Shy Girls Can't Date Billionaires by Milly Rose

 

Shy Girls Can’t Date Billionaires

by Milly Rose

YA Comedy / Romance

COMING...

SEPTEMBER 5th!!!

I was born shy. And near him, I fall apart. No wonder he can’t stand the sight of me.

After a fire destroys our home, my family is taken in by a billionaire tycoon. His mansion has countless bedrooms, yet my room is next door to his son, Thomas Ashworth III. Yes, he’s as pompous as the name suggests. And, for some reason, he hates my guts.

Even though his arrogance drives me crazy, his chiselled features turn me into a stammering, awkward mess. I hate being stuck with someone I can’t stand. And when he does something unexpectedly kind, it confuses my heart.

When I bump into him in the middle of the night, I’d never guess it lead to us sharing secrets.

He’s impossible to get out of my head. But he wouldn’t consider dating someone like me. Would he?

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And here she is...

Milly Rose is an animal-loving romance enthusiast with a swoon-inducing book formula. Shy girl + hot guy + first kisses. Her YA sweet romance books will have you falling in love every instalment. Milly Rose is the quintessential shy girl, who you can contact via her mailing list and reply to her monthly email blasts! Milly spends her days vying for her cat’s affection, dreaming up her next book boyfriend, and writing a fun meet-cute under candlelight with a lovely brewed cup of tea.

Join Milly Rose’s Mailing List Here >> [https://bit.ly/3BJHiUW](https://bit.ly/3BJHiUW)

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Happy Book Birthday, Project A.I.D.E.N. by Lindsey Frydman!

A Happy 4th of July to all of you! We ended up celebrating yesterday already, due to my husband's work schedule, but we had tons and tons of fun. I did get the chance to hit today's read on Saturday evening thanks to the beautiful weather (a little cooler than it's been lately), which let me enjoy an hour or so outside. 

Today's read releases today and heads in the science fiction direction and takes on the theme of artificial intelligence, while working with a bit of teen romance. It's a short read, which fit perfectly into my tight schedule, too. Now, was it worth it? Let's find out!

PROJECT A.I.D.E.N.

by Lindsey Frydman

Entangled Teen

YA Science Fiction

224 pages

Until the moment I met him, I’d never done anything wrong. Like, seriously, anything. Until that summery afternoon when an exceptionally cute boy with unnatural green eyes—like emerald flames—stepped out in front of my car. And I hit him.

Only the boy didn’t die. There isn’t a mark on him. And now Aiden is begging me to drive him somewhere, anywhere. Because he’s being hunted, and the people chasing him will only stop when he’s dead. I know I should just keep driving, but there’s something vulnerable in his voice, in his crooked smile, that makes me want to help him…even if it means leaving “good” behind.

And “leaving good” feels a whole lot like being alive. More alive than I’ve ever felt.

Now I’m risking everything—my safety, my relationship with my dad, even my freedom—for a guy I just met. It’s not Stockholm Syndrome or even Hot Hijacker Syndrome. Something tells me Aiden’s different, really different, and it’s not just his eyes, his strength, or his preternatural smarts. Or that when he kisses me, everything else just disappears.

It’s like he’s the perfect guy.

And he might just be hiding the perfect secret.

AMAZON   /   B&N   /   KOBO

MY TIDBITS

Adventure surrounding an A.I. gains a refreshing twist, while seeping in tension and a touch of romance.

Aiden would like nothing better than to have the chance to finally leave the room he's called home ever since a nearly deadly car accident several years before. The institute has done everything they could to save his life and more. He never forgets anything, is practically invincible, strong and fast. And he's a nice guy. Now, if only he could pass the last test, they'll finally let them go. Or will they?

This is an easy, quick read, which kept me in the pages until the very end. I read it in one sitting and didn't have even the slightest inkling of an urge to put it down. It was so quick and easy that I really was surprised, when I looked back and realized that it was over 200 pages and not much shorter. So, I'd have to say it was a good, entertaining read. But of course, I have to say more than that, don't I?

It's pretty clear from the title and cover that this one swirls around the theme of artificial intelligence, and it does so with a couple refreshing twists, which keep it from turning cliche. Aiden is a super, nice character with tons of simple charm and a very good heart. The heroine is just as kind and nice, and finds herself in over her head, trying to make the best decisions possible. Both are easy to root for the entire way through.

Something happens on every page, and while some twists are easy to see coming, others take by a bit of surprise. There were moments, where the actions of the main characters seemed a bit dumb, but all in all everything flowed well and was understandable. The story holds some depth but, at the same time, stays a bit light and a little too quick to the resolution. I did think it was a bit short for the subject matter and wanted to see a bit more chase and development, but, on the other hand, it was a lovely read to throw into a few hours. So, I can't really criticize it, either.

The romance is sweet, straight forward, and warms the heart. The ending does bring a bit of uncertainty and create just the right amount of tension to make sure it's not clear if things will work out or not...and I'm not going to say, which way it went because that'd ruin everything. 

This is an enjoyable, quick read, which adds just the right amount of food for thought without going overly deep. I can recommend it to light science fiction fans, who enjoy a bit of tension, action, and tons of heart.

And here she is...

Lindsey has been writing since she was nine years old, when she discovered the awesomeness that is Harriet the Spy. Her books always include a romance, though sometimes there’s an added sci-fi or magical realism twist. She lives in Columbus, Ohio (where the weather is never quite right). Her BFA in Photography and Graphic Design has granted her a wide assortment of creative knowledge that serves as inspiration (and not much else). When she’s not crafting YA and NA stories, you'll likely find her spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, playing a video game, singing show-tunes, or performing in a burlesque show—because she enjoys giving her introversion a worthy adversary. (Plus, it's the closest to Broadway she’ll ever get.) Lindsey was a proud 2016 Pitch Wars Mentee and thoroughly adores being a part of the wonderful writing community. THE HEARTBEAT HYPOTHESIS is her debut novel.

Review: Beware the Burmese Pythons by Etta Kaner

 I'm super excited about today's read! I stumbled across this one, while taking a peek at all the upcoming kidlit this Fall (of course, I always have my eyes open!), and discovered this little gem. It's a non-fiction read, holds a bit of a graphic novel form, and promises to introduce readers to all sorts of lesser known, invasive species. Doesn't that sound amazing? I know my kids (and I as a kid) especially loved nonfiction with lesser known and interesting facts.

So, ready to take a plunge? (Okay, you'll have to wait until later in October to get your hands on a copy yourself, but trust me, this one is worth the wait....woops! I'm not suppose to say that yet, am I?

BEWARE THE BURMESE PYTHONS: AND OTHER INVASIVE ANIMAL SPECIES

by Etta Kaner

Illustrated by Phil Nicholls

Kids Can Press

48 pages

ages 4 to 12

COMING...

OCTOBER 22nd!!!

A kid-friendly introduction to invasive animal species that explores how they got into new ecosystems and the damage they've caused.

It might not seem like a big deal when a non-native animal species finds its way to another environment. But it can be! Invasive species reproduce quickly and often have no natural predators, allowing them to overtake native species, and even destroy the ecosystem of their new home. Here's an intriguing look at 10 of these species from around the world --- from tiny cactus moths to mighty Burmese pythons --- and the problems they're causing. As each section explains, humans were responsible for bringing all these animals to their new locations. And now it's up to humans to do something about it!

In this unique, highly visual book, Etta Kaner's accessible text and Phil Nicholls's vibrant art reveal a fascinating world of “aliens” that invade new habitats. With two spreads for each animal, the book is chock-full of information, including the animal's features, habitat and invasion route; a narrative describing how it became invasive and why it's become a problem; and a list of ideas for what can be done, ending with the question, “If you were a scientist or conservation officer, what would you do?” The text is presented in fun, eye-catching formats, ranging from comic strips to posters to newspaper articles, keeping the engagement level high and highlighting what scientists are currently doing to solve the problems. There are strong life-science connections here on characteristics of living things, ecosystems and habitats. Contains a glossary, sources, further reading and how to help.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60382977-beware-the-burmese-pythons

MY TIDBITS

Non-fiction with interesting, lesser-known facts is always a treat, but slide in a bit of graphic novel atmosphere, and this one is a definite winner.

