Month: November 2016

Nov 30

{Review+Dream Cast+Giveaway} TOO HOT TO HANDLE by Tessa Bailey @mstessabailey @ForeverRomance

Check out Who Tessa pictured as Rita and Jasper. (I completely approve by the way!!) When I cast TOO HOT TO HANDLE in my head (and on my Pinterest boards o’course!) I used a more introverted version of Emilia Clarke as Rita Clarkson. All the shiny effervesce and beauty of a brunette Emilia, with more dark makeup and clothing. This is the picture I sent to my editor when casting for the cover, because I think it captures Rita’s personality: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/508132770433476759/ As for Jasper, he is described in the book as a young, revamped Matthew McConaughey and I think his personality totally matches that of a young carefree (non naked bongo playing) version of the actor. I promise he doesn’t say “alright, alright, alright,” but he does have that cool guy, ladies love me spirit. Scott Porter from Hart of Dixie would be my choice to play Jasper in a film J https://www.pinterest.com/pin/508132770433788636/ Sheesh! This book is all that the title promises and more. Too Hot to Handles is the… Read more »

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Nov 29

{Mini Review+Excerpt+Giveaway} MAYBE THIS TIME by @JenniferSnow18 @ForeverRomance

Maybe this time is the second book in the Colorado Ice series by Jennifer Snow. The Colorado Ice series is an adult contemporary sports romance. This is the first book I read in this series, and while it can be read as a standalone and I had no problem following along, I do think this would be best enjoyed in order. Maybe this Time is a book that has elements outside of my comfort zone, but I am so so glad I decided to read it. I knew I would love the hockey player aspect of the story, but divorce and bitter divorcees are not really something I gravitate towards in my romances. Maybe that is rude of me, (which I don’t mean it to be!) it is just not something I can really relate to and it brings a whole separate set of baggage that I don’t really have the experience to connect with the characters. But I do love a sports romance and I love a sweet second… Read more »

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Nov 28

{Review} Captivate by Vanessa Garden @vanessagarden27

Captivate is the first book in the Submerged Sun series by Vanessa Garden. The Submerged Sun series is a young adult paranormal fantasy featuring an underwater city and mermaids! As soon as I saw that I thought, Umm, yess! Sign me up please! I really enjoyed this one. It does have a love triangle, so I know that might be a turn off for some people (and full disclosure: if love triangles do bug you, this is a pretty big one, so you might want to skip in that case.) but I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to continuing the series. I don’t read a ton of mermaid books, but I do really enjoy them. I liked Captivate because a lot of it took place in the underwater world, and it was a very cool world, called Marin. Vanessa Garden did an excellent job with the world building in this novel. In fact, it was one of my favorite things about the book. Another great thing were the… Read more »

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Nov 27

{Review} Crazy Pucking Love by @CindiMadsen @EPEmbrace

Crazy Pucking Love is the third book in the Taking Shots series by Cindi Madsen. I read the first book in 2014, Getting Lucky Number Seven before I knew this was going to be a series and I loved it! It was a flirty, fun friends to something more trope. When I saw that Crazy Pucking Love was part of the same series as Getting Lucky Number Seven I was both super excited to go back to the series and bummed that I had somehow missed the second book in the series (which I need to read ASAP). Each book can be read as a standalone and the characters are very different so you will be completely fine reading them each alone, but I really loved the first book in the series, so I am going to encourage everyone to read that as well. But you don’t have to read it before Crazy Pucking Love. Crazy Pucking Love is a contemporary romance of friends with benefits to something more, between… Read more »

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Nov 23

{Review} The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras @ekatwrites @GriffinTeen @StMartinsPress

The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras is a young adult standalone contemporary. I think a lot of high school students will be able to relate to some aspect of the story and of Viviana‘s character. I really enjoyed this story. There were some things I absolutely loved, and there were a few things I thought detracted from the flow of the story. Overall, it was a very good book, and I think a lot of people will really enjoy the story and be able to relate to it. Let’s start with the things I liked. I was able to put myself in Viviana‘s shoes pretty easily. (for the most part.) I was an overachiever in high school too and I was very concerned with grades and doing everything perfect. Everything seems like such a big deal back then. One bad test score could ruin my GPA and ruin my chances at college or at scholarships, etc. I got what she was going through. And with the pressure of… Read more »

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Nov 22

{Mini Review+Series Giveaway} THE DARE AND THE DOCTOR by Kate Noble @NobleRorick

To celebrate the third in the Winner Takes All series, The Dare and the Doctor, we are hosting a giveaway and the WINNER will TAKE ALL books in the series: The Game and the Governess, The Lie and the Lady and The Dare and the Doctor! Please note, you can enter at all participating blogs listed below but you can only win once. So be sure to check out all the books in the series and head over to the other blogs on the tour for more chances to win! The Dare and the Doctor is the third book in the Winner Takes All series by Kate Noble. It is the first book in the series I have read and I really enjoyed this one. I don’t read too many historical romances, but when I do, I tend to be very picky. The Dare and the Doctor stood up to my strict scrutiny. I found the characters to be a breath of fresh air. I especially loved the witty and snappy… Read more »

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Nov 21

${Review} Heartless by @Marissa_Meyer @FierceReads$

{Review} Heartless by @Marissa_Meyer @FierceReads

“Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.” I mean COME ON! How amazing does that sound? Heartless by Marissa Meyer is a standalone young adult fantasy. It is the story of the Queen of Hearts long before she was the Queen of Hearts. It acts a prequel to the Alice in Wonderland stories and it was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016. For a number of reasons. I absolutely love retellings, re-imaginings and stories about villainous characters. Not to mention Wonderland is one of my favorite story book lands of all time. So this one was a no brainer for me. And if you can believe it, this is my first Marissa Meyer book. (I know, I know! I have the Lunar Chronicles sitting on my shelf but I have yet to read them. Be sure to tell me how crazy I am in the comments below. :p) So with all of that perfect sounding hype,… Read more »

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Nov 18

{Top Five+Giveaway} The Turncoat’s Gambit by @AndreaCremer @PhilomelBooks @PenguinTeen

TOP 5 MOMENTS: OF THE INVENTOR’S SECRET SERIES This was a tough list! I wanted to share the real highlights of finishing this series, but without spoilers. Every book is a creative rollercoaster, but the final book of a series ratchets up those experiences even more. I hope everyone who reads THE TURNCOAT’S GAMBIT enjoys the wild ride! 5) Watching Linnet and Lachance interact. A spy and a pirate! In love! Every scene these two are in was such a delight to create. Their banter and rivalry kept me constantly entertained and deeply invested in their relationships. …. 4) Grave’s choices. In the first two books of this series, much of Grave’s existence remains shrouded in mystery. By the opening of the TURNCOAT’S GAMBIT, many questions about Grave’s past have been answered and Grave himself begins to consider what path he wants to take in the world. I find Grave’s unusual approach to events and relationships to be utterly fascinating and seeing the way his character unfolds was one… Read more »

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Nov 17

{Review} My Junior Year of Loathing by Jennifer DiGiovanni @jendwrites @SwoonRomance

My Junior Year of Loathing is the second book in the young adult School Dayz series by Jennifer DiGiovanni. Each of the books can be read as standalones. They each focus on a different couple, and as you can tell from the titles, this book focuses on a younger couple than the one in My Senior Year of Awesome. I feel confident that you can pick up this book and not be missing anything if you had not yet read the first book. However; the first book in the series was pretty cute, so I would still recommend you check that one out as well. I really liked both the couple and the concept of My Junior Year of Loathing. Melinda and Conner are a n interesting couple. Melinda is your typical straight laced type A personality student. She needs her resume to be s padded as possible and all of the stress of school makes her a bit tightly wound. Conner couldn’t be more different, but not in the… Read more »

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Nov 16

{Trailer+Excerpt+Giveaway} #TheAmateurs by Sara Shepard @sarabooks @HyperionTeens

Today I have a fun excerpt from THE AMATEURS, the first in a thrilling new series from Sara Shepard, the #1 bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series. Thanks to Freeform Books for sending me a copy, and for providing a prize pack! So check out the excerpt, trailer and then be sure to enter the awesome giveaway! Read an excerpt from The Amateurs HERE Visit Freeform BooksFollow Sara on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook and snapchat @sarabooks Follow HyperionTeens on Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr #TheAmateurs To enter, fill out the rafflecopter below to win Go undercover with The Amateurs! Enter for a chance to win: a copy of The Amateurs plus branded incognito spy-tools: a lipstick flashlight, mascara flash-drive, and nail polish highlighter. Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by Freeform Books. Note: Book Briefs Contest Policy applies. All of the prizes, terms and conditions of the giveaway should be contained in the rafflecopter below. No Purchase necessary to enter. Void… Read more »