Book Blitz: The Librarian By Christy Sloat

The Librarian 
by Christy Sloat

Genre: YA Historical/Romance

Published June 17th, 2017

Published by CHBB Publishing

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He’s from 1892 England, she’s in a small library in 2017. And that's just the start of their troubles.

Emme never meant to stay in Maine. She'd come only to find a librarian for her Gram's library, a custodian for the collection of mysterious books she'd promised to protect. On a dark, wintery night, alone in the library, she takes her first glance into one of the antique novels and finds herself transported to 1892 England staring into the eyes of handsome and dashing hero Jack Ridgewell. As each chapter passes she learns you can truly fall in love with a character in a book, that book boyfriends are real and Emme must choose between the real world, and his.

When the last page is read he's gone and Emme feels the cold loneliness of lost love. Will she find Jack again, or will their love be forever lost? The answer lies within the pages…

About the Author:

Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother's loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor's Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come. Check out her website www.christysloat.com
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Twitter: ChristySloat

Excerpt:

I spent the rest of the day filing paperwork for the funding process and preparing to open the library doors on Monday morning. I told Rose and Becca to spread the word. Tarryn had decided to move her smaller items in already, and she was asleep by nine the same night. It didn’t seem strange to me that I had a roommate; instead it made me feel comfortable. I never lived alone before, and I would feel lonely otherwise. Tarryn was quiet, but I knew in time she’d get used to me and I’d get used to her. We just needed to get to know each other first.

Once I was done with the paperwork, I filed the books that were left on the shelf from when Gram was still here. As I placed the classic books on the correct shelves, I felt a longing to finish reading my mysterious book in my nook.

So, instead of going to bed at a decent hour, I climbed into my cozy space and picked the book back up. I didn’t open it right away. Instead I inspected the outside for any sort of title. I found nothing of the sort. I flipped to the title page once more, trying to find my place, and that’s when I saw the word on the page. It was just a simple “The” typed out on the once blank title page. I ran my finger across it and realized it was printed in ink as if the press had done it. I was sure the night before it was blank, but then again, I was sure my dream about being with a man was real. So I wasn’t really a reliable source at the moment.

I found the spot where I ended with a dog-eared page. I absolutely hated doing this to the book and didn’t remember it at all. I usually had a nice bookmark, but this seemed to be the only thing to mark the page before I had fallen asleep. Running my fingers across the crease at the corner of the page, I settled back and started reading.

I woke up once again face down, this time I was in grass. I blinked my eyes and felt the blades of grass tickling my nose and lips. I pulled myself up and took a deep breath. I looked around and saw the fields upon which I had dreamt of the night before. I was back in England. I was dreaming the same dream. How odd.

There were times when I had thought I had the same dream over and over again, to only find out that it was my mind playing tricks on me. This was no mistake. I was, once again, in the same place.

“Emmeline, are you all right?” I looked up and blocked the sun from my eyes. The man from before was standing in front of me. “You … you disappeared. It happened so fast that I fear I cannot explain to you how it happened. Now you’re here once again.” He sounded really confused and, to put it lightly, so was I.

This dream felt way too real. It was exactly like before. So real and tangible that I couldn’t explain it even if I tried.

“I … I don’t know how I’m here again,” I mumbled.

He reached out to steady me as I swayed to the side. “You’ve been gone for days. I worried I was going mad, that your presence was one of my imaginings. I dared not to speak a word to anyone about it. I have to admit, Emmeline, I’ve been going slightly crazed since I saw you last.”

His hair was disheveled and he had grown a slight beard that only enhanced the sexiness of his strong jawline. His deep set blue-green eyes looked weary, and for that I felt awful.

My sudden disappearance had made him fall apart, that was apparent.

“I’ll tell you, I feel like I’m going crazy too. Trust me,” I admitted. “Can we sit somewhere? Out of the sun?”

“Of course.”

He held my arm and led me to a tree in the center of the field. Once underneath the large tree, I felt instantly better. I looked down at my clothes and saw that I was, once again, in my own clothes. This time a little better than before. I was wearing yoga pants and an old T-shirt.

“I can’t explain how or why I’m here. Hell, I don’t even know your name, but I’m here again and I’m beginning to think that this isn’t a dream. That I’m really here, with you,” I said as I touched his arm. “I’m not from … here.”

I didn’t know how to explain it to him, but I did the best any girl who was somehow traveling through time could. I didn’t have answers or explanations, but I had a gut feeling.

“I’m from a different time as you. As you can tell by my lovely clothing, I’m not from 1893.”

He placed his fingers on my lips, stopping me, while shaking his head.

“This isn’t right, Emmeline. Trickery at a time like this isn’t fair,” he said as he stood up fast. “I am leaving soon. I shall not have you doing this to me.”

My mouth fell open in shock and I stood. “Do something to you? Listen here, buddy, I didn’t ask for this. I sat down to read a book and then boom, I’m stuck in England with a stranger.”

I pointed at myself. “Look at me. Do I really look like I belong here?”

He looked at my clothing and up to my hair, and I could see his cheeks redden.

“You are dressed very indecent, I suppose. No woman I’ve ever met wears trousers. Nor do they wear clothing that fitting.”

I laughed. He thought this was indecent, he should see some of the dresses I had worn to parties. They were nothing like the dresses he was used to seeing on a woman. We absolutely didn’t dress ladylike anymore. My sexy little black dress that currently hung in my closet would definitely shock some of the people of this era for sure.

“I don’t know why I’m here. I’m absolutely not trying to, I don’t know, hurt you or anything. I don’t know how to go home.” I slumped back against the tree. “I wish that I could prove to you that I’m not lying to you, but I cannot. You’ll have to just believe me, I guess.” It was as simple as that. He could either believe this bat-shit crazy explanation or not. One way or another, I didn’t care. I just wanted to go home.

“I don’t know why, Emmeline, but I feel as if I should say that I do believe you.” He ran a hand through his thick hair, mussing it up. “I just don’t know how else to explain your abrupt presence. One minute you are here and the next you’re disappearing into thin air. I read many books on fiction, so I suppose it could be true.”

“Well, I may know someone who knows something. She works for the lucky bastard that owns that house,” I told him pointing to the house where Nancy was the last time I saw her. She was probably cooking something again for her master.

He smiled. “That house?”

“Yes. Her name is Nancy.”

“Ah. Nancy. And who is this Nancy woman you speak of?” He continued to smile as if this was a joke, but I ignored it.

“She’s a cook. I met her on my last visit here,” I explained. “She’s not the nicest person I’ve ever met, but I think she has some answers.”

“I must argue that Miss Nancy is more than a cook. She’s also the lady upon with which I trust my household while I’m gone. She’s more of an aunt than a housekeeper,” he said as he took my hand in his. “It’s very nice to finally introduce myself to you, Emmeline Bailey. I’m Jack Ridgewell or you may just call me the lucky bastard.”

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Review: Trusting You & Other Lies by Nicole Williams

Trusting You & Other Lies
By: Nicole Williams
Release Date:

Description:
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Nicole Williams delivers a seductive summer romance worth swooning over. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins.

Phoenix can't imagine anything worse than being shipped off to family summer camp. Her parents have been fighting for the past two years--do they seriously think being crammed in a cabin with Phoenix and her little brother, Harry, will make things better? 

On top of that, Phoenix is stuck training with Callum--the head counselor who is seriously cute but a complete know-it-all. His hot-cold attitude means he's impossible to figure out--and even harder to rely on. But despite her better judgment, Phoenix is attracted to Callum. And he's promising Phoenix a summer she'll never forget. Can she trust him? Or is this just another lie?

Review:

Ahh, Nicole Williams has done it again.  She has succeeded in giving me all the necessary fills throughout a book.  This was a ride I would go on again, the book was just flat out amazing.  The character interactions, the emotions, the real life scenarios, it was just beautiful.  Trust, it’s a hard thing to get back, but it’s an important thing to have with anyone. 

We meet Phoenix, which when you finish the book couldn’t have been a more perfect name for the main character, who is on her way to spend the summer at a family camp, with her disastrous family.  She doesn’t have too much of any high hopes that this vacation will be any good especially with all the background drama happening with her family.  But being young, you really have no choice but to go along. This is where she meets Callum.  He’s quite the enigma himself, keeping to himself but somehow she breaks down through some of those barriers. 

The relationship the develop is very sweet and endearing, gives you high hopes that there are good things out there in life for us, but it’s their trust and sometimes lack of trust in one another that made their relationship just so real and believable.  I felt for them, and I was rooting for them throughout the whole book.  There were moments that made me smile, moments that made me sad and broke my heart and then of course moments that just outright made me cry throughout this book but those moments they shared gave me butterflies, and those are the best kinds of moments.

This book not only talked about romance, and love but it was about family.  Trusting your family and making sure your family trusted you.  It was a beautiful story to show this dynamic, everything isn’t always perfect but it’s how you perceive and work through those issues that make you the family you are.  It will bring everyone closer together.  Don’t get me wrong I loved the scenes between Callum and Phoenix, but those moments with her mom and her dad, and the precious ones with her brother, those are the memories I will keep the dearest to me from this book.  Family is everything.

I will definitely give some high praise to this book because trust and lies sometimes they go hand in hand, and sometimes you just have to learn why someone did what they did to get clarity on everything.

I loved the characters in the book, the scenery with it being at camp, and it being summer and all.  I really enjoyed reading through the different situations that took place in the book, again very believable and realistic, and dare I say may even be helpful to some who read it.  Sometimes you just have to remember that sometimes people do certain things in your best interest, even if you don’t see it that way at first.

Go read this book! It’s worth it and you will not regret it.  It really touched my heart and to that I thank the author, Nicole Williams, who has yet to let me down in any story of hers that I’ve read.  

Disclaimer:

I received this book from NetGalley and Random House Children, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: I'm Not in the Band by Amber Garza

I'm Not in the Band
By: Amber Garza
Release Date: June 12, 2017

Description:
I like Kassidy Milton. There, I said it. She’s funny, beautiful—even though she doesn’t know it—and my favorite kind of weird. But I can’t tell if she’s into me or just trying to get close to me for a chance with my famous twin brother instead. I mean, it has to be me. I am the better-looking one.

But Kassidy has some demons, and she’s not good at letting people in. That happens when you’ve been hurt by someone close to you. I can relate. Trust is a funny thing; it’s hard to gain but easy to lose. I might just learn that the hard way.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book includes a snarky heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, crazy best friends, your favorite music, and lots of feels. 

Review:

Sometimes it’s really hard being a teenager, and when there are other factors in your life preventing you from fully being yourself it makes life even harder.  I think that Amber Garza did a really great job showing the different sides to teenagers and just people in general today.  Sometimes there are factors out of your control.

We meet Kassidy (great name by the way) who is out with her sister and trying to pretty much get her life back on track.  She’s starting a new school and trying to find herself after her breakup with all her friends at her old school.  Of course she just happens to run into a guy at a concert and one thing leads to another and they really hit it off.  I think this is a fantasy of many teenage girls, to find a guy at a concert who just so happens to be related to the band or at least knows someone.  I know when I was younger I used to fantasize about things like that.  Anyway back to the story, it just so happens they go to the same school and he’s going to show her around.

I don’t really want to expand on the story to much because you should really check it out.  But the interaction between these two and their friends is quite fun to experience.  There is a bit of jealousy going on that I think anyone would feel and then of course all the backstory with Kassidy comes out in little pieces here and there.  It’s interesting and difficult to live through her panic attacks, and understand what she’s going through but at the same time I think it’s something we definitely need to learn to understand.  These are some serious illnesses, thoughts and things that happen to these kids and it will just make you a better person for reading about them and experiencing it through their eyes.  Especially because the author did such a great job describing them.

This was really a great book overall and I think anyone would enjoy it.  I love the cover I think it’s sweet and endearing and I’m totally rooting for these two to live happily ever after.  Great quick read with some serious undertones.

Disclaimer:

I received this book from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: The Best Kind of Magic by Crystal Cestari

The Best Kind of Magic
By: Crystal Cestari
Release Date: May 16, 2017
Series: Windy City Magic #1

Description:
Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family Wicca gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific magical talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber's pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone's soul mate.

Amber works at her mother's magic shop--Windy City Magic--in downtown Chicago, and she's confident she's seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one--her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor's son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father's missing girlfriend, she's distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can't see her own match, she can see his--and it's not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn't her match?

The Best Kind of Magic is set in urban Chicago and will appeal to readers who long for magic in the real world. With a sharp-witted and sassy heroine, a quirky cast of mystical beings, and a heady dose of adventure, this novel will have you laughing out loud and questioning your belief in happy endings.

Review:

This was definitely a different kind of book then I’m used to.  I haven’t read anything paranormal in quite some time but the description and name of the book rally caught my eye.  It was overall cute and entertaining take on the paranormal world and all the different types of inhabitants.  I think the author did a wonderful job bringing you into this world throughout the city of Chicago with its magical tendencies.

We meet Amber, a matchmaker, who is just trying to go through the motions of life and hoping that one day she will be matched.  Her best friend is a precog, who can tell the future, but they’ve made a pact not tell about each other’s lives.  Which is all well and dandy for them but then a third party comes in and needs their help, or more specifically Amber’s help.  Charlie, the mayor’s son, and quite the catch around town and especially in their school.  He’s on a mission to find someone who is missing and has requested the help of Amber Sand. 

They are adorable together, you see many different paranormal throughout the book and I like that Charlie really isn’t that affected by everything, if anything he thinks it’s pretty great that these beings exist and that he didn’t even know about it.  I also enjoy that the Amber’s nemesis Ivy (who is an enchantress basically) has no effect on Charlie as well.  It’s fun to watch all their interactions.

The book flowed very nicely and there was a bit of intrigue and even though everything was answered at some point in the book I can’t wait to find out what really happens next. I mean with Amani and her match of course, you’ll see what I’m talking about.  It all sounds really interesting and I can’t wait to dig in, hopefully it’s the next book in the series. 

I liked the setting, the location, the people, and the situations they got themselves into.  There must be something in the air a lot of paranormal books tend to take place in places like Chicago, that must be a hub for real paranormal, note to self, go to Chicago to scope the place out. J I like the cover it’s very cute simple, interesting and mysterious.  The book was in whole a great book to read and quick and easy, can’t wait to see what happens next. 

Disclaimer:

I received this book from NetGalley and Disney Book Group, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!