Listen To Your Heart

But to Kate’s surprise, she turns out to be pretty good at the hosting gig. Then the podcast gets in a call from an anonymous guy, asking for advice about his unnamed crush. Kate is pretty sure that the caller is gorgeous Diego Martinez, and even surer that the girl in question is Alana. Kate is excited for her friend … until Kate herself starts to develop feelings for Diego. Suddenly, Kate finds that while doling out wisdom to others may be easy, asking for help is tougher than it looks, and following your own advice is even harder.My rating:
The moment I knew that the audiobook of this is available on Spotify (thanks to Gavin for sharing a tweet about it); I instantly took the chance and read this book. Well, listened to it like a podcast! And speaking of a podcast? The story has a lot to say about that. But what will you do if you develop some feelings for your best friend’s crush?

This is the first book I read from the author. The story was something my seventeen-year-old self will appreciate, touching relatable topics on self-esteem, popularity, future plans (how do you see yourself years from now), family and friendship drama, and of course, the list won’t be complete without our very own twist of high school romance experience.

Given that this is also the first audiobook I ever listened to, I had so much fun, feeling a shift on every character’s emotions. The way Kate came out from her shell and learning how to confidently carry herself by hosting a podcast and giving relevant advice to their listeners, to how distant Max’s was that I instantly knew he experienced bullying.

But if there’s more than anything I love about the story, it is the relationship between Kate and Alana. They didn’t let one guy ruin their friendship. Instead, they talked and dealt it like how proper adults should suppose to handle issues. Here, Kasie West lets young adult readers know that by doing so, confronting what’s in front of them, is one way of overcoming when difficult situations arise.

I also appreciate how a disclaimer was always included in each Not My Problem episode every time Kate and Victoria hosted the podcast. Sure, everyone can give their piece of advice but it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to follow. The author certainly knows that being forthcoming about it validates those who professionally seek and need expert advice.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I thought at first it is going to be a typical love-hate romance between Kate and Frank whose families hate each other. I even shipped them both at the beginning. But I’m glad having the comfort of knowing how the story would end.

About The Author:
Kasie West graduated from Fresno State University with a BA degree that has nothing to do with writing.  She earned her masters in Junior Mint eating (which is awarded after eating your millionth King Size box).  She loves sappy alternative rock ballads and reading way past her bedtime.  

She is a mother of four and lives in Central California where the summers try to kill her with their 115-degree stretches.

Follow Kasie West:
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Drumroll!!! Ready?

Yes! We are pleased to announce that we are officially opening the blog and bookstagram tour sign-up for Shannon Price’s debut novel, A Thousand Fires! She is a debut Filipino-American author whose book is a YA reimagining of the Iliad set in modern-day San Francisco.

Not just that, because today marks the 100 days until A Thousand Fires comes out in the world and Shannon is giving a copy of her book to one lucky winner! So, go and visit her Instagram to get a chance to win her ARC Giveaway! 
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0d8pfAAk6Z/
A Thousand Fires
by Shannon Price
Published by: Tor Teen
Publication date: November 5, 2018
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Retelling
Cover Design: Greg Ruth & in-house Tor Teen designers
Pre-order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Synopsis:
Shannon Price’s A Thousand Fires is a breakout contemporary debut―think The Outsiders meets The Iliad―that’s perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Veronica Roth.

10 Years. 3 Gangs. 1 Girl’s Epic Quest…

An extraordinary debut set in San Francisco and inspired by The Iliad…

Valerie Simons knows the gangs are dangerous—her little brother was shot and killed by the Boars two years ago.

Still, nothing will sway Valerie from wanting to join the elite and beautiful Herons and find her brother’s killer. It doesn’t hurt that her best friend Matthew is slated to become a Heron leader—and she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.

Then Valerie is recruited by the mysterious Stags when their volatile, provocative, and beyond charismatic leader Jax promises to help her get revenge. Torn between old love and new loyalty, Valerie races to finish the mission that got her into the gangs.

But no one truly wins the Wars.

About The Author:
Shannon Price is a YA author living in the San Francisco Bay Area. After graduating from Santa Clara University with a degree in English, she interned and later worked for Counterpoint Press in Berkeley, CA. As a publicist at Counterpoint, she garnered coverage for her clients’ books in media outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, and many more.

In 2014, she was accepted into the Scottish Universities’ International Summer School at the University of Edinburgh where she studied Creative Writing and Contemporary Literature under the tutelage of best-selling Irish writer Ruth Gilligan. In college, she worked as the Art Editor of the Santa Clara Review and represented the Review at AWP 2015 in Minneapolis, MN. She was a mentor in the second round of Author Mentor Match and regularly attends writing events around the Bay Area.

Follow Shannon Price:
Website | Twitter | Instagram

A Thousand Fires blog & bookstagram tour will run from 28th of October to 8th of November in partnership with Shannon Price and Tor Teen.

The BLOG tour is open to ALL INTERNATIONAL book bloggers who must have a NetGalley account to download a digital copy of A Thousand Fires. However, since Karina and I are both from the Philippines, we are specifically looking for Filipino bloggers whom we can send out physical ARCs of A Thousand Fires for the BOOKSTAGRAM tour.

And since available physical copies are limited, participants for the bookstagram tour should be willing to pass their designated copy around and send it to the next bookstagrammer. All selected tour participants will then be contacted via email.

Twenty (20) bloggers are needed for this blog tour and the sign-ups will close on the 15th of August. Please take note that signing up will not guarantee you a spot for this tour since slots are limited. But we highly encourage readers and bloggers to join especially A Thousand Fires is a diverse young adult novel with the following representations:

✧ African American (main character)
✧ Hawaiian/Chinese (main character)
✧ Chinese/Filipina (side character)
✧ Lesbian (main character)
✧ Bi character (main character, implied but not stated)

For interested bloggers, fill up the form below or click here.

Title: Meet Me at Midnight
Author: Jessica Pennington
Published by: Tor Teen/Macmillan
Publication date: April 7, 2020
Genres: Young Adult, Romance
Pre-order Link:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Synopsis:
They have a love-hate relationship with summer.

Sidney and Asher should have clicked. Two star swimmers forced to spend their summers on a lake together sounds like the perfect match. But it’s the same every year—in between cookouts and boat rides and family-imposed bonfires, Sidney and Asher spend the dog days of summer finding the ultimate ways to prank each other. And now, after their senior year, they’re determined to make it the most epic summer yet.

But their plans are thrown in sudden jeopardy when their feud causes their families to be kicked out of their beloved lake houses. Once in their new accommodations, Sidney expects the prank war to continue as usual. But then she gets a note—Meet me at midnight. And Asher has a proposition for her: join forces for one last summer of epic pranks, against a shared enemy—the woman who kicked them out.

Their truce should make things simpler, but six years of tormenting one another isn’t so easy to ignore. Kind of like the undeniable attraction growing between them.

About The Author:
Jessica Pennington is no stranger to the combination of love and drama. She’s a wedding planner, after all. A writer since the age of ten when she sought publication for her poem about a tree—Jessica likes the challenge of finding the humor in a sad situation or highlighting the awkwardness in a romantic one.

She lives in a Michigan beach town suspiciously similar to the one in her novel, with her husband Josh and their son, Rory.

Follow Jessica Pennington:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

For the second part of my two-part blog tour post, I will tell you why you need to read My Fate According to the Butterfly. I also had the pleasure to ask Gail D. Villanueva in an interview that I recently shared here on the blog. So, if you want to check it out, you can read it here.

My Fate According to the Butterfly
by Gail D. Villanueva
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication date: July 30, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Pre-order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Synopsis:
Light and deep, smart and funny, crushing and hopeful all at the same time, My Fate According to the Butterfly will open your eyes to both the world’s potential for magic, and to its harsh realities.

When superstitious Sab sees a giant black butterfly, an omen of death, she knows that she’s doomed! According to legend, she has one week before her fate catches up with her—on her 11th birthday. With her time running out, all she wants is to celebrate her birthday with her entire family. But her sister, Ate Nadine, stopped speaking to their father one year ago, and Sab doesn’t even know why.

If Sab’s going to get Ate Nadine and their father to reconcile, she’ll have to overcome her fears—of her sister’s anger, of leaving the bubble of her sheltered community, of her upcoming doom—and figure out the cause of their rift.

So Sab and her best friend Pepper start spying on Ate Nadine and digging into their family’s past to determine why, exactly, Ate Nadine won’t speak to their father. But Sab’s adventures across Manila reveal truths about her family more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever anticipated.

Was the Butterfly right? Perhaps Sab is doomed after all!

My rating: What will you do when death is knocking at your door, knowing you don’t have much time to live?

In this story, Gail shows how a small creature like a butterfly can make a person reflect on the things that are far more consequential, that sometimes, the simplest things in life like being with your family is a lot important than anything in the world. Like Sab, she realized that she has to value time and make every possible last moment of her life count. She put an effort to know the real reason why her dad and Ate Nadine had a falling out. But by doing so, Sab finds herself diving deeper into dangerous ground while facing head-on some of the real and controversial issues the Philippines is currently experiencing right now.As I have mentioned in the interview I did with Gail, two of the things that were emphasized in the story is Duterte’s war on drugs and recovery from substance addiction. The reality that some innocent like Kuya Jepoy has to deal with false accusations and unlawful arrests is just equally heartbreaking and alarming.
On the other hand, Christopher’s character allows us to see that people suffering from (any kind of) addiction are the ones we least expect. Most of the time, it brings tragedy that can cause a family to fall apart. He used to be a fun dad until he didn’t. He missed birthday parties or when he’s with his family, his mind was elsewhere. But with the help and inspiration from Sab and Ate Nadine, he’s trying to get better.

It’s like you’re getting sucked in. You’re falling deeper and deeper, but you have no idea where the bottom is—if there’s even a bottom. All you have are fear and uncertainty, but you let yourself fall anyway. Like a black hole. There’s no other way out but down.

See? Family plays a major role in helping someone towards recovery. Giving them a second chance and believing them without a doubt that they can change is also a way to show our support.The author also captured an excellent description of how Filipinos became a product of a colonized past. Issues like colonial mentality, white privilege, and colorism were perfectly fleshed out through Sab’s standpoint. How being white deserves only the best or having brown skin or being a morena is unattractive, so consuming a lot of whitening products, from bleaching soap to whitening lotion, is okay to achieve the standard of beauty that everyone tries to emulate.

You can either recognize and understand your privilege so you can do better, or you don’t and let things stay the same.

On a positive note, Gail didn’t miss introducing Filipino food to her readers. We are known for our food and cookery where we take pride how a simple chicken sopas can warm your heart or eating kare-kare feels heaven and indeed very satisfying.

Don’t get me started with my favorite pet character in the story, Lawin. He was such a fun addition that gave a child-like vibe and humor who will get anyone’s attention. (By the way, he’s a duck and I know for a fact that Gail’s inspiration for Lawin was her pet, Quakie, who according to her is a real diva!)At the beginning of the story, Sab believes that she will going to die. From the stories her Dad told her, she knows that a black butterfly is an omen of death. It is one of the superstitions or “pamahiin” we Filipinos believe. Either there’s a truth in it or not, it has always been and forever be a part of our culture. What’s important is we don’t need to rely on any kind of superstitious beliefs because our life is our own.My Fate According to the Butterfly is a story from the perspective of a young girl who learned the brutal realities in life and along the way, explores more about family, friendship, change, and forgiveness. This book will surely leave footprints in your hearts!

I received an eARC of My Fate According to the Butterfly as a part of my participation in this blog tour and this in no way influences my rating nor my opinion on this book.

THE GREEN BLOB OF PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Monday

“You can’t die. You’re only ten,” Pepper says for what seems like the eight time. She puts her right hand on her chest and hangs her head like she’s in mourning. “We’re only ten. I’m too young to be a widowed best friend.”

“I’m serious.” I slam my fist on the kitchen counter, flattening a piece of yellow-orange polymer clay. Pepper’s my first and only best friend. Sometimes, though, I wonder if I should reconsider it.

To her credit, Pepper had her dad bring her over the very next day after I saw the Butterfly. She has her faults, but I can always count on her for moral support. It didn’t even matter that she lives in Antipolo, thirty minutes away from Quezon City, where I live. She still answered my call.

“So am I.” Pepper raises her hands in mock surrender. They’re covered with green clay slivers. Gross. “Stop ruining my mojo. I need it to finish my masterpiece.”

I hide my snort with a cough. Pepper and I are in the kitchen, making clay sculptures. Well, at least I am. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but the mess in front of her doesn’t resemble what people normally call “a masterpiece.” It’s more like a leafy version of the poop emoji.

“So.” Pepper pokes the green glob’s “head” with her pinky. “How long do you think you’ll have?”

Dad said his friend had three days after the Butterfly landed on her garden spade. His cousin lasted an entire week following the insect’s appearance on the tip of her fountain pen. Yet, Dad’s own father didn’t even make it through the first twenty-four hours. He died almost as soon as Dad saw the Butterfly sit on the spacebar of my grandpa’s typewriter.

“Seven days, max. Dad never told me anyone who’s lived more than that.” I say, wiping sweat off my brow. The oven’s already warm, but Pepper and I aren’t allowed to use it on our own. Tito Ed will set our clay art into the oven to bake when he finishes his phone call. It should have been Ate Nadine. As usual, she’s off doing some writerly thing.

Pepper eyes her sculpture and decides that she’s done. She dumps her “artwork” onto the parchment-lined baking tray set on the counter, next to a sculpture I made earlier. Mine is a grown-up version of a Pekin duck. White, with an orange beak and legs. It’s far from being great, like Dad’s creations. Still, it is better than Pepper’s

I don’t want to offend my friend, but curiosity gets the better of me. “What’s that supposed to be, anyway?”

“It’s abstract art,” she says, sticking a piece of rolled black clay on top of her glob. It now looks like a green poop emoji with a decayed unicorn horn. “It’s a mess, but you need to look closer. It’s a beautiful representation of my past, present, and future.”

About The Author:
Gail D. Villanueva is a Filipino author born and based in the Philippines. She’s also a web designer, an entrepreneur, and a graphic artist. She loves pineapple pizza, seafood, and chocolate, but not in a single dish together (eww). Gail and her husband live in the outskirts of Manila with their dogs, ducks, turtles, cats, and one friendly but lonesome chicken.

Follow Gail D. Villanueva:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Today, I’m happy to welcome her here on Tale Out Loud for another blog episode of author spotlight I called Behind the Pages. Also, don’t forget to check again my blog for my review post within the next few days!

My Fate According to the Butterfly
by Gail D. Villanueva
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication date: July 30, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Pre-order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Synopsis:
Light and deep, smart and funny, crushing and hopeful all at the same time, My Fate According to the Butterfly will open your eyes to both the world’s potential for magic, and to its harsh realities.

When superstitious Sab sees a giant black butterfly, an omen of death, she knows that she’s doomed! According to legend, she has one week before her fate catches up with her—on her 11th birthday. With her time running out, all she wants is to celebrate her birthday with her entire family. But her sister, Ate Nadine, stopped speaking to their father one year ago, and Sab doesn’t even know why.

If Sab’s going to get Ate Nadine and their father to reconcile, she’ll have to overcome her fears—of her sister’s anger, of leaving the bubble of her sheltered community, of her upcoming doom—and figure out the cause of their rift.

So Sab and her best friend Pepper start spying on Ate Nadine and digging into their family’s past to determine why, exactly, Ate Nadine won’t speak to their father. But Sab’s adventures across Manila reveal truths about her family more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever anticipated.

Was the Butterfly right? Perhaps Sab is doomed after all!

Hi Gail! Welcome here at Tale Out Loud and congratulations on your beautiful, debut middle grade novel, My Fate According to the Butterfly!

Thank you, Karlita! I’m so happy and honored to be here.

To start, kindly talk us through the joys and difficulties of creating this story. What are some of the challenges you have experienced during the first stages of your publishing process?

I wrote my first book in November 2014 during NaNoWrimo and queried the mess of a manuscript before I even did significant edits. I received rejection after rejection for that book, before finally deciding to shelve it and work on a new one. I wasn’t the right author to write the story at that moment—I needed more writing experience to handle such an ambitious project.

But My Fate According to the Butterfly would have gotten nowhere if I hadn’t worked with my amazing mentors, Kate Messner, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Anica Ricci. They really helped me improve my craft. I sent my first query to agents for this novel in January 2017. Unlike with my first book (which got loads of rejections hehe), I got four offers of representation by mid-February.

My agent had me do several rounds of revisions over six months before we finally went on submission to editors and received an offer of publication from Scholastic Press. Though I had a long publishing journey, it’s definitely not the longest. We often hear about overnight sales and fast offers, but for most of us, it takes years from story concept to actual publication. Traditional publishing is slow, but it’s totally worth it.

Sabrina, your book’s main protagonist, a ten (almost eleven) year old Filipino girl believed her death is near when she saw a black butterfly landed on her locket. As part of our culture, Filipinos are known to subscribe to superstitions or “pamahiin”. Among all the superstitions we believe and follow, why did you choose the black butterfly?

Well… It’s the superstition that I actually believe in. My lola was the one who first told me about this superstition, but she insisted it wasn’t real. Still, I believed in it. I believe I saw the black butterfly when a friend passed away. I believe I saw it when my grandma herself died.

I fictionalized the black butterfly in my story a bit more because it was just too real for me. I felt like the magic needed to be more visibly magical to separate it from the actual black butterfly I grew up believing in.

And this is why I will keep on writing Filipino characters—to remind fellow authors, and even myself, that our stories are worth telling. That we matter.

Whenever I read a character that truly represents my culture, history, and identity, my heart overwhelms with joy. Is this one of your ultimate goals and intentions while writing this book? What else do you like to achieve as a Filipino author writing Filipino characters?

Oh, I’m so glad you feel that way! It warms my heart every time someone says they feel represented in my story. Because really, that’s one of my main goals for this book. Having grown up reading books featuring white characters, I never saw myself in the stories I read. This is why I want my book to become a mirror for anyone who needed one. Because seeing yourself as a hero/heroine in the stories you read is quite empowering—it tells you that you can be anyone you want to be.

Let me give you a specific example. Over the past year or two, I’ve been giving talks and panels about Filipino authors in US traditional publishing. In every single talk or panel, I’ve been asked if the world wants to read about Filipino characters and/or Philippine settings. It breaks my heart that we have to ask this question—and more so because I’ve asked myself this very same question a million times before. Do our voices matter? Are our experiences worth telling to the world?

Yes. Definitely, YES. But this “yes” means nothing if you can’t actually see it happening. And this is why I will keep on writing Filipino characters—to remind fellow authors, and even myself, that our stories are worth telling. That we matter.

Do you agree that Filipinos seeking visibility both in books, films or in any kind of field, can combat under-representation?

Of course. I don’t want to go into Oppression Olympics, but we are very, very underrepresented in media. I mean, just take a look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s only one Filipino American character (Ned Leeds). But he’s not an Avenger, he doesn’t have magic or powers, and he’s just Spider-Man’s guy-in-the-chair, “regular guy” sidekick. Like I said, seeing yourself represented in books (or media in general) is empowering, so yes, we definitely need to keep on seeking Filipino and Filipino American visibility.

Romeo and Wendell are both Filipino-American. How well do you think their characters help those who would like to explore their Filipino roots and understand the other half of their identity?

Romeo and Wendell were based on my experiences interacting with family and friends who are Filipino American. So, Sab’s story is really that of a Filipina growing up here in the Philippines and not in the diaspora. But her perspective can be a window for Filipino Americans who miss their homeland and/or are eager to learn more about what it’s like to actually live in the Philippines now.

One of the things that were given emphasis on your book has something to do with the Philippines’ current status on the war on drugs called “Operation Tokhang”. And recently, I heard in the news the death of another innocent life during a buy-bust operation in Rodriguez, Rizal that was equally heartbreaking and alarming. If you are a part of our PNP force, in what way things like this could be prevented from happening?

If it was up to me, I would have evacuated the area first before doing any police operations to avoid casualties. Or maybe even fire everyone with questionable record. Or perhaps I would have outfitted the team defensively (with body cams, of course) and have them carry tasers instead of loaded guns. Here’s the thing though. I can speculate on the many things I could have done to prevent the deaths, but I can never really know what I will do when I’m actually in the situation.

My dad is a photojournalist for a national paper, and I remember him telling me about that time their staff were shuffled from their usual assignments (this was ten years ago, I think). He was assigned to tail a police team doing a raid. When shots were fired, everything he thought he knew he should do flew out of the window. He doesn’t have the training that our PNP should have, so his reaction was understandable.

So, in short, for me to properly answer this question, I would need PNP training first and actually be part of an operation to say categorically what it’s like to be in one and how one should actually be run. I guess I’m just more practical than theoretical—I first need to do intensive research before formulating solutions and suggestions.

Remember: the moment you stop trying, the moment you stop writing, is the same moment you give up on your dream. Never, ever give up.

The Struggle: A Photo Series on Recovery is one of the things I love within the story. Do you agree that family plays a major role in helping someone towards change and recovery?

Oh, definitely. Loved ones, like family, are number one on the list in helping someone towards change. It’s a journey that requires love and support from the people close to us, but also considering the ones close to us too. Because everyone gets affected, especially the children—children are most often forgotten when a family member undergoes rehabilitation. Everyone in the family needs love and support from one another in the long journey of recovery.

Through Sab’s story, how do you wish readers remembered us, Filipinos?

My Fate According to the Butterfly is described by my publisher as “light and deep, smart and funny, crushing and hopeful all at the same time.” I think this is a great description, not just of the book (hehe) but of being a Filipino. We are a resilient people. We live through so many challenges and even disasters, but we still manage to stand up and pummel through. We stay hopeful as we continue to fight for change. We are a great people. I know my book barely scratches the surface of these qualities, but I do hope what little I managed to show will be remembered as Filipino by readers from around the world.

After My Fate According to the Butterfly, what is next for Gail D. Villanueva? Are you currently working on something new right now?

Yep. It’s still under wraps (I hope we’ll be announcing it soon), but to give you an idea, it’s also going to be another middle grade novel with a Filipino protagonist. This time though, it’s set in a fictional island in the Philippines. It will feature a lot more magic, and discuss consent, socio-economical privilege, and love in different forms.

If you could pass on advice to new and aspiring young writers, especially Filipinos, what would it be?

I know it can be a bit disheartening being a writer sometimes. Even though we’re now seeing stories from people of color, publishing is still very white. A rejection of “I can’t connect to the protagonist/story” can take on an entirely different meaning. But someone out there is waiting to champion a story like yours. Remember: the moment you stop trying, the moment you stop writing, is the same moment you give up on your dream. Never, ever give up.

If you read the previous interviews I did with Filipino authors, you will notice I always ask them about their favorite Filipino cuisine and desserts. So here, I manage to ask Gail D. Villanueva for a rapid round of questions, a segment of this author spotlight I’m calling, Quickfire.

Kwek-kwek or dirty ice cream?
Dirty ice cream!

Filipino books you are looking forward to reading?
Erin Entrada Kelly’s Lalani of the Distant Sea and Rin Chupeco’s Wicked as You Wish. I just need those books in my life!

Your favorite Filipino dessert?
Mais con hielo.

Kare-kare or Sinigang?
Kare-kare.

A special talent that no one probably knows?
Animals follow my commands. Like, even without training. I can lead a stray dog to a safe place with no effort, and my ducks will cease their noisy quacking if I tell them to be quiet. It’s weird, but it’s a fun talent to have.

What Filipino word would you add to the dictionary if you could?
Mata-pobre. I feel it’s not enough to say “snobbish” or “elitist.” Mata-pobre is a whole new level of being an elitist brat.

Your best childhood memory?
After a tiring and depressing day of not being able to catch up with my classmates in reading (I had a hard time learning to read as a kid), I found my mom (I usually rode the school bus) waiting for me right outside the school building. She knew we were having reading that day, and she was there to pick me up so we can get ice cream before going home.

About The Author:
Gail D. Villanueva is a Filipino author born and based in the Philippines. She’s also a web designer, an entrepreneur, and a graphic artist. She loves pineapple pizza, seafood, and chocolate, but not in a single dish together (eww). Gail and her husband live in the outskirts of Manila with their dogs, ducks, turtles, cats, and one friendly but lonesome chicken.

Follow Gail D. Villanueva:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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War of Mist

Toxic mist drives all life to the brink of destruction and the conqueror queen, Ines, has her talons in the kings of the realm.

Bleak, having discovered her true heritage, must now scour the lands for the one thing that might save them all.

But the search is a treacherous one – and it will push her to the very limits of endurance.

Amidst secrets, lies and the intricacies of battle, Bleak and her companions learn just how far they’ll go for the ones they love. But will it be enough?

As deadly forces grapple for power across the continents, families, friends and allies unite to take one final stand.

Explosive revelations, heart-wrenching betrayals and breathtaking magic soar in the epic conclusion to Helen Scheuerer’s bestselling trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles.

First book in The Oremere Chronicles:
 
My rating: 
I’ve been staring at my laptop screen for hours, trying to articulate how I feel and pinching myself in hopes it’ll help me convince that this is indeed the final chapter for The Oremere Chronicles. I can’t imagine saying this, but it’s time for me to say goodbye to the best characters the fantasy realm had ever known.

Dang! It feels like the ending of this series is much emotionally harder for me to handle than any heartbreak I have ever experience. Why it’s so hard to let go?

How many times I had to catch my breath, trying to steady myself from sobbing uncontrollably, or those moments I was emotionally wrecked, feeling a lump in my throat, because I’m not ready for the fate of some the characters in the story.Then I realized nothing could have prepared me for this even if the title itself is like a huge neon sign or the synopsis saying, “War is here” had already warned me.

Because if you read the entire books in this series like me, you should know by now that Helen Scheuerer forged a fantasy world that was entirely reflected to our real setting where everyone is fighting their own battle and people are either guided by their moral compass or blinded by their greed, personal interest and hunger for power. Her books are not a Disney princess movie where everyone gets a happy ending and live happily ever after.

By going into detail, I will conclude this series by highlighting the key narrative elements that made this story one of the best fantasy series I have ever read.

❥ Change is possible

Driven by each characters’ struggles who are fighting for different reasons, either to find out their identity and true heritage or save the people they love and the rest of the realm, the flow of change is apparent since the beginning of the series.

Bleak is a testament to this. Imagine you discover you are an Ashai who wants to get a cure for your magic, only to find out that the self-proclaim one true queen sought and want all your magic for her own. Throughout her journey, from a drunken pickpocket to a woman who braved the mist and embraced change by having her own choices, she was never the same Angovian girl I knew.

Don’t get me started with young Dash because, at the end of Reign of Mist, the change in him surprised me! Well, I won’t say more than that. Though he needed to get used to what and who he is, he is proven to be a valuable asset, an ally, from the war they had to face.

Henri, on the other hand, has always been confined by the Valian Way, but not anymore. She started to see that it is not the only important thing in life because there’s far more beyond that. The war made her see that. Deaths of loved ones made her see that. In the end, she opened herself up to changes.

Things had changed. It was a new dawn for her people and for the Valian Way.

And let’s not forget Swinton whose character I stand up for being one of the most conflicted and complex characters I read. He’s quite made an impression the moment I start reading this series and I could rant all day how his character was inconvenient yet real in every way.

Swinton made sure that whatever he did in the past did not define who he becomes. Even he made bad choices, that doesn’t mean that it makes him any less of a good person. He finally overcame his fears and believed that he could commander himself towards change.You see, change is possible. Rules change. A place can change. People change. And here, the characters morphed into someone that is complex and painted in a way that makes them real and relatable. Whether it is the right thing to do or they were forced by it, every small change became significant, giving them the chance to be the best possible versions of their selves.

❥ There is always hope

Amid cruelty, treachery, and war, believing that if not a rainbow, there will always be a light and a flicker of hope that could sparks change.

Did Swinton consider that change for him is slim? Yes! Did Casimir think their only chance to defeat Ines is dead? Yes! Did Mariette believe that the realm is doom? Yes! Did the war quash everyone’s hope? Yes!How many times do you think the word hope appeared within the entire books in this series? Believe it or not, it appeared 100 times. And it is more than enough to say that hope is not dead, that every let down gave each character a reason to believe they can change the tide of war and giving up shouldn’t be an option.

I’m going to go to war. I’ll carry on. As you have done. We stand to face the storm, no matter what it throws at us.

❥ Friends stand up for each other

From the very beginning, I adore the friendship between Swinton and Fiore. Strengthen by the war they need to fight alongside each together; they both learn to trust more and rely on each other.

I told you once, old friend; my place has always been, and always will be, by your side.

While Henri and Bleak were only used to looking out for their own, the things they both need to endure piled with the journey they experienced together, made their relationship proven worthy of friendship. Believing “Every woman for herself.” was then changed by “No one gets left behind.”That same goes with Dash who found a friend with Luca, Princess Olena who found a friend with Prince Nazuri, and Bleak who found a friend with Sahara.

The queen I imagine would never run, would never leave her friends behind to die for her.

I believe that’s the truest form of friendship, right? Some people may hurt you, betray you or don’t give a damn care about you. But see? Genuine friends will stand by you until the end no matter what.

❥ Love wins

Why do you think Bleak came back to save Bren from Moredom Tower? Why do you think Athene want her daughter to be the next heir of Valia? Why do you think Tailor didn’t introduce himself all those years ago knowing Casimir and Alarise is still alive? Why do you think Henri and Sahara did everything in their power to save Allehra? How about that time when Swinton did terrible things that later caused everyone he cares about in the entire realm? Or that moment when Gesa chose to use her magic even if it caused her being apart from Alarise?I could go on and on asking questions that will leave you with the same answer. But see? It all boils down to love. Each character has their reason, selfish or not, that drove them to do everything in the name of love. Even if they did not utter the four-letter word, their actions say it out loud. With the Oremere Chronicles now officially over, worth of watching 10 seasons of Game of Thrones, I recommend you read this series if you love magic, rich world-building, well-developed character arcs, sensational plot twists and an epic battle leading to a bittersweet ending that will make you want to shield your heart from arrows and flying spears.

Also, if you want to learn more about Oremere, check Helen’s prequels to Heart of Mist and my review for Heart of Mist and Reign of Mist.

I received an eARC of War of Mist as a part of my participation in this blog tour and this in no way influences my rating nor my opinion on this book.

‘If you want something done right, do it yourself,’ she muttered under her breath. Her fingers toyed with the layered necklace resting against her collarbone, a pretty gift from the infatuated king. She was fond of this piece in particular, adorned with rare jewels from lands long forgotten. It reminded her of something her mother had worn so many years before. A piece she was meant to inherit, before they’d taken her and stripped her of all her rights and belongings. The order of the high priestesses allowed no effects, no personal property, but now … now she had many things to call her own.

Below, the castle maze sprawled across the grounds, and beyond the walls and gatehouse, the whole of Ellest bent to her will. It was all hers. She had taken it easily, as was her destiny. The instinct of the magic in her veins drove her to take and take, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted to add to her kingdom, her collection. The need to do so raged within her, a demand, a drive to fill the gaping hole in her chest.

Then there were those who threatened to take away all she held dear now. Tonight, along with all the other nights, the thought of them, and what they were searching for, kept her from sleep. She had begun her own search for the item they planned to use against her. The maze, the armoury, the jewel vault had all proved fruitless, but earlier in the week, she’d had a breakthrough. The old library. She had felt its presence. Demanding solitude, she had locked herself away and combed through every volume the damn room held. Nothing. But she knew it was in there. And she would find it. Rheyah help the realm when she did.

About The Author:
Helen Scheuerer is the YA fantasy author of the bestselling novel, Heart of Mist (2017) and the upcoming sequel Reign of Mist (September 2018). Both books are part of the action-packed trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles.

After writing literary fiction for a number of years, novels like Throne of Glass, The Queen’s Poisoner and The Queen of the Tearling inspired Helen to return to her childhood love of fantasy.

Helen is also the Founding Editor of Writer’s Edit, an online literary magazine and learning platform for emerging writers. It’s now one of the largest writers’ platforms in the world.

She has been previously shortlisted for Express Media’s Outstanding Achievement by a Young Person in the Literary Arts Award and the Young Writers Showcase. Helen has also run writing and editing workshops for the NSW Society of Women Writers. 

Follow Helen Scheuerer:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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If you haven’t pre-order her book yet, you still have time! Also, don’t forget to check the pre-order campaign she prepared for everyone and get the chance to win awesome, cool prizes!

The Miraculous
by Jess Redman
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date: July 30, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pre-order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Synopsis:
In the tradition of heartwrenching and hopeful middle grade novels such as Bridge to Terabithia comes Jess Redman’s stunning debut about a young boy who must regain his faith in miracles after a tragedy changes his world.

​Eleven-year-old Wunder Ellis is a miracle-collector. In a journal he calls The Miraculous, he records stories of the inexplicable and the extraordinary. And he believes every single one. But then his newborn sister dies, at only eight days old. If that can happen, then miracles can’t exist. So Wunder gets rid of The Miraculous. He stops believing.

​Then he meets Faye―a cape-wearing, outspoken girl with losses of her own. Together, they find an abandoned house by the cemetery and a mysterious old woman who just might be a witch. The old woman asks them for their help. She asks them to believe. And they go on a journey that leads to friendship, to adventure, to healing―and to miracles.

​The Miraculous is Jess Redman’s sparkling debut novel about facing grief, trusting the unknown, and finding brightness in the darkest moments.

WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE AN AUTHOR

I considered trying to write something profound and moving for Tale Out Loud. But I decided instead, since this is my debut year, to write a somewhat self-indulgent post about how I have always (or for a very long time) wanted to be an author. So here goes:

I have always (or for a very long time) wanted to be an author.

When I was in first grade, we made ribbon-bound books. The covers were cardboard and contact paper, and my story was about a girl who swings upside down on the monkey bars. That was it. That was the whole story. It was not exceptionally creative or quirky or thoughtful, but I was extremely proud of it. I loved to tell stories, I loved to read, and flipping through those pages of crayon-scribbled illustrations and slanty-scrawly words, I knew that I had found the answer to, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

I wanted to be an author.

I started writing all the time. I created families with elaborate backstories and made maps of the towns I created. I checked out Teach Yourself German for my World War II story and All About Ancient Egypt for my Tutankhamun story. I asked for writing craft books for my birthdays and Christmas; I didn’t read much of them but I put them face out on my bookshelf—For Inspiration!

I was nine when I completed my First Official Novel. It was inspired by The Great Gilly Hopkins and Cheaper by the Dozen and The Pinballs and all the Disney movies where woodland creatures flock to singing girls. The main character was a 10-year-old musical prodigy in the foster care system named Corinthia Octavia. Her story was exactly 200 college-ruled pages long. There were 10 chapters, each exactly 20 pages long.

I don’t think there’s a right or a wrong way to write a book, but I probably will not use that particular method again.

But I was, again, extremely proud of that story.

And I very, very, very, very much wanted to be an author.

As a side note, the therapist in me would like to say that this, I think, is what every young person needs: to feel that they are good at something. Anything, really. I was not athletic. I was not artistic. I couldn’t play an instrument, and I was a little quirky and a little intense. But I could write. Writing was my something.

I wrote more long stories. I used up more marble-cover notebooks. I confided in my journal that I wanted to win the Newbery by age 13 (alas, not all dreams come true).

But life doesn’t always (or usually or ever) go in a straight line, and I didn’t major in creative writing or English or library sciences in college. I majored in political science, and I travelled around the world, which filled my eyes and ears and heart with stories. Then more life happened, and I became a therapist. All day, every day, I got to listen to and participate in the stories of the people who trusted me enough to tell me them.

I loved it, but I also still wanted to be an author.

So I wrote. I wrote, and I wrote, and I wrote. And a lot of it was bad. Some of it was really, really bad. But eventually, I wrote stories that I was extremely proud of.

And now one of stories will be published on July 30^th. THE MIRACULOUS is my middle-grade magical contemporary debut. It’s about grief and belief, magic and memory, big questions and big hearts and all the miracles that surround us. My persistent, consistent, never-ceasing dream has come true, and I am indescribably happy and unspeakably grateful.

I have always (or for a very long time) wanted to be an author, and now I am.

About The Author:
Jess Redman has wanted to be an author for forever (or a very long time). First,she did things like survive middle school, travel around the world, become a therapist, and have two kids.

But then finally, her childhood dream came true! Her middle-grade debut, THE MIRACULOUS, will be published by FSG/Macmillan on July 30, 2019. Her second middle-grade novel, QUINTESSENCE, will be out on July 28, 2020. You can out more about Jess and her books, plus book trailers, discussion guides, pre-order gift info, and more at her website.

Follow Jess Redman:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (INT’L):
Bookmark
Sticker
One of three art cards featuring cover art by the amazing Matt Rockefeller

10 Winners will get:
Bookmark
Sticker
 All three art cards
Dried Flower Pendant Necklace

Grand prize winner will get:
Dried flower necklace from The Pretty Pickle
Miracle journal
Three bookish enamel pins
6 books/ARCS
All three art cards
Miraculous sticker
Miraculous Bookmark
Details here

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If you like a twist on your favorite classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and love food and magic, this book is for you!

Midsummer’s Mayhem
by Rajani LaRocca
Published by: Yellow Jacket
Publication date: June 11, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Retelling
Pre-order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Synopsis:
Can Mimi undo the mayhem caused by her baking in this contemporary-fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Eleven-year-old Mimi Mackson comes from a big Indian American family: Dad’s a renowned food writer, Mom’s a successful businesswoman, and her three older siblings all have their own respective accomplishments. It’s easy to feel invisible in such an impressive family, but Mimi’s dream of proving she’s not the least-talented member of her family seems possible when she discovers a contest at the new bakery in town. Plus, it’ll start her on the path to becoming a celebrity chef like her culinary idol, Puffy Fay.

But when Mimi’s dad returns from a business trip, he’s mysteriously lost his highly honed sense of taste. Without his help, Mimi will never be able to bake something impressive enough to propel her to gastronomic fame.

Drawn into the woods behind her house by a strangely familiar song, Mimi meets Vik, a boy who brings her to parts of the forest she’s never seen. Who knew there were banyan trees and wild boars in Massachusetts? Together they discover exotic ingredients and bake them into delectable and enchanting treats.

But as her dad acts stranger every day, and her siblings’ romantic entanglements cause trouble in their town, Mimi begins to wonder whether the ingredients she and Vik found are somehow the cause of it all. She needs to use her skills, deductive and epicurean, to uncover what’s happened. In the process, she learns that in life, as in baking, not everything is sweet. . . .

FOOD, FAMILY, AND FLOWERS

People have asked me what kind of research I did to write MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM, my Indian-American mashup of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and competitive baking. I had to research Shakespeare, of course. I also researched plants, trees, and forest creatures. And I had to do some hands-on research developing recipes for the baked goods in the book. Like my main character Mimi, I thought about some of my favorite flavors and desserts and how I might mix them up in new ways.

So many of my family memories are food memories. And a couple of my favorite dessert memories have to do with flowers, too.

By any other name…

We’re all familiar with roses. They are beautiful, fragrant, and represent everything from romantic love to remembrance. They proudly adorn gardens and are used in perfumes. But they can be used in cooking, too.

When I was a kid, I sometimes spent entire summers in India. I’ve always had a sweet tooth, and this was something I shared with one particular uncle and cousin. We would visit a favorite sweet shop in a busy shopping area of Bangalore, the city in south India where most of my family lives. My memories of this shop are always at night, with street lights shining and the sound of shoppers enjoying themselves. In the dim alley next to the shop was a gigantic pot, a cauldron of sorts, where a cook would be stirring a magical mass of sweet milk dumplings swimming in a rose-and-cardamom scented sugar syrup. They were called gulab jamun (“gulab” means “rose”). The cook would scoop a few of the soft delicacies into a paper cup along with copious amounts of syrup, and the three of us would eat them immediately, disregarding our slightly burnt tongues. It was heaven. And the fragrance of the rosewater in the syrup would stay with me for the rest of the night.

Who with thy saffron wings…

The world’s most expensive spice also comes from a flower. Saffron is the stamen of a crocus, and must be harvested by hand. The flower is a lovely purple, the spice itself is bright red, and it turns food a warm yellow, the color of summer sunshine.

Saffron flavors my all-time favorite dessert, kesari bhath (again, “kesari” means “saffron”). It’s a pudding-like dessert made with roasted semolina (cream of wheat), cooked on the stove with sugar, ghee, and saffron-infused milk, and lightly spiced with cardamom. Golden raisins and toasted cashews are stirred in at the end. It’s a traditional dessert from the state of Karnataka, where my family is from. It is golden, fragrant, sweet, and warm. There is no better way to end a meal. I’ve had it in restaurants, but the best version is my mom’s. Our whole family, including my husband and kids, adores this sweet treat.

These flowers and desserts play a role in MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM. I hope you enjoy reading, and then go try these treats, and experience a bit of real-life magic.

About The Author:
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her wonderful husband, two brilliant kids, and an impossibly cute dog. She spends her time writing middle grade novels and picture books, practicing medicine, and baking way too many sweet treats. Her debut middle grade, MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM, is a foodie Indian-American story inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the hours she’s spent watching TV baking competitions.

Follow Rajani LaRocca:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Hope they’ve helped you a lot because today marks the start of me, sharing the Swag Party for 2019 new book releases. I know I’ve convinced you to stretch out your grabby crabby hands to get all the amazing books out there for the past few months but AGAIN, I want to spice up your cozy bookish nook and add some more pinch of sweetness to your lovely reading life!

So, if you already pre-ordered a book and haven’t sent your proof of purchase, don’t worry just yet because you ain’t late for the party! Just follow the details’ links provided where you can send them. 

UPDATE: Some authors will let you get their pre-order incentive by requesting their books on your local library. If that happens, I will sure to include that whenever a library request option is available.

If there’s a book you know that is not in this list or your an author who wants to spread more about your pre-order campaign, comment down below and I’ll add them up.Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston
Release Date: July 23, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request / Purchase the Heart of Iron paperback and you’ll get (Ends August 23):
1 bookmark from each of the three books in the trilogy with a pretty image and a thematic quote
Digital poster and wallpapers
Details hereZiggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L, Ends August 15):
A “Gay is Good” vintage remake button
Official Ziggy bookmark
Signed bookplate
Ziggy cover sticker (artwork by the glorious Tomasz Mro)
$1 donation to BAAITS

Library request and you’ll get (INT’L):
Official Ziggy bookmark
Ziggy cover sticker

3 Grand prize winner will get:
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Concert DVD
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars vinyl
Ziggy Stardust T-shirt (size Large) and Bowie Sticker pack
Details here
 Midnight Beauties by Megan Shepherd
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Exclusive Midnight Beauties goodies
 Exclusive novella, Tricks and Whispers
Details here
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (US only):
 Door hanger, which also makes an excellent bookmark
 A butterfly knot hand tied by the author (first 100 US pre-orders)
Details hereThe Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon

Pre-order and you’ll get (US Only):
Signed bookmark
Butterfly charm
 Fridge magnet
 Butterfly sticker
Details hereThe Trouble with Shooting Stars by Meg Cannistra
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (US only):
 Zeppelin sticker
 Star enamel pin
Details here

Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (INT’L):
 Two 4”x6” prints of character art done by the brilliant @danikacorrall

Grand prize winner will get:
 Enamel pin from Out of Print
Notebooks
 Pens and more
Details here
 Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US and CAN only):
 Original signed art print

Grand prize winner will get:
 A trip to the PUMPKINHEADS launch event on 8/27 for both you and a guest!
Details hereWild Savage Stars by Kristina Pérez
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get:
 Exclusive bonus content from SWEET BLACK WAVES! Kristina Perez re-wrote the first chapter of the book from Tristan’s point of view, and you won’t want to miss it.
Details here (US) Details here (INT’L)The Spinner of Dreams by K.A. Reynolds
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (INT’L):
 Signed bookmark
 Sticker featuring the gorgeous cover art of Julia Iredale

First 100 pre-orders will receive (US only):
 2 of the 3 malleable postcards featuring original character art by the talented Jensine Eckwall
 Signed bookmark
 Book cover sticker
 A small black crow feather enamel pin that says Dreamer 

Grand prize winner will get:
 3 malleable character postcards
Signed bookmark
 2 notebooks featuring original character art (one says Dreamer, the other says Follow your Dreams)
 Book cover sticker
 A large and symbolic phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes necklace
  2 enamel pins
Details hereBarstool Theology: Crafting the Good Life by Trevor Gundlach
Release Date: August 30, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get:
 Koozie
Details here

The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order by June 30 and you’ll get (US only):
 Signed bookmark
 Signed bookplate
Details hereDarkdawn by Jay Kristoff
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
 A deleted chapter from DARKDAWN called “Three”
Details hereSerpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (INT’L, Ends August 27):
 4 character cards
 Digital annotated first chapter

Grand prize winner will get:
 Custom S&D mug from Clay Plant Road
Custom “La Dame Blanche” candle from Wick & Jane
 Crescent moon necklace from Vintage Acorn
moleskin notebook with graphic from @IsabelWriter09
 Crescent moon necklace from Vintage Acorn
 Art print of Lou and Reid from @Abigail_Larson
Details hereThe Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Snake letterpress print

Grand prize winner will get:
 Sterling silver arrow necklace on a 16” chain with a length extender
Handmade giant clay mug inspired by the TGTSGB cover
A celestite stone
Original art print from @dasstark
Signature scent in a TGTSGB inspired rollerball made by the author with blue calcite stones (peace & intuition) inside & a lapis lazuli stone (clarity & compassion) roller
Set of bookmark author annotations for your copy of THE GIRL THE SEA GAVE BACK
Enamel pin of the TGTSGB book cover
Details hereAmerican Royals by Katharine McGee
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US Only):
A tote bag
Reusable coffee sleeve
 Bookmark
 Washinton family tree
Details hereEclipse the Skies by Maura Milan
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
White Hearts enamel pin
Details hereThere Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
A deck of character scrying cards
Details hereDear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US & CAN only):
A set of exclusive postcards featuring book quotes and images from Haitian photographer Samuel Dameus
Details hereTiger Queen by Annie Sullivan
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (INT’L):
Enamel Pin
Signed Bookplate
Creature Guide
Digital Poster
Details hereThe Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Bookmark
 Signed bookplate
Details hereA Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get (US only):
 Exclusive swag
Details hereFrankly in Love by David Yoon
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Enamel pin
 Tote bag
Details hereCapturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
An alternate cover/dust jacket for Capturing the Devil
A 6” x 9” double-sided postcard featuring original color artwork of a wedding scene with Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell by Gabriella Bujdosó
Details hereA Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L, Ends September 24):
Deleted scenes from The Light Between Worlds
 Previously unpublished short fiction
Details hereSeeker by Kim Chance
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
 Bookmark
 Signed bookplate
4×6 print of an exclusive custom piece of Seeker artwork created by the incredibly talented, Gabriella Bujdoso

Grand prize winner will get:
 A SIGNED copy of KEEPER & SEEKER
 An 8×10 print of the Seeker Artwork
 1 set of KEEPER character cards
 1 special edition Lainey Styles candle
 $10 gift card to Starbucks
Details hereWhen She Reigns by Jodi Meadows
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
 Dragon stickers
 Signed bookplate
Bookmark
Dragon card

If you order a book from One More Page, then you get all of the above plus:
Exclusive 3” round sticker designed by Hey Atlas Creative
 A signed, personalized, and stamped edition.
Details hereMomentous Events In the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get:
 Signed bookmark
 Signed bookplate
 Bonus story
Details hereThe Liars of Mariposa Island by Jennifer Mathieu
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
Butterfly Charm Necklace
Butterfly stickers
Postcard
Bookmark
Details hereJust Lucky by Melanie Florence
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get:
Buttons
Bookplate
Stickers
Details hereThe Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

First 50 pre-orders will get (US only):
A Seven Sins T-shirt
A 5×7 art print with a quote from the book
 Signed bookplate
Details hereThe Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US & CAN only):
A downloadable phone background
A Bright Sessions original e-short story titled BLUEPRINT (featuring Caleb and Adam)
An exclusive audio interview with author Lauren Shippen and her fellow The Bright Sessions podcast co-star, Briggon Snow (the voice of Caleb Michaels)
Details hereThe Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US & CAN only):
 Enamel pin
Details hereBid My Soul Farewell by Beth Revis
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and get a chance to win:
 One of over 40 prize packs, each with *five* signed books in it!
Details here

Rebel by Marie Lu
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Original art print
 An entry to win a trip to the REBEL launch event on 10/1 for both you and a guest
Details hereCrier’s War by Nina Varela
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
 Exclusive special coded letter from the world of Crier’s War with wax seal
 Exclusive Automa drawing
 Signed bookplate
Details hereThe Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound

Pre-order and you’ll get (US and CAN only):
 Limited edition tote bag
Details hereScars Like Wings by Erin Stewart
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order / Library request and you’ll get:
 Poetry magnet
 Temporary wing tattoo
Bookmark

3 winners who pre-order from other retailers:
 All pre-order swags
 Silver wing necklace
 8 x 10 canvas print with Atticus poem
 Custom Scars like Wings notebook

Grand prize winner will get:
 All of the above
 Kindle Paperwhite pre-loaded with Scar like Wings plus one other novel of your choice
Details hereOutlaws by Jen Calonita
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US and CAN only):
 Character card
 Signed bookplate
Details hereThe Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Exclusive keychain
Details hereThe Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US and CAN only):
 Original e-short story emailed to them on 10/8/19: Like the First Time
Details hereThe Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh 
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 An exclusive La Cour Des Lion Enamel Pin
Details hereGravemaidens by Kelly Coon
Release Date: October 29, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US):
 Enamel pin
 Bookmark
 Moth laptop sticker
 Signed bookplate
 Deleted scene from Boatman’s POV

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
Maiden’s Tonic mocktail card
 Bookmark
 Moth laptop sticker
 Signed bookplate
 Deleted scene from Boatman’s POV

Library request and you’ll get:
Bookmark
Deleted scene from Boatman’s POV
Details hereSupernova by Marissa Meyer
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 Your name printed in the paperback of Archenemies
An exclusive Universe of Marissa Meyer promo item, reveal to come!
Details hereCall Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (US only):
 An exclusive bookplate for every release, and a signed bookplate will come with every copy of CALL DOWN THE HAWK pre-ordered from Fountain Bookstore
Details hereCrown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh
Release Date: November 12, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
Enamel pin
Cutout bookmark
Signed bookplate
 Quote card
Details hereThe Kill Club by Wendy Heard
Release Date: December 17, 2019
Pre-order links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Pre-order and you’ll get (INT’L):
Blackbird Killer lapel pin
Blackbird Killer playing card
 Bookmark
Signed bookplate
 Secret swag
Details here

Did you find this compiled list of pre-order campaigns helpful? Don’t forget to share it on your social media platforms and maybe, just maybe…consider sending me a cuppa here? This will immensely help me a lot! bn

Title: Cloak of Night
Author: Evelyn Skye
Series: Circle of Shadows #2
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: February 11, 2020
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pre-order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Wordery

Evelyn Skye is the author of New York Times bestsellers The Crown’s Game and The Crown’s Fate.

Evelyn has a B.A. in Russian literature & history from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She was once offered a job by the C.I.A., she not-so-secretly wishes she was on “So You Think You Can Dance,” and if you challenge her to a pizza-eating contest, she guarantees she will win.

Follow Evelyn Skye:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram