Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (13): The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine + Lux Read-a-thon+ Beat the Heat Day 2

Hosted by Breaking the Spine 



The Promise of Amazing 
 Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love. 

Description taken from Goodreads 


Why I'm Waiting
They cover is absolutely adorable.  It just makes me happy.  And the synopsis sounds like it's going to be a sweet, light read.


The Promise of Amazing releases on December 31

What are you waiting for?  Let me know in the comments!



  Lux Read-a-thon! 
  
This read-a-thon is awesome!  So from August 1-3 I plan on reading Shadows, Obsidian, Onyx, and Opal in anticipation of Origin which releases August 27.  And you guys are definitely going to want to participate in this one.  The prizes are amazing and the community is awesome.  So, if you're interested, just click on the banner above and sign up!  It's going to be a lot of fun, I can't wait for it to start tomorrow.  


Beat the Heat Day 2 
  
So, day 2 wasn't as great as day 1 but I still did really well!  I finished Another Little Piece (review will be up soon) and then I started this book:

 Eleanor & Park  
And I am absolutely loving it!  I'm going to finish that up today and start on something else.  I'm just not sure what yet.  

Tuesday-Day 2
Pages Read- 279
Books Started- Eleanor & Park
Books Finished- Another Little Piece
Total Books Finished-1   

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Book Blitz: Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika + excerpt + 2 Giveaways!

https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=8ea60c25df&view=att&th=14011b9d58bdf032&attid=0.5&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_gYLhN-MHoagOzDyepeJWG&sadet=1375203694802&sads=2F12odSKrnukHwaet1L7jO2mZ0s 



 https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=8ea60c25df&view=att&th=14011b9d58bdf032&attid=0.4&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_gYLhN-MHoagOzDyepeJWG&sadet=1375203838672&sads=U7S91ZrAMmgmSJeTutF8Snh3V_M 
Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika
Series: Senior Year #1
Publication date: June 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary 


Synopsis:
Carly and her best friend Becca are ready to drop a nuclear bomb on summer. It’s the last one before reality sets in and they’re off on their own. Carly is ready to break the mold and stop being known as a goody-two-shoes. In order to get the ball rolling, she agrees to a double date with Gavin – her good-looking, yet moody, lab partner.

Gavin doesn’t have summer plans except to work at his two jobs and hang out in his room drawing. He likes to keep to himself, but lets his brother Nate talk him into going on a double date. Carly isn’t like the rest of the girls at school that drive him crazy. She doesn’t ask a lot of questions and seems to know when to give him the space he craves. Gavin always thought that she was beautiful, but he believes that relationships and love are a lost cause.

Will their date prove that summer love is right around the corner or will it be a dead end?

This book is intended for audiences 17+ 


Purchase


Excerpt of Summer Love
The band played and I held my breath, waiting to hear Carly’s voice. I thought maybe she’d lost her nerve. I was ready to rush in and rescue her, even if she didn’t want me to, when, like magic, she began to sing. The notes that came out of her mouth were full and sensuous, changing the band’s sound completely. It was harmonious, free flowing, and full.
I’d heard the band last summer, and even though they were good, something had always been missing. That something was Carly. Her voice fit and molded perfectly with Nate’s, and I felt another tinge of jealousy. Their sound filtered through the cracks and walls of the garage and into the night air. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. I found myself slinking back into the garage as the song came to an end. I felt empty and lost when she hit the last note, and every cell in my body craved more. I’d been wrong. So very wrong.
Everyone in the garage was silent, as if the music had cast a spell on them. All of a sudden, led by Ed, claps and cheers echoed. Carly looked elated until her gaze landed on me. I read in her eyes that she thought I was a jerk for not believing in her, and I couldn’t blame her. I was a jerk.
“Damn!” shouted Ed. “That gave me goose bumps.” He hugged himself, rubbing his hands over his arms.
“I told you Carly could sing,” Becca said, directing her words toward Nate.

Giveaways!
Giveaway 1:This is the tour wide giveaway!  This giveaway is INT.  One winner will receive a $25 gift card to Amazon!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway
  
Giveaway 2:One lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of Summer Love!  The giveaway will end on August 10 and it will be sent out the week of August 19.  This giveaway is INT.  
Rules
Number 1: You must be able to receive ebooks.
Number 2:  The winner will be contacted via email.  You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen (remember to check SPAM folder!)
 Number 3:  You must be older than 13 or have a parents permission







Teaser Tuesday (8): Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn + Beat the Heat Read-a-thon Day 1

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 



Another Little Piece 
The spine-tingling horror of Stephen King meets an eerie mystery worthy of Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series in Kate Karyus Quinn's haunting debut.

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past. 

Description taken from Goodreads


Teasers
 
"She thought she'd found her daughter, but Annaliese was more lost to her than ever."
-page 46 out of 419
 
"Wistful.  Wanton. Woeful wonderment.
More words.  All meaning:  I WANT.  --ARG"
-page 93 out of 419
 
 

 Beat the Heat Read-a-thon: Day 1!

   I was just planning on updating my original post but I figured that this might be easier for you guys to find and you wouldn't have to go looking for it.  So, I will be doing daily updates for the next two weeks and feel free to click on the banner in the side bar if you want to sign up.  It's not too late!

 

Well, Day 1 was a really good day.  I started right at midnight on Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn, and let me tell you, it is a very strange book.  I am really enjoying it though and can't wait to finish it, which I will do later on today.

 

Here is the update:

 

Monday-Day 1  

Pages Read: 339

 Books Started: Another Little Piece

Books Finished: 0 

Total Books Finished: 0 


If you're participating, how was your first day?  Let me know in the comments!

 

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Beat the Heat Read-a-thon!



Ever since I participated in the Bout of Books Read-a-thon, I knew I wanted to experience another one.  But for some reason I would always find them when they were already about half way through so I could never really participate fully.  Thankfully, I found this one and made sure that I would remember to enter and it's for two weeks, so that's pretty awesome!


Here are the Rules!
  • The Beat the Heat Readathon runs from July 29th through August 11th. What does this readathon entail, you ask? Well, read as much or as little as you want – the main point is to READ! You set your own goal, and for two weeks you read as many books as you can/want to reach your goal!
  • There will be mini-challenges throughout the Readathon for participants, along with a grand prize giveaway at the end!
  • Sign up at Auntie Spinelli Reads or Phantasmic Reads. You may join whenever you like, but to be eligible for our grand prize giveaway, you must sign up by August 5th.
  • To join, all you have to do is make a sign-up post – even if it’s just a “Let’s do this!” thing - and add your post URL to the linky below! You can put your goals and progress (will be required for the final giveaway) in your sign-up post, or you can make it separate. Totally up to you! Feel free to copy and paste this handy little list for your post. We don’t mind. :)
  • In order to enter for the grand prize, you must have a post to keep track of your progress so we can see that you participated. 



Sounds pretty awesome, right?  So, for me, I don't really have any specific books that I will be reading.  I'm just going to pick up whatever I want to read at that time.  I do have a final goal and that is to read at least ten books But there are two that I know I will be reading because I borrowed them from the library and they're due back soon.  And those two books are:

Eleanor & Park Another Little Piece 

So, I'm probably going to start off with those first, but I'll let you guys know what I'm going to be reading by updating this post daily so make sure you check back to see how I'm doing! 

And let me know if you will be participating as well in the comments!  
 

Friday, July 26, 2013

Feature and Follow (4)

Gain New Blog Followers
 
 
"The goal is to increase blog followers and make friends."
 
 
This Weeks Features
 
Paradays 

and

 
 
 
Q: What do you do with your books after you’re done reading them?
 
A: Well, I normally keep them right by my bed just in case I want to reread any of my favorite parts.  Then when I get that out of my system, I add them to my bookshelf. :)
 

If you decide to follow, then just let me know in the comments so I can return the favor!

Have a great weekend!

 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Book Blitz: Bittersweet Junction by Ivy Sinclair + Interview + Giveaway!

https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=8ea60c25df&view=att&th=13fea23315e91e80&attid=0.3&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_gYLhN-MHoagOzDyepeJWG&sadet=1374718105631&sads=qZiMvJIZeIOovigTEgNPzR2WhXs 



https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=8ea60c25df&view=att&th=13fea23315e91e80&attid=0.2&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_gYLhN-MHoagOzDyepeJWG&sadet=1374718531479&sads=mfJIPk44CvzkkzqLlfiYO0e1u1c 
 Bittersweet Junction by Ivy Sinclair
Publication date: 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance


Synopsis:
Best friends once, lovers never, yet an attraction that can’t be ignored.

Five years ago, Julia Bell walked away from her life the moment her high school diploma was in her hand. She left her family and friends behind to start over and escape the chokehold of small town life in Benton Hill. But an urgent call from her little sister brings Julia back to her hometown wholly unprepared for what awaits her.

Ben Miller was always the nice guy. Just before high school graduation, he stepped out of that role hoping to capture the heart of the woman he loved. Instead, in quick succession he lost the girl, and the future he worked so hard to achieve.

Even though Julia and Ben are drawn to each other, echoes of the past block them at every turn. Secrets are exposed, and reality needs to be dealt with if they can ever hope to move past the bittersweet junction that ripped them apart.


Purchase


Interview with Ivy Sinclair
About the book:

Describe Bittersweet Junction in one sentence.

Fate gives two former best friends a second chance at romance, if they overcome old misunderstandings and deceit.

Give a quick blurb about the book and why readers would enjoy it.

Bittersweet Junction picks up with the main characters, Julia Belle and Ben Miller, five years after high school graduation. Julia left the small town of Benton Hill right after graduation because she was faced with some grown-up kind of decisions that she couldn’t make. Ben, one of Julia’s childhood best friends, was left confused and hurt after her departure. Julia’s sister Clary lures Julia back to Benton Hill under false pretenses, and that’s when Julia realizes it’s impossible to outrun the past.

I think what readers will enjoy most about this story is the way that Julia and Ben eventually overcome the obstacles in their path to have a shot at their happy ending. I found it very satisfying to write, and I believe that will resonate with readers.

How did you come up with the idea for Bittersweet Junction?

I’ve had several ideas for stories that revolve around the idea of a five year high school reunion. The idea for Bittersweet Junction started there, although in the end, there is no actual high school reunion in the book. That wouldn’t have been a good enough reason to drag Julia back to Benton Hill.

If Bittersweet Junction were made into a movie, who would you want to play the main characters?

I’ve thought a lot about this. I could see Emma Roberts playing Julia and Chris Pine, with his gorgeous blue eyes, would make the perfect Ben. Emily Browning would play Julia’s little sister Clary, and Max Thieriot would round out the casting as Mike.

About you as writer:

When did you begin writing?

I started writing the summer between sixth and seventh grade. I kept all of my teenage angst in a journal and experimented with poetry as well. I think that helped me start finding my writing voice.

When did you first think, wow I have made it as a writer?

My senior year of high school I won a state newspaper award for a piece of hard hitting journalism in the school paper. It was an article on how a teacher in a local junior high had gotten in trouble for showing an R-rated movie in the classroom. The day I received my award, I knew that writing was part of my life’s journey.

Do you have any special rituals you do when you sit down to write?  

I usually have an idea of how many words or chapters that I want to get written that particular writing session. It helps to have a goal because I am easily distracted.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers out there?

Take an active interest in reading about what’s going on in the publishing industry today so that you can make informed decisions about your writing destiny. The landscape of publishing is changing faster than anyone could have imagined, and it affects all of us.

Silly questions:

Favorite color? I am digging orange right now. I have an orange purse, loads of orange tops, and even my toenails are orange at the moment.

Salty or Sweet? I am 50/50 on that. My favorite snack right now is a handful almonds mixed with a handful of dark chocolate chips.

Favorite author?  Stephen King. I can’t think of another author out there who has influenced me and my writing as much as he has, and I have enjoyed almost every single book he’s written.

Favorite book? I still remember discovering Intensity by Dean Koontz. It seriously blew my mind and scared me to death (which I love in a good book btw.)


Giveaway!
Two lucky winners will each receive an ebook copy of Ivy Sinclair's book Bittersweet Junction!  The giveaway will end on August 8 and the prize will be sent out after August 15.  This giveaway is INT.  Good Luck!

Rules
Number 1: You must be able to receive ebooks.
Number 2:  The winner will be contacted via email.  You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen (remember to check SPAM folder!)
 Number 3:  You must be older than 13 or have a parents permission 






https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=8ea60c25df&view=att&th=13fea23315e91e80&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_gYLhN-MHoagOzDyepeJWG&sadet=1374720068390&sads=IQiCGvEm9_M3s3fJBoK6rNanUC0 
AUTHOR BIO
Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy’s guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy’s stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.
 Author Links:


 

Waiting on Wednesday (12): Resist (Breathe #2) by Sarah Crossan



Resist (Breathe, #2) 
 The sequel—and conclusion—to Sarah Crossan's Breathe. Three teen outlaws must survive on their own in a world without air, exiled outside the glass dome that protects what's left of human civilization. Gripping action, provocative ideas, and shocking revelations in a dystopian novel that fans of Patrick Ness and Veronica Roth will devour.

Bea, Alina, and Quinn are on the run. They started a rebellion and were thrown out of the pod, the only place where there's enough oxygen to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. Can they survive in the perilous Outlands? Can they finish the revolution they began? Especially when a young operative from the pod's Special Forces is sent after them. Their only chance is to stand together, even when terrible circumstances force them apart. When the future of human society is in danger, these four teens must decide where their allegiances lie. Sarah Crossan has created a dangerous, and shattered society in this wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable post-apocalyptic novel.

Description taken from Goodreads


Why I'm Waiting
The first book, Breathe, was absolutely excellent.  I read it back in March and I could not put it down.  I ended up reading all day while in the car, coming home from Florida.  


Resist releases October 2

What are you waiting for?  Let me know in the comments!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Reviews: Almost and Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot + Giveaway!

Almost 
At a freshman party she doesn't remember, Jess Jordan was almost raped.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite. Three years later, Jess has managed to make everyone believe she's better. Over it. Because she is.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite.

Unfortunately, until Jess proves she's back to normal activities, her parents won't discuss college. So, she lands a summer internship and strikes a deal with hockey jock, Gray Porter: He gets $8,000. She gets a fake boyfriend and a social life.

Jess has no idea Gray signed on for reasons other than money. She also never expects to fall in love. But Gray’s amazingly hot, holds her hand all the time, and makes her forget that he’s simply doing his job. It’s like having a real boyfriend.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite.

Gray Porter is hiding secrets of his own. About Jess Jordan. About why he’s driven to protect her, why he won't cash her checks, or deny her anything she asks.

Description taken from Goodreads


My Review

Holy friggens how sweet was this book?!  Like extra sweet, like cotton candy at an amusement park, sweet.  I absolutely loved Almost.  It was heartbreaking and real but at the same time it was adorable and filled with awkward firsts.  This book had me staying up to ungodly hours of the night.  Thank God I don’t have a job, or a life really, because both of those things would have totally gotten  in the way of me reading this amazing book.

Jess Jordan and Gray Porter are our main characters and the story is told from both of their POVs which really gives a full look into what they were thinking throughout Almost.  Both Jess and Gray harbor secrets.  We all have secrets, right?  But what if your secrets affected other people in a really big way.  Unhealthy, even.  Well, then you would be in Jess and Grays positions.

I really liked Jess as a character.  She was strong when she had to be and she was completely weak when she had every right to be.  She was feisty and sarcastic, everything I love in a main character.  Most importantly she made me FEEL.  I felt for her character.  She made me feel her pain.  I heard every scream, felt every tremor.  It was devastating to read about what she went through.


And then there’s Gray.  Oh, Gray.  I wish I could pay him to be MY boyfriend.  He was the epitome of the perfect gentleman.  He was funny and considerate.  He also knew how to flirt.  And this is a big one…he actually knows who Mr. Darcy is.

shocked joey photo: Joey Shocked tumblr_m85lzmztUg1qigluvo1_r1_250.gif

Yup.  I almost lost it then.  He even quoted him.  That’s right!  Quoted Mr. Darcy!  That never happens.  Seriously.  I think I need to borrow, or possibly steal, one of Jess’s bumper stickers that say BBB- Boys in Books are Better because, honestly, Gray was perfect.  He obviously had some flaws but those even made him perfect.  Clearly, I’m under a spell if you haven’t noticed.

The relationship between Jess and Gray is what made this book absolutely unputdownable (not a word…just go with it).  It was sweet and funny and completely awkward at times but that’s what made it so freaking special.  I can’t even describe it without it being just a jumble of letters.  So you really just have to read the book in order to understand it.

If you enjoy books about first loves, troubling pasts, with snarky comebacks then Almost should definitely be on your TBR list.  


4 out of 5 hearts




Unmaking Hunter Kennedy 
After a car accident--an event he considers a prank gone bad--pop star, Hunter Kennedy is forced to hide out with his aunt in small-town Colorado. He’s supposed to rest, heal his scars and attend high school in disguise until the press dies down. But he only wants to get back to work.

Worse, the girl who’s been assigned to make him over into a geek is a major geek herself. Vere Roth is a chattering pixie, a blushing tornado and a complete social disaster. He’s never met a girl who’s never-been-kissed, believes in romance and thinks Hunter’s a 'nice' guy.

Funny thing is...Hunter is nice around Vere because she’s his first real friend. He also can’t seem to stop sharing his secrets or keep her out of his heart. Knowing he’d never deserve a girl as sweet as Vere, he resigns himself to the friend zone, and helps his new bestie with her own makeover.

She tortures him daily for ridiculous guy advice on how to snag her life-long crush. A guy Hunter thinks is totally wrong for Vere, and sadly, one who has taken note of Vere’s transformation.

When Vere asks her best friend for some kissing advice, Hunter can’t resist...

And that’s when things get out of control...

Description taken from Goodreads



My Review


Adorkable.  My new favorite word.

I felt such a strong connection with this book.  I have never related to both main characters in a novel at all before.  Not like this.

Anyways, the story was heartbreaking.  Told from dual POVs, we have Vere who suffers from social phobia as well as Hunter Kennedy AKA Dustin McHugh who suffers from major depression.  Both sides were so hard to read and yet I couldn't stop reading.  I laughed, I cried, I’m sure I snorted at one point.  Major feels, guys.  Major feels.  Be prepared to think that your petty problems are nothing compared to Dustin’s.  Ever had a hard time talking in front of your crush?  That’s nothing compared to what Vere has to go through.

I absolutely loved how Hunter and Vere hit it off right away.  There wasn’t exactly insta-love, more like intsa-attraction, and I mean, we are all guilty of that right?  Meeting someone, thinking they are completely gorgeous and then not being able to stop thinking about them?  We all do it.  It doesn’t mean we are in love though and that’s why, I think, their relationship was done so well.  It was realistic.  There was attraction but they were also friends.  Besties.  And they were adorkable together.

The whole unmaking process was really entertaining and thought that it was a good twist.  We normally hear about someone who needs a makeover throughout the entire book but this was about a guy who needs an unmaking.  He goes from being fashionable to a complete dork in just a matter of days and it was just so…excellent.  I do have to say that when Dustin AKA Hunter, meets Vere’s best friend Jenna, it was absolutely hilarious.  I was totally laughing throughout that entire scene.

And I have to say that this was one of the best first kisses I have read in a YA novel.  Seriously, I had the biggest grin on my face and felt like a total creeper.

cheshire cat gif photo:  CheshireCatAliceSyfy.gif


The ending was also something that kept me turning pages so fast that it probably looked like I was a having a fit or something.  I just couldn’t stop reading because it was just so freaking swoon worthy and made me so angry because I don’t have a hot rock star boyfriend!  Seriously, when is that going to happen?

So, if you are a fan of contemporary romances with a tad of heavy subject matter, than this is the book for you!  Unmaking Hunter Kennedy was sweet, lighthearted at some parts but definitely serious in some others.  Pick it up, cause you will not be disappointed.



                                                                   4 out of 5 hearts



Thank you so much Annie for providing me with copies of both books and for letting me review them as well.  


On to the giveaway!  Annie was so kind enough to let me host a giveaway for you guys.  This is going to be open for US and UK residents only.  Sorry to everyone else.  :(   The winner will receive Kindle copies of Almost as well as Unmaking Hunter Kennedy.

Rules
Number 1:  You must be from the US or UK 
Number 2:  You must be older than 13 unless you have a parents permission
Number 3:  You must be able to receive ebooks for the Kindle.
Number 4:  I will contact the winner as soon as it ends, you then have 48 hours to respond (please check SPAM folder!)