Follow My Book Blog Friday (42)

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: You are a matchmaker- your goal, hook up two characters from two of your favorite books. Who would it be? How would you think it'd go? 

Answer: Hmm this is such a hard question!!! I would have to go with.... Tris from Divergent and Gale from Hunger Games. 

  

I freaking love Gale, so I knew I had to find the perfect match for him. In The Hunger Games, I feel like Katniss is just too independent for him and he needs someone who needs him yet can still somewhat take care of herself. I feel like Tris does a pretty good job taking care of herself, but she stills needs someone to be there for her. She's not as completely helpless as Bella in Twilight, but she's not as hardcore as Katniss. She's right in the middle, which is exactly who Gale needs in his life. I haven't read Insurgent yet, so I don't know if she's changed, but the Tris in the first book is who I see as a good fit for Gale! Other than myself that is ;)

***Haha, I definitely mean Tris from Divergent. Not sure why I had written that she was from Wither and had the picture for Divergent...thanks Jessica for pointing it out! All fixed now :)

Book Review: Adorkable by Sarra Manning

Adorkable

By Sarra Manning

Release Date: May 24, 2012

Summary: Jeane Smith is seventeen and has turned her self-styled dorkiness into an art form, a lifestyle choice and a profitable website and consultancy business. She writes a style column for a Japanese teen magazine and came number seven in The Guardian's 30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing The World. And yet, in spite of the accolades, hundreds of Internet friendships and a cool boyfriend, she feels inexplicably lonely, a situation made infinitely worse when Michael Lee, the most mass-market, popular and predictably all-rounded boy at school tells Jeane of his suspicion that Jeane's boyfriend is secretly seeing his girlfriend. Michael and Jeane have NOTHING in common - she is cool and individual; he is the golden boy in an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. So why can't she stop talking to him?


Review: I love quirky characters and quirky stories, and Adorkable is definitely one of those books. Everything about Jeane and her life is so dorky yet adorable, hence the title Adorkable. 

Jeane is a British blogger who has built a media empire around her brand Adorakable. She has thousands of readers and has a style that is completely her own. She doesn't care if people make fun of her orange tights or gray hair, which is what I loved about her. You never know what Jeane's going to say next, and whatever she does say is bound to surprise you. 

But Jeane's life isn't all that glamorous. She lives alone while she attends high school and her sister is in America and her parents are divorced are on opposites sides of the world. Some teenagers would love to live all lone with no parents, but sometimes the dream isn't as good as reality. Jeane's high profile life catches up with her and the only person that seems to be there for her is Mr. Popular, Michael Lee. The only thing that they have in common is their exes cheated on them with each other. Yet Michael Lee can't seem to get the crazy blogger out of his mind. And Jeane can't stop thinking about the stereotypical popular jock. How can two completely opposite people stand being in the same room? Well, if they're snogging (which is a word my American auto-correct doesn't even recognize :( ) of course! Jeane and Michael's relationship is so strange and random, yet it seems to fit Jeane perfectly. 

I connected with this story so much and love how it's about a blogger! It's so interesting how Sarra Manning created such an up-to-date story that really explores the blogging world. And the fact that it's in England isn't so bad either, because I love anything to do with England :) Haha, but seriously, this book is so good!! Jeane reminds me a lot of Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins and I think any fan of that book needs to check this out. Or any blogger for that matter. It's so cool being able to read a book about someone like that! 

So basically what I've been trying to say is that you need to read this book. Now. Because it's awesome and totally not like anything I've read before. So check it out now! You'll love it :)

Blog Tour: The Devil Has Dimples by Pepper Phillips

I have another blog tour that I am super excited to have the chance to be apart of! Today, Peace Love Books is a stop for The Devil Has Dimples by Pepper Phillips! And as part of this tour, I have an interview with the lovely Pepper Phillips :)

In three words, how would you describe The Devil Has Dimples?

Fun, thoughtful, satisfying.

If you could be anyone from The Devil Has Dimples, who would you be and why? 

Great question.  Bitsy comes to mind first, but her hubby is grumpy.  Naomi is fun-loving, and doesn't care what people think of her.  It might be nice to have that freedom in life.  

How did you come up with the idea of writing about a girl discovering she's adopted and trying to figure out who her real father is?

I had a girlfriend in high school who found out that the man she thought was her father wasn't.  It devastated her.  She felt lost.  It took her several years to realize that she was still a fantastic person, but it crushed her when she found out the truth.  It still makes me sad for her.  So, in my story, she gets a happy ending.

What do you when you're not writing?

Reading.  I love to read.  

What's your favorite color?

It's always been green.  I'm Irish so give me green and I'm happy.

What's your favorite book and why?

It's a Regency by Carla Kelly and I read it every year.  I've only read a handful of books twice, but this one calls to me.  It's named The Lady's Companion.  The hero doesn't appear on the scene in the beginning, but when he does, I fell for him.  He's not handsome, tall, etc., but he's a man that you know would be there always.  It's an excellent story.  

What's next?  Are you working on anything new?

Yes, I'm in edit mode with a Women's Fiction novella.  It's an adaptation from a screenplay I wrote, called "Unconditionally"...it should be ready for release in the next month.

About the Author

Pepper Phillips wrote her first play in the seventh grade. But before that she read every book in her age group at the small local library. An only child, she entertained herself in the worlds she created in her mind. She's still pretty mindless in some respects, but her writing world is where she is the happiest. She ventured into self-publishing in 2011.







The Devil Has Dimples
By Pepper Phillips
Release Date: October 1, 2011

Summary: Adopted!

In the Deep South, one of the first questions asked when meeting someone new in a small town is, “Who’s your daddy?”  The answer defines you as a person.   Not knowing is disheartening.

Sara McLaughlin never knew she was adopted and is stunned to realize that if she wants to find out the questions burning in her brain as to the ‘why’ she was given up at birth, and who her father might be, she has to live in her birth mother’s apartment for the next six weeks.

Grant St. Romain, attorney, is supposed to be helping, but the hunky dimpled devil is making her mind think of other things.

Can she find the truth?  Or will she break her heart trying to find out the answers in Boggy Bayou, where many secrets are hidden? **Review to come**

I want to thank Pepper so much for being here today on Peace Love Books! For more information on Pepper and her novel The Devil Has Dimples, check out these links: 

Pepper's Websit // Amazon // Smashwords // Nook // Twitter // Facebook

Waiting On Wednesday (44)

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Alice In Zombieland

By Gena Showalter

Release Date: September 25, 2012

Summary: She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….


I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

I've read a couple of Gena Showalter's adult novels and really enjoyed them, so I was shocked to see she was writing a YA novel. Then, I saw the cover and knew that this one had to be on my TBR list stat. Then I read the title and realized it's about zombies. How cool is that??? I've only read a couple of zombie related books and really enjoyed them (the Generation Dead series by Daniel Waters), so I'm really excited to try this one out. Hopefully it turns out as good as it looks! 

Book Review: Sound Bites by Rachel K. Burke

Sound Bites

By Rachel K. Burke

Release Date: January 2012

Summary: Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees sunny Los Angeles and her dream job as a music journalist and returns to her hometown of Boston – only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan’s piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of – which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee’s troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it's too late.

Sound Bites dramatizes what happens when Renee finds herself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future. Happiness turns out to be within her grasp, but it all depends on whether she can trust herself enough to make the right decisions. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way.

Review: The first thing that drew me into this story was the cover. I am a total Converse girl, so I of course thought this cover was adorable. Then, I saw that this was a "Rock & Roll Love Story" and knew I had to be a part of this blog tour. A story about a girl who falls for a musician? When can I start??

Renee's story turned out to be funny, adorable, sweet, and just straight up enjoyable. Renee had walked in on her best friend and boyfriend together, so she moves back to where she's from to start fresh without remembering the betrayal of the two closest people in her life. 

I loved Renee's character from the beginning and how she slowly fell for Dylan, the quirky, often cocky musician from the floor above her. Despite her feelings for Dylan, Renee doesn't want to lose the friendship she's built with him, especially when it comes to his music. Renee has been helping Dylan finally get over his stage fright and share his talents with the world, and admitting her feelings could take him away from her. So Renee settles for the best friend position. 

Dylan's journey to success and Renee's struggle to deal with her feelings creates such a sweet story and I was so sad to see it end. Renee was just getting over losing the two most important people in her life when they betrayed her, so she couldn't bear losing someone else. But just staying friends is much harder than it sounds, especially with how devilishly charming Dylan can be. Those darn musicians!

Some parts were a bit predictable, but other than that this was a great story with really great characters. Not only did I like Renee and Dylan, but their friends and family were really interesting characters too. The side stories were also cute and there wasn't really ever a dull moment in the story. For a cute, fun story about love and music, Sound Bites is definitely a book to check out. 

Blog Tour: Sound Bites by Rachel K. Burke

I'm excited to announce that today Peace Love Books is a stop on the Sound Bites blog tour! Make sure to check back later for the review :)

Sound Bites

By Rachel K. Burke

Release Date: January 2012

Summary: Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees sunny Los Angeles and her dream job as a music journalist and returns to her hometown of Boston – only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan’s piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of – which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee’s troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it's too late.

Sound Bites dramatizes what happens when Renee finds herself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future. Happiness turns out to be within her grasp, but it all depends on whether she can trust herself enough to make the right decisions. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way. ***Review soon to come***

Check out the other stops on the tour! 

Blogspiration (7)

This is a new meme I found hosted by Growing Up YA and Saz101. Bloggers post something that inspires them every week and shares it with their followers! I love this idea, so I decided to try it out! Every Monday I'll share a picture/quote/video of something (most likely book related) that's inspired me this week :) 

I absolutely love handwritten letters. Whether I'm sending them or receiving them, there's just something about letters that I love. Me and my friends from school are writing letters to each other all summer to stay in touch. It's so much fun and each letter is so unique! It's so sad more letters aren't being written. I saw a book at Half Price Books the other day filled with history's best love letters. It was so cute! There's definitely nothing like receiving a letter from those you love :)

Stacking the Shelves (4)

Stacking the Shelves is a new meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what they got throughout the week! 

From Half Price Books 

  

Half Price Books was having their 20% off Memorial Day sale, so I went today and got these goodies! They came out to be just over $3, so it was awesome! I've read the last two of these and loved them, so I'm happy to have a copy of my own now! The first one looked super cute, so I thought I'd try it out! 

Barnes and Noble

  

I am IN LOVE with these Penguin Hardcover Classics, so I'm so happy I have some of my own! I got Persuasion, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. I can't wait to read these because they are just so cute! Hopefully my collection of these will grow bigger in the future! 

And that's it for me! What did you all add to your shelves this week? Please share!

Follow My Book Blog Friday (41)

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: Activity! Dream cast your current read. 

Answer: 

Adorkable

By Sarra Manning 

Summary: Jeane Smith is seventeen and has turned her self-styled dorkiness into an art form, a lifestyle choice and a profitable website and consultancy business. She writes a style column for a Japanese teen magazine and came number seven in The Guardian's 30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing The World. And yet, in spite of the accolades, hundreds of Internet friendships and a cool boyfriend, she feels inexplicably lonely, a situation made infinitely worse when 


Michael Lee, the most mass-market, popular and predictably all-rounded boy at school tells Jeane of his suspicion that Jeane's boyfriend is secretly seeing his girlfriend. Michael and Jeane have NOTHING in common - she is cool and individual; he is the golden boy in an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. So why can't she stop talking to him?

Michael Lee: Zac Efron        Jeane: Emma Stone

 

Michael's character definitely sounds like a Troy Bolton to me. And Jeane sounds like the quirky, kind of awkward character Emma Stone always plays, so I could see them in the Adorkable movie! I'm only about twenty pages in, so this is only a rough guess, but that is who I'd choose at the moment! 

Book Review: Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis

Lucky in Love

By Jill Shalvis

Release Date: May 22, 2012

Summary: Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she's expected to date Mr. Right. But for once, she'd like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garrison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he's only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he's gone...

For the first time in his life, Ty can't bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn't -- including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all...anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor.

Review: I've only read one of the other Lucky Harbor books by Jill Shalvis, but I remember it being a really great romance. So it's no surprise that the newest Lucky Harbor novel was awesome as well! 

The main character, Mallory, is what really made this book. She was a nurse at the local hospital and everyone saw her as the good girl who would do anything for anyone. Tired of that reputation, though, Mallory decides it's time to stop being Ms. Goody Two Shoes and trying to find Mr. Right, so she goes after the Mr. Wrong. And his name happens to be Mysterious Cute Guy aka Ty. 

After saving him from a horrible snow storm, Mallory can't seem to get out of Ty's head. And the extremely attractive, closed off guy she saved could not leave Mallory's mind either. So when the two of them finally acknowledge their chemistry, sparks fly. The only problem? Ty's dark past stands in the way of their chemistry turning into something real. 

Mallory definitely grows from a shy girl into a bold, strong, and confident woman. I loved how she found her strength and finally did what she wanted, instead of what everyone else wanted her to do. Her relationship with Ty was so steamy yet far from perfect, which was actually really nice. Yes, they had chemistry, but relationships are so much more than that and they had to deal with the emotional side of the relationship too. 

This was such an awesome romance about letting people in and going out and being who you want to be. Mallory finally decides to put herself out there and gets an extremely hunky guy in the process. What more could she have asked for? But the best part of this book was how complex the characters were with their different pasts and future aspirations. I would definitely recommend any of Jill Shalvis's books to anyone who's a fan of romance. Lucky In Love will definitely not disappoint!

Blog Tour: Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis

I am so excited to be a stop on the Lucky in Love tour for Jill Shalvis! I love her books and this one is so good right now! Make sure you check back later today for the review :)

Lucky in Love

By Jill Shalvis 

Release Date: May 22, 2

Summary: Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she's expected to date Mr. Right. But for once, she'd like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garrison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he's only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he's gone...

For the first time in his life, Ty can't bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn't -- including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all...anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor. ***Review soon to come***

Waiting on Wednesday (43)

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Time Between Us

By Tamara Ireland Stone 

Release Date: October 9, 2012

Summary: Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility. 

As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, TIME BETWEEN US is a stunning and spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new talent in YA fiction.

A YA time travel romance? I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for this book. And that cover is so gorgeous! I'm really interested to see how Bennett can actually go back in time and how they deal with that whole situation. Oooh and what's the "devastating crisis" that might tear them apart? Can't wait to find out!

Book Review: Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

Getting Over Garrett Delaney

By Abby McDonald 

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Summary: Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up 
her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie's
feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock
- all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! A
heartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized selfhelp
guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

Review: Hmmmm where to start? This book was so much fun! I'm a sucker for any YA contemporary books and Abby McDonald created such a lovable story full of fun characters and a storyline anyone can relate to. 

Sadie has been in love with Garret ever since he walked into a coffee shop two years ago and became her best friend. Since then, they've bonded over literature, philosophy, and poetry while Garrett dates every single girl in school. Well, except for Sadie. I think every girl can relate to Sadie's situation and it's impossible not to feel for her when she has to fulfill her BFF duties for the love of her life. 

Sadie is such an awesome person; she's funny, sarcastic, and just your average teenage girl. I loved her from the first page and was rooting for her 12 step "Get Over Garrett" plan all the way. When Garrett leaves for his literary camp, leaving Sadie all alone during the summer, Sadie really finds who she is as a person. She no longer has Garrett to obsess over or impress and she can finally decide what SHE wants for a change. And her coworkers are so awesome! Everyone at the coffee shop are so unique yet they all fit together like some sort of family. Despite just meeting Sadie, they're her support system in finally getting over Garret. 

This is definitely not the most insightful book you'll ever read, but for true YA contemporary fans, Getting Over Garrett Delaney is freaking awesome. The story is fun, the characters are lovable, and the message is so relatable. Though this was a quick read, I just couldn't put it down until it was finished. I love how this isn't another perfect romance book where the characters instantly fall in love with one another. It's a book about rejection, moving on, and focusing on yourself rather than that certain someone you keep on wishing will fall in love with you. I would definitely recommend this for YA fans and anyone who has had to mend a broken heart.

Blogspiration (6)

This is a new meme I found hosted by Growing Up YA and Saz101. Bloggers post something that inspires them every week and shares it with their followers! I love this idea, so I decided to try it out! Every Monday I'll share a picture/quote/video of something (most likely book related) that's inspired me this week :) 

This poster is hanging in the library at the high school I went to. It's so cute! I was so tempted to take it off the wall and take it home ;) Maybe I'll just find one online sometime because I definitely need it!