Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. 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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Thursday, February 28, 2019

"On Thin Ice" by Julie Cross


EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
On Thin Ice
(Juniper Falls Book 3)
by Julie Cross

On Thin Ice (Juniper Falls Book 3) by Julie Cross

On Thin Ice is the third book in the Juniper Falls series by Julie Cross. Also available: Off the Ice (read my blog post) and Breaking the Ice (read my blog post).

Juniper Falls series by Julie Cross

This release week blitz and giveaway is hosted by Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours.


Description
Brooke Parker never expected to find herself in the tiny town of Juniper Falls, Minnesota. Of course, she also never expected to lose her dad. Or for her mom to lose herself. Brooke feels like she’s losing it … until she finds Juniper Falls hockey. Juniper Falls girls’ hockey, that is.
Jake Hammond, current prince of Juniper Falls, captain of the hockey team, and player with the best chance of scoring it big, is on top of the world. Until one hazing ritual gone wrong lands him injured, sitting on the sidelines, and - shocking even to him - finding himself enjoying his “punishment” as assistant coach for the girls’ team.
As Jake and Brooke grow closer, he finds the quiet new girl is hiding a persona full of life, ideas, and experiences bigger and broader than anything he’s ever known. But to Jake, hockey’s never just been a game. It’s his whole life. And leveraging the game for a shot at their future might be more than he can give.
Note: Each book in the Juniper Falls series is standalone.

Excerpt
It’s not that I can’t speak. Or that I don’t want to or don’t have anything to say. I do. But I’ve recently become addicted to listening. And it’s extremely difficult to talk and listen at the same time.
But try explaining that to a small-town high school guidance counselor and see where it gets you.
It got me regular—and mandatory—Friday appointments in Mr. Smuttley’s office (yes, that’s his real name, though I keep hearing other students call him a bunch of variations of it, most of them pretty nasty), where I continue to not talk about my feelings.
“How is your mother doing?” Smuttley asks.
I shrug. Not to be evasive, but because I have no idea. She doesn’t talk to me. All the pills the psychiatrist prescribes have turned her into a zombie version of my mother… Except, this isn’t completely true. A few days ago, she must have woken up from her drug-induced haze and decided to go to the store…in her pajamas. Then she got there, couldn’t remember what she came for, and broke down crying. The shop owner called my grandmother, who promptly came to pick her up. And now everyone in town either gives me this look of pity or they avoid eye contact altogether. Or, in Smuttley’s case, they try to get me to talk about the incident in a productive, helpful manner.
“How about we try something new today.” Smuttley stands and walks around his desk, heading for the door to his office. I’m still seated in my designated student chair when he swings the door open, gesturing that I should follow him out.
I stare at the name placard on the door: Joseph Smuttley.
If he just dropped one of the Ts, he’d have way less nicknames from the student body.
“Come on, Brooklynn,” he says, trying to look enthusiastic about his plan. “It’s my duty as guidance counselor to make sure you’ve been shown all the best places around the high school. Which includes the coffee shop next door.”
Brooke, not Brooklynn.
Only my grandmother calls me Brooklynn.
Sighing, I stand up and follow him out of his office and eventually outside. The October air in Minnesota is crisp, and even without us talking, the leaves crunching under our feet kill the awkward silence.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]


Praise for the Book
“I fall more and more in love with this series with each book. Once again Cross delivered a story with substance that incorporated family, friendship, romance, and left me hungry for the next book.” ~ Sam K.
On Thin Ice was one of those books that had me not wanting to stop reading, even when I should.” ~ Tara Peters
“I love this book so much. It is such a sweet and heartwarming story about teenagers who are trying to make the best decisions in life. […] It is a very well-written story. I enjoyed it a lot and I think all YA fans will love it!” ~ Fizza Younis
“I absolutely loved this book. On Thin Ice is the third book in the series, and though you'll care more about the secondary characters here in the book's most dramatic scene if you've read their stories too, you don't have to have read the other books to get its impact. Though this seems like a good place to end the series, my fingers are crossed that there's more to come!” ~ Beckymmoe
“I started this one late last night and stayed up way too late because I had a hard time putting it down (though I did eventually). There’s just something about the way Ms. Cross writes that sucks me in and has me compelled to read just one more chapter.” ~ Lenore Kosinski

About the Author
Julie Cross
Julie Cross is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, and Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).
She’s also the author of the Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, Chasing Truth, the Juniper Falls series, and many more to come!
Julie Cross was a longtime resident of central Illinois but has recently moved her entire family across the country to continue her academic studies at Stanford University.

Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win one of three copies of On Thin Ice by Julie Cross (US only).

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Friday, February 22, 2019

"The Crush Collision" by Danielle Ellison


REVIEW and EXCERPT
The Crush Collision
by Danielle Ellison

The Crush Collision by Danielle Ellison

The Crush Collision is the second book in the Southern Charmed series by Danielle Ellison. Also available: The Sweetheart Sham.

The Sweetheart Sham by Danielle Ellison

The Crush Collision is currently on tour with Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours. The tour stops here today for my review and an excerpt. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
Haley Howell has had a hopeless crush on her brother’s best friend, Jake Lexington, for as long as she can remember. Too bad to him, she’ll forever be off-limits. But with senior year and acceptance to a college outside their tiny southern town of Culler, South Carolina, comes new confidence. Haley’s ready to get Jake to notice her - whatever it takes.
No one in Culler notices the real Jake anymore - to them, he’s nothing more than the star football player or the kid with the family tragedy. When one mistake lands him in community service, he’s shocked to find his best friend’s little sister there, too, looking cute as hell and threatening all his no-friends-with-benefits rules. But Jake isn’t ready to take a chance, no matter how crafty Haley’s willing to get to prove him otherwise …

Excerpt
“Maybe you should do something crazy, Other Howell.”
Her eyes light up when I say it. I know I’ve stepped into something. Haley slowly unfolds herself from the couch. Her eyes sparkle, and Id never really noticed how much they seem to dance in her happiness. What are they like when theyre sad? Angry? Lost? I hope I never see that, but I also want to see everything. The blanket falls from her legs. Her shorts are pink and high on her thighs, and then I look up because I shouldn’t even be looking at her legs.
“What if I don’t always want to play it safe?” she asks. My heart races, and my eyes wander across her body. Focus. “I want to do it, Jake. Something crazy. More than one thing, lots of things.”
“I’m not following...”
She exhales and then grabs my arm by the wrist. “I want you to make me try things that I wouldn’t normally try. I want to prove to myself that I can do other things, that I can take risks and have fun.”
“You want me to give you risk lessons?”
“Yes! Exactly,” she says.
Part of me likes the idea of hanging out with her. Showing her new things, being a friend to her. It could be good to have someone else, and I need someone else. Someone who doesn’t know every piece of my life. But at the same time, she’s Howell’s twin sister. The other part of me feels like I should shut it down right now and not get involved with her at all. In any way.
“Like what kind of shit? Dangerous? Big? New and strange?” I am a glutton for punishment.
She’s smiling again, and she does that a lot. At me? Or just because? Shake that off, Jake.
“All of the above. Everything. Anything,” she says.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]


Praise for the Book
The Crush Collision by Danielle Ellison a five-star read that will warm even the coldest of hearts.” ~ Sara O., Goodreads
“I really enjoyed the characters in this fantastic story. Everything flowed nicely and the pages flew by. The romance/chemistry was great too. An amazing read that had a little bit of everything you’d need. Would recommend!” ~ Michelle H., Goodreads
“Grab a tissue and some ice cream, you are going to need it. This best friend’s sister tale was an emotional ride unlike any I have read. I loved Jake and Haley together!” ~ Kendall H, Goodreads

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


By Lynda Dickson
Haley has had a crush on Jake since she was twelve. The problem is that he’s best friends with her twin brother Chris. Plus, her best friend has already called dibs on him. Unbeknownst to Haley, Jake reciprocates her feelings, but Chris has made her off-limits. What will happen when senior year sees them growing closer and closer? One thing’s for sure - someone’s going to get hurt.
The first chapter is confusing because too many people are introduced at once with no context. The characters are variously called by their first name or last name, and you have to figure out who’s who. But, from there, things get better. The story alternates between the present and the past, from the points of view of both Jake and Haley. The past sections are italicized but written in the present tense; it would be better if these parts were in the past tense. These minor technical issues aside, the story holds your attention and the main characters are likable and relatable. Jake grows throughout the course of the book, with the help of Coach, who is a real inspiration. It’s nice to see an adult portrayed as helpful in young adult fiction. Kids shouldn’t have to solve all of their own problems.
Cute, sweet, touching.
Warnings: coarse language, underage drinking.
Note: I haven’t read the first book in the series but found that this book stands on its own.

About the Author

Danielle Ellison
Danielle Ellison is a nomad, always on the lookout for an adventure and the next story. In addition to writing, she’s the founder and coordinator of the NoVa TEEN Book Festival. When she’s not busy with books, she’s probably watching her favorite shows, drinking coffee, or fighting her nomadic urges. She is newly settled in Oklahoma (for now) with her cat, Simon, but you can always find her on Twitter.



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