BIG Contest: Win 12 Sexy Signed Books!

Hey, y'all, I have a fantastic contest to tell you about. This year I've joined up with 11 of the hottest authors in steamy romance to help bring you a monster contest. Each month you're going to get the chance to win TWELVE signed paperback copies. That's a lot of books.

Here's this month's stack:

Actually, I'm a little jealous and wish *I* could enter this contest, lol. I'll be hosting next month's contest, but this month is hosted by the lovely Mari Carr.

To enter, go here and follow the instructions. 

Good luck!

Friday Reads: The Dorito Effect by Mark Schatzker

It's Friday Reads time! Today I'm going a little outside of the norm with my pick and choosing a non-fiction read. This may not be for everyone. I know I can be a little (a lot) nerdy, and research-focused type books are my jam, but this one is written in a very compelling style and is a page-turner despite the fact that there is a lot of science and a number of research studies discussed.

One of my areas of interest has always been food and nutrition, so I've read and watched a lot in that sub-genre. So it's rare that a book on this topic completely changes my perspective on something. The Dorito Effect  did.

Yes, we all know that artificial flavors (including those listed as "natural" flavors, which this book shows you are no different from artificial) are not great for us. But why? And what exactly does it do to us, our food supply, our children, our tastebuds, our chickens? Why are tomatoes, which used to be so delicious when I was a kid, bland and watery now? Why do we overeat strawberry ice cream but not strawberries even though both have sugar? This book seeks to answer those questions with both history and science.

Spoiler: it's not just about sugar or fat or calories. This is not a diet book. This is a book about flavor and what's happened to it and why.

And it's utterly fascinating. 

This book will make you want a really juicy tomato or flavorful chicken. This book will also probably make you angry. It made me angry (not at the book but at what's happened to our food.)

So if you want the curtain pulled back on the things we eat, I highly recommend it. If you don't want to look at your Doritos or vegetables or meat differently, then maybe pass it by.

About the book:

A lively argument from an award-winning journalist proving that the key to reversing America’s health crisis lies in the overlooked link between nutrition and flavor: “The Dorito Effect is one of the most important health and food books I have read” (Dr. David B. Agus, New York Times bestselling author).

We are in the grip of a food crisis. Obesity has become a leading cause of preventable death, after only smoking. For nearly half a century we’ve been trying to pin the blame somewhere—fat, carbs, sugar, wheat, high-fructose corn syrup. But that search has been in vain, because the food problem that’s killing us is not a nutrient problem. It’s a behavioral problem, and it’s caused by the changing flavor of the food we eat.

Ever since the 1940s, with the rise of industrialized food production, we have been gradually leeching the taste out of what we grow. Simultaneously, we have taken great leaps forward in technology, creating a flavor industry, worth billions annually, in an attempt to put back the tastes we’ve engineered out of our food. The result is a national cuisine that increasingly resembles the paragon of flavor manipulation: Doritos. As food—all food—becomes increasingly bland, we dress it up with calories and flavor chemicals to make it delicious again. We have rewired our palates and our brains, and the results are making us sick and killing us.

With in-depth historical and scientific research, The Dorito Effect casts the food crisis in a fascinating new light, weaving an enthralling tale of how we got to this point and where we are headed. We’ve been telling ourselves that our addiction to flavor is the problem, but it is actually the solution. We are on the cusp of a new revolution in agriculture that will allow us to eat healthier and live longer by enjoying flavor the way nature intended.

Grab a copy: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Finding Your Next Favorite: Where Do You Go for Trusted Book Recommendations?

Most of you reading this are probably big readers. Your TBR is probably teetering already, but if you're anything like me, that doesn't stop you from seeking out new book recommendations. In fact, I hope you find some here with my Friday Reads feature and the tastemaker choices in the Read & Watch Challenge 2017. I always find it interesting to trace how I found out about a book and why I decided to read that particular book at that particular time. I have hundreds of books in my TBR and on wish lists so why THIS book?

This will vary for each person, but for me, there are a few sources that more strongly compel me to read a book than others.

1. Someone who has similar taste in books says that I MUST read this. - There's nothing like finding a book twin who you know lines up with your tastes. So when they say read it, you know there's a high likelihood you're going to like it. Strangely enough, I don't have a book twin among my friends. My friends tend to read different genres and subgenres than I do. But I do have a few trusted blogs that I know usually line up with my tastes.

2. Book of the Month Club - I've been a member for a while now and I have yet to be disappointed with the books I've read from the club. They are usually outside my normal reading zone but wonderfully written. Dark Matter, The Sun Is Also a Star, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things were all BOTM picks. (If you want to check out a subscription, click here.)

3. Podcasts - I've been getting into podcast listening lately (see some of my faves here). I find it soothing and interesting. But what I didn't expect is how many books I'd want to buy based on the podcasts. There are book-centric podcasts like Modern Mrs. Darcy's What Should I Read Next? (general fiction and literary picks) and Smart Podcast, Trashy Books (romance picks), but even non-book-related podcasts have gotten me reading. I picked up The Dorito Effect, which I'll blog about tomorrow, based on a podcast. (Maybe it's something about the voice of a person saying THIS IS A MUST READ that's more compelling than simply reading it on twitter or something.

4. Buzz - I'm not always trusting of buzz, but when I see the same book raved about from multiple trusted sources, I usually can't resist. This is why I picked up Amanda Bouchet's A Promise of Fire.

5. Blogs - I mentioned this in the first category. But besides the certain book bloggers whose tastes line up with mine, I also can be swayed by a review by someone I don't know. If they give a thoughtful review that doesn't just say "loved the book" but gives me compelling reasons why they enjoyed it and who it would be right for, it can work on me. 

6. Best of Lists - I'm a sucker for a good book list. At the end of the year, I can't resist clicking on all those Best of lists. And if I see the same book popping up regularly, I'll probably at least check it out.

So those are my main sources. I'm curious to hear yours? Where do you go for trusted book recommendations? What makes you pick up one book over another?

Friday Reads: A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Happy Friday, everyone! I've got something a little different for you today. I don't think I've recommended a fantasy/paranormal type romance in a LONG time--mainly, because I burned myself out on them when they were THE thing a few years ago. 

However, this week I picked up A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet. I got a copy at RWA last year and have been hearing a ton of buzz about it (it made a bunch of Best Of lists). Plus, this book was edited by my new editor at Sourcebooks, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Boy, am I glad I did!

If you've followed me for a long time, you may remember that one of my favorite YA series a few years ago was the Vampire Academy series. I loved, loved that series for three reasons:

• Fantastic world-building
• A badass, lethal heroine
• An epic romance

And guess what. That is EXACTLY what A Promise of Fire delivers but in adult form instead of of YA.

I'm not going to go too deeply into the plot because it's intricate and you have to read to understand the world. But there are gods, royalty, magic, dragons, sexy warriors, sexy times (though it's slow-burning and she makes you work for the payoff, lol), and lots of intrigue. This is a series, so the story will continue in Breath of Fire which released this month, but this first book does wrap up to a satisfying point and isn't a throw-your-book-against-the-wall cliffhanger.

So even if this isn't your typical fare (it's not mine), I think you should give this one a shot. It's fast-moving and full of excitement. Also, the heroine has to save the hero at times (a favorite trope of mine). 

Here's the back cover copy:

Catalia "Cat" Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.

Buy the book: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

What are you reading this weekend? And if you missed the recommendations for this month's Read & Watch Challenge, check them out! :) 

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Blog Flashback:

One Year Ago - Digital Detox: 3 Things I'm Doing to Tame the Social Media Habit & Reclaim Focus

Friday Reads: The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

If you haven't stopped by lately, I'm hosting a reading challenge for 2017 called the Read & Watch Challenge. Each month has a new theme word to guide you in picking a book and movie/TV show for the challenge. January's word is BEGIN. (Still time to join in if you're interested!)

And in my post earlier this week, I shared that the book I was probably going to read for this month's challenge was The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon.

This is a book I got via my new favorite bookish thing, the Book of the Month club, and I chose it for the challenge because it is about the start of a love story, the first day two people meet. In fact, the whole book is about just that ONE DAY. 

I thought that concept had potential to drag. A whole book about one day. But my fear was totally unfounded. It hooked me from the very start. In fact, I started it with my 5-pages a day reading habit that I talked about earlier this week, but five pages turned into a hundred that first night. I ended up finishing the book in three evenings. 

So, so good. I won't go into the whole story because I'll post the back cover summary below, but y'all, trust me when I say you'll get swept away. (And I just squeed when I saw it's going to be a movie because it was a very cinematic book.) Beautiful language. Funny. Compelling POVs that include not just the two main characters, who are fantastic, but people the main characters interact with for only a moment. 

At the heart of this novel is the idea that we all affect each other in some way. A moment that seems innocuous or mundane (talking to the cashier at the grocery store, getting caught in a traffic) can change the trajectory or your life and others without you realizing it. It's a romantic and sometimes scary idea. What if we missed the life we were meant to have because of one minor decision? (That's the scary part.) Or what if that thing we thought was an inconvenience actually brought us closer to a happily ever after? (The romantic part.) This book explores both sides of that coin and I loved it.

Also, if you're looking to read books with a diverse cast written by diverse authors, this is a great choice. The heroine is Jamaican, the hero Korean-American. The author explores the complications this causes with their families with a deft hand and gave me new insight into things I didn't know about (for instance, there's a chapter about why the majority of black hair care stores are owned by Korean immigrants.) I liked how the author dropped in chapters on historical topics like this in the narrative. It added an extra layer to the story.

On top of all that, it's incredibly romantic. And I love that the hero is the romantic poet type and the heroine the hard-nosed scientific type. Bottom line: I loved this book. Go read it. :)

Here's the info:

The dazzling new novel from Nicola Yoon, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything (in theaters May 2017!), will have you falling in love with Natasha and Daniel as they fall in love with each other!

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true? 

A 2016 National Book Award Finalist
A New York Times Notable Book
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of the Year
A POPSUGAR Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Editor's Choice
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
An Amazon Best Book of the Year

Buy the book: Amazon | B&N | Book of the Month club (*You can't get it as this month's selection but you can add it to your monthly pick if you sign up.)

So what are you reading this chilly Friday?