Review + Giveaway: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff: The irreverent space romp

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult sci-fi + ?????

Format/Source: 

Status: book 1 of the Aurora Cycle trilogy
Links: Illuminae review
Illuminae audio review
Illuminae merch
Gemina gif review
Obsidio review

Summary:

From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.


They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Blog Tour: Freshmen by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: June 12, 2018

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: ARC, TLA conference; finished copy, publisher

Status: standalone

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher at a work conference and volunteered to be part of the tour. This does not affect the content of my review.

Summary:

Getting in is just the beginning.

Phoebe can’t wait to get to college. On her own, discovering new things, no curfew…she’ll be free. And she’ll be totally different: cooler, prettier, smarter…the perfect potential girlfriend. Convenient: the only person from her high school also going to York is her longtime crush, Luke.

Luke didn’t set out to redefine himself, but as soon as he arrives on campus, he finds himself dumping his long-term long-distance girlfriend. And the changes don’t stop there. In fact, being on a soccer team is the only thing that stays the same.

Just when things start looking up (and Phoebe and Luke start hooking up), drama looms on the horizon. Rumors swirl about the Wall of Shame, a secret text chain run by Luke’s soccer team, filled with compromising photos of girls. As the women on campus determine to expose the team and shut down the account, Luke and Phoebe find themselves grappling with confusing feelings and wondering how they’ll ever make it through freshman year.

Blog Tour: LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff

I'm so excited to be kicking off the tour for Jay Kristoff's newest YA series LIFEL1K3! I LOVED this new sci-fi story, and I'm really glad to tell you why. Keep scrolling to check out my review and a giveaway for cooies of the book!

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult science fiction

Format/Source: ARC, TLA conference

Status: Book 1 of the LIFEL1K3 series
Links: Illuminae review, Gemina review, Illuminae audio review, Illuminae paperback blog tour, Obsidio review

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher at a work conference and volunteered to be part of the tour, which was organized & hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. This does not affect the content of my review. The full tour schedule can be found HERE. Please go give my fellow tour hosts some love!

Summary:

On a floating junkyard beneath a radiation sky, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap.

Eve isn’t looking for secrets—she’s too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she’s just spent six months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, and the only thing keeping her Grandpa from the grave was the fistful of credits she just lost to the bookies. To top it off, she’s discovered she can destroy electronics with the power of her mind, and the puritanical Brotherhood are building a coffin her size. If she’s ever had a worse day, Eve can’t remember it.

But when Eve discovers the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down. With her best friend Lemon Fresh and her robotic conscience, Cricket, in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, infiltrate towering megacities and scour the graveyard of humanity’s greatest folly to save the ones Eve loves, and learn the dark secrets of her past.

Even if those secrets were better off staying buried.

Blog Tour: Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Today is my 30th birthday, and I couldn't be happier than to share a book I LOVE with all of you. Check out my review of the final installment of the masterfully told Illuminae Files and then scroll down to the giveaway!

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: March 13, 2018

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult science fiction

Format/Source: finished copy, from the publisher

Status: Book 3 of the Illuminae Files series
Links: Illuminae review (5 stars)
Gemina gif review (5 stars)
Illuminae audio review (5 stars)
Illuminae pb blog tour (All the Illuminae merch!)

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour, which was organized & hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. The full tour schedule can be found HERE. Please go give my fellow tour hosts some love!




Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book because I am moderating the Dallas stop of the Obsidio publicity tour (and after I received my copy, I was offered a spot on this tour). This does not affect the content of my review.

Summary:

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Blog Tour: Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: January 2, 2018

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult fantasy/adventure, superheroes

Format/Source: ARC, Barnes & Noble B-Fest prize

Status: Book 2 of the DC Icons series
Links: Wait For You review (also 4 stars)

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book as a prize during Barnes & Noble B-Fest. This does not affect the content of my review.

Summary:

Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city's elites are being executed as their mansions' security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family's fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he's forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city's most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce's only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer.

Waiting on Wednesday: Obsido by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.

Obsidio
The Illuminae Files #3

by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Coming March 13, 2018

Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Why I Want It:

BECAUSE I HAVE NEEDED IT SINCE JUNE 1, 2016! Because it's one of my all-time favorite series! Because I don't want to have died in vain in Gemina! I want this book. I DESERVE this book.

Why I think you should want it:

Well, if you're not already a fan of The Illuminae Files, I don't think there's much I can do to convince you to read it, but I'll try: this series is one of the most exciting, swooniest, funniest, most unique series I've ever read. The books are amazing, and the audiobooks are incredible. They're gorgeously written AND illustrated, and honestly, I'm just so impressed with the amount of work that has gone into them, from Amie and Jay, of course, to their editors and the artists (like Marie Lu!!!) and the copyeditors and audiobook producers and the full cast of narrators. Everyone who has touched these books made them into the most beautiful pieces of art, and I'm so grateful to all of them for making such a fantastic series for me to obsess over. 

If that hasn't convinced you, I reviewed Illuminae and the Illuminae audiobook and reviewed Gemina via gifs and collected a bunch of amazing Illuminae merch if you're into that sort of thing.

Waiting on Wednesday: Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.

Chaotic Good
by Whitney Gardner

Coming March 13, 2018

Knopf

Summary:

Cosplay, comic shops, and college applications collide in this illustrated novel, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Noelle Steveson!

Cameron's cosplay--dressing like a fictional character--is finally starting to earn her attention--attention she hopes to use to get into the CalTech costume department for college. But when she wins a major competition, she inadvertently sets off a firestorm of angry comments from male fans.

When Cameron's family moves the summer before her senior year, she hopes to complete her costume portfolio in peace and quiet away from the abuse. Unfortunately, the only comic shop in town—her main destination for character reference—is staffed by a dudebro owner who challenges every woman who comes into the shop.

At her twin brother's suggestion, Cameron borrows a set of his clothes and uses her costuming expertise to waltz into the shop as Boy Cameron, where she's shocked at how easily she's accepted into the nerd inner sanctum. Soon, Cameron finds herself drafted into a D&D campaign alongside the jerky shop-owner Brody, friendly (almost flirtatiously so) clerk Wyatt, handsome Lincoln, and her bro Cooper, dragged along for good measure.

But as her "secret identity" gets more and more entrenched, Cameron's portfolio falls by the wayside--and her feelings for Lincoln threaten to make a complicated situation even more precarious.

Why I Want It:

I'm loving the increase in "geek" books: books that are unashamed love letters to fandom and include things like cosplay✔, cons, and gaming✔. Plus, I'm all about books that confront dudebros who think that women have to earn cred for their interests, especially when it comes to geeky hobbies or sports. And I haven't played D&D in YEARS, but it was super fun, and I'd love to read a book with a fun campaign in it.

Why I think you should want it:

ALL HAIL FEMINIST GEEKS! Plus, Whitney's writing comes highly recommended.

Review: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult contemporary realistic fiction

Format/Source: hardcover, from the publisher for the Instagram tour

Status: standalone

Summary:

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.

Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.


Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

Waiting on Wednesday: Batman: Nightwalker

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.

Batman: Nightwalker
DC Icons #2

by Marie Lu

Coming January 2, 2018

Random House Books for Young Readers

Summary:

Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city's elites are being executed as their mansions' security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family's fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he's forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city's most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce's only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer.

Why I Want It:

Man, I loved Batman as a kid. I adored the animated show and Batman Forever (yes, really. It was the only one of the Batman movies I watched as a kid), and I loved our broody bad boy superhero. He's not my favorite superhero now, but I also love Marie Lu. You know how people always talk about authors whose grocery lists they'd read? Yeah, Marie is on my grocery list author list. She's so talented, and I think she does an AMAZING job writing morally ambiguous characters and spotlighting the good and bad in people. My body is READY.

Why I think you should want it:

Batman is one of the most fascinating superheroes. First of all, he's a normal dude (although rich af) and not super-powered. Instead, he uses his money, connections, and intellect to fight crime. Secondly and more interestingly, he's a good guy, but he's all about the revenge. Guys like Superman and Captain America are the goody two-shoes guys who are altruistic and boy scout-y. Bruce isn't like that. He helps people, yes, but he only got into the game to avenge his parents' murder. Still, not-great intentions or no, Batman does a lot of good. I don't know much about the actual comics, but in the movies, the focus is always on adult Bruce or kid Bruce, but there's very little in the way of teenage Bruce. I think it's really interesting that Gotham is currently exploring that age and now we can add Nightwalker to the mix. Plus, it's Marie Lu. You should want to read her grocery lists too.

Blog Tour: Breakaway by Sophia Henry

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Publisher: Random House: Flirt

Genre: new adult sports romance

Format/Source: drc, from the publisher

Status: book 5 of the Pilots Hockey companion series

Summary:

In a standalone hockey romance that tugs at readers’ heartstrings, a broken ex-pro learns to live and love again—all thanks to the complicated, wonderful nurse who gives him a second chance.

Brianna Collins needs to break away from her overbearing family. Her parents expect her to “fix” her brother after a series of concussions derailed his hockey career. Unfortunately, no doctor will give him clearance to play, and she’s finished with being the person they rely on to perform a miracle that will never happen. For Bree, a six-month nursing assignment at a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the perfect escape.

Luke Daniels, former forward for the NHL’s Charlotte Aviators, has spent close to a year rehabbing a career-threatening injury—and distracting himself however he can. Worlds collide when Luke realizes that the girl from his latest one-night-stand happens to be the new nurse at the hospital where he volunteers in the pediatric unit. What’s more, Bree’s the only person who makes him excited about life again.

Despite her initial reservations, Luke can’t help pursuing sweet, beautiful Bree. Then he realizes it was her brother whose career he ended with an accidental hit, and he falls back on the thing that’s always helped suppress his demons: alcohol. But if Luke doesn’t kick his old habits, he just may lose the one thing he loves more than hockey.

Don’t miss any of Sophia Henry’s exhilarating Pilots Hockey novels:

Delayed Penalty | Power Play | Interference | Unsportsmanlike Conduct | Breakaway

Praise for Sophia Henry

“Sophia Henry’s hockey novels are fun and flirty, warm and sweet, with relatable heroines and swoon-worthy hockey heroes. They’ll bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.”—USA Today bestselling author Kelly Jamieson

Blog Tour: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Welcome to the blog tour for the Illuminae paperback! As you all know, I ADORE this series, and I love to share it with readers and non-readers alike. I've reviewed both the book and the audiobook, and although I had the option to repost one of those reviews, I decided to do something more fun. I got to suggest several post options. It was tough to pick among them (because they were all topics I love!), but I went with the one I thought most fans would like. So keep reading for some cool Illuminae Files-themed merch including cookies (!!!), clothes, jewelry, stuff for your home, and yes, candles!

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: April 25, 2017

Publisher: Ember

Genre: young adult science fiction

Format/Source: arc/publisher & hardcover/Amazon

Status: book 1 of the Illuminae Files trilogy
Links: review, audiobook review

Summary:

Read the New York Times bestselling blockbuster that critics are calling -out-of-this-world awesome.- The first in an epic sci-fi series unlike anything else out there.

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she'd ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what's really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents--including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more--Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Praise for Illuminae:

"It certainly filled the Battlestar Galactica-shaped hole in my heart." — Victoria Aveyard, bestselling author of The Red Queen

"Brace yourself, because you're about to be immersed in a mindscape that you'll never want to leave." — Marie Lu, author of the bestselling Legend series

"Prepare yourselves for Illuminae." — EW.com

"You're not in for an ordinary novel experience. . ." — Bustle.com

"A truly interactive experience. . . . A fantastically fun ride." — MTV.com

Review: Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: March 7, 2017

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult realistic fiction, contemporary

Format/Source: ARC, ARC tour hosted by Stefani Sloma

Status: standalone

Summary:

Can a text message destroy your life?

Carver Briggs never thought a simple text would cause a fatal crash, killing his three best friends, Mars, Eli, and Blake. Now Carver can’t stop blaming himself for the accident and even worse, there could be a criminal investigation into the deaths.


Then Blake’s grandmother asks Carver to remember her grandson with a ‘goodbye day’ together. Carver has his misgivings, but he starts to help the families of his lost friends grieve with their own memorial days, along with Eli’s bereaved girlfriend Jesmyn. But not everyone is willing to forgive. Carver’s own despair and guilt threatens to pull him under into panic and anxiety as he faces punishment for his terrible mistake. Can the goodbye days really help?

Book Blitz: The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Author: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Release Date: October 18, 2017
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
Status: sequel to Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Summary: New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Cohn and David Levithan are back with a life-affirming Christmas romance starring Dash and Lily.

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since readers first watched the couple fall in love. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition. 

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the holiday magic of New York City in December. 

Told in alternating chapters, The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily reunites two beloved characters and is bound to be a Christmas favorite, season after season.

Available from:

   

About the Authors:

Rachel Cohn is the author of the critically acclaimed YA novels Very LeFreak, You Know Where to Find Me, Cupcake, Shrimp, Gingerbread,and Beta. A graduate of Barnard College, she lives and writes in Los Angeles. Find her online at rachelcohn.com.

Author Links:

    

David Levithan is a children’s book editor in New York City and the New York Times bestselling author of several books for young adults, including Another Day, Every Day, Boy Meets Boy, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green). In 2016, David was named the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, given to honor an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. You can learn more about him at davidlevithan.com.

Author Links:

    

Giveaway:

10 winners will receive a copy of The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Must be 13+ to enter. Please enter via Rafflecopter below; winner will be chosen at random, and odds are determined by number of entries. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors and their publisher. No purchase necessary. Mary Had a Little Book Blog is not responsible for lost or damaged books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Many thanks to Jean of Jean Book Nerd for giving me the opportunity to be part of this Nerd Blast. You are awesome!