Book Review: You Were Here

Title: You Were Here

Author: Cori McCarthy

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Source: Borrowed from Library

On the anniversary of her daredevil brother's death, Jaycee attempts to break into Jake's favorite hideout—the petrifying ruins of an insane asylum. Joined by four classmates, each with their own brand of dysfunction, Jaycee discovers a map detailing her brother's exploration and the unfinished dares he left behind.

As a tribute to Jake, Jaycee vows to complete the dares, no matter how terrifying or dangerous. What she doesn't bargain on is her eccentric band of friends who challenge her to do the unthinkable: reveal the parts of herself that she buried with her brother.

Zodiac Reread Campaign: Black Moon

Title: Black Moon

Series: Zodiac

Author: Romina Russell

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: December 6, 2016

Source: Penguin Teen for Review Consideration

Book Three in the breathtaking sci-fi space saga inspired by astrology that will stun fans of the Illuminae Files and Starbound series.

One final secret stands between Rho and the enemy. But will the devastating truth be enough to destroy her first?
Rho, the courageous visionary from House Cancer, lost nearly everything when she exposed and fought against the Marad, a mysterious terrorist group bent on destroying balance in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now, the Marad has disappeared without a trace, and an uneasy peace has been declared.

But Rho is suspicious. She believes the Master is still out there in some other form. And looming over all are the eerie visions of her mother, who died many years ago, but is now appearing to Rho in the stars.

When news of a stylish new political party supported by her best friend, Nishi, sends Rho on another journey across the galaxy, she uses it as an opportunity to hunt the hidden master and seek out information about her mother. And what she uncovers sheds light on the truth–but casts darkness upon the entire Zodiac world.

Book Review: The Princess Diarist

Title: The Princess Diarist

Author: Carrie Fisher

Publisher: Blue Rider Press

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Source: Purchased

The Princess Diarist is Carrie Fisher’s intimate, hilarious and revealing recollection of what happened behind the scenes on one of the most famous film sets of all time, the first Star Wars movie.

When Carrie Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved—plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Today, her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a (sort-of) regular teenager.

With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time—and what developed behind the scenes. And today, as she reprises her most iconic role for the latest Star Wars trilogy, Fisher also ponders the joys and insanity of celebrity, and the absurdity of a life spawned by Hollywood royalty, only to be surpassed by her own outer-space royalty. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, The Princess Diarist brims with the candor and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into the type of stardom that few will ever experience.

Book Review: Black Moon

Title: Black Moon

Series: Zodiac

Author: Romina Russell

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: December 6, 2016

Source: Penguin Teen for Review Consideration

Book Three in the breathtaking sci-fi space saga inspired by astrology that will stun fans of the Illuminae Files and Starbound series.

One final secret stands between Rho and the enemy. But will the devastating truth be enough to destroy her first?
Rho, the courageous visionary from House Cancer, lost nearly everything when she exposed and fought against the Marad, a mysterious terrorist group bent on destroying balance in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now, the Marad has disappeared without a trace, and an uneasy peace has been declared.

But Rho is suspicious. She believes the Master is still out there in some other form. And looming over all are the eerie visions of her mother, who died many years ago, but is now appearing to Rho in the stars.

When news of a stylish new political party supported by her best friend, Nishi, sends Rho on another journey across the galaxy, she uses it as an opportunity to hunt the hidden master and seek out information about her mother. And what she uncovers sheds light on the truth–but casts darkness upon the entire Zodiac world.

Soundtrack Saturday (62)

Happy Saturday, everyone! Most of you might know that Soundtrack Saturday was once a pretty prominent feature here on The Hardcover Lover. But life and crappy people got in the way, so I stopped doing the posts for a while. Now I'm ready to start tacking the meme that I've invested so much time in, and it starts today! 

In case you aren't familiar with Soundtrack Saturday, it's a bookish meme that I created a little bit after starting my blog to blend my love of books and music together. Each Saturday I'll choose a book and create a playlist that captures the essences of the plot, themes, and characters. 

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.

Want to participate? Awesome! Just follow these simple steps below to join in on the fun!

• 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

Blog Tour: Black Moon

Title: Black Moon

Series: Zodiac

Author: Romina Russell

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: December 6, 2016

Book Three in the breathtaking sci-fi space saga inspired by astrology that will stun fans of the Illuminae Files and Starbound series.

One final secret stands between Rho and the enemy. But will the devastating truth be enough to destroy her first?

Rho, the courageous visionary from House Cancer, lost nearly everything when she exposed and fought against the Marad, a mysterious terrorist group bent on destroying balance in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now, the Marad has disappeared without a trace, and an uneasy peace has been declared in the Zodiac Galaxy.

But Rho is suspicious. She believes the Master is still out there in some other form. And looming over all are the eerie visions of her mother, who died many years ago, but is now appearing to Rho in the stars.

When news of a stylish new political party supported by her best friend, Nishi, sends Rho on another journey across the galaxy, she uses it as an opportunity to hunt the hidden master and seek out information about her mother. And what she uncovers sheds light on the truth--but casts darkness upon the entire Zodiac world.

Book Review: Level Up

Title: Level Up

Author: Gene Luen Yang

Artwork: Thien Pham

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Square Fish

Publication Date: July 19, 2016 (Originally Published in 2011)

Source: Library

From Gene Luen Yang, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and author of American Born Chinese, comes amagical realist coming-of-age tale, by turns whimsical and deadly serious.

Nothing is what it seems when life collides with video games.
Dennis Ouyang has always struggled in the shadow of his parents’ expectations: Stay focused in high school, do well in college, go to medical school, and become a gastroenterologist.

But between his father’s death, his academic burnout, and his deep (and distracting) love of video games, Dennis can’t endure. He’s kicked out of college. And that’s when things get . . . weird.

Four adorable—but bossy—angels, straight out of a sappy greeting card, appear and take charge of Dennis’s life. He’s back on track to become a gastroenterologist. But is he living the life he wants?

Partnered with the deceptively simple, cute art of Thien Pham, Gene Yang has returned to the subject he revolutionized with American Born Chinese. Whimsical and serious by turns, Level Up is a new look at the tale that Yang has made his own: coming of age as an Asian American.

Book Review: What Light

Title: What Light

Author: Jay Asher

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

From Jay Asher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, comes a romance that will break your heart, but soon have you believing again. . . .

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.

I Hope You Forgive Me

Hey, everyone! I've got a really special post lined up for you today, especially for those of you who wish you could turn back the hands of time and go back to your teenage years.

Today, YA author Liza M. Weimer is launching a new initiative called I Hope You Forgive Me. This revolutionary new website calls on teens and adults to anonymously share moments from their teenage years when they could have asked for forgiveness but didn't...

During your teen years…

Who hasn’t done something stupid? Thoughtless? Rude? Cruel? Mean?

Who hasn’t made mistakes? Done things they regret?

Who hasn’t been afraid to ask forgiveness, but instead chose silence?

Who hasn’t wished they had said, “I’m sorry,” but now it’s too late?

It’s not.

I HOPE YOU FORGIVE ME is the opportunity to share your burden. To admit what you’ve done. Anonymously. So that teens can learn from your experience.

Let’s make a difference. Together.

Blog Tour: Zebulon Finch, Volume II + GIVEAWAY

Title: The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume II (Empire Decayed)

Author: Daniel Kraus

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 25, 2016

A murdered teen is resurrected to walk the earth for more than a century in the second and final book in the sweeping epic that Entertainment Weekly called “utterly riveting.”

Zebulon Finch has faced more violence, lust, and heartbreak than any other seventeen-year-old in history. But nothing can prepare him for what is coming next.

Half a century has passed since Zebulon Finch was gunned down and then inexplicably resurrected to experience a second life. Picking up his tale where he left off, Zebulon heads to Nazi Germany on a top-secret mission. From there he escapes to the shiny new world of the suburbs—a tidy neighborhood hiding dark secrets. He will exchange the pains of this world for what he believes will be peace among the stars. He will march for social change all the way to Woodstock, go raving mad in the desert, and finally exit from humanity the only way he knows how. We first met Zebulon sealed in a tomb beneath the World Trade Center—might he yet crawl from the rubble to discover a different America?

Enthralling and gut-wrenching, The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume Two: Empire Decayed is the conclusion to the epic saga of one young man’s journey down the long road to redemption.

ARC Review: Heartless

Title: Heartless

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: November 8, 2016

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.

Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Waiting on Wednesday (81)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight on some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

DNF Review: Good in Bed

Title: Good in Bed (Fifteen Anniversary Edition)

Series: Cannie Shapiro

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: April 2, 2002 (first published in 2001)

Source: Atria Books via NetGalley for Review

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner brings to life an irresistibly funny and relatable heroine in the novel The Boston Globe called “funny, fanciful, extremely poignant, and rich with insight.”

For twenty-eight years, things have been tripping along nicely for Cannie Shapiro. Sure, her mother has come charging out of the closet, and her father has long since dropped out of her world. But she loves her friends, her rat terrier, Nifkin, and her job as pop culture reporter for The Philadelphia Examiner. She’s even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body.

But the day she opens up a national women’s magazine and sees the words “Loving a Larger Woman” above her ex-boyfriend’s byline, Cannie is plunged into misery…and the most amazing year of her life. From Philadelphia to Hollywood and back home again, she charts a new course for herself: mourning her losses, facing her past, and figuring out who she is and who she can become.

Waiting on Wednesday (80)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight on some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

Waiting on Wednesday (79)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight on some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

Soundtrack Saturday (61)

It's Saturday, and if you're familiar with my blog, you know that means that it's time for Soundtrack Saturday! 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

ARC Review: The Memory of Things

Title: The Memory of Things

Author: Gae Polisner

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

The powerful story of two teenagers finding friendship, comfort, and first love in the days following 9/11 as their fractured city tries to put itself back together.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down from the window of Stuyvesant High School. Moments later, terrified and fleeing home to safety across the Brooklyn Bridge, he stumbles across a girl perched in the shadows. She is covered in ash and wearing a pair of costume wings. With his mother and sister in California and unable to reach his father, a New York City detective likely on his way to the disaster, Kyle makes the split-second decision to bring the girl home. What follows is their story, told in alternating points of view, as Kyle tries to unravel the mystery of the girl so he can return her to her family. But what if the girl has forgotten everything, even her own name? And what if the more Kyle gets to know her, the less he wants her to go home? The Memory of Things tells a stunning story of friendship and first love and of carrying on with our day-to-day living in the midst of world-changing tragedy and unforgettable pain—it tells a story of hope.

ARC Review: The Possibility of Somewhere

Title: The Possibility of Somewhere

Author: Julia Day

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Source: eARC from St. Martin's Griffin for Review

Together is somewhere they long to be.

Ash Gupta has a life full of possibility. His senior year is going exactly as he’s always wanted-- he's admired by his peers, enjoying his classes and getting the kind of grades that his wealthy, immigrant parents expect. There's only one obstacle in Ash's path: Eden Moore—the senior most likely to become class valedictorian. How could this unpopular, sharp-tongued girl from the wrong side of the tracks stand in his way?

All Eden's ever wanted was a way out. Her perfect GPA should be enough to guarantee her a free ride to college -- and an exit from her trailer-park existence for good. The last thing she needs is a bitter rivalry with Ash, who wants a prized scholarship for his own selfish reasons. Or so she thinks. . . When Eden ends up working with Ash on a class project, she discovers that the two have more in common than either of them could have imagined. They’re both in pursuit of a dream -- one that feels within reach thanks to their new connection. But what does the future hold for two passionate souls from totally different worlds?

Waiting on Wednesday (78)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly, bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The meme helps book bloggers and readers shine a spotlight on some of the many upcoming releases that we are all patiently (but most likely impatiently) waiting on. Get it? You can find out more information on the meme on her blog, Breaking the Spine.

So you're interested in sharing some of the books you're waiting on with your readers!? That's great! To participate in Jill's meme, all you need to do is:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Link up to the Linky on Jill's blog

ARC Review: The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart

Title: The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: September 13, 2016

Source: Bloomsbury for Review

Add it to Goodreads

Lionel is a wild boy, who doesn’t much like to be around other people. He’d rather be a purring cat or a wolf stalking the woods.

Marybeth is a nice girl. She doesn’t need to be told to comb her hair or brush her teeth, and she’s kind to everyone at the orphanage . . . Lionel most of all.

Different though they are, Lionel and Marybeth are best friends in a world that has forgotten about them. So when a mysterious blue spirit possesses Marybeth—and starts to take control—they know they must stop it before the real Marybeth fades away forever.