Friday, October 10, 2014

New Adult Book Group Questions

At the New Ulm Public Library (located in New Ulm, MN) we started a monthly New Adult (NA) Book Group. It's been great fun to talk to other readers about NA books and what exactly makes a book NA. Hosting a book group for the new(ist) genre and books has been challenging in a few areas.

One challenge has been finding enough copies of the book for the group. The other challenge we have encountered is finding book group discussion questions. Lucky for us, we have Kris Wiley as our Library Director and she has helped provide book group discussion questions for our group. After a recent book group discussion on Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines, we decided it be great to share our book group discussion questions for other NA book readers and groups out there.

I have now created a new page on the blog to post the book group questions. So if you're interested in starting a NA book group or reading one of these books for your book group, you now have access to questions for the discussion. I'll keep the page updated monthly.

You can access the book group questions by clicking here.

Happy reading!


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

My big public service announcement on a favorite YA book and three FREE novella stories

 

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .


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Back in early 2010, I read this wonderful YA book that was all about friendships and girl power and why the two need to stick together. It was an amazing read and still sits on my shelf, ready to be read once my daughter is old enough.

I'm all about the girl power in this book but what I loved even more was showing not all boys are bad or out to steal your girl-time away. We meet several in this book that have hearts of gold. However, the book revolves around the "Lonely Hearts Club" and Penny telling her story of how her choice to give up boys turned into a club that supports friends first.

With others, I became a HUGE fan of Elizabeth Eulberg and asked for a follow-up to be made. Years later we finally got our response. Three FREE novella's and a follow-up to her first book.

We will get one novella per month starting October 1, November 1, and December 1. See below for pictures of the novella's and order they'll be released in.

 
 
 
Then we finally get after 6 years of waiting, the follow-up to the Lonely Hearts Club. I for one cannot wait!
 
 

 

 

 

Monday, October 6, 2014

Fallen Fourth Down by Tijan


My mother tried to destroy me. She doesn’t exist to me anymore and my father, the one who raised me and the biological one, are both works in progress. The only two people that I can trust are Mason and Logan, and they’re the two people who I could lose. It won’t happen. I won’t let it. No matter the truth, no matter who loves me, I won’t let anything or anyone come between us.
They’re my world. They’re my life.
They’re my family

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It seems like I am focused on two things, outside of family and my daughter's ever growing activities schedule, during the months of September through November. Both have to deal with football! Reading stories about football and playing in the libraries fantasy football league. 

Football and fall equals book reading for me. I LOVE football stories. Especially in the YA and NA world. This was how I first found Tijan. Some random search on if you like this, try that. I've been a fan ever since. Well more like crazy fangirl.

This story takes place during Sam and Logan's senior year. To me it was the perfect timing considering football season is also happening right now in the real world along with cross country and all that makes fall a wonderful season. It felt timely and at present of what's happening in the world.

The separating of the fearsome threesome was tough but needed. The change from high school to college is one of the toughest and biggest jumps we make from young adults to new adults. Mason needed to go to college for his relationships to grow but also for Sam and Logan to grow on their own. The duel POV's and image shots of text messages between Mason and Sam helped bridge the gap between the two worlds and made you feel that even though they were apart they were still present in each other's lives. 

If you read the last book, you'll remember the bomb that was dropped on Tate at the end. It stays with her for most of the book. Why wouldn't it? She knows that Mason and Logan have an unbreakable bond and doesn't want to come between that for fear of losing them both. I never questioned Sam on that point. Especially with Tate's history and the two boys. Sam had a lot to lose and thought about it throughout the book. Very natural when your boyfriend goes off to college and is a stud muffin in football.

What I have heard about book three is some people were disappointed in Sam and how she was acting/reacting. I mean, you get a beat down that places you in the hospital, who wouldn't be changed by that? We get to read about this change throughout the book. She's stronger and has more self confidence about herself and where she's at in life. More importantly, she comes back into her old self. The strong girl who knows she needs to stand beside Mason and not behind him.   I loved seeing her stand up for herself on Marissa and even being able to admit her greatest fears to Mason. Both are a important part of her character growth and strength.

Finally, the new bromance between Logan and Mark. LOVE it! Those two were like rays of sunshine in a book that deals in changing relationships and times. I so want to read more about those two. Maybe we will. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll room together at college and that will be the sixth book that focuses on Logan. Fingers crossed over here!

If you haven't give Tijan a chance, do so now! Few writers are on my to buy list and Tijan is one of them. I love her writing and way of portraying strong female characters and Fallen Crest High is my favorite of her series. Check out Fallen Crest High to start with, the first in the series. We have the whole set at our local library (if you live close to New Ulm or are in the state of MN).