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Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Review and Giveaway: GIRL ON THE VERGE by Pintip Dunn








GIRL ON THE VERGE
by Pintip Dunn 
Publication date: June 27th 2017
Published by: Kensington
Pages: 256
Sources: XPresso Book Tours
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
Purchase:  Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo






Synopsis:

From the author of The Darkest Lie comes a compelling, provocative story for fans of I Was Here and Vanishing Girls, about a high school senior straddling two worlds, unsure how she fits in either—and the journey of self-discovery that leads her to surprising truths.

In her small Kansas town, at her predominantly white school, Kanchana doesn’t look like anyone else. But at home, her Thai grandmother chides her for being too westernized. Only through the clothing Kan designs in secret can she find a way to fuse both cultures into something distinctly her own.

When her mother agrees to provide a home for a teenage girl named Shelly, Kan sees a chance to prove herself useful. Making Shelly feel comfortable is easy at first—her new friend is eager to please, embraces the family’s Thai traditions, and clearly looks up to Kan. Perhaps too much. Shelly seems to want everything Kanchana has, even the blond, blue-eyed boy she has a crush on. As Kan’s growing discomfort compels her to investigate Shelly’s past, she’s shocked to find how much it intersects with her own—and just how far Shelly will go to belong…

My Thoughts

 "I want us to be blood sisters."  What a creepy first line to begin a book. I love it! It sets the perfect tone for GIRL ON THE VERGE.

There is something about books with "Girl" in the title that I am drawn too. It could be the idea of self-discovery, emotional growth, finding truths, and sometimes the underlying mysteriousness that I hope will be revealed.  It is one of the reasons I wanted to read Pintip Dunn's new book.

What I liked:
  • So many secrets! This book has so many secrets. I liked the mystery and the different paths taken to reveal the secrets. 
  • The portrayal of Kan's relationship with her grandmother.  As the oldest grandchild, there are expectations that Kan had to live up to.
  • Kan's love for designing and making clothes - she has something to be passionate about
  • Ethan's appreciation of Kan's creative passion and how he viewed her before he even really knew her.
  • Did I mention the secrets? What do they all mean?

GIRL ON THE VERGE is also about friendships in high school and taking chances to stand up for your friends and to stand up for your self.

One of my favorite quotes:

"Her opinion doesn't matter. You determine who you are. Not anyone else." - I just love this. We may not always believe it, but saying it enough times can eventually make you believe it. And it's true.

 I really enjoyed GIRL ON THE VERGE. It had a different feel than Dunn's novel THE DARKEST LIE, and wasn't what I expected, but liked it just as well. Dunn is an author who will grab your attention and take you on a journey . And like my experience after reading TDL, I wish I had someone to talk about the book with. So readers, take a chance on GIRL ON THE VERGE and then hit me up, so we can discuss!
AUTHOR BIO:

Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of YA fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL.

Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. Her debut novel, FORGET TOMORROW, won the RWA RITA® for Best First Book. Her other novels include THE DARKEST LIE, REMEMBER YESTERDAY, and the novella BEFORE TOMORROW.

 She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at www.pintipdunn.com



Author links:


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Thursday, May 25, 2017

Review: THE LINE by Amie Knight





THE LINE
by Amie Knight
Publication Date: May 23, 2017
Pages:
Purchase Amazon







Synopsis

I was a thief.
The invisible girl only he could see.
The woman who wanted to be more.

He was the mark.
The extraordinary cowboy who stole my sixteen-year-old heart.
The damaged man who still owned it, even four years later.
The Line was where we began.
Where fates collided.
Where truths derailed.
The place where our love story ends.

My Thoughts

THE LINE is a wonderful story about fate, love, and finding your truths.

 There is a great amount of tenderness in THE LINE that made my heart both ache and feel full. It stirred my emotions and kept me reading well into the night. I just had to know what was going to happen between Everly and Cole. 

 What I loved:

  • Getting the backstory of how Everly and Cole met - there was an authentic sadness that immediately made me want to read more and wish that Everly would receive her HEA
  • The imagery of the peach orchard and of Preston's farm (and an awesome description of eating a juicy peach)
  • The gradual progression of Everly and Cole's romantic relationship 
  • The many ways this story made me laugh - Everly helping to swim the horses is high on the list
  • Hot times with the cowboy - yes, this has to be acknowledged, LOL!
I do wish that the cover of THE LINE gave more context to the story. While a bare chested cowboy can be nice to look at, I may not have picked up this book based on the cover alone and I would have missed out on a wonderful story.

Favorite Quotes:

 "His voice. His stories. They were like listening to the deep timbre base of my favorite song. And I didn't want to miss a beat."

 This one is sad, but I still love it: "And I knew he wanted to hold me, but there weren't enough arms in the world to hold all of my pieces."

 I really enjoyed reading THE LINE. I loved it for the emotions, for the laughs, and for the friendships, and all of the love! I'm looking forward to going back and reading Knight's debut, SEE THROUGH HEART, and whatever else she writes next.



Disclaimer:  I received this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way other than the e-ARC provided. Quotes are taken from the e-ARC and may differ from the final published version. Thoughts and opinions are my own.


About the Author:

Amie Knight has been a reader for as long as she could remember and a romance lover since she could get her hands on her momma's books. A dedicated wife and mother with a love of music and makeup, she won’t ever be seen leaving the house without her eyebrows and eyelashes done just right. When she isn't reading and writing, you can catch her jamming out in the car with her two kids to '90s R&B, country, and showtunes. Amie draws inspiration from her childhood in Columbia, South Carolina, and can't imagine living anywhere other than the South.

Connect with Amie:

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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

NORMAL by Danielle Pearl is FREE!! (May 23 - 29)



Don't miss this bestselling new adult romance, a raw, angst-filled story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky . . . love. 

*This is not a flowery romance--not for the faint of heart.*


About NORMAL

It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on . . .

LINKS TO GET YOUR COPY OF NORMAL FOR FREE!!!


From my review of NORMAL


"Oh, how I fell in love with Sam and Rory and how they grew together as a couple. He wasn't always perfect, but he came pretty close. And Rory, I wanted her to find the healing that she needed. She went through traumatic experiences that no one should ever have to experience and my heart hurt for her over and over again.

I liked how the story focused on the various ideas of what is NORMAL. And ultimately the realization that there isn't such a thing as NORMAL. There is just BEING. LIVING."

You can read my full review HERE.




What other readers are saying about NORMAL

"Normal is a riveting and magnetic story of abuse, love, and hope. One of the most thought-provoking stories I've ever read." - @bibliobelles 

"Gritty, a little dark, beautifully heart-touching with a steamy #hotromance . I recommend Normal as a must, must read!" -I Heart YA Books

"Normal opens your heart and stomps all over it, only to put it back together again, better than before. It's #feels overload!" - Young Adult Book Madness

Check out daniellepearl.com for more info!

Follow Danielle at:
On Amazon at amzn.to/1WJQUqk 


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Monday, May 22, 2017

GRAND SLAM by Heidi McLaughlin: Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway





GRAND SLAM by Heidi McLaughlin
Series: The Boys of Summer, #3
Publication Date: May 23, 2017
Publisher: Forever


Win the game. Lose your heart.

Everyone knows who I am and that I could have any female fan I want. That's supposed to be the "perk" of playing left field for the Boston Renegades. But I don't want just any woman; I want her.

She should be just another face in the crowd, but I can't stop thinking about the one night we spent together-and her look of regret the morning after.

Because Saylor Blackwell is the kind of woman who haunts a man. Smart, sexy as hell, and one of the best managers in the business. She's every ballplayer's dream woman. And I'd do anything to make things right with her.

I'm done sitting on the bench when it comes to Saylor Blackwell. Time to swing for the fences.


Read an Excerpt

Whenever I wake up with a hangover, I often ask myself why I drank so much and promise that I’ll never do it again. That promise is something I’ve been breaking for the past few days, and up until now, I didn’t care.
I had hoped the booze would muddy my memory of last night, but it hasn’t. Every word she said, every expression she had, every punch to my chest to get me out of her apartment is crystal clear. I fucked up, and I don’t even know how. All I know is that the sobs I heard on the other side of Saylor’s door last night were enough to sober my stupid ass up.
For hours, I sat against her door, until a resident suggested I leave or they were going to call the police. If I hadn’t been arrested ear- lier, I probably would have encouraged them to dial Boston’s Finest. Another man might understand my plight. The woman that I want to be with kicked me out of her house, and while I probably deserved it, I didn’t want to leave until she stopped crying. I didn’t want to be the one to walk away in her time of need.
But as egos go—and believe me, mine is huge—I couldn’t let it get in the way any longer, so I walked my drunk ass back home with my tail between my legs, only to stay up all night while the booze wore off, knowing that I had to live with whatever I’d done to Saylor.
She’s the last person in the world who I want to hurt, and she’s the one person who can save me. Not only from a life behind bars, but from myself. When I’m with her, I’m a different person. The cocky son of a bitch whom everyone is used to doesn’t exist when she’s near me, and frankly, that is the man I like, or at least I used to. It’s easier being a fucking douche. It’s second nature to me and comes with the territory of being named one of the city’s most eligible bachelors.

Except when I’m with Saylor, I can be the man who hides in the shadow of that Travis Kidd. I can be the kind of man who doesn’t have to have a one-liner available or wink in order to get a phone number. When I’m with her, life outside of baseball starts to have a meaning, a fucking purpose.

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT GRAND SLAM
We first met Travis Kidd in THIRD BASE, the first book of the Boys of Summer Series, and since then I have been looking forward to his book. He brought a lot of humor with his one liners and couldn’t wait to read his story. We finally get to know him in GRAND SLAM and what I can say is, he was worth the wait!

Travis and Saylor’s relationship is a “forbidden” romance, but they just can’t stay away from each other. I loved reading with anticipation of them finally getting together. But it certainly wasn’t all bliss. Saylor’s past comes back to haunt her and a career-ending accusation against Travis puts them both at risk of losing it all. All of this made for a more intense read. We get to see a more emotional side of Travis that I wasn’t expecting at all.

What I liked:
  • Travis and Saylor - their story just may be my favorite of the series
  • When the teammates get together and we get to catch up with Ethan and Cooper (from books 1 and 2)
  • All of the scenes with Saylor’s daughter, Lucy - I loved her adoration for Travis and it made me fall in love with him even more
  • We get more of the BoRe blogger - the added commentary always gives the “inside” outsiders perspective. It’s a nice touch to the book.
  • And of course Travis’s one-liners!!

One thing I did miss was the action of the baseball game. Since this story takes place during the off season, we don’t get to read about the boys on the field.

What I’ve come to like about the Boys of Summer series is each book makes me want to reread the series all over again - to experience the character’s stories again. One time just isn’t enough.



I loved GRAND SLAM and this series as a whole. These books should definitely be added to your summer reading lists!



BUY THE BOOK HERE


THE BOYS OF SUMMER SERIES

THIRD BASE, #1
HOME RUN, #2
GRAND SLAM, #3

Series Page on Goodreads




ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup and a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, Jill.

When she isn't writing one of the many stories planned for release, you'll find her sitting courtside during either daughter's basketball games.


FIND HEIDI ONLINE


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