Thursday Thoughts -6-

How ya'll doin'?

Thank you for your kind words regarding my song. Now are you ready to see some of the kind things people are saying about CONCEALED? Let's do this! Click a pic to see the review!

Review from a Wanderer named Maya...

Fun Facts w/ Sang at Krazy Book Lady...

Book Review in which CONCEALED earns a 4.5 out of 5...

Book Review similar to mine!

So have you checked them out yet? Are you even more excited to read CONCEALED now that you've heard differing points of views about it? Are you tired of me asking questions? Okay. I get it. But what I don't get is why you haven't started reading it for yourself, yet.

Tomorrow there will be a finale but no Liveshow. I just can't get my channel to work right and we've been having extremely low attendance anyway so I'll wait until Elsewhere has an audience of at least 20 before I try to conduct those again. Still, you won't want to miss the finale because as always, I'll have a bunch of goodies I didn't get to share with you earlier in the week. AND, I'm opening the comment section for discussion about CONCEALED, TEXAS GOTHIC, and/or SISTERHOOD II, so if you read any of those and are dying to talk, let us do so! Mañana! 


Hasta la bye, bye!
Deserae

Wednesday Writes -6-

I'm really scatter-brained this week, Elsewhere. I thought I'd put that out there in case the lack of daily postings weren't enough of a tip-off.

But because this has been a bit of a weird week, I'm going to try to make it up to you with a song that I wrote that was totally inspired by CONCEALED. Yeah. That's right. I'm winning you over with the written word. You know you want to be wooed. I apologize, in advance, for the lack of WOWZA but... okay! I'm stalling. Here we go. Are you ready? Here we go. Are you ready?

Gah!

"Underneath" -Deserae McGlothen

Broken heart, cluttered mind;
Drew you a map, but blurred the line.
Wish I could say that I was fine,
But I don't know anymore.

Start again in another place,
Cover my tracks, forfeit the race.
Don't know my past anyway.
No, I don't know anymore.

And they say I'm made for more
But I see the pitiful,
The crazy, confused me underneath.
And they know my history
But I know that I am me
I'm crazy, confused, see, underneath.

Dropped the baton, doubled back.
Won the crowd's love; lost the match.
I can't recover after that---
I can't keep running, anymore.

Had a nightmare, scared me stiff;
Saw the faces of foe and friend.
If I had known it'd come to this,
Well--- I wouldn't want to anymore.

And they say I'm made for more
But I see the pitiful,
The crazy, confused me underneath.
And they know my history
But I know that I am me.
I'm crazy, confused, see, underneath.
I'm crazy, and I'm just me underneath.
I-I'm scared, see, I need saving underneath.

END.

So? Did you cry of shame and humiliation? I hope not, 'cause I worked really hard on that! You know what else I worked hard on? Catching up on the Daily Doses I missed! You can see Monday's, Tuesday's, and today's! at their respective links, or you could just visit My Ticket Home and browse through any and all of the doses! Also, if you're on Twitter, be sure to give the author @SangWrites a mention! I missed Twitter Tuesday, but we can Tweet any day. Thank the Lord!

Thursday's post might arrive late like this post, but I WILL get it up tomorrow. I've been stressing about classes BUT what I realized was that posting this stuff actually ALLEVIATES that stress. So why would I skip out on taking my medicine? I wouldn't. Or shouldn't. Yeah, you know what I mean.

Anywho, hope ya'll had an awesome day today! Do you have any CONCEALED, TEXAS GOTHIC, or SISTERHOOD inspired Mayhem going on in your life? Leave them in the comments and remember! Start thinking ahead about NEXT week's Wednesday Wanderings. Get a friend and spread the love! It's more fun if you have people causing Mayhem WITH you, I think.

Later loves,
Deserae

Book Review: CONCEALED

This is actually going to be a really easy review for me to write because I basically have the words I need to say MEMORIZED. I've read lots of reviews on Sang Kromah's debut novel, and several of them have summed up the novel in a single word like "unique," "magical," or I even saw in one, "brilliant."

Me? I don't think I have a word or phrase that can quite describe it. Reading CONCEALED often made me feel like I was being whispered to, and though there is definitely room for improvement as the series develops, it's those lingering whispers that make me happy to have picked up this book. I like hearing good stories, and I think you do, too.

I think a HUGE factor in what makes or breaks a book for any particular reader is the reading experience itself. If I'm in the right mood for a particular book, at the right time, and it's by the right author, I find myself extremely forgiving, and eerily enthusiastic about any and every thing about it.

Such was the case with CONCEALED. I stumbled across this bijou at a time when I really needed something... I don't know... adventurous. I'd been looking over something for a friend of mine, and I wanted to read something that was already in print, but similar to the concept of the manuscript we were tug-of-warring with... And lo and behold... CONCEALED. And  I was excited! At first. But it was WEIRD because I could've SWORN that, the day before, there was nothing on the market like his story so I was spooked, but ready to roll.

That was the first time I read the book, but the second time was just over a week ago shortly after a package came from TLT Publishing. They'd sent over a copy of the book! I was ecstatic and freaking out about Finals and again--- perfect timing. I devoured this 370 something paged gem in three? Maybe four days if you count the amount of time I spent in the wee hours of the "fourth" morning...

So my experience with this story has always been pleasant and YES. This is why I was able to gloss over a lot of its misdemeanors. Truthfully, it could've gone through another round of edits not for content, but for technicalities. There were passages of dialogue I wish I could've altered. There were paragraphs that, if moved around, might've made a scene flow better and words that were made adverbs when they were meant to be adjectives... there were misprints and nuances that would be glimpsed over by careless readers, but caught by the close reader. And Elsewhere, you know I'm a close reader. I like to get the most out of every story I read--- consume every single character, even down to the punctuation...

And it wasn't clean. It wasn't MESSY, but chances are, some of the mistakes will jump out at you. But, Reader, don't let them deter you. I can say that the world in which the CONCEALED universe is set is actually pretty wonderful. It is reminiscent of the tales of old--- the ones you might imagine hearing around a fire in a tribal village, or over a hot cup of cocoa with an elderly storyteller as your sole source of entertainment on "a dark and stormy night..." It's not clean, but it's not messy. It is clear that Sang Kromah KNOWS what she wants from this series, from her characters, and that she wants to make a connection with her readers through the art that preserves the human race: the telling and exchanging of stories.

I'd like to think of CONCEALED as a gateway for Sang who is an obviously talented writer and a not-so-undercover romantic that thinks BIG. The ideas in this story... the characters she's crafted... the stories that work their way through the text in a skeletal manner, like bones... the relationships, both romantic, and unromantic... They're the things I'll be looking for again in the next installment of this series. But I also have hopes that the next story will be even BETTER both in form, in delivery, and of course, in terms of the stakes. Although wow. This book went from a fight for normalcy to a fight for--- Well, if I said for Narnia, would you believe me? Probably not. So I guess you'll have to read the book for yourself in order to know what for and to read the super cool ending that no... not even I saw coming. You can find it at your local Barnes and Nobles, now, so seriously, what are you waiting for? The sequel? Right... me too.

My hope is that you'll fall in love with Sykesville, Maryland and the mythology Sang has crafted around the Concealed. I recommend this to those of you looking for a mystery with a romantic and paranormal emphasis. Because, at its core, CONCEALED challenges us to ask the question who is Bijou? Who can she trust? And it also asks us to wonder if knowing where you come from can compensate for or give value to knowing who you are. Yes. This book has hidden gems, mon amies! Do yourselves a favor; go dig them out.

Blurb from Goodreads:


When 16-year-old Bijou Fitzroy and her nomadic grandmother leave New York City to live in a home in the sleepy town of Sykesville, Maryland, Bijou thinks she will finally be able to live a normal life and be like everyone else. Things soon take a turn for the worse when the stories of the mythical creatures from her mythology class begin to take shape in Bijou's life.

Want more Sang Kromah? Click one.

