Sunday Post, #25

Happy Sunday Everyone! This is the Sunday Post hosted by the Caffeinated Book ReviewerI hope everyone has had a great week. My week was sort of complicated. I won't go into details, but some things happened that took me on an emotional roller coaster. However, as I always say, my daughter keeps me above water and super positive. Right now, my mind is only focused on her and work and making sure that my life is headed in a positive direction. In other news, I'm participating in the Book Junkie Trials and have ultimately committed to reading 17 books in July. That's a lot, so with that being said I'm really going to be doing some hard core reading during the month of July. I hope that I get a lot of reading done this week especially with the 4th of July coming up.











What Happens in Vegas (2 Stars), The Walking Dead Vol. 2 (4 Stars)





I'm actually reading a lot more than what I'm showing here, but these are probably the books that I plan to focus on this week and hope to finish this week. 


This is going to be the week where I catch on reviews. I've been super behind on doing this and I need to refocus my energy and get them written and posted. 
  • June Wrap Up 
  • The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Review) 
  • Here Comes the Sun (Review) 
  • The DUFF (Review) 
  • Ice Cream Man Vol. 2 (Review)
  • The Book Boyfriend (Review)
Let me know how your week went and what you plan to do in the upcoming week! 
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All the Wrong Places by Randi Perrin



Happy Wednesday Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well today. I'm a part of a blog tour for Randi Perrin's book All the Wrong Places. Keep reading for my review, information about the author, and a giveaway!


Series: N/A
# of Pages: 270
Publication: June 25th, 2019
Source: Copy from Publisher
Genre: Romance
American-born, Australian-raised Rachel Kennedy was born to be an actress--all the way down to her drama queen ways. But when a bad day leaves her life and her dream in ruins, she's not sure what to do next. Her silver spoon-upbringing never prepared her for that. With a bank account at nothing and an inability to pull off a convincing accent for casting directors, Rachel's about to give up on everything. Not on her best friend's watch. Lily is there to help her every step of the way--if the definition of help involves convincing her to take drastic measures, each one blowing up more than the one that came before. Once Lily shoves Rachel into the let's-get-drunk-and-screw-a-stranger phase, she winds up tangled in the arms of Christian Whitmore, a cop with a sinful smile, sexy stubble, and impeccable timing. He's there to pick her up when she falls and to take her out for fish and chips at her favourite place. But then again, so is his identical twin brother, Kevin. Double. Trouble. Stuck at a major crossroads in her life, can Rachel ever find happiness again, or is she just looking in all the wrong places?




Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about All the Wrong Places. Reading about the struggles of the main character Rachel really made me feel for her. Even from the first few pages of the novel, the author easily and skillfully creates a world in which it's impossible for Rachel to succeed. I felt so bad watching her continuously fail at everything. With the encouragement of her closest friend, Rachel falls into a period of no inhibitions and meet this charming Christian. In meeting Christian, Rachel seems to get everything together and begins to enjoy herself, but Perrin provides the twist of a lifetime with the introduction of Christian’s twin brother Kevin. I have never, I repeat never, have read a book where the main character enters a conflict because there’s a romantic interest through the introduction of twins. I won’t say how the ending turned out but I will say that this definitely made for an interesting and new view of romance and I really enjoyed it. Rachel is a mess but she’s so lovable and it’s hard not to feel for her as character. One of the most important things that I enjoyed about this novel was the setting. It’s been a while since I’ve read a story with main characters that live in Australia and I learned so much by throwing myself into the new vocabulary that was provided by the author. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful romance with interesting twists and turns. While I can see how some people may find Rachel annoying, I really connected with her and spent a great deal of time rooting for her. If you  are interested in checking out a new author and a sexy and engaging romance then definitely check out this book.




English may be Randi’s first language, but she’s the most fluent in sarcasm, and it shows in her writing. She is known for creating snarky, realistic characters—badass heroines who can hold their own and flawed, yet lovable heroes. Like Randi, her characters run on caffeine and swear words. Her characters are often built around dichotomy, much like Randi herself. Although she is the least romantic person in the world, she writes romance. She also refuses to pick a lane on the romance highway, sometimes writing contemporary, other times paranormal, but always smokin’ hot. She is the author of the Earthbound Angels paranormal romance series, several contemporary romance novellas including Anticipating Temptation and Mi Amor, and a gay romance novella entitled Wreck You. She has also had several short stories published in anthologies. Her next full-length novel, a romantic comedy entitled All the Wrong Places, will be out in Summer 2019.



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What's Broken by R.M. Demeester Book Blitz


Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today I'll be helping share some information about new book titled From What's Broken as part of a book blitz being hosted by Expresso Tours. Keep reading to learn more about the book, author, and a way that you can enter to be a part of a giveaway.





Series: N/A
# of Pages: 236
Publication: June 21st, 2019
Source: Publisher
Genre: Romance
Goodreads | Amazon 

Amanda and Matthew are on the cusp of their happily ever after. They have a stable marriage and a lovely daughter, and they are eagerly awaiting the birth of their second. Suddenly tragedy strikes and the couple’s picture-perfect life crumbles. Ivory, their firstborn child, dies in an accident. Not knowing how to deal with their pain, Amanda and Matthew blame each other for their loss and drift apart. They soon realize their relationship might not bear the burden, leaving their surviving daughter to cope with the aftermath of two grief-stricken parents.


“I want a divorce.” The words slipped out in a stream of gloom and ambiguity.
My husband, Matthew, glanced away, his mouth tight and his eyes constricted. He had no words, but I wasn’t surprised. We stared at each other like two strangers, two entirely different people—cold, distant, and doing what we needed to do in order to survive.
The decision hadn’t come easy for me. For weeks, the idea of putting this limbo to rest had been on my mind. I couldn’t live like this. Neither of us was happy. 
“Did you hear me?” I whispered. I knew he had, but I needed confirmation. I needed some kind of response. Sad, happy, or mad, I didn’t really care, but he owed it to me. He owed me a response.
“Yeah.” He hugged his legs and glared past my gaze to the wall behind me. His eyes looked dead, calculating, and cold. Much of how they had been for most of the past year.



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R.M. Demeester lives in Saskatchewan, Canada. She is the mother of three young children, and owner of a rescue dog, a chocolate lab, Gainer. R.M. Demeester has been writing for as long as she could hold a pencil. She writes women's fiction, new adult, and sweet romance primarily. She has two women's fiction novels set to be released in 2019, along with several short stories.



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Sunday Post, #24

Happy Sunday Everyone! This is the Sunday Post hosted by the Caffeinated Book ReviewerThis week has been good! I feel like a lot of thing are working out in my favor and I couldn't be more thankful. I'm moving into week 28 of my pregnancy which means that I am entering my third trimester. It's been okay so far, but I'm starting to feel the aches and pains. It's been harder for me to fall asleep because I have a hard time getting comfortable. Also, I have the worst neighbor in the world who has no sense of respect for anyone or anything but himself (he comes in at 1:30/2 am in the morning and blasts his music with his friends). I already don't sleep a lot, so it really pisses me off when I can get a little bit of sleep and someone ruins that for me. I'm keeping my spirits up those because I'll be leaving in about a month which is great news. I literally feel my baby girl ALL the time now. She's super super active which is great and it's made me even more excited to see her when she's born.







Big Mouth Elizabeth (4 Stars), A Is for Elizabeth (4 Stars), The DUFF (2 Stars)

Book Boyfriend (3 Stars), Ice Cream Man Vol. 2 (3 Stars)





I've started all of these books and I definitely need to focus on spending some time finishing them. 


  • The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Review) 
  • Top 10 Tuesday 
  • All the Wrong Places Blog Tour & Review 
  • Here Comes the Sun (Review) 
  • Friday, #56 
  • Bitter Root, Vol.1 (Review) 

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The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan


Series: Percy Jackson & the Olympians, #2
# of Pages: 279
Publication: April 1st, 2006
Source: Owned Copy
Genre: Middle Grade, Mythology
Goodreads | Amazon 
The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment. In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book's drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.



Please keep in mind that this is the second book in a series so there will be spoilers in the following review.

Stepping back into the world of Percy Jackson was one of the most phenomenal experiences that I have had so far this year. With the Trials of Apollo and Magnus Chase series being added to the world, I’ve set out to do a re-read of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series as well as the Heroes of Olympus series. Prior to re-reading the book, I realized that I didn’t remember a single thing from this book. It’s a brilliant follow up to the Lightning Thief that focuses on a new quest that ties into the possible rise of Kronos the Titan god. While the reader becomes more involved with prior characters there is also the introduction of new characters such as Tyson who is presented as the half-brother of Percy. I loved that we have the opportunity to learn more about Clarisse as well as Grover. In the first book I felt as though both Clarisse and Grover were presented as side characters that were not necessarily important to the overall plot of the book. Sure, Grover was responsible for bringing Percy to Camp Half-Blood and definitely served as his closest friend; however, I feel like readers are given more insight to Grover and the relationship that he has with Percy in this book. In addition, Clarisse is often presented as a head strong, mean demigod but in this book the reader sees more of a developed and humane side of her.

Outside of character development, there is a lot that happens with the plot. It’s complex and really revolves around how Luke, a main character from the first book, has completely lost faith and trust in the gods. He’s even gone as far as to attempt to recruit demigods on the behalf of Kronos. It all stems from the loss of the fleece that protects Camp Half-Blood. When Percy dreams about Grover being in trouble, the plot gets thrown into full swing. The reader has the opportunity to learn more about Percy’s capabilities as a demigod and how he’s tied to his brother and Poseidon. There’s also a dynamic of the plot that is clearly evolving and developing around Kronos and Riordan skillfully writes an ending that will shock all readers.

I find all of Riordan’s books to be captivating but this book really truly grabbed my attention and I enjoyed all of the characters which is really rare for me. Even the villains were able to garner some sympathy from me. After the ending of this book, I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book.


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Friday #56, #57 City of Bones by Cassandra Clare


The Friday #56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's VoiceJoin in every Friday and share an excerpt from a book you've been reading. Here are the rules:

  • Grab a book 
  • Turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader
  • Find any sentence (or a few, don't spoil it) 

**Be sure to post the links to your Friday #56 below!

Happy Reading





Series: The Mortal Instruments, #1
# of Pages: 485
Publication: March 27, 2007
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy 
Source: Owned Copy 

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

I'm doing a re-read of this book because I really want to catch up on the rest of the Mortal Instruments. I haven't read it in a few years, but as the world gets bigger I've really been feeling the need to catch up.

"Three days, Clary thought slowly. All her thoughts ran as thickly and slowly as blood or honey. I have to wake up. But she couldn't." 

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I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib

Series: N/A
# of Pages: 160
Publication: April 30th, 2019
Source: Library Book
Genre: Graphic Memoir
Goodreads | Amazon 

Malaka's upbringing will look familiar to anyone who grew up in the pre-internet era, but her particular story is a heartfelt tribute to the American immigrants who have invested their future in the promise of the American dream. The daughter of parents with unfulfilled dreams themselves, Malaka navigates her childhood chasing her parents' ideals, learning to code-switch between her family's Filipino and Egyptian customs, adapting to white culture to fit in, crushing on skater boys, and trying to understand the tension between holding onto cultural values and trying to be an all-American kid. I Was Their American Dream is at once a journal of growing up and a reminder of the thousands of immigrants who come to America in search for a better life for themselves and their children.


While I don’t read a lot of graphic memoirs, I always try to get my hands on one when it appeals to my interest. I found this book on my library’s website when I was scrolling through the recently purchased books. Not only did I love the cover, but I was extremely interested in the narrative of a writer from a multi-ethnic background. Malaka’s writing was more than just interesting, it provided thorough insight to the struggles of those that come from multiple ethnicities and live in America. Malaka spent quite a bit of time growing up around her Filipino family while living in a diverse town in California. She spent her summers in Egypt with her father. What I loved was the unveiling of struggles that Malaka faced growing up. She did grow up in an area where it wasn’t abnormal for people to come from a variety of backgrounds. It was normal to ask friends and acquaintances “what are you?” It isn’t until later that Malaka learns that this can be considered offensive to some individuals. Even with her background, Malaka and her family members still put certain aspects of white people on a pedestal. To me this spoke to the idea that those of us who come from different ethnicities and cultures often fall prey to thinking that there are characteristics of white people that surpass our identities as people of color. For me, as a black woman, this becomes extremely evident in the way that black women treat their hair. We used to grow up thinking that straight, slick hair like those of traditional European standards is what we needed to be successful ultimately forgoing our natural hair to fit white standards. Malaka goes through the same thing in both high school and college. I love how she shamelessly explores her experiences with these thoughts. I do appreciate that these thoughts and experiences changed as she got older and gained experience in the corporate world. Honestly, it was a great book. There were even some aspects of the book that were interactive. My only criticism is the coloring of the artwork. I’m not sure why but some of the coloring bothered me and distracted me from the text. If you’re interested in graphic memoirs I would definitely recommend checking it out.


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A Is for Elizabeth Series Blog Tour & Review


Happy Monday Everyone! Today I'll be reviewing two books from the A Is for El!zabeth Series by Rachel Vail as part of a blog tour for Rockstar Book Tours. Please keep reading to check out my review, learn more about the author, and enter a giveaway!



Series: A Is for Elizabeth, #1
# of Pages: 128
Publication: May 9th, 2019
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: Children's Realistic Fiction
GoodreadsAmazonKindleB&NiBooksKoboTBD


Elizabeth is in second grade. Class 2B! It's great! Friends, recess, homework! Even a big project: Make a poster of your name. Yayyy! Hang on. The name Elizabeth has a bajillion letters in it! The name Anna has only four letters. Plus, Anna's first letter is A, which is also the first letter of Alphabetical Order. But Anna can't always be first! That's not fair! In A is for Elizabeth, Elizabeth makes more than a poster. She also makes some important choices—about fairness, rules, speaking up, and glue. But the most important thing she makes is...a friend! A new spin off from Vail's Justin Case series starring Justin's little sister.


This was such a cute start to a new and exciting children's series. As a mother to be, I'm constantly looking for books that I will recommend to my daughter in the future and this is definitely one that I will keep in mind. In my field of librarianship, this is a book that I would recommend as a great transition for children who are newer readers and are used to having access to books that still include illustrations. The story was unique and well-written. I also enjoyed that the author divided the book into chapters. This gives children a feel for what it's like to read a book that has actual chapters. In addition, these chapters weren't very long which would make transitioning from one chapter to the next much easier for a child. Elizabeth is a fun and a unique character. As she transitions into second grade, she learns a lot more about responsibility and what it means to stand up for what she believes in. This book also takes the common perception of the alphabet and "alphabetically order" and adds a new flare to children understanding and re-inventing what we consider traditional. I loved the dynamic between Elizabeth and her family and believe that this is a great read for any age group. 


Series: A is For Elizabeth, #2
# of Pages: 128
Publication: May 9th, 2019
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: Children's Realistic Fiction

Big Mouth Elizabeth is the second in a new chapter book series spinning off of the Justin Case books, starring Justin's little sister, Elizabeth. Second-grader Elizabeth longs to be a member of the Big Mouth Club, which is made up of kids who have lost at least one baby tooth. Elizabeth is WAY behind on losing her baby teeth, and so is Cali, a quiet girl who is also left out of the Big Mouth Club. Elizabeth thinks Cali is so much more babyish than she is--in fact, Elizabeth SHOULD be in the Big Mouth Club because she's NOT babyish. But when she understands how bad it feels to be left out, Elizabeth's attitude shifts. Here is a story about fitting in in unexpected ways. With copious line art by Paige Keiser, this second book in Rachel Vail's Elizabeth series is sure to delight fans of Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones, and Clementine.


This was an AMAZING follow up to the first book in the series. While the first book focused on readers getting the opportunity to know more about Elizabeth, this book focuses more on character growth. We are immersed back into Elizabeth's 2nd grade class where all of the students are beginning to lose their baby teeth. Unfortunately, Elizabeth hasn't lost any of her baby teeth and then feels left out when her classmates form the "Big Mouth" club (clearly unaware of the true meaning behind calling someone a big mouth). What I truly enjoyed about this installment into the series is that Elizabeth learns what it's like to be left out and/or ostracized from a group. This to me is amazing because it teaches children in the same age group to become more empathetic and self-aware. After teasing another classmate and calling her names, Elizabeth begins to learn how that behavior affects others. I fell in love with the fact that in the first book Elizabeth learned what it meant to stand up for things that she believed in; however, in this book she learns how to stand up for others. It was interesting and amazing to watch that transition. This was another great installment in the series and I look forward to seeing what will come in the books to follow. 






Rachel Vail is the award-winning author of more than 30 books. Her newest novel for middle-schoolers is WELL, THAT WAS AWKWARD. Her novels for teens and tweens also include UNFRIENDED, IF WE KISS, KISS ME AGAIN, LUCKY, GORGEOUS, BRILLIANT, and the Friendship Ring series. For elementary school kids, there’s JUSTIN CASE: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters; JUSTIN CASE: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom, and, JUSTIN CASE: Rules, Tools, and Maybe a Bully. Her picture books include PIGGY BUNNY and SOMETIMES I’M BOMBALOO. Rachel lives in New York City with her husband, their two sons, and a tortoise named Lightning.



Giveaway Details: 


3 lucky winners will receive finished copies of THE ELIZABETH CASE Series, US Only.



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Tour Schedule: 

Week One:
6/10/2019- Twirling Book Princess- Excerpt
6/11/2019- BookHounds YA- Excerpt
6/12/2019- Nerdophiles- Review
6/13/2019- BookishRealmReviewsReview
6/14/2019- The Hermit LibrarianExcerpt

Week Two:
6/17/2019- BookishRealmReviews- Review
6/18/2019- The Suburban LifestyleReview
6/19/2019- Two Chicks on BooksExcerpt
6/20/2019- Book-o-CrazeReview
6/21/2019- Two points of interestReview

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