Wednesday 26 November 2014

Waiting on Wednesday(35): The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black!! #HollyBlack

 
"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!


THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST
by Holly Black

Hitting the shelves on January 13, 2015 from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely love Holly Black's writing, and she tells such wonderful stories, so I can't wait to read The Darkest Part of the Forest! The story sounds creepy, fascinating, and super duper intriguing! I'm definitely excited for to get a copy of this one in my hands...hopefully sooner rather than later! ;D haha

What about you?
Are you excited for The Darkest Part of the Forest?
What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Monday 24 November 2014

Cover Catch-Up (21): Proof of Forever, & Tonight the Streets Are Ours!

In "Cover Catch-Up" I share some covers that have either been recently revealed, or that I've just found and really wanted to share. 

I've already got my eyes on some upcoming 2015 releases, and today I've got some really awesome covers to share! The two covers that I have to share today are for contemporary YAs and they use some gorgeous photos! :D

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The first cover that I have to share is for PROOF OF FOREVER by Lexa Hillyer!

 

I love this cover so much! The text looks like it's written by hand, which I love, and I absolutely love how the pictures are formed into an infinity symbol...such a wonderful touch, and I love that it matches the title and the book's description! I love how the simpler elements of this cover work to make something that's really creative and becomes an extremely intelligent representation for the story!

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The second cover that I have to share is for Leila Sales's TONIGHT THE STREETS ARE OURS!



There isn't much information about this book yet, but I absolutely LOVE this cover!!! It's gorgeous! The colour, the text...it's just so pretty! :D The brief description for the book also sounds awesome! I really love that this cover almost looks like it blends into a sky full of stars near the bottom, too. It's a really neat effect! :D

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I love these two covers!
What do you think?

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Waiting on Wednesday(34): The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski!!! #TheWinnersTrilogy #MarieRutkoski

 
"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!



THE WINNER'S CRIME (THE WINNER'S TRILOGY #2)
by Marie Rutkoski


Hitting the shelves on March 3, 2015 from Farrar Straus Giroux

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.


MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely LOVED The Winner's Curse, and have been eagerly waiting for The Winner's Crime...and it's almost here! I can't wait to read what happens next to Kestrel and Arin!!! :D

Who else can't wait to read The Winner's Crime?
What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Monday 17 November 2014

Cover Catch-Up (20): Tragic!

In "Cover Catch-Up" I share some covers that have either been recently revealed, or that I've just found and really wanted to share. 

Today I have two covers to share and they're both a bit tragic, and they definitely make you think!

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The first cover I have today is for Trish Doller's THE DEVIL YOU KNOW!

 

I love this cover! It's simple, but super intriguing. I especially love the way that the girl's hand is reflecting...it really fits with the title and the book description, too. Can't wait to read this one! :D

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The second cover that I have is for ALL THE RAGE by Courtney Summers!



I love the simplicity in this cover, too. The way that the girl is blurred  and surrounded by black and white seems really deep, too. I'm sure this story will be one that really works your feelings!

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What do you think of these covers?
Do you think they're tragically beautiful, too?

Friday 14 November 2014

Blog Tour Review: Life Next Door (Love Not Included #2) by J.D. Hollyfield! #Giveaway #Teasers #Review


Life Next Door by J.D. Hollyfield
 Love Not Included #2
Publication Date: November 3, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Humor, Romance

Purchase from Amazon

Synopsis

There is only one thing in life that professional pastry Chef Pricilla Westcott values more than baking and wine, and that’s honesty. A quality she soon learns that her marriage lacks when her husband runs off with their next door neighbor.

Divorced and alone, Priscilla is determined to make changes in her life. She decides to approach her new goals like one of her beloved recipes. Surely with a little time, a dash of patience, and measured planning she can whip herself—and her life—back into shape.

 However, when a new—and utterly delicious—neighbor takes up residence in the house that ruined her marriage, Priscilla worries that her careful world will fold faster than a deflated soufflé.

Trent Walker knows what he wants and his sweet, sassy neighbor is at the top of the list. He’s certain that the chemistry between them would be explosive, but Priscilla fears that an affair with him, however hot, could be a recipe for disaster.

Add to Goodreads

About J.D. Hollyfield

Author JD HollyfieldJ.D Hollyfield currently resides in the Midwest with her husband, son and three doxies. As a Creative Designer by day, she enjoys spending her spare time with her nose in a good book. This obsession inspired her to test out her own creative ability. With her love for romance books and a head full of book boyfriends, this encouraged her to bring her own story to life and create her first novel.


REVIEW

Life Next Door was the perfect light-hearted contemporary romance! :) It was fun, and the characters were absolutely adorable, and definitely quirky! It had me smiling and grinning like crazy, laughing, and it even had me tearing up at times.

As a HUGE fan of sugar, I could totally relate to Cece (a.k.a. Priscilla)! I absolutely loved her little quirks and how she turned to baking (and often wine :P) whenever she had a problem or was stressed. I really liked Trent, too! He was a hunky guy, and definitely tough, but I loved how Cece brought out his soft side. The two of them together were fantastic! They had some serious chemistry, and I loved the teasing and banter between them! :D

The story was pretty light-hearted. Cece was recently divorced and dealing with a bit of betrayal after her breakup. She handled it in a rather immature, yet endearingly hilarious way. I really loved Cece, but I definitely wanted to shake her into action every once in a while. Thankfully, her friends were awesome...and Trent was, too! They never let her stew too long, and would force her into acting a bit more mature! haha ;D While there was some miscommunication between Cece and Trent, I loved seeing them move past it and grow stronger! I'm always a fan of couples actually talking and working things out!! It's definitely one of the things in contemporary romance that I love to see! :D

Overall, I thought that Life Next Door was an adorable story! I really enjoyed the characters, and loved their passion together. I'd recommend Life Next Door to anyone looking for a sweet contemporary romance with some great chemistry, especially if you like a happily ever after! ;)


TEASERS!



GIVEAWAY


TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW: 
Hosted By



What do you think?
Does Life Next Door sound like a book you'd like to read?

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Waiting on Wednesday(33): Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay!!!

 
"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!


PRINCESS OF THORNS 
by Stacey Jay

Hitting the shelves on December 9, 2014 from Delacorte Press

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

MY THOUGHTS

"Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales"...I AM SOLD! :D I love the sound of Princess of Thorns! It sounds like an amazing retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and that Aurora is super duper awesome in this version. I love the idea of curses, fairies, and magic! I'm super excited for this one. :D

Anyone else super excited for Princess of Thorns?
What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Tea Tuesdays! (17): Today's Tea is...BUBBLEGUM!! #SteepedTea #LovinMySteeped #LooseLeafLovin

I'm totally obsessed with tea, so every Tuesday, I'm sharing one of my favourites...and maybe sometimes something just totally awesome and tea-related.

Recently my biggest tea obsession has been loose tea! If you're new to loose tea, check out my first Tea Tuesday post and see how easy it is to brew! You can also click my "Tea Tuesdays!" button above to see my previous tea posts! :D

Today's tea is Steeped Tea's BUBBLEGUM!

The Steeped Tea catalog describes Bubblegum as "Kids can chew the bubble gum as they watch this strawberry lemon tea brew."
I absolutely LOVE this one! It's nice and fruity, and it's super delicious hot or cold! :D

I'm a big fan of fruit tea already, so this one is perfect for me! :P

Have you tried Bubblegum before?
Do you like fruit teas?
And what's your favourite tea right now?

Monday 10 November 2014

Cover Catch-Up (19): Bright and Beautiful!

In "Cover Catch-Up" I share some covers that have either been recently revealed, or that I've just found and really wanted to share. 

Today I have two covers to share, and they're both super bright and they're definitely beautiful! :D

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The first cover I have to share today is for FINDING MR. BRIGHTSIDE by Jay Clark!

 

I absolutely LOVE this cover! The picture used in the cover is gorgeous, and I absolutely love the doodles that are "drawn" over top of it! They're so cute, and they remind me of doodling in notebooks or all over your homework in school. ;)

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The second cover that I have today is for Jennifer Donnelly's ROGUE WAVE!



I love the colour on this cover!! I also love the text. The only thing I'm a bit unsure of it the girl who is in both a dress and also has a tale...it looks a bit strange, but at the same time I love what it's representing. She's definitely caught between both worlds....it also reminds me that I REALLY need to read the first book. ;)

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What do you think of these covers?

Friday 7 November 2014

Blog Tour Review: Game On by Collette West #SportsRomance #Review #Giveaway




Game On
by Collette West  
Publication Date: October 17, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports

Purchase from AmazonPurchase from B&NPurchase from KoboPurchase from iBookstorePurchase from Smashwords

Synopsis

Pitching phenom Bruce "Jilly" Gillette has a hard time talking to women. His hulking presence of tattoos and muscles is what makes him an intimidating closer on the mound, yet off the field, he's painfully shy, uncomfortable in his own skin.

Desperate to revamp his loner image, the New York Kings hold a dream date contest, granting the lucky winner a night on the town with their surly reliever, doing whatever it takes to force Jilly out of his comfort zone.

Hailey Halpert enters the contest on a whim, looking for answers as to why her high school relationship with Jilly hit the skids. Now she’s a popular romance author writing under a pen name, and her reappearance in Jilly's life is no accident. It turns out that her novels are all about the sexy players on the Kings, and Jilly has no clue that he's about to become her new leading man.


Add to Goodreads

About Collette West

Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball's biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette's impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.

Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she's not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com.

She is the author of NIGHT GAMES and GAME CHANGER.


MY REVIEW

I've already read GAME ON twice! The first time I was lucky enough to be contacted by the author of the book, Collette West, to see if I wanted to be a beta reader...and I totally jumped at the chance! I absolutely LOVED the first version, but I was super eager to read the finished one, too...and now that I've read the finished version, and have a lovely Kindle copy of my own, I have to say that I love it even more! The essential story remained the same through the edits, but it became richer, sexier, and both Hailey and Jilly progressed even further...plus, there are some AMAZING bonus chapters in Game On, too...I felt seriously spoiled while reading it! ;)

Jilly and Hailey were fantastic narrators! I loved getting to read the story from both of their perspectives. It was interesting, and created an intriguing dynamic when it came to unveiling their past history and any hidden secrets between the two of them. ;) I loved getting to see more of Jilly  after meeting him in Game Changer, and in Game On, you really get to know him. I especially loved getting to see his gentler side with Hailey! And Hailey...I LOVED HER! I could completely relate to her, and I think most readers can too because she's just like us! She could be anyone, and she also loves to write, so she's probably a reader like us, too. I think that's what I love most about Collette West's heroines, I always feel like I connect to them on some intrinsic level!

The story was wonderful! I'm a sports romance fan in general, but I have truly grown to love Collette West's sports romances! She writes appealing characters, and makes them so natural and likable. I always relate to them and even if I hate their choices, I'm always able to understand why they do things...and when they finally make their move, I'm always there cheering for them and rooting for them to succeed!

The romance was AMAZING!!!!! Jilly and Hailey are adorable together! They're that quintessential tiny girl and big guy couple, and they also have the whole unrequited love for each other from their past going on. I absolutely loved that they had a history, and the way that Collette West unveiled it throughout the story was perfect! I really loved seeing them grow together and mature enough that they were able to make their relationship work! Even though they struggled to communicate in their past, by the end of Game On, they were like a super couple, and the adorable and sexy levels were off the charts! I must also state that this is definitely Collette West's sexiest book yet...and I LOVED IT!

Overall, I loved GAME ON! The romance, characters, and story were amazing and extremely well written! I laughed, cried, smiled, and just had a fantastic time reading Game On. I would recommend it to sports romance fans, but I also think that Collette West writes her sports romances so well that they really make you enjoy the game, and you don't need any kind of past experience (or even past enjoyment) with sports to love them, too. Game On is a wonderful story with some amazing main characters who have a fantastic story to tell (and Collette West's previous books Night Games and Game Changer are, too). I also love that Collette West included some bonus material in this one...it was the perfect tease to make me desperate for her next book! And I totally love that she compares Jilly to a highlander at one point...it was awesome! ;D


EXCERPT

A clap of thunder echoes above us and the heavens open up, pummeling us with rain, but he doesn't stop. He keeps kissing me hard and fast. We quickly become drenched as he brushes my sopping-wet hair away from my neck. I feel droplets of rain fall off his face onto mine, but it only seems to intensify the way he’s kissing me. His tongue opens my mouth, and he eagerly explores every inch of it. I never imagined that he'd be so good at this. I whimper again, and he wraps his good hand around my waist, lifting me up against the building, pressing himself against me.
I don't even know what I'm doing as I open my legs to him. He lowers his hand, finding the back of my knee and hooking one leg around him, and I follow suit with the other, our wet clothes weighing heavily on our overheated skin. This time, his hands aren't staying in those designated 'safe' areas like they did that night on the couch, and it's almost too much to handle.
The only thought in my head is that I need to get him alone and continue this somewhere where I can have him all to myself.
I throw my head back, freeing my lips from his, needing to breathe.
He chuckles softly. "Was that what you wanted?"
"Uh huh," I somehow manage to respond. "Even better than chocolate."
He smiles, shifting my body in his arms until he's cradling me against his chest. “What do you say we get outta here?” he asks, reading my mind.
I nod, and he smiles again, teasing my lips with his while walking slowly toward the street. He raises his hand to hail a cab, and I slide my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He starts kissing me deeply as the rain hits us full on. I can feel his heartbeat pounding through his wet T-shirt that’s now clinging to his hard, muscular body, and I sigh, knowing this has to be, hands down, the sexiest moment of my life.

GIVEAWAY



TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:



Readers LOVE Jilly! 
YES, WE SURE DO! ;)

(Pssst...that's me in the bottom right corner of Collette's reader collage! ;D)



What do you think?
Does GAME ON sound like something you want to read?
And who else absolutely LOVES sports romances? :D

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Waiting on Wednesday(32): Love & Other Theories by Alexis Bass!!

 
"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!


LOVE & OTHER THEORIES
by Alexis Bass


Hitting the shelves on December 31, 2014 from HarperTeen

If you want more, you have to give less.

That’s the secret to dating in high school. By giving as little as they expect to get in return, seventeen-year-old Aubrey Housing and her three best friends have made it to the second semester of their senior year heartbreak-free. And it’s all thanks to a few simple rules: don’t commit, don’t be needy, and don’t give away your heart.

So when smoking-hot Nathan Diggs transfers to Lincoln High, it shouldn’t be a big deal. At least that’s what Aubrey tells herself. But Nathan’s new-boy charm, his kindness, and his disarming honesty throw Aubrey off her game and put her in danger of breaking the most important rule of all: Don’t fall in love.

MY THOUGHTS

I've been wanting to read this one for a while now, and it's finally getting closer! I'm a big fan of contemporaries, and I think that this one sounds awesome! I can't wait to get to know Aubrey, and see her get worn down by "smoking-hot" Nathan. ;P I also just love this cover! I remember seeing it back when it was revealed, and I loved it. :)

Is anyone else super excited for Love & Other Theories? :)
What are you waiting for this Wednesday?