Boys of Summer

Hey everyone! I'm so happy to introduce The Boys of Summer by CJ Duggan, hosted by The Bookish Brunette. Here's more about the book:

It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘Onslow Boys’. Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.
Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.
To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.
How did she let her friends talk her into working?
After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.
All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.
It will be a summer she will always remember.
Warning: sexual references, and occasional course language. 

Goodreads link:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13562232-the-boys-of-summer

Author Bio:

C.J is an up and coming Australian Author. Her debut novel, a YA Romance 'The Boys of Summer’ is a coming of age love story set in a mythical small Australian Town in the mid 90's.
Whether juggling the pressures of a stressful day job, or be it the many realms of mundane reality? C.J has earned a name for her ballistic imagination and witty banter in her blog. Offering an honest, refreshing account with her daily rants of the world and her personal journey in being an Aspiring Author.

To find out more about C.J Duggan and her debut YA Romance
“The Boys of Summer” visit http://can-duu.blogspot.com/

Author Links:

WEB: http://cjduggan.weebly.com/ 
BLOG: http://can-duu.blogspot.com.au/ 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/CJ_Duggan
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002387829530
GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5779034.C_J_Duggan
FACEBOOK (The Boys of Summer) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cj-Duggan-The-Boys-of-Summer/207724915934429 

Top 5 Monday Rants

Hey fellow readers! It's a posting of Top 5 Monday Rants! Since the year's almost over, I decided to do a Top 5 Rant listing some of my favorite reads through out the year. They might not necessarily have been published this year, but I happen to have stumbled upon this year and loved. So, on to the list!


1) The 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy by E.L. James. Not particularly a fan of the erotic part of the story, I was more fascinated with the back story of how Ana and Christian came to be, and all the drama that got me sucked into it as well. This series was literally a major cause of commotion this year.

2) Slammed and Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover. I loved this story. More of a romantic based novel, it had a more forbidden relationship between a student and the youngest teacher at the school. It also has a unique tie in with poetry. I adored this series, and can't wait to read more from this author.

3) All These Things I've Done and Because It Is In My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin. Another interesting series. I loved the uniqueness behind this dystopian, where chocolate is banned, and a girl named Anya Balanchine is trying to restore her father's good name as well as her father's chocolate factory. It also has an interesting mob aspect to it and I can't wait for the next installment.

4) Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult. I loved how different it was than most other novels. And the fact that a girl was able to have a conversations with characters in the novel was something I've always imagined too. I loved how the girl in the novel also tried to save one of the characters from his unhappy role. A very different take on the fantasy genre, I also adored the beautiful illustrations that came along with it.

5) And, last but not least, The Trylle Series by Amanda Hocking. It was the first fantasy genre that I really enjoyed. I'm not much one for fantasy, and this series definitely got me back into it. I loved how it was set in a magical world, but instead of teleporting or doing something magically, it's still set within the states, within car traveling distance. And though there is a love triangle involved, I enjoyed the magical aspect to it as well.

Well, that's it for my Top 5 Monday Rants. Obviously there's a bigger list of great books that were read in 2012, but these were the ones that really stood out to me. Feel free to leave your list too in the comments section so I can check out your interesting list too. Have a happy Monday :)

Which Cover Did It Better pt. 2

Hey readers. I was browsing online again for some good reads and came across some very similar book   covers. I'll let you be the judge of which one did it better. First up:

Compared to:

And then I also came across these as well:

Compared to:

What do you guys think? Which cover did it better?

In My Mailbox!

Hey fellow readers! It's a posting of In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren. This week I got...

Won: 

e-book copy of Betwixt -- Melissa Pearl

From Library:

Because It Is My Blood -- Gabrielle Zevin

Ten -- Gretchen McNeil

I Hunt Killers -- Barry Lyga

The Elementals -- Francesca Lia Block

The Rise of Nine -- Pittacus Lore

Whispers at Moonrise -- C.C. Hunter

Spin -- Catherine McKenzie 

Darkness Before Dawn -- J.A. London

Guitar Notes -- Mary Amato

My Double Life -- Janette Rallison.

That's all the books I got this week. Be sure to leave your link so I can check out your awesome books too. 

Review: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

                                     Book: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
                                     Pages: 390
                                     Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
                                     Source: traded

Short Synopsis: Skye is about to turn seventeen years old. It isn't until her birthday party that things start getting weird for Skye, as well as having two new guys catch her attention. But Skye is in far more than she's ever bargained for.

My Thoughts: I throughly enjoyed this novel, and it literally had me on the edge of my seat. It's a wonder why it took me this long to pick up.

On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites--like fire and ice--Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move--only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.
"A Beautiful Dark" is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies.
--From Goodreads

Skye is about to embark on her seventeenth birthday, and spends it with her friends. On the night of her birthday party, Skye encounters two new guys who happens to catch her attention. Devin, and Asher. And if things couldn't get any weirder, Skye notices odd things about her that never happened before. Like for instance, the fact that her eyes changed to silver when they were normally gray, or the fact that a perfectly new boiler broke down. Skye doesn't know what to think.
Then she starts meeting up with Devin and Asher as they tell her that her dead parents were in fact angels, a rebel and the order, and that both her parents were in a forbidden relationship. Both Asher and Devin are angels from the rebel and the order, and they are here to protect as well as help Skye master her unique powers. And in given time, Skye must choose a side or suffer the consequences.
This novel took a little bit to get into, but as I kept reading, I was curious about the main character Skye, and was anxious to see what type of powers she could develop. And though I understand why they were constantly arguing, Devin and Asher were a bit infuriating at times with their constant back and forth banter, and Skye was most often caught in the middle.
The majority of the novel focuses on Devin and Asher trying to figure out what type of powers Skye could produce, and if she could control her powers. Another character that comes into play is Raven, who is an angel as well, but is furious at Skye for taking time away from her and Devin, as they were destined to be together, and now because of Skye, their destinies have become muddled. I'm usually not one for background history on certain issues, but I rather enjoyed reading the history on the two angel sides, and how they came to be, and what their purpose was. I loved and hated the ending, as it was a very jaw dropping ending, and am currently waiting for the next book through the mail. In general, a great start to an interesting series, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5.

Review: Vampire Crush by A.M. Robinson

                                       Book: Vampire Crush by A.M. Robinson
                                       Pages: 416
                                       Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
                                       Source: Bought

Short Synopsis: Sophie's life has always been relatively normal, and always the invisible girl at school, until a small group of students transfers to Sophie's school, including Sophie's long ago childhood friend, James Hallowell. Ever since the new kids came to town, Sophie's life has been turned upside down, and Sophie has a sneaky suspicion that the new students might not be who they say they are.

My Thoughts: I loved this novel. And though the vampire genre is a bit overplayed, I still enjoyed this fast paced read, with a twist.

I swear, my life was always totally normal.
Normal house, normal family, normal school. My looks are average, I don't have any superpowers, no one's showing up to tell me I'm a princess —you get the picture. But when my junior year started, something not normal happened. There were new kids at school . . . new kids with a wardrobe straight out of a 19th-century romance novel, and an inexplicable desire to stay at school until sundown.
And on top of that, James Hallowell showed up. James, who stole my sandwiches in fourth grade and teased me mercilessly through middle school. James, who now seems to have the power to make my heart race any time he comes near.
But something weird is going on. Because James rarely goes out during the day. And he seems stronger than your typical guy. And he knows the new kids, all of whom seem to be harboring some kind of deep secret. . . .
--From Goodreads

Sophie, a strong, independent, and determined girl. All she wants to do is become Editor In Chief at her school's newspaper. She's so close to getting what she wants, Sophie will do just about anything. It isn't until new students arrive, and Sophie is assigned to do part of a profile on the new students. When the new students aren't as willing to give answers for Sophie's profile, Sophie doesn't know what to do. 

And then she meets her childhood friend, James. 

As Sophie gets to know the students a little more better, she discovers that they aren't who they seem to be, and in fact are vampires. Sophie learns that Vlad, one of the vampires that transfered, is in search of a young girl. Vlad thinks that this certain girl, is the one to bring his reputation in the vampire world back to power. It isn't until Vlad realizes that Sophie is the one he has been searching all along, that things start to go downhill from there. 

A very fast paced, and enjoyable read, I loved getting to know all the characters. Sophie doesn't always do the right thing, and is mostly filled with determination. She's a bit of a loner who avoids attention, and it isn't until these new students come to town, that she becomes a bit more noticeable. Vlad, one of the transferring students seems cool and sophisticated at first, doesn't start going a bit crazy until he realizes that Sophie is the one girl he wants. I also enjoyed reading about Sophie and James, as she rediscovers the connection they once had when they were little, and as James opens up to Sophie on how he became associated with Vlad and the other vampires that arrived.

It was interesting to read why Vlad was so interested in this special girl. He claims at first that she is a human girl that is said to cure vampirism. As it turns out, Vlad only wanted to find this special girl, as she is the one to bring Vlad's name back into power, if he is connected with her through marriage. In general, a very entertaining read with very interesting and likable characters, and a fun plot.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5.

Teaser Tuesday!

Hey fellow readers! It's a posting of Teaser Tuesdays, hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading, this week's teaser is...

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.
Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.
As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.
--From Goodreads

My Teasers: "I looked around at the crowd, my eyes searching, even though I knew Henry wouldn't be there. But it wasn't until I knew he was absent that I realized how much I wanted him to be there."
--Page 436, "Second Chance Summer," by Morgan Matson.

To play along with Teaser Tuesday, all you have to do is:


• 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!

Be sure to leave your link so I can check your your awesome teasers too! :)