Blog Tour: The Rule of Thirds by Chantel Guertin!

Hey guys! Thanks for popping in to my stop on The Rule of Thirds blog tour! A story about a girl who loves photography, her best friend, and adorable boys :0)

 

The Rule Of Thirds

By: Chantel Guertin

Release date: October 1st, 2013

Publisher: ECW Press

Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Pippa Greene never goes anywhere without her camera. She and her best friend/supermodel-in-training Dace long ago mapped out their life plan: Pippa will be the noted fashion photographer, and Dace the cover girl. But ever since last spring, things have changed for Pippa—and her junior year at Spalding High proves to have its own set of challenges. Not only is Vantage Point, the statewide photography competition, in three short weeks, but her mandatory volunteering placement lands her at St. Christopher’s Hospital, a place Pippa never wanted to set foot in again. With humor and pluck, she navigates her new role as a candy striper (watch out for Code Yellows), her changing relationship with her best friend (goodbye, Honesty Pact), and—perhaps most stressful of all—her new love interests (yes, love interests plural). Will Pippa make it to Vantage Point without having a panic attack? Will either one of the guys prove less sketchy than her last boyfriend? Can she and Dace figure out a way to dream big and be best friends? One thing is certain: real life is a lot more complicated than a photograph.

 

 

The Rule of Thirds is a story about Pippa Greene, she's really just a regular teenage girl with the regular teenage girl thoughts and worries. She's got a best friend who acts a little larger than life, but you just know underneath there are some major insecurities that make her behave the way she does. And of course there are adorable boys, two that have caught Pippa's eye in particular. There is Dylan, the boy that she's been crushing on forever, but she's pretty sure he doesn't really know she exists. And there's Ben, the new guy in school who shares her passion, but has something a little mysterious about him. Being somewhat of a photographer (or at least lover of taking photos) myself, I found a lot of common ground with Pippa. I didn't always agree with her decisions and I definitely wanted to shake her on occasion, but stumbling your way through life is kind of what being a teenager is all about.

 

Overall I enjoyed The Rule of Thirds, it was fun and entertaining, but also had some serious and sad moments. Chantel definitely did a good job of blending it altogether and for the most part I don't have any real gripes about the story, but there was one thing near the end that bugged me like no other. I won't go into it, because I don't want to spoil anything, but it was a pretty major thing that was left almost completely unresolved. Something that might be able to redeem it, though, is the fact that this book is now going to be part of a series. At the time that I read the book I didn't know that this was even a possibility, so the ending wasn't working for me. While I still wish there was a little more resolution, now that we'll get more of Pippa and her world, I'm confident it will addressed in a future book. And if another book does in fact come out, I will definitely be on board to read it :0)

 

Author Bio:

Chantel Guertin is an author, beauty expert and magazine editor. Her first novel (written as Chantel Simmons), Stuck in Downward Dog, came out in 2007, and was a Winnipeg Free Press bestseller, a Chatelaine Best Beach Book and Book of the Month, and a Vancouver Sun Editor’s Choice. Her second novel, Love Struck, came out in 2010, and was also a bestseller in Canada.

Chantel is currently the Editor-at-Large of TheKit.ca, a monthly digital fashion & beauty magazine & weekly print feature in the Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette & Vancouver Sun, a beauty expert on  The Marilyn Denis Show and faculty at Centennial College in the Book & Magazine publishing program, where she teaches magazine writing and editing courses.

Goodreads l Website l Twitter 

 

And check out the contest Chantel is running on her tumblr, in honor of Pippa Greene's debut into the world! Clickity-click!

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon l Barnes & Noble l Kobo l Chapters/Indigo

 

THE RULE OF THIRDS BLOG TOUR

 

October 1^st – BOOKING IT WITH HAYLEY G – Tour Kick-off, Review + Guest Post

October 2^nd – BOOK NERD CANADA – Review

October 3^rd – THE BOOK LIFE - Review

October 4^th – FICTIONATORS - Review

October 5^th – NICOLE ABOUT TOWN – Review

October 6^th – BOOK COVER JUSTICE – Review

October 7^th – READ MY BREATH AWAY – Review + Guest Post

October 8^th – CHAPTER BY CHAPTER – Spotlight + Guest Post

October 9^th - SEEING NIGHT REVIEWS – Review

October 10^th – MOOSUBI REVIEWS – Review

October 11^th – BOOKSHIPPER – Spotlight + Author Interview

October 12^th – NIGHTLY READING – Review

October 13^rd – THE BOOK BELLES – Review + Top Ten List

Cover Reveal: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout!

Today I've got something really awesome for you! Not only is it a cover reveal for uber-awesome Jennifer L. Armentrout, but this cover is totally different and awesome all on it's own! Check out the synopsis below and then keep scrolling to see the cover for Don't Look Back that everyone is sure to be talking about :0)

 

 

Release Date: 04/15/2014

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon l Barnes & Noble

 

 

Author Bio:

 

 

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.


Social Media sites:

Website l Twitter l Facebook

Love and Other Games Release Party!!

 

Amazon | B&N 

 

Love and Other Games is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller. It releases October 1st from Swoon Romance in all major electronic formats.

 

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze

 

Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.

Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium. With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.

 

Ana Blaze's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Trouble With Gold by Melinda Dozier

 

US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.

Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult.

Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?

 

Melinda Dozer's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane

Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.

“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.

The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.

 

Aria Kane's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller

 

Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player. Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.

 

Kara Leigh Miller's: Website | Twitter | Facebook l Goodreads |

 

The authors are hosting a Facebook party on release day filled with fun, surprises, and PRIZES! You can find the event here!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

 

Release Date: October 1st, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

 

When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

A love story set against a zombie apocalypse? How is that anything but intriguing? This book was so awesome, but for completely different reasons than I expected. Yes, there were love stories woven into this world, but it's the world that was so flipping amazing. In all honesty, I hadn't expected much out of this apocalyptic world, because Jamie McGuire is know for her new adult romance novels and I wasn't all that fond of Beautiful Disaster. I gave it a chance, though, because I wanted to see what she was going to do with it and I am so glad that I did. Jamie writes the heck out of a zombie apocalypse. It was intense, gruesome, scary, and totally insane.

I don't normally care for books that have so many POV's, because sometimes it's really hard for the author to do each character justice, but in this particular book it really served the story well. Getting to see the horror befalling the world through different eyes gave a really well developed view of all of the things going on. And it was really cool making all the connections between the people as they slowly started coming together. This book also held some serious tragedy, damn zombies, but it all felt true to the story kept things going. I really came to care for all of the characters and wished I could be there kicking ass right beside them.

This was so much more than I expected and I'm so glad it was a different story than what I thought it would be. I was reading this alone at night and at one point I got up to get a drink and I was convinced that I could hear zombies in my yard. If that doesn't convince you that this book is legit, well clearly you've never been home alone and thought there were zombies in your back yard ;0)

A definite recommend from me. This one is more horror story than love story and that's the best part!

Two Lies and A Spy by Kat Carlton Blog Tour + Giveaway!

 

Author: Kat Carlton

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: September 3rd, 2013

 

When sixteen-year-old Kari’s dad sends her an unexpected text, she and her brother immediately go into hiding. Because when your parents are superspies and your dad declares a Code Black, it can only mean something bad. Very bad.

Kari soon discovers that her parents have been disavowed and declared traitors, and she’s determined to clear their names. Breaking into the Agency seems like a reasonable plan, especially with the help of a team that includes her longtime crush, Luke, as well as her two best friends—an expert hacker with attitude and a master martial artist—and Luke’s popular, vindictive twin sister. Oh, and a new guy, who’s as cute as he is complicated...

 

I love a good spy book and this one is no exception. Of course, it was not exactly what I was expecting, either. Kari knows all kinds of spy tricks and she definitely knows how to take care of herself, but Kari isn't the actual spy in this tale. Kari's parents are spies and she and her little brother have grown up knowing about their jobs and learning things along the way. When her parents go missing and get accused of being traitors, Kari knows something isn't right and she's determined to get to the bottom of it. She's just going to need a little help from her friends, and maybe a couple of people she's not too fond of.

 

This book was a lot of fun and was full of a great cast of characters. Kari's little brother was a trip and such a cool kid. Luke, Kari's crush, was such a sweet guy and willing to do some pretty crazy things to help her out, but I liked his sister Lacey so much more. Sure she was a bitch, and a total princess, but she constantly cracked me up. They would all be struggling over something, stressing about how they were going to solve this or that problem, and after they'd wracked their brains for a bit, she'd be all "oh, you're looking for such and such, I already know that." Made me LOL every time.

 

My favorite part about this book was how the story all wrapped up. It definitely wasn't exactly what I was expected, but that made it that much more awesome. From what I've been able to find, this is the only book, but I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to continue it into a series. And I will be first in line to read book two. This was a fast paced and fun spy read, I'd definitely recommend it for anyone whose looking for something action packed, but isn't interested in the paranormal!

 

Get in on the Action!

Leave a comment about what kind of spy skills you'd like to learn and you could win!

 

Two (2) winners receive:

A copy of Two Lies and a Spy

 Winners will be chosen on September 20th!

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

 

Visit the Official Book Site

Like Kat Carlton on Facebook

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Blog Tour: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

 

Release Date: September 3rd, 2013

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

 

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

 

This book was non-stop and had me guessing and second guessing on just about everything. This is the first book I've read by Cristin Terrill and she is a fantastic writer. This world she created, both timelines, and the characters that populate it are so vivid. Em and Marina live in two completely different worlds, and they also live 4 years apart. Em's job is to travel back 4 years to where Marina is and kill the man that is responsible for the horrible future that she currently inhabits. Sounds fairly cut and dry, but nothing is really as it seems in All Our Yesterdays.

 

Em and Marina are both such interesting characters. Em is darker, her motivations stem from a gruesome world and desperate need to make it all right. Marina, on the surface, is a fairly typical teenage girl. Incredibly self centered and only really concerned about her best friend James and her desperate hope that he loves her the way she loves him. You'd think having these two characters are the main narrators for the book would be jarring, back and forth between such polar opposite personalities. And while it did take me a bit to get used to it, once I got into the story it really gelled together well.

 

I had so many theories on what was really going on throughout the book. On one page I was certain it was one thing, but then by the next chapter I was convinced it was something completely different. This, to me, is the mark of fantastic storytelling. While I was reading, I was under the impression that this was a stand alone novel, and I was fairly satisfied with that. Although I didn't quite understand exactly what was going on at the very end of the book, I did feel like it fit in perfect with the rest of the story. Now I've learned that there is going to be a second book and I am definitely curious to see where Cristin Terrill is planning to take this.

 

This is an awesome book, something a little different from what I usually read, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for fantastic storylines and well drawn characters. This one's a keeper!