​BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for Ben Woodard's newest young adult mystery, The Staircase of Fire. The tour will run May 23 - June 13, 2018.

Book details:
Reality Gold  by Tiffany Brooks 
Published by: Dunemere Books | Publication date: May 22nd 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Synopsis:“There are only two ways to survive Internet infamy: drop offline and play dead or give everyone something bigger and better to talk about. I’ve tried the first strategy. Now it’s time to try the second…”
A year and a lifetime ago, Riley Ozaki was just an ordinary high school junior in San Francisco, stressing over boys and grades. But an ill-conceived editorial in her school paper brought her an internet avalanche of public-shaming and ruined her life.
Now Riley’s on a helicopter dropping into a deserted island with nineteen other teens, to star in a reality show that will be her redemption. She has no other choice. National attention was what got her into this mess, and only the same level of exposure can get her out. Besides, Riley has a few tricks up her sleeve.
With a cast of vivid characters who will stop at nothing to win the show, a cursed island setting, and a priceless treasure waiting to be discovered, Reality Gold will drop readers right into a scheming web of lies, love, and betrayal.
Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N |

Reality Gold    - Tiffany Brooks                               

A really good story.  I loved all the action and suspense.  Once I started reading it was hard for me to put it down.
 
The characters and setting were well-developed.  I liked how each of the characters had their own distinct personality.  I could easily feel the emotions of the characters and it was easy to visualize it all.  I could honestly picture myself there with them.

The title of the book and the book cover were a very good match for the story.

I highly recommend this book to young adult readers.  It is very captivating.

​I give this book a literary rating of 5/5
written by vickie

AUTHOR BIO:
Tiffany Brooks lives in San Francisco with her family and a bunch of pets, who luckily don’t object to being featured on her Instagram. The best thing about living on the west coast is she can find out what happens on Game of Thrones three hours ahead of air time. That, plus not having winter weather, means she’ll never move back east, although that doesn’t stop her New England family from asking when she’ll be moving “back home” to NYC or Connecticut. Reality Gold, her debut novel, kicks off the Shifting Reality Collection, a YA trilogy.
Author links: Website |Goodreads | Facebook |

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• A paperback copy of Reality Gold plus a $25 Amazon gift card

This grand prize giveaway - ends June 7th:

Paperback, 226 pages
Published May 1st 2018 by Covenant Communications, Inc. 
Bree Mercer is an ambitious sports reporter who has risen through the ranks to land her dream job. Basking in the sun, sea, and seriously cute guys in her new singles ward, things couldn't be better. That is, until she's assigned to write a feature on the one person she can't stand—professional beach volleyball player Kade Townsend. A typical cocky athlete, Kade's previous attempt to woo her was foiled by Bree's hard-and-fast rule: don't date athletes. Ever.

Kade loathes the media, and for good reason: when his hard-partying ways were exposed by a reporter who claimed to be his friend, the scandal rocked his entire family. Now reformed, Kade has put his life back together, and he has no interest in talking to reporters—least of all Bree Mercer. But when the pair is thrown together despite their best efforts, their chemistry is undeniable. They can't seem to put the brakes on their feelings—until their connection threatens Bree's reputation and Kade's hard-won redemption. Now they must decide if there is a place for love in their plans for the future.

MY REVIEW:
Perfect set is a fun, touching, frustrating, exciting and all around great story, written in the familiar style of talented writer, Melaniew Jacobson! This is an equally enjoyable book for Adults and YA alike.
Bree is career-centered but silently envisions a fairy tale romance. However, years ago, she discovered fairy tales are not reality. 
The "dream job" she landed is not turning out as she thought it would. She feels more like a "girl Friday" than the editor she was hired to be. But then her "big Break"came, that is until she found out what was an impossible assignment it would be! She'd just have to do her best to get enough background to post a viable article.
This is directed at an L.D.S. audience but it is very enjoyable for anyone (especially those who enjoy "chick lit"). It is slightly predictable but so intriguing, it is well-worth time spent.
The characters and scenes are so well portrayed, the reader most likely, will feel he/she is a part of it all. 
This poignant tale is sure to captivate all who read it. It is a smooth blend of romance, adventure, conflict and drama.
The Cover Image and Title are both a perfect "fit"! 
This earns a Five Stars rating.  
This was gifted me with no suggestion of a positive review. This is my honest review.

Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She consumes astonishing amounts of chocolate, chick flicks, and romance novels. After meeting her husband online, she is now living happily married in Southern California with her growing family and a series of doomed houseplants. Melanie is a former English teacher and a popular speaker who loves to laugh and make others laugh. In her down time (ha!), she writes romantic comedies for Covenant and maintains her humorous slice-of-life blog. Her first novel was, The List.
​

Goodreads | Amazon | Website |

THIS TOUR & GIVEAWAY IS PRESENTED BY COVENANT COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING

Book Details:
 Offsides, #1 & 2 by Natalie Decker 
Published by: Swoon Romance  |  Publication date: July 11th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis book 1 - Right Text Wrong Number:Cheerleader Layla and football player Tyler are complete opposites. She thinks he’s the biggest jerk in school and he thinks she’s too high on her horse to even be worth a second glance. When the two of them are near one another, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. They can hardly endure speaking, let alone dating.

But when Layla unknowingly sends Tyler a smack-down text meant for the girl sending naked photos to her then-boyfriend, Adam, Tyler has no idea it’s Layla and decides to play along. After all, Tyler cannot resist messing with the pissed off girl firing off texts about junk pictures, cheating, and girl code.

As the fallout from Adam’s scandalous texts plays out in front of the entire school, Tyler and Layla secretly continue to text each other using fake names. But as days and weeks pass, things take a turn for the serious between them, and suddenly, their texts mean more. Maybe it’s time to come clean about who they are and risk taking the relationship from texts to dates, then kissing, and maybe more.

They say there’s a thin line between love and hate. Can reality live up to the fantasy, or will Layla and Tyler be forever offsides?

​Synopsis book 2 - Right Kiss, Wrong Guy:
You’d think a girl with the most romantic name in the world would have her pick of boyfriends.
But Valentine’s Day sucks when you’re single. Just ask Juliet Valentine, whose last name happens to also be the name of the most dreaded made-up holiday ever.
A romantic at heart, this year is especially hard on Juliet. Her sister, Layla, is in a new relationship, her mom’s match-making business is doing great, and her school’s new fundraiser is “Love-Grams.”
Juliet’s miserable, a little jealous, and lonely.
Quarterback Jared Black is the most popular guy in school. A star athlete, Jared tops the most-eligible bachelor list year after year. But to Juliet Valentine, he’s all but invisible. She isn’t impressed.
Jared’s never had to work hard to get the attention of a girl before. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and he’s determined to ask Juliet out. After all, if Tyler can win over Layla, Jared ought to have a shot with Layla’s sister.
Unlike Tyler and Layla, charm, flattery and good looks won’t work on Juliet. So with the V-Day dance coming up, Jared uses the school’s Love-Grams to let Juliet know how he feels. Should be simple enough, right?
Wrong. Each attempt ends up either in the trash or thrown in someone’s face. Juliet won’t play his game.
Now, without a date to the dance Jared realizes it’s going to take a Hail Mary to win the girl of his dreams.
Goodreads |  Purchase: Amazon |

AUTHOR BIO:
Natalie Decker is the author of RIVAL LOVE series and the Scandalous Boys series. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn't her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She's a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she's not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she's off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!
Author links: Website | Facebook | Twitter |  Goodreads  |

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

• Rival Love Series Paperbacks and both eBooks in Offsides Series + $15 Target Gift Card 

This grand prize giveaway - ends May 24th:

Dating the Prince by Alina Snow
Small-town girl, Katie O’Connor has always dreamed of seeing her name in lights. Check the box for fame, a movie deal, the perfect leading role that comes with a gorgeous leading man! Katie moved to Hollywood, elbows her way into auditions, lives on a shoestring budget—whatever is required to land a deal, she throws her heart into… until she’s involved in a royal kidnapping.
As the future king, Prince Alexander refuses to rule from an ivory tower. Duty-bound, he intends to relate to his future subjects, regardless of their walk of life. Before his coronation, he needs a foolproof plan to outrun his security team and go temporarily AWOL. While visiting L.A., all it takes is a sound stage collision and Alex is blindsided by a headstrong woman who is simply irresistible. So much so, he calls in a favor in order to secure her help … as his pretend girlfriend.
Their worlds are oceans apart, but their immediate attraction is impossible to put aside, especially their nonstop banter. Miffed at being wrangled into a situation that might blow up in her face, Katie comes up with her own plan. If The Prince is serious about walking the walk of the common folk, she’s only too happy to oblige as his pretend girlfriend. Through an ice storm, a road trip, kitchen duty, and a Texas pig race, Alex captures the hearts of the locals as well as Ms. O’Connor’s.
What starts out as a deal Katie can’t refuse becomes the acting role of a lifetime… letting Prince Alexander go without a fight.
A delightfully funny retelling of The Prince and The Pauper that romance readers of all ages will enjoy. On a two-week 1,500-mile road trip, Katie and Alex discover the end of the road might just be the beginning of their ‘Happy Ever After’ together.

Dating The Prince- A Royal Romance Comedy     - Alina Snow 

This is such a fun romantic story.  I enjoyed learning history about how royalty live in the UK.

The characters are all well-developed and it is easy to feel their emotions.  
The story did a great job of catching and holding my attention.  It flows well from chapter to chapter.

It is a good clean romance and I highly recommend it to other readers who enjoy good fun romance.
I give this book a literary rating of  5/5
​written by vickie

Author Alina Snow
Southern gal at heart. Alina is a librarian who adores her job. She has a degree in anthropology from Vanderbilt and loves writing offbeat romance comedy. To refuel, Alina sings karaoke, bakes sweet treats, and can be found at the Y, kickboxing. She lives in Knoxville with her husband and Callie, their doxie mix.
​Website * Facebook * Twitter

Blog Tour Schedule
May 14th
I Am A Reader – Spotlight
A Writer’s Life – Spotlight
Why Not? Because I Said So! – Spotlight
Christy’s Cozy Corners – Spotlight
May 15th
Wishful Endings – Spotlight
Susan Heim on Writing – Spotlight
Life Beyond Kids – Spotlight
Kerrific Online – Spotlight
Laura’s Interests – Review
May 16th
Hearts & Scribbles – Spotlight
The Avid Reader – Spotlight
StoreyBook Reviews – Spotlight
Laurisa White Reyes, Author – Spotlight
books are love – Spotlight
Kindle and Me – Spotlight
May 17th
More Than a Review – Spotlight
Live to Read ~Krystal – Spotlight
Deliciously Savvy – Spotlight
My Book a Day – Review
May 18th
Paulette’s Papers – Spotlight
Hott Books – Spotlight
BookHounds – Spotlight
Bookworm Lisa – Spotlight
Rockin’ Book Reviews – Review
May 19th
Among the Reads – Review
May 20th
Know Your Books – Review
May 21st
T’s Stuff – Spotlight
Books are my life – Spotlight
A Backwards Story – Spotlight
Hardcover Feedback – Review
May 22nd
Stacking My Book Shelves! – Spotlight
Literary Time Out – Review
Mel’s Shelves – Review
May 23rd
Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – Spotlight
Room With Books – Spotlight
Heidi Reads… – Spotlight
Locks, Hooks and Books – Spotlight
Smada’s Book Smack – Review
May 24th
Maureen’s Musings – Spotlight
Cassandra M’s Place – Spotlight
Getting Your Read On – Spotlight
Life of a Female Bibliophile – Review
May 25th
Books A-Brewin’ – Spotlight
Bargnhtress – Spotlight
Ladytechie’s Book Musings – Review
What’s Beyond Forks? – Review

Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Code or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/31/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Yellow Locust by Justin Joschko
Release Date: May 8, 2018 | Publisher: Month9Books

​Selena Flood is a fighter of preternatural talent. But not even her quick fists and nimble feet could save her parents from the forces of New Canaan, the most ruthless and powerful of the despotic kingdoms populating America-that-was.

​Forced to flee the tyrannical state with her younger brother Simon in tow, Selena is now the last chance for peace in a continent on the verge of complete destruction.

In her pocket is a data stick, the contents of which cost her parents their lives. Selena must now ensure it reaches the Republic of California—a lone beacon of liberty shining across a vast and barren wasteland—before it’s too late.

Between New Canaan and California stretch the Middle Wastes: thousands of desolate miles home to murderers, thieves, and a virulent strain of grass called yellow locust that has made growing food all but impossible. So when Selena and Simon stagger into Fallowfield, an oasis of prosperity amidst the poisoned plains, everything seems too good to be true—including the warm welcome they receive from the town’s leader, a peculiar man known only as The Mayor.

As Selena delves deeper into the sinister secrets of this seemingly harmless refuge, she soon learns there is a much darker side to Fallowfield and the man who runs it. Before long, she must call upon the skills she honed in the fighting pits of New Canaan to ensure not only her own survival, but that of her brother, in whom the Mayor has taken far too keen an interest.

And she’d better act fast, for an all-out war inches ever closer, and New Canaan is never as far away as it seems.
Link toGoodreads:
Purchase Links:
​Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Guest Post:
List your all-time favorite literary characters and why you like them.

My reading habits are pretty all over the map, so pegging down a favorite literary character is tricky. With that in mind, I’ve come up with a list of five characters I’m particularly fond of:

1) Charles Kinbote (from Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov): A stuffy academic (among other things) with delusions of grandeur (maybe), Kinbote manages the singular feat of editing his dead friend’s epic poem, writing 150 pages of footnotes, and still making the entire manuscript all about himself. Eloquent and arrogant in equal measure, Kinbote crank’s Nabokov’s mastery of the unreliable narrator to the absolute limit. After reading Pale Fire, I couldn’t be sure if every word was supposed to be a lie, the unvarnished truth, or somehow both at once.

2) Fiver (from Watership Down by Richard Adams): Hazel is a hero, Bigwig’s tough, but my heart has always belonged to little Fiver. Quiet, shy, and prone to anxiety, he overcomes all these issues when his gift of second sight informs him of a coming disaster, risking humiliation and scorn in his warnings to the rest of his warren. He remains a stalwart and insightful companion throughout Hazel’s journey, his bravery underscored by his fear.

3) Roland Deschain (from The Dark Tower series by Stephen King): What can you say about Roland of Gilead, Son of Stephen and heir to the greatest opening line in the history of American literature? A consummate badass, Roland can outshoot, outwit, and outlast any opponent foolish enough to stand between him and his Tower. Yet there remains a softness in the center of his ossified heart, and a genuine love for his ka-tet. The Dark Tower might be his quest, but his greatest struggle is to prove that a man is never too old to change.

4) Merricat Blackwood (from We have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson): My favorite narrator in all of fiction, Merricat Blackwood is a figure that defies definition. Her voice blends the viewpoints of starry-eyed childhood, sulky adolescence, and a world-weary fatalism that stands outside of time. A firm believer in magic and the unfairness of all things, she shows a profound love for her sister and affection for her uncle that belies her prickly exterior. Just don’t take any sugar if she invites you to tea.

