The Summer Blogger Promo Tour: Intro

Hello you lovely lot! Today I'm going to tell you about something I'm rather excited about. Over the summer I'm going to be taking part in The Summer Blogger Promo Tour hosted by the wonderful girls are  The Book Bratz. It's a chance for me to introduce to you some new bloggers and put together some fun posts to brighten up your sundays. This also means that for the next 8 weeks I will be on a host of other blogs too. Sounds fun right?
I'll be highlighting one blogger every sunday until the end of August. So far I have a Q&A, a couple of Book Club style reviews, a guest post on why we blog and book cover scavenger hunt for you to enjoy.
The tour starts next week on the 6th July where SJ and I will be taking on our very own Tri-wirard tournament! It's a little bit bonkers but what would you expect from me?

Have a good week lovelies and remember to check in on sunday!

Tour Schedule

July 6th

SJ Bouquet

Twitter: @SJBouquet

July 13th

The Book Bratz

Twitter: @thebookbratz

July 20th

Dana Square

Twitter: @danasquare

July 27th

Endlesslyreading

Twitter: @heyiamdivergent 

August 3rd

Ana Loves...

Twitter: @just_ana_love

August 10th

The YA Club

Twitter: @YAClubBlog

August 17th

Caught Read Handed

Twitter: @StefaniSloma

August 24th

Ink on the Shelf

Twitter: @JenniferLeFay

August 31st

Wrap up post for the Summer Blogger Promo Tour. 

Review: I Know Lucy

I Know Lucy

by Melissa Pearl

Publisher: Evatonia Press

Publication Date: April 17th 2014

Received From: Mark My Words Book Publicity

Lucy Tate is on the run. After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents, she's spent five years in hiding -- taking on different personas and faking her way through life. The authorities can't be trusted, so she remains in the shadows, always one beat ahead of the man who is forever hunting her. That is, until she meets Zach Schultz, a senior at Monte Vista High and the one guy she can’t bear to leave. Suddenly her natural instincts to lie, cheat, and run are overshadowed by something else...the desire to stay and perhaps, love. It’s her one shot at a normal life. 
Curious by nature, Zach is immediately drawn to the new girl at school. How can a person look both confident and vulnerable all in the same moment? Determined to figure Lucy out, he sets out to unravel the mystery that is her and soon finds himself caught up in a cat and mouse game. For the first time in his life he is faced with the reality that the truth can no longer set him free...if anything, it's going to get him killed. 

Review

"Danielle Harrison was a girl with secrets and I desperately wanted to know what they were."

First things first, DO NOT start reading this book unless you have the sequel ready and waiting in the wings! It's not exactly a cliffhanger but there are so SO many things left up in the air at the end of this book it makes you desperate to read Set Me Free. 

I Know Lucy is a book about - you guessed it - a girl called Lucy and the people who knew her. When new girl Dani (aka Lucy) turns up at Zach's school she sets off his intrigue like someone who's just slammed their fist into the fire alarm. Zach's not had the best of luck when it comes to girls but there is something about Dani he just can't shake. He needs to get to know her, and as the book unravels it becomes clear that Dani is hiding something. Or as the case may be, several somethings. The story follows both characters as they try to discover each other. But Dani won't, can't, let anyone in. She has a dangerous past that could get someone killed. The problem is, Zach can't let it go, he needs to know her. 

Okay so you will be expecting me to drone on about dual narratives because that seems to be my favourite past time at the moment but this was done slightly different to most other multiple points of view books. Yes, it is told through two different people but Zach's half of the story is all in first person, where as Lucy's sections are in third. I really REALLY liked the way this was done because it make it feel like Zach's story and we were discovering the information about Lucy the same way he was, through little snippets of a story that we have to peace together ourselves. 

Another great thing about this book is the character's and the way in which not a single one of them was overly annoying. Which I know, sounds like a give-in but in truth when you're reading about teenagers there's a high chance that at least one of the character's will fall into the clique cliché that will drive you barmy by the end of the first half. But I am happy to report that this was not the case with I Know Lucy. I adored Zach's group of friends as they were all individual and strong. They had shining personalities and characters that made it easy to imagine them all sitting around the table as AJ forced them to eat his latest concoction.  I want to be part of this group! 

I mentioned at the beginning of this review that this book left me wanting more, however that's not a completely positive thing. Yes, it does mean I will be reading book two however, it left me feeling a little underwhelmed. As if it just stopped halfway through the story. I understand that in a series you need to have something - a hook of sorts - to make you go back for the next book, but this is not how you do it. If I didn't have the second book on hand I would have been very frustrated with the ending to I Know Lucy. It felt like the book was leading up to something big, it was just appear that said something is in book two.

Overall though, this is a great book! The ending leads little to be desired but that is probably the only bad thing I have to say about it. It's fasted paced and the characters are captivating. The plot is thick with twists and turns and I really enjoyed that way the author connected Lucy's past with Zach's present. It has it's raw moments that show the true nature of Lucy's torment as well as some of the best dialogues I've read in a while - the scenes where Tenner is talking sent chills down my spine. An interesting and exciting read that I highly recommend. 

     

**I received this book as an ARC from Mark My Words Book Publicity to read and review. This is a 100% honest review**

Book Blitz + Giveaway: ONE TWO THREE

If you love a little YA you'll probably already have hear of One Two Three by Elodie Nowodazkij, but just in case you haven't here's everything you need to know about his exciting new release. 

ONE TWO THEE

by Elodie Nowodazkij

Publication date: 26th June 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.

Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive.

But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career.

At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell.

But when upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.

Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?

BUY LINKS

AMAZON || B&N || KOBO

**EXCERPT**

The shortcut to the lake from our home is a dirt road that isn’t well lit, but I know the 
way by heart. I hurry down the path, tuning my iPod to Chopin’s happier music. But I can’t drown out Mama’s voice. It resonates in my head. It’s my fault! I know she’s wrong because she’s not the one who killed him. I did. If only I didn’t get into an argument with him in the car. If only I had warned him about the truck. I bite back a sob and rip off my knee brace to walk even faster. At first, my knee is stiff, but at least I can extend my leg much better now. 
Seeing the lake calms me down, soothes me. This place is always crowded in the 
summer, but on this crisp September night, there’s no one. The lights surrounding the area 
flicker, the tall trees leave interesting shadows on the ground, and a discarded pink umbrella stands next to the bench by the grilling area. I turn up the volume of my iPod even more, 
settle on the bench, and search through my backpack. My pointes show the wear and tear 
of the last years, and no matter how much I scrub, there’s one smudge that doesn’t want to go away. 
Memories flash back when I slip them on: my father handing me a bouquet of lilies 
after each of my recitals, the crew from the School of Performing Arts sneaking out to get 
ice cream, the summers I spent on the raft at the lake with Becca and my babushka, the 
hours at the barre. 
Everything’s gone.
Dancing’s always been my escape from reality: from the fights my parents had more 
and more often, from my babushka passing away all alone at the hospital because no one 
told me she was sick, from my fears of letting anyone get really close. 
Dancing’s always been my future. 
Dancing’s always been who I am. So even if I can’t dance like I used to, even if I can’t 
put too much pressure on my knee, I’m convinced I’ll train my way back to the top, that 
I’ll show Dr. Gibson and the rest of them that they got it wrong, when they said it was very unlikely I would ever go back on stage. Juilliard postponed my audition and the director of the School of Performing Arts said he was holding a spot for me if I wanted to come back. If I could come back. 
I use the bench as my own personal barre, slowly bend my knees, keeping them 
over my toes. Grounding my heels on the ground, I stretch down as much as I can, but 
I don’t make it past a demi-plié. I warm up for ten minutes, losing myself in the familiar 
movements. The stars reflect on the water; it could be the perfect backdrop for a 
production of Swan Lake. I wish I could position myself for a grand jeté, feel the wind 
surround me as I fly into the air, but I know better than to jeopardize the progress I’ve 
made. The last time I tried, my kneecap almost snapped again. Both my knees were 
smashed in the car crash, but my pivot leg suffered the most. 
I angle my feet for some small pas de bourrée. I go faster and faster, until I bump into a 
rock. Fear steals my breath away. I avoid landing on my leg and instead fall on my ass.

About Elodie 

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she'd never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master's degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn't seem to realize he's not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories swirling in her head. She's also a serial smiley user.

Website: www.elodienowodazkij.com 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/commutinggirl 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/elodienowodazkij 

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Tour Post: Melt

It's Thursday and I have something quite exciting for you! This is my post of the EARLY review tour for Melt by Selene Castrovilla, hosted by Jen Halligan PR. It's not actually out until much later in the year so this is your first glimpse of MELT. Let me know what you think and don't forget to enter the giveaway! 
Enjoy x

MELT

by Selene Castrovilla

Pages: 328 pages 

Publication Date: November 6th 2014
Publisher: Last Syllable Books
ISBN: 9780991626106

Received From: Jen Halligan PR

Summary 

MELT is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family's secret – about to be unleashed.

Told in dual first person, Joey's words are scattered on the page - reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason - until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

MELT is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

Review

This is the story of Dorothy, a sixteen-year-old girl in a new town and a lot to learn. She comes from a perfect family and has never had to worry about a thing. This is the story of Joey, a seventeen-year-old boy that everyone has ruled out. He has a father that will make your skin crawl and a drinking problem of his own. These two character's couldn't be any more different if they tried and yet, somehow, amongst the hustle and bustle of the local Dunkin' Donuts their worlds collide and their lives change. Whether or not that is for the better is up for debate. 

Selene Castrovilla did something not many authors can do. Firstly she produced a dual narrative that didn't make me want to scream - which in itself is a not easy but then she also created two distinct voices for two characters with very different backgrounds and made me connect with both of them. But it wasn't just the voices that were different. As the POV swapped so did the writing style. Now, I will admit it takes a little getting used to but I really liked the way in which Joey's parts were written in disjointed sentences. It really emphasised the brokenness of his character. 

Joey was probably the hardest part of this book to read, his story is gritty and unapologetic. His father is bastard that beats on his family to make him feel like the big man. He's despicable and I spend the majority of the book wanting to pop Pops. 

I think that the only problem I had with this book was that it wasn't what I expected. Obviously with the title, the cover and even the blurb I was expecting something that reflected the world of Oz. However, that wasn't the case. The connections between Melt and The Wizard of Oz are completely metaphorical. The Wicked Witch of the West being substituted for the demons inside Joey and the idea that if only he can find his bucket of water then maybe they to can be rid of this evil. Which was a really interesting little addition to a heart wrenching story. Although I think that, from a marketing point of view there has been way too much emphasis on Oz and not on all the other great things this book has going for it. Of which there are plenty. 

Overall this is, without a doubt, a beautifully written and haunting story that is made all the more heart breaking by the fact is is based on true events. It's a fast paced books that is completely unputdownable. Ignoring the insta-love, Dorothy and Joey are a compelling couple that you can't help but get behind. It's written in a unique way that you will either love or hate - which personally, I loved. It was cleaver and chilling and a story that will stick with me for a long time. It's one to look out for this fall and I hope you lot are adding it to your TBR lists. 

**I received this book as an ARC from Jen Halligan PR to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

About Selene

Selene Castrovilla is an award-winning teen and children’s author who believes that through all trends, humanity remains at the core of literature. She is the author of Saved By the Music and The Girl Next Door, teen novels originally published by WestSide Books and now available digitally through ASD Publishing. Her third children’s book with Calkins Creek Books, Revolutionary Friends, was released in April 2013. She is also a contributing author to UncommonYA. Selene holds an MFA in creative writing from New School University and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons. Visit her website www.SeleneCastrovilla.com for book excerpts and more information!

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Guest Post: Fairy Tale Retellings

By Rachel Schieffelbein

Thank you so much for having me on your blog today! J I’m really excited to be here!

In books, movie, and TV, fairy tale retellings have become very popular. I’m going to talk a bit about why I think that is.

Personally, I love fairy tales. I love the romance, the magic, and the villains. Fairy tales have the best villains. Larger than life and filled with evil intentions. Although, along with all these retellings I think we’re also seeing an increase in relatable, redeemable villains.

Once Upon a Time is a perfect example of this. Regina, the evil queen, Rumplestiltzkin, and Hook are all bad guys that we’ve come to care about on the show and whom I think we all want a happy ending for. We're shown what their motives are, and we feel for them.

In Don’t Fall I wanted Anya’s step-mother to be a character who, while you won’t agree with her, you will hopefully at least somewhat understand in the end why she is the way she is. And I certainly hope she’s redeemable.

Perhaps one of the reasons fairy tale retellings are coming into fashion, after vampires, dystopians, and tragic contemporaries, is that we’re looking for happy endings. We want to see our heroes and heroines have enemies they can beat. And perhaps see those enemies reach a better place as well.

Fairy tales are a way to escape reality. And we often see our heroines escaping  humble beginnings, and near impossible situations, to win their happily ever after. And if there’s magic and true love along the way, all the better.

Fairy tales have been around forever, and always will be. There’s a reason these stories are able to touch readers generation after generation.

I think Neil said it best:

There will be more from Rachel on the 7th July as she takes part #5Questions.
Until then check out my review for her Rapunzel retelling Don't Fall. 

Tour Post: Desperately Ever After

Today we're taking part in the blog tour for Laura Kenyon's Desperately Ever After, hosted by Fiction Addiction Tours. I love a good fairy tale character, don't you? Let me know what you think and don't forget to enter the giveaway! 
Enjoy x

DESPERATELY EVER AFTERby Laura Kenyon

One part Sex and the City. Two parts Desperate Housewives.

Three parts Brothers Grimm.

Pages: 296

Publication Date: February 2014

Received From:  Fiction Addiction Tours

Summary 

“If you are looking for a fun and gossipy story to satisfy the holes left when Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives had their series finales (or even if you’re going through Once Upon a Time withdrawal come season finale time) look no further than Desperately Ever After.” ~ Chick Lit Central

Imagine what might happen if our most beloved fairy tale princesses were the best of friends and had the dreams, dilemmas, and libidos of the modern woman. How would their stories unfold after the wedding bells stopped ringing? Set in a fictional realm based on New York City, DESPERATELY EVER AFTER sprinkles women’s fiction with elements of fantasy, and encourages readers to rethink everything they know about happy endings.  

Years after turning her husband from beast back to man and becoming his queen, Belle finds out she’s finally going to have a child. But before she can announce the wondrous news, she catches him cheating and watches her “happily ever after” go up in flames. Turning to her friends for the strength to land with grace, she realizes she’s not the only one at a crossroads: 

Cinderella, a mother of four drowning in royal duties, is facing her 30th birthday and questioning everything she’s done (or hasn’t) with her life.  

Rapunzel, a sex-crazed socialite and one-woman powerhouse, is on a self-destructive quest to make up for 20 years locked away in a tower.  

Penelopea, an outsider with a mother-in-law from hell, is harboring a secret that could ruin everything at any moment. 

Review

"We didn't thrive because of magic. We survived in spite of it."

I think the first thing that needs to be said about Desperately Ever After is that it is NOT a fairy tale retelling. No, it's more like what happened after the last page was turned. After the happily every after. It's this perfect mix of past and present with mobile phones and magical kingdoms. It's the perfect book to be reading this summer and it's completely unputdownable!

I'm not going to lie, I was a little dubious when I first started reading DEA. I loved the idea of the book, as I've often wondered about what happens after true loves kiss but when I was reading the first chapter I was starting to wander whether or not I really wanted to know. The idea of a happily ever after is something I think everyone dreams of - even if it's just a little bit and what Laura has done is turn our magical fables into something very real. It's gritty at times and humorous at others and after the first two chapter's I was hooked! The journey's and the growth of all our leading ladies is down right inspirational and makes for that warm fizzy feeling.

I think the fact that we know the character's going into the book makes it a lot easier to connect with them. Every single event that happened throughout made me feel something. Even within the first couple of chapters, I wanted to smack Donner (The Beast) and wrap Belle into a massive bear hug. These are my beloved fairy tale character's and you go into it caring what happens to them. And even though Laura has given each character their own new, stronger and empowering voice there is no denying these are our princesses.

Also, can I just say that I love Laura's choice of princesses! Yes we have the traditional ones, such as Cinderella (Cindy), Belle, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty (Dawn) but she's also thrown the Princess and the Pea in there (Pen) too. Not to mention odd snippets of the original Grimm fairy tales, like the little mermaid, giving the whole book a much more colourful and rich concept than if she had just stuck with the Disney Classics.

The story is full of twist and turns and moments that will have you picking your jaw up of the floor. There's a real sense of girl power and nostalgia to DEA that will have you captivated. It is brilliantly written and was a real joy to read. The character's are endearing. The story compelling. It's Once Upon a Time meets Desperate Housewives. The perfect chick-lit that will have all readers smiling, laughing, cursing Donner and cheering on Pun. I can't actually recommend this enough and I can't wait for DAMSELS IN DISTRESS!

READ THE BOOK PEOPLE! READ. THE. BOOK.

 

**I received this book as an ARC from Laura Kenyon through Fiction Addiction Tours to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

About Laura

Like so many women today, I grew up on Disney films and fairy tales. But as wonderful as these were at the time, they always left me wondering what came next. How did Cinderella feel ten years down the road, when her iconic ball gown no longer fit and she had four kids, royal duties up the wahzoo, and a husband who was hardly ever around? How long did it take Beast to return to his old ways when he no longer needed Beauty to break the curse? 
My debut novel, Desperately Ever After, takes our most beloved fairy tale princesses, makes them the best of friends, and imagines what happened when the wedding bells stopped ringing. At its core, it’s about honesty and friendship, and how one can never work without the other.
In addition to writing books, I am a freelance journalist and blogger, and enjoy traveling, hiking, and playing with my 92-pound, ridiculously energetic, four-year-old puppy.

TWITTER || FACEBOOK || WEBSITE

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