” (Camp Rolling Hills, p. 41)

Read This If You Loved: Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash, Hidden by Helen Frost, Brain Camp by Susan Kim, Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs, Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Like Bug Juice on a Burger by Julie Sternberg

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Caitlin at Abrams for providing copies for review!!**

Blog Tour, Author Guest Post, and Review!: Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker by Kristina Springer

August 7, 2016May 6, 2016 by Kellee

Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker
Author: Kristina Springer
Published April 16th, 2016 by Sterling Children’s Books

Goodreads Summary: Middle school is a test, but Cici Reno has all the answers. She’s the go-to girl for advice. She’s cool, she’s funny, and she’s enlightened (thanks to yoga classes at her mom’s studio). So when her pretty BFF, Aggie, is too shy to speak to the boy she’s crushing on, Cici goes online and does the talking for her. The only problem is, Cici starts to fall for the guy herself! For the first time in her life. she doesn’t have a clue.

My Review: Cici Reno is a refreshing addition to middle grade romance. As a middle school teacher, I am always happy when there is a romance novel that actually features middle school kids instead of high schoolers. The thinking and feelings differ so much between 6th and 9th grade that sometimes the YA romance novels are a bit mature for the middle schoolers that want to read about crushes and dating. And Cici Reno is a book that middle schoolers will flock to not only because of the romance but because of the humor, Cici’s true voice, and the story of friendship.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation (Teachers’ Tools for Navigation):
“Using Classic Retellings in the Middle Grade Classroom” by Kristina Springer

As readers, we love a good classic retelling. Renée Ahdieh reimagined The Arabian Nights in her #1 NYT Bestseller, The Wrath and the Dawn. The Coming of the Dragon by Rebecca Barnhouse was inspired by Beowulf. The Real Boy by Anne Ursu offered a new look at Pinnocchio. My first young adult novel, The Espressologist, was a twist on Jane Austen’s Emma. (In my book, the main character is a coffee shop barista who discovers a talent for matchmaking her customers based on their favorite coffee drinks.) And of course, Romeo and Juliet has been remade again and again and again (my favorite being Gnomeo and Juliet!).

With my newest middle grade book, Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker, I decided to do a modern twist of the Cyrano de Bergerac story, set in middle school and with Twitter instead of balconies and bushes.

Cici Reno, is the 12 ¾-year old enlightened daughter of a Yogi. When she’s not helping out at her mom’s beloved Peony Lane Yoga Studio or taking a class herself, she’s solving all of the 7^th grade’s problems, be it boy trouble or BFF drama. When her shy best friend Aggie asks for Cici’s help in getting the attention of the boy she likes, Cici goes online and does the talking for her. Only the more they talk, the more she falls for him herself. What’s a girl to do?

Studying a classic story and some of its retellings could be a fun and creative activity for middle grade classrooms. Here’s a suggestion of how you can approach this:

Start with talking about the original classic tale. Let’s say you choose Cyrano de Bergerac as I did. Talk about the original play written by Edmond Rostand in 1897. Show pictures of the real Cyrano de Bergerac for which the play is based on. More info here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_de_Bergerac_(play) And show this really cute 1 minute, 35 second YouTube Last Minute Book Report clip of Cyrano de Bergerac to get an overall sense of the story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u52OLtAws8
Have your class read through a bit of the play together out loud to get a sense of the relationship between Roxane, Christian, and Cyrano. Perhaps the balcony scene in Act 3, Scenes 6 and 7 where we see Christian bumbling for his words and Cyrano stepping in to rescue him. You can find the play this here: http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/French/Cyranoact3.htm
Talk about some of the movie adaptions of Cyrano de Bergerac over the years like Roxanne and The Truth about Cats and Dogs. If time and interest allows, show the 2012 Disney Original Movie, Let it Shine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_It_Shine_(film)
Read my book, Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker, and discuss the similarities and differences between the original and this modern retelling. Consider having the students use a Venn Diagram to do this. Have them discuss why they think I, as the author, made certain changes and if those changes improved the story or not.
Have the students try writing their own modern short story re-telling of Cyrano de Bergerac. And have fun sharing them with each other!

