Waiting on Wednesday: Harley Quinn Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki
Publisher: DC Comics, DC ink
Publication Date: June 4, 2019

Synopsis:  

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass is a coming-of-age story about choices, consequences, justice, fairness and progress and how a weird kid from Gotham's poorest part of town goes about defining her world for herself. From Caldecott Honor-winning author Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer, Supergirl: Being Super).

Harleen is a tough, outspoken, rebellious kid who lives in a ramshackle apartment above a karaoke cabaret owned by a drag queen named MAMA. Ever since Harleen's parents split, MAMA has been her only family. When the cabaret becomes the next victim in the wave of gentrification that's taking over the neighborhood, Harleen gets mad.

When Harleen decides to turn her anger into action, she is faced with two choices: join Ivy, who's campaigning to make the neighborhood a better place to live, or join The Joker, who plans to take down Gotham one corporation at a time.

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass is at once a tale of the classic Harley readers know and love, and a heartfelt story about the choices teenagers make and how they can define--or destroy--their lives. This is the first title in DC's new line of original graphic novels for middle grade and young adult readers.

Why I Am Waiting:
It's Harley Quinn.... it's a MG/YA graphic novel! It is all things I LOVE! I cannot wait to read this one! I have read This One Summer by this author and really enjoyed it as well.  And I did not get approved for an ebook arc :(

Recent Reads: Zero G by Dan Wells

Zero G by Dan Wells
Publisher:  Audible Studios
Publication Date:  December 6, 2019
Length: 4 h 8 min

Format:  Audiobook
Source: Freebie from Audible monthly subscription.

Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

It’s one kid versus an entire band of space pirates in this cosmic middle grade caper from New York Times bestselling author Dan Wells. 

Zero is just one of 20,000 people aboard a spaceship bound for a new planet set to be colonized. The journey is over a century long but luckily, everyone is in stasis, so they’ll be safe and sound asleep during the trip. Everyone that is, except for Zero, whose pod has malfunctioned, waking him up a hundred years early. His initial excitement in roaming the ship alone quickly turns to a heart-stopping interstellar adventure when a family of space pirates show up, trying to hijack the ship and take the colonizers hostage. With everyone he knows fast asleep, it’s up to Zero to think fast and find a way to stop them–all on his own. 

Review: 
Zero G was a short listen read by a full cast. It is around Chapter 6, and about 40 minutes in that Zero's pod malfunctions and the fun begins. Zero realizes that he is all alone awake on the ship and for a little while he has fun eating a bunch of foods, and painting etc. The things get real when space pirates try to take over the ship. 

The was a great story and the full cast in this one did a great job, I think I liked this one better than some of the others because there was still a narrator as well as the cast. It took about half of the book to get to the drama of the pirates but since the book is only a few hours long it felt balanced. The book is a great middle grade science fiction, it was well paced and there was enough excitement to keep me listening. I think this is a fun one and would recommend it to those that enjoy middle grade reads, science fiction, or those just looking for something short to listen to.

Blog Promo w/ Giveaway! The Channeler by Jenna Ryan

The Channeler: A Future Forewarned by Jenna Ryan

Series: Book 1 of the Continuum Series

Publishing Date: ​January 18, 2019 

About the Book:

When Caleb learns his dark visions foretell the future, he must act to save the life of an innocent girl even if it turns his whole world upside-down.  

I was stuck. Stuck in an endless now, watching a terrible future I was powerless to change. Or was I? What if I could change the future? Could I ignore that kind of power?  

 And if I did—what would I become?  

Caleb Swift knows he’s a complicated guy. He sees the unseeable: winged beings that haunt both his dreams and his waking visions. He knows the unknowable: horrifying visions of countless unspeakable futures he feels powerless to prevent. And if that weren’t bad enough, these potent revelations might be driving him insane.    

Who needs that kind of trouble?    

Not Caleb. He’s doing his best to live a totally uncomplicated life, to ignore the visions of doom that hound him relentlessly. But no matter what he does, one particular vision still plagues him. The one with the girl. The girl who’s in mortal danger (or will be soon). The girl only he can save.  

Now Caleb has a choice. To ignore his gift, to live the ordinary life he so desperately desires, even if it means letting her die….    

Or to act. To interfere. To become extraordinary​. ​ And let one girl’s future turn his​ ​ present completely upside-down. 

Other Book Info:
Trade Paperback Edition ISBN​: 978-1-63161-066-0
RRP​: $14.99 
Binding​: 6x9 perfect paperback  
Page count: ​240 page extant (est.) 

Find the Book

Publishers Site: TCK

TCK Facebook Page

Prize: 1 Ebook of The Channeler by Jenna Ryan

Prize will be provided by TCK Publishing

Rules: Must be 13 with parental permission or older, no giveaway accounts, enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Disclaimer: Cover2CoverBlog is not responsible for missing or damaged prizes

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author 

Photo from Amazon

Jenna Ryan​ ​has been reading and writing since as far back as she can remember, and she is a passionate storyteller who has a thousand worlds in her head just waiting to come alive. ​The Channeler, ​ the first book in the Continuum​ ​series, is her debut novel. 

Find the Author

Website / Twitter

Building the Book Pile #301

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Woo a long weekend! How is your Memorial Day weekend (US ppl) going, any fun plans?

This weekend we drove up to the motorcycle dealer that we like and they launched their new bikes- they are a Triumph dealer now too. We also stopped over at another dealership and I got to ride a Can Am Ryker. It was weird... it rides more like a 4-wheeler than a motorcycle, but it was fun to try out.

Today, we are having friends over in the afternoon for hot dogs and ice cream and maybe some lawn games, you know Memorial Day weekend festivities. Hopefully it will be fun. I got some promo items from an ice cream company called Steve's for the party and I am going to try their ice creams :) nom nom.

And then tomorrow (Monday) my new courses start, I have a bunch of discussion posts, a short paper, a revision of a paper from last term, and reading...and that is just for the coming week... it is going to be a long 10 weeks.

I am still trying to push through some reading before classes though and listening to audiobooks while working which is AWESOME! My decision to finally subscribe to Audible was not a bad one :)

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

Share about your week with me in the comments below!

 

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog! 
Nothing right now. Soon...

  Coming up on the Blog

Promo with Giveaway: The Channeler: A Future Forewarned by Jenna Ryan
Recent Reads: Zero G by Dan Wells (MG)
Waiting on Wednesday
Recent Reads: The Golden Thread by Alex Hayes (Novella)
May Re-Cap
(sorry these last ones didn't come to fruition)

Books Received Recently...

Dark Shores by Danielle Jensen from Tor Books for a Nerd Book Tour

Last week I forgot to recap all the audiobooks I have gotten recently, so here it goes...

  

  

Freebies with Audible Originals/ Subscription

The 3-Day Effect by Florence Williams

The Mystery of Alice by Lee Bacon

Bought/ Used Credits to Buy

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning 

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Mr Lemoncello's All-Stat Breakout Game (Mr. Lemoncello's Library #4) by Chris Grabenstein

Have you missed anything lately?

Week of  May 20 - May 25

Waiting on Wednesday: The Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas (YA)
Recent Reads: The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross (YA) - 4 stars
Recent Reads: The 3-Day Effect by Florence Williams (Adult, NonFiction) - 3 stars

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: The 3-Day Effect by Florence Williams

The 3-Day Effect by Florence Williams
Publisher:  Audible Studios
Publication Date:  September 27, 2018

  

Format:  Audible Audiobook

Source: Freebie with Subscription from May

Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

The 3-Day Effect is a look at the science behind why being in the wild can make us happier, healthier and more creative. Whether it’s rafting down Utah’s Green River, backpacking in Arizona’s wilderness or walking through Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., scientists are finding that the more exposure humans have to nature, the more they will benefit from reduced anxiety, enhanced creativity and overall well-being. Trek with science journalist Florence Williams as she guides former Iraqi war veterans, sex trafficking survivors, and even a nature hater, on three-day nature excursions to see how the outdoors offers something like a miracle cure for an array of extreme and everyday ailments.

Review: 
Getting the ability to download these freebies from audible every month has really enabled me to listen to things that I wouldn't normally pick up. Some are hits and some are misses and that is fine. Since I am back in school for psychology again, I was drawn to this one in the month of May. 

the 3-Day Effect is about how spending three days in nature can help rest your brain. It causes you to be more in tune with yourself and more appreciative and is shown to decrease stress. This particular book follows Florence Williams as she participates in studies with other groups to see what the studies are looking for and if it can work for her through a rough time in her life. 

My likes for this one were regarding the overall content - I liked learning about the studies that researchers are doing to try to prove that this is a valid therapy and can really help people. I like learning about the science behind it. 

However, there were some dislikes, mainly with how it was presented. I liked learning about the different types of trips that are done to help, but I was not really investing in Florence's story and I understand that divorce is hard (I have not been through it so the full context might be lacking for me) but I also feel like comparing it to PTSD from war and being a sex-trafficking victim might be a bit off the mark. I am not saying there is no pain there but the book made it out to be more about her than the science.

