Spotlight: The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez & The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

I'm back from vacation and I had a wonderful time with the family in Gatlinburg, TN. There's so much to do there and I can't wait to visit again. I was able to get some reading in but not much.

I did want to share two books that I got a chance to read and I adored the heck out of these books.

If you haven't had a chance to read them, please check them out. I can't get these books out of my head.

The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez
Publisher: Createspace
Publish Date: 7/13/17

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience.“You’re pregnant.”“It’s a boy.” “Your son needs a heart transplant.”Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.Lies.Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun.Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky.“He’s gone.” For ten years, the darkness consumed me.In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise. “Hi. I’m Porter Reese.

This book is unforgettable and gives all the feels. I fell in love with these characters and I just wanted everything to be all roses but life has a way of throwing curveballs. I couldn't stop thinking about this book when I finished. Lucky me, book 2 hit the shelves July 27, 2017. I 'm currently reading it right now and loving it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars



The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publish Date: 6/13/17

When Solène Marchand, the thirty-nine-year-old owner of a prestigious art gallery in Los Angeles, takes her daughter, Isabelle, to meet her favorite boy band, she does so reluctantly and at her ex-husband’s request. The last thing she expects is to make a connection with one of the members of the world-famous August Moon. But Hayes Campbell is clever, winning, confident, and posh, and the attraction is immediate. That he is all of twenty years old further complicates things.
What begins as a series of clandestine trysts quickly evolves into a passionate relationship. It is a journey that spans continents as Solène and Hayes navigate each other’s disparate worlds: from stadium tours to international art fairs to secluded hideaways. And for Solène, it is as much a reclaiming of self, as it is a rediscovery of happiness and love. When their romance becomes a viral sensation, and both she and her daughter become the target of rabid fans and an insatiable media, Solène must face how her new status has impacted not only her life, but the lives of those closest to her.

This book was quite unexpected in such a great way. I can't express how much I enjoyed reading this book. This book could be considered one of those "taboo" reads but when you think about how it is in hollywood, I guess things are different. I could definitely see this happening.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Spotlight: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 09/0/2015

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

With the much anticipated movie release, I had to hurry up and read this book. I'd heard so many great things about it and I finally stopped what I was doing to immerse myself in the story. I enjoyed reading about Maddie and Olly. I'm sure I'm not the only one but that bundt cake scene was hilarious! From the cute drawings, diagrams, and the text messages between Maddy and Olly, I appreciated how their relationship progressed. I couldn't get enough of them. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was such a sweet story and I'm so excited to see the movie this weekend. Who else is going out to see the movie?

Check out the movie trailer!

Spotlight: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

**Spoiler Alert - Do not read Synopsis if you have not read the previous books!

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Series: Court of Thorns and Roses, #3
Publication date: 05/02/2017

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places. 

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

The highly anticipated third installment in the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series was released this week. I've posted several posts on this series about how much I love this series and book purchases, etc. I'm currently in book bliss reading ACOWAR. There are so many scenes that have blown my mind and I don't want this book to end. I'm savoring every word, every chapter as I wrap my head around how talented SJM is. There were scenes that had me on pins and needles.

There are a lot of favorites for me in this book and as I was reading it was like watching it all play out like I was there with the characters.  I love these characters as they have become like family so I care deeply about what happens to them.

So much so that this happened:  I tweeted this on ACOWAR B-day

Has anyone else ever felt this way about a book?

SJM continues to amaze me with her writing. I live for her characters. I just want to thank her for sharing her stories with us. To anyone who hasn't started this series, I beg of you please give it a chance - you won't be dissappointed. Note: It's Thursday as I write this post so I still have less than 100 pgs left to read so I don't believe I'll be finish by the time that this post goes up but if I had to rate the book on what I've read so far then I would give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

I also received my coveted personalized copy that will complete my collection. Yay! 

My Precious!

Spotlight: The Song of David by Amy Harmon

Last week, I featured a post with some of my favorite book covers from the month of June.  One of the books that stood out to me was The Song of David by Amy Harmon. Before I could read The Song of David, I felt compelled to go back and read The Law of Moses. Guys, I have to tell you that The Law of Moses was imperfectly beautiful. I read the book in one sitting and now I'm ready for round two with The Song of David.

I've been seeing some high praise for The Song of David  and I wanted to spotlight this book so that readers don't miss out on the beautiful writing of Amy Harmon. You can find more info on Amy and her books by visiting her website, twitter, or facebook page.

The Song of David by Amy Harmon

Publisher: CreatesSpace Publishing
Release Date: June 13, 2015

This is David 'Tag' Taggert's book, a supporting character introduced inThe Law of Moses. This is a stand-alone story, but it is highly recommended that The Law of Moses be read first to avoid spoilers. 


She said I was like a song. Her favorite song. A song isn’t something you can see. It’s something you feel, something you move to, something that disappears after the last note is played.

I won my first fight when I was eleven years old, and I’ve been throwing punches ever since. Fighting is the purest, truest, most elemental thing there is. Some people describe heaven as a sea of unending white. Where choirs sing and loved ones await. But for me, heaven was something else. It sounded like the bell at the beginning of a round, it tasted like adrenaline, it burned like sweat in my eyes and fire in my belly. It looked like the blur of screaming crowds and an opponent who wanted my blood. 

For me, heaven was the octagon.

Until I met Millie, and heaven became something different. I became something different. I knew I loved her when I watched her stand perfectly still in the middle of a crowded room, people swarming, buzzing, slipping around her, her straight dancer’s posture unyielding, her chin high, her hands loose at her sides. No one seemed to see her at all, except for the few who squeezed past her, tossing exasperated looks at her unsmiling face. When they realized she wasn’t normal, they hurried away. Why was it that no one saw her, yet she was the first thing I saw?

If heaven was the octagon, then she was my angel at the center of it all, the girl with the power to take me down and lift me up again. The girl I wanted to fight for, the girl I wanted to claim. The girl who taught me that sometimes the biggest heroes go unsung and the most important battles are the ones we don’t think we can win.

Order THE SONG OF DAVID