Friday, May 23, 2014

Flat-Out Celeste (Flat-Out #2) by Jessica Park

From Amazon

Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and—very much so— this is a story about first love.

For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation.

But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.

Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him.

Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love



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***ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***

**SPOILER Warning** While I try my hardest not to include spoilers in my reviews, this is a follow-up story to Flat-Out Love it would be hard to discuss this book without referencing events from the first book. If you haven't yet read Flat-Out Love, then you might not want to read further.

In Flat-Out Love, we met Celeste Watkins as a delightfully clever young girl. It was obvious from the start that something was not quite "normal" about her.  She was awkward in her dress & the way she talked, and most of all, she carried around a life-sized cardboard boy with her everywhere she went. Throughout the story, we got to watch her grow & even though she was a supporting character, I found myself wanting more of her every time she left the page.  I found her awkwardness & formal speech patterns to be charming & my heart broke for her as she struggled to fit in & even more when it became apparent why Flatt Finn became part of her life.  As some of those scenes were expanded on in Flat-Out Matt, she dug her way even deeper into my heart.  

With Flat-Out Celeste, we get to see her as a young woman facing the challenges and joys of high school & first love.  It didn't take any time at all to be drawn back into this world.  Everything that I love about FOL is back.  Matt & Celeste together are fantastic.  And Justin. . .nobody creates sweet boys like Jessica Park. Forget the Alpha Male craze, this is my kind of book boyfriend!  I could gush, use the word love about 14 more times, or even go so far as to use the bad cliche of saying that I Flat-Out Loved this story, but when I closed the book, the only word that came to mind was. . .perfect.  Just perfect.

I haven't laughed so hard while reading a book in a long time, and it has been even longer since a book came this close to making me cry.  I kept finding myself putting my kindle down & walking away from it.  Not because I wanted to stop reading, but because I didn't want it to end.  I wanted to stall the moment when I would have to say goodbye to these characters. I wish someone could have given this story to me when I was an awkward 18 year old girl struggling to find myself in a world where I just didn't seem to fit.  As it is, I am glad I had the chance to experience it now, as an often awkward 34 year old woman who still struggles more than I like to admit.

Thank you Jessica!  Even though you could have stopped with Flat-Out Love & we would have loved you. You knew we wanted Flat-Out Matt and needed Flat-Out Celeste. I look forward to meeting whoever you create next!

Aspen by Rebekah Crane

From GoodReads

One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.

In the next instant, her life changed forever.

Aspen doesn't want to remember the devastating car accident that killed Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player. But forgetting is hard-- because Katelyn may have died -- but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's gorgeous former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.

Popularity, college, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to rein in her giant mass of blonde curls, keep her stoner mother Ninny away from Toaster, her mom's awful bongo drumming boyfriend, and prevent her best friends Kim and Cass from killing - or kissing - one another. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics looking all too gorgeous, Katelyn's spirit dogging her steps, and her obsessive snow-globe collecting therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control … and doesn't want to.

A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, ASPEN is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.

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***ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

As someone who always has a book with me no matter where I go, I am forever on the lookout for new authors to add to my "To Read" list.  Whenever one of my favorite authors highly recommends another author, they often get to move to the top of the list.  So, when Jessica Park started talking about Rebekah Crane & provided a NetGalley link for Aspen, I didn't hesitate in requesting & downloading it.  Without knowing anything about the book, I started reading & found a surprisingly humorous story of a girl dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event.

Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor was born under an Aspen tree to a teenage mother who thought she was suffering from a bad case of gas.  She has spent most of her life hiding in the background, capturing the world on paper with her charcoal pencil.  Her day to day life is filled with her mom Ninny & her friends Kim & Cass. Other than that, she is happy being relatively invisible to her other classmates.  All of that changes when she wakes up one day in the hospital broken & bruised, but alive.  Katelyn Ryan was not so lucky.

Katelyn was the complete opposite of Aspen.  She was beautiful, popular and, if everyone in school is to be believed, perfect.  Aspen didn't know Katelyn in life, but in death, she can't seem to shake her. Not only is Aspen being haunted by Katelyn, but suddenly, she is no longer invisible & everyone in school seems to want to get to know her. . .most surprisingly Ben Tyler, Katelyn's boyfriend.

Ninny isn't like any mother I have ever met or read before.  As a girl, she was a free-loving, pot smoking, wild child who can only guess at the father of her daughter.  As a woman, she's. . .not much different! Though, through all of her faults, there is no question about how much she loves her daughter.  Her interactions with Aspen (and especially Ben!) are hilarious.  She is honest & open to a fault with little to no filter even when her intentions are good.  She reminded me a bit of an extreme version of Lorelai Gilmore. Where I wouldn't want her as my own mother, I loved every minute of reading her story.

I think Rebekah Crane did a fantastic job in creating a compelling, humorous story out of a difficult situation. The complete cast of characters were well drawn & interesting.  I did wish that we had gotten a better idea of who Katelyn was, but as her death occurs prior to the story beginning, it is understandable that the only picture we get of her is through the eyes of those who knew her, loved her & would never betray her by telling her secrets.  The pacing of the story is perfect.  I never felt like I was being rushed through the story, but was also drawn in completely enough that I only put it down once in order to get a few hours of sleep.

I hadn't heard of Rebekah Crane prior to Jessica Park's recommendation, but I was thrilled to find out that she had already released another book, Playing Nice, which is currently only $0.99 on Kindle.  I purchased it right away & can't wait to see if it is as enjoyable of a read as Aspen is.

Aspen will be available for purchase & download on June 5th

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Cover Reveal! Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park

We were introduced to Celeste in Flat-Out Love and readers wanted more! Well, more they shall have! Look at this amazing cover and take a peek inside FLAT-OUT CELESTE!
COMING SOON!


BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and—very much so— this is a story about first love.. 

For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation. 

But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.
Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him. 

Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.


Excerpt
There was a knock at the door and Matt leaned in, swinging a brown paper bag in her direction. “I heard Mom made stuffed peppers tonight. Last time she made those, I nearly died from flatulence. I assume she stuffed them with her usual repulsive ground chicken, quinoa, Brussels sprouts, and pomegranate seed mix?”

Just the sound of Matt’s voice made Celeste relax. She smiled at him. “Based on the smell, I believe you’re right.”

“So you didn’t eat then? I was right!” Matt flopped onto her bed and lay down, his long body scrunching up the neat white comforter that she spent ten minutes arranging before she’d gone to school this morning. “I thought I’d take a break from studying and bring you something edible.”

“It smells like a burger from Mr. Bartley’s,” she said as she got up and took a seat next to Matt. “Hand it over, thoughtful brother.”

He tightened a hand around the top of the bag. “You have to guess which kind I brought you first.”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“Close your eyes.”

She did as instructed and felt him move the bag under her nose. Sweet, spicy... a bit garlicky. “Aha! Boursin cheese and bacon! The Mark Zuckerberg burger!”

“And sweet potato fries and a bottle of iced tea, but you win. A burger named after ‘the richest geek in America,’ as the restaurant calls him.”

“You will be the richest geek in America after you finish your Ph.D. Program,” Celeste said through a mouthful of fries.

“If M.I.T. doesn’t land me in a psych unit first.”

“You only have this year left to endure. And you will hardly find yourself in need of psychiatric care, Matthew. You are doing stupendously.”

“I’m scraping by.” Matt reached into the bag and grabbed a handful of fries and opened her iced tea.

“You are not ‘scraping by.’ You are assistant teaching classes, excelling in your own, and in all ways performing to standards that exceed even the high ones our mother set for you.” She frowned as he chewed on the fries. “Did you not eat?”

“I did. A Big Papi burger and a Fiscal Cliff. But you can never have enough sweet potato fries.”

“I have a finite amount of my own from which you are stealing. But I shall not complain because this was very kind of you.”

Matt chewed and studied her. “Are you okay?”

“Why do you ask?”

“No contractions. When you’re stressed out, they disappear.”

“I know. But most days I do not care to use them. If it is an effort, then I do not push.”

“Okay. I get it.” He chewed for a minute. “I heard your presentation went well. Did your friends like it?”

“It went marvelously. My friend Dallas took me aside to share quite the flow of compliments.”

“That’s great, Celeste.” He was downing half her iced tea.

“And then I bitch slapped her.”

Matt choked on the drink and desperately tried to clear his airway. “I’m sorry. You did what?”

She cocked her head. “I bitch slapped her.”

“That... that can’t be right,” he sputtered. “I mean, I hope it’s not.”

“I slapped my hand against her hand. Up in the air.” She looked at Matt blankly. “Is that not the right term?”

“Thank God, no, it’s not. I think you mean a high-five.”

“If you say so. Well, either way, it happened. You know I have trouble with colloquialisms, so I resent your shocked reaction.”

“I do know that about you, and I apologize.”

“Since we are on the subject, there is something else I would like for you to clarify.”

“Shoot.”

“What is meant by ‘nut bag’? Is that a testicular reference or merely the identification of a satchel of cashews or pecans?”

Matt groaned. “This conversation has gotten really weird. Could we just talk about— Wait a minute. Why are you asking me this? Did someone say that to you?” He looked angry.

Celeste picked at her fry. “No. Certainly not. I heard the term and had a natural curiosity.”

“Okay then...” Her brother crumpled up the paper bag and then smoothed it out in his hands. Then crumpled it again. “It’s the same as ‘nuts.’ You know, crazy.”

“Thank you for the definition.” She took the last bite of her burger and wiped her hands on one of the paper napkins. It shouldn’t matter what her classmates thought of her. Celeste would just be strong about this. She would move on.

PURCHASE--> FLAT-OUT LOVE and FLAT-OUT MATT on Amazon. FLAT-OUT LOVE at B&N.

About the Author:

Jessica is the author of LEFT DROWNING, the New York Times bestselling FLAT-OUT LOVE (and the companion piece FLAT-OUT MATT), and RELATIVELY FAMOUS. She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations. On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.

Please visit her at jessicapark.me and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapark and Twitter @JessicaPark24



Monday, May 12, 2014

Special Announcement! Every Time I Think Of You by Tracey Garvis-Graves


We are thrilled to announce that best selling author Tracey Garvis-Graves will be releasing an Adult Romantic Suspense novel this year! Please be sure to watch the gorgeous trailer for EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU, read the excerpt, and don't forget to add it to your reading list!

Title: Every Time I Think of You
Author: Tracey Garvis-Graves
Release date: TBA 2014

Book Description:
Thirty-year-old Daisy DiStefano has two people she holds dear: the grandmother who raised her, and her three-year-old son, Elliott. But when Daisy’s grandmother is killed in a seemingly random act of violence, Daisy must take steps to protect herself and her child.

Despite a thriving career in San Francisco, thirty-six-year-old Brooks McClain has returned home to spend what little time his mother has left before she succumbs to the deadly disease that is ravaging her. The seasoned investigative reporter has taken a position with the local newspaper and been on the job less than twenty-four hours when he’s summoned to cover the death of Pauline Thorpe.

Brooks is all business, but the more time he spends with Daisy DiStefano, the more invested he becomes; there’s something about a single mother, a defenseless child, and an unsolved crime that has stirred Brooks’s protective instincts like nothing ever has before.

And when the unthinkable happens, Brooks will do whatever it takes to clear the name of the woman he’s fallen for and the child he’ll protect at any cost.

Romantic and suspenseful, Every Time I Think of You shows how far two people will go to fight for the ones they love, and the life they’ve always imagined.


TRAILER


EXCERPT

My watch said 11:00 p.m. Way too late to show up unannounced, but I knocked on Daisy’s door anyway, picturing her tip-toeing quietly to look through the peephole. It took a full minute because I’d undoubtedly roused her from a sound sleep. But then she opened the door far enough for me to cross the threshold and locked it again behind me.

The apartment was dark, save for a small beam of light that spilled into the hallway from her bedroom. As my eyes adjusted I noticed her hair. I’d never seen it down before. It fell way past her shoulders and was slightly messy, like she’d been tossing and turning in her sleep before I arrived. She wore a pair of pajama pants and a tank top with narrow straps, one of which had fallen off her shoulder.

“What is it?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

“My mom died,” I said. It felt strange to say the words out loud. My voice sounded flat, unemotional.

“I’m so sorry, Brooks,” she said, but she didn’t say anything else.

I wanted something that would take away the empty, restless feeling inside of me. Something solid and real. She was standing close enough that one step was all I needed to close the gap between us. She must have taken a shower right before she went to bed because when I plunged my hands into all that hair, grabbing fistfuls and pulling her up against me, I felt the dampness and smelled the faint traces of her shampoo.

I moved my hands to the sides of her face and cupped it. She didn’t miss a beat when I pressed my lips to hers. She was probably wondering how I could possibly kiss her at a time like this, but it didn’t stop her from putting her arms around me and kissing me back like it was exactly what she needed, too.

Like the steady turn of a release valve, everything that had been bottled up inside of me escaped slowly through that kiss. I hadn’t realized how rigidly I’d been holding my body until it slackened against hers. How tightly I’d been clenching my jaw until I relaxed it to kiss her. All the tension I’d been feeling disappeared when she opened her mouth and let me in.

It was a long slow kiss, the kind that wasn’t meant to lead to anything else and was all the more powerful because of it. When I’d finally had enough I said, “I don’t know why I came. It’s late. I woke you up.”

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I don’t mind.”

“Go back to bed,” I whispered.

She nodded and I opened the door. “Lock this behind me,” I said, and I waited in the hallway until I heard the tumble of the lock clicking into place.


About the Author:


Tracey Garvis-Graves is the author of On the Island and Covet. She lives in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa with her husband, two children, and hyper dog Chloe. She blogs at www.traceygarvisgraves.com using colorful language and a snarky sense of humor to write about pop culture, silly television shows, and her suburban neighborhood. You can e-mail her at traceygarvisgraves@yahoo.com. She’d love to hear from you.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Breakable (Contours of the Heart #2) by Tammara Webber

From Amazon.com

He was lost and alone. Then he found her.
And the future seemed more fragile than ever.

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise -- until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy...

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.




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**ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

**SPOILER Warning** While I try my hardest not to include spoilers in my reviews, this is the a follow-up book to Easy & it would be hard to discuss this book without referencing events from the first book.  Where this is technically a prequel/companion story & could be read as a stand-alone, I would recommend that you read Easy first to get the full experience of both stories. 

Typically, I’m not a fan of books that are a retelling of a previous book through the male point of view. It often feels to me as if the author was somewhat coerced into writing a story their heart wasn’t completely in because they felt that their fan-base demanded it. So, when I first heard of Breakable, I wasn’t sure what to think or expect. I am such a fan of Tammara’s previous work that not reading it wasn’t an option.  However, I’ll admit, when I first received my ARC, I was giddy…but also a little nervous. I quickly realized that wasn’t necessary. Tammara once again wrote a book that completely engaged me, captured my heart, broke it & mended it again.

In Easy, we met Jacqueline as her world was shattered, and we met the two boys that made her believe that she could possibly trust & love again. First, there was the mysterious Lucas, the guy that always seemed to be there when she least expected. Edgy & brooding on the surface, he was different than any guy she had been attracted to before, but she couldn’t deny how drawn she was to him. Then, there was her sweet, smart tutor Landon, whom she had never met face to face, yet seeing his name in her inbox became a highlight of her day. Trust was then questioned as the two became one…Landon Lucas Maxfield.

Breakable begins as 13 year old Landon Maxfield experiences an unspeakable tragedy. In his mind, he had a life that was pretty perfect. That is all taken away in one night that leaves him scarred both inside & out. What unfolds is a heartbreaking story of a boy trying to find his way & a life affirming story of a man accepting that there is hope in opening up to those who love him.

For anyone who fears that this is just a simple retelling of Easy…don’t. Where there are parts of the story that are familiar, they are told in a way that makes them feel new & fresh. Even better, the majority of it is completely new. Told in alternating points of view between Landon & Lucas, we get a more complete picture of who this complicated & mysterious guy really is…and I couldn’t help falling in love with both the boy & the man.

Tammara Webber has been one of my favorite authors for a while now, but this book affirmed for me that I should not doubt her. I will trust that if she has a story to tell, it is one that needs to be read.