Giveaway: Celebrating 1 year anniversary of Lengths by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt

I read Lengths last year /you can read my review here) and I think it's one of those books that suits perfectly for summer. It's got a gorgeous ocean, two beautiful main characters, a cast of awesome side characters and a bit drama. So what're ya'll waiting for *tries to make a southern accent* Go, get it! :) It's on sale all weekend (8/9 through 8/11) for 0.99 :)

Title: Lengths
Author: Liz Reinhardt, Steph Campbell
Release Date: August 9th 2012
Add it: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nineteen-year-old Whit Conrad leaves her conservative Pennsylvania home for sunny California, looking for independence, a fresh start, and a place to stash her grief. She promptly finds a job at a tattoo parlor, a craptastic first apartment, and one friend—Ryan—who is a little less friend, a little more benefits.

Deo Beckett is a soulful surfer with a passion for tattoos and beautiful women. On the eve of his twenty-second birthday, he finds himself living with his grandfather, recently unemployed, and seriously adrift. He doesn’t know much about what he wants out of life, but he does know his current situation isn't cutting it.

When Deo meets Whit, she’s all sexy makeup and fierce, smart-ass fun. It doesn’t take him long to see past her tough shell. And when he gets a good look at what's under all the superficial stuff that usually gets his attention, it leaves Deo wondering if there might be more to life than living fast and free.

Too bad Whit has a past she doesn't plan on sharing—no matter how hot Deo is. She might want him, but she knows better than to let her guard down.

Deo falls for Whit, and falls hard. But everything about her, down to that mysterious tattoo and the way she thrashes in her sleep, tells him that the girl he loves is hiding something. And the more he pushes for answers, the more Whit pulls away.

Having your guard up is one thing, but are the lengths Whit goes to to protect her secret worth throwing away the second chance she has at happiness with Deo?

Giveaway

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Meet the authors

Liz Reinhardt

Liz Reinhardt was born and raised in the idyllic beauty of northwest NJ. A move to the subtropics of coastal Georgia with her daughter and husband left her with a newly realized taste for the beach and a bloated sunscreen budget. Right alongside these new loves is her old, steadfast affection and longing for bagels and the fast-talking foul mouths of her youth.
She loves Raisinettes, even if they aren't really candy, the Oxford comma, movies that are hilarious or feature zombies, any and all books, but especially romance (the smarter and hotter, the better), the sound of her daughter's incessantly wise and entertaining chatter, and watching her husband work on cars in the driveway.
She is the author of the Brenna Blixen series (Double Clutch, Junk Miles, Slow Twitch), the Youngblood series (Fall Guy, Perfectly Unmatched), and co-writes with the awesome Steph Campbell in the Lengths series (Lengths, Depths, Limits, Ties, Riptides).

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Steph Campbell

Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, but now calls Southwest Louisiana home. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession.

Steph's works include Delicate, Grounding Quinn and Beautiful Things Never Last; My Heart for Yours and My Fate for Yours (with Jolene Perry); A Toast to the Good Times (with Liz Reinhardt) and the bestselling new adult LENGTHS series with Liz Reinhardt: Lengths, Depths, Limits, Ties & Riptides.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday #15

"Waiting on" Wednesday is hosted at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating

This week we have:

1. The Murmurings by Carly Anne West
2. Depths by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt

Review: My Heart for Yours by Steph Campbell and Jolene Perry

Title: My Heart for Yours
Author: Steph Campbell, Jolene Perry
Published: April 30th 2012
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For Tobin and Delia, everything was always equal. A bargain, a trade, a deal to be struck.

A kiss for a kiss.
Your shirt for mine.
Break my heart, I’ll break yours.

Their disastrous split was no different. Tobin’s spent the last year pretending Delia never existed, and Delia’s been in D.C., pretending to be anything but the country girl that she is.

When tragedy brings her back to town, Tobin and Delia realize that time apart hasn't healed either one of them. But staying away from each other is harder than they imagined, especially in small town Louisiana, and old feelings are quickly brought back to the surface. In the mess they’ve created, is there anything to be salvaged of a love that they both thought would be forever?

It's a very emotional story about young lovers. The female protagonist Delia is from a wealthy family and living under his father's rules and has to obey practically his every order. She doesn't want to and sometimes, when she's at her bravest, she speaks for herself, but things usually end up the way her dad wishes. Her mother has alcohol problems and her homelife in general isn't that great, because appearences are everything and the Senator's daughter has to behave in a way that is expected from her.

“The problem with passion is it goes both ways. Love/Hate. The line between those two is a lot thinner than I thought.” 

The male protagonist Tobin is a cool kid and very much in love with our young lady, however, her dad practically hates him and breaks them apart. Also, there's a secret looming over this former young couple. A secret so terrible and extremely sad. They say their goodbyes and try to move on with their lives. Both of them have reasons to hate each other, but no matter how stronger the hate, love and longing are stronger, even if left unsaid.

When Tobin's brother dies, Delia returns with her family in order to attend the funeral and pay her respects. Emotions are boling and they're burning a hole through Tobin's heart as well as Delia's. It brought out my tears and got me angry. It also brought a few smiles and made me laugh.

“Always a trade. Always a compromise. Until there wasn't anything left to bargain with, because neither one us had any clue what to do.” 

I didn't think it was the best novel I've read and there are a few minor things I didn't enjoy, however, it was a pretty easy (but markably devastating) read and I liked the journey these two lovebirds took me on. If one could take away a few tips on how to not mess up one's life and how to make things easier for oneself, it would be to not choose to be a coward and take responsibility for one's actions as well as to stand up for ones rights and opinions and not be bullied by anyone, including the people who're supposed to love you the most. Be who you are and don't back down just because someone thinks he knows better. You know yourself. You know your limits. You know who you are. You know your dreams, goals, secret desires. You know better when it comes to your life.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Cover Love: August 2012

Here's a new monthly feature I'm hoping to participate in every month. I haven't been that consistant lately when it comes to participating in different memes, but this is a monthly event so it shouldn't be so hard, right? I hope my inconsistanty won't continue and I'll be able to pull myself together, although, I don't think that's happening, since it's so, so hard at Uni right now and I have no idea how I'm going to get through this semester. Okay, I'm starting to walk off the main road here. Let us continue with this beautiful feature.

Don't judge a book by its cover? Well, that's exactly what I'm going to do right now: give these pretties a thumbs up based on their covers. Fasten your seatbelts and jump on the train to give these books multiple look overs since one obviously isn't enough.

P.S. I'd be delighted if you could tell me your opinion on these covers and whether you agree or not. Also, what are your favorite covers from last month?

In August I read 12 books (actually I'm reading one right now, but I finished over a half of it in August and there isn't that much left so.. yeah. 12 books it is) and these are the books that made it to my list:

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Published: November 13th 2008
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository 

Why? Out of all Victoria Secret's models I've always thought Adriana Lima was the prettiest and somehow this girl on the cover reminds me of her. In addition, the back cover is purple and it's my favorite colour. I also like the intensity in this girl's eyes and it matches the pace, emotions and action in this book perfectly. It's my favorite one in this series when it comes to storytelling, plot etc and the cover is freaking gorgeous!

Divergent (UK version) by Veronica Roth

Published: May 3rd 2011
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository 
 
Why? As I stated in my review, this version of the cover speaks volumes about the storyline and Tris in general. She is so brave, has a great combination of selfishness and seflessness in her, Tris is a great competitor and friend, but she doesn't exactly belong with the others. She thinks differently and on the cover she is sitting and watching, which is exactly what she does in the book: she observe takes notice of things and people around her. Also, Tri is discovering the world on through her own eyes instead of listening to others. And the three birds have their on special meaning. Moreover, the future Chicago on the backround is perfect. I ust love this cover, it's so beautiful and kind of poetic.

Lengths by Liz Reinhardt and Steph Campbell

Published: August 9th 2012
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Why? As a new adult contemporary book, it needs to have a kick-ass cover in order to stand out. It does. It absolutely does. The guy portraying Theo is gorgeous and surfing is definitely one of the key points in this book. The cover is pretty steamy and this book has all kinds of action in the romance field. This book definitely got my attention thanks to the cover at first.

While It Lasts by Abbi Glines

Published: July 21st 2012
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 
 

Why? Abbi's Sea Breeze series is trending as #beautfulcovers in my book. I mean.. Really! Look at these covers! They're beautiful and they, too tell you a story on their own instead of just being pretty. Once you're finished with a book you can instantly tell how different items on the cover are connected to the storyline. For instance, Cage is bringing the sexy back and there are many scenes where he is not wearing a shirt and Eva conjures up a cristal clear picture in your mind exactly like the cover and you can't help but be week in your knees and want to get a real look youself. The cover is actually pretty simple, but it's definitely inviting and sexy. Furthermore, it has kind of a sunny atmposphere, which describes the bright moments of this book perfectly.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Published: December 2nd 2010
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository 

Why? I literally bought this book because of the cover and based on its looks. Yeah, I'd heard of it before and the praise has been overwhelming, but I wasn't sure I'd like to read it. Whenever I finish this book, you'll be able to read my thoughts on the storyline, but the cover, in my opinion, is pretty darn cute. The Eiffel Tower? A gorgeous girl? A guy? Great colours? A sweet and cute vibe its giving off? Heck yeah I wanted to read it. Plus the over all design was unique: the pages are cropped and everything is so.. Idk. I like it.

Cover Love is an original feature at I’m Loving Books (she also makes kick-ass banners and buttons). At the beginning of every month, I round up all of my favorite covers from books I’ve read the previous month and tell you what I love about them!

Review: Lengths

Title: Lengths
Author: Liz Reinhardt, Steph Campbell
Release Date: August 9th 2012
Add it: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nineteen-year-old Whit Conrad leaves her conservative Pennsylvania home for sunny California, looking for independence, a fresh start, and a place to stash her grief. She promptly finds a job at a tattoo parlor, a craptastic first apartment, and one friend—Ryan—who is a little less friend, a little more benefits.

Deo Beckett is a soulful surfer with a passion for tattoos and beautiful women. On the eve of his twenty-second birthday, he finds himself living with his grandfather, recently unemployed, and seriously adrift. He doesn’t know much about what he wants out of life, but he does know his current situation isn't cutting it.

When Deo meets Whit, she’s all sexy makeup and fierce, smart-ass fun. It doesn’t take him long to see past her tough shell. And when he gets a good look at what's under all the superficial stuff that usually gets his attention, it leaves Deo wondering if there might be more to life than living fast and free.

Too bad Whit has a past she doesn't plan on sharing—no matter how hot Deo is. She might want him, but she knows better than to let her guard down.

Deo falls for Whit, and falls hard. But everything about her, down to that mysterious tattoo and the way she thrashes in her sleep, tells him that the girl he loves is hiding something. And the more he pushes for answers, the more Whit pulls away.

Having your guard up is one thing, but are the lengths Whit goes to to protect her secret worth throwing away the second chance she has at happiness with Deo? Contains mature themes, sexual situations and language.

All right, so what can I say. It was a light read and I pretty much enjoyed it the whole way through. I thought the flirty behaviour between Deo and Whit was sizzling and the way they first got together was both sweet and exciting.

“Seriously, Whit? I’m considering growing out my toenails so I can get a better grip on the edge of the mattress. I have, like, six inches top. You sleep like a bus wreck.”

Characters. Whit is trying to figure out her life since it took a very wrong turn at one point and now she's trying her hardest to fix things for herself. She blames herself for something terrible and cannot seem to be able to forget it. So she travels all the way to California to set up a new life. Whit has left her parents, is in a 'no strings attached' relationship and attends college without having a major. She's all about living the life to the fullest because she learned her lesson that life is freaking short and it can end at any minute.

Deo is a free spirit. The book begins with his 22 birthday. He doesn't work nor does he study. What Deo does is surf, smoke weed and casual dates with different girls. He kind of has this 'I know I can't make it, so why bother' attitude. Oh, and he's got the coolest Mom (Marigold - what an awesome name that is). She's like a hippie or something. A true nature's child. She gives some of the best advice and I love her caring, free, fun personality. Rocko - Whit's boss (at a tattoo shop where Deo and Whit first meet) and Marigold's boyfriend is also pretty darn awesome and I enjoyed his scenes very much.

There were two characters that caught my eye in addition to the already mentioned ones - Cohen and Deo's Grandfather. Ha. His Grandpa made me smile on so many occasions, he was a cool dude and I think anyone would be delighted to have him as a Granddad. Cohen (brings back memories of Seth freaking Cohen, ugh, loved his character on the O.C.) is Deo's best friend and I gathered that they've been through some of the crazyest things together and it's fun to see such bromance. I'm all about #teambromance. Cohen cracked me up so many times. Like literally he made me laugh for minutes. And it warmed my heart how supportive he was with his words and still managed to be a man through it all. That dude has got some skills, I tell ya.

“If I were Deo Beckett, what would I do?” He studies the bottle in his hand. “Well, I wouldn’t be a fucking bum, first of all. I’d crawl under my bed and pull out all those gold coins I’d been hoarding like Gollum—”
“Is this another Lord of the Rings reference?” I groan.
“If you’d read Tolkien, like I did, maybe you wouldn’t be the unmotivated loser you are today,” Cohen observes.
“Dude, you run your parents’ furniture store,” I point out.

Plot. So I liked the characters. That much I can say. I even liked the plot. It was intriguing, thrilling, sweet, sad, very emotional and yeah, I enjoyed it. Mostly. What I didn't enjoy was the progress of Deo and Whit's relationship. They like each other. They go out. They fight. They're friends. They flirt. They start seeing each other (for two weeks). They have a huge fight over nothing (or sometimes over the secrets Whit's hiding). They break up. They ignore each other. They make up. They break up. They make up. They break up. Repeat cycle. It was like a neverending catastrophe. However, even if it did bother me a little, there were still some of the sweetest, sexiest, most amazing and devastating scenes and it was great to live out my emotions through this book.

Do I recommend? Heck yeah! It's not something original nor is it a master piece, but it was entertaining and the characters sucked me in with their everyday problems, grief, future plans, hilarious oneliners and the make up scenes were 100°C hot. It's a light read suitable for a day at the beach or after an exhausting day at work, for instance. Yeah, it was good.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Meet the authors

Liz Reinhardt

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Steph Campbell

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads