Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts

Saturday, June 20, 2020

"Out of My League" by Sarah Sutton


REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Out of My League
by Sarah Sutton

Out of My League by Sarah Sutton

This book blitz and giveaway for Out of My League by Sarah Sutton is hosted by Xpresso Book Tours


For another book by this author, please check out my blog post on What Are Friends For?.

Description
It’s all fun and games until someone catches feelings.
Sophia Wallace is convinced her life is over when her high school cuts the journalism program. Without the elective, she loses her chance to intern with the biggest newspaper company in the county, and why? All because the baseball team needs more funding.
To make matters worse, her boyfriend publicly dumps her at a party, which is mortifying. But the icing on the cake is when the captain of the baseball team and the most popular guy at Bayview High, Walsh Hunter, decides to be chivalrous. He jumps in, throws his arm around Sophia, and declares his undying love for her. In front of everyone.
Suddenly, Sophia is thrown into a world of fake relationships and undercover journalism, and she realizes she’s way, way out of her league.
Good thing she’s got the team captain to teach her how to play.
But faced with choosing between saving her journalism class or her newfound feelings for Walsh, will she strike out or hit a home run?


Excerpt
Staring at his face, I noticed a faint, silvery scar underneath his right eye, as small as my thumbnail. I reached out with my free hand, tracing my fingertip along his skin. A featherlight touch, barely there. “What happened here?”
His gaze never left mine. “Baseball cleat. Fourth grade. One of my teammates threw it at me.”
“Some little league kid threw their shoe at you? Why?”
“I told him that he couldn’t bat very well.” Walsh shrugged. “He couldn’t take the truth.”
I snorted. “You were that kid? The dream crusher?”
“Well, someone had to be.” His small smile was unapologetic. “Ask me who the kid was.”
I looked at him for a moment before tipping my head. “No way. Scott?”
“Who else would be that aggressive as a fourth-grader?”
Dina pulled at my arm as I laughed, shaking my head at the thought of miniature Scott throwing a shoe at small Walsh. I stepped out from the tangle of leashes at our feet, glancing down. “Oh, your poor rich-boy shoes.”
“What?” Walsh looked at his feet. “Oh.”
Brown smeared the side of his expensive-looking shoe, probably coating along the bottom. “With dogs around, you should probably watch where you’re walking.”
Walsh let go of my hand to switch the leash and proceeded to try and smear the offensive substance onto the grass. “Now you tell me.”
“Should we clean the poop off your shoe together? Is that romantic?”
His response was dry. “Ha-ha.”
“What? Shouldn’t we get a photo and caption it, ‘This might’ve been an accident, but falling in love wasn’t’?”
“Watch it, or I’ll wipe it on your ankle.”
I jerked back just in case he tried it, nearly tripping over Dina’s wealth of leash.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]


Praise for the Book
“The entire book tugged at my heartstrings.” ~ Lynelle Barrett, author of Kiss and Consume
“Get ready to swoon.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“Another home-run from up and coming YA author Sarah Sutton!” ~ Carrie Baker, author of Gull's Cry Cottage
“It felt like I was back in high school experiencing these things first hand.” ~ Tathy's Cozy Nook, Goodreads
“A story that keeps you hooked!” ~


My Review
I received this book in return for an honest review.


By Lynda Dickson
Sophia is about to enter her senior year of high school and can finally apply for the internship with the local newspaper. But, when her school journalism course is shut down, she is no longer eligible to apply. She discovers that the funding is being diverted into the school’s baseball program and focuses her anger and frustration on Walsh Hunter, the oh-so-perfect captain of the baseball team. She decides to try to persuade the school board to change their minds with a killer article – an exposé on the baseball team. Sophia is publicly humiliated when her boyfriend breaks up with her at Walsh’s end-of-year party and, when Walsh comes to her rescue, they somehow end up fake-dating. Sophia’s reasoning is that the situation will be helpful to her to write her article. But what could Walsh be after?
Sophia has an endearing, overly-dramatic way of telling her story. The characters around her are interesting: her best friend Edith is a breath of fresh air, ex-boyfriend Scott is a jerk, and Walsh is a super-sweet hero. I felt sorry for Sophia because of her parents’ self-centered and uncaring behavior and was glad they redeem themselves in the end.
This funny (yet, at times, sad) young adult romance hits a home run for me.
Warnings: underage drinking, alcohol abuse, marital difficulties.

Some of My Favorite Lines
“I was losing heartbeats, misplacing them in the fog in my mind.”
“The moment rapidly cracked apart like glass, and I inhaled the broken shards in, cutting my lungs.”
“This was the kind of kiss people wrote about in books - the toe-curling, heart fluttering kiss I’d always dreamt about.”

About the Author
Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).



Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

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Friday, May 8, 2020

"How to Quit Your Crush" by Amy Fellner Dominy


REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
How to Quit Your Crush
by Amy Fellner Dominy

How to Quit Your Crush by Amy Fellner Dominy

How to Quit Your Crush by Amy Fellner Dominy is currently on tour with Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
Mai Senn knows Anthony Adams is no good for her – no matter how hard she might crush on him. She’s valedictorian; he’s a surf bum. She’s got plans, he’s got his art. Complete opposites in every way. Vinegar and baking soda, they once joked. A chemical reaction that bubbled.
Yeah, they bubbled. Maybe still do.
Good thing Anthony’s got the perfect plan: two weeks to prove just how not good they are together. Whoever can come up with the worst date - something the other will seriously hate, proving how incompatible they truly are - wins.
Like taking a snake-phobe to the Reptile House at the zoo (his idea).
Or a cooking class where they don’t even get to eat the food (her idea).
It’s all about the competition, and it’s meant to help them finally crush their crushes. But it wasn’t supposed to be so hot. Or so fun. And when Mai’s future becomes at stake, will she be able to do the right thing and quit Anthony forever?


Excerpt
“If I start taking off my clothes, stop me.”
Josie pauses with her hand on the doorknob of Jason’s house. Through the heavy wood door, I can hear the thrum of music and the loud chatter and laughter of our graduation party in progress. A rager. I think that’s the correct terminology. I’ve never been to one myself.
“Are you planning to take off your clothes?” Josie looks over my outfit. Crisp, sleeveless black button-down tunic with satin trim. Black leggings. Gray booties.
“No, but I’ve never had alcohol before.”
“How much are you planning to drink?”
Jason’s party is officially alcohol-free, but that won’t stop kids from bringing it in. Apparently, the students of Cholla High, while not known for high test scores, are geniuses at sneaking in booze.
“Enough to feel it,” I say, “but not enough to kill any brain cells. I need them all for college.”
“I’m pretty sure you’d have to kill a lot of brain cells before you started peeling off clothes.” Josie wipes at the corner of my mouth. “Lipstick.”
She pins me with a suspicious look. I never wear makeup, not even lipstick. With one exception. Her gaze says she knows that, and she’s wondering why I’m wearing it tonight. I bought the lipstick this past semester during a momentary blip of recklessness. How else to explain it?
Explain him. Anthony Adams.
“It’s in honor of graduation. That’s all.” Josie Walters, Best Friend in the Knowable World, was against my crush from the start. Of course, she hated baseball players with a passion. Now she’s madly in love with one.
She pushes open the door. Memories greet me along with a wall of sound. We were here two months ago to watch a baseball game. But really it was so I could stalk my crush.
“I’m not getting drunk, either,” Josie says. “I’m grossed out by the idea of vomit in my hair.”
“So we agree. No undressing and no puking.”
“We could stand on a table, though,” she says brightly. “Do a sexy dance.”
“Do we know any sexy dances?”
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]


Praise for the Book
“The witty banter pulled my spirits up so many times during this Quarantine. I absolutely encourage everyone to read this book. All the stars and then some!” ~ Susan's Reviews
“Mai and Anthony are two main characters that the reader will immediately resonate with and will have to devote some time to sit down and finish the book in one sitting - it's just that good. Highly recommend.” ~ Victoria
“I was immediately pulled in and fell in love with Mai and Anthony. My heart was broken and healed over many times throughout their story. This book was too short, I want more! I absolutely recommend this book!” ~ Readingmypages, Catherine
“Once I got hooked, it was impossible to put it down until I was done with the last page. Give it a try and you'll not regret it. 100% recommended.” ~ Johanna
“I utterly adored How to Quit Your Crush. It was full of sweet, romantic moments with a little humor and drama mixed in. The perfect YA read.” ~ Lozzie


My Review
I received this book in return for an honest review.

School valedictorian Mai has a crush on baseball player Anthony, a match that makes no sense. But, then again, “crushes aren’t sensible.” In fact, the two of them are opposites. As Anthony says, “we have almost nothing in common - from the way we were brought up to the way we want to live our lives.” Nevertheless, when Anthony runs into Mai over spring break, she “woke something up in me. Made me feel human again.” When school goes back, Mai comes to her senses and breaks it off, even though (or especially because) she is still attracted to him. Anthony volunteers for a program Mai is attending because he figures that “I just need to spend more time with you, and all the ways we’re different are going to start bugging me.” Mai and Anthony decide that a two-week fling is just what they need to get over each other. So, they begin “planning dates … that we’ll love and the other person will hate.” Hmm, I wonder how that will work out for them.
The story is told alternately by Mai and Anthony, who are both beautifully flawed, totally likable and, in fact, perfect for each other. This book is cute, humorous, romantic, and full of baseball references. What’s not to love?

Some of My Favorite Lines
“She once complained that my kisses made her stupid. I loved that.”
“There are no promises in life. You have to live for the day and quit dreaming about tomorrow.”
“My heart might be broken, but it still aches.”
“You were so busy going through the motions, so worried about what came next, you never saw what was going on around you.”
“I speak around a heart-shaped lump in my throat.”
“You lose so much more than the person, you know? You lose the life you would’ve had.”

About the Author
Amy Fellner Dominy
Amy grew up loving to read and figured out at an early age that books were magical and necessary. She started submitting her own stories to be published when she was thirteen. Amy is now the award-winning author of nine books spanning young adult, middle grade, and picture books. Titles for Entangled include Announcing Trouble and the companion novel, How to Quit YourCrush. Amy lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and a puppy who is training them.


Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card or one of two ebook copies of Announcing Trouble by Amy Fellner Dominy.


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Friday, February 21, 2020

"Inebriated" by Katey Taylor


EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Inebriated
by Katey Taylor

Inebriated by Katey Taylor

Inebriated by Katey Taylor is currently on tour with Xpresso Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Keep an eye out for the sequel, Neon Nights, coming March 2020.

 Neon Nights by Katey Taylor

Description
Barely seventeen and as pretty as can be: the summer is their playground. Cait and her best friends Steph and Allie take on San Francisco’s party scene with fake IDs and short dresses.
When Cait meets Adrien Cross, the charismatic lead singer of her favorite indie band, she’s introduced to a hedonistic world of liquor and lust that she never wants to leave. But then that world spirals out of control and the harsh realities of reckless living take a toll on Cait and the ones she loves. What will be left when the makeup masks wash off, the bottles are empty, and Cait begins to lose her grip on everything?
Katey Taylor’s heart-wrenching debut novel will have you strapped into the intense rollercoaster ride of Cait’s life and one chaotic summer that will change it all.


Book Video


Excerpt
I’m cold. I’m alone. I’m stranded in this city and have no idea the street name of this random apartment stoop I’m lying on. I can hardly think. The city lights are a blur all around me. How did I get here? Where are Allie and Steph? How did I get so wasted last night?
My mouth is so dry, and my head is pounding like my brain is trying to escape my skull. I’m still in the scratchy sequin dress I went out in last night. The sun is turning the dark night into morning, and no one is out on the streets. My eyes open more, and I scan my surroundings. My purse is here. That is a glimmer of hope, at least. Rummaging through my bag I find my wallet and phone are still inside. Thank God. My phone is dead and more panic rises in my chest as more questions flood my mind.
What happened last night?
How did I get here? What time is it?
Are Steph and Allie okay?
Why would they leave me here?
At this point, I know I should get up and try to find a taxi or someone capable of helping me, but I am suffering from the worst hangover I’ve ever experienced. God, my head hurts so bad, and my stomach is still burning, and every time I sit up the rumbling in my stomach becomes so intense I have to lie back down and try not to vomit. I attempt to make a bed in the corner of this cement staircase, cradling the exacerbating pain in my head. I need to remember how I got here. I start with what I do remember… the beginning of the night. The fog from my brain starts to dissipate and the night becomes clearer to me.
It all started last night, the first Friday of junior year’s summer break. I remember being on my way to my favorite music venue, Swank, with Steph and Allie. It’s where all the most fashionable youth from San Francisco go to dance, get wasted, and check out the latest music on the scene. Swank is one of the only places in the city that looks lightly on fake IDs. Lucky for us, we scored our very first ones during spring break. My new identity added four years, making me the legal drinking age. Since then we’ve been going to Swank every weekend we can. We don’t live in SF, so we have to take the forty-five-minute BART train. The BART is the one form of transportation from suburbia to inside the city that doesn’t involve a driver.
On our train ride to San Francisco, we each had a water bottle filled with vodka that Steph had stolen from her older sister’s liquor stash. We took turns taking swigs, chasing the vodka with some old, flat soda I found in my fridge, which helped kill the burning in our throats. Steph can drink the most and always makes it a race to finish first. She is a tiny, sixteen-year-old but I swear she can drink like a fifty-year-old alcoholic man. Steph has been my best friend since kindergarten, and she definitely has grown into her looks over the years. Braces straightened her teeth, and her once mousy brown hair has been meticulously highlighted by the most expensive salon in town. Steph is the master at planning our San Francisco adventures.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]


Praise for the Book
“This book was fantastic. It depicted down to a tee what it is like to be a high schooler on summer vacation. Anybody could read this book and see themselves in Cait and her friends. I know I did. Even though this is most likely a work of fiction, it had elements of truth behind it and that is this books biggest strength. Inebriated is a one of kind book that everybody should read. It has well written teenagers, a great, albeit heartbreaking plot and a main character that you will absolutely fall in love with.” ~ YA Book Central
“This is a wonderfully written, emotional story with some real gut-wrenching moments. The characters were well portrayed and I was fully invested in each of their lives. Adrien and Caitlyn are both characters that are haunted by their pasts, but the way they attack life is so different. It's heart-wrenching and eye-opening going on this journey with them. Their story is one I'll remember for some time to come and one that has definitely made a lasting impression.” ~ K&M Sultry Reads
"What a powerful and gripping story! This was a wonderful debut novel, well done Katey! I was hooked from the very first chapter. Inebriated is a great young adult novel that sheds light on the realities of partying and drinking and all of the unfortunate repercussions that can come with it.” ~ EmilyReads a Goodreads User
“I think the author did a wonderful job at bringing important issues to light all the while adding a bit of romance to the thick plot (when I say thick I am talking about the heavy topics). While it's clear to readers that the two have a toxic relationship I think many can remember what it felt like to be young, in love, and causing trouble. In any event, I think this is a fantastic debut novel.” ~ Elle's Book Blog


About the Author
Katey Taylor
Katey Taylor is the author behind the emotionally wrenching Young Adult novel Inebriated. Katey’s passion for storytelling stemmed not long after she first learned to write with a pencil. Every story she writes is infused with a piece of her heart and her absolute muses of music and travel. She’s a San Francisco Bay Area native living in a house that sits on a bayside lagoon with her husband and two cats.



Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

Links

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