Giveaway Review ALTERED by GENNIFER ALBIN @FierceReads @GenniferAlbin

Book Description

Publication Date: October 29, 2013
Series:  Crewel World #2

Deadly Secrets
Tangled Lies
Woven truths

Life. Possibility. Choice. All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.

But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.

Altered is Gennifer Albin's thrilling sequel to Crewel. Adelice is about to learn how tangled up her past and future really are. Her parents ran to protect her, but nothing can save her from her destiny, and once she uncovers the truth, it will change everything.

About the Author
Gennifer Albin is the author of Crewel. She holds a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Missouri and founded the tremendously popular blog theconnectedmom.com. She lives in Lenexa, Kansas. Visit her online at genniferalbin.com.

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Source:  Publisher

My Thoughts
Loved It

*** spoilerish for Crewel ****

After escaping to Earth with brothers Jost and Eric, Adelice finds that she is no more free than she was on Arras.  The Earth is a barren wasteland, used for it's resources and the people living there are some form of refugee or descendants from the war. The people living there do have a strong sense of purpose, mostly to see a rebellion against those who rule Arras and control what is left of the Earth.  So what started out as a science fiction tale has morphed into dystopia!  This, of course, makes me really happy.  

Adelice and the boys make a rather rocky entry into this landscape, they are not quite sure who to trust and the fact that Adelice has a hard time controlling her tongue gets them into a bit of a spot right away.  Trying to keep a low profile, she confronts a shopkeeper where she trades an emerald earring for a book of Shakespeare.  That little volume will make a lot of sense through out the story as they are taken to Kincaid, a sort of Patton - Caesar like guy with theatrical and grandiose ideas.  At first, he seems the exact opposite of Cormac.    The boys seem like window dressing during most of Adelice's internal struggles.  Kincaid has a sort of LA Confidential issue going on here as well.  

Coming to their aid are the sunrunners, who harness energy from sunlight and one of Adelice's archenemies from the Guild comes back into play.  Sorry, no spoilers about exactly what that means but I am sure you will enjoy some of the romance that plays out when a new guy is added to the mix.  Adelice further develops into a deeper character and discovers she has more skill than she thought was possible.  Overall, this worthy second installment left me dying to read the conclusion.  

Want to win this  book?
(this is an arc copy that has been read but still has some life in it!)

Ends 11/18/12
US only,  PO Boxes OK!  

Open only to those who can legally enter

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary.

You must be 13 or older to enter .

The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.

The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

Giveaway was organized by BookHounds and sponsored by me.

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Authors Are Rockstars! GENNIFER ALBIN author of CREWEL @GenniferAlbin @FierceReads #Giveaway

Hosted by Fikshun & Two Chicks on Books

SQUEEEEE!!!!

When I first read the description of CREWEL, I knew I really wanted to read it. I wasn't wrong, it was one of my favorite reads last year. Crewel was one of those books that captured my attention immediately and left me wanting more. I pretty much stalked Gennifer online, quietly, of course, since I am probably old enough to be her mother and really, it wouldn't look good to get a restraining order at my age. I did find her at the Los Angeles Times Book Fest in May, 2013 and waited in the sun for her panel. She has amazing skin which  makes me very jealous.  At least, I wasn't the oldest one hanging out there! Gennifer's writing is just captivating to meand takes you to a wonderful place!   Below is some video of her panel at there with Cornelia Funke and Mark Frost. Yeah, I know, I think I messed up the upload to YouTube and the clips aren't in order, but you get the idea! 

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.
Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.
Because tonight, they’ll come for her

Life. Possibility. Choice.
All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.
But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.
In this thrilling sequel to Crewel, Adelice is about to learn how tangled up her past and future really are. Her parents ran to protect her, but nothing can save her from her destiny, and once she uncovers the truth, it will change everything.

                                                          

From Gennifer's Website
Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books. Gennifer can be found in coffee shops, dreaming up new worlds. She lives in Washington with her family.
Long (and slightly more interesting) bio:
A former academic with a specialization in 18th century women’s studies, Gennifer Albin gave up teaching—both at the high school and college levels—to raise her children at home. But when the economy tanked, Gennifer and her husband soon found themselves filing for bankruptcy after struggling through his unemployment. Rock bottom turned into the foundation on which she decided to rewrite her life.

Gennifer combined her love of writing with her fascination for a surrealist painting by Remedios Varo, Embroidering the Earth’s Mantle. The painting of girls creating the world caused her to weave a tale in her mind. Lack of a home computer didn’t deter her, and she wrote the first draft on public library computers as the system counted down the seventy minutes she was allowed to work.

With the support of her family, Gennifer spun Crewel, a sweeping literary novel that follows sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys as she navigates a treacherous world where women are cultivated into femme fatales, called Spinsters, to weave the very fabric of life. Pitched as Mad Men meets The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games, Crewel received seven agent offers of representation by May and sold at auction between five houses within a week of submission to editors.

