Blog Tour: EMPTY by K.M. Walton - Review + Giveaway

I'm so excited to announce that EMPTY is finally available to the world. 

That means, if you have not picked up a copy, I highly suggest doing so. 
I have a couple surprises for you along with my review. I hope you enjoy them. Oh, also make sure you enter the giveaway to win a finished - signed copy of K.M. Walton's first novel, CRACKED, some fabulous swag and a super awesome surprise item.

Title: EMPTY Author: K.M. Walton Pub. Date: January 1, 2013 Publisher: Simon Pulse Pages: 256 Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, IndieBound Website Source: Author

Dell is used to disappointment.                                                                                                                                         

Ever since her dad left, it’s been one let down after another.

But no one—not even her best friend—gets all the pain she’s going through. So Dell hides behind self-deprecating jokes and forced smiles. 

Then the one person she trusts betrays her.

                                                                                                                  Dell is beyond devastated. Without anyone to turn to for comfort, Without anyone to turn to for comfort, her depression and self-loathing spin out of control. But just how far will she go to make all of the heartbreak and name-calling stop?

 

          "Maybe I Have Disappeared

I LIKE THE IDEA OF MAKING THINGS DISAPPEAR.

It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately."

"Kindness Matters"

I have to say that EMPTY is one of the most tragic, gritty, raw and realistic stories that I have ever read. This is a story of a girl that has absolutely no self-esteem, no self worth, and no respect for herself. 

Dell is a 16 year old high school student that deals with many, many issues throughout the book. One of Dell's biggest problems is that she is severely overweight. Like obese. Now, Dell wasn't always so heavy, most of the weight packed on as her life spiraled more and more down hill, beginning in Middle School when her father left their family for another woman. Dell is so deeply hurt by this and the sudden lack of the super close relationship she used to have with her father no longer exists. Dell starts binge eating to make herself feel whole again. Of course, that doesn't actually work but it does fill the hollow, empty feeling she has inside her for a very brief time. 

Dell's home life is one of a true nightmare honestly. Her mother has completely fallen apart since her husband left her. She has become addicted to prescription drugs, completely ignores Dell and leaves the largest responsibility of all for Dell to deal with. Her baby sister. Still in diapers, not able to do anything for herself. Thank goodness too young still to realize what a crazy mess her parents have really become. 

Dell's life at school is not much different from her home life. She goes every day with a fake smile on her face, making horrifying jokes about herself before others can beat her to it and then laughing along with them like it doesn't bother her. Yet all the while, she is slowly dying inside and feels that she has absolutely no one to share her feelings and fears with. Not even her so-called best friend. Yeah, the same best friend she's had for years. The same best friend that doesn't stick up for her and doesn't really talk with her. Really, she's just the best friend that seems to be around because it's convenient. 

While watching all of the horrors that Dell had to live through on a daily basis made me hurt inside for the child she never got to be, the teenager she never will be and the adult that may become as hateful and/or miserable as her own parents. Dell's story is one that unfortunately happens in many homes all over the world and that honestly breaks my heart. When I finished reading EMPTY, I could not just go on with my life as if everything were normal. I could not stop thinking of her and how simply wrong it was for her to have a life as utterly broken as she did. 

EMPTY will move you in so many ways, you will be thankful for the life you have, for the love, friendships, and family you have. Dell's story is honest, brutal, harrowing, thought provoking and truly breathtaking. Walton has written a story that is tragic and very memorable. Dell's story will stay with me always. I encourage anyone and everyone to read it. Maybe some people will actually see that the sun doesn't shine for every one all of the time.      

"EMPTY is Dell's story.

Dell's story is important.   

 Dell is in desperate pain.

 Her pain is in her soul. Her heart. Her very skin."

What would you say to a teenage girl who has been bullied and violated?

Do not stay silent. Tell someone who can help you. Do not stay silent. Tell someone who can help you. Do not stay silent. Tell someone who can help you. Do not stay silent. Tell someone who can help you. Do not stay silent. Tell someone who can help you. Do not stay silent. Tell someone who can help you. Infinity times. -K.M. Walton

K.M. Walton

K.M. Walton is the author of Cracked (Simon Pulse ~ Simon & Schuster 2012), Empty (Simon Pulse ~ Simon & Schuster 1-1-2013) and the co-author of Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking (Corwin Press 2011 - lead author Margie Pearse) for mathematics teachers K-8. As a former middle-school language-arts teacher she's passionate about education and ending peer bullying. She gives school presentations on the topic "The Power of Human Kindness." She lives in PA with her husband, two sons, cat, and turtle.

Website | Twitter | S&S Author Page | Pinterest | Facebook 

          Codex by Radiohead

PLAYLIST

- Shake it Out by Manchester Orchestra

- Codex by Radiohead (is for Dell)

- Paradise by Coldplay (is about Dell) 

- Angel by Sarah McLachlan 

- Empty by Ray LaMontange 

- The A Team by Ed Sheeran 

- If I Die Young by The Band Perry

                  

Open to US Residents 13+ * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

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Bringing YA To You - #YA2U VOTE ATLANTA!

Have you ever wished that a big YA book tour would make a stop in your hometown? Well, here's your chance for that wish to come true! YA2U is a program that features five award-winning and best-selling authors who are holding a contest to see what city they should visit in an exclusive tour stop! The authors are collecting votes from January 1 to February 15, and any city in the continental US or any Canadian city that has an international airport can win an exclusive visit from all five authors, including an author panel and book signing! Entering is super easy--and if you help spread the word about the contest, you can also enter win a signed copy of all of their books (TEN signed books in total!)--and the book contest is open internationally!

The authors in the program are:

• Marie Lu, the New York Times best-selling author of Legend and the upcoming Prodigy
• Marissa Meyer, the New York Times best-selling author of Cinder and the upcoming Scarlet
• Beth Revis, the New York Times best-selling author of Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and the upcoming Shades of Earth
• Victoria Schwab, author of The Near Witch and the highly-anticipated upcoming The Archived
• Megan Shepherd, author of the debut novel The Madman's Daughter

And they want to have an event in your home town! To participate, just got to the YA2U website and let them know what city you want them to come to. And while you're there, help spread the word about the contest and you can be entered to win all of their books--TEN signed books in total! 

Why should the YA2U Team come to your hometown?

Why not join in the fun today and share with others about this program and your hometown. The more votes your town gets, the closer you are to having your very own personal tour stop! Vote for YOUR town here!

And if you help spread the word, you can also participate in the book giveaway. Tell them that you learned about YA2U from me and we both get extra entries in the contest! 

The Contest Rules

THERE ARE TWO CONTESTS FOR YOU TO ENTER! 

FIRST: Win the authors! We will come to your city and do a live event at your venue! Open in the continental US and major Canadian cities only.

SECOND: Win the books! You can win a SIGNED copy of ALL of our books! Open internationally.

See below for complete rules and detailed information on prizes. And then uses the links in the sidebar to enter for BOTH contests!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE CONTESTS!

WIN THE AUTHORS PRIZE DETAILS: One entry per person. Any duplicate entries from the same person will be deleted. Willful duplications (i.e., it's obvious you're trying to enter as many times as possible) will lead to disqualification of your entries, at the judge's discretion. (In other words, if you accidentally enter twice, we'll just delete the extra entry. If you enter 10 plus times, we're deleting all your entries.)

Only entries on the official entry forms will count as a valid entry.

Author Event Prize only valid in the continental US and major cities in Canada. A major city in Canada is a city that has an international airport within it. We're really sorry we can't make this a world-wide event, but we're paying for our own airline tickets ourselves, and it would simply be too expensive for us to take this show anywhere else.
Win the Books! [If the form below doesn't load, click here]

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Blog Tour: EMPTY by K.M. Walton - Mega Prize Pack Giveaway

Happy Release Day!

I'm so excited to announce that EMPTY is available to the world today. I have a couple surprises for you. I hope you enjoy them. Oh. Don't forget to enter to win the super groovy giveaways I have to offer. One EMPTY Grand Prize Pack. Which includes a finished - signed copy of EMPTY, Swag and a Purple Post-It Dispenser. The second which will be posted a little later consists of a finished - signed copy of K.M. Walton's first novel, CRACKED, some fabulous swag and a super awesome surprise item.

Dell is used to disappointment.

Ever since her dad left, it’s been one let down after another. But no one—not even her best friend—gets all the pain she’s going through.

So Dell hides behind self-deprecating jokes and forced smiles. Then the one person she trusts betrays her. Dell is beyond devastated.

Without anyone to turn to for comfort, her depression and self-loathing spin out of control.

But just how far will she go to make all of the heartbreak and name-calling stop?

"I intended Dell’s story to serve as a window into her soul—the soul of a broken human being. I wanted you, precious reader, to feel the pain of the bullied, the neglected, the heartbroken, and the humiliated. I wanted you to experience the absolute power of hateful words – whether said or typed online. Words count." --From the Author's Note

"I must have listened to "Codex" by Radiohead and "Paradise" by Coldplay a million times while writing EMPTY, and with each listen I put myself in Dell's shoes. In my mind, "Codex" is for her and "Paradise" is about her." -K.M. Walton

K. M. Walton is the author of Cracked (Simon Pulse ~ Simon & Schuster 2012) Empty (Simon Pulse ~ Simon & Schuster 1-1-2013) and the co-author of Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking (Corwin Press 2011 - lead author Margie Pearse) for mathematics teachers K - 8.

As a former middle-school language-arts teacher she's passionate about education and ending peer bullying. 

She gives school presentations on the topic "The Power of Human Kindness." 

She lives in PA with her husband, two sons, cat, and turtle. 

Visit the author at kmwalton.com or follow her on Twitter .

*Throughout the day on Tuesday January 1st I will having several surprise giveaways on both Twitter and Facebook in celebration of EMPTY’s release day by K.M. Walton.*

Website | Author Page | Blog | Pinterest | Facebook | Goodreads

Empty by Ray LaMontange 

PLAYLIST

- Shake it Out by Manchester Orchestra- 

- Codex by Radiohead 

- Paradise by Coldplay 

- Angel by Sarah McLachlan 

- Empty by Ray LaMontange 

- The A Team by Ed Sheeran

- If I Die Young by The Band Perry

More from K.M. Walton:

TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES on Amazon

CRACKED on Amazon

CRACKED on Indiebound

EMPTY on Indiebound

EMPTY on Amazon

EMPTY GRAND PRIZE PACK

Open to US Residents 13+ * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EMPTY Blog Tour Schedule

Dates: January 1st – January 7th

January 1^st – Release Day Blast including – Playlist, Misc Info. and Multiple Giveaways http://ladysbookstuff.blogspot.com

January 2^nd – Review and Author Interview at Libby Blog with Ange Schmelzer http://marmaladelibby.blogspot.com/

January 3^rd – Review and Author Interview at Bookish with Evie Seo http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/                        

January 4^th – Review  at Kaidan’s Seduction with Taneesha http://kaidansseduction.blogspot.com/

January 5^th – Review at Uniquely Moi Books with Jodie Baker http://www.uniquelymoibooks.com/

January 6th – Review at Novel Thoughts Blog with Jennifer Dee http://www.novelthoughtsblog.com/

January 7th –Review, Playlist, and Giveaway with Amy http://ladysbookstuff.blogspot.com

Happy New Year - 2013

May this new year all your dreams turn into reality and all your efforts into great achievements.

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

Happy 2013 from my family to yours.

2012 YA STORY SCAVENGER HUNT - DAY 31 #2012YASSH

Welcome to day 31 of the YA Story Scavenger Hunt - Question #61

2012 YA STORY SCAVENGER HUNT

Looking for this, hunters? I have today's trivia questions from Fiction Fervor's 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt here for you. #2012YASSH challenges you with your knowledge of young adult books published this year, and if you enter, you might win a prize! Check out it here for more info. And be sure to read 
the rules!

Without further ado, today's questions come from The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting.

Easy: What is the name of the psychiatrist Violet sees?

Medium: What is the serial killer Violet helps find known as?

Hard: What does the killer do before he kills his victims?

If the form isn't visible enter your answers -->  HERE!

Think you know everything there is to know about YA books published in 2012? Then test your knowledge in the rest of the 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt. You can find the calendar with the rest of the stops for the hunt here. Good luck and happy hunting.