Wherein the Moon is Your Destiny

Title: Outrun the Moon
Author: Stacey Lee
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR
Publication Date: May 24, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.

On April 18, an historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Mercy can't sit by while they wait for the Army to bring help. Fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, yet Mercy still has the 'bossy' cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenaged girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

I'll admit, I didn't love this as much as Under a Painted Sky, but it was still a lovely, poignant story. And I unintentionally started reading it on April 18th, the day of the historic earthquake that the story is focused on, which was, well...kind of eerie. (I remember reading about it in school, but the date had little significance to me at that point because it didn't relate to me or anyone I knew.) And I didn't realize what I'd done until I was almost to the halfway mark and the story really got, er, shaking. :P

It took a minute to make a real connection with these characters, but I'll admit it...there were moments when I cried for/with them. I won't soon forget Mercy and her hard-won friends. Or the issues they faced in that time period - and the extent to which they face them: classism, sexism, racism...to name a few. I loved seeing how a tragedy like this could bring the girls of St. Clare's together -- albeit reluctantly, at least at first -- and make them forget all the ways they were different and instead focus on being true St. Clare's girls and "comport themselves with unselfish regard for the welfare of others."

As with Under a Painted Sky, I really appreciated Lee's blend of fiction, Chinese culture, and American history. It's obvious that she researched the material, as well as had some personal association with the matter, but I also loved how she explained in her author's note what changes she made for the sake of the story and how things would have really been for Mercy and friends.

Stacey Lee's words just paint such a vivid picture. Of Chinatown. Of the devastation wrought by the earthquake. And of the grief and loss suffered in the aftermath. Her depiction of this historic tragedy is fraught with high emotions and tempers but also with the kindness and compassion that such an event seems to bring about in mankind.

The first half of this story may have been more boarding school shenanigans than anything else, but the second half of the novel really makes up for any initial slowness in the beginning. I'm impressed with the overall friendships and sense of community this book gave me, and I'm glad that it expanded my knowledge of an event that I knew little about beforehand. And in doing so, it garnered a really emotional response from me. So far, I'm very impressed with Stacey's work, and I can't wait to read her next story.

GIF it to me straight:

Like the moon, you can try to hide from it. You can even see if from a different perspective.

But you cannot outrun your destiny.

About the author:

Stacey Lee is a fourth generation Chinese-American whose people came to California during the heydays of the cowboys. She believes she still has a bit of cowboy dust in her soul. A native of southern California, she graduated from UCLA then got her law degree at UC Davis King Hall. After practicing law in the Silicon Valley for several years, she finally took up the pen because she wanted the perks of being able to nap during the day, and it was easier than moving to Spain. She plays classical piano, raises children, and writes YA fiction.

Find Stacey:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr

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Labels: diversity, historical fiction, outrun the moon, penguin, reviews, stacey lee

{WOW} WAYFARER by Alexandra Bracken

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: Wayfarer
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Series: Passenger, book #2
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: January 3, 2017

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

I don't know how I missed the cover reveal for this one, but I saw it on Amazon over the weekend and was like, YEP. I know Passenger was rather hit-or-miss for most people, but it was a hit with me. I've always liked Bracken's writing, and these books are no different. Plus, the premise for this sequel is just so compelling. Characters back from the dead. Mercenaries and girls with ulterior motives. And the possible destruction of time as we know it? YES, PLEASE!

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: alexandra bracken, beautiful covers, disney, diversity, fantasy, grabby hands, passenger, time travel, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Blog Tour} {Review in a GIFfy} Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine & Giveaway

I have, like, the biggest author crush on Sarah Fine, and I was elated to be invited to the tour for her newest book. Of Dreams and Rust, which released on Tuesday, is the much-anticipated follow-up to her gorgeous Phantom of the Opera retelling, and I gotta tell ya, it is beyond amazing.

On my stop of the tour, I've got a Review in a GIFfy for you. It was actually the previous book in this duology that inspired this feature, so it only felt fitting to review this book in the same manner. Huge thanks to Gaby Salpeter of Bookish Broads for putting this amazing tour together. Make sure you check out the rest of the tour and enter below to win one of two sets of this duology!


Title: Of Dreams and Rust
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes, book #2
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Source: ARC provided by publisher for review
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound

War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to Of Metal and Wishes, inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

I am such a huge fan of Sarah's writing. I fall for her characters every. Single. Time. And this series is no different. And boy did she bring her A-game with Of Dreams and Rust. She also must be doing some serious sacrificing to the Cover Gods because HOLY WOW. My eyes will never recover for the beauty that is the full cover jacket.

But you care about what's under that, don't you? Well, fine.

I have a lot of them, obviously. Firstly, it's been a whole freaking year since the events of the first book?

