Camp Boyfriend: Review & Giveaway

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Title: Camp Boyfriend

Author(s): J.K. Rock (Joanne Rock & Karen Rock)
Source: Review copy from Spencer Hill Contemporary for a blog tour. All thoughts are honest and have in no way been persuaded by anyone.

Goodreads Summary & Cover:

The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Signed copies of Camp Boyfriend are available for purchase from Anderson's Book Shop in Larchmont, NY! Give them a call - 914.834.6900

Thoughts:
I have been anticipating Camp Boyfriend for such a long time, it seems. When I finally received a copy, I squealed with delight and immediately began reading. Boy, oh boy, it was so worth the wait! 

Camp Boyfriend is the epitome of what a Young Adult Contemporary story should be. It was full of love, self-discovery, roller coaster emotions, humor, decisions, family issues, friendships, and more.

The main focus of this story was Lauren making Seth her boyfriend: not just her camp boyfriend, but her permanent boyfriend. The problem with that was that she was dating a boy, Matt, from her new school in Texas.

While trying to break up with Matt, he revealed a family issue going on with his family and said he would be going to Camp Juniper Point with her. To North Carolina. For four weeks. Womp, womp, woommmpp!

Once they got to camp, and the secret of Seth "the camp boyfriend" and Matt "the home boyfriend" came out, it was straight-up trouble for Lauren. The path of figuring out what and who she wanted was greatly detailed and a hard decision to make. The emotions were so real. I felt for her. I cried for her. 

I admired Matt's character to let her have her space and figure out what she wanted. He was definitely not giving up easily. 

Lauren also had issues with her friends at camp. Her Munchies cabin friends didn't really care for the new Lauren: her new look, the way she dressed, the jock boyfriend that Matt was... They eventually exiled her and she had nowhere to go but to the Divas' Den. If you read Camp Kiss (you can download it for free here, if not!), you'll know that these two cabins are enemies! Everything they do is a competition and they're so snarky and so typically teenager-y mean to each other, especially the Divas.

The ending of the book and how it all wrapped up was fantastic! It was exactly what I had hoped for. I loved Lauren and the growth she showed. She never gave up on her friends, Matt, or Seth. She had to figure out what it was that she needed and what was best for her. Her decision was brilliant! I wholeheartedly approve!

Joanne and Karen wrote a great cast of characters. From the mean girls, the nerdy girls, the geeky guys, the jocks, the counselors...all of them! They were easily distinguishable and likeable; even the mean girls...eventually.

I can't wait to read the next two books in the Camp Boyfriend series: Camp Payback and Camp Forget-Me-Not. I am very anxious for the summaries of these books! Ahhhh!

Rating:

Camp Boyfriend definitely meets the expectations of 4 1/2 Mickeys! I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was almost perfection to me. I am so glad these two ladies are writing together...and writing more!

Camp Boyfriend is definitely a book to purchase and share with all of your friends. It will be a true delight for lovers of YA Contemporary.

Meet the Authors:

J.K. Rock

Joanne and Karen Rock- writing sisters-in-law- formed a partnership to pen YA novels as J.K. Rock. Their debut book, Camp Boyfriend, is available July 2, 2013 from Spencer Hill Contemporary.

Prior to joining creative forces, Joanne Rock began her career as an author of adult romance for various Harlequin series. Published in twenty languages and twenty-seven countries, Joanne writes both contemporary romance and medieval historicals in addition to the occasional romantic suspense. She is a three-time RITA nominee and Bookseller’s Best finalist.

Karen Rock sold her first adult romance to Harlequin’s new Heartwarming line. The Forever Wish (September 2013) is an uplifting tale of love against the odds during the hero’s battle with cancer. In addition to writing, Karen is an eighth grade English teacher who has written and published screenplays for production by school theater departments. She is a regular blogger at Cynthia Leitich Smith’s popular “Cynsations” blog.

Together, Joanne and Karen write Young Adult stories that don’t back down from real issues. Whether their characters are falling in love at summer camp or facing the consequences of tough life choices, the authors enjoy helping them navigate those challenges. Their “Camp Boyfriend” books are romantic dramas with a strong emphasis on teen friendships and self discovery. Fun, warm-hearted and emotional, the series includes Camp Boyfriend (July 2013), Camp Payback (April 2014) and Camp Forget-Me-Not (August 2014).

Website / Goodreads / Joanne's Twitter / Karen's Twitter

Giveaway:

Daily Prize: Camp journal, pen, bookmark, friendship bracelet and I <3 Camp temporary tattoos - colors and style may vary (see picture).

Grand Prize: Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols, Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles,The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt, That Summer by Sarah Dessen, Always You by Kirsty Moseley, an autographed Arc of Wait For You by Jennifer Armentrout as J.Lynn and autographed copies of Camp Boyfriend and Camp Kiss along with 'I <3 Camp' temporary tattoos, a 'I <3 My Camp Boyfriend' t-shirt, a Camp Boyfriend bookmark and friendship bracelets- puppy not included :)

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Camp Boyfriend is on my stop for North Carolina on the Reading Road Trip. Go! Enter! You don't want to miss out!

Once Upon a Readathon: Mini Challenge

I hope everyone's having a successful readathon! I think I'll meet my goals before the end of the night. Yay! I hope all of you do as well.

So, now I get a chance to give y'all a little something extra to do. This is my first readathon and my first mini challenge to host.

For my little challenge, I would like for you to tell me your favorite genre, favorite book within that genre, and your favorite character from the same genre.

For me, here's what I would have to say:

• Favorite genre would be Young Adult Paranormal
• Favorite book from YA Paranormal would be Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead. 
• Favorite character is definitely Aiden St. Delphi from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series

Wherever you're posting your challenge answers for the readathon, go ahead and post it. Just leave a link in the linky right below so I can check out your responses!

I will be selecting someone participating in the Once Upon a Readathon at random to win...something...umm...how about a book of choice from Amazon or The Book Depository? If you're the lucky winner, you can choose a book up to a $20 value from either place depending on your location. If you're US, it'll be Amazon. International, it'll be The Book Depository. Sounds good? Yeah! 

Now, go forth and answer my questions. I need more reading material and books to buy! :) Make sure to link up!

Reading Road Trip: North Carolina

Welcome to the Second Annual READING ROAD TRIP! 

Thanks to Britta (ILikeTheseBooks) and Hafsah (IceyBooks) for hosting this fun hop again this summer!

 Make sure you visit the states before mine and watch for the rest of the month! Each state will be represented! Keep track here! Make sure to visit my sister state tomorrow with Jessica Brooks (@coffeelvnmom and author of Pity Isn't an Option) at Let Me Tell You a Story.

Now, welcome to my beautiful state, North Carolina -- the "Tar Heel State." This is the land of sweet tea, biscuits, and NASCAR. Y'all enjoy my stop!

Image from enchantedlearning.com. Click to learn more facts about North Carolina!

North Carolina definitely boasts some talented and wonderful authors. In the North Carolina YA world, we have the following who represent us well:

Jenna Black

Sarah Dessen

Alexandra Duncan

Kelly Keaton

Megan Miranda 

Stephanie Perkins

Beth Revis

Carrie Ryan

Megan Shepherd

 I'm sure I'm missing names. I would love to know of other North Carolina Young Adult authors! Leave me a comment if you know of more!

North Carolina is divided into three regions: Coastal, Piedmont, and Mountain.

Coastal Region:

Kure Beach & Wilmington, NC -- Our favorite vacation spots!

Piedmont Region:

Each state has their own college rivalry. Our biggest is Duke vs. UNC. It's insane here during game seasons, but especially basketball. 
Picture borrowed from here.

Charlotte...my area! I live in the next city just west of Charlotte, but this is the skyline I see while driving around and where we go for any good entertainment.
Picture borrowed from here.

Mountain Region:

This checker board is in Valle Crucis (near Boone) at the Mast General Store. Mast stores aren't plentiful, but they are popular! They're located in our mountain region, as well as one in Tennessee and one in South Carolina.

 

 Nantahala River & the Biltmore Estate are 2 popular sites to visit in the mountains.

Now, for the giveaway...errr...giveaways! I will be giving away a YA book to represent each of our beautiful regions.

Yes. There will be THREE different winners for my stop!

• To represent the Coastal region, the winner may choose one book from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series (Half-Blood, Pure, Deity, or Apollyon). Deity Island is located off from the Outer Banks!

• To represent the Piedmont region, the winner may choose any book by author Sarah Dessen. Sarah lives in Chapel Hill, which is located in the Piedmont.

• To represent the Mountain region, the winner will win a copy of J.K. Rock's Camp Boyfriend. The setting of the summer camp is located in our beautiful mountains!

The North Carolina giveaways will run July 9-23.

As always, all entrants must be 13 years of age or older and are able to receive shipment from The Book Depository. These are International giveaways!

You may enter 1, 2, or all 3 of the giveaways! Completely up to you and your reading tastes! These are some amazing books up for grabs. Good luck!

