Friday, October 25, 2013

Blog Tour (and Giveaway): "Sweet Surrendering" by Chelsea Cameron

From Goodreads: "She’s his boss. He doesn’t care. This office isn’t big enough for the two of them…

When Rory Clarke ends up hiring the guy she spent one steamy night with to be her administrative assistant, she's determined to keep things professional.

Lucas Blaine has other plans for her. He wants Rory, and it’s hard to resist his stunning blue eyes, chin dimple and the way he fills out a suit. Everywhere she looks, there he is, giving her a panty-melting smile and pulling her away for the most amazing (and satisfying) sex she’s ever had in her life.

What starts off as one sexual encounter turns into multiple trysts in and out of the office and the lines she’d tried to draw so carefully are blurring. But the closer they get, the more Rory realizes that there are things about Lucas she doesn’t know, things he’s hiding from her. She’ll have to decide if she can surrender to her feelings or get out while she still can."


GIVEAWAY: 
Grand prize winner: Will get to name a character in a future book, win a signed inspiration collage, and a red shoe charm bracelet. 4 runners up will receive a red shoe charm bracelet. Contest is international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the Author: Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Her New Adult Contemporary Romance titles include My Favorite Mistake, which has been bought by Harlequin along with a sequel, Deeper We Fall and Faster We Burn (April 20, 2013)
Her Young Adult books include Nocturnal, Nightmare and Neither, the first three books in The Noctalis Chronicles. The fourth and final book, Neverend will be out in 2013. Whisper, the first in The Whisper Trilogy is also available, with the second book in the series, Silence and the final book, LIsten coming out in 2014.

"Sweet Surrendering" by Chelsea M. Cameron

Release Date: October 15, 2013
Publisher: Self-Pub
Pages: 286

From Goodreads: "She’s his boss. He doesn’t care. This office isn’t big enough for the two of them…

When Rory Clarke ends up hiring the guy she spent one steamy night with to be her administrative assistant, she's determined to keep things professional.

Lucas Blaine has other plans for her. He wants Rory, and it’s hard to resist his stunning blue eyes, chin dimple and the way he fills out a suit. Everywhere she looks, there he is, giving her a panty-melting smile and pulling her away for the most amazing (and satisfying) sex she’s ever had in her life.

What starts off as one sexual encounter turns into multiple trysts in and out of the office and the lines she’d tried to draw so carefully are blurring. But the closer they get, the more Rory realizes that there are things about Lucas she doesn’t know, things he’s hiding from her. She’ll have to decide if she can surrender to her feelings or get out while she still can."


As Chelsea is one of my most favourite NA authors of all time (her "Faster We Burn" is one of the best books that I've read this year), I was beyond excited to learn about this book, her first foray into adult romance- something which I am quite unfamiliar with (being primarily a YA and NA reader).

I think that Chelsea's biggest talent as an author is her ability to weave stories that readers become so engrossed in that they ignore everything going on around them in real life, her books take escapism to the next level- once you start one, you don't want to put it down. Another one of Chelsea's talents is to create secondary characters who are anything but, having just as much development as the leads, something essentially unheard of from other authors (in fact, while I was reading this book I spotted at least two instances of where companion novels involving these secondary characters could branch off of it).

That being said, I did at times find myself growing increasingly more and more frustrated with Rory and Lucas's relationship. For the majority of the novel (upwards of the 85% mark), I felt that there was no substance/ depth to their relationship, it based on nothing but sex and flirty banter (obviously another one of Chelsea's talents, she writes sexytimes like no other). That being said, I did really enjoy their relationship once they were able to be completely honest and upfront with one another.

All in all, I'm glad that I did step out of my comfort zone, reading something that I never have before. While this is admittedly not my most favourite of Chelsea's books, it is a close second and I am excited to learn more about Sloane and Ryder in "Dark Surrendering" (plus, I have no doubt that this book will quickly be picked up by a major publishing house ASAP).

Rating: 3/5

Thursday, October 24, 2013

"Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Release Date: October 21st
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Pages: 526

From Goodreads: "One choice will define you.
What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent."


It is no secret that I love "Divergent"- by the end of the semester of my YA class I am sure that the majority of my classmates (not to mention prof) wanted to pull some Tris-like moves on me for CONSTANTLY pushing it on them. That being said, a lot of that love was unfortunately lost on "Insurgent", with me feeling that it lost too much of the magic from the previous book- with Tris and Four's relationship constantly balancing precariously over the chasm, Tris refusing to give in any way, shape, or form, and so forth. As such, on the one hand I was beyond excited to read this book (thinking that "Insurgent" merely suffered from second book syndrome and that Veronica would redeem herself), but on the other, I was nervous beyond belief (based upon the previous two books it stood to reason that there would be a lot of conflict, violence, and loss in this)- at times, giving myself a stomach ache when thinking about actually reading it.

My biggest worries about this book surrounded its ending because I heard vague whispers that THINGS WENT DOWN- as such, I was convinced before even starting it that I would hate it. However, surprisingly, I did not hate the ending, it wasn't near as hard to accept as I had thought that it would be (Plus, I give mad props to Veronica for doing what she did- it's something that I have literally never seen another author do before, them always chickening out at the last minute. She's going to get a lot of hate for it, but when you really think about it, it totally fits with the overall scheme of things). Furthermore, the last twenty or so pages of this book were absolutely gorgeous- I don't often cry while reading a book, but there was definitely some tearing up going on as I read them. Based on the ending alone, I would give the book 5 stars.

Furthermore, I did like the fact that from book to book you can see massive character growth- growth seen in Tris and Four especially (something that really became clear to me as I (re)read all three books in the course of two days). Also, the vulnerability exhibited by all of the characters made them extremely relatable and helped me to understand why they did what they did- even those characters that I swore that I would hate until the end of my days, for instance, Peter and Caleb. Last, I did like the duo POV in this book (I always love me some male POV), however, I can't help but wish that Tris and Four's voices were a bit more ferreted out, it was, at times, difficult to determine whose head you actually were in, since they sounded so similar.

That being said, what I did hate about the book, and what did drag down the star rating, was how often Veronica put us through the ringer- with petty, jealous high school drama, further conflict after conflict between Tris and Four (I mean, didn't we get enough of this in "Insurgent"- we get it, relationships are hard and need work, trust isn't a given, and so forth), and an inundated storyline (you thought that the faction system in the first two books was confusing? It's NOTHING compared to all of the layers of politics and whatnot going on in this book- kitchen sink, anyone?). Furthermore, I was not a fan of the pace of the book, the setting of much of it, and I absolutely loathed the new character additions (with the exception of one). Combined, around the 350 page mark, I was about to give up on the book because I was just so angry with everything going on.

All in all, for me personally it's a toss-up between three and four stars. Overall, I'm glad that I pushed through and didn't give up on the book. While there is admittedly a part of me does wish that this book did end a different way, as I mentioned, I do think that it is what was truly needed and I appreciate Veronica for having the balls to do so. It's clear that she is the most Dauntless person around. Furthermore, I really and truly do hope that Veronica does continue to write after this, not becoming one of those authors like Stephenie Meyer or Suzanne Collins who seemingly drops off the face of the planet after their massive success.

Rating: 4/5

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Facebook Celebration Giveaway

As you may have saw yesterday, Avery's Designs is now on Facebook! So I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to celebrate with a giveaway!

Up for grabs is a set of book-themed social media icons!

These icons fit seamlessly with any blog design, include a number of different social media networks (more will be added according to demand), and the one time purchase provides the "buyer" with all future designs for free!


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, October 17, 2013

"Just One Year" by Gayle Forman

Release Date: October 10, 2013
Publisher: Dutton
Pages: 336

From Goodreads: "Just One Day. Just One Year. Just One Read.

Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began....

When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect."


Admittedly Gayle Forman's "Just One Day" was the sort of book that totally snuck up on me, not expecting much from it, having not been the biggest fan of her "If I Stay" series. "Just One Day" exceeded my expectations in every way, shape, and form, being, without a doubt, one of the best books that I've read this year. With every word I felt as if my heart would explode at any moment and, for that very reason, I will remember it for many, many years to come (it doesn't hurt that it featured Paris, a place near and dear to my heart). Because of the utter amazingness of "Just One Day", this book quickly became one of my most highly anticipated of this year- and I thought that it would only be stronger than the first (as I found the case to be with "Where She Went"), however, I must admit that it was anything but.

Where I found that emotion was the biggest strength in "Just One Day", in this, I found it to be it's biggest weakness. Willem had SO MANY road bumps in his life, however, I found it near impossible to dredge up any sympathy for him because of the overall lack of emotion. I think that the biggest contributing factor to this was his voice- I feel that his voice was far too similar to Lulu's, not bringing anything new to the table (which is a shame, because I can't recall another instance of preferring a female's POV over a male's). Because of being unable to connect to much of the story, I found it to be quite draggy and slow at times.

That being said, I loved all off the various settings of this book- it allows the reader to experience another level of escapism, getting a stamp in their mental passport, of sorts, at every stop in his journey. Additionally, I did think that the parallel storyline about Willem's parents to be quite interesting, having a sort of "Jellicoe Road" vibe to it. Furthermore, the last ten or so pages of this book were ABSOLUTELY breathtaking- they were filled with the magic that I had been SO hoping for. They were close, but no cigar, to making me forget about the earlier 320 pages.

All in all, while I think that this book had great potential, I do think that ultimately it was unable to live up to said potential. That being said, that it is not to say that it is a bad book (I do think that it is much better than many YA contemps/ coming of age novels out there), it just wasn't quite able to fill the shoes of its predecessors. Furthermore, despite my complaints, I do now consider myself to be a 'Gayle' junkie and will do anything in my power to get her books in my hands.

Rating: 3/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honesty review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Guest Post and Giveaway: "Sidelined" by Kendra C. Highley


Today I am excited to be a part of the "Sidelined" tour as part of Rockstar Book Tours. For those of you who don't know, "Sidelined" is about the struggles that main character Genna Pierce faces after a freak accident ends her high school basketball career and the only thing to ease her pain is Vicodin. 
Why Write about Addiction?

When I was thinking through Sidelined, I knew I wanted to take an honest look at a phenomenon occurring more and more frequently with teens: prescription drug abuse. Right now, more teens illegally obtain and abuse prescription drugs—painkillers in particular—than marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined. No longer do friends pool their money, drive to the shady side of town and buy illicit substances. Nope, they raid their parents’ drug cabinet. It’s quick, it’s free, and who would miss a few pills?

The problem is, Vicodin—along with other scheduled narcotics—is highly addictive. I’ve had a few surgeries and have taken prescription painkillers. The high is rapid, and it really kills the pain, no matter what that pain is. The hard part is quitting. I was lucky; I didn’t have to take them for long and had a smooth transition off. However, if your pain isn’t physical, if it’s something deeper, letting go of the pills might feel like crossing a highway at rush hour…blindfolded.

With Sidelined, I didn’t want to preach the ills of drug abuse, or condemn people who get addicted. Instead, I wanted readers to be able to experience Genna’s struggle vicariously, to see what this can be like and how easily the trap can be sprung. This is a girl who lost the one thing that defined her. Of course she was looking for a way out, a way to numb all the feelings battering her from every direction.  Genna was responsible, driven to succeed…until she met Prince Vicodin. The good prince changed her life without her even noticing for a while. And when she did notice, she had her excuses ready.

In fact, she came to understand she was willing to throw away everything good in her life for one more pill. Even knowing that…she couldn’t stop.

So why write about addiction? First, to show that no one “type” of person falls into prescription drug abuse. It can be anyone—family, neighbors, friends—and you might never know. Shedding light on the problem might help others recognize it better. Second, to show that addicts aren’t criminals or worthless. With the right help, everyone has a chance. There’s always hope. If one person reads the book and realizes that he or she has a problem—or a loved one does—and seeks help, then Genna’s story will have done its job.

You can find out more about "Sidelined" here:

About Kendra:
 Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most critical job. She believes in everyday magic, extraordinary love stories and the restorative powers of dark chocolate. 


Giveaway!
$25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card and a women’s collegiate basketball to the first prize winner (US Only)

3 $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift cards for 3 second prize winners (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find out more about "Sidelined" by visiting the following stops! 

9/30/2013- Bookish Things & More- Guest Post
10/1/2013- Sarah Elizabeth's Bookshelf- Review
10/2/2013- Avery's Book Nook- Guest Post
10/3/2013- Once Upon a Twilight- Review
10/4/2013- BookHounds YA- Interview



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