New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews)

Lots of goodies to share this week! I have a few birthday gifts and other fun things to share.

First up all the books t hat have arrived in the last little bit. I am so excited about all of these!

When It's Real by Erin Watt (goodreads)

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares (goodreads)

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell (goodreads)

738 Days by Stacey Kade (goodreads)

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (goodreads)

Overdrive by Dawn Ius (goodreads)

A huge thank you to the publishers for the two review copies! Thank you to the lovely Christy (The Reader Bee) for the copy of A Whole New World. I purchased the remaining books as a treat for myself (and my shelf). I am really excited to start When It's Real because I've loved Erin Watt's previous books so much.

I have also added a few Funko Pops to my collection thanks to some birthday gifts.

Christy gifted me Belle and Upside Down Will (how awesome is he?!) and my sister/nieces gifted me the Jessica Jones Pop. I am going to need to get a shelf just for all of my Pops are they are quickly adding up.

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

Overdrive Week - Review and Giveaway

Overdrive by Dawn Ius
Release Date - September 13, 2016

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 352 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil?

Fun books are often underappreciated. We all marvel at books that make us cry. We rarely, at least for me, consider what goes into the opposite. Those books that fill us with giddy adrenaline, and a smile on our face. There is a talent in creating what is the equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie in book format, and this is case with Overdrive. It's the type of book you can easily picture on the big screen because it reads like a movie.

Car heists back dropped against the Last Vegas strip. There is something sleek and sexy about the cars, the adrenaline, and the risks. Combine this with some serious sexual tension, a few make out scenes, and you get a book that has plenty of appeal. Add to it a cast of characters that are endearing and you have a highly readable, enjoyable thrill ride.

Jules is the character we get to know the most, as she is our narrator and we see this world through her eyes. She's fiercely protective of those she loves, doing bad things for what she deems a good reason, and more complex than she appears. This is true of all the characters in this novel. The characters are the heart of this novel. They are crafted with care, and infused with personalities that shine though. They are given time to breathe and are written in a way that ensures you feel attached to them. You end up caring about them and that creates higher stakes for the heists and the precarious positions they find themselves in. It also ensures you'll be demanding a sequel. Each of these characters has a story to tell, and I hope I get to read them.

The thing that is important in heist novels is the reasoning for those involved. We have to understand why these characters would attempt to pull off the heist and what they stand to lose and gain by doing it. That is what creates the tension, and what compels us to become invested. Dawn Ius ensures that we not only understand each of the characters reasons for agreeing to pull off the heist, but also makes them sympathetic at the same time. Each of them has their own reason for agreeing, and each of these reasons highlights the characters and their progression throughout the novel.

There is a mystery that thrums throughout the novel. Why these particular cars, and why the tight time frame, but this takes a back seat to the heists themselves. Taunt tension jolts through each heist with the risks only increasing as they closer to their goal. You're constantly aware of the danger of being caught, and what that would mean for the characters. Many of these scenes left my heart racing, and desperate to see how they would pull off the next one. The fact that these are teenagers is never far from your mind. There is a vulnerability that comes through even in the most daring moments. It's a terrific balance that adds some contrast to the bravado.

Dawn Ius masterfully drives the story to it's natural conclusion, but ensures that there are plenty of detours along the way. The story has a few unexpected surprises that left me pleasantly surprised. The conclusion also leaves more than enough room for a continuation while still feeling complete story all on its own.

A book that grips you from it's pitch perfect opening chapter, until its final pages. It offers a fast paced, tension filled thrill ride that has a lot of heart at it's center. It's a book that leaves you begging for a companion or sequel just so you can return to this world and these characters. If you're look for a read that's a little unique, or one that offers a little pick me up after a more intense read, I highly recommend this one.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Overdrive Week - Meet Chelsea and Matias

Today I finish introducing you to the group of teens who must steal seven cars in seven weeks. Friday will be my review and a fun giveaway so be sure to stop by for that.

If you missed meeting Jules, do stop by Tuesday's post to meet her, and if you missed meeting Nick, be sure to drop by yesterday's post to meet him.

Just in case anyone missed it,  here is the Goodreads synopsis for the book

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil? 

Meet Chelsea, a girl who I could totally be friends with. We'd have epic Taylor Swift dance parties and swear up a storm.

Name: Chelsea Lynch
Age: 17
Favourite Movie: Pretty Woman
Favourite Car: Lamborghini Veneno 
Top 3 Favourite Songs: Royals by Lorde, ANYTHING by Taylor Swift, One More Night by Maroon 5
Favourite Quote: “Get in loser. We’re going shopping.” (from Mean Girls)

I pretty much want to watch Pretty Woman now.

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Here are Chelsea's favourite songs via Spotify. I've basically been blasting Royals since I got these interview questions back.

Now, you may be thinking... I thought she liked Taylor Swift. She does! I couldn't find Taylor on Spotify so here is a video where I hear Taylor bares a resemblance to Chelsea (the red hair) and because I ALSO LOVE TAYLOR, I am including Blank Space. 

Blank Space is my favourite Taylor Swift video (and I love this song so much). I am pretty sure Chelsea would love both of these videos as well.

Next, meet  Matias, a guy who will win the hearts of the people not already in love with Nick. He's a sweetheart, and also happens to be a talented hacker.

Name: Matias “Mat” Rojas
Age: 16
Favourite Movie: The Godfather 
Favourite Car: James Bond’s Aston Martin—for all the gadgets. (Mat isn’t much into actual cars…his fascination is more with their toys.) 
Top 3 Favourite Songs: Take Me To Church by Hozier, Until We Go Down by Ruelle, Pistols at Dawn by Senabo Sey 
Favourite Quote: “Do, or do not. There is no try.” ~ Yoda 

Here is where I admit I have never seen the Godfather, or a James Bond movie.

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Here are Matias' favourite songs via Spotify. This is all new to me music so if nothing else this feature has broadened my music exposure.

Hopefully this tease has made you excited to meet Chelsea and Matias! You can do so by picking Overdrive up from your local bookstore or any of the following retailers

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble // Kobo // Book Depository 

Tomorrow, you'll get to read my review, and I'll be giving away a copy of Overdrive, plus a copy of Dawn's first book, along with some swag! 

Overdrive Week - Meet Nick

Continuing my Overdrive week, I have a new character for you to 'meet'. The tattooed, broody guy who gets under Jules skin and revs up her engine (so to speak). He makes quite the splashy entrance and I predict much swooning happening over him.

If you missed meeting Jules, do stop by yesterday's post to meet her!

Just in case anyone missed it,  here is the Goodreads synopsis for the book

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil? 

Meet Nick, a guy I predict many of you will want to see more of......

Name: Nick Barker
Age: 17
Favourite Movie: Lost Boys (but Breakfast Club is a close second…)
Favourite Car: 1969 Mustang Boss (but pretty much any Mustang will fire him up)
Top 3 Favourite Songs: Light My Fire by The Doors, Anarchy in the UK by The Sex Pistols, Hurts So Good by John Cougar Mellancamp 
Favourite Quote: “Drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested.” ~ Hunter S Thompson 

Nick's taste in movies is pretty much my taste in movies so he gets extra points for that.

I mean, The Lost Boys is perfect 80's vampire camp! I love it so much.

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Who didn't love The Breakfast Club?! *immediately starts singing Don't You Forget About Me*

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They both fit Nick pretty well actually and also happen to be really great movies.

Here are Nick's favourite songs via Spotify. Hurts So Good is a song you HAVE to sing along to as loud as you can. It basically demands it.

Light My Fire is also one of my favourite songs from The Doors so I was happy to see it on this playlist. I think it gives you an accurate picture of the sort of guy Nick is. I am very excited for you all to meet him.

Hopefully this tease has made you excited to meet Nick! You can do so by picking Overdrive up from your local bookstore or any of the following retailers

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble // Kobo // Book Depository 

Tomorrow, you'll get to meet the last two members of this heist team. A girl who loves Taylor Swift as much as I do, and a computer hacker who could give Elliott Alderson a run for his money (yes, that is a Mr Robot reference).

Overdrive Week - Meet Jules

Today offers a new thing I am trying out on the blog. I am having a sort of impromptu Overdrive week and figured this would be a great way to debut a possible new feature. Each day from now until Friday I'll be introducing you to some of the characters you'll meet in Overdrive by sharing little bios about each of them. I'll all lead up to my review on Friday and a fun giveaway.

First up, here is the Goodreads synopsis for the book (in case you haven't heard about it yet)

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil? 

Seeing as how today is release day for Overdive, I figured we'd start with the main character of the story. She's complex, loyal, makes mistakes, and happens to be really good at hot-wiring cars.

Meet Jules ......

Name:  Julia “Jules” Parish (aka: Ghost)
Age: 17
Favourite Movie: Drive (Um, Ryan Gosling!)
Favourite Car: 1967 Shelby GT 500 (aka: Eleanor)
Top 3 Favourite Songs: Nightcall by Kavinsky, Alive by SIA, Painted on my Heart by The Cult
Favourite Quote: “Forget what hurt you, but never forget what it taught you.” ~ Anon

Pretty sure that most of us can agree that Jules choice in movies is, obviously, A+ (because Ryan Gosling).

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Here are Julia's favourite songs via Spotify. It'll totally put you in the mood for fast car chases.

I am including this video for her third favourite song as I couldn't find the song on Spotify and it has the added bonus of featuring scenes from a move that heavily influenced Overdrive.

Hopefully this tease has made you excited to meet Jules! You can do so TODAY by picking Overdrive up from your local bookstore or any of the following retailers

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble // Kobo // Book Depository 

Tomorrow, you'll get to meet the boy who makes Jules heart race (even if she wishes he wouldn't).

Waiting On Wednesday ...... Overdrive

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is Overdrive by Dawn Ius

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil?

Ever since I read Anne and Henry I've been eagerly awaiting whatever Dawn wrote next. Turns out what she wrote next is a sexy car heist novel so YES PLEASE! This sounds amazing and like so much fun. I hear it's really sexy, too. Off the charts sexy, so that is something to look forward to. It'll be a bit of a wait for this one because it doesn't come out until Sept of 2016.

Expected release date - September 1, 2016

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

A very small Weekly Obsessions this week due to the holidays (and with them no news being announced). However, I am very excited about the cover I am featuring this week!

BOOK

Cover for Overdrive by Dawn Ius (goodreads)

I was fortunate to reveal the cover for this exciting upcoming title. It sounds amazing and the cover is incredible. It's eye catching and perfect.

Fantastic, right? I love it and cannot wait to read this when it's released next Sept. You can enter to win an ARC of it over on the 2016 Most Anticipated post featuring this title.

What are you obsessed with this week?

2016 Most Anticipated - Overdrive (COVER REVEAL + GIVEAWAY)

Today's Most Anticipated of 2016 post is a little different. I have the honour of revealing the cover for one of my selections and I could not be happier to share it with you today. The cover is prefect, and really eye catching. I think you're going to love it.

This Goodreads synopsis also sets up the cover perfectly. This is a book that is all about speed. Fast cars, adrenaline spikes, and high stakes.

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil?

And now to reveal the cover. It's perfect and amazing and totally eye catching. I am REALLY into this cover. I pretty much gasped when I saw it because it's perfect for the blurb and sucks you in.

The blurred Vegas sign, the clever placement of the tagline, and the cover scheme really all come together to create something unique. It certainly will stand out on shelves (and look fabulous on them)!

Since this is still part of my 2016 Most Anticipated feature, Dawn also took the time to answer a few questions about the book for me.

1 Describe OVERDRIVE in three words.

Sexy. Adrenaline. Rush.

2 If someone were to make a signature drink in honour of your book, what might be included?

OVERDRIVE is set in Las Vegas, so I’m thinking something refreshing, but sinful. Maybe sweet peach, tart lemon, and a dash of cinnamon for extra spice. I’d say cayenne, but that would probably taste awful. Part of me thinks a whiskey on the rocks might be sufficient—powerful, yet effective. Ha.

3 Let us in on one secret about one of your characters, or the world they inhabit.

When Julia Parish realizes that none of her previous foster parents have the ability—or inclination—to take care of her and her little sister, Emma, she starts stealing cars to bring in extra cash. The trouble is, she’s damn good at it. With her white-hair, pale skin, and super stealthy moves, it’s no wonder this former ballerina has earned a reputation among her peers. The Las Vegas Police Department knows her as “The Ghost.” But when she meets sexy Nick Barker, Julia isn’t sosure she wants to be “invisible” anymore.

4 What do you think makes a swoon worthy book boyfriend, and will we find him in this book?

My very first book boyfriend was Jamie from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series—he was this perfect mix of bad boy made vulnerable by his love for his Sassenach. Obviously I’ve had crushes on many more book boys since then, but when I write, I always remember what drew me to Jamie (and frankly, what keeps me in love with him even today.) An intriguing (and often heartbreaking) backstory, coupled with a great mix of strength and vulnerability certainly set the stage. I think Nick and Matias are both swoon worthy—Nick, the brooding bad boy with a troubled past, Matias, the Mexican boy-next-door with a heart wrenching story of loss. Not to worry though, this isn’t a love triangle. Julia only has eyes for one of these kindred spirits—I’m excited to see which one YOU fall for.

5 This novel seems like it's going to have fast cars. Did you do any fun research to capture the feeling of driving one of them? 

I could write a whole book about my love of fast vehicles—particularly muscle cars. (Wait, I kind of did!) My dream car is a 1967 Shelby GT 500 (like the one featured in the book and the movie Gone in 60 Seconds), but I had fun with my Toyota Celica back in the early 2000s, and now, my 2009 RX-8, affectionately called Anne. (Yes, my husband has a black truck I have nicknamed Henry—ANNE & HENRY was my debut so my world pretty much revolved around it last year…) I like to drive fast. Probably too fast. Someday, I’d love to take a car racing course, but for now, I’m happy with Anne. I took my driver’s test on a stick shift because my parents had a silver Camaro I was desperate to drive. That car… *swoon*

OVERDRIVE involves several very cool, very fast cars (including an old Camaro), and I LOVED doing the research for all of them—I’m like a walking encyclopaedia of muscle cars now. My husband tries to stump me. The tough part was figuring out how to realistically steal these cars…for the book, of course!

6 Name three songs that were on your writing playlist while writing this novel.

I create playlists for each new project, but OVERDRIVE has, by far, the most eclectic. Here’s the link to the Soundcloud: 

https://soundcloud.com/dawnius/sets/overdrive

My top three songs for this book:

Wonderland — Natalia Kills

Delirious — Susanne Sundfor

Patient Zero — Zomboy

I also listened to a lot of music not on my Soundcloud like Taylor Swift and Gwen Stefani, as well as the soundtracks for each of the Fast and Furious movies. During revisions, Sia’s ALIVE kind of took over.

7 What 2016 release are you most anticipating?

Ack! So hard to choose just one, and my TBR pile for 2016 is already ridiculously high. If I HAVE to choose, I’ll admit I am really intrigued by HEARTLESS by Melissa Meyer. Alice in Wonderland is a book of my heart, the Queen my favorite character, and re-tellings a weakness. This book checks off a LOT of boxes, including “Damn, wish I’d written that!” 

8 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of OVERDRIVE.

Kevin jabs his tongue in my ear.

I am also so very excited about Heartless and obviously Jamie from Outlander is VERY swoon worthy! This interview has me every more excited for Overdrive. I cannot wait for the Las Vegas setting, swoony boys, and fast cars. It sounds like the perfect read if you're looking for something fast paced, filled with high stakes and sexy (and bonus of no love triangle)!

No pre-order links for Overdrive are available right now but do add it to your Goodreads so you don't forget when they do become available.

You can also follow Dawn on Twitter, visit her official website, and find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to find out the next book that made this year's list!

And enter the contest below to win an ARC. ARCs will be ready in FEBRUARY OR MARCH and the prize will be shipped when available. Open Internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Las Vegas is one of my favourite settings for a book to have. What is your favourite real life setting for a book? And do let me know know what you think of the cover in the comments.