Feature and Follow Friday #2

Hi guys!!

This is the second time I do this meme. Last week it helped me a lot to get new followers and readers (yay!) and I hope it will be this way again (:

You can follow me via Bloglovin and GFC. I'm following back everyone, just leave a comment so I'll know you dropped by!!

Q: School is out! What is your favorite Summer Reading book??

The summer vacation hasn't started yet here.... I still have a whole month of school left! How will I survive it? ><

The summer is my favorite season of the year, and that's why I really love all these sweet YA summer romance books!! Here are two of my favorite summer reads:

  

 

Blog Tour: Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland (Review + Giveaway)

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland Blog Tour

Genre: YA contemporary romance
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: May 7th 2013

eARC was provided by the publisher for the blog tour. Thank you so much!!!

Goodreads || Amazon

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying
on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer. But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

My Thoughts:

From the first moment I saw this beautiful cover I knew I'm going to enjoy this book. I'm currently obsessed with YA summer romance and this book looked like a cute, fun, summer-spirited romantic story. I am always happy to read books that are exactly in my comfort zone.

This book tells the story of Cricket Thompson in the summer vacation before her senior year. Cricket was sure this is going to be the summer of her life. She was supposed to join her best friend's family for the summer vacation in Nantucket. There she will spend her summer in her bikini with her best friend Jules and her crush Jay. But things didn't go as she planned when Jules's family is going through a devastating tragedy and Cricket is no longer invited to spend the summer with them.

Cricket decides to finds a job in Nantucket just to be there for her friend, only to find out the Jules hates her and refuses to speak to her. Alone and isolated, Cricket has to manage on her own. 

Why is Jules so angry? Can Cricket make it up to her? Will she make Jay fall in love with her as she planned?

So first I'll say that this book not only didn't disappoint me, but it has managed to EXCEED my highest expectations!! I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of this story and how it was so much better than all those typical beach novels.

Cricket was so realistic and easy-to-relate-to. It's been a long time since I read a book that I could actually identify with everything the main character thought and did. I understood her so well that I felt as if I WAS her, as if I was actually there in the Nantucket island, talking and hanging out with the other characters.  It was just terrific. I literally couldn't put the book down!! I finished it in one day, which is a huge accomplishment for me since I'm a super-slow reader...

What I liked even more about this book was the emotions. Cricket was painfully sincere and described everything she felt. I laughed out loud with her when she was happy and cried when she was upset or desperate. I even fell in love together with her. I can't tell you who she ended up with because that'd be a huge spoiler, so I'll only say that I just loved him. I can't believe he's not real. I'm in love with a fictional character again. Sigh.

Wow, it's really hard to talk about this book without spoiling anything because it was all full of twists and surprises. It's really an unusual thing when it comes to YA contemporary romance and it made this book even better. Cricket found out many things about Nantucket, about her parents, about her friends and about life in general. I could see her growing up and becoming an adult, a very good and caring one who understood the world around her and was ready to help whenever she could.

One more thing I just loved about this book were the supporting characters. They were all realistic and well built. I liked how they weren't black or white, good or evil. This only made the characters more realistic, because in real life people have both good and bad inside them. For example, her so-called BFF Jules wasn't entirely mean. As much as I wanted to hate her, I just couldn't because I knew that she was going through a lot and that she used to be good.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, teens and adults alike. I'm sure that everyone will find a part of himself in the character of Cricket and will find himself identifying with her. This was good as a light beach read, but also as a "serious" novel about family, love and friendship.

Rating:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Blog Design!!!!

Hi everybody!!

So... Have you noticed the new blog design?

ISN'T IT JUST GORGEOUS?!?!?



I'm so excited!! :D

Blog Tour: Feilds of Elysium by A. B. Whelan (Book Spotlight + Excerpt + Giveaway)

Tour Schedule

Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

How can love mend a heart full of hate? Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly's life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings. Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful, romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Goodreads * Facebook

PRAISE

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews "I expected a good love story with a paranormal twist. I got so much more. I think you should take the chance and read it. Let this book take you on the adventure, fall in love." - Young Adult and Teen Readers "Fields of Elysium is a fabulous read. ... Whelan paints her faith into the fabric of her story with deft, light brushstrokes, making her work accessible to all, no matter their spiritual beliefs or background." - Readers Favorite "I escaped into this fantasy world, author, A.B.Whelan, created and I didn’t want Molly to go. From detailed descriptions, to sweet romance, and to all the twist and turns in the story, it had me captivated from page one." - Mary Ting, author of the Crossroads Saga "Whelan's writing is very vivid and descriptive. It's more formal than the average YA novel, but I enjoyed the lyrical and mesmerizing quality to it. I thought the overall story read like a fairy tale--very sweet." - Megan Thomason, author of Daynight


Excerpt From Chapter 1

It wasn’t easy to start in a new school. All week long, instead of hanging out with friends I knew since kindergarten, I stood alone in corners and ate my lunch without company. The kids at Beverly Hills High were entirely different from the ones in my old school. Nobody even noticed me or asked where I was from. I turned into an invisible person, a ghost, lingering around the corridors, while my old life slowly became history, past tense.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about my parents for uprooting me. There was definitely some anger in me, disappointment. I knew I would never do the same to my children. Like ever. It just wasn’t fair for them to make a choice that impacted all of our lives without even considering my point of view in the decision-making.

I missed my friends and my old life terribly. I wanted to go back to my favorite pizzeria with Gill, ride our bicycles to the woods, steal apples from Mrs. Collins’ tree. Adults always say time heals everything. In my case, as the days passed, the more miserable I felt.  

Author A.B. Whelan

A.B.Whelan is a Hungarian born, American writer. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California. While growing up in a wealthy Eastern European family, she had a chance to travel Europe. Later as an adult, she visited Africa and the Middle East and lived in Ecuador and in Crete.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

  $25 Tour Giveaway

Ends 5/15/13 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://www.iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking The Shelves + Reading Plans

Hi guys!! I haven't done STS for a long time so today I'm going to list everything I got in these three weeks, and that's a lot of books.... (;

eARCs For Review

    

   

Bought for my Kindle

   

Kindle Freebies

 

Reading Plans

As you all know (I think...), the Bout of Books 7.0 Read-a-thon starts on Monday!! If you haven't signed up yet, do it now. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. :]

I posted my goals about a week ago, but since then they have been completely changed!!

Here are my new reading plans:

1. Finish Forever ME by Thomas Amo (I'll try to do it tomorrow, before the Read-a-thon starts, but I'm not sure I'll be able to),

2. Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

3. Behind The Scenes by Kathryn White

4. The Rules For Disappearing by Ashley Elston

5. The Lucy Variations by Sarah Zarr

And if I'll have time for one more book...

6. Tiger Lily by Jody Lynn Anderson

Tomorrow I have a huge math test and after that I'll have endless time for reading!! Wish my luck (:

XOXO,

Sapir

Feature and Follow Friday 1#

 

Hi guys!! It's the first time I do this weekly meme and I hope I understood it correctly... (:

 

Q: Happy Mother's Day! Who is your favorite mom from fiction?

 

Well, that's a hard question!! I hardly pay attention to GOOD fictional moms, I only notice them when they are being cruel. I know it's weird... LOL

Anyway, the best mom I can remember would be Carry's step-mom from If You Find Me. I know, technically she's not Carrie's real mom, but she sure acted like one. I loved how she always tried to make Carry feel comfortable in her new home and how she tried to give her the best of everything.

What I loved the most about her was how she accepted her daughter the way she is and told her to never change and to stay the caring girl-in-the-woods. I think that all moms should talk to their daughters like that and make them feel worthy and special!!

 

You can follow my blog via GFC or Bloglovin!! Please leave your links bellow and I'll check you out too.

 

 

Sapir

Book Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden 2#
Genre: YA paranormal romance, post-apocalyptic and dystopia
Publication Date: April 30th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

An eARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!!

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

Wow. I still can't believe I've read such an amazing book. There aren't enough words to describe how much I LOVED it!!

I liked The Immortal Rules but it didn't blew me away... I thought of it as a nice, action-packed vampire story, nothing more. I didn't expect its sequel to be so intense, dramatic and full of emotions, just the way I like.

The brilliant characters were what I loved the most about this book. They are what really made the difference between this book and The Immortal Rules. I felt like I really got to know each and every character, including Allie, Zeke, their companions and even the villains. The author has described each one of them very slowly, revealing small details from their pasts each time until I got the full picture at the end. I liked the characters so much that I even enjoyed HATING some of them....

Allie was just the ideal female main character. I really love all these kick-ass girls!! I just adored her courage and how she could make plans during dangerous fights. I also liked how she was aware of her imperfections as a vampire, such as her predator instincts and her tendency to see human beings as prey, and always tried to ignore them and do what feels right in her mind. She really should set an example for how you can change anything if you want to. Vampires in her world are naturally evil and inhuman and she has managed to break it and become what she wanted to be.
I liked Zeke ten times better in this book!! He finally got over his superstitions about vampires and started acting like a gentlemen around Allie. I loved how he stayed so good and naive in this horrific world.
The chemistry between the two of them was just perfect. Allie needed Zeke's pureness to fight the demons inside her. Zeke, from his side, needed someone tougher around him to open his eyes sometimes. I really cared about the two of them and found myself wishing they had easier lives so they could develop the romance between them the way they deserve...

I also really enjoyed the plot of this book, which was PACKED with action, blood and shocking discoveries. It was the most unpredictable book I've ever read!! The plot twists and intense fights left me breathless.
The world-building in this book was great and original. I loved how it combined post-apocalyptic and paranormal elements. If you know any other books like that please let me know!!
I really enjoyed reading about this horrific world, a world so twisted and ruined and different from ours. It showed what would really happen if vampires and zombies lived among us, not like in Twilight. Forget about the sweet Cullen family... Vampires really are vicious and dangerous monsters!

In the last 15% of the book, the plot suddenly became even more intense than it was before. I was just flying through the pages until I reached the last sentence. A sentence I will NEVER forget.
I've never read a book that ended in such a terrible cliffhanger!! How can I wait a whole year before the next book comes out?!



READ THIS SERIES!!! You have to. It is amazing and I'm sure that even people who aren't crazy about vampires or paranormal romance will love it. Julie Kagawa is a genius and I will read everything she ever writes.

Rating: