Blog Tour: Zebulon Finch, Volume I + GIVEAWAY

Title: The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume I

Author: Daniel Kraus

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

May 7, 1896. Dusk. A swaggering seventeen-year-old gangster named Zebulon Finch is gunned down on the shores of Lake Michigan. But after mere minutes in the void, he is mysteriously resurrected.

His second life will be nothing like his first.

Zebulon’s new existence begins as a sideshow attraction in a traveling medicine show. From there, he will be poked and prodded by a scientist obsessed with mastering the secrets of death. He will fight in the trenches of World War I. He will run from his nightmares—and from poverty—in Depression-era New York City. And he will become the companion of the most beautiful woman in Hollywood.

Love, hate, hope, and horror—Zebulon finds them. But will he ever find redemption?

Ambitious and heartbreaking, The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume One: At the Edge of Empire is the epic saga of what it means to be human in a world so often lacking in humanity.

Soundtrack Saturday (58)

Hey, there everyone, and welcome to this week's Soundtrack Saturday post! I've got something really special lined up for you today, so be sure to keep reading to find out just what it is!

So anyone who might be new to my blog (or oblivious to this meme) might be thinking, "What on Earth is Soundtrack Saturday?" Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I could share my love of books and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist full of songs based on the characters, the plot, and the themes in the book.

But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Book Review: The Fixer

Title: The Fixer

Series: The Fixer

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Format: Hardcover, 372 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Publication Date: July 7, 2015

Source: Won from Bloomsbury's Twitter Account

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This thriller YA is Scandal meets Veronica Mars.

Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.

And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for this compelling teen drama with a political twist.

Book Review: Vanishing Girls

Title: Vanishing Girls

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: March 10, 2015

Source: Purchased

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New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

Soundtrack Saturday (47)

I love books, and I love music. But I love it when the two are paired up, so I thought I'd create a feature to highlight two of my favorite things in the world! Soundtrack Saturday is a meme created and hosted by me, right here on The Hardcover Lover! So what is Soundtrack Saturday? It's a feature about bookish playlists! Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist based on it! But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Soundtrack Saturday (43)

I love books. I love music. I love it when the two are paired up, so I thought I'd create a feature to highlight both of my loves.

Soundtrack Saturday is a meme created and hosted by me, right here on The Hardcover Lover! So what is Soundtrack Saturday? It's a feature about bookish playlists! Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist based on it! But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Soundtrack Saturday (40)

Soundtrack Saturday is a meme created and hosted by me, right here on my blog, The Hardcover Lover!

So what exactly is Soundtrack Saturday? Well, first of all, it's a book meme that combines book and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book that I've read (either recently or from years and years ago), and I create a playlist or soundtrack for it.

I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine!
• Create a mini (four songs) or full soundtrack (ten-fifteen + songs) for that book based on characters and plot details
• For more detailed instructions on how to create your own playlist, please visit the meme's homepage. (You could also click the link in my navigation bar!)
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Book Review: Joyride

Title: Joyride

Author: Anna Banks

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

Source: From Author for Review

Add it to Goodreads

A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.

It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.

All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.   

Hello?: A Pretty Epic Book Sale + GIVEAWAY

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

YA author Liza M. Wiemer has a special announcement for everyone this Valentine's Day weekend. You can grab a copy of her book, Hello? for just $0.99! That's right! You can curl up with Hello? for under one dollar this weekend! That sounds like an epic Valentine's Day deal to me!

Title: Hello?

Author: Liza Wiemer

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Publication Date: November 10, 2015

Add it to Goodreads

One HELLO can change a life. One HELLO can save a life.

Tricia: A girl struggling to find her way after her beloved grandma's death.
Emerson: A guy who lives his life to fulfill promises, real and hypothetical.
Angie: A girl with secrets she can only express through poetry.
Brenda: An actress and screenplay writer afraid to confront her past.
Brian: A potter who sets aside his life for Tricia, to the detriment of both.

Linked and transformed by one phone call, Hello? weaves together these five Wisconsin teens' stories into a compelling narrative of friendship and family, loss and love, heartbreak and healing, serendipity, and ultimately hope.
Told from all five viewpoints: narration (Tricia), narration (Emerson), free verse poetry (Angie), screenplay format (Brenda), narration and drawings (Brian).

