October 31, 2013

Unbreathable Book Blitz +GIVEAWAY

Today I'm excited to share with you a new book - Unbreathable! I'm excited because it's written by a fellow blogger.




Title: Unbreathable (Unbreathable, #1)
Author: Hafsah Laziaf
Publisher: Self
Release date: October 29, 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy


Summary from Goodreads:

One hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was destroyed, and the remaining humans fled to the dusty red planet of Jutaire, where the only oxygen is manufactured, food is scarce, and death strikes often. 

When Lissa's father discovers Earth still exists, she accidentally inhales the toxic air of Jutaire, and in one breath, discovers she isn't quite human.

Her father hangs for his discovery, and Lissa knows the Chancellors will come for her, for she saw the Earth that night too. With nothing to lose, she sets out to expose the truth. It isn't long before she meets Julian, a beautiful boy who can breathe the toxic air like she can - and shows her that the Jute, the original inhabitants of the planet, are more tangled in their lives than she knows.

But the Chancellors are only pawns in a greater game - one where the Jute control everything. Worse, the Jute plan to leave Jutaire for Earth, but to get there, they need her. And they'll stop at nothing until Lissa is in their clutches, even if they kill every human in the process. 


The race for Earth has begun.

Unbreathable is a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice, and one girl's struggle to find her place in a world where she doesn't belong.


Purchase links:


Check out the Trailer:


About the author:
Hafsah Laziaf was born on the east coast on a hot summer day in 1993, raised on the west coast and is now stuck in the middle – in Texas – with more books than she can read. She’s the designer behind IceyDesigns and the blogger behind IceyBooks.

UNBREATHABLE is her debut novel.

Connect with Hafsah Laziaf:


Giveaway details:
1st place: a signed paperback copy of UNBREATHABLE (US)
2nd place: an e-book of UNBREATHABLE (INT)
3rd place: an UNBREATHABLE swag pack (US)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

October 24, 2013

Two Reviews for Halloween


Today I have two reviews on books great for Halloween! (which for-the-record I can't believe is next week!)

First Up:


Desmond Pucket: Makes Monster Magic

By Mark Tatulli
Meet Desmond Pucket - professor of frightology and master of monsters.


Someday Desmond will be famous for his special effects wizardry, but for now he's just trying to make it through sixth grade at Cloverfield Memorial Junior High, which means he needs to stay one step ahead of the school's disciplinary officer, Mr. Needles.

The only problem is Desmond just can't stop pulling pranks - like the time he attached a shrieking rubber goblin to the toilet seat in the teachers' bathroom. Mrs. Rubin screamed so loudly her wig flew off! Or the time he put giant motorized worms into the mashed potatoes in the cafeteria. Or the time Desmond and his best friend, Ricky, arranged for a three-headed ghost to crash his sister's slumber party. Rachel still hasn't forgiven him.

And now Desmond has to stay prank-free for the rest of the year, or he won't be able to go on the class trip to Crab Shell Pier, home of the Mountain Full of Monsters ride! It's going to be tough, but Desmond has to try.

This book includes a section of "Desmond's Notes": instructions for making monster magic (think scary noises, or fake blood) at home!


What a cute and fun book! I loved that it's a graphic novel, but not so much a graphic novel that it lacks any words to read. I'm not a person who can read true graphic novels with very little words, so I for one liked how it was!  Ok beyond that what did I like? - I really liked Desmond. I've had students like Desmond, so I could totally buy into him as a real kid. Yes maybe an over-the-top kid, but definitely a middle school kid. I also liked that the whole book could've been about Desmond's escapades scaring people and just trying to get away with stuff. That would've been fun, but it would've lacked something. Watching as Desmond tries a few different places to channel his "creativity", and finds it in the drama club was full of silliness. But, the fact it goes beyond that and has Desmond try to change his ways makes it much more fun and has a bit more of a message. It shows nicely how, even when you want to change, not everyone will believe it if you've been "bad" for so long. 

Bottom line - it's a fast paced, cute, funny, crazy book with a nice little message. I have many boys that I would easily hand this book. (can anyone say Wimpy Kid fans?) 

Last note: How can you not like a book that starts out with a kid (in the middle of the night!) pretending a monster is bursting out of his stomach just to scare his mom????

Next:

That's Creepy: Spine-Tingling Facts That Will That Will Test Your Creep-out Factor. 
By Crispin BoyerIn a world where werewolves rule and vampires are just the boy or girl next door, kids love anything that will scare the pants off them. But how do you separate fact from fiction? Do haunted houses, spooky ghosts, and UFOs have a place in history, or is it all just a bunch of hooey? Crawling with spine-tingly facts, eerie anecdotes, and fun information, this book is all about everything creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky. It's a perfect book for the bathroom library or to read by flashlight under the covers. Just don't tell kids how much real science and history they're actually learning!

I have to say that I don't have a first hand review for this book. What I do have is everything I heard from my students as they read it.  When I got this book I shared it with each one of my classes and said they could look at it if they had time left after their assignment.  Each hour I just about had it ripped out of my hands!  Two kids poured over it the entire time they had left.  Then they had to share with other students what they found! I had to remind them a few times that it was work time, and they needed to be quiet.  They just couldn't hold in their thoughts!  

Things they told me:
Really creepy stuff in there.
Wow! Great pictures.
That's a crazy book.
Cool!
I want that!

So in short - the book is awesome for kids.  It's the kind of book they'll pick up again and again until they have the whole thing memorized!

There ya go - two books with a Halloween feel! Which, remember, is NEXT WEEK!

October 12, 2013

I Need Help Finding Some Books

Hey all I need your help. I need book suggestions, websites, links etc to find books for an 8 year old girl. She reads well. I need books to challenge her but that are still age appropriate. Any help would be great!!

October 2, 2013

Novel Research - Or Why I'm Reading The Great Gatsby

Lately I have been working on a novel. For help I browse Pinterest for inspiration and visuals of what's in my mind.

While doing this I came across the quote below. Although it's NOT a quote by Fitzgerald as it says (I did some checking), it led me to The Great Gatsby. For many reasons that novel factors into the lives of my characters.  So now, many years after I first read it, I am reading it again. Still a struggle, but I know it will be worth it.

Have you read it????