Monday, December 30, 2013

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

The Promise of Amazing

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.
Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.
One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

I really enjoyed The Promise of Amazing. It’s Robin Constantine’s debut novel, so I didn’t have any expectations in terms of what to expect from Constantine writing-wise. However, the cover and summary are both adorable, so I had fairly high expectations when it came to the actual story. Though I wouldn’t call The Promise of Amazing one of my favorite books, I like it a lot. While I was reading it, I couldn’t bring myself to put the book down. Constantine’s writing and characters captured me completely. The story is adorable, the characters are unforgettable, and the writing is superb. That being said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing from the story. I’m a huge fan of adorable romances that make you think, and The Promise of Amazing accomplished that. However, it just seemed to be missing something that would really set it apart from all of the others.

That being said, I did really enjoy it. Wren and Grayson’s story is fun and easy to read. In terms of being a YA romance, Constantine did everything right. The characters never fell flat and neither did their chemistry. I loved every part of The Promise of Amazing. I wish I would have had more time with the characters, because they were all so darn adorable. Wren’s family is crazy, but you can’t help love them. Grayson, though at times got on my nerves, was ultimately a great character and companion to Wren.

The Promise of Amazing is adorable and addicting. It will appeal to fans of John Hughes movies and Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson. The characters and their story come alive and practically jump off of the page. Robin Constantine is definitely a writer to watch.

FTC- Received from publisher via Edelweiss.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Blog Tour and Scavenger Hunt: Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin

18336825 In my post, you’ll notice that I’ve linked to one song from the Another Little Piece of My Heart Claire’s Summer Survival Playlist. There are 12 songs on the playlist in total, and therefore 12 stops on the scavenger hunt (posting from November 29 – December 1). Find them all, and discover 12 chances to win great Harlequin TEEN books and Another Little Piece of My Heart swag.
But there’s more! One grand-prize winner will be randomly drawn to receive a $25 iTunes gift card in addition to books and swag! To enter for the grand prize, send the complete, 12-song playlist, along with your contact information (including the address where you’d like to receive your prize) to the author by using this contact form: http://tracey-martin.com/contact/. The winner will be notified by email after the contest ends on December 5th.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the playlist using the contact form above by December 5th at noon Eastern Time. Entries sent without the correct playlist or without contact information will not be considered.

Song Number 11 on the playlist is Afterlife by Nemesia!

You can buy Another Little Piece of My Heart HERE.

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