Blog Tour: Book Review + Guest Post + Giveaway: Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves

Title: Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves
Edited By: E. Kristen Anderson and Miranda Kenneally
PAPERBACK
Amount of Pages: 192
Publisher: Zest Books
Release Date: October 31, 2012
Geared Towards: All Readers
From: Publisher (ARC Copy)
Extra Info: This is an anthology of letters written by authors. It is in full color



Summary (From B.O.B): Growing pains are an essential part of teenage life, for better and for worse. Some "mistakes"turn into positive, life-changing experiences, and some apparent triumphs seem in retrospect, like low points. Some first kisses leave you feeling on top of the world, and others can mae you want to hide undre a rock. In DEAR TEEN ME, your favorite YA authors-including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, Tom Angleberger, and Carrie Jones-revisit critical moments from their young lives and offer advice and guidance to their teeange selves. So pick a page, and find out...

*Who found true love at 18?

*Who wishes she'd had more fun in high school instead of studying so hard?

*And who skipped prom to go to a Grateful Dead concert, only to wind up stranded?

The letters cover a wide range of topics, including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurities to fill an auditorium. So whether you're a theatre kid, a band geek, a bad boy, a good girl, a loner, a stoner, a nerd or a jock, you'll find friends-and a lot of familiar faces-in DEAR TEEN ME.

Wdebo's Review: Once I saw the summary of DEAR TEEN ME, I was instantly intrigued and knew I just had to read it and I am so happy I did. This book is filled with letters from all kinds of authors so reading it, I saw a lot of familiar (and not so familiar faces) and will definitely help you to relive all of your good (and not so pleasent) teenage years. And for readers that are not yet teens it will give them something to look forward to (or dread) later in their lives.

The topics of the letters span to all sorts of different topics. They range from very funny, lighthearted warnings to deep issues. No matter what stage of life you are currently in, there will definitely be at least one story which you will be able to identify with. I especially liked the letters about being weird with "weird friends" because that was totally how my friends and I were like in high school. We were the nerds the holed up in the library and talked books and other things (like dramas) 24/7.

I also liked the fact that is was in full color, it just made it look cooler and was much more fun to read.

Cafe Cover Chat: The cover is pretty good but not the best. I like the postal theme. (B-)

All in all, a great anthology that is sure to keep you busy for a couple of fun, nostalgic hours.

Grade: B+

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For a "guest post," I asked a few of my friends to create their own "Dear Teen Me"s and this is what they came up with. Enjoy!

Dear Teen Me,

Don't be afraid of trying new things. You'll never know what you are capable of until you actually try it. Have fun and be surprised!

Pricilla

Dear Teen Me,
You'll fall in love...and out of love many times before you find Mr. Right, so don't obsess over the first or even fifth. Don't be stupid just to prove a point. Lastly, Miss Congeniality taught me to S.I.N.G, and you should learn it well!
Always Yours,
Liz

Dear Teen Me,

There are some pretty huge changes coming in your life, so just go with it! Never forget who you are, don't worry too much about the future because everything will work out, and most importantly, you'll get freckles from too much sun exposure so stop trying to get tan.

Lots of love, 

Lisa

Dear Teen Me,
Forever cherish the good times and learn from the bad. Always stay true to yourself and have faith that life is on your side. Listen to others but remember to think critically about what they say and let curiosity be your guiding light. Oh and don't forgot about that thing you left that time in the room of your best friend's boyfriend's cousin's house.You'll need it back.
Your Number One Fan,Steph

Dear Teen Me,

Remember: "Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint on it you can"~Danny Kaye. That red streak of anger you slap on when your close friends betray you...it will be covered by a multitude of blue dots that represent all your newly formed friendships.

The black paint that drenches the entire canvas will be washed away by a fiery orange-yellow. And along the way, you'll add playful purple swirls and splatters of lime green. 

In the end, through the good ties and the bad, you'll turn out to be a wonderful masterpiece. 

Take this piece of advice and start painting.

Yours truly,

Older me

Dear Teen Me,
Eat the damn food. Keep it down.
Sincerely,
Someone who cares.

Dear Teen Me,

Your teens will be over before you know it, so stop moping because the past is over, and jump head first into the adventures of everyday life. Cherish time spent with loved ones RIGHT NOW and don't forget to live in the moment. Take it from me: your life will work out how it's supposed to. So don't sweat the small stuff, don't sell yourself short, and keep that head up, kid.

Yours truly,

Older Rissa

Dear Teen Me,

I want to promise you right here, right now that everything turns out okay. There are some storms ahead but you know what? You will never be alone.
Hannah

Dear Teen Me,

Every day is a new chance for you to ensure that the future isn't like the past. Lighten up!

I love you,

Eva

Dear Teen Me,

Sweet girl, don’t be so shy or so scared. You will see, honey, everything (and I mean everything) in this world happens for a reason. Hold on to those sweet moments at home and at school because you will miss them dearly. Love and accept yourself.

Dear Teen Me,

Focus on the important stuff in life, more precisely, the important people, like true friends and above all your mom. She did everything and gave everything she had for you, so don't disrespect her to be "cool." The people you are trying to be cool for will move on it life and forget about you as you will them. Your mom will love you and care about you forever (as will your aunt and other family members/true friends).

Much love,

Mariam 

PS-Don't watch Gossip Girl or other teen crap-it does you no good!

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And now for a giveaway!

Just fill out the form below...best of luck to you!

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Wdebo :)

I was not paid for this post.