Thursday, May 25, 2017

BLOG TOUR: I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

Blog tour organized by Fierce Reads
See the full schedule below 


This book is completely adorable! I laughed so much at how  Desi used the plots of K-dramas in her quest for love. It's impossible not to root for her. But I think my favorite part was Desi's relationship with her father. 

Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Desi and the rest of the cast of I Believe in a Thing Called Love with a Would You Rather style interview. 


I Believe in a Thing Called Love
by Maurene Goo
Published: May 30, 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository Indiebound

Book Description: Desi Lee knows how carburetors work. She learned CPR at the age of five. As a high school senior, she has never missed a day of school and has never had a B in her entire life. She's for sure going to Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation-magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. 

She finds her answer in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It's a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Rules for True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and fake car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama. 
____________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for visiting Love is not a triangle today guys! I'm excited you're all here to answer some questions for me. Just a few rules to remember: no skipping questions, and free to elaborate on your answers! 

1) Would you rather always have to say everything on your mind OR never speak again?

Desi – Everything on my mind! I think I already do this, essentially, right? To be honest I think that it’s unhealthy for you to keep everything bottled up inside.
Luca – Never speak again. #Goals
Fiona – Desi picked everything on her mind, right? If this happens I’m moving.
Wes – If I never spoke again, could I use BODY LANGUAGE?
Violet – Can Desi never speak again?

2) Would you rather have a rewind button OR a pause button in your life?

Desi – Pause, there’s not enough time in the world for everything I want to do.
Luca – Rewind to when Desi’s pants fell off in front of me.
Fiona – Pause—at the good parts. *waggles eyebrows*
Wes – Rewind to that time I was the #1 ranking online Settlers of Catan champ. Sigh.
Violet – Can I fast forward out of this interview?

3) If everything that came out of your mouth for the rest of your life either had to be sung OR spoken in rhyme, which would you rather?

Desi – I am the WORST singer but speaking in rhyme sounds like another type of torture. Hmm…can we negotiate this one?
Luca – Spoken rhyme if only to see if I could rap, somehow. What?! I think I could.
Fiona – If I have to live in a world where people do this, just kill me.
Wes – A combo of both—and add air guitar.
Violet - I’m a really good singer so I would sing. What? I AM.

2) Would you rather never play OR play but always lose?

Desi – LOSE? What does that even mean.
Luca – Never play. I’m assuming we’re talking sports here.
Fiona – I’m down to lose but only if I’m not playing against Desi who is THE WORST SORE LOSER.
Wes – I always win so this question does not apply to my body.
Violet – Easy: Never play. Trying is so…Desi.

5) Would you rather be on a survival reality show OR dating game show?

Desi – It’s like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this question. Survival, and I would be in charge of my team.
Luca – Is Desi going to see my answers? No? Ok, then dating game show. I don’t want to be in nature.
Fiona – Dating, obviously. That’s my jam.
Wes – I know you’re all expecting dating because I’m so good at it, but I choose survival show because I’m also really good at pitching tents.
Violet – WES! (And put me in that survival show with Desi, I’d love to kick her butt.)

HAHA. You guys continue to crack me up. Wes, I started singing some Little Mermaid after your first answer. Thank you again for stopping by to chat with me! 


_______________________________________________________________

About the Author

Maurene Goo grew up in a Los Angeles suburb surrounded by floral wallpaper and piles of books. She studied communication at UC San Diego and then later received a Masters in publishing, writing, and literature at Emerson College. Before publishing her first book, Since You Asked, she worked in both textbook and art book publishing. She also has very strong feelings about tacos and houseplants and lives in Los Angeles.

Find Maureen Goo: Goodreads | Twitter | Website
__________________________________________________________

Follow The Tour: 



26-May – Kristina @ https://gonepecanla.wordpress.com/



29-May – Carmen @ https://yawednesdays.com/

30-May – Angel @ avdreader.wordpress.com

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

BLOG TOUR: The Fashion Committee by Susan Juby + Giveaway

Tour Organized by Penguin Teen
See the full schedule below

Today I have the privilege of interviewing author Susan Juby and her characters Charlie Dean and John Thomas-Smith for the blog tour. And of course, as well like to do on Love is not a triangle, our interview is Would You Rather style. 

Also, don't miss the giveaway at the bottom of the post!
_______________________________________________________________

The Fashion Committee
by Susan Juby
Published: May 23, 2017 by Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Hardcover from publisher (TY PenguinTeen)
Category: Contemporary, YA, Fashion, Competition

Book Description: "The Fashion Committee is another winner by one of my all time favorite authors."--Meg Cabot, New York Times bestselling author of the The Princess Diaries and Mediator series

Charlie Dean is a style-obsessed girl who eats, sleeps, and breathes fashion. John Thomas-Smith is a boy who forges metal sculptures in his garage and couldn't care less about clothes. Both are gunning for a scholarship to the private art high school that could make all their dreams come true. Whoever wins the fashion competition will win the scholarship--and only one can win. 

