Wednesday, February 27, 2013

YA Contemporary Romance and Football! robgirlbooks' Review of Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan
by Miranda Kenneally
288 pages
Published by Sourcebooks Fire 12/1/11
Borrowed from the library
4.5 STARS

Catching Jordan introduces us to Jordan Woods, wonder girl quarterback, beautiful tomboy, virgin through and through. Her best friend is Sam Henry, gorgeous, attentive, funny, whorish. She loves her boys on the team. She's an amazing leader. Her mom is the sports poster-mom, supportive, but not crazy. Her dad, he's a turd, at least on the surface. Her whole life has been building to this last season of football because all Jordan wants is to play in college. She's the most determined highschooler ever! Then meet Ty Greene. Holy mama. Hot, also a quarterback, hot. So there you have it, the perfect recipe for 288 pages of teenage drama.

This is a fantastic read. I can't believe how much I enjoyed it. Told in first person from Jordan's POV with random insights in the form of free writing journal entries, we really live the life of a teen her last year of high school. There are bitchy cheerleaders. Slutty boys. Video game playing. A whole lot of eating. And kissing. The only thing I had a problem with was how sex was addressed. I appreciated the condom references, but I couldn't wrap my head around how much of a non-issue sex was with the adults in this book. Jordan's parents did not have one discussion about the world that is sex. No talk of being safe, or abstaining, or the emotional component to being intimate with someone. The kids treated the subject the same way they treated hanging out or grabbing some food. One of my favorite aspects of the book was the relationship between Jordan and her dad. The boy drama was fun, but finding your way through family muck, that's good stuff.

My vote is if you're a fan of YA or NA contemporary romance, you have to read this book.

Bonus! Catching Jordan is just the first installment in Miranda Kenneally's fun YA contemporary romance series. "In addition to STEALING PARKER and THINGS I CAN’T FORGET, there will be three more books in the Hundred Oaks series!" http://mirandakenneally.com/

Monday, February 25, 2013

PTSD Meets Contemporary NA Romance! robgirlbooks' Review of Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Something Like Normal
by Trish Doller
224 pages
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 6/19/2012
Borrowed from the library
4.5 STARS

Told from the POV of Travis Stephenson, Something Like Normal takes you through the irreverent, comical, terrifying, and honest homecoming of a kid who enlisted in the military, got sent to war, lost people he loved, then had to return to his old life. Nightmares and ghosts plague both his sleeping and waking worlds. His dad is the biggest SOB on the planet. His brother is the second biggest. His mom is lonely. His ex-girlfriend has fake boobs that make him completely stupid! And then he runs into Harper Gray. In no way, shape, or form does a punk like Travis deserve a girl like Harper, but she's the only one he wants to be around, the only one he feels alive with. He's also the only one she'd never date because he ruined her life.

I love this book. Travis' voice is so authentically male I had to recheck the name of the author to see if the book was written by man. Nope, Trish Doller is that good. I love the rough-start relationship between Travis and Harper. I love how he interacts with his mom. The book tugged at my heartstrings one moment and made me growl the next. Sometimes I cheered Harper and Travis on, others I wished I could clobber the boy for being such an idiot. The only reason Something Like Normal didn't get 5 stars is because I wanted more romance details. Doller did the slow build superbly, but then what? I like more at the end. Just one more chapter, hell one more page. Give me details, woman!

My vote is pick up your copy, dive in, and enjoy.

(Note: If you're squeamish about swearing or casual-but safe-sex, check out the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon to see if this floats your boat or sinks it)

Bonus! I just read on Trish Doller's blog, her next book Where the Stars Still Shine is set to be released September 24, 2013!!! Yay. You can learn a little more about it on her blog,
Trish Writes Books.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Wrapping up this awesome giveaway!

My very first giveaway is over. Here are a few of my walkaway lessons. One, there are going to be many more giveaways. Two, Mondays and Tuesdays are golden days if you're also promoting free days on Kindle. Three, book bloggers are an awesome bunch. Four, there are probably better ways to learn how to promote your book, but learning by doing is so much more fun!
Now for the winners! Congratulations and thank you for entering the Soul Walker Book Blitz Hop!
Margay
Jillian
Vika
Marlena 
Tabitha
 
To the bloggers who made this hop possible, you guys are so cool.
 
 
 
 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Sidekick Saturday 6 (special Friday edition) SNARKY!


 
 
Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment
This week's type is SNARKY!
Thanks to Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven I have the opportunity to participate in my favorite meme for the final feature of our Soul Walker Book Blitz Hop.
There is still time to enter the awesome Amazon gift card rafflecopter!
Jaclyn's sidekick choice is Grimalkin from
The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. You have to stop by her blog to read the quotes made by this snarky cat. I haven't read the Iron Fey series, but I want to now.
AnnaKendrick09TIFF-cropped
I'm choosing a character from my debut YA paranormal romance novel, Soul Walker. No one does snark better than Anna's cousin, Betsy. The last time I cast Betsy, I chose an angelic looking blond actress (AnnaSophia Robb who starred in Soul Surfer), but my friends vetoed my decision and went with attitude over yellow hair. So picture actress Anna Kendrick with golden curly locks.
Here's a taste of one of my very favorite characters.
 
"I am no longer needed here," Betsy said on a lazy stretch. "I've already beaten Ella into the ground, and you non-talking girl look like no fun at all." 
            
"Introductions are the sort of the thing you want to take care of before the panties come off,"
Betsy said from her coveted recliner.
 
"Betsy, get in here and make Anna another plate of food."
"Fine, but I'm counting it as her birthday present."
Today is the last day Soul Walker is FREE on Amazon! Pick up your copy and get your fill of snark.
 
(Photo By AnnaKendrick09TIFF.jpg: Sagittarius - TFL Studio at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sagittarius/ derivative work: Jack Merridew (AnnaKendrick09TIFF.jpg) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Monday, February 18, 2013

Giveaway city here! Soul Walker Book Blitz Hop


Today we have Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven featuring a fun character interview. She tackles the private and so very hot Peter Davis. Stay and enter the rafflecopter for a chance at a $30, $10, and $5 Amazon gift card. AND don't forget to buy a free copy of Soul Walker, my debut YA paranormal romance.

If you missed yesterday's feature, Texxie at PRUF Reads featured the cover reveal and first chapter of Soul Bender, book 2 in the Touched Girl series.
 
Jillian at Busy Moms Book Review has the prologue and first chapter of  Soul Walker. Looking through the eyes of Anna Pierce is a unique experience. Her take on the world will have you hooked.

Next head on over to Forget the Housework, I'm Reading for a fun author interview. I cast a few of the characters from Soul Walker. Be sure to stop by and check it out.
You can check out the full schedule of our hop and enter the rafflecopter HERE!
 

Friday, February 15, 2013

SideKick Saturdays [5] Bubbly!


Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment
This week's type is BUBBLY!
Oh, goodness. I had to go to Goodreads to look through my bookshelf for inspiration on this one. Bubbly characters rarely perch themselves on my shoulder. Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven totally stole my pick! Nah, but hers was so good. She chose Dee Black from the Lux series and she cast Kristen Kreuk who played Lois from Smallville and who's now on Beauty and the Beast.

So who did I finally choose? Ah, Tiny Cooper from Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithon. Tiny is flamboyant, charming, vulnerable, sensitive, and way-way out there. Some people who possess his level of magnetism are like black holes. Not Tiny. He's the sun. He's a big high school football player, totally and unequivocally gay, and a sucker for a love story. And I love Tiny (who's not Tiny at all!). Now I have an image in my mind, but no book in my hand, so my pick is more visceral than anything. Think Ethan Suplee from the days of Remember the Titans

p.s. I pose this challenge to my mom and sister every week. My mom's still stumped. My sister chose Eve, which rocks because a Goth bubbly girl makes for an awesome character (and Eve is my fictional bestie). 

Feature Follow [4]


This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.
Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:
1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - This week's feature is: Ginger-Read and The Luv NV
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Q: Write a letter to your favorite character. Rant, rave or gush…just pretend like they are real and you just want to let them know a "few things". - Activity courtesy of author, Kelly Walker

I recently read Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (review coming soon). There were several times I wanted to jump in the pages and have a word or two with a few of the characters. So here are my short notes to them.

Dear Travis,
Call your mother. Let her know you're listening. And be safe.
-rob
 
Dear Harper,
You're a cool chick. If you're ever in Tacoma, WA we can hang out.
-rob
 
Dear Paige,
I think it's great that you're a safe-sex-condom girl, but you need a hobby that has nothing to do with penises (admiring your boobs is not a hobby!).
-rob

robgirlbooks' Soul Walker Blitz Book Hop schedule!


2/18-2/22 Soul Walker will be FREE on Kindle! And to celebrate, five blogs have created an awesome giveaway hop! Each day a different blog will run a feature on Soul Walker. Please join in the fun. Enter the rafflecopter for a chance at a slew of Amazon gift cards. Read the cool posts. Comment your little fingers off. Buy a free copy of my book because Anna is really cool. Honest. Here's the schedule for the week.

2/18/13-For the giveaway opener we have Forget the Housework, I'm Reading featuring a fun author interview. Tobi has a great variety of books she reviews and showcases, and best of all she uses laundry baskets instead of stars!
2/19/13-Tuesday brings us Busy Moms Book Reviews who's offering a chapter excerpt of Soul Walker. Jillian always has a stream of ongoing giveaways. Stay and check those out too!
2/20/13-Sultry and adult PRUF Reads is featuring a teaser of Soul Bender, the second book in the Touched girl series set to release March 11.
2/21/13-JC's Book Haven has a character interview for all you Peter Davis fans out there, or fans in the waiting. He's so yummy! While you're there, check out her Sidekick Saturday memes. Every Saturday she chooses a theme and we cast our favorite sidekick character.
2/22/13-robgirlbooks is featuring a special edition of Sidekick Saturdays. I can't wait to cast one of the supporting characters in Soul Walker. I love them all, even the bad guys.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, February 11, 2013

Valentine's Day movies from Hallmark to Kink to Zombie

Ack! I can't help myself. No matter how much I detest February 14th, I will watch at least one lovey-dovey movie. I might as well get my playlist in order. Thought someone out there might like a suggestion or two. Here we go. 

Hallmark: Don't judge. My very favorite Hallmark movie, one that I admit to watching more than...whatever. A few times, okay? The Magic of Ordinary Days. This is a period drama with Keri Russel and Skeet Ulrich. Ah, now you're paying attention. We get to travel to the Midwest during the time when the US had Japanese American internment camps set up all over the country. I just discovered it's also a book by Anne Howard Creel. I'm checking that out for sure. This is a slow-build love story where Keri Russel has some eye-opening and growing up to do. And Skeet, oh Skeet with your odd movie roles, love ya.

80's: Say Anything. I don't even have to say anything about it. You all should know this deserves to be mentioned.





90's Romantic Comedy: French Kiss is one of those movies that makes me laugh and dreamy-eyed at the same time. I love the scenery, love Kevin Cline's attempt at playing a rude, slovenly French man, love Meg Ryan's gentle femininity and "can't help herself" personality. Oh, and the soundtrack rocks!



Kink: Before Fifty Shades (and a mountain of books on the same subject that predate the series), there was Secretary. Hot! Smoking hot. James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal have this awesome push-pull-follow-run kind of relationship. This is a damaged souls/like gravitates toward like kind of movie. I loved it!


War: Shining Through with Michael Douglas and Melanie Griffith is everything you want when love is part of the mix and you're not aiming for everyone-dies-at-the-end-epic.




Classic: The Philadelphia Story with Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart is a love triangle with great quips, black and white ambiance, and I mentioned the cast, right? (couldn't find a blank and white version...bet libraries carry it though)



70's oddball: Oh, the 70's with their weird clothes and colors. Harold and Maude is even less typical than my pick for kink. But I'll tell you this, there is a scene where I laughed so hard I cried. If you can make me do that, I'll love you forever. I'm that easy...



Sci-fi: The Fifth Element with Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich is like a music video with funny dialogue.





Zombie: Night of the Comet has a blip of a romance undercurrent, but this is my pick because it's my favorite zombie movie of all time. I could have picked
Shaun of the Dead because that's my second favorite. Okay, either one is awesome.





M/M: Shelter is one of my favorites. No one gets beat up walking out of a gay bar. No one dies. Stellar cast, the best music, and a wonderful coming to terms story.





Independent/Foreign: Never Forever with Vera Farmiga, David L. McInnis, and Ha Jeong-woo is a steamy, heart wrenching drama with a captivating love story about trying to give the one you love something to live for.






Tearjerker: In Miss Potter, Renée Zellweger plays Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit. Ewan McGregor plays her irresistible publisher.





My number one pick: Pride and Prejudice! is such an obvious choice. Mr. Darcy. Enough said.

Leap Frog Hop [5] - Valentine's Edition!

Leap Frog Follow Hop
Its almost Valentines Day, and EVERYONE knows that Book Boyfriends are better then real boyfriends/husbands. If you could choose one boy from any book who would you want to take you out on a date on V-Day? Where would you want him to take you? 
Alexander Skarsgard 2012
By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America (Alexander Skarsgard) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Eric Northman from the Sookie Stackhouse series, True Blood is my pick. I won't bawl my eyes out at every turn or swoon over my ex or whine about how he's such an evil vampire. Nope. I like Eric just the way he is. And we're going flying! No biting, just flying.

Make a post! Easy right? Answer the weekly question, grab our button, and copy the code for the linky list we have posted.
Get the post URL, copy it, and enter the linky list.
The point of the meme is "leap frog" so it is a requirement to follow the person in front of you on the list! Not everyone, but the person directly before you. (And the hosts! Readers In Wonderland and Paperbook Princess)
Leave a comment on the post of whomever you follow, talking about the question and telling them you followed. (So they can follow you back!)
After you do the mandatory follows, you can then go around and comment/follow on anyone on the list!
This runs for the ENTIRE week, meaning you have the entire week to go around and follow/enter.
Follow anyone who follows you back! Even if it's later in the week!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Sidekick Saturday [4] - CLASSIC is the challenge!

Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment
Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven chose Jane Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. Jane certainly embodies CLASSIC in every way. She is that shy girl with the beautiful soul, so I completely agree with Jaclyn's choice. I went a different route with today's challenge.
Oprah Winfrey
I chose a character who has never left her perch on my shoulder. She's always there to remind me of strength and dignity and fierceness no matter what. I chose Sofia from The Color Purple. I read the book, but Sofia really landed a place in my heart when Oprah gave soul to the character.
 
 




(By vargas2040, Cropped by OsamaK [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)