First Encounter by Candy O'Donnell

Welcome to our stop on the blog tour!

            Book Blurb:

She didn't only touch his heart... she touched his soul.

Twenty-two year old Eric Holtzer didn't know what hit him when he first encountered Vivian DuCrane in the hotel lobby. Being a Prince from another country did have its benefits--awesome benefits, such as booze, fast cars, and women, but Vivian was something special--and she was about to turn his world upside down!

       Christina's Review: I wasn't immediately drawn into this story. I felt like it started out slow. I also felt like the plot had holes and the story moved quickly, like the plot was rushed. It didn't flow well for me. To me it wasn't G rated but more PG. There was a lot of references to sex and alcohol but the main character is a playboy type. It bothered me that he was "cut off" but then his mom immediately went to his aid and he was given everything back. It was good but not one that I felt like I couldn't put down because I was so captivated by the story. It isn't one that I will go back and read again and again like some other books that I have read.  

About the Author: 

Candy O’Donnell was born in Carmichael, California.

At the age of twelve, she wrote her first mini book. Filled mostly with what took place with her mother and her long tedious bout with leukemia. It was a short story told as extra credit when she suffered a sprained ankle and had to be out of school for over two months. School officials refused to believe a word of what she had written until her grandmother, her guardian back then, entered the school with the truth. Everything she had written down was exactly what took place. Unfortunately her mother succumbed to the disease.

             She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and Culture. After living with her aunt and uncle for over five years she wished to explore her uncle’s Native heritage and did so with vigor. She also has 6 Grad units in Criminal Justice. Someday she might go back and finish her Master’s.

Split Second by Kasie West

Synopsis taken from Goodreads:
Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

Christina's Review: I loved the first book Pivot Point. I was so excited to hear that a sequel was being written. . . and I WAS NOT disappointed!! I loved this book. It was awesome, amazing, just great! It was clean, entertaining, intriguing, captivating and more. It was a great book! The characters are great. The storyline was intriguing. The book picks up after Addie lives out the path she chose after her search. I was hooked from page 1 and read it through in a day! Read Pivot Point and Split Second and you will be a big fan of Kasie West!!

Taming the Wolf Series by Katie Lee O'Guinn

Christina's Review: If you're looking for a good, clean series to read this one is really great! Rather than review each one separately I am just going to review the whole series and recommend them to read! They were really good. I know books about vampires and werewolves are everywhere these days and I was a little skeptical before I started #1 but I ended up loving the storyline and characters and quickly read all 4!!! They really are interesting and entertaining books. . . and CLEAN! Which is hard to find sometimes!

Frogs and Toads by Stacy Lynn Carroll

One kiss can change the future...for better or for worse.
Belle and her cousins have conquered their fears. Now as they navigate their way through the dating world, they start to see a "happily ever after" on the horizon. But when an unexpected school assignment forces them to examine their past, the Princess sisters realize they have a lot of questions about the fathers they've never met. Secrets are revealed, long lost family members are discovered, and now the girls must decide who belongs in their future and who should be kept in the past. (Taken from Goodreads)

Christina's Review: I love the book Frogs and Toads! It cute and clean and just enjoyable to read. A nice book to sit down and relax with. I love the analogy about boys and whether they are frogs and toads. . . very true! You'll have to read the book to read the analogy :) The cousins have an assignment about their fathers which opens up the past for their moms whether they like it or not. So many twists and turns as you learn about the fathers. I hope their are more books coming about the Princess Sisters!!

The Princess Sisters by Stacy Lynn Carroll

Goodreads Synopsis: The only thing she stands to lose are her shoes.
Cinderella is an ordinary teenage girl, with an extraordinary name. But because of that name, she and her cousins, Belle, Aurora, Ariel, and Snow White suffer years of torment from their peers. Then as the girls enter high school and the enticing world of dating, a life-altering decision must be made. Is it finally time to stop fighting, and surrender to the fairy tale clichés that have been holding them back? By embracing their names, the girls discover an inner-strength they never knew existed. And by putting everything they have on the line, maybe, just maybe they will discover there really is such a thing as ‘happily ever after.'

Christina's Review: I thought this was a cute, fun read. It was entertaining. It is about sisters/cousins who are all named after princesses. I liked it so much I bought the sequel.

Second to No One by Natalie Palmer

"Things change. People change. Jess and I weren't above it."

Gemma's first year of high school isn't starting out the way she hoped. Jess is back from California, and before she can memorize her class schedule their summer romance comes to a screeching halt. To add to her misery the gorgeous new girl in school also has eyes for Jess, and despite Gemma's unfailing attempts to win him back she keeps finding herself alone.

But when a late night car crash lands her a three-month grounding and twenty hours of community service, she discovers that there's more to life than just romance and boyfriends.

Unpredictable and heart wrenching, Second to No One is the perfect continuation to the magical beginning of the Gemma and Jess romance.


Christina's Review: The sequel to Second Kiss is just as great as the first. I loved this book. I love the characters Jess and Gemma and I love reading about their relationship. They have their misunderstandings but they are best buds. It makes you wish you had a best bud like that growing up. I am excited to read more of the Jess and Gemma story!

Second Kiss by Natalie Palmer

'Even my most humiliating moments seemed funny somehow when I told them to Jess.' Gemma Mitchell is a normal girl who somehow gets herself into abnormally embarrassing circumstances. And while she thinks she's the biggest loser in school because of them, there are a few people in her life who would disagree. One of those people is her best friend, Jess Tyler, who is opposite to her in every way. He's popular, good looking, athletic, and intelligent, and he can't get enough of Gemma. But while Gemma is dealing with problems like wrong locker combinations and Valentine's Day dances, Jess is living in a world of serious issues that are foreign to Gemma, until she realizes that he's holding on to her for dear life. Humorous and true to life, Second Kiss is an entertaining saga about a boy and girl who find that their lives have a lot more meaning once they have shared them with each other. (Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

Christina's Review: I really loved this book. I love the relationship between Jess and Gemma. It is such a cute story.

Be Mine (Book 2 in the Love and Trust Trilogy) by Shannon Guymon

Synopsis taken from Goodreads: Men are terrifying to Bailey Downing. Not that she wants anyone to know that, but with her mom insisting she fall in love and Kam Matafeo pushing her to feel things she doesn't want to feel, Bailey is determined to make a nice, safe choice. Dean Hogan is the perfect man for her. Smart, wealthy, charming and best of all, safe. But when her romance begins to unravel with Dean, she's faced with a choice: open her heart, or stay safe, cold and lonely. Kam is determined to help Bailey no matter what it takes and with the support of her sister Taryn and her brother Rob, she makes the decision to be brave. But Kam's ex-girlfriend Meredith isn't shy about wanting him back. Bailey will have to learn to fight for what she really wants. The question is, would she rather be safe or would she rather be loved.

Christina's Review: Another great read from Shannon Guymon! Be Mine continues from where Come to Me leaves off; only this time the story focuses more on Bailey and Kam. One thing that I love about reading Shannon Guymon's series are the characters from the previous stories show up and you get to read more about them and their story. In the Love and Trust Trilogy you get appearances from the Kendall sisters from the Love and Dessert series. It's so nice to sit back and relax with a good book. This one won't disappoint. It is a good clean story with good characters and good conflicts. I also love that you get to read the next book in the series so quickly. It always stinks to wait months or even years for a sequel to come out. And isn't the cover incredible!?! I'm excited to read book 3!!!

Blog Tour Stop for Borrowed Angel by Erica Kiefer

 

I am happy to be the first stop on the blog tour for the book launch party!

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

“A day at a time, a week at a time, we hoped we would survive this.”

Borrowed Angel is the poignant story of a mother who lost her first child to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In this captivating book, the author describes her journey through the gauntlet of grief and reveals how hope can be found even amid tragedy.

Weaving spirituality with a practical approach to healing, Borrowed Angel reflects on motherhood, the grieving process,
and the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Christina's Review: Borrowed Angel by Erica Kiefer is a heart-wrenching and heart-warming story. It is non-fiction and is a very personal account written by Erica after she lost her baby who died from SIDS. I was in tears from page one. I could only read a few pages at a time so that my kids wouldn't ask me what was wrong. It started off so heart-wrenching as you read the account of her baby's death. As the book describes their grief and the ways they cope and hold tight to the gospel the mood of the book changes slightly and becomes heart-warming. She talks about the things that happened to help her after her son died, the people Heavenly Father put in her path to help her.  It is a really good book; full of hope and reminders to cherish the time we have with our loved ones. You feel her testimony through her words. There is life after death. Families can be forever! Even if you haven't suffered a loss this is a really good book. She has really good insights. It was a good reminder that our time on earth can end at any time. We don't know how long we have to hold our precious ones close. I know after reading this I gave each of my children more attention and a little extra love because I could. When you read this book have some Kleenexes nearby!

 

Click here to link to the launch party!

Click here to link to the Rafflecopter Giveaway!

 

Come to Me (Book 1 in the Love and Trust Trilogy) by Shannon Guymon

Book Synopsis taken from Goodreads: Will the past repeat itself? Rob hasn't had the best of luck when it comes to women and his epic failure with Kit  Kendall is still very fresh. Rob might be successful in sports and in business but does he have what it takes to be successful in love? When Rob gets to know Wren Tyler, his sous chef, he's willing to try again even knowing he could get hurt. Wren on the other hand, is very attracted to Rob, but she knows she's not in his league. So when he starts to pay her attention, who could blame her for being a little suspicious? But have Wren's past heartbreaks destroyed her ability to trust? And will Rob be able to overcome his past failures and become the man Wren needs him to be? Only true love will be able to heal Wren's heart and help her trust again.

Christina's Review: If you loved the love and dessert trilogy, you will love the first book in Shannon's newest Love and Trust trilogy- Come to Me. It was fun to read about Rob to see if he had learned from his past mistakes or would history repeat itself? Shannon does a fabulous job developing her characters. In fact you get to see more of the characters from the love and dessert series! The characters are great. There is more chocolate and other yummy sounding desserts and entrees! Reading this might make you hungry :) I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down. And look at that cover, it's gorgeous!! I'm looking forward to books 2 and 3!!

A Soul's Kiss by Debra Chapoton

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When a tragic accident leaves Jessica comatose, her spirit escapes her body. Navigating a supernatural realm is tough, but being half dead has its advantages.

Like getting into people’s thoughts.

Like taking over someone’s body.

Like experiencing romance on a whole new plane - literally.

Jessica learns an amazing truth as she struggles to return to her body before the doctors pull the plug, only she can’t do it alone. Now the only two people willing to help Jessica’s splintered soul are the two she’s hurt the most. They must find a way to guide her soul back to her body ... before it’s too late.


Christina's Review:
I received an ARC of A Soul's Kiss to review and I read it in one day. I really enjoyed A Soul's Kiss. It was interesting  and had a good plot. It took a few pages for me to be hooked but once I was I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen! It is written from several different perspectives. Each chapter is from a different character's point of view. This made it even more interesting and intriguing. It was a cute storyline and I think it ended really well. The book  was clean which is very important to me when reading a YA book. BUT there is some mention of partying, drugs and sex. . . not descriptive but just a mention. I would have liked it better without that but it wasn't terrible and still clean. The mentions didn't make me uncomfortable like some books I have read. I hope you read A Soul's Kiss. I loved how seeing things from different points of view helps change Jessica's perspective and helps her improve and grow. It was a really cute story!!

Escaping Safety (by Bonnie Gwyn) Blog Tour

Book Synopsis: Christina has grown up literally "sheltered" in a sanctuary run by mysterious Officials who offer safety in exchange for captivity. She's already suspicious of the Officials when she meets Tyler Andrus, commander of the T-Squad: a group of rebels on a quest to destroy the sanctuaries and bring light back into the world. Having yearned for freedom all her life, she joins them in a journey of hope, terror, and self-discovery.

CHRISTINA'S REVIEW:

Hi and welcome to my stop on the Escaping Safety blog tour! I was given an ARC of this book to read and review. It has been a crazy weekend here with all of my kids and husband getting the stomach flu so it was nice to have a good book to sit and read between loads of laundry. I enjoyed reading Escaping Safety and not just because I share the name of the main character :) I thought the book was well written and the storyline was interesting and intriguing. I didn't really enjoy the ending but that is because it left me wanting more to read. . . to continue the story and find out what happens next. I am excited to find out more about Alex and what is going on with him. He was a confusing character. Is he really as bad as he seems? What will happen with the T-squad. Reading this book left so many questions. The writer does a good job with being vague. There is definitely no guarantees in this book. You definitely can't predict an ending in her story. It is very intriguing. I didn't realize until I saw the cover that it was a trilogy. But I am excited to continue Christina's story and will definitely pick up books 2 and 3 when they are released.

About the author:

Bonnie Gwyn wrote her first book, about a talking grandfather clock, when she was six – and hasn’t stopped writing since. In fact, she can’t “not write,” and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She hasn’t missed a day of writing in her journal for the past four years!  As a winner in this year’s National Novel Writing Month challenge, Bonnie produced her latest dystopian novel, Escaping Safety, and is now working on its sequel. She is also close to completing a fantasy romance series, The Legends of Elldamorae, whose characters have captured her heart and can’t wait to have their stories revealed.  

Bonnie's mantra is, "I write because I believe every story deserves to be told."   
To Purchase Escaping Safety

Sitnalta by Alisse Goldenberg

I am privileged today to be the next stop on the blog tour for Alisse Goldenberg's novel Sitnalta.

Everyone in the land loves Princess Sitnalta of Colonodona. Everyone except her father, the monstrous King Supmylo, whose thirst for revenge and hideous cravings, have nearly destroyed the once peaceful kingdom. He cares only for power—the more the better—and he despises Sitnalta because she wasn’t born a boy. He wanted an heir, a prince, to grow his kingdom and fulfill his own father’s legacy. But now, his only choice is to join with a neighboring kingdom, and at the tender age of 15, Sitnalta is to be married to another king who is at least as old as her own father.

But Sitnalta has other ideas. Before her father can come for her, she sneaks out of her bedroom window, scales the castle walls, and enters the magical forest that surrounds her kingdom. There she meets Najort, a kind-hearted troll, who was tasked by a wizard decades earlier to protect a valuable secret—with his life, if necessary.

But King Supmylo has vowed that nothing will stop him from returning his daughter to Colonodona, and forcing her to go through with the royal wedding. With the help of friends from both kingdoms, Sitnalta and Najort flee ahead of the rabid king. For if they are captured, Supmylo will become so invincible, no one could stand against him

Christina's Review: This is not a genre I would normally pick up but I have to say I enjoyed reading it. It was interesting and intriguing. I continued on because I wanted to know how the story would end. . . to find out how everything would wrap up. The ending wasn't what I expected. The storyline was cute and full of fantasy like a magic coin and a troll. I liked that Sitnalta was a brave and headstrong girl. She stands up to her father and stands up for her friends. Also before you have your young ones read this there was some swearing in the book.

Alisse Lee Goldenberg is an author of Horror and Young Adult fantasy fiction having written The Strings of the Violin (Prizm Books) and Bath Salts a Zombie Novel (Severed Press). She has her Bachelors of Education and a Fine Arts degree, and has studied fantasy and folk lore since she was a child. Alisse lives in Toronto with her husband Brian, their triplets Joseph, Phillip, and Hailey, and their rambunctious Goldendoodle Sebastian.
You can follow her at www.alisseleegoldenberg.com
Website: www.alisseleegoldenberg.com
Blog: http://www.alisseleegoldenberg.com/ramblings.html
Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alisse-Lee-Goldenberg/254397934598975

 Link to Buy Book:

United We Spy by Ally Carter

Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever. (taken from goodreads)                    

 

Christina's Review: I am a big fan of Ally Carter and of her Gallagher Girls series. I am sad to see the series end! I started on the road with Cammie in book one where she was starting her first semester of  her sophomore year. Each book is a semester of her training at spy school. I loved it. I loved the whole series. It is a Young Adult book but I have recommended it to all of my friends whether they are young women or adult women. When asked about a series to read this is the first one I recommend. Some series get can get really old by the time you get to the last book but not this one. This series has you hooked from page one of book one. You will want to read all 6 to follow the Gallagher girls through their spy school training. It is clean and captivating. There is never a dull moment. It is a real page turner.

Ally Carter ties up everything nicely to finish it all off. Fabulous read!

 

I won't give any spoilers because this is a brand new release but it was excellent!

 

 

 

For What It's Worth by Karey White

Twenty-four year-old, Abby Benson has dreams of owning her own wedding cake shop. An inheritance from her aunt gives her the ability to make those dreams come true. She hires Dane, a handsome contractor, to help her get the bakery up and running and soon they’re moving toward their own happy ending.

Unsure what to charge for her cakes, Abby has a crazy idea to let the customers decide what they think their cake is worth. This plan has its ups and downs, but the novelty of the idea makes her a local celebrity. When she is interviewed on television about the unusual idea, business booms and Abby has cake adventures she never dreamed possible. But as her fame grows, Abby is swept up in a whirlwind that threatens everything she values. With the challenges that face her, will she be able to determine what is worth the most?


Christina's Review: I thought this story was so cute! I loved the storyline. I love the idea of letting her customers decide what the cake is worth. I loved  the characters. Abby's philosophy is unique and brings a lot of business to her shop. She has to figure out how to manage her time between cakes and Dane. It is a really cute story. I am a fan of Karey White!!!

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

Christina's Review: I thought this was a really cute story. I have read it a few times now. Elizabeth is obsessed with the idea of marrying a Mr. Darcy type. Her mind is made up but her heart is saying something else. The characters are great. The storyline is good. I started reading it and didn't want to stop. I think it is a wonderful story and I recommend it!

And My Beloved is Mine by Kate Nash

Kaycee, thinks she's got everything figured out. Graduate from high school, get out of the small town that she's from, get into Art School, and move to New York with her best friend. She has plans.

Logan didn't even want to move to the tiny town with his family. He has his own plans for his life, plans that don't include a brown eyed girl in a small town.

Can Kaycee come to understand and accept the kind of love that Logan offers? Will their different plans tear both of them apart? Will they find the kind of love that so many spend their entire lives searching for, and so few find?

Christina's Review: After reviewing Fight For You on amazon I was approached by this author to read and review her book, And My Beloved is Mine. I am not the type of reader/reviewer that looks at a book and critiques writing style or technique. I want to read a book that is entertaining and clean. If a book doesn't catch me from the first few pages then I don't want to keep reading. This book had me hooked from page one. I did not want to stop reading. In fact I read it in one day! There were some editing errors but my eyes just catch those. The errors did not deter from the story and the few errors didn't keep me from reading on. The love story was sweet and sappy and clean. . . reading it was just like watching a happy chick flick. I love books like that. A happy love story. An escape from the stresses we face in reality. The characters were good and the storyline was cute and entertaining. The Williams family was really sweet and loving. It would have been easier to endure high school with a sweet handsome boy like Logan. It is a good book and one that I would recommend. I look forward to reading more by Kate Nash!

My Sweetheart (Love and Dessert #3) by Shannon Guymon

Loved it! Strong finish to the trilogy. Loved Jane's story. Great to see all the story lines tied up. Shannon Guymon is a great writer! She has a way of pulling you into her story, into her character's life. There were moments in the story that my eyes got a little misty :) I loved the trilogy. Each book was fabulous! Loved the Kendall sisters and their special bond . I recommend this book -- after you read the first two of course!! And I am already looking forward to whatever Shannon writes nex...more Jane Kendall loves her new life. She loves baking. She loves working with her sisters. And oh yeah, she loves Tate Matafeo most of all. Which would be great if he loved her back. Jane refuses to let heartbreak rule her life though, so she turns to Google and finds 10 easy steps on How To Fall Out Of Love. As helpful as Google is, Tate Matafeo is a hard habit to break especially when her new friend Meredith insists she come to a Rugby game and Tate happens to be on the team. Alex Foster is one man willing to take her mind off of Tate, but Jane knows trouble when she sees it and ends up getting a restraining order. Between Kit’s wedding, Tate’s mixed signals, Alex’s obsession and her father’s rehab, Jane wonders if she’ll ever get her happy ending Christina's Review: Loved it! Strong finish to the trilogy. Loved Jane's story. Great to see all the story lines tied up. Shannon Guymon is a great writer! She has a way of pulling you into her story, into her character's life. There were moments in the story that my eyes got a little misty :) I loved the trilogy. Each book was fabulous! Loved the Kendall sisters and their special bond . I recommend this book -- after you read the first two of course!! And I am already looking forward to whatever Shannon writes next.

Stolen Kiss by Cindy M Hogan

Episode #2 of Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips

With my VL card gone, my flickering light of hope lay with Ryker, someone else who'd caught my eye. Only he could erase the memory of Luke, the boy who lip-raped me. Unfortunately, Luke was determined to keep me, or at the very least, ruin me.

Christina's Review: Episode 2 was just as good and entertaining and the first one. I was stuck from page one. I couldn't stop. I wanted to continue Brooklyn's story. It ended too fast. I immediately went searching to see if #3 had been released yet. These are cute episodes. I hope Cindy M Hogan keeps them coming!

First Kiss by Cindy Hogan

VL. Virgin Lips. You may not have heard of it, but where I live, it's a thing with a card, even if it is a figurative card. I was Brooklyn Hamlin, certified virgin lips, and I planned on clinging to that figurative card with all I had--while dating as many of the hottest guys at school as I could.
Maybe that's a bit strange. I mean, what teenage girl isn't interested in kissing? Locking lips definitely interested me, but the drama that came with it didn't. No kissing, no drama. Simple.
But on my sixteenth birthday, on my first real date even, the drama found me. His name was Luke Graham--cute, funny, and bad news for the whole female race.

Christina's Review: I thought this book was hilarious. It reminded me of being young and becoming of age to date. It was cute, entertaining and fun to read. It was a quick read but it had me smiling and laughing throughout the story. I look forward to more episodes being published.