GIVEAWAY! BaSatai: Outside In by Suzan Battah

Inspiration, Imagination and Creativity by Suzan Battah

My life has always been a creative type of world. I'm a daydreamer that's for certain and I can multitask daydreaming and working a normal daytime job at the same time. Lucky for me, otherwise I'd be stuck for sure when it comes to ideas for writing. Thankfully, I've had this skill for creating worlds, characters and their problems since I was a teenager and knew that writing would be my career. Since I've been writing for 13 years, my writing has grown and so too has my capabilities in turning my inspiration from music and wild imagination into fiction. I'm a very big observer and very much a visual type of creature. I can see and imagine the most amazing scenes without too much difficulty in my head and develop characters and a storyline around it.

Why do I write in many different genres? Well this is an easy answer for me, I don't pick the story of what I want to write, the story picks me. My first novel, Mad About the Boy a contemporary multicultural romance was first written when I was 18 and as I grew up and experienced life, so too did the story as I rewrote and rewrote and finally published at the age of 31. A Regency Romance story is also floating around ready to be written. And of course, the Urban Fantasy YA series, if only I had more time to write these fantastic stories.

Writing YA Fiction is in some ways more fun. I love creating young adult characters that learn, grow and develop as I write the story. I hear a lot of readers complain about 'whiney characters', and on most counts, I agree that whiney young adult characters can be annoying but the point of this is to read how life changes for these characters and how they grow and adapt to new challenges. This is keeping it real. What teenager doesn't complain about their life? We weren't all paragons of virtue. I know as a teenager I struggled with everything: high school, bullies, my changing body, boys, my identity and especially impending adulthood, I especially knew I wanted to be a writer but had no idea how I would survive. So Young Adult books are going to have some aspect of a challenge with their characters.

I use some of my experiences to develop, embellish and create storylines to make it more interesting. In Young Adult fiction, I press the boundaries from creating imaginary worlds and new species to going beyond what is believable and making readers believe it. BaSatai: Outside In explores both the human world and it's parallel fantastical world where the BaSatai a humanoid alien race are facing the challenge of a curse born in the blood of one of their own. This curse, if fulfilled, will destroy the parallel divide, the gate between the two worlds causing chaos and destruction. This is the basis of the idea and from this idea, my mapped out the characters, their strengths, personalities, why they think and feel the way they do. For Armani being cursed is a struggle, she doesn't believe the curse is in her even though it is there in some form. Being hidden on earth has been easy until the BaSatai come to take her home. Her feelings are so filled with guilt and pain at possibly being the reason for her people dying just to protect her while they decipher the curse. Armani believes she is safer on earth and as far away from her BaSatai life.

Some readers can easily feel and understand the struggle, some readers may not, in each story that is developed by authors. When I read a book, I try never to compare it to another book I've read by another author, this will destroy the reading experience, in my opinion. I make my own judgement based on what I've read. I either like it or not, there is no in between. However, not liking a book doesn't mean that others may not like it. Life would be pretty boring if we all liked the same thing!

My imagination is inspired by my own creativity. I write and create as an artist and accept the lovely reviews of my work both the good and the bad. When I see reviews of some great writers such as JK Rowling, Richelle Mead, Cassandra Clare, Amanda Hocking and Suzanne Collins experiencing the same thing as me with reviews, both good and bad, I know I'm on the right path.

Imagination is a personal experience inspired by our own creativity, when you share it in any artistic form: music, poetry, fiction, art, movies it becomes open to criticism by everyone who has an opinion.

Though it is clear each story an author writes is inspired by their own imagination, whether readers can immerse, identify and enjoy a story is purely a reader's choice.

There is some great work out there, and unfortunately not so great work. I admit, I don't like every bit of work that some of these great writers create. It doesn't make their work any less great. It's up to the readers to decide what they enjoy and what they don't enjoy. Inspiration, Imagination and Creativity is individual, not a trend.

 Author website | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon | Book Trailer

Seventeen year old, Armani Radnelaq a full blooded BaSatai is plagued by a curse in her blood. A curse created from hate and designed to break the divide between two parallel worlds of Earth and H-trae when Armani's blood is spilled in attack and she dies.

S'teuqoubs have been travelling back and forth across the divide for centuries without trouble. The BaSatai and Guardians monitoring activity and enforcing rules to ensure peace and harmony but if the divide splits and opens, a much greater number of supernatural S’teuqoubs will filter into earth destroying equilibrium which the BaSatai and Guardians will be unable to control. Humanity and the BaSatai will suffer and perish. The parallel divide must remain secure at all costs.

Armani has remained hidden on earth with her adopted father Elijah since her birth. She has been raised in the human way and fights her natural instinct to evolve into a BaSatai. The BaSatai in her requires her to evolve and shift, use her powers and strength. Yet Armani is freaked out by the need to shift. She smokes, has a bad attitude, must deal with aggressive bullies and control her natural BaSatai instinct. Her Guardian with BaSatai Warriors are coming for her. She refuses to accept her fate and doesn't believe any BaSatai should die to protect her.

The blood curse maturing in her veins makes her a target for her enemies. Her Guardian Karhl and an elite BasSatai Warrior Rafael are the first to arrive and prepare her for her crossing over. Her attraction to Rafael complicates her purpose to stay on earth even more. They both insist she fall into line and follow their lead but she is not ready to leave earth just yet...

Looking for YA Book Bloggers!

*Positions filled!*

 We'll be introducing the new members soon!

HI! The YA Bound girls have had a crazy year so far, with books releasing and deadlines, and just writing and trying to keep up with blog duties in general. We're hoping we can find a book blogger who'd like to join our team to help us keep up with YA Bound!

The position would entail posting one to two Spotlight reviews and miniviews a month. Check out one of our Spotlights here if you're curious. They'd also be welcome to join in on our SWOON MEME, and if they're interested, help to coordinate our blog tours. Also, she/he would need to have an established NetGalley account.

If you're really interested, please send an email to Trish at YABoundGirls @gmail.com with I Want To Join YA Bound in the subject line. Thanks!

Guest Post: Steampunk Holmes Interactive Story Project by Richard Monson-Haefel

Ms. Mycroft Holmes: Brilliant, Deadly, And Beautiful

Steampunk Holmes is a new series of books, produced by my entertainment company, Noble Beast. The series places Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson, and other 19^th Century characters in an alternative Victorian universe where society has been pushed into the information age 100 years early. In this world steam power burns clean, machines made of brass and iron run everything, chivalry is alive and well, and women run the country.

In the first book in the series, Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus, we meet Ms. Mycroft Holmes, the brilliant, deadly and beautiful sister of Sherlock Holmes.  Mycroft runs the British Secret Service leading an army of spies and commandos in a war to secure the future of Queen Victoria’s Empire.  Her brother Sherlock, the consulting detective, and his biographer, the bionic Doctor Watson, are unofficial agents of Mycroft’s who help unravel the mystery behind the theft of the most advanced weapon in history, the Nautilus submarine.  But that mystery is only the beginning of a seven book series that pits Mycroft, Sherlock, and the ruggedly handsome, Doctor Watson, against a nefarious plot of unworldly proportions.

How did Mycroft come to be?  It starts with Wonder Woman. Growing up I was probably one of the few boys who openly read Wonder Women comics and loved them. Yes, I had a crush on Wonder Woman but more than that I believed that female superheroes are as powerful and interesting as their male counterparts.  Wonder Woman was sexy but outrageously strong, sophisticated but also dangerous. In my 30’s my wife and I discovered “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” on television – it was the first season premier and it became a weekly tradition to turn off the phone and watch the series as it aired new episodes for seven seasons running.  Buffy can do no wrong. 

The last and most important influence are my three boys (ages 4, 6 and 10) and my eight-year-old daughter, Olivia. Olivia is a self professed girly-girl who dreams of one day “helping people put on make up and rescuing animals.”  My wife and I support her all the way and in every way possible we show her, and her brothers, a world filled with real world heroines like Ada Lovelace, Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart, and Laura Ingles Wilder.  When she is older I want her to discover Mycroft Holmes and know that her father played a part in the creation of that character.

When I decided to create the Steampunk Holmes book series, I knew that I needed to have a heroine. I owed that to Wonder Woman, Buffy, and my daughter. No universe of my making would be complete unless women commanded an equal role in both building and tearing apart society. Any other world just wouldn’t make sense to me. 

At first I thought about making Sherlock Holmes a woman, but that seemed too cliché. What about Watson? Well, Watson is an important character but he isn’t the intellectual equal of Sherlock and I didn’t want my heroine playing second fiddle to the Great Consulting Detective.  It had to be Moriarty, the archenemies of Sherlock Holmes, or Sherlock’s sibling, Mycroft: the only person Sherlock Holmes ever admitted was smarter than himself.  So I made Mycroft a Woman. In the original stories by Doyle, Mycroft-the-brother was considered to be critical to the security of the British Empire.  I made Mycroft-the-Sister the head of the Victorian British Secret Service.  The original Mycroft was Sherlock’s intellectual equal. So is the Sister.  Finally, the original Mycroft was strong and resourceful but also a bit reluctant to dirty his hands unless absolutely necessary. The Sister-Mycroft is a woman of poise and beauty who loves to dress up, turn heads, and finds physical labor distasteful. She is also deadly and armed.  A new heroine is born! 

The last thing I needed was to breath life into the Mycroft Holmes and the other characters. To do this right the author had to be a Woman. Not any Woman, but a women with a strong sense of self.  A Women who is secure in her femininity and strong enough to hold her own in world dominated by men.  Enter P.C. Martin the author of Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus and its sequels. 

P.C. grew up traveling the world with her parents and speaks four languages including English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.  She happens to be very pretty and extremely metropolitan living in the “Paris of South America”, Buenos Aries, Argentina.  Although I set the stage for Steampunk Holmes, P.C. populated it with a world so real and characters so rounded that you’ll find yourself living in it.

P.C. and I want the whole world to discover Ms. Mycroft Holmes, Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, and to share in their adventures over the course of seven books.  To make that possible we’ve started a fund raising project on Kickstarter.com, which will allow us to publish the first book and set a foundation for an entire series.  The money we raise on Kickstarter.com will help us establish an infrastructure that can be Leveraged over and over across all seven books.

We want as many people to have access to the stories as possible, so we are publishing each one in multiple formats including: eBooks, audiobooks, interactive Web books, enhanced iPad books, and illustrated paper books.  Our motto is “leave no reader behind”, especially young women.  

If you believe in the intrinsic power of women, then take a look at our project.  If you believe that women should be portrayed as strong, intelligent agents of their own destiny, then than this project is for you.  If you believe in Ms. Mycroft Holmes, then you can make her come alive by supporting this project on kickstarter.com.  We need your help to meet our funding goal so that we can bring Mycroft Holmes to the world for the benefit of little girls, young women, as well as the boys and men that surround them.

Kickstarter Campaign  | Website | Podcast | Press Release | Smashwords |

Swoon Thursday (37)

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)
Without further ado, here's ours:

RACHEL: As you may have seen on Tuesday, I shined a Spotlight on PILGRIMS DON'T WEAR PINK by Stephanie Kate Strohm....and absolutely loved it! Now all my favorite swoony moments are either complete spoilers or don't read as swoony out of context as they do inside the story, but this is one of my favorites. Just trust me...it may not seem particularly swoony, but it is. Like, totally :)

He tenderly stuck the Band-Aid over my cut. "Maybe I can't catch you. But I can help you pick yourself up when you fall." -- Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink Swoon #YABound

Here's the extended bloggy version:

He tenderly stuck the Band-Aid over my cut. "Maybe I can't catch you. But I can help you pick yourself up when you fall." His hand lingered over mine. "You don't need me to catch you or to fight your battles, Wonder Woman."......{spoileriffic stuff removed} "That's one of the things I like most about you. To name just one of a million."

Like I said, just trust people. This was a really good moment. Le sigh.....

TARA: Hunkered down in the deep, dark editing cave, Tara has resurfaced to reflect again on last week's swoon over THE SPACE BETWEEN by: Brenna Yovanoff

Twitter Version:

When he touches me, I feel my blood get strange, too hot and like it's moving faster. 

Extended Bloggy Version:

When he touches me, I feel my blood get strange, too hot and like it's moving faster. He runs his fingers along my cheek and I breathe out because if I don't, I think my bones will break.

His hand is warm against my skin, cupping my shoulder, and inside, my blood is racing- racing until I'm sure that I won't be able to able to stand it any longer. I need him to stop just so I can breathe without suffocating..

Kelly: Swooning over Immortal Rules:

Twitter version:

I imagined kissing him, trailing my lips down to his throat, a rush of hot blood flooding my mouth.--Immortal Rules SWOON #YABound

Extended Bloggy Version:

His fingers grazed my skin, and warmth shot through me like an electrical jolt. I heard his heart thudding in his chest, the pulse throbbing beneath his jaw. His scent was everywhere, overwhelming; heat and blood and life, and a distinct, earthy smell that was uniquely him. I imagined kissing him, trailing my lips down to his throat, a rush of hot blood flooding my mouth. I felt my fangs lengthen, even as I leaned in.

TRISH: This week, it's all about SKYLARK:

He stepped forward, closing the gap between us again. This time there was an urgency to his kiss that broke my heart. I could taste him--the metallic tang of his mouth. The taste of blood. SKYLARK SWOON #YABound

SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN: In 140 characters . . . or, perhaps a bit more if you need to cheat LOL, SWOON us!

Blog Tour: Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

The Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan Blog Tour hosted by Thomas Nelson Fiction will kick off June 4^th and ends June 16^th.

This tour is so much more than a blast, as Andrew Klavan is really making a name for himself in YA. Some of his adult novels have already been turned into movies, a couple you may have heard about starring Britney Murphy in Don’t Say a Word and Clint Eastwood in True Crime. Andrew’s previous YA series, The Homelanders, has now been optioned for movie rights by Summit Entertainment. Crazy Dangerous is his first stand-alone YA. If you’re curious to know more about the exciting things happening for Crazy Dangerous, please check out the catalogue page here.

And to get the lasted updates and to be in the know, you can visit and "Like" Andrew's Facebook page here!

Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with the wrong crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it’s only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble.

But one day, Sam sees these thugs harassing an eccentric schoolmate named Jennifer. Finding the courage to face the bullies down, Sam loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one.

Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons, the devil, and death. And here’s the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies—prophecies of something terrible that’s going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it.

With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time.

Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous.

The * beside the posts in the schedule below denotes e-book giveaways.

Schedule:

http://adiaryofabookaddict.blogspot.com/ : June 4 – Review*

http://www.abook-loversreview.com/ : June 4 – Review*

http://alluringreads.blogspot.com : June 4 – Review*

http://www.angelafristoe.blogspot.com : June 4 – Review*

http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/ : June 5 – Review*

http://www.alwaysyaatheart.blogspot.com : June 5 – Review*

http://Winterhavenbooks.blogspot.com : June 5 – Review*

www.bengalreads.com : June 5 – Quote Battle

http://www.xpressoreads.com/ : June 6 – Excerpt 4

http://mtgreviews.wordpress.com/ : June 7 – Review*

www.readbetweenthelinesbookclub.blogspot.com : June 7 – Writing Place

http://www.blookgirl.com : June 7 – Review*

hardcoverlife.blogspot.com : June 7 – Review

http://stepintofiction.blogspot.com/ : June 8 – Review*

WWW.living-fictitiously.blogspot.com : June 8 – Playlist*

storybookescape.blogspot.com : June 8 – Dream Cast*

burstingbooks.blogspot.com : June 8 – Top Ten Books

http://kindreddreamheart.blogspot.com/ : June 8 – Excerpt 1*

http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blogspot.com/  : June 8 – Review*

http://read-a-holicz.blogspot.com : June 8 – Review*

www.novelsontherun.blogspot.com : June 10 – Review*

http://zoeysuncreativelytitledblog.blogspot.com : June 11 – Review*

http://kissedbyink.com : June 11 – Review

http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com : June 12 – Review*

http://thebookgalaxy.blogspot.com  : June 12 – Review*

http://swoonworthybooks.blogspot.com/ : June 13 – Review 

http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com : June 13 – Review*

http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/ : June 14 – Review*

http://www.booksbesidemybed.com : June 14 – Review*

http://justabooklover.blogspot.com/ : June 15 – Review*

http://iheartyabooks.blogspot.com/ : June 15 – Review*

www.goodchoicereading.com : June 15 – Excerpt 2*

http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com : June 15 – Review*

http://www.bookswithbite.net : June 15 – Review*

http://edandemreviews.blogspot.com/: June 16 – Review

Blog Tour: Caterpillar by Kate Oliver

YA Bound is hosting the Caterpillar by Kate Oliver Blog Tour! This tour kicks off June 18th and will run for a one week blast tour.

(Blogger issues! Read full summary here!)

In a small college town in northern California, a lonely young man is working himself to the bone to solve a sixty-year-old problem … a stranger with a will of iron and eyes the color of ice is searching for someone he can't identify …  and a girl who loves plants is about to grow roots of her own.

When Cara Gallagher’s parents are transferred overseas again, she’s off to spend her senior year of high school living with her sister, a graduate student at the famed McNair University. Cara, a girl with a passion for science and an indifference to people, hopes this move will be her first step in claiming the independence she craves. Cara has her future planned down to the letter:  her college, her major, her career. (Blogger issues! Read full summary here!)

Then she saves Will Mallory’s life, and both of their futures are completely rewritten.

The last years of Will's life have been spent shifting from one identity to the next, dodging the FBI, and trying desperately to find a way home. But Will's home is forty-four light years away, and to reach it he'll have to outwit the man who's hunting him—and leave behind the only love he's ever known.

The * beside posts on the schedule denotes e-book giveaways.

Schedule:

http://www.loveydoveybooks.blogspot.com : June 18 – Review*

www.mandikayereads.com : June 18 – Review*

http://marnise.blogspot.com/ : June 18 – Writing Nook

http://edandemreviews.blogspot.com/ : June 18 – Review

http://www.angelafristoe.blogspot.com : June 18 – Review*

http://kissedbyink.com : June 18 – Review

http://storybookescape.blogspot.com/  : June 19 – Review*

www.epiloguereview.blogspot.com : June 19 – Review*

http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blogspot.com/  : June 19 – Review*

http://swoonworthybooks.blogspot.com/ : June 19 – Review

http://iheartyabooks.blogspot.com/ : June 20 – Review*

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com : June 20 – Review*

http://adiaryofabookaddict.blogspot.com/ : June 20 – Review*

http://watercolormoods.blogspot.com : June 20 – Review/Dream Cast*

http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/ : June 20 – Review*

http://understandingshaestory.blogspot.com/  : June 20 – Review*

http://www.alwaysyaatheart.blogspot.com : June 21 – Review*

http://www.blookgirl.com : June 21 – Review*

http://read-a-holicz.blogspot.com : June 21 – Review*

http://adkwriter15.wordpress.com : June 21- Review*

http://stepintofiction.blogspot.com/ : June 22 – Review*

alicelbeesley@hotmail.com : June 22 – Review/Playlist*

www.novelsontherun.blogspot.com : June 22 – Review

http://kindreddreamheart.blogspot.com/ : June 23 – Review

JennReneeRead.blogspot.com : June 23 – Review

Spotlight: Awaited by Lynn Rush

 

Paperback, 272 pages

Expected Publication May 1st, 2012

Crescent Moon Press

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who's lost faith in his purpose. So when he's charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it's the red-headed beauty who's been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian's Mark. He soon realizes she's been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate soul to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon-her voice.

First of all, let me just say that I love that this is a companion series. I loved Wasteland, but I have to say I loved Awaited even more! I could not put this book down. It had me totally hooked and I finished it in one sitting. Russell was to die for. My new book boyfriend for sure. And I loved Annabelle and the mystery behind her. Their romance was sweet and steamy in all the right amounts. The story was exciting and unique. I adore Lynn’s twist on the demon vs. guardians in this series and I can’t wait for book three! If you are in search of an intense romantic new adult series, you must check this one out. Paranormal romance readers will eat this one up!

Tara



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Spotlight on PILGRIMS DON'T WEAR PINK by Stephanie Kate Strohm

PILGRIMS DON'T WEAR PINK

Paperback, 204 pages

Expected publication date: May 8th, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pre-order from Amazon HERE

A story of crushes, corsets, and conspiracy

Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum. But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker wants her dead, the too-smart-for-his-own-good local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, her gorgeous sailor may be more shipwreck than dreamboat — plus Camden Harbor’s haunted. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem.

Truth: When reading e-books, I love highlighting certain turns of phrase, word choices, swoony moments, and things that are just fresh and cool and I admire.

Second Truth: I found myself highlighting more sections in PILGRIMS DON’T WEAR PINK then I remember doing in any other book in a very long time.

This story renewed my faith in the need and immense value in young adult literature that is light and pleasurable and just plain out fun. Don’t get me wrong, PILGRIMS DON’T WEAR PINK has serious moments. Several of the characters learn lessons and grow, and you end up learning a ton of random and awesome sauce historical factoids along the way. But you do it all while laughing out loud (a lot), smiling like a freaking goon, and wishing you could have a best friend like Dev who can not only can toss out one-liners like tissue paper, but whip up a beyond gorgeous dress at the spur of the moment.

There is so much to love about this book I almost don’t know where to start. And I so don’t want to keep anyone from having the experience I did, where every turn of the page (or click of the Kindle button) revealed something unexpected, shocking, or completely sigh-worthy.

Let’s discuss the dudes. So we have two excellent specimens, Cam and Garrett. Don’t worry; this isn’t a triangle like you would think. And what I really love about these guys is that while obviously one is a better choice for Libby, Stephanie Strohm doesn’t take the easy, obvious choices I expected. Neither guy was absolutely perfect—kinda like real life—and both made some mistakes. Okay, one guy’s mistakes were a lot worst, but still, it felt authentic. They both had endearing qualities, too, and both delivered lines that had me highlighting, sighing, and rereading repeatedly.

Libby. Oh my word, do I love this girl. She is funny, sweet, knows her way around the kitchen, and is a history nerd. My kind of chica. She is beautiful but that doesn’t define her. She is a fashionista, but not annoyingly so—it truly was just another one of her character traits, not there to be a gimmick or take over the story. Her Scooby Doo references, love and loyalty to her best friend, cute way with the band of eight-year-olds she is in charge of for the summer, and love affair with Austen all add up to a spunky heroine who feels like a girl you could totally meet inside any high school you walk into. She’s real, and I think any teenager—heck, any woman—who picks this book up will find themselves within the pages.

The band of eight-year-olds was a hoot…Ms. Strohm must have a children or be an awesome aunt because she totally nailed it (this coming from a mother to a six and seven year old). And no review would be complete without a huge shout out for Dev, my absolute favorite character in the entire story. With his Kelly Clarkson happy places, fierceness in the face of a sewing machine, and lines like, “No self-respecting fairy leaves a party before four” when referencing the Cinderella story, what’s not to like??

In many ways, Stephanie Strohm has created a modern day fairy tale…but it is so much more. In the end, the guy Libby chooses is “better than Mr. Darcy, Rhett Butler, and Henry Tilney combined. Because he was real.” She embraces the feminine desire to romanticize our romantic heroes and search for them in our everyday world, but shows us how to find true, real happiness. I picked PILGRIMS DON’T WEAR PINK on a whim, not really knowing what to expect, and walked away with what may be my favorite read so far in 2012. It surprised me, elevated me to another place for a few hours, and left me believing in the power of love, friendship, and a really good dress. I totally recommend it.

Author Website  /  Blog  /  Goodreads  /  Twitter

Guest Post: Dom Testa Author of The Galahad Legacy

A high school media specialist cornered me during a conference for the American Library Association two years ago and thanked me for creating a strong female lead character in my book series. She mentioned that this character, Triana, seemed to represent a lot of positive traits that I emphasized with my non-profit foundation.

That was by design. When I wrote The Comet’s Curse, the first book in the Galahad series, I intentionally created an action/adventure series with a sixteen-year-old girl as the lead character. You get the sense that Triana is attractive, but that’s not the overriding image you take away. Instead, what you grasp is a young woman who shoulders more responsibility than any other character, someone with very-human doubts and insecurities, but a strength that is inspiring.

So, yes, the characters in the Galahad book series reflect something that I believe is critical in working with today’s students: understanding that Smart Is Cool. It’s a slogan that we use to explain the message of my foundation, The Big Brain Club.

Too many young people sacrifice their future for the sake of trying to fit in with some ridiculous notion of what’s cool; they can’t visualize how the academic decisions they make today affect their tomorrow. Some people mistakenly believe that this is primarily a “boy” issue, but no. Blowing off education is a problem that afflicts both boys and girls. They just do it for different reasons, although both are tied to image and perception.

Boys (in general) are mostly concerned with how manly they’re perceived. It’s why so many of them abandon books at an early age, because in their minds reading is a “chick thing.” They tend to default to sports and other macho activities, a type of chest-beating that doesn’t seem to allow room for academics.

Girls, on the other hand, are strongly influenced by pop culture, and there’s no question that the message they hear - over and over again - is that the hotter you are, the more popular you are. Sadly, too many young women blow off their education - and often substantially dumb down - to fit society’s tragically flawed image of cool and “hot.”

Triana’s looks? Secondary, on purpose. My subtle message to girls: Yes, take care of yourself physically, but your brain will serve you long, long after you or anyone else is worried about your looks.

The Big Brain Club helps young people to become the best version of themselves, no matter what their calling may be. We recognize that boys and girls are deflected from their academic path for different reasons, but with the same tragic consequences.

So while conventional wisdom may hold that boys are more likely to dump their education for the sake of being cool, girls feel equally strong - yet distinct - pressure from the confusing world around them. It’s our job as authors, educators, bloggers, and friends, to provide the counter-pressure. Smart Is Cool.

Bio

Dom Testa is the author of the award-winning Galahad series of YA books, beginning with The Comet’s Curse, a Top Shelf choice by the American Library Association. Find out more at www.DomTesta.com.

He’s also the founder and president of The Big Brain Club, a non-profit foundation that helps young people recognize that Smart Is Cool. You can find out more - and support the cause! - by visiting www.BigBrainClub.com.

Swoon Thursday (36)

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)
Without further ado, here's ours:

RACHEL: I scored a fun find at my local Half-Price bookstore this past week, RICH BOYS by Jenny O'Connell. I've read and loved The Book of Luke and Plan B by her, so I knew this would be a fun treat...and I was right :)

Finally Jay pulled away, a look of surprise & delight on his face. "I wasn't sure you were going to let me do that"-RICH BOYS Swoon #YABound

I'm sorry, but that description--a look of surprise and delight on his face--just gets me totally. Can't you picture a total hottie staring at YOU that way???? :)

Here's the extended bloggy version:

Jay brushed his fingers against my face, moving my hair back, and I found myself moving toward his touch until our lips were pressed together, his tongue gently parting mine, his hand moving to the skin on my neck and pulling me against him. And instead of moving away I slid across the seat until there was no space between us, because it felt amazing and wonderful and even though every muscle in my body ached I wanted to be near him.

Finally, Jay pulled away, a look of surprise and delight on his face. "I wasn't sure you were going to let me do that."

