Hey Everyone! I'm so excited to be a part of the Sunday Street Team for Girl Out Of Water by Ms. Laura Silverman. I came across the book after following Laura on Twitter, and of course, I could not pass up a chance to read the book and promote it. The number one things that caught my eye was the cover, and just the way that the blue lured my in so my post for today is some graphics that i have created on some of my favorite quotes of the book as some of you guys who are frequent readers of my blog know, I really love graphic design, and wanted to do something a bit different for this post. I also wanted to let you guys know that I will have a review for the book up sometime in the future, probably once school gets out but in the meantime, I will include all the buy links, author info, etc... :) Also!! There's a giveaway at the end of this post as well from Laura as part of SST so be sure to enter that as well! *Disclaimer: All of the photos used in my designs are royalty free images found online. I am not claiming that I took them, nor did I steal them. All of the designs however, are mine* Synopsis (GR): Fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen will fall in love this contemporary debut about finding yourself-and finding love-in unexpected places. Ocean breeze in her hair and sand between her toes, Anise can't wait to spend the summer before her senior year surfing and hanging out on the beach with friends. Santa Cruz is more than her home-it's her heart. But when her aunt, a single mother, is in a serious car accident, Anise must say goodbye to California to help care for her three young cousins. Landlocked Nebraska is the last place Anise wants to be. Sure, she loves her family, but it's hard to put her past behind her when she's living in the childhood house of the mother who abandoned her. And with every Instagram post, her friends back home feel further away. Then she meets Lincoln, a charismatic, one-armed skater who challenges her to swap her surfboard for a skateboard. Because sometimes the only way to find your footing is to let go. Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29640839-girl-out-of-water Preorder Links: Amazon- US: http://amzn.to/2nMpDV1 Amazon - UK: http://amzn.to/2ohyxh6 Barnes & Nobles: http://bit.ly/2ohJC1x Book Depository: http://bit.ly/2oaYo9S Social Media: Blog: http://www.laurasilvermanwrites.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LJSilverman1 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15148197.Laura_Silverman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljsilverman1/ About the Author: Laura received her MFA in writing for children from the New School. She loves books and dogs—okay, and quite a few people too. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. You can say hello on Twitter at @LJSilverman1. And don't forget about the giveaway!! You can access it through this link here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/aedf8e5835/ What do you guys think about the post? I had so much fun creating all the graphics, so let me know if you want to see more of them on my blog in the future. Also tell me, have you read this book yet and what you think about it! Until next time, leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. I will be back soon with another post!
~Brooke
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Hey everyone! Today's post is another guest post, and this time it's from the author of the newly released book True North: L.E. Sterling. Keep reading, and I hope you guys like it! World Craft There’s a point in True North where my main characters, Lucy Fox and Jared Price, end up somewhere new. As I started writing my couple into this different space (literally outside the world of Dominion) I started thinking, how did the characters get there? Besides the obvious (duh - you wrote them there), my mind wandered to the question of how I could write about places I’ve never been. Let me get the easy truth out of the way first: it’s a heck of a lot easier to write about places you’ve never been if they are set in a dystopian sci-fi/fantasy future. Dominion City, where the True Born novels are (mostly) set, is not a place I’ve been because, despite the fact that it’s based on a real North American city, it really is a city of the future—a place of the imagination. Eventually, Lucy and Jared end up in a small city in Russia (also a real place). But I’ve never been to Russia, either, let alone a future-tense Russia. Still, at a certain point I had to ask myself, does that matter? The answer is: yes. And no. I guess there’s a specific kind of freedom that’s possible when you write sci-fi and fantasy. The real world can be your canvas, but it’s a warped canvas, more like a Picasso painting, all jumbled and strange, than the realism of a photograph. The ‘real world’ details that you’d typically rely upon as a writer don’t matter as much. But what are these ‘real world’ details? These are things we all know about in the here and now, like: that the sky over Montana is big or that 5th Avenue in Manhattan is a pretty awesome place to go if you have a gold card, or that the metro (subway) in Montreal, Quebec look like toy trains. That magnolias smell sweet and cut grass has a distinctive scent that often smells like childhood. We live in a world where there are four seasons (in some states) and the Kardashian sisters and Syrian refugees. Dominion, on the other hand, is an amalgam of city spaces that I know very well, but projected into another reality. The smells and flavors that would ordinarily be present in a city, giving it its distinct flavor (and also making it readily identifiable by readers) are skewed in Dominion. Here, the sky is leaden and white-gray. The stores are closed and the streets are populated by a growing number of corpses, with rovers to collect them. There are dog-sized rats and graffiti everywhere, though not the kind of tagging you’d see outside your school today. To write convincingly about a place is to make it real to your readers. So the question is, how do you write convincingly about a place if you don’t know the space you’re writing about? You make sure you think about all of those little details. “World craft” is what Sci-fi Fantasy novels do best. SF/F writers quite literally create the map—and then fill it in. My favorite books are those that provide you a map of their fantasy world complete with rivers, mountains and lakes. Writers can write these make-believe places so well because they make these worlds. And the more the writer thinks through the nuances of their world(s) (are there birds here? Do people shake hands or do they bump elbows?) the more convinced the reader becomes. It was when I’d stuck Lucy and Jared on an ancient cruise ship that I realized I’d come to some dramatic conclusions about the world of the True Born Trilogy, and specifically about this place outside of Dominion. The sky, leaden over Dominion, sometimes peeks blue over the ocean. The ship is powered by coal and Lasters who will likely die before the end of the journey, while hundreds of Upper Circlers, as well as some members of the Gilt, sup from fine china. As I wrote, I saw Dominion get bigger, and more complex, and more and more detailed. Every sentence revealed to me some new nuance of the world, each detail changing something about the way the characters acted and reacted to their environment. For me, that pure creativity is one of the best things about being a writer. I am a maker of worlds. I hope you guys liked it and I will be back soon with another post!
Remember to leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. ~Brooke Hey everyone! I'm back again today and you guessed it! It's another guest post! This one is from the author of the newly released book Other Breakable Things, Kelley York and is about her writing process and advice she gives to new and aspiring writers (which is super cool especially since it's the final stretch of Camp Nanowrimo and I'm still trying to meet my goal)! You can also find my review of the book here: Other Breakable Things. One of the most common questions I’ve seen authors asked—especially by newer writers or aspiring authors—has to do with our writing processes. Do we plot everything out ahead of time? Do we write as it comes to us? Do we write in chronological order or skip around? What about revisions and edits? What’s the right way to write?! It’s like asking an artist what the correct way to draw is. You’re going to get thousands of answers because it depends. So while I can’t tell you what the “right” process in, I can tell you a little about my process. Every single one of my books begins with a character. For HUSHED, it was Archer. Vincent for SUICIDE WATCH. Chance for MADE OF STARS. I start fleshing that character out and ask questions about them: Who are they? What do they like/dislike? What hobbies do they have? What’s their background? Who are the people that impact their lives? (Then those characters I can take and do the same.) Almost always, at some point in this stage, I start getting ideas for a plot involving these people. I’m extremely character-driven while other writers might focus more on plot first. Again, both ways are awesome. There is no wrong way. First drafts are ugly things. Always. There are days where I have little motivation and my writing is horrid, but I do my best to get the words down because they can be fixed later. While 90% of the time I write chronologically, if I find myself completely stuck on a scene, I’ll make some notes and skip ahead to come back and fill it in later. It’s the only amount of jumping around I can do. At this stage, I try my hardest to limit my editing, because if I get bogged down in editing-as-I-go, I’ll never get the damn thing finished. At this point, I do a round of edits catching any huge problems and I try to clean it up so I have a decent second draft. This is the point where I’m (usually) confident enough to send it off to my. Her response includes an editorial letter. This round of revisions, for me, is the hardest because it tackles all the big problems of the book: characterization, pacing, plot holes. Every other round of edits that follows are a piece of cake in comparison. (“How many rounds of edits are too many?” Depends on your book. I know people who’ve worked on the same story, revising and revising again, for years. But when you have a publisher and an editor, you don’t get that kind of time. If you’re a first-timer, my advice is to revise and edit until your manuscript shines. The less work an agent or editor thinks they’ll have to put into it, the better.) Finding your groove and what process works for you is a process in of itself, and your process might even vary from book to book. So, what’s the right way to write? Answer: all of the above. That's it for this post! Let me know what you liked or what you learned (I know that I always love reading about how other authors write, especially ones who's works I've read and loved) and also tell me what you want to see next! I think the next post I will have up in a review for a book I read a while ago so keep an eye out for that. And to make sure you don't miss any of my updates, go and follow me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram.
~Brooke Hey everyone! It's bee a couple days since I've posted (AP test prep and mock APs are totally kicking my butt right now and my only lifesaver has been coffee) but I'm back today with another guest post!! Actually, it's more of a Q&A. Anyways, today's post is from Katie Ray, the author of Don't Kiss the Messenger (which you can find my review of it here: Don't kiss the messenger). ENJOY! Katie Ray Why did you choose to retell Cyrano de Bergerac? Retellings are hot right now. Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella. Pretty soon, Harry Potter will get a retelling. Personally, I love retellings. She’s the Man is one of my favorite guilty pleasure rom-coms (a retelling of Twelfth Night). Clueless, another favorite, is a retelling of Emma. And who doesn’t love 10 Things I Hate About You, a retelling of Taming of the Shrew? So, why would I decide to retell Cyrano de Bergerac? The answer’s easy: it’s my favorite romantic storyline of all time. I grew up watching its film adaptation, Roxanne, about 500 times. I have always related to Cyrano’s character, who goes through life being teased and tormented for a psychical deformity. I was extremely self-conscious in high school. I felt like I walked around with a spotlight over my head, and even though I tried to pass off a ‘tough-girl’ attitude, underneath I was mush. I think we all harbor some kind of a flaw, whether it’s external or internal, and we’re afraid we’ll be mocked or judged for it. In the retelling in my book, Don’t Kiss the Messenger, CeCe Edmonds has a disfiguring scar on the right side of her face from a car accident when she was twelve. Even though we can’t all relate to that kind of physical scar, we all can relate to feeling insecure about our own imperfections and letting those imperfections own us and make us feel small. This story is about realizing that people not only can learn to look past our flaws, but they will love us ALL THE MORE FOR HAVING THEM. I also loved writing the old fashioned romance in this book. It’s not a hot and steamy sexual read—but it is still a hot and steamy ride of emotions. CeCe and Emmett exchange poetic prose throughout the book, in texts, emails and even in balcony scenes. I love that they fall for each other on such an emotional level. I hope you enjoy Don’t Kiss the Messenger and that it speaks to you on some level. Check it out on April 10th! So there's that! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know I've been having a lot of guest posts lately, but I just love being able to promote these authors, and get to know them a little better at the same time! Let me know if there's anyone in particular you want a guest post from, or Q&A or even a review of a book and I'll try my best.
Remember to leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. I will be back tomorrow with (surprise, surprise) another guest post!! So don't miss out on that! ~Brooke Summer of Irreverence - The Rock Star by Cathrine Goldstein Genre: Adult Romance Release Date: July 6th 2016 The Wild Rose Press Summary from Goodreads: Straight-laced, veterinary surgeon, Summer Wynters is ready to break the rules. And who better to break them with than the most irreverent of all men, mega rock star Malcolm Angel? With one last summer free from work obligations, Summer moves to New York City, and at the coaxing of her friend, pretends to be a model so she can spend one wild night with Malcolm. Rock star, Malcolm Angel, tortured by a dark past, may be the poet laureate of romance, but he, like science-minded Summer, has never believed in romantic love. How could he? With his history, he doesn’t deserve to be loved. When Summer’s honesty, kindness, and exuberance for life changes his perspective, the two discover they are in deeper than either dreamed possible. But when Malcolm discovers Summer’s been perpetuating a lie, will he forgive her? Even if forgiveness is possible, can a man immune to love teach someone else to believe in it? Add to Goodreads Buy Links (The ebook is on sale for only $0.99 through April 21st!): Amazon│Barnes & Noble│TWRP│Kobo│All Romance│The Romance Reviews About the Author I am a bestselling author, and a NYC girl at heart. I write “gritty romance,” in the genres of YA, NA; women’s fiction; and romance. I’m also the author of The Letting and The Coupling, books 1 and 2 of The Letting series. I began my career as an award-winning playwright, and I am a proud member of RWA, PAN. I have my BA in English and my MA in Theatre. I am a fan of Luna Bars, decaf coffee, yoga, Hemingway, and Bukowski—and the loves of my life are my husband and my two young girls. To find out more about me; Summer of Irreverence, the first book in The New York Artists Series—standalone novels about strong, artistic men, and the smart, unexpected women they fall for; The Letting series; and what’s coming soon, please visit:www.CathrineGoldstein.com Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Pinterest That's it for this post today! I know I haven't been keeping up with posting regularly everyday, but some things are just in the way but I'm hoping to be able to catch up on posts soon! Leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. I'll be back soon with another post!
~Brooke Incriminating Dating by Rebekah L. Purdy Genre: YA Contemporary Romance Publication date: April 10, 2017 Format: I received a copy of the book from the publisher as part of the release day promotion as well as for a honest review as part of a blog tour. You can purchase a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRJHV86/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Summary: Opinionated, unconventional Ayla Hawkins isn’t the type to use blackmail, but sometimes a girl has to stand up for what’s right. So when she catches Mr. Perfect Luke Pressler doing something decidedly un-perfect, Ayla’s got the dirt she needs to get Luke on her side—in the form of her new fake boyfriend. One mistake. All Luke wanted was a night to goof off, to blow off steam. The next thing he knew, he was pretending to date Ayla Hawkins. But his little blackmailer turns out to be kind. Honorable. And just the breath of fresh air he didn’t even realize he was suffocating for. But Luke and Ayla come from different worlds, and once the terms of their agreement end, their fauxmance will, too. Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book features adult language, sexual situations, and plenty of girl power. Reading may result in swooning, laughing, and looking for a Luke of your own. My Thoughts: This book was a very sweet read, as I usually expect from a Entangled Crush book. The characters were all loveable, and the plot was something that I already knew that I loved. Another bonus was that I had already read another book from the author, and already knew that I loved her style of writing. Let’s start off with introducing Alya, the main female character of the book. She’s fierce, even though she doesn’t accept that fact all the time, and she’s not afraid to stand up for anyone else, but has a bit of a harder time standing up for herself. Luckily, she has her best friend, Chloe who takes care of that part. She’s also a theatre nerd as well as the newspaper editor but in true high school fashion where the jocks take over everything, they are both tremendously underfunded. In order to try and make a change, Chloe convinces Alya to run against the most popular girl for senior class president. Of course, this involves a scheme to make people notice her. And this is where Luke comes in. Just wanting to let loose and have a bit of drunken fun, he and his buddies end up destroying famous statues in the park, where Alya just so happened to be at, and she catches a video of them. While on the outside he seems collected and the popular basketball jock that he’s supposed to be, inside he’s falling apart. His family isn’t making enough money and he’s the one that’s working long hour jobs as well as taking care of his brother, not to mention having to keep up his good grades in order to keep his scholarship. It doesn’t take much convincing for Luke to agree to be Alya’s boyfriend in order to save himself from getting turned in for vandalism. This was a great book about two teens who never would have thought they had something in common, not only overcome their differences, but also realize there’s a lot more in common than previously thought, and this creates an amazingly sweet relationship, even if it started off as blackmail. One of the things I loved most about the book was Luke’s little brother, Landon. He’s a buffer zone, and asks the difficult (or in most cases, not appropriate questions) that had to be asked anyways. And given his family situation, if you do not feel bad for him at all, I swear, you do not have a heart. This book reminded me a bit of Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon (or at least the part that I read of Blackmail Boyfriend). The overarching concept is the same, but the settings are different, and while I have not yet completely had the chance to finish reading Blackmail Boyfriend, I liked them both, and if you enjoyed reading Blackmail Boyfriend, definitely give this book a try because it’s probably right up your alley. There’s so much more to the book, but I hate having to spoil things, and in order to let you find out the ending on your own, I’m going to end the review here. Overall, I liked the book and I give it a 7/10 (4/5 stars). I liked the plot and all of the characters a lot, and the writing style was one that I’ve already established that I liked, and the author did not disappoint. If you like a shorter romance book, that starts of deception but turns into something real, I am telling you, go and pick up this book and you will probably like it a lot. That’s it for this review: What did you think about the review? Will you go and pick it up? Leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. Don’t forget to check back tomorrow as I will have another post up! ~Brooke Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today I have yet another guest post but it's a bit different. This guest post if by Amber Mitchell, the author of the newly released book Garden of Thorns, and it highlights some of the more interesting steps of the publication process. As it is the middle of Camp Nanowrimo, and many of us out there always want to know more, I think this post is perfect for all of us wanting to learn more about the publication process. So without further ado, here's Amber: Today, I thought it might be fun to talk about a few things I wasn’t prepared for during the publishing process of my debut novel GARDEN OF THORNS. First, you should know that I take comfort in knowledge. When I’m nervous, I research. Finding out facts allows my overactive imagination to quiet down and I can make a plan for what I’m going to face. So, the first thing I did when I got my offer of publication was hit the internet. A few things surprised me because of what I’ve read, and others were things I discovered on my own. In no particular order, here are some of the points that caught me off guard about the publication process.
Thanks so much for having me on The Cozy Little Book Nook today! Is there anything you’d like to know about the publishing process? That's it for this post! I hope all of you guys learned something new that you didn't know before, or at least liked some aspect of the post. I have another question for you guys reading this: Have you done anything involving publishing and what was your experience like? Let me know in the comments below, or find me on social media @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. (I've been a bit more active on twitter lately). Also tell me what else you want to see on my blog! I will be back tomorrow with another post!
~Brooke Don’t Kiss the Messenger by Katie Ray Genre: YA Contemporary Romance Publication Date: April 10, 2017 Format: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review as well as to take part of a blog tour for the release of the book. You can purchase a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XR2BKPQ?tag=entangpublis-20&name=Don%27t%20Kiss%20the%20Messenger (It comes out today!) Summary: For most of her teenage life, CeCe Edmonds has been dealing with the stares and the not-so-polite whispers that follow her around Edgelake High. So she has a large scar on her face—Harry Potter had one on his forehead and people still liked him. CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partner. The only problem? Emmett is blindsided by Bryn DeNeuville, CeCe’s gorgeous and suddenly shy volleyball teammate. Bryn asks CeCe to help her compose messages that’ll charm Emmett. CeCe isn’t sure there’s anything in his head worth charming but agrees anyway—she’s a sucker for a good romance. Unfortunately, the more messages she sends and the more they run into each other, the more she realizes there’s plenty in his head, from food to literature. Too bad Emmett seems to be falling for the wrong girl... Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book involves one fiercely scarred girl who wants the new guy in town, the new guy who thinks he wants the new girl, and the new girl who really isn’t sure what she wants, and the misunderstanding that brings them all together. This modern Cyrano de Bergerac retelling will make you laugh, swoon, and fall in love. My Thoughts: This book is a...modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, which is something that I have not read, but now that I think about it, I’ve read quite a few YA books with the same backing plot. So while I didn’t know what to expect, I was pretty excited to find out. The book opens with introducing the characters, first Cece-a volleyball player, her best friend is Tuba and the rest of the Volleyball team, and she’s a major school nerd (nothing bad in that). And then Emmett, a football player who just transferred to the school this year, a musician, and also pretty smart given that he’s in an advanced english class. Cece likes Emmett, but because of a car accident in her childhood leaving her with a huge scar across her face, she pushes herself, and her feelings down. Emmett, however, only has eyes for the new transfer to the volleyball team, but falls in love with her brain and her writing, little does he know that it’s 2 separate people. I liked the concept of each of the characters having people supporting them, or at least on their side; the volleyball team for Cece and the football team for Emmett. It was absolutely so sweet how Emmett stood up for Cece about her scar. Emmett also breaks the traditional mold for a football player as he is also a musician, which adds more of that mysterious and depth to his character. SPOILER: It’s not until the very end where Bryn breaks things up, and tells Emmett the true writer behind her deep and meaningful conversations, that everything is pieced together, and in true YA novel form, they fight and then get together. But in all reality, I love Emmett and Cece together and the fact that they went to the same University that makes it all that much better. END SPOILERS Honestly, I don’t blame Emmett for not figuring out who he was messageing, and why there was 2 different sides of Bryn. Girls do this type of thing all the time, and if he was suspicious, then that just makes him look like he’s jealous and that would not go over well with anyone. In the end though, it all worked out. The one thing that confused me to no end was that this school seemed like a college campus, because everyone came to the school from different parts of the country, sports seemed to be a huge deal, and just there were a few plot holes with it. It annoyed me a little bit, but didn’t make any difference in terms of the overall story line. There’s just too much to give away in this book if I keep on talking here, so I’ll just leave the review here in order to save any spoilers. Overall, I give the book a 7/10 (4/5 stars). I enjoyed the overall plot line, it was a easy read, and really well written. The only part that I disliked was the inconsistencies in a couple places of the plot, and some things were unclear. It wasn’t anything too major, but still annoying to me. If you want a easy read and a sweet mixed up romance, I really recommend the book to you. If some inconsistencies is something that’s going to drive you crazy, approach the book with a bit of caution, but still give it a try. What did you think about the review? Will you go and pick it up? Leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. As always, I will be back tomorrow with another post! ~Brooke Katie Ray (also known by her previous author name, Katie Kacvinsky) writes teen and new adult fiction novels. Her books have been nominated for YALSA awards, and First Comes Love was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Her screenplay, A High Note, was a semifinalist in the Austin Screenplay Competition in 2015. She currently lives in Ashland, Wisconsin with her husband, two children, and a slightly insane dog. Gold Rush by Jennifer Comeaux Genre: YA Contemporary Romance Publication Date: January 9, 2017 Format: I received a copy of the book from the author for an honest review on my blog. You can purchase a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Rush-Jennifer-Comeaux-ebook/dp/B01MSV3XON/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491757877&sr=1-8&keywords=Gold+Rush (It’s also free with KindleUnlimited) Summary: Will love wait for gold? Liza Petrov's entire life has been about skating and winning her sport's top prize - Olympic gold. She's stayed sheltered inside her bubble, not daring to stray from her destined path. Until she meets Braden Patrick. He makes her heart flutter with possibility, and for the first time she gets a taste of a normal teenage life. She longs to have both the boy and the gold, but stepping outside her bubble comes with a price. As Liza begins to question both her future and her past, can she stay focused on the present and realize her ultimate dream? My Thoughts: So originally, I signed up for a book blitz for this book (Or it might have been the cover reveal), but I just fell in love with the cover and the hook of the book that I just knew that I needed to read and review it for you guys. Anyways, I read this book back in February but kept pushing off the review just because of my schedule, but now is the perfect time to post it! To start off: Ahhhh I loved this book so, so much. Like legitimately, one of my favorite books I’ve read all year, and maybe since forever (Nope, there’s a couple books that I liked better but this one is up there). Also, if you poke around my blog a little, and been here long enough, you know that any book that involves winter, olympics, ice skating, or hockey are always on the top of my list and this book definitely did not disappoint. (Another thing, someone remind me to talk about my brief time as an ice skater. It was a period of time in my life that I loved and wish I continued). Liza has always been skating, and knows that in order to achieve her dream of the Olympics, absolutely no distractions were allowed, especially a boy. There’s no room in her intense training, but of course, she has to follow her heart and what seems like a recipe for disaster, turns out just fine in the end. The characters were all very well introduced and it was done in just a way that we knew they background and had emotional connections. Liza was a main character that you just cheered for all the way to the end, never wanting to see her fail. With Branden, right off the bat he was super sweet, and just right for Liza. I liked how they developed as friends first, and then gradually into a romantic relationship. I know that the author has a series that precedes the book with the story of Liza’s parents that I know that I am going to read as soon as I can get it and find time, but this book does not have to be read after. I absolutely loved the writing style of this book. It was easy to read, and just had that type of thing that made you want to continue reading until you reached the end. It was a longer book, but I still managed to read it all in 1 sitting, maybe 2-3 hours. And..of course I can’t post this review without talking about the cover. Now, yes, yes, I know, never judge a book by it’s cover but I will be honest: the cover was the first thing that drew me in (just look at those shiny new ice skates). The colors blend together so beautifully and just so pleasing to look at. Overall, I give the book a 10/10 (5/5 stars). It’s really rare for me to give a book a full 10, so you all know that this book is something that you NEED to read soon. This is one of those books where you will push at any stranger you meet, and that’s basically what i’m doing on here :) If you like reading about a sweet romance, skating, a goal at the Olympics, etc… pick this book up. In the meanwhile, i will be picking up a copy of the other book of her parents. (Oh wait, there are 3 books in that series, and another full series by the author. My day has just been made!!) So what did you think about the review? Will you go and pick it up? Have you read any other books by the author? Leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. I will have another post later today with a little excerpt of what I have been writing for Camp Nanowrimo so keep a look out for that! ~Brooke Hi Everyone! I'm back again today, and I have a Q and A type post, from Chris Cannon, the author of several amazing books, and her newest one, Fanning the Flames. Keep reading to find out about her writing process, her favorite snacks, along with the links to her book at the end! How do you get your ideas for books? I like to start off by putting normal people in a funny or absurd situation. People will say, “I was so mad I’m surprised flames weren’t shooting out of my mouth.” My thought was, what if flames did shoot out of your mouth? What would that mean? For Bryn McKenna, the main character in my Going Down In Flames series, it meant that she was a shape-shifting dragon. What is your process for writing? I’m a speech therapist by day and an author by night. In the evening, after dinner and dishes are out of the way, I drink a giant cup of coffee so I don’t do an immediate face-plant on the couch. Then I sit down and try to write 1000 words. I don’t always make it, but I try. I’m a pantser so I know the beginning of the story, the high points, and how I expect it to end. It doesn’t always go the direction I think it will, which is half of the fun. What are your favorite snacks while you write? Does coffee count as a snack? If not, the granola bars I dunk in the coffee probably do. I also like to eat peanut butter straight from the jar with a spoon. I may or may not sprinkle chocolate chips on the peanut butter. Author Bio: Chris Cannon is the award-winning author of the Going Down In Flames series and the Boyfriend Chronicles. She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and several furry beasts. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures or romantic comedies. You can find her online at www.chriscannonauthor.com. Social Media links: Author Blog: http://www.chriscannonauthor.com/blog/ Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccannonauthor Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chriscannonauthor/ Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8285334.Chris_Cannon Newsletter: http://www.chriscannonauthor.com/connect/ Buy Links: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lWIBZv Kobo: https://goo.gl/M8kvim B&N: https://goo.gl/QSw8Ka Google Play: https://goo.gl/wjFiU0 iBooks: https://goo.gl/enaija That's it for this post, and I hope you guys enjoyed it. I always love to have guest posts or interviews from authors, so let me know what I should do next! Also, there have been a couple of schedule changes to my April's A Post A Day challenge, but nothing too crazy. Leave me all your thoughts in the comments below or find me on social media, @BrookeEvans2001 on Twitter and @thecozylittlebooknook on Instagram. Don't forget to come back tomorrow with another review!
~Brooke |
About me!Brooke's a high schooler who loves to read all sorts of books. She's happy to be able to share all the books she's reading with all of y'all. Archives
June 2020
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