14 Days of Fictional Swoon Blog Hop

Today, I am super excited to be posting as part of the 14 Days of Fictional Swoon Blog Hop, hosted by Fic Fare and Swoony Boys.  In addition to our super amazing hosts, there are over 20 other blogs participating and talking about all things swoony.

So, on to the good stuff...my assigned topic:  Fictional Boy That Caught You Off Guard.  I have to admit that when I first started thinking about my list, I was a bit worried about my ability to come up with one.  I mean, I read for the swoons and heart flutters and feels -- so if that's what I look for in a book, what are the odds that I'm going to be taken by surprise, right?  So yeah, I was worried.

But then I started bouncing a few ideas around in my head and sent messages back and forth with my bookish other half and not only did I come up with one, I came up with 10.  And I probably could have found more.   But I'm stopping at 10.  For now.

So, without further ado and in no particular order, here are the boys that caught me off guard:


Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) -- holy arrogant.  Until he isn't.  We won't discuss how many years it has been, but I still remember the aha moment when I realized that I had misjudged him.  

Jonah Griggs (On the Jellicoe Road) -- At first, I hated him.  I was prepared to continue as I fought through the confusion that almost made me put this book down and not finish reading.  And then...well, he's on my list for a reason.

The Darkling (The Grisha trilogy) -- I mean, he's the bad guy.  But I can't help it.  The tingles...I have them.


Soren (The Original Sinners series) -- If you had told me before that I would pledge my eternal devotion to a character like Soren, I'd have never believed you.  But I do.  Forever.  And I can't even talk about the fact that the series is almost over.

Park (Eleanor & Park) -- he is everything.  But I wasn't expecting him.

TJ Callahan (On the Island) -- It took me a LOOOOONG time to get the courage to read this book because the premise freaked me out.  I obviously got over it :)

Will Traynor (Me Before You)  -- Even knowing his situation, the way he was hateful to his family and to Lou infuriated me.  But then they go on an outing and he says things about red dresses.  I think it may be time for a reread.

Daniel Rush (Covet) -- he isn't married to Claire.  Usually that is a huge red flag for me.  

Theodore Finch -- (All the Bright Places).   I blame the book drought from hell for this one.  I fully expected to have take 3 weeks to read a chapter and then have to reshelve it but then I met Finch.   I finished this amazing book in days, and now have it on my Kindle, a hard copy and the audiobook.   Surprise!

Hector (Fire & Thorns trilogy) -- I didn't even realize I loved him until I did.  He is a sneaky one :) 

So there you have it.  My list as it stands today.  And to think that I was worried that I wouldn't be able to pull this off  :)

Leave me a comment and let me know who is on your list.  Then go check out the other fun bloggers taking part in the hop and see what they have to say about all the fictional swoons.  And if the swoons aren't enough, each blog is hosting their own giveaway as well as participating in a hop-wide scavenger hunt.   Did you find my hidden words?  Did you?

14 Days of Fictional Swooning Schedule

• February 1st- Fiction Fare
• February 1st- Swoony Boys Podcast
• February 2nd- Literary, etc.
• February 3rd- Adventures in YA Publishing
• February 3rd- A Soul Unsung: Book Gossip for the Soul
• February 4th- Bookish Things & More
• February 5th- Books and Swoons
• February 5th- Love at First Page
• February 6th- Awesome Book Nuts
• February 6th- Mainstream Passionista
• February 6th- The Book Sphere
• February 7th- I Turn the Pages
• February 7th- Andi's ABCs
• February 8th- Na's Not So Newsworthy Thoughts
• February 8th- WhoRUBlog
• February 9th- Gun in Act One
• February 9th- We So Nerdy
• February 10th- What Sarah Read
• February 10th- Flutters and Flails
• February 11th- The Book Addict's Guide
• February 11th- Effortlessly Reading
• February 11th- Lostbraincell's Bookish Blog
• February 12th- GReads!
• February 12th- Books Equal Awesomeness
• February 13th- My Friends Are Fiction
• February 13th- Lee Kelly: New Write City
• February 14th- Fiction Fare
• February 14th- Swoony Boys Podcast

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

So....about January.

I'm not even sure what happened. 

I was cruising right along, ahead of my 2014 reading goal, all my Christmas shopping was done, the kids were done with school, I had everything under control, and BOOM. 

I got slammed by the book rut of all book ruts. 

I tried everything.   Switching genres, reading locations, rereading tried and true favorites.  Nothing worked.

The book world wasn't completely off my radar -- I added multiple titles to my to-read list and I discovered a love for audiobooks (oddly enough though, only recordings of book I have already read can hold my interest).  I considered signing up for countless review tours and I DID sign up to be a part of a blog hop - more on that later.

I just couldn't find it in me to actually read.  

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like I was miserable and suffering.  I had a great holiday season with my family and friends, watched my daughter play a lot of soccer and witnessed my son discover a love of competitive swimming. 

And I knitted.

And knitted.

 

 And knitted.

 And knitted.

But then bookish friends came to the rescue and held my hand while I found my way back.  And I started a book and finished it in three days - which is HUGE after what I've been living for the past 6ish weeks.

So I think...maybe...that you'll be hearing from me again soon.  Before March.  Maybe even this week, if things continue the way I think they will.   I miss reading and blogging and writing my thoughts about the words and characters I get to fall in love with.  And if I'm being realistic, how many hats and scarves and gloves and cowls can one girl need?

My fingers are crossed, my Goodreads is open, and the books stacked up on the table beside me are whispering my name.  February is when I find my way back.  I can feel it!

XOXO

Review: The Darkest Part by Trisha Wolfe

Title: The Darkest Part

Author: Trisha Wolfe 

Age:  NA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

SYNOPSIS:

Pressing the boundaries of both the psyche and the heart, Sam and Holden embark on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of love.

Sam Wintry’s life used to be almost perfect. She was engaged to her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, Tyler Marks, planning an amazing cross-country honeymoon during her college break. But after a hit-and-run leaves her in ruin, she begins seeing Tyler’s fractured, ghostly presence, and her family believes she’s losing her mind. Not until she completes their journey, stopping along the way to scatter Tyler's remains, will Tyler be able cross over. Only...is Sam ready for him to leave her?

When the black sheep of the Marks' family, Holden Marks, returns to check on Tyler's case, Sam convinces him to give her his brother's ashes. Despite their shaky history, she needs him...plus, he owes it to Sam and his brother. What she doesn’t count on is Holden’s relentlessness to go on the trip.

On the road, Holden realizes just how unhinged Sam has become. Dealing with her psychosis forces him to confront his dark past, making it harder to keep secrets hidden that should remain buried. Especially from Sam, the only woman he’s ever loved. And as Sam starts to unravel the truth, she begins to question if the brother she's unwillingly falling for again is in an even darker place than her.

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5 out of 5 stars

I was a little nervous about this one, I have to admit.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted to read it, but I was scared that I'd have issues with it.

And at first, I thought my worries were justified.  There was no way I was going to be able to get through this story.  I was totally crazy about Tyler and my heart was broken for Sam and Holden was just a selfish ass who didn't care about anybody but himself.

Yeah...not so much.

This story rocked my emotional world.

I have been craving a book that made me feel all the feels.  And there have been a few that were close, so very close - but this one was exactly what I had been needing to read.  My heart was shattered in parts, bursting in others.  What I thought I wanted at the beginning was the opposite of what I ended up needing at the end.  There were layers to these characters that you don't see in the synopsis and these layers make this story so much more than what you think you are getting.

Before The Darkest Part, I had never read anything by Trisha Wolfe.  That will change.  I've already added the other upcoming books in this series to my to-read list and I'm excited to get my hands on her previous works.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

For more information on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit: www.trishawolfe.co.

To be the first to hear about new releases and sale events, sign up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1rXTKI7.

Website | Goodrea ds | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | YouTube |Pinterest

Review: Miles from Kara by Melissa West

SYNOPSIS:

Kara Marcus is desperate to forget the past and move on. But she can’t escape her choices—especially when she finds herself falling in love…

Since the first day she stepped into her childhood Southern Baptist church, two truths have been engrained in Kara Marcus’s head: sex before marriage is bad and murder is a sin. And that’s why Kara can never forgive herself for what she did at the age of sixteen.

Now, as second semester of freshman year comes to a close, Kara has stood by her high school boyfriend, Ethan. But as they seem to grow further and further apart every day, Kara realizes that she has feelings for someone else: Ethan’s roommate Colt.

Suddenly, Kara’s clear-cut world shifts out of focus, and she’s torn between what her head tells her is right and what her heart is desperately pushing her to do—even if it means committing another undeniable sin...

 
MY THOUGHTS:

4 out of 5 stars

This book was exactly what I needed.  And so was Colt.

Ahem.

I read the first book in this series, Pieces of Olivia, when it first came out and was very excited to learn that there was going to be more.  I put Miles from Kara on my to-read list and on my radar...and then life got busy like it always seems to do and well, my to-do list becomes more of a wishful-thinking list and I haven't had the chance to read as much as I'd like.

SOOOOO...when I got the ARC, I was super excited and jumped on this title like I jump on cupcakes.

For those of you that know me in real life, you know I am pretty even-keeled and introverted, so I do have to confess that in the first book, my relationship with Kara wasn't the best.  She is bubbly and outgoing and cute...so I was giving her serious side-eye reading Olivia's story.  But then I started to notice things and realize that Melissa West was doing what all good authors do -- setting up for the next book in a way that makes you interested but doesn't take away from the current book.  I suddenly found myself realizing that Kara wasn't just some flaky secondary character...the girl has her own story and I needed to know more.

And then there was Colt.

Holy Swoons, Batman!

But I digress.  Kara.  Yeah, back to Kara.

She has her demons, like we all do, and after years of trying to keep them suppressed, they were dying to come out.  Throw in a dying long term, long-distance relationship and questions about her career choices and BOOM -- perfect storm.  Especially when her internship gives her a great big giant dose of the "what could have beens."

I felt her struggles.  I found myself equally frustrated with Kara and sympathetic for her.  I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her a little bit, but then I totally understood her actions.  And when a story can do that, I know I've found a good one.

Miles from Kara was exactly the right book for me at the right time.  It takes a controversial subject and creates a story that is emotional without being judgy or preachy.  I laughed, I cringed, I wanted to comfort...the balance is real with this one.

Please do yourself an favor and check out this series.  I can't wait to read more myself.
 

Miles From Kara by Melissa West -- Release Information and Giveaway

The Charleston Haven Series (stand - alone)

New Adult Contemporary

Release: December 2, 2014

Published by Penguin/ InterMix

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks
Google Play ~ Kobo

Kara Marcus is desperate to forget the past and move on. But she can’t escape her choices—especially when she finds herself falling in love...

Since the first day she stepped into her childhood Southern Baptist church, two truths have been engrained in Kara Marcus’s head: sex before marriage is bad and murder is a sin. And that’s why Kara can never forgive herself for what she did at the age of sixteen.

Now, as second semester of freshman year comes to a close, Kara has stood by her high school boyfriend, Ethan. But as they seem to grow further and further apart every day, Kara realizes that she has feelings for someone else: Ethan’s roommate Colt.

Suddenly, Kara’s clear-cut world shifts out of focus, and she’s torn between what her head tells her is right and what her heart is desperately pushing her to do—even if it means committing another undeniable sin...

About the Author

Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

GIVEAWAY

The author is giving away (1) Copy of PIECES OF OLIVIA and (1) $10 Amazon Gift Card - International

a Rafflecopter giveaway