Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts
Thursday, August 27, 2015

Cover Reveal! Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry


Hey Bookies! If you know anything about me, it's that Katie McGarry is one of my favorite authors. So, when I heard she has a new series, Thunder Road, coming out, I nearly lost my mind. Nowhere But Here is being pitched as West Side Story meets Sons of Anarchy . . . what more do you need to know? And the Thunder Road sequel, Walk the Edge will be released next year. However, the cover has been released this month!
Details:
PublisherHarlequin Teen
Publication dateMarch 30th 2016 
Pages: 384
Pre-orderAmazon

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for! Are you ready? The cover of Walk the Edge . . .
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If that beautiful cover isn't enough (how could it not be enough?), I have another treat for you, Bookies! Take a special look at an excerpt from Walk the Edge!


EXCERPT provided by Happy Ever After :
There are certain common-sense rules all girls in town comprehend. It’s not knowledge that has to be taught. In fact, sitting here on the top step to the entrance of my high school and watching this potential disaster unfold, I search my memory for the first person who mentioned I should stay clear of the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club.
Because when it pertains to the threat that is the Reign of Terror MC, it’s not learned, it’s known. Like how an infant understands how to suck in a breath at the moment of birth or how a newborn foal wobbles to his legs. It’s instinctual. It’s ingrained. It’s fact.
“Do you think his motorcycle will work this time?” Addison asks.
“Hope so,” I breathe out, too terrified to speak at a normal level out of fear that we’ll draw the scrutiny of the men wearing black leather vests circling the broken-down bike. Reign of Terrorarches over the top of the black vest; in the middle is a half skull with far too much fire in and around it. It’s ominous and I shiver.
It’s edging toward nine in the evening, but the August sun hasn’t completely set. Darkness, though, has claimed most of the sky. Temperatures during the afternoon hit over a hundred and I swear the concrete stairs and pillar absorbed every ounce of today’s sunshine and are now transferring the heat onto my body.
Sweat rolls down my back and I shift to peel my thighs off the step. Why I thought it was a fantastic idea to wear a jean skirt, I have no idea.
I take that back. I do have an idea. Tonight is the first time my entire grade has been together in one room since the end of last year. My goal for the year may seem simple to some, but to me, it sometimes feels impossible. I’d like to be seen, to be known as something more than “freakishly smart Breanna Miller” at least once before I leave this town. I’d like to somehow find the courage to be on the outside who I am on the inside.
An annoying sixth sense informs me that I’m about to make a huge impression—on the evening news. Two friends on the verge of starting their senior year vanish without a trace. Because that’s how motorcycle clubs would handle this—they’ll kidnap us and then hide our bodies after they’re finished with whatever ritual act they’ll use us to perform.
One of the gang members stands from his crouched position at the motorcycle and the guy we attend school with inserts a key and holds on to the handlebar of the bike. As he twists it, I pray the motor will purr to life.
My heart leaps, then plummets past my toes and into the ground when the motorcycle cuts off with a sound similar to a gunshot. Addison’s head falls forward, and I bite my lip to prevent the internal screaming from becoming external chaos.
Addison pulls her phone out of her purse and taps the screen. “I’m texting Reagan. If we go missing, I’m telling her to point the finger at Thomas Turner and his band of Merry Men.”
Thomas Turner. He’s the guy that swore loudly the moment his motorcycle’s engine died again. Thomas is the name called on the first day of school by our teachers, but it’s not the name he responds to. He goes by his “road name,” Razor.
He glances over his shoulder straight at me and my mouth dries out. Holy hell, it’s like he’s aware I’m thinking of him.
“Oh my God,” Addison reprimands. “Don’t make eye contact. Do you want them to come over?”
I immediately focus on my sandals. As much as every girl knows to keep a safe distance from Thomas and his crew, we’ve all snuck a glimpse. Thomas makes it easy to cave to temptation with his golden blond hair and muscles from head to toe, and he owns this sexy brooding expression a few girls have written about in poems.
My cheeks burn and there’s this heaviness as if Thomas is still looking. Through lowered lashes, I peek at him and my heart trips when our eyes meet. His eyes are blue. An icy blue. His stare causes me to be simultaneously curious and terrified. And I obviously have a death wish because I can’t tear my gaze away…
Want to get to know the mastermind behind Walk the Edge better? Meet Katie McGarry!

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.
Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.
Links:

Happy Reading!





*Disclaimer: I do not own any images in this post*
Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Review : Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Pages: 355
Source: Own
 
The Story:

Affection turns to obsession—and love means both devastation and redemption—in this gripping novel from the author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me.
Rae’s always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her…and the less she wants to give.
As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. He’s not about to let her go. And with danger following her every move, Rae must fight for the life and love she deserves if she’s going to survive.
via Barnes & Noble

RatingTWO Gold Stars!!!!


My Review

Tag Line:

Love found her. Now it won't let her go.


Opening Line:

At last I can breathe.


Plot:

The plot of Falling for You was decently laid out. The pacing was a little slower than I expected. 
To be honest, what made Falling for You 's rating suffer was my disappointment with the climax. For once, I wanted blurb predictable. I wanted the psycho, obsessed ex-boyfriend to be the murderous stalker I knew he had in him. Although, at first I thought the pacing steady considering what I hoped it would boil and blow up to become. However, when the plot conflict volcano finally exploded, it felt unspectacular so it made the pacing seem to drag (if that makes any sense at all).

Character Breakdown:

Rae Lynch - What I enjoyed about Rae's character so much is that she wasn't the weak, thirsty-for-love teenage girl I assumed she would be. Sure she had insecurity and wanted to be wanted, to be loved but it wasn't to the point that she remained in an abusive relationship out of some misguided need to fill a hole her parents didn't. It's nice to read a story that circles closely to matters I can relate to in real life but without the same exact mistakes being made.

Nathan - Perfect stalker ex material! Sexy, mysterious, confident, selfish, and so on. Nathan had so much potential! I was so disappointed I could see him in his Super Saiyan (Dragonball Z nerds will get this reference; in other words, his 100%, max potential).

Overall, I didn't hate Falling for You, it simply didn't do enough for me. I think Falling for You lost a star in rating for the lackluster finale showdown. Had there been some full-fledge stalker, obsessed ex insaneness with violence and psychological thrill and blood, my rating for would have definitely gone up. Still, Falling for You is not so bad that I would dissuade anyone from reading it. If you're bored or waiting between release dates then maybe give Falling for You a try.


***Check out Lisa Schroeder's website for more information about her and the Falling for YouHERE


Happy Reading!


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Review : The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

PublisherBloomsbury USA

Release Date: May 6, 2014
Pages: 304
Source: Own

The Story:

Sixteen-year-old Holly wants to remember her Grandpa forever, but she’d rather forget what he left her in his will: his wedding chapel on the Las Vegas strip. Whatever happened to gold watches, savings bonds, or some normal inheritance?    
And then there's Grandpa's letter. Not only is Holly running the business with her recently divorced parents, but she needs to make some serious money—fast. Grandpa also insists Holly reach out to Dax, the grandson of her family's mortal enemy and owner of the cheesy chapel next door. No matter how cute Dax is, Holly needs to stay focused: on her group of guy friends, her disjointed family, work, school and... Dax. No wait, not Dax.  
Holly’s chapel represents everything she’s ever loved in her past. Dax might be everything she could ever love in the future. But as for right now, there's a wedding chapel to save.
via Barnes & Noble

Rating
TWO Gold Stars!!



My Review

I thought the premise for The Chapel Wars was fantastic. But I have to say by the end of it, my reaction was simply "Meh." There was no bang, no spark. You know when you see someone you are crushing on and there is tension, chemistry? For me, The Chapel Wars didn't have that. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it but I didn't particularly like it either.

Opening Line:

Inheritance. I hate that word. Translation: Sorry someone you loved kicked the bucket; now here's your present.

Plot:

I liked the idea of Holly fighting to save her grandfather's chapel and being in competition with the cheesy chapel next door -- while dating the owner's grandson. But I feel as if Leavitt didn't milk the conflict for all it was worth. Many of the setbacks Holly faced and efforts she put in to saving her grandfather's chapel was pretty much glazed over -- hinted at in sentences in the past-tense. 


Overall, the plot premise (as mentioned above) was interesting and had plenty of potential. However, it fell flat. And the ending sucked. As I have mentioned in other reviews that I have written, I prefer my books to have happy endings (call it childish but there is plenty of real life grief to go around). 

Character Breakdown:

Holly - Holly was a tad more interesting than Dax but still too bland for me. However, I did appreciate how hardworking she was as well as the love and passion she had for her grandfather's chapel.

Dax - I didn't really get the chance to know Dax. He was wishy-washy to me. I couldn't really picture him in my mind's eye -- he didn't seem real. Other than that, I suppose he was okay. 

Here is one of my favorite quotes from 
The Chapel Wars:

Holly to Dax: "Sense? There is nothing about me sitting in a Gothic wedding chapel with a ridiculously handsome cowboy reading a letter from my dead grandfather that makes sense."
"Ridiculously handsome?"
"I meant to say ridiculous." 


***Check out Lindsey Leavitt's website for more information about her and the The Chapel WarsHERE

*My review on Goodreads

Happy Reading!


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Review : A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
PublisherWarner Books
Publication date: 1999
Pages: 224
Source: Own

The Story:
Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High.
It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister.
A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out.
Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood…
No other author today touches our emotions more deeply than Nicholas Sparks. In A Walk To Remember, he tells a truly unforgettable story, one that glimmers with all of his magic, holding us spellbound - and reminding us that in life each of us may find one great loved, the kind that changes everything…
RatingFOUR GOLD STARS!!!!!

My Review: One Word: UNFORGETTABLE

A Walk to Remember was the first book I read authored by Nicholas Sparks. I was a goner from then on. I read A Walk to Remember back when I was a baby teen and it remains one of my favorites.

The story takes place in Beaufort, North Carolina. The year is 1958, when women wear dresses and men don hats. To add the icing on the cake, the town is as religious as it gets. There is no getting around going to church on Sundays (Hint hint: there reason why I mention this is because it ties in heavily to the overall story.)

Landon Carter is the narrator of the story. He is in his senior year at Beaufort High. He is not much of a jock but made fun of people if they are different from him and his crew of popularish friends. For the most part, he is an average teenage boy who gets into the run of the mill trouble -- Daddy issues can do that to a child. And doesn't know what he wants to do with his life . . . until his eyes are forced open and standing in his vision is Jamie Sullivan.

Jamie Sullivan is as good and kind as it gets. And friendless, spending her lunch period sitting alone. Being the town's Baptist minister's daughter and wearing the same sweater everyday has encouraged several of her classmates taunting of her -- Landon's crew included. But being the gracious girl she is she doesn't let it get to her. I suppose maybe because sometimes there are worse things than being teased . . . such as your mother dying during childbirth. She has a strong belief and trust in God and spends her free time helping children at an orphanage which helps her get through her dilemmas. And even through everything, she is at peace and generally happy. Jamie has plans and goals, knows how she wants to spend the rest of her life. And she Landon's complete and total opposite in every sense of the word.

Insert the high school play.

Against his wishes, Landon is casts as the lead and has absolutely no interest or experience in acting. With no other choice, Landon's begrudgingly seeks Jamie's help. Reluctantly, they team up to prepare for the play. And destiny takes the lead from there . . .

A Walk to Remember is a good southern romance. The story is believable, it's wholesome and heartbreaking. Readers are able to embark on a journey of self-discovery with Landon, one filled with real, honest to God (*Pun intended :)*) love, tearjerker moments and more. I would definitely recommend A Walk to Remember to anyone who is a sap for a genuine young adult romance. is an amazingly unforgettable story that will make you smile, swoon and cry. Nicholas Sparks is a phenomenal storyteller who makes readers feel as if they are in the story alongside the characters.

*** Check out Nicholas Spark's website for more information about his and A Walk to Remember: HERE 

*My review on Goodreads

Happy Reading!
Thursday, January 29, 2015

Cover Reveal! Katie McGarry's Nowhere But Here


Hey Bookies! If you know anything about me, it's that Katie McGarry is one of my favorite authors. So, when I heard she has a new series, Thunder Road, coming out, I nearly lost my mind. Nowhere But Here is being pitched as West Side Story meets Sons of Anarchy . . . what more do you need to know? I cannot wait for Nowhere But Here to make it to print! I am nonstop praying to the book gods my contact at Harlequin will give me an ARC of my precious! *fingers crossed*
The Story:
An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible
Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.
Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.
No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.
- via Barnes and Noble


PublisherHarlequin Teen
Publication date: 5/26/2015
Pages: 400
Pre-orderBarnes and Noble | Amazon Kobo | BAM iBooks | IndieBound

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for! Are you ready? The cover of Nowhere But Here . . .
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If that beautiful cover isn't enough (how could it not be enough?), I have a few more treats for you, Bookies! A lot of thought and creativity go into the beautiful cover we gets. Take a closer look at the magic behind the scenes of the cover-shoot


 


 

 

 














Want to get to know the mastermind behind Nowhere But Here better? Meet Katie McGarry!

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.
Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Links:

Happy Reading!




*Disclaimer: I do not own any images in this post*
Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Review : On The Fence by Kasie West

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 7/1/2014
Pages: 304
Source: ARC

The Story:
For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.
To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.
RatingTHREE GOLD STARS!!!!!

My Review

On The Fence is the definition of summer read. So much so that I wishes I had read it during the
summer. But I suppose it worked out perfectly, since being reminded of warmer weather in 7 degree frozen tundra of NYC was a gift.

In On The Fence , we follow Charlie Reynolds as she navigates through a new world of discovering womanhood and falling in love for the first time. Charlie is fierce, independent and clueless about being a girl . . .  let alone  She feels more at home with the boys and in the thick of sports. 

Living with three older brothers and a single Dad doesn't make being a regular girl easy. Charlie grew up with roughhousing, gritty sports and "boyish" pranks being the norm. And she never questioned it until another speeding ticket and her father's punishment of her having to get a job makes her question it all. 

After Charlie begins working at a clothing store where she is forced to experiment with "girly" clothes and makeup, her eyes open up the world beyond being the Tomboy. To make things even more interesting a guy, who is so different than the athletic ones she is used to being around, wants to do more than be her teammate. Is love in the cards for Charlie and the new guy?

A new love interest isn't the only thing keeping up Charlie late at night though. Charlie's mother died in a car crash when she was younger but nightmares of her death keep Charlie awake at night. Insert another guy, the boy next door, and a shared fence line. Charlie and Braden have known each other since she was four years old. But he has been holding a secret about her past that her mind blocks out. What will his deception mean for their friendship?

On The Fence is a quick, light read, perfect for a lounging on the beach. 

*** Check out Kasie West's website for more information about her and On The Fence: HERE 

*My review on Goodreads  |  Amazon

Happy Reading!
Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Review : If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
PublisherSimon Pulse
Publication date: August 6, 2013
Pages: 276
Source: Own

The Story:
Cheater. Traitor. Slut.
Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Shunned by everyone she knows, Quinn loses her friends, her reputation, and her identity. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s a Marine who’s serving overseas, and beloved by everyone in their small, military town.
But Quinn didn’t cheat. She could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. So she stays silent, and she waits for Carey to come home.
Then Carey goes MIA, and Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.
RatingTHREE GOLD STARS!!!

My Review

Oh, If I Lie. *le sigh* I really, truly wanted to love this book. I could not wait to get my hands on its. Alas, the ending murdered my soul. My biggest pet peeve when reading books: an unhappy ending. I am Team Happy Endings through and through. There is more than enough real-life grief to go around, I don't need it in my books. Had there been a happy ending, I would have given If I Lie a 4-star rating. If I Lie is a well written book that draws you into the story. Although I was frustrated with Quinn and Carey's situation, I think that was the point and adding to the plot. Still, aarrgghhhhh.

Quinn and Carey have been dating for years. They are the town perfect teen couple. Carey is the perfect boyfriend who is also honorable and joins the military to fight for our country. Then the unthinkable happens . . . Quinn is caught kissing another boy. Insert all the town shaming. I mean how could she do that to the perfect boyfriend who is overseas risking his life for America? Well . . .
every couples have their secrets.

To make matters worse, when Quinn tries to get in contact with Carey he is MIA. Is he okay? Is he alive? How will she tell him about the kiss? How will they move forward with their secrets ruining Quinn's life? Quinn must make a decision about her next move.

With that being said, if you're not shy of sucky endings, then If I Lie should make it to your TBR pile. This is the first book I read by Corrine Jackson and it was a good read. If you haven't read anything by her give If I Lie a chance.

*** Check out Corrine Jackson's website for more information about her and If I Lie: HERE 

*My review on Goodreads  |  Amazon

Happy Reading!
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