11th Blog Anniversary Giveaway - Week 4

Somewhere Only We Know is 11 years old this month! I missed celebrating my 10th anniversary because I had a newborn last year. I wanted to do a big giveaway celebration for my 10th, but here we are to celebrate my 11th blogiversary! My favorite way to celebrate these anniversaries is by giving back to you guys. I'm happy to give away one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD.

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway Policy (open internationally as long as you can receive a book or gift card from Amazon.com).

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11th Blog Anniversary Giveaway Week 3

Somewhere Only We Know is 11 years old! Since I didn't get to celebrate my 10th Anniverary with a big bang like I wanted to (newborn baby and all), I have a month of giveaways and activities to celebrate this year and this accomplishment! This week I'm giving away yet another one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD.

This week the giveaway is full of clues for a scavenger hunt. The information can all be found on my blog, but my Goodreads shelves might be helpful. Anyone game for trying my scavenger hunt?

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11th Blog Anniversary Giveaway Week 2

Somewhere Only We Know is 11 years old! Since I didn't get to celebrate my 10th Anniverary with a big bang like I wanted to (newborn baby and all), I have a month of giveaways and activities to celebrate this year and this accomplishment! This week I'm giving away another one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD. I didn't offer any suggestions last week, but I will offer some this week of my favorite reads over the last year.

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway Policy (open internationally as long as you can receive a book or gift card from Amazon.com).

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash, # 2) by Jennifer L Armentrout
A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 4) by Sarah J Maas
A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram, # 2) by Darynda Jones
Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, # 7) by Sarah J Maas
Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K White
How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind by Dana K White
Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch (review coming soon)

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Not necessary to participate in the giveaway, but I created this crossword puzzle just for the fun of it. If you need any help, here's a link to my Goodreads Read Shelf.

Here's a sneak peak:

11th Blog Anniversary Giveaway Week 1

Somewhere Only We Know is 11 years old today! I am happy to announce that I'm still enjoying reading and blogging. I don't stress about it as much as I once did, but I don't have as much time as I once did to dedicate to either. Somewhere Only We Know used to be so much a part of my routine and daily life that I didn't even really wonder when I'd fit it into my schedule. Since having kids and the general changes of daily life that has been more difficult and requires some adjustment. I missed celebrating my 10th anniversary because I had a newborn last year, but we're here to celebrate my 11th blogiversary! As always, I love celebrating this accomplishment by giving back to you guys. I'm happy to give away one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD. Normally I offer some suggestions for some of my favorite reads over the last year, but I figure you probably have a book or two that you've been keeping your eye on.

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway Policy (open internationally as long as you can receive a book or gift card from Amazon.com).

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Not necessary to participate in the giveaway, but I created this jigsaw puzzle just for the fun of it.

Here's a sneak peak:

Escaping from Houdini - Giveaway

Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper, # 3)

By: Kerri Maniscalco

Publication: September 18th 2018 by JIMMY Patterson

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea.

It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale?

The publisher kindly sent this book to me unrequested. I thought I might read it one day, but since it's the 3rd in a series and I never read the first I just haven't gotten around to it. Since we're all stuck in quarantine, I thought I might take this time to do a giveaway for this book. Please keep in mind that I might not be able to ship this immediately if you do win. Also, open to US only (so sorry international peeps, but I'm having to pay for the shipping myself on this one).

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Defy the Worlds - Giveaway

Defy the Worlds (Constellation, # 2)

By: Claudia Gray

Publication: April 3rd 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

481 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--This is the thrilling and romantic sequel to Defy the Stars from the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Lost Stars and Bloodline.

An outcast from her home -- Shunned after a trip through the galaxy with Abel, the most advanced cybernetic man ever created, Noemi Vidal dreams of traveling through the stars one more time. And when a deadly plague arrives on Genesis, Noemi gets her chance. As the only soldier to have ever left the planet, it will be up to her to save its people...if only she wasn't flying straight into a trap.

A fugitive from his fate -- On the run to avoid his depraved creator's clutches, Abel believes he's said good-bye to Noemi for the last time. After all, the entire universe stands between them...or so he thinks. When word reaches him of Noemi's capture by the very person he's trying to escape, Abel knows he must go to her, no matter the cost.

But capturing Noemi was only part of Burton Mansfield's master plan. In a race against time, Abel and Noemi will come together once more to discover a secret that could save the known worlds, or destroy them all.

In this thrilling and romantic sequel to Defy the Stars, bestselling author Claudia Gray asks us all to consider where--and with whom--we truly belong.

The publisher kindly sent this book to me unrequested. I thought I might read it one day, but since it's the 2nd in a series and I never read the first I just haven't gotten around to it. Since we're all stuck in quarantine, I thought I might take this time to do a giveaway for this book. Please keep in mind that I might not be able to ship this immediately if you do win. Also, open to US only (so sorry international peeps, but I'm having to pay for the shipping myself on this one).

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A Bad Day for Sunshine - Review & Giveaway

A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, # 1)

By: Darynda Jones

Expected Publication: April 7th 2020 by St. Martin's Press

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Mystery

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones is back with the brand-new snarky, sassy, wickedly fun Sunshine Vicram series!

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.

Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff--an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

I was worried how much I would enjoy the Sunshine Vicram series because chances were slim that it could live up to how much I enjoyed the Charley Davidson series. But you guys, Darynda Jones started the Sunshine Vicram series off with a bang. Darynda Jones has written these characters and this story in a similar enough way to the Charley Davidson series to follow it's success yet distinct enough to be able to stand on its own.

I need to spend a little time breaking down the similarities and differences between these two series so far and then I'll circle back to some general thoughts about this book alone.

Sunshine has snark and wit but in a different way than Charley. She's a sheriff, so she's in law enforcement and solves crimes, which is similar to Charley. But Charley wasn't limited to the red tape as a PI. And she also had that advantage of being able to see and talk to the dead to help her. Sunshine simply has to follow the evidence.

Auri is similar to Amber. She's a little older. And she's more involved. She's a problem solver and almost seems like she can't help discovering secrets and putting pieces together that others would keep from her. At times, I liked Auri's story and pieces better than Sunshine's. (But not always.) And unlike Amber, Auri is also a narrator whereas we only had Charley's POV in the other series.

Quincy would be Sunshine's Cookie. Best friend extraordinaire. Partner in crime-solving. Unlike Cookie and Charley, Sunshine and Quincy go back to elementary school. Quincy also envelopes some Garrett-like qualities. I pretty much loved everything about him.

Levi would be the equivalent of Reyes in this story. Reyes started out not only in prison but also in a coma. Levi is very much awake, moving around, and involved in this installment, but the reader isn't supposed to feel 100% sure where he stands. Is he good or bad? Savior or attacker? Very similar to the Reyes set up, but his character is still different even if there are many similarities.

And again, similar to the Charley Davidson series Sunshine has multiple mysteries to solve within one book. Some take a bigger role than others. Some are only hinted at in an attempt to set up for the future of the series. And her multitasking was on point with Charley's.

And now that I've utterly compared the two series, I have to say that my desire for a Beep spin-off is so strong that I was trying my hardest to twist this series into that. I was searching each clue, in the beginning, to find out if this would end up being just that or if the two series would cross at any point. And I'm happy to report that there was definitely a nod to Charley at one point which means that the two series potentially exist within the same world. And if this is true, then I NEED Charley to make a cameo at some point within the future books of this series.

Now other bits...

Sunshine has an intense history and I feel like we were exposed to a good portion of it within this first book. I feel like I know her quite well already which says a lot about Darynda Jones' writing skills. Past, present, and future potential were all addressed. I'm so excited about the potential of the books in this series. (Does anyone know how many there will be?)

Auri and Cruz filled the biggest romantic relationship of this book even though there's both history and future potential with Sunshine and Levi. I just love Cruz (maybe more than sweet Quinton of Charley Davidson). He can handle himself. He doesn't scare easily or flinch at the things going on in Auri's life. At times, Auri was a bit much for me both in her emotions and in her involvement in the actual case that Sunshine was working. However, I'm stretching to complain about this.

My one legit complaint is that at times the information was coming at me too quickly that I felt like information was missing or not spelled out enough. I had moments (multiple but each quickly resolved) where I thought "wait, what just happened?" Or "did I skip a page?" Maybe I was so caught up in what was happening that I misread but when I re-read each time I didn't miss anything, I just had to keep reading and put the context clues together. The narration switch was also something that I kept having to back up and figure out if we'd swapped narrators because the switch wasn't always obvious. Granted, maybe this is on purpose since the narration does merge in one small part.

Ultimately, I absolutely loved the first installment of the Sunshine Vicram series. Because of my history reading Darynda Jones'other work, I feel confident in the excitement for the upcoming books, whereas someone who might be new to Darynda Jones might need more (future books in the series) to be able to feel the same level of excitement. Either way, I'm dying for the next book, and I am so thankful that I was able to binge the Charley Davidson series. I hope this series will be longer than 3 books but not quite 13 books long. Darynda Jones took all of the successful parts of the Charley Davidson series and used them in a similar but different enough way to feel like a unique entity as it should. A Bad Day for Sunshine gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read A Bad Day for Sunshine? What did you think? Let me know!

I actually won a copy of A Bad Day for Sunshine from Goodreads at the same time I received my approval for my review request. I will be giving away the paperback copy that Goodreads sent me. Just enter the giveaway form below to participate.

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Happy 9th Blogoversary

Somewhere Only We Know is 9 years old! I am happy to announce that I'm still enjoying reading and blogging as much as the day I started. I don't stress about it as much as I once did. But by now Somewhere Only We Know is so much a part of my routine and daily life that I don't even really wonder when I'll fit it into my schedule. Since I'm still enjoying it and we're still going strong, we're here to celebrate my 9th blogiversary! As always, I love celebrating this accomplishment by giving back to you guys. I'm happy to give away one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD. Might I offer some suggestions for some of my favorite reads over the last year?

The Matrimonial Advertisement (Parish Orphans of Devon, # 1) by Mimi Matthews
Maybe Now (Maybe, # 2) by Colleen Hoover
Storm and Fury (The Harbinger, # 1) by Jennifer L Armentrout
A Proper Scandal by Esther Hatch
Courting Darkness (Courting Darkness, # 1) by Robin LaFevers
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, # 6) by Sarah J Maas
With This Pledge (Carnton, # 1) by Tamera Alexander
Well Met (Well Met, # 1) by Jen DeLuca
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
The Curse of Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson, # 10) by Darynda Jones
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave (Charley Davidson, # 12) by Darynda Jones
Promised by Leah Garriott
The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews
Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover
On Wings of Devotion (The Codebreakers, # 2) by Roseanne M White
Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington
A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, # 1) by Darynda Jones
The Runaway Bride (The Bride Ship, # 2) by Jody Hedlund
Beach Read by Emily Henry

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway Policy (open internationally).

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All Things Halloween Review & Giveaway - Iron Gold

Iron Gold (Red Rising, # 4)

By: Pierce Brown

Publication: January 16th 2018 by Del Rey Books

480 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the pale blue planet, his armor red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-second of his life.

A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?

And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever:

A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.

An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.

And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

Red Rising was the story of the end of one universe, and Iron Gold is the story of the creation of a new one. Witness the beginning of a stunning new saga of tragedy and triumph from masterly New York Times bestselling author Pierce Brown.

Oh man! You guys, I am plumb ashamed at how long I put off reading Iron Gold. I really and truly am. Pierce Brown's Red Rising series smashed its way into my all-time favorite series list with the conclusion of Morning Star, which was believed to be the series ender at the time it published. These books have been so, so good, but at the same time, they are weighty. They are deep, complex, beautiful, ugly, sad, hopeful, angry, forgiving, and while I love them, they bleed me dry of my emotions. So after every single release, I've needed time to recover from the previous book. Even while dying to know what was going to happen next, I still needed an emotional break from what I previously devoured. This is one of the only series I've ever needed the entire year (and then some) between releases. I might initially think that's a bad thing, but it really and truly isn't. And that is the only reason why I've put off reading Iron Gold for as long as I have.

Iron Gold is set 10 years into the future from when Morning Star ended. I wish it would have been possible for me to have re-read the first three books before starting Iron Gold because I felt a little lost for the first 25% or so. Names of side characters, events, chronology... All of that just wasn't as fresh in my memory as I would have liked. Getting reacquainted with some old characters took longer than I wanted and caused a little slower of a start than I wanted.

Anytime a series ends and I'm happy with where the characters stand at the end, I struggle with torn feelings over the author choosing to return to the series. On the one hand, I'm excited to return to a world and characters that I love, yet on the other hand, I'm nervous because more books mean more conflict and a new ending that might not leave me as satisfied as the original did. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't wonder about this exact thing in the early chapters of Iron Gold when Brown was establishing the conflict for this book and the rest of the series. But he's seen me through some pretty rough spots already, and I have faith he'll see me through the rest of the series.

I was thrown off to see that Iron Gold features multiple narrators. We have Darrow--as always--and now Lyria, Ephraim, and Lysander also. Each person added a perspective only they could reveal for the different parts of the story and world. I didn't want to read anyone but Darrow in the beginning. Lyria is angry at the republic for the promises that they've failed to keep. She blames them for the deaths of her family members. And really she represents the average Martian citizen. I grew to like her as she grew in her character. Ephraim was easy to hate. I know everyone handles grief differently, but we also all have a choice in how we feel and how we react to the things that happen in our lives. Ephraim plays the victim in a similar way to Lyria, except he has a lot more information and control over things than she does. And he chooses wrong over and over. His pain blinds him entirely and he allows it to be an excuse. I could do without him in future books. Lysander...oh Lysander. I want so badly to like him, to support him. He's actually fairly easy to like. It seems like he's trying to do right, but I believe his ideas on what is right are a bit skewed. But that's kind of a running theme through this series. Right versus wrong and all the gray areas in between. And Darrow...oh Darrow. All I'll say here is that Pierce Brown does a wonderful job placing doubt in the reader's mind. But it's not hard to do so when Darrow doubts himself as well. I have my fingers crossed for Darrow. He's never been the perfect hero, but I can tell you right now that if things go south through these additional books and screws up the ending I was satisfied within Morning Star when it comes to Darrow I'm going to be highly ticked.

Even though I forgot several characters and names, some are unforgettable. Mustang, Sevro, Victra, Pax, Kavax, Holliday, Cassius, and some of the more prominent Howlers were involved as you would expect. I can't say much about any of them without spoiling things that shouldn't be spoiled. I do want to mention that I love how Pierce Brown has some amazingly strong female characters amid his cast of amazingly strong male characters. The strength of one gender doesn't necessitate the weakness of the other. Both equally strong male and female character. Both feminine and masculine. Both emotional and logical. I love these characters. I need more. I'm insatiable.

I do have to say that there were no real surprises for me throughout the story. Every piece that felt like it should have been a twist...I saw coming in some form or other. This was a little disappointing to me because Brown has done such a great job in the past of letting me figure some things out while completely blowing me away with other things.

I also just wanted to say that Pierce Brown incorporates the lack of knowledge very well. Not all the characters are aware of the same information at the same time. Some are still missing crucial information when the book ends. This is something that I respect from George R R Martin's work that's really a great conflict creator.

