BookSparks Pop Up Blog Tour: Arboria Park by Kate Tyler Wall

BookSparks Pop Up Blog Tour

"The moment I learned about the power of place and the world beyond home, I was crouching on the cement curb in front of our house on Arbor Circle."

Poignant and sentimental, Kate Tyler Wall's novel about a housing development and its inhabitants throughout the decades is moving and thoughtfully written.


Arboria Park is probably like many other housing developments of its time, but what makes it most interesting is the people who live there. From an early age Stacy Holloran took an interest in the origins and development of the place she lived. Riding her bicycle around her neighborhood as a young girl, she explored the houses and observed the people of Arboria Park. It's where she witnesses heartbreak, experiences teenage firsts, falls in love with music and spends time with her family. Arboria Park is home, but now a highway project threatens to destroy the housing development she loves.

This character driven novel is well paced, following Stacy as she matures from a child desperate to break free of her cul de sac, through her teenage and adult years. And as Stacy grows up and changes, so does Arboria Park. What was once a predominantly white neighborhood diversifies in a way that opens Stacy's eyes to an ever changing world.

Kate Tyler Wall creates a moving narrative about family, childhood homes and the hold they can have over us. This novel creates a sense of nostalgia for the reader and slightly reminiscent of Anne Tyler's similarly family themed novel, A Spool of Blue Thread. For fans of fiction that chronicles families through generations, this is for you.

About Arboria Park

 Stacy Halloran has lived most of her life in 1950s-era housing development Arboria Park. But her beloved neighborhood may not survive much longer.

Despite her parents’ entreaties to “stay in the yard where it’s safe,” the Park is where young Stacy roams in quest of “real life.” Through her wanderings, she learns about the area’s agricultural history; meets people from backgrounds different than her own; watches her siblings develop interracial and same-sex relationships; helps launch the local punk-rock scene; and finally, settles as a wife and mother. As the neighborhood declines (along with her relationship with her mother), Stacy considers moving on to rescue herself and her daughter. But then a massive highway project threatens the ever-resilient Park―and it’s Stacy’s task to rally family, friends, and neighbors to save it

Buy It

Amazon

 Thank you to the amazing team at BookSparks for sending me a copy of this wonderful book to review!

Friday Reads: The Foxe & The Hound by R.S. Grey

Everyone knows that I love a good Romantic Comedy. These are some of my favorite types of books, just because they're fun, light and entertaining. So when I'm looking for a good rom-com, one of my go to authors is R.S. Grey. She writes the best banter, loveable characters and just plain fun stories. Her last book, Anything You Can Do, is one of my favorites ever! You can find my review of it here.

So I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of her latest novel, The Foxe and the Hound. I had planned to read the book over Memorial Day, but couldn't wait and instead finished it the same day I received the galley. That's how fun her books are you guys!

The Foxe and the Hound is a standalone romantic comedy about Madeline Thatcher. If you read Anything You Can Do you'll remember her as Daisy's best friend and Lucas' sister. Both Daisy and Lucas made appearances in this book - so while you don't have to read their book first, I would because 1) It's hilarious and 2) Spoilers.

Madeline Thatcher is a hot mess.

Madeline is twenty seven, barely making her rent payments, single AF and just adopted a puppy that won't stop growing. Mouse, the not so little puppy, is a rambunctious mass of fluff and slobbery kisses. While Madeline loves the big goofy dog, she's a little behind on her obedience training with him and when he takes off to chase a squirrel on the way to the vet and knocks over a handsome stranger in the process, Madeline is horrified. Hopeful that she never sees him again.

Adam Foxe is not having a good day.

Adam Foxe recently moved to Hamilton, Texas and he hates it. Having taken up residency as the new veterinarian in town, he's trying to move on from his past and make the best of his current situation. Things were going alright, until he was mauled by a giant, unruly dog this morning on his way to work. His morning only goes downhill when he realizes that the dog that knocked him over and his pretty owner are his first patients of the day.

Awkward encounters and hilarious exchanges ensue as Adam and Madeline continually run into each other around town. Things really heat up when Adam makes a deal with Madeline - she comes to a family function with him as a date, he'll let her sell him a house. With rent overdue, and her job on the line - Madeline accepts but will they be able to stand each other long enough to actually close the deal?

This book was so much fun, and easily received a five star rating from me. I loved the banter between the characters, the moments in the book that actually had me laughing out loud, and the cute storyline that had me hooked from the beginning - I'm a sucker for anything with a lovable mutt in it! This is a perfect fun, flirty choice for your reading list this summer.

Buy It

Amazon 

New Release Tuesday: The Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

Sarah Tolscer's debut effort, Song of the Current, is a swashbuckling YA Fantasy that is non-stop fun!
Caroline Oresteia is the headstrong daughter of a wherryman. Having grown up on a small cargo vessel in the riverlands, she and her father travel from port to port delivering whatever it is they've been hired to transport. It's an adventurous life and Caro wants nothing more than to follow in her father's footsteps - to be blessed by the river god and live a wherryman's life on the river.

Our story begins with a pirate attack that leaves many a vessel burning in port; hired mercenaries seeking something valuable held within the port's keep. When her father is arrested by the harbor master on smuggling charges, Caro finds herself in a situation unlike any other she's been in. To free her father, she must deliver a mysterious box to a neighboring city. However, when it turns out that the cargo she's been hired to deliver is the same cargo that the pirates are seeking, a thrilling chase ensues as Caro must outmaneuver and keep hidden from the Black Dogs who pursue her.

Tolscer delivers a fast paced YA fantasy complete with mysterious shadowmen, a courier with a secret, plenty of intrigue, a little romance and a high stakes cat and mouse chase through the waters of the riverlands. Tolcser's cast of characters are a likeable bunch and many of the exchanges throughout the book are fun and engaging. The plot is well developed for a first novel, but leaves plenty to be explored in later volumes - which I'm hoping for! There were a few exchanges at later points in the book that I could have done without, but overall I felt the storyline was strong, the characters well developed and enjoyed the vivid descriptions of life on the water.

If you enjoy a unique, fast paced YA adventure you'll likely enjoy this book! I found it to be a fun addition to my summer reading list and anticipate the next installment!

Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for providing me a ebook copy of this book for review. 

Buy It

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound

Friday Reads: All Formats Edition

Happy Friday fellow book friends!

This week has been a fun one for new book releases. Karma Brown's new book, In this Moment, was released, R.S. Grey - my favorite romcom author - released her latest book, The Foxe and the Hound, and there are some great new YA releases this week with new books from Sandhya Menon who's YA contemporary, When Dimple Met Rishi is one of the genre's most anticipated books this spring, Maureen Goo's latest, I Believe In a Thing Called Love, and Sara B Larson's Dark Breaks the Dawn.

To all of you who are suffering from some a serious case of Book Expo America and Book Con FOMO: I am with you! The Instagram stories and tweets are giving me some serious planning vibes - because I am so planning on being there next year! I saw the set up for Marie Lu's WarCross ARCS and about died. So if you're there and for some strange reason you're actually reading this blog - first, why are you reading this?! Kidding - I'm so happy you're reading, but seriously you have much cooler things to be doing, so please go have fun. Know that those of us left to pen blog posts on our couch are with you in spirit, and we may be harboring secret feelings of jealousy - but really want you to have a good time because that's the kind of people we are. Go with God and enjoy all those amazing ARCS you're going to get.

So while I daydream about being at BEA17 and Bookcon, here's what I'm reading this weekend:

On Audio:

Illuminae (Illuminae Files no. 1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

So I typically try to listen to one or two audiobooks per week. In this format I tend to choose memoirs and other non fiction, typically read by the author themselves. For some reason a lot of time a single narrator covering the entire cast of the book doesn't work for me.
That's not the case with this book!
This book has multiple narrators and a full cast behind it! It also has amazing sound effects - which is essential because it's set in SPACE!
Okay, the format of this book is a little different and could be offputting for some readers because it's made up of documents and conversations. If you tried the book and couldn't get into it because of the unique format, give the audio a try because it's one of the best audio versions of a book I've ever heard and the narrators are really good. Also, this story is amazing and it's giving me life right now. I'll probably finish this up by reading the actual book at some point this weekend - but the audio is amazing.

On eBook:

The Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser (Bloomsbury, June 6, 2017)

This is a book that I received an ARC of via Netgalley - it's out for the rest of the world next Tuesday, June 6. Right now, I am over half way done and I am loving the story. It's a YA fantasy with some seriously fun pirate vibes! The main character, Caro, is a wherryman who lives aboard a small cargo vessel on a river system with her father. Together they navigate the rivers delivering their cargo, until Caro's father is arrested. Caro suddenly finds herself on a mission to deliver a mysterious crate in order to get her father out of the brig. Pursued by pirates, Caro's life is at stake every part of the way.
This book is so much fun! It's a quick read and I'm looking forward to finishing it up - keep an eye out for a full review sometime in the next week or so.

In Paperback:

A French Wedding by Hannah Tunnicliffe (Doubleday, June 6, 2017)

This is a galley that was sent to me by Doubleday and I'm really excited to read more! I've only gotten through the first few chapters and already the setting is beautiful and I'm starting to get into the story.
A French Wedding is out on June 6 - so keep an eye out for a review from me.
For now, here's a little blurb about the book from Amazon:

A French Wedding is a delicious novel about six college friends reuniting on the coast of Brittany to celebrate one of their own's fortieth birthday. With sumptuous food and plenty of wine, the table is set for tricky romantic entanglements, fiery outbursts, and a range of secrets. Readers who loved The Vacationers and The Little Paris Bookshop will devour this irresistible novel

So that's what I'm reading this weekend!
TGIF to all my reading friends, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

New Release: The Foxe and the Hound by R.S. Grey!

R.S. Grey's THE FOXE & THE HOUND is available today! You don't want to miss getting your hands on this sexy and hilarious new read from R.S. Grey. Find out more about THE FOXE & THE HOUND below and grab your copy today!

 

About THE FOXE & THE HOUND

When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven…well, not so much.

It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.

That is, until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.

With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.

Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.

It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more.

It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.

Add THE FOXE & THE HOUND to your Goodreads list here!

Get your hands on THE FOXE & THE HOUND by R.S. Grey now!

 

Get a Sneak Peek of THE FOXE & THE HOUND

I follow his gaze to where my dress has ridden up. When I’m standing, it’s a modest length, but the leather seats in his Audi have hiked up the skirt and a few inches of my thighs are now on perfect display.

His gaze drags down, pausing on my lips for a moment before he trails down my neck and chest. He’s studying my dress—no, he’s studying my body beneath the fabric. His smile is slow to spread, a little haunting…sexual.

About R.S. Grey

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including THE FOXE & THE HOUND. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com

Website | Twitter | Facebook | R.S. Grey's Little Reds Facebook Group | Newsletter | Instagram