Blog Tour Review: Going Vintage by: Lindsey Leavitt

Goodreads Summary: 

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.



My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Ok I absolutley adored this book, Lindsey Leavitt can do no wrong in my eyes. Her writing is so real and relatible and her characters draw you into the story in such a capitivating way. The main character Mallory find out that her boyfriend Jeremy has been cheating on her with an online girlfriend under the sudonym BubbleYum, and therefore decides to "go vintage" or use things that were around in the 1960's therefore getting rid of all current technology.

I loved the concept of this book, as well as the classic, vintage feel of it. It was exactaly what I was hoping for, and this book was so close to 5-star rating for me but i'm giving it a solid 4.5 strictly due to the fact that the ending let me down!!! (**SPOILER ALERT** skip this is you haven't read it, but come on why not be with Oliver, freakin A man) It fustrated me!! That being said, other then that choice that Mallory made, I loved everything else about this book!!!

I cannot get enough of Lindsey Leavitt's books, they are always a nice, light read, but with some heartfelt, real issues, and sometimes that's exactaly what you need from a book! Lindsay Leavitt is definitely now an auto-buy author for me, meaning I will purchase and read anything she writes. Do yourself a favor and if you haven't read this or Sean Griswold's head, GO OUT AND BUY THEM AND READ THEM ASAP!!! I have a feeling this book despite not being 5-stars for me, will probably be in my top books of 2013!!!! P.S. Totally have a literary crush on Oliver!

Blog Tour: Me, Him, Them, and It by: Caela Carter

Goodreads Summary: 

ME is Evelyn Jones, 16, a valedictorian hopeful who's been playing bad girl to piss off THEM, her cold, distant parents. HIM is Todd, Evelyn's secret un-boyfriend, who she thought she was just using for sex - until she accidentally fell in love with him. But before Evelyn gets a chance to tell Todd how she feels, something much more important comes up. IT. IT is a fetus. Evelyn is pregnant - and when Todd turns his back on her, Evelyn has no idea who to turn to. Can a cheating father, a stiff, cold mother, a pissed-off BFF, and a (thankfully!) loving aunt with adopted girls of her own help Evelyn make the heart-wrenching decisions that follow?







My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I've read many books regarding teen pregnancy, but this one was unique in many ways. Evelyn's family life is falling apart after her father cheats on her mother, and her mother is as absent as ever. Evelyn decides to give up the good catholic girl persona to become a "bad girl" and although the reality is that she's now named the school slut, she has only been with one person, worse though she got knocked up and the baby's daddy isn't even her boyfriend.

Evelyn goes through up and downs of deciding what to do with an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. She goes off to her favorites aunt's house because she dosen't want anyone to know about her pregnancy, even her best friend, but keeping secrets, especially secrets this big from the people she loves leads to disasterous consequences.

Me, Him, Them, and It was a good book regarding teenage pregnancy, I just didn't love it like everyone else did. Evelyn aggravted me at times with her thoughts about the baby, and maybe it's just because i'm at the point in my life where kids are a reality and knowing the struggles some people have to get pregnant makes situations like this extremely fustrating to me. Overall, I did think it was a decent story, but just didn't have the same feelings of elation towards it that everyone else did.

Waiting on Wednesday (30): Freakboy by: Kristin Elizabeth Clark

Goodreads Summary: 

From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He’s a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong—why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?

In razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and Brendan’s relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons.





Expected Publication Date: Oct. 22nd, 2013 from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux


Why I Cannot Wait For This Book:  I love books about tough/taboo issues, I feel that there not only important, but make people less ignorant to such topics, and make you more well-rounded. This book sounds powerful, and heartbreaking, and I can't wait to read it. 

Book Review: The Cinderella Blues by: Obren Bokich

Goodreads Summary: 

The Cinderella Blues (Thuh Sin'-dur-rel'-uh Bluze)
n.
1.
The phenomena whereby otherwise intelligent, capable, successful professional women are convinced they need rescuing by a prince.

BOOK LOVERS INC. Kat is dreaming of, not just Mr. Right, but Prince Charming. She's a career woman working her way up the ladder, but she still thinks she wants to be rescued. The Cinderella Blues is all about the frogs she kisses along the way. And not only are they froggy, but swampy and muddy into the bargain. Ribbit! But Kat has a fairy godmother. And some terrific friends to help her along the way. Including to remind her that she doesn't need Prince Charming to rescue her. She's more than capable of rescuing herself. All Kat needs is to get her head out of the clouds and figure out what it is she really wants. She can make her own dreams come true. And if she rescues herself, she'll have a chance at a real happy ending, with a real man, not a fairy-tale prince. But also not a frog.




Order Your Copy: HERE!!


My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I love a good chick-lit/contemporary romance, and when the Author Obren Bokich asked me to review his book I was totally intrigued!! First of all that it's written from a male perspective, and that after reading it, you couldn't tell it was written by a male, because it wasn't chavunistic in nature or degrading to women in anyway, shape, or form. I know that sounds like a stereotype, but I feel like a good chunk of Contemporary Romance/ Chick- Lit written by male authors tend to write women as air-headed, bimbos that are used primarily as sex objects.

That being said, that is totally not the case with this book, it's not filled with pointless sex scenes, and the female character Kat is far from an air-headed, bimbo. This book was just like the title suggested ( a modern-day fairytale) and if that's what your in the mood for, then that is what you will get from this book. I know my rating isn't that high, and that's only because at times I felt that the story dragged on a bit, and that the story was a bit predictable, but regardless, I still have this book on a shelf of books that I will one day re-read, because it was light-hearted and romantic, and real, and sometimes that's exactly what you want a book to be.

I look forward to seeing what's next from Obren Bokich because I did really enjoy his writing, and if you are a fan of contemporary romance or fairytales, then you'll enjoy this book.

Book Review: The Art of Wishing by: Lindsay Ribar

Goodreads Summary: 

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.






My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Art of Wishing is unlike anything i've read before. The only thing genie-related that I have experienced would be Aladdin as a child, and Oliver is definitely unlike any other genie i've ever heard of before. He dosen't live in a bottle, and dosen't ride a magic carpet, instead he appears to be a completely normal 16 year old boy.

Margo finds a ring in the bathroom during play rehersal, that ultimately turns her world upside down. She's told she can make three wishes, by a fellow student Oliver, but Oliver isn't at all what he seems. Margo suddenly is thrown into a different world filled with magic and genies, and surrounded by history.

To be completely honest, I really thought this book was heading towards cheesey-town USA when I was about 25% percent done with the story, but although I still kinda felt there was a bit of insta-love, the story ultimately redeemed itself, and left cheesey-town just as quickly as it arrived. I ended up really enjoying the characters, and was excited to find out this book is a part of a trilogy.

I definitely cannot wait to see where the story goes, because the second half of the story really pulled me in and made me a believer of magic!! Lindsay Riber is a debut author for 2013 and I can see her having a long future in the world of YA.

Book Review: Being Anti-Social By: Leigh K. Cunningham

Goodreads Summary: 

WINNER GOLD MEDAL, 2012 READERS FAVORITE BOOK AWARDS (CHICK-LIT)

Mace Evans is single at thirty-eight. When her much unloved older sister, Shannon, declares that Mace is anti-social, she embarks on a journey to understand her condition; whether she was born that way or if it is the accumulation of thirty-eight years of unfortunate encounters with other humans and dogs.

For reasons unbeknown to Mace, she has an affair with a work colleague, which brings an unexpected end to her perfect marriage. And as if the self-imposed torture and regret is not enough, Mace endures ongoing judgment from her older sister and mother, which further exacerbates already tenuous relationships.

With support from her four best friends, merlot and pizza, and with guidance from her life coach and mentor, Oscar Wilde, Mace recovers to a degree, but in her quest to understand her anti-social ways, she finds herself wondering about the quality of the fabric that keeps her network of friends intact.

When Mace's mother is diagnosed with cancer, Mace searches for common ground on which to connect before it is too late.



Order Your Copy: HERE!!


My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Mace Evans is the new, older, and Aussie, Bridget Jones. She has the same dry humour and attitude towards dating and relationships, and her carefree nature is enough to get her into a lot of sticky situations. I love chick-lit because it's a great break from the more serious reads, and sometimes you just want some light-hearted books that will make you giggle to yourself (unfortantly laughter occurs despite where you are, which sometimes leads to embarassing moments). Leigh Cunningham definitly delivered in the area of hilarity, and some literal laugh-out-loud moments.

At times I felt Mace to be annoying, whether it was her outlook on relationships or just situations she put herself into. I found it hard to connect with her at times, because of some of the decisions she made. Despite, getting fustrated with Mace, I still flew through this book, and found myself interested in where Mace was ultimatly going to end up.

I enjoyed Being Anti-Social, but had a few minor issues with it, none of which I couldn't see past to be able to enjoy the story though. I found out that this is Leigh Cunningham's second novel, and that her first novel, was more deeper and darker in subject matter and I'm looking forward to seeing a different side of her writing, because this book was on the opposite side of the spectrum.