What is an invasive species? These pages dive right into that question before taking off with examples of lesser known ones and troublesome ones. There are ten species presented, including nutria, cane toads, killer shrimp, and more. Each one is introduced with its common name, scientific name, and a cartoon-like but still detailed illustration, where little lines and phrases point out its unique characteristics. The size and habitat as well as a global map, showing the general area where the animal is native and where its wandered to, is also presented. There's a fun introduction as to how the animal was taken to the 'new' area, a page presenting the problems it has caused, and then, another section which explains how scientists are trying to deal with the problem. This last section ends with the question of what the reader thinks could be done to stop the animals' destruction.

While all of the information is very well done, laid out, and does teach all sorts of things from animal facts to ecological problems and connections, the fun is never forgotten. I do enjoy the variety given in the ways the animals were inadvertently 'spread', since this does show that even scientists make mistakes...and how many are stupid or even an unknown side product. And the lists of things being done are just as broad in variety, and illustrate how much ingenuity is used. Since kids are then asked for their thoughts, the entire thing gains clout, exercises the brain gears, and is even great for group or homeschooling situations. And, of course, an awareness for the environment and balance of life is strengthened.

But what really makes this one fun is the writing style and illustrations. The author keeps the information light and entertaining. There's a spark of humor without really being silly. The illustrations and their comic flair make everything digestible, also hinted with humor, and keep boredom away. It creates an atmosphere, which will drawn in even reluctant readers, and marks information in a manner, which sticks in the mind better than dry numbers, terms, and facts. 

I do see kids really enjoying this one and know my own would grab it off the shelf without a second's thought.

Review: The Twin Stars by Bridgette Dutta Portman

It's been awhile since I've had a rich fantasy to present here. Today's read is sold as a Wizard of Oz meets The Neverending Story meets Chronicles of Narnia. So what does that mean? I'm assuming it will be a gentler fantasy with more depth and richness. This one does deal with a main character, who has OCD, too. Oh, and it's the first in a series (yay!). 

Ready to take a peek?

THE TWIN STARS

The Coseema Saga, Book One

by Bridgette Dutta Portman

Titan1Studios

YA Fantasy

A magical journal. A world savaged by its own suns. An evil prince. A princess in hiding. And a teenage girl who learns to be the hero of her own story.

Sixteen-year-old Olive Joshi has obsessive-compulsive disorder, and can't stop worrying about hurting the people she loves. She finds refuge in writing about Coseema, a magical princess on a distant planet. Coseema is fearless, confident, and perfect - everything Olive thinks she’ll never be. When she falls through a portal into her own unfinished story, Olive finds herself in a world in peril: double suns scorch the land, the brutal Prince Burnash seeks supreme power, and Coseema is nowhere to be found. Together with her friends - a bold poet, a cursed musician, a renegade soldier, and an adventurous girl from the desert - Olive will have to face her deepest fears to find the hero in herself.

An engrossing new portal fantasy in the spirit of the Wizard of Oz, the Neverending Story, and the Chronicles of Narnia.​

GOODREADS   /   AMAZON   /   B&N    /   INDIE BOUND

MY TIDBITS

With the flow of a dream, this fantasy takes a girl with OCD on a journey to face her fears, discover her strengths, and find friendship.

Olive is on the way to the funeral of her recently deceased grandmother. She finds solace, as always, by scribbling in her notebook, where she tries to fight her fears thanks to OCD, but carries a story she's been working on for a long time. When a frantic visit to the bathroom on the airplane ends with her passing out, little does she know she's gone through a portal and, now, finds herself in the world her tale centers around. The characters she created become flesh and blood, and mistake her for the heroine, Coseema. But Olive knows she could never replace Coseema, even if she looks like her. Not only was Coseema perfect and powerful, but she's the only one who can save the world...unfortunately, the real Coseema is no where to be found.

The world building in this tale is very well done. The author spends just enough time in Olive's 'real' world to ground her before zipping her off into the fantasy realm. There, details let the surroundings come to life until the reader can almost see, feel and hear the world around them.

The characters are well done, and even the side ones have personality and enough background to give them depth. Each one is different and brings richness to plot. It's entertaining and interesting to see how Olive interacts and tries to wrap her brain around the characters she created...only to learn that she might not know them as well as she thought. But at the same time, she learns more about herself.

Everything flows well, making this an easy read to get lost in. Thanks to the rich descriptions, the pacing is a little gentler than I prefer, and I did find myself skipping over paragraphs now and then. But for those who prefer characters and worlds, this is a lovely read. And it does set the stage for the beginning of what promises to be an interesting series.

Review: Grounded for All Eternity by Darcy Marks

 We're starting off the month as hot as the weather...well, at least, the theme is warmer than warm. This one centers around a boy and his team, who were born and live in the Underworld. When they accidentally find themselves on Earth, their biggest concern is getting back before their parents notice they're gone. Which with a little thought, makes total sense to me because who would want to go against parents who guard evil souls? 

Now, I thought this one might head in a direction of mischief, but I'll already say that I was more than a little surprised at where the plot flies...or rather walks, since wings aren't allowed to leave that realm. See, that's already a hint at the fun!

GROUNDED FOR ALL ETERNITY

by Darcy Marks

Aladdin

Middle Grade Paranormal

384 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

JULY 26th!!!

A group of kids from hell come to Earth on one of the craziest nights of the year—Halloween—in this snarky, witty middle grade adventure about teamwork, friendship, shattering expectations, and understanding the world (or otherworld) around us.

Mal and his friends are just your regular average kids from hell. The suburbs that is, not the fiery pit part. But when Hell’s Bells ring out—signaling that a soul has escaped from one of the eternal circles, Mal and his friends can’t help but take the opportunity for a little adventure.

Before they know it, they’ve somehow slipped through the veil and found themselves in the middle of Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night. And what’s even worse, they’ve managed to bring the escaped soul with them! As the essence of one of history’s greatest manipulators gains power by shifting the balance on Earth, Mal and his squad-mates—along with some new friends that they meet along the way—work desperately to trap the escapee, save the people of Earth from the forces of evil, and find the portal back to their own dimension.

If they can’t manage it before their parents realize they’re gone, they’ll be grounded for an eternity. And an eternity in hell is a very, very long time.

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON   /   B&N 

MY TIDBITS

It's not Halloween, yet. Not even close. But I'm still going to already shout this one out as a must-read for that upcoming holiday. 

Mal is an average kid. Well, for Hell that is. He lives with his parents, goes to school, and has pretty much the same problems as any kid on Earth. Go figure. When a soul escapes one of Hell's levels, the entire town goes on high alert with fire-shield-dome and everything. His parents are on call and need to find him a babysitter because it's school break. Just when Mal's convinced his vacation's ruined, his friends come to the rescue, but their secret fun out doesn't end exactly the way they hoped it would. Accidentally slipping through a gateway, they find themselves on Earth. Not only do they have no clue how to return home before their parents notice that they're missing, but they see all sorts of evil creatures which shouldn't be on Earth. Now, they not only have to find the way home, but they'll have to deal with the escaped evil themselves.

This was so much more fun than I thought it might be. Although Mal has wings and lives in the Underworld, it's not much different than life on a town on Earth. The author allows several chapters for the reader to sink into Mal's life and really get to know him, where he comes from, and all the details living in the realm of death entails. And it isn't boring, in the least. Mal's easy to identify with, laid back, and faces many of the same issues that many middle graders do. By letting the reader to get to know his reality first, it makes the adventure on Earth that much more enjoyable...and relatable.

The writing flows very well and naturally, never letting anything feel choppy or forced. The friends interact as any would and could be the kids down the street. There are enough oddities to keep the reader in the pages, and as the story progresses, this slips over to surprising twists and tension. Some situations have the reader wondering what the friends will do, while others will cause a smirk or a snort. It's a nice balance of adventure and fun.

Along with a fun tale, the author has woven in well-known literature, historic figures and myths. Dante's levels of Hell, Faust, Methuselah, and more give a nod at all those history and literature buffs. I found it a nice twist, although I'm sure some of these will go over readers' heads. But having them mentioned and playing a role is a nice bonus.

This is an easy read with tons to like. The plot and setting are original, and the characters are easy to root for. I do see this one as being a winner with more than just a couple readers.

And here she is...

Darcy Marks is a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu, as well as a Black Belt in Arnis, the Filipino art of stick-fighting. She teaches women’s self-defense and works as a forensic toxicologist. Darcy is a mother of three is and an avid fangirl living in northern Vermont. Visit her online at DarcyMarks.com.