Giveaway Winners & Other Stuff

Thanks to everyone who entered the Dear Teen Me and Diviners giveaways on my blog over the past couple of weeks! The winners have been contacted. Congrats, Ashley R. and Tina Crossgrove!

I was also the lucky winner of a blog giveaway recently, and just wanted to publicly thank Rori of Rori Roars for the Ballet Beautiful Blast Series DVD! I like doing the Ballet Beautiful exercises to build up strength between actual ballet classes, so I'm really grateful to have won this prize. If any readers of my blog are also into ballet, you should check out Rori's awesome blog. (By the way: I am happily back to my ballet classes after injuring my toe a couple months ago, for anyone following along. Whew!)

What else? Obviously, I've slowed down in my blogging lately. I've been busy! Still reviewing books and apps for School Library Journal and blogging for The Hub. And in September, I was one of 32 California librarians to participate in the Eureka! Leadership Institute. After an intense week of learning, discovering, and making connections with amazing people in the library field, I am now embarking on the implementation of a year-long, grant-funded project that will benefit my library's community. I am so honored to be a part of the Eureka! Leadership Program and I know I'm going to learn so much through the experience.

In other news, I just went to an awesome author event at the beautiful Encinitas Library in San Diego county: YA in the Sun.

Twenty amazing authors were there to mingle with readers and sign books, and everyone had such a great time. We'll have coverage of this event up soon at Authors are ROCKSTARS!

Book Review and Giveaway: The Diviners, by Libba Bray

Bray, Libba. The Diviners. 592 p. 2012. Little, Brown. Hardcover $19.99. ISBN 9780316126113.

What can I say about The Diviners? It's like Libba Bray sat down and said, "Now, Allison, I know you're a big fan of my work. What would YOU like me to put in my next book?" Because I swear this book was practically tailor-made for me! Let's take a little inventory of the things I loved about this book:

• Extensively researched 1920s setting. 
• Plucky heroine with snappy dialogue. 
• Diverse cast of characters. 
• Fascinating Victorian/early 20th century spiritualism.

Yep, it's awesome! And creepy. Awesomely creepy! Creepily awesome? It may seem a little daunting at nearly 600 pages, but the intricate plot and strong pacing kept me riveted. Bray introduces a large cast of characters, and juggles their intertwining storylines with grace. This is the first volume in a four-book series, and I am definitely looking forward to the sequel.  

I was thrilled to get a chance to meet Libba earlier this year at the ALA Annual Conference and chat with her about The Diviners. She is just as awesome as you would expect!

Be sure to catch our podcast interview with Libba and her amazing editor, Alvina Ling, on Authors are ROCKSTARS!

While I was reading The Diviners, I kept thinking about Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, a small retailer that creates all-natural, hand-blended perfume oils with a "dark, romantic Gothic tone." I could see the Lab having a field day crafting the most incredibly evocative scents to compliment the eerie imagery from this book. In fact, there are already several scents in the Black Phoenix catalog that remind me of The Diviners. For example...

OUIJA 
Lush parlor rooms draped in thick velvets and gilded in gold, unearthly whispering in the distance, fleeting flashes of wraithlike figures rushing just outside your vision, the chill of a phantom presence brushing by your cheek, the inscrutable knowledge that disembodied eyes are peering at you from darkened corners-- this is the essence of Victorian-era spiritualism: rosewood, oak and teak notes with wispy blue lilac, tea rose, dried white rose and ethereal osmanthus.

OMEN
Deep, mysterious, and full of dark portents: oakmoss, juniper berry, myrrh and patchouli.

THE RAVEN
Sleek, dark, and ominous. Violet and neroli mingled with iris, white sandalwood and dark musk.

INTRIGUE
A sultry, exotic scent that inspires devious plotting and clandestine affairs. It is a scent painted in artifice, veiled in deceit, and slithering with whispered secrets. Black palm, with cocoa, fig and shadowy wooded notes.

VEIL
A quiet scent, soft, calm and enigmatic. A perfume of mystery, of whispers, and of secrets behind secrets. White sandalwood, lilac, gardenia, violet, orris, lavender and ylang ylang.

Are you convinced that Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab goes perfectly with The Diviners? Then I have a giveaway for you!

This giveaway includes the following:

• A Diviners pendant on a black cord, in a small burlap bag.
• Sample vials of Ouija, Veil, and a few other Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfumes that remind me of The Diviners. (To be honest, I have quite a collection of sample vials, so I'll throw in some random ones just for fun!) 

To enter, just comment on this post and tell me:
1. Your favorite thing about The Diviners (or what you're most looking forward to about this book, if you haven't read it yet).
2. The Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab scent that tempts you the most. (Take some time, browse their catalog! They offer hundreds of scents and the descriptions are alluring. And no, I am not affiliated with this company in any way- just a big fan.)

Be sure to leave your email address with your comment so I can contact the winner. Contest is open to US residents only. Enter by November 8th for your chance to win.

Blog Tour Stop: Dear Teen Me

Anderson, E. Kristin & Keneally, Miranda (ed.). Dear Teen Me. 192 p. 2012. Zest Books. Paperback $14.99. ISBN 9781936976218.

I'm thrilled to be a part of the Dear Teen Me blog tour!

This book, based on the awesome Dear Teen Me website, hits bookstore shelves on October 30th from Zest Books. Distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Zest is one of my very favorite publishers of teen nonfiction. I know I can always count on something edgy, entertaining, and informative from them, and Dear Teen Me is no exception. It's a compelling read.

Dear Teen Me is an anthology of letters from authors of young adult fiction giving advice and insight to their teen selves. Contributors include Ellen Hopkins, Lauren Oliver, and Sara Zarr, among many other fantastic authors. Ranging from heartbreaking to hilarious, their letters share the most soul-baring, cringe-inducing, and life-altering moments they experienced during their teen years. There is an overall message of hope and affirmation in these letters-- a reminder that we all experience ups and downs in the process of growing up, and we can all come out on the other side, older and wiser.

It's the perfect book to curl up with on a contemplative evening. If you're an adult, this book will make you think about what you would want to tell your teen self, and remember what it was like to be at a such a pivotal point in your life. If you're still a teen, it will make you think about what you're trying to get through right now, and encourage you to realize that you're not alone.

Now here's the part where I take you on a nostalgic pictorial tour of my own teen years... 

But before we journey back in time to the 1990s, I should mention that if you read all the way through this post, there's a giveaway at the end! Okay, here we go--

I was a teen in San Diego during the mid-'90s, and I remember those years fondly. I was kind of a bookish geek, but given the fact that I'm a librarian now, that's no surprise, right? Middle school was hard for me. I had trouble figuring out who I was and where I fit in. But by high school, I was feeling more comfortable in my own skin. Not perfect, but pretty happy.

I had really long hair.

I reveled in wearing pleated miniskirts and Mary Jane high heels Thank you, Clueless, for that fashion aesthetic!

I did a lot of plays and musical theater, and absolutely loved performing. Every theater experience was so important to me-- from playing an extra in Our Town as a freshman to getting the lead role in Steel Magnolias during my senior year. (I can't quite explain my fashion choice in this picture from a musical revue, but I'm pretty sure vests were considered stylish at the time.)

I was a cheerleader. Mostly to earn the PE credit, and certainly not because I was an amazing dancer. I wasn't! It took me forever to learn each routine (and also, I never actually understood football). But I tried really hard, got to know a great group of girls I might never have spoken to otherwise, and had so much fun.

I had an awesome group of friends. We used to pass notes in class, use ridiculous code names to talk about cute boys, and laugh at inside jokes built up over layers of years.

If I  were writing a letter to my teen self, a la Dear Teen Me, I might include the following...

• Study harder. Seriously!
• You're not the only one feeling angsty. It's just part of being a teenager. You'll be okay.
• Do me a favor and stick with ballet instead of quitting after 6 months. 
• Please don't wear this outfit:

The dress is cute, but why the hat? Why?? Oh, 13-year-old self, bless your heart. I'm pretty sure you were exceptionally pleased with that ensemble.

Since leaving my teen years behind, I like to think I've matured and maybe even gained some wisdom along the way. But... well, confession time: I used to get in trouble with my high school librarian for spinning the giant world globe in the library. It absolutely begged to be spun! It rumbled in the most satisfying way with each spin... which was, of course, the reason I got shushed and scolded.

Last weekend, I visited my high school for its centennial celebration and had the opportunity to peek into the gorgeous, brand-new library during the festivities. What did I see? THE GLOBE.

What did I do?

Well...

Some things never change.

Do you think my high school librarian would believe I'm a librarian now?

Hey, Teen Me, you did all right.

