Book Review - Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate

Photo Credit - Amazon

Natalie Groves has big dreams and hopes but, when her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, suddenly breaks up with her, she felt lost. Her father was then diagnosed with cancer, which left Natalie struggling to keep her family afloat while nursing her broken heart. With her grand plans in the rearview mirror, Natalie's relationship with God is also stilted. 

Seven years later, Jeremy moves back Charlottesville with his infant son and his niece, Lili, needing a place to stay. Natalie has a chance to score her dream job at an internship but, she needs a second job to support her family. The only other option she has is to work for Jeremy.  Will the two of them be able to work together and forgive each other?

I thought the novel was an okay read. I felt while I liked both storylines with Jeremy and Natalie and his brother, Mike and his family, I thought it would be better as two separate novels. I had a hard time liking or knowing any of the characters because I felt like there wasn't much character development. I was actually surprised how "juicy" the storyline was for a Christian fiction especially since it mentions extramarital affairs. Overall, I think it's a decent read for young adults.

  **Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Love and Other Mistakes By Jessica Kate
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 352 Pages
July 30th 2019 by Thomas Nelson

Jessica Kate’s hilarious, romantic debut novel proves that some mistakes—including love—are begging to be made again and again.

Natalie Groves once had big dreams. But soon after her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, inexplicably broke off their engagement and left town, her father was diagnosed with cancer. Now tasked with keeping her family afloat, Natalie’s grand plans have evaporated . . . and God feels very far away.

Fast-forward seven years, and Jeremy is back in Charlottesville with an infant son and years of regrets. When his niece, Lili, lands on his doorstep in need of a place to stay, Jeremy needs help—and fast.

An internship opening finally presents Natalie a chance at her dream job, but she needs a second income to work around it—and the only offer available is Jeremy’s. They could be the solutions to one another’s problems, provided they don’t kill each other in the process. When they join forces, sparks fly. But they both know there’s a thin line between love and hate . . . and that love will turn out to be the best decision—or the biggest mistake—of all.

Praise for the Book

“A stunning debut . . . This tale of love and redemption will stay with you long after you've closed the book. A must-read.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress

“Witty. Charming. Heartfelt. I could go on and on about Jessica Kate’s debut novel. From its highly relatable characters to its pitch-perfect dialogue, Love and Other Mistakes is a delightful, romantic read filled with just the right amount of sass. I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud as I watched Natalie and Jem navigate their relationships, careers, and faith. Definitely one of the most enjoyable books I've read lately, and I can't wait to see what’s next from Jessica Kate!” —Melissa Tagg, Carol Award–winning author of Now and Then and Always and the Walker Family series

“Love and Other Mistakes wraps a poignant and warm look at relationships within a smart, sly, and knowing comedic voice. Readers of Sally Thorne and Bethany Turner will be immediately at home with Natalie: an all-too-real heroine who balances whip-smart agency with an endearing vulnerability and whose intersection with long-lost Jeremy helps her forge a path to confidence and discover the woman she was always meant to be. Kate’s unputdownable debut recognizes that all human relationships—familial, friendship, romantic—are worth the keen eye and clever insight of her talented pen.” —Rachel McMillan, author of the Van Buren and DeLuca Mysteries

“If you’re looking for a story with sass on top of style, or a fresh voice pumped full of fun, you need to read Love and Other Mistakes. Then after you’ve enjoyed this—and I’m confident you will—make a date with whatever this exciting new author writes next!” —David Rawlings, author of The Baggage Handler

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│iBooks│Kobo│GooglePlay

About the Author

Australian author Jessica Kate is obsessed with sassy romances.

She packs her novels with love, hate, and everything in between—and then nerds out over her favorite books, movies and TV in the StoryNerds podcast. When she’s not writing or discussing fiction, she’s hunting the world for the greatest pasta in existence.

Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes releases July 2019, while A Girl’s Guide to the Outback hits shelves in January 2020.

Receive her sassy short The Kiss Dare FREE when you sign up for her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com. StoryNerds podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at www.storynerds.podbean.com.

What is your inspiration for writing?
Life itself. Relationships are complicated, interesting, dramatic, funny and illogical. Plus, I just have this inner drive to create stories. It’s like breathing—just gotta do it. 

Website│Goodreads│BookBub│Facebook│Twitter│Instagram│Newsletter

Tour Schedule

Book Review - The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong

Photo Credit - Amazon

Twenty-six-year-old Yu-jin wakes up to a strange smell and a phone call from his brother asking if everything is okay because he had a missed call from their mother. Yi-jin shortly discovers her murdered body in their apartment and he is covered with her blood. Yu-jin suffers from seizures his most of his life and has trouble with his memory. He recalls his mother calling his name but, he is unsure why she was calling his name. Yi-jin begins to uncover what happened that night and he learns the truth about himself and his family.

The novel was a suspenseful read but, a few parts were a bit slow. I was surprised at the ending but,  I wondered if there was more that could have been done with the story. Overall, it was an interesting take on the mind of a psychopath and I would read more books by the author.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Seventeen-year-old Noah never gets things his way. He and his best friend Walt got cut from the high school baseball team for the third time. Sam, Noah's love interest, who Noah has loved since third grade doesn't seem to notice the way he feels about her. However, he is afraid he could never get past the "best friend" zone.  Noah just wants to take it easy for his last year but, Walt has big plans for their senior year.

Walt introduces Noah to a few sources to glean information on wooing Sam. He is hesitant to but, when he finds a stack of old love letters, he decides to follow his heart and tell Sam. He uses inspiration from the letters and Jazz to craft anonymous love letters in an attempt to win her heart.

Oh, where did I do begin? I was never a fan of poetry but, I can't believe how enjoyable I found the novel. It was a beautiful treat from the beginning to the end. I must say, I didn't expect the novel to end the way it did. I can't wait to read more books by the author.

 **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Swing by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess

Publisher: BLINK

Release Date: October 2, 2018

Genres: Young Adult Fiction -- Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Sports

SYNOPSIS:

Things usually do not go as planned for seventeen-year-old Noah. He and his best friend Walt (aka Swing) have been cut from the high school baseball team for the third year in a row, and it looks like Noah’s love interest since third grade, Sam, will never take it past the “best friend” zone. Noah would love to retire his bat and accept the status quo, but Walt has big plans for them both, which include making the best baseball comeback ever, getting the girl, and finally finding cool.

To go from lovelorn to ladies’ men, Walt introduces Noah to a relationship guru—his Dairy Queen-employed cousin, Floyd—and the always informative Woohoo Woman Podcast. Noah is reluctant, but decides fate may be intervening when he discovers more than just his mom’s birthday gift at the thrift shop. Inside the vintage Keepall is a gold mine of love letters from the 1960s. Walt is sure these letters and the podcasts are just what Noah needs to communicate his true feelings to Sam. To Noah, the letters are more: an initiation to the curious rhythms of love and jazz, as well as a way for him and Walt to embrace their own kind of cool. While Walt is hitting balls out of the park and catching the eye of the baseball coach, Noah composes anonymous love letters to Sam in an attempt to write his way into her heart. But as things are looking up for Noah and Walt, a chain of events alters everything Noah knows to be true about love, friendship, sacrifice, and fate.

In Swing, bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (Solo) present a free-verse poetic story that will speak to anyone who’s struggled to find their voice and take a swing at life.

BOOK LINKS:

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38915770-swing?

Amazon – https://amzn.to/31yNtc0

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/swing-kwame-alexander/1128138040#/

Book Depository – https://www.bookdepository.com/Swing-Kwame-Alexander-Mary-Rand-Hess/9780310761914

IndieBound – https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=Swing

AUTHOR INFO:

Kwame Alexander:

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times Bestselling author of 21 books, including THE CROSSOVER, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American literature for Children, the Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, The NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and the Passaic Poetry Prize. Kwame writes for children of all ages. His other works include SURF'S UP, a picture book; BOOKED, a middle grade novel; and He Said She Said, a YA novel.

Kwame believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his PAGE TO STAGE Writing and Publishing Program released by Scholastic. A regular speaker at colleges and conferences in the U.S., he also travels the world planting seeds of literary love (Singapore, Brazil, Italy, France, Shanghai, etc.). Recently, Alexander led a delegation of 20 writers and activists to Ghana, where they delivered books, built a library, and provided literacy professional development to 300 teachers, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an International literacy program he co-founded.

Links:

Website - https://www.kwamealexander.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/kwamealexander

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kwamealexander/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KwameAlexanderBooks/

Mary Rand Hess:

Mary Rand Hess is a poet, screenwriter, mixed-media artist, and New York Times bestselling author of notable and award-winning books such as Solo and Swing(Blink YA), coauthored with Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander, Animal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures (National Geographic Children’s Books), also coauthored with Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido, Little Larry Goes to School (National Geographic Children’s Books), written with renowned photographer and filmmaker, Gerry Ellis, and the forthcoming picture book, The One and Only Wolfgang: From Pet Rescue to One Big Happy Family, coauthored with Steve Greig of @wolfgang2242 Instagram fame. She is currently at work on a few novels in verse, picture books, and screenplays.

Links:

Website - http://maryrandhess.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/maryrandhess?lang=en

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/maryrandhess/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/maryrandtharringtonhess

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Book Review - Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Andie is addicted to movies, especially romance movies. She is the type of person who has the perfect thing to say, only after the moment has passed. However, she is yet to experience her first kiss but, she wants it to be special. When her family moved to Punxsutawney, PA, for her senior year, she hopes that will meet her true love. Her plans are abandoned when she is caught in an endless loop of her first day at her new school. She keeps reliving the day over and over until she can find a way to break the loop. As she continues on her search for her true love, she spends time with the various cliques and learns that not everything is what it seems. Will Andie be able to find her true love?

Ever read the saying "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results"? I thought this novel was going to be repetitive to the point of tears and boredom. I was pleasantly surprised how fun it was to read especially when Andie kept trying different combinations to find her "perfect ending". I did cringe on a few things that she did because she knew that the day would be repeated. However, it was a fun and delightful read. I can't wait to read more from the author.

 **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Pretty In Punxsutawney

by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Publisher: Blink

Release date: January 22, 2019

Genre: Young Adult -- Contemporary, Romance

A mashup of Groundhog Day and Pretty in Pink, the book stars a senior who is forced to relive the first day at her new school in an endless loop. Andie is convinced she needs true love's kiss to break the curse, but instead discovers how a high school filled with cliques and misfits can find common ground despite everyone's differences.

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes& Noble

Book Depository

IndieBound

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laurie Boyle Crompton is the YA author of the upcoming PRETTY IN PUNXSUTAWNEY (Blink/HarperCollins 2019) as well as ADRENALINE CRUSH (Macmillan/2014, Square Fish/2016), BLAZE (or Love in the Time of Supervillains), THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH and LOVE AND VANDALISM (Sourcebooks/2013, 2014, 2017). Growing up in ‘Pennsyltucky’ in the 1980s, Laurie couldn't wait to escape rural life. After saving up her tips from waitressing at a local greasy spoon at 18 she packed up her acid wash jeans and moved to NY. Where everyone else had stopped wearing acid wash.

She graduated first in her class from St. John’s University with a BA in English and Journalism. Since then she’s written for national magazines like ALLURE, survived a teaching stint at an all-boy high school, and appeared on Good Day New York several times as a Toy Expert. And yes, ‘toy expert’ is an actual profession. Really.

She has lived in places like Orlando, Florida where she and her husband spent all of their spare time and money visiting theme parks before moving to the Cotswolds in England for six months, which was every bit as cool as that sounds. The Cromptons are now back in New York where their two children resent never going to Disney.

Laurie occasionally enjoys hanging out in fields of blooming flowers and also refering to herself in the third person.

Links:

Website: https://www.lboylecrompton.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbcrompton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lbcrompton/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.b.crompton

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