YA Scavenger Hunt (Purple Team) & Giveaway!

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt!

This is my FOURTH TIME hosting YASH, and I'm super excited to be a part of it again! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize—one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online until Sunday, April 7th.

But first, I want to take a moment to introduce myself! I'm Kristin Smith, your hostess for this leg of the hunt. I'm the author of the best-selling and award-winning YA novel CATALYST and its sequels, FORGOTTEN and FEARLESS. Be sure to enter my Giveaway at the very end of the post!!

ABOUT ME:

I love fall.

My favorite colors are sky blue and pink.

My favorite scenes to write are ones with lots of kissing. :)

I'm a big fan of Karaoke and Just Dance.

I may or may not have a stash of chocolate in my nightstand.

I'm a mom to FIVE boys! (Yes, you read that correctly.) :)

If I had to choose between the mountains and the beach, I'd choose the beach. Every. Single. Time.

Now back to the Hunt!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are FIVE contests
going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I'm part of the PURPLE TEAM, but there's also a red, blue, green, and gold team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the PURPLE TEAM, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, April 7th at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

Today, I'm excited to be hosting JESSICA RUDDICK for the YA Scavenger Hunt! Be sure to check out her books and her website!

Award-winning young adult and romance author Jessica lives in Virginia with her college-sweetheart husband, two rambunctious sons, and two rowdy but lovable rescue dogs. Since her house is overflowing with testosterone, it’s a good thing she has a healthy appreciation for Marvel movies, Nerf guns, and football. Learn more about Jessica at jessicaruddick.com.

Connect with Jessica at the following social media sites:

Facebook

Website

Instagram

Twitter

Book Blurb:

How do you live with yourself when you decide who dies?

Ava Parks would have killed for an iPhone for her sixteenth birthday. Anything would have been better than coming into her birthright of being a seeker for the Grim Reaper, an arrangement made by her fallen angel ancestor in exchange for his re-admittance to heaven. And she isn’t just any seeker—she finds souls that have the potential for becoming angels and sentences them to death. A year and two souls into her role as a seeker with her conscience overflowing with guilt, Ava comes up with a plan to thwart the system. When it goes awry, she is forced to submit the name of a classmate, Cole Fowler, an ornery, rough around the edges guy who always seems to come to her rescue, whether she likes it or not. Her feelings for Cole prompt her to intervene, and she saves him from death, upsetting the Grim Reaper’s agenda. 

While Ava schemes to find a way to save Cole, she learns he has some secrets of his own. She lets him believe he is protecting her, and not the other way around, until a final showdown with the Grim Reaper forces Ava to make choices Cole may never forgive.

Buy the Book

**EXCLUSIVE BONUS MATERIAL**

YASH EXCLUSIVE TEASER EXCERPT (BIRTHRIGHT)

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Oooh, I just LOVE that excerpt!! Makes you want to read more, right?

And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a bundle of awesome books by all of the authors on the PURPLE TEAM! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 12. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the PURPLE TEAM and you'll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

GIVEAWAY!!

But before you go, be sure to enter my individual Giveaway for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of the first 3 books in the Deception Game series PLUS a $20 Amazon Gift Card and some awesome swag! (Books and swag are for US residents only. International winners will receive Amazon gift card only.)

ENTER HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To continue the hunt, you need to visit the next author—K.M. ROBINSON. Click on her name to be redirected to her website.

But first, check out the first book in the Deception Game series, which is currently FREE on all major retailers.

Amazon

Apple iBooks

NOOK

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

Thanks so much for stopping by! Good luck on the hunt! :)

YA Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway!

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt!

This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize—one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 120 hours!

But first, I want to take a moment to introduce myself! I'm Kristin Smith, your hostess for this leg of the hunt. Be sure to enter my Giveaway at the very end of the post!!

ABOUT ME:

I love fall.

My favorite store is Home Goods because I adore decorating.

I have a slight pillow fetish.

I'm the mother of 5 boys (my house is loud and crazy).

I'm a big fan of Karaoke and Just Dance.

I may or may not have a stash of chocolate in my nightstand.

I usually write on my bed.

Now back to the Hunt!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SEVEN contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the ORANGE TEAM—but there is also a red team, a gold team, a blue team, a green team, a pink team, and a purple team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the orange team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, October 8th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST

Today, I am hosting C.M. Boers on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt!

Obscured was C. M.'s debut novel. What began as a way to spend her free time slowly transitioned into a passion for writing. She's currently working on her fourth novel​. The best is yet to come!

C. M. is a mother of three. She grew up in the sunshine state of Arizona with a love of reading and an ambition to write. But never took her writing seriously until after the birth of her first child. After that she took up writing more seriously in her spare time and hasn't stopped since.

Find out more information by checking out her author website HERE. Or you can purchase her book HERE. And for this week ONLY, Obscured is 99 cents, so hurry and grab your copy!

About the Book:

Abby Martin thought she was an ordinary girl about to start high school. But when her mom announces that they’re moving to Arizona, vivid nightmares start plaguing Abby’s nights. As she settles into her new school and a cute guy named Pete catches her eye, she hopes that life might somehow get back to normal. To Abby’s horror, “normal” becomes a thing of the past as she’s swept up into a world of immortal protectors wielding supernatural gifts. When Abby realizes she’s a pawn in a centuries-old feud, she must figure out who she can trust before she’s caught in the crossfire.

Prepare yourself for heart-pounding suspense in the world of Obscured, where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks in unexpected places.

Obscured Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pDbGhM

Nook: http://bit.ly/2qkiy2Z

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2qk5p9V

Apple: http://apple.co/2riI5GT 

Google: http://bit.ly/2wXWQm4

**EXCLUSIVE BONUS MATERIAL**

Abby's Favorites

This or that

1. Tea or soda?

Soda

2. Cake or pie?

Cake

3. Ice cream or sherbet?

Ice cream

4. Fast food or sit-down restaurant?

Well, this depends on my mood, but sit-down.

5. Chocolate or vanilla?

Mmm. . .Chocolate

6. Pulp or no pulp?

No pulp, yuck.

7. Pancakes or waffles?

Pancakes

8. Football or baseball?

I don't watch either, but if I had to it would be football.

9. Ocean or mountains?

Ocean of course.

10. Running or walking?

Walking. I hate running.

11. Video games or board games?

Board games

12. Book or movie?

Book.

13. Sneakers or flip-flops?

Flip flops, easier to slip off and bury your feet in the sand!

14. Bare feet or shoes?

Bare, always bare.

15. Bikini or one piece?

One piece. Unless it's a tankini.

16. Boxers or briefs?

How about Boxer briefs.

17. Bracelet or necklace?

Necklace.

18. Facial hair or clean shaven?

Clean shaven

19. Funny or romantic?

Both, at the right times.

20. Roses or wildflowers?

Sunflowers

21. Calling or texting?

Texting

22. Bath or shower?

Both, depends on how I'm feeling.

23. Weird or normal?

Ha! Nothing about my life has been normal for a long time. I guess I'll go with Weird.

24. Evil or good?

Good, I've had enough of evil.

25. Earthquake or tornado?

Been in many earthquake from my days of living in California, so I'll go with that.

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And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a bundle of awesome books by all of the authors on the orange team! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 12. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the orange team and you'll have all the secret codes to enter for the grand prize!

GIVEAWAY!!

But before you go, don't forget to enter my individual Giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of FORGOTTEN (Book #2 in the Deception Game series) and some awesome swag! (Prize is for US residents only. International winners will receive ebook instead.)

Prize does not include everything pictured. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author—TAMAR SLOAN! Click on her name to be redirected to her website.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

My Dream Author Panel

Calling all bookworms! How many of you have ever attended a conference or convention where there was a panel of authors talking about their books and answering questions? Have you ever considered who YOU might want on a dream panel of authors? Can you imagine how amazing it would be to choose your favorite authors to participate in YOUR very own dream panel?

I hadn't given this much thought until I was contacted recently by Eventbrite, the largest self-service ticketing platform that helps people find and plan events. And for those of us who are bookworms, they help readers connect with authors through bookish events. Every year, there are awesome conventions around the country where readers and fans are able to connect with their favorite authors. In fact, May 2nd through May 8th, I'll be in Atlanta at the RT Booklovers Convention. I'll be signing books, participating in author panels, and hosting a YA slumber party with other fabulous YA authors. If you live in the area, you should come and see me!

Anyhoo, Eventbrite is currently doing a special project and asking bloggers to share their dream panel of authors. And when they asked if I would be interested in participating, I, of course, was excited to take part! Who wouldn't want to participate in such a cool project? I may be an author myself, but I still consider authors to be like rock stars, and like many readers out there, I have my favorite authors and those I would LOVE to meet in person.

DREAM PANEL OF AUTHORS

Since I read books from various genres, my panel would include all YA (young adult) authors, but I'd choose a couple of my favorite authors from each category. 

YA Paranormal:

-Stephenie Meyer

-Maggie Stiefvater

YA Dystopian:

-Suzanne Collins

-Veronica Roth

-Kiera Cass

YA Contemporary:

-Jennifer Niven

-Jandy Nelson

YA Contemporary Romance:

-Stephanie Perkins

-Sarah Dessen

YA Fantasy:

-Leigh Bardugo

-Victoria Aveyard

Sounds like an awesome cast of authors, right? I would create two panels with all of the authors listed, and the two moderators would be:

Moderators:

1) Myself (Kristin Smith)

2) James Dashner (only because I've met him and he's a pretty funny guy)

The event would be held in Charlotte, NC since that's where I live, making it easy for me to attend and participate.

Event Location:

Charlotte, NC

Obviously, one thing to consider is what kind of questions I would ask these famous authors. Here is a list I came up with, but feel free to add your own questions in the comments. I'd love to know what questions YOU would ask YOUR dream panel of authors.

Questions for the Authors:

1) How many manuscripts do you have that will probably never see the light of day?

2) What is your favorite thing about being an author?

3) What is the most surprising thing about being an author?

4) If you could be granted one wish, what would it be?

5) If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

6) Who is YOUR favorite author?

7) Name some books in YOUR TBR pile.

8) How many books do you read a year?

9) What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

10) Name one thing you cannot live without.

11) Are you a pantser or a plotter?

12) Of all the books you've written, which one is your favorite?

So, what do you think? Does this sound like a good panel? I'd love to know, who would be on YOUR dream panel of authors? Tell me in the comments! :)

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And if you're interested in finding an event in your area, Eventbrite's event planning software page is a great tool. You can find it HERE.

Happy Wednesday! :)

Best Books of 2016

Most of my time this year was spent getting ready for the publication of Catalyst and writing the sequel, but I did manage to sneak a few books in there to read for my own pleasure. Here are some of my most memorable reads from 2016.

 All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Simply put, this book rocked my world. I've read YA contemporary books about suicide before, but never one that delved so deeply into the thought process of one who is so heart-wrenchingly depressed that he feels like his world is literally caving in on him, and there's no escape. It was beautifully written with an emotional undercurrent that seems to be lacking in so many books that I read lately. I want to read a book that makes me FEEL, and this one gave me all the feels. I can't recommend it enough.

 Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I'd heard so much about this book that, I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if it would be able to live up to the hype. And maybe it's because of that hype that I didn't fall in love with it as much as I wanted to. Told from five different viewpoints, I had a hard time truly connecting with the characters because the story kept shifting from one head to another. It's also a very complicated plot, so there's no easy reading with this one! But with that being said, there were a couple of characters that I couldn't get enough of, and they really sold the story for me. The writing was phenomenal, and the storyline was unique and intriguing. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like YA fantasy.

Heist Society by Ally Carter 

I just finished reading this one, and like Six of Crows, I wanted to love it—I really did. But maybe it's the style of writing that bugged me or maybe the POV which seemed to hop from one head to another with no clear narrator (which was really weird). The storyline itself was intriguing, especially if you like teenage con artists who get together for an impossible heist. I'd recommend it, and I may try another of Ally Carter's books to see if I like the style better.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

This was a book that I couldn't put down. I was so intrigued by the plot, and I desperately wanted to know who the killer was. Unfortunately, I figured it out before the end, but that didn't take away from the novel at all.

Room by Emma Donoghue

I read this as part of the monthly book club I belong to. Despite the horrific situation these characters are placed in, it reads more innocent and naive than chilling and vulgar since the story is told from the eyes of a five-year-old boy. His innocence as he and his mother are held in this room is what makes the story so intriguing. The author does a phenomenal job of getting into the head of a five-year-old and seeing the world from his perspective.

Between Two Fires by Mark Noce 

This was a great story about love and courage. I fell in love with the main character, Branwen, who has quick wit and a sharp attitude. She's a woman who doesn't need a man to protect her, and she makes that clear when she's the one who's able to lead her people to victory.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater 

This was my first encounter with one of Maggie Stiefvater's books (I'd heard so much about her writing) and trust me, it did not disappoint. Her writing captures the moment and makes you feel as though you are right there tasting the sea spray, feeling the wind on your face, and galloping across the cliff with a dangerous beast beneath you. The story itself felt a bit slow at times, but the writing drags you in so deep that you hardly even notice.


What are your most memorable reads from 2016?