Friday Finds: Love and Games Series

FRIDAY FINDS (by Should Be Reading) showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).


This series was actually recommended to me by Fluffy Reader Francine, who is a huge Rachel Harris fan. I haven't actually read any of her books, but I trust her recommendations, so I'll definitely give it a try. As a matter fact she gifted me book 2 which was on sale this week, and then I got book 1 as part of a boxed set  called Hometown Love, that includes three novels, which was also on sale. I know what you are thinking, lucky me! Indeed! So I got the first two books of what seems a great series, and a bonus of two more. I won't include book 3 of the series here, because even though I know there will be one, it has no title nor a cover yet, so I'll reserve that for another time.



Taste the Heat (Love and Games #1)
by Rachel Harris
Published July 8th, 2013
by Entangled: Bliss

ADD ON GOODREADS
One sexy fire captain. One Cajun chef, One combustible kitchen…
When chef Colby Robicheaux returned home to New Orleans to save her family restaurant, the last person she expected to reconnect with was her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. As tempting as a sugar-coated beignet, Jason is one dish she doesn’t want to taste. Colby is counting down the days till she can leave the place where her distrust of love and commitment originated and go back to Vegas.
Fire captain Jason Landry isn’t looking for love, either. He knows he should focus on finding the perfect mother for his daughter, but when he first sees Colby, all grown up and gorgeous, he can’t help but be drawn to her. And when she suggests a no-strings-attached fling, Jason doesn’t want to say no.

As their relationship grows more intense, Colby finds that Jason isn’t as easy to leave behind as she thought. Could turning up the heat on something real be worth the possibility of getting burned?


Seven Day Fiancé (Love and Games #2)
by Rachel Harris
Published October 14th, 2013
by Entangled: Bliss

Angelle Prejean is in a pickle. Her family is expecting her to come home with a fiancé—a fiancé who doesn’t exist. Well, he exists, but he definitely has no idea Angelle told her mama they were engaged. Tattooed, muscled, and hotter than sin, Cane can reduce Angelle to a hot mess with one look—and leave her heart a mess if she falls for him. But when she ends up winning Cane at a charity bachelor auction, she knows just how to solve her fiancé problem.
Cane Robicheaux is no one’s prince. He doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t fall in love. When sweet, sultry-voiced Angelle propositions him, he hopes their little game can finally get her out of his head. He doesn’t expect her to break through all his barriers. But even as Angelle burrows deeper into his heart, he knows once their seven days are up, so is their ruse.
Don't be afraid to be yourself
Fluffy Reader Valeria

Wishlist Wednesday: #16thingsithoughtweretrue

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted by Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.


#16thingsithoughtweretrue
By Janet Gurtler
Publication Date: March 4th, 2014
By Sourcebooks Fire
Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue
When Morgan's mom gets sick, it's hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one—until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn't as far away as she thought...
Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue
Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan's getting to know the real Adam, and he's actually pretty sweet...in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone?
5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue
With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She's not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend...and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can't imagine living without.

Why I want it: Well, I love books that know how to deal with real important issues in a light and funny way, because life is hard, we all know that, so what we actually need is a different perspective on those same kinds of issues. I've heard great things about this book; apparently it has everything an epic book needs, its cute, funny and sweet while being deep, emotional and soul searching. So yeah, sounds exactly like the recipe for the perfect fluffy read.

I wish, I wish, I wish
Fluffy Reader Valeria

Top Three Tuesdays: LGBT!

Top Three Tuesdays is a feature hosted by Fluffy Reads where we share our top three fluffy books on a theme. This week Fluffy Reader Valeria picked three LGBT books from our read pile!



The Fault in Our Stars
By Nikki Godwin
Published February 21st, 2014

ADD TO GOODREADS
All stability in sixteen-year-old Ridge McCoy’s life crashed and burned in the plane crash that killed his dad. This summer-long basketball camp is his chance to improve his skills and escape his problems back home. But his summer plans take a turn in an unexpected direction when he meets Micah Youngblood, the guy who runs the carousel at the local mall and has a reputation for devouring straight boys’ heterosexuality for breakfast, alongside his chocolate chip pancakes.
Ridge needs a way to avoid the guys at camp, whose only quest for the summer is to drown in beer and hook up with girls. So when Micah offers to explain how the ten unique horses on the carousel are significant to his tribe, Ridge takes him up on it. Still, Ridge can't decide if this is a bad thing or not. All he knows is that he hasn’t felt this alive since his dad fell from the sky, and as the horse adventures come to an end, Ridge finds himself falling as well – for Micah.



Will Grayson, Will Grayson
By John Green and David Levithan
Published April 6th, 2010
By Dutton Children's

ADD TO GOODREADS
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.




Boy Meets Boy
By David Levithan
Published August 1st, 2013
By HarperCollins

ADD TO GOODREADS
This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.
When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.
This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.

Wishlist Wednesday: Isla and the Happily Ever After

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted by Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Isla and the Happily Ever After
By Stephanie Perkins
Expected Publication August 14th, 2014
By Dutton
From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.
I really love Stephanie Perkins and I can't wait to get my grabby hands on a copy of this book. I loved Anna and Lola and I'm hoping to also really love Isla. I should really preorder this one. I am in love with her writing, so I am pretty sure this one is going to be awesome as well.

Why I want it: BECAUSE REASONS. No, I loved Anna and I adored Lola and I can’t wait to get my hands on this one because it’s Stephanie Perkins and I will auto-buy all of her books from now one. I don’t even care what it’s about. I NEED IT. I love the romantic feel of this book. And I love the cute  things. And really, it will look awesome on my shelves too. LOOK AT THAT COVER!
Keep on dreaming,
Fluffy Reader Sandra

Top Three Tuesdays: Travel & Adventures!

Top Three Tuesdays is a feature hosted by Fluffy Reads where we share our top three fluffy books on a theme. This week Fluffy Reader Sandra picked three books with Travel and Adventures!


Just One Day
By Gayle Forman
Published January 8th, 2013
By Dutton Juvenille

ADD TO GOODREADS
When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.


Anna and the French Kiss
By Stephanie Perkins
Published December 2nd, 2010
By Dutton

ADD TO GOODREADS
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?


Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
By Morgan Matson
Published May 4th, 2010
By Simon & Schuster Books

ADD TO GOODREADS
Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

Simply Sunday (#1)

Simply Sunday is a reading meme at Books for a Delicate Eternity. It’s where you can share your favourite quote of the week; be it from a book, a novella, a short story, a poem, a song – whatever you like!

“If he needs the makeup and fancy designer clothes to see how beautiful you are, then maybe you deserve something a little better than a charming prince.” - Veronica Bartles, Twelve Steps (ARC)
Why Fluffy Reader Francine chose it: 
I’m a big believer of accepting a person for who they are no matter what. I don’t have anything against makeup or designer clothes. In fact, I like dressing up. But someone should love you for you. Whether you like wearing clothes that make you stand out or you like being in sweats. A person should love you no matter what state you’re in. If not, then I think it’s time to look elsewhere.

What do you think? Link us to your Simply Sunday post, we'd love to read it!

Weekly Wrapup

Happy Weekend!

How was your week? We have all been a little caught up with things so we weren't able to finish any fluffy reads this week. But Sandra and Francine did start Just One Day by Gayle Forman, which will have a sequel coming out this month. Yay! And Sandra also started on Face Time by S.J. Pajonas, and she thinks it has been cute so far. Valeria started reading Ballerina by Edward Stewart, which focuses more on friendship and its ups and downs.


On the Blog:
That's all. Happy reading~

Friday Finds: If Only Series

FRIDAY FINDS (by Should Be Reading) showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).


I actually saw these books before, but it only came to my attention that they were part of a series when I read some reviews about them this week. It didn't even occur to me that they were, even if their covers had the similar art style, because they were all from different authors. I thought the cover similarities were merely because they were from the same publisher. Silly me. :P

Also, I find it interesting that this a series with different authors writing for it. I'm sure each book is actually a standalone, and they're just grouped together. What makes me curious is WHY they were grouped together. The covers all look so cute so I wonder what they have to offer.

Fool Me Twice (If Only... #1)
by Mandy Hubbard
Published May 6, 2014
by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

ADD ON GOODREADS
Mackenzie and Landon were the perfect couple . . . until he dumped her and broke her heart. Fast-forward a year and they're back where they first met—Serenity Ranch and Spa, where they are once again working together for the summer. Talk about awkward.

Then, Landon takes a nasty fall and gets amnesia. Suddenly, he’s stuck in the past—literally. His most recent memory is of last summer, when he and Mack were still together, so now he’s calling her pet names and hanging all over her. It's the perfect chance for revenge. The plan is simple: keep Landon at arm’s length, manipulate him so he’s the one falling love, and then BAM, dump him. There’s just one problem: Mack can’t fall for Landon all over again.

The If Only romance line is all about wanting what you can't have, and Mandy Hubbard's hilarious break-up/love story is sure to captivate anyone who has ever wished for a second shot at love.
Wish You Were Italian (If Only... #2)
by Kristin Rae
Published May 6, 2014
by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Pippa has always wanted to go to Italy … but not by herself. And certainly not to sit in art school the entire summer learning about dead guys’ paintings. When she steps off the plane in Rome, she realizes that traveling solo gives her the freedom to do whatever she wants. So it’s arrivederci, boring art program and ciao, hot Italian guys!

Charming, daring, and romantic, Bruno is just the Italian Pippa’s looking for—except she keeps running into cute American archeology student Darren everywhere she goes. Pippa may be determined to fall in love with an Italian guy … but the electricity she feels with Darren says her heart might have other plans. Can Pippa figure out her feelings before her parents discover she left the program and—even worse—she loses her chance at love?
Not in the Script (If Only... #3)
by Amy Finnegan
Published October 7, 2014
by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

ADD ON GOODREADS
Millions of people witnessed Emma Taylor’s first kiss—a kiss that needed twelve takes and four camera angles to get right. After spending nearly all of her teen years performing on cue, Emma can’t help but wonder if any part of her life is real anymore . . . particularly her relationships. But her new costar, Jake Elliott, couldn’t care less about how many scenes he has to fake his way through; he needs the money. Toss in a reckless heartthrob, desperate for a comeback, and a resident diva who may or may not be as evil as she seems, and the production of Coyote Hills heats up in unexpected—and romantic—ways. Along with offering front row seats to the real life drama that often unfolds within the entertainment industry, NOT IN THE SCRIPT is a story about two not-so-typical teens who are searching for themselves, and just happen to find each other.

Book Blogger Blurbs: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Book Blogger Blurbs is a feature here on Fluffy Reads where we share our favorite lines from the wonderful reviews from other bloggers about some books that we love or some books that we badly want to read.

Please note: Fluffy Reads does not lay claim on any of the blurbs. We only aim to share all the wonderful words others have written about the book. Each quote has been properly sourced from where we found them.

If you liked any of them, please click the author of each quote, check out their full reviews, and leave some lovely comments.


The Distance Between Us
by Kasie West
Published July 2, 2013
by Harper Teen
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.
This book is adorable and hilarious with the perfect touch of romance that brought me actual  happy tears.
--Fluffy Reader Francine


"...this would definitely put a smile on your face, with fistfuls of thorn-less roses."
-- Dre @ Sporadic Reads

"I dove straight into it and instantly fell in love with the story."

"The Distance Between Us is an engaging, sweet story with heart and snark. The setting is interesting, the characters are endearing, and there are enough real motivators and surprises (hello family secrets) along the way to keep it feeling fresh."
-- Jillian @ Heise Reads & Recommends

"Caymen’s the best girlfriend I always wished I had and Xander is just a swoony sweet flirt that inevitably makes for the best kind of book boyfriend."
-- Christina @ The Book Hookup

"Funny, realistic, sweet and utterly charming, it was a perfect summer read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA stories."

"I believe The Distance Between Us is a book made for everyone. A truly brilliant read."
"Kasie West has converted me into a contemporary reader with the awesomeness that is The Distance Between Us. I gave this one 6 stars out of my 5 star rating system, because 5 just didn't seem to do this book justice!!"



Wishlist Wednesday: The Not Quite Perfect Boyfriend

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted by Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

The Not Quite Perfect Boyfriend (Girlfriend Fiction #5)
by Lili Wilkinson
Published August 1, 2008
by Allen & Unwin
'I did meet a Boy,' Midge snaps. 'He has wavy brown hair, and he's English. I met him at the Library. We had romantic picnics by the river and we kissed. A lot.'

Midge has never had a boyfriend - so she makes one up. Then she is paired for the Major Project with George, the New Boy, who doodles dragons, tucks in his shirt, has a mysterious past and an unseemly interest in secrets. Soon Midge's white lie turns into a web of deceit as she fabricates emails from her imaginary boyfriend, and even a MySpace page.

Then one day, Midge comes face-to-face with her imaginary boyfriend in the school corridor. Tall, brown wavy hair, English accent - he's exactly as she'd described him - right down to his name. Ben catches on quickly and rescues her from certain humiliation - kissing her in front of all her friends. He seems the answer to her prayers. A dream come true. The Perfect Boyfriend! But he turns out to be not quite perfect after all, and before long Midge finds herself in all sorts of trouble.



Lili Wilkinson is probably the first Australian author I remember encountering, and her book, Pink, is one of the first few contemporary chick lit books that I bought. I've only read two books from her, but I have liked them so far. I'm not sure I would say I love them though.

Why I want this book: Well, I've been meaning to read more from her really. I think her books are cute in their own little way. Plus if you read the synopsis, I think it will be fun and entertaining to find that the person you made up suddenly shows up in your school. I assume this will be funny. And I think I'm going to like George who seems quirky. I've been meaning to read this for a long time now, but I haven't seen a copy in local bookstores. So maybe in the future.


