Blog Tour- Review + Giveaway When Summer Ends- Jessica Pennington

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Click on the banner above to find out more information about this release and follow the tour.

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen (April 9, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250187338
ISBN-13: 978-1250187338

Aiden Emerson is an all-star pitcher and the all-around golden boy of Riverton. Or at least he was, before he quit the team the last day of junior year without any explanation. How could he tell people he’s losing his vision at seventeen?

Straight-laced Olivia thought she had life all figured out. But when her dream internship falls apart, her estranged mother comes back into her life, and her long-time boyfriend ghosts her right before summer break, she’s starting to think fate has a weird sense of humor.

Each struggling to find a new direction, Aiden and Olivia decide to live summer by chance. Every fleeting adventure and stolen kiss is as fragile as a coin flip in this heartfelt journey to love and self-discovery from the author of Love Songs & Other Lies.

Praise for WHEN SUMMER ENDS

“Bringing the small-town Michigan setting evocatively to the forefront, Pennington’s sophomore novel captures the pleasures of new love.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Praise for LOVE SONGS & OTHER LIES

“A captivating read and a great pick for fans of Morgan Matson and Emery Lord!” ―RT Book Reviews

“Filled with lyrics, love, and late nights, Pennington’s debut novel will appeal to romance fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti.” ―School Library Journal

“Pennington’s debut is a light road-tripping romance about redemption and the love of music.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Reading Cam & Vee’s past and present romance reminds me of This is Us! This is going on my keeper shelf.” ―Simone Elkeles, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author

Love Songs & Other Lies is a music-infused romance about a pair of perfectly imperfect teenagers who will have readers rooting for their happily ever after.” ―Katy Upperman, author of Kissing Max Holden

“Boys in bands, second chance romance, and pitch-perfect chemistry. Love Songs & Other Lies hits all the right notes!” ―Gina Ciocca, author of Last Year’s Mistake

“Fun and full of heart, with a hero who stole my heart!” ―Katie McGarry, author of Pushing the Limits

My Review:

Olivia is living her best life and thinks that she has it all figured out. In her eyes, this is absolute perfection. It’s almost Summer and she is with the love of her life and best friend, Zander. Until her estranged Mother enters her life again and her boyfriend Zander breaks her heart. She now believes that fate isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes fate can be a cruel mistress.

Aiden is an all-star pitcher on the High School baseball team. But he abruptly quits the team after being beaned with a baseball. He can’t tell his team that he is losing his vision. So, he ignores his team and tries to enjoy his stress-free summer.

Olivia needs something to occupy her time, so she doesn’t wallow away in misery. She decides to get a job for the summer. She gets a job at the River Depot and works side-by-side with Aiden. They decide to spend their Summer together and live their best lives by chance. A flip of a coin is all it takes for them to move onto being more than just friends.

Is this just a summer fling? Or can summer love weather the storm?

When Summer Ends was really adorable. You’ll fall in love with this mesmerizing journey of love and self-discovery. Let’s not forget that Aiden is relationship goals! This is the perfect summer read and it will make you want to live your best life possible. I highly recommend this.

Would you live your life by the flip of a coin?

Giveaway:

—Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

– 10 Winners will receive a Copy of WHEN SUMMER ENDS by Jessica Pennington.

Click on the image below to enter. Good Luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Pennington is no stranger to the combination of love and drama. She’s a wedding planner, after all. A writer since the age of ten—when she sought publication for her poem about a tree—Jessica likes the challenge of finding the humor in a sad situation or highlighting the awkwardness in a romantic one. She lives in a Michigan beach town suspiciously similar to the one in her novel, with her husband Josh and their son, Rory. Love Songs & Other Lies is her debut novel.

PHOTO CREDIT: SHEENA PEARCE

WEBSITE: http://itsjess.com/

TWITTER: @jessnpennington
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15193340.Jessica_Pennington
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapennington
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jessicapennington/

Thank you, Jean, Jessica Pennington, and Tor Teen for allowing us to be a part of this amazing tour. To find out more about this tour and upcoming books, please click on the button below. Happy Reading!

Tour Schedule:

WEEK ONE

JULY 22nd MONDAY JeanBookNerd GUEST POST
JULY 22nd MONDAY A Court of Coffee and Books REVIEW
JULY 23rd TUESDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT
JULY 23rd TUESDAY Nay’s Pink Bookshelf REVIEW
JULY 24th WEDNESDAY Kait Plus Books EXCERPT
JULY 24th WEDNESDAY Two Points of Interest REVIEW
JULY 25th THURSDAY Cover2CoverBlog REVIEW
JULY 25th THURSDAY Bookish Kali REVIEW
JULY 26th FRIDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT
JULY 26th FRIDAY A Bella Fairy Tale REVIEWWEEK TWO
JULY 29th MONDAY Twirling Book Princess EXCERPT
JULY 29th MONDAY Insane About Books REVIEW
JULY 30th TUESDAY Casia’s Corner REVIEW
JULY 30th TUESDAY Pages and Pugs REVIEW
JULY 31st WEDNESDAY Gwendalyn’s Books REVIEW
JULY 31st WEDNESDAY A Bookish Dream SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 1st THURSDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace REVIEW
AUGUST 1st THURSDAY Starlight Reads REVIEW
AUGUST 1st THURSDAY TTC Books and More EXCERPT
AUGUST 2nd FRIDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW
AUGUST 2nd FRIDAY BookHounds YA REVIEW

Review Birthday- Meredith Russo

July 17, 2019ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 4 Comments

43924017. sy475 Meet Eric and Morgan.

Born on the same day, at the same time, in the same place. They’ve always shared this one day together, but as they grow up they begin to grow apart.

Everyone expects Eric to get a football scholarship, but no one knows he’s having second thoughts.
Former quarterback Morgan feels utterly alone, as she wrestles with the difficult choice to live as her true self.

Both of them are struggling to be the person they know they are. Who better to help than your best friend?

Told on one day every year, over six years, this is a story about how change pulls people apart… and how love brings them back together.

An LGBTQ+ YA One Day perfect for fans of Love, Simon, Birthday is a beautiful love story by the best-selling #ownvoices author of If I Was Your Girl.

sword 2

“In a flash, I see a hundred memories. His hair blowing in his face, or him dangling from a tree branch and pulling it behind his ear, or him laughing and whipping it carelessly to one side, or…. so many other times. I’d never realized it until now. That long hair makes my heart stop.”

I’ve been dying to read this since I’ve heard about it and it’s the only reason why I wanted to purchase the Illumicrate box. I knew this book was going to open my eyes and my heart and I wasn’t wrong. It was heartbreaking and deeply beautiful.

Morgan and Eric share the same birthday. On the day that they were born, there was a snowstorm that shut down their small town and their families became fast friends. Every year they spend their birthdays together and celebrate.

This book starts on their thirteenth birthday. Morgan’s Mom passed away and she left her a letter and gift for the birthdays that she won’t see. But things don’t change, Morgan and Eric spend the day together but Morgan is carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders. She thought she was going to finally tell Eric the truth but it just won’t come out.

As birthdays pass, they slowly start to grow apart. Football, family, and other friends start to drive a wedge between them. Morgan and Erics lives become a downward spiral and only they can save each other.

As they both struggle to become the real person they are on the inside, will they let change break their bond? Or will love be their guide to bring them back together?

This book travels through the lives of Eric and Morgan from the age of 13-18 for one day a year. As each year passes, the more drama follows them. Some secrets are kept, friendships break apart, and dark family issues come to light. It was amazing. Eric and Morgan are two delightful and heartbreaking teens who live through rough times but make you instantly fall in love with them.

Birthday was a book that touched me deeply. This reaches into your chest and grabs your heart. It was such a beautiful story of an unbreakable friendship and the bond Morgan and Eric share is just amazing. There were scenes that were hard to swallow but it made the story that much more powerful. This is one brave book that I won’t easily forget.

Happy Reading!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 7/15/19

July 15, 2019ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 2 Comments

This week I’m going to read two books that I’ve had in my collection for years and one that I was approved for on Netgalley.

What are you reading this week?

Enchant- Micalea Smeltzer

Mara Pryce never imagined that her life was anything but normal and then a strange gray-eyed young man appears at her graduation. When he vanishes without a trace, she’s convinced he’s a figment of her imagination. Then he appears again and shatters her whole world.

Mara is an enchanter, part of an ancient line of Wiccan power, and a war is raging—one of good and evil—between the Enchanted and the Iniquitous.

The Iniquitous want her dead and it’s Theodore’s job as her protector to keep her safe.

When Mara and Theodore arrive at a safe house, where Mara will remain hidden while learning about her powers, they find that the real threat might be a little closer to home than they want to believe.

The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy- Rainn Wilson

Rainn Wilson’s memoir about growing up geeky and finally finding his place in comedy, faith, and life.

For nine seasons Rainn Wilson played Dwight Schrute, everyone’s favorite work nemesis and beet farmer. Viewers of The Office fell in love with the character and grew to love the actor who played him even more. Rainn founded a website and media company, SoulPancake, that eventually became a bestselling book of the same name. He also started a hilarious Twitter feed (sample tweet: “I’m not on Facebook” is the new “I don’t even own a TV”) that now has more than four million followers.

Now, he’s ready to tell his own story and explain how he came up with his incredibly unique sense of humor and perspective on life. He explains how he grew up “bone-numbingly nerdy before there was even a modicum of cool attached to the word.” The Bassoon King chronicles his journey from nerd to drama geek (“the highest rung on the vast, pimply ladder of high school losers”), his years of mild debauchery and struggles as a young actor in New York, his many adventures and insights about The Office, and finally, Wilson’s achievement of success and satisfaction, both in his career and spiritually, reconnecting with the artistic and creative values of the Bahá’í faith he grew up in.

The Chain- Adrian McKinty

You just dropped off your child at the bus stop. A panicked stranger calls your phone. Your child has been kidnapped, and the stranger explains that their child has also been kidnapped, by a completely different stranger. The only way to get your child back is to kidnap another child within 24 hours. Your child will be released only when the next victim’s parents kidnap yet another child, and most importantly, the stranger explains, if you don’t kidnap a child, or if the next parents don’t kidnap a child, your child will be murdered. You are now part of The Chain.

Happy Reading!

First Line Friday 7/12/19 The Guinevere Deception- Kiersten White

July 12, 2019ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 2 Comments

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

“There was nothing in the world as magical and terrfying as a girl on the cusp of womanhood.”

Happy reading and have a great weekend!!

Blog Tour + Giveaway The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson

July 11, 2019ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 1 Comment

Title: The Storm Crow(The Storm Crow #1)

Author: Kalyn Josephson

Publisher: SourcebooksFire

Release Date: July 9th 2019

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life…until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything.

That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother’s death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost.

But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back what was taken from them.

Purchase Links

Author Information

Kalyn Josephson is a Technical Writer in Silicon Valley, which leaves room for too many bad puns about technically being a writer. She grew up in San Luis Obispo, CA, but now lives in the Bay Area with four awesome friends (because it’s the Bay and she’d like to be able to retire one day) and two black cats (who are more like a tiny dragon and an even tinier owl). When not writing YA Fantasy, she loves baking, reading, playing sports, and watching too many movies.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

My Review

“People would notice; they’d recognize the armor. But I wanted them to. I wanted them to know that the legacy they’d tried to stamp out still smoldered in the ashes.”

The Storm Crow is one of those books I couldn’t put down. Thia’s battle with her emotions and her enemies is powerful and captivating. The action in this novel is beautifully written and full of fantastical elements. I became so engrossed in the world and characters that there were times I forgot I was in the real world and not in Thia’s world.

The elemental crows were unique and fascinating and added a mystical touch to the story. Rhodaire’s crows are essential to their life and without them, the people have to learn how to perform simple tasks, such as growing crops. Life changes drastically for the people, and not just because the crows were lost; loved ones were lost, too, in the battle. To Thia, everything seems hopeless. All she sees is darkness and no light at the end; she doesn’t see how she can move on.

One aspect of The Storm Crow I highly enjoyed seeing was how depression was openly discussed. Thia realizes early on that the destruction of her world as she knew it threw her into a deep and potentially dark depression. Throughout the story, Thia’s depression helps shape her character and starts to give her the strength she needs to overcome the past and save her kingdom and people. Thia’s depression battles are detailed to where the reader could feel and/or see Thia openly struggling. Her depression felt real and raw. She becomes a master in hiding her depression behind a fake smile, but those closest to her can see the past is eating her alive. I haven’t read many YA fantasy books that openly mention/discuss depression, so I was surprised that this became a key point in The Storm Crow. There’s so many readers that battle depression, and I know to some it’s important to see depression depicted, especially in fantasy. How Josephson address depression in her book really lays it out for the world to see and for everyone to understand that depression is not something you can easily shake off. Her depiction of depression was, overall, one of the main reasons I loved The Storm Crow.

“I might be queen, but you were meant to be so much more. Crow or no crow, one way or another, you will fly. You were always meant to rule the sky.”

Thia is a strong and emotional person. She knows she has to go to Illucia, the kingdom that attacked hers, to try to bring peace and save her people. Thia, at first, believes everything is lost; the fight she once had in her is gone, left behind in the rubble of the battle. But that all changes when Thia finds an unhatched storm crow egg. To Thia, this changes everything. Thia has a newfound hope to fight for her kingdom and people, all from within the palace walls of her enemy. But there’s just one slight problem: Thia doesn’t know how to hatch a crow egg. Nevertheless, Thia refuses to give up hope; she refuses to give up.

The secondary characters in The Storm Crow were also what made this book a 5 star review for me. Her best friend and bodyguard, Kiva, share not just a best friend bond, but a sisterly bond. They’re relationship reminded me of my relationship with my best friend, and I love seeing those types of friendships depicted in fantasy stories. Kiva helps Thia battle her depression while staying in enemy territory. They’re not just best friends; they’re a team and both will do whatever it takes to see Queen Razel burn for her wrongdoings. Then there’s Caylus. Caylus is a soft yet incredibly smart and reliable friend to Thia; she trusts him so much that she relies on him to help her solve the hatching behind a crow egg.

And, of course, there’s Prince Ericen. At first, he’s a terrible, cold-heartless person; he’s basically everything that makes a villain. But he slowly starts to show Thia a side he’s never shown anyone, not even his mother, the ruthless Queen Razel. Ericen wants to build a trusting relationship with Thia but Thia doesn’t quite know how that’s possible when he’s the son of the woman that killed her mother. He’s a well described character with an interesting backstory.

“It was only you. Because I, like everyone, knew what you were.

A delinquent?

A storm. A tempest of lightning and thunder with the kind of heart found only in legends.”

Josephson’s writing is captivating and compelling. She weaves words together to bring a magical and powerful story to light. Her description of the kingdoms and the characters is wonderfully well-written and very descriptive. Josephson also knows how to depict feelings and relationships really well. There was phenomenal character growth with Thia and her companions; Thia really starts to come into her own and grow as a person and fighter.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Storm Crow. Josephson creates a world the reader can easily get lost in. If you enjoy an adventurous fantasy novel with lovable animals and relationships, then I definitely recommend reading The Storm Crow!

My overall review: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Tour Schedule

Check out the other amazing bloggers on The Storm Crow tour!

Giveaway

Prize: Win a finished hard copy of THE STORM CROW by Kalyn Josephson (INT) or a signed finished copy of THE CROW STORM by Kalyn Josephson (US Only)

** International as long as bookdepository ships to the country

Starts: July 9^th 2019

Ends: July 23^rd 2019

Thank you, Fantastic Flying Book Club, for having us on this wonderful blog tour!

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? 7/8/19

July 8, 2019ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 2 Comments

This week I’m going to try to squeeze a lot in. I’m going to read a book that my friends picked up for me at ALA, a book they picked up for me at BEA, an arc the publisher sent me, a pre-order novella, and if I have time, a book that came in the June Illumicrate box.

What are you reading?

Queen of Ruin (Grace and Fury)- Tracy Banghart

A fierce sequel full of sisterhood, heart pounding action, betrayal, and intrigue in the royal court in a series that “breathes new life into the feminist story of oppression and resistance” (Publisher’s Weekly).

Banished by Asa at the end of Grace and Fury, Nomi and Malachi find themselves powerless and headed towards their all-but-certain deaths. Now that Asa sits on the throne, he will stop at nothing to make sure Malachi never sets foot in the palace again. Their only hope is to find Nomi’s sister, Serina, on the prison island of Mount Ruin. But when Nomi and Malachi arrive, it is not the island of conquered, broken women that they expected. It is an island in the grip of revolution, and Serina–polite, submissive Serina–is its leader.

Betrayal, grief, and violence have changed both sisters, and the women of Mount Ruin have their sights set on revenge beyond the confines of their island prison. They plan to sweep across the entire kingdom, issuing in a new age of freedom for all. But first they’ll have to get rid of Asa, and only Nomi knows how.

Separated once again, this time by choice, Nomi and Serina must forge their own paths as they aim to tear down the world they know, and build something better in its place.

The stakes are higher and the battles bolder in Tracy Banghart’s unputdownable sequel to Grace and Fury.

Unpregnant- Jenni Hendriks & Ted Caplan

Seventeen-year-old Veronica Clarke never thought she would wish she’d failed a test until she finds herself holding a thick piece of plastic in her hands and staring at two solid pink lines. Even the most consistent use of condoms won’t prevent pregnancy when your boyfriend secretly pokes holes in them to keep you from going out-of-state for college.

Veronica needs an abortion, but the closest place she can legally get one is over nine hundred miles away—and Veronica doesn’t have a car. Too ashamed to ask her friends or family for help, Veronica turns to the one person she believes won’t judge her: Bailey Butler, Jefferson High’s own little black cloud of anger and snark—and Veronica’s ex-best friend. Once on the road, Veronica quickly remembers nothing with Bailey is ever simple and that means two days of stolen cars, shotguns, crazed ex-boyfriends, truck stop strippers with pro-life agendas, and a limo driver named Bob. But the pain and betrayal of their broken friendship can’t be outrun. When their fighting leads to a brutal moment of truth, Bailey abandons Veronica. Now Veronica must risk everything in order to repair the hurt she’s caused.

The Guinevere Deception- Kiersten White

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

*THE FIRST BOOK IN THE CAMELOT RISING TRILOGY*

Memento- Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman

December, 2574. Forty-three days before the BeiTech attack on Kerenza IV.
.
This is the story of my first friendship.
.
This is the tale of my first murder?
.
Some monsters are born.
.
But I?
.
< ERROR >
.
I was made.

Birthday- Meredith Russo

Boyhood meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this unconventional love story by award-winning author Meredith Russo!

Two kids, Morgan and Eric, are bonded for life after being born on the same day at the same time. We meet them once a year on their shared birthday as they grow and change: as Eric figures out who he is and how he fits into the world, and as Morgan makes the difficult choice to live as her true self. Over the years, they will drift apart, come together, fight, make up, and break up—and ultimately, realize how inextricably they are a part of each other.

Blog Tour + Giveaway Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

July 7, 2019ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 9 Comments

Title: Spin the Dawn(The Blood of Stars #1)

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: July 9th 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.