It is an interesting concept and I will definitely be looking more into the science behind it to see what information and hard data has been gathered.

Recent Reads: The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross

Source: From Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Also bought the Audible audiobook.

The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross
Publisher:  Berkeley Publishing Group
Publication Date:  February 12, 2019

 

Format: Ebook 


Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

A sumptuously magical, brand new take on a tale as old as time—read the Beast's side of the story at long last.

I am neither monster nor man—yet I am both.
I am the Beast.
The day I was cursed to this wretched existence was the day I was saved—although it did not feel so at the time.
My redemption sprung from contemptible roots; I am not proud of what I did the day her father happened upon my crumbling, isolated chateau. But if loneliness breeds desperation then I was desperate indeed, and I did what I felt I must. My shameful behaviour was unjustly rewarded.
My Isabeau. She opened my eyes, my mind and my heart; she taught me how to be human again.
And now I might lose her forever.

Lose yourself in this gorgeously rich and magical retelling of The Beauty and the Beast that finally lays bare the beast's heart.

Review: 
Jim Dale reads the audiobook and does an amazing job. I love when he narrates them. 

This retelling is told from the point of view of the Beast as he comes to realize his fate and tries to adapt, learn about himself though this new lens life has handed him. It is a similar story to many Beauty and the Beast retellings however as it is told from his perspective there is the addition of essentially a new story - you get to learn how he feels about everything that is happening. 

Beast's tale is one of depression and confusion and he is just trying to figure out what happened and if it can be alleviated. He is impulsive but kind and in this book seems very sensitive and overly aware of his beastly form. He is a wonderful main character and it is almost sad to hear his feelings and thoughts as the tale progresses, you just want the best for him. What makes this possible though, is that the curse is told a little differently - the best has not necessarily done anything wrong yet, but the fairy sees evil in his heart and is trying to circumvent it.  

Isabeau, is a captive as she was previously, but she does choose to be imprisoned and her story involves two other sisters, which is a slight break from the Disney version.  She was a bit somber at first but really turns it around and wants to genuinely befriend Beast and help him through his struggles.

Overall, this was a great retelling and I really enjoyed that it was told from the Beast's side. I liked the changes that were implemented to make it more modern and believable.  So why not 5 stars? When you pick up this book, you have to understand that there is not really a full on climax to the story. There is no grand battle, all of it is emotional battles being fought by both Beast and Isabeau, so it takes a bit longer to get through than your typical fantasy novel. Otherwise, it was a wonderful listen.

Waiting on Wednesday: Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas

Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: June 4, 2019

Synopsis:  

Critically-acclaimed author Leah Thomas blends a small-town setting with the secrets of a long-ago crime, in a compelling novel about breaking free from the past.

In Samsboro, Kentucky, Kalyn Spence's name is inseparable from the brutal murder her father committed when he was a teenager. Forced to return to town, Kalyn must attend school under a pseudonym . . . or face the lingering anger of Samsboro's citizens, who refuse to forget the crime.

Gus Peake has never had the luxury of redefining himself. A Samsboro native, he's either known as the "disabled kid" because of his cerebral palsy, or as the kid whose dad was murdered. Gus just wants to be known as himself.

When Gus meets Kalyn, her frankness is refreshing, and they form a deep friendship. Until their families' pasts emerge. And when the accepted version of the truth is questioned, Kalyn and Gus are caught in the center of a national uproar. Can they break free from a legacy of inherited lies and chart their own paths forward?

Why I Am Waiting:
I found this one on Netgalley and am also going to request it, but this one sounds very interesting. The idea of having to go back to a place where your family isn't accepted is terrifying enough without having to be a teen, so this should be a very drama-filled read.

Update: Received from Netgalley and Bllomsbury - cannot wait to get through some other books so I can read this one.

Building the Book Pile #300

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

It has been a few weeks since I re-capped in a building the book pile- I was finishing up a class and then was on vacation. 

My class is over today, hopefully all goes well with the grading and in a week I start my summer courses- there are 2 so I am probably not going to on the blog as much. 

As for vacation, we went to Las Vegas for a week and it was so fun. We brought some friends and just saw the sights. We had been before but our friends had not. This was also the first time we trekked to the Grand Canyon and WOW! that thing is crazy big! Pictures do not do it justice at all, you really need to see it. 

We are back home now and trying to fix our internal clocks back to Eastern time and get ready for the week ahead. We have also built a new plant box outside so more gardening fun time for me! YAY! It is after the frost threat so the plants are going in :)

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

Share about your week with me in the comments below!

 

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog! 

  Coming up on the Blog

Lets make is a surprise for us all ...  I need to finish up a bunch or reading /listening and I will review whatever I get done. :)

Books Received Recently...

      

Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis - from Candlewick Press for a Blog Tour, recently got a psychical copy in the mail in addition to the Netgalley copy from a few weeks ago.

Mega Bat and Fancy Cat by Anna Humphrey and Kass Reich - from Librarything Early Reviewers program and  Tundra Books.

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia - from Netgalley and DC Ink

Outlaws by Jen Calonita  - from Netgalley and Sourcebooks

Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas  - from Netgalley and Bloomsbury

Have you missed anything lately?

Week of  April 29 - May 18

Monthly Re-Cap: April 2019
May 2019 - TBR Pile
Recent Reads: The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell (YA) - DNF


Trailer Reveal: Realm by Alexandrea Weis (YA)
Recent Reads: Emily Windsnap and the Pirate Prince by Liz Kessler (MG) - 4 starsEarly Reader Review: Bedtime by Guido Van Genechten (Youth) - 4 stars


Early Reader Review: Lady Mechanika Le Belle Dame Sans Merci (Adult, GN) - 5 stars
Blog Blast: Interview with Blaze author Hope Bolinger
Early Reader Review: Hide and Seek, Little Chameleon by Anita Bijsterbosch (Youth) - 5 stars

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: Hide and Seek, Little Chameleon by Anita Bijsterbosch

Source: From Netgalley and Clavis in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Hide and Seek, Little Chameleon by Anita Bijsterbosch
Publisher: Clavis
Publication Date: May 15, 2019  

 

Format:  Ebook

Rating:







Goodreads Synopsis: 

From Kirkus Best Book of the Year author Anita Bijsterbosch!

Little Chameleon loves to play hide-and-seek. He knows a few special hiding tricks. Will you help look for Little Chameleon? 

A cheerful seek-and-find book filled with colors, numbers, and animal friends. For toddlers ages 30 months and up, with a focus on the child's language development.

Review: 
Such an adorable book! I really enjoyed this one and it is bright and interactive and I think both parents an young readers will really enjoy this one. it is not only a search and find game but can also help learn counting and colors, so it really has a lot of learning built right in. Each page is dedicated to a number and a color and finding animals an insects as well as little chameleon. It was very cute and very engaging and even as an adult reader I liked counting out and finding the little creatures throughout. If you are looking for good books for learning, this is a great one for the youngest learners. 

Blog Blast: Interview with Blaze author Hope Bolinger

Hello Reader! Today we have the pleasure of speaking to Hope Bolinger, author of Blaze!

Blaze by Hope Bolinger
Publisher: Illuminate YA
Publication Date:  June 3, 2019

 

Synopsis: 
Danny was told sophomore year was supposed to be stressful . . . but he didn’t expect his school to burn down on the first day. 

To add to his sophomore woes, he—and his three best friends—receive an email in their inboxes from the principal of their rival, King’s Academy, offering full-rides to attend the prestigious boarding school. Danny says no. His overbearing mother says yes. So off he goes. 

From day one at King’s, Danny encounters horrible hazing initiations, girls who like to pick other people’s scabs, and cafeteria food that could turn the strongest stomachs sour. As he attempts to survive, he will have to face his fears or fall prey to the King’s Academy lions. 

EXTRAS

Pinterest Board /  Spotify Playlist / Webpage and Game / Trailer 

Welcome to Cover2CoverBlog! Thank you for joining the us!

Could you first tell us a little more about yourself and your background? 

Absolutely! I’m a literary agent and soon-to-be-published YA novelist. I’ve worked with publishing houses, literary agencies, magazines, newspapers, and just recently graduated from Taylor University with a professional writing degree. I’ve had 300 of my works featured in various publications. I’m obsessed with cats, chocolate, and a little bit too much of a pyromaniac. 

Why did you decide to start writing and what was your inspiration for Blaze?

I started writing because my friend in high school wrote novels, I told her she was crazy, and then I started my first one the very next week.

Speaking of high school, that served a good portion of the inspiration for Blaze. The book follows Danny as he transfers to his rival school after his previous school mysteriously burns down. Turns out the arsonist attends the new school, and they don’t seem content with burning down just one thing. 

First: I grew up in a high school where our rival was literally caddy corner across the street. I always wondered what would happen if our school burned down. Would we end up attending the rival? Would the students make our lives a living hell because we came from their rival school? I decided to play with that. 

Second: There’s an ancient block of text from Babylon known as the Book of Daniel that features four teens standing up to the emperor of the world’s largest kingdom at the time. Gen Z, a generation standing up to our leaders, really inspired me and these characters. I wanted to see what that looked like now, standing up to a king. 

Third: I love fire, and fire made its way into the book. Plain and simple. 

Your book is in the Young Adult genre, do  you read in this genre often? If so, what are some of your favorites (books, movies etc.)?

Yes, I love this genre. I personally think authors who read and write in this genre get to have the most fun. In the YA genre, some of my favorite titles I’ve read are Harry Potter (of course), Percy Jackson, Scythe, and The Book Thief (if that counts, it’s a bit more coming of age). Books always trump the movies. Every. Time. 

Was there anything really challenging about the writing of this story? Any obstacles you might have run into?

Can’t have a book without obstacles. 
I ran into quite a few- Crippling depression. It’s chronic, but it didn’t help that right around the time I wrote this, my parents decided to divorce- Pitching it at writer’s conferences. Having worked on faculty, I know the reasonings behind this, but sometimes editors and agents can say nasty things that make you want to quit writing for a good week. This book was a harder sell, and they made sure I knew it. But I appreciated the opportunity to share my work and hear their feedback. It helped shape the book. - The publishing process itself. Although I made it past pub board, the managing editor kept sending it back for edits. I completely understand! We all want the book in the best shape possible. But I did grow disheartened by the penultimate edit. 

What is your favorite part about the writing process? Do you have a special writing spot?

Favorite part? Just about everything. When your brain electrifies when you finally figured out the missing piece in a character’s backstory or solved a tricky plot point. When you write a mic drop line or go way beyond your 3,000-word count goal for the day. I’ve fallen in love with just about everything in the writing process.

Special writing spot? Anywhere people can’t bug me. I love my family and friends, but in college (which I just graduated) you happen to be cloistered in a wing with 36 girls at Taylor—with no A/C in the summer #buildingcharacter. And let’s just say of those 36, a good majority were extroverts who didn’t understand why I liked to stare at a screen for five hours at a time. 

Is there anything about you that would surprise your readers – hobbies, likes, dislikes etc?

Ah, I should have this part down since the first question they always ask you at college is, “Name, major, and fun fact?” Let me see if these fun facts spark a surprise:- I’ve swum with sharks. And no, not in a cage. Literally swimming side by side.- I once accidentally walked on a nude beach without knowing it.- I may or may not have been in Nicaragua illegally for five minutes (you can’t prove anything).- I once played an extra in a feature film movie in a scene set in Amsterdam. We filmed in Kentucky.- I’ve participated in more than 60 theatrical productions. 30+ sports teams, and 30+ musical ensembles, including one that sang at a Michael W. Smith concert.- I’ve edited the work of famous authors such as Steven James, Michelle Medlock Adams, and Jerry B. Jenkins. - I’m 22 years old. 

If you could spend time with any author, who would it be and why?
Such a tricky question.

If this includes dead or alive: C.S. Lewis. He and I have similar writing habits (bleed on paper and send it out immediately). Plus, I’d love to pick his brains about how he managed success in vastly different genres.
If this just includes alive: J.K. Rowling. Because, who wouldn’t? 

What are you reading right now? Do you have any book recommendations for the middle grade /young adult reader? Or any books that you think would be useful for young writers?

Unfortunately, nothing noteworthy. I’ve read a lot of nonfiction lately, but it’s not grabbing me at the moment. However, on my TBR for YA, I would suggest Children of Blood and Bone. As for MG, just recently finished Nevermoor and loved every minute of it. It’s not quite Harry Potter, but by far one of the best middle grades I’ve read in a while. 

About the Author

Hope Bolinger is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. and a recent graduate of Taylor University's professional writing program. More than 300 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer's Digest to Keys for Kids. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Her column "Hope's Hacks," tips and tricks to avoid writer's block, reaches 2,700+ readers weekly and is featured monthly on Cyle Young's blog, which receives 63,000+ monthly hits. She is excited for her modern-day Daniel "Blaze" to come out with IlluminateYA (an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). She enjoys all things theater, cats, and fire.

Find the Author

Facebook: @therosewoman

Twitter: @hopebolinger

Instagram: @hopebolinger

Website: hopebolinger.com