Blog Tour: Watercolor by Leigh T. Moore {Review, Character Interview, + Giveaway}
Welcome to my stop on the Watercolor blog tour hosted by InkSlingerPR!
Today I am so excited to share my review, a character interview, and a giveaway with you all!
Watercolor (Dragonfly #3)
by: Leigh T. MoorePublication Date: Oct. 3, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by InkSlingerPR and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 274 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Love is stronger than distance...
Finishing senior year is supposed to be the best time in a person’s life.
Finishing senior year as Julian’s girlfriend should’ve been the icing on the cake.
Knowing the secret that could change everything for him is the only thing threatening to spoil it all.
Until Jack returns.
Anna and Julian are together at last, and it’s as hot and happy as they knew it would be. The only problem is The Secret.
And Jack.
But while Anna is determined to fight for the guy she loves, she could still lose Julian when he discovers the truth she’s been helping to hide.
Finishing senior year is supposed to be the best time in a person’s life.
Finishing senior year as Julian’s girlfriend should’ve been the icing on the cake.
Knowing the secret that could change everything for him is the only thing threatening to spoil it all.
Until Jack returns.
Anna and Julian are together at last, and it’s as hot and happy as they knew it would be. The only problem is The Secret.
And Jack.
But while Anna is determined to fight for the guy she loves, she could still lose Julian when he discovers the truth she’s been helping to hide.
My Review:
Holy macaroni! This is my favorite book of the Dragonfly series yet! Why? Oh, that's easy. Anna+Julian= LOTS of kissing. And we all know how much I like kissing. :D
Ok, in all seriousness. I love how much Anna has matured and transformed from the first book. She is no longer obsessing over Jack Kyser (the rich bad boy who kept jerking her back and forth) and she is starting a new relationship with Julian. All sounds perfect, yes? Not exactly. Anna has knowledge of a powerful secret that could change a lot of lives- Julian's included. This book really shows just how much she is tormented by this fact and she tries to convince Julian's mom and dad to tell him the truth. While his dad is all for it, his mom is less than willing. She doesn't want Julian to have this information because she doesn't want it to change him. Yet, she doesn't see the insecurities Anna does. Julian has a right to know the secret, as the not knowing is inadvertently hurting him more.
I adored Julian for pretty much the whole book. He is a great guy and is very patient with Anna, even after he finds out she is keeping things from him. There is one scene where I was quite irate with him, as what he does is completely out of character for him. Luckily, he redeemed himself, but I was still a little peeved about it. Boys. Sheesh. The big secret does come out in this book and I was really grateful for how Leigh handled it. Anna was in a difficult position and never wanted to keep it from Julian, but it wasn't her secret to tell either.
The one thing that drove me crazy about Anna is her communication skills with Julian. Sure, she had to keep the big secret from him, but she is not upfront with him about other things and they could have avoided some of their problems had she just talked to him more! (Less kissing Anna- more talking!)
While Anna has matured, she isn't perfect. She still struggles with lingering feelings for Jack, even though they are fleeting. Julian is becoming much more important to her than Jack ever could be and the pivotal moment she realizes that, she is hurting deeply. I definitely don't wish heartbreak on Anna, but sometimes in order to realize what you truly had, you have to see what it's like without.
I am nervous about what the final book will bring, as Anna and Julian are going to be heading their separate ways for college. Anna will be attending school in New Orleans, while Julian will be in Savannah. Only time will tell if the two's relationship can withstand the distance between them or if outside forces will tear them apart. Both Anna and Julian are driven and quite stubborn, but I for one am holding out for their HEA.
~Character Interview with Anna and Julian~
(Disclaimer: This interview does contain spoilers from Books 1 and 2 in the series.)
Hey Anna! I'm glad you and Julian could stop by today! I hope you don't mind me pulling you in first!
Thanks so much for having us here!
Ok! To get us started, can you tell us one thing about yourself we might not know?
Umm... well since I'm telling the story, I don't know if there's anything you don't know about me now. That's kind of weird now that I think about it. And a lot embarrassing!
(chuckles) Meeting the Kyser's has been a life changing event for you, wouldn't you say? How has meeting them both positively and negatively impacted you?
Yes- more than I ever imagined it would. I guess it's positive because I really appreciate now being honest with the ones you love and fighting for you feelings. As far as negatives, well, being with Jack was a hard learning experience. And I guess knowing what I knew put a lot of pressure on me and Julian...
You carry a heavy secret. How do you deal with that? Especially since you're keeping it from someone very important to you?
I hate it! I absolutely hate it not being able to talk about this, and I do my best not to think about it. That way I won't accidentally say something. But it pops up at the most unexpected times. (I think you know what I mean if you've read Watercolor.)
How does it make you feel knowing this secret could potentially change a lot of lives?
It's frustrating, and sometimes it scares me because I don't want to slip up and have everyone mad at me. It's a lot of pressure, and I wish Julian's parents would just tell him already.
Speaking of important people- how would you define you and Julian's relationship as of right now? Most of my readers haven't read Watercolor, so I'm sure they're wondering where you two stand!
I'm at the end of Watercolor, so we are completely 100 percent together. Like, all the way together. And it is fantastic. But it's scary, and knowing we'll be apart next year makes me miserable. Still, we've got all summer together, and we've agreed not to ruin the present thinking about the future. It's so great.
How would you describe Julian in 5 words? How do you think he would describe you?
Julian is funny, sexy, romantic, amazing... but he's also stubborn and a little volatile like his dad. How would he describe me?? I don't know. I hope that I'm funny, sexy, romantic, amazing... LOL!
You're a senior now! What are your future plans looking like?
College. Heading to Loyola in the fall, hoping to focus on school and see Julian as much as possible.
Shall we bring Julian on in? Hey Julian! Thanks for letting Anna and I have some girl time!
Hey, no problem. Thanks for having me here.
I asked Anna to tell us something about herself we might not know- but what about you? What's something you can tell us about yourself?
I have a pink unicorn tattoo on my ass. HA! Just kidding. I don't know. I'm better at Math than Anna, the tutor?
We know you're an artist, like your mom once was. While you're painting, or just creating art in general- how do you feel?
It depends on what I'm doing. I started painting this year, and it's interesting how that works. I actually see the scenes in my head, almost like I'm there. It's a little like flying or time travel. When I'm working on metal sculptures, it feels hot. And heavy. But in a good way. Cathartic or something.
Tell us about your mom, Julian. You two are close, right? Now that you're older, is it difficult to see her without a significant other?
Yeah, we're close, I guess. We've always looked out for each other, and she treats me like an adult. I always expected her to start dating once I moved out...Actually she's been seeing somebody. I can't say who it is- you'll have to read the book to find out about that.
We asked Anna to describe you earlier. How would you describe her?
Oh, man. Anna is something else. She's beautiful and smart and funny and she doesn't put up with any of my shit, and I love her. That's it.
Is there a song that makes you think of her?
It's stupid, but my mom plays this old classic rock song a lot, "Baby I Love Your Way", and it always makes me think of Anna. I know. I need to find something more modern.
What one character trait do you value the most?
Honesty.
Ok guys! A little crazy fun before we go.
You're stranded on a desert island for the rest of your life:
What one possession do you have with you?
I guess we can't bring laptops. Oh! My journal! And a pen, I guess... can I bring a pen?
Here- I'll bring the pens, you bring the paper. Then I can sketch while you write.
If you could only have one type of food to eat there what would it be?
Pizza!
Onion Rings.
What one thing do you wish you could tell your friends and family?
Things are not always how they appear.
Just relax and enjoy life. Have fun!
Thanks again for having us! I hope readers enjoy our story. <3
About Leigh T. Moore:
Leigh Talbert Moore is the author of the popular young adult romantic comedy The Truth About Faking, its companion, The Truth About Letting Go, which is a Top 5 Finalist in the 2013 “Best Indie Book Awards,” sponsored by The Kindle Book Review; the romantic-suspense novel Rouge, which was a Quarter Finalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards; and the Dragonfly series, a new contemporary YA to new adult romantic saga.
A southern expat and beach bum (and ex-journalist and editor), Leigh lives with her husband and two young children in a landlocked location. To compensate, she conjures new worlds, characters, and situations while playing chauffeur, chaperon, group activity leader, and referee.
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Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
6 comments
Awesome review! I love how much Anna matured too and I felt like she handled the secret well. She knew it wasn't hers to tell but she also tried to convince them to tell him. I know which moment you refer to and I was disappointed in Julian too. I am incredibly scared for the final book, especially after reading that sneak peek. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Chelsea! Yes Anna has really become a likeable character for me. And ugh! He pissed me off right then- I was like 'THIS ISN'T YOU! I am terrified for the last book!
DeleteI have never kept a secret journal.... but maybe I wish that i did! Thanks for this amazing giveaway!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Melissa!
DeleteAck! It really seems as if this series is gaining steam. I really liked Anna and Julian in the first book, and can't wait to read their story. Great review!
ReplyDeleteYes! It has definitely gotten steamier in this book (And I LOVED it!) LOL.
DeleteLeave me some comment love! And I will get around to commenting back!
My blog is an award-free blog, however, as I just do not have the time to follow-up.