Jennifer Neilsen Day: The Free State of Jax and Magnitude Giveaway

Happy Monday, Everyone! As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Nielsen. I’ve interviewed her when she was a debut author and when The Captive King was released. I’ve also reviewed many of her books. 

I’ve wanted to feature The Free State of Jax since it was released last fall and Magnitude, Jennifer’s newest release. I’m glad I could schedule my spotlight on these two awesome books today. 

The Free State of Jax Review

Here’s a blurb of The Free State of Jax from Goodreads:

 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen, this charmingly quirky coming-of-age story about a boy fighting for his freedom and a place to call home is brimming with mystery and adventure.

Jaxon Averett has had some terrifically bad luck. Because only the worst luck in the world can account for the fact that he has to live with his Uncle Clive Grimmitz, Aunt Helga, and their six kids in dead-end Walkonby, Kansas. Life with Jax's cousins isn't easy--they're all bullies, and his aunt and uncle can't even remember his name.

Which is why, on the night before his twelfth birthday, Jax sneaks over to the neighboring property, floats a raft out into the middle of the hot springs lake, and drops anchor.

Jax is now the president and sole citizen of his own micronation, the Free State of Jax.

With the help of new friends, a local lawyer, and the property owner Owen O'Keefe, Jax's micronation begins to flourish. But the Grimmitzes will do anything to get him back and they are not above sabotage. On top of that, Jax is quickly embroiled in the mystery of Owen's missing brother--and a lost windfall of the town's money.

Investigating puts everything Jax has built at risk, and when long-buried family secrets are unearthed, he must find the courage to do what's right, even if it means losing his only chance at freedom.

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen weaves an extraordinary mystery and a moving and hilariously zany story about family, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to do what's right, no matter the cost. 

The Free State of Jax is Jennifer’s Nelsen’s first contemporary story. I got the audiobook from my library and really enjoyed it. I think it shows how talented Jennifer is as a writer. She has already written fantastic middle grade fantasies and historical fiction, some on the New York Times bestseller list. 

Here are some things I really enjoyed about The Free State of Jax: 

·       Jax. I couldn’t help sympathizing with Jax. He’s such a good, likeable kid thrust in a bad situation where he’s forced to live with an aunt and uncle who don’t want him after his parents died.

·       The Free State of Jax. Jax’s solution to his living situation problems is so creative. He created his own nation. I loved seeing how his free state evolves as he tries to get permission to keep it on his neighbor, Owen’s, land, and as the story unfolds.

·       Mystery of Owen O’Keefe. I always enjoy stories with a mystery. Soon after the story starts, we’re sucked into the mystery of what happened to Owen’s brother decades ago.

·       Humor. I couldn’t help laughing at various parts of the story. Jennifer does a great job at adding humor to the story.

·       Page-turner. Jennifer does an excellent job of making the problems for her main characters escalate and creating real page-turners. She continued this in The Free State of Jax.

 Magnitude Review

Now onto my review of Magnitude. Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Iceberg and The Free State of Jax comes the harrowing story of one girl's fight for survival during the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.

San Francisco, 1906.

When Cora leaves her house in the early morning hours of April 18th, she expects trouble to find her, like it somehow always does. But as she makes her way to the San Francisco docks to look for her father, the earth begins to shake and suddenly, Cora realizes that she's not just in trouble--she's in danger.

Soon after, the last thing Cora remembers seeing is a tall building swaying overhead, before everything goes dark.

When Cora wakes up, she's trapped underground with Zhi, whom she met by accident on the way to the docks. They're running short on air and time, when miraculously, Cora's friend Oliver pulls them from the rubble. Once she's above ground again, Cora is shocked to find herself in a city that has been decimated by a massive earthquake.

Together, Cora, Zhi, and Oliver begin a desperate search for their families, all the while trying to evade terrifying fired that are tearing through the wreckage and a gang of thieves who are pursuing Cora and a valuable secret she holds.

From beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a thrilling, suspenseful story about courage, friendship, and the strength it takes to survive one of the most terrible natural disasters this country has ever seen. 

I have really enjoyed Rescue, Lines of Courage, and the other historical fiction stories that Jennifer has written. I’ve become a huge fan of historical fiction—middle grade, young adult, and adult—from reading her books. Magnitude is another thrilling historical fiction story by her.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC for an honest review. Here are a few things I enjoyed: 

·       San Francisco earthquake. While I knew that San Francisco had a terrible earthquake, I didn’t know much about how devastating the earthquake of 1906. Jennifer does an excellent job of weaving historical details into the story and providing a timeline of major events at the beginning of each chapter.

·       Cora. Cora is another very sympathetic character struggling to help provide for her family and being pursued by bullies. She also must grapple with a lot of guilt about her secret.

·       Friendships. Cora makes a new friend, Zhi, at the docks and then gets trapped with her in a ship after one of the aftershocks. While they go their separate ways to search for their families, they reconnect throughout the story. Cora also has a complicated friendship with Oliver. I couldn’t help but sympathize with the challenges their friendship faced due to disputes between their families.

·       Bigotry. While I didn’t enjoy seeing this, I got a real sense of the discrimination the Chinese community experienced in the early 1900s in San Francisco.

·       Page-turner. Jennifer has a talent for making things worse and worse for her main characters. She mentioned this with a big grin on her face at an online book release party I attended. This was true for Magnitude, too. The story became a real page-turner that I didn’t want to put down.

Giveaway Details 

I’m offering a kindle e-book of The Free State of Jax or Magnitude, winner’s choice, for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment telling me which book you want by April 25th. If I do not have your email (I can no longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or Bluesky mention this in the comments, and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is International. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.  

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops 

Thursday, April 16th, I’m participating in the Rain Drop on Roses Giveaway Hop 

Monday, April 20th, I have an interview with Van Hoang and a giveaway of her MG Auntie Q’s Golden Claws Nail Salon 

Monday, April 27th, I have an interview with Gareth P. Jones and a giveaway of his MG Solve Your Own Mysteries 

Wednesday, April 29th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Erica Bauman and a query critique giveaway 

Friday, May 1st, I’m participating in the Come What May Giveaway Hop 

Wednesday, May 6th, I have an interview with Dana Mele and a giveaway of her YA The Beast You Let In and my IWSG post 

Monday, May 11th, I have an interview with Sarah Marie Jette and a giveaway of her MG One Fair Share 

I hope to see you on Thursday!

 

 

Book Review and Giveaway: Finally Heard by Kelly Yang

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to share a review of Kelly Yang’s MG contemporary Finally Heard. I’m a huge fan of Kelly Yang’s Front Desk series and her Finally Seen series, which this is a sequel to. Kelly has been an amazing writer since she was a kid and immigrated to the U.S. from China as a middle grader. If you read her author notes at the end of her novels, you’ll learn what an incredible life Kelly has had.

I had hoped to have Kelly here for an interview, but she couldn’t do one given her busy schedule. However, she helped me obtain a book for a giveaway from her publisher. And thanks to her publisher for an ARC of Finally Heard for an honest review.

Here’s a blurb of Finally Heard from Goodreads:

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk comes the sequel to Finally Seen in which Lina struggles to separate fact from fiction on social media.

When ten-year-old Lina Gao sees her mom’s video on social media take off, she’s captivated by the potential to be seen and heard! Maybe online she can finally find the confidence she craves. Whereas in real life she’s growing so fast, she feels like microwave popcorn, bursting out of her skin!

With the help of her two best friends, Carla and Finn, and her little sister, Millie, Lina sets off to go viral. Except there’s a lot more to social media than Lina ever imagined,

1. Seeing inside her classmates’ lives! Is she really the only person on the planet who doesn’t have a walk-in closet?
2. Group chats! Disappearing videos! Will anyone comment? What’s that emoji mean?
3. A bazillion stories about what to eat, wear, and put on her face . Could they all be telling the truth? Everyone sounds so sure of what they’re saying!

As Lina descends deeper and deeper into social media, it will take all her strength to break free from the likes and find the courage to be her authentic self in this fast-paced world.

Follower News

Before I get to my review, I have Follower News to share. Follower Sandy Grubb’s MG contemporary Just Like Click was recently released. Here’s a blurb: Eleven-year-old Nick Townley steps off the comic book pages he creates and ventures into the night as an undercover superhero to save his home and his father’s job, which would be a lot easier if he had actual superpowers. When three new kids discover his identity and want to join him, Nick vows to stay undercover…until he realizes even a superhero needs friends. And here are a few links: sandygrubb.com X and IG: @sandygrubb

 

Yvonne Osborne has an adult release Let Evening Come. Here’s a blurb: Let Evening Come is the love story between an Indigenous son displaced from his ancestral home on the Tar Sands of Canada and a motherless farm girl from Michigan who struggles to overcome loss while navigating the pitfalls of young adulthood. Together they combat suspicion and bigotry on both sides of the border and the cultural differences that separate them. And here’s a few links:
Amazon Website Barnes & Noble

 

Finally Heard Review

Finally Heard is a sequel to Finally Seen. While you may enjoy this sequel more if you read Finally Seen first where Lina immigrates to the United States as a middle grader, this can be read as a standalone. Like Kelly’s other books, it’s a riveting story that I had a hard time putting down. I devoured it in a few sittings. Here are a few things I loved about the story:

1. ·      In Finally Heard, Lina deals with problems with social media that many middle graders will relate to.
2. ·      I loved the relationship between Lina and her grandmother. Even though her grandma lives in China, Lina has been able to remain close to her.
3. ·       I really enjoyed how this story highlights what it’s like to immigrate here as a middle grader and how Lina’s whole family is coping with their new life here. We learn how her mom, who is starting an online business, gets entrapped in social media too.
4. ·       Lina is a very compelling character, as are her younger sister Millie and her friends, Finn and Carla.
5. ·       I LOVED the last lines of the book. Those lines are for adults as well as middle graders. I’ve read them many times during a big personal challenge I faced a few weeks ago, and they helped me get through it.

I can’t recommend this and Kelly Yang’s other books enough. They’re all fantastic!

About Kelly:

 

Kelly immigrated to America when she was 6 years old and grew up in Southern California, where she and her parents worked in three different motels. She overcame poverty to go to college at the age of 13 and law school at the age of 17. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley, where she majored in Political Science, and Harvard Law School. After law school, she gave up law to pursue her passion of writing and teaching children writing. She is the founder of The Kelly Yang Project (kellyyang.edu.hk), a leading writing and debating program for kids in Asia. As a writing teacher for 13 years, Kelly helped thousands of children find their voice and become better writers and more powerful speakers. Before turning to fiction, she was also a columnist for the South China Morning Post for many years. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. She is the Honorary Chair of the American Library Association for National Library Week. She has three children and lives in Los Angeles.  

 Kelly is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of FINALLY SEEN, NEW FROM HERE, the FRONT DESK series ("One of the 30 Most Influential Children's Books Of All Time" -BookRiot), including FRONT DESK, THREE KEYS, and ROOM TO DREAM, KEY PLAYER, and TOP STORY, YES WE WILL, and young adult novels PARACHUTES and PRIVATE LABEL. FRONT DESK is Kelly's award-winning middle grade debut novel about a 10 year old Chinese American immigrant girl who manages the front desk of a motel while her parents clean the rooms. FRONT DESK was awarded the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Literature, the Parents' Choice Gold Medal, was the 2019 Global Read Aloud, and was named an Amazon Best Book of the Year, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a NPR Best Book of the Year, and a Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year.

You can learn more about Kelly at https://www.kellyyang.com/.

Giveaway Details

Kelly’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of Finally Heard for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by April 27th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Tomorrow, April 16th I’m participating in the Rain Drop on Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 22nd I have an agent spotlight interview with Hillary Fazzari and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, May 1st I have an interview with author Stacy Stokes and a giveaway of her YA speculative thriller The Darkness Rises and my IWSG post

Monday, May 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Miriam Cortinovis and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, May 8th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jenniea Carter and a query critique giveaway

Monday, May 13th I have a guest post by debut author Sandy Green and a giveaway of her MG novel in verse Ghost Writers: The Haunting of Lake Lucy

Wednesday, May 15th I have a guest post by Rose Atkinson-Carter, a freelance writer for Reedsy

Monday, May 20th I have an agent spotlight interview with Caroline Trussell and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you tomorrow!

 

 

 

The Other Side of the River Review by Alda Dobbs and Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m super excited to share Alda Dobb’s new historical MG The Other Side of the River. When Alda emailed me and asked me if I wanted an ARC in exchange for an honest review, I jumped at the chance because I loved her debut book, Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. You can read my interview with Alda when she debuted here.

Here’s a blurb of The Other Side of the River from Goodreads:

From the award-winning author of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, Alda P. Dobbs, comes a compelling new novel about building a new life in America. Strong and determined, Petra Luna returns in a story about the immigrant experience that continues to be relevant today.

Petra Luna is in America, having escaped the Mexican Revolution and the terror of the Federales. Now that they are safe, Petra and her family can begin again, in this country that promises so much. Still, twelve-year-old Petra knows that her abuelita, little sister, and baby brother depend on her to survive. She leads her family from a smallpox-stricken refugee camp on the Texas border to the buzzing city of San Antonio, where they work hard to build a new life. And for the first time ever, Petra has a chance to learn to read and write.

Yet Petra also sees in America attitudes she thought she'd left behind on the other side of the Río Grande―people who look down on her mestizo skin and bare feet, who think someone like her doesn't deserve more from life. Petra wants more. Isn't that what the revolution is about? Her strength and courage will be tested like never before as she fights for herself, her family, and her dreams.

Petra's first story, Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, was a New York Public Library Book of the Year and a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection.

My Review

The Other Side of the River tells Petra’s story after her family and she arrive in San Antonio. You do not have to read Alda’s first book to enjoy this one. I devoured it in two sittings. I totally loved it and can’t wait to read Alda’s next book.

Here are five things I really enjoyed about this book.

1. The setting. I loved learning more about San Antonio in the early 1900s, especially since I’ve visited there on a few occasions. It was so interesting to see what life was like for immigrants coming here from Mexico. They sure didn’t have it easy.
2. Riveting story. Historical fiction has to be factually accurate. But it also has to tell a compelling story. I found The Other Side of the River to be a page-turner because the story and plot were so good.
3. Petra. I already loved Peter from Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. I love her even more in this story and so admire her tenacity, courage, and strength as she tried to take care of her family and follow her dreams of a new life in America. When I start to get down about my own problems and challenges, I think about all the hardships she and other immigrants have faced and face today.
4. Secondary characters. Alda did a fantastic job creating a cast of secondary characters. I enjoyed learning more about her abuelita, younger sister, baby brother, and other characters that helped and hindered her in her attempts to take care of her family.
5. Ending. I’m not going to spoil things for you by telling you the ending. I’ll just say that the ending was a great one.

 Giveaway Details

 I’m offering my ARC of The Other Side of the River for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by October 8th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter s, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The ARC giveaway is U.S.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.         

Upcoming Interviews and Guest Posts

Wednesday, October 5th, I’m participating in the Howloween Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, October 5th, I have an interview with debut author Kim Bartosch and a giveaway of her YA mystery/ghost story Ask the Girl

Monday, October 16th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Sarah Stephens and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, October 16th, I’m participating in the Cheeky Pumpkin Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 17th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Eve Adler and a query critique giveaway

Monday, October 24th, I have a guest post by debut author George Jreije and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria 

Hope to see you on Wednesday, October 5th!

 

 

Lines of Courage Review and Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m super excited to share Jennifer Nielson’s new MG historical Lines of Courage. It made the New York Times Bestseller list. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know she is one of my favorite authors. She writes MG fantasy and historical and YA fantasy.

Here’s a blurb of Lines of Courage from Goodreads:

The stories of five kids living through World War I, each of whom holds the key to the others' futures... if they are lucky - and brave - enough to find each other.

World War I stretches its cruel fingers across Europe, where five young people, each from different backgrounds and nations, face the terror of battle, the deprivations of hunger, and all the awful challenges of war.

Felix, from Austria-Hungary, longs for the bravery to resist Jewish deportations before his own family can be taken.

Kara, from Britain, dreams of someday earning her Red Cross pin and working as a nurse - or even a doctor.

Juliette, of France, hopes her family can remain knitted together, despite her father's imprisonment, as the war's longest battle stretches on and on.

Elsa, from Germany, hopes her homing pigeon might one day bring her a friend from out of the chaos.

And Dimitri, of Russia, wants only to survive the front, where he's been sent with no weapon.

None of them will find exactly what they want. But the winds of fate may cross their paths to give each of them just what they need. 

 My Review

Thanks to Scholastic for providing me with an ARC of Lines of Courage. This is a fantastic story. Here are four things I really enjoyed about it:

1.     The story is set during WWI. While I’ve read a lot of books set in WWII, I have not read many about WWI. I enjoyed learning about this time in history and the trains used by the Red Cross to treat wounded soldiers.

2.     As the blurb states, this story is about the lives of five young people who come from different backgrounds and countries. Jennifer Nielsen does a fantastic job showing us how the war affects their lives and creatively has their lives intersect throughout the story.

3.     I love Jennifer Nielsen’s writing style. It is so clean, and every word matters. Whenever I struggle with some aspect of my writing, I pick up one of Jennifer’s books to see how she handled it. It really helps me to move forward and figure out a solution to my problem.

4.     This fast-paced story kept me wanting to turn the pages. I read it in two sittings, which is unusual for me.

Giveaway Details

I’m offering my ARC of Lines of Courage for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by July 2nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is U.S.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Friday, July 1st, I’m participating in the Sparkle Time Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, July 6th, I have a guest post by debut author Elisa Bonnin with a giveaway of her YA fantasy Dauntless and my IWSG post 

Monday, July 11th, I have an agent/debut author guest post by Jennifer Unter and Melissa Dassori with a giveaway of Melissa’s contemporary/magical realism JR Silver Writes Her World and a query critique by Jennifer

Wednesday, July 13th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Jazmia Young and a query critique giveaway

Saturday, July 16th, I’m participating in the Hip Hip Hooray Giveaway Hop

Monday, July 18th, I have an interview with debut author M.T. Khan Maaeda and a giveaway of his MG contemporary fantasy Nura and the Immortal Palace

Wednesday, July 20th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Alex Slater and a query critique giveaway

Monday, July 25th, I have an interview with debut author Derrick Chow and a giveaway of his MG retelling Ravenous Things

Hope to see you on Friday!

Book Giveaway: Rescue by Jennifer Nielsen

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to share Jennifer Neilsen’s new MG historical Rescue, which is set in WWII, with you. I’ve been dying to share it with you since I read an ARC of it last November. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a thrilling World War II story of espionage and intrigue, as one girl races to save her father and aid the French resistance.

Six hundred and fifty-seven days ago, Meg Kenyon's father left their home in France to fight for the Allies in World War II, and that was the last time Meg saw him. Recently, she heard he was being held prisoner by the Nazis, a terrible sentence from which Meg fears he'll never return. All she has left of him are the codes he placed in a jar for her to decipher, an affectionate game the two of them shared. But the codes are running low, and soon there'll be nothing left of Papa for Meg to hold on to at all.

Suddenly, an impossible chance to save her father falls into Meg's lap. After following a trail of blood in the snow, Meggie finds an injured British spy hiding in her grandmother's barn. Captain Stewart tells her that a family of German refugees must be guided across Nazi-occupied France to neutral Spain, whereupon one of them has promised to free Meg's father. Captain Stewart was meant to take that family on their journey, but too injured to complete the task himself, he offers it to Meg, along with a final code from Papa to help complete the mission -- perhaps the most important, and most difficult, riddle she's received yet.

As the Nazis flood Meg's village in fierce pursuit, she accepts the duty and begins the trek across France. Leading strangers through treacherous territory, Meg faces danger and uncertainty at every turn, all the while struggling to crack her father's code. The message, as she unravels it, reveals secrets costly enough to risk the mission and even her own life. Can Meg solve the puzzle, rescue the family, and save her father?

As many of you know, Jennifer Nielsen is one of my favorite authors. This is an incredibly suspenseful story that I could not put down. It was so interesting to read about Meg, who was involved in the French Resistance. Her story was riveting, and she faced such danger on her mission. It really gave me a sense of the sacrifices and fear that people went through in their lives when living in France when it was occupied, and they were resisting the Nazis.

Here’s a few things about Rescue that I really loved:

1. Meg is such a great character. She’s so brave and smart when going on her mission to save her father. I don’t know if I could have been so strong when going through some of her experiences where she was in real danger of getting caught.
2. I really enjoyed watching her relationship develop with Jakob, a boy who was a part of the family she was taking to safety.
3. I loved watching Meg with the help of Jakob try to break her father’s code, which she needs to know if her mission will be successful.
4. There was a twist I didn’t see coming!
5. There’s a cool section on breaking codes for kids to try on their own at the end of the book. Jennifer always blows me away with how much she knows.

5. This is a great story that I recommend to any kids and adults who like historical fiction.

Giveaway Details

I’m offering a hardback or ebook of Rescue for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by May 8th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is U.S. for a hardback and international for an ebook from Amazon.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Tuesday, May 4th I’m participating in the Life’s a Beach Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, May 5th I have an interview with debut author Daniel Aleman and a giveaway of his YA contemporary about immigration Indivisible and a query critique by his agent Peter Knapp and my IWSG post

Monday, May 10th I have a guest post by author Jessica Lawson with a giveaway of her MG fantasy How to Save a Queendom and a query critique by her agent Tina Dubois

Wednesday, May 12th I have an agent spotlight interview with Joyce Sweeney and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, May 16th I’m participating in the Moms Rock Giveaway Hop

Monday, May 17th I have an interview with debut author Payal Doshi and a giveaway of her MG fantasy set in India Rea and the Blood of the Nectar

Wednesday, May 18th I have an agent spotlight interview with Michelle Hauck and a query critique giveaway

Monday, May 26th I have a guest post with agent Maura Kye-Casella and debut author Sam Subity with a query critique giveaway by Maura and a giveaway of The Last Shadow Warrior, a MG fantasy by Sam

Hope to see you on Tuesday!

JENNIFER NIELSEN'S MARK OF THE THIEF REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Today I'm super, super thrilled to share about Jennifer Nielsen's MARK OF THE THIEF that releases on February 24, 2015. If you've followed my blog for awhile, you already know that Jennifer is one of my favorite authors. So I was super excited to learn that she has a new series coming out. And it's just as fantastic as her The Ascendance Trilogy.

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for.

Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes.

In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.
  
I loved how the story combines Roman history with magical elements. This will really appeal to fans of the Percy Jackson series, but it is a totally different story, which is one of the reasons it's so good.  

The beginning lines are fantastic. Here they are:

     In Rome, nothing mattered more than the gods, and nothing mattered less than its slaves. Only a fool of a slave would ever challenge the gods' power.

     I was beginning to look like a fool.

Jennifer then moved immediately into the first scene filled with conflict and action. She artfully weaves

this theme into the chapter and the whole book. One of my critique partners was struggling with her first chapter at the time I started this and I typed out the first few pages of this chapter for her.

Jennifer also does a really good job creating Nic's voice. It's uniquely his, witty, sarcastic, and defiant at times. She's a master at getting her main character's voice right. And Nic is so sympathetic in his mission to find and save his sister.

The plot moves along without a dull moment. Often there is a little middle sag in a book. Not here. This is a real page turn with plot twists I couldn't see coming. 

This is a really good book to read to enjoy and, for a writer, to study for the craft of writing. I mostly just buy books to give away here now. But I'm planning to buy this for myself to learn from it.

I could go on and on, but I won't.

Scholastic generously provided me with an ARC of MARK OF THE THIEF, which I'm offering for a giveaway (Sob, sob!). If for some reason it's not your type of book, I hope you'll enter to win for a kid in your life that would enjoy it. 

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through February 21st. I’ll announce the winner on February 23rd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry.This is for for US and Canada.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was started by Shannon Messenger. You can find all the other participating blogs on her blog.

Here's what's coming up:

On Monday I'll have an interview with debut author Laurie McKay and a giveaway of her MG fantasy THE LAST DRAGON CHARMER.

The next Monday I have an interview with debut author Rhiannon Thomas and a giveaway of her YA fairy tale retelling A WICKED THING.

The Monday after that I have a guest post by debut author Karen Bao and a giveaway of her science fiction YA DOVE ARISING.
 
Wednesday that week I have a guest post by debut author Alison DeCamp on marketing middle grade novels and a giveaway of MY NEAR-DEATH ADVENTURES, her MG historical fiction similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid. 

The Monday after that I have an interview with debut author Victoria Aveyard and a giveaway of RED QUEEN, her YA fantasy/dystopian.


Hope to see you on Monday!