If you're an Amazon Prime member and haven't heard about Prime Reading, let me enlighten you -- IT'S AMAZING! Kinda. You get to pick 10 items to have in your Prime library from a small pool of books and publications for free with an Amazon Prime membership. You're reading is unlimited unlike the Lending Library, which only allows one book per calendar month. If you're an avid reader like me, this is BIG NEWS!
Here are the books I've read and loved from Amazon Prime Reading in October:
When Stars Collide by Micalea Smeltzer is my second ARK from this author and my first Release Blitz event! I was super excited to read this book after snagging a copy of Ray of Sunshine for FREE -- the first book in Smelter's 'The Light in The Dark' series.
Rae of Sunshine, Cade and Rae's story, is where we first meet Thea and Xander, the main characters in When Stars Collide. While they are present in Ray of Sunshine they are only secondary characters. Each of these books can be read as a stand alone.
I've read a few books from this author and I have to say I got really excited about the premise of this book. Once I read the blurb I knew I had so know more!
The Blurb
We were like two stars orbiting each other—dancing around the possibility that one day we might collide. When we finally did, we opened up a black hole, obliterating everything around us. No one would be the same. Least of all, us.
Waking up in Vegas married to the guy of your dreams sounds like a good thing, right? Not when you’re Thea Montgomery and said guy is your brother’s best friend.
Thea and Xander have always avoided the connection between them because her brother would never approve. Now, they’re married— the strongest bond you can have as a couple—and they’re not even a real couple…unless they want to be.
Thea wants an annulment immediately, but Xander’s waited too long to see her become his and he won’t let her go easily.
If she wants a divorce, fine, but he wants the summer to convince her that he’s the one. If at the end of the summer she still wants to end their marriage he’ll sign the papers, but until then...
All is not fair in love and war.
While an impromptu marriage is not ideal and keeping said marriage a secret is far from ideal... sooner or laters someone is going to find out... right?! Thea hopes it's just not Cade, her over protective older brother. Keeping their new marital status a secret from their roommates, Cade and Rea, only makes the situation more complicated for the newly weds.
What I liked most about this book is that Xander is so caring and patient with Thea, even when he doesn't agree with her -- primarily her insistence in getting a divorce. They've been friends for a long time and you can see that hasn't change as they struggle to deal with the ramifications of their Vegas nuptials and the curveballs life throws at them along the way.
Rea, Thea's best friend and Cade girlfriend, doesn't have a larger presents in this story. I feel that unless you read Rea of Sunshine, her character is not very developed in this story. The same can be said for Cade. Cade is much more than the over protective brother and we didn't get to see his playful side very much in this story. Luckily, Smeltzer does a good job at communicating the important details from Rea of Sunshine we need to know to understand character relationships.
Overall, this was a good read. In fact, my husband kept making fun of me for the goofy grin I would get on my face while reading on the sofa next to him. There are so many cute moments between Xander and Thea you can't help but like them as a couple.
I did think that the blurb is a little misleading when it come to Thea's feeling about her relationship with Xander, particularly after they return home and have gotten over the shock. I won't say more to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but I thought that aspect of the story was a little inconsistent.
Simply put... When Stars Collide is a cute love story of two people being unexpectedly connected. Watching them navigate what that means for their future is what makes this story special and worth the read!
Personally, I don't think Smelter's 'The Light in The Dark' series is my favorite of hers. These book would be a good starting point of anyone wanting to read their first Micalea Smeltzer novel, but I did prefer the two books I've read in her 'Us' series and I can't say enough good things about Bring Me Back (loved it!).
When Stars Collide is available August 30th, 2016 for $0.99 for a limited time only! Amazon B&N
Excerpt
Holy mother of all hangovers.
I’d succumbed to the lure of Vegas and gotten completely wasted. Granted, that’s what everyone did in Las Vegas but I like to think I usually have more sense than the social norm.
I rub my eyes and blink them open. The hotel room comes into formation around me. The walls are a warm golden color and the flat screen on the wall plays some home improvement show. I can see the bathroom from the bed, the tiled walls and large soaking tub.
I roll over onto my side, hoping I can sleep off the hangover, and reel back.
“Oh my God,” I cry, flailing in bed.
My legs kick the sleeping guy beside me.
Not just any sleeping guy.
Oh no.
Xander Kincaid, my brother’s best friend, lays in the bed beside me.
His dark hair tumbles over his forehead and his cheeks are covered with several days worth of scruff. His chest is bare and…holy shit. He’s naked.
I look down.
Oh God, I’m naked too.
“What’s wrong?” He asks, reaching his left hand out to pull me closer to him. That’s when I see it.
“Is that a wedding band?” I scream shrilly.
His eyes narrow. “You don’t fucking remember?”
I shake my head and look at my own hand. A thin silver band rests on my finger. “What did we do?”
He sits up in bed and I try to ignore how adorably rumpled he looks with his hair sticking up.
Everything begins flooding back to me in quick bursts.
Drinks. Kissing. Laughter. Confessions of love and desire. A wedding chapel. Vows. Rings. A contract.
“We’re married,” I whisper. “Holy shit.” It’s all I’ve ever wanted—to be with Xander, but not like this. Never like this. “My brother is going to kill us.”
I've been reading a lot of books in the romance genre lately, but I've been missing some adventure and fantasy in my life. When I came across Death Thieves by Julie Wright on the Amazon Lending Library I knew I had to give it a shot. I'm glad I did!
The Blurb
"You're dead, Summer Dawn Rae."
When Summer Rae is stolen from the moment of her own death and taken to a future where mankind is dying, it is with the hope that she, and other teenagers like her, can save it. But after only a short time in the future, Summer discovers a darker side to the altruistic reasons behind her abduction. She is determined to fulfill her purpose in a world gone literally mad, but can an ordinary girl save a whole world when she only cares about saving one person?
This book has the right amount of ingredients to keep me turning the pages:
✔ Time Travel
✔ Believable Futuristic Cities
✔ Strong and Smart Female Lead Character
✔ Believable Love Interest
✔ Life Threatening Circumstances
✔ A Civilization in Danger of Extinction
✔ An Unexpected Villain
All these elements are present in this book in a way that's very digestible and believable. As far as the world Wright has created, I liked that the technologies that were considered 'perfect' were left unchanged while some things were improved upon in a way that would normally occur through advancements in technology and science. Also, some of the new technologies that were present in the book didn't seem so far fetched, because the concepts are alive today. For example, starting your car without a key and paying at the store without handing over cash or a credit card. All these little details made the story much more believable in my mind.
Summer as the strong female lead was exactly what I was looking for. She's not without her vulnerabilities but she's smart, a quick thinker and a surviver. Summer's not afraid to go down her own path. And, she's incredibility motivated by what she feels is right and moral, which is all you can ask for as the heroin of this story.
I thought this book had a few strong messages: 1) Summer's strong bond with her sister Winter, 2) the reason in which civilization is in danger of extinction and how that course is changed and 3) the importance of learning from our past to guide the future.
This book is no Hunger Games, but I enjoyed it for what it was. I only wish there was more. I want to hear more about Tag and Summer because I know they are going to accomplish many great things in their future!
Song Dedication
I'm dedicating 'Rubik's Cube' by Athlete to Summer. She throws herself into research to find a way to change the fate of the future. She's determined there is a way to stop the cycle from perpetuating any further and she works to find a scientific solution.
After reading Bring Me Back by Micalea Smeltzer I was curious to know what her other books were like. So when I had the opportunity to apply for an ARC of The Game That Breaks Us -- I jumped! To my surprise I was selected to receive an early copy -- Score!
Honestly, I was a little apprehensive to read this book because of how much I loved Bring Me Back. But, I got over it and jumped into The Game That Breaks Us.
With little experience of any of Smeltzer's other books I relied heavily on the blurb to tell me what I needed to know, but found that chapter one was enought to get me hooked into the book...
Grace Wentworth just arrived on campus. Her roommate already hates her from the moment she walked in the door. However, Grace has the good graces to look on the bright side and not let her roommates mood sour her first days on campus. While walking around campus looking lost, she bumps into a helpful stranger. She decides to be bold and accept the help of this handsome stranger for the afternoon. However, don't get the wrong idea -- no numbers were exchanged and they went their separate ways without any expectations of ever meeting again. Little does Grace know that she will be returning the favor in very big way!
The Blurb:
Hockey’s bad boy needs to clean up his reputation…
Bennett James has built his career at being the best, on and off the ice, and now it’s come back to bite him. The media has turned against him, and with a near career-ending injury, he needs to clean up his act and prove that he’s serious about the game. For Bennett, working with his old coach at his alma mater feels like a step back, but it might be just what he needs.
…and she’s going to help him do it.
Grace Wentworth has always been the good girl, and she’s tired of that stigma. She wants to prove that she can get down and dirty with the best of them. The problem? She doesn’t know how.
Bennett will teach the good girl how to be bad, if she pretends to be his goody two-shoes girlfriend in front of the media.
But what happens when the game becomes real?
Now that we know the basics, lets talk more about this book...
This was a great read! If fact, I've already read it twice. I would considerer it one of my light reads in contrast to the "cry your eyes out love stories" I've been drawn to lately -- cough cough Bring Me Back cough.
In the first few chapters you are along for the ride while Grace get settles into her new surrounding, starts to make friend, and experience typical college life. You aren't quite sure where the story is going to go, but it's clear through the duel perspective writing style that Bennett James fits in here somewhere. When the story really takes off, I love that we get to see both Grace's and Bennett's perspective because they are very different characters in a unique predicament. Having access to both of their thoughts give you a better understanding of their character flaws and struggles throughout the book. With Bennett in particular, I think his outward persona would be interpreted somewhat differently without having access to his thoughts. Perhaps because of this, as a reader I fell in love with both of these characters and only wanted the best for them -- even in the most difficult situations.
Another aspect that I like about this story is that Grace and Bennett truly become friends. In some books characters start relationships based on lust or other factors but that isn't the case here. There is clearly an attraction, but the friendship between Grace and Bennett is really something special.
The Game That Break Usis a part of Smeltzer's Us book series, but I found it was an easy read alone. Also, fans of Smeltzer's Willow Creek book series will enjoy Grace's connection to the characters from those books. However, the author does a good job of explaining these relationships to those of us who are unfamiliar with the Willow Creek series of characters. Personally, this part of the book feel a little bit like fanfare. However, I can appreciate that it grounds The Game That Breaks Us into Smeltzer's book universe for her most loyal fans.
My one grievance for this book is that, while I really like the cover art... I pictured these characters differently. The couple on the cover seemed older in my mind then Grace and Bennett are in the book. While he is a professional hockey player, I imagine him having a bit of boyish charm among his other qualities as someone in his early to mid-twenties.
Overall, Grace and Bennett's story teaches us that having the right people in your life can makes all the difference! Who wouldn't want to read about that?!
Favorite Quotes
"It's a small thing, sure, but the small things usually mean the most to someone. It's the little things that show you pay attention."
"We think that if we can't love ourselves for who we are that nobody else can. We rarely see the beauty in who we are and just the ugliness. We all focus to much on what's wrong and not what's right. I promise, you even if you can't see it, you're pretty amazing."
"I haven't always been a nice guy, Grace, but that's how I want you to see me. I want to be good because of you."
"So the bad boy wants the good girl to make him good, and the good girl want the bad boy to make her bad."
"I know that makes me sound like a lovesick sappy fool, but when you've never been in love and you finally someone that makes you feel like a better version of yourself, the rest doesn't matter to you."
"Nothing could make me move from this spot short of the zombie apocalypse, because zombies equal get the hell out of here."
Song Dedication
For The Game That Breaks Usby Micalea Smeltzer I want to dedicate the song 'Need Your Love" by The Temper Trap to Bennett. When he hits rock bottom, Grace is the main thing on his mind. I think this song does a good job of describing who Grace has become to him. Especially with lyrics like these...
She is my salvation in the dawn
But at night with lips of honey calls the devil’s horn
And I am a war of flesh and heart that’s left undone
This #MusicMonday I'm featuring the song "Electric Love" by BØRNS. This song is such a feel good dreaming song about love. I dare you not to tap your foot along to the beat. This is definitely on my summer playlist! Enjoy!
These are my new favorite jeans! Good bye ill-fitting muffin top inducing Old Navy jeans! I hadn't bought jeans in a while and the ones I had been wearing were so worn in they had holes. After a day at the mall unsuccessfully jean shopping the only thing that I liked were a pair of Levi's, but they were too expensive. My husband had also found a pair of Levi's he wanted (his favorite brand). So when we got home he check online to see if he could find some deals. At the time there were some good clearance deals and I got my hand on two pair of jeans. It was a little more then I would of liked to spend, but my husband assured me that the quality was much better. I love them! It's going to be hard to top these jeans.
I have always wanted a succulent plant, so when our local Whole Foods Market started stocking small succulents I had to have one. My husband actually got it for me for "Dog-Mom's Day" aka Mother's Day. I haven't killed it yet! I might have to get a few more when we move into our new apartment.
Books
I've been reading so much I haven't been able to keep up with writing my reviews. I promise I'll have more soon, but in the mean time here are a few of the books that I have loved from April and May.
I love reading, but sometimes I can't put the book down even when I have other things to get done. I found the Text-to-Speech function on my Fire Table and I'm in love with the ability to read hands free. While this function is not as nice as listening to an audio book, the robotic voice is not bad to listen to. I typically use this function while working or after I have already read a book and I want to go back and re-read quickly. However, some books should be read in the tradition fashion to better feel all the feels!
Favors: Back & Tan and Salted Caramel
This has been our latest ice cream obsession. My husband and I love ice cream and while we typically get his and her's pints we both love these two favors from Yuengling. It reminds us of getting soft serve from the local ice cream place back in Ohio. The Salted Caramel is my favorite and the Black & Tan is the best of both worlds with the added chocolate twist that my husband loves.
This vodka is a small batch vodka which is hand crafted using lava rock filtration, arctic spring water & geo-thermal energy in Iceland. How awesome is that?! I also love the design of the bottle, because I'm a design nerd, and the vodka isn't bad either! This brand has become our go to when we visit the ABC store.
Entertainment
Reality TV Obsessions
It's the summer and most of our regular tv shows have taken a break for the summer. So what is there to watch? Reality TV! Here are some of our recent binge watches and guilty pressure shows:
Hells Kitchen Who doesn't love when Gordon Ramsey yells at people?!
Master Chef
Top Chef
Master Chef Jr. These kids are adorable!
Shark Tank & Beyond the Tank There are some really cool business on this show.
Pawn Stars Chumlee is halarious!
Hotel Hell
Property Brothers Who doesn't love a good house hunting/reno show!?
American Grit I just like listening to John Cena's voice. "... AND THIS IS AMERICAN GRIT"
The Bachelor & The Bachelorette Because some of these people are crazies!
The Millionaire Matchmaker Who doesn't want to watch people in awkward situations?!
The Real O'Neals
This show has become one of my new favorites. Honestly, I would watch Noah Galvin in anything! This show is about a wonderfully flawed and quirky family. I love how the drama isn't just centered around one issue, but each family member has their own issues and struggles that blends together to make an episode entertaining.
_____ What were some of your favorite things from the month of April and May? Let me know in the comment section below.
Fearless for Love by Clara Stone isn't my typical book pick, but I'm glad I gave it a go! If you're looking for a summer read that is action packed and romantic this one is for you.
Harrington Lovelly is a bad boy with a heart of gold while Jessica Owns is trying to escape her past and go after her dreams. They meet by chance and instantly form a connection. His sarcastic charm, mountainous ego and shameless flirting is just the right mix of comedic timing and sincerity. Jessica isn't above putting him in his place and the two together are a winning combination - equal parts bad ass and vulnerable.
For me this book was more adult, dealing less with some of the adolescent insecurities that you might find in a story about two twenty-somethings finding love and dealing more with the vulnerabilities of giving yourself over to another person. The action in this story kept the pace going even when there were rough patching in their relationship -- this book is an easy read. I appreciated that while this is a romance and more "adult" the intimate scenes were not that focus of the novel. And, I had no idea this was part of a series so... yes, read as a stand alone if you wish!
(I was given this book by the author, however the review is my own opinion.)
The Kindle Bookstore can be a confusing place! When I'm looking for my next book to read I often do a few things... search popular lists, new releases and categories I'm interested in... but often I'm mostly looking at the price. I've been reading a lot lately and I'm not exactly made of money. I've been burned in the past for picking cheap books that were just not good. So I always do my research without trying to read any spoilers. The book I'm about to tell you about was one of the good ones!
When I came across Being Me Back by Micalea Smeltzer I was already reading another book. I was instantly in love with the cover and the price was only .99 cents for a limited time. I read the blurb, checked the review ratings and read the first chapter. I decided to take a chance and spend the last .99 cents I had until payday -- I'm so glad I did!
There isn't a good way to describe the story without giving too much away so here's the blurb:
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR I could have put the typical blurb here. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Live happily ever after. The end. But this isn’t THAT story.
Are you scratching your head at this? Because I was... I was intrigued and I had to know what was beyond the stunning cover! You can probably surmises that while this is probably a love story it's not your typical love story and maybe even something goes wrong somewhere in the pages of this book. If you read the cover quote is says,'"An unforgettable love story that will give you tears for days". - Regina Bartley' and it's soooo true. Between these pages you will smile like a cheese ball, cry like a baby and snicker to yourself at the cute and funny moments.
The take away from this book is that love and kindness have healing powers! Simply put... this book is a special kind of love!
This book got to me in a why that others have yet to. I don't know if it was because of my age or the stage I am in life, but my heart broke while reading this book. I could relate to this character in one way or another. I cried like a baby! I'm 99.5% sure it didn't have anything to do with hormones, trust me it crossed my mind WHY AM I SO EMOTIONAL!? This book must just be that good. I've shed a tear here and there reading a book, but never full on cried. However, don't let that scary you away! After the sad tears there are tears of joy and this book does have a happy ending.
*** Mild Spoilers Ahead ***
If the above wasn't enough to convince you to read this book, maybe you just need more details. So here it goes!
Blaire is in her 20's, owns her own business, has a great home, and is surrounded by loving friends and family. She has everything she could ever want... she's happy and planning for the future! Until she's not! She's in hell! Within a blink of an eye her world is turned upside down and she no longer feel the light of the sun. Her world is turned dark and she doesn't know how to push the clouds away -- maybe she doesn't want to.
Slowly she learns how to pull herself out of the darkness, but not without help. She meets someone that knows her pain and gives her the strength she need to find her way out of the darkness. Little by little the clouds part and Blaire becomes her old self again. It's not easy, but it's worth it in the end. Sometimes life takes unexpected turns, but the results can be just as good.
Some Favorite Quotes
"Sometimes you have to find the patience to wait for good things instead of seeking it out."
"Happiness is the number one thing we should strive to have in life. Not money. Not house or expensive cars. Happiness is true wealth."
"Finding a man that even in silence you're comfortable with. That's telling factor, B. If someone makes you nervous to the point that you have to chatter endlessly, then they're not the person for you. You need to be able to communicate without saying a word."
"Dreams are liars. They show you what you want to see, what you hope for, and it's nothing but a lie."
"His smile is so large and bright it rivals the sun. In fact, I think he might be the sun. My own personal sun, that is. He came into my life when it was in the darkest of places and immediately filled it with light. He hasn't healed me, but he's given me the strength to do it on my own."
"When your nights seem endless, know that the sun will always shine again."
Song Dedication
I've made a few soundtracks for books I've read, but I really wanted to focus on the positive of this book. Just after finishing it I was in the car getting lunch when this song came on the radio and I thought, perfect! So here is my song dedication for Blaire and Ryder. Enjoy!
Adventure of a Lifetime - Coldplay
Note To The Author
I'm so glad you finally found the perfect way to write this book. 10 years is a long time to have a story bubbling in your brain pleading to be written! Thank you for making me cry! hahah
I don't know if it's because I've been reading a book series with multiple perspectives, but I would love to know Ryder's story! I love him just a much as Ben and I think his journey as a character could be just as powerful as Blaire's.
I've heard you say this is a stand alone book, so I'm not getting my hopes up. It would just be amazing if we could also see inside Ryder's head. For now I'll just have to imaging what he's thinking. This book is so well written -- it's not hard to!
Have you read any books that made you cry? Will you read this book or have you? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
Today seven years and one month ago I awkwardly agreed to be someones girlfriend and on our one month anniversary I gave that person, my now husband, this mix. Of all the playlists I've ever made I'm really proud of this one. It has a great balance of slow, calming and happy songs. Hope you enjoy it just as much as we do!
Feeling Good - Micheal Buble
1,2,3,4 - Plain White T's
Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillet
The Lucky Ones - Tim Myers
Brand New Day - Joshua Radin
Oh, It Is Love - HelloGoodBye
I Adore You - Melpo Mene
Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg
The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice
Ride - Cary Brothers
Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine
Be Still My Hear - The Postal Service
Love Me Like The World Is Ending - Ben Lee
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Green Eyes - Coldplay
I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You - Collin Hay
A good song can be just as impactful as a good book. In that spirit, I often hear a song that perfectly captures a moment from a book I might be reading. While reading Autumn Rising by Seth King I heard a few songs that I thought spoke to parts of the book. However, this playlist wasn't as easy for me to construct like my soundtrack for Honesty was. When I got all the songs together I felt like I didn't have a good representation of Autumn's personality and the songs didn't flow cohesively. So to better fit my music taste to the story, I decided to focus on Hank's perspective when selecting songs for this soundtrack. Hope you enjoy the movie in my head through these songs!
***Spoilers Ahead!***
Hank's Autumn Rising Soundtrack
1. I Will Be There - Odessa
Hank approaches Autumn at the funeral reception.
2. Light Me Up - Bronze Radio Return
Hank can't get Autumn out of his mind and he decides he needs her in his life. He shows up at her work and they go to lunch together. Soon they start dating.
3. You and I - Johnnyswim
Hank and Autumn's love is like your favorite roller-coaster -- exciting, dramatic and full of ups and downs.
4. On and On - The Score
Autumn is becoming more confrontational and Hank knows somethings up. A storm is brewing, but he tries to hold on to the good.
5. Someplace Beautiful - Alfred Hall
Things aren't getting better with Autumn. She's distant, cold and keeps pushing him away. He can only take so much -- he's going to break.
6. Don't Wanna Fight - Alabama Shake
Hank is tired and Autumn is determined to break him -- Hank walks out. He gets in his car and drives away from their Autumn's house.
7. Lover Come Back - City and Colour
Hank regrets leaving, but he doesn't want the Autumn of late, we wishes they could get back to how things used to be before the light in her eyes went dark. She doesn't call.
8. Cold Cold Cold - Cage The Elephant
Hank's world is dark and cold without Autumn.
9. The Emotion - BORNS
Hank knows he still wants Autumn. He loves her and it haunts him, but he doesn't want to want her anymore. He looks to a friend to help him get through the heartache. Then the unexpected happens -- he sees her and he just walks away.
10. Spirit Cold - Tall Heights
Autumn calls, she ask Hank to attend her doctor's appointment. He isn't sure what to expect, or what he wants to come of the meeting, but he knows she needs him to be there. He's guarded. 11. St. Jude - Florence + The Machine
Hank shows up to Autumns doctors appointment. The fear in her eyes as she walks back to the exam room is almost too much to bare. He waits.
12. Fall Together - The Temper Trap
Hank isn't letting Autumns diagnoses be the end. Nothing else matters, they are going to be together. He's not going to let anything get between them again!
13. Light Up - Mutemath
(Credits roll on the movie of Autumn Rising in my mind!)
[47min]
I know the order of these songs might not follow the books events exactly, but I think it does a good job of highlighting some of Hank's more vulnerable moments.
I hope you enjoyed this list of songs! Let me know what song(s) you would have on your Autumn Rising soundtrack in the comment section down below!
In some ways Autumn Rising by Seth King feels like an authors apology for breaking our hearts. In this novella you'll find the exploration of two minor characters from the book The Summer Remains. Autumn and Hank are mourning the loss of a dear friend and they find that doing so together is much better than grieving separately.
While The Summer Remains was told in the thoughtful perspective of Summer Johnson, Autumn Rising is told in the more colorful perspective of Autumn Mahal. Autumn was Summer's best friend and in many ways they were opposites. Summer was pensive, reserved, calm, caring and thoughtful and Autumn is talkative, opinionated, self-obsessed, loud, vibrant and at times laugh out loud funny with a hint of self deprecating humor. Simply put... Autumn Mahal is a hand full! However, they shared one very important truth. They both knew the fear and pain of fighting for their life when their bodies had betrayed them. Summer was born with a rare condition, while Autumn finds herself in remission from an aggressive bout of cancer. They were best friend until Summer lost her fight.
Now, what about Hank?
Hank knew both Summer and Autumn from the anti-support group Summer had formed for people with disabilities, illnesses and those who just didn't fit in. They would gather together and share with one another how unfair the world could be. Hank like Summer, Autumn and the other attendees had scars. As a veteran of war, he had lost his arm overseas but his biggest scars were emotional ones. Summer's anti-support group, primarily Summer herself, brought Hank hope and light during some of his darkest days following his return home.
So enough background, why should you read this book?
You should read this book because Autumn Rising is about two characters so unalike in almost every way possible except one -- they need each other! Autumn is Hank's kaleidoscope, while Hank grounds the sometimes outrages Autumn. More importantly they love each other in that "I can't explain why, but my world would be nothing without you" kind of way. Unlike the whirlwind of Summer and Cooper's love story, Autumn and Hank's relationship is splendidly average. They awkwardly flirt, they date, they move in together, and before they know it they are in the comfort zone. (You know "the comfort zone"... that point in a relationship when she gives up on wearing makeup most of the time, except for special occasions and trips to the grocery store, while he pretends not to know the difference. And, he walks around the house in just his boxers most of the time because she's now so special and important to him that pants are too formal for their everyday interactions. Yeah, that place!)
There is only one thing that could ruin this relationship... fear. Fear is an enemy of love. Fear can convinces you that you deserve less, that you're worthless and unlovable. Fear can make you do irrational, hurtful and manipulative things. It can make you hide when you know you've done wrong and make you settle for less than you deserve. Autumn Mahal is living in fear. Will her cancer return? Will she run from what's good for her? Will the past repeat itself? Will she ever quit her miserable day job to pursue her passion? Will Hank come to his senses, realize he doesn't love her and leave her? Will she ever get over Summer's death? These are just a few of the thoughts running through Autumn's mind as she attempts to hold on to the best thing in her life -- Hank Basara. Autumn Rising is the story of how love overcame fear!
Some Favorite Quotes:
"She suffered from a condition Autumn liked to call Kanye Face, wherein someone looked so smug and obnoxious all the time, you got the urge to punch them in the face even when they weren't saying anything."
"And just like that, he unlocked her like a passcode."
"I'm all dark, and you're a kaleidoscope."
"You get cancer forever, it's the rest of the world that thinks you're cured. And the fear never really went away -- it picked and prodded at you until sometimes, on your coldest nights, you wondered if there would be anything at all left to take away if it did return."
"But they had absolutely one thing in common: they were getting lost in each other. He brought her down, and she brought him up. They met in the middle, and that middle became their own little heaven."
"Because life breaks your heart. That is how this place works. What you must do is find someone who will fall into bed next to you every night and stare at you with burning eyes and put you back together again."
"When you find someone who understands your pain, who looks into your eyes and sees what you are feeling, you don't have to say anything. They know."
"People are like fireworks: blink, and they're gone. And you will never be able to hug them again."
Have you read this book or will you? Leave your thoughts on Autumn Rising in the comment section below!
Looking for your next great read? Here is a list of a few book I have my eye on...
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family.
You Before Me by Jojo Moyes
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.
A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
One kiss lasts a moment.But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime.One boy.
One girl.
A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade.
A bond that neither time nor distance can break.
A bond that will last forever.
Or so they believe.
When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation?
Rune’s heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.
Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.
Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.
This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.
Have you read any of these books? If not, what books are on your teary eyed love story list? Let me know your thoughts in the comment sections below!
This #MusicMonday I'm featuring the song "Fall Together" by The Temper Trap. You might know how much I love the song "Trembling Hands" by the same band... Well, when I heard their latest single I knew I would have to feature it as well! I love the dreamy haunting quality of the music but I think this song has an uplifting message. The chorus is powerful and makes you feel hopeful about the future. I already have plans to include the song in a book review coming very soon, but I thought this song was too good not to share it with you as a #MusicMonday. Enjoy!
Looking for your next great read? Here is a list of a few book I have my eye on...
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.
She has seen both these dreams come true.
At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon—from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.
Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
From online entertainment mogul, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, a funny, quirky, and inspiring memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to Internet-stardom, and embracing her individuality to find success in Hollywood.
The Internet isn’t all cat videos. There’s also Felicia Day—violinist, filmmaker, Internet entrepreneur, compulsive gamer, hoagie specialist, and former lonely homeschooled girl who overcame her isolated childhood to become the ruler of a new world... or at least semi-influential in the world of Internet Geeks and Goodreads book clubs.
After growing up in the south where she was "home-schooled for hippie reasons", Felicia moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and was immediately typecast as a crazy cat-lady secretary. But Felicia’s misadventures in Hollywood led her to produce her own web series, own her own production company, and become an Internet star.
Felicia’s short-ish life and her rags-to-riches rise to Internet fame launched her career as one of the most influential creators in new media. Now, Felicia’s strange world is filled with thoughts on creativity, video games, and a dash of mild feminist activism—just like her memoir.
Hilarious and inspirational, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should embrace what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Do you want to get to know the woman we first came to love on Comedy Central's Upright Citizens Brigade? Do you want to spend some time with the lady who made you howl with laughter on Saturday Night Live, and in movies like Baby Mama, Blades of Glory, and They Came Together? Do you find yourself daydreaming about hanging out with the actor behind the brilliant Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation? Did you wish you were in the audience at the last two Golden Globes ceremonies, so you could bask in the hilarity of Amy's one-liners?
If your answer to these questions is "Yes Please!" then you are in luck. In her first book, one of our most beloved funny folk delivers a smart, pointed, and ultimately inspirational read. Full of the comedic skill that makes us all love Amy, Yes Please is a rich and varied collection of stories, lists, poetry (Plastic Surgery Haiku, to be specific), photographs, mantras and advice. With chapters like "Treat Your Career Like a Bad Boyfriend," "Plain Girl Versus the Demon" and "The Robots Will Kill Us All" Yes Please will make you think as much as it will make you laugh. Honest, personal, real, and righteous, Yes Please is full of words to live by.
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you.
In “How to Look Spectacular: A Starlet’s Confessions,” Kaling gives her tongue-in-cheek secrets for surefire on-camera beauty, (“Your natural hair color may be appropriate for your skin tone, but this isn’t the land of appropriate–this is Hollywood, baby. Out here, a dark-skinned woman’s traditional hair color is honey blonde.”) “Player” tells the story of Kaling being seduced and dumped by a female friend in L.A. (“I had been replaced by a younger model. And now they had matching bangs.”) In “Unlikely Leading Lady,” she muses on America’s fixation with the weight of actresses, (“Most women we see onscreen are either so thin that they’re walking clavicles or so huge that their only scenes involve them breaking furniture.”) And in “Soup Snakes,” Kaling spills some secrets on her relationship with her ex-boyfriend and close friend, B.J. Novak (“I will freely admit: my relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell.”)
Mindy turns the anxieties, the glamour, and the celebrations of her second coming-of-age into a laugh-out-loud funny collection of essays that anyone who’s ever been at a turning point in their life or career can relate to. And those who’ve never been at a turning point can skip to the parts where she talks about meeting Bradley Cooper.
Have you read any of these books? Let me know what you thought of them in the comment sections below!
This #MusicMonday I'm featuring the song "The Wolves" by JJ and The Pillars. I stumbled upon this song on Spotify and I just had to share it. I have a lot going on this week and this high energy song is perfect to start off my Monday. Enjoy!
A scar is a mark left on the skin or within the body tissue where a wound has not healed completely.
At its core The Summer Remains by Seth King is a book about scars -- physical scars and emotional scars, the scars on the surface and below, scars that define us and scars that we live in spite of. And in this book you’ll find a story of summer love.
Summer Martin Johnson is a deeply logical and rational twenty-four-year-old who is running out of time. She has scars -- some were bestowed upon her at birth, some were created by the hands of healers, some were unintentional and other intentional, some were made by those closest to her and some by strangers, and some were of her own making -- but in spite of all her scars, Summer is determined to find love before it’s too late.
Cooper Nichols is a handsome sun-kissed twenty-five-year-old with a shy smile, sparkling eyes and messy brown hair. One night he stumbles across an odd profile on a social media dating app, “Come dislike the world with me” she wrote. Just like that Cooper enters Summer’s life with the swipe of a finger on a ‘four-inch piece of glass and metal’. However, don’t get the wrong idea. Cooper is not a knight in shining armor, he is only a man with scars of his own.
If you take a closer look at all the character in this book you will see that everyone carries their own scars -- some more obvious than others. (I’ll leave it up to you, a fellow reader, to decide what they are.) Beyond that, what struck me about these characters is that they felt like real people. With all their flaws, scars, and baggage I couldn’t help but feel the humanity. Each character, no matter how small, had a unique voice and more importantly had heart. Too often in a book you’ll find supporting characters without personal motivation or worse without feeling. I knew instantly (well… maybe not always instantly, but soon after) who these people were and why they talked, walked and acted the way they did -- even if Summer couldn’t see it herself.
Now let’s get back to the love story and I’m going to attempt to not ruin it for you.
Summer found it hard to believe someone like Cooper could even be interested in her. Sitting in front of her was someone so seemingly perfect, handsome, and strong that she couldn’t get past her own insecurities to imagine it was possible. The truth was, Copper saw beyond her scars. He thought she was beautiful, smart, funny, kind and thoughtful. He wasn’t about to let her push him away because she couldn’t see the truth.
As their affections for each other blossomed, they are able to learn more about each other’s lives and share with one another some of the misfortunes they had experienced. If we're being honest… we all have things in our past that affect the people we are today, but that shouldn't stop us from being loved or accepting love. As these characters find themselves drawn together in the humid summer heat of northern Florida, there love is tested in a profound way. Summer is running out of time and eventually everyone knows it.
Now, I could have said this book is about loss and grief and death and all the things that come with a book about a terminally ill character, but you know what… this book is about more than that! This book should be celebrated! Life is meant to be lived and Summer wasn’t going down without a fight. She was brave and honest enough to say to the universe, I deserve love and I deserve to live all the days of my life without restraint as long as I can. Everyone carries their own scars and we shouldn't discount ourselves because of them.
We all have people in our lives we can’t imagine life without. The one certainty we have in life is that one day it will end. It’s not always fair, it’s not always expected and it’s not always peaceful. We owe it to those who have left us behind to love one another in their stead and hold them in our hearts forever.
Simply put... this book is beautiful. This book is heartbreaking. This book is love.
You will read this book with a heavy heart, as it should be. You will read this book knowing that happily-ever-after is often only found in fairy tales. You will read this book knowing that tears will soon fall. Most importantly, you will leave this book knowing that life is good, life is hard, and you deserve love no matter the outcome and no matter the scars you bare.
Some Favorite Quotes
"...sometimes you just gotta jump, and then make your parachute on the way down."
"Isn't it weird to think that every random person you see, ever stranger you pass on the street or whatever every single day, is their own person with their own life and problems and hopes and dreams and heartbreaks and defeats and triumphs, none of which have anything to do with you?"
"Life is supposed to be hard. If your life is too easy, that means you're doing it wrong."
"... these days I was pretty sure it meant accepting that the concept of adulthood didn't even really exist at all, and that everyone you'd looked up to as a child had just been elegantly faking it"
"I enjoy reading words that attacked my soul and made me question everything I thought I knew about the world"
"The truth means nothing if the lie is pretty enough."
"Our culture forced perfection on you and then told you you weren't prefect enough once you attained it"
"If eyes were windows into the soul, books were rabbit holes into the imagination."
"Maybe the whole world is made of love, and we're just supposed to bump into love and feed off love and contribute to love and then break off and drift somewhere else and start all over again."
"We were soul mates, this boy on the cusp of forever, this girl on the edge of oblivion."
More About This Author and His Books
This is my second Seth King book and what I have found so special about his writing is how quotable it is and that he is never without words. Just when you think you’ve heard enough about one idea he finds a new way to revisit it, describe it and make you experience it again. It never feels forced, it just feels like an amazing extension of the same idea -- a new revelation. Whether he’s writing about characters in love or overtaken by grief, King can finds the words to satisfy the emotion, move passed the obvious and give you more. His books should be read more than once to fully appreciate this aspect of his writing. When I look back at what I've read I find new favorite quotes every time!
Also, I hope in some way The Summer Remains has brought healing to the author and his family. The spirit if his brother lives on in the pages of this book and a little piece of that love is being shared with the world through the story of Summer and Cooper. We are all adrift in this life and the best we can do is continue to “float on”.
Song Dedication
Unlike my last Seth King book experience, I couldn’t come up with a soundtrack for The Summer Remains. Honestly, this book should have a soundtrack full of Saviour songs. So instead I choose to share the song that pops in my head every time I read the words “float on”.
"Float On" by Clones of Clones (Modest Mouse Cover)
If I was true to the spirit of this book, you wouldn't have just read this post. Go read The Summer Remains to find out why! And once you have, let me know your thought on this book in the comment section down below!
This #MusicMonday I'm featuring the song "Synesthesia" by Andrew McMahon.I have been wanting to post this song for a while. I just never got around to scheduling it. As someone who has a mild from of synesthesia, ordinal linguistic personification, I was drawn to the title of this song. However, it's just honestly a great song about love! It's one of those songs that makes you want to smile and dance around like a fool because it just makes you happy.
There's more to life than singing songs we write when we are in the shadow of the moon
