Book Review: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Title: Say What You Will
Author: Cammie McGovern
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publishing Date: June 3rd 2014
Length: 352 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, friendship, love, cerebral palsy, OCD
Source: Publisher

Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.

When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

Summary by Goodreads

Amy and Matthew both have their issues to deal with. Amy was born with cerebral palsy and Matthew's days are defined by his obsessive-compulsive disorder. They both tell you about their school and home lives, and their blossoming relationship from their own perspectives. These alternating chapters were definitely important to the story because what shapes their relationship and determines their actions and feelings is made up of very complex processes. You learn what it means to have OCD or cerebral palsy, the varying levels of them, how they can develop and ways of therapy.

Matthew comes into Amy's life in form of a student aide. I wasn't even familiar with that concept before I read SAY WHAT YOU WILL. I learned a lot reading Amy and Matthew's story and it sure helped me to think myself in the position of students who are affected by anything like our two main characters.

SAY WHAT YOU WILL kicked off with a very strong first half in which I was absolutely invested in Amy and Matthew's stories. Then something happened that threw me and the characters completely off course and after that I didn't really get into the original mood of the story again. I can't say anything about the events that led to a turn in the story and practically put a buffer on all my cheering for Amy and Matthew's love story. Not sure how other readers dealt with the last part of the book, but I'm sure not everyone sees what's happening as critical to the story as I do.

Cammie McGovern's first YA novel is set in high school. It's Amy and Matthew's senior year. And SAY WHAT YOU WILL is about all the usual stuff that is high school, but it's also about the things that are different for our two characters and why. There are even chapters on Amy and Matthew's lives after high school. In general I really like when the end of high school isn't the end of the story.

Amy and Matthew. Friendship and love. Their lives are made up of clear boundaries. Things people think they can't do or even things their illness keeps them from doing. And now when it comes to two of the most important emotional investments in life, the boundaries that have been ever-present in their lives before are blurring. Considering Cammie's writing technique and her easing the reader slowly, first into Amy and Matthew's friendship, and then into their possible love scenario, SAY WHAT YOU WILL is an amazing read.

3/5 *** SAY WHAT YOU WILL - Messy, enabling and very beautiful in parts!

This could be one of the most real and inspiring stories you are ever going to read. Amy and Matthew's love story is unpredictable in many ways, some you'll like, others may be somewhat infuriating. One thing is clear though, this story is one very challenged love story in many aspects. It will draw out your emotions and may as well steal your heart.

"Everything changed for Amy after that conversation with Matthew.

For most of her school life, Amy had felt a little like Rapunzel, locked in the tower her walker created when she walked down hallways. In eleven years, no one had ever called up to her window or asked for her hair. No one had ever tried to be her friend.

Impossible, you might say. Everyone has some friends.

No, Amy would have to say. Not everyone." ― p. 21

SAY WHAT YOU WILL you might enjoy WONDER by R.J. Palacio. You'll love this Middle Grade story about brave Auggie who was born with a facial deformity. FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB by Antony John tells the story of deaf Piper who has to manage a rock band. And GIRL, STOLEN by April Henry is about the kidnapping of the blind Cheyenne. These books have protagonists who are challenged in some way, and I'm sure you'll enjoy all of them.

* How do you like the UK cover for Amy & Matthew's story?

* Want to meet Cammie McGovern? Check out her event schedule.

* For more information about Cammie and her books visit www.cammiemcgovern.com.

* Thanks to Harper Collins International for the ARC of SAY WHAT YOU WILL!

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Behind The Pages #5 - Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Welcome to my new Behind The Pages post! You can find last month's post of this feature, with Jennifer Salvato Doktorski and her debut novel How My Summer Went Up In Flames, here. Today I'm sharing annotated pages from UNRAVELING by Elizabeth Norris with you, a fast-paced and thrilling read!

What is Behind The Pages all about? I asked some of my favourite authors and a bunch of promising 2014 debut authors to annotate a scene, page or more of one of their books. I see the feature as a chance to show readers what's behind a page. Authors can share their favourite writing memories, the music that influenced a certain scene or anything else that comes to their mind. We might get hints to what the characters were thinking and feeling that exact moment or other fun details about their story. Hope you enjoy Behind The Pages as much as I do. I'm intending this feature to be a monthly post here on the blog.

Thanks to all the incredible authors who took the time to annotate a page or scene for us, your comments are always so insightful and fun to read. When readers can't get enough of a book and its characters it only shows how much the author's work means to them, to us. Thank you! 

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Sixteen-year-old Janelle Tenner is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle's mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother, Jared.

And that was before she died... and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. When she discovers a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth's destruction, Janelle learns she has twenty-four days to figure out how to stop the clock and save the planet.

Source

About Elizabeth Norris: "Elizabeth Norris briefly taught high school English and history before trading the southern California beaches and sunshine for Manhattan's recent snowpocalyptic winter. She harbors dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo Tea, fortunately not all together. Her first novel, UNRAVELING (Balzer+Bray, April 2012), is the story of one girl’s fight to save her family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming." (Author bio found on Goodreads.)

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Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

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 Snap Shots 

Here are pictures of Sunset Cliffs. Photo credit goes to Jaime Arnold from Two Chicks on Books (she took them after reading the book).

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Soundtrack

The song that was Elizabeth Norris' romantic inspiration for Ben and Janelle was "All I Need" by Within Temptation.

  

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Mini Review #24

Today I'm sharing three mini reviews of two sequels I should have reviewed a long time ago and an omnibus edition. A MILLION SUNS by Beth Revis, WINGS OF THE WICKED by C.A. Moulton and SOUL SCREAMERS VOLUME ONE by Rachel Vincent.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Three months have passed since the events of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Elder rules Godspeed and Amy is still adapting to life on the spaceship. When a revolution starts building and mysterious clues about the ship's history appear, the chance for a happy landing is dropping rapidly. A MILLION SUNS is practically a big hunt for clues as to what happened on Godspeed many years ago, what the future holds and how the past might still have the power to influence the present. 

The story was fast when I needed it to be fast and reveal many details at once. And when it came to my favourite moments and I wanted them to last longer, my wish was granted. Beth's writing is in an unique sync with her reader. The chapters alternate between Amy and Elder's point of view, both fabulously written! Amy and Elder's romance is even better than it was in the first book (and that was one book I loved to pieces!). So I'd say A MILLION SUNS has everything you expect from a great sci-fi space adventure.

5/5 ***** A MILLION SUNS - Beth Revis's Godspeed appears like a whole new YA world of its own.

A MILLION SUNS is one of the best sequels I have ever read. I'm considering myself very lucky to have been introduced to the sci-fi genre by Beth Revis' excellent trilogy. I have already read all three books in the series. Wish I could get a do-over and read this trilogy for the first time again.

Publisher: Razorbill

Publishing Date: January 10^th 2012
Length: 386 pages
Keywords: YA, sci-fi, thriller, romance, spaceship adventure

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

A Million Suns Excerpt  

Author's Homepage

Wings of the Wicked by C.A. Moulton

ANGELFIRE was one of the first great book loves in my early blogging life. The reason I loved it so much was the sharp contrast between Will and Ellie's love story and the dangerous and harsh demon hunting life. Demons we encounter plenty in WINGS OF THE WICKED, too. And the action and fights fit the story. It was the romance between Ellie and Will that confronted me with too many silly back and forth situations between wanting each other and knowing they couldn't be together.

Almost a year passed after ANGELFIRE until I read WINGS OF THE WICKED and I could hardly remember anything about the story. And now it's been a while since I read WINGS OF THE WICKED. I might have to re-read both books before SHADOWS IN THE SILENCE so that I can really enjoy the end to Will and Ellie's story with all the background knowledge and details of their history needed. I'm still curious how it's all going to end!

3,5/5 ***/* WINGS OF THE WICKED -  A tough second round in the battle against evil!

Ellie and Will's fights against demons are as furious and dramatic as in the first book in the ANGELFIRE trilogy. There's just too much teenage drama going on in WINGS OF THE WICKED for my taste. Hoping for a more mature love story in the third book!

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publishing Date: January 31^st 2012
Length: 516 pages
Keywords: YA, action, angels, demons, romance

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Wings of the Wicked Excerpt  

Author's Homepage

Soul Screamers Volume One by Rachel Vincent

Kaylee is a bean sidhe and hers is a very old power. Whenever someone dies she screams. Together with the two brothers Nash and Tod she's trying to come behind all the secrets about her beansidhe existence and special talent.
So the story is told from Kaylee's perspective who is your average YA narrator with a love story that was good in some scenes, but nothing breathtaking either. A relationship conflict between Kaylee and the two brothers is insinuated. I really don't want to deal with the whole impact of that and think it best to stop right here before I start the next five books and am disappointed again. The background info on bean sidhes, female and male, about them singing to the dead souls was something new, something I hadn't read about before.
SOUL SCREAMERS VOLUME ONE includes the first two books in the series and a prequel to Kaylee's story that's about 60 pages. MY SOUL TO LOSE, the novella, was actually my favourite part of the entire story. MY SOUL TO TAKE and MY SOUL TO SAVE both had promising beginnings, too, but fast became tiring and too tedious to hold my attention for more than a few pages every time I tried to get back into the story.

2,5/5 **/* SOUL SCREAMERS VOLUME ONE – Despite the very cool bean sidhe story construct, the soul screamers couldn't enchant me.

While I was reading this very lengthy SOUL SCREAMS VOLUME ONE I was wondering when I would be finally done with the book. And that clearly is a warning signal to keep my hands off the other books in this series. For everyone who can get into the story, I bet the seven books in this series plus various novellas will be much fun.

Publisher: Harlequin

Publishing Date: November 22^nd 2011
Length: 570 pages
Keywords: YA, bean sidhe, romance, paranormal, brothers

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

My Soul To Take Excerpt  

Author's Homepage

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Book Blitz: Dead Girl Walking by Ruth Silver

DEAD GIRL WALKING by Ruth Silver

a Young Adult Paranormal Adventure

published by Patchwork Press

http://royalreaper.com

Forget everything you know about grim reapers.

Princess Ophelia Dacre sneaks out of the castle to visit her boyfriend in secret. A perfect night cut short when she’s brutally murdered.

Ophelia is given the rare chance to become a grim reaper. She must become Leila Bele, cut ties with her old life, and follow the rules of the reapers. Her greatest adventure begins with death.

Amazon - Borrow Dead Girl Walking for FREE with Amazon Prime

Signed Copy

Goodreads

Excerpt

“Forget everything you know about grim reapers, Ophelia. Humans have it wrong. It’s easier to believe in angels and demons, than to see what’s right in front of you. Who wants to believe the undead walk among us with beating hearts? It would frighten humans. It would probably send many to their graves faster,” Edon said.

About the Author: Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of ABERRANT, a young adult dystopian adventure series published by Patchwork Press and Lazy Day Publishing. Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005. While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian, paranormal, and fantasy young adult stories. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

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Book Blitz: Tryst by Cambria Hebert

Tryst
by Cambria Hebert



Publication:May 16th 2013













Sometimes all a girl needs is a little fling…

Talie Ronson needs a vacation.

From life.

Since she caught her cheating, loser husband in bed with his assistant, her life has been on a steady spiral—right into hell. Her car’s a junker, her job sucks, and her perfect, gorgeous sister likes to brag about her wonderful life every time they “do” lunch.

In an effort to salvage what’s left of her life and her sanity, she takes the advice of her kooky best friend and takes off to Topsail Island. A week at the beach, alone, is exactly what she needs to recharge, regroup, and relax.

Only, her alone time is about to get derailed.

Gavin Palmer’s favorite activity is walking around in his boxers and eating junk food. He and his neighbors have an understanding. They stay out of his business and he stays out of theirs. He lives at the beach, not for vacation, but for isolation. He’s had enough of people to last him a lifetime.

Gavin’s isolation is interrupted when his normally quiet neighbor starts disturbing his peace. He stomps across the sand to give the guy a piece of his mind… only it isn’t a guy.

It’s Talie.

She’d maddening, nosy, and talks too much.

But she’s hot and her bedroom eyes have him thinking maybe he’s had enough solitude. Maybe a week of company is exactly what he needs.

Maybe what they both need is a no-strings-attached tryst.



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EXCERPT

He leaned back against the railing and looked at me. “I’m not available emotionally. I live here for solitude, to be alone. I don’t have room in my life for someone. I can’t hang out. I can’t talk about my life. I just… I can’t.”
The veiled pain behind his words caused my heart to constrict. What happened to him? “But you can have sex?” I said. Gavin might have had a rough time, but he wasn’t the only one. And he wasn’t getting off the hook that easily.
“I’m a guy,” he said, as if that explained everything.
I guess it sort of did. He had urges, needs. Wasn’t it the same with me? Hadn’t I been starving for human contact, for a body-ripping orgasm? I couldn’t judge him for something I was guilty of as well.
“I’m not available either,” I said. “Emotionally.”
He nodded like he already figured that out. “I shouldn’t have been a jerk to you.”
“It’s okay,” I said, meaning it.
He studied me for long moments as a strong gust of wind came up off the sea. I shivered and tucked the blanket just a little bit closer. Gavin moved, crouching down in front of my chair, reaching out to grasp the ends of the blanket.
From this close, I could see the intensity of his eyes. I could see the vulnerability he felt from coming here… I also could see desire.
“I can’t offer you anything,” he whispered. “But I’m asking you for something.”
“What?” His closeness was driving me wild. Want burned through my veins as I studied the way the T-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders. Need eclipsed my thoughts as his hand tightened around the blanket and carefully drew me a little bit closer.

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Book Review: Tease by Amanda Maciel

Title: Tease
Author: Amanda Maciel
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publishing Date: April 29th 2014
Length: 336 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, bullying, suicide, friendship, love
Source: Publisher 

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault. At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media. In the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her own role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

Summary by Goodreads

TEASE was a book I hadn't originally planned to read. Then a copy showed up on my doorstep and I decided to give it a try. I wasn't blown away by the story, but was more often engaged than I thought I'd be. TEASE tells the story of Sara who is accused of bullying fellow student Emma. A girl who is dead now. Chapters about Sara's current situation and the months before Emma's suicide alternate. They are about ten pages each which makes it easy to read short chapters in between your daily activities.

The 'now' chapters consist mainly of lawyer and therapist visits. Sara is worrying about the upcoming trial and is trying to sort out her feelings about what happened with Emma and figure out her role in all of it. I wasn't always happy with her and her learning curve was kind of slow. It was almost immediately that I knew I wouldn't be able to get inside her head, wouldn't get to close too her. But Sara's new relationship to a boy from summer school was why I wanted to keep on reading, making the 'now' chapters those to look forward to. 

Bullying, the actual important and central part of the story was the aspect I was least interested in. Sara, her best friend Brielle and other friends were really mean to Emma. Their schemes were repetitive and circling around the same thoughts of hatred and resentment. When I pick up a new YA contemporary novel I want to read a story that's basically positive, someone looking for love, building new friendships, rekindling old friendships. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for such a negative and problematic story like Sara's. Her family life isn't looking too harmonious either and all her friendships are practically nonexistent. I know that the story of a girl who kills herself because she's been bullied is tragic and is mostly made up of dark thoughts. This kind of story is important to prevent bullying and alert people who see it happening and have decided to ignore the symptoms until now. But how about a little more perspective and hope for the future? 

Also, I can imagine that additional chapters from Emma's perspective could've worked for TEASE, too. They could've given us a more complete picture of the whole story. 

3/5 *** TEASE - A dark and tragic teenage drama with an important message.

Amanda Maciel's debut novel is a read for everyone who is into the more problematic and tough kinds of stories. If you follow Sara's case you'll learn what it means to be on the bully side and to be confronted with the legal effects of your actions. The story strongly concentrates on all the incidents that lead to the suicide of one girl. Sara and Emma's case is based on a true story, making it all the sadder and most unfortunate. It should be read as a cautionary tale.

 

"Natalie heaves a big sigh. 'I know, but it's just not. People are sad and angry and they just want to see how sorry you are.'
But that's the thing right there.
I'm not sorry.
Emma was a boyfriend-stealing bitch right up until the day in March when she killed herself.
I didn't do anything wrong, but she totally ruined my life." ― p. 9

TEASE you might enjoy WICKED GAMES by Sean Olin, about a few very mean intrigues and games that are getting out of control. VIVIANE DIVINE IS DEAD by Lauren Sabel is the story of a girl who is threatened and has to go on the run. This one sounds like a very fun story if you are looking for a lighter read. And you could also like THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher, a touching story about a girl who committs suidice. 

* Click here to read an excerpt of TEASE!

* Want to meet Amanda Maciel? Check out her event schedule.

* For further information about Amanda and her books visit her Facebook page.

* Thanks to Harper Collins International for sending me an ARC of TEASE for review! 

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Love, Lucy Book Blast

I am so excited to be able to help spread the word that LOVE, LUCY by April Lindner is now available to pre-order at Amazon and The Book Depository. LOVE, LUCY releases in January 2015, but until then I am thrilled to share an awesome guest post from Lucy Sommersworth on the Top Ten Things she loves about Italy. It sounds like she had an amazing time and I can’t wait to hear all about it in January.

If you haven’t yet heard about this amazing-sounding book, there’s some information and places to find it online below. And if you haven’t yet met April Lindner, her details are also below.

This blast also includes a giveaway for an Amazon eGiftcard, so if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About LOVE, LUCY

Title: LOVE, LUCY
Author: April Lindner
Publisher: Poppy
Release date: January 27, 2015

Available to pre-order now at Amazon and The Book Depository

Description:

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, 17-year-old Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

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The Guest Post

The Top Ten Things I Love About Italy

By Lucy Sommersworth

10. Train stations. They make my heart beat a little bit faster. I especially love the departure signs lit up with the names of exotic cities. They make me want to pick a destination at random—Venice or Milan or Naples, basically any place I’ve never been before—and just jump on, trusting that some kind of wonderful adventure will be waiting for me when I hop off. I would do it too except for the fact that Charlene, the friend I’m traveling with, likes schedules and order. I could never talk her into doing something that reckless.

9. The language. Italian is so lush and musical. Not that I can speak it, exactly. I took Italian in high school, and I can remember just enough to say basic things like excuse me and I would like the Spaghetti Bolognese, please. But even just reading the street signs out loud makes me feel like a different version of myself—more worldly and glamorous. And even the most ordinary words, the ones that mean ATM or supermarket—sound glorious in Italian.

8. Italian men. What can I say? I’ve always had a thing for dark brown eyes.

7. Window shopping. I could do it all day long. Window displays are different in Italy, quirkier and more colorful. I especially love the sparkling little jewelry stores on the Ponte Vecchio, the funky clothing store displays, and store windows full of colorful, exotic treats—marzipan fruit, and candied rose and violet petals.

6. Sidewalk cafes. Nobody minds if you linger forever over a single cappuccino, just soaking in the atmosphere and watching the people pass by.

5. Gelato. After a few hours, walking around Florence can make a person exhausted. Luckily, wherever you turn, there’s a glass storefront gleaming with refreshing gelato—a miniature rainbow-colored mountain range of it: raspberry, mango, lemon, dark chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio—and all of it amazing.

4. Street Performers. Though Charlene insists they’re just begging and we shouldn’t give them our money, I can’t help myself. I love them all: street musicians, the people who draw chalk masterpieces in the street, the folks who dress up as statues and pose for tourists. I’ve even got a soft spot for mimes!

3. Riding on a Vespa. Please don’t tell my mom, okay? She would have a panic attack if she knew.

2. Pretending I’m Audrey Hepburn. Roman Holiday is one of my all-time favorite movies, and the reason I wanted to go to Italy in the first place. Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, who has grown deathly bored with having to give speeches and act stiff and regal. On a stop in Rome she runs away, and wanders through the city pretending to be a commoner. Of course she falls in love with Gregory Peck. Like her, he’s pretending, acting like a nice, ordinary guy who just wants to show her around Rome, when really he’s a reporter with ulterior motives. He recognizes her, and plans to write a tell-all story about her for his newspaper.

I won’t spoil the ending. I’ll just add that if you’re planning a trip to Rome, you need to see Roman Holiday first. And then, if you happen to meet a gorgeous, dark-eyed stranger, maybe you can get him take you on a Roman Holiday tour, and you can pretend to be Audrey Hepburn the way I did.

1. The amazing people I met along the way. Swapping stories with other backpackers about our travels and misadventures. Vacation flirtations with dark-eyed strangers. And, just maybe, experiencing a real summer romance.

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About April Lindner

April Lindner is the author of three novels: Catherine, a modernization of Wuthering Heights; Jane, an update of Jane Eyre; and Love, Lucy, due out in January, 2015. She also has published two poetry collections, Skin and This Bed Our Bodies Shaped. She plays acoustic guitar badly, sees more rock concerts than she’d care to admit, travels whenever she can, cooks Italian food, and lavishes attention on her pets—two Labrador retriever mixes and two excitable guinea pigs. A professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University, April lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

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The Giveaway

This blast includes a giveaway for a $15 Amazon eGiftcard to ONE winner.

++The giveaway is open to anyone who can accept Amazon eGiftcards from the U.S. store.

++The giveaway ends on May 26, 2014 at 11:59 p.m.


Just enter in the Rafflcopter below...
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