Yay!! It's here!!!! Celebrate the Trailer Release with even more chances to win Don't Breathe a Word and fun things!!!
To join in the PARTAY just check out the following - direct from Holly Cupala's website:
Music by our friends at Splashdown, illustrations by our friend Realm Lovejoy, and the trailer, produced by my sweet husband Shiraz!
And now for the party! Here’s what we're giving away:
FIVE GRAND PRIZE PACKS: Don't Breathe a Word (signed) Tell Me a Secret (signed) Special Edition TMAS audiobook Bookmarks, stickers, and other swag*
TEN RUNNER-UP PRIZES: Don't Breathe a Word flyers Bookmarks, stickers, and a TMAS button*
PLUS THE FIRST FORTY PEOPLE to buy Don't Breathe a Word at this link between now and Valentine's Day get DBAW bookmarks, stickers, and undying book love from me!*
*Must include mailing address with entry (US + up to 20% international winners). Contest runs until Feb 29, 2012.
I can’t wait to hear what you think! Please comment and share!
(I'll pass on your comments to Holly, too!!)
And many, many thanks to all of you for your amazing support of Don't Breathe a Word. I would give you all a real hug if I could to show you how much it has meant to me.
Hannah F in Winnipeg, Canada & picyadri in Szeged, Hungary won book swag...
I verified shipping yesterday and I am very happy to report that it's not that expensive to send cool stuff from Oregon to Hungary, so it's comin'!!
MorganvilleVampiresFan#1 and Aishah Waheed have asked who won and if you send me your address, ladies, I have a little more swag I can send you. I wish I had more copies of the book!! burgandyice@live.com
Barnes & Noble is also $8.99 or $7.99 for the Nook version, for which you can get a FREE SAMPLE (you can download the Nook app for free on computers and some devices, and the free samples usually include a chapter or two... very nice!!)
I have received some Posters, bookmarks and stickers...
So, after I select a WINNER to receive the book (open internationally anywhere The Book Depository ships) I am going to select TWO more winners to receive this fun stuff.
If you've already entered the Giveaway... you're entered to win some swag, too. If not - hop over here by Saturday, the 28th!
The link also takes you to my review of this great book!!
From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out. Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far. Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late. Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.
My Review (not very spoilerish):
My Rating: 4.5 - Caught-Me-Off-Guard GREAT book.
This book is heart-wrenching and satisfying and frightening
all at the same time. It is written from Joy’s perspective and the story
unfolds as her thoughts do, as she tries different ways of dealing with a
horrible, controlling situation. I was furiously angry with the man who caused
the problems in the first place: Asher, with his obsession for crows and his
fascination for their hierarchy. He
experiments with controlling an young girl and it’s sickening.
I was heartbroken over the damage he inflicted on so many
levels, but the most painful, I thought, was the sexual. She was drawn to him
even as she hated him. He had woken her physically and that awakening was always there,
exposed, between her and men around her. Even when she ran, this sensual tension could not go away.
The danger on the streets felt so real. It was so sad how the kids only had their bodies when everything
else was stripped away. They lost possessions and shelter and were reduced to using their bodies to survive, and that is a stark reality that is hard to
swallow. Horrible.
I loved the way Joy changed and grew. She was completely
credible to me and her decisions made sense. I was frustrated with her family,
all of them. Her parents didn’t want to help or listen, not even at the very
end. Her friend, Neeta, saw more, but could only help Joy as much as she would
let her.
Creed is amazing and I loved all of Joy’s street friends and
who she became herself, Triste, to be able to see her situation more clearly
and respond more truly. And I was
ultimately overjoyed with her choices because she didn’t have options.
I mean, this book really tugged at my heart
as a Mom. I really wanted to step in and be there for her, point out her
non-choices surrounding the Asthma when she seemed to ignore them indefinitely. (Partly because one of
my kids rode in an ambulance and was in the ICU for a few days over breathing
issues.) Joy was willing to take more risks than I was willing to let her!!
But I think that’s exactly how the author planned it out. As
Joy took her risks, she turned into a confident person and left the victim
behind.
I expected the heart-wrenching when I read this book, I
guess, but I did not expect the fast pace it was delivered with. There isn’t a
lull in the entire book. Only the phone stopped me long enough to grab a snack
before finishing it. And I had no intention of reading it all in one day,
believe me. I don’t know the depth of truth regarding the street kids, personally, but they
won’t be invisible to me after this book.
The Author:
Holly Cupala wrote teen romance novels before she ever actually experienced teen romance. When she did, it became all about tragic poetry and slightly less tragic novels. When she isn't making art and writing, she spends time with her husband and daughter in Seattle, Washington. These days, her writing is less about tragedy and more about hope.
Part of the author's proceeds from this book will go toward helping sexually exploited girls around the globe. TELL ME A SECRET is her first novel. Visit her at http://www.hollycupala.com.
I mentioned before that I'm a raving-mad fan of Holly Cupala. I started following Reader Girlz years ago on Myspace and I remember when Holly's first book started the publishing process (although I didn't figure out book blogging 'til now! Yikes!) I was so excited for her... and then we jumped into a business venture with both feet and I lost track.
I was very happy to join the Street Team for getting the word out about Don't Breathe a Word. Holly sent me an ARC - inside the cover of the book she wrote: "Your Words Have Power" which is so true. I have to keep my first ARC ever, but I would like to share this great book with someone who would like it!!
This Giveaway is not part of the Tour copies provided by Harper. There are ARCs available to win on the tour - go here to find a list of the Tour Sites and Giveaways. I'm buying this copy for the winner - I am happy to help Holly Cupala and sexually exploited girls!!!
This Giveaway is open Internationally as long as The Book Depository ships to you. If I can, I'll send some additional fun stuff to the winner, too - the bookmark is so cool!! :-)
I have copied over the following Tour Details from Holly Capula's site. There's chances to win a copy of her up-coming book everywhere... and I wanted to reference the Tour for myself as well as SHARE!!
Pass the word on!! There's a great book arriving now!!
The countdown says 10 days...but the blog tour is here! Eek!
There will be sneak previews, embarrassing videos, character cameos...and lots of lots of chances to win signed copies of DON'T BREATHE A WORD, signed DBAW art, TMAS audiobooks, handmade DBAW swag, and lots of lots of prizes!
Monday, January 2 Review: Heidi Z at YA Bibliophile Character Feature with May and Santos: Andye at Reading Teen Short excerpt + “behind the scenes”: Jenny at Mimosa Stimulus
From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out. Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far. Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late. Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.
About the Author:
Holly Cupala wrote teen romance novels before she ever actually experienced teen romance. When she did, it became all about tragic poetry and slightly less tragic novels. When she isn't making art and writing, she spends time with her husband and daughter in Seattle, Washington. These days, her writing is less about tragedy and more about hope. Part of the author's proceeds from this book will go toward helping sexually exploited girls around the globe. TELL ME A SECRET is her first novel. Visit her at http://www.hollycupala.com.
Pre-order Don't Breathe a Word and
donate to a wonderful cause—ten percent of my author proceeds go toward Hope
for Sexually Exploited Girls
