Thursday, January 31, 2019

Cover Reveal: THE LAST POST by Renee Carlino

A brand new evocative and poignant standalone from USA TODAY Bestseller Renee Carlino releasing on AUGUST 20th, 2019!

     

  In this evocative and poignant novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Blind Kiss and Wish You Were Here, a young widow in the midst of grieving her late husband through Facebook posts learns to heal and fall in love again. 

 “See you on the other side.” 

 Laya Marston’s husband, Cameron, a daredevil enthusiast, always said this before heading off on his next adventure. He was the complete opposite of her, ready and willing to dive off a cliff-face, or parachute across a canyon—and Laya loved him for it. But she was different: pragmatic, regimented, devoted to her career and to supporting Cameron from the sidelines of his death-defying feats. 

 Opposites attract, right? 

 But when Cameron dies suddenly and tragically, all the stages of grief go out the window. Laya becomes lost in denial, living in the delusion that Cameron will come back to her. She begins posting on his Facebook page, reminiscing about their life together, and imagining new adventures for the two of them.

 Micah Evans, a young and handsome architect at Laya’s father’s firm, is also stuck––paralyzed by the banal details of his career, his friendships, and his love life. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, only that there is someone out there who can bring energy and spirit to the humdrum of his life. 

 When Micah discovers Laya’s tragic and bizarre Facebook posts, he’s determined to show Laya her life is still worth living. Leaving her anonymous gifts and notes, trying to recreate the sense of adventure she once shared with her late husband, Micah finds a new passion watching Laya come out of the darkness. And Laya finds a new joy in the experiences Micah has created for her. 

 But for Laya, letting another man in still feels like a betrayal to her late husband. Even though Micah may be everything she could wish for, she wonders if she deserves to find happiness again. 

 Written with Renée Carlino’s signature “tender and satisfying” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Maybe in Another Life) prose, this warm and compassionate novel shows us how powerful the courage to love and live again truly is. 

PREORDER NOW

 
  

About the Author

Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women's novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher's Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she's not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. 

Learn more at www.reneecarlino.com 


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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Review: ONLY A BREATH APART by Katie McGarry






ONLY A BREATH APART
by Katie McGarry
Publication Date: January 22, 2019
Published by Tor Teen
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher | InkSlingerPR
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Synopsis
They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken.
The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year.
A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she's psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart.
Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…
My Thoughts

 I believe that Katie McGarry writes some of the best books about friendships and what it's like to be a young adult. I'm drawn to her stories about resilient teenagers and Only A Breath Apart definitely one such story.

Books about childhood friends who find their way back to each other are without a doubt my absolute favorite, but Only A Breath Apart is more than reconciling friendships and romance. It's about family secrets and domestic abuse in its many forms and what it's like to grow up in a home where that occurs. Through Scarlett, we see that it takes courage to make the tough decisions, to accept the help and to also help herself. 

What I loved: 

  • I loved the rural setting and the gorgeous descriptions of the land and Jesse and Scarlett's connection to it. It is their lifeline. It's where they feel most themselves. It's where they are most free.
  • I loved reading scenes that included Jesse's cousin, Glory. She is definitely a favorite character. Is she a con? Is she intuitive? Does she see (or sense) dead people? Maybe, but I think yes to all. She reads people and understands what they need to hear. She gives them a small push. She's not all-knowing, but she knows enough.


Some Favorite Quotes:

 My cheeks burn under his continued inspection. Jesse has done this a handful of times since our freshman year. Glance at me as if I’m someone worth looking at, someone worth laughing with a little too loud and smiling with a little too much. Then he remembers who I am and snaps his gaze to someone else. - This alludes to Scarlett and Jesse's history - what they once had and the possibility of what might still be there.
"You've been asleep for a very long time,” she whispers. “It’s time to wake up, Scarlett. There’s a whole world of possibility waiting for you.”  - This is what Glory says when Scarlett goes to have her palm read.

There is so much beauty and hope in this story and I want readers to embrace it just as I have. Like Noah and Echo from Pushing the Limits, Beth and Ryan from Dare You To and Emily and Oz in Nowhere But Here,  Scarlett and Jesse are characters that I will continue to hold in my heart and imagine their beautiful future together.



Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.


   
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.






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Tuesday, January 22, 2019

It's Release Day! ONLY A BREATH APART by Katie McGarry

 

Would you dare to defy destiny? Are our destinies written in stone? Do we become nothing more than the self-fulfilling prophesies of other people's opinions? Or can we dare to become who we believe we were born to be?

“A gorgeous, heartfelt journey of redemption and love” (Wendy Higgins), ONLY A BREATH APART is a young adult contemporary novel from critically acclaimed Katie McGarry. 


“Haunting, authentic, and ultimately hopeful” (Tammara Webber), ONLY A BREATH APART is now available!

 
About ONLY A BREATH APART:

They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken.

The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year.

A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she's psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…
 
     
“Gritty and real, Only a Breath Apart is a story of hope conjured from pain, strength drawn from innocence, and love earned from self-respect. Beautiful, poignant, and fierce.” ―Kristen Simmons, critically acclaimed author of the Article 5 series
 

Add it to your Goodreads today!

    

READ AN EXCERPT
A scraping of a chair, a tray full of food and I glance over with my practiced smile in welcome. It’s not Camila, Evangeline, or anyone else from the group. It’s green eyes, red hair, a familiar mischievous smile that used to be reserved only for me, and my blood pounds with excitement as if someone lit a sparkler in my chest. Then I frown because I’m not supposed to feel this way. Not with him. Not with anyone.
Jesse Lachlin winks at me as he sits across from me like no time has passed from when we climbed trees together. “What’s up, Tink?”
Another thrill runs through me but then my muscles tighten. Stupid, antiquated reaction belonging to a dead past. “What are you doing here?”
Jesse pops a fry into his mouth, chews, then picks up another as if he has no intention of answering. I scan the cafeteria. Several people are watching us, curious as to why Jesse Lachlin is sitting with me, or is event at lunch, or even at school.
From the lunch line, Camila’s and Evangeline’s eyes are bugging out of their heads.
What is going on? Camila mouths.
I raise my eyebrows to inform her I have no idea. Jesse digs into his corn with his fork and that’s crossing a line. “Maybe you didn’t hear me, but I asked what you’re doing here.”
He lifts his eyes to meet mine and there’s a glimmer in them that causes my lips to flatten. Fantastic. He’s here to make my life a living hell.
“It seems obvious,” he says.
If he remembers anything about me, he should recall I was never known for my patience and that he should be speaking, and speaking soon. “Just answer the question.”
“I’m eating lunch.”
I honest to God groan in frustration. “There’s no room at the inn.”
He surveys the table, takes in the empty seats, my books, and then gives me a good look. A slow look. As if he’s trying to memorize every inch he’s drinking in. My cheeks redden because that somehow feels a little too intimate for lunch. Feels a little too intimate for someone I’m no longer friends with. It feels too intimate if we were friends.
I glance away, but I sense him still staring at me. God help me, I want to stare back.


   


 

Katie McGarry Bio: Katie is the author of the PUSHING THE LIMITS series, THUNDER ROAD series, SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME, and the upcoming YA novel, ONLY A BREATH APART. Her novels have received starred reviews, critical acclaim and have won multiple awards including being a multiple Goodreads Choice Award Finalist for YA Fiction, multiple RT Magazine's Reviewer's Choice Award Finalist for Best YA Fiction, including a win in the category, and she was a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick.      


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Friday, January 18, 2019

HANDLE WITH CARE - Cover and Excerpt Reveal


COVER & EXCERPT REVEAL



Handle With Care
by Helena Hunting
St Martin's Paperback
Available August 27th, 2019

Read an Excerpt

NOTE: This is an unedited excerpt and is subject to change.

     I’m startled out of my thoughts when my brother jumps up and shouts a bunch of profane nonsense, hands flailing like he’s trying to swim on land, or approximate the chicken dance while on an LSD trip.

     “You can’t do this! It’s absolute bullshit!” Armstrong yells.

     I look around the table, trying to piece together what I missed.

     “I’m sorry, Armstrong. I know this is a shock, but we feel it’s in the company’s best interest to put Lincoln at the helm during this transitional stage,” G-mom says firmly.

     At the helm? I look to G-mom who’s busy not looking at me.

     Armstrong jabs at finger at himself. “But I’m the one who’s put in all the time here! I deserve to run the company! Lincoln doesn’t know the first thing about Moorehead. All he knows how to do is dig wells and forage for food in the wilderness. How are those valuable assets here?” He turns his attention to our mother. “Did you know about this? How can you let this happen? Look at him. How can that be the face of our company? He looks like he crawled out of a gutter and mugged a twenty-year-old college kid on a bender. How is this better for our bottom line?”

     My mother clasps her hands in front of her. “I’m sorry, Armstrong, but this decision wasn’t mine to make. I know this is hard for you, but your grandmother and fath—”

     Armstrong stomps his foot, exactly as a toddler would. “The company is mine! Lincoln can’t have it!”

     I raise a hand, half to quiet my brother and also to find out what the freaking deal is. “Whoa, let’s back this bus up. Can someone explain what’s going on?”

     “You’ve been appointed as the CEO of Moorehead Media, according to the will,” Christophe—no R, because that would make it far too pedestrian a name—my father’s lawyer says.

     I’m working on trying to remain calm as I address my grandmother. “You didn’t say anything about me being CEO. You said you needed my help.”

     “Running the company, yes,” she says through a practiced, stiff smile.

     It’s her warning face, but seriously, when she said she needed my help for a few months I figured it meant I’d be keeping Armstrong in line while she sorted out who was going to take over the company, which I realize now was a stupid assumption.

     “I didn’t think that meant CEO. How am I going to run a company with this dickhead on staff?” I motion to my brother.

     “The name calling is unnecessary,” G-mom replies.

     “Lincoln’s not even part of this family! He hasn’t attended one event in the past five years except for Dad’s funeral. He didn’t bother coming to my wedding and now he’s going to run the company? How is that fair?”

     I snort. “Your wedding was an expensive joke.”

     He crosses his arms over his chest. “I was set up. Amalie had cold feet and made me out to look like the bad guy.”

     The woman beside him shoots him disgusted look.

     Armstrong clears his throat and tugs at his collar. “My wedding is not the real issue. The point is that you’ve never involved yourself in any part of this family and now you think you can come in and take over. I will not stand by and let this happen!” He keeps jabbing his finger at me, as if he’s engaged in a finger sword fight.

     I lean back in my chair and lace my fingers behind my neck. Armstrong has always been reactive. And self-absorbed. For a while it seemed like he finally had it together—back when he was engaged. But ever since that fiasco of a wedding he seems to have come completely unglued. Again. But worse this time. “Someone needs a timeout.”


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helena Hunting
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She's writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Social Media Links:




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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR by Roni Loren: Review and Giveaway


THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR 
Series: The Ones Who Got Away #3
By Roni Loren
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
384 Pages 

How hard would you fight for the one you love?

Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life’s work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan…

 Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother’s horrific actions. After losing everything—his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity—he’s changed his name, his look, and he’s finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right? 

When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy…
How do you find your happy ending?

MY THOUGHTS

I have loved every book in this series. It's surprising to write this because I was extremely hesitant to start this series when my book club selected it because of the subject matter. This is something that has directly affected my life, so it's with caution that I even consider reading books about school shootings. I went in with the idea that if the story upset me for any (many) reason(s), I would stop reading it. I gave myself the freedom to make that decision. But I didn't need to. And what I've found is a story that I've connected with, characters that I care about, and an opportunity for a bit of healing. 


THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR is by far the most heart-wrenching book of the series. Readers learn of the traumas experienced by the siblings in the aftermath of the school shooting. There are so many victims - those affected directly and indirectly and the author presents this with compassion. And she effectively expresses that this is something that never goes away. 

This Quote
"Move on. Was that a thing people really did after something ripped your entire world in two? Move forward, maybe, but moving on seemed like a ridiculous expectation."
↑↑↑↑↑
I wrote this in my review of THE ONE YOU CAN'T FORGET: (Roni Loren) gets it.

What I like about THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR:
  • The author creates thoughtful characters. Taryn is definitely a favorite. She thinks critically and rationally, without judgment and with empathy.  
  • I love the friendships and companionship expressed between the characters. 
  • Shaw is a character I couldn't help but fall for.
More Favorite Quotes
"I can just…be myself for better or worse. That feels like a special kind of freedom.”

"Wanting to have your own happiness isn’t a betrayal. That isn’t selfish. You deserve that. Wouldn’t Nia want that for you?”

I've highlighted a bunch of favorite quotes, but these really stick with me.

THE ONE YOU FIGHT FOR may be my favorite of the series, but I'm not going to be too quick to give it that title because I've loved all of them for different reasons. And I'm thrilled there is another book coming in the series because I don't want it to end!


Disclaimer: I received this e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any way other than the e-ARC provided. I've purchased a finished copy of this title for my personal library. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Get Your Copy Today
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QGNetj
B&N: http://bit.ly/2QIpuFv
iBooks: https://apple.co/2QHE00c
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/2QHrEoH
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2QFdLas
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2QJPG2k

Or take a chance to win a copy!


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Thursday, January 3, 2019

Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge 2019 Sign-Up


I'm joining the 2019 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge hosted by Andi's ABC's. I read mostly contemporary romance and I'm trying to up my review game (more thoughtful, more often), so this makes complete sense.
My Challenge Level: Grand Slam
Read 21+ books

Want to join the challege? Check out the details below.

Reading Challenge Details:

  • Runs January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019 (books read prior to 1/1/2019 do not count towards the challenge). You can join anytime you want, though the sign up linky will close Nov. 15, 2019. 
  • The goal is to read as many Contemporary Romance books as you’d like. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. You can move up a level as often as you’d like but no moving down. Remember, the idea is to challenge yourself.
  • Books that qualify for this challenge can be young adult, new adult, or adult. Books can be M/F, M/M, or F/F. Books must be a work of fiction (sorry, nonfiction does not qualify for this challenge).
  • Romances with the following elements do not qualify for this reading challenge: paranormal, historical, time-travel, fantasy, science fiction, or mystery/suspense/thriller.
  • Books can be any format (print, ebook, audio).
  • Novellas that are 100 pages in length (give or take), as well as full-length novels, will count for this reading challenge.
  • Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
  • Use the hashtag #ContRom2019 when posting your reviews/updates/re-caps/monthly topics on social media.
  • To join this challenge, grab the 2019 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge button below and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. This will be your “update post” when doing the monthly link up.
  • You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, etc., so as long as you have a dedicated shelf for the 2018 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge (your designated “update post” for the monthly link up) and your profile is not private. The point of linking up is to have a place where people can see what you’re reading.

Levels:

  • 1st Base: read 1 – 5 books
  • 2nd Base: read 6 – 10 books
  • 3rd Base: read 11 – 15 books
  • Home Run: read 16 – 20 books
  • Grand Slam: read 21+ books
Monthly Link-Up and Giveaway Details found at Andi's ABC's.

I'll post updates here and on Twitter and Instagram @actinupjoli using #ContRom2019 I can't wait to chat about the books we're reading.

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Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Top 10 Books I Want to Read in 2019

For my Instagram post of the #Top10of2018, here are the Top 10 Books I Want to Read in 2019. 










Links to Goodreads

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