Saturday, June 29, 2019

Cleaning Up My TBR With a Giveaway (US Only) - Down the TBR Hole #28

This meme was started by Lost in a Story.  Here is how it works:
  • Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
Because I have so many to do, I'm going to try to do this weekly, and do 10 at a time.


1.   Of Poseidon by Anna Banks:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

 
My thoughts:
It sounds like a similar one to other books that came out about mermaids.  But I don't know that I'll ever get to it, and if I do want to, I can get it easily at the library.

Verdict:  Toss



2.  Winning Mr. Wrong by Marie Higgins:
Whoever said the quest for love wasn't comical never met Charlene Randall. Charley is looking for a man who wants to start a family, a man who will take her to the temple. Problem is, she has never dated a man for longer than three months. When she reads an internet article called "Ten Ways to Win Your Man," she decides to try it on her new coworker, Maxwell Harrington. Max was her crush in high school, but the superstar sports anchorman doesn't even remember her. Enter ladies' man Damien Giovianni, Charley's handsome neighbor, who agrees to help her win Max over. What follows is a hilarious tale of mishaps and misunderstandings where Charley learns that what she really needs may be right in front of her.

My thoughts:  
Not sure this is my type of read anymore.  Probably won't ever get around to it or anything.

Verdict:Toss




3.  Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire:
Oz is knotted with social unrest: The Emerald City is mounting an invasion of Munchkinland, Glinda is under house arrest, the Cowardly Lion is on the run from the law, and Dorothy is back. Amid chaos and war, Elphaba’s green granddaughter born at the end of "Son of a Witch", comes of age. Rain will take up her broom, and bring the series to a close.

My thoughts:  
I read the first two books in the series, and don't know that I'll go on. Since this is the fourth in the series, I need to read book 3 before I decide for sure if I even want to read this one.

Verdict:  Toss



4.  Rapture by Phillip W. Simpson:
The Rapture has occurred, just as the Bible predicted. The faithful have risen up to Heaven. Those left behind are in a living hell.

Earth burns, hell-like in its oppressive heat. Every volcano in the world has erupted, and tsunamis and earthquakes continue to devastate the planet. Clouds continually rain ash onto the scorched landscape, sparking fires all around. Plants and animals are dying. Food is scarce. The night sky is devoid of stars, and the moon - when it can be seen - is the colour of blood.

The remnants of humanity fight for survival. Most have fled the cities and now hide in caves deep in the mountains. By night, demons stalk the Earth, capturing the remaining humans and killing them - if they're lucky. The less fortunate are converted to worship of the Devil, and ushered into endless hell.

Eighteen year old Sam is unable to rise up because he is half demon. Hikari, a Japanese sword master and demon expert and his beautiful daughter, Aimi, have been all the family Sam has ever known. Now they're gone, and Sam must set out on the mission Hikari charged him with long ago: to help all the humans left behind. Armed only with his beloved Japanese swords and his wits, Sam wanders the post-apocalyptic world alone, separated forever from everyone he loves. Cursed by his demonic heritage, he must now embark on a quest that will take him across the US to the City of Angels.

There he will confront his destiny. There he must fight to save a friend ... and the souls of the living.

 
My thoughts:
Don't even remember this one.  Will have to pass.

Verdict: Toss



5.   Living Violet by Jaime Reed:
He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .

Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.

But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.

  
My thoughts:
Still don't know if this is one I'll ever get to, don't know if it is that good of a book anyway.

Verdict: Toss



6.  Desire by Kailin Gow:
A Dystopian world where everyone's future is planned out for them at age 18...whether it is what a person desires or not. Kama is about to turn 18 and she thinks her Life s Plan will turn out like her boyfriend's and friend's as they desired. But when she glimpse a young man who can communicate with her with his thoughts and knows her name...a young man with burning blue eyes and raven hair, who is dressed like no other in her world, she is left to question her Life's Plan and her destiny. Knowing the truth can destroy everyone...

My thoughts:
I feel like this is an author I need to read some day, but dont' know if I'll get to this.  The dystopian thing has to be really good these days to get me interested anyway.

Verdict:  Toss



7.  Bewitching by Alex Flinn:
Kendra Hilferty, the witch who curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence-how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people throughout the centuries. (Unfortunately her attempts have often backfired.) As it turns out, Kendra has actually had a hand in "Hansel and Gretel," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid"-but these are not the fairy tales you think you know! Kendra's reminiscences are wrapped around a real-time version of "Cinderella," except the "ugly" stepsister is the good guy. With dark twists, hilarious turns, and unexpected endings, Bewitching is a contemporary read for fairy-tale lovers, fantasy fans, and anyone looking for more Alex Flinn.

My thoughts:  
I think at some point I do want to read on in this series, but I don't think I need to keep this on my Goodreads TBR, because the author is a well enough known one that I'll be able to find the book easily.  I know it is even on my shelf at the library where I work.

Verdict: Toss


 8.  Getting Out of Jersey by Matthew Paul Esham:
It always starts small. A single action, followed by another, and another... By the time most people realize the scrabbling noise in the dark is coming from something with teeth, it's too late. In a small town in South Jersey, the darkness has taken root, spreading fast. Only a few people have survived. The ones who are left, are Getting Out of Jersey. "Best new horror!" - Susan Preston "Can't wait for the second book!" - Andy Green "Great ending!" - John Masterson

My thoughts:
Sounds maybe good, but I don't read a lot of zombie stuff anymore. 

Verdict: Toss





9.  Differentiation that Really Works:  Science by Cheryll Adams and Rebecca Pierce:
Differentiation That Really Works in Science provides time-saving tips and strategies from real teachers who teach science in grades 6-12. These teachers not only developed the materials and used them in their own classes, but they also provide useful feedback and comments about the activities. The strategies included in the book are tiered lessons, cubing, graphic organizers, exit cards, learning contracts, and choice boards. Every strategy includes directions and offers opportunities for differentiation.

My thoughts:
Just in case I ever end up teaching science again, I think I'd be interested in this one. And I will probably always believe in differentiated instruction as a good form of teaching. 

Verdict: Keep


10.  Ruin by N.M. Martinez:
Thirty years ago, there was a revolution.

Humans were granted powers through experiments performed upon them against their will. They broke free from the Labs and burned across the land, creating a dangerous new territory called the Wildlands.

Paula has grown up in the Neutral Territory, never knowing a time without the neighboring Wildlands as a threat. Her government does what it can to protect her people, but they still live in fear of the powerful Wildlanders invading their safe and protected territory.

Then one night Paula's mother is arrested, and Paula is banned from the Neutral Territory to the Wildlands. Now she must make a new life for herself in a territory of people she knows will not be welcoming.


My thoughts:
Another dystopian I probably added during my phase of reading all of these.  Not anything I'm probably interested in now.

Verdict: Toss


Final Thoughts:
Only keeping one this week out of ten, so that's good! I'm getting rid of so many as I move, but since I ran out of time, I just packed all my books and I will need to go through them once I get to unpacking.  Once again you can see that I may have dropped some, but you can also see how many I've added during the week as well because I'm also pointing out how many books are on my Want to Read list on Goodreads each week.  This week, after taking these 9 off, I have 3,190 books listed now, and last week I ended with 3,190. So I kept it even with how many I added. 

Have you read any of these?  Would you suggest I keep any I'm tossing?  And if you're inspired to do this on your blog, please feel free to join in and share a link in the comments, since it will also get you an extra entry into my giveaway at the bottom of this post.      
 


Giveaway:
Once again this is a US only giveaway, unless you are International and see a book here you really want and would be willing to pay for the difference in the shipping through Paypal or some other way.  This week I'm upping the prize, you get to pick any two books from the pictures below, as long as they don't get traded away, or picked by last week's winner, and I will pick a surprise book from the piles to add to your choice.  Here are your choices:   

2018 ARCs:



2017 ARCs:



I'm continuing to add in my early 2019 ARCs now.  You can pick one of your two choices from the picture below, the other book you pick needs to come from the pictures above.



Once again I'm going to let you pick two, along with me throwing in a surprise third book!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below. 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, June 28, 2019

Audiobook Blog Tour with Giveaway: Secret Love (4Ever #2) by Isabella White

Author: Isabella White

Narrators: Stefanie Kay, Duane Dale

Length: 14 hours 48 minutes

Series: The 4ever Series, Book 2

Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Released: Apr. 5, 2019

Genre: Erotic Romance


Guarding a secret and playing with fire has never been a good combination. Four years ago, Holly Scallenger embarked on the most difficult journey of her life. As if being a single parent isn't already stressful enough, Holly also attended med-school, in hopes of helping other pregnant women in a way she wasn't helped. But things don't look so good as she has to embark on a new journey - a journey that would take her back to Boston, back to the man who broke her heart and discarded her and her babies. Sworn to never fall for him again, Holy is put to the test once more when a chance encounter reunites them. Secret Love is the second novel in the 4Ever series by Isabella White.

 
 https://soundcloud.com/split4/jakes-pov-chapter 


Buy on Amazon
Isabella White is a USA Today Bestselling author. She always knew she was going to be a writer, but it only started to really happen in 2015 when she published Imperfect Love. It was followed two years later by the second part, Secret Love, and in 2018 she published the final part, Endless Love. When she is not writing she loves to spend her time with her Husband, two daughters and their pets doing whatever journey like takes them on. To find out more about Isabella visit her website at www.isabellawhitebooks.com
 
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Narrator Bio 
Stefanie Kay lives on the East Coast of the US with her husband and two young boys. She's always been a book lover and has a background in performing arts. Narration has become a passion and she loves having the honor of bringing these stories to life. She has narrated Paranormal Romance for DB Sieders, Chick-Lit for Charlotte Roth, and Romance for Isabella White, loving how each author has created such depth and layered stories that are easy to get lost in and you can't help but fall in love with the characters.

 
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Narrator Bio  
Duane Dale brings his distinct and unique timber to the voice acting world after searching his soul to find his ultimate calling. Duane's pursuit of becoming a voice actor came in an unexpected and clandestine manner. Since childhood Duane had a severe stutter that mysteriously left him in March 2004. Shortly after losing his speech impediment Duane decided to pursue what he felt was his Destiny: to become a voice actor. Duane is also an aspiring author, writing is his passion. He has finished his first novel in a series of four stories all told. The first novel is titled, Time, the First Book in the Destiny Series™. The other books in his planned series are: Chaos, Chance and Inheritance. He writes in the category of Magical realism mixed in with some family saga fiction. As an aspiring writer, Duane understands the challenges of getting published through traditional means and having people enjoy an authors story telling. Because he truly wants his story to be heard, he plans to produce the audio version of his first novel and release it shortly.  


 Giveaway
Giveaway: $10 Amazon Gift Card



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Thursday, June 27, 2019

Blog Tour Review with Giveaway: Courting Kate (Panther Players #1) by Tori Kron


Book info:
Title:  Courting Kate
Author:  Tori Kron
Series:  Panthers Players #1
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: June 23rd 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Sports
Source:  E-galley from Xpresso Tours which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4 stars
Synopsis:
 Slapped with court ordered community service for brawling—again, Miller Cassidy, the Indianapolis Panther’s star player, is forced into laboring under stodgy non-profit supervisor, Kate Gallagher. Her saving grace—she happens to be best friends with Stella, the woman he’s been chasing for years.
Despite the masses falling for his charm, Kate doesn’t care for Miller’s notorious reputation or his flippant behavior. But wanting to impress her strict boss, she agrees to a trade that could give them both a shot at success.
Propelled into an unlikely alliance, Miller finds himself taking a defensive stance when he sees beyond Kate’s hard exterior. And Kate is equally thrown off guard when she discovers there’s more to Miller than games.
But is love worth sacrificing friendship? And can Miller let go of the feelings for Stella he’s held onto for years?
In love and basketball, it’s five fouls and you’re out, and every play counts.


My Review:
This was a quick read.  I enjoyed the slightly enemies to lover aspect of it.  At first I was a little unsure, because it's kind of obvious that the couple is supposed to be Kate and Miller, yet one of Kate's best friends used to date him.  In fact he is kind of hung up on Stella, and it is the bit that Miller holds over Kate's head so that he will help her.  But, it was also pretty easy to see to me that Stella wasn't really interested enough that it was fair to Kate to not give him a chance when their attraction really ramped up.  The actual sex was kept to very minimum.  Miller was a great guy, and you learned that his fighting really wasn't just ridiculous getting into a fight because he was drunk.  It was great to see his relationship with his little brother as well.  I look forward to reading more in this series, and I assume that his best friend Deacon will probably be the next book, with how we were left at the end of this one.
 

Author Bio:
Tori Kron has spent ten years educating middle school students in the art of English writing. She is a proud graduate of Purdue University, where she discovered a love for nearby Chicago and the adventures that awaited within. When Tori isn’t in front of the classroom, you can find her working with fellow authors in the Midwest Writers Guild or traveling the world with friends. In between excursions, she happily resides in Evansville, Indiana with her husband and son.


GIVEAWAY!

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Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Review: The Accidental Girlfriend by Emma Hart

Book info:
TitleThe Accidental Girlfriend
Author:  Emma Hart
Genre:  Adult romantic comedy
Release Date:  June 25th, 2019
Source:  E-galley from Social Butterfly PR which did not influence my opinion.
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:
Top Tip: Don’t put out an online ad offering your services as a fake date. Someone will take you up on it.

And it won’t just be for one night.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up being Mason Jackson’s fake girlfriend.

He didn’t even want me to be. No—his sister was solely responsible for me being his date for his ten-year high school reunion.

Now, she’s responsible for telling his parents our relationship is real.

We have no choice. We have to act like this isn’t all a mistake, like it’s not all fake, like we’re totally, completely, utterly, head-over-heels in love with each other.

Simple, right?

Wrong.


Get your copy today!
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TAGEmmaHart

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2VQEBut

My Review:
So, I pretty much love all things that I have read by Emma Hart, and I knew I'd have to read this one as soon as I heard about it.  It started out a little iffy for me, because while I get why Mason's sister signed him up for a fake girlfriend, the whole reasoning behind Lauren advertising to do it was a little iffy on actually making sense to me.  But that's okay, because in the end, the whole deal turned out to be as hilarious as Hart's other books have been.  Once again the banter and fun of the characters interactions made this a read that I sped through.  This was a very simple story compared to the others that I've read.  Just basically the fake girlfriend romance you expected.  It was pretty predictable, which made it a nice easy summer read.  I did enjoy how once again the author weaves the hilariousness of elderly relatives into the family dynamics of her stories.  While this isn't going to go on the top of my list of Emma Hart books, it was a good one.

  

Lisa's Looking Foward To #20 - July 2nd, 2019

Back to joining up with the Waiting on Wednesday Posts, and the Can't Wait Wednesday posts hosted by Wishful Endings.  This week there are four on my list.

From my ARC list for July 2nd:


The movie is a classic, and so of course I would love to see how this book turns out.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Oscar winning writer-director Guillermo del Toro and New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke come together to transform del Toro’s hit movie Pan’s Labyrinth into an epic and dark fantasy novel for readers of all ages, complete with gorgeous and haunting illustrations.

This book is not for the faint of heart or weak in spirit. It’s not for skeptics who don’t believe in fairy tales and the powerful forces of good. It’s only for brave and intrepid souls like you, who will stare down evil in all its forms.

Inspired by the critically acclaimed film written and directed by Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro and reimagined by New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke, this haunting tale takes readers to a darkly magical and war-torn world filled with richly drawn characters like trickster fauns, murderous men, child-eating monsters, courageous rebels, and a long-lost princess hoping to be reunited with her family.

Perfect for fans of the movie and readers who are new to del Toro’s visionary work, this atmospheric and absorbing novel is a portal to another universe where there is no wall between the real and the imagined. A daring, unforgettable collaboration between two brilliant storytellers.


Sound good?  Add to Goodreads HERE



I really like circus stories, although I feel that maybe teens today aren't as into them as I wish they were.  Plus I like the historical aspect of this one.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

A stunning, multigenerational story about two teenagers: Victoria, who joins the circus in 1965, and her granddaughter, Callie, who leaves the circus fifty years later.

In 1965 seventeen-year-old Victoria, having just escaped an unstable home, flees to the ultimate place for dreamers and runaways--the circus. Specifically, the VanDrexel Family Circus where, among the lion tamers, roustabouts, and trapeze artists, Victoria hopes to start a better life.

Fifty years later, Victoria's sixteen-year-old granddaughter Callie is thriving. A gifted and focused tightrope walker with dreams of being a VanDrexel high wire legend just like her grandmother, Callie can't imagine herself anywhere but the circus. But when Callie's mother accepts her dream job at an animal sanctuary in Florida just months after Victoria's death, Callie is forced to leave her lifelong home behind.

Feeling unmoored and out of her element, Callie pores over memorabilia from her family's days on the road, including a box that belonged to Victoria when she was Callie's age. In the box, Callie finds notes that Victoria wrote to herself with tips and tricks for navigating her new world. Inspired by this piece of her grandmother's life, Callie decides to use Victoria's circus prowess to navigate the uncharted waters of public high school.

Across generations, Victoria and Callie embrace the challenges of starting over, letting go, and finding new families in unexpected places.


Sound good?  Add to Goodreads HERE.


A female Doogie Howser #ownvoices story that sounds like fun!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The youngest doctor in America, an Indian-American teen makes her rounds―and falls head over heels―in the contemporary romantic comedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak.

Fresh from med school, sixteen-year-old medical prodigy Saira arrives for her first day at her new job: treating children with cancer. She’s always had to balance family and friendships with her celebrity as the Girl Genius―but she’s never had to prove herself to skeptical adult co-workers while adjusting to real life-and-death stakes. And working in the same hospital as her mother certainly isn’t making things any easier.

But life gets complicated when Saira finds herself falling in love with a patient: a cute teen boy who’s been diagnosed with cancer. And when she risks her brand new career to try to improve his chances, it could cost her everything.

It turns out “heartbreak” is the one thing she still doesn’t know how to treat.

In her solo debut, Sona Charaipotra brings us a compelling #ownvoices protagonist who’s not afraid to chase what she wants. Symptoms of a Heartbreak goes from romantic comedy highs to tearjerker lows and is the ultimate cure-all for young adult readers needing an infusion of something heartfelt.


Sound good?  Add to Goodreads HERE




Gotta love the cover, and sounds like a good mystery!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:


Remy Tsai used to know how her story would turn out. But now, she doesn’t even know what tomorrow will look like.

She was happy once. Remy had her boyfriend Jack, and Elise, her best friend—her soulmate—who understood her better than anyone else in the world.

But now Jack is dead, shot through the chest—

And it was Elise who pulled the trigger.

Was it self-defense? Or something deeper, darker than anything Remy could have imagined? As the police investigate, Remy does the same, sifting through her own memories, looking for a scrap of truth that could save the friendship that means everything to her.

Told in alternating timelines, Thelma and Louise meets Gone Girl in this twisted psychological thriller about the dark side of obsessive friendship.


Sound good?  Add to Goodreads HERE.


Final Thoughts:
Have you read any of these yet?  Are they on your TBR?  And hey, while you're here, you should go try to win some of my ARCs from Cleaning Up My TBR Post HERE. The US only giveaway is open till Friday at midnight, and this week I added some 2019 ARCs that can be one of your two choices.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Release Blitz: The Accidental Girlfriend by Emma Hart

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The Accidental Girlfriend, an all-new hilarious romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart is available now!

THE ACCIDENTAL GIRLFRIEND - DRAFT1 (1).jpg

Top Tip: Don’t put out an online ad offering your services as a fake date. Someone will take you up on it.

And it won’t just be for one night.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up being Mason Jackson’s fake girlfriend.

He didn’t even want me to be. No—his sister was solely responsible for me being his date for his ten-year high school reunion.

Now, she’s responsible for telling his parents our relationship is real.

We have no choice. We have to act like this isn’t all a mistake, like it’s not all fake, like we’re totally, completely, utterly, head-over-heels in love with each other.

Simple, right?

Wrong.

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Download your copy of The Accidental Girlfriend today! 

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TAGEmmaHart
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2VQEBut

About Emma Hart
Emma Hart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels and has been translated into several different languages.  

She is a mother, wife, lover of wine, Pink Goddess, and valiant rescuer of wild baby hedgehogs.  

Emma prides herself on her realistic, snarky smut, with comebacks that would make a PMS-ing teenage girl proud.  

Yes, really. She's that sarcastic.

Connect with Emma

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