Welcome to the The Couple on the Green Blog Tour!

Come and take the emotional journey that is The Couple on The Green and find out about the book readers are raving about.

 

Title: The Couple On the Green

Author: Avie Bennett

Pages: 352

Published: 11.13.13

Goodreads Ratng: 4.60

My Rating: 4.5

Goodreads

Amazon 

What they say:

'The course of true love never did run smooth, but is holding onto true love worth a lifetime of pain? Isobel and James are the couple everyone wants to be; wildly in love, compatible in every way and caught up in the sexually adventurous haze of young love, but just as they accept this life as theirs forever it is torn away from them. Theirs is the tale of an all-encompassing love-of-a-lifetime and the excruciating pain that so often accompanies it. This is the story of the love we all search for, but few can hold onto. James and Isobel get a second chance, but is it ever possible to get a happy ending?'

My Review:

I'm sure all of us in one time or another have seen that amazing elder couple who still hold hands and gaze into each other's eyes with love and admiration. I'm sure at one point we have all stopped to wonder, was it about this couple that allowed them to remain in love after so many years. This is exactly the scene that stars off this amazing journey of a love story.

Gabriella's life seems to be falling apart. Her marriage is on the rocks and everything else seems to be going downhill with it. Each day, what gives her hope, is seeing the lovely couple who walk together hand in hand on the green, outside her window. One day she notices that the man is longer with the woman. Determined to find out about his where-abouts, she grabs two cups of hot tea and walks over to the woman.

What we read about next, is probably one of the most heart breaking, yet beautiful love and life story about a woman named Isobel. She reflects on her teenage years and how she meets who would seem to be the love of her life James. They had that perfect young love. One that seemed to be destined from the stars. But after 3 years together the unthinkable happens and James breaks up with her. At this point you are so invested in their love story that you want to reach through the pages and squeeze his little teenage neck. But there is more to the story than you would think.

Can two people who were madly in love with one another, every find their way back? So much happens in Isobel and James' life. Frankly more than two people should ever have to endure. Other relationships, college, careers and tons of health scares. Some in which, even had this nursing school graduate shed some tears. Even though this is one heck of a love story, to me it was so much more than that. It was also a story about life and growing up and the realities of it all. How even in the hardest circumstances, one must find the will to go on and persevere. This was a beautiful story, one that will stay with me for a while, I'm sure. 

Click Here To Buy This Book - UK

Click Here To Buy This Book - US

 

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'

This is really an excellent debut, perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks and lovely romantic (even heart-breaking) stories.'

 

- Marina, This Chick Reads

 

Author Bio:

Avie Bennett started writing at the age of fourteen and never really stopped. She's had her work published in magazines, journals and newspapers but says she 'never really thought' to write a novel. That is, until recently when a burning desire bound her to do so.

Avie lives with her husband and children in Hampshire, England. When not writing, she can be found enjoying other creative pursuits such as art, music and photography.

 

Author Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

 

GIVEAWAY!

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Hey Everyone!

For those of you that follow me on Twitter

know that I have been on a book buying spree lately. 

Some of it was due to a very generous AMEX 

gift card that I received for Christmas. And the 

rest is due to the 4 book signings I have coming up 

in the next couple of months.

So while I was organizing my shelves to make room

I saw these 2 books, that I had enjoyed but will probably 

never read again. So I decided to give them away to you guys.

Please keep in mind, that they are both paperbacks

and have been read! But if you are interested feel free to enter!

A Royal Match -  Tyne O'Connell

Pages: 512

Published: 02.15.11

Goodreads Synopsis:

When LA-born Calypso Kelly arrives at the exclusive all-girls British boarding school, St. Augustine's, she's determined to become popular. But when a photo of Calypso kissing England's heir to the throne, Prince Freddie, ends up in the tabloids, it will take quick thinking to save her reputation-and her relationship with the prince.


After the tabloid disaster, Calypso hopes her next term at St. Augustine's will be better. But nothing could be further from the truth. Her archenemy (and culprit of the tabloid disaster) Honey O'Hare is her new dorm mate and her invite to the Annual Euro Royal Bash is nonexistent. Will a flirtation with a hot new sports star from the boys' school ruin her chances with Prince Freddie? Calypso has some work to do if she wants to go from pumpkin to princess in time for the ball.

A Royal Mess - Tyne O'Connell 

Pages: 480

Published: 10.11.11

Goodreads Synopsis:

Calypso Kelly has finally joined the in-crowd at her exclusive English boarding school. She also just happens to be dating Prince Freddie himself! But balancing her social life, her prince, and her parents' visit to London proves to be more than Calypso can handle. 

Then, Freddie does the unthinkable and breaks up with Calypso—setting in motion a school-wide plan for a royal Counter Dump. Can Calypso win Freddie back just to break his heart? 

All is fair in love and war . . . except, of course, if you're in 
love with a prince!

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Title: Hideous Love

Author: Stephanie Hemphill

Pages: 320

Published: 10.01.13

Goodreads Rating: 3.24

My Rating: 4.0

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GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

From award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill comes the fascinating story of Mary Shelley, a brilliant teenager who wrote one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time: Frankenstein.

An all-consuming love affair.

A family torn apart by scandal.

A young author on the brink of greatness.

Hideous Love is the fascinating story of Gothic novelist Mary Shelley, who as a teen girl fled her restrictive home only to find herself in the shadow of a brilliant but moody boyfriend, famed poet Percy Shelley. It is the story of the mastermind behind one of the most iconic figures in all of literature: a monster constructed out of dead bodies and brought to life by the tragic Dr. Frankenstein.

Mary wrote Frankenstein at the age of nineteen, but inspiration for the monster came from her life-the atmospheric European settings she visited, the dramas swirling around her, and the stimulating philosophical discussions with the greatest minds of the period, like her close friend, Lord Byron.

This luminous verse novel from award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill reveals how Mary Shelley became one of the most celebrated authors in history.

My Review: 
This was another book that I was skeptical to get in to, due to some negative reviews. But once again I was eager to give it a shot and was glad that I did. This was only the second book that I have read that is written in verse. I have to admit that at first it was hard for me to get into the story as I was adapting to the writing style, but once I got through the first 50 pages or so. But once the story took off, I have to admit I was hooked. 

I don't think that this book could have had a better title, because there is no way to describe this beautifully 
gothic story, but to call it "Hideous Love." Everything about the love story behind Mary and Shelley is absolutely heart breaking. From how they met, to the lengths they had to go to be together, to their married life, up to the end. Yes, it does mention how Mary came up with the idea of Frankenstein,and the what she had to over come to get the story published, but what really registered with me was the love story and all the emotions I felt while reading this story. 

Title: The Chaos of Stars
Author: Kiersten White
Pages: 288
Published: 09.10.13
Acquired: Edelweiss

Goodreads Rating: 3.60
My Rating: 3.5


GOODREADS
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GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy, is back with The Chaos of Stars—an enchanting novel set in Egypt and San Diego that captures the magic of first love and the eternally complicated truth about family.

Isadora's family is seriously screwed up—which comes with the territory when you're the human daughter of the ancient Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. Isadora is tired of living with crazy relatives who think she's only worthy of a passing glance—so when she gets the chance to move to California with her brother, she jumps on it. But her new life comes with plenty of its own dramatic—and dangerous—complications . . . and Isadora quickly learns there's no such thing as a clean break from family.

Blending Ally Carter's humor and the romance of Cynthia Hand'sUnearthly, The Chaos of Stars takes readers on an unforgettable journey halfway across the world and back, and proves there's no place like home.


MY REVIEW:

This is another e-arc that I have had for since last year. But since one of my blogging resolutions is to get through atleast 100 arcs that I have recieved from Netgalley and Edelweiss. I decided to pick this one up because it was very different from any premise that I have ever read. As I am always looking for originality and something that would catch and keep my attention. At the same time I was worried about starting this, due to the fact that some reviewers whose opinions I usually agree with  had given this book was negative comments. But alas as I am my own person, I chose to put those comments behind and give this book a chance. 

The story is about a young girl whose parents happent to be Egyptian Gods who are immortal. Since her parents are immortal Isadora had always believed that she too would live forever. When she finds out that, she will eventually die she starts holding an unfounded grudge against her parents, specially her mother. 

Isadora's mother Isis, starts seeing dreams about danger attacked their home, and as a precaution decides it would be best to send Isadora to live with her brother is San Diego. Isadora is extremly happy, since she has been wanting to leave her family in Egypt for a long time. 

Things are not exactly what she planned for them to be once she gets to San Diego, as her unknowing to Isadora, her brother is married with a baby on the way. Isadora a tad bit spoiled has an issue with sharing her brother's affection. To top it off, her mother has set her up with a job at the local museum where she will be overseeing the set up of a new exhibit based on artifacts that her mother will be sending over. 

As she starts school she becomes befriends a girl named Tyler who introduces her to a boy named Ry. Isadora finds herself immediately attracted to Ry, but is scared to allow herself to fall for him, as she feels that love is pointless since it can not be forever. 

In addition to her social life Isadora still continues to have bad dreams, and they all end up the same: with her mother disapearing. As time goes on and she starts to realize that her perceptions of her mother has been wrong. She realizes that she most stop who or what ever is threatening her family. When the threat comes to San Diego and threatens Isadora, her friends specially Ry will come to her rescue. But there is more to Ry than Isadora knows. Will they be able to save Isadora's family? Will Isadora accept Ry's true background or will the knowledge keep them apart?

I have to admit that I too, like other reviewers struggled with Isadora's immaturity and selfishness. But I was happy to see her evolve and mature over time. The story is was kept me engaged to continue reading. I remember when I only had 80 pages to go saying to my friend Patricia, that OMG there is only 80 pages let, but thre are so many unanswered questions. But Kiersten White did a great job typing everything up in those last 80 pages. All in all, yes this book does have its issues, but if you get past them you will find a story that is very enjoyable. 

Title: The Edge of Always

Series: The Edge of Never #1

Author: J.A. Rederski

Pages: 412

Published: 01.14.13

Goodreads Rating: 4.13

My Rating: 4..0

Goodreads

Amazon 

My Review of The Edge of Never 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Five months ago, Camryn and Andrew, both dealing with personal hardships, met on a Greyhound bus. They fell in love and proved that when two people are meant to be together, fate will find a way to make it happen.

Now, in the highly anticipated sequel to The Edge of Never, Camryn and Andrew are pursuing their love for music and living life to the fullest as they always swore to do. But when tragedy befalls them, their relationship is put to the ultimate test. As Camryn tries to numb her pain, Andrew makes a bold decision: To get their life back on track, they'll set out on another cross-country road trip. Together they find excitement, passion, adventure-and challenges they never could have anticipated.

My Review:

With their big scare behind them, Andrew and Camryn were ready to setlle down after their life on the road, with a new adventure in front of them. Everything is beautiful and serene and they are more madley in love then ever if that is even remotely possible. Then out of no where tragedgy strikes and their dreams were shattered (AS WELL AS MY HEART AS I WAS READING IT!) 

As they deal with what has just happened, Andrew has to find a way to force Camryn to start living again. It is a hard pursuit as Camryn internalizes her struggles and paints a fake smile onto her face to mask her pain. But Andrew being the amazing man that he is finds away to bring the woman he loves to the land of living. 

This was a beautiful sequel to The Edge of Never and just like the first book I could not put it down. The author did a wonderful job of portraying a very real and tramatic event in Camryn's life. I cried, I laughed and fell in love wtih Camryn's and Andrew's relationship all over again! Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the epilogue! It was so beautiful and done in a POV which I wasn't expecting, that I believe all of you will enjoy as well. 

So since I loved this duet so much I decided

to giveaway an e-copy of The Edge of Always

Open Internationally!

Good Luck! :D

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Title: The Edge of Never
Series: The Edge of Never #1
Author: J.A Redmerski
Pages: 426
Published: 11.15.12
Acquired: Purchased on Kindle
Goodreads Rating: 4.41
My Rating: 5.0


Goodreads
Amazon  

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.

With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.

But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?

Due to sexual content and language, this book is recommended for 17+ – Adult Contemporary Women’s – New Adult Fiction

My Review:

This is another book that I had heard and read some good things about. When I got approved for the sequel on Netgally, I knew it was time for me to give it a try.

Things are not perfect in Camryn's life. She has had to deal with some horrific things in her life and she is ready for a fresh start.  So she does the first spontaneous thing she has ever done and buys a random bus ticket to Idaho. With only a few items in tow and not much thought or preparation, she sets out to begin a new life. 

On this bus to her life, she meets Andrew a remarkably gorgeous guy with an annoying habit of playing his music too loud. As much as Camryn tries to keep to herself, she is thankful for Andrew's presence.  But finally the time comes when they just part for their individual destinations. And in Camryn's perspective it couldn't come soon enough as she find her attraction to Andrew growing and she can't let that happen. 

Sensing Camryn in danger and hesitant to face the horrors that he faces when he gets home Andrew returns back to the bus station to find Camryn. He proposes an idea for them to travel together. Through road trips, motel rooms, and some amazing music Camryn and Andrew allow themselves to get closer and help each other find the things in their life that was missing. But before they can sail of for a happy ending, Andrew has one big secret, which if revealed may rock Camryn's and everyone's world. 

This story is one of those that makes you feel so many different emotions and sometimes multiple at once. My heart was filled with joy and love, and then out of never it broke and filled with sorrow and tears. It kept me sitting in place and unable to put the book down and immediately jump to book 2 :) 

Welcome to the Extraordinary Retribution tour!

Find out all the information on Erec Stebbins' new political thriller that readers are calling 'dark' and 'engrossing', plus enter the tour giveaway for the chance to win yourself a signed copy of this chilling novel.

   

What they say:

'

Sometimes evil is not born of madness, but madness of evil.

A rogue CIA agent partners with the brother of a slain colleague to uncover a conspiracy deep in the intelligence community. But a shadow follows them: a killer bent on a revenge so terrible, it is only matched by the crimes committed against him. In the end, no one escapes unscathed, no beliefs will go unchallenged, and no wrong will escape the terrible, final, and extraordinary retribution.'  

My Review: 

It had been a long time since I had read a book like Extraordinary Retribution and I have to admit it was a refreshing change and I highly enjoyed it. In all honesty the reason why I enjoyed it so much, but was the main character reminded me so much of Huck from the T.V. show Scandal. A man who has gifted his life to serving his country. With a look behind the mental and ethical struggles behind a trained assassin this book makes you think about the CIA in a new light. Action packed, with enough character development and emotional struggles to keep you entertained, this book was a definite joy to pick up and read. 

 

Click Here To Buy This Book - UK

Click Here To Buy This Book - US

   

:

 

Erec Stebbins is a biomedical researcher who writes political and international thrillers, science fiction, narrated storybooks, and more.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

   

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My Roomies Story!

What do you get when you grow up with 2 sisters 6 years apart from one another that are both Virgos, both type A personalities and both POLAR opposites, and must share a room? A COMPLETE DISASTER! 

I loved having an older sister, don't get me wrong. I still do. She's my best friend and biggest confidant. 

But when you put us both together for too long, even till this day we are bound to butt heads.

Rewind 23 years  back to the year my parents realized that we could never share a room. 

When I was 6 and my sister was 12 years old, we had to downsize to a smaller apt and my parents thought it would be okay to share a room. Everything that you could imagine could go wrong did. Especially when it came down to night time rituals. You see I was an avid reader since I was very young, boy did I love my library books! And at night before sleep like any bibliophile I liked to read my books! My sister one the 

other hand liked to watch her TV shows with the lights off. I turned the lights on, she turned them off and this process would continue as a night time ritual for a while. 

Our night time battles continued to the day time, when my sister, taking a page from some movie decided 

that she was would take a long piece of tape and divide the room down in half. But what her 12 year old brain knew that my 6 year old one could not yet comprehend, was that the light switch was on HER SIDE of the room, so there went my night time reading. After laughing their butts off for a while, my parents decided enough was enough! And here came DAD to the rescue. You see all we really needed was a way for us to be both get what we wanted. So my Dad went and bought me a book light! Which for a 6 year old girl was the coolest invention ever. So my sister was able to watch her shows in the dark, and I was able to read before sleep. And I am happy to say, the line ended up coming down . 

If you enjoyed my story, let me tell you a little about another roommate story! 

The countdown to college has begun.

When Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment at the beginning of summer, she shoots off an email to coordinate the basics: TV, microwave, mini-fridge. She can't wait to escape her New Jersey beach town, and her mom, and start life over in California.

The first note to Lauren in San Francisco comes as a surprise; she had requested a single. But if Lauren's learned anything from being the oldest of six, it's that you can't always get what you want, especially when what you want is privacy.

Soon the girls are emailing back and forth, sharing secrets even though they've never met. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives...and each other.

With humor and heart, Sara Zarr, National Book Award finalist for Story of a Girl, and Tara Altebrando, acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Happiness, join forces for a novel about that time after high school, when everything feels like it's ending just as it's beginning.

GOODREADS

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See Sara and Tara on Tour!

• January 12, 2014 – New York, NY: McNally Jackson [venue link]
• January 15, 2014 – Salt Lake City, UT: The King's English [venue link]
• January 16, 2014 – Provo, UT: Provo Library [venue link]
• February 4, 2014 – San Francisco, CA: Books Inc, Opera Plaza [venue link] 
• February 5, 2015 – Petaluma, CA: Copperfield's Books [venue link]

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Title: Between Shades of Gray

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Pages: 344

Published: 03.22.11

Acquired: Purchased 

Goodreads Rating: 4.34

My Rating: 4.0

Goodreads

Amazon 

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

My Review:

It's no secret that I am a fan of Historical Fiction. So when I hear about a historical fiction book getting so much hype I have to look into it. I actually stumbled upon this book at a book fair I went to last summer and the price was just too good to pass up and I picked up a copy for myself. 

As I was packing for my trip, I wanted to take one print book with me along with my iPad, in case I had battery issues and needed something to read. I had many books that have been piling up in my closet just waiting to be read, but I was eager to take a stand alone and not a book that is part of series, since I did not want to be stuck with a massive cliffhanger that I could not remedy quickly. So alas this was the perfect choice for me to pick up for the trip.

I started reading this book on my flight from Los Angeles to New York after finishing Sun Poisoned by Nikki Rae. I had just run through a whole set of emotions and I thought that starting a new book would allow my emotions to settle before picking up again. I assumed there had to be some story, plot, and character development before anything significant happened. BOY I WAS WRONG!  I was already captivated and was holding on to my heart strings from the prologue. 

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.” 

This was a beautiful story about a family fighting for their lives during a terrible war, where they are considered terrorists just for being born in the country they were. The main character is Lina a 15 year old girl, who is desperately trying to not lose hope and remain on to her sanity as long as possible. Filled with love for her family and hope of freedom, she must do everything in her power to stay strong and aid others in need. A horrific account of the brutalities and nightmares that is war, this story is beautiful and sad and definitely worth the read. 

                                                                   Title: Love Me Not

Author: Reese Ryan

Release date: December 30^th, 2013

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Tour: Irresistible Reads Book Tours

Book Description:

Abandoned by a mother who chose drugs over her, Jamie Charles barely got out of her own addiction alive. Now, she pours her pain into her art while pouring drinks at a local bar. To Jamie, love is a four-letter word—until she meets Miles, a charming ad exec with piercing blue eyes who makes no secret about his desire for her.

Miles Copeland has family demons of his own, but his unhappy upbringing drove him toward hard work and success. He's determined to win Jamie over, and when he finally does, it's worth every moment he spent waiting. But when he confesses that he's falling for her, she panics. Sex is one thing, but love requires more than she can give.

Jamie can't deny her feelings, but she's haunted by her past. Miles knows his heart, but Jamie's lingering doubts have him questioning their future. It might take the threat of losing him forever for her to realize that refusing to let love in is the worst mistake of all.

Goodreads:

Amazon: 

About the Author:

Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary romance featuring a multicultural cast of flawed, but lovable characters. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with supportive girlfriends and a happily ever after.

An avid reader, Reese's to-be-read stack resembles a small skyscraper. She adores brilliant singer/songwriters, and has an incurable addiction to musicals and movie soundtracks. She is a lifelong Midwesterner currently residing in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly.

Official Website: www.ReeseRyan.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReeseRyanWrites

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