{Guest Post/GIVEAWAY!!!} Allie Everhart Dishes Out Her Top 5 Favorite Romances

Allie Everhart writes about dating, love, and romance. She’s also a freelance writer for magazines and websites. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, running, or binge-watching TV shows on DVD. Some of her favorites are Gilmore Girls, Mad Men, Veronica Mars, and Gossip Girl. When writing her novels, Allie likes to drink dark-roast coffee when writing suspense scenes and red wine when writing love scenes. And eating chocolate is good when writing any kind of scene.

Top 5 Favorite Romances

You've Got Mail. I liked that the romance between the couple (Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks) took time to build and that she didn't make it easy for him.

Wait for You. (by J. Lynn). Avery had issues to get over and I liked that Cam helped her get past them. I also liked that the romance developed slowly, no insta-love.

Gilmore Girls. Luke and Lorelai drove me crazy with their on-again, off-again romance but it finally worked out in the end. I like how Luke always cared about Lorelai even when they weren’t dating, helping her out whenever she or Rory needed something.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I liked how Angel was protective of Buffy and kept watch on her from afar. I loved it when the two of them finally got together. But as soon as they did, they had to break apart! (sigh) I longed for them to get back together in the Angel/Buffy crossover episodes but it never happened. And for the record, I did not like Buffy with Spike. 

Shrek and Fiona. At first they seemed so different, but they were actually a perfect match. I loved how Fiona brought out the sweet side of Shrek. You know you’re a good couple when you bring out the best in each other. 

When Jade is given a scholarship to an elite private college in Connecticut, she sees it as a chance to finally escape her painful past and get a fresh start. She’s determined to succeed and that means keeping her focus on school and not guys. But her plan falls apart her first day on campus when Garret, a rich prep school boy with swimmer abs and a perfect smile, offers to help her move in.

Jade tries to push him away, but she can’t deny her attraction to him and Garret won’t let her. Things quickly heat up between them, but then come to a sudden halt when reality hits and Jade realizes that a relationship with Garret may never be possible. He comes from a world of wealth where there are rules, including rules about who he can date. And not following those rules has consequences.

As the two of them try to overcome the obstacles working to keep them apart, Jade is confronted with another challenge. On her 19th birthday, she receives a letter that her now deceased mother wrote years ago. In it are revelations that explain her traumatic childhood but also make her question the past she’s been running from.

Jade and Garret’s Relationship

Jade and Garret come from opposite worlds and yet they understand each other in a way nobody else can. Jade has a lot of issues to deal with, but Garret is always patient with her, which just shows how much he cares for her. That’s what’s so great about Garret. He doesn’t just tell Jade he loves her, he shows her through his actions. And by doing that, he teaches Jade how to love, which is something she never learned growing up. Their relationship takes time to develop and by the end of book 4, you really feel how much Jade and Garret love each other and you find yourself rooting for their love to last.

Author Links

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Am A World Book Night 2014 Book Giver!

As some of you may be aware, April 23rd (today!) is World Book Night, a night in which millions of "book givers" around the world will be handing out free books to those who are light- or even non-readers. As a book giver, I was given a list of pre-selected books to choose from, with my selection being the book that I would be handing out tonight. I chose Wild by Cheryl Strayed, a memoir about a woman suffering from depression who decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (eleven-hundred miles) solo without any training or experience, in an effort to heal herself.

I chose this book because I felt that it would appeal to a wide audience, and I thought that people would be more likely to read it if they knew it was a true story by an author that they would be able to connect with. I will be giving out 20 copies of this book today to some random El Pasoans at my local public bus station, which I felt was a good choice, because it would give people something to read during their bus ride(s)!

And for those of you who may be curious as to what this year's book choices were, here they are:

I'm actually slightly terrified that I may freak people out from offering them free books, so hopefully this goes well! I contemplated choosing a Spanish-language book option to hand out, since most people where I live are Spanish-speakers, but I myself don't know any Spanish, so I wouldn't be able to explain to them why I was giving out free books. Hopefully I made the right choice....wish me luck!

Are any of you signed up as World Book Night givers? If so, what book did you choose and why?

I'm Still Here: A Brief Explanation Of My Unexpected Hiatus

Hi guys! You may have noticed that I haven't updated my blog in a little over a month. Sorry about that, by the way! I'd like you to know that I've hit a major milestone in my life over this hiatus - I finally have a car! I know, I know, I'm almost 25, but this is my first car ever! No more riding the bus, or bumming rides to work from my co-workers - I have wheels! For me, the idea of having a car had always seemed so unattainable; I always felt that only people who had money could have cars, and that having one was a sign that you've "made it."

Don't get me wrong, I still don't think I'm anywhere near "making it," but at least I'm getting there. More than half of my income still goes toward my student loans, but it seems that I have enough left over each month to cover the cost of my car payments. And for those of you who are curious, the car I'm purchasing is a white 2006 Hyundai Elantra (sedan). Nothing fancy, but it runs well and gets me from point A to point B much faster than a bus ever could. Here's a pic (not my image, it's from the dealer):

Another reason for my absence is that work really takes a lot out of me. When I get home, I just want to relax, and this usually involves catching up on television rather than reading, which is not the best habit, I admit. I've also been working on my New Year's resolution to go out more, since I rarely do anything fun (I was never a party-person, and not having a car really limited what I could do for fun, since I had to time things to fit the bus schedule). 

So far this year, I have been to three concerts (Kris Roe from The Ataris, Dokken, and Blue October!), I purchased a ticket for the upcoming Neon Desert music festival, I've started bowling with friends, and I've even joined meetup groups (on meetup.com); this past Friday I went to my first meetup, which involved playing board games, and this weekend I'll be going to my second meetup, which is a lunch slash meet-and-greet. I even go to lunch every now-and-then with my coworkers. Trust me when I say that this is a big deal for me - I am insanely introverted, so already I've done more social activities this year than I've done in a long time.

At any rate, I am so sorry that I've been neglecting both my blog and my reading (I only read one book last month!) I will try my best to keep up with both my blogging life and my social life from this point forward - wish me luck!

{Stacking the Shelves} Book Riot Quarterly Box #2

The second Book Riot Quarterly subscription box arrived at my house earlier this week, and I must say, while I wasn't too happy with the first box, I found that I was much happier with this one! First off, it included a really cool poster as an extra, which I will be putting up on my wall ASAP:

Next up, of course, were the books. Book Riot had teased on their website that some lucky subscribers would be receiving one of five possible ARCs, and I was one of them! The ARC I received was Gemini by Carol Cassella, which actually came out March 4th (the Goodreads ratings are high on this one, so I'm looking forward to starting it!) The main feature of the box was a copy of Judging A Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto, which features some separate bonus pages from the author (exclusive to subscribers of Book Riot Quarterly!) Finally, there was also a novella, Parnassus On Wheels by Christopher Morley, which I thought looked fantastic - I've never had a stand-alone novella in print format before (usually they're either dispersed as eBooks, or in anthologies), so this was a nice surprise.

While I admit, the books are the main part of this box, I still think that it's the bookish extras that are what make or break the purchase - anyone can go out and buy copies of the included books at their local bookstore, but it's the hand-picked goodies that really make things special. I know that I complained about the calendar in the first box (which I stopped using after January 7th, by the way), but opening this second box actually put me in a much better mood. This box included a coffee mug featuring the titles of some banned books, a tin container filled with place-markers for your books, a "Yay! Books!" magnet, and a USB flash drive that introduces the idea of Short Story Thursdays.

I've been using the mug everyday at work - I think it looks great! I haven't used the book-markers yet, but the book I'm reading right now is on the Kindle, so they aren't necessary just yet. Overall, I was pretty satisfied with this box, but I've decided to call it quits for now - $50 is just too much for me right now, and since I really need a car, this expense just isn't worth it to me right now. Let me know if you've subscribed, that way I know where to find out what's in box #3 when it's out!

What's New On My Kindle

   

   

{Book Blitz + GIVEAWAY!!!} Finding Monsters by Liss Thomas

Finding Monsters (Guardians of Esurack 1)

by Liss Thomas

Released: 10/16/13

Buy a Copy on Amazon

Monsters are real but they're not what we'd expect. Their realm lays hidden only to be found in darkness. They watch their humans and keep them from the dark portals leading to their world. To touch is forbidden... but not all follow the rules.

Missy has been fighting to live her entire life, but when she finds herself in a realm of unique and sometimes deadly monsters, she discovers just how much of a survivor she really is. Accidentally transferred to this mysterious realm by her monster and only friend, Charlie, he finds himself weak and unable to protect her. The only way she can defend herself and him, is to become a monster herself. But an unknown dark stalker watches her progress and if he steals her power, he will unleash a scourge on both his world and the world she left behind.

Chapter 1 - The Human

I knew I was dying. It’s weird the doctor felt the need to explain that to me. I hear him outside my bedroom talking to my mother, encouraging her to move me to a hospice. My mother refuses with hot indignation. I picture her flailing her arms and insisting I stay with the family ‘during this difficult time’. Truth is I’ve never really lived. I look around my bedroom, and where most teens have a stereo, sits a monitor for all the little gizmos attached to my body. No cool friendship beads or Hawaiian leis decorate the posts of my bed, just two IV drips with drug cocktails potent enough to subdue a lumberjack. Of course, it’s the drugs that make the disease bearable. Not completely free from pain, but the numbness helps. I hear my mother at the door again. She sneaks in silently just in case I’m asleep. I’m not.

“You’re still awake, Missy?” she asks, brushing her fingertips across my brow.

“Yes, Mom, I’m not really tired right now.” But I’m always tired and I sleep most of the day. I just enjoy looking out the window when the sun is bright and the clouds are scarce. I love watching the birds perch on the feeder that hangs from my window. They are my entertainment, and currently there is a rose finch noshing my seeds. I can’t sleep through this.

“Do you need anything, sweetheart?”

“No. I’m fine. I know you have things to do. Don’t worry about me, Mom.” I try to sound cheerful so she won’t worry, but I know she’s in a constant state of worry. Flashing my bravest smile, I reach for her hand. I don’t wince, even though it is painful to move my stiff limbs. She holds my hand and kisses it before releasing her grip and retreating from the room. I can tell she’s going to cry again. I blow out a huge sigh.

A cool rush of air blows across my face. It feels good. The antiquated osculating fan was my idea. The ceiling fan kept me too cool but the floor fan blows air every few minutes making the air pleasant. The gust is strong enough to lift papers from the bedside table. The whoosh and crackle they produce bring back a memory, making me wince. Funny what you think of at times like this. The sound sends me back to my earlier childhood. I’m gripping the covers and stifling sobs into my pillow as I hear the other children playing outside my window, knowing I could never join them. Sometimes I would hear another sound coming from under the bed. As a child, I thought it was a monster. I was right. He’d softly call my name and ask if I could play with him. Once, I had the courage to look under the bed with a flashlight. Only the dust bunnies and missing socks greeted me, but I still heard his voice.

“Missy, come to me; let’s play.”

Sometimes I would answer him. “I can’t today; I’m sick.” He would grow silent but I felt sure he never left. I laugh to myself thinking back on those memories and I swear I hear the monster calling me again.

“Missy, come to me. Let’s play,” he calls from his hiding place.

My muscles strain and it’s getting harder to breathe but I wheeze out, “I can’t today. I’m sick.” This time I’m startled to hear the monster laugh at me.

“Please come play,” he says.

I love writing fantasy fiction and especially for young adults. Many of my stories contain real life issues that teens face and although there’s a fantasy element to the solution, my job is to provide hope that things will get better. I’ve seen too many articles about teens who end their lives over bullying. I’m working on a spin off series from The Guardians of Esurack and hope to use this subject throughout each book. Life is too short to give in to bullies. I hope I can make that clear through my writings.

Author Links

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

(2) $25 Amazon or Paypal gift card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Hosted By:

{Double Cover Reveal} Cassie Mae Edition

Thank you all for joining me in this double cover reveal for Cassie Mae's How To series! Today, the covers for book two and book three in the series are being revealed, but first, let's take a re-visit at the cover for book one, How To Date A Nerd:

And now....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

On to the reveal:

How To Seduce A Band Geek

by Cassie Mae

Expected Publication: May 6, 2014 by Swoon Reads

Sierra Livingston’s got it bad for her sister’s best friend, Levi Mason—the boy who carries his drumsticks in his pocket, marches with the school’s band, and taps his feet to whatever beat runs through his head. Sierra racks her brain for ways to impress the sexy drummer, but the short skirts and bursting cleavage don’t seem to cut it.

When Sierra gets paired with Levi’s sister, Brea, for a mentorship program, they strike a deal. In exchange for Sierra keeping her mouth shut about Brea ditching the program, Brea lets Sierra dig for more info on Levi to help get the guy of her dreams.

But when Sierra discovers Levi no longer plays the drums, his family has moved into a trailer, and he’s traded in his Range Rover for a baby blue moped, Sierra’s not sure if she can go through with violating his privacy. She’ll have to find the courage to ask him straight out—if he’s willing to let her in—and explore other ways to seduce the school’s band geek.

How To Hook A Book Worm

by Cassie Mae

Expected Publication: TBD by Swoon Reads

It’s Brea Mason’s sixteenth birthday, and she has three wishes: 1. Be magically eighteen like the rest of her friends; 2. Grow a money tree for her family whose financial problems are well known about town; 3. Overcome her test anxiety before she flunks out of every class.

But one day later, she's still sixteen, her family's money worries abound, and she's no closer to passing than she was the day before! Then a very sexy transfer student—with gobs of cash—shows up. Brea figures she has a better chance of burping up glitter than attracting the new guy, but he seems extremely interested in her. Just when Brea thinks things are looking up, her report card arrives marked with four giant F’s.

Enter resident bookworm and Brea's loyal friend, Adam Silver. If he can't help Brea pass, no one can. Even with Adam's help, Brea can't handle the mounting pressure, and finds an escape with the new student who knows little about her problems. But spending oodles of time with her boyfriend strains the friendship with Adam she relies so heavily on.

Faced with losing the only real comfort and support she has ever had, Brea starts to wonder if she can hook a bookworm before it's too late.

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. Her angel children and perfect husband fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Cassie Mae is an Amazon.com bestselling author of the teen contemporary romance novel REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, which she self-published. In addition to publishing with Swoon Romance, she is published by Random House Flirt.

Author Links

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest


Cover Reveal Organized By: