Kelly Hashway's Blog, page 120
December 28, 2011
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Synopsis:
"You can't touch me," I whisper.
I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.
He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.
But things happen when people touch me.
Bad things.
No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.
But Juliette has plans of her own.
After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time--and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.
My thoughts:
In the beginning, I had to get used to Juliette's thoughts and the style of the narration. It's different with all her crossed out thoughts and the way she corrects herself, but it really helps you understand her situation and how she grows throughout the story. You can't help feeling for Juliette as she yearns for human touch. She's alone. She hasn't touched anyone in 264 days. But that all changes when The Reestablishment decides to remove her from her cell in the psych ward and make her a powerful weapon.
Juliette's fear of her own power is intense when The Reestablishment forces her to use her ability. And with the world falling to pieces and war brewing between surviving groups, Juliette must decide where she stands. Seeing someone who has been isolated her entire life make real connections makes you step into Juliette's character and experience emotions through her.
This was an excellent book full of emotion. I easily give it 5 stars.
Just for fun: What would your life be like if you couldn't touch another human being?[image error]
December 26, 2011
Monday Mishmash 12/26/11
Happy Monday! Here's what's on my mind today:
Christmas We had a house-full yesterday, which is always a little crazy. But my daughter's excitement Christmas morning was worth all the chaos in the world.Books Lately I've had a book buying problem. I can't stop myself. I bought 8 books the week before Christmas, and I got more books as gifts.Thank you I want to thank everyone for all the congratulations on my two-book deal with Spencer Hill Press. Being able to share my excitement with all of you made it even better. Thank you!Unexpected twists I'm drafting a new YA manuscript and in the very first chapter, my MC threw such a twist at me I had to rethink my planning. Now I have to have a serious talk with her to see where this story is going.Homemade ice cream cake My mom made her famous mud pie for Christmas. Nothing beats homemade ice cream cake. Yum!That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
Christmas We had a house-full yesterday, which is always a little crazy. But my daughter's excitement Christmas morning was worth all the chaos in the world.Books Lately I've had a book buying problem. I can't stop myself. I bought 8 books the week before Christmas, and I got more books as gifts.Thank you I want to thank everyone for all the congratulations on my two-book deal with Spencer Hill Press. Being able to share my excitement with all of you made it even better. Thank you!Unexpected twists I'm drafting a new YA manuscript and in the very first chapter, my MC threw such a twist at me I had to rethink my planning. Now I have to have a serious talk with her to see where this story is going.Homemade ice cream cake My mom made her famous mud pie for Christmas. Nothing beats homemade ice cream cake. Yum!That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
December 23, 2011
My Two-Book Deal
Yes, you read that correctly. I'm bursting with excitement to share this news. My amazing agent, Lauren Hammond, got me a two-book deal with Spencer Hill Press! Yay! Mark your calendars because my young adult paranormal, TOUCH OF DEATH, releases January 15, 2013!
This news was actually announced on Tuesday, and it's already been getting around. My agency sisters Trisha and Rachel announced this on YA Bound yesterday, and the extremely supportive writers at YALitChat blogged about it, too. The congratulations and support has been incredible.
If you read my review of Jennifer Armentrout's HALF-BLOOD then you know I love Spencer Hill Press's books. They are amazing, and I'm honored to have my book come out through them. I can't give you too many details about TOUCH OF DEATH just yet, but this book was my favorite one to write. It flowed out of me like no manuscript ever has. And I owe a lot of that to my agent. When I pitched my idea to her, she was so excited about it that she pitched the idea to editors. Yes, before I wrote a word. And she got me requests before it was even finished. She knew she could sell this book, and she was right. A thousand thanks to her. (Please don't flood her inbox with queries. Sorry, Lauren! She really is that awesome though.)
Okay, I could gush forever, but I'll restrain myself. I'll leave you with this. I have an official release date! January 15, 2013! TOUCH OF DEATH!
Please leave any good news you have in the comments so we can celebrate together! Happy holidays![image error]
This news was actually announced on Tuesday, and it's already been getting around. My agency sisters Trisha and Rachel announced this on YA Bound yesterday, and the extremely supportive writers at YALitChat blogged about it, too. The congratulations and support has been incredible.
If you read my review of Jennifer Armentrout's HALF-BLOOD then you know I love Spencer Hill Press's books. They are amazing, and I'm honored to have my book come out through them. I can't give you too many details about TOUCH OF DEATH just yet, but this book was my favorite one to write. It flowed out of me like no manuscript ever has. And I owe a lot of that to my agent. When I pitched my idea to her, she was so excited about it that she pitched the idea to editors. Yes, before I wrote a word. And she got me requests before it was even finished. She knew she could sell this book, and she was right. A thousand thanks to her. (Please don't flood her inbox with queries. Sorry, Lauren! She really is that awesome though.)
Okay, I could gush forever, but I'll restrain myself. I'll leave you with this. I have an official release date! January 15, 2013! TOUCH OF DEATH!
Please leave any good news you have in the comments so we can celebrate together! Happy holidays![image error]
December 21, 2011
FireSeed One by Catherine Stine
Today I'm talking with Catherine Stine about her YA fantasy, FireSeed One, which released yesterday.
Synopsis:
What if the only person who could help you save the world was your very worst enemy?
Fireseed One, a YA thriller, is set in a near-future world with soaring heat, toxic waters, tricked-out amphibious vehicles, ice-themed dance clubs and fish that grow up on vines. Varik Teitur inherits a vast sea farm after the mysterious death of his marine biologist father. When Marisa Baron, a beautiful and shrewd terrorist, who knows way too much about Varik's father's work, tries to steal seed disks from the world's food bank, Varik is forced to put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold and venture with her, into a hot zone teeming with treacherous nomads and a cult who worships his dead father, in order to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. *With nine illustrations by the author.
Opening line:
I squint into the first faint rays of the sun as I snap on my diving suit. Sweet Ice! It's March in Vostok and the three-month polar night is finally over. Just in time, because I can't stand one more hour of darkness.
What's your favorite line or paragraph from the book?
She reaches out her hands to touch my face. The sun, through the filter of the trees, glints green off the cells of her suit, outlines her soft curves. I'm overcome with visions of my father poring over his books, and the wet, verdant forest floor, and newts pausing over toxic yellow candy, and leaves flying up from the impact of Bryan's body hitting the ground. Another, confused part of me hears my father's voice calling the refs scum, trash, slime. With flashes of fury at Marisa, mixed with a sad, all consuming longing that feels dangerously like love, I pluck her hands from my face and push her away.
If you could be any character from the book, who would you be and why?
That's a hard one. I'd choose Marisa, who starts out as a hard-core terrorist, but who goes through major changes, inspired by a series of shocking revelations. Plus, she gets to go on the trip of all trips with a hot, smart guy from a floating island farm. The only problem is, he hates her guts. How's that for a challenge?
Is there any comic relief? Who is the funniest character?
Lots of comic relief! It's needed to balance the tension of a world gone kablooey. The funniest character is Varik's friend, Audun, a jokester and shameless flirt in the clubs on SnowAngel Island. No, make that Shin Kaskade, the digital guru who fixes Varik's hacked computer. Shin has a trendy hair-nest and a sparkling star embed on his wrist that takes credit card payments.
Where can we purchase a copy of FireSeed One?
Amazon (paperback and Kindle editions)
iBook for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch
Nook - Catherine is offering a special discount. Email her at kitsy84557@gmail.com
Where can your readers find you on the web?
Fireseed Facebook Page
Website
Blog
Facebook Profile
Goodreads Author Page
Just for fun: Since I love the question at the start of the synopsis, I want you to answer it. What if the only person who could help you save the world was your very worst enemy?
[image error]
Synopsis:What if the only person who could help you save the world was your very worst enemy?
Fireseed One, a YA thriller, is set in a near-future world with soaring heat, toxic waters, tricked-out amphibious vehicles, ice-themed dance clubs and fish that grow up on vines. Varik Teitur inherits a vast sea farm after the mysterious death of his marine biologist father. When Marisa Baron, a beautiful and shrewd terrorist, who knows way too much about Varik's father's work, tries to steal seed disks from the world's food bank, Varik is forced to put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold and venture with her, into a hot zone teeming with treacherous nomads and a cult who worships his dead father, in order to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. *With nine illustrations by the author.
Opening line:
I squint into the first faint rays of the sun as I snap on my diving suit. Sweet Ice! It's March in Vostok and the three-month polar night is finally over. Just in time, because I can't stand one more hour of darkness.
What's your favorite line or paragraph from the book?
