Friday, June 27, 2014

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks


Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

******

Mermaids! Finally, a story about mermaids. Well, they like to call themselves Syrena, but really, it's a story about mermaids. Maybe it's because I'm from the generation when The Little Mermaid movie came out (I'm dating myself with that statement). But I was super excited to stumble across a blog post about the third book in this series. Of course the first thing I did when I was in work was to check to see if our library had a copy of the first book Of Poseidon and the proceeded to place a hold on it.

The book starts off with Emma literally bumping into Galen on the boardwalk in Florida, to her utter embarrassment. Then we go right into a heartbreaking loss for Emma all the while Galen discovers her yet unknown talents. It was gut wrenching to read about Emma's loss but understandable on how it moves the story forward. Through this loss we get to see Emma grow as a character. From shy and awkward around boys to confident and defiant around Galen and her own mother later on.

The book alternates between Emma and Galen's POV with us learning about the Syrena customs and history as the story goes along. I really loved the back story to the Syrena and how different but alike things were. For example, the ritual on how they find mates or how their history is stored.

While Galen is a prince, I like how his world seems dictated by the women that surround him: Emma, his sister and his human helper. All have strong personalities that direct him where he should go. And as he muses to himself on why he couldn't find a "nice, quite Syrena girl" you understand why...the other women in his life would surly walk all over them.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a change in pace from your usual reads. This book is great for the book hang-out you might be fighting through. It's a fun and quick read. Just be warned the ending is a slight cliff hanger that will have you going back to the library for book two. I'm actual now waiting for book three to come up on my holds list.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer


In this picture book starring the world’s most imaginative pig, Olivia embarks upon a quest for identity with very lofty goals—and being a princess is NOT one of them! Olivia is having an identity crisis! There are too many ruffly, sparkly princesses around these days, and Olivia has had quite enough. She needs to stand out! She has to be special! She wants to do more than just fit in! So what will she be?

Join Olivia on a hilarious quest for individuality, and rest assured, you won’t find THIS pig pleased to be in pink!
 
*******
 
I sometimes wonder who didn't go through a princess phase with their little girl. I'm sure there are many mother's out there that didn't. But it feels like a common thread among mother's I know. Our little girl went through a big princess phase. Right along with the "I only wear dresses the trill."  The princess phase came around age two and lasted until age 5. We're still somewhat in it but she's now gravitating towards superhero girl stuff. Well, outside of Elsa that is.
 
There was a part of me that thought "if I have to read one more princess story I just might poke my eye out!" So, when I came across the newest offering from Falconer, I was skeptical. I always loved Olivia and how Falconer brought a special uniqueness to the character. Something that kids loved and parents can chuckle over. So, I was hoping he had a new spin on the Princess world for Olivia.
 
This book has Olivia asking why everyone wants to be a princess. Why not a different type of princess, something unique and different? Olivia then goes through those options which one can inspire to be as a princess and also counterpoints to it. For example, what she was for Halloween...a hedgehog! I also loved that her mom pointed out that the year before she too wanted to be a princess. For the parent knee deep in the "princess" phase, this was the perfect book to read to my daughter. I actually didn't want to poke my eyes out since Olivia was giving my daughter more options to think about in the princess universe and that's all I can ask for when knee deep in the phase.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Library Tip: Getting hold of that popular book

So, you might have heard of that popular book that is a New York Bestseller and has a movie out...

 
Ah, yes, the Fault in Our Stars (TFIOS). A great book in which teens and adults both love and hate (due to the ugly cry). In the two years that I have worked at the library, this book has not been on our shelf. Ok, once it came back from a patron, went on the shelf and then was pulled for a hold. Just that once did I see the book go back on the self.

In the past we had about 39 holds for 34 books which means the wait wasn't too bad to get the book. I think I waited about 3 weeks for mine. However, with the movie out, our holds has now gone up to 139 to the 34 books. We also have to option for an online book which has 100 holds for 5 e-books.

This can be a long time to wait for such a popular book. And we see this happen a lot with popular authors or books. While working here I learned a little tip that could cut your waiting time in half and help you get your book faster.

 

So, the big tip....ask for a Large-Print version or Book on CD


Here's how it works...as I mentioned above we have over 139 holds for 34 books in our system. This includes all of the libraries in our system that share materials. Each library gives priority to their patrons with their books. So, the New Ulm, MN book of TFIOS will go first to patrons with the barcode listed to that library, if no one is listed then it goes to the next person on the list. This can still be a long time to wait.

With Large-Print, if there are no holds on the book then it goes out to holds listed under regular print. In our library system, we have 1 Large-Print version of TFIOS and only TWO PEOPLE on hold for it. The odds of getting your books within a few short weeks is much greater than the long list of regular print.

There is also the option of listening to the book on CDs. If you don't mind listening to books on CD or find yourself driving a lot for work (or stuck in traffic), this is also a great way to get the books you want. We currently have 5 book on CD available throughout are library system and TWO PEOPLE on hold for them. Again, you chance of getting the disks in a shorter time are much greater than waiting on the list.

So, when you hear of a popular book that you want to read, check in at the circulation desk (at the library) to see if there is a Large-Print on book on CD available for your book. If it's brand new, they might not have the option yet unless it's someone like Nora Roberts or Stephen King.

Which brings me to my send big tip...if you have a book that is coming out in a few shorts months, as the reference librarian to place a hold on it for you when it comes out.


We have a reference librarian at our library that carries this square place box around and in her down time, she goes through it pulling out paper requests for upcoming books. This is a great way to get to the start of a holds list so you can be one of the firsts to read the new book. Will you be the very first? Maybe not but you'll be in the top 10 or 20. Which is much better than being at 50 or 100 waiting for the book to come to you.

What our patrons do is asks us to place a hold for a book and then the let us know when it's due out. We print out a copy of the book from a book seller page and place their information on it for our reference librarian. The paper then goes into the magical holds box. I would suggest stopping by your local library to see if they offer the same service. If not, call our to other libraries by you, you might just get lucky to find someone who does the same thing.

Happy Holds & Reading!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Teaser for Mason by Tijan!

 Nate saw the fight in me the second I walked through the basement patio door. He put the video controller aside and cursed, raking his hand through his hair. “You’re going to cause a problem tonight, aren’t you?”

There were four other people sitting on the couches and chairs in the room. I didn’t recognize any of them, but at Nate’s words they all looked at me. I said to them, “Who are you people?”

“They’re friends. Their parents are friends with my parents.” Nate pointed to a guy. “That’s Nick.”

A lanky guy, wearing a polo and trendy jeans nodded to me. “Yo.”

Nate continued, pointing to the girl next to him. “That’s Maria.”

“Hi.” She gave me a nervous smile. Brushing some of her blonde hair back, she moved away from Nick’s hand and her eyes grew more welcoming. He frowned at her, then it turned into scowl as he turned to me. I shot him a warning look. I wasn’t going to take any crap from him. At that, it went back to a frown, but there was still heat in his eyes. He could be a problem later.

Nate kept on with the introductions. He gestured to the opposite couch where a girl sat. She had black hair and could’ve been a model. He said, “That’s Wren and the guy next to her is Wayne. They’re twins.” The guy said hello, but I ignored him and lingered on Wren. Her lips pressed together in a smug smirk, and she adjusted her legs, opening them for a second before she swung them back underneath her bottom. She wore a shirt that looked like a corset with a black bra underneath. Her breasts were full and I imagined cupping them later. They’d be a good handful.

When my gaze snapped up to hers, the invitation was there and I nodded. If I didn’t get thrown out of the party or arrested, I knew what I’d be doing later. I gave the other guy a nod and headed for the bar in the basement. “Did you guys start drinking?”

Nate followed me. He hopped on a bar stool when I went behind the counter and poured rum into a glass. As he watched me, he said, “Yeah, but we were waiting for you to start doing shots.”

The others got up and stood around the bar. I skimmed them again and grunted. Nate’s parents were rich movie directors. That meant they had rich friends, who had rich kids, and since Nate’s parents directed major motion pictures, I knew the who’s-who were upstairs. I was a rich kid. I was aware of this, but I wasn’t an entitled prick like these four were. And the people upstairs were worse. Even now, glancing towards the ceiling, I could list the people up there.

I finished mixing my drink and asked Nate, “Is my dad up there?”

He tensed and shook his head. “No.”

“Is he?”

“Come on, Mason. Don’t do this.”

I flashed him a hard grin. He was up there. “Is there food up there? I think I’m hungry.”

“Mason. Seriously. Don’t.”

Nick frowned. “What’s going on?”

Maria and Wren shared a look, both smiling at each other. Wayne frowned at them, then at me, and swung to Nate. “What’s going on?”

I slammed my drink back and started for the stairs.

“Mason.” Nate got in front of me and tried to block me from the stairs. “Think about this. This is my parents’ house.”

I stopped and flashed him a heated look. “Move, Monson.”

He shook his head. “My parents already don’t like you. They threatened me the last time we got into trouble. They want to move from Fallen Crest and take me with them.”

A voice in the back of my head was telling me to listen to him. He was my best friend. He was always at my side. He did whatever I needed and he took a lot of crap because of it. The other part of me wasn’t a voice. It was the need to pummel someone. The voice got silenced and a calm came over me. I needed to do this. “My dad is up there.”

Nate was holding his hands up to me, but they lowered. An air of acceptance came over him and he said, “I know he is.”

“You know who else is up there?” My voice grew rough, hardening. My jaw clenched and I lowered my head, as if I was going to charge right through him.

He nodded. “I do.”

“I’m going up there, Nate. I’m sorry, but I am. All his colleagues are up there. All those women he’s slept with. He keeps them around. He works with them. He introduces them to his friends. They’re all in the same social circle.”

 He gazed at me, studying me.

 I let him see me. I let him see the gnawing ache inside of me. It had been there forever. I couldn’t remember a time it wasn’t, and the person who put it there was with his friends. My dad was doing his thing. He was acting like he was perfect. He was pretending that he had never hurt anyone and he was getting away with it.

“Nate,” I softened my tone, “I have to make him hurt. Just a little bit.”

“He’s outside on the patio.” Then he stepped aside, and I didn’t wait for another second. I charged the stairs.


********


Mason Kade is not known to be nice. He is ruthless, manipulative, and unforgiving. Most will say that he is an a**hole and he is to those that cross him or cross his loved ones. However, he does not want to be who he is. He does not enjoy hurting others, but there is no limit to the lengths he will go to protect himself and his brother. This is the story of how he came to be and this is why so many love Mason Kade.


Where to Buy:

US: http://amzn.com/B00L0IZB8M
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00L0IZB8M 
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00L0IZB8M
AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00L0IZB8M
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mason-tijan/1119737280?ean=2940149834402
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/448139

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Brooke (Under the Never Sky #2.5) by Veronica Rossi


Set just before the events of Into the Still Blue, the conclusion to Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky trilogy, this breathtaking novella is a satisfying stand-alone for new readers as well as an exciting glimpse at favorite characters from the trilogy. Pulsing with romance and danger, Brooke will leave readers desperate for the conclusion to this epic and unforgettable saga.

The only fight she can't win is the one for Perry's heart. Following the stunning climax in Through the Ever Night, the Tides have been forced to seek shelter from the Aether storms in a dismal, secluded cave. But Brooke's memories of the cave go back much further, to when she and Perry used to come here together. That was before Perry fell in love with Aria and before Vale's dealings with the Dwellers altered the course of the Tides forever.

Now, with her sister back from a haunting year in captivity and Aria lying unconscious in the sick bay, Brooke struggles to put the pieces of her life back together. Without Perry, who is she? And what is her role in this frightening new world? As these questions swirl about her, an old threat to the Tides resurfaces, and Brooke is forced to put the lives of her people before her own. But in taking this step outside of herself, Brooke may finally discover what she truly wants.

******

I am a huge fan of Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky series. The YA series is a three-part book series with two novella's as well. From start to finish, Rossi did an amazing job of telling Aria and Perry's story along with a great set of friends and foes. The novella's cover fan favorite Roar under the title Roar & Liv and then Brooke. (You can read my review of the Under the Never Sky here.)

If you haven't read the series, I would suggest starting with the first book Under the Never Sky and skipping this review. I would hate to influence your feelings on Brooke or other central characters. Plus, I don't want to give anything away that would take from the story.

After that disclaimer I can now come out and say, I was never of fan of Brooke. Honestly, she made it hard for me to like her. Maybe it was because I was seeing her from Aria and Perry individual POVs. Or maybe she was built that way as a character after she lost Liv and her sister all in the same year. I don't want to say she lost Perry because I feel she only had him as a friend and that relationship will survive the changes over time.

As we begin to read her POV, we learn how angry and upset she is by the actions of the last two book. Hearing about Perry and the rest of the gang from her POV made me understand her issues with Aria. More importantly, what I liked is watching Brooke develop as a character over the course of the novella. Looking at her feelings for Perry and being able to understand that what she had was friendship that won't change. Understanding her distress of losing Liv and her sister and how she wants to protect what she loves the most, her family and the clan.

Finally, I loved the ARC with the three brother's from the Six. The last thing said to the youngest brother was the best line of the entire book. Laugh out loud funny. Reading Brooke made me want to go back and re-read the entire series again. One of the many things that Rossi inspires in me as a writer.

I was lucky enough to download my copy to my Kindle from our public library through OverDrive. Make sure to check you local library to see if they have a digital copy to loan. This novella is only available online.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Library Tips


As some of you might know, I work at the public library three times a week at the circulation desk. In the two years that I have worked there, I have learned a lot of tips and tricks about the system that I didn't know as a patron. So, I thought it would be fun to add my insights and knowledge to the blog...hopefully once a week.

For my very first tip of the year, I'm going to talk about the Summer Reading Program. This program is actually happening nationally. However, each library will have their own unique activities, prizes, etc. I'm sure you're wondering why this would even be a tip?! Once school lets out we see huge increase in users of books and DVDs but many of the parents aren't aware of the reading programs available.

A common complain from parents is that kids stop reading or learning during the summer. The reading program is a great way to get kids to read for prizes while on summer break. We break it down with ages 0-12 and then 13-18. The younger group follows a "path" on a worksheet. After being read to for 20 minutes or reading alone for 30 minutes, you get to mark off a square. One square is allowed per day. For teens, it's a lot easier. Read a book and finish it. Once finished, mark your name, the books name and author on a scrap paper and place it in a box. Super easy!

Prizes are offered after every 5 boxes marked off for kids and the teens have a prize drawing at the end. Read more, get more entries for the drawing.

So, here are a few tips to make the reading fun this summer for your kids.
  • First check to see if your library has any programs available. We're signed up for Dino Dig that's presented by the Science Museum of MN. My kid is totally geeked our for this. We also have sign-ups for the tweens on book arts...creating animals out of books.
  • Audio CD books count as reading. So, if you have to drive somewhere and don't think you can read for 20 minutes that day to your kid, grab an audio disk. Some of ours also comes with the actual book so kids can read-along with the disk. Have a long driving trip planned? Grab something with more disks like the Harry Potter series.
  • iPad book readers also count. This may sound confusing so I'll try to describe it correctly. Disney has this app that reads and highlights the word as it's read. They're over 20 books available for the app. If you're busy trying to get dinner made and your kid from one activity to another, this is a great resource. It counts as reading and your kid totally thinks they're getting more TV that they are. This is my go-to on super busy days. E loves the music and pictures that play with the books. I love that the words highlight so she can see them.

*******
 

Finally, I wanted to leave you with a fun activity for your family to try over the summer. The "book fairies" came to the library to visit for the opening of the reading program (I'm on the right). This activity is very easy and cheap to make. Plus, if it gets destroyed, you don't feel too bad since you can make another. 

 Here's the link where I found how to make the fairies. I might also add a tip for the costume making. Take an old t-shirt of your child and stretch it out a little. Cut it down so it's a 2-3" round band and then you can stable or glue gun from there. I found this easier to get on my child (picture listed below). Also, a straw works just fine for the inside of the fairy wings instead of a stick.




Sunday, June 15, 2014

Mason by Tijan

If you haven't heard, Tijan has added a prequel to the Fallen Crest High series. This will be a Mason POV book from before he meet Sam. This is a must to add to your "to be read" list. See below for cover and blurb on the book that is due out June 16, 2014.

********


Mason Kade is not known to be nice. He is ruthless, manipulative, and unforgiving. Most will say that he is an a**hole and he is to those that cross him or cross his loved ones. However, he does not want to be who he is. He does not enjoy hurting others, but there is no limit to the lengths he will go to protect himself and his brother. This is the story of how he came to be and this is why so many love Mason Kade.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Flower Power! (DC Super Friends) by Courtney Carbone, Dan Schoening (Illustrations)


Girl—and flower—power! Wonder Woman and Batgirl team up to stop Poison Ivy in their first-ever action-packed Little Golden Book. Girls ages 2 to 5 will love this all-new Little Golden Book featuring the female superheroes of the DC Super Friends.

*******

We're going through a super hero phase in our house. More specifically, a female super hero phase. Which let me tell you is much better than the "I'm only going to wear pink" phase that lasted 2 years or the "No pants just dresses" phase that we're still in. So, when E found Flower Power by Little Golden Book we were more than willing to buy it. 

I've always been a fan of Little Golden Books as well. I remember my own Golden Books as a kid and E was gifted her first one as a toddler...Pokey the Puppy. For me, what makes these books so special is the format they're presented in. A good story with great illustration that kids won't get tired of reading or watching. I also love how Golden Books seems to fit their own format when it comes to illustration. Even though we all know what Dumbo looks like from the movies, he's special and stylized in the Golden Book version. The same goes with the super girls in Flower Power.

Wonder Woman and Batgirl to the rescue against Poison Ivy and the meteorite that has special powers to make plants grown sinister. We have the typical corny super hero humor and phrases used. But we also have great words for kids to ask questions about what they mean: tendrils, meteorite, slithering, uprooted, and shattering. These higher level words made it exciting for me to read this book so I could ask E, "do you know what tendrils means?". 

Let's not forget the girl power in this too. No one super hero boy is present. It's all about team work and girl power. Something I want my little one to embrace as a girl. So, if you've gone through the "I love princesses to no end" phase at your house too, try reading Flower Power for some super hero girl power storytelling.
 

Monday, June 9, 2014

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

I just finished Reborn by C.C. Hunter. Reborn is a spin-off from the original series Born at Midnight. For the record, I loved the book but it did take me 25% of the way in to get into the new character POV. What can I say? I'm a huge fan of Kylie from the first series and missed her POV on Shadow Falls. But once I got into the story, I really loved Della as a character and the new story C.C. Hunter is setting up.

So with that, I thought I should first talk about the first book in the Shadow Falls series...

*******
 

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow 

Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…


*******

If your a fan of the supernatural and YA, then you'll love this series. A love triangle is setup of sorts from the beginning of the series. Unlike other series both boys do a lot of stupid things throughout it and up until the last book you really wonder who the right choice is for Kylie. In the end, she gets the right guy (in my opinion but after a lot of groveling...you'll see!)

 I also loved where this story started from, Kylie at a party seeing someone no one else could see and then the party is busted. From there we get a concerned mother and distant father sending off Kylie to a camp for "bad kids". She doesn't have a clue what's about to happen to her or how her world is going to change. 

When Kylie learns of her supernatural nature, we also get to meet Perry in the most spectacular way! Sparkles and a Unicorn are mentioned and it will have you laughing out loud.

Throughout the series, we discover with Kylie who she is, what she can do and why her purpose is in life. I really liked how C.C. Hunter didn't leave us until the last book to get all of these questions. We get a good amount of information in each of the six books.

If you haven't read this one yet but love supernatural stories, make sure to check it out. Our library has the entire series on the shelf in the YA section.
 
*******

After you finish the first six books, below is the spin off of the series called Reborn, the After Dark series. Della is a kick-butt character with a whole bunch of problems. I can't wait to read the next book to see what happens with a certain vampire and shapeshifter!


Return to the beloved world of Shadow Falls, a camp that teaches supernatural teens to harness their powers—and where a vampire named Della will discover who she’s meant to be.

For Della Tsang, Shadow Falls isn't just a camp: it's home. As a vampire who's never fit in with her human family, it's the one place she can truly be herself. But when a mysterious new guy arrives at camp, Della’s whole world is thrown into turmoil. Chase is a vampire with secrets, who knows more than he’s telling. But the more time she spends with him, the more she begins to trust this attractive stranger—and feel drawn to him. But romance is the last thing she wants—as she keeps telling Steve, the hunky shapeshifter who won’t stop trying to win her heart. And if Della isn't careful, he just might succeed.  When a new case puts everyone she cares about in danger, Della’s determined to do everything she can to save them . . . even if it means teaming up with Steve and Chase, who leave her more confused than ever. With their lives on the line, will Della and her friends survive—with their hearts intact?

Saturday, June 7, 2014

All Lined Up by Cora Carmack


In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.

Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.


******
All Line Up is a new series by Cora Carmack based in Texas, football country. Dallas (as named for the team) has been trying to get out and away from football since a high school disaster with an ex-boyfriend. Her dad is a coach that is known to take teams and turn them into winners. He's also super protective of his little girl and doesn't want her to move out-of-state or even out of sight. After enrolling at Rusk University, her dad then becomes the coach of the failing football team. I could almost see the steam coming from Dallas's head when describing this.

Throughout the book you can see the struggle of Dallas and her father to connect and trust each other to understand. I say both because you can see her father struggle even though you want to shake him for not giving his daughter more freedom and trust since she is 18 and a college student.

We meet Carson at a party Dallas goes to. At this point he main POV was from Dallas but once we meet Carson, we also get his POV. Carson is a transfer student and a walk-on to the football team. He has a plan that has been mapped out by his own father on how to get a scholarship to the school. Knowing he only has three semesters worth saved up to go to the university, he plans to work hard without distractions: girls, drinking, etc.

When Carson meets Dallas, all he can think is, "she's a distraction." But she also becomes someone he can't ignore. With Dallas gun shy from her last relationship and not wanting to tussle with football players, this leads to some very interesting reading. What I liked most about the two characters was they were true to their selves and setup a rule to be honest with each other before walking away. That honestly lead to a story that felt more real. I really liked reading about these two characters and watching them develop as individuals and as a couple.

This true New Adult novel was a wonderful read. I call this a true NA read since the characters are based in college and are both going to transition's. NA also has a reputation for ultra sexy books. This book would not fall into that category. Even though sex is talked about (like in Carmack's other books) but is taken seriously. Understanding where each character line has been drawn and respecting that. It's not until the end of the book that we see resolution to this part of the relationship. However, don't skip ahead to read the sexy bits. You'll ruin the rest of the story and it's a fun one to read!

I was lucky enough to get read my copy from the public library. Make sure to check your own library to see if they have a copy you can reserve.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Cover Reveal for Bait by M. Mabie

Coming this Summer…

BAITweb

He was trouble from the start, but I couldn't resist.
She was the best kind of trouble. The kind that was so wrong, it felt right.
I’ve tried and failed to stay away from him.
I’ve done everything in my power to make her mine and keep her.
He’s almost impossible to say no to.
She never tells me yes.
We’re always fighting.
When we’re not fighting, we’re… well… making up.
He makes me laugh so hard.
I miss her laugh the most.
I'm a liar.
She knows the truth, but won’t admit it.
Sometimes, I wish I'd never met him.
I wish we could meet all over again. I'd do better.
His sweet girlfriend knows.
The guy she’s with is a fool.
I’ll never love anyone like I love him.
She doesn’t love me enough to choose us.
It was the wrong place.
It was the wrong time.
It should have been him.
It will always be her.

To add Bait (The Wake Series, Pt.1) to your to be read list on Goodreads, click here. 


********

About the Author

IMG_61562025444146

M. Mabie lives in Illinois, NOT Chicago, with her husband. She is the author of Fade In, a contemporary romance novel; and loves writing for Fifty5Cents Book Blog, which she owns and operates, usually poorly. She cares about politics, but won’t discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne’s World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. M. Mabie has never been accused of being tight lipped or shy. She’s THAT girl. (She doesn't usually speak in third-person, but surprisingly does when she's weirded-out about writing her bio.)
 

For more on M. Mabie, check out her social links at:

Mailing List: http://bit.ly/1kMbfmo
 

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Connected by Kim Karr


"What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London's soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia's grief begins to lift--but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.

But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?"


********

Connected by Kim Karr is our June New Adult book group pick and what a great, sexy pick it was. We have everything in this book...love, loss, rediscovering, strong female character and a hot book boyfriend. Honestly, this is my second reading of Connected and it was such a different read the second time around. I knew what was going to happen, especially at the end and it gave me a very different read. I still loved the book but it really gave me some insight to Dahlia.
 
The story is told first from Dahlia's POV. We see her as a young girl girl, college student, and finished graduate student. We get many flash backs into her past at the beginning of the book. I would hate to say who and how to even give up a little bit of the mystery and change in it. I will say that you can truly feel the pain Dahlia is in after her loss. I wanted to cry right along with her and felt the blacks days as she did. As she found herself in the book and was able to step out more, I felt like the sun was starting to shine on the book and her as a character.
 
Then there is River, who's POV happens at the 70-75% mark of the book. I found this change to be fitting and I, personally, needed it. I needed to hear his insecurities and questions and the way he thought about the world and his love. But this switch also added to my frustration (the first read through) on what he knew and why he wasn't saying anything.  The second read through I got it more and understood why he did the things he did. Of course this was after finishing Torn the second book in the series.

At the beginning of the book we also get a prologue and what a prologue it is! In the epilogue it totally blows your mind where and who it came from...but no telling here. None! I would hate to spoil the ending that hand me going, "Oh no you didn't!" into the next day. I remember the first time I read it, when I went into work I insisted the book buyer place it on her list to buy because of the ending. It blew me away and I love it when something happens that I wasn't expecting.

Now, for the sexy talk. I'm always asked where would I rank this. It was sexy but in a good way. You could tell the love the two characters had for each other. Not the whips and chains type thing but true lust/love for each other. For a moment towards the end of the book, I was blushing because I knew my boss read the book to be apart of the author discussion we had scheduled for the group. It's like talking about sex with your mom, not something you want to willingly do. To me it was the same as having my boss read the sexy bits. LOL! I told her that and we both had a good laugh. So, it's a sexy book but well done in knowing the characters care and love each other.

I own my copy but our local library now has two copies on their shelves. Make sure to check your library to see if you can get a hold of this great read. Be warned, you might have to place a hold since it's a popular one with few libraries owning it.

Happy reading!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Radio Silence

It was never my intention to go this long without posting a blog review. With preschool graduation, recitals, a flower girl appearance in a wedding and seeing off our favorite exchange student from Germany, I just couldn't find the time to write-up a post. I'm sorry for the radio silence but promise to have a blog posting very soon. Up next is Connected by Kim Karr. Stay tuned!