I am so excited to be a part of the Changing Everything by Molly McAdams blog tour. I have loved Molly for years now so I am very excited to be able to share my love for this book!


Title: Changing Everything
Author: Molly McAdams
Series: Forgiving Lies #2.5
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook, 112 pages
Release Date: March 3rd 2015
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelwiess for Blog Tour

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Paisley Morro has been in love with Eli since they were thirteen-years-old. But after twelve years of only being his best friend and wingman, the heartache that comes from watching him with countless other women becomes too much, and Paisley decides its time to lay all her feelings on the table.

Eli Jenkins has a life most guys would kill for: Dream job, countless women, and his best friend, Paisley, to be the girl he can always count on for everything else. But one conversation not only changes everything between them, it threatens to make him lose the only girl who has ever meant anything to him.

When tragedy strikes his family and Eli is forced to reevaluate his life, he realizes a life without Paisley isn’t a life at all. Only now, he may be too late.  


At this point in my blogging "carrier" I have read almost every Molly McAdams book that is available to me. So when I saw the chance to read Changing Everything early I jumped, because I knew I would love it. And I wasn't wrong. What I think I love the most about Molly McAdams is that you can read all her book as Standalones (expect for Deceiving Lies of course) and yet you get a special treat every once in a while when characters from other books make appearences. I love this aspect of the books because its almost like a glimpse into a different aspect of their world.

Changing Everything follows Eli and Paisley, two best friends who's relationhsip is completely one sided. Eli is a ladies man where as Paisley is sitting on the sidelines loving him from afar. But when she confront him about her feelings their realtionhip is tested more than it ever has. I really can't say more than that because it woudl ruin the overall story, but let me just say that Molly does sexual tension LIKE NO ONE ELSE. I love reading these scenes because not only are they hot but they also allow for characters to really develop and express themselves.

I loved these charcters so much, anhd I wish this book was a full length novel and not a novella because I wanted to see more of these characters. Eli is as swoon worthy as any male lead and although he was frustrating at best in the begnning we see his tranformation and I loved that. We get to watch as he grows up and realized what he wants and what he is willing to fight for. Paisley on the other hand was a quiet lead character, and I liked that she was the every girl. Someone who is incredibly likable and yet totally relatetable, but not overly annoying to read.

I love this book so much, and like I said before I just wish that it was a full length novel because I think these characters had more in them and I wanted to see more! Molly you have done it again. Perfection. I cannot wait to read more from you, especially Trusting Liam coming out this summer!




Molly was kind enough to send along a snippit of the book!

Eli, Eli, Eli … bad move.
Here’s a little snippet from CHANGING EVERYTHING for y’all!
Enjoy!

“Don’t you have a shirt you can put on?”
Stepping up behind her, I rested my chin on top of her head and picked at the
pastry she’d just pulled out of the bag. “I do, but you woke me up.”
“I woke you up? I’m late. And your head is heavy,” she grumbled.
I put more pressure on her head and she elbowed my stomach. “What’s this?” I
asked, and pointed at the wrapped sandwich she’d just set down.
“There are two sausage English muffins for you.”
“Do they have—”
“Extra cheese? Yes, they do.”
I hugged her waist tightly. “You’re the best.” Grabbing one of the sandwiches, I
unwrapped it and held it in front of her so she could have the first bite before taking my
own. “I forgot it was Sunday,” I mumbled around the food.
She laughed and started to unwrap her own sandwich. “Good thing it was my
week to get food or I’d be sitting at my apartment starv— Wait. If I woke you up, why
are you in jeans?”
“I could’ve walked out here naked.”
Her body went stiff. “You don’t sleep naked.”
I pointed in the direction of my room with my sandwich. “Carrie’s here.”
“Who’s Carrie?”
“The girl from the bar a few weeks ago.”
“There are a lot of girls from O’Malley’s when it comes to you, Eli,” she
countered.
“Ouch. The girl from the night of my birthday.”
“Oompa-Loompa?”
“Pay,” I growled in warning.
Paisley pushed against the island, trying to move me away. “Move, I need to
leave.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You have a girl in your bed who is probably as naked as you were five minutes
ago. I should not be here when she wakes up.”
“And you’re my best friend and it’s Sunday morning. This is our tradition and
she’s not going to stop it because I forgot what today was.”
“Eli, let me go!” she hissed and jammed both her elbows into my stomach.
I bent forward as I took a step back. “Fuck, Pay!”
“Language! Let the Oompa-Loompa eat my breakfast, she’ll think you did
something nice for her.” She took three steps away from me before I was able to grab her
hand to stop her. Turning quickly, she stepped back up to me and tried to get in my face.
All five feet of her. “Do you know how horrible you look when you do things like this to
all these girls?” she seethed. “You’re twenty-five, Eli, grow up and stop being such a
whore! Stop treating every girl you meet like all she is to you is your next lay. Stop
letting them all be your next lay! Find someone who you actually want to spend your
time with and—”
“Ohmigod. Are you, like, everywhere?”
Paisley whipped her head to the side to look at Carrie, but I couldn’t take my eyes
off of Pay. Where was this coming from? She’d joked about all the girls I slept with, but
she’d never flipped out on me like this.
“Did I interrupt something?” Carrie gasped and shrieked, “I knew it! You are
fucking her!”
Paisley scoffed and met my gaze. “No, he’s not. That should be obvious since I’m
still around and none of the other girls are.”


a Rafflecopter giveaway

ROOMS by Lauren Oliver came out in September and is Lauren's first attempt at Adult Fiction! I reviewed the book here, and really enjoyed it! All about ghost, family drama and lots of intrigue!

Blow you can enter to win a SIGNED copy of ROOMS from Lauren Oliver herself! Unfortunately it is US Only, so sorry internationals and Canadians!

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Title: How to Build a Girl
Author: Caitlin Moran
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary, Coming of Age
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: September 23rd 2014
Publisher: Harper
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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What do you do in your teenage years when you realise what your parents taught you wasn't enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes - and build yourself.

It's 1990. Johanna Morrigan, 14, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there's no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde - fast-talking, hard-drinking Gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer! She will save her poverty stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer - like Jo in Little Women, or the Brontes - but without the dying young bit.

By 16, she's smoking cigarettes, getting drunk and working for a music paper. She's writing pornographic letters to rock-stars, having all the kinds of sex with all the kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.

But what happens when Johanna realises she's built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters and a head full of paperbacks, enough to build a girl after all?

Imagine The Bell Jar written by Rizzo from Grease, with a soundtrack by My Bloody Valentine and Happy Mondays. As beautiful as it is funny, How To Build a Girl is a brilliant coming-of-age novel in DMs and ripped tights, that captures perfectly the terror and joy of trying to discover exactly who it is you are going to be.


I have wanted to read this book since I heard about it last years. I love Caitlin Moran, she is a great comedic writer and I lover her honestly on every subject she talks about. She when I saw that she was writing a book about growing up and becoming a woman I knew i needed to read it.

I loved Caitlin's way of writing the main characters voice, it was very stream of consciousness that made so much sense for a teenager, on many occasions I actually felt like I was inside her head and feeling the same things she was. I will be honest when I say that the writing style of VERY honest. Caitlin leaves nothing out and touches in many subjects including, masturbation, teen sex and dropping out of high school to pursue a career that many would think would lead nowhere. I loved this honestly and I felt very proud that she mentioned these kinds of things because I think in our society today girls are not looked at like that, and it was refreshing to see a character that was so real and forthcoming with these topics.

I had some issues with this book though, and one of them was the use of British slang. at time I had no idea what was happening because I honestly didn't get what the characters were saying. It made for a very hard read for me. I found myself taken out of the story on more than one occasion because I didn't get it. I didn't get what the characters were joking about and I didn't get what they were s concerned about because I wasn't in on the vocabulary they were using. Speaking of vocabulary, the characters in this book use the C word on so many occasions that it left me feeling very uncomfortable. I am very against that word and grew up hating it so seeing so many times, and being used so relaxing made me a bit weary of this book and its characters. 

Overall the story was great and very interesting, but there were times I was so removed from the story and its characters that it was hard for me to connect to what was going on and feel what the characters were feeling. I loved the authors ability to talk about such taboo subjects but ultimately this book felt a bit short for me.

Title: Rooms
Author: Lauren Oliver
Series: Standalone
Genre: Adult Ghost Story
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: September 23rd 2014
Publisher: Ecco
Source: ARC received buy publisher in exchange for an honest review

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The New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy makes her brilliant adult debut with this mesmerizing story in the tradition of The Lovely Bones, Her Fearful Symmetry, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane—a tale of family, ghosts, secrets, and mystery, in which the lives of the living and the dead intersect in shocking, surprising, and moving ways .

Wealthy Richard Walker has just died, leaving behind his country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His estranged family—bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna—have arrived for their inheritance.

But the Walkers are not alone. Prim Alice and the cynical Sandra, long dead former residents bound to the house, linger within its claustrophobic walls. Jostling for space, memory, and supremacy, they observe the family, trading barbs and reminiscences about their past lives. Though their voices cannot be heard, Alice and Sandra speak through the house itself—in the hiss of the radiator, a creak in the stairs, the dimming of a light bulb.

The living and dead are each haunted by painful truths that will soon surface with explosive force. When a new ghost appears, and Trenton begins to communicate with her, the spirit and human worlds collide—with cataclysmic results.

Elegantly constructed and brilliantly paced, Rooms is an enticing and imaginative ghost story and a searing family drama that is as haunting as it is resonant.


Rooms is Lauren Oliver's first ever Adult Fiction novel and I have to say that she can do no wrong. I am always weary when a YA author goes into Adult Fiction, or vise versa, but with Rooms, Lauren put together a story that was so essentially Lauren that I could not help but keep reading until the very end.

Rooms follows the Walker family when their father dies and have to go to his house and clean it out. What I loved the most about this book was the different POVs. We not only see the entire Walker family that includes 2 kids, 1 grand kid and one alcoholic mother, but we also get to see things through the eyes of the two house ghosts. I think I liked those two perspectives the most because they saw everything about this family, even the things they tried to hide.

This family is far from perfect. And I think that is what most people who read this book are going to relate to because seriously, what family is perfect. But I think dysfunction goes out the window on this one. There are some serious issues with these characters and reading about them was really great entertainment. Trenton, the only son of this crazy family was my favorite because he was the only one who had no real memories of his father. And i think he had the most to loose in this situation and he was the one who had the most connection with the house and those that are within it.

My only issue with this book was the pacing. At times I felt like not much was happening, and then there were times, especially when it came to the ghosts living in the house, that we got too much information on something I felt didn't matter as much as other things. I felt like we got too much background info on the ghosts and not enough background on the actual family, and that was something i wish was different. I liked seeing how dysfunctional the family was and how they would get over losing their father and dealing with problems that seemed to persists even after years of separation.

Overall, Rooms was a very interesting book to read. It was very different from a lot of the books I have read recently. Lauren's writing was brilliant as always but I felt like that characterization was a bit off and I wish we got to know the Walker family a bit more then we actually did. This book is for lovers of ghost stories with a hint of family drama. A satisfying read.

I am so excited to have Alice Kuipers on the blog today. She is the author of many amazing YA book that include: 40 Things I Want to Tell You, My Life on the Refrigerator Door and of course her newest novel, The Death of Us!

if you would like to know how much I LOVED The Death of Us, I posted my review earlier today and you can find it HERE. But right now I would like to give the floor to Alice as she answers a question I have wanted to pose for so long; Are there struggles of creating relatable characters in the contemporary genre? And how her character development process changes with every book! Take it away Alice:


Hi Siobhan,

Thanks for hosting me as part of the blog tour. I love the title of your blog and I’ve enjoyed reading your reviews for a while, so I’m very happy to be stopping by. Here goes:

Making relatable characters is one of the challenges for any writer. I write contemporary, realistic fiction. But if I wrote fantasy or romance or sci-fi or anything else, I think the struggles with character would be just the same. Characters need to feel real to a reader. As real as they do to the writer. I just read an interview with Ellen Hopkins where she said:

I don’t feel like I go “into” my head to write. I feel like I channel the characters living inside me. So process is about clearing the way for them to talk and allow me to write their stories. My characters really are living, breathing, hurting, loving people to me, and putting them on the page always attracts the light that fights darkness. There’s all kinds of hope in that, and it’s something my readers I find her words very powerful and true here. The characters I choose to write are very real to me. This notion that they are living, breathing, hurting, loving people is a beautifully articulate way of saying: people who don’t exist speak to me and make themselves come into existence.

With my first novel, Claire and her mother sprang into life when the title popped into my head. I can still conjour them now from the quiet place they’ve gone to. I could hear Claire vividly in every note she wrote, even though I was the one writing the notes. Her mother was just as clear. In my second novel, I used first person and Sophie’s diary flowed onto the page. It wasn’t the case that I didn’t have to edit. I absolutely did have to go back over and make her as real as she insisted on being. But I remember waking in the night and hearing her story come to life. It sounds COMPLETELY CRAZY. I think that’s why writers have to spend a lot of time on their own. Because it is completely bizarre to invent people who feel so real that you can’t stop yourself writing about them. But it’s wildly fun too.

With my third book 40 Things I Want To Tell You, Amy’s controlling nature basically wrote the book. When Ellen Hopkins talks about clearing the way for letting the characters talk, I really remember that for the writing process of 40 Things. In the first draft I started way too late in the story and I had to do a big rewrite where I gave Amy space and time to really show who she was as she navigated all the tension and drama of her choices. are drawn to.

In my newest novel, The Death of Us, I realized that three characters wanted to tell this story. Shifting perspectives was difficult when I put too much of myself into the way of the storytelling. But once I got to know each character and trusted their words, the story became much easier to write. And much, much more fun. In the end, I had a lot of fun writing such a complicated story. It seems to me that I like to set myself difficult tasks and then relax – with coffee – and write, write, write.

The process for me as a writer involves a lot of mis-steps. I write thousands of words I can’t ever use, but those words are always a pleasure to write, even if cutting them later is painful. It’s not the smartest writing process, but I’ve come to accept it. And I’ve come to love each of my characters. I enjoy interviewing them, and reading their words aloud later to make sure I’ve got their voices right. As I’ve written each book, there have been moments where I’ve really had to listen. I’ve had to make sure all other distractions were out of the way so I could truly hear what my characters had to say.

That part of the process really is crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.



Thank you so much Alice! Please go pick up The Death of Us, it is such a great read for everyone, and I highly recommend it!

About The Author



ALICE KUIPERS is the bestselling, award-winning author of three previous novels, Life on the Refrigerator Door, The Worst Thing She Ever Did and 40 Things I Want To Tell You, and the picture book Violet and Victor Write The Best-Ever Bookworm Book. Her work has been published to critical acclaim in twenty-nine countries. She lives in Saskatoon. Find her here: www.alicekuipers.com

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Title: The Death of Us
Author: Alice Kuipers
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
Release Date: September 2nd 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Source: ARC received from publisher for blog Tour in exchange of an honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Kobo | Indigo |HarperCollins CA| Goodreads








A recovered friendship, a dark secret, and a love triangle with a deadly angle…

Callie is shocked when her friend Ivy reappears after an unexplained three-year absence, but the girls pick up where they left off, and suddenly Callie's summer is full of parties, boys and fun. Beneath the surface, things aren't what they seem, however, and when a handsome boy with a dark past gets tangled up with Ivy, the girls' history threatens to destroy their future.


I am usually not a fan of books written in multiple POVs, I usually do not like books that start off with the end cliffhanger and then start from the beginning. But in The Death of Us, all of the above worked in such a way that made me love this book so much.

POVs, or point of views, are always important in a novel and as a reader I always tend to gravitate to one more than another, and that was no different in this novel. Callie was my favourite I think because i was able to relate to her and what she was going through. Having a friend move away and then move back can be hard on friendships and  a family dynamic, especially one that has a new baby attached to it. I also liked Callie's voice a lot more than anyone else because she was just so sweet and I felt like she was so genuine and seriously wanted to fit in. Did she make some bad choices, of course she did but they made her character that much better than it already was.

Ivy's character was one that I was not a fan of from the very beginning, and I don't think we are meant to like her. She is the friend that wants all the attention, and hates it when someone steals it from her. I liked her perspective on the story especially in contract with Callie's POV because they were so different. And it showed how different people see the same situation is very extreme ways. Kurt was the last and final POV and I loved his the most because he was in the middle of these two girls, and he knew both of them better than I think either of them thought. Kurt was an interesting character because we only got is POV from the present, where as we got Ivy and Callie's POV from the past. And what I loved the most about this book was the fact that every single one of these characters meant something to the story. Each one affected the other and in the end, each one took part in the end game. And seriously, THAT ENDING! loved it so much!


Don't forget to take a look at Alice's Guest Post! Find it HERE.

Title: The Sweet Spot
Author: Stephanie Evanovich
Series: Standalone
Genre: Adult Romance
Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
Release Date: July 8th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Indigo | TBD | Goodreads








The amazing Stephanie Evanovich returns with The Sweet Spot, the sizzling story of everyone’s favorite couple from her New York Times bestseller Big Girl Panties: hunky professional baseball player Chase Walker and his sassy wife Amanda

When pro baseball player Chase Walker first meets Amanda at her restaurant, it’s love at first sight. While Amanda can’t help noticing the superstar with the Greek-god-build, he doesn’t have a chance of getting to first—or any other—base with her. A successful entrepreneur who’s built her business from scratch, Amanda doesn’t need a Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet. And a curvy girl who likes to cook and eat isn’t interested in being around the catty, stick-thin herd of females chasing Chase and his teammates.

But Chase isn’t about to strike out. A man who isn’t interested in playing the field, he’s a monogamist who wants an independent woman like Amanda. His hopes rally when she discovers that squeaky-clean Chase has a few sexy and very secret pre-game rituals that turn the smart, headstrong businesswoman on—and into his number one fan.

Then a tabloid discovers the truth and turns their spanking good fun into a late- night punch-line. Is Amanda ready to let loose and swing for the fences? Or will the pressure of Chase’s stardom force them to call it quits?
 

For me, liking a book means that I remember what happens in the plot weeks after I have read it. And so when I go to write a review of a book that I read a few weeks ago and don't remember much about the plot means that I probably didn't like it as much as others, and unfortunately The Sweet Spot is one of those books.

Although I don't remember this book is detail, I do remember certain things I did and did not like. For example I remember I did like the overall conflict of the book and how real it felt and I honestly felt like it could happen to anyone. But sadly that was pretty much all I liked about this book.

Characters are a large apart of my enjoyment of a book and with this one I felt no connectio whatsoever to any of them. I felt like they were very 2 dimentional and therefore I had no emotiona stake is wjhat they were doing or what was happening to them. I also a big fan of characters showing us who they are what what is happening to them, but in this instance there was way too much telling for me to stay interested.

The romance. Because this is a romance novel I expected some great romantic scenes and maybe some sexy times, but what I did not expect was the intsa-love (which I hate in YA and even more in adult) and the S & M action that came out of nowhere. And when I saw nowhere I mean I thought I was reading a cute romantic novel and then half way through it became all about ropes and spanking and all of that and i felt like I was reading a COMPLETELY different book! And to be honest, I felt like that part of the book was the weakest part. I didn't believe any of it and it felt very fake, like the author didn't do any actual research in the topic and just wanted to have it her book. I have read these types of scenes before and I know that there more details you have, usually the better it is for the reader. In this case I felt like the author glossed over so much and that made me question the scenes in general.

So overall this book was not what i expected and i felt a little confused at to what kind of romance this book was. The romance was too fast and the sex scenes were lackluster at best. I just wanted so much more than what I got.

Title: Sharing You
Author: Molly McAdams
Series: Sharing You #1
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Release Date: July 1st 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Indigo | TBD | Goodreads








Twenty-three year old, Kamryn Cunningham has left all she’s ever known and moved to a small town where no one knows her name, who her parents are, or her social status in the horseracing world. Months after opening her own bakery and evading attempts of being set up by her new best friend, she meets Brody. Kamryn fights the instant pull between them because there’s a detail she can’t dismiss. Brody’s married.

To say that twenty-six year old, Brody Saco has had a rough marriage would be an understatement. After marrying his pregnant girlfriend, he spends the next six years in a relationship filled with hatred, manipulation and guilt involving a tragedy that happened five years earlier. When he keeps running into his sister-in-law’s best friend, Kamryn, he can’t ignore that she makes him feel more with just one look than his wife ever has; and soon he can’t continue fight his feelings for her.

When staying apart proves to be too difficult, Brody and Kamryn enter a relationship full of stolen moments and nights that end too soon while they wait for Brody to file for divorce. But the guilt that comes with their relationship may prove to be too much for Kamryn, and Brody might not be strong enough to face the tragedy from his past in order to leave his conniving wife.
 

I honestly did not know how I was going to feel about this book because of the subject matter. I have never been a fan of cheating in book, and that might have something to do with how I grew up, but I was very wary about this book and what the characters were up to. But I will say that Molly McAdams is a genius because although I did not agree with what the characters were doing, I cared about them. I felt for their situation and honestly was routing for them from the beginning.

The chemistry between the two main character Kamryn and Brody was amazing to read. I think their relationship was the reason i kept reading because they were so good together. I felt the sexual tension from the very beginning and i loved every second of it. Their story grew so much as the story read on and I loved their growth not only as a couple of as people. I honestly think This couple is my favorite out of all of Molly's books and I loved it so much!

The secondary characters were just as amazing and I really hope some of them get their own books someday. But the characters that I liked the most was Brody's wife. She was just so evil and she made my reading experience so frustrating at times, but that is what I loved. I loved being frustrated at certain character because they aren't seeing what is right in front of them. This made me want to get to the end of the book all the more and I think that is a sign of a great book!

The end. Now I expect a HEA when I read a Molly McAdams book and I have not been disappointed yet, so I knew it was coming. But she really hid it well this time because it took a lot of heartache to get there and boy did it break my heart into pieces. BUT it did come eventually and it was great to read. I loved this book even if it was a surprise and honestly Molly could make you care for character no matter the situation.

Title: Boomerang
Author: Noelle August
Series: Boomerang #1
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Release Date: July 8th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelwiess in exchange for an honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Indigo | TBD | Goodreads








The first book in a sensational New Adult trilogy from Noelle August

Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen with its no-fuss, no-commitments matchups, and where work is steamier than any random hook-up

Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They’re sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret.

Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters.

What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they’re now competitors for only one job at the end of summer.

As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?


I love New Adult. I really do so when I see one written by the lovely Veronica Rossi? I knew I had to pick it up and ask for review it. I loved this book right from the beginning, both characters had a great voice that were both unique and yet readers could relate to them completely. It starts off with a bang, and the aftermath of a one night stand. What I think i liked the most about the concept of this book was how real it felt. I mean sleeping with someone you don't know is one things, but then having to go to work with them everyday? that's a whole new bag of worms.

We get to see both sides of this story with both parties having their own POV. I loved this because we are not only in the girls head, or the boys head. We get to see how both of these characters are thinking. and it adds a certain level of investment of us readers because we know how each of these characters feels about the other, and since they do not, we want to see where this goes.

This type of NA is the type I love to read. The character are not broken, they are not at a point in their life where it is life or death. These character were just in a tough spot after graduation. They each needed a job and they were each fighting for it. It felt extremely real, and the characters seemed genuine and likable without all the drama that you can see in other types of NA. The sexual tension between Mia and Ethan was palpable throughout the book and I loved reading it. It made the book that much more interesting because even though the characters kept denying it, there was something between them and it as great to read their discovery.

The aspect of family was very big in this book, and I loved reading these characters dedication to their family. They were always in the background, we always knew these characters were thinking about their family and that was extremely refreshing to read. You usually see family in NA but they are usually the cause of the problem, not the solution, and i loved reading that. The end of this book was great to read as well because it made complete sense for the characters and it felt genuine. I loved it.

Overall this book was a fantastic read. It is a refreshing gulp of fresh air in a genre that is way overdone at times. Noelle is a fantastic writer and I am so glad she dipped her toes in NA because she is a fresh voice that i will continue to read for years to come.

Title: The Queen of Tearling
Author: Erika Johansen
Series: The Queen of Tearling #1
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: July 8th 2014
Publisher: Harper
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Indigo | TBD | Goodreads








On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend…if she can survive.

The Queen of the Tearling introduces readers to a world as fully imagined and terrifying as that of The Hunger Games, with characters as vivid and intriguing as those of The Game of Thrones, and a wholly original heroine. Combining thrilling action and twisting plot turns, it is a magnificent debut from the talented Erika Johansen.
 

Fantasy book can bet very hit and miss for me because I do not read it as much as I should. So when I saw that The Queen of Tearling was getting all kinds of buzz, and it was an adult read, which I need to read more of, I knew I had to pick it up and review it. And i am so glad I did because this book was perfection.

Since I have not read a lot Adult reads lately, I knew going into this book was going to be a interesting feat because I knew the writing would be more complex and the story itself would be more in depth and since it was Fantasy i knew that the details would be amazing therefore I knew that I would need to take my time with this read. And I was right. I read this book at a much slower pace than usual and I savored every word because the writing was absolutely to die for. The vivid descriptions and the characters interactions made for an amazing adventure and I loved every second.

Kelsea is our protagonist and she was a great character to read because although she did not grow up in a kingdom and everyone around her thought she was weak and would not last as their Queen, she proved them wrong. She grew to be a very fierce and independent character throughout the book. I also loved how we not only got to see through Kelsea's eyes but also through many different characters who made this book as amazing as it was. I think I loved this book so much not only because of the character but because of the world. I felt so connected with this world that although had some elements of our own, was still extremely different. I loved the setting and how much it affected the characters throughout the book.

Overall The Queen of Tearling was an amazing read. I seriously cannot say a bad word about it and would recommend it to everyone who not only loves fantasy but great writing as well. This is a perfect book for those young adults who want to stretch into the Adult Fiction world because Kelsea is only 19.This book is so perfect  for so many readers to discover this amazing book and it talented author. I cannot say how much I loved this book, I have no more words.

Title: Better When He's Bad
Author: Jay Crownover
Series: Welcome to the Point #1
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Format: Paperback, 384 pages
Release Date: June 17th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Indigo | TBD | Goodreads








Welcome to the Point

There’s a difference between a bad boy and a boy who’s bad . . . meet Shane Baxter.

Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn’t just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he’s the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there’s a new player in the game, and she’s much too innocent, much too soft…and standing directly in his way.

Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She’s always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.

Bax terrifies her, but it doesn’t take Dovie long to realize that some boys are just better when they’re bad.


I usually loved everything that Jay Crownover writes her bad boys have quickly becomes some of my favorites. So when I saw that she was coming out with a new series, and new bunch of bad boys, i knew i had to read it. But sadly I did not enjoy this book as much as i enjoyed The Marked Men Series.

I do like a bad boy, but when I read one, I usually like to see some redeeming qualities that make me fall for him as much as the female characters do. But for some reason I found Bax to be too bad. I could not connect with him at all, and I honestly did not find him that appealing when I was reading the book. I wanted, as I was reading, to see some change in him, but the only change I saw was that he fell for the "good girl" and wanted to protect her. But he did not want to leave his criminal lifestyle. I understand that once you are in, its hard to get out, but honestly I just couldn't believe that Dovie, the girl he fell for, would be okay with living that life.

Dovie was a character that I liked to read. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and could handle the shit that came out of Bax's mouth. But as the story went on, I just couldn't connect with her anymore because I felt like she was so consumed with Bax that she forgot who she was and what her life was like before. She started to skip out on work and her friends and I honestly just could not relate with her character and what she was doing. Ultimately I found her character to be very superficial with little growth throughout the book.

Overall I thought the book had its moments, especially the sexy times, but for the rest fo the book I found the story dragged and was not as interesting as I think it could have been. There were too many descriptions and not enough action for me. The tension, although scary, didn't seem to elicit the same reaction as Jay's other novels. I just did not love this one as much as I wanted to.

This is a brand new feature for the blog! This is where I ask publishing professionals (authors, marketers, and bloggers) some awesome questions!

Today I am happy to have Suman Seewat on the blog! She one of the amazing women behind HCCFrenzy, the Teen social media division of HarperCollins Canada! Without further ado, here is Suman!

1. Explain what part of the Publishing world you are a part of (ie. Publisher, Author,
Blogger etc.)

I am the Print Marketing Coordinator at HarperCollins Canada. One of the many super-exciting things I get to do is talk about teen books on Frenzy.

2. Who is your favourite author of all time, and why?

I don’t have just one favourite but I do love Jhumpa Lahiri, Neil Gaiman and
Nicole Krauss. I get chills when I read their novels.

3. Who would you chose to play you in the movie depicting your life?

I don’t think there are a lot of actresses to pick from. Maybe Dilshad Vadsaria?
She was so fun on Greek. If you have never seen Greek, please stop what you are doing and go watch Greek.

4. What was/is your favourite candy or snack from your childhood?

Nerds! Fuzzy Peaches! Cherry Blasters! Fudgeos!

5. Who is your favorite fictional character, and why?

Harry Potter for so many reasons. His courage is high on the list. Plus, Harry is incredibly sassy in the books. I appreciate that in fictional characters.

6. Do you have a TV show that is your guilty pleasure? If so which one is it?

I don’t feel guilty about any of the shows I watch! They’re all awesome.

7. Do you have a bucket list? If so what is one item on that list?

I do! We actually talked about bucket lists on Frenzy here: http://hccfrenzy.tumblr.com/post/79362120369/in-andimjulies-debut-book-side-effects-may-vary

I definitely need to relearn French.

8. Are you a Mac or PC

Can I be both? I think I’m both.

9. Do you have a favourite fictional couple?

DO I?! Yes. So many. My favourite literary couple is probably Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables.

10. What is your most anticipated movie you cannot wait to see, and why?

The Fault in Our Stars! I am going to cry so much. So much.

11. What season is your favourite, and why?

I love the fall because that’s when most of my favourite TV shows return, plus I can eat pumpkin pie after every meal and it’s at least somewhat acceptable.

12. If you could do any profession, other than your own for a day, which would it be
and why?

I think it’d be really cool to write for a TV show. I’d love to see what that’s like. Can you imagine being in The Mindy Project writer’s room for a day?

13. Who was your first ever concert?

I was way late to the concert game. My first one was Metric a few years ago.

14. Where is your favourite reading spot, and why?
My room. I tried the whole reading in a café thing and got distracted every 30 seconds by the people around me. How can I focus on reading when the teenage couple next to me is breaking up??

15. Did you have a nickname as a child? If so what was it?
Yes, but I’m not telling because it’s incredibly embarrassing!

16. What posters did you hang on your wall when you were younger?
I had a shocking number of cat posters, plus posters of BSB, Spice Girls and my favourite Bollywood actors. Also, maybe a Hanson poster?

17. What is your favourite genre to read, and why?

I don’t have just one, but I definitely read a lot of adult fiction and contemporary YA. 


18. If you could describe yourself as a potato chip flavour, why would it be and why?

This is an interesting question that I have to think about. Possibly spicy Doritos? What
flavor would you be? (I think I would be Cool Ranch...cause you know I'm so cool LOL)





19. Do you agree with the notion that over time, ebooks will eliminate print books?

Nope!

20. What book are you most looking forward to reading this year?

Falling into Place (which I actually literally just finished and am in love with!)

BONUS!

Who would you love to see fill out this survey?

Kaiti Vincent!



Suman is one of the lovely women behind HCCFrenzy. They are the Social Media Teen team of HarperCollins Canada.

They LOVE talking about teen books, and book related news in general! So if you haven't already you should follow them! Links Below!

 Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram






HCCFrenzy had some amazing books coming out in the next few weeks, and I have highlighted a few below!



When the picture tells the story…

Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.

As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?

This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.

Add to Goodreads 

The thrilling conclusion to In the After, the survival story of Amy and Baby, set in a near future where Earth has been overrun by vicious, predatory creatures.

It’s been three months since Amy escaped New Hope, and she’s been surviving on her own, like she did in the After. Until one day, her former fellow Guardian’s voice rings out in her earpiece. And in a desperate tone, Kay utters the four words Amy had hoped she would never hear: Dr. Reynolds has Baby.

Now it’s a race against time, for Baby is in imminent danger, her life threatened by the malevolent doctor who had helped start the end of the world. In order to save Baby, Amy must make her way to Fort Black, a prison-turned-survivor-colony, where she will need to find Ken, Kay’s brother. He alone holds the key to Baby’s survival.

One small slip-up on this quest could spark a downward spiral that would not only cost Baby and Amy their lives, but threaten the very survival of the people in the After.

Add to Goodreads


She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

Add to Goodreads


Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.

The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.

I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.

All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig.I am looking for the things that are buried.

From bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption, and the moments that we leave behind.

Add to Goodreads