Cover Reveal: THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING by Rachel Harris (YA)

THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING

by Rachel Harris

Expected release date: September 30th, 2014

Published by: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary 

Format: Paperback, eBook

SUMMARY

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

MY THOUGHTS

I adore this cover to pieces! 

I love the heart covering their faces - hence, they're making pretend ;) 

I am really looking forward to this one!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Rachel Harris

Author of fun & flirty escapes about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. I grew up in New Orleans, watching soap operas with my grandmother, and staying up late sneak-reading my mama's romance novels. Today, I still stay up late reading romances, only now I do so openly.

A Cajun cowgirl now living in Houston, I firmly believe life's problems can be solved with a hot, sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

I homeschool my two beautiful girls and watch countless hours of Food Network and reality television with my amazing husband. I write YA, NA, and Adult romance and LOVE talking with readers!

Goodreads / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales Updates and Book Haul #54

Lots of cold and snow happening here on Long Island this week!

Every time I have to come down to my computer, I must dress in many layers, scarves and fingerless gloves! 

All for the love of books and blogging ;) 

Hope you are all staying warm!!!

Here's what's been happening in my book-world this week... 

I am also participating in Stacking the Shelves 

and the Showcase Sunday this week!

What happened on the blog last week...
- Review: LEAF by Stephen Michael King (Children)
- Waiting On Wednesday #67: CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge (YA)
- Cover Reveal: BREATHE FOR ME by Rhonda Helms (YA)

What I received for review...
- THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT (The V Trilogy #1) (HB) by Joanna Wiebe (YA) from BenBella Books
- FIRST SIGHT (Run To You #1) (eARC) by Clara Kensie (YA) from Harlequin Teen
- SECOND GLANCE (Run To You #2) (eARC) by Clara Kensie (YA) from Harlequin Teen
- THIRD CHARM (Run To You #3) (eARC) by Clara Kensie (YA) from Harlequin Teen

What I purchased...
- THE LONGEST RIDE (Hardback) by Nicholas Sparks (Adult)
- WANDER DUST (The Seraphina Parrish Trilogy #1) (FREE eBook) by Michelle Warren (YA)
- THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER (eBook) by Megan Shepherd (YA)

Currently reading...
- R IS FOR REBEL (Unruly Royals #4) by Megan Mulry (Adult)
- THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT (The V Trilogy #1) by Joanna Wiebe (YA)

So, what's happening in your 'book-world' this week???

Cover Reveal: BREATHE FOR ME by Rhonda Helms (YA)

BREATHE FOR ME

by Rhonda Helms

Expected release date: June 17th, 2014

Published by: Spencer Hill Press

Genre: Young Adult

Format: Paperback, eBook

SUMMARY

Isabel’s been cursed since the Middle Ages.

Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, she made a hasty bargain with a demon, asking for liberation from an oppressive husband-to-be and the excitement of travel. But the demon’s “gift” came at a steep cost. Each time he moves her to a new city, her memory’s wiped. No one can touch her bare skin without injury or even death. And she sees the lifespan of every living being (and is, in fact, immortal herself).

All a constant reminder that she’s different than other teen girls.

But New Orleans seems to accept her as she is. She has friends and a real life in this quirky, hot city. Then Isabel meets Dominic, whose deep soul and strong character draw her to him. Her growing love gives her the courage to confront the demon, insisting the curse be broken. But the demon’s price for freedom is much, 

much higher than she could possibly give.

MY THOUGHTS

The cover is so pretty! It has an airy feel that fits perfectly with the title. 

I am very curious about this book - nothing like it out there!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Rhonda Helms

Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also edits for Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin Publishing) and freelance edits.

When she isn't writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.

Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her family.

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Waiting On Wednesday #67: CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by  Breaking the Spine. 

This is were we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night and, quite possibly, to make our shelves look all pretty too :)

What I'm waiting on... 

CRUEL BEAUTY

by Rosamund Hodge

Expected release date: January 28th, 2014

Published by: Balzer + Bray (HarperTeen)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Fairy-tale Retelling and Romance

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Why I'm waiting for CRUEL BEAUTY...

It's another FAIRY TALE RETELLING!!!

It is a fantasy novel being compared to GRACELING!!!

And I LOVED that book to pieces!!! 

PLUS, a love story! With a beast!!! 

I have very high expectations about all of this!

Can't wait to read it!!!

SO, what are you waiting for???

Childrens Book Review: LEAF by Stephen Michael King

Having a new baby in the house has brought our love of baby/children's books back into our hearts!
I'm hoping to share our old and new favorites with you at least once a week!

Our current favorite book is...

LEAF

by Stephen Michael King

Release date: March 17th, 2009

Published by: Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan)

Genre: Children (ages 6 months and up)

Format read: Hardcover I purchased.

SUMMARY

A Green Tale for All Ages. 

An enduring friendship sprouts between boy and plant.

When a little boy runs in a panic from a haircut, a bird sees to it that his luxuriously follicated head is put to good use and drops a single seed right on top. 

Time passes, and wait... could it be? 

Something grows. 

A leaf! 

Instead of trying to rid himself of his new living hairstyle, the boy learns how to make the leaf grow, and in turn, winds up growing a lot himself.

MY REVIEW

Although LEAF was published back in 2009 it is a new favorite! My boys purchased this adorable book for their baby brother because of its memorable and sweet illustrations.

The book is told mostly through it's illustrations - words are very minimal, and that's what we love about this story so very much!
We are assuming that LEAF is the boys name - he seems like a happy little boy who loves to play and get dirty, like all little boys do. In the beginning of the book, there is what we assume to be is his mother, who wants to cut his longish hair. And of course, like most little kids, he does not want to get a haircut and runs away.
 Once outside, a bird drops a seed onto his messy hairy head and out sprouts a tiny twig. With the sun, rain and his little adventure with his puppy, Leaf and his twig enjoy their freedom and time with nature for the day.
Leaf then returns home for his bath and bedtime. He then dreams about his twig which then takes a turn into a nightmare. So when his mother is waiting with the scissors again the next morning, he does not run away and does what he has to do. Mom cuts his hair, twig and all... we are so very sad. But relieved when we see Leaf take his twig and plants it outside.
As Leaf grows up - so does his hair and twig. We see Leaf turn into an older boy, teen, young man and then a father. And through each milestone, Leaf visits his twig which has grown up right along with him - a small tree into a huge one. Lots of memories have been left to our imagination.

It is such a touching story. I was all teary-eyed by the time I finished the end of the book. The illustrations really do reach out to you and you cannot help but react to how Leaf is feeling and what he goes through. Actions do speak louder than words. This book clearly comes from the authors heart - his dislike of social uniformity, the loss of his hearing at the age of 8 and his passion for art and books.

I highly recommend this sweet book to be shared with children a year old and up. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Stephen Michael King

Goodreads / Official Website

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales Updates and Book Haul #53

Hello bookish friends!
I hope you have had a fabulous week in books!!!

I have been trying to balance a schedule between family life and book reading/reviewing/blogging life the last 2 weeks and well, as you can see, things have been pretty busy! 
Reading time has been excellent! Now, if I can just fit in my computer/blogging time in, then life will be close to perfect ;) 

Got some books this week... 

I am also participating in Stacking the Shelves 

and the Showcase Sunday this week!

What happened on the blog last week... 

- Review: THE SWEET DEAD LIFE by Joy Preble (YA)

- Waiting On Wednesday #66: The A-WORD (Sweet Dead Life #2) by Joy Preble (YA)

- Cover Reveal: A GRIMM LEGACY by Janna Jennings (YA)

What I received for review... 

- R Is For Rebel (Unruly Royals #4) (ARC) by Megan Mulry (A) from Sourcebooks Landmark

- Anyone But You: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (Twisted Lit #3) (HB) by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes (YA) from Merit Press

What I purchased... 

- The Spindlers (Signed HB) by Lauren Oliver (MG)

- Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed HB) by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (YA)

- Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #2) (HB) by Bethany Griffin (YA)

- Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2) (HB) by Stacey Jay (YA)
- The Madman's Daughter (eBook) by Megan Shepherd (YA)
- Starters (eBook) by Lissa Price (YA)
- Enders (Starters #2) (eBook) by Lissa Price (YA)
- Portrait of a Starter (Starters #0.5) by Lissa Price (YA)
- Portrait of a Marshal (Starters #1.25) by Lissa Price (YA)
- Portrait of a Donor (Starters #1.75) by Lissa Price (YA)

That's all for me this week!!! 
Plenty of reading yummy-ness, right?! 

I've re-read Starters this week and went right into all the short stories and ended it all up with a re-read of Enders too! There is one more short story that was suppose to be released already, but I don't see it available anywhere :(  My review of the whole saga will be up sometime within the next 2 weeks!


Thanks so much for stopping by today!!!

Please share!!! What did you get???

Re-Cover Reveal: A GRIMM LEGACY by Janna Jennings (YA)

A GRIMM LEGACY has been "re-covered"... let's have a look... 

A GRIMM LEGACY

(Book 1 of the GRIMM TALES series)

by Janna Jennings

Release date: October 29th, 2013

Published by: Patchwork Press
Cover design by: Erica Crouch

Genre: Young Adult

SUMMARY

Enchanted castles and charming princes thought to exist only in stories come to life in this classically twisted fairy tale that combines the timeless quality of generations old folktales with the challenges of the modern world.

The woods of Elorium appear ordinary to Andi Grace, until birds start talking and elves answer doors. Along with three others, Andi has been whisked out of her world and finds herself the reluctant guest of the perplexing millionaire, Mr. Jackson—a stranger willing to help get them home, but who’s keeping secrets of his own.

Discovering unexpected family connections to this fairy tale land, the group must rely on each other as they dodge evil fairies and battle giants, intent on keeping them in Elorium.

Faced with characters short on whimsy and bent towards treachery, Andi, Quinn, Fredrick and Dylan are forced into fairy tale roles to find the way home. But in Elorium, happily ever after is never guaranteed.

Here is what the cover USED to look like: 

MY THOUGHTS

Although the original cover is gorgeous and shows Andi, 

I am LOVING the new cover so much more!

It gives a more mysterious feel to this fairytale land - almost Alice-and-Wonderland-like; 

And the new font seems more fitting...

Fairies and Giants???

I am really looking forward to reading this soon!

SO, what do you think of the cover change???

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Janna Jennings

Janna is a Colorado based YA author who loves a good fairy tale. She’s married to her own real life Prince Charming, and will usually admit to being mom of three, including her incorrigible middle child, Benny. Besides wrangling her kids she can be found doing some therapeutic baking, dreaming of the ocean, and of course, curling up with a good book.

Goodreads / Blog / Twitter

Waiting On Wednesday #66: THE A-WORD (Sweet Dead Life #2) by Joy Preble (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by  Breaking the Spine. 

This is were we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night and, quite possibly, to make our shelves look all pretty too :)

What I'm waiting on... 

THE A-WORD

(A Sweet Dead Life Novel, #2)

by Joy Preble

Expected release date: May 13th, 2014

Published by: Soho Teen

Genre: Young Adult

SUMMARY

Jenna Samuels is about to turn fifteen. It's been almost a year since her stoner brother, Casey, bit the dust. Almost a year since he returned as her guardian angel, along with his "angel boss," Amber Velasco, the hot twenty-something former EMT. Almost a year since Casey and Amber used up their one-time-only angel power of flight to save Jenna from the evil Dr. Renfroe, swooping down to catch her as she tumbled off the balcony at the Houston Galleria. In short, a lot of A-word shenanigans and a mostly happy ending.

Except now Casey's begun to wonder why he's still hanging around—not that he minds protecting Jenna. She's a handful, but there's got to be a bigger picture, right? Something to distract him from his on again/off again, doomed relationship with cheerleader Lanie Phelps, who has no idea her boyfriend is, well, dead. After all, he can't use his angel wings anymore. Neither can Amber. 

Enter Bo Shivers, Amber's "angel boss"—a mysterious A-word guy Jenna and Casey didn't even know existed. Whiskey-guzzling. Handsome in a grizzled way. Unpredictable. Okay, make that crazy. Bo lost his angel wings in an earthly flight a long, long, long time back—and he's been a thorn in Angel Management's side ever since. But Bo knows something is coming. Something big. Something that was worth forfeiting wings for Jenna... something that might just change everything for everyone.

Why I'm waiting on... THE A-WORD...

I absolutely adore the first book, A Sweet Dead Life, I just know that I'm going to enjoy the second book even more! It looks like Joy Preble is going to go in deeper about the who, what, when, how and why's of these angels. Casey as a 'beginner' angel was fun to read about, I am really curious to see how he's dealing with it all. And more importantly, how Jenna is doing and handling everything in her life right now. 

You can see my review of THE SWEET DEAD LIFE right here!!!

What are you waiting for???

Thanks for stopping by today :) 

xoxo

Review: THE SWEET DEAD LIFE by Joy Preble (YA)

THE SWEET DEAD LIFE

by Joy Preble

Release date: May 14th, 2013

Published by: Soho Teen

Genre: Young Adult 
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Format read: Hardcover I received from publisher for an honest review.

SUMMARY

I found out two things today. One, I think I’m dying. And two, my brother is a perv.

So begins the diary of 14-year-old Jenna Samuels, who is having a very bad eighth-grade year. Her single mother spends all day in bed. Dad vanished when she was eight. Her 16-year-old brother, Casey, tries to hold together what’s left of the family by working two after-school jobs— difficult, as he’s stoned all the time. To make matters worse, Jenna is sick. When she collapses one day, Casey tries to race her to the hospital in their beat-up Prius and crashes instead.

Jenna wakes up in the ER to find Casey beside her. Beatified. Literally. The flab and zits? Gone. Before long, Jenna figures out that Casey didn’t survive the accident at all. He’s an “A-word.” (She can’t bring herself to utter the truth.) Soon they discover that Jenna isn’t just dying: she’s being poisoned. And Casey has been sent back to help solve the mystery that not only holds the key to her survival, but also to their mother’s mysterious depression and father’s disappearance.

BOOK TRAILER - The Sweet Dead Life

MY REVIEW

Such an original, funny and sad, mysterious story - a take on angels like no other!

 Jenna has a lot going on in her life right now - her father has abandoned the family, her mother seems to be in a depression and hardly ever leaves her bed, and her older brother, Casey, is your typical teenage boy that tries to keep things together the best way that a teenage boy can. Which can be pretty difficult at times since Jenna is always sick with some sort of mystery illness that the doctors can never figure out. When Jenna gets extremely ill, Casey attempts to rush her to the hospital and unfortunately gets into a bad car accident on the way there. Jenna tries to keep alert, but now with a few injuries on top of being so very sick, she can hardly hang on and keep track as to what has happened to her brother.
When she wakes up, things get very, very interesting...

 The book does start with a 'middle grade' sort of feel, but once things start moving along it definitely takes a good 'young adult' turn. We see spunky 13 year old Jenna mature and take responsibility like no other teen should have to. With creativity, humor and sass, Jenna is able to deal with whatever life throws her way - her absence from school, her medical care, having no adult supervision, taking care of her mother and to top it all off - a brother who is now an angel?! And that's not all! With the help of Casey's 'angel-ism', they soon discover that Jenna's illness and their mothers forgetfulness and supposed depression are related and someone is purposefully making them sick, maybe even trying to kill them! And all of this may be the reason why their father has disappeared...

The relationship between Jenna and Casey is so realistic and amazing - every time they are together you get some really great sister and brother moments that leave you chuckling and, if you have a sibling, completely relating to them. They have their ups and downs, but under the circumstances that have come to light, they need each other more than ever. And absolutely nothing can keep these two apart. Not even a pair of angel wings.

A fast-paced novel for ages 12 and up. There is something for everyone in this book. Joy Preble has wowed me with her writing and realistic story. She really knows how to create a realistic family dynamic.
I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series called THE A-WORD, which is expected to be released in May 2014.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Joy Preble

Goodreads / Official Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales Updates and Book Haul #52

It's a very chilly day here in NY!!! I am wearing layers on layers of clothes, plus my hat, scarf and fingerless gloves in order to come alllll the way downstairs to type my posts up! lol

Hope you are all staying warm on this side of the hemisphere :) 

Here are my updates and a small book haul for this week!

It feels sooo good to be on an almost daily blogging schedule again!!! 

Thank you to all who have stopped by and have left sweet comments!!! 

I am trying my best to reciprocate, so please, leave any direct links in the comments!

Thank you :) 

I am also participating in Stacking the Shelves again :) 

What happened on the blog last week...

- Grown-Up Sundays #7: A ROYAL PAIN and IF THE SHOE FITS by Megan Mulry

- Entangled's Book Blast and Giveaway: BEG ME TO SLAY by Lisa Kessler (Adult) and ASHES by Sarah Gilman (Adult) 

- My Top 13 Favorite Books of 2013!

- My Top 14 Must Have Young Adult Books for 2014!

- YA Review: THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH by Laurie Boyle Crompton

- Blog Tour: REAL PROM QUEENS Meets Reality TV 

What I received for review... 

- Unaccompanied Minor (HB) by Hollis Gillespie (YA) from Merit Press 

- No Surrender Soldier (HB) by Christine Kohler (YA) from Merit Press

What I purchased... 

- Embrace, Entice, Emblaze, Endless (The Violet Eden Chapter eBookss #1 thru #4) 

by Jessica Shirvington (YA) 

- This Is What Happy Looks Like (eBook) by Jennifer E. Smith (YA)

P.S. - My blog has turned TWO years old!!! 

I plan on doing a celebrating soon! 

And I am also working on a list of "Books Up for Grabs" again!!!

So be on the lookout ;)

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!! xoxo

Blog Tour: Real Prom Queens Meets Reality TV in Laurie Boyle Crompton's latest book - THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH (YA)

Good afternoon! 
I am really happy to be a part of Sourcebooks blog tour today for Laurie Boyle Cromptons' soon to be release, The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High! 
Today Ms. Crompton and I are sharing our 'reality television guilty pleasure'... 

THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH

by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Expected release date: February 4th, 2014

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format read: eARC

SUMMARY

Shannon has never lived down her very public, most embarrassing moment, so it is no shock when she is voted least likely to be prom queen at Westfield High. That is, until she’s selected to co-star in a hidden-camera reality show, The Prom Queen Wannabees, and undergoes a complete makeover, sponsored by Nőrealique Cosmetics. Shannon must battle to be elected Prom Queen and snag the One! Million! Dollar! prize.

After a dramatic make-over, Shannon and two other Wannabes enter senior year: now the social hierarchy of the entire class is about to be turned upside down. Shannon’s helpful new Life Coach declares her BFF a “popularity liability” and orders her to cease flirting with the class science geek in favor of the beefcake quarterback (his muscles would make the perfect prom accessory!).

Meanwhile, the former front-runners for Prom Queen start having serious bad luck. But when Shannon uncovers proof that the beauty business can be awfully ugly, she must find a way to show her BFF and one true crush that underneath that fabulous makeover, she really hasn’t changed. The battle is on, the French-manicured claws are out, and the live! finale on Prom Night promises to shock everyone’s corsages off.

Here's what Ms. Crompton's has to share with us... 

My reality TV guilty pleasure would have to be America’s Next Top Model. I’ve seen nearly every episode of all twenty cycles and I’m afraid to figure out how many viewing hours that adds up to (plus, yanno… math). But I can tell you it’s a significant portion of my life that I can never reclaim. My family will sometimes watch the singing competition shows together and that’s all very fun and social, but I watch ANTM alone and in the dark. If anyone walks in while it’s on, I shield my face and call out, “Don’t look at me.” At least when I was writing THE REAL PROM QUEENS I could tell people, “It’s research! Stop judging me.” But now that the book is finished I really have no excuse.

In THE REAL PROM QUEENS the main character, Shannon, gets caught on camera taking a big spill off of a runway and I can think of so many contestants over the various cycles of ANTM who’ve had similar embarrassing mishaps. There have been stiletto twists that resulted in sprained ankles and numerous cases of dehydration and panic attacks requiring hospitalization. One recent makeover episode actually resulted in a girl getting her face burned by a curling iron. Fear Factor has nothing on these ladies!

I think the show that Shannon ends up on, THE PROM QUEEN WANNABES, would actually be a lot of fun to watch. Prom Queen Camp is just the beginning of the reality TV spectacle that would definitely qualify as guilty pleasure viewing if it existed!

My confession... 

I always tell people that I don't watch much tv, let alone, have the time to watch any of this reality tv nonsense... however, I must come clean! I am a closet REAL HOUSEWIVES fanatic!!! I am! {sobs!}
I cannot get enough of these egotistical snobs! They are so comical to me! And the majority have absolutely no clue at all as to what reality truly is. Sometimes I feel bad for them... I do... sometimes!
My favorites are those local to me, Housewives of New Jersey and NYC... I watch them whenever I can get a chance to!
Now if only they can cast a Real Housewives of Long Island, lol! or maybe now, I'd probably turn into a stalker! Eeep!

But if you ask me in public anything about this, or anything related to this, I will deny it all! I will!
{Runs aways and hides in closet!}


*Thank you so very much Ms. Crompton for stopping by and sharing your 'guilty reality tv pleasure' with us today!
And a big thank you to Sourcebooks for making it happen!


You can read my review of The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High right here!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Laurie Boyle Crompton

Laurie Boyle Crompton grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania, where she was never in danger of becoming prom queen despite looking fairly cute in a tiara. She now splits her time between Queens and New Paltz, NY, and is the author of the YA novel Blaze. As research for The Real Prom Queens she may or may not have watched every episode of America’s Next Top Model.

Official Website / Goodreads / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

YA Review: THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH by Laurie Boyle Crompton

THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH

by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Expected release date: February 4th, 2014

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format read: eARC from Netgalley/publisher for an honest review.

SUMMARY

Shannon has never lived down her very public, most embarrassing moment, so it is no shock when she is voted least likely to be prom queen at Westfield High. That is, until she’s selected to co-star in a hidden-camera reality show, The Prom Queen Wannabees, and undergoes a complete makeover, sponsored by Nőrealique Cosmetics. Shannon must battle to be elected Prom Queen and snag the One! Million! Dollar! prize.

After a dramatic make-over, Shannon and two other Wannabes enter senior year: now the social hierarchy of the entire class is about to be turned upside down. Shannon’s helpful new Life Coach declares her BFF a “popularity liability” and orders her to cease flirting with the class science geek in favor of the beefcake quarterback (his muscles would make the perfect prom accessory!).

Meanwhile, the former front-runners for Prom Queen start having serious bad luck. But when Shannon uncovers proof that the beauty business can be awfully ugly, she must find a way to show her BFF and one true crush that underneath that fabulous makeover, she really hasn’t changed. The battle is on, the French-manicured claws are out, and the live! finale on Prom Night promises to shock everyone’s corsages off.

MY REVIEW

If you love drama, drama and more drama, comedy and a side of reality thrown at you, then this is definitely your kind of read! Ms. Crompton has a gift for creating realistic and likeable characters...

Our main character Shannon is not having the best of high school experiences - especially with a nickname like 'Elf Ucker'. She does her best to keep herself under the radar and out of the spotlight from the 'mean girls'... until her worst fears become a reality: she is voted most UNLIKELY to become prom queen. She knew things were bad, but not that bad. So when a very popular cosmetics company approaches her, and the other 2 girls most unlikely to become prom queens, to star on a reality show much like America's Next Top Model - how can she say no! How can anybody say no to a makeover, expensive clothes, new car, life coaches and the chance to win a million dollars?? It will give her the opportunity to finally become and have what she's always thought she wanted.
Will her dreams come true?
Will she win the boy of her dreams?
Will she become the prom queen?
Or, will reality become, for lack of a better word, reality!

Shannon and what the other girls go through are exactly what we've seen on reality tv with over-the-top dramatization, back-stabbing and lots of boo-hooing; but, we also get to see the other side to what these girls actually go through - the emotional breakdowns and breakthroughs, the manipulation of what the producers want you to see versus what actually happened, how these girls grow and mature for the worse and then the better and so much more. Such a page turner!

A very fun, quirky, quick read for the younger YA audience!
Definitely a book to dive into - thought provoking with good laugh out loud moments!

You can see my review of  Laurie Boyle Crompton's debut:
Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) 
AND a sneak peek of inside the book, PLUS its book launch right HERE!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Laurie Boyle Crompton

Laurie Boyle Crompton grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania, where she was never in danger of becoming prom queen despite looking fairly cute in a tiara. She now splits her time between Queens and New Paltz, NY, and is the author of the YA novel Blaze. As research for The Real Prom Queens she may or may not have watched every episode of America’s Next Top Model.

Official Website / Goodreads / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

My Top 14 Must Have Young Adult Books for 2014!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful, happy and safe New Years Eve and are enjoying your day :)
For the last 12 years, my hubs and I have done the same thing: order Chinese take-out and stay in watching TV and the ball drop... and this year was no different! Except that we had THREE wide-eyed boys snuggling in on the couch with us too!!! SO blessed and happy!!!...

I am so anxious to get things started for this year!!!
And to start it off right, here is my list of *grabby hands* books!!!

Here are my top 14 must-haves for 2014!!!

- Evertrue (Everneath #3) by Brodi Ashton - 1/21/2014 

No need to say why this is on my list, right?! It's the end of the trilogy!!! And of course, it's been pre-ordered!

- Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg - 2/25/2014 

Can guys and girls just be friends? Seriously?! I hope Miss. Eulberg can finally answer this question for us!

- Grim by Various Authors (Julie Kagawa, Amanda Hocking, and more!) - 2/25/2014

SO many of my favorite authors joined together to write dark, twisted and sinister short stories inspired by Grimm's fairytales! {faints!}

- The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - 3/4/2014

This is definitely a book that I would buy just for its cover! But, it sounds exquisite too! Will the main character follow her heart???

- Love Letter's to the Dead by Ava Dellaira - 4/1/2014

Tissue box alert!!! This girl writes letters to the famously dead as a way to cope the loss of her sister and the abuse that she had gone through... sounds epically sad and life changing! I've already pre-ordered this one too!

- The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith - 4/15/2014

Long distance relationship, check! Travelling, check! Reunion, check! Love everything about this so far!

- The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt - 5/6/2014

I adored Miss. Leavitt's debut, Going Vintage! I just know that I am going to enjoy anything that she writes - and this story takes place in a Vegas! I've always wanted to go to Vegas and visit a few wedding chapels (it would probably be a cheap way to renew our vows, lol!) 

- The A-Word (Sweet Dead Life #2) by Joy Preble - 5/13/2014

The debut to this series, The Sweet Dead Life, gave such a creative spin to what I've read about angels before. And in this second book, there's an angel who has lost his wings many many years ago - and he knows things that no one else does... can't wait! 

- Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 5/20/2014

RIDLEY! Pink hair and lollipops, love her!!! Ahhh, I cannot wait to get back into this world!!! Pre-ordered!!!

- My Last Kiss by Bethany Neal - 6/10/2014

Sounds so intriguing - how did this girl die? And will she be able to figure things out and let go? I need to know! And I love this book cover too - it really shows how the character feels so disjointed and confused.  

- Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater - 7/1/2014

Do I really need to explain why?! It's about Cole!!! But more importantly, I hope to catch a glimpse or more of Sam, my love :) Pre-ordered the first minute it let me :)

Books that are being released in 2014 but do not have their book covers yet: 

- Take Me On (Pushing the Limits #4) by Katie McGarry - 5/20/2014

If you've been following the series, you definitely know that there are no words to describe how Ms. McGarry's writing affects us! And if you haven't read her books yet... shame on you! 

- Played (Hooked #2) by Liz Fichera - 5/27/2014

There isn't much of a summary yet... but, Hooked was so well written, and the characters were so relatable and likable; I am anxious to read more of Ms. Fichera's writing! You can read my review of Played right here!!!

- Adrenaline Crush by Laurie Boyle Crompton - 2014

Mrs. Crompton has become one of my most favorite authors! Her debut, Blaze, made me laugh out loud and embrace my inner geekness! I just finished reading her second book, The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High - another great girl-power read! There isn't much of a summary on this story either, but no matter - there is no holding back with this author and I know that I will be picking up her books just because she wrote them!  

SO, what are your most anticipated reads for 2014???
Please share with me!!! 
I am in desperate need to catch up and add more to my TBR :) 
(I'm looking for Adult and Middle Grade books to read too!)

xoxo