7.31.2014

Book Blitz Week 2 Guest Post: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid



The Year of Re-read

At the start of the year, I realized something interesting. I watch movies over and over again, re-watch whole seasons of tv shows, memorize albums’ worth of songs. But I almost never revisit books, not even the ones I love.
I felt that I might be missing out on the pleasures certain books have provided, not to mention missing out on some understanding of subtler themes, characterizations, foreshadowing, whatever. I was missing out. So I decided this year would be the year of the reread.
Granted, of the 22 books I’ve read this year, only 9 have been rereads, so it hasn’t been a very concentrated effort. But that’s 9 more than usual.
Below is the list of books I’ve re-read this year. Some books I fell in love with all over again, some I could read a little more analytically when I knew what was going to happen. In one or two the experience wasn’t quite as enjoyable the second time around, since a closer look can often reveal faults. And though whenever I pick up a book for a second time, I’m thinking about all the millions of books I haven’t read even once, the experience has been good enough that I’ll look to reread for the rest of my life.

  • Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
  • Sum; forty tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman
  • Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
  • Everything is Illuminated by Joshua Safran Foer
  • Best American Short Stories 2006 edited by Ann Patchett
  • A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
  • How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
  • Paper Towns by John Green
  • Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann


Let's Get Lost Available now!

Cover Reveal: Let Me In by Erin McCarthy

Let Me In [Blurred Lines #3] by Erin McCarthy
Publication date: September 25th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance


Synopsis
A girl in danger…
Aubrey Walsh never dreamed that she would find herself in an abusive relationship, but after her boyfriend hits her so hard he breaks her tooth, she flees the University of Maine to hide on a remote island with her best friend.  Only to discover that she is pregnant.  Terrified of what will happen if Jared finds out, she is walking along the rocks, deciding her future, when she slips.
A guy with a secret past…
After a job gone wrong, Riker has left the assassin business and is incognito as a ferryboat operator off the shores of Maine.  It’s a lonely life, and when he sees a young woman almost fall off the rocks, he doesn’t hesitate to save her and take her in, though he’s determined to stay unemotionally uninvolved.  But when the truth about her situation is revealed, he will do anything to protect Aubrey and her unborn child.
Even marry her. Even kill for her.
When Jared comes looking for the only girl who has ever rejected him, Riker won’t allow it.  And Aubrey is torn between protecting herself and her child, or protecting the mysterious husband she has come to love.
And when chance brings them together but fate tears them apart, can their love survive the storm?


AUTHOR BIO
USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.


Author links
Website / Twitter / Goodreads


7.30.2014

WoW [83]

Waiting on Wednesday [WoW] is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Crooked River by Valerie Geary
Expected Publication: October 14, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow

Synopsis...
He is not evil. I am not good.

We are the same: broken and put back together again.

Still grieving the sudden death of their mother, Sam and her younger sister Ollie McAlister move from the comforts of Eugene to rural Oregon to live in a meadow in a teepee under the stars with Bear, their beekeeper father. But soon after they arrive, a young woman is found dead floating in Crooked River, and the police arrest their eccentric father for the murder.

Fifteen-year-old Sam knows that Bear is not a killer, even though the evidence points to his guilt. Unwilling to accept that her father could have hurt anyone; Sam embarks on a desperate hunt to save him and keep her damaged family together.

I see things no one else does.

I see them there and wish I didn’t. I want to tell and can’t.

Ollie, too, knows that Bear is innocent. The Shimmering have told her so. One followed her home from her mom’s funeral and refuses to leave. Now, another is following Sam. Both spirits warn Ollie: the real killer is out there, closer and more dangerous than either girl can imagine.

Told in Sam and Ollie’s vibrant voices, Crooked River is a family story, a coming of age story, a ghost story, and a psychological mystery that will touch reader’s hearts and keep them gripped until the final thrilling page.

Why I Can’t Wait…
Hello! Tell me you didn’t just read that and NOT want to read it also?? I so need to get my hands on a copy ASAP. This book sounds amazing and dark, which I love. Definitely the perfect read for the fall.


Feel free to link me to yours.

7.29.2014

Mini Review: Boomerang by Noelle August

Boomerang [Boomerang #1] by Noelle August
Published: July 8, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Format: via Edelweiss
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen with its no-fuss, no-commitments matchups, and where work is steamier than any random hook-up

Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They’re sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret.

Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters.

What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they’re now competitors for only one job at the end of summer.

As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?

My Thoughts

Honestly I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to read this. I’m not really a fan of NA novels; first off I don’t like the name NA but whatever. No offense but when I think of NA I think overly sexted reads that are more steamy and about the physical and not about a real story or emotions. Boy was I wrong when it came to this one. I LOVED IT! I thought it was cute and funny. I read it was more of a rom com than NA. I think this is the perfect read when it comes to anyone who is feeling iffy when it comes to reading NA. This book held my focus and is the first in a new series, one I can’t wait to read what comes next. Mia and Ethan are definitely one of my new fave couples out there.

7.28.2014

So Far So Good...

Talk about time flying by! Can you believe the year is more than halfway over? I can’t believe it myself pretty soon it will be Christmas again. Anyways, I thought I would take this time to reflect on some the best books I’ve read so far this year. My Goodreads goal for this year was 60 and I’m actually almost there! Here are some of my fave books thus far…
        
          
         
       
        
    
Feel free to share your faves. I'm always up for a new read.

7.27.2014

Mini Reviews: Never Google Heartbreak and The Park Bench Test

Never Google Heartbreak by Emma Garcia
Published: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: E-Arc via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
Viv’s ex-fiancé, Rob, proposed to her three months after she slept with him - she thought it was one of those whirlwind romances you read about in magazines. Five years later, after Rob calling off the wedding for the third time, she has finally moved out.

As Viv passes through the three essential stages of grief (denial, vodka, disastrous haircut), she becomes determined that it's not too late to try and get Rob back. One drunken declaration of love at an extremely inappropriate moment later, and Viv's scruffy, tequila-swilling best friend Max is there to pick up the pieces.

Just when Viv’s starting to realize that maybe the real thing has been under her nose all along, she makes what might just be the biggest mistake of her life…

Can love sneak up on us unexpected? What’s the answer to heartbreak? And what’s a girl to do when even the Internet doesn’t have the answer?

My Thoughts
Who knew heartbreak could be the best thing to happen to you? It was sweet and nice and the very essence of what chick lit should be. For some reason that term is given a bad rap but I LOVE it. Sometime you want an escape from the norm and yeah maybe sometimes you want to believe that life can always have a happy ending and get wrapped up in a little bow. It this real? No not always but a girl can dream right? It’s good to read a book that just simply makes you happy and this is one is one of them. It’s cute, light, funny and sweet. So next time you want to escape from life’s craziness this one fits perfect. 


The Park Bench Test by Sarah Lefebve 
Published: September 12, 2013
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Format: via NetGalley
Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis
How do you know when you’ve found Mr. Right? Aspiring journalist Becky Harper loves her boyfriend Alex, but she doesn’t think he’s Mr. Right. Her best friend Emma doesn’t believe in Mr. Right – she’s just looking for a man who will stick around longer than her dad did. Katie has found her Mr. Right and is planning her September wedding with her two best friends.

My Thoughts

OMG this is the perfect ROMCOM! It’s all about finding Mr. Right and who hasn’t ever wondered at one time or another if we ever will? This is the cutest read I’ve read in a long time. It’s funny and sweet and definitely great for those who love chick lit. Sometimes we build up this ideal of who we want when in reality that rarely pans out. This is all about the ideal vs reality and if there is really a Mr. Right at all. Do we put too much pressure in the ideal and not enough into who we really click and fall for? This hands down is one read for everyone who loves being in love.

7.25.2014

Just like the Movies by Kelly Fiore

Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore
Published: July 22, 2014
Publisher: Walker BYR
Format: via Kaye Publicity
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
Pretty and popular track star Marijke Monti is confident about almost everything – she’s got great friends, a great family, and she’s on her way to the State Track Championship. In fact, the only thing Marijke isn’t confident about is her relationship with Tommy Lawson.

Lily Spencer has spent her entire high school career preparing for the future – she’s participated in every extracurricular activity and volunteer committee she could. But, at home, she watches her mother go on date after date with dud-dudes, still searching for “the one.” Lily realizes that she’s about to graduate and still hasn’t even had a boyfriend.

While they live on each other’s periphery at school, Lily and Marijke never seemed to have much in common; but, after a coincidental meeting at the movie theater, Lily gets an idea – why can’t life be like a movie? Why can’t they set up their perfect romantic situations, just in time for their senior prom, using movie techniques?

Once the girls come up with the perfect plans, they commit themselves to being secret cohorts and, just like in the movies, drama ensues.

My Thoughts
This is one of those feel good books plain and simple. If you’re looking for a quick fast paced read this one is for you. This one came at a good time for me, I needed something light and cute and this one definitely fitted the bill. Kelly Fiore writes the perfect YA read and I could identify with her characters.

I loved that this reads just like a chick flick. Sometimes that name gets a bad rap but I’m a sucker for a good one. Of course there is the aspect of romance here but what I loved most was the budding friendship between Lily and Marijke and while it might be stereotypical nerd/popular girl friendship I love how this one evolved. I like when you’re a teen you think people are so different for one another when in reality we all are more alike than we know. I really identify with Lily I was totally her in high school so I saw myself in her.

While this isn’t a novel that has high drama or life issues to deal with it does have heart. This read shows that dealing with everyday growing pains are just as hard as dealing with something so serious. Sometimes we all need a break from things and not everything has to be heavy and serious, and this book is for those times you just want to read a cute, fun and light read perfect for a summer day.

7.24.2014

Feature and Follow

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

Q: What is your favorite tv series that you can watch over and over again on Netflix?

My So Called Life...Jordan Catalano...YES!

Felicity...it's always been Ben

 Dawson’s Creek... I always rooted for Pacey!

What can I say I love my teen drama .


What’s your? Please share and feel free to add me however you like…GFC, Bloglovin, Twitter, and/or Goodreads. Be sure to link me up to yours so I can follow back.

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid



Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Add to Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:
Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.


Early Praise:
“Reminiscent of John Green’s Paper Towns and road trip novels that feature a teen paving the way to adulthood, Alsaid’s debut is a gem among contemporary YA novels.” – School Library Journal

“Five love stories, beautifully woven together by a special girl in search of adventure, hope, and full appreciation of life’s simple pleasures. A do-not-miss.  ” – Justine Magazine

“Moving and poignant.”  - Glitter Magazine

“An entertaining and romantic road-trip debut.” – Kirkus

"Leila's quest to find the Northern Lights takes readers on a captivating cross-country journey, where four strangers' adventures collide into one riveting tale of finding yourself." ―YABooksCentral.com

“This will likely be a popular summer hit, especially for older teen about to embark on their own journeys of self-discovery.” –Booklist

Pre-Order Today!


Top 5 Travel-Themed Reads/Books to Read on the Road

With Friends like These by Danny Wallace- A very funny man—the author of Yes Man—decides to revisit long lost friends across the globe. A touching and entertaining read about the things worth traveling for.

Timbuktu by Paul Auster- A canine protagonist will teach you more about loneliness and how to be okay with it than any other book I’ve read. A great companion to the inevitable lonesome lulls while traveling. Plus it’s nice and light, so easy to carry with you.

101 Summertime Knock-Knock Jokes- Just kidding.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams- To vicariously go where no man has before, and to find the answer to the universe.

Best American Travel Series- I usually go for the Best Shorts collections, but I picked up one of the travel collections once and it immediately made me want to hit the road. The pieces range from touching to insightful to just plain entertaining. With contributors like Anthony Bourdain and Gary Shteyngart, there’s something in it to please everyone, and plenty of ideas for not just where to go next, but how.

Tales from Nowhere edited by Don George- Another collection of short pieces, all sent from different nowheres. From the back copy: “Nowhere is a setting, a situation and a state of mind. It's not on any map, but you know it when you're there.” A great non-fiction companion to Let’s Get Lost.

Things to pack

5. Books

4. Notebook/pen

3. My “I wish I could fly” penguin t-shirt for airplane days.

2. If it’s a road trip, snacks.

1.  Not much else. I prefer to keep it light.

About the Author
Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer. He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. Let's Get Lost is his YA debut.



Author Links:


GIVEAWAY: Click here to enter
1 signed hard cover copy of Let’s Get Lost
1 Let’s Get Lost luggage tag
1 Harlequin TEEN notebook
1 Let’s Get Lost sachel
1 Harlequin TEEN tote bag

7.23.2014

WoW [82]

Waiting on Wednesday [WoW] is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Life is Sweet by Elizabeth Bass
Expected Publication: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Kensington

Synopsis...
Becca Hudson has come a long way since she was a tween starring in the sitcom Me Minus You, but as far as she’s concerned, she finally has her act together. She’s relocated to Leesburg, Virginia, owns a successful bakery, and has a great set of friends—even a friendly ex-husband. She ignores “Whatever Happened To?” speculation and the occasional overly obsessed fan, and flatly turns down a lucrative offer to appear on a reality show called Celebrities in Peril: Child Star Edition. She has an uncomfortable relationship with her Hollywood past, preferring to think of herself as more than a 1990s trivia question. Then one day a mysterious man appears and stirs up her past—all of it—in ways she never imagined.

Why I Can’t Wait…
Sounds like a cute good read and I love anything to do with the South.


Feel free to link me to yours.

7.22.2014

Review: On the Rocks by Erin Duffy

On the Rocks by Erin Duffy
Published: April 22, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: via Edelweiss
Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
Six months ago, Abby's life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—on Facebook—while she was trying on dresses for the big day.

When the usual remedies—pints of Ben & Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.

But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media—when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online—there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?

My Thoughts
On the Rocks is great in showing what happens when one focuses on getting married and not the relationship itself. Abby was in the middle of planning her dream wedding with it comes to her attention that her fiancé broke up with her via Facebook. Needless to say she is devastated and gives up on everything. She lets herself go and is in a slump like never before.

Her best friend Grace who is dealing with issues of her own, like falling in love with a married man decides to take their sorrows to the beach for a summer vacation. They are joined there by Grace’s friend Bobby who I must say is so funny. He definitely brought the laughs to the table. Slowly but surely Abby decides to take her life back, no more feeling bad for herself however just when this happens her ex decides to make connect again. He texts her and claims he misses her and just when Abby falls back under his spell she doesn’t hear from him for days. UGH! I hate to say it but I’ve done this also. I’m a sucker for giving second chances but sometimes certain people don’t deserve this. I totally felt for Abby because I know we all make some mistakes when it comes to love. It’s hard to let go even when we’ve been wronged and hurt.

I loved just everything in this book. I loved the whole Abby getting on with her life aspect. She’s become a stronger person than she ever thought she was. She’s learned what she wants out of life and what she doesn’t. However what I enjoyed most of all was the humor. I loved that I laughed out loud; it was such a fresh and refreshing thing. The banter between Abby and Bobby is the best! He is one of best characters I read in a long time. I loved his views on relationships and how he operates in the dating world. If you want a funny and light summer read pick this one up you won’t regret it.