BLOG TOUR: SAVE THE DATE

 

 

Today I am a host for the Blog Tour of Save the Date by Morgan Matson. This Blog Tour is coordinated by AusYABloggers and Simon & Schuster Australia.

 

 

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 14th June 2018

 

PAGES: 417

 

 

BLURB: 

 

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

 

 

REVIEW: 

 

Morgan Matson has done it again with another amazing YA contemporary novel that chases away the winter here in Australia. I love pulling out her books when the weather gets a little cold. This book is packed with fun, family and fiascos. I simply flew through this book and it was primarily because of the family dynamics.

Charlie is a child in a large family in her last year at high school. Over the course of one weekend her sister is getting married at the family home which is being sold. Honestly, Morgan writes family dynamics like few others. The Grant Family became an integral part of the story for me. I could see the elements of each family member and how they fit into the whole. I was interested to see if some family members would reunite with others and the chaos this may create.

The wedding brings with it no shortage of fires to put out. Charlie as the loving younger sister takes it under her wing to assist in this matter. I could see it in my minds eye as Charlie overcome one hurdle to be faced with another. It reminded me of those drama filled rom-com wedding movies that I always enjoy.

I had a smile on my face through almost the entire book. It was really a feel good book with amazing family dynamics. This is another book that just confirms my opinion that Morgan Matson is the Queen of Summery Contemporary YA Novels.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

 

 

 

Morgan Matson is a New York Times bestselling author. She received her MFA in writing for children from the New School and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start author for her first book, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, which was also recognized as an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. Her second book, Second Chance Summer, won the California State Book Award. She lives in Los Angeles.

 

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/morgan_m

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/morgamat/

Website: http://www.MorganMatson.com.

 

 

LINKS: 

 

Amazon – https://amzn.to/2M2pWbD
Booktopia – https://bit.ly/2JkpveP

Dymocks – https://bit.ly/2xQavjN

QBD – https://bit.ly/2Jzcb6t

Readings – https://bit.ly/2Hs6AsU

Kindle – https://amzn.to/2xUTq88

iBooks – https://apple.co/2JjyBsy

 

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

PICK ME A BOOK TO READ IN JULY

 

 

It’s almost July and therefore almost time for another Monthly TBR to be posted. This means that I am once again asking all of you for recommendations on what to read.

What is this? The concept here is to recommend me a book to read during the month of June. To do that you can leave the title and author of the book in the comments. After this, have a look at what others have suggested as well and like any of the suggestions you agree with. The suggestion with the most likes will be added to my July TBR.

I have also posted a video on my channel asking for recommendations. You can check that out here.

 

 

Please leave your recommendations in the comments below.

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

I’VE STARTED A BOOKTUBE CHANNEL

 

 

Sorry I’ve been a little quiet lately. I have started a booktube channel and have been posting videos there. I am going to be dividing my time between my blog and my new channel.

 

 

Please go and check out my channel here.

 

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

MEMORABLE MONDAY

 

 

Memorable Monday is a meme hosted by Escape in a Good Book. I’m excited to join in on this one because I love quotes, which was the driving force behind the creation of Memorable Mondays.

So… how do you participate? It’s simple ~

1) Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.

2) Come back here and leave the link to your post in the comment box below. If you don’t have a blog, I’d still love to read your quote. Leave it in the comment box instead of a link to a non-existent blog.:)

3) Visit other participants if you have time. It’s always nice to have visitors. There’s no overstaying your welcome this way, and they don’t have to offer the obligatory drinks. Or clean.

4) If you tweet your posts, feel free to use the hashtag #MemorableMonday.

The quote for this week is:

 

 

I actually really like this quote. It’s a little whimsical and tells readers to sometimes think with their hearts.

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

 

REVIEW: EMBER

 

PUBLISHER: Bettie Sharpe

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 01st November 2007

 

PAGES: 94

 

 

 

BLURB: 

 

Everyone loves Prince Charming. They have to—he’s cursed. Every man must respect him. Every woman must desire him. One look, and all is lost.

Ember would rather carve out a piece of her soul than be enslaved by passions not her own. She turns to the dark arts to save her heart and becomes the one woman in the kingdom able to resist the Prince’s Charm.

Poor girl. If Ember had spent less time studying magic and more time studying human nature, she might have guessed that a man who gets everything and everyone he wants will come to want the one woman he cannot have.

 

 

REVIEW:

 

In this dark, twisted, adult retelling of Cinderella the protagonist is not a sweet virginal blonde young girl overrun in her own home and made into a slave. Instead, she is a powerful and maybe a little wicked red-hairs witch who fights the Prince’s curse by giving herself to the darkness. “This story is no fairytale”

The stepsisters are not wicked, but instead making ends meet as prostitutes and all four of these women love each other and would do anything to protect each other. Even cut off their own toes. I loved the representation of female friendship in this alternate take on Cinderella. Ember herself decides to take to the Cinders and act somewhat a servant to avoid the Prince and protect her family.

The Prince has a much bigger role in this novel than in the Disney movie and even the classic tale. He is cursed so that everyone will love him and no-one can deny him. However, there is one that finds the power to turn away and that has sparked his interest in the girl Ember. I saw the plot twist with the Prince coming and I thought it was probably a very good one to have in this story on the morals of not having to work for anything and the beauty within.

I love the relationship between Ember and Rian. These two flawed characters come together and must overcome hurdles for their passion in each other. There is no insta-love and their affection grows over the course of months. Ember does not lose herself in the relationship and her character is still very much present throughout the entire store.

This first person novella swept me away. It is an entirely new take on the tale of Cinderella. This story is not for the light at heart. But, if you love dark and gritty fairytales with adult themes and morals mixed in this is absolutely one I would recommend.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

UNBOXING: MAY 2018 ONCE UPON A YA BOOKCLUB

 

 

Once Upon A YA Book Club is a book subscription box with a little bit of a difference. The goodies inside correspond to items in the chosen book. I loved the idea of an interactive subscription service with a read-a-long and gifts that you opened as you got to certain parts of the book. The gifts link into the story and add the extra element. The theme for the May 2018 box was:

 

THE DICKENS TWIST

 

At a first glance looking into the box this is what you see.

 

The book in this month’s box is:

 

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon

 

I have already read and reviewed this book so that I could complete this unboxing. If you would like to see my review for this book, click here.

 

Each month there is also a quote card with a quote from the book.

 

There is also the monthly brochure with discussion questions, gift reveal dates and the opportunity to win a gift.

 

 

The first gift is on page 47 and is marked with this sticky note.

 

This wrapping was adorable.

 

The gift is this brown newsboy cap which I have used already. It is a really useful item that I love.

 

The next gift is on page 110.

 

The gift is in this little faux velvet box.

 

The gift is this beautiful locket.

 

And inside is a picture of Olivia’s mother.

 

The third gift is to be opened on page 204.

 

The packaging for this gift was intriguing.

 

The gift was a letter that was in the book. It was thrown through a window wrapped around a rock. To complete the gift there is a rock tea light holder.

 

The fourth and final gift is to be opened on page 313.

 

The gift is this key that opens a safe deposit box in the book. What’s in the box? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this unboxing and can see how the gifts really tie into the story. This is a really fun way to do a  subscription box and definitely engages the readers.

 

If you are interested in Once Upon A Book Club and wish to give them a try I have an affiliate code you can use for a 10% discount on anything on their website. The code is:

 

KATI1

 

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: THE KISS QUOTIENT

 

 

PUBLISHER: Allen & Unwin

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 13th June 2018

 

PAGES: 336

 

 

BLURB: 

 

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases–a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice–with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan–from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he’s making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…

 

 

REVIEW: 

 

A sweet and steamy gender swap Pretty Woman. The concept intrigued me but I wasn’t prepared for the characters and plot that won me over. I don’t believe there are many who cannot fall in love with these characters

Stella loves her job and finds math a constant in her life that she does not need to work on. Stella had high functioning autism and has trouble engaging in social situations. I loved the representation of high functioning autism in this novel. I liked that it was highlighted with regards to both characters that first impressions can be deceiving and there is often more that meets the eye.

Michael is an escort trying to support his family. He has rules that he sticks to when he engages with his clients. Those rules seem to fly out the window when he meets Stella and agrees to help her open up and possibly have a relationship.

Both protagonists have complex families that are explored within this novel. I loved the different familial dynamics between the different families. Stella is an only child from a very well off family while Michael has a lot of sisters, a loving mother and grandmother and an absent father. This provided a juxtaposition of two different families and upbringings and the abilities of them to come together.

The Vietnamese culture was something examined within this novel. Michaels family were completely loveable and I adored ever page I got to experience the culture of a Vietnamese family. This was only a snippet of the culture, but it is great to have that representation in this novel.

A modern day romance story full of representation that tugged on the heart strings and left me with a huge grin. This is a romance I cannot recommend enough I finished it in less than 4 hours as I simply could not put it down.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

ONCE UPON A READATHON TBR

 

 

Today marks the first day of Once Upon A Readathon – a retelling based readathon that I am hosting. This is the first ever round of this readathon and it will run from the 18th to the 24th of June.

Each round will focus on a different fairytale or classic story and the only aim is to read retellings based on that fairytale or classic story. This round the fairytale is:

 

CINDERELLA

 

 

MY TBR: 

 

 

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

This is the Group Book for this round.

 

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

 

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

 

Dance by Demelza Carlton

 

Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke

 

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

 

Ember by Bettie Sharpe

 

All the Ever Afters by Daniella Teller

 

Cinders by Finley Aaron

 

Not Cinderella’s Type by Jenni James

 

 

Sinful Cinderella by Anita Valle

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 

Shadows on the Moon by Zoë Marriott

 

Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas

 

 

I know this is quite ambitious, but I just found so many fantastic sounding Cinderella retellings. I am hoping to get to as many of these as I can. Which Cinderella retelling I should read first? Will you be participating in the Once Upon A Readathon? Let me know in the comments.

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: ENCHANT

 

 

PUBLISHER: Lost Plot Press

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 05th January 2017

 

PAGES: 248

 

 

 

BLURB: 

 

A beastly prince. An enchanting beauty. Only love can break the spell.
Once upon a time…
The wicked King Thorn forced the enchantress Zuleika to cast a terrible curse. She fled his court to travel the world, helping those who need her magic most. Until a search for her merchant father’s lost ships leads her to an enchanted island, where Prince Vardan, the island’s ruler, is afflicted by the most powerful curse Zuleika has ever encountered. She’s not sure she can reverse the spell, but she’s determined to try. After all, a prince who fights pirates can’t be all bad…no matter how beastly his appearance.

Together, can the enchanting beauty and the beastly prince break the spell?

 

REVIEW: 

 

An entertaining new take on the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast. In this rendition, the Beauty is also the Enchantress who (inadvertently) curses the Beast. This is certainly an interesting take on the tale, the plot took elements from the original tale and intertwined them with original concepts to make for this charming tale.

Zuleika is a girl who has lost her mother and looks to ensure the safety of the rest of her family. She undertakes the task of enchantress that her mother held before her. As such she must enchant a mirror for a cruel king and in doing so curse Vardan into the Beast. Zuleika is a inherently kind character and when she comes across the chaos she has created cannot just walk way.

The relationship develops slowly and is intrinsically intriguing and heart-warming. I loved the warmth and connection between the two. The curse was looming over them and yet there was the beginnings of a relationship blooming as varian takes the time to show Zuleika around the island he calls home. I loved the entire relationship so much.

Fantastic plot development, world building and character development. This was a enchanting tale of a beast who falls in love with the enchantress. A fairytale retelling for fans of Marissa Meyer and Mercedes Lackey.

 

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

MID-YEAR BOOK FREAK OUT TAG 2018

 

 

This is a tag that was created by Chami from Read Like Wildfire and Ely from Earl Grey Books. This tag affords readers the opportunity to reflect on their reading in the first half of the year. I was not tagged to complete this, but I did it last year and really enjoyed myself and so am completing it again.

 

Best book you’ve read so far in 2018

 

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

This book was included in many book boxes in January. I understand why. There is a fabulous plot with morally grey characters that are simply delectable.

 

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2018

 

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

I loved Stalking Jack the Ripper and this book cultivated that love. These character, the setting, and the concept all have me in adoration of the series.

 

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green 

I am very interested in this book and the cover is absolutely stunning.

 

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

 

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

 

I have seen Korrina from Owlcrate rave about this book and I am very much looking forward to it.

 

Biggest disappointment

 

Heat of the Moment by Elle Kennedy

 

While I did enjoy this book I have read other books from this author that blew this one out of the water.

Biggest surprise

 

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

 

I thought this would be a cute novel but there was depth to it. I really enjoyed this book.

 

Favourite new author (Debut or new to you)

 

Naomi Novik

 

I really enjoyed Uprooted with its fairytale elements in a darkly lyrical world.

 

Newest fictional crush

 

Captain Thorne

 

from

 

Cress by Marissa Meyer

 

Newest favourite character

Mia Corvere

 

from

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

 

Book that made you cry

 

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

 

There is one scene in particular that had me tearing up. If you’ve read this novel you would probably know the scene I’m talking about.

 

Book that made you happy

 

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

This conclusion to the duology is everything I could have wanted and left me with a grin on my face.

 

Favourite Book to Movie Adaptation Released in 2018

 

Love, Simon

 

A wonderful adaptation of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. This movie was simply perfection.

 

Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

 

The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine

I love the colour scheme of this cover. It is even more beautiful in person.

 

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

 

I am picking 5 books currently released that I want to read by the end of the year.

 

 

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

 

 

Flame in the Mist by Renee Adhieh

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking

 

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

 

The Savior’s Champion by Jenna Moreci

Favourite Book Community Member

 

G from G-Swizzle Books

 

I want to share some LoveOZYA love. I love G’s enthusiasm and energy in all of her videos and it is great to see some Aussie booktubers.

 

 

I have read some really great books for the start of the year and am over halfway through my Goodreads challenge. What do you think of my responses?

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati