Blog Tour: The Natural History of Us by Rachel Harris

Rachel Harris's THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US is already getting swoons from readers everywhere! We can’t wait for you to get your hands on it. Known for her sweet romances, Rachel's THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US, is no different! Check out everything we have for you on this amazing title and then go grab your copy today. Justin and Peyton’s story is sure to put a smile on your face and keep you turning pages long into the night!

Title: The Natural History of Us
Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release: April 5, 2016
Series: The Fine Art of Pretending
Pages: 255
Review: 4 Stars

Review:

First Impressions

I was excited to read this, having enjoyed The Fine Art of Pretending, but my expectations were on the low side, simply because I didn't have an insane excitement for it. While the book wasn't perfect, it was a really fun, quick read.

Characters

I really enjoyed Peyton's character. She felt like a real person. Her responses to things were natural, though I don't think I'd have been as nice to Justin as she is, given their history. I really loved meeting her family, and the important people in her life. Peyton, along with the rest of her family, has an open heart that can't wait to be filled. That said, I don't trust anyone who likes baseball that much. If you can't tell, I'm not a fan.

My feelings are conflicted about Justin. On the one hand, I really like him and how he tries to earn Peyton's forgiveness. But GAH! Freshman year Justin is a pain in the butt. He can be nice at times, but he doesn't feel like a real teenager. Most freshman are fourteen or fifteen years old. The amount of experience he has doesn't make sense for that age. And I can speak with authority, as I am in high school. From my experience, high school guys are neither suave nor experienced. As I told my mother, all the guys I've met are pimple-covered doofuses. There's nothing wrong with that, but Justin as a freshman just doesn't feel realistic. By the time he reaches senior year, I like Justin a lot more though.

There were multiple characters within the book that I hope we get to see their stories, including Lauren and Cade.

World-Building

A lot of the world is already built, given that this is a companion novel to The Fine Art of Pretending. The characters all go to a very nice private school, which is fairly small. That said, we do get introduced to Peyton's ranch. It is so a cool property, and a place that I would love to visit. I think the high school setting could have felt a bit more realistic, but they do go to a special private school.

Overall, The Natural History of Us was a really fun read that I would recommend. I just had to nitpick a little bit. Most books portray high school kids as being cooler than we are, I just felt the need to point it out with this one.

Synopsis:


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.

You Can Find it At:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
IndieBound
Goodreads

Excerpt:

“Hold out your hand.” At the expression on his face, I rolled my eyes. “Just do it.” Cautiously, as if I was going to put out a cobra or something, he uncurled his fingers and lifted his palm. I dropped a small silver coin in the center. “For luck.”

Wonder warred with confusion in his gorgeous brown eyes and my heart melted.

“On this side there’s a horseshoe,” I said, my cheeks warming with a blush. “You know, the universal symbol for luck… and a small reminder of me.”

I bit my lip, hoping he didn’t think that was too corny—or that it revealed too much.

I flipped the coin over, exposing the other side, and my fingers slid across his rough skin. My breath caught. When I lifted my eyes, I found him watching me with so much intensity, so much heat, that an actual shiver rolled through me. Just like in my favorite books.

Huh. So that was what smoldering looked like. Good to know.

I swallowed hard and noticed him do the same, and nothing could hold back my smile. Justin glanced down and laughed. “Kick some ass!” he read, skimming his fingernail over my initials.

“I figured…” I cleared my throat. “I thought you could hide it in your sock or something,” I said, unable to tell if he liked the gift or not. He just kept staring at it. “If it’s dumb, you don’t have to—”

“No.”

He’d said it so quietly I almost wasn’t sure he’d spoken at all. But then he closed his hand around the coin and raised his head. Time ceased to exist as Justin’s eyes trailed across my face. I held my breath waiting and a sweet smile crossed his face.

“Damn.” He shook his head softly. “You’ve done it now.”

“What?” I asked, hoping whatever it was that it was a good thing. “What did I do?”

Justin merely shook his head again and smiled. “Wait for me after the game.” Shifting his gaze to the old concession stand, he took a step back and said, “Over there, okay?”

When I nodded, excitement lodging in my throat, making it impossible to speak, he winked and then took off to join his teammates. As I watched his cute butt in those uniform pants run across the field, a giddy grin found my lips.

You can order a signed and/or personalized copy of THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US now through April 8th HERE!

And don’t miss Rachel Harris’s THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING!

Author Bio:

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, 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 romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

You Can Find Her At:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Newsletter Signup
Goodreads

Tour Schedule:

March 28th

For the Love of Books & Alcohol – Excerpt

A Leisure Moment – Review

SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews – Excerpt

Home.Love.Books. – Review

My Nook, Books & More – Excerpt

Swoony Boys Podcast – Review & Excerpt

JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC – Excerpt

March 29th

A Crave For Books – Review

Becky on Books – Review & Excerpt

Angel Reads – Review

Girl with a Pen and a Dream – Excerpt

Lovin' Los Libros – Review & Excerpt

I Read Indie – Excerpt

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review

March 30th

Bookish Things & More – Review & Excerpt

Stuck In Books – Review & Excerpt

Reading Adventurously – Review & Excerpt

Typical Distractions – Review & Excerpt

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

March 31st

Dazzled by Books – Review & Excerpt

Kindle and Me – Review & Excerpt

The Cover Contessa – Review & Excerpt

Book Groupies – Excerpt

We All Make Mistakes in Books – Review & Excerpt

The Bibliophile Confessions – Review & Excerpt

Ticket To Anywhere – Review & Excerpt

April 1st

Bookaholics Reading Haven – Review & Excerpt

Books Eater – Review & Excerpt

SprinkleofBooks – Excerpt

Melena's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Ficwishes – Review & Excerpt

Gaga Over Books – Review & Excerpt

My fictional escape – Review & Excerpt

April 2nd

Collector of book boyfriends – Excerpt

Caitlin Audet – Excerpt

Andi's ABCs – Review

My Slanted Bookish Ramblings – Review

A Dream Within A Dream – Excerpt

Defiantly Deviant – Review

Book Briefs – Review

April 3rd

The Romance Reviews – Review

Cheyanne Young – Review & Excerpt

Adventures in Writing – Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Review

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs – Review & Excerpt

Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt

Blogging For The Love Of Authors And Their Books – Review & Excerpt

April 4th

The bookworms obsession blog – Review

Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous – Review & Excerpt

Addicted to Books – Review & Excerpt

Bookish Escapes – Review & Excerpt

Adventures of a Book Junkie – Review & Excerpt

The Bookish Thought – Review

Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

April 5th

Book it – Review & Excerpt

Julie Antonovich Reece – Excerpt

Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous – Review & Excerpt

YA Book Madness – Excerpt

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

A Full Bookshelf – Review

April 6th

Books and Boys Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Reading Is My Bliss – Review

Behind Closed Covers – Review & Excerpt

Jackie's Book World – Review

The Procrastinator's Corner – Review & Excerpt

KatyaRath – Review

The book slayer77 – Review

April 7th

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Excerpt

The Lovely Books – Review

thebookdragon – Review & Excerpt

Aira Reads – Review

Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt

Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt

Love & Life & Learning – Review & Excerpt

April 8th

Alpha Book Club – Excerpt

Crawling Over the Pages – Review

Three chicks and their books – Review & Excerpt

Reviews By Rah – Review & Excerpt

All For Love of the Word – Excerpt

Library of a Book Witch – Review & Excerpt

The Bookmark Blog – Review & Excerpt

Giveaway:

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The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris

Title: The Fine Art of Pretending

Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release: September 30, 2014
Review: 4.5 Stars

Synopsis:

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.

You Can Find it At:
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Amazon
Amazon UK
IndieBound
Goodreads

Review:

First Impressions

I've wanted to read all of Rachel's books for a long time now. The Fine Art of Pretending did not disappoint! The book was super fun. I was immediately sucked in to the story. I haven't read a lot of contemporary recently, but I've read a couple really good ones in the last couple weeks! If you're in the mood for a romantic comedy, this is definitely it!

Characters

Although the main characters are Aly and Brandon, I am in love with Justin. Aly is very fun, and it's cool to see a sporty yet nerdy main character. Brandon is tad to guy-ish for me, what with the pick-up truck and stuff, but I like him nonetheless. That said, Justin is so sweet. Right off the bat, Justin has been labeled as mean and a no-good person. As soon as I got to see more of Justin's character, I started to fall in love. I seriously like him and want to give him a big, fat hug. He just seems so sad. If you're also a Justin-lover, please let me know!

Writing

The writing in the book was okay. At times, it wasn't always the best quality, but it was fun.

Plot

I kinda wanted to stab the plot, simply because the characters just. Kept. Missing. The. Point. They kept not realizing that the other person actually liked the other, and thought that it would 'ruin their friendship'. Denying their love for each other was actually what was destroying it!

World-Building

I couldn't really see much of the world-building. Also, what school spends a week at a summer camp the week before school starts?!?! The world wasn't fully believable, but I'll roll with it.

Author Bio:

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.

You Can Find Her At:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Sentinel by Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Sentinel
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release: November 2, 2013
Series: Covenant
Pages: 297
Review: Five Stars

No Sentinel spoilers, but there will be spoilers for previous books!

Sentinel is the last book in the Covenant series. But do not despair dear readers, Jennifer L Armentrout has recently announced the spin-off series about one of the main characters-Seth! I might have done a happy dance when that was announced. The Covenant series is amazing. In fact, you can check out my review of all the previous books here! I'm a huge fan and have read almost all of her released YA's! And Sentinel did not disappoint. I finished it in less than 24 hours, flipping through the pages faster than lightning. Sentinel is a different take on Greek mythology and is immensely fun.

The main character is Alex Andros. She is what is known as the Apollyon. She's a descendant of the Greek god Apollo, and can control the five elements-air, fire, water, earth, and Akasha. Alex is fierce and loyal. Physically, she is very near unstoppable. She has witty comments, no matter the situation, and can constantly get the reader to laugh. Her boyfriend, Aiden drives me nuts occasionally. He's nice and sweet and protective, but he gets over protective and has a temper. I get that good characters have flaws, but his really make me want to smack him.

My biggest complaint about the book? The ending. It ended happily in a way I didn't expect-MEGA GOOD-but you don't find out what happened to the other characters besides the main few. I want to know what happened to Alex's friends and family! Do they live, die, or some other sort of thing. Oh, and this right here! Take a look at this and tell me you don't want to know more.

Deacon was on his feet, eyes wide, and he immediately started to backpedal out of the room. "I think I need...to, um, go find something else to do. Yeah."

Momentarily distracted from Apollo's sudden appearance, I narrowed my eyes at Aiden's brother. "What happened between you two?"

Deacon froze near the door.

The lopsided expression on Apollo's face spread. "Well, I would never kiss and tell."

Who else want to know more about what happened right there? I know I sure do! There are many other moments that aren't followed up on, that I would love to know more about and that I hope will be followed up on in the spin-off series. But even still, the book was fun and hilarious and I couldn't put it down. Despite it's faults, I give the book five stars and wave a sad goodbye to Alex and the Covenant series!

Sentinel Blog Tour: Apollyon by Jennifer L Armentrout

Aloha everyone! Today, I am happy to be part of the Sentinel Blog Tour featuring the next-to-last book in the series: Apollyon! Today I have loads of fun stuff for you, including, but not limited to, a repost of my review of the series, a short interview with the characters, a giveaway, and some cool pictures! So scroll around, have fun, and make sure to check out the other stops on the tour!

Series Review (Up to Apollyon):

Wow. Just wow. This series rocked. My. World. It is amazing. I thought her other YA series Lux was good, but this is so much better. It dragged me in and wouldn't let me up for air. The most recent book, Apollyon, came out April 9. It was SO amazing. The first book is called Half-Blood, and let me tell you, you need to go to the bookstore and buy the book RIGHT NOW. And while you're at it, get book two, Pure, and book three, Deity. They are so worth it. Warning! These books may cause extremely loud squealing and/or swooning. Anyway, they are made of awesomesauce, as are all the characters.

The main character is Alex Andros, short for Alexandria. First off, how cool is that name? Awesome, I know. I cannot get enough of Alex. She is pure awesome. For readers of the Vampire Academy series, Alex is very much like Rose. Alex is not afraid to stand up for herself. She isn't afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what she thinks of them, good, bad, or otherwise. She has slight authority issues, but to be fair, most of the authority figures in the book are corrupt or completely evil. Alex, like human beings, makes mistakes. She owns up to her mistakes and makes amends. Sadly, she gets blamed for a lot of things that are out of her control. Alex lives in a world with Half-Bloods, Pures, and Gods. It's greek mythology at its finest. Alex is a Half-Blood, which is not a good thing. Half-Bloods are the result of a Pure and a human. Pures and Halfs are forbidden to be together under the law of the Breed Order. Halfs are given to options in life, train to be a Guard or Sentinel (the best of the best fighters) or become a servant (AKA slave). Servants are doped up on this thing called elixir and forced to work for Masters, Pures who use compulsion to control them. Halfs are looked down upon and punished severely for everything and, when the Breed Order is involved, always get the worse end of the deal. This is something Alex is not happy and seeks to change, as do many others, some with better ulterior motives then others. Alex shows her strength again and again in the series, along with her courage. While she's not fearless, when those she cares about (and even those she doesn't) are in danger, fear takes the second burner for a while.

Then, there's Aiden St. Delphi. Oh. My. Gods. He's many things. He's a Pure. He's a Sentinel. He's amazing. He's hot. Aiden is the epitome of awesomesauce. Alex has had a thing for him since she was young. He's twenty-one when the series begins. Alex left the Covenant (where all the Halfs and Pures live) three years before the book begins and he's the one in charge of bringing her back. Once back at the Covenant, he agrees to train Alex to help her catch up to her classmates. Since he's a Pure, he has control over one of the elements. Aiden can control fire, and is extremely kick-butt. Pures have Aether in them, which daimons (the vampires of the story, so to speak) happen to love. As a Sentinel, Aiden hunts daimons for a living. Warning, he is extremely dangerous and swoon-worthy. No one can blame Alex for falling for him. I love the other characters in these books. There's Alex's best friend, Caleb. Caleb is extremely funny and always there for Alex. Aiden's younger brother, Deacon, is SO adorable. Seriously, he's like a highly caffeinated puppy.

There's also the Apollyon. The Apollyon is a Half-Blood who can control all the elements, plus Akasha (which is kinda like super-charged lightning). The Apollyon is named Seth. He has a huge ego, and I never liked him much. Sorry, he's just not likable in my opinion. I don't get why the character get all fanboy/girl about him. Alex's uncle Marcus is nice enough. He's tough on Alex, and she doesn't realize how much he cares about her. Other characters include Lea (she grows on you), Lucian (he gets worse), and Leon (love him!).

The books are awesome. The author constantly has references to real-life things and places, which gives the book depth. Characters and situations are constantly making readers laugh. The writing is fun and light. Not a so-called 'junk food' book by any standards, it's full of meaning, depth, pain, etc. Friends that I've recommended the books to have loved them. The plot is well laid and is full of action, romance, and everything else a novel needs. There are plot twists and turns and cliffhangers by the dozen. I adore these books and give them five stars.

Interview:

For JLA – So much of your personality comes out in the snark in your books and Apollyon is no exception. Which character has the most of you in them? Probably Alex. 

For Alex – As far as I can tell, Aiden is just about perfect. What are your thoughts on the matter? I don’t think anyone could be more perfect than Aiden. 

For Aiden – This journey has been full of so many close calls. When were you most concerned that you would lose Alex? I can’t even answer that question because Alex is always scaring me. It seems like I’m never there to protect her or I’m locked on the other side of the door. 

For Caleb – What was it like for you, seeing Alex again? I wanted to see Alex, she’s my best friend, just not where we were reuniting.

Can you spot Apollyon?

Favorite Quotes:

"Hi silver eyes searched mine. They were covered in a fine sheen-like tears, but Aiden never cried. 'Alex . . . oh, gods, Alex, are you here?'"

"Aiden was my other half, my equal."

"There's nothing creepier than having a psychotic Apollyon caged in the basement."~Luke
"No matter how convoluted my life got, one thing remained consistent- my hair looked like a baby opossum had taken refuge in it, invited some friends over, and thrown a party.”

"'Wait. Is this book about aliens?'
She snatched it back from me. 'Yes.'
'Really?'
'But they’re hot aliens.' She tapped on the guy’s face with one thin finger. 'And he can be my ET any day.'"

“I can’t believe Apollo hit me with a god bolt.”
“I can’t believe Aiden punched him.”

"'Dying isn't the only way into the Underworld, but it's the safest.'
Well, that sounded like an oxymoron if I'd ever heard one."

"Deacon laughed. 'Oh, you're so going to be the next person who gets hit. I'm putting money on that.'
'You need to add yourself to that list.' Aiden looked about seventy-percent serious.
'And I'm putting money on that,' Luke threw in."

“You've been running like the little Apollyon Energizer Bunny"

“I was more of a ‘run into things head-first and face-plant a wall’ type of fighter.”

“Other than an apparant Underworld gate, I had no idea what was in Kansas. Hay bales? Dorothy?”

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Series Sunday: Covenant Series by Jennifer L Armentrout

Wow. Just wow. This series rocked. My. World. It is amazing. I thought her other YA series Lux was good, but this is so much better. It dragged me in and wouldn't let me up for air. The most recent book, Apollyon, came out April 9. It was SO amazing. The first book is called Half-Blood, and let me tell you, you need to go to the bookstore and buy the book RIGHT NOW. And while you're at it, get book two, Pure, and book three, Deity. They are so worth it. Warning! These books may cause extremely loud squealing and/or swooning. Anyway, they are made of awesomesauce, as are all the characters.

The main character is Alex Andros, short for Alexandria. First off, how cool is that name? Awesome, I know. I cannot get enough of Alex. She is pure awesome. For readers of the Vampire Academy series, Alex is very much like Rose. Alex is not afraid to stand up for herself. She isn't afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what she thinks of them, good, bad, or otherwise. She has slight authority issues, but to be fair, most of the authority figures in the book are corrupt or completely evil. Alex, like human beings, makes mistakes. She owns up to her mistakes and makes amends. Sadly, she gets blamed for a lot of things that are out of her control. Alex lives in a world with Half-Bloods, Pures, and Gods. It's greek mythology at its finest. Alex is a Half-Blood, which is not a good thing. Half-Bloods are the result of a Pure and a human. Pures and Halfs are forbidden to be together under the law of the Breed Order. Halfs are given to options in life, train to be a Guard or Sentinel (the best of the best fighters) or become a servant (AKA slave). Servants are doped up on this thing called elixir and forced to work for Masters, Pures who use compulsion to control them. Halfs are looked down upon and punished severely for everything and, when the Breed Order is involved, always get the worse end of the deal. This is something Alex is not happy and seeks to change, as do many others, some with better ulterior motives then others. Alex shows her strength again and again in the series, along with her courage. While she's not

fearless, when those she cares about (and even those she doesn't) are in danger, fear takes the second burner for a while. Then, there's Aiden St. Delphi. Oh. My. Gods. He's many things. He's a Pure. He's a Sentinel. He's amazing. He's hot. Aiden is the epitome of awesomesauce. Alex has had a thing for him since she was young. He's twenty-one when the series begins. Alex left the Covenant (where all the Halfs and Pures live) three years before the book begins and he's the one in charge of bringing her back. Once back at the Covenant, he agrees to train Alex to help her catch up to her classmates. Since he's a Pure, he has control over one of the elements. Aiden can control fire, and is extremely kick-butt. Pures have Aether in them, which daimons (the vampires of the story, so to speak) happen to love. As a Sentinel, Aiden hunts daimons for a living. Warning, he is extremely dangerous and swoon-worthy. No one can blame Alex for falling for him. I love the other characters in these books. There's Alex's best friend, Caleb. Caleb is extremely funny and always there for Alex. Aiden's younger brother, Deacon, is SO adorable. Seriously, he's like a highly caffeinated puppy.

There's also the Apollyon. The Apollyon is a Half-Blood who can control all the elements, plus Akasha (which is kinda like super-charged lightning). The Apollyon is named Seth. He has a huge ego, and I never liked him much. Sorry, he's just not likable in my opinion. I don't get why the character get all fanboy/girl about him. Alex's uncle Marcus is nice enough. He's tough on Alex, and she doesn't realize how much he cares about her. Other characters include Lea (she grows on you), Lucian (he gets worse), and Leon (love him!).

The books are awesome. The author constantly has references to real-life things and places, which gives the book depth. Characters and situations are constantly making readers laugh. The writing is fun and light. Not a so-called 'junk food' book by any standards, it's full of meaning, depth, pain, etc. Friends that I've recommended the books to have loved them. The plot is well laid and is full of action, romance, and everything else a novel needs. There are plot twists and turns and cliffhangers by the dozen. I adore these books and give them five stars.