Tag: you

In the Absence of You: Book Blitz + Giveaway

In The Absence Of You
Sunniva Dee
Publication date: June 28th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Aishe is running. Running from the burn of a love she knows will consume her.
Running from a soul mate she’s never even met.
If only she hadn’t been hired as a merch girl for the hottest indie band on earth.
If only she’d never laid eyes on its front man, Emil—intense, sexy, and so unlike the men of her culture.
If only she hadn’t fallen onto his lips, then into his bed.
If only her flame hadn’t exploded into a full-on forest fire.
If only Emil’s heart didn’t belong to someone else.
***

Emil is running. Running from a broken heart.
Running from who he was with her.
If only Zoe hadn’t left.
If only Aishe hadn’t been right there.
If only she hadn’t been so damn gorgeous—insistent—different.
If only he could control himself around her.
If. Only.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Excerpt:

AISHE

I come from a family that burns with love. You wouldn’t understand unless you were one of us. I’m not just talking my father and my mother—I’m talking every one of my ancestors. It’s in our genetic build to spend all of our energy on love.

Once we come of age, it strikes and blazes with a fire that eats you alive. This love is a plague that boils in my race and in my culture, and I wouldn’t know a different way unless I’d broken free and seen strangers love with milder flames.

Tonight, my eyes go from the merchandise on my table to the blond-headed burst of life hopping off the stage. His gaze shimmers with amusement, a cocky lip twitching as he slaps high-fives to guys and pinches girl-cheeks on his way over.

“Aishe! You got those super-tight, hot little tees with the broken heart thingy on the front? The ones the chicks dig?” he asks once he’s in front of me, Emil, the vocalist of Clown Irruption, one of the hottest alt-rock indie-bands out there. I’ve been their merch girl for a few months now. Each night, I zoom in on Emil with less and less difficulty.

“Yeah. Troll picked them up this morning,” I say referring to their tour manager.

“This is so cool—finally we see actual merch money,” Emil laughs out. Then he sets a hand to the table and squints at me. “You’ve done much better than your cousin. I mean, Shandor, man.” He shakes his head playfully. “He couldn’t draw dudes to the stand worth shit.”

My face loosens in a smile. I send a subtle glance at Shandor, who’s busy wrapping things up on stage, coiling cables and breaking down drums. To sell T-shirts wasn’t what he burned for. Shandor was born with the plague of our people too, but he hasn’t found his beloved yet. My people, we need something to obsess over, so if it’s not a man’s love for a woman or vice versa, it’s something else, and Shandor, he loves his music. Once the band promoted him from merch guy to monitors on stage, he recommended me to fill his spot, and voilà, here I am.

Shandor raises his head and stills on us, focus intent from under dark locks. He’s got a sixth sense for when guys chitchat with me. Like me, he left our traveling community years back, but the need to protect any girl of our people is so deep-rooted I doubt he ever questions it. Shandor would do everything in his power to stop any man, employer or not, from toying with his little cousin.

I straighten so that I’m tall for my height. Though I’m not overly curvy, I’m lean and strong. Supposedly, I’m also fiery, a bit fierce, a bit ferocious, traits that make me who I am, traits I don’t need here in the outside world as opposed to amongst those I was born to.

I intimidate most men with the stance I take right now, but I can’t intimidate Shandor. He glares, telling me without words what not to do, and next he pierces his stare into Emil’s back. Oblivious, Emil juts his index finger at the case of lukewarm beers behind me, wiggles it back and forth quickly, lips pursed in anticipation. “Hand over one of those babies, will ya?”

Gypsies fighting for man teaser

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Author Bio:

Between studies, teaching, and advising, Sunniva has spent her entire adult life in a college environment. Most of her novels are new adult romance geared toward smart, passionate readers with a love for eclectic language and engaging their brain as well as their heart while reading.

Born in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the author spent her early twenties making the world her playground. Southern Europe: Spain, Italy, Greece–Argentina: Buenos Aires, in particular. The United States finally kept her interest, and after half a decade in Los Angeles, she now lounges in the beautiful city of Savannah.

Sometimes, Sunniva writes with a paranormal twist (Shattering Halos, Stargazer, and Cat Love). At other times, it’s contemporary (Pandora Wild Child, Leon’s Way, Adrenaline Crush, Walking Heartbreak, and Dodging Trains, coming in late March 2016).

This author is the happiest when her characters let their emotions run off with them, shaping her stories in ways she never foresaw. She loves bad-boys and good-boys run amok, and like in real life, her goal is to keep the reader on her toes until the end of each story.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Tsu.co

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Giveaway (INTL)

  • $50 gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review: My Map of You by Isabelle Broom

my map of you

Title: My Map of You
Author: Isabelle Broom
Publisher: Penguin
Date: April 21st, 2016
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: from Publisher for a review

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Holly Wright has had a difficult few years. After her mother’s death, she’s become expert at keeping people at a distance – including her boyfriend, Rupert.

But when Holly receives an unexpected letter explaining that an aunt she never met has left her a house on the Greek island of Zakynthos, the walls she has built begin to crumble. Arriving on the island, Holly meets the handsome Aidan and slowly begins to uncover the truth about the secret which tore her family apart.

But is the island where Holly really belongs? Or will her real life catch up with her first?

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Review:

It has been weeks since I first finished reading this book, and days sicne I finished it for the second time and still, I am trying to pull myself together and write the review that will make you see how much I love and appreciate this story.

I don’t have the recipe for the perfect novel (if I did, I’d become a best-selling novelist myself, or any kind of novelist in that matter), but I do know what kind of ingredients I like in my books.
And guess what?
This book has all of them.

I will try not to go into too many details because I don’t won’t for this review to have a lenght of a novella, but I will try to explain what I liked in the best way that I know.

Fist, and the best part of this book is the writer’s ability to describe the place in such a beautiful way.
Her writing style amazed me and the way she used words to express the beauty of Greece, landscape and all those little things that we see in our every-day life, was like she had the ability to transport us there, on those pages, or at least she awoked the desire of a reader to be there, in that story, and see the beauty for himself.

When Holly and Aiden were on the boat, looking at the stars, I wanted to be there with them, and see those stars with my own eyes, because I don’t believe the stars were ever that beautiful as they were in that moment.

Second, Broom described the chemistry between the two characters in very realistic and yet very passionate way. The tension was almost touchable and those swoon-worthy scenes were, in some way, compelling.

Third, the characters were gray. And when I say, I mean they are as gray as they can be. They have many flaws, they make mistakes that they are aware of, they do feel guilty, they do get lost, but they also have dozens of good qualities and everything boiled together in one pot make them realistic.

In one particular scene, our main character finds herself judging and deprecating the other character, but then it hits her she did even worse thing and the guilt washes over her and stops her from saying anything.
That is just one scene, but the book is full of similar situations that show us the nature of characters.

Also (really not key attribute but to me, personally, pretty important) Aiden, one of the main characters and love interest in some way, has ginger hair, which is so rare in books I read that I welcomed that little component whole-heartedly.
I feel like women’s fiction genre is full of dark macho men and every „diversity“ in that aspect I salute!

There’s one more thing I have to stress out: My Map of You is full od secondary characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with (her boyfriend Rupert especially).

Fourth (and now we come to the hardest part of expressing my feelings), this book covers some really important issues, and one in particular that coused all the emotions to arouse and come over me.
I am not sure how much can I tell without spoiling the story, so I will say that this story doesn’t follow only our main character, but also her deceased mother who’s story we learn, in some parts from Holly herself, and in some parts together with Holly.

Fifth, the way the story is written is amusing. In third person focussing on Holly’s POV, we follow chronological approach with with the glimpse of past, but we also get to read letters that were written by Holly’s mother, aimed for Holly’s aunt.

Overall, My Map of You is the best book I have read this year and I know I will be coming back to it many times in my life.
It is a realistic story presented in a beautiful way.
This book is an example of how a great novel should be done and, in my opinion, it wouldn’t hurt for aspiring authors to check it out.
Stephen King once said that every good (or maybe great) book demands to be read twice: first time to satisfy your curiousity and to enjoy the story, and the second time to analyse everything and see what you missed the first time you read it.

Now, after finishing this book for the second time, I can give it nothing but pure five stars rating because it deserves all the stars (any when I say stars, I refer to those beautiful stars Holly and Aiden were looking at).

5

Book Review: The Second Love of My Life by Victoria Walters

the second love

Title: The Second Love of My Life
Author: Victoria Walters
Publisher: Headline Review
Date: April 7th, 2016
Pages: 320
Format: paperback ARC
Source: Won in a giveaway

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Victoria Walters’ debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. ‘Brilliant and superior women’s fiction’Heat

In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something.

Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas.

But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four.

Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer…

Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again?

Get lost in Victoria Walters’ immensely touching debut novel, and discover a world that will capture your imagination and heart.

*Amazon RISING STAR*

Readers are falling in love with THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE:

‘A beautiful story – full of heart’ Giovanna Fletcher

‘A sobtastic story’ Red Online

‘Just darn brilliant’ Look

‘Brilliant and superior women’s fiction’ Heat

‘Heartbreaking and heart-awakening’ Lisa Dickenson

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Review:

„ But the problem with moments is when you know you won’t have any more of them, they become infinitely more significant.
…
I wish I had treasured the moments more at the time but that’s the problem with moments, you never know when you are about to have your last one.“

 

The Second Love of my Life is a story about a young woman named Rose who lost the man she supposed to spend her life with. Two years after the horrible accident that left her without her husband, she is still trying to pick up the pieces of herself.

Saying that I liked this book would feel like underrating it. Saying that I loved it would still feel like underrating it.
That is the problem when it comes to reviewing a book you feel like is one of the best pieces you have read in months.
No matter how hard you try to put your feelings out there, you just feel like there’s no review that could do it justice.

I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to read this book and to discover this amazing writer while she is still a debut author.
Victoria Walter’s writing style is so beautiful and I have a feeling we will read a lot of her work in the future. At least I hope we will.

She captured Rose‘s inner struggle in such a beautiful and yet realistic way, that I, as a reader, wanted to transform myself there, in an imaginary town called Talting, and be there for her.
It was hard at some parts reading how terrible Rose had felt, but at the same time, there was beauty in it.
Reading this book was a bautiful experiance.
Books like this one are the reason why I read.

I liked every character in this book, which is a rare thing for me.
I already read Walter’s short story The Summer I Met You (and I liked it) in which we follow Rose’s best friend Emma. Even though I liked her there, I can honestly say that I liked her here, as a side character, even more.

I loved the atmosphere in this book. Reading about small towns and it’s residents are what I usually enjoy and reading about Talting was no exception.

However, my favorite part in this book was the one that’s taking place in Scotland.
The reason for that is not the place, but the realisation that came to a certain character there.

Overall, reading The Second Love of My Life was an emotional ride I am glad I took.
I am so happy I discovered this author and I can’t wait to read her next book, even though I don’t know when that will be.
At this point, it doesn’t even matter, because this book convinced me that it will be worth waiting for it.
In the meantime, I am sure I will re-read The Second Love of My Life few times (or more).

4,75

Spring Reading: 10 books I want to read this Spring

Happy first day of Spring, everyone!!!

I did some blog hopping these days, and got an inspiration for this post.
I know this was a theme for TTT, but since I don’t do TTT and I still wanted to write about my Spring reads, I decided that first day of Spring would be a perfect day..

My main inspiration came from the post by Liv from curlyhairbibliophile .

Without further ado, these are 10 books I want to read this Spring:

 

  1. The Second Love of my Life by Victoria Walters

the second love

This book comes out on April 7th. I already read it’s short story prequel, The Summer I Met You (you can read my review here) and liked it very much, so I can’t wait to see what Walters cooked for us in her full-lenght debut.
I hear this women’s fiction story is a real tearjerker so I’ll make sure to prepare some tissues for myself.

 

2. The Winner’s Triology by Marie Rutkoski

winners

I want to read this series for some time now and, since the last book is coming out soon, I figured it would be the best to just marathon the whole series. I want to do it ASAP, so that’s the reason why I’m choosing to read it this Spring.

 

3. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

the raven

Another series I want to marathon. First thing that bought me as a reader is the gorgeous cover for the last book in the series (yes, I know, I am shallow like that).
Second thing is, one of my favorite booktubers, Daniella from Pixie Tonic chanel said this is the best ya series outthere at this very moment, and I trust her opinion more they anyone’s.

 

4. Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello

Summer Nights at Moonlight hotel

My favorite author is coming out with her new book on March 24th. This book is the first one from this list that I’ll be reading, and I plan to do that on it’s releasing day, if TBD delivers it on time. I am too excited for this one!

 

5. The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

the glittering court

Another book I plan to read on it’s releasing day, April 5th (if TBD delivers it on time, that is!). Richelle Mead is also one of my all-time favorite authors and I can’t wait to see what she prepared for us this time!

 

6. Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen

warrior witch

My favorite on-going series is coming to an end and I can’t wait to see how it all’s going to wrap up, but am also sad to say goodbye to this world and it’s characters.
I am sure this series will be the one I’ll re-read many times in my life.

 

7. I heart London by Lindsey Kelk

I heart london

I am the worst reader ever, because this is my favorite chick-lit series and I still haven’t finished it.
I just HEART Angela Clark and Jenny Lopez and can’t wait to hang out with them again this Spring.

 

8. The Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

girl against

I simply can’t wait for this ya contemporary to come out. It sounds like it is written for me and I hope it will live up to my expectations. This one comes out on May 17th.

 

9. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

anne

This classic is the one I want to read very soon. I never got the chance to read it in my native language, so I bought it in English. I can’t wait to see how I’ll like the book that is loved by so many people in the world.

 

10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

pride

Once again I am the worst reader ever. This book that is loved by so many people in the world is the one that is still not on my “read” list.
I plan to change that this Spring in a hope that I’ll like it.

 

What books do you plan to read this Spring?
Tell me all about it in comments. 🙂

Waiting on Wendesday (#8): P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

wow

Waiting on Wendesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait to read.

This week I am eagerly anticipating:

p.s. i like you

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Publisher: Point

Publication Date: July 26th, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she’s flustered — and kind of feels like she’s falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer — but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

Why am I waiting?

If you know me for some time now, you know that I often like to say that Kasie West is my ya contemporary queen.
I read all of her contemporary books so far and loved every single one of them.
Her books always put me in great mood, I love to reread them and I can’t get enough of her writing.
She also creates awesome characters that I want to befriend with.

Overall, when it comes to this genre, I can’t imagine anyone doing it better then West.

I just can’t wait to see what she cooked for us in her new novel.
I just KNOW I’ll devour this story!

Author Website * Amazon UK * Amazon US * Goodreads * The Book Depository

Three Days Three Quotes: Day 2

I was nominated for Three Days Three Quotes Challenge by lovely Joy from For Book’s Sake.

For my day two, I choose the book by one of my favorite authors: Katie McGarry.

crash into you

And since I love this book so much, I decided to cheat and post not one, not two, but FOUR quotes today, all from Crash Into You.

Here they are (and they are NOT in order, to avoid any potential spoilers):

‘ “Because He said I was either breathing fire and destroying everything or I took the fire inside of me and created life.” 
“Created life?”
“Fire can destroy, but it can also create – provide warmth, protection.” I still remember him explaining when I asked the same question. “He told me until I chose my path, I would always be capable of life and destruction.” ‘

“What people project to the world never shows what’s lurking on the inside.”

“Life isn’t made-for-television movies or books with happy-ever-afters. Sometimes the choices we’re presented with are bad or worse.”

“Joy blossoms through me, from my toes up into the rest of my blood to the point that I look down to see if I’m flying.”

Today, I nominate:

Annika from Hiding in Books

Amanda from ChocolatePages and

Geraldine from Corralling Books .

Bullet Short Stoy Review: The Summer I Met You by Victoria Walters

the summer

Title: The Summer I Met You
Author: Victoria Walters
Publisher: Headline Review
Date: February 11th, 2016
Pages: 65
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Escape to Cornwall and meet the characters of Talting in this wonderful digital short story and prequel to Victoria Walters’ captivating debut novel, THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE.

This is a summer romance that will last a lifetime…

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Review:

„In that moment he made me as if we had lifted off from the ground and were dancing amongst the stars.“

What you need to know about this short story:

  • It is a prequel to Victoria Walter’s debut novel The Second Love of My Life, that comes out this April.
  • It is written in first person, from the perspective of a young girl called Emma.
  • Emma is telling the story in two different time periods: now and then, which are separated by the three months period.
  • The Summer I Met You is a story of falling in love.
  • Although Emma and her love interest, John, are main characters in this story, they are not main characters in the full-leight novel that follows this story.
  • Main character in The Secon Love of My Life is Rose, Emma’s best friend, and we get to meet her in this prequel.

What you should be warned about:the second love

  • It contains insta-love (which is not a bad thing, from my perspective).
  • Not all 65 pages of this ebook are an actual story, some of them are a part of an exclusive extract from The Second Love of My Life.

What I liked about this book:

  • The writing style is worth to be commended
  • The way the writer describes places is just so realistic and beautiful at the same time. I could’t help but imagine Emma’s room, the view to the sea and the smell of pigs and cows in the air, it was like being there partly.
  • Both setting were just amazing.
  • Characters were likeable, especially Rose and her husband Lucas.

What I’d like to change in this piece of work:

  • I only wish it was a bit longer so we could watch how Emma and John’s love was developing and how they spent time that Summer.

Overall, the purpose of this short story is to introduce us to characters from The Second Love of my Life. In that purpose, it succeeded.
When I say I can’t wait to read Walter’s debut novel, I mean it wholeheartedly. I really enjoyed this story and find the writing style so beautiful and appealing that I just can’t wait to see what the writer is going to present us in her full-leight book.

Even though this is a prequel, it can be read on it’s own and I think if you decide to give it a try, you will probably enjoy it. I know I did.

4

Waiting on Wendesday (# Lucky 7): Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane

wow

Waiting on Wendesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait to read.

This week I am eagerly anticipating:

who's that girl

Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: April 7th, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

An achingly funny story from the author of the bestselling YOU HAD ME AT HELLO

What’s the one thing you DON’T do at a wedding?

When Edie is caught in a compromising position at her colleagues’ wedding, all the blame falls on her – turns out that personal popularity in the office is not that different from your schooldays. Shamed online and ostracised by everyone she knows, her boss suggests an extended sabbatical – ghostwriting an autobiography for hot new acting talent, Elliot Owen. Easy, right?

Wrong. Banished back to her home town of Nottingham, Edie is not only dealing with a man who probably hasn’t heard the word ‘no’ in a decade, but also suffering an excruciating regression to her teenage years as she moves back in with her widowed father and judgey, layabout sister.

When the world is asking who you are, it’s hard not to question yourself. Who’s that girl? Edie is ready to find out.

Why am I waiting?

When I saw one of my favorite authors, Lindsey Kelk, talk about this book and say she feels an “author jaleousy” when it comes to McFarlane’s writing, I knew I had to check it out. I mean, when an amazing author says she wishes she could write like that, that has to be something, right?

The premise of this book sounds really interesting and the sentence “Will make you laugh out loud.” makes me want to read it even more.

This chick-lit should be over 500 pages long, which means I’ll probalby spend a lot of time having fun while reading it.
I just can’t wait to finally read it!

Author Website * Amazon UK * Amazon US * Goodreads * The Book Depository