5) Ignatius Reilly (from A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole): Ignatius J Reilly. Even his name is funny. Decrier of heathen centuries, lover of theology and geometry, hater of Mark Twain, wearer of funny hats, and possessor of a faulty pyloric valve, Ignatius is the greatest comedic character to ever grace a novel. Thirty years old, Ignatius still lives at home with his hard-done-by mother, where he spends his days watching cartoons, insulting everyone in his presence, and composing an endless ode to his genius on stack upon stack of Big Chief tablets. Though largely a blowhard, Ignatius is not without his moments of insight, as best seen in this bit of sage advice: “When Fortuna spins you downward, go out to a movie and get more out of life.” 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Justin Joschko is an author from Niagara Falls, Ontario. His writing has appeared in newspapers and literary journals across Canada. Yellow Locust is his first novel. He currently lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.
 
Website | Twitter | Goodreads

​GIVEAWAY!

• One (1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a digital copy of Yellow Locust by Justin Joschko (INT)
  

]Love Beyond Opposites (Grad Night #3)
by Molly E. Lee
Publication Date:  May 7, 2018 | Publisher:  Entangled TEEN

If high school has taught mathlete Jade Aaron anything, it's that nerds never get the guy.

So when rock star Lennon Pryor starts pursuing her, It's not rocket science. This doesn't add up.

I mean, sure, he's hot...
And charming....
And a god on the guitar...
But he's also the world's biggest player. Being with him would be a bigger mistake than 2+2=5.

Until graduation night, when a reckless moment leads to a reckless kiss. And now Jade's falling for the one guy destined to break her heart.
​Goodreads | Purchase Links:
Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

AUTHOR Bio"
Molly E. Lee is an author best known for her debut novel EDGE OF CHAOS, and as a mentor at Pitch Wars - a program which connects promising writers to established authors in the community. Molly writes New Adult and Young Adult contemporary featuring strong female heroines who are unafraid to challenge their male counterparts, yet still vulnerable enough to have love sneak up on them. In addition to being a military spouse and mother of two + one stubborn English Bulldog, Molly loves watching storms from her back porch at her Midwest home, and digging for treasures in antique stores.
Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Link to Tour Schedule:

GIVEAWAY!
$15 Amazon Gift Card!

Book details:

Cascading Petals 
by Jane C. Brady 
Publication date: December 5th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:Despite the years of bullying in school, Jewel Hart has remained sweet and kind. She has it all—a great life, a great family, and beauty—but she has never been able to obtain the one thing she wants—to belong.
When Jewel meets Kaiden Carter, a good-looking, charming new student at York Mills High, things start to look up. On the surface, he is perfect, but Jewel can’t shake the feeling that everything is not as it seems.
When the devastation of the rising suicides in her school hits too close to home and drives Jewel into a deep despair, she clings to Kaiden’s strength to find her way back. Through the pain and fear surrounding her, she finds hope and the will to go on. But just as she picks herself up, tragedy strikes again, threatening to steal her last glimmer of hope. How will she go on? Can she ever find her place in the world?
Goodreads | Purchase:~  Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo |

Cascading Petals   - Jane C Brady                           
This is an excellent story.  Very well-written. I can so relate in so many instances in this book.  I wish that every student could read this book and then discuss it with others.  What a powerful reminder to us all about the hardships of growing up and attending school.

The characters are very well-developed.  I enjoyed them all. I felt their emotions, the ups and downs.  I shed a lot of tears.
The cover and the title are perfect for the story.
I would highly recommend this book to pre-teens, teens and even adults.  It is a good reminder for everyone.
I give this book a literary rating of 5/5

AUTHOR BIO:
Jane lives life to the full because she doesn’t want to wake up twenty years from now regretting all the things she didn’t do. She’s an avid traveler who also loves throwing elaborate dinner parties where she wows her guests with gourmet meals. Jane has a passion for writing, interior design, history, movies, board games, and fitness. In her quest  for an exciting life, however, she now draws the line at zip-lining, which she experienced in Costa Rica. Never again!

Jane comes from a family of six sisters and lived in a Tennessee plantation house for several years while growing up. She now lives in Western Canada but dreams of owning a vacation home in South Carolina. She lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart), two teenagers, and two dogs. When she grows up, she’d like to be her brilliant sixteen-year-old daughter (minus the mood swings).
Author links: Website |Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads |

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (UK/CAN/US)

• A Kindle Fire HD 32 g + a signed copy of Cascading Petal

This grand prize giveaway - ends May 24th:

​Book details:
ISAN by Mary Ting 
Published by: Vesuvian Books | Publication date: May 1st 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Synopsis:
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
SCIENTISTS WARNED IT WOULD HAPPEN.
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into our quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.
Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her “better.” To receive the serum, Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.
While on a mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.

"Captivating from the very beginning...this thrilling dystopian drama has a splash of romance and tons of actions." --School Library Journal
Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo |

Teaser:
  With Helix, your senses become heightened. You’ll experience an increase in ability—especially the five senses. Images will be sharper, colors brighter, and you’ll see farther. You’ll be stronger. Your reflexes will be faster, and you’ll be able to hear from longer distances. However, your senses will tame a speaking voice not to boom in your ear. The reason why it doesn’t sound like I’m yelling at you.”
“Incredible.” The word barely left my mouth.
“Some lucky ones have more. We call that extrasensory perception. Based on the blood test, I think you might be one of the lucky ones.”
Something flashed. I caught it with my right hand, then another projectile with my left. Again, my reflexes had taken over and when I looked down, I’d caught two golf balls. I gawked, trembling. The hair on my arms rose.
“Like I said, fast reflexes.” His lips spread in satisfaction.
I clenched my jaw and stiffened. “You could’ve hurt me.”
“No, Ava. Helix doesn’t wear off quickly. I’d never hurt you. I bet you feel pretty powerful right now. Pretty special. What if you can do something good with that? What do you say?”

AUTHOR BIO:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
Author links: Twitter | Blog |Facebook | Goodreads |

Tour Schedule

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• ISAN signed book and swags

This grand prize giveaway (this giveaway is set up and managed by author, not Xpresso Book Tours):

BOOK DETAILS:
According to Audrey by Happy LaShelle 
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing | Publication date: April 30th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Cautious and introverted, seventeen-year-old Dove spends most of her free time pursuing her one true passion: painting. The twinkling lights of Balboa Island, the ferryboat to the peninsula, the fire pits on Big Corona Beach…these have long been the subjects of her canvases as she daydreams about finding an Audrey Hepburn-film kind of romance.
A hotshot jock is exactly not the type of guy she’s been looking for—but when Leo Donovan drops his cool act to show his vulnerable side, Dove begins to question everything. But first she’ll have to navigate her way through claim-staking mean girls and disapproving parents—and still keep her focus on attending the art school of her dreams.
Being in love turns out to be more complex than the average silver-screen classic. Can Dove follow her heart (and Audrey’s cues) to create her own perfect Hollywood ending?
Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks |

ACCORDING TO AUDREY – EXCERPT #3 – Sand and Ocean
​      A crisp breeze blew off the ocean, crackling the embers of the fire. Night had come, with its darkness slowly surrounding us. I huddled in closer to the flames, trying to escape the cold air.
    Behind me, someone’s feet sifted through the sand. I turned my head as a heavy plaid blanket wrapped around my shoulders. Leo bent down toward me. “You’re too close to the fire,” he said, grabbing my elbow and pulling me backwards. “When the wind changes, the flames could burn you.”
      And there it was. Three.
The flannel shirt he’d thrown on was unbuttoned, and the wind flapped it open a little, revealing his red Angels jersey. He sat down beside me, leaving a large gap of empty space between us.
       Time to be friendly. “So, you like the Angels.” My own comfort level surprised me. It came out as a statement, not a question.
      He laughed. “Favorite team. I’ve had this shirt for like three years. Got it with my dad at Angel Stadium.”
    “Kai says you’re really good—that you’ll probably be drafted next year.” As soon as the sentence left my mouth, I wished I could take it back. I squirmed. Now he would think I’d been discussing him with everyone.
      Leo shrugged, unfazed. “Yeah, I definitely hope to go pro.” Nothing seemed to embarrass him.
      On the other side of the fire, two people had started to make-out, their bodies practically entwined. I couldn’t help glancing in their direction every few seconds. How could they just ignore everyone around them like that? They barely ever came up for air. I looked away, half of me annoyed and judgmental, the other half admiring the sheer boldness of it.
       Leo looked sideways at them as they continued on, still oblivious to their audience. He tilted his head in their direction. “Does that bother you?”
        “What?” I knew exactly what he was referring to, but his gutsy question surprised me.
His face stayed serious. “Them kissing like that.”
        I threw him my best casual expression and shrugged my shoulders. “No.” I stared out at the ocean, my thoughts churning along with the waves. He sure was sure of himself.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper as he bent his head toward me.
        I looked down, burying my feet deeper into the sand. “There’s something about the beach at night—the coldness of the sand, the water, the darkness. I don’t know—it’s kind of magical.”
Leo looked out toward the rushing water and pushed his hair out of his eyes with one hand. I watched as his palm trailed down the back of his head, stopping to clasp the back of his neck.          “Damn. I was hoping maybe you were thinking about me.”
I turned to take in his face. His right eyebrow fell lower than his left as his intense stare burned into me. I pursed my lips and held back a smile, not daring to tell him. I was.

|AUTHOR BIO:
Happy LaShelle is a writer, mom of three, and wife to a Basque baker who brings home loaves of crusty sourdough everyday. She lives near the mission bells in sunny Santa Barbara, but loves the cold, rainy banks of London's Thames River just as much as the sandy shores of her Newport Beach hometown. She studied History at UCLA and enjoys taking pictures of old stuff. Because everything has a story.
Author links:
Website | Facebook |Twitter |Instagram | Pinterest |Goodreads |

GIVEAWAY!
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

• Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box (Intl winner would get eBook prizes)

This grand prize giveaway - ends May 17th:

Book details:
Ray Vs the Meaning of Life by Michael F. Stewart 
Publication date: May 15th 2018 | Genres: Young Adult
Synopsis:
Grandma’s Last Will and Testament names Ray to inherit the trailer park. It’s a million-dollar estate with one hitch: to prove he’s not as aimless as he seems, Ray must discover the meaning of life by the end of the month. (She left the answer in an envelope.) If he fails, the camp goes to his estranged family.
How does anyone find the meaning of life while running a park full of misfit miners, would-be truck racers, and one demanding little girl? There’s a bear too. A grizzly. Maybe that’ll help?
Goodreads |~ Purchase: Amazon |

AUTHOR BIO:
Michael F. Stewart embraces all forms of storytelling. In 2009, he created Bully For You for Scholastic Canada, a fully functioning social media platform with an embedded interactive story. He’s written graphic novels for Rubicon Publishing’s Boldprint series, illustrated early readers and novellas for Pearson (coming in 2019!), non fiction texts on Corruption and Children’s Rights; he even tried to convince the world that we needed a location based storytelling app with augmented reality (NARR8R)-we still do! He’s written adult horror, sci-fi, urban fantasy, and adventure. He’s even written books you’ll never find. But nothing is ever wasted. His most recent book, Counting Wolves, a contemporary YA, was named to Kirkus Reviews “Best Books of 2017” list. The Boy Who Swallows Flies (2018) won Killer Nashville’s Claymore Award, and the Assured Destruction Series won The Creation of Stories: Best YA Award at the Toronto International Book Fair. In 2016, Michael was selected to join the CFC/Entertainment One TV Adaptation Lab. Herder of four daughters, Michael lives to write in Ottawa where he was the Ottawa Public Library’s Writer in Residence and runs free writing workshops. To learn more about Michael and his next projects visit:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• 20x eBook copies of Ray Vs the Meaning of Life

This grand prize giveaway - ends May 10th:
​To Enter, just click on the link below!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251232429/