Blog Tour: Reign + GIVEAWAY

Hey, everyone, and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Reign. Yes, I'm talking about the TV show on The CW! Some of you might already know this, but there are actually companion novels to the show that give fans a little more insight into what's going on at French Court. Let's learn a little bit more about them. Shall we?

Title: The Prophecy

Series: Reign

Author: Lily Blake
Based on the Series Created by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie Sengupta

Publisher: Poppy (Little Brown)

Publication Date: January 1, 2014

Add it to Goodreads
Buy the Book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

An original novel based on the hit television series, Reign.

Since Mary, Queen of Scotland was a child, the English have wanted her country and her crown. She is sent to France to wed its next king--to save herself and her people. It's a bond that should protect her, but there are forces that conspire...forces of darkness, forces of the heart. Mary's rule, and her life, has never been safe.

Find out what happens to Mary, Francis, Bash, and the rest of the French court after the season one finale.

Long may she reign.

Title: Hysteria

Series: Reign

Author: Lily Blake
Based on the Series Created by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie Sengupta

Publisher: Poppy (Little Brown)

Publication Date: May 12, 2015 

Add it to Goodreads
Buy the Book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

France is aflame with rumors of witchcraft and treachery. Who will be burn for their transgressions? Find out in this haunting original novel based on the hit CW television show, Reign.

Something sinister has been sweeping the villages surrounding the French court. Rumors of Satan's horsemen traveling the countryside and claiming the souls of villagers have sent the people reeling into a religious frenzy and soon fear and suspicion lead them to accuse a young girl of witchcraft. After the prisoner is brought to the palace for questioning, Mary, Greer, Kenna, and Lola work to prove her innocence. But there are others who will stop at nothing to see the girl and her secrets silenced forever...

Book Review: I Was Here

Title: I Was Here

Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Publication Date: January 27, 2015

Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

Top Ten Tuesday (27)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by the lovely ladies from the book blog, The Broke and the Bookish. They created this particular feature because they love making and sharing bookish lists with their readers.

Every week, there is a new topic, and bloggers are encouraged to share their own lists with everyone in the book community. All bloggers are encouraged to create a list based on the week's theme, share it with their followers, and then link up on The Broke and Bookish.

It's really easy to join:

• Go to The Broke and the Bookish to check this week's topic
• Come up with a top ten list of your own and post it
• Share your link on The Broke and Bookish

Book Review: Lost Stars

Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Title: Lost Stars

Author: Claudia Gray

Publisher: Disney LucasFilm Press

Publication Date: September 4, 2015

Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

Star Wars meets Romeo and Juliet in this epic YA novel that follows two best friends who find themselves on opposite sides of the war between the Empire and the Rebellion.

This thrilling YA novel gives readers a macro view of some of the most important events in the Star Wars universe: from the purge of the Jedi in Episode III, to the beginnings of the rebellion in Star Wars Rebels, and through the fall of the Empire in Episodes IV-IV. Readers will experience these major moments through the eyes of two best friends who grow up in these troubling times, and find themselves on opposite sides of the war.

As with other Journey to Episode VII titles, hints about the upcoming film will be included in the narrative, as well a original, post-Episode VI content that sets up the new film.

DUAL NARRATIVE: Chapters alternate perspectives between our two protagonists – one a Rebel pilot, the other an Imperial officer. By exploring these two different worlds, readers will experience many of the major moments in the original Star Wars trilogy – from the destruction of the Death Star to the battle of Hoth – through these two characters' eyes.

Book Review: Beware the Power of the Dark Side

Title: Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side!

Series: Star Wars Illustrated Novels

Author: Tom Angleberger

Publisher: Disney LucasFilm Press

Publication Date: September 22, 2015

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Acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author Tom Angleberger delivers a captivating retelling of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi like you've never experienced before, infusing the iconic, classic tale of good versus evil with a unique perspective and narrative style that will speak directly to today's young readers while enhancing the Star Wars experience for core fans of the saga.

This illustrated novel is the third in the highly-anticipated series and features richly detailed art by celebrated Star Wars concept artist Iain McCaig-the creative mind behind the prequels characters Darth Maul and Padm Amidala. Fans old and new will be delighted by this beautifully crafted book and the unexpected twists in this retelling of a beloved story. 

Book Review: So You Want to Be a Jedi?

Title: The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?

Series: Star Wars Illustrated Novels

Author: Adam Gidwitz

Age Level: Middle Grade

Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

Will you become the next great Jedi?

Acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author Adam Gidwitz delivers a captivating retelling of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back as you've never experienced before, dropping you right in the middle of the action.

You are Luke Skywalker, taking your first steps toward becoming the greatest Jedi in the galaxy. But the way will not be easy, and the power of the dark side is strong....

Book Review: The Princess, The Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy

Title: A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and The Farm Boy

Series: Star Wars Illustrated Novels

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Age Level: Middle Grade

Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press

Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

The galaxy is at war. Although the Rebel Alliance has won a few battles against the Empire, hope is fading. The Empire is about to unveil the greatest weapon the galaxy has ever seen--the Death Star. The Rebels' only chance to defeat it now lies in the unlikely hands of a princess, a scoundrel, and a farm boy....

ARC Review: Inherit the Stars

Title: Inherit the Stars
Original Title: Hunger, Heart, Fuel, Nation

Series: Inherit the Stars

Author: Tessa Elwood

Publisher: Running Press Kids

Publication Date: December 8, 2015

Source: Publisher for Review

Add it to Goodreads 

Three royal houses ruling three interplanetary systems are on the brink of collapse, and they must either ally together or tear each other apart in order for their people to survive.

Asa is the youngest daughter of the house of Fane, which has been fighting a devastating food and energy crisis for far too long. She thinks she can save her family’s livelihood by posing as her oldest sister in an arranged marriage with Eagle, the heir to the throne of the house of Westlet. The appearance of her mother, a traitor who defected to the house of Galton, adds fuel to the fire, while Asa also tries to save her sister Wren's life . . . possibly from the hands of their own father.

But as Asa and Eagle forge a genuine bond, will secrets from the past and the urgent needs of their people in the present keep them divided?

ARC Review: The Trouble With Destiny

Title: The Trouble With Destiny

Author: Lauren Morrill

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: December 8, 2015

Source: eARC from Delacorte Press
Add it to Goodreads

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey...

With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize.

Liza can’t imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She’s therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she’s especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens be Liza’s ex–best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that’s the band’s greatest competition.

But it’s not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza’s best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she’s about to find herself lost at sea.

Blog Tour: 2015 Debut Authors Bash with Kate Scelsa + GIVEAWAY

Hey, everyone! I'm one of the participating bloggers in the YA Reads 2015 Debut Authors Bash. It's an annual blog tour that celebrates all of the amazing debut authors and books that come out each year.

For my first ever Debut Authors Bash, I was able to interview Kate Scelsa, who's debut novel, Fans of the Impossible Life, came out in September.

Title: Fans of the Impossible Life

Author: Kate Scelsa

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: September 8, 2015

Add it to Goodreads 

 

  Ten months after her recurring depression landed her in the hospital, Mira is starting over at Saint Francis Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to pretend that she could act like a functioning human this time, not a girl who can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby.

Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn, it’s as if he’s been expecting him.

Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him like a backlit halo. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and impromptu road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives.

As Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible.

A captivating and profound debut novel, Fans of the Impossible Life is a story about complicated love and the friendships that change you forever.

ARC Review: Wandering Star

Title: Wandering Star (Zodiac #2)

Series: Zodiac

Author: Romina Russell

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: December 8, 2015
Source: ARC from Penguin Teen

Add it to Goodreads

Amazon 

Orphaned, disgraced, and stripped of her title, Rho is ready to live life quietly, as an aid worker in the Cancrian refugee camp on House Capricorn.

But news has spread that the Marad--an unbalanced terrorist group determined to overturn harmony in the Galaxy--could strike any House at any moment.

Then, unwelcome nightmare that he is, Ochus appears to Rho, bearing a cryptic message that leaves her with no choice but to fight.

Now Rho must embark on a high-stakes journey through an all-new set of Houses, where she discovers that there's much more to her Galaxy--and to herself--than she could have ever imagined.