TARA: Swooning over THE SPACE BETWEEN by: Brenna Yovanoff

Twitter Version:

When he touches me, I feel my blood get strange, too hot and like it's moving faster. 

Extended Bloggy Version:

When he touches me, I feel my blood get strange, too hot and like it's moving faster. He runs his fingers along my cheek and I breathe out because if I don't, I think my bones will break.

His hand is warm against my skin, cupping my shoulder, and inside, my blood is racing- racing until I'm sure that I won't be able to able to stand it any longer. I need him to stop just so I can breathe without suffocating..

Kelly: Swooning over SPECTRAL by Shannon Duffy:

Twitter version:

He moaned and jerked me up into his arms, his lips now on mine, soft and tender. My body felt like fireworks exploding.--Spectral SWOON #YABound

Extended Bloggy Version:

"Kiss me," I blurted, the whoosing of my heartbeat racing in my ears. I couldn't believe I'd just said that, but I didn't want him to pull away.

"I can't," he murmured, even as he edged closer and his lips brushed the side of my mouth.

I was sure he could feel the pounding of my heart through my chest. "Can't?" I stood on my tip-toes and gently tugged at his lower lip with my teeth, completely hypnotized by him.

He moaned and jerked me up into his arms, his lips now on mine, soft and tender. My body felt like fireworks exploding. He traced his fingers through the back of my hair, his mouth grazing against mine in soft, careful kisses, and then uttering a curse, he released me. --Spectral by Shannon Duffy

TRISH: I just had to keep going with this one LOL. And there's still more! Such a swoon-worthy scene. Sigh. I'll pick a short sentence out of it for my Tweet, though ;)

"Then we are kissing: slowly, at first, because he doesn't know how and it has been so long for me. I taste sugar and soap; I run my tongue along his lower lip and he freezes for a second. His lips are warm and full and wonderful. His tongue traces my lips and then suddenly we both let go; and we are breathing into each other..." -- PANDEMONIUM SWOON #YABound

SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN: In 140 characters . . . or, perhaps a bit more if you need to cheat LOL, SWOON us!

Spotlight on The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules

Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages

April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen 
Amazon

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.

The Iron Fey series is one of my all-time favorites! So when I heard that Kagawa was releasing a vampire series, I did a silly happy dance, and stalked HarlequinTEEN until they sent me an ARC. (Thanks, Lisa! You rock!) Despite the length of this novel, the action and Kagawa’s clear, captivating writing style had me flying through the pages. I purposely ripped it from my hands a few times and made myself put it down, just so I could spend more time in this world and with these characters.

Allie was an awesome character from the start. I easily related to her, and her feelings toward the vampires of this new, terrifying world from the beginning. She’s bold and brave, but not too in your face about it. I like that she felt she had to be this way in order to protect those she cares for. And even though she knew the only way to survive was to think only of herself, she is selfless, and sacrifices her safety for others. Yes she changes once she becomes a vampire, but she kind of reminded me a bit of Louis from Interview with a Vampire, in that she struggled to hold on to a part of her humanity. But unlike Louis, she makes one kick ass , katana-wielding vampire!

The dystopian world Kagawa created is dark, eerie, and scary original. I loved the creepiness of it. Kagawa is a master of world-building. That is all. The romance between Allie and Zeke was well balanced by the action and fight scenes. I think I could have used a bit more on the romance side, but I like the slow simmer—the buildup, too. I know Kagawa will bring it in the books to come, and I can’t wait! As much as I enjoyed this whole book, I believe the ending is what hammered it home, setting up the series perfectly, and I need the next book NOW. The battle scenes were amazing, and that ending…You just have to find out! Amazing. 

Julie Kagawa was my very first Author Miniview when I first created YA Bound. She was super awesome to give a little blogger like me an interview =) Please feel free to check out that Miniview here!

HarlequinTEEN also has a fantastic interview they did Ms. Kagawa where you can learn more about Julie and her amazing books, and enter our giveaway of The Immortal Rules!