Giveaway alert! 

Now that you've gotten a peek into my teen years, I'm sure you're eager to read the (much more insightful) letters in Dear Teen Me. Well, lucky you: Zest Books is giving away an awesome Dear Teen Me prize pack to one reader of my blog!

To win a copy of Dear Teen Me (autographed by 4 - 5 contributors, plus postcards and bookmarks!), comment on this post by Monday, November 5, and tell me about your favorite or most regrettable fashion choice of your teen years. Pictures earn a double entry. Be sure to leave your email with your comment so I can notify the winner. Contest open to US residents only.

Be sure to visit all the stops on the Dear Teen Me blog tour, and take a look at the Dear Teen Me events page to see if there's a book signing at a location near you!

Mid-week round-up

A few things...

First, thank you to everyone who entered the Wentworth Hall giveaway I hosted!

The winners are... Carrie K. and Maggie H. 

Congratulations, ladies! I've emailed you. Big thanks again to Simon & Schuster for providing the prizes for this giveaway!

Second, I'm very pleased to say that I'm going to be blogging for The Hub, the teen literature blog published by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Please check out my first posts-- I blogged about celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: here's Part 1 (an interview with author Cindy Pon) and Part 2 (a list of some really good reads that include elements of Asian or Asian-American culture). Stop by and tell me about your favorite books featuring Asian or Asian-American culture!

And finally, you know I co-host a YA lit podcast called Authors are ROCKSTARS!, right? Well, my co-host, Michelle, and I had the privilege of moderating the YA or Bust! panel at the Huntington Beach Barnes & Noble last week, featuring Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Forman, and Nina LaCour.

The event was so much fun! We had so much fun chatting with these fabulous authors. And, as always, part of the fun of attending a book signing is meeting other readers. This time, we met a book vlogger! And he put us on his video coverage of the event. I don't know about Michelle, but I am not used to being on camera, so I was super nervous! But it was really fun. Watch The Booktubenator's coverage of the YA or Bust event right here:

 (Authors are ROCKSTARS! appears towards the end of the video).
And be sure to check out The Booktubenator'sYouTube channel-- it's awesome.

That's all for today!

Book Review & Giveaway: Wentworth Hall, by Abby Grahame

Grahame, Abby. Wentworth Hall. 288 p. 2012. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9781442451964.

Publisher's description

And you thought there were secrets in the Abbey...

The Darlington family of Wentworth Hall, an elite British family, fills their time by caring for their extensive estate, and looking over their shoulders as they struggle to keep up an elaborate charade to hide their scandalous secrets of illicit romances, and bitter betrayals.

Wentworth Hall is a lush historical novel by debut author Abby Grahame, which is spot-on perfect for fans of Downton Abbey!

Read an excerpt.

My review

The Edwardian era is my favorite time period history, and you already know I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey, so I had fun reading Wentworth Hall.

With the story's action taking place in both the upstairs and downstairs of a distinguished yet slightly run-down manor, and a mysterious someone surreptitiously reporting the family's goings-on in a bitingly satirical newspaper column, this book is like a mashup of a British period drama and Gossip Girl.

While serious historical fiction aficionados may crave something weightier, fans of Anna Godbersen's Luxe series will flock to Wentworth Hall. This book is chock-full of delicious drama and appeals to a slightly younger audience than Godbersen's series-- scandal is alluded to, but nothing particularly steamy happens. (Which will be nice to remember at the library when I'm recommending books for 8th graders with a historical fiction assignment!)

The newspaper columns cleverly satirizing life at Wentworth Hall are a true highlight of the story, and the author offers some memorable dialogue amidst the briskly paced plot. My favorite, as one of the maids describes the Darlingtons, who are nearly destitute despite their noble lineage:

"They're rich and they've always been rich. They can't stop being rich just because the money has run out." 

Ha! You can tell Grahame must have had a ball writing this book.  

Giveaway

Simon & Schuster is generously giving away a copy of Wentworth Hall to two lucky readers of my blog! I am so excited to bring this giveaway to you. Just fill out the following form with your name and email address for your chance to win.

This contest is open to United States residents only. Must be 13 or older to enter. Entries must be received by 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Monday, May 1st. Prizing courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

Look for Wentworth Hall in bookstores on May 1st. Review copy provided to me by Big Honcho Media.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Double Dog Dare, by Lisa Graff

Today, I'm thrilled to host the final stop in Lisa Graff's Double Dog Dare blog tour!


