Jessica Samuelsen's Blog, page 45

Share The Love Giveaway Hop

Thank you Anna at The Herd presents for hosting!

I get to share with you a little bit about my favorite bloggers and authors and let you guys show them some love too!

I chose to share the love with Maggie from the Novel Orange and my author friend Joann Joann Keder.. They are both lovely ladies and I hope you follow them and find that out for yourself!

Check out Joann’s Book –

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Sunday Post Stacking the Shelves February 7th

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

In Review – 

On Tour – 

Giveaways- 

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Question of the Week – 

Who is your Valentine’s this year?

Mine is the same one I’ve had for 7 years my beautiful husband Jeff!

Friday Coffee & Bookish Speaks – Reading and Daydreams

What are you drinking today? I am just having a simple house coffee with cream. I’m behaving today.

I have been wondering does being an avid reader induce you to be a big daydreamer. Can the two be separated? For me they cannot. I read a lot and I daydream a lot. My head is always stuck in a story of some kind. Whether it’s a story of my creation  or another’s.

I am super curious if you are book nerd do you have an active daydreaming life? I would like to know if these things go together with other people as well. I’m looking for normalcy! I can tell by some other blog names like My Friends are Fiction that I am not alone in this beautiful dichotomy.

I’ve heard it said that a person that reads will live many lives and I read a lot but my  imagination doesn’t stop at the closing of the cover.  Does yours?

Book & A Cuppa Swap Reveal

I enjoy doing these Chaotic Goddes swaps! Beth and Angie are always on it! This time my partner was Liz Maguire visit her here.

I enjoyed having Liz as a swap partner. I adore the cup she got me. It’s exactly my style!

I also got Shatter me by Tahereh Mafi which has been on my wishlist for while. I also got pocket coffee which I am both scared and excited to try.

Thanks Liz!

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop

Thanks to Mary at Bookhounds for hosting the hop!

Here’s a romance I have most recently enjoyed. I highly recommend it!

Click Image for review!

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Review – To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1) by Jenny Han
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on April 15th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, YA, Romance
Pages: 288
Source: Purchased Amazon
Goodreads
Amazon, B&N

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

Lara Jean harbors secret loves then writes them good-bye letters when she is ready to say good-bye. She never intended for them to see the light. One day they mysteriously get sent and everybody she’s loved knows. This book brings you into a pleasant roller coaster of romance and coming of age as Lara who she is and who she loves.

In an Oyster Shell – This was a pleasant read that I would recommend to any diehard YA romance fan.

The Pearls – I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for awhile now and I was not disappointed.

The concept was intriguing and one I felt like I could relate to. I have harbored a few secret crushes in my day. For them to all be found out is kind of exciting to think about as a teenager. Not so much as a grown woman. The concept became a well-executed story.

The writing was clear. The Plot was solid with unexpected twists. The setting was fine.

The characters were strong and diverse. I loved how the author brought in Korean culture to the story. I loved the inter-relations of sisters, neighbors, and new friends. It brought the story a lot of depth.

The Sand – The Mc’s voice fell flat in the beginning. It had a monotone to it. As the character grew the voice got more vibrant

4.5 Pearls


About Jenny Han

Jenny Han (Han like Han Solo, not Han like hand)

was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She went to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and she went on to graduate school at the New School in New York City, where she received her MFA in Writing for Children. She lives in Brooklyn.

Website

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

TBR Reading Challenge

Book Blitz – The Fountain by Suzy Vadori

The Fountain

by Suzy Vadori

Release Date: December 8th 2015





Summary from Goodreads:





Careful what you wish for. It just might come true.

In the forbidden West Woods, Ava stumbles on the secret fountain that has granted wishes to St. Augustus students for generations. Unknowingly, she watches the coin she tosses disappear and with it the world around her as she knows it.

In a quest to undo the damage she’s done, she and alumni kid Ethan break every campus rule unravelling a tangled web of history. Ava discovers that what’s right isn’t always clear and finds herself torn between a love she’s always known and one she has yet to explore. 

 

Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Amazon CA│Indigo CA

CHAPTER

ONE

“I’m

terrified of expulsion,” Ava hissed at Ethan, “but this isn’t negotiable. Go

back if you’re scared.

I never asked you to come.”

Ava turned her back,

blinking to clear his cowed expression from her sight. She pushed

deeper into the dark of the West Woods, walking as

quickly as she dared, pushing branches aside

that blocked the path as she went. The fountain

waited out there, and it was getting late. The

sooner she undid her wish, the sooner everything

could go back to the way it was supposed to be.

She could tell by the

sound of footsteps that Ethan followed, though he seemed to be

keeping his distance. Gritting her teeth, she wished

she’d brought her phone. The thin beam from

Ethan’s flashlight, shining from behind, wasn’t

strong enough to show the roots that lay ahead in

her path. Turning toward him, she waited. Despite

his teasing, she was really glad he was here.

She looked at him

smiling awkwardly at her through the gloom as he approached. Her own

thin smile felt forced. They’d be missed by now. The

New England wind found the holes in the

weave of her sweater, sending a chill up her back.

I

wish to undo the wish I made here on September 14th that made Courtney

disappear.

I

wish to undo the wish I made here on September 14th that made Courtney disappear.

Ava fiddled with the

coin in her sweater pocket, shivering against the cold. The fountain had

already granted her one wish. She needed it to work

again.

She watched as Ethan

sidestepped the roots at his feet. His ball cap hid the coal-black shock

of hair she’d grown used to. His dark eyes met hers

from beneath the veil of his cap. Did he want to

believe her story as much as she wanted him to?

Averting her eyes to

watch her feet, she continued along the path. Ethan walked easily

beside her. Ava heard her own breath rise and fall.

Ethan’s hand nearly brushed hers as they

walked, the narrow path pushing them together. Ava

flexed her fingers, toward the heat of his hand.

One slight move and she could clasp the security

that he offered. Could it really be that simple?

“We’re almost there,”

Ava announced, her voice breaking a little.

She cleared her throat

and took a small step sideways, away from him on the path.

She noticed him

withdraw, stuffing the hand she’d almost grabbed into his jeans pocket.

Ava felt a sinking

feeling. She couldn’t leave St. Augustus yet. There was so much she

needed to explore.

She’d managed to lead

Ethan right into the clearing. The beam from his flashlight shone

before them in a wide arc.

Ava dropped the coin

she’d been fiddling with, her hand hanging slack at her side. The coin

sank into the long grass at her feet without making

a sound. The clearing blurred in front of her.

She felt Ethan move quickly, his warm arm suddenly

pressed against her waist, keeping her

from collapsing onto the ground.

Ava reeled. This was

definitely the clearing where she’d made her wish.

So, where was the

fountain?

About the Author

Suzy’s first Young Adult Novel, The Fountain was released December 8, 2015 with Evil Alter Ego Press.
Suzy’s long career building companies lends her a unique perspective in the literary world.
Suzy lives in Calgary, Canada with her husband and three children and is an involved community member. Currently, she is the Program Manager, Young Adult/Children’s Programming for When Words Collide (WWC), a literary Festival held in Calgary annually in August.
Author Links:


     





GIVEAWAY:


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Blog Tour – Italian Adventure by Gaia B. Amman

An Italian Adventure by Gaia B. Amman
Published by Kuki Publishing on November 1st 2015
Genres: YA
Pages: 381
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Goodreads
Amazon, B&N

A humorous coming of age tale of friendship, sisterhood, and family drama set against the gorgeous backdrop of northern Italy.Recommended for fans of Jandy Nelson, John Green, Neil Gaiman and Sherman Alexie

Italy, the late 80s. Leda is a bookish tomboy whose life is turned upside down by shady Nico, who just moved north from Sicily. Their unlikely friendship will evolve through a whirlwind of adventures leaving both kids transformed. Ultimately, Leda will discover that adults aren't always right, marking the end of childhood and the beginning of everything else.

Recommended for ages 13 and above. Some swearwords, mostly in Italian.

The book is the first in a series following the same characters throughout their life.

A strange smell exuded from the secret basement, of something old, worn out, and forgotten. Strangely, as I stared at it, I got the feeling that rather than light seeping inside through the crack, a beam of darkness, dust, and silence spilled out on the cement. I pushed my head through the slit in between the gate’s doors, peering inside and holding my breath.

Nothing: dark, dark, dark and quiet.

Nico whispered, “Is there someone inside?”

I shrugged. “It’s dark, I don’t think so.”

The light from the opening above and below my head had carved away a slice from the dark, revealing a grey concrete floor on which my shadow lay. Right on the edge of the gray light there seemed to be something, maybe old desks, stacked chairs?

I gathered all my courage, wanting to look brave in the eyes of my friends, and for some reason wanting to impress Nico. I was no chicken! I stepped into the secret basement.

The other three asked from outside, “What do you see?”

“It’s pitch black, Guys. It’s impossible to see the back wall.”

I swallowed entranced by a very bad feeling, remembering the Nothing that had swallowed Fantasia in The Neverending Story, one of my favorite books ever. Maybe this was where the Nothing fled after Atreyu and Bastian kicked its butt.

Nico chuckled. “Do you think that there is a back wall?”

I answered, “I’m gonna find out,” and took one step forward. They laughed nervously at my bravado. So, I took another step into the unknown.

Flavio whispered alarmed, “Lee, come on! You made your point, come back!”

I took another step, feeling the eyes of my buddies resting on my back. Their distress turned into excitement. “What do you see? How is it? What’s there?”

Truth be told, I couldn’t see a thing. I just focused on crawling forward with my arms stretched in front of my body to feel for the wall or possible obstacles, none of which seemed to come. The cold engulfing me made me even more aware of the sweat beading on my face. My heart was pounding.

I started to be able to tell the outline of huge piles of unidentified, luckily inanimate, objects stacked so high they might have reached the ceiling, if I could have seen one.

My senses were on edge, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something lurking in the darkness, ready to pounce as much as I was.

When I lurched into something cold I immediately withdrew my arms letting out a scream.

Flavio yelled, “EVERYTHING OKAY?”

I pondered, nothing was moving. I reached out with my hands and found the end wall. I yell-whispered, “Yeah! I made it! I found the end!”

My heart exulted as my friends celebrated. “Yippee! You rock, Lee!”

Everything happened within a couple of seconds. A sudden thump came from my left and I screamed again, as my friends went suddenly quiet and still. My adrenaline, which was already quite high, skyrocketed bathing me in a warm wave.

I turned to run toward the door for my dear life. I moved my feet as fast as I could in a frenzy of certainty that whatever was audibly moving not too far from me was going to grab one of my ankles at any moment to drag me into the Nothing forever.

 

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About Gaia B. Amman

Gaia B Amman was born and raised in Italy. She moved to the United States in her twenties to pursue her PhD in molecular biology. She’s currently a Professor of biology at D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York, where she was voted “the professor of the month” by her students. Her research and commentaries have been published in prestigious peer-reviewed international journals including Nature.

A bookworm from birth, she wrote throughout her childhood and won two short story competitions in Italy in her teens. Gaia is an avid traveler and many of her adventures are an inspiration for her fiction. Mostly she is passionate about people and the struggles they face to embrace life. Her highest hope is to reach and help as many as she can through her writing as well as her teaching. She authored the Italian Saga, an irreverent series of humorous and insightful young adult novels taking place against the gorgeous backdrop of Northern Italy. The books, light-hearted and funny at first sight, deal with issues like sexuality, divorce, friendship, abuse, first love and self discovery.

Among her favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, Jandy Nelson, Neil Gaiman, Chuck Palahniuk, Kurt Vonnegut, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Antoine de Saint Exupèry.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Sunday Post and Stacking Shelves January 31st

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

In Review – 

On Tour – 

Giveaways – 

Winner is Kaela. Congrats!

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Question of the week – What’s a tv show you enjoy?

I enjoy Blacklist and Impractical Jokers.

Friday Coffee & Bookish Speaks Author Photos

Welcome to the last Friday in January. Where does the time go? I am falling back into familiar habits with a frosted mint mocha! So good.

Today I want to talk about Author Photos. They say don’t judge a book by its cover but there is some merit to that. Even more so author photos. The care taken in images for a book often points to the care given to the content. Authors if you are reading this taking pictures off your laptop at the coffee shop with your headphones plugged in, not cute. I think it shows a like of pride for one’s self, for the industry, and the reader.

It really boils down to one-word professionalism. While I am on the topic I just saw Jennifer Peel’s latest author pic, professional and classy just like her books. As an author you only have a few precious moments to grab a reader, publisher, or agent. Make every second count. From cover to blurbs to the author photo… be professional.

I just recently was reading a book that I DNF and sure enough, the author photo matched the content, arrogant and crappy. I often forget to check the author photo, but without fail the author photo will reflect the care taken with the whole book.

Do you look at author photos? What do they tell you about a book?