Showcase Sunday (62)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

Bought:

Deep Down True by Juliette Fay

Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts by Claire LaZebnik

Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens

In The After by Demitria Lunetta

Won:

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Thank you, Adventures In YA and Children's Publishing!

The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio

Thank you, Sweet Tidbits!

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

Never Fade by Alexander Bracken

Altered by Gennifer Albin (not pictured)

Thank you, Nori's Closet!

Destiny Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Thank you, Kathryn Fitzmaurice!

Hit the Road Helen! by Kate McMullan

Thank you, Capstone!

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Healer by Antti Tuomainen

Absent by Katie Williams

Anew by Chelsea Fine

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Thank you, Ensconced in YA!

The Shadow Girl by Jennifer Archer

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

Thank you, Jennifer Archer and The Modge Podge Bookshelf!

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Thank you, Adventures of a Book Junkie!

The Moore Justice Trilogy by Kerri Williams 

Last but certainly not least, I want to send out a massively huge thank you to author Kerri Williams for the amazing Batman goodies she sent me and for the gift of her trilogy. Kerri, you are AWESOME. If only you didn't live on the other side of the world, I'm pretty sure we could be BFFs!

I want to say a huge thank you to each blogger, author and publisher who hooked me up with these amazing books these week. I also want to thank my husband for not giving me the usual stare when I walked up to him with a big old stack of books in my hands at Barnes and Noble when we went for "just one" book. How was I to know that they would be having a big bargain book sale on Chick Lit for only $4 a book? Honestly, it could have been much worse. I actually plan on going back this week and clearing them out. The husband will never notice... 

What did you get this week? I'm always on the hunt for new reads, so leave me a link in the comments so I can come check them out!

On My Wish List (90)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Workaday Reads and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: The Shuddering

Author: Ania Ahlborn

Publication Date: June 18, 2013

Synopsis: 

Ryan Adler and his twin sister, Jane, spent their happiest childhood days at their parents’ mountain Colorado cabin—until divorce tore their family apart. Now, with the house about to be sold, the Adler twins gather with their closest friends for one last snowboarding-filled holiday. While commitment-phobic Ryan gazes longingly at Lauren, wondering if his playboy days are over, Jane’s hopes of reconciling with her old boyfriend evaporate when he brings along his new fiancée. As drama builds among the friends, something lurks in the forest, watching the cabin, growing ever bolder as the snow falls…and hunger rises.

After a blizzard leaves the group stranded, the true test of their love and loyalty begins as the hideous creatures outside close in, one bloody attack at a time. Now Ryan, Jane, and their friends must fight—tooth and nail, bullet and blade—for their lives. Or else surrender to unspeakable deaths in the darkened woods.

I think it's pretty obvious why I need to get my hands on this, right? Drama, action, murder? Set in a snowstorm? Yup, sign me up! I think I'll be picking this one up on my next trip to the bookstore, I need it badly!

What about you? What are you wishing for this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Weigh Me Wednesday: My Journey with Nutrisystem (#NSNation #ad)- Week 31

Welcome to Week 31 of Weigh Me Wednesday: My Journey with Nutrisystem! As a Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program member, I am on the Women's Diabetes Select Program!

I apologize that I am once again a little late on my post. I've been quite sick the last two days and I am just now starting to feel better. Anyway, I lost two pounds this week! Let's see how I did it:

Exercise: 

The rain finally left for a few days over the last week! On Saturday we went to a BBQ at my dad's. While I did eat some of the regular food, I didn't over do it. I only ate one hamburger with mayo. Also, any calories that would have given me were quickly burned off in the three hours we played badminton. Nutrisystem recommends at least three daily activities that are ten minutes long each. Well, this certainly covered my exercise time :) I love badminton and I could play it every day. Then on Monday and Tuesday I spent three hours each day in the pool with the kids. I swam, I dragged the kids along in the water and we played some pool volleyball. I'm loving the summer! But what I didn't remember to do was put on sunscreen and on Wednesday it finally caught up with me. I was so, so sick and so sore. I won't make that mistake again! So since I've missed a few days of exercise, I am hoping to make up for it this weekend with some tennis. It's been raining for the last three days and I'm not sure if it's going to stop, but hopefully it will.

Food:

I've been sticking with my usual Nutrisystem favorites this week: honey wheat bagel or cinnamon streusel for breakfast, three cheese chicken for lunch, and the frozen pizzas for dinner. I have a new order of Nutrisystem foods coming soon (my last, boo!) and I'm really anxious to get my hands on the Ravioli Formaggio, it has quickly become my favorite dinner meal. For snacks I've been enjoying their nacho chips which are just as tasty as Doritos, yum!

I love how easy it is to prepare a Nutrisystem meal, especially when I am feeling as sick as I was yesterday. I simply have to just microwave it for a few minutes and can eat it right out of the container it comes in. Not only is it extremely easy to make, but I know that with whatever meal I choose, it is the right proportion for me and healthy for me to eat. With the special diabetes food, I know my sugars are being controlled, and that is the most important part. 

So what's my goal for next week?

I'm aiming for a pound next week since I didn't start the week off in a good way. Here's hoping the rain will stop so I can get in some tennis or badminton!

Remember to stop by next week for Week 32's results!

Huge thanks to Meredith Bandy and Nutrisystem for giving me the opportunity to take part in their program!

Want to join me on my journey through weight loss with Nutrisystem? Head on over to their website here or call 1-888-853-4689 to join now! Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's get healthy!

*Disclaimer: As part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program, Nutrisystem has provided me with their food and services for free in exchange of my honest review of their program. This does not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Review: Is This Tomorrow by Caroline Leavitt

Title: Is This Tomorrow

Author: Caroline Leavitt

Publication Date: May 7, 2013

Synopsis:

In 1956, when divorced, working-mom Ava Lark rents a house with her twelve-year-old son, Lewis, in a Boston suburb, the neighborhood is less than welcoming. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. The neighborhood in the era of the Cold War, bomb scares, and paranoia seizes the opportunity to further ostracize Ava and her son. Lewis never recovers from the disappearance of his childhood friend. By the time he reaches his twenties, he's living a directionless life, a failure in love, estranged from his mother. Rose is now a schoolteacher in another city, watching over children as she was never able to watch over her own brother. Ava is building a new life for herself in a new decade. When the mystery of Jimmy's disappearance is unexpectedly solved, all three must try to reclaim what they have lost.

My Thoughts:

When divorced, single mother Ava moves with her young son Lewis to a Boston suburb, neither of them could have known how much their lives would change. Being divorced is enough for the neighbors to snub the noses at Ava, but add in the fact that she is Jewish and there is nothing working in her favor. Things aren't any better for Lewis, who is picked on daily and is struggling with the faltering relationship with his father.

Jimmy and Rose live on the same street as Lewis and are also fatherless. The three of them become best friends and spend most of their time together. But on one evening when Lewis and Rose fail to meet up with Jimmy after school, he disappears. Years later, when what happened to Jimmy is finally discovered, Lewis and Rose come together to put the past together and to finally learn to move on with their lives.

If you have followed my blog for a while, you may notice that I have a very intense obsession with stories of missing people. When I first came across Is This Tomorrow, I knew I had to read it for two reasons: there is a missing child, and I absolutely loved Leavitt's previous novel, Pictures of You. I am so happy to say that this book did not disappoint.

The book is told from each character's life view, slowly piecing together small bits of the story, allowing you to see each part of their lives from a different angle. We first meet Ava, struggling to make a life for her and Lewis while dealing with her divorce and loneliness. Her neighbors and coworkers all ignore her or make snide remarks towards her. She loves her son, but she is lonely too. She goes on dates hoping to find love and companionship but all that seems to do is ostracize her further. I felt sorry for her, having do deal with all the prejudices of her peers. I had to keep reminding myself that these were different times and people had different beliefs back then, but it didn't make me feel any better. I hoped she would find someone or at least something to give her some purpose. 

Lewis was just a small boy when his parents got divorced and I connected with him right away for this very reason. I was young too when my parents divorced so I could sympathize with him and his feelings. I couldn't imagine being a child growing up in these times and dealing with the same hatred that Ava was witnessing, only having no understanding of why. He was very smart and a very likable character, I only wanted to see him grow and finally come to terms with the loss of Jimmy and his father.

Rose, Jimmy's sister, is in love with Lewis and wants nothing more than to let him know. But she is afraid. She is embarrassed about her feelings for a younger boy and she doesn't know how to go about them. I felt sad for her as well, having to navigate through her feelings alone. 

When I first picked up this book, I was expecting more of the story to focus on Jimmy's disappearance as an event. But instead, we hear mostly about it through the character's feelings and how it has shaped their lives. Even though this wasn't what I expected, I still enjoyed it considerably. It was fascinating to watch each character go through the same loss but deal with it in a completely different way. 

I also have to say that the truth about Jimmy's disappearance really threw me. I was certain from the beginning that I knew what happened to him and was shocked at the outcome. This is what I look for in a good book, to be completely thrown. The author did an incredible job keeping me guessing and left me with my jaw hanging on the floor at the end.

Overall, this was a remarkable read. It's a story of love, secrets and what true friendship really means. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a deeper, emotional read. 

For more about Caroline Leavitt or Is This Tomorrow, visit her website here.

Purchase:

Amazon

B&N

The Book Depository

*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Waiting On Wednesday (90)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Nearly Gone

Author: Elle Cosimano

Expected Publication Date: March 25, 2014

Synopsis:

Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance. . . on her.

Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

Isn't that cover just amazing? I honestly don't even need to know what this book is about to know that I am going to obsess over it until I get it in my hands. But alas, the synopsis just makes me want to read this even more. I love serial killer stories and I love weird girl stories. Two in one! I can't believe we have to wait for almost a whole YEAR for this, ack!

What about you? What are you desperately waiting for? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Teaser Tuesday (90)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This Week's Teaser Is From:

Is This Tomorrow by Caroline Leavitt

"He was never supposed to come at night when Lewis was there, but even so, she was so relieved to see him, she threw open the door. 'I didn't even hear your bike', she said, but he stepped back from her, leaving her hands in midair, and then she saw how angry he was. 'The cops visited me,' he said."

-page 78

Book Blast: John William and the Bandits of Basswood - Win $50 Amazon or Paypal

 

John William and the Bandits of Basswood

We already know Alexander Drake’s story. His father, John William started it all years before when he entered Azra’s Pith. This is his story. John William was born an explorer; just like his dad before him. His adventure really began with the worst year of his life. He lived everyday in misery until his twelfth birthday. He set out to turn things around and find his smile again. A new friend gave him an invitation he could not turn down… follow me and change your destiny. He never imagined being captured by bandits and taken to a ship riddled with river rats was part of his fate. Not just any bandits – the Bandits of Basswood; known to be a ruthless and wild crew of thieves. Trying to escape would be a ridiculous idea. No one has ever escaped and lived to tell about it. Someone should have mentioned that to John William before he snuck off the ship. The chase out of Basswood was on. He took a chance to change his destiny and ended up on a wild ride to save his life.

Amazon

   

Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows

Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat.

 Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

   

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

 Ends 7/10/13

  a Rafflecopter giveaway   Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Matt Archer: Legend by Kendra C. Highley: Book Blast - Win $50 Amazon or Paypal!

Matt Archer: Legend

 When Matt Archer was fourteen, he was chosen—by a magic, spirit-inhabited knife—to hunt monsters with a special paranormal division of the Army. When he was fifteen, he was thrown into a global war the rest of the world didn’t know existed.
Now Matt’s sixteen and the war has cost him more than he ever thought it would. He’s also learned that the knife-spirits have an agenda he doesn’t totally agree with. The only problem? The spirits have the upper hand, and they plan to control the fight—and Matt.
Then things get worse: the next lunar eclipse cycle is starting, a prominent physicist has gone missing, and Matt’s best friend is thinking about quitting the team. If he loses Will—after everyone else he’s lost—Matt’s not sure how he’ll fight alone.
As the source of his nightmares starts to creep out of the shadows, Matt knows he’ll need all the help he can get…because being alone could prove deadly.  

Buy Links for Matt Archer: Legend

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords 

 

Matt Archer: Blade's Edge

When Matt Archer was fourteen, he discovered monsters are real. As if that wasn’t enough to go on for a few decades, Matt also found out that he’d been chosen to hunt those monsters--with a sentient, supernatural knife. Now fifteen, Matt has spent the last year working with a clandestine military unit, trying to rid the world of monsters, demons and other vicious creatures, all while keeping it a secret from nearly everyone he knows back home in Billings.

Including his mom.

Add in a new girlfriend, family secrets, sibling drama and enough homework to sink an aircraft carrier, and Matt’s life has become more complicated than he ever imagined. Worse, the knife has developed some very definite opinions about Matt’s personal life and it interferes in his business whenever it wants. More and more, Matt’s coming to realize that sharing brain-space with a spirit kind of sucks.

When stories of decimated towns and hordes of zombies start pouring into the Pentagon from Afghanistan, Matt knows he’ll be called up soon. Between the new mission and the knife’s increasing control over his mind, Matt wonders if he’ll survive long enough to take his driver’s exam.  

Buy Links for Matt Archer: Blade’s Edge

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords * iTunes

 

Matt Archer: Monster Hunter

Fourteen-year-old Matt Archer spends his days studying Algebra, hanging out with his best friend and crushing on the Goddess of Greenhill High, Ella Mitchell. To be honest, he thinks his life is pretty lame until he discovers something terrifying on a weekend camping trip at the local state park. 

Monsters are real. And living in his backyard.

 But that's not the half of it. After Matt is forced to kill a strange creature to save his uncle, he finds out that the weird knife he took from his uncle's bag has a secret, one that will change Matt's life. The knife was designed with one purpose: to hunt monsters. And it's chosen Matt as its wielder.

 Now Matt's part of a world he didn't know existed, working with a covert military unit dedicated to eliminating walking nightmares. Faced with a prophecy about a looming dark war, Matt soon realizes his upcoming Algebra test is the least of his worries.

 His new double life leaves Matt wondering which is tougher: hunting monsters or asking Ella Mitchell for a date?

 

Buy Links for Matt Archer: Monster Hunter

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords * iTunes

 

Author Kendra C. Highley

Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most important job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.

Twitter * Facebook 

Pinterest * Goodreads * Website

 

Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 7/9/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Showcase Sunday (61)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

For Review:

Emma's Secret by Steena Holmes

Where In The OM Am I? by Sara DiVello

All My Restless Life To Live by Dee DeTarsio

Mandatory Release by Jess Riley 

Huge thanks to BookSparksPR and Sara DiVello for these amazing books for review. I can't wait to read them all!

Shudder by Samantha Durante

Big thanks to Samantha Durante for the opportunity to take part in the blog tour for Shudder!

Won:

And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry

Thank you, Chick Lit is Not Dead!

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (signed!!!)

Thank you, The Midnight Garden!

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

Thank you, Viking!

The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler

The Collector by Victoria Scott

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

Elegy by Tara Hudson

Massive thanks to Sonia Gensler, you rock!!!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Giant thanks to Girls Just Reading!

Talk about an awesome week, yes? And this doesn't even include the 23 (23!) freebies I got on Amazon! I've been stocking up on them now that I have my Nook Tablet and you can read Kindle books on it. I am also excited to have received the last of the review books for the BookSparksPR Summer reading Road Trip. You can't go wrong when reading one of their books. I'm thrilled to have so many amazing books to read by the pool this summer.

I want to say a massive thank you to all of the bloggers, authors and publishers who hooked me up with these fantastic books this week. You guys are AMAZING!

What goodies came for you this week? Leave me a link and I'll come check it out!