Sep 30, 2014

First World Problems by Leigh Ann Kopans ~ Review

First World Problems
Sofia's had a really rough year - busted for cheating at prep school, dumped - dumped! - for the first time ever, and her new non-profit working stepmother is turning out to be an uppity bitch.

She deserves to treat herself. But when she throws herself a birthday party with 20 of her closest friends in Paris and (accidentally!) maxes out her dad's credit card in the process, he’s had enough of her attitude. As punishment, he switches her planned gap year touring Europe to one doing community service work with the evil stepmother’s relief organization in Guyana.

The rural village of Dabu needs help in every area from education to getting safe drinking water. But Sofia’s more concerned about her roommate Callum, the gardening expert, who calls Sofia "Princess" and scoffs at her distaste for sweaty, muddy, iguana-eating, outhouse-using life in Guyana.

Eventually, life on the equator, her work in the village, and especially Callum - with his brooding eyes and bewitching New Zealand accent - start to grow on Sofia. Life is rough in Guyana, but it’s roughest on the girls, whose families are too poor to send only the most promising boys in school. They’re trapped in a cycle that will keep them from ever making a better life for themselves, or for the village. Worse, Callum doesn’t seem to think any of the changes Sofia envisions are actually necessary.

Determined to change the girls’ futures, she comes up with a strategy to help them and, ultimately, the village. But what starts out as a plan to convince Callum and her father that she’s fallen in love with Guyana, turns into the realization that maybe she’s falling for Callum, too. And that by changing these girls’ lives, she might also be changing her own.

At First Sight
Even before seeing the cover of this book I knew I wanted to read it for several reasons.  First of all, It was Leigh Ann Kopans.  Her writing is always a treat and I have loved every one of her books.  Second, after reading the synopsis, I knew this was a book I would enjoy.  I love a book where a spoiled character is plucked out of their normal life and put into a hard situation.  Then, after seeing the cover, I fell head over heals for this book and I hadn't even cracked it open yet!  The cover is adorable and fits the book perfectly!

Characters and Relationships
I loved the characters in this book.  Sophia is your typical spoiled rich girl and she was written perfectly.  I loved watching her transformation through out the book and the hard situations she was put in, and how she endured them.  I know for myself, I would be freaked out by some of what Sophia had to go through and I don't come from nearly the same background she did.  Callum was entirely delightful and just the kind of guy you would want with you if you found yourself needing to be resourceful as they did in this book.  I really enjoyed watching the development of the relationship between Sophia and Callum and how they learned to work together to meet both of their individual goals as well as make things better for everyone and each other.  

Another relationship I loved watching develop was between Sophia and the people of Dabu.  She started to see what was lacking around her and through helping them with what they needed, she was able to help herself feel useful while helping them and as this happened, she fell in love with the people and made friends.  There was an ongoing theme that I kept feeling throughout reading and that was "we love those we serve" and I really feel like Sophia evolved in this way, learning to love the people because she was in service to them, not just because she had to, but eventually because she wanted to.  These are the kinds of friendships that, when I have found them in my life, are the ones that tend to last a lifetime.  

Is This A Kissing Book?
There is some kissing in this book!  I love books that have growing romantic relationships and this one was no exception.  While it wasn't the main focus of the book, it was an integral part of the story and I enjoyed it.  I would like to note here, that I would consider this book an upper YA and as it didn't make me as an adult feel uncomfortable in any way while reading, I wouldn't recommend to anyone under 16.

Don't Leave Me Hanging
First World Problems is a companion novel to Leigh Ann's book Solving For Ex (which I would also recommend) and works well as a stand alone.  There isn't a cliff hanger for the book although it would be okay with me if she would like to write more with these characters because they were so enjoyable.

The Best Gems
  • Poise and Control
  • Iguana
  • Bus Rides in the Amazon
  • Spider Wasp
  • Monkeys
  • Waterfall
  • Wiri Wiri
  • "Animal" Milk 

The Sum Up
First World Problems was my favorite book thus far from Leigh Ann Kopans.  Her writing is one that always seems to agree with me and I love how you can really feel like you are in her books.  It was very clear to me that there had been extensive research done on her part to make the book feel authentic and as a reader, I always feel appreciative of such things.  There are many things you could take away from this story but for me it can be summed up in this one quote from the book:

"Service isn't symbolic.  Service means work.  
Sometimes hard, always dedicated work."

Thank you Leigh Ann for writing another wonderful story filled with fun and meaning.  This is definitely one I will pick up and pass on in the years to come. 








I am giving away 2 ebook copies of First World Problems!  I will be selecting the winners from the comments on this post so please leave a comment and let me know why you would like to read First World Problems (please leave me an email address that you can be reached at if you are a winner).  This giveaway will run through Friday, October 3 at Midnight.

Swag September Author Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Megan Erickson


Spotlight -- Megan Erickson

Megan Erickson

Megan worked as a journalist covering real-life dramas before she decided she liked writing her own endings better and switched to fiction.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. When she's not tapping away on her laptop, she's probably listening to the characters in her head who won't stop talking.

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Make It Count

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend’s gorgeous best friend, Alec…who just so happens to be her brand new math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot?

Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends—both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It’s safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm’s reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close.

Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She’s adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He’d never stab his best friend in the back…

But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn messy human emotions can’t be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it.
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Make It Right

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Max Payton lives by two rules:
Size and strength win any fight, and never show weakness.

When a rash of assaults sends Bowler University for a tail spin, Max volunteers to help teach a self-defense class. One of the other instructors is the beautiful pixie-faced girl he keeps butting heads with…and who challenges everything he thought he knew.

Lea Travers avoids guys like Max - cocky jocks who assume she's fragile because of a disability caused by a childhood accident. She likes to be in control, and something about being with Max makes her feel anything but. But during the moments he lets his guard down, Lea sees a soul as broken inside as she is outside. Trusting him is a whole other problem...

When the assaults ramp up and hit close to home, Lea and Max must learn, before it’s too late, that true strength can come from vulnerability…and giving in to trust is sometimes the only way to make things right.
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Anchor Me

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Jillian Banner is adrift.

Her brother, Gabe, had been her anchor since she was thirteen. But now he’s gone, leaving behind a pregnant fiancĂ©e and a business under investigation by the IRS. Jillian is alone, having left the only man she ever loved under a haze of betrayal.

Mark Chambers spent the summer trying to get over the loss of Jillian. Now that he also lost his best friend, Gabe, he’s barely keeping it together. He never betrayed Jillian, but he can’t tell her the truth, even if it was all for her. He made promises, and those promises go beyond the grave.

In mourning, Mark and Jillian tentatively restart a relationship, throwing their support behind the mother of Gabe’s child. As the owner of an aquatic store, Jillian takes on her hardest challenge yet, helping a business partner sell captive-bred seahorses.

But just when Jillian begins to trust Mark again, she finds the men in her life built walls of lies to protect her. To stay afloat, Jillian has to learn what she wants, what she needs and how to be her own anchor.

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As promised, each spotlight will have a giveaway attached to it!

You can win 1 of 2 bookmark swag packs from Megan Erickson!!
(One will have a button, the other one won't!)

I have included a picture down below for you to see what you can win!!


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The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris ~ Release Day Launch

TFAOP RDL Banner

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch of Rachel Harris' THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING is the first book in Rachel's The Fine Art of Pretending Series published by Spencer Hill Contemporary.


The Fine Art of Pretending
According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player. With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time. But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

Barnes & Noble iTunes | Kobo | Amazon | Amazon UK | IndieBound


EXCERPT
An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy. Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight. When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart. Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently. He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back. Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience. And that I’m kissing Brandon. We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes. That was unexpected.  



Author Photo
About Author Rachel Harris

Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.  



Website    Twitter    Facebook   Author Goodreads 

THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Goodreads



Sep 29, 2014

Memory Lane Monday #27 ~ Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater


Memory Lane Monday is a weekly meme that Amber at Paradise of Pages and I, Kristalyn at The Sarcastic Palmtree, came up with. We have been wanting to re-read some of our favorites but feel overwhelmed by all the other new books coming out that our re-reads get put to the side. We have decided we don't want to put them aside anymore, so we will be taking turns putting up our reviews on our blogs throughout the month. This does not mean we won't keep up with recent releases, it just means we will make more time for those we have read before as well.

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.


I absolutely loved this series the first time I read it.  It has been years since I read them and I am really excited to pick them up again and relive life in Mercy Falls.

There are several small things that I remember about this book so I am going to sort of make a small list on this post.  
  • There are wolves living outside in the forest behind Grace's house and she feels an attachment to one of them but I don't remember why exactly. 
  • I think there was something with her being attacked by the wolves when she was little but she survived.  
  • Her parents were not very attentive because there was a boy sleeping over most of the time. 
  • I know the wolves come when it's cold and then when it's warm they shift to humans which isn't very long because it's cold most of the year where they live. (Minnesota?)
It is quite obvious that my memories are sketchy at best with this one!  I hope I enjoy and love it as much as I remember.  






Here's how Memory Lane Monday works:
  • Each week the co-hosts will trade off with recapping when it is a re-read or what they have heard so far about the book and the other co-host will put up their review. 
  • The participants can read anything that they remember reading in the past, or something that they have wanted to read that has been around for a while and just haven't gotten around to reading it yet for whatever reason.
  • Participants can decide if they want to recap the book before reading it or just put up a review of what they read.
  • Anyone can join in, just please link back to our blogs as well as add your name to the linky so we can hop around and see what everyone is reading.
  • Please put our banner on your post as well, so we all look the same!
  • We ask you kindly to follow BOTH of our blogs.
  • Most importantly remember to just have fun! :)



We will be providing each week a linky that you will be able use to link your posts for us and everyone else to see as well. All we ask is for you to put up our banner as well as a link back to both hosts on your post. 

Cross Me Off Your List by Nikki Godwin ~ Cover Reveal


cross me off your listCross Me off Your List (Saturn series #2)
By Nikki Godwin

Genre: contemporary
Age category: Young Adult

Spring break in Los Angeles with her BFFs has been Marisol's driving force to get through senior year. But when a falling out dents her plans, Marisol tucks the broken friendship into her back pocket with her cell phone and spring break bucket list.

Surf city Crescent Cove isn't exactly LA, but once she meets a tattooed brunette named Noah in the hotel elevator, Marisol really doesn't mind crossing off the items on her list without her friends - especially after Noah offers to help. Unaware that Noah fits the criteria for item #3 (meet a celebrity), Marisol is instantly thrown into the world of paparazzi, wild nights, and a spring break she'll never forget.

While her friends are making memories in LA, Marisol is making tabloid headlines. But after slipping a Spaceships Around Saturn secret to the media, Marisol has to fight hard to survive her fifteen minutes of fame and get back on Noah's good side before he crosses her off of his list for good.


You can find Cross Me off Your List on Goodreads

NikkiGodwinAuthorPic
About the Author:
Nikki Godwin is a YA/NA/LGBT author. She can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, and music by Hawthorne Heights. When not writing, she internet-stalks her favorite bands and keeps tabs on surf competitions. She adores pro surfer John John Florence and has made it her life goal to meet David Desrosiers of Simple Plan.

Author links:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads author page


Swag September Author Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Nikki Godwin


Spotlight -- Nikki Godwin

Nikki Godwin is a YA/NA/LGBT author. She can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, and music by Hawthorne Heights. When not writing, she internet-stalks her favorite bands and keeps tabs on surf competitions. Her favorite surfers are Jeremy Flores and Gabriel Medina. She often is at war with herself because she can't decide if she loves Nat Young or Mitch Crews more. If you ever get her started on surfing or music, she'll never shut up. You've been warned.

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Interview

1. What made you decide to be a writer?
*I loved reading and writing when I was growing up. Journal time was my favorite thing in school. I always had stories floating around in my head. When I was in the 8th grade, our English class read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I was completely captivated by the character of Dallas Winston. He was real, like leaping-off-the-pages kind of real, and I'd never felt that way while reading a book before. At that time, I decided to cut back on reading and start writing more. I felt like the world needed more "real" characters, and I intended to write them.

2. What was your hardest book to write? Easiest?
*Kids In Love KILLED me. I absolutely hated writing that book. It was pure misery. It was the first time I wrote a book for someone other than myself, and nothing went as planned with it. I cried a lot during that writing process. I'll never put myself through that again. I'll never write for anyone other than myself again. Luckily, the rest of the series is going to be *my* way, so the worst is over.

*The easiest book to write was Falling From The Sky. It was my first full-out novel to write, and I wasn't concerned with publication, readers, reviews, etc. It was just Micah, Ridge, and me every night when I sat down at my laptop, and it was the most peaceful and enjoyable writing experience.

3. If you had to date one of the band members from American Girl on Saturn, which one do you think you would pick?
*I've had different answers to this question over the year that the book has been in existence, but in all actuality, I wouldn't date any of the guys in Spaceships Around Saturn. Their head bodyguard Tank is another story, though...

4. Let's continue with that thought. If you had to pick one character to go on a date with from your Drenaline Surf series, which one would you choose?
*I can only pick one!? But there are so many I'd date from this series! LOL. Honestly - Shark McAllister. I know, that's cheating since he's deceased in the series, but he's the one I'd choose. If I have to choose a living one... um... I can't believe I'm going to say this, but... Colby Taylor.

5. Anything else you wanna add to the mix?
*Thank you for having me on your blog for Swag September! To anyone else reading this, thank you for reading & supporting Amber's awesomeness. Also, my next book BREAKING SAINT JUDE is out October 9th, and it's an awesome and weird YA LGBT romance unlike any other. :D (Yes, shameless self plug)
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Falling From The Sky

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

All stability in sixteen-year-old Ridge McCoy’s life crashed and burned in the plane crash that killed his dad. This summer-long basketball camp is his chance to improve his skills and escape his problems back home. But his summer plans take a turn in an unexpected direction when he meets Micah Youngblood, the guy who runs the carousel at the local mall and has a reputation for devouring straight boys’ heterosexuality for breakfast, alongside his chocolate chip pancakes.

Ridge needs a way to avoid the guys at camp, whose only quest for the summer is to drown in beer and hook up with girls. So when Micah offers to explain how the ten unique horses on the carousel are significant to his tribe, Ridge takes him up on it. Still, Ridge can't decide if this is a bad thing or not. All he knows is that he hasn’t felt this alive since his dad fell from the sky, and as the horse adventures come to an end, Ridge finds himself falling as well – for Micah.
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Chasing Forever Down (Drenaline Surf #1)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

After seventeen-year-old Haley Sullivan meets a mysterious stranger who plays by his own rules, she's more than determined to learn every trick of the trade from the master himself. But her dream-chasing mentor disappears after that night, and according to the local newspapers, he's been dead for years. Knowing he's very much alive, Haley enlists best friend Linzi to join her on a scavenger-hunt-style road trip that ultimately lands them in the surf town of Crescent Cove, California. Mystery guy is no mystery here, though – he's Colby Taylor, the west coast's biggest professional surfer.

If Haley wants to talk to the wave rider again, she'll have to get past his four intimidating bodyguards who are highly skilled in the business of sending starstruck fangirls back to where they belong. Haley is up for the challenge if it means chasing her dreams and escaping the perfectly corporate future that's been planned for her. But dealing with these bodyguards isn't exactly what Haley imagined it'd be. Sure, being thrown off a jet ski sucks, but falling in love with one of them might just be worse.
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Rough Waters (Drenaline Surf #2)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Haley's future has been waiting on the west coast for the past year, but she isn't the only new face in Crescent Cove this summer. When Colby Taylor's parents locate him and interrupt his surf competition, the surf star spirals out of control, dragging Drenaline Surf's reputation through the mud and into the ground with him.

With Colby's secrets plastered across surf magazines and tabloid headlines, Haley takes on the job of playing damage control for Drenaline Surf - which isn't easy when Colby breaks everything he touches, Topher breaks the law, and Miles breaks his leg.

Instead of chasing dreams of forever, Haley spends her summer chasing the unraveling careers of the hottest new faces in the surf world, and she's about to learn what happens when forever doesn't last.

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American Girl on Saturn

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

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As promised, each spotlight will have a giveaway attached to it!

You can win 1 of 4 bookmark swag packs from Nikki Godwin!!

You Can also win an Ebook copy of your choice by Nikki Godwin!!

I have included a picture down below for you to see what you can win!!

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Sep 28, 2014

Sarcastic Song Shuffle ~ September Edition


We listen to music all the time in our house so we thought it would be fun to share some of the music we love with you in a blog post every month.  Get ready, because everyone is grabbing their iPods and then...
WE ARE GOING TO HIT SHUFFLE!

Coconut
Female ~ Age: 9
Favorite music groups/artists:  One Direction, Justin Bieber, 
Cody Simpson, Austin Mahone

Coconut's Playlist

  1. Be Alright (Acoustic) ~ Justin Beiber
  2. Just Like You ~ Hannah Montana
  3. Never Again ~Kelly Clarkson
  4. The Best of Both Worlds ~ Hannah Montana
  5. Only One ~ Yellowcard
  6. Best Mistake (feat. Big Sean) ~ Ariana Grande
  7. Bellas Finals ~ Pitch Perfect Soundtrack
  8. Fun, Fun, Fun ~ Pharell (Despicable Me Soundtrack)
  9. See You Again ~ Carrie Underwood
  10. Be Our Guest ~ Beauty and the Beast Soundtrack

Toucan
Female ~ Age: 13
Favorite Music Groups/Artists :  One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, Shawn Mendes, Jack and Jack
Likes to listen to Top 40 Radio Hits.

Toucan's Playlist
  1. You'll Never Know ~ Ariana Grande
  2. Be the Young ~ Yellowcard
  3. The Only Reason ~ 5 Seconds of Summer
  4. Honeymoon Avenue ~ Ariana Grande
  5. End Up Here ~ 5 Seconds of Summer
  6. It's My Life ~ Bon Jovi
  7. Does He Know? ~ One Direction
  8. The Wait ~ Shawn Mendes 
  9. Same Mistakes ~ One Direction
  10. Because We Can ~ Bon Jovi


Flamingo
Female ~ Age: Adult

Favorite Music Group: Bon Jovi
She will pretty much listen to and enjoy anything.

Flamingo's Playlist
  1. Wide Awake ~ Katy Perry
  2. Thrift Shop (feat. Wanz) ~ Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis
  3. Diana ~ One Direction
  4. I Knew I Loved You ~ Savage Garden
  5. Crashed ~ Daughtry
  6. Believe ~ Justin Beiber
  7. Where The Green Grass Grows ~ Tim McGraw
  8. Playing With The Boys ~ Kenny Loggins (Top Gun Soundtrack)
  9. Shadow (Acoustic) ~ Austin Mahone
  10. Warzone ~ The Wanted

Banana
Male ~ Age:16 

Likes to listen to pretty much any kind of music.  
Doesn't have a favorite Artist.

Banana's Playlist
  1. 22 ~ Taylor Swift
  2. Billie Jean ~ Michael Jackson
  3. Best Song Ever ~ One Direction
  4. Caught In the Storm ~ Goo Goo Dolls
  5. Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg) ~ Ariana Grande
  6. Come What May ~ Moulin Rouge Soundtrack
  7. So Yesterday ~ Hilary Duff
  8. Whataya Want From Me ~Adam Lambert
  9. Noise ~ Colton Dixon
  10. Only 1~ Ariana Grande


Last up ~ Surfboard
Male ~ Age: Adult

Surfboard And Wave Clip Art
Doesn't like any particular artist, just songs.  

Surfboard's Playlist

  1. Ain't Going Down (Til The Sun Comes Up) ~ Garth Brooks
  2.  Forever Your Girl ~ Paula Abdul
  3. Iris (Hold Me Close) ~ U2
  4. Love Somebody ~ Rick Springfield
  5. Runaway ~ Bon Jovi
  6. Your Racist Friend ~ They Might Be Giants
  7. Bang ~ Rockapella
  8. Battleships ~ Daughtry 
  9. Like The Rain ~ Clint Black
  10. The Thunder Rolls ~ Garth Brooks

There you have it!  Let us know what's on your playlist these days (we love new music) and tell us whose list made you smile!

