Win That Summer by Sarah Dessen

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister, the always perfect Ashley, is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.

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In Sarah Dessen's very first novel, she taught us that the first boys are always the hardest. So, spill it ladies! (or guys, if guys are reading this blog), leave a comment with your email address telling me who you're first crush/love - whichever was. (Without both, your entry will not count.)

Mine was a boy named Anthony. I was about five years old and his grandma use to babysit me. We also got 'married' in front of the cable repair man. True story.

Contest will end July 6th at 9 pm central. This will only be open to those with a US or Canada mailing address.

I also wanted to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that participated in Sarah Dessen Extravaganza! I loved reading everyone's comments and a big hellooo to all the new followers. The giveaways have been a lot of fun, and I'll probably do something like this (well not Sarah Dessen books, okay, well maybe, ya never know!) in the future.

Thanks again!

♥amber

Win Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Contest is now over. Thanks to all who entered!

Congrats to Fantastic Book Review for winning a copy of Lock & Key. And congrats to Julie for winning The Truth About Forever. A big thanks to everyone who left a book title with a character named Ruby in it. My goddaughter is one and a half so the picture book suggestions work out perfectly for now.




Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Halley has always followed in the wake of her best friend, Scarlett. But when Scarlett learns that her boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and that she's carrying his baby, she's devastated. For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever.





One thing I really love about this book is the friendship between Scarlett and Halley. So if you would like a chance of winning, please leave a comment with your email address telling how you met your best friend. Any entry without this will not count.


Little Dessen Trivia: Some of you might remember Scarlett who made an appearance in This Lullaby. She's the girl John Miller had a big ole' crush on =D!


Contest ends July 5th by 9 pm central time. This is only open to those with a US or Canada mailing address.


♥amber

Want a Copy of Along for the Ride?

Then you're in luck! Why you ask? Because Sarah Dessen's novel just so happened to debut at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list! Pretty freakin' awesome!

Sarah-Land is giving away not one but two copies of Along for the Ride for you and a friend! Click here to find out how to enter. And a very huge congrats to Sarah! It's well deserved!



♥amber

Ballads of Suburbia Blog Party

I just finished reading this last night and my review will be up next month, closer to when the book officially comes out. I will say this, Ballads of Suburbia is one hell of a read and I highly recommend it.

♥amber

YA Book Carnival: Giveaway for Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen

Contest is now closed. Thanks to all that entered!

I'm sure a lot of you have heard about the YA Book Carnival that is going on over at Shooting Stars Magazine. I've posted some past giveaways up this week, but I wanted to throw in a Dessen book just for this event.

"Ruby, where is your mother?"

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future—it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

For your chance to win a hardback copy of Lock & Key, leave a comment with your email address telling what book you've read recently that completely blew you away. Mine is If I Stay by Gayle Forman.

For some extra entries:

+3 for being a follower prior to this post

+2 for becoming a new follower

+1 per place you link this contest up

One of my goddaughters is named Ruby, so if you can drop a title of another book with a character named Ruby in it, you will get +5.

Contest will end when the carnival ends: June 27th and it only open to those with a US or Canada mailing address

♥amber

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton
Released: April 2009
Pages: 208 pages

Seventeen year old Mia has a pretty good life. She has a great set of parents who understand her and a little brother that doesn't annoy the heck out of her. She has her best friend Kim who is always there. She also has a boyfriend, Adam, that seems like he'd do just about anything for her. Then she has her one true passion, playing the cello. Now she has to choose whether to stay in Oregon with the ones in her life or follow her dreams to New York. All of that soon fades when the unthinkable happens.

One second Mia is in the car with her family and the next she is standing outside on the road staring at her body. From then on she watches the people around her and reflects on her own life, memories and choices that have lead up to that moment. But the clock is ticking and now Mia has to face the biggest decision she will ever make. Does she stay?


If I Stay is not only one of the best books I’ve read this year, but hands down one of the best books I have read in a very long time. When I first started it, I wasn’t for sure what to expect. The beginning didn’t really keep me glued, but I continued to read, and then suddenly I was getting teary eyed (that was just on page 25.) So I knew this was going to be a tear jerker, but I had no clue how much it would really affect me.

The book is beautifully written and Mia in particular was a character I quickly became attached to. The relationship she has with her parents, grandparents, and baby brother were parts that I loved reading about. Her friendship with Kim and her boyfriend, how she synced them together, every bit of it was very real. That is why I became a blubbering idiot by the end.

Everyone knows life can change in a second. It’s something I don’t dwell on, but when it’s in your face, there’s no way to ignore it. It got me thinking how easily Mia could be me or friend or even a family member. I found myself having to take a few breaks because that's how much the book got to me and I cannot remember the last time that sort of thing happened while reading. There is no doubt about it. This book will definitely stick with you even when it's done. I highly suggest if you haven’t picked this one up, go out and get it. While you’re at it, you might want to grab a box of tissues.



♥amber

Winners + New Giveaway

To win a copy of Just Listen I asked everyone to tell me what their oddball music was or a list of five socks that rocked their socks and/or they could do both. I loved reading everyone's lists. The oddballs cracked me up because I saw some artists *cough Eminem cough* that are on my oddball music as well. There were some great songs on the 5 lists and some music I hadn't heard of, but I will be checking out.

Now I told everyone my oddball was Buddy Holly, but I forgot to make my list. So these five songs are ones that are currently rocking my socks because they're my mini-playlist to when I'm working on my someday-maybe-possibly-hopefully-(crosses fingers) novel.


01. Home Is Me by You Are Mine by Everly
02. Rise Above This by Seether
03. Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
04. Songs in My Pocket by Bethany Joy Lenz
05. Sympathetic by Seether



Annnd random.org picked the winner of Just Listen which was.....

(insert drum roll here)


Alexa!! (I thought it was cool that for her 5 song picks she had a song by Seether because I heart that band like no other *highfive*)

Onto Keeping the Moon where I asked to tell me one of your favorite places to go during summer. Back when I didn't have bills to pay, my favorite place to go was at my aunt's in California because it was always this huge road trip. Now....anywhere but home when I'm not being a hermit is nice.



For the winner, random.org picked..........

(insert another drum roll here)

Sab H!

Yay! I just need you to email me your address by Tuesday night Sab and the book is yours!





For this week's giveaway:

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away.She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic,insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in aw hole new way, and really start living it.

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I know a lot of people have read this one, especially by the Dessen boy count, everyone loooveesss Wes. (*whispers* Dexter, people, Dexter!) It is one of my top favorites from all the other novels with all it's characters and the plot itself. Macy is so enjoyable to read and you get easily attached to her and want to stick up for her throughout the book.

I'm going to make this giveaway an easy one. Just leave a comment with your email address and badda-bing! You're entered! Deadline is June 28th at nine pm central and is only opened to those with a US or Canada mailing address.

Contest is now closed. Thanks all who entered!

♥amber