Into the Hall of Books

Big News from Leigh T. Moore: UNDERTOW Cover Reveal!

2013-06-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

I'm here today with some very exciting news from

Author Leigh T. Moore!

I'm sharing the cover of her new book - UNDERTOW!

Undertow is the second book in her Dragonfly series. I've just recently read and loved Dragonfly and I have to tell you guys that these books are the perfect beach reads for those of you that love seasonal reads! Plus the covers are awesome and just scream at you to get near the water!

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Check out the cover for Undertow below!

Undertow by Leigh T. Moore

Series: Dragonfly #2
Publish Date: July 18, 2013

Find It: Goodreads

About UNDERTOW:

Book #2 in the DRAGONFLY series, coming July 18, 2013!

"Falling in love will pull you under..."

Three friends, three dreams.
One of them will end up dead. T
Two will be forever shattered.

Recovering from her broken heart, Anna decides to spend the semester break diving into the three journals Bill Kyser gave her to read--the journals that hold the secret and that Bill says will help her understand his need for silence.

But the more Anna learns about the tragic events behind the powerful developer’s seclusion, the more she’s convinced silence is a mistake.

Anna has to decide if she’ll keep the secrets or tell him the truth about a past that’s been buried for decades. The only problem is the more she knows, the more Anna realizes either choice could cost her the boy she's starting to love.

(You can read my thoughts on book one, Dragonfly, HERE.)

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Leigh Talbert Moore is the author of the popular young adult romantic comedy The Truth About Faking, its companion The Truth About Letting Go, and the mature YA/new adult romantic suspense novel Rouge, a Quarter Finalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

She is an award-winning journalist and editor, who has also worked in marketing and public relations for many years. Her writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the southeast and Midwest U.S., and she runs the popular writing-craft blog That’s Write.

A southern ex-pat and beach bum, she currently lives with her husband, two young children, and one grumpy cat in the Midwest.

Find Leigh T. Moore: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Amazon

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Honestly, you guys, aren't they great?

THESE are books that make me WANT to read them.

And y'all know I judge books by their covers.

Here ya go, beach/pool readers!

I'm handing you TWO PERFECT BOOKS.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Review

2013-06-19T09:40:00.000-04:00

The Statistical Probability of Love
at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Publish Date: January 2, 2012
236 Pages
Source: Bought it!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. -(from Goodreads)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

by Jennifer E. Smith

My Thoughts: Y'all I've been feeling the pressure to read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith pretty much since it was published. Everyone in the world practically loves it - or at least, those that I can remember. And HELLO to one of the absolute cutest covers I've seen ever in my life. If there is a book that yells out to me from across the store or the library based on covers, this has to be it. So why haven't I read it yet? You guys, you know me, when everyone hypes up a book so much, I get all nervous and shaky and my shoulders sag a little and I turn in on myself. So I didn't read this one and I didn't read this one and didn't, and the longer I waited - the easier it became to not read it. (Kind of like with this one, which is totally not related but still the situations are similar. HELP.)

So I went to the beach for the day on Saturday and I wanted something to read. I was talking to my good friend, I asked about this book, and the response was plain and simple which is basically all I ever get: "I liked it." Well, heck. Coming from this person, that's good enough for me. "Today," I thought, "I shall read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight!" (I had my finger pointed in the air and everything, all smart-like.)

This is what it looked like, sort of, to read at the beach.

So lucky to live by the coast in Eastern NC. Beautiful.

Didn't finish the book there, but I finished it at home.

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Okay, so main character Hadley is in the airport and just barely misses her flight to London by a mere four minutes. Aah, hate when that happens! She then meets Oliver, who is super charming and probably pretty easy on the eyes too because his name is Oliver and, well, that's just how it looks in my imagination. Lo and behold, they're on the same flight (the later one, of course) and BOY OH BOY, it's a long one. It's just long enough for the two of them to talk and nap together and laugh and talk and nap some more and crush so hard on each other that these really great feelings develop between them. In the meantime, I'm just having a royal fit with my heart swelling over all of the cute that's coming off of the Kindle pages. (I mean, I flew the other day and this didn't happen to me, but whatever whatever.)

Upon arrival to London, the two have to separate because they each have different events to attend, and you'd think Hadley was the saddest puppy around - because she kind of is. What has happened is that this girl has gone and fallen for Oliver while on this flight. Now, until this point, I'd been enjoying this story and thinking it was pretty cute but AT THIS POINT - at this point, y'all - all the feelings actually come out and this is when the "Asheley" comes into play. You know, the one that gets all emotionally invested and everything. Suddenly I felt like I was on a quest to get Hadley and Oliver together so I could do that thing where I reach thru the Kindle and squish their heads together to get that passionate kiss that means they'll be together forever because they're madly in love. I know you guys think I'm joking, but I was fully invested (shock, shock to those that know me).

61% done with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, by Jennifer E. Smith http://t.co/jPTXKHEOBm
— Asheley Tart (@BookwormAsheley) June 18, 2013

@ReadingGals FALLING SO HARD SO VERY HARD OH MY GOODNESS I CAN'T HANDLE IT MY HEARTTTTTTTTT
— Asheley Tart (@BookwormAsheley) June 18, 2013

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith is one of those books that has been reviewed over and over, so it won't really do me any good to sit here and review it again. I just want to talk about how I liked it. It's a cute book, and catchy (aka "Hip" according to my friend) and I loved that I finally gave it a go. I loved the story and I totally fell hard for the quick feelings and the instant-attraction that that make Hadley and Oliver feel like they want to explore and possibly turn whatever they feel into a relationship. I believe in my heart of hearts that love-at-first-sight does happen - I need to believe that this does happen - and I believe that this time, it was written well. So well, in fact, that the claim that this is reminiscent of a John Hughes movie or that it would've been a great John Hughes movie is one that I agree with - AND THAT IS SAYING A LOT COMING FROM THIS GIRL. (Love you, John Hughes. xo)

So basically, I don't want to actually review this book. Y'all can head on over to Goodreads for that. What I do want to do is talk about a few of the quotes that grabbed me by the collar and held tight, then squeezed my heart until I could barely breathe, not letting go until the end of the book. (I know, I just know, that I'm not the only obsessive and compulsive highlighter on the Kindle, yes? Someone please verify.)

Ahem:

1. "He's like a song she can't get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn't think she could ever get tired of hearing it." --- Oh my gosh. Y'ALL, seriously. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

2. "Watching him, Hadley feels a surge of affection so strong that she nearly calls out." --- I'm holding my breath at this point. TRUTH. Hadley, CALL OUT TO HIM. Do it!!!

3. He looks at her and smiles. "You're sort of dangerous, you know?"

She stares at him. "Me?"

"Yeah," he says, sitting back. "I'm way too honest with you." --- THIS. Aaannnddd, my heart is gone gone going gone. This one is my favorite, my so-very-much favorite.

4. "You say you can be honest with me?" Hadley asks after a moment, addressing Oliver's rounded shoulders, and he twists to look at her. "Fine. Then talk to me. Be honest." --- Y'all know I love it when people talk. (It was a flaw HERE.)

5. As he turns to cross the garden, Hadley's stomach churns. She closes her eyes against the flood of words that never reached her, all those things left unsaid. --- STINGING EYES AND TEARS. Words left unsaid. DON'T LEAVE WORDS UNSAID!!!!!

I know that I've probably quoted too much, but that isn't all that I've highlighted. I've retold the story in my Kindle - a shorter version - with my own highlights. I almost made it what I wanted, needed it to be. But I'm weird like that. I think that these quotes - the ones I've featured and the ones still in my Kindle are better, to me, than the actual elements of the story - plotting, characterization, all of that. The story is good, but the feeling I got from it is better. I liked it a lot. I liked the idea that one can find a person in an airport, of all places, take a long flight, and end up falling in love. I believe in love at first sight, so to me it doesn't seem like too crazy a notion.

I wanted to discuss this book after I was finished because I felt the need to GET ALL OF THESE FEELINGS OUT. For me, that usually means I have to pound the keys and do a list of things I love/may not really love about a book in an email to someone, and sometimes it goes back and forth. Not this time. This time I just went back to my friend and said "I loooved it. I highlighted so much."

I recommend The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith to fans of YA Contemporary Romance, people that really like love, and people that think John Hughes movies are cool because I think this book has a Huges vibe to it along with the rest of the masses. Also, the cover is super swell and I also think I might want to visit London now. Because I read this book. Or maybe I just want to go on a long plane ride with someone like Oliver? Y'all help me.

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
will appeal to fans of:

Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Romance: Instant attraction. No triangle.
Books with Travel
Great Setting: London

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
by Jennifer E. Smith

is currently available for purchase.

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Have you read this book with this

long title and perfectly charming cover?

Did you fall in love with it too?

In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow Review

2013-06-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

In Too Deep
by Michelle Kemper Brownlow
Publish Date: June 6, 2013
Published by Sapphire Star Publishing
Source: Author for review - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep? (from Goodreads)

In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

My Thoughts: In Too Deep is a book that deals with psychologically abusive relationships. This one was tough for me, friends. Hello, trigger warning! BUT I found it realistic and true whether you read it and like the protagonist or not. Period. I am so grateful that I took the time to read this one and I'm hoping that some of you will pick this one up too, whether it is because you're interested in the story or perhaps because you're interested in this type of psychological abuse, because it is real and it does exist.

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Gracie finds herself attracted to a boy at work - Noah. Gracie has heard through the grapevine that Noah is a womanizing jerk, so she feels prepared to resist him, but GOOD GRACIOUS, she wasn't expecting for him to be so good-looking. Fast forward and eventually, Gracie realizes that she's falling for him and you know what? Noah doesn't seem to be as bad as everyone makes him out to be! He's sweet to her, super-kind to her, and he makes her feel pretty good about herself. At first, she's reluctant to be with him because of his reputation, but Noah is persistent and tells her things that make her feel like a million bucks. Gracie justifies her actions and the actions of Noah. And then she does it again. And again. And again...

(Well, hello there, codependence!)

Now please understand that Gracie left her boyfriend for Noah. Such a great guy. Stable. Comfortable. GOOD. Gracie had been with him for two whole years before she just jumped ship to be with Noah! WHAT?! I know, I know. (Y'all can't see me shaking my head - see, I personally can see what's happening here a mile away. I CAN SEE THESE SIGNS AND I'M SCARED FOR HER. I digress.) The thing about Noah is that he has this wonderfully sensitive side that no one gets to see except for Gracie, which is one of the reasons she left Joel to begin with - that side is the one she fell in love with. (Can ANYONE see where I'm going with this? Anyone?)

Friends, Noah brings this really interesting thing into Gracie's life that Joel didn't: he is a very un-cautious guy, dangerous-acting, like a rebel. Gracie finds this so very exciting, this non-safe thing. Girls love their bad boys, right? Gracie just loves him to pieces, falls so hard. Fast forward again: they eventually go off to college and things take a weird, bad, nasty turn. And this is where things get ugly ~~and hard for me~~.

Noah has this old pattern, see, the one people tried to warn her about - womanizing, stuff like that. This is the side she never saw. She only saw and fell in love with 'sensitive Noah.' Well, at college, he goes a little crazy, becoming his old self again, and Gracie doesn't really know what to do with that. Gracie tries to talk to Noah, tries to reason with him, tries to stand up for herself - but don't you know that boy can sweet-talk her into believing anything he says? And then she feels stupid. GRACIE TRIES TO STAND UP FOR HERSELF, YOU GUYS. She wants to end things, over and over, but somehow this guy just pulls her back in. Over and over. THIS, guys, this is probably where the photo on the cover comes from - that helpless and hopeless feeling that Gracie feels when this happens, because she knows that she's being suckered.

Is it just me, or do we see this over and over in real life? Don't we?

YES. Yes, we do.

Okay, so enough about the awful guy. ENTER JAKE, the good guy. Jake is Gracie's friend. This guy is GOOD. He is good, you guys. He is just so unlike Noah. With kind words and love, Jake is supportive of Gracie - not judging, just BEING. He is there for her, just being her friend. This guy picks up the pieces and puts Gracie back together when Noah tears her apart, and he understands that she tries to get away. There is so much that I love about the relationship between Jake and Gracie, and this is just compounded by the fact that it is a guy-girl friendship AND WE ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THESE GUY/GIRL FRIENDSHIPS.

So what ends up happening? Hmmm. Well we can all speculate, can't we?

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In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow has taken a story and tackled it in a way that was tough for me to read but also kind of cathartic for me, which was really interesting. Where other readers and reviewers might just be reading for enjoyment, I feel like I'm breaking my personal reading mold and reading for something else entirely.

In Too Deep resonates deeply with me because I feel like I can absolutely understand Gracie as a character. Interestingly enough, while she upset me a few times and frustrated me more than a few times, I still felt so much compassion for her and understood probably better than most where this girl was coming from. I know people like both Noah and like Jake out in the world and I think that the trio of characters in this book, at least from my experience, is written very well. So well, in fact, that I read it with my breath caught in my throat at times and clutching my Kindle, and sometimes having to stop and take a few breaths and just settle down, Asheley, this isn't real. I am thankful for this.

Gracie's story is one that many will pass off as annoying. Why did she behave this way? Why didn't she just stand up for herself? Why this, why that? Well, there are several reasons. But the truth is that this is just one girl's story, and let's all just read it that way, okay? Gracie got caught up in a relationship that wasn't a very healthy one. She was experiencing some psychological abuse and you guys, that's really hard to get out from under. These abusers can sweet talk, they can take your words and twist them and turn them right back on you, and they can also make you forget that you ever wanted to leave them. So let's cut Gracie some slack even if she makes us feel frustrated. RATHER, let's take the chance on this book to understand what someone in this situation may be going through. I love Gracie even though I wanted differently for her, better choices. I wanted to reach through the book and MAKE better choices for her.

And Jake, oh sweet good grief Jake. All I have to say about him is this: THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A GOOD GUY FRIEND. When you find one, hold onto him with all of your heart. They are different than gal friends, people. Girls can be the best, but a guy can understand things that girls will never, and there is a different kind of/lack of judgment. Jake was wonderful and by far the relationship between Jake and Gracie was my favorite part of this book. For me, these scenes were my exhales.

In Too Deep by Michelle Kempler Brownlow was a great book. I enjoyed it a ton but that isn't to say that it didn't strike something within me that made it a little on the tough side to read. BUT to the author, I will say thank you for this one. I will be revisiting it as a non-review re-read because I want to do this whole thing over again. So precious was this time for me, so cathartic.

I recommend In Too Deep by Michelle Kempler Brownlow for fans of YA/NA Contemporary Romance with issues and books that have a college setting. I have to put a trigger warning on this one for anyone that might be experiencing pschologically abusive relationships, but I will say that you know what? Reading this one can possibly be a healing and cathartic experience if you're in a place to be able to do so. Great book. Thankful for the opportunity to review this one!

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Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.

Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.

The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.

Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.

“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow.

Find Michelle: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website

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In Too Deep will appeal to fans of:

Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Setting: College
Issues/Trigger Warning: Psychological/Emotional Abuse

In Too Deep by Michelle Kempler Brownlow

is currently available for purchase.

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Guys, give this one a shot!

Intuition by C.J. Omololu Review

2013-06-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

Intuition by C.J. Omololu
Series: Transcendence #2
Publish Date: June 18, 2013
Published by Walker Childrens
Source: Publisher
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

As Cole begins to accept her new life as Akhet, someone who can remember flashes of her past lives, every new vision from her past lives helps explain who she is in this life. As her passion for Griffon grows, she learns to identify other Akhet around her, including Drew, the young self-made millionaire who reveals his startling connection to Cole-he was her husband in Elizabethan England and gave her the ankh necklace that has been returned to her after centuries in hiding. Drew's attentions are overwhelming as he insists that their connection in the past signals their future destiny together, but before she can decide who she truly loves, Cole must learn to harness her unique Akhet abilities if she is to ever understand her role in this strange new world. -(from Goodreads)

**I've done my best to remain SPOILER FREE for Transcendence

except for what is in the above summary.
You should be safe to read this before reading Transcendence.**

Intuition by C.J. Omololu

My Thoughts: I read Transcendence by C.J. Omololu over a year ago and loved it a ton. Not only was the cover AMAZING but I thought the story offered an interesting spin on the reincarnation story. I was thrilled to find that there would be another book coming out, and it's been a long time coming. Thankfully, the time arrived for me to get my hands on it and you guys, I just wasn't disappointed at all in this one. I loved it probably better than the first one.

(You can find my thoughts on Transcendence by C.J. Omololu HERE.)

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A little background from the first book: Cole and Griffon are a couple - both are Akhet, meaning that they can remember who they were from their past lives. While other people just start over with new memories in every life, Akhet keep all of their old memories and collect them, building on them with each new life. Interestingly, Akhet can sense each other in proximity, which was fun in Transcendence as we were learning characters. (By now, we've collected a group of Akhet that sort of hang around each other, which is also fun and provides a great storyline. Also: Hello, great secondary characters!) There are both good-guy and bad-guy Akhet, called Rogues, and these Rogues can cause a ton of trouble for everyone as they tend to not want to keep with the group. In Transcendence, Cole had a Rogue following her and it was Griffon that kept her safe while he also taught her about being Akhet (she was a new Akhet), and naturally the two of them fell in love.

In Intuition: Cole is growing into her life as Akhet, becoming more independent of Griffon although the two of them are still a loving couple. They are great together and love each other a lot. Their love is threatened, however, when another Akhet, Drew, keeps showing up stating that he knew Cole centuries ago - he goes on to say that they were together in the past. Like, together together. To make matters worse, Cole is beginning to remember this life that she shared with drew (back when they were called Connor and Allison - Confusing? Actually, not really once you read the story.) This presents a challenge because Drew wants her back and Griffon loves her now, in the present. Does this mean a love triangle is in store? Cole loves Griffon but admittedly she is intrigued about the past life she had with Drew, particularly as one-by-one, her memories come back to the surface. It makes for a great part of the story and I really enjoyed reading it.

Aside from the drama between Drew and Cole, there are still the crazy Rogue Akhet out there and you know what?- they're of course super dangerous. Super dangerous as in: in one instance, special meetings have to be called to figure out what to do because this person has caused trouble they've not encountered before. Yep, CRAZY and EXCITING and OH WOW. Anyway, back to the Rogues. One gal in particular returns from the first book and after causing a ton - A TON - of trouble in Transcendence, she causes another ton of trouble in Intuition. I didn't like her as a person, but her character brought a lot to the story and she introduced some very interesting things for this series and mythology that I didn't actually see coming. What a nasty little critter she was! Sometimes, though, the nasty ones are really fun to read and this one certainly one of those cases.

And the music - there is music in this book again although it is in a slightly different capacity. It is still classical music - cello - and as my background music is classical in terms of playing instruments, I appreciated it so much. You guys, I don't think I will ever not like a book with music in it if it is written well. I loved the incorporation of the music theme into Intuition and there is even quite a treat that I won't spoil but I found myself smiling pretty hard and almost squealing at one point. Loved it.

Basically, Intuition is a solid second book in this series. I had no idea that I'd like it even an inkling as much as I liked Transcendence, but I really and truly did. I think this is a fresh and unique series from everything else that is out there and I would love to see more people pick it up and read it. I recommend both Transcendence and Intuition to readers who love YA paranormal/urban fantasy stories with a bit of mystery and maybe a tiny bit of betrayal, stories with music in them, reincarnation stories, and stories that feature wonderful characters of color because Griffon is pretty dang amazing and he looks fabulous sitting up there on the cover of Transcendence. Check that fabulous cover in my picture down below. Great, great design team for this series.

BEAUTIFUL COVERS:
Transcendence and Intuition by C.J. Omololu

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Intuition will appeal to fans of:

YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

with some Mystery
Reincarnation Stories
Romance: already exists, possible triangle?

Books Containing Music: Cello

Intuition by C.J. Omololu
is available for purchase on June 18, 2012.

**I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts. Thank you Bloomsbury/Walker Childrens!

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Did anyone read TRANSCENDENCE?

I really loved it.

What do you guys think of those amazing covers?

The Do Over by A.L. Zaun Review

2013-06-13T10:05:00.003-04:00

The Do Over by A.L. Zaun
Publish Date: May 20, 2013
Source: Author - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Life doesn’t look like it’s supposed to for Dani Ruiz, a hopeless romantic. After a painful and sudden break-up with Rick Marin, Dani hides away from reality, retreating to a world of fiction where she prefers book boyfriends over the hassles of a relationship.

Almost two years later, Dani’s friends are tired of watching her in a holding pattern, so they stage an intervention, forcing her back into the real world of dating.

Unexpectedly, Dani meets Liam Lucas, a down-to-earth firefighter. He might be the person to show her she’s still worth something. Dani’s hesitant to trust her heart with another man, but their instant and electric chemistry is something she can’t deny.

As Dani starts to believe that she’s found her real-life book boyfriend, Rick decides that he’ll go to any lengths to get her back. Seeing Rick as a changed man makes Dani question everything.

Can Dani trust her patched-up heart with Liam? Or has Rick transformed into the man she’s always wanted? -(from Goodreads)

The Do Over by A.L. Zaun

My Thoughts: This book begins with main character Dani in an intense relationship with Rick, but that ends rather quickly has he abruptly ends the relationship, crushing Dani's heart. For the next couple of years, Dani sort of folds into her books, becoming very attached to the characters in the stories (much like myself). She would rather curl up with a good book than do pretty much anything, much to the annoyance of her friends and the people in her life (I love this about her). Then one day she meets Liam.

Liam seems to be the opposite of Rick, complete nice-guy to Rick's complete jerk. She falls in love, head-over-heels, and things are going great - when suddenly Rick comes back and wants Dani back.

*********************************************************************

Oh my goodness, you guys, I couldn't stand Rick in the beginning of the story. I mean, I pretty much hated him and I rarely feel so strongly about characters. He was such a jerk. To be fair, I never really completely fell in love with Dani either in the beginning because she didn't really stand up to Rick, but I did like her once she was on her own. When Rick shows back up - a changed man - I scrunched up my nose ~~and felt stabby~~. Why? Because I liked Liam. Why does Rick have to come back and ruin things for Dani after screwing up her life years before? The guy was not cool to me.

Anyway, Liam. The nice guy. Liam and Dani meet when she is taking a CPR course that he's teaching. He's a firefighter. A firefighter, wink wink. They have a nice little relationship and obviously I'm pulling for this side of the love triangle.

The Do Over is a pretty good story, certainly entertaining and steamy at times. I think that it was interesting that I had such intense feelings of dislike for Rick given that I usually don't really dislike love triangles at all - in fact, I usually really like them. But I just couldn't go for Rick. Perhaps it's because Dani felt like Liam was her real-life book boyfriend and I also like feeling the connections to book characters myself? Or perhaps it's just because I think Liam was the right one for her.

I recommend The Do Over to people that enjoy reading New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance books, books with second chances, and books with firefighters with a 5 o'clock shadow. Hello there!

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A.L. Zaun graduated from Florida International University with a degree in English Literature a long time ago. A degree she didn’t use at all in her professional endeavors. She loves to read, write and take pictures. She walks around with her camera, and most importantly she has her e-reader available at all times. Healthcare Management by day, Mommy in the evening and most nights, you can find her sitting in front of her laptop with a bottle of Diet Pepsi, bringing the voices in her head to life on the pages of her debut novel, The Do Over.

Find A.L. Zaun: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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The Do Over will appeal to fans of:

New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance

Romance: Love triangle.

Firefighters.

The Do Over by A.L. Zaun

is currently available for purchase.

*********************************************************************

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker: Guest Post + Giveaway!

2013-06-12T10:55:00.000-04:00

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #2
Publish Date: June 11, 2013
Published by Atria Books
Source: Publisher
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows. -(from Goodreads)

Yesterday on the blog I absolutely had a gush-fest over

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

which is her newest book, the companion to Ten Tiny Breaths. You guys, I absolutely loved the story so much, which is pretty obvious if you take the time to click over and read my review.

(You can also enter to win a signed Galley of the book. Just saying.)

Today, I have the honor and privilege to have Author K.A. Tucker right here, on Into the Hall of Books to talk about something that I love so much - so very, very much - sibling relationships. Specifically, she's talking about the sister relationship between Kacey and Livie in this series. They have a wonderful relationship and I've really loved reading it.

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When I wrote Ten Tiny Breaths, I knew that the relationship between Kacey and Livie would be special.

I knew that, in the end, Livie would be Kacey’s rock. What I didn’t expect is how readers would respond to the sweet, straight-laced younger sister. OTL has given me the opportunity to delve deeper into the bond between these two sisters. You will see that, while they’re very different in many ways, they’re also quite similar.

Both sisters have a sarcastic sense of humor. Kacey likes to shock people with her inappropriate words while Livie delivers her teasing in a softer way. Kacey usually doesn’t filter herself (because, if she’s joking, why should anyone be offended...right?) Livie, on the other hand, is always conscious of how her words may be taken. She keeps harsh thoughts to herself. Unless she’s talking to Ashton, in which case she can’t keep from blurting all kinds of inappropriate things out.

Kacey has always been the more outgoing, edgy, daredevil of the two. Before the accident, she enjoyed a well-rounded teenaged life—friends, sports, boyfriends, academics. She was a typical teenaged girl.

Livie has always been the cautious, sensible one, focused only on school. It’s what has kept her out of trouble and on the path to Princeton. It has also kept her from letting loose, making mistakes, and, inevitably, learning who she really is.

Both sisters can be as stubborn as mules. But, while you can’t get Kacey to do anything she doesn’t want to do, Livie is easily persuaded to do all kinds of things she’s not keen on doing if it means she will please those she cares about.

Kacey is brazen as it relates to the opposite sex. She has no issues with PDA, making suggestive comments in front of others, and flirting heavily. Livie, on the other hand, is extremely shy around the opposite sex. Before Dr. Stayner’s help, she couldn’t be around an attractive man without sweating profusely. Throughout OTL, she “gains” experience but, in the end, she’s still a private girl.

Livie is so much more forgiving and tolerant of others than Kacey ever was. While Kacey threatens to mutilate testicles on a regular basis, it takes time and some harsh goading for Livie to react. In fact, it seems like Ashton is the only one who manages to get under Livie’s skin... but she can’t seem to hold a grudge.

Though Kacey is fiercely protective of her sister, she ultimately makes a lot of her decisions based on her own needs. Livie has always been the exact opposite—a selfless person, making decisions based on what everyone else wants for her. But, when Livie begins college and faces her own set of personal challenges, we start to see how her life plan conflicts with what’s in front of her. It is a harsh learning curve for her and she makes some poor judgement calls along the way.

The way that the two sisters handled the loss of their parents is day and night. Kacey, who had the added horror of living through the accident, bottled everything up and refused to deal or even talk about it. Livie acknowledged the loss from the very beginning, focusing on how to move on. In the end, both have some serious healing to do, but in very different ways.

I hope you all enjoy Kacey and Livie’s antics in One Tiny Lie.

Thank you to Into the Hall of Books for hosting me today!

K.A. Tucker

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Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

Find K.A. Tucker:

Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website /Atria

*********************************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

Author K.A. Tucker is offering
3 Signed ONE TINY LIE Galleys
for three winners!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker Review & Giveaway!

2013-06-11T09:10:00.000-04:00

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

My Thoughts: I read K.A. Tucker's Ten Tiny Breaths way back at the beginning of the year before it became an Atria title. I remember sitting down beside my fireplace when I began the book and realizing that I needed to get up and make dinner - never putting the Kindle down, just cooking one-handed while I continued to read - and then sitting right back down by the fireplace to finish the book. Basically, I read in one sitting while half-way neglecting the things I needed to do and almost neglecting feeding the people in my house. I loved the story that much.

I absolutely love it when a story can captivate me in that way. I know that I'm not alone.

THEN!!! I saw that there would be a second story - this time about [the main character from Ten Tiny Breaths Kacey's sister] Livie and her time away at college. Aaahhh, these companion series make me so excited and nervous - I tell you all this all the time! Will I like them as much? Will I like them more? If I do, will I feel guilty about that, because I've bonded with the characters from the first book? (so dramatic, I know) But I waited and waited and the day finally came for me to read the book and needless to say:

YOU GUYS THE BOOK IS AMAZING I CAN'T BELIEVE IT THE STORY IS OHMYGOSH I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN HOW CAN I LOVE THIS ONE AS MUCH OR MAYBE EVEN BETTER? HOW?

Run on sentences, you guys.

Poor grammar and sentence structure.

That's how much I loved Livie's story.

*********************************************************************

Livie Cleary left her sister and makeshift family behind. She left her feelings of comfort in Miami to come to the campus of Princeton University. At some point prior to the story beginning, older sister Kacey has contacted her psychiatrist and talked to him about Livie - about how Livie needs to loosen up a little bit, live life some, stop being so straight-laced. Livie doesn't necessarily agree that she needs to let loose, but she goes alone with Kacey and Dr. Strayner because he's a nice man, a good doctor, and because everything he's said has seemed harmless enough. When it comes time to leave for college, Dr. Strayner advises Livie to pretty much be a freshman - make mistakes, have fun, do the college thing. Kacey accompanies her sister to campus to get her settled in and while they're there, they attend an off-campus party. It's there that they meet Ashton Henley for the first time and that first impression is not a positive one for Livie.

Sort of. Probably. Definitely. Kind of?

See, Livie does live it up. She lives it up so much that the next morning, she only remembers it in bits and pieces - and by way of the pictures that Kacey took for her. And apparently some of the evening included some good fun with Ashton Henley (but not the kind you're thinking of - minds out of the gutter, people!).

Livie is humiliated and a little bit proud (on the inside). She did it! She lived a little. She apparently also got a tattoo (what was she thinking?). But that night set in motion a series of events that keep Ashton Henley coming around, that keep Ashton Henley in her head, and eventually put Ashton Henley in her heart.

Good gracious, I loved it so much. What a ride! Once again, I read the book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down.

*********************************************************************

Livie Cleary is completely opposite of her wilder, more carefree sister Kacey - she's always, always gotten perfect grades, never gotten in trouble, never ruffled any feathers. Livie has always done exactly the right thing, always done what would've made her late parents proud. Everything she has done in her life is what her parents would've wanted her to do had they lived beyond the car accident that took their lives seven years ago. She's gone to the school her father would've probably wanted, she's chosen the career that she talked to her father about as a child, she replays the conversations in her head in which her father tells her to make him proud. When Livie begins seeing Dr. Strayner and he has her complete some ridiculous tasks, she complies with his requests without even challenging him, not even realizing that he is analyzing her and forming conclusions about her - things that will eventually help him to help her. Eventually he sits down and talks to her, and naturally Livie doesn't like what Dr. Strayner has to say. And of course, she replays the conversation with Dr. Strayner and herself over and over for weeks and maybe even months. But will she do anything about it? Character growth, you guys. I always love it. Livie is pretty great already, but she becomes better. She begins to really think about what made her choose Princeton, her career path, all of her decisions. It's hard watching her struggle, but it's good.

Over the course of the book, Livie makes a group of really great friends at Princeton. She has a fantastic roommate that helps ease the sting of leaving home, and some other great friends too. But she also meets two guys that she kind-of falls for and these make up the romance portion of the story. There is Ashton, which I will talk about in a second, and there is Connor. Connor is Irish with an accent like Livie's father, good manners, a good body, and smart as a whip. He is athletic and doesn't push Livie to do things she isn't ready for. He makes her feel pretty and she loves spending time with him. He has pretty much everything that Livie is looking for and he's a really nice guy. Her family would more-than-approve of Connor.

But, see, then there's Ashton. Ashton is the guy that made a negative impression on Livie at her first party on campus - and he keeps showing up everywhere, including her mind - constantly. He's loud and he's proud of it. He's got a body to die for and he's by far the most good-looking guy on campus. He's also athletic - the captain of the rowing team, alongside Connor - and he makes Livie want to do things she's never done before. Ashton makes Livie feel not only pretty but sexy and wanted. She wants to spend time with him. She wants to be his girl. The thing is that he has a girlfriend, although the circumstances of their relationship are a bit unusual, and Livie is dating Connor - who happens to be his best friend. If Livie pursued a relationship with Ashton, a relationship that she would love to have, it would mean breaking Connor's heart and doing some other damage as well. Ashton keeps pushing her away - but he seems to also want her. What's his deal?

Livie dates Connor but wants Ashton. She's absolutely crazy about him. This is the story within this story. And man, it is so good. Because you see, Ashton has issues that he doesn't want to talk about - he's 'the mysterious guy.' He has reasons for not talking, for not divulging his secrets and his past. And Livie is the girl that is afraid of taking that leap and pushing him and following her heart. There is so much at stake here for the two of them to come together - it was like K.A. Tucker interviewed me and asked me exactly what kind of romance I loved and wrote it. This story is freaking good. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. Sorry Conner, but Ashton Henley has stolen my heart.

Y'ALL KNOW THAT I LOVE THE FORBIDDEN ROMANCES.

Honestly, though, since Livie is so straight-laced, what will she do? How hard will it be for her to just listen to Dr. Strayner and live a little, follow her heart? It's so good, you guys. Gosh, it's good.

I recommend One Tiny Lie to people that love New Adult Contemporary Romance, stories with college settings, and those doggone broken boys that absolutely capture my heart and make me flipping crazy. I'm not kidding, I read this book straight through and my eyes were flat-out stinging - it was all I could do not to restart it right away. K.A. Tucker is 2/2 in the contemporary department for winning me over and dominating my time with good stories. I want more from her like these. MORE FROM HER LIKE THESE.

Also, HELLO WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COVER! Nice job, design team. I approve!

*********************************************************************

One Tiny Lie will appeal to fans of:

New Adult Contemporary Romance

with Issues

Romance: Slow-burn. Triangle present. But it's good.

College Setting.

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

is currently available for purchase.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. I received no compensation for my review. Thank you Atria!

*********************************************************************

Find K.A. Tucker:

Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website / Atria

*********************************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

Author K.A. Tucker is offering
3 Signed ONE TINY LIE Galleys
for three winners!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank Review + Giveaway!

2013-06-10T09:45:00.000-04:00

Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank
Series: Off The Subject #2
Publish Date: June 10, 2013
Source: Author for review - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

While fashion design major Caroline Hunter may have been born economically unlucky, in college, she’s been lucky in love. Until her senior year at Southern University. She’s gone from a serious long term boyfriend to a string of crappy dates.

Then she meets mathematics grad student Reed Pendergraft.

Reed is everything she’s not looking for. Serious. Headed for a low paying university job. Boring. Caroline spent the first eighteen years of her life wondering where her next meal was coming from. She sure wasn’t getting trapped in that life again with a man living on a professor’s salary.

An encounter with Reed in a club proves she might have pegged him wrong. He brings out a lusty side she never knew she had. But just when she’s about to give in to her hormones, Reed makes a fool out of her.

When she shows up for the first committee meeting for Southern University’s Fall fashion show, a fundraiser for underprivileged kids, Caroline’s horrified to discover the insufferable Reed is the committee chairman. While she refuses to tolerate his totalitarian rule of the committee, she’s not sure she’ll survive the month with her heart—and her pride—intact. Just when she thinks she has everything figured out, she finds that her entire life has been redesigned, thanks to Reed Pendergraft. -(from Goodreads)

Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank

My Thoughts: MAN I have done a great job at picking fun things to read lately.

Caroline Hunter is an aspiring fashion design student at Southern University in Tennessee when she meets Reed Pendergraft. Her first impression of the guy? Super hot, super cocky, and she can't stand him! But she can't stop thinking about him either. Basically theirs is a love-hate relationship from the very beginning. Even though Caroline tries going on dates with other really great guys, her mind always always always lingers on the very arrogant Reed. What's fun is that Reed feels the same way about Caroline. He doesn't have the best first impression of her either and while he also tries a couple of dates, he can't stop thinking of her. It seems that every time they're out with other people, they run into each other - sparks fly left and right and then things happen. These things (quite humorous to me) end up making these two only more furious with one another and make for some excellent tension in this story. Man-oh-man, I loved it.

*********************************************************************

As a design student, Caroline's department is tasked with putting on a fashion show to raise money for her department. In previous years, it has been totally a departmental thing - the fashion department has handled all aspects of the show/fundraiser. Interestingly enough, this year a prestigious and well-known foundation has partnered with the department to match their funds - this will help raise even more money for the department and also raise more money for a great charity in the community - one that is near and dear to Caroline's heart. As luck would have it, the annoying and very hot-looking Reed happens to be on the committee for this fundraiser (the committee head!), and Caroline is also chosen as a representative from among the design students. So now, now, these two people that can't stand each other and also want to tear each other apart (ahem, you know what I mean) are going to be working very closely together quite often.

Well, you know the story got way more interesting at this point. It really did. Hello, more oozy tension ~~that I love~~!

After working together for a while and fighting a lot and spending a ton of time together, Caroline and Reed realized that they could actually be nice to each other! This is after some things happen - again. You guys, I'm not sure if these two were supposed to make me laugh, but they kind of did. I really loved them and their crazy ways. And then once they realized that they work well together (ahem, you know what I mean again), I wasn't laughing at them anymore, I was cheering them on. I liked them together. But you know what? Both of them had some secrets, had stuff in their pasts that they weren't exactly open and honest about and doggone it if these beasts didn't rear their ugly heads and threaten this relationship that I loved so doggone much.

There were parts of the book that had me biting my fingernails. BUT DON'T WORRY. Don't worry! Things work themselves out.

*********************************************************************

So Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank was a really fun book that had a little bit of a complex plot that is actually a little bit too complex for me to try and explain ALL THE THINGS about it. But you just have to trust me that it's really good. This is yet another case of me starting a book and thinking it would be a good one, and not realizing that I would enjoy it as much as I did. There's a ton of neat stuff in here and it has me itching to go back and read the first book in this companion series, Aftermath.

Caroline Hunter is a girl that wants nothing more than forget her past. She grew up with practically nothing and feels sadness and shame when she thinks back on her childhood. When she dreamed of something more for her life, her parents mocked her and told her that she was dreaming too far beyond her reach. When she left for college, her parents basically told her not to come back, she'd made her choice. Caroline has been on her own since she left for college, never looking back. The reason she chose fashion design as a career choice is because she knows the power of clothes, of how one looks and carries him/herself. If you can look a certain way, there is power in that (this is absolute truth, you guys). Taking part in this fundraiser is a very personal thing for Caroline.

Caroline also has very strict criteria for dating - she wants to make sure that no matter what, she doesn't end up in the same financial situation she was in as a child. Maybe taking things a little too far, Caroline pays very close attention to how much money all of her dates have, to their cars and clothes, things like that. She looks at their career choices and how much money they will bring in as a salary in the future. While that seems pretty shallow to pretty much everyone, Caroline justifies this by admitting that she is just absolutely horrified at the thought that she could end up like her parents. This is an issue that Caroline carries throughout the book, particularly as she dates people that she really likes. She also refuses to discuss her past, which is also a recurring issue. So...Caroline has some issues to work though and some development that needs to happen, and thankfully she does change and develop as a character. The way that she works through these issues and the way that she changes is so very interesting and I kind of loved it, even though it did make me bite my fingernails a little bit, which I have admitted to you all already ~~so don't judge me~~.

And then there is Reed Pendergraft - good gracious, isn't it so much fun to read about the cocky, good-looking, nerdy math major sometimes? YES, yes it is. That is Reed up and down. And Reed falls into the mysterious category too, but he has his reasons. He has some secrets, just like Caroline, and he is actually much slower to reveal them - but they're really quite good and justifiable once he does come clean with them. Reed comes across as a jerk in the beginning of the book, but he's really not a jerk. He's such a fun character and I liked him so much. I wanted Caroline to get over her stipulations and criteria and emotional baggage and just stop being so very Caroline so she could enjoy her time with Reed way earlier in the book. But their back-and-forth fighting and bantering was fun to read and it was certainly rewarding after sticking with the two of them.

Reed's story is made more awesome because he has a great relationship with his sister, Lexi. We love those sibling relationships, right? While their relationship has mystery too, I kind of feel like the mystery is revealed a little, bit by bit. Lexi is a fantastic secondary character. She was one of the best parts of the book, and the relationship she had with Reed was one of the best things about the book as well.

I recommend Redesigned for fans of New Adult Contemporary Romance and fans of books that have a college setting. I also really loved the fashion design aspect of the book, as I don't really see that too often, and I loved the resolution that Denise Grover Swank gave these characters. Redesigned is a great book - I thought it was full of surprises, and I'll be pulling my print copy of Aftermath off the shelves to go back and start this series from the beginning.

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Redesigned will appeal to fans of:

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Romance: Slow-burn, no triangle. FUN.

College Setting in Tennessee - Hooray for the South!!

Main Character is a Fashion Design Student!

Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank

is currently available for purchase.

*********************************************************************

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.

You can find out more about Denise and her other books at: www.denisegroverswank.com.

Find Denise Grover Swank: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website / Blog

*********************************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

Author Denise Grover Swank is offering

a REDESIGNED gift basket -

including a signed copy of AFTERMATH and REDESIGNED -

for one winner!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Between You & Me by Marisa Calin Review + Giveaway! #CFMonth13

2013-06-09T16:25:00.000-04:00

Between You & Me by Marisa Calin
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Publish Date: August 7, 2012
Source: Ginger from GReads! - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Phyre knows there is something life-changing about her new drama teacher, Mia, from the moment they meet. As Phyre rehearses for the school play, she comes to realize that the unrequited feelings she has for Mia go deeper than she’s ever experienced. Especially with a teacher. Or a woman. All the while, Phyre’s best friend—addressed throughout the story in the second person, as "you"—stands by, ready to help Phyre make sense of her feelings. But just as Mia doesn’t understand what Phyre feels, Phyre can’t fathom the depth of her best friend’s feelings . . . until it’s almost too late for a happy ending. Characters come to life through the innovative screenplay format of this dazzling debut, and unanswered questions—is "you" male or female?—will have readers talking. -(from Goodreads)

Between You & Me by Marisa Calin

My Thoughts: Wow, this book is so very different from anything I've ever read before. Ever. In my life.

The first thing you need to know is this:
Main character Phyre has developed feelings for her theater teacher.

Phyre's feelings develop from a small fascination into a full-on crush that becomes one of those all-consuming life-size things that takes over her thoughts and her mind and her heart. It isn't the biggest shock in the world that a student could ever develop a crush on a teacher, right? It happens. Well, in this case, Phyre's teacher is a female and this is the first time that Phyre has ever felt these feelings for a person of the same gender.

It doesn't help that Mia, the teacher, is really pretty. And super nice. And that during theater class - during the acting exercises - Mia encourages her students, Phyre included, to really feel and express their feelings and emotions. This gives Phyre something to concentrate on while listening to the sound of Mia's voice and watching her movements and all of that. It's pretty excruciating to read this crush, or at least it was for me. (I'll tell you why in the 'second thing.')

Phyre doesn't really know what to do with these "odd" feelings she's having. She doesn't feel like she can tell anyone and she doesn't really know if she wants to. She doesn't know if Mia feels the same way she does and she sometimes acts just slightly inappropriately because of this.

The second thing you need to know is this:
Phyre's BFF - known as "YOU" - has feelings for Phyre.

This was so obvious to me. And painful. So, so painful. YOU just adored Phyre to pieces and Phyre either acted oblivious to it or actually was oblivious to it. Isn't that always how it is when one person likes the best friend, at least for a while? Man, it was so hard to read Phyre follow Mia around over and over and talk non-stop about Mia to YOU, and poor YOU would just grin and take it - all the while stifling his/her feelings and keeping silent. Silently wanting.

Absolutely gut-wrenching, but it always is. Why do I love to read those best-friend-falls-in-love-with-other-friend books? I don't know. In this case, it wasn't my favorite. But it still broke my heart.

The third thing you need to know is this:
The book is written in script or screenplay format.

I'm not sure exactly what the terminology is.

But you can look at my nifty little picture down there to see what I mean.

Dear people of the world, I will watch theater a million times and love it, but I don't DO theater. I am not an actor. So outside of the story itself, I had a hard time following along with the book. A really hard time, actually. Now, that doesn't mean anyone else will have a hard time. In fact, I've had several reading friends that really, really enjoyed this story and the format and everything. But I found that I was constantly re-reading the little paragraphs trying to figure out who was "ME" and who was "YOU" and which parts were being actually spoken and which parts weren't.

A theater person, I am not.

BUT BUT BUT that is merely structural and has nothing to do with the actual story.

Well hello there, book that is written as a screenplay.
I am not used to books like you.

*****************************************************

Between You & Me by Marisa Calin is a very different book - it's one that took plenty of risks and I think that is awesome. I love it when an author takes something that is outside the box, outside the norm, and runs with it. There may be other books like this one out there - if there are, I'm not familiar with them. As you can see from my picture, this book was absolutely like a script. There will be readers that will love it and there will be readers that will struggle a little bit with it. I am of the latter bunch.

The story itself was okay and also a bit different - main character Phyre develops a crush on a teacher, who happens to be a girl, and struggles with these feelings of same-gender crushing. All the while her BFF - is it a boy? is it a girl? WE NEVER KNOW. - struggles with watching Phyre crush on someone else. So we have a bit of a romance and a bit of an identity story with coming-of-age too, I think.

I think, for me personally, that the format of the book mixed with the fact that I didn't know anything about the best friend, YOU - well, it just took away from the story a little bit for me. It left me too much work to do when really what I wanted was enjoy a story. Some readers really enjoy stories that require thinking critically and I think that is fantastic. But for me, one who reads to escape, I would've loved either a narrative structure or a gender assignment to YOU to lessen the amount of work it took me to get through this book. But, again, that's just ME.

Overall, I will say that I love the risks the author took and that there is certainly an audience for a book like this. I am glad that I read this book and feel like I got a lot from it even though it was a struggle for me. I know that I can recommend it to certain reading friends that would enjoy it. Also important is that I love the way that the book resolved and rounded out and left me in a good place with the ending.

I recommend Between You & Me to fans of YA Contemporary, fans of quirky or risky books, and/or LGBT stories. You should have no trouble reading it if you can read screenplays and if you have never tried to read them, perhaps you should give it a go. Even though I struggled a little bit with this structure, I would love to see what else Marisa Calin puts out in the future because I did like the risks she took with this story and I want to see what she does next.

********************************************************

Between You & Me will appeal to fans of:

Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Structure: Screenplay/Script
LGBT

Between You & Me by Marisa Calin

is currently available for purchase.

********************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

I'm giving away an ARC of

BETWEEN YOU & ME
by Marisa Calin

to one winner!

This contest is open worldwide

and ends Saturday June 15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Outcast by Adrienne Kress Guest Post + Giveaway

2013-06-08T09:50:00.000-04:00

Outcast by Adrienne Kress
Published by Diversion Books
Publish Date: June 4, 2013
324 Pages
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

After six years of “angels” coming out of the sky and taking people from her town, 16-year-old Riley Carver has just about had it living with the constant fear. When one decides to terrorize her in her own backyard, it’s the final straw. She takes her mother’s shotgun and shoots the thing. So it’s dead. Or … not? In place of the creature she shot, is a guy. A really hot guy. A really hot alive and breathing guy. Oh, and he’s totally naked.

Not sure what to do, she drags his unconscious body to the tool shed and ties him up. After all, he’s an angel and they have tricks. When he regains consciousness she’s all set to interrogate him about why the angels come to her town, and how to get back her best friend (and almost boyfriend) Chris, who was taken the year before. But it turns out the naked guy in her shed is just as confused about everything as she is.

He thinks it’s 1956.

Set in the deep south, OUTCAST is a story of love, trust, and coming of age. It’s also a story about the supernatural, a girl with a strange sense of humor who’s got wicked aim, a greaser from the 50’s, and an army of misfits coming together for one purpose: To kick some serious angel ass. -(summary from Goodreads)

*********************************************************************

I'm so excited to have Author Adrienne Kress on the blog today

talking about one of my all-time favorite bookish things:

KICK-BUTT GIRLS!!

Originally, I had this guest post in the same post with my review - all as one

very long post. BUT BUT BUT I loved this guest post SO MUCH that (on impulse at the last minute) I had to take some extra time to separate it out and make it into two posts.

You guys, as a reader, one of my very favorite things is a strong, kick-butt female.

I love it so much. They may have faults and weak points, but if they are kick-butt,

I will love them. Adrienne Kress writes these girls and I am a fan.

I am over-the-moon that she took the time to stop by my blog and write about

one of my very favorite bookish things ever today -

these kick-butt female characters.

Thank you for stopping by, Adrienne! OUTCAST is incredible. I love it!

The review will post in a little while, guys. For now,

I present Adrienne's post on: Kick Butt Girls!

*********************************************************************

I guess you could say I have a wee bit of a running theme in my work. I am rather fond of butt kicking girls. Sometimes that’s a metaphor, sometimes that’s literal. The point is, the girls in my books totally kick butt.

But this isn’t because I have a goal of writing kick butt girls, that I purposefully set out to write such characters. It’s because I myself enjoy action adventures and want to write them. And also because I’m female and thus want to write books that have women/girls as the main characters in these action adventures. Of all the points I’ve tried to make in my books, “girls can kick butt just like guys” actually isn’t one of them. It’s just a happy coincidence.

The points I do actively attempt to make are that girls can be excellent problem solvers, can be rational, and can have strong important relationships with other girls. Because these days, a “kick butt girl” isn’t necessarily synonymous with “strong”. Many times kick butt girls need a male character to guide them and to help them develop their abilities. They need to be rescued in the third act despite having mad skillz. They often have contempt for other women/girls. They often are flawless, or if they have a flaw it’s that they are quick to anger and act out in a violent fashion.

Thus what is more important to me than the kick butting, is creating three dimensional characters. Individuals who have flaws, who have charm and a sense of humour, who have particular likes and dislikes, and who grow over the course of the book. I want female characters to be considered characters first, their gender second. These elements I definitely make a point of addressing in my work.

That being said, I also I do make some points about the actual act of kicking butt. I am friends with many people who do combat for a living, who are stunt performers for film and stage. And I know how hard they train and practice. Even now, at the top of their game, they never stop working to improve or, at a minimum, maintaining their current skill level. So I always like to show how my characters learn their butt kicking skills so that I can demonstrate that it takes time and effort to develop them. Yes, usually my characters are gifted at their abilities, sometimes they get a leg up thanks to other worldly influences, but they still take the time to train. You don’t just wake up and suddenly have skills one day.

I also firmly believe that fighting in fiction has more to do with character development than just cool moves. All my kick butt girls over the years have had quite different abilities and motivations because they are all very different personality wise from each other. Further, each fight or action sequence isn’t just for fun, it’s an important moment in the plot that reveals yet more information about the people participating.

Ultimately it always comes back to character. Even when the goal is to write “an adventure with some cool action in it”, without a character to root for, without real stakes and motivations, the action isn’t exciting. We need to care about the outcome, not just the fight itself.

*********************************************************************

Adrienne Kress is a Toronto born actor and author who loves to play make-believe. She also loves hot chocolate. And cheese. Not necessarily together.

She is the author of Two children's novels: ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN and TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE (Scholastic). Her debut YA novel, THE FRIDAY SOCIETY, launched in the Fall 2012 from Dial, Penguin and her first ever quirky YA paranormal romance, OUTCAST, comes out June 4th, 2013 with Diversion Books.

Find Adrienne Kress: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website

*********************************************************************

More Information!

Adrienne Kress' Website

Adrienne Kress' Facebook

Diversion Books' Website

(you can click on Diversion's site to buy Adrienne's book

for your ereader for just $2.99!)

Check out the rest of the OUTCAST BLOG TOUR

by checking out the following blog sites!

June 4: http://hobbitsies.net

June 5: http://birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com/

June 6: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com

June 7: http://www.reviews.snarkybooks.com/

June 8: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com

June 10: http://ceceliabedelia.blogspot.com

June 11: http://bookgirl-mel.blogspot.com

June 11: http://readrinserepeat.blogspot.com/

June 12: http://read-a-holicz.blogspot.ca

June 13: http://www.yanovelreader.com

June 13: http://www.amidsummernightsread.com/

June 14: http://www.supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com

June 14: http://appraisingpages.com

*********************************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

Author Adrienne Kress & Diversion Books

are offering an ebook copy of

OUTCAST
to one lucky winner!

This contest is open to Internationally.

This contest ends Saturday June 15th.

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon Review + Giveaway

2013-06-07T08:05:00.000-04:00

The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon
Publish Date: May 21, 2013

Source: Author for Review - Thank you!

Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

One night can change everything…

Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known.

Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her.

With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.

That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.

Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late. -(summary from Goodreads)

The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

My Thoughts: The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon is a relatively short but very good book about a girl that tries to hide some trauma from her past, tries to push it away, and this ends up making her life miserable, causing some problems for her, and just not working out at all. It's also about finally finding someone that understands you and having to make some tough decisions about falling in love. Big stuff, you guys, and so, so good.

The Trouble With Goodbye begins dramatically when Leigh Anne Davis runs off the road and ends up in a ditch just outside of her small hometown in Georgia. Leigh Anne has just left her prestigious college in Boston to return home for the summer and as it is basically the middle of the night out in rural Georgia, there is no one on the road for assistance and no cellphone service. Lucky for Leigh Anne, Knox Warner just happens to drive by - and this is their first chance meeting, the first meeting of many.

Oh how Leigh Anne has dreaded coming home! With everything that has happened to her in the past year at school, her parents have been completely unsupportive (and that's putting it kindly) and she hates the thought of returning to her old life. She doesn't want to rehash her story at all - in fact, she thinks it best left buried as her mother has ~~firmly~~ suggested. Wouldn't want to damage that family name, right? Plus, it will really stink to have to see her ex-boyfriend after all of this time. He was the one, after all, that was caught in a very compromising position with another of her friends, and Leigh Anne knows that they are still dating. She really feels that there isn't much to come home to...but she really just needs to get out of Boston for a while. She can't stand being there with all of the media everywhere and him and the other girl and all of the reminders. Everything is just too much. Too much.

But who is this Knox Warner guy? He wasn't in town when she left for Boston. It was way kind of him to stop and help her in an above-and-beyond kind of way, and she could definitely see that he had some sadness or deepness or something there behind his eyes - Leigh Anne can recognize that a mile away now because she has that sadness in her eyes too. Curious about Knox - maybe crushing on him too - she asks her friends about him after they've reconnected. Their reaction is quick and immediate: OH YOU DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH THAT GUY!!! UGH! STAY AWAY FROM HIM!!! Leigh Anne's friends and her parents and seemingly everyone around town has heard about Knox, about some things from his past, and they're constantly judging him. But Leigh Anne has experienced how kind he has been to her on the several occasions that they've met (yes, he bails her out of trouble more than once), and she can't help wanting to spend more time with him.

Leigh Anne is drawn to Knox because they both have broken pasts, broken things about them. Perhaps they can relate to each other in ways that no one else can understand. And that is such a comforting thought to them both.

*******************************************************************

Okay, so I read The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon and pretty much couldn't put it down. It was a pretty quick read and was very engaging and captivating, and I loved that it was an issues contemporary, which is just my cup of tea.

The author doesn't immediately let us know what it was that happened to Leigh Anne back on her college campus. Certainly we can speculate - and we may even be correct - but it takes a little while for the pieces to come together, and eventually Leigh Anne does tell her story. And when she does - heartbreak, heartbreak. It is understandable why she would need to take a break from the college campus for awhile, from the stares and gossip and questions and comments, but I felt a lot of feelings for her because the "break" for her was to come back to her small hometown in the South. As a Southern girl myself, I understand that this often isn't necessarily a break and can often be more of a headache if there is any type of drama involved or if there is a family looming in the background like hers. Thankfully she is able to meet a guy like Knox, but even then, the judgment and gossip surrounding him was just plain pitiful. (I blame everything on Leigh Anne's awful mother. She was wonderfully written as an awful person. Loved it.)

As far as Knox goes, this is a guy that has had a pretty broken past of his own - he moved to town to escape his past and for a fresh start. He chose this particular town because he has some family there, but it turns out that life in the South is often gossip and judgment if you don't fit in (as it can be anywhere), and this is what Knox had learned to endure. He handled it quite well, taking a job and making a life for himself in the town. Still, his eyes gave away that he was hiding something and Leigh Anne picked up on it and she never judged him. She got to know his heart - the person on the inside - and it was really great that the two of them were able to form a friendship/relationship based on their comfort level with one another because they both had sustained hurts in their pasts. They understood each other, formed an easy bond, and were able to open up and have fun around one another. Had Leigh Anne not found Knox in town, her summer would've likely turned out much differently.

Once Leigh Anne and Knox established enough trust that they were able to open up and tell one another about their pasts, their relationship progressed and deepened, and it was really nice. I loved their romance because it was an actual romance and not just a sexed-up fling. They had already established that they cared for one another, so the progression to the romantic relationship seemed like an easy transition for them. And you know what? Once Leigh Anne continued to see Knox despite the protestations of her (awful) mother, others began to warm up to him too -they began to stop judging him and see the person behind the gossip and rumor mill that ran so rampant in their small Southern town.

I will say that the events that happened to both Leigh Anne and Knox were pretty doggone traumatic. Reading these events was not easy - both had been through some very trying times, very difficult things in their lives. These scenes are not long but pushing through them is very rewarding because they are pivotal in understanding these characters and why/how they ended up who and where they are.

I loved The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon. I recommend it to fans of New Adult Contemporary with Romance, fans of contemporary with issues, and fans of stories that are set in the South (YES!). It's a quick read, and engaging, like I mentioned earlier, and it's one that I think I'll re-read in the future. I'd also love to see this author write more contemporary!

*******************************************************************

The Trouble With Goodbye will appeal to fans of:

New Adult Contemporary with Romance

and Issues

Romance: Sort of Slowly-Developing. No triangle.

Setting: Georgia (YES, the South, WOOHOO!)

Issues: Sexual Assault and others.

*Warning: Certain short scenes may be triggers for
some people, particularly sexual assault victims.*

The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

is currently available for purchase.

*******************************************************************

Sarra Cannon grew up in a small town in Georgia where she learned that being popular always comes at a price. She is the author of the young adult paranormal Peachville High Demons series, which she first began self-publishing in October of 2010. Since the series began, Sarra has sold over 120,000 copies and recently signed a contract with Sea Lion Books to create a graphic novel adaptation of Beautiful Demons, the first book in the series.

Sarra lives in North Carolina with her amazing husband, her new baby boy, and her teeny tiny Pomeranian, Snickerdoodle.

Find Sarra Cannon: Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Website / Pinterest

*******************************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

Author Sarra Cannon is offering:

(5) Print copies of The Trouble with Goodbye – Open International

(10) eBook copies of The Trouble with Goodbye (mobi and epub) –

Open International

(1) $25 VISA Gift Card – open to countries able to accept VISA Gift Cards

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click here to visit the rest of the blogs on the blog tour

for additional chances to win and to see other reviews

and guest posts!

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore Review Excerpt + Giveaway!

2013-06-06T10:00:00.001-04:00

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore
Series: Dragonfly #1
Publish Date: June 6, 2013
Source: Author for review - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Three bad things I learned this year:
-People you trust lie, even parents.
-That hot guy, the one who’s totally into you, he might not be the one.
-Things are not always how they appear.

Three good things I learned this year:
-Best friends are always there for you, even when they’re far away.
-That other hot guy, the one who remembers your birthday, he just might be the one.
-Oh, and things are not always how they appear.

Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy.

Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed Anna outside her comfort zone, and Jack showed her feelings she’d never experienced... Until he mysteriously withdrew.

Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.

A secret that could permanently change all their lives. -(from Goodreads)

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore

My Thoughts: Okay, so I read Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore and I loved it so much. I was hooked on the summary and I just wasn't disappointed at all.

Anna Sanders lives in the deep South - the Gulf region - and is a high school student with dreams of writing. She's just been a bit devastated when her best friend has moved away and is feeling that loss. On a solo trip to the beach one day, she sees these two beautiful people that she later finds out are the Kyser twins, the very wealthy and well-known Jack and Lucy. Jack and Lucy do not typically frequent this area but for some reason, they've decided to enroll in Anna's public school (versus the private school they've always attended before) and finish out their senior year among the 'regular' people. And, for some reason, Jack has noticed Anna. Anna can barely believe it. I mean, the guy is hot in an unearthly kind of way.

Anna also has this wonderful friend, Julian LaSalle. Julian is a budding artist - one with real talent. He's the guy that stands out in the crowd, wearing the dark clothes, maybe the skinny jeans or something like that. He looks like a rocker - because he's the artist-type. Julian is so kind and caring, and he and Anna have a great relationship. He calls Anna his angel and it is clear that he feels strongly for her. They're really great friends and since BFF Gabi has moved away, Julian is now fair game (Gabi always had her eyes on Julian before, which made him off-limits to Anna). Julian is also hot in an unearthly kind of way.

*********************************************************************

When Anna realizes that Jack Kyser is interested in her, she can barely contain herself. That boy is f-i-n-e fine. They see each other a little bit - he takes her out on his boat, they spend some time together on the beach, things like that. Nothing ever becomes serious, and Jack never seems like he really ~~can~~ wants to commit to anything. Anna is a little bit confused by this because she certainly seems to be falling for this guy. But his signals sometimes become a little confusing because he sometimes seems to be falling for her too. The problem is this: Jack is in line to fall into his father's business, and Anna doesn't fit into that picture. Mr. Kyser has Jack's life mapped out for him - where he'll attend school, when he'll begin working in the business, etc. Mr. Kyser is a very prominent and powerful man, and he's quite intimidating to everyone around him. When he says jump, pretty much everyone says HOW HIGH, SIR? While Jack and Anna both seem to want to take the relationship and make it real and serious, stuff just keeps happening and it becomes really hard for them to move forward. So are these difficulties something that Anna and Jack can overcome and work though?

And then there's Julian. Sweet, sweet Julian. It is plain to see that Julian loves this girl, and I think that he has for a long time. With Julian, there is not the same type of thrill and excitement that would accompany a future with Alex because Julian isn't wealthy or well-known. However, everything that Julian does and says to Anna makes her feel special, like she's the only person in the room. Julian just has that special charm. Plus, Julian is confidant enough in their friendship/relationship to continue to wait for Anna's heart, to wait for her to come around. He believes in his heart of hearts that they will be together and he's willing to take the risk and wait for her. *sigh sigh sigh* As Anna is a writer and writes for the school paper, she does a feature on Julian and his art, which helps her land an internship with the city newspaper - and the two become a little closer over this circumstance. Julian keeps reminding Anna - in a non-pushy way - that he is waiting for her when she is ready, and she keeps this playing in the back of her mind as she tries to figure out what she should do, what her decision should be regarding these two guys. So will Anna choose this guy that has been a great friend to her over the past few years, one that she knows well and trusts and feels comfortable with? What will she do?

*********************************************************************

You guys, I know that there are a ton of you that do not like books that have love triangles in them. I know it. I am not one of those people. I love them so hard, so very very hard. I believe that a well-written love triangle makes for such a fantastic story because I find that in love, emotions happen and sometimes hearts are split. They are wildly entertaining to read and my heart becomes oh-so-invested in the characters. Oftentimes in love triangles, it is clear that there is an obvious choice and a not-great choice. A good guy and a bad guy, perhaps. In this story, both of these guys are actually really great guys. So to me, this is a super duper fantastic love triangle and I loved it so hard that I wanted to hug my Kindle and shout to the world YES THIS IS HOW LOVE TRIANGLES SHOULD BE WRITTEN!!!

When I was reading this book, I noticed that I kept going back and forth in my mind as to what I thought Anna should decide. I loved that! You know why? Because that's the exact same thing Anna did! She had the most difficult time deciding what she wanted as far as this romance was concerned. Her heart was so very at-war between these two fantastic guys, and rightly so. They're both great catches. They're well-written with great characteristics and they each stand up well as characters. I actually liked them both a lot. (Truthfully, were it me, the choice would have been easy, but I'm not a character in the book, so that doesn't count. Ahem, I digress.) AND AND AND in the end, the way the book resolves this triangle - WOW SO PERFECT. I was so thrilled with the way Leigh T. Moore wrote this! I actually threw up my hands and said YES! (Yes, I'm a dork.) I have no idea how or if this will come back up later in this series or not but for now, just YES.

Besides the romance and love interests, there are other things in the story, even though you barely know it from my gushing over the well-written love triangle. This story has a FANTASTIC setting that I absolutely adore. Anyone that loves the Gulf coast in the deep South - you guys are going to love this one. The mannerisms and characteristics of the South run true and are carried well through this book and I actually tweeted the author about this and highlighted examples of this in my Kindle - these things are important to me because I am indeed a Southern gal. Besides the stellar setting, I loved the relationships in the book, the dynamics between the characters. While not all of them began as perfectly (read: happily) as we would want them to be, the relationships had development across the story, much like we look for character development, which I found refreshing and neat and interesting, and I kind of loved it a lot. Don't we love it when relationships and families are mended for the better throughout the course of a story? It makes us happy, right? YES.

ALSO. There is a little bit of a mystery aspect to the story. It's not huge, but it is there. And it is kind of fun. Now...I have an inkling that more of this will be present in the rest of the series, or at least the next book (I may be wrong here) but I think I like where this is headed. Dragonfly is absolutely, definitely a contemporary but it certainly has the makings of some mystery being added to the mix, and I'm excited to see where this will be headed when Undertow becomes available in mid-July 2013.

Ultimately, friends, this book was an absolute joy for me. I had a great, great time reading it. I recommend it to fans of YA Contemporary with Romance, fans of a great setting, and people that don't mind very well-written love triangles. I'm extremely grabby-handed for the next book in the series in a few weeks and I also want to read this author's backlist as soon as I can.

*********************************************************************

Dragonfly will appeal to fans of:

Young Adult Contemporary Romance

with some Mystery!
Romance: Well-Written Love Triangle
Great Setting: Deep South, Gulf Coast

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore

is currently available for purchase.

*********************************************************************

A southern ex-pat and beach bum, she currently lives with her husband, two young children, and one grumpy cat in the Midwest.

Find Leigh T. Moore: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Amazon

*********************************************************************

I have a short excerpt for you all!

Falling in Love Changes Everything…

“C’mon,” Julian said, helping me stand. “Let’s blow off this party and catch a movie or go to Scoops. This isn’t our scene.”

I shook my head. “I just really want to go home.” The tears were trying to start again. “Can I just go home now?”

“Sure,” he said, holding my cheek. I took a limping step, and he stopped. “Does it hurt to walk?”

My leg was throbbing. I nodded, looking down, and before I realized what was happening, he was lifting me in his arms.

“Julian, wait,” I held his shoulders. “I’m too heavy!”

“It’s okay,” he said, walking on. I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. I didn’t feel like fighting. Gentle pressure against my temple, and he’d kissed me. “You’ll get over this,” I heard him say under his breath.

*********************************************************************

And now for the Giveaway!

Author Leigh T. Moore is offering
several really awesome giveaways,

open both to US residents and

internationally!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dragonfly by Leigh T Moore: Guest Post + Giveaway!

2013-06-05T08:35:00.000-04:00

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore
Series: Dragonfly #1
Publish Date: June 6, 2013
Source: Author for review - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Three bad things I learned this year:
-People you trust lie, even parents.
-That hot guy, the one who’s totally into you, he might not be the one.
-Things are not always how they appear.

Three good things I learned this year:
-Best friends are always there for you, even when they’re far away.
-That other hot guy, the one who remembers your birthday, he just might be the one.
-Oh, and things are not always how they appear.

Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy.

Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed Anna outside her comfort zone, and Jack showed her feelings she’d never experienced... Until he mysteriously withdrew.

Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.

A secret that could permanently change all their lives. -(from Goodreads)

Be sure to watch for my thoughts on Dragonfly tomorrow!

*********************************************************************

A southern ex-pat and beach bum, she currently lives with her husband, two young children, and one grumpy cat in the Midwest.

Find Leigh T. Moore: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Amazon

*********************************************************************

Today, Leigh T. Moore stops by the blog to give

Ten of her Favorite Contemporary Reads and Why!

This is in keeping with the theme of my blog's Contemporary Month!

Thanks for being such a great sport, Leigh!

Hi, Asheley! Thanks so much for having me here today and for helping me promote Dragonfly!

I love contemporary romance. Love it. But I just love books! I started a book club in my old hometown with some ladies who love reading as much as me. So I could chat about books all day—my “Top 10” could easily stretch to 100!

It’s HARD for me to rank books. What I like depends on my mood! So this is not a ranking. It’s an off the top of my head list of books I could read over and over. Is that okay?

Here goes:

10-Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver – This one’s a modern (adult) classic, and it’s so lush and gorgeous and sexy and hot. It’s great for lazy spring days. Sometimes I just pick it up and read random chapters.

9-Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti – I’ve been a huge Caletti fan since before I wrote Dragonfly. Her books are hilarious, and they always have such emotional depth. This one’s also a National Book Award nominee, so bonus!

8-Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen – Dessen could be on this list ten times because I love all her books. But in particular, I love the shock of how this one opens, and I love Macon. Every time I see a grape Jolly Rancher, I think of him.

7-If I Stay by Gayle Forman – I did not expect to be sucked into this book the way I was. Or touched. Or... omg. It’s incredible.

6-Where She Went by Gayle Forman – Well, I couldn’t list one without the other. It’s the sequel to If I Stay, and it’s in Adam’s voice. No words. I cried at the end.

5-Under the Dusty Sky by Allie Brennan – Allie’s a new voice in New Adult, and her stories are lyrical and haunting. I’d recommend trying this one! Great, sassy love story.

4-Easy by Tammara Webber – Because it started the whole New Adult craze (which gave Undertow a place on bookshelves). Also because it’s about more than a hot romance. I love me some hot romance, but I also need a good story.

3-My Heart for Yours by Jolene Perry and Steph Campbell – Love this story by two FAB writer-friends. It’s one of those classic, all-time greats. It has a perfect setting… It’s seriously perfect—and they’re writing more! (squee!)

2-Have I mentioned Sarah Dessen? I can’t wait to read The Moon and More.

1-Wait… I’m at the end? But I have so many more! The Only Exception (Vernon), Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend (Ann), 10 Weeks (Watts), The Sea of Tranquility (Millay)…

Ahh—so many great books. I hope you all like and add mine as well!

Thanks again for having me here!

*********************************************************************

Thank you so much for being here, Leigh!!

You've listed some really great books as well as

some that I'm not familiar with! Great mix.

I'm really excited about the release of Dragonfly!

Congratulations!!

And now for the Giveaway!

Author Leigh T. Moore is offering
several really awesome giveaways,

open both to US residents and

internationally!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins Review

2013-06-04T16:30:00.000-04:00

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
Series: Blue Heron #1
Publish Date: February 26, 2013
432 Pages
Source: Library
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect.

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there.

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle. -(from Goodreads)

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

My Thoughts: Okay so lately - like over the past couple of months - I've sort of opened myself up to reading adult contemporary romance books and you know what? I'm seriously loving it. Like, a lot. I've made my way through a Susan Mallery book and two Victoria Dahl books and I'm basically madly in love with both of those authors so far. I was thrilled to pieces when my library told me that this book was ready for me to pick up because I only had to wait forever for it.

The thing about Kristan Higgins, as well as pretty much all of the other popular adult contemporary romance authors, is that they have so doggone many books out there and it is very intimidating for me to know where to begin - I've mentioned this before in another blog post. So it was happy times everywhere for me when this book by this author was the beginning of a new series and had a good cover. YES PLEASE, says Asheley! I think I'll have some of that.

The first thing you need to know is this:
As the book opens, Faith Holland has had her heart broken.

See, she's in the wedding dress and about to walk down the aisle when her fiance, Jeremy - the man she's about to marry - comes out. Yep, he announces that he's gay. That means not only will there be no wedding - not only is Faith Holland humiliated - but the entire small town that is sitting in that audience saw it, heard it, knows it.

So what does Faith do? She runs off to San Francisco - away from the pain, the embarrassment. She runs away from having to see these people every day and makes a life for herself out there.

The second thing you need to know is this:
Then...Faith comes back into town for a visit.

Who should greet her but her fiance's Best Man.

Why is this important?

This is important because the best man, Levi Cooper, knew all along that Jeremy was gay. And he didn't say anything. He could've spared tons of heartache, humiliation, and money had he just spoken up. But he didn't. So Faith doesn't really like him. To top it all off, as she comes back into town, she keeps running into Levi in the most awkward of situations. So embarrassing!

But you know what? He's really hot. Like, he's a stunning, stunning man. This kind of thing plays tricks on her mind.

Levi and Jeremy have remained friends throughout the years - and good ones - which is wonderful. The town seems to have moved on from the unusual circumstances of the wedding. But when Faith comes back into town, it's like she brings it all back up again. The stares, the comments, the questions. But none of that is as awkward as the interaction with the super good-looking Police Chief Levi Cooper. Why the heck does Faith even care? She can't stand the guy.

The tension is quite good, you guys. I kind of loved it.

The third thing you need to know is this:

Once again, there IS more to this story than Faith and Levi.

The Faith-finds-love-with-Levi story is OH-SO-INCREDIBLE. And very sexy. And quite funny too. But there was so much more to this book that I found to love. The family dynamic between the members of Faith's rather large, rather rambunctious family at the Blue Heron Winery was hilarious. The interaction between Faith and her ex-fiance Jeremy ended up being really sweet. It's good to see that they are able to remain friends despite a horrible day and an event that could've defined them each as a person. The interaction between Levi and his sister, off attending college, was wonderful and lovely and also a little humorous. And there are also quite a few other people in the town that are colorful and add to the story in at least a dozen ways. I loved all of this.

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The Best Man by Kristan Higgins is a great first experience with this author. I enjoyed this story very much and found myself laughing out loud several times throughout the book. There was one instance in particular when I was sitting in a crowded waiting room at an eye doctor's office and was laughing so much, so loud that I was getting stares - I had to put the book down and have a phone conversation with Jess from Gone with the Words RIGHT THEN because she'd read and liked the book too. (You can find Jess' review HERE. She inspired me to read this one.)

Faith Holland has a horrible, horrible record in dating. For some reason, the girl just cannot get it together. The men she picks just...aren't right for her. Either they're married with kids or they're into super-kinky sex or they're, well, gay. She's just about given up on love when she goes back to her hometown to visit with her family. Faith really isn't looking to fall in love, especially with Levi Cooper, but we don't always get to choose what our heart feels, now do we?

And that Levi Cooper...gosh, what a dreamy dude! I wanted this guy on the pages pretty much all the time. Aside from being good-looking and the caretaker of his younger sister (which is pretty darn hot, if you ask me), he just did super nice things for the people of the town. The bantering back and forth between Levi and Faith was so great to read and made for such great tension in the story, and the romantic build-up was perfect. I feel it my civic duty as an American, though, to mention that Levi was pretty obsessed with Faith's chest or rack or cleavage or boobage and a myriad of other names that he could come up with. Did this bother me? Pssst! Naw. It made me laugh. A lot.

Underlying the romance and the tension are the things about The Best Man that make it extra fun. The family. The vineyard and wine-making. The people of the town. The relationships. And the past - Levi and Jeremy (the ex-fiance) and Faith are all linked together from their younger days. As the story of their past unwinds, I fell a bit further in love with them all, even though Jeremy isn't in the picture as an actual love interest. Also, Faith has an issue or two from her past that sort of haunts her (not the wedding) and it's through a few incredible acts of kindness on the part of Levi to help Faith get over this terrible thing that I think I fell headfirst for the guy and the couple.

Levi and Faith are fun together. I liked them a lot, and I loved their journey getting there. I loved laughing while I read it. I love the fact that I was able to catch this series from the beginning and I love that the next book, The Perfect Match, will be out in October 2013 and will focus on one of Faith's sisters (I think). I know that I'll snatch up a copy as soon as I can.

I recommend The Best Man by Kristan Higgins to fans of Adult Contemporary Romance that enjoy lighter stories and enjoy laughing a little bit while reading them. I'm gonna be checking out the rest of this series as well as trying to catch some of this author's backlisted titles.

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The Best Man will appeal to fans of:

Adult Contemporary Romance/ChickLit

Romance: Slowly Developing, No Triangle.

Small Town Setting

Stories Incorporating Family

The Best Man by Susan Mallery

is currently available for purchase.

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Have you read THE BEST MAN?

Or anything else by Kristan Higgins?

Tell me! I enjoyed this one!

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney Review Excerpt & Giveaway!

2013-06-04T08:35:00.000-04:00

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
Publish Date: June 4, 2013
264 Pages
Source: Author for review - Thank you!
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died. -(summary excerpt from Goodreads)

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney

My Thoughts: My first Daisy Whitney book was such an incredibly positive experience!

When we meet Danny Kellerman, he is a grieving boy. Just graduated, surrounded by his classmates, and yet alone. See - a while back, he lost his father. Soon after this, his sister moved to another country because her grief overwhelmed her. Recently, he lost his beloved mother to a battle with cancer and the girl that he was madly in love with dumped him unexpectedly, without an explanation. At present, Danny is left with his dog, Sandy Koufax, and his mother's best friend, Kate. Basically, Danny is alone. To make matters more complicated, Danny has to figure out what to do with 1) his life and 2) all of his mother's stuff - her clothes, her wigs, and their other apartment in Tokyo. Feeling frustrated with life at home, Danny makes an impulsive decision to visit Tokyo because his mother spent much of her final time there - he's thinking he can be in the places she was, visit with her friends there, things like that. He hopes that by doing this, he can cling to more of his mother and perhaps maybe learn more about her in the process. So he hops a plane and off he goes.

I loved Danny in Tokyo. The Danny that arrived in Tokyo was a much different Danny than the one that was so grief-striken and heavy back in the States. This Danny feels hopeful and is on a quest to learn everything he can about his mother's life there. What did she talk about with her friends in Tokyo? Did she ever talk about Danny? What are these mysterious therapies she mentioned to Danny - a special teahouse and things such as that? Danny goes to visit her favorite restaurants, her favorite prayer and meditation spots, her physician in the area. He spends a great deal of time with her friends in Tokyo. And he learns so much more than he ever imagined that he would have.

About this information that Danny learned about his mother: Danny came over to Tokyo with such grief and almost an anger about her death. He had not yet grieved completely, which is of course expected. So he had tons of unresolved issues with several people in his life, which was very interesting and at times heartbreaking to read. But what Danny thought about things surrounding his mother's death and her relationships and what actually was the truth were two totally different things. When Danny learns how things really were for his mother, as he learns more about the person she was when she was in Tokyo - when he wasn't right beside of her, taking care of her - he was able to let some of his resentment, anger, and all of the other stressful feelings go. Being in Tokyo was such a wonderful, cleansing experience for Danny. The longer he is there, the more hopeful he becomes and this is so, so fantastic to experience as a reader.

Danny's growth over his time there is...well, I'm not sure it's really growth. It's probably just acceptance of the loss of someone he loved so much. But he also gained. All of the people that his mother loved opened him with open arms and loved him because she loved him. So while he felt like he had lost all of his family, he really just gained a ton more while he was there - he gained a non-traditional family.

When You Were Here is a book about loss but it's also about finding - finding yourself, finding peace, finding forgiveness, finding new life. There is so much inside of this book and it is so quiet and beautifully written. This story captivated me and held me so tightly. It wasn't a story that I flew through - rather, I read it slowly and savored all of the words and every scene. I highlighted so many passages. I let my heart take in every detail and every feeling that Danny was experiencing, and I feel like all of his emotions and thoughts are etched deeply in my heart. I don't know if all of Daisy Whitney's books are this way, but doggone it, I certainly plan to find out. She has won my heart over a thousand times with this story and I just want to hug this book and read it again and again.

I recommend When You Were Here for fans of young adult contemporary stories, books with a great male protagonist/male point-of-view, books with issues/loss, and books that contain travel. I would suspect that most, if not all, people that pick this one up will find things on the inside to fall in love with just like I did.

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When You Were Here will appeal to fans of:

Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Male Protagonist/Great Male POV
Romance: Already established. No triangle.
Books with Travel
Great Setting: Tokyo
Issues: Death, Grief

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney

is currently available for purchase.

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By day, Daisy Whitney is a reporter and ghostwriter. At night, she writes novels for teens and is the author of THE MOCKINGBIRDS and its sequel THE RIVALS (Little, Brown). Her third novel WHEN YOU WERE HERE releases in June 2013 (Little, Brown), and her fourth novel STARRY NIGHTS (Bloomsbury) hits shelves in September 2013. When Daisy's not inventing fictional high school worlds, she can be found somewhere north of San Francisco walking her adorable dog, watching online TV with her fabulous husband or playing with her fantastic kids. A graduate of Brown University, she believes in shoes, chocolate chip cookies and karma. You can follow her writing blog and new media adventures at DaisyWhitney.com.

Find Daisy Whitney: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website

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I have an excerpt from the book for everyone!

We eat in silence for a minute, then Holland breaks it. “So you’re going to Tokyo?”

“Your mom told you?” “Yes.” “Did your mom send you to get info out of me or something?” “No. She mentioned it, and now I’m mentioning it.

Why? Is there info to get? Are you going with a girl?” I scoff. “Yeah, right. I was supposed to go with someone, but it didn’t work out,” I say, my eyes locked on her the whole time. “Well, I wanted to go, okay?” “So did I,” I say, so low it’s a whisper. But she hears me, and she inches her hand across the counter, just a little bit closer, and that hand, I want to grab it and hold on.

“Me too,” she says, barely there, barely painting the space between us with all that has been broken. I glance at our hands, so close all it would take is one of us giving an inch. “I bought my ticket an hour ago.”

“When do you leave?”

“A couple days from now. I found a good deal.” She nods a few times, taps her fingers. I can feel the warmth from her hands. “Cool,” she says, and we stay like that. One stretch is all it would take to be back, so I wait. Wait for her to tell me she’ll miss me, to ask me to stay, to put her hands on my face and press her lips against mine and kiss me like it’s the thing that’s been killing her not to do for all these months. That it’s not cool for me to go. That if I go, she’ll be the one who’s sad.

But she doesn’t. We just finish our food, and she washes the plates, and the other ones that were in the sink too, and she tosses out the cartons from Captain Wong’s and bags up the garbage, and she’s like a nurse. She’s here as a nurse. To take care of me. To make sure I eat enough food and clean the house and take my vitamins.

I watch her take my vitals and check my temperature and adjust the tubes, and when she suggests we watch a movie, here on the couch, I just nod because my heart isn’t beating fast enough anymore, blood isn’t pumping smoothly enough anymore for me to find the will to say no like I did last night. Evidently I can buy tickets to fly out of the country, no problem, but I can’t even tell Holland to stop being so near to me all the time but not near enough.

Because she is supposed to want to go to Tokyo with me now. She is supposed to invite herself, to ask me in that sweet and sexy, that bold and confident voice, to say that I should take her along, that we promised we’d go together, that we even talked about it last summer.

As if I needed reminding. As if I were the one who’d forgotten.

Instead she turns on the TV and finds a film where the hero survives a bridge being blown up. We stay like that through fire and bombs, through fists and blows, through a knife fight in an alley, a foot away from each other, not touching, not moving, not talking, not curled up together, just staring mutely at the screen.

But faking it becomes too much for me, so when the hero clutches the crumbling concrete from the bridge, scrambling for purchase, I stand up and leave the living room, mumbling, “Be right back.”

I walk to the bathroom at the end of the hall. I shut the door. I head straight for the window. I slide it open and pop out the screen. I stand on the toilet seat, then climb the rest of the way out of the window and hop into my front yard. I close the window, and I walk and I walk and I walk.

When I return an hour later, my greatest hope is she’ll be gone. My most fervent wish is that I will have made my great escape from her, from her hold on me. But instead I find her sound asleep on my couch, Sandy Koufax tucked tightly into a ball at Holland’s bare feet.

I kneel down on the tiles where the book she was reading has slipped out of her tired hands. It’s a paperback, The Big Sleep. I run a thumb across the cover, wondering when Holland developed a penchant for Raymond Chandler. There was a time when she would have told me her favorite parts. When she would have tried to tell me the ending because she just loved it so much, she had to share, and I’d have held up a hand and told her to stop. Laughing all the time. Then I’d have read it too, and we’d have walked on the beach and talked about the best parts. We’d have done that tonight with the movie too. Imitated the actors’ inflections at their most over-the-top moments, then
marveled at the blown-up buildings.

I shut the book we’re not sharing. The ending we’re not talking about. I place it on the coffee table and walk upstairs, because if I stay near her, I will wake her up, rustle a shoulder, and ask her. Ask her why she left. Ask her why she’s here. Ask her what changed for her.

When I get into my bed, I am keenly aware of her in my house, as if the rising and falling of her breathing, the fluttering of her sleeping eyelids, can somehow be seen and heard from a floor above. I imagine her waking up, walking up the stairs, heading down the hall, standing in my doorway, a sliver of moonlight through the window sketching her in the dark. I would speak first, telling her the truth—that I’m still totally in love with her. That nothing has changed for me when it comes to her.

Everything else is so muted, so fuzzy, so frayed around the edges.

This—how I feel for Holland—is the only thing in my life that has remained the same. Everyone I have loved is gone. Except her. Holland is the before and the after, and the way I feel for her is both lethal and beautiful. It is like breathing, like a heartbeat.

She would say the same words back to me, that she feels the same. Then she would say my name, like she’s been searching for something, like she’s found the thing she’s been looking for.

Come find me, come find me, come find me.

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And now for the Giveaway!

Author Daisy Whitney is offering
3 Personalized Signed Copies of
WHEN YOU WERE HERE
for 3 different winners!

This contest is open to US and Canada Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway