Press Play Eric Devine *ARC Review*

When I won the Press Play Cover Reveal Party giveaway a couple months ago, I was stunned; I entered at the last minute because I just couldn't resist all those delicious books--and that gorgeous Unhinged poster *^_^*...and I won. 

*Dance jam after fist pump...*

So if you think you're never going to win a super giveaway, think again!  

Today I'm honored to share my thoughts about Eric Devine's Press Play , which is coming out in October this year. 

Again, HUGE thanks to the giveaway prize participants (Bethany Crandell, A.G. Howard, Eric Devine, Justin Holley, Lisa Ann O'Kane, A. Lynden Rolland)! You're stellar ^_^

And now...my review.

***

Truth, at whatever cost.

Because this is apparently my thing when it comes to book reviews, my one word to describe Press Play is *hardcore*.

Press Play is also gripping, provocative, and authentic, and there's loads to digest during and after reading it.

The depiction of bullying might be considered dramatic by some, but I felt it was as accurate as it was chilling. As such, some of the content is difficult to swallow...but really, that's part of the point. 

Abuse--whether in comes in the form of hazing, bullying, cyber-bullying, and/or neglect--is a terrible, terrible thing that shouldn't happen. It shouldn't be excused or permitted. Yet it does happen, and it is excused or permitted in many contexts--particularly in schools. 

Sometimes, we choose to stand on the sidelines and do nothing even though we know someone is suffering from some form of abuse--whether it's because we're afraid of the abusers, or afraid of the perceptions our peers will have about us. We all have our reasons. 

Press Play delves into those reasons and presents a solid case for doing what's right no matter the consequences, showcasing virtues like compassion, courage, determination, and honor. Devine really engages us and challenges us to consider our choices and perspectives.  

The style, setting, and characters have an authenticity about them that's difficult to come by. I'll admit the swearing was a bit much, but it did  capture the high school setting well. Still, I was overwhelmed at times. 

But I loved how each character--no matter how "together" they seemed--struggled with something on a soul-deep level...and they all tried to hide it. Press Play offers comfort and hope to all of us because we all keep secrets, and we all struggle.

And that plot! Whoa. It was riveting. I had so much fun reading this book! The cliff-hanger chapter endings were tough to resist. (Not-spoiler: I couldn't resist!) 

Me when I read a good book

The villain(s) and/or antagonists were fantastically well developed, and all the character arcs--especially Greg's--were phenomenal. One of my favorite parts about Greg's arc: his changing perspective and reaction to Alva when he begins to see Alva as more than just a bully...but also as a human being. 

Finally, I loved how the title connected back to and emphasized the theme(s). Killer ending with resolution across the board=where's the next book by Eric Devine?! :)

Final verdict: 

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About the Author:
Eric Devine is the author of multiple works of Young Adult fiction, most recently Dare Me. He is also a veteran high school English teacher, where he spends as much time teaching as he does completing field research for his novels. His work has been listed by YALSA and Booklist for reluctant readers and for Best in Sports. He and his wife have two wonderful daughters and two not-so-wonderful Labradors. Eric’s next novel, Press Play, will be released 10/28, and he is currently working on two novels. Find out more at his blog, his Facebook fan page, or Twitter: @eric_devine

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There Will Come a Time Carrie Arcos *Review*

**I received an arc via On The Same Page--@galsonthesamepg--(formerly Literary Lushes) ARC Tours in exchange for an honest and fair review**

This is going to be a rave-tastic review because man, was this novel brilliant. 

My sentiments toward There Will Come a Time can be summed up in one sentence: I LOVED IT. Arcos delivers everything a reader is looking for in a novel: from the characters and plot to the theme, it's compelling, relatable, and believable (and funny...and heartwarming...).

I enjoyed virtually everything about this book. The plot is fascinating, following a somewhat dual storyline that switches off between The Accident and The Present. I loved the idea of the Top 5 list as a plot device to move Mark forward, and the dash of romantic interest was a nice touch. 

And the CHARACTERS! Gah. I love when you can stand in a virtual room with a cast of characters and actually meet them. Arcos shaped her characters so well that I can picture each of them as well as hear their voices—and this still holds true as I write this review (I read this novel about a month ago :/ and due to external circumstances didn't write the review until now). Connecting with them was easy.

That said, I particularly felt a kinship with Mark. His voice is so easy to resonate with. It's laid back with just a touch of seriousness and a somewhat reverent, heartfelt sense of honesty...and as someone who suffers from PTSD, I found Mark's experiences and viewpoints to be especially cathartic. Arcos really Got It—the fact that PTSD isn't logical (and yet, in many ways, is), that the people around those who suffer from it really struggle with and largely fail in understanding it, and that it's just as baffling to the one suffering from the ailment as everyone else around him/her.

I appreciated Arcos' ability and willingness to explore the subjects of grief, suffering, and loss with honesty and compassion. I'm a total sucker for redemptive themes in action :)!

The only thing I found slightly unrealistic/bothersome was the time frame of Mark's recovery. Of course I realize that he isn't “fully recovered” by the end of the novel; “full recovery” is an impossibility. It's wonderful that Mark comes to accept and properly grieve the loss of his twin sister by the end of the novel because this is what the synopsis hints at with the glimmer of promise. However, I thought the pacing of that recovery toward the second half of the book was a bit rushed. (It was still enjoyable, though!)

Bottom line: If you're looking for a phenomenal read that's refreshing, funny, evocative, poignant, piercing, and/or cathartic, I *highly* recommend 

There Will Come a Time.

Final Verdict: 

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About the Author

I live in Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, to be specific, though I can’t claim myself a native. Not many can. I’m from Albany, NY–which means I’m Italian and Irish on Dad’s side and English on Mom’s side. And most of the time this information may seem incidental, except that people tell me I feel more East coast than West. What they are trying to politely say is that I at times exhibit the New Yorker sass or attitude. This is fine by me.

I married a handsome Latino man, hence the last name. We have three children: boy, girl, boy. All have curly hair. All want to be artists someday.

I have worked as a sandwich designer, health food connoisseur, tutor, refugee resettler, citizenship instructor, and camp director. But the best job, other than writing, has been that of a teacher. I taught High School English and coached Cross Country and Track for a few years in primarily urban environments, and man, I miss those kids. Although it was always a little rough to get through early American literature because there was a piece we had to read with the word seaman in it. The boys lost it every time.

I ended up getting my masters in English and Creative Writing, which really was an excuse to write. But this eventually allowed me to teach college students. My husband was happy until he realized that there really isn’t any money in it, and I should go back to teaching high school, but not many schools will let you work part-time.

I love teaching college students. They’re kind of like high school students, but older.

I’m represented by the lovely Kerry Sparks of Levine Greenberg Literary Agency and am a member of SCWBI. I’m also a National Book Award finalist for young people’s literature, which is pretty awesome for my first book! 

You know when you’ve wanted something for a long time and then it happens? What do you do with that? Say thank you.

You can find out more about Carrie on...

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Unhinged A.G. Howard *ARC Review*

WONDERLAND WAS JUST THE BEGINNING

I'M SO EXCITED!! I'm thrilled I won this beauty...and that I get to share my review of Unhinged with you before the release date!

Even better, I'm sharing the love by giving away my ARC to one lucky winner! (Giveaway will be at the bottom of the post.) 

~
Once again, A.G. Howard delivers a fantastically creepy spin on Lewis Carroll's Alice and Wonderland & The Looking Glass.

Brilliant and riveting, the tale continues the story of Alyssa, Jeb, and Morpheus...along with a host of friends (and foes) from Wonderland.

Three need-to-know details before I get into specifics:

A) If you enjoyed Splintered, you will love Unhinged. I didn't want to stop reading until the end...and then I was very, very sad because 1) it was over T_T and 2) I realized the next book coming out IS Unhinged, not the last book of the trilogy (I had a moment ^_^’)...and the ending was such a cliff-hanger!! *SMF* I really want the last installment! And so will you, because it was THAT stellar.

B) If you're looking for the most satisfying Unhinged experience, re-read Splintered before you start reading Book 2. I suggest doing so even if you don't much care about the experience (though I can't fathom why you wouldn't...) because Unhinged refers to very specific events in Splintered throughout. 

Part of the fun of reading is guessing what is coming next--or better, predicting what is coming and still being surprised--because of an author's deliciously clever hints. It's fun to note all of the connections Howard has made, and to piece them together as you're reading.

C) Don't start Unhinged under the impression that Alyssa will be going into Wonderland immediately. I know, I know...it's hard not to. But don't, because it won't happen. And if I say anything more, I may spoil it for you, so I'll be quiet.

*I won an ARC of Unhinged from Bibliopunkk. This is my honest and fair review.* 

So Unhinged is stellar :). Its versatility, wild creativity, whimsical fashion, and somewhat macabre artistic expressions easily distinguish Unhinged from other humdrum 'down the rabbit hole' spinoffs. I enjoyed every bit of it, even the bits that I normally wouldn’t have found enjoyable. 

What I enjoyed the most:

A.G. Howard’s PROSE! Howard’s writerly skills dazzle me. I’m a complete nerd when it comes to writing—especially with its finer points, like diction—and that side of me frolicked between the pages of Unhinged with abandon. Writing with such beauty it exhilarates an audience is a feat many writers have yet to accomplish. Some of my personal favorites are Franny Billingsly and Jessica Khoury…and after devouring Splintered and Unhinged, A.G. Howard has made my list.

Alyssa’s character arc! It’s stunning. While attempting to live a ‘normal’ life with Jeb, she searches out Morpheus’ heart, her family history, and herself. Her constant vigil for her betrayer adds at least 20ft of depth to her character and humanity. Like Alina in Siege and Storm, Alyssa matures rapidly; she has a lot to figure out in a short span of time. I’m most impressed, however, by her determination  after  accepting the challenge near the end of the story.

Howard’s surprises (erm, plot twists)! They delighted me. Even though she wove elements from Splintered throughout the text and loaded Unhinged with tons of clues, the plot still wasn’t predictable.

How Morpheus, my personal favorite of the men squabbling over Alyssa, is showcased (beautiful cover!). I love the mystery of him. Does he mean well? Is he really trying to help Alyssa, or help himself? On the outside, he seems contradictory, but when you delve into the center of his madness, you see the paradox…and the deeper you go, the more clarity you gain about his heart.

As he did in Splintered, Morpheus keeps us and our fashionable protagonist guessing about his ‘true nature’ throughout Unhinged. But this time, it feels different. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt I began to genuinely understand him, which is one of the reasons I’m anticipating the last book in the trilogy: I may finally reach the center of his paradoxical heart.  

What I enjoyed the least:

Obviously, I enjoyed all of Unhinged, so I don’t have much to say here.

But.

I have a confession: love triangles are one of my biggest pet peeves! I despise them, think they are the stupidest plot device (or lack of plot device) *ever*. I mean, why can’t she/he just choose one?! Is the character incapable of loyalty??

That said, I found the love triangle thing to be a bit frustrating…and yet, I admit that Howard's approach to and delivery of the triangle between Jeb, Alyssa, and Morpheus is uncannily well done. It's believable, understandable, and really does leave the reader wondering which relationship will bloom in the end. And…it actually  is  an effective device to understanding the plot and characters.

Final verdict: 4.8!

If Unhinged isn’t on your TBR list, add it! You won’t be disappointed.

*Unhinged will be released January 7th, 2014!*

About the Author

Author photo by pamlaryphotography.com 

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. Her pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Her debut YA fantasy, SPLINTERED, a dark Alice in Wonderland spinoff, is now available from Amulet Books. The sequel, UNHINGED, is due to launch January 2014.

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And now, for the giveaway :)

Know you are loved. Giving up this copy was not easy lol ^_^

Because it seems suiting, I'm going to borrow Bibliopunkk's method for this giveaway. It's easy to enter; all you need to do is guess a number 1-10,000. 

First guess is free. Every subsequent guess can be earned by sharing this giveaway on any social media site--twitter, facebook, goodreads...even shelfari. Just show me the link and you've got a guess!

It's first come, first serve, though--the first person to guess the correct number will win the ARC--so act quickly! (And don't forget to add your email to your guess so I can contact you if you win!)

Ends 12/12/13
 U.S. only (sorry, I can't ship outside US T_T) 

One winner will have an Unhinged ARC 3-5 days afterward!

So...what number am I thinking of? 

  

Unhinged ARC Giveaway Opportunity ^_^

Hello all! 

If you've read Alice and Wonderland, watched the movie(s), or just like the idea of Alice in Wonderland, Splintered by A.G. Howard would be a good book to add to your reading list. (I think I gave it 4 out of 5 stars...maybe 4.5. Anyway, I really liked it.)

Unhinged, Howard's second book in the series, is circulating among review circles...because it isn't available yet. 

But if you guess the correct numbers (between 1-10,000), you can win one of two Unhinged ARCs! Woot woot! Annnd...if you spread the word on social media sites (twitter, fb, goodreads, etc.) you get another chance to guess--one for each url you submit.

If you're interested, here is the link to Bibliopunkk's Blog.