The Promposal (The Ugly Stepsister Series, #2) by Sariah Wilson

Now that life has finally given her everything she’s ever wanted, Mattie Lowe has one thing on her mind: Prom. Determined to throw the most epic prom ever, Mattie sets out to plan a memorable and magical event—one that would make the late John Hughes proud.

But when her gorgeous and perfect boyfriend, Jake Kingston hasn’t popped the most creative promposal of all time, Mattie starts to worry. Actually, Jake hasn’t asked her at all—he’s been distant and quiet. And Mattie isn’t about to go to her senior prom solo. Suddenly, it seems that everything is stacked against her and falling apart quickly. With rivals vowing to sabotage her event and her boyfriend’s odd behavior, Mattie’s convinced the night is headed toward ruin. Will the snarky, purple-haired manga artist lead her class to an unforgettable night of fun and frolic or will she go down in high school history as the worst president to run the school?

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What a fun book!  This will take you right back those high school days- rival enemies out to destroy you, classes, boyfriends, prom, prom dresses- the whole shebang!  And if you are still in high school, you will relate to so much of this book.

It was awesome to have the carryover of characters from the first book in this series.  It pretty much picks up where the other left off.  So, because of that, I would recommend reading The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back first.  You won't be sorry.

There was humor in this book and I found myself smiling a lot because Mattie is just funny.  I loved the relationship between Mattie and her sister, and of course, between Mattie and Jake too.  

The ending was so super sweet and I may have just swooned a little.  And not just because there was chocolate involved.  😁  I am a Sariah Wilson fan!  I read everything she writes because her books just resonate in my happy spot.  

Content:  kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley at my request.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Perfectly Summer (Perfect #3) by Robin Daniels

Summer vacation is Levi London’s favorite time of the year. Each summer, he and his brothers are shipped off to Florida to stay with their grandparents. For ten weeks everything is perfect. He has freedom, fun, and Summer West—the cute and spunky girl across the street—for whom he’s planned to confess his giant crush.

Right before the London boys are scheduled to leave, a scandalous family situation causes their mom to accompany them on vacation. Not only does Levi’s fun quotient promise to take a nose dive, but all the drama has him feeling less than his normal happy self.

Summer decides that Levi needs a distraction, in the form of a prank war. But he gets more than he bargains for when his older brother Lucas is both better at pranking and determined to date Summer too. Levi is a peacekeeper, but he isn’t sure he can mediate his family’s struggles or strike the right balance between mischief and romance. Especially when Lucas keeps reminding him that all is fair in love and war.

*** This book may contain negative triggers for people with a family history of infidelity.***

Content Description: This is a stand-alone YA contemporary romance with companion novels set at the same high school. It contains minor language, innuendo, crude humor, and kissing. This book has no sex, written or implied, between any of the teenage characters and has no explicit language. However, the family conflict revolves around adultery between the parents. While it is not highly descriptive, sex is discussed multiple times with regard to adult relationships. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

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First I would say please, please read the content description above.  It is exactly what I would say in regards to this book.  I would up the recommended age to at least 16.

While I am not a fun of many of the things described in the content description above, one thing I am a fan of is characters that are distinct and easy to picture.  I feel like I had a good handle on the personalities in this book.  The whole story played out like a movie in my head which is always awesome.  Given, it would be a teenage movie, so not really my go-to genre, but it was so easy to visualize everything.  That is a sign of some good, personable writing.

I really loved Levi.  Every single thing about him.  He stole the show for me.  The story is told from his perspective so that may be part of why I felt so attached to him but honestly, he is just a good guy.  He is a peacemaker.  He is kind and thinks of others, especially his mother.  I'm a mother and I LOVE that.  :)

Even though this book deals with a tough, emotional issue that isn't altogether uncommon unfortunately, there were so many lighthearted and fun situations that balanced it out.  I felt like the hard things were represented well.

This book is part of a series although it can stand alone.

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

Sugar and Spice (The Glitter and Sparkle Series Book 3) by Shari L. Tapscott

Fueled by love and determination, twenty-one-year-old Harper took a great leap of faith and transferred home from college to finally declare her feelings to Brandon, the boy who's adored her since they were children.

There was only one thing that could derail her perfect plan, and that was Brandon showing up with a new girlfriend the very same weekend.

Now slightly bitter and irked at the world, Harper focuses her time and attention on making her sister's childhood dream come true: she's going to meet Mason Knight, former lead singer of the wildly popular Forever Now band. All Harper has to do is bake her way onto the nationally televised, holiday cookie competition he happens to be judging. Easy. Until she finds herself partnered with Sadie--Brandon's vapid, wide-eyed, hair-of-many-bottle-blond-colors girlfriend.

Just when Harper's ready to throw in the towel, she collides with entitled, pretty-boy, celebrity-judge Mason. Except he's not entitled, and with his sharp eyes and chiseled jaw, there's nothing pretty about him. Suddenly, Harper doesn't just want in the competition--she wants to win. Even if that means she has to play nice with Sadie to accomplish it...

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This books is SO CUTE!  I just loved it.  It was light, easy reading and I had a lot of fun delving into Harper's world.  The cooking show aspect was fun, especially since they were baking cookies!!  Yum.

Harper felt real and easy to relate to.  She has a humor that appealed to me and made me smile.  Harper is a kind person, even when she wants to be mean.  I really did like her.  I also loved the blushing interactions she has with Mason.  There is crackling attraction there and that always draws me in like a moth to the light.

I love Shari Tapscott.  Her writing style just resonates with me.  I started with her Eldentimber series, which is one of my all time favorites (and the first book in this series is FREE), then continued with her Silver and Orchids series.  Both of those series have a touch of the mystical and magical about them.  This Glitter and Sparkle series is YA contemporary and while different from the other two, still a fun series.  You don't have to read this series in order but you will probably enjoy it better if you do.  :)

Content:  mild innuendo, kissing

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

A Healing Spirit (Riverview Series #2) by Melissa A. Hanson

A freak ski accident brings nineteen-year old Mia Kinney within minutes of death. Hurt and scared, Mia is calmed by the southern drawl and clear green eyes of her rescuer.

Twenty-one year old Dylan Blackburn is one of the first Ski Patrol members on the scene. As his patient is airlifted to the local trauma center, he can’t shake her from his thoughts.

As Mia fights for her life, Dylan, is haunted by the blond hair beauty, and knows he needs to make sure she’s going to be okay.

With a troubled past Dylan has vowed never to completely open himself up to another girl, but Mia continues to knock down every wall he’s constructed. When his past arrives at his front door and threatens once again someone that he loves, will Dylan be able to save Mia yet again? Or will he be too late this time?

A story of love, friendship, and the determination to turn a horrible experience into something worthwhile.

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This is the second book in this Riverview series.  I read and reviewed the first book not too long ago.  As a reviewer, I don't always love the books I am reviewing.  That goes without saying.  But, I do believe that when I read a first book by an author, and don't really love it, I should give them another chance.  Sometimes authors get better as they go, sometimes I get better as I go.  :)  Either way, I believe in second chances.  I didn't really love the first book in this series but I had already signed on to review this one and like I said before, I thought I would give the author another chance.  

Unfortunately, all the reasons I didn't really enjoy the first book were amplified in this book.  This book is told in first person from multiple points of view.  It drove me nuts.  Especially in the beginning when it jumped from person to person.  By the end of the book there was really only 3 alternating voices going on which was a relief, but I still would have appreciated it more if there weren't so many voices.  The problem, especially in the beginning was that I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters.  I didn't feel like I needed those alternating points of view to convey the information or emotion.  It was just distracting.

My other problem was the swearing and profanity.  The first book had a few mild instances, this book had a few more, some not so mild.  Not a fan of that.  The first book mentioned the couple not being ready for sexual relations quite yet, this book did the same but took things just a little bit farther.  

I will say that by the end of the book I really did like the main characters, Mia and Dylan.  Mia has a fantastic attitude toward life and it's always refreshing to have characters that sends out positive vibes.  This book also tackles the very tough subject of domestic violence and I thought the author did a great job of capturing the emotions of abuse.  I also liked the fact that this story was based on a real life event.  I enjoyed reading about that in the back of the book.

I think now that I have a pretty good idea of how this author writes and I just don't think it's a good fit for me personally.

A Healing Heart (Riverview Series #1) by Melissa A. Hanson

On a bitter cold winter night Bailey Walsh’s family was killed in a traffic accident. Two years later as she lives with her aunt and uncle in Southern California, Bailey is still plagued by the nightmares of that terrible night. Everywhere around her are reminders of what she lost. Even her aunt, in a cruel twist of fate, is not just her mom’s sister, but her identical twin. Babysitting Riley, a spunky two-year old, is a sweet distraction and one constant light in her life. One day as she takes Riley to the park she meets Collin McKenna, a senior at her high school and her life is changed forever as he helps her find herself and realize her life is worth living. As the romance between them grows her broken heart begins to heal. However, still nagging in the back of her conscious is the fear that her new found happiness could come crashing down and she could lose everything she loves, yet again. Outside forces begin to tear them apart and Bailey must learn to trust in herself and realize that she is worthy of happiness. That sometimes love and healing comes in unexpected forms.

* Goodreads * Amazon *

A Healing Heart is what I would summarize as a YA clean romance.  It is simplistic in delivery and told in the first person from multiple points of view.  I would say that the overall feel of the book would lend itself to be on the younger side of the YA range.

Bailey is a character you cannot help but have sympathy for.  She has suffered greatly in her young years and lost much.  As a reader, I could see growth in Bailey and that is always important.  Bailey really is on a journey of healing in so many ways.

I liked this book but I never really had that emotional connection to the characters.  It felt more like telling the whole time.  We did this and then we went here and then I did this and so on.  First person can be tricky that way, I think.  The book felt a little long to me but as I said before, I did like it.  

Content:  Some instances of mild swearing.  Mention of waiting for marriage to have sex.

Red Girl, Blue Boy (If Only . . . #5) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Enjoy Red Girl, Blue Boy and the other standalone titles in Bloomsbury’s contemporary If Only romance line centered around an impossible problem: you always want what you can’t have!

Sixteen-year-old Katie and Drew really shouldn’t get along. After all, her father is the Republican nominee for President of the United States while his mother is at the top of the Democratic ticket. But when Katie and Drew are thrown together in a joint interview on a morning talk show, they can’t ignore the chemistry between them. With an entire nation tuned into and taking sides in your parents’ fight, and the knowledge that—ultimately—someone has to lose, how can you fall in love with the one person you’re supposed to hate?

This title in the If Only line is a frank and funny romance that shows how sparks fly when opposites attract.

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

This book is set up perfectly to come out in the middle of a very political year for the U.S..  It's so easy to imagine this book actually happening right now.

Katie is red.  Republican all the way and in full support of her father's run for president of the United States.  Drew is the son of the Democratic nominee for president.  And while he isn't into politics like Katie is, he still finds himself in the middle of all kinds of media attention.

These characters felt really young to me.  Maybe even younger than the 16 years they were supposed to be.  Katie is socially awkward and a bit naive when it comes to making friends and talking to boys but she is also endearing.  Katie and Drew form a new kind of friendship that takes some navigation because they are on opposing sides of a very big election.

I liked that Katie and Drew developed more of a friendship than a romantic connection.  It seemed very appropriate for two sixteen year olds.  Even when the storm of misunderstanding came, it still felt very on point for the age.

This was a sweet story of a boy and a girl and first love.  

Content:  some kissing

A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery

Perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks, this breathtaking story of love and loss is guaranteed to break your heart and sweep you off your feet.

When high school senior Kelsey's identical twin sister, Michelle, dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. The only person who doesn't know about the tragedy is Michelle's boyfriend, Peter, recently deployed to Afghanistan. But when Kelsey finally connects with Peter online, she can't bear to tell him the truth. Active duty has taken its toll, and Peter, thinking that Kelsey is Michelle, says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey has no choice: She lets Peter believe that she is her sister.

As Kelsey keeps up the act, she crosses the line from pretend to real. Soon, Kelsey can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.

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I really liked the blurb for this book so I thought I'd pick it up for review.  My thanks first to the publisher, Little Brown, for allowing me to read and review this title for them.

So, I have some mixed feelings about this book.  I am a fan of Nicholas Sparks and I'm telling you that this book in no way compares to his books.  The depth wasn't there, the believability wasn't there, the emotional pull just wasn't there.  At least for me.  Yes, there was love and yes, there was loss but nothing on the level of Nicholas Sparks.  This book was just too juvenile and predictable to be compared to Nicholas Sparks.

There was just too much in this book that I found unrealistic and unbelievable.  I am married to an identical twin.  Even when I was first getting to know him, I never confused him with his brother.  They are very alike not just in looks but in personality as well. Anyone caring to know them even a little bit would never confuse them.  A passerby on the street, yes.  Someone who didn't know them well at all, yes.  But someone claiming to love them?  No.  Never.  So, the whole twin confusion thing just didn't fly for me.  Especially since Kelsey and Michelle were so very different in style and personality.

Kelsey is certainly a flawed character without much of a moral compass.  Even flawed, she was likeable and certainly had some redeeming qualities mixed in the book.  I think mentally she showed some growth but for the most part I was frustrated with her.  Peter is a forgettable character.  He was patient and kind in the book but I didn't connect emotionally with him or Kelsey in this book.  Where my heart should have been breaking it just wasn't.

The book from beginning to end was completely predictable, which isn't always a bad thing, but I just felt a little let down.  I don't know, I just didn't buy it.  Even the ending.  I read the book, I finished the book.  I didn't hate it but it was just okay for me.  There was some content in the book that I didn't love (like the swearing and sexual innuendo).  It just didn't need to be there.

Content:  Swearing, sexual innuendo and underaged drinking (parties).

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

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I was so excited to get a review copy of this book.  I have loved Jennifer Smith's books and I am always on the lookout for her newest book to show up.  The cover is cute, right?  I love the pop of pink on this one and I love how all her books look similar and have a continuity to them.

So, I'm going to say right off that I was titch disappointed in a couple things in this book. First, the sex between two teenagers.  Not described, but obviously there.  Second, the under-aged drinking.  I just didn't think either of those things needed to be in there to make the story real or good.

 The main characters are just graduating high school and heading off to college.  He wants to stay together, she insists that they should break up.  Clare has planned the whole night before they leave to go through memories that she and Aidan share.  I loved that idea.  And man, you won't believe what they can fit into one night.  It's like living weeks in one twelve hour period.  With each place or event, we get another piece that is Clare and Aidan- their history and their love.  The story involves family issues as well as friends and seriously, it really felt like I lived a lifetime with these two characters in what was supposed to be 12 hours.  I thought the whole idea was fun and romantic.  I loved how the story came together.  I felt like I was on a journey and I couldn't help but be caught up.

This wasn't my favorite book from Jennifer Smith.  It was a solid story, but just not my favorite from her.  I will be on the lookout for the next book because when all is said and done, Jennifer Smith has a writing style that is uniquely her and I love that.  

Eyes Unveiled by Crystal Walton

Twenty-one-year-old Emma Matthews lost the song in her heart the same night she lost her dad. With an unfulfilled promise and an ultimatum shadowing her junior year of college, maybe it’s better that way. You can’t hurt if you can’t feel.

But when the reflection she sees in musician Riley Preston’s eyes borders dangerously close to the one she’s spent the last five years searching for, Emma discovers her walls can’t guard her heart from its fiercest desire. Terrified of what she’s experiencing, and even more afraid of what she might lose, Emma grapples for the courage to hold on to one dream without abandoning the promise of another.

Contemporary Inspirational Romance novel Eyes Unveiled lets you relive those heartfelt moments when you don’t know how you’d survive a day without your best friend, when you’re trying to figure out who you are and what you’re supposed to do with your life, and when falling in love changes everything.

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If you are looking for a book that is emotionally driven, this is your book.  I went through a whole array of emotions while reading this book.  This is a story about self-discovery, friendships and love.

I loved the immediate interest and attraction Emma had when she saw and heard Riley sing.  He spoke to her soul and I loved that.  Riley and Emma share a connection through music but they develop a friendship that expands beyond just music.

Emma was an easy character to relate to.  She seemed very human although maybe just a titch naive.  She doesn't ever expect the worst of people.  Emma has good friends and a good relationship with her brother.  I liked that support system for Emma.  It was good to see Emma grow and strengthen throughout the book.  Her struggles made her stronger.

There is a huge love triangle in this book and love triangles aren't my favorite, but I know they do happen in life and I can accept that.  The resolution of the triangle in this book seemed a bit unrealistic to me though.  

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  It was clean (no swearing or sexual content) and I'm always grateful for that.  I hear the next book in the series is coming out in July so I'll be looking forward to that.

Silence by Deborah Lytton

Love is blind, but it's also deaf. 

Stella was born to sing. Someday Broadway. Even though she's only a sophomore at a new high school, her voice has given her the status as a "cool kid." But everything changes when a tragic accident renders her deaf. She can't hear herself sing not to mention speak. She can't hear anything. Silence. What happens when everything you've dreamed of and hoped for is shattered in a single moment?

Enter Hayden, the boy with blond curls who stutters. He's treated like an outcast because he's not "normal." And, yet, Stella feels an attraction to him that she can't explain. As Hayden reaches out to help Stella discover a world without sound, his own tragic past warns him to keep a distance. But their connection is undeniable. Can the boy who stutters and the girl who's deaf ever find a happily-ever-after? Silence is a story of friendship and hope with a lesson that sometimes it takes a tragedy to help us find and appreciate beauty and love in unexpected places.

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Hearing is something I take for granted, I think.  It's just part of my every day life and most of the time I just assume it's always going to be there.  This book really helped me remember that you should never take for granted the big and little things in life.  Being able to hear is a tremendous gift.

Stella is a singer.  She has big dreams of Broadway.  But one freak accident throws her into a world of silence and her dreams of singing are shattered.  Stella is devastated.  Even though her world has become silent, her thoughts are louder than ever and those thoughts are anything but good.

I love how Hayden enters Stella's life.  He becomes a constant for Stella.  A friend who understands and wants to help her make sense and beauty of her new world of silence.  Hayden teaches Stella that life is still beautiful and worth living.  She is still able to do and experience things, just in a different way.  What a good friend Hayden is.

Stella and Hayden end up helping each other as layers peel away and they learn to trust each other.  I loved the gentle progression of their relationship.  The characters seemed older than 15-16 years old and I had to keep reminding myself that they were younger.

This was a book I really enjoyed reading.  It was sweet and it had a nice flow to it.  I loved the progression and the learning for both Stella and Hayden.

This book is clean.  No swearing, profanity or sexual content.  There are a couple instances of kissing.

In the Spotlight: Begin Again by Brittney Mulliner + an excerpt and a $25 Giveaway

 

Escaping her past, Aubrey Tate moves to Southern California for a fresh start with her older brother, Brandon. Starting over at a new school seems easy with her cousin, Mckayla, and her two best friends at her side, but handling the new guys is another matter. Aubrey ends up in the middle of three rivals that each want her to themselves. Mike claims her first and declare himself her friend and protector. Luke is the school heartthrob that stops Aubrey in her tracks, speechless. Gage is the mysterious, dark outsider that Aubrey can be herself around. How will she navigate her new life while she's still haunted by her past?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

   

"I don't have a boyfriend. At least not anymore…We had an incident at my family's Christmas party and I have sworn off men."

"Now that's not fair, new girl! Don't let some dirt bag ruin all of our chances. A girl like you shouldn't be allowed to swear off the rest of us."

I didn’t have the nerve to ask him what he meant by ‘a girl like me’ so I ignored it. "You find me a good guy, Mike, someone honest and loyal and I will consider changing my mind."

"Done. You and I are going out on Friday."

I laughed despite his straight face. "Mighty sure of yourself. Are you positive you are the best choice as the representative for all men?"

"Trust me Aubrey, I'm a true gentleman. And this doesn't have to mean anything. I just want to show you how a girl like you deserves to be treated. Any loser who has a chance with you and ruins it should be committed."

 

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Author Brittney Mulliner Brittney had been an avid reader since she can remember. Her parents' form of punishment for her growing up was taking away her books and making her go outside to play. She was born and raised in Southern California, with a brief hiatus in Arizona. She loves the beach, exercising, sleeping in, and cookies. She is an obsessive dog lover, although her affection currently has no outlet. Something that she is planning on remedying soon. She currently lives in Utah while she and her husband finish college.

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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/29/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Trouble with Flirting by Rachel Morgan

Labelled a nerd for most of high school, Livi sees her first year of university as a chance to redefine herself. She can finally enter the popular crowd and maybe even land herself a super hot boyfriend. But Livi’s about to discover that the price of popularity may be more than she’s willing to pay, and that what—and who—she wants most has always been right in front of her.

This was sort of a coming of age story for Alivia.  It is her first year living away from home, on her own, making her own choices and spreading her wings.  It includes many firsts and navigating those tricky waters of freedom.

Alivia is determined that her university years are going to be different than her high school years.  University is her time to break out of the labeled shell she was in and become someone new and in her opinion, better.  Only it doesn't really go the way Livi thinks it will and in the process she loses parts of herself that not only made her happy but made up who she really is.  It was a long, hard battle because Livi is very determined, but I was glad to see in the end that Livi learned a valuable lesson about being happy with herself.

Yeah, Livi isn't perfect.  She makes lots of "dumb" mistakes.  But those mistakes made her human and real.  We can all releate to making mistakes, I think.  Adam is a good friend to Livi.  He is, for the most part, patient and he is there when she falls.  Adam grew on me as the story progressed.  He is a solid guy and I liked that.

I loved the South Africa setting, the mental pictures the book created for me and even the lesson in slang.  :)  The overall story was one that anyone romantic at heart will love.  You can't help but breathe a contented sigh at the end.  

Content:  There was mild swearing, sexual innuendo and one scene where a boy tries to force himself on a girl at a party.  There is drinking and drugs.  For these reasons, I would recommend the older YA age group for this book.  This book won't make it into my teenage daughter's hands because of the previously mentioned things.  

My thanks to the author, Rachel Morgan, for allowing me to read and review for her.  This is the second book in the Trouble series.  

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Rewind to You by Laura Johnson + $50 Giveaway!

 

Rewind to You One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away. But the past isn’t easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete’s body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street. When she’s with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now...

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Yay!! This was a great contemporary YA novel of love, loss and forgiveness. I was captured from the very beginning and didn’t want to put the book down. Of course, we don’t always get what we want and I did have to put it down but I was always excited and looking forward to picking it back up.

This is a story about a boy and a girl, who meet. It’s fate, coincidence, destiny- whatever you want to call it. There is an instant attraction that develops quickly into something more as they get to know each other. Both Austin and Sienna are struggling with the hard things life has thrown at them. There are a lot of emotions swirling around as this book progresses.

Austin is kind. He is a good friend to those who need one. I wish there were more Austin’s in the world for if there were, the world would be a better place.

Sienna is courageous and strong but has her weaknesses. Fortunately, one of her weaknesses is Austin. Haha. It makes for a good story!  J

There is a back and forth pull between Austin and Sienna. The road isn’t paved with gold but the struggles made the book seem realistic. This was an easy book to read, it was entertaining and like candy for the brain.

I especially appreciated that “Rewind to You” was clean- no sexual content or swearing. There was some kissing but nothing that crossed the lines for me. This is a book my older teenage daughter will enjoy.

Author Laura Johnston Laura Johnston lives in Utah with her husband and two children. Growing up with five siblings, a few horses, peach trees, beehives and gardens, she developed an active imagination and always loved a good story. She fell in love with the young adult genre both through her experience in high school as well as her job later as a high school teacher. Laura enjoys running, playing tennis, sewing, traveling, writing, and above all, spending time with her husband and kids. REWIND TO YOU is her debut novel.

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 Blog Tour Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/13/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an iTunes Gift Code or River Street Sweets Gift Card. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Trouble With Flying by Rachel Morgan

When nineteen-year-old introvert Sarah boards a plane to fly home after an overseas holiday, the last thing she expects is Aiden, the guy sitting next to her who’s never flown anywhere before and refuses to shut up. Hours of random conversation later, they part ways. Sarah can’t stop thinking about Aiden, though, and wondering if she made a terrible mistake letting him go. Should she abandon her safe, predictable life and go in search of him, or would she be chasing a happily ever after that could never exist in real life?

Oh, this book was so cute.  I read the prequel story to this (Forgiven) not long ago and it was the perfect set up for me wanting to read this book.  I didn't know this author before but when I read in the book blurb that her books were free of sexual content or explicit language I knew she was an author I wanted to check out.  I'm always in the market for clean reads.  I'm grateful she put that in the blurb so I would know.  It's so hard to know content in the YA/NA book world and I'm always grateful to authors who give the head's up on content so I can decide.

The opening is so funny- Sarah on the plane, crying, snot running out of her nose and she cannot find a tissue fast enough.  Enter cute guy sitting next to her and her embarrassment hits all time high levels.  It was highly amusing to me.  Aiden is scared to death of flying and Sarah has to overcome her anxiety and her embarrassment to help distract him.  It turns into hours and hours of conversation and ends with a parting of ways in the form of one unexpected kiss.  I know.  <sigh>  Romantic.  

Sarah is exceptionally shy.  She has a hard time talking to strangers and she definitely doesn't know how to assert herself.  She is young though, still figuring out what she wants to some degree and starting to think about how she can get it.  For the most part she is content to allow others to make decisions and go along with what they want.  Then she begins to see other possibilities and it makes her question what she actually wants.

It was good to see Sarah gain confidence in herself as she realized that she could do hard things and make her own decisions.  Her transformation left me hopeful and happy.  I found Sarah's mental conversations amusing and I found a happily ever after that was dreamy.

I thought this book was fun.  It was the perfect summer read- light and romantic.  The next book will be much anticipated for me- I can't wait!

Content:  There is some mild swearing in this book.

Find it at Amazon!  Just .99 cents as of today!  SWEET!

Porcelain Keys by Sarah Beard + a Giveaway!

Title: Porcelain Keys

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (February 11, 2014)

ISBN-10: 1462113966

ISBN-13: 978-1462113965

Aria's life is full of secrets--secrets about her mother's death, her father's cruelty, and her dream to go to Juilliard. When Aria meets Thomas, he draws out her secrets, captures her heart, and gives her the courage to defy her father. But when tragedy strikes and Thomas disappears, Aria is left alone to transform her broken heart's melody into something beautiful. Porcelain Keys is a captivating love story that will resonate long after the last page is turned.

Porcelain Keys was such a pleasure to read.  It wasn't quite what I was expecting going into it but don't ask me what I was expecting because I don't really know. ha.  Actually, I think I was expecting the usual YA book but what I got was something deeper and more substantial.  This was a tender and emotional story of a girl trying to escape the hurt to find hope, healing and love.

I loved the music aspect of this book.  Music has always been a part of my world and my emotions.  Music has the power to sway your emotions and take you to faraway places.  Aria has a gift within her for music.  She feels the pull to play and when she does, her emotions feed into the music and make it come alive.

Aria is a character you will feel connected to.  She is both vulnerable and strong.  Her tragedies will have you wishing for a happily ever after ending.  There was real depth to Aria and to this whole story.  She has to fight her way out of the darkness that threatens to consume her.  There is something admirable in that.

I walked away from this book feeling satisfied and happy.  Aria's story stayed in my mind well after I had read it.  I love when that happens.

You can purchase Porcelain Keys on Amazon or at Cedar Fort.

SARAH BEARD is the author of Porcelain Keys, a YA contemporary romance. She has a degree in communications from the University of Utah and splits her time between writing and raising three energetic boys. She is a cancer survivor and a hopeless romantic. She enjoys reading and composing music, and lives with her husband and children in Salt Lake City, Utah. You can follow Sarah on twitter at @authorsarahb, or at facebook.com/authorsarahbeard. Her website is www.sarahbeard.com.

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