Gennifer recalls the most poignant part of her whirlwind—having to sell her beloved antique books to keep food on the table. She now writes full-time while happily rebuilding her library in Washington with the help of her ridiculously supportive husband, two young children, and a Tuesday cat. She is the founder of theconnectedmom.com, a blog about positive parenting for modern mothers, and she moderates a private group for write-at-home moms, or WrAHMs, offering advice, support, and insight into the complexities of writing while raising young children. Learn more about her at genniferalbin.com.

Website  * Twitter  * Facebook  * Pinterest * Tumblr *  YouTube

PLEASE WELCOME GENNIFER TO BOOKHOUNDS YA

1. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?

The very first book I remember was one of those basic readers they teach you with in Kindergarten and 1st grade. The cover was orange, and clearly, the plot was riveting because I remember nothing else. As soon as I had it down, I skipped picture books and chapter books and jumped straight to Little House in the Big Woods and Sweet Valley High in 2nd grade. That explains a lot actually now that I think about it.


2. What are you reading right now?

A few books for other authors, Opera Anecdotes, and I just picked up Outlander after a half dozen people recommended it to me in the same week. My reading tastes are teasingly diverse.


3. How does your garden grow?

With pretty maids all in a row. They’re opressed and fighting a dystopian regime, but they look fabulous!   

(this is the best EVER answer to this question ~Mary)



4. What is the last thing you Googled?

Something that probably put me on an FBI watchlist. (Hey, Agent Bristow, you are rocking that suit today.)

5. What makes you cringe?


Embarrassment humor. You know when someone sticks their foot in their mouth or gets caught naked in the kitchen with a pie? I can’t handle it. Probably because I’m constantly making an ass out of myself.

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF CREWEL? 

Ends 8/31/13
 Open only to those who can legally enter, US or Canada only, no PO Boxes
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary.
You must be 13 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you.
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by BookHounds and sponsored by the author.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF ALTERED (arc) & a really cool CREWEL band bracelet?
You must have already adored CREWEL to enter. US only

BOOK REVIEW Crewel by Geninifer Albin @mackidsbooks @GenniferAlbin

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2012 | Series: Crewel World

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

About the Author

Gennifer Albin holds a masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. During her student years she served as an editor for Pleaides and The Missouri Review, and since then she's founded the tremendously popular blog theconnectedmom.com.

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT


Adelice has been faking it for years, ignoring the gifts and powers she has over matter and time and taught by her parents to mask them.  Then she slips during testing and that night they come for her to be taken away from her home and placed with the Guild as a Spinster, those girls who can weave the fabric of everyday life in Arras.  The extraction doesn't go according to plan and her parents try to escape and Adelice is caught anyway.  Now with her father dead and the status of her sister and mother unknown, Adelice discovers she is more powerful than any other at the Guild.  The Guild recognizes this as well and she is quickly brought up through the ranks even though her enemies try to sabotage her every move. 


In the fascinating world of Arras, time and matter are woven together to create the space in which the people live and all by the spinsers who are said to be kept "pure".  It is not necessarily a dystopian world but one where the people live unknowing of the apocalypse that befell the population previously.  This is more of a combination of science fiction and fantasy and the world, although much like earth, is just a bit different than what we know here.  I was quickly and painlessly taken to Arras and it was easy to accept.  Adelice has a lot of spunk and humor (super snark alert!) within her.  She stands up against the authoritarian figures of the ruling class much like Katniss in the Hunger Games. 


Women are pretty much segregated from the population here and most are like Japanese office ladies which besides teachers and maids are the only careers they have as options.  Adelice sees the injustice and because her parents are a bit subversive, they secretly teach her that society shouldn't be this way.  I think fans of Margaret Atwood are going to adore this one.  There isn't anything for parents to worry about in this one except some alcohol consumption, some kissing, which was very brief and little violence.  Since the ending really surprised me, I can't wait until the follow up --sigh -- at least a year.  

 Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (October 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374316414
• ISBN-13: 978-0374316419

Hey! If you are planning on ordering or preordering any of these books, consider using my Amazon links below to help support BookHounds.  I get a small (very small) percentage of anything you buy if you use my links to start your shopping! 

Book Trailer Tuesday CREWEL by GENNIFER ALBIN @GenniferAlbin @MacKidsBooks

TWITTER PARTY!  

Check out the details here for October 14!

• Who: Gennifer Albin, author of Crewel,MacKidsBooks, and other Crewel readers!
• What: #NoTurningBack from the Crewel World Twitter Chat, celebrating the upcoming release ofCrewel by Gennifer Albin
• When: Sunday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. EST
• Where: Twitter!
• Why: Get a chance to speak with Genn before she hits the road the next day as part of the fall Fierce Reads tour, automatically be entered to win copies of Crewel and Crewel World bracelets, AND celebrate an awesome YA book with other readers
• How: By logging into twitter and tagging all of your tweets with the #NoTurningBack hashtag.Tweetchat, Tweetdeck, and Hootsuite are all great programs for tracking hashtags

Waiting on Wednesday Crewel by Gennifer Albin @mackidsbooks @GenniferAlbin

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2012 | Series: Crewel World

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

About the Author

Gennifer Albin holds a masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. During her student years she served as an editor for Pleaides and The Missouri Review, and since then she's founded the tremendously popular blog theconnectedmom.com.