About the Author: Kristina Springer is the author of Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker (Sterling Children’s/April 19, 2016), My Fake Boyfriend Is Better Than Yours (Macmillan/FSG), a Scholastic Bestseller and 2012 YALSA Quick Pick book; The Espressologist (Macmillan,/FSG), a 2010 Society of School Librarians International Honor Book and 2014 Illinois Reads Book that has been purchased for film by Michael Eisner’s Vuguru; and Just Your Average Princess (Macmillan/FSG). She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and resides in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and children. Learn more about Kristina on her website: http://KristinaSpringer.com.

Flagged Passages: “‘Wow, you think of everything,’ Aggie says. ‘It sounds completely perfect. Only one thing.’

‘What’s that?’

‘I can’t talk to him, Cici! You heard me at the bonfire. I go from zero to dork in 2.3 seconds.’

‘But you’ll be online,’ I tell her. ‘You can take your time typing, really form your thoughts.’

‘Yeah. I guess.’ She pauses. ‘Or you could talk to him for me. Please? You’re so much better around guys than I am. Always so relaxed and cool. And funny,’ she adds.” (p. 35)

Read This If You Loved: Cyrano de Bergerac, Camp Rolling Hills by Stacy Davidowitz, Audition & Subtraction by Amy Fellner Dominy, Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Recommended For:

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash

September 16, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Honor Girl
Author and Illustrator: Maggie Thrash
Published September 8th, 2015 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: All-girl camp. First love. First heartbreak. At once romantic and devastating, brutally honest and full of humor, this graphic-novel memoir is a debut of the rarest sort.

Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia. She’s from Atlanta, she’s never kissed a guy, she’s into Backstreet Boys in a really deep way, and her long summer days are full of a pleasant, peaceful nothing . . . until one confounding moment. A split-second of innocent physical contact pulls Maggie into a gut-twisting love for an older, wiser, and most surprising of all (at least to Maggie), female counselor named Erin. But Camp Bellflower is an impossible place for a girl to fall in love with another girl, and Maggie’s savant-like proficiency at the camp’s rifle range is the only thing keeping her heart from exploding. When it seems as if Erin maybe feels the same way about Maggie, it’s too much for both Maggie and Camp Bellflower to handle, let alone to understand.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book is a book of truth. Maggie has put her heart and soul onto paper and shared it with all of us. I adored the honesty of her story and the slow unraveling and realization of her feelings for Erin. The romance in this felt so much more real (well, it is real!) than other YA books out there. Maggie’s feelings over this specific summer will resonate with so many readers because it is how real people fall in love and/or confirm their sexuality. I also was surprised that I liked the art. At first I found it hard to follow, but then it felt just as real as the story. This is a book that will be important to many readers out there, so it needs to be available to teens.

Discussion Questions: How hard did you think it was for Maggie to feel so opposite of what was expected of her by the camp and her parents?; Why do you think that Erin and Maggie’s relationship didn’t work out? Were you surprised that they were so uncomfortable when they reconnected a year later?; How did Maggie’s friends play a role in how she felt at camp?

Book Trailer:

Read This If You Loved: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg, Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan, Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Recommended For:

Windsnap Wednesday! Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Author Interview: Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 by Kellee

Emily Windsnap series
Author: Liz Kessler
Illustrator: Sarah Gibb

Book 1: The Tail of Emily Windsnap
Published April 27th, 2010 by Candlewick Press

Book 6: Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls
Published August 4th, 2015 by Candlewick Press

To celebrate the book birthday of the sixth book in the Emily Windsnap series, we want to share with you information about the series, a link to the activity kit for the series, an exclusive interview with the author, and a giveaway of ALL of the books in the series!

The Tail of Emily Windsnap Goodread’s Summary: For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep her away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery – about her own identity, the mysterious father she’s never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water’s surface. With a sure sense of suspense and richly imaginative details, first-time author Liz Kessler lures us into a glorious undersea world where mermaids study shipwrecks at school and Neptune rules with an iron trident – an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the convention-defying power of love.

Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls Publisher’s Summary: A field trip to a mysterious island quickly turns into an adventure when Emily Windsnap and Aaron discover a secret lookout point from which they spot a ghostly ship that no one else seems to be able to see. The ship appears and disappears only at certain times of day—growing fainter each time. Searching for answers only leads to more questions until Emily and her friends confront the island’s keeper, uncovering the incredible story of a ship caught between land and sea, day and night . . . life and death. Only Emily, with her ability to transform from mermaid to human, can enter Atlantis to try to bring the ship’s passengers back before the portal is closed forever. Emily knows that if she fails, not only will the passengers never see their loved ones again, but Emily won’t be able to return either. Will she be able to resist the allure of Atlantis and return home before it’s too late?

Activity Kit can be accessed here.

About the Author: Liz Kessler is the author of the New York Times best-selling series about Emily Windsnap as well as three adventures about Philippa Fisher and her fairy godsister. She is also the author of the middle-grade novels A Year Without Autumn, North of Nowhere, and Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? and the Poppy the Pirate Dog series for young readers. Liz Kessler lives in England.
Twitter: @LizKessler
Website: http://www.lizkessler.co.uk/

Unleashing Readers: What has been the hardest aspect of writing a series? What has been the most rewarding?

Liz Kessler: The hardest thing is making sure I remember everything that has gone before. I once knew an author who had one of her characters doing something in a book and had forgotten that she’d killed him off in an earlier chapter! Luckily, I don’t generally kill off my characters (I’d miss them too much) but when you are writing the sixth book in a series, that’s five books-worth of characters and stories to remember!

Most rewarding – I love having interaction with my readers and hearing about how Emily has inspired them, either with their reading or in their lives in general.

UR: How has Emily changed and grown throughout the series?

LK: Well, in many ways, she is the same person as she started out being: she likes adventure, she will always look after her friends and family, and she will always stand up for what she believes in. But she has matured a bit as the series has gone on. For one thing, she now has a boyfriend as well as a best friend! For another, I think that she thinks about things a little bit more before plunging into the next adventure. Luckily for me – and for my readers – she still plunges in once she’s thought about it! Life would be boring if she didn’t!

UR: How did you plan the series? Did you have the whole series outlined when you wrote the first book?

LK: Not at all. I wrote one book, had the second in mind and didn’t know what would happen after that! Each time, I’ve had a new idea and something that I’ve wanted to explore, and I’ve loved diving back into each book.

UR: What other character in the series do you think has had the biggest effect on Emily?

LK: Gosh. Good question. The other characters affect her in different ways. Shona gives her confidence and makes her feel good about having a best friend. Emily has a LOT of adventures because of her friendship with Shona. Mandy made her think about forgiveness on quite a deep level, as did Mr Beeston. Neptune is the one who challenges her the most. And Aaron has brought out a whole new side to her. Can I say all of them???!

UR: Next to Emily, who is your favorite mermaid?

LK: I love the ‘Real Mermaids’ series by Hélène Boudreau right now.

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Thank you so much to Liz Kessler for the interview and Candlewick Press for providing copies of the books for giveaway!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Things We Like/Dislike in Romances in Books

February 10, 2015 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Things We Like/Dislike in Romances in Books

Ricki

1. Dislike: Crude Details

Maybe I am a prude, but I get squeamish when the romantic are way too graphic. I am against censorship (so write on, authors!), but for my personal tastes, I like it to be kept to Rated R, rather than NC-17. If I blush while reading it, it has gone too far for me.

2. Dislike: The Same Ol’, Same Ol’

“And then he whispered into her ear in a husky voice…” Cliché love scenes make me roll my eyes.

3. Dislike: Girls Getting Swept Away

I hate reading books about a girl who is lost in her passion or unsure of herself in a romantic scene. I want to send a message to girls that they don’t have to do things that make them uncomfortable because too often, they feel forced to do things because they think it is expected of them.

4. Like: Interesting Pairings

I want to see more romances like Eleanor & Park, where the characters are quirky and interesting. So when there is a romantic scene, I want to fist pump!

5. Like: The Male Perspective

I want more romances from the male point-of-view. I can think of several books that meet this criterion, but there need to be more!

Kellee

Hm. This one is a tough one for me. I very rarely read a book just for romance.

1. Dislike: Fake Happily Ever Afters

Not every romance has to end with a happily ever after. Mostly high school romances since they realistically hardly ever do.

2. Dislike: Death

But that doesn’t mean I want someone to die every time!

3. Like: Nerds

I love when nerds are the star of a romantic story! I think that is why I liked Life in Outer Space so much.

4. Like: Male Perspective

Like Ricki, I would love to see more love stories told from the guy’s POV. It somehow takes a little bit of sappy out of it. (Maybe this is another reason why I liked Life in Outer Space and Beginning of Everything so much.)

5. Like: Real

I think overall I just want my romances to seem real. No coincidences, no outlandish happenings, no fantasy. Real.

What do you like or dislike about romances?

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