Books and Swoons

Quotes (#107)

Morning Swooners,
This was a very relaxing weekend for me, and by relaxing I mean I didn't get anything accomplished. New week new start! I hope you have a productive week.

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
~ Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

“Love is lak de sea. It’s uh movin’ thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it’s different with every shore.”
~ Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

“Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships.”
~ Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”
~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

“Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.”
J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

“To live will be an awfully big adventure.”
~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

“Never is an awfully long time.”
J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Make it a great week!

Favorite Friday (#34) - All Broke Down by Cora Carmack

Have a favorite book? Series? One that you've just read or are currently reading? Favorite Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Books and Swoons where we spotlight some of our Favorite Reads. Everyone is welcome to join. Just enter your information on the linky or leave us a comment!

This week pick is: All Broke Down by Cora Carmack.

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

I am a huge fan of Cora Carmack's work! I really enjoyed reading All Broke Down. I love the chemistry between Dylan and Silas! I love how they are both discovering who they are.

About the author:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She’s done a multitude of things in her life– boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). Raised in a small Texas town, she now lives in New York City and spends her time writing, traveling, and marathoning various television shows on Netflix. In her books, you can expect to find humor, heart, and a whole lot of awkward. Because let’s face it . . . awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Author's links: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

I hope you can join us in sharing and talking about some of your favorite reads. Book talk always make me happy.

What are one of your favorite reads?

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children
Source: NetGalley/ARC from ALA
Review by: Jenn

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

5 stars out of 5 stars (But in reality, alllllllll the stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However, that does not influence this review in any way.*

I'm not sure how to properly talk about this book without flailing so just bear with me if I tend to go off in a fangirl, rambling mess. But just know that it is because I absolutely LOVED this book. A Court of Thorns and Roses has been a such a hyped up read for me because Sarah J. Maas is the queen of fantasy for me. After falling in love with her Throne of Glass series, I knew that this book would be nothing less of completely captivating world, well-written characters and I'm very glad to report that it did live up to my high expectations.

A Court of Thorns and Roses follow Feyre, a young woman who has had to take care of her family by hunting and doing many dangerous things to survive. After killing a wolf during one of her hunting trips, she is tracked home by a creature that she's been warned about. She is taken as punishment by the creature and what follows is nothing what Feyre is prepared for.

This story, you guys. OHMYGOD THIS BOOK. It is SO good and I just loved every page of it. I love being in Feyre's head. Tamlin, oh my. I just loved him and all of his beast-like self. He is just a perfect mix of strong/sweet/capable/caring man/fae. Lucien is the best character because he is not only the comedic relief, he is the best of friend to Tamlin but also to Feyre as well. All the characters, even the one I hated, were so well done and developed. I'm not sure how Sarah does it, but I become attached to all of her characters and the world she writes. The world she a wrote for us is so vivid and full of back story that it feels like a real world.

The book left me feeling happy and satisfied but intrigued for the next book in the series. I can't wait to see how the story continue to develop and where Sarah takes these beloved characters of mine. However, I trust that whatever Sarah J. Maas does, her books will be good regardless.

Waiting on Wednesday (#107)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

Needing Her (The Kensingtons #1) by Allie Everhart

Expected Release Date: June 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Pearce Kensington. Age 25. Billionaire. Graduate of the Ivy League. Future CEO. Member of a powerful secret society. His life is complicated. Dark. Lonely. Dangerous. So when he meets Rachel, a kind, sweet, beautiful grad student, he tells himself to stay away. He’s no good for her. And yet, she’s good for him. A ray of light in his very dark world.

She’s everything he’s ever wanted but didn’t think he could have. But being with her will bring her into his world. A world she doesn’t belong in. A world he wants to escape. A world he’ll have to hide from her in order to keep her safe.
He should let her go. But he can’t. He loves her. He needs her. So he’ll risk everything to be with her.

I am super excited about Needing Her! After finishing The Jade Series I've been itching to get my hands on this new series! I love the elements of mystery, suspense, and romance that Allie Everhart incorporates into her stories.

What are you "Waiting on?"

Blog Tour: Review: All the Rage by Courtney Summers

All the Rage
Author: Courtney Summers
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: NetGalley
Review by: Jenn

The sheriff's son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything-friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy's only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn't speak up. Nobody believed her the first time - and they certainly won't now - but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women in a culture that refuses to protect them.