Keep on wishing,
Fluffy Reader Francine

Review: Destiny - Cindy Ray Hale



Destiny (Destiny #1)
by Cindy Ray Hale
Release Date: November 5th 2013

Destiny Clark, a young Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're cast together in the school's production of Les Misérables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage.

As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend.

But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world?

Weaving around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.

REVIEW

Last week, we witnessed a strong campaign going on in favor of more diversity in books, and of course we didn’t want to be left out of it. So if you are looking for a good fluffy read with some diversity in it, then Destiny is the book for you.

I know religious issues can be a touchy subject sometimes, this book certainly proves how ugly things can get when we take our beliefs to the extreme of prejudice and hatred, but it was certainly interesting for me, to learn a bit more about some religions I haven’t actually been much exposed to.

A fair warning here, if you are not a fan of Christian Fiction, then maybe this book isn’t for you, because religion is a great subject here and there will be talk about God and Salvation. But if you don’t mind that and want to embrace religious diversity and learn a bit more about religious kids and how they are willing to fight for their beliefs and love; then please give this book a shot.

I really enjoyed this book because it discussed important topics like intolerance and bigotry, which lets face is very real, encompassed in an everyday reality. It was really harsh to see how a person can be shunned for her religious differences, and it was awesome to see Destiny rise through all that and get her life together. It really helped that she met some amazing people to ride along. Plus, besides all the hatred and opposition, I can understand why, when you believe so strongly in something, it could be difficult to date someone with as stronger beliefs in something different.

I can't go without saying that I'm a huge sucker for good boys, and the guys in this books are definitely something else. They were both so devoted and caring, and they also got their whole alpha male act going on. Truly, they are the ideal boyfriends, but in the bottom of my heart, I'm definitely team Preston!

It is weird that Destiny’s parents put their kids in a Baptist school when they are Mormons, but I have actually met people who went to Catholic schools without being one, and even to Hebrew schools when they are not, so I guess, it happens!

I also liked that even though religion was a very relevant piece in the story, this book really is about love and how far are we willing to fight for what we want and for whom we love. It’s about real friendship, and for standing by the people you care for; but what I loved the most was the importance music was given. I’m really a terrible singer, so I do get jealous of people who have the talent these kids had, but the descriptions were so good that I could feel the goose bumps in my skin when they were singing. I swear I could almost hear them sing. I have to admit though; I find it to be really odd that everyone had a piano in their house and that they were all so proficient with music.

In sum, what makes Destiny a good Fluffy Read you will enjoy, is that it’s about determination, loyalty and friendship. It’s about love and passion. It’s about not letting others dictate how you should feel, act or believe. It's about how hatred, prejudice and intolerance can cause so much damage and hurt; and it’s about music and the power it withholds. This book will leave you with a feeling that nothing is impossible, and that you should most definitely fight for what you want.

Verdict:

Happy reading,
Fluffy Reader Valeria

If you liked Destiny then don't forget to check out the next book in the series.


Synchrony (Destiny #2)
by Cindy Ray Hale
Release Date: 2014

When her parents discover she’s been sneaking out with Isaac Robinson the forbidden Baptist boy, Mormon girl Destiny Clark decides it’s time to keep their relationship quiet. As their relationship moves to shakier ground, Destiny discovers that Isaac has a terrible secret, and she is left completely shattered.

The moment Destiny feels all hope is lost, Preston Nelson, her longtime church friend and Isaac's bitter rival, arrives like a beacon of light. It isn't long before two separate disasters strike for Preston and Destiny's best friend, Hannah. As Destiny helps them through their issues, she discovers that sometimes the best way to forget about your own problems is to help a friend in need.

Just as her heart begins to mend and her friendship with Preston begins to heat up, Isaac walks back into her life, threatening to rekindle the feelings she’d hoped to bury forever. Will Destiny and Preston find the synchrony they so desperately need, or will she find a way to forgive Isaac and return to his outstretched arms?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cindy Ray Hale lives in a little slice of wooded heaven near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and children. She spends way too much time following up-and-coming musicians on YouTube and dreams of joining their ranks one day. She’s a bit of a health food nut and can’t live without her daily green smoothies. She tries to stay sane as she juggles writing with four kids, staying active on social media, and keeping up her book blog at http://cinnamoncindy.blogspot.com/. In addition to writing and self-publishing two Young Adult Contemporary novels, she has also written articles for "New Era" magazine and The American Preppers Network.
For more information on The Destiny Trilogy and Cindy’s upcoming books visit http://destinybycindyhale.blogspot.com/ or follow @CindyRayHale on Twitter.
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