Showing posts with label Populatti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Populatti. Show all posts

Friday, 12 December 2014

Holiday Hop / Gift List: Best Young Adult / New Adult Titles



SECOND THOUGHTS by CARA BERTRAND

 
 
The continuing adventures of an ordinary teenage girl with extraordinary mental abilities, perfect for readers who love books and series such as Vampire Academy, Spellbound, and Sweet Peril



Secrets, lies, and looming deaths—all things Lainey Young deals with in a typical day of high school. In her senior year at Northbrook Academy—a New England boarding school where the majority of the students and nearly all the staff are members of the Sententia, a hidden society of the psychically gifted—Lainey has even more to worry about. Things like classes, college, her boyfriend, and, of course, the vision she glimpsed of her impending death. But to her surprise, Lainey finds one worry she can cross off her list, namely Senator Daniel Astor, the leader of the Sententia. After a shocking discovery when they finally meet, Lainey realizes maybe she was wrong to distrust the Senator. She relaxes even further when he seems to accept her refusal to work for him after graduation. But with her secrets mounting and the time to solve them running out, there’s a final enigma Lainey hasn’t yet encountered: Daniel Astor doesn’t take no for an answer. Ever.
  
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21470669-second-thoughts?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935462075/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1935462075&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-thoughts-cara-bertrand/1118939932?ean=9781935462071&itm=1&usri=9781935462071&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201

 
 
 
 
AMY'S CHOICE by MARCIA STRYKOWSKI

 
 
Amy Henderson’s freshman year starts with a new best friend, Cat, and a newfound confidence. But she misses her crush, Craig, who has gone to live with his aunt in Boston. Craig has promised to write, and Amy checks the mail on a daily basis, but to no avail. There are plenty of distractions, however. Cat’s brother, Ricky, seems interested in Amy, but is she interested in him? And a new friendship with Finn, the lighthouse keeper, who Amy discovers is a talented artist, keeps Amy and Cat busy as they arrange for him to exhibit his work. But things get complicated when Craig returns from Boston and Finn is accused of arson. There are more questions than answers for Amy as life becomes as turbulent as the cold and stormy ocean of her coastal Maine town. Ideal for preteens, this novel is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Call Me Amy and touches upon issues of friendship, boyfriend troubles, and the power of believing in oneself.
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21470692-amy-s-choice?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193546213X/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=193546213X&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amys-choice-marcia-strykowski/1118939957?ean=9781935462132&itm=1&usri=9781935462132&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201

 
 
 
 
POPULATTI by JACKIE NASTRI BARDENWERPER

 
 
Getting in is hard. Staying in is harder...

Joining social network Populatti.com let sixteen-year-old Livi Stanley trade her awkward middle school past for the social life of her dreams. Because Populatti isn't just a social network. It's a club, providing access to friends. Parties. And Livi's crush, star baseball player Brandon Dash. Yet lately, online rumors have been threatening Livi's place in the group. And not even her friends are doing much to stop them. Leaving Livi to prove them wrong, and fast.

Before her life as a popster is over.
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22066787-populatti?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1496015363/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1496015363&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/populatti-jackie-nastri-bardenwerper/1119425241?ean=9781496015365&itm=1&usri=9781496015365&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201

 
 


MAGNIFICENT MINDS by PENDRED NOYCE

 
 
Full of the inspirational stories girls need for exploring a future in science

Did you know that Florence Nightingale pioneered the use of statistics in public health? That Marie Curie is still the only person to have won the Nobel Prize in both physics and chemistry—and the only winner whose daughter also won a Nobel Prize? That in the 17th century, the most accomplished scholar in mathematical astronomy was a Polish woman, Maria Cunitz? That the pysicist who first explained nuclear fission was a woman, Lise Meitner?That two of the pioneers of computer science were women, Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper? For centuries, women have risen above their traditional roles to pursue new understanding of the natural world. This book, which grows out of an exhibit at the Grolier Club in New York, introduces the lives, sayings, and dreams of sixteen women over four centuries and chronicles their contributions to mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, computer science, and medicine. Sweeping and inspirational, this book should be read by all girls and young women who share curiosity about the world and the dream of making a difference.
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22174124-magnificent-minds?from_search=true
 
 
COMING JAN 2015!
 
PRE-ORDER NOW!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0989792471/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0989792471&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
 
 
 
 DARE TO KISS by S.B. ALEXANDER

 
 
Besides her family, Lacey Robinson’s only other love is baseball. She’s on top of the world when Arizona State University approaches her to discuss a scholarship. To be the first girl ever to grace a college boys’ team is beyond what she has ever dreamed.

Her fastball is impeccable, her curveball equally as good, and her slider annihilates anyone who dares to step in the batter’s box. But fate has its own way of throwing curveballs. When she loses her mother and sister to a home invasion, baseball and her dreams die with them. Tragedy has a way of seeping deep into her psyche, causing nightmares, panic attacks and blackouts. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, her psychiatrist recommends a change of scenery and picking up the things that she loved to do, and for Lacey that is baseball.

After a move clear across the country, only two things matter to Lacey—overcome her PTSD and make Kensington High’s baseball team. But trying out for the team comes with obstacles—the captain, Aaron Seever, doesn’t want a girl on the team.

Her life is further complicated when she meets Kade Maxwell, a tall, sexy and drool-worthy bad boy who has a magical touch that awakens her feminine side and a kiss that slowly erases her nightmares. But getting involved with him may be dangerous when Kade’s archenemy returns to town to settle a vendetta.

To complicate matters, her PTSD has taken a turn for the worse. She has to find a way to heal otherwise she may not have a chance at anything in life, especially love.

This is a New Adult Novel and contains strong language and sexual content. Intended for audiences age 17+
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22729129-dare-to-kiss?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Kiss-Maxwell-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00MSEVKQY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418384269&sr=1-1&keywords=9780988776241

 
 
KIRIN RISE: THE CAST OF SHADOWS by ED CRUZ

 
 
Nineteen-year-old Kirin Rise doesn't look like a hero. Short and scrawny, she's not the type to strike fear into anyone, much less the brutes that make up the United Federation of Mixed Fighting. Despite her size, she spent her youth secretly training with her Sifu in the art of Wing Chun Gung Fu. What's more, Kirin has something that many people in 2032 seem to have lost--a conscience. Enraged by government corruption and corporate greed, Kirin sets out to do something about it in the most unlikely place: the weekly bloodbath known as Chum Night. With the guidance of her Sifu and the help of those who love her, she just might survive.

Kirin Rise: The Cast of Shadows is the story of a young woman struggling against the apathy of a nation in her drive to make the world a better place.
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22949387-kirin-rise?from_search=true

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kirin-rise-ed-cruz/1120158765?ean=9781496929648&itm=1&usri=9781496929648&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201

 
 
THE ODYSSEY OF FALLING by PAIGE CRUTCHER

 
 
Meet Odd. Audrey “Odd” Ashworth is an exceptionally bright girl with a sympathetic heart. She’s in the top 4% of her class. She’s obsessed with getting into Manhattan School of Music, committed to following the “signs” the universe delivers, and infatuated with her recently deceased best friend’s boyfriend.

Life is a little strange for Odd.

Until she finds her best friend’s diary in her crush’s car, and decides to do the bucket list tucked inside the pages. As Odd seeks closure and a way to honor her friend, she discovers there’s nothing wrong with being a little strange, especially if it helps you discover who you were meant to be. Along the way, Odd falls into trouble, adventure, and finally love.

****
"Paige Crutcher's writing turns simple words into delicious bits of alchemy. Her characters are fully drawn, her settings are reach-out-and-touch real, and her voice is honest and vulnerable. Don't miss this one." - Myra McEntire, Author of The Hourglass Series

“Tackling the very current lives of teenagers and their impossible choices, Paige Crutcher's debut is completely self-assured, original and unique. She has an unparalleled ability to build characters you'll love, root for, get angry with and miss when the story is finished. I predict big things for Crutcher -- THE ODYSSEY OF FALLING is a wonderful debut, and I can't wait for more from this authoritative new voice in contemporary YA.” - J.T. Ellison, New York bestselling author of When Shadows Fall

"In THE ODYSSEY OF FALLING, Paige Crutcher has written an anthem for every young heart looking to find its way in the world. This novel is tender and hilarious, beautiful and brave. Crutcher tells her story with a sure voice and a steady hand, all the while reminding us that youth, with all its complexities, is something to be savored. Just like the novel." - Ariel Lawhon, author of The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress
 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23385441-the-odyssey-of-falling?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Falling-Paige-Crutcher-ebook/dp/B00ONERG8S/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418382526&sr=1-1&keywords=9780990920502
 
 
 

 
 

Friday, 7 November 2014

Blog Tour: Review + Author Q&A: Populatti by Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper #Populatti








Paperback, $12.99
ISBN: 978-0-9907858-0-4
Young Adult Fiction, 338 pages
October 7, 2014
Tautog Press


Getting in is hard. Staying in is harder...


Joining social network Populatti.com let sixteen-year-old Livi Stanley trade her awkward middle school past for the social life of her dreams. Because Populatti isn’t just a social network. It's a club, providing access to friends. Parties. And Livi's crush, star baseball player Brandon Dash.


Yet lately, online rumors have been threatening Livi's place in the group. And not even her friends are doing much to stop them. Leaving Livi to prove them wrong, and fast.


Before her life as a popster is over.





What Readers Are Saying…

On Amazon.com:


“This is a timely and realistic book that explores social media in the high school setting. While the younger set will certainly love it (Gossip Girl fans come to mind), it is a really interesting read from the adult perspective too. Livi is likeable and complex...and the plot moves right along! Some of the scenes brought me right back to high school!”

-Litsnob49


The book is more than a good read. It is a view into how a girl's life today is similar to the past, but so much more complicated. I love that some important lessons are conveyed in a contemporary way. This book is a perfect gift for any teen or pre-teen girl,, and it will probably be enlightening to some Moms and Dads as well.”

-Robin M.



“Livi and her friends reminded me (almost too much!) of my friends when we were her age. The balance between BFFs and boyfriends, the social climbing and the desire to have just the right outfit will bring you right back to being 16. I loved On the Line and was so excited to read the next installment by this author...Populatti did not disappoint!”

-YAobsessed49


“Loved the characters (especially Livi) and detailed descriptions of scenes and conversations. Really felt like I was at Golden Hill and desperate to join the Populatti! Page-turner that kept me up at night reading to find out what happens next. Looking forward to the next installment from this author!”

-Heather224




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:

Angelle Barbazon
574-350-4501


New YA realistic fiction looks at perils of social media in high school


Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper follows up first popular novel with Populatti


STAMFORD, Conn. – Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper’s new young adult fiction work explores the intersection of high school and social media.


In Populatti, sixteen-year-old Livi Stanley trades her awkward middle school past for the social life of her dreams after being accepted into Populatti.com, an exclusive website designed by her friends where members are voted in by their peers and can then be voted out depending on their behavior. When online rumors about Livi start threatening her place in the group, without even her friends doing much to stop them, Livi is left to prove them wrong – and quickly.


Populatti is Bardenwerper’s second book, following her successful young adult novel On the Line, which was an honorable mention recipient in the Writers’ Digest first annual Self-Published eBook Awards. Like her first book, Populatti centers on a young girl who must rise to a challenge and find her voice in the process. This novel also takes a look at the landscape of high school bullying today.


“I really wanted to take a look at the more subtle types of bullying that often occur in high school settings,” Bardenwerper said. “While we hear about the most serious incidents, a lot of bullying often goes unreported, especially when it originates from one’s friends. In Populatti, I wanted to focus on these complexities of teen friendships, especially with regard to social media.”


Populatti is a page turner with plenty of life lessons for young adults, but also provides insight for adults about how different high school is today than it once was, in part because of social media.


Bardenwerper writes from Stamford where she lives with her husband and daughter.

  
Check out all the stops on the
JKSCommuniactions Virtual Tour Page 


REVIEW

 This book made me feel young(er) again! It took me back to a time when fitting in and being socially acceptable were the most important things in my life. I wouldn't say I was a part of the in crowd, but I had my girls just like Livi did, and we went through many ups and downs. Boy trouble, back-stabbing and bitchiness all come with the territory but in the end friendship always wins out. 

The interesting thing about this book was seeing just how easily Populatti ruled these characters lives. Even best friends deceived and plotted against each other all in the name it. So I had to wonder how far these girls (because the guys weren't into all the drama) were willing to go to make sure they remained in this group.

Well-written, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable, this book was a blast to read. I was shocked by some of the behavior, but it was so very on point. Bardenwerper has created such believable and relatable characters and scenes that I could have easily been reading my old high school journal. 






Praise for On the Line



“A charming coming-of-age tale set in the Florida Keys.”

-Kirkus


“This is one of those books once you start reading you don’t want to put down. Every character is so well-developed that you feel as they are real and you actually know them. They are authentic teenagers and not adults pretending to be teens.”

-Forever YA Fiction



“This was a really great read! I tore through it, reading it in a few hours over a couple of plane rides. I couldn’t put it down. . . . It’s not very often that I am so pleasantly surprised by how good a book is, but this one did it for me. If you are looking for unique and engrossing read, I would definitely check it out!”

-Book Nerds Across America



“When we are looking for great beach books for Spring Break or summer, or that beach getaway in our mind, we want compelling characters, a page-turning story, juicy details, steamy emotion, and enough romance to keep it real. On The Line, by Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper, fills our checklist perfectly… but really is so much more than just a juicy beach read.”

-PopCosmo


Selected for Outdoor Canada’s “2012 holiday gift guide for kids”



ABOUT THE AUTHOR



Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper is an author of young adult realistic fiction. Her first novel, On the Line, is an honorable mention recipient in the Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards. She releases her second YA novel, Populatti, in time for National Anti-Bullying Month this October.


She graduated with honors from Cornell University, where her thesis addressed the emerging field of social media. She now lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her husband, Tad, and daughter, Cecilia.


Bardenwerper worked in public relations and marketing for seven years before deciding to devote her time to writing and raising her daughter. She is also an avid runner and, as may be evident in her writing, loves the beach and ocean.



Twitter  (@jnbwrite)


Q&A with Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper
Where did you get the idea for Populatti?
This story came to me when I learned about the dating website www.beautifulpeople.com back in 2010. It was about how you had to be voted into the site and could be voted out if your looks changed and the community decided you were no longer beautiful. It sounded terrible – and very much like something high school kids might do! So I adapted the concept to work in a high school setting. I also really wanted to take a look at both the overt and more subtle types of bullying that often occur in high school settings. We hear a lot about the more overt incidents, but a lot of bullying really is more subtle and can often come from kids’ so-called friends!

How did you come up with the name for the book and the social media site, Populatti.com?
I tried to put myself in my characters’ shoes and think about what they would want in a name if they were creating a site. I figured they’d want something that spoke to the site’s exclusiveness, sounded unique and had a URL that was actually available. After some serious brainstorm sessions with friends and family, Populatti was the clear winner.

The main character Livi is easy to root for. How did you shape her character?
Shaping Livi into a likeable character was probably one of my biggest challenges throughout the writing and revising process. Because while Populatti.com has many elements that are cruel, I wanted it to be clear that Livi herself was not a mean person. I tried to accomplish this by showing that Livi was a well-rounded girl who cared about academics, her family and her friends, yet struggled with insecurities stemming from bullying she experienced in middle school which she attended in another town.
I found Livi’s insecurities to be a very important part of her character as they helped explained why she cared so deeply about Populatti, while also demonstrating the subjectivity – and irrationality– of popularity. Nothing about Livi changed when she moved towns except for the people, yet in one town she was popular and in the other she was bullied. I found this was an important point to make, and one Livi herself didn’t really understand until the conclusion of the book.

Why after a career in public relations did you decide to start writing young adult fiction?
I actually first started writing young adult fiction during my free time in college and spent many years after writing manuscripts and improving my craft. Both On the Line and Populatti were written at night while I was working full time. After the birth of my daughter, I knew there were not enough hours in the day to work full time, write at night, and be the type of mom I wanted to be. So I had to make a choice – continue in marketing and put my writing on hold, or take a risk and keep writing. I decided it was finally time to pursue my passion, and every day I wake up feeling incredibly lucky that
I get to be with my daughter while pursuing my dream.

Has your daughter influenced your writing?
Definitely! While I have always shied away from profanity and explicit material in my writing, having my daughter has really solidified my stance on this issue. Now whenever I sit down to write, I think about whether it’s something I’d want her to read in 10 or 15 years. And if the thought of her reading makes me feel a little queasy, then I know I need to reconsider. Because while I want my stories to be realistic and truthful, I also want them to help girls feel good about being themselves.
Finding the right balance can be challenging, but I believe it is important, especially as I hear from more preteen and tween readers.
What advice do you have for parents (or their teens) in making social media decisions?
- Accept that social media is here to stay, but recognize that it shouldn’t be all-consuming.
- Create a social media policy together with your teen. Whether it’s limiting time spent on sites, agreeing to parent-monitored profile pages, or avoiding certain sites altogether, make sure you have their buy-in.
- Begin the conversation way before the teen years. Make sure kids know about the permanence of what is posted online, and how online anonymity can make bullying much easier and more painful. Teach kids that you are there to help, not judge, if a difficult situation ever arises.
- Work to create an open dialogue with your teen about all facets of their lives, not just their online profiles.
- Encourage participation in real-world activities such as sports, clubs and other extracurriculars that can help teens build confidence and relationships based on more than just social status.
- Let your teen know you are their biggest cheerleader, and you will always support them nomatter what.

Are you planning to write more young adult fiction?
Yes! I am currently hard at work on a new novel about a high school sailing champion living in another small beach community in Connecticut. Right now I am researching some local legends and working on tying them into the plot. I am really excited about this new novel and can’t wait to share more details soon!




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