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Blog Tour: The Adults by Caroline Hulse

Title: The Adults
Author: Caroline Hulse
Published: August 23rd, 2018
Publisher: Orion
Rating: ★★★★
Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I was sent this ARC by the publisher, reviewing it as an impartial review. This does not sway my opinion of the book. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

The most hilarious debut you will read this year. 
* * * * *MEET THE ADULTS.Claire and Matt are divorced but decide what’s best for their daughter Scarlett is to have a ‘normal’ family Christmas. They can’t agree on whose idea it was, or who said they should bring their new partners. But someone did – and it’s too late to pull the plug.Claire brings her new boyfriend Patrick, a seemingly eligible Iron-Man-in-Waiting. Matt brings the new love of his life Alex, funny, smart, and extremely patient. Scarlett, their daughter, brings her imaginary friend Posey. He’s a rabbit.Together the five (or six?) of them grit their teeth over Organized Fun activities, drinking a little too much after bed-time, oversharing classified secrets about their pasts and, before you know it, their holiday is a powder keg that ends – where this story starts – with a tearful, frightened, call to the police…
But what happened? They said they’d all be adults about this…
* * * * *
If you loved THE BREAK by Marian Keyes or raved about THE ROSIE PROJECT – look no further than THE ADULTS.

First Thoughts…

There’s something just super relaxing about reading a book like The Adults. I think when I read YA, I’m like this is my game face, I’m ready to read! But Adult fiction is just a lot more calming to me, no matter what the genre or plot. When I first was introduced to The Adults by the lovely team at Orion, I couldn’t say no! It sounded like a true breath of fresh air.

My Review…

I would pick up any book that was for fans of The Rosie Project. I truly devoured those books and thought this little slice of fiction would be no exception! So, first and foremost, Claire and Matt are a divorced couple. They have a daughter together, Scarlett, who really is a little star among the pages. They want her to have a life as normal as possible, and in doing that, a perfect Christmas that runs along the line of normalcy. They don’t know how it happened, but soon enough, they’re all together and the awkwardness starts to appear. Despite the fact that they have new partners, it first gets off to a rocky but steady start. But then the cracks start to appear. 
With Claire’s new partner Patrick and Matt’s new love Alex, with Scarlett (and her imaginary friend Posey the rabbit) they make an unlikely bunch. Doing activities together and “bonding” with organised “fun” they start to unravel. Oversharing leads to secrets, tears and a whole lot of fireworks. But what they don’t expect most is to learn something new about themselves, each other and what it really means to be an adult.
Overall, I really just couldn’t get enough of The Adults. Whilst it took me a little bit to really get into the novel, the middle and end sure made up for it. The points of view, striking and capturing my attention, were poignant and funny and just so real (is it strange I really loved Posey, the imaginary “friend”?) I never expected for The Adults to be as it was (if that makes sense) and it took me on a whole different journey (in the best way possible). If you’re looking for a novel with humour, “adulting” and mayhem that leaves you feeling like you’ve read something importantly great, you’ve found your new favourite read. Four amazing stars! 
Hi Caroline! Your characters go through so much before the book even begins. Which character has been your favourite to craft personality-wise?

Hi! I should probably answer about a human character first. On that basis, it’s Patrick. I enjoyed writing his dual-edge character, showing the difference between his successful, enviable ‘outside’ and the teeming insecurities within.
Overall though, my favourite character was Posey. There’s an element of wish-fulfilment in writing a character’s imaginary friend who exists purely to support and entertain that human: who can get over physical hurdles effortlessly (logistics, gravity etc.) and who doesn’t care about anyone’s needs or feelings except those of ‘their’ human. It would be ace to go through life with a side-kick like that.
Also, Posey gets to have all the fun, all apart for having to sleep in the airing cupboard. I wouldn’t be so keen on that part.

The Adults is such a funny, yet oh-so-real book. What inspired Claire and Matt’s story?

I was trying to think of a plot for an everyday suspense, with the potential to produce tension between well-meaning people. I don’t really like to write ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’: in my books, people are more complicated than that.
I read an article in a weekend section about an ex-couple who went on holiday together with their shared family and new partners, and I just thought, How? Why?
I wish all my exes well, but I don’t have to see them on a day-to-day basis – and I don’t think it would be a great idea to go on holiday with them and their new partners! But people do! And those people must be way more mature than me.

You blend humour and drama together faultlessly. If you could write in any other genre, what would it be?

Firstly, that is lovely, thank you.
I read widely, mostly crime and thrillers, book club and literary stuff, and I would love to write a serious thriller one day. I just need to think of a killer, edge-of-your-seat plot, and work out how to drop the comedy that sneaks in to my writing. Leave it with me.

Finally, if The Adults was made into a movie, who would you *love* to play who?

I’m so sorry, I can’t answer this properly. The people in the book are so real in my mind, I can’t think how to suggest actors for it. It’s a good thing I’m not a casting director, and if The Adults does get produced as a movie, I’ll be fascinated to see who they choose!

Thank you so much for answering my questions, today.
No problem, and I’m so pleased you enjoyed the book.

Caroline Hulse spends most of her days writing, having fulfilled her dream of having a job she could do in pyjamas. She also works in Human Resources sometimes.
She is openly competitive and loves playing board and card games. She can often be found in casino poker rooms, and wishes other people would want to play Cluedo for money.
She lives with her husband in Manchester, UK, where the two are captive to the whims of a small, controlling dog.he Goodreads database with this name.

Have you read The Adults? Are you looking forward to it?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!


Tweet me about the book and get involved in the Blog Tour with the tag #TheAdults


happy reading!

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Book Blitz: “Channel 20Something” by Amy Patrick {Interview + Giveaway!}



Title: Channel 20Something 

(20Something #1) 
Author: Amy Patrick

Publication date: August 12th 2014 

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

AMAZON | NOOK | KOBO | ALL ROMANCE

From award-winning author and two-time GOLDEN HEART® finalist Amy Patrick comes a New Adult contemporary series about twenty-somethings entering the world of TV broadcasting, where what happens behind the scenes is the real news.

22-year-old Heidi Haynes is almost one year into her “real life”. She has her first reporting job, her first apartment, and a comfortable relationship with her college sweetheart. But for some reason she’s not as eager to talk about walking down the aisle as he is.

 Heidi secretly longs for big cities, big-market breaking news, and real independence from her way-too-close-by helicopter parents. Problem is, the last time she left the security of home for new places and new people, things didn’t go so well. Disastrously, in fact, and she came running back to a local college and a “safe” boyfriend.

 Aric Serrano is definitely not safe.

He’s six-feet-four-inches of missing-Hemsworth-brother-hotness and plans to stay in small-market-Southern-Hell just long enough to grab a cup of coffee and put together a kick-ass “escape tape”. He’ll serve his one-year contract, then he’s taking off for a higher rung on the TV sports ladder—alone—the way he likes it. Then he meets his new co-anchor.

 Heidi would be so much more comfortable if she could simply ignore Aric. He’s just her type—the type she’s so careful to avoid these days. But that becomes impossible when she’s forced to work closely with him on the weekend newscast. Now the attraction between them is growing even faster than the ratings, and what happens behind the scenes is the real news.


Amy is a two-time Golden Heart finalist (2013 and 2014) who writes Young Adult fiction as Amy DeLuca and New Adult romance as Amy Patrick.  She lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two sons and actually craves the heat and humidity of Mississippi, where she grew up. She’s been a professional singer and news anchor and currently narrates audio books as well as working as a station host for a Boston TV station.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | GOODREADS 




CHANNEL 20 SOMETHING INTERVIEW #2
1-      Your main character in CHANNEL 20 SOMETHING, Heidi, is a first-year TV news reporter/anchor. You were also a TV news reporter, right? Is Heidi anything like you? Well, she’s definitely not me, but I did give her some of the same struggles and experiences I had as a newbie reporter/anchor. And like me, she grew up in a small Mississippi town. We also shared the same *unfortunate* nervous-stomach issue.
2-      Did you actually throw up in front of the governor of Mississippi one minute before going on live TV like Heidi did? Why yes. Yes I did. Nothing like rookie reporter nerves. J Happy to report I did eventually get over that little problem and can now appear on television without any threat of my lunch reappearing.
3-      Do you have a favorite character in CHANNEL 20 SOMETHING? It’s really hard to choose. I really relate to some of Heidi’s passion and confusion and mistakes. I love her sister Jane Elaine. But I’d have to say Aric is my favorite. I mean, what’s not to love? Ultra-hot guy who’s also funny and kind? Yes please.
4-      Do all the 20 Something novels take place in the South? As you know, book 1, CHANNEL 20 SOMETHING, is set in Mississippi, where Heidi gets her first job. Book 2, STILL YOURS, takes place in Providence, Rhode Island, the news market where Heidi’s friend Mara is starting a new job (and running into the ex she hoped she’d never lay eyes on again). Meanwhile, Heidi’s other best friend Kenley has moved to Atlanta and is starting a job at WNN. We’ll hear her story in Book 3, STILL ME.
5-      Beyond being a writer, what’s going on in your life? I narrate audiobooks for other authors, and I’m in the middle of a fun small-town mystery series for author Sandra Balzo. I have a small recording studio in my house where I lay down my tracks, then I send them to a sound engineering for post-production. I also have two boys who are about to go back to school, so we’re making preparations for that while trying to squeeze in a bit more summer fun. It goes so fast!
6-      What’s one crazy fact about you that most people who meet you probably wouldn’t guess was true? I used to be a professional singer. I’ve sung in several bands and did background vocals on a smooth jazz album. I also sang the theme song for SAS Airlines years ago. “Welcome aboard… to the skies… of S-A-S… where you’ll find… happiness.”
Thank you so much for having me today. It’s been so much fun being on your blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This sounds SO incredible, right?! 


Don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads and get reading!


happy reading!

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Blog Tour: “RecruitZ” by Karice Bolton {Giveaway + Interview}







Title: RecruitZ

Author: Karice Bolton
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic / Zombie Thriller
Release Date: Dec 27, 2013





Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.



Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

Karice lives in Washington with her wonderful husband, who also happens to be her high school sweetheart and their two cute English bulldogs!

She enjoys reading, baking, and trying to be crafty on her off-hours. She’s also a coffee, tea, and snow addict. If she could live somewhere that had the white stuff year-round, she probably would. She also loves chatting with her readers on Facebook!



Her books include:

The Witch Avenue Series (Lonely Souls, Altered Souls, Released
Souls, and Shattered Souls)

Beyond Love Series (Beyond Control, Beyond Doubt, Beyond Reason)

Watchers Trilogy (Taken, Awakening, Legions, Cataclysm)

Afterworld Series (RecruitZ)

The Camp

Find her here: FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | BLOG | PINTEREST 




Hi Karice! Since we talked last on
our previous Q&A for “the camp” you’ve been up to a lot, including your
contemporary romance series and now the brand new “Afterworld” series! What
would you say was your favourite thing about getting to write and dabble in
different genres?

First, thank you so much for
having me.
2013 was a very busy year for
me, and I loved every minute of it. It is so much fun to be able to switch
between genres, and I think being able to do so allows for unexpected and
creative results. I’m very grateful that my readers let me dabble in the zombie
realm where romance doesn’t necessarily take priority. Getting to explore so
many different worlds is my favorite thing about writing in different genres,
and I always have a project that suits my mood.

Being a zombie fan myself (and
lover of the movie; Warm Bodies), what inspired you to write a book about
zombies?

Most of the zombie books that
I see focus on the outbreak and fighting for survival. I wanted to write about ‘after
the survival’ and how humans might behave after the outbreak was contained. As
society attempts to put itself back together, the possibilities are endless when
the unsavory  side of humanity comes out
and conspiracies are born. It’s been so much fun to write, and I look forward
to writing the rest of the series.

Was the initial idea for RecruitZ
spur-of-the-moment or did you work on the idea piece by piece?

I came up with the idea about
a year and a half ago. The initial idea was spur of the moment and then I was able
to mentally map out where I wanted to go with each book in the series. I’m
thankful I had a lot of time with the idea(s) so that they developed rather
organically.

Rebekah—the main character of
RecruitZ (who I share a name with!)—is determined for answers after seeing her
husband killed by the thing that no one was supposed to fear anymore. Are we
going to see a new strong (and amazing) lead heroine alike Triss and Ana from
your previous series’?

Awesome name might I add!!
And definitely strength will be a defining characteristic! Rebekah is strong
both mentally and physically. A lot of my characters grow into their purpose as
the circumstances present themselves. In this case, Rebekah is the one
searching out the circumstances. She is strong both physically and mentally,
but she is still human and the world isn’t a kind place any longer. She still
has a soft side, which will be unwrapped as the series continues.

Finally, if RecruitZ was ever
turned into a movie, who and why would you love to play the lead roles?

That’s a tough question –so
many choices—and definitely something that would make my dreams come true. Anywho,
I think Emma Watson would be amazing in the role.
Thank you so much for the chance to
interview you again on Pretty Little Memoirs! 


Karice: My playlist for RecruitZ is huge so here is
a small portion of it (starting with the A’s). RecruitZ is pretty action packed
and my playlist definitely reflects that-lol. This playlist is very different
than my romance playlists…for sure!
1. Alive                                        Krewella
2. All Good                                 Zeroleen
3. Android Porn                             Kraddy
4. Animals                                  Martin
Garrix
5. Animals                                        Muse
6. Apologize                               OneRepublic
7. Bad Girls                                MIA
8. Beam Me Up                          Cazzette


It’s always so much fun being a part of Karice’s Blog Tours, and I had so much fun coming up with my Interview questions and getting a glimpse into her playlist for RecruitZ. 
happy reading!

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Review/Q&A: “Gemini Rising” by Eleanor Wood {Author Q&A!}

How far would you go to fit in?…
 
Let me start by saying how amazing this book was! It was sent to me by the lovely people at Mira Ink/Carina, and I loved it ever since I read the description…there was something about it that just pulled me in! Along with my review, I have a Q&A below with the Author herself; Eleanor Wood! It was so nice getting to ask all the questions I wanted about ‘Gemini Rising’ and more!
Onwards…
 
A little bit about “Gemini Rising”…
 
How far would you go to fit in? Sorana
Salem is ok with being not quite bottom of the pile at her exclusive private
school. Until the mysterious Johansson twins arrive unexpectedly mid-term.
Hypnotically beautiful and immensely cool, magnetic Elyse and mute Melanie
aren’t like the school’s usual identikit mean girls. Soon Sorana’s sharing
sleepovers and Saturday nights out with the twins. But their new world of Ouidja
boards and older boys might not be as simple as it seems. And the dark secrets
that they share could be about to take Sorana down a path that’s impossible to
turn back from…
 
 
My Review…
 
Right from Chapter One, I was hooked. Sorana had such an interesting personality, though she wasn’t as expressive of herself to everyone else. That’s until the captivating and mysteriously alluring Johansson twins appear in the middle of term at Sorana’s private school. They just buzzed popularity in their descriptions of being beautiful and fascinating. Sorana knows straight away that these girls aren’t like the others, and they’re not like a typical mean girl. There’s the charismatic Elyse and the serene Melanie, twins, though distinctively different in their personalities.
It surprises me that Sorana starts spending so much time with the twins, I almost knew something was going to happen that would be either spooky or out of the ordinary. The Twins seemed to be different and magnetic; they held secrets that seemed to be a dark shadow of their past, and not to mention they are leading Sorana down a path she never would’ve took before.
The whole way through Gemini Rising, I was enthralled and literally glued to the plot. I found it so compelling and mysterious, not to mention the characteristics of the characters were life-like and believable. I felt connected to the book and not only did I read it in just a few days, but I’ve actually found myself going back to it and reading just one more time…or a few more!
Overall, Gemini Rising was a beauty of a mystery, an incredible and thought-provoking novel with powerful twists and turns like a rollercoaster. A massive five-stars (or cats, ha ha)  from me!
Also, if ‘Gemini Rising’ interested you…get it here!
 
 
———-
 And now for the Q&A with Eleanor Wood! I had so much fun asking all the questions I wanted to know about ‘Gemini Rising’ and beyond!
 
Hi Ellie! First of all, I just want to say how enthralling
and incredible ‘Gemini Rising’ was like to read. Was the idea for the plot
spontaneous or did the idea grow over time?

Thank you!  The main
components of Gemini Rising were all there from the beginning – the girls’
school, the characters, the title, a lot of the big scenes.  However, I tend to get overexcited and chuck
every idea I have at one story, so I had to cut a lot.  I could probably write a couple of separate
novels from the storylines I abandoned. 
For instance, the early drafts included a subplot in which Sorana got
caught up in Elyse’s crazy scheme to kidnap their favourite rockstar!  I really want to write that one up, actually.

 

I’m a huge music fan and practically live on YouTube. You
mention music a lot in ‘Gemini Rising’ and even created an imaginary band
(Trouble Every Day) that the twins and Sorana bond over (a band that I would
love to listen to!). Would you say music inspired and motivated you to write?

Definitely!  Music has
always had a huge influence on my life, and it always seemed very important to
this story.  Similar to Sorana,
discovering music like Nirvana and PJ Harvey (still my all-time favourites)
literally changed my life.  When I
started going to gigs at about 15, it was the first time I felt like I had a
real social identity – and suddenly it didn’t matter that I didn’t have a
boyfriend and couldn’t get into the pub! 
I was a massive fan of the band Placebo, and Trouble Every Day are very
much inspired by that.  While I was
writing, listening to songs from that time could instantly take me back to my
teenage self.  Also I always love
references to music and pop culture in books – my favourite examples being Girl by Blake Nelson and Namedropper by Emma Forrest (and more
recently I love Eleanor and Park by
Rainbow Rowell).

 

In the book, there is a Gothic vibe and toward the middle,
it gets darker and really pulls you into the mystery of the twins and how
Sorana is affected by them—that was my favourite part of the novel. If you had
to choose a moment of the book that was your favourite, what would it be?

I think the scene that still haunts me the most when I close
my eyes is – not to spoil things for anyone – when Sorana and Elyse find
themselves running around outside by the river at night, barefoot and in pitch
black.  As well as being an important
moment in the story, it definitely plays into those Gothic sensibilities that I
really wanted to evoke – it makes me picture things like The Lady of Shallot
and Ophelia, or The Virgin Suicides, shot like a creepy old movie.

 

The ending was spectacular and so unexpected—when was the
point during the writing process of the book that you knew how it would end up?

Before I started writing the story, I had a plan for the
ending – but when I started writing those final scenes, it all changed and I
wrote something completely different to what I had originally planned.  It sounds super cheesy to say it, but the
ending really wrote itself; in the end, I didn’t feel like I had much to do
with it.  It’s funny how that’s sometimes
the best way.  However, the very last
line had been in my head all the way through and I’m glad I stuck with it,
because it really summed up what I wanted to say.

 

Have you always known you wanted to write a novel / be a
writer?

Yes, it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.  I love books so much, I don’t understand why
everyone wouldn’t want to write their own! 
I’m always trying to persuade all my friends that they should write a
book.  It’s lucky I feel like this, because
it’s pretty much all I’ve ever been good at!

 

Gemini Rising is still sparkling and brand new, but do you
have any plans for future books yet?

Actually, I have so many plans and ideas that I don’t know
what to do with them!  Some are for
novels in a similar genre to Gemini Rising, but some are for things that are
completely different.  I’d also still
like to write some more stories based around Gemini Rising – as a reader, I
love it when books I enjoyed (like Delirium by Lauren Oliver) have extra
stories that you can get hold of, and I’d definitely like to have a go at
that.  I’d also like to write some
non-fiction for teenage girls – based around music and riot grrl zines and that
sort of thing – and I really want to write a memoir.  I just need to get them all written down!

 

It’s been a pleasure reading Gemini Rising and getting to
Q&A with the author herself! Thank you so much for answering my questions
and of course, for writing such a page-turner!
 
 happy reading,
xo Becca
 
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