Review: Where Trains Collide by Amber Stokes {Blog Tour + Giveaway}

I am SO pleased to be a part of this blog tour! Especially for this particular story. It's been a long time in coming, but oh so worth the wait! I also have the privilege of sharing a deleted scene with my lovely readers as well. So without further ado, let's get to all the fun, shall we? :)

Review

To say that I'd been anticipating this release would be putting it very mildly! And it was definitely worth waiting for. :) There is such sweetness in watching these two characters find each other again. It's not an easy journey for the two of them, but oh so wonderfully real!

It was Trisha I connected to immediately. You'd wonder how I, being an adult long beyond college age, could understand her fears and uncertainties, probably. But I do! Sometimes I wonder if we ever truly get life figured out because just when we think we have it, something gets thrown in to push us a bit off course. That's where Trisha is at the beginning of the novella. Uncertain who she even is at the moment and so full of this pull of something that she doesn't understand. It's a very insecure and precarious feeling! And so she throws caution to the wind and runs away for the weekend.

But then. Oh but then! When Paul enters the picture, I empathized with all the awkward she felt. And their initial conversations are a struggle. (Not due to bad writing! On the contrary, Ms. Stokes allows the reader to feel precisely what the characters are going through at these moments.) Yet as we watch the two continue to get pulled together, things begin to change. There's still fears and uncertainties there, yet slowly they begin to open up and be their true selves with one another. And that's when all the delight begins to happen!

The romance bits are, naturally, some of my favorites. ;) The shortness of their reconnection is enhanced by their past which is felt in all the unspoken moments between them. It's an undeniable connection that neither has ever let go of completely. And when they look at each other....ah my heart! There is so much there in the air between them and it kept me turning page after page to see where the next conversation would go!

All in all, this was a lovely way to spend a couple hours. If you're looking for a story that's short yet full of delightful romance that will make your heart smile, this one is perfect for you! So what are you waiting for? Go forth and buy it! :)

**I received a complimentary copy via the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book

Inspirational Contemporary Romance Novella

Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide.

Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure takes an unexpected turn when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board.

All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn't know where her current track will lead, Paul’s reappearance in her life only complicates matters and sparks difficult questions.

Questions that could change the course of her life.

A heartfelt and thought-provoking contemporary romance novella, Where Trains Collide faces the uncertain season of new adulthood head on and shows that sometimes a path of broken dreams can lead to life’s best destination.

Purchase for $.99 on Amazon! | Add to Goodreads

About the Author

Amber Holcomb (Stokes) is an indie author and freelance editor living below the majestic mountains of Montana with her adventurous husband. Previously, she worked in marketing for a Christian publisher for nearly three years. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and now fuels her work with words in this new season of life.

You can learn more about Amber’s books, sign up for her author newsletter, join the Amber’s Gems street team, and more at Seasons of a Story.

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Deleted Scene

If you take a look at the Pinterest board for Where Trains Collide, you’ll see some pins featuring scenes from Silver Falls State Park. In the first draft of the story, Paul and Trisha headed north for an outing at the park. They end up going a different direction in the final version, but here’s a glimpse at that deleted scene…

***

It didn’t take them long at all to come to the edge of the ravine and catch their first glimpse of what had to be the South Falls, the main tourist attraction on this trail of falls. The invisible forces of nature shoved a ton of water off the edge of the cliff to their left, sending water droplets free-falling into a perfectly beautiful dive to meet the rest of the water pooled below. 

Trisha’s cheeks hurt from smiling as she took in the view. She could feel the life here. The vibrancy shimmering in the damp air. The miracle of H2O moving and shivering and falling and keeping its form without ever having a shape. 

She pulled out her iPhone and snapped picture after picture, until Paul nudged her with his arm. “Now who’s holding us up? You know, we can get closer.”

She eagerly followed after him, his red shirt like a beacon bringing her back to the path as she scanned the fall foliage and ever-greenery around them, pausing every so often to take more pictures. 

Leaves beneath them. Sunlight like an arrow through the trees across the ravine. People crossing the cute wooden bridge below. All ended up on her phone. She couldn’t wait to share about this on her blog. Not that a million other nature buffs hadn’t already written about this place. 

It didn’t matter. She just had to share.

She was just getting ready to stop and pull out her new journal to jot down some thoughts, when they came to a curve in the trail that would lead them back around behind the waterfall. The dirt of the trail became a sludgy mud, likely from a combination of the waterfall and earlier rain.

But if that little five-year-old girl ahead of them could happily skip around it, well, it couldn’t be so bad. 

Trisha gave up on the journal and turned her attention to skirting the bigger puddles. The pounding of the water became louder as they drew closer to the little cave-like portion of the trail behind the waterfall. 

As she and Paul approached a particularly large puddle, a middle-aged man came at it from the other side. Paul stepped as close to the rail on their right as he could get. Trisha stalled for a moment, until he gripped her hand and pulled her up right next to him. 

The man nodded in thanks as he passed in front of them, his arm brushing their sides as he shuffled around the worst of the mud. He had moved on several paces up the trail before Trisha realized that she and Paul hadn’t budged, even though the coast was clear. 

And Paul hadn’t let go of her hand.

She didn’t know what to think of that. So she didn’t think. She just gave his arm a little push and let him guide them safely around the muck and under the rocky outcropping until they stood hand in hand directly behind the waterfall. 

Mist hovered around them. A group laughed as they passed by, likely not as good as Paul at avoiding the puddles in the path. Trisha didn’t look back to confirm her suspicions. She couldn’t drink in enough of the view before them. 

In the space between the safety of the ledge above and the depths of the pool beneath, the falling water grew thin and stretched in a living window. Gold autumn leaves glistened and glowed from the trees beyond. A treasure veiled from reach. 

But somehow, she and Paul were better for simply knowing it was there. Knowing that such a sight existed from this impossible, enchanting angle.

His fingers tightened around hers.

Trisha blinked, and the waterfall changed from a solid, shimmery thing to a million different trails following gravity to their inevitable end. Unwitting water colliding with water that had been there before.

Falling. Colliding. 

Inevitable.

Giveaway

In celebration of this new novella, enter for a chance to win a $15 Amazon.com gift card! Giveaway is open internationally (to anyone age 18 or older who can receive an Amazon gift card via email). Void where prohibited.

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Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Thirty-Two

And I'm back with more reviews! Yay! I know how excited you are. Yep. I sure do. So! Enough about all that I know, let's get to the reviews, shall we? :)

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Much as I love Jane Austen, it's crazy that it took till now for me to read this one, right? And, of course, I loved it! I actually started out listening to the audiobook and got so impatient to read faster that I pulled out my physical copy and finished it up. And then went back and finished the audiobook because it was just that good! :) As always with her books, I am in love with Austen's sense of humor. All the little asides the narrator constantly slips in, just the sheer delight in all the little details! I laughed so much while reading/listening to this, especially at moments that I wasn't expecting to.

I definitely expected to love Elinor and Edward, however, and I did indeed! Elinor isn't perfect and I didn't always understand her, but there's just something about her that I connect with. And Edward makes some awfully foolish decisions himself! (Lucy Steele, anyone? *shudder*) But the two of them together? Ah, my heart!

In all the adaptations I've seen, Marianne tends to frustrate me, so I was curious how I'd like her in original form. She still frustrated me at times, but I definitely liked her a lot better here! And Colonel Brandon? He's certainly a lot more swoony on the page! :)

With Austen's delicious wit and my love of the characters, it's guaranteed that I'd  love this! And I did, naturally. Enough to want to read/listen again and again!

