BLOG TOUR: Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny


Author: Alisha Sevigny
Publication Date: 11/18/14
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Blurb Description:  Popular party girl and high school senior Jessica Scott has a secret: she used to be a nerd — a big one; a goody two-shoes, grade-skipping, all-state spelling bee champ. But she lost the braces, put on some contacts, and applied all her academic genius to studying and imitating the social elite.

 Now she rules the school from the upper echelon of the high school realm. With her cool new friends and hottest-guy-in-school boyfriend, life’s a beach — and that’s where she’s headed for Spring Break. That is, until her teacher breaks the bad news that she’s failing Biology — and her only chance to make up the grade is to throw away the culminating trip of her hard-earned popularity and join the Conservation Club in Panama to save the Golden Frog.

Unable to let go of her faded college dreams, Jess finds herself in a foreign country with a new social crew, and one handsome face that stands out as a blast from the past, threatening to ruin her queen bee reputation. Travis Henley may have grown up, but he still likes to play childish games and as payment for retrieving Jess’ lost ring from the bottom of a jungle pool, he wants three dates. While Jess does battle with spiders, snakes, wildfires and smart mean girls, she desperately tries to hang on to the last vestiges of her popular existence like the Golden Frog from its webbed toe. But as she starts to care about something more than tanning and texting – a species on the verge of disappearing forever – she may realize the worth of her inner nerd, and the one frog in particular that could be her prince in disguise.


Set in the lush and tropical El Valle de Anton, this modern fairytale re-imagining of “The Frog Prince” is toe-curling contemporary romance with an environmentalist heartbeat, in the tradition of Stephanie Perkins.

Add to Goodreads Buy Links: Amazon

About the Author
Alisha Sevigny holds a degree in Sociology and Professional Writing from the University of Victoria, is a film school graduate, former literary agent and current Social Media and Communications Director for an award-winning English school. A shameless romantic, Alisha and her husband have travelled the world together. On a recent trip to Panama with their new daughter, Alisha fell in love with the country, culture, and their national emblem, the Golden Frog. She was inspired to write her first Young Adult novel, Kissing Frogs. Born and raised in Kitimat, British Columbia, Alisha has always had a strong connection to the environment and conservationist spirit. She now lives in Toronto with her family.

**GIVEAWAY**

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**MY REVIEW**

I would consider The Princess and The Frog to be my third favorite childhood tale. The first being The Lion King, and the second being Snow White and the Seven Dwarves!

So, when I was a YA book based on this, I got SUPER excited!

Kissing Frogs was exactly what I expected it to be- a SUPER cute contemporary romance about finding yourself, with a twist! Just, you know, the usual YA book;)

I LOVED Travis- he is the CUTEST boy ever! I've always loved Meg Cabot's How To Be Popular storyline and this fit the bill!

For all the fans of the genre, this is a must read:)

BLOG TOUR: The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1) by Amy Engel

Author: Amy Engel 
Publication Date: 11/04/14
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Blurb Description: After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him




About the Author
 Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas; California; Missouri; Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two kids.  Before devoting herself full-time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV.  When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping. The Book of Ivy is her debut YA novel. Find her online at http://amyengel.net/ or @aengelwrites.

Author Links: WebsiteGoodreadsTwitter

**GIVEAWAY**
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**MY REVIEW**

The Book of Ivy is, simply put, a BRILLIANT book! There is something so amazing in its simplicity of characters, that it shows you amazing depth, something so different about the whole situation, yet so familiar, and something so out of this world that you will NOT believe that cliff hanger ending when you reach it!

Ivy Westfall has a mission. To kill her husband, so that she can avenge her mother's death and so that her family can finally some into power. It's all she's taught- that her husband's family are the evil ones- taking away all freedom from the people to create a monarchy so strong, that people will be too scared to rise up against them.

And yet, even thought Ivy knows what she has to do, Bishop is not the boy she expected him to be. Not an abusive prick, but someone who wants to get to know her, without pressurizing her, and in Ivy's world, that's about all anyone dreams of.

I really can't say more, except- READ IT!

Blog Tour: The Next Breath by Laurel Osterkamp- Review & Giveaway


breath
Welcome to my tour stop for The Next Breath by Laurel Osterkamp. This is an adult contemporary and the tour runs November 17-28th with reviews, interviews & guest posts. Check out the tour schedule for all the posts.



About the Book:


nextbreath-osterkamp-ebookThe Next Breath
Author: Laurel Osterkamp

Blurb Description: I kiss him, choosing love over honesty, which is a choice nobody should ever have to make…"

Robin loves sweet, responsible Nick, with his penchant for Beethoven and Ben Folds Five. But she also still loves her college boyfriend Jed, an irreverent playwright plagued with cystic fibrosis. Now Robin is struggling to reveal her secrets and confront her past, as she finally performs in the play that Jed wrote for her, eleven years ago. Will Robin have the strength to keep her promise and stay true to her heart?

Alternating between present-day scenes, college flashbacks, and segments from Jed’s play, this tear-jerking yet uplifting tale illustrates how life is finite but love is infinite, and the road to recovery begins with the next breath.

 Goodreads | Amazon




About the Author:
LAO_2Laurel Osterkamp becomes very attached to her characters, and it’s hard for her to stop writing about them.  The Holdout, November Surprise, Blue State, Campaign Promises, American Angst and The Next Breath all feature the Bricker family, as their stories continue. (But you can read any of these books in any order.)

You can find Laurel on Twitter but she needs to work on sending clever Tweets. A better idea is to follow her blog at www.laurelosterkamp.blogspot.com.

Laurel teaches in Minneapolis, MN, where she tries to stay warm, spend time with her two nearly perfect children and husband, and find the time to write.  Her other novels are Following My Toes and Starring in the Movie of My Life. Visit her at www.laurelosterkamp.com.


WebsiteTwitter 

Giveaway:
$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends December 3rd, 2014

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** MY REVIEW** 

"We're sharing this blandly remarkable moment, and I'm already feeling nostalgic, because life, unlike love, is finite."

There are some books, that you just don't think you will fall in love with, but sometimes you do. There are others that you blatantly dislike, but the Next Breath was neither. From the very first words on, I knew (and I was right) that this would be a book that would haunt me for some time to come.

There was SO much about it- the honesty and simplicity that each character had- How Robin was so confused about Jed and Nick, in her dreams, and both of the boys themselves!

For the life of me, I can't explain what this book means to me. I've had friends deal with life threatening diseases, and I would go all emo on you. But here is what I can do!

"I want you to have a lifetime full of 'best things' that have ever happened. Promise me, and that will be the last thing I ask for."

"I love you." My words were a Band-Aid when I wanted them to be a cure.

No explanations, no qualifications. He just wanted me there. And somehow I knew: it was the beginning of the end.

We stumbled towards the cafeteria, tripping over each other because we refused to let go.

But soul mates don't come easy, especially not for good girls.

"What exists in fiction exists in reality, even if the concepts were born from some author's head."



BLOG TOUR: A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev


Enter to Win
Print Copy of A BOLLYWOOD AFFAIR (Three Chances to Win)
or $10.00 Amazon Gift Card
Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years—not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be—if her husband would just come and claim her.

Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naïve village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life—cooking her dal and rotis, escorting her to her roommate’s elaborate Indian wedding, and wondering where his loyalties and happiness lie.

Heartfelt, witty, and thoroughly engaging, Sonali Dev’s debut is both a vivid exploration of modern India and a deeply honest story of love, in all its diversity.

Advance Praise for A Bollywood Affair:


“Sonali Dev is a fresh new voice in romance. A child bride who’s all grown up, a sexy Bollywood director, and deeply-felt emotions that will keep readers turning the pages. A Bollywood Affair has it all.” –Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times Bestseller

“Deeply romantic and emotional, with characters I fell in love with, A Bollywood Affair is simply unputdownable. It’s sexy, it’s dramatic, but most of all, it’s a sweet, hot love story that made me sigh and smile and want to read it all over again as soon as I turned the last page.” -Nalini Singh, New York Times Bestseller






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Sonali Dev’s first literary work was a play about mistaken identities performed at her neighborhood Diwali extravaganza in Mumbai. She was eight years old. Despite this early success, Sonali spent the next few decades getting degrees in architecture and writing, migrating across the globe, and starting a family while writing for magazines and websites.

With the advent of her first gray hair her mad love for telling stories returned full force, and she now combines it with her insights into Indian culture to conjure up stories that make a mad tangle with her life as supermom, domestic goddess, and world traveler.

Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog.



Find Sonali Here: Website | Facebook Twitter | Goodreads



Character Interview:

Set the Scene for where Mili and Samir are being interviewed)
Samir and Mili welcome you into their Mumbai penthouse home. They are sitting on a plush leather loveseat under a huge, very modern painting and there’s enough food laid out for twenty people on the coffee table. The floor to ceiling windows present a view of the Mumbai skyline all around you. 

~First thoughts about the other when you first met?
Mili: Look at him. What would you think?
Samir (to Mili): What’s wrong with the way I look?
Mili: Don’t encourage him. That’s his line to get you to tell him how pretty he is.
Samir (rolls his eyes): What do you think I thought when I first met her? I thought she was crazy. Because she is.
                                           
~Mili, how does being married to Samir compare to being married to your arranged husband?

Mili: (Slides a quick glance at Samir and they share a secret smile) That wasn’t a marriage! (Mili and Samir say together).
Samir: Although, it took her long enough to admit it.
Mili: Well, it was a marriage not a TV show that you just stop watching because you don’t like it.
Samir: Why don’t you just answer the question, Mili?
Mili: See how much he enjoys being praised.
Samir: That’s her way of saying that I’m a great husband and that she couldn’t be happier and that she thinks she’s the luckiest girl in the world.
Mili: Maybe. 
                                                        
~Samir, how has Mili taken to life with a Famous Director?

Samir: Haven’t you noticed how intimidated by my fame she is? Seriously, though, I think the better question is, how has my work taken to Mili? Last month she got all the stars in my film to do a fundraiser for her Women’s Safe House. And she’s got the hero of my film doing a public service announcement on TV about how real men treat women. Right now she’s working to organize a panel with all these star actresses talking to young mothers in rural areas around Mumbai about educating their daughters.   


~Are your families very accepting of this "New" Relationship?

Samir: Accepting isn’t the right word. It’s more like fervently supportive. Essentially, they would kill me if I hurt her in any way.

Mili: Except that if they tried to hurt you, my grandmother would kill them. My grandmother even let him buy her a cell phone. And she actually talks to him every day. I have no idea what they talk about. What do you two talk about, Samir?

Samir: She gives me tips on how to handle you.

~Three Qualities you Love about another?  Three you could do without?

Samir: She’s generous to a fault, works far too hard, and wants to change everything that’s wrong with the world. Oh, and she’s beautiful.

Mili: (wipes her eyes) He makes me cry all the time. And he cooks the best dal in the world. Oh, and he can spend hours staring at his paintings, and he refuses to let anyone else clean his car. He spends hours polishing it and buffing it and I think I caught him singing to it the other day.

~Mili, What are your plans for the Future career-wise, family-wise, etc?
Mili: Samir and I are working on setting up a safe house for battered women where they can get legal help and vocational training. Thanks to Samir we’ve been able to raise funds really fast. And we’re working turning Samir’s ancestral home in our village into a school for girls. 

~Samir, what about you, now that you have found Mili, where is your life, career, etc headed?
Samir: You mean what are my plans other than trying to keep up with my wife? Well, she thinks my films are too dark, so I’m working on one of those happy films.



BLOG TOUR: The Unhappening of Genesis Lee by Shallee McArthur


Author: Shallee McArthur
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release Date: November 18th 2014
Rate:  4 Stars!
Blurb Description: Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything. As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically-enhanced humans—Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve memories perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.

Anyone could be next. Which is why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims that they’ve not only met, but that Gena knows who the thief is.

The problem is, Gena doesn’t remember Kalan, she doesn’t remember seeing the thief, and she doesn’t know why she’s forgetting things— or how much else she might forget. As growing tensions between Mementi and ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they have to solve the mystery fast.

Because Gena’s life is unhappening around her.

My memory skills are terrible. Like, really. I'm not talking about what I ate for dinner yesterday, but more like why I acted like I did, and why I made the decisions that I did- it's like I have no recollection of it. Like, none. Even by childhood, is just a blur, with only a few memories sharp.

Which is why I find I felt the NEED to read The UnHappening of Genesis Lee- because how cool would it be to never forget anything, ever- because everything is stored, right there, for you to access, whenever and wherever you may want to!

Pretty Amazing, Right?

I Absolutely LOVED the book- the entirely new world, filled with all the tiny details- about the Mementi and the Populace, and the tension between them, how people just don't touch each other, because why would you want to share all your secrets with a single touch- and SO much more, that made the book so easy to slip into- so SO realistic!

I absolutely LOVED Genesis (Gena)- mostly due to the way we got to know her. Not as someone that is just plain mean or dumb, nor too courageous, but as someone normal. Like, really! With her friends and their boyfriend issues, how she guards herself and her memories, and even her fear. It was all SO real- and BRILLIANT!

I have nothing more to say, about the actual story line, but it should suffice to say that:

My Verdict:

This book is DEFINITELY worth a read!
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Follow the FFBC The Unhappening of Genesis Lee and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Shallee McArthur originally wanted to be a scientist, until she discovered she liked her science best in fictional form. When she’s not writing young adult science fiction and fantasy, she’s attempting to raise her son and daughter as proper geeks. A little part of her heart is devoted to Africa after volunteering twice in Ghana. She has a degree in English from Brigham Young University and lives in Utah with her husband and two children.
She is represented by Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates. Her YA sci fi novel, THE UNHAPPENING OF GENESIS LEE, debuts from Sky Pony Press Nov. 4, 2014.

And because people always ask, her name is pronounced "shuh-LEE." But she answers to anything that sounds remotely close.
Giveaway is open to US/CAN Only | Must be 13 or older to enter 
There's an Scavenger Hunt for extra points in the rafflecopter! All you have to do is go to the tour schedule and search for those blogs hosting a QUOTE CARDIn the quote teasers/cards you'll find a word in yellow and that's the secret word you have to enter in the rafflecopter.