Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The YAbooktwins take Manhattan! And Boston. And Nantucket! Giveaway!!

Okay, those were a lot of exclamation marks. But who cares? It's our blog and we are SO excited. Our trip was inspired by a YA book and then one day a picture of Nantucket showed up on bing.com and I immediately took it as a sign (I look at bing.com every day to see what types of photos are posted. It's actually really sad because my internet access is limited at work. It's kind of a highlight of my morning). Anyway, we thought about all the places we could go to and every time a place came up in a book we just started to imagine what it would be like to see it in real life.


In just ten days Mary and I will be headed to Boston where we will take a bus to Hyannis Port and then head to....Nantucket! Yes, the very island that is the center of one of our favorite YA books, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.

After we've had a relaxing two days on the island (searching for Lucas, climbing lighthouses and eating at the amazing The Pearl Restaurant - it's the last day of Restaurant Week), we will head back to Boston for some fun in the park, cemetery (Sleepy Hollow) and visit The Freedom Trail. We might even visit Orchard House. By day we will be literary enthusiasts, by night, we will dine and drink like the locals and visit every pub around, it would be so awesome if we ran into a local author, ahem, Karsten Knight (Author of Wildefire and Embers and Echoes) for a quick Q&A for the blog.

Then we will set forth to the big apple. Oh, New York. This will be the first time for both of us and we couldn't be happier. We actually planned this trip last year but due to some unforseen and highly irregular weather, i.e. HURRICANE IRENE, we had to cancel on the eve our trip. We were forlorn and couldn't believe that everything we planned was ruined. Although, it was very, sucky for us, nothing compared to how the victims and businesses were affected. It was such a shame, but the publishing community really came together. I even participated in some bidding auctions to support the cause.

Fortunately, it's a little more than a year later and here we are...getting ready for our trip. It's going to be amazing, plus we'll be joined by some of our close friends and we'll get to experience everything together.

So far we have some places that were featured in Sarra Manning's novels, (Unsticky and Adorkable), we're going to taste everything at Dylan's candy shop, The Met (Unsticky's Vaughn says his favorite artist is Paul Klee, and we'll be visiting The Met since there is an exhibit), The Waverly Inn, Empire State Building, Tiffany's, The Palace, places inspired by Gossip Girl, Girls, Sex and the City, Meant To Be, and every other BOS/NY staple you can imagine.

A couple of months ago, we met Cassie Clare and mentioned our trip. We asked her where a shadowhunter/downworlder might frequent and she recommended, Veselka on 2nd Ave, we're also going to take a pic on one of the beaches in homage to The Summer I Turned Pretty Series by Jenny Han, it's the closest we can get to Cousins Beach.
 
In honor of our trip, we are posting a review and giveaway. The review was written by one of our favorite unofficial book club members, Kristina, who pretty much loves the same books we do. Recently she introduced us to The Premonition Series by Amy Bartol which we love! So here's her gush-worthy review!

We'll Always Have Summer Review by Kristina E.

Jenny Han touches every part of a growing young love with a lot of history, the honeymoon stage of sweet bliss, the heartbreaking mistake, Confusion and fear, and then the resolution. We’ll always have summer made me angry, laugh, cry, and get excited. Han pulled at every part of my heart with the relationships between a boyfriend and girlfriend (jeremiah and belly, belly and Conrad), Brother and Brother, Mother and Daughter, even the relationship between best friends.
The summer series would not be the same without Belly obsessing about Conrad…or Jere. But this series made me sympathize with Belly. How does she choose between Conrad and Jeremiah, especially after Conrad pretty much chose for her in the last book. But here she is again faced with something so confusing with no one to really turn to, beck is gone and her Laurel does not really get her. This book pokes at a daughter’s greatest fear of not having a mother in one of the most important stages in life.
One of the most touching parts of the book is how Han ties in Beck in their present lives. Beck will never be lost. She was my favorite character, always the ‘go to mom,’ sweet, gentle, and a guardian angle (I think). Her memory ties all the summer characters together. Susannah always knew <3
Then there is Laurel, control freak and overprotective mom. I felt like she was the biggest obstacle that Belly and Jeremiah had to overcome. I felt sorry for Belly with her situation with her own mom and the fact that Becks couldn’t be there for her when she needed some advice.
Then it hits you, the realization that boys will always be boys no matter what the circumstances are going into the relationship.
Jeremiah- always so sweet and gentle broke my heart in this book. I never noticed how immature and irrational he was and how easy it is to be scared about the future or how love can make you do stupid things. It is had not to feel bad for Jere after finding out what he did wrong but in the end we all knew who was meant for whom.
CONRAD!! One of the best part of this book was Conrads POV. We’ll always have summer actually gives a different perspective into Conrad Beck Fisher. He actually tries to be the good guy and respects Beck’s wishes, which in the end does not help his situation with Jeremiah or Belly. Brothers fighting over the same girl…sigh!! Conrad always so protective and loving in his own way makes you melt where you stand. I loved how he talks about Belly and how she was “his girl.” Reading Conrad’s POV was like reading into a tortured soul. I felt his pain, love and loss.
The third book changed my view of taylor. I didn’t like her at first because she pretty much hooked up with all the summer boys but her character finally stepped up. She was there for belly even if belly didn’t know it. Taylor always meant well.
In the end I was happy for everyone in the book. Although I would not have minded the ending to be elaborated more or maybe a 4th book side sequel of some sort.

5 out of 5 Stars
Now, we're giving away more books! A copy of Dreamless autographed by Josie Angelini, a paperback cover of We'll Always Have Summer (the back of the book has love letters from Conrad to Belly) autographed by Jenny Han AND Chain Reaction autographed by Simone Elkeles. Chain Reaction is mainly set in Chicago and since my husband is going on a business trip to Chicago while we're away, we decided to put up an extra book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you have any comments or suggestions as to where we might visit, please comment and let us know!

As always, thanks for stopping by!!

12 comments:

  1. Prague from Daughter of Smoke and Bones. :)

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  2. This trip makes me so jealous. But you'll have to hit me up when you're in New York! I just moved out here and I would love to see you =)

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    1. I didn't know you moved! I thought you were in MN. I can deliver your copy of Dreamless in person! We'll be there Fri - Wed 10/5-10/10. I'll DM u my mobile. Yay, our trip keeps getting better and better :)

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  3. I remember Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor REALLY making me want to go to Prague and I stand by that!

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  4. this sounds like an amazing vacation. have a great time you guys!

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  5. Hogwarts from Harry Potter :D It really changed my childhood and made me a book addict :D

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  6. o my goodness awesome giveaway! and hope to hear from ur trip soon! :))

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  7. *& i would totallly do Chicago and meet up w/ triss and four from Divergent!! heck yes

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  8. im currently reading the until i die by amy plum... it was set in Paris... and would totally loooove to be there someday! ^_^

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  9. St. Vladamir's Academy from the Vampire Academy series.

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  10. OMW! so sad i missed this give away!!! LOVED this series!!! And in there for sleepy hollow was that reference to Jessica Verday Hollow series!?!? my FAVE ghost story series! Great blog guys i am officially a new follower!

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