Chocolates, First Loves and Book Crushes: Laurie Elizabeth Flynn (Interview + Giveaway)

Chocolates, First Loves and Book Crushes is a blog event featuring debut authors answering questions that I have sent them as they talk  about their Valentine's day routines, love, book crushes and more. For a list of all the participating authors, check it out here.

Laurie Elizabeth Flynn writes contemporary fiction for young adults. Her debut, FIRSTS, will be published by Thomas Dunne Books/St Martin’s Press in 2016.

Laurie went to school for Journalism, where the most important thing she learned was that she would rather write made-up stories than report the news. She also worked as a model, a job that took her overseas to Tokyo, Athens, and Paris.

Laurie now lives in London, Ontario with her husband Steve, who is very understanding when she would rather spend time with the people in her head. Laurie can mostly be found writing happily at her desk, with the world’s most spoiled Chihuahua on her lap. Laurie drinks way too much coffee, snorts when she laughs, and times herself when she does crossword puzzles.

Laurie is represented by the amazing Kathleen Rushall of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Find Laurie: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

How Diverse is "DIVERSE"?

Hi there Misfit booknerds!!! How have you been? I hope you guys are alright and are reading some "diverse" books. See? Me trying to be creative with my puns just to get to the point of this post. Anyway, about a week ago or somewhere around that time, I don't even remember, I got into a discussion when talking about Simon VS. by Becky Albertalli, about diversity in young adult novels. (Shoutout to everyone on #DiverseYABC!!!). I've actually wanted to talk about this issue for a long time and I think it's a pretty appropriate time.

Diverse books are, in a more specific context, books that represent an array of different concepts, themes, characters and who try to give a voice to communities that are for example, marginalized, misunderstood, the LGBTQIA, People of Color, those who deal with mental issues and disabilities and more. It's like a division in books that's been working overtime all the time and is now getting the recognition it deserves. It's starting to take more shape and getting a lot more appreciation as the years go by.

As the discussion started, one question that definitely ringed in my mind was, "How do you spot or find out if the representation or diversity in the book is accurate?"

Waiting on Wednesday #17: Where Futures End by Parker Peevyhouse + Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

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: Where Futures End                              

Author: Parker Peevyhouse

Publication: February 9th 2016      

Pre-order it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | The Book Depository | Kobo

Synopsis:                                      

Five teens.

Five futures.

Two worlds.

One ending.

One year from now, Dylan develops a sixth sense that allows him to glimpse another world.

Ten years from now, Brixney must get more hits on her social media feed or risk being stuck in a debtors' colony.

Thirty years from now, Epony scrubs her entire online profile from the web and goes “High Concept.”

Sixty years from now, Reef struggles to survive in a city turned virtual gameboard.

And more than a hundred years from now, Quinn uncovers the alarming secret that links them all.

Five people, divided by time, will determine the fate of us all. These are stories of a world bent on destroying itself, and of the alternate world that might be its savior--unless it's too late.

Chocolates, First Loves and Book Crushes (A February Book Blog Event)

Hey there Misfit booknerds!!! It's that month again where we all see couples hugging and kissing it out, climbing up to bed and binge watching Netflix with a bowl of popcorn, salted by tears and promises that nobody intends to keep. That's right! It's the apocalypse. No! I mean, it's February!

Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Title: This Is Where It Ends                               

Author: Marieke Nijkamp

Publication: January 5th 2016, Sourcebooks Fire

Format: e-ARC, 288 pages              

Source: Netgalley (Thanks to the publisher!)         

Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | The Book Depository | Kobo | National Bookstore / Fully Booked (PH)

Synopsis:

10:00 a.m.

The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.

The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03

The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05

Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Review: 

I've been severely excited for this book since Book Expo America. Talk about a long time and when I got the chance to review it, I was stoked. I wanted to review it earlier but stuff happened. You know the drill. But I really was clamoring for the need of it and then I got to read it.

This Is Where It Ends is not the type of book you should be reading if you are prone to heart attacks or get shocked too easily. I think that's the power of this novel: complete and total paralysis because of the shock value. A lot of the tension is built up pretty well and at some point you're actually quite scared to turn the next page.

The Round Up: The "Okay, I Got Busy" Edition (January)

Hi there Misfit booknerds!!! January was indeed a busy time for my blog wasn't it? I had so many posts it's like a total miracle *pats self on the back. I would say that this month had been quite the rollercoaster but I'm glad to be active again

Oh! By the way! This is also my first recap post ever. WOOOHOO!! Is there a way to actually do this right? Oh well.

Reviews: 

Announcement: #ADSOMReadalong

Hey there Misfit booknerds!!! If you aren't aware, I am a huge fan of V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic and reviewed it here. And if you are aware then GOD BLESS YOU! It's been almost a year since I got to read a book with such flair, spirit and grit like ADSOM!!! 

Anyway, the paperback of a A Darker Shade of Magic is now available in some bookstores and online retailers! YAY! And because of this, the gorgeous and rock star author, V.E. Schwab thought that it would be a great idea if we all did an #ADSOMReadalong on Twitter!!!

So if have not read A Darker Shade of Magic yet or even if you have, the readalong will be a fantastic opportunity for us to learn more about the book and its characters since again, gorgeous and rock star author V.E. Schwab will be joining the discussions!!! 

The read-along will happen every week throughout February!!! Here's the schedule:

Photo Journal: New Year, Reading and Being a Hermit (January)

Hi there! Another month has passed and I'm still alive! Hooray! While this year has proven to suck since a lot of my favorite artists keep dying... I really don't know where I'm going with this but January sucked a lot for my feels. But it's still the New Year and other than the deaths, my January, was quite "eventful" or maybe not.