Coastal Region
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Piedmont Region
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Mountain Region
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Review: The Year of the Great Seventh

Title: The Year of the Great Seventh (Tropic of Cancer #1)
Author: Teresa Orts  Website / Facebook / Goodreads
Source: ARC from author for honest review. The thoughts in this post are mine and have not been persuaded by anyone.
Release Date: July 6, 2013 on Amazon for US

Goodreads Summary & Cover:

Sophie has always felt out of step-an outsider, even amongst friends in her high school with all the hype about celebrity culture. Her life in L.A. seems to have been already written for her, but when her junior year starts, it all takes a drastic turn. When she crosses paths with the school's heartthrob, Nate Werner, they fall for each other in a way neither can understand. What they don't know is that by giving in to their desires, they are unlocking an ancient Egyptian prophecy that threatens to return Earth to the dark ages. To undo the curse, Nate and Sophie embark on an adventure that takes them across the country. But their quest is not only to save the world as they know it. It is also a fight for their very survival. Behind the scenes, there are those that are counting on them to fail.

Thoughts:
 When the author, Teresa Orts, emailed and asked if I would be interested in reading her book and reviewing it, I was kind of shocked. I had never had an author email me with that question before at that point. My initial thought was, "Oh, no! I don't know what to say! I don't know how to say no." However, when I read the synopsis, I was intrigued and was eager to read it at that point.

I'm sorry to say that I put it off and put it off. I really didn't mean to do that! My apologies to Teresa for taking so long.

A big reason that I'm sorry that I put it off for so long is because I did enjoy the story. I liked the Egyptian mythology and that Sophie was trying so hard to find out what was happening to Nate. It took a bit of time, resources, a trip, and someone knowing about the prophecy to help them to figure it out. They were definitely on a mission to save themselves and the world...before time ran out.

There was one issue for me with The Year of the Great Seventh that kind of held me back from completely loving the book. Sophie became absolutely obsessed with Nate after her friends spotted him looking at her and she had a little "vision" type thing happen. In the beginning of the story, they had never communicated and she didn't admit to her friends that she kind of crushed on him. She barely even admitted it to herself! Shortly after that, almost every paragraph talked about how much she liked him and couldn't stay away.

I'm just going to chalk that up to the prophecy and not just insta-love. Sadly, it was a distraction for me.

Alas! Other than that one issue, the rest of the story was entertaining. I like that they were trying to figure out what was happening and how to fix it. The trip to New York was fun for me to read. The plot was great! The plot twist was even better! I was not expecting THAT to happen! I was also not expecting a cliff-hanger at the end. Darn you, Teresa Orts!!! *shakes fist* I really need Book 2. Right now. Okay?

Also, so y'all know, the cover is from a scene in the book. Sophie and Nate are not Hollywood stars, but they do attend a big movie premiere for Sophie's friend, Megan. The cover captures that part so well and I love that's what was used for the cover. It's when they were "officially" together and letting her friends know.

Rating:

The Year of the Great Seventh gets 3 1/2 Mickeys (stars)! I did like the book and was on the verge of really liking it. If I could have had more of the writing from the second half of the book during the first half, it would have been a 4 star, maybe even 4 1/2 stars. The "Sophie obsessing over Nate" bit took a bit away for me. I really did still enjoy the book, though! This is definitely a book worth giving a chance!

Once Upon a Readathon Day #1 - Goals!

It's here, it's here! It's time for the fourth annual Once Upon a Read-a-Thon hosted by Lori at Pure Imagination, Angela & Loretta at Reading Angels and Candace at Candace's Book Blog. It runs from NOW, 12:01 am on July 8th to 11:59 on July 10th.

-Reading Angels

Well, here I am with my first Readathon. It's now 11:02 AM on July 8 and I'm just typing up my goals post and I haven't even begun reading. Oy!

Sadly, when I signed up for this Readathon in early June, my calendar for this week was clear. However, that is no longer the case. Sooo, my goals are quite simple:

• Finish reading and review The Year of the Great Seventh by Teresa Orts. I'm way behind and should have had this done already! I think I'm close to the end.
• Read the Summer Series by Jenny Han: The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer.

I think these goals are doable! I'm not overwhelming myself on my first Readathon. Let's face it...I have the attention span of a gnat. I'm going to have to leave my phone and computer in a different room so I'll actually read. This is why I'm so far behind on my Goodreads goal for the year, too! HAHAH!

Also, check back here on Wednesday! I'll have a #OUReadathon Challenge post up! Do I know what that is yet? Umm...nope! We know I'll get it done, though. Tomorrow night...before bed?