Book Review: The Natural History of Us by Rachel Harris

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The Natural History of Us
The Fine Art of Pretending #2
Author: Rachel Harris
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: April 5th 2016
Review Source: Spencer Hill Press

One class assignment. One second chance at love. The school player is all in. Now he needs to win back the sweet commitment girl who's forever owned his heart.

Justin Carter has a secret. He's not the total player Fairfield Academy believes him to be. Not really. In fact, he used to be a one-woman guy...and his feelings for her never went away. Too bad he broke her heart three years ago and made sure to ruin any chance she'd ever forgive him.

Peyton Williams is a liar. She pretends to be whole, counting down the days until graduation and helping her parents at the family ranch. But the truth is, she's done everything she can to get over Justin, and salvation is just around the corner. With graduation one short month away, she'll soon break free from the painful memories and start her life fresh. Of course, she has to get through working with him on one last assignment first.

For Justin, nothing ever felt as right as being with Peyton, and now that fate's given him a shot at redemption, he's determined to make the most of it. And for Peyton...well, Justin Carter has always been her kryptonite.

Justin is a jock that many girls see him as a stud. He has a reputation around school for being a playboy and that he doesn't do the relationship nor the commitment thing. However, things change when Peyton starts school and he takes notice of her. Then one thing leads to another and he does the boyfriend thing. Peyton was always home schooled but in the last year she has been through a lot of health issues and she was looking forward to starting school and becoming "normal". But as well her life turned upside down, but in a good way!

What I enjoyed most about The Natural History Of Us is watching a boy turn into a man while figuring out what is most important in the world. Sure it took him some time to learn and figure everything out. Also, watching Peyton go thru so much yet remain strongest... was very inspiring. She did her best in trying to live her life the best she could. Most important, not take things for granted. Watching two people learn what was most important no matter the heartache life brought, was amazing. I shed some tears but my heart was filled with joy.

This book is simply fantastic!

The Natural History Of Us has a little of everything. From sad and heartbreaking moments to happy moments. To watching your characters grow strong together and individually. And to add to the equation another boy who wants Peytons affections! A love story for sure, but who will she pick? Justin who broke her heart in Freshman year or Cade who helped put her back together after her breakup?

Once Upon a Signing: Houston Book Rave 2015!

This past weekend, the city of Houston was overrun with authors and book lovers alike at the Houston Book Rave, hosted by A Book Lovers Review and Good Choice Reading. Readers swarmed the Double Tree Hobby Hilton to see several of their favorite Romance, New Adult, and Young Adult authors. 

I actually had the opportunity to volunteer at this event. I've been to several of these book signing events before, but this was the first time where I would be helping out! I was super nervous, but everyone was so helpful and happy to have me there that I felt right at home among the other readers and bloggers!

Here is a goofy selfie taken in the bathroom (I know...I know) showing off my official volunteer badge:

Yes, I know I'm a really big dork, but I was just so excited to be a part of this awesome event!!

I also met some really awesome authors there as well. You could definitely tell that some of them have done events with each other before. They kept getting out from behind their tables to mingle and get their books signed as well! It was a great atmosphere and everyone was so welcoming and helpful. 

Here is a picture of a few of the YA authors who sneaked into the NA and Romance section of the conference. They were so naughty leaving their posts!! I was the "Bouncer" making sure that anyone under the age of 18 didn't enter the Romance area since some of the covers were a little too steamy. 

YA authors from left to right: Rose Garcia, Jordan Deen, Vanessa Kimbal and Rachel Harris

What a great group of YA authors!!

Houston Book Rave offered their fans a variety of things to do. Not only could they visit with their favorite authors, but they could also get books signed, get sneak peeks of their upcoming books, but they could also pose for pictures with some really steamy cover models.

As you can see, there were a lot of authors!!

Overall, I had a fabulous time volunteering at this event. They kept me busy!! I'm looking forward to attending Houston Book Rave next year!!

Release Day Blitz: The Fine Art of Pretending | Rachel Harris | Excerpt | Giveaway

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch of Rachel Harris' THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING is the first book in Rachel's The Fine Art of Pretending Series published by Spencer Hill Contemporary.

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According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

Excerpt

An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy.
Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight. 
When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart.
Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently.
He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back.
Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience.
And that I’m kissing Brandon.
We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes.
That was unexpected. 

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Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.

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Blog Tour: My Not Super Sweet Life | Rachel Harris | Review | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on MY NOT SO SUPER SWEET LIFE tour for Rachel Harris. This tour is hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

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My Not Super Sweet Life
My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #3
Author: Rachel Harris
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction | Time Travel
Released: April 21st 2014
Review Source: Blog Tour

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

Where do I begin to talk about this Book by this author that I have never read. From the beginning I was starting to enjoy the book and then a little more into the book I was becoming lost. Until I looked back and notice that there were two other books in this series. The first book they introduced the characters and I was lost reading this book in this series. I felt like I was coming into somebody conversation in the middle of it and not knowing what was going on and what happened. So I kept reading it and started to enjoy the book.

The way the author wrote the characters were wonderful. You have a girl named Cat that just wants to be a normal teenager. She has a great a great boyfriend Lucas that loves her to death. Plus she ends up having her favorite cousin to come and live with her. The only thing keeping her from being normal is her dad being in Hollywood. She has the perfect life.Plus her dad is getting remarried and she sees her step-mom as her real mom because she hasn't seen her real mom in a very long time. Then all of a sudden she ends up seeing her mom on TV telling the world about how her ex husband is getting married this weekend so it sends out all the photographers to the house to catch all the gossip. Then she tells live TV that she is going to rekindle her relationship with her daughter.

That just shocks Cat. She doesn't know what to do. Do you let somebody in your life that you haven't seen in forever and let her in your life. Or do you just not let it happen and move on with your life forgetting what happened earlier in your life.

I don't know what I would do. But in this story you will see her relationship with her boyfriend grow and see that he does really love her by sticking with her when she sees her mother for the first time and you will also see how the relationship between her mother will be like. The author wrote a great book but next time I will start from the first book and read on if I ever take on another series like this one. I will definently read another book by her.

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As a teen, Rachel Harris threw raging parties that shook her parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels. As an adult, she reads and writes obsessively, rehashes said embarrassing fodder, and dreams up characters who become her own grown up version of imaginary friends.

She grew up in New Orleans, watching soap operas with her grandmother and staying up late sneak reading her mam's favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

She homeschools her two beautiful girls and loves watching reality television with her amazing husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult Fun, Flirty Escapes, and LOVES talking with readers!

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Week Two:

4/28/2014- The Book Belles- Review

4/28/2014- Mercurial Musings- Excerpt

4/29/2014- Mundie Moms- Review

4/29/2014- The Cover Contessa- Guest Post

4/30/2014- Book Angel Booktopia- Review

4/30/2014- Swoony Boys Podcast- Interview

5/1/2014- Bookaholics Anonymous- Review

5/1/2014- TSK TSK What to Read- Excerpt

5/2/2014- Once upon a twilight- Review

5/2/2014- Fantasy Book Addict- Guest Post

Giveaway Details:

1 a handmade sterling silver necklace that retailed over $130. It is an eight petal rose and a replica of the one Lucas gives Cat for Valentine's Day in the book. And 1 rare, signed paperback. US Only.

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