The Contemps

Spotlight: THE BUTTERFLY CLUES by Kate Ellison

2012-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Isn't that cover just SO creepy? Here's a description for THE BUTTERFLY CLUES:

Penelope (Lo) Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. Her dad's consulting job means she's grown up moving from one rundown city to the next, and she's learned to cope by collecting (sometimes even stealing) quirky trinkets and souvenirs in each new place--possessions that allow her to feel at least some semblance of home.

But in the year since her brother Oren's death, Lo's hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. She discovers a beautiful, antique butterfly pendant during a routine scour at a weekend flea market, and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as "Sapphire"--a girl just a few years older than Lo. As usual when Lo begins to obsess over something, she can't get the murder out of her mind.

As she attempts to piece together the mysterious "butterfly clues," with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld much closer to home than she ever imagined--a world, she'll ultimately discover, that could hold the key to her brother's tragic death.

"Fascinating. Ellison has the art of page-turning down flat, and readers will be swept up by both the terror--and the romance." ~Booklist, starred review

"This book casts a spell over its readers." ~ School Library Journal, starred review

Find out more about Kate on her website, blog, or facebook.

Have you read THE BUTTERFLY CLUES? What did you think?

The Disenchantments by Nina Lacour

2012-02-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

The Disenchantments is a book about growing up and growing apart. I was able to snag an advance copy. This is one book where the characters feel so real - to the point they can make make you angry, embarrassed, baffled, and overjoyed.

Best friends Colby and Bev have a plan. After they graduate, Colby will drive Bev’s all-girl rock band, the Disenchanments, up the West Coast for a mini-tour from San Francisco to Portland. Then they will spend a year traveling through Europe.

At least Colby thinks they have a plan - until Bev reveals that she has other plans and won’t be going to Europe.

Hurt and angry Colby, is persuaded by the girls to still be the band’s chauffeur in his Uncle Peter’s vintage VW bus. And what a trip it turns out to be.

“This insightful coming-of-age story expresses how a teen in limbo learns some profound lessons about disappointment, love, and the pursuit of dreams in some unexpected places.”
Publishers Weekly

“This is a story about self-discovery and figuring out who you are and where you need to be in the big scheme of things. It is not flashy or fluffy; it is just really good writing. Make this book a part of your collection—you will not be disappointed
VOYA

“Quirky characters, each with his or her own story, are woven into the narrative, creating a rich tapestry that will make readers confident that they are in the hands of a master storyteller. Hauntingly beautiful.
- Kirkus

“Enchanting.”
- School Library Journal

Visit Nina Lacour's website.

Spotlight on Someone Else's Life, by Katie Dale

2012-02-21T06:24:00.000-08:00

Katie Dale lives in England, but still managed to get me an advanced copy of her new book Someone Else's Life via NetGalley online. I was so happy to get a chance to read her ARC and was immediately taken by the subject matter. The main character, Rosie Kenning, is dealing with an issue that has also been present in my life, although I personally identify more with the Andy character at the time (the supportive best friend). Rosie's mother was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease, something I know a lot about, but a disease about which most people know very little. It is hereditary, it is tragic, and there is no cure. Someone who suffers from Huntington's Disease is usually diagnosed late in life and faces a slow deterioration of brain cells and consequently body function. Take all this info, add in death, heartbreak, romance, road trip, and birth swapping, and you've got Someone Else's Life... and all of the big questions that go along with the age old dilemma of, "Is ignorance really bliss?"

When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

You'll definitely want to check out this book. And you can find out more about Katie at her:
Website: http://katiedaleuk.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Someone-Elses-Life/103833336373546

Kirkus says: An actress as well as a writer, debut novelist Dale clearly has a flair for the dramatic. Rosie's first-person account is punctuated by narration in another, mysterious voice; leaving this narrator unidentified contributes both to the building suspense and character development. All in all, it is a far cry from the typical disease novel. It reads the way a haunted house might, with the unexpected lurking behind every door.

Though in the end readers' patience might be tried by having the rug pulled out from underneath them one too many times, they’ll be hard pressed to let Rosie out of their sight until the last page is turned.

Spotlight on THE FINE ART OF TRUTH OR DARE by Melissa Jensen

2012-02-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Melissa Jensen's THE FINE ART OF TRUTH OR DARE comes out tomorrow and how adorable is this cover? The story sounds pretty cute too. From Goodreads:

"Pretty in Pink" meets "Anna and the French Kiss" in this charming romantic comedy.
Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Find out more about Melissa on her blog, facebook, or twitter (@meljens).

Find The Fine Art of Truth or Dare on IndieBound, B&N, or Amazon.

Spotlight on THE RIVALS by Daisy Whitney

2012-02-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

Released February 6, 2012 from Little Brown

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

Also known as Mockingbirds #2, THE RIVALS is an intriguing follow-up to the debut released by Daisy Whitney in 2011. A surprising and thoughtful book, The Rivals continues on with characters from the first book, introduces new characters and deepens connections in a realistic and edgy new story.

FROM KIRKUS

The story is ultimately driven by plot, and the author effectively shuttles readers through the twists, turns and double-crosses of the investigation as well as the ups and downs of a romance. Kirkus Reviews

By day, Daisy Whitney is a producer, podcaster and reporter in the new media business. At night, she writes novels for teens and "The Mockingbirds" was her debut. When Daisy's not inventing fictional high school worlds, she can be found somewhere north of San Francisco walking her adorable dog, watching online videos with her fabulous husband or playing with her fantastic kids. A graduate of Brown University, she believes in shoes, chocolate chip cookies and karma.

You can follow her writing blog and new media adventures at HERE

Follow Daisy on TWITTER

Spotlight: IN TOO DEEP by Amanda Grace

2012-02-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Amanda Grace's sophomore novel, In Too Deep, releases today from Flux!

I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Wellesley. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That's how rumors of rape started.

Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone's on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger--forcing me to make a terrible choice.

cover image and blurb from goodreads

Amanda Grace's debut novel, But I Love Him, was one of my favorite contemporary reads of 2011. I expect nothing less of In Too Deep for 2012, and I'm not the only one who is impressed.

It was Junior Library Guild Selection.

Kirkus Reviews says the story is "honest and constantly interesting", and it "pulls no punches."

When I see a novel that involves lies and rumors, I know it's going to be good. That type of story has huge potential for intense conflict from start to finish. There are just so many things that can go wrong before it all gets fixed again. I dare you to read the opening and not get sucked right in.

Click here for sample pages.

Check out the author's website, Twitter, and goodreads page for more about In Too Deep and her other novels, both as Amanda Grace and Mandy Hubbard.

Happy reading!
~Lydia

Spotlight on CATCH AND RELEASE by Blythe Woolston

2012-02-01T03:36:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to spotlight a sophomore novel by one of my fellow 2010 debut authors, Blythe Woolston. If you haven't had an opportunity to read her first novel, THE FREAK OBSERVER, it is a stunningly-well-written book that makes you think. And I'm not the only one who thinks so--it won the 2010 William C. Morris Award for a debut novel. I haven't had a chance to get my hands on her next one yet, CATCH AND RELEASE, but from the description, it sounds equally intense and thought-provoking.

Summary from GoodReads:

I should have died quick. But I didn't. I'm a miracle of modern medicine, only the medicine doesn't get much credit, I notice. People say I'm lucky, or I'm blessed, and then they turn away.

I'm not the only miracle. There's Odd too.

Polly Furnas had The Plan for the future. Get married to Bridger Morgan, for one. College, career, babies. Etc. All the important choices were made.

It was all happily-ever-after as a diamond-ring commercial.

But The Plan did not include a lethal drug-resistant infection. It did not include “some more reconstruction and scar revision in the future." And it certainly did not include Odd Estes, a trip to Portland in an ancient Cadillac to "tear Bridger a new one," fly fishing, marshmallows, Crisco, or a loaded gun.

But plans change. Stories get revised and new choices must be made.

Polly and Odd have choices: Survival or not. Catch or release.

From Publishers Weekly:
"When 18-year-old Polly reflects on the idea that what doesn’t kill one makes one stronger, she’s not thinking about herself. She’s referring to a local staph outbreak that killed five people and maimed two, including Polly. “It ate my eye and part of my cheekbone. It left behind a mess of bumpy pink scars that twists the corner of my mouth up on one side like I’m a half-finished Joker.”... Morris Award–winner Woolston (The Freak Observer) forces readers to re-evaluate life’s random cruelties and the idea of “survival,” as she brings her characters to the brink of death, then tosses them back in the water. Ages 14–up."

Blythe Woolston is the author of The Freak Observer, a story of theoretical physics and real grief set in rural Montana. She only started writing books because she was desperate for something to read. That desperation and the magic formula for YA--"It's not bestiality"--set the Rube Goldberg literary machine in motion. She is gainfully employed as an indexer of academic nonfiction; it is a vocation which both pays for socks and keeps a steady stream of pages moving through her hands.

If you want to treat yourself to the next installment of Blythe Woolston's brilliance, you can get a copy of CATCH AND RELEASE through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or ask for it at your local independent retailer.

Spotlight on The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

I just started an advanced copy of Jay Clark's debut YA novel The Edumacation of Jay Baker and look forward to seeing where this story goes. The main character, Jay Baker, is a funny dude, even (and perhaps especially) in the face of adversity.

About the book: Meet Jay Baker . . . or, as he is not-so-affectionately called by his opponent in the freshman-class presidential election--no comment.

A few random bullet points about Jay:
- He is stupidly in love with his best friend, cheerleading dynamo Cameo "Appearance" Parnell.
- He is also trying to score (points) with earthbound tennis-playing goddess Caroline Richardson.
- He is fighting a losing battle with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
- He rocks a touché array of pop-culture references, jokes, and puns.
- His family life cookie is about to crumble.

Root for Jay as he exchanges ego-blows with his mortal enemy, gets awkward around his dream girl(s), loses his marbles in a Bermudian love triangle, watches his parents' relationship implode, and, finally, learns to keep it real and be himself(ish).

About the author: The Edumacation of Jay Baker is the debut young adult novel of . . . none other than Jay Clark. A tennis enthusiast and former teaching pro, Jay's essays and articles have appeared in The Washington Post and Tennis Magazine.

Until recently, Jay resided in Columbus, Ohio, in a condo owned by his sister, paying his post-grad dues at various lame jobs for zero financial gain. He did hold a gym membership during this dead-end tenure, albeit by masquerading as his sister's "husband" on her corporate account. Jay now lives in Virginia with his girlfriend, Caroline Baker, whom he met through a tennis blog (long story). Things are looking up.

I have traded a few emails with the author, Jay Clark, and he was kind enough to answer a few questions. Hey, Jay! Thanks for stopping by.

1. I think a lot of us draw from our personal experiences when writing fiction, especially in the debut novel. How similar is the main character "Jay" to the author "Jay"? And which scene (if any) in this book would your friends say, "OMG, that's so Jay Clark."?

It’s weird because in real life I’m actually a vampire with perfectly tousled hair and a crooked smile. By the time I laid down in my Wi-Fi-equipped coffin to the write this book, however, that protagonist had already been done to eternal death. So then I said to myself, “What about a socially awkward man-boy with IBS, you blood-slurping stud-muff, you?” The rest is literary history.

I think Jay’s relationship with his sister mirrors my own pretty closely. Even though I’d like to take all the credit, we actually did co-write the top-two classic, “I Just Ripped One.” My sister, it must be said, is much warmer than Abby Baker, but she’s had many more years to resign herself to the fact that people are really annoying.

2. Your name is Jay and according to your Goodreads profile, your girlfriend's name is Caroline Baker. How many other names are straight from real life? What was your thought process on linking your characters in this way to folks in your day-to-day life?

Well, when I set out to write this book, it was my ultimate goal to get Caroline to sue me for libel. In any healthy relationship, it’s important to keep your special someone on her toes, and I could smell the sparks that would fly from a mile away. Unfortunately, while writing this book, C was by my side, every step of the way, being supportive (what a monster!), so she knew and approved of her namesake from the get-go. No other actual names were used with the exception of my dog Buffy’s. I’m paying her royalties in biscuits, though, so she’s totally cool with it. I say that and there’s probably a dog lawsuit in my mailbox right now.

3. Jay is a pop-culture phe-nom. In all of his conversations, he jokes by dropping a pun or slipping in a reference to a current event. That would be exhausting to someone who wasn't just totally aware of the world around him, and yet, he was so unaware of his own small personal world (i.e. what was happening with his parents and figuring out girls). Are you a pop-culture junkie?

Hmm… That’s like saying to Thomas Harris, “Hannibal Lector is very manipulative and clearly relishes eating people – are you yourself a sociopath who enjoys human liver, fava beans, and a nice Chianti?” Kind of puts the author in a defensive position. No fair! J

But to indirectly answer your question, I think we all have our blind spots. You can be the sharpest crayon in the box but still forget where you put your car keys every morning (hollaback, all you absent-minded professors out there!). Part of what makes life a box of chocolates is that we, as humans, become so self-involved that we forget to notice the big, fat elephant in the room that’s taking a dump right in front of us. I guess I don’t think it’s a stretch that Jay could be both intelligent and naïve at the same time, especially at fifteen.

4. And lastly, it seemed that when things started to get too personal or uncomfortable for Jay, he would make a joke. Did you consciously choose to allow Jay to escape getting real in this way?

No, I was actually in a self-induced coma the whole time I was writing this book. I’m just too humble to put a “Miraculously conceived!” starburst on the cover, despite my publicist’s insistence.

Oops, I just got uncomfortable and made a joke just then—like protagonist, like author.

Consciously or not, you’ve touched on the central theme of the book. In the beginning, Jay and Cam use their (alleged) wit to ward off anything serious from coming their way. It catches up to both of them, of course, as all bad coping mechanisms do, and Cam’s insouciant reaction to the hot-mess-in-progress is sort of a wake-up call for Jay. From then on, he fights against throwing a blanket of jokes puns (and bad metaphors like this one) over his problems. Being that old habits die a slow, slow death, though, he has his work cut out for him. Whether or not he finds a happy medium by the conclusion is up for debate…if anyone is still reading this.

Booklist says: First off: not a thing happens here that’s unusual for a teen, or a teen book for that matter... But the magic lies in the telling. Jay, a large-hearted wiseass who’s nearly impossible to dislike, has a narrative patter so deeply laced with groaner puns, pop-culture bombs, and warp-speed free associations that it’s almost a new language.
Read full review here.

Look for Jay online:
Twitter: @jaypatrickclark
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jayclark.author

You can order Jay's book lots of places already, like B&N.com, Amazon, and by calling any independent bookstore. Don't forget bookstores like Books A Million, Joseph-Beth, and small local independents... I think even Walmart will be carrying this one! Remember you can pre-order a book anywhere, not just at a few online places. Thanks for reading and supporting YA authors like Jay!

Spotlight on CRACKED by K.M. Walton

2012-01-25T03:39:00.000-08:00

Ever since I heard about this book from my editor (who also happens to have edited this book) I've wanted to read it.

Summary from GoodReads:

Sometimes there's no easy way out.

Victor hates his life. He has no friends, gets beaten up at school, and his parents are always criticizing him. Tired of feeling miserable, Victor takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills—only to wake up in the hospital.

Bull is angry, and takes all of his rage out on Victor. That makes him feel better, at least a little. But it doesn't stop Bull's grandfather from getting drunk and hitting him. So Bull tries to defend himself with a loaded gun.

When Victor and Bull end up as roommates in the same psych ward, there's no way to escape each other or their problems. Which means things are going to get worse—much worse—before they get better….

I LOVE the idea of two enemies trapped in a psych ward together! Can't you just feel the tension of it?

James Howe, bestselling author of THE MISFITS, says... "In this powerful debut novel, K.M. Walton takes an unrelenting look at the corrosive effects of bullying, sometimes coming from where one would least expect it. CRACKED crackles with emotional intensity from beginning to end."

K.M/ Walton stopped by for a short interview about her and her writing.

1. What inspired you to write CRACKED?
I was at an SCBWI Winter Conference in NYC when I heard one of the editors speak on books with alternating points of view. My writerly interest was piqued. Back in my hotel room, I toyed with what two characters would be interesting to alternating between. After some brainstorming, I decided a bully and his victim would make for a compelling story.

2. What did you write as a teen?
I was a big “Dear Diary” gal when I was a teenager, and I have them all. I don’t know if I’ve ever read anything more hilarious than my 8th grade diary. All I wrote about was how I wanted my boyfriend at the time to kiss me longer than one second—like the entire diary is filled with my wishing it would happen. It’s priceless.

3. What's the last YA Contemporary novel that you read and loved?
I loved EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS by A. S. King. She is a fiercely talented writer.

K.M. Walton writes contemporary YA, middle grade suspense, picture books and nonfiction. Her debut contemporary YA novel, CRACKED released out from Simon Pulse ~ Simon & Schuster January 3, 2012. She is fortunate to be represented by the lovely Sarah LaPolla from Curtis Brown Ltd.

K. M. had a gazillion dreams when she was a little girl. Her biggest dream was to be a teacher. Teaching became a reality for K. M. and she taught for twelve glorious years – some of it in Osteen, Florida and most of it in Springfield, Pennsylvania. But, it turns out writing is her favorite thing to do. Even the hard parts – and there are a lot of hard parts.

K.M. Walton also co-authored a book on the teaching of mathematics called TEACHING NUMERACY: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking published by Corwin Press.

You can pick up your copy of CRACKED from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or from your favorite independent bookstore.

Spotlight: MY AWESOME/AWFUL POPULARITY PLAN by Seth Rudetsky

2012-01-23T18:39:00.000-08:00

I'm all about the arts-related books (obviously!) and this one drew me to it not just because it features choir kids, but because the author, Seth Rudetsy, is active on and off Broadway. Check out his bio right here. His first novel for teens is called MY AWESOME/AWFUL POPULARITY PLAN.

Here's the description from Goodreads:

Justin has two goals for sophomore year: to date Chuck, the hottest boy in school, and to become the king of Cool U, the table in the cafeteria where the "in" crowd sits.

Unfortunately, he has the wrong look (short, plump, Brillo-pad curls), he has the wrong interests (Broadway, chorus violin), and he has the wrong friends (Spencer, into Eastern religions, and Mary Ann, who doesn't shave her armpits). And Chuck? Well, he's not gay; he's dating Becky, a girl in chorus with whom Justin is friendly.

But Justin is determined.

In detention one day (because he saw Chuck get it first), Justin comes up with a perfect plan: to allow Becky to continue dating Chuck, whom Becky's dad hates. They will pretend that Becky is dating Justin, whom Becky's dad loves. And when Becky and Justin go out on a fake date, Chuck will meet up with them for a real date with Becky. Chuck's bound to find Justin irresistible, right? What could go wrong?

I can't wait to read this! And now, I'm off to check out Seth's Sassy Blog. :-)

Spotlight: TRY NOT TO BREATHE by Jennifer R. Hubbard

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Jennifer R. Hubbard's sophomore novel, Try Not to Breathe, releases tomorrow, January 19.

Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive. He’s sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan’s depression that no one else has ever been brave enough—or cared enough—to ask. Ryan isn’t sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again.

blurb and cover image from goodreads

I can't even begin to express how excited I am for this novel. Anything that features a suicidal, or post-suicidal, character who finds a way to move past that is automatically bumped up to the top of my to-read list.

For me, it's personal. Reading stories like this remind me where I've been, where people close to me have been (psych ward? not exactly a fun place to visit), and more importantly, how we each got to where we are now. They remind me how devastatingly loud your own thoughts can be. But they also remind me there is hope, for anyone, and that the best remedy for suicidal depression is often not something prescribed by a doctor. It's just... having a friend, someone who genuinely cares, someone who will listen to what you need to get out of your head, no matter how dark it is. Someone who won't judge you for feeling the way you do.

Someone who wants you to live. All it takes is one person.

Try Not to Breathe takes it a step further, exploring how someone puts their life back together after a suicide attempt. In the author's own words, "I see this book mostly as a story of learning how to live."

And the dedication page pretty much says it all:

This book is for those who survived, and in memory of those who did not.

Where to find the book:

IndieBound
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Where to find the author:

website
Twitter
other

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-01-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

First off, I want to marry this cover. Like picket-fence, 2.5 children and a dog, grow old together MARRY this cover.

Summary from Amazon:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Plane love. I believe in it, although I'm always the one who gets stuck by the smelly guys who hates my children and falls asleep on my shoulder. I've been excited about this book ever since it sold and buzz started building with loads of international sales. Contemporary books don't always fare as well in the global market, so yay for a book that's getting love all over! And it's easy to see why--I love this book. Start with a charming idea, add a solid voice and emotional truths and you'll find a book that is PERFECT for you next plane ride. Just ask the NYT review....

“The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight,” Jennifer E. Smith’s latest novel, is a gorgeous, heartwarming reminder of the power of fate and an echo of the timeworn motherly advice that love could be just around the corner, and that it will come when you least expect it."

Read Full Review

Spotlight: DITCHED by Robin Mellom

2012-01-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

Doesn't this book sound fun?

From Goodreads:

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.

Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.

Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

And then ditched her.

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...

But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.

Filled with humor, charm, and romance, Ditched: A Love Story by debut novelist Robin Mellom will have readers dreaming of love on their own prom nights.

Kirkus says, "For readers with a funny bone that needs a tingle, this should hit the spot."

I really wish there was more funny in YA, so I'm looking forward to reading this one!

Spotlight: BITTERSWEET by Sarah Ockler

2012-01-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to spotlight Sarah Ockler's latest YA novel, BITTERSWEET. Cupcakes and hockey players? How's that for a winning combination? I really cannot wait to read this one. A copy is on its way to me as I type!!

Here's the description from Goodreads:

"Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…."

Have you seen the amazing trailer? I love it! I told Sarah it reminded me of one of my favorite movies, WAITRESS, and she said she likes to think of her book as WAITRESS meets CUTTING EDGE. Awesome! I think Sarah has a winner with this one.

Spotlight on DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala

2012-01-04T03:24:00.000-08:00

I love it when I get the opportunity to spotlight a book like this one today. DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala is unique, taking me into a contemporary realm that I would probably otherwise never have experienced: street life. True to her style, Holly has given us another set of authentic characters, well-developed and believable. Their relationships are complex, sometimes painful, and always gripping.

Summary from GoodReads:

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

Praise for DON'T BREATHE A WORD:
“The author's considerable narrative gifts will keep readers engaged throughout.”
—Kirkus Reviews

"[A] tense, riveting story.”
—Publisher's Weekly

“This novel recalls Laurie Halse Anderson’s SPEAK.”
—Booklist

“A gorgeously written, intense page-turner. This is a beautiful book.”
—Courtney Summers, author of SOME GIRLS ARE

Holly has some wonderful events coming up to celebrate the release of DON'T BREATHE A WORD, including an extensive blog tour and a collaborative author video. Check out her website at www.hollycupala.com

Here's a TWO CHAPTER PREVIEW of DON'T BREATHE A WORD, or to pick up a copy of the book, check out Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or your local independent retailer.

Spotlight: The Queen of Kentucky

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Alecia Whitaker's THE QUEEN OF KENTUCKY came out yesterday and it looks super cute!

From Goodreads:

Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who prefers to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and become part of the popular crowd at her small town high school. She trades her Bible for Seventeen magazine, buys new "sophisticated" clothes and somehow manages to secure a tenuous spot at the cool kids table. She's on top of the world, even though her best friend and the boy next door Luke says he misses "plain old Ricki Jo."

Caught between being a country girl and wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her. It takes a serious incident out on Luke's farm for Ricki Jo to realize that being a true friend is more important than being popular.

Here's what people are saying:

"Whitaker's debut sparkles as she takes the reader on a tour of two unforgettable places: small town Kentucky and the heart of our charming and hilarious narrator, Ricki Jo. Whitaker is a Queen of depicting the smallest moments of adolescence and showing how it's often those moments that define us. If you like a book that can make you both laugh and cry (sometimes even on the same page), make sure you read this one!"

(Gwendolyn Heasley, author of Where I Belong )

"Whitaker paints a vivid, finely detailed picture of life in the sometime-hardscrabble heartland. But what draws the reader in is the chaotic precision of her characters, youngsters who are conflicted and frequently inconsistent, yet feel rounded and real... Solid, just like its setting."

(Kirkus)

About the Author:

Alecia Whitaker grew up on a small farm in Cynthiana, Kentucky. She is an actress and writer and currently lives in Manhattan with her husband. Alecia has performed in the New York City Fringe Festival and is a visiting creative writing teacher and ambassador for The Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts.

Contact her here:

Website: www.aleciawhitaker.com

Twitter: @aleciawhitaker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alecia-Whitaker/214702771907726

Watch the Book Trailer:

Happy New Year!

2011-12-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

We're taking this week off here at The Contemps but be assured we'll be back next year with all kinds of wonderful, realistic contemporary YA reads for you!

Here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year for all!

Spotlight: Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Eeee, I am SO excited to read this book!

Sarah Tregay is a debut novelist, and a her book is written in verse. Verse isn't always an easy sell, something I know too well, so I'm thrilled Sarah found an editor and a house to publish it! Verse lovers, celebrate, we have another book to read!

Here is the description:

Marcie has been dragged away from home for the summer—from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She’s left behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “summer vacation” has become permanent. She has to start at a new school, and there she leaves behind her Leftover status when a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?

Publisher's Weekly says, "The formal variety of Tregay’s poems creates an immediacy that should maintain readers’ interest and sympathy for Marcie."
I love these lines, taken from the novel:

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

This novel releases December 27, 2011 from Katherine Tegen Books. Happy reading!

Spotlight: Flyaway by Helen Landalf

2011-12-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

I know Helen Landalf, the author of today's spotlight book, as a member of the Elevensies, so I'm super-excited to tell you about her debut novel, FLYAWAY, which releases today from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Fifteen-year-old Stevie Calhoun is used to taking care of herself. But one night, her mom, who works as an exotic dancer in a downtown Seattle nightclub, never comes home.

That’s the night Stevie’s life turns upside down.

It’s the night that kicks off an extraordinary summer: the summer Stevie has to stay with her annoyingly perfect Aunt Mindy; the summer she learns to care for injured and abandoned birds; the summer she gets to know Alan, the meanest guy in high school.

But most of all, it’s the summer she finds out the truth about Mom.

FLYAWAY is the story of a teen girl’s struggle to hold on to what she’s always believed, even as her world spins out of control.

This book tackles a tough subject, drug addiction, with such grace and honesty. And it's received some awesome reviews. Take a look:

"Watching Stevie, a loving person at heart, struggle with her freshman year, family, friendships, and her future during her time at her aunt’s in Seattle is ultimately encouraging, and the fact that she wonders how she is supposed to worry about college when she doesn’t "even know where [she’ll] be living next week" is both authentic and relatively—and refreshingly—tame compared to the extreme dilemmas faced by so many troubled teens in similar titles."—Booklist"

Flyaway is so good I read it in one sitting. I had intended to set it aside for later, but I read the first sentence, and then the next, and by then it was too late; I was hooked!"—Han Nolan, National Book Award winner

"Fans of Ellen Hopkins and Jay Asher: Prepare to fall in love with debut novelist Helen Landalf. Filled with bighearted love and gritty realism, Flyaway rings with bittersweet truth."—Justina Chen, author of North of Beautiful

"For teens who want a realistic story but not the heft and extreme grittiness of Ellen Hopkins."—Kirkus

And here's the trailer. Congratulations, Helen!!

Spotlight on WHY WE BROKE UP by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

2011-12-14T03:11:00.000-08:00

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.
*description from GoodReads*

What's not to love about this book? I haven't had a chance to get my hands on a copy yet, but it sounds so unique and intriguing! I've heard wonderful things on Twitter about it, and here's what some of the reviewers are saying... (FOUR starred reviews so far!!!)

* "A bittersweet diatribe of their break-up arranged around objects....all the more powerful because of how they evoke truth more than any mere relaying of facts." (Booklist, starred review )

* "Characters are vivid, and their portrayal is enriched by realistic dialogue....Hander offers a heartbreaking, bittersweet, and compelling romance with a unique angle and flare." (School Library Journal, starred review )

* "As objects from the box are revealed in Kalman's vividly rendered paintings, readers are taken beneath the surface of what will no doubt be one of the most talked-about romances in teen literature....A poignant, exhilarating tale of a love affair gone to the dogs." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review )

* "Handler shows exceptional skill at getting inside Min's head and heart...lending real pathos to Min's memorabilia and making her sorrow all the more palpable." (Publishers Weekly, starred review )

And about the author and illustrator...

