Sugar Lump by Megan Gaudino | Book Blitz + Giveaway

Sugar Lump by Megan Gaudino

Genre: YA Mystery

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36679262-sugar-lump

amazon.com/author/megangaudino

Published January, 2018

Published by Evernight Teen

Seventeen-year-old travel blogger CC is stuck on a never-ending road trip with her wanderlust-addicted father. When her dad lands the job of his dreams in Sugar Lump—wedding capital of the world—CC finally finds a place to call home. Complete with two quirky best friends and a quixotic guy to crush on, Sugar Lump is more shades of perfect than she can possibly count.

But when CC accidentally overhears the mayor complaining that she has to “take out” a rogue employee for not fulfilling the terms of his contract, the idyllic town’s facade crumbles. Devastated by the possibility of having to move yet again, CC discovers everyone has been keeping a massive secret from her—including her own father.

About the Author:

Megan Gaudino works in a high school library by day and on her own books by night. She’s made up of a mixture of black clothing, iced coffee, and a desire to go adventuring. Those things sort of come together naturally to form a writer. She lives in Pittsburgh where you can find her reading, writing, and Instagraming.

Links- https://twitter.com/mkgaud

https://www.instagram.com/mkgaud/

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon GC; open INT

Read Below for an excerpt from the book:

He moved a little closer, his jeans gliding easily over the leather, and put his right arm on the back of the seat too. Despite looking like he rolled out of a dumpster, he didn’t smell like it. He smelled like Irish Spring soap.

“When did you move to town?”He wasn’t looking at me, or anything in particular for that matter, but I could only assume the question was for me.

“Yesterday.”

“Will you be at school Monday?”

“Yeah.” I wasn’t playing his game. If he wanted to have a conversation with me, he was going to have to look in my eyes and address me like a human being.

“Are you a senior?”

“Junior.” I flashed him a fake smile he didn’t see.

Thorn raked his hands through his thick, gray-tipped hair, then clasped them behind his head. That position only lasted for a few seconds then he lurched forward, resting his elbows on his knees. I couldn’t tell if he didn’t want to be near me or if he just couldn’t keep still. I slid away from him either way.

“Is she always like this? Really, Henry. I know you haven’t known her long but she can speak in sentences, right?”

“Clearly CC has good taste and knows not to even bother talking to you.” Luna’s dislike for him made me think my snap judgement was sound. He was probably some kind of hot, crazy-haired womanizer.

The easy balance of our trio had turned into a volatile quartet. I pulled a curl though my fingers to keep my hands busy.

“Thorn, don’t. Be nice.” Henry said it in a genial way, but Thorn seemed to take it as law. He sat back, flung his knee up, rested his left elbow on the back of the seat, and unleashed the full force of his wide-set, honey-brown eyes on me. They were so clear and so deep it made me wonder if he hadn’t been looking at me on purpose to save me from how cosmic they were.

“CC, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if I scared you or made a bad first impression, but as I’m sure you could sense, my situation was dire. My situation is dire.” His tone changed from confident and clipped to languid and loose, but I couldn’t tell if it was sincere.

“I accept your apology.”

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Blog Tour | Book Review | Finding Mr Darcy by Erin Butler

Sixteen-year-old Liza Johnson takes fangirl to a whole new level of crazy when she decides to take dating advice from her literary hero: Jane Austen.

With the help of her best friends, Liza sheds her ancient-speak and complete Austen wardrobe for something a bit more modern in an attempt at finding her very own Mr. Darcy.

Enter Will, the new kid and Liza's Darcy incarnate. Add her BFF's ex to mix and the sexy Brit who kisses with an accent, and Liza is in trouble. 

So, what's a girl to do? Without her mom to go to relationship advice, Liza turns to the only person she can truly trust with matters of the heart via her mother's copy of COMPLETED WORKS OF JANE AUSTEN. 

It's too bad Austen's heroines have never played Spin the Bottle or Seven Minutes in Heaven. Liza's determined to find her true Austen-esque happy ending, but if she can't trust herself instead of books, she just might end up in her own tragic love story.

Pages: 243 | Format: ebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Review

*This book was given to me, in exchange for an honest review*

Finding Mr Darcy is a mixed book for me. There were a lot of things that I liked, for instance, I liked that there were some parts of the story told from Janie's perspective as well as Liza's. I liked that it was a quick and fun read. I liked that there were a lot of references to Austen's work, even if some didn't quite hit the mark, and seemed a little forced in places.

I enjoyed the overall idea of the story, it was cute and I'm a fan of cute books.

The downside is that I didn't like Liza until probably the last ten or so pages. I found her to be really annoying, and at times selfish. That took away from my enjoyment of the book, because I just got mad at her.

One other thing is that although I loved having Janie's parts included, I felt these needed to be expanded a lot more. There were things that were happening with Janie's character, which if I'm honest, sounded like a more interesting story, than what was happening with Liza's. I would have liked to of seen a lot more from her, because what we did get was fantastic.

One thing I did like was that it did keep me guessing, I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out, so that was good.

Overall, this was a decent book. I enjoyed a few things, others, not so much. Mostly I just felt that it needed a little more development.

Rating: 5/10

Blog Tour | I Want Sam by Kenny Yao

Hi Guys.

Today I'm going to be bringing you some information about Kenny Yao's book I Want Sam. I have an except, trailer and more.

Meet Sam. A computer savvy kid, 17-year-old Sam Ward is just an ordinary teen, living a normal high-school life. 

But coming home one day...

He found his Father dead on the floor. This changed his life forever. 

He started running...

...to become the most wanted kid in the entire world. 

Together with his girlfriend, Delilah, a professional hacker and a gun enthusiast, they decided to fight back. Then they began to search for answers...

Will they find the truth about his dad's murder? 

 Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks/iTunes

 

Smashwords

Google Play Books

About The Author:

 

Retired Businessman turned writer with four sons aged, 23,21,18, and 16. Widower and free to serve God and save one more for Jesus. Plans to establish evacuation facilities around the world where needed.

Follow Kenny on Twitter: @klyflyhigh

Keep Up With Kenny Yao:

Website

Facebook

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Blog Tour | Louder Than Words by Iris St Clair

Louder Than Words

by Iris St. Clair 

Release Date: 09/16/14

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads

Disappointment has been on speed dial in Ellen Grayson's life lately. Her dad died, her mom numbs the grief with drugs and alcohol, and her so-called friends have slowly abandoned her. 

Trusting a popular teacher with her troubles should have been safe and should NOT have led to an unwelcome seduction attempt that made her desperate to escape the final moments of Junior year. Lesson learned. Best to keep all the sordid details to herself and trust no one.

Enter Rex Jacobi, a cocky boy, recently transplanted from New York City and fellow summer camp employee. Though his quick wit and confidence draws her in, she can't let him get too close. And summer is just long enough and hot enough to keep a boy like that at arm's length.

But by the time Rex's charm wears down her resistance, it's too late. He's put Ellen on the "just friends" shelf and has shifted his romantic attentions to the impossibly annoying and perky anti-Ellen. Even worse, the teacher who tried to get her to sleep with him is still at it, preying on other girls while Ellen struggles to come to terms with what happened.

With her ability to trust as shaky as a chastity vow on prom night, Ellen must decide if she has enough remaining courage to speak up about the well-liked teacher and risk retribution, tell Rex how she really feels about him and risk heartbreak, or hold all her secrets inside. After all, it's the only safe place she knows when the only thing louder than words is the fear of being rejected.

Goodreads

Excerpt

I look up as Rex takes a seat on the bench directly opposite the boy on my right. He smiles first at Byron then at me. I choke on my soda, sending it out my nose in two perfect streams. The children laugh and try to copy me without success. Only Rex is able to deftly duplicate my liquidy feat. I should be mortified, but I'm not. I'm laughing and everyone around me is laughing, and inside I feel a tiny crack open just wide enough to soak up some of this joy to save.

And then the crack snaps shut. Outside the window facing the street, I see her peering in, her hands cupped against the glass. She looks awful—dirty, skinny, strung out. Her hair hangs in strings around her face and she's wearing no makeup. Inside my head I'm chanting, "Please go away, please go away," but she doesn't.

"Excuse me. Be right back," I say as I get up from the table and race-walk for the door.

I'm met by the center’s director, Gary Larson, a round man with thinning hair, who forces a smile, and then asks in a patronizing voice where I'm going.

"I just ... my ... aunt is out there and she needs to speak with me … briefly."

I am still trying to quietly talk my way out the door when Gracie yells across the room, "Hey Ellen, your mom just passed out against the building. I think she's"—she pauses after glancing toward one of the children's tables—"ill."

Gary looks to me for confirmation, and I give the tiniest of nods. He follows me outside, cell phone in hand. He announces he’s dialing 9-1-1 as I try to revive my mother. She reeks of alcohol. Inside her purse, I find a nearly empty bottle of vodka, a wallet with two dollars, a bus pass, and an expired driver's license. In the side zip pocket, I find a baggie of pills. I toss the bottle and baggie in the trash, but as I do my mother revives.

"Ellen? Do you know what today is? I just need … where’s my bag?” She searches for her purse and begins to flail about when she can't find it. "Where's my stuff?” Her words are slurred and her eyes glassy. Today is my father’s birthday, or it would have been.

I walk over and return her purse to her. She's swaying on her feet but is lucid enough to snatch it from my hands. A mean glint in her eye, she searches inside before she turns a red and angry face to me.

"Where are they?" She's yelling at me in front of the rec center and has attracted the attention of passersby. I try to usher her away from the window. "You took ‘em! You had no right,” she growls then pops me on the side of my face with a wild swing of her open palm.

Stunned, I fall back, my hand on my cheek. She's never hit me before.

Gary moves in and grabs her by the elbow. "You need to get going before I call the cops. You got no business here with the kids inside and all."

"She took my medicine!" she yells as he drags her down the street.

There's nothing more I can do. I give my cheek one last soothing stroke then head back inside. When I get to the door, Rex is there and he’s watching Gary and my mother. The expression on his face tells me he’s seen everything.

About the Author

Iris St. Clair is the pen name for a long-suffering cubicle worker by day, a Walter Mitty-like dreamer by night. (Her alter ego Tatiana Ivanadance also choreographs gravity-defying routines in those fantasies, but that's another bio.)

No matter what genre she writes, she prefers witty, insecure heroines and kind, persistent heroes able to break through to the gooey heart inside.

In high school she was voted most likely to win at Monopoly and Clue, but least likely to throw a ball anywhere near a target. Thank goodness writing requires less hand-eye coordination, punctuation errors notwithstanding.

Iris believes in the two-year "fish or cut bait" dating rule and has a 20+ year marriage and two teenaged sons as proof of concept. She lives, writes, dreams and dances in the rainy Portland, OR area.

Author Links

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

Pintrest

GIVEAWAY

$10 Amazon gift card + ebook of Louder Than Words (INT)

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Book Blitz | Who We Were by Christy Sloat

About the Book:

Who We Were by Christy Sloat

Published 9/15/2014

Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing

Amazon

“Who we were had washed away with the summer. Who we are was yet to be seen.”

Summer school at Alcott High was only supposed to gain Sadie Peters extra credit, nothing more. Her goal wasn’t to make friends, or gain the attention of the most popular football player, yet she managed both. Her life was cruising along on course … until that summer.

Could a simple stint in a different school change her identity completely and introduce her to love for the first time? How would that affect her relationship with Lily, her best friend?

Hopefully their friendship was strong enough to make it through the tumultuous summer. Sadie learns that great things come with change, but sometimes memories of the past are hardest to part with.

About the Author:

Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother’s loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor’s Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come.

Check out her website www.christysloat.com

Blog http://christysloat.blogspot.com/, Facebook: Christy Sloat Author www.facebook.com/christysloatauthor. Twitter: ChristySloat

Excerpt

I entered the lunchroom and met Nash at the same table as yesterday. He gave me a huge smile but that was all. No hug or kiss on the cheek. Okay, fine.

I set down my lunch tray that held pizza, an apple and an orange juice. Not exactly healthy but I tried. Nash sat with me and ate his pizza but he didn’t engage in conversation with me. Instead he sat and talked to Oliver and some other kid named Henry, who I learned played ball with them. I was secure enough to realize that Nash and I weren’t a couple. We were just getting to know each other. So, I would just need to cool it and not get upset by his ignoring me. I mean really was he ignoring me on purpose or perhaps just busy with his guy friends? I chose the latter.

“Oh, you sit here too?” I looked up to see the shaggy haired boy sit across from me. I scowled at him and said, “I was invited to sit here. Why are you here?”

I dropped my pizza on my plate and realized I had an audience. All the boys at my table were now watching me engage in a fight with this rude ass across from me.

“Last I checked this was my teams table. Is that okay with you or should I ask Nash for permission?” What a complete jerk-face!

“So I see you’ve met Nolan, my brother.” Nash laughed.

“Wait! What? This kid is your brother?” I asked confused.

Nolan laughed and said, “The one and only Nolan Rylan at your service. Twin brother of the oh so fabulous Nash Rylan. And before you say ‘but you don’t look like him’ it’s because we’re not identical twins.”

I found myself with my mouth hanging open and closed it quickly. I couldn’t believe it. Nash had a twin brother. The more I stared at Nolan the more I noticed slight similarities in their appearance. Nash had dark hair and so did Nolan. Their smiles were the same; big white teeth grins.

Their eye color wasn’t the same though. Nash’s were crystal blue and Nolan’s were honey brown. Nash dressed casual like his personality, easy going. Nolan was crisp and clean. And from his personality, it didn’t seem to match. He really threw me when he put on his glasses and pulled out our homework assignment right there at the table. He leaned back, ignoring me with ease, and read. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He wasn’t a football player. No way.

“You play football?” I inquired. He looked up from his book and I felt a strange sensation. The other guys went back to talking and ignoring me.

“Why is that hard to believe? Do I look like a nerd to you?”

I looked at his body. No. Not really. He was fit enough. But he was slightly nerdy. Between his well-manicured nails to his brown high end shoes, it was hard to picture him in a football uniform.

“You just dress so…so,” I struggled.

“So, nicely perhaps? Not like a jock, I know. But thanks for noticing.” He pulled his book higher and did as the other boys did; ignored me.

Excerpt from Who We Were by Christy Sloat © Anchor Group Publishing

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The Giveaway:

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3 ebooks of Who We Were by Christy Sloat open INT

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Blog Tour | Book Review | Perfect for You by Ashlyn Drake

Seventeen-year-old Meg Flannigan isn’t very self-confident, but what girl would be after her sophomore-year boyfriend dumped her by making out with another girl in front of her locker? 

Now a senior, Meg catches the eye of not one, but two gorgeous guys at school. Sounds good, right? What girl wouldn't want to be in Meg's shoes? One cute boy happens to be her boyfriend, and the other? Well, he wants to be. And Meg? She't torn between Ash, the boy she's been with for nearly five months, and Noah who is pretty irresistible. 

But Meg is playing with fire. Pitting two boys against one another, even if she doesn't intend to, could end badly if she isn't careful. PERFECT FOR YOU is a teen romance from bestselling author Ashelyn Drake, where one girl will risk everything to find her perfect match.

Pages: 290 (aprox) | Format: Ebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Review

*Note: This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*

This book had a synopsis of a cute YA contemporary, and honestly, I was pleased I got the chance to read it as part of the blog tour. I went into it with high hopes, and unfortunately these hopes weren't exactly met.

This wasn't a bad book, in fact, I enjoyed  a lot of it, and got through it pretty fast because it was a light easy going book.

I had two main issues with the book though, one is that I felt it was a little repetitive. The same situation seemed to happen over and over again, and that got a little tired.

The second, is probably the most significant of the issues I had. That issue is that Meg, for me, was not a likable character. I wanted to like her. I wanted to see the conflict in her. I wanted to sympathize with her past and see her as a good character. I just couldn't. 

I wound up feeling annoyed more than once by her actions, and that doesn't make for a great reading experience.

Now onto some high points. I thought that Noah was a fantastic character. He was so well written, and I really loved how he was portrayed. What I liked a lot about his character, is that I thought he'd turn out to be one way but he surprised me. All in all he's a brilliant character, and for me, he really carried the book.

There were some fantastic scenes between him and Meg, and honestly I wish there had been more of them.

Overall, this is a decent book. Noah's character is definitely the highlight, and I'd say it's worth a read if you like light contemporary YA.

Rating: 6/10

About the Author

Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Author Links

http://ashelyndrake.wordpress.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7075461.Ashelyn_Drake
https://twitter.com/AshelynDrake
https://www.facebook.com/AshelynDrake

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Blog Tour | Scar of the Bamboo Leaf by Sieni A.M. | Book Review

“Her heart wept when she realized that the hardest part about loving him was the idea that his love was never meant for her.”

Walking with a pronounced limp all her life has never stopped fifteen-year-old Kiva Mau from doing what she loves. While most girls her age are playing sports and perfecting their traditional Samoan dance, Kiva finds serenity in her sketchbook and volunteering at the run-down art center her extended family owns.

When seventeen-year-old Ryler Cade steps into the art center for the first time, Kiva is drawn to the angry and misguided student sent from abroad to reform his violent ways. Scarred and tattooed, an unlikely friendship is formed when the gentle Kiva shows him kindness and beauty through art.

After a tragic accident leaves Kiva severely disfigured, she struggles to see the beauty she has been brought up to believe. Just when she thinks she’s found her place, Ryler begins to pull away, leaving her heartbroken and confused. The patriarch of the family then takes a turn for the worse and Kiva is forced to give up her dreams to help with familial obligations, until an old family secret surfaces that makes her question everything.

Immersed in the world of traditional art and culture, this is the story of self-sacrifice and discovery, of acceptance and forbearance, of overcoming adversity and finding one’s purpose. Spanning years, it is a story about an intuitive girl and a misunderstood boy and love that becomes real when tested.

Pages: 296 | Format: Kindle | Goodreads | Amazon

Review
Note: This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review

Scar of the Bamboo Leaf is a book which is best described as stunning. The words flow on the page like works of art, which is apt considering there are such strong links with art in this book.
I found myself pulled in by Kiva's story, and drawn into her world. I loved that through her story I could explore a different culture.
This book has an effortless beauty to it. The writing style tugs at your emotions and gets you really attached to the characters.
The characters themselves were well written, and developed so nicely that they felt real to me as I was reading this book.
There's a wonderful blend of family issues, love story and personal struggle in this book. There's love and tragedy and everything in between, and each emotion is handled in a delicate and enthralling way.
There is no doubting that this book is an emotional rollercoater, and there were parts which did have me in tears.
One of the things that I loved about this book was that it spanned so many years, and yet the jumps never felt jarring. The passages flowed gently from one to another, and the pacing, as a result, was spot on.
There were just enough big moments to keep me on the edge of my seat, and just enough emotion that it kept me longing for more.
Kiva's world is touched by tragedy and yet this book manages to shed a lot of focus on the beautiful things. I think in part this is because Kiva is such a wonderful main character.
Culture, art, family, love and tragedy come together in this book to create a stunning story of Kiva's self-discovery.
I would highly recommend this book. It's a stunning read.

Rating 

10/10

Blog Tour | Rival Love by Natalie Decker | Guest Post

Hi guys,
Today I am thrilled to have a guest post by Natalie Decker, author of Rival Love. Before we hop right into her post, though, let's take a little look at her book.

Rival Love

by Natalie Decker

Release Date: 08/26/14

Swoon Romance

Skylar Fletcher is a proud Harris Academy Bulldog! She has everything she’s ever wanted: a perfect boyfriend, great friends, and her dream college waiting for her in the fall. But nothing lasts forever. Skylar's world shatters when her mom decides it is time to move and drags Skylar, kicking and screaming, into Bobcat territory.

At Delmont High School, home of the Bobcats, Skylar has no friends and is often bullied. To make matters worse, her home life sucks thanks to all-star quarterback Caleb Morgan, nephew of her mom's live-in boyfriend.

At first Skylar and Caleb want nothing to do with one another. But they soon discover they're not that different after all--and each is harboring a secret attraction to the other. But can a Bulldog and a Bobcat ever really be more than friends? And are Skylar and Caleb willing to risk everything to find out? Rival Love is a debut young adult contemporary romance from Natalie Decker.

Goodreads | Amazon

 Natalie Decker is the Author of Rival Love. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn’t her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She’s a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she’s not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she’s off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!

Blog
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Guest Post

The author Natalie is not a Junk food addict, but her character Skylar loves desserts, and Twizzlers. Here are some of Natalie’s top five favorites with Skylar’s tips.

Top 5 Desserts

1.     Banana Fosters (It’s great and so fun to make but be careful when lighting the rum, you can lose an eyebrow)- tip from Skylar.

2.     Cheese cake ( Any kind except coconut) (Yes, Natalie is allergic to coconut and we don’t want my storyteller to die so let’s NOT feed her anything with coconut in it)- Skylar

3.     Brownies (Caleb LOVES brownies)- Skylar

4.     Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip cookies (Natalie has an AWESOME recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip cookies.)- Skylar.

5.     Milky Way Cake (Totally the greatest cake to have for a birthday!)- Skylar