Cora Carmack's Special Announcement

   

From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack, comes the highly anticipated fourth standalone title in her Rusk University Series, ALL CLOSED OFF! A passionate story and journey, get ready to be mesmerized with Stella’s story! ALL CLOSED OFF is coming your way May 1, 2017!

 

Stella Santos is fine.

Maybe something terrible happened to her that she can’t even remember. And maybe it drives her crazy when her friends treat her like she’s on the verge of breaking because of it. Maybe it feels even worse when they do what she asks and pretend that it never happened at all. And maybe she’s been getting harassing emails and messages for months from people who don’t even know her, but hate her all the same.

But none of that matters because she’s just fine.

For Ryan Blake, Stella was always that girl. Vibrant and hilarious and beautiful. He wanted her as his best friend. His more than friends. His everything and anything that she would give him. Which these days is a whole lot of nothing. She gets angry when he’s there. Angry when he’s not there. Angry when he tries to talk and when he doesn’t.

When Stella devises an unconventional art project for one of her classes all about exploring intimacy—between both friends and strangers—Ryan finds himself stepping in as guinea pig after one of her subjects bails. What was supposed to be an objective and artistic look at emotion and secrets and sex suddenly becomes much more personal. When he hits it off with another girl from the project, Stella will have to decide if she’s willing to do more than make art about intimacy. To keep him, she’ll have to open up and let herself be the one thing she swore she’d never be again.

Vulnerable.

   

ADD IT TO GOODREADS!

DON'T MISS ALL OF CORA'S STANDALONE RUSK UNIVERSITY SERIES TITLES!

ALL LINED UP

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

ALL BROKE DOWN

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

ALL PLAYED OUT

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

About Cora Carmack

Cora Carmack is a twentysomething New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twentysomething characters. Raised in a small Texas town, she now lives in New York City and spends her time writing, traveling, and marathoning various TV shows on Netflix. She lives by one rule: embrace whatever the world throws at you and run with it (just not with scissors).    

      

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Cora Carmack Goodreads

 

All Played Out Bucket List Tour - 5 Things to Do Before Graduating College

Today I have the pleasure of being part of a very special tour for Cora Carmack's amazing All Played Out (to find out more of what I thought about the book, check out my review). If you've read the book, you know that lists, bucket lists in particular, play an important part in the story. After all, if Nell hadn't decided to make a list of normal college things to experience, she probably wouldn't have met Torres and there wouldn't be a story. And so in honor of Nell's list, myself and other members of Cora's Street Team are sharing our own lists.

And keeping with All Played Out, here are five things (I think) you should do before graduating college.

1. Go to a big sports game. Especially if your school is known for a particular sport.

The school I went to has the best college basketball team in Canada, having won the national championship 11 times in the last 13 years. So they're a pretty big deal as far as college sports go in Canada. But in four years of attending the school, I didn't go to a single one of their games. And honestly, it's one of my biggest regrets. I don't know why I never went to a game. It always looked like everyone who went to games had a fantastic time and school spirit was definitely high. Nothing's stopping me from going to a game. I still live in the same town I went to school. But it wouldn't be the same. So if your school is a BIG DEAL in a sport, then do better than I did and GO TO A GAME.

2. Join a club/committee/group/etc. Get involved, basically.

As obvious, or even cliché, as it might sound, the best way to meet new people is to get involved in SOMETHING. Sure, you can meet people in your classes, but it's not the same as meeting people through a club/committee/group that focuses on a common interest. I didn't really get involved in much of anything in my first two years of school. But my third year, through my job (I was statistics tutor, in case any of you were curious. And yes I know that makes me sound like a total nerd but I've learned to embrace it) I met some of the best people. After two years of doing nothing beyond just going to class, I finally found people who were like me and finally started coming out of my shell some more. And those people ended up being the people I hung out with the most in school. It gave me a place to go when I had downtime on campus between classes. And parties with all those people are some of my best memories (let's just say we were the study hard, party harder type).

3. Attend a big social event/party.

I feel like this one is kind of vague, but also not. I went to my fair share of parties while I was in college (see parts of #2) but those parties were always with people I knew either through work or because they were at a friend's house. What I'm talking about here is large scale social events: think homecoming parties, tailgating, frat/sorority parties or pub crawls. Those I never actually went to. The closest I came was going to my school's annual Charity Ball in my sophomore year. And it was a lot of fun. Looking back, it makes me wish I had gone to more of those types of events. You meet people you wouldn't otherwise come across and since alcohol is typically involved, everyone is always more friendly than they would be in other circumstances (I'm a friendly person when I'm sober, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who becomes VERY friendly when she drinks). 

4. Try one thing that's outside your comfort zone.

This could literally be ANYTHING. But looking back on my four years in school, I can't really say that I did anything that was outside my comfort zone. It's not that I didn't go out or was particularly sheltered. I just didn't really push myself. Looking back now, I can't necessarily point to one thing that's outside my comfort zone that I wish I had done. But at the same time, I feel like there are some things I missed out on, some things I should have said "yes" to instead of passing. So do better than I did and do something that's outside your comfort zone at least once. You never know what might come of it.

5. Take part in school tradition.

So the town I live in has two pretty big universities. As you might guess, there is some serious rivalry between the two. To the point that we have a not so friendly and politically correct song about our rival school. When you sign up for Frosh Week your freshman year, the first thing you learn is that song. And then you spend the rest of that week singing that song. Loudly. I haven't sung the song since my own freshman year and I can still remember it all (not that is was particularly complicated, but still). So that was sort of our tradition at my school. And though I didn't really have anything against our rival school (a lot of my friends currently go to that school, for that matter) it was just great to have this thing bringing us all together when we were all new at the school. So if your school has a tradition, take part in it. It might seem silly at the time, but it's probably also something that will stick with you.

So those are five things I think you should do before graduating from college. These are based on my own experiences (though I did have to ask for suggestions from friends who are actually still in college) so they might not apply to everyone. Do you have anything you would add to this list? If so let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear what you would add to the list!

About All Played Out
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.

Straight A’s? CHECK.

On track to graduate early? CHECK.

Social life? …yeah, about that…

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay…Scratch that. She knows she hasn’t had the full college experience.)

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a “to do” list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it’s impossible to get hurt…again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learn about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she’s never known. But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he’s willing to take the chance when it’s more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

About Cora Carmack

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She now splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City and spends her days writing, traveling, and spending way too much time on the internet. In her books, you can expect to find humor, heart, and a whole lot of awkward. Because let’s face it . . . awkward people need love, too.

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook **Newsletter **Author Goodreads

All Played Out by Cora Carmack

Title: All Played Out (Rusk University #3)

Author: Cora Carmack

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: May 12, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.

Straight A’s? CHECK.

On track to graduate early? CHECK.

Social life? …yeah, about that…

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay…Scratch that. She knows she hasn’t had the full college experience.)

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a “to do” list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it’s impossible to get hurt…again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learn about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she’s never known. But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he’s willing to take the chance when it’s more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

I wish this review could just be me telling you all to go and read Cora Carmack’s Rusk University series because it is seriously amazing and I can’t say that enough. But I’ll try to give you a little more than that and be somewhat eloquent. But trust me when I say that all I really want to do is yell “GO READ ALL PLAYED OUT” really loudly and leave it at that.

Nell DeLuca has always been focused on achieving her goals. Until now, though, those goals have all been straight forward: go to college, get good grades and graduate early. Nell knows exactly what she haas to do to achieve those goals, but she can’t help but feel like she might be missing out on other things in the process. So Nell does what she does best: she creates a list of things to do before she graduates, hoping to cram in all the typical college experiences she can in the few weeks she has left. And Nell finds just the person to help her with her list. Mateo Torres knows all about typical college experiences. As the star wide receiver of the Rusk football team, he’s done his fair share of partying and hooking up with girls. But Torres can’t help but be intrigued by shy and quiet Nell and he quickly becomes determined to help her with her list. Nell and Torres bring out different sides of each other when they spend time together. Before long, the two of them have to start asking whether completing this list is just a game or if it’s become something more.

GUYS. How do I even begin to explain my love for All Played Out and Cora Carmack. I feel like I say this every time I review one of her books, but it’s true. And anytime I read one of her books, I find a new favourite. With All Played Out that couldn’t be any more true. I loved this book so freaking much. I was lucky enough to get picked for Cora’s street team and got to read the book pretty early and I haven’t been able to shut up about it since. Like for real. Pretty sure some of my friends are sick and tired of hearing me talk about this book but I won’t stop. I can’t. Because All Played Out was simply awesome and amazing. I completely love the world Cora has created with her Rusk University books and I would be more than happy to read books in that world until the end of times. And I’m barely exaggerating when I say that. The story in All Played Out is a continuation of the two previous books, All Lined Up and All Broke Down, but it’s also very much Nell and Torres’s story. And I loved their story. I loved seeing them work together to complete all the items on Nell’s list. And their romance was everything I had hoped it would be. I loved this relationship so freaking much and I just adored Nell and Torres.

I’ve said before that I can relate to certain characters or that I’ve been able to see myself in some characters, but that has never been as true as it was with Nell. While reading All Played Out, I just couldn’t help but see how much like Nell I was when I was in college, and how much like her I still am today. Looking back on my time in college, it wasn’t until partway through my junior year that I finally started coming out of my shell and doing more than just study and focus on all things school. Even today, I would much rather stay home on Friday night to read or watch a movie than go out. Sometimes I almost have to force myself to be social (though, I will say that it is significantly more work to have a social life once you’re no longer in college, but that’s a discussion for another day). And that’s just who Nell was. It wasn’t until Dylan mentioned that she didn’t do much outside of study that she realized that her college experience might not have been as complete as she thought. So all that to say that I loved seeing Nell work to get out of her comfort zone, and do things that she wouldn’t normally do on her own. It made for such a fun story, especially when she had Torres along to help her. And holy Torres. I have officially found my favourite Cora Carmack boy. Torres is pretty much everything I would want in a boyfriend. Seriously, Cora pretty much wrote my dream guy. And I love him so freaking much. I don’t even really know what to say to even begin to explain why I loved him so much. Torres was always a favourite of mine in the previous books but now that I’ve gotten to know him better, well he’s even better than I thought. He’s more than just the cocky party guy you see in the other books. He’s also one of the sweetest, most caring guys ever and when I saw that I just fell for him even harder. I could go on and on about how much I love Torres, but I’ll let you go read All Played Out and see for yourself how fantastic he is, instead.

In cased it wasn’t obvious yet thanks to all the rambling I just did, I absolutely ADORED All Played Out. If you haven’t yet read any of Cora Carmack’s Rusk University series you seriously need to GET ON THAT. Seriously, you have no idea what you are missing. For my part, I’ll just be sitting here waiting (im)patiently for Stella and Ryan’s book. Also known as All Closed Off, the next book in the series.

Cora Carmack - Rusk University Announcement

HERE’S THE SCOOP!

Fans of Cora Carmack’s Rusk University, we have a SUPER exciting announcement: 

ALL CLOSED OFF, Book 4 in the Rusk University Series, is coming!!!

 

Check out this message from Cora!

*WARNING: This letter contains spoilers for All Broke Down. If you haven't yet read that book, read at your own peril. SECOND WARNING: this letter talks about fictional characters as if they are real people. Sorry I'm not sorry. THIRD WARNING: The letter below broaches a serious topic that could be a trigger for some people*

Hello beloved readers!

The first person who read one of my Rusk University books was my older sister. I gave her All Lined Up when I finished, and her first question was "Are Ryan and Stella going to be together?"

At the time, I told her no. I had plans for both of them that included their own storylines. I thought they were too much alike. They'd make great friends. They might even hook-up, but in the end... I couldn't envision anything serious for them. So I actually rewrote some of their scenes trying to make that aspect of their connection more obvious. And still, when All Lined Up released, amidst the chatter about sweet Carson and sassy Dallas, I had people asking if Stella and Ryan were next. I denied it again (and again and again).

But sometimes in writing, the stars align and a character will become bigger and more real than you could have possibly imagined. It's a wonderful experience, but in Stella's case it was also incredibly heartbreaking. While I was writing All Broke Down, the news was inundated with information about the Steubenville rape trial and other tragedies and injustices like it. Tragedies where women have been violated first by an attacker, then by judgmental and hateful people, and finally by a justice system that repeatedly fails survivors of sexual assault. Having grown up in Texas, where too often football stars are treated like gods and can get away with just about anything, it hit particularly close to home. And since All Broke Down featured a passionate activist heroine, I felt compelled to reference this chronic dark underbelly of elite sports.

I can remember vividly sitting on my couch, brainstorming how I would incorporate such an event into the book. I had thought the assault would happen to an unknown character, and maybe I would focus on the way it divided the team and the school and the town. But like I said... Sometimes a character will become bigger and more human than I anticipated. And it sounds crazy, but in my mind, I felt Stella push her way forward and say, "Mine. This is my story." I immediately began to cry. Sob, really. Because I loved her as a character. She was hilarious and strong and didn't take crap from anyone. She was everything I always hope to be. And I didn't want her to go through that. Even as I cried, my brain began to tell me that it made sense. Stella was vibrant and enjoyed a wild party. She was not afraid of her sexuality, and she had no problem with casual sex. She was the kind of girl that probably had a reputation. The kind of girl who could be heinously and violently taken advantage of, and people would STILL blame her. Because she was in the wrong place, wearing the wrong clothes, behaving in the wrong way. But just because it COULD happen to her, didn't mean I wanted it to. But once again, Stella was there in my head saying, "Someone needs to tell this story. And I'm strong enough to do it. Let me." And when Stella chose her story, she also chose the man I'd been adamant wasn't right for her. Because as it turns out... Those two characters who I thought were too alike aren't so alike anymore. And Stella needs Ryan to help her hold on to that vibrant and strong girl she was before.

So I let go of all the plans I had for her, and allowed her to tell me her story, which is about more than just sexual assault. It's about the aftermath. Depression. Shame. Guilt. Anger. Injustice. Victim-blaming. Slut-shaming. It's about the way that kind of event can change everything-- how you relate to people, how you think, how you dream, how you love. It's about the way the rest of the world moves on to the next big tragedy, and you're still left holding the broken pieces of who you used to be, with no idea how to put them together again or even if you want to. It will be the most difficult story I ever tell. And the most important. Because it’s a story that belongs not just to Stella, but to millions of people around the world. It’s a story that belongs to a new person every 107 seconds*. And that’s just in the United States. Think about that for a moment. 107 seconds. Stella’s story won’t be any easier to read than it will be to write. But I hope you’ll help me drag this story into the light. 

So now I’ll step off my soapbox and just tell you about the book…

ALL CLOSED OFF 

Stella Santos is fine.

Maybe something terrible happened to her that she can’t even remember. And maybe it drives her crazy when her friends treat her like she’s on the verge of breaking because of it. Maybe it feels even worse when they do what she asks and pretend that it never happened at all. And maybe she’s been getting harassing emails and messages for months from people who don’t even know her, but hate her all the same.

But none of that matters because she’s just fine.

For Ryan Blake, Stella was always that girl. Vibrant and hilarious and beautiful. He wanted her as his best friend. His more than friends. His everything and anything that she would give him. Which these days is a whole lot of nothing. She gets angry when he’s there. Angry when he’s not there. Angry when he tries to talk and when he doesn’t.

When Stella devises an unconventional art project for one of her classes all about exploring intimacy—between both friends and strangers—Ryan finds himself stepping in as guinea pig after one of her subjects bails. What was supposed to be an objective and artistic look at emotion and secrets and sex suddenly becomes much more personal. When he hits it off with another girl from the project, Stella will have to decide if she’s willing to do more than make art about intimacy. To keep him, she’ll have to open up and let herself be the one thing she swore she’d never be again.

Vulnerable.

*****

ALL CLOSED OFF will be releasing sometime in early 2016. I don't have a date yet for several reasons. The first and most important, is that I want to do this story justice. And as such, I have no intentions of rushing the process. Secondly, I'll be returning to indie publishing for the remainder of the Rusk series. As you can probably tell, this story means a great deal to me. And by having the ultimate control over everything from timing to editing to price, I'll be able to ensure that I'm able to create exactly the story I envision. Unfortunately, that means you won't be seeing the paperback of ALL CLOSED OFF on the shelves in most stores. Nor is it currently available for pre-order. But I hope you'll add the book on goodreads, follow me on social media, and/or join my newsletter. I promise to shout it all over the place when I have a set release date or pre-order links.

Thank you for listening as I told you the evolution of Stella's story. When it's finished, I hope you will feel as passionately about it as I do.

All my best,

Cora Carmack  

*Statistic from RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network)

And an opportunity to add your voice to Stella’s…

Stella’s experience is only one story of many. She was with someone she trusted when it happened, and the only memories she has are pieced together from her own blurred recollections and the things people have told her. Not everyone’s experience with sexual assault is the same. Each person reacts, copes, and overcomes differently. And while this book is about one specific character’s journey, I would like to tell as many sides of this story as possible. As Stella grapples with her thoughts and emotions she’ll be searching for advice, for comfort, for a place where people understand her and can identify with what she’s experiencing. There will be room for truth within the fiction, and if you’d like that truth to be yours, this is your chance.

If you have a story like Stella’s, and you want your voice to be heard….

If there’s something you wish more people understood about what you’ve gone through….

If there’s something you’d like to tell people struggling with a story like yours…

I’d like to give you the opportunity to add your voice to Stella’s. Use the hashtag #WhenItHappened and let your voice be heard on your own by posting on your own social media, or if you’d rather I share your words fill out this google document and tell me your story. You can fill out this form anonymously or not. I’d like to begin this discussion now because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. But my hope is to include as many stories as possible within the book itself.

So many have stories of #WhenItHappened. Your voice and your story deserve to be heard. I’m listening.

#WhenItHappened Google Form: http://goo.gl/forms/4VRjWgZYSW

ABOUT Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She now splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City and spends her days writing, traveling, and spending way too much time on the internet. In her books, you can expect to find humor, heart, and a whole lot of awkward. Because let’s face it . . . awkward people need love, too.

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook **Newsletter **Author Goodreads

COVER REVEAL - All Played Out by Cora Carmack

Holy smokes are we excited to bring you the cover for Cora Carmack's ALL PLAYED OUT! ALL PLAYED OUT is a New Adult Contemporary Romance and is the 3rd book in the Rusk University Series, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. It is due to be released on May 12, 2015!! If you haven't had a chance to read this sexy, fun series yet, be sure to grab ALL LINED UP and ALL BROKE DOWN!  

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes
Add ALL PLAYED OUT on Goodreads!

About ALL PLAYED OUT

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.

Straight A’s? CHECK.

On track to graduate early? CHECK.

Social life? …Yeah, about that…

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay…Scratch that. She knows she hasn’t had the full college experience).

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a “to do” list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide received Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the flied, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it’s impossible to get hurt…again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she’s never known. But as the begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he’s willing to take the chance when it’s more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment of a chance at something real.

And don’t miss the first two books in the Rusk University Series…

ALL LINE UP, Book 1

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes

ALL BROKE DOWN, Book 2

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

      

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Author Goodreads

Blog Tour - All Broke Down by Cora Carmack + Giveaway

Title: All Broke Down (Rusk University #2)

Author: Cora Carmack

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: October 28, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo / B&N

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack’s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can’t only fight for what you believe in…sometimes you have to fight what you love.

“No one does romance and humor like Cora Carmack!” —Jennifer L. Armentrout

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians—you name it, she’s probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He’s in for a different kind of fighting. And though he’s arrogant and infuriating, she can’t help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it’s trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He’s met girls like her before—fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn’t think he’s broken, and he definitely doesn’t need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about, his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

I fell completely in love with Cora Carmack's Rusk University series when I read the first book, All Lined Up, earlier this year. Knowing how much I loved the book, I wasn't sure how the next installment, All Broke Down, could possibly top it, but it did. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be.

If there's one thing Dylan knows how to do it's fight for lost causes. It's what she's spent the last few years of her life doing, hoping that she can do what was once done for her. But when she finds herself in jail, Dylan knows she may have taken things too far. Except, if she hadn't wound up in jail, she wouldn't have met Silas Moore. Silas should have known better than to start going at it with Levi. Even as he was fighting, he knew it was a bad idea. But Levi hit all his buttons. In jail, Silas meets Dylan and knows exactly the type of girl she is. Except as he starts spending time with her, Silas realizes that Dylan is not who he initially thought, instead Dylan might just be the girl he needs if he wants to stay on the football team.

How can I even begin to explain how much I loved All Broke Down? This is one of those times when I wish I could just tell you that the book was awesome and you all need to read it, and that would be that. But I'll make an effort and try to say a little more than that. In a way, I was a little afraid that All Broke Down would be just like All Lined Up, except with different main characters. I'm happy to report, though, that I couldn't have been more wrong. All Broke Down was definitely its own story and I loved reading every page of it. It didn't take long at all for things to get started. I mean, within the first few pages Dylan has managed to find herself in jail and Silas is throwing punches at Levi. And so it didn't take long at all before Dylan and Silas met things started getting interesting. And from that point on, things just became fun. I enjoyed seeing this story develop, even if at times there were parts that were difficult to read and broke my heart a little. On a more serious note, and without revealing too much about the last part of the book, I really appreciated the way in which Cora Carmack chose to approach a matter that has gotten a lot of attention recently. It was good to see that people can't just get away with doing things because of their status at a university. Hopefully, it can help some people who have gone through something like this that there is something that can be done for them. And that's the end of that serious note. The important thing is, I absolutely LOVED All Broke Down, even more than I did the first book. And that's in large part thanks to Silas and Dylan.

Holy Silas Moore. Where do I even start with him? I had gotten a few glimpses of Silas in All Lined Up and what I had seen hadn't exactly painted a very positive picture. What I saw in All Broke Down, though, is that Silas was very much a layered character. There was so much more to him than that tough exterior he put on for the world to see. I loved peeling back the layers of Silas's character and seeing who he really was at his core. Because that was someone worth knowing and worth caring for. much like Dylan, it didn't take long at all for me to fall for Silas's charm. And Dylan was just a very likeable and relatable character. Because of her background, Dylan has major people-pleaser tendencies and that was something I could definitely relate to. But more than that, Dylan was such a great contrast to Silas. They balanced each other out and brought out the best in each other. And you better believe that I was rooting for them. They were great together and that's all that really mattered to me. And I loved seeing Dallas, Carson and Stella again (and I'm still holding out hope for a Stella and Ryan story, which, considering some of the events of this book, could be really interesting).

As you might have guessed if you've gotten this far, there was nothing I didn't love about Cora Carmack's All Broke Down. If I'm being honest, I would keep reading Rusk University books forever and I would be happy. And it should go without saying that I can't wait to see the story in All Played Out. Knowing who it's about, I just know I'm going to love it!

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Cover Reveal - All Broke Down by Cora Carmack

We are so excited to get to share the cover for Cora Carmack's ALL BROKE DOWN today! A New Adult Contemporary Romance, and published by William Morrow-an imprint of HarperCollins, this is the second book in her Rusk University Series, and it is set to be released on October 28, 2014! But you can pre-order it NOW! Check out what it's about and then fall in love with this gorgeous cover!

ABOUT ALL BROKE DOWN:

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack’s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can’t only fight for what you believe in . . . sometimes you have to fight for what you love

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians—you name it, she’s probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He’s in for a different kind of fighting. And though he’s arrogant and infuriating, she can’t help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it’s trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He’s met girls like her before—fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn’t think he’s broken, and he definitely doesn’t need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about, his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

On Sale October 28, 2014

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And don’t forget to grab your copy of ALL LINED UP Today!

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About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook**Author Goodreads ** ALL BROKE DOWN Goodreads

Blog Tour - All Lined Up by Cora Carmack + Giveaway

Title: All Lined Up (Rusk University #1)

Author: Cora Carmack

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: May 13, 2014

Source: From Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows of her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking IT, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.

In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has been ruled by both. 

Dallas Cole loathes football. That’s what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn’t always go as planned. As if going to the college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball…as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally into his life, his focus is more than tested. It’s obliterated. 

Dallas doesn’t know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn’t know that Dallas is his new coach’s daughter. 

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel. 

Every so often, I get so excited about a book I become afraid that it won’t possibly live up to how much I’ve built it up in my mind. And then I read the book and all my expectations are met, to a point where the book becomes addicting and I find myself still reading at 2:30 AM. Most recently, that book for me was Cora Carmack’s All Lined Up.

Dallas Cole has spent her whole life coming in second to football. Being the daughter of a high school football coach in Texas will do that to a girl. Now heading to college, Dallas hopes to finally be able to be something other than the football coach’s daughter. But those plans quickly evaporate. Not only will Dallas be going to the same college as her ex, but her dad is now the new head football coach at Rusk University. Things might be looking up, though, when Dallas meets Carson McClain at a party. There’s only one catch, Carson is on the football team, and Dallas doesn’t know it. Carson should be focusing all his efforts on keeping his grades up and working out if he wants to make first-string quarterback. But since meeting Dallas, he can’t seem to focus on anything but figuring out how to see her again. To make things better, she’s also his new coach’s daughter. Dallas and Carson should stay away from each other, but they can only fight their feelings for so long.

So. About All Lined Up. This would be so much easier if my review could just be “I loved it, and you should read it so that you can love it, too.” Because, honestly, I LOVED All Lined Up. I remember when I first started hearing about the book, it was being compared to Friday Night Lights, just in college instead of high school. The comparison instantly sold me on the book (side note: if you haven’t watched Friday Night Lights yet, get on that pronto). At the same time, though, that comparison scared me a little: how could a book possibly live up when it’s being compared to one of my favourite TV shows ever? I shouldn’t have worried too much though, because I wasn’t in the least bit disappointed by Cora Carmack and All Lined Up. Right from the start I got sucked in to the story, using every spare minute I had to read. Because it was told from a dual perspectives, I just kept turning the pages, wanting to see what would happen and what I would see from whose point of view. In all honesty, this story is just addicting. It was one of those books that caused me to stay up reading way past when I should have been (a decision I really regretted the next morning). But it was worth it. I loved every page of what I read, and I fell completely in love with Dallas and Carson.

Right from page one, I was in love with Dallas. I loved her snark and her tendency towards being over dramatic. And considering what I knew of her background and childhood, I could understand why she was the way she was, but I loved her. And because I loved her, I wanted her to find someone who would finally not put her second to football. And honestly, I had my doubts that Carson would be that person, at first. But again, I didn’t really have anything to worry about because once I got to know Carson better I knew that he would never even think to do that. And just like Dallas it didn’t take long at all for me to fall for Carson. He was just such a good guy. And I really don’t know what else to say about Carson other than how awesome and great and fantastic he was (I know, I’m babbling). And then put Dallas and Carson together, and I was one very happy reader. On a different note, can we please get a story about Stella and Ryan, because that would also be pretty awesome. I can just picture the laughs that would come from it.

In case it wasn’t absolutely obvious, I LOVED Cora Carmack’s All Lined Up. It was exactly what I had hoped it would be and I couldn’t be happier. I can’t wait to read more Rusk University books because I just know I will love them. And now I’m going to go re-watch some Friday Night Lights.

Giveaway!

Want to read Cora Carmack's All Lined Up (trust me, you do)? Then fill out the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win 1 of 5 signed copies of All Lined Up. Giveaway is open to US only. Good luck!

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