Blog Tour - Come Back to Me by Mila Gray + Giveaway

Title: Come Back to Me

Author: Mila Gray

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: December 8, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

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

In this heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, a young Marine and his best friend’s sister plunge into a forbidden love affair while he’s home on leave.

When a Marine Chaplain knocks on her door, Jessa’s heart breaks—someone she loves is dead. Killed in action, but is it Riley or Kit? Her brother or her boyfriend…

Three months earlier, Marine Kit Ryan finds himself back home on leave an dangerously drawn to his best friend Riley’s sister, Jessa—the one girl he can’t have. Exhausted from fighting his feelings, Kit finally gives in, and Jessa isn’t strong enough to resist diving headfirst into a passionate relationship.

But what was just supposed to be a summer romance develops into something far greater than either of them expected. Jessa’s finally found the man of her dreams and Kit’s finally discovered there’s someone he’d sacrifice everything for.

When it’s time for Kit to redeploy, neither one is ready to say goodbye. Jessa vows to wait for him and Kit promises to come home to her. No matter what.

But as Jessa stands waiting for the Marine Chaplain to break her heart, she can’t help but feel that Kit has broken his promise…

Riley or Kit? Kit or Riley? Her brother or her boyfriend? Who’s coming home to her?

There is nothing I love more than being taken by surprise by books. Being as plugged in to the book world as I am, it means that this happens less ad less. Though it had been on my radar on and off for some time, Mila Gray’s Come Back to Me still managed to completely surprise me.

Jessa has had a crush on Kit, her brother Riley’s best friend, for longer than she cares to admit. She just never thought that Kit might feel the same way about her. When he and Riley are home on leave from the Marines, Kit finds that he can no longer keep fighting his feelings for Jessa. Both of them know that getting involved with each other is a bad idea, but neither Jessa nor Kit is strong enough to resist. Though they didn’t plan on it, their relationship quickly becomes more than the fling they expected it to be. When Kit has to ship out once again, the last thing they want is to say goodbye. But Kit promises to come home and Jessa will be there waiting for him. When a Marine Chaplain shows up at her door three months later, Jessa’s heart breaks. Will she get the news that her boyfriend or her brother isn’t going to be coming home?

Mila Gray’s Come Back to Me had been on my radar on and off for quite some time before I actually read it. I sort of had a general idea of what it was about, but didn’t really know much beyond the vague understanding I had. But when I started reading, I knew right away that this was absolutely going to be my kind of story, filled with romance and heartbreak. It took no time at all for me to get completely sucked in and the way the story was told made it so I didn’t want to stop. Right from the start, I knew that someone had died. But I didn’t know who. so the whole time, there was this big thing looming over the story. And it only made me want to read more because I wanted to know who had died. Riley or Kit? Jessa’s brother or Jessa’s boyfriend? And knowing that one of them was dead, just made reading the story that much more emotional. I didn’t want either one of them to die, but I knew one of them wouldn’t make it to the end of the story. So really, it should go without saying that tears were definitely shed while I was reading. I mean, how could I possibly not cry? Because by the end, I cared so much about everyone in this story. For me, it was impossible not to.

I fell hard for Jessa and Kit. I loved who they were as individuals and I loved who they were together. I loved how Jessa came out of her shell around Kit, how she wasn’t afraid to be who she really was. She didn’t have to worry about pretending to be someone she wasn’t, she didn’t have to tone down who she was out of fear. And Kit? I was pretty much charmed by him from the moment he entered the story and I fell pretty hard for him not that long after that. On the outside, he just looked like this tough Marine. But really, he was the sweetest, most romantic guy there is. Every time he didn’t something sweet or romantic for Jessa, my heart just melted a little. It could’t be helped.  And they were just so freaking adorable and perfect together. Seeing everything they went through, my heart broke a little (okay, a lot) and I couldn’t even think about what would happen if he was the one who didn’t make it back home. And though I may not have seen much of him, I also couldn’t bear the thought of Riley, Jessa’s older brother and Kit’s best friend. Just because I knew that either Kit or Riley wouldn’t make it out alive, didn’t mean I didn’t hope against hope that they were both going to live. And I won’t say who makes it and who doesn’t, but I will say that it was heartbreaking.

Mila Gray’s Come Back to Me took me completely by surprise and I found myself loving this story. It was touching, it was romantic, it was adorable and it was heartbreaking. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

About the Author

Mila Gray is the pen name for Sarah Alderson, author of Hunting Lila, The Sound, Fated and Out of Control.

Originally from London, she has lived in Bali for the last four years with her husband and daughter. 

As well as writing young adult fiction under the name Sarah Alderson and adult fiction under the name Mila Gray, she also writes screenplays. 

Find Mila Gray online:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

Giveaway!

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Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

Title: Until Friday Night (The Field Party #1)

Author: Abbi Glines

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two year ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father, son the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go…

This is where I admit that I have never read a book by Abbi Glines. At least that was true until last week when I read Until Friday Night. And though there were parts of the book that weren’t my favourite, I still found myself really enjoying this story while reading it.

Everyone in Lawton, Alabama knows West Ashby as one of the stars of the high school football team. And that comes with certain expectations that West is more than happy to live up to. But at home, things are different. At home, West is trying to just keep it together while he slowly watches his father die of cancer. Just when he things he can’t hold it all in anymore, Maggie Carleton comes to town and West sees her as the perfect person to talk to. It’s not like the girl who doesn’t talk could tell his secrets to anyone. Maggie has been through her fare share of trauma and grief and she hasn’t spoken since she told the police everything that happened on the night her father killed her mother. But spending time with West, Maggie finds herself wanting to talk again, wanting to him because no one was there to help her at the time. And before either one of them knows what’s happening, a connection they both need and rely on forms between them. 

If you want a foolproof way to get me to read a book, compare it to Friday Night Lights. Or say that it’s for fans of Friday Night Lights. Basically, just mention Friday Night Lights in some way, shape or form in relation to the book and it’s pretty much guaranteed that I’ll want to read it. So I’m sure you can all guess what happened when I heard Abbi Glines’s  Until Friday Night being compared to Friday Night Lights. If you guessed that I suddenly desperately wanted to read it, you guessed right. I was excited about Until Friday Night, I couldn’t wait to read. But then I started seeing reviews and I got a little nervous. People seemed to either love the book or completely hate it. Based on that, I got a little worried I would fall on the hate side of things and then I would be disappointed because I had been so excited about the book. But as scared as I was, I started reading and quickly found myself enjoying the story. And that kept up throughout the whole book. Sure, there were some things that I wasn’t completely okay with, but that’s true for a lot of what I read. And some of those things along the way that I was really not  okay with, and many of those were addressed which made me happy. Until Friday Night might not have become quite the favourite I had hoped it would be, but it was till a story I found myself really enjoying while reading and got me curious enough to see where Abbi Glines will take the series next.

Despite having some issues with him along the way, I liked West pretty much right from the start. Granted, I would sometimes get frustrated with the front he would put up around people, I really liked his more vulnerable side, the side of him that saw his father as his hero and would do anything for his mother. That side of West I was more than happy to get behind and it was the side I wanted him to show to everyone. At least he showed Maggie that side of him pretty quickly so threw as that. And that brings me to Maggie. I can only begin to imagine the horror of what she had gone through and the strength it took to come out of it on the other side. So I was hoping that West would treat her right. And he did. Until some of his behaviour really rubbed me the wrong way. And without revealing too much, the behaviour in question was addressed in no uncertain terms. And that made me happy. Because it needed to be addressed. And then there were the other female characters in the story. Without getting too into it, let’s just say that they weren’t exactly portrayed in the best light and it felt like at times that was done to make Maggie look better. I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with the way the girls behaved, but there were some troubling elements to their depiction. So there was that. But other than that, I liked the characters and I’m curious about a good number of them and I’m looking forward to finding out more about them in future books. 

Though it wasn’t entirely what I had hoped it would be, I still really enjoyed reading Abbi Glines’s Until Friday Night. And I still very much look forward to seeing what Abbi Glines will do with the future books in the Field Party series. 

Most Likely to Succeed by Jennifer Echols

Title: Most Likely to Succeed (The Superlatives #3)

Author: Jennifer Echols

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: August 4, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

In this sexy conclusion to The Superlatives trilogy from Endless Summer author Jennifer Echols, Sawyer and Kaye might just be perfect for each other—if only they could admit it.

As vice president of Student Council, Kaye knows the importance of keeping order. Not only in school, but in her personal life. Which is why she and her boyfriend, Aidan, already have their lives mapped out: attend Columbia University together, pursue banking careers,  and eventually get married. Everything Kaye has accomplished in high school—student government, cheerleading, stellar grades—has been in preparation for that future. 

To his entire class, Sawyer is an irreverent bad boy. His antics on the field as school mascot and his love of partying have earned him total slacker status. But while he and Kaye appear to be opposites on every level, fate—and their friends—keep conspiring to throw them together. Perhaps the seniors see the simmering attraction Kaye and Sawyer are unwilling to acknowledge to themselves…

As the year unfolds, Kaye begins to realize her ideal life is not what she thought. And Sawyer decides it’s finally time to let down the facade and show everyone who he really is. Is a relationship between them most likely to succeed—or will it be their favorite mistake?

I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Echols and her books since I first read them when I started blogging five years ago. And earlier this year, I absolutely devoured the first two books in The Superlatives trilogy. And the final book, Most Likely to Succeed, it’s officially my favourite of the series. 

Kaye has always had a plan. Not just for school, but for her whole future. She’s been waiting Aidan since she was fourteen, and together they’re going to go to school at Columbia, start careers in banking, and one day get married. It’s what her entire high school career has led to. And until recently, it was everything she thought she wanted. Now, Kaye can’t stop thinking about Sawyer, the one guy she knows she should stay away from. But that’s easier said than done when their friends seem to keep pushing Kaye and Sawyer together. As the year goes on, it’s time that Sawyer and Kaye finally admit what they really want and see if maybe a relationship is exactly what both of them want and need.

Though I haven’t reviewed them on the blog, I absolutely loved (and devoured) Biggest Flirts and Perfect Couple, the first two books in Jennifer Echols’s The Superlatives series, when I read them earlier this year. The story was addicting, the characters were loveable, and the romance was just how I like it. By the time I finished the second book, I was eagerly waiting for the final book, Most Likely to Succeed. Now that I’ve read that final book, I can officially say that it was my favourite out of the three. Right from the start the story sucked me in. It didn’t hurt that I was already quite familiar with the characters because I’d met them in the previous two books. But even if I hadn’t already been familiar with Kaye and Sawyer, this story still would have grabbed me. I’m a sucker for a romance between the smart, good girl and the bad boy (not that Sawyer was a bad boy, but I’ll get to that later). I just really enjoyed reading their story. It often had me smiling stupidly, if not full on laughing. And the romance between Kaye and Sawyer was just how I liked it. I loved that the two of them were friends, even if it was at times almost a strenuous friendship, before they moved to being more (because that is totally my favourite romance trope). But I think my love of Most Likely to Succeed is in large part because of how much I loved Kaye and Sawyer themselves.

Like I’ve said, I already knew Kaye and Sawyer before I even cracked Most Likely to Succeed open. And I already had thoughts and opinions about them before I started reading the book. Mostly, I had a feeling that Kaye wasn’t exactly happy being the girl everyone expected her to be. And I had a very strong suspicion that Sawyer wasn’t the bad boy slacker everyone seemed to think he was. As it turns out, both those assumptions were very true. But they were also only scratching the surface. Yes, Kaye was unhappy, but she also had issues at home with her mom, she didn’t now if the future she’d been working for was the one she actually wanted. She was basically trying to figure out who she was amidst all the pressure of high school. And figuring out who she was, also meant figuring out how she felt about Sawyer. And Sawyer, well he’s officially one of my favourite boys. Despite what people thought of him, Sawyer wasn’t actually a bad boy, he just hasn’t had it easy. And he was trying to do better, to break the cycle his family was in. With the people he cared about, Sawyer was all kinds of sweet and seeing that side of him only made me love him more. And it should obviously go without saying that I was all in favour of Kaye and Sawyer as a couple. Obviously.

Much like with the rest of Jennifer Echols’s The Superlatives series, I absolutely loved Most Likely to Succeed. This series was the kind of fun yet thoughtful romance that I love reading. If you haven’t checked it out already, I can’t recommend it enough.

Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

Title: Galgorithm

Author: Aaron Karo

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

A romantic comedy about high school, heartbreak, and having all the answers.

What if the secrets of dating and love were revealed in one simple formula? That’s the tantalizing proposition highs school senior Shane Chambliss offers the hopeless and hapless guys who come to him for relationship advice.

After the girl of his dreams breaks his heart, Shane devises a mysterious formula called the Galgorithm and establishes himself as the resident dating guru at Kingsview High School. But his attempts to master the art of romance go outrageously awry.

As Shane tries to navigate the ensuing drama, he must follow his heart, abandon all the rules, and ignore his own advice in a quest for true love. What he discovers, no formula could ever predict…

A formula that helps the less socially adept talk to girls? Sign me up! But for real, the moment I heard about the premise of Aaron Karo’s Galgorithm, it got added to my TBR. It just had the potential to be so much fun. And, spoiler alert, it totally was.

After getting his heartbroken as a freshman, Shane Chambliss made it his mission to find away to help others avoid the kind of heartbreak he felt. And so Shane became an observer, gathering all the information he could about girls so that he could better understand them and uncover the secrets to dating and romance. Fast-forward four years and Shane is now the dating expert of Kingsview High School. Guys come to him when they want help getting the girl of their dreams, and Shane helps them get the girl. Though he might be an expert at helping other guys find romance, his own love life is growing more and more complicated. Maybe it’s time Shane starts following his own advice.

From the moment I heard about Aaron Karon’s Galgorithm, I was curious about reading it. The premise of the book sounded like it had the potential to be a lot of fun and like it could lead to some interesting situations. I mean, a high school senior takes it upon himself to basically coach the less socially adept guys in his school so that they can get girlfriends. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with that? If you’re thinking “everything,” you’re on the right track. This story was entertaining to say the very least. It was full of awkward situations and humorous moment that often had me smiling, if not actually laughing. And the best part of it all is that it was told from a guy’s perspective. I love books that are from guys’ perspectives but there never seem to be that many of them. When I find out about one, I tend to snatch it up right away. And I wasn’t disappointed with Galgorithm, both with the perspective it was told from and the story itself. Of course, though, a lot of that had to do with Shane.

I really enjoyed reading this story from Shane’s perspective. It was interesting to see him help all these guys by building up their confidence so they would be able to talk to girls they otherwise thought of as unapproachable. And really, Shane’s advice could have helped anyone who just needed a little boost of confidence. What I found interesting about Shane while reading was that as great as he was at giving advice to other people, he wasn’t all that great when it came to figuring out his own love life. I’m not saying I enjoyed seeing him struggle, but it made him come across as more real and showed that even so-called “experts” aren’t always what they claim. Which brings me to Jak. I loved that Jak wasn’t the “typical” female love interest you tend to see in books told from a guy’s perspective (namely the cool and unattainable girl). And I loved that her relationship with Shane was first and foremost an awesome friendship. I really enjoyed seeing the constant back and forth between the two of them and reminded me of my own relationship with my best friend (even if our relationship never evolved beyond friendship and he’s now happily married). So Shane and Jak were adorable and I really liked them.

Aaron Karo’s Galgorithm was a cute and fun story. I highly enjoyed reading this story and would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for something a little different from your typical light and fun contemporary story. 

Cover Reveal - Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius + Giveaway

Today I have the pleasure of taking part in the cover reveal for Dawn Ius's upcoming Anne & Henry. I know I'm really excited about this book, and hopefully you will be too after finding out more!

Title: Anne & Henry

Author: Dawn Ius

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: Fall 2015

Add the book on Goodreads!

A love worth losing your head over

ANNE

Wild, brazen, mischievous, betwitching

HENRY

Driven, haunted, charming, magnetic

ANNE & HENRY

Apart they are bound to destroy themselves. Together, they are bound to destroy each other.

HENRY TUDOR’S LIFE HAS BEEN mapped out since the day he was born: student president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. 

But ever since the death of Henry’s brother—perfect, high-achieving Arthur—his family has been twice as demanding. And now Henry’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing alive as an artist or dating any girl who’s not Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Anne is wild, brash, and outspoken. She is everything Henry is not allowed to be—or to want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, yet his desire for Anne consumes him. Henry is willing to do anything to be with her. But once he has her, their romance could destroy them both.

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, ANNE & HENRY reimagines the intensity, love and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.

About the Author:

DAWN IUS is a shorty-story author, novelist, screenwriter, professional editor, and communications specialist. She is an active member of the International Thriller Writers association, co-founder and senior editor of Wine Leaves Literary Journal, and the author of nine educational graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. When she’s not slaying fictional monsters, she’s geeing out over fairy tales, Jack Bauer, Halloween, sports cars, and all things that go bump in the night. Dawn lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, Jeff, and their giant English Mastiff, Roarke.

Connect with Dawn: Facebook / Twitter / Blog / E-mail

Giveaway!

Does this sound like something you would be interested in reading? If it does, be sure to enter the giveaway below for your chance to win an advance copy of the book. ARCs won't be ready until at least January, though, so it may take some time for your prize to make its way to you. USA ONLY.

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Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Through to You

Author: Lauren Barnholdt

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: July 8, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-Way Street and Sometimes It Happens. It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smoulderingly sexy.

Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything. 

Oh, but it does. They hand out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings. 

Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…

Summer is the season for all the contemporary stories, and so far, I am loving all the ones I am reading. This was no different with Lauren Barnholdt’s Through to You. I sped through this story, and it was a book I highly enjoyed.

Harper never thought that Penn knew who she was. She was never the kind of girl who caught the hottest guy in school’s attention. But when Penn casually drops a note on her desk, Harper starts to wonder what it would be like to know Penn better. Penn is just as surprised as Harper that he would ever be dropping notes on Harper’s desk. Now Harper and Penn are spending time together, not knowing what is happening. Any relationship between Harper and Penn seems illogical, they are two people who should not be together. Yet they keep being brought together and neither one knows how to stay away.

So this is where I’m honest: until I read Through to You, I hadn’t read any books by Lauren Barnholdt. I do own three of her other books though. Why haven’t you read them, you ask? Beats me. Lauren Barnholdt is some of my friends’ favourite authors and apparently that still wasn’t enough to motivate me to read some of her books. So that’s to say that because of all this, I had some pretty high expectations as far as Through to You  was concerned. I’m not going to lie, I really enjoyed Through to You, but I wanted more from it. Even though I tend to be a person who will take interesting characters over plot any day of the week, with Through to You I kept waiting for the story to happen. Sure there were things happening, Harper and Penn were going about their business and growing closer, but it felt like I kept waiting for more to happen and it just didn’t. That didn’t stop me from enjoying the overall story. I enjoyed seeing both characters deal with their respective issues and learn to open up to each other. So why I may have been let down by the story itself, I really enjoyed the characters.

