Celebrating Debutantes 2017: Now Is Everything by Amy Giles (Author Interview + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! I’m thrilled to welcome new author Amy Giles on the blog as part of Celebrating Debutantes 2017 blog event. Amy answered few questions for me about her upcoming debut YA contemporary novel, Now is Everything. After reading the synopsis of this book, I am intrigue. It seems a thrilling read with secrets and msytery. I can’t wait to read Hadley’s story and find out about the secret of McCauleys.

Following the author interview is Amy Giles’ author bio along with places where to find her online. Then there’s also the book description and where to pre-order copies of Now is Everything which will release in November. And if you would like the chance to win an advance readers copy of Now is Everything, bookmarks and stickers, Amy is giving away one below. Just enter the rafflecopter form a bit further down in this post. I hope you all enjoy the interview.

Interview with Amy Giles

What’s your journey to writerhood been like?
Like many writers, the road to becoming an author was bumpy. Now Is Everything wasn’t my first novel. There are a few in the desk drawer that will never see the light of day—and shouldn’t! But I don’t mourn any of those early attempts. The only way you can be successful as a writer is to keep looking forward, never look back. Learn from your mistakes and find the next idea that will excite you.

What inspired your debut contemporary novel, Now Is Everything?
Now Is Everything poured out of me in a torrent of frenzied writing. I completed the first draft in three months. It started with a news story about a little girl who was the sole survivor of a small plane crash. I imagined the hell she must have gone through, not only crawling away from the wreckage, but leaving behind her entire family, all dead, then walking miles looking for help. I took that hell and went darker, taking every “what if” further and further until it became Hadley’s story of survival.

What was the biggest change you made to the story before it reached an agent/editor/publisher?
The finished book isn’t much different from the draft I sent my agent. I edited and rewrote scenes during revisions, but nothing major changed. Except for one thing: right before I sent it to my agent, I rewrote the ending, a last minute decision, and I’m so happy for it. I think it works much better this way. (For obvious reasons, I can’t tell you anything more!)

What qualities did you love exploring in Hadley as a character? What makes Hadley special for you to tell her story?
Hadley starts off fearful of her father, with good reason. But as the story progresses, she starts to find the courage to stand up to him, first for herself, then for her sister, Lila. Taking those steps with her was not only satisfying for me but also emotional. If you cry reading this book, I guarantee I cried writing those same scenes. While Now Is Everything covers a lot of ground, for me this is a story about the love and special bond between two sisters.

Did you learn any deep, interesting, or shocking truths while working on Now Is Everything, about writing in general, or about yourself?
I learned I can go days without showering (I don’t recommend it). That I can live on carbs and bacon. That boxer shorts are great for writing. That I need to force myself to get up and stretch every forty minutes or else my neck gets so stiff I can’t turn my head. That my family is extremely patient and loving, but not great at helping make healthy meals for me. When I requested a salad, they basically made me a BLT in a bowl, heavy on the B. (It was delicious.)

What are your ambitions for your writing career? Do you plan to write another book in other genre?
I am working on not one, but TWO stories now! One is in revisions, and a new one has me very excited. It is still in the drafting stage, the honeymoon period. Around twenty-thousand words is when I start to second guess myself! I will never rule out writing in another genre. Not that I’d ever compare myself to the incomparable Rainbow Rowell, but she writes what she wants to write, not what she’s expected to write.

And lastly before we end this interview, can you please share a snippet/teaser from Now Is Everything to intrigue us before the book hit the shelves in November.
Of course! From the opening:

Emergency first responders scramble up and down the hill around me like ants, trying to see what can be salvaged. We’re on different frequencies. Theirs is manic and frenzied, searching for life, while I watch without seeing. What I escaped below eclipses everything. Blank eyes. A blood-soaked Cornell sweatshirt. Necks bent unnaturally. Angry fists of heat pounding at my back as I crawled away from the wreckage.
But the sky is a perfect crisp blue, like someone forgot to tell it to wipe that smug smile off its face.
No one survives a plane crash. I shouldn’t be here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Giles is an award-winning copywriter and young adult author. She lives on an Island that is Long with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog.

Find Amy

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Details:

Title: Now is Everything
Author: Amy Giles
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 07, 2017
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover, eBook

Now Is Everything is a stirring debut novel told in alternating THEN and NOW chapters, perfect for Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Niven fans, about what one girl is willing to do to protect her past, present, and future.

The McCauleys look perfect on the outside. But nothing is ever as it seems, and this family is hiding a dark secret.

Hadley McCauley will do anything to keep her sister safe from their father. But when Hadley’s forbidden relationship with Charlie Simmons deepens, the violence at home escalates, culminating in an explosive accident that will leave everyone changed.

When Hadley attempts to take her own life at the hospital post-accident, her friends, doctors, family, and the investigator on the case want to know why. Only Hadley knows what really happened that day, and she’s not talking.

Book Links

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Book Depository | Goodreads | IndieBound | Publisher

Giveaway:

What’s up for Grab?

• ARC of Now is Everything by Amy Giles
  
• Bookmarks and Stickers

The Rules:

• Open International
• There will be one (1) winner
• Winner will be chosen and announced by rafflecopter
• Winner will be contacted thru email & should response within 48 hours
• Ends September 18th, 2017
• Prizes will be sent by the author

To enter fill out the rafflecopter form

Good Luck!!!

Treat yourself to a complete #CelebratingDebutantes2017 experience. Click the image below for the full list of schedule and links to each feature post or check out twitter and facebook using #CelebratingDebutantes2017.

Celebrating Debutantes 2017: The Secrets of Islayne by Kari Lynn West (Author Interview and Giveaway)

Happy Friday to all!

Welcome to another stop for Celebrating Debuntantes 2017 blog event. Today I’m featuring new author Kari Lynn West and her debut ya fantasy novel, The Secrets of Islayne. This novel offers fresh concepts, that introduced readers to Luminators – people with an inborn ability to bring back the faded memories of a person in a much more clearer, fresh and vivid way. Isn’t that interesting?

Following the interview with Kari is her author bio along with places where to find her online. Then there’s also the book description and where to buy copies of The Secrets of Islayne. And if you are in the US and would like the chance to win a copy of the book, Kari is giving away a signed copy below. Just enter the form a bit further down in this post. But before that here’s the interview with Kari. I hope you enjoy.

Interview with Kari Lynn West

Please tell us a bit about your journey with The Secrets of Islayne. Did you know right away that this was your story, or did you discover it as you write? And how was the publication process goes for you?

It’s been quite a long journey! Though the central idea behind the novel has stayed the same, almost everything else has changed between when I started writing it three years ago and now. I’ve changed the main character and ensemble, the setting, and the vast majority of the plot. I wrote the first draft, salvaged about a thousand words of it, and threw the rest away. It wasn’t until the third draft that I felt like I got the heart of the novel right, and even since that draft, there have been quite a few revisions and rewrites—and an embarrassing amount of time spent banging my head against a wall, crying that I would never get the story right. But finally, I now have a novel worth sharing.

The publishing process has also been entirely new to me. I spent months doing research on the different options, but even though I felt like I was making an informed decision going the indie route, it was still more work than I’d anticipated. But I love making connections with new readers and seeing people experience the story for the first time, so it’s been very rewarding!

Did you learn any deep, shocking/interesting truths while working on The Secrets of Islayne, about writing in general, or about yourself?

I learned that every single part of the writing process is difficult and every part is satisfying. I learned that, vocationally speaking, nothing makes me feel more fulfilled than creating stories.

Tell us about the cover of The Secrets of Islayne. How it came about? Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process of any novel?

I used an awesome cover design company called Ebook Launch to design the cover of The Secrets of Islayne. They were fantastic to work—very artistically gifted, responsive to my wishes, and quick to make requested edits. All of that was great because I am very picky about book covers in general, and I had a lot of specific requests for the cover of my novel. I think a book’s cover is vital to the book-buying process. Though it goes against the adage, people can’t help but judge a book based on its cover. I do it all the time. But even more important than impacting a book’s sales, I wanted this cover to reflect the adventure, beauty, and magic inherent in the story itself. I think the cover of The Secrets of Islayne does just that.

Do you have a favorite scene to write in The Secrets of Islayne? What scene are you most proud of, and why?

I really enjoyed writing the first scene where the main character, Ronan, and his three friends are all going on their first “summer adventure”. I love the character dynamics between the four of them, so it was very fun to write the first scene where you see all them interact with each other.

I’m also proud of scene where the luminators’ power is explained and demonstrated. That was a very challenging scene to write in trying to explain the ability in a way that both made sense and was exciting to the reader. I was very happy when I could finally get it right on paper and it was no longer just an idea rumbling around in my head J.

If you can revive someone’s memory, who’s mind would you pick and why?

I know this is going to make me sound incredibly self-focused, but if it were possible I would revive my own! One of the reasons why this power was so fascinating to me was because I have a terrible memory, and I think it would be very cool to have so many of my own memories come back as clearly as those of the luminators’ clients.

If one of your characters could turn the tables on you and write a story based on your teenage years, what would the title of that book be? What would be the first line?

She reads a lot…the end. That could be the title, the first line, and the ending J. I was a pretty boring teenager and would not have made for a good protagonist. I liked to make good grades, read a lot of books, and go to bed early.

If you had to pick one sentence, and one sentence only, to entice someone to read your book, The Secrets of Islayne what would it be?

Why would he want to use his hands to shelve books when he could use his mind to give someone back a restored piece of the forgotten past?

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Thanks so much Kari!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kari Lynn West writes contemporary YA fantasy—normally while drinking far too much coffee. She likes to create character-driven stories that are set in the real world with a twist, weaving fantastical elements into everyday life. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two daughters.

Find Kari

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Details:

Title: The Secrets of Islayne
Author: Kari Lynn West
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: June 09, 2017
Pages: 220
Format: Paperback, eBook, Audio

A powerful island. A dangerous mystery. An impossible choice.

For centuries, the island of Islayne has given certain residents the ability to revive other people’s memories. These gifted individuals are known as luminators, and sixteen-year-old Ronan Saunders desperately desires to join their illustrious ranks. As he struggles against the prejudice of the old, powerful families who have an iron grip on the trade, Ronan falls under the tutelage of a reclusive luminator, rumored to be insane.

Just when his long-desired future is within reach, Ronan and his three friends discover a deadly secret on the island. As they delve deeper into the mystery, what they find forces them to question their loyalties, doubt long-held beliefs, and wrestle with the dire consequences of revealing the truth. Ronan finds himself torn between everything he loves and the only future he’s ever wanted. The entire fate of the lumination trade hangs in the balance of his decision.

Book Links

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Goodreads | iTunes

Giveaway:

What’s up for Grab?

• Signed copy of The Secrets of Islayne by Kari Lynn West
  

  

The Rules:

• Open to US residents
• There will be one (1) winner
• Winner will be drawn via Kingsumo by the author
• Ends August 11th, 2017
• Prize will be sent by the author

To enter fill out the form

Good Luck!!!

Treat yourself to a complete #CelebratingDebutantes2017 experience. Click the image below for the full list of schedule and links to each feature post or check out twitter and facebook using #CelebratingDebutantes2017.

Celebrating Debutantes 2017: Wait for Me by Caroline Leech (Author Interview and Giveaway)

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Today I’m joined on the blog by new author Caroline Leech to answer few questions about her debut historical romance novel, Wait for Me. This novel is set during World War II and shows how war affects lives and humanity.

Following the interview with Caroline is her author bio along with places where to find her online. Then there’s also the book description and where to buy copies of Wait for Me. And for a chance to own a personalized signed copy of the book, don’t forget to check the bottom of the post and enter the rafflecopter form for the special giveaway.

Here’s my interview with Caroline. Enjoy reading!

Interview with Caroline Leech

The road to publication for a first-time author is not necessarily a straightforward one – did you have to face rejection before securing a publishing deal? What other frustrations did you have to overcome in writing and publishing Wait For Me?
I was actually very lucky. I’m not one of those authors who received dozens of rejections before they were published, but that was only because I was simply too scared to send my story out to any agents or editors. Instead, I submitted it for critique at Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conferences, and I entered it into a couple of Romance Writers of America contests. I won the YA categories of both of those, and was so fortunate that one of the contest judges loved my first 20 pages enough to ask for the full manuscript. Once I sent her the full, it moved very fast. She took it to her acquisitions board two weeks later and had sent me a deal offer for two books by the end of that day. It was completely surreal, and still is at times. My editor is fantastic, and we are already most of the way through my second book’s editing process.
Of course, getting my deal through a contest meant that I didn’t have an agent to help me decipher all the complicated figures and jargon in the deal offer. But some kind author friends recommended me to their agents, and they both offered me representation. It was a hard decision between them, but I am still thrilled that I chose to sign with New Leaf Literary and Media in New York. After all, my agent, Joanna Volpe, also looks after amazing authors like Veronica Roth, Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black.
That all might sound easy and quick, but I should say that the deal came almost five years after I first wrote that manuscript, and more than seven years after I first started writing fiction. So it wasn’t exactly an overnight success.

Wait For Me is classified as historical young adult fiction. What drew you to that genre?
Would “I have three teenage children” be a good enough answer? Probably not, but that’s certainly where it began. When my older daughter started in middle school, they were given reading time each day in English class, so I started reading the teen novels that she was borrowing from her teacher’s shelves or the school library. I think SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS was the first one. And then I discovered TWILIGHT. When I read Stephanie Meyer’s story of how she wrote that first book while she watched her kid’s swim lessons, I thought, “I could do that”. So, I tried to carve out a little time each week away from the family to write something, anything. And when I decided to take an online creative writing course, it felt natural that it was one which would teach me how to write for children and young adults. Since then, I’ve read YA almost exclusively. I do read adult fiction if someone recommends a great book to me, but I’m quite happy where I am. Young adult fiction can be about doing something for the very first time, about shunning childhood while still being fearful of becoming an adult. It’s a thrilling balance beam to walk along.

Why 1945? And what kind of research you’ve done for the story and characters to be more authentic on the period?
The main reason I wanted to write a story set in World War Two is that I’ve grown up with stories about the war told to me by my parents, aunts and uncles who lived through it. My mother was a child evacuee from London, sent with her younger sister to a farm in the countryside on the day that war broke out. My father was also an evacuee from Edinburgh, but in 1944, he was old enough to join the army at age 18, and he served during the last year of the war and for several years after. His four older brothers had already gone off to fight. Two went to North Africa and fought in the desert campaign, and two went over in the D-Day invasion of northern France. Of course, there have been hundreds of books written about WW2, about the military strategy, the major battles, and of course the horrendous events of the Holocaust, but those stories feel like they’re not mine to tell. Being Scottish, I was drawn to find and share voices from my own country, from individuals—and particularly young women—far from the battlefields, who were still dealing with how the war was changing their lives, their loves, their education and their families.
And why 1945 particularly? I was fascinated by the idea that while we know now that the war was almost over by February of that year, the people alive at the time had no way of knowing that. As far as they were concerned, the war might still have years left to run, so they had to carry on making do with what they had. So, I decided to focus on a small story, something happening within a tiny village, but where the effects of the war were still profound.
For authenticity and background, as well as facts, authors like me researching modern historical periods are very fortunate not only to have books, but also to have such a wealth of memories available on the internet. For example, the BBC did a project a few years ago, called WW2 People’s War, where anyone could get in touch with their local BBC station and share their memories, whether they were serving in the military or on the home front. It all makes fascinating and distracting reading, even if many of the stories I read had nothing directly to do with the subject of the book I was supposed to be researching.

What do you hope readers will come away with from Wait For Me?
I hope they will come away with a smile, but also, with some sort of understanding that it is very easy to judge and hate another person because of their nationality, their race or their religion, especially when you are told by your country’s government that they are your enemy. But once you get to know them as individuals, perhaps they might not be very different from you. This story might be about the Second World War, but keeping hold of this understanding is just as important for us right now as it was then.

If Lorna could turn the tables on you and write a story based on your teenage years, what would the title of that book be? What would be the first line?
Oh, I don’t think Lorna would be the slightest bit interested in writing about my life. She’d probably think I was very boring, and also very spoiled. Any child of a farmer grows up with a list of chores to do around the farm each day, even before going to school. But I was brought up a city girl, and I only had to be awake enough to eat breakfast and get into my school uniform, not feed the chickens, milk the cows, and make the porridge as she would have had to do. I also didn’t have to deal with the rationing of food, clothing and fuel, and I didn’t ever jump when the postman knocked, in case he carried a much-dreaded telegram with news of a soldier brother. I grew up with a very easy life in comparison.

Where do you see your writing will go after Wait For Me? Do you think you’ll stick with this type of genre or branch out into something else?
I have a second book coming out next year with Harper Teen. It’s another World War Two book, also set in Scotland, though it’s not a sequel to WAIT FOR ME. It’s about another girl trying to work out how to make her own contribution to the war effort. I’ll be announcing more details of the title and the storyline quite soon in my newsletter, so I’d love your readers to visit my website at http://www.carolineleech.com and sign up to receive all the news as soon as it’s announced!

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Thanks so much Caroline!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caroline Leech is a Scottish writer now living in Texas. She writes YA historical fiction, and her first novel, WAIT FOR ME, won SCBWI’s Joan Lowery Nixon Award in 2014, as well as the YA categories of both the RWA Emily and Lone Star contests, and was published by Harper Teen in early 2017. Her second novel will be published in May 2018. During Caroline’s previous career in performing arts public relations in the UK, she edited a glossy photographic book, Welsh National Opera – the first sixty years. Caroline lives in in Houston with her husband and three teenage children. You can find her online at http://www.carolineleech.com

Find Caroline

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Details:

Title: Wait for Me
Author: Caroline Leech
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audio

The perfect blend of sweet romance and historical flavor, Wait for Me, from debut author Caroline Leech, brings a fresh new voice to a much-loved genre.

It’s 1945, and Lorna Anderson’s life on her father’s farm in Scotland consists of endless chores and rationing, knitting Red Cross scarves, and praying for an Allied victory. So when Paul Vogel, a German prisoner of war, is assigned as the new farmhand, Lorna is appalled. How can she possibly work alongside the enemy when her own brothers are risking their lives for their country?

But as Lorna reluctantly spends time with Paul, she feels herself changing. The more she learns about him—from his time in the war to his life back home in Germany—the more she sees the boy behind the soldier. Soon Lorna is battling her own warring heart. Loving Paul could mean losing her family and the life she’s always known. With tensions rising all around them, Lorna must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice before the end of the war determines their fate.

Book Links

Amazon | B&N | BAM | BookDepo | Goodreads | Publisher

Giveaway:

What’s up for Grab?

• • Personalized US hardback edition of Wait for Me by Caroline Leech
    

The Rules:

• Open to US residents
• There will be one (1) winner
• Winner will be chosen and announced through rafflecopter
• Winner will be contacted thru email & should response within 48 hours
• Ends July 18th, 2017
• Prize will be sent by the author

To enter fill out the rafflecopter form

Good Luck!!!

Treat yourself to a complete #CelebratingDebutantes2017 experience. Click the image below for the full list of schedule and links to each feature post or check out twitter and facebook using #CelebratingDebutantes2017.

The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich

“The right piece of information can be truly devastating if it’s precisely aimed.”

There is a secret organization that cultivates teenage spies. The agents are called Love Interests because getting close to people destined for great power means getting valuable secrets.

Caden is a Nice: The boy next door, sculpted to physical perfection. Dylan is a Bad: The brooding, dark-souled guy, and dangerously handsome. The girl they are competing for is important to the organization, and each boy will pursue her. Will she choose a Nice or the Bad?

Both Caden and Dylan are living in the outside world for the first time. They are well-trained and at the top of their games. They have to be – whoever the girl doesn’t choose will die.

What the boys don’t expect are feelings that are outside of their training. Feelings that could kill them both.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads | Publisher

Personal Thoughts:

The Love Interest is a mix of espionage, dystopia and lgbt story that took a light approach in combining these massive genre without being overwhelming.

Caden and Dylan are love interest, both groomed and trained by the LIC (Love Interest Compound), a secret organization that send out spies to get and sells informations from important people such as celebrities, politicians, scientist, and the likes. Caden is a “nice” while Dylan is a “bad” who both need to act accordingly. They are both assigned to a science prodigy, Juliet. Their mission is to infiltrate Juliet’s life and win her heart. But only one boy will win. The winner gets the girl and spy her by reporting every important details of her life to LIC or whatever the LIC wants. While the loser meets the end of his life. Both Caden and Dylan will do anything to win, but they are not prepared for their feelings to get in between. And in this game of life and death, how will the know what’s real and what is not? Who will survive the game of manipulation?

It only took few chapters for me to realize that The Love Interest is no ordinary spy novel. There still actions, conspiracy and secret organizations, but instead of a serious tone, The Love Interest went to a lighter approach. It even pokes fun at different novel stereotypes particularly in the field of YA, while being one itself.

“No one finds the love of their life while they’re a teenager.”
“You haven’t read any YA novels recently, have you?”

Caden the narrator and protagonist though contemplative like other spies, is not the over observant and skillful guy I expected from a spy. He isn’t few steps ahead like other spies I love, but what I like about Caden is how he questioned things around him. Right from the start he don’t agree on his “nice” boy label. His thoughts shows how much he wants to be free, to just be himself even at times when he doesn’t know what he really is. He wants to write his own story and not just be a tool for the LIC.

“…it irks me that she thinks labeling me is okay now. Like, by liking guys, I automatically take on that role in her life. That I’m suddenly a supporting character in her story rather than the hero of my own.”

Even if things are confusing for Caden, and even if he doesn’t have much choice in everything, he still hope to find his freedom and try to be his own-self.

The only mild complaint is how the ending seems rushed, which in a way makes the conflict too easily resolved. As much as I cheer for the main characters, I also feel like they easily defeat a supposedly powerful organization. Sure they have a genius scientist who can make powerful weapons, but a five teenagers to easily shutdown LIC is not exactly believable. There are reasons why the organization exist for so long, and manage the in and out of their operations without getting caught by the government or other powerful organizations.

On the whole, THE LOVE INTEREST is an intriguing and fun debut novel from Cale Dietrich. It has promising ideas that if explored more would definitely make a very good spy novel.

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* This review is based on an advance reader’s copy I received courtesy of the publisher, MacMillan International in exchange of honest opinion about the book.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

“I used to think that if I concentrated, I could make myself disappear. I don’t believe that anymore, but sometimes I still have to try.”

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian–the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kind hearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads | Publisher

Personal Thoughts:

A List of Cages is an astounding debut novel that leaves me deeply affected and emotionally invested. It is brave, gripping, if at times uncomfortable read that sometimes makes me wish there’s something I can do for the characters.

Adam and Julian are foster brothers for a time, until Julian is forced to live with his only living relative. Their lives crossed again when Adam is assigned to help the school psychologist as his elective. Part of his task is to track down Julian, making sure Julian won’t skip more of his appointments. As Adam try to do his job, he noticed the difference between the Julian who used to live with them and the present Julian. Concerned with his former foster brother, he tries his best to be part of Julian’s life once again. As Adam unravel the new Julian, Adam not only understand Julian but also see the reality of the situation he was in.

Robin Roe did a wonderful job of writing Julian and Adam’s story. I almost can’t believe that ‘A List of Cages’ is her debut novel given how good and affecting her writing is. The alternating narration between Adam and Julian easily shows the contrast between Adam and Julian’s lives. Not just their personal living condition, but as well as the way they handle their mental health conditions.

Julian’s storyline will undoubtedly linger to readers. My hearts bleeds for him, and constantly lost my breath while reading his parts. He affected me deeply that even I feel uncomfortable reading some of the things that happened to him I still can’t stop reading, if only to prove to Julian that he has someone who won’t leave him.

Julian doesn’t deserve those horrifying things. Sometimes I wonder who’s to blame — his uncle or the foster system that put Julian to his uncle’s care? But as much as I want to point finger, I also know that there’s no use in condemning any of those people. This is fiction after all. I can only hope that no one suffers like Julian in real life. No one deserves that kind of treatment or that kind of life.

“I used to think struggle was what aged you, but if that were the case, Julian should’ve been a hundred years old. Now I wonder if the opposite is true. Maybe instead of accelerating your age, pain won’t let you grow.”

As for Adam, well he is genuinely caring guy. He reminds me that kindness and love goes a long way. Sometimes it’s easy to forget little things like that. I’ve seen many times how hardships change people. How bad experiences can make someone tough by stripping him of kindness and love. It is sad but it is also a reality.

“Hate ricochets, but kindness does too.”

On the whole, A List of Cages touches some difficult issues with sensitivity and reality that will surely make readers think of things and feel every kind of emotions that the characters went through. It’s unflinching, honest, and uncompromising story that shows the power of kindness, friendship and brotherhood.

This new addition to the ya contemporary novels is not to be missed.

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* This review is based on an eBook I received courtesy of the publisher, Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley

Celebrating Debutantes 2016: Girls in the Moon by Janet McNally (Author Interview + Giveaway)

Happy Sunday everyone!

I’m so excited for today not only because I’m going to meet New York times best selling author Morgan Matson in few hours but also because I am featuring another wonderful author and novel on the blog. Debut author Janet McNally answers few questions for me about her upcoming YA contemporary novel, Girls in the Moon. I am told that this novel is wonderfully told which I am really looking forward of experiencing myself. Contemporary novels are usually those reads that give me all the feels and Girls in the Moon seems one of those reads.

To learn more about Girls in the Moon and the author, Janet McNally scroll down after the interview. And don’t forget to check the giveaway for a chance to win an advance readers copy of the book.

Enjoy reading the interview.

Interview with Janet McNally

I’m so excited for Girls in the Moon to hit shelves this year. It’s one of my most anticipated read. How excited are you with your first novel? Any expectations or hope?

Oh, thank you! I’m really excited. I’ve wanted to be a novelist since I was a child, when I used to write stories all the time. I don’t have many particular expectations, but it’s been fun to see what all my other debut friends in the Sweet Sixteens have been doing. I’ve learned a lot from them.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey with Girls in the Moon? When did you first come up with the idea and what were the timescales involved between the first draft and the novel being accepted for publication?

It’s always hard for me to remember when an idea first came into being. I know that I wanted to write about sisters, and since I have small daughters of my own, I also wanted to write about mothers and daughters. I love music and I’ve spent a lot of time with bands, so that part came naturally, I think. I began the book in 2014 and we sold it in early 2015.

Girls in the Moon is told from alternating points of view and different timelines. What’s the trickiest or most fun aspect of switching from one character’s head and time to the other’s when writing?

I actually wrote all of Phoebe’s parts first, so when I wrote the parts from the POV of Meg, her mother, I could really get into Meg’s POV. Her scenes are more like vignettes, and they were really fun to write. Phoebe and her sister Luna has so many questions about their mother’s past, so it was fun to answer some of those questions for myself.

Girls in the Moon has a strong focus on family. How much does this reflect on your own life?

I don’t have a sister, just a younger brother I adore. I’ve always been fascinated by sister relationships, though, so I tend to write about sisters a lot. I have three very small daughters, and that just deepened my interest, watching them develop their personalities and relationships. Also, as their mom and an artist, I was thinking a lot about what kind of artist mother I wanted to be. Writing Meg helped me to think about that.

What is one thing you hope readers will learn/get from reading Girls in the Moon?

I hope the book will make people think about all the things we don’t totally understand about the people we love. Families have their storms and their calm, but there’s always so much happening under the surface. I also love how Phoebe learns a little more about what she wants and who she wants to be. I hope the book will encourage readers to do just that.

If Phoebe would write a haiku to tease us and describe her story in Girls in the Moon, what would it be?

Secrets, sisters and
songs. The moon is always there.
Let’s tell a story.

Are you working on any project right now? What we should expect from you after Girls in the Moon?

You can expect ballet and fairy tales and road trips. Missing sisters and tiny rescue dogs. Fleetwood Mac. The Lincoln Memorial, diners, rock shows. Lots of secrets, as usual. 🙂

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Thank you so much Janet for taking time to answer all my questions above. I am really looking forward for the release of Girls in the Moon in November.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Though her family is not rock and roll royalty, Janet McNally has always liked boys in bands. (She even married one.) She has an MFA from the University of Notre Dame, and her stories and poems have been published widely in magazines. She has twice been a fiction fellow with the New York Foundation for the Arts. Janet lives in Buffalo with her husband and three little girls, in a house full of records and books, and teaches creative writing at Canisius College. Girls in the Moon is her first novel, but she’s also the author of a prizewinning collection of poems, Some Girls.

Find Janet

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Details:

Title: Girls in the Moon
Author: Janet McNally
Publication Date: November 29, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover, eBook

An exquisitely told, authentic YA debut about family secrets, the shadow of fame, and finding your own way.

Everyone in Phoebe Ferris’s life tells a different version of the truth. Her mother, Meg, ex–rock star and professional question evader, shares only the end of the story—the post-fame calm that Phoebe’s always known. Her sister, Luna, indie-rock darling of Brooklyn, preaches a stormy truth of her own making, selectively ignoring the facts she doesn’t like. And her father, Kieran, the cofounder of Meg’s beloved band, hasn’t said anything at all since he stopped calling three years ago.

But Phoebe, a budding poet in search of an identity to call her own, is tired of half-truths and vague explanations. When she visits Luna in New York, she’s determined to find out how she fits in to this family of storytellers, and to maybe even continue her own tale—the one with the musician boy she’s been secretly writing for months. Told in alternating chapters, Phoebe’s first adventure flows as the story of Meg and Kieran’s romance ebbs, leaving behind only a time-worn, precious pearl of truth about her family’s past—and leaving Phoebe to take a leap into her own unknown future.

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | iBooks | Publisher

Giveaway:

What’s up for Grab?

• ARC of Girls in the Moon by Janet McNally
  

The Rules:

• Open US residents only
• There will be one (1) winner
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• Winner will be contacted thru email & should response within 48 hours
• Ends October 9th, 2016
• Prize will be sent by the author

To enter fill out the rafflecopter form

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