"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Blog Tour (Review and Giveaway): MY BEST EVERYTHING by Sarah Tomp (YA)


http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/2015/02/tour-schedule-my-best-everything-by.html

by Sarah Tomp
Release date: March 3rd, 2015
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Format read: Hardcover from the publisher.

SUMMARY

You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate.

Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.


Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.

Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (definitely illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends, Roni and Bucky. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, Lulu turns to Mason: a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything – including her heart?

The summer walks the line between toxic and intoxicating. My Best Everything is Lulu’s letter to Mason – though is it an apology, a good-bye, or a love letter?



MY REVIEW

This is one of those quirky stories that you need to read in one sitting. It's one that you need to slowly let yourself fall into, have a look around, and let it unfold as it needs to in order for you to fully understand it. It is one of a kind. And truly worth the time to get to know.

Lulu is a good girl counting down the days of leaving it all behind and starting a fresh new life in college. For her last summer in her small town, she plans on working at the junkyard and hanging out with her best friend Roni. But life has a way of challenging Lulu and she is smacked with the fact that her father no longer has the means to pay for her tuition. Desperate to make her dreams come true, Lulu looks for a way to undo what her father has done... and is surprised to find out that she will go to great lengths to get her life back to where she wants it to go. At times, Lulu's stubbornness and meddling gets them all so close to trouble. But with Mason's quick tricks and experience, he manages to set things back in track.

Mason is not your usual handsome bad-boy to swoon over. Described as average with a buzz-cut, his presence and personality is what draws Lulu (and myself) to him. He is a few years older than Lulu, but, seems even older than that due to his history... his past is what makes him who he is now, but, it does not shape who he will be in the future. Filled with so much potential and knowledge; Lulu is determined to help Mason out of their small-town and situation too. He deserves so much more than the hand that he's been dealt with.

The entire book is told from Lulu's point-of-view, it's her letter to Mason. She speaks directly to Mason - oftentimes, it was a little confusing as to who she was referring to when she said "you" and "us". But, it did very little to take away from the momentum and the importance she felt in writing this letter, her side of the story. We see Lulu mature and come into her own in such a unique way. Everything about her, the town, the people who live there, Mason, the moonshiners - everything and everyone is so anomalous. My mind was stretched and challenged in such a wondrous way, it was a pleasure to see this group come together, fall apart, and make peace with what happened.

The ending is bittersweet. And I'm really hoping that some day soon we will get to read Mason's response to Lulu's letter.

So the question is, is Lulu's letter to Mason, a love letter, an apology or a good-bye? And the answer is... it's so much more! More than you could ever imagine.


*A hardcover book was sent to me from the publisher for the blog tour and an honest review. All thoughts are my own.



GIVEAWAY

- 10 Finished Copies of MY BEST EVERYTHING 
- US Only

(Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will not be held responsible for any lost, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes.)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Sarah Tomp

Photo by Roxyanne Young

Sarah Tomp has a MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. 

My Best Everything, a novel for young adults, will be published March 2015 byLittle, Brown Books. 

She is also the author of a picture book; Red, White, and Blue Good-bye (Walker Books for Young Readers).

Sarah teaches creative writing for University of California San Diego Extension. She reviews books for Bookbrowse.com and co-authors the blog, Writing on the Sidewalk.



MY BEST EVERYTHING Blog Tour Schedule


Week One:
2/23/2015- Curling Up With A Good Book- Review
2/24/2015- Book SoulmatesInterview
2/25/2015- Novel NoviceGuest Post
2/26/2015- Wholly Books- Review
2/27/2015- A Book and a LatteInterview

Week Two:
3/2/2015- Alice MarvelsGuest Post
3/3/2015- Bumbles and Fairy-TalesReview
3/4/2015- The Cover Contessa- Interview
3/5/2015- Bookhounds yaGuest Post

3/6/2015- Such a Novel IdeaReview

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