{The Paths We Choose Release Week} My Book Playlist

The Paths We Choose Release Week: Day Two – My Fanmade Book Playlist

Hi readers, and welcome to another post of my The Paths We Choose Release Week. It’s only three days left now until the book is released into the world and I couldn’t be more excited. If you missed it, yesterday I published my review of the book and you can read it here. However, today I have something else for you. My book playlist for The Paths We Choose. Seriously I had so much fun making this one, and I hope you guys will love it as much as I do. The playlist has 12 songs and can be listened to on both Spotify and YouTube. I hope you enjoy!

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{The Paths We Choose Release Week} ARC Review of The Paths We Choose by Maria Hollis

The Paths We Choose Release Week: Day One – My ARC Review

Hi, readers and welcome to day one of my The Paths We Choose Release Week. There are four days left until The Paths We Choose is released into the world and to celebrate I’m releasing a fun new post every day until the book is out. Today I have my ARC review of the book, and as you might have suspected already, I absolutely loved this book.

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The Paths We Choose by M. Hollis

Publication Date: April 6, 2017.

Publisher: Independently published.

Genres: New Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, and Romance.

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Selling points: Strong friendships, chosen family, and girls owning their sexuality.

Purchase here: Amazon

Synopsis: Lily Ferrari enjoys having control over every detail of her life. Ever since she left her parents’ house to gain her freedom, she decided to fully own her autonomy. But an unexpected visit from her little brother may change the path she chooses to follow.
Add to that a casual fling with the bright architect Mayte González, and Lily’s summer is turning out more interesting than she expected. It certainly beats the routine of working extra shifts at Johnson’s Bookstore.

A few weeks before her college life begins, Lily needs to figure out if she’s wrong about the past or if she should continue to protect her heart at all costs. Sometimes moving forward is only possible if you have the right people by your side.

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Thank you, Maria Hollis, for my advanced review copy of The Paths We Choose. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review; this does not affect my opinion. Any quotes mentioned below are taken from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

The Paths We Choose is amazing in its simplicity and grace. It shows us the story of two very different girls, Lily and Mayte, who after a one-night stand start a causal relationship before Mayte leaves for Florida to study her masters. This story is about two women proud of their sexuality and even if their agreement to only be friends with benefits is kept somewhat a secret they are not afraid to be open with what their relationship is, to a certain degree. This book is definitely one I would recommend if you love seeing girls supporting girls and just girls being proud of their sexuality. There is a strong sense of friendship and family, in the sense that family is not blood but instead it’s who you choose to love and stand by no matter what. What I love about Maria Hollis’s books is that she makes you feel as if you are a part of the girl gangs she portrays in her books and that you’re just as awesome and supported as they are. Her books are really positive and uplifting.

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ARC Review of Speak of Me as I Am by Sonia Belasco

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Speak of Me As I Am by Sonia Belasco

Publication Date: April 4, 2017.

Publisher: Philomel Books.

Genres: Young Adult and Contemporary.

Purchase here: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis: A moving story of grief, honesty, and the healing power of art—the ties that bind us together, even when those we love are gone.

Melanie and Damon are both living in the shadow of loss. For Melanie, it’s the loss of her larger-than-life artist mother, taken by cancer well before her time. For Damon, it’s the loss of his best friend, Carlos, who took his own life.

As they struggle to fill the empty spaces their loved ones left behind, fate conspires to bring them together. Damon takes pictures with Carlos’s camera to try to understand his choices, and Melanie begins painting as a way of feeling closer to her mother. But when the two join their school’s production of Othello, the play they both hoped would be a distraction becomes a test of who they truly are, both together and on their own. And more than anything else, they discover that it just might be possible to live their lives without completely letting go of their sadness.

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Thank you Philomel Books for my advanced review copy of Speak of Me As I Am. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review; this does not affect my opinion. Any quotes mentioned below are taken from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Be aware that Speak of Me As I Am deals with death, cancer, suicide and has some offensive language. All of this is discussed down below in my review. There will be spoilers in this review so consider yourself warned.

Speak of Me As I Am is a story about two teenagers, Melanie and Damon, who have both dealt with an immense loss but in different ways. The story made me cry and there were several scenes I enjoyed, in the moment, however, there is a lot about this book that bothered me. I see what this story is trying to do. It wants to show us how grief is something we just have to live with and how there are so many different ways we experience it and are faced with it. I really wanted to love this book, but it fell short in so many ways and was even hurtful at times instead.

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Infini by Krista & Becca Ritchie Book Playlist

Hi everyone, I have a lovely book playlist I want to share with you guys today. If you saw my review for Infini earlier this year then you know the book totally blew me away. Krista & Becca write the most magical books, and I always love them so much. Infini is about forbidden second chance love and will gut and build you up at the same time. This book has a Jamaican-American heroine and a Russian-American hero that you will just fall in love with (I know I did). I seriously recommend you guys check it out if you haven’t read it yet. You can add it on Goodreads or buy it on Amazon.

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ARC Review of A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

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A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

Publication Date: March 28, 2017.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin.

Genres: Fantasy and Young Adult.

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Selling points: Lyrical writing, amazing and fleshed out characters and magical world.

Purchase here: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis: Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes—a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

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Thank you, St. Martin’s Griffin, for my eARC of A Crown of Wishes. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review; this does not affect my opinion. Any quotes mentioned below are taken from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

A Crown of Wishes is a magical story that follows the Fox Prince and the Jewel of Bharata through a Tournament of Wishes with them seeking and fighting for their dreams and hopes. Roshani Chokshi with her lyrical writing has a way of pulling you in and making you feel every word on the page, every smell, touch, and feeling as if it were your own. If you love fantasy you are guaranteed to love this book, but even if fantasy is not what you usually read I know the writing and the characters in A Crown of Wishes will sweep you away like the wind.

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Five Days of Romance: Day 4 – Recipe for the Perfect Date

Happy Valentine’s Day my loves, and welcome to another day of Five Days of Romance here on my blog. Today I’m here to give you the recipe for the perfect date. You don’t want to miss this. In only five steps you’ll be sure to have the perfect date by tonight, amazing right? Well I won’t keep you waiting, for all my single people and not so single people. Here is how you get the perfect date in only five steps.

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The first step to fixing the perfect date is to choose who your date is going to be, and yes my friends, the perfect date is of course a book! So be it an old favorite or a new book you’ve had your eyes on for ages. Date night is all about you and a book you would love to read at the moment, nothing more, nothing less. Just pick a book you want to read and ignore all other distractions.

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The second step to a perfect date is deciding where you want to have it. Where will you and your date have the most amazing time together? Now this all depends on the weather, opportunity and circumstance but a few excellent options are listed above. If the air is not chilly and the sun is out, perhaps a picnic outside is the way to go. However, a library or café might be a better option if you want to go out but the weather is not that welcoming. To make it extra cozy, a blanket and pillow fort or a bubble bath might be just the right way to spend your perfect date.

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On your date, the mood is also very important, which leads us to step three. In order to make the perfect date you might need a few mood setters, perhaps a few lit candles, your favorite music or fresh flowers. Anything that will make your evening feel more magical is just what you need for the date. Truly, the sky is the limit. If it helps you relax and enjoy your date, it’s clearly perfect.

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The fourth step to create the perfect date is to bring snacks with you, because what is a date without something to snack on? It sure isn’t perfect. Deciding exactly what to bring will differ depending on where you go, but having something to drink with you is always a smart move. With your date you can eat cupcakes, cookies, cake, chocolate dipped strawberries, a bowl of watermelon or potato chips. Mix and choose however you like, all depending on what you love to snack on when you spend time with your date. Do you prefer it sweet, sour, salty or a mix of them all somehow?

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The last step is choosing what to wear to the date and it’s probably the easiest step out of the five. The clear answer is, wear what you love to wear, so be it nothing at all or your favorite pair of jeans and a top. If the weather allows it, a fluffy dress might also be just what feels right. The best part is that no matter what you wear, I can 100 % guarantee that your date will love it. You look gorgeous just the way you are.

This was Day 4 of Five Days of Romance. Tomorrow we’ll have Anticipated Romance Reads, and you don’t want to miss it. To check out my earlier posts for Five Days of Romance, go here.

These five steps were it for my Recipe for the Perfect Date, what did you think? Will you be following these steps tonight for date night?

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Five Days of Romance: Day 2 – Romantic Book Postcards

Welcome to my second day of Five Days of Romance! Today I have romantic and funny bookish postcards to share with you all. Save them, share them, and send them to your friends and loved ones. Just don’t claim them as your own when asked. I had so much fun making these, I love pick up lines and puns and whatnot, which is why this was so much fun. These postcards are perfect in time for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday.

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(inspired by Unicorn Tracks by Julia Ember)

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(inspired by Infini by Krista & Becca Ritchie)

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Twitter Giveaway for Infini by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Hi everyone, to celebrate the fact that Infini by Krista and Becca Ritchie is releasing next week on Tuesday I’m holding a giveaway on Twitter. I’m giving away two kindle copies of the book because I want others to read and love this book as much as I have. You can read my full review here, but I promise you that this book will completely mesmerize you and sweep you off your feet.

You can add Infini on Goodreads here, and you can also pre-order Infini on Amazon at the moment. The book is on sale the first week for 3 USD, and if you pre-order and send your receipt to Krista and Becca on their website you’ll get an exclusive short story from the Addicted series universe set during Halloween, 2018. You can read more about it here.

You can enter my giveaway by retweeting the following tweet on Twitter,

Some information, that I also mentioned on my Twitter under my giveaway,

  • There will be two winners in total.
  • The giveaway ends February 2, and winners will be chosen the day afterwards and must reply within 24 hours.
  • The giveaway is international, but you must have an Amazon account since that is the only place I know how to gift ebooks.

That’s it! I really hope you all will love this book as much as I have, it’s absolutely magical and deserves all of the love in the world. If you want something fun while you wait, check out the official Spotify playlist for Infini here, it’s just amazing!

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ARC Review of Infini by Krista and Becca Ritchie

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Infini by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Publication Date: January 31, 2017.

Publisher: Independently published.

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, and Romance.

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Selling points: Amazing characters, family oriented story and lots of epic circus moments!

Purchase here: Amazon | iBooks

Synopsis: Some love is infinite.

“Don’t have a best friend that’s a girl” — this was the advice from my older cousin. I didn’t take it. Because he followed with, “friends don’t f*ck friends. And you’ll want to f*ck her.”

It was terrible advice.

My cousin should’ve told me that being best friends with Baylee Wright — since she was twelve — would be the best and worst decision of my life.
He should have told me to protect her from what was coming.
He should have told me that when a darkness crawled towards us, there’d be no safety net.

Now I’ve signed back on to the same Vegas acrobatic show as Baylee, working together for the first time in years. And she tells me that she’s having trouble in a certain “area” of her life — because of our past.

“You can help me fix it,” she says.
And then she hands me a list.

Recommended for readers 18+ for mature content. Luka Kotova is introduced in Amour Amour, and Infini takes place in the same acrobatic world. However, it’s not necessary to read Amour Amour prior to Infini.

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Infini by Krista & Becca Ritchie tells the story of Jamaican-American Baylee Wright and Russian-American Luka Kotova and takes you on a captivating and unexpected journey that will sweep you away to the sound of the circus. Infini is nothing like I expected it to be, and everything I needed it to be, and more. It’s beautiful, full of culture, music, raw emotion and battles impossible to overcome. But as they say, the circus is where the impossible becomes possible. This book has a lot more angst than I expected, and with both the bff-to-lovers trope and the forbidden love trope, I’m absolutely certain that this book will move readers just as much as it has me. I was mesmerized from beginning to end, with not a single dull moment in sight. Infini deals with a lot of heavy topics, that are in no way romanticized. It deals with depression, kleptomania, bulimia, and abuse. All of this is mentioned in a detailed trigger warning at the beginning of the book. All of the topics are dealt with in a very respectful manner in the book but should be taken into consideration before reading.

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Cover Reveal for Keeping the Distance by Clarisse David

Today is the cover reveal for Keeping the Distance by Clarisse David. This cover reveal is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. This cover is designed by Daniel Tinagan.

Keeping the DistanceKeeping the Distance (I Heart Iloilo #1)
By Clarisse David
Genre: Romance
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: February 6, 2017

Blurb:
No bets. No fake relationships. Just a very real one that has to be kept under wraps.

Seventeen-year-old Melissa wants to dye her hair cotton candy pink and focus on her ukulele instead of Physics. But she can’t. As the daughter of a Catholic school principal, living up to her model student image 24/7 is a must. Something’s about to give under all the pressure. She only hopes it isn’t her.

Getting involved with a troublemaking basketball player is the last possible thing she needs…

Lance is used to getting what he wants. With a pretty face he uses to full advantage and his role as co-captain of the basketball team, the easy way is the only way he’s ever known. Until the day he notices the prim Melissa he’s known forever is actually hot and decides to ask her out. He has no idea he’s about to learn the lesson of a lifetime.

Not getting what he wants might exactly be what he needs.

You can find Keeping the Distance on Goodreads

You can pre-order Keeping the Distance on Amazon

Clarisse DavidAbout the Author:
Clarisse David is a Young Adult and New Adult author from the land of epic heat waves a.k.a. the Philippines. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and cannot survive without Taylor Swift songs, red lipstick, and books. When not hanging out on Twitter, she can be found working on her latest writing project.

You can find and contact Clarisse here:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Instagram
Pinterest
Newsletter

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Keeping the Distance. These are the prizes you can win:
– One winner will win an ebook copy of Keeping the Distance by Clarisse David and an ebook of their choice from #romanceclass. See the whole list of romanceclass books here: http://www.romanceclass.com
– 2 winners will each win an ebook copy of Keeping the Distance by Clarisse David

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


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