Available Now: More than Friends by Monica Murphy

More than Friends by Monica Murphy

Release Date: November 14th, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Romance

Cover Designer: Hang Le

He's not perfect, but he's all I want...

I’m your average girl at your average high school, trying to figure out my place in life. After catching my now ex-boyfriend messing around with my now ex-best friend, I’ve made some big changes. No more band, no more backstabbing friends and no more boring old life. Now I have new friends, a new job and new interests.

But there’s a certain someone who’s interested in me, and I don’t get it. Jordan Tuttle could have anyone he wants. He’s the most popular boy in school. Rich, gorgeous, smart and the star quarterback, he’s perfect. Yet he acts like he wants no one else but…me.

So despite my fears and doubt, I let him get close. Probably too close. I discover that he’s not so perfect after all, but it doesn’t matter. I’m falling for him, even though he runs so hot and cold. I know someday he’s going to break my heart.

And I’m going to let him.

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32027656-more-than-friends

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2f4jdwJ

iBooks link: http://apple.co/2elBtCx
Nook: http://bit.ly/2e4sAPn
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fwwj9U
Amazon US (print): http://amzn.to/2e4tjAa

Read the prologue, One Night

Free on All platforms or on Wattpad:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2dYSIO3
iBooks: http://apple.co/2dafC0z
B&N: http://bit.ly/2d7e63f
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2drEMeF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2dkFokE

Wattpad:

https://www.wattpad.com/story/79420939-one-night

About the Author:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she's not writing, she's reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She's a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Connect with Monica:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2c9ViiI
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bRP5bR
Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/IW5U0y

Author Event: David Levithan, Andrea Cremer, A.R. Kahler, TommyWallach, and Goldy Moldavsky

Hi all!
I was back in PA this week for spring break and there happened to be a fun event going on at Haverford's Children's Book World.  Coincidentally, I looked on their website yesterday and found that they were having an event today!

Who was there?

David Levithan- Another Day

 Andrea Cremer- The Conjuerer's Riddle (The Inventor's Secret #2)

A.R. Kahler- Shades of Darkness

Tommy Wallach-Thanks for the Trouble

Goldy Moldavsky- Kill the Boy Band

Each author read a passage from their newest book.  Some even had other authors playing different characters in their books, and the atmosphere was cheery and jovial.  

Some interesting things I learned tonight: 

• There will be a sequel to Dash and Lily's Book of Dares.  It will be Christmas themed.
• Andrea Cremer contributed to an anthology about women that came out yesterday on International Women's Day.  It's called A Tyranny of Petticoats
• Alex Kahler killed off the character based off of his ex.
• Tommy Wallach used to hang out in hotels in NYC often while he studied at NYU.
• Goldy Moldavsky thinks Justin Timberlake was the worst member of NSYNC because of his ramen noodle hair.

Signed books from tonight

Beautiful A Tyranny of Petticoats poster

Were you at this event?  Did you read any of the book written by the authors that visited?

  

Review: The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey
My rating: 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.17 stars

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. 

Here I am making use of time while my flight is delayed;)

Overall, as you can see by my rating, I really enjoyed The Fifth Wave.  I picked this book up when it first came out because it had been getting good reviews, but I never read it until now to get ready for the movie.  In fact, I wasn't really sure what the book was about until I saw the movie trailer.  

The plot is engaging, and Yancey writes the prose in such a way that is exciting, thrilling, and intense.  Intense enough to make me question what the movie was going to be rated.  The choices for the waves are interesting and very believable of being capable to wipe out the planet.  If I hadn't read a spoiler, I would have been shocked at one of the plot twists.  I was on the edge of the pages of the book it was so exciting.  As another reviewer mentioned this book lies between Ya and adult which was nice since I'm trying to move away from YA.

I enjoyed the characters as well.  Cassie is brave, but I like her humor the most.  She is a bit childish in the beginning, but she was only sixteen then, and she grows over thee course of the book.  However, I have to say my favorite character is Evan.  Though some reviewers said his relationship with Cassie was creepy, I liked him.  Maybe their relationship had an unconventional start, but he treats her well and his flirty sense of humor is appealing.  Another favorite of mine was Ringer who took no nonsense from anyone and was very headstrong.

Go read the book.  It's great.  Don't watch the movie unless it is purely to stare at the beautiful actors.  I will be posting a review of the movie soon.

Reminder: SHADOWHUNTERS PREMIERE TONIGHT

Hi Rafael!

Shadowhunters tv show based on Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series will premiere on ABC Family tonight at 9/8 c.  I'll be watching it despite that President Obama's State of the Union will be on at the same time.

This will be the first tv show that I watch in a long time, and I'm excited but doubtful after having seen the terrible Mortal Instruments movie.

I have some reviews of the books on the review page.

Leave a comment if you are going to watch tonight.

Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Current Goodreads Rating: 3.97

"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . "

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?

Characters: Honestly, the characters in this book are really boring and a little pathetic.  Beth and Jennifer have a few funny conversations via email about common girl things, but that's really the only parts I sorta chuckled at.  For the most part, I didn't like Beth because she stayed with her boyfriend who could not have cared less about her.  On the other hand, I didn't like Lincoln because he spent most of his time moping around his mom's house, pining for a girl he had never met in real life but only knew through reading her private emails.

Plot: The plot is quite interesting because it is about falling for someone who you can't see, so it's about liking someone for them and not their looks.  Meanwhile, the way in which Lincoln learns about Beth is pretty creepy, and I don't know how realistic this love story is.  That's like falling in love with your stalker.

Am I the only one who hates the endings of all of Rainbow Rowell's books?  Besides Landline, I've read them all and they all have left me disappointed.  It feels like they don't finish.  The books end too abruptly, especially Attachments.


View all my reviews

Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series. 

Characters: I always love the way Stephanie Perkins creates realistic and relatable characters.  So, I didn't like Isla and Josh as much as I liked Anna and Etienne or even Lola and Cricket because they didn't have wit like those guys.  I didn't find myself laughing at all, but feeling sad.  Possibly more sad than while reading Anna and the French Kiss.  

What I liked most about Isla was her lack of confidence.  It seems to me that everybody goes through a point in their life where they aren't sure of who they are or what they want.  Isla is relatable in this way, and if you don't feel any sympathy for her, there is something wrong with you.

Josh is the brooding artist that you fall in love with.  He is much more emotional than the series' other heroes.  I loved the way that he showed how much he cared about Isla by creatively using his talents.

Plot: First, I liked that Isla and Josh were more how do I phrase this?  They were more adventurous in pursuing their desire for each other?  Basically, I  liked that there was a really subtle sex scene in the story because it gives the book genuineness.

Next, I thought that Isla and Josh got together too quickly.  Where was the tension, the buildup leading to the epic get together?  I feel like the majority of the book was the fallout, and therefore I wasn't motivated to read it.  I usually finish a book by Stephanie Perkins within a day because I'm hooked, but I started this one and then picked it up after a few months and finished it on a 7 hour train ride.  Even then, it took awhile to get through.

Additional comments: The best part of the book was finding out how tall Etienne is.  Hands down, that is the best part.

Though I liked Isla, my expectations were too high.  This was my least favorite of the series.

Stephanie came to two of my local bookstores while on tour.  She has never come here before, and of course she comes when I am away at college.  Nonetheless, I pre ordered the book from my closest indie, and I ended up getting this bag too.  Yay, unfortunately the cat was not included.

Photo from Stephanie Perkins' blog

View all my reviews

Release Day Launch: Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry

 

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day launch for Katie McGarry's BREAKING THE RULES! BREAKING THE RULES is a Young Adult contemporary romance published by Harlequin Teen, and is the follow-up book to Katie's PUSHING THE LIMITS. You do not want to miss Noah and Echo's story! Grab it today!

 

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** Books-A-Million ** Kobo ** iBooks ** Google Play

  BREAKING THE RULES Synopsis: A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry. For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so . . . different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who's never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything--except the one thing Echo's just not ready for. But when the source of Echo's constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants--even as foster kid Noah's search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves. Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn . . . seriously epic.

And don’t forget to read the first books in the Pushing the Limits Series…

PUSHING THE LIMITS

CROSSING THE LINE

DARE YOU TO

CRASH INTO YOU

TAKE ME ON

    About 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.

Website | Twitter @KatieMcGarry | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumbler | Instagram

 

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Cover Reveal: Her Destiny by Monica Murphy

 

I knew from the moment I first saw him he was the one. The only boy I could ever want.
The only boy I could ever love.

Isn't it gorgeous?

 

They say he’s bad for me.

But I know he’s not.

Until the day he rejects me.

And breaks my heart.

Completely.

Everything changes in the blink of an eye. My entire life as I’ve known it is…gone. Secrets are revealed. Promises once made are irrevocably broken. There’s no way my family can get back to what we once were.

So when Nicholas Fairfield walks back into my life like he never left it, I’m furious. Thrilled. Irritated. Excited.

Conflicted.

Despite my confusion, I want to be with him. I love him. But danger lurks where we least expect it. Someone will do whatever it takes to tear us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.

Because Nick Fairfield? He’s mine.

 

Don't miss out on the book that started it all: HIS REVERIE!

 

 

I knew from the moment I first saw her she was the one. The only girl I could ever want.

The only girl I could ever love.

She is light.

I am darkness.

She is innocent.

I’ve done too much.

She is good.

I am bad.

She is my every dream.

I should be her every nightmare.

We come from different worlds. She’s…perfect. And I’m…

Not.

Somehow she wants me anyway. So we’ll grasp at what we can. We’re going to make this summer count. She’s my secret. And I’m hers.

The problem with secrets is they never last for long. And when others discover we’re together, they’ll do whatever it takes to keep us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.

Because Reverie Hale? She’s mine.

 

Buy Links:

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-reverie/id883027229?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/his-reverie

Barnes & Noble: Coming soon!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/His-Reverie-Monica-Murphy-ebook/dp/B00LUDA6BE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406314182&sr=8-1&keywords=his+reverie

 

About Monica Murphy:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.

 

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy

Facebook: http://facebook.com/karenericksonwritesromance

 

 

 

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934418.Monica_Murphy

HER DESTINY Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22864422-her-destiny

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Monica-Murphy/e/B00AVPYIGG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406308365&sr=8-1

 

 

Real Life Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

So, my friend Rachel and I read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. The  book had a lovely premise- two people who meet on an airplane and fall in love but go separate ways once the plane lands.  Ever since then, Rachel and I joke about finding our true love whenever one of us travels. 

And today, she sent me this article.

Long story short, a young fellow chatted with a Canadian girl named Katie for an entire flight, only to get separated at customs.

Then, he went to social media to find her though he only knew her first name and that she is from Nova Scotia.  He used the hashtags #findkatie and #loveatfirstsight and went on a radio station to find her.

And he did.

They're meeting soon, and may they have a happy ending! 


If that doesn't make your heart feel warm and fuzzy, I don't know what's wrong with you. 

Comment what you would do to find your lost love.  

Cover Reveal: Night Sky by Suzanne and Melanie Brockman

 

Sixteen-year-old Skylar Reid is thrown into a strange world when she discovers that she has unique telekinetic and telepathic powers.  After Sasha, the child she babysits, is kidnapped and believed to be murdered, Sky and her best friend Calvin are approached by Dana, a mysterious girl who has super-abilities similar to Sky’s.  With the help of Dana and her sidekick Milo, the four teens embark on a quest to discover who killed Sasha, and to bring the killers to justice.

 

With Dana as Skylar’s surly and life-toughened mentor, Sky attempts to harness her powers to aid them in their quest. Complicating an already complex relationship with the older girl, Sky starts to fall for the dangerously handsome and enigmatic Milo – and begins to suspect that the attraction is mutual. But then Sky realizes that Sasha might still be alive, and the unlikely foursome’s mission becomes one of search and rescue, pitting the heroic teens against a very deadly enemy.

 

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal)

Biography:

Suzanne Brockman, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author, has won 2 RITA awards, numerous RT Reviewers’ Choice, and RWA’s #1 Favorite Book of the Year three years running. She has written over 50 books, and is widely recognized as a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today). Suzanne and her daughter, Melanie Brockmann, have been creative partners, on and off, for many years. Their first project was an impromptu musical duet, when then-six-month-old Melanie surprised and delighted Suz by matching her pitch and singing back to her. Suzanne splits her time between Florida and Massachusetts while Mel lives in Sarasota, Florida. NIGHT SKY is Mel’s debut and Suzanne’s 55th book. Visit Suzanne at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com.

Blog Tour (EXCERPT): Before You by Amber Hart

Some say love is deadly. Some say love is beautiful. I say it is both.

Faith Watters spent her junior year traveling the world, studying in exquisite places, before returning to Oviedo High School. From the outside her life is picture ­perfect. Captain of the dance team. Popular. Happy. Too bad it’s all a lie.

It will haunt me. It will claim me. It will shatter me. And I don't care.

Eighteen ­year ­old Diego Alvarez hates his new life in the States, but staying in Cuba is not an option. Covered in tattoos and scars, Diego doesn't stand a chance of fitting in. Nor does he want to. His only concern is staying hidden from his past—a past, which if it were to surface, would cost him everything. Including his life.

At Oviedo High School, it seems that Faith Watters and Diego Alvarez do not belong together. But fate is as tricky as it is lovely. Freedom with no restraint is what they long for. What they get is something different entirely.

Love—it will ruin you and save you, both.

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EXCERPT

Being tough does not scare Faith Watters. Time to change tactics. I relax and flash a grin.

“Mami, why don’t I help you loosen up a little?”

She blinks, but doesn’t show any outward evidence that my words have affected her. I move close, very close. When I look down at her, she doesn’t look away.

Her eyes remind me of stained glass, bright and cutting.

“We could have a good time, you and me,” I say, mischief punctuating my voice.

“I don’t think so,” she says coldly.

I will not let her upstage me. I give her a long, slow once-over. She dresses older than she is, like she doesn’t belong in high school. I wonder what makes her so uptight.

What are you hiding, chica?

I usually don’t have to try with girls. It’s one of the very few advantages life has thrown my way.

“Oh, come on. You might like Latino if you tried it,” I say, voice low. The guys behind me laugh, egging me on.

“When you’re done with him, I’m available, mamacita,” Juan says. “I don’t mind leftovers.”

She sneers. Good. That’s progress.

“Let me take you out,” I say.

I’m not really going to take her anywhere. I just want to make a crack in her icy shield.

Why do you have a shield, anyway?

“Why?” she asks suspiciously.

"Because it would be fun," I say.

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ABOUT AMBER HART Amber Hart grew up in Orlando, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. She now resides on the Florida coastline with family. When unable to find a book, she can be found writing, daydreaming, or with her toes in the sand. She's the author of BEFORE YOU, AFTER US, UNTIL YOU FIND ME, and sequel to UNTIL YOU FIND ME (untitled as of yet). Represented by Beth Miller of Writers House.

CONNECT WITH AMBER HART Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Release Day Blitz: Before You by Amber Hart

We're so excited to celebrate the release of BEFORE YOU by Amber Hart from Kensington Teen! This multicultural romance has us swooning!

 

ABOUT BEFORE YOU

Some say love is deadly. Some say love is beautiful. I say it is both.

Faith Watters spent her junior year traveling the world, studying in exquisite places, before returning to Oviedo High School. From the outside her life is picture ­perfect. Captain of the dance team. Popular. Happy. Too bad it’s all a lie.

It will haunt me. It will claim me. It will shatter me. And I don't care.

Eighteen­ year ­old Diego Alvarez hates his new life in the States, but staying in Cuba is not an option. Covered in tattoos and scars, Diego doesn't stand a chance of fitting in. Nor does he want to. His only concern is staying hidden from his past—a past, which if it were to surface, would cost him everything. Including his life.

At Oviedo High School, it seems that Faith Watters and Diego Alvarez do not belong together. But fate is as tricky as it is lovely. Freedom with no restraint is what they long for. What they get is something different entirely.

Love—it will ruin you and save you, both.

 

EXCERPT:

“Hi, I’m Faith Watters.”
Those are the first words I speak to the new Cuban guy in the front office. He grimaces. He’ll be
a tough one. I can handle it, though. He’s not the first.
I can’t help but notice that he looks a lot like a model from the neck up—eyes the color of oak,
strong bone structure. Everywhere else, he looks a lot like a criminal. Chiseled, scarred body ...
I wonder for a second about the meaning behind the tattoos scratched into his arms.
One thing’s clear. He’s dangerous.
And he’s beautiful.
“I’ll show you to your classes,” I announce.
I’m one of the peer helpers at our school. It’s not my favorite thing to do, but it counts as a class.
Basically I spend the first two days with new students, introducing them around and answering
their questions. Some parents with kids new to the school voluntarily sign their students up, but
it’s only mandatory for the international students, of which we have a lot. Mostly Latinos.
This Cuban guy towers over me. I’m five six. Not tall. Not short. Just average. Average is good.
This guy’s not average. Not even a little bit. He must be over six feet.
I glance up at him, kind of like I do when I’m searching for the moon in a sea of darkness.
“Looks like you have math first. I’ll walk you there,” I offer.
“No thanks, chica. I can handle it.”
“It’s no problem,” I say, leading the way.
He tries to snatch his schedule from my hands, but I move too fast.
“Why don’t we start with your name?” I suggest.
I already know his name. Plus some. Diego Alvarez. Eighteen years old. Moved from Cuba two
weeks ago. Only child. No previous school records. I read it in his bio. I want to hear him say it.
“You got some kinda control issues or somethin’?” he asks harshly, voice slightly accented.
“You got some kind of social issues or somethin’?” I fire back, holding my stance. I won’t let him
intimidate me, though I’ll admit, he’s hot. Too bad he has a nasty attitude.
The side of his lip twitches. “No. I just don’t mix with your type,” he answers.
“My type?”
“That’s what I said.”
“You don’t even know my type.” No one does. Well, except Melissa.
He chuckles humorlessly. “Sure I do. Head cheerleader? Date the football player? Daddy’s little
girl who gets everything she wants?” He leans closer to whisper. “Probably a virgin.”
My cheeks burn hot. “I’m not a cheerleader,” I say through clamped teeth.
“Whatever,” he says. “Are you gonna give me my schedule or not?”
“Not,” I answer. “But you can feel free to follow me to your first class.”
He steps in front of me, intimately close. “Listen, chica, nobody tells me what to do.”
I shrug. “Fine, suit yourself. It’s your life. But if you want to attend this school, it’s mandatory for
me to show you to your classes for two days.”
His eyes narrow. “Who says I want to attend this school?”
I take the last step toward him, closing the gap between us. When we were little, Melissa and I
used to collect glass bottles. Whenever we accumulated twenty, we’d break them on the
concrete. When the glass shattered, the slivered pieces made a breathtaking prism of light.
I cut myself on the glass by accident once. It was painful, but worth it. The beauty was worth it.
It’s funny how the bottle was never as beautiful as when it was broken.

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ABOUT AMBER HART Amber Hart grew up in Orlando, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. She now resides on the Florida coastline with family. When unable to find a book, she can be found writing, daydreaming, or with her toes in the sand. She's the author of BEFORE YOU, AFTER US, UNTIL YOU FIND ME, and sequel to UNTIL YOU FIND ME (untitled as of yet). Represented by Beth Miller of Writers House.

CONNECT WITH AMBER HART Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Review: On the Fence by Kasie West

On the Fence by Kasie West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Current Goodreads rating: 4.05

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. 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. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. 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.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.


YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ON THE FENCE ABOUT READING THIS ONE!!

If you don't smile while reading this book, you're not human.

Characters: OMG, the characters make this book!  First, there's Charlie.  Yeah, this girl is awesome!! She can take on those boys and handle herself, wahoo! However, she's only 16 and is pretty immature, doing things like throwing basketballs at people's heads or kicking them.  But, as the story progresses, she matures a little bit and becomes more comfortable with who she is and what she wants which made me happy.  The thing that I loved most about Charlie is her humor!! 

Charlie has 3 biological brothers (whom I adore), but she considers Braden, her brother Gage's best friend and their neighbor, one too.  She and her brothers are always bantering playfully, constantly trying to embarrass each other.  At the end of the day, they've got each others' backs though and are extremely protective of one another.  ON THE FENCE made me want to have more brothers.

But speaking solely about Braden, the love interest, he is sweet, athletic, funny (but not as much as Charlie's brothers), caring, and quite jealous!!  I didn't like him as much as the other boys and wasn't swooning over him until the very end because of his jealousy.  But how can I blame him?  Charlie wasn't making their getting together too easy either.

And last, but not least, Charlie's father is wonderful.  He is a single parent trying to raise a daughter, and he's doing the best he can which is sometimes awkwardly funny.

***** Characters from The Distance Between Us have cameos, and they're fantastic :) *****

Plot: What a perfect summer romance.  The romance part of the plot is predictable, but so, so sweet!  The Fence Chats made me want to have a neighbor as well.  The mysterious aspect involving Charlie's mother is interesting, not what I was expecting at all.  I do think it was a little hard to believe that Charlie couldn't remember the major secret about her mom's past.  She was 6 when it happened, so I would think that she'd be able to remember at that age where you're not really, really little but not older either.  I also wish there was more about her mom, but there are a couple of lines between Charlie and Braden that justify why there is not a whole lot of emphasis on the situation.      

Overall feelings:  Super funny and cute!  Definitely a nice romance for summer time and a contemporary about growing up and discovering yourself.  I love you, Kasie West and I will be reading Pivot Point soon.

View all my reviews

Book Buying Time- Signed Copy of Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth

 

I've been absent for the past few days because I got  oral surgery.  Not wisdom teeth removal, but I have felt like Isla minus finding a charming fellow named Josh.  I have been suffering, not from physical pain but from having to eat oatmeal  and soup more than once a day.  So, as a treat, I've bought myself a signed copy of Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth.  And how do you benefit?  Well, I'll tell you all the details so that you can get your copy too.

 

 

A little while ago, you could preorder a signed copy from Barnes and Noble.  Don't even bother anymore, trust me.  She already signed the 6,000 copies, and they were all ordered.

 

However, you can get a signed copy if you come out to the Four Tour!  But, the Four Tour only consists of four stops.  Surprise, surprise. 

 



BOSTON - July 8: Veronica Roth Solo Event at 7PM
Nevins Hall
Memorial Building
150 Concord Street
Framingham, MA 01702
*books sold by Barnes & Noble
For information, please call: 508-628-5567

ATLANTA - July 10: Veronica Roth with Marie Lu at 7 PM
Agnes Scott College
Presser Hall
141 East College Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
*books sold by Little Shop of Stories
For information, please call 404-373-6300 or visit http://www.littleshopofstories.com/events.php

DENVER - July 15: Veronica Roth with Margaret Stohl at 7 PM
Tattered Cover Highlands Ranch
9315 Dorchester St
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
For information, please call: 303-322-1965

LANSING - July 16: Veronica Roth with Phoebe North at 7 PM
Schuler Books & Music
2820 Towne Center Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48912
For information, please call: 517-316-7495

If you do plan on coming to one of these events, you should know that there will be no signing lines.  All of the Four books will be presigned, and it will only be a talk with Veronica. 
 
 
What to do if you don't live near any of these cities?!?
 
 
Honestly, this is the best situation because you can still get your book without having to travel. 
 
HOW?
 
Well, I've done the research for you, and Schuler Books offers signed copies of Four for $17.99 and shipping is $1. You can be a total recluse!  Truly, though, this is the best option because should you attend the event in Lansing, you may be standing if you were not one of the first 100 to buy a ticket.  And, you wouldn't have the option of just getting Four.  You'd get a copy of Starglass by Phoebe North too. 
 
You're welcome in advance for all of this insight.  Hahaha, but I really hope that this was helpful.
 
Leave me a comment and tell me which Divergent book was your favorite.
 
x Carly
                                                              

                                               

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Current Goodreads rating 4.22

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Characters: Cath and Wren really reminded me of myself and my sister.  No, we aren't twins, nor were we ever really best friends, but I relate to Cath's love for books and her introversion.  On the other hand, my sister is much like Wren, more social to say the least.  Initially, I wasn't a huge fan of Wren because she ditches her sister.  The two grow apart, and I felt for Cath.  I was delighted when Cath found Levi who makes her happy and is always therefor her.  I even loved Regan.  Her iciness thaws, and she is actually pretty cool.  Haha pun intended.   

Plot: I listened to the audio book (the narrators were great), and I'll admit that I checked out during the Simon Snow scenes.  Then, I was talking with my friends and found out that they completely skipped over the fanfic.  Aside from that, I loved this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the evolution of the relationships between child and parent, sister and sister, girl and boy, etc.
I loved that Rainbow Rowell brings attention to mental illness and shows the importance of forgiveness.
I loved that this could be considered NA and it doesn't have any sexual content.
And I love the romance.

THE FEELS

GO READ THIS!!!!

This is the perfect read for the summer before entering college.  That's when I read it, and it has a special place in my heart now....(Awwww)

x Carly
View all my reviews

Thoughts on the Delirium Pilot

Remember when Lauren Oliver's Delirium was possibly going to be a TV show on Fox, but then it never made it past the pilot?  Well, if you haven't heard, a few days ago
 (6/20) it became available for FREE on Hulu for 30 days.

And international fans can view it on WIGS' website, I believe.

I watched it, and it was fabulous!  Not just because Emma Roberts played Lena (That was a deliberate word choice.  Any of my readers used to watch Unfabulous?)

Along with her, Daren Kagasoff from The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Gregg Sulkin from Faking It star.

I haven't read the books, but I have had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Oliver.  I must say that she deserves your support, so watch the pilot so that an entire season can be filmed!! The plot is very interesting: Love is a disease.  It clouds judgment, leading to reckless decisions.  But, at 18, everyone gets cured and gets an assigned partner.

Sure there would be no hasty choices or heartbreak if a world without love existed, but where would the passion go?  What about all of the positives that love brings?

Overall, I loved the action and romance, but the relationship between Lena and Alex felt too rushed for me.  Then again, a lot had to happen in a short period of time. 

Fox stopped this project because it figured that people wouldn't be into a YA show, and I have to agree.   Yes, people of all ages like The Hunger Games, but that seems rare.  The target audience for Delirium is definitely teens, and I think it would have gone over well if it were to premiere on a channel like the CW.  The premise of the show and book is awesome, and I think the audience could be diverse if people give it a chance.



 

THE ENDING!!!!!!  What a cliffhanger!

 

WIGS must make more Delirium.

 

x Carly