GIVEAWAY: SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL and THIS IS NOT A TEST!!

*NOTE: Contest is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!*

Today's an exciting day for readers. TWO amazeballs books are releasing today! TWO books that I am so very excited for readers to get in their hands and devour and love, in different ways.

First is a book I haven't had a chance to read yet, but believe me, I can't wait.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller is not your standard contemporary. First, it's from the boy's perspective--but more than that, Travis is a Marine, back from a tour in Afghanistan. Here's the summary:

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero. (from Goodreads)


I've known Trish since we were both hanging around at Verla Kay's Blueboards, writing different books, querying, going through the process. I always liked Trish's avatar because it looked so hopeful, so friendly. Her posts were friendly too, and smart. I was thrilled when I discovered that my new agent represented Trish too--we're agent sisters!--and she's been very supportive of me.


But that's not why I think you should read this book. It's not why *I* want to read this book. I want to read it because of reviews like this one, about SLN's emotional honesty:


http://youngadultanonymous.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-something-like-normal-by-trish.html


and this one, which says it's an "important, timely novel" but also talks about the strengths of the romance, and the realism:


http://cleareyesfullshelves.com/blog/early-review-something-like-normal-by-trish-doller.html


Yeah. So that's Reason #1 to be excited about today as a reader. You can buy that book!


Second is a book I HAVE read, and loved. GUYS. COURTNEY SUMMERS HAS A NEW BOOK OUT TODAY, AND IT'S ABOUT ZOMBIES!!

This Is Not a Test.

Well. It's not really about zombies. It's about people: damaged, hurting, REAL people who happen to have to deal with zombies. Here's my review from Goodreads:


***
I've loved all of Courtney's books, and I expected to like this one--she is such a talented writer, she can pull anything off. Even zombies! I admit, I'm not a zombie fan--but this book isn't about zombies at all. It's about people: how they relate, how they react in difficult circumstances, and really, how they can completely mess each other up--and redeem each other.

Courtney's amazing skill lies in opening a vein directly to a character and letting us in to that private, real world. That skill hasn't changed just because this book has zombies. Sloane is very, very real and heartbreaking in her pain, but she was still someone I wanted to spend time with and understand. All the other characters are also deeply realized, complex people in their own right.

The zombie setting is well done and keeps you on the edge of your seat, but in the end it's Sloane's journey I found most compelling.

Read it. Trust me.
***

 I have to tell you too--in just a little aside--how awesome Courtney is. She's been an incredibly supportive friend to me for years now, and I have a sneaking suspicion she is the same with a ton of other writers. Courtney emails have made me cry, have gotten me through, have made me laugh out loud more than once. I think she deserves the best of everything.


She just also happens to write effing kick-ass amazing books, which I am so happy to support.


So here's where you say WEREN'T YOU GOING TO GIVE AWAY A BOOK, SUSAN?


Why, yes. Yes, I was. Not only that, I am going to GIVE AWAY TWO BOOKS, one of each.


Here is ALL you have to do:


--Comment on this post and tell me which book you'd like, Something Like Normal or This Is Not a Test (or if you want either, say that too!) You'll be entered!


--You get an extra entry if you tweet about the contest! Just make sure to @susan_adrian so I see it!


--Contest will be open until Thursday morning, June 22, 8 am MDT. North American entries only, please (sorry!) The winners will have the books shipped directly to them.


Let's all celebrate this Excellent Reader Day!!

Fall for Anything!!

Today...I'm pretty darn excited. FALL FOR ANYTHING by Courtney Summers is out in the world!

Y'all *may* know that I'm a huge fan of Courtney Summers' books. CRACKED UP TO BE stole my breath with its awesomeness (Go Parker!). SOME GIRLS ARE punched me in the gut with its truth, its glimpse into both sides of bullying.

FALL FOR ANYTHING, in the immortal words of Bill Cameron, punched me in the soul.

FFA is the story of Eddie Reeves, an enigmatic, sarcastic, complex mess of a girl--eminently relatable--dealing with the suicide of her father. Eddie wants more than anything to know why, and she thinks somehow if she can figure that out, the rest of life will make sense. Of course it's not that simple, and it hurts to be immersed in Eddie's head. But oh, readers--it is so very worth it. Once again Courtney jabs right to the truth of the world of this girl, this time the truth of grief, and loss, and mourning, and the terrible fact that life keeps going on.

Courtney's writing is spare and beautiful. Her characters are so real they live in my head for months after--even secondary characters. Milo, Eddie's best friend, is fabulous. And Culler...well, I'll let you find that one out for yourself.

The best way to summarize my feelings for this book is this: READ IT. PLEASE. And then we can talk. :)

I already gave away my early copy of FFA to a lucky Twitter winner (thanks to everyone for playing the #fallforanything contest!), but I'm heading out today to buy my for-real copy. Are you?

Spread the Awesome: Courtney Summers

This post o' love is part of a whole mess of blog posts, called Spread the Awesome--authors celebrating published books we adore. This project was started by the fabulous Elana Johnson. She has a list of all the participating authors and books they're celebrating here:

 http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/p/recommended-reads.html

After you read about Courtney, please check out Heather Petty's blog for a discussion of Terri Farley's SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA.

But first, the purpose for my post.

It's funny, because within 30 seconds of Elana's email, I knew who I had to write about. It wasn't even up for debate. Yes, I love many, many authors and their books: a tiny list includes Melissa Marr, John Green, Vicki Pettersson, Justine Larbalestier, Suzanne Collins...TINY list. But when I think *amazing* books that are life-changing, that I can't stop talking about or recommending...well. Courtney Summers is right at the top of the list.

I may have talked about Courtney's books here before. *cough* It might be getting a little embarrassing. And YES, I am friends with her fabulous werewolf-hating, Gaga-loving self. I admit it. But that is not why I am so driven to pimp, my friends. Oh, no.

CRACKED UP TO BE not only grabbed me by the throat, it wrung it, knocked me down and kicked me in the ribs, and I still went crazy for the thing. It's So. Freaking. Real. It's so meaningful, and truth-telling about what high school and pressure and relationships and guilt really can be. I can just see my teenage self gulping it, feeling better because of it. Here, watch the book trailer.

And then I got to read SOME GIRLS ARE, and I thought there was no way it could be as good as CUTB. And I was totally right.

It was better. And worse, simultaneously. It was vivid and heartbreaking and honest to all sides of the story, and I almost couldn't breathe during some parts. Book trailer #1 for SGA here.

What Courtney does so very well is honesty, and clear-as-glass voice. Heroines you root for and kinda hate at the same time, but you can't stop watching them. Stories you cringe from, but recognize.

If you're a teenager or you were, read them. Seriously.

TEN STARS.

Check them out: CRACKED UP TO BE and SOME GIRLS ARE

Some Girls Are Tiara Day!!

Happy 2010, everybody!!

Today is a Very Special Tiara Day, in celebration of the release of my good friend Courtney Summers' AMAZING new book, Some Girls Are.

I was lucky enough to have the chance to read an ARC of this book a month or so ago. I went into it knowing it was dark and edgy, that it might hurt a little. I'd gulped up CRACKED UP TO BE (which was just named a Cybils Finalist!), and it had shaken me in the best possible way...and I knew this was darker. What I didn't know was how REAL it was.

Courtney's writing is amazing in that it absolutely does not hold back. At All. You feel as though you're right there, experiencing the hell of high school and being 16 or 17, and the ridiculous ways girls treat each other. Bullying didn't just touch me...it was a significant part of my school experience for many, many years, and it shaped me like so many others. What's fascinating about this book is that Regina, the main character, is firmly on BOTH sides of bullying. You see how she fell into it, and you see how you could yourself in that situation. Then you see, with Regina, how horrible those cutting remarks can be on the other side.

Courtney's writing is never sappy, never condescending, never a bit anything but a true sucker-punch. I don't always like to read the really tough stuff, but I loved this book. More, I'm blown away by the skill of the writer.

You don't want to miss the boat on this one. Check it out now, and keep an eye out for her next!

Happy SGA book birthday, Courtney!