Cover Reveal - Double Black

Double Black (Stark Springs #2)
by Ali Dean

March 2nd 2016

* This is the second book in the Stark Springs Academy series, which should be read in order. You should read Black Diamond before reading the description below. *

If you don’t like the rules, make new ones.

If you want to the best, show no fear.

And if Ryker Black is your boyfriend, you better be ready to fight. On and off the slopes.

Overnight, Roxie Slade went from an outsider at Stark Springs Academy, to a ruler at the prestigious boarding school for elite winter athletes. But Roxie didn’t know if she wanted that power, and she definitely wasn’t sure about sharing it with Ryker Black, who came from a different world and lived by a different set of morals. Ryker may have decided to trust her, but could she trust him?

Roxie only cared about her rising position in the ski rankings, but now her status at Stark, and within the winter sports community, is skyrocketing, whether she asked for it or not. Can she handle both while attempting a real relationship with Ryker Black?  Roxie once believed that her sole purpose was proving herself on the slopes, but she’s done that once, and she’s far from satisfied. She has so much more to prove.

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Author Spotlight:

Ali Dean lives in Colorado with her husband, twin toddlers, and golden retriever. In addition to reading and writing, she loves the outdoors- everything from marathon training and biking to snowboarding and skiing.

ARC Review - Lying Out Loud

Hamilton High: Lying Out Loud  (The DUFF companion novel) by Kody Keplinger

What they say: Revisit Hamilton High in this MUST READ for all fans of The DUFF - co-starring Bianca and Wesley. 

Sonny Ardmore is an excellent liar. She lies about her dad being in prison. She lies about her mom kicking her out. And she lies about sneaking into her best friend's house every night because she has nowhere else to go.

Amy Rush might be the only person Sonny shares everything with - secrets, clothes, even a nemesis named Ryder Cross.

Ryder's the new kid at Hamilton High and everything Sonny and Amy can't stand - a prep-school snob. But Ryder has a weakness: Amy. So when Ryder emails Amy asking her out, the friends see it as a prank opportunity not to be missed.

But without meaning to, Sonny ends up talking to Ryder all night online. And to her horror, she realizes that she might actually 'like' him. Only there's one small catch: he thinks he's been talking to Amy. So Sonny comes up with an elaborate scheme to help Ryder realize that she's the girl he's really wanted all along. Can Sonny lie her way to the truth, or will all her lies end up costing her both Ryder and Amy? 

The DUFF is a New York Times Bestseller and a major motion picture starring Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell, Mae Whitman and Alison Janney.

Hodder / Hachette Children's - ISBN: 9781444928174
Buy links:
Amazon * Amazon UK
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Author Links:
Website * tumblr * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: Like The DUFF, Lying Out Loud is set around the students of Hamilton High, but this time the focus is on Sonny, Ryder and Amy.  If you've read The DUFF you may remember Amy as Wesley's younger sister. Sonny is Amy's lifelong best friend, and Ryder is the cocky new guy in town. 
Sonny is a liar and an exaggerator. She deals with the bad parts of her life by either pretending they don't exist or by lying about them. Her home life is so terrible that she has secretly been staying at Amy's house and avoiding her problems. I liked Sonny, her inert sarcastic nature made me smile. Every time she'd tell another lie I'd find myself willing her to come clean and ask for help. The main problem for Sonny is her pride. She doesn't want people to feel sorry for her but she has very limited options, so she lies her way in and out of trouble. 
Ryder is a transfer student who arrives at Hamilton High to finish his senior year before leaving for Uni. Ryder is rude, judgemental and a real downer. The only thing he likes about the town is Amy, who is completely oblivious to his interest and charms - cue lots of scheming from Sonny.
An accidental case of mistaken identity leads Ryder to think he's talking to and wooing Amy online, but it's actually all Sonny. Online they both open up to each other and become good friends (albeit as Ryder and Amy) but they hate each other at school and Ryder is still oblivious to Sonny's deceit. 
I have to admit there were certain times when I got really cross with Sonny for not coming clean and telling him it was her. She causes a lot more pain by continuing the lie and hurts Amy and Ryder in the process - but I still really liked her.

Sonny doesn't have it all together, but she's a teenager and so she doesn't have to. It was an interesting contrast to see Ryder as the guy with lots of money still have his own problems. The same goes for Amy and her wealthy family who seemed a lot more of a family unit than the absentee parents from The DUFF.

Despite all the lies (and there were many) I felt bad for Sonny. I didn't like how she treated Amy at times and I loved seeing Amy finally standing up to her and her schemes. It was fun getting to catch up Wesley and Bianca. Bianca is still all kinds of awesome-sauce, whilst Wes is as smutty as ever. LOL is a short and fun YA story with real depth and creativity.

4 Stars in my Sky!

Review: Play On

Play On Michelle Smith

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What they say: In the small town of Lewis Creek, baseball is everything. Especially for all-star pitcher Austin Braxton, who has a one-way ticket out of town with his scholarship to a top university. All that stands between him and a new start is one final season. But when Austin starts flunking Chemistry, his picture-perfect future is in jeopardy. A failing grade means zero playing time, and zero playing time means no scholarship.

Enter Marisa Marlowe, the new girl in town who gets a job at his momma's flower shop. Not only is Marisa some home-schooled super-genius; she's also a baseball fanatic and more than willing to help Austin study. As the two grow closer, there's something about Marisa that makes Austin want more than just baseball and out of Lewis Creek -- he wants a future with her. But Marisa has a past that still haunts her, one that she ran all the way to South Carolina to escape.

As Austin starts to peel back the layers of Marisa’s pain, it forces him to look beyond the façade of himself and everyone he thought he knew in his town. What he sees instead is that in a small town like Lewis Creek, maybe baseball isn’t everything—maybe it is just the thing that ties them all together.

Coming April 21st (pushed back from 14th) by Spencer Hill Press - ISBN: 9781939392692 

Book & author links:
Website * Twitter * Facebook * Amazon UK * Amazon US

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: The romance between southern charmer Austin and the secretly troubled Marisa is endearingly sweet and charming. The story has far greater depth than I was expecting from a high school romance. Michelle Smith manages to combine the joys of first love with some much more traumatic issues.

On the surface Play On appears like another 'good girl tutors the failing sports star' story, but it really isn't this at all. I wasn't expecting all of the issues that arose but they helped bring more depth to the story and gave their struggles more realism.

I liked the moments with Austin and the baseball team, and appreciated how Marisa understood his ambition and fully supported it. Without getting too cliched; Marisa's journey really struck something in me and I desperately wanted her to be able to tackle her problems. I wanted them to be able to move on together and find their HEA.

The ending made me smile, although I would have liked it to have been a little longer (I'm greedy like that). I loved the coming of age aspect in the story and appreciated the hopeful message throughout the book.

3.5 - 4 Stars in my Sky!

Invaded - Release Week Blitz

Invaded - Alienated #2
by Melissa Landers

Melissa Landers is holding a special release week launch party for INVADED - To join in the celebrations here's a note from the lady herself. Don't forget to enter the giveaway...

Hey, fiction lovers. I’m Melissa Landers, author of the Alienated series (YA sci-fi from Disney-Hyperion), and today I’m bouncing with excitement because THE SEQUEL IS FINALLY HERE!

It’s been a year since we left Aelyx and Cara onboard the intergalactic transport, and INVADED begins with an emotional goodbye as they part ways—Aelyx returning to Earth to salvage the alliance, and Cara continuing to L’eihr to serve out her part of the student exchange. While they’re apart, our star-crossed lovers will face assassination attempts, betrayal, crippling self-doubt, and a sadistic alien Phys Ed class. (Because there’s no escaping PE, even in another galaxy.) When Aelyx and Cara finally reunite…well, let’s just say it’s combustive. ;-)

What do reviewers think? I’m glad you asked!

“Readers will love the seamless blend of suspense, humor, and romance set against an

interstellar landscape. Dual narratives and a tightly plotted mystery keep the suspense

running high, and the chemistry between Aelyx and Cara smolders.” –Booklist

“Excellent character development and integration between modern reality and science

fiction. Teens will be rooting for the galactic couple while enjoying the

action and suspense that runs through the two volumes.” –School Library Journal

“The protagonists' forced separation gives greater depth to their romance. Each

learns to turn a critical eye upon the flaws of their native societies while

confronting genuine obstacles to a future together. These complications only

underscore the growing sense of menace that propels the narrative to an action-packed

climax.” –Kirkus

I hope you’ll make tracks to the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of INVADED! If

you’re snowed in, here are some easy links to bring the sequel right to you:

Amazon * Amazon UK * Barnes & Noble * iBooks *
Book Depository (free worldwide shipping) * Indie Bound * Indigo * Books-A-Million

Author Spotlight:

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” 

For more information, or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Pinterest * Tumblr * Instagram

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble and an autographed swag pack, complete with mini posters of BOTH books! This giveaway is open internationally, and due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

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Broken and Screwed Review

Broken and Screwed #1 by Tijan

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What they say: Alexandra's older brother died the night he graduated. That day changed everything for her. No longer was she the party girl. No longer did she care about being popular and no longer was her family the happy unit she always thought existed. The only person who could help her heal is the same person who loved her brother as much as she did, his best friend. She only hopes to keep her entire heart from breaking when Jesse will move on, and she knows he will. 

After Ethan died, Jesse excelled at basketball, partying, and girls. He used it all to turn his emotions off, but the irony was that Alex was the only person who could do that for him. She helped him forget, but she was the one person he shouldn't be with because the secrets he knows could shatter everything. They could shatter her.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

What I say: Oh the angst!! I've never been more stressed reading a book, except perhaps Fallen Crest High, which is also by Tijan. Broken and Screwed is a difficult story to read at times. The focus is (Alexandra) Alex and Jesse. They are damaged and troubled individuals, who struggle to move on after being struck by tragedy.
Like all of Tijan's books the angst levels are off the charts. We get to seen a whole host of troubled teen emotions and reactions. Alex lost her older brother Ethan, whilst Jesse lost his best friend. Broken and Screwed looks at how they cope (or don't) with their loss.

I liked Alex but wanted her to stand up for herself more and actually face her issues. Her parents have basically ignored her since Ethan's death, her friends walk all over her (Marissa is ridiculous) and Jesse is horrible to her.

I did appreciate Jesse and the role he played in the story but for the most part I wanted to smack him! Yes he's suffering from grief and guilt BUT he uses Alex and makes her feel worse. In the sequel I hope that Jesse does a lot of grovelling and becomes worthy of her. I'd also like to see a fiercer and more determined Alex.

The book covers some pretty upsetting issues including grief, drink and drugs, teen sex, depression and abandonment so be prepared for the drama! 

3.5 - 4 Stars in my Sky!