Review: The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan

Rating: 3 stars

Pub Date: September 7, 2014

Publisher: self-published

Genre: new adult contemporary romance, sports

Format/Source: Kindle ebook, purchased

Status: book 1 of the Game On series

Summary:

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all... No falling in love

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he's committed to making her break every rule...

Football has been good to Drew. It's given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there's one problem: she's shut him down. Completely.

That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it's up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she's truly hooked. It's a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

Happy Anniversary to Me! + New Feature Alert

Last week Mary Had a Little Book Blog celebrated three years (more or less) in existence, but this week I'm celebrating another personal and professional anniversary: my one year mark working at the library!

Last year I mentioned getting the job, but I haven't talked very much about my life at the library, but I'd like to start doing that so I'm also going to start a new feature on the blog called 

(that's kind of the first time I've made a
graphic for the blog. Does that look terrible?)

So mixed in with reviews and discussions and rambly things, I'll also be posting about life in a library in the hopes that you'll understand library policies a bit better and ways to support authors/libraries/books. Do you have any questions about life behind the shelves? Let me know in the comments, and I'll try to answer in an upcoming post!

Mary Had a Little Book Blog Turns 3

Wow. Three years, huh? Hardly seems like any time has gone by at all.... Wait, no, that's a lie. Three years is a long time, and in that time I have gone through several Big Life Changes such as:

I moved to Dallas

I started working at a science museum

I moved again (still in Dallas)

Job at the science museum changed

I moved again (still in Dallas)

Job at the museum changed again

And again (yay, big promotion)

And again (SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES)

And one more time (ummm....wut)

I got a second job at the library (wheeeee!)

I quit the museum

I moved again (still in Dallas)

I got a promotion at the library (WHEEEEEE!)

I'd say this has been probably the most impactful three years of my life, and through it all, I've had the book community at my back. But....this year, trying to juggle both jobs was more difficult than I ever expected, and I had to take an unexpected and unannounced break from the blog. Sure, I missed talking to you guys about books, but I was still doing that on Twitter only minus the stress of formatting and sounding "official" or whatever and page views and unique visitors and HTML and images and all that other stuff that will occasionally make you go insane. It's not exactly that I lost sight of the blog, but I felt like the blog wasn't what I wanted it to be. I was tired and facing an extreme bout of depression. Taking a mental breather was good.

Eventually I fell in love with ya again (2015 marked an upswing in the number of new adult and romance titles I read and a severe decrease in ya), and then I missed blogging more than I was glad to be taking a break. Hence, my glorious return! Huzzah! Seriously, it's good to be back. But now, rather than posting every day because I feel like I have to, even if I don't have anything unique or interesting to say, I have no problem waiting a few days. Suddenly I am made of chill when it comes to the blog, rather than being an obsessive weirdo. It was not a good look for me.

Ironically, though, the blog/my platform did hit a couple really amazing milestones statistically. During my break, I reached 100,000 total page views and in November, I reached 3,000 Twitter followers. You can't live and die or blog by stats, but I remember how excited I was when I hit 1,000 page views overall (it took four months) and how excited I was when I hit 1,000 page views in a month (it took another two months) and how excited I was when I hit 1,000 page views on a post (it took.... several months more). Those numbers are not indicative of the quality of anything, but.... it's still cool to think that sometimes I have something to say and people are listening (because even all the times I've looked at my blog while messing with the format or whatever doesn't equal 100,000 worth of hits).

So thank you guys for sticking in there with me. Thanks for reading and commenting and subscribing and sharing!

Love,
Mary

PS Totally going to do some giveaways this month. Just fyi. 



Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Rating: 5 stars

Pub Date: October 20, 2015

Publisher: Knopf Book for Young Readers

Genre: young adult science fiction
(if general mind-f*ckery were a genre, tho, it'd be that)

Format/Source: arc/publisher & hardcover/Amazon

Status: book 1 of the Illuminae Files trilogy

Summary:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Mary Had a Little Book Blog gets a face lift

Notice anything different? Of course you do! Mary Had a Little Book Blog has been in existence for three years now, and for at least two, I've wanted to get a design change. The incredibly talented Hafsah of Icey Books & Icey Designs has always been my dream designer, and a couple months ago, Hafsah made my dreams come true with this design (which, btw, made me cry the first time I saw it).

Sooooooo I figured to celebrate my new look and Hafsah's brilliance, I'm going to do a little giveaway (we all know how much I love those)! This will be open to the US & Canada.

Prizes: 1 winner will receive a planner, journal, or print of your choosing (up to $25) from the Icey Designs shop + a Kindle copy of Hafsah's sci-fi ya novel Unbreathable (yep, she writes too!). 2 winners will receive Kindle copies of Unbreathable.

Giveaway ends 12 am cst December 1.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Rating: 4 stars 5 stars*

Pub Date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: self-published

Genre: new adult sports romance (hockey)

Format/Source: ebook, purchased from Amazon

Status: book 1 of the Off-Campus series
(companion series so not direct sequels)

Summary:

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy... 

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice... even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date. 

...and it’s going to be oh so good. 

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

Cover Reveal: Inflict by Cora Carmack

Today I'm really excited to share some new covers for one of my favorite people, Cora Carmack. Last year Cora published her first paranormal new adult, Inspire, the story of immortal muse Kallipe. Inspire released with a gorgeous cover, which you can see here, but when Cora was working on the sequel, she decided she wanted to update the covers, and that's what I'm sharing today! These beautiful covers were designed by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design.

Inspire
Muse Series #1

by Cora Carmack

December 15, 2014

 

Summary:

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.

Book Links:

   

And now, the cover of Inflict!

(if you don't have Thoughts about Wilder,

I don't think we can be friends)

Inflict
Muse Series #2

by Cora Carmack

January 2016

 

Summary:

Wilder Bell made a dangerous bargain...

For a chance at love, he gave up his life.

History knew Kalliope as an ancient Greek muse, but to Wilder, she was simply the woman he wanted to fall asleep with every night and wake up next to every morning. He made a deal with Hades, but the only thing the Lord of the Underworld deals in is death. Now Wilder is wasting away in a cold and wretched afterlife, waiting for Kalli to come for him. She will come. He has to believe that. Because the alternative is worse than death.

Kalliope lived her entire existence knowing that she was both a blessing and a curse to anyone she encountered. Wilder was no different. She loved him, and she got him killed. Now to get him back, she’ll have to face a scheming god, a perilous task, and death itself. But before it’s done, the Underworld will take more from her than she ever thought possible.

To be made whole, all must first be lost.

Check out the full cover copies for both books!

About the Author

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, Losing It, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Author Links:

  

Cover reveal organized by:

Review: The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

Rating: 5 stars

Pub Date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co

Genre: young adult fantasy

Format/Source: ARC, publisher

Status: book 2 of the Remnant Chronicles trilogy

Summary:

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

Review: First and Then by Emma Mills

Rating: 4 stars

Pub Date: October 13, 2015

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: arc, from the publisher

Status: standalone

Summary:

Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.

Introducing.... the 2015 YA Choice Awards!

It's that time of year again when we all take time to reflect, and being the bookish nerds we are, we tend to reflect a lot on the books we've read. Publishers Weekly already has their list of best of 2015. I'm sure every other major media outlet will do the same shortly. Meanwhile, Goodreads, literally the best and worst of all things bookish, has started voting for the 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards.

So what's the problem? Oh, I don't know... maybe because 2015 isn't over and there are still books being published? Maybe because there's at least one contender that isn't even out yet AND didn't have arcs so anyone voting on it isn't voting based on their experience actually reading it? Maybe because there are only two young adult categories? And heck, maybe just because Goodreads didn't allow readers the ability to nominate their favorites!

This isn't the VMAs. It's not the Grammys, the Oscars, the Emmys. It takes more than four minutes to read a book. Readers need the time to thoughtfully read and consider each book in the grand scheme of everything they've read this year to truly pick a favorite. And if there's anything we know about ya readers, it's that we're a voracious lot. I've read over 100 books this year, and I know some who have read over 200 or even 300, and it's NOT EVEN DECEMBER. Picking a favorite often makes us feel like our hearts are shattering into tiny shards, but that doesn't mean we're on board with awards that leave out amazing titles while giving others an unfair advantage.

So this year I decided to do something. I'll be hosting the 2015 YA Choice Awards, which will celebrate ALL young adult books published in 2015. I'm still working out most of the rules and logistics (AAAAGGGGHHHH), but for now, I need your help!

I would really like the focus of these awards to be on the BOOKS, not characters, friendships, romances, and especially not authors (Epic Reads does a really lovely annual award that includes all those things). The first thing I'd like to do is determine the number of genres/voting categories so that we (I) have a jumping off point. I have compiled a list so please select those you would like to be included, but if you have any suggestions, I am open to those and have space for that as well as any other comments you may have.

When I announced this endeavor, many of you have voiced your excitement and support, which is AMAZING, and I am so grateful to you. Thank you also to everyone who has offered to help. There are actually two things you can do: 1. SPREAD THE WORD! I really want this to be an award that ALL YA readers will want to take part of. Age doesn't matter. If you blog or vlog or whatever doesn't matter. YA readers are welcome here! It's the People's Choice of YA books! Feel free to use #YAChoiceAwards to help tell your friends. 2. If anyone would like to contribute some awesome graphics, please let me know by email (it's above, in Contact Me) or on Twitter.

Aaaand, that's it for now! It's still just November so more complete details about nominations and actual voting will come later.

Mary's Minute: Book Recommendation Bribery

Yep. It's November, which means I haven't posted on here in 3 1/2 months, and.... I'm okay with this. I might post more about why I've taken such an extended (and unannounced) break later, but that's not the important part. The important part is I miss blogging, I have for a while, and then something miraculous happened this week: I wanted to blog. Not just that I missed blogging, but I wanted to and I had ideas. That's important. So let's skip to what I want to talk about today:

Book Recommendation Bribery

Fans are funny people. We want people to like the things we like, and we often get offended if someone doesn't like what we like (ie the great battle of the 90s: Backstreet Boys vs NSYNC or the great battle of Which Member in 1D is Actually the Best [although this, too, started earlier, but probably with New Kids instead of BSB/NSYNC]). But HOLD ON TO YOUR HORSE if someone reads/watches/listens to/otherwise experiences what we like and then *gasp* tries to like it MORE than us, the original fan (ie BSB fans suddenly liking NSYNC and vice versa). SAY. IT. AIN'T. SO. Like, bitch, I KNOW you aren't trying to get all up on Nick and Brian when *I* liked them first (yes, I was an original BSB-er, and yes, I did eventually split my loyalties between boy bands, and yes, I do still love them both)!

And the same thing happens with books too. For instance, I AM an original HP fan (I actually did read it in the 90s). I also liked Suzanne Collins long before The Hunger Games was A Thing. I am not, however, an original Twilight fan. I jumped on that wagon halfway between Eclipse's release and Breaking Dawn's. Everybody has that fandom (or five...) that they "discovered" and try to pass on to everyone, and that's cool.

I managed to get Harry Potter to exactly two people–my sixth grade best friend and my sister– before it exploded past the point of recommendation, and that's good enough for me. But both of those people more or less willingly chose to read HP merely because I loved it and gave them a brief description of the books and why I thought they'd like them. SOME of my friends, however, are not so accommodating, and those friends require, erm, extra incentive to pick something up.

In 2015, I issued a reading challenge to two friends to pick up one of my all-time favorite ya series: Richelle Mead's bestselling Vampire Academy series.

Challenge #1

My first challenge was issued to my bestie Maura of The Whimsical Mama, who is actually one of the friends who got me into Twilight. Maura and I have very similar taste in ya books (as long as they aren't contemporary) so I knew if I could get her hooked, she'd love them. I already got her hooked on both Jodi Meadows AND Amy Plum, but for some reason Maura was stalling big time with VA. So in January, I issued this public declaration.

Maura is a huge Melissa de la Cruz fan, and I figured I could read one of her faves in return for her reading one of mine. Status of our challenge: Maura read Vampire Academy in May, which means I have two months to make good on my end of the bargain.

Challenge #2

And then the other day I was reminiscing with my friend Holly of The Fox's Hideaway about the start of our friendship (she won a giveaway on my blog, actually) and this beautiful trainwreck of a conversation happened:

This is when I brought in my secret weapon: Crystal of Bookiemoji, fellow Adrian lover and bad cop to my good cop (unseen tweets in this part of the conversation were hilarious, but probably just for the three of us so I did not include them). Seriously: she grounded Holly and everything. But anyway, to stay on track, Holly then said she was a rebel and the cool kids didn't need to read blah blah blah it was ridiculous.

TL/DR: Holly also hasn't read Vampire Academy so I told her I'd write a fanfic about some of our favorite YA guys if she'd give it a shot. Also, do NOT tell Crystal that you haven't read VA or she will CUT you.

So my question for you guys is, have you ever bribed someone into reading a book? If so, what was it and what did you offer as a bribe? What would you accept as a bribe in return? I'm curious!

Trailer Reveal: Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'm so excited to help with Ink Slinger PR's trailer reveal for the final book in Jennifer L. Armentrout's amazing Dark Elements series: Every Last Breath! Prepare for one epic finale!

Release Date: July 28, 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: young adult paranormal romance
Status: book 3 of the Dark Elements trilogy
Summary: Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

Preorder Links:

   

Trailer:

Preorder Bonus:


Enter now to win an INCREDIBLE Dark Elements prize pack including a VISA GIFT CARD!
Register your pre-order of Jennifer L. Armentrout's EVERY LAST BREATH now to enter PLUS help unlock MORE prizes! ► http://bit.ly/1Fy7ekS

Catch up with the rest of these series before it ends!Pub Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: young adult paranormal (gargoyles & demons!) romance

Summary: One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

“Armentrout works her magic with swoon-worthy guys and a twist you never see coming.”–#1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines on White Hot Kiss

Available from:

   

Pub Date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: young adult paranormal (gargoyles & demons!) romance

Summary: Every touch has its price.

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden.  Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

"Constantly entertaining...the narrative sizzles with as much tension as romance."–Kirkus Reviews on White Hot Kiss

Available from:

  

Check out the sizzling prequel featuring Jasmine & Dez!

Pub Date: December 1, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: young adult paranormal (gargoyles & demons!) romance

Summary: Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

"With her signature flare for combining humor, romance and action, Armentrout weaves a fast-paced read that will have readers' hearts racing in more ways than one. Like Armentrout's previous heroines, Jasmine is fun and full of attitude, while Dez is as snarky as he is sexy. This is a must read for new and old fans alike!" –RT Book Reviews

Available from:

  

Check out my 5 star review of Bitter Sweet Love here!

Just for Fun:

You can download printable copies of the redesigned covers for  WHK and SCT HERE!

About the Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

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Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Author Links: