3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Shannon Lee Alexander (Life After Juliet)

   Today I'm here with the awesome Shannon Lee Alexander. I really enjoyed her novel, Life After Juliet, which was a sequel (which I totally didn't know when I requested it for review) but I loved it anyways and am now definitely planning to read the other book, too. You can, if you want, totally check out the interview I did with her or check out the review I wrote for Life After Juliet right here.

   When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   Young adult literature is made up of stories about young people learning, exploring, and living through some of the toughest and most tumultuous times—teen years! But these years are also full of growth, wonder, and new experiences. The stories that make up YA lit are some of my very favorites because of their honesty, earnestness, and attitude.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   Thank you! Bloggers are some of the most generous, lovely, dedicated, passionate, and amazing people. I’ve been so honored to get to meet so many bloggers in the past few years. You are making a difference in many lives, offering safe havens for the lost, opinions and advice for the confused, and so much love and laughter for everyone. Thank you!

I have too many book bloggers that I love to call them all out. I hope they all know how much I love them!

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your books?
   I’m a wife and mom to two kiddos and a yellow terrier mutt named Harriet Potter. I love coffee, yoga, and reading. I’m a former English teacher and a forever Hufflepuff! I began writing novels when I was thirty. I credit my writing career to my lovely friend Em, who passed away from ovarian cancer many years ago. She taught me how to be brave and strive for my dreams.
   Love and Other Unknown Variables is my debut novel. It’s the story of a math and science geek who has his entire future meticulously planned—graduate at the top of his class from Brighton School of Mathematics, go to MIT, and win a Nobel Prize in physics—until he meets a new girl in town with a mathematical symbol tattoo and a devastating secret that changes the trajectory of his entire future.
   Life after Juliet is the companion novel to LAOUV. It’s the story or a bookworm who is struggling with loss and newfound loneliness. She agrees to help backstage for the high school production of Romeo and Juliet, but gets “discovered” by the director and cast as Juliet. She must decide whether she wants her life to stay safely folded in the pages of her favorite books or to take her turn in the spotlight.

   Thank you so, so much to Shannon for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her books? If not you totally should give them a chance!

   The next post will be up July 27th and feature the next awesome author.

   Thank you so much for reading!

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3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Jamie (Books and Ladders)

   Today I'm here with the Jamie from Books and Ladders. I've discovered her blog quite a few months back and really liked what I saw. I might not be a daily visitor but I still come by every once in a while, or check out specific posts that catch my attention on twitter.

   Of course I had to ask her if she'd be interested in participating and, luckily, she agreed so check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   YA to me is a place where people, especially teens, are allowed to explore the people they want to be and use that time to grow. I think a lot of YA is marketed as "coming of age" but it is really a chance for teens to learn what makes them, _them_ in a safe space. YA as an adult allows me to realize that I am free to be who I want to be, even if it isn't exactly what others want or expect me to be.

   2) What would you like to see done more of in YA?

   I would like more diverse YA. I was lucky to be able to grow up as "see myself" on the page and I want that for everyone else. This will also give me the chance to see how the world is viewed through the eyes of others. And with LGBTQ+ books, teens will be able to see their sexuality on page and maybe understand a little bit more about their feelings and urges. I think it's really important to be able to identify with characters in fiction and to say "Character X is just like me"

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your book?

   Books and Ladders is a book blog specialising in primarily young adult science fiction, fantasy and contemporary. With daily updates, you can keep up to date on the many things Jamie reads, as well as learn what’s coming up in the YA world and discuss bookish things. Books and Ladders reviews are in-depth and considered, balancing the good and the bad. You can trust Jamie to always tell it like it is, and if she likes it, you will, too! (Dani @ Dani Reviews Things wrote this for me)

   Thank you so, so much to Jamie for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you checked out her blog? If not you totally should give it a chance!

The next post will be up July 25th and feature the next awesome author.

Thank you so much for reading!

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3 Year Blogversary Celevration feat. Francesca Zappia (Made You Up)

   Today I'm here with the awesome Francesca Zappia. Last year I had the pleasure of interviewing her about her novel, Made You Up, which, if you want, you can totally check out right here. Also, I completely, from the first to the last page, loved her book since it was amazingly written and just so good in general (find my review here).
   When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   To me, YA means two things: the ability to have a lot of fun with your plot and characters, and a responsibility to your audience to portray the reality of things, even when writing fantasy. So YA is a very important balancing act.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   I absolutely love the blogging community. What author doesn’t? (The bad ones, probably.) Book bloggers are so vital to YA publishing, it’s hard to imagine any of the very popular YA books becoming popular without them. So I’d like to say thank you to book bloggers and vloggers—thank you for all the work you do, thank you for your unwavering enthusiasm, and thank you for getting the word of mouth started on so many books that otherwise might fall under the radar—like mine!

   One of my favorite blogs (and vlogs) belongs to my friend Christina at Christina Reads YA (link here: http://christinareadsya.blogspot.com). (She also goes by Tina in her Twitter handle.) Not only does Christina give me consistently excellent book recommendations, she’s an awesomely astute beta reader and is even taking part in the Because You Love to Hate Me anthology coming out next summer!

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your book?

   I have a degree in computer science and by day I work as an IT specialist (weird, right?). Probably eighty percent of my free time is spent writing or working on something related to writing. My book, Made You Up, is about a girl with paranoid schizophrenia working through her last year of high school. It features two of my favorite characters I’ve ever written, Alex and Miles. And more than anything, I hope it helps the people who are able to find themselves in the characters or the story.

   Thank you so, so much to Francesca for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her book? If not you totally should give it a chance!

   The next post will be up July 23rd and feature the next awesome blogger.

   Thank you so much for reading!

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3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Karen Fortunati (The Weight of Zero)

   Today I am joined for another day of celebrations by the amazing Karen Fortunati. As you guys know I am a huge sucker for hard topic books, so when I stumbled across The Weight Of Zero I simply knew it was perfect for me. I got an ARC sent all the way over to me and I LOVED it. Of course I invited Karen for an interview, that you can check out here, and wrote a raving review for her book right here. Also, over these past months I've had the chance of working with Karen a bit on my WIP, which was an amazing experience, and I'm truly happy to call her my friend now.

   But now, enough of my blabbing and telling you how much I loved Karen's book and everything, let's get right on to her A's to my Q's:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   I love writing in this genre because it's a period of tremendous awakening. There's so much going on and such huge changes in a few short years. Ask anyone and they'll remember their high school years with both good and bad memories. Seeing my kids go through school, I'm intrigued and also worried by challenges that I never had to face - specificially social media and the intense pressure to have your career planned by age sixteen. I really enjoy exploring these challenges through writing.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   I'm relatively new to the writing and blogging communities and am pretty stunned and grateful at how supportive they are. A few bloggers in particular have made my debut year really special: Jess at the Reading Nook Reviews who educated me on how blog tours work and made me the best gift ever. (See photo of pendants with The Weight of Zero cover.) Kirtida Guatam, a writer and psychologist, has been a huge suporter of The Weight of Zero and I'm so grateful to have met her. Rachel at A Perfection Called Books is just a powerhouse and will rule the world someday after taking control of Schreyer and of course, Alice Reeds. She was the very first blogger to contact me about The Weight of Zero so she has a special place in my heart!

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your book?

   Me: I'm a former attorney turned writer with a passion for history and mental health advocacy. In between writing and family and dogs, I'm finishing up a degree in American Studies and hope to get a job in a museum when I grow up!

   Book: The Weight of Zero: Contemporary Young Adult, Delacorte Press

   Release Date: October 11, 2016

   Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disease, has almost triumphed once, propelling Catherine to her first suicide attempt. With Zero only temporarily restrained by the latest med du jour, time is running out. In an old ballet shoebox, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its own living death on her again.

   But Zero’s return is delayed due to unexpected and meaningful relationships that lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. These relationships along with the care of a gifted psychiatrist alter Catherine’s perception of her diagnosis as a death sentence. This is a story of loss and grief and hope and how some of the many shapes of love – maternal, romantic and platonic – impact a young woman’s struggle with mental illness.

   Thank you so, so much to Karen for stopping by, answering my questions, and for helping me make my WIP a better version of itself with her comments and critiques, I seriously appreciate it a lot. I highly recommend you guys checking out Karen's book once it'll be out because it was a brilliant, honest and entertaining read all in one with amazing characters.

   What do you guys think so far? Tell me below!

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3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Mel (The Book Moo)

   Today I'm joined by a very lovely BookTuber and book blogger - Mel from The Book Moo. I've stumbled across her videos and channel quite a while back and have been a viewer ever since. Additionally I also very much enjoy reading her reviews and other posts on her blog.

   When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   YA means diverse and relatable characters who feel like best friends to me. It means a fresh perspective and different personalities with an awesome story. It means escaping into a new world and feeling at home there.

   2) What would you like to see done more of in YA?

   I'd like to see a group of females who don't need to rely on male characters for a story. Plus, can we like BAN insta-love?

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your blog/channel?

   I've been blogging for just over a year now and love it! I cannot believe how many book lovers are out there and the community is seriously amazing! My blog is: http://thebookmoo.blogspot.co.uk/

   I also ventured into BookTube and have been doing that for 2 years now. How time flies, it gave me confidence and self esteem that I didn't have before.

   Thank you so, so much to Mel for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you ever seen any of her videos or checked out her channel and/or? If not you totally should give her a chance! If you want you could even check out the review of Petty Little Lives she did a while back.

   The next post will be up July 17th and feature the next amazing author.

   Thank you so much for reading!

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3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Temple West (Velvet)

   Today I'm here with the awesome Temple West. Last year I had the pleasure of interviewing her about her novel, Velvet, which, if you want, you can totally check out right here. 

  When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   I grew up reading fantasy, and could often only find books with adult protagonists who had already done most of their growing and maturing and identity-setting. Then I found authors like Tamora Pierce who mixed what I already loved (fantasy) with characters my own age, who were experiencing most major life events for the first time. Yes, YA is about young adults and is, generally speaking, written for young adults, but to me, it's more about characters who are experiencing major milestones for the first time, whether that's high school or falling in love or losing someone or discovering they have magical powers and are destined to save the universe. In a way, YA is about the first time you make mistakes, whereas "adult" literature seems to be more about characters making the same mistakes over and over again. Maybe that's why, in general, YA seems to be a bit more hopeful than other genres.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   Well, you guys rock. Your passion is incredible and your stamina is to be admired. The lengths you go to uplift the authors and stories you love is truly humbling. Modern publishing would not be what it is today without book bloggers.

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your book?

   Mmm, what's something about me that's not boring? I have tiny feet. Sometimes I shop in the children's section for shoes. More often than I'd like to admit, actually. Velvet (and it's upcoming sequel Cashmere) is about vampires and demons, but the demons aren't what you'd normally think about when you think about demons -- either are the vampires, for that matter. The book is made of paper. It's smaller than a breadbox. It looks dashing on most coffee tables.

   Thank you so, so much to Temple for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her book? If not you totally should give it a chance!

   The next post will be up July 15th and feature the next awesome booktuber/blogger.

   Thank you so much for reading!

3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns)

   Today I'm here with the awesome Kendare Blake. I really enjoyed her haunted (see what I did there) novel, Anna Dressed in Blood, even though, as you know, ghosts are not really my jam but Kenare's writing still pulled me in and I actually liked it a lot. You can, if you want, totally check out the interview I did with her last year about it right here.

   When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   YA as a category to me just means that the main protagonist is a teenager. There are so many different genres and themes under the YA umbrella that protagonist age is the only common thread. But, YA also means a very cool community, a subculture of books and bookish folk that didn't exist twenty years ago. It's pretty rad.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   HELLOOOO, BLOGGING COMMUNITY! How I love to stalk you, and follow along with fun features, and interesting conversation posts. I visit a lot of blogs (a lot!) but some that I have visited regularly include My Friends are Fiction, Cuddlebuggery, Reading Teen, Dark Faerie Tales, The Page Turners, The Book Rat, Me Myshelf & I, and lots of new ones I discover every week it seems like.

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your book?

   Sure. Something about me....let's see, right now I'm having serious Penny Dreadful withdrawal. I love the Neverending Story movie but I haven't seen it in years. I don't love the Adam Sandler movie Just Go With It, yet I seem to watch it whenever it is on.

   About THREE DARK CROWNS: Triplet sisters, all queens, facing what seems to be a no-win situation. Become the Queen Crowned, but to do so, two others must die. It was a lot of fun, writing this and seeing how each sister navigated her particular set of circumstances. I love to write about girls at odds, and girls in charge. And now I have that old metal song stuck in my head. "Girls, girls, girls!" Unfortunately that's the only part of that song that I know.

   Thank you so, so much to Kendare for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her book? If not you totally should give it a chance!

   The next post will be up July 13th and feature the next awesome author.

   Thank you so much for reading!

3 Year Blogversary Celebration featuring Courtney C. Stevens

   Today I'm here with the amazing Courtney C. Stevens. I really enjoyed her marvelous novel, Faking Normal, because, let's face it, Courtney is a very talented writer and that novel was brilliant.

   Check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   I see young adult the same way I see board games. Monopoly is for ages 8 and up. My books are for 12 and up. Publishers are suggesting the bottom age of what is appropriate. Everyone else is fair game. From braces to dentures, jump on board if the story resonates with you.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   The blogging community has been very kind to me. Please know that your words have power. We are all doing the same thing--putting our words in the world and hoping they have transformative power. Thank you for using that transformative power on me.

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your books?

   Here is five sentence story about me:

   One of my first memories is jumping off the high dive at the local pool.

   I cried.

   I jumped anyway.

   I was three.

   Go forth and do likewise.

   If you like these five sentences, you'll probably like my books.

   Thank you so, so much to Courtney for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her book? If not you totally should give it a chance!

   The next post will be up July 11th and feature the next awesome author.

   Thank you so much for reading!

3 Year Blogversary Celebration featuring Ava Jae (Beyond the Red)

   Today I'm here with the awesome Ava Jae. I really enjoyed her marvelous novel, Beyond the Red, because, let's face it, Ava is a very talented writer. You can, if you want, totally check out the interview I did with her last year if I recall correctly right here.
   When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   YA is my heart. It's where teens take on everything from fraught politics of far away fantasy lands, to crumbling governments in a futuristic world, to difficult realities in our everyday lives. It's increasingly more nuanced with so, so many important books, it's empowering and sobering, bubbly and heart-wrenching, exciting and passionate, and it doesn't turn away from ugly realities or topics that are difficult to discuss. I so respect the many, many talented authors changing the world one book at a time—and I'm honored to be on the shelf with them.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   I want to say thank you! Seriously, bloggers—especially book bloggers—are some of the coolest, most passionate people around. And some blogs I like include YA Highway, Amy Trueblood's Chasing the Crazies, Barnes & Noble's B&N Teen Blog, and Dahlia Adler's The Daily Dahlia

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your books?

   Sure! I'm a chronically ill Latina tomboy who blogs and vlogs and tweets too much. My debut Beyond the Red, which released earlier this year, is a YA Sci-Fi about a violent uprising on a distant, alien planet that threatens the reign of a teen alien queen. It's dual POV with explosions, and kissing, and I've very much enjoyed sharing it with everyone thus far. :)

   Thank you so, so much to Ava for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read her book? If not you totally should give it a chance!

   The next post will be up July 7th and feature an amazing BookTuber. Anyone feel like blindly guessing who it might be?

   Thank you so much for reading!