teen fiction

2016 Debut Authors Bash: K.C. Held and HOLDING COURT!

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holding court

I should start out by telling you all that, when I read the blurb for HOLDING COURT, I e-mailed the publisher immediately and begged for a review copy because it sounded just that perfect. When I got the review copy in the mail, it came with one of the coolest swag packs I’ve gotten, and you get a chance to win one! You can see what it looked like, and why I love this book SO MUCH, here. Also, here’s the link to purchase HOLDING COURT on Amazon.

Now, I’m happy to turn this post over to K.C. as she tells us about her favorite mystery influences and how they helped shape HOLDING COURT!

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Hi Melissa! Thanks so much for hosting me!

I’ve always been a huge mystery fan, and my taste runs the gamut, but in crafting HOLDING COURT I was definitely influenced by Janet Evanovich’s STEPHANIE PLUM series. I wanted to see if I could take this wacky idea I had about a character who blurts out random statements that turn out to be premonitions and mold it into a YA mystery featuring colorful characters involved in potentially ridiculous hijinks.

Rounding out my top five favorite mystery influences are:

Elizabeth Peters and her ability to “mingle intelligent whodunits with sheer lunatic hilarity.” I’m fascinated with art history and have a background in historic costume (which came into play in HOLDING COURT) so her art historian sleuth Vicky Bliss is a particular favorite.

Agatha Christie, the grand dame of mystery fiction. I devoured her books as a kid. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite but I’ll always have a soft spot for Miss Marple, who gets a shout-out in HOLDING COURT.

Meg Cabot and her MEDIATOR series. Much like Suze, Jules has a special ability that leads to unusual challenges and hilarious situations. Meg also wrote a blog post on the anniversary of 9/11 that had a huge impact on me. “Why I Write Funny Books” transformed the way I saw myself as a writer and validated my natural instinct to write things that make people laugh.

Ally Carter for writing funny “clean teen” books like the GALLAGHER GIRLS series that fill a niche for in-between readers and anyone who likes to read funny/and or sweet YA, like me!

Thanks again for letting me visit Pimples, Popularity, and Protagonists!

I hope you have a killer summer! ;)

K.C.

kc held

CHECK IT OUT: a Rafflecopter giveaway for a HOLDING COURT swag pack (magnetic prophecy kit, signed bookplate, bookmark, coloring postcard w/multi-colored pencil, and castle pin), open to US & CAN.
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2016 Debut Authors Bash: Jenna Evans Welch and Love & Gelato!

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love & gelato

I have SO MUCH LOVE for Jenna Evans Welch’s debut, Love & Gelato! Go read my previous review if you want, or just trust me that it’s awesome. (And make sure you read through to the bottom of this post for a chance to win a copy!)

One of my very favorite things about this book, though, was the Italian setting, which is downright magical in the way that Jenna brings it to life on the page. I asked her to share a bit about the process of writing a book with an American teen in a foreign setting, and about her inspiration for the setting. So, without further ado, here’s Jenna!

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Hello YA Blog World, and thank you Melissa for spotlighting me on your blog!

On May 3 I had a lifelong dream come true–my first YA novel LOVE & GELATO was released. After working on it for years (I wrote the first draft over seven years ago) it has been thrilling to hear from people who are actually reading it!

Here is a little bit about my book: LOVE & GELATO is a contemporary YA novel about a 16 year old girl named Lina who loses her mother to a fast moving illness. Before she dies, Lina’s mother makes her promise to spend some time with Howard, a man she met on a study abroad in Italy many years before. When Lina arrives in Florence she learns two things about Howard: one, he happens to be the caretaker for an American cemetery, and two, he’s her father. Of course this brings up a whole world of questions for Lina, namely: why didn’t her mom tell her who Howard was? Why did she keep her from him? And perhaps most troubling, why is she with him now? With the help of her mother’s journal, Lina starts exploring the city and piecing together her parents’ love story while (of course) getting entangled in her own.

The inspiration for this story was definitely personal. When I was 15-years old, my adventurous parents packed up me and my four younger siblings (plus about 300 duffel bags) and moved us to Florence for a year. We lived in a little house in Tuscany, and I attended high school in a tiny international school housed in an old villa. During that first year I drove a scooter, ate mass quantities of gelato, and made friends from all over the world. It was absolutely magical. When that first year was up I begged my parents to let me stay for a second year on my own–and amazingly, they did.

Those two years a very big deal to me. Leaving my comfort zone for a place with people from all over the world expanded my world exponentially and I have thought about that experience on a daily basis ever since. So when I decided I was going to go for it–fulfill my lifelong dream of writing a YA novel–it only made sense to write about a teenage girl discovering Italy.

My goal during this whole process was to write the book that I was looking for as a teenager. I wanted adventure, humor, romance and mystery–but most of all I wanted to be transported somewhere magic, and my hope is that LOVE & GELATO does just that.

Thank you for spotlighting my book!

With lots of love (and gelato), Jenna

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Now, ENTER TO WIN a copy of LOVE & GELATO (US only): Rafflecopter giveaway

AND go buy yourself a copy, because when we’re talking about love and gelato, who wants to wait and see if they win? Go get it!

Check out Jenna’s author page on Goodreads, too, where you can ask her questions and stay connected with her latest news.

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GREAT opportunity for Charlotte area teens!

crazyCharlotte, NC based author, Linda Phillips, is leading a writing workshop for teen and adults with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg library system this summer. For any students ages 12 and up who have expressed an interest in poetry and stories told in verse, this is an amazing opportunity! Click here to register (space is limited!), and click here to check out Linda’s beautifully written novel in verse, Crazy. You can purchase Crazy here on Amazon or at your favorite book retailer.

2016 Debut Authors Bash: R.S. Grey and CHASING SPRING!

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R.S. Grey is no stranger to the adult romance market, but this February she published Chasing Spring, her first YA novel. I snatched it up as soon as it was out and devoured it in a day, and I couldn’t have loved it more. I had to put it in the library at school… and quickly got additional copies because the teenage girls loved it so much that it had a pretty long waiting list.

On Instagram and twitter and everywhere else, Rachel’s fun and smart and adorable, and Chasing Spring made me love her writing so much. The way she flawlessly built the story, with deep and intriguing characters who are passionate and romantic, is really something. I also love how Chasing Spring serves as a reminder that, even though parents make mistakes, teenagers are not defined by their parents’ actions or doomed to repeat them. As you can tell, I really like this book (and its gorgeous cover, which Rachel made herself).

chasing spring

So, I’m happy to get to host Rachel with a quick interview about Chasing Spring. Make sure you read through to the bottom for a chance to win a signed paperback of Chasing Spring! And, of course, go buy it! Don’t even wait for the giveaway.

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  1. Welcome, Rachel! For any readers who haven’t read Chasing Spring yet, can you introduce us to Lilah and Chase by telling us five words they’d use to describe each other?

5 words Lilah would use to describe Chase: loyal, kind, stubborn, talented, and bright (as in blindin)
5 words Chase would use to describe Lilah: head-strong, intelligent, beautiful, mysterious, and intriguing

  1. Chasing Spring was a big departure for you when compared to your other adult titles. What made this story one that just had to be told, even though it was so different?

This story was in my head for two years before I finally published it. I worked on it in between my adult novels, and I used it as a sort of buffer between stories. Often times between writing romantic comedies, I feel the need to write something with a little more depth and emotion.

  1. Please share a favorite quote from Chasing Spring – one that you think really represents what the book is all about.

“Does the ending even matter? Shouldn’t the middle be the happy part? It’s the biggest chunk of our life, and yet no one ever asks if two people had a happy middle. They care too much about the ending.” ― R.S. Grey, Chasing Spring

  1. I absolutely love the cover for Chasing Spring. It’s beautiful. Can you talk about the process of creating that cover?

Creating the cover for a book is a long process for me because I don’t settle on a finished product until it feels right. The cover for Chasing Spring took multiple attempts. I tried out covers that featured models and then finally settled on one that looked sweet, but on closer inspection had a touch of darkness to it.

  1. Where do you see Chase and Lilah now, post-Chasing Spring? How about in 10 years? Is there anything they’d want to say to their potential future readers?

I purposely left this open for the reader. With YA books, I don’t like to outline what will happen to the characters in ten years, because they’re still teenagers with so much growing up to do. I wanted there to be a happy ending without anything too explicit tied in.

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Now, GO ENTER TO WIN a signed, paperback copy of CHASING SPRING: a Rafflecopter giveaway! (US addresses only.)

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The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

the unexpected everything

Andie’s summer is all planned out – she’s going to avoid her congressman father, throw herself into a prestigious medical internship, and maybe spend some time with her group of friends. But, when a political scandal hits her father’s office, all of her plans go out the window. With her dad taking a leave from his office, he’s around all the time, and that prestigious internship disappears in the wake of the scandal.

On a whim, Andie responds to an employment ad… only to find herself unexpectedly employed as a dog walker for the summer. It’s in this unexpected development that she meets a totally swoon-worthy guy, gets to spend a whole lot of time with her friends, and comes to an understanding with her dad.

The Unexpected Everything is another super cute Morgan Matson story with incredibly well written, believable characters I’d like to hang out with. Plus, there are emojis in the text, and they’re so much fun. Definitely check this one out! ❤️

Holding Court by K.C. Held

After kind of a crazy day at school and a long evening of running errands with two kids in tow, I came home to this amazing package from Entangled Teen:

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In case you can’t tell from the picture, that’s actual magnetic poetry (magnetic “prophecy” for the sake of the book), and I was ridiculously excited by this. I started reading immediately and couldn’t have been happier with what I found within those pages.

Because it’s a unique premise, let’s start with the official blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Jules Verity knows exactly what’s in store at her new job at castle-turned-dinner-theater Tudor Times. Some extra cash, wearing a fancy-pants dress, and plenty of time to secretly drool over the ever-so-tasty–and completely unavailable–Grayson Chandler. Except that it’s not quite what she imagined.
For one, the costume Jules has to wear is awful. Then there’s the dead body she finds that just kind of…well, disappears. Oh, and there’s the small issue of Jules and her episodes of what her best friend calls “Psychic Tourette’s Syndrome”–spontaneous and uncontrollable outbursts of seemingly absurd prophecies.
The only bright side? This whole dead body thing seems to have gotten Grayson’s attention. Except that the more Jules investigates, the more she discovers that Grayson’s interest might not be as courtly as she thought. In fact, it’s starting to look suspicious…

Now, a YA romantic comedy mystery? Count. Me. In.

The protagonist, Jules, is a fascinating, lovable, honest, and quirky character that I just couldn’t get enough of. Her seemingly random psychic blurting made me LOL more than once, and her love of Grayson Chandler’s abs created plenty of adorably awkward teenage crush moments.

I don’t remember reading anything with a premise quite like this before, but it reminded me of a fun, younger version of Psych, which was one of my favorite shows when it was on. The dead body finding and mystery solving kept the story moving at a good pace, along with the hope that Grayson and Jules would actually get together.

Holding Court is pleasantly clean, too – a few little cuss words, but nothing major, and an appreciation of Grayson in Tudor tights and a flowy shirt, but no actual sexual situations. I’m 100% comfortable with putting this in my school library, which is awesome.

I really, really look forward to more from K.C., and I’d love to see Jules (and her family and friends and, of course, Grayson) in a few more books. Definite series potential! Find it here on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore!

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

love and gelato

I have all the love in the world for well-written YA books involving an American teen travelling to a place I’d love to go, and Love & Gelato absolutely did NOT disappoint.

When Lina’s mom dies as a result of a quick-moving cancer, she feels obligated to fulfill one of her mom’s final wishes: that Lina would go to Italy and spend some time getting to know the country and the man who Lina has been told is her father, though she’s never actually met him. Obviously, because she’s grieving her mom’s death and in a foreign country and surrounded by people she doesn’t really know, there’s a huge adjustment period for Lina.

But, of course, Italy works its magic (the architecture, the pizza, and the gelato) and Lina meets a cute foreign boy, Ren, and his group of friends that she starts to explore the country with. She’s also given a journal that belonged to her mom while she studied abroad in Italy, and as she gets into it she realizes it’s the story of her mom and dad’s romance. With the help of Ren, she tracks down and finds answers for the mysteries contained in her mom’s journal, including the truth about her dad.

Lina finds love and adventure along the way, and the story is really just beautiful. It also left me really, really wanting to go to Italy… But I had to settle for making some Italian food. Love & Gelato comes out next week, so make sure you check it out! Find it here on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.

Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers

tone deaf

For this one, let me start with the official blurb:

Ali Collins was a child prodigy destined to become one of the greatest musicians of the twenty-first century—until she was diagnosed with a life-changing brain tumor. Now, at seventeen, Ali lives in a soundless world where she gets by with American Sign Language and lip-reading. She’s a constant disappointment to her father, a retired cop fighting his own demons, and the bruises are getting harder to hide.

When Ali accidentally wins a backstage tour with the chart-topping band Tone Deaf, she’s swept back into the world of music. Jace Beckett, the nineteen-year-old lead singer of the band, has a reputation. He’s a jerk and a player, and Ali wants nothing to do with him. But there’s more to Jace than the tabloids let on. When Jace notices Ali’s bruises and offers to help her escape to New York, Ali can’t turn down the chance at freedom and a fresh start. Soon she’s traveling cross-country, hidden away in Jace’s RV as the band finishes their nationwide tour. With the help of Jace, Ali sets out to reboot her life and rediscover the music she once loved.

I can’t say that I’ve ever read anything quite like this before, and I loved it. Ali and Jace and their experiences both with music and the Deaf culture were absolutely fascinating. I loved their connection with each other through music, even though Ali couldn’t technically hear Jace’s music.

I also love that Ali is a great, strong, smart protagonist. Despite not having much in common with her life situations, I immediately identified with her as a reader and couldn’t help but cheer for her all the way through. I’m also a fan of how skillfully Rivers brought in the topic of abuse and how beautifully it was woven into the story.

All in all, this book is highly recommended! CHeck it out here on Amazon or at your favorite bookseller.

Guest Post: Jaye Robin Brown on Will’s Story

Will's Story cover

In the fall of 2014, I was honored to get to help Jaye Robin Brown (JRo!) with the release of her beautifully written YA debut, No Place to Fall. I was a real fan of that book’s protagonist, Amber Vaughn, and of JRo’s storytelling… including her use of music, which became almost like a living, breathing character in her book. When I was contacted about hosting JRo again for a new novella based on Will, the swoon-worthy love interest from No Place to Fall, I was all in. And, of course, I had to ask her to talk about the music, which again comes alive through her story.

So, here’s JRo on the music of Will’s Story! (And make sure you get all the way down to the end of this post for an awesome GIVEAWAY.)

Five Hot and Fresh Banjo Players (Not including Will McKinney):

In Will’s Story: A No Place to Fall Novella, the reader meets Will McKinney: naughty boy, banjo player, and the love interest in No Place To Fall. Though the novella follows some of the same story line as the novel, in this story the reader gets a little more about the man behind the music and how he fell into playing the banjo. Because really, the banjo hasn’t always had the sexiest history. Most people’s minds go to the movie Deliverance and the banjo-guitar scene on the porch of that river cabin. Banjos have long been equated with a hillbilly, backwoods stereotype. So to dispel that myth, I want to introduce you to five banjo players who are lighting it on fire, playing a variety of genres.

  1. Scott Avett from the Avett Brothers. https://youtu.be/O-TI1RbQHlg

  2. Rhiannon Giddons from the Carolina Chocolate Drops. https://youtu.be/50lQ5IHW74c

  3. Winston Marshall from Mumford and Sons. https://youtu.be/pM7m0y9d3zQ

  4. Eleanor Underhill from Underhill Rose. https://youtu.be/itkV6CGou1M

  5. Eric Church. https://youtu.be/nqTHjulKIfE

 

No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown {goodreads} no place to fall
Published December 9th 2014 by HarperTeen

Summary: Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Will’s Story: A No Place to Fall Novella by Jaye Robin Brown {goodreads} Will's Story cover
Published April 5th 2016 by Epic Reads Impulse

Summary: Will McKinney is a bad boy. At least, he used to be. After nearly getting arrested for some poor decisions involving prescription drugs, Will has been trying to turn over a new leaf. Well, it’s that or suffer the wrath of his father, the judge. Will’s starting to get his life in Sevenmile, North Carolina, in order. He’s applying to colleges. He’s dating the most popular girl at school. And he recently discovered a love of playing the banjo and performing in front of a crowd. But it’s that same love of music that draws him to Amber Vaughn, his younger teenage brother’s best friend. Now Will finds himself wondering if he just might really be a bad guy because even though he’s got a girlfriend, he can’t stop thinking about Amber.

Will’s Story is a companion novella to Jaye Robin Brown’s young adult debut, No Place to Fall, and perfect for fans of her novel and newcomers alike.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

JRoAbout the Author
Jaye Robin Brown, or Jro to her friends, lives and writes in the mountains north of Asheville, North Carolina. She’s in awe of magic and beauty, and is a stalwart champion for the underdog, both human and other. When she’s not writing, you can find her in the art room of the high school where she teaches, or on her small farm hanging out with her dogs, cats, and horses.

Goodreads | website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

 

Giveaway(s)

(please note that one is specifically US ONLY and the other INTL ONLY)

– US ONLY-
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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-INTL ONLY-
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Between Us and the Moon by Rebecca Maizel

between us and the moon

I loved this book.

The setting, the storytelling, the swoon-worthy boy… All magical. And talk about a way to get ready for summer! I mean, just LOOK at that cover.

What makes it even better than your typical summer beachy read, though, is the protagonist. Sarah/Bean has her life together in the beginning, but slowly things unravel and her scientific brain has to deal with emotions and feelings and desires that don’t simply compute (think Sheldon from Big Bang Theory as a teenage girl). She does a lot of lying and letting people walk all over her, creating a huge mess. While I wanted to shout at her and strangle her for not being truthful and straightening out the mess earlier than she did, I also totally understood and thought she was a truly realistic portrayal of a teenage girl just trying to figure herself out. Ultimately the mess turned into some beautiful stuff – still messy, still real, not cliched, but a beautiful mess reminiscent of all our teen years.

Rebecca has a new book coming out in June, so snatch this one up now and then come back for more this summer! Find it here on Amazon or at your favorite bookseller. :)