Don't Get Caught by Kurt Dinan Review and Giveaway

Title: Don't Get Caught

Author: Kurt Dinan

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Publication Date: April 1, 2016

Don’t Get Caught Book Trailer Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EZoTwKPU78

Praise for Don’t Get Caught

“Don’t Get Caught is just everything I love about young adult fiction. It's funny and awkward and exciting and full of revelations and surprises.” -Josh Berk, author of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

"Not only is Don't Get Caught the best kind of underdog story---heartfelt and hilarious---but it's filled with genuine surprises up until the very last page, which features one of my favorite endings in recent memory. I'm highly inspired to prank someone right now." -Lance Rubin, author of Denton Little's Deathdate 

"Witty, charming and always surprising...Call it OCEAN'S 11TH GRADE or whatever you like, Don’t Get Caught snatched my attention and got away clean." --Joe Schreiber, author of Con Academy and Au Revoir Crazy European Chick

“Genre-savvy, clever, and full of "Heist Rules" like "If questioned, be evasive" and "Play to your crew's strengths," this twisty tale is funny, fast-paced, and full of surprises. –Publishers Weekly

“This caper comedy about an Ocean's 11-style group of high school masterminds will keep readers guessing.” –Kirkus

“Teen readers will delight in the way such totally different individuals begin to cooperate to triumph over their wrongs.” –VOYA Magazine

Summary:

10:00 tonight at the water tower.  Tell no one.   —Chaos Club

When Max receives a mysterious invite from the untraceable, epic prank-pulling Chaos Club, he has to ask: why him? After all, he’s Mr. 2.5 GPA, Mr. No Social Life. He’s Just Max. And his favorite heist movies have taught him this situation calls for Rule #4: Be suspicious. But it’s also his one shot to leave Just Max in the dust…

Yeah, not so much. Max and four fellow students—who also received invites—are standing on the newly defaced water tower when campus security “catches” them. Definitely a setup. And this time, Max has had enough. It’s time for Rule #7: Always get payback.

Let the prank war begin.

Oceans 11 meets The Breakfast Club in this entertaining, fast-paced debut filled with pranks and cons that will keep readers on their toes, never sure who’s pulling the strings or what’s coming next.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24157427-don-t-get-caught?from_search=true&search_version=service

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/1089vd

Apple- http://ow.ly/108aEM

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Indiebound- http://ow.ly/108bC9

About the Author:

Kurt Dinan has taught high school English for over twenty-one years, and while he’s never pulled any of the pranks detailed in this novel, he was once almost arrested in college for blizzarding the campus with fliers promoting a fake concert. He lives and works in the suburbs of Cincinnati with his wife and his four children he affectionately refers to as “the Crime Spree.” Don’t Get Caught is his first novel.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://kurtdinan.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @KurtDinan

Excerpt for Don’t Get Caught:

Ellie calls it Operation Stranko Caper and gives each member of the Water Tower Five code names related to his or her role.

Adleta is Goon.


Malone is Shadow.


Wheeler is Potatoes.


Ellie is Crybaby.


And I’m Bleeder.


But at the moment, waiting for zero hour while standing in the back hallway where I can view the filled cafeteria, I’m feeling more like Puker because I want to sprint to the bathroom to vomit up my guts.

And to think this was all my idea. Here’s Heist Planning 101:

1.Identify your target. In this case, the target is Stranko’s phone. Clearly he’s investigating the Chaos Club; the pictures he took in the office prove that. Who knows what other evidence against them he might have? 


2.Formulate a plan. It took a week of observing Stranko during school (all of us) and after (thank you, Adleta) 
to realize he’s most separated from his phone during lunch duty. It sits on a table on the stage next to where Stranko polices the cafeteria. Now, if he were to be pulled away from the stage...

3.      Practice, practice, practice. The five of us rehearsed our roles for over a week. The plan isn’t the most complicated, but we only have one shot at Stranko’s phone.

Our final run-through of the plan lasted two hours on Saturday, with Ellie and Wheeler the most excited. Even Adleta, who’s probably risking at least a thousand push-ups every day for the rest of his life, liked the idea. Malone, go figure, predicted failure.

“It won’t work,” she said. “Maybe in a movie, yes, but not in real life it won’t.”

“No, they won’t see it coming,” I said. “No one expects things like this to happen, and especially not from us. We’re trying to stay out of trouble, remember? Why would we risk getting suspended?”

“Max is right,” Adleta said. “There’ll be too much going on for Stranko to realize what’s happened. It’s going to work.”

“What if we get caught?”

“Then we do what you should do whenever you get busted,” Wheeler said. “We lie our asses off.”

I don’t mind Malone’s concerns. In fact, I appreciate them. The more I’m around her, the more I depend on her skepticism. Every heist crew needs someone to point out the weaknesses in a plan. Malone’s perfect for that. She’s also tech savvy, a brilliant artist, and athletic as hell. A jack-of-all-trades, really. Or more like a jill-of-all-trades.

A heist can go wrong for any number of reasons, the worst of which is the double cross. You can just never be sure if everyone is really on your side or if they’re working an angle. I don’t necessarily think anyone in my crew is behind the setup at the water tower, but the hint of doubt is there. Still, why would someone set us up to get busted and include him or herself in the busting? It makes no sense.

We picked Monday for our heist because that’s the school day where everyone, even the administration, just slogs through until the final bell. At the time I was excited, but now it’s nausea city. Reality sucks that way. But I’m not going to back down and hide in the theater again like I did the day after the water tower. Not that I could put a stop to our plan if I wanted to. Everyone’s in position. The pin’s pulled and the grenade heaved. All I can do is try not to get my head blown off.

On stage, Stranko reads something on his phone, then places it on the table beside him before returning to his surveillance. In a lot of ways, thinking of him as a prison guard is dead-on. The entire building is a prison, with the staff as guards, students as prisoners, and rules that dictate when we can stand up and leave, talk, and even go the to the bathroom. The school even has security cameras, which are positioned in all corners of the cafeteria. I’ve seen the room with the video monitors though and am not as worried as I might be in a newer school. The monitors here are in black and white and the images almost blurry, like it may be the first security system ever created, maybe used back in the Garden of Eden where God watched a grainy image of Eve heisting that apple.

Then, right on cue at 11:45, Crybaby, sitting at her usual table near the front of the cafeteria, pushes her tray aside and puts her head down in her arms.

Step One, the Split, has begun. 

Rafflecopter Giveaway Link for 2 Copies of Don’t Get Caught:

Runs April 1-April 30 (US & Canada only):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review:

I don't want to give away too much of the plot because that's part of the fun of reading a new book but this was insanely fun! The concept isn't new. But the fresh writing style, humor, and amazingly fun characters are definitely worth picking up this book.

I can't believe this hasn't gotten more hype. Just look at the attached youtube.com book trailer and if that doesn't convince you to read this little gold nugget of a book then I don't know what will.

The characters are fresh and current and I think that added a lot to the story. I thought it was paced well and over the course of the book I felt like the characters were easy to relate to. They were definitely people that I went to high school with and that I could see the faces of my friends doing a lot of the same things. 

I know this sounds a little vague but I don't want to spoil anything. If you read the excerpt provided by the publisher above and watch the book cover and are STILL not convinced to pick this up then I don't want to be the reason because I told you too much about the best parts.

If you want a book that feels like the best moments of high school and reads like a fun beach read then I would not hesitate to pick this up and enjoying it immediately.

My Star Rating:

4 out of 5

Read This If You Enjoyed:

  

***I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher and netgalley.com. All above information and the giveaway are hosted by the publisher. All opinions about the story are my own.***

My Kind Of Crazy by Robin Reul Review and Giveaway

http://books.sourcebooks.com/my-kind-of-crazy/

**I was provided an e-copy of this book by netgalley.com and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions listed in the review portion of this post are my own.***

My Kind of Crazy

By Robin Reul

April 5, 2016; Tradepaper, ISBN 9781492631767

Book Info:

Title: My Kind of Crazy

Author: Robin Reul

Release Date: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Praise for My Kind of Crazy

“I had so much fun reading this book that it made want to accidentally set things on fire. Great characters you instantly care for, and a lot of heart.” -- Adi Alsaid, author of Never Always Sometimes and Let’s Get Lost

“MY KIND OF CRAZY is for everyone who felt they never fit in and weren't sure that they wanted to.” --Eileen Cook, author of Remember and What Would Emma Do?

“Hank Kirby will steal your heart, Peyton Breedlove will set it on fire, and then together they’ll mend the pieces.” --Shaun Hutchinson, author of FML andViolent Ends

“MY KIND OF CRAZY is my kind of read, and Reul, the best kind of writer.” --Gae Polisner, author of The Summer of Letting Go and The Pull of Gravity

“Funny, authentic, and, at turns, heartbreaking.” -- Jessi Kirby, author of Things We Know By Heart

“A sensitive look at two teens with complicated histories learning to build a future together.” –Kirkus

Summary:

A promposal that (literally) goes up in flames sparks a friendship that might be just crazy enough to work

Despite the best of intentions, seventeen-year old, wisecracking Hank Kirby can’t quite seem to catch a break.  It’s not that he means to screw things up all the time, it just happens.  A lot.  Case in point: his attempt to ask out the girl he likes literally goes up in flames when he spells “Prom” in sparklers on her lawn…and nearly burns down her house.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Peyton Breedlove, a brooding loner and budding pyromaniac, witnesses the whole thing.  Much to Hank’s dismay, Peyton takes an interest in him—and his “work.” The two are thrust into an unusual friendship, but their boundaries are tested when Hank learns that Peyton is hiding some dark secrets, secrets that may change everything he thought he knew about Peyton.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25695607-my-kind-of-crazy?from_search=true&search_version=service

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/YbB9t

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/YbTUX

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/YbTYN

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Indiebound- http://ow.ly/YbU6g

About the Author:

Robin Reul has been writing stories since she was old enough to hold a pen. Though she grew up on movie sets and worked for years in the film and television industry, she ultimately decided to focus her attention on writing young adult novels. And unlike Hank, she does not know how to ride a bike. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son and daughter. My Kind Of Crazy is her first novel. Find her at robinreul.com

Social Media Links:

Website: http://robinreul.com/

My Kind of Crazy Landing Page: http://books.sourcebooks.com/my-kind-of-crazy/

Twitter: @Robinreul

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobinReulAuthorPage

Excerpt for My Kind of Crazy:

So here’s the thing. It’s not like I woke up this morning and said, “Hey, I think I’ll light the 100-year-old Eastern Red Cedar tree in front of Amanda Carlisle’s house on fire today.” Because I don’t know about you, but when I wake up, my mind doesn’t go straight to arson. Honestly, the first thing I focus on is how fast I can get from my room to the bathroom without my dad’s girlfriend, Monica, trying to chat me up while I’m awkwardly standing there in my boxers.

            I’d read online that how you ask a girl to Prom can completely make or break a guy’s chances. I wanted to do something special that Amanda would never forget. Apparently it worked, just not the way I intended. ‘Use sparklers to spell out PROM’ the article on the Internet said. There was even a picture with them all lit up on the ground. Totally idiot proof.

I snuck into her yard like a ninja under the cover of darkness and tried to jam the sparklers in her lawn, but the soil was hard and unyielding. I looked around, desperate, and then I spied a nice soft patch of mulch underneath the cedar tree near the side of her yard. It was perfect, and the sparkler slid in easily. A few minutes later, I had them all lined up just like I’d seen in the picture, and once they were lit, yelled, “Amanda!” I actually had to call out twice because she didn’t hear me the first time. Then she came to the window and gazed down as the sparklers fizzled down to the ground and--boom!

Turns out that was fresh pine mulch underneath that cedar. Pine trees produce turpentine, so I might as well have lit those sparklers in a pool of gasoline for how quickly the mulch caught fire.

I didn’t know what to do, so I ran. Which is why I’m now hiding behind a bush across the street in her neighbor’s yard. This is definitely going down in history as the most epic promposal fail ever. And then, as if things couldn’t get more catastrophic, they do.

Baseball is practically a religion where I live in South Coast Massachusetts. People take their Red Sox pretty seriously, and the die-hards decorate their trees with red and blue streamers every season in a show of support. The Carlisles are no exception. And it doesn’t take long for the flames to catch and race the length of those ribbons into the dry branches above.

From where I’m crouched down, I have a perfect view of the Carlisle house. I can see Amanda’s eyes widen and her jaw drop open as she observes the quickly escalating situation in her yard. She pulls away from the window, I’m guessing to call the fire department. We should probably talk about Prom some other time.

            With things clearly going south, I do what any sensible person would do: I get the hell out of there. Of course, a sensible person wouldn’t have put sparklers in a pile of fresh mulch directly under a highly flammable tree. Hindsight is 20/20.

So in the most casual way possible, I hook my backpack - which is loaded with empty sparkler boxes - over my shoulders, hop on my bike, and pedal away from the scene at what I hope passes for a normal speed. Cool as a cucumber, that’s me.

I reason for a brief moment that, perhaps, Amanda didn’t actually see me there. Even if she did, she doesn’t know me all that well so she might not recognize me. I am wearing black jeans, and my Batman hoodie conceals my medium-length, stick straight brown hair, so I am sort of camouflaged. Not to mention, those flames were pretty distracting.

The fire station is about five streets away, near the library. I start to worry that the firemen won’t get there fast enough and Amanda’s whole house might burn down. I know I’m a lame-ass chicken shit for hightailing it out of there, but the last thing I need is Dad on my case for something else. As far as he’s concerned, I can’t do much right. I would like to say he’s just being an asshole, but lately I’ve been wondering if he’s onto something.

            I consider turning around and heading back to Amanda’s, which would be the right thing to do, but I swear I’m about to piss myself with fear so I pedal faster, listening for the sounds of approaching police sirens. For good measure, I jerk my bike off the main road, cutting through the back alleys toward home.

Rafflecopter Giveaway Link for 2 Copies of My Kind of Crazy:

Runs April 1-April 30 (US & Canada only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


My Review:

I don't want to give too much away about the plot since Sourcebooks was kind enough to allow me to promote the book with an excellent excerpt from the story that I think does a great job of setting up the plot but this book was so much fun.

With "promposals" these days I think this was a great approach starting to discuss more than just high school drama and prom. When our main character sets fire to a tree while trying to impress a girl with a crazy prom invite he meets another girl and quickly his affections turn to her.

I thought the characters read quirky and fun and the writing was light and entertaining and just had me laughing in parts. I really enjoyed how the story progressed and developed.

It turns out that this book isn't just about high school romance but it also discusses important social issues involving one of the main characters parents and alcoholism. It is dealt with in a very mature way.

The way the author approached social and economic issues was great but I just wasn't totally sold on the characters themselves. Overall, a fun and entertaining read.


My Star Rating:

3.5 out of 5

You Were Here: Cori McCarthy Review and Giveaway

You Were Here

By Cori McCarthy

March 1, 2016; Hardcover, ISBN 9781492617044

Book Info:

Title: You Were Here

Author: Cori McCarthy

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Praise for You Were Here

“The mix of forms as well as the insights each character gleans through their urban explorations render this book both readable and teachable on multiple levels.” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, STARRED Review

“Readers who appreciate stories of searching for personal truths will be happy to join this meaningful quest for identity and independence.” –Booklist

“You Were Here  is wrenchingly beautiful in its honest and achingly accurate portrayal of grief and how it breaks us--and the way unconditional friendship puts us back together.” -Jo Knowles, award-winning author of See You At Harry’s and Read Between the Lines

“Through razor-sharp wit, no-holds-barred momentum, and heart-wrenching twists, Cori McCarthy dares you to climb through the broken, abandoned wreckage of the past, stand on the edge of the world, and face something even scarier: the truth.” -K.A. Barson, author of 45 Pounds (More or Less and Charlotte Cuts it Out

"The urban explorers of You Were Here dive deep into the forgotten man-made spaces all around them--and their own feelings of loss, love, and fear. McCarthy deftly intertwines the characters' stories, filling them with authentic pain and heartache as well as soaring moments of grace and humor. I dare you to read it!" --Maggie Lehrman, author of The Cost of All Things

Summary:

Jaycee is about to accomplish what her older brother Jake couldn’t: live past graduation.

Jaycee is dealing with her brother’s death the only way she can – by re-creating Jake’s daredevil stunts. The ones that got him killed. She’s not crazy, okay? She just doesn’t have a whole lot of respect for staying alive.

Jaycee doesn’t expect to have help on her insane quest to remember Jake. But she’s joined by a group of unlikely friends – all with their own reasons for completing the dares and their own brand of dysfunction: the uptight, ex-best friend, the heartbroken poet, the slacker with Peter Pan syndrome, and… Mik. He doesn’t talk, but somehow still challenges Jayce to do the unthinkable—reveal the parts of herself that she buried with her brother.

Cori McCarthy’s gripping narrative defies expectation, moving seamlessly from prose to graphic novel panels and word art poetry, perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, Jennier Niven, and Jandy Nelson.  From the petrifying ruins of an insane asylum to the skeletal remains of the world’s largest amusement park, You Were Here takes you on an unforgettable journey of friendship, heartbreak and inevitable change.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25679559-you-were-here?from_search=true&search_version=service

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/WhdGD

Apple- http://ow.ly/WhdNA

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About the Author:

Cori McCarthy studied poetry and screenwriting before falling in love with writing for teens at Vermont College of Fine Arts. From a military family, Cori was born on Guam and lived a little bit of everywhere before she landed in Michigan. Learn more about her books atCoriMcCarthy.com

Social Networking Links:

Website- http://www.corimccarthy.com/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CoriMcCarthy

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/authorcorimccarthy

Tumblr- http://youwereherebook.tumblr.com/

Excerpt from You Were Here:

“What do I see?” I asked, turning back to the halo effect created by Margaret’s splayed hair. “It was a game. She died because she was playing a game.”

“Just like Jake,” Natalie said.

“Right,” I quipped, trying to mask not only my annoyance at Natalie’s psychoanalyst tone but also a flare of grief. My chest grew tight. Why wouldn’t it go away? Why did all this still buckle me to the ground? Tears burned my eyes, and I took my hair out of my ponytail. This never happened when I came here with Mik. Mik didn’t talk or prod. Mik let me be while we walked around Jake’s old haunt, wondering if he was actually haunting it.

“My dad said that OU will raze the TB ward.” Bishop pointed out the window toward the building on the very top of the hill, by far the spookiest and most unkempt in The Ridges compound. “It’s the only fully abandoned building.”

“Raze?” I asked, suddenly angry. “When?”

“End of the summer, I think. My dad said it was going to cost a ton but that leaving the old building there while it was falling in is just asking for lawsuits.”

“Jake loved the TB ward,” I said. “They haven’t stripped it down like this building.”

“TB?” Zach asked.

“Tuberculosis,” Natalie said.

Bishop squinted at his friend. “TB has been one of the leading terminal diseases in society since the dawn of civilization, Zach.”

“But it doesn’t exist anymore,” Zach said. “Like leprosy.”

“It totally exists,” Natalie said. “And so does leprosy. Where do you learn these things?”

“TB is still the leading cause of death for all people with HIV,” Bishop said. “But don’t worry, Zach. You won’t get it.”

I was surprised to find Zach looking at me. “What kind of things are in there?”

I shrugged. “I’ve never been, but I know it’s more dangerous. All the windows and doors are boarded up to keep drunk undergrads out.”

“So there’s no way in?” Bishop asked.

I shook my head. “Didn’t say that. Every building in The Ridges compound is connected by basement tunnels. If we get into the basement, we can get into any building.”

We all shuffled to our feet and stood around the last portrait of Margaret Schilling.

“I’m in,” Bishop said, and I nodded. Bishop was cool; we’d been partners for two semesters straight in woodshop. He said odd, grandiose things sometimes, but I liked him for it. Plus there was a pretty good chance that Mik would show himself with only Bishop around.

“I’ll take you two to the exit,” I told Natalie and Zach.

“Well, hey,” Zach said. “What if I want to come?”

Natalie looked at him, stunned. “You want to go? What about Kolenski’s three kegs?”

“Kolenski gets kegs every couple of weeks.” Zach shoved his hands in his pockets. He had sobered up since they’d entered The Ridges, and now he just looked worn down. Even his hair had flattened. I’d written him off years ago, but the way he’d helped me find Jake’s footprint and waylaid Natalie…maybe he wasn’t such a garden-variety “dude.”

“Who else can say that they did this the night after graduation?” he added with a shrug.

“So Natalie’s the loose end?” I said. “Big surprise.”

“Wait a second. It was my idea to follow you in the first place. And I…I want to see it.”

“Really?” Zach asked her. “Even if it’s dangerous?”

“I’m going to minor in history. It’ll be like walking around inside of history.”

I knew Natalie well enough to know that she was deluding herself, but when I opened my mouth to point it out, I saw something instead. Bishop did too.

“Apple.” He pointed to the ground. “Guys. There’s an apple.”

A shiny, green Granny Smith apple sat in the doorway. I picked it up.

“Where the hell did that come from?” Zach asked, fear trilling his voice. “Is someone else here? That wasn’t there a few minutes ago, right? Right?”

They all looked up and down the hall. Nothing.

“Maybe Jake’s ghost put it there. Or Margaret’s,” I said. A thump of what could only be described as happiness resounded through my chest. It was foreign and weird, and yet welcome.

“You’re smiling,” Natalie said. “Why are you smiling? You never smile.”

I rubbed the apple on my shirt and took a huge crunching bite. Natalie looked like she was going to pass out. I winked. “This way to the basement.”

Rafflecopter giveaway link for two copies of You Were Here:

Runs 3/1-3/31 (US & Canada only)

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My Review:

I have honestly never experienced a book like this. Not only was the story compelling and well developed but it also flowed between artistic mediums in a way I have never experienced. Let me elaborate.

This is the story about Jaycee who is struggling the death of a sibling but reenacting all the crazy things they used to do. It isn't really the smartest way to handle things but that it how she has decided to cope with her feelings. 

I was really touched by everything the main character had to deal with and how it was handled. She started out irrational and immature but developed into an understanding young person.

I think the main thing that makes this story unique is the beautiful style of prose.

The story switches seamlessly between a standard novel format, to poetry, to graphic novel, and back again. Each flip of the page is a new adventure. 

This is just an example of something you might see peppered throughout the story.

I know that it is marketed as being for fans of Jandy Nelson but I also think if you liked the creative elements of "Everything, Everything," by Nicola Yoon you would also find this appealing.

Overall, one of the most unique books I have read in recent years. With the excerpt and praise above I don't want to give too much away but all I have to say is Sourcebooks does it again. 

Excellent read.

MY RATING:

4.25 out of 5

READ IF YOU ENJOYED: