Blog Tour: Frozen Beauty by Lexa Hillyer

Frozen Beauty
By:
Lexa Hillyer

Publisher:
HarperTeen

Release Date:
March 17, 2020

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Source:
eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Synopsis:

Everyone in Devil’s Lake knows the three golden Malloy sisters—but one of them is keeping a secret that will turn their little world inside out….

No one knows exactly what happened to Kit in the woods that night—all they have are a constellation of facts: icy blue lips and fingers cold to the touch, a lacy bra, an abandoned pick-up truck with keys still in the ignition. Still, Tessa, even in her fog of grief, is certain that her sister’s killer wasn’t Boyd, the boy next door whom they’ve all loved in their own way. There are too many details that don’t add up, too many secrets still tucked away.

But no matter how fiercely she searches for answers, at the core of that complicated night is a truth that’s heartbreakingly simple.

Told in lush, haunting prose, Frozen Beauty is a story of the intoxicating power of first love, the deep bonds of sisterhood, and a shocking death that will forever change the living.

 

My Thoughts:

I was drawn to this story by the attractive book cover, and knew I needed to read it after I read the synopsis.  I enjoy stories that have sibling relationships, and thought it would be neat to read about sisters, with one of them having a big secret, turning up dead, and one of the remaining sisters investigating, to try to find out what happened.

Ms. Hillyer writes beautiful prose that are poetic and lyrical.  Her words effortlessly painted this story in my mind.  Frozen Beauty takes place in the small town of Devil's Lake, and is the story of the Malloy sisters.  

We learn about the eldest, senior in high school, Kit, who is the "perfect" sister.  She gets excellent grades, and volunteers her time.  Middle sister, Tessa, often gets overlooked, and doesn't have many friends.  The youngest sister, Lilly, a sophomore in high school, is a bit immature, likes being the center of attention, and often times feels left out, because the two oldest sisters are closer.  Right smack dab in the middle of the sisters is their friendship with next door neighbor Boyd, who is a junior in high school alongside, Tessa, and they are best friends.  Each of the sisters have feelings for Boyd, but keep their feelings about him a secret from one another.  As for Boyd's feelings, he gives mixed signals to the sisters.


One night, when Lilly is spending the night at her best friend Mel's house, she wakes up to find her missing.  When she goes to look for Mel, she is shocked to see Kit and Boyd together in his truck arguing, and then kissing.  The next day Kit turns up dead, and Boyd is locked up.  Boyd claims his innocence, but based on what Lilly saw, and the fact that Kit's DNA is all over his truck, the police believe they have a solid case against Boyd.  Tessa believes in Boyd's innocence, and is determined to prove that he isn't the one that killed her sister...

Frozen Beauty is told in chapters alternating between what happened before Kit's death, and what happened after her death.  We get a prologue by Boyd, as well as the majority of the story narrated by Tessa and Lilly.  The story casts a suspicious light over a few characters, and has the wheels in the reader's mind turning to try to piece together the puzzle of who murdered Kit.

I enjoyed the author's writing style, and learning about the Malloy Sisters.  The plot unraveled rather slowly.  This was a mystery that I was excited to solve, and along the way various serious topics were addressed. We learn a lot about Lilly's best friends Mel, the pushy leader of the group, and Dar, who has an eating disorder and struggling with coming to terms with her sexuality.  We learn about Patrick Donavan, Lilly's eventual love interest, who is the resident bad boy.  We get little poems sprinkled throughout the story written by Kit, and one thing quickly becomes clear; she was keeping a lot of secrets from her sisters.  

This story deals with the grief of losing a loved one; as Tessa, Lilly, and their mother struggle to move forward with their lives. If you are looking for a murder mystery with seamless beautiful writing, interesting characters, and a quick, effortless read, check out Frozen Beauty.   

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About the Author:

Lexa Hillyer is the Founder and President of Publishing at Glasstown Entertainment, an all-womxn creative development and production company located in New York and Los Angeles. She is also the author of Frozen Beauty, Spindle Fire, Winter Glass, and Proof of Forever, all young adult novels published by HarperCollins, as well as the poetry collection Acquainted with the Cold from Bona Fide Books. Acquainted with the Cold was the 2012 gold prize winner of the Foreword Book of the Year Award for Poetry and received the Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize. Her work has been featured in a variety of journals and collections including Best New Poets 2012, and she has received several honors for poetry. Lexa earned her BA in English from Vassar College and her MFA in Poetry from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She worked as an editor at both HarperCollins and Penguin, before founding Glasstown Entertainment along with New York Times Bestselling author Lauren Oliver. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter and their very skinny orange tree.

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Blog Tour: Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson

Sparrow
By: 
Mary Cecilia Jackson

Publisher:
Tor Teen

Published:
March 17, 2020

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Source:
eARC from Tor Teen via FFBC in exchange for a honest review

Book Synopsis:

In the tradition of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, a devastating but hopeful YA debut about a ballerina who finds the courage to confront the abuse that haunts her past and threatens her future. 

There are two kinds of people on the planet. Hunters and prey.  I thought I would be safe after my mother died. I thought I could stop searching for new places to hide. But you can’t escape what you are, what you’ve always been. My name is Savannah Darcy Rose. And I am still prey. 

Though Savannah Rose―Sparrow to her friends and family―is a gifted ballerina, her real talent is keeping secrets. Schooled in silence by her long-dead mother, Sparrow has always believed that her lifelong creed―“I’m not the kind of girl who tells”―will make her just like everyone else: Normal. Happy. Safe. But in the aftermath of a brutal assault by her seemingly perfect boyfriend Tristan, Sparrow must finally find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or lose herself forever….

My Thoughts:

Sparrow was a riveting read, that I found myself fully immersed in.  What an emotional reading experience!  This story hurt my heart, made me cry, and had me rooting for Sparrow.  I loved her character, and desperately wanted her to find her strength, and courage; as well as the road to healing.

Savannah "Sparrow" Rose endured abuse at the hands of her mother as a young girl, and nightmares continue to plague her.  As a talented and aspiring professional ballerina, she has the life of a typical teenager.  Her good friends Lucas and Delaney, as well as her father and doting aunt offer her an abundance of love, caring, nurturing, and support.

Sparrow is swept away by Tristan, a charming, rich, good looking, and popular athlete at her school.  When he starts abusing her, she makes excuses for him, because she loves him, and thinks he loves her.  However, what happens when you stay in an abusive relationship?  Could it eventually be a matter of life and death?

What an intense and profound story!  With Sparrow, we learn about the cycle of abuse, and how it effects everyone, not just the person being abused.  In this story we get two points of view; Sparrow, and her best friend Lucas.  Serious topics are addressed, such as abuse, death of a loved one, and how to heal; along with all of the emotions that come with these experiences.

I loved how much this story sucked me in, and how it consumed my emotions.  It had a spectacular cast of characters that were real and relatable.  Sparrow was a vulnerable, sweet, caring, and loving character. I loved reading about her dancing, and could picture her in the studio with Lucas.  These two were very passionate about ballet, and as a reader, I was front and center as they performed. 

Lucas was the type of friend that would give you the shirt off his back.  He was loyal, kind, and always there for Sparrow.  He was going through his own pain, but always made time for Sparrow and his family.  I appreciated his persistence and perseverance in trying to make Sparrow realize that she deserved better, and needed to get out of her relationship.  He was in love with his best friend, and I wanted her to see what was right in front of her face.  His Grandma Deidre was a favorite character of mine.  I loved spending time with her.  She was wise, funny, and so caring.  

If you are looking to get swept away in a story, check out Sparrow!  This book delivered so many emotions, strong and loving friendships and familial relationships, as well as messages about life, hope and healing.

 

Purchase At:

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Google Books | Kobo | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Mary Cecilia Jackson has worked as a middle school teacher, an adjunct instructor of college freshmen, a technical writer and editor, a speechwriter, a museum docent, and a development officer for central Virginia's PBS and NPR stations. Her first novel, Sparrow, was an honor recipient of the SCBWI Sue Alexander Award and a young-adult finalist in the Writers' League of Texas manuscript contest. She lives with her architect husband, William, in Western North Carolina and Hawaii, where they have a farm and five ridiculously adorable goats. 

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Blog Tour: Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning

Throw Like a Girl

By: 
Sarah Henning

Publisher:
Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Published:
January 7, 2020

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Source: 
eARC from Little Brown via FFBC in exchange for a honest review

Book Synopsis:

Friday Night Lights meets Morgan Matson's The Unexpected Everything in this contemporary debut where swoonworthy romance meets underdog sports story. 

When softball star Liv Rodinsky throws one ill-advised punch during the most important game of the year, she loses her scholarship to her fancy private school, her boyfriend, and her teammates all in one fell swoop. With no other options, Liv is forced to transfer to the nearest public school, Northland, where she'll have to convince their coach she deserves a spot on the softball team, all while facing both her ex and the teammates of the girl she punched... Every. Single. Day.  

Enter Grey, the injured star quarterback with amazing hair and a foolproof plan: if Liv joins the football team as his temporary replacement, he'll make sure she gets a spot on the softball team in the Spring. But it will take more than the perfect spiral for Liv to find acceptance in Northland's halls, and behind that charming smile, Grey may not be so perfect after all. 

With well-drawn characters and a charming quarterback love interest who's got brains as well as brawn, Throw Like a Girl will have readers swooning from the very first page.

My Thoughts:

I enjoy sports romance, and was excited when I saw the book synopsis for Throw Like a Girl.  I enjoyed this story from the very beginning, and looked forward to each evening, when I could power up my Kindle, and escape in to the life of Liv Rodinsky.

Liv was such a strong character.  I admired her courage, heart, tenacity, and perseverance.  She enjoyed a good challenge and never backed down out of fear or insecurity.

As a softball star Liv, otherwise known as "O Rod," enjoyed attending all girls school Windsor Prep on scholarship, playing ball under the coaching of older sister Danielle, and bonding with friends; especially best friend Addie.  However, when she is provoked in playoffs, and punches another player, she loses her team, school scholarship, and boyfriend Jake; who attends opposing public high school Northland. 

Now forced to attend Northland, she is in classes with her ex-boyfriend and football star Jake, and girls from the softball team that dislike her.  Liv's only hope of getting a place on the Northland softball team and a scholarship for college, is to prove to coach Kitt that she can be a team player. 

When gorgeous injured quarterback Grey offers a way for Liv to prove that she's a team player, and get him to put in a good word for her with his mother, who happens to be coach Kitt, she takes it!  Now Liv is training as a quarterback in an all male sport, alongside Jake and Grey, and it's sure to be an experience that she will never forget!

I loved the way the author made me feel like I was at each football practice and football game.  I could visualize everything perfectly, and found myself holding my breath in anticipation! I enjoyed the camaraderie of Liv and her teammates, and was rooting for this underdog!  Liv was such a stellar character, and I needed her to be successful!

There were so many heartwarming moments in this story.  Sparks flew from the beginning between Liv and Grey, and I loved the way they flirted, trained, played, and had a great time together. Grey had me swooning with his sweet and dreamy personality.  One of my favorite aspects of the story was Liv's relationship with her family.  They were a tight and loving unit, and her mom was battling cancer, but was such a tower of strength.  Liv had such a special relationship with older sister Danielle, and younger brother Ryan; and both of these relationships had me smiling from ear to ear, and getting teary eyed.

Throw Like a Girl flowed seamlessly, it had "all the feels," great messages about strength, growing up, and maturity; swoon-worthy moments, and was an excellent read that I highly recommend to fans of young adult sports romance! 

Book Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE 

In every baseball movie ever, it’s the same. 

Bottom of the ninth. Bases loaded. Two out. 

The crowd breathless at the batter’s back. The players in the dugout on their feet. The opposing pitcher staring daggers from the mound with steam pouring from flared nostrils. 

At the plate: the team’s star, bat pointed toward the wall, challenge clear. 

In real life — in softball — it doesn’t exactly work out that way. 

It’s close. 

But not as if penned by a writer’s hand. 

It’s the bottom of the seventh — there are n’t nine innings in high school softball. But the bases are loaded. And there are two out. 

The crowd is breathless, the players in the dugout are on their feet, and the opposing pitcher has got the raging - bull thing going on from the mound. 

But the team’s star isn’t at the plate. 

She’s on it. 

Wilted in the dirt after taking a seventy - mile - per - hour fastball to the back. Motionless. Eyes stunned open. All senses on pause, a rolling clap of pain drowning out everything else. 

As the crowd holds its collective b reath, I search for mine. My lungs don’t seem to be working, and the catcher and umpire both loom over me, outlines blurry with the same fuzzy energy as a 3 - D movie left to the naked eye. 

I blink a few times. First at the lights. Then at the catcher and um p. And, finally, at the upside - down eagles name scrawled across my chest, willing my rib cage to nudge my lungs into action. 

Up. Down. Up. Down. In. Out. In. Out. 

The sound comes flooding in as my chest finally rises. The shouts of my teammates, the sweet girls of Windsor Prep, will me up. My coach’s voice — my sister’s voice — above them all. 

“Stand, Liv! Stand!” 

I make it to my feet, back hot and lungs still warming up. 

Brows pulled together, I shoot my game - day glare at the mound. Kelly Cleary’s red hair cla shes horribly with her stupid orange - and - white uniform; her cat - eye liquid liner is so thick it hides the fact that she has actual eyes. And they must not be able to see worth crap, because she just hit a batter with the bases loaded and one down. 

Which means that if I can walk over to first base, everyone advances and we score a run to tie it. Not exactly the walk - off grand slam of my dreams, but it’s one way to move out of this round and into the Kansas state championship game. 

Or at least get one run fro m doing that. 

Again, another true - life technicality. 

Both sides of the crowd are clapping, because that’s just what you do when someone gets hit by a pitch. My parents, brother, and Heather are on their feet. My teammates are a rowdy block of purple, crowd ing the dugout rail, ribbons and ponytails kissing their cheeks in the breeze, clapping me to first. 

“Nice job, O - Rod!” There’s my best friend, Addie, cheering even though she’s about to bat. 

My sister, Danielle, has her arms crossed over the eagles scrawl ed on her chest, the wedding ring Heather gave her two years ago glinting in the stadium lights. She does her stern - coach nod. It’s a look I first saw at age three, when she was twelve and egging me on as I threw her the ball for the millionth time. She wa s a hell of a player, but she’s always — always — been a coach. 

On the other end of the stadium, I spy my boyfriend, Jake. Dreads to his shoulders, he’s dressed out in his orange football jersey, number thirty - two, clapping along with a few teammates in Northl and’s section of the crowd. Wearing their jerseys out of season to big games is a tradition, or so he says. But while he looks the part of a good, supportive student athlete from the rival school, I know that even though we’ve only been dating since the Spring Prep Preview photo shoot at the Kansas City Star in February, he’s totally here for me. 

Below the Northland section is its dugout where the Tigers’ veteran coach, Trudi Kitterage, observes from the steps. Coach Kitt looks like the burnt - bacon version of a head cheerleader — all hard curves and tan lines. But her talent is real. And her team is good. Too good for Kelly’s mistake. Meaning, if I sawed Kelly in half with my own glare, Coach Kitt’s stare is roasting the pieces of her in a bonfire of why - the - h ell - did - you - do - that. 

Because in ten of my shuffling steps, we’ll be tied. 

Eight more steps. Six. Four. Two. 

And then I’m on the bag at first, squeezing in next to Stacey Sanderson. Who, up until a minute ago, was my least favorite player on the Northland team. 

She can hit. She can run. And she’s Jake’s gorgeous ex - girlfriend. 

From, like, two years ago. Or something. Whatever. I’m not sure — but there’s a history there. And she’s been reminding me of it the whole game. Giving me side - mouthed sass every time I’ve gotten on base. Which, let’s be honest, has been a lot. 

This time, I strike first. Shaking my head as I clap home our third - base runner, Rosemary, for the tying score. “One away, Sanderson. All because your girl Cleary can’t hit the broad side of a barn.” 

The corners of Stacey’s mouth quirk up but her eyes stay at home, where Addie is settling into her mega - erect stance. The girl can dunk and hit the three, but she’s a praying mantis in cleats. “I’d say she hit the broad side of something, all right.” 

I snort and roll my eyes. “Jake loves my curves.” 

“Jake also runs headfirst into a pack of bodies for three months a year. Brain cells aren’t his forte, Rodinsky.” 

“Whatever, Skeletor.” 

Addie dusts Kelly’s curveball, but it falls straight into the catcher’s mitt. Strike one. 

Come on, McAndry. Just a base hit. No extra innings. Just a straight seven - inning pass to the championship. 

Stacey sniffs. “I have a lot of admirers of my ass, thankyouverymuch.” 

I don’t even miss a beat. “They’re just trying to figure out how you sit comfortably on something so flat.” 

Addie squares her shoulders and waits for another pitch, looking very bad ass. Kelly is taking forfreakingever, so I start to inch off base and away from Stacey’s fish lips. But then Cleary actually does s omething right and whips the ball to first. I hit the dirt just in time, fingertips grazing the base before Stacey gets the tag. 

Called safe, I stand, not bothering to wipe off the dust streaking across my chest and the Eagles logo. 

“Nice skunk streaks, Rodinsky.” 

Whatever. I keep watching Addie, willing her to mow down whatever - the - hell pitch Cleary finally comes out with. 

“I think they highlight my assets much better than my uniform on its own,” I shoot back. 

“I’m not so sure about that” — here comes the pitch, fast and straight, and square in the batter’s box — “better ask your sister.” 

Addie’s bat rockets forward and connects, sending the ball straight into the gap between second and third, dropping short of the outfielder at left. 

My body knows it’s supposed to run — it’s been trained to run at the crack of the bat for the past thirteen years — but my mind is reeling. Did she just imply what I think she implied? 

Stunned, I stutter - step, weighed down by her voice in my ears. Somehow, I move forward enough to make it to second, giving Addie room at first so Christy can score the walk - off run. But my brain is back at first. Where Stacey is standing, punching her free hand into her glove, pissed that Northland’s state run is now officially over. She’s a senior, so it ’s really the end of her road. We’ve won and she’s ended her high school career with a loss. 

I should smile. Collapse in relief. Cheer about going to the championship game. But I can’t — not until I respond. I have to say something. I can’t just let her say something like that and then go home like it didn’t happen. 

Sanderson is moping at first, so I jog back down the first - to - second line. My teammates are all celebrating at home base with Christy, but there’s no way I can go straight there. I drop in next to Stacey, now walking in the direction of her dugout. 

“What did you say?” My voice is clipped. 

She doesn’t even look in my direction. “Nothing.” 

“No, I think you did. And I think you meant something very specific.” 

Stacey’s eyes roll my way. They’re a muddy shade of brown, made worse by the fact that her eyebrows are on the endangered species list. “Doesn’t it bother you? Your sister being paid to check out your teammates?” 

“Excuse me?" 

She purses her lips and says, slowly, “You heard me. Your sister. Is paid. To check out. Your teammates.” 

The knuckles of my right hand smack her straight across the ski jump of her obnoxiously pert nose, and we tumble to the infield dirt. I have her pinned, my butt across her kidneys, knees on either side of her squirming stomach. 

“Don’t talk about my sister like that!” 

At the taste of infield, she bucks wildly and we both land on our sides. She scrambles on top of me but I get her hard across the nose again. She yelps, blood leaking onto her lips. 

“You owe me a new nose!” 

Her right hand goes back, fingers pulled into a fist. I see a heavy caking of dirt across her knuckles before she misses my nose and lands a blow square to my right eye. 

Tears immediately begin to pool at my lash line. We’re upended again, and I’m on top o f her long enough to score one more open palm to her cheekbone before I’m finally yanked away by at least two teammates. Maybe three or four. 

I vaguely hear Addie’s voice. “Be cool, O - Rod! Cool! Liv. OLIVE.” 

It seems to come almost from the inside of my head rather than outside, where the crowd has gone for a collective gasp. 

Her words and hands carry me — I’m tall, but Addie’s taller and stronger, using all her leverage to pull me away. More hands come. More voices, too. Above the din, I hear Danielle, her coach voice turned up to eleven. “Hey, hey, hey! Stop! Stop!” 

Three of Stacey’s teammates have a hold on her — two at her shoulders, Kelly Cleary at her waist. The girl’s still swinging, though, blood dripping down her chin and onto the stylized Tigers logo s crawled across her boobs. 

Coach Kitt strolls over and calmly fills Sanderson’s line of sight just as I’m wrenched in the opposite direction of Stacey and right into the arms of Danielle, who can’t quit it with the “Hey, stop!” 

She hooks one of her arms around my shoulders and hauls me toward the dugout. The move effectively turns both our backs on the celebration happening at home plate, delayed initially when everyone stopped to watch us fight. On Danielle’s word, the assistant coaches run out to get our t eam set to shake hands with Northland. My good eye tries to look up at her, but all I see is her lips quiver.

When she speaks, it’s at a disappointed whisper — one I hear over the crowd, over my teammates hesitantly going back to celebrating our state champi onship berth, over the pounding of my heart that’s doing a drum solo for my ears. 

“Olive Rodinsky, how could you."

Purchase At:

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About the Author:

Sarah Henning is a recovering journalist who has worked for the Palm Beach Post, Kansas City Star and Associated Press, among others. While in South Florida, Sarah lived and worked through five hurricanes, which gave her an extreme respect for the ocean. When not writing, she runs ultramarathons, hits the playground with her two kids and hangs out with her husband Justin, who doubles as her long-suffering IT department. Sarah lives in Lawrence, Kansas, which, despite being extremely far from the beach, happens to be pretty cool.

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