{Blog Tour} Kisses on a Paper Airplane - Sarah Vance-Tompkins (Review & Giveaway)

YA Bound Book Tours is organizing a Blog Tour for: Kisses on a Paper Airplane by Sarah Vance-Tompkins. This tour will run from May 16th to 20th.   Check out the tour schedule.

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Kisses on a Paper Airplane
by Sarah Vance-Tompkins
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 14th 2016
Inkspell Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

Drama student Hannah Evans isn't kissing any frogs on her path to find Prince Charming. She's determined to share the perfect first kiss -- with the perfect boy -- in the perfect place -- or she's not kissing anyone at all. When Hannah meets a cute ginger-haired boy in first class lounge in the London airport, she knows he's 'The One.'

Pop star Theo Callahan is on the road to get as far away as possible from his back-stabbing best friend, and his supermodel girlfriend who broke his heart. Until one shy smile from Hannah has him rethinking all of his travel plans.

Theo is smitten, but he's worried she's just a groupie in search of the ultimate selfie. Can Theo learn to trust Hannah in time to share one perfect first kiss, or will Hannah be forced to kiss a frog?

 

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Review

Hannah is a student at a drama school in London.  She gets a call from her mother that is getting married to a man that she just met and needs her to fly home.  Hannah hates flying, but her new stepfather upgrades her to first class for her flight from London to New York.   At the airport her flight gets delayed so she goes to the first class lounge to relax and happens upon a strange guy who she finds attractive and then she passes out.

This is a super short story that is told from the perspective of Hannah and Theo.  I love that we get to see both of their perspectives because it shows they both felt love at first sight.  Hannah didn't initially realize that Theo was a famous musician, but eventually realizes who he is.  Theo was just getting out of a long term relationship that ended in a large amount of drama and heartache.  The major detail is that Hannah has never kissed a guy  before she was waiting for her prince charming and she thinks she might have found him in Theo.  Theo isn't really looking for anything at the moment it seems, but once he sees Hannah things change.

The author did a great job developing both Hannah and Theo as characters.  We got just enough back story from them to see where they are at in their lives and also what lead them to be together.  I think the major thing they have in common is that they both are unsure about love.  Hannah has never really met someone she connected with and wanted to experience a kiss with.  Theo on the other had has come out of a broken relationship.  They are able to easily open up and talk to one another, which is great to meet someone and have an instant connection and are able to openly communicate with.

I wish there will be a sequel for these two because I would love to read what happens next with Hannah and Theo.   I felt like I needed more as a reader. 

I would suggest reading this book when you want a cute romance to perk you up.  It is a short read and easy to be able to do in one sitting. 

I received a copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours for an honest review.  This does not affect my opinion of this book.

My Rating 4/5 

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About the Author

Sarah Vance-Tompkins was born in a small town in northern Michigan. She spent every summer exploring the sugar sand beaches near Sleeping Bear National Park. She left her heart behind when she moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California. She received an MFA in Film Production and went on to work in feature film development in Hollywood. She has worked as a reporter for a weekly entertainment trade publication, and been paid to write obituaries, press releases, the directions for use on personal lubricant bottles, and breathless descriptions of engagement rings for an online jewelry store. She lives in a small town north of Los Angeles with her husband and three cats.

Author Links:

   

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Giveaway

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{Blog Tour} Competing with the Star - Krysten Lindsay Hager (Review & Giveaway)

YA Bound Book Tours is organizing a Blog Tour for: Competing with the Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager. This tour will run from May 16th to 20th.  Check out the tour schedule.

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Competing with the Star
by Krysten Lindsay Hager
Release Date: March 22nd 2016
Limitless Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

The perfect guy, the perfect location. What could go wrong? 

Hadley Daniels’s life seems perfect…

Before the beginning of sophomore year of high school, Hadley and her family move to a beautiful beach town, where she makes amazing new friends and lands the boyfriend of her dreams—Nick Jenkins. He’s the kind of guy every girl swoons over, and it isn’t long until Hadley discovers some are still swooning.

A famous ex-girlfriend makes matters more complicated…

After some time dating, Hadley and Nick form a deep bond. But insecurity sets in when Hadley discovers her boyfriend once had a huge crush on her friend—who just happens to be the beautiful former teen TV star, Simone Hendrickson.

The past is the past—or so they say…

Hadley confronts Nick, who confesses about his history with Simone. Though he claims to only have eyes for Hadley now, it’s hard to believe—especially when she’s blindsided with the news that Nick and Simone kissed after school.

Now Hadley must determine who is telling the truth. Love, betrayal, friendship…who needs soap opera drama when you’re busy competing with a star?

Buy Links:

Amazon US│Barnes & Noble│Amazon UK│Amazon CA

Previous book in the series (click on image for Goodreads link):

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Review

This book follows Hadley a teenager who is a sophomore in high school and is completely told from her point of view.  Since she just moved recently into town she is trying to find her place at a new school with new friends.  She also just got her first boyfriend Nick.   We get to learn a lot about Hadley's friends and also the relationship that she has with each of them throughout the book.

I love that the author captured the teenage mind in the book.  She did a great job with showing how as a teenager you are move conflicted regarding friendships.   Friendships change throughout the years and also when situations pop up you see friends in different lights.  When I was younger I felt I questioned my friends motives more then I question my friendships now.   As you get older you see who is a true friend and also someone you can turn to in any situation.  I think since Hadley is so young she really hasn't figure out how to use her gut yet and determine who is being a true friend.   

I also think the author did a great job with conflicting thoughts and gaining self esteem in the book.  I think it is hard to gain self esteem now a days since a lot of people want to get everyone's opinion plus everyone is comparing themselves to someone else. I feel this is something that you develop as your life goes on and towards the end of the book we can see Hadley maturing and gaining self esteem.  She might not have all the answers by the end of the book, but she is making steps forward in her life. Sometimes getting to many perspectives on a situation doesn't help you need to figure stuff out on your own.

I really enjoyed Pilar as a character in the book.  She is a little secondary compared to the Simone and Nick drama, but she turns out to be one of my favorite people in the book.  Pilar has a lot going on in her life and she takes the time to really start a meaningful friendship with Hadley.  Pilar has a strong family background and is a very strong individual.  She really comes into her own when she begins to defend Hadley against the other girls.  Sometimes you find deep meaningful friendships with people in the least likely of places. 

I had no idea there was a previous book in the series until I wrote up my blog tour post.  You don't need to read the first book to understand what is going on this book can be read as a stand alone book.  Also, now thinking back regarding the first book in the series I bet I would understand some of the relationships between the characters a little better.

I would suggest this as a night time read, it is easy to pick up and put down.  The story is pretty fast paced so you can also read it quickly over the weekend.  

I received a copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours for an honest review.  This does not affect my opinion of this book.

My Rating 4/5 

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About the Author

Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is also the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series (True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, and the soon to be released, Landry in Like) and her work has been featured in USA Today and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values. She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.

Author Links:

   

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 Giveaway

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{Blog Tour} How to Be Cool - Annie Carr (Review)

YA Bound Book Tours is organizing a Blog Tour for: How to Be Cool by Annie Carr. This tour will run from May 9th to 13th. Check out the tour schedule.

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How to Be Cool
by Annie Carr
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: March 1st 2016
Cascade Press

Summary from Goodreads:

Ethan will never be as cool as his twin brother Alex. Alex is a star football player and president of the senior class, while Ethan was born with cerebral palsy and needs crutches to walk. 

Laura will never be as cool as her perfect older sister Nikki. Nikki is everything Laura isn't—confident and gorgeous… until one night when Nikki is brutally raped and hospitalized, and Laura finds comfort in her new friend Ethan. 

Together, Ethan and Laura realize maybe you don't need to be cool to be happy. Or to fall in love. 

And then a revelation about the attack shatters everything… 

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Review

This book is told from the point of view of three people.  Ethan who is the twin brother to Alex.  Ethan suffers from cerebral palsy and uses crutches to walk around.  Alex is the star who is class president along with football star. The book also is told by Laura who is slightly overweight senior whose sister ends up being brutally raped and beaten.  Laura had never had a boyfriend before when the book begins.  Ethan also never had a girlfriend before, but he did try and ask out one girl prior to asking out Laura. 

I think this story is very well told, I got completely sucked into the book and couldn't put it down.  The story of how both Ethan and Laura feel about their siblings is something I think a lot of people can relate too.  It is hard to have a sibling who is more attractive or outgoing and really affects you as a person.  Ethan and Laura are intimidated by their siblings and have a hard time communicating with them.   During the course of the book the relationship between all the siblings greatly changes.  The author did an amazing job describing all of the relationships and also bringing about change.

I loved the character development that the author did for all the characters.  Each character was going through a hardship and had issues.  The author broke open those issues for each of the characters and allowed them to grow throughout the entire book.   One of the issues covered is how others view you and how that affects your own opinion of yourself.  Since we got to see both Ethan's perspective of Laura and Laura's own view of her weight the reader can see how much Ethan really cared about Laura and how her weight was not an issue.  To feel comfortable in your own skin is sometimes challenging, but there is someone out there who is going to love you for your own skin.   

If there was one compliant on the book it was the ending, but that is me just wanting everything to end in a story book ending.  The author did a great job with the ending and making it very realistic and logical.  

I would suggest this more as a weekend book I got completely sucked in and couldn't put it down.  I wanted to know what was going to happen there is a little suspense that builds up in the middle about the rape and you want to find out what really happened.  This would also be a great vacation read it gives you a lot to think about.

I received a copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours for an honest review.  This does not affect my opinion of the book.

My rating: 5/5

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