{Blog Tour}: Review: The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

Title: The Truth About Alice
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Publication: June 1st 2014, Hardie Grant Egmont
Format: Paperback, 199 pages
Source: Pinoy Book Tours (Thanks guys!)
Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble |iBooks | Kobo

SYNOPSIS:

There are a lot of rumours about Alice Franklin, and it's stopped mattering whether any of them are true. 

It all started at a party, when Alice was supposedly with two guys in one night.

Soon everyone at Healy High has picked a side in this game of he said/she said. Do they believe Brandon Fitzsimmons, the most popular guy at school and the football hero of Healy? Or do they believe Alice, the girl who wears too-tight T-shirts and was caught kissing Brandon in a closet a couple years before?

When Brandon dies in a car crash, there are serious allegations that his death was Alice's fault. As the rumour mill spins into overdrive, Alice's small town becomes suffocating. And when the truth becomes a matter of opinion, something's got to give.

Misfit Review:

Do you keep quiet when people talk about you? Do you speak up? Alice Franklin's life takes a turn as she is allegedly accused of killing football star and town heartthrob, Brandon Fitzsimmons. He dies fom an accident and everyone blames Alice after some people pin her down for it. Rather than talk, Alice keeps to herself and the rumor spreads like wildfire. 

The novel is short, 199 pages long and it was a read that I would say, moved me but also made me angry. Angry in the sense that I hated bullying. To be honest, I could never see any fault in Alice's character. I mean, she's not a goody- two shoes but she's nothing but nice to people around her and in the chaos of the rumor, no one trusts her, and people would rather throw darts at her than be seen next to her. 

“There is one thing I've learned about people: they don't get that mean and nasty overnight. It's not human nature. But if you give people enough time, eventually they'll do the most heartbreaking stuff in the world.”

The narrators, four of them-Elaine, Kelsie, Josh, and. Kurt- take us into their own psyche while telling the story of how they know Alice and how they interact/ed with her. Elaine is the star of the school, seems to hate Alice but she really isn't a bad nut. She feels bad for Alice too, in ways, but would rather keep it to herself. Kelsie, is Alice's "best friend", a nerd turned popular girl after moving out or her old town. She doesn't want to lose her current image, thus, she turns her back on poor Alice. She even starts some side rumors just to keep herself around the social circle. She's despicable. Josh, Brandon's best friend and football player, is charming but is the one who accuses Alice of the accident.  Finally, Kurt, the introverted nerd who is in love with Alice and would go to any lengths to help her. But he knows something that may change the course of the story.

What the narrators may have in common is that they are all self-centered in certain degrees. As they narrate Alice's story, we dive in into their own stories, problems that may either make us understand why they are doing what they are doing or would totally make us tear their parts from the book. Kelsie's POV is the most interesting to read but also the most difficult to stomach in. Kurt is also a personal fave, especially when he has these moments with Alice.

“How much did it hurt? It was like a million paper cuts on my heart.”

Healy didn't feel like a place I would spend my summer vacation in. I felt bad for Alice ultimately. If I had some sort of power to warp myself into the book, I'd clearly tug her out of that place and bring her somewhere quiet and where she can breathe. I could only imagine what it feels like for people who are going through the same thing as Alice. This is the reason why I love that Jennifer Mathieu dedicated this novel "To all the Alice Franklins". It should drive people to stand up for themselves and know when to keep quiet. Help is always there. It's only a matter of finding the right way to seek it.

Jennifer Mathieu's writing is clean but holds that pain so vigorously that it almost hurts to turn a page. It also brings forth the subject that this does happen in real life and that it's something that shouldn't be ignored. The ending wasn't clear but it made me think that there's a way out. 

The Truth About Alice leaves you mad at the world but also aware of what truths are out there.

About the Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Jennifer Mathieu is an English teacher, writer, wife, and mom who writes books for and about young adults. Her debut novel, THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE, will be out in the spring of 2014. Her favorite things include chocolate, pepperoni pizza, and this super hilarious 1980s sitcom about four retired women called The Golden Girls. She can basically quote every episode. She lives with her husband, son, one rescue dog, one fat cat, and another cat that is even fatter than the fat cat. When it comes to what she reads, She loves realistic young adult fiction, creative nonfiction, super scandalous tell-all memoirs and unauthorized biographies, and basically anything that hooks her on the first page.

I'm so sorry if I haven't been posting Misfit Booknerds.. I have been undergoing something this August, but thank you for being helpful too! I love you! Thanks!

ARC Review: Coin Heist by Elisa Ludwig

Title: Coin Heist
Author: Elisa Ludwig
Publication: June 10th 2014, Adaptive Studios
Format: e-ARC, 225 pages
Source: Netgalley (Thank you Adaptive Studios!)
Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

SYNOPSIS: 

The last place you’d expect to find a team of criminals is at a prestigious Philadelphia prep school. But on a class trip to the U.S. Mint – which prints a million new coins every 30 minutes – an overlooked security flaw becomes far too tempting for a small group of students to ignore.

United by dire circumstances, these unlikely allies – the slacker, the nerd, the athlete, and the "perfect" student – band together to attempt the impossible: rob the U.S. Mint. The diverse crew is forced to confront their true beliefs about each other and themselves as they do the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Elisa Ludwig's Coin Heist is a fun, suspenseful, and compelling thriller, told from the revolving perspectives of four teens, each with their own motive for committing a crime that could change all of their lives for the better—if they can pull it off.

Misfit Review: 

*I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Did you say heist? Well, it definitely caught my attention when I saw this up for request on Netgalley. Coin Heist is an enjoying read, with some set backs but just as fun as some of the books I've read.

There were reasons we all cared. That was obvious. I mean, we all wanted this. Otherwise, why had we wasted our time?

So it all starts with Jason Hodges as he attempts to rob The Mint after a tour the students of Haverford Prep had to go to. Jason's dad, who happens to be the ex-head of HF, was arrested for corruption; for stealing the school's money. This leaves Jason and his Mom to live a life far from what they were used to, so Jason decides that robbing The Mint is possible. He then asks the help of the resident nerd, Alice. In the process of figuring out how, they get Benny (the jock)'s attention as well as the VP of the student council, Dakota. Together, they plan on going through with the heist while also pursuing some of their interests in the process.

The characters are indeed diverse. They narrate the story through their own, little POV's. A lot of readers compare this to The Breakfast Club, which kind of is. They each have their own personalities and quirks but reading through their own thoughts, some of the characters are a little off.

Alice is a lovable character being the geek and all. She's adorable! I just hate the fact she's doing all this because of Jason. I kind of wished that Jason would've begged her, and she's like the chill, hard to insist kind of nerd. But no. She got distracted with Jason's charms. She shared some things about her family, especially her Dad but it didn't seem to develop much in the story.

He suddenly became sort of hot: shaggy brown hair soulful hazel eyes, a lanky frame with just enough muscle.

Jason was manipulative and self-centered. I didn't like the fact that he didn't seem to appreciate everyone's efforts much. Though he seemed nice in some parts, I just felt frustrated with him. He redeemed himself in the end, that's for sure. But still, not a fan of his character!

And the only girlfriend I had in my head: Jennifer Lawrence.

Benny, on the other hand, was my utmost favorite out of all the characters. He's quiet, observant, makes a lot of point and caring. He's easily flustered, but that makes him really cute! *cue twinkling eyes*. Of course he became part of the heist because he wants to save his education but ultimately, he's a really good guy. He's like the "actions speak louder than words" kinda guy. I love him for that.

Dakota was likable. She suffers from too much pressure from her esteemed parents who want nothing more but for her to succeed. They want to keep the family connection tight with her dating the senator's son, and also going to an Ivy League school once she graduates. Her character was kind of afloat for me. She can be here and there but you'd forget about her sometimes. She was helpful in situations though but she kind of seemed dense. I wouldn't mind if they stripped off her POV from the book. But I am a fan of the Benny x Dakota pairing.

Though quite lacking in individual characteristics back-up, when they do convene and work together, they become wonderful human beings who bring life to the story. It's like, everyone turns into shining heroes and I enjoyed every moment seeing them together or just working together.

Your time hasn't come yet, my mom always said. I was getting a little tired of waiting. But unless something seismic happened at HF, I might have to wait longer.

I loved how elaborate some of the operations are such as the hacking and how exactly you could get into The Mint. Every detail of the heist was well thought out. Maybe I should try some of those tactics, although I should probably have Alice's hacking skills. LOL! 

The novel got so much better halfway to the end where they had the ACTUAL heist. My heart was pounding, I was worried it won't work out. It was written awesomely though the prom really just served as a breather for me since I was more worried with Alice and Benny making it alive! I think the heist was done with justice and I enjoyed the suspense it offered to its readers. I was glad that it was effective to me.

It was of course, a little dangerous----evidence of our crime. But it was more than that. It was a reminder of what we could do, and who we could be, given the chance.

The end was sly but also it left me hanging, though not really a cliffhanger. It felt as though it was an empty victory somehow. I wanted to know more. This may be the reason why I wasn't that invested to the characters as individuals because I won't really know more about them or what future lies for them at least. 

Elisa Ludwig's attention to detail in terms of the heist was spot on. The planning and the actual thing worked well. How I wished I was fully invested on all the characters but I guess Benny could suffice my needs.

Coin Heist was not boring at all. In fact it's quite thrilling but it's not the type of book where you wish for something drastic to happen in the beginning. It's like peeling an onion to get to it's inner layer. Indeed there were shining moments and parts I did not care for. All in all, a likable read.

 

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

My debut young adult novel PRETTY CROOKED (Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins) was released in March 2012, and the sequel, PRETTY SLY, is out in March 2014. COIN HEIST, a YA thriller, is out in June 2014 (Adaptive Studios). I live in Philadelphia with my husband and son.

WOW! That was a long review! Anyway, don't forget to check out more reviews for books, and maybe an interview with an author! Thanks Misfit Booknerds!

Mark Your Calendars: Alex London in PH

Hi there Misfit Booknerds! Another amazing author is coming to the Philippines! HOOORAH!!! 

Join Alex London for a book signing here in the Philippines, August 30.  Follow National Book Store on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more details. Tag #AlexLondoninPH to join the discussion.

For further information, check out the National Book Store FAQ's page or check it out here:

When and where is the book signing?
August 30, 2:00 p.m., at National Book Store, SM Aura

When will the registration be?
Registration opens at 10:00 a.m. on August 30 at National Book Store, SM Aura. Each guest will be asked to fill out the registration form upon arrival. First come, first served.

Is there a registration fee?
No. There is no registration fee.

How many books can I have signed? Is there a limit as to how many people can have their books signed? You may have any number of books signed as long as they were purchased from National Book Store, Bestsellers or Powerbooks, and we do not have any preset limit as to the number of people.

However, although we will take every effort to get as many books signed as possible, depending on the number of attendees, we reserve the right to limit the number of copies per person or limit the number of people in line. First come, first served.

Can I bring old books or other editions of the books?
Yes, as long as the books were purchased from National Book Store, Bestsellers and Powerbooks.

Do I need to buy on-site?
No. You can buy books before or during the event.

Can I have other items signed?
No. Only books will be allowed to be signed by the authors.

Can we have our photo taken with the author?
Yes, you can have your photo with the author when she signs your book. However, we strictly allow one photo per person only.

How much are the books?
Proxy (Trade Paperback – P419)
Proxy (Hardcover – P729)
Guardian (Hardcover – P755)

ABOUT PROXY

Knox was born into one of the City's wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

A fast-paced, thrill-ride of novel full of non-stop action, heart-hammering suspense and true friendship—just as moving as it is exhilarating. Fans of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, James Dashner's Maze Runner, Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series, and Marie Lu's Legend will be swept away by this story.

ABOUT GUARDIAN

In the new world led by the Rebooters, former Proxy Syd is the figurehead of the Revolution, beloved by some and hated by others. Liam, a seventeen-year-old Rebooter, is Syd’s bodyguard and must protect him with his life. But armed Machinists aren’t the only danger.

People are falling ill—their veins show through their skin, they find it hard to speak, and sores erupt all over their bodies. Guardians, the violent enforcers of the old system, are hit first, and the government does nothing to help. The old elites fall next, and in the face of an indifferent government, Syd decides it’s up to him to find a cure . . . and what he discovers leaves him stunned.

This heart-stopping thriller is packed with action, adventure, and heroics. Guardian will leave you breathless until the final page.

A fast-paced, thrill-ride of novel full of non-stop action, heart-hammering suspense and true friendship—just as moving as it is exhilarating. Fans of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, James Dashner's Maze Runner, Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series, and Marie Lu's Legend trilogy will be swept away by this story.

I WILL LOOK FORWARD IN SEEING YOU THERE MISFIT BOOKNERDS! COZ I DON'T WANNA MISS OUT AGAIN! YAY!

The event is made possible in partnership with Raffles Makati, Metro magazine, Chalk magazine, Sweep and SM Aura. 

Waiting on Wednesday #9: Some Boys by Patty Blount

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are just waiting to have our hands on!

Title: Some Boys
Author: Patty Blount
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Expected Release Date: August 1st 2014
Pre-order or buy on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

SYNOPSIS:

When Grace meets Ian she's afraid. Afraid he'll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses the town golden boy of rape, everyone turns against Grace. They call her a slut and a liar. But...Ian doesn't. He's funny and kind with secrets of his own.

But how do you trust the best friend of the boy who raped you? How do you believe in love?

A gut-wrenching, powerful love story told from alternating points of view by the acclaimed author of Send.

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Technical writer by day, fiction writer by night, Patty mines her day job for ideas to use in her novels. Her debut YA "Send" was born after a manager suggested she research social networks. Patty adores chocolate, her boys, and books, though not necessarily in that order.

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went (If I Stay #2)

Author: Gayle Forman

Publication: April 17th 2012, Speak

Format: Trade Paperback, 274 pages

Source: Own Copy from NBS

Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | National Book Store / FullyBooked (PH)

SYNOPSIS:

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Misfit Review: 

I just knew from the moment that I read If I Stay that it could've been the end. Cliffhangers and all, but then Where She Went presented itself and I had the gut feeling that I should read it. And it was one of the best and worst decisions of my entire life. My feelings died, leaped, died again and leaped again at the same moments. Where She Went was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

She kissed me goodbye. She told me she loved me more than life itself. Then she stepped through security.

She never came back.

The Bucket List (A Short Story)

So, it has been quite sometime since I last posted a short story. I have been writing, but somehow I find myself not confident enough to share some of my stories. But since I miss seeing what you think of the stories, I suppose that I can do with this one.

Her name was Lucy. She lived in the hospital I believe, or I just so happen to see her there, in Room 614 every day when I pass by. You see, my friend Clyde had an accident and had to go on surgery because his back got all deformed. I’m not really sure about it all, but yeah, Clyde didn’t like being alone in the hospital. His girl, Lois, broke up with him after the accident... Damn, that must’ve hurt, with the surgery and all. Anyway, he needed a friend, and being an awesome friend I am, I volunteered my ass off to help him recover at the hospital. 

It’s been almost a week since I gave away my freedom to entertain Clyde while he talked about Lois and how great she was at making cookies and laughing. I got sick of Clyde, so one day, I decided to stroll around the halls of the hospital. There wasn’t much, you know, “fun” stuff. It was like, I can’t touch anything or I’d break them. I sat at one of the staircases, just to relax, when I heard hurrying feet. A group of nurses, went on running to Room 614. That was the first time I saw Lucy.

Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title: If I Stay (If I Stay #1)
Author: Gayle Forman
Publication: April 6th 2010, Speak
Format: Trade Paperback, 262 pages
Source: Own copy from NBS
Buy it on:  Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | National Book Store / Fully Booked (PH)

SYNOPSIS: 

On a day that started like any other,

Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she'll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.

Misfit Review: 

Holding onto things is hard. You have to have courage especially if those things have lost their reason. It is so much harder to hold onto life when you've lost almost every reason for you to live. There is no more meaning to life. That's the challenge for 17 year old Mia Hall, as she goes through the brink of living and dying after losing her parents and younger brother in an accident. 

The first time I read the novel, back in 2013, I related to Mia in a way. I was operated at a young age because of a complication. I was put into this position where I was deciding whether I wanted to stay or to live. But my problem could never compare to what Mia was going through, losing her family in an accident. She had more reason to go. The second time I read it, GODS! The feeling still come surging in like a hurricane!

The Misfit Interviews with Cammie McGovern

Hi there Misfit Booknerds! So it's another awesome time to raise the spotlight to an amazing author! I interviewed Cammie McGovern, author of the newly released novel, Say What You Will! Get to know her more and how she is as an author! *book shimmy*

BASIC DEETS

What breakfast staple do you usually eat?  

• Smoothies!  I’m trying to get healthier!

As per tradition, what is your favorite color?  

• Green

What TV show are you currently addicted to?  

• Parks and Rec and Modern Family are long-time staples in my life.

Who would you like to do a collaboration with if you were given the chance?   

• I have MANY fellow writers I absolutely adore, but it’s hard for me to imagine collaborating on a long project like a novel (I feel like my first drafts are so horrible that I would never want to show them to anyone—I’d be gripped by self-conciousness and then would quickly become moody and hard to work with…) I could see doing something like a collection of essays or stories featuring kids with disabilities or something like that, maybe! There’s an idea!

AUTHOR STUFF

You started your author career with your first novel Art of Seeing but it was really Eye Contact that made you a breakout star! What would you say inspires you to write these fantastic stories?

• You’re right—EYE CONTACT has been my best selling book so far. I suspect this is because it’s the one that’s closest to my own life. It’s about an autistic boy who witnesses a murder after he’s wandered away from the school playground and into the woods. He’s pretty traumatized and can’t tell anyone what he’s seen so it’s up to his mom to figure out his clues and try to solve the murder. As the mom of an autistic boy, I can say your whole life sometimes feels like you’re trying to figure out clues for what your kid is trying to say.

Say What You Will is your current novel and has been compared to bestsellers like The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. What made you write this story about a girl with cerebral palsy and a neurotic?

• I helped start an organization called WHOLE CHILDREN that runs programs for kids and teens with disabilities which means I’ve gotten to know a LOT of these kids and I want more people to hear some of their stories.  One of the surprising things about teens with disabilities is how much they want the same things as their typically-developing peers—like friendships, love, independence, all of that.  I never would have thought my son was interested in girls and romance and then, bam, he became a teenager and started talking about it!  I was really surprised (and touched.)

When you do research for certain stories, how do you condition yourself for them? Does it take you a while to gather data?

• I read a ton.  Memoirs are fantastic, but you have to make sure you read a few different ones to make sure you aren't copying one person’s story too closely.  I read a lot of books written by people with OCD or some form of anxiety disorder.   It’s fascinating and much more common than you would think!

If you had chance to do a side story of Say What You Will, which of the characters would you wish you can extend the stories of? (Sanjay's story seems great in a way even if he is a jerk)

• What an interesting idea! I love it!   I actually have toyed with the idea of revisiting Amy and Matthew down the line a bit, like when Amy gets toward the end of college, just to see where they’re at.  I LOVED the sequel to IF I STAY where she picked up the story a few years later and the couple are so far apart, so you’re rooting for them to get together all over again.  The thing is, I don’t think I’ll do it any time soon.  My editor says aging the characters too much takes it out of Young Adult and makes it  New Adult book.  So I’d have to think about this more…

Finally, what is your advise for writers (such as myself) who wish to embark in the world of publishing and becoming authors too?

• I think you’re already doing my number one recommendation, which is READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN!  The more you read, the better a writer you become.  It’s as simple as that.  Reading expands your vocabulary, but more importantly, it teaches you about good story development, writing effective sentences, things like that.    My other big suggestion is to write as much as you can and not to get too discouraged when things don’t turn out as great as you were hoping they’d be right away.  This is how it ALWAYS is, even for people who have published many books!  I still re-read first drafts and think, how can I be this bad when I've written books that are good? Terrible first drafts can turn into very good books, it just takes a lot of work. 

DEDICATION

I want to thank Cammie for all of her kindness throughout the process and for giving me the time of day! I LOVE YOU! And you can interact with Cammie too through her social media sites: Twitter, Facebook and her Goodreads! She is really nice!

I wouldn't have done any of this without your support Misfit Booknerds! You are all amazing!