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Showing posts from February, 2013

Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

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So Barnes and Noble is shipping out copies of Miranda Kenneally's new book again!!! :)  Yay, and I got my copy of Things I Can't Forget last week, and just knew I had to devour it asap! :) It's not supposed to be released until March 1st! :) From Goodreads :   Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker. Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different… This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt…with her. Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy… Read an excerpt here. Note: Mature themes, sexual situations, religious

Music Tuesday #60/61

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So I completely forgot about Music Tuesday last week!! :) This week's TWO songs are in honor of my current obsession, and in honor of an old obsession and the release of this Saturday's DVD... So for my current obsession... Pitch Perfect 's version of "Since you Been Gone"! I LOVE this movie so much!!!! :) Just can't stop listening to the soundtrack!! :) And in honor of this Saturday's release of Breaking Dawn Part 2 ... WARNING: This video off of YouTube includes a scene from the ending of the movie!! Can't wait to pick up my copy!!!! :) The Romance Bookie :)

Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany Review (ARC)

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Coming out March 19th, 2013 Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany is a novel that will have fans of Jodi Piccoult and Emily Giffin wanting more! From Goodreads :   Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be? At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been the one taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Audiobook Review

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  2013 AudioBook Challenge! So I've completed my FIRST Audiobook for 2013!! My goal is to listen to at least 5 different books on CD, or technically my computer or iPod haha! :) Now since this is my first Audiobook review, let me explain how I will doing these... As of right now, I only plan on listening to books I HAVE already read. Why?  Well, because I'm trying to listen to a new perspective.  I want to listen to a book through another voice, and I'm definitely looking forward to it! :)   So anyway...here goes!! :) Title: Speak Author: Laurie Halse Anderson Audio Read by: Mandy Siegfried Length: 5 hours/4 Discs Cover:  From Goodreads Audiobook Review: Laurie Halse Anderson created a very powerful novel with Speak , in my opinion, and I thought it was a very unique experience hearing it come alive through someone else's voice.  When I read the book, I imagine it in my own way, and it was great being

Meg-A Readers Announcement!!!

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OMG I am so unbelievably excited right now!! Diana ( Little Miss Drama Queen ) and I have been talking about this for months now! And we want you all to be in the loop of whats exciting to come soon!! For all you Meg Cabot fans out there, ones who Blog and even those who don't!  Our SECOND ANNUAL Meg-A Readers will be happening again soon!!! :) What Diana and I can tell you as of right now is that Meg-A Readers will be once again a TWO Month long event, celebrating the release of Meg's two new books this year!! However, it will be a little later on, as of right now, we are planning between July and September, which is when Awaken (July 2, MY birthday!!! Yay!! Goodreads has May 7th as the release date, however on Meg's website it says July :)), which is the third and FINAL novel in the Abandon Trilogy; as well as Size 12 is the New Black (September according to Meg's website), which is the 5th book in the Heather Wells Series! Size 12 is the New Black does

First Time for Everything by Aimee Carson

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***WARNING***This Book contains MATURE Adult Conten t *** So one of my goals for this year to finally read some Netgalley books!! :) This time around it was First Time for Everything by Aimee Carson, which is one of the books in Harlequin's new romance series! :) From  Goodreads : "So tell me, suit," she said, as lightly as she could. "What exactly is a virgin supposed to act like?" Jacqueline's new boss is none other than her friend's older brother—hot-shot lawyer Blake Bennington. His control freakery and his need to always, always be right would normally send fiery, unconventional Jax running a mile—but even she has to admit he looks edible in his bespoke suit! She's quickly realizing she's way out of her depth…but with this contained, experienced guy, trying to get him to lose his cool is just a little too tempting…. Harlequin KISS has 4 new fun, flirty and sensual romance books available every month. My Thoughts:

Rebecca's Lost Journals: Volume 2: The Contract by Lisa Renee Jones

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***WARNING***This Book contains graphic scenes not intended for anyone under the age of 18*** ***ALSO WARNING!***This Review contains S POILERS from Previous books in Series !!!***   From Goodreads :   Description is in my own words, since Goodreads doesn't have one... The second book in Lisa Renee Jones's Novella series, Rebecca's Lost Journals , takes off where the first volume, Seduction , left off...with the contract that is given to Rebecca by "the Master"... In this one, Rebecca has to make the tough decision, on whether she wants to risk her feelings in take part in this relationship that the mystery man, known as "The Master" has set up for her.  Will she say yes?  Is it something she can do to herself? Find out in Volume 2, of Rebecca's Lost Journals ! My Thoughts: Definitely a great continuation!  These just keep ending on such a suspenseful note, that I just want the next one RIGHT AWAY!!! When I finished

Toni De Palma Interview (author of "The Devil's Triangle")

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Hey Everyone! I've got a special interview with Toni De Palma, who has just released her new book The Devil's Triangle ! :) The Romance Bookie: Please describe "The Devil's Triangle" in a few sentences.  Toni de Palma: Seventeen-year old bad boy, Cooper Wanderman, dies in a fire but gets another chance at heaven when Lucy, Lucifer’s sister, sends him back to earth to find a girl named Grace. What Cooper doesn’t know is that Grace and he have a shared history. 
 TRB: What was your inspiration for writing "The Devil's Triangle"? TDP: My son and I spent a lot of time watching the T.V. show Fringe and I love the whole notion of alternate realities. Putting Cooper in such a crazy, convoluted world was a blast.

 TRB:   Has the paranormal/fantasy genre always fascinated you? TDP: I don’t write a story based on a genre or where it fits on the shelf. I wrote this book because of Cooper. He’s a bad boy with a good heart. He’s conflicted and d

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (Review)

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Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks has literally been sitting on my bookshelf since the paperback came out in 2011!  No joke! I'm a HUGE Nicholas Sparks fan!  So after reading that, you may be wondering, why have you had Safe Haven sitting on your shelf for the last two years, and only read it NOW? Well, the only answer I know is that when it comes to a Nicholas Sparks book you really have to be in the mood to read it!  Why? Because you can pretty much guarantee that you'll cry at least once by the end!  At least that's how it is for me! :) From Goodreads :   When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plain

Beautiful Creatures the Movie (Review)

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Image from IMDB So I saw Beautiful Creatures this morning!! :) I read  Beautiful Creatures last month, and thought it was a great unique story! And so of course, I have been looking forward to seeing the movie, which finally came out yesterday on the official Day of Love! My Thoughts: My blogging friend, Liz, over at  Yes/No Films , told me when she saw the movie that they had changed it A LOT from the book!  I was a bit worried, honestly, even after she told me, she still really liked it.  It's always risky, and while I'm usually very open about books being turned into movies (in fact, it's very rare that I don't enjoy the movie), I was looking forward to having this story come alive! But guess what? I had nothing to worry about! While they did change quite a few things, for instance one being that they took out the character Marian, and combined her role as librarian with that of Amma (portrayed by Viola Davis); this movie was still really great

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

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***WARNING*** May Contain Spoilers from First book in S eries!!*** I've FINALLY read it!!! Yes!!! I have honestly been waiting since February 23rd, 2012, last year to get my hands on Scarlet , the second book in the Lunar Chronicles !  February 23rd, being the day I finished reading Cinder of course! :) And OMG, the wait was 100% worth it!! :) From Goodreads : Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times -bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark

Tolulope Popoola Interview (author of "Nothing Comes Close")

Hello Everyone! Please welcome Tolulope Popoola! The Romance Bookie: In a few sentences tell us a bit about your novel "Nothing Comes Close"? Tolulope Popoola : Nothing Comes Close is the story of two characters, Lola and Wole, and how their relationship developed in spite of the challenges they had to face. It’s a story of love, friendship, betrayal, secrets, honesty, regrets and, hopefully, a happy ending. Lola is a confident career girl. She is feisty and intelligent; she has her flaws, but she knows what she wants and she stands for what she believes in. She often sees things in black and white, and she is not afraid to speak her mind. Wole is mysterious and unpredictable, but he’s also loyal and he’s got a sense of duty and justice. Together, they make for a very interesting couple. TRB: How did you come up with the concept behind "Nothing Comes Close"?  TP: I wanted to write a story that most people can identify with. Relationship

