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!

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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.

Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

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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!

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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. 

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Follow the Tour

Week One:

May 22 – Pink Polka Dot Books 

May 23 – The Fandom 

May 24 – Love Is Not A Triangle

May 25 – Here’s to Happy Endings 

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 

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GIVEAWAY

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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.