Mundie Moms

Saturday, August 29, 2020

MIDNIGHT SUN + Signed Book Plates GIVEAWAY! #MidnightSun


Happy Saturday! It's been awhile since I've jumped on the blog. I have kinda missed blogging, and really miss engaging with everyone on here. Despite not being as active as I'd like to on here, I am actively posting book reviews and bookish posts on Instagram, and Facebook. If you don't already follow us there, you may want to starting today, because we have an awesome giveaway happening there today! Please see the information below from Instagram and Facebook (where the giveaways are taking place at). 

**  **  **  **  **  ** 

It’s the weekend! We made it. What do you do to unwind? I love to read.

Have you read MIDNIGHT SUN yet? I read it as soon as my preorder arrived. It was definitely worth the years we waited. 

It’s time for an awesome GIVEAWAY!!!! 
Thank you to @ficklefishfilms & @thenovl, I was sent 2 copies of Midnight Sun & 2 signed book plates to giveaway! *Each copy of the book will come with a signed book plate. 

•• GIVEAWAY •• 
- Enter to win a copy of Midnight Sun + a signed book plate 
- Follow me @mundiemoms, @ficklefishfilms, and @thenovl 

• EXTRA ENTRY
- Tag a friend who would enjoy this book
- share this on Instagram or Facebook and use #MMsMidnightSunGiveway 

• THE RULES
- Giveaway will end on 9/5/20 at midnight EST
- US only (international readers can enter, but will be responsible for covering shipping cost)
- not affiliated with IG or any other social media platform
- must be at least 18 yrs, or have a parent permission to enter
- no giveaway accounts are allowed to enter
- entries will be verified 

Friday, August 21, 2020

SANCTUM by Hannah McBride | Book Blitz + Excerpt #Sanctum


Happy Friday! I am so thrilled to feature a brand new release, out TODAY! Not only did I enjoy this book, I am so excited to be able to feature a long time friend of mine that I have known for years through blogging. Hannah McBride I am so proud of you, and how cool is it that I get to feature YOUR BOOK on my blog!?!? Seriously, this is one release day blitz I couldn't say no to. 

If you enjoy a good paranormal read with one tough heroine, friendships, the real meaning of family, pick this one up. I will warn you though, this book is not for younger YA readers. It's targeted reading audience is 18 yrs & up. There are triggering topics in this book. I was impressed with how emotionally invested I got with these characters. They are true survivors. I am looking forward to reading this book's sequel. More about the book below: 


ABOUT THE BOOK


 A survivor on the run

After refusing the laws of her sadistic pack, Skye Markham barely escapes with her life, seeking sanctuary with the feared Blackwater pack. Hunted by her former Alpha and his soldiers, she’s determined to create a life even though she knows they will come for her.

An alpha with a pack to protect

As the next alpha in line, Remy Holt has spent years guarding the Blackwater pack and his family from those who seek to seize control and destroy them. The last thing he needs or wants is Skye Markham and the dangers she brings with her adding to the stress on his pack, but his wolf has a different opinion. He wants her, and after one moment that shouldn't have been possible, he knows he’ll never be able to let her go.

A bond unlike any other

Skye thought she was finally safe, but as her bond with Remy strengthens, the shifter world starts to break apart at the seams. Missing shifters, a dying population, and pack wars are all causing their sanctuary to crumble around them, and Skye is trapped in the middle of it all. Someone is out to destroy the pack and if they succeed, there will bring down everything Remy has sought to protect and for Skye… maybe there is no such thing as a sanctuary.

*SANCTUM is the first book in the Blackwater Pack series. Possible trigger warnings: abuse, violence, language, and bullying.

Buy From: Amazon

Add it to Goodreads

  


READ AN EXCERPT 


He shifted towards me. "This is all new to me, too, Skye."

A sobering thought crossed my mind. The one that had been plaguing me since the woods. "Do you want this, Remy?"

The corner of his mouth hitched up for a second as he looked at me. Slowly, he raised a hand, tracing the curve of my jaw. I shivered, remembering the feel of his hands stroking when I was a wolf.

This was so much better.

He inched even closer. His breath, minty and warm, fanned over my face. His eyes tracked the movements of his fingers hungrily.

"Yeah," he answered roughly, thickly. "I want this. I want you." He dipped his head and covered my mouth with his.

As far as first kisses went, I was pretty sure this was one for the record books. 

