Tuesday, September 8, 2015

New Release! Olivia, On the Brink, Olivia Series Book 1 by Tessa Palmeri


About Book

File Size: 2673 KB/ 303 pages
Publisher: BGW Publishing
Publication Date: August 30, 2015
Language: English
ASIN: B014Q4Y4A


A life-changing moment: 

"Has something ever taken you by such surprise that you felt like time stood still, and the universe held you in sweet suspense so you could savor the moment and remember the feeling for the rest of your life? That's how I felt right then." 

It's 1991 in the small town of Leeville, Texas. High school graduation is finally within sight for Olivia Miller. Her friends know exactly what they're good at and what they want to do next, but Olivia's not so sure of herself. She's a shoe-in for the senior award "Most Likely to Never Figure Out What They Want To Do With Their Life". 

Cameron is the hot new guy at school, and he's a fabulous distraction for Olivia as she stresses over what she should do with her life after high school. 

"His smile made my heart flutter, and for a moment I couldn't think of what to say or do. He had adorable dimples, and his teeth were straight and white behind full, kissable lips." 

She's college-bound, that's non-negotiable, but she's clueless about the where, how, and what of it all. She's dealing with a critical and controlling father with high expectations. Can she trust him to pay for college if he doesn't approve of her choice of major? Most of all, she just wants to get away from home! 

With Cameron's help and some guidance from others, she starts to break free of her need to please her dad. She's determined to be her own person and make her own choices, but can she ever get her dad and his judgmental comments out of her head? 

NOTE TO READERS: This is a Mature Young Adult / NEW ADULT novel. It is written in first person POV and set in 1991. While there is no graphic sex or explicit language, it has descriptive romance and other content that would be considered PG-13 (if it were a movie) or TV-14 (if it were a TV show). 

This is the first book in a series intended to be read in the following order: Olivia, On the Brink (Olivia Series, Book 1) Olivia, Finding Her Way (Olivia Series, Book 2) Coming Very Soon! Olivia, All In (Olivia Series, Book 3) Coming in 2016 Olivia, Altogether (Olivia Series, Book 3) Coming in 2016 

And ... stay tuned for a series spinoff about Olivia's sister Emma!





Who is Author Tessa Palmeri?

Wife ... Mother ... Writer

I live in Texas with my fabulous husband and kids, and I have a BA in Sociology. I wear lots of 
different hats in my everyday life - juggling family, work, and other various responsibilities. 
In my spare time, I love to read, and when I'm not reading, I'm writing!

What do I write?

I write fiction novel series - of the (mature) Young Adult / New Adult romance variety. But it's not all romance! There are interwoven themes of "coming of age", child/parent and family struggles, teen angst, and finding and practicing faith.

The teen years and early twenties are a tough time of figuring out who you are, what you stand for, where you want to go in life, etc. I write about characters finding their way through that critical time in their lives. Sometimes it's not pretty. Sometimes other people in their lives are helpful, but sometimes they're not, and a person has to figure out how to deal with that.

To tell a relatable story ...

I'm especially interested in how the family, as a social institution, shapes and affects the attitudes, motivations, and goals of young people. I enjoy portraying complicated family dynamics and the catalysts that launch teenagers into adulthood. 


My hope is that readers, of all ages, will be encouraged and inspired by the main characters in my novels as they learn to define relationship boundaries and triumph over obstacles and limitations.
You can find me on my website: http://www.tessapalmeri.com/  



My Thoughts

In this amazing story a young woman, Olivia has learned many coping skills. These skills were from having to live in a dysfunctional family life. She learned early in her life that her family was unlike other families.  Then she herself made some bad choices that forced her to rethink the path she was was on. Thanks to her mentor, whom was also her boss, she was headed on a path to a bright future with God leading the way. 

Senior year holds many worries for most students. Sometimes their path may not always meet with their parent's wishes for their children.

So much of this story stirred my heart for Olivia.  Makes me feel very nostalgic.  The author put so much emotion in the telling of "Olivia, On The Brink".  So be ready for an explosion of feeling!  Very inspirational with quotes from the bible.  I am sure most of us can remember our first steps, so to speak, into adulthood. 

Let me say the cover image drew me in right away.  

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my reading pleasure.  It came highly recommended to me by my daughter.


Monday, September 7, 2015

Pick of the Day: Max and the Gatekeeper, #1 by James Todd Cochrane, Susan K. Szepanski



About Book

A war has been waging for centuries; a magical and technological battle between good and evil. This conflict will affect life everywhere, but not everyone is aware it exists. When twelve-year old Max Rigdon is sent to stay with his grandfather for the summer, he unwillingly enters the fight. 

The day Max steps off the bus he is marked with an evil curse and immediately becomes the target of evil men and creatures with designs on ruling the universe. Not only does this curse cause Max physical pain but it allows his enemies to track and find him. He soon learns that the reason for this unwanted attention is because his grandfather is the keeper of a gateway; a powerful machine that makes travel to hundreds of strange unknown worlds possible. The enemy will do anything to gain possession of this power in their quest to control all worlds. 

With the help of his friend Cindy and others, Max must quickly learn the necessary skills to survive if he is to avoid the deadly trap that has been planned for him and his grandfather. A trap that has been decades in the making with Max as the missing piece. If successful it will change life as we know it. 


Kindle Edition
 284 pages
Published January 5th 2010 by Dark Moon Publishing Inc. 
ASINB00332FF8O 
language English
series Max and the Gatekeeper #1

(limited time only)


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Today's Pick: The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani


About Book

What greater praise than to be compared to Judy Blume!--"Each [Blume and Hiranandani] excels in charting the fluctuating discomfort zones of adolescent identity with affectionate humor."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred
After her father loses his job, Sonia Nadhamuni, half Indian and half Jewish American, finds herself yanked out of private school and thrown into the unfamiliar world of public education. For the first time, Sonia's mixed heritage makes her classmates ask questions—questions Sonia doesn't always know how to answer—as she navigates between a group of popular girls who want her to try out for the cheerleading squad and other students who aren't part of the "in" crowd.

At the same time that Sonia is trying to make new friends, she's dealing with what it means to have an out-of-work parent—it's hard for her family to adjust to their changed circumstances. And then, one day, Sonia's father goes missing. Now Sonia wonders if she ever really knew him. As she begins to look for answers, she must decide what really matters and who her true friends are—and whether her two halves, no matter how different, can make her a whole.
 


Fiction/Middle Grade/Young Adult
Hardcover224 pages
Published January 10th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN0385741286 (ISBN13: 9780385741286)

Buy on Amazon



About Author

Veera Hiranandani is the author of THE WHOLE STORY OF HALF A GIRL, and the upcoming chapter book series, PHOEBE G. GREEN. She has an MFA in fiction writing from Sarah Lawrence College and spent six years as a book editor. She lives in New York with her family.