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BOOK REVIEW: Parkland Speaks edited by Sarah Lerner

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SYNOPSIS: Featuring art and writing from the students of the Parkland tragedy, this is a raw look at the events of February 14, and a poignant representation of grief, healing, and hope. The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School share their emotional journeys that began on February 14, 2018, and continue today. This revealing and unfiltered look at teens living in the wake of tragedy is a poignant representation of grief, anger, determination, healing, and hope. The intimate collection includes poetry, eyewitness accounts, letters, speeches, journal entries, drawings, and photographs from the events of February 14 and its aftermath. Full of heartbreaking loss, a rally cry for change, and hope for a safe future, these artistic pieces will inspire readers to reflect on their own lives and the importance of valuing and protecting the ones you love. A touchstone for anyone who has been driven to speak out and have a voice in today's climate, this revealing and unfilt

BLOG TOUR: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess

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SYNOPSIS: Magic, romance, and heart-pounding action bring the final book in the Kingdom on Fire series to a shocking and satisfying close. Justine Magazine says, “A pinch of Potter blended with a drop of [Cassandra Clare’s] Infernal Devices.” It’s time for war. After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter–and the ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients. It’s time for a wedding. Henrietta nervously awaits her marriage to Blackwood, but when the ritual to become his bride reveals a dark secret, she realizes that Sorrow-Fell is not a safe haven; it’s a trap. Convincing the sorcerers of this, however, is not easy. So with Maria, the true chosen one, and Magnus, the young man who once stole her heart, at her side, Henrietta plots a dangerous journey straight into the enemy’s lair. Some will live. Some will die. All will be tested. In this

BLOG TOUR: The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

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SYNOPSIS: Ann Brashares, beloved author of the bestselling The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, which has sold over 8.7 million copies in all formats, is back with another unforgettable story about fractured families, first love, and loss in her latest novel,   THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER , which carries a first printing of 100,000 copies. Readers will feel the sand between their toes and smell the salty air of Brashares’s Long Island beach town setting, which serves as the backdrop for Sasha and Ray’s unusual and budding relationship. Summer for Sasha and Ray means the sprawling old house on Long Island. Since they were children, they’ve shared almost everything—reading the same books, running down the same sandy footpaths to the beach, eating peaches from the same market, laughing around the same sun-soaked dining table. Even sleeping in the same bed, on the very same worn cotton sheets. But they’ve never met. Sasha’s dad was once married to Ray’s mom, and

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Lindsay Currie & Trisha Leaver

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When we talk about murders that freaked a nation out, especially ones that entire legends are built around — Lizzie Borden tops many lists. A daughter who took an axe to her parents. That’s some freaky behavior and what’s scarier is it has never really been explained. Of course, there’s theories but since going back in time just isn’t possible, people can come up with their own stories by way of explanation. Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie did just that with their YA book:  SWEET MADNESS . First up, let them talk about just how their perspective of Lizzie was shaped. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Why Lizzie Borden? Which of you became interested in the legend and what kind of research did you both do for the SWEET MADNESS? Well, Trisha lives on the East coast where the legend of the Borden murders is widely well known, so it naturally became the next subject matter for us to pursue! Plus, we’ve got a fascination with the dark, demented and creepy…and the legend of Lizzie Borden is

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Joe Benitez, Author & Illustrator

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Joe Benitez makes steampunk aesthetic come to life in a gritty, urban fantastic world featuring a kick-butt female lead. Of course, this lead struggles with identity and past and memory loss. It's a sci-fi treat, plotty and pretty. REVIEW:   Steampunk aesthetics influenced me greatly growing up because of my love of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , Sherlock Holmes and Gaslight Novels. It is no surprise, one of my favorite Cons to attend is Dragon*Con given its elaborate grouping of steampunk enthusiasts and their top-notch, quality workmanship. Which is why, to some degree, I consider myself a bit of an expert in noticing niche, stand-out steampunk art.   In Joe Benitez's artwork, steampunk gets a gritty make-over... not enough for it to be classified cyber or industrial punk, but it is a fine-edged, Victorian combination that works great and makes for a highly attractive, kick-butt lady heroine. I adore how overly large the coloring pages feel with a lot of white sp

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Cover Revealed

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If you haven't had the chance to see it... Perpetual New Girls are gaping over this cover of the The Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Not sure if we like it or not, actually. What about you all? Yay or Nay? Pottermore unveiled the cover along with some inside illustrations that look more like what we expect from illustrator, Jim Kay. We do adore the Knight Bus though. Maybe once we get to see it in person, it will seem more impressive. This third book in the illustrated set will find its way into stores on October 3rd of this year and will feature over 115 new graphic illustrations and be translated into over 21 languages around the world! 

BLOG TOUR: Author Interview with Carrie Mac

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Perpetual New Girls are delighted to host Carrie Mac today! Especially since TODAY is the day you can get her newest novel and US debut, 10 Things I Can See From Here. Maeve comes across just like us here. We're an anxious bunch at this blog and related one-to-one with many of the feelings Mac's character unleashes in her search to be accepted. Such an amazing, diverse character who truly captures how uniquely expressive a rambling, anxious mind can be. And oh the quirks! While we're fans of the variations of "Keep Calm", we get what drives Maeve's contempt of them. We are definite haters of the "Just Chill" quips. There's way too much meaning behind someone saying that to us for us to be "chill" with them. And I suppose that's why we were curious as to what drove Maeve's dislike of the "Keep Calm" sayings. Was it something Mac had given her character or something she herself felt and wrote into Maeve's st