        

The Sunday Post ~6~

Elsewhere News

• Last week in Elsewhere, we celebrated Ally Carter's fifth book in the Gallagher Girls Series, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME. This week, we've switched gears, and have entered the quiet town of Sykesville to talk about Sang Kromah's unique debut CONCEALED. As always, in the review I post later today I'll hit on some of the things I liked and hope will be developed in the next installment, but DUDE. YES. If you're not up when I get around to posting it (around 9 or 10--- sorry! I have training!), you can check it out tomorrow or head down to your local bookstore to see what it's all about for yourself!
• I forgot to put up the reading schedule yesterday. I'll try to do it tonight so it'll provide at least four days for hardcore reading (hardcore... Yeah, right!). 
• Don't forget that there is still time to enter the Wednesday Wanderings contest and the Monday Mayhem contest for this upcoming week. Check out the April Calendar for ideas to win this week's Prize Pack.

Reviews for Last Week's New Releases

So last week, this happened last week...

And I forgot to tell you that TAKE A BOW by Elizabeth Eulberg came out on the first, and this YA thriller called I HUNT KILLERS has also hit the shelves.

So now that you know all of that, here are the reviews I've seen on all of the things for...

I HUNT KILLERS by Barry Lyga

1. Review and an author guest post and giveaway over at The Booksmugglers.

*TAKE A BOW by Elizabeth Eulberg

1. A bunch of goodies on Novel Novice as it's currently their featured book.

2. An author interview with a Elizabeth Eulberg and book review on Mundie Moms.

FEAR by Michael Grant

1. A review from HD at Reading Writing Breathing.

BLACK HEART by Holly Black

1. A review found through Shelf Awareness.

2. Another review from Mundie Moms.

3. A review from Reading Teen.

PURE by Jennifer L'Armentrout

1. Character interview on its Mundie Moms blog tour stop. (Click to see even more goodies!)

*GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers

1. Another review via Shelf Awareness.

2. Another review from Reading Teen.

3. A five star review from Mundie Moms.

*NOTE: The asterisk indicates I've already scheduled time for that book on Elsewhere. Get a head start! 

New Releases April 9th- April 15th

*All synopses are from Goodreads

April 10th: THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Robin Wasserman (as of now, a standalone.)

When the night began, Nora had two best friends and a boyfriend she adored. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands. Chris was dead. Adriane couldn't speak. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also-according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone-a murderer. 

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora's determined to follow the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. But Chris's murder is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

*April 10th: KILL ME SOFTLY by Sarah Cross (I believe it's a standalone and yes, we'll be reading it.)

Mirabelle’s past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents’ tragic deaths to her guardians’ half-truths about why she can’t return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who’s a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again. But fairy tales aren’t pretty things, and they don’t always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she’ll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

April 10th: BELLES by Jen Calonita (Standalone? I think?)

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

*April 10th: LEXAPROS AND CONS by Aaron Karo (looks like a standalone and sound really cute. I think we should read it.) 

Chuck Taylor’s OCD has rendered him a high school outcast. His endless routines and habitual hand washing threaten to scare away both his closest friend and the amazing new girl in town. Sure he happens to share the name of the icon behind the coolest sneakers in the world, but even Chuck knows his bizarre system of wearing different color “Cons” depending on his mood is completely crazy. 

In this hilariously candid debut novel from comedian Aaron Karo—who grew up with a few obsessions and compulsions of his own—very bad things are going to happen to Chuck. But maybe that’s a good thing. Because with graduation looming, Chuck finds himself with one last chance to face his inner demons, defend his best friend, and win over the girl of his dreams. No matter what happens, though, he’ll have to get his hands dirty.

April 10th: DEAR GEORGE CLOONEY, PLEASE MARRY MY MOM by Susin Nielsen (standalone) 

Violet's TV-director dad has traded a job in Vancouver for one in Los Angeles, their run-down house for a sleek ranch-style home complete with a pool, and, worst of all, Violet's mother for a trophy wife, a blonde actress named Jennica. Violet's younger sister reacts by bed-wetting, and her mother ping-pongs from one loser to another, searching for love. As for Violet, she gets angry in ways that are by turns infuriating, shocking, and hilarious.

When her mother takes up with the unfortunately named Dudley Wiener, Violet and her friend Phoebe decide that they need to take control. If Violet's mom can't pick a decent man herself, they will help her snag George Clooney. In Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom, Susin Nielsen has created a truly original protagonist in Violet and a brilliant new novel that will delight readers into rooting for her, even when she's at her worst.

PAPERBACK RELEASES

Monster High #2: The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison

Rotters by Daniel Kraus

Viola in the Spotlight by Adriana Trigiani 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

7 Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes by Amber Kizer

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

Chime by Franny Billingsley

In Theaters April 9th- April 15th

April 13th: "The Cabin in the Woods" 

Director: Drew Goddard

MPAA Rating: R

Going to see it?: No. Just... no. Not only do I see absolutely no plot in the trailer, but I also cannot stomach horror. I don't care HOW CUTE the guys are!

Description: 

Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods. If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes 'The Cabin in the Woods,' a mind blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out.

April 13th: "The Three Stooges"

Directors: Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly

MPAA Rating: PG

Going to see it?: Probably not right away. Maybe on DVD or when it goes to the cheaper theater down the street because next week has a bunch of films I'm down for.

Description: 

While trying to save their childhood orphanage, Moe, Larry, and Curly inadvertently stumble into a murder plot and wind up starring in a reality TV show. Peter and Bobby Farrelly finally get around to doing their take on the Three Stooges with this 20th Century Fox production. From a script they penned with Mike Cerrone (Me, Myself & Irene), the brothers' comedic take on the trio will not be a iopic, but rather a sampling of new slapstick adventures set in the present day.

April 13th: "Lockout"

Directors: James Mathers and Stephen St. Ledger

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Going to see it?: When I first saw the trailer, I thought no, but now... maybe?

Description: 

Set in the near future, Lockout follows a falsely convicted ex- government agent (Guy Pearce), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President's daughter (Maggie Grace) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum security prison.

April 13th: "Blue Like Jazz"

Director: Steve Taylor

MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated

Going to see it?: No, but Claire Holt (aka EMMA from H2O: Just Add Water) is in it and that's the only reason I'm even mentioning this one to you guys 'cause it looks... weird...

Description: In 'Blue Like Jazz,' Don (Marshall Allman), a pious nineteen-year-old sophomore at a Texas junior college, impulsively decides to escape his evangelical upbringing for life in the Pacific Northwest at one of the most progressive campuses in America, Reed College in Portland. Upon arrival, Reed's surroundings and eccentric student body proves to be far different than he could possibly imagine from the environment from which he came, forcing him to embark on a journey of self-discovery to understand who he is and what he truly believes.

AND MORE
"Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day" by Director Neema Barnette

"Monsieur Lazhar" by Director Philippe Falardeau

"Here" by Director Braden King

"L!fe Happens" by Director Kat Coiro

And that's it for this Sunday! I'll catch you later, Dearies! 

Love,
Deserae

Saturday Sights ~6~

Hello, Elsewhere! I promise to be brief.

This week and next week I have all day training sessions on Saturdays so if these are posted a little late, you'll know why. But then again, what is late? I figure, if it's up on Saturday, that's right on time. Do you know what I mean? Of course you don't know what I mean, what am I even saying to begin with?!


FIRST, as always, I want to present you with a giveaway opportunity. If you haven't been to your local bookstore in a while, you're missing out because there's a plethora of BEAUTIFUL books that are hitting the shelves. And among them is one called CHOPSTICKS and you're in luck! because there's a giveaway over at Confessions of a Bookaholic for JUST THE THING!

NOW, I must point you in the direction of Mundie Moms' 5 star review that has convinced me to read GRAVE MERCY on Elsewhere! That's right, ya'll. Get ready for May because I've got a bunch of great titles lined up. But there is no rule against getting a head start! GRAVE MERCY is in stores now, and guess what? It sounds GOOD. And if you're coming down off your OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME high, this might be the best news you've heard in days because it's about NUN ASSASSINS (okay, not really, but KINDA). Check it out, yo!

FINALLY (see, I told you! Brief!) for those of you who are HA-UGE fans of Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT, have I got news for you. There's this really cool site called Divergent Nation that's gearing people up for the May 1st release of its sequel: INSURGENT. If any of you are #TeamDauntless, you should head over there and check out some of the blogs that are supporting this faction. Can you believe the release is less than a month away? I can't and I'm not even part of the fan-base, yet! But I will be. Soon. Berry, berry soon. I hope. :)

And that's it for this Saturday! What were some of the awesome sights YOU'VE seen this week? Don't forget that this upcoming week we'll be celebrating Sang Kromah's very cool debut CONCEALED and you are MORE THAN ENCOURAGED to participate in the celebration! You can start submitting your Wednesday Wanderings to myticketsomewhere@gmail.com from now all the way through Tuesday, and you should start thinking about creative ways to spread the word! Also, if you don't think CONCEALED is going to be your kinda story (which *ahem!* is going to be nearly impossible since it's pretty much "everybody's" kind of book), you can still hang with us by reading either TEXAS GOTHIC or THE SECOND SUMMER OF THE SISTERHOOD.

Now seriously. That's it. Have a wonderful weekend, Everyone, and get your geek on!

Later!
Deserae

Friday Finale: OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME

On Monday...
We caused some Mayhem by dropping GG5 inspired postcards in the bags and hoods of unsuspecting targets. At least I did. But you guys also got to enjoy a non-spoiler vlog review of the book AND I linked you up with a BUNCH of Gallagher related nonsense to hold you over until the next book hits the shelves.

On Tuesday...
I recruited ya'll to help me dazzle Twitter with our talk of OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME, but it turned out to be one of those days when I talked to myself... again. It was okay, though, because I ended up being a bundle of nerves about my first day of classes and life just wasn't going so well. Thank GOD for that awesome contest by Marley Gibson. I mean, that was just the thing I needed to lift my spirits. Did you enter? I hope so because it was only for a limited time!

On Wednesday...
I showed you my pair of Traveling Pants. I don't get out much as you can tell from the illustration, but I know you guys do and guess what? You can make your OWN pair of Traveling Pants and WIN PRIZES for it! WHA?!?!?! Next Wednesday, I'd like to show some of your bookish spirit. Send entries over, yo, and get ideas from this month's calendar!

On Thursday...
I introduced you to Nicole who's just fabbity fab with knobs on. She wrote a review for OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME and guess what? She's like you and me! A regular girl who just loves telling people about the awesome books she reads. I adored her review and think you should click on this screenshot RIGHT NOW so that you can read it. It was nowhere near as nitpicky as my review. I think, if you're wondering what your reaction would've been like had you NOT read my review, you should check out Nicole's immediately.

And now it's Friday!
And I have a bunch more yum yums for you on top of all the stuff we've already done! Oh yeah.... You didn't think I forgot about Holly Black's WHITE CAT, did you? Well I didn't and thankfully, neither did Novel Novice! In celebration of the release of BLACK HEART this week, these bloggers have been posting the coolest things regarding the Curseworkers world like:

1. All of the book trailers!
2. A quiz so you can determine what kind of worker you are!
3. And my favorite--- a writing contest where you can enter to win the entire set of Curseworkers books! And guess when this contest ends? The 30th of April! So you have the entire month to get to work. Seriously... can we just lift our hands in thanks and exclaim a whooping "Thank you Novel Novice!"?

Also, I've compiled a super duper OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME Playlist from the music featured on the Daily Doses over at Home this week!

AND don't forget there's a liveshow tonight at 5 PM PST where we'll be talking about all of the books featured this week--- OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME especially because yes! I have a lot to say!

Hope to see you there. Have a fabulous weekend and I hope your Passover and Easter holidays are truly... fabulous! Haha! I'm running out of words.

Lots of love,
Deserae

Thursday Thoughts -5-

Hey Guys!

So it's been a while since I've had thoughts from you guys, but I know that OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME was one of those books WE ALL were looking forward to reading and it was one of those we all HAD to write reviews about. You all read my review already so I'm not going to blah about that. Instead, I want to point you toward the fabulous review done by Nicole because she wrote it, I think, THE DAY the book came out and made me even more anxious to get the book for myself.

Click the pic to see her full review!

BASICALLY, I love Nicole. I loved her review. I MUST talk to her about OSOT at some point in the near future. But you? You should go talk to her now so that SHE can convince you to read it since (I admit it!) I haven't been doing the best job of it, myself.

Also, don't forget there's a chat tomorrow at 5 PM PST. Seriously. Tomorrow. I swear. Pinkies crossed or whatever you do with them. Be there and talk with me! I have some questions for those of you who did read the book. I actually want to talk about it so warning to those of you who come just to keep me company! There might be some spoilers. Sorry in advance because I can't control the actual chatroom.

Love ya'll bunches and yo! Go read Nicole's review!!!!

Deuces!
Deserae
(Gah! I know! SO GHETTO!!!!)

Wednesday Writes -5-

Hello, Elsewhere!

I know I'm late. But it's still Wednesday and to celebrate this week's books, I chose to make my own pair of traveling pants. I used Paint so forgive the sloppiness. But yeah! Here are five things I've done or am proud of or want to do. I hope you make your own pair and remember! You can enter next week's Wednesday Wanderings by using your creativity to respond to any of the books we're reading then. Why not get a head start? Visit the April Calendar for a few ideas!

Ciao Bellas! 

Deserae

Tuesday in Tweets -5-

    

"Dancing with myself!..." 

MEMO FROM EARLIER TODAY:

Hey Everyone! It's Tuesday!

I have my classes up the wazzoo on Tuesdays which means two things:

1. I'm going to miss Jackson Pearce's Liveshow EVERY FREAKING WEEK!
2. I won't be able to Tweet ALL DAY--- only when I return from class at yeah. 7:15 in the evening.

That means that you all have to step it up for me! Be sure to Tweet the author of the week, share your thoughts, talk to each other, and use the hashtag #teamelsewhere as often as you can so I can find those Tweets later on. Remember, we're talking about OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME by Ally Carter, WHITE CAT by Holly Black, and THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares. If you read any of these books, get your Tweeples talking! You can also mention me, @sommertales, in your Tweets if you have questions or insightful thoughts on any of the books and I'll reply as soon as I can. Because I love you!

Take care, all, and take with ye this awesome contest by Marley Gibson in celebration of her book RADIATE which releases this week (check out the Sunday Post to see other new releases this week!).

I'll be back later!
Deserae

Monday Mayhem -5- The Mayhem Resumes

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5)

by Ally Carter

From Goodreads: The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home. 

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

Good day, Elsewhere! I hope we're finding you well on this glorious Monday.

The Mayhem Video is up and waiting for your chipper video responses. If you don't know what the Mayhem Challenge is this week, then great! You can watch it to find out! Or you can check out the April Calendar. It contains a cornucopia of wealth and knowledge and I hope you guys use the calendars often to keep yourselves in the know.

Speaking of being in the know... Did you know that Ally Carter has an official Tumblr, now? Every Friday, her assistant Molly puts up fan art that can be emailed to allycartercontest@gmail.com and there's a chance you can see yours featured there if you just submit! And guess what? The Wednesday Wanderers Challenge offers up a prize for just the thing. So if you create some fan art for this book, WHITE CAT, or SISTERHOOD I by midnight PST tomorrow, then you can send it to myticketsomewhere@gmail.com as well. Isn't that great?! It is. I know! For ideas and stuff, check out the April Calendar. What did I tell you? WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

You know what else is good to know? What Liz, Bex, Zach, and Macey were really doing all that time that Cammie was away. And now you can actually find out! Enroll at Gallagher Academy and enjoy exclusive content for OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME! And guess what? Ally loved the idea so much that it's likely she'll be releasing short stories before the release of the next installment. And even though that's a while away, a true Gallagher Girl knows how to wait. :)

In other news, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME was a bestseller on the NY Times Bestselling Series List. Congrats, Ally! But GG5 isn't the only book we're celebrating by a NY Times Bestselling Author. Holly Black, the author of WHITE CAT has had her fair share of awards and achievements. It might seem strange at first, but she was one of the authors hard at work on The Spiderwick Chronicles Series and it's spin-off, Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles. And Ann Brashares can also boast of being a NY Times Bestselling Author. THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS sat at #1 on the list!

So as you can see, I don't recommend bad books, ya'll. Although I don't always love them wholeheartedly, every single book we read here is good! And has good merits! They're not always GREAT for everyone, but I do believe that all of them are meant to be great for SOMEONE. So start spreading the word, yo! Invite people to Elsewhere and more importantly, START HANDING THEM BOOKS!

Take with ye a lovely review of OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME.

Have an awesome week, ya'll!
Deserae