Category: YAbooks

Blog Tour · Book Reviews · Booksparks · Family Reading · Fiction · Giveaway · YAbooks · Young Readers Books

It’s the season of giving, so I’m hosting another GIVEAWAY and this one’s geared towards the tween-agers…

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*GIVEAWAY time! Do you have a tween-ager in the household, or maybe a niece, babysitter, or a friend with a daughter who enjoys reading? Then you’ll love today’s featured book & giveaway!

Last yr I did a promo for Cindy Callaghan’s novel, ‘Saltwater Secrets’, (*click HERE to see Instagram post) & loved it so much, I bought a copy for a friend’s daughter & she loved it! Being the super, sweet kid she is, she wanted to pass it on to another reader to enjoy as well. So today’s giveaway is for a copy of ‘Saltwater Secrets‘ & also 3 items featured in Callaghan’s 10/12 novella, ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas’: a pair of low-top Hello Kitty socks, a red Chuck Taylor shoe keychain, & a Harper Hollow Falls Christmas Countdown calendar that be reused again & again. All you have to do to make this an even MORE fantastic gift is get a copy of ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas‘ to add to the box. Thank you Cindy for my gift copy! (which I’m totally keeping!)

Cindy’s other wonderful tween novels include the ‘Just Add Magic‘ series that was made into an Emmy nominated Amazon series; the bestselling ‘Lost in…’ series that included books like ‘Lost in London‘, ‘Lost in Hollywood‘, ‘Lost in Ireland‘ & more; & the stand-alone, tween mystery, ‘Sydney MacKenzie Knocks’em Dead‘, which sells out every year around Halloween.

Now, let’s talk about Cindy Callaghan’s latest novella, released last month, ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas‘. It’s adorable, witty, warmhearted, & good ol’ festive fun! This should 100% be made into a Hallmark movie since it’s perfect for the whole family & could be watched while making sugar cookies like Mrs. Crispin, a character in the book. The book also has Stars Hollow from ‘Gilmore Girls’ vibes which makes it even more delightful & as cozy as hot cocoa!

Imagine you’re a tween visiting a small town that loves nothing more than its prize fir—a perfect Christmas tree destined for the White House. Now picture yourself accidentally destroying that tree, making you public enemy number one. Lastly, imagine that to repay your debt, you have to remain in said town for the Christmas season.
That’s what happens to Brady Bancroft.

When Brady ruins Harper Hollow Fall’s prize tree, she’s sentenced to stay in the holiday-festooned town for the month of December. At first, she couldn’t be more depressed about the whole situation; but during her month there, she is surprised to discover that there’s much more than pine needles to the little town holding her captive. In the end, Harper Hollow Falls reminds Brady of the true meaning of Christmas—and she, in turn, saves the town.

To help give one lucky follower get a boost on their holiday shopping, I’m giving away a copy of Cindy Callaghan’s novel, ‘Saltwater Secrets’ as well as 3 items featured in ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas’ (*see above for info). All you have to do to enter is go to my Instagram page (@mom_loves_reading) to enter. Click HERE to go there now.

Click HERE to visit Cindy Callaghan’s website & read more about her other amazing books.

Click any of the highlighted book titles above to add them to your Goodreads TBR lists.

Cindy Callaghan is the award-winning author of eleven middle-grade novels including JUST ADD MAGIC & JUST ADD MAGIC 2: POTION PROBLEMS, which were made into an Emmy-nominated Amazon Original series now in its fifth season & distributed world-wide via Nickelodeon. She’s well-known for the best-selling Lost In… books: LOST IN LONDON, LOST IN PARIS, LOST IN ROME, LOST IN HOLLYWOOD, & LOST IN IRELAND. Her Agatha award-winning stand-alone SYDNEY MACKENZIE KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD sells out every year around Halloween. Her 2020 book SALTWATER SECRETS, which is nominated for an Agatha Award, won Delaware Press Association & National Federation of Press Women’s awards, & two International Book Awards, is set up by a major studio. Her newest book THE GIRL WHO RUINED CHRISTMAS, (October 2021), & the upcoming MY BIG HEART-SHAPED FAIL, (September 2022), are actively being shopped to producers, networks & streamers along with Cindy’s robust portfolio of original features & series. A Jersey girl at heart, Cindy lives in Delaware with her family and rescued-pets.

About ME · Book Reviews · Fiction · Giveaway · Thriller · YAbooks

A YA thriller debut and one of you can win a personalized, autographed copy!

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GIVEAWAY time!

I have a fantastic YA Thriller to tell you about today, along w/ a generous discount code to buy it AND one of you lucky readers will win a personalized copy from the author!

Q: Did you attend summer camp as a kid/teen?

I didn’t, but I did go camping w/ the parents a lot…that is until I saw ‘Friday the 13th’ then it was a big NOPE from then on out. Fiction or not, Jason (& his psycho mom) scared the crud out of me & frequented my nightmares. Summer camp does make for a fun backdrop in books & movies though, especially suspense/thriller ones. Books like ‘The Last Time I Lied’ by Riley Sager & ‘The Troop’ by Nick Cutter offer up even more reasons to be leary of camping for scaredy-cats like me.

Umm, yeah…NO thank you! 😳

‘Called Upon‘ is the debut novel by Bethany Lee, that takes place at summer camp, it’s my current read & I’m loving it! Lee does such a great job w/ character development & keeps the reader engaged, w/ a twisty, compelling, page-turner, while tackling some important issues & there’s even a little side of (clean) romance. I’m stunned this is a debut, it’s written so exquisitely.

About the book, ‘Called Upon’: (click on title to add to your Goodreads lists!)
Kaitlin, the social pariah of her high school, is so relieved to have made friends at Camp Overlook—and time have caught the attention of a real, live, honest-to-goodness boy—that she is willing to look past the camp’s anomalies: creepy grey-eyed counselors, 24 hour video surveillance, and campers falling ill and then disappearing quietly into the night.

But when Kaitlin begins feeling strange symptoms herself, she can no longer pretend that Overlook is a run-of-the-mill summer camp. She and her new friend must race to solve the mystery of Camp Overlook, even if it means facing some difficult truths and uncovering some painful family secrets, before she is the next camper to vanish. 

Bethany is generously giving anyone who uses my code MOMLOVES60 to order ‘Called Upon‘ (from her website, www.bethanylee.com, ONLY) 60% off. What a deal! (**Please be advised, this discount does not work anywhere else, only her website.) And she’ll send one of you a personalized, autographed copy when you enter today’s giveaway. (U.S. only).

To enter: (Click HERE to go to the Instagram post & enter. The following information is for FYI only, but read on for a special blog follower/subscriber bonus!)
1-Must be following @mom_loves_reading & @bethanyrlee81
2-LIKE this post. (SHARE it to stories or feed & tag me for additional 5 entries!)
3-Tag a couple book lovers! (unlimited, only 2 per comment).

Rules & such: Giveaway runs 4/11-4/14/21, is open to the 50 USA states only & is not affiliated w/ Instagram. Please don’t UNfollow after or you’ll be excluded from all future MomLovesReading giveaways, & there are a LOT. (**Remember, you MUST enter on my Instagram page; however, you can comment on this blogpost that you did & I will give you 5 extra entries, because I am cool like that. 😉)

When Bethany Lee isn’t writing, she is elbow deep in garden soil or covered in dust from a mountain trail. She is decidedly an “outside girl” and loves biking, hiking, and basically any activity that can be done in yoga pants —clearly, she was born to write a book about an adventure in the mountains. Bethany is a communications graduate who has a soft spot for young adults and all of the cringy moments they experience every day (It gets better, friends). A creative writer since early childhood, she uses humor, honesty, and whimsy to pull readers in and invite them to laugh, relate, and introspect. Bethany currently resides in Lehi, Utah, with her husband, three kids, and garden.