Double Dog Dare is a middle grade novel filled to the brim with humor and heart-- I had a great time reading it.

In this book, fourth graders Francine and Kansas find themselves competing for the position of news anchor in their school's media club, and the winner will be decided by a competition of dares. The two can't stand each other at first, but it turns out they have something in common: their parents' divorces.

Lisa Graff strikes a neat balance between the hilarity of the dares and the tough stuff kids have to deal with, and young readers will really relate to this book. When I ask elementary school aged readers what kind of book they want, the most common response is: "something like real life and kinda funny." Double Dog Dare definitely fits the bill! It's a solid story that will appeal to both boys and girls, and I can't wait to recommend at my library.

*****

As part of her blog tour, Lisa was kind enough to answer a few questions for me!


Reading Everywhere: Your writing authentically captures the feel of being a kid-- you really hone in on the things kids worry about and laugh about. How do you get in touch with your inner kid when you’re writing?

Lisa Graff: Thanks so much! That's something I try really hard to accomplish with all of my books. There are a lot of ways to get into that "kid zone" - I read a ton of children's books, for one thing, and visit elementary schools fairly often to talk about writing, so that helps. But most of it is just a matter of remembering. I’m pretty lucky in that I kept a diary for most of my growing-up years, so now it's easy to go back and see what a hilarious weirdo I was as a child. Case in point: I would like to share two pages from my actual fourth-grade diary.


(In case you have trouble reading my stellar nine-year-old handwriting, I will decipher for you:)

11/2/90  This year I'm in forth grade. I havent writen in a year, so I'm sort of out of date. It is still the 1990's but alot has changed. I havent written in so long because I lost my diary. This year I don't relly have a boy friend and I'm not relly poplaur, but I'm Ashley's best friend. And Ashley's relley poplaur this year, so I'll be more poplaur than Ashley soon. [Please note that this is a PHENOMENAL plan to take over the world. Please also note that it did not work in the slightest.] I relly like my theacher but, he gives me alot of homework, which I hate. His name is Mr. Oliver, [written before I got in trouble for passing notes in class later that year:] he's relley cute. [Text as altered after said note-passing incident:] no way!!

Reading Everywhere: I LOVE IT. I think my elementary school diaries were very similar. You're no stranger to writing for kids-- in fact, Double Dog Dare is your fifth novel for young readers. What do you like best about writing for a middle grade audience?

Lisa Graff: I really enjoy the themes of middle-grade novels-- family and friends and figuring out your place in the world. Something as slight as a snub from a friend can be so life-or-death at that age, and I love that. Because those things are extremely important, and we tend to forget that as we get older.

I also enjoy that my audience is very honest, and they know what they like and what they don’t. If they think my book is boring, they will just stop reading it. And then they will probably write me a letter to tell me how boring it is. I like being held to such a high standard.

Reading Everywhere: That's so true-- kids will always tell you what they think! You have a very memorable cast of young characters in Double Dog Dare. I empathized most with Francine and her determination to get the long-coveted role of news anchor in the fourth-grade media club. Which character in this book is most like you, and why?

Lisa Graff: I think I'm probably most like Francine, in that she has a lot of trouble dealing with things that don't end up the way she thinks they’re supposed to, like her plan for becoming news anchor, or her parents' marriage. That kind of thing always throws me off my game, too, and I sometimes have a lot of trouble recovering. But I think I'm also a little like Kansas, in that I have a tendency to take care of others before myself. (I wish I was also as good at basketball as he is!)

Reading Everywhere: They're both great characters! This book contains some really unique character names-- you don't meet a lot of little Kansas and Francines running around! How did you come up with the names in this book?

Lisa Graff: Sometimes characters just pop into my head with names already attached, and that was the case with these two. I have no idea where the name Kansas came from. Once I came up with his first name, I gave him the last name Bloom, which I thought was completely random, but later I wondered if I was subliminally channeling actor Orlando Bloom (another place name!).

Reading Everywhere: Well, it's not hard to see why Orlando Bloom might be on your mind! I mean...

Anyway!

So, you're originally from Southern California, but are now living on the East Coast. As a Southern California girl myself, I have to ask-- what do you miss most about SoCal?

Lisa Graff: Most people expect me to say that I miss the weather, but I actually grew up in a weird little pocket of Southern California (the San Bernardino mountains, to be precise) where it snows fairly frequently. So, eschewing the obvious answer (my family), I am going to have to say that I desperately miss the Mexican food. New Yorkers think they know what Mexican food is, but they do not. Some days I would murder someone for a really decent taco.

Reading Everywhere: Oh yes, Mexican food is part of the essential Southern California experience. I promise I will eat some authentic tacos in your honor! Lisa, thank you so much for this fabulous interview.

*****

Readers, now that you've learned more about Lisa and her latest book, I know you must be eager to get a copy. I have good news for you! Philomel is giving away one copy of Double Dog Dare to one reader of this blog. All you need to do to enter is to email Lisa at graff [dot] lisa [at] yahoo [dot] com with the subject line READING EVERYWHERE. The winner will be chosen at random on May 1st. Good luck!

And if you're looking for another way to win, Lisa has just the thing for you! Together with Penguin Books, she is sponsoring a contest to see who can build the best Rube Goldberg Machine. Check out Lisa's video to learn more!



Many thanks to Lisa for inviting me to participate in her Double Dog Dare blog tour. I've had a blast! To catch up with the other tour stops and learn more about Lisa, visit the following:

Tuesday, April 10th: Mundie Kids
Thursday, April 12th: Smack Dab in the Middle
Sunday, April 15th: Pragmatic Mom
Monday, April 16th: Novel Novice
Wednesday, April 18th: From the Mixed-Up Files...
Thursday, April 19th: Greetings From Nowhere

And be sure to look for Double Dog Dare in bookstores everywhere!

Drumroll, please!

The results are in (thanks to random.org). The winner of the autographed copy of The Goddess Test, by Aimée Carter is...

Alison M.!

Congrats, Alison! I've emailed you. Thanks so much to everyone who entered! That was fun, and I hope to do more giveaways in the future.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Goddess Test, by Aimée Carter

I am SUPER EXCITED, you guys. I'm doing my first ever giveaway on this blog! Author Aimée Carter was kind and awesome enough to send me an AUTOGRAPHED copy of her debut novel, The Goddess Test to give away to one lucky reader. So awesome!

I talked about how much I enjoyed The Goddess Test on the May edition of Authors Are ROCKSTARS!, and then we did a mini podcast later that month, featuring an interview with Aimée. If you haven't checked out those episodes, please do! It was such a pleasure to chat with Aimée.

So, The Goddess Test.... in this contemporary sequel to the Persephone and Hades myth, ordinary high-schooler Kate reluctantly enters into a bargain with Henry, the lord of the underworld. She'll stay with him for six months and endure a series of trials that will determine whether or not she is worthy of immortality. If she passes, she hopes he might save her dying mother... and it turns out she may be able to help shape his fate, as well. The stakes are high, though-- Kate's not the first girl to attempt the tests, and none of the others survived. This inventive premise hooked me in right away, and the excellent plotting and pacing kept me reading.

Why this book is so completely delightful:

• It's full of references to Greek mythology (which I LOVE), but is not a strict retelling- it's fresh, charming, and creative.
• There's a very engaging mystery element to the story, with Kate trying to figure out what the tests are and how to pass them so she doesn't fail Henry. And why did all those other girls die, anyway?
  
• The gradual development of the relationship between Kate and Henry is fantastic. There's tons of chemistry between the two of them, and I have to admit I'm a bit of a sucker for those dark, brooding romantic heroes, so Henry as a modern-day Hades is quite swoon-worthy.
• The setting is gorgeous- I'm also a sucker for grand manor type settings, and this one is perfection!
  
• Kate's relationship with her mother is genuinely touching.
  
  

You'll definitely want your own copy of The Goddess Test, so here are the giveaway details:

• Earn one entry just for leaving for your name and email.
• Earn TWO bonus entry for following my blog. You don't need to follow to win! But I appreciate my followers, and want to show them some extra love.
  
• Earn ONE bonus entry for tweeting the following: I just entered to win an autographed copy of The Goddess Test by @aimeecarter from @alli_librarian at http://readingeverywhere.blogspot.com! (Okay, okay, the exclamation point is optional. Personally, I'm an exclamation point kind of gal, but tweeting with just a plain old period is perfectly acceptable.)
• Contest ends on Friday, July 22, at 8 pm PST.
  
• Winner will be announced on the blog and contacted by email.

ETA: Contest is now closed.