Actin' Up with Books

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: Adrenaline Crush by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Adrenaline Crush
by Laurie Boyle Crompton
Publication Date: September 23, 2014
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Add to Goodreads

from Goodreads

When a daredevil teen pushes herself too far, she must choose between two boys: the one who wants to keep her safe, and the one who dares her to return to her old self.

Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a long line of risk-takers and is an avid thrill-seeker in her own right, until she takes a terrible fall and splinters her ankle. Her life used to be about bike racing and rock climbing; now it’s about staying home, except for attending physical and group therapy sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center her mom has chosen. Dyna's boyfriend saw her accident and supports her newfound desire for safety, but a young Iraq war veteran she meets at rehab challenges her to think about what she’s really avoiding in her old life and to take chances again—even with her heart.

Why I'm Waiting

I'm a huge fan of Laurie's! I loved Blaze and The Real Prom Queen's and she's quickly become an auto-read author.
I like the idea of a teenage daredevil - risk-taker, thrill seeker and how she deals with her life changing due to a serious injury.
Laurie's humor. She always gets her point across without being preachy. She makes you laugh and makes you think at the same time.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Always Emily by Michaela MacColl - Guest Post and Giveaway

I am pleased to kick-off the blog tour for Always Emily, a novel of intrigue and romance, by Michaela MacColl. Always Emily is inspired by the Bronte sisters, Emily and Charlotte. For my stop on the tour, I've asked Michaela to share the books that made her fall in love with reading and writing.

Welcome Michaela!!!

Hi Joli,

Thanks so much for kicking off the blog tour for Always Emily (Chronicle, 2014).

I’m always a little in awe when I first see the book arrive from the publisher.

Did I really do that? I’ve loved reading since I was in second grade and I don’t take that magic feeling for granted (I hope I never will).

My favorite books when I was a kid were fantasies. As I grew up, I grew into historical fiction. But one that that never changed was my affinity for strong female characters. I may write about women who really lived – but I choose ones who remind me of the heroines I loved as a child. Always Emily is about Emily and Charlotte Bronte. They predate my favorite books – but I’m sure they would enjoy them too.

My absolute favorite was A Wrinkle in Time. Meg Murry is a mess, but so lovable. She overcomes incredible odds because she knows what’s important to her. And how often were girls the heroines of science fiction novels? (This is the version I grew up with – oddly, Meg doesn’t make the cover!)

And what about Lucy Pevenesie? She’s so curious and loving – but brave too. It takes real courage to stand up to her older siblings. And she totally gets the lion in the end. Lucy was a character I was willing to follow through all the Chronicles of Narnia.

Finally, my third favorite was the Chronicles of Prydain. Eilowny the talkative princess is one of my all-time heroines. She’s so funny and bossy. And if only Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper would listen to her, everything would be fine. (Surely Hermione Granger owes a huge debt to Eilowny).

I have two daughters and I had hoped they would love these books like I did. They liked them – but they chose their own heroines. My oldest fell in love with Katsa from Graceling and her sister is a Catniss fan all the way. They have so many choices now and that’s great. Someday my kids will realize how much their heroines owe to mine.

Thanks for letting muse out loud! Please come visit me at www.michaelamaccoll.com or @michaelamaccoll or AuthorMichaelaMacColl on Facebook.

About the author:

Michaela MacColl studied multi-disciplinary history at Vassar College and Yale University, which turns out to be the perfect degree for writing historical fiction. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and three extremely large cats in Connecticut.