DEFY Twitter Party

YEP YEP TWITTER PARTY! I hosted one last week on the 12th, but here's another one! I'm cohosting with Nova @ Out of Time for DEFY. She'll be handling the discussion schtuff and I will be doing, sing it with me, GIVEAWAAYYYYYSSS

For those who need them, BOOK DETAILS!:

Title: Defy

Author: Sara B. Larson

Pub Date: January 7th, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic

Page Count: 336

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

So now that you know what the book is about, here are the details to the twitter party. We'll have cardboard knife party favors.
Here are the rules/tips/details for the party! Some are more important than others.

1. WHO: This party will be co-hosted by Nikki (@Nikki_Wang) and I (@NovaBlogder). Sara (@SaraBLarson) will be answering questions that you (the participant) tweet at them and chat with others about books, books, and...food?

2. WHERE: Twitter (twitter.com)
If you don't have a twitter account, it's easy to make one! And if you already have one it's best to follow a twitter party on TweetChat (tweetchat.com)!

3. WHEN: February 25th, at 7-8 PM ET. 6-7 PM CST, 5-6 PM MST, 4-5 PM PST. This will be a party for one hour.

4. WHAT: A twitter party is an hour-long chat with Sara B. Larson. She'll answer your questions, talk about her high fantasy, Defy. As well, you can talk to other people who have read/have not read Defy! It's all to spread the love of books and this one in particular.

5. PRIZES: We've got prizes for US/CAN readers but EVERYONE is invited! Prizes will be going each 20 minutes - there are 3 prizes. Check for my tweets because she will be hosting the giveaways. Winners/how to win will be selected at her discretion.

6. HOW: Follow the hashtag #Defy and add it to all your tweets.


As a pre-party giveaway to get you PUMPED about the party, Scholastic has donated a FINISHED copy of Defy for a lucky reader!

Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Pretty Sly by Elisa Ludwig

Pages: 368

Genre: Suspense/Contemporary

Series: Pretty Crooked #2

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: March 18, 2014

Willa Fox was told to stay out of trouble. In fact, it was an order from a very serious juvenile court judge.However, that was before Willa found her house ransacked and a mysterious email from her mother telling Willa she had to leave Paradise Valley for a while and not to come looking for her. Willa knows her mom’s in danger and that no one at school will miss her after her recent sticky-fingered stunts with the Glitterati. So with the help of her pal Tre and with her degenerate crush Aidan as her wingman, Willa violates her probation and hits the California highway in search of her mom.But when Willa and Aidan’s journey turns dangerously criminal and they wind up being the focus of a national manhunt, they realize it’s sometimes easier to escape the law than the truth—and that everything Willa thought she knew about her mom, and her life, was wrong.

(I read this as the early early ARC that had the old cover, so I'm unsure whether it was significantly changed or not!)

I loved reading Pretty Crooked last year--it was sweet, it was cute, and it had an undercurrent of sinister happenings that undoubtedly perked my interest. In Pretty Sly, we explore those happenings and we discover that things are a lot more complicated than we thought and a lot more dangerous.

Pretty Sly starts off right where Pretty Crooked ended and things go crazy from there. Suddenly Aidan and Willa are on the run from cops in four states and, surprisingly have a fan club. And that's one of the things I really loved about this! Even though it isn't shown halfway throughout the book, the fact that they had a Facebook page and a Kickstarter and all these crazy things made me LOL so many times! It was another one of the cute elements that managed to sneak itself into the more dangerous plot and that's one of the things about it. Even though Pretty Sly should, by all means, be a thriller, it somehow ended up being as cute and hilarious as the first! And that's not a bad thing at all!
There were so many other things that made me laugh and giggle and I just loved it all. They were just little things like Willa leaving little notes behind and getting a free slice of cake or something and, even though technically they were so absolutely unrealistic, it just made the book so cute I couldn't help but fall in love with it!

Willa went through quite a bit of character development, though I'll admit--she did get on my nerves once in a while. She honestly didn't seem to have a plan and didn't seem to always understand how much the others were risking for her. But she was an amazing character who was hilarious and snarky and pretty much made my day! (We'd totally be BFFs.)

Aidan, oh Aidan. I never will know what runs through that boy's mind--but I'm sure it'd make me swoon and drop dead at his feet. He's sweet and cocky, charming and he knows it. I loved him so much and he's by far my most favorite character. He's a swoony love interest that was so sweet towards Willa and was unbelievably protective. He did make a few stupid decisions sometimes, though, but then again, who doesn't? (Or am I being blindsided by my love for him. Darn, not again.)

The plot was quick paced and I absolutely loved it, being whisked from one place to another quickly and never having a dull moment. It's an intense ride that you can't help but be sucked into and with all the twists, it's a ride you have to pay attention to! I couldn't predict anything and their next step was always surprising. I was anxious throughout the book, so sure that they'd be captured and locked up the next chapter in.

Pretty Sly is a thrilling sequel that absolutely must be read! I'm in love with the fluffy, yet enthralling and suspenseful feeling that Elisa Ludwig manages to capture and can absolutely not wake for book three! I need more Aidan! And Sly Fox. But mostly Aidan.

---

---

Meet the YA Valentines!

HEY GUYS! I know I did something already for the YA Valentines, but let's be honest. I love them too much to NOT do something for them (or make them do something for me?) on Valentines! I mean seriously. 

Visit the Valentines...on Valentines!  (Sorry I couldn't help it) 

So I asked them two questions: 

1) What book boy would you want to take you out on a date and what would you do?

2) What is your favorite romantic novel?

Not all of them got a chance to answer, but the answers we have are super fun...even if I do, personally, claim most of em for myself! 

Here are the answers in no order whatsoever! (Click their name to get taken to their Goodreads page!)

Kristi Helvig: Okay, if my teenage self could go on a date with anyone from a 2014 book that I've read, it would have to be Micah from The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes. I grew up in a strict household and went to Catholic school, so my 16-year-old self would bring that hawt mohawk-haired boy to my school dance. We would get quickly get kicked out, because you weren't allowed to have mohawks or colored hair at our school, and then we'd go get ice cream while the scandal spread school-wide. I'd know what it felt like to be the "bad" girl. Okay, I guess getting ice cream doesn't qualify as bad, but it would be double chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. ;)

Lynne Matson: I'd pick Trevor from PIVOT POINT. He's cute and artistic, and seriously swoony.

Jaye Robin Brown: I'd like to hang out with Clyde, a supporting character from Sarah Dessen's The Moon and More. We'd eat pie at his restaurant and talk art, maybe go fishing. I love his wry humility and Southern no-nonsense charm. I have a feeling we'd get along just fine and he'd understand that it wasn't a "date" date.

Anne Blankman: Ooo, what a fun question! My choice is Sturmhond from SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo. Not only is he a prince and a pirate, but he's a chameleon, constantly changing his personality and his appearance to suit his own plans. Dating him might feel like you're dating ten different people, but it'd be impossible to get bored!

Paula Stokes: WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME CHEAT ON MICAH?? (And Cole, and Cas, and Cassel, and Ash, and Jonah...)

Oh okay, if I have to go out with a newbie book boy, the choice is obvious. I pick Austin from Rachel Harris's A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES. He's the perfect mix of bad boy on the outside and really decent upstanding good guy on the inside. He's funny. He's smart. He's a little bit broken--just the way I like 'em. The fact that he's gorgeous and totally tears it up on his surfboard? Bonus X 2.

What would we do? Obviously, I'd ask him for a surfing lesson. Truth: I've always wanted to learn to surf but I am afraid of sharks. With Austin by my side, I could relax enough to work through my fear and enjoy the challenge of riding the waves.

Lindsay Cummings: I would go on a date with Percy Jackson because.....really. it needs no explaining. He's percy freakin jackson, dude!!

Jen McConnel: First, I'm going to pretend that I'm sixteen and single again (sorry, honey!). With that bit of magic out of the way, I'd say definitely Daniel Cohen from Anne Blankman's PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG. We'd spend hours talking at a street cafe in Berlin, just enjoying the energy and beauty of the day.

Sara Raasch: Reinhard from Anne Blankman's PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG. 

BAH KIDDING. So completely totally KIDDING. *shudders* *locks doors*

I'd love to go out with Fred from Bridget Zinn's POISON. He's adorable and quirky, and we'd get to hang out in POISON's clever and vibrant world and play with Rosie the pig. Who would pass that up? 

Kristen Lippert Martin: Lord Hector from Rae Carson's "The Bitter Kingdom." 
The two of us are going to go spear fishing and then grill what we've caught on the beach and watch the sunset. Or save the world. Or something like that. Whatever will require him to take his shirt off.  

Bethany Hagen: I'd definitely go with Gansey from Maggie Steivater's The Dream Thieves.  He's wealthy, smart and full of angst--YUM.

Bethany Crandell: Jeb from AG Howard’s Splintered. He’s a tortured artist with a protective nature.

We’d have no formal plans. Just play with his…paintbrushes all day.

A. Lynden Rolland: I'm going to have to counteract Bethany Crandell and say Morpheus from AG Howard's Splintered. I never choose the bad boy, but Morpheus is a game changer. It would be a date like no other. Wonderland. Enough said.

Philip Siegel: I'm drawing a huge blank on this one, so that means I probably got stood up, in which case the date would consist of me, an extra-large bucket of popcorn, and the next available showing of that LEGO person movie.

Sara B Larson: I'm gonna have to get my glam on and try to steal Lord Hector from KSnap, because that's who I was going to pick! Or else we can just take turns. I just love a man who can protect me--but also teach me to protect myself. And he can ride a horse. And use a sword. And he's just made of awesome. I'd love to go for a ride (I miss my horse), and then have a delicious dinner somewhere, maybe on a beach. 

Seriously how amazing are they? 
Find more of their awesome here!
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Waiting on Wednesday

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.
Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?
Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?
Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

Oh my God you guys. Did you know that such an awesome sounding book releases on my birthday? WELL IT DOES. This reminds me a lot of Pivot Point actually but I'm absolutely curious about the last line...hmmm...And I love the cover! It's adorable! As for the two guys...I am unsure which one I'd pick honestly. They honestly don't sound that appealing lol! This is going to be a hilarious read, methinks! 

---

Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Walkers Childrens

Release Date: Feb 18, 2014

When Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 
For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 
Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 
One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

*Caution: Review is slightly blather because.*

After naming SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt one of my favorites of 2012, I was absolutely aching for her next contemporary and when I heard of Bright Before Sunrise, I almost died. After all, writing two people falling in love in a night was hard, never mind the fact that Jonah practically hated Brighton.

Almost 20 pages in, I already started to sympathize with the characters, especially Brighton. I've never seen a character who was so desperate to look fine or a character who was so...perfect. Or as perfect a heroine could get without being too annoying. She honest-to-God felt bad whenever she even slightly ignored someone or didn't please them or make them happy. She wasn't just pretending to be perfect--it was just in her nature, to make everyone feel as happy as she wasn't. But her flaw was that she kept doing what she thought her father wanted to do and Jonah was right--she repressed herself to be the perfect daughter, though I'm still not sure if she realized she was doing that until Jonah mentioned it.

Jonah wasn't exactly my favorite character at first, especially because he seemed so prejudiced towards everyone in Cross Pointe, but I could see how easy it was to mistake their kindness for snobbier tendencies, but still. Of course, as the story goes on, you start to understand him and his prejudices and you start to love him. He doesn't necessarily go through character development, but his eyes are certainly opened when he realizes the people at Cross Pointe aren't all mean or snobbish or as terrible as he thought. And we readers get to see what he's really like as he comes to Brighton's rescue several times, and in more ways than one.

The side characters were also pretty brilliant, and I loved Carly. While, when we first meet her, she seemed like a bitch. Clingy, possessive, and insecure. The typical mean girl. But through her few scenes, we see that she's more than just that stereotype. She seemed like that sweet misunderstood girl in the story, and I feel like I'd love to see things from her point of view.
Amelia seemed like an awesome friend, and protective of Brighton, but beyond that I can't really say. In the 24 hours of this book, she doesn't really show up much past the introduction, but she did seem like a supportive friend that I would love to have!

While the romance was a tad rushed (after all, they fall in love withing the span of about 5 hours) I did love that they didn't just immediately kiss, and that their love story started out pretty rocky with Jonah using her, then realizing how wrong he was about her. And, perhaps my favorite thing about it, they didn't claim they loved each other or anything and their relationship felt pretty open. We didn't have much resolution, and for once I loved that kind of ending. It just worked with the story! 

So yeah, I absolutely adored Bright Before Sunrise and it feels like the perfect summer read (or reread!) It's a book I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute fluff or a love story where you fall in love with the characters as they fall for each other. 

---

---

Winter Formal: Lynne Matson

Hey guys! WELCOME TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE WINTER FORMAL where I ask the Winter Formal authors (Jen McConnel, Lynne Matson, Sara B. Larson, and Bethany Hagen) one question and then ask my spotlighted author five questions. AND READ THROUGH FOR INFORMATION ON THE TWITTER PARTY!

Lynne Matson Interview

FF:  How did you come up with the science of Nil? (Because it is unbelievably complex and amazing!) 

LM: Thank you Nikki! :) I gave the science of Nil a great deal of thought. I didn't want everything to be explained…because I wanted a bit of the supernatural mystique of LOST, and to infuse the story with the vibe that there are some things in the universe beyond our grasp. And yet, I wanted there to be some sort of scientific basis--at least a plausible explanation--for the island's existence, and something concrete the teens (and readers) could grasp. AND I CAN'T SAY ANYMORE BECAUSE I'LL SPILL ALL THE SEKRITS!!! :) *shares island shaped cookies as a distraction* 

FF: If you were stuck on Nil, you'd most likely…

LM: Completely freak out, at least at first. After the initial panic, I'd like to think I could get it together enough to find people and figure it out, but sheesh--let's face is Nil is a freaky Twilight Zone moment with no end in sight.

FF:  What three things would you miss the most if you were thrown onto Nil?

LM: The first thing that popped into my head was family. I'd miss my boys and husband terribly. But you said "things" so hmmmm…

Okay, here goes. (1) My bed. I love snuggling into a comfy bed at night, with soft sheets and thick, fluffy covers. Not so easy to come by on Nil. (2) My iPod. I LOVE MUSIC AND WOULD MISS IT TERRIBLY. (3) Chocolate.

*honorable mention to sunglasses, because they would come in handy on Nil.:)

FF:  If you saw a heat shimmer, you would…

LM: Think of Nil.:) And possibly run the other way.Oh who am I kidding, I'd totally run AWAY. :)

FF:  What about your writing career has surprised you the most so far? 

LM: The incredible support of the YA community. It's AMAZING. Authors and bloggers have been so welcoming and thoughtful and generous. The YA Valentines have been my rock, and bloggers have helped get the word out about NIL more enthusiastically than I ever could have dreamed. Honestly, sometimes all the author/blogger kindness makes me teary, because the writing road can be lonely at times. But the YA community is tight--and AWESOME.:)

AND NOW by mini interview with all the Winter Formal authors:

Here's what I asked:

If you were one character in your book, who would you (want to) be?

Sara B Larson: Well, even though her life has been hard, I would definitely pick Alexa. She's such an example of strength to me. She's imperfect, but she's strong and determined, and she never gives up. I admire that so much. She's also incredibly loyal and cares so deeply for the ones she loves. She's willing to do whatever it takes to protect them, to help them.

Lynne Matson: Hmmmm…good one. I should pick a character that lives, right? Or not, because I don't want to be spoilery. *wails* I CAN'T PICK, Nikki, because otherwise I'll spill ALL THE SEKRITS. Nil is a creepy place. 

Bethany Hagen: Ooh, tough question.  Maybe Cara Westoff.  She is the complete opposite of me in temperament--loud, assertive and confident.  I think it would be fun to be her for like a day, but then the shopping bills would start to get out of hand...

Jen McConnel: That's actually a tough question; definitely not Darlena, because I don't want that kind of crazy power.  There's a character in the second book I would LOVE to be, but you haven't met her yet. ;)

Twitter Party

The twitter party will be held on Feb 12 with the hashtag #YAValsFormal and will start from 6:30 PM EST to maybe 7:30—8:00 PM EST. There will be prizes donated by the spotlighted YA Valentines and the four Winter Formal authors will also be attending! Chat about books, embarrassing Valentine moments, and other fun (preferably embarrassing, though not required) things! We will also be serving virtual snacks.

Nil Synopsis

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die. 

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field. 

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time.

Lynne Matson

Lynne Matson grew up in Georgia in a house full of books and a backyard full of gnarly pines. She attended the University of Florida, where she met and married her husband, the cutest boy she’s ever seen. Now, Lynne is mother to four amazing boys. After a career as an attorney, Lynne is thrilled to be making her debut in YA fiction.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Winter Formal Tour

Feb 10 Mon: Lynne Matson @ ME

Feb 11 Tues: Bethany Hagen @ Book Haven Extraordinaire

Feb 12 Wed: Sara. B Larson @ Eater of Books 

Feb 13 Thurs: Jen McConnel @ YA Reads