"Rules of Rebellion" Blog Tour & Review

About The Rules of Rebellion:

1. Skinny dip (her idea)
2. Prank someone (his idea)
3. Stargaze (her idea)
4. Kiss someone (his idea)

Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy best friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so When he discovers the girl with a flair for baking has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he’s determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than a self-proclaimed rebel like himself to show her the ropes of letting loose?

Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn’t exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. And when he suggests adding “kiss a boy” to Kylie’s plan and she accepts…suddenly all his dreams seem to be coming true.

But Leo’s got a secret that could change everything between them, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes to the surface.

Buylinks: https://entangledpublishing.com/the-rules-of-rebellion.html

Excerpt from The Rules of Rebellion:

Her dimples popped into place, her smile so bright it about knocked me senseless. She bounced a bit on her tiptoes, and for one hopeful second I thought she’d maybe hug me. Unfortunately, she reined in her enthusiasm.

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she said. “I’ve got to run. My sister is probably pacing in front of my car by now. See you later.”

She scurried off, and I was disappointed the conversation had ended so quickly. I didn’t mind watching her walk away, though. I loved how the girl filled out a pair of jeans. She had more bounce in her step than most of the cheerleaders. Kylie was just plain…perky. She always seemed to be happy and smiling. I’d suspected Kylie was one of those rare people who was always fun to be around. Spending time with her these past few months had proven I wasn’t wrong.

She finally rounded the corner, slipping from my view. As I twisted back around, something crinkled beneath my foot. On the floor, directly where we’d been talking, was a pink slip of paper. It looked suspiciously similar to the one that had been sticking out of Kylie’s notebook earlier today.

I swiped it off the floor as I cast another glance down the hallway. It was too late to call after her. I’d have to give it back to her later. I reflexively glanced at the page, assuming it was a recipe, but wanting to be sure it wasn’t something important. Something she might need immediately.

Senior Checklist.

I glanced down the hallway again, confirming that she was out of sight and that she hadn’t realized she dropped the paper and was coming back. The hallway was clearing out, most of us anxious to get out of here at the end of the day.

With no sign of Kylie, I leaned against my locker and glanced at the sheet in my hand again. I was expecting to see items like Choose date and time for graduation party. Or Tour college campus.

I did not expect to see the items that were actually listed.

Senior Checklist

1.       Skinny dip (sort of)

2.      Sneak out (but don’t get caught)

3.      Prank someone (nothing destructive)

4.      Go to a party (no drinking)

5.      Kiss a boy (finally!)

6.      Watch a sunset (so romantic)

If I’d had any idea her list was going to be so private, I wouldn’t have read it. But once I’d seen it, I couldn’t exactly un-see it.

So I read it again. 

About Amity Hope: 

Amity lives in beautiful northern Minnesota with her two sons, two cats and their Rottweiler.
She has a degree in elementary education and worked in that field for ten years before deciding to self-publish.
Her first self-published novel, Twisted, was listed by Amazon as a Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Book of 2012. It hit Amazon's Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance Best Sellers List in several countries. Truths and Dares held the #1 position on Amazon's Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks in the UK.
If she's not writing or spending time with her boys, she's most likely reading.

 Author Links:

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmityHopeAuthor

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amity-Hope-Author-Page-134913686647605/

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amityhopeauthor/

Author Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amityhope/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6428483.Amity_Hope

My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

This was a really short, fun read with a likable main character. 

The rules of rebellion is one of those go-to, quick-read books to instantly put a smile on your face. 

The writing style was clear which I loved about it!

Digital copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

"Little Monsters" Book Review

My Rating:  ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

It’s the cover. Something about that darn cover reeled me in; I can’t put my finger on it because it’s such a simple piece of art! But reeled me in it did and I am glad that (sometimes) I judge a book by its cover.

Kacey is the new girl who has recently moved to Broken Falls – to a charming life with her father’s family; one that has proven to be much different from the one she had led up to that point. 

Broken Falls is the kind of town where everyone is nice and welcoming. To her surprise, Kacey is inducted into a petite circle of two – meet Bailey and Jude.
The duo makes Kacey feel included in everything that they do – sneaking out at night, parties etc. however, Kacey is left out of one of the biggest parties of the year, causing her to feel completely left out. She wants answers, she wants to know why they are all so suddenly acting strangely distant toward her but Kacey will never be able to ask Bailey why because Bailey doesn’t return home that night. 

Awesome premise. Equally awesome delivery.

Little Monsters was a deliciously, mystery-laden book you can’t help but love because of the page-turner plot. The plot and execution was inherently satisfying due to its puzzle feel. I wouldn’t refer to this little gem as compelling, but it was sure gripping! 

I could feel the near-splitting tension, the back and forth speculation of whether Kacey played a part in the disappearance of Bailey. Whether Bailey was truly missing or just seeking attention. Whether Andrew was the killer. Whether Whether Whether.

No matter how many conclusions I came to, I did not arrive at the conclusion that the author presented. I did not foresee the twist until the author began the big reveal. 

And THAT, is what I love about books – the unpredictability, the guessing, the rollercoaster ride, the complexity of twists to the point where you give up guessing. 
I found myself speed reading to get to the end of many scenes; I haven’t speed-read in a while! 

A note those out there: Be careful who you call your friends.

Digital copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

"The Unhappiness Syndrome" Book Review

My Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star

I really enjoyed this book in the beginning. I had high expectations being that it was a self-help piece speaking about habits that may potentially make us unhappy. 

I delved in expecting to discover some solutions for fixing habits which are possibly inviting unhappiness into my life. What I got though, was a beginning with potential then a few remaining chapters of unrelatable advice and scenarios. 

The relatable/Good:

“Ultimately, happiness is determined by your mental landscape” Ok, I can agree. 

Let’s see the next ↓

“First, accept that your feelings of envy are indications that show where your interests lie. Second, understand that the people you envy are not your enemies or rivals, but your ideals”. Yup, I can totally understand and remember this piece of advice whenever I feel envious of someone else. Thank you for helping me understand my envious tendencies. 

The fact that I found it unrelatable in the section in which religion was introduced could have been attributed to my difference in belief; however, I am usually unbiased and can choose to learn from other religious teachings and advice. This time I could not connect.

The section which spoke of bad habits in marriage left me angry at the author for condoning sexism:

• “Play the role of a delightful and attractive wife”. This statement right here had me reeling. Not once did the author mention that the husband is possibly frustrating the wife or ill-treating the wife or that the wife is exhausted. Or the fact that laundry is piling and the sink is filled with dirty dishes is because he depresses her, or some external factor is upsetting her and causing her to shut down, or that she just wants a BREAK to relax. 

• And why can’t the husband genuinely ask his wife what’s going on and get to the root of the problem when he sees dishes being piled before feeling entitled to a clean house and perfect wife.

• She DOES NOT NEED to put on makeup to make her husband want her. Why can’t her husband want her in her natural state? Why does she have to put on a mask? 

Look, I understand that sometimes it’s good to make a little effort, but since when is taking care of your husband, the kids and the house not enough for him. Have we gone back a few decades/centuries to days of slavery? 

DO NOT put the blame on women for the fact that their husbands cannot maintain their feelings of love and affection.

And women, DO NOT ever feel the need to play Cinderella or Snow White just so your husband can feel a slither of love for you. Because chances are, if he feels something just because you play this role, it isn’t love.

And DO NOT ever feel that it’s enough for your husband to simply be the breadwinner. That can’t be his only role. Oh, I get that it’s a tough role to play, believe me, but it’s not enough. And he shouldn’t be worshiped just for that while you are being drained.

Another issue I had was that this author speaks of some women who have too-high expectations and that they should “feel grateful for any offer that may come”. I do not believe in this piece of advice. It could be the culture difference but I believe this to be unhealthy and the only outcome is unhappiness – the very same thing this book is trying to steer us away from. 

Look here, as a human with emotional ups and downs and external stimuli and triggers and mental issues and I could go on and on – Happiness isn’t as simple as it is portrayed in the book. We are complex beings. Yes, we do have habits which birth unhappiness, but these strings of advice are unhelpful. No one is happy all the time. No one can even attempt to be happy all the time because that in itself conjures unhappiness lest you fail. 

Digital copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

"Rules of Persuasion" Book Review

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars

I felt like I have read this book already, except the reason for the relationship is different. It wasn't any different from the countless pretend relationship, YA contemporaries populating the literary shelves. 

The secondary characters were props; their presence added zilch to the story. Yes, they listened to Meg complain about kissing the guy she now likes but that was about it. I didn’t connect with any of the friends and I kept forgetting their names. What good are they for except listening to Meg talk about boys and getting dressed up for her hot date? 

Meg was the cliché rebellious chick – rides motorcycle, check; wears black, check; has one main reason for behaving the way she does, check; gets into trouble for no good reason, like at all, check; is portrayed as sexy, check; has colored hair, check; is feisty, check, check and check; need I go on? She was quite forgettable though.

Luke, cliché hot guy – rich, sexy, athletic, good at schoolwork, wants nothing to do with his family’s money, wants to forge his own path in life, is whiny about having money yet uses it (clothes, food etc, car, fucking hypocrite, go live under a bridge if you want NOTHING to do with it). 

Rich does not equate to high-class in terms of behavior. The guy’s parents were rude and had a lack of basic manners. Is this how the author really wanted to portray them? As caring only about appearances instead of the well-being/happiness of their kids. 

The plot was fun, but the execution was lacking. The only kind of romance I can stomach is young love, reading and being taken along on the journey of two humans falling in love, especially those who had no intentions of doing so. 

I think this book’s best audience would be for the novice readers to the pretend relationship category; however, to those who have read countless of this type, steer clear.

Digital copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

"The Red" Book Review

My Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3 Stars

I am not a fan of the genre, but its always good to expand your literary horizon. 

I presume erotic books are meant to transport you into another world and render you completely oblivious to the real world while you’re engaged in reading. I also believe it is written to be so far from reality that you can’t help but forget about your problems and stressors; that being said, someone who loves this genre would absolutely love this book. 

It is “action” packed and not exactly plot-driven. If you’re expecting to read a solid plot filled with rich character development then this isn’t the book. 

The Red is truly an erotic piece written for the sole purpose of transporting its reader into a salacious fantasy. 


Digital copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

"Sarah" Book Review

My Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3.5 Stars

What a creepy little book!

I'll start with what I liked about Sarah - the creep factor. I applaud the author's imagination and ability to gross me out. This is not an easy task to do especially since I watch lots of gore films and have read many horror books in the past. I cringed more than once during certain scenes. Sadly, those were the only redeeming qualities of the book.

The main character was pretty naive throughout the book, even at the very end. The peripheral characters were irresponsible and naive as well causing me to think that they did not fully understand the severity of the situation.

The main romantic relationship featured was rushed and it felt forced.

Digital copy received from Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review