Me, My Shelf and I Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: The Secrets We Keep (Trisha Leaver)

THE SECRETS WE KEEP by Trisha Leaver

Official Blog Tour

Hosted by MMSAI Tours

April 23rd – May 6th

Click here for Tour Page and Schedule!!

THE SECRETS WE KEEP
Author: Trisha Leaver
Release Date: April 28th, 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ISBN-10: 0374300461 | ISBN-13: 978-0374300463

A girl takes over her twin sister's identity in this emotionally charged page-turner about the complicated bond between sisters.
Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.
When—after a heated argument—Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options—confess her deception or live her sister's life.

PRAISE FOR THE SECRETS WE KEEP

"Trisha Leaver crafts a powerful and haunting novel that will keep you up long after you read the last page. Full of twists and turns and FEELS, this book questions how far a person will go for her family . . . even if it means losing herself." - Lynne Matson, author of NIL

Haunting and beautiful, THE SECRETS WE KEEP, is a gripping, evocative examination of siblings' complex relationships. It compels us to question what we know, or think we know, about our loved ones and--most of all--ourselves. ~Karen Rock, Award-winning YA author and co-writer of the bestselling CAMP BOYFRIEND series 

BOOK LINKS

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-We-Keep-Trisha-Leaver/dp/0374300461/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421847858&sr=8-1&keywords=the+secrets+we+keep

Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780374300463

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secrets-we-keep-trisha-leaver/1118931339?ean=9780374300463

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21469095-the-secrets-we-keep

Trisha Leaver live on Cape Cod with her husband, three children, and one rather irreverent black lab. (He is actually half Dalmatian so that could explain a bit of the excitability.) She is a chronic daydreamer who prefers the cozy confines of her own imagination to the mundane routine of everyday life. She is a member of the SCBWI, the Horror Writers Association, and the YA Scream Queens -- a group of nine female authors who are deathly serious about their horror.

Author Media Links:

Website: www.trishaleaver.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tleaver

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTrishaLeaver

Instagram: @trishaleaver

The Secrets We Keep is a young adult contemporary novel about grief, guilt, and finding oneself. Maddy and Ella are identical twins who are complete opposites. Maddy is outgoing with lots of friends and Ella is shy, reserved and very few friends. 

Maddy and Ella are riding in a car when a tragic accident occurs and Maddy is killed. When Ella wakes up from the accident she realizes that everyone thinks she is Maddy....For her this is a turn of events that she can take advantage of....Ella assumes Maddy's identity and looks at this like her opportunity to become someone different. Ella wants to be Maddy...she wants to be carefree and popular and she thinks this is the way to accomplish that. 

Little does Ella know....Maddy had lots of secrets....secrets that are place a whole different perspective on Maddy's true life...Ella is now beginning to realize that she took her life for granted...she didn't realize how much people around her really loved and cared for her...and how wanting to be someone else is not always the answer.....

10 Winners will each get a finished copy of THE SECRETS WE KEEP by Trisha Leaver (US/Canada shipping only)

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Middle Grade Children's Book Review: You Do The Math: Fly A Jet Fighter (Hilary Koll & Steve Mills)

Hardcover, 32 pages
Published April 1st 2015 by QEB Publishing

Take to the skies on a mission to be the best fighter pilot! Follow each stage of the mission and complete the math exercises to create your squadron of jet fighter aces! From addition and decimals to line graphs and pie charts, these books have different challenges to be solved with a varying range of difficulty.

BUY LINKS 

Amazon * B & N * Indigo

Hilary Koll & Steve Mills

 You Do The Math: Fly A Jet Fighter is a great middle-grade children's book that teaches children math skills and contains math exercises to perform with your child and shows them that math can be fun and entertaining!

Fly A Jet Fighter helps children to practice and improve their math skills while also learning interesting facts throughout the book about math and how we use it on a daily basis. 

"Jet fighters are powered by jet engines. These work by air being sucked into the engine, compressed (squashed into a smaller volume), mixed with fuel, and then burned"

The illustrations and the story in the book are written in comic book style which will grab and keep a child's attention. 

There is also a glossary and answers in the back of the book where you and your child can compare answers to ensure they are performing the math correctly. 

Math is sometimes a very difficult subject for some children and they get discouraged and feel helpless when they cant get the correct answers. You Do The Math: Fly A Jet Fighter allows a child to practice math skills and encourages them to learn which will help them to become stronger in the subject of math. 

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

**I want to say Thank You to Quarto Publishing for the opportunity to review this book!!**

Middle Grade Children's Book Review: You Do The Math: Solve A Crime (Hilary Koll & Steve Mills)

Hardcover, 32 pages
Published April 1st 2015 by QEB Publishing

Collect the clues to become an amazing super-sleuth! Follow each stage of the case and complete the maths exercises to track down and catch the criminal. From addition and decimals to line graphs and pie charts, these books have different challenges to be solved with a varying range of difficulty. 

BUY LINKS 

Amazon * B & N * Indigo

Hilary Koll & Steve Mills

 You Do The Math: Solve A Crime is a great middle-grade children's book that teaches children math skills and contains math exercises to perform with your child and shows them that math can be fun and entertaining!

Solve A Crime helps children to practice and improve their math skills while also learning interesting facts throughout the book about math and how we use it on a daily basis. 

"Fingerprints come in several different types although no two people have exactly the same prints. Forensic experts brush a light powder over prints to make them visible."

The illustrations and the story in the book are written in comic book style which will grab and keep a child's attention. 

There is also a glossary and answers in the back of the book where you and your child can compare answers to ensure they are performing the math correctly. 

Math is sometimes a very difficult subject for some children and they get discouraged and feel helpless when they cant get the correct answers. You Do The Math: Solve A Crime allows a child to practice math skills and encourages them to learn which will help them to become stronger in the subject of math. 

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

**I want to say Thank You to Quarto Publishing for the opportunity to review this book!!**

Review: Winterkill (Kate A. Boorman)

Hardcover, 319 pages
Expected publication: September 9th 2014 by Amulet Books

ARC Provided by Publisher in Exchange for Honest Review

Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.
When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next. 

Pre-Order Links

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Indigo 

Kate Boorman is an independent artist and writer from the Canadian prairies. She has a Master of Arts in Dramatic Critical Theory, and a work resume full of the usual, whacky assortment of jobs.
Kate spent much of her childhood reading books instead of being useful around the house, and now she writes them, which means she is still not very useful. She is fond of beautiful-creepy things, good chocolate, and cozy slippers (all three are an essential part of her writing process).
She also loves to dig in the dirt, and sit under starry skies with her friends, and travel to far off lands with her husband and two children.
The Winterkill trilogy is her YA fiction debut.

Website * Twitter * Goodreads

"They are isolated....but not alone..."

So I will have to admit that the first thing that grabbed my attention towards this book.....was the cover. I mean what a seriously wicked, creepy cover. Winterkill is written in stakes in replace of fence posts, there is snow covering an entire village, and a young girl with a red robe running through it. Yep...I had to have this one.

Winterkill is about the journey of a young girl named Emmeline that is  determined to discover the truth about her village. Of course this synopsis immediately reminded me of "The Village by M. Night Shyamalan" but let me assure you that it is very different. Emmeline's settlement has been slowly deteriorating and her people are disappearing. The villagers blame these occurrences on the "malmaci" which are the creatures that haunt the woods surrounding the village. 

"Out here, I can feel the dead in the trees. The Lost People rustle the leaves, muddy the shafts of light through the branches, whisper in my ear. They creep dusty fingers along my neck,tug at my braid, pull strands from my plait to tickle my face. Or mayhap its the wind....."

Emmeline's grandmother was shamed from their village and cast out and when this happens the descendants of her family are all branded as "stained." Em never really understands why her grandmother was cast out and she is determined to discover the truth. She has dreams that call her into the woods and forces her to break the rules of her village but Em's journey to discover the truth may end up causing her death. 

Each chapter of this book was so fascinating and I was completely absorbed in the story. Every time I thought I had the mystery uncovered....I was so wrong. There are so many twists  in this book and I loved every one of them!!! 

The only thing that I will say confused me a little with this book was the language. There were certain parts where characters spoke a different language and it was not exactly explained what they were saying so to me that was a little confusing. I tried to make sense of the sentences by the writing around it but sometimes I just couldn't figure it out and it threw me off the story at times. 

Another aspect of the story that I really enjoyed was the romance. The romance between Kane and Em was so young and sweet. The setting of the story reminds me of the ways of the Amish in that their traditions are very similar. Em and Kane are so innocent and yet so in love. It was a perfect addition to this story. 

Winterkill is full of suspense, atmosphere, secrets, romance, and a spell-binding mystery. Fans of Young Adult will devour this book.  Kate Boorman is definitely going on my favorite authors list. She is an amazing story-teller and weaves a story that keeps you guessing until the last page is turned. 

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

**I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to ABRAMS for the opportunity to review this phenomenal, incredible, AMAZING book!!**

Click here for Abrams Books website!!!!

Rockstar Book Tours, Review, & Giveaway: Graduation Day (Joelle Charboneau)

Title: GRADUATION DAY (The Testing #3)
Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: June 17, 2014Pages: 304

In book three of the Testing series, the United Commonwealth wants to eliminate the rebel alliance fighting to destroy The Testing for good. Cia is ready to lead the charge, but will her lethal classmates follow her into battle?
She wants to put an end to the Testing
In a scarred and brutal future, The United Commonwealth teeters on the brink of all-out civil war. The rebel resistance plots against a government that rules with cruelty and cunning. Gifted student and Testing survivor, Cia Vale, vows to fight.
But she can't do it alone.
This is the chance to lead that Cia has trained for - but who will follow? Plunging through layers of danger and deception, Cia must risk the lives of those she loves--and gamble on the loyalty of her lethal classmates.
Who can Cia trust?
The stakes are higher than ever-lives of promise cut short or fulfilled; a future ruled by fear or hope--in the electrifying conclusion to Joelle Charbonneau's epic Testing trilogy. Ready or not…it's Graduation Day.
The Final Test is the Deadliest!

Find it: 

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

Ever since I can remember I loved telling stories. As I grew up, I started performing those stories on the stage. Creating vivid characters and singing wonderfully complex songs were my passion. I graduated from Millikin University with a Bachelors Degree in Vocal Performance and then continued onto DePaul University for my Masters Degree in Opera Performance. From there I went onto perform across the Chicagoland area in a variety of Operas, Operettas and Musicals. I also started teaching acting classes and private voice lessons to pass my passion along to the next generation.
Not exactly the path you’d expect a writer to take.
I’d never dreamed of writing a novel. But I loved to read. Then one day I had an idea and I started to write. I found my passion for creating characters lived on the page as well as the stage. It is my hope that the characters I’ve created resonate with you and make you smile.I still teach voice lessons and sing for the occasional professional event. But the rest of my time is spent with my husband and son while dreaming up new and interesting stories. I hope that someday I hear yours.

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads/Pinterest

I devoured The Testing and Independent Study and absolutely couldnt wait to get Graduation Day. Joelle Charbonneau is a phenomenal writer who puts the perfect mix of suspense, action, and drama to make this series A M A Z I N G. 

Graduation Day is the conclusion to this amazing series that began with The Testing. Cia and her friends have been through so much in the last couple of years and the steps they take next will either save the commonwealth or kill them all. 

"Am I scared? Yes. As the youngest student at the University, I find it hard to believe that my actions could change the course of my country's history."

The main character, Cia, is one of my most favorite characters ever. She is strong and determined and really makes this book great. She is given an assignment by the President to take out the most influential leaders that created and continued the Testing for recruits. Cia and her friends must now decide who they can really trust or risk being exposed and eliminated. 

One of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Two crossed lightning bolts. A symbol of power. Of the elimination of ignorance. And of a rebellion that must overcome insurmountable odds in order to succeed. A symbol that combines my past with my future. And the time has come for that future to begin."

There are so many twists and turns in Graduation Day and I don't want to give away too much for those who have yet to begin the series or those about to read Graduation Day. I can just  say that I truly loved this book and this series. This entire series is filled with so much suspense and raw drama. The story felt so real and sometimes I found myself just staring at the pages wondering if what just happened....really happened. That is how shocking some parts of this book were...and I LOVED every moment. The end of this book was perfect. It answered all the questions I had and wrapped up the series perfectly. Joelle is a writer that I have definitely added to my favorite authors list as well as this series to my favorite series list. 

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/9/2014- NightlyReading- Review

6/10/2014- The Book Cellar- Guest Post

6/11/2014- Curling Up With A Good Book- Review

6/12/2014- Fiktshun- Interview

6/13/2014- Manga Maniac Café- Review

Week Two:

6/16/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Guest Post

6/17/2014- K-books- Review

6/18/2014- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview

6/19/2014- Parajunkee's View- Review

6/20/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

FFBC Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: The Murder Complex (Lindsay Cummings)

The Murder Complex (The Murder Complex #1) by Lindsay Cummings
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: June 10th 2014

An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.
Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.
The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?
Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

"Commandment One: Honor the Initiative.

Commandment Two: Thou shalt not attempt to cross the perimeter.

Commandment Three: Honor the Silent Hour.

Commandment Four: Thou shalt not harbor useful items from the days Before."

I could not wait to get my hands on The Murder Complex. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the phenomenal cover. Meadow looks so intense, focused, and murderous. Ummm yeah..I had to read it!! 

From the first page I knew I liked this book. I am obsessed with survival stories and this is the definition of a survival story. Meadow, a young girl, has been trained by her father her whole life to survive. The world that Meadow and her family live in is strictly governed by a harsh government who hears and sees everything. 

The Murder Complex is exactly that. A complex story about murder, lies, and survival. Meadow faces so many trials and tribulations in such a short time. She meets a young boy,Zepher, and is immediately captivated by him. They fight alongside each other in this intense, fast-paced story. 

"The image of his face, with his oddly imperfect smile, and his emerald eyes, haunts me the rest of the day."

I thoroughly enjoyed The Murder Complex and found myself unable to put the book down at times. There are SO many twists and turns and so many questions that still need to be answered!! I am really looking forward to the sequel!!! Lindsay Cummings is a debut author that has entered the YA scene with a bang!!!! and the final sentence of the book?? Totally rocked!!

"Count to three. Relax your mind. Now survive."

          

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Bookdepository | Kobo

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Follow the FFBC The Murder Complex + Fear Trials blog tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Lindsay Cummings is the 20-year-old author of THE MURDER COMPLEX, as well as its sequel, coming 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, and the MG trilogy THE BALANCE KEEPERS, coming Fall 2014 from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins.
Lindsay deals with chronic fatigue, can’t get enough of her two pesky German Shepherds, wolf cub, and two horses. She's still waiting on her letter from Hogwarts--it was probably just lost in the mail. You can follow Lindsay on twitter @lindsaycwrites

Win (1) of (3) signed hardback of The Murder Complex + swag pack (US Only)

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Tour organized by The Fantastic Flying Book Club (FFBC):