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Review: The Dirt by Lori Culwell Blog Tour

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Title: The Dirt
Author: Lori Culwell
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Booktrope
Release Date: 22 November 2011
Pages: 205 (eBook)


Synopsis
Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It’s not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd, particularly when her fashion-obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school—and practically the whole town.Fortunately, life is about to change forever. Lucy’s dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect—as long as the wedding goes smoothly.
My Rating
* * *
The Review
What do you do when your whole life has been defined by a single act that occurred years ago? When your family has money but that doesn’t do anything to better your image? When your older sister is in a super exclusive club AKA PG consisting of women who controls everything in your town from who gets to be the prom queen to who needs to be dumped. That’s the catch: you virtually cannot do anything. And it doesn’t help that you don’t have the courage to stand up to all the unfairness but fume as silently as possible. Welcome to Lucy Whitley’s life in Palm Desert. 
Only things are looking up now that her father is finally getting remarried after years of waiting for her mother dearest to return. The mother who one day took her middle sister, Megan, and ran off to never be heard from again. But now the stepmother-to-be has struck a deal which allows Lucy to graduate in a boarding school as far away from home as possible. In the meantime, thank God for friends like Dylan and Finch who just get you like no one else can.
It’s not that Lucy isn’t smart, she definitely is. But she doesn’t have what it takes to speak for herself. Even Frankie, the youngest sister isn’t afraid of Sloane and her PG-ness. Lucy is all about the environment, her favorite book being The Origin of the Species. However, it is not possible for her to not get insulted by Sloane even for once and even though, in her head she’s had enough. It just keeps on happening ’cause she is the responsible one who doesn’t want any more trouble in her life as is.
But the wedding never happens and that little detail manages to overthrow Lucy’s current life as well, as undesirable as it already. Her father is in a family vacation mode and instead of a familymoon in France, they instead get to spend the Christmas break on a Lake Arrowhead. Why does that happen is something I am not giving away but it’s an aspect that manages to change Lucy’s whole life.
Suddenly, the PG sister Sloane, is whisking her away to the life of a PG from makeovers to parties to dresses and fashion advice you wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to ever experience. Lucy sees it as a way of going undercover but is soon charmed by all the attention. The friendly side of Sloane alarms her at first but not for long. Of course, being overshadowed all her life, Lucy definitely needs a boost to her self-esteem. This comes at the cost of her friendship with Finch and Dylan but then it seems to late to set it straight.
I had a little problem with Lucy claiming to be a vegan only to eat the pepperoni pizza once ’cause Dylan ordered it and it would go to waste. Despite this, there is a huge food fight that occurs and well, a ton of food goes to waste. This annoyed me a little and also because I am big on not wasting food.
Moving on, the New Year party of the year happens and everything seems to be perfect for once but it’s just a prelude of worse things to come yet again and Lucy is down on her luck. Now with no prospect of running away to boarding school, Lucy really just wants to commit social suicide. But revenge is sweet and it seems someone has the power to set the record with Sloane straight once and for all. Who is this someone? And does Lucy finally get a life away from Palm Desert? Well, you need to read to find out for yourself! 
Best Quotes:

“Moments like this, I really can’t help but feel like every decision is a bad one, like every road is going to lead to a place I don’t like. I am trapped, frozen like a stump to this spot, and now everything’s going in slow motion.”

“Am I having one of those crazy “nightmare within a nightmare” experiences, where you sort of wake up, then something else that’s weird happens and you realize you’re still dreaming?”

About the Author

Lori Culwell is the author of five books, including Hollywood Car Wash, a novel that was originally self-published, then was acquired by Simon & Schuster and re-released. She is the owner of Get Creative, Inc, a consulting company specializing in search-engine friendly content, and of BookPromotion.com, dedicated to providing authors with user-friendly websites, social media education, and book blogger outreach.

Find her on Twitter @loriculwell or at www.LoriCulwell.com
Lori Culwell can be found at 
Thanks to Lori Culwell and ATOMR for providing me a copy of The Dirt for review.

Review: Shallow by Georgia Cates Blog Tour

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Title: Shallow (Going Under, #2)
Author: Georgia Cates
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Georgia Cates
Release Date: 21 September 2012
Pages: 164 (eBook)


Synopsis
Payton Archer’s best friend, Claire, strives to be perfect in every way. Payton doesn’t and this is her story.
Nick Hawke likes his car fast and his girls even faster. He blows through females quicker than his muscle car races down the “The Strip” in Collinsville and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Determined to avoid the devastation he has watched his father endure in the aftermath of his mother leaving, he believes there is no room in his life or his heart for a relationship lasting more than one night. He seeks happiness in things that won’t let him down…fast cars, adrenaline and one night stands. To his absolute dismay, all of that changes when he unexpectedly runs into an old friend and is introduced to Payton Archer, the first girl he ever wanted for more than one night. There’s only one catch…she is completely immune to him and his smooth talking ways. 
Payton Archer is looking for what Claire has with Jessie, but she has given up on finding it…at least until she leaves for college in the Fall because she is certain that is where she will find the perfect guy to fit into her perfect world. She plans on Summer being nothing but three uneventful months of fun, but it turns out to be anything but ordinary when Payton is introduced to Nick Hawke, one of Jessie’s old Collinsville friends. She is shocked by her immediate and intense attraction for “Hawke” because nothing about him is what Payton is looking for. Sure, he’s hot and sexy but he comes from Collinsville and that is definitely not on her list of prerequisites. Everything about him makes Payton’s heart speed because he is exciting and dangerous, but his fast car and the dangerous chances he takes aren’t what scares Payton the most…it’s the way Nick Hawke makes her feel every time he looks at her. Can Payton find that moment of total fearlessness and make the decision to leave the safe, shallow end of love to risk going under completely?
My Rating
* * *
The Review
Shallow introduced me to two great main characters and while, I am glad I got a chance to read it, it falls short slightly. Payton wants her ever after but she doesn’t want to get hurt after the whole Cooper fiasco. So until someone better comes along, she’s stuck between Mom and Dad aka Claire and Jessie.
However, Payton does not take anyone’s bullshit and she knows how to put people in their places. In short, she’s simply badass. So when Nick aka Hawke takes a fancy to her and uses every trick in the book to impress her, all she feels is bored.
Nicks work has just begin though, he tries out other routes to get to her because she has the power to unnerve him and make him nervous. Something no other girl has ever done before. So it’s natural for Nick to have a need to get close to her. 
It’s surprising because even Jessie was not this much of a man-whore but it all really fits together because Payton is exactly the kind of girl Nick would fall for. And fall he does. But things are not as simple and story goes deeper than just their relationship affecting them in serious ways. 
So while it’s true that one wouldn’t peg a womanizer of the first degree to have a journal; it’s also unbelievable and slightly ridiculous. I warmed up to the idea but the content stumped me. And this was where the story went into a strange way for me. 
In all, I just really think that Shallow started out as a great read, a book I might have liked more than Going Under. But as the story progressed, it eventually went downhill for me and I was kind of ready for it to end when that happened. I’m not saying to not read Shallow, definitely do. I’m just saying it could have had a follow-up to the ending.
Best Quotes:

“My heart suddenly felt cold and the center began to crack and shatter like a sheet of ice when it can no longer withstand the pressure being pushed against it.”

“Can’t you see I would do anything to be your everything?“

About the Author
I reside in rural Mississippi with my wonderful husband, Jeff, and our two beautiful daughters. 
I spent thirteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before I decided to pursue my dream of becoming an author.

Blood of Anteros, Book One in The Vampire Agápe Series, was my first novel and it was released in September 2011.

I decided to step away from the paranormal genre to try my hand at a young adult romance and I loved it. It was so much fun, I plan to do it again in the near future.
Georgia Cates can be found at 
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Buy Shallow (Going Under, #2)
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Review: Last Summer by Rebecca A. Rogers Blog Tour

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Title: Last Summer
Author: Rebecca A. Rogers
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Realistic
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: 18 July 2012
Pages:  152 (eARC)


Synopsis
All Chloe Sullivan wants to do is get through the summer. Her life has been in disarray for more than six months, and she knows the only reason her parents made one final trip to Sandy Shores is because of her. They are, after all, two seconds away from filing for divorce. When Chloe stumbles upon a boy in one of her childhood hangouts, she’s in for more than just a relaxing summer vacation. 
Logan Andrews is exhausted, famished and, quite frankly, kaput. His parents kicked him out when he refused to attend a rehabilitation program for his drug addiction. Now, he wishes he would’ve listened; he’d be receiving appropriate medical care rather than living in a dingy, godforsaken shack, holing up from money-hungry drug dealers. 
Logan’s godsend arrives in the form of Chloe, who can’t hold her tongue when it comes to matters of the heart. They’re both in for a rude awakening when Logan’s past catches up to them, though. Can they escape the drug dealers showing up at every twist and turn, or will things end much worse than they ever imagined?

WARNING: contains strong language, drug use, and sexual situations, including an explicit sex scene and a near-rape scene. Mature audiences only. 17+

My Rating

* * * *
The Review

There are certain books that take from you as much as they give you. They drain you emotionally, drawing out your mentally weakened form and transforming your thoughts into fire, igniting a passion in you like no other. The passion to live life to its fullest. These are the books that make me think and think hard about what life has to offer to us. The possibilities are endless. Last Summer is such a book.
Last Summer began with a glum feel to it, a resentment boiling inside Chloe for the way her life is turning out to be with no control over the outcome. So Chloe does what she can, she pretends but she knows she cannot hold out for long. With parents who can go without saying two words to each other for a week, who could?
Short of hanging out at their summer home in Sandy Shores, Chloe figures wandering around the lake and the forest will be good enough. Then she finds Logan in the abandoned cottage and it’s like she’s been introduced to a new challenge. Now Chloe has someone to look forward to during the persistently dull summer and to do something more than just daydream about the childhood summer days spent carelessly with Jessica, a long lost friend. And finally, to say goodbye to isolation.
However, for Logan, what started as an undeniably euphoric moments might be the very moments which will make him regret ever taking up the habit in the first place. Withdrawal seems like the only plausible solution but of course he isn’t strong enough to do it himself. So when help willingly arrives in the form of Chloe, Logan is hesitant and suspicious. He sees Chloe as a poignant reminder of all things home and a craving stirs in him. But Chloe is strong and she believes that she can help Logan out of his addiction.
Spending time together makes them realize that it could easily turn into something more. And it does, by developing into something deep. With both their souls bared to each other, what will they do? Will they last or will it be their first and last summer together? The book is told in alternating point of views and I really liked reading what was going on in their minds.
Last Summer turned out to be a book about surviving the worst and relishing the best. I appreciate what Rogers has done with the issue of drug use and she definitely have a very fluid way with words.

Best Quotes:
‘There’s just something that’s fascinating about a person who looks at their reflection. What are they contemplating? Is he reminiscing about how he got to this point, about everything that’s led him to the right here, right now?’
‘In moments such as these, it’s the minor seconds that count. Seconds that can make or break you. Seconds that can save your life.’

P.S. For a chance to win one of five eBook copies of Last Summer go over to Rebecca’s blog to enter!

About the Author

Growing up, I pretended to be characters from books, movies, and TV shows (especially Xena). Now, though I don’t run around my backyard and freak out the neighbors with Xena calls and invisible weapons, I still live inside my imagination, and it’s better than reality.

I’d insert something here along the lines of living in Massachusetts or Europe (dream places to live) with my wonderful husband (who I haven’t met) and our dogs, but these things haven’t happened yet. Instead, I’ll tell you I’m an avid gamer, chocoholic, coffee addict, animal lover, and own way too many books and shoes.

Rebecca A. Rogers can be found at 

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Thanks to Rebecca A. Rogers for providing me a copy of Last Summer for review.

Review: My Paper Heart by Magan Vernon Blog Tour + Giveaway + Interview

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Title: My Paper Heart
Author: Magan Vernon
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Calta Press
Release Date: 1 August 2012
Pages:  130 (eARC)


Synopsis
There are worse things in life than failing out of college- such as having your parents receive the letter that you’ve been kicked out.
Now to appease her parents self-proclaimed sorority princess Libby Gentry is packing up her Prada bag and heading to work for her great aunt’s antique store in tiny Elsbury, Louisiana. She’s pretty sure she can tackle the swamp and deal with her great aunt and tom boy of a little cousin, but what she doesn’t know is if she can handle the local town playboy, Blaine Crabtree. 
As Libby’s feelings for Blaine grow, so does her need for acceptance and all of the insecurities she has kept inside are coming out. She may have survived the Louisiana swamp, but she may not survive Blaine’s reluctance to say the ‘L’ word. When Blaine finally commits to the three words Libby’s been waiting for, she only hopes they haven’t come too late.

My Rating

* * * *
The Review

A piece of a dead tree makes it way to Libby’s home and her immediate future is decided. In a matter of few hours, Libby goes from being a sorority princess at the Illinois State University to working at her great aunt’s antiques shop in Louisiana. Talk about a major demotion! Well, it is what it is, so Libby begrudgingly packs her bags to leave her home for who knows how long.
It’s not like Libby can say much to defend her party-hard-and-get-drunk-harder image because no one really wants to know her. They form opinion on what they see and why her parents should be any different? 
However, when it comes to adjusting, Libby is a pro. She is also a pro when it comes to pretending but I will save that for later. Libby is pretty sure she can mend her paper heart along with her insecurities with Aunt Dee’s heavenly cooking while trying to give a makeover to her tomboyish fifteen-year-old cousin, Brittany.
But Libby is like a moth to a flame in the town of Elsbury when it comes to attracting the attention of the town people. In particular, Blaine Crabtree. What is with the guy with his annoying habit of commenting on her slutty ways. He’s the one to talk, after going at it with half the town! 
Like Libby though, Blaine has a story of his own and as he realizes and apologizes for his inappropriate behavior towards Libby, things take a turn for the better. Now Blaine and Libby cannot get enough of each other’s company. However, Brittany have a crush on Blaine (which Libby is aware of and is sorry for) so she makes Libby insecure with all the boyfriend talk. Things that makes Libby question everything over and over again for Libby has a bad experience with Beau, her ex.
Now, each small progress in their relationship seems like a burden to Libby and she keeps thinking if she is not good enough. Libby is a product of bullying and being made fun of for years haven’t settled well with her. Even though she has hidden all of that in layers of great fashion sense and what-not; it never really went away.
Blaine is a very humble character who has turned to wrong ways trying to make himself feel better about himself. So when Libby barges in speaking her thoughts out loud and daring him to feel again, Blaine realizes the error of his ways. But he needs little more than a push to move forward. Libby, on the other hand, is a very upbeat character and finds the fun part in any aspect of her life. But just as quickly, her spirits also gets diffused so it is intense to see her grow.
So while Blaine is helping Libby overcome her fear of bad relationships, so is Libby helping Blaine with his relationship issues. Nothing like something that makes you want to step out of your comfort zone to embrace the better. After all, it is darkest before the dawn and I always find such books beautiful.
My Paper Heart is a great contemporary debut by Magan Vernon which should not be missed at all. I hope she writes more contemporary books. It makes you think about all the possibilities in life and how each moment in life builds up to the moment of realization. Of need. And of what it takes to finally grow up.

Best Quotes:
“Mom held the piece of paper in her hands. It was as if she was holding my heart. Thin and frail. My paper heart to be torn to shreds.”
About the Author
Self-proclaimed geek-to-glam poster child who channels her inner geek by writing science fiction for teens. Even though she slept with a night light until she was in middle school for fear of alien attacks.

She now lives with her husband, daughter, and dog in central Illinois where she still sleeps with a night light…just in case.

Magan Vernon can be found at 

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| Amazon (Kindle) | B&N | Smashwords |

The Interview
Hello, Magan. I am so glad to have you on my blog today! I really enjoyed My Paper Heart and so let’s get started with the interview to know more about it.

I read in your bio that you’re “self-proclaimed geek-to-glam poster child.” What’s the story behind it?
Well, my husband says I’m still a geek, but I digress. I was always the geeky girl growing up that preferred to read a book (mainly comic books) instead of going out. Then I went to college, put down the comic books, joined a sorority and all of a sudden the girl who others looked at as being the geek in the back of the room turned into the girl who made sure not to let her heels slip in the drool that had pooled on the floor from people staring.
Okay, maybe a little bit over the top, but you get the picture 🙂 
The title of your book is very intriguing and describes Libby very aptly, how did you come up with it?
The title of the book was originally ‘My Own Summer,’ but then I found out that was a song by The Deftones that definitely gave off the wrong message. One of my critique partners helped me come up with the concept because it had a lot to do with the paper that Libby received that said she had been kicked out of college and following her heart. 
What was your favorite part about writing My Paper Heart?
Blaine, most definitely. I’m a sucker for a southern gentleman, but he was really complicated. He was gruff yet sensitive and for a long time I didn’t know what his deal was. He was a mystery even to me! 
The hardest?
Libby’s sorority life. I am a sorority girl and there were some parts of the whole process that I loved and there were other parts that tore me to shreds. Some of the stuff Libby goes through were made up (not from my own experiences, but some I’ve heard that other sororities did), but some of the stuff took me to my darkest times living in the house. 
What is the one book that has most influenced your life and why?
No laughing, but Twilight.
I was in my senior year of college and my roomie was OBSESSED with the books. I never had time to read for pleasure (I was working a job, an internship, and going to school full-time), but she let me borrow them anyways. I ended up being hooked. I found myself sneaking the books under the table during class just to finish them. This drew me to the young adult genre and it was how I got started writing My Paper Heart…eventually. It took me another year before that was actually started. 
Are there any occupational hazards to being a writer?
People can be mean. There are some reviews that rip me to my core, one review even said they wanted to ‘effing slap me.’ I try and be the better person, but sometimes it feels like people forget the author is human. I respect reviewer’s opinions and I value them, but I think there is a difference between attacking the words the author puts down and attacking the story itself. 
What genre did you relate to more when writing: paranormal or contemporary?
Ohhh tough one!
There are parts to both that I related to. Of course, I’m not dating an alien, but there are real struggles that Alex deals with in My Alien Romance series that I deal with on a personal level. With that said, contemp is harder in some ways because then I have to be rooted in reality and make sure that I’m not throwing things around that don’t make sense. Sometimes I wish my life was a little more paranormal and I could explain where the helter all my missing socks go! 
What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview and how would you answer that question?
Is your husband really an alien?
My answer? Yes. He won’t admit it, but I watched enough Roswell to know that a guy who eats that much hot sauce cannot be human. 
What book are you currently reading?
I’m critiquing a friend’s manuscript right now, which is hard to read while I’m critiquing, but I’m still hooked to CK Bryant’s BOUND (which is free on Amazon). 
You never leave your home without?
Cell phone 
Favorite time of the day?
The morning. If I sleep in too late then I feel like my whole day is gone. 
Everyone should know that you are – ?
A working mother and author. People do always ask ‘when is the next book coming out?’ or wonder where I am during the day. I work a normal day job in auto claims, come home to my daughter at night, and write when I can. If I don’t get stuff out as fast as others, it’s because I’m saving the world one auto accident at a time 🙂
Thanks again for having me!
The Giveaway
Magan has generously provided an eBook copy to giveaway. Rules are in the rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Magan Vernon for providing me a copy of My Paper Heart for review.

Review: Starring Me by Krista McGee + Giveaway

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Title: Starring Me

Author: Krista McGee
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: 10 July 2012
Pages: 320 (eARC)

Synopsis

Kara McKormick is told she’s auditioning to star in a new teen variety show. But it’s what she isn’t told that could change her life.
The feisty New Yorker moves to sunny Orlando to participate in a month-long audition, where she’ll live with nine other contestants and an eccentric housemother. Kara knows that the show already has a big-time celebrity lined up for the co-host, but she doesn’t know who it is.
Chad Beacon quickly rose to fame after winning America’s Next Star, but he doesn’t want his entire career to be about singing. There is so much more he wants to do-like act. The new variety show sounds like the perfect next step for him, but his parents want him to have a co-star who shares his faith since they’ll be spending so much time together.
Acting is high on Kara’s priority list. But a relationship with God? Not so much. In fact, she’s tried to stay away from anything religious. But God is after Kara’s heart and He’s put people in her life who are showing her there’s far more to Christianity than rules and judgment.
And just when it seems that Kara’s going to have to give up her acting dream, God reveals that she may have a starring role after all-in a story so big only He could write it.
My Rating
* * * *
The Review
All Kara McKormick wants is to be an actress. With a talent of blending perfectly into her character that brings her a thrill of performing, Kara believes she has it all. But does she? When she doesn’t have an agent and the her only claim to fame is being on The Book of Love.

So armed with a passion for acting and a determined will, Kara goes to audition for a show when she gets a call. All she knows is that she will be competing with nine other girls and at the end, one girl will get her own SNL-ish show with a famous male co-star. The show that will broaden her horizons like she always wanted.

Starring Me is more about the auditions than the show itself so there are actual scripts in between chapters which are just amazing to read. I got excited every time there was one because they are funny and witty.  Kara is a very humble and likeable character; I liked getting to know her and the way her mind worked. She’s friendly, confident and knows what she wants but she can also be such a girl when it comes to certain things. I admired her strong emotional side and the fact that nothing can deter her from her path. However, she will put all the stops if it has something to do with her family.

Then there is Chad. I liked that I got to know his part of the story as well. His personality is very mature and fame hasn’t really gotten over his head. His parents are protective of him and he respects that. I loved the part about him being home-schooled, it all sounded pretty cool.

The roles of Addy, Jonathan, Flora and Kara’s family compliment each other and I liked how it all connected and fell into place for Kara. Flora is a very wise character however much her appearance says otherwise. Addy and Jonathan each play a significant role in Kara’s life in the book because she never knew what was missing in her life until she started questioning. It isn’t about the belief in God alone, it’s about the willingness to do something. Anything. Determination is key.

In all, Starring Me is a light summer read complete with competitive girls willing to stomp on you to win, killer auditions, a best friend who gets red in the face every time a certain boy is mentioned, a cool bibliophilic housemother, a strong love for family and a dream of a lifetime. I enjoyed reading Starring Me a lot. Really, it’s as much about the journey as it is about the destination itself.

Best Quote:
“Cleansing tears poured from her cheeks and she let them flow, feeling a sense of peace like she had never known before.”

The Giveaway
Thomas Nelson has generously offered two copies of Starring Me for giveaway. Rules are in the Rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing me Starring Me for review.