Swoon Thursday (50): Swoon-a-licious Snippets

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)

This week, we have everything your swoon-craving heart could want...from short and sweet, to, well, a tad rougher (ha!)

Enjoy, y'all =)


RACHEL: Here is my short and sweet favorite snippet (yes, I'm actually going to follow the official rules kinda lol) from The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt:

I shiver again, and he pulls me closer, and now his lips really are right there, and I'm just about to go crazy from wanting him to kiss me when he finally does.

TARA: Still swooning over SWEET EVIL by Wendy Higgins

First the Twitter version: 

"Now would be the time to stop me, luv. You're about to be undressed, and trust me when I say it will be too late after that."

Now the Extended Bloggy Version: 

He kissed down my upper body to my belly button, keeping his hands under my back, concentrating on my skin. I was gasping for short breaths now, unable to control myself as his lips burned a trail down tot the edge of my shorts. He flicked open the button and licked the sensitive skin there. I gasped, and he made a masculine growling sound at me before he spoke.

"Now would be the time to stop me, luv. You're about to be undressed, and trust me when I say it will be too late after that."

KELLY: Swooning over Blackwood by Gwenda Bond: :

His lips moved down to suck on my neck, and I bit down on my lip, rolling my head to the side. When he moved back to my mouth, it was as if I'd died and gone to heaven. Now that I'd kissed him once, I wanted to kiss him forever.

NEREYDA: Swooning over Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose:

He moved his hands to her waist and pulled her to him, somehow finding his way under her t-shirt.  His hands rested lightly onto her bare skin above her hipbones, making her shiver.  She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, feeling his heartbeat there too, burying her fingers into his hair.  He let out a low moan, his breathing turning ragged against her lips.

TRISH: Swooning over Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson :

He jerked me toward a pile of mildew-splotched crimson velvet cushions surrounding the fountain and pushed me down. He grasped my arms hard and put his full weight on top of me. "Now I want kisses. Not your missish pecks--long, deep, luscious kisses." I bit him

SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! On your blog (and leave us a link with Mr. Linky here or in the comments), and/or on Twitter... SWOON us! PS! Make sure to tweet with the #YABound hashtag so we can RT you!

Spotlight on Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Publishing Company: RazorbillGenre: Young Adult—Contemporary
Pages: 288
Release Date: October 18, 2007 Goodreads

Summary Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers. —Goodreads

Review
Thirteen Reasons Why wasn't an extremely emotional novel that I fell in love with like Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. I know, a very negative note to start my review on, but Thirteen Reasons Why was definitely a roller coaster that evoked so many different thoughts from you. The idea of set of tapes depicting why a girl killed herself circulating through a number of people was absolutely gripping and so original that I had to read it and see for myself if I loved it. I definitely really enjoyed it but it didn't make it to my "favorites" shelf.

When Clay first got these tapes, I was so ready to see what Clay did to get on the tapes, because he was made out to be a really great and nice character. However, that's all I ever knew about him. I felt so disconnected with the characters in Thirteen Reasons Why, mainly because it was mostly just the tapes talking and I never really got to know who Clay really was. I wanted to be able to understand his character, his personality, but I wasn't able to and he was a really flat character to me. I wanted to squeeze Clay like a wet dishrag and get any form of emotion from him. Any form of emotion.

However, I really did love Hannah's story. Hannah was sort of like the dominant narrator in Thirteen Reasons Why and you sort of understood why she went through with suicide. Suicide is such a serious subject and you can't joke around with it anymore, since so many people are going through with it. And you can't go through with something this serious without having a solid reason and I could tell all the pain and suffering that Hannah was going through and what finally pushed her over the edge. By the end of the novel, I knew why Hannah committed suicide and I knew how neglected and discarded she was feeling at times. Hannah was the most dynamic character, to me, in Thirteen Reasons Why, despite the fact that she wasn't directly in the story.

Every story that was discussed in Thirteen Reasons Why enchanted me. I really wanted to hear every reason why Hannah ended up committing suicide, and I even went onto the site, Hannah's Reasons, that was set up so you could hear the tapes yourself if you wanted to. You really wanted to go back and keep reading. You really wanted to hear all thirteen reasons why she died. I felt like Jay Asher had scooped me up, taken me on a whirlwind of Hannah's different emotions, and then threw me down onto the floor at the last page of the novel.

Although the characters fell a little flat for me, Thirteen Reasons Why was poignant and thought-provoking, and it made you look just a little closer at the people around you.

Book Review, Author Interview and Giveaway: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry!

Pushing the Limits
By Katie Mc Garry

Release Date: 07/31/12

Hardcover/e-book

386 pages

Book Description from Goodreads:

"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.

 

***ARC received by Harlequin Teen for review***

“My father is a control freak, I hate my stepmother, my brother is dead and my mother has…well…issues.  How do you think I’m doing?”

For once, I was immediately hooked with this book even before I saw the cover.  The synopsis for this book was so emotional and intense and I just knew that I HAD to read this book.  When I finally saw the beautiful cover for Pushing the Limits, it immediately became one of my most anticipated books of 2012.  Especially when I saw that Simone Elkeles had given a blurb for the cover.  I was lucky to not only receive an advance copy through NetGalley, but I also got to meet Katie at ALA and I got my very own signed copy!

For those of you who don’t believe in love at first sight let me tell, you it’s real.  It was love at first sight for me and Pushing the Limits.  I was immediately hooked from the first line of the story and Katie’s beautiful and heart-wrenching writing had me hooked until the late (or early) hours of the night.  That hasn’t happened since Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead was released a couple of years ago.  I started reading this book on Saturday and finished reading it at 5:30 am Sunday!  While I consider myself a fast reader, I never finish books as fast as I want to because of things like my kids, my job and life in general.  But this book would not let me put it down.  It demanded that I keep reading until I reached the end.  And when I finally finished, I still couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about this book and how much I loved it.  Yup, I was in a total book hangover. 

I consider myself a tough person (even though I'm not) and I refused to let myself cry over movies and TV shows, but this book really got to me.  Echo and Noah are two people who have had a really hard life.  Echo has scars all over her arms and the moment was so traumatic that her brain blocked it and she doesn’t remember how she got them.  Her family knows but they refuse to tell her.  Besides, her dad is too pre-occupied with his new wife and their new baby on the way.  Her mother is forbidden to contact her because of a restraining order and the only person she could talk to, her brother, died a couple months ago.  Noah had the perfect family, but his life has fallen apart since his parents died in a house fire three years ago.  Now he is bounced around between foster homes and he is separated from his two little brothers, who he isn’t even permitted to see except for supervised visitations once a month.  Echo and Noah are “strongly encouraged” by child services to attend therapy with the schools new clinical social worker, Mrs. Collins.  Although Mrs. Collins wants nothing more than to help Echo and Noah, they don’t trust her.  And although they don’t get along at first, they slowly develop a friendship that grows into something more.  Something very real.

Pushing the Limits isn’t one of the best YA Contemporaries I have read, it is one of the best books I have read, period!  Told from Echo and Noah’s alternating POV’s (my favorite).  Noah is one of my new favorite male characters.  Katie did an awesome job of portraying him as a very real teenage guy.  He could be sweet and a jerk at times but his love for Echo, his brothers and his friends made me like him even more.  Not only were Echo and Noah so real to me but the rest of the characters were amazing too.  Mrs. Collins and even Echo’s dad and stepmom.  Noah’s best friends Beth and Isaiah were awesome and I looked forward to any scene that they were in.  The relationship between Echo and Noah is one of my favorites.  They were they for each other as they went through some of the hardest times.  Their relationship was intense, emotional and raw.  And I haven’t even gotten to the chemistry between them which was so hot, that I need a whole Thursday Swoon post dedicated to some of their most swoon-worthy moments.  I’m always a little worried that I will be disappointed by books that I have such high hopes for and this was most definitely not the case with this book.  Katie McGarry has been added to my MUST-read list and I can't wait to read whatever she is working on next.  Pushing the Limits is the beautiful story of Echo and Noah, who have scars on the outside and inside and must learn to trust before they lose it all.  Everyone should give this book a chance, because it doesn’t matter what this book is: YA and/or contemporary, to me it’s amazing!

5 out of 5 very sparkly stars!

Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes from Pushing the Limits:

-Soon the pen she held in her hand drummed in time with her foot.  I understood her rhythm.  That feeling of everything inside twisting to the point that if you didn’t find a release you’d explode.  I craved to grant her peace.

-This was Noah Hutchins.  The Noah Hutchins that refused steady relationships or even dating.  The Noah Hutchins that only wanted one-night stands.  A stoner.  My opposite.  And right now, everything I wanted.

-He eyes kept their laughter, but her smile faded as she bit her lower lip.  Damn, did she have any idea what she was doing?  For a girl hell-bent on keeping me away, she sure did everything to turn me on.

-I licked my lips and whispered, “You are going to get me in so much trouble.” 

“Damn straight.” Noah caressed my cheek before heading to his seat in the back.

-The worst type of crying wasn't the kind everyone could see – the wailing on the street corners, the tearing at clothes.  No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did, there was no way to comfort it.  A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived.  For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life.

-I swore Echo clutched me tighter before stepping back.  “I'm sorry.  That was totally inappropriate.”

Begrudgingly I let go, chuckling.  “I'm all about inappropriate.”

-“I watched you battle against the worst memory of your life and I watched you win.  Make no mistake, Echo.  I battled right beside you.  You need to find some trust in me…in us.”

Keep reading to check out my interview with Katie McGarry and enter to win a copy of Pushing the Limits!

Cover Reveal: Shift by Raine Thomas!

Shift: Firstborn #2

By Raine Thomas

Release Date: August 24, 2012

e-book

Book Description from Goodreads:

Having the ability to shapeshift, Sophia is familiar with change. But even she feels the rising tension in her homeland.

A shadowy male and deadly beast reside in their midst. The births of the newest Kynzesti loom. Hostile Mercesti continue to hunt for the Elder Scroll, and a traumatized female is too afraid to use her abilities to stop them.

Topping off Sophia’s stress is Quincy, the male she’s convinced can’t stand her. She rues the loss of their friendship, but can’t figure out how to move past it. She’ll soon learn, however, that mending that rift bears more significance than she ever imagined.

The search for the Elder Scroll takes on unexpected urgency, and Sophia finds herself in a race across the mainland. To stop the Mercesti led by Eirik, she and her companions must get past their differences and unite against them. If they don’t, Eirik will acquire the immense power he seeks, and two of the beings Sophia loves most will die.

Book #1: Defy

Raine Thomas

DEFY (Firstborn Trilogy, Book 1) - NOW AVAILABLE

Now Available: BECOMING | CENTRAL | FORETOLD

http://www.RaineThomas.com| http://twitter.com/Raine_Thomas

http://facebook.com/RaineThomas| http://pinterest.com/Raine_Thomas

***

YA Bound is hosting a 20 stop tour for the YA Fantasy, Shift by Raine Thomas. This tour kicks off August 27 and will run until July 1st.  See the blog tour schedule below.

Bookmarks and Bookshelves - August 27 – Review

It's a Hardcover Life – August 27 – Review

Bound 2 Astound – August 27 – Dream Cast

Every Free Chance Book Reviews - August 27 - Review

Kissed by Ink – August 27 - Review

The Book Hookup – August 27 - Review

Fiction Freak – August 27 - Excerpt #1

Letters Inside Out – August 28 – Playlist

Turning the Pages – August 28  -  Quote Highlights

I Heart YA Books - August 28 - Review

Crossroad Reviews – August 29 - Review

A Dream Within a Dream – August 29 - Review
Book Briefs – August 29 - Review

Ed and Em's Reviews - August 30 - Review

A Diary of a Book Addict - August 30 - Review

Step Into Fiction – August 30 - Review

Read, Write and Read Some More - August 30 – Character Interview

Comfort Books - August 31- This or That?

Leisure Reads – August 31 - Review

Nori's Closet - August 31 - Review

Read-A-holicZ – September 1- Review

Reader Girls – September 1 - Review

Jessy's Bookends – September 1 - Review

Swoon Thursday (49): Christmas in July

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)

This week, we have some extra steamy scenes to match the heat outside, so grab those fans, ladies...you're gonna need them =)


RACHEL: My pick of the week is from MY LIFE NEXT DOOR by Huntley Fitzpatrick, which if you've read it (and if not, why haven't you??) you know is filled with swoon-errific scenes. Here's an especially hot one (way too good to cut down):

I slip one arm under him and pull, moving him on top of me, looking into those green eyes, which widen a fraction. Then he leans on his elbows and those careful, competent hands undo the front buttons of my nightgown.

Strangely, I'm not embarrassed at all. I'm impatient. When his lips descend, my sigh of pleasure feels like it is traveling through every inch of my body.

"Jase..."

(And let me just say, I cut this scene right before it gets really, really good *evil grin*)

TARA: Swooning over SWEET EVIL by Wendy Higgins

(Kai is just entirly too yummy to be contained to 140 characters. So we went a few over *grin*) 

"His mouth found mine in the dark, fiery and rough. I gave a tiny whimper before melting into him and pulling his face down to mine even harder." 

(Rachel note: I am dying to read this one, and Tara taunts me by saying: good Lord is this book full of swoons, lol. *fans self* <3.... See how she teases me, people? he he)


KELLY: Swooning over My Heart Be Damned by Chanelle Gray :

(Too good to cut)

His lips moved down to suck on my neck, and I bit down on my lip, rolling my head to the side. When he moved back to my mouth, it was as if I'd died and gone to heaven. Now that I'd kissed him once, I wanted to kiss him forever.

NEREYDA: Swooning over Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry:

(Honestly this book had so many good swoons it was hard to pick just one!)

Noah’s hands were everywhere, my hair, my face, my back, and for the love of all things holy, my breast.  My hands roamed his glorious body just as greedily.  After drugging me with delicious kisses for not nearly long enough, his warm lips skimmed my throat and kissed down the center of my breast, causing me to arch my back lose my ever loving mind.

TRISH: Swooning over ONCE by Anna Carey :

"...his whispered words barely audible. I love you, I love you, I love you. He kissed me again, his lips hard against mine as I clung to him. His hands were all over me, his body shifting on top of mine. Then the air went out of my lungs, and the world fell away."

EILEEN: Swooning over For Ever by CJ Valles:

"Wren?"

When I turn, Ever is standing only inches away from me. His proximity makes my blood rush, and I hate him for it. 

SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! On your blog (and leave us a link with Mr. Linky here or in the comments), and/or on Twitter... SWOON us! PS! Make sure to tweet with the #YABound hashtag so we can RT you!

Spotlight: The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

Published 11/14/2011            

Razorbill

Hardcover, 365 pages

Buy it on Amazon

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped—and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible.

Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie’s whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way.

Oh my goodness. I cannot put into words how much I adore Brenna Yovanoff’s writing. As a reader I am in awe. As a writer I am jealous. Lol. She has a way of crafting a story that is eerie, beautiful, and compelling all at once. This was a book I could not put down.

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Immediately she has my attention with Daphne and her life in Pandemonium alone. We are propelled into the story as Daphne ventures to earth in a search for her brother Obie who has gone missing. This is where I fall in love with Daphne as a character. She is the daughter of Lucifer. Her home is Hell. And yet the compassion and love she feels for Obie is something so beautiful it makes her stand out from the world around her. On her journey she meets Truman, who she believes was the last person to see Obie alive. And there is just no other way to say this. Poor Truman is as screwed up as they come. And I love him for it. Daphne and Truman have one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful relationships I’ve seen in YA today. They are both wrong for a lot of reasons but they are so right for each other. They make each other feel hope when hope seems to be lost. Truman follows Daphne on her search for Obie and they begin to fall for each other. I’m going to try to keep this spoiler free, so I’ll stop there.

The Spaces Between was mesmerizing and brilliant and everything I love in a book. Brenna Yovanoff earned a place as one of my favorite authors with this one. Loved it!

Tara

Spotlight on Hollyweird by Terri Clark

Paperback: 240 pages

Published May 8, 2012

Flux

Find it on Amazon

Paranormal + Hollywood + cute fallen angel = WIN

When sixteen-year-old Aly King is the grand prizewinner in the "Win a Date with Dakota" contest, it seems like a dream come true. Along with her best friend Desi, and soap star wannabe sister Missy, she flies from Colorado to Hollywood for her celebrity date. Like every other girl in America, Aly knows that Dakota Danvers is a smoking hot movie star. What she doesn't know is that he's also Satan's son.

Luckily for Aly, in the City of Angels there is one actual angel, Jameson Dagon. Granted, Jameson is a fallen angel, but he has one last chance at salvation if he can derail Dakota's evil machinations. Can Jameson protect Aly and Desi from Dakota's damning influence, put up with Missy's prima donna antics--and ignore his smoldering attraction to Aly? 

When I read this blurb and saw the words "Satan's son" I knew I had to read the book. I mean how can't that make for an exciting character? To be honest, Dakota (Satan's son) doesn't have the lead male role. It belongs to Jameson, a fallen angel who is pretending to work for Dakota but is really lessening the damage Satan's son is causing on unsuspecting humans. Jameson is one of those characters who you have to love. He shares the POV with Aly, and I found myself really looking forward to his chapters because he had the insight Aly didn't into the world of preternaturals. Oh, and did I mention he's gorgeous? Yeah, that helps.

Aly doesn't want to believe in a world filled with demons of all kinds mingling with humans, but she can't help but trust Jameson. And when Dakota starts throwing the seven deadly sins at Aly, her best friend Desi, and Aly's sister Missy, the girls are in for a rough road. Still Aly is determined to help Jameson stop Dakota. She's one tough girl with a big heart.

There are a lot of books out with demons, angels, etc., but this one combines the very human sins that are so easily associated with Hollywood and making it big. The combination was perfect. I flew through this book. So if you are looking for a quick read with a strong female lead and hotter than hot fallen angel, check out Hollyweird.

Author website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook


Miniview with Terri Clark

1. Who was your big Hollywood crush when you were growing up? 

Well, I had a couple different crushes but my biggest was probably Tommy Howell who starred in The Outsider as Ponyboy.

2. Which of the seven deadly sins are you most guilty of? 

Probably gluttony. I like my sweets and coffee. Those are my two guilty pleasures. 

3. If you had a direct line to heaven and hell, what would your ringtones be for each?

Well, my ringtone for Hell would be ACDC's Highway to Hell. Love that song! And then my ringtone for Heaven would be Earth Angel. It's an old song, but a fun one for this.

Cover Reveal! Inbetween by Tara Fuller

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left...his soul.

Inbetween (Kissed by Death, #1)

Coming August 28th, 2012

Entangled Teen

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Goodreads

Click here to read the prologue!!!

The Inbetween Book Trailer

    

                       

Swoon Thursday (48): The We're All on Vacay Edition

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)

** This week, all of us are facing deadlines or on vacation, so we will leave you with last week's swoon-worthy moments, BUT if you have a new Swoon Post, please feel free to link it at the bottom or add it in the comments! ** 

RACHEL: Hey guys, I know I've been a little quiet lately so to compensate, I have a special treat. This week my swoon comes from a fun summer read, THE ACCIDENTAL MOVIE STAR by Emily Evans, and this book has sooo many steamy scenes to choose from that as an extra special 4th of July treat for you readers, I'm giving you TWO extended favorite segments from my favorite scene of the book:

After flinging the white satin pumps across the room, Caz turned her so that her back was to him. Gently pushing her hair over her shoulder, he undid the first pearl button. With each two undone, he placed a kiss on her back. She shivered. Midway through, she turned in his arms and grasped his shirt. She pulled the ends loose from his trousers.
His hands went to her back and he began blindly working on the rest of the gown's buttons. Ashley undid the buttons of his dress shirt and pulled the sides open. The more film they could get of Caz with his shirt off, the better. Caz shrugged free and stepped back to pull his undershirt over his head. She paused a moment to admire the view. Wow. His workout routine paid off.

And then

Their mouths clung and their legs tangled. Digging her fingers into his shoulders, she pulled him closer and ran a hand down his back. Her leg lifted over his hips, and she shifted to pull him tighter. She felt him push at the hem of her gown, sliding the silk up her calf until his hand rested against her knee. She moaned against his mouth. His hand slid around to the underside of her knee and his fingers played against her skin. She gasped against his lips, and no longer heard the song in her head, the sparks drowning out the lyrics.

The director said, "Okay, that's good."

Ashley's arms slid into Caz's hair and his mouth bit at her bottom lip, demanding wider. She ran a tongue against the edge of his teeth.

"Perfect, I think you got it guys." The director laughed.

(Y'all, I'm telling you, this book is a fun summer read *grin*)


TARA: Swooning over VELVETEEN by Daniel Marks:

She collapsed against him, relishing his soft kisses, the way he parted her lips gently with his tongue, his hands stroking the hollow of her spine.

KELLY: Swooning over WHITE WALLS by Lauren Hammond:

Our lips dance the tango and the kiss deepens when my mouth parts and Damien slips his tongue between my teeth. I break from the kiss, breathless and Damien traces the curve of my neck with his tongue before wrapping his lips around my earlobe.

TRISH: Swooning over SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo:

"The problem with wanting," he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, "is that it makes us weak." And then, at last, when I thought I couldn't bear it any longer, he brought his mouth down on mine.

SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! On your blog (and leave us a link with Mr. Linky here or in the comments), and/or on Twitter... SWOON us! PS! Make sure to tweet with the #YABound hashtag so we can RT you!

Spotlight on Favorite Summer Reads

Summer is....Hot. I'm a Texan, and before that I grew up in New Orleans, and let's just say I love me some A/C. But while I am nice and cool inside, I love the summer season for the fun books that it brings and the warm fuzzies I get year after year.

See, I'm one of those readers who has a few books I break out every summer without fail. For example, I HAVE to read Pride and Prejudice every year. I don't know why--maybe it is that sixteen-year-old inside reliving the summer I had to read it for school--but summer just isn't summer without Mr. Darcy. There's a few books that have been added to my personal "favorite summer reads" list, and I've asked a few friends for their input, too.

Now, what makes a book qualified as a 'summer read?' Well, I think the answers to that will be as varied as their are genres and reader preferences, but for me, I think a book set during summer, on a beach, around a summer job, or perhaps even just a warm location definitely works. And if it has summer or beach in the title, they definitely get a look. Lighter toned books, such as romantic comedies or quirky books also could fit here. But I don't stop there--I also look for books that fit more of the "coming of age" theme, books that you might have to sink into a little, think and explore with the characters, the pace and flow maybe a little slower to fit that languid summer feel.

These are the kinds of book that could fit the description, but what make up my FAVORITE summer reads? For all of you just dying to know, I've compiled my list on Goodreads and list just a few highlights here for your reading enjoyment (click the Goodreads link for my full list, which I'll keep adding to!)....and be sure to add YOUR favorites in the comments!

• How to Ruin A Summer Vacation (and the rest of the series....my favorite is How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation) by Simone Elkeles. If you're a fan of Simone's Perfect Chemistry series, you definitely want to give this series a try!!!
• Endless Summer (The Boys Next Door books 1 and 2) by Jennifer Echols. Such a fun, sweet read!!!

• The Summer I Turned Pretty (along with It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer) by Jenny Han. Dude, if you haven't read this series....just do it. For real. Like now. :)
• 13 Little Blue Envelopes (and The Last Little Blue Envelope) by Maureen Johnson. This series has it all--summer, awesome protagonist, romance, travel, and adventure.
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (the whole series) by Ann Brashares. If your only exposure to this series has been the movies (which don't get me wrong, I adore), you must read this series! No list about summer YA books would be complete without it, and you get to go so much deeper than two hours will allow. I <3 this series!
• The Summer series by Katherine Applegate. This series is HUGE, but I absolutely love it. Start with Beach Blondes, then Spring Break,  Tan Lines, and finally, Sun-Kissed Christmas.
• Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt is one of my favorite books of all time, and it takes place during the summer before freshman year at college. Score!
• Love Story by Jennifer Echols. Yes, Ms. Echols makes my list again, and in all honesty, all her books could pretty much be here, but this selection is for the older YA crowd and is just sooooo perfect. Sigh.
• Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley. Here's one of my selections that doesn't really take place during summer, but it does take place in Texas where it feels like summer year round practically (*grin*), and the languid pace and yummy romance fits perfectly with what I look for in my summer reads.
• Bloom by Elizabeth Scott. Another non-summer, but perfect coming-of-age, beyond beautiful story.
• Anne of Green Gables (and the rest of the series) by L. M. Montgomery. Bring back the innocence of your childhood with these books, and other classics, too. Why not dust off Little Women, or Pride and Prejudice like me? Sense and Sensibility is fun, or maybe Jane Eyre?

The YA Bound girls chime in with their favorites--most were already on my Goodreads list, and the rest have been added!:

• Eileen:  Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. That one was so good and also Anna and the French Kiss or Lola and the Boy Next Door :)
• Trish: Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard
• Kelly: If I Can't Have You by Lauren Hammond is a great summer read. Also, The Last Little Blue Envelope (or any in the series) by Maureen Johnson is great for summer.
• Nereyda: Wanderlove is beautiful! My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (Rachel's note--reading this now and totally concur!), A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger, Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Easy by Tammara Webber, most of Abbi Glines books, Simone Elkeles books, Nyrae Dawn books, Graffiti Moon

YA Authors chime in, too: 

• Lisa T. Bergren (author of the awesome River of Time series and Glamorous Illusions, one of the books on my Summer Goodreads List)  just read and loved LEGEND by Marie Lu and is onto ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre ....can you tell she's prepping to write her own dystop? (*grin*)
• Cindi Madsen (author of the upcoming All The Broken Pieces and Demons of the Sun ) says most anything by Sarah Dessen tops her list of summer must-reads

And now it's your turn! Tell us YOUR favorite, not-to-be-missed Summer Reads!

Breathless Reads Fall 2012 Epic Giveaway + Author Interview: Morgan Rhodes!

The awesome Morgan Rhodes (hmm, she looks familiar), author of the upcoming Falling Kingdoms has generously offered a box of ARC’s of some of the most anticipated books this fall from Penguin!  One lucky winner will win all 5 books!  Enter for your chance to win in the rafflecopter after the interview.

Falling Kingdoms

By Morgan Rhodes

Release Date: 12/11/12

From Razorbill

Hardcover/e-book

400 pages

Book Description from Goodreads:In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

***Mini-Interview with Morgan Rhodes***

1.  Is Falling Kingdoms part of a series or stand-alone?

Falling Kingdoms is the first book in a new YA high fantasy series from Razorbill that's out December 11th -- and it's part of Penguin's Fall 2012 Breathless Reads campaign.

2.  What is your favorite non-spoiler quote or scene from Falling Kingdoms?

One of my favorite scenes is the introduction to Prince Magnus at a feast honoring his younger sister. Magnus is the son of an extremely driven and cruel king. Magnus rarely says what he's really thinking, instead keeping a mask of civility and/or arrogance up to fool those around him, so what can come off as a cold jerk on the surface has a lot more lying under the surface. Luckily we get his POV so we know what he's really thinking. :) One of my favorite Magnus moments when he reveals -- although only internally -- the truth behind the scar on his face, but that might be spoiling a few things so I'll let you discover that in the book itself.

Here's Magnus's intro paragraph in Chapter 3:

Someone asked Magnus a question, but he hadn't been paying any attention. After a while, everyone at a banquet like this began to resemble a swarm of buzzing fruit flies. Annoying, but impossible to squash quickly and easily.

3.  What are 3 words you would use to describe Cleo, Jonas, Lucia and Magnus?

Cleo: brave, charming, and royal

Jonas: fierce, vengeful, and hot ;)

Lucia: magical, loyal, and evolving

Magnus: sardonic, dark, and conflicted

4.  Describe Falling Kingdoms in 10 words or less…

Honestly, I'm terrible at summing plots up quickly. LOL. On the back of the ARC is something that works perfectly, although it's 13 words: "Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined."

Morgan Rhodes and Falling Kingdoms online -- no website yet, but you can link to:

www.twitter.com/morganrhodesya

www.facebook.com/morganrhodesbooks

www.facebook.com/fallingkingdoms

www.facebook.com/breathlessreads

Morgan Rhodes Bio:

Morgan Rhodes lives in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess -- the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, reality TV, and is an extremely picky, yet voracious reader of all kinds of books. Under another pen name, she’s a national bestselling author of many paranormal novels. Falling Kingdoms is her first high fantasy.

***Giveaway***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Breathless Reads slipcase includes ARCs (advance reading copies) of:

Origin by Jessica Khoury

The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

Venom by Fiona Paul

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Rules:

1.  Open to US and Canada only.

2.  Prize provided by Morgan Rhodes.

3.  Winner will be displayed on Rafflecopter widget and on the Giveaway page of this blog.

4.  Winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond.  Your information will then be passed along to Morgan Rhodes.

***
Posted by Nereyda @Mostly YA Book Obsessed
http://www.mostlyyabookobsessed.com/

Spotlight: Reflections by Jessica Roberts-Giveaway and Blog Tour Sign Up!

***Sign-ups are now closed***

YA Bound is hosting a 50 stop blog tour for the YA contemporary, Reflection by Jessica Roberts. This tour kicks off September 3rd and will run until September 8th.

Reflection Blog Tour Schedule:

Some Like It Paranormal  - September 3 – Review

My Neurotic Book Affair – September 3 – Excerpt

It's a Hardcover Life  - September  3- Review 

What's Beyond Forks?  - September 3 – Review 

I'm a Reader, What About You? - September 3 – Review

The Fairytale Nerd - September 3  - Promo Post

Kissed By Ink – September 3 - Review

Kimmie's Bookshelf - September 4 – Review

I Read Indie - September 4 - Excerpt

Love of Books – September 4 – Promo Post

Leisure Reads – September 4 – Review

Comfort Books - September 4 – Promo Post

Captivated Reading – September 4 – Promo Post

Kaidan's Seduction  - September 5 - Review

Ramblings of a Book Junkie - September 5 - Review

Every Free Chance Book Reviews - September 5 - Review

Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf - September 5 – Promo Post

Gobs and Gobs of Books - September 5 - Review

I Heart YA Books - September 5 - Review

A Dream Within A Dream – September 5 – Review

Read Between the Lines – September 5 – Spotlight

Bookmarks & Bookshelves- September 5 - Review

For the Love of Film and Novels - September 6 – Review

Ed & Em's Reviews - September 6 – Review

Letters Inside Out – September 6 – Review

Turning the Pages – September 6 - Review

Book Spark - September 6 – Review

The Book Rogue – September 6 – Review

Andi's Young Adult Books – September 6 – Review

Doctor's Notes - September 6 – Review

Chocolate Coated Reviews –September 7 – Review

A Written Rhapsody – September 7 –Review

Incandescent Enchantments – September 7 – Spotlight

Sweet Southern Home – September 7 – Promo Post

Chapter by Chapter – September 7 – Review

The Book Hookup - September 7 – Review
Mostly YA Book Obsessed – September 8 – Review and Interview
Incandescent Enchantments – September 7 – Spotlight

Behind a Million and One Pages – September 8 – Promo Post

Reader Girls Blog– September 8 - Review

Jessy's Bookends– September 8 - Review

Books With Bite – September 8 – Review

The Book Lover's Report – September 8 – Review

B's Book Blog- September 8 – Review

A Bibliophile's Thoughts on Books

Today I have an interview for you guys with Jessica Roberts, author of a New/Mature YA book: Reflection.  Jessica is also offering an e-book copy of Reflection, enter in the giveaway below!

Reflection

By Jessica Roberts

Release Date: 02/17/12

e-book

289 pages

Book Description from Goodreads:

Bright, spunky Heather Robbins has escaped her small hometown and is anxiously beginning her freshman year of college. Rising above her rocky childhood, she’s found a place where good things are finally starting to happen: her own private apartment, refreshing college classes, and an intense attachment to a mysterious and rugged classmate, Nick Richards.

But when her dreamy college life turns out to be nothing more than a wonderful dream while resting in a coma, questions threaten.

Now, Heather must press forward to unlock the real past, and find the answers buried deep in her mind. What she unlocks instead is a roller coaster ride through flashbacks, embellished memories, and a whirlwind romance.

And when it’s all over and she comes face to face with the truth, will she lose everything she’s fallen in love with?

***Interview with Jessica Roberts***

1.  How many books do you have planned in your Reflection series?

Two.  I've always liked two-book series because then you don't have to wait forever to see how it all turns out.  Reflection, Book 1, debuted in February, 2012, and then Reaction, Book 2, is scheduled for release late Fall, 2012.

2.  Can you tell us anything about Reaction?  Maybe share a tiny quote or teaser?

Since Chapter 1 is included as a sneak peak at the end of Reflection, here's a little teaser from Chapter 2:

With the energy of some unidentifiable emotion, he led the way, hauling me on the dance floor so efficiently that I wasn’t quite aware how we’d gotten into dance position.  The music was slow and our movement almost non-existent, but my stiff arms were braced to him regardless.  We remained quiet, holding each other firmly for a tense minute, the silence pressing, the air charged.  But soon I felt the muscles in his shoulders relax, causing my thoughts to slowly settle in. 

He had such an athletic build, and a powerful back; a delicious combination of strength, confidence and masculinity.  I felt his hand at the small of my back, the light pressure causing my blood to simmer. 

I was in his arms again. 

For one sweet instant, I stopped thinking completely and just let myself feel.  The heat from his body; the strength of his arms wrapped around me; our legs moving in time together.  My eyes closed and I breathed it all in.  

3.  What is your favorite non-spoiler quote or scene from Reflection?

Definitely the balcony scene.  It was the first scene I wrote so it's sort of sentimental to me.  And it still makes me giggle whenever I read it.

4.  What would you say are Heather and Nick’s best and worst qualities?

I've always thought that people's weaknesses can also be, or at least become, their biggest strengths.  I sort of play with this philosophy within the series.  

For Heather, it's her impatience and insecurities that plague her.  And yet, it's because of her patience and budding self-confidence that she eventually ends up on top.  Nick believes his biggest weakness is that he's not trustworthy (a sentiment drilled into him by his father).  But anyone who knows him, knows he's a definite man of his word.  So it's a bit of sour luck that, in the end, it all comes down to this ultimatum: his word or his heart.

5.  Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?

Reflection theme song: "You're on My Mind" by Kalai  (Nick's guitar song to Heather)

Reaction theme song: "A Thousand Years" by The Band Perry

6.  Can you tell us three things about yourself that you can't find on the Internet?

Ooh, that's a hard one since I practically bare my soul in my first few blog posts on my website.  Hmm . . . let's see.

1. Sort of random, but I think guys that can golf are hot.

2. When I have a laughing attack (which happens often), it starts out silent and ends on a wheeze, not very attractive.

3. I'm going grey, and I hate it because I like low-maintenance so I despise that I now have to dye my hair every month! - Brutal . . .

7.  Who is your favorite book dream guy?

I'm not very proud to say that I'm completely drawn to the bad-boys.  The more of a jerk he is, the more I want to tame him - haha.  My most recent "book dream guy" would have to be Daemon (just like a bazillion other females).  But let me end with a disclaimer here: "dream guy", meaning fictitious.  In real life, arguing 24/7 with my other half would get very old, very fast.   

8.  Who is your favorite book couple and why?  

Too many good ones!  In general, I like female leads that are spunky, if not quietly intelligent, and male leads that are rugged and masculine.  I'm one of those girls that doesn't have a problem with my husband opening the pickle jar for me (that is, after I've loosened it for him of course - haha)

9.  Describe your book in 10 words or less…

A sweet, spicy, college summer romance with a twist.

Thanks for letting me participate!!  Fun questions!!

***Giveaway***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

JESSICA ROBERTS grew up in the San Francisco, California Bay Area where she spent most of her time playing sports alongside her six siblings. She was crowned Miss Teen California her senior year of high school, and went on to Brigham Young University where she graduated in Human Development. Her love of family, church, writing, athletics, and singing and dancing keeps her life busy and fulfilled. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and three children.

http://www.jessicarobertsauthor.blogspot.com/

@JRobertsAuthor