"You Too?" edited by Janet Gurtler

REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

You Too?

edited by Janet Gurtler

You Too? edited by Janet Gurtler is currently on tour with YA Bound Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, some excerpts, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

A timely and heartfelt collection of essays inspired by the #MeToo movement, edited by acclaimed young adult and middle-grade author Janet Gurtler. Featuring Beth Revis, Mackenzi Lee, Ellen Hopkins, Saundra Mitchell, Jennifer Brown, Cheryl Rainfield, and many more.

When #MeToo went viral, Janet Gurtler was among the millions of people who began to reflect on her past experiences. Things she had reluctantly accepted - male classmates groping her at recess, harassment at work - came back to her in startling clarity. She needed teens to know what she had not: that no young person should be subject to sexual assault, or made to feel unsafe, less than or degraded.

You Too? was born out of that need. By turns thoughtful and explosive, these personal stories encompass a wide range of experiences and will resonate with every reader who has wondered, “Why is this happening to me?” or secretly felt that their own mistreatment or abuse is somehow their fault - it’s not. Candid and empowering, You Too? is written for teens, but also an essential resource for the adults in their lives - an urgent, compassionate call to listen and create change.

Excerpts

Praise for the Book

“It took me a while to read it completely because I could only handle it in small doses, but nevertheless, it’s a very important book and I would love to give this to any young woman I know. But I also think it’s important for adult readers like me to read because we all have had these experiences and it’s good to know we are not alone.” ~ Sahitya

“I think this is a great IMPORTANT book for young girls to read. I recognized my own experiences in several of the stories, and found strength, camaraderie and resilience. I wish this book had been around when I was a teenager.” ~ Christine Bolton

“This collection of short stories reveals a sad truth about our society where young women are still objectified, and in some cases, abused. Each story is different, but there are underlying themes that run though many of them. ‘It's the woman's fault’ is one, guilt is another, and shame. Some made me cry, some made me angry, but all of them made me aware.” ~ C. McKenzie

“This is a very powerful anthology. It's not the most pleasant read, but it's not supposed to be. The stories contain sadness, fear, anger, and betrayal. But they also convey an important message about what it means to be female in a way that is brutally honest but also optimistic. This is the first #MeToo book I've read that has been specifically targeted to teens.” ~ Pallavi

“This was a very powerful collection, and I think it should be mandatory reading for anyone and everyone.” ~ T.B. Caine

My Review

By Lynda Dickson

You Too? is a collection of 25 essays, mostly by published authors, with an introduction by editor Janet Gurtler, who also includes her own story. “In 2018, #MeToo stories began exploding across my social media feed, bringing back memories of the harassment I experienced as a young woman coming of age in the late seventies and early eighties.” As such, she “set out to collect stories from a diverse group of writers who were willing to share their personal encounters.”

Most of the authors tell their stories for the first time in these pages, often feeling that what they experienced wasn’t “bad enough” to be included in this anthology. It’s tough reading about the verbal and physical abuse experienced by these girls (and one boy) via the words and actions of boys and men, not only because of their sex but for their color, nationality, sexual orientation, even body size. They were made to feel like they had done something wrong and were left feeling both fear and shame. They reflect on these incidents and regret not having acted at the time and reporting the behavior of their abusers. This is the message they wish to convey to the young readers who may be experiencing the same sort of abuse:

“I should have been using my voice and standing up to harassment. […] Call out harassers. Speak for those who are too afraid, and let others speak for you when you can’t. There can be consequences for harassers and predators of all types - and there should be.”

On a positive note, these women all came out stronger because of what they endured. And, guess what? Me too.

Should be compulsory reading for all teens - both girls and boys - and their parents.

Warnings: coarse language, sexual references, rape, incest, LGBTQA themes.

About the Editor

Janet Gurtler's young adult books have been chosen for the Junior Library Guild Selection and as Best Books For Teens from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce and a Golden Retriever named Betty White.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win one of two copies of You Too? signed by each author. Entries are automatically entered with a donation to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization) on the YOUTOO Fundraising Page.

Links

Add toGoodreads

Amazon

Apple

BAM

Barnes & Noble

GooglePlay

Harlequin

IndieBound

Indigo

BookBub

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram @janetgurtler

Twitter @janetgurtler

Website

Featured in this post:

"Love, Lies and Murder" by Leslie Wolfe

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Love, Lies and Murder

by Leslie Wolfe

Love, Lies and Murder by Leslie Wolfe is currently on tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours. Grab your copy for only $0.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited!

The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

For more books by this author, check out my blog post on Casino Girl and my blog post on Las Vegas Crime.

Description

Breathtaking suspense unraveling at train-wreck speed, in an unforgettable collection.

Sometimes the only way to do the right thing is to break the rules.

Love, Lies, and Murder is a collection of 19 short stories that explore the extremes of human emotion and the conflicts that result. Every story will leave you tense and breathless as the characters race to a conclusion that is as unexpected as it is satisfying.

Intense and gripping, each story features a hero that seeks justice and the triumph of good over evil by whatever means necessary - regardless of what society’s rules find acceptable.

The collection is taut, visceral, and addictive. All the emotions we feel every day, when taken to their extremes, offer a roller coaster of passion, conflict, and chills.

Nineteen droplets of suspense in a thrilling anthology that will leave you unsettled, longing for more.

Fans of David Baldacci, Robert Dugoni, and James Patterson will love reading Leslie Wolfe.

Excerpt from “The Banjo”

He ran parallel with the train as fast as he could, reaching for the handlebar and trying to figure out how he could hop inside, when the freight car was that high. It was above his waist level, and he needed to grab onto something with both his hands and pull himself inside the car, if he didn’t want the risk of slipping under the car and losing one or both of his legs in the process.

Freight train hopping was more difficult than he’d expected. He was almost out of breath and the train seemed to move faster, catching speed, while the distance between his extended hand and the handle he was aiming for increased inch by inch. At least that car had its door wide open and seemed empty. If he could only push forward some more, gain up on the damn thing, come close enough to venture a foot up that step, while grabbing onto the handle.

The train squealed and slowed down, as the tracks curved a little, and he pushed himself to run faster. Then he lunged forward with the last drop of energy he had left, and grabbed that handle while his left foot found the wide step underneath the car’s open door. His right arm flailed in the air, desperately looking for something to grab, while his body was pushed backward by inertia. Then he felt a strong hand grip his right wrist and yank him up forcefully. He landed face down on the car’s floor, while the same strong grip dragged him all the way inside.

“A thing like that could get you killed out here,” he heard a man’s voice say calmly.

He looked up at the man who’d pulled him inside. He was young, barely twenty years old, if even. His face was grimy, smudged with dust and sweat and dirt, and his clothes were nothing unexpected for a habitual train hopper. His blue eyes were fixed on his Rolex, and he quickly covered it with the sleeve of his windbreaker.

Still panting hard, he pulled himself up to his feet and shook the young man’s hand.

“Thanks,” he said, “I appreciate it.”

“Huh,” the young man replied with a grin, dazzling white teeth sparkling against the grime on his face. “You should.” Then he laughed, a quick laugh cut short by a few coughs. “You’re no train-hopper material, dude,” he continued when he was able to catch his breath. “What, you got lost, or somethin’?”

“Nah,” he replied, still panting. “Just looking for someone.”

The young man whistled. “So, you got a place to live, and nice clothes, and food, but you hop trains for fun?”

“Not for fun, no. I’m looking for my brother,” he replied. “Someone said he might have been riding freight trains through these parts of the country.”

The young man gave him a good look, head to toe, and he felt he was being evaluated. Maybe the kid was thinking how much money he had on him, or if it was worth killing him. He held his gaze steadily, unafraid, glad to feel the holster of his weapon tight against his ribs.

“Name’s Travis,” the kid said, extending his dirty hand again.

He took it and shook it firmly. “Jack.”

“Got some food on you, Jack?”

He hesitated a split second, then took out two of the chocolate bars he’d stuffed his pockets with before leaving the city.

Travis took one carefully, almost as if he expected him to slap him or punch him or something. Then he whistled again, and slowly unwrapped the bar, savoring the experience. Then he wolfed it down in two good bites, chewed hastily with his mouth open.

“Umm, good stuff.”

Jack watched him eat and felt something tug at his heart. This kid was about the same age as Conrad, his younger brother who had vanished almost two months ago. Conrad was going home from school one day, and it was later than usual. He’d stayed at school longer, working in the lab with three other med-school students, colleagues of his at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and those three students were the last people to have seen him.

From the lab, he had to cross the campus and walk a few blocks through Streeterville, to the Brown Line train station. From what Jack was able to deduct, it was already dark when Conrad had left the university about seven, his banjo strapped on his back, and a small backpack in his hand. That’s the way his colleagues described his appearance that day. He was his normal self, maybe a little tired after a long day studying countless blood samples on the electronic microscope, and he’d told everyone he was hungry.

Then he vanished.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt, including two full stories.]

Praise for the Book

“This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The stories flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a ‘train-wreck speed’ journey.” ~ Piaras

“I really enjoy intense, gritty murder mysteries, and I did like the mysteries in this book. The stories that I loved were the ones that touched my heart. ‘The Banjo’ was such a surprise. ‘A Reason’ - I read it twice and had tears running down my face both times. ‘A Tour of Duty’ ... just wow! ‘Pay It Forward’ is so heartwarming. I am so glad I read this anthology.” ~ GrandmaHeather

“The title literally lets you know what the book is about. The book is divided into three sections and each section is about one of the words in it. So, the first section is about love and each section follows the theme of the introductory word. The book is expertly crafted and each section is full of wonderful stories.” ~ Liberrian

“This is a collection of short stories that will hit you right in your heart. They are all emotionally charged, all different but linked by extreme feelings and conflict. All of them are vivid and captivating, with compelling characters and so well structured that I'd have problems trying to choose just one favourite because there are so many that truly touched me.” ~ Clau

“Enjoyed each story! Each one had a plot that wouldn't let you stop until you finished the story. The stories of the military man and his dog plus ‘Adam’ particularly stood out. Leslie Wolfe continues to write tremendous short stories and novels. Just about all these stories could become great novels.” ~ Amazon Customer

About the Author

Leslie Wolfe is a bestselling author whose novels break the mold of traditional thrillers. She creates unforgettable, brilliant, strong women heroes who deliver fast-paced, satisfying suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology.

Leslie released the first novel, Executive, in October 2011. It was very well received, including inquiries from Hollywood. Since then, Leslie published numerous novels and enjoyed growing success and recognition in the marketplace. Among Leslie’s most notable works, The Watson Girl (2017) was recognized for offering a unique insight into the mind of a serial killer and a rarely seen first person account of his actions, in a dramatic and intense procedural thriller.

Leslie enjoys engaging with readers every day and would love to hear from you.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Links

Add to Goodreads

Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)

BookBub

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram @wolfe.leslie

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Twitter @LWNovels

Website

Featured in this post:

"Mysteries and Strange Events" by Drew Jones

GUEST POST and GIVEAWAY

Mysteries and Strange Events:
Volume One – Nine Short Stories

by Drew Jones

Mysteries and Strange Events: Volume One by Drew Jones is currently on tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours. The tour stops here today for a guest post by the author, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

Mysteries and Strange Events: Volume One brings together an evocative debut collection of nine short stories from the author Drew Jones. They are fantastically wide-ranging in subject and include Jaguar cars, railway accidents, strange salvage operations, commercial espionage, greed, science fiction, and ghosts - and every reader will find a favourite within the book. They will all make you stop, think, and question. This amazing mix is completed with some light humor as the flamboyant sleuth Mr. Theodore Halfpenny makes his first appearance.

This irresistible book will be your perfect companion as you commute to work, struggle through a long-haul flight, or just to keep at the side of the bed after a long day.

Excerpt from “The Returning 4.2”

One muggy late August night in 2015, Terry Daniels left or rather staggered from his local The Six Bells, and groped his way homeward – a distance of two miles.  The Six Bells was nestled deep in Oxfordshire’s finest postcard countryside and little stirred that night as Terry finally reached the main road.  He would follow this for a mile to reach his village and not long after that his front door.

He stopped his clumsy journey after 10 minutes and propped himself on a five-bar gate and was now experiencing that “I wish I hadn’t had that last one” moment when all at once he heard a car approaching from the direction he had travelled. A mist was forming close to the road surface and the sound of the vehicle approaching shattered the stillness well before the vehicle was close.

Terry leaned back on the gate and became an avid spectator as this late arrival showed itself. “An old Jag!” he thought in amazement. Sure enough, a large Jaguar Saloon thundered into sight. Terry’s late father had owned one and he recognised it at once even taking into account his current condition courtesy of The Six Bells hospitality.  The familiar grill and blazing round headlights met his gaze and were replaced by the sleek boot and twin exhausts. This he was sure was a series 3 XJ6 and the familiar sound had to be a 4.2 with the legendary XK straight six engine.

The old car carried on past him at tremendous speed and then the driver slammed on the brakes and probably with the aid of the handbrake, the huge machine with much tyre roar and smoke, half spun half skidded across the road and into a lay-by on the right-hand side of the road.  It was a long lay-by as it had once been the old road before the current main road had been built. The Jag continued up half its length and suddenly stopped…and then silence.

The disturbed dust began to settle, and under the clear skies, Terry moved forward from his observation point to study the car which was bathed white in the moonlight.  It had come to a halt under some trees and he was unable to make out a driver due to the dark shadows from the branches.  Moving closer still he confirmed it was indeed a series 3 XJ6 and what he thought was dark brown in colour with stainless steel wheel trims.  Part of the number plate was something, something 313X - it looked like an early one. He was baffled why the owner of this lovely old car would be out so late and thrashing the poor aging beast. Could it have been stolen?

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“Loved this book had me sitting on edge of my seat many times wondering what was about to happen. Can’t wait for a 2nd book.” ~ tania pippin

Guest Post by the Author

A Bit About Me and My Book

Hi, I’m Drew Jones, and I live in the wilds of West Wales! I have a wonderful golden Labrador called Monty, who usually lays at my feet while I write in my study. He is great company and many plots and stories are conjured up while we walk in the woods together.

I have quite diverse interests including collecting military memorabilia, cars, and British Cinema. These, combined with meeting equally diverse people from my work at a university and in the security business, have all combined to give me a wonderful library of characters and ideas for my stories.

In Mysteries and Strange Events: Volume One, I have introduced the character Theodore Halfpenny.  I have great ideas and plans for him – so do watch out for him as he will be making another appearance soon.

As my work is in the form of short stories, it is difficult to imagine them as a movie – but I think "A Sign of Danger" might make an exciting movie and "Solitude" perhaps a more intriguing piece.  Not forgetting the wonderful Theodore, of course – I think you could have a lot of fun with him in a movie.

About the Author

My name is Drew Jones and enjoy writing about mysterious and strange events. Some of my ideas are derived from my interest in classic cars, military airfields and the paranormal. I normally write in my study in Wales with my Labrador dog Monty at my feet, and many ideas and plots are thought through on our walks together in the woods. There are lots of ideas buzzing in my head, many involving our sleuth Theodore Halfpenny, who will appear in Mysterious and Strange Events Volume 2 - which I hope to start work on soon!

I have really had fun putting this collection together – so I hope you have enjoyed them too. Perhaps you have read them on your commute to work, on a plane as you travel towards your holiday, or as a quick read at the end of a long day.

As with all authors, I would be grateful if you would leave a review on Amazon – it only takes a second and is always much appreciated.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a £10 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Links

Add to Goodreads

Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)

Goodreads

Featured in this post: