Sneak! It's Swipe sibling! It's back a better than ever!!! : P So because this is a book tour I'm going to post as much about the Swipe series and the author Evan Angler as I can. Not to mention that I'm linking to all the other awesome blogs on this tour, because each post has something different and I'm pretty sure some even have *whispers* giveaways.
First off, here are some places that you really need to visit:
Okay, now that your computer has shut down because you had to open all these windows.... : ) Here's Swipe's cover and trailer:
And here's the second book in the Swipe series and its trailer:
Here is my review for Sneak:
SNEAK by EVAN ANGLER
Movie Rating: G all ages permitted
Book Rating: @@@@@
Swearing: None
Inappropriate Scenes: None
# of Pages: 274 (paperback)
Genre: YA Sci-fi/Dystopian
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
LLFTB: Never Give Up!
Back Blurb:
When Logan Langly backed out of getting the Mark and went on the run, no one thought he could survive on his own. Without the Mark, you can't buy food, go to the doctor, or use a tablet-you aren't even a citizen.
But when he discovers that his sister is being held in a mysterious hidden prison named Acheron, Logan risks everything to travel through and underground network of the Markless to rescue her.
Logan arrives only to find that Acheron holds more secrets than anyone could have guessed and that all his careful planning is worthless against a government that will do anything to gain absolute control. It seems there is only one place to turn.
But can a banned book with whisper-this pages and warnings about the real meaning of the Mark really hold the Answer?
My Review:
Most of the time a sequel is not as good as the first in the series let alone better. Such is not the case with Sneak. Basically, everything I enjoyed and loved about Swipe was twice as better in Sneak: the cover, the back blurb, the author's bio (however, weird that may sound), the action, and even the story. I loved the sciencey twist to Sneak. Yeah, deadly little viruses are my sort of thing...... While reading Sneak it made me wonder exactly how Angler came up with some of this stuff.Not plot-wise but like their gadgets that they have and stuff. It was so complex and so detailed. Sneak is a really really awesometastic (yes, it's a new word i made up) addition to the Swipe series and I cannot wait to read the next installment this fall! :D Oh, and some certain characters better get together! Otherwise, I will be a very bummed reader. Have I mentioned that Peck reminds me so much of myself? Maybe that's why I like the books so much! : )
*this book was provided by Thomas Nelson publishers. this does not affect my review in any way*
And now onto the giveaway.
What you get: A paperback copy of Sneak.
Rules:
-must be live in US or Canada
-be 13 years or older or have parental/guardian permission
-only enter this giveaway if you really want this book
When Logan Langly backed out of getting the Mark and went on the run, no one thought he could survive on his own. Without the Mark, you can't buy food, go to the doctor, or use a tablet-you aren't even a citizen.
But when he discovers that his sister is being held in a mysterious hidden prison named Acheron, Logan risks everything to travel through and underground network of the Markless to rescue her.
Logan arrives only to find that Acheron holds more secrets than anyone could have guessed and that all his careful planning is worthless against a government that will do anything to gain absolute control. It seems there is only one place to turn.
But can a banned book with whisper-this pages and warnings about the real meaning of the Mark really hold the Answer?
My Review:
Most of the time a sequel is not as good as the first in the series let alone better. Such is not the case with Sneak. Basically, everything I enjoyed and loved about Swipe was twice as better in Sneak: the cover, the back blurb, the author's bio (however, weird that may sound), the action, and even the story. I loved the sciencey twist to Sneak. Yeah, deadly little viruses are my sort of thing...... While reading Sneak it made me wonder exactly how Angler came up with some of this stuff.Not plot-wise but like their gadgets that they have and stuff. It was so complex and so detailed. Sneak is a really really awesometastic (yes, it's a new word i made up) addition to the Swipe series and I cannot wait to read the next installment this fall! :D Oh, and some certain characters better get together! Otherwise, I will be a very bummed reader. Have I mentioned that Peck reminds me so much of myself? Maybe that's why I like the books so much! : )
*this book was provided by Thomas Nelson publishers. this does not affect my review in any way*
PSST!!! On September 10th, I will be giving away a freeeee copy of Sneak! So be sure to stop by and check it out!
Onstage with me today for the second time, is super awesome author, Evan Angler!!! (But don't tell anyone because he's hiding and can't be found) With new and improved (well, not sure about that) questions! And I'm pretty sure Mr. Angler is super excited today because his second book, Sneak, released today! :O How cool is that? (Be sure to get your copy of this super duper awesome book!!!!!)
*Mr. Angler walks onstage and takes a bow. Fans go wild!*
So, Mr. Angler Question 1:
1: If you had the power to keep earth at one season for a year which season would it be?
Fall. I like the air in the fall—cooler at night, crisp and comfortable in the day, not too hot but not yet bitter or snowstormy. I like the colors of the leaves on the ground, and the promise of holidays around the corner...Fall reminds us that there’s beauty to be found in growing older. It’s the season of change, and change is good.
2: If you were a Superhero what would your name be?
Who says I’m not a Superhero?
3: If you were a superhero what would your theme song be?
I think I’d choose that old, pre-Unity theme song for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That song rocked pretty hard, and it was also singularly bizarre in a way that really does it for me.
4: If you could make one day last a week what would you do during that one day?
Honestly? I’d write.
5: If you could be any ruler from the past who would you be?
George Washington. Everyone liked George Washington.
6: If you could be any villain or rebel from a book who would you be and from what book?
Severus Snape, if only because I love so much to keep people guessing...
7: If you could have any job in the world what would it be?
Author. For me, there’s never been a choice.
8: If you started a band what kind of songs would you sing and what would you call your band?
Actually, I’ve been in several bands over the years. True story. That’s what made it so easy to write about Dane Harold’s band, the Boxing Gloves! But if I were to start a new band, I think we’d sing folk rock/bluegrass. Banjos, fiddles, guitars, four-part harmonies, catchy tunes, the works. And I’d call us The Sweepers, since all our fans would be Dust. :-)
9: If you were a character in a book would you be the villain, the kick-butt hero, or the man/damsel in distress?
I’d probably either be the hero or the villain. There can be a fine line between the two, and sometimes the only difference is who comes out on top. History, after all, is written by the winners...
10: What is your favorite food?
Chicken noodle soup. Who ever gets tired of chicken noodle soup? Bonus if it's hot.
11: What was your inspiration to writing the Swipe Series?
Nearly everything I read, experience, or discover inspires me in some way, and I suppose all of it finds a page in the Swipe Series sooner or later.
In terms of real-world events, a handful of pre-Unity developments leading up to the American Union were particularly hard to ignore: severe weather changes; growing cultural tension; widening inequality; rapid technological progress; worsening shortages of water, food, land, and oil; worldwide social unrest...it is important that we continue to write and to think about all of these challenges.
But most profoundly, it is the Dust's journey that has inspired me. Theirs is a story that tells itself, and I'm just doing my best to write it down as fast as I can in the hope that I can keep up.
There've been times when I've doubted myself. DOME is, after all, breathing heavily down the back of my neck. But every time I do, somehow some Unmarked friend makes his or her way into my life, and finds a way to keep me going. (If you'd like, you can read my profiles on these people here: http://www.evanangler.com/notes/)
12: If the Swipe Series was made into a movie who would you want to play Logan and Erin?
If any movies are ever made of the events described in the Swipe Series, my dream would be for Logan, Erin, and the Dust to portray themselves onscreen. But I’ve brought too much attention to them with these books as it is, so perhaps it would be best to bring in a cast of unknowns…
13: What would you want the movie's theme song to be?
SNEAK will be available everywhere as of Tuesday, September 4th (http://www.thomasnelson.com/sneak.html), both in paperback and e-book. It begins one month after the end of SWIPE, with Logan very much on the run and still reeling after stirring up some pretty serious trouble with DOME. Markless everywhere are worse off than ever; the Dust is broken, hiding, and aimless; and Erin--Logan's best friend in the world--is dead set against him, determined to find him and turn him in. But Logan has a purpose now. He’s on a mission that’ll take him all the way across the American Union, and he's not about to let anything--or anyone--stop him. Along the way, he'll learn about a nationwide network called the Unmarked River, and with the help of Markless everywhere, he'll delve deeper into DOME's secret plans than he ever thought possible.
At its heart, SNEAK is about the search for truth and the power of truth. Learning to question, to think for ourselves, to be honest about what's most important to us in our own lives, to take nothing for granted, and to believe in the power of our convictions...this is what Logan and his friends strive to do in SNEAK, and I hope these are some of the things that Dust everywhere will take away from reading this book.
15: Can you tell us about the next book in the Swipe Series? What will it be called and what is it about?
The third book in the Swipe Series is going to be a wild, wild ride with some breakneck twists, turns, and surprises. The stakes escalate very quickly given all that happens in SNEAK, and there isn't a single person in the A.U. who won't feel the consequences of that. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, since very few people have even read SNEAK yet, but suffice to say we have much to look forward to in Book 3.
Great interview, Mr. Angler! You have withstood my prying questions, yet again. And still managed to keep your location secret!! Congratulations! :D But I'm looking over it and, not to put you on the spot here or anything, but um, you said in Question 10 that it's a bonus if the chicken noodle soup is hot. Do you really eat it cold?! Anyway, to get the readers of this interview involved a little I'm going to give your guys some websites and such that you really need to check out and your opportunity to pretend that this is your interview! Just copy one of the above questions and paste it into the comment box, and then answer it!
Okay, and now, I want to answer my own question.... :) I'm going to do Question 9: If you were a character in a book would you be the villain, the kick-butt hero, or the man/damsel in distress?
I would want to be the hero if I was good. Because like Mr. Angler said, It is difficult to tell the difference between a hero and a villain sometimes.
What question would you like to answer? Answer it in the comments!
YAY! Today is blog tour day! It's my first blog tour so if everything is complicated I'm sorry. I'm learning. :) Anyway here the book that this tour is about:
Back Blurb:
Everyone gets the Mark. It gives all the benefits of citizenship. Yet if getting the Mark is such a good thing, then why does it feel so wrong?
Set in a future North America that is struggling to recover after famine and global war, Swipe follows the lives of three kids caught in the middle of a conflict they didn't even know existed. United under a charismatic leader, every citizen of the American Union is required to get the Mark on their 13th birthday in order to gain the benefits of citizenship.
The Mark is a tattoo that must be swiped by special scanners for everything from employment to transportation to shopping. It’s almost Logan Langly’s 13th birthday and he knows he should be excited about getting the Mark, but he hasn't been able to shake the feeling he’s being watched. Not since his sister went to get her Mark five years ago . . . and never came back.
When Logan and his friends discover the truth behind the Mark, will they ever be able to go back to being normal teenagers? Find out in the first book of this exciting series that is Left Behind meets Matched for middle-grade readers.
LLFTB: What may seem good on the outside in often bad on the inside
I cannot tell you how nice it was to finally be able to pick up a book and not worry if my mom or little brother picked the book up. Swipe is a good clean book that still packs a punch! And although geared toward younger readers I am proof that older teens will also love this book! :) And I saw something interesting in the back of Swipe--I read that it's a debut. If so, then Mr. Evan Angler has TONS of talent! And I cannot wait for Sneak to come out!! Mr. Angler I am a forever fan!
*this book was provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review*
About the author:
Evan lives without the Mark, evading DOME and writing in the shadows of Beacon. Swipe is his first book. But if anyone asks, you know nothing about it, and you didn't hear anything from him. Don't make eye contact if you see him. Don't call his name out loud. He's in enough trouble already. And so are you , if you've read his book. Author Interview: Even though Mr. Angler is busy evading DOME and trying to stay hidden he has decided to come forward and tell us, his devoted fans, a little about himself, although he can be traced online. So it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you the brave Mr. Evan Angler himself!!! :)
1: If you had the power to control any of the 4 main elements (air, water, earth, or fire) which would it be? Why? Very many of the earth's environmental and political problems could be solved if we could just figure out how to control water. Think about it—no more food shortages from droughts, no more deadly hurricanes and floods and tsunamis, no more fighting over land based on water scarcity...billions of lives could be improved and saved. I'd pick water in a heartbeat. 2: If you had the power to go into the past where would you go? Why? I’d like to go back to the very beginning of the post-Unity period, to the start of the American Union and the year this Mark program was instituted...and I’d like to tell them a thing or two about where it was headed. 3: If you could travel anywhere in the world free of charge and free from harm where would it be? I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of traveling in the time I’ve spent running from the Department of Marked Emergencies (DOME). I’ve been all over the American Union and even a bit around European Union, so these days, anywhere not under direct DOME surveillance would be fine by me! Someday, I suppose I’d like to visit the area that used to be called Japan. 4: If you could pick your own superhero power what would it be? I’d like to be able to control time. It really is our most valuable commodity, so even minimal control, like just being able to add a couple hours to the day every once in a while, would be a super awesome superpower. 5: If you could have 3 book characters over to dinner who would you pick? From the Swipe series, I’ve enjoyed my dinners with Erin, since she’s pretty feisty, and a lot smarter than I am. It’s easy to see why Logan has a bit of a crush on her, though I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell her I said so, as her ego is healthy enough as it is! It’s also always fun to eat with Tyler and Eddie, even though their dinners always seem to end in a food fight. If I’m picking characters from any book throughout history, I think I’d like to share a meal with 1) Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, to see what kind of trouble we could find, 2) Roald Dahl’s Matilda, since I’d love to know how she figured out telekinesis, or 3) the "one girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth" from the prologue to Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, because I’m dying to hear the question to the answer of life, the universe, and everything. 6: If you had the above book characters over for dinner what would you have to eat? Homemade lentil soup with mixed veggies and Sriracha sauce. Strawberries for dessert. 7: If you could rid the world of one evil what would it be? Hypocrisy. We'd all be doing just fine if we actually lived according to the things we believed in. 8: If you could have any animal in the world (and afford it) what would it be? An octopus. Do you have any idea how smart those things are? They frequently escape from their tanks, crawl across the room, open jars of food, take the food back into their tanks, and then hide the evidence! Why that might make them good pets, I'm not sure. But I definitely want one. 9: If you could replace any actor in a movie because you could do a better job acting what actor would you replace and what movie would it be? I don't want to put down anyone else's creative work, and I’m no actor, but for my own enjoyment I would have loved to have provided the voice for one of the side-character robots in the pre-Unity classic, WALL-E. That movie rocks! 10: If Swipe was made into a movie what would you want the theme song to be? I'd probably pick the same music that was used in the Swipe book trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwHV3lgO-PM). I thought that was just right. 11: Tell us a little about yourself. Like anyone my age, my childhood was cut short by the Total War. When eventually the fighting stopped, I fled to the shadows of Beacon City, where I’ve spent the last fifteen years living without the Mark and hiding from DOME. My name is Evan Angler. But if anyone asks, you know nothing about me. I was never here, and you never interviewed me. I’m in enough trouble already. So are you, if you read Swipe. 12: What did you want to be when you grew up? There was never really a question of me being anything other than a writer. It’s the thing that makes me happiest, and that’s the way it’s always been. 13: Tell us a little about your book Swipe. Swipe is the first volume in the chronicles of Logan Langly, Erin Arbitor, and the Dust. It takes place soon after the end of the Total War, in the newly formed American Union. Here, basic rights are only acquired beginning at age 13, once people are mature enough to Pledge allegiance to Chancellor Cylis in exchange for his Mark of citizenship. But most simply, Swipe is a story about friendship against the odds. It’s a story about a group of boys and girls who come together to do the unthinkable: to stand up for what they believe in. 14: What character was easiest for you to write about? I think writing is easy or difficult depending largely on how much opportunity there is left for change. As long as the people you are portraying have room to grow, it is easy to write about them. Everyone in Swipe is in for a wild ride, so there’s always been a ton of room for change and growth, and consequently, I’ve enjoyed writing about all of them. That said, I really do love writing the moments with Tyler and Eddie in them. Those two crack me up, and I think deep down they’re great kids. Very compassionate and curious, even if they are troublemakers. All of the scenes portraying the Dust were great fun to write. 15: What character was hardest for you to write about? Perhaps Peck, just because he is so enigmatic. It was difficult getting to know him at first. 16: What character is most like you? There is a lot of me in Logan, or at least in the way that I portray him. I watched too many scary movies and read too many scary stories as a kid, so when I was his age, I spent a lot of time being scared in much the same way that Logan is at the beginning of the book. Logan is shy, but he’s a bit of a contradiction. When he rationalizes things in his own head, or when he thinks through what he is about to do next, he frames it to himself as though he’s the play-it-safe type. But really, in the moments when it counts most, Logan is an enormous risk-taker. If I’m being truthful, those characteristics probably describe me pretty accurately, as well. After all, I chose to write these books. I chose to speak out about the Dust and what they are up to. And DOME certainly isn’t all too happy with me over that. 17: Do you plan to write a sequel to Swipe? Yes, absolutely! The next book in the Swipe series is called Sneak, and it will be released in September, just a few months from now. Sneak picks up soon after the events of Swipe, and our heroes are in a bit of a tight spot, to put it mildly. All of them are in worse trouble than they’ve ever been, and there’s no easy way to undo the choices they’ve made in Swipe. But Logan has a purpose now. He’s on a mission that’ll take him all the way across the American Union, and he’s determined to see it through, no matter the consequences. I’m also working on the third book in the Swipe series, and that’ll come out in about a year. But if DOME asks, you didn’t hear anything from me. 18: Do you have any ideas for more books? Too many to list! But right now I'm focused on Logan and Erin and the chronicles of the Dust, so most of my energy these days is spent on them. 19: What or who was/is your greatest encouragement as an author? Reading is any author’s greatest encouragement. Great books inspire you to do better; bad books prove that you can. 20: Do you have any favorite sayings? As Samuel Clemens once wrote, “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”
And that's the end! Take a bow Mr. Angler! You have survived an author interview without DOME finding you! :) Also, you can order Swipe on Amazon.com: Buy SWIPE
And you can pre-order Sneak on Amazon.com: Pre-order SNEAK (Let's help tell the poor unsuspecting people of America how bad the Mark really is!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And here's the other wonderful bloggers participating in this tour:
