What if one moment changed everything?
Mahlorie hates her braces. And who cares what she looks like anyway? Her parents sure do. Dad, a travelling magician, and Mom, a famous erotica author, constantly harp on the importance of appearance. Her best friend Shai is the epitome of pop-culture, crushing on every boy with a cute smile. But when Mal has a near-death experience and can suddenly hear a boy’s voice in her head, life takes a turn for the weird. He can hear her too. How did her braces become transmitters? And who is this boy she just might be falling in love with?
This magical coming-of-age tale of mystery and self-discovery, and love and friendship, makes the impossible become all too real…
For fans of “The Fault in Our Stars” and James Patterson’s Middle School Series.
“It’s cute and funny and a good, clean read for YA.” –5 Star Review
“Engle tends to make a common literary trope into a page-turner, because she is not afraid of the weird.” –5 Star Review
“The smooth prose, clever plot twists will snag middle-schoolers. Adult readers will marvel at how Engle so clearly channels teens.” –5 Star Review
I am so excited to share this book with the world, and from the early reviews, I am so happy how this story is already touching reader’s hearts. I’ve partnered with RABT Book Tours for a book blitz with giveaway and a month long blog tour. In addition, I’ve created LIGHTNING MAGIC, a sweet blend of rain, mystery, and magical realism into the paired Wick Books® Candle, available through the shop link or directly at http://www.jmebooks.com.
Support the release by following these incredible bloggers through the launch day Book Blitz, and the month long Book Tour to share Metal Mouth. You can also enter to win 1 of 5 signed copies of the book here:
ENTER TO WIN HERE!
Release Blitz – December 1st
4. Book Junkiez
5. Musings From an Addicted Reader
9. T’s Stuff
10. The Book Addict
14. Bound 2 Escape
16. The Pen Muse
20. Momma Says to Read or Not to Read
21. YA Book Divas
22. Java John Z’s
26. Truly Trendy
27. Book Reviews by Virginia Lee
30. The Northern Witch Book Blog
Virtual Book Tour – December 1 – December 30
December 1 – RABT Book Tours – Kick Off
December 2 – Writers With Books – Excerpt
December 3 – Nana’s Book Reviews – Spotlight
December 4 – Mythical Books – Guest Post
December 5 – Book Reviews by Virginnia Lee – Spotlight
December 6 – The Northern Witch Books – Review
December 7 – A Life Through Books – Interview
December 8 – Book Addict – Spotlight
December 10 – Bound 2 Escape – Spotlight
December 11 – Just Books – Excerpt
December 12 – Beach Bound Books – Spotlight
December 13 – The Bookworm Lodge – Spotlight
December 14 – The Avid Reader – Interview
December 15 – T’s Stuff – Spotlight
December 17 – Texas Book Nook – Review
December 18 – Silver Dagger Scriptorium – Spotlight
December 19 – Jazzy’s Book Reviews – Guest Post
December 20 – The Indie Express – Review
December 21 – Vallerie Ullmer – Excerpt
December 22 – Momma Says to Read or Not to Read – Spotlight
December 26 – J Bronder Book Reviews – Review
December 27 – Jenna Baxter Books – Excerpt
December 28 – Novel News Network – Review
December 29 – Musings of a Reader – Spotlight
December 30 – Truly Trendy – Excerpt
December 30 – RABT Reviews – Wrap Up
And here’s an excerpt from the book to get you ready to buy a copy!
Excerpt
Mom and Dad finally agree to disagree. They get along much better when there’s a lot of land between them. It’s ironic because both of my parents make their living by an illusion that they sell to the public while in private, they’re totally different people. Dad, with a sleight of hand, can make you see only what he wants you to see.
“It’s all about presentation, turtledove, how you look and where you look. Get the crowd to believe what you want them to believe. See? The magic is how well you sell it. Your pitch. Your package. In this world, people will believe the truth is whatever you show them it is. Appearance is everything.”
Mom, on the other hand, creates these perfect worlds in opposition of the one in which she lives, tied up neatly in the end through the power of love. Her appearance is her ticket. How she looks affects how fans perceive her. Once, Mom actually paid a team of marketers to determine which color pant suit she should wear. By her outfit change, she sold 5,000 books and landed a guest spot on The Today Show.
“Appearance is everything, lambkin. You won’t be successful as a woman without purposed wardrobe, hair, and make-up. People don’t really care about who you are until they see that you fit the mold. Understand? You can be whoever you want to be so long as you make it believable.”
This, by the way, is the only reason I got these stupid braces. It’s also the reason why I hate short dresses and glittery barrettes. It isn’t that I don’t want to be popular like Shai. What if I can’t? What if no matter how well I sleight my hand or how often I change my clothes, I never find my place? That failure scares me more than not fitting in. So, what do I do? I manipulate my personality, tweak my appearance, and blend.
Where does that leave me?
Somewhere in my dad’s deck of cards or my mom’s perfectly constructed novel where I blend into a false reality and play the role I’m supposed to play. “Appearance is everything.”
“Appearance is nothing,” the voice in my head contradicts, only this time, I’m not certain the voice is mine.