Interview & Giveaway: Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin, authors of A Really Awesome Mess

Kicking off the Fall Festival, I have authors Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin here at The Hiding Spot to chat about their new book, A Really Awesome Mess! Both Cook & Halpin are incredibly funny and charming... and these qualities definitely flavor their co-authored novels. Also, don't forget to enter to win your own copy of this fantastic title via the form below!

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The Interview

Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Or, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write?

Trish: The scene where Emmy and Justin are running through the cornfield trying to get to the Farm Sanctuary was difficult for me to write because I’ve never lived in the country, only suburbs and cities. I kept asking my friends who grew up in rural areas, “How is corn planted? In rows? Are they even? Wide enough to run through? If you were really short, would the stalks hit you as you went by? In the face, shoulders, what? How high would corn have grown by August?” They were like, enough with the corn questions already.

Brendan: It was difficult for me at times to articulate the way Justin was feeling. I've had issues with depression myself (though not as severe as Justin's) so I was able to call on my own memories, but I did find it challenging to translate the feelings into words.

 Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

Trish: Ha! The whole time we were writing it, Brendan and I intended the title to be Escape from Assland, and generally referred to it as Assland for short. We were really bummed—but probably not all that surprised—when the marketing people told us to change it. So then we went around and around, trying to figure out a new title we liked as much. It was NOT easy, and I think in the end, we both still wish it had been named EFA. But here’s a little secret: On the back cover, you can faintly make out the word Assland in the faded school crest. I love the cover designer for adding that in there.

Brendan: I don't really have anything to add to Trish's Assland story except to say that I still think that's an awesome title.

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general?

Trish: I would have to say Judy Blume. I was always so blown away by her honesty and handling of sensitive subjects. I love the way she takes kids’ and teens’ problems seriously, and never talks down to her readers.

Brendan: Probably Stephen King. When I was a teenager, I read everything he'd written up to that point.  I've always really admired the way he sells the supernatural stuff with his keen observations of human behavior.  That's true even in his lesser works: there's a part in Dreamcatcher where an alcoholic literally risks his life for the beers in the trunk of his car that is probably the most devastating indictment of alcoholism I've ever read.

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a writer/published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing?

Trish: I worked for a long time writing insurance brochures. If you think that sounds like the world’s most boring writing job, you’re right. However, it was also an excellent training ground for learning to write clearly, succinctly, and sometimes, creatively when I had a particularly cool client. My mentors at the consulting firm where I worked taught me so many valuable lessons about what good writing is, as well as how to effectively edit my work and graciously accept a critique.

Brendan:  I was a high school teacher for ten years, which definitely influenced my YA work.  I have also sorted mail, delivered airline tickets (back when there was such a thing), and worked as a caddy.Caddying was the worst job I've ever had. I attended private school on a scholarship, so I used to come off 4 hours hauling a heavy bag across the golf course and see my classmates cavorting in the country club pool. It was seriously like something out of a movie.

 If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

Trish: It’s a tie between JOY and GRATITUDE. Joy, because I think it’s the ultimate goal. And gratitude, because I think we sometimes fail to recognize the joy that already exists in so many little moments every day, and should try to become more aware and grateful for these.

Brendan:  Today I was talking to my students about the word "cesspool," so that's kind of in my brain right now. I like that one a lot.  I'm sure there are more, but cesspool is taking up all the great word space right now.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

Trish: WHO: My family

              WHAT: The beach

              WHERE: Surf City, Long Beach Island every August

Brendan:  When I'm writing, I can totally get in the zone when I get lost in the story and completely forget everything else.  It's really one of the main reasons I write.

Find out more about Trish and her books here!
Find out more about Brendan and his books here!

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More About the Book:

A hint of Recovery Road, a sample of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and a cut of Juno. A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves. 

Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy. 

Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin's summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents' divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.

Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog-- and Emmy definitely doesn't. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.

Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends. 

A funny, sad, and remarkable story, A Really Awesome Mess is a journey of friendship and self-discovery that teen readers will surely sign up for.

