Molli Moran's Blog, page 13
June 27, 2014
Happy book birthday BLUE SKY DAYS!
Welcome to the Blue Sky Days Relaunch Blitz!
Contemporary new adult
Add on GoodReads
A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother – studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing – and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn’t have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn’t know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn’t helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it’s time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she’s stepped back in time.
When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes – he’s unlike anyone she’s ever met before, the kind of man she didn’t even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don’t always need a plan – sometimes life steers you where you’re meant to be.
Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it’s time for her to help Nicholas the way he’s helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.
Read my glowing review of BLUE SKY DAYS!
June 27th is the 20th anniversary of my dad’s death from leukemia. For a long time I’ve wanted to honour him in some way, and I thought having the relaunch of Blue Sky Days, a book that was partly inspired by him, would be the perfect tribute. My dad was a wonderful man—smart, funny, kind, and loyal. He was an amazing father, husband, brother, and friend. Even before he died, I knew I wanted to be a writer, and he would listen to my crazy made-up stories with the patience of a saint.
From the 27th-30th of June, half the proceeds from all sales of Blue Sky Days will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. If you already own a copy, maybe you’d consider buying the book for a friend or family member? Or buying another copy from a different retailer (like Smashwords, which offers the book in every format)?
I greatly appreciate the support of the online reading/writing community for helping me honour my dad.
Amazon US || Amazon CAN || Amazon UK || Barnes & Noble || Smashwords || Kobo || iBooks
Thanks to eight incredible sponsors, there’s a huge blitz-wide giveaway! There will be three (3) $20 PayPal cash prizes. Three chances to win – not too shabby, huh? This giveaway is open internationally to people aged 18+ who can accept PayPal cash.
Jessica @ Thoughts at One in the Morning
Follow Jessica on Twitter
Author Molli Moran @ Books and Whimsy
Like Molli’s Facebook page
Patricia Lynne
Follow Patricia on Twitter
Mickey @ I’m a Book Shark
Follow Mickey on Twitter
Rachelia @ Bookish Comforts
Follow Bookish Comforts via email or BlogLovin’
Tana Rae Reads
Follow Tana’s blog
Tana @ A Diva a Day!
Follow A Diva a Day!
Jess @ Jess Time to Read
Like Jess’s Facebook page
Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood she’s had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. She’s a hopeless romantic, an unapologetic eavesdropper (occupational hazard), an equally unapologetic squeeing fangirl, and a lover of swoon-worthy book and TV characters. For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie83 any time.
Find Marie online: {Blog || Twitter || Facebook || GoodReads || Instagram}
Isn’t that cover gorgeous? Aren’t you tempted to add BLUE SKY DAYS to your TBR?! It’s a WONDERFUL story, so please check it out, enter the giveaway, buy copies for your friends!
June 23, 2014
Show Me How Big Your Brave Is
June is LGBTQ Pride month, and knowing that, I wanted to touch a bit on my own coming out experience, and where I’m at, about a year and a half later. This month we celebrate our history, and those who came before us and championed for LGBTQ rights. We pause to think on where we’re at now, and where we want to be. We pause to celebrate the progress toward equality, toward the day when the term “gay marriage,” or “gay rights” becomes simply “marriage,” and “rights.”
Sometimes I feel like I clawed my way here. “Here” isn’t perfect or easy at times, but it’s been worth it.
I came out in November of 2012 — to my family. I had to, because I felt like I was suffocating. But I’d been coming out quietly for years. First to a group of online friends, then slowly to a few close “real life” friends. I had one short-lived tentative relationship with another woman, but it was enough to ignite possibilities. I had one short-lived relationship with a man, and then another that lasted almost two years. I grew a great deal during that relationship, and continued to learn and grow afterward. Through the most intense grief I’d ever known, I came out on the other side stronger. Ready to love again, in time.
At the time, I couldn’t see that all that pain was forging me into who I needed to be…who I was meant to be. Those nights spent crying as if the tears would never stop were all bringing me toward something — toward a better version of myself. A version ready for a grown-up relationship and a grown-up love.
So I kept my head down. I healed, I made new friends, I had crushes. I lost friends. I lost myself. And then at last, I realized the fear and the weight of that fear was gone. I was okay. It took a Sara Evans song — “I know my heart will never be the same, but I’m telling myself I’ll be okay; even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.” By this point, it was 2011, about two years post-break-up, and I realized I’d been getting “a little bit stronger” for awhile. I was done with fear, but now I needed time to breathe and to learn to love myself, to learn that it was okay to be by myself.
Then 2012 happened. 2012 with its highs and lows. I lost a job that fulfilled me, just when I felt like I was at my personal best. Friendships changed. *I* changed. My heart changed. Someone who had been a dear friend for years suddenly looked different to me. She wasn’t just a friend, but my BEST friend. A door opened and I stepped through it with words that would change us forever. We became more. We became us.
I knew then that I had to be brave. So I gathered my strength and came out to my family. And while I’ve talked several times about their initial reactions, and the extremely supportive reactions of friends, I haven’t talked much about the time since then.
There’s a lot of confusion and misinformation. People assume I’m a lesbian because I have a girlfriend. I’ve identified as bisexual for almost ten years now. To be honest, I still can’t pin down my sexuality. I usually check off the “Captain Jack Harkness” option when asked the topic comes up. Some people have assumed I’m super promiscuous because I’m gay. I was once asked if I a girlfriend here as well as one in California, as though by having a long distance relationship, I also have an open one. (I don’t. Katie and I are monogamous.)
It’s hard. I’ve been told by various people I’m wrong, I’m choosing this life deliberately, I’m going to hell, family members who are deceased wouldn’t be proud of me. I’ve been the subject of lewd remarks from so-called friends, and I’ve cried more nights than I care to talk about. I’ve only come out to a few co-workers that I’ve felt safe telling, because it’s no secret that several others hate gays. I hear slurs used somewhat regularly. At times I’ve doubted the decision to come out to my family, but I’ve always maintained the good from it outweighs the bad. And so far it has.
For every person who has rejected me, I’ve found two more who support me. Not everyone agrees entirely with who I am, and that’s fine. They don’t have to. All I ask is for respect. The same respect I give every person I meet.
It’s hard to “get a little bit stronger,” sometimes. It’s DAMN hard to bear the remarks, the looks, the knowledge that some people aren’t genuine with me anymore. But I do it. I do it because more people are genuine than not. I do it because there’s the chance my story can help someone. I do it because I have books to write with strong LGBTQ characters. I do it because I DO have pride in myself, in the LGBTQ community. I do it to show bravery in the face of challenges.
I’ll always believe in the good. I’ll always champion the good, and equality. I’ll always be my OWN champion. I want to be a light for those who feel lost. I want to spread my story and the message that you CAN be exactly who you are, and that that IS enough. I’m almost 29 years old, and it took me a good 26 of those to become okay with who I am. My hope is that it won’t take that long for others.
Love and light. And always, always show the world how big YOUR brave is.
June 21, 2014
Request AS YOU TURN AWAY to Read for Review
Hi lovelies. I have some exciting news for you. In order to get AS YOU TURN AWAY a bit more exposure since right now I don’t have as much time as I’d like for promotion and approaching bloggers, I have a unique opportunity for you. Get excited!
The awesome Giselle at XPresso Book Tours / XPresso reads is hosting a review opportunity for AS YOU TURN AWAY. What does this mean for you awesome readers and bloggers?
For 6 weeks, the sign-ups will be open for you to request a copy of AS YOU TURN AWAY. For free. It’s available in ePUB, MOBI, and PDF formats. All you have to do is request a copy, and at the end of the request period, I’ll go through and start approving bloggers to receive copies. The only thing you have to do is read my book, then leave a short review at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. You can even copy and paste your review from one outlet to the other. And if you do that, there’s something for you here.
While y’all are requesting AYTA, I’ll be busily working on ONE SONG AWAY. So feel free to head over to Giselle’s site and sign up for a chance to read AS YOU TURN AWAY (for free!) I’ll love you forever.
June 13, 2014
AS YOU TURN AWAY Friday the 13th (Books are for Freaks) Sale!
Do you love books? Especially cheap or FREE books? Let me tell y’all about a sale that’s going on thanks to Angela Kulig. Lots of great books — including mine — are on sale or free this weekend only! That’s right, my debut AS YOU TURN AWAY is just .99 this weekend. Whoa, guys. Whoa. That’s SUPER CHEAP, and I’m definitely not the only author with books on sale.
Books to Grab!
Not only is my book on sale, but some of my friends have books on sale too! Be sure to grab Marie Landry’s books (especially her newest, AFTER THE STORM,) AND Jessica Sankiewicz’s latest NA, NOT UNTIL TONIGHT. Then head over to the sale post after grabbing the button below, and enter to win a gift card!
And finally if you don’t know what my book is about…
Two hearts, one life-changing summer, and a long-awaited second chance…
When Quinnlan Reynolds left home at 18, she escaped her small, Georgia town and her suffocating upbringing. She started a new life as a ballerina, and tasted freedom for the first time. But four years later, her first visit home turns tragic. Reeling, Quinn tries to piece her life back together again. But doing so is easier said than done when sexy Jonah Walker saunters back into her life.
Quinn shattered Jonah’s heart once, so getting involved with her isn’t something he’s sure he’s ready to do again. He became someone he didn’t recognize when he left home. He’s spent the last years burying his pain by keeping everyone in his life at arm’s length. Now he needs to get to know his family again, and finally become who he wants to be.
But neither Quinn or Jonah can stay away from each other, especially when old feelings resurface. Something is pulling them back together, and they can’t deny their chemistry for long. One Georgia summer could change both their lives forever, if they can work through their past to have a future together.
Head on over to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and grab an e-copy today! *Barnes & Noble is being a bit slow changing the price but it should be .99 any moment now. :)*
June 9, 2014
ONE SONG AWAY – Synopsis + Publication Date!
It’s been awhile since I posted here (I’ve mostly been blogging at Books and Whimsy) but I have some exciting news for everyone. Today I’m going to share the official synopsis and publication date for my second book! It’s NOT The Walker Boys #2 (that will be coming winter 2014.) This is a New Adult romance, and so far it’s been so much fun to write. It’s funny, and I love the MC’s voice. I hope you guys will too!
ONE SONG AWAY
Publication date: November 1, 2014
Sophie-Claire Wright’s life is going downhill at warp speed. Her songwriting career isn’t taking off like she hoped, she keeps running into her cheating ex, and her roommate just kicked her out of their apartment. Running out of options — and money — Sophie does the one thing she vowed she’d never do: she moves home. Home where instead of being a free spirit, she’s still thought of as a rebel.
Life moves at a slower pace in Sophie’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it hometown, but her well-meaning, matchmaking mother doesn’t have a slow gear. Sophie invents a boyfriend to hold off an endless stream of bachelors, but she’s out of luck when her mom demands to meet Sophie’s non-existent boyfriend. Luckily for Sophie, Jake Cooper owes her a favor. Jake — who stole her heart a long time ago, and is as charming and dangerous as ever.
Sophie is sure she’ll be able to resist Jake this time (and his smile, and his abs, and his…everything,) and that their fake relationship will keep them both away from wagging tongues. Just because she was half in love with him years ago doesn’t mean she’ll fall for him now… But she didn’t bargain for moments that feel all too real. And she didn’t count on mutual old feelings resurfacing and complicating their arrangement — which is starting to feel less like acting and more like the real deal.
*This book is considered New Adult due to age category and mature situations.*
I’ve started the search for cover materials, and I can’t wait to continue that, and start working with a designer soon. I’ll have a swoon-worthy cover for everyone this summer, and I’ll be getting more details together for my street team. We’ll do some fun teasers, giveaways, promotions and such as time draws closer. I hope y’all are as excited for Sophie-Claire’s story as I am!
June 1, 2014
Writing Update and Check In
It’s been a little while since I talked about what I’m doing, writing-wise, and I wanted to share some exciting news. Despite my weird funk at the beginning of the year, I’m writing again, FINALLY. I was working on The Walker Boys #2, but when my dad had his accident, so much changed. That, combined with working more, and the funk, and our AWFUL winter, really got to me. I stalled on TWB #2 aka Farm Boy Book, and since I’m NOT on an official deadline, I didn’t feel like I HAD to push through it.
Some writers would counsel you to write every day. To force yourself to write, even if you don’t want to. That’s fine if that works for them, but I can’t do it. The very minute writing becomes something I *force* myself to do? It won’t be worth it anymore.
So I breathed. I took some time away from writing and reading, because at the time, it hurt that the magic wasn’t there in the books I read (because of me) and that the words didn’t seep from my heart to my fingertips to the page when I tried to write.
But then I started thinking, slowly at first, about a project I’d been idly planning for awhile. I’d been calling it SOUTHERN REBEL BELLE for a good six months, and the main character had slowly formed in my head. I decided a week ago to take a chance. To see if the magic was back. And if FARM BOY BOOK isn’t working right now, SOUTHERN REBEL BELLE *is.* I already have a good, clear idea where the story is going, and who the characters are.
SOUTHERN REBEL BELLE is a lot different from AS YOU TURN AWAY. It’s set in the South, and it is a New Adult contemporary romance, but that’s where the similarities end. It’s light, funny, and the main character is sarcastic and a romantic. I’ve already giggled out loud working on it, and I can’t wait for y’all to read it. (
So, my publication schedule for the next while looks like this:
SOUTHERN REBEL BELLE (title + synopsis soon): fall 2014
FARM BOY BOOK: winter 2014/2015
With lots more books to come! I wanted to share this news while I had a chance. I’m hard at work on SRB and I’ll be back soon with the proper title, synopsis, and publication date — and hopefully a cover reveal in the next few months. The crazy ride toward publication begins again! Hope y’all will be with me for the journey again. 
May 27, 2014
The Power of Reviews
Before I started blogging in 2011, I had no idea how powerful reviews were. I didn’t know that, over the next few years, reviews would make me over-the-moon excited to buy a book I’d heard good things about, and then on the other hand, make me leery of buying another one. I didn’t know I would write some incredibly personal reviews that would make me cry. I didn’t know I’d eventually see reviews from the point of view of an author.
Having been on both sides so to speak, I fully appreciate the incredible power of reviews. Bloggers and reviewers have so much power and influence, and I’ve been lucky enough to receive some really wonderful reviews. I’ve also had a few reviewers who didn’t like my book. And that’s okay! When I wrote AS YOU TURN AWAY, I didn’t shy away from topics that will be hard for some to read. I knew I wasn’t writing perfect characters. I knew there was a chance some readers would connect with Quinn or Jonah, and that there was an equal chance my characters would turn off other readers. That’s still okay. Not every book is for every person.
Reviews — even ones where readers had some issues with a book — are ALL valid. Positive reviews are valid. Negative reviews are valid. But a book NEEDS reviews in order to reach readers, to convince them to sample it, buy it, love it, like it, or dislike it. A book needs reviews for readers to take a chance. MY book needs reviews.
So I’ve come up with what I think are some pretty neat incentives in a review challenge. This isn’t a Rafflecopter giveaway. There aren’t 100 hoops to jump through. It’s simple and straight-forward. The goal is to encourage readers to review my AS YOU TURN AWAY (and hey, review some other indies along the way!) The incentives? Include swag packs, a copy of my book, a book of your choice, etc. You can even copy + paste the same review and honest rating at different online retailers! The ONLY requirement is that you DO review my book.
I’ll draw winners in mid-June, so you’ve got some time to read the book if you haven’t, review, etc!
(Second note: your review CAN have already been on your blog, at Amazon, etc, so long as for this giveaway you post it SOMEWHERE it wasn’t before — unless you’re on my street team and your review is already everywhere; in that case, you still can get credit for entries!)
(You can also view the form here!)
So go forth! Review! Have fun with this challenge. You’ll have my thanks, AND cool prizes.
May 14, 2014
How I Got Over a Slump (And Fell In Love with Reading Again)
I’ve opened up before that in recent months, I’ve been in a really weird reading/blogging slump. I even considered quitting blogging, but my love of the community, my friends, and of blogging inspired me to try to muddle through the slump. I THINK I’m getting there, but I’m mostly cautiously optimistic.
But I’ve noticed something really interesting to me. This year, I only set a goal of reading 50 books. And in doing that, I had slowed down even before slump. Now that I’m somewhat on the other side, I’ve been thinking back on the books I HAVE read in the last month or so, and noticing a trend. I LOVED them. They GOT to me. Gave me chills, tears, made me laugh, or made me THINK.
Being in a slump made me appreciate the books I read.
It made me realize that sometimes I’ve taken reading — and blogging — for granted. Until the desire to do both wasn’t there anymore, it wasn’t even something I thought of: that I CAN buy books (or go to the library.) That I CAN blog, and share my thoughts with y’all. That I can write, and share stories. That I can READ, and let other authors’s words take me places, and break me, and put me back together.
Suddenly, each book wasn’t just…a collection of words and pages. Each book I’ve read recently — FAR FROM YOU, LOSING IT, UNTEACHABLE, THE ART OF LAINEY, has pulled me in. Made me THINK. Made me FEEL. FAR FROM YOU made me remember coming out to my family, UNTEACHABLE made me remember a relationship I had that even though it ended and was unhealthy, at the time I NEEDED to have it to learn what a healthy relationship is, as I’ve talked about. LOSING IT reminded me of awkwardly learning about my own sexuality, and I LOVED reading a book that was so sex-positive. THE ART OF LAINEY made me remember high school crushes and friendships. They all TAUGHT me something as I escaped into those pages. They took me out of myself and into a story.
I valued each book I read for the precious thing it was.
I’m a fast reader, and I’ve always thought that I read a LOT, though I have some friends who just blow me away with the vast amount of books they read throughout a year. In 2011 I read about 50 books. In 2012 I read 120 books, and last year I read 98 books. This year, I decided to take a step back and set a goal of just 50 books. I hope to make that lower goal, but mostly, I’m aiming for quality over quantity. And so far, it’s been working!
It’s made me fall in love with reading again.
Have you ever been in a reading slump? How did it make you feel? Did you come out of it ready to read again, or did it take a while? What was the last book you read that really moved you?
May 9, 2014
Cover Reveal: Not Until Tonight by Jessica Sankiewicz
Hi all! Today I’m happily participating in the cover reveal for one of my favorite authors/bloggers (and all around great person), Jess Sankiewicz. Jess is the author of IF ONLY WE, a YA contemporary-with-a-twist. Now she’s publishing NOT UNTIL TONIGHT, a New Adult novella. It’s the first in the THIS NIGHT series of novellas, and I’m SUPER excited for it.
Ready to see the cover?
***
****
***
****
*****
***
****
***
****
(Cover designed by the amazing Marie Landry!)
Haley has spent the last year going to the bar across the street from her apartment every day. It’s the only thing that winds her down at the end of a long day at work. She gets to have a drink and talk to the gorgeous bartender, Skylar. Her little crush on him is starting to drive her crazy. She wants to take their friendship to the next level but she doesn’t want to compromise what they already have.
When Skylar asks Haley to pretend to be his girlfriend for one night, she doesn’t hesitate to say yes. This is her chance to finally experience what it could be like, even if it’s just for one night. But pretending becomes difficult when their real feelings surface and the pull is too strong to resist. And neither one of them prepared for that.
At the end of the night, will they be willing to turn a fake relationship into a real one?
Title: Not Until Tonight
Author: Jessica Sankiewicz
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: May 26th 2014
Now, I’ll tell y’all a little secret. I’m beta-reading this for Jessica, and it’s awesome so far — and I’m only a few chapters in. Y’all are going to love NOT UNTIL TONIGHT! Be sure to add it to your TBR, and follow Jess on Twitter, or like her author FB page!
May 8, 2014
Mini-Reviews: What I’ve Read Recently
Just because I haven’t been writing reviews recently doesn’t mean I haven’t been *reading.* I’ve read several great books in the last few months, and I decided to do mini reviews for them. I’m breaking away from traditional reviews. I may still do silly ones, or “love letters” to an author from time to time, but I want to write more discussion/general/book love posts.
ALIENATED by Melissa Landers
ALIENATED was exactly what I was hoping it would be: super cute, funny, and sweet. I loved the cultural clashes, and that it made me question how humans would react if aliens suddenly were all “what up, here we are!” I’d hope we would react better than people did in ALIENATED, because that was scary!
I liked the pacing (it felt really natural and smooth) and the characters. For the most part, most if not all of the characters felt fairly developed, which is always a good thing. Plus? PARENTS WHO CARE. And of course the romance was very well-done, up until the end. Cara + Aelyx FOREVA. Lots of fun exchanges, lots of chemistry. (Also I LOL’ed at the L’eihr groupies.) Very much a slow-burn which we KNOW I like. It lost me at the end when it went a bit Twilight-y (ie. “I’m-17-and-I-know-what-I-want-for-the-rest-of-my-life, because whoa. I did not have A single clue at 17. Not ONE clue.) But I’m excited for the sequel.
LOSING IT by Cora Carmack
I thoroughly enjoyed LOSING IT, Bliss, Bliss/Garrick, the supporting characters, and basically everything about Cora’s book. LOSING IT made me laugh so many times, from the dialogue, to the hilarious awkward-ness between Bliss and Garrick. I knew from the premise this book would be great, and it was. SUCH an amazing example of what I love about New Adult — the fear of and hope for the future, friendships, adult’ing, and a nice dash of a character boldly discovering her sexuality. LOSING IT really MADE me want to get lost in a book again for the first time in awhile, and it didn’t hurt that Bliss and Garrick had AWESOME smokin’ hot chemistry. I also loved the side characters (*coughs*CADE*coughs*), and Cora’s writing style is really nice.
UNTEACHABLE by Leah Raeder
So, UNTEACHABLE. It’s not a sugar-coated book. It’s not a nice book. It’s not a meek book. UNTEACHABLE is a brave book about a flawed, brave, REAL girl. Maise is possibly the BEST heroine I’ve read about in a LONG time in YA, NA, etc, because Maise doesn’t front. She knows she has issues, and it takes her some time, but Maise grows and starts to do things FOR HERSELF. She changes the parts of her life she doesn’t want. And she’s unflinchingly honest about her relationship with Evan, her teacher. YA and NA — and hell, adult — needs Maise. And many more characters like her. (YES to unapologetic characters who aren’t portrayed as ice-queens/etc. FUCK YES to books that are sex-positive. I could write an essay about this.)
UNTEACHABLE is incredibly well-written; the prose is beautiful. Stark when it needs to be stark. Lyrical when it needs to be lyrical. The characters are all incredibly developed, and the plot, despite some escapist moments that feel unreal, is solid. And the romance. It gave me so many feels. And yes, there WAS romance, and seduction, and lust. And it was brave and perfect.
Bravo, Leah Raeder.
BROKEN HEARTS, FENCES, AND OTHER THINGS TO MEND by Katie Finn
Going into BH, I knew I’d enjoy it, because it’s Morgan Matson. *takes a moment to bow* But guys, I LOVED BROKEN HEARTS. LOVED. I laughed until I almost cried. I craughed. I flailed around. I despaired. I fell in love with Josh. I wanted to be awkward BFFs with Gemma (our MC.) I wanted to hug this book. Through SO many mishaps and missed chances and revenge-y moments, BROKEN HEARTS, FENCES, AND OTHER THINGS TO MEND is a hilarious, touching summer story. Read it at the pool or at the beach, and I dare you to NOT fall for Katie Finn’s adorable book. There’s friendships (a positive one!), a strong hint of the most precious romance, sunshine, fun, and heartache, all in a gorgeous package. (THAT COVER THOUGH.)
I’m already dyyyyying for REVENGE, ICE CREAM, AND OTHER THINGS BEST SERVED COLD — and after reading this, you will be too!
SPLIT SECOND by Kasie West
I had SUCH a strong reaction to PIVOT POINT that I was expecting that again. And I ALMOST got it with SPLIT SECOND, but there was just a small something missing. I’m still not sure what I wanted. More emotions? More danger? I’m not sure. I LOVED SPLIT SECOND a great deal, of course. We got to go back to Addie’s world, and see her trying to muddle through being around Norms without messing up everything. I love Addie so hard; her challenges always feel so genuine and relatable, despite her abilities. As always, I love the set-up and the world Kasie has created. It seems really plausible, especially because we get some more info in SPLIT SECOND, and see how deep some corruptions and efforts to keep that fine balance go.
What I loved the most: getting to see Addie and Trevor together again, especially getting to see them fall for each other again, and Addie’s abilities growing. What I didn’t love: honestly, Laila’s chapters were a huge miss for me. I didn’t like her like/love interest for me, because it verged on insta-love, and I think the entire book could have been Addie’s POV easily. In fact, I wish it had been. I LIKE Laila, but I don’t think her POV carried her parts, and I wasn’t nearly as invested in what was going on with her.
All in all a great addition and a nice bit of closure to the story PIVOT POINT began, I wanted more from SPLIT SECOND. But I got to swoon a LOT and cry happy tears over Addie/Trevor, so I’m happy.
THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski
Oh THE WINNER’S CURSE, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
1. AMAZINGLY strong and fierce lead female character, who knows what she wants, and who doesn’t want to be who society thinks she should be.
2. Mysterious love interest who WILL break your heart, but you won’t even mind. I’m STILL swooning over Arin — his rebellious nature, his heart, his strength.
3. A slow-burning romance. I was JUST as swept off my feet as Kestrel was — both by the gradual building of emotions, and the way it all happened. This romance verges on unhealthy but only because of the circumstances. There are REAL emotions here.
4. A lush, beautiful writing style. Rutkoski’s prose is magical, transporting you into the world of THE WINNER’S CURSE.
5. Fleshed-out supporting characters who you’ll feel sympathy for and want to know more about.
6. World-building that’s focused less on the entire scope of the world, and more on what we see through Kestrel’s eyes. Her world and customs felt REAL. This is akin to light fantasy, and I loved the mix between customs, politics, slavery, and romanticism of barbaric ways and wars.
7. EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK.
ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART by Tracey Martin
It’s been some time since I read this book, but it was REALLY cute. I loved Claire a lot, and really enjoyed watching her growth over the course of ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART. I liked seeing the dynamics to Claire’s family, and their interactions, even though the storyline with her dad was kind of blah. This was a classic “old lovers are thrown together again” trope but with the twist that Claire breaking up with Jared led him to become a famous musician with the breakout hit song he wrote about them. I was looking for a bit more OOMPH from them seeing each other again, and more emotion out of them coming back together as friends and potentially more. The pacing felt a bit too quick — I think I would have enjoyed ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART more if it were a little longer, and more time given to Claire/Jared’s progression. But it was a cute read, not as deep as I’d hoped, but a great summer read, and I would read more from Martin.
Have you read any of these books? Did you like them? Dislike them? Do you like this review format?
