Book Tour: Stir Me Up - Book Review

Stir Me Up
Sabrina Elkins


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

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

Review:

I started this book with no expectations. I just thought that it would be another romance, with just plain characters, and a cliché story line.
I was impressed by how different this book was. The unique factors of this book, made it very enjoyable for me.

I really liked the main character Cami. Cami has spent her entire life watching and learning from her chef Father. Cami has a seemingly perfect life. Going into Senior year High School, has a popular boyfriend, and a really great best friend.

And in comes Julian to ruin this seemingly perfect life. Home from serving overseas in the Marines, Julian came home with severe problems (both mental and physical). The book did not explore his mental problems (all though they are mentioned), but it does explore the physical problems that he has.
Julian moves in with Cami, her Father, and her Step Mother. Who is also Julian's aunt and honorary Mother.
The romance between Cami and Julian was really great. The connection between them was definitely there at the start, but it grew throughout the book.

The characters in this book were all definitely enjoyable, and sweet.

The cooking part of the book was interesting to me. I loved exploring the different things that Cami and her Father makes. And I loved how the cooking element was such a big part of this story.

This book is good for fans of Simone Elkeles and Katie McGarry, I am a fan of both and I found this book very similar (but also a little different). Not a high cliché story line, and good deep characters. (4/5)

I received this book from the publisher via netgalley for this tour. This in no way influenced my review. I was in no way compensated.

 

 

***GIVEAWAY***

WIN 1 OF 3 STIR ME UP FUN FOODIE GIFT PACKS! COOKBOOKS-CHOCOLATES-

MAGNETS

 

Cami’s Cookbook Pack

Le Petit Paris: French Finger Food by Nathalie Benezet

500 Soups by Susannah Blake

Godiva chocolate bar

Stir Me Up magnet

Julian’s Late-Night Pack

George Noory’s Late-Night Snacks by George Noory

Dinner and a Movie by Katherine Bebo

Godiva chocolate bar

Stir Me Up magnet

Sweet Desserts Pack

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor

Cutie Pies by Dani Cone

Godiva chocolate bar

Stir Me Up magnet

 RULES AND RESTRICTIONS:

Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 18 or else have parent or guardian’s

permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or

another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MjM0OGI5ZGJmNWUwNzllYTYzNjAyYzhhZGU0MDc0OjIxNA==/

 

 

About the Author

I am a former journalist who worked for the Los Angeles Daily News and other newspapers in

the greater Los Angeles area. Prior to this I worked in advertising, writing ad copy for corporate

travel accounts and major motion pictures. My first job out of college was as an administrative

assistant to an executive chef and a food & beverage director at a Four Seasons hotel. I also spent

some time working as a prep cook for Spago in Beverly Hills.

I received my Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Southern California. While

in graduate school, I had the privilege of studying fiction writing under renowned author Hubert

Selby, Jr., and comedy writing under famed comedian Shelley Berman. I am a past participant of

the Squaw Valley Community of Writers Summer Writing Workshop.

Raised in the woods of Vermont, I now live in the greater Los Angeles area with my husband

and three children. STIR ME UP is my first novel.

 

 

Author Links:

http://www.sabrinaelkins.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7222674.Sabrina_Elkins

https://twitter.com/sabrina_elkins

https://www.facebook.com/elkins.sabrina

 

Buy Links:

AMAZON: http://tinyurl.com/paht2kt

BARNES & NOBLE: http://tinyurl.com/kxq2fod

KOBO: http://tinyurl.com/nmlb63e

BAM: http://tinyurl.com/nzz4lpn

ITUNES: http://tinyurl.com/okf7ry6

ZOLA: http://tinyurl.com/nblf98d

 

 

Follow the rest of the tour here: http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2013/11/blog-tour-sign-up-stir-me-up-by-sabrina.html

Characterize It (1)

 

Welcome to Characterize It, a meme held every Thursday and hosted by http://theyabookbutterfly.blogspot.com/

As usual for memes, link the meme back to the host page so that other can join in!

 

Going by a schedule, every Thursday there will be a different "theme" for a different character.

This week I decided to do a Strong Female Character......because who doesn't like reading about them? I will have a schedule  for the next couple of months posted pretty soon, and hopefully some other blogs will join in!

 

My choice for the Strong Female Character is going to be................................................

 

 

Cammie from the wonderful Gallagher Girls series.

Cammie is a spy, so when it comes to martial arts, encoding, and taking care of herself without *needing* a guy, then she is the absolute definition! She is one of the strongest girl characters that I have come across. The Gallagher Girls series is also one of the most enjoyable series. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED).

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to participate in the Characterize It meme, link up below!

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting On Wednesday (16) Dearest

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is-

 

Dearest (Woodcutter Sisters #3)

Alethea Kontis

Expected publication: October 2014 by Harcourt Books

 

 

Synopsis Via Goodreads

 

"Friday's Child is loving and giving." And so Dearest is the story of Friday Woodcutter, apprentice seamstress, with her generous heart and her patchwork skirts. Friday loves and is loved by all. But is she up to the challenge of solving the mystery that is Tristan Swan?














You might recognize the past books in the Woodcutter Sisters series:





This one doesn't have a cover yet, but I can't wait to see where Alethea goes next!

Leave me a link to your WOW/Your Blog.....I would love to visit!

 

 

Characterize It Introduction

So, I had an idea.......I was trying to find a book with a certain type of character ( a strong female character to be exact) and I realized how hard it was to find one! Or to know, before you start the book what the character is going to be like. I know that characters do change between page 1 and the last page, but most of the same characteristics stay the same.

The idea was born...(and I have no idea if there is another thing like this out there). What if....there was a feature every week that featured a certain type of character. There is a feature for book boyfriends I know. But what if this feature included female characters and secondary characters?

My idea is, the host blog would come up with a list of characteristics.....a schedule. Where every week there is a different characteristic of a certain character. And everyone who would do it, picked one?
The title of this meme would be Characterize It.
Characterize It would be posted every Thursday, if others are interested in joining I will have a linky. If not, then it will be just me giving you a bunch of characters to look out for!


Example......
One week would be a strong (as in emotionally stable, not really needing a guy to come rescue her ever second) female character....
I would choose Scarlet from Scarlet/Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen.
Why? Because she can totally hold up her own in a fight with any of Lord Gisbourne's men, and Lord Gisbourne himself if need be!



I want to know, what do you think? Do you think that this feature/meme would be helpful in finding new awesome characters?
Would you participate?  The first installment of this meme will be this Thursday, and will be a strong female character, (I will choose a different one than the one above).....If you are interested in joining me, please let me know in the comments below or e-mail me at yalvrofjaneausten@gmail.com. I now have a page up for this, (just look to the right).

Monday YA Author Interview With Kasie West

Kasie West

 

Website - Twitter - Goodreads

 

Where are you from?

I'm from a little town in the middle of California that is nowhere near the ocean. We do have lots of orange trees though. That's almost as good as the ocean....right?

When and why did you begin writing?

I didn't know I wanted to write until I was older. In high school and college I loved to read but I never even thought about writing a novel. It wasn't until about 8 years ago, when I had an idea for a book, that I decided to give it a try. I loved it so much that I kept going.

What books have most influenced your life most?

That's a hard question. I love so many books and I feel like every book I read influences me in some way or another. Some of my favorite authors are Sarah Dessen, John Green, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, etc. etc etc

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I don't know that I really have a "mentor" but without my friends (who are also writers) I would have never ever made it this far. Those friends include: Natalie Whipple, Jenn Johansson, Candice Kennington, Renee Collins, Sara Raasch, Michelle Argyle. You have to have people that keep you going and don't let you give up. These are my people. 

What book are you reading now?

Right now I'm reading Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (I know, I'm late to the party)

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Maybe she's not new, but she's new to me: I love Rainbow Rowell. Fangirl was one of my favorite reads this year.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I don't have a favorite. There are so many authors I love. But someone whose work really speaks to me is Stephanie Perkins. I love the way she writes. She's funny and clever and witty and I adore her characters.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The middle. :) It's hard to get over the hump sometimes, to keep it going and keep it interesting. There comes this part around 30 thousand words where I'm like, uh, have I bored everyone to death yet? How am I supposed to finish this thing? I usually realize that I don't have enough conflicts right about then and have to add a side plot or two.

 

Have you been an avid reader your entire life? (since you could read)

Yes. I love to read. I always have. It's my favorite thing in the world.

 

What character in your books do you relate to most?

Hmm. I relate to them all in different ways. I relate to Addie because sometimes she speaks before she thinks. I relate to Caymen because sometimes she hides behind her sarcasm. 

 

What is your favorite sport to watch and or play?

 Basketball. When I met my husband he was playing college basketball so when I watch it, it brings back very fond memories. Plus it's an exciting, fast paced sport. No matter what sport I watch though, I yell at the television. Yes, I'm one of those fans.

 

 

Favorite Movie?

Why do you keep making me pick favorites?? ;) Let's see, Pitch Perfect? Right now. I change my favorite constantly.

 

 

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Always chocolate.

 

Puppy's or Kittens?

Kittens. But between cats and dogs? I pick dogs. 

 

Beach or Mountains?

Beach

 

If you could be a color, what color would you be?

Green.

 

Favorite Dessert?

Anything chocolate.

 

If you could be a book character, what character would you be?

There are so many I wouldn't want to be. (Authors are mean to their characters. Ha.) But, let's see, who ends up with the best boy or has the best powers? Cath from Fangirl? I like her boy. Anna from Anna and the French Kiss? Yes, please. Kristin Cashore's leading ladies are always awesome. Wait, was I just supposed to pick one? :)  

Kasie is the AMAZING author of (at the moment) two published young adult works. As well as two upcoming.


The Distance Between Us
Published July 2nd 2013 by Harper Teen

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Pivot Point
Published February 12th 2013 by HarperTeen

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

 

Upcoming:

 

 And Kasie will be on tour with some other great authors!

 

YA Contemporary Challenge

 

 

I hope to complete 3 levels (15 books).......

 

These are 20 of the ones that I am going to (probably) read.

It will change depending on what I can get my hands on, and what I get around to reading.

 

 

Take Me On (Pushing the Limits #4)


 Afterparty

 The Promise of Amazing

  The Sound

  Don't Look Back

 No One Else Can Have You

 Going Rogue (AKA #2)

 And We Stay

 Solving For Ex

 Now & Forever

 The Rules For Breaking

 On the Fence

 The Geography of You and Me

 17 First Kisses


 The Secrets of Lily Graves

 Better Off Friends

  The Art of Lainey

 What I Thought Was True

  Being Sloane Jacobs

 Side Effects May Vary

Book Review: School Spirits

School Spirits
Rachel Hawkins
Published May 14th 2013 by Disney-Hyperion

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?



Review:

I loved Rachel Hawkins Hex Hall series. And starting this I was expecting something as good (if not better) as that.

School Spirits didn't disappoint me, I still love Rachel's writing style and the way that she creates the characters.
The text is very vivid in this book, I loved how she can describe things yet she doesn't make it boring.

The main character Izzy was a really great character, although I feel as if she acted a little young for her age this could be attributed to her very protected childhood. Her choices however were mature, and not stupid at all. Loved this character.
Dex was AMAZING! I love, love, LOVE this boy. He has asthma which makes him different from the stereotypical guy main character in todays YA fiction. He was sweet and everything that I love in a main guy character.

The plot however fell a little short to Rachel's Hex Hall series. I felt as if the story all led up to the last 50 pages, and then everything was crammed into those pages. I really wish that this had been a series and everything could have been a little more spread out. I also wish that I could have the connectivity to the characters that reading an entire trilogy (or duology) would give you.

*Warning* I didn't like the ending of this book, I want a sequel so bad, and there is no sequel planned. I WANT MORE DEX AND IZZY. That is all that I would say to Rachel Hawkins and all of the publishing companies.
This is a solid 3.5 stars. It was exciting, but a little to crammed into the ending. But the pages before the ending were exciting also. The characters were great.