https://hannahlebouthillie.wixsite.com/tnsplbookblog
As many of you may have noticed, I have been gone for a long time, months, and I have some explaining to do. I love this blog, and I love young adult literature, and I feel pretty bad about disappearing for this long without an explanation. I have been an active and constant reviewer for over 6 years without break or fail, but like many, 2020 was a rough year for me; rough enough to interfere with my ability to properly blog, review or even read. I am back, and I intend to get back into the swing of things, but I will be a little slow on the upstart. Where have I been you might ask, what stopped me from blogging? The answers to that is complicated, but in short, in 2020 I finished my degree, which was brutal and utterly time consuming (all while the pandemic was locking everything down), I planned a wedding and got married (in the middle of a pandemic (you can imagine the nightmare that was)), moved into a new place with my husband, I got sick with covid (unrelated to those other things, it was way later)(it sucked, but wasn't the end of the world for me), I almost cut off my thumb with a soup can (that one was a doozy), I got scouted for a job in the US, and with the terrible job market, I took it right away, needing work, I moved a second time, this time across the entirety of Canada and the US to Texas by driving all of our stuff with 3 cats during lockdowns and all that (you can imagine how brutal that was), I started a brand new job in a whole different country, had to settle in a new apartment in a new place, got sick again, recovered and now here I am. After all this time, things are finally seeming to settle in my life, and I might finally get some normalcy, and with that I'm coming back to the blog! I will be taking it slowly at first, to make sure I focus on settling into my new full time job, but eventually I will be back to normal, sharing great YA reads with you all! I hope all of your 2020s were a little easier than mine, and wish you all a fantastic 2021, you all deserve it! Before I go, I have one last thing I need to share with you all, related to changes with social media, so, let's get down to business!
The Fall Changes
by Marie McGrath
(Honey Cove , #1)
Publication date: August 11th 2020
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
Change where you live.
Change your parents being married.
And maybe, change who you are.At 16 years old, Riley Mills has had more change than she ever wanted. A new high school would be daunting for most teens, but between getting attention from the most popular girl and being paired with a boy for her class project, she is navigating many situations she never could have imagined.
With homecoming fast approaching and rumors about her swirling, Riley must confront her true nature. Is she a popular girl at heart? Could someone actually like her?
With no clear answers, Riley may just find some answers from the most unexpected sources.
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EXCERPT:
A girl with reddish-brown hair didn’t allow me to dwell on it for very long as she sat across from me. “Hey, new girl.”
Now what? Wasn’t one interaction enough? Couldn’t I have one minute of peace in this school without someone bothering me? All I wanted was to blend in and move on. If people kept reminding me I was the new girl, then neither of those things would ever happen.
“I’ve never seen those two stomp away in my entire life. I decided I had to introduce myself to the person who would accomplish such a feat. I’m Sophie Graham.”
I was unsure what to say. After what I just experienced, my walls were all the way up, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled with being called the new girl.
“Look. I know you don’t know me, and I can only assume what those two must have said to you, but seriously, I mean no harm. Okay? I think it’s cool what you did. Those two have been asking for it for, well, forever.”
“Thanks … I guess. I didn’t say much.”
“Well, for not saying much, they certainly bolted out of this lunchroom. Not to mention their bad mood could be felt like an earthquake across the cafeteria.”
I tried to stifle a giggle but wasn’t very successful. I imagined those two as an earthquake and couldn’t help it.
Sophie seemed to be really nice. But I thought Shelby seemed nice too, and look how well that turned out. I supposed if I was cautious with Sophie, it couldn’t hurt, could it? Something about her made her seem familiar and genuine. As my mom-mom always said, “You catch more bees with honey.” If I didn’t try, I would never know.
Sophie sat and blabbed about the school and her classmates.
I had a hard time concentrating. Instead, my brain churned everything that had happened so far. My thoughts were at war with each other. How much should I trust these people?
Sophie waved her hands in front of my face and snapped her fingers. “New girl! Hello! Are you in there? I asked you what class you had next. Lunch is almost over.”
I retrieved my schedule and showed it to Sophie. “I think it’s gym.”
“Well, isn’t that ironic. So do I. I’ll show you how to get there. Follow me, new girl.”
I hesitated before getting up and throwing away my trash. “The name’s Riley.”
“I know, new girl. Remember it’s a small school and town. You’re famous. We don’t have many newcomers, and most people have already heard your name, but new girl is more fun to say.”
I shot her a look.
“Well, I guess so is Riley. Come on, let’s go. Coach Schneider does not like you to be late. Trust me, I learned that the hard way.”
I may have only known Sophie for what felt like ten minutes, but Sophie was easy to listen to and seemed like she would be easy to get along with. I hoped things would be different with Sophie than how they had turned out with Shelby so far.
Author Bio:
Marie McGrath lives in a small rural town in Maryland. She hopes to inspire others with her stories. Her favorite genres to read are YA Romance and Contemporary Fiction. She loves the color turquoise, tigers, and listening to music.
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Marly in Pieces
by Cathrina Constantine
Publication date: July 10th 2020
Genres: Mystery, Young Adult
Marly refuses to believe her friend, Rae, committed suicide. Even though her wrists were slit, Marly knows her beautifully vibrant bestie would never do that.
Even though the two had drifted apart, Marly and Rae made a blood promise long ago to always look out for each other. Even in death, Marly intends to honor that vow.
Determined to find Rae’s killer, Marly faces a long list of potential suspects. It seems everyone has secrets or lies they are covering up… including the boy she loves. Can Marly uncover the murderer’s identity before she becomes the next victim?
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EXCERPT:
I remember the day my best friend threw our promise back in my face.
Promises are meant to be broken.
It was always Rae and me, until boys came into the picture and screwed things up. Four years after our covenant, as she named it, Rae was missing. It wasn’t like her to take off, to leave high and dry, lacking an excuse. Sure, the past month had been dicey. Our heated argument caused a time-out of sorts, and had temporarily parted. But we would forever be best friends and there for each other, no matter what.
A sickening wave of worry rose in my chest as I walked over grass, wet with dew, toward the border of our property.
Determined to put this undertaking behind me, I crossed the threshold into the shadowed forest. I was certain it was fruitless—”She’s not there.” The wind took my murmur as a tendril of trepidation curled around me. Yet, I zipped my fleece jacket against the chill and went on. Last year I was in a similar predicament, hiking to our special place because she’d disappeared, and I found her, beaten with a blackened eye.
Why am I doing this again?
A voice in my head responded, You know why. The promise.
Author Bio:
I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.
I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I'm devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.
I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.
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Published by: Enchanted Quill Press
Publication date: July 1st 2020
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, New Adult, Young Adult
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Come on a journey to meet the fairytale princesses you know and love and find out how they met their love match in these never seen before retellings.
With a matchmaking competition to win the heart of the princess, this set will leave you wondering, will she choose her Prince Charming?
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Unwritten
by Alicia J. Novo
Publication date: November 14th 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Books whisper to Beatrix Alba. But they aren’t the reason she has never fit in. Bullied at home and school, she keeps a secret—a power of violence and darkness.
When the spell that keeps her hidden fails, she’s catapulted into the Zweeshen, a realm where all tales live, and her dream of meeting her favorite characters comes true. But wishes are tricky, and behind its wonder and whimsy, the Zweeshen is under attack. A character is burning bookworlds in pursuit of a weapon to rule both stories and storytellers. To succeed, he needs a riddle in Beatrix’s possession.
Now he’s hunting her down.
Joining forces with William, a cursed conjurer, Beatrix must face an enemy who knows her every weakness in a realm where witches play with time, Egyptian gods roam, and Regency heroines lead covert operations. And with her darkness as the only weapon, she may have to sacrifice everything to save a world that rejects her.
Author Bio:
Alicia has a weak spot for happy endings and transformative journeys. She spent her teenage years
in Argentina and Europe, speaks several languages and loves to travel.
An eclectic reader, she grew up on a diet ranging from Lucy M. Montgomery and Jane Austen to Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Raymond Chandler, Hermann Hesse, Jorge Luis Borges, and many classics. She's never been cured of reading a bit of everything and is as likely to geek out about Mr. Darcy as Dr. Who.
She is a history and astronomy aficionado, who walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, completed her Masters in the Netherlands and worked for Google in Ireland. She decided to become a writer at six but took a full, winding road here. Along the way, she learned if there’s one thing that cuts across cultures, one unifying thread that pulls everyone together, it's a good story.A big-city girl, she now lives in the Midwest, where she occasionally picks apples and pretends witches exist.
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Out of My League
by Sarah Sutton
Publication date: June 16th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
It’s all fun and games until someone catches feelings.
Sophia Wallace is convinced her life is over when her high school cuts the journalism program. Without the elective, she loses her chance to intern with the biggest newspaper company in the county, and why? All because the baseball team needs more funding.
To make matters worse, her boyfriend publicly dumps her at a party, which is mortifying. But the icing on the cake is when the captain of the baseball team and the most popular guy at Bayview High, Walsh Hunter, decides to be chivalrous. He jumps in, throws his arm around Sophia, and declares his undying love for her. In front of everyone.
Suddenly, Sophia is thrown into a world of fake relationships and undercover journalism, and she realizes she’s way, way out of her league.
Good thing she’s got the team captain to teach her how to play.
But faced with choosing between saving her journalism class or her newfound feelings for Walsh, will she strike out or hit a home run?
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EXCERPT:
Staring at his face, I noticed a faint, silvery scar underneath his right eye, as small as my thumbnail. I reached out with my free hand, tracing my fingertip along his skin. A featherlight touch, barely there. “What happened here?”
His gaze never left mine. “Baseball cleat. Fourth grade. One of my teammates threw it at me.”
“Some little league kid threw their shoe at you? Why?”
“I told him that he couldn’t bat very well.” Walsh shrugged. “He couldn’t take the truth.”
I snorted. “You were that kid? The dream crusher?”
“Well, someone had to be.” His small smile was unapologetic. “Ask me who the kid was.”
I looked at him for a moment before tipping my head. “No way. Scott?”
“Who else would be that aggressive as a fourth-grader?”
Dina pulled at my arm as I laughed, shaking my head at the thought of miniature Scott throwing a shoe at small Walsh. I stepped out from the tangle of leashes at our feet, glancing down. “Oh, your poor rich-boy shoes.”
“What?” Walsh looked at his feet. “Oh.”
Brown smeared the side of his expensive-looking shoe, probably coating along the bottom. “With dogs around, you should probably watch where you’re walking.”
Walsh let go of my hand to switch the leash and proceeded to try and smear the offensive substance onto the grass. “Now you tell me.”
“Should we clean the poop off your shoe together? Is that romantic?”
His response was dry. “Ha-ha.”
“What? Shouldn’t we get a photo and caption it, ‘This might’ve been an accident, but falling in love wasn’t’?”
“Watch it, or I’ll wipe it on your ankle.”
I jerked back just in case he tried it, nearly tripping over Dina’s wealth of leash.
Author Bio:
Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).
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