Top Ten Tuesday REWIND! Ten Facts About Us!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish

Who wouldn't want to know more about us?!

1. I love to travel. Before I go someplace new I read up on a travel book of that place and make up day to day itineraries. There is no such thing as "what do we do now?" when you go on a trip with me.

2. I have been on 16 cruises with my family. We started when I was about 9 years old.

3. I am not one for selfies. I find myself unflattering in them. In my day to day life, I don't take any photos. But at special events, comic-con, or when I am on a vacation I can take hundreds of pictures. Two years ago when I went to London for 10 days I took about 1,300 photos.

4. While I love to travel and love science-fiction stories, I would never travel to space. Too scared of the risks and the trip alone would make me vomit.

5. The last cruise I was on had a zip line. I tried to conquer my fear of heights but I freaked out as I was about to step off the ledge. I realized I am ok with heights as long as I am enclosed and am not looking down, I was fine on the London Eye, but a ferris wheel at a carnival, forget it.

6. I collect Funko Pops! My collection started when the first Avengers pops came out. I'm now up to over 200. I call myself an out of box collector but the ones I've purchased over the last 6 months have all been kept in box because I have no where to put them,

7. I've never been over seas. I'm now just applying for a passport so I can go to England this November. 

8. I don't know how to drive. I don't even have a drivers permit. I live in NYC so it has always seemed unnecessary. Now, I have anxiety even thinking about driving a car. 

9. I used to scrapbook when I was younger. I collected magazines and would cut out all the celebrities and put them in books. At one point, I had a closet filled with magazines that were just waiting for me to rip up.

10. Titanic is my favorite movie. I have a lot of favorites but Titanic is at the top of the list. It is one of the first memories I have of going to the theater and falling in love with a movie on the big screen. And just solidified my love for Leonardo DiCaprio. Kind of why I made my graduation cap around it. 

Waiting On Wednesday #62

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Roman Crazy

Author: Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci

Release Date: September 13, 2016

Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.
Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…
Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?
A celebration of great friendship, passionate romance, and wonderful food, Roman Crazy is a lighthearted story of second chances and living life to the fullest.

Alice is my girl. And a book that includes traveling to one of the most romantic cities in the world? Sign me up. I'm pretty sure Alice and Nina are going to knock this one out the park. 

Release Blitz! The Summer Games: Out of Bounds by R.S. Grey!!

Title: The Summer Games: Out of Bounds

Author: R.S. Grey

Release Date: Aug 1, 2016

I despise Erik Winter.

He’s arrogant and cruel—a man I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy—and by some twisted turn of fate, he’s my new Olympic gymnastics coach.

I’ve had to contend with gruff coaches in the past, but Erik is far worse. His stern demeanor complements a body built for intimidation, and his reprimands come from a mouth so cunning, I know it could strip me of my defenses—if I let it.

Though each of us would love to be rid of the other forever, we are bound to each other by need and necessity. I’m his rising star, his best shot at proving himself to his critics. And without a coach, I have zero chance of winning gold in Rio.

The easiest way forward would be to wave a white flag and make peace with the man I’ll be sharing close quarters with for the foreseeable future, but he is intent on war.

Fine. By. Me.

If he pushes me, I’ll push back harder. If he wants to test me, to play with my head, I’ll show him just how many boundaries I’m willing to cross. Because I know it’s not a choice between winning or warring—not if you can have them both. At the end of it all, I plan on leaving Rio with gold around my neck and his icy heart in the palm of my hand.

Amazon | Goodreads

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

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Waiting On Wednesday #61

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Memory of Things

Author: Gae Polisner

Release Date: September 6, 2016

The powerful story of two teenagers finding friendship, comfort, and first love in the days following 9/11 as their fractured city tries to put itself back together.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down from the window of Stuyvesant High School. Moments later, terrified and fleeing home to safety across the Brooklyn Bridge, he stumbles across a girl perched in the shadows. She is covered in ash and wearing a pair of costume wings. With his mother and sister in California and unable to reach his father, a New York City detective likely on his way to the disaster, Kyle makes the split-second decision to bring the girl home. What follows is their story, told in alternating points of view, as Kyle tries to unravel the mystery of the girl so he can return her to her family. But what if the girl has forgotten everything, even her own name? And what if the more Kyle gets to know her, the less he wants her to go home? The Memory of Things tells a stunning story of friendship and first love and of carrying on with our day-to-day living in the midst of world-changing tragedy and unforgettable pain—it tells a story of hope.

I'm a New Yorker, born and bred, so something like this just hits me. I remember that day with a lot of clarity and this take on the day seems something I can relate with. 

Top Ten Tuesday! Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish

1) Archery - Being a fan of Hunger Games, Arrow, and thinking Hawkeye is the coolest Avenger I tried out archery. IT IS HARD! I knew I had weak upper body strength but after an hour lesson of holding that bow, my arms were shaking. I would like to try it again but if it ever became a committed hobby of mine, I better start lifting weights first.

2) Sword fighting or fencing - This comes from being a huge Star Wars fan and wishing I could really become a Jedi Knight. I never tried fencing or sword fighting, as I am not at all athletic. But if I were to pick up another sport besides archery, I'd want to do this.
This would be me though:

3) The book I am currently reading is The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni and the main character creates new and customized perfumes for her customers. The way she speaks about scents and the emotions it evokes has mad me wish I could have a customized perfume of my own. So maybe if I win the lottery I can commission one.

Blog Tour: Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker - Review & Favorite Quotes! (@amychristinepar @The_FFBC)

Smash & Grab
by Amy Christine Parker
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 19th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

My Rating:

Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story.Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist!
LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.
CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .
Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.
Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society.

This was my first heist book. Where I was promised Ocean’s Eleven meets West Side Story, I ended up with something of a shadow of those two concepts. I didn’t hate what was given to me, but I was just left with wanting more.  

Lexi along with her brother Quinn and group of friends are adrenaline junkies. When Lexi and Quinn’s dad gets locked up for fraud, what’s the best way to relieve that stress? Base jumping off a building of course. That is until Lexi ends up running into Christian. Teenage bank robber going on his last heist before getting out of the business. So what is the logical choice? Team up together and do the ultimate rush, rob a bank.

I will say it now, I didn’t like Lexi. She felt too much to deal with as a character for me. She felt ignorant at times and there was nothing I could grab hold on to even care about her. I felt sympathy for her

I did appreciate Christian. I liked how his character felt a little more developed than Lexi. Maybe that was the influence of the Mexican mafia or his want to get out of the bank robbing business. Something about him felt more genuine. I could see the West Side Story comparisons when it came to him and Lexi.

Where the story lacked in believability, it made up in writing. The writing wasn’t bad at all. I quite liked the pace it all went through. If it wasn’t for Lexi, I would have liked this 10 times more but I didn’t hate it. The dual perspective helped a lot. Maybe I’m being greedy and just wanted more. 

"I did my best to flirt, but truth is, I always feel like a giant tool putting on the charm." - Christian

"You want me to enroll in UCLA so I can apply for this?" I ask. "That seems sort of over complicated, don't you think?" - Lexi

Follow the Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

AMY CHRISTINE PARKER writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and one ridiculously fat cat. Visit her at amychristineparker.com and follow her on Twitter @amychristinepar.

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