#SBPT with Flo from Book Nerds Across America

Hi Everyone!

Happy Summer and welcome to the Summer Blog Promo Tour hosted by The Book Bratz! I am so excited to have been selected to be part of the tour in which I get to help promote other bloggers to you this summer on Sundays during the months of July and August! I also get the fun opportunity to post on their blogs, so I hope you will check out their posts as well!

Without further ado, let's continue this process with Flo from Book Nerds Across America! I asked her if she would share with us about her New Kids on the Block Obsession. When I was a kid, I had the Jordan Knight doll, so when I found this out about her, I knew I had to ask about it! :) 

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Hi! I'm Flo from Book Nerds Across America...and I am obsessed with New Kids on the Block. Legit obsessed. I can't even play. Book Nerds Across America is co-run by 3 of us in different states. I met Jacque on a New Kids on the Block cruise (she was my roomie!) and that's how we became friends and she eventually joined Mary and I on the blog. Yes, New Kids cruise. I have been on...5 of them, I believe. And whenever they tour, I go to one or two shows. 

All this to say I was SO EXCITED when Valerie told me that a NKOTB Book Tag post was a Thing. I've never heard of posts like this, but I already love this one and any others. Have you done one? Link it up in the comments so I can see! 

Anyway, here is mine:

Didn't I (Blow Your Mind): We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I think I've talked to people who said they either predicted the ending or this book or had it spoiled for them (sad!), but I had NO IDEA. I literally closed this book thinking, "What just happened?!?!" I was completely floored, and remained so for several days.

New Kids on the Block: Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig. I was lucky enough to snag an ARC at BEA and we reviewed it on the blog in June. We are loved it, and we all love him! (You should follow him on Twitter, he is fun and hilarious and so sweet!) I am excited for it to be out in the masses, so everyone can get caught up in the mystery of it.

Cover Girl: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. I read this book based on the cover alone. I didn't read the synopsis before I started reading it. I saw the cover, I loved the cover, so I read and reviewed the book.

Hangin' Tough: So many these days, which is awesome! Another fun fact about me is that I am on staff at Down With the Capitol (www.hungergamesdwtc.net), which is a Hunger Games fansite. My obsession with the Hunger Games is just about on par with my obsession over New Kids on the Block. So I have to say Katniss here. In fact, I just painted her yesterday at one of those wine and canvas classes. 

Twisted: Anything by Cassandra Clare. Every time I finish one of her books, I'm left at the end re-reading the last page or so just to make sure I really did just read what I thought I read.

Crash: Get ready for what may be an unpopular opinion here....50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James. I wrote kind the ranty review on this one. I just can't with this book. I can't.

Miss You More: Wow, what was my most recent book hangover...? Wait a minute -- BRB.

Ok, I'm back. I'm going to say Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. This is nonfiction, but it really inspired me not to give up on my writing.

Fighting Gravity: Red Rising by Pierce Brown. In fact, I almost want to go back and change my last answer to Golden Son, which was the second book in the Red Rising trilogy. Actually, Golden Son was a Miss You More and a Twisted and a Didn't I Blow Your Mind! Anyway, this trilogy is amazing -- go read it if you haven't!

Single: I am glad this is on here, as I love standalone books and don't think they get enough love! I am going to go with Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen. What a feel-good story! I want to hug all the characters!

2 in the Morning: The last book that kept me up past my bedtime was One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank. It's a new release -- a love story set in Paris, and it's absolutely adorable!

​ Lights, Camera, Action: The Gallagher Academy series by Ally Carter. This might actually be better as like a Freeform TV show? A little cheesy maybe, but overall a lot of fun!

Put it on my Tab: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child! This book releases on July 31st and as you read this blog post, I already own a copy. (I'm getting it a midnight release party.)

Please Don't Go Girl: Vampire Academy and Bloodlines. I flew through those 12 books in no time!

This was so much fun! Thank you to Valerie for hosting me today! And if you have any questions about New Kids on the Block, I am your girl ;-)

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Thanks Flo! This was fun. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Reading! 

#VASRP Mini Challenge #6

We have crossed over the half way point and that means the sixth mini-challenge for the #VASRP is here! 

We want to know how your progress is going! Let us know. 

The Challenge: Check In

How many books have you read for this challenge so far?

How does that compare with your goal?

Would you be interested in doing reading sprints? If so, do you particular days/times work better?

Share with us your answers on social media using the hashtag #VASRP!

ARC August 2016

Hi Everyone!

I am signing up to participate in the ARC August Reading Challenge.  I have set a goal to finish five ARC's in August! These are the books I am thinking about reading:

I will track the information here as I go! 

1)  Werewolf Weekend
2)  The Nocturnals: The Ominous Eye
3)  You Can't Have My Hate
4)  Results May Vary 
5)


Are you participating?

Happy Reading!

Book Nerd Bites: Lunch in Paris with Chocolate Macaroons!

Book Nerd Bites is an original monthly feature created by some lovely book bloggers Becca, Cyra, Kristie, Natasha, and I as part of the Book Blogger Creativity Project hosted by Nori. Thanks to my team for coming up with a fun and creative way to satisfy both our book-- and actual appetites!  

Each month we will be sharing exciting recipes inspired by some of our favorite books. Feel free to join in, but please make sure you link your post back to us so we can enjoy your favorite bookish delights as well!

Don't forgot to use #booknerdbites if you want to share your food inspiration with us on twitter or instagram!

Today for my first post for this project, I will be featuring...

 

Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard

In this book, we get to go with Elizabeth and recall her experience in the city of love and lights! She not only finds the love of her life, but yummy food. This book is full of delicious recipes and makes me want to go back to France. I first learned about this book from the World of Wanderlust travel blog that has a monthly book club now.

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Because I couldn't pick just one, I have decided feature several recipes for

Chocolate Macaroons today! 

                                                                    From Epicurious

From Chowhound

and from Home Cooking Adventure

Each one is pretty similar, but I am positive they will taste equally delicious! 

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If you want to check out what recipes the rest of the people in my group featured earlier this week, here is the schedule:

Monday - Cyra

Tuesday - Natasha

Wednesday - Becca

Thursday - Kristie

Friday - Valerie

Saturday - Nori

Happy Reading and Happy Eating! 

Guest Post: Alix Nichols Find You In Paris

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by today with a Guest Post from Alix Nichols, author of Find You in Paris. Earlier I posted about the book and the author, but in the meanwhile let's get to know more about the setting for this book!

Welcome, Alix to He Said Books or Me!

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The Darcys of Burgundy

The hero of my newest romance novel, Find You in Paris, is Count Sebastian d’Arcy du Grand-Thouars de Saint-Maurice. The name is an amalgamation of several French aristocratic surnames that I have tweaked so as not to point in any specific direction.

Regarding his family castle – Chateau d’Arcy – it’s very different from the namesake château fort located in the region of Bourgogne (Burgundy). Here is a pic of the real Château d’Arcy:

And as for the Darcy Grotto, which Sebastian and Diane (the heroine) explore during their weekend at the Chateau d’Arcy, it’s one hundred percent real.

Incredible as it may seem, there really exists a cave complex called Grottes d’Arcy near the town of Arcy-sur-Cure in Burgundy. And, just like in my book, the walls and ceilings of some of the caves are covered with magnificent prehistoric rock paintings. What’s more, the d’Arcy cave isn’t a replica made for tourists like the famous Grotte de Lascaux. What you’ll see when you visit will be absolutely authentic and absolutely worth your while.

The only tinkering I’ve done with the cave is to “age” the paintings from twenty-eight to forty thousand years old. Oh, and I also transformed the gray-haired senior archeologist into a foxy thirty-something, just to spite Diane. J

Here is the official website of the Grottes d’Arcy: http://www.grottes-arcy.net/index_E.html.

Now go read Find You in Paris, and then visit the wine region of Burgundy with its medieval castles and Ice Age rock art! 

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It certainly makes me want to go visit! Thanks Alix for the information and for igniting my travel bug :)

Happy Reading!