Let's Ask Lovemuffin {2}





Welcome to the new feature here at Let Me Tell You A Story where I read titles, then blurbs to Lovemuffin, and he decides what I should read next. (For more info or a refresher on how this all came about, go HERE.)

Quick summary:

1) I read four titles.

2) Lovemuffin chooses a book for me to read based on the title.

3) I then read the blurbs to all four books.

4) Lovemuffin makes a final decision about which book I should read after hearing the blurbs.

Keep in mind that I didn't let him see any covers; this was solely based on hearing about them.

This month's options (shown in the order presented) are:





After reading only the titles, Lovemuffin chose...






 THE TESTING.






THEN I read the blurbs (in this very order, actually):




Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one and the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Publish date: June 4, 2013 | Add to Goodreads




You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.

Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back.

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Publish date: August 15, 2013  |  Add to Goodreads






Denton Little’s Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day on which they will die. For Denton, that’s in just two days—the day of his senior prom.

Despite his early deathdate, Denton has always wanted to live a normal life, but his final days are filled with dramatic firsts. First hangover. First sex. First love triangle—as the first sex seems to have happened not with his adoring girlfriend, but with his best friend’s hostile sister. (Though he’s not totally sure—see, first hangover.) His anxiety builds when he discovers a strange purple rash making its way up his body. Is this what will kill him? And then a strange man shows up at his funeral, claiming to have known Denton’s long-deceased mother, and warning him to beware of suspicious government characters. . . . Suddenly Denton’s life is filled with mysterious questions and precious little time to find the answers.

Debut author Lance Rubin takes us on a fast, furious, and outrageously funny ride through the last hours of a teenager’s life as he searches for love, meaning, answers, and (just maybe) a way to live on. 

Publish date: April 14th, 2015 | Add to Goodreads




“I love you,” Polly says suddenly when I’m almost to the door.

“I know,” I say.


Hermione Winters has been a flyer. She’s been captain of her cheerleading team. The envied girlfriend and the undisputed queen of her school. Now it’s her last year and those days and those labels are fading fast. In a few months she’ll be a different person. She thinks she’s ready for whatever comes next.

But then someone puts something in her drink at a party, and in an instant she finds herself wearing new labels, ones she never imagined:

Victim. Survivor. That raped girl.

Even though this was never the future she imagined, one essential thing remains unchanged: Hermione can still call herself Polly Olivier’s best friend, and that may be the truest label of all.

Heartbreaking and empowering, Exit, Pursued by a Bear is the story of transcendent friendship in the face of trauma.

“I love you,” I say, because I really, really do.

“I know,” says Polly.


Publish date: March 15th, 2016 | Add to Goodreads



Here's what he chose after HEARING the blurbs:







Tah-dah! 

Are you surprised? I was! Lovemuffin thought this blurb was written the best, and when I showed him the cover, we both agreed that it was gorgeous.

So... how about you? What title would you have chosen? How 'bout after hearing the blurb?


Waiting on Wednesday {125}: The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society.

The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society


The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society

by Janet Sumner Johnson


Publication date: April 2016

From Goodreads:

Some things are better together. Like peanut butter and jelly. Or Annie and Jason. So when her best friend's house is threatened with foreclosure, Annie Jenkins is bursting with ideas to save Jason's home. She could sell her appendix on eBay. (Why not?) Win the lottery. (It's worth a shot!). Face the evil bankers herself. (She's one tough cookie, after all.) Or hunt down an elusive (and questionably real) pirate treasure. Whatever the plan, it has to work, or this is undoubtedly THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB&J SOCIETY.

Romancing the Nerd blog tour + Leah's Top Ten Favorite TV Nerds ATM

It's here! Romancing the Nerd is here! Yay! I super-enjoyed The Summer I Became a Nerd, and can't wait to dig in to the sequel this weekend! *squee* 
I am so excited to have Leah here today to share her Top Ten Favorite TV Nerds ATM, but first, a little series background (and a teaser):



Synopsis: On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl’s body isn’t just unknown, it’s anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.  

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.




romancing the nerd
Title: Romancing the Nerd (Nerd, #2) 

Author: Leah Rae Miller Release Date: Apr. 5, 2016

Genre: YA Romantic Comedy

Dan Garrett has become exactly what he hates—popular. Until recently, he was just another live-action role-playing nerd on the lowest rung of the social ladder. Cue a massive growth spurt and an uncanny skill at taking three-point shots in basketball and voilĂ ...Mr. Popular. It's definitely weird.

