Blog Tour: The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi+Giveaway

Music plays a big role in THE NIGHT WE SAID YES. There are references to songs and musicians throughout it, and the main two guys, Matt and Jake, are in a band. Because of that, I always had songs in mind for each character. Though there are many, here are my favorites: 

Ella is Florence & The Machine's "Shake It Out." 

Ella is Florence & The Machine's "Shake It Out." In the beginning she's hurt, she's over it; she wants to move away to college, and move on with her life. She's thoughtful and eventually decisive. She's strong, just like this song. And I feel like the song follows her through the book and somehow changes meaning.  

I'll Get You There by Rilo Kiley

Meg is force like the band Sleater Kinney. She's ready to take over the world. But, honestly, I think her song is "I'll Get You There" by Rilo Kiley, specifically in regards to Jake. Jake is a mess and turns to everything but the one thing he needs--her. And she knows she can help him.  

I Wanna Get Better by Bleachers

Speaking of Jake, his song is definitely "I Wanna Get Better' by Bleachers. It's perfect for many reasons (as he does, indeed, want to get better), but mostly it sounds like him. He's all shouting and power and pleas.  

First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes

And Matt, poor Matt. He's figuring everything out. He's new in the THEN chapters, and returning to a place he's never stopped missing in the NOW section. He's sad and hopeful all in one. He's "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes.  

Thank you Lauren for giving us time on sharing the songs that inspire the main characters in TNWSY! We've been hearing a lot of good reviews of the book and TRD girls can't wait to read your it ;)

The Night We Said Yes

by Lauren Gibaldi

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: June 16th 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Music

Blurb:

A fun, romantic read, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti!

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life. 

But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.

And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.

Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future. 

In alternating then and now chapters, debut author Lauren Gibaldi crafts a charming, romantic story of first loves, lifelong friendships, uncovered secrets, and, ultimately, finding out how to be brave.

Follow the The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

  

Public librarian and author of THE NIGHT WE SAID YES (HarperCollins / HarperTeen, June 16, 2015) and MATT'S STORY (a The Night We Said Yes Novella, out August 2015). Fan of dinosaurs and cheesy jokes. And you.

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Blog Tour: The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes+Giveaway

This is such a great topic! I get a lot of inspiration from music, and I find that the songs that I listen to over and over sometimes end up inspiring parts of my writing. Here are a few songs that remind me strongly of characters from The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly.

“Pretty When the Wind Blows” from the God Help the Girl soundtrack: I just watched the movie God Help the Girl, which is fantastic and features lots of original music and a super cool plot about teenagers making music in Scotland. This song in particular is a little scary in how much it sounds like Minnow.

“Bones” and “Romeo and Juliet” by The Killers:The Killers perform songs that could almost be their own YA novels—there’s something so young and yearning and painful about a lot of their music. These songs in particular remind me of Minnow’s relationship with her love interest, Jude. Minnow and Jude’s relationship is so earnest, yet imperfect, and I think these songs fit that dynamic well.

“Vuelie” from the Frozen soundtrack:This song reminds me less of a character than a place—the Community, secluded, strict religious commune in the woods where Minnow grows up. This song could almost be something the Community-dwellers chant in one of their ceremonies (I also listened to this song a lot during the writing of Minnow Bly, so it’ll probably always be inextricably tied to the book for me).

“Mama Who Bore Me” from the Spring Awakening soundtrack: I think this entire show has a lot of themes that mirror those in Minnow Bly. This song opens the show and it features one of the main characters, Wendla, (played by Lea Michelle in the original Broadway run), lamenting how little her mother has prepared her for the world, and the shame and uncertainty that accompanies being left in the dark like that. Minnow could really be singing this song to her mother.

“Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift: This song reminds me of Angel. She’s Minnow’s cellmate in juvie, a wry and vengeful teenage criminal with the guts (and stupidity) to fight back against anyone who crosses her.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly

by Stephanie Oakes

Publisher: Dial/Penguin

Release Date: June 9th 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Retelling, Contemporary, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Thriller

Blurb:

With a harrowing poetic voice, this contemporary page-turner is perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, Julie Berry's All The Truth That's in Me, and the works of Ellen Hopkins.

The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust.

And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too.

Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it's clear that Minnow knows something—but she's not talking. As she languishes in juvenile detention, she struggles to un-learn everything she has been taught to believe, adjusting to a life behind bars and recounting the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of—if she’s willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow By is a hard-hitting and hopeful story about the dangers of blind faith—and the power of having faith in oneself.

Follow the The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

  

Stephanie Oakes is a teacher and YA author from Washington State. Her debut novel, THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY (Dial/Penguin, June 9, 2015), about a girl who escapes from a religious commune only to find herself at the center of a murder investigation, is based on the Grimm fairy tale, "The Handless Maiden."

THE ARSONIST, her second YA mystery through Dial/Penguin, is scheduled for publication in fall 2016.

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