Another slightly disappointing thing for me was the lack of quotable moments. If you go back to my reviews of the previous books you will see that I had a hard time restraining myself with all of the great quotes. But here are my favorites from Iron Gold:

-"Because when the law is not obeyed, the ground is fertile for tyrants."

-Sharing a life threads more than flesh and blood together. It weaves her memories in and around and through mine.

-My wife is not as fickle as a flame. She is an ocean. I knew from the first that I cannot own her, cannot take her, but I am the only storm that moves her depths and stirs her tides.

-"Do not let fear touch you. Fear is a torrent. The raging river. To fight it is to break and drown. But to stand astride it is to see it, feel it, and use its course for your own whims."

-"I know it may be impossible to believe now, when everything is dark and broken, but you will survive this pain, little one. Pain is a memory. You will live and you will struggle and you will find joy. And you will remember your family from this breath to your dying days, because love does not fade. Love is the stars, and its light carries on long after death."

-"A new wound can take a body. Opening an old one can claim a soul."

-The key to learning, to power, to having the final say in everything, is observation. By all means, be a storm inside, but save your movement and wind till you know your purpose.

Iron Gold was a good start to reopen this series. Yet I found it a little lacking compared to the previous books. I wasn't caught off guard by any twists. The story did hook me once I got past the first 25%. By 50% I was dying to read until I could finish. I truly hope that I can pick up Dark Age pretty soon. Iron Gold gets 4 Stars. Have you read Iron Gold? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Also, the publisher kindly gifted me a copy of Iron Gold to giveaway to a friend. It was always my intention to give it away here on my blog as I posted my review. Please enter the rafflecopter widget below. (US entries only please. I'm sorry, but I have to pay shipping myself.)

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Happy 8th Blogoversary Giveaway

Somewhere Only We Know is 8 years old (as of yesterday)! I am happy to announce that I'm still enjoying reading and blogging as much as the day I started. I don't stress about it as much as I once did. But by now Somewhere Only We Know is so much a part of my routine and daily live that I don't even really wonder when I'll fit it into my schedule. Since I'm still enjoying it, and we're still going strong we're here to celebrate my 8th blogiversary! As always, I love celebrating this accomplishment by giving back to you guys. I'm happy to give away one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD. Might I offer some suggestions for some of my favorite reads over the last few years?

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, # 1) by Darynda Jones
Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson, # 2) by Darynda Jones
Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson, # 3) by Darynda Jones
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson, # 4) by Darynda Jones
Fifth Grave Past the Light (Charley Davidson, # 5) by Darynda Jones
Sixth Grave on the Edge (Charley Davidson, # 6) by Darynda Jones
Seventh Grave and No Body (Charley Davidson, # 7) by Darynda Jones
Eighth Grave After Dark (Charley Davidson, # 8) by Darynda Jones
The Sound of Drowning by Katherine Fleet
Bright Down the Stars (Beautiful Hearts Duet, # 1) by Emma Scott
Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts Duet, # 2) by Emma Scott
Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, # 1) by Mary E Pearson
Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 3) by Jenny Han

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway Policy (open internationally).

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Happy 7th Blogoversary Giveaway

Man time flies. You guys, I have been blogging for 7 years! And while my blog hasn't grown to epic porportions, I am happy and proud of what all I have done and accomplished. And for now, Somewhere Only We Know is exacty where I want it to be with the amount of time I'm able to dedicate to it. And so for that we're here to celebrate my 7th blogiversary! As always, I love celebrating this accomplishment by giving back to you guys. I'm happy to give away your choice of one (1) of the following books from my personal library as well as one (1) e-book of your choice up to $10 USD. These are two different giveaways with one separate winner for each prize.

Breakable by Tammara Webber
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
I Do by Jessica Simpson
Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James
Undead by Kristy McKay
Mending the Doctor's Heart by Tina Radcliffe
The Trial of Fallen Angels by James Kimmel Jr

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway Policy (open internationally).

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