How can this be? Oh, my poor lovelies. How awful this must have been for you.

And then to find out that Wen's worst fears have come to fruition.

War is on the horizon, and Wen must warn Melik before it's too late. So, while everyone else is hunkering down, our girl does the only thing she can.

On the double, Mr. Conductor! (Okay, not really.) But this is the point where everything goes to hell.

Don't say I didn't warn you. From here on out, it's pretty much:

.....

.....

Until finally, finally, we get what we've all been waiting for...

And, of course, this is when Iron Man decides to make an appearance. (No, I'm not joking.)

Things are a little tense, to say the least.

But the war is being brought to their doorstep. And it looks like this:

Everyone has to put their feelings aside and pretend that their differences don't matter. Because here comes the boom.

And then, of course, there's more of this:

If you haven't figured it out yet, this book is not a happy one. This is probably a more accurate descriptor.

Pick one. Or all of them. They are all relevant.

But that doesn't mean I didn't love this book. I did. With every fiber of my being. I want a book that can make me feel all the things, circle back, and feel them all over again. Sarah has the uncanny ability to make me want to open myself up to pain and grief, bring it out into the light and explore it further.

Her characters are beautiful and diverse and genuine. Their pain and joy and fears are real. I loved Of Metal and Wishes, but I think I loved Of Dreams and Rust even more because it pushed these characters to their limits. It tested them. It broke them. And it made me love them that much more.

I can't wait to see what Sarah Fine comes up with next!

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Sarah Fine is the author of several books for teens, including Of Metal and Wishes and its sequel, Of Dreams and Rust, and the Guards of the Shadowlands YA urban fantasy series. She is also the co-author (with Walter Jury) of two YA sci-fi thrillers: Scan and its sequel Burn. Sarah is also the author of the adult urban fantasy series, Servants of Fate, with the third book in the series, Fated, releasing September 2015. When Sarah’s not writing, she’s psychologizing. Sometimes she does both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.

Find Sarah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr | Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour below:

August 4: My Friends Are Fiction
August 5: Reading Teen
August 6: Rainy Day Ramblings
August 7: The Starry-Eyed Revue

August 10: There Were Books Involved
August 11: Writer of Wrong
August 12: Love is Not a Triangle
August 13: The Quiet Concert
August 14: Nick's Book Blog


Thanks for stopping by & happy reading!

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Labels: beautiful covers, blog tour, diversity, favorite authors, favorites, giveaways, historical fiction, of metal and wishes, retellings, review in a giffy, sarah fine, simon schuster

{Blog Tour} Overboard by Elizabeth Fama: Review & Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Overboard Blog Tour, hosted by Dianne of Oops! I Read a Book Again. I've got a review and giveaway for you, but be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more awesome content, including reviews from other bloggers and excerpts from the book!

Title: Overboard
Author: Elizabeth Fama
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: June 9, 2015 (first published January 1, 2002)
Source: PB provided by author for review
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

She swam up for what seemed like an eternity, with her chest so achingly empty it felt as if it had collapsed, seeing only white bubbles in front of her face until she broke the surface.

One moment of rashness, and fourteen-year-old Emily Slake finds herself amid hundreds of panicked and drowning people in the dark ocean waters off Sumatra. Miles from shore without a life vest, she resolves to survive. But in facing the dangers of the ocean, the desperation of her fellow survivors, and her own growing exhaustion, Emily must summon wits and endurance she's not sure she has.

Striking out on her own, Emily encounters Isman, a frightened young Muslim boy, floating in a life vest. Together they swim for their lives, relying on Emily's physical strength and Isman's quiet faith.

Based on a true story, Overboard is both a riveting tale of survival and a sensitive portrayal of cross-cultural understanding in a time of crisis.

I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Fama's after reading her dark and haunting Monstrous Beauty, and I was even further overcome by her beautiful words in Plus One. Plus, she's just an all-around awesome individual. So I was beyond excited to be given the opportunity to read her first book now that it's gone to print again.

I'm not always the biggest fan of survival accounts, but Emily's story had my heart in my throat the entire time. Initially, I found her character a tad immature and more than a little whiney, but then I remembered how I behaved at fourteen, and yeah, I would have loathed having my parents drag me to some developing country where I had no friends and little chance at a more conventional life. Plus, Emily really grows up over the course of the narrative and proves to be much more intelligent and quick-thinking than I ever was at that age.

Emily encounters a lot of situations that require her to pull from her life experience thus far, and it's her ability to think on her feet that ensures she survives to meet the next problem head-on. First and foremost, she has to make it off the sinking ferry, which is no small feat, but then she's thrown into a series of surreal episodes that would change any adult, let alone a kid of fourteen. I think her experience in the sea left her reevaluating everything, and she'll be quite a different person coming out the other side of such a tragedy.

This is not just a book about survival but also one of friendship. When we meet Emily, she feels rather desolate and longs for home. I think Beth so beautifully portrays what Emily's life is like as an American girl in a developing foreign country. After two years, she's learned the language and the customs, but she still feels like an outsider, as if she'll never fit into this life. And yet she does, without even realizing it. It's never more evident than when she meets British tourists on holiday in Sumatra, with their lack of knowledge of the local culture and the fact that they don't seem to care to know. It so obviously rubs Emily the wrong way, but she doesn't mention it.

Despite all of that, friendship presents itself in the most unlikely of scenarios, with Emily tying her life to that of a nine-year-old boy who needs her as much as she needs him to make it out of this situation alive. The fact that there is no language barrier makes it that much easier for Emily to convince Isman to let her help him. I wholeheartedly believe that if Emily was truly as unhappy in Indonesia as she believes she is in the beginning, she never would have made the effort to learn the language and she would have been much less successful out in the open sea -- much less dry land -- especially when it came to communicating with the other survivors.

I had planned to read this with my seven-year-old daughter because it sounded like such an inspirational story, and one with wonderfully diverse characters at that, but after much discussion with the author and after reading through it myself first, I decided that I'd wait a few years before letting Katie experience this fantastic book. Beth believes that this book reads younger, like a middle grade, and I'm inclined to agree, but there are still some situations that would likely give younger children nightmares, or at the very least, have them asking questions that they're maybe not quite ready for the answers to yet. But I have no doubt that when she's ready, my daughter will absolutely love this story of a heroic girl in a strange land as much as I did.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Plus One was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in April, 2014. A 2015 RITA award finalist, Plus One was also a highlighted book in VOYA magazine, and was listed among the "Top 12 Young Adult Books of 2014" in the Huffington Post.

Monstrous Beauty, was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in September, 2012. It won won the 2013 Odyssey Honor Award, and was included on the 2013 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list and the 2013 YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults list.

My first novel, Overboard (Cricket Books, 2002), was named a 2003 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association (one of only eleven books selected unanimously by the committee that year). It received the 2002-2003 honor award from the Society of Midland Authors, and it was nominated for five state readers' choice awards (New Hampshire, Texas, Illinois, Utah, and Florida).

Find Elizabeth:

Website | Twitter | Tumblr | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour here! Thanks for stopping by & happy reading!

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Labels: amazon children's publishing, blog tour, diversity, elizabeth fama, favorite authors, giveaways, middle-grade, overboard, tough subject

SYNC Summer 2015: Week 13 #sync15

Can we put summer on pause, please? It's going by way too fast. But with summer comes the SYNC Young Adult Listener Program. They recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and today kicks off the 13th week of the program for 2015. Here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!

This week's YA title is Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickels by Tanya Lee Stone, performed by J.D. Jackson for Brilliance Audio.

World War II was raging, with thousands of American soldiers fighting overseas against the injustices brought on by Hitler. Back on the home front, the injustice of discrimination against African Americans was playing out as much on Main Street as in the military. Enlisted black men were segregated from white soldiers and regularly relegated to service duties. At Fort Benning, Georgia, First Sergeant Walter Morris’s men served as guards at The Parachute School while the white soldiers prepared to be paratroopers. Morris knew that in order for his men to be treated like soldiers, they would have to train and act like them, but would the military elite and politicians recognize the potential of these men, as well as their passion for serving their country? Tanya Lee Stone examines the role of African Americans in the military through the lens of the untold story of the Triple Nickles as they became America’s first black paratroopers and fought a little-known World War II attack on the American West by the Japanese. The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, in the words of Morris, “proved that the color of a man had nothing to do with his ability.”

This week's classic title is John Ball's In the Heat of the Night adapted by Matt Pelfrey, performed by Ryan Vincent Anderson, Michael Hammond, Kalen Harriman, Travis Johns, James Morrison, Darren Richardson & Tom Virtue for L.A. Theatre Works.

Based on John Ball’s novel which inspired the Oscar-winning film and the Emmy-winning television series, In the Heat of the Night pits a visiting black detective from California against a small Alabama town simmering with anger over desegregation. A fitting reflection of America in the 1960s, this Off-Broadway hit is provocative, timely, and uncomfortably relevant. Please note: This title contains strong and racially charged language.

Will you be picking up either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. To download this week's titles, just click here to be taken directly to the SYNC download page.

I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last few years, and I've had the opportunity to listen to a ton of great audio for free.  If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy.  And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed or discover new ones.  Win/win.  =)

Happy listening!

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Labels: 2015, audiobooks, classics, diversity, freebies, promotions, summer, sync