#BlogTour: SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS by Alisha Sevigny // #Review + #Giveaway

Hello and welcome to my blog tour post for

SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS by Alisha Sevigny!

Today I have a review of the book today (which I loved!) and a giveaway for one of THREE copies of the book if you live in the United States! Be sure to enter below, but first let's learn about the book...

SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS

Author: Alisha Sevigny
Series: N/A
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary:
Julia Ducharme is ready for a fresh start. Her little brother has finally recovered from a serious illness, and now she just wants to enjoy peak season at the campground her family owns. Maybe this will be the year her annual summer fling with Dan Schaeffer becomes something more?

But her summer dreams are quickly shattered. First, Dan arrives for vacation with a new girlfriend in tow, and then Julia discovers this may be her last summer in the only home she's ever known.

Crushing medical bills have brought her single mom to the brink of bankruptcy, and a wealthy developer is sniffing around the campground. He sees what Julia sees: lush woods, a pristine lake, miles of trails for adventure. Unlike Julia, he thinks this is the perfect spot for a casino resort.

Heartbroken and afraid, Julia looks to the stars for some perspective. Taking her telescope down to the dock one night, she has a chance encounter with a guitar-playing boy who offers some helpful advice. Too bad this handsome stranger is the developer's son, Nick Constantine.

As plans for a resort move forward, Julia is desperate to find a solution that doesn't mean leaving the lake. Nick, in turn, is desperate to separate himself from his father's aggressive business tactics. He promises that, together, they can thwart the sale.

But can Julia trust him to conspire against his own father? And could she ever she trust him with her heart?

SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS is a story of lost summers, hidden treasure and love written in the stars. It is also a thoughtful reflection on what it means to love --- and leave --- one's childhood home.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

When I was younger, my family and I went to Muskoka for a week to spend some time by the lake and with nature. Reading SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS took me back to this time and added another dimension that I didn't know I was missing. I am now in my group chats trying to convince my friends we should go spend a week or two in the "wilderness" this summer. SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS has everything you need to be satisfied with a summer, contemporary, romance novel so I do hope you pick it up.

ARC #Review: OVER RAGING TIDES by Jennifer Ellison

OVER RAGING TIDES

Author: Jennifer Ellison
Series: Lady Pirates #1
Source: eARC via Author
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 20, 2018
Rating: 3/5

Summary:
The pirate crew of the Lady Luck lives by many rules, but chief among them is this: they do not allow men on board. 

That’s a rule that quartermaster Grace Porter is willing to break when a shipwrecked young nobleman offers her information of an omniscient map, stolen from his warship by an enemy vessel. Until now, the map was only the stuff of legend… but with its help, Grace may finally be able to hunt down the Mordgris, the sea monsters who stole her mother away from her.

Unfortunately, some members of her crew have other plans...

To find the map and face the Mordgris, Grace will have to confront her past, put the Luck between warring nations, and uncover treachery aboard the ship. And ultimately, her revenge and the destruction of the Mordgris will come at a hefty price: the betrayal of her crew.

Grace promised them they wouldn’t regret this.

She just isn’t sure that she won’t.

Purchase:

Amazon | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

So. This was good and I was really getting into it at the end. But it was way too short. Nothing truly happened. This felt like the first half of a book, not the first book in a series. I think if it was pitched as a novella, I would have been happier.

#Discussion: Book Perspectives + Recommendations!

I like reading books that are written in different ways because reading the same type of perspective over and over is nothing but boring. I try to vary my readings to include first and third person perspectives (and sometimes even a second person here or there) depending on the type of book I'm reading and my mood. 

There are pros and cons to each type of writing style and sometimes it is hard to get into a book because of this so it is important to know the different types of perspectives, advantages and disadvantages of them, and what you can expect from these books as well. So let's take a look at the options below and see the pros and cons (and list some of the best books that fit that category as well!)

First Person

What is it?

First person POV refers to the I, we, me, my, mine, us narrator, often the voice of the heroic character or a constant companion of the heroic character. This can be in the past or the present tense but usually focuses on just one of the main characters (although I have read some books where one character has first person present narration and there are other types in there as well and it took me SO LONG to get used to it that I didn't even enjoy the book and I probably couldn't tell you the name of it now)

ADVANTAGES OF THIS POV: 
•    It feels natural to most writers because we live in an I world.
•    You have to deal with only one mind: the narrator’s.
•    You can create a distinctive internal voice.
•    You can add an element of craft by creating a narrator who is not entirely reliable.

DISADVANTAGES OF THIS POV:
•    You are limited to writing about what the narrator can see or sense.
•    The narrator must constantly be on stage or observing the stage.
•    You can’t go into the minds of other characters.

Books You Should Read:

- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

#CoverReveal: RUTHLESS MAGIC by Megan Crewe

Today Megan Crewe and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and an exclusive content for RUTHLESS MAGIC, her new YA Fantasy which releases May 30, 2018! Check out the awesome cover and enter the giveaway!

On to the reveal! 

Title: RUTHLESS MAGIC

Author: Megan Crewe

Pub. Date: May 30, 2018

Publisher: Megan Crewe

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: ?

Find it: Goodreads, Pre-Order  

In the contest to keep their magic, the only options may be die... or kill.

Each year, the North American Confederation of Mages assesses every sixteen-year-old novice. Some will be chosen. The rest must undergo a procedure to destroy their magical ability unless they prove themselves in the mysterious and brutal Mages' Exam.

Disadvantaged by her parents' low standing, Rocío Lopez has dedicated herself to expanding her considerable talent to earn a place in the Confederation. Their rejection leaves her reeling—and determined to fight to keep her magic.

Long ashamed of his mediocre abilities, Finn Lockwood knows the Confederation accepted him only because of his prominent family. Declaring for the Exam instead means a chance to confirm his true worth.

Thrown into the testing with little preparation, Rocío and Finn find themselves becoming unlikely allies—and possibly more. But the Exam holds secrets more horrifying than either could have imagined. What are the examiners really testing them for? And as the trials become increasingly vicious, how much are they willing to sacrifice to win?

The start of a new series by USA Today bestselling author Megan Crewe, Ruthless Magic combines the magic of Harry Potter with the ferocity of The Hunger Games alongside a poignant romance. Fans of Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, look no further for your next urban fantasy fix!

#BlogTour: REYET TRAP by Dee Garretson // #GuestPost + #Giveaway

Hello and welcome to my blog tour post for

REYET TRAP by Dee Garretson!

I have a guest post for you today about the book plus you can enter the giveaway below! But first, let's learn more about the book...

REYET TRAP

Author: Dee Garretson
Series: Torch World #2
Publisher: Month9Books
Publication Date: April 3, 2018

Summary:
No planet. No hope. 

Quinn Neen and his friends have survived the uprising and the ruthless Fosaanian leader’s attempt to kill them, but the galaxy is still hurtling toward war. With just a few days before Quinn starts his mandatory military training, he plans to spend the time with Mira, the Fosaanian girl he’s in love with. When a mysterious message forces them on a journey to an isolated planet named Reyet, Quinn’s plans quickly change.

A coup on Reyet throws everything into chaos, leaving Quinn and Mira evading enemies they know, and some they don’t, including the planet itself. Now, time is running out for Earth, Fosaan, and Reyet, and there may be no place left in the galaxy that’s safe.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

This series started with...

STATION FOSSAN

Author: Dee Garretson

Series: Torch World #1

Publisher: Month9Books

Publication Date: February 14, 2017

Summary:

Earth scientists and their families stationed on the remote planet of Fosaan were promised a tropical vacation-like experience. But Fosaan, devastated from an apocalyptic event nearly three-hundred years ago, is full of lethal predators and dangerous terrain. 

Earthers are forbidden to go beyond the safety zone of their settlement and must not engage the small population of reclusive Fosaanians, descendants of the survivors. Sixteen-year-old Quinn Neen plans to do both of those things.

When Quinn discovers a beautiful Fosaanian girl named Mira stealing food from his family’s living unit, he soon learns Earth’s government may not be telling the whole truth about Fosaan and the cause of the past disaster. 

There are some who to restore the planet to its former glory by any means necessary. Quinn finds himself caught between his loyalty to his own people and what is right for Mira and her people. 

Before he can decide what to do, the scientists are taken captive, stranding the young Earthers on Fosaan. 

Quinn must go from renegade to leader and convince Mira to become an ally in a fight against an enemy whose very existence threatens their lives and the future of those both on Fosaan and at home.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Why You Love Your Cover

I love looking at book covers and I have to admit it’s hard for me NOT to judge a book by its cover. Authors anxiously await the first view of their covers, worrying the cover artist won’t capture the right feel for the book. I was therefore ecstatic when I saw my covers. They are perfect for the stories.

#BlogTour: THE RULES OF REBELLION by Amity Hope // #Review + #Giveaway

Hello and welcome to my blog tour post for

THE RULES OF REBELLION by Amity Hope!

Today I have a review of the book for you and there is a giveaway as well! But first, let's learn more about the book...

THE RULES OF REBELLION

Author: Amity Hope
Series: The Rules of Persuasion
Publisher: Entangled: Crush
Publication Date: April 2, 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:
1. Skinny dip (her idea)
2. Stargaze (his idea)
3. Prank someone (her idea)
4. Go on a date (his idea)

Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so when he discovers the girl with a flair for candy making has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he’s determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than himself to show her the ropes of letting loose?

Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn’t exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. And when he suggests adding “a first date” to Kylie’s plan and she accepts…suddenly all his dreams seem to be coming true.


But Leo’s got a secret that could change everything between them, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes to the surface.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

I so enjoyed this book. The plot, the romance, the pacing. Everything about it was just wonderful to me. I liked seeing how everything evolved and I was angry (in a good way) and how the main conflict played out. If you want a good contemporary romance novel with a bit of angst, this is the book for you.

Event Recap: #FrenzyPresents + #Giveaway

On Sunday, April 8th, I was lucky enough to be invited to the HarperCollins Canada office for the

Spring 2018 Frenzy Presents!

I went to Toronto for the day and got to spend a few hours surrounded by friends and book people, which is always a good mix! The swag bags we were given were AMAZING and I received an ARC of THE DIMINISHED by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson in my bag, which I already had a copy of (and loved!), so I am giving it away below with some other goodies as well so be sure to check it out!

Below are the books we learned about, so let's get to it!

PAST TENSE

Author: Star Spider
Series: N/A
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Summary:
How do you live after death?

Julie Nolan is a pretty average girl with pretty average problems. She’s been in love with her best friend, Lorelei, ever since they met in grade three. Only Lorelei doesn’t know about it — she’s too busy trying to set Julie up with Henry, her ex, who Julie finds, in a word, vapid.

But life gets more complicated when Julie comes home to find her mother insisting that her heart is gone. Pretty soon it becomes clear: Julie’s mom believes that she has died.

How is Julie supposed to navigate her first year of high school now, while she’s making midnight trips to the graveyard to cover her mother with dirt, lay flowers and make up eulogies? And why is Henry the only person Julie feels comfortable turning to? If she wants to get through this, Julie’s going to have to find the strength she never knew she had, and to learn how to listen to both her mom’s heart and her own. 

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

What we learned...

I already had a copy of PAST TENSE, which I've read and LOVED. It has such an amazing story of love, loss, and learning how to be yourself when everything around you seems to be falling apart. With a good LGBTQ+ romance - and a Toronto setting - there is nothing not to love about PAST TENSE! 

THE FATES DIVIDE

Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Carve the Mark #2
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Summary:
In the second book of the Carve the Mark duology, globally bestselling Divergent author Veronica Roth reveals how Cyra and Akos fulfill their fates. The Fates Divide is a richly imagined tale of hope and resilience told in four stunning perspectives.

Fate brought them together. Now it will divide them.

The lives of Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth are ruled by their fates, spoken by the oracles at their births. The fates, once determined, are inescapable.

Akos is in love with Cyra, in spite of his fate: He will die in service to Cyra’s family. And when Cyra’s father, Lazmet Noavek—a soulless tyrant, thought to be dead—reclaims the Shotet throne, Akos believes his end is closer than ever.

As Lazmet ignites a barbaric war, Cyra and Akos are desperate to stop him at any cost. For Cyra, that could mean taking the life of the man who may—or may not—be her father. For Akos, it could mean giving his own. In a stunning twist, the two will discover how fate defines their lives in ways most unexpected.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

What we learned...

The sequel to CARVE THE MARK, the Frenzy team was really excited for the next book to be released!

THE DIMINISHED

Author: Kaitlyn Sage Patterson
Series: Untitled Duology #1
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Summary:
In the Alskad Empire, nearly all are born with a twin, two halves to form one whole…yet some face the world alone. 

The singleborn 

A rare few are singleborn in each generation, and therefore given the right to rule by the gods and goddesses. Bo Trousillion is one of these few, born into the royal line and destined to rule. Though he has been chosen to succeed his great-aunt, Queen Runa, as the leader of the Alskad Empire, Bo has never felt equal to the grand future before him. 

The diminished 

When one twin dies, the other usually follows, unable to face the world without their other half. Those who survive are considered diminished, doomed to succumb to the violent grief that inevitably destroys everyone whose twin has died. Such is the fate of Vi Abernathy, whose twin sister died in infancy. Raised by the anchorites of the temple after her family cast her off, Vi has spent her whole life scheming for a way to escape and live out what's left of her life in peace. 

As their sixteenth birthdays approach, Bo and Vi face very different futures—one a life of luxury as the heir to the throne, the other years of backbreaking work as a temple servant. But a long-held secret and the fate of the empire are destined to bring them together in a way they never could have imagined.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

What we learned...

This was another one I already had a copy of (and loved!) but it follows two characters in a new fantasy world where most people are born with a twin, but those without are expected to rule. With twists and turns that you'll never see coming - THE DIMINISHED will wow every YA fantasy fan. This one came out YESTERDAY but you can win an ARC below!

#BlogTour: NOTES OF MAGIC by Jessica Bucher // #Spotlight + #Giveaway

Hello and welcome to my blog tour stop for

NOTES OF MAGIC by Jessica Bucher!

I am spotlighting the book for you today plus you can enter to win a signed copy of this magical novel that takes place in Prague - one of my favourite cities in the world! Check out all the below but first let's learn more about the book...

NOTES OF MAGIC

Author: Jessica Bucher
Series: The Bohemians #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: February 24, 2018

Summary:
Enchanted city. Old magic. New threat.

Taq, a young fiddler, comes to Prague with dreams of joining the Bohemians—a band of immortal, magic-wielding street performers. With a mission to right past wrongs, things don’t go as planned when he meets the beautiful performer, Katia. Now, he must decide if revealing his secret is worth losing her heart.

Katia has spent one hundred years chained to the city, broken-hearted and silent, waiting for her chance to be free. 

But with an impending threat on Bohemia itself and a mysterious newcomer, peace is starting look farther than ever. Now she must decide if she should trust Taq or put her faith in the one who broke her heart—the tyrannical Magistrate of Bohemia. 

Curses can be broken, but at what cost?

Purchase:

Amazon |  TBD

#Discussion: 5 Books I'd Recommend to an Actual Teenage Girl

So hi. I am 25. I am not a teen. I still blog about YA books. It's all good. But today I'm going to tell you about the books I would recommend you purchasing or giving to someone who is pre-teen to teen because I think they have good story telling, characters, plot, and teach you something. This is not a definitive list and I probably have more that I would do but I usually get tired of finding links and stuff after 5 books, so that's why a lot of my lists are 5. Without further ado, let's get to it!

FOOLISH HEARTS

Author: Emma Mills
Series: N/A
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
My Review!

Summary:
A contemporary novel about a girl whose high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream leads her to new friends—and maybe even new love.

The day of the last party of the summer, Claudia overhears a conversation she wasn't supposed to. Now on the wrong side of one of the meanest girls in school, Claudia doesn't know what to expect when the two are paired up to write a paper—let alone when they're both forced to try out for the school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

But mandatory participation has its upsides—namely, an unexpected friendship, a boy band obsession, and a guy with the best dimpled smile Claudia's ever seen. As Claudia's world starts to expand, she finds that maybe there are some things worth sticking her neck out for.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Why I recommend it:

FOOLISH HEARTS has some of my favourite characters that Emma Mills has ever created. I love Claudia's character and the way that this story progresses. There is a great character study and you learn so much about high school pressures and how to overcome adversary. I just have such heart eyes for this book and would push it on everyone - but especially people struggling with their own identity.

#BlogTour: THE DEATH CHAMBER by Lesley Thomson // #Spotlight

Hello and welcome to my blog tour post for

THE DEATH CHAMBER by Lesley Thomson!

I am going to be telling you all about the book today so strap in and let's learn about the book!

THE DEATH CHAMBER

Author: Lesley Thomson
Series: The Detective's Daughter #6
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication Date: April 5, 2018

Summary:
Queen's Jubilee, 1977: Cassie Baker sees her boyfriend kissing another girl at the village disco. Upset, she heads home alone and is never seen again.

Millennium Eve, 1999: DCI Paul Mercer finds Cassie's remains in a field. Now he must prove the man who led him there is guilty.

When Mercer's daughter asks Stella Darnell for help solving the murder, Stella see echoes of herself. Another detective's daughter.

With her sidekick sleuth, Jack, Stella moves to Winchcombe, where DCI Mercer and his prime suspect have been playing cat and mouse for the past eighteen years...

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD