All Booked Up: February 2015

Friday, February 20, 2015

Book Blitz - Sword by Amy Bai

While we are by far mainly reviews here at All Booked Up YA, today we are participating in a Book Blitz put on by Xpresso Book Tours! We signed up for Sword by Amy Bai because it sounds EXACTLY like the type of book we love to LOVE!

First off look at this cover?! Who doesn't love a fiery red-headed female heroine that also has strength behind her?! I mean really! Wow! Love this cover art!
Second off, read this killer synopsis...can we say "WANT!"

Synopsis:

Sword shall guide the hands of men . . .
For over a thousand years the kingdom of Lardan has been at peace: isolated from the world, safe from the wars of its neighbors, slowly forgetting the wild and deadly magic of its origins. Now the deepest truths of the past and the darkest predictions for the future survive only in the verses of nursery rhymes.

For over a thousand years, some of Lardan’s fractious provinces have been biding their time.
Kyali Corwynall is the daughter of the Lord General, a child of one of the royal Houses, and the court’s only sword-wielding girl. She has known for all of her sixteen years what the future holds for her–politics and duty, the management of a House, and protecting her best friend, the princess and presumed heir to the throne. But one day an old nursery rhyme begins to come true, an ancient magic wakes, and the future changes for everyone. In the space of a single night her entire life unravels into violence and chaos. Now Kyali must find a way to master the magic her people have left behind, or watch her world–and her closest friends–fall to a war older than the kingdom itself.

I mean right?! Swords...Kingdoms...Magic...Royalty! Did we say this is exactly the types of books we love to read because YES, this is EXACTLY the types of books we love to read!

Lastly, why we're so looking forward to this book...THE AUTHOR! She just sounds like the type of person I want...NEED to know! I mean right?! Sheepdog lover, coffee-slinger, farm girl...can I have a girl crush?

Check her out:

Amy Bai has been, by order of neither chronology nor preference, a barista, a numbers-cruncher, a paper-pusher, and a farmhand. She likes thunderstorms, the enthusiasm of dogs, tall boots and long jackets, cinnamon basil, margaritas, and being surprised by the weirdness of her fellow humans. She lives in New England with her guitar-playing Russian husband and two very goofy sheepdogs.

Author links:

http://www.amy-bai.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Amy.Bai

https://twitter.com/Inkjade

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841180.Amy_Bai

The best news...drum roll please...

THIS BOOK IS OUT NOW!

Wait, what? That's right, you can go out and get your copy here!

Also don't forget to try your luck with the contest below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for hosting this Book Blitz!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Book Tour Stop: Sleeping Tom by E.V. Fairfall + Giveaway

All Booked Up YA is pleased to present to you, our lovely readers, Sleeping Tom by E.V. Fairfall! Let me tell you, this book is one of those books that delivers and hits on the nerve of mental disorder - a refreshing and unique read that will leave a lasting impact.

What really initially drew me to this read was that, unlike so many YAs of current, Sleeping Tom focuses around a very real mental disorder but does it in such a tactful and engaging way.

In Sleeping Tom we meet Rebecca/Caden a teen girl who is trying to figure out who she is. Caden is confused and alone just getting out of her abusive relationship and that's how she meets dark, handsome and complex Gabriel/Tom. Gabriel battles with dissociative identity disorder and at night "Tom" comes out and he's kind, patient, caring and by day he's Gabriel - testy, moody, complicated. What's interesting is that on the flip side, Caden is struggling to really come to reality with who she is beyond who she is in relation to a boy. Her identity grows and morphs throughout the novel and is really revealing and powerful to see. How many of us haven't tried on different "selfs" in our lives?

While I didn't love this book to begin with (Caden was hard for me to relate to in the begining) I really did grow to love these two characters as the story unfolded and I really enjoyed that this novel broke that typical YA storyline and didn't leave you with a sickly sweet ending. A wonderful read from an author I hope to read again in the future!

Enter to win a tote and a copy of Transformed! *US ONLY*