Told in the alternating voices of Charlie's and John's journals, this hilarious and poignant YA novel perfectly captures what it's like to have an artistic drive so fierce that nothing--not your dad's girlfriend's drug-addicted ex-boyfriend, a soul-crushing job at Salad Stop, or being charged with a teensy bit of kidnapping--can stand in your way. 

With black and white art custom-created by fashion and beauty illustrator Soleil Ignacio, the book is a collector's item, perfect for anyone with a passion for fashion.

_____________________________________________________________________

My Thoughts

The Fashion Committee wasn't exactly what I expected at first. It's told in first person journal form, narrated by Charlie Dean and John Thomas-Smith, who are both competing to get into a fashion school. These two do become friends, though their storylines are mostly individual and their romances aren't with each other. This always surprises me in a dual narrative, and though I would have liked more romance in general, I think this setup worked well for the characters and this story. 

Amidst the cool illustrations and a focus on fashion are serious stories of two creative teens doing the best they can to survive and nurture their own ambitions amidst family drama and often unsupportive friends. Despite set backs and some murky decisions, I was rooting for both Charlie and John as they navigated the competition and found their own paths forward. 

This book really is pretty physically, and its gorgeous aesthetic well matches its story of two art focused kids, adding to the entire reading experience. You definitely want to check out this book, and enter to win a copy below!

Love Triangle Factor: Definitely not the focus. Charlie has a very small subtle romance that is straightforward, no triangles. John's is much messier and much more triangular
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone


Keep scrolling for our interview - and a giveaway!



Now, I'm excited to have author Susan Juby as well as Charlie and John visiting to answer some Would You Rather questions. 
I always find these interviews to be very revealing!

1) Would you rather always have to say everything on your mind OR never speak again?

Charlie Dean – Never speak. Talking is so often not chic.
John Thomas-Smith – Everything on my mind. At least, that seems to be how I operate.
Susan Juby – I’d be happy to be silent forever. In fact, I just got home from a seven-day silent meditation retreat and it was heaven. Far fewer problems when everyone is quiet.

2) Would you rather have a rewind button OR a pause button in your life?

Charlie – Rewind. Sometimes you just need a tiny do-over.
John – Rewind. I agree with Charlie. Things can get out of hand. Sometimes you don’t act like your best self or even like you have a best self.
Susan – Pause. I’m much older than Charlie and John. I know how fast life moves and I enjoy clinging to the good bits.
  
3) Would you rather never play OR play but always lose?

Charlie – Play but lose. I believe in trying and then trying some more.
John – Playing but losing. That gives me something to complain about.
Susan – My answer to this question makes me despair of myself. Sigh. I need to be more like Charlie.

4) Would you rather wear the same outfit every day for the rest of your life OR eat the same meal?

Charlie – Same outfit. A chic suit is perfect for every occasion.
John – Same outfit. Probably a little number stolen from the Diabetes Society Donation bin. They have really comfy stuff in there.
Susan – Either option would be hell.

5) Would you rather be on a survival reality show OR dating game show?

Charlie – Survival. I thing resourcefulness is the epitome of style. Dating is not. Too much depends on the other person. Brrrrr.
John – Dating. Sorry, but it’s true. I’m not crazy about most kinds of hard work.
Susan – I would rather be on the couch watching the shows.

Thanks for visiting Love is not a triangle!

________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Susan Juby (www.susanjuby.com) has written six acclaimed novels for teenagers. The most well-known is Alice, I Think, the first of the Alice MacLeod trilogy, which was made into a successful television series. She is also the author of a memoir, Nice Recovery, and the adult comic novel The Woefield Poetry Collective; its sequel, Republic of Dirt, has just been published in Canada.  She is currently working on another movel set at the Green Pastures Academy of Art and Applied Design. 

___________________________________________________________

Follow the Tour

Week One:
May 22 – Pink Polka Dot Books 
May 23 – The Fandom 
May 26 – Andi’s ABCs 
Week Two:
May 29 – Swoony Boys Podcast 
May 30 – Paper Trail YA 
May 31 – The YA Book Traveler
June 1 – The Hardcover Lover 
June 2 – YA Romantics 

_________________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY


If the form isn't working, enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway HERE

Legal Copy
Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of The Fashion Committee by Susan Juby (ARV: $16.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on May 22, 2017 and 12:00 AM on June 5, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 7, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...