Welcome to my stop on The Libby Garrett Intervention blog tour hosted by YABound Tours!

Today I am excited to share my review, Libby's playlist, as well as a giveaway with you all!

 

 

The Libby Garrett Intervention
    by: Kelly Oram

Publication Date: Oct. 24, 2015
Publisher: Bluefields
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via YABound Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 244 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson's hot lovin'. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn't appreciate all of Libby's awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they're dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she's the only one who can't see it.

When Libby's behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen's Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard as nails coffee man to be her official sponsor.

...

Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he's crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he's the perfect candidate to be Libby's sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

This follow-up companion novel to The Avery Shaw Experiment can be read as a stand alone. (But where's the fun in that?)

 

 

I was hoping Kelly Oram would write a Libby and Owen book! The idea of them was so appealing after finishing The Avery Shaw Experiment, so it completely blew my mind to see that they were NOT going to be the ones getting their HEA here. My first thought was "Who the heck is this new guy and why is he encroaching on Owen's territory?" I have to admit I was bummed at first, but quickly changed my tune (especially after seeing how Owen treated her). It's official. I love Adam Koepp. He may have stuck his foot in his mouth in the beginning, but he quickly redeemed himself. He was such a great guy and I was ready to knock some sense into Libby!

 

I'll be honest. Libby drove me pretty nuts in this book. But she was so relatable at the same time. She has always struggled with her insecurities, so when sexy, basketball playing Owen Jackson takes an interest in her, I can't really blame her for becoming addicted to him. I hate that it ended up bringing the people she cares about pain because of how much she let him change her, but at the same time- I got it. She doesn't have much self-worth and so Owen's interest in her gives her some validation, which she desperately craves. However, her obsession with Owen is unhealthy and it's unfair to her. Owen isn't interested in a relationship with her. He makes her feel like crap because he won't go out in public with her in front of their friends, he won't meet her parents, etc. He uses her for sex and that killed me because she deserved so much more. After blowing off an important science event, her friends decide to stage an intervention, which is where Adam comes in. Avery asks him to be Libby's sponsor, as Adam knows his fair share about addiction and how detrimental it can be.

 

Adam and Libby do not get off on the best foot though, as he catches her and Owen in a very compromising position at his workplace (where Avery also works). He says some things he can't take back, but the truth of the matter is Adam has always liked Libby and he hates how much she's changed. Libby has never really noticed the sexy, tatted up barista before, but he definitely has her attention now. Adam was just an all-around good guy. He has his work cut out for him because he has to try and keep his emotions in check while being with her. He is supposed to be her sponsor but sometimes it's hard to keep his feelings for her out of the mix.

 

Libby has to WANT to change though and it definitely takes some soul searching on her own part before it happens. I liked seeing her get to that point because it's so important for her to own who she is and not give a crap what others think about her. Oram handled that so incredibly well and it made the ending so much sweeter because Libby really comes full circle.

 

It was great to see Avery and Grayson again, as they are precious together. I also really enjoyed how much of a presence Libby's parents had, as well as Adam's younger sister, Kate. This was just such a good read with memorable characters and a slow burn romance that will make your heart skip a beat because of how genuine it is. I am so glad we ended up getting Libby's story!

 

 

 

by: Kelly Oram

 

Music says so much about a person. Or, in this case, a book. I generally have a soundtrack or playlist for all of my books that I will listen to over and over again as I work on a project. I need quiet when I'm doing the actual writing part, but I still wear my playlists out all other hours of the day.

 

It's usually a combination of things that will draw a certain song to a book playlist—a sound, or a line of lyrics, or it reminds me of a certain scene or character. For my Libby Garrett Intervention soundtrack, it was definitely all about the Character.

 

Libby Garrett is a one-of-a-kind girl. Her personality is so big, that she tends to be a spotlight hog. It was no different when I put together my playlist for The Libby Garrett Intervention. The songs on this list don't so much remind me of the book as they just feel like Libby. That said, check it out and give it a listen. I guarantee you will come to understand Libby just a little bit better.

 

Here they are in my actual playlist order. Drumroll please...

 

I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You ...... Leon Haywood

It's a Beautiful Day ..... Michael Buble

Lets Get it On ..... Marvin Gaye

Burning Love ..... Elvis Presley

Take Me To Church ..... Hozier

Am I The Same Girl ..... Swing Out Sister & The Fall

Walking On Sunshine ..... Katerina & The Waves

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' ..... Nancy Sinatra

Barracuda ..... Heart

Dancing Queen ..... ABBA

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) ..... Michael Jackson

Wicked Game ..... Chris Issac

I'm Every Woman ..... Whitney Houston

I Will Survive ..... Gloria Gaynor

Respect ..... Aretha Franklin

 

 

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Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children.

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Whatever Life Throws at You

by Julie Cross

Release Date: 10/07/14

Entangled Teen

Summary coming soon!
 

About the Author:
 

Julie Cross is the International Bestselling author of the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, and the final installment, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the author of Letters to Nowhere (8/13), a mature young adult romance set in the world of elite gymnastics, as well as several forthcoming young adult and new adult novels with publishers

like Entangled, Sourcebooks, HarperCollins, and St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne

Books.

Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She's a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She's a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credibility's, Julie Cross is a committed--but not talented--long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict. You can find her online via twitter, her personal website, email, facebook, Goodreads, or co-moderating the YAwriters section of reddit.

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Son of Set (Descendants of Isis #2)

by Kelsey Ketch

Release Date: 05/02/14

Summary from Goodreads:

“. . . the Sons would never just let him go—alive.”

Seth O’Keefe has broken the laws of his god. He never thought he would sacrifice his own future to protect a Daughter of Isis. But when the Sons of Set discovered Natti is the Secret Keeper, he had no choice. Now, Seth and Natti are on the run from his father, who wants nothing more than to see Seth dead. With no allies, Seth turns to the Daughters of Isis for help, hoping they would protect Natti. But when they meet the Daughters, he discovers a secret that puts both their lives in more danger. Low on options, Seth sees only one possibility for survival. He must help Natti solve an ancient puzzle and find the secret name of Ra.

Natara “Natti” Stone is having a hard time swallowing the truth. She can’t believe what she has learned in the past twenty-four hours: Seth is a Son of Set blessed with charm; she is a Daughter of Isis blessed with a sliver of Ma ‘at; the locket her grandmother gave her holds an ancient Egyptian secret linking to Osiris and Isis. That along with being tortured and brutalized by the Sons of Set, she can hardly hold herself together. Thank God for Seth’s touch! That warm, tingling sensation that drowns it all out. Yet her heart struggles to stay focused. She must quickly embrace her destiny before the secret name of Ra falls into the wrong hands.

*Note: Content for Upper YA*

Book One:

(cover linked from Goodreads)

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About the Author

During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate.Daughter of Isis is her debut novel.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

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Welcome to my stop on the Run To You blog tour hosted by YABound!

Today I am excited to share my reviews as well as a giveaway with you all!

To see the full tour schedule click here.

Run to You Part One: First Sight
   by: Clara Kensie

Publication Date: Feb. 1, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by YABound and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 99 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Part One in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…

Sarah Spencer has a secret: her real name is Tessa Carson, and to stay alive, she can tell no one the truth about her psychically gifted family and the danger they are running from. As the new girl in the latest of countless schools, she also runs from her attraction to Tristan Walker—after all, she can’t even tell him her real name. But Tristan won’t be put off by a few secrets. Not even dangerous ones that might rip Tessa from his arms before they even kiss…

Whoa. Whoa. WHOA. That opening? Talk about heart-pounding, action, and suspense! Clara Kensie engaged me from the very first page! I could NOT stop reading these books. To be honest? If I had to wait any amount of time between them I probably would have been rocking in a corner crying.

All it takes is one phone call and one word to set things in motion. When the Carson kids receive that phone call and hear that one word, "Run", they know it's time to get the heck outta Dodge. Having done this 13 times, you would think that word wouldn't carry as much meaning as it did in the beginning. On the contrary, it still sends fear down their spines and they are thrown into survival mode. I can't even imagine what that's like- never setting down roots or getting too comfortable in one place, as they must always be ready to leave at a moment's notice. It certainly has deprived Tessa, Logan, and Jillian a normal childhood.

However, the Carson family is special. They have paranormal abilities that help keep them safe from the man that is hunting them. The most useful would have to be their father who has remote vision. Once he touches someone he can keep track of them and always be on the lookout for them. He is the one who constantly watches out for Dennis Connolly (the man who is hunting them).

Our main character Tessa is 16 and has no abilities. She was attacked by Dennis Connolly when she was 8 and has the scars on her stomach to prove it. Tessa is shy, hates attention, introverted, and skittish. She won't form attachments, because of those reasons above, as well as because what's the point if you're just going to have to leave again? Her siblings Jillian and Logan, have no problem fitting in at their new schools. They want to make Tessa feel more comfortable, so they work together to find friends for her to spend time with.

Now living in Illinois under the aliases of Shelby, Scott, and Sarah- they are worried for their father, as his health is deteriorating. His remote vision is taxing because he's trying to keep an eye out for his family, as well as Dennis.

It is here we meet Tristan Walker. Oh my. Tristan is so amazing that Jen from Jenuine Cupcakes and I are going to have to share visitation rights on this boy. Tristan is a runner like Tessa and keeps her from falling one day while on her run. After discovering they attend the same high school, Jillian asks him to show Tessa around. He is kind, sweet and tries his best to integrate Tessa into his group of friends.

I loved Tessa and Tristan's burgeoning relationship! It was adorable and really sweet. He genuinely likes her and slowly but surely manages to work his way past her defenses. He is observant and tries his best not to put her in an awkward or uncomfortable position. The two end up falling for each other and Tessa reveals something about herself that could jeopardize their lives. I was heartbroken for Tessa. She doesn't want their relationship to be based on lies, so she decides to tell him one true thing about herself- thus potentially putting her entire family at risk.

This was such a great beginning to this book and I really like this serial book idea!



Run to You Part Two: Second Glance

Publication Date: Feb. 8, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by YABound and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 89 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Part Two in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…

Tessa Carson has unlocked her heart and her secrets to Tristan Walker—but Tristan has secrets of his own, and his might just mean the end of Tessa’s family. Unaware, Tessa embraces falling in love and being herself for the first time since she was attacked when she was only eight years old. But secrets can’t be run from forever, and sometimes love is too good to be true…

Part Two opens up right where Part One left off, after Tessa has told Tristan something about herself that she has never told ANYONE. We as readers know this can't be good, but wow my heart! I absolutely loved seeing Tessa and Tristan together and how unburdened she feels when she's with him. Her parents do not want her to see him anymore, as her father cannot see Tristan for some reason. However, Tessa is holding her ground and refuses to break up with the one solid, good thing in her unstable life.

This part has a little bit of everything: action, adventure, romance, but most of all: betrayal. We find out some things about Tristan and we really start to wonder just where his loyalties truly lie. However, I loved Tristan's protectiveness of her once he finds some key things out about her.

The whole family is under an insane amount of pressure- Jillian has been trying to help her dad by seeing if she has remote vision also and their mother is perilously close to completely losing it. They are literally walking on eggshells and for Tessa to be able to go to the Winterball is a huge concession on their part.

The ending is such a huge turning point for the book, so I think I would have DIED if I didn't have Part Three to jump into. Heartbreak, betrayal, and sheer anticipation for what comes next will leave you ravenous for what's next.




Run to You Part Three: Third Charm

Publication Date: Feb. 15, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary/Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by YABound and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 107 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Part Three in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…

Betrayed, heartbroken, and determined to save her family, Tessa Carson refuses to give in to Tristan Walker’s pleas for forgiveness. But her own awakening psychic gift won’t let her rest until she uncovers the truth about her family and her past. And Tristan is the only one who can help her sift through the secrets to find the truth hidden in all the lies…

 

Part three makes you question everything you've learned thus far. I couldn't tell what was real anymore and I had no idea as to who to believe! All I knew for sure was that Tessa's world had been turned upside down and she has to come to terms with new information that has the potential to destroy her fragile state of mind. In addition, Tristan has dropped a whopper of a bomb on her and she must come to terms with that means as well.

I loved the twists and turns Kensie employed in this book. I flew through the pages as I just had to know the truth regarding everything.

Tristan definitely pulled a fast one on me in the second serial and while I wanted to hate him, I just couldn't. He is such a good guy and is completely devoted to Tessa. I hate that she doesn't trust him and that she believes everything between them was a lie. However, Tristan remains steadfast and will not leave her side no matter what. He helps her uncover the truth and find the answers she is looking for. He knows he has a lot to prove to her, but he is determined and I really love that about him. Truth and redemption are the two pivotal themes in this final serial and we really see how the two impact both Tessa and Tristan's lives.

There is so much more I want to say- but I definitely want to keep this as non spoilery as possible, so I'm telling you- you're just going to have to read for yourself to find out what I'm talking about! Some aspects will be predictable, while others will knock you flat on your back.

I love how Kensie kept us at the edge of our seats and that she didn't provide us with another cliffhanger! June is a long ways off to be put through that kind of torture! I cannot wait for the next three parts in the novel and find out how Tessa will handle everything she's been through, as well as seek out her missing brother and sister.

Overall, Clara Kensie has done a brilliant job of creating a serialized novel that is filled with action, suspense, and let's not forget the ROMANCE! <3 These serials each read so fast and I was completely engaged from start to finish.

 

Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.

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Welcome to my stop on the Class of '98 blog tour hosted by YA Bound Books Tours!

To see the full tour schedule click HERE.

 

Class of '98
  by: A.L. Player

Publication Date: Nov. 26, 2013
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult/Adult crossover
Source: e-ARC provided by YABound in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 238 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Jackie Dunn and Matt Stewart barely knew each other in high school, back when she was a blue-haired alterna-kid and he was a preppy jock. High school rules dictated they'd never hang out, or sit at the same lunch table, or God forbid, date.

But when a weird storm transports them from their ten-year reunion back to senior year, they have to work together to figure out a way to get back to 2008.

Stuck in high school, Jackie and Matt agree to tough it out. They agree to do everything exactly as they remember, even though that means staying with the boyfriend Jackie knows will betray her, or playing nice with the girl that will someday be Matt’s ex-wife. Soon, they come to rely on one other, even become friends.

Jackie’s just starting to get used to curfews and term papers again, when Matt hits her with the biggest surprise of all: he’s fallen in love with her. He’ll change the past however he has to if it means a future with Jackie. But Jackie’s terrified they’ll not only alter their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

Back to the Future meets She's All That, Class of '98 is a young adult/adult crossover that will appeal to teens and adults.

 

My Review:

 

When I first saw the gals at YA Bound send out this tour invite, I had to join up. Who doesn't love a good blast from the past story? This was the time I was in high school, or almost in high school anyway, so I loved reading and actually getting the pop culture references that A.L. included. Now, I am at the point in my life Jackie and Matt are- my 10 year reunion was this year- so I could relate to this story on both spectrums.

 

I felt for Jackie. She and I are very similar to one another. Her present is filled with work, she's unmarried, and really didn't want to go to her high school reunion. She had been deeply hurt by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, and she definitely doesn't want to have a run in with either of them. Overall, I liked Jackie, but I thought she was a little too obsessive at times during the novel. I get that she was afraid of changing the past and interrupting the future, but by doing so, she came really close to jeopardizing something really great.

 

Jackie ends up running into Matt at their high school reunion and while they are cordial to one another, they are really just acquaintances. They didn't run in the same social circles while in HS, even though she always thought he was nice and he always thought she was cool. Matt is not entirely happy with his present either. He is recently divorced and that really bothers him. When this freak storm hits and the two are transported back in time to their senior year, he isn't all that upset over it. Both of them stated that there are things they would change if they could- but never ever guessed they would maybe have a chance to do it!

 

This book reminded me a little bit of the movie 17 Again with Zac Efron. Matt and Jackie are back in their high school bodies, but still remain 28 mentally. As I said, Jackie is obsessed with keeping things the same for fear of changing the present. However, that is really easier said than done. Both of them are miserable trying to pretend to be their former selves. Matt doesn't want to play by the rules- he'd much rather ditch his HS girlfriend Christy and spend time with Jackie. I really felt for the guy because Jackie would keep throwing it in his face that they don't hang out, that it would be weird to be seen together, etc. Matt doesn't care though- he likes Jackie and likes spending time with her. So when she tells him they can't hang out, he is really hurt by this.

 

I liked watching Matt with Jackie. He is really sweet and cute and I wanted to shake her so much throughout the book. I was like GIRL! Hot guy is into you! GO AFTER THAT! He's nice, sweet, fun, and you enjoy being with him! However, there's only so much rejection a guy can take. Jackie constantly pushing Matt away when he shows his feelings to her, is not bound to have good results...

 

Overall, this was a really cute read about two people who, with the knowledge they have now, have the opportunity to go back and maybe not necessarily change the past, but create a better future and come back with more wisdom and understanding than they did back when.

 

 

About the Author:

 

A. L. Player teaches middle and high school English in Atlanta, GA.  She lives with her guitar-playing, English-teaching husband and their three crazy rescue dogs.  Her last name gets about the reaction you'd expect. CLASS OF '98 is A.L.'s first novel. 

     

 

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Stir Me Up

by Sabrina Elkins

Release Date: 10/01/13

Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
 

Cami Broussard has her future all figured out. She'll finish her senior year of high school, then go to work full-time as an apprentice chef in her father's French restaurant, alongside her boyfriend, Luke. But then twenty-year-old ex-Marine Julian Wyatt comes to live with Cami's family while recovering from serious injuries. And suddenly Cami finds herself questioning everything she thought she wanted.

Julian's all attitude, challenges and intense green-brown eyes. But beneath that abrasive exterior is a man who just might be as lost as Cami's starting to feel. And Cami can't stop thinking about him. Talking to him. Wanting to kiss him. He's got her seriously stirred up. Her senior year has just gotten a lot more complicated….

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Excerpt:

 

“Come on,” Julian says. “Let’s dance.”

 

The place is massive, like a warehouse, and packed with people. A techno dance hall; rhythm is blasting from huge speakers; the smoky air is cut with flashing multicolored lasers; there’s an elevated DJ stand up front and above this a video screen shows a mix of people dancing at beaches, by pools, on boats, in clubs, on top of bars. Julian follows me out to the dance floor and we’re caught in a wave of noise and motion. He’s behind me with his hands on my hips. I move against him, getting swept up in the beat and the dancing is around us and up on the screen and the music is like a great pulse thrumming inside me, my hands drift down, over his and he starts kissing my neck, I push my rear harder against him, his grip on me tightens and the music squeezes through small spaces and lasers flash through the haze and the bodies around us give off heat and we’re filmed in sweat and surging sound and my head is thrown back on Julian’s shoulder, and still the music and lights and smoke and motion, the sounds flip and whirl together.

 

By the time we reach the car, I’m hot and loose and my ears are ringing; the ride home is a blur of longing; finally, we stumble into Julian’s room. “I want you,” he says.

About the Author:
 

Sabrina Elkins, author of Stir Me Up, has also worked as a journalist, movie copywriter and prep cook. She graduated from USC and currently lives with her husband and three children in the greater Los Angeles area.

Sabrina loves hearing from her readers, and encourages you to visit her at www.sabrinaelkins.com, on Twitter @sabrina_elkins, Facebook at elkins.sabrina, and Goodreads.

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Win 1 of 3 stockings filled with holiday candy, chocolates, a hand-crafted Christmas charm bracelet and $10 Amazon gift card.  Open Internationally. Void where prohibited.
 

 

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