Book Shelf: The Libby Garrett Intervention (Science Squad) by Kelly Oram

Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson's hot lovin'. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn't appreciate all of Libby's awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they're dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she's the only one who can't see it.

When Libby's behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen's Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard as nails coffee man to be her official sponsor.

...

Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he's crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he's the perfect candidate to be Libby's sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

The Libby Garrett Intervention is the sequel/companion novel to Kelly Oram’s stellar The Avery Shaw Experiment and is an enjoyable romance that is fresh, fun and full of laughable moments!

Readers were introduced to Libby Garret in The Avery Shaw Experiment as Avery’s confidant, curvy and sassy best friend. Well, Libby’s back! Only she’s not exactly the girl we knew. Having been secretly dating Owen Jackson for the past year, Libby is addicted to the sexy basketball player, yet Owen refuses to acknowledge their relationship to their friends and acquaintances. Happy to leave their relationship strictly in the bedroom, Owen doesn’t treat Libby the way she really deserves and Libby refuses to see it, until her friends stage an intervention. Soon realising that maybe her friends are onto something, Libby agrees to take part in a Twelve-Step Program to help get herself over Owen, a Twelve Step Program led by Adam Keopp, the barista at the coffee shop where Avery works and someone who has harbored secret feelings for Libby for years. Tasked with helping Libby become the girl he’s always wanted again, Adam soon begins showing Libby that’s she’s better than Owen’s let her believe she is.....

Having previously read some of Kelly Oram’s work, I still fell head over heels when I read The Avery Shaw Experiment last year and count it in my top two novels of hers (alongside Cinder & Ella) so The Libby Garrett Intervention always had a tough act to follow. While I didn’t find myself as in love with it as I had been The Avery Shaw Experiment, I still enjoyed it very much.

While The Libby Garrett Intervention is super fun and super quirky, it also showcases a really powerful message. Libby’s insecurities and fears are something I really related with and found encouraging to witness be addressed. Oram manages to pack the novel with lots of light-hearted fun, but also manages to tell something really beautiful amongst the sass, humor and romance.

Libby’s a really quirky character and I enjoyed following her. She had a lot of attitude issues at the beginning of the book that she addresses with the help of her friends and an unexpected love interest. Ultimately I was glad to see Libby get back to her roots, after Kelly Oram finished pulling her apart and putting her back together.

As someone who was super excited to see Owen and Libby hook up at the end of The Avery Shaw Experiment, I was gutted when I first realised Kelly Oram had written Libby’s story the way she did. Yet, now having read The Libby Garrett Intervention, I can see why Libby’s story had to be told this way. Adam fits Libby. He sees her for exactly who she is and appreciates all her cat-crazy-neon-loving awesomeness. He finds her sexy and beautiful exactly the way she’s made and never makes her doubt her worth. Owen didn’t do this for her….and never really tried if we’re being honest.

Luscious and addictive The Libby Garrett Intervention is a decent follow up to The Avery Shaw Experiment that fans won’t want to miss. Oram introduces new lovable characters and leaves me wondering if maybe there’s possibly a story featuring Adam’s sister Kate or Owen in the future. Owen certainly could use some redemption as far I’m concerned!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by the author (Thank you Kelly!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it:  The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Recommendation: This is SUCH a fun contemporary series and soooo cute.
Cover: The yellow of this cover fits perfectly with the first book and I do think the cover model represents Libby at the beginning of this book well.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Oh, I would love to read more from this series if that chance ever arose!

Giveaway: A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter Bookmarks!

Thanks to HarlequinTEEN Australia I have some A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter Bookmarks to give away to four lucky readers!

For those who aren't familiar with the book and series, A Mad Zombie Party marks the fourth book in the White Rabbit Chronicles, a kick-ass series featuring awesome heroines, sexy slayers and a new twist on zombies!

Hopefully you saw my 5 star review for A Mad Zombie Party--I'm a bit biased as I LOVE anything Gena Showalter writes, but A Mad Zombie Party is a super awesome book....check it out.....

The enemy has risen from the grave. Together we slayers must stand, or one by one we will fall.

Ali Bell's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular — the love of his life, Kat Parker.

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond — Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla's betrayal caused Kat's death.

But when Anima rises from the grave stronger than ever, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes the line between hate and attraction is blurred... and the road to redemption may mean letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.

 

Add on Goodreads or check out my review!

Check out the rest of the series here!

Check out these pretties!
I'm keeping the rafflecoper easy for this one too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Thanks to HarlequinTEEN for sponsoring this giveaway and to Gena Showalter for writing such an amazing series. If you haven't read these books yet, check them out--you won't be sorry!

Book Shelf: A Mad Zombie Party (White Rabbit Chronicles #4) by Gena Showalter

The enemy has risen from the grave. Together we slayers must stand, or one by one we will fall.

Ali Bell's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular — the love of his life, Kat Parker.

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond — Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla's betrayal caused Kat's death.

But when Anima rises from the grave stronger than ever, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes the line between hate and attraction is blurred... and the road to redemption may mean letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.

 

More info on Goodreads.....

Review:

A Mad Zombie Party is the fourth and latest instalment in Gena Showalter’s riveting White Rabbit Chronicles and is possibly the best book in the series yet. Featuring two tangible main characters and more action, romance and entertainment than you’ll know what to do with, A Mad Zombie Party is Showalter at her best!

After the heartbreaking and life altering events in The Queen of Zombie Hearts, Frosty Martin and Camilla Marks are two slayers who were left deeply affected. Frosty lost the love of his life Kat and now spends his days getting lost in booze and meaningless women to fight the pain her loss caused. Camilla made one regretful choice that saw her betray those she cares about in order to protect her beloved brother River. Having seen Anima callously kill innocents and hurt the very people Camilla hoped to protect, Camilla is determined to make up for her past mistakes that saw her cast out from the only family she’s ever known. Camilla will do anything to make up for past sins and Frosty will never forget the part she played in Kat’s death, but what happens when they’re thrown together and soon find themselves learning more about the other than they could ever have expected…..

I have to say, I was soooooo gutted when I realised that Kat and Frosty weren’t going to miraculously get their happily ever after, but now having finished A Mad Zombie Party I get it. Maybe I’m just excited about the prospect of future books and the possibilities that Kat and Frosty having their own individual HEA’s holds, but I also feel that Frosty and Camilla really did work. 

Gena Showalter explores Frosty and Milla both so beautifully in this story. Through their back and forth POV’s—a first for this series—we’re able to see them like never before. My eyes have really been opened to the amazing person Frosty is, and it was wonderful to get to know him outside of being Cole’s best friend and Kat’s boyfriend in A Mad Zombie Party. He’s someone I love a whole lot more now, although I certainly always admired his devotion to Kat in the past.

Camilla on the other hand is a character we only just met in the last book, and she didn’t make the best impression having betrayed our slayers…..but boy do I LOVE her now. Milla really is a fantastic young woman. Yes, she made a mistake--a big one, but as we discover in A Mad Zombie Party, she really was between a rock and a hard place and felt like she had no other choice. Milla is someone who has had a hard life and features a lot of scars, but she’s actually a real sweetie underneath and I loved seeing Gena Showalter highlight her insecurities, but also make sure we knew how strong Milla had been to get through recent times. Seeing Milla try so hard to be worthy of redemption and to make up for her past mistakes was so admirable to witness and I loved her even more for it!

Unlike with our previous main couple, Gena Showalter takes her time building Frosty and Milla as a couple. There’s a lot of animosity there on Frosty’s side towards Milla and I really appreciate the way Showalter slowly built up their relationship over time. Allowing them to get to know each other first gave them the chance—especially Frosty if I’m being honest here—to let go of their past hang-ups. Yes, perhaps it seemed a little fast for Frosty to move on from Kat at first, but when you see the journey he undertakes to become ready to be with Milla, it all makes sense. 

A Mad Zombie Party is seriously addictive from the opening chapter and if you’re anything like me you’ll find it hard to put down and even more difficult to forget. Gena Showalter serves up another sensational story and a worthy romance and leaves me still dying for more and hoping against hope there may be a possibility of a spin-off series in the future featuring the world Kat and Emma inhabit or even a White Rabbit Chronicles instalment featuring Kat and River! 

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by HarlequinTEEN Australia (Thanks Miranda!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This series is soooooo good and an absolute MUST READ as far as I'm concerned.
Cover: I think this cover is stunning. Love the purple and the image of Milla!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is the last book released to date in this series, but I would LOVE if Gena released more!

Book Tour: Resist by Tracey Martin- Excerpt & Giveaway

Yesterday I posted my review of Resist by Tracey Martin and today the Blog Tour stops by The Rest Is Still Unwritten thanks to Xpresso Book Tours! Today I have giveaway I have to share with you and author Tracey Martin also shares her top 10 fiction couples!

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Truth is a powerful weapon…but explosives never hurt.

Sophia can run but she can’t hide. RedZone is on her tail and those of the six tech-augmented soldiers who escaped its clutches with her. If she could only focus on fighting her way to safety, she might live long enough to disappear. But it’s not just her own backside she needs to watch out for.

At her side is her boyfriend, Kyle. He’s the reason she found the courage to escape, and she’ll do anything to keep him and his secrets out of RedZone’s hands. Only problem is, since she was once sent to capture him, he has good reason not to trust her.

In fact, there’s not much trust to go around. RedZone keeps finding them, suggesting someone is a traitor. And if that’s not enough to recapture the group, the organization has a backup plan. One that will force Sophia and Kyle to choose between safety and risking everything one more time.

Warning: Contains killer robots, mutant college students, and dangerous super soldiers. And those are the good guys. It’s enough to make a rogue assassin wish she were taking her philosophy final instead.

Add on Goodreads or check out my review!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

 

Top 10 Fictional Couples

 

In no particular order…

1. Elizabeth and Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)

2. Leia and Han (Star Wars)

3. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley (Harry Potter)

4. Zoe and Wash (Firefly)

5. Katniss and Peeta (The Hunger Games)

6. Kate and Curran (Kate Daniels series)

7. Buffy and Spike (Buffy)

8. Buttercup and Wesley (The Princess Bride)

9. Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth (Persuasion)

10. Sydney and Adrian (Bloodlines)

Tracey Martin grew up outside of Philadelphia, the lucky recipient of a drama-free childhood, which is why she spent so much time reading about other people’s lives. It was while she was working on her doctorate in psychology that she had an epiphany–imaginary people are way more fun than real ones. And so she began writing. Never able to choose just one of anything, she currently writes both urban fantasy for adults and contemporary stories for teens. She likes her coffee simple, her music epic, and her movies to contain explosions. A city girl at heart, she doesn’t understand how she and her husband ended up living in New Hampshire, but writing keeps her off the mean, small town streets. You can find her online at tracey-martin.com

Visit Tracey:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

 

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Book Shelf: Resist (Redzone #2) by Tracey Martin

Truth is a powerful weapon…but explosives never hurt.

Sophia can run but she can’t hide. RedZone is on her tail and those of the six tech-augmented soldiers who escaped its clutches with her. If she could only focus on fighting her way to safety, she might live long enough to disappear. But it’s not just her own backside she needs to watch out for.

At her side is her boyfriend, Kyle. He’s the reason she found the courage to escape, and she’ll do anything to keep him and his secrets out of RedZone’s hands. Only problem is, since she was once sent to capture him, he has good reason not to trust her.

In fact, there’s not much trust to go around. RedZone keeps finding them, suggesting someone is a traitor. And if that’s not enough to recapture the group, the organization has a backup plan. One that will force Sophia and Kyle to choose between safety and risking everything one more time.

Warning: Contains killer robots, mutant college students, and dangerous super soldiers. And those are the good guys. It’s enough to make a rogue assassin wish she were taking her philosophy final instead.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Resist is the second and final novel in the Red Zone duology by Tracy Martin and is concludes the series nicely. 

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor Revive, Resist is told through the eyes of Sophia Hernandez and picks up where the previous book left off, with Sophia and her friends on the run after their escape from Malone and Red Zone. With Malone and the organisation he heads taking drastic measures to force the runaways home, Sophia and those loves decide it’s time to take Red Zone down once and for all…….

I want to be honest here; I’m at a mixed mind when it comes to this book, and this series as a whole really. Overall I did enjoy it and don’t regret reading it, but I wasn’t sucked in or blown away by the story. Resist featured a steady pace that at times lagged for me. I wanted to adore the characters, I wanted to be swept into the story, but I just wasn’t. Resist was decently written and has all the elements to make a great mysterious read; there was just something missing that could have taken it from an okay read and to the next level for me.

Resist unfolds across two different tenses; the past and an unknown present where Sophia has no memories of her time on the run and her feelings about Red Zone. Resist picks up where the last novel left off and bounces back and forth between the timelines until they ultimately meet and the novel moves forward. I have to admit that despite my issues with Resist, the stubbornness in me had me eager to know what was going on, and it was this streak in me that kept me reading a lot of the time. 

Personally I think Sophia had potential and was easy enough to follow, but she didn’t blow me away as the main character either. Her voice was easy to follow, but honestly, I didn’t feel one way or another about her. Although I was glad about some of the choices she made.

Martin makes a real attempt at creating a character dynamic that shines and though I loved most of Sophia’s unit (Cole, Summer, Jordan, Lev, Gabe) it was she and Kyle who’s chemistry and dynamic I found the most lacking. It was another one of those instances where I tried, over and over to connect, but kept failing to do so. 

The concept within Resist, and its predecessor Revive was something I thought Tracey Martin explored very well. Personally I would like the chance to explore Martin’s world more if the chance ever arose and would kill for a series featuring Cole as he won me over from the get go!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Xpresso Book Tours and the author (Thanks ladies!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Recommendation: Mystery lovers will enjoy this.
Cover: I really like this cover; it does wonderfully with the first book.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is the second and final book

Book Blitz: Crystallum by Laney McMann- Excerpt & Giveaway

Welcome to the Book Blitz for Crystallum by Laney McMann thanks to Xpresso Book Tours! I really love the sound of this book and think the cover is stunning! Hope you enjoy the excerpt and giveaway I have to share with you today :)

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Kadence Sparrow wasn't born a devil's child—she was turned into one. Now, she's hiding from the truth, and running for her life.

For years, Kade's true nature has lurked behind an illusion, so when her dad gets another job transfer, she knows the drill: no close friends, no boyfriends, and most importantly: don't expose what she is. Ever. Keeping secrets is easy. Lies are second nature. So is the loneliness—and the fear, but when the Shadows attack, and Kade meets Cole Spires, she could expose everything she's trying to hide.

As one of the Celestial Children, Cole lives by an oath: defend the Ward, protect the Primordial race, guard the gateways, and stick to his own. Everything else is a distraction, and besides, he’s lost enough. Cole's job is clear, and no one his age does it better. So, when he meets Kade in a club downtown, he assumes she just wants his attention. Most girls do, but Cole soon realizes ... Kade isn't like most girls.

The children of heaven and hell are living among us, fighting an age-old war. And falling for someone from the opposition is not an option. But a chance encounter between Kade and Cole will blur the rules, as Kade's journey to keep her truth hidden catapults them together and into a web of lies, forcing her to not only face the demon inside her, but to answer the hardest question of all.

Which is thicker—blood or water?

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

From Crystallum....

PLUMB STOOD in the driveway, hands on her hips, a piece of bright yellow paper in her hand. Cole groaned, exhausted, as he made his way toward her. The only light was a dim one above the door on the Brotherhood's front porch. 

Plumb waved the paper in the air. "It's four fifteen in the morning, and I'm afraid to even venture why I received a notice for you to appear in front of the Warden later today. And Danny has nothing to say, which could only mean one thing—" Plumb looked him up and down. "With the condition you're in, I'm not sure I want to know where you've been." 

"You probably don't." Cole held his hand out for the summons. 

Plumb handed the paper over, scowling, and Cole slipped it, unopened, into his pocket. 

"Are you going to tell me where you've been?" 

"Thought you didn't want to know." He walked toward the porch. There was a time, when Cole was much younger, that he never would have spoken so bluntly to his Lead, but those days, buried by all of his new responsibilities within the Ward, had faded. They were close to equals now, even though Plumb was about fifteen years older. 

“Cole." 

"I'm tired as hell. I've been up all night." He turned to face her. "Okay? I need to get some sleep." 

"What were you doing in the middle of the night that the Principals couldn't handle?" 

"A girl." 

"Excuse me?”

"No...I, no, I wasn't doing a girl. She just...never mind." He headed for the door, flustered. The last thing he needed to do was think about Kadence like that. His brain already went into some kind of jumble every time her name was mentioned, and it was bad enough that she'd had her hands all over him. 

“You were with Tiffany? Until four in the morning?" Plumb sounded like a disapproving mother. "Cole, I understand you're seventeen, and boys—" 

"I was with Kadence." He wished she would shut up. 

Want more? I seriously think I do! Get your copy today!

 

Laney McMann is the author of The Fire Born Novels (TIED, TORN, & TRUE) and The Primordial Principles series (CRYSTALLUM, book #1 ~ Fall 2015).

She is the product of very creative parents and the most imaginative grandmother ever. With an untapped passion for the supernatural and all things magical, her voracious appetite for reading fantasy started really young ~ and so did her love of words.

She writes young adult dark urban fantasy novels mixed with a spike of romance, a hint of history, a dash of mythology, and lots of paranormal.

On the non-writing side of life, Laney is a former classical dancer, music snob, chef, and a right-brained thinker to a fault. When she's not dreaming up new dead ends to torture herself with, she spends her time running.

Laney is published by J. Taylor Publishing and Booktrope Publishing.

Visit Laney:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

 

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Book Shelf: Bad Romeo (Starcrossed #1) by Leisa Rayven

While performing the greatest love story of all time, they discovered one of their own . . .

Cassie Taylor was just another good girl acting student. Ethan Holt was the bad boy on campus. Then one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing onstage, Cassie and Ethan's epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.

Now they've made it to Broadway where they're reunited as romantic leads once again - and their passionate scenes force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret-and he's determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, when it comes to love, sometimes it's the things that aren't good for us that are the most irresistible.

Don't miss the intoxicating romance beloved by more than two million fans online.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Bad Romeo is Leisa Rayven’s debut novel and is a wonderfully depicted love story; weaving together a tale of sensuality, romance and forgiveness.

Told through the eyes of Cassandra "Cassie" Taylor, Bad Romeo explores Cassie’s relationship with Ethan Holt. Cassie and Ethan were acting students, whose incredible chemistry spilt over into real life only to see Ethan break Cassie’s heart. Now six years after the beginning of their love affair, both are successful Broadway stars and have been brought together again as the romantic leads in a new play. Ethan is determined to prove to Cassie he’s a changed man, but can she ever trust him and admit to the feelings she still has when he left her a shattered mess the first time around?

Considering how easily I found myself swept up in this story and falling in love with Cassie and Ethan, I’m ashamed to say I’ve had Bad Romeo sitting at the back of one of my bookshelves in ARC form for such a long time. And yet I hadn’t read it before now……Seriously. What. Was. I. Thinking? I honestly have no clue.

I found Bad Romeo to be a well written, paced and depicted story. Leisa Rayven weaves together past and present wonderfully—something not all authors manage to do successfully. Bad Romeo details a very emotional love story featuring two characters who are genuinely very likable, but who have a very complicated, messy and difficult past.

Something that made this story so powerful in my eyes was the chance to compare the characters to who they were against who they are. They were both a lot younger when they first met, inexperienced in a lot of ways, especially Cassie….whereas at the present point in time they are both talented actors in their own rights who have been successful in their chosen field.

As the heroine and person whose POV we follow in Bad Romeo, Cassie is very guarded, jaded and angry when we first meet her. She comes across as hard and almost a bitch where Ethan is concerned, but it’s through experiencing her past with him that we really see how she came to be that way. Personally I thought it was really interesting seeing Cassie and Ethan first develop as a couple. Cassie is inexperienced when she first meets Ethan, but she’s incredibly attracted to him and it’s with his help she first explores her sexuality. Honestly, Cassie’s internal monologue and the dialogue is funny—she really was the horniest, and most sexually frustrated virgin I have ever read about!

Rayven writes some really sharp dialogue within this novel and gives Cassie and Ethan a fantastic chemistry. Considering how things ended between them, if they hadn’t been so powerful and electric as a couple, seeing them consider giving things another go wouldn’t be as satisfying. And I would probably wanna shake Cassie for giving he guy who broke her heart another chance……but I really loved Ethan. So I kinda understood why she did loved him too!

Sensual, funny and wildly romantic, Bad Romeo is a really enjoyable read that oozes sexual tension and sexual attraction. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Pan Macmillan Australia
Format: Paperback ARC
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: A fantastic NA read and something fans of romance will love!
Cover: I actually really dig it!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes. Can't wait to read more!