Blog Tour · Book Reviews · Booksparks · Fiction · Giveaway · YAbooks

Witchy Wednesday GIVEAWAY of ‘Witch Wars’ by Alane Adams (#3 of Witches of Orkney series)

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Witchy Wednesday GIVEAWAY time!! Thank you @booksparks & @alaneadamsbooks (partners) for my copy of ‘Witch Wars‘, book #3 in Alane Adams ‘Witches of Orkney’ series! (Sorry my pics are a little murky…had to take them in the evening with only artificial lighting…I think the kids did fantastic posing for them though, considering I interrupted their before bed gaming time!) Click HERE to go enter the book giveaway on Instagram or just to be nice & LIKE my post or SHARE it!

As a parent to 2 middle schooler’s, Adam’s books have been a nice addition to our daily reading. My kids (in the pics) are autistic, so patience & focus are often problematic, but when it comes to reading Alane’s books, they are engaged, tuned in & interested in what happens next. We read Adam’s ‘Eye of Zeus’ from her ‘Legends of Olympus’ series back when the pandemic started & it, too, was such a fun book! 

‘The Witches of Orkney’ series is ideal for Mid-School reading, as well as Adam’s ‘Legend of Orkney’ series. Fans of Harry Potter, fantasy, & magical, mystical creature-type books will love these w/ their blend of mythological fact & fiction.

‘Witch Wars‘: Abigail’s 2nd year at the Tarkana Academy has been an all-out disaster. She’s just unwittingly helped Vertulious, an ancient he-witch & powerful alchemist, destroy Odin’s Stone & restore his powers, & now all of Orkney is caught up in the threat of war as the witches prepare to destroy the helpless Orkadians.

Determined to set things right, Abigail & Hugo set off for Jotunheim, the land of the giants, to find a weapon to restore the balance. All they have to do is track down the God of Thunder & convince Thor to turn his hammer over to them. 
When their former-friend-now-foe Robert Barconian arrives w/ a band of dwarves, intent on stopping them, Abigail & friends must unite to prevent a war that will destroy them all. But has Abigail made the biggest mistake of all by trusting in the wrong ally?

Click HERE for more info on the book!

The kids & I are beginning Book 3 this weekend & I would love to have a copy sent to one of you to read w/ your kids or maybe give to a niece or nephew. With the holidays coming up. Adams’s series would be fantastic gifts for the young readers in your family.

(***The following is for FYI purposes only. All entries must be made on Instagram. Click HERE to go that post now.)
To enter:
1-LIKE this post.
2-Must be following @mom_loves_reading @alaneadamsbooks & @booksparks
3-Tag a couple bookish friends or comment w/ your favorite book(s) when you were in mid-school.
(Share post to your pg or stories for bonus 5 entries. You can even SHARE the giveaway just to be nice even if you aren’t entering.).
US res only. Giveaway starts 10/7 & ends 10/10/20 & is not affiliated w/ Instagram.

Click HERE to read more about Book 1 in The Witches of Orkney series
Click HERE for more info on Book 2 in the series

Alane Adams grew up in an old Quaker town called Whittier in Southern California. Adams attended Whittier High School & was active in every possible sport including basketball (proudly claiming the nickname Breakaway Adams!) & swimming & diving. For college, Alane attended the University of Southern California where she wanted to be an English major, but family convinced her to become an accountant to help run a family business. After spending the next few decades helping to build one of the largest recycling companies on the West Coast, Alane left the family business behind to pursue her writing career. Before launching into writing full-time, Alane began teaching full-time at a local university. Finally, the Legends of Orkney series was born when her then 12-year-old son challenged Alane to write a book he could read. She hasn’t stopped writing since that day. Alane’s favorite books include any story involving folklore, fantasy & fairytales. When Alane is not writing or teaching, she is hanging out with her 3 boys, each who have grown up having adventures to rival those of her characters. Find out more at: www.AlaneAdams.com

BeachReads · Book Reviews · Fiction · OwnVoices · Romance · RomCom · YAbooks

Book Review: ‘Dating Makes Perfect’ by Pintip Dunn (pub 8/18)

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Thank you @entangledteen for my gifted copy of ‘Dating Makes Perfect‘ by Pintip Dunn! (pub date 8/18)

QOTD: Do you like reading YA fiction or rom-coms? Which one’s did you love the most & recommend? (Please leave a comment. I love to see other readers recommendations!)

The Tech sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they’re not asked. Not because they’re not interested. Not even because no one can pronounce their long, Thai last name—hence the shortened, awkward moniker. But simply because they’re not allowed.
Until now.

In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?” The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school.

In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie”), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster.

The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him.

If only he weren’t her sworn enemy…

Told in an authentic, Thai-American #ownvoice , ‘Dating Makes Perfect‘ is a contemporary YA rom-com that will warm your heart, make you laugh & sigh out loud, & you may even find yourself GrubHub’ing some local Thai take-out after reading some of the drool-worthy chapters! Culturally immersive, richly layered in emotion, wit, & realistic family dynamics, these complex, well-fleshed out characters will make your heart swoon! And you will adore Winnie & the rest of her sisters!

Overall, a feel-good, coming of age, family dram-com & second chances at love story that you don’t have to be a young adult to enjoy! A perfect summer read!

Click HERE to add ‘Dating Makes Perfect’ to your Goodreads TBR.
Click HERE to visit Pintip Dunn’s website.
Click HERE to visit Pintip’s Instagram page.
Click HERE to give my Instagram post some love!

What others are saying about ‘Dating Makes Perfect‘:

“Dunn, a first-generation Thai American, takes on the enemies-to-lovers romance trope with punchy dialogue and adorable twists while paying tribute to the culture’s prioritization of food and family. A laugh-out-loud YA romance with a smart cast.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review
 
“Sweet, spunky, witty, and wise – I feel in love with Winnie and her sisters. Pintip has a rare knack of blending action and adventure into a contemporary rom-com that keeps the pages turning.” – Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times bestselling author of LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI
 
“A witty culturally immersive romance with enthralling dialogue and captivating characters… A masterful story about family obligations, first crushes, and second chances.” – Nisha Sharma, award-winning author of MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE
  
“This book made my Thai-American heart soar. Every detail–from the mouth-watering foods to Winnie’s tight-knit but strict Thai family–serve to tell a story that is authentic, layered, and rings so true.“- Christina Soontornvat, author of A WISH IN THE DARK

“A smart, funny, and endearing portrayal of budding romance, the power of sisterly love, and the pressure to be the perfect daughter.” – Farrah Rochon, USA Today Bestselling author of The Boyfriend Project 
 
“A delicious rom-com concoction that immerses readers in a Thai teen drama they’ll adore. Add a pinch of sister envy, the cute guy you love to hate, immigrant parent dynamics, a few kaffir lime leaves, and you’ll get a dish that’ll keep you entertained until the last page.” – Lydia Kang, award-winning author of Young Adult Fiction 
 
“Bubbling over with charisma and charm, DATING MAKES PERFECT is a swoontasm of adorable characters, sparkling wit, and captivating Thai culture. You will totally want to date this book!” – Darcy Woods, award-winning author of SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS
 
“An absolute feast for readers. The characters are deliciously complex, the family dynamics are rich and intense, and the tension between the main character Winnie and her enemy Mat is drool-worthy. This book will completely quench your hunger for a believable enemies to lovers rom-com!” – Becky Wallace, author of STEALING HOME and FAR FROM NORMAL

“So. Much. Fun! Pintip Dunn’s rom-com is an authentic, hilarious and irresistible love letter to Thai culture–not to mention desserts. Foodies, be warned–don’t read this on an empty stomach!” – Vanessa Barneveld, award-winning author of THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE and THE ABDUCTION 
 

A first-generation Thai American, Pintip Dunn grew up in a tiny town in Kansas. She went on to graduate from Harvard , magna cum laude, with an A.B. & to receive her J.D. at Yale Law School.
Pintip is a two-time RITA® award winner & a NYTimes bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her books have been translated into four languages, & they have been nominated for numerous awards, including the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award & a Kirkus Best Book of the Year.
She’s obsessed with penguins, & her childhood dream was to marry someone whose last name was “Gwynn”―so that her name could be “Pin Gwynn.” Alas, she got stuck with Dunn instead, but her husband & 3 children are worth the sacrifice. They all visit Thailand yearly in order to stay connected with her family.

BeachReads · Book Reviews · Fiction · RomCom · YAbooks

Book Review: ‘The Mall’ by Megan McCafferty (7/28)

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Thank you @wednesdaybooks (partner) for my gifted copy of “The Mall” by Megan McCafferty! (pub 7/28)

New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty returns to her roots with this YA coming of age story set in a New Jersey mall.

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes & ‘90210’ are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she & her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education & happily ever after.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, & ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places.

Megan McCafferty, beloved author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.

Ok, by show of hands, who here still has a mall in their city or one nearby that you may or may not frequent? I kinda remember when my local mall was built in 1977. Every store slot was filled & the anchor stores were JCPenney, Elder Beermans, May Co & Montgomery Ward (later that became a Sears. (The only one of those still there [barely hanging on] is JCP.)

My first job was at The Gap at our mall & I also worked at The Limited, Deb & Sam Goody (which is a major part in this book in a couple ways.) Even though this is geared towards the YA gen, I feel those of us that were teens (or maybe young 20’s) in the early 90’s will appreciate & relate to the name drops, fashion style & pop culture references even more.

From Bath & Body Works (hello, cucumber melon) to Spencer’s Gifts (STILL at my mall), to Cabbage Patch dolls (who have a co-starring role in this story), McCafferty’s ‘The Mall‘ was a true blast from my past & I really liked it. It’s a pretty quick read, laugh out-loud at times, atmospheric, & also touches on a couple heavier subjects.

‘The Mall‘ is a coming of age, nostalgia-filled, journey back in time, with a fun, mall based treasure hunt (like ‘The Goonies’ minus the gangsters & murder).

(Oh, & remember when Mark Wahlberg was dancing around with his Calvin Klein underwear showing & singing about ‘Good Vibrations’ w/ his Funky Bunch before becoming a huge actor??) Yes, that’s right, fellow Gen X’ers…Marky Mark is almost 50 now!

Click HERE to add ‘The Mall’ to your Goodreads TBR list.
Click HERE to find it at a local independent bookstore using BookStoreLink.
Click HERE to give my Instagram post some LIKE love!
Click HERE to visit Wednesday Books on Instagram.

What others are saying about Megan McCafferty’s ‘The Mall‘:

“With wit and more than a little hairspray, McCafferty dives into the 1990s with this snappily written self-empowerment novel set beneath the fluorescent lights of a suburban New Jersey mall.” – Publishers Weekly

“Megan McCafferty departs from her best-selling Jessica Darling series to conjure this charming throwback.” – Columbia Magazine

“Complete with Orange Julius, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Sam Goody, this book is a blast to the past!” – Manhattan Book Review

“The Mall was to 1991 teenagers what the iPhone is to today’s generation: EVERYTHING. This delightful novel about that particular time and place is loaded with fun, warmth, intelligence, big hair and an even bigger heart. I loved it.” — New York Times bestselling author Rachel Cohn

“Both a laugh-out-loud pean to those bygone cathedrals of the 1990s, and a zippy coming-of-age tale, THE MALL is a delightful read for any generation. So tease your hair, grab your hotdog on a stick and prepare to have a freaking blast!” — Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and I Have Lost My Way

“What a pleasure it is to spend time in a McCafferty universe. Her writing is sharp, smart, sexy and oh-so-real. I’ll read her forever.” — Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years

“Totally rad! This former 1990s mall teen loved The Mall, an ode to tall bangs, boys with good taste in music, and female friendship, set in the only place that mattered. What a joy to have a new book from Megan McCafferty, who knows exactly how to make us laugh, cry, and fall in love with her characters.” — Amy Spalding, author of The Summer of Jordi Perez and The New Guy

“A delightful, funny, sweet and affecting real life adventure with such a big heart, it’ll make you cry the happiest tears. The Mall is something special.” — Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie

Megan McCafferty writes fiction for tweens, teens and teens-at-heart of all ages. The author of several novels, she’s best known for Sloppy Firsts and four more books in the New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series.

Described in her first review as “Judy Blume meets Dorothy Parker” (Wall Street Journal), she’s been trying to live up to that high standard ever since.