She reaches out her hands to touch my face. The sun, through the filter of the trees, glints green off the cells of her suit, outlines her soft curves. I'm overcome with visions of my father poring over his books, and the wet, verdant forest floor, and newts pausing over toxic yellow candy, and leaves flying up from the impact of Bryan's body hitting the ground. Another, confused part of me hears my father's voice calling the refs scum, trash, slime. With flashes of fury at Marisa, mixed with a sad, all consuming longing that feels dangerously like love, I pluck her hands from my face and push her away.
If you could be any character from the book, who would you be and why?
That's a hard one. I'd choose Marisa, who starts out as a hard-core terrorist, but who goes through major changes, inspired by a series of shocking revelations. Plus, she gets to go on the trip of all trips with a hot, smart guy from a floating island farm. The only problem is, he hates her guts. How's that for a challenge?
Is there any comic relief? Who is the funniest character?
Lots of comic relief! It's needed to balance the tension of a world gone kablooey. The funniest character is Varik's friend, Audun, a jokester and shameless flirt in the clubs on SnowAngel Island. No, make that Shin Kaskade, the digital guru who fixes Varik's hacked computer. Shin has a trendy hair-nest and a sparkling star embed on his wrist that takes credit card payments.
Where can we purchase a copy of FireSeed One?
Amazon (paperback and Kindle editions)
iBook for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch
Nook - Catherine is offering a special discount. Email her at kitsy84557@gmail.com
Where can your readers find you on the web?
Fireseed Facebook Page
Website
Blog
Facebook Profile
Goodreads Author Page
Just for fun: Since I love the question at the start of the synopsis, I want you to answer it. What if the only person who could help you save the world was your very worst enemy?
[image error]
December 19, 2011
Monday Mishmash 12/19/11
Happy Monday! I've got a lot on my mind today.
Christmas One week till Christmas! Woo hoo! My daughter is so excited and that makes me excited. I still have gifts arriving by mail, but that's okay.Editing I've been editing like crazy the past two weeks. There must be something in the air because everyone is submitting stuff to me lately. I love it!New WIP I've finally figured out this WIP idea that's been tripping me up. Silly me, I was taking the story in the wrong direction. It's all straightened out now. Closing out the year I'm getting ready to wrap up 2011, which has been an awesome year for me. So many great things happened this year, and I'm thankful for all of them.Asphodel My agent's latest book comes out this week. I'm reading it now and it's awesome! Definitely check it out.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
Christmas One week till Christmas! Woo hoo! My daughter is so excited and that makes me excited. I still have gifts arriving by mail, but that's okay.Editing I've been editing like crazy the past two weeks. There must be something in the air because everyone is submitting stuff to me lately. I love it!New WIP I've finally figured out this WIP idea that's been tripping me up. Silly me, I was taking the story in the wrong direction. It's all straightened out now. Closing out the year I'm getting ready to wrap up 2011, which has been an awesome year for me. So many great things happened this year, and I'm thankful for all of them.Asphodel My agent's latest book comes out this week. I'm reading it now and it's awesome! Definitely check it out.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
December 17, 2011
Blog Moved
You've probably noticed I'm not posting here often. I'm using this more for news now that I have a separate blog. For my regular Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posts, go here.
I will be posting news about my books here still, but this site will operate as my author website not my blog.
Thanks for dropping by!
December 16, 2011
Half-blood by Jennifer Armentrout
Synopsis:
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
My thoughts:
Alex has been away from the Covenant for years, but after a family tragedy, she wants nothing more than to go back to the school. Now more than ever, she wants to become a Sentinel and fight daimons. But the laws of half-bloods, pures, and daimons are changing, and Alex is wrapped up in the changes. She'll question everything she thought she knew.
Alex is a character I immediately identified with. She doesn't like following rules. She likes to think she's totally badass, and yet she falls prey to her emotions like any teenage girl. Between her feelings for Aiden and her family issues, Alex is a lot like a mortal girl. But her desire to learn to fight daimons and her drive to become a Sentinel proves that she's one tough half-blood.
I can't wait for PURE, the next book in the Covenant series. Big things have already happened to Alex, but her future promises to hold even more surprises.
Just for fun: Alex has to choose between a life of servitude or a life fighting daimons to the death. Which would you choose?
December 14, 2011
Reader's Holiday Wishlist
It's no secret that my favorite gifts to receive and give are books. Lots of books. And I've asked for a few this holiday season. Here's a few topping off my list:
What books do you hope are in your stocking this year?
What books do you hope are in your stocking this year?
December 12, 2011
Monday Mishmash 12/12/11
Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts today:
Books, books, books I'm reading three books right now. One to review for another author and two I purchased with my birthday money. I love reading multiple books at once.Revisions I finished my final hard copy revisions, and I'm really happy with this manuscript. Now I just have to transfer my revisions to my file and it will be ready to send to my awesome agent.Loaded Kindle I'm dangerous with Amazon gift cards. My Kindle is pleasantly full with great books waiting for me to read them.Fleshing out a new MS A while back I got an idea for a new MS and I've been fleshing it out in between all my revisions. This week, I'll finish planning and get myself ready to draft.Editing I have some more editing projects coming my way, and that always makes me smile. My clients are amazing.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?
Books, books, books I'm reading three books right now. One to review for another author and two I purchased with my birthday money. I love reading multiple books at once.Revisions I finished my final hard copy revisions, and I'm really happy with this manuscript. Now I just have to transfer my revisions to my file and it will be ready to send to my awesome agent.Loaded Kindle I'm dangerous with Amazon gift cards. My Kindle is pleasantly full with great books waiting for me to read them.Fleshing out a new MS A while back I got an idea for a new MS and I've been fleshing it out in between all my revisions. This week, I'll finish planning and get myself ready to draft.Editing I have some more editing projects coming my way, and that always makes me smile. My clients are amazing.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?
December 9, 2011
The Next Door Boys by Jolene Perry
Today I have Jolene Perry with me, talking a little bit about her YA novel, THE NEXT DOOR BOYS, which released in October.
Synopsis:
Leigh Tressman has been known as a lot of things – the girl who sings, the girl who sews, Jaron's little sister, and last year, the girl with cancer. With her body still recovering from the cancer treatments, she's determined to be independent and convinces her parents to let her follow her overprotective brother, Jaron, to BYU.With an ever expanding line of young men ready to be in love with her – not to mention physical frustrations, and spiritual dilemmas – Leigh almost misses the opportunity to be with the man who has been quietly falling in love with her since they met. The Next Door Boys proves that even with (or maybe in spite of) independence, love can be found in comfortable, but delightful places.
Opening line:
My parents joined us in the driveway. Dad looked calm, as always, and Mom tried really hard not to cry. I gave them both another final hug before climbing into my brother's overstuffed car.
Jolene, what's your favorite line in the book?
"When I realized I had no control… that was when everything changed. There are a lot of things I have control over, but there are a lot more things that I have no control over. When you're no longer afraid of death, there are a lot of things you're not afraid of anymore." - Leigh
If you could be any character from the story, who would you be?
I'd be Leigh, the main character. There's so much of me in her already, that it would be an easy fit - even though she can be occasionally clueless.
Where can we purchase a copy of THE NEXT DOOR BOYS?
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
If you'd like the book in ebook format, it's available here.
Where can your readers find you on the web?
www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com
www.fortheloveofcontemporary.blogspot.com
www.jolenebperry.com
Twitter
Goodreads
Thanks for stopping by and sharing a little about your book, Jolene!
Synopsis:Leigh Tressman has been known as a lot of things – the girl who sings, the girl who sews, Jaron's little sister, and last year, the girl with cancer. With her body still recovering from the cancer treatments, she's determined to be independent and convinces her parents to let her follow her overprotective brother, Jaron, to BYU.With an ever expanding line of young men ready to be in love with her – not to mention physical frustrations, and spiritual dilemmas – Leigh almost misses the opportunity to be with the man who has been quietly falling in love with her since they met. The Next Door Boys proves that even with (or maybe in spite of) independence, love can be found in comfortable, but delightful places.
Opening line:
My parents joined us in the driveway. Dad looked calm, as always, and Mom tried really hard not to cry. I gave them both another final hug before climbing into my brother's overstuffed car.
Jolene, what's your favorite line in the book?
"When I realized I had no control… that was when everything changed. There are a lot of things I have control over, but there are a lot more things that I have no control over. When you're no longer afraid of death, there are a lot of things you're not afraid of anymore." - Leigh
If you could be any character from the story, who would you be?
I'd be Leigh, the main character. There's so much of me in her already, that it would be an easy fit - even though she can be occasionally clueless.
Where can we purchase a copy of THE NEXT DOOR BOYS?
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
If you'd like the book in ebook format, it's available here.
Where can your readers find you on the web?
www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com
www.fortheloveofcontemporary.blogspot.com
www.jolenebperry.com
Goodreads
Thanks for stopping by and sharing a little about your book, Jolene!