4 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher, however, that does not influence this review in any way.*

All the Rage follows the story of Romy and the aftermath of being branded a liar by everyone in town. She is bullied in school and most of the scenes in school just breaks my heart. The way she is treated and the way she deals with it, I'm not sure how I would deal with it. All I know is that being in Romy's head made me feel everything that Courtney Summers wanted her readers to feel: Romy's hurt, her anger, her helplessness, her confusion. But also her drive to just put one feet in front of the other and get through each day alive. Romy's hope is to one day escape her hell, which is her small town, and as a reader, I just wish and hope she does.

The title of this book says it all. I felt All the Rage while reading this book. I felt sick to my stomach reading about Romy's treatment and knowing that other girls have it infinitely worse than what was portrayed. Courtney Summers wanted to give a realistic view into how young women are shunned and silenced and she did it with this book. My only hope is for more people to read it and hopefully gain a new perspective on how not to treat victims of rape and to learn a little bit more compassion.

About the author:

COURTNEY SUMMERS was born in Belleville, Ontario in 1986 and currently resides in a small town not far from there. At age 14, she dropped out of high school to pursue her education independently and spent those years figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. At 18, she knew she was meant to write.
To date, she has authored five novels. Her first novel, Cracked Up to Be, was published when she was 22 and went on to win the 2009 CYBIL award in YA fiction. Since then, she’s published four more books–2011 YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick and White Pine Honour book, Some Girls Are, 2012 YALSA Quick Pick, Fall for Anything, and 2013 YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick and White Pine Honour book This is Not a Test and All the Rage as well as an e-novella, Please Remain Calm (a sequel to This is Not a Test).
When she is not writing, Courtney loves playing video games, watching horror movies and obsessing over the zombie apocalypse. Her favourite colour is green and she’s a total feminist.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Instagram

Quotes (#106)

Hello Swooners,
We had a blast this weekend! Which really translates into two things: one, the weekend was way too short, and two, I'm exhausted. I hope this week goes by fast I still feel the need to recuperate.

“She feels in italics and thinks in CAPITALS.”
~Henry James

“It's time to start living the life you've imagined.”
~Henry James

“I'm yours for ever--for ever and ever. Here I stand; I'm as firm as a rock. If you'll only trust me, how little you'll be disappointed. Be mine as I am yours.”
~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

“And remember this, that if you've been hated, you've also been loved.”
~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

“Things are always different than what they might be...If you wait for them to change, you will never do anything.”
~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

“If one is strong, one loves the more strongly.”
~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

“...and the great advantage of being a literary woman, was that you could go everywhere and do everything.”
~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Favorite Friday (#33) - Fall With Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This week pick is: Fall With Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice.

Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already.

But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

This is absolutely one of my favorite books! It's a must read. Fall With Me has everything I love in a story, a good plot, great characters, and really HOTT guy. Definitely check it out.

About the author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and your Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Author's Links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (#106)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Expected Release Date: May 5, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

It Sarah J. Maas and I know everyone and their mother is waiting for this book. One more week before we can all be holding our copy of this book.

What are you "Waiting on?"

Quotes (#105)

Morning Swooners!
Once again it's Monday... This kitten is so darn cute that it's giving me the warm and fuzzies! I'm wishing you a happy week! May it be fast and full of exciting new adventures.

“The beauty and mystery of this world only emerges through affection, attention, interest and compassion . . . open your eyes wide and actually see this world by attending to its colors, details and irony.”
~Orhan Pamuk, My Name is Red

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.”
~J.K. Rowling

“The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.”
~Ayn Rand

“When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'.”
~Groucho Marx

“You can't force love, I realized. It's there or it isn't. If it's not there, you've got to be able to admit it. If it is there, you've got to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love.”
~Richelle Mead, Frostbite

“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.”
~May Sarton

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
― Winston S. Churchill

Have a wonderful week!

Blog Tour Stop: Interview + Giveaway: Paradise City by C.J. Duggan

Hello Swooners!

I am so excited to have C.J. Duggan here today! She is the Author of The Summer Series, and is here today to answer some questions about her new book Paradise City! I can't wait to see what she has to say.

What inspired you to write Paradise City?
I really enjoy writing books about wallflowers and underdogs. Paradise City is heavily based on a journey of self-discovery and the fear of the unknown. I wanted to set it in a rich, vibrant city setting after having holidayed in LA and the Gold Coast; I just loved the vibe of these places. And although Paradise City is set in a mythical location in Australia my experiences from my travels drew heavily on the inspiration behind Lexie’s story.

Are there any characters that were difficult to write?
It was particularly difficult to get into a certain male character’s head because he was naturally guarded, so it took some prying to work him out; he is still quite elusive to me, which I kind of love.

Did you identify with any character specifically?
I think at the crux of it Lexie personifies those anxious, uncertain years of youth that I think we can all identify with in some way. I really like her wit and her strength, I would like to think I have something in common with her. She was a very cool character to write.

What was the best part about writing Paradise City?
Pushing the envelope on anything I had ever written before, creating a new world with new characters, gaining new readers and having a flow-on effect from the Paradise series to the Summer series and vice versa. Paradise City is a lot grittier, sexier than anything else I have created, and I had an absolute blast writing it.

Were there any scenes that you found particularly difficult to write?
There were a few curly scenarios that were difficult to write, whether it was just a bump in the story line I had to figure out, or something that affected the character directly. But the difficult scenes are so important and needed, so it’s a justified difficulty.

Why did you choose Red Hole and Paradise City as the setting of this story?
I like the idea of setting my stories in a mythical Australian setting, being able to allow the reader the freedom to imagine it as they would like it to be. I often get emails from people who tell me that they grew up in a place just like ‘Onslow’ and I think that’s great. I love that dusty, rural Red Hill (Red Hole) or Paradise City could be the next mythical place that people connect with on some personal level. As for the names, I needed to choose something to reflect the complete polar opposites of the worlds. Red Hill and all its dusty, remote nothing to Paradise City with its coastal, urban setting filled with tourists and chaos: it had to be the ultimate culture shock for poor Lexie, even though Paradise is not all it seems.

There are some really awkward moments in Paradise City, did you ever cringe while you were writing them?
Completely. I would quite often think, “Oh no, what now?” Writing Lexie’s story definitely kept me on my toes; I really never knew what might happen from one minute to the next and I loved that.

What is your favourite moment in Paradise City?
Anytime Lexie found her voice are always fond moments for me, and anything to do with banter – it’s all about the banter.

If you were on a deserted island and could choose one of your book characters to be there with you who would you choose to be stranded with?
Hmm, maybe Ballantine? He could teach me how to surf.

What do you want the readers to know before they start reading Paradise City?
Paradise City is quintessentially Australian, heavily focused on family, friendships, love and pushing the limits. A sexy, sassy and witty character novel with plenty of twists and turns. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us! Please check out Paradise City which will be in stores April 28. You can enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a singed paperback of Paradise City! For more information about C.J. Duggan and her books check out her Website!

Paradise City (Paradise #1)
Author: C.J. Duggan
Expected Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Hachette Australia Books

When her parents decide a change will be good for her, seventeen-year-old Lexie Atkinson never expected they'd send her all the way to Paradise City. Coming from a predictable life of home schooling on a rural Australian property, she's sure that Paradise will be amazing. But when she's thrust into a public school without a friendly face in sight, and forced to share a room with her insipid, hateful cousin Amanda, Lexie's not so sure.

Hanging out with the self-proclaimed beach bums of the city, sneaking out, late night parties and parking with boys are all things Lexie's never experienced, but all that's about to change. It's new, terrifying . . . and exciting. But when she meets Luke Ballantine, exciting doesn't even come close to describing her new life. Trouble with a capital T, Luke is impulsive, charming and answers to no one. The resident bad-boy leader of the group, he's sexier than any boy Lexie has ever known.

Amidst the stolen moments of knowing looks and heated touches, Lexie can't help but wonder if Luke is going to be good for her . . . or very, very bad?

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author:

C.J Duggan is a number one internationally bestselling Australian author of seven independent titles of her popular New Adult Summer series. In addition to her chart-topping indie novels, C.J is set to publish two titles with Hachette, Australia with her brand-new Paradise Series in 2015 (Paradise City and Paradise Road).

C.J lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn't writing books about swoony boys and 90s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Instagram

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