Seaweed by Elle Strauss

Goodreads 

Author Blog

Author Facebook:

Twitter: @elle_strauss

Book description:

"Dori Seward can’t wait to get out of Eastcove, a sleepy fishing village on the border of New Brunswick and Maine. She bides her time by hanging out with friends, attending swim club, and holding her biggest competition, Colby–who wants more than just friendship, at arm’s length.
Then Tor Riley comes to town and he has everything Dori dreams of in a boyfriend–looks, athleticism and mystery.
But Tor also has a tantalizing secret and Dori is determined to find out what it is. The truth is crazier than her wildest imaginations and more dangerous, too. Dori has new enemies, and they will do anything to get to her.
Her life, her dreams and her love for Tor are all weighing in the balance. Will Dori risk it all in order to have it all? "


Review:
I really enjoyed Seaweed. It was a cute, easy to read, and a clean YA novel. The story was well thought of , fast-paced, and held my interest.  The characters were well thought of and entertaining. Seaweed is the perfect YA beach read!

4.5 out of 5 stars.


                                                                About Elle Strauss

"I write time travel and merfolk chic-lit, light SF and historical YA fiction. I'm a married mom of four, and live in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, famous for beaches and vineyards. I'm fond of Lindt's sea salt dark chocolate and hiking in good weather. My YA rom/com time-travel CLOCKWISE is now available on Amazon, B&N and other sites!"

Special Thanks to Elle Strauss and AToMR Blog tours for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Seaweed Tour Schedule

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The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club by J.C. Isabella

Purchase Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Description:
"Welcome to the big leagues. To secrets and scandals. It's all about the game. Who's playing. Who's not. Who has no idea about the game. And...wait, what game are we playing?

I'll leave that for you to decide.
Where to start is the big question for Chloe Baker. How was she supposed to explain to Zack Warren that she started a fan club for him when she was a kid? It was just a game. A way to make friends and have fun. She never thought it would spiral out of control. And never. In a million, gazillion years, did she think it would follow her to college. How could she tell him her best friend Lana kept the club alive? That she had nothing to do with the craziness?
Chloe didn’t understand why she cared so much about Zack's opinion of her. She hated him. He hated her. They had very mutual feelings of dislike for each other. So he'd just hate her even more when or if he found out. 
And that's totally fine...she thinks.
Zack Warren had a soft spot for Chloe Baker. He likes the way she walks. He likes the way she talks. If he was poetically inclined, he’d write a sonnet about her ass.
It's Zack’s junior year of college. He’s got things to worry about. Scouts from the major leagues. Baseball games. Contracts. Grades.... His father ran away to Vegas with Chloe's mother. He didn’t have time to worry about a girl. But he did. He worried about Chloe a lot, especially with that jerk Max sniffing around her. It's weird though, to like your stepsister, right?
But Zack could argue that he saw Chloe first. Way before his dad met her mom. He was too young to stake a claim. But he just doesn't care anymore. 
He’s done playing games."

Review:

I really enjoyed The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club! It was a cute light read with fun characters. The chemistry between Zack and Chloe was well written and I really enjoyed that we were able to read both of their points of view. I highly enjoyed The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club and can't wait to read more from J.C. Isabella

 

4 out of 5 stars

 

Excerpt:

Chloe's POV

"Nostalgia is for idiots and Zack Warren is trouble.

I knew it the first time I saw him in second grade. The boy had heartbreaker written all over him. He was two years older, wiser. He did a back flip off the jungle gym, landing right at my feet with a cocky grin, getting dirt all over my new pink Keds.

He didn’t apologize.

Instead he dropped a lizard on my head and called me prissy.

Despite the fact that we didn’t hit it off on day one, I harbored a huge crush on Zack, my first ever. In the third grade I started a club. Girls only. We dubbed it an unofficial club because we thought some powerful person, like Oprah, had to deem it official.

We have since discovered that is not true, but the name had a nice ring to it.

During our unofficial meets we talked about Zack, spied on him, and risked being found out on a regular basis. What a rush, seriously. It was going great. The group accepted new members, and we even drew up plans for a clubhouse. I invented a fun game and made new friends.

  Then, when I was in the fifth grade, Zack stole the streamers off my bike.

I cried, and made the very rational decision to hate him until the end of time.

This effectively ended my reign as leader of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club."

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

J.C. Isabella is the author of Chasing McCree and The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club. Ever since she discovered romance novels in high school, she has been a self proclaimed fan. This led to penning her first YA . When she isn't thinking up new recipes for the cookbook she hopes to one day write, she is brainstorming a new novel and listening to country music. She lives in the tropics of Florida with her big fat Italian family and ornery feline companion.

 

 Website

Twitter @jcisabellabooks
Facebook  
 

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*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Hanging By A Thread by Sophie Littlefield

Amazon / Goodreads

Hanging By A Thread by Sophie Littlefield is about a teenage girl named Clare. Upon moving back to her familys' home town of Winston, California, Clare discovers that Winston isnt a picture perfect town anymore. The past two Forth of July's had been heatbreaking for the town, two children vanished, leaving no leads or suspects. Clare has been blessed (or cursed) with an unusal gift. The ability to see a person's past when touching their clothes. Being that Clare has a love for redesigning vintage clothing, she comes across an article of clothing that just might help solve the mystery

Hanging By A Thread was a quick read. In all honesty, I give it the "Ehhh...Okay" rating. It wasnt bad, the writing was good, the characters where ..okay, the romance ..eh okay too. The concept of the book was very interesting. I was able to read it all they way through and not lose interest, but it just didnt wow me.  I do recommend Hanging By A Thread to any YA readers looking for a mystery.

Overall I rate Hanging By A Thread     3 out of  5  stars

Special Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Delacorte BFYR for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen

Amazon / Goodreads


This was such a fantastic book!! This powerful, heartbreaking and humorous book was wonderfully written and the characters were superb. I can easily see this becoming a movie. I'm not going to give any spoilers away   (I'm even going to leave out the Goodreads blurb!) because I honestly didnt know what I was getting myself into when starting this book and I'm glad I didnt. The moment I started reading I could not put it down. Henry quickly made it to one of my top favorite book characters of all time.

LOVED THIS BOOK! 5 OUT OF 5 STARS!!



Special Thanks to Tundra Books and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb Via Goodreads-
"I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.
Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:

1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.

Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?

But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.

My heart just might be crazy."

Review-
I really loved Dante's Girl!  It was a light-hearted cute read that I read in one sitting. I loved Reece, she was spunky, realistic, and funny. The story was well written, humorous , and even included just the right amount of drama/suspense. I will definitely be reading more from Courtney Cole!!

5 out of 5 stars


Special Thanks to Lakehouse Press and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-
"When Charlotte comes to after being pushed onto the subway tracks, she is informed by a group of teenage girls that she is dead…they all are. Meet the Dead Girls Detective Agency. With the support of these dynamic girls—including fashionable Lorna, who can’t wait to find out if the devil actually wears Prada, and nerdy Nancy, who insists on staying in limbo to help out other girls—Charlotte follows leads and tracks down clues to solve her own murder. With plenty of juicy mysteries and some pretty cute guys, readers are sure to fall in love with this fun and suspenseful page-turner!

Fans of Meg Cabot, Sara Shepard, and Ally Carter will delight in this exciting new paperback original."

I loved The Dead Girls Detective Agency! I was hooked from page one. The characters were fun and interesting. The concept of the story was imaginative, mysterious, and unpredictable! Even before finishing The Dead Girls Detective Agency, I thought to myself that I hope this will be a series of books and luckily the ending left me guessing that I was correct! I can see this become a fantastic serious and even a television show!

5 out of 5 stars Highly recommend to young adults.

Special Thanks to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for providing an ARC e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Blood Jewel by Georgia Cates

 Book description:

"With the mystery of Chansey Leclaire and Curry Brennan’s connection solved, they are free to explore their newfound love for one another. Or so they thought...
When Marsala uses a witch and black magic to discover Curry’s whereabouts, he and Chansey are left with no choice. The newly engaged couple is forced to relocate away from their families at the new compound in Savannah, which causes some major changes in the plans for their upcoming wedding.
Relocating to Savannah might have saved Curry and Chansey from being discovered by Marsala, but it doesn’t stop her attempts to reach Curry or her efforts to harm Chansey through the use of black magic. As Marsala closes in, Curry faces the decision he never wanted to make. Will he keep Chansey human or condemn her to eternity as the thing he hates most?
As Curry waits for his hand to be forced, a newly turned vampire arrives at the Savannah compound in need of help. Not only is she a fledgeling in transition, she brings reports of escaping from a vampire cult still in possession of her sister, a human. Any attempt to save the captive human from a cult of vampires puts everyone in jeopardy. Can they risk entering a large cult to save one human being? And is so, how could they possibly do it successfully?
Love will grow. New mysteries will arise. A battle will ensue. A Blood Jewel will be found."

Links:

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455826-blood-jewel
Author Blog: http://georgiacates.com/
Twitter: @GeorgiaCates



Blood Jewel is the second book in the The Vampire Agápe series. Blood Jewel continues right were the first book left off and I enjoyed it almost as much as Blood of Anteros. Blood Jewel is an excellent addition to the series and I have quickly fallen in love with the characters. Wonderfully written, Georgia Cates added just the right amount of romance, plot twists, and humor.


5 out of 5 stars


Special Thanks to AToMR Tours and Georgia Cates for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.




AToMR Blood Jewel Tour Schedule http://wp.me/p20ttU-gt

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Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-
"When Jason Milwaukee’s best friend, Sunshine, disappears from the face of the earth, the whole town, including Jason, starts searching for her. But the insistent voices in Jason’s head won’t let him get to the heart of the mystery—he’s schizophrenic, and the voices make it hard to know what is real and what is not. As the chase becomes more panicked, Jason’s meds start wearing off, and he is looking more and more guilty. But of what, exactly? Both brilliantly witty and intensely honest, this poignant novel draws upon the author’s many years as an adolescent psychologist, but it’s Vaught’s powerful voice and expertly crafted mystery that will keep the pages turning."

Freaks Like Us was an interesting and unique read, written in Jason's point of view, who happens to be schizophrenic. Making the style intriguing yet a little difficult to understand at first.  The mystery aspect was interesting and kept my interest throughout the entire book.

4 out of 5 stars!

Special Thanks to Bloomsbury Children's Books and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Blink Once by Cylin Busby

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-

"West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia. She’s the girl next door—sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he’s been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia—to love her, even—certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he’s fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming."

Blink Once was an amazing read. I was quickly pulled into the story and could not put it down. While to me, the ending was predictable, it was still written extremely well.  This was such a heartbreaking and beautiful love story and I would love to read a sequel to it. Cylin Busby is a fantastic writer and I hope to read more.

5 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend to anyone

Special Thanks to Bloomsbury Children's Books and Netgalley for providing an E-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Blurb via Goodreads-

"Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself."

I really enjoyed Speechless. This was an interesting take an a controversial subject and how it affects the lives involved. The characters were extremely (and in some cases unfortunately) realistic. Although Speechless did have serious issues it also had the perfect mix of humor and romance. This was a fantastic coming of age book and Hannah Harrington has made a new fan.

5 out of 5 stars, highly recommend!

Special Thanks to HarlequinTEEN and Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Last Summer by Rebecca Rogers

Blurb via Goodreads-

"All Chloe Sullivan wants to do is get through the summer. Her life has been in disarray for more than six months, and she knows the only reason her parents made one final trip to Sandy Shores is because of her. They are, after all, two seconds away from filing for divorce. When Chloe stumbles upon a boy in one of her childhood hangouts, she’s in for more than just a relaxing summer vacation.

Logan Andrews is exhausted, famished and, quite frankly, kaput. His parents kicked him out when he refused to attend a rehabilitation program for his drug addiction. Now, he wishes he would’ve listened; he’d be receiving appropriate medical care rather than living in a dingy, godforsaken shack, holing up from money-hungry drug dealers.

Logan’s godsend arrives in the form of Chloe, who can’t hold her tongue when it comes to matters of the heart. They’re both in for a rude awakening when Logan’s past catches up to them, though. Can they escape the drug dealers showing up at every twist and turn, or will things end much worse than they ever imagined?

WARNING: contains strong language, drug use, and sexual situations, including an explicit sex scene and a near-rape scene. Mature audiences only. 17+"

I absolutely loved Last Summer! It was wonderfully written, fast paced, and interesting.  I read this in one sitting and wanted more! Chloe and Logan were fantastic characters and the chemistry was perfect.   While there were "strong language, drug use, and sexual situations" it wasn't overly done, Rebecca A. Rogers added just the right amount. And I have to say that the passion between Chloe and Logan was very blush worthy!

Last Summer was fantastic. Definitely recommend to  mature "new adults" and older.

5 out of 5 stars

Special thanks to Rebecca A. Rogers for providing both a signed paperback copy in exchange for an honest review. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  :)

Blood of Anteros by Georgia Cates

Book description:

"Cruel circumstances turned Curry Brennan into the wretched monster he hates and refuses to accept, but when an expected turn of events releases him from the bond of his obsessive maker, he returns to the home he knew 161 years earlier and finds the return of happiness and joy in something he didn’t know existed. Puzzled by his growing attraction to Chansey Leclaire, a human, he is unable to resist the captivating relationship that threatens to reveal his existence as a vampire. He eventually discovers the reason he was destined to find what he didn’t know he searched for and is faced with the cruel realization that the living and the immortal undead will always be separated by one thing. Eternity."

Blood of Anteros was a wonderful book. The story was original, intriguing, and beautifully written. I highly enjoyed that this was written in the male point of view, which made it all the more interesting. I also enjoyed that this was more based on the building of a romance, instead of the "instant love".  I highly enjoyed Blood of Anteros and I can't wait to read more from Georgia Cates.

5 out of 5 stars

Special Thanks to AToMR Tours and Georgie Cates for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Link to AToMR Blood of Anteros tour schedule  http://wp.me/p20ttU-gt

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Undead by Kirsty McKay

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-

"Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.

The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smitty.

Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back.

But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.

Combining the chill of THE SHINING, the thrill ride of SPEED, the humor of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and the angst of THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Kirsty McKay's UNDEAD is a bloody mad mash-up, a school-trip splatter-fest, a funny, gory, frighteningly good debut!"

I absolutely LOVED Undead! I have to say right away that I was on a pretty bad reader's block, I just couldnt get into anything..until I started reading Undead. It pulled me right out of my funk! Undead had a bit of a R.L. Stine "Fear Street" feel to it but with a modern touch. The story was interesting and the characters were fantastic. ***POSSIBLE SPOILER**The only thing I thought it was missing was just a tad more romance, there was definitely some chemistry there.***END SPOILER***

This was a fun quirky zombie delight and an excellent debut!

5 out of 5 stars.   Recommend to teens and older.

Special Thanks to Scholastic Inc, Chicken House, and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Life Liberty and Pursuit by Susan Kaye Quinn

Amazon     Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-

"When college-bound Eliza falls into a cruise-ship pool, she doesn't expect to fall in love. And when navy recruit David pulls her from the water, he finds her surprisingly hard to resist. But a whirlwind of rescues, candlelit nights, and beachside misunderstandings pulls them into a four-day love affair that threatens to break their hearts before their love has a chance to start.

When David leaves for endless drills and physical training in boot camp, and Eliza returns to Albuquerque to prepare for Princeton in the fall, they dare to keep loving each other and struggle to imagine a future when they can be together. But when miles and mistrust pull them apart, they are forced to choose between keeping true to their dreams and having the courage to love"

I enjoyed this cute romance. This was a quick comfy easy read. I was instantly pulled into the story, and my interest was held through out the entire book. What I enjoyed most was the decision that Eliza made and how it sends a great message to younger readers.

Life Liberty and Pursuit was a cute, clean fun contemporary read. 4 out of 5 stars.

Special Thanks to AToMR Tours and Omnific Publishing for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.


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The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman

Amazon   Goodreads

Book Description-

"A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.

When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.

Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love. The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on"


I loved loved loved The Jelly Bean Crisis! This was such a wonderful read. I wish I could have had a "gap" month when I was in high school, in fact I wish I could have one now! This was a delightful coming of age book and I wish I had  big ol' bag of red jelly beans to enjoy while reading it.  Poppy was a fantastic character and the book was inspirational.  Highly enjoyed and can't wait to read more from Jolene Stockman.
5 out of 5 stars!!

Special Thanks to AToMR Tours and Jolene Stockman for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fallenmore by Lucy Swing

Amazon    Goodreads     B&N

Blurb via Goodreads-

"When darkness consumes you; will it be hard to find the light?

After Jade's world was torn apart, she is unsure of where she belongs, if anywhere at all. Deceived by those she trusted the most, she must now accept her fate and the life that lays before her.
The voices are back but this time, they are trying to lure her into the darkness. But could they be telling her the truth? That the only person she has been able to trust since the death of her boyfriend, Avan, is lying to her too? If the voices are right... Could she really trust him?

In Fallenmore, the second book in the Feathermore Trilogy, Jade will embark in a quest through the pits of Hell. The question now is: once she is in, will they ever let her out?"

I was so excited to get my hands on this book. I loved Feathermore and Fallenmore did not disappoint! Jade is a wonderful character and the entire book was well written. Lucy Swing is a wonderful story teller. Fallenmore was fast paced, imaginative, and leaves you wanting more!

5 out of 5 stars, highly recommend!


Special Thanks to Lucy Swing for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author-                          Lucy Swing

"Lucy Swing lives in sunny Florida with her husband and two children.
She is a YA Paranormal/ Romance writer, whose works include: Feathermore (Feathermore Trilogy #1 ), Fallenmore (Feathemore Trilogy #2) and Bloody Valentine, a vampire/witch novella.

She is an absolute book hoarder and must always have a book at arms length. Music is her muse, and there is always a soundtrack that plays along her life.
For more information on Lucy Swing please visit her website:http://www.LucySwing.com and the Feathermore Trilogy blog: http://www.feathermoretrilogy.blogspot.com"

FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/writerlucyswing
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Luceduceswing

Twenty-Nin​e and a Half Reasons by Denise Grover Swank

Amazon   Goodreads

Twenty-Nin​e and a Half Reasons

Book Description:

"When Rose reports for Fenton County jury duty she figures she’s lucky to get out of a morning working at the DMV. Instead, despite a disastrous encounter with the new assistant district attorney, Mason Deveraux, she’s picked as a juror on a murder case. As the trial progresses, she realizes an ominous vision she had in the men’s restroom proves the defendant is innocent. And there’s not a cotton picking thing she can do about it.

Or is there?

As if things weren’t bad enough, Rose’s older sister Violet is going through a mid-life crisis. Violet insists that Rose stop seeing her sexy new boyfriend, Arkansas state detective Joe Simmons and date other men. Rose is done letting people boss her around, but she can’t commit to Joe either. Still, Rose isn’t about to let the best thing in her life slip away."

This is book two of A Rose Gardner Mystery series, after highly enjoying book one (see below for review) I had to read this immediately. I really enjoy Denise Grover Swank's writing style, it seems to flow well and both books held my interest. The main and supporting characters were fun and well thought of.  I would highly recommend reading the first in this series first, which in my opinion was just a "smidge" better than the second. I still really enjoyed Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons, it was a great cozy and I can not wait to read more from Denise Grover Swank.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Recommend to adults who love cozies!!

AToMR Tour schedule

Amazon       Goodreads

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

Book Description:

"For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She’s had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone’s toilet’s overflowed, but she’s never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa instead, two things are certain: There isn’t enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.Rose realizes she’s wasted twenty-four years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: twenty-eight things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She’s well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won’t help with number fifteen– do more with a man. Joe’s new to town, but it doesn’t take a vision for Rose to realize he’s got plenty secrets of his own. Somebody thinks Rose has something they want and they’ll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn’t her biggest worry after all. Winner of The Beacon 2010 Unpublished Division, Mainstream Category"

Special Thanks to AToMR and Denise Grover Swank for providing both books in exchange for honest reviews. I am so grateful that I signed up for this tour. I absolutely LOVED both books. Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes was an wonderful cozy that I devoured in one sitting.  Denise Grover Swank has made a new fan!  Both books were fast-paced, easy to read and interesting. I have actually caught myself saying "crappy doodles" every now and then since reading the books.

Highly enjoyed! 5 out of 5 stars!

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Life changing decisions... part 2

In continuation of  Part 1..

I just have to say a big THANK YOU to the lovely ladies who commented on part 1, your words of encouragement meant the world to me. It feels so fantastic to have such great support!

As I mentioned earlier, I have to lose 70 pounds in 3 months. Well, guess who has only 64 to go? Yep that's right, I lost 6 pounds and I have to point out I lost those in only 7 days. I know, it doesn't sound like much but it was a shock to me.  Along with trying to lose 70 pounds in three months, I also had to get a letter of recommendation for gastric bypass from my family doctor. So I saw him on Tuesday (that's how I knew about loosing 6 pounds) and luckily, he was all for it. He even wrote me a prescription for gastric bypass! I think its hilarious.. One of these days I'm going to scan it and post it on my blog as a memento.

However, another issue came up. My doctor and even a coworker who has had this surgery stated that If I loose too much weight in this time period, that my insurance company could decline the surgery. There reason would be that I don't need the surgery, I can loose the weight with out it.   Nightmare!  I suppose I understand. But in all reality, I just honestly don't think I could do this without surgery. I've always considered myself a very strong person, but I'm certainly not that strong. If I could loose this weight on my own, I would have done so already. I have decided to continue with what Ive been doing, I will still attempt to loose as much as possible in the three months, however.. I might cheat a bit here and there. Hey, I wont be able to after the surgery, I should enjoy it while I can :)

I wanted to mention something about Part 1, I might have come off as having a horrible father. I have to say that he wasn't. He was a wonderful father and I loved him very much. He was just looking out for me. I know he loved me for who I was.   On Tuesday night, when I was driving home from work, excited about actually loosing 6 pounds, I got a sign from my father. (  I'm a bit of a superstitious person and I highly believe in signs.)   Driving home from work is the only time I ever listen to the radio. I had it on a station called Jack FM, its one of those "play anything" type of stations and the song Daniel by Elton John came on.     Daniel is my father's name.

Before my father passed away, I had never heard the song before. A year after he passed I was attempting to be a semi truck driver. When I was in training driving all across the country, one day I was extremely nervous and unsure of what I was doing. Daniel by Elton John came on the radio. I instantly felt my father sitting next to me, smiling at me. I felt such a rush of calmness, but then I was crying like a baby after I was listening to the lyrics. Ive only heard it maybe two or three times since and every time my eyes are like the Niagara falls.

So, once again, Tuesday night, driving home, excited about loosing weight, Daniel by Elton John came on the radio. I instantly smiled. I had this huge rush come over me and I felt him telling me he was so proud of me, that my decision is the best. He gave me a sense that I shouldn't be scared to do the surgery, things will turn out very well.  And after that feeling, yes, Niagara falls!!

Lyrics
Daniel by Elton John

"Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes

They say Spain is pretty though I've never been
Well Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen
Oh and he should know, he's been there enough
Lord I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much

Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky

Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
Oh God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes"

ARSON by Estevan Vega

                                                                 

http://www.estevanvega.com/
Twitter is @EstevanVega
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/estevan.vega
Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

"ARSON is the first book in a Young Adult Paranormal series. Book two, ASHES, is also available now.

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN'T SHUT IT OFF.

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl--who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin--moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. After years of living in fear, he will be forced to confront his haunting past and embrace the unknown as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Edgy, realistic, and breathtaking, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated teenager with unimaginable ability, is set to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation"

I had a hard time getting into ARSON, the characters were really interesting but I had a hard time connecting to the story. I felt that many important details were missing in this book, leaving a lot of mysteries open. ARSON was an unusual read, I enjoyed the concept, but the execution was a bit off. That being said, I would read the sequel and more from the author. I think Estevan Vega has the potential to become an excellent writer.

3 out of 5 stars

Special Thanks to AToMR Book Blog Tours and Estevan Vega for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

http://atomrbookblogtours.com/2012/05/05/arson-by-estevan-vega/

Rape Girl by Alina Klein

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-

"Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl.

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers.

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same.

Rape Girl is the compelling story of a survivor who does the right thing and suffers for it. It is also the story of a young woman’s struggle to find the strength to fight back."

Rape Girl was an realistic and powerful quick read. Valerie's teachers and even her best friend don't believe her. She instantly becomes an outsider. It angers and saddens me to think how often this occurs, not only rape but also how the victim is treated afterwards, and this makes the title "Rape Girl" perfect for this book.
This is a perfect book to educate girls and boys that rape can be in different forms, not just violent and it shows how much it effects all the lives involved. No means No - alcohol does not change that.

5 out of 5 stars

Special Thanks to Namelos and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.