About the Book:
When Amelia Anderson’s best friend gets married and she finds herself the last single girl left in a room filled with couples, she wonders if it’s time to start dating again.
Enter the Dating Plan. Her helpful friends devise a plan to get her back out there and really, what could go wrong? They have a colour-coded binder to guide them, after all!
What ensues, however, is a string of dates so disastrous, it’s enough to have Amelia vowing to remain single forever.
The only bright side in this dismal dating experiment? Jake Johnson, her ex-boyfriend’s older brother, who keeps coming to her rescue. Making her feel safe, protected…special.
Jake has always been that guy for her. The one who represented everything she was scared to want, so she settled for what she thought she deserved. And now he’s back in her life and is stirring up all these feelings that she’s struggling to ignore. Amelia can’t forget that he’s off-limits for her.
But if that is true, why does it feel that in a sea of all these Mr Wrongs, he may actually be her Mr Right?
My Thoughts:
A dating plan, caring friends and one very curious and every present ex-boyfriend’s brother. What could go wrong with this formula?
Belinda Mary once again brings to us a wonderfully light-hearted romantic comedy, complete with mis steps, funny moments and a swoon worthy romance. I read this book as a part of the author’s ARC team and fell in love with it from the start. This was the kind of book that I read from start to finish in one go, with no stops on the way.
Amelia and Jake brought so much to this story, each with their own quirky thoughts and interesting personalities, with some help from friends we’ve known and loved and feel happy to meet again (this will make sense for those who have read Belinda Mary’s previous books)!
This is a wonderful read, fun and full of laughter, the right kind of book to come out of a reading slump or just to fall in love! Take a chance with our two wonderful MCs as they find love and happiness after a series of disasters of course!
About the Book:
How do you learn to be brave?
With his summer headed downhill fast, thirteen-year-old Justin faces a tricky choice: stand up to bigotry or let fear hold him back. When he’s targeted by a bully, and a good friend stops speaking to him, Justin counts on help from Leroy Usher, the ghost whose magical carnival helped transform Justin’s life after his father died last year. So this should be a breeze, right? His expectations rise further when a mysterious message from Mr. Usher invites him and pals Darby and Naz for a midnight visit. Instead of a reunion, though, the kids find themselves transported through time to unravel a mystery that tore Mr. Usher’s family apart. As Justin digs for the truth, he discovers that Mr. Usher faced challenges during his lifetime with courage – and without magic. But if courage is what it takes, Justin must learn to do what’s right when everything’s wrong.
Ready or Not is Book Two in the Summer of L.U.C.K. Trilogy
My Thoughts:
Ready or Not is Book Two in the Summer of L.U.C.K Trilogy by author Laura Stegman. Having read the first book, I was eager to dive into the second book to meet Justin and his friends again. The book is simple and easy to read with a message on learning to be brave delivered through Justin’s experiences.
This book can be read as a standalone, but some references to Leroy Usher might be a little confusing for those who have not read the first book. Justin and his friends meet again at summer camp and are eager to explore their magical experiences through the carnival nearby. This summer, Justin faces the dilemma of standing up for himself and others, standing up for what he believes in without feeling afraid.
I enjoyed reading this story and following the interactions of all the characters. The author does a wonderful job in bringing out the different situations that Justin and his friends face and also how they reason things out and learn to handle it. This is definitely a story with a message that will be a delight for young readers!
About the Book:
Twenty-six-year-old Bella Mancini is moving to Australia! She’s leaving behind her small Italian village on a mission to find a new job, to find new adventures, and maybe even to find love? What she didn’t expect to find was him .
Daniel Richardson was not looking for her . Still grieving the death of his mother, he finds comfort in being alone and is determined to not let anyone too close to him, to not get hurt again. So, when Bella turns up on his doorstep, he has only one he wants her gone, and fast!
Lucky for Bella—not so much for Daniel—she gets to move in! And as the summer progresses, her sunny personality begins to melt his icy exterior and soon they find in each other everything they didn’t know they’d always wanted.
But when their newfound love is challenged, Daniel worries that Bella will leave, that he will be alone again. And Bella is left to wonder if Daniel is healed enough to let her stay forever…
My Thoughts:
Ciao, Bella is a fun, light-hearted read that will have the reader falling in love with the characters and just believing in love. Having read the previous two books in the Love Always series, it was a simple decision to sign up to read the ARC of this book. I love the various characters that the author has introduced to us and it was a delight to see all of them together in this book!
This book follows Bella as she takes a leap of faith and moves across continents in search of adventure. What follows is an unexpectedly grumpy roommate and a whole group of friends, her found family. As Bella settles into her new life and contemplates her attraction to Daniel, we follow her journey as she finds love, deals with heart-break, handles unforeseen circumstances with her family, all with Daniel on her mind.
I love the characters of Bella and Daniel and how they heal each other and help each other grow. Even though the story is a quick read, there is so much emotion in it and for me, the supporting characters are the stars, especially Amelia, whom I fell in love with instantly. Bella is adorable and as she grows into her own, her relationship with her friends and her brother develop into stronger bonds.
This is indeed a fun, romantic read that I would recommend for all those who enjoy a sappy romance filled with all the ups and downs of life. In the end, it is definitely worth it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
About the Book:
Written by a thirteen-year-old author, this exciting and captivating page-turner transports you into the fascinating story of sixteen-year-old aspiring singer Fiona Watson who runs away from her family, oblivious to the dangers outside her shielded comfort zone. As she journeys through her new world, leaving her past behind and determined to find a new identity, she uncovers surprising secrets buried deep within her long ago…
How do her new friends link to her past? What secrets are they hiding behind their misleading smiles? How much of herself has she really left behind? And how will she cope when she realises that she has made a huge mistake… one that could ruin her forever?
My Thoughts:
Legal Crime is a YA Fiction debut novel written by 13 year old Samiksha Bhattacharjee. For this, I have to commend her and say how proud I am of the book and her efforts to write it. As you read, you will find out the meaning behind the title as the book progresses!
The story follows Fiona, a sixteen year old teenager who runs away from home and tries to make it on her own. The first step in her plan is to disguise herself and then find shelter. The story is written in sections, as Fiona changes her identity and tries to blend in, hiding from her parents and the police. The author tries to highlight the different phases of her journey in different sections, showing us how she handles the different hurdles she encounters.
We meet many new people, many old ones from Fiona’s childhood whom she has forgotten about, and many who want her out of the way. She soon realizes that being on your own is more difficult than it looks. Life is not so glamorous. With the help of her friends, she also becomes a YouTube singing sensation and gets to perform on stage with a famous singer. Amongst all this, we see a girl who is dealing with peer pressure, trying to live up to an image and expectations that make her change who she is. She finally learns to respect the bonds of family, friendship and to trust in the people around her.
Now let us take a look at the plot. It is strong enough to carry forward through the book. However, there are some minor gaps that make it a little hard to place the events and people. The characters are well thought out, but once again, we miss some of their background and the development that leads to where they are. Also, there are some jumps back and forth in time which take a little getting used to.
However, all this does not take away from the fact that Samiksha has done a great job. It is not easy to write a story and definitely not so easy to handle as many characters as she has. The writing feels personal and more relatable considering that the entire story is written like diary entries. Though the writing is a little amateurish, I think Samiksha has amazing potential. The concepts she has chosen to handle in this book are pertinent and take a lot of effort to write about. Samiksha has managed to handle all of this delicately and in a very mature way which is amazing for a thirteen year old! Way to go!
On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Silver Hollow
(Borderlands Saga #1)
By Jennifer Silverwood Urban Fantasy Paperback & ebook, 429 pages
May 31st 2018 by SilverWoodSketches
“I shouldn’t have to tell you this isn’t a fairy story…”
After her parents’ car crash ten years before, Amie Wentworth trusts books more than people. She may be a writer, but she believes in reality over fiction. She ignores the unexplained mysteries surrounding her, never mind the dreams of a past life, or the fact she can fry technology with a touch. Not even a timely invitation from her long-lost uncle in England gives Amie incentive for anything other than ire.
Until she is stabbed in an alley and brought back to life by a handsome stranger. Soon Amie is dragged into the very sort of tale she is used to selling. To make matters worse, the man who saved her life keeps turning up and her would-be-murderer is still at large.
After crossing the Atlantic to her father’s homeland, she discovers a world beyond imagining. Silver Hollow is a place of ancient traditions and supernatural dangers, where everything is the opposite of what it seems and few escape sane. Faced with an impossible choice, Amie is forced to confront a deadly family legacy while remembering a life she soon wishes to forget.
**Previously published in 2012. This NEW EDITION has been FULLY REVISED AND EXPANDED. The original novel is now no longer available.**
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About the Author
Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it’s the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of two series—Heaven’s Edge and Wylder Tales—and the stand-alone titles Stay and Silver Hollow.
Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Tumblr
Tour Schedule
May 21st:
Launch
It’s All About the Romance
Red Pillows
Paulette’s Papers
Reading for the Stars and Moon
May 22nd:
Min Reads and Reviews
Rockin’ Book Reviews
May 23rd:
Hearts & Scribbles
E-Romance News
May 24th:
Mythical Books
The Cozy Reading Corner
K. D. Jones: Epic Fantasy Author
May 25th:
An Indie Adventure
Colorimetry
May 28th:
Jorie Loves A Story
Wishful Endings
May 29th:
Singing Librarian Books
Bri’s Book Nook
May 30th:
Nicole’s Book Musings
Becky on Books
May 31st:
Locks, Hooks and Books
What’s Beyond Forks?
June 1st:
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Ms. J Mentions…
Teatime and Books
Bookworm Lisa
June 2nd: Grand Finale
Tour Giveaway
PRIZE PACK #1: 1 winner will receive new Silver Hollow swag, themed bookmarks, stickers, bookish themed tote, and B&N Illustrated Hardcover Editions of Grimm’s Fairy Tales and The Story of King Arthur & His Knights (US only)
PRIZE PACK #2: 1 winner will receive signed swag (mainly Silver Hollow and Wylder Tales), ebooks of the Wylder Tales Collection, and a free voucher for Bound Beauty to be published later in 2018 (open internationally)
ENDS: June 6th
a Rafflecopter giveaway
My Thoughts:
Silver Hollow is the first in a series that introduces the reader to Amie and a world of magic. This story is well-written and completely UN-put-down able. In fact, I managed to get through this story in a day!
The story follows Amie as she struggles to cope with the death of her parents. She has her best friends and their family to support her as she moves on to become a writer. After ten years, she is once again forced to think of the long-lost uncle who tried to contact her on the day of her parents funeral. What follows is a tale of discovery, finding oneself, acceptance, and finding love. This well-crafted story introduces us to so many characters with whom we cannot help but fall in love. There is so much to learn and love, so much to know, that as a reader you will be left yearning for more.
The bond Amie develops with her uncle and with the man who saved her life, as well as with the various people she meets is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. How much can you trust a person? How well can you know someone? As secrets are revealed and memories of a past life come to the surface, Amie is faced with decisions that could shape her life and who she is. She discovers the truth about her parents, her friends and this alters her perception of who she is. I especially enjoyed the many references made to some characters of legends like King Arthur, Merlin, Titania and many others. This is a world filled with magic and non-magic, a place where for a long time secrets have been buried. Amie is destined to either fill the void and save everyone or destroy it once and for all.
The story is sprinkled with romance and witty comments, many light-hearted moments that are sure to bring a smile to the readers lips. It is definitely worth the read and is a book that I would recommend in the fantasy-romance section now.
About the Book:
AFTER FOUR HARROWING YEARS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel.
Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.
My Thoughts:
Both heart-warming and heart-wrenching, The Light Between Oceans tells a tale of love, hope, sorrow and how decisions taken affect lives. The story follows Tom Sherbourne’s life as he spends time as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, an island off the coast. Having given up any hope of finding love and peace, Tom is pleasantly surprised to find that Isabel is not only interested in him, but would love to marry him and move to Janus Rock with him.
As the story unfolds, we are first introduced to life on Janus, away from the rest of the world. The beauty of the place and the peace are something to only be wondered about. At first I found it a little difficult to get into the book, but as it progressed, I became engrossed in the lives of our characters and their journey. The author describes in detail the anguish that wrenches through Isabel during her miscarriages, and the emptiness she feels at this loss. This sets the path towards understanding what drives the couple to take certain decisions. At the base of it all is unconditional and deep love.
The child, Lucy/Grace is lively and charming, bringing light to the world and lives of the people she touches. She finds herself torn between the parents who adopt her and her own mother. The strength of the child and how she grows are wonderful to read about. The questions of right and wrong come up as the story unfolds and the truth behind who Lucy’s parents are comes to light. It is all a grey area and the author brings out the actions of people in desperate situations, and shows us how grief comes in many forms. For Isabel it is a result of her miscarriages and stillbirth. For Hannah, it is the loss of her husband and child with no idea of whether they are dead or alive. For Tom, it is the horrors of the war that he has seen that are never far from his mind. Everyone’s idea of redemption is different and we see how each person’s decision affects so many other lives.
As the story progresses, it becomes darker and darker, forcing the reader on an emotional roller coaster until the very end. Who will stand by your side in times of need and who will turn their backs to you? What is the meaning of family. A must read, this story shows us the nature of people when forced into situations and how they act even against people they once knew very well. This story is compelling and gripping until the very last page and I would not be surprised if the reader sheds a tear at some point.
About the Book:
Garrett Oliver has just settled into his job as heir apparent to one of the most renowned master gardeners in the country. After a difficult few years, he’s found a home and a renewed purpose at a famed resort in the secluded Smoky Mountains.The stars seem to be aligning for Garrett as he plans a future with his college sweetheart and envisions a simple life with her in the mountains of East Tennessee.
Willow Armstrong, fresh off a painful breakup, is coming home to Knoxville to care for her ailing father. She finds herself in the right place at the right time, landing a dream job alongside Garrett—as his boss. As they are thrown together by their work, an undeniable magnetism grows between them, despite the fact that Garrett is ready to start a future with someone else. Circumstances persist in drawing them closer, and an unexpected opportunity in Colorado prompts Willow and Garrett to wonder if a life together out west might be beyond anything either of them had dared to imagine.
My Thoughts:
Seeds of Intention is a quick and light read. It is the kind of book that you can pick up and finish as fast or as slow as you like.
The story is simple, focusing on Garrett and Willow, and the relationship that develops between them. Both the main characters are dealing with their own set of problems and we, the reader, follow them as they find their way out of it. The characters are warm and likeable, developing quite well as the story progresses. Though at times everything just seems to fall into place perfectly, most of the story flows well and can be related to.
The author emphasizes on the need to adapt and the ability to handle even the most difficult situation with the support of loved ones. This is a feel good story which brings out the fact that not everything happens the way one pictures it.
About the Book:
When Cassie finds a magic pair of glasses that allow her to see fairies, she has to figure out where they came from . . . and what the fairies want her to do with them.
A 12,000 word children’s fantasy story.
My Thoughts:
I got this short story for free and it proved to be a fairly quick and fun read. Written in simple language, easily understandable by children, the author brings us a story of Eyeglasses that allow the protagonist to see Fairies when she wears them. The author also introduces us to Cassie’s parents and show us that when the child turns to her parents with her dilemma, they come forward with understanding instead of turning her away. There are also some lessons as a part of the story in this that children can learn from, including the primary colors of art and light, their differences and the encouragement for children to ask questions and learn.
Even though this is a short story for children, I enjoyed it immensely and thought it was quite fun. The fairies are well described and children will love them. Moreover, the simplicity of the plot and the point of the Eyeglasses prove to be captivating.