Category: Blog Tour

Lovebug by Erin Mallon | Book Spotlight

Posted March 1, 2021 by Jana in Blog Tour, Book Spotlight / 2 Comments

Lovebug by Erin Mallon | Book Spotlight

Welcome to my stop along the blog tour for Lovebug by Erin Mallon, hosted by Social Butterfly PR.! Erin is one of my very favorite audiobook narrators ever, so it’s fun that she’s started writing her own books as well. Lovebug is the second book in the standalone contemporary rom-com series, Natural Selection. Read more about the book below, and see what others are saying about it! I’m currently in the middle of it myself, and am excited to see how it turns out. Mabel is super quirky and unbelievably sweet! She’s definitely a character to root for.

Lovebug by Erin Mallon
Series: Natural History #2
Published by Erin Mallon on February 24, 2021
Genres: Adult Fiction — Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Add to Goodreads
Amazon Kindle | Amazon Worldwide | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Amazon Paperback | Audible Audiobook

My name is Mabel, the girl who “wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Of course I wouldn’t.
I’m an entomologist for goodness’ sake.
I work in a nature center.
Bugs are my jam.

It’s the humans in my life who are starting to get me down. I’m used to them calling me sweet and innocent. I can even handle them calling me naive. But when they lie and keep secrets from me? That’s when my proverbial pincers want to come out.

Trouble is, I’m not the girl who fights back.

Not until a handsome groundskeeper with a dirty mouth and secrets of his own shows up and lights all sorts of fires in me.

In the bug world, the female is always the fiercest. The praying mantis doesn’t worry about being a “good girl.” Nope, she follows her instincts no matter how crass or crude they may seem to others.

Turns out I could learn a thing or two from her.

I’m not necessarily looking to tear anyone’s head off, but after decades of being nice, it’s high time for me to return to nature and unleash my wild side.

Excerpt

I check to make sure all kids and counselors are settled safely and the craft is underway, then start a slow walk to where the man is crouched down and working with a wrench.

I have absolutely no idea why I choose this approach, but I whip around the water fountain in a sort of sneak attack, and shout, “Hi!”

His body jerks as though I’ve startled him. Because clearly, I have. I smile and wave. Even though he’s right in front of me.

He turns and looks behind us as if he’s unsure I’m actually speaking to him. I’m noticing this happens a lot when I greet people. Calliope told me once that I approach strangers with “unearned familiarity,” and it freaks them out. Friendliness freaks people out? I’m not sure what to do with that information.

“Yes you, silly!” I say.

His full attention is trained on me, but he doesn’t say a word. I’m starting to think the kids were right, and this guy actually doesn’t speak.

“Hey you,” I breathe.

Was that my voice I just heard? I don’t say “hey you” in that shouty way people do when they’re trying to get your attention outside the grocery store for leaving your cart abandoned in the lot instead of in the assigned cart area—not that I would ever shout at someone or leave a cart abandoned in a lot. No, the “hey you” I give him is that breathy sort. That shy, smiley sort. The kind of “hey you” people say when they know you so deeply and truly that they almost never say your actual name because they don’t need to. Who else could they possibly be speaking to at that moment except… you. You. You. Wonderful, precious, irreplaceable you. Not that I’ve ever been the recipient of such a “you.”

“Did you need something?” he asks.

He speaks! Oh wow, he speaks!

His voice is… gruff. That’s the only way to describe it. Is he annoyed? Nah, it’s probably just his voice. I’ve heard of perpetual bitch face. Maybe he has a perpetual bitch voice? But he’s a guy, so I guess to be accurate, it would be called a perpetual bastard voice?

“Before we begin, let it be known that I don’t think you’re a bastard. Or a bitch.”

“Excuse me?”

“I was just thinking that you sound like a bastard, but I bet that’s just the way your vocal cords operate. They’re probably just prone to a gruff, bastardy tone.”

“No. You had it right the first time. I am a bastard.”

“Gotcha! So. How are you? Your name is ‘The Wall’? I mean, they call you ‘The Wall’? What is that short for? Walter? Walton? Wallmeranian?” I rattle off some suggestions.
“Wallace,” he huffs.

“Gotcha. Big fan of Wallace and Grommit?” I ask.

“No.”

“Gotcha. Can I call you Wally?” “No.”

“Gotcha. Hey, do you think I say gotcha too much?”

“Yes,” he says definitively.

“Gotcha. Thanks for the feedback. I’ll work on that. Hey, wanna hear something silly?”

“No.”

“Cool, here I go. My kids… not my biological kids—though I do hope to have some of those one day, how about you? Sorry, don’t answer that. That’s an invasive question. See those teenagers over there who are completely unrelated to me?” I point in April and Dante’s direction where they are decidedly not focused on their kids and are instead “hiding” behind a pavilion post watching my flailing interaction. I wave to them. “Hey, guys!” They ignore me and look off in random directions as if they’re suddenly fascinated by all the glorious nature around them. “I’m training them as CITs this summer. That’s right, I’m chief of staff this year! I mean head counselor. And well, the thing is, they’re… well… they’re afraid of you.”

Silence.

He goes back to working on the fountain as if he’s giving up on his conversation with me.

“Isn’t that ridiculous?” I start giggling uncontrollably. “Fine by me,” he says.

“What’s fine by you?”

“That they’re afraid of me.”

“Oh.” I feel my head jerk back. “Really? But if they’re afraid of you, they’ll keep avoiding you and making up stories about you instead of taking the time to really get to know you.”

“Perfect. Love that plan,” he says and swipes some sweat off his brow.

“Oh.”

I’m not sure how to respond to this man.

“Besides,” he continues, “you’re afraid of me too.”

What others are saying about Lovebug

“Erin Mallon has a fresh and authentic comedic voice in her writing that completely immersed me with giggles!”
— Amy Daws, Amazon bestselling author

“A pitch-perfect rom-com and that manages to create a swoon worthy romance with substance.” – Books On Stereo

“Lovebug was a quirky and outlandish romcom with great characters and a storyline that wasn’t just all laughs.” – Reading Til the Break of Dawn

“I am still chuckling hours after finishing this book. Mabel and Wallace’s story is a complete breath of fresh air.” – A Bibliophile’s Desire

“This story is full of so many wonderful themes, great characters, warmth, witt and heart that it was a complete winner and oh so much fun!” – Patricia on Goodreads

About Erin

Erin Mallon‘s debut romantic comedy novel, Flirtasaurus, releases in July 2020. She is an award-winning narrator of over 450 books and an accomplished playwright and producer in New York City. She has written over 40 plays, which have been produced Off-Broadway and all over the country, including These Walls Can Talk, a raucous theatrical love letter to the romance audiobook community. She lives in a little yellow house on the outskirts of NYC with her husband and Three J’s.

Find her: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads |  Bookbub
Stay up-to-date with Erin, sign up for her mailing list.


The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James | Book Review

Posted October 30, 2020 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Book Review / 3 Comments

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James | Book ReviewThe Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
Published by Berkley on February 18, 2020
Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 327
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

I love a good creepy thriller this time of year, and am always on the hunt for the elusive atmospheric writing, so I when I was approached by Berkley to join the blog tour for The Sun Down Motel I was definitely excited about it. The Sun Down Motel is full of strong women, creepy ghosts, and a mystery that spans decades. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. The atmosphere was definitely my favorite part of the story. It was just so creepy (sometimes too creepy), and I enjoyed that uncomfortable feeling it gave me. Viv (1982) and Carly (2017) both worked at The Sun Down, each for their own reasons. Viv was there as a means to an end, and Carly was there to find out what happened to her Aunt Viv. This motel is the epitome of everything repulsive. Nobody would ever actually want to say there, and that made it way creepier. It’s run-down, outdated, and full of noises, mysterious smells, and questionable guests. And both women worked the night shift. Alone. Both women go to the point where they knew the ghosts and talked to them. Well, except the man with the noisy shoes who smoked outside every night. He kept quiet. Doors would open and closed by themselves, the lights would flicker or go completely out, there were voices and footsteps… It’s just a very scary place. These were strong women to put up with working there.

2. Strong women is a huge theme in this story. You’ve got Viv, who left home to go into show business in NYC but actually just wanted to get away from her family. She’s a Nancy Drew type who paid a lot of attention, started connecting dots, and made it her quest to stop a serial killer who was preying on women. Nobody believed that there was anything that needed solving, so she jumped in. Then you’ve got Carly, who left home to find out what happened to her Aunt Viv, who disappeared from the Sun Down one night without a trace. Again, nobody really paid any attention to her. Viv and Carly both had cool roommates who helped them solve their various mysteries. There was also a female police officer named Alma, who was given the night shift because nobody else wanted it, and a freelance photographer who I can’t remember the name of that was also involved. All of these characters were strong, persistent, brave, women who stuck up for themselves and looked out for each other. All of them did things they were not comfortable with because they thought it was their only option.

3. The detective work was so exciting to me. I loved reading about the stakeouts and the research and following people around, hoping to not be seen. Carly/Viv were impersonating people on the phone to get info and sending anonymous tips. It felt like Veronica Mars a little bit in this regard.

4. I really could have done without the ghosts. Actually, I could have done with less activity from the ghosts. It’s fine that they were there, and they really added to that creepy feeling I liked. Sometimes it just got to be too scary for me, though. Some of these ghosts were… mad. Very mad. But they ended up being there for very a important reason in the end, so I understood the need for them.

5. I did struggle sometimes with keeping Carly and Viv straight across the dual timelines. They had the same jobs, were about the same age, each had a roommate, both worked with Alma and the photographer… Sometimes I just got lost on who was who. Even thinking back now on my reading experience, I can’t exactly remember which girl did which important thing. I don’t think it matters, though. Maybe the point was to have these girls live parallel lives so there was barely a seam between them.

6. The plot itself was not very complex, but I was still riveted and had to know what happened. 

7. The book starts out pretty slow, so hang in there!

All in all, I ended up enjoying The Sun Down Motel way more than I thought I would. There were a couple spoilery twists that I called… and one was just a little too twisty to seem reasonable to me, but I still enjoyed the story overall. It’s a great book to read during spooky season, and I’m definitely interested in getting more atmospheric reads from Simone St. James in the future!


Christmas Jars | Movie Review (+Giveaway)

Posted December 4, 2019 by Jana in Blog Tour, Movie Review / 0 Comments

Christmas Jars | Movie Review (+Giveaway)

I’m excited to be a part of the official Christmas Jars movie blog tour! I’ve never read the book by Jason F. Wright, which this movie is based off of, but I’ve heard wonderful things about it and would like to read it at some point in the future. Thank you to the PR company for providing a free copy of the DVD for this review!


Christmas Jars Movie
Rating:
NR (TV movie, suitable for all ages)
Genre: Drama
Movie Trailer (Don’t watch it, though. It gives too much away! Be surprised instead!)
IMDB Info Page
Amazon | TargetDeseret Book

Read about the book on Goodreads.
Buy the book at Deseret Book or on Amazon.

Based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Jason F. Wright.

Hope is an aspiring reporter who has had her fair share of tragedy in life. Abandoned at birth, she’s grieving the recent death of her adopted mother when her apartment is burglarized of all her possessions. While reporting the burglary to the police, Hope discovers a jar full of money, labeled “Christmas Jar.” Shocked and grateful for this act of kindness, Hope discovers that people all over her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, have been receiving Christmas Jars for years during times of need. The jars are always anonymous and always contain different amounts. In this heartwarming Christmas classic, Hope goes undercover to discover the secret behind the Christmas jars, putting into motion a series of events that will change her life, and her community, forever.

Christmas Jars is a new favorite movie of mine! It’s perfect for the Christmas season, and made me smile from ear to ear as well as cry happy tears multiple times. As soon as it was over I started it all over again, then went and bought my mom a copy, and then went on Twitter and started telling people to watch it! I am a MAJOR Christmas movie fanatic. I watch all the new Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movies each year, plus I’m always looking for new ones elsewhere. Because I watch so many,  I’m kind of picky with my movies. I’ve only got so much time to watch Christmas movies each year, so I like to make sure they’re amazing. I tend to space out and play games on my phone or just stop the movie and move on to something else if it isn’t grabbing me. I actually had to quit decorating my Christmas tree (my actual favorite things to do) and sit down because I was so invested in the story. This rarely happens to me! I will admit that I didn’t have highest expectations for Christmas Jars. I thought it would be a nice movie, but I didn’t know it would enter my heart and make itself at home. There’s tenderness, romance, family love, love for others, snow, Christmas decorations, and music I woke up humming this morning.

Hope’s story touched me so much, and I really liked her as a character because she’s so genuine and sweet. The movie begins as her birth mother abandons her in a cute little diner. One of the waitresses finds Hope and adopts her. Viewers see a short montage of Hope and her mom celebrating various birthdays and holidays together over the years. During the last part of that montage we see her help her mom battle what we can only assume is cancer, before ultimately losing her to that battle sometime in November (that’s the only time I sad-cried). Shortly thereafter, Hope’s apartment is burglarized and on that same night she receives the Christmas Jar. In her quest to discover the truth behind this jar, she takes viewers on an inspiring and heartwarming journey. I love the entire cast of this movie. Well, except for Hope’s superficial co-worker who I never could talk myself into liking and her crappy boss. Other than those two, I loved everyone… especially Adam. He’s one of the sweetest dad figures I’ve seen on TV recently. I also love Ian, our swoonworthy male lead who looks amazing in his Christmas green cardigan. He’s so sweet and caring and I have a major crush on him. Hope grew up in the diner she was abandoned in, and the people that work there are like family. They are so much fun.

There’s so much heart and humor in this movie and I giggled a lot. The cinematography is great, there’s so much snow, and everything is so festive. I loved all the decorations. I love the little town this movie takes place in. The romance is barely there, but was just enough to make my heart flutter. I think my favorite thing about this movie, though, is the message that we should remember what this Christmas season is about. It’s not about all the presents or the decorations, it’s about love. There is a huge focus on loving and helping others who are in need, whether it’s financially or emotionally. Christmas Jars inspires you to look outside yourself for those who need you. I really love that message, and I think that’s why I immediately started the movie over again once I finished it. It made me feel hopeful and inspired and happy. Many of us don’t have a ton to be happy about, but I was reminded that you can always find something to make yourself happy. Sometimes that’s sacrificing something you want for someone who needs it more than you do.

Bottom line, I wholeheartedly recommend this movie and plan to gift it to friends and family this year. You pretty much need to go buy it ASAP!

NOTE: For those interested, there is no focus on religion or faith in this movie. I would consider it to be in the same vein as Hallmark’s Christmas movies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


My Thoughts (So Far) On Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson | Blog Tour

Posted June 20, 2019 by Jana in Blog Tour / 3 Comments

Welcome to my stop along the official Sorcery of Thorns book tour today, hosted by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing! I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Sorcery of Thorns for so long, so when I was invited to participate I immediately said yes! Unfortunately, due to a lot of heavy life stuff happening all at the same time, I was unable to finish the book in time for today’s stop. I’m still reading and enjoying it, though, and thought I’d share my thoughts so far!


Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on June 4, 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 456
Format: ARC
Source: From the publisher
AmazonAdd to Goodreads

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

Since I haven’;t finished yet, my thoughts are kind of all over the place and very unorganized. What better time than now for me to just list everything out! I’ll be writing a formal review once I’ve finished, but here are my thoughts so far…

  1. Right off the bat, I’m in love with this magical library. And the grimoires are actually living things that are capable of getting into so much trouble. I don’t know how long the library is going to play a part in this story since Elisabeth has been shipped away to the care of an evil sorcerer for treason.
  2. This book starts off with a major bang, completely capturing your attention.
  3. I’ve met Nathaniel briefly, but I can already tell he’s going to be a bucket of swoons. I always seem to love the evil bad boys. His little… sidekick (??), however… I’m undecided on. He’s kinda creepy.
  4. Elisabeth is a very strong character and I love her. Is she afraid of anything? I’m not sure she is. She’s relatable.
  5. I’m feeling a slow burning, hate-to-love story brewing and I’m here for it.
  6. I love Margaret’s writing. A book about bookishness must be well-written, and I’m really enjoying her prose.
  7. The worldbuilding is also super interesting, and I’m excited to dig deeper.

Ok, there you have my thoughts so far! I’m so grateful to the publisher for understanding that my life got really hard over the last few months, and letting me stay on the tour to help spread love for this book! I haven’t read An Enchantment of Ravens yet, but I’m thinking I should! First, though, I need to finish this one… and soon. I can’t wait to see what happens next (although I hear the ending is a doozy, so now I’m scared).


About Margaret Rogerson

Margaret Rogerson is the author of the New York Times bestseller An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Miami University. When not reading or writing she enjoys sketching, gaming, making pudding, and watching more documentaries than is socially acceptable (according to some). She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, beside a garden full of hummingbirds and roses. Visit her at MargaretRogerson.com.

Blog Tour Schedule:
Monday, May 27 – Alexa Loves Books
Tuesday, May 28 – The Novel Knight
Wednesday, May 29 – Adventures of a Book Junkie
Thursday, May 30 – Awkwordly Emma
Friday, May 31 – Mel to the Any
Monday, June 3 – The Fox’s Hideaway
Tuesday, June 4 – The Starry-Eyed Revue
Wednesday, June 5 – The Bookish Beagle
Thursday, June 6 – Super Space Chick
Friday, June 7 – Flying Paperbacks
Monday, June 10 – Bookshelves & Paperbacks
Tuesday, June 11 – Nightly Reading
Wednesday, June 12 – Novel Heartbeat
Thursday, June 13 – Hammock of Books
Friday, June 14 – The Everlasting Library
Monday, June 17 – The Eater of Books!
Tuesday, June 18 – Beware of the Reader
Wednesday, June 19 – This Dark Material
Thursday, June 20 – That Artsy Reader Girl
Friday, June 21 – SimplyAlly Tea

Rachael Lippincott’s Connection to Five Feet Apart | Author Guest Post (+ Giveaway)

Posted November 12, 2018 by Jana in Blog Tour, Giveaway, Guest Post / 8 Comments

I’m pleased to kick off the official Five Feet Apart blog tour with this lovely guest post by author, Rachael Lippincott! I didn’t know that this story was a screenplay before a book, and that a movie is currently in production. That makes things even more interesting. I have a bit of a personal connection to this story, as someone I care about has cystic fibrosis. It’s so nice to get a little background on it, and what inspired its creation before the movie, starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson, hits theaters on March 20, 2019.


Rachael Lippincott’s Connection to Five Feet Apart
by Rachael Lippincott

To put it simply, this book is the product of the hard work of many, many people. From the screenplay itself, written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis, to Claire Wineland’s incredible contributions and spirit, to Justin Baldoni’s work as the director of the movie, to my physical writing of it, all of it had this innate desire to raise awareness about Cystic Fibrosis at the very core.

For me, everything started the day I got the screenplay for Five Feet Apart. I poured over the words, finishing it over the course of an afternoon, the story of Will and Stella leaving me filled with a myriad of emotions, from anger to joy to sadness to longing. When I finished, my computer screen was filled with tabs about Cystic Fibrosis and B. cepacia and medical statistics for the disease.

My inspiration started with the screenplay and grew to so much more than that over the course of that afternoon and the coming weeks and months. It became about the real life Wills and Stellas. People like Claire Wineland, who stare CF in the face and inspire so many others to live a life that they can be proud of. It became about a mom in Des Moines with this superhuman perseverance to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis foundation so that her daughter and so many other CFers can live to see a cure. It became about people that had never heard about Cystic Fibrosis reading Will and Stella’s story, or watching it on the big screen, and taking the time to open up google and learn about what the disease is.

I am acutely aware every day that this book could have had anyone’s name on the cover next to Mikki and Tobias’s. But I was lucky enough to be able to use my greatest passion, writing, to join a team of people committed to raising awareness about Cystic Fibrosis, and I take that very seriously. I can say earnestly that I will do everything I can to raise awareness for CF and I hope beyond all else that Five Feet Apart helps in some small way to bring about a cure.


Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
Original screenplay written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis
Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 20, 2018
Genres: Young Adult Fiction — Contemporary, Romance
Add to Goodreads • Amazon • B&N • Book Depository

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?


About Rachael Lippincott

Rachael Lippincott was born in Philadelphia and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, splitting her time between writing and running a food truck with her partner.

 

The publisher has graciously offered up a copy of Five Feet Apart to a lucky reader of That Artsy Reader Girl!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule

November 12 – That Artsy Reader Girl

November 13 – Vivacious Bibliophile

November 14 – A Gingerly Review

November 15 – Life of a Simple Reader

November 16 – A Glass of Wine

November 17 – Book is Glee

November 19 – Bumbles and Fairytales

November 20 – Adventures of a Book Junkie

November 21 – Jen Ryland Reviews

November 22 – Joyous Reads

November 23 – Chasing Faerytales

November 24 – Folded Pages Distillery

November 26 – Oh, Hey! Books

November 27 – Book Briefs

November 28 – Novel Knight Book Reviews

November 29 – A Dream within a Dream

November 30 – My Guilty Obsession