Fast Connection (Cyberlove #2) by Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell

It's Release Day!!! If you liked Strong Signal then you'll love Fast Connection!

FAST CONNECTION
by Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell

Goodreads
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble
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After a decade of serving in the Army, everyone still expects me to be Dominic 'Nicky'
Costigan -the skirt-chasing player. They don't know I've been spending my days trying to figure out my post-military life. Including how to pick up guys.

When I meet Luke on a hookup app, he makes it clear it's for one-night only. That's fine with me, because I'm down to see what this silver fox can do. But after I arrive at his doorstep, it doesn't take long to realize we have serious chemistry, and we end up meeting again.

He's got more walls around his heart than a military base, but I think he's as addicted to me as I am to him. He can't resist me for long. I mean, who can? Except Luke's rules exist for a reason, and when I test his limits, things get complicated. Maybe too complicated.

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved these two men. I will admit that I wasn't sold on Costigan after the stunts he pulled in Strong Signal, the first book in the series, but wow did I ever fall for both him and his silver fox. I enjoyed seeing their interactions with each other.

They are from similar yet very different backgrounds so it was also interesting to see their interactions with their families...and how those interactions have shaped them.

I also enjoyed the brief glimpses of Garrett and Kai from Strong Signal. We saw just enough of them to make me want to revisit the book but not so much that it pulled my attention out of Fast Connection. Just like Goldilocks, it was just right.

Really, everything in this book was just right. I definitely recommend checking it out as well as Strong Signal if you haven't read it.

MEET THE AUTHORS


Megan Erickson is a USA Today bestselling author of romance that sizzles. her books have a touch of nerd, a dash of humor, and always have a happily ever after. A former journalist, she switched to fiction when she decided she likes writing her own endings better.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her very own nerdy husband and two kids. Although rather fun-sized, she's been told she has a full-sized personality. When Megan isn't writing, she's either lounging with her two cats named after John Hughes characters or...thinking about writing.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  |  Goodreads


Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, and his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.


Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  |  Goodreads

My Wizard World Adventure

My latest adventure was attending Wizard World's Comic Con in Philadelphia earlier this month. I managed to squeeze in a lot more than I thought I'd be able to and I was so happy it worked out the way it did.

A few of the cosplayers I snapped pics of. I also saw a great Liv (iZombie) but I wasn't able to get out of line to get her picture :(

I snagged more autographs than I had planned. You only live once, right? I have autographs from Stephen Amell, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Mitch Pileggi, David Duchovny, and Stanley Tucci. I also got a signed comic from Bob Gale (co-director/writer/producer of Back to the Future), for my hubby, which was pretty cool. I was sketched as Simpson Jen by Phil Ortiz! This was especially cool because 1) Phil Ortiz!! and 2) I've always wanted to be drawn as a caricature so now I can cross that off my bucket list!

I sat in on two panels, the best being the Captain America panel with Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, and Anthony Mackie. I was lucky enough to run into Jen McLaughlin while waiting in that line. I knew she was attending the Con but never thought I'd end up seeing her. I stole borrowed the selfie from Jen's twitter feed since her pic was better than mine :-P

I normally avoid being in pics at all costs but this time I pretty much said to hell with it and just went for it. I have pics with John Russo, Mitch Pileggi, Eugene Clark, and Tom Hiddleston & Chris Hemsworth. The first 3 were unplanned which makes them that much more memorable. I also had more time to talk to them so they seemed more relatable.

My zombie loving heart was thrilled to meet John Russo, one of the men responsible for zombies as we know them, and Eugene Clark, "Big Daddy" from Land of the Dead!! Now I have to try to meet George A. Romero someday!

As for that one picture that most everyone wants to hear about (Loki & Thor), I don't have much to say about it because I'm pretty sure my mind totally blanked during the two second photo process. Seriously, I only remember waiting in line for a while, putting my bag on the table, bumping into the two guys as I attempted to get in the frame, and that's it. That's all I got. Lol. I don't think I even really looked at them or said anything to them. But hey, at least I have a decent photo to show for it. :-P

How's that for a crazy 4 days?!

Have you been to any comic con's? What was your favorite take away?

Cover Reveal: Snow Fright by Amie & Bethanie Borst

The final installment of the Scarily Ever Laughter Series is here! Or, well it's on its way. October 4th is its big debut. But no need to wait until October for all the excitement! You can see the cover now! (And be sure to check out the first two books in the series, Cinderskella and Little Dead Riding Hood)!

Sarah White is gorgeous even if she is a little bit rotten. A mirror arrives on her twelfth
birthday and she thinks it's the perfect gift. But when an innocent game of laser tag gets out of hand, the mirror swallows her whole!

Sarah finds herself dead center of the the Underworld. As if repeated run-ins with Mr. Death weren't bad enough, Sarah now has to deal with her decaying flesh and sudden craving for brains. Not to mention she keeps having brain freezes, all due to the seven worms living in her head.

Of corpse, by the time Sarah escapes the Underworld, she finds her new zombie life less than appetizing. Even worse, she needs to return to the Underworld to save her friends, Cindy and Scarlet. With a poisoned apple, a crow named Raven, and a glowing necklace, Sarah's pretty sure that if she doesn't rescue her friends, she'll be a brain craving zombie forever. And that's more dead-ication than she's willing to accept

Add Snow Fright to your Goodreads account or 

preorder your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

Amie Borst loves glitter, unicorns, and chocolate. But not at the same time. That would be weird. She's a PAL member of the SCBWI as well as a founding and contributing member of The Mixed-up Files...of Middle-Grade Authors, a group blog dedicated to middle-grade books. Amie lives in Virginia with her three beautiful daughters, her handsome husband, and two cute dogs named Lily and Maggie. She wishes she could travel the country in a hot pink elevator but for now, her minivan will have to do.

Bethanie Borst is 16 and the author of three books but she was only 10 years old when she wrote her first one. She enjoys reading, writing, and archery. She's also interested in paleontology and astronomy. Bethanie is fluent in both sarcasm and humor and is prepared for the zombie apocalypse and/or spontaneous combustion of the world. Because, let's face it, both of those things are totally realistic.

You can find the authors on Facebook, as well as their website.

Rachael Caringella is an artist, illustrator, intuitive reader, and healer. And deep down, she is just like you; a rebel and a truth seeker. Her days are spent in a little cabin as she paints, dances, sips delicious coffee, reads tarot cards, and, of course, illustrates! When she's not in her studio, she can often be found wandering the woods, honoring her wild nature in the great outdoors searching for beauty, adventure, and inspiration.

You can find the illustrator on Facebook and her website.








a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cinderskella & Little Dead Riding Hood

(titles linked to Amazon)

I don't read middle grade books often but I adore these two

and can't get over how cute the covers and page illustrations are! 

I'm also tempted to reread these before Snow Fright comes out...

which is another rare thing for me. I almost never reread.

WOW: Close To You by Kristen Proby

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that 

spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Close to You (Fusion #2)
by Kristen Proby
Releases August 9th

Goodreads
Amazon Preorder

Camilla, "Cami," LaRue was five years old when she first fell in love with Landon Palazzo. Everyone told her the puppy love would fade - they clearly never met Landon. When he left after graduation without a backward glance, she was heartbroken. But Cami grew up, moved on, and became part-owner of a wildly popular restaurant Seduction. She has everything she could want...or so she thinks.

After spending the last 12 years as a Navy fighter pilot, Landon returns to Portland to take over the family construction business. When he catches a glimpse of little Cami LaRue, he realizes she's not so little any more. He always had a soft spot for his little sister's best friend, but nothing is soft now when he's around the gorgeous restauranteur.

Landon isn't going to pass up the chance to make the girl-next-door his. She's never been one for romance, but he's just the one to change her mind. Will seduction be just the name of her restaurant or will Cami let him get close enough to fulfill all her fantasies?

Review Quickie: Playing for Her Heart by Megan Erickson

Playing for Her Heart (Gamers #2)
By Megan Erickson

Amazon
Goodreads

She wanted fantasy. He's about to make it a reality...

Grant Osprey just had the hottest sex of his life. Sure, they were both in costume, and yes, it was anonymous, but he never expected her to bolt in the middle of the night without so much as a good bye, let alone exchanging numbers. Or names. All he's left with are her panties and some seriously X-rated memories...until he meets his business partner's little sister.

Only Chloe Talley isn't the bold, sexy vixen he remembers. And she wants nothing to do with him.

Cosplay is Chloe's only chance to leave her boring, socially awkward world behind. To forget that she's failing at life and can't be with anyone, let alone a single father like Grant. But the raw hunger between them is undeniable. With him, she can be a misbehaving maid. A sexy call girl for hire. Each scene pushes Chloe beyond her strict boundaries, until Grant demands a character she can't play.

Herself.

Review Quickie (Sari would approve of this terminology):

Megan Erickson's writing gets two thumbs up from me. I've read 7 of her books so far and have enjoyed them all.

Grant and Chloe are H O T together. I loved the nerdy cosplay as much as the steamy bedroomplay.

Speaking of nerdy cosplay, I especially liked the Philadelphia Comic Con reference since that's where I am as you're reading this post! Woot! I can't believe I'm going to be under the same roof as Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Sebastian Stan, Stephen Amell, Christopher Lloyd, etc., etc. Here's hoping I don't make a fool of myself at any point this weekend lol!

Anyway, back to the book. Both Chloe and her brother, Ethan, have some pretty heavy baggage dragging them down. It was interesting (in a heartbreaking kind of way) to see how they have (or haven't) dealt with a past trauma. I felt for them and wanted both to get their happily ever afters...but you'll have to read this book and book 4, Leveling the Field, to find out what happens.

Now I'm going to make like a gazelle and leap on out of here. Places to go and people to see...

4 of 5 stars

WOW: Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Cream of the Crop (Hudson Valley #2)
by Alice Clayton

Release Date: July 12, 2016

Goodreads
Amazon Preorder

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Alice Clayton brings her trademark blend of funny and sexy to this second contemporary romance in the brand-new Hudson Valley series!

Manhattan's It Girl, Natalie Grayson, has it all: she's a hot exec at a leading advertising firm, known industry-wide for her challenging and edgy campaigns. She's got a large circle of friends, a family that loves her dearly, and her dance card is always full with handsome eligible bachelors. What else could a modern gal-about-town wish for? The answer, of course, is...cheese.

Natalie's favorite part of each week is spending Saturday morning at the Union Square Farmer's Market, where she indulges her love of all things triple cream. Her favorite booth also indulges her love of all things handsome. Oscar Mendoza, owner of the Bailey Falls Creamery and purveyor for the finest atisanal cheeses the Hudson Vally has to offer, is tall, dark, mysterious, and a bit oblivious. Or so she thinks. But that doesn't stop Natalie from fantasizing about the size of his, ahem, milk can.

Romance is churning, passion is burning, and something incredible is rising to the top. Could it be...love?

Aahhh, I'm really looking forward to this one! You meet both Natalie and Oscar in Nuts, the first book of the series, and I can't wait to see their story play out. If you haven't read Nuts I recommend it. It's a foodie lovers paradise infused with humor and romance.

Cornered: Release Day & Giveaway

Available NOW from J.A. Belfield…

Daniel Larsen is playing a dangerous game, and he doesn’t even know it.

A two-wheeled speedster. A little redhead in a bar. Evenings spent away from his pack. Innocent enough for most, but for Danny, the combination leads down a path of destruction and straight to a hell he doesn’t even see coming.

Entangled in a nightmare that started with his own brother and the cat he brought into their home, Dan’s driving himself toward a solitary existence—except for the curvaceous Olivia Fanella. Seduced by his new companion, and happy to ignore the divide growing between himself and the pack, Danny is oblivious to the trap being laid out for him.

Before long, Danny’s integrity gets questioned. His loyalty gets questioned. Hell, he even questions himself.

On top of that, just when he believes life might be going a little better, he gets served the roughest shot he could never have imagined—not even in his worst nightmares—and Danny has no idea how to come back from a hit like that.