And the biggest drawback? Going from high school zero to basketball hero cost Dan the secret girl of his dorky dreams.

 A band geek with an eclectic fashion sense, Zelda Potts's “coolness” stat is about minus forty-two. Dan turning his back on her and the rest of nerd-dom was brutal enough, but when he humiliates her at school, Zelda decides it's time for a little revenge—dork style. Never mind that she used to have a crush on him. Never mind that her plan could backfire big time.

 It's time to roll the dice...and hope like freakin' hell she doesn't lose her heart in the process.






Leah's Top Ten Favorite TV Nerds ATM

It happens every time. If I’m watching a TV show, I will automatically call the resident nerd my favorite character. Maybe it’s because I relate to them, those shy, smart underdogs. Whatever the reason, scenes featuring those guys and gals are always the ones I look forward to. So here, in no particular order, are my current favorite TV nerds!

Bernadette from Big Bang Theory – In a show where the entire cast are nerds, it’s hard to pick my favorite but Bernie stands out to me. She’s beautiful, headstrong, and so so nice. But she can shock you sometimes with that competitive spirit of hers.

Cisco from The Flash – The namer of supervillians and a possessor of superpowers himself. He’s adorable and wicked smart, not to mention the funniest member of Team Flash.

Ravi from iZombie – Once again, a wickedly funny nerd and super handsome to boot. I particularly loved that one time he didn’t ask a girl out because she’d never really cared to see Star Wars *gasp*.

Alice from The Magicians – Alice is the serious type of nerd. Super smart, even smarter than she gives herself credit for. And she can do magic which is pretty much every nerd’s dream!

Brian from Limitless – Brian is an outgoing nerd, but a nerd none the less. He loves doing arts and crafts to help solve FBI cases. He can whip up an elaborate chart or a puppet show in no time and it’s always entertaining.

Fitz/Simmons from Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – This is a two for one, but it’s almost like you can’t include one without the other. Also, they belong together. I ship it so hard.

Felicity from Arrow – The tech member of Team Arrow, Felicity is adorably scatterbrained sometimes, but can always pull out a win for the team with her hacking skills.

Molly from Sherlock – Not what you’d call a traditional nerd, but I think she counts. She’s quiet and shy, but won’t take any crap from Sherlock which makes her awesome in my book.

Phil from Modern Family – Phil is that nerdy guy you knew in high school who now has a career and a family, but never changed his nerdy ways. When he gets interested in something, he becomes passionate about it which is a great defining characteristic of nerds.

Stiles from Teen Wolf – Oh, goofy Stiles. He’s the only member of the group that isn’t some mythical being and yet he holds his own. He contributes with his wit and detective abilities and I can’t help but cheer for him.

There you have it! Thanks for having me on the blog today! And if I forgot your favorite, let me know in the comments!



Thanks for the great list, Leah! :)

Now go check out Romancing the Nerd and tell Logan "hi" for me, everybody! ;)


leah-rae-miller

About the Author: Mother, wife, and YA author living on a windy hill in Louisiana. I love fuzzy socks, comic books, cherry coke, and brand new office supplies. THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD released Summer 2013 and ROMANCING THE NERD released in Spring 2016 from Entangled Teen.


Author Website 

Author Twitter: @LeahR_Miller

Author Facebook 

Author Goodreads






Waiting on Wednesday {124}: THIS IS THE STORY OF YOU



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: This is the Story of You.

This Is the Story of You


This is the Story of You

by Beth Kephart


Publication date: April 10, 2016

From Goodreads:

On Haven, a six-mile long, half-mile-wide stretch of barrier island, Mira Banul and her Year-Rounder friends have proudly risen to every challenge. But then a superstorm defies all predictions and devastates the island, upending all logic and stranding Mira's mother and brother on the mainland. Nothing will ever be the same. A stranger appears in the wreck of Mira's home. A friend obsessed with vanishing disappears. As the mysteries deepen, Mira must find the strength to carry on—to somehow hold her memories in place while learning to trust a radically reinvented future. Gripping and poetic, This Is the Story of You is about the beauty of nature and the power of family, about finding hope in the wake of tragedy and recovery in the face of overwhelming loss.

The SPRING 2016 #YASH Hunt is ON!!! (#YAScavengerHunt + bonus #giveaway)


Welcome to the SPRING '16 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author (there are NINE teams this time, so that's 180 exclusives), you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one book from each author on that team! This means there are NINE SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES of at least 20 books in each grand prize!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only last until noon PST on Sunday, April 3rd!

I'll introduce you to the TEAM PINK author I'm hosting shortly, but first, here are all of the TEAM PINK books up for grabs:




I'm also hosting my own giveaway, so make sure you check that out at the end of this post!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off. :) If you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Directions: Somewhere below, you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in pink). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM PINK, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).


Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify. You may enter (and check out all of the other teams), HERE.

Rules: Open internationally. Anyone below the age of 16 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by April 3rd. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.


And now I'd like to introduce you to Emily Skrutskie, author of The Abyss Surrounds Us (YA Science Fiction):

ISBN: 0738746916
SummaryFor Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She’s been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the genetically-engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas’s first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas’s dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water.

Waiting for her on the pirate ship is an unhatched Reckoner pup. Santa Elena wants to take back the seas with a monster of her own, and she needs a proper trainer to do it. She orders Cas to raise the pup and teach him to fight for the pirates. If Cas fails, her blood will be the next to paint the sea.
But Cas has fought pirates her entire life. Santa Elena has no idea what she’s in for. 

 and here's Emily's exclusive content: 


Ships in the Night: Swift and Cas in Music 

When I was drafting The Abyss Surrounds Us, I kept a playlist that I imagined as a sort of soundtrack to the story. The songs on the playlist were in “story order,” from the opening track to the music I imagined playing as the credits rolled. But while I was building this playlist, I kept running into a certain problem. I’d hear songs, think, “Oh, that reminds me of TASU!” and then realize the songs were less about the storyline and more about the concept of the relationship between Swift and Cas.

So a new playlist was born. Simply titled “SwiftCas,” it was a dumping ground for the songs that didn’t fit in my story playlists but felt essential for my inspiration. Today, I’m here to share that playlist with you!

And here’s the fun part. This playlist is for both The Abyss Surrounds Us and its sequel. So if you’ve finished TASU and are wondering how a certain song you hear fits, well… you’ll just have to use your imagination for now. ;)







About Emily: Emily Skrutskie is six feet tall. She was born in Massachusetts, raised in Virginia, and forged in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. She holds a B.A. in Performing and Media Arts from Cornell University, where she studied an outrageous and demanding combination of film, computer science, and game design. Her short fiction has been published by HarperTeen, and her debut novel, THE ABYSS SURROUNDS US, is now available. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook | Goodreads


Make sure to head over to ANGELA MYRON's to stay on the hunt!

And now, for TWO additional giveaways (5 items in one, and 3 in the other):

Giveaway #1: Jonas set (US only)

Paperback copy of PITY ISN'T AN OPTION
Bird Watching Gift Set 
(includes bird box, bird feeder, and guide to birdwatching)
Sketch Paper Pad

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway #2: 3 Ebook set (INTL)
JUST ADDED: $5 Amazon e-gift card!

* IF I SPEAK TRUE and BY SUN & CANDLELIGHT
(Books 1 and 1.5 of the Flora series)
* PITY ISN'T AN OPTION (Cozenage, #1)
* $5 Amazon e-gift card



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday {123}: THIS IS OUR STORY



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: This Is Our Story.

This Is Our Story


This Is Our Story

by Ashley Elston


Publication date: November 15, 2016

From Goodreads:

No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won’t say who fired the shot that killed their friend; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them.

Kate Marino’s senior year internship at the District Attorney’s Office isn’t exactly glamorous—more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys’ case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families.

Kate won’t let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has her own reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she and Stone investigate—the ageing prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot—she realizes that nothing about the case—or the boys—is what it seems. Grant wasn’t who she thought he was, and neither is Stone’s prime suspect. As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all—and if Kate doesn’t uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line…including her own.

Waiting on Wednesday {122} STONE FIELD



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Stone Field.

Stone Field


Stone Field

by Christy Lenzi


Publication date: March 29, 2016

From Goodreads:

In a small town on the brink of the Civil War, Catrina finds a man making strange patterns in her family’s sorghum crop. He’s mad with fever, naked, and strikingly beautiful. He has no memory of who he is or what he’s done before Catrina found him in Stone Field. But that doesn’t bother Catrina because she doesn’t like thinking about the things she’s done before either.

Catrina and Stonefield fall passionately, dangerously, in love. All they want is to live with each other, in harmony with the land and away from Cat’s protective brother, the new fanatical preacher, and the neighbors who are scandalized by their relationship. But Stonefield can’t escape the truth about who he is, and the conflict tearing apart the country demands that everyone take a side before the bloodbath reaches their doorstep.

Inspired by Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, Stone Field is a passionate and atmospheric story of how violence and vengeance pervert the human spirit, and how hatred can be transcended by love.