Wednesday, July 17, 2024

RRR presents... A Love Letter To Paris by Rebecca Raisin - REVIEW!


Time to pack your bags and bid au revoir to loveless summer nights because author Rebecca Raisin has a NEW RELEASE that's just waiting to whisk you away to old Paree. 🇫🇷 

Ladies and gents, prepare to meet today's ebook of choice and blog tour guest via Rachel's Random Resources...




A Love Letter To Paris
by
Rebecca Raisin
Boldwood Books 


About the book...
Late at night when I wander the streets of Paris, my thoughts turn to her… How do I tell her how I feel? Perhaps, I need to show her…

The pretty little streets of Montmartre are abuzz with a rumour. Apparently a mystery matchmaker, known only as ‘Paris Cupid’, has somehow helped the city’s most famous bachelor find love.

But old-fashioned romantic Lilou is staying very quiet. She’d just wanted to set up her best friend, and to get on with her life selling whimsical old love letters, in Paris’s famous St. Ouen market.

She hadn’t imagined her little Paris Cupid project could ever have attracted so many people looking for true, heartfelt romance. Though the truth is that Lilou adores helping people find the right person. Even if her own love life is nothing short of disastrous.

But then a message arrives. And it’s just for her. Someone is in love with her. Someone who knows her secret. But they’re keeping their own identity secret too… Could it be from cheerful, talkative, flame-haired Felix? Or quiet, beautifully handsome Benoit? Or even Pascale – who drives Lilou mad every day?

After so long of helping others find their soulmate, is it time for Lilou to find love of her own in Paris herself?









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I admit, I was caught up in the love story of it all.  The setting, the setup, the unexpected match, and the mysteriously kept identity of the possible "one" for our gal Lilou... all are the perfect ingredients for a summertime swoon. ✨️ 

She didn't deserve what happened to her in the past. Love gets us all at times, for better or worse, but to have those missteps put on display for all to see was a few steps beyond far. She'll shocked to say the least, Lilou didn't give up on the concept of love... just for herself, which was disheartening for sure. The thing about love though? It's true what they say...it often finds us when we least expect it, and those moments when we've almost given up on it completely can be the most transformative. For her, it wasn't so much disbelief in it, but rather the force of focusing on the happiness of others that opened her heart to the unexpected, yet not unwanted attention. Watching it all unfold was half the magic, but when things come full circle, the true masterpiece can be seen. 

A great addition to this author's body of work, and a wondrous title to add to your summer reading lists. 




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About the author...


Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them – just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once in a lifetime love. Her bestselling novel Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop has been optioned for film with MRC studios and Frolic Media.






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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ebook for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!


Sunday, July 14, 2024

Storybook Sunday... SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN by Laan Cham - REVIEW!


We're celebrating another day of bookish fun with Storybook Sunday! For those not up to speed on the post, I read a lot of great storybooks and thought, why not give them their own day in the sun. Hence, Storybook Sunday appears every now and then!

Today's featured title celebrates its BOOK BIRTHDAY this Tuesday via Random House Books for Young Readers and features a story about friendship, and walking that middle ground between opposing views, yet still finding a common place to call "home".  Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...



Somewhere In Between
by
Laan Cham
9780593651568
Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date:  07/16/24

Pink is a sweet little girl who has inadvertently traveled from far and away, landing in the Land of Sunshine.  There she meets Fireball, and discovers all the wonders and joys to be had in this shimmery bright, and light land.  As she explores, she catches sight of an area across the water she hasn't yet seen.  Fireball warns her away from the scariness to be found over there, but, as with most children, those things she was to be wary of simply made her more curious, so she sets out to see what's what for herself.  Imagine her surprise when she finds a wintry wonderland called the Land of Snow, and it's welcoming committee of one that goes by the name of Snowball.  Things don't seem as scary as she was told they would be, in fact, they're fun, just in a different way, but what starts as a fun day sharing experiences with newly made friends, turns into a virtual tug of war over that new friend that Pink wants nothing to do with...so she comes up with a solution to meet them both halfway, showing  them how much fun can be had if we give things (and others!) a chance, and how beautiful our differences can really be. 

This is a fun tale from start to finish with brilliantly colored illustrations that really get things across.  We get to experience the fun of both lands, and then the middle ground discovered, while catching all parties in the act as they bicker, misunderstand, and eventually come to the realization of how much they were really missing out on.  Young readers can easily follow the pictures to get that first taste of conflict resolution that'll hopefully help them keep their cool in real life, while older readers will appreciate just how similar these two at odds really are with a chuckle and a smile.  A great addition to a classroom or family library for story time again and again.



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About the author...

Laan Cham is a first-generation Singaporean-British-American illustrator from New Jersey who currently lives in Vancouver. Somewhere in Between is her author-illustrator debut, and she is the illustrator of the forthcoming chapter book series Camp Scream. To learn more, and to download a free coloring sheet, visit laancham.com.





📕 📗 📘 📙 📘 📗 📕





Special thanks to the dream team at Blue Slip Media for the chance to bring this title to you and to the publisher for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, illustrator, or publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!


Sunday, July 7, 2024

Rockstar Book Tours presents... STEPPING OFF by Jordan Sonnenblick - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the STEPPING OFF by Jordan Sonnenblick Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway before you check out the other sites participating!

 

Title: STEPPING OFF

Author: Jordan Sonnenblick

Pub. Date: June 4, 2024

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/STEPPING-OFF 

Jesse Dienstag's favorite sweatshirt says, "The real world isn't real." That's the slogan of the vacation-home community in Pennsylvania where his family has always spent every vacation and weekend for as long as he can remember. In the summer of 2019, as Jesse is about to enter his junior year of high school in New York City, he desperately wants to believe the slogan is true. For one thing, the two girls he loves -- equally and desperately -- are in Pennsylvania, and all the stresses and pressures of his daily life and school are in New York.

But when his parents stop talking to each other, it gets harder and harder for Jesse to maintain his dream life in Pennsylvania. And when Covid shuts New York City down in March 2020 just days after Jesse’s mother leaves his father, Jesse's worlds collide.

 

 


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A coming of age story from the male perspective with a look at just what it meant to be a teen on the cusp of it all when Covid strikes. As if growing up wasn't hard enough, let's throw an isolating pandemic into the mix!

We all had our own experiences with the shutdown. Figuring out how to manage our time and sanity while we stayed at least 6 feet away from everyone, and then the reintroduction to everyone and everything once again. Sounds easy, but we know it wasn't. Jesse handles it as well as can be expected, but the other challenges life is throwing at him make it seem a little less somehow. Can he survive the impact on his world from things outside of his control? Will his relationships survive the emotional fallout? All good reasons to pick this one up, find your favorite cozy reading spot, and take the plunge....




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About Jordan Sonnenblick:

Jordan Sonnenblick is the author of the acclaimed Drums, Girls & Dangerous PieAfter Ever AfterNotes from the Midnight DriverZen and the Art of Faking It, Falling Over Sideways, and The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade. He lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two children.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 




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~~~ Giveaway ~~~

1 winner will receive a finished copy of STEPPING OFF, US Only.

Ends July 16th, midnight EST.




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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/17/2024

kaylyn_s_booknook

IG Post

6/18/2024

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

6/19/2024

YA Books Central

Interview/IG Post

6/20/2024

onemused

IG Post

6/21/2024

@dharashahauthor

Review/IG Post

6/22/2024

@thepagelady

IG Review

Week Two:

6/23/2024

@dana.loves.books

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post

6/24/2024

GryffindorBookishnerd

IG Review

6/25/2024

@enthuse_reader

IG Review/TikTok Post

6/26/2024

@evergirl200

IG Review

6/27/2024

Lifestyle of Me

Review

6/28/2024

Brandi Danielle Davis

IG Review/TikTok Post

6/29/2024

nerdophiles

Review

Week Three:

6/30/2024

Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's

Review/IG Post

7/1/2024

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

7/2/2024

@amysbookshelf82

IG Review

7/3/2024

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

7/4/2024

@stargirls.magical.tale

IG Review

7/5/2024

Michelle, The Book Critic

Review/IG Post

7/6/2024

anitralovesbooksanddogs

IG Review

Week Four:

7/7/2024

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Review/IG Post

7/8/2024

Review Thick And Thin

Review/IG Post

7/9/2024

pick a good book

Review/IG Post

7/10/2024

The Momma Spot

Review

7/11/2024

Fire and Ice

Review/IG Post

7/12/2024

Two Points of Interest

Review/IG Post




Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!


Friday, July 5, 2024

RRR presents... It Started With A Book by Camilla Isley - REVIEW!


Hi there readers!
Here's hoping you had a happy 4th and that your weekend plans are shaping up nicely. Today, I'm playing host to a stop along the Rachel's Random Resources tour starring the latest from author Camilla Isley. It's a romcom with a healthy dose of the fantastical that really brings readers dreams to life. Don't believe me? Well then, let's get between the pages...




It Started With A Book
by
Camilla Isley
Boldwood Books 


About the book...
Lose yourself in Lakeville Hills in this gorgeous new romance from bestselling author Camilla Isley...

When she’s ghosted by yet another Tinder match, Leighton swears off dating for life. Who needs apps and blind dates when she has the perfect-in-every-way (apart from being fictional) heroes of her beloved romance novels?

That night Leigh finds a second-hand book on her TBR pile, which transports her to the small-town of Lakeville Hills, where the heroines wear shorty-shorts and the men drink bourbon. And as Leigh drifts off to sleep, she dreams of billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair, who could win a gold medal for smouldering and bicep flexing.

For a while, Leigh finds it easier to stomach misogynistic supervisors, newly coupled friends, and extravagant bridesmaid duties knowing she can return to Lakeville Hills each evening. Until one day, she wakes up to find she’s brought a bit of Lakeville Hills back with her: the impossible sexy and entirely implausible Killian St Clair is in her apartment.

Now Leigh must help Killian navigate the real world. But as she gets to know the man behind the trope, can she keep her heart safe, or does she risk falling in love with her book boyfriend in real life?





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Oh my goodness.
Could it be?
Could it really happen?
The man of your dreams just walks right off the page and into your life with nary a wicked queen in site, nor a magical spell uttered, and you're a perfect match? 🥰  Color me skeptical, but I'll gladly suspend my beliefs to enjoy this tale!

Leigh was a darling leading lady, but she wasn't a damsel in distress either. She needed an escape from her everyday struggles, and when a curious paperback shows up with amazing properties that seem too good to be true, you can't help but wish alongside her. When the dreams become more than dreams, you can't help but want it to last, but worry it won't. The thing is, it's not just improbable, it seems unlikely, but aren't those the same worries, in a matter of speaking, that every day couples encounter too? So perhaps the questionable factors aren't whether his existence is real, but if their connection can carry from page to reality. 

Buckle in for a roller coaster of emotion, and be prepared to fall in love with another fictional boyfriend because whether Killian or Oswald,  the man has talent, charisma, charm, and of so much heart. A great read for Contemporary Romance readers, and those that like a little bookish magic in their love stories. 







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About the author...


Camilla Isley is an engineer who left science behind to write bestselling contemporary rom-coms set all around the world. She lives in Italy and her first title for Boldwood, The Love Theorem, a Hollywood-meets-STEM romance, will be published in June 2023.










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Special thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the publisher for the ebook for review. This title is available now, so snag your copy at your favorite online retailer.


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!






Monday, July 1, 2024

AWARENESS TOUR: Play Outside with Me by Kat Chen, Illustrated by Lorraine Nam - GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY!



Today, we have the pleasure of playing host to a stop along the current AWARENESS TOUR via The Children's Book Review that's featuring the latest work from author Kat Chen entitled PLAY OUTSIDE WITH ME. It's a part of a board book series all about playtime, creativity, sharing, and other things to help little readers get a great start in this world. My stop is shining the spotlight on a special GUEST POST from the author herself all about child led playtime, so if you're ready, let's kick things off with a little dash of bookish knowhow, and get to the juicy stuff! Don't forget to enter the tour wide giveaway before you jet off to the other sites participating in the tour for more bookish fun!



by
Kat Chen
Illustrated by
Lorraine Nam
Ages 1-3 | 24 Pages
9780593659731
Rise x Penguin Workshop 

About the book...
This board book series invites young readers to take part in a playdate activity of their choice, thereby empowering them with autonomy and validation. In this second book, the outdoor playdate models balanced and shared play, creating a positive reference for what caring and considered friendship looks like. Many toddlers and preschoolers consistently ask for someone to play with them, and this book provides just that for the quieter moments of the day. Simple language and gentle questions will help children develop their social skills by practicing conversations, all while engaging them in fun and familiar topics.







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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~

When the Kid Leads

... written by Kat Chen



I’ve seen lots of articles lately on the benefits of Child-Led play. They say filling your child up with tons of opportunities to make their own decisions makes them less likely to fight you when your word rules. Every kid will fight sometime, but if they get lots of safe opportunities to be the decider, then they’ll be more cooperative other times. The key here is that they choose, and you must follow. 


That’s not how I was raised. My mother was the decider in all things big and small, and I hated it. I hated it so much that I let my kids decide things way outside their appropriate age level and constantly took crap for it from my mother. Sandals in winter? What are you thinking? I was thinking that if her feet are cold, she’ll remember and wear socks next time we go to the grocery store. (Turns out sparkly sandals were appealing despite frozen toes. If I didn’t want my child to have frostbite, I had to get her sparkly winter shoes.)


This very argument sent me in search of fun ways where my child could win (tell me what to do) and I had to follow without her risking frostbite. Simon Says became popular (renamed to their name) and Follow the Leader. But I also let them pick things in their books. At first, they always picked what the character chose. Of course, Mickey would do that silly thing. They would, too! But over time, we began to rewrite books how they wanted.


That led me to my Play With Me book series. I wrote the choices straight into the book. How do you like popping bubbles? What do you like to draw with chalk? Talk about engagement! Every time I’ve read the books to a child, they’ve become very animated about what they like, what they want, and what they see. They get to choose, and I get a happy, engaged child.


We both win!


If you need a few bullet points on the benefits of Child-Led play as it pertains the Play With Me books, here are some great reasons:


  • Promotes Creativity and Imagination: By thinking of what they want to do, the child starts developing innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.

  • Enhances Cognitive Skills:  It takes practice to figure out how to choose, even if it’s as simple as picking which playground game is the favorite. 

  • Fosters Independence:  The more a child makes their own decisions, the more confidence they’ll have and that leads to healthy independence.

  • Improves Social Skills: Children learn to interact and share with book characters as a healthy way to start learning that in real life  

  • Supports Language Development: Kids develop language in a question/answer format. What do you see? I see a squirrel! And that’s the basis of the Play With Me series.

  • Enhances Focus and Attention: By interacting in a fun, play format, children strengthen their focus and broaden their attention span.

  • Encourages Lifelong Learning: Book that engage children set the foundation for exploration, curiosity, and education.









Kat Chen is a kid at heart. Her debut board book, PLAY WITH ME, was an instant success garnering several awards including the prestigious Literary Titan Award. A USA Today and Amazon bestseller of books for grownups, she recently became a grateful, gleeful grandmother giving her an instant audience to test her kid lit. “Nothing sparks my imagination as much as playing with a one-year-old. Especially since I don’t have to worry about diapers, nutrition, or sleep schedules. I get to do the fun stuff.” By that, she means conversation, crayons, and crawling all over the playroom. Then she’s the one who needs a nap whether or not the toddler does. Find out more at www.Kat-Chen.com .





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ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR


Lorraine Nam is an illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. She was born in Philadelphia and spent her childhood drawing pictures and folding origami to pass the time at her parents’ jewelry store. She now spends her days combining those two loves to create her illustrations.

She is the illustrator of the picture book biography on Neil deGrasse Tyson, Look Up With Me, and the upcoming Wei Skates On, by Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen.

Learn more about Lorraine and her work at www.lorrainename.com.




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!!! GIVEAWAY !!!

Enter for a chance to win an exciting prize pack, including a signed copy of Play Outside with Me and a $25 Amazon gift card.



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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author for sharing a bit of themselves with the guest post. (THANKS!) This post is sponsored by Kat Chen. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!


TOUR SCHEDULE


Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Book Review of Play Outside with Me

Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Instagram Post about Play Outside with Me

Thursday, June 13, 2024
Instagram Post about Play Outside with Me

Friday, June 14, 2024
Book Review of Play Outside with Me

Monday, June 17, 2024
Book Review of Play Outside with Me

Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Book Spotlight for Play Outside with Me

Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Book Review of Play Outside with Me

Thursday, June 20, 2024
Book Review of Play Outside with Me

Friday, June 21, 2024
Instagram Post about Play Outside with Me

Monday, June 24, 2024
Guest Post about Play Outside with Me

Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Author Interview with Kat Chen

Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Book Review of Play Outside with Me

Thursday, June 27, 2024
Instagram Post about Play Outside with Me

Monday, July 1, 2024
Guest Post about Play Outside with Me


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!