Blog Tour: The Libby Garrett Intervention by Kelly Oram [REVIEW // GIVEAWAY]

Hi everyone, hope your all doing well, I am so excited to share with you this AMAZING BOOK! Keep on reading, leave me some comments (it makes me smile), and enter the giveaway! Tour hosted by YA Bound.

Title: The Libby Garrett Intervention
Author: Kelly Oram
Publisher: Bluefields Publishing
Publication date: October 24th, 2015
Pages: 244
Series: Science Squad #2
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Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson's hot lovin'. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn't appreciate all of Libby's awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they're dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she's the only one who can't see it.

When Libby's behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen's Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard as nails coffee man to be her official sponsor...

Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he's crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he's the perfect candidate to be Libby's sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

This follow-up companion novel to The Avery Shaw Experiment can be read as a stand alone. (But where's the fun in that?)

In one sentence: A seriously impressive, swoon-y, addicting, and fresh contemporary YA novel.

Long Version: Since this is an ARC, I'll keep it spoiler free. As someone who rarely reads contemporary ya/na books, this book was was overall amazing, with the exception of one minor thing at the start of the book. Going into the book I was pretty unsure of what I would find. The story sounded interesting and the main character was on the plus side.

Out of the many things I liked, one of the things i loved about this book was that i could relate to Libby and Adam. There stories are so different and yet they really do understand and support each other. Libby is dealing with getting over a guy that only liked her physically and Adam has been through a lot of hard sh*t in his young life. Adam was tough on Libby and was 100% honest with her and yes he came off as a jerk but he was just intense because he cared for Libby, a lot. Libby kinda frustrated me at the start of the novel because she couldn't see how Owen, her college boyfriend, was using her. At points she knew he was treating her bad but she made excuses, and I felt just as angry and upset as Adam. There romance was well done too, it wasn't insta-love and it just felt right. They had there intense moments and their sweet.

Another aspect I love were the supporting characters. I haven't read the first book but I might give it a go because all of Libby's friends on the Science Squad seemed so chill and friendly. They were witty, awkward, and nerdy. They were also brutally honest with Libby and were super concerned with her changes and life choices. As true friends should. Also Libby's parents were the coolest. They were supportive of there daughter and her dad was a pro skier, extremely cool ;)

My number ONE MOST FAVORITE PART OF THIS BOOK WAS ADAM! Seriously where can i find him. He has become one of my favorite characters. Even though he was tough with Libby, he was sweet, understanding, broody, wise, and witty. Since it was in a dual POV, I got to read what was going through his head and I fell REALLY HARD for him. He went through so much but was a responsible, mature, and caring person. He was a true gentleman and ARG!!!! I loved him. It definitely helped that he had tattoos, piercings, and was a skater. No matter what happened he would always be there, really wish Adam was real because I didn't want to finish reading about him. He gave this book a lot of depth and awww filled moments.

Almost to the end there was a scene that quite literally broke my heart, I was where Adam was once and it broke my heart too. I can't say more than that because it would spoil it, but be warned the climax at the end really got to me. I seriously don't know how I made it out of this book in one piece but I did and the aftermath was so well written and every scene was emotion and feels.

In the end, the story Kelly Oram wrote has been one of my favorites. The subject matter is more on the New Adult side but the emotions and relationships are definitely more innocent and relate-able. The characters were all enjoyable and interesting. This is a great book to pick up if you want a good dose of a swoon. 4.5/5 stars!

Song that I heard and best matches the book:

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her.

She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful.

She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children.

CONNECT WITH HER: WEBSITE // TWITTER // GOODREADS // FACEBOOK

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Blog Tour: If You Wrong Us by Dawn Klehr [Excerpt + Giveaway]

Finally got to program some posts for the following weeks but first wanted to share this book with you all! Keep on reading, leave me some comments (it makes me smile), and enter the giveaway! Tour hosted by Barclay Publicity.

Title: If You Wrong Us
Author: Dawn Klehr
Publisher: Flux
Publication date: October 8th, 2015
Pages: 240
Series: Standalone
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Becca and Johnny become entangled after a car crash steals the lives of two people they love. Officially, the crash is an accident. But Becca and Johnny are convinced: someone did this.

As they plot revenge against the person responsible, a bond—intense, unyielding, and manic—takes hold of them. And in an unexpected turn of events, they fall for each other.

Or so they think.

In an upside-down world where decay is beautiful and love and hate become one, Becca and Johnny find themselves grappling with reality. Nothing is exactly what it seems, including what they've come to believe about the crash. Question is: will they learn the truth before it's too late?

No. The question is: when they learn the truth, will they care?

EXCERPT #1:

I left the room first. I couldn’t stand to be in there any longer. The florescent lights; the stale ammonia scent; the look on my parents’ faces.

Down the hall and around the corner, the special waiting room was empty and the refrigerator was full of juice boxes. They’d become a comfort for me in here—something sweet to coat all the bitterness rotting my insides. I closed my eyes and tried to block out everything. I tried to forget, until light footsteps caught my attention. I kept my eyes closed because I didn’t want anyone to bother me.

Please, please just go away.

“Becca?” a small soft voice called out. It was a voice in between—deep and crackling, yet still high enough to sound feminine.

Ethan Kent.

He walked over to me carrying a bouquet of daisies. It was like a scene out of a Disney movie: a just-pubescent boy with short sandy hair and proper manners making a kind gesture to set everything right.

“I brought these for your sister,” he said.

He handed the flowers to me; I didn’t take them. They were bundled together in that cheap plastic wrap, devoid of all smell. They reminded me of Travis. Appealing on the outside, but nothing of value on the inside.

“I’ll just set them here,” he said, putting them on the seat next to mine.

“Is this some kind of joke?” I asked him. “Did your perverse brother put you up to this?”

Ethan didn’t need to answer. I knew Travis had sent him here to show me he was in control, that he could do whatever he wanted. But this time, he’d messed with the wrong person. I’d been under my sister’s thumb for as long as I could remember, and I wasn’t about to be controlled again. Never again.

That day, a fire ignited in me. Heat that had been there under the surface, waiting. This move by Travis was the match that set it ablaze.

“What do you mean?” he asked, taking a step backward.

“She’s dead. She’s dead! ” I jabbed his chest with my finger.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “We didn’t know. Travis didn’t think you’d see him, so he sent me.

He’s worried about you.”

“He should be worried about me.” I stood up, physically unable to be still. “He should be very worried.” Ethan’s face twisted into something less Disney and more Stephen King. He trembled as his eyes cast down.

“Don’t say that,” he said.

I smiled. Ethan was scared of me. I stood a little taller, taking up more space in the room. He took another step back. I put on this new role like a welcome down jacket in a frigid Detroit winter. It was warmth and safety. I was finally the person on the offense rather than defense. I was in control and it was a heady feeling. One I’d eventually become hooked on.

Dawn Klehr is the author of the young adult thrillers: The Cutting Room Floor and If You Wrong Us.

She began her career in TV news and though she’s been on both sides of the camera, she prefers to lurk behind the lens. Mostly, she loves to get lost in stories – in film, the theater, or on the page – and is a sucker for both the sinister and the sappy. She’s currently channeling her dark side as she works on her next book.

Dawn lives in the Twin Cities with her funny husband, adorable son, and naughty dog.

FIND MORE ON HER: WEBSITE | TWITTER | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK

Dawn is offering up some fabulous prizes during her If You Wrong Us Virtual Tour event. One (1) lucky grand prize winner will receive a $25 Gift Card for Amazon or B&N (winner’s choice) and two (2) runner-ups will win an eBook copy of Dawn’s young adult psychological thriller The Cutting Room Floor! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

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Blog Tour: A Shot of Reckless by Maddie Paige [Spotlight + Giveaway]

I'm, sick again. Hopefully I have more news for you all soon. Keep on reading, leave me some comments (it makes me smile), and enter the giveaway! Tour hosted by Me, My Shelf, and I.

Title: A Shot of Reckless
Author: Maddie Paige
Publisher: Elephantine Publishing
Publication date: October 14th, 2015
Pages: 252
Series: Standalone
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Art major, Roxy Thompson, is a ball of fun—but she's also careful to keep her walls intact when it comes to men. She likes relationships just like her coffee: light and sweet. After having her heart shattered once before, she’s determined not to ever feel that broken again.

College senior, Lake Foster, is just tempting enough to make Roxy rethink her rules of engagement. Suddenly, high-dollar shots and a no-strings night out aren't enough anymore.

But Lake isn't looking for long-term. His future is set, and in four months, he intends to graduate and leave Georgia—and everything in it—behind. Luckily, short-term fun is Roxy’s specialty, and Lake can’t resist what he promises will be a fleeting taste.

Will Roxy and Lake really walk away when their time is up? They only have one shot to find out.

Writing duo Maddie Paige bonded over books, shirtless boys and Step Up movies.

One lives for her coffee while the other prefers hot chocolate.

Both lovers of romance, they tag teamed a manuscript over late nights at Steak & Shake. They live in Atlanta, GA and A Shot of Reckless is their debut.

FIND MORE ON THEM: TWITTER | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK

Must be 13+ To Enter | Ships in US only

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Blog Tour : Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid [Review // Playlist // Giveaway]

Back again today for my stop on the NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES blog tour. Still not back into the swing of things, mostly because the computer keeps flailing on me. Anywho, keep on reading, leave me some comments (it makes me smile), and enter the giveaway!

Tour Hosted by the Fantastic Flying Book Club.

Title: Never Always Sometimes
Author: Adi Alsaid
Publisher: Harleqquin Teen
Publication date: August 1st, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: For review via Netgalley
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Never date your best friend

Always be original

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he's broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It's either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they've actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

In one sentence: Full of witty characters, crazy drama, finding yourself, and love!

Long Version: Since this is an ARC, I'll keep it spoiler free. Let me just say that I could not stop reading this book, the writing and the characters really kept me hooked to the story. I normally don't read any contemporary books because they have lots of cliches, but this was a book full of first never making them, and then breaking that rule and doing those cliches.

I loved the first half of the book, then around 3/4 of the book it went into New Adult territory, which i don't mind but for younger readers there definitely should be a warning somewhere in the summary to let them know that there is some sexual content. Then after that in the last quarter of the book everything had a less joyful tone because of certain things that happened ;) My emotions were definitely taken on a wild ride. Also liked that Julia and Dave got there own POVs.

I loved Dave and Julia, both were funny, witty, and very close. At first I was meh about Julia but once I got to read through her eyes, I got a more complete view of her emotions. I loved the friendship they had and the connection they felt for each other, nothing felt forced and they were really sweet with each others, as friends. There was a lot of confusing emotions in that small 3/4 part of the book with these characters. I loved the side characters too! Like Dave's brother Brett.

In the end, nothing went as it should have or as i expected but i ended up enjoying the ride this book took me on. A really enjoyable summer read that kept me grinning. If you've read the book then you'll get the gif below, loved the ending!!

~ (M I N I) P L A Y L I S T - T I M E ~

1. Twenty One Pilots - "R I D E"

LYRICS:

I just want to stay in the sun where I find,
I know it’s hard sometimes,
Pieces of peace in the sun’s peace of mind,
I know it’s hard sometimes,
Yeah I think about the end just way too much,
But it’s fun to fantasize,
On my enemies I wouldn't wish who I was,
But it’s fun to fantasize.

I’m falling so I’m taking my time on my ride,
I’m falling so I’m taking my time on my ride.

2. The Runaway Club - "B Y _ Y O U R _ S I D E"

LYRICS:

If you wanna leave we can leave now
If you wanna stay we can stay all night
If you wanna sing we can sing loud
If you wanna dance ya we can dance
A while

I wanna be by your side
And that is the only place I wanna be

3. Lorde - "G L O R Y _ A N D _ G O R E"

LYRIC:

There's a humming in the restless summer air
And we're slipping off the course that we prepared
But in all chaos, there is calculation
Dropping glasses just to hear them break
You've been drinking like the world was gonna end (it didn't)
Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (go figure)
It's clear that someone's gotta go
We mean it but I promise we're not mean

Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer.

He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. Let's Get Lost is his YA debut.

FIND MORE ON HER: WEBSITE | TWITTER | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK

Win (1) of (3) finished copies of NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES by Adi Alsaid (US Only)

Ends on August 11th at Midnight EST!

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Lizzy - ARC Review [ 1 7 5 ] : Kill the boy band by Goldy Moldavsky

Title: Kill the Boy Band
Author: by Goldy Moldavsky
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: February 23rd, 2016
Pages: ----
Source: For review via Around The World Book Tours
GOODREADS

Just know from the start that it wasn't supposed to go like this.

All we wanted was to get near them. That's why we got a room in the hotel where they were staying.

We were not planning to kidnap one of them. Especially not the most useless one.

And we were definitely not planning on what happened next.

Follows a group of girls who, “accidentally kidnap their least-favorite member of their most favorite boy band."

Fangirls get a bad rap all the time – people say we’re weird, hysterical, obsessed, certifiable. But those people don’t understand.

Just because we were fangirls, doesn’t mean we were crazy. It’s important you know that up front. Because everything I’m about to tell you is going to seem . . . well, crazy.

From thrilling new talent Goldy Moldavsky comes a pitch-black, hilarious take on modern fandom and the badass girls who have the power to make—or break— the people we call “celebrities.”

In one sentence: A crazy, funny, unexpectedly enjoyable fan-girl ride!

Long Version: I ended up really enjoying KILL THE BOY BAND and the story way more than I was actually expecting. Normally I don't read fan girl stories because they are pretty cray and too obsessive? While there was definitely the crazy aspect in this book, there was also a lot of other elements that make this book particularly less crazy and more well rounded than most.

This book follows the events of one day in which a group of four friends: Isabel, Apple, Erin, and Sloane ; end up with a member of there favorite boy band. The story is told from Sloane's POV and she seemed like the most down to earth one, while the rest of her friends varying through different levels of obsession with the boy band.

SOMEONE DIES. I mean it's in the title, so you can expect that to be part of the story but really what I liked was that at the start, there is no one dead, which kind of makes you wonder : how will this person die? When? Where? Who did it? In that aspect it had an air or mystery but I didn't feel it to be the most important aspect.

All of the characters I liked except for Rubert P, or the useless member of THE RUBERTS, who was a complete DOUCHBAG. There were points I thought maybe he'll be nice or something but NOPE. In his situation I can kinda see why he wouldn't be to happy but really there was no stop to him. Which made what happens to him easier to handle.

One thing I didn't expect to find was romance. I liked that it was nicely put in a way that actually rounded out the story and the characters and wasn't so outrageously forced. I loved how the book was written and the HUMOR! I really had fun reading this. It was full of witty retorts, funny scenes, and ridiculously crazy events. I looked like a fool grinning to myself on the bus.

One of the things that I didn't like was that Sloane, even though she was pretty tame compared to the rest, she had a few opportunities to escape the situation. She even acted on leaving but then stayed. The girls also did some pretty mean and evil things to a certain member. Then the ending was again pretty anti-climatic. We learn who the killer is and I was definitely surprised. But in the end no one believes a fan girl and nothing happens, the killer is not even investigated...and life moves on.

There is definitely ups and downs but overall I did enjoy the book. The fan girl aspect was way more on the crazy-ridiculous side, I loved the writing, and the smidgen of romance we get. I wouldn't buy the book when it comes out but I will definitely be getting it from the Library to re-read and will be looking forward to more books by this author. Wish i could say more BUT it doesn't come out until FEBRUARY 2016!! @_@ I don't want to spoil it too much ;)

THAT'S IT! WHAT DID YOU THINK? HAVE YOU HEARD OF KILL THE BOY BAND? SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU'LL READ?

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Release Day Blitz: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir [letter from the author + a giveaway!]

OMG!! It's finally out! I am so excited to share with all of you this awesome book. Keep on reading, leave me some comment, and enter the giveaway!

Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: April 28th 2015
Series: Standalone
Pages: 464
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Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

Sabaa Tahir grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s 18-room motel.

There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her brother’s comic book stash and playing guitar badly.

She began writing An Ember in the Ashes while working nights as a newspaper editor.

She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks and all things nerd.

Sabaa currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

FIND MORE ON HER: WEBSITE | TWITTER | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM

LETTER FROM SABAA TAHIR:

2 winners will receive a signed hardcover of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES [US Only]

3 winners will receive a hardcover of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES and a Sword Letter Opener! [US Only]

Ends on May 9th at Midnight EST!

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AS PART OF:

THAT'S IT! EXCITED TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO READ THIS!? LIKED THE BOOK TEASER?

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