Fire ignited in me the second Remy's lips touched mine, soft but demanding all at once. His hands settled on my hips, pulling me closer. The smell of him from earlier in the evening, pine and soap and something that was entirely Remy, filled my senses. 

I was going to combust in the most exquisite ways.

His large hands almost spanned my waist, his fingers flexing against the soft material of my yoga pants. His tongue teased the seam of my lips until I opened my mouth on a gasp, letting him in.

I groaned as his tongue stroked mine, one hand sliding from my waist up my spine.

My hands had been clenched into fists on his chest, the fabric of his t-shirt bunched in my grip. I relaxed my hold now, letting my hands slide over the hard muscle and up around his neck, pressing my chest flush against his.

Now Remy groaned, changing the angle of his head to deepen the kiss.

Flames licked through my blood, and I was sure I was going to combust any second.

I was one hundred percent okay with death by kissing.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Hannah McBride has been many things in her life - a restaurant manager, a clinical research coordinator, a dreamer, a makeup brand ambassador, an event coordinator, a blogger, and more. But at heart, she's always been a writer, and in 2020 she decided to make it official with her first release, SANCTUM. 

 

Connect with Hannah McBride: |Email| Facebook |Instagram | Twitter |Goodreads |

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

ROYAL DECOY by Heather Frost | Blog Tour: Chapter Reveal #RoyalDecoy


Welcome to today's ROYAL DECOY blog tour stop! Today we're thrilled to give you an exclusive first look at Chapter 1 in Heather's newest book. First, here's a little bit about the book:



A SERVANT blackmailed into becoming a princess’s decoy.
A BODYGUARD determined to keep her alive.

A PRINCE forced to execute his father’s brutal laws.
A PRISONER used to keep him compliant.

A WORLD on the brink of war.

In one horrible night, Clare goes from kitchen maid to royal decoy. She has three months to become the princess's perfect double so she can ensure her betrothal to an enemy prince. Desperate to survive, Clare throws herself into self-defense training, taught by her distractingly attractive bodyguard. The danger increases when a ruthless assassin begins stalking her, intent on ending the tenuous peace.

Across the northern mountains, Prince Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon. He carries out the king’s harsh orders because the one person he cares about is his father’s prisoner. Grayson's silent obedience is tested when his father plans to exploit the marriage alliance between two of their greatest enemies. If Grayson submits, the blood of thousands will spill. If he resists, the girl who means everything to him will die.

The fate of Eyrinthia hangs in the balance. Some want peace. Some want war. All will be thrown into chaos.


Exclusive: Chapter 1 of Royal Decoy

Clare called a farewell as she left the castle kitchen, a fire still dying within the scorched hearth. Cook Towdy gave his usual grunt, hunched over the thick wooden counter, his apron dusted with flour. He didn’t look up from tomorrow’s menu as he made final adjustments. Clare was the last maid to leave; even after working under Towdy for ten years, she still felt like that eight-year-old girl with too much to prove. 
The heat of the castle ovens clung to Clare’s skin as she entered the deserted corridor and stretched her tired arms. Errant strands of brown hair brushed her cheeks, her long braid swinging against her back. Her aching feet didn’t relish the long walk to Lower Iden, but she was anxious to see her brothers.
Silence reigned in the servant’s passage this time of night, the quiet scuff of her worn boots the only sound aside from the guttering torches. Flames leapt in the evenly spaced iron sconces, forcing the shadows to dance back, forever a servant to the light.
Clare knew how the shadows felt.
Somewhere down the hall a door slammed open, wood thudding against stone. Clare’s head jerked up, though she couldn’t see anything around the hallway’s bend. Rapid footsteps clipped against the floor and a male voice drifted around the corner, his tone wry. “Perhaps you want to slow down.”
“No.” The woman’s deep voice was sharp with annoyance. “If you’ll recall, I wanted a private walk in the gardens. That means without you, Bennick.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t accommodate, Princess.”
Clare froze, stomach dropping. Princess? Fates, kitchen maids weren’t supposed to be seen—especially not by the royal family. She fell back a step, eyes darting to the nearest door. She grasped the cold handle, but it caught.
Locked. 
Clare pressed her back against the closed portal, cheeks burning as she ducked her head. Her palms skated over her stained apron and she hooked loose curls behind her ears before her hands fell, fingers twitching at her sides.
When the princess and her three bodyguards stepped into view, the princess’s cutting gaze caught Clare in an instant. 
Even with a scowl, Princess Serene was beautiful. Sheathed in a dark purple gown that brushed the floor, she walked with regal grace, her chin lifted. Her dark brown hair was twisted into a braided bun at the back of her head with loose curls styled artfully around her face. The nineteen-year-old princess was half-Zennorian, her skin a rich and beautiful brown. It was a shade darker than Clare’s, but their deep blue Devendran eyes were nearly an exact match.
The princess was well-loved in Devendra for her charitable work, but everyone in the castle knew of her legendary arguments with her father. Even tonight the kitchen had buzzed with talk from the servers who claimed Serene had stormed out of dinner while the king yelled after her. Gossip had been so consumed with the dramatic scene that no one had even mentioned the Mortisian emissaries who had been the focus of rumor since they’d arrived at the castle a month ago. They’d been sent by Serjah Desfan Cassian, who currently served as regent since his father, the serjan, was reportedly ill. A chill raced over Clare’s arms whenever she thought about the Mortisians living in the castle, and she knew she wasn’t the only one uncomfortable with their presence. Rumor had it Serene herself was quite upset about it. 
Seeing the princess for the first time, Clare could easily imagine her being upset with all four kingdoms of Eyrinthia. Her frown was severe, her eyes hooded, and her steps deliberate as she stalked forward. Her bodyguards only added to the intensity of the moment. Two walked in front of the princess and a third was behind her. 
The bodyguard in the lead noticed Clare first, his long strides continuing easily even as his sharp gaze assessed her. His spine was stiff, his brown hair brushing the collar of his dark blue uniform. He looked to be about thirty and had a thin scar slicing over his right cheek.
The bodyguard behind him was easily twice as wide as anyone Clare had ever seen, and he stood head and shoulders above the two other guards. As if the man’s hulking stature wasn’t distinctive enough, a dozen or more pox scars dug across his rugged face. He was probably in his late forties and everything about him was hard, from the stern cut of his mouth to the steel-gray hairs at his temples.
The third and youngest guard strode behind the princess. He was probably about the same age as the princess he guarded, which meant he must be highly skilled. Broad shoulders strained against his fitted uniform while his hands hung relaxed near the hilts of his sheathed weapons. There was controlled power in his gait, a surety and confidence in each step. Torchlight flickered on his golden skin and caught the sand-colored hair curling over his brow. Stubble lined his angular jaw and his strong nose was slightly bent, as if it had been broken once. When his crystal-blue eyes found Clare, she was surprised to see warmth there. The corner of his mouth lifted, curving his lips into a half-smile.
She was staring. 

Thursday, May 7, 2020

WE ARE POWER by Todd Hasak-Lowy | BLOG TOUR GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY




Welcome to the We Are Power Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of We Are Power by Todd Hasak-Lowy, blogs across the web are featuring original content from Todd and profiles of key figures in social activism history from We Are Power, as well as 5 chances to win a finished copy!


Cesar Chavez and The Farmworkers Movement
by Todd Hasak-Lowy

The farmworkers movement started from absolutely nothing.  Before they rose to form a union, Cesar Chavez and his people weren't just powerless, they were invisible.  This short snipper from my book details the awful conditions they sought to challenge through the creation of potent nonviolent movement.

At first they were nothing. There were hundreds of thousands of Mexican American farmworkers —many the children and grandchildren of immigrants brought legally to the United States in the first half of the twentieth century to work in California’s ever-expanding fields—but together they were nothing. 

Each morning they’d take their short-handled hoes, only eighteen inches long, and set out for the fields, where they’d work, bent over from dawn to dusk, until they couldn’t stand up straight. When they got thirsty laboring in the hundred-degree heat, they’d drink filthy water from an irrigation ditch. When they had to go to the bathroom, they searched for some privacy, which in a wide-open field was often nowhere at all. 

If they were lucky they’d get paid half the minimum wage, because farm workers weren’t protected under federal labor laws. The contractor who did the hiring might cheat them on their hours or tell them they hadn’t worked hard enough. He’d pay them whatever he wanted, and there wasn’t a thing they could do. 

They couldn’t just go home at the end of another long, backbreaking day in the fields either. Earning at most a few dollars for a dozen or more hours of work, they couldn’t afford a permanent home. But even if they could, they wouldn’t be able to stay there for long. These workers were migrants, following the crops and the growing seasons wherever they took them, up and down the giant state of California. Home was the road, or wherever they could find a place to sleep in the middle of a job. Under a bridge, on a riverbank, or in a dirty, crowded migrant camp, where the “houses” might be built from cardboard, where there was no electricity, where a single faucet had to be shared by hundreds of people. 

Carrots in the winter only miles from the Mexican border, grapes farther north as spring approached, cherries an hour east of Los Angeles in May, apricots up near San Jose in the early summer, back down toward Fresno for cucumbers in August, and then south for cotton until the end of the year. Each job inflicted its own damage. Dry, cracked, calloused fingers; bent, crooked backs; and, thanks to potent pesticides, red eyes, itchy skin, and who knew what else in the places no one could see. And if a worker got hurt on the job, well, too bad. 

Many workers didn’t live to see fifty. 

Maybe it would all be worth it if their children lived to see a better life. If the parents’ sacrifice paid off in the end, if the American dream was available to these Mexican Americans, too. But how could a girl get a true education if she had to change schools every few months in order to follow her parents across the state? And what would a boy learn if he had to leave school forever at the age of twelve and head to the fields him- self, because his parents, despite rarely taking a single day off, didn’t earn enough to support their family? For farm workers, life was a vicious cycle, the poverty handed down from generation to generation. 

Most of them were too tired, too hungry, too poor, too busy, and too dejected searching for the next day’s work to think about making things better. On those rare occasions when they tried, when they demanded better working conditions and higher wages, they were fired, or worse. The growers cared little about their workers, seeing them less as people than as “just another item in producing products, like fertilizer or boxes or water.” 

Even worse for the farmworkers, the growers had the politicians and the police on their side, and when that wasn’t enough they had the money to pay enforcers ready to meet the farmworkers’ demands with violence. Organizers went to jail, were beaten, or even killed. 

So it’s no wonder that a federal report in 1939 found “a shocking degree of human misery among farmworkers.” But most Americans knew little about it. They went to their local supermarkets, bought grapes, water- melons, and lettuce, ignorant of the suffering that filled their shelves. 

Most white Americans at least knew about the plight of African Americans. They knew about slavery, the Civil War, and the ongoing issue of segregation. Farmworkers didn’t work in the homes of white Americans. They rarely lived in their communities, or even at the edges of them, and when they did, they faced their own whites only signs. Many farmworkers didn’t yet speak English very well, if at all, so how could they tell their story? 

They were isolated. They were invisible. They were powerless. 

There were hundreds of thousands of them, but together they were nothing. 




BLOG TOUR TOUR SCHEDULE 

May 4th - The Fandom
May 5th - Big Shiny Robot
May 6th - BookHoundsYA
May 7th - Mundie Moms


★ "Hasak-Lowy's writing gives life to both the people and issues involved, taking time to explain historical backgrounds and the ways the lessons from one movement affected future ones.” 
Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

★ "Highly recommended for its outstanding treatment of the history of social justice. A good resource for student activists.” 
School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

★ "There has never been a time when a book is more relevant than this one.” 
School Library Connection, STARRED REVIEW


ABOUT THE BOOK

 
Add it toGoodreads
Follow Todd: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

A stirring look at nonviolent activism, from American suffragists to Civil Rights to the Climate Change Movement

We Are Power brings to light the incredible individuals who have used nonviolent activism to change the world. The book explores questions such as what is nonviolent resistance and how does it work? In an age when armies are stronger than ever before, when guns seem to be everywhere, how can people confront their adversaries without resorting to violence themselves? Through key international movements as well as people such as Gandhi, Alice Paul, Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez, and Václav Havel, this book discusses the components of nonviolent resistance. It answers the question “Why nonviolence?” by showing how nonviolent movements have succeeded again and again in a variety of ways, in all sorts of places, and always in the face of overwhelming odds. The book includes endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR 



Todd Hasak-Lowy is the author of several books for young readers. He is a professor of creative writing and literature at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Hasak-Lowy lives in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife and two daughters. Visit toddhasaklowy.com.






GIVEAWAY

  • 1 winner will receive a finished copy of We Are Power. Check out the other tour stops for more chances to win.
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 11:59pm ET on 5/16
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

AURORA BURNING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff | Book Review #AuroraBurning


By: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Series: Aurora Cycle book 2
Released on: May 5 2020
Source: purchased books
Add it to Goodreads
Publisher: Random House
Buy it here B&N Amazon
Rating 5 stars

Our heroes are back...kind of. From the best-selling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic Aurora Cycle series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy's best hope for survival.
First, the bad news: An ancient evil - you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal - is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They've just got to take care of a few small distractions first.
Like the clan of gremps who'd like to rearrange their favorite faces.
And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who'll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.
Then there's Kal's long-lost sister, who's not exactly happy to see her baby brother and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.
When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it's time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can't learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.
Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion's most unforgettable heroes - and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.


I am a huge fan of Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff's work. Their solo books are awesome, but there is something special that happens when these two write books together. We saw it with the Illuminae Files and now we see it again with the Aurora Cycle series. I adored book one Aurora Rising so I could not wait for Aurora Burning to be released, a week earlier in Australia than the USA which is how I came to read it last week.

This book is told in six points of view, each chapter being from a different character. After the ending of Aurora Rising, we pick up quickly with our squad trying to work out what to do next after discoving secrets that shocked them all. Aurora Burning is action packed from start to finish, at times you needing to take a breath, your heart is beating so fast. There are space chases, space walks, battle scenes a bank heist and of course many costume changes. 

Aurora Burning is told with a lot of humour which we have become to love from Amie and Jay. It also has a lot of heart too. These characters are very real with lots of flaws but you can't help but love them. The appeal of this book I believe is the way the characters interact with each other, and how even though they were a mismatched squad thrown together by chance, they some how end up being the best squad for the job! The banter between the characters is very smart and funny. Yes the characters seem very stereotypical but I think Amie & Jay write stereotypes well, and then they get their characters to challenge them all. 

5 Stars for this fabulous book. A great escape book to read at the moment that is an fun action packed page turner. Now after that ending it will be a long wait for book 3.

Friday, April 10, 2020

FROM BLOOD AND ASH by Jennifer L. Armentrout / Book Review #FromBloodAndAsh



ABOUT THE BOOK

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Blood & Ash
Released on: April 7, 2020
Source: purchased books
Add it to Goodreads

A Maiden…

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel


_________________________________________



An exciting, captivating read that had me re-reading it shortly after finishing the book. I absolutely loved FROM BLOOD AND ASH, so much that I purchased both the e-book and physical book. I need the next book already.

MY FULL REVIEW

FINALLY! This book was so worth the wait! I absolutely love it. This is definitely my favorite book to date that Jennifer has written. If you’ve been following me for a long time, you that’s saying something as I’ve been a huge fan of hers & have read all of her books since reading an arc of her debut book, and FROM BLOOD AND ASH is her best book yet! 

I absolutely love a well written fantasy book. I loved the way this book’s fantasy story was written. From the world and it’s complex history, to all the fantasy elements, and the trade mark character chemistry that makes Armentrout’s books an automatic buy for me, this book is Armentrout perfection!

The characters are all well developed, three dimensional characters. Some of secondary characters were just as easy to love as the main characters. Others were extremely easy to despise. One of the things I appreciated, was how Poppy grew into a strong, fierce character who didn’t make excuses for what she wanted. Once she embraced herself, there was no stopping her. I loved her for that. I also loved how Hawke saw her for more than just her Maiden title. Their banter was down right hysterical at times, and at other times these two can definitely make a reader blush.

I bought the e-book the day it came out and after reading it, and then re-reading it the next day, I had to purchase a physical copy of the book. This book is one intoxicating read! With fantastic character chemistry, magic, plenty of action, dangerous secrets, and an exciting turn of events, this is one book I’d highly recommend picking up. 

There are some scenes that may be a trigger for some. There are also well written sexual scenes, and some language in the last part of the book that may not be suitable for all readers.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ME By Jenna Guillaume | Blog Tour + Giveaway #WhatILikeAboutMe



Welcome to the What I Like About Me Blog Tour!

To celebrate the US release of What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume on April 1st, blogs across the web are featuring exclusive original content from Jenna, as well as 10 chances to win a finished copy of What I Like About Me and WILAM pocket mirror, as well as one grand prize giveaway of a book, mirror, beach towel, and sunglasses!


5 Things I'd Tell My 16-Year-Old Self
by Jenna Guillaume

Being a teen is INTENSE. Emotions run close to the surface and everything feels huge and important (both the good and the bad things). I vividly remember all the highs and lows of those years, which is something I tapped into for my work at a teen magazine—and now, when writing YA fiction. While I wouldn’t really change anything about my teen years—because your experiences, for better or worse, shape you into the person you are—there are a few things I wish I could let my former self know. The kinds of things I try to teach the characters in my books…

Stop comparing and competing
I know you just want to fit in and you’re desperate to be normal. But here’s the thing: there’s no such thing as normal. Everyone has their own insecurities, their own struggles—everyone, in one way or another, feels like they don’t fit in. Don’t try to change or shrink yourself in order to be what others want you to be, or what you think you should be. And really, seriously, don’t do something just because your friends do. Live your life, not somebody else’s.

Say goodbye to toxic friends
You don’t have to feel grateful that someone is friends with you. You are awesome and completely worthy of love and friendship, and if other people don’t see that, that’s their problem. Don’t let anyone make you feel like they’re doing you a favour just by talking to you. They’re not. Anyone who judges you for just being who you are is not a real friend. I know you’re scared to be without them, but trust me—you’ll be much better off.

Wear whatever you want
You don’t love your body, but you really, really should. And you should feel comfortable wearing whatever the hell you want. Go to the beach in a bikini. Wear a short skirt. Embrace shorts. Don’t waste your time angst-ing over stretch marks or pale skin or whatever else is worrying you. I promise you, no one cares. And if they do, they’re the one with major issues, not you.

Keep following your passions
Yes, I know the things you’re passionate about are watching TV and movies and spending time on the internet. Despite what your mother tells you, this is NOT a waste of time. Okay, maybe you should get a little more homework done than you’re currently doing…but all those hours consuming stories and communicating with others online? They’re not only influencing who you are as a person, they’ll also define your career. Never let anyone make you feel like something that brings you happiness is bad. That in itself makes it worth it.

Keep things in perspective 
It feels as though everything matters right now, and one right or wrong move is going to define the rest of your life. It won’t. Even if you don’t get the exam results you’re hoping for, for instance, there are other pathways to success. No matter what others say, these aren’t the best years of your life, but they aren’t the worst either. Appreciate them for what they are—especially enjoy the ample time for seeing your friends, and napping—and don’t overthink the bad stuff. You’ll be okay.

*****

Blog Tour Schedule:

March 30th - BookHoundsYA
March 31st - Sprinkles of Dreams
April 1st - The Fandom
April 2nd - Fangirlish
April 3rd - Word Spelunking

April 6th - Julie Caught Reading
April 7th - A Dream Within a Dream
April 8th - Mundie Moms
April 9th - Good Choice Reading
April 10th - Crossroad Reviews


“This is the book I would hand to teen me.”
—Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"Funny and heartfelt. I loved it." 
—Melina Marchetta, author of On the Jellicoe Road

“Debut author Guillaume's novel features funny dialogue and fresh takes on body image and personal relationships as well as a plucky heroine who slowly but surely comes into her own….Perfect for fans of Dumplin’, a hilariously sweet yet complex romance.” 
Kirkus Reviews

ABOUT THE BOOK


Follow Jenna: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Follow Peachtree Publishing: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES? This vacation is probably not going to be that.

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing over vacation is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her Dad is AWOL and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie's already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she's always loved. But Maisie's got something to prove.


As she writes down all the ways this vacation is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn't let anything, or anyone, hold her back.


Jenna Guillame’s American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie’s realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one’s body and celebrating one’s self.




About the Author


Jenna Guillaume was the editor-at-large for BuzzFeed Australia, where she wrote about pop culture, identity, feminism, social media, and, most importantly, Chris Hemsworth’s biceps. Previously, she worked in the features department of Girlfriend magazine in Australia, writing about everything from bullying and body image to bad kisses and boy bands. She also contributed to Girlfriend Life Hacks, an essential guide to navigating a girl’s completely-awkward-but-totally-awesome teen years. Guillaume lives in Australia. Visit her website at jennaguillaume.com.


ENTER TO WIN


  • 10 winners will receive a finished copy of What I Like About Me and WILAM pocket mirror
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 11:59pm ET on 4/18
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GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY


  • One winner will receive a finished copy of What I Like About Me, WILAM pocket mirror, beach towel, and sunglasses
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 11:59pm ET on 4/18
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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