**Cornered contains scenes that some readers might find upsetting**

CORNERED is available NOW.

"the most spectacular sex scene ive ever read! And I mean ever! 

~ Maghon, Happy Tails & Tales"

Meet Daniel Larsen and fall in love a little!

Amazon UK Amazon US iTunes Barnes&Noble

Add CORNERED to your Goodreads.

Other titles by J.A. Belfield:

  

   

GIVEAWAY!

1 winner will win the Holloway Pack!

Titles included: Darkness & Light, Blue Moon, Resonance, Caged & Unnatural.

On Darkness & Light:

"If I did not have to eat or sleep I would have read in one seating."

On Blue Moon:

"Once again, J.A. Belfield has blown me away!"

On Resonance:

"Resonance is the WAY TO SHORT, heart breaking, hungering, pulse fastening, amazing, loving, tear jerking […], fairytale ending, plot twisting, novella to keeps us […] satisfied until Caged gets published."

On Caged:

"CAGED is more than just a pretty cover—this book tastes as good as it looks!"

On Unnatural:

"This book will knock your socks off."

For your chance to win all of these titles in ebook, simply fill in the Rafflecopter!

ENTER HERE!

****

About the author:

 Best known for her Holloway Pack Stories, J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, two dogs she treats like babies, and a cat that drives her nuts. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.

Find her here:
Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

WOW: The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Female of the Species
by Mindy McGinnis

Release date: September 20, 2016

Goodreads
Amazon Preorder

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn't feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.

While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can't be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.

But Jack Fisher sees her. He's the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna's body was discovered hasn't let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn't want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.

So does Peekay, the preacher's kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad's job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex's protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.

Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex's darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

YA thrillers are so interesting. I like seeing how authors handle such an unsympathetic theme within the YA genre.

If you'd like to dip your toe into the YA thriller pool then definitely check out The Naturals, I Hunt Killers, or The Body Finder!

Review: Eleven Things I Promised by Catherine Clark

Eleven Things I Promised
by Catherine Clark

Amazon
Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Frances wouldn't describe herself as adventurous. She certainly isn't the kind of person who would sleep under the stars or bleach her hair or have a truly epic kiss. Until now.
For the next week Frances will be away from home, competing in a bike race with friends from her high school. But while her teammates are determined to get first place, Frances has another goal: Before she crosses the finish line, she will have done every single thing on the Fix-It List. Ten crazy, totally out-of-character ideas her best friend, Stella, came up with to make the ride unforgettable. Ten things that Frances has to do on her own because of the accident that left Stella broken and angry...and Frances struggling to find a way to reconnect with her friend.
However, as each item on the list opens Frances up to new adventures, new friends, and possibly even a new romance, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to keep the one promise that she knows she absolutely must obey - her promise to not tell anyone the truth about what happened to Stella. When it comes to friendship, Frances must decide what distances she's willing to go and what risks she's willing to take for the person she cares about the most.

Eight Things I Promise I liked about this book

- The road trip feel to it. I like when people who wouldn't normally spend time together are forced to.
- The challenge. Frances hadn't trained for the bike trip but she's doing it anyway.
- The determination. It takes determination to stick with difficult things.
- The growth. I love how the characters grow throughout the book.
- The list. Just like l enjoy road trip books, I enjoy list books. Trying to accomplish a bucket list of sorts forces you to do things you normally wouldn't. Granted some of the items on this list were awkward but it still made for a nice addiction to the book.
- The breakfast club feel. The jock, the overachiever, the silent type...you get the gist. It was a group of kids from different social groups trying (or not trying) to get along.
- Side characters. Meeting some of the characters during the bike trip.
- Stella. She has a lot to overcome. I can't even imagine how I'd handle it if I were her.



4 out of 5

Review: Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

Summer of Sloane
by Erin L. Schneider

Amazon
Goodreads

Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.
These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she'd be spending at her mom's home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.
Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there's no reason Sloane shouldn't enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn't always play by the rules, she knows he's the perfect distraction from everything that's so wrong back home.
But it turns out a measly ocean isn't nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane's carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she'd hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.

Things I liked about Summer of Sloane:

Location - I mean come on...Hawaii people! I'd love to see all of these places someday. Well that is if they exist in real life.

Characters - I liked Sloane's character and some of the side characters as well. I wonder if any of the side characters will get their own book in the future. Shep maybe? or Luce? Or Penn? I'd read any of their books for sure.

Family relationships - I love that Sloane has (mostly) good relationships with her family.

Water - I love being around water so I really enjoyed all of the ocean, pool, etc. scenes!

The message - There are some good take aways for the reader.

4 out of 5

WOW: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, 

that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

P.S. I Like You
By Kasie West

Goodreads
Amazon Preorder

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?
While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered - and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer - but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

This book sounds like the most AH-dorable book ever! I am anxiously awaiting it's July release date!

Cover Reveal: Cornered (Holloway Pack 5) by J.A. Belfield

Today is the cover reveal for Cornered by JA Belfield. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

Cornered (Holloway Pack #5)
By JA Belfield
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 30 May, 2016

Blurb:
Daniel Larsen is playing a dangerous game, and he doesn't even know it.

A two-wheeled speedster. A little redhead in a bar. Evenings spent away from his pack. Innocent enough for most, but for Danny, the combination leads down a path of destruction and straight to a hell he doesn’t even see coming.

Entangled in a nightmare that started with his own brother and the cat he brought into their home, Dan’s driving himself toward a solitary existence—except for the curvaceous Olivia Fanella. Seduced by his new companion, and happy to ignore the divide growing between himself and the pack, Danny is oblivious to the trap being laid out for him.

Before long, Danny's integrity gets questioned. His loyalty gets questioned. Hell, he even questions himself.

On top of that, just when he believes life might be going a little better, he gets served the roughest shot he could never have imagined—not even in his worst nightmares—and Danny has no idea how to come back from a hit like that.

**Cornered contains scenes that some readers might find upsetting**

You can find Cornered on Goodreads

You can pre-order Cornered here:
- Amazon
- Amazon UK
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- iTunes

Other Titles:
Blue Moon
Resonance
Caged
Unnatural
Enticed (free short)
Hereditary (free short)
Make Believe (anthology)

About the Author:
J.A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with the best husband in the world, aka Mr B, a couple of back-chatting but pretty cool kids, two pooches she treats likes the babies of the house, and a scrawny cat that like to vomit in unnecessary places.

You can find and contact JA Belfield here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Cornered. These are the prizes you can win:
- ebook of Darkness & Light by JA Belfield
- a $5 Amazon Gift Card

For a chance to win enter the giveaway below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone

The Hatching
By Ezekiel Boone
Release Date: July 5, 2016

Amazon
Goodreads

An astonishingly inventive and terrifying debut novel about the emergence of an ancient species, dormant for over a thousand years, and now on the march.
Deep in the jungle of Peru, where so much remains unknown, a black, skittering mass devours an American tourist whole. Thousands of miles away, an FBI agent investigates a fatal plane crash in Minneapolis and makes a gruesome discovery. Unusual seismic patterns register in a Kanpur, India earthquake lab, confounding the scientists there. During the same week, the Chinese government "accidentally" drops a nuclear bomb in an isolated region of its own country. As those incidents begin to sweep the globe, a mysterious package from South America arrives at a Washington, D.C. laboratory. Something wants out.
The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic disaster. An ancient species, long dormant, is now very much awake.

My thoughts:

*Note: I won The Hatching from the publisher & goodreads but that in no way changes my thoughts on the book.*

"There's a reason we're afraid of spiders."

What a perfect tagline for this book. The spiders in The Hatching are fierce and I, for one, would certainly fear them.

I enjoyed reading this book but I have to admit I was expecting a bit more spider action. The action that was there didn't disappoint. I know a couple scenes will stick in my head for quite a while...like every time I sneeze.

I, also, could have done with a few less story lines. While they were interesting and did give a sense of the magnitude of the problem, it also tended to take away from the growing suspense.

Ezekiel Boone definitely has my attention and I'm looking forward to seeing where he takes the story in book 2. I'm hoping for a lot of spiderific, shiver inducing drama!

I'd also love to see The Hatching be optioned for a movie or tv mini series. You think you had the willies during Arachnophobia? The Hatching, as a movie, would make it look like child's play. It would be terrifying and I would be the first in line to see it.


3.5 of 5 - Worth the read but I was hoping for a little more action.

Rusty Review: The Mother Road by Meghan Quinn

The Mother Road
by Meghan Quinn

Goodreads
Amazon

Never in a million years would I have pictured myself as an axe-weilding, dragon lady, chopping up multi-colored flannel shirts into my very own plaid mulch. But here I am, chopping away my frustrations.
It all started when my brother, Paul, convinced me to go on one last family road trip across the Mother Road with him and my dad.. Just like old times, right? Wrong. What Paul fails to mention is his best man, Porter, will be joining us, who just so happens to be my childhood crush and the man who broke my heart four years ago.
What is supposed to be a fun, family bonding experience across Route 66 turns into a war of pranks, awkward moments and bathrooms full of dirty flannel shirts and day old beard clippings. Paul's know-it-all attitude and Porter's devilish charm brings me to the brink of my sanity on my seven day trek across the United States with three bearded men in a small 1980's RV.

My 2 cents

This is a 'rusty review' since I'm very rusty and out of practice when it comes to reviewing.

The short version

I adored this book.

The long version

The relationships between the characters, the antics and verbal volley's, the past heartbreak and present tension, the fact nerd drama queen, Hottie McHotterson, the road trip itself. All of that, and more, worked together to form a book that made me laugh, sigh, drop my jaw, and then pick it back off the floor. Most of all it made me want to plan a road trip with the McMann's. Who am I kidding, I'd never survive that family haha!

Nitpicks: At times it seemed like this book was a little...too much. I think the author may have intentionally gone for the shock factor which sometimes worked and was sometimes ended up distracting me from the story. I also thought Marley was so far off her hinges at points. How old is she again?! because I don't think she acts it sometimes.

Bookstore Wishlist

I randomly decided to make a bookstore bucklist. The list is a bit long as I'm sure it would be for a lot of book lovers...and it only includes bookstores in the US.

Pennsylvania 

Book House in Dillsburg, PA...because it's fairly close to my new house so how can I NOT
Cupboard Maker Books in Enola, PA...technically I've been here many times but the owner is awesome so I absolutely plan to keep going back.
Baldwin's Book Barn in West Chester, PA

Surrounding states

Atomic Books in Baltimore, MD...with a name like that it has to be da bomb (heh)
Paradox Bookstore in Wheeling, WV...there's a picture floating around the interwebs that makes me love this store without ever having been there. A sign outside of the store says "During business hours, the books on the porch are 50c. each or 5/$2. When the store is closed, please feel free to borrow them or keep them and pay me later. ANYTIME: IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO BUY BOOKS AND NEED OR WANT TO READ, HELP YOURSELF. Donations accepted."
Strand Book Store and Books of Wonder both in Ny, NY...I've been to New York City a few times in the last few years but never seemed to make it to the bookstores.

Bookstores in other parts of the country

Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, CO
Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, CO...these two make the list because I'd love to see Colorado some day...why not tour some bookstores while there.

Bookworks in Albuquerque, NM
Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, AZ...Maybe I'd get lucky enough to make it to a Darynda Jones signing.

Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL...they always seem to have fun events.

The Booksmith in San Francisco, CA
The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, CA
Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, WA
Eagle Harbor Book Co Bainbridge Island, WA

Would any of these make your bookstore bucketlist?

2016 YA Contemporary Romance Releases

I've been on a YA Contemporary Romance kick so I thought I'd list 

a few of the books I'm really looking forward to in 2016. 

Romancing the Nerd by Leah Rae Miller (Apr 5)

The Natural History of Us by Rachel Harris (Apr 5)

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (May 3)

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West (Jul 26)

Are there any YA Contemporary Romances I'm missing?