Carly's Rule (The Braddock's #1) by Vickie King - $1.99 on Amazon
I am really excited about Sublime. It just looks so different than anything I've read before. Then I got a bunch of great Christian Romances that I'm super excited about and that include some favorite authors.
What did you get this week?
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program. If you make a purchase of any type using these links, I receive a small kickback.
I'd like to welcome Leigh Ann Kopans, the author of Solving for Ex, to my blog today! You can see my review of Solving for Exhere. She's sharing with us some of Austen's funniest moments. I love Austen, so let's all enjoy them together!
Solving for Ex
by Leigh Ann Kopans
YA Contemporary Romance Paperback, 300 Pages
February 11th 2014
Cover Designed by Hafsah Laziaf of Icey Designs
Summary
1 crush on your best friend +
1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +
1 Mathletics competition =
1 big mess
SIMPLIFY.
Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy.
But when gorgeous new girl Sofia rolls in and steals Brendan, Ashley's place on the team, and her fragile foothold on the Mansfield Park Prep social totem pole, it’s on. Sofia is everything Ashley left her old school to escape. The only thing Ashley didn’t count on is Sofia’s sexy twin brother Vincent.
Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There's no real reason Ashley shouldn't like Vincent, but with the
battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.
She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.
SOLVING FOR EX is a YA contemporary romance that remixes Mansfield Park as Clueless meets Mean Girls in a crazy mix of high school society, mathletic competition, and teenage romance.
Guest Post
Hi there Tressa! Thank you so much for having me over to your blog to talk about my new book, Solving for Ex, as part of the Fantastic Flying Book Club tour! I’m even more grateful that you asked me to talk about funny moments in Austen books, because there are so many that I love! I’m sharing three today that I was able to find video adaptations for. Enjoy! Emma in general. Emma Woodhouse is the only hilariously oblivious (as opposed to tragically or endearingly oblivious) main character in an Austen book (that I can think of.) This guy, Mr. Elton, has been in love with her since forever and she’s trying to set him up with her new charity-case bestie. By the time he’s ready to propose, she still has NO CLUE. Like, none. Oh, Emma. You poor thing.
The Pride and Prejudice pianoforte scene (the first one.) There are a couple hilarious things about this one. First is Lady Catharine, who clearly thinks she’s hot stuff because she’s rich, and makes Lizzie display her pianoforte skills, but subtly admits that she can’t even play a piano. Ha! Lizzie’s embarrassed, but God love her, she plays (awfully) anyway, and self-deprecates and pokes fun at Mr. Darcy the whole time. And even when he clearly hates it, she keeps at it! Even though she’s WAY lower class than he is. This is one of the best.
The Proposal at the End of Sense and Sensibility (spoilers!) Elinor thought Edward was married but really the new Mr. Ferrars was his BROTHER Mr. Ferrars and not EDWARD Ferrars and so Elinor has been in mourning because she thought she lost the man of her dreams, right? But then he comes to visit her and she finds out he is NOT married. And then she loses her [blank]. Enjoy.
Thanks again, Tressa! You’re the best. I hope some of your readers find Solving for Ex as funny as I find Austen. Thank you, Leigh Ann!
About the Author
Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. As an adult, she rediscovered her love for not only reading, but also writing the types of fiction that enchanted her as a teen. Solving for Ex was born of her love for Jane Austen’s classics, and how they taught her that love stories could be funny and wickedly smart.
Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio. When she’s not immersed in the world of fiction, you can find her obsessing over the latest superhero movie or using her kids as an excuse to go out for ice cream (again.)
Win (1) "Mathlete" Tee (US Only)
Win (1) "Maths" Tee from Threadless (US Only)
Win (1) "I <3 u" equation coffee mug (US Only)
Win (1) signed paperback of Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans (US Only)
Win (1) of (3) e-copies of Solving For Ex by LeighAnn Kopans (INT)
Win (1) "Reading Is Sexy" Tee (US Only)
Ends March 3rd, 2014
YA Contemporary Romance Paperback, 300 Pages
February 11th 2014
Cover Designed by Hafsah Laziaf of Icey Designs
Summary
1 crush on your best friend +
1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +
1 Mathletics competition =
1 big mess
SIMPLIFY.
Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy.
But when gorgeous new girl Sofia rolls in and steals Brendan, Ashley's place on the team, and her fragile foothold on the Mansfield Park Prep social totem pole, it’s on. Sofia is everything Ashley left her old school to escape. The only thing Ashley didn’t count on is Sofia’s sexy twin brother Vincent.
Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There's no real reason Ashley shouldn't like Vincent, but with the battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.
She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.
SOLVING FOR EX is a YA contemporary romance that remixes Mansfield Park as Clueless meets Mean Girls in a crazy mix of high school society, mathletic competition, and teenage romance.
My Review
I love everything Austen. I've read her books, watched the film adaptations, and read several books based off of her works. I was really excited to find out if Solving for Ex would be another favorite to add to my shelves. *sigh* I ended up with mixed feelings. I think I'd better just get the dislikes out of the way first and then I can move on to what I did like. There was too much swearing, including the F-word, some partying, lots of innuendo, and sexual content. This was really a big drawback for me. I can handle some, but it was so unnecessary, especially when the story and romance was actually really sweet. Also, if you think about Austen lovers and that they read her stories multiple times and that her books don't have any of that stuff in them, it just drives the point home that it isn't needed. I had been hoping to be able to share the book with my nieces, but I can't because of the content and I would have loved it otherwise, so that is why it is so disappointing, especially when the few emails I've had with the author were great and the writing and characters were actually really well done. Let's move on... The story was very well paced, held my interest, and I liked the writing style. I felt like the timing when new characters were introduced was also really good, which meant I could remember who everyone was and I had time to connect to them. The MC, Ashley, had a great voice. I also loved the little math equations and notes added to each chapter. Very fun! I had an immediate connection to the main characters. I really liked Ashley. She is so flawed, but it made me like her more. I could understand why she never told Brendan how she felt. I also could see how she could be attracted to Vincent and struggle with what to do. Brendan was great as well, although a little clueless. He's a perfect boy-next-door/best friend guy. Just full of charm and friendship, but also a really amazing person. Vincent and Sofia were so great in their roles! I also really liked Ashley's aunt Kristin. It was interesting that we don't see much of Ashley's uncle, but Kristin is the one who Ashley feels she can depend on. Overall, it was a really cute, hilarious, and sweet modern retelling of Mansfield Park by Austen. The author made the story her own. If you enjoy Contemporary YA, Romance, and Austen retellings, and don't mind the content, then I would recommend this. Content: Quite a bit of swearing, some high school partying, innuendo, and one sex scene. Source: From the author for the book's tour, which did not affect my review in any way.
The author, Leigh Ann Kopans, is stopping by today as part of the tour for Solving for Ex. She's picked some humorous Austen moments to share. You see the moments she picked here.
Friday Favorites is a weekly meme hosted here, that spotlights a favorite author, book, series, publisher, cover, blog, etc. Basically whatever bookish thing that you love, recommend, and want to tell others about. Just pick one and link up to my post each Friday to share. You can use the graphic I used above, the other one here, or your own.
I have gotten really busy between blogging, my family, and now partnering with Laura @Colorimetry/Prism Book Tours for blog tours. This means that I will not always be participating in Friday Favorites. Even if I'm not personally sharing something, I will always have a post like this up so that those of you who have a favorite bookish thing to share still can. I would like to see them! I will participate when I can or when I really love something and want to share it with you. It may be completely planned or sporadic.
SORRY THIS IS LATE! I knew I forgot something. My days blended together a little this week. If you have a bookish favorite to share, I'd still like to know. Leave a link in comments or just a comment!
Month9Books Presents a Cover Reveal and Title Contest for Book 2 in Heather L. Reid's Pretty Dark Nothing Series.
Help Month9Books choose a title for the next book in the Pretty Dark Nothing series!
Book 2, a follow up to Pretty Dark Nothing, will be released this fall, and we need your help picking a title. Below are two covers, each with a proposed title for Book 2 on it. We can't call it "Book 2" forever, so please take a look and comment HERE to vote on which you like best.
The winning title will be revealed at BEA 2014 and if you commented to vote and will attend BEA, Month9Books will give you a signed copy of the galley (limited to the first 20 commenters attending). Voting opens today and ends on Friday, March 14, 2014. Thanks to artist Christel Michiels for the amazing cover!
So, which do you like best?
Title choice 1: Perfect Dark Sacrifice
Title choice 2: Pretty Dark Sacrifice
Pretty Dark Nothing Series by Heather L. Reid
YA Paranormal Romance
September 2014 by Month9Books
Summary
It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since the demons forced Quinn to throw herself into the raging river, since Aaron sacrificed himself to save her, since he disappeared without a trace. No body, no sign of him at all. Everyone wants her to move on, but Quinn can’t. She’s convinced Aaron’s trying to contact her, but Azrael, her angel Sentinel, insists these visions are nothing more than the demons preying on her guilt, bent on distracting her from her true destiny as the reincarnation of Eve.
With Aaron’s fate forever entwined with Quinn’s true Sentinel, Kaemon, they both find themselves prisoner of the underworld. For Aaron, death in the river would have been easier than ending up in Lilith’s dungeons.
About the Author
Heather L. Reid has always had a sense of wanderlust and a belief in the paranormal. She eats mayonnaise on her fries, loves video games, and getting lost in a good story. This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in South Ayrshire, Scotland, where she spends her weekends wandering the moors in search of the ghost of William Wallace and exploring haunted castles.
Her debut young adult Paranormal, PRETTY DARK NOTHING, will be released on April 23, 2013 by Month 9 Books.
I am so thrilled to be a stop on the tour for Hope Springs with Shadow Mountain Publishing!
I absolutely LOVED this book!! You can see my full review below and you can see a recent
interview with the author, Sarah M. Eden, here.
Hope Springs
(Longing for Home #2) A Proper Romance by Sarah M. Eden
Historical Romance Paperback, 416 Pages
February 2014 by Shadow Mountain
Summary
All is not well in Wyoming. Katie Macauley gave up her life-long dream of returning to Ireland in order to make a home for herself in Hope Springs, but her future has never been so uncertain. The town is more divided than ever, with both the Irish and the Reds stealing property, burning buildings, and endangering lives.
Katie’s heart remains sharply divided between her love for playful Tavish and steady Joseph, a decision she feels ill-prepared to make. In the midst of the growing unrest, temperatures drop quickly, too quickly, and Irish nightmares of famine and cold resurface as the little Wyoming town struggles to beat the harsh winter.
Katie makes one sacrifice after another to keep the peace and help see her loved ones through the difficult days ahead, but will it be enough? Can the town make amends before their hatred consumes them all? And will Katie find the love she has been searching for as well as a home to call her own?
My Review
I enjoyed the first book in this series, Longing for Home. (You can see my review here.) I had heard that the second book was fabulous and I love all of Sarah's books, so I was definitely committed to reading it. It was definitely worth it! I'm still trying to put my thoughts in order after finishing this book. Let me just share with you what it is full of. It has love, desperation, heartbreak, hatred, kindness, sacrifice, friendship, sadness, turmoil, music, romance, and hope. Oh, always hope. It made me laugh, sigh, and even cry (thanks, Sarah). I couldn't put it down! I loved this bittersweet story! Loved it!!! I loved the ending! So, so good! Hope Springs is a tough little town to live in. There is the Irish Road and the Red Road and no space to overlap. Katie caused quite a bit of conflict when she first arrived and it seems she still does. It was great to see more of the Irish culture and read more about the O'Connor family. I still adore Ivy and Emma, Joseph Archer's little girls. They add so much to the story. Joseph lives on neutral ground and is not Irish. He has great influence because he is wealthy and owns most of the land that the farmers live and work on. Of course I loved Joseph, Kate, and Tavish and all of the other side-characters. I don't normally like love-triangles, but this one was so well done. I knew who I thought was a better fit for Katie, just from his initial actions alone, but it takes her some time for her to figure it out. It also takes time for Joseph and Tavish to figure it out and the author did so well with how she handled it all. The author lets her characters struggle. This was not an easy and light read, but there was a perfect balance between the hardship and struggles to the happy times, the laughter and the love. It's what made it such a great book and why I connected to it so well. Life is rarely perfect, but we can find happiness even through the hard times. Just overall it was so well done. It is definitely one of my favorites by the author. I'm hoping it won't be the last I will see of these characters. I would love to know what happens with Emma and Finbarr and some others as well. I would highly recommend Hope Springs to anyone who enjoys reading Historical Romance, Romance, or just is looking for a good book. It is definitely worth the read! Content: Clean (There are some instances of discrimination and violence, but mild and necessary to the story, but I would consider this very clean.) Source: From the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.
Video Interview with the Author
About the Author
Sarah M. Eden is the author of multiple historical romances, including Whitney Award finalistsSeeking Persephone (2008, Covenant Communications) and Courting Miss Lancaster(2010, Covenant Communications). Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah has twice served as the Master of Ceremonies for the LDStorymakers Writers Conference, acted as the Writer in Residence at the Northwest Writers Retreat and is one-third of the team at the AppendixPodcast.com. Sarah is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary Agency.