Music Tuesday #59

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Happy Fat Tuesday Everyone!! :) In honor of this Thursday's release of Beautiful Creatures , hitting theaters; let's listen to Florence and the Machine! :) It's called "Seven Devils"! :) The Romance Bookie :)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike Review

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So I've been trying to read Wings for probably about the last two years!  I started reading it two summers ago off of a friend's Nook, and got about a 1/4 way through.  I ended up buying about a year ago at Barnes and Noble, so I could eventually finish it! Well I've FINALLY finished it!! From Goodreads : Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words. Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever. My Thoughts: While that description may be short, it is also the perfect way to describe this book! Aprilynne Pike has an Imagination! An absolute beautiful one!  The description of the wings was gorgeous!  My mom, who actually read this one before me, imagine

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

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***WARNING***Mature Content in this book, not intended for a younger than 18 readers!!!*** First off, look at this title... From Goodreads How HOT is that cover? What is it about a good looking man in a suit? ??!!! I have been dying to get my hands on this book, just because of that cover...honestly!  Yes, I admit I am a book cover judger! For some reason , even though I was accepted to review it on Goodreads, it didn't download to my Kindle, when I pressed the "Send to Kindle " button, which was a bit disappointing! But then the other day, I get an envelope in the ma il...I hadn't been expecting anything either, just Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, whic h hadn't even ship ped yet (darn you, Barnes and Noble sometimes!! I preordered that book TWO Months ago!! BTW it's finally shipped Tuesday night! ).  When I opened that envelope , let me just tell I wa s shocked and super excited to find Beauti ful Bastard slide out!  Keep in

Kimberly S. Young Guest Post (author of "The Eighth Wonder")

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Hey Everyone! Today I would like to welcome Kimberly S. Young, the author of The Eighth Wonder ! A modern Bridges of Madison County, Nicole Benson, 35, is an ambitious college professor with dreams of teaching at an Ivy-league university until she falls in love with Tom Ryan, 44, married 23 years and shattered by his daughter’s death from leukemia. As a psychologist, I have counseled men and women struggling with extramarital attractions and understand the emotional conflicts those endure who deeply value fidelity but still feel the pull of falling in love with another, even when one party or the other appears to be happily married. These experiences led me to write The Eighth Wonder. I was homebound for almost five months recovering from retina re-attachment surgery. This was very serious. I had surgery in both eyes.  All the surgeon could say was that it was “in God’s hands now” because my left retina almost completely fell off before it was detected. I was scared. As

Random Post #6: The Issue of Not Liking a Book and Reviewing It

There are thousands of talented writers out there, heck probably millions.  Not all of them choose to put there work out there, while others make their way into the publishing world. Some succeed, some don't. To get your book published, I have heard, is EXTREMELY hard work!  JK Rowling...who some of you may have heard of...she's only the author of one of the MOST FAMOUS CHILDREN'S SERIES of ALL TIME, if not THE MOST!! was rejected a DOZEN times before landing a publisher! And according to this article, the only reason why Bloomsbury accepted Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is because the CEO's "eight year old daughter" begged her dad to publish it! Judy Blume, who wrote MANY famous novels that millions of young girls grew up with, received nothing  but rejections for over two years! MEG CABOT, my hero! My absolute favorite author received over 17 REJECTIONS, before getting The Princess Diaries in print! The Twilight Saga by Stepheni

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

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Another favorite!!!! From Goodreads :   "I've left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please." So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the "New York Times" bestselling authors of "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.  My thoughts:

Music Tuesday #57/58

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  Hey Everyone! So I've been watching the new TV show, The Carrie Diaries , on the CW; and since the show takes place in the 80s, in an era that has some of the coolest music, in my opinion; I've decided to dedicate the last two weeks of Music Tuesday's to...80s!!   Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper! Cyndi is seriously one of my all time favorite artists! She is just so awesome!! And... Madonna's Material Girl , since Carrie Bradshaw is all about Fashion! :) The Romance Bookie :)