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Tuesday, March 9, 2021

APRIL TOURS- Tours From Disney, Rick Riordan Presents, Random House, Imprint, Simon Teen, & More!


Hey everyone! We are super excited to announce the late April Tours we're hosting! We have a mix of YA, MG, & Kidlit books. The genres are a mix of Contemporary, Sci-Fi, & Fantasy! 

PLEASE NOTE BECAUSE OF COVID-19- Some of these tours are eBook only for review copies BUT, we do have a lot that will have physical copies!!! It'll say below each book whether there will be physical copies or not.

REMEMBER WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD OR $25 WORTH OF BOOKS FROM THE BOOK DEPOSITORY EACH MONTH TO ONE LUCKY BLOGGER! THE MORE TOURS YOU SIGN UP FOR THE MORE ENTRIES YOU GET!

ALL TOURS WILL HAVE A PRE-MADE HTML POST AND INSTAGRAM PICS SO ALL YOU WILL HAVE TO DO IS COPY AND PASTE INTO YOUR BLOGS OR INSTAGAM!

Check below for specifics on each tour and click on the book covers for the Goodreads links and book info.

Details on a giveaway are TK.

If you'd like to be considered to be a stop on any of these tours, please first sign up as a tour host and fill out the form below.

Please note: Signing up for the tour does not guarantee you will be selected. We will reach out to all hosts that have been chosen once the sign-ups have closed.

We are totally stoked for the tour for all of these tours this February/March! We can't wait for everyone to read them!

About the Books! 

Click on the covers to add the books to your Goodreads lists!



This Owl Hollow Press YA Sci-Fi tour runs for three weeks from March 15th-April 1st, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, excerpts, & spotlights. eBooks available for all 3 books. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About The Book:

From Book 1: Daughter4254 used to think life in a community where art, music and names are outlawed would suffocate her creative spirit until she is left to rot in prison and realizes there is far worse.

Then she meets Thomas, a fellow inmate, who tells stories of the mythical mountain colonies where people have names and the arts thrive, and she finds a shred of hope. Together they plot an escape, knowing they'll die if they fail. Or worse, their consciousness will be taken by the MindWipe, leaving their bodies free for government use.

When nothing goes as planned, Daughter4254 must choose between using her mother's secrets of the rebellion to better the world she hates and following Thomas to the quiet life of freedom she has always craved.


This Chamberlain Publishing House YA Sci-Fi Romance tour runs for one week from April 1st-20th, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, excerpts, pre made guest posts,  & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About The Book:

Beatrice Walker thought she lived in a normal world—that is until she learned she’s a living hostel for an alien energy source, and apparently the answer to preventing extinction.

Bea has no memory of her last moments with her mother. The week they’d gone missing is a complete mystery. Suddenly moved back to her hometown with her father, Bea has rekindled her friendship with her two best friends—and seems to have caught the attention of an arrogant, yet gorgeous boy named Cash Kingston. But there’s more to Cash than his annoying attitude and good looks. Cash isn’t human, and he’s now in charge of protecting Bea from those who know what she keeps safe inside her: the energy source that once belonged to his murdered girlfriend.

Tensions mount as Bea learns her energy source must be paired with the one Cash holds to protect both their planets from an imminent threat. But what Bea doesn’t realize is there’s more to her than being human a host, that her feelings for Cash are not just a prophetic plan that will save their planets, and that the fate of everything lies in her choices.



This Rick Riordan Presents MG OwnVoices Fantasy tour runs for two weeks from April 1st-30th, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, excerpts, & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About The Book:

Aru Shah and her sisters--including one who also claims to be the Sleeper's daughter--must find their mentors Hanuman and Urvashi in Lanka, the city of gold, before war breaks out between the devas and asuras.

Aru has just made a wish on the tree of wishes, but she can't remember what it was. She's pretty sure she didn't wish for a new sister, one who looks strangely familiar and claims to be the Sleeper's daughter, like her.

Aru also isn't sure she still wants to fight on behalf of the devas in the war against the Sleeper and his demon army. The gods have been too devious up to now. Case in point: Kubera, ruler of the city of gold, promises to give the Pandavas two powerful weapons, but only if they win his trials. If they lose, they won't stand a chance against the Sleeper's troops, which will soon march on Lanka to take over the Otherworld.

Aru's biggest question, though, is why every adult she has loved and trusted so far has failed her. Will she come to peace with what they've done before she has to wage the battle of her life?


This Random House Books for Young Readers, Kidlit tour runs for two weeks from April 5th-9th & 12th-16th, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, excerpts, & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About The Book:

Bestselling author and entertainer John Cena motivates and inspires readers with this illustrated book of uplifting encouragements adapted from his popular Twitter feed. The perfect gift for graduations, birthdays, and life's biggest celebrations!

Hope + Effort = Making the impossible possible

In this colorfully illustrated book of encouragements, John Cena urges young readers to be who they are, act to make the world a better place, and never stop striving.

Aimed at elementary and middle schoolers, but fun and fitting for readers of any age, John's inspiring perspective and thoughtful advice are perfect for milestones like graduations, new siblings, and other big life moments, as well as for anyone who could use a little boost.

These affirmations about growing up and moving forward are sure to help kids find joy in their efforts and achievements.


This Imprint (Macmillan) Kidlit tour runs for two weeks from April 12th-16th & 19th-23rd, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, interviews, excerpts, & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About the book:

When a girl and her family travel four thousand miles from home, it's not your typical summer vacation. Everything is different on the Alaskan tundra--where the grizzly bears roam and the sockeye salmon swim--including the rules. A girl can do things she wouldn't, and couldn't, do at home.

She can wake up at midnight to work with her mom on a fishing crew. She can learn what it means to be an essential part of a team. She can become a braver, stronger, and ever-more capable version of herself. She can take her next big step.

She's ready for her first real sunrise.


This Disney-Hyperion Middle grade Fantasy tour runs for two weeks from April 26th-30th & May 3rd-7th, will have one or two stops a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, interviews, excerpts & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About the book:

No Stuffy has ever gone into the Darkness and returned....

Clark can’t wait to go away to camp this year. For the first time ever, he has actual friends to hang out with. Catherine-Lucille and D. A. will both be at Camp I Can with Clark, and C. L. has already promised to induct him into her exclusive camp club—the one for campers who know everything there is to know about the world of Monsters and how Stuffies protect kids from them. And now that he knows (or suspects . . . very strongly) that his grandma-made Stuffy, Foon, heroically saved his own father from a horrible fate, Clark is obviously bringing Foon to camp along with him.

But once Clark gets to camp, he and his friends discover things are off. There are strange, gooey findings in some of the bunks, the adults are acting weird, and, worst of all, their Stuffies and dolls go missing right at the moment they need them the most—when they go on the intersession camping trip and end up trapped in a creepy old cabin. What Clark and his friends don’t know, and what the mighty Foon soon discovers, is that the Monsters have launched a revenge campaign against Foon—a campaign that entails sucking the very life out of Clark. Now it’s up to Foon to enter the World of Darkness and take on the Monster in charge in order to stop the plot and save Clark’s life.

In the long tradition of Stuffies vs. Monsters, this one’s a battle for the ages—one that will certainly go down in Stuffy history.


This Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers YA Contemporary tour runs for one month from April 26th-May 21st, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, excerpts,, pre-made guest posts, excerpts, & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About the book:

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off meets Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist in this romp through the city that never sleeps from the New York Times bestselling author of Since You’ve Been Gone, Morgan Matson.

Two girls. One night. Zero phones.

Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?

Well. Kind of a lot?

They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.

Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.

That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.



This Brown Books Publishing Kidlit book duo tour runs for one month from April 26th-May 21st, will have one stop a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, pre-made guest posts, excerpts, & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available. There will be images for Instagram stops.

About the books:


THE TOOT FAIRY by Mark Huffman, Illustrated by Dawn Davidson (On sale February 9, 2021) 

IMPORTANT LESSON FOR CHILDREN IN WAKE OF COVID: In 2020, many college kids (and adults out of work) had to find jobs in fields where they did not necessarily attain a degree. The Toot Fairy starts the conversation early—sometimes unforeseeable circumstances create a need to shift course. Huffman teaches kids not to be discouraged, but to find another path, to do their best, and to see where it takes them. 

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE TOOT FAIRY:  
“A good giggle. In this day and age, it's fun to read something so... ‘refreshing!’"
Craig Smith, Award-winning and international bestselling author of The Wonky Donkey 

"Sorry, Walter the Farting Dog. I think it's fair to say that this is probably the best picture book about toots I've ever read. Take my advice, and put away your scruples. You shouldn't turn up your nose at this."—Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal 

“Wish I had thought of it first!”—Adam Rex, author/illustrator of On Account of the Gum 

“If there was one thing lacking in Dr. Seuss's work, it was fart jokes. Huffman has rectified this with a delightful children's book, equal parts Seuss and giggle-inducing fart humor.”—Kyle Mann, Editor-in-Chief of The Babylon Bee 

ABOUT THE TOOT FAIRY: Every fairy gets to throw a coin into the magical well one day and declare what kind of fairy job they want to have. Do they want to be a Rainbow fairy, in charge of making the shining colors after it rains? Or a Dream Fairy, to bring children sweet dreams while they sleep? There are so many important jobs to choose from! Jessa had always planned to say "tooth" when she threw her coin in the well. But when the day finally comes, she accidentally says "toot!" Now, instead of leaving coins for the teeth children have lost, she'll have to collect toots from all the butts in the world, and she's not too pleased about it. But her mentor, Poobums the Pungent, is here to tell Jessa all about the job, and about how even the most unexpected turn of events can turn out to be fun and rewarding! 

CHEESEMAKER DURDSDEN by Mark Huffman; illustrated by Dawn Davidson (Brown Books Kids; On sale May 4, 2021; Ages 5-8)  

PRAISE FOR CHEESEMAKER DURDSDEN FROM A CHEESEMAKER: 

"Huffman has separated the Curds from the Whey with an incredibly witty and entertaining story that children of all ages will thorough enjoy. The spirit of Durdsden, the Cheesemaster, who will do whatever it takes to succeed at making the perfect cheese is sure to make this book a classic." —Ed Townley,  President Cabot Cheese, holder of more than 150 International Cheese Awards. 
 
ABOUT THE BOOK: Cheesemaker Durdsden could hardly be called a cheesemaker, with how bland, rubbery, and flavorless his cheese tasted. And so, in order to better his skills and silence the critics, he went in search of any and every cheesemaking technique he could learn. Now he’s back with new skills, and some suspiciously delicious—deliciously suspicious—cheese to prove it. How could a man with such boring cheese before now make this tasty cheesy treat? You'd never have guessed it--Bigfoot's feet!  

SIGN UP FOR ALL THE TOURS HERE!




Wednesday, March 3, 2021

LATE MARCH TOURS-Tours From Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan, W Clark Publishing, & More!


Hey everyone! We are super excited to announce the Late March Blog Tours we're hosting! We have a mix of Adult & YA books. The genres are a mix of Contemporary, Mystery/Thriller, & Dystopian/Sci-Fi! 

PLEASE NOTE BECAUSE OF COVID-19- Some of these tours are eBook only for review copies BUT, we do have a lot that will have physical copies!!! It'll say below each book whether there will be physical copies or not.

REMEMBER WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD OR $25 WORTH OF BOOKS FROM THE BOOK DEPOSITORY EACH MONTH TO ONE LUCKY BLOGGER! THE MORE TOURS YOU SIGN UP FOR THE MORE ENTRIES YOU GET!

ALL TOURS WILL HAVE A PRE-MADE HTML POST AND INSTAGRAM PICS SO ALL YOU WILL HAVE TO DO IS COPY AND PASTE INTO YOUR BLOGS OR INSTAGAM!

Check below for specifics on each tour and click on the book covers for the Goodreads links and book info.

Details on a giveaway are TK.

If you'd like to be considered to be a stop on any of these tours, please first sign up as a tour host and fill out the form below.

Please note: Signing up for the tour does not guarantee you will be selected. We will reach out to all hosts that have been chosen once the sign-ups have closed.

We are totally stoked for the tour for all of these tours this March! We can't wait for everyone to read them!

About the Books! 

Click on the covers to add the books to your Goodreads lists!



This Lori Osterberg, women's fiction tour runs for two weeks from March 8th-12th & 15th-19th, will have one or two stops a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, pre-made guest posts, excerpts, & spotlights. Ebooks only.

About The Book:


Sometimes it takes a friend to push you in a new direction ...

A fiftieth birthday is hard for everyone, but especially for Sherri Egan. It's not that she's unhappy; she just knows she wants something more. Annette Hinton has been dreaming of change. She's tired of her job as a teacher. She's growing weary of her predictable lifestyle.

When Sherri finds a midlife reinvention conference, Annette is more than willing to join in the fun. As the two navigate new ideas and possibilities, they set up The Midlife Pact as a way to keep themselves on track.

For Annette, that means finding a new career, and growing closer to a husband she's always adored. A recent cancer scare has left them both realizing their own mortality and ready to move forward in a big way.

For Sherri, that means trying to forget an ex that simply won't leave her alone. What can she do to put that relationship behind her, and step into something that fulfills her heart and soul?

A story of change, reinvention, and a quest for second chances in life and love.




This W Clark Publishing adult dystopian/sci-fi tour runs from March 29th-April 2nd & April 5th-9th, will have one or two stops a day on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, interviews, pre made guest posts, excerpts, & spotlights. eBooks available.

About The Book:


The Stand meets The Fires of Vengeance as diverse heroes battle the police state in a post collapse New England inner-city! Inspired by books like The Red Knight and A Game of Thrones, The Road of Resistance Part 1 is a surefire hit for fans of Octavia Butler, Mark Lawrence, Milton Davis, and Brandon Sanderson!

‘Stirring, gritty, connected and epic. A great read!’-Christian Cameron

After weapons technology is mysteriously knocked back to the dark ages, America is plunged into chaos! Shades of the Black Wall Street Massacre, and the Trump Riots ensue when the president consigns everyone but the elite to mass incarceration, and forced labor! As martial law strikes a night of protests leads to riots, looting and revolution!

Chessed, an S.C.A loving ex-gang member, dons his armor, hefts his weapons, and declares war on corrupt cops, hate groups, and the nefarious powers of a hostile government! He and his allies must fight to survive if they are going to carve a post-apocalyptic Camelot from their embattled inner-city community!

Afrofuturism, epic fantasy, and dystopian science fiction combine for an unforgettable sword and soul thriller! Beautifully crafted world building brings us romance, conspiracy, and magic blended with heart pounding action, as modern day knights of the round table arise from the crucible of poverty, police brutality, and street violence!


This Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan, YA mystery/thriller tour runs from March 29th-April 2nd & April 5th-9th, will have one stop on a Blog or Instagram and consist of reviews, interviews, pre made guest posts, excerpts, & spotlights. Physical copies & eBooks available.

About The Book:


An exhilarating, emotionally powerful and superbly written thriller that's Winter's Bone meets The Road.

Winter. The sky is dark. It is cold enough to crack bones.

Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.

Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Trust no one. Now Victor Bardem is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up Jack's trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or help the brothers survive.

Choices. They come at a price.


SIGN UP FOR ALL THE TOURS HERE!




Monday, March 1, 2021

Blog Tour- THE RECLAIMED KINGDOM By Dana Claire With An Excerpt & #Giveaway!

 

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE RECLAIMED KINGDOM by Dana Claire Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE RECLAIMED KINGDOM (Syphon #1)

Author: Dana Claire

Pub. Date: February 14, 2021

Publisher: Chamberlain Publishing House

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 292

Find it:  GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle, TBD, Bookshop.org, Get a signed copy from Dana’s site

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited membership!

Under the cruel ministrations of its Queen, the Kingdom of D’Land is in peril. With King Harrison away in foreign lands and neighboring Kingdoms unwilling to intervene, there is no one to protect the people from poverty, harsh punishment, and unreasonable rules of law – except for the Band of Brothers. Struggling with the death of her mother and the legendary Syphon powers she inherited, seventeen-year-old Dru wants nothing more than to escape her old life and join the motley crew of ruffians, pilfering from the rich to feed the poor and pay their taxes. She’s able to do just that disguised as a lad, and even when her nature is discovered, nothing changes – except for the way her friend Hawkin treats her. But Dru’s new world is overturned when she and the Brothers seize the treasures of a Prince who threatens to reveal her identity. Together, Dru and her chosen family must find a way to reclaim her destiny and bring balance to the Kingdom. If not, there may be no hope left for anyone.

If you like Robin Hood, Snow White and the Huntsmen, From Blood and Ash, or Graceling, this book is for for you.

 

An excerpt from THE RECLAIMED KINGDOM

Our lips moved like dancing flames, heating my blood and causing my senses to burn. His calloused hands moved to my shoulders and then slid down my arms as he parted my lips again. From the back of his throat, he groaned, sending frissons of pleasure to my core. I was about to bring him down on the bed with me when he pulled away.

Our chests rose and fell as our breath panted in synchronizing beats. He cupped my face, my head heavy in his hand. “I never want to forget you, no matter how agonizing. I would rather suffer for the rest of my days than never to know you at all. No matter how our lives end. Does that make sense?” he asked.

I sat there, speechless. Where was this all coming from? Could I keep this promise? Was it selfish of me not to want to lose him? I guessed that I would eventually have to let go of him. How long could I live a lie before my past would find me? Too many of my own emotions played in my head. I couldn’t keep them straight and felt suffocated by their presence. My own white cloud choked me.

Hawkin kissed me on the forehead, the tip of my nose, and then settled on my mouth one last time. His lips left a moist residue when he drew away.

            “If I don’t leave now, I will never leave,” he said as he stood up. The heat in his eyes was enough to warm me during the coldest of winters. “Good night, Dru, Princess of Thieves.”

 

 

About Dana Claire: 

When author Dana Claire had several poems published as an elementary school student, she was hooked and writing became her passion. A shared dream of hers and her mother’s, she promised her dying mother that she would become a published author and that dream has been realized with The Connection.

Dana believes that a good story is made through strong character development; when readers become attached to the characters’ emotional state and are invested in their objectives. She believes that the beauty of reading is that one can live a hundred lives within the stories of books. Her own stories come to her in her dreams, and she wakes up with book ideas.

Dana’s family is very supportive of her writing and the creativity and sentiment driving it. Enjoying bicoastal living between Los Angeles and New York, Dana says she “lives the best romance in the world being married to the most amazing man she could ever ask for.” The Connection was her debut YA novel, the first volume in the Blood-Light trilogy. The Reclaimed Kingdom is her second novel.

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win an $75 Amazon GC, International.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/1/2021

Rockstar Book Tours

Kickoff Post

3/2/2021

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt

3/3/2021

Jaime's World

Excerpt

3/4/2021

Jaimerockstarbooktours

Instagram Post

3/5/2021

BookHounds/@bookhounds

Interview/Instagram Post

 Week Two:

3/8/2021

A Dream Within A Dream

Excerpt

3/9/2021

Westveil Publishing / thewestveilarchives

Dream Cast/Instagram Post

3/10/2021

Jillpiscitello.com/jillpiscitellobooks

Excerpt/Instagram Post

3/11/2021

Lady Hawkeye /  @kellyatx

Excerpt/Instagram Post

3/12/2021

Books A-Brewin'/booksabrewin

Excerpt/Instagram Post

 Week Three:

3/15/2021

Hurn Publications/
hurnpublications

Excerpt/Instagram Post

3/16/2021

Shelf Love/shelflove123

Excerpt/Instagram Post

3/17/2021

Reese's Reviews

Review

3/18/2021

Jazzy Book Reviews

Top 5's

3/19/2021

The Phantom Paragrapher

Review

 Week Four:

3/22/2021

Shelf-Rated

Review

3/23/2021

Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Review

3/24/2021

Declarations of a Fangirl/declarationsofafangirl

Favorite Scenes/Instagram Post

3/25/2021

Simply Daniel Radcliffe

Review

3/26/2021

Book Briefs/bookbriefs

Review/Instagram Post

 Week Five:

3/29/2021

Living in a Bookworld

Excerpt

3/30/2021

TLC Book Nook / @tlcbooknook

Review/Instagram Post

3/31/2021

Fire and Ice

Review 

4/1/2021

Lala’s Book Reviews/lauren.bodiford

Review/Instagram Post


Blog Tour- THE ANTI-VIRGINITY PACT by @Katesbookdate With An Excerpt & #Giveaway! @RockstarBkTours 

 

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE ANTI-VIRGINITY PACT by Katie Wismer Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE ANTI-VIRGINITY PACT (The Pact #1)

Author: Katie Wismer

Pub. Date: June 11, 2020

Publisher: Ahimsa Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 332

Find it:  GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo

Preachers’ daughters aren’t supposed to be atheists. They’re also not supposed to make pacts to lose their virginity by the end of the year, but high school senior Meredith Beaumont is sick of letting other people tell her who to be.

Spending the last four years as Mute Mare, the girl so shy just thinking about boys could trigger panic attacks, Meredith knows exactly what it’s like to be invisible. But when a vindictive mean girl gets her manicured claws on the anti-virginity pact and spreads it around the school—with Mare’s signature at the bottom—Mare’s not so invisible anymore. She just wishes she was.

Now the girls mutter “slut” as they pass her in the hall, and the boys are lined up to help complete her checklist. When she meets a guy who knows nothing of the pact, their budding romance quickly transforms from a way to get her first time over with to a genuine connection. But when the pact threatens to destroy her new relationship and the fragile foundation of her seemingly perfect family, Mare has to decide what’s more important: fixing her reputation and pleasing her parents, or standing up for the person she wants to be.

 


 Pre-order book 2 now!

 

Excerpt:

Squirt barks in response and circles us before finally plopping herself into my lap, forcing Pluto to move. He doesn’t look too upset about the change. He just slumps against my side and licks my hand to remind me of his presence, or rather, remind me to pet him. I use one hand for Pluto and one for Squirt, and hope none of the other dogs look over and notice, or they’ll all come bounding over in jealousy.

The second I start petting Squirt, she rolls onto her back to give me better access to her belly. “You’re such a little flirt, Squirt.” I nuzzle her nose.

I glance over to see Sam watching me, his head cocked in that way of his.

“You’re so good with them,” he says.

I’m the first to break the eye contact. “It’s because I’m so bad with people. Gotta make up for it somehow.”

Sam laughs, leans over, and scratches Squirt behind her ears. “So, how often do you volunteer here?”

“At least four days a week, sometimes more if they need me.”

“That’s quite the commitment.”

I shrug, my gaze still trained on Squirt. “I like it here.”

We fall into silence, and my mind immediately starts spinning in frantic circles, searching for something to say. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, but he doesn’t seem to mind the lull in conversation. He’s just watching the dogs play, a slight smile on his face. The breeze picks up and rustles his hair.

“So I actually have an ulterior motive for coming today,” he says. “Though I did want to meet this one.” He scratches Squirt’s belly, and she rolls her head to the side to look at him.

“Ulterior motive?” I ask.

“Well.” He pulls out a few blades of grass and twirls them through his fingers, then trains his calm and unwavering gaze on me. I can feel my cheeks burning, and it takes every ounce of my willpower not to look away. “I’m here so I can formally ask you on a date.”

 

 

About Katie Wismer: 

Katie Wismer is a freelance editor and author of Young Adult, New Adult, and Poetry books. Be the first to know about upcoming projects, exclusive content, and more by signing up for her newsletter below! When she's not reading, writing, or wrangling her two perfect cats, you can find her on her YouTube channel Katesbookdate.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | YouTube | Amazon | BookBub

 

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a $10 Amazon GC, International.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/1/2021

Rockstar Book Tours

Kickoff Post

3/2/2021

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt

3/2/2021

Jaime's World

Excerpt

3/3/2021

BookHounds

Excerpt

3/4/2021

BookishKelly2020

Excerpt

3/5/2021

Drunk On Pop

Review

Week Two:

3/8/2021

Living in a Bookworld

Playlist

3/9/2021

Kay's Litish

Review

3/10/2021

Becky on Books

Review

3/11/2021

Shelf Love

Review

3/12/2021

Riddle’s Reviews

Review