Inspire by Heather Buchine [Book Blitz]

18-year old Paige Rice, an exquisite beauty from East Hampton, NY, has just celebrated her high school graduation and is expecting to spend her summer living it up with all her socialite friends. But her parents have a different idea – she is being hauled away-literally- to the mountains of Vermont for the entire summer- in an RV! 
Assuming she will be an outcast amongst the other teens at the campground still does not prepare her for the treatment she receives, which is far worse than she imagined. She also isn’t prepared for Travis, the campground owner’s son and the “Sexiest” guy she has ever laid eyes on. Travis is the only one who shows any interest in getting to know Paige. The only problem is that they have to explore what lies between them in secret. But once all the secrets are stripped away, the truth may be crushing.

Interview with Heather



1. Where did the idea for Inspire come from?

I was actually camping with my family when the idea for the story came to me. We had just hiked through the woods down to a lake, and I was staring out at the boats when it hit me. I spent the rest of the afternoon “daydreaming” away.

2. How did you come up with the name of the title?

My protagonist, Paige, has a tattoo that inspired the title “Inspire.” It’s also a key part of her character.

3. What was the hardest part of writing Inspire? The easiest?

The hardest part of writing the book was writing the ending. It took a couple of drafts before I was happy with the way I was leaving off. (I’m trying not to give too much away, so I’ll leave it at that.) The easiest part was writing the dialogue between Paige and Travis, and the “LOVE” scenes. They were fun to write!!

4. Are you working on any other projects?

Yes. At least two of the other characters from this book are getting their own stories, and then there are a couple other projects in the works.
5. Do you have a specific writing process?

I really consider myself a mix between a panster and a plotter. The first part of my process is visualizing the characters and the main scenes of the book. My mind starts playing them out like a movie, and so I write it down exactly how I see it. Then, I go back and fill in the story around those scenes until I have a book that I would like to jump into. Although I outline my book ahead of time, things always change along the way as I get to know my characters better.

6. Do you have a certain time of day where you feel most creative?
Honestly, not really. I usually always have a notebook nearby so that I can scribble down things as they come to me. I could be in the shower, in the car, running through the check-out line, or making dinner and something may hit me.

7. Do you have any favorite authors?

Yes, I have LOTS of favorite authors, but the two that stick out the most are: S.C. Stephens and Abbi Glines. Their stories come to life for me, and I have a thing for their leading men!

8. What tips or advice do you have for other aspiring writers?

My first tip would be to write what you love! Second, edit, edit and edit some more. And third, if you’re a self-published author, let someone else do your formatting. (Your time saved is so worth the money!)

Plastic Hearts by Lisa De Jong [Book Blitz]

So as you guys can see this was supposed to be posted May 13th-17th but things have been slightly crazy and I was unable to get this up in time, but I hope you guys enjoy!

My life has always been safe. I like it that way. I grew up in a fake society where plastic hearts rule. If our hearts are made of plastic, they can never be broken. My parents have expectations and I do everything I can to meet them, even if it means giving up on my own dreams. 

Now, all I want is to be free to make my own choices.

Dane Wright is everything I have been warned to stay away from. We met one night while I was with my perfect, parent-approved boyfriend and I haven’t stopped thinking about him. I don’t want to like him. I am doing everything I can to ignore his pull, but my heart seems to want what it cannot have, what it has never had.

Can he measure up? He may think I am too good for him, but maybe he is too good for me. 

Life is a series of choices and I have never been able to make my own. Until one day, when my heart decides to make a choice for me.


I have an exciting excerpt to share with you guys!!!

I felt a finger under my chin, lifting my gaze back up to his eyes. “Hi,” he said. I couldn’t quite hear his voice, but I could read his amazing lips under the strobe lights. God, he was beautiful, the type of beautiful that renders me temporarily speechless. I wasn’t sure how long I stood there searching for something to say, but it was long enough for me to completely forget my own name.
“I’m here with my boyfriend,” I finally blurted. It came out so quickly I wasn’t even sure he understood a word I said. Why did I always turn into a blabbering mess when I was nervous? Did I mention that when he smiled, two magnificent dimples appeared? Dammit.
I watched him look around and then he smiled. “I don’t see a boyfriend. Sorry, you’re going to have to come up with something a little better than that. Try again.” Who did this guy think he was?
I pressed my lips into a tight line. “No, I’m really here with my boyfriend. Right, Jade?” I turned around to pull her into the conversation, but she was gone. This was not going well. This mystery man had unnerved me by putting his hands on my body and flashing those incredible dimples and there was no one around to save me. I was stuck on the dance floor with a sexy stranger while my boyfriend and best friend were nowhere to be found. Ryan was probably sitting at the bar, slowly nursing his first beer, while Jade was doing God knows what with a guy whose name she would never know.
I hesitantly turned back toward him until our eyes met again. He seemed amused as he continued to smile down at me. “So do you want to keep dancing? Or can I buy you a drink?” He shouted over the music.

Rachel Caine UK Signing

I was so excited to attend a book signing here in the UK with US best-selling author of The Morganville Vampires Series, Rachel Caine.

I'm way behind on my Morganville Vampire reading, as this signing was for the release of book 14, and I've read up to book 7.  But I have loved each and every one of them.  So much that I've picked up books from Rachel's other series- Weather Warden series, Revivalist, and Red Letter Days.

We hardly get any signings where I am, let alone US YA authors.  I flipped out with excitement. 

The TARDIS Tag

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.

What book(s) do you find yourself going back to? Beloved children’s classics? Favorites from college? Something that touched you and just makes you long to visit?

(Because, doesn’t everybody have at least one book they would like to curl up with, even if they don’t make a habit of rereading books? Even if they maybe don’t even have the time to visit and just think back longingly?)

I'm not a huge re-reader of books.  Most of the time I think it's because I have a good memory for the things I've read.  But there are a few that I've re-read, and re-read A LOT!

Heart On A Chain by Cindy C. Bennett.

This one I read for the first time in February 2012, and I must have re-read it as least 8 times since then.  It's fast paced read, only taking me a day to get done.  And I just fell in love with the story.  It's a beautiful contemporary that I think doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

I honestly can't estimate just how many times I've re-read this one.  I first picked this one up years ago, and it completely captivated me.  It's the book that really catapulted my reading obsession.  I'd always been a reader, but this one took it to another level.  I've always been a sucker for fairytales, and this Cinderella retelling is a must read.

Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot.

Meg's Princess Diaries series, like Ella Enchanted, are some of the books that grew my love of reading.  So as I got older and I looked at her adult books, I loved them just as much.  And this is my fav of hers.  Again, I don't know how often I've re-read it, but I always go to it when I want a book that I know will make me laugh out loud, and never fails to make me smile.

Crossing The Line by Katie McGarry

Format: Kindle Edition

• File Size: 223 KB
• Print Length: 67 pages
• Publisher: MIRA Ink (1 April 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Katie McGarry captivated readers with her "riveting, emotional"* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it's worth crossing the line for love...

Lila McCormick first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters-or that she'd fall for the boy she's only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he's never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila's forgiveness-and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

Cover:  Not a big fan of the UK for this novella.  It's just so boring.  I love the cute, romantic cover of the US version.

Pushing The Limits was one of my favourite reads of 2012, becoming one of my fav books of all time.  The companion novel Dare You To being one of my most highly anticipated releases this year, so when I heard about this little novella about Echo's friend from Pushing The Limits, it would be the perfect thing to tide me over.
And it was.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.  Lincoln and Lila were incredibly sweet, and I just loved them.  I could have carried on reading for hours, instead finishing this little novella in under two hours.
I felt that it may have been slightly anti-climatic, I was left feeling slightly unsatisfied, wanting more.
If you were a fan of Pushing The Limits then you'll definitely want to check this out.
4/5 stars.

The Slither Sisters: Tales From Lovecraft Middle School #2 by CharlesGilman

Received for review

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Quirk Books (15 Jan 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594745935
• ISBN-13: 978-1594745935
• This second novel in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle ended.  Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of “gates” to a terrifying alternate dimension – a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous beasts.  For Robert to protect his teachers and classmates, he'll need to return to this haunted dimension with his best friends Glenn and Karina.   Can they uncover the secrets of Lovecraft Middle School before it's too late?
   
  The Slither Sisters features more bizarre beasts, more strange mysteries, and more adventure.  It's perfect for readers ages 10 and up. Best of all, the cover features a state-of-the-art “morphing” photo portrait – so you can personally witness the sisters transforming into their slithering alter egos.  You won't believe your eyes!
• Cover:  Another brilliant lenticular cover that you can't help but keep staring at until you start to look like a crazy person.
• Oh I'm loving this series.  
• The gang continues to find trouble in Lovecraft Middle School, tumbling through magical gateways and coming face with terrible monsters.
• The tension was racked up in this sequel.  I was hooked again, right from page 1, and couldn't put it down.  Reading it in just one evening.  The last 50 pages I was on the edge of my seat, and the ending...boy oh boy- I did NOT see that coming.  
• Once again the illustrations were incredible- just as good as the writing itself.
• This book has everything a Middlegrade series needs- humour, action, lovable characters...and of course- great monsters!
• This was a fantsatic sequel and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
• An absolute must read for adults and children alike.
• 5/5 stars.