Review: Soppy: A Love Story, by Philippa Rice

Soppy: A Love Story, by Philippa Rice
Release Date: December 2nd, 2014
Hardcover and Ebook
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Find it on: Goodreads - Amazon 

Summary:

True love isn’t always about the big romantic gestures.
Sometimes it’s about sympathising with someone whose tea has gone cold, watching TV and sharing a quilt, or allowing your partner to order take-away pizza again. When two people move in together, it soon becomes apparent that the little things mean an awful lot. The throwaway moments in life become meaningful when you spend them in the company of someone you love.
Soppy is Philippa Rice’s collection of comics based on real-life moments with her boyfriend. From grocery shopping to silly arguments and snuggling in front of the television, Soppy captures the universal experience of sharing a life together.

What I thought about Soppy:

Philippa Rice has created a beautiful story, a collection of moments, in simple yet captivating drawings and using only 3 colours. I truly love minimalistic designs and hers were adorable. 

I had no idea this was a compilation of the work she'd posted online on her Tumblr. I'm new to her art and I will definitely google her and check out more of her work. 

Soppy's made of little stories that are threaded together by these two very relatable characters: She's an artist... so is He. They love tea and biscuits and have little arguments about whose turn it is to make it this time. They fight over insignificant things and make up over chocolate and vainilla milkshakes. They love books and sleeping on top of each other. Things that make a couple be real and function on and off the page. 

This book is a fast read, but you'll definitely go back to its pages and take a better look at the lines and shapes and see how this doodle-like drawings come to life again in your mind.

You don't want to miss this one. 

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New Book and Giveaway: Forever Kinda Love by Clara Stone

Forever Kinda Love by Clara Stone
Release Date: August 15th, 2014
Paperback and Ebook
Find it on:
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - iBooks
Get a signed paperback from the author (US Only)

Summary:

Life’s. Little. Surprises. 
The last thing seven-year-old Carrigan "Ace" Casper foresaw was an eight-year-old Heath Lovelly walking into her life the day her mother died. From that moment on, Heath sticks by her side, slowly becoming her strength, her confidant, and her entire world. What she doesn’t know is, she's his saving grace, too. 
Ten years later, Ace is handed another crippling challenge that threatens everything in her almost perfect life. Only, this time, she doesn't turn to Heath, hiding the truth instead. But Heath knows Ace too well and won't back down easily. He's ready to do whatever it takes and will stay by her side until she accepts that their love is the kinda love worth fighting for. 
Will he be her forever triumph or her unexpected downfall? 
Two lives. 
One story. 
And an unexpected journey to falling in love.

Clara's put together a giveaway in the spirit of her new book: Titles that speak about friendship becoming something more! Now, I've read some of these books, and they are amazing, so this is a giveaway you shouldn't miss! Join here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

FKL is getting great reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, looks like I should be buying my copy soon to check it out! 

Remember, Indie authors need YOUR SUPPORT. Otherwise, we'd be floundering in the sea of novels unread for all of eternity! 

About the Author:

Clara Stone lives in the beautiful city of Boise, ID.  Unlike what most believe about Idaho, it’s more than a sack full of potatoes. When she’s not writing, you’ll catch Clara reading YA and NA books, mostly romance, and enjoying time with her family. She is a proud CW TV addict.

She also writes YA paranormal romance under the name Priya Kanaparti. She is published through Reuts Publications.

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Book Blitz: Breaking Fences (The Breaking Series, #2), by Juliana Haygert

Breaking Fences (The Breaking Series, #2) by Juliana Haygert 

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Release date: June 2014

All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.

College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding.

But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don’t hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn’t be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.

However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn’t have to mean standing alone.

** Companion novel of Breaking the Reins. Can be read out of order.**

Available from:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Breaking the Reins (The Breaking Series, #1)

(cover linked to Goodreads)

Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.
After a fire takes her grandma's life and kills her horse, Hannah's immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can't turn away even though she's not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.
Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.
But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.**Contains scenes of domestic violence**

EXCERPT FROM BREAKING FENCES:

Tom was working on untacking the horses, while Carl hosed them down, and another man brought the tack inside the stables. Eyeing Midnight Dream, I dismounted close to them, and started unbuckling Pepper’s saddle. If they let me, I would do it all myself. Midnight saw me and slowly approached me. He poked my back with his muzzle while I unstrapped Pepper’s saddle.

“You want to play, big boy?” He poked me again, nickering. I laughed.

The trainer came out of the stables, and I froze with the saddle in my arms. Midnight Dream shot away from me, and not having seen or recognized me, the trainer chased after the horse for a couple of minutes until he finally caught his reins.

The trainer turned to bring the horse to the stables and halted, his eyes on me.

“What are you doing here?” Garrett asked. His brows knotted in a deep frown.

I forced myself to move and set the saddle on the fence rail. “Riding.” I kicked my foot in the air, showing off my black and white cowboy boots. “Did you think these were just for show?” I picked up a hose. “And you’re a trainer here?”

Without acknowledging my question, he led the horse inside.

Whatever.

I hosed Pepper off and she nickered in delight.

A moment later, Garrett was by my side. He took the hose from me. “I’m an instructor, a trail guide, a trainer, caretaker, handyman, and everything else in between.” He washed Pepper’s hot coat. “I work here full time.”

“Of all the places I could have chosen to ride,” I whispered, taking a step back. Which wasn’t true. There weren’t that many places around.

He finished hosing Pepper, and then pulled her inside the stable. I followed, but only because I had to go through it to reach the parking lot on the other side. However, with Garrett walking right in front of me, it was hard to focus on anything else. He wore fitted blue jeans, a gray T-shirt that showed a hint of the muscles under it, his brown boots, and hat. There was a small stain of sweat right between his shoulder blades, and I wondered if I could get close enough to sniff him. Not that I liked sweat per se, but a hot guy sweating from hard work? Add that to a great natural scent and I was done for.

I wasn’t a slut like the girls from the sorority made me look like, but I wasn’t a saint either. I liked boys. I liked staring at boys. I liked kissing boys. I liked … I sighed.

Garrett opened a stall and put Pepper in. He closed the door and picked up a bucket of water for her. I leaned over the door and caressed her long neck.

“Thanks for the ride, girl. I needed it.”

I turned and found Garrett right behind me. He stared at me with those hazel eyes, and I wondered what was going on in his mind. He probably had heard about the lies Audrey and Sarah were spreading about me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he believed them. Everyone on campus, except for Phoebe, believed them. What could I do? I seemed to have “Brazilian Slut” stamped on my forehead.

“I … I should go.” I turned to the door as the girl sauntered out of the tack room.

She flipped her long, blond hair back and looked me up and down with disinterest before shifting her gaze to Garrett. “Am I dismissed?”

“Yes, Delilah,” Garrett said, walking around me to meet her.

The girl, who couldn’t be older than eighteen, stopped by Midnight Dream’s stall. “Goodbye, M.D.” She reached her hand inside, but the horse retreated.

I frowned.

“Hey, if it isn’t the Brazilian girl,” Jonah’s voice filled the air, and I turned toward it. He was entering the stable. “What a nice surprise.”

About Juliana:

New Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Author Links:
    

***ENTER THE GIVEAWAY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

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Release Day: Make It Count (Bowler University, #1), by Megan Erickson

Megan Erickson's first Bowler University Novel is out today! YAY! Congrats, Meg! [Love her name, too. Remember who else is named Megan? ;)]

Summary:

Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hotline. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend's gorgeous best friend, Alec . . . who just so happens to be her brand-new math tutor. Who knew nerds could be so hot?
Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends—both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It's safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm's length. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close.
Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She's adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off-limits. He'd never stab his best friend in the back . . .
But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn that messy human emotions can't be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust that he may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it.

Get your copies here:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I2PH6AW/ref=cm_sw_su_dp 
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I2PH6AW
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/make-it-count-megan-erickson/1118915758?ean=9780062353399

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Review: If Only, by A.J. Pine

Hi peeps! I decided I'd be posting my reviews for New Adult books in my author blog because it didn't feel right to do so in my YA-only book blog. Also, these reviews won't be rated with stars, points or anything of the sort. I'll only categorise them into "I loved it", "I really liked it", or "I liked it" sections, to be fair, since I'll be trying my luck in the NA world soon, and I don't feel particularly suited to say which books are better than others. So this will be a review section where I share books that I'd like you to read, too. 

The first book I'll be reviewing here is If Only, by A.J. Pine. 

Release Date: March 24th, 2014
Publisher: Entangled (Embrace) Publishing
Source: Publisher through NetGalley
Categories: Contemp, New Adult
Read from March to May 2014 
Summary:

Sometimes it takes crossing an ocean to figure out where you belong. 
It's been two years since twenty-year-old Jordan had a boyfriend—which means it's been forever since she, well, you know. But now she’s off to spend her junior year in Aberdeen, Scotland, the perfect place to stop waiting for Mr. Right and just enjoy Mr. Right Now.
Sexy, sweet (and possible player) Griffin may be her perfect, no-strings-attached match. He’s fun, gorgeous, and makes her laugh. So why can’t she stop thinking about Noah who, minutes after being trapped together outside the train’s loo, kisses Jordan like she’s never been kissed before? Never mind his impossible blue eyes, his weathered, annotated copy of The Great Gatsby (total English-major porn)…oh, and his girlfriend.
Jordan knows everything this year has an expiration date. Aberdeen is supposed to be about fun rather than waiting for life to happen. But E. M. Forster, Shakespeare, and mistletoe on Valentine’s Day make her reconsider what love is and how far she’s willing to go for the right guy.

I really liked this book! I was definitely not expecting it. I wasn't expecting the relationship to take such a turn, to be developed like it was, and I gotta say, it was a very welcome surprise.

It took me a while to get into it, but I couldn't tell you why. Probably because I like to read four books at once. A.J. made me feel so bad, too! We meet two guys along with Jordan (or Brooks, as her best friend calls her), at the same time, and they're both so freaking cute, I want them both! Could I get the one that Jordan didn't want? I liked him ;)

The tension in this book was very well developed. I liked that, despite it falling into the insta-love category, the characters don't act on this right away, but rather, they let things unfold, they get to really know each other, spend some serious time together, and just learn to fall for the other. I think that's why I loved the ending, because it felt real, not rushed like many new NA books out there.

I loved the secondary characters. Crazy Elaina with her weird coffee, Duncan and Daniel and the kids from the play. All of them felt real, and that's hard to achieve, so kudos A.J.!

The drama was sooooooo good! I felt bad every time the characters did, and I smiled when they smiled.

It was all very cute towards the end, happiness and rainbows and all that. And the fact that it's located in Scotland didn't hurt either.
Oh, Noah... *sigh*

This was a really nice book, lovely quotes inside it to make sense of the character's mindframe, and helpful time tags to let us know how much time had passed.

Perfect dose of drama for a lovely, cute, adorable book.

If Only is out now and you can buy it through Amazon.

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