You may have heard of this author before, but possibly not under the name Daniel Handler!

DANIEL HANDLER has written for grown-ups under his own name and for younger readers under the name Lemony Snicket. He was dumped at least three times in high school.

MAIRA KALMAN, acclaimed artist and designer, has created many books for both grown-ups and children. Her heart was broken in high school by a boy who looked like Bob Dylan.

This novel will be available from Little, Brown Books For Young Readers on December 27th. You can pre-order a copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local independent retailer.

Spotlight: CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally

2011-12-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Catching Jordan released on December 1 from Sourcebooks Fire.

hut hut HIKE!

There's no playbook for love...

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

blurb from goodreads

Girl + sports + romance = WIN.

Sports-focused novels in contemporary YA are nothing new... but how many of those novels are also girl-centric? Catching Jordan is the only one I can think of.

“There are two fundamental things in this world that baffle teenage girls – love and football. A clever and gorgeously written novel about characters I’d love to see walking the halls of my own high school, CATCHING JORDAN manages to teach the truth about both.”

~Madeleine Rex, age 15

Touchdown!

Find out more about Catching Jordan and Miranda Kenneally on her website.

Happy reading,
~Lydia

Winter Town by Stephen Emond

2011-12-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.

Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.

Not only is Stephen Emond a talented writer, he's also an amazing illustrator. (Which makes me insanely envious of his mad, mad skillz.) His artwork plays an important role in this wonderful story in which Lucy and Evan create a comic strip together ad try to figure out their relationship and how they feel about one another.

The story is told first from Evan's point of view and then switches to Lucy's. It serves as a beautiful backdrop for the characters (and readers) to discover things are not always as they appear to be. Evan is a sweet and wonderful character and Lucy is misunderstood, but in her point of view, we get to see what is really happening in her life.

I picked up the ARC of WINTERTOWN at BEA back in May and was intrigued first by the evocative cover and then the cover copy. Of course I flipped it open and was hooked by the unique delivery with drawings, and ultimately was snagged by a great story about two characters I genuinely cared about. It's an emotional journey that made me laugh out loud in some places and shed a few tears in others. And that to me, is the sign of a great story!

Winter Town is getting rave reviews, including a STARRED REVEIW from KIRKUS!

Released DECEMBER 5, 2011, Winter Town is available everywhere! Look for it in your favorite book store!

Visit Stephen Emond at His Website
Follow Stephen on Twitter

Steve Emond does not have any superhuman powers, neat tricks, or famous relatives, but he’s a pretty cool guy who can draw. He is the creator of Emo Boy, which ran for 12 issues and two collections, and the comic strip, Steverino. He grew up in Connecticut, where he wrote and directed a public access sketch comedy show that only his grandmother watched.

Spotlight: THE CRAZY THINGS GIRLS DO FOR LOVE by Dyan Sheldon

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today we're spotlighting Dyan Sheldon's newest book, THECRAZY THINGS GIRLS DO FOR LOVE, which releases on December 13th. I'm soexcited! I absolutely love funny books and this one sounds awesome.

FromGoodreads:

In a new comedy from the best-selling authorof CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, two popular girls vie to out-greeneach other to snare a boy.

Fashion-crazy Sicilee is a poster child forover-consumption. Her archrival, Maya, wears arty vintage clothes but hasn’t aclue what’s in the food she eats. So when drop-dead gorgeous new student CodyLightfoot sets out to spread his eco-ways—and spur the Environmental Clubtoward an all-out Earth Day bash—Sicilee and Maya have their work cut out toattract his attention. What if Sicilee trades her fur boots for walking shoes(even if she can’t find the school when she’s not inside a car)? What if Mayadresses in plastic bottles and bags to preach in front of the supermarket(until security is called)? Or could it be that Cody isn’t all he’s cracked upto be, and that saving the planet really is more important than impressing aboy? With her trademark quick-fire wit, Dyan Sheldon shows just what girls willdo for love—and what earth-changing realizations they might have along the way.

Whatpeople have to say about the book:

Falling in love blends with saving the earth inSheldon's latest novel, and both dramas are passionate, urgent, transforming,and hilarious.
—Booklist

Superior comic writing combined with a major snark factor turns this full-onchick-lit outing into major fun...Plenty of witty merriment for all high-schoolsocial sets.
—Kirkus Reviews

Going green is initially more about romance than righteousness for high schoolrivals Sicilee and Maya, but their attempts to do so provide lots of laughs.Using drily funny third-person narration to expose various characters'hypocrisies, Sheldon shows impeccable comic timing and a strong sense ofirony...
—Publishers Weekly

Aboutthe Author:

Dyan Sheldon is the authorof many novels for young adult readers, including the #1 New York Timesbestseller CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, which was made into a majormotion picture. American by birth, Dyan Sheldon lives in London.

Spotlight on FINDING SOMEWHERE by Joesph Monninger!

2011-11-30T03:04:00.000-08:00

Today I'm spotlighting a new YA Contemporary novel (just out this month) by Joseph Monninger called Finding Somewhere.

Isn't that a gorgeous cover? And here's what caught my eye about this one. It's a road trip book. I LOVE road trip books like AMY & ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR, or CRASH INTO ME. Not to mention I love animals. And the love of animals. I'm a sucker for books like that every time.

Also, in a starred review, Kirkus says:
Monniger’s writing is delicious, evocative and, especially during horse-focused scenes, moving.
...a tender and authentic voyage into the mind of a wise, funny and wholly likable protagonist.

Delicious! I love it when writing is compared with something tasty and edible! Here's the official synopsis from GoodReads:
Two girls: Best friends Hattie and Delores feel that life in their small New Hampshire town is a dead end.
One horse: Old and about to be put down, Speed gets a reprieve when Hattie and Delores decide to save him.
A road trip: Determined to set Speed free, Hattie and Delores drive him west in search of rangeland. But the road takes some unexpected turns as the girls get their own taste of freedom—and as they confront the reasons they left home.

Everybody knows someone who loves horses. And I'm sure everyone knows someone who loves a tender and warm story. Why not pick it up for Christmas for them?

Biography (from the author's website):
Joseph Monninger has published eleven novels and three non-fiction books. His work has appeared in American Heritage, Scientific American, Readers Digest, Glamour, Playboy, Story, Fiction, The Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated and Ellery Queen, among other publications. He has twice received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and has also received a fellowship from the New Hampshire Council for the Arts. His young adult novel, Baby, was awarded the 2008 award for best children’s literature from the Peace Corps Writers. It was also chosen as a top ten book by YALSA, the American Library Association. The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s’ Books awarded Hippie Chick, a young adult novel, a blue ribbon for a top book of 2008.

Joseph Monninger grew up in Westfield, New Jersey and attended Temple University on a football scholarship. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso, from 1975-77. He has been a licensed New Hampshire Fishing Guide and has fly-fished from New Zealand to Wyoming’s Wind River Range. He lives with his wife, Wendy, and his son, Justin, in a converted barn near New Hampshire’s Baker River. For several years his family competed in the New England Sled Dog sprint races and ran a small sled dog business in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Laika and Willow, two sled dogs, live in happy retirement with them.

As a teacher at one time or another at the University of New Hampshire, the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island, The American International School in Vienna, and at Plymouth State University, Joseph Monninger has spent thirty years in classrooms. During the summers he directed academic enrichment programs at Williams and Amherst Colleges. He led student groups on bicycle tours across Europe, sailed the Whitsunday Islands near the Great Barrier Reef, and worked on community service projects in Montserrat, West Indies and on the Crow Reservation in Montana. He has taken a mail boat across the southern edge of Newfoundland and, as a young man, hitch-hiked across the United States three times.

Find Joseph on the web at http://joemonninger.com/

Spotlight: You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

2011-11-29T05:15:00.000-08:00

Here's what I wrote after I read You Have Seven Messages, the debut novel by Stewart Lewis: “Following Luna through a hazy grief state after the death of her mother is like a beautiful dream. This book takes your hand and leads you on a wonder-filled adventure.”

I loved the sights and souunds of NYC that sparkle throughout the book, and Luna's journey--party mystery, part coming of age, is lovely.

Check out the official description:

It's been a year since Luna's mother, the fashion-model wife of a successful film director, was hit and killed by a taxi in New York's East Village. Luna, her father, and her little brother, Tile, are still struggling with grief.

When Luna goes to clean out her mother's old studio, she's stunned to find her mom's cell phone there—charged and holding seven unheard messages. As Luna begins to listen to them, she learns more about her mother's life than she ever wanted to know . . . and she comes to realize that the tidy tale she's been told about her mother's death may not be the whole truth.

Intriguing, right? But don't just take my opinion.

“. . . a lovely contemporary fairy tale, with a sad Upper West Side princess at the heart of it, and that’s a kind of folklore that many readers will enjoy.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Recommended

“Luna is someone to weep with and to cheer for, to wish was your best friend. Readers will fall in love with Luna and her dazzling world.” --Emily Wing Smith, Author of BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE (and a Contemp!)

“The book contains various delights. . . . the love story element shines, and the book offers a nice window into the life of privileged New York youngsters, refreshingly filled with protective and involved adults.”—Kirkus Reviews

Hey, even Kirkus is in! Check out the trailer too: