Feature & Follow Friday (38) / Friday 56 (7)

Feature & Follow Friday is a meme hosted by Parajunkiee's View & Alison Can Read. Check out their blogs and the two Featured Bloggers of the week! This is great for finding amazing new blogs to follow and for gaining followers yourself!

This weeks question is: 
You can only eat one cuisine type for the rest of your life. Which would you choose?

I answered: 
Mexican food. Oh my god, how I love Mexican food! It seems to be the only thing I crave and it's always what I suggest when my friends want to eat out--to the point where they don't even ask me anymore, they just assume that's what I want. lol

What about you? Leave your answer to this weeks question in the comments below.

Follow 

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The Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda's Voice. Basically you flip to page 56 (or 56% in your eReader) of any book and post a sentence or two (more if you want) from that page without being too spoiler-y. This gives us a glimpse into what you are reading or have read, and may even prompt us to add your book to our TBR piles!

My teaser:

She was quiet for a moment, and then she walked right up to the glass and leaned her forehead against it. I hung back, but then she grabbed my T-shirt and pulled me forward. I didn't want out collective weight against a single pane of glass, but she kept pulling me forward, and I could feel her balled fist in my side, and finally I put my head against the glass as gently as possible and looked around.

Excerpt From: John Green. “Paper Towns.”

Review (55): Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips (& Giveaway!)

Faking Perfect

Rebecca Phillips

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Publisher: Kensington Books

Pages: 272

Format: eARC

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

Author Blog

Book Website 

My Thoughts: 

Like most high school students, Lexi Shaw is pretending to be someone she’s not. In order to fit in with the popular crowd at school—and ultimately make Ben Dorsey fall in love with her—she needs to look and act the part. This means hiding the fact that her mom is hardly ever around because she is too busy off drinking with one of her boyfriends. And making sure no one finds out what she does with Oakfield High’s resident bad boy in her room at 1 A.M. Oh, and keeping her relationship with her best friend a sort of secret because her popular friends think he’s weird.

Although this seems like it is going to be about the Lexi-Tyler-Ben love triangle, it is really about Lexi’s self-growth. For two years she has tried to be the perfect everything just so she can impress a boy she doesn’t truly know—ultimately losing herself along the way. She has been fixated on her idea of Ben instead of who he really is; she even pushes away two of the only real friends she has because she can not bear to disappoint him. When everything blows up in her face—and someone from her past resurfaces complicating things further—she snaps out of it and allows herself to be, well, herself. Mostly because she doesn’t really have a choice, but also because she finally sees that what you wish for might not always be what you actually want.

Nolan is probably my favorite of all the characters. He does not care an ounce what people think of him and actually takes pleasure in making them squirm when he gets the chance. (Still not sure what everyone’s problem with him is either…) I just really liked his friendship with Lexi because he shows how much he cares in a quiet kind of way. He is her rock and she knows she never has to hide who she is from him and that he’ll always be there for her no matter what. I wish we had gotten to know Tyler more because he is so sweet (albeit a little hotheaded) and could have been a great character. I wanted more Lexi and Tyler scenes that really took the time to develop their romantic relationship. 

As for Lexi, she is a bit lost, has low self-esteem and believes that she is not good enough for anyone. She doesn’t have the greatest support system or role models at home—Nolan’s parents practically raised her and her mom doesn’t even bother to attend her high school graduation. I can see why she would want to pretend to be someone else and I applaud her for standing up to her mother. 

I think this cover is perfect. The girl in the picture just looks so FREE which perfectly sums up Lexi at the end of the book. (It is the same image used for Heather Topham Wood's Falling for Autumn, but honestly I much prefer the way this one was designed).

| Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon |

* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

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Waiting on Wednesday (41)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can not wait to read! This meme is the perfect way to add books to your TBR list. Along with upcoming releases, I sometimes include books that I have not had the chance to read or buy even if they have already come out. 

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Damage Done
by Amanda Panitch

Release Date: July 21, 2015

From Barnes & Noble:
22 minutes seperate Julia Vann's before and after.

Before: Julia had a twin brother, a boyfriend, and a best friend.

After: She has a new identity, a new hometown, and memories of those twenty-two minutes that refuse to come into focus. At least, that's what she tells the police.

Now that she's Lucy Black, her fresh start has attracted the attention of one of the hottest guys in school. And someone much more dangerous. She thought her brother's crimes were behind her. But now she's being forced to confront the dark secrets she thought were safely left behind. How far will Julia go to keep her slate clean?

One thing is clear: The damage done can never be erased. It's only just beginning...

In this deliciously twisted contemporary thriller, family can be a real killer. For fans of We Were Liars and readers who love unique multiple perspectives that leave clues like breadcrumbs until they reach the stunning conclusion. 

| Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon |

This sounds pretty intense and I'm all for thrillers. Can't wait to find out what exactly got her into this mess in the first place!

Interview with M. Beth Bloom, Author of Don't Ever Change (with Giveaway!)

Title: Don't Ever Change

Author: M. Beth Bloom
Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Eva has always wanted to write a modern classic--one that actually appeals to her generation. The only problem is that she has realized she can't "write what she knows" because she hasn't yet begun to live. So before heading off to college, Eva is determined to get a life worth writing about.

Soon Eva's life encounters a few unexpected plot twists. She becomes a counselor at a nearby summer camp--a job she is completely unqualified for. She starts growing apart from her best friends before they've even left for school. And most surprising of all, she begins to fall for the last guy she would have ever imagined. But no matter the roadblocks, or writer's blocks, it is all up to Eva to figure out how she wants this chapter in her story to end.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell, Don't Ever Change is a witty, snarky, and thought-provoking coming-of-age young adult novel about a teen who sets out to write better fiction and, ultimately, discovers the truth about herself. 

| Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon |

Hi M. Beth, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions with us today! 
First off, tell us 4 interesting things about yourself.

I only have hand tattoos.  

I was a raw foodist for five years.

I played in a band that opened up for Sonic Youth and Vampire Weekend.

I still remember my Bat Mitzvah Torah portion.  

What inspired you to write Don’t Ever Change?

My own teenage life. I remember being a super pretentious, obnoxious young writer, obsessed with being epic and memorable. I spent a summer as a camp counselor and was totally humbled/horrified. I started to take myself far less seriously, incorporating humor and wit into my work, remembering to “write what I know,” be personal, soulful, and open. I understand most YA protagonists are fighting to save the world, or battling serious demons, matters of life and death… Not Eva. She’s just an arrogant, funny weirdo, who I hope comes across as appropriately irritating and charming.

What can you tell us about your book in 140 characters or less?

The only thing certain in life is change. 

What are your thoughts on the cover? Did you have any input in the design?

I love the cover; I’m so fortunate that my amazing editor at HarperTeen (Tara Weikum) was open to my ideas. I knew I wanted something hand-drawn and quirky, a little twee, a little self-deprecating, something of a wink to the reader. Eva is a total pie chart herself, constantly categorizing and weighing the importance of randomness vs. realness.

Have you always been interested in becoming a writer?

Always. Since I knew what a job was.

Do you have any advice for young writers?

Eva’s whole journey is the journey of a writer. She learns to write down what she’s living, seeing in front of her, experiencing in the moment. Also, emotionality is a wide Sargasso. The best and most dramatic writers have a deep sense of irony, veering more toward bathos than pathos.   

Are you excited about any new books being released soon?

Of course the new Harper Lee book, “Go Set a Watchman.” Also Terry Gilliam’s memoir and the book “M Train” by Patti Smith.

This or That:

Christmas or Halloween?  Christmas

Cup or cone? Cup

Hot or cold? Hot

Rachel and Ross or Chandler and Monica? Rachel and Ross

Apples or oranges? Watermelon

Sunset or sunrise? Sunset

Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Sweet or salty? Salty

Once again, thank you for sitting down with us & good luck with your next novel! 

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About the Author:
M. Beth Bloom is a novelist and a screenwriter. Her fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly and Dave Eggers's Best American Nonrequired Reading series. She is also the author of Drain You. M. Beth lives
in Los Angeles.

| Facebook | HarperCollins | Twitter | Goodreads | 

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Review (54): Sarina, Sweetheart by Megan Carney (with Giveaway!)

Sarina, Sweetheart

by Megan Carney

Release Date: March 5, 2015

Publisher: N/A

Pages: 227

Format: eBook

Source: Author

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

Her mother wanted a baby to please her father, her father wanted a weapon that could destroy the world. Using the IVF lab at the hospital where he worked, he tinkered with embryos and their genes. Most died long before being implanted, but then on try number two Sarina was born. Her breath is literal poison and she in the only person in the world—besides her mother and father who were injected with the antidote—that can carry HF186-2A without dying. She was discovered at only six weeks old when her father decided to use his new weapon to infect tourists on a cruise ship docked in Key West. Somehow government officials traced the budding pandemic to her family and she has been locked up in a lab being tested and prodded ever since—until someone helps her escape.

I honestly wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did. In my opinion this is sort of similar to Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi; both protagonists are locked in a lab being tested and detained because of “powers” they can’t control and each vow to destroy the people that have kept them captive their entire lives—no matter the consequences. However, I may actually like Sarina, Sweetheart better because I found Sarina to be a much more enjoyable character than Juliette. Sarina is ridiculously smart which isn’t surprising since she has spent 23 years basically doing nothing but reading and watching anything she can get her hands on. She knows so much I feel like I learned a thing or two from just reading the book. She is also extremely resourceful (she came up with and created some pretty impressive things while on the run), tenacious, and a bit socially awkward.

The overall plot was interesting and kept my attention throughout. The amount of action is just right and, more importantly, it is believable. She doesn’t automatically turn into a ninja when the time calls for it which I appreciated. There are also some graphic gory scenes (particularly chapter 8) so be aware of that if blood is something that freaks you out; it made me cringe a little, not gonna lie.

I didn’t like the romance aspect but I guess it wasn’t the main focus of the story so it didn’t need to be particularly amazing. She has 2 love interests throughout the book—one of which she claims to be in love with after about 3 days—but any time we spend with them is brief. She constantly refers to herself as an animal that can’t be controlled whenever she's around them…it was just kind of unrealistic to me. I know she’s been sheltered her whole life and these are the first guys around her age that she’s known, but I feel like that should make her hesitant to throw herself at them. But I don’t know maybe that’s just naive of me to say? I also didn’t particularly love the cover. I think this book deserves a much more badass, attention-grabbing cover so I hope it gets updated in the future. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Carney’s writing. She doesn’t overpower with details, but the way she describes things really brings them to life. I will definitely be picking up her next release!

| Goodreads | Amazon |

* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eBook copy in return for my honest review *

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Cover Reveal: Like Candy & Sweet Liar by Debra Doxer(w/ Giveaway!)

Title: Like Candy & Sweet Liar
(The Candy Series, #1-2)

Author: Debra Doxer
Genre: YA Mystery/Romance

Release Date: July 28, 2015

Revenge is sweet, just like candy.

Candy Seaborne knows she's badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won't admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.

Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn't above manufacturing some. If you're a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She's no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime.

Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He's a jock, but he isn't the typical player. He's moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.

Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn't buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He see too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that's the thing she should do because her father's world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.

This story is told over two full-length books.
Like Candy (The Candy Series #1) releases on July 28th.
Sweet Liar (The Candy Series #2) will be available this fall.

| Goodreads  |

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About the Author:

Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When her daughter asks when she’ll run out of words, her response always is, “When I run out of time.”

Connect with Debra. She loves hearing from readers.

| Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

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Waiting on Wednesday (40)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can not wait to read! This meme is the perfect way to add books to your TBR list. Along with upcoming releases, I sometimes include books that I have not had the chance to read or buy even if they have already come out. 

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A Million Miles Away
by Lara Avery

Release Date: July 7, 2015

From Barnes & Noble:
Twin sisters Kelsey and Michelle Maxfield look identical--but they couldn't be more different. Kelsey is the captain of the dance team and loves her cute college boyfriend, Davis. Michelle is a free-spirited artist and flits from one guy to the next, the latest a soldier recently deployed to Afghanistan. Despite their differences, Kelsey and Michelle can't live without each other--until, in an instant, everything changes.

When Michelle dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half, As the only one who knows about her sister's boyfriend, Peter, Kelsey takes it upon herself to find him and tell him what happened to Michelle. But when she finally connects with Peter online, he thinks that Kelsey is Michelle and says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey can't bear to break his heart with the truth, so she lets Peter believe that she is Michelle.

Kelsey keeps up the act, pretending to be her sister, and soon she can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.

Lara Avery delivers a breathtaking story of love and loss that is guaranteedd to sweep you off her feet.

| Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon |

This sounds heartbreaking and I seriously can not wait!