Swag September Author Spotlight and Giveaway ~ Leigh Ann Kopans


Spotlight -- Leigh Ann Kopans

LeighAnn Kopans
Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Her debut novel, ONE, is about a girl with only half a superpower, the boy who makes her fly, and her struggle to make herself whole.

Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)

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Solving for Ex

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

1 crush on your best friend +
1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +
1 Mathletics competition =
1 big mess

SIMPLIFY.

Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy.

But when gorgeous new girl Sofia rolls in and steals Brendan, Ashley's place on the team, and her fragile foothold on the Mansfield Park Prep social totem pole, it’s on. Sofia is everything Ashley left her old school to escape. The only thing Ashley didn’t count on is Sofia’s sexy twin brother Vincent.

Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There's no real reason Ashley shouldn't like Vincent, but with the battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.

She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.
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First World Problems

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Sofia's had a really rough year - busted for cheating at prep school, dumped - dumped! - for the first time ever, and her new non-profit working stepmother is turning out to be an uppity bitch.

She deserves to treat herself. But when she throws herself a birthday party with 20 of her closest friends in Paris and (accidentally!) maxes out her dad's credit card in the process, he’s had enough of her attitude. As punishment, he switches her planned gap year touring Europe to one doing community service work with the evil stepmother’s relief organization in Guyana.

The rural village of Dabu needs help in every area from education to getting safe drinking water. But Sofia’s more concerned about her roommate Callum, the gardening expert, who calls Sofia "Princess" and scoffs at her distaste for sweaty, muddy, iguana-eating, outhouse-using life in Guyana.

Eventually, life on the equator, her work in the village, and especially Callum - with his brooding eyes and bewitching New Zealand accent - start to grow on Sofia. Life is rough in Guyana, but it’s roughest on the girls, whose families are too poor to send only the most promising boys in school. They’re trapped in a cycle that will keep them from ever making a better life for themselves, or for the village. Worse, Callum doesn’t seem to think any of the changes Sofia envisions are actually necessary.

Determined to change the girls’ futures, she comes up with a strategy to help them and, ultimately, the village. But what starts out as a plan to convince Callum and her father that she’s fallen in love with Guyana, turns into the realization that maybe she’s falling for Callum, too. And that by changing these girls’ lives, she might also be changing her own.
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One (One Universe #1)

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When having two powers makes you a Super and having none makes you a Normal, having only one makes you a sad half-superpowered freak.

It makes you a One.

Sixteen-year-old Merrin Grey would love to be able to fly – too bad all she can do is hover.

If she could just land an internship at the Biotech Hub, she might finally figure out how to fix herself. She busts her butt in AP Chem and salivates over the Hub’s research on the manifestation of superpowers, all in hopes of boosting her chances.

Then she meets Elias VanDyne, another One, and all her carefully crafted plans fly out the window. Literally. When the two of them touch, their Ones combine to make them fly, and when they’re not soaring over the Nebraska cornfields, they’re busy falling for each other.

Merrin's mad chemistry skills land her a spot on the Hub's internship short list, but as she gets closer to the life she always wanted, she discovers that the Hub’s purpose is more sinister than it has always seemed. Now it’s up to her to decide if it's more important to fly solo, or to save everything - and everyone - she loves.

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Two (One Universe #2)

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Elias and Merrin are on the run.

After escaping the Biotech Hub, they thought they could breathe easy, or at least a little easier. But when bombs slam into the Social Welfare Hub only hours after their arrival, it becomes clear there's nowhere to hide - and no end to what Biotech will do to get them back.

Their last chance for safety and answers is the Clandestine Service Hub. CS has intel on the real, broader purpose behind Fisk’s experiments , and the newfound knowledge of the horrors hidden deep within Biotech’s walls sends Merrin back to recover a secret formula that could ruin the Supers’ world forever—and might just save the lives of the Biotech victims spiraling out of control.

Elias' sisters are counted among the victims of Fisk’s experiments, and if Elias can't find and help them, their powers will destroy them--sooner rather than later. Returning to the place it all began terrifies him, but with Fisk ready to make an example out of Merrin, and his sisters’ lives --and the lives of all Supers--hanging in the balance, he might not have a choice. If he can't find the courage to face his worst fears, Elias might lose more than his newfound powers.

He might lose everyone he loves.

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As promised, each spotlight will have a giveaway attached to it!

You can win a SIGNED paperback set of the books Solving for Ex and First World Problems by Leigh Ann Kopans!!

I have included a picture down below for you to see what you can win!!

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Sep 26, 2014

Swag September Author Spotlight and Giveaway ~ A.J. Matthews


Spotlight -- A.J. Matthews


A.J.    Matthews
I wrote my first book at six. A retelling of The Three Little Pigs, illustrated by my grandmother, the book was never picked up and was self-published instead, glued to cardboard with a cover fashioned from wallpaper scraps.

Today, I write stories featuring nice guys (or nice guys in-the-making) in between my other jobs writing research reports for a commercial real estate company, refereeing two young daughters, navigating the teen waters with a too-cute-for-his-own-good son, spoiling a neurotic cat, and making my darling, patient husband shake his head. I'm also an autism mom, chocolate enthusiast, sports-watcher, nacho-eater, and beer-drinker.

A Maryland native, I live in North Carolina now, but dreams of the beach fuel my fantasties, and my characters can often be found strolling in the sand or sailing along a coast.

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20706643

Goodbye to You



A tragic diagnosis. A determination to survive. A drastic decision. The man who changes everything.

This summer, I'm playing nursemaid to my sister. Yeah, I know. Relatively good looking twenty-two-year-olds don't spend the summer bedside in the cancer ward but, that's the plan. Until my sister threatens me with bodily harm unless I get on a plane and take a trip like normal girls my age.

And even though I hate leaving her, I know she's right. At least I'll have stories to tell when I return. In the back of my mind, all I can think is, "Go and live your life, while you still can." So I go and promise to have a good time.

That's when I met him. He likes me. Really likes me. But more than that, he loves my boobs -- like can't get enough. I have no idea how to tell him that they'll be gone soon, courtesy of a preventative double mastectomy. Yep. That's what testing positive for the breast cancer gene mutation will do to a girl.

But don't feel sorry for me. I'm enjoying him, holding on until the last possible minute, while I muster up the strength to tell him, and watch him walk away.

GOODBYE TO YOU is for older fans of John Green's THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. It's heart wrenching, funny, and real.


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As promised, each spotlight will have a giveaway attached to it!

You can win 1 of 2 Tote Bags filled with swag from AJ Matthews!!
(Swag includes nail polish, manicure kit, travel coffee cup, zebra duct tape, lip balm, post card, calendar magnet, 2 shot glasses, travel tissues, bookmark with necklace, pen, small composition book, and breast cancer bracelet)

You Can also 1 of 6 Necklace Swag Packs from AJ Matthews!!
(Swag Pack includes necklace, signed postcard, and calendar magnet)

I have included pictures down below for you to see what you can win!!

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Sep 24, 2014

Waiting On Wednesday ~ Bracing The Blue Line by Lindsay Paige

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by 
Jill at Breaking the Spine 
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!


Bracing the Blue Line

Neil, Grant, and Winston are college hockey players and roommates in vastly different relationships that intertwine three stories into one.

Captain Neil Lawson wants to run for the hills when a one night stand shows up on his doorstep, pregnant with his baby. His past haunts him before fueling him into being a part of this girl and this baby’s lives, but it won’t be that easy.

Goalie Grant Faison is a curious guy who starts doing small favors for the sports photographer of the college paper. There’s something more going on with the girl who has three overprotective brothers, but for once, Grant can’t ask questions. He has to wait for her to tell him on her own.

Defenseman Winston Brooks secretly dated his best friend’s younger sister in high school. Now that she’s attending his university, they try being friends. Their love never died and soon, it reignites. Winston has to keep history from repeating itself before he loses his girl once and for all. She’s not the same girl she used to be though.

The guys must battle their issues, both past and present, while falling in love along the way.

Release Date for Bracing The Blue Line is 
September 27, 2014

Hockey is my favorite sport and I cannot wait for Bracing the Blue Line to be out in the world!  

Make sure you leave me your links so I can see what books you are waiting on this week!