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. 

Upcoming Event: Kristina McBride and JT Dutton Signing!

Hey Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin Readers and Bloggers:

Kristina McBride, author of THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES, and JT Dutton, author of the newly released STRANDED, are signing in Ann Arbor, MI at the end of July. I'll be there with some other fabulous bloggers and I'd be thrilled to meet YOU too! For more information about the event, see below. If you're thinking of attending, leave me a comment or shoot me an email at thehidingspot@live.com. I hope you can make it!

Book Signing with J.T. Dutton & Kristina McBride

When:

July 24, 2010 02:00PM

Where:

Border's, 3140 Lohr Road, Ann Arbor, MI, The United States

More Info: HERE

You can find my review of THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES here and an interview with Kristina here.

More information about STRANDED and JT Dutton can be found here.

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!

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!

Mini-Review: The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Title: The Tension of Opposites
Author: Kristina McBride
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 5/25/10
Pages: 288

I'm not sure I can write a review that does this novel justice. All I can say is that it is one of those novels that I highly recommend reading. Scratch that. I recommend that you rush out the day it is released, curl up in your favorite reading spot, and devour it. Seriously, it is that good!

I had the novel for a week or two before I picked it up to read. To be honest, I was nervous. I thought it would be good, but I was afraid it would be too dark and intense for a everyday reading. The plot summary only mentioned the heavier plot lines, which lead me to believe THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES would be like Elizabeth Scott's LIVING DEAD GIRL, but from the best friend's point of view. I was wrong; there was plenty of light to balance the heaviness of the story.

The brightest source of light was the love story! I think it is important to note this aspect of the plot, not only because it creates balance, but because it really isn't mentioned in the plot summary and it is one of my favorite parts of the novel. McBride writes the romance in a way that it fits into the darker plot line. Tessa doesn't rush into the relationship, but slowly eases in, which made the relationship more believable and, in my opinion, better. It could have easily not worked in this story, but McBride did an amazing job. And I have to say, I'm sometimes hard to please when it comes to love stories, but I was IMPRESSED with McBride's skill when it came to this aspect of the novel. There has to be just the right amount of tension and she nailed it!

THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES is an amazing debut novel that is not to be missed! I generally don't reread books, but TENSION is one that I could reread over and over again. It is an essential and I'll most definitely be buying a copy of my personal library! And I CAN'T WAIT for McBride's next novel! READ THIS BOOK!!

Mini-Reviews are excerpts from my full reviews. Near the date of the novel's release, I will post my full review.

Add  THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES to your GoodReads bookshelf and find out more about the novel here.