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BLOG TOUR - Book Review: Daring The Bad Boy by Monica Murphy

8/31/2016

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What They Say

Truth or Dare was never this much fun…
Annie McFarland is sick of being a shy nobody. A session at summer camp seems like the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself—gain some confidence, kiss a boy, be whoever she wants to be. A few days in, she’s already set her sights on über-hottie Kyle. Too bad her fear of water keeps her away from the lake, where Kyle is always hanging out.
Jacob Fazio is at Camp Pine Ridge after one too many screw-ups. Junior counseling seems like punishment enough, but the rigid no-fraternizing-with-campers rules harsh his chill. When a night of Truth or Dare gets him roped into teaching Annie how to swim, she begs him to also teach her how to snag Kyle.
Late-night swim sessions turn into late-night kissing sessions…but there’s more on the line than just their hearts. If they get caught, Jake’s headed straight to juvie, but Annie’s more than ready to dare him to reveal the truth.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains references to drinking, sexual situations, adult language, and an intense bad boy hero who will melt your heart.

My Review

Daring The Bad Boy was such a sweet little read! It's the kind of book you don't always have a lot to say about, but it makes you incredibly happy when you're reading it, if that makes sense. I absolutely loved the camp setting - the idea of going to camp for summer sounds so, so appealing (although in the UK that's not a thing, it seems) - spending days swimming, sunbathing, doing activities. Sigh. It's like perfect. 

I really liked Annie, she's a lovely character, full of pep and I liked that being away at camp was an opportunity for her to burst out of her shell like a butterfly, to act a bit different to how she usually acts. Jacob, on the other hand, was harder to like, because he comes across as pretty shallow in the beginning. Shallow, mad at the world, just wanting to pick up chicks, ugh. And I know, I know, that's what boys are like, but he just needed to chill a little. The chance to be away from some horrible friends for the summer, at a camp? Not exactly prison, is it?!?! But I did come to like him, especially the way Annie teased him and dared him to do things, which surprised him and her. 

Daring The Bad Boy is a cute, contemporary summer read. The kind of summer read you can fully immerse yourself in, and wish you could physically take part in. I really like Monica Murphy's writing, she's super talented and I can't wait to read more from her! 

Buy Links!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30332862-daring-the-bad-boy?ac=1&from_search=true
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daring-the-bad-boy-monica-murphy/1124207006?type=eBook
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Bad-Boy-Monica-Murphy-ebook/dp/B01JGMCCGM
Entangled Teen: http://entangledpublishing.com/daring-the-bad-boy/
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BLOG TOUR - Book Review: Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall

8/25/2016

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What They Say

Gideon "always" has a plan. It includes running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. It does NOT include falling head over heels for his best friend, Kyle. It s a distraction, it s pointless Kyle is already dating the head cheerleader, Ruby and Gideon doesn t know what to do.
Kyle "finally" feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of "Lord of the Rings," and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. So when both Ruby and Gideon start acting "really" weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, Kyle can t quite figure out what he did wrong.
Sandy Hall, the author of "A Little Something Different, " is back with her signature wit in this quirky and heartfelt LGBT YA novel."

My Review

Sandy Hall is such a wonderful author. Her books are full of such warmth and wit, and her books are so quick to read. Her latest is Been Here All Along, and it was a quick, sweet read, but it was slightly immature considering the main characters are all 17 and 18. All things considered though I did like this, although if I was Gideon or Kyle and I had a Ruby in my life, I would strangle her for being a terrible, awful person because there is literally no excuse for any of her actions, and I thought her salvation came way, way too late. 

I did, however, absolutely love Gideon and Kyle. They were so cute the whole time. I just wanted to squeeze their cheeks and force them to kiss like two Barbie dolls. Because they were PERFECT for each other. Sandy Hall just writes the cutest stories, I am not even kidding. They're as sweet as a spoonful of sugar, but I love them. I genuinely could read her writing every day. 

Been Here All Along could easily have had Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me as it's theme song, I'm not even kidding, it was just so cute and I finished it within a few hours of starting it. I don't have a lot to say because there was not a lot wrong with this book. I'll read anything Sandy Hall releases because she just has this way with words and her books never fail to put a smile on my face. 
Buy the book from Amazon now!

Purchase Links 

Purchase:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Been-Here-Along-Sandy-Hall-ebook/dp/B01BKMMFVS#nav-subnav
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/been-here-all-along-sandy-hall/1122889646?ean=9781250100658
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/been-here-all-along/id1082353537?mt=11
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/been-here-all-along

WIN!

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COVER REVEAL: She Runs Away by Jessica Calla

8/23/2016

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Today I am SUPER EXCITED to reveal the cover for Jessica Calla's new book She Runs Away. It's the second book in the Sheridan Hall series and I cannot wait to read this book! And the cover is stunning, don't you agree? 

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About The Book

After tragedy strikes New Jersey University's Sheridan Hall, freshman quarterback Ben Riley’s stable, normal life is turned upside down. Sidelined from playing the game he loves and on the verge of losing his scholarship, Ben wants nothing more than to escape the chaos of college and return home to rural Pennsylvania and his family. 

About Jessica Calla

Jessica Calla is a contemporary romance and women's fiction author who moonlights during the day as an attorney. If she's not writing, lawyering, or parenting, you'll most likely find her at the movies, scrolling through her Twitter feed, or gulping down various forms of caffeine (sometimes all three at once).

Jessica is a member of Romance Writers of America, involved in the Contemporary, Young Adult, and New Jersey Chapters, and is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She recently became the oldest marketing intern ever at BookFish Books, and was named a Young Adult mentor for the FicFest writing contest. A Jersey girl through and through, she resides in the central part of the state with her husband, two sons, and dog.
Find Jessica on Twitter (@jess_calla) or at her website (www.jessicacalla.com). She loves to make reader and writer friends.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jess_calla
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jessica-Calla-Author-1658471457735204/?fref=ts
Website: http://www.jessicacalla.com/​
Pre-order the book from Amazon now!
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BLOG TOUR - Writing Playlist for Results May Vary by Bethany Chase

8/21/2016

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Today I am so pleased to welcome Bethany Chase to the site! Bethany is the author of Results May Vary & The One That Got Away and today she's talking about her writing playlist for Results May Vary! Take it away, Bethany!

This is an interesting thing to write about, because this book has such a different musical personality from my first book, The One That Got Away. When I was writing that, I was listening to a lot of classic soul and 70’s rock (think Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack), and that made its way into the book in many places. Results May Vary’s playlist is a lot more eclectic, both on purpose and by accident.
  1. Sugar & the Hi Lows, “Right Time to Tell You”: This song is gorgeous. The melody and harmonies are about as pretty as it gets, and the lyrics are incredibly apropos to Adam’s situation—the narrator has something to confess, has been waiting for the right time to do it, but no time is ever the right time.
  2. Fountains of Wayne’s gorgeous “Valley Winter Song”: This is a quintessential New-England-in-winter song for me. It talks about short, dreary winter days and snowstorms and hanging in there till the summer. (True, perfect fact: the Fountains guys are Williams alums just like Caroline and me.)
  3. Band of Horses, “No One’s Gonna Love You”: Really sums up Caroline’s feelings toward Adam in the early part of the book.
  4. Amos Lee, “Chill in the Air”: Another beautiful breakup song (in this one, it’s the steel guitar that cinches it), and a nod to Caroline’s predilection for mopey singer-songwriters. I think Amos is fantastic, but the man sure can write a good mopey song.
  5. The Grateful Dead, “Fire on the Mountain”: This is one of my personal favorite songs that I was delighted to give to a character. I am only an entry-level Deadhead, but the guitar riff on this song is just so mellow and pretty that I could listen to it for hours. Or, you know, 13 minutes, which is the length of the longest live version of it that I own.
  6. The Apache Relay, “Katie Queen of Tennessee”: Very pretty little love song from one of Jonathan’s favorite bands.
  7. Jo Dee Messina, “Downtime”: Ruby wasn’t kidding that Jo Dee is the queen of upbeat breakup anthems. I’ve always loved this song because it’s about the process of recovering yourself while you get over a breakup, which is really what the book is about. I especially love the line where she says “Your memory’s taking second to a good book and a nice, long bath.”
  8. Duke Ellington, “Jeep’s Blues”: this piece gets a very specific call-out in the book because good lord, is it sexy. I’ve always thought blues is the sexiest music there is. (And this stood me in good stead when one of the questions on my online dating survey was “What’s your favorite music to get you in the mood” and I referenced something about one of the Allman Brothers barn-burners, which impressed the musician who is now my husband.)
  9. Rogers & Hart, “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”: I have an Ella Fitzgerald recording of this song that is one of my favorite all-time pieces of music. Ella’s voice is so beautiful, and the song’s lyrics have this sly, witty charm that—yes, I sound like an old person—you so rarely find anymore. “I’m wild again, beguiled again, a simpering, whimpering child again…” It’s such a great description of being infatuated.
  10. First Aid Kit, “Emmylou”: Stunning harmonies in this song, and sweet, upbeat lyrics that remind me of Caroline and Neil. Especially where she says “I’m not asking much of you, just sing, little darling, sing with me” and “Things just don’t grow if you don’t bless them with your patience.”
Buy the book from Amazon now!
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BLOG TOUR: What's next for Elle Field after Found?

8/19/2016

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Today is my turn on Elle Field's blog tour for her new book (and the final one in her Arielle Lockley series) Found! I'll be reviewing soon, but in the meantime, here is a fantastic guest post from the lovely Elle Field!

Whether you’ve read Found, the final book in the Arielle Lockley series, or not, it’s pretty safe to assume that Arielle is going to get some sort of happily ever after. (Maybe! Evil laugh!) Whether I let her retire fictionally or whether I have another book in me about her remains to be seen, though I will be having a long break if I *did* write another book in the series. That’s because whilst I’ve loved writing the Arielle books, I am excited to create some new characters and see where their stories take me.

So, what’s next for me? I could start from scratch to write book 6, or I have two books saved on my computer than I could revisit – these both involve characters you’ve already met. Torn was the first chick lit book that I ever wrote – yes, there was a book before Kept – and it’s one I would love to revisit. Although her book hasn’t been published yet, you’ve already met the main character in Torn. Lottie popped up in B-Side – she works for the record company that are potentially interested in signing Etta – and she’s got quite the glitzy romance to share... one involving an Oscar-winning actor, no less!

The other potential book six involves Lottie’s cousin, Tabitha, a character that we briefly met in the first Arielle book, but who really came into her own in Lost. I deliberately teased Tabitha’s drama in Found, without revealing what actually happened to her, because that way when I do finish The Dirtification of Tabitha-Rose, Arielle fans will be able to enjoy the book without already knowing what’s going on. But, that’s not going to be book six either.
I’m actually writing something completely different at the moment and there won’t be any cameos in this one, unlike in my other books. No Arielle, Geli or any of the other characters you already know and love will be popping up in this one.

Who knows though after book six though. Maybe in the not-so-distant future I’ll get Lottie and Tabitha’s tales polished and finished; their stories might offer you a glimpse into what Arielle and company are up to post-Found!

​Arielle fans, what do you think? Do you want to find out what happens to Arielle post-Found, or are you keen to meet some new characters and hear their stories? Let me know!
Buy the book from Amazon now!
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    Hello!

    Welcome to Bookish Escapes! I am a massive reader, of all genres, a Taylor Swift fanatic, I adore dogs (I have two!), and I watch a ton of telly. 

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