Source: Blog Tour

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia: Review & Giveaway

Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD This book is absolutely packed with rich storytelling—both African and African American folklore that many middle graders have probably never encountered before. It’s difficult to even unpack how many different stories are rolled into this adventure and brought to life in a new way. (I’d actually love it if Rick Riordan Presents would do a companion that goes deeper into each individual tale, sort of like the Greek Gods companions that were […]

Posted October 15, 2019 in Black History Month, Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 20 Comments

Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart: Review & Giveaway

This book is so engrossing and emotionally compelling that I read it in one evening! I was immediately drawn in by the concept: Ava is the sole survivor of a house fire that claimed the lives of her parents and her cousin—she’s now recovering from burns that covered over 60% of her body and living with her aunt and uncle, who are also trying to hold it together after the loss of their daughter in the […]

Posted October 1, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended) / 16 Comments

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler & Frank Miller: Review & Giveaway

Just the pitch for this book told me there was a whole lot to love: an illustrated YA King Arthur retelling from the perspective of Nimue (the Lady in the Lake). First of all, why aren’t more books for older readers illustrated? I didn’t stop loving artwork when I was a little kid, and I think many other people feel similarly, so I would love to see more illustrated books for older readers. But I digress… I’ll confess […]

Posted September 26, 2019 in Reviews / 14 Comments

Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan: Review & Giveaway

When I heard that Annie Sullivan had written a retelling of “The Lady or the Tiger” I was incredibly excited! I’d loved her unique retelling of “The Midas Touch,” and I had no doubt she’d do one of my favorite short stories justice. I distinctly remember reading this story when I was a teenager and being left with that agonizing open ending. I read the story again with my own students when I taught at my […]

Posted September 5, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 26 Comments

Before I Disappear by Danielle Stinson: Review, Giveaway, & Stinson’s Top Ten Addictions

You know how sometimes you start reading a book, and within just a few pages, you’re already saying, “I LOVE this!”? That was Before I Disappear for me. Right away, I could tell there was going to be something special in these pages—I was immediately wrapped up in the intrigue: What’s so odd about Charlie? What’s this music he’s hearing? Why have they had to move so much? What are they running from? What dangers […]

Posted July 18, 2019 in Author Top Ten Lists, Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 20 Comments

Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith: Review & Giveaway

A story of dealing with trauma and figuring out who you are after life has changed, this book has a powerful message of hope and healing. What Fed My Addiction: Chris’s realistic family conflict. Chris’s mother has a hard time accepting Chris’s transition. For one thing, she has lots of fears about her son’s safety out in the world, especially after Chris was already attacked before he even came out as trans. I know lots […]

Posted June 21, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 34 Comments

No Place Like Here by Christina June: Review & Giveaway

Ashlyn has lived her life trying to measure up to her father’s expectations, but it’s always been a losing battle. So, even when he ends up in prison for tax evasion, he somehow still has a hold over her that she can’t quite break. She’s shipped off to work at a wilderness camp with her cousin—something she never would have chosen for herself—and she spends the summer wishing she could just go back home again. […]

Posted May 31, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 24 Comments

The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos: Excerpt & Giveaway

Today I’m sharing an excerpt and giveaway for The Wise and the Wicked. Epic Reads aptly calls it a lush, dark, and unforgettable story of the power of the past to shape our futures—and the courage it takes to change them. I’m reading this one now, and I’m loving the LGBTQ rep in the book. For now, I’m sharing just a little taste of what you can expect with this story … EXCERPT FROM EPIC […]

Posted May 23, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended) / 12 Comments

Shipwreckers by Scott D. Peterson & Josh Pruett: Review & Giveaway

This book is a hilarious and perilous adventure, filled with action, goofy puns, and a nice helping of heart. When I read the author’s bios and saw that they write for kids’ TV, it all made so much sense–the book reads like an animated movie. It’s full of larger-than-life characters who make you laugh out loud (Captain Kevin Adventureson is incredibly clueless and yet full of himself, but he still manages to be lovable at […]

Posted May 15, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 6 Comments

Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos: Review & Giveaway

Planet Earth Is Blue is a heartwrenching portrayal of a little girl who can’t tell the world who she truly is. The book is set in the 80s and starts ten days before the fateful launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. The story centers around Nova, a non-verbal autistic girl. She struggles to show the world that she is more than they think she is—that though she can’t speak well, she is intelligent and curious. It’s a […]

Posted May 10, 2019 in Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 18 Comments