Friday 24 May 2013

Guest Post: Nerdy Books for Book Nerds by Kelly Oram (author of the new release: The Avery Shaw Experiment)

Nerdy Books For Book Nerds
The Avery Shaw Experiment is a classic tale of nerdy-girl-wins-popular-boy. I’ll be the first to admit it’s been done before. I’ll also be the first to admit I LOVE those kinds of books. Maybe that’s why I wrote one. In honor of Avery and Grayson and their hilarious, adorable, geektastic romance, I’m going to share with you a couple of my other favorite “Nerdy” books.

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The first that comes to my mind is Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer. This is a modern YA retelling of the Cinderella fairytale. I am a HUGE Cinderella fan. I will read every Cinderella story, watch every Cinderella movie, and will most likely write my own retelling someday. Love it. Cindy Ella was a great, light, witty, well written, and all around fun book that I have re-read more than once.

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Another one of my favorite nerdy-girl-wins-popular-boy stories is Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot. Vere Roth is the geekiest of geeks but you can’t help loving her. Neither could rock star bad boy Hunter Kennedy. I loved watching their romance unfold, and each of their characters had so much depth to them. This one was a little more angsty, but not over the top. If anything the drama just gave the book more heart.

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The last one I’ll talk about is one of my favorite books from last year—Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. The main character Miss Marianne Daventry isn’t “nerdy” like Avery Shaw, Cindy Gold, or Vere Roth, but she is definitely the odd-girl-out in her society. She can’t seem to conform to the social norm. She’s not the prettiest, plus she’s intelligent, independently minded, entirely too spirited, and not very well connected—everything a well-respected gentleman frowns upon in a woman. All of them except, of course, the rich and handsome flirt Sir Phillip Wyndham. I love this book to bits and pieces! I loved the romance! I loved the banter! I loved both the main characters! I will re-read this book over again for years to come. If you’re a fan of the Pride and Prejudice type, then I definitely recommend you give this book a chance!

About The Avery Shaw Experiment

When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically.

The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.

Buy the Book: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Barnes & Noble
Read a Sneak Peek: The Avery Shaw Experiment - Prologue & Chapter 1
About Kelly Oram
 
Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children. 

(Bio from Goodreads.)

Links: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon


Oooh! I haven't read any of those "nerdy" books, but after reading Kelly's thoughts on them, I definitely have to! :D

Like Kelly, I love books where the nerdy girl gets the boy, and when nerdy boys get the girl, too. :D
What about you? What do you think of the "classic tale of nerdy-girl-wins-popular-boy"?
And what do you think of her newest release, The Avery Shaw Experiment?

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Wednesday 22 May 2013

Drowning in You Blog Tour: Guest Post "Writing in the New Adult Genre" by Rebecca Berto & Giveaway!

"Writing in the New Adult Genre"

The funny thing about my writing career at the moment is I’m 22—I’m in the same bracket as that for the New Adult genre. I wrote my first manuscript back when I was a teenager and have been hammering away since then. But something magical happened in the latter half of 2012 that changed me.

New Adult was born into a wide audience, and I fell in love with it. My stories were great and I loved them beforehand but this new genre gave me an idea, which turned into Drowning in You. I didn’t want my characters to be young, immature and fluffy as is expected in some YA novels. But they weren’t career-driven, or motherly or such like in some Adult novels.

They were adults who still felt like teens.

I love this genre for many reasons but the main one is that I can do so much to these characters. They’re old enough to cope better with death than a 15- or 16-year old is. They can be as open to sex as they please. They can drink freely. They are starting their adult lives and trying to find direction.

This leaves tonnes of room for failure. Part of the best fiction is made up of confused, silly or unfortunate characters. They are still learning about life, love and death. About where they fit in this world.

My favourite subjects in New Adult fiction are:
        relationships;
        love;
        college;
        death;
        grief;
        forgiveness; and
        self-discovery (who am I?).

This is what made me excited to write Drowning in You. When the Young Adult wave started in the 2000s, we loved reading stories that brought us back to being 16.

But when we finish school and move on in the world and really discover the beauty and harshness of being dependent, there’s something thrilling about reading books about characters in this stage of their lives. There’s just so much more depth to experience in the characters

The media says New Adult is only about sex. Sorry, that’s erotica. I wrote Drowning in You about two people finding themselves in their own lives, but together as one, falling in love.

***

Thanks for having me!


About Drowning in You
Secretly crushing

Crushed by a tragedy

Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart.

Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster.

And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him.

When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune.

But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.

Disclaimer: Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content and crude language.


          AUTHOR BIO
Rebecca Berto is the author or the dark contemporary/literary novella, PRECISE and the upcoming new adult contemporary romance novel, DROWNING IN YOU. She is also a freelance editor.

She writes stories that are a bit sexy, and straddle the line between Literary and Tear Your Heart Out. She gets a thrill when her readers  are emotional reading her stories, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She’s strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.

Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their doggy. 

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY
5 eBook copies (open internationally)

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:


You can find the rest of the tour schedule here: Xpresso Blog Tours - Drowning In You Blog Tour!


Great post, Rebecca, and thank you for stopping by!

What do you think?
As a reader, what does New Adult open up for you?
And if you're a writer, is New Adult something you're interested in exploring?

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Blog Tour Review: Drowning In You by Rebecca Berto

Source: Received an egalley to participate in blog tour and give an honest review.
Release Date: Already Released. 
Description from Goodreads:
Secretly crushing

Crushed by a tragedy

Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart.

Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster.

And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him.

When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune.

But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.

Disclaimer: Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content and crude language.
REVIEW

After first reading the description and seeing the gorgeous cover, I couldn't wait to read Drowning In You. I found it to be an enjoyable story, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I loved Dexter and Charlee, and I definitely liked their chemistry. While certain aspects of the story did leave me pretty confused, I think that this a New Adult story that many will enjoy.

While I didn't love Drowning In You as much as I thought I would, I did really enjoy certain aspects of the story. Charlee's situation was pretty horrible. Her mother was dead and her father was in terrible shape, but I really thought that Charlee's reactions to the situation and the way that she was coping with it all were extremely well done. I also thought that her relationship with her brother was well developed and it made me feel a lot for the characters. I also enjoyed her attraction to Dex, but at times she left me confused. She'd say one thing and then say something completely contradictory immediately afterwards. All in all, I did like her as a character though, and I also absolutely loved Dex. I wasn't a fan of how he mistreated himself, but I still really liked him, and I liked that he had a lot of layers. The characters were my favourite part of this book, and I enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives.

The overall story was pretty dramatic in the sense that both Charlee and Dexter were constantly denying that they were attracted to each other and were pretty much the only things standing in the way of their own relationship. I could understand both of their motivations for that though. Both of them were conflicted over the accident, but it did get to a point where enough was enough and they were kind of bouncing back and forth and just wouldn't make up their minds...and I was so glad once they finally did. :P

Overall, Drowning In You was an intense story. Both Charlee and Dexter had a lot to work out in their own lives and over the relationship they had with each other, and I enjoyed seeing them both mature throughout the book. While I did enjoy this story, I was often confused when scenes abruptly changed or when the timelines of certain aspects in the story just didn't fit. However, I still think that the characters were worth reading about, and I think that readers who enjoy stories that are heartfelt and emotional will like this one. :)


    AUTHOR BIO
Rebecca Berto is the author or the dark contemporary/literary novella, PRECISE and the upcoming new adult contemporary romance novel, DROWNING IN YOU. She is also a freelance editor.

She writes stories that are a bit sexy, and straddle the line between Literary and Tear Your Heart Out. She gets a thrill when her readers  are emotional reading her stories, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She’s strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.

Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their doggy. 

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

You can find the rest of the tour schedule here:
Xpresso Blog Tours - Drowning In You Blog Tour!

What do you think?
Are you a fan of books that make you cry?
And if you've read Drowning In You, what did you think?

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Tuesday 21 May 2013

Book Blitz: Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely


Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely
Publication date: May 21st 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance (the author describes it as mid-20s Sex and the City vibe)

Synopsis:
Sometimes you can't help falling in love, even when you try to do the opposite...Successful fashion blogger McKenna Bell has spent far too long protecting herself after the way her ex-fiancé left her at the altar for a college chick he met the night of his bachelor party. Loving again, trusting again, well, that's just not in the cards. Especially now that her ex is back in town with his new woman, demanding custody of McKenna's favorite creature in the whole world--her dog. No effing way. McKenna's had enough of him, and she decides to even the score by finding her own hot young thing -- a Trophy Husband. Sure, she's only twenty-seven, but doesn't that make it even more fun -- and infuriating to her ex -- to pursue a younger man? When she declares her intentions on her daily blog, her quest quickly skyrockets in popularity, and that's when Chris enters the picture, and he’s got all the assets. He's handsome, successful, and turns her inside out with a kiss to end all kisses, the kind that makes you feel like a shooting star. But loving again could mean losing again, and it's so much easier to focus on getting even, isn't it? Unless, you just can't help falling in love. Which means McKenna will have to come face to face with what she really wants in life -- protecting her heart from hurt, or letting go of her fears of a new beginning.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17666712-trophy-husband
Purchase Links: Barnes & Noble | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Smashwords


AUTHOR BIO
Lauren Blakely is an unabashed fan of clever jokes, toast, and good guys in novels. Like the heroine in CAUGHT UP IN US, she thinks life should be filled with movie kisses and coffee drinks. Lauren lives in California with her husband and children, and spends her days writing both true stories and make-believe ones.

EXCERPT


My timing is impeccable.
    I do not want to miss a chance to see Chris walk across the sand, so there’s no reason for me to be on time when I can be early.
    I park on Taraval Street along Ocean Beach, get out of my car, and wait. I try my best to look busy, fiddling with my phone, and checking compartments in my purse, but when Chris appears on the horizon, surfboard in hand, wet suit tucked under his arm, I freeze.
    And then I blush, remembering what he did to me in my mere imagination yesterday. I’m sure he’ll be able to tell, to read it in my eyes. I really should pretend I’m not watching him. But it’s impossible not to. I didn’t look away during that scene in Casino Royale either when Daniel Craig emerged from the water. He wears board shorts, low on his hips, and a pair of flip flops. I watch him as he walks through the sand, closer, closer and there, now I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I would like to lick all those water droplets off his chest and his abs and then run a hand down his body to sear into my memory the feel of that kind of firm outline.
    He’s lickable. He’s kissable. He’s chat-up-able. He’s precisely the type of guy a girl can fall into some kind of crazy crush for. He catches my gaze, and I should be embarrassed, I should act as if I’m not staring, but there’s this fluttery feeling inside me, and I want to hold onto it, especially because he’s looking at me and not letting go either. Those green eyes of his are the definition of dreamy, and if I were a writer, I’d find a way to pen a song about them, how they draw me in, romance me, entice me.
    Soon, he’s mere feet from me, scratched-up surfboard by his side, in all his glistening, ocean-ed up glory. Neither one of us says anything for a few seconds, and it’s the kind of silence that’s filled with unsaid things.
    With wishes, with hopes.
    Mine at least.
    “Hey.”
    “Hi.”
    “Thanks for meeting me here,” he says, as a wet shock of hair falls across his forehead. He pushes it back.
    “Thanks for being a surfer,” I say, then I want to kick myself for sounding so goggly-eyed.
    He flashes me a grin and walks to his car, a sporty red car that I recognize as being one of the newest hybrids. He stows the wetsuit in the trunk, then slides the board into the rack on the roof, stretching his arms to lock the board in place. I picture myself slinking into the narrow space between Chris and the car, the look of surprise on his face, then wicked delight, as he closes the gap between our bodies. He’s warm and wet from surfing and sun, and I’m warm and wet from him, and I imagine him lazily tracing a finger down my arm, enjoying the way the slightest touch sets me ablaze. I’d shift closer, my hips inviting him to become a puzzle piece that locks into place with me.
    I force myself to shutter those images, because they have no bearing to reality.
    He opens the passenger door, reaches inside and hands me a bag with the camera in it.
    “Good as new,” he says.
    “How did you fix it?”
    “I can’t give away all my secrets now, can I?”
    I smile. “I suppose not.”
    “But maybe you’d be willing to tell me your last name now that I’ve fixed your camera.”
    Another smile. Another nervous laugh. “McKenna. McKenna Bell.”
    “Well, thank you for letting me fix the camera your friend’s cat peed on, McKenna Bell.”
    “Maybe if I’m lucky, the cat will pee on my router next.”
     He smiles, then runs a hand through his wet hair. There’s something so effortless about the way he moves, so natural, that I don’t even think he’s aware of the effect he has on women.
    Of the effect he has on me. I want to run my hands down his chiseled chest, exploring the lines between his muscles, the way his stomach is outlined so firmly. I want to know what those arms feel like wrapped around me, pulling me in close. I want his hands on my hips as he teases me and taunts me with sweet kisses on my cheeks, my eyelids, my forehead. Then his tongue flicks across my earlobe, and I gasp with pleasure. He pulls back, a satisfied little grin on his face before he returns to my neck, burning up my skin in an instant with those lips that were made to mark my body.
TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY
One Charm Bracelet + a signed copy (US/Can)

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK! :D



After reading that excerpt, I'm definitely adding Trophy Husband to my to-read list. ;) 
How about you? What do you think of Trophy Husband?

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Friday 17 May 2013

Blog Tour Review: Terra (Terrestrials #1) by Gretchen Powell

Source: Received a ecopy from Rockstar Book Tours to
participate in the blog tour and give an honest review.
Publisher: Hopewell Media
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 286 (Paperback)

     Description: 
A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.
Purchase Links: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE
Chapters 1 & 2 are available to read online: HERE

About the Author
Half-Chinese and the daughter of a US diplomat, Gretchen Powell spent her childhood growing up in far-off places. She made it all the way to her mid-twenties whilst maintaining her deep-seated love for young adult novels, so she decided to write one of her own.
Her creative process involves copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids and sleeping fitfully. Her many interests include anything with polka dots, Harry Potter, and playing the ukulele.

When she isn't crafting devastated futuristic worlds and fiery heroines, Gretchen also writes a healthy living blog, entitled "Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!"

She lives in Northern Virginia with her two adorable miniature schnauzers. They wear many sweaters.
Links: WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK| GOODREADS
REVIEW
I'm always on the look out for new dystopias to read, so when I first read the description for Terra, I was sold, and I just have to say that Terra lived up to my expectations completely! It was definitely a thrill to read and I highly recommend it. :D

The main character of the book is actually also named Terra, and she works as a scav (a.k.a. a scavenger), someone who collects waste on the ground so that it can be recycled and used by the people in the skyworlds. You see, in Terra there are some people who live on Earth still, like Terra herself, and some who live in the skycites that float above the Earth's surface, but still stay in its atmosphere. The skycites are protected from the acid rain and harsh UV radiation that Earth is exposed to and live in luxury, while those on the ground live in poverty and can often only find work scavenging. Also, many years earlier a plague ravaged both the groundworld and the skyworld, killing most of the human population. Clearly, Terra is packed with a vivid back story and I felt that Gretchen Powell did a wonderful job explaining it all to the reader. I was riveted to the story and the history behind it all, and I definitely cannot wait to read more in this series!

Along with its amazing back story, the characters of Terra were fantastic! There weren't actually too many characters because Terra stuck mostly to herself, but the ones that were prominent were all wonderful. Terra was an amazing narrator, and although she tried to keep a distance from others I could not help empathizing and relating to her. She worked so hard to provide for her brother Mica. She was also brave, and constantly asked questions, which I thoroughly enjoyed because it usually provided some awesome banter with the other characters...mostly Adam. ;) I also loved her brother Mica. Although their circumstances weren't the greatest, Terra and Mica were still so close, and it was really nice to see the strong familial bond between them. Then there was Adam...oh boy did I love Adam! He was amazing and I loved how he managed to bring Terra out of her shell. I also really...and I mean REALLY loved Terra and Adam together. I was constantly smiling...and even giggling over their interactions...especially once Terra finally let her guard down!

The story itself was complex, and there were a few unexpected twists that I really enjoyed! It's not often that a book surprises me, but Terra definitely did! Overall, I just absolutely loved every single part of this book. The characters, the back story, the story itself, and the writing...all were so well done on their own, and put together they made for an amazing book! I'd recommend Terra to those who like dystopias with unique environments and vivid back stories, and if you enjoy a romance where the female lead is hesitant....but opens up eventually. :)

TOURWIDE GIVEAWAY!
- US Only
- 1 Winner will get a signed copy of Terra & 3 Signed Bookmarks 
- Required entry to comment, and additional extra entries. :)
- Ends May 21st

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
RockStar Book Tours

The Tour Schedule
Week One
May 6th – Parajunkee (http://www.parajunkee.com) – Guest Post
May 7th – Gobs and Gobs of Books (http://www.gobsandgobsofbooks.blogspot.com/) – Interview
May 7th – Caught Between the Pages (http://caughtbetweenthepages.wordpress.com) – Guest Post
May 8th – Poisoned Rationality (http://www.prationality.com) – Interview
May 9th – Lost in Books (http://imlostinbooks.blogspot.com) – Guest Post
May 9th – My Book Addiction (http://mybookaddiction.com) – Review
May 10th – Moonlight Gleam’s Bookshelf (http://www.moonlightgleam.com) – Interview
May 10th – Library of a Book Witch (http://www.booklovewitch.blogspot.com) – Review
Week Two
May 13th – Jenna Does Books (http://jennadoesbooks.com/) - Guest Post
May 13th – Buried Under Books (http://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/) – Review
May 14th – The Best Books Ever (http://www.thebestbooksever.com) – Interview
May 14th – Pieces of Whimsy (http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/) - Review
May 15th – Seeing Night Reviews (http://seeingnight.blogspot.com) – Review
May 16th – Paulette’s Papers (http://paulettespapers.com/) – Interview
May 17th – Burning Impossibly Bright (http://burningximpossiblyxbright.blogspot.com) – Review
May 17th – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf (http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com/) – Guest Post


So, what do you think?
Does Terra sound like a dystopia you'd like to read?
And if you've read it already, what did you think?

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