Still Us by Lindsay Detwiler (Review & #Giveaway)



If you're a romance fan, check out my review and enter the giveaway below...


Still Us
By Lindsay Detwiler
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 314 Pages
May 19th 2018 by Hot Tree Publishing

Summary

From the first time they locked eyes, Lila Morrow and Luke Bowman had a special spark. Their first kiss sealed their fairy-tale romance… until everything fell apart.

Luke’s life began when he met Lila—and in many ways, it ended when she left him. Drowning in regrets, Luke is determined to give Lila the space to be happy. The sexy, singing roofer quickly realizes, however, he really shouldn’t have let her go.

After their breakup, Lila moves back in with her family. The twenty-nine-year-old veterinarian’s transition to a life without Luke isn’t as easy as she expected. With the help of her wild Grandma Claire and her high-heel-loving sister, Maren, she starts to play the field… but she isn’t sure she’ll ever stop loving the curly-haired man from her early twenties.

Luke and Lila’s love story ended, and their individual boxes have been packed. But as they explore the single life and the dating world, both discover sometimes the love you leave behind is exactly what you need to be happy.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review

STILL US is a bittersweet story about losing love and fighting for a second chance at that love. Romance fans will love these characters, the emotional tug on the reader's heart, and the sweet romance.

Goodness. This story was crazy, blunt, full of chemistry and heart. I loved the characters, although Luke is rather depressing. I wanted him to figure things out for himself without Lila and still be able to fight for her. Lila has all these expectations and didn't quite see what was in front of her. I liked how easily it was to connect to them both - with their fears, insecurities, dreams, and wishes. Haven't we all had moments when we thought love would be easy and others when we knew it was worth working for? That, I think, is the epitome of this story. That love is worth the fight, but that it isn't perfect - that it takes work and effort and that we have to choose it. There was definitely a pull on my emotions in parts, even bringing tears in one place. Kudos to the author for being able to make me cry. I also loved Luke's sister, Scarlet, and the donuts shop owner, Dot.  Lila's grandma is a dynamic character, full of dramatic personality. They brought a lot to this story.

Just a couple of things bothered me. I wanted more character development and more time with them figuring out how to make their relationship work. I think that would have added a lot more depth to the story. Also, I would have liked the story to have been cleaner. There was a a lot of profanity, and me being religious, I think that bothered me more than a lot of the other things. There was also a lot of crude references and innuendo and swearing. General romance readers probably won't have too many issues here, but it bothered me.

In the end, was it what I wished for? An engaging story with complex characters, crazy family dynamics, and an overall heartfelt romance.

Content: Quite a bit of swearing, some vulgarity, some innuendo, closed-door scenes.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

About the Author

Love celebrating genuine, sweet love stories with a touch of spice? Join Lindsay's VIP Fan Club here and get a Free excerpt of Remember When: http://bit.ly/rememberwhenexcerpt.

An English teacher, an author, and a fan of anything pink and/or glittery, Lindsay's the English teacher cliché; she loves cats, reading, Shakespeare, and Poe.

She currently lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad (her junior high sweetheart); their cats, Arya, Amelia, Alice, Marjorie, and Bob; and their Mastiff, Henry.

Lindsay's goal with her writing is to show the power of love and the beauty of life while also instilling a true sense of realism in her work. Some reviewers have noted that her books are not the “typical romance.” With her novels coming from a place of honesty, Lindsay examines the difficult questions, looks at the tough emotions, and paints the pictures that are sometimes difficult to look at. She wants her fiction to resonate with readers as realistic, poetic, and powerful. Lindsay wants women readers to be able to say, “I see myself in that novel.” She wants to speak to the modern woman’s experience while also bringing a twist of something new and exciting. Her aim is for readers to say, “That could happen,” or “I feel like the characters are real.” That’s how she knows she's done her job.

Lindsay's hope is that by becoming a published author, she can inspire some of her students and other aspiring writers to pursue their own passions. She wants them to see that any dream can be attained and publishing a novel isn’t out of the realm of possibility.


Giveaway


1 winner will be gifted a Kindle copy of ALL OF YOU by Lindsay Detwiler
- Open to those who can be gifted a copy through Amazon
- Ends June 15th

a Rafflecopter giveaway
You can read an excerpt from STILL US on the author's blog here. Have you read any of this author's books?

The Fake Fiance Groom by Taylor Hart (ebook #SALE & #Giveaway)


Grab this one for only 99¢ today! Learn more about the book and enter the giveaway below...

The Fake Fiance Groom
(Texax Titan Romances/The Legendary Kent Brother Romances)
By Taylor Hart
Adult Contemporary Romance
ebook, 201 Pages
May 22nd 2018 by ArchStone Ink

Summary

Walker Kent, professional football player, hates the press. After a year of dealing with a dishonorable discharge, he’s in no mood to play nice at a bachelor auction. When a beautiful actress buys him, then announces he’s her fiancé … his barely endurable night has just turned to purgatory.

After discovering her ex is engaged to her best friend (ex best friend, thank you very much) Scarlett Powers is desperate to find a fake fiancé to take to her brother’s wedding to show the happy couple she’s NOT a pity case. Good thing she spots the perfect bad-boy football player to take with her—Walker Kent. Too bad he turns her down!

After re-negotiating terms of the fake fiancé deal, Scarlett soon finds herself in the middle of a controlling father, a cougar mother-in-law, and a crazy bridezilla who wants to personalize the wedding with DIY craft projects for the guests. When Walker sweeps her off her feet by taking her on an ‘off books’ date, she finds herself on a Ferris wheel, sharing things with him she’s never told another living soul.

When a secret comes to light and she is forced to tell the truth, she has to make a choice—walk away or risk losing the only thing that’s ever been real.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

About the Author


Taylor Hart has always been drawn to a good love triangle, hot chocolate and long conversations with new friends. Writing has always been a passion that has consumed her dreams and forced her to sit in a trance for long hours, completely obsessed with people that don’t really exist. Taylor would have been a country star if she could have carried a tune—maybe in the next life.


Other Books in the Series by the Author


Blitz Giveaway


$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway
Ends 6/17/18

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Zombie Abbey by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (Review)

Zombie Abbey
By Lauren Baratz-Logsted
YA Historical Paranormal
Paperback & ebook, 300 Pages
April 3rd 2018 by Entangled: Teen

Summary

1920, England

And the three teenage Clarke sisters thought what they’d wear to dinner was their biggest problem…

Lady Kate, the entitled eldest.

Lady Grace, lost in the middle and wishing she were braver.

Lady Lizzy, so endlessly sunny, it’s easy to underestimate her.

Then there’s Will Harvey, the proud, to-die-for—and possibly die with!—stable boy; Daniel Murray, the resourceful second footman with a secret; Raymond Allen, the unfortunate-looking young duke; and Fanny Rogers, the unsinkable kitchen maid.

Upstairs! Downstairs! Toss in some farmers and villagers!

None of them ever expected to work together for any reason.

But none of them had ever seen anything like this.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review

ZOMBIE ABBEY is a twist of Downton Abbey and zombies. It's set historically in England at a manor house where the upstairs and downstairs characters are thrown together in a fight of survival when an unusual disease spreads through the countryside turning the people into zombies. It makes for a rather humorous story that was entertaining from beginning to end!

This story... it was too much fun! The contrast between these starchy gentry, the lower class, and the zombie situation was so hilarious. There was a constant undertone of suspense and danger, due to the circumstances, that the author did a magnificent job of maintaining through the entire story. There were also sweet moments between family and friends, with a few possible romantic moments, as well as some bitter moments when tragedy strikes. The characters were marvelously done! There were a lot of different points of view, but it worked for me in this story. I also appreciated that there wasn't a strong romantic element. I like my romance, but this story just set up for things that might occur later on.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This story was balanced so well and was a delightful read! Highly recommend for YA fans and those who like or don't mind zombie stores, especially those on the milder side. I can't wait for book two!

Content: Mild swearing and some violence related to zombies.
Source: I received a complimentary eARC from the publisher through NetGalley, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

You can read an excerpt from the book here. Have you read this one or will you be?

I Can't Wait for... Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday)


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

I'm a huge Jane Eyre fan. I've read the book multiple times and have not only watched every theatrical rendition, I actually own a couple of them as well. I also love twists on classic stories, and this one is a scifi twist set in space, which sounds like something I would love. It's already been released in the US and has a June release elsewhere. I like the non-US cover the best (the second cover). What do you think?



Brightly Burning
by Alexa Donne
YA SciFi
Hardcover, Paperback & ebook, 400 Pages
May 1st 2018 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary

Seventeen-year-old Stella Ainsley wants just one thing: to go somewhere—anywhere—else. Her home is a floundering spaceship that offers few prospects, having been orbiting an ice-encased Earth for two hundred years. When a private ship hires her as a governess, Stella jumps at the chance. The captain of the Rochester, nineteen-year-old Hugo Fairfax, is notorious throughout the fleet for being a moody recluse and a drunk. But with Stella he’s kind.

But the Rochester harbors secrets: Stella is certain someone is trying to kill Hugo, and the more she discovers, the more questions she has about his role in a conspiracy threatening the fleet.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)


Will you be reading this one? Which cover do you like the most?

As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti (#Giveaway)


As You Wish
By Chelsea Sedoti
YA Contemporary, Magical Realism
Hardcover, Paperback Audiobok & ebook, 417 Pages
January 2nd 2018 by Sourcebooks Fire

Summary

What if you could ask for anything- and get it?

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

Praise for AS YOU WISH

"Heartbreaking, other times hilarious, but always thought-provoking. An unexpectedly affecting book that will have readers pondering what they would wish for if given the chance." ―Booklist

"Poignant... Will inspire readers to explore the question: if you could have one wish, what would it be" ―Kirkus

"An engrossing read, fantastical and believable at the same time." ―Horn Book Magazine

"The plot itself transcends Eldon's quest for a wish and becomes a study of human nature. This is a good story that includes a bit of romance, sports, friendship, family issues, and coming of age. A thoroughly engaging choice for readers of realistic fiction and magical realism." ―School Library Journal

"Depending on the reader, this novel offers different levels of intensity, starting with the everyday sort of teen troubles, progressing to difficult family dynamics, and reaching up to the ethical dilemmas wishing can create-all while being easy to read and hard to put down." ―VOYA Magazine, Perfect Ten

"The book provides an interesting and original premise that will open up some great discussion about what students might wish for and what the ramifications of those wishes might be." ―School Library Connection

"The countdown structure creates a natural hook, and Sedoti (The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett) makes good use of her what-if premise to give readers much to consider. She successfully captures the feelings of uncertainty that come with nascent adulthood, the desire to leave home, and waiting for one's life to begin." ―Publishers Weekly

"Chelsea Sedoti (The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett) masterfully crafts a tale that draws together the stories of an entire town's residents while focusing on Eldon and his friends. Through Eldon's wrenching struggles, we see how the possibility of getting what you think you want is fraught with complications. Despite the magical elements, Eldon's actions and longings ring true, reminding us that every day serves up life-altering choices, both large and small." ―BookPage

"The premise makes for a fascinating set of what-ifs that aren't resolved by Eldon's final decision; readers will want to consider further the larger questions raised here about the role risk, selfishness, free will, uncertain outcomes, and unintended consequences play in happiness." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

About the Author


PHOTO CONTENT FROM CHELSEA SEDOTI

Chelsea Sedoti fell in love with writing at a young age after discovering that making up stories was more fun than doing her school work (her teachers didn’t always appreciate this.) In an effort to avoid getting a “real” job, Chelsea explored careers as a balloon twister, filmmaker, and paranormal investigator. Eventually she realized that her true passion is writing about flawed teenagers who are also afraid of growing up. When she’s not at the computer, Chelsea spends her time exploring abandoned buildings, eating junk food at roadside diners, and trying to befriend every animal in the world. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada where she avoids casinos, but loves roaming the Mojave Desert.


Blitz Giveaway


- 3 Winners will receive a Copy of AS YOU WISH by Chelsea Sedoti
- Giveaway is open to International | Must be 13+ to Enter | Ends June 22, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Modern Persuasion and Phi Alpha Pi by Sara Marks (Reviews)

Phi Alpha Pi
(21st Century Austen #2)
By Sara Marks
Adult, New Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 214 Pages
May 28th 2018

Summary

Phi Alpha Pi is the oldest and largest sorority on campus and new president Lizbeth has a busy senior year ahead of her. She’s determined to keep her sorority in good standing on campus after a year on academic probation. She’s trying to manage the new sorority house manager, Mrs. C, who has her own ideas about how to support the sorority sisters. All while trying to find balance with her own academic goals to complete an honors thesis, graduate, and decide her future plans.

The last thing Lizbeth expects is her anger when Wil, a new member of the Alpha Pi fraternity, pushes every one of her buttons. Lizbeth finds Wil, a new transfer to the university with his best friend, to be rude, snobby, and judgmental. Even though she tries to avoid him, he seems to be everywhere, scowling with displeasure when he sees her. That is, until his Thanksgiving proclamation of love. That causes Lizbeth to reconsider how she sees the world.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review

PHI ALPHA PI is a modern retelling of Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE set in the sorority and fraternity world on a college campus. For general romance readers who don't mind the content, this is an interesting twist on the classic.

I'm a big Austen fan, including enjoying several versions and twists based off the original stories. There were parts of the story that worked for me and there were parts that didn't work at all.

Likes:
- I liked the characters, specifically Lizbeth and Wil as well as some of the side characters.
- I liked some of the twists on the original story that made it not too closely resembling the original.
- I liked the interactions between Wil and Lizbeth in the second half and towards the end of the story.
- The ending was sweet and fit the characters.

Dislikes:
- A lot of the characters' behaviors seemed rather over the top dramatic or unrealistic.
- I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Wil and Lizbeth, nor did I find a lot of their interactions, particularly in the beginning, to work for me. I felt like the author tried to force the language and exact situations into this modern setting and it just didn't work.
- Wil's dialogue was severely stilted. He didn't even sound like a real character.
- I didn't get how involved Lizbeth and others were in Lydia's life. It just felt far-fetched.
- Some parts of the story were too close to the original - I wanted the author to make this much more her own story and that fell flat for me.
- A lot of the partying and behaviors just bothered me.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I had high hopes for this as a huge P&P fan, but it just feel flat. Those who don't mind the content or aren't as familiar with P&P may enjoy this one.

Content: Innuendo, some vulgarity, partying, closed-door love scenes, and swearing.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the tour host, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

Modern Persuasion
(21st Century Austen #1)
By Sara Marks
Adult, New Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 220 Pages
May 29th 2017

Summary

Which would you pick: the person you love or your own dreams?

What would you do if given a second chance at that decision?

Eight years ago Emma Shaw picked her career and family over the man she loved, Fredrick Wentworth. Since then she has built a career in publishing and spends her free time making sure her father and sisters are taken care of. Fredrick has spent the same years building his career as a screenwriter under increasing public scrutiny as a celebrity. When the editor of Fredrick’s first book is injured, Emma is forced to travel with Fredrick on his book tour.

Tension builds for the two former lovers over the course of the tour. Emma and Fredrick must face their emotional baggage and their misunderstanding about how their break-up impacted the other. Will they be able to find their way back together for a second chance at love?

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review

MODERN PERSUASION is a modern retelling of Austen's PERSUASION set in modern-day USA, mostly in New York. The characters' professions are perfect for book lovers, as she is an editor and he is an author. It's an interesting twist on the classic.

I've always loved Austen's PERSUASION. I also love second-chance love stories, so this one sounded like it would be an enjoyable read for me. I enjoyed parts of the story, but others just didn't work for me.

Likes:
- I really liked this strong, independent, smart version of a heroine in Emma.
- I loved that Emma worked for a publisher as an editor and getting to go along to a book conference with her at the beginning. It was fun to see how she managed the book tour as well.
- I really liked some of Fredrick's friends. They were really fun and I enjoyed how they become friends with Emma.

Dislikes:
- I did not feel any chemistry between Emma and Fredrick. He either ignored her or was rude to her almost the entire time. In the original story, it worked because of the setting and because he actually did do some subtle nice things. In this story, there seemed to not be a very good connection and I wouldn't have felt any past romance involved or known except for being told of the situation in the story.
- I couldn't stand quite a few of the side characters and didn't know how Emma could be so blind or forgiving.
- I also didn't like the excessive drinking and smoking weed that was so casually referenced and seemed to have no influence on the characters.
- I didn't enjoy reading Fredrick's version of almost the entire story for the second part of the book. It seemed unnecessary when a simple letter or poem or story or something would have worked.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was another story that I had high hopes for, but just didn't work for me.

Content: Innuendo, some vulgarity, partying, closed-door love scenes, and swearing.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the tour host, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

Check out an excerpt from Phi Alpha Pi and enter the tour giveaways here.

Silver Hollow by Jennifer Silverwood (Guest Post & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to my tour stop! Jennifer Silverwood is sharing about the meaning behind
the names in her story, so definitely check that out and enter the giveaway below...

Silver Hollow
(Borderlands Saga #1)
By Jennifer Silverwood
Urban Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 429 pages
May 31st 2018 by SilverWoodSketches

Summary

"I shouldn't have to tell you this isn't a fairy story..."

After her parents' car crash ten years before, Amie Wentworth trusts books more than people. She may be a writer, but she believes in reality over fiction. She ignores the unexplained mysteries surrounding her, never mind the dreams of a past life, or the fact she can fry technology with a touch. Not even a timely invitation from her long-lost uncle in England gives Amie incentive for anything other than ire.

Until she is stabbed in an alley and brought back to life by a handsome stranger. Soon Amie is dragged into the very sort of tale she is used to selling. To make matters worse, the man who saved her life keeps turning up and her would-be-murderer is still at large.

After crossing the Atlantic to her father’s homeland, she discovers a world beyond imagining. Silver Hollow is a place of ancient traditions and supernatural dangers, where everything is the opposite of what it seems and few escape sane. Faced with an impossible choice, Amie is forced to confront a deadly family legacy while remembering a life she soon wishes to forget.

**Previously published in 2012. This NEW EDITION has been FULLY REVISED AND EXPANDED. The original novel is now no longer available.**

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)


What's in a Name


I remember reading articles that said Tolkien, when he was writing his Lord of the Rings saga, began with names. A linguist himself, it’s not surprising that he believed that our history can be told through our words and names.

Let me state for the record I am not J.R.R. Tolkien, nor am I Robert Jordan or any of the brilliant fantasy authors who made me want to write. But I am proud to admit they taught me a thing or two about characters, places and the meaning behind the name. If you read their stories, particularly Tolkien, you can almost feel the connection between the name and what that place or person truly is. If only we had a guide to duplicity in real life, right?

For Silver Hollow, I wanted to give my characters a little extra meaning and give some hints as to their true nature. After all, you’ll soon discover that everything in Silver Hollow is only the surface above hidden layers.

(Due to the location of Silver Hollow in the Borderlands, most of the names below are taken from Scotch-Irish/Celtic origin, while a few below are old Germanic)

Welsh
Emrys- Welsh form of Ambrose, who was a Romano-British military leader they later based the character of Merlin from.

Highland/Old Irish-Celtic
Morcant- Morcant is my nod to a modernized Morgan le Fay. Her updated name is derived from Old Welsh, a form of “Morgan.”
Elisedd- Celtic for “kind.” (Her last name, Underhill, was my direct nod to Tolkien)
Slaine- Scottish in origin, typically a feminine name meaning “good health.”
Iudicael- An old, Breton form of Judicael.
Drustan- A much older, Breton form of the name, Tristan. (My nod to Tristan & Isolde)

Old German
Grim- Simply means “grim” (however older Norse variations also mean “mask”)
Dearg- flame or red haired.

I’ve made you want to look up your name haven’t I? Well since you didn’t ask, I’ll tell you the meaning behind my name. Jennifer is a Cornish version of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar or Guinevere and means pure spirit/fey. And just because I’m that nerd, I’ve included a link in the pic below to find the meaning behind your name too. Have fun and see you at the next tour stop! 


― Jennifer

About the Author


Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it’s the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of two series—Heaven's Edge and Wylder Tales—and the stand-alone titles Stay and Silver Hollow.


Tour Schedule

May 21st:


PRIZE PACK #1: 1 winner will receive new Silver Hollow swag, themed bookmarks, stickers, bookish themed tote, and B&N Illustrated Hardcover Editions of Grimm's Fairy Tales and The Story of King Arthur & His Knights (US only)
PRIZE PACK #2: 1 winner will receive signed swag (mainly Silver Hollow and Wylder Tales), ebooks of the Wylder Tales Collection, and a free voucher for Bound Beauty to be published later in 2018 (open internationally)
ENDS: June 6th

Grab Our Button!

Did you look up your name? If you did, what does it mean?

Weekly Update #266, in which summer has begun...


Welcome to my Weekly Update where I post my blog's schedule for the week!

I'm linking up to The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer
and Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality.

Summer has definitely arrived where I live. We've already hit 100 degrees and will most likely not see lower temperatures until September or so. My youngest three also are now out of school with my oldest out this week after finals. I'm so ready for no more homework, but it also means my days will be full of interruptions both in not being able to read or get much done with all the kids home, but also interruptions in the form of having fun. :) We try to not go stir crazy by going swimming or to the zoo or spend time with friends. Hopefully I'll still get some good reading in as well.


Do you have kids in school or are you in school yourself? When does school end where you are? Are temps already hot?

For those in the US, happy Memorial Day on Monday! I'm so grateful to those who have gone before and to the service men and women who have given all for this country.

And moving on to why you're here, this is what's going on here on the blog...

This Week

Silver Hollow (Borderlands Saga #1)
Still UsJust Look Up (Harbor Pointe #1)

New Books

These have already been shared on Instagram, but in case you missed them, these are the bookish things I got in the mail the past two weeks:

Giveaways

I have a monthly giveaway running with just a few days left that you should check out:

Last Week

Loving Grace by April Smith (Excerpt & #Giveaway)

loving grace blitz banner

Welcome to the Loving Grace blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

loving graceLoving Grace
By April Smith
Christian YA Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 224 Pages
March 20th 2018 by Ambassador International

Summary

Grace Summer lands herself in a melon load of trouble when she becomes torn between the boy of her dreams and the boy almost next door.

As the newly crowned Watermelon Queen, she is thrust into the spotlight, meets the dreamy Warren Hartley, and continues trying to get over an accident that rocked her world. Mix in working with Beau Baron who Grace happens to fight with just about as much as breathing and the metaphorical sparks fly.

Like most things in life, Grace must learn to take the good with the bad. While the good is the handsome and fun Warren Hartley, the bad is Beau Baron—or at least being around his annoying and rude self way more than she would like. For Beau, Grace is nothing more than aggravating and an irritating reminder from the night of the accident.

Tensions soar as Grace and Beau fight to love themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Excerpt

WE STAND AT THE EDGE of the field, surveying the destruction. The plants are already wilting and starting to brown around the edges. A fourth of Mr. Baron’s fields looks like this—or will begin to by tomorrow. The plants are dead too late in the season to even think about replanting them. This section was planted last, so they would have melons to sell in August.

“Are you okay, John?” Mrs. Baron asks.

He pushes the air out through his teeth, “I’m trying to think about Job and reminding myself it could be far worse.”

About the Author

SONY DSC

April Smith grew up spending summers working on her best friend’s family watermelon farm and she was one of those watermelon queens she writes about. She has her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching.  


Blitz Giveaway

Loving Grace blitz giveaway

Ambassador International is giving away:  

Grand Prize: (1) print copy of Loving Grace (US Only)  
PLUS 4 more winners will receive an ebook copy of Loving Grace (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)  

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 26, 2018 and last through 11:59pm June 2, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

 
tour schedule

Check out the schedule at JustRead for a full list of stops & more chances to win! 

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