#BookReview Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler

Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale 
(Seasons of the Sword #1)
by David Kudler

Genre: Historical, Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication:  June 15th, 2016 by Stillpoint
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley, Stillpoint Digital Press
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Can One Girl Win A War?

Though Japan has been devastated by a century of civil war, Risuko just wants to climb trees. Growing up far from the battlefields and court intrigues, the fatherless girl finds herself pulled into a plot that may reunite Japan -- or may destroy it. She is torn from her home and what is left of her family, but finds new friends at a school that may not be what it seems.

Magical but historical, Risuko follows her along the first dangerous steps to discovering who she truly is.

Kano Murasaki, called Risuko (Squirrel) is a young, fatherless girl, more comfortable climbing trees than down on the ground. Yet she finds herself enmeshed in a game where the board is the whole nation of Japan, where the pieces are armies, moved by scheming lords, and a single girl couldn't possibly have the power to change the outcome. Or could she?

I wasn't expecting much when I first read the book. I was afraid that it was going to be a letdown. But after reading Risuko, I have to say that I'm impressed with this book. I think the author did a very good job in writing the book with a strong heroine and magical world of the Kunoichi. 

Kano Murasaki or Risuko was a child who grew up without her father. She was taken away from her family and was brought to a school. She was a likable character. She's strong and curious. She sounded a bit like a child now, but I have no doubt that she was going to grow up fine. The secondary characters made the story much more interesting. I love her friends and will be happy to see more of them. I'm excited to see Risuko and her friend grew as Kunoichi.

I was intrigued with the book after the first few chapters, although it slowed down a bit in the middle. It wasn't draggy, but slow. Soon, the story picked up its pace with a whole lot of action, mystery, secrets, and twists. The book was lacking in romance, but I'm fine with that because I truly enjoyed Risuko's growth within the story. I'm glad that there was going to be a continuation from this book. Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale is definitely a one of the best historical fantasy book I've read.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my review.

#BookReview Natalie's Getting Married by Rosa Temple

Natalie's Getting Married
by Rosa Temple

Genre: Romance, Chick-lit
Publication: March 14th, 2016
Format: ebooks
Source: Author/Publisher
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Career minded, Natalie Spencer, had never been in love. She could never understand what all the fuss was about. But when she met Jackson Humphries during Fresher’s Week at university, that all changed.

Utterly infatuated, Natalie quickly discovers the meaning of love and, before she knows it, she's heading up the aisle – for the first time, that is.

This is a tale about four wedding dresses, a runaway groom and a girl who got so carried away, she couldn’t see true love staring her right in the face.

This was a story about Natalie and her journey to find her true love. Natalie Spencer was career minded and has never been in love. But once she laid her eyes on Jackson Humphries, everything changed. 

It was hard not to like Natalie. She was independent, brave and this was the first time found out that she like someone. I like how she had her crush on Jackson but never had her courage to go after him. Jackson was a nice guy with a few problems with her mom.

Natalie also met Gabriel during the Fresher's Week and they have been best friends ever since. I enjoyed the interaction between the two of them. Gabriel may not like Jackson so much, but, he was always there when Natalie needed him. He was really sweet and I wanted to root for him.

Reading the story also made me frustrated with the characters. There were a few times when I feel like throwing away my e-reader because of this frustration. I wanted Natalie to turn around and see that the man she was waiting for was there for her from the very beginning. I got frustrated when the characters seemed to  always miss their chance to tell what they wanted to say.

Natalie's Getting Married was definitely a fun read. I like Rosa Temple's voice and writing style. The pace was great at the beginning but felt a bit rushed towards the end. 

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my review.

#BookReview Husband Wanted by Charlotte Hughes

Husband Wanted
by Charlotte Hughes

Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
Publication: February 24th 2016 by Victory Editing
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley/Victory Editing
Connect: Website | Goodreads

Frannie Brisbane knew it was an impossible scheme, but unless she went through with it, the daughter she had given up thirteen years ago and who now wanted to visit, would discover that Frannie had painted a very different picture of her life in the letters they’d exchanged. Frannie’s close friends rally around her, and next thing she knows, she is living in a mansion and wearing designer clothes.

The only thing missing is a husband.

Confirmed bachelor, Clay Coleman, has ulterior motives when he agrees to play the role of loving husband, but Frannie, who nursed a crush on him for years, fears she is flirting with danger in their role of let’s pretend. But Frannie and Clay aren’t the only ones keeping secrets. Sooner or later, the truth comes out, exposing everyone involved. Can Frannie ever get past her hurt when she discovers the truth about Clay?

Husband Wanted was a quick, romance read. The story began when Frannie's daughter, whom she had given up thirteen years ago, wants to visit. Unfortunately, Frannie had lied to her daughter about her life. Now, she needed to find someone to pretend as her husband just for a few days until her daughter returned home.

I fell in love with the book's blurbs right away. I love humorous romance read and I was in the mood for something quick, fun read. Husband Wanted starts great. I like the author's easygoing writing style.The premise sounds interesting, but some of the scenes were a bit unreal. The book was fun, but I thought that the characters are lacking in depth. The relationship between Frannie and Clay move on too quickly. There were a few twists towards the end that I enjoyed, but the hasty ending disappointed me.

This book was definitely great if you're looking for something light, fun, romantic read. I do enjoy reading Husband Wanted, but I thought the storyline and the romance part could be better.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & Victory Editing in exchange for my review.

Review: Echo by Lorena Glass

Echo
by Lorena Glass

Genre: Romance, Time Travelling, Fantasy
Publication: February 1st 2015 by MyInkBooks.com
Format: ebook, 511 pages
Source: ARC

Echo is the first book of a trilogy that is the epic love story of two cursed lovers that fate, time, and death are constantly conspiring to keep apart; while they are determined to defy all three to be together. Whenever one dies, the other time travels to the lost lover's next (or last) incarnation. The story spans over a millennium; to several different times, places, and lives of two extraordinary lovers whose devotion to each other defies all barriers and all odds---and an extraordinary love that will never, ever die.

Echo tells a story of  Karissa and Adregin and their accursed love. It seems that death would always follow them, and constantly keep them apart. So whenever one of them dies, the other will time travel to the other's incarnation.

I love time-travelling books, and naturally, I can't really say no when I was given the chance to read and review Echo. I think it's okay to say that Echo was divided into three parts. The first part of the book was good. It started out slowly, but, I did enjoy it, until something happened to Karissa and Adregin, which I thought were a bit too rushed. Then, there's the second part. I thought that the second part was a bit too dragging for my liking, and I don't really like the character, Iilassa. She sounded a bit too immature, and whiny. 

I thought that Echo was an okay read. It wasn't that bad. The idea and setting were quite good and the author did a great job describing the history and places. I just think that I didn't like the characters, the way the story kept dragging and the way the story ended. 

Echo is the first book of a trilogy, and I'm torn between wanting to read the next book, or not. I am curios to know what will happen to the characters and how will they achieve their happily-ever-after, but I am worried that the next book would continue to disappoint me. 

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review

Review: You'll Be Thinking of Me by Densie Webb

You'll Be Thinking of Me
by Densie Webb

Genre: Romance, Crime, Thriller, Mystery
Publication:  January 12th 2015 by Soul Mate Publishing
Format: kindle
Source: ARC
Connect: Goodreads

A chance encounter with a celebrity, an impromptu video, and a shiny new espresso machine. It all added up to a juicy tale for 24-year-old Rachael Allen to share with friends. But when her best friend posts the video online, bizarre threats, home break-ins, and deadly gifts from an obsessed fan follow close behind. Mick Sullivan, the star in her video, offers to help and in the process, Rachael discovers that despite his reputation as a player of Olympian caliber, he’s down-to-earth—and emotionally damaged. He has secrets; some he’s shared only with his pseudo best friend. Others he's shared with no one. But there's one secret he’s hidden from himself, washed away by too many beers. Despite wildly divergent life paths, their shared southern upbringing (and a passion for good music) creates a common thread that draws them together.

As the threats escalate, and their relationship deepens, Rachael struggles to accept Mick’s past—and his present. And she is forced to confront her own obsessive love to ultimately decide if being with Mick Sullivan is worth the collateral damage.

YOU'LL BE THINKING OF ME is the story of Rachael's serendipitous encounter with a celebrity, her brush with obsessive love, and the bittersweet gift left behind by the very person fixated on destroying her life.

When Rachel Allen shared a video of her meeting with a celebrity, Mick Sullivan with her friend, she didn't expect that her friend would post the video online. Since then, Rachel has gotten threats, and few other 'gifts' from Mick's obsessed fan. Mick persuaded Rachel to move into his home until they caught the stalker, but the stalker's threat gotten more serious, and their lives were in danger.

Wow. This book isn't what I've expected. I really enjoyed this book right from the start. Rachel and Mick were two likable characters, and I really enjoyed their interactions and chemistry. The other characters made the story much more interesting too. Although, I couldn't say that I like Rachel's best friend. There's a little bit of crime, suspense and romance that makes me want to continue reading until the end. I really like Densie Webb's style and how she built the story in You'll Be Thinking of Me. The tension building with the sick stalker was really good. There was a little bit of twists towards the end that I didn't expect. 

I absolutely recommend You'll Be Thinking of Me to those who enjoy reading a bit of  mystery and thrill. I know that I'll be looking forward to Densie Webb's other work after this.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review.

Review: Heart Conditions by Phoebe Fox

Heart Conditions (The Breakup Doctor #3)
by Phoebe Fox

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit, Humor
Publication: February 9th, 2016 by Henery Press
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden has spent the last year sifting through the fallout from the disastrous decision that led to her unconscious uncoupling with boyfriend Ben Garrett. Despite advising her clients you can’t be friends with an ex, she and Ben have somehow begun to stitch together a friendship—one Brook hopes is slowly turning into more. That is, until Ben introduces his new girlfriend, Perfect Pamela, a paragon of womanly virtues who is everything Brook is not.

While Brook navigates her newly volatile emotional life, an unwelcome surprise shows up on her doorstep: the ex-fiancé who broke her heart two years ago—one month before their wedding. Between her ex’s desire to rekindle their attachment, her best friend Sasha’s unexpected crisis, and her own unsquelchable feelings for Ben, Brook finds herself questioning the personal progress she’s made in the last two years—and threatened with the highest-stakes Breakup Doctor failures she’s ever faced.

Breakup Doctor, Brook Ogden is back with another story after her disastrous relationship in the previous book. Brook and Ben are no longer together after what happened between them, but that didn't stop them from being friends. Only that, Brook was hoping for something more, until Ben introduced her to his new girlfriend, Pamela, who seems so perfect. Brook received another surprise when her ex-fiance, the one who broke her heart years ago, just one month before their wedding, showed up in her life. 

Wow! I have to say that I like the series a bit more. The Breakup Doctor series is getting better and better after each book. The story is growing up on me, and so did Brook. I really enjoyed watching the character development in the book. Brook is certainly more matured. I'm really happy that Brook's ex made an appearance in this book. It's nice to see how they resolved whatever it was between them. And I'm glad that this time, I didn't have much urge to strangle Brook for whatever she always do to her relationship. I love the bits of romance in the book, both with the main and supporting characters. They were really nice and sweet. And I love how the story ended in this book.

Heart Condition is definitely a fun and entertaining read. I definitely enjoyed this thoroughly. If you have read the previous two books from the series, you wouldn't want to miss this one.

I received a copy of this book from the author/NetGalley to provide an honest review.

Review: How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks

How to Lose a Bachelor
by Anna Banks

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Humor
Publication: November 9th, 2015 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Bliss)
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

When Rochelle Ransom auditioned for the dating show Luring Love, she had big plans for winning the prize money to help her favorite charity–and if she won the hot bachelor's heart, even better. But at the last minute she finds out the hot bachelor is her ex-boyfriend, Grant Drake. Desperate to keep her distance from him, she'll do anything–and everything–to get voted off.

Years ago, Rochelle broke Grant’s heart, and he's out for revenge. There's no way he'll vote her off.

After all, vengeance is a dish best served red-hot...and on live television.

When her hilarious antics to get kicked off the show escalate, Grant’s reminded why he fell in love with her the first time. Now he isn't sure which might be more fun... Seeing how far Rochelle is willing to go to get away or how far he will to keep her forever

Rochelle auditioned for a dating show called 'Luring Love' to win the money prize for charity. But when she found out that the bachelor was no other than her ex-boyfriend, Grant Drake, she wanted off the show. But the producer made a deal--if she stays on the show, she'll get the money no matter what. Even if Grant votes her off during the first episode. Of course, Rochelle saw this opportunity to get her payback to Grant.

I used to watch a few shows of The Bachelor (and other reality shows of that sort) during my younger days, so when I saw the blurbs, I know that I wanted to read this.. How to Lose a Bachelor is a light, fun, romantic read. I enjoyed it from the beginning. There were lots of laugh-out-loud moments as Rochelle attempts to make Grant vote her off the show was hilarious. And Grant's attempt to win Rochelle back, even if it started off as his way of revenge, was sweet. Most of all, I enjoyed the producer's tactics and game to try and make Rochelle stay, and Grant for not trying to vote Rochelle off the show, even if it was for the ratings. Rochelle and Grant's attempt to get payback to each other however, went off when they reconnected and realized what went wrong with their previous relationship. 

This was such an enjoyable read. I love the story line and the little drama, and was glad that there were no angst. There are humorous moment as well as sweet and heartwarming ones. I love how the story was written, and the sweet endings. I definitely enjoyed reading How to Lose a Bachelor. I would recommend this to fans of romantic-comedy.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher/NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Review: Lost in Geeklandia by E.J. Russell

Lost in Geeklandia
by E.J. Russell

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Women Fiction
Publication: Sept 28th, 2015 by Entangled: Select Contemporary
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

She has 30 days to turn her enemy into her boyfriend...

Introverted computer engineer Charlie Forrester has coded an algorithm for love, a nearly flawless matchmaking program. But then she's challenged to prove its accuracy - on herself. With her dream job on the line, Charlie has thirty days to forge a romantic relationship with her "perfect" match...her ex-friend and now-nemesis, Daniel Shawn. Since her dating experience is expressed in binary, she'll need more than flirting lessons and a wardrobe overhaul to pull it off.

After falling victim to the same online matchmaking con he was investigating, reporter Daniel Shawn's professional reputation went up in flames. Now he suspects someone has rebooted the scam, and he's determined to expose the fraud and rebuild his career. Unfortunately, his efforts to get back in the game get sidetracked by Charlie and her adorable geekitude, even though she seems to know a little too much about digital dating for Daniel's comfort.

And when fake romance crosses into real chemistry, Charlie's formula for love might just be the perfect formula for disaster...

I wanted to read this when I read the title and blurbs. I guess, when you're a bit of a geek or nerd, you'll be drawn to read this book too.

Charlie Forrester has created a matchmaking program to help her friend with their romantic life. But then, she was challenged to prove on the accuracy of her program, with her dream job on the line, to have a romantic relationship with Daniel Shawn, her childhood friend, who just came back to town. Daniel Shawn's career was ruined after he was conned by the online matchmaking site he was investigating. He suspected someone was starting another matchmaking scam, and was determined to expose this new scam. 

Lost in Geeklandia by E.J. Russell was such a cute read. The writing was easy to get into, and the pace was just nice. Once I've started reading, it was hard to put it down. I loved the characters in the book. Charlie and Daniel were cute together. I especially enjoyed how Daniel got to know the new Charlie. And the supporting characters, mainly Gideon and Toshiko made the story much more entertaining. There were some references on Doctor Who and lots of Star Trek. But since I'm not a Star Trek fan, I didn't enjoy the references as much. 

Lost in Geeklandia is a light, fun read with just the right amount of romance and humor. The story reminded me to a few rom-com movies I've seen. But still, I enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend this book to fans of romantic-comedy or to anyone who was looking for a light and fun read.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher/NetGalley in exchange for my review.

On Tour: This One's For You by Brandy Jellum - Review + Excerpt

Brandy Jellum is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, This One's For You. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

This One's For You
by Brandy Jellum

Genre: Drama, New Adult, Romance
Publication: Published July 24th, 2015 by Booktrope
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All alone in a new state, Brennan Daniels has only the memories of her best friend, Reagan, to keep her company as she starts college.

Reagan is the reason for everything Brennan does—before she died, she made Brennan promise to stay good until she found a man worth keeping. No boys, no dating, and definitely no falling in love—those were the rules for college, and Brennan carved them into the brick walls guarding her heart…

But there’s a fire burning behind those walls, and when Brennan meets Owen Scott, the (mysterious) new guy across the hall, she can’t deny the pull between them. He is everything she should never want. Everyone warns her to stay away—even Owen himself—but the heart wants what the heart wants, even if it knows that it’s going to get hurt—even if it means throwing old promises to new flames…

I was intrigued with the blurbs when I saw This One's For You by Brandy Jellum, and decided to read it. I love the sound of Owen, the mysterious guy across the hall. Brennan was dealing with the loss of her best friend, Reagan. They made a promise for college—no boys, no dating and no falling in love. And Brennan intended to keep her promise until she met Owen Scott across the hall. 

I love how the story started. It was exciting to see how Brennan started college and how she was going to survive it with new friends, class and everything. The characters were fun. Owen was such a playboy. But he can be nice and quirky. I immediately fell in love with Brennan and her relationship with her brothers and her new roommate, Amelia. 

Brandy Jellum writing was easy to get into and it flows nicely. I enjoyed reading her style, but not so much with so many dramas between Brennan and Owen of the story. I wished Brennan talk a lot more about Reagan, since they are best friend. And I definitely wanted to see more of Brennan, Amelia and their friendship. Overall, This One's For You by Brandy Jellum is definitely an enjoyable read, if not for a few issues. But, I think, fans of the new adult's book would surely enjoy this.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher/CLP Blog Tour in exchange for my review.

Excerpt

My body started to shake as the first tears streamed down my cheeks. I slid down to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest, and rocked back and forth. As more tears fell, my sobs became louder. Everything I had been holding in until that moment burst free from the dam I had carefully built.

Every emotion: anger, sadness, guilt, desperation, fear, anxiety, remorse, and rage overcame me in that single second. Everything I was afraid to let myself feel, I was feeling all at once. My body shook violently as the tears continued to stream down my face, and my throat was hoarse from crying.

It happened—I finally broke.

For the first time in almost a year, I let myself feel something—really feel something. The tears I had shed in the past were nothing compared to the ones I was crying now. The pain was unbearable. I wanted it to all go away. I wanted to rewind the clock just a little bit. I’d rather deal with my brothers acting like fools than to feel this.

This was the moment everyone close to me was waiting for, the moment when I finally let everything sink in. They were waiting for me to break. I was surprised it wasn’t sooner.

My sobs echoed the breaking of my heart. Speaking for the things I couldn’t say—the one thing I wanted to shout loud enough for everyone to hear; it wasn’t fair! Why was the most beautiful person I’d ever known stripped from this earth before it was her time?

Seeing Ronnie, hearing his plan, brought everything to the surface. Why couldn’t he stay away? Everyone was constantly pushing me, and this time they pushed me too far. I went right over the cliff, and there was no end in sight.

I barely heard the soft knock against the bathroom door over the sound of my own sobs. I held my breath, waiting to see if it was just my imagination, when there was another rap against the wooden door.

I heard a loud sigh and a soft thump against the sturdy wood. My chest heaved as I kept as quiet as I could, my face soaked with tears. I wiped at them furiously, trying to get them to stop. The more I fought against it, the faster they seemed to fall.

My mouth was dry. I licked my lips, tasting the saltiness of my broken heart.

“Brennan . . .” Owen said.

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

I bit my bottom lip. I had to get myself together. I needed to get up off the floor, put a smile on my face, and go on like nothing happened. There was a reason why it had taken so long for me to break—I kept pretending I was fine. It wasn’t healthy, but staying on the cold bathroom floor bawling wasn’t either.

I had to go back to the way I was prior to this. I had to grin it and bear it. Like nothing in the world could get me down. It was the only way I was going to survive.

Author Bio

Brandy’s passion for writing began long before she actually sat down to write. As a child, she has had an obsession with reading, everything from the classic stories by Jane Austen to YA Fiction by Richelle Mead. Finally, in 2012, she decided to create her own stories for people to fall in love with. Brandy bounces back and forth writing both Romance and Young Adult Fiction (which is mainly just for fun). At the beginning of 2014, Brandy signed a contract with publishing company Booktrope. She is very excited about the next chapter of her life and cannot wait to share her books and passion with readers. When she isn’t writing, she can be found chasing after her husband, her four children and her black lab, Diesel. Or curled up on her favorite corner of the couch with her newest book.

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Review: Plan Bea by Hilary Grossman

Plan Bea
by Hilary Grossman

Genre: Chick Lit, Women Fiction, Drama
Publication: October 14th 2015 by Booktrope
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, CLP
Connect: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

How well do you really know the people in your life?

Annabel O’Conner has the perfect husband, two adorable children, an amazing job, and the mother from hell! Annabel doesn’t like it but has come to terms with the fact that her relationship with her mother, Bea, deteriorated to the point of forced and strained communications. However, an unscheduled call from Bea turns her world around and makes Annabel question everything she believed about her life.

Despite the fact secrets, lies, and misplaced blame have destroyed the women’s relationship; Annabel reluctantly agrees to help Bea plan her wedding. Little does Annabel know the impact of her decision.

In this Women’s Contemporary Fiction novel, Hilary Grossman explores the complex relationship that exists between mothers and daughters in a light-hearted and relatable manner.

Annabel had a perfect family, with a loving husband and two beautiful children. However, Annabel's relationship with her mother, Bea, was not that great. But Annabel's relationship with her mother was about to be tested again when Bea made a call and asked her to help plan her wedding.

I've previously read Hilary Grossman's Dangled Carat, and I loved it! I do think that the author's writing style had changed a bit in this book, but that's probably because the first book is a memoir. 

Plan Bea is a heartwarming story of a mother and a daughter. It is about making mistakes, reconcile, and learning to forgive. There were secrets, lies, drama, romance and happy ending. I don't think there were any dull moment in this book. 

The story was not what I was expecting at first, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was easy to relate to Annabel and I love spending time with her family. Her daughter, Violet especially, was adorable!! Annabel had an adorable and fun family. It was interesting to read about Annabel and Bea and learning about how their relationship gets to where they were. There are a few moments that made me laugh and moments that made me sad. 

The ending was a bit surprising. I totally couldn't tell what was going on until the very end. I admit that I was a bit frustrated, when the ending was fast approaching, but with a new possible drama emerged. It turns out that there's going to be a continuation with new characters. Yeay! I'm definitely looking forward to read the next book.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my review.

Review: How to Be Brave by E. Katherine Kottaras

How to Be Brave
by E. Katherine Kottaras

Genre: Contemporary, Friendship, Romance, Young Adult
Expected publication: November 3rd, 2015 by St. Martin's Press
Format: ebook, 288 pages
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Reeling from her mother's death, Georgia has a choice: become lost in her own pain, or enjoy life right now, while she still can. She decides to start really living for the first time and makes a list of fifteen ways to be brave - all the things she's wanted to do but never had the courage to try. As she begins doing the things she's always been afraid to do - including pursuing her secret crush, she discovers that life doesn't always go according to plan. Sometimes friendships fall apart and love breaks your heart. But once in a while, the right person shows up just when you need them most - and you learn that you're stronger and braver than you ever imagined.

How to Be Brave is a sweet story about Georgia who had lost her mother a few months ago and she was trying to be brave and living her life like her mother wanted her to. With the help of her friend, Liss, Georgia made a list of ways to be brave, things that she was afraid to do and new things that she wanted to give a try. But things don't always go the way she expected.

I truly enjoyed Georgia's story to be courageous after her mother's death. She tried to think of positive thoughts and I love her bucket list. The first half was absolutely entertaining. I love Georgia and how the author portrayed her. She may have her insecurities, but she can be funny.

I love that the author didn't focus much on the romance in the story because I really enjoyed the friendship Georgia and Liss shared. I was happy when Georgia started to make a new friend and met Evelyn, but wasn't really happy with how the relationship goes. Although Evelyn too was facing her own problem, I couldn't help but to think that the story would be a bit better, especially with what happened towards the end. There a a few more things happening in the book, like the relationship with Georgia and her father after her mother's death, and Georgia, trying to be brave with her crush.

How to Be Brave is a story about losing someone, making mistakes, being brave and growing up. I enjoyed the story and the author's writing, but I also thought that the story could be better. I look forward to the next work from the author.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

On Tour: Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery by Jennifer Ammoscato - Review, Excerpt + Giveaway

Jennifer Ammoscato is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery (The Avery Fowler 2.0 Series)
by Jennifer Ammoscato

Genre: Chick Lit, Humor, Romance
Publication: May 27th 2015 by Blue Moon Publishers
Format: ebook, 294 pages
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Blog

Oh, don’t judge me, people. We all do it.

Don’t try to tell me that you’ve never checked that weird mole on your thigh on WebMD. Or how to fold meringue on Epicurious. And, there’s no way that I’m the only one who clears her search history after looking up how to give a great bl— (Um, that last one’s not important.)

When newspaper reporter Avery Fowler discovers her husband is having an affair, the online help site HowTo.com is where she turns to navigate this challenging stage of her life.

If the Internet is Avery’s information god, then HowTo.com is her Holy Grail. Its live chat option is like having a virtual life coach for the low, low price of $14.95 a month:

When I joined HowTo.com, it assigned me “Clementine” as my advisor, based on my choice of “British female” in the Preferences panel. That way, I can pretend that a Maggie Smith or Judi Dench type supplies the wisdom, tinged with a sassy touch of malt vinegar. (In reality, it’s most likely a bored, seventeen-year-old boy labouring in a New Delhi call centre.)

Add into the mix a new boss whose managerial style calls to mind the Wicked Bitch Witch of the West—or the Anti-Christ—and the poor girl needs all the help she can get! The stakes rise and hilarity ensues as our heroine struggles to take control of her personal life and topple her boss after she learns Victoria’s guilty secret.

With Clementine (virtually) in tow, our heroine tackles such tricky situations as dating after divorce, sex once nothing points north anymore, and how to cover attempted murder scenes (despite a paralyzing fear of blood) as the new and improved Avery Fowler 2.0.

'Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery' started out like many other chick lit books I've read. The heroine found out that her husband was having an affair. Like most heroines, Avery was going to need her friends to survive the divorce. But what makes the story much interesting was how Avery looked up for almost everything on HowTo.com and consulted her personal online advisor, Clementine.

This book was a highly entertaining read. I think the author did a very good job writing this book. There were tons of humor and romance. I love Avery. She's a lively character. There are times when I did get a bit frustrated with her, but she's a fun person. I enjoyed reading this book through her view. She made me laugh with her obsession with HowTo.com. I love the other supporting characters (Avery's friends and parents) as well. They made the story a lot more interesting. I especially love Avery's parents. They're lovely people who cared a lot about their daughter. I just wish that there was more about Jordan, though. I would definitely recommend this book to those who were looking for a light, humorous read.

I received a copy of Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery by Jennifer Ammoscato from the author/CLP Blog Tours as part of the book tour.

EXCERPT

“Avery dear, I want you to meet our dear friend, Tyler Browning.” Tyler steps forward to politely offer his hand. “Hello, Avery.”

My father joins us and sets a tray of cheese and crackers on the coffee table. To the casual observer, he may seem unaware of the tension in the room. I know better.

After four decades of marriage, he’s become quite adept at playing the part of blissfully ignorant bystander to his strong-willed wife’s schemes. He selects a tub chair as his safe harbour and watches the golf tournament on his 65-inch TV with studied interest.

“Hi,” I manage to say to Tyler, finally remembering my manners. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Satisfied that Phase One of Operation “Get Avery a Man” is unfolding properly, my mother calls out to my father, “Stephen, I need you to carve the roast.”

My father does not hesitate and jumps back up to his feet. “Of course, dear.”

I suspect he’s only been briefed on her master plan of attack and hopes to stay as far away from the action as possible. No one willingly wants to be part of the collateral damage.

Tyler and I are alone in the living room. I sense my mother’s eyes on us as she gathers intel that she can use later to assess whether or not her operation has succeeded.

Seeing no graceful way out, I attempt to swallow my annoyance at my mom’s ruse and make small talk with her victim. I plunk myself down on the couch and take a Triscuit from the hefty pile on the tray in front of us.

“So Tyler, how do you know my parents?”

“I started working in the accounting office at the hydro company with your dad a few months ago.”

My dad set me up? I digest this knowledge with a mixture of shock and a swell of affection for him. I feel my eyes well up a little with love for my papa, looking out for me. When my mom does it, I’m annoyed. When my father does it, I feel loved. Is that fair? No. Life’s not fair. Deal with it.

Tyler finally relaxes and I notice that he has kind eyes and a gentle smile. He’s dressed very nicely in a tasteful, salmon crewneck sweater and finely tailored tan slacks. Aww, he dressed up for me. I begin to feel badly that he’s been drawn into this web of deceit disguised as a Sunday roast beef dinner and good intentions.

I offer an apology on my parents’ behalf. “I’m sorry that you were brought out here on false pretense,” I tell him. “My parents just worry about me since my husband left last year.”

Tyler smiles back. “That’s okay. They seem like nice people.” Glancing toward the kitchen, he lowers his voice and says, “But in truth, I’m a bit confused by this whole thing.”

I reach for some Havarti cheese and wedge it between two more Triscuits. “Really, why?” I ask, popping the snack into my mouth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see my mom still watches us intently from the other room. Tyler might be my dad’s idea but I’ll bet money that she developed the finer points of the plan’s execution. Even now, as she arranges the slices of roast on the serving platter, she’s probably deciding what she’ll want our children to call her.

“Well, Avery,” Tyler answers and lowers his voice even more. “I don’t really make a habit of telling people this when I first meet them…but I’m gay.”

For 20 seconds, all I can do is stare at his now-pink face, and process the words that he has just told me. OMG! “You’re GAY?”

I hear a loud gasp from the kitchen—and a crash—as my mother drops the porcelain, serving platter onto the floor.

My great-great-great grandparents brought that platter from Yorkshire, England in the 1800s. It survived a horrible sea voyage lovingly wrapped in hand-made linens and tucked safely into a leather trunk. It endured 150 years of Sunday dinners. It could not, however, survive the stunning revelation that my parents’ first foray into matchmaking resulted a sweet but confused gay man chatting in the living room with their daughter. The platter died a swift but ignominious death on my mother’s slate floor, alongside her pot roast.

I burst out laughing. My parents are so determined to land me a man that they didn’t even bother to check if he likes women. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, Tyler,” I manage to gasp after wiping my eyes, and grasp his hand in solidarity.

In my mind, though, I can already envision the conversation that will take place in the privacy of my parents’ home after Tyler and I have fled. (But dear, how could I have known he was a homosexual. We don’t talk about things like that at the office. Besides, he’s a Green Bay fan!)

Author Bio:

Author Bio: Author Jennifer Ammoscato – solving the world’s problems one cosmo at a time.

Jennifer Ammoscato is a paid, productive member of society. Frankly, it’s not enough.

Therefore, May 2015 will see the launch of her debut novel, “Dear Internet: It’s Me, Avery” (The “Avery Fowler 2.0” series, Book I).

During the day, she is an intrepid writer/editor for the public relations department of a Canadian university. By night, she fights crime and the urge to organize closets and stuff herself with salted chocolate caramels.

Jennifer began writing as a child, producing such classics as “The Occurrence” (she understood the appeal of werewolves long before Stephenie Meyer). She had to search for the courage to write a novel, though. “That’s so F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. I didn’t know if I had the alcohol capacity for it.” However, after being goaded (sorry, encouraged) by a friend, she took the leap.

Dreams do not inspire Jennifer’s books. In fact, they tend to terrify her. In particular, the everpopular naked-at-school or I-have-a-final-exam-and-didn’t-study dreams. She usually just makes stuff up.

She is married to her husband, Ezio. As opposed to someone else’s husband (insert name here).

She is the proud mom of two very tall sons, Dante and Christian.

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Review: Snow White Lies by Sarah J. Pepper

Snow White Lies
by Sarah J. Pepper

Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance
Publication: Published April 26th, 2015
Format: ebook
Source: ARC
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook 

“Evil poisons everyone. Period. Our mouths water when we sink our teeth into what we have always craved. Surrendering to our desires by biting off delectable piece of the forbidden fruit is nothing more than a meager confession: Poison tastes sinfully sweet,”—Confessions of the Big Apple Debutante, by blogger Miss Snow White.

I’ve read Sarah J. Pepper’s Death of the Mad Hatter, and I really like it. But, when I was offered to read this book, I'm not sure what to expect. I mean, the blurbs didn’t give out much, but it’s mysterious enough to make me want to read it. Plus, I am tempted by the gorgeous cover!

Snow White Lies by Sarah J. Pepper is a fairy tale retelling of Snow White with lots of twist. And the author writes it brilliantly. Everyone in Sarah J. Pepper’s Snow White is not the character we used to know. The dwarves in this story, for example, didn’t act as Snow’s protector, and they’re not very nice. Snow White isn’t as innocent as we all thought she is.

I have to admit that it was hard to get into the book at first. It was confusing at first with the switching through past and present. Besides, I didn’t really like Snow. She’s a rich spoil girl who acted like a B. But the story is amazing. It is not what I expect with darker themes, and lots of twist that makes me want more.  Anyone who enjoyed fairy tale retelling would definitely enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Where the Road Takes Me by Jay McLean

Where the Road Takes Me
by Jay McLean

Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult
Publication: February 10th, 2015 by Skyscape
Format: Paperback, 315 pages
Source: Netgalley, ARC
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Chloe has one plan for the future, and one plan only: the road. She’s made a promise to herself: don’t let anyone in, and don’t let anyone love her. She’s learned the hard way what happens if she breaks her rules. So she’s focused on being invisible and waiting until she can set out on the road—her dream of freedom, at least for a little while.

Blake Hunter is a basketball star who has it all—everything about him looks perfect to those on the other side of his protective walls. He can’t let anyone see the shattered pieces behind the flawless facade or else all his hopes and dreams will disappear.

One dark night throws Chloe and Blake together, changing everything for Blake. For Chloe, nothing changes: she has the road, and she’s focused on it. But when the so-called perfect boy starts to notice the invisible girl, they discover that sometimes with love, no one knows where the road may lead.

I do not know what to expect when I read this book. I picked up this book because I was attracted to the cover (it's pretty!) and the blurbs. So... Chloe met Blake this one night when Blake saved her from this circumstance, and Blake just can't get her out of his mind.

I've got tons of issue with the book right from the start. I couldn't understand what makes Blake attracted to Chloe. I mean, I get that Blake was attracted to Chloe because she's cute, but, I failed to see other reason than that. 

The story was written in Blake and Chloe's point of view. I have to say that I love Blake as compared to Chloe. I just can't understand her. I know that she had issues, but I just don't get her plan with the road trip. I wasn't a big fan of the other supporting characters, but I do love Chloe's parents and Blake's mom. After a while, I started to think that the story was not so bad. I love Chloe's and Blake's interaction. 

Where the Road Takes Me was an okay read. I could probably enjoy  the book more if I ignore the meeting, the bad dialogue, and Chloe. Now that I think of it, perhaps this book would be better if it was written in Blake's point of view, instead of both.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.