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Earn extra entries by following the Fall Festival blogs listed here!

Giveaway

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Giveaway: Notes from Ghost Town and The Butterfly Clues

I've got finished copies of Kate Ellison's Notes from Ghost Town and The Butterfly Clues to give away to a lucky winner at The Hiding Spot. Find out more about Notes from Ghost Town below and enter for your chance to win!

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About the Book

They say first love never dies...
From critically acclaimed author Kate Ellison comes a heartbreaking mystery of mental illness, unspoken love, and murder. When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it’s only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death. 
There’s a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there’s a good chance she’s losing her mind completely—just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn’t really there?
With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It’s the only way she can save herself.

About the Author 

Kate Ellison spent a lot of time as a child, in Baltimore, pretending to be things she wasn't: a twin, a telekinetic, a benevolent witch with a box full of magical stones, a spy, a soccer player. She trained as an actor in Chicago and has walked across the entire country of Spain. She is a painter and jewelry-maker, and has at least one artist friend who really does keep his true name a secret from the world. He told her, but don't ask her to tell you—she's not gonna do it. Kate lives in Brooklyn, New York. The Butterfly Clues is her first novel. Find out more about Kate here!

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Giveaway!

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Giveaway: Nobody and Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I've got finished copies of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Nobody and Every Other Day to give away to a lucky winner at The Hiding Spot. Find out more about Nobody below and enter for your chance to win!

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About the Book
There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away. 

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.
The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.
Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.

Check out Jen's website and this video, in which she discusses Every Other Day:




About the Author 

Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen. 

Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

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Giveaway!

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Win Kristina McBride's One Moment and The Tension of Opposites

Last year, the talented Kristina McBride released her debut novel, The Tension of Opposites. This novel quickly became one of my favorites, so I was beyond excited when a copy of her sophomore novel, One Moment, landed itself in my mailbox. I devoured this newest offering and now I'm passing it one lucky reader! 


In addition to the One Moment arc, the winner will also received a signed paperback copy of The Tension of Opposites, which I'm quoted in! 

Be sure to check out my reviews of these novels as well!

The Tension of Opposites review

One Moment review

Interested!? Fill out the Rafflecopter from below to enter your name and win both of these amazing novels!

Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget. 

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead? 

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding? 

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

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Since the moment I finished Kristina McBride's debut novel, The Tension of Opposites, I've been waiting for her to offer readers something new. When One Moment arrived unexpectedly at my doorstep, my wait was finally over. But now the moment of truth was upon me... would my high expectations be met?

Yes! Those expectation have been met and exceeded and I want to jump up and down and tell everyone how undeniably brilliant One Moment is. (Phew.) It has been a couple weeks since I finished reading McBride's sophomore novel - and by "reading" I mean "inhaled in a matter of hours" - but it refuses to leave my head. I find myself thinking about it when my mind randomly connects things in real life with small, sometimes seemingly insignificant details from the story.

The other day, someone mentioned a quilt. In the novel, right after the accident in which Maggie's boyfriend Joey ends up dead, Maggie huddles on her couch wrapped in a quilt her grandmother made. I was immediately transported back to Maggie's world and found myself thinking about and revisiting parts of her story. I might just be a crazy person, but I like to think that it's Kristina McBride's ability to appeal to her readers' emotions and pull them fully into her characters' worlds that keeps bringing me back to One Moment time after time... no small feat!

While both of McBride's novels are contemporary YA that feature rather dark, sad events and female protagonists, they're a world apart. While I could clearly tell that One Moment was a "McBride" novel, it was unique and had it's own power completely separate from that of The Tension of Opposites. Maggie is very different than McBride's first protagonist, yet I still connected deeply with her, just as I did with Tessa.

There is so much more I could say about One Moment, but I fear becoming spoilery, so I'll stop while I'm ahead. If you're already a fan of McBride, for goodness sake, preorder One Moment! For the rest of you, if you like a well written contemporary YA rife with emotion, mystery, drama, and romance, you simply must read this novel... and The Tension of Opposites while you're waiting!

EgmontUSA, June 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9781606840863, 272 pages. 

Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass
Author: Myra McEntire
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 6.14.2011
Genre: Paranormal YA
Keywords: Time Travel, Romance, Mystery, Paranormal
Pages: 397
Description (from Goodreads):

One hour to rewrite the past . . .
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.


I fell in love with the cover of HOURGLASS the first time I saw it and thought there was a good chance I'd like the novel, but I was entirely unprepared for just how much I would love it.


Myra McEntire's debut novel is absolutely fantastic. I haven't read all the many time travel novels other than HOURGLASS, but, if other authors can do it half as well as McEntire, I feel I should make this a priority.


Time travel is such a crazy, whimsical idea and I'm pretty confident that most people have had time travel fantasies, so a novel in which a character, who has experienced great tragedy in her life, discovers that it isn't impossible to jump back in time - and perhaps even change the past -  is a very, very good idea. The entire premise is incredibly seductive. 


One of the best things about this novel? The romance. Hands down. At times, the whole 'we're ridiculously drawn to one another but are forbidden to actually pursue out feelings' thing can be annoying, but I really enjoyed it in HOURGLASS. I think it helped that Emerson and Michael weren't kept apart just because Michael had some deep, dark secret, but also for normal, teenage reasons - like Emerson's brother/guardian insisting she and Michael keep their relationship professional.


Plus, this novel is twisty. It has an epic air about it and just as soon as the reader gets comfortable, McEntire throws in a totally unexpected element. Readers won't sit back and casually enjoy the ride with this one - this author keeps you on your toes.


Sometimes I feel like I need a break from paranormal YA, but then I pick up one like this and I remember just why this genre is so wonderful!

Cover of the Week (31)

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
EgmontUSA/5.24.2011
Description (from Goodreads):
"Since the age of fourteen, Emerson Cole has seen strange things – dead things – swooning Southern Belles, soldiers, and other eerie apparitions of the past. She’s tried everything to get rid of the visions: medication, counseling, asylums. Nothing’s worked.

So when Emerson's well-meaning brother calls in yet another consultant from a mysterious organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to give it one last try.

Michael Weaver is no ordinary consultant. He's barely older than she is; he listens like no one she's ever met before; and he doesn't make her feel the least bit crazy. As Emerson ventures deeper into the world of the Hourglass, she begins to learn the truth about her past, her future--and her very life.

A seductive time-slip novel that merges the very best of the paranormal and science fiction genres, Myra McEntire’s Hourglass is a stunning debut from an author to watch."


I saw this cover and immediately said "WOW." And then "ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh." And then "that's so creepy." I definitely need that book on my bookshelf, especially when the cover is coupled with the fantastic description!

Review: Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Title: Siren
Author: Tricia Rayburn
Publisher: Egmont USA
Pub. Date: 7.13.10
Genre: YA
Keywords: Supernatural, Siren, Love, Friendship, Sisters, Murder, Myths
Pages: 352
Plot (from arc):
Something deadly waits beneath the saves off Winter Harbor, and this summer, no one is safe.
Vacationing in Winter Harbor, Maine, is a tradition for Vanessa and Justine Sands, and that means spending time with the Carmichael boys. This summer, Vanessa is determined to channel some of her older sister’s boldness, get over her fear of the ocean, and maybe turn her friendship with Simon Carmichael into something more.
But when Justine goes cliff-diving after a big family argument, and her body washes ashore the next day, Vanessa is sure that it was more than an accident. She is more certain of this, when she discovers that her sister was keeping some big secrets and Caleb Carmichael’s gone missing! Suddenly, the entire oceanfront town is abuzz when a series of grim, water-related accidents occur, with the male victims washed ashore grinning ear to ear.
Vanessa and Simon team up to figure out if these creepy deaths have anything to do with Justine and Caleb, but what Vanessa discovers might mean the end of her summer romance and life as she knows it.

I consider myself lucky when I say that I was able to read SIREN months before its release. In fact, I picked it up based solely the title and cover art, before I'd ever even heard of it. I had no idea what to expect, but soon found myself completely immersed in the mystery and romance of Rayburn's phenomenal YA debut.

It isn’t hard to guess what the novel is about, given the description and title, but that doesn’t stop Tricia Rayburn from writing a compelling mystery with a great love story. Sure, the reader knows that there will be mysterious deaths and Vanessa's relationship with a childhood friend will most likely grow into something more, but the lack of mystery is made up for by the superb writing and characters.


When I hear "siren," the first thought that pops into my head is mermaids. Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid to be precise. Sirens are not mermaids, which Rayburn makes abundantly clear. There are very few YA novels that involve honest-to-goodness, homocidal sirens, but, if they're anything like Rayburn's, I wish there were more. I'm hopeful that Rayburn will further explore siren lore in her future novels; in SIREN the history and motivations were mentioned, but I would love to see further exploration.

Despite the obvious spoilers about the mysterious deaths, Rayburn still keeps readers on their toes. While it is quite obvious who is killing these men, the why isn’t so clear. In addition, Vanessa’s sister dies under mysterious circumstances, adding an unexpected twist. Justine’s death can't be pinned on the sirens as easily as male deaths.

Apart from the supernatural plot line, SIREN is also a great coming-of-age story. Vanessa grows significantly throughout the novel as she discovers more about herself, Justine, and the history of Winter Harbor. I found her relationship with her late sister to be particularly interesting; there was so much more to the sisters’ story than I had anticipated.

And then there’s Simon. SIREN's description boasts a burgeoning relationship between Vanessa and Simon, which, of course, caught my eye. I definitely like romances where "friends" find themselves becoming "more than friends" and Rayburn writes the evolution wonderfully. There's just the right amount of tension and denial and confusion.

Grade: A

Cover of the Week (13)

Cover of the Week is a weekly feature at The Hiding Spot, in which I share a cover that gives me that swoony feeling.

Rich and Mad by William Nicholson
EgmontUSA/9.14.2010
Description (from GoodReads):
This is a compelling and beautifully written novel about first love, first sex, and everything in between. Maddy Fisher has decided to fall in love. And not just any sort of love: can't-eat can't-sleep crazy in love. Rich Ross is after the same thing. He's set his sights high, and he's going to make it happen. The problem is, in life's messy whirlwind of friends and lies and sex and porn, the real thing can be hard to fine. But there's always a first time for everything...

I have so much love for this cover. First off, they're making out in a phone booth. Making out and phone booth = AWESOME. Secondly, did you read that tagline? Sounds risque. I like it!

The cover combined with the description has me drooling over RICH AND MAD. I need it as soon as possible!

Contest: Win a copy of The Tension of Opposites!

Kristina McBride is kindly offering readers of The Hiding Spot a chance to win a signed copy of her novel, The Tension of Opposites and some other fun swag! Be sure to check out my review of this unforgettable novel and my interview with Kristina!

Prizes:
Grand Prize: 1 signed hc of The Tension of Opposites, a framed photograph of sunflowers (taken during the filming of the trailer!), and bookmarks.
(2) Winners: 1 journal (with note from the author) and bookmarks.

^^^ Grand Prize ^^^

How to Enter:
You MUST comment on my review of The Tension of Opposites or the interview with Kristina McBride. (Only one comment is required.) Then you MUST fill out this FORM. If you neglect to comment on at least one of the posts or fill out the form, you will not be entered to win.


Extra Entries:
Not required. Extra entries are detailed on the entry form as well.
+5 entries - Comment on my review or interview (whichever you did not comment on for your original entry)
+5 entries - The Tension of Opposites is one of my all time favorite reads because it had so many of my favorite elements. Comment on this contest post w/novel or author that fits you perfectly as a reader.
+4 entries - Old Follower/Subscriber (Thank you!)
+2 entries - New Follower/Subscriber (Welcome! You will gain 4 entries in the next contest you enter at The Hiding Spot as an Old Follower/Subscriber!)
+2 Follow me on Twitter (@thehidingspot) Leave your @name for verification.
+2 Follow Kristina McBride on Twitter (@McBrideKristina) Leave your @name for verification.
+3 Tweet this contest. (Leave a link.)
+3 Link this contest on your sidebar, in a post, or on FB. (Leave a link.)


Details:
Contest will close June 17th 2010. Open to US and Canadian mailing addresses only. Sorry International readers! 


Good luck!

Interview: Kristina McBride (Author of The Tension of Opposites!)

Kristina McBride, after only one novel, is one of my favorite authors. Her debut, THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES, is fantastic and, even with months left to go in 2010, has landed on my Best of 2010 shortlist! After months of waiting, TENSION hits bookstore shelves today! Check out my interview with Kristina and then run out to your local bookstore and pick up your own copy of TENSION... you don't want to miss this one!

A Brief Bio
Kristina McBride has dreamed of being a published author since she was a child and lived across the street from a library. After graduating with a bachelor’s in English Education, Kristina taught high school English for eight years. After having her first child and completing her Master’s in Education, Kristina decided to quit teaching and take a crack at her dream. Kristina lives in Ohio with her husband and two young children, stealing as many moments as she can to write, write, write.
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Give a short statement describing THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES.
THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES is the story of Tessa McMullen, whose best friend, Noelle, was kidnapped two years ago. At the beginning of the book, Tessa learns that Noelle has been found alive, and is coming home. The book centers around Tessa’s struggle to reconnect with Noelle, who has returned a very distant and self-destructive version of her old self, and to reconnect with her life, as Tessa spent the two years her friend was missing avoiding everything (friends, boys, fun) due to the guilt over Noelle’s abduction.


I think that many readers are familiar with novels in which the narrator is the subject of kidnapping or rape, but your novel offers an interesting twist. Why did you decide to write the novel from the point-of-view of the victim’s best friend?
 This might make me sound like an inexperienced or out of control writer, but I have to be honest, right? I tried to write this from the perspective of the kidnapped girl. I brainstormed chapters and spent some time trying to get to know her through journaling, because I felt that this should be Noelle’s story. But she was silent. Like, totally. I didn’t even get one chapter in. The character who kept speaking up was Tessa, the best friend. She had SO much to say, so I finally gave her a chance. In the end I learned I don’t have as much control over things as I’d like to think, and if I just go with the flow, it’ll be easier for me.

From the description of the novel, I assumed that it would be an extremely dark and emotional read and was surprised to find that you found a way to balance the dark with lighter, fun elements. Did you find it difficult to do this… to find the light in such a dark tale?
It was really difficult! I revised several drafts of this story, and six months into revisions with my agent, scrapped all but five chapters and started over (which is painful to even think about!). I wanted to balance the scenes with the kidnapped girl and the love interest, because the struggle for Tessa to reconnect (with her life and her friend) was two-fold. The hardest part was finding the right balance between these two very different relationships in Tessa’s life. I’m so glad to hear you think it works!


The romantic plot line between Tessa and Max is one of my all-time favorites! How did Max form as a character? His relationship with Tessa?
Thank you! Max was easy. He just kind of popped into my head fully formed and started speaking to me. I loved him right away, and knew that he would be the perfect person to help pull Tessa out of the hiding spot she had created for herself in her friend’s absence.


Is there a particular reason why you chose photography as Tessa’s passion?
 I am a former high school English teacher and yearbook advisor. I love photography myself, and thought it would be a good way to show how Tessa has isolated herself, watching the world from behind the lens of her camera. I also figured the visual images would be really cool to write into the story, as the setting of the novel is such a beautiful place. (Little secret: Originally, the photography thread centered around a yearbook plotline. Long story, but it had to go.)


Can you tell us anything about your next YA novel?
I signed a two book deal with Egmont USA, so I’m working on the next book right now. The fun thing is that I’m really excited to write these chapters, which are basically outlined on notecards that I shuffle through and carry around on a daily basis, writing lines of dialogue when I’m hit with inspiration. That’s about all I can say for now.


My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?
I have an answer for all three, if that’s okay. Who: My husband. He is wonderful – my home. What: Books and TV – I love to be transported through my imagination. Where: The Three Sisters (three 550-year-old oak trees) at Sugarcreek Nature Reserve is my all time favorite hiding spot. It’s a major setting in my novel, and actually exsists near my home. Hiking through the woods is one of my favorite things to do. We filmed the trailer on location at the Three Sisters, and if you’ve seen the footage, you might wonder where the third sister is. Unfortunately, the middle sister fell a few months after I completed the first draft of this novel. She was damaged by a fire years ago, and came down after a very long life.

For more information about Kristina and her novel, check out her website!

Review: The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Title: The Tension of Opposites
Author: Kristina McBride
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 5.25.10
Genre: Contemporary YA
Keywords: Kidnapping, Friendship, Photography, Love, Relationships
Pages: 288
Description (from GoodReads):
It’s been two years since Noelle disappeared. Two years since her bike was discovered, sprawled on a sidewalk. Two years of silence, of worry, of fear.

For those two long years, her best friend Tessa has waited, living her own life in a state of suspended animation. Because how can she allow herself to enjoy a normal high school life if Noelle can’t? How dare she have other friends, go to dances, date boys, without knowing what happened to the girl she thought she would share everything with?
And then one day, someone calls Noelle’s house. She’s alive.
A haunting psychological thriller taken straight from the headlines, The Tension of Opposites is a striking debut that explores the emotional aftermath of a kidnapping on the victim, and on the people she left behind.


The Tension of Opposites is one of those novels that pulls you in from the first lines and refuses to let you go until you've read every last word. Devour is almost too tame a word to describe how quickly I read this novel... inhale might be a better fit. It's always a magical experience when a reader finds an author whose writing style fits perfectly with his or her preferences - and I'm happy to say that I experienced that magic with Tension.


I feel that I should mention that the the description of Tension only conveys the darker elements of the plot, despite the fact that there is plenty of lighter material in the novel as well. Not only are both light and dark elements present, they are perfectly balanced. With a novel that addresses such a heavy topic, attempts at lighter material may be awkward and disrupt the flow of the novel, but this isn't so with Tension: it plunged into the inky dark depths of emotion and managed an amazing love story. The fact that the story is told from the point-of-view of the victim's best friend offered a unique perspective and, I think, ultimately allowed McBride to write such a balanced story. I would have been frustrated if the entire story was dark, since Tessa is the narrator and I wanted her to move past the traumatizing event and find happiness, despite the horrors that Noelle suffered. It will never be something that she will forget, but she can't postpone her life indefinitely, no matter how much she loves Tessa. In ways, I thought the fact that Noelle lost so many things provided even more reasons that Tessa shouldn't. Noelle had those things taken... Tessa shouldn never just give them up.


Tessa and Noelle's relationship was painful and heartbreaking. I felt for Tessa... She waited so long to regain her best friend, guilty and afraid to live her own life after Noelle's had been cruelly shattered. When Noelle returns home, Tessa knows that things won't be the same, but nothing can prepare her for the new Noelle... Elle, who doesn't seem to have even a glimmer of Noelle left in her. At the same time, I understand why Noelle had to adopt this new persona: Noelle, Tessa's best friend, is dead. I think McBride accurately conveyed Tessa's POV, which is different than most other YA novels dealing with the same topic, as they usually told from the victim's POV.


One of the brightest elements of the novel is the romance between Tessa and Max, the boy who finds a way past Tessa's carefully constucted walls and into her heart. Max and Tessa's relationship is one of my absolute favorites... and I read a lot of good love stories. I think the realistic quality of their story is what really won me over... I believed in their story. That and the fact that there is the definite possiblity that it might not work out between them and I desperately believed that they should be together! Tessa's ready to do anything to help Noelle, including giving up her own happiness... and Max.


Grade: A+


Cover Notes:
When I first saw the cover I wasn't really a fan, but after reading the novel I think it's a peferct fit!


Trailer: This is definitely the my all-time favorite book trailer. It captures the emotion of the novel (and succeeded in making me cry)!


Watch it on YouTube.


Check out my INTERVIEW with Kristina and go HERE for a chance to win a signed copy of the novel and fun swag!

Review: The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell

Title: The Rise of Renegade X

Author: Chelsea Campbell
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 5/11/10
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Heroes, Villains, Family, Love, Growing Up
Pages: 288
Plot (from back of arc):
Damien Locke knows his destiny – attending the university for supervillains and becoming Golden City’s next professional evil genius. But when Damien discovers he’s the product of his supervillian mother’s one-night stand with – of all the people – a superhero, his best-laid plans are ruined as he’s forced to live with her superhero family.
Going to extreme lengths (and heights), The Rise of Renegade X chronicles one boy’s struggles with the villainous and heroic pitfalls of growing up.

I did not know what to expect when I picked up Chelsea Campbell’s debut novel. I’d heard a lot of talk about it – and the talk was good. But still, I doubted. Superheroes and villains are cool, but I asked myself, are they my kind of cool? It didn’t take me long to realize how silly that question was: THE RISE OF RENEGADE X is an amazing book, filled with sarcastic humor, youthful insecurity, and awesome costumes.

Damien was such a fun character! Half the time he’s a super sarcastic little jerk and the rest of the time he was… well he was still a sarcastic punk, but he was a loveable one. He was absolutely hilarious and had me laughing aloud more than once. To me, he was a mix of V. Mars’ Logan Echolls and the funny guys you know in school – which is a pretty amazing combination. Damien was definitely my favorite part of the book!

I loved the craziness of RENEGADE. The entire novel, plot, characters, and all, are so creative and fun. It was unlike any other novel I’ve read and it doesn’t surprise me that it is already being considered as a possible film. RENEGADE definitely has a cinematic quality.

There is also a bit of romance in RENEGADE, but it is not a main focus of the novel. Damien was such a guy about the relationship though. I’m not sure there is a better way to describe his behavior, but I found it refreshing, honest, and hilarious.

THE RISE OF RENEGADE X is a must-read debut novel! I applaud Chelsea Campbell for writing a novel that can easily appeal to both guys and girls.

Grade: A+

Cover Comments:
I love the cover of RENEGADE... There isn't much to say except that it fits the novel wonderfully.

Interview & Contest: Lindsay Eland (Author of Scones and Sensibility)

Today I'm happy to welcome debut author Lindsay Eland to The Hiding Spot to discuss love, her next novel, and her personal hiding spot from the world... which is may sound awfully familiar to some of you readers out there!

A Brief Bio

I was born in Cincinnati, grew up in various towns in Pennsylvania, went to college in Oklahoma, and found home in Breckenridge, Colorado. I love to write, read, hike, drink espresso, and attempt to keep my plants alive. I am a laugher and a dreamer. Mix all these together and you get me–a lucky writer of middle grade fiction.

To find out more about Lindsay and her writing, visit her website here!

The Interview

Give a short description or statement describing SCONES AND SENSIBILITY.

Scones and Sensibility is about an overly-romantic and overly-dramatic 12-year-old girl who takes it upon herself to match-make for the people in her small beach town…whether they want to be or not.

Polly is a bit of a hopeless romantic; do you identify with this trait?

Most definitely! I’ve tried to bury my romanticism over the years and have attempted to convince myself that there is no true love…but thankfully I have had zero success, and remain right now, hopelessly romantic and completely convinced about true love.

Which of the classic loves stories, such as Pride & Prejudice, would you name as your absolute favorite?

Oh, dear…my ABSOLUTE favorite? Umm…I actually might have to say Jane Eyre since I can’t seem to pick between Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice.

Can you tell us anything about your next novel?

Why sure! It is a contemporary middle grade novel currently titled, A Teaspoon of Rosemary. It is the story of a shy, introverted girl who, in the midst of becoming a wonderful young chef, learns to find and embrace her inner strength and confidence. It was so fun to write and as research I got to make lots and lots of yummy recipes!

My blog is dedicated to books, my personal hiding spot. Who, what, or where is your personal hiding spot?

 I think we must be kindred spirits, because books are my hiding spot as well! Tucking myself away in a book for a few hours or days or weeks is the most wonderful feeling in the world. It’s like Christmas morning and hot chocolate and warm blankets and rainy days and hugs all bound together in a book I can hold in my hands.

Thanks for stopping by, Lindsay!

The next stop on the Scones and Sensibility Blog Tour is Pirate Penguin Reads!

___________________________________________

Contest

Interested in winning your own copy of SCONES AND SENSIBILITY? I'm giving away my copy to one lucky winner. To enter, simply fill out the form below.

Ends: May 13th 2010

The Tension of Opposites Book Trailer & Contest

Some of you may remember my mini-review of Kristina McBride's debut novel, THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES. The 2010 debut authors have taken myself, and many other bloggers and readers, by storm, but McBride's novel... I hardly have words to describe how deeply I feel for this book. My mini-review barely does it justice. Today, the book trailer was released, leaving me, once again, speechless. I don't know if it was the fact that I've already read the novel that caused the trailer to have such an emotional impact on me, but I literally cried. If you didn't already want to read this novel, I think the trailer will give you sufficient reason rush out to your local bookstore on May 25th and pick up a copy!




Watch it on YouTube.

CONTEST

Later this month, I'll be hosting a contest with Kristina in which you'll have chance to win a copy of the novel and some other awesome prizes! Today, however, you have a chance to win gorgeous TENSION bookmarks!

There will be 10 winners, but all who comment on this post will receive 2 extra entries into the contest to win a copy of the novel at the end of the month! To be entered to win a bookmark, all that is required is comment on this post. I'll randomly select the winners. AND If you post this book trailer on your blog or on Facebook, I'll add 5 more extra entries to the contest at the end of the month, in which you can win a copy of the book and those other great prizes! Be sure to leave a link for your 5 extra entries! You can find the embedding code by visiting the YouTube page, here.

Trust me, guys, this a book that you need to read! So get out there and spread the word!

Review: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Brightly Woven
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 3/23/2010
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Fantasy, Wizard, Love, Opposites Attract, Good vs. Evil
Pages: 368
Plot (from GoodReads):

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

Generally, I am not a fan of YA fantasy novels. I appreciate the attempt to write a great YA fantasy, but I personally feel that YA often does not allow enough pages to fully develop the characters and plot. When it comes to fantasy, I often want almost too much detail. My favorite fantasy novels are often at least 3 times the length of an average YA book and have 5 or more volumes. I know the worlds within those pages inside and out. It seems, however, that Alexandra Bracken has disproved my theory about fantasy and YA  and, for once, I was happy to be wrong.

I was relieved to see that Bracken delved into the magical elements of her story. Many times the details of that aspect are glazed over to focus on the bigger picture, but I really enjoy the background information - it makes the story more realistic to me. The wizardry in BRIGHTLY WOVEN has some unique twists that set it apart from other similar novels which is always commendable.

BRIGHTLY WOVEN has been marketed with a strong emphasis on the romantic plot line, but I didn't really love that part of the story. I'm definitely glad it was included, but it moved a little bit quick for my tastes. I think it could have been written a little more smoothly or portrayed a bit differently. I don't really know how to explain it... I was bothered by how angry Sydelle was at Wayland in the beginning of the novel. Some of the actions and motivations didn't add up as neatly as a I would have liked. I will admit that I their relationship had grown on my by the end of the novel.

Grade: B

Cover Comments:
I really like the colors used in the cover and the detailing along the bottom of the cover. The cover model looks gorgeous... except for the hair. That's the only part of the cover that I'm a little iffy on. I haven't seen it yet in person though, so it might look a little different.