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TWO New Release Giveaways, Plus New Releases for this Week of 12/7

by Lindsey Hodder

It’s a bit of a slow week for new releases this week, but the books that are coming out are truly amazing … and we have two great giveaways – COME BACK TO ME by Mila Grey, and WANDERING STAR by Romina Russell!

Happy Reading!
Lindsey, Martina, Sam, Jocelyn, Erin, Lisa, Shelly, Susan, Elizabeth, Kristin, Sandra and Anisaa

YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS THIS WEEK

Come Back to Me
by Mila Gray
Hardcover Giveaway
U.S. Only
Simon Pulse
Released 12/8/2015

In this heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, a young Marine and his best friend’s sister plunge into a forbidden love affair while he’s home on leave.

When a Marine Chaplain knocks on her door, Jessa’s heart breaks—someone she loves is dead. Killed in action, but is it Riley or Kit? Her brother or her boyfriend…

Three months earlier, Marine Kit Ryan finds himself back home on leave and dangerously drawn to his best friend Riley’s sister, Jessa—the one girl he can’t have. Exhausted from fighting his feelings, Kit finally gives in, and Jessa isn’t strong enough to resist diving headfirst into a passionate relationship.

But what was just supposed to be a summer romance develops into something far greater than either of them expected. Jessa’s finally found the man of her dreams and Kit’s finally discovered there’s someone he’d sacrifice everything for.

When it’s time for Kit to redeploy, neither one is ready to say goodbye. Jessa vows to wait for him and Kit promises to come home to her. No matter what.

But as Jessa stands waiting for the Marine Chaplain to break her heart, she can’t help but feel that Kit has broken his promise…

Riley or Kit? Kit or Riley? Her brother or her boyfriend? Who’s coming home to her?

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Come Back to Me?

When I was writing the book the one thing I loved the most about it was the romance between the two main characters. I was really tired of reading about alpha bad boys with control issues and I wanted to draw a male character who I felt managed to be both strong and gentle, assertive but kind, sexy and sensitive. I think in Kit I managed to do that. He’s all sorts of sexy, definitely one of my best leading men.

When the book came out in the UK it became a bestseller. It even knocked Fifty Shades off the top spot for a time! From the reviews, I know that people found the relationship at the heart of the book really believable and heart-felt and they were drawn into the tragedy that occurs (have tissues at the ready!). I love it that the book makes people cry – that’s a sure fire sign you’ve made the characters real and invested people in the story. But I also love that it makes people really think about war and what it means for the people left behind at home.

Purchase Come Back to Me at Amazon
Purchase Come Back to Me at IndieBound
View Come Back to Me on Goodreads

* * * *

Wandering Star
by Romina Russell
Hardcover Giveaway
U.S. Only
Razorbill
Released 12/8/2015

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.

Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Wandering Star?

I’m equal parts thrilled and terrified to share WANDERING STAR’s worlds, themes, and characters with ZODIAC’s readership. My favorite thing about this sequel is how personal it feels to me. I suffered a terrible loss while working on the book’s first draft, and I found myself pouring into its pages all my heartache, outrage, regret, despair, desolation, devastation…and love. And somehow, by the last word, I found hope.

Purchase Wandering Star at Amazon
Purchase Wandering Star at IndieBound
View Wandering Star on Goodreads

YA BOOK GIVEAWAYS LAST WEEK: WINNERS

All We Left Behind by Ingrid Sundberg – Jennifer S.
Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom – Heather W. 
Virtually in Love by A. Destiny and Catherine Hapka – Joycedale C. 

MORE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS NEW IN STORES NEXT WEEK

Instructions for the End of the World
by Jamie Kain
Hardcover
St. Martin’s Griffin
Released 12/8/2015

From the author of The Good Sister comes a gripping novel about two sisters who learn that there are things in life—love, loss, and self-discovery—that you simply can’t prepare for.

He prepared their family for every natural disaster known to man—except for the one that struck.

When Nicole Reed’s father forces her family to move to a remote area of the Sierra Foothills, one without any modern conveniences, it’s too much too handle for her mother, who abandons them in the middle of the night. Heading out to track her down, Nicole’s father leaves her in charge of taking care of the house and her younger sister, Izzy. For a while, Nicole is doing just fine running things on her own. But then the food begins to run out, the pipes crack, and forest fires start slowly inching their way closer every day. Wolf, a handsome boy from the neighboring community, offers to help her when she needs it most, but when she starts to develop feelings for him, feelings she knows she will never be allowed to act on once her father returns, she must make a decision. With her family falling apart, will she choose to continue preparing for tomorrow’s disasters, or will she take a chance and really start living for today?

Instructions for the End of the World is a gripping, young adult novel that explores family, friendship, and love in the midst of the most difficult and dangerous circumstances.

Purchase Instructions for the End of the World at Amazon
Purchase Instructions for the End of the World at IndieBound
View Instructions for the End of the World on Goodreads

* * * *

Knife Edge
by Andrew Lane
Hardcover
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Released 12/8/2015

Teen Sherlock battles a monstrous adversary on a mission to Ireland with his brilliant brother, Mycroft. Young Sherlock is thrown into a tangled web involving a spiritualist whose powers have attracted the attention of governments around the world. At the castle where the medium is demonstrating his “gift,” Sherlock finds a household in turmoil. Servants and some of the guests are frightened but who–or what?–has terrified them so much that nobody will speak out? Young Sherlock must bring all his powers of deduction to bear in unraveling his greatest mystery yet.

Sherlock Holmes: Think you know him? Think again.

Purchase Knife Edge at Amazon
Purchase Knife Edge at IndieBound
View Knife Edge on Goodreads

* * * *

The Trouble with Destiny
by Lauren Morrill
Hardcover
Delacorte Press
Released 12/8/2015

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.

Purchase The Trouble with Destiny at Amazon
Purchase The Trouble with Destiny at IndieBound
View The Trouble with Destiny on Goodreads

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Lindsey Hodder

Lindsey is an aspiring artist, writer, zoologist/biologist and knower of random information.

Post © Elizabeth Dawson and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.
Posted: Dec 7, 2015
Category: Imported from AYAP
Tags: New Releases | YA Fiction Giveaways

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p> <p>Your main character needs to be:<br /> • Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br /> • Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br /> • Active enough to drive the story<br /> • Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p> <p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />
The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p> <p>But your theme needs to be:<br /> • Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br /> • Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br /> • Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br /> • Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p> <p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />
The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p> <p>In general, your plot should:<br /> • Hook readers fast<br /> • Build tension that a child can follow<br /> • Create page turns that feel natural<br /> • Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p> <p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.
The Arms of your story are the side characters.
The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p> <p>Your setting should:<br /> • Make your character's world feel real<br /> • Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br /> • Connect different scenes and moments organically<br /> • Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p> <p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black. 

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