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
First, can I just say how much I love this cover? So pretty! And it illustrates the feel of the story very well. As for the story itself, I loved it! The theme of grief is such a difficult one to handle, even fictionally, and Ms. Kemmerer did a fantastic job. I was right there with Juliet as she worked through all her emotions, and I loved seeing her reach a better place by the end. It wasn't an easy journey, but grieving never is. It's often a harsh growth, yet there is beauty there. And I totally understood her need to write out her feelings!

And then there's Declan, who found her letters and, subsequently, forms an immediate connection with this letter-writer. I love, love, love it when characters fall for the written words of the other! That is where we humans tend to let our true selves be known, so the idea of falling for someone that way is just what makes this word-loving girl happy! :D

The chemistry between Juliet and Declan is fairly electric, as well! Watching them open up to each other and deal with their attraction is simply delightful. The build up of tension, the will-they won't-they aspect, was exceptionally well done. But I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed in the payout of that tension. The ending was a little too rushed for me. I liked where they ended up, don't get me wrong! But all the redemption and happiness happened way too quickly in comparison with all the build up before. Yet don't let that deter you from reading this one, friends! Because I did really enjoy it, rushed ending and all.

The Whys Have It by Amy Matayo
And why did I wait so long to read this? I loved it! Hit all the right emotions and that chemistry between Cory and Sam? *swoon* Ms. Matayo just knows how to write a bad boy with a soft heart, doesn't she? I loved seeing these two characters deal with the fall out of decisions out of their control and how they helped each other through it. Their guilt and uncertainty felt real. And the way they grew closer, almost unconsciously, in spite of the hurt they caused each other. Like I said, their chemistry is amazing!

Both have had it rough, especially Sam, but they endured. And it's that very strength that endeared both of them to me. Faced with situations that seem to constantly beat them down, both Sam and Cory refuse to stay there. They pick themselves back up and move forward. Oh, it's not easy, but they do it. And as they strive harder, they slowly begin to realize how much better they are together instead of alone. Their character growth is beautiful to behold and I was cheering, by the final chapter, to see them making wiser choices and loving so well! This story is Amy Matayo at her best and I can't wait for more of her books! :)

The Start of Us by Jill Lynn Buteyn
This is super adorable! A quick and fun read that made me grin. I certainly wasn't expecting that little twist, although I probably should have because I could look back and see the hints, but I was happily clueless. It was a very cute storyline though!

If you're in need of a sweet romance, but not much reading time available, may I suggest you give this one a try? I really don't think you'll be disappointed. :)

Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

When I first heard about this book, I immediately zeroed in on the fact that it shared similarities with Labyrinth (the movie starring David Bowie). Which thrilled me and caused great heights of anticipation for Feb 2017 to get here quick! (That movie continues to remain a favorite of mine and the relationship between the Goblin King and Sarah is a big reason why.) I was so pleased that I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It was different than I had imagined, but that's no bad thing at all. :) From the fairytale-like way it begins, through the fantastical setting, to the bittersweet, yet hopeful, ending, this book was a delight from start to finish!

To gather my thoughts, let's begin with the characters. In order to sell the central relationship and the push-and-pull between them, Liesl and the Goblin King needed to be fleshed out and believable. At least up to a certain point, because, as I stated before, this does have a fairytale quality to it and therefore the reader will have to simply accept a few plot points as they rise, regardless of believability. So I was happy to be sucked into Liesl's world and into her head as soon as I began reading. I sympathized with her, yet had moments of frustration, and simultaneously loved her while wanting to shake her silly! I understood her fears though, especially in regards to her natural musical ability (which is clearly phenomenal!). When she finally begins to realize how incredibly gifted she is and learns to accept it as a beautiful part of herself, I inwardly danced and cheered because I'd been anticipating that moment for pages and pages and pages. Her love for her family is another beautiful part of her, yet I did wish they had been slightly more worthy of her sacrifice for them. But that's just a minor quibble.

Then there's the Goblin King himself. Oh what to say about him? I really liked how Ms. Jae-Jones truly captured his otherness. Every time he came onto the page, there was always a sense of other about him. He remains a bit of a mystery throughout much of the story, which surprised me yet didn't. Simply put, it worked. (Perhaps it was just my pure enjoyment of picturing him as David Bowie? :)

And then the writing....! Oh friends, I must commend the author for writing so vividly as to sweep me away into the Underground for several hours! The setting, the descriptions, the world-building is certainly well done. So much detail in just a few words, I could picture the scenes so clearly in my mind. I wasn't expecting the historical setting, I have to admit, but it worked really well, especially with the traditions and folklore that surrounded Liesl's human world. And the music! It swirls in and out of paragraphs and chapters and fills this story, even when not actually mentioned. Like Liesl herself, music is the very heart of the storytelling.

Yet it's not a perfect story either. As I mentioned above, there were several times that Liesl actively frustrated me to no end (some of her choices didn't make any sense). And there are questions that I never really got answers to. Which isn't inherently a bad thing, I just wish I could have understood a few of the characters actions a bit more, especially Liesl's. Also, at times, the religious references combined with the not-quite-graphic details mixed sort of weirdly to me. The switch between the two would throw me out of the story for a bit. Luckily it didn't take long for me to get sucked back in! :) The other part that bugged me was the ending. It felt very abrupt, leaving me with so many more questions on what happened after! But I hear that a companion novel is in the works, so perhaps that'll give me the satisfying conclusion I was hoping for? *crosses fingers*

So! Quibbles or no, this was a satisfying read for me. I was thoroughly immersed and so sad when it ended. It gave me just the bit of romance I wanted from Labyrinth and made me grin with each of the little nuggets from the movie that I recognized! In short, it is darkly romantic, with a vivid and fantastical setting and characters. So much of Labyrinth, yet so much of its own storyline too, it's the perfect combo of both! :)

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"There is music in your soul. A wild and untamed sort
of music that speaks to me. It defies all the rules and laws you humans set upon it. It grows from inside you, and I have a wish to set that music free."

"That one," the merchant said, pointing to Käthe, "burns like kindling. All flash, and no real heat. But you," he said. "You smolder, mistress. There is a fire burning within you, but it is a slow burn. It shimmers with heat, waiting only for a breath to fan it to life."

This was the immortality humans were meant to have: to be remembered by those who loved us long after our bodies have crumbled into dust.

Review: My Hope Next Door by Tammy L. Gray

Oh friends, where do I start with this one? It's gut-wrenching, yet hopeful, with one of the most authentic romances between two hurting people that I've read in a while. Katie and Asher's journeys are hard, they've both made real mistakes in their pasts and they struggle to move beyond those choices. So when you bring these two together? It's a beautiful story of redemption for both.

Let's start with Katie. I don't believe I've ever really read a story from the perspective of a "mean girl" who's done a one-eighty and now regrets all the terrible things she used to do. Because the Katie from high school is so vastly different from the Katie from now! The downside to this change though, is the fact that hardly anyone from her hometown now believes her. Not even her own parents! It requires patience and persistence for her to convince people of her genuine change of heart, something which she sorely struggles with. Katie has a huge mountain to overcome, but it's her heart so full of regret yet still so hopeful that I connected to. And that's where Asher comes in. Because he reminds her again and again, in her lowest moments, that hope is still possible. That her heart is worth knowing and her ability to stay the course will eventually bring the rewards she desires. Her battles may be hard, but the results will come! And it's that tiny light of hope I could see clinging to Katie, even in her more unlikable moments, that truly won me over. :)

I also related to the main reason she came home again. Her mother's disease and subsequent need for help drew her back, even as the pain of her parents inability to understand her made her wary. Moving back home, after years of being away, is never easy. Add in the fact that there's this disease that affects the entire family not just the patient, plus a difficult parent-child relationship, and everything becomes infinitely more hard. Still, Katie's determination to try and make things right between them showed me her beautiful heart and I knew I wanted to know more about her.

As for Asher? His journey isn't quite so tall a mountain, but the guilt he deals with is still a miserable road some days. His willingness to look beyond the pain Katie had caused him in the past, and see the bits of her heart she unknowingly shares initially, is a wonderful example of what a truly nice guy he is. His past isn't quite as harsh as Katie's, yet he still has trouble holding on to hope himself. Which is where Katie returns the favor and reminds him, sometimes just by simple, everyday conversation. Their slow build from friendship to something more is fraught with hard, doubts, fears, happiness, joy, tears, smiles, namely just about everything. It's not an easy road for either, but they gradually come to realize that they make each other better and that hope is so much easier to cling to when they have someone to lean on! I loved watching them encourage each other, sometimes with hard, honest truth and other times with gentleness and hugs. Their relationship felt realistic to me, because while they had fun bouts of adorableness and cute, they also frustrated each other and struggled to understand some of the choices the other would make. But it's that very longing to understand which kept me yearning for their happy ending!

This story is a beautiful example of two people who come together to choose to see the good, especially in each other, no matter how difficult it may get. They struggle, they laugh, they cry, they hope, and you are left with smiles and happy as you reach the final pages. Read this one, friends! It's a good one. :)

**I received a complimentary copy from the author via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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"The laundry moved."
"The laundry?"
Her giggles grew until they were gut-deep hysterics that made him smile for some reason.
"I'm telling you, it's so messy in there, I might be better off sleeping outdoors." Her laughter faded to a sigh that was anything but humorous. "What's something you tell yourself when a task feels too great? Too overwhelming?"
Her attention was back to him, as if he were a fortune cookie that held winning lottery numbers. But he had no clue how to answer, because he'd felt overwhelmed for months. He knew what his dad would say. He'd quote 1 Peter and tell her to pray. But that advice had barely resonated in his own life; he certainly couldn't expect it to resonate with someone who'd spent her adolescence bashing organized religion.
He thought again of the Jillian mess. "I guess I would take it one day at a time. One project at a time, and try to find purpose in each one." At least that was what he was trying to do.
She sat up and furrowed her brow like she was memorizing his words. "Find purpose in each task. One box at a time. One square inch and then another." Her voice grew stronger with each line, but he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Sure. Something like that."
"Okay." She gave a determined nod and stood. "Thank you." The way she said the words made him believe she was talking about more than his simple advice. Her fingers lovingly stroked the design etched in the wood column. "This really is beautiful, Asher."
She swatted the surface twice and then took off back to her house, swatting away invisible insects as soon as she crossed into her family's knee-high field.
Asher suddenly felt as if the air had been knocked out of him. Or maybe all those stars had collided overhead. He'd been ambushed, all right. But for some reason, her coming over didn't feel like such a bad thing anymore. In fact, he felt strangely relieved.
For the first time in ten miserable months, someone understood.

Review: The End of the World by Amy Matayo

Ouch. Oh my heart. This story is hard, friends. It's painful, it wounds, and it hurts. It is so far from easy and happy, and y'all know I love my happy, funny books! But what an incredible story it is. In spite of the hard, the emotions don't stop! Because I ended this book with so many FEELINGS. Ones that I'm struggling to put into words. It's not often a story will do that to me, but this one....Ms. Matayo, you are a superb writer! I have no other words for your skill with the pen and this story is the perfect proof of your ability. I'm in awe of these characters you've created! :)

It was clear from the very first page that this story was going to be different. I was a bit unsure of what I would think of it, to be honest, yet it didn't take long at all for me to get drawn into Shaye and Cameron's world and then the raw emotions began! Their lives are difficult to put it mildly. I wanted so badly to reach into the pages and wrap my arms around those two characters and just hug them as tight and as long as I could. Or as long as they'd let me anyway. Because their story is one that isn't easy to read about. (I still wanted to hold them tight at the end because they need more people to love them! And oh how I love them now.)

But! For all the pain involved (a fact which would make it seem like there's nothing happy about this story at all), the idea that these two broken souls could somehow find a glimmer of hope in their darkness.....well, that just makes it worth delving into. Because hope is there, my friends! The flame is small and hiding in the grime and dirt (it seems almost nonexistent really), but it's still there. And the fact that Shaye and Cameron were somehow able to find it and cling to it, despite all that life threw in their paths, that gave me hope that their story would somehow find a good ending. And I'm so glad I had the privilege to journey with them to that beautiful ending!

This book is not for the faint of heart because the issues involved are serious. But the characters are so very resilient and every single time you think they'll be unable to get through another moment, up they stand and forward they go! Shaye and Cameron are so worth getting to know. For as hard as their journey is, that makes their bits of happy shine ever so much brighter! And their story is amazing, just you read it and see! :)

**I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

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Because abandonment is the worst feeling in the world. It's itchy, like a wool sweater in a summer heat wave. I know this firsthand. For years now, that sweater has clung to me like a second skin I'll never be able to remove.

"What would make you happy?" When her arm lands on my shoulder, I know I would willingly ask the question a thousand more times. "Knowing you've figured out how to live in the present. Because today is hard enough without having to relive yesterday over and over and over."

Happiness, I've found, is a precious thing once it comes to you. And when it arrives in your early twenties for the first time ever, you don't plan on letting it go. My grip might be fragile, but it's strong.

She's been quiet the entire drive, looking at her hands like they hold the secrets of the future. Like if she stares hard enough, answers will appear in the form of words in the lines on her skin and rise up to tell her a story.

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Erynn Mangum Edition

Erynn Mangum has long been a favorite author of mine. Her books never fail to make me laugh! She's self-published several novellas that I'd been meaning to read for a few years now and finally over the Christmas holidays I did. Yay! So I thought I'd just group them together and shower you with Erynn Mangum fabulousness! Great idea, right? :) Let's get to it!

My Revised Christmas List
Love stories where the two people have an awesome friendship first have always been a favorite of mine. So watching Chloe and Landon's friendship turn into something more is just adorable! I loved how, with just a few short pages to tell their story, Ms. Mangum convinced me of their long-standing friendship and just how much these two understood each other. The reader can tell they're made for each other, but it takes the two of them a bit longer to realize it. Which makes for a short and sweet story with much cuteness and fun! :)

Return to Chocolate
I loved this story! I loved Jane the best. Mostly because I could relate to her. Moving back home after being away for several years is not easy. At all! But sometimes the hard things are the necessary things. Of course, my move may have been a lot easier if I'd had a chocolate shop to come home to like she does. Mmmmm. The descriptions of the chocolate in this story just made me crave it! :) And Sam. Oh how I loved Sam! His immediate sweetness to Jane, his understanding of her and how she feels about her family, his care once he knows who her family is, just his overall niceness. Their chemistry is wonderful! This is a sweet bit of cute that I will be rereading again and again.

Merry and Bright
Ms. Mangum really does excel at the friendship-turned-romance stories! Like a lot of her other protagonists, Joe and Kelly have an awesome rapport. They just get each other! Even Kelly's family can see it. Poor Kelly, on the other hand, requires a bit of time with Joe, with no distractions, before she can see what's right in front of her face. But that's the beauty of this story, we get to watch as proximity, due to a snow storm, causes feelings to erupt in all the sweetest of ways. I loved Kelly and Joe together, and with Kelly's family as their not so subtle matchmakers, their love story is meant to be! Definitely recommend!

Identical Differences
Just as sweet as her others! I admit it takes a bit to understand Alexia and her reasons for hating Justin. Especially when he's so nice to her when we meet him. But once I knew her story, I could see where things from our childhood can shape our opinions as adults, even if said opinions are wrong. And Alexia does come to realize how wrong she is thankfully. Because Justin is adorable! Watching these two together made me wish this story was full length because we only get a small glimpse of their beginning and I'd love to read more of their journey. :) My one small complaint is Rachel, Alexia's twin. She was a bit of a bridezilla at times and even though she and Alexia are great sisters, she still frustrated me a bit. I suppose I wished for a little more of an acknowledgement from her about too much focus on herself. But that's a very minor thing and overall I really enjoyed this book.

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Seventeen

Well! Here I am again, cleaning out my to-be-reviewed list. I am sooo behind on my reviews! As always, I know, it seems I'm constantly saying that, doesn't it? I'm sorry. Every time I think I'll get caught up, life happens and I get way behind again. *heavy sigh* Perhaps that should be one of my 2016 goals! To keep on top of my book reviews. Yes! Now let's just hope I can, right? :)

Geek Girl by Holly Smale
This was so much fun! I absolutely loved Harriet. From her clumsy introduction to modeling and her own unexplainable fascination with it, to the cute (and frustrating) guy she has to work with, to the way she grows and learns who she is and what she wants, it all combines to make for a hilarious story! All great stories have awesome characters and Harriet is definitely one of those. Watching as she stumbles her way through figuring out what she wants to do with her life makes for such a fun ride. I laughed and cried with her and finished the final page with a grin on my face. "Popcorn entertainment" that I couldn't put down. What more could you ask for from a book? :)

Straight to You by Liwen Y. Ho
A great mix of sweet romance and real life. By which I mean, Ashlynn and Jeremy are all kinds of adorbs! But their romance isn't just about the falling in love part, it's also about the choosing to love part. Neither of them are perfect people and they have things in their pasts they each have to work through, separately and together. Their journey together takes compromise and choosing each other time and time again. It feels real! And it's not easy either, but watching them come together and become even better as a couple is so wonderful to see. So glad I read this one!

True to You by Liwen Y. Ho
This is another great romance from Ms. Ho! After meeting Ben and Melanie in Straight to You, I was happy to find out how they ended up together. :) Their story is full of chemistry and fun, but it's got the real life element as well. Because while there's an immediate connection, neither one of them was looking for it. In fact, Melanie is engaged to a very nice man already. I confess that love stories that begin with one of the protagonists engaged to someone else make me a little leery, but Ms. Ho handles this very well. I appreciated that Melvin was a genuinely nice guy and that their breakup wasn't full of dramatics (except maybe from Melanie's mother :). Because once Melanie meets Ben...well. You'll have to read it and find out for yourself! :D

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
I haven't ever read a story with a main character who has schizophrenia before. But Ms. Zappia does a fabulous job of getting her readers to sympathize with and like Alex. She is an amazing character! And her story completely blew me away. I was sucked in and turning pages as fast as I could! Living with a daily question of whether anything or anyone she sees is real or imaginary would be tough. But Alex is one determined young lady and desires to live life on her own terms. Her journey is real and heart-wrenching, but filled with little bits of happy that help get her through. This is a very thought-provoking read with a twist I did not see coming at all! You should read it. I highly recommend!

Pairing Off by Elizabeth Harmon
I've loved watching figure skating for years, so when I saw this book had a romance between two skaters, I knew I'd want to try it. Am I ever glad I did! Carrie and Anton's lives aren't easy and when they come together it's explosive. In a good way! :) Their chemistry is sizzling. I loved all their interactions, especially on the ice. Ms. Harmon described the skating scenes so well it was as if I were out there skating with them. I loved that! There were a couple plot points that I was not expecting, but there were some predictable things as well. Overall, I absolutely loved this story and will look forward to more from Ms. Harmon. :)

My 2015 Favorite Reads

I tried to limit myself to only ten. I really did! But do you know how hard that was?! 2015 was a great reading year for me. I fell in love with SO many awesome stories and when I took a moment to look them all over to try and narrow down my absolute favorites ever....yeah, that was hard. Plus it wasn't helped by the fact that I read several series this year which makes for almost ten books with just those! So! I decided to cheat a little bit (after all, this is my blog. I can do whatever I want, right? ;) and I'm going to lump a couple favorite series together. In other words, instead of counting all three books separately, I'm going to count them as just one on my list. Because I couldn't just pick one of the three! I loved them all! A reader's gotta do what a reader's gotta do.

Also. These are in no particular order either, so don't just scroll down to number one and assume that was my favorite of the entire year. I couldn't decide! (Sorry not sorry.) They're all amazing and wonderful and made me sigh with happiness once I finished the final page. Basically I went to my Goodreads list and started with the beginning of the year and went down, picking out all my faves along the way. Easy peasy! Only not.

Anyhoo! Here they are. Enjoy! :)

North and South
by Elizabeth Gaskell

 

This should just be obvious. I loved it! The end. ;)

 



These Broken Stars, This Shattered World,
Their Fractured Light

by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

 

Oh my goodness, this series! I loved that they could all be read as stand-alones (although they have one overarching big storyline that connects them, so it makes more sense to read them in order), I loved each couple's romance (seriously swoony guys here!), I loved every bit of this world that Ms. Kaufman and Ms. Spooner created, and I loved how each book's tension and suspense just built on the previous story (it was like the authors just kept getting better and better).

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater

I don't know what else I could say about this story that my review didn't. Other than these characters refused to leave my head for days and days after I finished this book! Which is the highest praise I can give a story.




Tiffany Girl
by Deeanne Gist

 

I have read and reread and reread all my favorite scenes in this book SO many times! Flossie is an intriguing mix of feisty and sweet and I loved every minute we get to spend with her. Definitely one of Ms. Gist's best!



The Gifting, The Awakening, The Gathering
by K.E. Ganshert

I was on the edge of my seat while I devoured this series. Despite a few clichés that I wish weren't there, I still absolutely loved Tess' story! Each book built on the tension so well that I felt as triumphant and exhausted as the characters themselves once the end came. :)

The Bronte Plot
by Katherine Reay

I do believe that Ms. Reay only gets better with time! (Can you imagine what her stories will be like once she has bunches more published?!) Her characters never fail to make a deep impression on me. Lucy is flawed, but unforgettable and I loved how covertly she climbed into my heart until suddenly there she was embedded forever.



Stitching Snow, Spinning Starlight

by R.C. Lewis

Scifi fairytale retellings that are awesome? Yes please! :)



While You're Awake

by Amber Stokes

This short little story seriously packs a lot of cuteness into just a few pages! I've reread it several times and it never fails to make me grin. Ava and Keegan are in my heart to stay! :)



The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers,

The Return of the King

By J.R.R. Tolkien

EPIC. That one word completely describes this amazing series.



The Perfect Arrangement

By Katie Ganshert

So much of this story made me think of You've Got Mail that it was obvious I would add this to my favorites list! I loved it to pieces!



One Among Men

by Connie Almony

These characters gripped my heart and refused to let go! Watching as their layers are peeled back and their true selves revealed is a beautiful (and painful) thing.



Winter

by Marissa Meyer

Now come on, you knew this one would be on my list, right? I only waited YEARS for it! ;) Ms. Meyer gave me everything and more that I'd been waiting for. An epic conclusion to an amazing series! Now I'm ready to reread them all again. :D

Well! That wasn't too many, was it? I listed twelve, with four series included in that (which, I know, makes nineteen books.). Like I said, it was hard to limit myself to just those! :) My reader's heart was so happy with the stories I read in 2015. (I almost said last year, which is technically true, but since 2015 was only three days ago.....it felt weird, okay?)

Here's to even more epic and awesome stories in 2016! Cannot wait to see what all our favorite writers have in store. :)