Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts

Jul 18, 2017

Review: Trust by Kylie Scott

Title: Trust
Author: Kylie Scott
Series: N/A
Purchase: Amazon

Summary (from Goodreads):
After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen-year-old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

Review:
Ask my friends – leading up to ApollyCon 2017, the author I was most excited to meet was Kylie Scott. Not just because she seems like a cool chick, but her writing is everything. She seamlessly blends humor with heat, snarky with sexy. She’s hands down one of my favorite authors, and when I found out she was foraying into the Young Adult world with TRUST, I was all over this.

What I loved most was that Edie and John are hopelessly flawed. It’s not a pretty love story with a meet cute and a little teasing before they fall in love. Their first meeting involves a hostage situation and a tweaked out robber with a trigger happy finger. It’s tense and heartbreaking and vicious.

Edie is a heroine I wished I could have had read about growing up. Edie is me (minus the hostage situation and super hot bad boy savior). Edie is overweight, fluent in snark and sarcasm, and much better at faking who she wants people to think she is than actually being herself. She’s not Katniss, hurling herself in front of a firing squad to protect people or Tris trying to take down an evil empire or even Bella, stupidly bumbling her way through a world she doesn’t understand. She’s Edie and Edie is imperfect and a little broken but with a mountain of heart. In short, she’s most of us.

I absolutely adore Kylie Scott and she did not disappoint me at all with TRUST. So give it a chance. Trust me. 😉


Jan 20, 2017

Snowbirds by Crissa Jean Chappell



And now for some Q&A fun with Crissa!

Last book you read:

The graphic novel adaptation of The Stranger by Albert Camus (illustrated by Jacques Ferrandez and translated by Sandra Smith).


Last thing that made you cry:

A box of old family Polaroids that my sister gave me for Christmas.


Last trip you took:

Train from New York City to Pennsylvania. I love to stare out the window at the “montage” of trees and graffiti-stained walls and the secrets hidden near the tracks.


Last thing that made you smile:

Waking up to rainsong.


Favorite quote:

I taped this quote above my desk: “If you're going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don't even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you're going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It's the only good fight there is.”  Charles Bukowsi, Factotum

Favorite memory:

My earliest memory = walking to the boat docks at Biscayne Bay with my dad…scooping up seashells and hermit crabs (I’d hide in my pocket to take home).


Favorite bookish moment:



In my childhood favorite--My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George—the main character, Sam, carves his home out of a tree. I dreamed about running away to the woods with a pet hawk.


Best moment as an author:

When a mysterious cardboard box appears on your doorstep. And you rip it open and there’s a big stack of books. At last…author copies! The first thing I do = sniff the pages. Then it feels real.


Last thing you treated yourself to:

A pamplemousse cocktail of grapefruit and champagne (on my birthday trip to Pennsylvania). Also: I really love the word pamplemousse.

Last person you hugged:

My boyfriend. <3 span="">


Favorite place in the world:

Home in Brooklyn.


Last emoticon you used:

This Florida girl loves the alligator, of course!




ABOUT SNOWBIRDS:
Every year, Lucy waits eagerly for the arrival of the "snowbirds," the Old Order Amish who come trundling into Florida on buses from the north, bringing Lucy's best friend Alice, with whom she's spent every winter she can remember. This winter is different. At sixteen, Alice is in the middle of "Rumspringa," a season in which Amish teens try out forbidden temptations, in order to get them out of their system. Lucy is part of a different sect, in which teens aren't allowed such bold experimentation, and she's fighting to keep up as Alice races from one wild party to the next. Then, one night after just such a party, Alice vanishes. Wracked by guilt, Lucy knows that she should have been watching out for Alice, but instead, she was kissing Faron, an Older Order boy shunned by his society. Now, Lucy plunges into a search for her best friend--while also hiding her own secret, which could put her in even more danger.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N






ABOUT CRISSA JEAN CHAPPELL:
CRISSA-JEAN CHAPPELL (crissajeanchappell.com) was born in Miami and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut young adult novel,Total Constant Order, is a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age and a VOYA Perfect Ten. Chappell’s second novel, Narc, is currently optioned for film. More Than Good Enough is her most recent novel, which Kirkus calls “compelling and emotionally nuanced.” Chappell holds a PhD and MFA from the University of Miami. She has taught creative writing and cinema studies for more than ten years.



Tour Schedule:


Giveaway:
1 Finished Copies of SNOWBIRDS with Crissa's notes & Doodles (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jan 2, 2017

Review: Aftermath by Clara Kensie


Review:
Oh, Clara Kensie, the way you break my heart. AFTERMATH is an unflinching look into the worst nightmare of every family. Brilliantly written, Kensie has written a story that is one heck of an emotional roller coaster that left me thankful I got on the ride.

Watching the evolution of Charlotte as a character was amazing. From beginning to end, her growth and depth never ceased to amaze me. What this girl endures is unthinkable, but she's a survivor. Her moxy and courage are the driving force behind this book. I vacillated between standing up to cheer her on and wanting to just hug her and protect her myself.

I think what drew me most to this story is the way Kensie doesn't balk at talking about something as dark as child abduction. While she definitely doesn't glamorize or go into gory details, you know the heartache Charlotte and her family have endured. Not only does Kensie nail the emotions of a devastated family, but she also managed to infuse moments of humor to lighten some of the tension.

Overall, this is an emotionally draining but overwhelmingly satisfying book to read. Kensie is a wonderful writer that I've loved for years, and this book just further cemented that feeling.




ABOUT AFTERMATH:
Charlotte survived four long years as a prisoner in the attic of her kidnapper, sustained only by dreams of her loving family. The chance to escape suddenly arrives, and Charlotte fights her way to freedom. But an answered prayer turns into heartbreak. Losing her has torn her family apart. Her parents have divorced: Dad's a glutton for fame, Mom drinks too much, and Charlotte's twin is a zoned-out druggie. Her father wants Charlotte write a book and go on a lecture tour, and her mom wants to keep her safe, a virtual prisoner in her own home. But Charlotte is obsessed with the other girl who was kidnapped, who never got a second chance at life--the girl who nobody but Charlotte believes really existed. Until she can get justice for that girl, even if she has to do it on her own, whatever the danger, Charlotte will never be free.


ABOUT CLARA KENSIE:

Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.

Today Clara is a RITA© Award-winning author of dark fiction for young adults. Her super-romantic psychic thriller series, Run To You, was named an RT Magazine Editors Pick for Best Books of 2014, and Run to You Book One: Deception So Deadly, is the winner of the prestigious 2015 RITA© Award for Best First Book.

Clara’s latest release is Aftermath, a dark, ripped-from-the-headlines YA contemporary in the tradition of Room and The Lovely BonesAftermath is on Goodreads’ list of Most Popular Books Published in November 2016, and Young Adult Books Central declared it a Top Ten Book of 2016.

Clara’s favorite foods are guacamole and cookie dough. But not together. That would be gross.

Find Clara online:

Tour Schedule:


Giveaway:
1: A "Do It Double" Aftermath tote bag from Blu Bear Bazaar. Inspired by Aftermath's message to "Do it double, because some can't do it at all," Blu Bear Bazaar designed beautiful artwork for it and printed it on tote bags and throw pillows. Blu Bear Bazaar is generously donating a portion of all Aftermath product proceeds to RAINN and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Click here for more information.

2: Choice of TWO books from Clara's collection of YA novels. Clara will give the winner a list of the YA novels in her collection, and the winner can pick two. Some of the books are signed by the author.

*US/CAN for the above prizes. If the winner is international, the prize will be substituted by a book from Book Depository up to $18.00, winner's choice.

Good luck, and happy reading!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nov 10, 2016

Review: Die For You by Amy Fellner Dominy


Review:
Ah, teenage love. The intensity, the newness, the obsessive way it takes over your life. This powerful and chilling tale of love gone wrong will haunt you for weeks to come after you close the cover.

What starts as a sweet romance slowly, horrifyingly turns bad when Emma and Dillon collide. Watching Dillon slowly become darker and more obsessive, more abusive is horrifying, but Amy Fellner Dominy does a beautiful job of show how organic and natural something that seems so right can twist into something so, so wrong.

DIE FOR YOU is that book you want teens to read. You want them to see how easy it is to be blinded by the stars in your eyes. 1 in 11 students report being physically harmed by their date (KidsHealth.org). This isn't a problem that's going away, but it is one that needs to be discussed more.

This was my first book by Amy Fellner Dominy and it won't be my last. I love the way she tells a story, letting the characters carry the bulk of the book and keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.



ABOUT DIE FOR YOU:
Theirs was the perfect love story.

After Emma Lorde’s parents’ divorce forces her to move halfway across the state of Arizona to live with her father, Emma must face her senior year in a new school knowing absolutely no one. 

Then she meets Dillon Hobbs and something just clicks.

Dillon introduces Emma to friends she can call her own. He provides a refuge from the chaos of her past and the security of a commitment that he promises will last forever. And because circumstances of her messy life forced Emma to put aside her dream of pursuing archaeology, Dillon creates a blueprint for a future together. 
He saves her, over and over, by loving her more than she thought anyone ever would.

But just when everything seems picture-perfect, Emma is offered an opportunity that will upend the future they’ve planned. Uncertainty grows, and fear spirals into something darker.

Now Dillon is the one who needs saving.

But how much do you sacrifice for the one you love? What if saving Dillon means losing herself?

LINKS: Amazon | B&N


ABOUT AMY FELLNER DOMINY:
Amy Fellner Dominy is a former advertising copywriter, MFA playwright and hula-hoop champion. Her novels for teens and tweens include Die For You (11/8/16); A Matter of Heart, Audition & Subtraction; and OyMG, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book.  Amy’s first picture book, Cookiesaurus Rex, will be published by Disney, Fall 2017. Amy lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, various pets and two kids who occasionally stop by for free meals.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook


Tour Schedule:

Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of DIE FOR YOU (US Only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jul 25, 2016

Review: Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan


Review:
Ever since that jaw-dropping ending that came with ALL CHAINED UP (book 1), I have bee dying to get my hands on HELL BREAKS LOOSE. And what I really mean is dying to get my hands on Reid.

Sadly it would seem that Grace beat me to him. Sigh.

I have to admit - I love a good kidnapping to romance story. Maybe because everything is so intensified and it gives the hero/heroine limitless time to sit and talk and get to know each other, but storylines where someone is kidnapped and then falls for their rescuer/kidnapper (who is kidnapping them with ulterior motives that don't involve hurting them - no Stockholm Syndrome for this girl, thank you very much) are some of my favorites.

Sophie Jordan is a powerhouse author. She does it all: regency romance, contemporary romance, new adult, young adult, paranormal, fantasy ... There's nothing she can't write and write beautifully. I love all her books, but the Devil's Rock series is a great jumping off place if you've never read her. These books are beyond amazing.



ABOUT HELL BREAKS LOOSE:
Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.


ABOUT SOPHIE JORDAN:
Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.

Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

Week 2:


Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of HELL BREAKS LOOSE (US Only)

Apr 4, 2016

Blog Tour: His Country Bride by Debra Holt

Review:
I'll be honest - I didn't have high hopes for this one going in, but I think that's why I fell so head over heels in love with HIS COUNTRY BRIDE. From start to finish, this is a sweet, upbeat romance that you can sink into with a cup of tea and just thoroughly enjoy.

Ellie cracked me up on a regular basis. Lucas made me swoon on a regular basis. Those two things alone are enough for me to love a book, but combining them into one steamy couple that constantly challenged and complemented the other sealed the deal for me.

By the end, I was anything buy ready for the end. I hated saying goodbye to these two characters I had fallen for. Debra Holt also provides an assortment of fun side characters that gave additional depth to the story. I'm expecting (hoping?) they'll be featured in other books down the line.

If you want a fun, light read this Spring, look no further than HIS COUNTRY BRIDE.

ABOUT HIS COUNTRY BRIDE:
"Sheriff's Department! Raise your hands above your head and don't move."

She’s a runaway bride who left her two-timing fiance at the altar. He’s a county sheriff determined to keep the peace in his country and leave city girls alone after his own fiance left him for the bright lights of the city. Neither of them planned on running straight into each other...over a burning wedding dress.

Ellie and Lucas planned on never trusting their hearts to love again. When danger follows her from the city, the sheriff must do his duty to protect her. However, it isn’t long before he discovers the real danger may be to his heart. Ellie just might teach him that even a city girl can be a country girl at heart.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon


ABOUT DEBRA HOLT:

Born and raised in the Lone Star state of Texas, Debra grew up among horses, cowboys, wide open spaces, and real Texas Rangers. Pride in her state and ancestry knows no bounds and it is these heroes and heroines she loves to write about the most. She also draws upon a variety of life experiences including working with abused children, caring for baby animals at a major zoo, and planning high-end weddings (ah, romance!).
Debra's real pride and joys, however, are her son, an aspiring film actor, and a daughter with aspirations to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (more story ideas!) When she isn't busy writing about tall Texans and feisty heroines, she can be found cheering on her Texas Tech Red Raiders, or heading off on another cruise adventure. She read her first romance...Janet Dailey's Fiesta San Antonio, over thirty years ago and became hooked on the genre. Writing contemporary western romances, is both her passion and dream come true, and she hopes her books will bring smiles...and sighs... to all who believe in happily-ever-after's.


Debra invites you to visit her website at www.debraholtbooks.com. She loves to hear from other aspiring authors or readers via email at debraholtbooks@gmail.com.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Tour Schedule: