One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

A moving debut novel about a foster child learning to open her heart to a family's love
Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she's blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong--until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She's not really a Murphy, but the gifts they've given her have opened up a new future.

I don’t generally read middle grade books, but I’ve been on a MG kick recently, which made me decide to pick up One for the Murphys. I’m so glad I decided to pick this book up. It’s restored my love of middle grade novels. One for the Murphys is a beautiful read. It had me laughing and crying all the way through!

This story is really special. Carley is moved into a foster home after something horrible happens to her. Readers aren’t made aware of what happened to her immediately. The truth is revealed through numerous flashbacks. As what happened is revealed, we learn more about why Carley acts the way she does.

One of my biggest loves of this story is the characters. I loved the Murphys- they were all spectacular. Mrs. Murphy is incredibly loving, and has an awesome sense of humor. The Murphy sons were all great characters, and I fell quickly in love with them all. I felt horrible about what Carley had to go through, and I really admired her for her strength. Her dry sense of humor was great and provided perfect comedic relief to the tense parts of the story.

You should really pick up One for the Murphys to add to your to-read pile. You won’t regret it. But if you’re like me and cry during books, I would be sure to have some tissues with you.

FTC- Received from publisher.

Giveaway: Shadow of Night

Today I have the chance to giveaway a final copy of the sequel to A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, Shadow of Night. All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post! Along with a final copy of the book, the winner will get some awesome Shadow of Night swag! Here is the summary of Shadow of Night.
Just be warned though, there might be SPOILERS for the first book in the summary.

Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.

Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams

After her brother’s death, a teen struggles to rediscover love and find redemption in this gripping novel.

Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault?


This book was breathtaking. It's the first book from Carol Lynch Williams that I've read, and I'm really sad that it's over. I read Waiting in an hour and a half, and it was an emotional hour and a half. London's love for her brother was so sweet and inspiring and the way his death affected her just made for a truly good, and real story.

I really liked the characters. At times, London annoyed me, but I got over it quickly. The whole book has a really dark undertone, especialy due to the novel being written in poetry form. However, the book was also surprisingly hopeful and occasionally bright. Along with grief, sexuality is also explored within the novel. London is caught in a love triangle between her brother's best friend, and the handsome new kid in town. That is what bugged me about her- that she was going behind both boy's backs. But part of me was still rooting for her, since both boys were sweet.

I really admire everything that London had to go through, and how she handled it. The journey she had to go through to get to where she was at the end of the novel was a long and painful one, but it was ultimately one of the best outcomes for her. The scenes toward the end of the book that were some of the staple moments in her journey were amazingly written. As the reader, I went through tens of emotions while reading those scenes, and they made for a truly great book.

I strongly reccomend Waiting. It's a really strong book, and explores a lot of topics that aren't always talked about together in young adult books.

FTC- ALA/Simon and Schuster.

Waiting on Wednesday (37)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

The Program by Suzanne Young

April 30, 2013

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone.
With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.
Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.
And The Program is coming for them.

Giveaway: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Today I have a giveaway for you all! One lucky person will win a hardcover copy of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa. The giveaway is only open to US addresses (sorry people who live internationally) Julie is an amazing author, and this is sure to be the start of an amazing series. The Immortal Rules is the first book in the Blood of Eden series. Here is the summary of the book, so you can learn more about it-

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

Without further to do, here is the giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crazy Tour: This or That

Today I have the lovely Amy Reed on the blog! Amy is doing a This or That list from the point of view of one of the characters in her new novel (the character is named Izzy), Crazy. I’ve read Crazy and it’s freaking amazing. So you should all go pick it up as soon as humanly possible.

1. Coffee or tea?

coffee
2. Hot or cold?

cold
3. Stay in one place or travel?

travel
4. typed or longhand?

longhand
5. bitter or sweet?

sweet
6. white chocolate or dark chocolate?

dark
7. dog or cat?

dog
8. rain or shine?

shine
9. Pop or Rock (music)?

rock
10. Movie or TV show?

movie

Waiting on Wednesday (36)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

January 2013

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.
Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.
Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous—it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

Lies Beneath Tour: Top Ten List

Today I have Anne Greenwood Brown on the blog for a top ten list! Her book Lies Beneath came out on the 12th, so I’m super excited to have her here today!

LIES BENEATH is set on Lake Superior, the Apostle Islands, and the mainland town of Bayfield, Wisconsin, so here is my:

Top Ten Things to do on Lake Superior

1. Visit Tom’s Burned Down Café;

2. Hike Stockton Island (and watch out for bears);

3. Eat an apple brat at Applefest;

4. Visit the Apostle Islands Booksellers;

5. Dive down to check out sunken ships;

6. Go kayaking;

7. Check out the Red Cliff Pow Wow;

8. Visit the Madeline Island Fourth of July Parade (some parades throw candy. This parade throws hot dogs);

8. Brave the water temperature and go swimming;

9. Collect beach glass; and

10. Hike the cliffs at the Madeline Island Town Park

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Every Day by David Levithan

August 28, 2012

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.
It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.
With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Shatter Me is stunning. I moderated a panel that Mafi was on, which is the main reason I decided to buy the book. I am so glad I decided to moderate that panel (because without it, I wouldn’t have read Shatter Me). Shatter me is a dystopian with a truly original idea. It’s impeccably written and completely unforgettable. The storyline by itself is eye-catching. It gets even better when you open the first page. The writing is partially in strike-through. If used correctly, strike-through writing can be incredibly beneficial to the story. It was used correctly in Shatter Me.

One of the best things about this book is the characters. Specifically the main character, Juliette. I am quite fond of her. The hand that Juliette’s been dealt is so harsh, I couldn’t imagine being in her place. For being locked up for nearly a year, she handles other people and situations pretty darn well. I think showing how she edits her thoughts added so much depth to Juliette, and enabled readers to feel more affection towards her. She’s a strong, well written, and interesting female lead.

Shatter Me is one of the best dystopian books I’ve read. It’s a fast read (I was able to read it in a few hours). It’s beautifully written and planned out. The story is great, as are the characters. You should really pick this book up. You won’t regret it.

FTC- Bought.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again.

This book cover doesn't do the story justice. It isn't about romance and kissing. That's a part of the novel, but Something Like Normal is about so much more than that. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I cared deeply for the characters. I'm writing this review two months after reading the book, and I'm still incredibly affected by it. You all need to go pick up Something Like Normal once it's released (June 19th). It's brilliant.

I had heard about the books' main character Travis years before Trish signed with Bloomsbury. Everybody was so blown away by him. I was curious as to why, since the book hadn't even been released yet. Once I finally got my hands on the eGalley, I understood. Travis is just so...real. He got back from Afghanistan and he had some problems. Like most people would, he had a difficult time coming to terms with his PTSD. But he conqueres the problems he's faced with- which is what I loved about the story. He's also sweet and funny and raw. Travis is one of the best literary boys.

Anytime I interview an author who writes about a character that was in war, I always ask them if it was hard. i ask this because I couldn't imagine doing it. Trish Doller wrote about it so well. I admire her for how incredibly real the story felt. I was up until the wee hours of the morning reading. It was the first book in a long time that I read straight through.

I cannot reccomend Something Like Normal enough. I'm in love with every part of this books. It's one of the best books I've read so far this year.

FTC- NetGalley