BLOG TOUR - LOVELESS BY ALICE OSEMAN - YOUNG ADULT FICTION [REVIEW + GIVEAWAY]

 

Book Information

Title: Loveless

Authors(s): Alice Oseman
Publication Date: March 1, 2022
Edition: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook; 432 pgs
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Purchase: Amazon - Kindle - Audible - B&N - BAM! - iBooks - Kobo - TBD - Bookshop.org
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.  Please note the purchase links above are affiliate links.

Tour Schedule

Week One

2/28/2022 - Nonbinary Knight Reads - Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

2/28/2022 - BookHounds YA - Excerpt

2/28/2022 - Rajiv's Reviews - Review/IG Post

3/1/2022 - @badlandsbooks_ - Review

3/1/2022 - Nerdophiles - Review

3/1/2022 - @booksaremagictoo - Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/1/2022 - Kait Plus Books - Excerpt

3/2/2022 - Dana's Book Garden - Review

3/2/2022 - Reading Wordsmith - Review/IG Post

3/2/2022 - @thebookishfoxwitch - Review

3/3/2022 - popthebutterfly - Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/3/2022 - Emelie's Books - Review

3/3/2022 - patrickfromperks - TikTok Review or Spotlight

3/4/2022 - @emmreadsbooks - Review/IG Post

3/4/2022 - onemused - Review/IG Post

3/4/2022 - A Bookish Dream - Review/IG Post

Week Two

3/7/2022 - Midnightbooklover - Review

3/7/2022 - Eli to the nth - Review

3/7/2022 - The Bookwyrm's Den - Review

3/8/2022 - YABooksCentral - Excerpt

3/8/2022 - Utopia State of Mind - Review/IG Post

3/8/2022 - Two Points of Interest - Review

3/9/2022 - Not In Jersey - Review/IG Post

3/9/2022 - More Books Please blog - Review/IG Post

3/9/2022 - @drewsim12 - Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/10/2022 - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers  - Review/IG Post

3/10/2022 - Celia's Reads-blog - Review/IG Post

3/10/2022 - @coffeesipsandreads - Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/11/2022 - Zainey Laney in all 3 - Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

3/11/2022 - My Fictional Oasis - Review

The Summary

For fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best, a funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of a girl who realizes that love can be found in many ways that don't involve sex or romance.

From the marvelous author of Heartstopper comes an exceptional YA novel about discovering that it's okay if you don't have sexual or romantic feelings for anyone . . . since there are plenty of other ways to find love and connection.

This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn't understand why she can't crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She's surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It's not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum -- coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she's been told since birth isn't easy -- there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia's determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major drama of) her friends.

(Goodreads)

My Review

Loveless by Alice Oseman, unlike what the title suggests, is a book all about love: self-love, platonic love, romantic love, and familial love.  At the forefront is a focus on queer love, and the multidimensional experience young adults, especially those who do not fit the societal "norm", move through as they grow into adulthood.

The main character, Georgia, is going away to university with her two best friends, Pip and Jason. With the impending move to university, Georgia is faced with the fact that she has never fallen in love, never kissed anyone, or even had a "real" crush on someone; something that is found odd by both her peers and society-at-large.  Even in Georgia's own mind, as someone who loves romcoms and fanfiction, her lack of experience and feelings are an oddity.  So university is where she is determined to change her status, and find someone to experience a relationship with.

Along the way, Georgia makes some poor decisions based on internalized expectations and societal expectations.  But she also finds herself, with this journey being hard but ultimately not surprising, in a way I think many queer people experience.  This is the part of the book that I loved the most.  Oseman shows the confusion and heartache and relief that comes from a personal discovery such as what Georgia goes through. Throughout Georgia's trials to start a relationship you always see a tiny hint that she knows this isn't for her; that sex/romance aren't what she wants.  And that hint, as Georgia keeps moving forward in her journey, only grows.  I felt that this was very truthful in it's complexity and messiness.  Georgia internalizes much of the stereotypical expectations for love and relationships, which I think is summarized in the book description very well: dating + sex = love.  In her mind, to love someone is to be "in love" with them, wanting sex and all that entails. But discovering that other people actually experience love without sex or romance wrapped up in it, finding the term aromantic asexual, opens Georgia's eyes to who she is and that her identity is valid.

There isn't enough mainstream depictions of aro/ace people that aren't the butt of some joke.  And while the experience Oseman writes about in Loveless is a particular experience and does not speak to all aro/ace people, I found myself relating to many of the thoughts and feelings Georgia experiences.  Reading this in my 30s, and never really seeing my own experiences reflected in media I consumed, made me revert back to being a teenager and how confusing (and still confusing) love can be.  I really appreciate that a book like this was published, even if it is not quite the experience that the individual reader has, because it highlights that love can exist in all forms, and sometimes the "love" that people think of as typical can be toxic depending on the situation.

As I said at the beginning, Loveless is about love in all its forms.  Not only Georgia's journey of self-love, but her journey of platonic love involving Pip, Jason, and her new roommate Rooney.  The realization and actualization that friends can be as important in someone's life as a romantic partner.  Friends can support you, friends can comfort you, friends can accept you.  Having a platonic relationship does not make that relationship less than simply because there is no sex or "romance" involved.  

I will say that some people may find some of the situations and thoughts expressed in the book triggering.  Life is messy, and the aro- and ace-phobia that is shown on page, not only internalized by Georgia, but by a white cis gay man side character, could be harmful for some.  But it is also realistic, as even in queer spaces there is bigotry and discrimination.  Also, some of the depictions of sex, characterized through Rooney, who is identified as a pansexual woman (not explicitly on page), can be triggering, with the notes of self-harm these  experiences invoke.  But overall, I found that Oseman wrote each character as realistically and with as much truth to them as possible.

Loveless by Alice Oseman is a heartfelt, realistic, much-needed portrayal of queer love and discovering who you are and the mess that can happen along the way.  I think everyone will see themselves in some capacity, even if you don't identify as queer, which makes this book perfect for all.  Pick it up at your local bookstore (both the U.S. edition, which was just published, and the U.K. edition are beautiful covers).

 

Final Rating

About the Author

Alice Oseman was born in 1994 in Kent, England. She graduated from Durham University and is the author of YA contemporaries Solitaire, Radio Silence, and I Was Born for This. Visit Alice online at aliceoseman.com or on Twitter @AliceOseman.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Giveaway

3 winners will receive a finished copy of LOVELESS, US Only.

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BLOG TOUR - OUT OF MY HEART BY SHARON M. DRAPER - MIDDLE GRADE FICTION [REVIEW + GIVEAWAY]

Title: Out of My Heart 

Authors(s): Sharon M. Draper

Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Edition: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook; 352 pgs
Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Purchase: Amazon - Kindle - Audible - B&N - BAM! - iBooks - Kobo - TBD - Bookshop.org
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.  Please note the purchase links above are affiliate links.

Tour Schedule

Week One

11/8/2021 - Kait Plus Books - Excerpt

11/8/2021 - Rajiv's Reviews - Review

11/9/2021 - bookblogarama - Excerpt

11/9/2021 - Little Red Reads - Review

11/10/2021 - Locks, Hooks and Books - Review

11/10/2021 - Lifestyle of Me - Review

11/11/2021 - Bri's Book Nook - Review

11/11/2021 - Sparetimereader - Review

11/12/2021 - More Books Please Blog - Review

11/12/2021 - OneMoreExclamation - Review

Week Two

11/15/2021 - Wilted Pages - Review

11/15/2021 - Don't Judge, Read - Excerpt

11/16/2021 - For the Love of KidLit - Excerpt

11/16/2021 - BookHounds YA - Review

11/17/2021 - Eli to the nth - Review

11/17/2021 - Two Points of Interest - Review

11/18/2021 - Not In Jersey - Review

11/18/2021 - @bookshelfmomma - Review

11/19/2021 - Once Upon a Twilight - Review

11/19/2021 - The Momma Spot - Review

The Summary

Melody faces her fears to follow her passion in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novel Out of My Mind.

Melody, the huge-hearted heroine of Out of My Mind, is a year older, and a year braver. And now with her Medi-talker, she feels nothing’s out of her reach, not even summer camp. There have to be camps for differently-abled kids like her, and she’s going to sleuth one out. A place where she can trek through a forest, fly on a zip line, and even ride on a horse! A place where maybe she really can finally make a real friend, make her own decisions, and even do things on her own—the dream!

By the light of flickering campfires and the power of thunderstorms, through the terror of unexpected creatures in cabins and the first sparkle of a crush, Melody’s about to discover how brave and strong she really is.

Reviews:

"A deeply satisfying and worthy continuation of a beloved story." (Kirkus Reviews, STARRED September 15, 2021)

“Melody Brooks, a smart, determined 12-year-old diagnosed with cerebral palsy, returns in this sequel to 2010’s Out of My Mind. Longing for independence from her family and daily routines, she persuades her parents to let her attend Camp Green Glades, a summer camp for kids with disabilities in her home state of Ohio. With the help of her Jamaican American counselor Trinity and three cabinmates, Melody navigates new experiences—including zip-lining, horseback riding, and a first crush. Melody’s voice is as wryly funny as ever, and the supporting cast, which features kids and adults of various ethnicities and disabilities, treat her with respect and empathy… it’s impossible not to be charmed by the witty protagonist’s affirming, frequently ecstatic discovery of what it means to be part of a community that truly understands her.”

(Publishers Weekly *STARRED REVIEW* October 11, 2021)

(Goodreads)

My Review

I really hope that everyone has gotten to read Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper, the first book in this duology, because while you can enjoy Out of My Heart without having read it, there is so much more to Melody that you need to know before you can appreciate the amazing, transformational experience she goes on at summer camp.

Quick recap to give context (this is the barest of bare minimum's so please read Out of My Mind to get everything): Melody has cerebral palsy, and she cannot communicate the way most people do because of that.  Also, due to this, many people in her life think she isn't intelligent; kids in her class, teachers, and even doctors!  But Melody has a photographic memory and is extremely intelligent.  Once she receives a "Medi-talker", a machine that can speak for her via text-to-speech, she has the means to communicate and show everyone just how smart she really is.

Out of My Heart takes place the summer after the school year explored in Out of My Mind, where Melody has gotten more and more confident in herself because she has the means to finally make herself heard.  With that comes a desire to explore the world outside of her norm, and do things other kids do: like summer camp.  She thinks there must be a camp for kids like her, and she sets off, with the help of her favorite librarian (yes for librarians!). Melody researches different options, and then makes her case to her parents.  Of course, she convinces them because Melody knows what's up!

What Draper does so beautifully in both books is delve into the emotionality of Melody.  The reader spends a lot of time, understandably, in Melody's head, and because of that, they get to see the complexity of each situation Melody has to face.  Melody is away from her whole support system for the first time, which can be nerve-wracking for a kid who isn't reliant on other people, let alone someone like Melody who needs help with a multitude of things.  But this never stops her from trying, even things that might be scary.  And that is the beautiful thing about Melody's spirit that Draper makes clear.  She isn't easily defeated.

The summer camp experience broadens Melody's horizons, and does show her how capable she is, and what joy she can get out of life.  It also brings a delightful cast of supporting characters, through the camp counselors and her fellow campers.  The camp, Camp Green Glades, is made to be accessible for kids with all sorts of disabilities, and Draper crafts those different experiences in a way that always shines a light on the fact that their lives aren't lesser because of these disabilities, just different.  I really appreciate that, because as Melody herself mentions, it isn't just kids who make her, and others like her, feel crummy about themselves, it's adults too.

This is a beautiful expansion on the original story.  So full of joy and strength, the reader won't help but cheer and cheer and cheer for Melody as she learns just how joyful and strong her soul is.  An important book to keep in libraries and classrooms, I really urge you to pick up Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart, to learn all about this very special character that Sharon M. Draper has introduced to the world!

