Release Week Blitz: Nowhere but Here (Thunder Road #1) by Katie McGarry

I am excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's Nowhere But Here! Nowhere But Here is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen. Grab your copy today!!

Amazon ** Kobo ** BAM ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

About NOWHERE BUT HERE:

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:

About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

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Waiting On Wednesday (184) The Stars Never Rise (Untitled Series #1) by Rachel Vincent

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Wednesday is my absolute favorite day of the week because I get to share the books that I am super excited about and can't wait to read.

The Stars Never Rise (Untitled Series #1) by Rachel Vincent

Expected publication: June 9th 2015 by Delacorte Press

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

I actually don't know if I want to read this or not. It does sound really good though, so I should at least give it a try, shouldn't I?

What are you waiting on this week?

Be sure to leave a link to your WoW post so I can visit you back!

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Review: Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1) by Katie McGarry

Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1) by Katie McGarry

Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Page Count: 496
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Source: eArc received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

I wasn't completely sold on the idea of a series that featured a motorcycle club before reading Nowhere But Here. After reading it I realized I'm really not fond of the motorcycle club culture, everything it represents, and the way they treat women. That sort of lifestyle isn't for me, but I didn't let that lessen my enjoyment of the book.

As for Emily and Oz, I'll be honest and say that I can't claim to have enjoyed either character. I didn't dislike them, so there's that, but I also didn't find anything about either one that really stood out and made me really love them. But that's okay and it doesn't bother me too much. I enjoyed the story enough that I didn't worry about the main characters being neutral for me. I think it goes to show just how great of a writer Katie is that I didn't care for the characters, but I was still interested in their story.

I actually liked Emily and Oz as a couple, and for the most part I enjoyed their relationship. They came from totally different backgrounds, but it seemed that they understood each other. They had a few really nice moments, and I loved some of their banter.

A few more of my thoughts on Nowhere But Here:

- Stories told in dual POV are more interesting to me
- I liked that Emily wasn't passive and I enjoyed her gumption
- Oz had a soft side and I enjoyed his protectiveness and his ability/capacity to love
- There was not enough of Oz on his motorcycle
- I realized Eli is more age appropriate for me than Oz.....

I think I liked Nowhere But Here mostly because Katie wrote it. When I first started reading I was almost bored for a while, but I kept going because I was curious about the big secret everyone was hiding from Emily. It took a really long time to get to the big reveal, and I almost wanted to give up reading. In the end I'm glad I finished the book because the story was very different, and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Waiting On Wednesday (183) Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout @katiemstout

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Wednesday is my absolute favorite day of the week because I get to share the books that I am super excited about and can't wait to read.

Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

Expected publication: June 9th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.

Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process.

I was really looking forward to reading this because it sounds cute, but I am quite anxious about those low star ratings on Goodreads. It makes me wonder if this book is for me. I think I'll still read it and let you know how it turns out.

What are you waiting on this week?

Be sure to leave a link to your WoW post so I can visit you back!

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Review: Happy Again (This is What Happy Looks Like #1.5) by Jennifer E. Smith

Happy Again (This is What Happy Looks Like #1.5) by Jennifer E. Smith

Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Page Count: 84
Published by: Poppy
Source: Purchased

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ellie O'Neill and Graham Larkin fell hard for each other when a misspelled email address unexpectedly brought them together. Now, over a year has passed since they said goodbye with the promise to stay in touch, and their daily emails have dwindled to nothing. Ellie is a freshman in college and has told herself to move on, and Graham has kept himself busy starring in more movies, as well as a few tabloid columns. But fate brought these two together once before—and it isn't done with them yet.

In this sequel novella to This Is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith revisits two beloved characters to tell the story of one magical night in Manhattan. When Ellie and Graham come face to face once more, can they get past the months of silence and the hurt feelings to find their happily-ever-after again?

This was cute and fluffy while being ridiculously romantic and sweet. Happy Again allowed me to get a small glimpse of Ellie and Graham's lives after the original story. I really loved reading this novella, I just wish it wasn't so short!

It's been more than a year since Ellie and Graham's summer ended. They promised to stay in touch, so I was a bit sad upon learning just how far apart they had drifted. But then a chance encounter in New York gives them the opportunity to reconnect. I loved the banter between Ellie and Graham and how easily they fell back into a comfortable togetherness. It made me remember how much I loved these two together in This Is What Happy Looks Like.

Happy Again gave me the ending that I was craving and left me with good feelings. This novella is a must read if you enjoyed This is What Happy Looks Like and you need a bit of closure on Ellie and Graham's relationship.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Waiting On Wednesday (182) Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway @robinbenway

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Wednesday is my absolute favorite day of the week because I get to share the books that I am super excited about and can't wait to read.

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

Expected publication: June 23rd 2015 by Harper Teen

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

I know, I know. Enough with the contemporaries. But I just can't help myself! Doesn't this one sound really good? I added this to my Goodreads tbr on Jul 24, 2012, so I've been anticipating this for quite a while!

What are you waiting on this week?

Be sure to leave a link to your WoW so I can visit you back!

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All Played Out by Cora Carmack Release Week Blitz @CoraCarmack @InkSlingerPR

I am excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Cora Carmack's ALL PLAYED OUT! ALL PLAYED OUT is a New Adult Contemporary Romance and is the 3rd book in the Rusk University Series, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks

About ALL PLAYED OUT:

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.
Straight A’s? CHECK.
On track to graduate early? CHECK.
Social life? …..yeah, about that….

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay... Scratch that. She knows she hasn't had the full college experience).

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a "to do" list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it's impossible to get hurt... again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she's never known. But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he's willing to take the chance when it's more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

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Sunday Updates (53)

Inspired by features from The Sunday Post from Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

I'm still not able to read as much as I want to. It's been difficult to find the time because I've been working so hard sewing and making new things for my Etsy shop. My nights have been taken over by baseball... that's my own fault because I can't NOT watch the Cardinals play every day. I suppose I need to schedule my time better so I can relax and read, read, read.

I've received some very good eArcs in the last few weeks. I really cut down on my requesting since I know I'm short on time to read, so I was super excited to get approved for these books.

Expected publication: October 27th 2015 by Simon Pulse

Persuasion (The Heirs of Watson Island #2) by Martina Boone

Have you started this series yet? I enjoyed the first book, Compulsion, and I can't wait to feast on Eight Beaufort again!

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Simon & Schuster

Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Okay, I freely admit that I never finished reading the Hush, Hush series. I read the first 2 books back to back, and then reread the first book because I was so lost and confused. I have no idea what was going on with that series, but I don't think it's for me. That being said, I'm still willing to give the author another chance.

Expected publication: September 1st 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

Ooh yes, do you see that cover? Wild West Baby!!!!! Bring it on.

Expected publication: July 7th 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's

The Fixer (The Fixer #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I'm enjoying The Naturals series by this author, but the 3rd book doesn't come out until November. I'm looking forward to starting this new series and I hope I enjoy it just as much.

Expected publication: June 9th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

I know nothing about K-Pop, but I'm willing to give this book a shot.

Check out a few new items in My Etsy Shop!!

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Waiting On Wednesday (181) The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Wednesday is my absolute favorite day of the week because I get to share the books that I am super excited about and can't wait to read.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Simon Pulse

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom — until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them.

Yes, I've chosen another contemporary for my WoW. Big surprise, right? I'm hoping this book is as good as the synopsis!

What are you waiting on this week?

Be sure to leave a link to your WoW post so I can visit you back!

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Review: Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Publication Date: April 21, 2015
Page Count: 304
Published by: Harper Teen
Source: eArc received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Quinn Sullivan lost the love of her life when her boyfriend, Trent, died in an accident their junior year. In an attempt to get closure, she reached out to the recipients of his donated organs. Though some answered her letters, the one Quinn feels matters most--the person who received Trent's heart--has been silent.

Nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas has spent the last several years in and out of hospitals waiting for a heart transplant. Now that he's finally received a new heart, Colton is regaining strength, and he's walking away from his bedridden past with no intention of looking back. He doesn't want to know about the person who had to die so that he could live. He only wants to move forward.

But Quinn can't let it go. Venturing outside the system to find Colton, Quinn takes a risk in hopes of finally laying her memories to rest. But what begins as an innocent conversation quickly becomes an attraction--and to make matters worse, Colton has no idea how they're connected. His zest for life pulls Quinn from her months of sorrow but leaves her torn between honesty and utter betrayal. Because no matter how hard she's falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she's lost.

I really enjoyed Jessi Kirby's In Honor and Golden, and I am happy to say that I liked Things We Know by Heart just as much. This was a heartfelt story with 2 really great characters that I am very fond of. There's a major sticking point that bothered me while reading, and it's the reason why I didn't completely love, love, love this book.

Things We Know by Heart was an emotional read for me. I knew it was going to be one of those books when I had the urge to cry on the second page! There were also several moments throughout the story where I got a little teary eyed, but I managed to keep myself together. I had a moment when I thought something catastrophic had happened, but luckily the author didn't go there, and my Kindle was (thankfully) spared my tears.

Colton was such a wonderful character. Swoony perhaps? He was really sweet and kind, and I liked his adventurous spirit and his ability to look deeper into everyday life. Quinn was just okay for me, and I never really warmed up to her character. While I did like that they took their relationship slowly, I was too anxious waiting for the truth to come out to enjoy them as a couple. The romance in this story is complicated and messy at times. Love is never simple (especially in YA) and this was like a love triangle with a girl, a boy, and a heart. Then throw in the memory of Trent, who I will freely admit that I loved and wished I could have known better. All of it together made for an unforgettable story.

As much as I enjoyed this book - and I really did enjoy it - I had a problem with the lies and deceit between Colton and Quinn. There, I said it. I wanted them to be honest with each other and not just escape their reality by having a good time together. The truth ended up hanging over them like a black cloud, and what should have been an emotional journey for them felt really flat. Even with all the secrets between them, the potential was there for them to have a deep connection, but the story never really went there. And when the truth finally came out it was too little, too late for me.

Despite my problems with all of the lies, I really did enjoy this story. It was a little slow and predictable at times, but it still had an emotional impact on me. I definitely think it's worth taking the time to read. Especially if you enjoy more realistic YA contemporaries like I do.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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