Blog Tour: Don't Ever Change by M. Beth Bloom -- REVIEW + PLAYLIST + GIVEAWAY!!!



Don't Ever Change
by M. Beth Bloom
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 7th 2015
Rate: 3/5 stars

Synopsis:

Eva has always wanted to write a modern classic—one that actually appeals to her generation. The only problem is that she has realized she can't "write what she knows" because she hasn't yet begun to live. So before heading off to college, Eva is determined to get a life worth writing about.

Soon Eva's life encounters a few unexpected plot twists. She becomes a counselor at a nearby summer camp—a job she is completely unqualified for. She starts growing apart from her best friends before they've even left for school. And most surprising of all, she begins to fall for the last guy she would have ever imagined. But no matter the roadblocks, or writer's blocks, it is all up to Eva to figure out how she wants this chapter in her story to end.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell,Don't Ever Change is a witty, snarky, and thought-provoking coming-of-age young adult novel about a teen who sets out to write better fiction and, ultimately, discovers the truth about herself.



Everyone knows I'm such a sucker for contemporary. Writer MC? Summer romance? Highschool to college coming of age story? Yes yes yes! As expected, Don't Ever Change was such a fun, and cute read for me. Aside from it being very enjoyable, I also found the narrative very honest and real, this being the main selling point of this book. I always favor character-driven books as opposed to those that have so many things going on but have zero character development. I'm glad to say that Don't Ever Change is able to succeed with the former.

It really appealed to me how Eva is made to be so unlike-able as a character, with her up-tightness and high sense of pride,  that I actually ended up liking her. I loved how ambitious and driven she is with her writing, that she's trying hard to find her voice by creating new experiences and trying new things - and doing a lot of wrong things along the way. But hey, that's all part of the self-discovery, right? I loved how willing she is to change and learn new things, and her renewed sense of self-awareness is admirable. She may appear to be snobby and socially inept at times, but the way she improves her interaction with her peers, namely her campers, reflect her character growth as the story progresses.

Blog Tour: The Boyfriend Backtrack by Dawn Lanuza [Review, Excerpt + GIVEAWAY!]


Hi guys! Welcome to my stop of The Boyfriend Backtrack book tour hosted by Oops! I Read Again Book Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Title: The Boyfriend Backtrack
Author: Dawn Lanuza
Date of Publication: October 3, 2014
Genre: contemporary romance

Blurb:

If they say that life flashes right before your eyes when you die, do you also get a flashback of your exes when your perfect boyfriend is proposing to you? At least that's the case for Regina Cortez. There's her dramatic high school boyfriend, her first college crush, the irresistible heart breaker, and the ever elusive one. By backtracking to her past, will Regina make it to 'I Do'? Or will she just keep running away?


Purchase linkAmazon



MY REVIEW


I'm always supportive of the local publishing industry and would grab at any chance to review or participate in a book tour for a book written by a local author. There's just something completely refreshing about reading a book that hits so close to home - it's just a wonderful, wonderful feeling. The Boyfriend Backtrack surely made me feel that, and I sincerely enjoyed reading it. Towards the end, I came to know the characters of the story as not just people part of a book, but actual, real, live people who could be my friends or someone I know, maybe because of how much I found myself connecting to the book.

Though I wasn't a fan of all the copy-editing issues or some of the cliche scenes and lines, I am indeed a sucker for happy endings and best friend romances so I managed to overlook those tiny faults. I can't really say who Regina ends up with in the end (read the book to find out!) but I was shipping them so hard right from the moment the guy makes an appearance (and man, does he make an appearance). I loved how Regina grows up throughout the book and how she finally faces her fear of confrontation, by finally tying up all those loose ends from so long ago. I did admire her with her decision to find herself towards the end of the book, and that is something I would like for myself as well. The ending of the book is one of the cheesiest, but sweetest endings I've ever read, and honestly, an ending I would want to happen to myself (yes I love cheese too).

To wrap things up, The Boyfriend Backtrack is one of the nicest and sweetest books I've ever read, and is perfect to read with a cup of coffee on a rainy day, and the perfect playlist with throwback love songs from college. This one effortlessly put a smile on my face after reading it and I highly recommend it for people who love love and reading about love. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

EXCERPT

My head is in a scurry and I could feel my heart thumping loudly. I cross my hands over my chest to hold myself together.
And then, with a quick glance, I see him strolling casually out of the arrival doors, pushing a trolley filled with worn-out bags and boxes. He is tan and fit, and his wild wavy hair is tamed by a red cap. He looks like a typical backpacker: cargo shorts, sneakers, and plain shirt. He looks quite rested and relaxed.
I suck in my breath, feet still cemented on the ground. The tall guy in front of me moves, giving me the full view. I watch him as he pushed the trolley forward. Then, he pauses, waiting for the woman walking behind him.I feel my face burning. There she is. Long, luscious hair hangs on her back. She’s wearing a white sundress. She steps right next to him and he takes her hand.
I watch them closely. He’s now looking at her and I know then that this isn’t just some girl. Chase likes this girl. I’ve seen him look at Laura before, and he’s looking at her the same way: a good mix of amusement and adoration.I feel the need to leave. What am I even doing here? Did I really think I could just show up and he would be happy to see me after years of not speaking to him? This is such a bad idea. I’m not even sure that he still considers me as his friend. I didn’t even know what he’s been doing until last week. What kind of a friend is that?They were heading my way. I stand there, horrified. Shit. I made my way out of the crowd. Shit, why are they walking so fast? Shit, shit, shit.Chase can’t see me. More importantly, I can’t see him now. Not like this. Not when I’m feeling like the biggest idiot in the world.
He pushes the trolley while her hands lovingly wrap around his arm. My stomach turns. I can feel a lump in my throat. I walk quickly behind a pillar. Shit. My heart is sinking. Shit, shit, shit.Good job, Regina. What the hell are you even thinking? I slowly peek back and saw them pass the crowd. When they turn their backs, she places her right hand on his shoulder.
I look away. I take a deep, long breath. It comes out staggering when I exhale. I run to the public toilets and lock myself in one of the cubicles. Thomas said, take deep and slow breaths. I allow myself to let out one sob. Then I’m not able to stop.


ABOUT DAWN LANUZA



Dawn Lanuza has been imagining and writing love stories since she was a kid. She works for the music industry by day, and writes about meet cutes and snappy comebacks by night. She writes short stories, chick lit and young-adult fiction. She has a degree in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines.






GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Here's the link to it: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dc42906e255/

BOOK TOURS: The Lost Kingdom by Stephanie Beerden + GIVEAWAY!!!





Series: The Elements #1
Release date: April 28th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A Prophecy made long ago, announced the arrival of the new Ladies of Elements.

And now almost a millennia later, it finally came true …

All her life Arima thought she knew who and what she was. That is until the day of her sixteenth birthday came and her world is turned upside down, when she’s told she’s not a White Witch but Lady Spirit. And that she is the one that has been foretold, will unite the Five Ladies of Elements once again and save Ilendia and the Other Lands from Ahriman, the Demon King.

20873418
At first Arima refuses to accept her new fate, but when Shanums come and destroy her village and kill her loved ones, she has no choice but to flee and fall right into the destiny she never wanted.

As she grudgingly starts her journey into the unknown, she is accompanied by her unicorn familiar Sirrim, Blythe, a Vampire with a dark past and Myrddin, a mysterious Ljosalfar.

And the longer her journey lasts, the more Arima begins to realise that she can’t escape her own destiny and she must learn to control her powers and learn to be a Lady for the sake of the Sisters she doesn’t know and the people of Ilendia and the Other Lands.

However, things get more complicated when Arima comes into the possession of a key. Her instincts compel her to go towards danger when she discovers that the key she holds, can unlock the legendary kingdom of Eléssima, the home of the Ladies of Elements.

She will have to make the choice to follow her instincts …

…or stay on the path that has been laid out for her.

EXCERPT

He uncrossed his arms and clapped them together. “So you must be the new Lady Spirit, then?”
He walked up to her and then circled around her, looking her over from head to toe. He stopped right in front of her and looked her right in the eyes . “You’re a lot fatter than I thought you would be.”
Arima sputtered indignantly and ignored Sirrim’s laughter in her head and Myrrdin and Blythe’s choking sounds. She raised her fist and hit the Angel right on the cheek.
Lucien rubbed his cheek and spat out some blood. “Okay, I might have deserved that.”
“You think, you a’zavulter?” Arima hissed sarcastically at him.
Blythe choked on his spit, and Myrddin gaped at Arima when he heard what she had said.
Lucien’s eyebrows rose to his hairline . That was a new one; he’d never been called that before. “My, my —such a temper,” he teased.
“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet ,” Arima told him. “You say you were a friend of the Ladies? I can’t imagine anyone wanting you around. It’s a mystery to me why they called you friend.”
Lucien just grinned. “Your predecessor thought otherwise, but Lady Fire, not so much. She hit me in the face, too, once. She looked cute with a blush, too.”
“I hope it hurt like hell,” she snarled at the Angel.

“It did,” Lucien admitted. “All right, funny business aside, are you ready or do you want to be stuck here for much longer? I have a lot of work to do, people to see, lightning to deliver. You understand.”

Stephanie BeerdenABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Beerden was born on Friday the 13th (no joke, she really was) in a small city called Genk in Belgium. She has always been fascinated with the occult, magic and books. Her childhood and teen years were filled with reading lots and lots of books and imagining what life would be like as a vampire. Until one day she decided that she wanted to try her hand at writing her own books and that was the beginning of her writing adventure.

BOOK BLITZ: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid + GIVEAWAY and GUEST POST!!!


Let's Get Lost
Release Date: 07/29/14
Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.



Early Praise:
“Reminiscent of John Green’s Paper Towns and road trip novels that feature a teen paving the way to adulthood, Alsaid’s debut is a gem among contemporary YA novels.” – School Library Journal

“Five love stories, beautifully woven together by a special girl in search of adventure, hope, and full appreciation of life’s simple pleasures. A do-not-miss.  ” – Justine Magazine

“Moving and poignant.”  - Glitter Magazine

“An entertaining and romantic road-trip debut.” – Kirkus

"Leila's quest to find the Northern Lights takes readers on a captivating cross-country journey, where four strangers' adventures collide into one riveting tale of finding yourself." ―YABooksCentral.com

“This will likely be a popular summer hit, especially for older teen about to embark on their own journeys of self-discovery.” –Booklist

About the Author
Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer. He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. Let's Get Lost is his YA debut.  
Let's Get Lost Website!

Author Links:
 photo iconwebsite-32x32_zps1f477f69.png  photo icongoodreads32_zps60f83491.png  photo icontwitter-32x32_zpsae13e2b2.png  photo iconfacebook-32x32_zps64a79d4a.png

***GIVEAWAY***
1 signed hard cover copy of Let’s Get Lost
1 Let’s Get Lost luggage tag
1 Harlequin TEEN notebook
1 Let’s Get Lost sachel
1 Harlequin TEEN tote bag
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:


GUEST POST: Adi’s First Trip Alone


My sister likes to say that before I came back from my trip to Israel, she’d never heard me speak. That’s probably an exaggeration, but not an extreme one. When I boarded the plane to Israel on the eve of my eighteenth birthday, I was a shy kid, reserved, talkative only with my closest friends.

My brother puts it a different way: “Before, you couldn’t decide if you cared or not. Then you decided you didn’t.” He said this when we shared an apartment in college, when I was doing things like taking spontaneous road trips to Baker, California just to have lunch, or founding a student organization at UNLV called Students for the Advancement of Silliness. I brought my first girlfriend to the top floor of a library and rained down thirty notecards with book quotations on them. I wrote editorials in the school newspaper about choosing to be happier.

Let me be clear about this: I didn’t notice it happening. In Israel, I read a lot. I walked around a lot. Though fluent in Hebrew, I didn’t speak a lot, because outside of my grandmother and some cousins, I didn’t know anyone. I could have made friends on the basketball courts where I played, or the bar full of American expats and travelers from all over the world, but I didn’t. By the end I was having more and more conversations with people there, because I’d learned that if I didn’t I could go days without saying a word. But that didn’t feel like growth; it just felt like loneliness, which wasn’t anything new. I had fun in Israel, and though I’d imagined something life-changing (I brought a notebook, thinking that maybe I’d write a book while there), I left thinking it hadn’t happened. The first day I returned to Mexico and had coffee with a friend, within twenty minutes, she said, “You’ve changed.”

It’s not like I went to Israel and came back a new person. I was simply more myself. The layer of shyness that usually hid parts of me from the world was washed away by the Mediterranean, or burned away from my skin from the suntan I gained on the beaches of Tel Aviv. I broke out of my proverbial shell, deciding, as my brother pointed out, that I no longer cared to reside within it.

Here’s what I’m trying to get at, and why Leila’s travels in Let’s Get Lost serve as the perfect backdrop to five coming-of-age stories: Travel leads to self-discovery. You grow, even if you don’t notice it happening. Especially if you do it at the age I did, the age the characters in the book are, the world seeps into your cracks and pulls you further out.

Book Tours: Twelve Steps by Veronica Bartles {Review + GIVEAWAY!}


Title: Twelve Steps
Author: Veronica Bartles
Publishing Date: 03/25/14
Rating: 4/5 stars
Book Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Andi is tired of being a second-class sibling to perfect sister Laina. There in Laina's shadow, Andi's only noticeable feature is her pretty awesome hair. And even that is eclipsed by Laina's perfect everything else.
When Andi’s crush asks her to fix him up with Laina, Andi decides enough is enough and devises a twelve-step program to wrangle the spotlight away from Laina. After all, great hair must count for something.
Step 1: Admit she’s powerless to change her perfect sister, and accept that her life really, really sucks. OK, maybe that's two steps in one.
Step 4: Make a list of her good qualities besides great hair. There have got to be at least three good qualities, right?
Step 7: Demand attention for more than just her shortcomings, and break out of her shell. Easier said that done, but worth the effort in the long-run. 
When a stolen kiss from her crush ends in disaster, Andi finds that her prince isn’t as charming as she'd hoped, and realizes she may need a new program--perhaps with less steps!
As cracks in Laina’s flawless façade begin to show, the sisters work together to find a spotlight big enough for both to shine.
MY REVIEW:

Twelve Steps is a book about two sisters who go to the same highschool, and both think one is better than the other. Andi and Laina have a tight sibling relationship and are very close, but both have their own problems and insecurities. Andi is in love with Laina's best friend Jared, but Jared has been in love with Laina ever since. Laina, on the other hand, has her own troubled past which she keeps bottled up in her diaries. This is a story of how these two sisters find themselves and break out of their own shells.

Twelve Steps is something that I was immediately drawn to right after reading the first few pages. I love reading stories about sisters, it's a kind of trope that I haven't been exposed to more. I think this book would've been very problematic if not handled as light and cutesy as it was. This one's premise is basically "We're both popular but we think the other one is better than the other" Not that I am undermining other people's problems, but that kind of premise would've lacked depth and emotional value if not treated correctly. It is not so relatable or rewarding to read, and would not have worked as well. Reading contemporary has always been difficult to me as I'm usually presented with books that contain the same premises and characters and love interests that it has gotten way too tiring. Twelve Steps was an enjoyable book that definitely exceeded my expectations.  I read it expecting to read something with fluff, but got out with something more.

What I loved the most about this book is Andi. Andi was a compelling protagonist who spoke her mind and did whatever the hell she wanted no matter what. It was very easy to relate to this girl, as I myself am the second child in my family, and do strive to be better than my older sister. I found Andi to be a strong and independent character, and though she came off to me as manipulative with her schemes, bottomline is she had a good heart who put her sister first before anything else. This was proven throughout the book when every time she felt second-best or hurt, she was always more concerned about her sister's welfare rather than her own. She also came off as very feminist to me, and I found myself cheering "you go girl!" every time she delivered a piece of dialogue that made me root for her. Her snarkiness and witty humour all came hand in hand.
"First of all, you need to drop the competitive attitude. Dating isn't a contest. And no girl in her right mind actually wants to have guys fighting over her like she's some kind of prize. Laina's a person with feelings, not a trophy for the winner. And you're going to lose her entirely if you don't stop treating her like the toy at the bottom of your cereal box. She doesn't belong to you."
"I don't know what hurts worse: the fact that Jared is such a male chauvinist pig that he can't see why turning my sister into the prize to be won in a stupid pissing contest with Shane Crawford is a bad thing, or the fact that he's never even thought about fighting for me."
Laina was an okay character that I felt was underdeveloped. She didn't seem to progress from Point A at the beginning to Point B at the end. I felt no substantial character development. I was hoping that she would be the one to finally confess about what had happened to her (no spoilers!) but it was Andi had gone to tell the truth. But overall, I thought Laina was a great sister. What I didn't like about this book the most though are the male characters. Shane and Jared... Jesus, where do I even begin? I think I have had enough of scumbag misogynists, but they keep popping up everywhere! Again, there is no problem with creating problematic characters, but I hate it when they stay that way and don't develop. Shane was a crappy character, and yes he doesn't get the girl in the end, but with all chances to change, he never makes an effort and just keeps screwing things up. I was glad to see him go in the end. Jared, Oh God... I can vouch for Andi about how annoying this guy is. He is in love with Laina, but he leads Andi on and even kisses her and thinks it's okay. I don't like how the ending makes it seem like he's such a great guy who defends Laina - you spent the entire year thinking Laina was okay about what had happened just because it didn't technically happen so you automatically assume it was okay? I don't like how in the end he kind of gets Laina (it is implied...?) when he clearly doesn't deserve her or Andi. If Laina had known how poorly Jared treated Andi, I'm sure she'd leave him on the curb to die.

The only formidable guy character in this whole book is Dave, who treats Andi like a real person and doesn't use her at his disposal. But I wasn't too sure about the ending as I kind of saw Andi as someone independent and wished she hadn't ended up with any of them. I couldn't see the chemistry between her and Dave, so that contributes to that too.

Overall, Twelve Steps was a cute and fascinating read which I recommend to anyone who's in for something light and funny. It was really enjoyable and had some underlying themes, which were best to be just subtle given the tone of the book. It was well-written and had great plot pacing as well. Twelve Steps is definitely a great book of sibling rivalry and finding your place in this world.



About the Author
As the second of eight children and the mother of four, Veronica Bartles is no stranger to the ups and downs of sibling relationships. (She was sandwiched between the gorgeous-and-insanely-popular older sister and the too-adorable-for-words younger sister.) She uses this insight to write stories about siblings who mostly love each other, even while they’re driving one another crazy.   When she isn’t writing or getting lost in the pages of her newest favorite book, Veronica enjoys knitting fabulous bags and jewelry out of recycled plastic bags and old VHS tapes, sky diving (though she hasn’t actually tried that yet), and inventing the world’s most delectable cookie recipes.  TWELVE STEPS is Veronica Bartles's first novel.

Author Links:

***GIVEAWAY***

OK SO FINALLY, the GIVEAWAY!!!


Here are the giveaway details for this tour:

1 ebook of Twelve Steps & $10 Amazon gift card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blog Tour Organized by:

BOOK TOURS: Chasing Wishes by Nadia Simonenko + BIG GIVEAWAY!



Chasing Wishes by Nadia Simonenko
Publication date: Winter 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
                            
Synopsis:

“I wish I didn’t have to go home. I wish I was someone else — someone with a future…”

For sixteen-year-old Nina Torres, it feels as if life is nothing but a dead end. Despised by her rich classmates and afraid that she’ll become just like her drug-addicted mother, Nina’s future seems to get dimmer every day.

There is one bright spot in her life though…

Sitting beside her one night, the only person in the world who cares about her makes a promise. No matter what happens — no matter how much Isaac’s wealthy family disapproves — he and his girlfriend Nina will be together forever.

Fate plays a cruel trick on Nina, though, and a visit from Child Protective Services the next morning turns Nina Torres into Irene Hartley, a woman with a future but who will never see her beloved Isaac again.

Nine years later, a blind and incredibly handsome young entrepreneur hires Irene to be his personal assistant. Terrence Radcliffe reminds her so much of Isaac that she can hardly believe her eyes, and she’s falling for him fast. Irene knows that fairy tales don’t come true, but she allows herself one last wish. She wishes that she could finally say goodbye to Isaac and let herself take a chance on Terrence.

What she doesn’t know is that Terrence is also searching for someone: a shooting star who streaked through his life nine years ago, and he won’t give up until he finds her…

Chasing Wishes is a powerful contemporary tale of lost love and wishes come true, recommended for ages 17+ due to adult content.

Purchase:


BOOK TOURS: Ethereal Underground by Brooke Kennedy & Briana Gaitan (GIVEAWAY!!!)



Can the person who was sent to steal your soul, be the same person who steals your heart?
The keepers are protectors of the planet Cabalin, charged with defeating identified enemies and preventing other planets from waging war on their dying planet. They are expected to keep their emotions in check and do as they are told no matter what the consequences. One of their rising warriors, however, has been placed on sabbatical for reasons unknown to those around him. Rebellious, impulsive, and moody, Ash has continued to break the rules by frequenting the Ethereal Underground, the seedy hang out in the eighth layer of the planet. Ash has always believed in the keeper’s cause, but his taste for adventure always seems to get him in trouble.
The seraphs live on a different plane of existence. They watch over the mortals and reap their souls when it is time for them to depart to the afterlife, but do not associate with the beings otherwise. They are duty bound and loyal creatures, each of them having an affinity for a force of nature that they can use when needed. When a seraph breaks the rules, they are banished and stripped of their affinity. These evil creatures are named the fallen. Annalise, a reaper seraph blessed with an affinity for water, has always followed the rules until she is called to reap Ash’s soul and take it to the afterlife. This time, however, she finds it difficult to take the soul.
Their worlds were never supposed to meet. Now everyone’s future is in jeopardy, their lives turned upside down as they find themselves on the run from the very people they thought they could count on. The two of them must search for a way to clear their names and hunt down the evil forces of the fallen, without losing themselves or those they hold dearest. This epic fantasy will take you on an exhilarating quest for love, truth, and revenge.
Buy from AMAZON
Check us out at Goodreads



Brooke Kennedy and Briana Gaitan are southern natives, self-proclaimed geeks, and have been writing together for over 10 years! They have written short stories, fan-fictions, novels, and plays both together and separately. They are avid fans and writers of supernatural, sci-fi, fantasy, and romance novels.  One of their goals is to write stories where there are no limits to the imagination, giving you something new and fresh each time.
Briana enjoys books, shopping, fashion, adventures and has spent countless hours dreaming of a life in space. She finds time to write in between hanging out with her three children and her husband, as well as finishing up a degree in marketing.

Popular Posts

Like us on Facebook

Stalk Us

2015 Reading Challenge

2015 Reading Challenge
Kimi has read 3 books toward her goal of 100 books.
hide