Final Rating

About the Author

Katie Schneider Photography

Sharon M. Draper is a three-time New York Times bestselling author and a recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. She has received the Coretta Scott King Award for both Copper Sun and Forged by Fire, and was awarded the Charlotte Huck Award for Stella by Starlight. Her novel Out of My Mind has won multiple awards and was a New York Times bestseller for over three years, and Blended has also been a New York Times bestseller. She taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. She now lives in Florida. Visit her at SharonDraper.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Giveaway

2 winners will receive a finished copy of OUT OF MY HEART, US Only.

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RELEASE WEEK BLITZ - Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sims (Spotlight + Giveaway)

I am so excited that SCAVENGE THE STARS by Tara Sim is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by author Tara Sim, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for 3 finished copies of the book, courtesy of Disney Hyperion and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: SCAVENGE THE STARS (Scavenge the Stars #1)
Author: Tara Sim
Pub. Date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD

When Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning, she fears her rash actions have earned her a longer sentence on the debtor ship where she’s been held captive for years. Instead, the man she saved offers her unimaginable riches and a new identity, setting Amaya on a perilous course through the coastal city-state of Moray, where old-world opulence and desperate gamblers collide.

Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. But the more entangled she becomes in this game of deception—and as her path intertwines with the son of the man she’s plotting to bring down—the more she uncovers about the truth of her past. And the more she realizes she must trust no one…

Packed with high-stakes adventure, romance, and dueling identities, this gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is the first novel in an epic YA fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Tara Sim is the author of SCAVENGE THE STARS (Disney-Hyperion) and the TIMEKEEPER trilogy (Sky Pony Press) and writer of all things magic. She can often be found in the wilds of the Bay Area, California.

When she’s not writing about mischievous boys in clock towers, Tara spends her time drinking tea, wrangling cats, and occasionally singing opera. Despite her bio-luminescent skin, she is half-Indian and eats way too many samosas.

Tara is represented by Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads

EXCERPT

Revenge. It was a simple word when spoken out loud, but it was so much bigger, like the hidden city under the atoll. It was a word of fire and blood, of a knife’s whisper and the priming of a pistol.

It was a word that consumed her, filled her entire being until she knew that she could no longer be Silverfish. Silverfish’s will was to survive, to simply make it to the next day, and hopefully the day after that. But that was no longer her will.

Now it was revenge.

Captain Zharo. Kamon Mercado. Moray.

They would all pay.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

3 winners will receive a finished copy of SCAVENGE THE STARS, US only.

Giveaway ends February 14th at midnight EST.

CLICK

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Waiting on Wednesday (98)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, started by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming/recent releases that we seriously can’t wait to read

Here's my pick for the week:

Three Sides of a Heart

edited by Natalie C. Parker

Publication Date: December  19, 2017

In this collection, edited by Natalie C. Parker, some of your favorite YA authors tackle the much-debated trope of the love triangle, and the result is sixteen fresh, diverse, and romantic stories you don’t want to miss.

A teen girl who offers kissing lessons. Zombies in the Civil War South. The girl next door, the boy who loves her, and the girl who loves them both. Vampires at a boarding school. Three teens fighting monsters in an abandoned video rental store. Literally the last three people on the planet. 

What do all these stories have in common?

The love triangle.

You may think you know the love triangle, but you’ve never seen love triangles like these.

(Summary from Goodreads)

Uh, this book checks all my yeses off: romance CHECK, love triangles CHECK, anthology CHECK, amazing authors who are mostly women DOUBLE CHECK!  

I love a good love triangle, even when they are frustrating, and I believe these amazing authors, the ladies especially, (Rae Carson, Brandy Colbert, Katie Cotugno, Alaya Dawn Johnson, E.K. Johnston, Tessa Gratton, Garth Nix, Veronica Roth, Sabaa Tahir, Brenna Yovanoff, Renee Ahdieh, Julie Murphy, Justina Ireland, Lamar Giles, and Bethany Hagen) will deliver the goods!

Is it December yet!!!!???  

What book are you waiting for?

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Join the AW Teen Summer Reading Challenge and win books!

I'm really excited to bring y'all a fun challenge from AW Teen!  There are some great books in their catalog, and this would definitely be worth participating in this summer!

Who: Everyone who loves reading YA!

What: Read any AW Teen title (full list here: http://www.albertwhitman.com/teen/) and review it anywhere (your blog, Goodreads, Instagram, YouTube—wherever!).

When: June 15-August 31, 2016

How: Submit the link to your review here.

• You will receive 1 entry for every AW Teen Book you review.
  
  
• You will receive extra entries for sharing that review on Goodreads, Netgalley, Edelweiss, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other review sites.
  
  
• You will receive even more extra entries for following us on our Albert Whitman and AW Teen social media sites!

The Albert Whitman social media accounts:

AW Teen Facebook | Albert Whitman Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

| Pinterest | AW Teen Youtube

AND THE PRIZE: Six AW Teen ’16 titles!!!!!!

Future Shock (HC)

Elena Martinez has hidden her eidetic memory all her life—or so she thinks. When powerful tech giant Aether Corporations selects her for a top-secret project, she can’t say no. All she has to do is participate in a trip to the future, and she’ll be set for life. Elena travels with four other teens with special skills, including Adam, a science prodigy. Soon they find themselves running out of time, and deadly secrets are uncovered. Can Elena and her new friends figure out how to change their futures?

NO COVER AVAILABLE

Resurrecting Sunshine (ARC)

Seventeen-year-old Adam Rhodes is famous, but he’s been in a downward spiral since he lost the girl he loved, Marybeth, who went by the stage name Sunshine. Then, Adam is approached by Dr. Elloran with Project Orpheus, who wants to resurrect Sunshine. As the process sweeps Adam and Marybeth ever closer to reliving the tragedy that destroyed them, Adam must decide how far he’ll go to save her.

NO COVER AVAILABLE

Until I Break (ARC)

Two boys: One is a star athlete and top student with a deep-seated need to prove himself. The other is a chip-on-his-shoulder quarterback who will never settle for second best. When gunshots echo through the halls of Broadmeadow High School, whose finger is on the trigger? This unforgettable novel counts down the twelve months leading up to an explosive moment.

Biggie (PB)

At an obese 300+ pounds, Henry “Biggie” Abbott prefers classroom success to sports. As Biggie’s junior year begins, the girl of his dreams, Annabelle Rivers, starts flirting with him. He’s been told to follow in his dad’s footsteps and play baseball, but Annabelle might be the one to actually convince him to try.

Girl Last Seen (HC)

YouTube stars and best friends Kadence and Lauren recently had a major falling-out over Kadence’s boyfriend. Kadence launched her solo career when a nasty throat infection paralyzed Lauren’s vocal cords. And she knows how deceptive Kadence could be sometimes. But nobody believes Lauren when she claims she had nothing to do with Kady’s disappearance.

Hurricane Kiss (HC)

For sixteen-year-old Jillian McKay, the threat of Hurricane Danielle means a long car ride with her neighbors—including River Daughtry, the former star quarterback of Harrison High. The guy who was headed to glory until suddenly he disappeared to a West Texas juvenile detention center. Once cocky and flirtatious, he’s now silent and angry. But their evacuation route is soon gridlocked. As the teens wait out the storm, they confront the past and realize survival is more than just staying alive—it’s about fighting for yourself.

Join the fun and get your read on this summer!

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Teaser Tuesday (73)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following!

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share a few teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.
• MAKE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (you don't want to give too much away and ruin the book for other readers)

Share the title and author too, so that other readers can add your book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!

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What We Left Behind
Robin Talley
October 27, 2015

      I was pretty sure I was hallucinating.
      Beautiful, blond straight girls you've never seen before don't just come up to you at your Homecoming dance and start disco dancing with you out of nowhere.  Not in normal life. 
(pg. 17)

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I got this book for review, and I am loving it so far.  I really love that there are more and more GLBTQ+ representation and lead characters within YA books.  It is important to reflect all teenagers within the books they read and to tell the stories with GLBTQ+ persons as the main protagonists; these heroes go a long way to helping both GLBTQ+ teens and straight teens see the world reflected back at them. 

I think that Robin Tulley tackles a difficult to portray subject in a very real way.  Transitioning, both in life and in self, is a difficult and confusing journey.  I think that she captures that journey for Toni and Gretchen magnificently.

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