I really enjoyed reading this story from both Penn’s and Harper’s points of view. In a way, I could relate to Harper, to how she was just going through high school with one or two really good friends, never concerned with the popular crowd. In that sense, I also understood the way she was intrigued by Penn, especially when he began paying attention to her. Though as much as I enjoyed Harper, Penn kept my interest more than she did. The only thing is, I’m a little torn as far as Penn is concerned. Every time I was reading from Harper’s perspective, I wanted nothing more than for her to stay away from Penn because he kept being a jerk to her. But then the story would change to Penn’s perspective, and all of a sudden I would start liking him a whole lot more. I was able to understand why he acted the way he did, and in some respects, I would start to root for him. So I was conflicted. As much as I wanted Penn to stand up for himself and get away from his less-than-ideal family situation, I also wanted him to stop acting like a complete jerk to Harper. In a way this ties in to how I felt about the story never quite taking off the way I thought it would, because I wish I could have seen more of what made the characters how they were, especially when it comes to Penn. 

Though Lauren Barnholdt’s Through to You didn’t quite live up to my expectations, I was still able to enjoy the story. And after having read this book, I am convinced that I need to go back and read those Lauren Barnholdt books that are sitting on my shelf, unread.

Waiting On Wednesday (85)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to reading.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:
#SCANDAL BY SARAH OCKLER

Lucy's learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart's all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don't feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole's date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she'd rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And especially the one where she's been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.

When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it's everything Lucy has ever dreamed of…and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole's lingering sweetness, Lucy knows she'll have to 'fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy's own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students' party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.

By Monday morning, Lucy's been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.

Lucy's been battling undead masses online long enough to know there's only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend's trust, and graduate with a clean slate.

There's just one snag--Cole. Turns out Lucy's not the only one who's been harboring unrequited love...

So this is the part where I admit that the only one of Sarah Ockler's books I've read is Twenty Boy Summer. Considering how much of a contemporary lover I am, that fact surprises even me. But regardless, I'm really excited about #Scandal. It sounds like just the kind of story that will draw me in and I just can't wait to read it. 

#Scandal by Sarah Ockler will be published June 17, 2014 by Simon Pulse. 

The Vow by Jessica Martinez

Title: The Vow

Author: Jessica Martinez

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: October 15, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

No one has ever believed that Mo and Annie are just friends. How can a guy and a girl really be best friends?

Then the summer before senior year, Mo's father loses his job, and by extension his work visa. Instantly, life for Annie and Mo crumbles. Although Mo has lived in America for most of his life, he'll be forced to move to Jordan. the prospect of leaving his home is devastating, and returning to a world where he no longer belongs terrifies him.

Desperate to save him, Annie proposes they tell a colossal lie--that they are in love. Mo agrees because marrying Annie is the only way he can stay. Annie just wants to keep her best friend, but what happens when it becomes a choice between saving Mo and her own chance at real love?

I always love a good contemporary story that's a little different and that's exactly what I got from Jessica Martinez's The Vow. This was a story about love, but not in the way that you would think. ANd because of that it was a refreshing and heartwarming story.

Annie and Mo may not have had a lot of friends but they've always been able to count on one another. When you're the dead girl's sister and the only Muslim in a small town, having someone you can always rely on means the world. When Mo's father loses his job and announces that he family is moving back to Jordan, Moa and Annie are willing to do anything to stay together. The only way to do this is to tell one colossal lie and put both their futures at risk. But what happens when that lie--telling the world they are in love--threatens Annie's chance at real love?

In The Vow, Jessica Martinez wrote a story about love, but not the kind of love you would expect. Here, the focus is on the love two best friends have for each other. And I loved reading about Mo and Annie's friendship. It was refreshing to read a story that focused on friendship rather than romance, especially the friendship between a boy and a girl. Too often, I'll read stories where the two friends realize they're in love with each other, but in The Vow, Mo and Annie's relationship is entirely platonic, despite what others around them might believe. It was just interesting to read about their friendship and see how it affected the other aspects of their lives, especially when it came to having an actual chance at love. Both were so willing to sacrifice everything for the other that they almost forgot to think about themselves until it was almost too late. And the ending was bittersweet because of that. I won't go into detail, but I will say that it wasn't how I thought things would go.

I've already said this, but I loved reading about mo and Annie's relationship. So often, it reminded me of the relationship I have with my own best friend. Not that we've ever considered getting married to avoid deportation, but the platonic nature of our relationship has often been questioned in the past. There was so much between Annie and Mo and I could tell just how much they cared about each other. But in a way, that mutual caring was Mo and Annie's downfall. They were loyal to each other to a fault. But at the same time, I respected them because they were will to sacrifice so much for the other. But they would often neglect their own pain, though they saw the other's. Mo saw what Annie's loyalty was doing to her, how it would end up hurting her. And Annie just wanted to do whatever she could help Mo, no matter what the cost to herself and her own happiness. Overall, though, I loved their friendship, even if at times it proved to be quite imperfect.

Jessica Martinez's The Vow was a refreshing and heartwarming read. It was so nice to see a friendship explored, one that was completely platonic. If you're looking for a great story about friendship, then I strongly recommend The Vow.

Waiting on Wednesday (73)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to. This week I have two titles I am particularly looking forward to reading.

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
May 7, 2013
Simon Pulse

First she lost her heart. Then she lost her mind. And now she's on a road trip to win back her ex. This debut novel's packed with drama and romance!

Rosie's always been impulsive. She didn't intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend's car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So whens she's served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she's heartbroken--and furious.

To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie's parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie's spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…

Right when I first heard about How My Summer Went Up in Flames I knew I had to read this book. This story just sounds like an incredible amount of fun but also like one where there might be something a little more serious going on. Also there's a road trip. That's all I really needed to know in order to know I have to read this book.

The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

May 14, 2013

Disney-Hyperion

She's been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky…But now that she's been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last. 

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they've given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do--or see--that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits' rules--and her dad's silence. If he won't help, it's time she got some answers for herself. 

But Meg isn't counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who's too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there's only one rule that really matters--survival.

This story sounds like it has the potential to have the perfect mix of romance and mystery. The synopsis for The Rules for Disappearing truly has me intrigued. I want to know why this girl is in the Witness Protection Program and I want to know why she's in danger. I guess I'll have to wait until May to figure it out!

Five Summers by Una LaMarche

May 16, 2013

Razorbill

Four best friends, five summers of camp memories.

The summer we were nine: Emma was branded "Skylar's friend Emma" by the infamous Adam Loring…

The summer we were ten: Maddie realized she was too far into her lies to think about telling the truth…

The summer we were eleven: Johanna totally freaked out during her first game of Spin the Bottle…

The summer we were twelve: Skylar's love letters from her boyfriend back home were exciting to all of us--except Skylar…

Our last summer together: Emma and Adam almost kissed. Jo found out Maddie's secret. Skylar did something unthinkable…and whether we knew it then or not, I've summers of friendship began to fall apart.

Three years after the fateful last night of camp, the four of us are coming back to camp for reunion weekend--and for a second chance. 

Bittersweet, funny, and achingly honest, Five Summers is a story of friendship, love, and growing up that is perfect for fans of Anne Brashares and Judy Blume's Summer Sisters.

Anne Brashares' Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants were among the first YA books I ever read, so being told Five Summers is perfect for fans of that author just makes me want to read it even more. The synopsis also totally piqued my curiosity--I want to know what happened that last summer that changed everything. And any book about summer camp is a good book if you ask me.

If you couldn't tell from these books or a fair amount of my posts recently, I LOVE contemporary. If anything, contemporary is probably my favorite genre so I'm excited about all the great contemps that seem to be coming out this year. Maybe this is the year contemporary makes a comeback? Even if it doesn't quite make a comeback, I'm hoping these three books won't disappoint me. 

Waiting on Wednesday (62)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

LET THE SKY FALL BY SHANNON MESSENGER

Vane Weston should have died in the category five tornado that killed his parents. Instead, he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past--except one: a beautiful, dark-haired girl standing in the winds. She's swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she's real.

Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a sylph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian--Vane's guardian--and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, they start to realize the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them.

Set amongst the desert airstreams of Coachella Valley in California, LET THE SKY FALL is about two teenagers broken by their pasts, divided by their futures, and bound by love.

This book just sounds fantastic. There aren't all that many out there so I love any story that deals with elemental control. But that's not the only thing that makes this book so appealing. Just reading the synopsis I know that this is a story that will captivate me from start to finish and one that will even most likely break my heart in some way. All that to say, I can't wait to read this book. Oh, and the cover isn't so bad either (read: absolutely fantastic).

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger will be published March 5th, 2013 by Simon Pulse.

Never Enough Video & Giveaway

I didn't intend to be posting so much about Never Enough by Denise Jaden, but then things happened and this is the third post about the book this week. But it's all worth it because Never Enough was a truly fantastic read and if you haven't already, you should check out my review and my interview with Denise Jaden.

Today's post is to share with you a really touching video that Denise Jaden put together featuring herself and other authors talking about ways they felt they weren't enough when they were teenagers. This video really fits in well with the novel because, as the title would suggest, it's all about how two sisters don't feel like they are worthy or enough. Check out the video below and keep on reading for a giveaway.

GIVEAWAY

In honour of the release of Never Enough, I have decided to hold a giveaway. There are two prizes for two winners. The first winner will receive a finished copy of Never Enough and some swag (includes signed swag--picture below) and the second winner will receive just the swag. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. US/CANADA ONLY.

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Never Enough by Denise Jaden

Title: Never Enough

Author: Denise Jaden

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Loann's always wanted to be popular and pretty like her sister, Claire. So when Claire's ex-boyfriend starts flirting with her, Loann is willing to do whatever it takes to feel special…even if that means betraying her sister.

But as Loann slips inside Claire's world, she discovers that everything is not as it seems. Claire's quest for perfection is all-consuming and comes at a dangerous price. As Claire increasingly withdraws from friends and family, Loann struggles to understand her and make amends. Can she heal their relationship--and her sister--before it's too late?

When I read Denise Jaden's Losing Faith almost two years ago I absolutely loved the story despite the more difficult subject matter. When I heard about Never Enough I knew it was something I wanted to read, and just like with Denise Jaden's first book, I fell in love with it despite the difficult subject matter, which she dealt with amazingly.

Loann has always lived in her sister Claire's shadow and has never felt like she was enough. Claire's life has always looked perfect and Loann has wanted nothing more than to be included in that life. So when people in Claire's circle start paying attention to her, Loann starts to feel like maybe she may be good enough and doesn't have to live in her sister's shadow. But Loann soon discovers, everything may not be as it seems in Claire's world. This new insight into her sister's life allows Loann to see that Claire is screaming for help, but it may already be too late to give her the help she needs.

The story in Never Enough was not an easy story to read but it was one that completely drew you in. Right from the beginning I became attached to the characters Denise Jaden created and I couldn't help but feel like they were real people. Their stories were absolutely touching and they will stay with you for a long time. I know they will for me. Never Enough is a story about relationships. I loved seeing all the relationships develop and how they were all affected by one another and seeing that development made for a captivating story. But Never Enough is also a story that deals with eating disorders, which isn't necessarily the easiest subject to deal with. Denise Jaden did it wonderfully and I loved seeing how the story of the eating disorder played into all the different relationships, because Never Enough was really all about the characters.

Like I've already said, the story in Never Enough is all about the characters and their relationships with one another. You get to explore the relationship between sisters Loann and Claire just like you explore both their relationships with their mother, at least through Loann's eyes. It was really interesting to see how the characters changed as the relationships changed and vice versa. One relationship I really loved seeing develop was the friendship between Loann and Marcus. When I first met both characters, they seemed like such an unlikely pair but as the story moved forward and their friendship deepened, I realized that in a way they were perfect for each other. The other relationship that was interesting was between Claire and Loann. It was definitely an intricate relationship that was constantly changing, but through it all I could really tell that both sisters really cared for one another despite having difficulties showing it. And because Never Enough was really about the characters and their relationships, they are definitely going to be staying with me for a long time.

Never Enough was a great and touching read. Denise Jaden expertly handled the difficult subject that is eating disorders. Though it was integral to the story, it didn't overshadow all the relationships but instead showed how the disorder changes everyone's lives. And that's what was powerful about Never Enough.

Author Interview with Denise Jaden

Today I have the pleasure of having Denise Jaden, author of Losing Faith and Never Enough, here on the blog to answer a few questions. Here is what she had to say.

Never Enough is your second book. How was the process different from writing your first book, Losing Faith? What were somethings you knew to expect from the first time around?

I think I had it relatively easy with my first book, so, to be honest, my expectations probably hindered me more than anything on working with my second one. Never Enough was a work in progress long before I had written Losing Faith, it had been through many, many drafts, and so one of the most difficult things was finding new ways to see the manuscript with my editor. I thought I'd already studied it from every anne, but apparently not so! Never Enough included much more intensive revisions with my editor (rewriting large portions of the book over and over again) whereas with Losing Faith, the changes were much smaller and easier to wrap my head around. With Losing Faith, I had worked from an outline, whereas Never Enough was very much a muse-led book.

Both Losing Faith and Never Enough deal with tougher subjects. Is there something in particular that draws you to writing about those subjects?

I like reading about tougher subjects because it helps me sort out my own thoughts and feelings, and I guess that's the same reason I write about tougher subjects. With Never Enough, I had a personal reason for attacking the difficult subject matter, and I have an author's note at the end of the book that goes into some detail about that.

Similarly, both Losing Fatih and Never Enough revolve around a relationship between sisters that is less than perfect. Is there a reason you choose to write about sisters that have misconceptions about each other's lives?

To be honest, I'm surprise that my first two published books are about similar sisterly relationships. That is not all I write about! When first coming up with a story idea, rather than getting a character or plot point in my head, I often get a relationship in my head. With both of these books, the sister relationship was the first part that came to me, but each plot definitely developed very differently in my mind. I couldn't tell you exactly why I'm drawn to writing about sisters, except that growing up I fantasized about what it would be like to have a sister.

I've seen in your biography on your website that you have had many other jobs/careers before becoming a writer. What ultimately made you choose writing over those other occupations?

I've always had it in my head that I wanted to try lots of different things in life. A thirty-year career never interested me. With writing, I feel like I have the ultimate career, because I can pretend I'm anything I want as a writer. It's a wonderful creative outlet for me, and I can't imagine a time in the future when I won't be writing.

How would you describe Never Enough in a sentence or two to encourage people to read it?

Since I'm ore of a character than plot lover, I would say this: Loann and Marcus have a sweet and deep friendship full of growing perspective, and you'll want them to be a part of your lives.

Thank you so much to Denise Jaden for her answers, and I couldn't agree more with the last one about Marcus and Loann. Be sure to come back tomorrow for my review of Never Enough and for a small giveaway!

Surrender by Elana Johnson

Title: Surrender (Possession #2)

Author: Elana Johnson

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father's rules: He's the Director. It's because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent--a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine's got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can't. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi's boyfriend, Zenn.

Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine's father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. she's even starting to suspect Vi's secrets might involve Freedom's newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque...

I really enjoyed reading Possession so I was definitely looking forward to reading Surrender. And Surrender really delivered. There was even more going on in this bok than there was in the previous one. And that made for a book that was very difficult to put down.

Raine's father is the Director. That means Raine is a good girl and followed the rules in Freedom. Or at least that's what it looks like on the surface. In reality, Raine isn't all that big on following the rules and her father will let it slide so long as she uses her talent. Though no one knows about Raine's talent, not even those closest to her. But Raine is willing to throw all that away when she starts to fall for Gunner, someone she should stay away from. But she can't help it. And soon Raine discovers that a lot of people in her life are connected to one another, but there are still some secrets, especially where Vi is concerned. And the secrets only intensify when Jag Barque is brought to Freedom.

While I really enjoyed Possession, it was nothing compared to how I felt while reading Surrender. In this second instalment, Elana Johnson took the story to a whole new level. There was just so much happening and I loved every moment of it. A lot of that had to do with the fact that Surrender followed two intersecting storylines. On the one hand it followed Raine and on the other it followed Gunner. And while the stories intersected on numerous occasions, they also had their own plots which resulted in a lot of action and made for a really great story. Surrender most definitely didn't suffer form the shortcomings often found in sequels.

What was interesting with Surrender was that while it was a continuation of the story that began in Possession, it followed different characters. People like Vi, Zenn and Jag were still around and integral to the story but the focus wasn't on them. Instead, the focus was on new characters Raine and Gunner and how their story fit in with that of the others. And once I got to know Raine and Gunner, I oculd easily see why they fit in with Vi, Zenn and Jag. Raine had always been oppressed by her father and didn't agree with the way he did and ran things in Freedom. In a sense she had a lot in common with Vi. As for Gunner, things had always been hidden from him and now he wanted answers. All that to say, they were a great addition to the story.

If you enjoyed Elana Johnson's Possession you are guaranteed to love Surrender. I know I did and I can't wait to see where the story will go in the next book.

Possession by Elana Johnson

Title: Possession (Possession #1)

Author: Elana Johnson

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: June 7, 2011

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them…starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play. 

When Elana Johnson's Possession came out last year it had caught my attention but after hearing mixed reviews I didn't end up picking it up. Then I received a copy of the sequel for review and I decided it was time to give it a chance. I'm glad I decided to finally read Possession and it ended up taking me by surprise. 

Knowing the Rules has never stopped Vi from breaking them, especially when she's with Zenn. But the Thinkers are determined to help Vi change her ways and become one of them. To get to Vi, the Thinkers go through Zenn, knowing that Vi won't leave him behind. But somewhere along the way, Vi meets Jag Barque. As infuriating as Jag is, he is also incredibly charismatic and Vi has a difficult time resisting him. ANd the more time she spends with him, the more Vi starts to think that with Jag, she could leave everything she knows behind.

While at first Possession had caught my attention, after seeing mixe reviews for it, I ended up not picking it up. But then I received a copy of the sequel for review and I decided it was time to give it a chance. And though Possession had a few minor shortcomings, I found myself enjoying it a lot more than I thought i would. I quickly found myself being drawn in to the world that Elana Johnson created and it wasn't too long before I believe it was real. My only concern was that at times I was given information without really knowing where it was coming from. But other than that, Possession was a really great story and Elana Johnson quickly made me believe in it.

Right away I loved Vi. There's nothing I love more than a character that doesn't let anyone control them. That's exactly who Vi was. She wasn't afraid to defy the authorities if it meant that she got to be herself and help those she cares about. Though sometimes that didn't always put her in the best situations, especially where Zenn and Jag were concerned. What was interesting with the two boys is that they were so alike but so different at the same time. And you know they have a history together but never really find out what it is. And for me that just added to the feeling that I never fully knew what was going on with either of them. The only thing I knew for sure was they both wanted what was best for Vi though they didn't always agree on what that was.

I'm glad I finally decided to give Elana Johnson's Possession a chance. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did and that took me by surprise. It was a fantastic dystopian story and by the time I finished reading, I was excited to see where the story would go in Surrender, the sequel.