Lush on Thursday

I've been struggling with a way to make Lush on Thursdays more exciting--spotlight features are important!--and so expect a few different things in the coming weeks... now behold my research skillz!

Lush on Thursday is essentially the spotlight feature here at Christina Reads YA. For a further explanation of what the feature means, read my first ever LoT post :).

Today's pick is...

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Published by: Hyperion

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Why I'm excited:

• Okay, first off... that cover. Finally a science fiction cover I can get behind. I love the mystery and the colors and for once, the thin font for the titles and author names does not bother me.
• YA sci fi - remember: I'm on the look for some good ones. Most of the ones I've seen I'd consider science fantasy, not even light science fiction. (If it tries to explain: science fiction, but if it refers to androids and fancy futuristic technology: science fantasy. For me, anyway.) I'm a little wary of this "doctor" mention because of the rampant mad scientist stereotype, but I hope it all works out.
• Look at that summary - the plot, character, and world immediately have captured my attention (though admittedly, the Marina/Em thing is a bit confusing without context). A war waging in the world? A time travel machine that will destroy the world? A girl prisoner, a prodigy, best friends and cell mates.
• The hype. I have yet to see any really bad reviews of this book. And in my research, I discovered that this book was featured on the Editors Buzz Panel at BEA. I have good experience with books previously featured (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer).

Teasers & Promotional Material:

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Blogger is being difficult and not letting me center that, but hey, it's the first of four webisodes (and was originally featured here.) I'm not usually one for book trailer types, but I actually really like this. It's different and a little edgier and even while I hope the MC doesn't actually ask the camera where she is in the book, I still am already feeling for her and... what does she know?!

"Time travel done right. Powerful emotional relationships and tight plotting in this debut mark Terrill as an author to watch." --Kirkus in a starred review

"Masterfully plotted and rich with emotion, All Our Yesterdays is possibly the most addictive book I've read this year." --Becca Fitzpatrick, NYT Bestselling author of Hush, Hush

(Interesting that Becca Fitzpatrick blurbed the book. YA PNR vs. SF).

"Em came to me very naturally from the beginning, but Marina was more of a struggle...The key for Marina to me is that her parents have never really loved her properly, which has led to her not loving herself. Everything – her insecurity, her brattiness, her total devotion to James – stems from that. For Em, the most important element to her character is how much she loves Marina. Those are the foundations I built the two characters on: Marina doesn’t love Marina, Em does."
--Cristin Terrill (Read the full interview here!)

This book was already optioned for film.

What other people are saying:

That would be Debby from Snuggly Oranges (review here).

"Cristin Terrill’s mind-bending thriller is intense, clever and achingly romantic."

-Sam from Realm of Fiction

"...it's hard to really dislike it. It's simply too much fun as a thriller and a great way to spend a day!"

-Ashleigh Paige from Birth of a New Witch (review here)

"The concept and explanation, the character development, even the romantic elements...this is what I was looking for in all of those other time travel novels.  Sacrifice is a major underlying theme in this book, and it made for an intensely emotional read, not to mention an absolutely engaging one."

-Jen from The Starry-Eyed Revue

Seriously. Go to the Goodreads page. There's not a single review below 3 stars which is featured on the main page. 2 people rated it 2 stars; 2 rated 1 star... and the rest? Yeah, you guessed it.

What are you hoping to read soon? Is there a book you think I should read ASAP? Something you've read recently that you lovelovelove? Have you read All Our Yesterdays/are you anticipating it?