ARC Review The Best Week that Never Happened- Dallas Woodburn

March 10, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 4 Comments

What if, when you died, you got to relive The Best Week of Your Life—but you died too soon, and The Best Week of Your Life hadn’t happened yet?

After her parents’ bitter divorce, family vacations to the Big Island in Hawaii ceased. But across the miles, eighteen-year-old Tegan Rossi remains connected to local Kai Kapule, her best friend from childhood. Now, Tegan finds herself alone and confused about how she got to the Big Island. With no wallet, no cell phone, purse, or plane ticket, Tegan struggles to piece together what happened. She must have come to surprise-visit Kai. Right? As the teens grow even closer, Tegan pushes aside her worries and gets swept away in the vacation of her dreams.

But each morning, Tegan startles awake from nightmares that become more difficult to ignore. Something is eerily amiss. Why is there a strange gap in her memory? Why can’t she reach her parents or friends from home? And what’s with the mysterious hourglass tattoo over her heart?

Kai promises to help Tegan figure out what is going on. But the answers they find only lead to more questions. As the week unfolds, Tegan will experience the magic of first love, the hope of second chances, and the bittersweet joy and grief of being human.

My Review:

“I am not certain of anything. Life is a mystery, just as death is a mystery. The best answers come from listening to the murmurs of your heart. Your heart is wise. Your heart is strong. Let yourself love, dear one. Let yourself, love, hugely and bravely. That is all any of us can do.”

This is a book that made me think about my own life while I was reading it and way after I was done reading it. Have I lived my best week yet? Or is it still to come? We never know when our time is up but that doesn’t mean that we should stop trying to live our best lives.

From the start, you know that something about this book is going to make you emotionally break. I felt the weight of that the entire time while reading. You know that the devastating truth was going to fall but not really sure when. I was sitting on pins and needles with my heart in my throat.

Kai and Tegan are our star-crossed lovers who find their way back to each other after a tragic accident strikes. Their relationship seems perfect and they fit easily together. The week they spent together was the sweetest thing that I’ve ever read. But I was waiting for my heart to drop when one or both of them find out the truth. When it happens, it wrecks you. Even though I knew it was going to happen and I waited for it. The emotion that drips through these pages will make you weep.

The Best Week that Never Happened was heartbreaking and mesmerizing. Words escaped me when I finished because I was so enthralled by the beauty of this book. Nothing has ever made me feel this way after reading. Prepare yourselves for a book that will make you appreciate everything that you have in your life and you’ll fall in love all over again.

It’s Monday (On a Tuesday), What Are You Reading? 2/24/20

February 25, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 2 Comments

Happy Tuesday!

I know that I usually post this on Monday but I was feeling kind of crummy yesterday. So here is what I’m going to try to read this week.

What are you reading?

Be Not Far From Me- Mindy McGinnis

The world is not tame.

Ashley knows this truth deep in her bones, more at home with trees overhead than a roof. So when she goes hiking in the Smokies with her friends for a night of partying, the falling dark and creaking trees are second nature to her. But people are not tame either. And when Ashley catches her boyfriend with another girl, drunken rage sends her running into the night, stopped only by a nasty fall into a ravine. Morning brings the realization that she’s alone – and far off-trail. Lost in undisturbed forest and with nothing but the clothes on her back, Ashley must figure out how to survive despite the red streak of infection creeping up her leg.

The Princess and the Fangirl- Ashley Poston

The Prince and the Pauper gets a modern makeover in this adorable, witty, and heartwarming young adult novel set in the Geekerella universe by national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year’s ExcelsiCon isn’t her last, she’ll consider her career derailed.

When a case of mistaken identity throws look-a-likes Imogen and Jess together, they quickly become enemies. But when the script for the Starfield sequel leaks and all signs point to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. That’s easier said than done when the girls step into each other’s shoes and discover new romantic possibilities, as well as the other side of intense fandom. As these “princesses” race to find the script-leaker, they must rescue themselves from their own expectations, and redefine what it means to live happily ever after.

The Dilemma- B.A. Paris

It’s Livia’s fortieth birthday and tonight she’s having a party, a party she’s been planning for a long time. The only person missing will be her daughter, Marnie.

But Livia has a secret, a secret she’s been keeping from Adam, her husband, until the party is over. Because how can she tell him that although she loves Marnie, she’s glad their daughter won’t be there to celebrate with her?

Adam is determined everything will be just right for Livia and the party is going to be perfect… until he learns something that will leave him facing an unbearable decision.

Vampironica- Greg Smallwood

When Veronica is bitten by a centuries-old vampire, her thirst for blood threatens to turn Riverdale into a haven for the undead. Will she put an end to the vampire threat or give in to her blood lust? Archie Horror’s latest series paints Riverdale red in the vampiric first collection by siblings Greg & Megan Smallwood.

Book Review Light as a Feather- Zoe Aarsen

February 18, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks Leave a comment

It was supposed to be a game…

Junior year is shaping up to be the best of McKenna Brady’s life. After a transformative summer, McKenna is welcomed into the elite group of popular girls at Weeping Willow High, led by the gorgeous Olivia Richmond. For the first time in a long time, things are looking up.

But everything changes the night of Olivia’s Sweet Sixteen sleepover. Violet, the mysterious new girl in town, suggests the girls play a game during which Violet makes up elaborate, creepily specific stories about the violent ways the friends will die. Though it unsettles McKenna, it all seems harmless at the time.

Until a week later, when Olivia dies…exactly as Violet predicted.

As Violet rises to popularity and steps into the life Olivia left unfinished, McKenna becomes convinced Olivia’s death wasn’t just a coincidence, especially when a ghost haunting her bedroom keeps leaving clues that point to Violet. With the help of her cute neighbor, Trey, McKenna pledges to get to the bottom of Violet’s secrets and true intentions before it’s too late. Because it’s only a matter of time before more lives are lost.

My Review:

“Violet had suggested that we play a game….
She hadn’t mentioned that in her game, she was always the winner. Or that playing could cost you your life.”

Heathers meets The Craft in this twisted story that takes place around a middle school horror game. Or for the younger generation, Riverdale meets The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Light as a feather, stiff as a board is a game most kids played at slumber parties. Where we tried to outdo our friends with the most terrifying tales of death and hauntings. It never seemed to work but what happens when it does?

McKenna is now part of the popular clique and was invited to attend the birthday slumber party of the most popular girl at school. After discussing plans for the upcoming dance and guys in horror movies, things go from exciting to drab quickly. That is until the new shy girl at school mentions a scary game that she played with old friends.

One girl lays flat on her back, the other girls place their fingers beneath her and chant light as a feather, stiff as a board. After a while, the person on the floor starts to levitate with the power of concentration from the others. Before this happens, the head girl goes into gory details about how that person will die. Most of the girls go through it that night except McKenna.

After the party, things start to line up in a really disturbing way. One of the girls die and it happens exactly the way it was described at the slumber party. Now every girl who was there is on high alert and the clock is ticking for them to stop this force from ending their lives.

This book was seriously dark and creepy. The way the hypothetical deaths were described was really gory. Now I’m excited to actually see the show and read the other books in this series.

Light as a Feather was a fantastic read. YA horror is something that is looked past but we need more of this in our lives. There was something about this book that made me uneasy in my own house and I loved it.

stacy

Nerd Blast & Giveaway Pippa Park Raises Her Game- Erin Yun

February 11, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks Leave a comment

*Click on the banner image above to find out more about this release*

SYNOPSIS

A Contemporary Reimagining of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens for Middle Graders

Life is full of great expectations for Korean American Pippa Park. It seems like everyone, from her family to the other kids at school, has a plan for how her life should look. So when Pippa gets a mysterious basketball scholarship to Lakeview Private, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself by following the “Rules of Cool.”

At Lakeview, Pippa juggles old and new friends, an unrequited crush, and the pressure to perform academically and athletically while keeping her past and her family’s laundromat a secret from her elite new classmates. But when Pippa begins to receive a string of hateful, anonymous messages via social media, her carefully built persona is threatened.

As things begin to spiral out of control, Pippa discovers the real reason she was admitted to Lakeview and wonders if she can keep her old and new lives separate, or if she should even try.

BONUS CONTENT
Author Q&A and Discussion Questions included in the book.

A Contemporary Reimagining of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens for Middle Graders
Life is full of great expectations for Korean American Pippa Park. It seems like everyone, from her family to the other kids at school, has a plan for how her life should look. So when Pippa gets a surprising basketball scholarship to Lakeview Private, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself.At Lakeview, Pippa struggles with popularity and the pressure to perform academically and athletically while keeping her past and family’s laundromat a secret from her elite new classmates. Juggling jealous Queen Bees, old and new friends, her own place at Lakeview, and an unrequited crush on the school’s most handsome— and most haughty— 8th grader is hard enough. But when Pippa begins to receive a string of hateful, anonymous messages via social media that threaten to unmask her carefully built persona, things begin to spiral out of control.
With pressure mounting, Pippa discovers the real reason she was admitted to Lakeview Private, and wonders if she can keep her old and new lives separate, or if she should even try.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for PIPPA PARK RAISES HER GAME

“An empowering celebration of identity, friendship, and embracing one’s roots, Yun’s loose reimagining of Great Expectations follows a first-generation Korean-American girl learning to navigate her new life at an elite private school…. author Yun writes of Korean-American family life with heartwarming, authentic detail…” —Publishers Weekly December 1st issue

“Pippa is a magnetic heroine, funny and good-hearted, and young readers will relate as she makes one honest mistake after another in an effort to fit in. A nice balancing act between sports action, middle-school drama, and the struggles of an underprivileged immigrant family that will appeal to a wide audience.” —Booklist November 1st issue

“In this reimagining of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, familiar themes and predictability are offset by the depiction of Korean culture and language, which add texture and depth to the narrative. Readers will sympathize with this likable heroine as she struggles to succeed. VERDICT An enjoyable read with a buoyant contemporary twist on an old classic.” —School Library Journal November 1st issue

“This is a highly engaging and relevant title for schools that takes up issues of social class, ethnic identity, and the venture of staying true to oneself which will lend itself well to educators and parents looking to support growth in today’s tweens. Highly Recommended.” —School Library Connection March 2020 issue

“In Erin Yun’s enchanting Pippa Park Raises Her Game, a girl starts a new school and tries to reinvent her image… an exciting middle grade novel about middle school struggles and feeling out of place.” —Foreword Reviews March 2020 issue

Giveaway:

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

– 5 Winners will receive the PIPPA PARK RAISES HER GAME Swag (Book, Sticker, Bookmark, and Basketball Stress Ball) by Erin Yun.

Click on the image below to enter. Good Luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debut author Erin Yun grew up in Frisco, Texas. She received her BFA in English from New York University and served as president of its policy debate team. This experience came in handy for her job as the debate consultant for the Tony-nominated Best Play on Broadway—What the Constitution Means to Me. Erin is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and has written reviews and articles for BookBrowse. She currently lives in New York City, and yes—she used to play basketball as a middle grader!

PHOTO CONTENT FROM ERIN YUN

WEBSITE: https://pippapark.com/product/pippa-park-raises-her-game
TWITTER: @ErinMYun
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18860197.Erin_Yun

Thank you, Jean and Erin, for allowing us to share this amazing book with other readers!!

If you want to find out more information about this book and other upcoming titles, please click on the button below.

Happy Reading!!

Blog Tour- Review & Giveaway The Will and The Wilds by Charlie N. Holmberg

January 21, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 1 Comment

*Click on the image below to find out more information about this release*

Print Length: 265 pages
Publisher: 47North (January 21, 2020)
Publication Date: January 21, 2020
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English

Praise for THE WILL AND THE WILDS

“…An immersive, dangerous fantasy world. Holmberg draws readers in with a fast-moving plot, rich details, and a surprisingly sweet human-monster romance. This is a lovely, memorable fairy tale.” —Publishers Weekly

“Holmberg ably builds her latest fantasy world, and her brisk narrative and the romance at its heart will please fans of her previous magical tales.” —Booklist

Synopsis:

A spellbinding story of truce and trickery from the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician series.

Enna knows to fear the mystings that roam the wildwood near her home. When one tries to kill her to obtain an enchanted stone, Enna takes a huge risk: fighting back with a mysting of her own.

Maekallus’s help isn’t free. His price? A kiss. One with the power to steal her soul. But their deal leaves Maekallus bound to the mortal realm, which begins eating him alive. Only Enna’s kiss, given willingly, can save him from immediate destruction. It’s a temporary salvation for Maekallus and a lingering doom for Enna. Part of her soul now burns bright inside Maekallus, making him feel for the first time.

Enna shares Maekallus’s suffering, but her small sacrifice won’t last long. If she and Maekallus can’t break the spell binding him to the mortal realm, Maekallus will be consumed completely—and Enna’s soul with him.

You can purchase The Will and the Wilds at the following Retailers:

My Review:

“Monsters are only ever fascinating from afar.”

The Shape of Water meets Beauty and the Beast in this enthralling retelling that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and your heartbeat ten times faster.

Enna has a personal connection to Mystings and knows the fear that they bring out. Her Mother was killed by one while she was pregnant with Enna. Her Father saved her life by cutting her out of the womb. Now it’s only the two of them and her Father isn’t in the best of health.

Living near the Wildwood isn’t safe for them since Mystings roam those woods. When one attacks her one night, she uses a Mysting to fight back. Using a Mysting comes with a price and a price that could cost her dearly.

Maekallus is the Mysting that she made the deal with. His price is a kiss but that kiss can cost her her soul. But she has an ability that no one of else has. It comes to a shock not only to her but to Maekallus as well.

That one small price has lead Maekallus to be trapped in the real world and that begins to eat him alive. The suffering goes both ways and it starts destroying Enna too.

Enna must give a kiss willingly to save them both temporarily. To break the binding that dooms them, they must hunt down their Mysting attacker and destroy that Mysting before it’s too late.

The Will and the Wilds was definitely a unique retelling with quite the twist. This epic fairytale romance will make that Romeo and Juliet romance come alive. That people from two different sides of the realm can be together happily.

Fingers are crossed for a story just involving Tennith.

Giveaway:

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

– 3 Winners will receive a Copy of THE WILL AND THE WILDS by Charlie N. Holmberg.

Click on the image below to enter. Good Luck!

Photo Content from Charlie N. Holmberg

Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie N. Holmberg was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, owns too many pairs of glasses, and finally adopted a dog. Her fantasy Paper Magician series, which includes The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician, and The Master Magician, has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company. Her stand-alone novel, Followed by Frost, was nominated for a 2016 RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance, and her novel The Fifth Doll won the 2018 Whitney for Speculative Fiction. She is a board member for Deep Magic Ezine and lives with her family in Utah.

WEBSITE: http://charlienholmberg.com/

TWITTER: @CNHolmberg
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7801879.Charlie_N_Holmberg
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cnholmberg/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/cnholmberg/

Thank you, Jean and Charlie N. Holmberg, for allowing us to be a part of this amazing tour. For more information about this release and upcoming tours, please click the link below. Happy Reading!

Tour Schedule:

WEEK ONE

JANUARY 20th MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

JANUARY 21st TUESDAY A Court of Coffee and Books REVIEW

JANUARY 22nd WEDNESDAY Random Bookish Banter REVIEW

JANUARY 23rd THURSDAY BookHounds REVIEW

JANUARY 23rd THURSDAY Ya It’s Lit REVIEW
JANUARY 24th FRIDAY J.R.’s Book Reviews REVIEW

WEEK TWO

JANUARY 27th MONDAY Nay’s Pink Bookshelf REVIEW
JANUARY 28th TUESDAY Wishful Endings REVIEW

JANUARY 29th WEDNESDAY Casia’s Corner REVIEW

JANUARY 30th THURSDAY A Bookish Dream REVIEW

JANUARY 30th THURSDAY Book Briefs REVIEW

JANUARY 31st FRIDAY Life Within The Pages REVIEW

Stacy’s Top Ten Disappointing Reads of 2019

January 14, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks Leave a comment

With great books comes awful books. We must take the good and the bad to figure out what we love to read in this world. 2019 had some amazing books released but we also had some horrendous, eye-rolling, nauseating books that put me to sleep thrown in-between. These are my top ten disappointing reads of 2019.

Which books did you dislike?

*Click on the book cover to read the synopsis on Goodreads*

Stacy’s Favorite Books of 2019

January 8, 2020ACourtofCoffeeandBooks 4 Comments

It’s that time of year again where I give you my absolute favorite books of 2019. Hopefully, there are some new books on here that you’ll love just as much as I did.

What were your favorites of 2019?

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