Jessica Samuelsen's Blog, page 48
January 7, 2016
CGS Book & Cuppa Swap
I’m excited to be joining another CGS swap. I always have so much fun with them. Click the button to go sign up yourself. Sign ups end on the 11th.
Hello My Name is Giveaway Hop
Thank you to Anna from The Herd Presents for hosting this fun giveaway hop.
We’re ringing in the New Year with lots of giveaways! And by sharing some fun and wacky facts about ourselves. There’s a new giveaway at each stop so be sure to visit them all!
Hello my name is Jessica Samuelsen-
I am obsessed with pink lipstick. It is my life goal to find the perfect shade of pink.
I use cinnamon toothpaste. I am not a huge mint fan.
I hate the word waggle. I hate it period, but I especially hate it in romance books.
I am published in concrete. I have a poem that is on a sidewalk in Portland, OR.
I’m crazy about my beautiful, generous, supportive husband of almost 7 years.
Hop Along!
January 6, 2016
Chaotic Goddess 12 Days of Christmas Swap
Once again I had much fun participating in a Chaotic Goddess swap. This time around Maggie Seagraves was my partner and I adore her. Her site is The Novel Orange. I loved all the gifts she gave me, but the greatest gift was I feel like I made a new friend. Maggie is sweet and kind and full of fun. I had a great time picking out gifts for her because I felt like we are kindred spirits. It was even more exciting to see all the thought that was put into my gifts. Take a look.
I have a confession. I’m a bad girl because I opened these up in no particular order, so I can’t tell you which day is which! EEK! So sorry Maggie! Nonetheless, I got an amazing haul. Every gift is my favorite… but there were some gifts that were just above and beyond thoughtful and creative. Those would be the butterfly painting on text and the giant fortune cookie jewelry box! I was so stunned at the uniqueness of each gift. I have to give a shout out for the necklace that was made just for me! Says Pearls! I am super excited for the books because they have been on my wishlist for awhile. Thanks Maggie.
This swap was so much fun and it was that way because Maggie was such a delight. Of course thanks to
Angie and Beth for setting this up.
Review – Even the Moon Has Scars by Steph Campbell
Even the Moon Has Scars by Steph Campbell on October 28, 2014
Genres: YA
Pages: 252
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased Amazon
Goodreads
Amazon, B&N
Two strangers. Two broken hearts. One night to set each other free.
Almost dying from an undiagnosed heart condition means every second of your life is a precious gift to be guarded. Lena Pettitt was born a miracle. And her parents never let her forget it. Even if that daily reminder kept her from experiencing the one thing they were trying to protect most--her life.
Gabriel Martinez’s heart has been ripped out. His pride has been stomped on. Oh, and he now has an arrest record that’s caused an even bigger rift between him and his DA mother. All for a love that wasn’t really true.
Now he’s exiled to his grandmother’s, working on his late grandpa’s old Corvair, when a shivering girl knocks on the garage door. Lena, left alone for the first time ever, has locked herself out of her house. Gabe knows he could help this girl get back inside her house--but that may mean missing the next train to Boston to pick up the part he’s spent eight weeks tracking down. She can wait for him at his grandmother’s or…
A few hours, an aluminum valve cover, and some strong coffee later, neither Gabe nor Lena can feign disappointment when they race to the station and arrive just as the last train home from Boston is pulling out.
As jaded as he is, Gabe can’t deny the fact that he’s excited to spend the night exploring a city he knows nearly every corner of, with a girl who sees magic in the simplest things.
Lena has been waiting for her tiny world to crack open her entire life. Now that it’s finally happened, she finds the only thing she can focus on is the unexpected tour guide who opens her eyes to possibilities she never imagined.
All they have is this one night, together, under the bright moon in a city full of hidden beauty. It’s one night that will change how they see the world and the paths their hearts will take forever.
In an Oyster Shell – I was really looking forward to reading this book because the title is so beautiful and I was not disappointed. It’s one of the best books I have ever read.
The Pearls – The title of the book and it’s gorgeous cover are what made this a must read for me. It’s been in my TBR pile for a while and I was glad I could finally get to it. This book is a work of art from cover, beginning, to end.
It’s poetic. The writing style was magnificent. There was great word choice. Sentance compositions were elegant. The writing overall was just exquisite.
The two main characters had a beautiful contrast to each other. There were also similarities to the characters that you find out more towards the end. Taking two characters and the comparison that makes the end is just breath -taking.
I cannot recommend this book enough! It will be up for a giveaway soon.
The Sand – There was some rough language that I don’t like to see in YA’s. There was a sentence or two that was so complex it wasn’t easy to understand. I had to read them a few times and still didn’t get it.
This book is a work of art! 5 pearls
About Steph Campbell
Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, moved to the Bayou State for a decade and most recently resides in the Northeast. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession. When she’s not writing or taking care of her brood, she’s reading or scouring travel sites, always ready for life’s next adventure.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
COYERReading Assignment ChallengeTBR Reading ChallengeJanuary 5, 2016
Review – All Fall Down by Ally Carter
All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1) by Ally Carter Series: Embassy Row, #1
Published by Scholastic Press on January 20th 2015
Genres: YA
Pages: 320
Goodreads
Amazon, B&N
A new series of global proportions -- from master of intrigue, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter.
Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:
1. She is not crazy.2. Her mother was murdered.3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.
As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.
Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.
In an Oyster Shell – An intriguing YA spy thriller that will leave you astounded with unexpected twists. I enjoyed it.
The Pearls – The Concept of the book is what grabbed my attention. I like spy fiction, especially YA spy fiction. I am a huge fan of stories like Veronica Mars. So this was a sure win for me. The execution of the concept did not disappoint. There was allusion of espionage and there was an unexpected twist in the end. It was very well done.
The MC of this story was the perfect picture of unstable. The author did a very good job of having an unstable character but a steady plotline. It was controlled chaos making for a page-turning read.
The ending was very unexpected. It makes for curiosity for the next book. I am looking forward to reading it to see how the story continues.
The Sand – It was a great story, easy read.
3.5 Pearls
About Ally Carter
Ally Carter writes books about spies, thieves, and teenagers. She is the New York Times Best-selling author of the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society series. Her books have been published all over the world, in over twenty languages.
ALL FALL DOWN is the first book in her highly-anticipated new series, Embassy Row. Book 2, SEE HOW THEY RUN will be in stores Dec 22, 2015.
She encourages you to visit her online at allycarter.com and embassyrowbooks.com.
January 4, 2016
Review – Sweet Liar by Debra Doxer
Sweet Liar (Candy #2) by Debra Doxer Series: Candy #2
on October 20, 2015
Genres: YA, Romance
Pages: 287
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased Amazon
Goodreads
Amazon, B&N
Sometimes lies are sweeter than the truth.
Beauty is alluring; it can disguise the ugliness beneath. But scarred beauty is even more potent to a girl who vowed never to let her heart be broken again. It was an easy vow for Candy to keep until she met Jonah, an arrogant boy with a face that would be too perfect if not for the scar that marred the skin beside his eye.
That imperfect boy earned her trust and won her heart, but the ties that bind people together are fragile, especially when lies are told. Trust is also fragile, and once broken, doesn’t heal like a heart. Trust has to be earned again, and Jonah desperately wants Candy’s trust back.
But Candy has more than Jonah to worry about. Her father is in trouble, and she intends to help him whether he likes it or not. People tell her he’s a bad man, and that may be true, but he’s not all bad. Deep down, she understands his brand of badness because she’s so much like him.
When Candy finally learns the truth, she’ll have to grow up fast, let go of old grievances, and realize that being vulnerable doesn’t make her weak. In fact, opening herself up may be the very thing that makes her whole again.
In an Oyster Shell – Another gritty instalment of the candy series. After the cliff-hanger in the first book I had to read this one.
The Pearls – The romance in this book is steamy! It’s tastefully done. I appreciate how the love interest is so steadfast in his pursuit of the MC.
I like the premise of the book- daughter of a spy. Who is getting mixed up in the family business.
There is something about this series that keeps me coming back. The MC is edgy to the point that I don’t like her half the time. It’s a YA spy type book so I keep going with the series. I love spy fiction!
The Sand – There is too much contrast in the main character. I think the author overplays the MC’s strengths and weaknesses. It disturbs the reading flow.
About Debra Doxer
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.”
