VIOLET GRENADE by Victoria Scott Blog Tour & Giveaway

Our classroom is so excited to be hosting Victoria Scott today on her epic VIOLET GRENADE Blog Tour! Often in our daily lives, teens like us have to face bullying. We are so thankful to Victoria for joining us today to feature "10 Things to Know About Bullying"

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the blog post!

Publication Date: May 2, 2017

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Welcome to Violet Grenade...

DOMINO (def.): A girl with blue hair and a demon in her mind.

CAIN (def.): A stone giant on the brink of exploding.

MADAM KARINA (def.): A woman who demands obedience.

WILSON (def.): The one who will destroy them all.

When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind. Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.

Link to Goodreads:

Purchase Links: 

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Meet Victoria!

Victoria Scott is the acclaimed author of eight books for young adults. Her novels are sold in fourteen different countries, and she loves receiving fan mail from across the world. Victoria loves high fashion, big cities, and pink cotton candy. You can find her online at VictoriaScott.com.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instragram | Goodreads

Guest Post by the Author...

10 Things to Know About Bullying

1. It happens to everyone. To the popular, and the not-so-popular. To the fat and thin and beautiful and odd and tall and short. No one escapes it. No one.  

2. It usually happens within a definitive period in your life. Meaning, it will end. For me, it was when I was in middle school. I was never bullied after that. But I know people who were bullied in high school, or college, or in adulthood. But it always lasted for a period of time, and then ended.

3. Bullies are usually afraid, yes, but some are just sadistic. Let’s say this out loud and stop defending bullies’ actions. Some people are just mean. Trust me when I say these people won’t win at the game of life. Sometimes I look up people who bullied me when I was a kid. Should I lie and say it doesn’t gladden me when I see how their lives have turned out? I won’t. *wink*

4. Being bullied makes you a better person. Because you were bullied, you will be more understanding. Your heart will grow. You will care about others. You will have been there, and so you will hurt when others do.

5. Some of the most successful, most brilliant people were bullied. See my first point. We all go through it at some point, but the most talented and intelligent usually get it more than others, because bullies smell that this person has potential, and they’re envious.

6. The more you are bullied, the harder you should work. Get better grades. Work even harder on the field. Love yourself deeper. This is my motto in life. Are you paying attention? Here it is: Win…in the end.

7. Talk to someone. Out loud. Do it. Right now. Right after you read this. And I want you to picture me holding your hand when you do. Now get up. Find someone who is kind. And tell them. *hugs you*

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Find out where Victoria will be next!

Link to the Tour Schedule!

Giveaway Details... WIN! Signed paperback of The Collector, a signed paperback of Titans, and a signed galley of Hear the Wolves.

Enter HERE!!

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Literary Reflections

All The Bright Places

by Jennifer Niven

A boy, beautiful and broken,

A girl, whose smile bears great pain,

Meet high above the earth

In their own little world.

In a town too small,

The future is so endless,

Yet there is so little time.

Call me an optimist,

Or is it truly

Love At First Sight?

They Bond.

They Laugh.

They Cry.

They Overcome their fears.

It seems they can conquer the world,

Together.

Until it all ends forever...

What do you do when all seems lost?

When it felt like they were going to be with you forever

If only I could just bring you back

For even a second

And Hug you

Kiss you

And tell you I loved you

One final time....

....or at least have said good-bye.

Poem by Kelley C.

ARC Review: The Call by Peadar O'Guilin

The Call 

by Peadar O'Guilin

I flew through this book! Imagine the Hunger Games almost. Every teen has to try to survive the 3 minute call. Imagine being chased down by 2 ugly, teen-hungry, vicious, monsters ready to torture and kill you. You only have to survive one day BUT only 1/10 make it out alive. Good luck sleeping at night after you grab ahold of this book.

    The author Peadar O'Guilin created this book to give readers something different. The Call isn't your average book. It consists of many plot twist from the real world. The Call is set in an Irish world that has no communication with the rest of the world. Teenagers in Ireland are taught how to survive the call instead of algebra or how to write an essay. The Call makes readers think. It's similar to Hunger Games but its something much more! The Call not only focuses on surviving, but also every man for himself. Shockingly, The Call includes challenges a teenager will face, along with the human emotions and turmoil felt by a teenagers. Nessa is a teenager at school. She is of course learning how to survive the Sidhe (The Call). Nessa's challenge of surviving is lower because of her weakened legs. But despite her challenges nothing will stop Nessa from coming out as a survivor. Or so she believes.

    I personally highly recommend this book! It's more than hard to put down. I would rate The Call a 5 out of 5 stars. It has great qualities and just the whole plot itself is so interesting. Nothing about it was predictable, and it was almost impossible to this book down. Make this be your next read!

Review by Reece K.

Publisher: Scholastic

Published: August 30, 2016

Hardcover Pages: 320

*Our class received an ARC of this book to read and review from Scholastic, in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review of Saving Hamlet

Saving Hamlet

by Molly Booth

Emma Alan couldn't be more excited for sophomore year. New haircut, new life, right? Maybe this year will be the one where Brandon, her senior crush, will notice her. But as soon as she arrives at school, she's pulled aside by Brandon (her heart somersaulting) and tells her that she's been promoted to stage manager! But there are some things that come with it she didn't expect. One day, when she's staying after school, she accidentally falls into a trap door built just for her high school's production of Hamlet. But when she hits the mat, she can tell it's...different.  Well, turns out that she's traveled back 400 years in time. She soon finds that she didn't land in any old place, but Shakespeare's very own Globe! Saving Hamlet by Molly Booth includes many relatable subjects from the very jumbled minds of teenagers. Throughout finding where her heart, head, and life lies, something Emma said was, "it was it wasn't over yet." I'm sure we've all had the same thoughts in her heads when faced with failure at some point, right? The author so precisely captures something that millions of teens could relate with easily.
My favorite character was Cooke, because of how well written he was. Cooke, a twentysomething Ophelia for Shakespeare, was comical yet someone you could easily rely on. He never failed to make Emma laugh and fit in with the Shakespearian cultures. Saving Hamlet and it's wonderful way of connecting with the reader on every level really made the experience worthwhile.

  Finally, Molly Booth and her wonderful cast of characters really opened my eyes to the way people think. She taught me that you have to break out of your shell to succeed. It really stood out from any other teen fiction book on the market, from the interwoven plot lines down to the comedy. She teaches us that living outside what you normally call your comfort zone can really be worthwhile.

5/5 stars.

• Age Range: 12 - 17 years
• Grade Level: 7 - 12
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (November 1, 2016)

Thanks to Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity for review.

Review by Adrianna P.

ARC Review of The Possibility of Now

Just imagine, one day you’re the valedictorian of your top tier high school, and the next there is a video on YouTube with over 600,000 views of you and scraps of your old life. The Possibility of Now features Mara, an over-achiever who attends a prestigious private school in San Diego. But one day, a full-blown panic attacks complete with shredding papers and screaming before a test sends her whole world plummeting down. Mara travels up to Tahoe to live with her life-absent father, Trick, and everything she’s ever believed and worked for is put to the ultimate test.

Mara faces many difficulties upon reaching Tahoe. From boys to school, she’s neck deep in adventure. Mara is an absolute favorite character because I can easily relate to her and she is very similar to who I strive to be. Both major perfectionists, I believe that her going to Tahoe has inspired me to expand and live out of my control.

Kim Cultberson sets a beautiful vision for Mara’s world. She writes every character spectacularly, and doesn’t make up any cliches to help to move her plot along.  Her own story is enough. The Possibility of Now teaches readers to live in the now, and that life should be embraced, not clutched at trying to survive. The person that you grew up as is not always your true self, as evident with Mara - there is “San Diego Mara”, “Tahoe Mara”, and my personal favorite, just Mara.

Finally, I would highly, highly recommend this book. It stands apart from any other realistic fiction novels on the radar, and I would recommend it for people looking for a way to escape from their own reality. Every character written is relatable in their own way. It gives a glimpse of what living outside of your comfort zone really has to offer.

5/5 stars.                                                                     

The Possibility of Now comes to shelves January 26th, 2016.      

By: Devon K.