Monday, July 25, 2016

Hey guys, Mana and Sil here! We've decided to create a challenge akin to The Amazing Race (and also a little inspired by Ticket to Ride, one of the coolest games!). This challenge will feature books around the world and will hopefully be a great tool for readers to be able to read outside of Western societies.

Before we go into the rules, we want to encourage you guys to pick up books that don't have much buzz around them, and if many people don't know it BETTER YET. We want to encourage you guys to pick up #ownvoices authors and stories. Pick up books with diversity! We decided to make this Book Challenge because there are a lot of books out there that are set in the USA and we want to do a race around the world that gets you to read books set in SO MANY COUNTRIES MORE. Because the world is huge and USA is not the only one out there.


 Objective: To read as many books as possible in a country/state/region/etc depending on the route selected. This is a month long challenge, where each week has a different route and you can acquire points as you go.

Update: You have to read books from each selected route give by us. BUT if you are done reading them, you can totally read more set in other countries. Of course we recommend you choose non-Western settings and not USA, England, France, Germany, etc.

Date: This challenge will start Saturday, October 1st and will end Monday, October 31st.

Points: to get points, you need to cross post your reviews to Amazon, Goodreads, or any other review area and then send it to thebooktravelers@gmail.com!  (Subject: TAR Challenge) You can send however many reviews you want, but one book = one point.

NOTE: They have to be new reviews, not old ones! So if you have been keeping an eye out for these books for quite a while, it's the perfect time to start them (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Routes: 
*We'll be putting some books you can choose from (but you can totally read other stuff!):
  • Week 1 | Ready, Set, Go! The first destination you guys are going is.... Hawaii!
✈ The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
✈ Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

  • Week 2 | Next stop is.... the Philippines!
✈ Interim Goddess of Love by Mina V. Esguerra
✈ Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
✈ One Crazy Summer by Ines Bautista-Yao

  • Week 3 | One more stop before the finish line and that country is... India!
✈ A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatram
✈ The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

  • Week 4 | This is the last leg before the finish line, maybe you can even see it right now. You only have to go to one more country and you are there. The last and final stop is... Egypt!
✈ Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz
✈ A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar
✈ Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
✈ The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
✈ Rebels by Accident by Patricia Dunn

Prize:
One person will choose ONE book from this list to win:

- Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz
- A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatram
- Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
- The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
- A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar

This is international, of course. If The Book Depository ships to your country, you're so on. The winner will be the one with the most points in the race so get reading and reviewing *thumbs up*

Sign-Up form:
Fill out this form so we can send you a reminder via email of the challenge. Because the challenge is a few months away, we thought it best!

*If you don't have a blog, do not worry. Anyone can enter the challenge! Just write under BLOG URL that you have "None"

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Title: Roller Girl
Series: Lake Lovelace #3
Author: Vanessa North
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Release date: July 25th, 2016



Recently divorced Tina Durham is trying to be self-sufficient, but her personal-training career is floundering, her closest friends are swept up in new relationships, and her washing machine has just flooded her kitchen. It’s enough to make a girl cry. 

Instead, she calls a plumbing service, and Joanne “Joe Mama” Delario comes to the rescue. Joe is sweet, funny, and good at fixing things. She also sees something special in Tina and invites her to try out for the roller derby team she coaches. 

Derby offers Tina an outlet for her frustrations, a chance to excel, and the female friendships she’s never had before. And as Tina starts to thrive at derby, the tension between her and Joe cranks up. Despite their player/coach relationship, they give in to their mutual attraction. Sex in secret is hot, but Tina can’t help but want more. 

With work still on the rocks and her relationship in the closet, Tina is forced to reevaluate her life. Can she be content with a secret lover? Or with being dependent on someone else again? It’s time for Tina to tackle her fears, both on and off the track.


Thank you Netgalley and Riptide Publishing for the review copy.

Even though it's a short book, Roller Girl has so much to tell on its pages. It starts quickly and funny. It's clear, as soon as you start the book, that you will have a great time while reading it. 

Tina is fun and fabulous and so very strong. She is a trans woman that has recently divorced, so she looks around inside her house and sees all the big details; like how her wife did everything and kept the house in order. She think she needs people, but what she doesn't know yet is that people need her even more. She is a cinnamon roll, too good, too pure for this world.

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Friday, July 22, 2016


Title: To Have and to Hold
Series: The Wedding Belles #1
Author: Lauren Layne
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release date: July 26th, 2016
Pages: 384



USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne is the “queen of witty dialogue and sexy scenes” (Rachel Van Dyken)! Now, Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true... but their own. 

Discovering her fiance is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin's business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet—if slightly spoiled—hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse strings. 

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya's fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiance is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning... is theirs?


Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the review copy. 

Thank you Lauren Layne for deciding to write romance novels. Because you make my day better every time I read your books. It is as simple as that. I seriously enjoyed them so much and have such a good time while doing it. My heart fills with joy and love and care for these stories and characters. To Have and to Hold is probably one of my new favorites. It is glamorous in its way and filled with lovable characters you won't stop rooting for. What dazzles me more about LL's books is that you don't only root for the main characters but for the secondary ones too.

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Thursday, July 21, 2016

We're pleased to bring you guys today a special cover reveal post! This one, I'm so very excited about because yeah it has SPORTS. And also whenever I see something about the Olympics, I get super half in love already. I really wanted to get involved with anything about this book because it just sounds adorable and so so great. 


Book summary:

Fear stops dreams in their tracks before they even have a chance. Then again, so do injuries.

Natalia Grekov was born to win Olympic gold. As the USA’s top gymnast, she’s calm, confident and ready to make her country proud in just two short months. And her elite athlete lifestyle includes no time for distractions—especially men. When a disastrous fall in practice puts her dreams at risk, it seems the only person who can help her is the one person she wants nothing from.

Spencer Russell is gymnastics’ bad boy. A cocky, laid-back charmer with abs of steel and a witty mouth, he waltzes around the U.S. Gymnastics Training Camp like he owns the place—even though he doesn't anymore. After an injury sidelined his career and any chance at Olympic glory, he’s now just a coach, helping other gymnasts reach their goals. Serious is not a word in Spencer’s vocabulary. But when Natalia tumbles into his life, he's suddenly sincerely interested in helping the blonde beauty in any way he can.

Can they vault over the obstacles standing in their way? Or will Spencer be the distraction that causes Natalia's chance at gold to crash and burn?

Here it is!! We present to you Blind Landing's pretty cover:

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Tuesday, July 19, 2016


Title: Fool For You
Series: Crush on You #1
Author: Rina Gray
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Release date: July 18th, 2016



Sports journalist Melanie Foster has achieved most of her goals: Bomb.com job—check. Tomboy-to-smoking-hottie makeover—check. Convince her best friend, Damien Richards, to slide a ring on her finger and father her two-point-five kids—not so much. When she activates Operation: I’m Gonna Make You Love Me, she never imagines her BFF already has plans to stroll down the wedding aisle with another woman. 

Damien’s in the middle of crisis mode. The non-profit for young athletes at which he volunteers is in financial trouble. He’ll pull out all the stops to rescue the organization that saved his life after his career-ending injury—even if it means sacrificing his personal happiness. 

But when he finally wakes up to love and the very non-brotherly feelings he’s long held for Mel, it just might be too late. Damien must convince her that he’s worth the risk and turn the tables to show her he’s the one ready to be a fool for love.


Now tell me what’s up with you.” Melanie pointed a finger at Damien. 

He leaned back in his chair. “Can’t get anything past you, can I?” 

“Nope. Let’s have it.” 

“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, he lifted his eyes to meet hers. “Completely random hypothetical question.” 

“Sure, Damien,” she replied in a “yeah right!” voice. His questions were never random or hypothetical. 

“Have you ever had to sacrifice your happiness for a greater good?” 

Touching her chin, she tilted her head to the ceiling. “I can’t say that I’ve had the opportunity.” 

He leaned forward and whispered, “Would you?” 

Her eyes snapped back to his. 

His voice was controlled. Calm. But the intensity that sparked from those brown eyes seemed anything but calm. Pressure weighed on her chest. She had a feeling the wrong answer could have dire consequences. 

“I guess … I would. Like in Armageddon. When Bruce Willis’s character sacrificed his life so that his daughter’s fiancé didn’t have to detonate the bomb.” 

Damien nodded. His body didn’t relax. If anything, it became rigid. 

A feeling of dread rushed through her veins. She’d given the wrong answer. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

He dug into his pocket, took a ring from a small box, and pressed it into her hand. She immediately clasped it, too afraid to look. The ring cut into her palm, a taunting and painful warning of the hurt that waited ahead. 

eluctantly, she opened her fingers, revealing the most audacious, too-shiny, too-bright, gaudy ring. 

I’m going to ask Vanessa to marry me.” 

“You’re marrying V-Vanessa?” Melanie’s eyes darted between Damien and the offending object in her hand. 

Despite the coolness from the ring, a pool of liquid heated at the base of her stomach. Pressure built. Not slow, but fast. Supersonic fast. The pressure rushed up and seeped through long, jagged cracks that had formed across her chest. 

She tossed the ring onto the table like dice. Rolling and spinning, the silver band toppled in front of Damien. “I didn’t know that … ” She cleared the large achy clump that blocked her throat. “I didn’t know that you and Vanessa were serious. Or engaged, for that matter. Oh, wait, that’s not right. You couldn’t be engaged because you haven’t asked her yet. But I didn’t know … didn’t realize you were serious about her.” She was babbling but couldn’t stop herself. Either ramble like a lunatic or cry like one.



Rina Gray is one of the newest African American romance writers on the rise. She is also a digital marketing professional who discovered her love of writing in 2012. Writing has always been Rina’s passion, though initially, she tried to deny it. In college she served as the copy editor for the entertainment magazine and newspaper. During her tenure, she had the opportunity to interview various talented entertainers including Chris Rock and the cast from Reno-911.  Rina has always been an avid reader, sneaking to read her mother’s books she had no business reading i.e. Stephen King’s The Stand, It, and Anne Rice’s various vampire series. As a pre-teen, she received a load of romance novels from a family friend and from that point on, she devoured any book related to romance or horror. When she’s not writing, she can be found with her head stuck in a book, kickboxing, or dominating game night with friends and family. Rina resides in Atlanta with her husband.

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Saturday, July 16, 2016


Title: The Holly Woods Files Series: Books 1-4 
Author: Emma Hart
Release date: July 16th, 2016
Format: ebook


The first four books in the Holly Woods Files romantic mystery series by New York Times Bestseller, Emma Hart.

One sassy private eye. One sexy, stubborn detective. One loyal best friend. One crazy Italian grandmother. One over-protective family.

Cupcakes. Tension. Sex...

And murder.

Welcome to Holly Woods, Texas. You'll never look at a small town the same way again...

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies - usually wine - and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto- your- panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy - unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

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Thursday, July 14, 2016


Title: We Awaken
Author: Calista Lynne
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Pages: 180
Rating: 3/5



Description: Victoria Dinham doesn’t have much left to look forward to. Since her father died in a car accident, she lives only to fulfill her dream of being accepted into the Manhattan Dance Conservatory. But soon she finds another reason to look forward to dreams when she encounters an otherworldly girl named Ashlinn, who bears a message from Victoria’s comatose brother. Ashlinn is tasked with conjuring pleasant dreams for humans, and through the course of their nightly meetings in Victoria’s mind, the two become close. Ashlinn also helps Victoria understand asexuality and realize that she, too, is asexual.

But then Victoria needs Ashlinn’s aid outside the realm of dreams, and Ashlinn assumes human form to help Victoria make it to her dance audition. They take the opportunity to explore New York City, their feelings for each other, and the nature of their shared asexuality. But like any dream, it’s too good to last. Ashlinn must shrug off her human guise and resume her duties creating pleasant nighttime visions—or all of humanity will pay the price.

FIRST OFF! Happy Release Day <33333333333333 I hope it's amazing!

A very beautiful and important book to read. Asexuality is not as visible on the LGBTQ+ spectrum as it should be, but Lynne takes this information gracefully and creates a fantastical dream world that even gets you sucked in. The world was very normal and yet so undeniably whimsical that I was reading so much into the world and the plot, that I forget entirely where I am. Although, it took me a while to warm up to our MC, Victoria, I thought her journey through asexuality and understanding what it means for herself, was very powerful. I loved reading about Ashlinn and Victoria's relationship as it was unbelievably endearing and charming!!! <3

Even though I did enjoy parts of the book, I just wish everything wasn't so rushed. I loved the girls' relationship and I loved the world but the way everything panned out in the last 20 pages felt so fast. I didn't have time to even think about the ending, because, albeit it was a happy one (yay!!), the consequences leading up to it didn't feel as real as it should have been.The pacing was done very well at the start but was completely deconstructed at the end. I was really hoping for a more drawn out conclusion that left me as breathless as the beginning did. 

Nonetheless, I did like this and I really loved the portrayal of the relationship and the dream world.


Calista Lynne is a perpetual runaway who grew up on the American East Coast and is currently studying theater in London. She is oftentimes seen screeching at Big Ben and pointing out the same landmarks on a daily basis, and is having difficulty adjusting to the lack of Oxford commas across the pond. She writes because it always seemed to make more sense than mathematics, and has superb parents who support more than just her latte addiction. If Calista Lynne could change one thing about her life, it’d probably be her lack of ability to play both of the ukuleles adorning her rainbow bookshelves.

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Tuesday, July 12, 2016


Title: Steadfast
Series: True North #2
Author: Sarina Bowen
Release date: July 12th, 2016
Genre: Adult Romance Contemporary 



She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have. 

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere. 

For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen. 

She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes. 

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.


Sarina Bowen is an auto-buy author for me. Her newest series is about some Vermont guys that just want to have their happily ever afters with the women they love. The books are really sweet and super romantic but also have their Sarina Bowen shot of hotness. 

I enjoyed Steadfast quite a lot. Jude and Sophie were great as MCs and made me feel all the feels since the very first page. I knew I was about to be crushed when I read the blurb and started the book. It's actually a wild ride. You don't see much of them meeting until a bit far in the book which was fine by me because it wasn't just about them being together but being able to grow as their own person. 

Jude has to deal with lots of things: work, his family, his addiction (which Bowen doesn't romanticize!!) and seeing Sophie again after so many years. He's keeping secrets and he is struggling but he is set to become a better person, for himself and for Sophie. I love love love seeing the Shipleys again because they help Jude so much and treat him as he is part of the fam which is awesome.

Sophie's life isn't sweet and easy either. After the death of her brother, her family has been destroyed. Mom sits down without doing nothing all day. Dad is treating her so much worse than before. She has to do everything in her house or it will fall down soon enough. And when she finds out Jude is back in town, her plans go out the window. We see verbal abuse in Sophie's house: her father treats her horrible, so horrible that he calls her horrible nouns I don't want to mention but you can probably imagine. 

So this book is different from Bittersweet in a way that it speaks a lot louder in terms of drug addiction and abuse. It has all the romance and these two are so damn adorable but yeah, you cannot just leave out these and not talk about them. 

I am very excited about the 3rd and final (? I think so) book of this series!! Zach is someone I've wanted to know his story for a while now. It's gonna be supaaaah.


Sarina Bowen is the USA Today bestselling author of steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction. She lives in the wilds of Vermont.

She is the author of The Ivy Years, an award-winning series set amid the hockey team at an elite Connecticut college. Also, the The Gravity series. 

With Elle Kennedy, Sarina is the author of HIM and US.

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Monday, July 11, 2016


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Sunday, July 10, 2016

Hi, guys!! This is Silvana and today I bring you a special list of books. I think I have never taken so long to do one since we started the blog. But this one... oh my god, guys. So let me explain things first. For a while I have wanted to do a recommendation list with books that are set in countries all around the world. I think I saw Dahlia Adler talking about this on Twitter or something? But either way, I really got the idea from her.

A while ago I made a list but I never really found a lot of books, but to be honest, I wasn't searching enough and I didn't know a lot of books then. But now months later, I actually could come up with a big list and of course, Goodreads helped me HUGELY. Plus I want to thank some people that also made my life easier by helping me: Maf (@Bookwormwanders), Eri (@willowmoore), Siiri (@rosecoballoway), Brianna + Angelina (@otakutwins1) and Sue (@SueYAHollywood) and of course my own co-blogger, Mana.

There are some oldies, new releases and some not-yet released ones as well. A little bit of everything. The characters might be on vacation in that country. They might be from that country. They might be time-traveling to that country. It also might be an alternate universe of that country. Anything is possible definitely.


You can totally click the image on top of this text so you can see the picture better and bigger and brighter. But either way, I'm going to go from continent to continent and put the title/author/place they are set and the link of the books down below, so you can see the pictures better + the books!
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Title: Fast Connection
Series: Cyberlove #2
Author: Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell
Release date: July 11th, 2016



After a decade of serving in the Army, everyone still expects me to be Dominic 'Nicky' Costigan—the skirt-chasing player. They don't know I've been spending my days trying to figure out my post-military life. Including how to pick up guys. 

When I meet Luke on a hookup app, he makes it clear it's for one-night only. That's fine with me, because I'm down to see what this silver fox can do. But after I arrive at his doorstep, it doesn't take long to realize we have serious chemistry, and we end up meeting again. 

He's got more walls around his heart than a military base, but I think he's as addicted to me as I am to him. He can't resist me for long. I mean, who can? Except Luke's rules exist for a reason, and when I test his limits, things get complicated. Maybe too complicated.


I think I never really reread a book just after I just finished it. Fast Connection is definitely my favorite of this series. I didn't want to part with this characters because I adored them with all my heart. To get to meet Dominic Costigan, this adorable 27yo who doesn't have a lot of experience, and Luke Rawlings, a 39yo grumpy silver fox who doesn't do relationships anymore - to get to meet them was the joy of my day and I will surely reread this book many many times more.

"Couldn't get you out of my mind," I said bitterly against his salty skin. "You're everywhere, my bed, my shower, my fucking dreams."

Dominic Costigan was by far my fave Cyberlove character. He is back after serving 8 years in the military and he doesn't know who is he anymore.  When he meets Luke via Grindr he thinks the coming events will develop in a certain way, but surprise surprise: Luke kicks him out the door after sex. You can totally imagine Dominic as a puppy not understanding what just happened. 


But his personality and his humor and because he is just so damn adorable make Luke's walls come down. And Luke begins to wait for his little messages in the morning and their sexy nights on Fridays. He makes him PB&J sandwiches and laughs for the first time in ages when he is with him. 

There are some scenes that make my heart break and happy at the same time. I cried in the middle of the night while reading this okay. I was like "You can't do this to Dominic omg omgomg" I was seriously so invested with these characters I suffered with them. 

I cannot wait for all the other Cyberlove books to come because yes! This is one of my favorite romance series and I am addicted to them. Megan and Santino write wonderfully and magically. 


Megan Erickson is a USA Today bestselling author of romance that sizzles. Her books have a touch of nerd, a dash of humor, and always have a happily ever after. A former journalist, she switched to fiction when she decided she likes writing her own endings better.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her very own nerdy husband and two kids. Although rather fun-sized, she’s been told she has a full-sized personality. When Megan isn’t writing, she’s either lounging with her two cats named after John Hughes characters or… thinking about writing.



Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

 Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.

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Thursday, July 7, 2016

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Tuesday, July 5, 2016

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Monday, July 4, 2016

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Saturday, July 2, 2016

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