Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson

Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Series: Chronicle of the Dark Star (Book 1)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Walden Pond Press (February 14, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062306715
ISBN-13: 978-0062306715

Praise for LAST DAY ON MARS

“Emerson’s writing explodes off the page in this irresistible space adventure, filled with startling plot twists, diabolical aliens, and (my favorite!) courageous young heroes faced with an impossible task.” ―Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of The Unwanteds series

“Last Day on Mars is thrillingly ambitious and imaginative, a rousing space opera for any age, meticulously researched and relentlessly paced. A fantastic start to an epic new series.” ―Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil

“This is perfect science fiction: a terrifying yet very cool vision of the future, lots of technological awesomeness, mind-bending alien mysteries, a mission to save the human race—and two funny, resourceful, very real kid heroes who I’d follow to the edges of the universe.” ―Tui Sutherland, New York Times bestselling author of the Wings of Fire series

“A hugely enjoyable blend of adventure, humor, science, and kids trying to find their place when humanity itself doesn’t have one.” ―Emma Trevayne, author of The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden

“Action-packed science-fiction adventure.” ―Brightly.com

It is Earth year 2213—but, of course, there is no Earth anymore. Not since it was burned to a cinder by the sun, which has mysteriously begun the process of going supernova. The human race has fled to Mars, but this was only a temporary solution while we prepare for a second trip: a one-hundred-fifty-year journey to a distant star, our best guess at where we might find a new home.

Liam Saunders-Chang is one of the last humans left on Mars. The son of two scientists who have been racing against time to create technology vital to humanity’s survival, Liam, along with his friend Phoebe, will be on the very last starliner to depart before Mars, like Earth before it, is destroyed.

Or so he thinks. Because before this day is over, Liam and Phoebe will make a series of profound discoveries about the nature of time and space, and find out that the human race is just one of many in our universe locked in a desperate struggle for survival.

You can purchase Last Day on Mars at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Content from Kevin Emerson

Author of the EXILE series, THE ATLANTEANS series, THE FELLOWSHIP FOR ALIEN DETECTION, the OLIVER NOCTURNE series and CARLOS IS GONNA GET IT. Musician in THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. Former K-8 science teacher, currently teaching with Richard Hugo House and Writers in the Schools. Originally from Cheshire, CT, now living in Seattle, by way of Boston.

        

WEEK ONE

FEBRUARY 13th MONDAY CBY Book Club EXCERPT

FEBRUARY 14th TUESDAY JeanBookNerd GUEST POST 

FEBRUARY 15th WEDNESDAY Sabrina's Paranormal Palace REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS 

FEBRUARY 15th WEDNESDAY Books, Dreams, Life TENS LIST 

FEBRUARY 16th THURSDAY Such a Novel Idea REVIEW & INTERVIEW 

FEBRUARY 17th FRIDAY Wishful Endings REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS 

FEBRUARY 17th FRIDAY Mixed Book Bag REVIEW 

WEEK TWO

FEBRUARY 18th SATURDAY A Dream Within a Dream REVIEW & MUSIC PLAYLIST 

FEBRUARY 18th SATURDAY TTC Books and More TENS LIST 

FEBRUARY 19th SUNDAY Reading for the Stars and Moon REVIEW & DREAM CAST 

FEBRUARY 20th MONDAY Taking It One Book at a Time REVIEW & FAVORITE BOOKS 

FEBRUARY 21st TUESDAY She Dreams in Fiction RANDOM THINGS 

FEBRUARY 22nd WEDNESDAY Brooke Blogs REVIEW & EXCERPT 

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The Library Book 1: Curse of the Boggin by D.J. MacHale

Hardcover
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Sep 06, 2016 | 256 Pages | 5-1/2 x 8-1/4 | 

Middle Grade (8-12)| 

ISBN 9781101932537

Praise for CURSE OF THE BOGGIN: THE LIBRARY BOOK ONE

“I’m not sure anyone does suspense quite like D. J. MacHale.” —James Dashner, New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series

“MacHale deftly pulls readers into this page-turning adventure . . .defying them to put it down.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Readers who love action and adventure, lightened with a bit of humor, will look forward to meeting Marcus, Lu, and Theo again.” —Shelf Awareness

Enter the Library, where no one knows how the stories end . . . and finding out will be terrifying.

There’s a place beyond this world, beyond the land of the living, where ghosts go to write their unfinished stories—stories that ended too soon. It’s a place for unexplained phenomena: mysteries that have never been solved, spirits that have never been laid to rest. And there’s only one way in or out.

It’s called the Library, and you can get there with a special key. But beware! Don’t start a story you can’t finish. Because in thislibrary, the stories you can’t finish just might finish you.

Marcus O’Mara is a 13 year old guy at a crossroads. He constantly finds himself in trouble at school, with his friends, and with his adoptive parents. Marcus doesn’t believe things can get any worse for him…until they get worse.

Much worse.

He begins seeing strange and impossible visions; gets thrown into paranormal danger and is haunted by a mysterious ghost with a singular goal: to give him a key.

It’s a key that opens the door to a mysterious library. When that door opens, the incredible adventure for Marcus and his friends begins as they learn the truth about Marcus’ past and uncover the strange world of unfinished stories that are found on the shelves of the Library.

You can purchase Curse of the Boggin (The Library #1) at the following Retailers:

  

Photo Content from D.J. MacHale

D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: Pendragon: Journal of an Adventure Through Time and Space became a New York Times #1 bestseller.

He was raised in Greenwich, CT where he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm; engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. graduated from New York University where he received a BFA in film production.

His film-making career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials.

D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC Afterschool Specials. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: Are You Afraid of the Dark?, he produced all 91 episodes. D.J. also wrote and directed the movie Tower of Terror for ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney. The Showtime series Chris Cross was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.

D.J. created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series Flight 29 Down. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on Flight 29 Down earned him the Writers Guild of America award for Outstanding Children’s Script and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.

Other notable television writing credits include the ABC Afterschool Special titled Seasonal Differences; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series Ghostwriter; and the HBO series Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

In print, D.J. also authored the supernatural Morpheus Road trilogy; a whimsical picture book The Monster Princess; and The SYLO Chronicles, a thrilling sci-fi trilogy. He also wrote Voyagers: Project Alpha, the first of a six book science fiction adventure.

D.J.’s newest book series is The Library, a spooky middle-grade anthology about a mysterious library filled with unfinished supernatural tales, and the daring young people who must complete them.

D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household is a spoiled golden retriever named Casey and an equally spoiled tuxedo cat named Jinx.

        

WEEK ONE

OCTOBER 18th TUESDAY JeanBookNerd VLOG & RANDOM THINGS

OCTOBER 19th WEDNESDAY Sabrina's Paranormal Palace REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS

OCTOBER 20th THURSDAY CBY Book Club SPOTLIGHT

OCTOBER 21st FRIDAY Nerdophiles REVIEW 

OCTOBER 22nd SATURDAY Cover2CoverBlog REVIEW 

OCTOBER 23rd SUNDAY Book Lovers Life SPOTLIGHT 

OCTOBER 24th MONDAY fuonlyknew REVIEW 

WEEK TWO

OCTOBER 25th TUESDAY A Dream Within a Dream REVIEW 

OCTOBER 26th WEDNESDAY Cover2Cover REVIEW 

OCTOBER 27th THURSDAY Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps REVIEW 

OCTOBER 28th FRIDAY Rose's Book Corner SPOTLIGHT 

OCTOBER 29th SATURDAY Cassandra M's Place REVIEW 

OCTOBER 30th SUNDAY Reading Bifrost SPOTLIGHT

OCTOBER 31st MONDAY The Reader Lines SPOTLIGHT 

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Finding Paris by Joy Preble

Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Hardback | 272 pages
Dimensions: 140mm x 210mm x 24mm | 649g
Publication date: 1 May 2015
Publication City/Country: New York
ISBN 10: 0062321307
ISBN 13: 9780062321305

An evocative and compelling story of two sisters who would do anything for each other--perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Speak. Joy Preble's stirring new novel explores the lengths to which sisters go to protect each other, and the winding road that brings two strangers into each other's lives.

Sisters Leo and Paris Hollings have only ever had each other to rely on. They can't trust their mother, who hops from city to city and from guy to guy, or their gambler stepfather, who's moved them all to Las Vegas. It's just the two of them: Paris, who's always been the dreamer, and Leo, who has a real future in mind--going to Stanford, becoming a doctor, falling in love. But Leo isn't going anywhere right now, except driving around Vegas all night with her sister.

Until Paris ditches Leo at the Heartbreak Hotel Diner, where moments before they had been talking with physics student Max Sullivan. Outside, Leo finds a cryptic note from Paris--a clue. Is it some kind of game? Where is Paris, and why has she disappeared? When Leo reluctantly accepts Max's offer of help, the two find themselves following a string of clues through Vegas and beyond. But the search for the truth is not a straight line. And neither is the path to secrets Leo and Max hold inside.

You can purchase Finding Paris at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Credit: Toppel Photography

Joy Preble is a Texas girl who was born and raised in Chicago and a former high school teacher who now writes full time, which means she gets paid for making up stuff. She earned an English degree from Northwestern University and speaks and teaches widely on writing and literacy at libraries and schools, as well as SCBWI, NCTE, AWP, and other conferences.

Joy is the author of THE SWEET DEAD LIFE and its sequel, THE A WORD(May 2014), both from Soho Press. Kirkus hailed THE SWEET DEAD LIFE with "Hallelujah! A paranormal tale of angels…that breaks the mold."

She is also the author of the DREAMING ANASTASIA series (Sourcebooks) that combines paranormal romance with Russian folklore. DREAMING ANASTASIA was nominated for a Cybil Award in the Teen Sci-Fi/Fantasy Category in 2009. It was named an ABC Best Book for Children, Teen Category in 2009, and was featured in Justine Magazine.

Joy also has a contemporary mystery/romance on the way: FINDING PARISwill be out April 21, 2015 from Balzer and Bray/Harper Collins. Another paranormal mystery/romance, IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS, pitched as Tuck Everlasting meets Veronica Mars, arrives from Soho Press in Spring 2016.

In no particular order, Joy loves guacamole, pizza, banana bread, red wine, books, boots of all shapes and sizes, TV, movies, and crazy road trips so she can see the world. She is also fond her family and her dog, in case you were wondering.

        

WEEK ONE 

APRIL 21st TUESDAY JeanBookNerd VLOG & TENS LIST 

APRIL 22nd WEDNESDAY Teen Readers’ Diary EXCERPT 

APRIL 23rd THURSDAY Once Upon a Twilight REVIEW 

APRIL 24th FRIDAY Wonder Struck REVIEW & DREAM CAST 

APRIL 25th SATURDAY Beneath the Moon and Stars REVIEW 

APRIL 26th SUNDAY Bumbles and Fairy-Tales REVIEW & TENS LIST 

APRIL 27th MONDAY Book Passion for Life REVIEW & GUEST POST 

WEEK TWO

APRIL 28th TUESDAY Chapter by Chapter REVIEW & FAVORITE BOOKS 

APRIL 29th WEDNESDAY Her Book Thoughts! REVIEW & MUSIC PLAYLIST 

APRIL 30th THURSDAY Such a Novel Idea REVIEW

MAY 1st FRIDAY Ex-Libris REVIEW 

MAY 2nd SATURDAY Tea-rrific Reads REVIEW 

MAY 3rd SUNDAY Emilie’s Book World REVIEW & INTERVIEW 

MAY 4th MONDAY Book Briefs REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS 

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Guest Post with Janet Gurtler

Photo Content from Janet Gurtler

A Rita Award Finalist and Crystal Kite Award Finalist, Janet Gurtler's young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Okotoks Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce.

        

Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc
Format: Paperback | 304 pages
Publication date: 15 April 2015
ISBN 10: 1402278004
ISBN 13: 9781402278006

Praise for THE TRUTH ABOUT US

"Gurtler has created a thought-provoking YA about class divides and prejudices and how appearances can be far from the truth. Readers will easily empathize with the main characters, while some of the secondary cast have compelling stories of their own. " ―RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 Stars

"Jess feels like nobody "gets" her. Yes, she may be pretty, and she may have a lot of money, and she may be friends with the most popular girl in school, but what Jess needs are real friends who understand her. Jess has a lot of things going on in her life, and she has not chosen the best methods for coping recently. After an incident with her supposed friend Nance, Jess's father decides she needs to be reprimanded. Her punishment is to volunteer at the local shelter while the rest of her posse spends the summer soaking up the sun. New Beginnings turns out be just what Jess needed. She not only finds herself but also finds the real friends she has been searching for and even a romance. Flynn comes from a different economic class, and as the couple learns to overcome the challenges that are brought about by the gap in their relative statuses, Jess becomes a more developed and well-rounded character. Other subplots, such as her family recovering from an accident, add depth. This title will pair well with Simon Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry (Walker, 2008), another story dealing with building strong emotional relationships with people who come from vastly different backgrounds. VERDICT A tender, layered romance" ―School Library Journal

"A thought-provoking YA about class divides and prejudices and how appearances can be far from the truth. Readers will easily empathize with the main characters, while some of the secondary cast have compelling stories of their own. " ―RT Book Reviews

"Touching on all kinds of topics, from homelessness, absent parents, and girls and boys clamoring for attention for all the wrong reasons to the ever-present theme of the haves-vs.-the have nots, The Truth About Us shows many different truths and calls readers to examine themselves, as well as root for Jess and Flynn." ―VOYA Magazine

"A book about finding happiness, honesty and being true to yourself, The Truth About Us promises to be a must-read for any YA romance fan. " ―Girls' Life.com

"The Truth About Us will appeal to contemporary romance readers, but it also does a really good job of highlighting the truth about the various economic realities of the people we know but don't always know well, the people we see every day but never really learn their stories. I also love that it doesn't vilify or demonize any of the people in the shelter and it highlights the truth of many people like Flynn's family who just need a little bit of extra help to make ends meet as they bust their butts in jobs that barely pay a livable wage. For every story you hear about someone milking the system, the truth is that most of the people needing some additional help are working hard in a system that seems designed to make sure they fail. The Truth About Us helps give those stories a voice." ―Teen Librarian Toolbox

MOST RANDOM SPONTANEOUS THING YOU'VE EVER DONE

Drove 1300 KM to see an NHL hockey game

Got my hair dyed blonde

Agreed to a Caribbean Cruise while under the influence

Bought expensive face cream I didn’t want from a handsome man

Burst out into song while at work in a quiet store

Wore a Sugar Crisp Bear costume to a mall

Yesterday I paid for Starbucks for the car behind me

Danced my face off at a concert where no one was dancing

Got my nose pierced in my 40’s

Told a girl in a book store carrying my book that I was the author of the book. She thought I was completely weird or didn’t believe me and walked away. Later I saw her with her mom and told her mom the same thing and signed the book for though I’m pretty sure she thought I was nuts.

TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT FRIEND

• Funny
• Loyal
• Kind
• Supportive
• Fun
• Truthful
• Open
• Enthusiastic
• Empathetic
• Compassionate

THE TRUTH ABOUT US BY JANET GURTLER EXCERPT

“You have a thing for him?” Wilf asks. “And I mean the older one.”

“No!” I stand straighter. “I barely know him.” There’s a tingling in my stomach though, and when I look up, Wilf is staring at me.

“Rhea always said I had a sixth sense for stuff like that. It’s what made me such a good lawyer.”

I glare at him, almost telling him my dad is a lawyer and a jerk too but say nothing instead.

“Flynn and his family are good people,” Wilf says. He bends down and picks at the leaves of a plant growing up from a pot on the ground. “Kyle’s dad gambled. Spent everything and then some and took off and left her with his debt. Her house foreclosed, and they moved into a grubby old rental in town. She works at a bakery and struggles to keep up with bills and the rent. They come for meals so that the boys eat properly. Especially Kyle.”

I swallow and nod and stare down at my feet, which seem to be shuffling around on their own.

“The people here all have stories. Remember that. Flynn’s not a charity case.”

I look up and nod again.

“Probably won’t hurt a girl like you, seeing life on the other side.”

I shift my feet again, wanting to argue about what kind of girl I am, but it’s kind of pointless.

“Good job, kiddo,” he says to Kyle, who has returned with a jug of water that’s slopping over the sides. “I have some things to look after,” he says to me. “Would you be okay looking after Kyle?” he asks. I glance around as if he might be talking to someone else.

A powerful and gripping contemporary YA from the author of I'm Not Her that's "Just right for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jodi Picoult."-Booklist

The truth is that Jess knows she screwed up.
She's made mistakes, betrayed her best friend, and now she's paying for it. Her dad is making her spend the whole summer volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

The truth is she wishes she was the care-free party-girl everyone thinks she is.
She pretends it's all fine. That her "perfect" family is fine. But it's not. And no one notices the lie...until she meets Flynn. He's the only one who really sees her. The only one who listens.

The truth is that Jess is falling apart – and no one seems to care.
But Flynn is the definition of "the wrong side of the tracks." When Jess's parents look at him they only see the differences-not how much they need each other. They don't get that the person who shouldn't fit in your world... might just be the one to make you feel like you belong.

You can purchase The Truth About Us at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you JANET GURTLER for making this giveaway possible.

2 Small Sock Monkey by Janet Gurtler. Large Sock Monkey by Janet Gurtler.
Signed Copy of The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler.

WEEK ONE

APRIL 7th TUESDAY JeanBookNerd GUEST POST & TENS LIST 

APRIL 9th THURSDAY Once Upon a Twilight REVIEW & FILL IN THE BLANKS 

APRIL 10th FRIDAY Literally Meanderings REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS 

APRIL 11th SATURDAY Pieces of Whimsy THIS OR THAT 

APRIL 12th SUNDAY Spiced Latte Reads REVIEW & DREAM CAST 

APRIL 13th MONDAY Her Book Thoughts SPOTLIGHT

APRIL 14th TUESDAY BO-OK Nerd Canada REVIEW & FAVORITE BOOKS 

WEEK TWO

APRIL 15th WEDNESDAY Book Passion for Life REVIEW & GUEST POST 

APRIL 16th THURSDAY Book à la Mode REVIEW 

APRIL 17th FRIDAY Bumble and Fairy-Tales REVIEW & EXCERPT 

APRIL 18th SATURDAY CBY Book Club INTERVIEW 

APRIL 19th SUNDAY Tea-rrific Reads REVIEW 

APRIL 20th MONDAY A Leisure Moment REVIEW 

APRIL 21st TUESDAY Such a Novel Idea REVIEW & MUSIC PLAYLIST 

APRIL 22nd WEDNESDAY Chapter by Chapter REVIEW & EXCERPT

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