{Blog Tour} An EXCERPT of Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield!

 

Welcome back to Liv the Book Nerd! 

Today I have the pleasure of bringing you an excerpt of the newly released Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield! This book has already received so many lovely reviews and I'm already obsessed as I start reading it for myself. 

"This is an excellent examination of the ways wealth, gender, and color can shape and at times create mental and emotional fractures. Verdict: A great title for public and high school libraries looking for books that offer a ­nuanced look at patriarchy, wealth, and gender dynamics." 

—School Library Journal (starred review)

"Bromfield may have made a name for herself for her role on Riverdale, but with this debut, about a volatile father-daughter relationship and discovering the ugly truths hidden beneath even the most beautiful facades, she is establishing herself as a promising writer...this is a must." 

—Booklist (starred review)

Synopsis: 

Tilla has spent her entire life trying to make her father love her. But every six months, he leaves their family and returns to his true home: the island of Jamaica.

When Tilla’s mother tells her she’ll be spending the summer on the island, Tilla dreads the idea of seeing him again, but longs to discover what life in Jamaica has always held for him.

In an unexpected turn of events, Tilla is forced to face the storm that unravels in her own life as she learns about the dark secrets that lie beyond the veil of paradise—all in the midst of an impending hurricane.

Hurricane Summer is a powerful coming of age story that deals with colorism, classism, young love, the father-daughter dynamic—and what it means to discover your own voice in the center of complete destruction.

On-sale: May 4, 2021!

Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Indiebound // iBooks

Bookshop.org

Add to Goodreads

About the Author:

Asha Bromfield is an actress, singer, and writer of Afro-Jamaican descent. She is known for her role as Melody Jones, drummer of Josie and the Pussycats in CW’s Riverdale. She also stars as Zadie Wells in Netflix’s hit show, Locke and Key. Asha is a proud ambassador for the Dove Self-Esteem Project, and she currently lives in Toronto where she is pursuing a degree in Communications. In her spare time, she loves studying astrology, wearing crystals, burning sage, and baking vegan desserts. Hurricane Summer is her debut novel.

Twitter @ashabrom

Instagram @ashabrom

E X C E R P T

2

We touch down at 1:46 p.m. local time.

Warm air floods the plane as the doors open, and the sweet aroma of fruit wafts in the air. Passengers race to grab their bags as the thick accent comes over the PA once again:

“Ladiez and gentle-mon, welcome to Kingston, Jamaica. It iz a beautiful day here on the island, and we wish you nothing but irie on your travels. It has been our pleasure to have you on board. As always, thank you for flying Air Jamaica.”

I gently shake Mia awake as Patois begins to pour out all around us. I grab our backpacks from the cabin, and we throw them over our shoulders before trudging off the plane.

As we make our way through the busy airport, we are sur- rounded by a sea of rich, dark skin. I feel courageous as we navigate through the brown and black bodies, and I can’t help but wonder if the feeling of belonging is why Dad loves it so much here.

Once we clear at customs, we continue our trek through the massive airport. All around us, people smile and laugh, and there is a mellowness to their pace. Most of the women wear bright colors and intricate braids in their hair, Afros, or long locks down their backs. An array of sandals and flip-flops highlight all the bright painted toenails as Mia and I weave through the crowd.

“Stay close!” I yell, grabbing on to her hand. When we find the exit, I grow nervous knowing what awaits us on the other side. I look to Mia. “You have everything?”

She nods.

“Okay,” I whisper to myself. “Let’s do this.”

With our suitcases lugging behind us, we spill out of the doors and into the hot sun. The heat immediately consumes me, and it is amplified by the chaos and noise that surrounds us. The streets are packed. Loud horns blare, and people yell back and forth in thick, heavy Patois accents. Men argue on the side of the road, their dialect harsh as they negotiate the rates for local shuttle buses. Along the roads, merchants sell colorful beaded jewelry and fruit so ripe that I can taste it in the air. Women wear beautiful head wraps and sell plantains and provisions, bartering back and forth with eager travelers. People spew out of overcrowded taxis, desperate to catch their flights as others hop in, desperate to get home. The sun pierces my skin as the humidity and gas fumes fill my lungs. The action is overwhelming, and I feel like a fish out of water. As we wait by the curb, there is no sight of our father.

“What if he forgot?” Mia asks.

“He wouldn’t,” I reply. “Mom just talked to him.” “What if he got the time mixed up?”

“He’ll be here.”

But the truth is, when it comes to our father, I can never be sure.

I fight with this idea as five minutes turn into ten, and ten into twenty. The heat blazes, and sweat drips down my stomach. I check my watch: forty-two minutes.

I pull my pink hoodie over my head to reveal a white tank top, tying the hoodie around

my waist to better manage the heat. Without my phone, I have no way of contacting him to see where he is.

But he said he’d be here. He gave us his word.

Fifty-six minutes later, our father is nowhere to be found. My eyes frantically search the crowd as I ponder how much his word is truly worth. Time and time again, he has proven that the answer is not much. I turn to Mia, ready to tell her to head back inside. Worry graces her face for the first time since we left. Her carefree attitude fades as the concern of a nine-year-old takes over. I can’t stand to see her like this, and I’ll do whatever it takes to escape the feeling that is bubbling inside of me.

We’ll take the first plane out.

“Mi, Dad’s not coming. Let’s go back insid—”

“Yow! Tilla!” A deep voice interrupts me mid-sentence. I whip my head around to find my father standing a few feet away with two freshly sliced pineapple drinks in hand. “Daddy!” Mia screams. She drops her things on the curb and sprints toward him. My heart does somersaults.

One glimpse of my father and I am a child again.

~ ~ ~

Who else is completely intrigued? I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of this book! Comment down below with your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~
Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code // Ko-Fi // Book of the Month

{Author Guest Post} Q&A with Alexandra Villasante for the Release of The Grief Keeper

Hey, guys!

I was contacted by the lovely people over at Penguin/Putnam for the awesome blog tour for The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante! While I'm only a few pages into the story, I'm really enjoying it so far. The concepts that Villasante touches on through her work is so fascinating and I'm so excited to continue my journey through this book. If you're interested in picking up this book, feel free to follow the links down below! This book came out on the 11th! Thank you Penguin/Putnam for gifting a copy to me!

I'm so excited to share the Q&A that I did with Alexandra Villasante! She's honestly so freaking cool and I'm already in love with her writing style. 

Page Count: 320

Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers 

Published on: June 11, 2019

Pages: 320 

Format: Hardcover 

Source: Copy provided by publisher for review 

Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

Goodreads synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Marisol has always dreamed of being American, learning what Americans and the US are like from television and Mrs. Rosen, an elderly expat who had employed Marisol's mother as a maid. When she pictured an American life for herself, she dreamed of a life like Aimee and Amber's, the title characters of her favorite American TV show. She never pictured fleeing her home in El Salvador under threat of death and stealing across the US border as "an illegal", but after her brother is murdered and her younger sister, Gabi's, life is also placed in equal jeopardy, she has no choice, especially because she knows everything is her fault. If she had never fallen for the charms of a beautiful girl named Liliana, Pablo might still be alive, her mother wouldn't be in hiding and she and Gabi wouldn't have been caught crossing the border.

But they have been caught and their asylum request will most certainly be denied. With truly no options remaining, Marisol jumps at an unusual opportunity to stay in the United States. She's asked to become a grief keeper, taking the grief of another into her own body to save a life. It's a risky, experimental study, but if it means Marisol can keep her sister safe, she will risk anything. She just never imagined one of the risks would be falling in love, a love that may even be powerful enough to finally help her face her own crushing grief.

The Grief Keeper is a tender tale that explores the heartbreak and consequences of when both love and human beings are branded illegal.

~~~

About Alexandra Villasante

Alexandra Villasante has always loved telling stories—though not always with words. She has a BFA in Painting and an MA in Combined Media (that’s art school speak for making work out of anything). Born in New Jersey to immigrant parents, Alex has the privilegio of dreaming in both English and Spanish. 

When she’s not writing, painting or chasing chickens around the yard, Alexandra plans conferences and fundraisers for non-profits. She lives with her family in the semi-wilds of Pennsylvania. You can find Alexandra on Twitter and Instagram at @magpiewrites.

~~~

Thank you so much, Alexandra for answering my questions! Enjoy, everyone!

1. What inspired you to write The Grief Keeper?

I’m something of a science-geek, despite the Fine Art degrees. I like to read articles about developing science and technology, especially if there’s a speculative aspect. I read an article about a wearable device that was being developed to alleviate some of the symptoms of PTSD—fear, anxiety, grief— in soldiers coming back from war.

Separately, I’d been thinking about my parents, who were immigrants. Though they are naturalized now and retired, they worked and sacrificed and suffered loneliness when they first came to this country. Still, they would have done almost anything to give my sister and I the best life they could.

Those two ideas collided when I asked myself: What if there were a way to erase those terrible emotions of fear, anxiety and grief? Then, thinking of how energy cannot be created or destroyed, I thought about how those emotions had to go somewhere. That’s when it came together as an idea for a book. Undesirable burdens are something we as a society place upon immigrants on a daily basis. It wasn't much of a stretch to imagine replacing physically arduous jobs like cleaning and farming with an emotionally arduous job like absorbing someone else’s grief.

2.   In your bio, you say that you’re the daughter of immigrant parents. How did your family’s culture impact your writing journey and your story in the end?

I’d started writing The Grief Keeper before the 2016 election (spoiler alert: publishing is a slo-o-ow business!) and, even though the immigrant experience has always been part of my family’s story, the results of the election, and the ensuing crack down on immigrants and asylum seekers, made me think about how differently things could have turned out for us had politics been different in my parent’s day. Headline stories of families like mine suffering separation and loss only intensified the feelings I already had about these topics. Marisol and Gabi’s story became more fraught, and their sibling love for each other became stronger through their adversity. The whole book took on more intensity, just like real life did.

3.           What does diversity in literature mean to you?

I’m on the event committee of an incredible conference called The Color of Children’s Literature. This year, the closing keynote was a conversation between Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop and Jacqueline Woodson. Needless to say, it was a privilege to listen to the wisdom and passion of these women. When it comes to diversity, Dr. Sims Bishop’s maxim of creating windows where the reader can see other cultures, races, religions and abilities along with mirrors so readers can see themselves and their experiences reflected back to them, is critical in children’s literature. It’s not a nice to have; it’s not a trend or phase. Diversity is an imperative.

4.      What is your favorite way to creatively express yourself and why?

It’s definitely writing. But I also paint and draw – sometimes when I’ve got writer’s block, I’ll sketch character or scene until I push through the block. I unashamedly love karaoke and have just this week started playing D&D for the first time. I think I’m a half-elf necromantic wizard? But I could be wrong about that…

5.   In The Grief Keeper, there seems to be a heavy focus surrounding important topics that are so relevant in our political climate. Human rights and kindness are so freaking important. I was wonder if you had a message that you would like to put out to those who will read this Q&A?

The message I have is that Marisol and Rey deserve to love and be loved and they deserve to live without fear of their lives. Everyone deserves that, whether they are seeking asylum in this country, mired in poverty or struggling with mental illness. If you read The Grief Keeper and want those things for Marisol and Rey, then hopefully, you’ll want them for people in real life who are, right now being persecuted in one way or another for who they are and who they love.

~~~

BUZZ ABOUT THE GRIEF KEEPER

"Villasante’s engrossing debut about two Salvadoran sisters recently arrived in the U.S. opens with plenty of tension…[she] builds her novel about undocumented immigrants into a suspenseful story with credible relationships, satisfying character development, and elements of science fiction.” 

 —Publishers Weekly

 “In her debut, Villasante captures the pressures of internalized racism in immigrants…Will grip readers and provoke empathy.”

—Kirkus Review

"Villasante's novel is for the reader who wants to get down and dirty with the emotional landscape, who wants a romance that is hard-earned and sweetly won. The Grief Keeper shows us trauma and grief without ever glorifying the pain or wallowing in the tragedy, creating a realistic yet still hopeful world seen through the gaze of an intelligent, curious protagonist.”

—Shelf Awareness

Happy reading!

Olivia

~Liv the Book Nerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code

{Review} The Creature of the Pines (The Unicorn Rescue Society #1) by Adam Gitwitz, Jesse Casey, Christopher Smith, & Hatem Aly

Page Count: 176

Published on: April 10, 2018

Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): Children's, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Source: Paperback ARC - provided by publisher

Age Rating: ages 8+

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Elliot Eisner isn't exactly excited about starting at a brand-new school in a brand-new town; he'd much rather stay at home and read a book. But things take an unexpected turn when he finds out his weird new teacher, Professor Fauna, has planned a field trip for Elliot's very first day. Along with a new friend--brave, outspoken Uchenna Devereaux--Elliot gets caught up in a secret group of adventurers, The Unicorn Rescue Society, whose goal is to protect and defend the world's mythical creatures. Together with Professor Fauna, Elliot and Uchenna must help rescue a Jersey Devil from a duo of conniving, greedy billionaires, the Schmoke Brothers.

~~~

Hey, guys!

     An advance reading copy was sent to me for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Penguin/Dutton for sending me this adorable book. 

     The Creature of the Pines follows Elliot Eisner as he begins his first day of school. His first day starts out quite oddly, as his class is going on a field trip to the Pine Barrens. On the way to the Barrens, Elliot befriends an outspoken little girl named Uchenna Devereaux who dresses like a rock star and makes up songs about what all goes on around her. They become fast friends when Uchenna runs off to investigate a mysterious rustling. Elliot and Uchenna are soon caught up in a wild and mysterious group called The Unicorn Rescue Society. A secret group that is dedicated to taking care of and defending mythical and magical creatures. Together, with their whacky teacher Professor Fauna, they go on an rescue mission to save one of the coolest mythical creatures from the greedy and evil Schmoke Brothers. 

      This little book was just so freaking cute. I think it's a great introduction to the characters, the Unicorn Rescue Society, and to the little world that is being created. This book is full of some great characters that I think will be a great introduction to new and young readers. I love love love love Uchenna's character. She is so cool and I think she has the potential to become a great role model for the children that read the stories. Elliot is such a sweet dude. I love how intelligent and caring he is and how his character is already beginning to develop and grow. Uchenna and Elliot butt heads, but their personalities really work together and I think they complement each other quite nicely. 

     I'm excited to see where they go next and I'm quite excited for the next few books in the  series. I think this is going to be a great series for kids and adults, alike. It's so imaginative and fun. 

Thank you Penguin/Dutton for asking me to be a part of this blog tour. This book was adorable and I'm so excited for it to be out in the world!

The Creature of the Pines comes out April 10!

In celebration of the release of The Creature of the Pines, I was asked to share my favorite mythological creature. My favorite mythological creature is a:

Faery/Faeries

I love how intricate each fairy/faery world is. I'm particularly fond of the malicious fae who harm humans. I love how rich the worlds are and how diverse each faery kingdom is. I'm currently in love with Sarah J. Maas's fae world and Holly Black's fae worlds. I cannot get enough of them.

AUTHORS

Adam Gidwitz is the author of the critically acclaimed, New York Timesbestselling Grimm trilogy. He spent six years researching and writing his Newbery Honor-winning The Inquisitor's Tale, including a year living in Europe. Adam lives with his family in Brooklyn, NY. Find Adam online at adamgidwitz.com or @AdamGidwitz. 

Chris Lenox Smith is the Creative Director and cofounder of Mixtape Club, an award-winning audiovisual creative studio. Mixtape works with a range of brands and artists, including Google, HBO, ESPN, Spotify, Primus, and They Might Be Giants, to create memorable, narrative-driven films. Chris is a two-time winner of the ADC Young Guns Award for animation and music composition, his work spans across media, from short films and commercial work to musical scores that marry influences from the precomputer era with modern techniques. 

Jesse Casey is the Managing Director and cofounder of Mixtape Club, an award-winning audiovisual creative studio. Mixtape works with a range of brands and artists, including Google, HBO, ESPN, Spotify, Primus, and They Might Be Giants, to create memorable, narrative-driven films. Drawing from his twin backgrounds in computer programming and printmaking, Jesse's work embraces contemporary technology as a means to recreate the craft and artistry of classic film and animation.

ILLUSTRATOR

 

Hatem Aly is an Egyptian-born illustrator whose work has been featured on television and in multiple publications worldwide. He currently lives in New Brunswick, Canada, with his wife, son, and more pets than people. Find him online at metahatem.com or @metahatem.

Happy reading, guys!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin

{Blog Tour} The Burning Claw (The Grey Wolves Series #10) by Quinn Loftis

Page Count: 372

Published on: September 10, 2016

Published by: Smashwords/Quinn Loftis

Genre(s): YA, Paranormal, Fantasy

ISBN #: 9781370151356

Where To Find The Burning Claw:

·       Amazon

·       iTunes

·       Kobo

·       Smashwords

·       Barnes and Noble

Stalk Quinn!

·       ~Website

·     ~Facebook

·     ~Twitter

·     ~ Goodreads

·     ~Amazon

·     ~Barnes and Noble

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.57/5 stars

Average Amazon Rating: 5/5 stars

My Review Coming Soon!!!

Price: $3.99 (Kindle) & (TBD Amazon/Paperback)

Release Date: September 10, 2016

~~~

Goodreads synopsis

Okay, so this is the deal. Sally's gone AWOL on us, courtesy of some powerful being or beings who take things that do not belong to them. Jacque has given birth to a son and then boom she's at death's door. And as is the destiny of mated pairs, Fane is knocking right along with her. Wait, it gets worse. Peri is trying to hold the new parents to this realm. Costin is, well, he's trying to hold on, especially because of Titus, he and Sally's adorable adopted son. But the darkness that grows in these male wolves doesn't take a vacation just because they don't want to go feral. And to finish off our stellar list of crappy situations we have Bethany and Drake. Oh what a pair they make. Look I rhymed. Moving on, Drake is going all cave man wanting to put Bethany in a bubble. Thankfully, he has me to keep him from doing something that sends his true mate running. And Bethany, she is my beautiful blank slate that I get to teach all of my incredible knowledge to. You don't want to miss those chapters. What are you waiting for? Go find out what happens...and then tell me because I don't remember much. Just me killing Dec, Peri having triplets and Vasile finds out he's pregnant. See, it's going to be a freaking blast!

Happy reading witches! (Dec wouldn't let me use the word I wanted. Butt-head)

~ Jen

~~~

About The Author

Quinn is a “retired” nurse thanks to all the amazing readers who have made her dream possible to write full time. She lives in beautiful West Arkansas with her three precious sons with smiles that are as contagious as their laughs and husband who is her best friend and biggest fan. She is able to write about the deep, unconditional love she does because of the love he shows her every day of their lives. She is the author of 19 self-published works. Including the USA Today Bestseller Fate and Fury. In her spare time, she likes to read, watch movies, spend time with her family and correspond with readers. Quinn gives all glory to God the success her books have had and wants to also let the readers know she is so very thankful for their support.

WAIT!

If you are saying: "What if I haven't read the series?!? Where do I start?" Here is your answer!

Prince of Wolves (The Grey Wolves Series #1)

The book that started it all

Goodreads synopsis

Jacque Pierce was just an ordinary 17-year-old girl getting ready to start her senior year in high school in Coldspring, Texas. When a mysterious foreign exchange student from Romania moves in across the street, Jacque and her two best friends, Sally and Jen, don't realize the last two weeks of their summer are going to get a lot more interesting.

From the moment Jacque sets eyes on Fane she feels an instant connection, a pull like a moth to a flame. Little does she know that the flame she is drawn to is actually a Canis lupis, werewolf, and she just happens to be his mate; the other half of his soul.

The problem is Fane is not the only wolf in Coldspring, Texas.

Just as Fane and Jacque are getting to know each other, another wolf steps out to try and claim Jacque as his mate. Fane will now have to fight for the right to complete the mating bond, something that is his right by birth but is being denied him by a crazed Alpha. Will the love Fane has for Jacque be enough to give him the strength to defeat his enemy, will Jacque accept that she is Fane's mate and complete the bond between them?

Where to Purchase The Prince of Wolves:

·       Amazon

·       iTunes

·       Kobo

·       Smashwords

·       Barnes and Noble

My Review of Prince of Wolves (#1): {click here}
My Review of Blood Rites (#2): {click here}
My Review of Just One Drop (#3): {click here}
My Review of Out of the Dark (#4): {click here}

I've been meaning to catch up with books 5 through 10 of The Grey Wolves series, but I plan on reading them soon. I love Quinn's writing so much and I can't wait to catch up on her books. 

Happy reading, everyone!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin

@LivTheBookNerd on Books