Teaser Tuesday #16: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week's teaser comes from the following book:

Title:  Meant to Be
Author:  Lauren Morrill
Series:  stand-alone
Publisher:  Delacorte
Publication Date:  November 13, 2012
Source:  galley from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

My teaser:

"If you're soooo obsessed with Mark, if he's your MTB or whatever"--here he makes air quotes--"then why are you chasing after this dude Chris?  For someone who probably irons her underpants, you're pretty all over the place, aren't you?  Just like all the girls you look down on." -- p. 133 of galley

Omegah, I already love this Jason character.  He seems fun.  LOL.  But this whole book seems fun.  While I was scanning the page for a good teaser, I got way caught up in the story and read several pages past this spot.  Oops!  :D

So, what are you teasing us with this week???

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Labels: contemporary, lauren morrill, meant to be, random house, teaser tuesday

Blog Tour: Interview w/ Daniel from Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose

***

On today's stop of the Sovereign Hope Blog Tour, I'll be interviewing Daniel from the novel.  He's the Clark Kent to Farley's Lois Lane, and though he's normally as tight-lipped as Superman, today he's spilling the beans.  :D

What was your first impression of Farley?  You know...before you met her, when you were technically stalking her?

I was hardly stalking her. Agatha and I were both following her to make sure she was safe. I had much better things to be doing with my time, too. Sitting in a high school car lot really doesn't rank high on my list of things I enjoy doing. I guess the first month, I hated following her around. I resented her because she seemed incredibly boring. She just went to school and then came home, and in between those two places she was either at the police station, or driving around putting up posters of her mom.

Things changed when I realised how sad she was. She was around people all the time, but you could see it in her eyes: she felt alone. It ended up that I couldn't bear watching her at night, because it was too tempting to go up to the house and talk to her. I told Agatha I wouldn't take those shifts, so she was mostly stuck with them.

Can you give us a hint as to the cause of the bad blood between you and Kayden?

*frowning* I don't really like talking about Kayden. Let's just say he can be incredibly selfish and leave it at that.


 Do you think Kayden might have designs on Farley?  He did seem to be flirting with her.  What would you do if he did?

If he does, then he's screwed. I can understand why he would be attracted to her. She's beautiful- any guy would be crazy not to see that. But if he touches her... if he looks at her the wrong way, it won't end well for him. I've fought with Kayden countless times before, and over some seriously stupid things, but him hitting on Farley would be an entirely different matter altogether.


 What do you think the future holds for you and Farley?

It's hard to say. It's going to be a long time before things could ever be 'normal' for us. There's still so much that we need sort out- like where Agatha and the others are. Plus we're hardly safe from the Quorum, either. I think once this is all over, Farley might like to go back to school. I'd probably go with her.

I think....*pauses* I think I'd like to blame that on the fact that I want to keep her safe, but the truth is that I can't bear to be apart from her.


 Lastly, what are your feelings toward Operation:  Find Daniel?  Do any of the submissions come close?

Uhh... I think it's weird. I have no idea about these guys. I can't see it. Farley's said a couple of them do actually look like me, though, so I suppose she'd be the one to ask.

A big thanks to Daniel for taking the time to talk to us today!  Here's a little more about the book and the author, and be sure to check out Frankie's website for the full tour schedule!

Title:  Sovereign Hope
Author:  Frankie Rose
Series:  Book 1 in the Hope series
Publisher:  create space
Publication Date:  July 1, 2012
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Everyone has a soul.

Some are just worth more than others.

Farley Hope was seventeen when her mother disappeared. In the last six months not much has changed, except that her eighteenth birthday came and went and still no sign of Moira. Her life is just as complicated as it always was. Since her father died in a car crash before she was even born, she’s officially parentless, and to top it all off she’s still suffering from the hallucinations. Mind-splitting, vivid hallucinations- the kind prone to induce night terrors and leave you whimpering under your covers like a baby.

The last thing on her mind is boys. Farley is on break from St. Judes’ when she meets Daniel. It’s not some casual run in at a party, or even a blind date with friends, though. Daniel is the guy following her in his 1970′s Dodge Charger; the guy standing at her window in the LA lunch hour traffic, trying to persuade her to leave everything behind and follow him. And he's hot as all hell.

The moment Farley lays eyes on Daniel, everything changes. He is cold and withdrawn, but there are cracks in his harsh veneer- cracks that betray the secrets he is trying so hard to hide. Farley is drawn into a world that will shake apart everything she thought she ever knew. There are truths out there that she must learn: that a person’s soul is their only real currency, and there are people who would do anything to take hers; that loving someone can hurt so much more than hating them; but, most importantly, when your future is predestined, there is little you can do to change it.

Farley Hope is prophesied.

Her coming has been awaited for hundreds of years.

She is destined to end the tyranny of the Soul Reavers.

To do so she must die.

And here's the trailer:



 

About the author: 

As a child, I was always accused of being bookish because I wore glasses- big, horrible, ugly ones with too-thick lenses. Those kids, the super smart ones who always know which tender insecurities to poke at in order to provoke life-long complexes, used to accuse me of reading too many books and that my eyes were going to rot out of my head (their words, not mine!).

Image from author's website

The truth of the matter was a little more embarrassing: I used to sit too close to the T.V. That was the reason why I had to wear glasses, but kids don’t really care about small, insignificant details like the truth, and so I was labelled a nerd. The label kinda stuck, and after some sage advice from my awesome nana (nana, you rock!) I decided that if I was going to be abused for my supposed literary obsession, I might as well develop one.

I guess that’s how I got into books and reading at an early age. Since then, I’ve been ripping through books like they’re going out of fashion, which, thankfully, they’re not. Good thing, too, because I’m a writer now, and books are my business!


Contact Frankie Rose:  website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: blog tour, character interview, frankie rose, indies, paranormal, sovereign hope

In My Mailbox #40

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  It's a weekly meme where we all get to brag about the books and swag we got in the mail, for review, won in contests, etc.

Um, so, I wasn't bad or anything this week, but I'm still not helping myself when I do this.  :0(  Maybe I should just face facts and admit that I'll never really get caught up.  But couldn't all of the wonderful authors out there just take a small break, like maybe a two-month vacation or something, just to give me a chance?  No?  Okay, well, then I need to figure out how to absorb the contents of a book by touch.  Or intravenously.  Something.

Alright, I'm done whining.  Sorry about that.  Here's the awesomeness that was delivered to me this week:

For Review:

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Inbetween by Tara Fuller
Covet by Melissa Darnell
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Purchased:

Hex Hall & Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins, audiobooks - a re-read was necessary for me to start Spell Bound but I don't have time for an actual re-read so this will have to do
Cinder by Marissa Meyer, audiobook - finally gonna see what all the fuss is about

So, at least some of my purchases (or re-purchases, since I already own the hardcovers, d'oh!) are for a good cause.  I'm desperate to read the last installment of Sophie's story.  Oh, how I've missed her snark!

Well, what did the mailbox faeries bestow upon you this week?  ;0)

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Labels: audiobooks, entangled, harlequin-teen, in my mailbox (imm), st. martin's press

Audiobook Review: Belles by Jen Calonita

Title:  Belles
Author:  Jen Calonita
Narrator:  Julia Whelan
Series:  1st book in the Belles series
Publisher:  Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication Date:  April 3, 2012
Source:  purchased audiobook
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she’s ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn’t go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn’t thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates’ Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls’ lives forever.

Okay, I had some reservations about this book, but then I read some great reviews, and I thought, "Why not give it a try?  You've liked every contemporary you've read so far this year..."  And Belles was fun.  It was a nice, light, fluffy read. 

And therein lies the problem for me.  It lacked depth...especially considering the issues that were being dealt with in the book.  But that's not to say that I didn't like it.  This storyline would be perfect for the CW...or a soap opera, but those are kind of one and the same.  Just when there's a lull in the story and things seem to be working themselves out -- BAM -- life throws another curveball at our belles.  It made for an entertaining story, but even so, it was terribly predictable.  Before I was even a third of the way through the book, I pretty much had the whole plot figured out.

The characters were terribly one dimensional and stereotypical, from the jocks on the football team to the cliquish best friends.  Even the unpopular kids -- the ones Izzy will inevitably befriend because of her less than stellar social status -- are as expected, scholarship kids who will never fit in with Mira and her "mean girl" friends.  Izzy and Mira do go through a metamorphosis of their own, but sadly, it was a product of circumstance, not actual character growth. 

But I'm hoping the character growth will come with the revelations at the end of Belles, and so, even though this isn't my favorite contemporary novel this year, I still enjoyed it enough to pick up Winter White when it's released in October.  This rags-to-riches story is full of promise and heartache and I can see why so many people have loved this book.  It just wasn't quite the book I was hoping for.  However, I will say that the narrator was perfect for this novel...her twang was dead-on, and I felt like I really was listening to some Southern Belles throwing hissy fits.  :)

Rating: 

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Labels: audiobooks, belles, contemporary, hachette, jen calonita, reviews

Q & A with Pushing the Limits author Katie McGarry + Giveaway

Hey, guys!  Today, I have the pleasure of bringing you an interview with Katie McGarry, author of the highly anticipated YA contemporary Pushing the Limits -- due out on July 31st -- thanks to the folks at Harlequin Teen.  And they've also provided me with the opportunity to give away a finished copy to one of my lucky readers, so be sure to enter the contest at the end of this post for your chance to win the book that everyone has been talking about!





About the author:   Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and she remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings and reality television, and is a   secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

 Writing has given Katie an excuse to pursue her passions. Research for her books has provided her with the amazing opportunity to train with baseball players, ride along in a drag car at ninety-six miles per hour  and experience boxing and mixed martial arts. Katie loves to visit schools and talk to teenagers about her research, writing and the truth that no dream is out of reach.

Find out more about Katie McGarry and her books:
website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Interview

What was your inspiration for writing Pushing the Limits?

I had two main inspirations: One, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to write a story in which my characters felt strong enough to leave their pasts behind and create new futures for themselves. The first scene I ever saw in my mind was Echo and Noah leaving town after graduation. Two, I wanted to write two characters who were facing over- whelming issues and who, through battling these issues, found hope at the end of their journey.

How did you come up with Echo’s name?

Echo went through several name changes as I wrote the man- uscript. For a while, she had a very normal name, but it alwaysfelt off. It wasn’t until I looked at Echo from her mother’s point of view that I found her name. Echo’s mother loved Greek my- thology so it made perfect sense that she would name her chil- dren after the myths. I read several Greek myths and the mo- ment I found Echo’s, I fell in love. Echo, to me, was the girl who lost her voice. Thankfully, she finds it by the end.

Which character is the most “like” you?

All of them. I gave each character a piece of me (though some have larger slices of me than others). Overall, I’d say I’m a strange combination of Echo, Lila and Beth. Echo has my need to please, Lila has my unfailing loyalty to my friends and Beth encompasses my insecurities.

Did you experience friendships with Grace types when you were in high school?

Yes. And the more people have read this story, the more this question comes up. Grace has struck a stronger nerve in people than I ever would have imagined. It seems most of us have un- fortunately experienced a relationship where a person wants to “like” you and wants “be your friend,” but only if it serves their needs. In case anyone is wondering, that isn’t friendship.

Are there any parts of the story you feel particularly close to?

Yes. The relationship between Noah, Isaiah and Beth. Beyond my parents and sister, my nearest family members were over fourteen hours away. My friends became my family. The peopleI grew up with were more than people I watched movies with or talked to occasionally on the phone. These were people with whom I shared life’s most devastating moments, but also my hardest laughs. These were people who I would have willing- ly died for and I know they would have done the same for me. They shared my triumphs with smiles on their faces and con- gratulatory hugs. They held me when I cried and offered to beat up whoever hurt my feelings. These were also the same people who were more than happy to get in my face if they thought I was making a wrong decision.

Did anything that happens to Echo happen to you?

Sort of. I was bitten by a dog when I was in second grade and repressed the memory. It felt very strange to have no memory of an incident that other people knew about. It was even strang- er to have injuries and not have an inkling where they came from. In college, I finally remembered the incident when a dog lunged at me. I relived the horrible event and sort of “woke up” a few minutes later to find myself surrounded by people I loved. Even though I “remember” the incident, I still don’t remember the whole thing. I only see still frames in my mind and there is no blood in any of the memories.

Book

This summer, Harlequin TEEN is thrilled to introduce first-time author Katie McGarry, a powerful new force on the contemporary YA scene.  Her publishing debut entitled Pushing the Limits is the compulsively readable story of a girl with scars on her arms, a boy with scars inside and the secrets each of them keep. Early buzz surrounding this book has already begun, including an enthusiastic review from PW -- "its suspenseful plot, dramatic conflicts, and tragic characters will keep readers engrossed" -- and Kirkus goes on to call it  "A probing, captivating story." Pushing the Limits is edgy, contemporary YA fiction at its very best.

Title:  Pushing the Limits

Author:  Katie McGarry

Series:  stand-alone

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publication Date:  July 31, 2012

Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

You can find my review of Pushing the Limits here.  And below, you'll find the trailer for this awesome book:

Giveaway

Rules:

• US/Canadian residents only, sorry.
• One entry per household.
• Winner will be notified via email.  Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected.
• Prize will be shipped by promotional department directly to the winner.  I am not responsible for lost packages.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck & happy reading!

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Labels: author interviews, book trailers, contemporary, giveaways, harlequin-teen, katie mcgarry, pushing the limits