The Windfall App by Teresa Richards + Three Book Giveaway

Marina Berghman is a classical piano prodigy with parents who’ve had her life mapped out since she was in diapers. But their plan leaves no room for her secret love of alternative rock, or Sean, the edgy guitarist who recently moved to town.

When Marina buys a lottery ticket on her eighteenth birthday via the new Windfall app, she expects it to be nothing more than a rite of passage. But she wins—the grand prize of five thousand dollars a day, for life. Suddenly given the means to break free from a life she never felt in control of, she’s quick to cut her family ties and turn her back on everything she knows.

But her lottery win was no lucky break. Her prize comes with strings attached, and Marina soon finds herself at the center of someone else’s life or death game. When she discovers evidence linking her dad to the intrigue, she turns to Sean for help. But he’s harboring secrets of his own.

Now Marina must sort out who to trust and who’s pulling the strings, before her prize turns into a noose.

 * Goodreads * Amazon * 

What a cute book!  This story was really just easy, breezy fun to read.  I loved the quirky Marina, coming into her own and trying to figure life out.  She is talented and smart but definitely not used to making her own decisions.  Spreading her wings under such unusual and dynamic circumstances (winning the lottery!!) leads to a few big bumps in her road.    Yes, Marina makes some mistakes but I thought she handled herself fairly well all things considered.  Marina is kind and a bit fearless.  I think I loved that about her the most.

What would you do with $5000/day for the rest of your life?  It's crazy to think about, right? 

This book was a little bit teenage drama, a little bit romance and a little bit mystery.  It had moments where the sweetness of a new romance had me sighing happily and moments where my heart was speeding up because DANGER!  It was just a good balance of all the good stuff a young adult novel should be filled with.  It was fun and I really enjoyed reading it.

Content:  underage drinking (party), peril 

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.
 

July 27--Brookie Cowles 

July 27--Emmy Mom 

July 27--Evernight Teen

July 30--Blooming With Books 

July 31--Katie's Clean Book Collection

July 31--Writing Pearls 

August 1--My Book a Day  

August 1--Singing Librarian Books

August 1--Because I Said So

August 2--Getting Your Read On

August 3--By Robin King

August 4--Good Tales Reviews

August 6--Bewildering Stories

August 6--Alison McBain

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Topaz Reign (Altered Stones, #2) by Teresa Richards + Giveaway!

It has been four months since Maggie learned the dark truth behind the tale of the Princess and the Pea and freed Princess Lindy from the cursed Emerald. Lindy is now back in the past where she belongs, queen of her tiny Scandinavian country, and Maggie is a fully reformed ex-stalker.

Except … she can’t stop doing internet searches on Lindy and her country.

One morning, Maggie wakes to find history turned on its head. Apparently, you can’t destroy a centuries-old curse without consequence. In order to prevent the changes in history from wiping out the present, Maggie resurrects her stalking gene and learns that fairy tales don’t stay dead for long.

Or at all.

Back in 1623, Lindy is juggling a threat to her family, a handsome new guard she’s not supposed to have feelings for, and a cursed Topaz with ties to the tale of Thumbelina. When past and present collide, Lindy and Maggie are brought together again, and another of Andersen’s tales turns from twisted fiction to chilling fact.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

This is the second book in the Altered Stones series and I would highly recommend reading the first book before you attempt this one.  I didn't have time to read the first book so the author was kind enough to send me a summary of the first book to read, which helped me out a lot but I could still tell I was missing out on things- most especially the connection with the characters.  

Things started out a bit slow for me.  I think that may have been partially the problem of not reading the first book but it was a slow build in the beginning.  About halfway through, momentum begins to build and I became more invested.  I think by then I was also starting to get a handle on the characters and who they were.

I thought the last part of the book was full of adventure and fun.  I enjoyed the fairy tale spin and I love the cover for this book!

This book is geared toward the YA crowd and it definitely has the YA feel to it.  It is a book I can happily pass off to my teenage daughter.

Content:  Some violence and peril.  Clean.

- I received a copy of this book from the author as part of this blog tour.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Enter to win a paperback bundle of Emerald Bound and Topaz Reign, PLUS a bookmark signed by James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, October 3--Katie's Clean Book Selection
Thursday, October 5--Singing Librarian Books
Thursday, October 5--Cindy's Treasury of Good Tales--review 

Friday, October 6--Blooming With Books Saturday, October 7--Cindy's Treasury of Good Tales--Guest post, Interview with the Topaz Reign Characters Saturday, October 7--By Robin King

Sunday, October 8--Head Over Books
Monday, October 9--Why not? Because I said so! 
Tuesday, October 10--EmmyMom 
Tuesday, October 10--Five Take Flight 
Wednesday, October 11--Literary Time Out
Wednesday, October 11--Kindle And Me 
Wednesday, October 11--Getting Your Read On 
Thursday, October 12--My Book A Day
Friday, October 13--Brookie Cowles 
Saturday, October 14--LDS Women's Book Reviews