Demanding Ransom Tour Stop: Guest Post + Giveaway

Today as part of the Demanding Ransom Blog Tour - Kismet Book Touring - I've got the lovely Megan Squires on the blog with some fun facts about herself! She loves Breaking Bad, so now we're BFFs! Have a look and enter to win before you go! :)

Demanding Ransom
Megan Squires

Genre: New Adult Romance
Publication date: June 2013

Sometimes life takes things away from you. In nineteen-year-old Maggie Carson’s case, it’s taken more than its fair share.

Determined to move forward, Maggie embarks on her first year of college, hoping to finally put her past behind her, exactly where it belongs.

But that’s hard to do when the present is just as difficult. And even harder when someone like Ran, the gorgeous paramedic that keeps crossing Maggie’s path, challenges her to face things head on, rather than bury them like she always does.

Ran hasn’t had a perfect life either. But there’s something different about him, and something different about the way he makes Maggie feel. Maybe meeting Ran is life’s little gift for Maggie—a sort of consolation prize for enduring everything she's had to go through.

But things don’t come easy for Maggie. Why should love be the exception? And just when everything starts to settle, it’s all turned on its head once again.

If there is one thing Ran has taught Maggie, it’s that you can’t sit on the sidelines of your own existence. When life takes something that’s yours, you have every right to demand it back.

Only for Maggie, that is easier said than done.

Guest Post by Megan Squires

---

---

10 Random Facts About Megan Squires (in no particular order)

I have never seen any of the original Star Wars. Or any Indiana Jones. Or The Sound of Music. Call me un-American if you will. I did, however, seen the Baz Lurhmann  Romeo and Juliet seven times in the movie theater. So I think that proves that I’m not only a bit of a creature of habit, but when I like something I tend to become a bit obsessed.


I was an International Relations major in college, yet have never really traveled internationally.  Well, that’s not entirely true. I did go to Costa Rica for two weeks when I was in my early twenties, but other than that, I’m a bit of a homebody.

I photograph newborn babies for a living. For the past five years, I’ve been a photographer and have a studio where I get to snuggle and photograph brand new babies. Other than writing, I think I have the best job on earth.

I write about my life. Sort of. I typically can’t get away from pulling past experiences into my stories. The snowboard scene in Demanding Ransom where they shut down the lift? Yeah. That happened. Luckily, it was with my best friend and not a guy, but still mortifying nonetheless.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I was a Diet Coke addict. As in I would wake up and have a can every morning (and then several more throughout the day). Then I just decided to quite cold turkey. After getting past the initial few days of caffeine withdrawals, it wasn’t as difficult to kick as I thought it would be.

My first book boyfriend was Noah Calhoun from the Notebook. And I think he’ll always have a piece of my heart, though Jace Lightwood and Augustus Waters have successfully edged their way in.

This September I’ll celebrate my 10-year anniversary with my hubby.  And we’ll be going to Italy, so I can finally put all the international relating to use!

I wrote my first book on a whim. My best friend had just finished reading the Hunger Games and she said she needed another “escape” book, so I thought, “Hey, why not?” I was up that night outlining what later became Traced.

I’m obsessed with Breaking Bad. And have an unhealthy addiction to Jesse Pinkman. So excited for the final season to start in August!

I wrote Demanding Ransom in just under 30 days. I still don’t know how I did that, especially when I look at The Rules of Regret (my current work) and see that I’ve been writing it since February. I guess when inspiration hit, it really slugged me with that one!

About the Author

---

---

Megan's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Megan Squires lives with her husband and two children just outside of Sacramento, California. A graduate from the University of California, Davis, Megan is now a full-time mother, wife, and dreamer – though her characters don’t often give her much opportunity to sleep.

This post is part of the Demanding Ransom blog tour:

Monday, June 24th - Just Reading For Fun 
Tuesday, June 25th - Nose Graze
Wednesday, June 26th - The Irish Banana
Thursday, June 27th - Proserpine Graving Books
Friday, June 28th - The Bookswarm

Monday, July 1st - Bewitched Bookworms
Tuesday, July 2nd Supernatural Snark 
Wednesday, July 3rd - Krista's Dusk Jacket 
Thursday, July 4th - Basia's Book Shelf 
Friday, July 5th - Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Monday, July 8th - Rose's Book Corner
Tuesday, July 9th - Confessions From Romaholics
Wednesday, July 10th - Xpresso Reads
Thursday, July 11th - The Book Cellar
Friday, July 12th - Selkie Reads Stories 

Review + Playlist: This Love by Nazarea Andrews

Perfectly timed for summer, the This Love blog tour is dropping by today. This is a great summer romance for New Adult fans. Why don't you have a look at my review, and then you can check out the playlist for the book to put you in the mood! :)

This Love
Nazarea Andrews

Series: University of Branton #1
Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: June 25th 2013
by A&A Literary

She wants a summer job and a ride to a wedding.

He wants an assistant and a distraction from the mess his life had become.

They didn't know they needed each other.

Avery Emili needs two grand. Two grand and a plane ticket--her sister is counting on her to get to Jamaica for her wedding. But the semester is over, and tutoring college freshman and high school students has dried up until the fall.

Atticus Grimes needs help--the messy split with his wife left the twenty-eight year old professor scrambling to keep things together as the semester winds down. Now he's got a research grant he has to actually do research for and all he wants to do is drown himself in a tall bottle of bourbon.

When Avery sees his ad for an assistant, all she's thinking is a summer job. But as they spend time together, in the office and out, both of them begin to realize something is there. Something that can't happen--he's a professor and she's a student. And both of them have histories, pasts that won’t let go. Can two broken people pulled apart by expectations find a way to be whole?

-A copy was provided by Nazarea Andrews for review-

A perfect for summer read, This Love is a forbidden love story involving a student and a professor that you know is doomed before it begins, yet you keep hoping, denying the fact that the end of their crazy, sexy summer is coming.

The beginning of this book was a little rough for me and left me uncertain as to if I would enjoy it. The story is told through a dual POV that switches quite often and abruptly which can take a while to get used to. Eventually I did get into the flow of it, though, and stopped even noticing. Another worry was how fast it was going. I don't mean the relationship itself as in insta-love, I mean the timeline passing by. In only the first 15%, weeks have passed while they meet, flirt, tease, make out, insist it can't happen again, fight impulses, make out some more, become text buddies, etc. I felt like all of that was a big blur. Fortunately the book does slow to a steadier pace in the midst of their relationship, letting us savor the best part of their summer - which is also the part that bears the most emotion.

I was surprised by how emotionally connected I became to these characters and their relationship after that speedy start. It first gives the impression that the book stays on the surface of emotional impact with underdeveloped, but fun, characters -- which can be ok for a light summer read. Instead, though, I found myself broken up over this doomed relationship of theirs and reveling in their happy moments. It became an up and down roller coaster ride with just the right amount of heart and tears. Both Avery and Atticus are likeable characters with problems and insecurities that are easy to relate to. The characters could use some tightening up, especially the secondary roles, but as the book focuses on the here and now it's not a big deal that we don't get a full three dimensional look at their individual lives.

Now, let's fixate on Atticus a moment - not hard to do, believe me. This is the kind of love interest I wish all books would aim for, not the pompous jerks we often get. Don't get me wrong, Atticus is not flawless, he's got insecurities and fears of his own, and an ex wife who's a total bag of farts. Most importantly, I love how deeply he cares for everyone in his life: his sister, his best friend, Avery. And how he loves without barriers. Another thing to note is how open they are with each other. They do keep some secrets about their past relationships at first - understandably - but we finally get a couple who communicate instead of assume and overreact. How refreshing! Level headed characters take the win! And just a heads up - this is a New Adult book with a mature, adult relationship, meaning there are (many and hot) graphic sex scenes.

This Love is a sweet, fun, and sexy beach read that I recommend to those who can't get enough of forbidden romances!

4 Hot Espressos

Playlist for This Love, by Nazarea Andrews

---

---

I write to music—a lot of music, and often times, Pandora channels keep me going while I’m drafting. But there are always a handful of songs that really stand out and remind me acutely of the characters and that list becomes my playlist.

Here is the playlist for This Love

Ours--Taylor Swift This is the theme song for the entire book, and where I found the title.

Skyscrapper--Demi loveatto. I loved the beauty and just general feeling of this song—it reminded me of Avery and I spent a lot of time listening to it when writing her point of view.

There Ain't Nothing--Brooks and Dunn.  When I heard this song on my husband’s phone after writing Atticus, I knew it summed up everything he felt for Avery.

Fix a Heart--Demi lovato This is for both Atti and Avery, separately. Both have had their hearts broken, and it definitely speaks to that.

Summer Love-- One Direction As This Love is a summer romance, it should be kinda obvious.

Springsteen--Eric Church It doesn’t speak to any particular scene or person, but it was played often and I loved it while writing.

Nobody Compares--One Direction How Atticus feels about Avery.

Should have Kissed You—Glorianna What Avery/Atticus feel most nights after work.

About the Author

---

---

Nazarea's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog

Review + Giveaway: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend
Louise Rozett

Series: Confessions #2
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: June 25th 2013
by Harlequin Teen

Rose Zarelli has big plans for sophomore year—everything is going to be different. This year, she’s going to be the talented singer with the killer voice, the fabulous girl with the fashionista best friend, the brainiac who refuses to let Jamie Forta jerk her around...

...but if she’s not careful, she’s also going to be the sister who misses the signals, the daughter who can only think about her own pain, the “good girl” who finds herself in mid-scandal again (because no good deed goes unpunished) and possibly worst of all...the almost-girlfriend.

When all else fails, stop looking for love and go find yourself

-A copy was provided by Harlequin Teen for review-

*Spoiler free for the series*

After enjoying Confessions of an Angry Girl more than I expected to, I'm happy to report that this is a strong sequel with impressive character growth. I may even have enjoyed it more than the first.

What surprised me in the first book was the amount of depth there was to the story. You think it will be this whiny drama-filled book, but while there is definite drama, everything feels so realistic and raw. The protagonist, Rose, does come off as someone very confused at first, especially in the first book. She's mean to herself and lacks self confidence, in this sequel, however, her character comes out of her shell and she finds where she truly belongs; where she wants to belong. I loved this dramatic change in her. She's realizing that being like everyone else is not what will make her happy. She figures out who she's really meant to be and takes the leap, transforming into a confident, passionate girl who had me cheering her on. Her supporting characters don't let down either. We have the same old charismatic friends who bring it up a notch. With everyone a year older, we have louder, more distinguished personalities of people who are... can I be cheesy and say "spreading their wings"? >.< My favorite side character is Angelo; he just amuses me. Though Tracy is pretty fabulous, too!

As for the romance... GAH! It's just as frustrating as the first if not moreso. It's realistic in its high school-ish mess, I'll give you that, but it has me wishing Rose would let Jamie go. He has obvious issues and plenty of secrets, I don't trust him nor his intentions. It feels like he's stringing Rose along just because he can - exactly as Conrad told her. They do have swoony chemistry, but he either has to give in or leave her alone. I think Rose is finally thinking the same way by the end, at least, so hopefully in the next book she'll kick him to the curb if he doesn't figure himself out stat! I'm actually hoping she ends up with Angelo to be honest. That guy is just so caring and... uncomplicated. I think that's exactly what she needs.

The first book touched a lot on Rose's grief from the death of her father, this sequel follows this largely through emotionally charged therapy sessions with Rose and her mother who are both struggling with anger and heartache. Her brother is more present as well; we learn what changed him so much since starting college while he reconnects with his family. Family oriented books always touch my heart. I found the complicated relationships to be full of realistic conflict and heartfelt emotions. Furthermore, we also explore some serious topics in this book: anti-gay bullying, drugs, physical abuse. Each one is handled skillfully without being cheesy after school special-ish or stereotypical. It's honest, even a little gritty. It all adds up to being a surprisingly profound novel.

Confessions is a perfectly balanced series with just enough drama, just enough humor, and just enough emotion to get us invested without being overwhelmed. I'd recommend it for when you're looking for a quick, vibrant read speckled with life's turmoils.

4 Hot Espressos

Find my review of Confessions of an Angry Girl 14, here!

This post is a part of:

(Click on banner for full tour schedule)

Review: Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

Truly, Madly, Deadly
Hannah Jayne

Genre: YA Thriller
Publication date: July 2nd 2013
by Sourcebooks Fire

Sawyer Dodd has it all. She's a star track athlete, choir soloist, and A-student. And her boyfriend is the handsome all-star Kevin Anderson. But behind the medals, prom pictures, and perfect smiles, Sawyer finds herself trapped in a controlling, abusive relationship with Kevin. When he dies in a drunk-driving accident, Sawyer is secretly relieved. She's free. Until she opens her locker and finds a mysterious letter signed by "an admirer" and printed with two simple words: "You're welcome."

-A copy was provided by Sourcebooks for review-

A fun and creepy thriller, Truly, Madly, Deadly is a perfectly entertaining read. It does take some suspension of disbelief in certain aspects of the story, but I can see it being a hit by fans of the genre nonetheless.

Sawyer's boyfriend's death was only the beginning, it seems. Since the accident, Sawyer seems to have taken on a stalker who's set on framing her for all the accidents-ruled-murders that have been happening in her town. Aside from the aforementioned, we also have the topics of bullying and abusive relationship that Sawyer has to learn to fight through. What I liked the most about Sawyer's character was her voice; how she dealt with what was happening felt very real and emotionally gripping. The flashbacks to her past had my heart breaking for her. However, I do prefer my characters strong and feisty, and Sawyer vomited and passed out a little too much for my taste. It's understandable in her situation, but still. The side characters were just average, and I did feel like some were included to serve the lone purpose of having extra suspects to try to derail us. It did work to a certain extent as I suspected most of them at least once, but it becomes apparent who the true culprit is if you put your mind to it. The author uses a familiar (to me) angle that makes it easy to pinpoint when you've read as many murder mysteries as I have.

As I mentioned, the plot is very entertaining with a lot of creepy instances that you can expect from your run-of-the-mill stalker mystery. It's also a quick read with a steady pacing that makes it easy to fly through. There were a few things from the plot that stood out as a bit unrealistic to me, though. For instance, Sawyer wants to know more about a few of the crimes so, at the police station after falsely claiming an interview (homework) was left for her, she is given the OK by an office to rummage freely through another cop's work desk, after which she finds and takes confidential case files and other personal police papers that were laid-out on it. No way would an officer allow a teenage girl to "look for her homework" on a detective's desk by herself like that. Yes I know this is very specific but I watch a lot of cop shows and it annoyed me. Another thing I have difficulty believing is how the killer could have achieved one of the killings. It would take some serious ability to put a dead body in such a position by oneself. I'm not saying it's impossible with adrenaline and careful planning, but it's still a stretch - in this case especially but I can't argue this further without spoilers.

Truly Madly Deadly did have its problems for me, but in the end I can honestly say that I had fun reading it. It's definitely a decent thriller that amounted to a few chills and thrills along the way.

3 Hot Espressos

Review: SYLO by D.J. MacHale

 SYLO
 D.J. MacHale

Series: SYLO #1
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Publication date: July 2nd 2013
by Razorbill

Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?

Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.

It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late.  

-A copy was provided by Penguin Canada for review-

Almost a 4 star, SYLO starts off as your run of the mill YA sci-fi mystery but it ends up being much more complex than expected. I did really enjoy it, but I found that 1) we didn't get enough answers even for a first book in a series and 2) it could have done with 50 or so less pages - which is likely linked to 1).

A strong aspect of this novel is how the beginning chapters really pull you into the story. Being engaged from the start is a wanted feat that is not often achieved. MacHale does this by getting right into the sudden deaths happening on Tucker's island. He then keeps it up by introducing small chapter cliffhangers every so often throughout the book, which I'm personally a sucker for. Barring that, however, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. Some of it simply felt off for supposedly being the voice of a 14 year old. And some of it felt cliché; for instance, the frequent use of "suspenseful" sentences like:

""Thirty yards!" Kent called out.
...as the machine gun behind us opened fire.
We were about to cross the stern of the flaming destroyer when...
"Now!" Tori called."

"I eased the wheel to port, made the gentle turn and...
...my moment of peace instantly vanished."

I know this critique is more of a personal preference but there were a lot of these suspension points throughout that I found cheesy. Another small quirk is how, during normal conversations, a character was said to "scream" or "shout". Either the author was hoping for a heightened tone effect, or these islanders are really freaking intense (and loud)!

"I think we're making a big mistake." Quinn said.
"Seriously?" I shouted. "Now you're having second thoughts?"
-Sounds like a shouting match, don't it? (It's not.)

Our male protagonist, Tucker, is your average teenager who likes his simple island living, so when it gets quarantined and people start dying, he gets a little restless. Tucker is an average character; he's not someone who's especially memorable long term, but I didn't dislike him. Same goes for the secondary characters. While most were charismatic, I didn't get emotionally attached to them - which is proven by my lack of reaction when one of them dies. I did grow the most connected to Tori, one of the main secondary characters. I loved that she's a tough girl who's able to fend for herself; her intelligence, strength, and bravery shine through.

The plot itself is what's truly entertaining in SYLO, and does make up for the aforementioned qualms, some. There is a ton of mystery from the get go, the sudden deaths being the first of many. There are unexplained aircraft hovering about - one of which explodes right in from of Tucker, never to appear in the news. Bizarre drugs that turn people into temporary supermen. Then there's how insanely far the military is going to make sure no one leaves escapes. With an abundance of secrets on this island, it's unfortunate that we become privy to very few answers by the end, though. I wish we'd gotten further into the bottom of it all; we barely scratched the surface. For that reason, I think the book could have been shortened 50 pages or so to stop the non-answers from dragging at times - it was not excessively so, but it did feel lengthy. At least the ending does show us how deep this bottom goes, and I really liked where the author went with it.

SYLO is what I would consider a boy book; a male protagonist, a lot of football talk, missiles, explosions, plenty of death, fighter planes, warships, and a kick-ass climactic battle at sea. Everything a boy-book loving girl like myself could ask for!

3 Hot Espressos

Hidden by Catherine McKenzie: Meet the Characters!

As part of the Hidden blog tour, today I've got the wonderful Catherine McKenzie dropping by to introduce us to her characters. This books sounds great and the fact that it was blurbed by the author of On The Island intrigues me even further! So let's see what it's all about! :)

Hidden
Catherine McKenzie

Publication date: June 18th 2013
by HarperCollins

When a married man suffers a sudden fatal accident, two women are shattered—his wife and someone else's—and past secrets, desires and regrets are brought to light

While walking home from work one evening, Jeff Manning is struck by a car and killed. Not one but two women fall to pieces at the news: his wife, Claire, and his co-worker Tish. Reeling from her loss, Claire must comfort her grieving son and contend with funeral arrangements, well-meaning family members and the arrival of Jeff’s estranged brother—her ex-boyfriend—Tim.

With Tish’s co-workers in the dark about her connection to Jeff outside the workplace, she volunteers to attend the funeral on the company’s behalf, but only she knows the true risk of inserting herself into the wreckage of Jeff’s life. Told through the three voices of Jeff, Tish and Claire, Hidden explores the complexity of relationships, our personal choices and the responsibilities we have to the ones we love.

Guest Post by Catherine McKenzie

---

---

Character Profiles

There are three main characters is HIDDEN.

                                                           Jeff               

Jeff is 39, married, the father of a twelve-year-old boy named Seth. He loves golf and numbers and his hometown, Springfield. Wait, that sounds boring. He's not boring. He's smart and funny and caring, but he's not perfect. He loves his wife and kid. He also loves Han Solo. And maybe (you'll have to read to find out) his co-worker, Tish. Ideal casting choice (these are always so hard!): Clive Owen, because he's, you know, Clive Owen, and if he was cast, maybe I'd get to meet him.

                Claire                                                   

Claire is 40, married to Jeff, the mother of Seth. She used to be a lawyer but now she runs a daycare.
She loves music and is a dedicated piano player. She is warm and kind and very close with her sister, Beth. She loves Jeff, but she has some unresolved issues in her past love live because she, wait for it, used to date Jeff's brother. Oh, yeah. There's drama here. Ideal casting choice (seriously, really hard): Jennifer Connelly.

                                                        Tish               

Tish is 39, married, the mother of an eleven-year-old child prodigy, Zoey. She's a little bit lost in life. She's naturally good at things, golf, writing, but she doesn't have the drive (pun intended) to make anything of herself. Not that she's sure she wants to make anything of herself. She hates her job, but ever since she met Jeff, it's been bearable. She knows something's missing in her life and she's trying to figure out what. Ideal casting choice: Rachel Weisz.

About the Author

---

---

Catherine's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill University and McGill Law School, Catherine practices law in Montreal. An avid runner and skier, she's the author of the international bestsellers SPIN, ARRANGED and FORGOTTEN. Her fourth novel, HIDDEN, will be published in June, 2013

This post is part of the Hidden Canadian blog tour:

Review + Giveaway: The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

The Trouble With Goodbye
Sarra Cannon

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: May 21st 2013

One night can change everything…

Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known.

Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her.

With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.

That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.

Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.

-A copy was provided by Sarra Cannonfor review-

The reason behind the 3 stars for this book is due less to dissatisfaction, than to it not standing above the rest. I enjoyed the story, I liked the characters, and the writing was good, I just didn't find it differentiated itself from the countless similar stories I've read in this genre.

Girl comes back from a terrible college semester, girl meets boy, girl and boy are obviously both broken, boy helps girl find her way out of her dark place. It didn't take long for me to put this whole story together and figure out what happened to Leigh Anne. I think this is done a little purposefully, though; how we're made to be aware of what happened before we're told explicitly. It does help to get us emotionally involved to some extent, making us immediately sympathetic towards our protagonist. Since we know what she's burdened with, this helps understand her character somewhat as well. Nonetheless, I found myself not especially connecting with her with any sort of emotional depth. Her situation, albeit extremely disheartening, didn't grasp me like I was hoping. It could be because it's a story I've read numerous times, but it could also be because Leigh Anne failed to let me in. The romance is also an aspect I neither loved nor hated. It wasn't exactly insta-love, but it did evolve into "I love yous" fairly quickly, not giving me a chance to feel it first.

Even though this plot is one I have read before, it's the kind of story you can read countless times and, since they all have different circumstances, still gets you enraptured in it. The Trouble With Goodbye was that kind of read for me. I got caught up in it pretty easily. It helped that this one was kept fun and sweet, giving us a reprieve from the darker toned books with equally hard topics. There were some minor things plot wise that annoyed me, however. The one most worthy of note is Leigh Anne's mother. I could not stand this woman whatsoever. She doesn't even deserve the title of "mother" with the disgusting way she acts in this story. Caring more about her image than what her daughter went through. Ugh! I know such cold motherly behavior does exist, but I had a hard time believing Leigh Anne's would be uncaring to such degree - not even coming through at the end at all. One thing it did offer is character growth on Leigh Anne's part, seeing as she has to unclaw herself from her dependence on her parents.

It seems like I mentioned more negatives than positives in this review, but really I did enjoy the book, I just don't have any comments in particular about it otherwise. It was a good book, it didn't blow me away due to 1) the flaws mentioned above and 2) not standing out from others I've read with this storyline. With that said, I can see those newer to the genre being easily captivated by this novel.

3 Hot Espressos

This post is a part of The Trouble With Goodbye blog tour:

Click on banner for full tour schedule!

The Sea of Tranquility Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway!

I'm very excited to have the Sea of Tranquility blog tour drop by the blog today. I loved this book - find my review here - and today I'm honored to have Katja over for an interview and you can enter to win your very own copy!

The Sea of Tranquility
Katja Millay

Publication date: June 4th 2013 (pbk)
by Atria Books

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Two and a half years after an unspeakable tragedy left her a shadow of the girl she once was, Nastya Kashnikov moves to a new town determined to keep her dark past hidden and hold everyone at a distance. But her plans only last so long before she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the one person as isolated as herself: Josh Bennett.

Josh’s story is no secret. Every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. Everyone except Nastya who won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But as the undeniable pull between them intensifies, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the mira­cle of second chances.

Interview with Katja Millay

---

---

Hi Katja,

I absolutely loved your book so I'm excited to have you visit my little place on the world wide web! :)

Thank you!  I love your blog. I appreciate you having me on today.

Q.- Let's start with something that a friend and I have been discussing lately about genres. I've seen some list your book as a New Adult, others as a Young Adult; how do you define New Adult? For instance, does it require that the character be over 18? Does it need to have sexual content? I'd like to know your take! :)

I’ve seen so many different explanations of what NA is believed to be lately.  At the moment, it seems to be widely associated with college-age romance.  However, in my mind, the term NA says more about the age of the characters and the period of life they’re experiencing than it does about the genre of the book. The characters are often making the transition from the shelter of their teenage years into the early stages of adulthood and dealing with all of the changes and growth that come at that point in life.  I think that’s one of the reasons why TSoT, although the characters are still in high school, is often considered New Adult.  Due to their unique situations, Nastya and Josh are facing some of the changes and much of the growing up that often comes later.  

It may make more sense to think of NA in much the same way we think of YA. If we consider what the term YA - or young adult - calls to mind, there isn’t the automatic assumption of a high school-based romance.  The overall conclusion is that teenagers will be present and that it is intended for that same general audience, but beyond that it can take any form.   The subject matter itself can vary widely – romance, paranormal, mystery, coming-of-age, etc.  I think of new adult the same way – as a categorization - a more mature version of young adult that doesn’t, by definition, imply sex and romance.

I don’t believe a new adult novel necessarily has to have sexual content in it.  I think the main reason many of the books being categorized as NA often do involve sex is because sex is a significant part of life at the age that the characters are so it tends to naturally play a role.  In any case, I think that the inclusion of sex should be dictated by the characters themselves and whether or not the sex is organic and is there to support the story, not vice-versa.

Q.- How difficult was it for you to write from a boy's perspective (so flawlessly, too!)?

Thank you! I appreciate that.  It was different.  I had to stay cognizant of the fact that there weren’t expressions he was using that a teenage boy wouldn’t use and that sort of thing. When I first started writing in his perspective, it was more difficult.  Once I had spent more time with him in my head, it became easier because I knew his character well enough that I was able to think in his voice.

Q.- Which perspective was the most fun for you to write?

Nastya was the most interesting character for me to write because she was snarkier and her thoughts were more unfiltered.  She was also more psychologically damaged so as a writer it was wonderful to be able to get lost in that mind and the way she viewed the world and the unique logic she employed.  I loved to delve behind the curtain there and show how the things that didn’t make sense to people on the outside made perfect sense to her.  Her mind was fascinating to me.  Also, although I wasn’t writing in his perspective, Drew was fun for me because he didn’t censor himself.

Q.- Do you have actors/pictures you used as inspiration for your characters' profile? If not, who would you love to see play them in a movie?

I actually did have a picture that I kept in mind when I was writing Nastya.  It was ripped out of an old magazine from a layout on hairstyles or something like that.  It wasn’t someone famous so I have no idea of her name but her face was haunting to me.  Eventually, once the character was more fully developed, she evolved in my mind and the image changed somewhat so she didn’t end up looking exactly like that picture but that’s where she started for me.  As for Josh, he lives in my head.  I see him in such detail and so fully formed that it’s impossible for me to fathom ever actually “finding” him.  I’ve never found a picture that even remotely fits the image I created of him.  I’m beginning to be convinced that I never will.  It’s difficult because there isn’t a plethora of well-known seventeen year old actors out there and I see Josh very much as the teenager he is.  He isn’t ultra-perfect and gorgeous in a model-type way.  He’s very real and down to earth.

Q. Can we expect a new book from you soon? *puppy eyes*

I’m writing right now but I don’t have an ETA at the moment.  I promise when I do I will shout it from the rooftops!  It’s going to be coming a little later than I originally planned.  We’re in the process of a long distance move which came unexpectedly, so unfortunately the book is on hold until we get the family settled.  It’s difficult because all I really want to be doing right now is finishing that story but when I write I need to get lost in the characters and that’s impossible with my mind in so many other places right now.  Sometimes life gets in the way.

Thanks so much!  I have been recommending Sea of Tranquility to everybody with death glares and all! :)

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Giselle!  And I appreciate the peer pressure by death glare!  That’s awesome!

About the Author

---

---

Katja's Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Katja Millay grew up in Florida and graduated with a degree in film & television production from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She has worked as a television producer, and a film studies and screenwriting teacher. Currently she resides in Florida with her family. The Sea of Tranquility is her first book.

This post is part of the Sea of Tranquility blog tour:

Review + Giveaway: Bitter Angel by Megan Hand

Bitter Angel
Megan Hand

Genre: NA Contemporary/Thriller
Publication date: April 1st 2013

Torn between two realities.
A choice that will mean life or death.
But she won’t know anything… until she wakes up.

College sophomore, Lila Spencer lived Friday night twice. She doesn’t know how or why, just that she did. As if she split in half and went in two different directions.

Out clubbing with her friends, Heather and Nilah, the girls rock it out and party hard. What begins as an innocent night will lead to a deadly fight for their lives, and Lila might be their only chance for survival.

In bed with her boyfriend, Jay, Lila is safe and warm as she drifts to sleep in the arms of the man she loves. Until she is sucked into a horrifying nightmare of her friends' deaths.

As the sunlight warms her face on Saturday morning, the two scenarios collide. But there can be only one outcome. Will she wake up in her warm bed with Jay by her side, devastated and grieving for her friends? Or was she there to save them?

The answer is just the beginning.

-A copy was provided by Megan Hand for review-

Bitter Angel was a very mixed bag for me. The first part would easily get a 4 stars; it was intriguing and exciting, it even had my heart pounding with pure adrenaline. Unfortunately the second part left a little too much to be desired, garnering only a 2 if rated separately.

Let's start at the beginning: After Lila decides to go out with her two best friends at a club, she never thought things would turn into a life or death situation involving gang rapes and abduction. What's peculiar though, is she also remembers what happens if she had stayed home with her boyfriend, and that scenario was equally terrible. Although obviously not "realistic", I found this to be very interesting. The abduction was a terrifying situation; all too real and with tons of intensity. The other reality, staying home and leaving her friends to themselves, evened this out with a sweet romantic night, but with its own consequence in the end. The action does plummet after these initial sequences, though, when Lila wakes up for her redo and the story switches gears. Mostly this next part contains exhausting inner dialogue, a lot of fidgeting, and even an instance of garbage eating.

Yes. Garbage eating. *shakes head still in disbelief* So Lila is spying on this guy, right, hiding out in a back alley, when hunger hits. It has been SO long - like, 8 hours!! - since she last ate that she can not fathom going another minute in hunger, so she jumps into the dumpster and searches through trash bags until she finds Chinese food… and eats it!

I think my barf just barfed!

"It's smelly, but what leftover Chinese isn't? I decide it's fresh enough."

Eeeh yeah no shit it's smelly! Even if it was only a day old (which I very much doubt seeing as even the buildings on this street are rotting), it was likely amongst used condoms and dirty diapers. No one normal would resort to this unless they were seriously starving to death and trapped. Not someone who ate lunch the very same day! On the plus side, it has brought on random giggling fits for the past 2 days whenever I'm reminded of it. Though I doubt this was the intended reaction. Even ignoring the hobo habits, Lila doesn't have the most common sense in all of this ordeal, diminishing the tension of the story greatly. It's hard to be scared for someone who puts themselves in their own messes. It comes to no surprise that I'm not this girl's biggest fan, however I can't say I disliked her either. She does prove her strength and determination more than once which redeems her faults a little. Like I said: a mixed bag!

The plot itself veers away from the expected traumatic side of this story line and instead focuses on bringing justice down on sickening evil. I was both intrigued and, I admit, a little disappointed by this - I do thrive on those traumatic psychological thrillers - but it was still a refreshing change of direction for a story that could easily have been another same ol'. I was horrified yet completely immersed when we learn of what these people have been doing on a regular basis. Most of the horror takes place at the beginning of this book, but we get a great climactic ending that brings back a little of the excitement I was hoping would keep throughout.

While I have obvious complaints about this novel, I can't ignore the fact that I was holding my breath during the first part, drowning in Lila's fear and truly feeling her heart breaking in guilt and grief. Megan clearly excels at writing suspense and I will be watching for more from her!

3 Hot Espressos

This post is a part of:

Click on banner for full tour schedule!