Mundie Moms

Thursday, July 23, 2015

ALL WE HAVE IS NOW by Lisa Schroeder / Blog Tour: Book Review & Giveaway


Hello & Welcome to the next blog tour stop for ALL WE HAVE IS NOW by Lisa Schroeder! Today I'm thrilled to share my review on Lisa's upcoming release, as well as host a giveaway! Check out my review below and don't forget to enter to win a fabulous prize pack!

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All We Have Is Now

By: Lisa Schroeder
Published by: Point
To Be Released on: 7.28.15
Purchase from:Amazon | B&N
Add it to: Goodreads

From the author of THE BRIDGE FROM ME TO YOU, a groundbreaking novel about what matters most — when time is running out.
 
What do you do with your last day on earth?
 
There are 27 hours and fifteen minutes left until an asteroid strikes North America, and, for Emerson and everyone else who didn’t leave, the world will end. But Emerson’s world already ended when she ran away from home last year. Since then she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.
 
The city’s quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them that he has been granting people’s wishes. He gave his car away so a woman could take her son to see the ocean for the first time, and he gives Emerson and Vince all the money he has in his wallet.

Suddenly this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in 27 hours — maybe even their own.

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My Thoughts

What would you do if life as you knew was about to end, and there was nothing you could do about it? Would you make amends? Think back on your life, and wish you had done things differently?  Would you live life to the fullest for the last few hours you had left? Or, would you spend what remaining time was left helping others, and paying it forward?

Emerson and Vince have 24 hrs left before a meteor hits North America, destroying everything in it's path. The Pacific Northwest town where Emerson and Vince live is mostly empty now. Those that could, left for the east coast, or headed over seas in hopes of being spared by the deadly meteor. For Emerson and Vince, they have no where to go. They already left their homes long before the threat from space was announced. They've lived on the streets, and have learned to rely on each other. Now with a looming threat, Emerson realizes, with Vince's help, there are a few things they'd like to do before it's all over.

What starts off with them planning to take their lives, turns into a night about second chances, hope, love, and doing good. With their world about to end, Vince and Emerson realize that in life, you have to appreciate every moment that you have. It's never to late to make amends, and sometimes one simple act of kindness not only changes your life for the better, but it changes the lives of those the act was done for. I loved that theme in the book. Even though there was nothing that could be done about the meteor coming, faced with an impending doom, the characters Lisa introduces readers to, all make a decision to live out their final moments doing something for others. 

When Vince and Emerson meet Carl on that fateful bridge where they planned to swiftly end things, Carl grants Vince a wish, and then challenges him to "pay it forward" by doing a kind thing to someone else. I loved the way strangers become friends, even if for a brief moment. That got me thinking about what would I do if I was in their situation. Sure it seemed a little hokey at first that there was no mass freaking out by the citizens (this is mentioned in the story and something that happened prior to the start of the story), but as the story goes on, I started realizing that the things that were happening, that paying forward actions, are things that I would hope people would do when the end of the world was happening. Few people stayed where Vince and Emerson live, and those who did stay all come together in different ways to make their last moments count.

I loved the way Lisa merges our main characters's story with complete strangers. She does a beautiful job at alternating between Vince and Emerson's story, with those of the secondary characters. I loved how the chance meeting with strangers brings them together in a much bigger way in the end, which also incorporates Emerson's estranged family. Broken hearts start to mend, forgiveness is granted, hope is found, and love wins. In the middle of it all, a romance is beautifully grown. 

Vince and Emerson both come from a broken back grounds. Even though they've been best friends for awhile now, and have only had each other, neither one has fully opened up to the other about why they're on the streets, until now. With only 24 hours left together before life forever changes, they learn that there's much more to living than lives they had been living. Love is beautiful, kindness goes a long way, and hope is something that outshines fear.  

I loved the message of hope, and love in this book. I enjoyed the romance that had been building up between Vince, and Emerson prior to the story beginning, and how it grew as the story continued. I loved the message of doing good, and paying it forward. I also enjoyed the alternating story telling, and the verse poetry that is included through out the book. I think readers who need a little pick me up, and a reminder that there's more to life than the every day gloom that can drag us down. Do good, and pass it on. 

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MAKE A WISH


Make-A-Wish-for-the-Apocalypse- There’s just a little over 24 hours until a meteor is scheduled to hit the US. What do you wish for?
YOUR ANSWER HERE

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING


Thoughtful, endearing, and surprisingly fun — a reminder of what’s really important in life.” 
Suzanne Young, New York Times bestselling author of The Program

“All We Have Is Now is one of those books my teenage self needed — a thoughtfully crafted reminder that every moment is a gift and that we should be kind, especially to ourselves.” 
–Julie Murphy, author of Side Effects May Vary

“Heartwarming and hopeful. I’d take this book with me to the apocalypse!” 
–Amy Plum, internationally bestselling author of the Die for Me series
 
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FROM THE AUTHOR
 
How did the idea for ALL WE HAVE IS NOW come about?
 
When I was in high school, I had a leadership class where we did lots of different activities and exercises. One of the most memorable ones was when we all sat in a circle and our teacher, Mrs. Smith, said something like: “Imagine the world is going to end in 24 hours. I’d like you to share with us how you would spend those last 24 hours.” What made it so memorable was how emotional people got as they spoke of the ones they love the most, or relatives they hadn’t seen in a while and wouldn’t be able to see again. It wasn’t long before almost everyone was crying. It was strange and kind of eerie, but also wonderful, because it was such a great reminder of what matters most. Of course, the class clown, a kid named Eric, gave us all a break from our tears when it was his turn and he said something like, “I’d find a girl and we would have a fun 24 hours, and that’s all I’m gonna say.”
 
I’ve always been fascinated with meteors and asteroids. The one that happened over Russia in 2013 was slightly terrifying, seeming to come out of nowhere and creating a huge blast in the sky, injuring over 130 people. As I thought about writing a book that dealt with that question of – how would you spend the last 24 hours – this seemed like a unique premise to play with.
 
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LisaSchroeder

Lisa Schroeder is the author of over a dozen books for kids and teens, including the YA novels I Heart You, You Haunt Me and The Bridge From Me to You. She loves tea and cookies, flowers, family hikes, books and movies that make her laugh and cry, and sunshine. Living in Oregon, she doesn’t get nearly enough sunshine, but the hikes are amazing. You can visit her online at www.lisaschroederbooks.com on Twitter at @lisa_schroeder.

Find Lisa Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter 

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ENTER TO WIN
 
ENTER TO WIN! Thank you to Lisa, one winner will be entered to win either a $40 Powells e-gift card (US) OR a signed copy of All We Have Is Now (INT). Fill out the form below to be entered to win. The giveaway ends August 5th.
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway  
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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