Tag Archives | young adult

Something About Love – a verse novel.

By on September 5, 2014 in book reviews

I’ve always enjoyed the simplicity and complexity of verse novels. Each scene is so focused and emotional. My favorite part about Something About Love, by Elana Johnson, is the relationship between Olivia and Trevor. How she slowly sees him and their relationship in a different light, partly through the lens of her camera. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this – you might too!

Celebrate with Elana as she launches her latest book. Keep reading and learn when Elevated (Elana’s first verse novel) will be – FREE! Also, enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post for a chance to win Paypal cash while sharing the news about this book!

 

SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE: High school senior Olivia Winging gave up her love of photography when she gave up her boyfriend, Trevor Youngblood, a year and a half ago. She broke things off with Trevor because her mom married his dad, and dating your step-brother? Creepy. 

Livvy hasn’t been on good terms with her mother since, and one of her stipulations for staying at the Youngblood’s every other weekend is that Trevor can’t be there. When she gets nominated for the Junior Photography in Excellence award, Trevor insists she enter. She agrees—only if every photo in the portfolio can be of him. Knowing that Livvy can capture a person’s deepest secrets through her lens, Trevor hesitates before accepting the deal. 

As Livvy gets behind the lens of her camera again, her love of photography is rekindled. Unfortunately, the time she spends with Trevor also re-ignites the old flame for him she’s kept smothered for so long. 

In order for Livvy to finish her portfolio, she’ll have to face her feelings for Trevor as well as deal with the animosity between her and her mother. Livvy’s always been able to capture a person’s soul from behind the camera—but she’s not sure she likes it when the lens is suddenly focused on her. If she can’t find a way to forgive her mother and admit how she feels about Trevor, Livvy may end up losing more than just the photography contest. She could lose her heart. 

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Special Promo: Elevated, Elana’s first verse novel, will be FREE for five days in September as SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE releases! So get your copy of Elevated for free from Monday, September, 15 – Friday, September 19. (Elevated buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IGINRFI)

Praise for Elana’s first verse novel, Elevated:

“The taut poetry keeps tension high. The plot is deftly paced, as past intrudes on present, like a photograph emerging in developing fluid.” ~San Francisco Book Review
“Every word Johnson writes carries an emotional heft that lifts readers up to the highest happiness and then sends them crashing down to the depths of despair. It is easy to flow from the first word to the last without ever putting down the book. Johnson shows outstanding talent in this form, and her words are beautiful, important and deeply felt.” ~The Deseret News

 

Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for free download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist.

Her self-published novels include two YA contemporary novels-in-verse, Elevated and Something About Love, as well as a YA/NA futuristic fantasy series, which includes Elemental Rush, Elemental Hunger, and Elemental Release.

School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Social Media Links:

Website/blog: http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElanaJ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorelanajohnson
Tumblr: http://elanajohnson.tumblr.com/
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/elanajohnson
League of Extraordinary Writers: http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/
WriteOnCon: http://writeoncon.com/
Elana on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4044383.Elana_Johnson

 
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Prom Impossible Trailer Release!

By on April 14, 2014 in book reviews, Writing

Glad you came back! (From Friday) Or welcome if you’re just stopping by. So, I happened to create a trailer for Prom Impossible!

I also mentioned another way to win a complimentary ebook of Prom Impossible. 🙂 If you’d like to share the trailer, cover, and book blurb on your blog this week or next week, then you’ll not only receive an ebook, but a copy to giveaway to your blog followers too! I only ask that all giveaways end by April 25th.

You can share the link to your blog post with me through my contact form, and I’ll email you back the ebooks. Sound good?

http://youtu.be/FqKEQhlqVOE&w=450&h=253

1 girl + 1 prom + 3 guys = Prom Impossible

Cassidy knows that Michael Greenwood is her one true love—he just doesn’t know it. She spends her senior year helping him figure that out in time for senior prom but instead she comes close to losing her true identity, her real friends and the chance at the real thing that’s right in front of her.

Don’t forget about the big Indie Extravaganza Giveaway! Just scroll down to enter!

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Prom Impossible cover reveal and giveaway!

By on April 7, 2014 in Writing

There’s something magical about a cover reveal.

And I have one for you today! Yay! **jumps up and down**

Enter the rafflecopter below to win one of five e-arcs!!!!

 

 CLICK TO ADD TO GOODREADS!

1 girl + 1 prom + 3 guys = Prom Impossible!

Cassidy decides her senior year, including prom, will be about Michael, the boy destined to be her soul mate. One problem. He hasn’t figured that out yet.

But certain events meant as innocent pranks—that weren’t completely her fault—introduce her to Zeke, the reformed bad boy. And cutting deals in the boys’ bathroom with Jasper, the hottest guy in school, lands her in a complicated web of half-truths.

At the end of the year, she’s dateless the day before the big night but risks a lot more than her pride if she can’t fix her mistakes.

Prom Impossible is a modern-day Shakespearean romantic comedy in the world of teens, true love, and life.

Would you like to win an e-arc? Just help share the cover love with the rafflecopter below. Come back this Friday for the trailer reveal and more chances to win!
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Booklove – In the Shadow of Blackbirds

By on March 31, 2014 in book reviews

Welcome to #booklove!

Where I go on and on about books I love.

 

For the longest time I was in a reading slump. Oh, it’s not that there weren’t books to read, but I couldn’t get into any of them. Trust me. It was an awful phase. When I finally pulled out of it, I pulled out of it. The next few books and more were fantastic.

I felt like I had to share.

Click for Amazon

A little secret. But this just speaks to the strength of the book. When I saw that In the Shadow of Blackbirds was set in 1918, I almost didn’t pick it up. In fact, I didn’t. It sat there at my library. Then I saw a book blogger state that they really liked it.

So on a whim, I got it out, thinking I’d possibly read a few chapters.

I read the first couple chapters and thought wow. The writing is fantastic. It was the writing at first that pulled me from paragraph to paragraph. It was a joy to read.

Then I was introduced to this fantastic character, Mary Shelley, a girl with whispers of  betrayal in her past that puts her whole family at risk. Her father already was taken away for his views against war. So she’s sent to live with her aunt, who makes her eat onions all the time, wear onions and gauze masks to keep away the influenza epidemic. People were dying left and right. This really put me in that time period.

Yet, this story didn’t feel like historical fiction. It reads like contemporary.

This story also tears at the heart, because Mary has lost so much. Her dad first, and then she learns her longtime friend and love dies at war. Everyone is freaking out, and filled with grief, they turn to séances and photographers who supposedly can capture the spirit of your lost love.

The ending was just perfect.

While loving this story, I also caught a glimpse of the time period, which was absolutely fascinating.  I can’t recommend this book enough.

Read any good books lately? Feel free to share in the comments.

 

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Cover reveal – ELEVATED by Elana Johnson!

By on January 24, 2014 in book reviews

I’ve always been a fan of Elana’s blog and her books. She’s so honest and vulnerable on her blog, which is why she’s attracted hundreds of readers. When I learned she had something new coming out and that she was Indie Publishing it – I was psyched!

I was also extremely willing to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review – and participate in the cover reveal! I’ll give you hint – I loved it!

No need to delay. If you haven’t already seen it – here it is! Click on the cover to add it to Goodreads!

About ELEVATED: The last person seventeen-year-old Eleanor Livingston wants to see on the elevator—let alone get stuck with—is her ex-boyfriend Travis, the guy she’s been avoiding for five months.


Plagued with the belief that when she speaks the truth, bad things happen, Elly hasn’t told Trav anything. Not why she broke up with him and cut off all contact. Not what happened the day her father returned from his deployment to Afghanistan. And certainly not that she misses him and still thinks about him everyday.


But with nowhere to hide and Travis so close it hurts, Elly’s worried she won’t be able to contain her secrets for long. She’s terrified of finally revealing the truth, because she can’t bear to watch a tragedy befall the boy she still loves.

You can even preorder it on Kobo!

Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Website/blog: http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElanaJ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/possessionthebook
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/elanajohnson

 

 

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!!!

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