BLOG TOUR: The Secret Sea by Barry Lyga

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're exploring a Middle Grade Fiction title COMING SOON by an author whose no stranger to the YA and adult arenas.  What move him to try his hand at Children's Fiction?  Good question...but I'm not here to answer that one today.  I'm here to tantalize you with my adventure through the pages...and tantalize I shall.  Ready or not, here comes today's blog tour guest on the PRE-PUB PAR-TAY circuit...

The Secret Sea

by

Barry Lyga

9781250072832

Feiwel & Friends

About the book...

Twelve-year-old Zak Killian is hearing a voice. Could it be a guardian angel? A ghost? No, that's crazy. But sometimes the voice is so real. . . . It warns him of danger.

One day Zak is standing on the subway platform when the tunnel starts to fill with water. He sees it before anyone else. The voice warns him to run. His friends Moira and Khalid believe this is more than a premonition, and soon all three find themselves in an alternate universe that is both familiar and seriously strange. As Zak unravels the mystery behind the voice, he faces decisions that may mean the end of their world at home—if they can even get home!

In his most propulsive and heartfelt book yet, acclaimed author Barry Lyga explores the depths of friendship, the bonds of family, and the nature of the universe itself.

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This is a story of overcoming obstacles, friendships that last throughout time, and bonds that can not be broken.  It's about taking a leap of faith when no one else believes you because in your heart of hearts you know it's the only way.  It's about knowing loss without even knowing WHAT was lost, yet there's no way to tell your heart or mind any different, facts be darned.  It's about that little voice inside that screams to be heard...being much more than our own intuition...

Really and truly, it took me a while to get into this one; I mean hearing voices, phantom floods in the subway tunnels, and mysterious wanderings when asleep aren't the most visited reading topics on my reading list.  Every time I hear of this author's work, I am instantly drawn back to my initial experience with his writing...the book would be GOTH GIRL.  If you've never read it, I certainly recommend doing so...it'll leave quite an impression...but having that as my starting point for this work, only aided in my desire to hang tough because I knew, I just KNEW it would get better.  Guess what?  I was right.  

Upon making Zak's acquaintance, we are thrust into a world of overprotective parents and strange happenings, though from the outside it merely appears as a health afflicted teen possibly having a melt down.  Once we moved on from merely hearing voices and possible echoes of another time (strange as those may sound), into physical interactions and piercing that magic curtain that surrounds our here and now, I was beyond intrigued.  A hop, skip, and a sleep-walking jump later and the kids find themselves in an eerie world; I mean, so much was like our present and yet SO much wasn't.  How our Moira survived it even for a few minutes without offing someone (not for lack of trying) was beyond me, and yet some of the other advancements were just what the doctor ordered for our health impaired leading man, Zak.  Khalid actually lucked out in the jump because of his gender and the bias of the times...odd when contrasted with the reception his and his father's name received in the present world.  (*grr*  racism is not the answer *grr*)  

My favorite part would have to be in the final scenes when all felt lost and yet found at the same time.  I was so happy when the despair melted away for one of the kids and when hope flared to life even in the darkest hour.  My favorite character though would have to be Moira.  Don't get me wrong the dudes are great and have much going for them, but I loved Moira's personality, genius streaked with a heart of gold, and the fiery soul that couldn't let a good WOman take the things being dished lying down.  She was resourceful and an unexpected breath of fresh air into a world crumbling faster than a homemade cookie, and when you combine that with Khalid's wit, and Zak's heart, you've got an amazing trio capable of many things....perhaps even saving the world as they knew it.

In the end, while it was an eye opening journey for Zak, Moira, and Khalid, we readers are left with our own things to process, questions to contemplate, and feelings to let go.  The love and loyalty shown for family and friends was admirable...one could only hope to have that much conviction in our own relationships.  The strength of character Zak found within himself (with a bit of help from outside himself) was astounding and something we can strive for in our daily lives.  The prejudice uncovered in both worlds was jaw-dropping, and yet not entirely surprising...something that needs to change for future generations by the actions we put forth ourselves today.  The highs and lows, the risks and possibility of failure, all add up to an exciting ride upon that secret sea, and though our own journies upon it won't come for many moons, we can stretch our imaginations to ride the waves with these characters for better, or worse.  Recommended for older Middle Grade readers through adults, as it's got some pretty heavy material and heady topics for discussion such as life after death, familial bonds, and the flow of time.

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About the author...

Barry Lyga is the author of numerous acclaimed novels, including I Hunt Killers and The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl. He graduated from Yale University, then worked in the comic book industry for ten years and developed Free Comic Book Day. He lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with his wife and their daughter.

SITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK

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Special thanks to Brittany at MacMillan for the ARC for review as well as the chance to bring this tour to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the tour, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to hit store shelves AUGUST 23, 2016 via Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of MacMillan, so be sure to stop by your local bookstore to reserve your copy or pre-order online.  Be sure to check out the rest of the tour as it makes its way through the blogosphere with a stop yesterday at Teen Librarian Toolbox, and tomorrow at Book Rook Review!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

WINNERS: Archvillain Wannabes Contest!

Hi there!

~waves~

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

We have a rather exciting week ahead what with BBAW 2010 going on, but I wanted to sneak this post in before the festivities begin...and hopefully give a jump start on a happy week for a few lucky winners.  That's right!  It's time to announce a few winners.  The entries have been tallied, random.org has done their assigned task and we have our winners.  Congratulations to....

 

Christina @ A Reader of Fictions
aka 'The Sarcastic Bandit'

You've won (1) SIGNED ARC of Barry Lyga's upcoming book, Archvillain!

...the runner's up...

Linda Henderson aka 'Masked Grandma'

Okie aka 'Garnished Orange'

You've each won a swag pack consisting of promo cards for three of this author's books!

Congratulations to each of you!  Since everyone opted to include their mailing information (YAY freedom of choice!), I'll be sending your prize packs out today or tomorrow for speedy delivery.  Why?  That's just how I roll...hehe...

Special thanks to author Barry Lyga for the opportunity to read, review, and pass along this great upcoming title.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this book and his other published works, check out his website!  To all of you that entered, THANKS!  You rock.  No really, I mean it and your archvillain names definitely provided a few laughs!  To all those who didn't, well what can I say....you missed your chance to win a REALLY good book, so yeah, that's a big fat neaner neaner neaner to you on that, but as luck would have it, there's still an open contest going on right now and you never know when another might start so go ahead!  Take a chance.  If you don't try, you'll never win.


Until next time....happy reading!

Archvillain by Barry Lyga, Review + Contest

Hi everyone!

Happy Friday to you...or any day that you made it around to reading this post.  Thanks for stopping by Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...boy do we have some fun for you today.  A post chalk full of fun with a review of an upcoming title and some contest fun!  Since I finished reading this one (a week or two ago), I couldn't wait to share some about it with you....and yet I had to so that the release date could creep a little closer.  (Oh and if you're wondering, staring at a calendar is about the same as staring at a clock; it doesn't move when you're watching it!)  Today's featured book of choice is....

Archvillain

by

Barry Lyga

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a boy with extraordinary powers who longed to "do good", but had a rather hard go of accomplishing it.  We begin in the peaceful little town of Bouring (yes, please control you snickers until you've finished reading) where nothing remotely unusual occurs and everyone coexists in friendship and harmony.  ~insert cheery intro music with birds chirping here~  (*yells* I said insert the music! ... Ugh, it looks like the sound guys off....you'll have to make do with your imagination.  Think Disney style opening with music that swells and falls like the flow of the tide...)  Yes, dear readers, the stage is set and what a marvelous view it delivers. *SIGH*

Okay, not really.....or perhaps better put, not 100% accurate.  It is a peaceful town although the Middle School tends to ring out with uproarious laughter from the "grade A" hi jinks of a seasoned prankster....not to mention the police station playing a rather unusual broadcast on their frequency thanks to someones idea of a joke.  That's right; we have a master of disaster if you will who goes by the name of Kyle Camden.  Kyle's aim is not to merely humiliate his "victim" but to show them how foolish they truly are.  Life is too short to be so serious, have a laugh, have a smile, have anything but that "I'm too grown up for this" attitude and live a little...or face the "wrath" of Kyle.  As good natured as his fun might have been, it is this very pranking nature that's landed him in a wealth of trouble.

You see, one night while setting up a prank to end all pranks, Kyle witnessed something amazing, something out of this world, something that would change his life forever, something that was so hard to believe that everyone believed something else.  What was this event?  A plasma shower...and behold!  Out of the shower of shiny stinging goo emerged.....something!  Well, at first Kyle doesn't know what or who it was since he was knocked unconscious for several hours, but then in the blinding rays of recognition he remembers...of course it does help that the little alien being shows up at school in a blaze of glory after his attempt at saving a family from a house fire almost blows up in his face...literally. 

But wait, how am I privy to such information?  Well...because Kyle SAW him with his own two eyes after flying around the neighborhood with his new found abilities.  Oh, did I fail to mention that after a few days rest and recovery from "a cold" that seemed to hit him rather hard, he awoke with super speed, super strength, and superior brain power (that last one is probably the most dangerous too)?  Silly me.  Yes, it seems that Kyle is more than a superior prankster now, or could be if he could just get his attempts at doing good to go right....like Mighty Mike.  Ah yes, the perfect boy child, Mighty Mike.  For all his do-gooding nature though, Kyle knows this spot-light stealing Earthling wanna be is up to no good.  Kyle Camden knows what he saw during that faithful night when "the stars fell down" and he'll stop at nothing to expose Mighty Mike for the alien being he is, but first.....he really needs to work on his publicity!

There are so many puns in this; one can not keep count and still hold on to the true fun within this book.  To simply state it, I couldn't put this one down. It's the start of a new middle grade series from this renowned author and all can I say is....how long will I have to wait to find out what happens next?!  Laugh along with Kyle as you witness his high level pranking skills in action (pants-ing laser, anyone?).  Feel his spotlight growing dimmer as it shifts to Mighty Mike and the resulting spill of ill feelings (can't say it's never happened to you at some point) that grows in the shadows.  Marvel at his superior skills and what he does (and does not) use them for.  Oh and laugh yourself silly when some of his plans go awry (really...from his "super" name to the laser....too much fun).

Though geared towards the younger crowd, this is definitely one book that can be enjoyed by one and all.  It's scheduled release as of this post is October 2010, so keep an eye out for it or check for pre-order options at your favorite store.  Special thanks to author Barry Lyga for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  To find out more about this upcoming publication and the author's other varied works, visit his website.

So...if you've followed my site for any amount of time, you're probably wondering "what gives" right about now.  Why would I be reviewing a book this far ahead of the publication date when I typically don't post until closer to its release?  Good question!  There is a VERY GOOD reason for that.  You see, I received a SIGNED ARC of this book to read and review, along with a little swag, straight from the author himself.  It seems that Mr. Lyga is a rather big supporter of book bloggers and values their feedback and support (bookmarks up to you, sir!).  That being said, there was one condition to which I had to agree to follow to the letter if I wanted the chance to read this ARC.  Want to know what that was?  (Oh, I promise...you REALLY do....)  It's good....and it benefits you....  The condition was this.....after reading and reviewing the book MUST be passed on to another reader!  (Told ya it was good!)  So without further adieu, let's get to the contest information...

 

Archvillain Wannabes Contest!

(3 winners!)

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The prizes:

1 winner will receive...

(1) SIGNED ARC of Archvillain by Barry Lyga

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

2 runners up will receive....

Swag packs consisting of three promo cards, one for each book shown above!

So that's 3 winners in all...

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How to enter:

TWO (EASY) STEPS

FIRST...riddle me this.....

If YOU decided to become an archvillain, what would YOUR name be?

Leave your answer in the comments below to share with everyone!

(Oh come on...have a little fun!)

*************

SECOND...fill out this form.

(Just click the word "form" above.)

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The rules:

*Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only.  No P. O. Boxes please.

* Entries will be accepted from Friday, August 27th, 2010 through Friday, September 10th, 2010 at midnight CST. The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator. (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post. You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email by Monday, September 13th, 2010 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address, unless of course it was provided in the entry form initially. Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

*Winner's name and address will be used by yours truly for prize send out only and then discarded.

So, what are you waiting for?

Go, go, GO!

(No really, go, enter....you don't want to miss out!)

Until next time....happy reading!

Life Interrupted: Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga

It's Friday!  Can I get a "WHOO-Hoo"?  Okay, maybe not....I'll supply it.  WHOO-Hoo!  (That's better.) It is the end of a very long week (at least for me, how about you?).  Hopefully you enjoyed yesterday's Virtual Book Blog Tour with Stacey Voss and her new book Thunder and Blood.  It was a first for the site, but not the last! (hehe)

Anywho....I suppose I could end with something light and fluffy, but darn it all it is October!  The time for dark, spooky, tales that leave your skin crawling and the light on in your hallway.  (Muuuaaahhhh! *Cough*cough* Okay, so I need to work on the evil laughter bit...) Unfortunately, today's post is not an exact fit into that mold....but it definitely fits the heavy atmosphere and costume-type themes that pop up during this season.  Enough chit-chat (at least in this section) from me...today's choice is...

Goth Girl Rising
by
Barry Lyga

Kyra (aka Goth Girl) is a teenager with a penchant for trouble.  She drinks, she smokes, she hangs with her friends....oh, and yes, she just got out of a mental institution for the second time.  Yup...but don't go making any judgements just yet.  Kyra is not a "fruitcake-from-down-the-block", she's a DCHH ("Daddy Can't Handle Her", used in the book as a label by some of the hospital staff) that tried to commit suicide...twice.  Well, once for certain, the second was more of a consideration stopped by one, Fanboy.  Who is he?  Fanboy, as she deems to call him throughout almost the entire book, is someone she befriended in her freshman year. 

Two outcasts looking for a connection in all the wrong places that ended up being good for each other, even if outwardly it didn't seem that way.  (Confused?  Keep reading...)  Why would a young girl with friends and family want to leave this world?  At 16, she lost her mother to lung cancer....and in the process her self, whether she admits it or not is another story entirely.  Without facing her problems head on, her focus becomes blurred as she delves into feelings of abandonment dredged up during her hospital stay.  Few phone calls, even fewer emails, and 6 months to dwell on why she feels the way she does.  Emerging from this structured place sets free her desire for revenge on Fanboy.  For deserting her.  For moving on with friends that were not her.  Oh, yes...revenge will be sweet.  Or will it?  Does Goth Girl have what it takes to bring down her own creation known as Fanboy?  Is that was she really wants at the end of the day?  You'll have to read it to find out!  (Sorry.....trying to avoid total spoilers....)

Alrighty, so before I jump into the critical analysis (aka my usual ramblings), there are two things I must mention first.

1. This is actually the sequel to "The Adventures of Goth Girl and Fanboy".  To answer your question (if you didn't voice it, it's in your mind), I have not read the first installment but must say that I never felt "lost" in the book despite any fore-knowledge of the characters. (KUDOS to the author for making the "sequel" able to be followed by the uninitiated!)
2. I would be remiss if I did not list a WARNING for this book though.....so here goes.  WARNING:  Contains strong language and imagery.  Open discussions and details regarding sex, drugs, teenage drinking, and suicide.  This may be one to debate whether or not the potential audience is old enough to handle the material.

Whew!  I feel much better that those are out of the way, don't you?  To me, the way this book is written, kind of like an internal dialogue effect, it reminded me of a brassier version of "My So Called Life..." (a short lived TV series from the 90's....dealt with some of the same issues, but in a little softer fashion...if you can believe that!).  With it's use of brass knuckle language, and in-your-face attitude towards sex, drugs, and drinking....I must say I was seriously put off when reading this.  I could not believe for the life of me that this was rated as a YA book!  HOWEVER, underneath all the white makeup, hair changes (she pulls a Britney and shaves her head at one point), and crazy actions, there is a very good message there!  By the end of the book, I was actually crying!  (Hey, no judging!  Read it and you will be teary eyed too...guaranteed.)

Real-life issues and heartache are both prominent stars within this novel (yes, defnitely not a good book for light and fluffy time).  Goth Girl's family is torn apart by the passing of her mother due to lung cancer.  She harbors A LOT of anger that she can barely admit to herself, let alone show the world in an appropriate fashion....hence her no-filter language (although she does refrain from using the F-word, and this restraint is explained by the books end), take-that world attitude, and the attempt she makes on her own life.  It was a way for her to deal with everything that was going on....try to regain control over the situation.  Sadly, this is something people of all ages face, but it is definitely not the option that should be chosen!  You may be ending your sadness but you are increasing it for others ten-fold.  Luckily, she has a few "angels" in her corner...her Dad, and Fanboy.

Let's talk about Fanboy for a second.....that's literally the name she uses to refer to him throughout the almost the entire book!  He is the comic book geek that she befriended prior to her second stay in the mental health facility.  He is also the reason that she has revenge on the mind once she is back in society.  Yes...the doctors tried and succeeded on many levels, but alas, her tortured soul can not let the fact that she was forgotten go (no emails, no phone calls).  The schemes she tries are rather creative despite being transparent  Finally towards the end, his real name is revealed (no, I'm not going to tell you...) when a breakthrough is reached. 

Strewn within the text are quite a few remarkable features and details.  Let's see...we have her appearance (initally) with the Bangs of Doom (had to get that in here....loved the reference), her adimacy in wearing a reverse color smiley pin every day (there's a secret that goes with that revealed in the book), and her love of the Neil Gaiman comic, The Sandman.  Now I am not one for graphic novels, comic books, etc....but even I've heard of that one and so the reference was rather interesting.  As a part of her therapy, she writes a letter about whatevers on her mind and the person she chose to "send" them to is Gaiman.  (The end of the book there's a change up to this, but again....can't reveal it!) 

There's ups, there's downs, there's sideways and back again....a wild ride to say the least. If you look past the tough exterior, you will find the story at heart with a message of gold.  Cherish every moment of every day as a precious gift because you never know when it will be your (or their) last.  (Who would have thought that message would come from this book?  Not me....and yet it's true!)

This copy was made available to me electronically thanks to NetGalley! (Thanks!) For the latest and greatest info from them, follow them on Twitter! (Psst...they also retweet reviews of titles they "host".)

COMMENT CREATOR
As I stated, I had a REALLY hard time finishing this book due to the "outer layers", but I am also REALLY glad I kept at it as it was worth it in the end!  Have you ever experienced this in your reading adventures?  Name the first book that comes to mind, why it was hard to finish, and (if you want) what you took away from it in the end.  Let's see where the conversation takes us....

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback!
Until  next time....happy reading!