Review: Once Upon a Tag by Anna Adams (Short Story)

(A Short Story)

Official Synposis:

When David, a young French painter, unexpectedly meets Rita, an infamous Parisian street artist, his convictions are shaken to the core during a night he is unlikely to ever forget.

Genre: contemporary fiction

My rating for Once Upon a Tag:

Disclaimer: I was asked to give an honest review for Anna Adams short story, and to be honest, I was kind of hesitant to read and review it. I don't read short stories outside of classes and it's never fun outside of school so I didn't know what I would think. But I figured I'd give this one a try (why not, right?) and my overall conclusion...

is that it was a nice short story. :)

I liked the focus the story had on art and expressing one's views through it. I liked how it clarified that being politically engaged just by voting wasn't enough, that you must speak your mind through action and prove your point to those who won't listen to voice alone. The street artist in this story, Rita, tried to explain that just because something isn't socially acceptable at that specific time, it doesn't mean it's wrong or not admirable. I really liked these themes of the story.

It was short (duh), easy to follow, and it was well written. Although at a certain point I knew it would end soon, I wasn't expecting it to end where it did, and for that I'd say this makes a good short story because it held my attention until the end.

*I rated Once Upon a Tag based on a "short story" scale and not my typical rating scale, so this 4 star rating kind of means "As far as short stories go, this is one of the good ones."
~

Learn more about Anna Adams and her writing on her website and Goodreads account.
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Buy on Amazon.

Review: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary: 

There is need. And then there is Fate... Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her. When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

Genre: YA mythology + romance + action

My rating for Pure (Covenant, #2):

Pure was an amazing sequel to the first book in the Covenant series, Half-Blood! Everything from the first book was raised a bar higher: the romance, the action, the emotions, the heart ache.

I really did NOT like Seth in Half-Blood. And I guess for a good part of Pure too. But then I did :) I also loved every punch Alex gave Seth. I felt very in-tune with Alex every time she wanted to punch him...or give him one of those embarrassingly cheesy smiles. Basically every scene they shared had me smiling because they fought and teased incessantly!

Seth threw me a mischievous grin. “I can’t have Marcus just walking in on us. What if I want to snuggle on these cold New York nights?”

My frown increased. “We don’t snuggle.” 

He dropped his arm over my shoulder, and the scent of mint and something wild tickled my nose. “How about we cuddle?” 

“We don’t do that either.” 

“But you’re my cuddle bunny. My little Apollyon cuddle—” 

I punched him in the side. 

color: #181818; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">I didn't forget Aiden though. I love him. Although Aiden wasn't as prominent in this book, the scenes he was in...wow, just wow. *Clutches heart* 

“Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule. You’ll become the center of someone’s world one day. And he’ll be the luckiest son of a bitch on this earth.” 

The battles Alex and Aiden have between them and what their society dictates kept poking my heart until it was sore and sad. I hope their society changes their weird rules about who can be with who  because I really cannot wait until Alex and Aiden can be together. I know I said I like Seth, but I can't help wanting Aiden in the picture. Pure made me like him even more and I think I'm rooting for him in the end.

The danger increased in this novel too. More death (Waaah!!) and more threats to Alex's life. The threats brought out the protective instincts of Seth and Aiden, and therefore, the jealous sides of them and THAT was super fun to see (hehe!). There was one part that led to a particularly very interesting event. Without going into further details, I'm just going to share one of the funny results from it:

“You told me you wanted to marry Seth's bed, and then you told me you'd marry me if asked. After that, you started to-"

"Enough," I groaned, wanting to crawl under the blankets.

Apart from the Covenant series, Jennifer L. Armentrout has another series called Lux, a couple stand-alone novels, and she recently began writing new adult novels under the name J. Lynn. Find out more about Armentrout and her books on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads! 

Here are my reviews for the books of hers I've read so far:

Obsidian (Lux, #1)

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)

Daimon (Covenant, #0.5)

Add on Goodreads

Buy on Amazon and B&N

Exclusive Interview with Author Bayli Lane (+ Giveaway!)

About the Author: Bayli Lane didn’t realize how much she loved creating a world from nothing until college. She went to Marian University where she majored in Communications but in her spare time wrote and read. Her love for reading is what really brought out her desire to create her own novel. After starting loads of stories and not finishing them, she finally decided it was time to put her passion to work. Becoming More is her first novel but certainly not her last. Bayli lives with her husband, Tim, in Indiana where she is probably sitting with a large cup of coffee and her computer working on her next book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To my extreme delight, my beautiful, fun-loving friend and soon-to-be-published author Bayli Lane sat down with me to talk about her new book Becoming More! It was an absolute pleasure so without further ado, here is my exclusive interview with the talented Bayli Lane: 

Holly's Reading Hollow: Hi Bayli!! Thanks for letting me interview you! Could you please start off by telling us a little bit about yourself? 

Bayli Lane: Well, I'm 23 years old! Graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications. I married my high school sweetheart. I'm working on my first novel, Becoming More, and am excited for its release this July. 

HRH: What is Becoming More about? 

BL: Let's see... Picture this... A girl (Lilly) going off to college with her best friend (Lauren) and boyfriend (Sander). She thinks she knows what to expect for her future. But they are all changing and meeting new people. Insert hot, sexy, tattooed deliciousness that is Colton. She's conflicted between her past and her future and what she wants. The book is about her becoming the girl she was meant to be. So I guess you could say it's not just a love story it's about learning who you are and who you want to become. 

HRH: Ooooh, I like that picture!! It sounds wonderful! How has it been going for you, writing your first novel? Is the process what you expected? 

BL: Honestly? I had no idea what to expect. I had an idea pop into my head and I just started to write. There is a lot that goes into the process--things I never even thought about. Being a self published author means that every single thing is in your hands. There has definitely been more than I imagined! But I do love it. 

HRH: When did you first get the idea for your story? 

BL: The idea came to me in December. As funny as it sounds, I was reminiscing over some things that happened to me or my friends in high school and college. So it all started with some scene ideas that I had based loosely on some real life experiences. Then, I decided to make a few characters similar to a couple of my friends. 

HRH: After you had the initial idea and started playing around with it, did you know right then that you wanted Becoming More to be your first novel? 

BL: I did. I've started a few different story ideas in the past but this one felt right. I could relate to the characters and the ideas just kept flowing. I couldn't get the characters out of my head and knew that I wasn't going to stop thinking about them until I finished the book! 

HRH: Oh, that's awesome! So how's it all coming along? What stage of creation is your book in? 

BL: It's going well! My first draft will either be finished this week or next week and my editor has already begun the process! So here within the next month I'll be revising!!! 

HRH: Wow, so soon! It doesn't feel like that long ago that you first told me about your story idea...You said you think you'll be releasing Becoming More in July? 

BL: Yes! At the end of July! I am beyond excited for it!!! I don't have an exact date picked out, yet; that'll depend on how editing goes! 

HRH: What about the cover for your book? Have you started working on the cover design for Becoming More? 

BL: Yes, my cover artist has begun working on the cover and it should also be finished this month. It's going to be gorgeous! 

HRH: I'm sure! I'm so excited to see it! Will it be a steamy cover? 

BL: Hmmm... It focuses on the M.C., Lilly...I'm not going to give too much away! hehe! 

HRH: Aw, shucks!! I had to try, right? ;) What have you loved most about writing from inside Lilly's head? BL: Watching her struggle with her loyalty. She so incredibly loyal that it ends up hurting her. She holds on so hard to the people in her life that even when it's plain to see that she should walk away... she just can't. I know what that's like. Her inner monologues go from being funny and light hearted to serious and conflicted. HRH: You mentioned two love interests... can you tell us a little bit about them or will we just have to wait a see? 

BL: Sure! Sander is Lilly's high school boyfriend that goes to college with her. They have been together for 4 years! He's tall, dark and handsome. He has black hair and dark brown eyes with just a bit of gold in them. He's a very put together kind of guy and Lilly has never questioned whether or not they would be together. They've loved each other for so long it just comes natural. Colton is completely different from Sander. Where Sander is all business, Colton is all art. Colton is tattooed, has a lip ring and brings out a part of Lilly she didn't even know was there. Both men are attractive, of course, but they also hold a unique spot in her heart. Lilly is truly being pulled in two very different directions. 

HRH: Sounds like a tough choice for Lilly. Do you have a preference? I know you like yourself a bad boys. ;) 

BL: I do have my preference. But I think a lot of women will be able to relate to Lilly's struggle! 

HRH: You said previously that your own experiences/friends' experiences roughly shaped this book. Are there any specific experiences Lilly has in Becoming More that you also went through? 

BL: Well, I don't want to give too much away but I will share one scene in particular that I love... There is a scene where Lilly goes to Steak n Shake with Colton and they have a fun little conversation where he gives Lilly the cherry in his shake. First, my husband and I have had some really fun times there that go back to high school. AND he has always saved me the cherry in his shake. Always. So that was inspired by my man. :) 

HRH: Aw!! I LOVE that scene! (Seriously, love it!) And I love that it was inspired by your hubby! What does your husband think of you publishing a book? 

BL: He has been my greatest support. He's read some of my book and has told me "You're really talented, babe." He's the number one person in my life, so hearing that from him, well it reinforced that I CAN do this. HRH: Speaking of talent... do you have more writing plans in store after Becoming More is released? 

BL: I do! I know exactly what book I'll be working on next and the characters are AMAZING!!! They make me laugh with how they act together. But alas... I'm not revealing the name for it yet! Just know I'm hoping to have that story out by November (2013)! 

HRH: No way!! You're turning into a writing BEAST, Bayli Lane! Haha :) Do you think your experiences with writing your first book will really benefit you as you write your second? November doesn't feel so far off from your first deadline of July. 

BL: Haha! I think the experience of writing Becoming More has taught me how to go about creating this next story. I bought a new computer program that is going to help keep me organized which will help A LOT! I'm usually extremely scattered brained! I have Post-its everywhere for Becoming More and it started to stress me out, lol! I think this next book will fly by because I've already have the entire story line set up on this new program and I have already began writing a bit. 

HRH: Watch out, world! Bayli's gotten organized! Hehe. So how has your experience in the indie community been so far? BL: I love the indie world! I would say 99% of the books I read are indie books. I'm in multiple groups for Indie authors on Facebook and we all help one another. I love that it's kind of like a family. If you have a question, usually you can message an author and they will answer. If you need support and someone to share information about you--most are willing to do whatever you need. 

HRH: I've found the blogging community to be a tremendously supportive one, and from what I've seen of indie community online, I'd have to agree with you! Are there any authors who have inspired you to write? Whether from the indie world or from traditional publishing? 

BL: Oh tons! TONS!!! I feel grateful and thankful to all of the indie authors that have published thus far because without them I couldn't have ever imagined my stories being told and out there for others to read. HRH: What are your favorite books you've read recently? 

BL: This year my faves have been... Clockwork Princess, Dark Light series, Plastic Hearts, Wait for You, Losing it, Metamorphosis, Wide Awake, Rule, Running on Empty, If Only, and Shark Bait.... And probably a billion more. I have an addiction. HRH: All-time fave? 

BL: That's tough. I will forever love the Slammed Series by Colleen Hoover, The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski... Oh and The Mortal Instruments Series and Infernal Devices. But I could go on and on and on. HRH: LOL, I know how you feel! So could I! Apart from writing and reading, what do you like to do? 

BL: I like to do things outside whether it's just laying out or going to a baseball game, going on trails, to the zoo... things like that. 

HRH: Outdoorsy girl--nice! :) Thank you so much for the interview, Bayli! 

BL: Thank you, Holly! This was a lot of fun!

~

I hope you enjoyed the interview I had with Bayli Lane as much as I did! Remember that cherry scene Bayli mentioned? The one with Colton and Lilly? Well, here it is! (P.S. make sure to stick around until the very end of this post. I have a special announcement at the end that you do not want to miss!) 

Teaser from Becoming More by Bayli Lane 

**This teaser has not been edited! It can and probably will be changed in some way!** 

“So what kind of music do you listen to?” I question and lick some foam off my lips from the root beer.

He watches my tongue flick over my lips and smiles, “What kind of music do you think I listen to?” He answers with another question. Should have known he would do that.

“Well… Let’s see,” I openly look at his tattooed arm and slowly make my way to his mouth where I stare at his lip ring for a little bit longer than I should. He sucks the metal loop into his mouth and lets go of it with a pop. I quickly force my eyes away and look at his ears that have gages in them. They aren’t huge ones but they aren’t exactly small either. Then I look back into his eyes and give him a knowing smile, “Metal.” I state. It isn’t a question. I’m feeling pretty sure of my answer, actually.

He laughs and it makes my stomach flip. Crap. That laugh is something, “Are you judging me by my looks, Lilly?” He raises an eyebrow in mock horror.

I giggle, “Well, am I wrong?”

He laughs a little more, “No not completely. I do listen to metal, but that’s not all I listen to.”

“Uh huh, sure.” I tease.

“I’ll prove it to you.”

Biting my lip and cracking my fingers nervously, “How?” I ask.

“Come watch my band play tomorrow night.” He says seriously.

I almost laugh thinking he’s teasing me. He is not in a band, right? He does look like he could be in a band. I bet the girls would just love that, wouldn’t they? Like he needs any more sex appeal than what he already has. The more I look at him the more I realize he isn’t kidding. He really is in a band. Remember, Lilly, you have a boyfriend. Sure things haven’t been perfect but you love him.

“You’re in a band?” I say, stupidly. He already said that! Mentally I slap my palm against my forehead. “

Yup, Oliver, Jake, and Chris are all in it.” He takes a spoon and scoops the cherry out of his cup, “Want it?” Moving the spoon towards me.

“You don’t like the cherries?” I ask confused. I mean who doesn't like cherries! That’s the best part.

“I do, but yours didn't come with one. I figured after your night you could use a cherry.”

I laugh, “Because the cherry will fix all of my problems?”

“Okay I lied… This is my way of asking you to come to my band's gig tomorrow. Please. Please with a cherry on top?” he asks and plops the cherry into my float.

I start laughing so hard that I have to grip my stomach. Tears are welling up in my eyes. His eyes are sparkling as he watches me laugh and he’s pressing his lips together trying to keep from laughing.

I finally gain control of myself, wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand, I reach for my spoon and fish the cherry out and pop it into my mouth, “I would have gone without you giving me the precious prize of your beloved cherry. But now you can’t have it back.”

“It was worth it to see you laugh like that.” He reaches over and wipes a tear from my cheek, “These tears are much better than the other ones from earlier.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Becoming More full synopsis:
At first it was all freedom, fun, and games for Lilly Fairfield. Being a freshman in college was supposed to create some of the best memories of her life, especially with her best friend, Lauren, and longtime boyfriend, Sander, by her side. But the excitement begins to slip away when the people closest to her start to change. They begin moving in a direction Lilly doesn't want to go, forcing Lilly to be faced with a decision. Should she fight for her relationships with both Sander and Lauren or move on to something different? Something unknown. Someone like… Colton Davenport. Colton isn't Lilly’s typical type. He's shockingly sexy with his colorful tattoos, shiny silver lip ring, and ear gauges. His smile alone leaves her breathless. Then again, she hasn't had a specific type other than Sander. When she meets Colton she feels an automatic attraction that stuns her into utter stillness. She can’t look away, doesn't want to look away. Lilly must decide between a life with Sander, a life she always thought she wanted, and an unknown path with Colton. Will Lilly make the right choices for her future, Becoming More? **This book is a New Adult Romance- intended for a mature audience.**

Add Becoming More on Goodreads!

Show Bayli Lane some love by "liking" her on Facebook and adding her on Goodreads!

**And NOW for the special announcement. You will be entered in for a chance to win an ebook copy of Bayli's debut novel, Becoming More, if you comment on this post! Just leave a comment below at any time from now until Bayli's book is released in July and you'll be entered! One entry per person (although, by all means, comment more than once if a comment chain occurs :) ) and I will choose a random winner(s?) from the comments the eve of Bayli's book release!

Top Ten Tuesday #1: Books with Tough Subjects

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. You can find more TTT lists from book lovers and bloggers by clicking their name. Since this is the first Top Ten Tuesday I'm participating in, I'm really excited! This Tuesday's topic is:

Top Ten Books Dealing with Tough Subjects

I, unfortunately for this post, don't read that many books with tough subjects such as abuse, neglect, suicide, grief, etc, but I was JUST able to come up with ten books to give you guys! Please leave a comment telling me what your top books dealing with tough subjects are! As you can see, I don't read that many, but if they're super good, I would love to read them!

Here are my top ten books dealing with tough subjects:

#1: Hopeless: I don't want to give away any of the big reveals, but there are some major serious topics in this brilliant book! You need to read it if you haven't already!

Click here to see my review for Hopeless!

#2: Pushing the Limits: The thing I love about Katie McGarry SO much is that her characters ALWAYS have tough lives. In Pushing the Limits, Noah lost his parents in a house fire and his little brothers were swept up by a foster family while he bounced around from foster house to foster house. Echo was almost killed by her own mother and was left with scars, but no recollection of the event. LOVE this book! You also, MUST read this!

Click here to see my review for Pushing the Limits!

#3: Before I Fall: Samantha has to relive one day over and over until she rights the wrongs, and all these wrongs, as well as the conclusion, are very hard-hitting.

#4: November Blues: November just lost her boyfriend in a freak accident and is grieving his loss. And then she learns that she is pregnant. This is my FAVORITE book of Sharon M. Draper.

#5: Chasing Brooklyn: Brooklyn is still grieving the death of her boyfriend on the anniversary of his death and then she hears that her friend, Gabe, the survivor of the car wreck that her boyfriend didn't survive, takes his own life.

#6: My Sister's Keeper: Anna was purposefully conceived so she could be a bone marrow doner for her older sister Kate who has leukemia. Everyone wants and expects this of Anna, but the problem is, Anna doesn't want to anymore. *If you've seen the movie, but haven't read the book, you should SERIOUSLY read this. The movie completely defeats the purpose of the book and this book deserves so much better.

#7: All Unquiet Things: Neily's ex-girlfriend, his friend that he never stopped loving, is murdered and no one knows who did it.

#8: Speak: Melinda is never the same again after she is sexually assaulted at a party one summer night.

#9: Thirteen Reasons Why: Clay is left a box of 13 tapes--13 tapes previously recorded by Hannah, telling him and the others the 13 reasons why she killed herself, and each person who has the tapes somehow contributed to those 13 reasons why... 

Click here to see my review of Thirteen Reasons Why!

#10: Tears of a Tiger: Andy's consumed with guilt for driving the car that crashed and killed his best friend one night of drinking and partying.

Novella Review: Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Official Summary: 

"Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing 'I smite thee ' as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life." For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals--pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty. According to her mother, that's a good thing.But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return-the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death... because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill. The daimons have found her.

Genre: YA mythology + action

My rating for Daimon, (Covenant, #0.5):

This was a super quick prequel novella (62 pages!), but a worthy one. 

**Before I continue with the review, I'd like to note that you should read this prequel AFTER you read Half-Blood otherwise you will be submerged into a world you don't fully understand yet. It'll make more sense if you read this after and you will be able to appreciate it more.

Daimon is a short telling of what life was like for Alex after she escaped the Covenant with her mom and I really enjoyed it for that purpose. Sure we knew from Half-Blood that Alex and her mom had to move around a lot to keep the Covenant from following them; we knew that Alex found her mom killed by a daimon; we knew that Alex had to fight and kill a daimon. But we didn't really KNOW what that was like. 

We could guess and imagine and sympathize with Alex, but that's about it. This prequel novella paints the picture of what it was like for Alex. We learn how she has to deal with moving around a lot, how she found her mom, and what the aftermath was like for her. That probably shocked me the most just because it really dawned on me: Alex found her mother dead in their house. The only person she had left... she found cold and dead on the floor.

I never thought much about how she would have handled and mourned her mother's death, but Daimon shows exactly how that happened.

Daimon goes right up to the beginning of Half-Blood so it's like a pre-extension of Half-Blood and I liked that aspect too. After reading it, I felt like I knew and understood Alex more because of the greater insight this prequel novella provided.

~

Apart from the Covenant series, Jennifer L. Armentrout has another series called the Lux series, a couple stand-alone novels, and she recently began writing new adult novels under the name J. Lynn. I've already reviewed Obsidian (Lux #1) and Half-Blood (Covenant #1) if you'd like to see if they sound like something you'd read. Find out more about Armentrout and her books on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads! 

Add Daimon on Goodreads-->Daimon
Buy Daimon on Amazon--> Daimon

COVER REVEAL: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the full jacket!

There it is you guys! In all its glory! And that's Griffin Peterson from Americal Idol on the cover...O.O What do you guys think?!? I personally was hoping for something with a bit more...strength and depth to it, since the story is such a hard-hitting one... something more than just a photoshot, but I have to admit that it makes a really awesome cover anyway!

But go ahead, tell me your thoughts in the comments! I'm dying to hear them!



Add on Goodreads.
Buy from Amazon and B&N.

{Nerd Blast} Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck (+GIVEAWAY)

Tiger's Quest (Tiger's Curse, #2)

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Winner of a Parent's Choice Award!

You can purchase Tiger's Quest at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository. Get your copy today!

Book Nerd Spotlight: Colleen Houck

Colleen Houck’s New York Times bestselling Tiger’s Curse series has received national praise with the fourth book, Tiger’s Destiny, debuting September 2012. Colleen is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Formerly a student at the University of Arizona, she has worked as a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter for seventeen years. Colleen lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.

Learn more about Colleen Houck and her fabulous (seriously, they're AMAZING!) writings on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads accounts.




And NOW for the giveaway!!! Yay yay yay!
(It's international! Quadruple yay!)

1 Winner will receive a Tiger’s Curse Series Box Set by Colleen Houck.
2 Winners will receive a Signed Paperback Copy of Tiger’s Quest by Colleen Houck.

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Grab this button!

Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop!! (CLOSED)

**US SHIPPING ONLY**

The Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop was created by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer to give readers the chance to clear out their overflowing bookshelves and pass on some of their books to other book lovers. I think this giveaway hop is great because it:

a) allows readers to appreciate a worthy book that has been read once and probably will not taste the fresh air again--without this giveaway, that is.

b) introduces readers to new books.

c) allows readers to own a book that they wish they could own.

d) allows me to empty my limited shelving units (a bit) for my own, new precious arrivals. :)

So without further ado, I have 9 books for you to choose from! They're all in hardcover except for The Twilight Companion and The Giver, which are paperbacks, and they are in MINT condition so you do not have to worry about them falling apart, or even having a scratch really :)

Here are your choices!

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Click any of the links below to continue with the giveaway hop! Have fun and good luck!

Disclaimer: The number of winners will vary depending on my own obligations and the contacting process. If not all nine books are given away during this Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop, I will have another opportunity in the future for others to win the remaining books.

Double Digits Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Guess what you guys??? I hit double digits on my book blog! Meaning: I can now say I have officially posted TEN book reviews on my blog! 

Whoopeeeee!! And to celebrate this small accomplishment, I'm having my first ever giveaway!

So for what I'm calling my Double Digits giveaway, I'll be giving away a Kindle/Nook EBOOK COPY of one of the ten fabulous books I've rated an reviewed on my blog:

Make sure to leave a comment under my BOOK REVIEW of the book you'd like to win because that will be how I know what ebook copy you want if you win! (Links to all my reviews are below the Rafflecopter.) I'll be contacting the winner via email within 24 hours of the end of the giveaway.

Good luck and thank you for being a part of my book blogging journey thus far!

**International Giveaway**

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Links to my reviews:

HOPELESS by Colleen Hoover

THIRTEEN REASON WHY by Jay Asher

BOUNDLESS by Cynthia Hand

VAIN by Fisher Amelie

PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry

RUNNING ON EMPTY by L.B. Simmons

HALF-BLOOD by Jennifer L. Armentrout

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE by Laini Taylor

OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout

SHARK BAIT by Jenn Cooksey

Happy reading!
<3 Holly

Review: Shark Bait by Jenn Cooksey

I think the new cover fits the book so much better than the first one! What do you think?

Goodreads Summary:

Previously homeschooled Camie Ramsey is being shoved into the shark-infested waters of public high school, where even helium filled, penguin bespeckled arm floaties likely won’t help keep her inexperienced, fifteen-year old head above water in that rip current of hormones and emotions.

Camie’s worldly wisdom might be severely lacking (i.e., the closest she’s come to being kissed was sitting too close to the TV whilst Jake Ryan leaned in to give Samantha that fateful 16th birthday kiss), but she does understand her only hope for survival is if she’s thrown some kind of “social” life preserver before she sinks like a freaking rock. However, what will her fate be when she endeavors to flag down the only lifeguard on duty, the enormously popular and ridiculously beautiful Tristan Daniels? The most sought after and virtually most unattainable guy in school who not only makes Camie’s heart flatline on a recurring basis, he’s also the one guy who seemingly doesn’t know she exists.
Feeling like an inept piece of chum that could ultimately be swallowed by Jaws, can Camie get Tristan to rescue her from floundering in the treacherous deep, or is she destined to be Shark Bait?

Genre: YA romance

My rating for Shark Bait (Grab Your Pole #1):

Oh, this one is a funny read. Definitely serious at points, but it has a bucket load of humor that had me laughing throughout the entire book! Smiling and giggling to the point where the people around me kept asking me what was so funny, haha.

I'll start off with Camie. 

Camie, being previously home schooled, is actually more well-versed intelligently than most teens. She's academically smart, has an impressive vocabulary (which I largely admire) and she has a good head on her shoulders! I wasn't sure if I liked her right off the bat, but I do know that Camie was a refreshing character. Her up-front approach  about matters, which were introduced from the start, were not disrespectful or overly opinionated like most teens but they were more thoughtful and keen observations. 

And of course to accompany this is Camie's sense of humor which was a source for my LOLing while reading the book. Her perception, extensive vocabulary, and sense of humor combine make for some quirky and comical  thoughts and statements.

"I've got to pick my jaw up off the floor. I think while I'm down here, I'll pray and thank God for His glorious creation, because seriously, He does some damned fine work. "

Shark Bait, in a rushed summary, tells the story of Camie's first time dealing with public school, gossip, parties, and boys. In one light, one might say the focus of this book is kind of shallow because Camie and her brand-new BFF, Kate, spend their time scoping out and plotting ways to sink the drool-enducing Tristan Daniels. In certain parts of this book I was struck with that light, but for a good portion of it, I was thoroughly entertained!

As crazy as it sounds, I was kind of thrilled by the whole thing because throughout the book, Camie is trying to learn how Tristan works. He's a very private guy you see, despite his popularity, but nothing ever missed his eye so the smallest of gestures from girls turned him cold. 

I liked Tristan because he had issues that were realistic, teenage boy problems. He had a quality to him that was realistic and although he's a private person, this quality drew me to him, made me want to learn more, just as Camie was trying to do. The thought of understanding Tristan only intrigued the nosy stalker in the corner of my soul. ;) And like I said, although at some points I thought the situation was kind of absurd, I think Jenn Cooksey's writing made the whole thing fun. Getting Tristan to fall for Camie became like a challenge for myself and I was engrossed.

What I didn't like about their relationship though was how fast it progressed. It built slowly in the beginning as Camie tried to understand Tristan, but after the break through, they couldn't seem to not touch each other and I was overwhelmed by it. I wanted Camie to say that they needed to slow down, but so many times they came close to hitting a home run (like on their first date!) and for how intelligent and well thought-out Camie was, I didn't expect her to act like that. Especially since Tristan was her first boyfriend, I would have thought she'd want to take things a tad slower...

Something that kind of made up for the rushed relationship was the serious context that webbed its way into the story. I really appreciated the topics that were touched on in this book.

And now for some misfit thoughts:

There are a lot of great references to shows, movies, music, characters, celebrities, and pop culture in this book! I'll admit, some of the references went right over my head, but that's probably due to the fact that I haven't been very exposed to older movies and songs. The ones that I could I identify with though brought along a strong whiff of nostalgia to mind. Sometimes the references were so dead-on it was like, "Woah!" Like the Say Anything reference. Yeah, I wanted to cry at that I loved it so much!

The white board in Tristan's room? Holy exalted naked chest batman!!! That was SOOOOO funny!!!! I think I reread those conversations a few times before continuing on with the story! Bahahaha! I still chuckle when I think about that.

Two additional characters I loved were Jillian, Camie's younger sister, and Jeff, Kate's on-and-off-again boyfriend.They both made me laugh. Jillian is brilliantly cunning. Jeff is a total goof, but he says exactly what is heart is telling him and I found that SO special. I grew really fond of them :) I don't know how someone could not like them!

All in all, a fun, humorous read. I'm glad I read it :)

Find out more about Jenn Cooksey and her 6-book novel series, Grab Your Pole, on her website  Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

**Although Shark Bait is labeled as YA for the age of the characters and because there never was any sex in Shark Bait, I would say this isn't the most juvenile YA novel. There was description of actions and thoughts that went farther than first base and in more than just a few scenes. I'd personally say this book straddles (no pun intended) the line between YA and NA romance. It's probably more of a judgement call for the reader to make.