Review: Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

Series: If Only #2 (a series of companions by different authors)

Published: May 6th, 2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury

323 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary young adult

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Book Depository || Chapters/Indigo}

Pippa has always wanted to go to Italy…but not by herself. And certainly not to sit in art school the entire summer learning about dead guys’ paintings. When she steps off the plane in Rome, she realizes that traveling solo gives her the freedom to do whatever she wants. So it’s arrivederci, boring art program and ciao, hot Italian guys!

Charming, daring, and romantic, Bruno is just the Italian Pippa’s looking for—except she keeps running into cute American archeology student Darren everywhere she goes. Pippa may be determined to fall in love with an Italian guy…but the electricity she feels with Darren says her heart might have other plans. Can Pippa figure out her feelings before her parents discover she left the program and—even worse—she loses her chance at love?

 

There’s just something about books that centre around travel. Done well - as Wish You Were Italian was - you feel like you’re right there with the character, experiencing the new places, people, culture, history, and food. Wish You Were Italian was an adventure I felt I lived right alongside Pippa, and I didn’t want it to end.

I loved Pippa. She was adventurous and brave, but also very down to earth and real. Her voice was authentic, and I found myself connecting to her easily. She’d always wanted to go to Italy, but with her family, not on her own, and not to spend the entire summer stuck in art classes. She’d been looking forward to a summer at home with her best friend Morgan, since it was the summer before senior year, which meant probably their last full summer together. When Pippa arrived in Rome, instead of carrying on to Florence where she was supposed to be attending classes, she decided to take a small detour…a detour that turned into a plan to skip art school and spend the summer how she wanted to.

This book was…well, it was pretty damn close to perfect. I’m having trouble finding the right words because I loved it so much I just want to gush. It was laugh out loud funny, romantic, and just really fun. I felt like I was in Italy with Pippa, seeing and experiencing everything she was (gelato and pizza and hot boys, oh my!). I connected with her love of photography, and felt that we got to see the beauty of Italy through a photographer’s eye, which meant big and small details, and I loved all of it.

I also loved the journal Pippa’s best friend sent with her, full of tasks for Pippa to complete. It was Morgan’s way of being there, and it was often what pushed Pippa to do things she might not normally do.

Then there was the romance…I don’t know what to say without getting into spoiler territory, but there was definitely a standout boy to me, and I loved him. He was sweet and funny and smart and driven. He was good for Pippa, and watching their relationship grow was one of my favourite parts of the book. Pippa learned so much through the course of the book, both on her own, and with the help of the new friends she made along the way.

Reading this book reminded me of the feeling I had when reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. If you know me at all, you’ll know Anna and the French Kiss is one of my favourite books EVER, and comparing anything to it is pretty much the highest compliment I can pay. Even though the stories are completely different, they have similar elements, and they both gave me that giggly, happy, smiley, swoony feeling I’ve rarely experienced while reading. After reading Anna and the French Kiss (twice), I didn’t think any book would be capable of making me feel that way again, but Wish You Were Italian succeeded. So thank you, Kristin Rae, and well done!

Wish You Were Italian is definitely one of my favourite books of 2014. It had me giggling, swooning, raging, and even tearing up a time or two. It stirred up my wanderlust, and made me yearn to take an adventure like Pippa’s…and meet some of the boys Pippa met! It was magical and charming, and I can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking for a fantastic contemporary young adult read.

 

Have you read Wish You Were Italian? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you enjoy books about travel? What's your favourite? Have you ever been to Italy?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

My Writing Process

A big thanks to Molli Moran for asking me to share my writing process! You can read Molli’s writing process post, and she also invited our mutual friend Jessica Sankiewicz to share her writing process, which you can read here.

1) What am I working on?

This isn’t something I’ve told many people, but I’m currently in the process of rewriting my debut novel, Blue Sky Days. That book was definitely a labour of love for me; I wrote it when I was 20, then about 7 years later decided I wanted it to be my debut novel, so I pulled it out and rewrote it. My life experiences and writing experience helped me fix all the issues I had with it originally (mainly the fact it was only about 40,000 words and I knew that wasn’t long enough).

I’m extremely proud of that book for a variety of reasons, but over the last year or so there have been things I wished I could add or change. I didn’t feel like Emma and Nicholas’s story was complete. Now I’m going with the ‘third time’s the charm’ theory and I’m planning to relaunch the book in June. The story has a cancer storyline, and since this year is the 20th anniversary of my dad’s death from leukemia, I’ll be doing the relaunch around that time with a big book blitz and a portion of proceeds from the book going to the Canadian Cancer Society. I’ll be talking more about that and having sign-ups soon, so keep an eye on the blog!

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Well, I suppose I could start with the fact my readers never know what to expect, since I’ve written young adult, new adult, and adult books. All my books are basically the same genre - contemporary - but the age ranges hop around. I also write books that are pretty heavy on the feels, and those feels are rooted in real life issues. I didn’t set out to write books that were ‘different’ or that packed in life lessons/messages, but several readers have told me they love how I’m not afraid to shy away from issues like cancer, depression, grief, bullying, underage drinking, sex, etc. I’m glad people have been able to connect to my stories and see themselves or people they know in my characters. 

I also have a few books with a very strong emphasis on healthy female friendships, which is something I love reading and writing about since there’s a lot of portrayals of friendship that concentrate on cattiness, backstabbing, etc.

3) Why do I write what I do?

I love reading contemporary in every age range, so I guess it’s just natural for me to write contemporary, too. I love stories that explore real emotions and real issues, as well as love in its many forms - between lovers, friends, family, etc.

4) How does your writing process work?

My writing process is different for each book. Sometimes I start with a tiny germ of an idea, sometimes it’s a character, sometimes it’s the book's title or a specific scene, and sometimes it’s this lightning-strike feeling of having my brain flooded with ideas. Once I have an idea, I open a document with my characters’ names, appearances, and main personality traits/facts about them, and then I write out whatever ideas I have for plot and dialogue. Then I just start writing. I refer to and add to my notes, but I don’t have an ‘outline’ per se, since my characters tend to take over and the story almost always takes a different direction than what I originally thought.

So, that's a look into my writing process. If you're a writer, what is your process like? Are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have any writing quirks/habits?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

New Release: Stone of Destiny by Laura Howard

Stone of Destiny (The Danaan Trilogy Book 2)

by Laura Howard

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Allison thought it was crazy enough when she found out her father, Liam, wasn't entirely human. But now she has to join his magical allies to unravel his former mistress's plans. Aoife wants to keep Allison's parents apart forever.

Despite Allison's efforts to keep Ethan, the only guy she's ever cared about, out of this supernatural mess, fate keeps throwing him back into the mix.

Will Allison be able to find the amulet that holds the enchantment Aoife placed on Liam and destroy it? Are Ethan' s feelings for Allison strong enough to endure the magic of the Tuatha De Danaan?

Buy Stone of Destiny:

{Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Kobo}

The Forgotten Ones

Book One in The Danaan Trilogy

Read my 4-star review of The Forgotten Ones

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known.

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

Review: Great by Sara Benincasa

Great by Sara Benincasa

Series: Standalone

Published: April 8th, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

272 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary young adult/retelling

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Book Depository || Chapters/Indigo}

Everyone loves a good scandal.

Naomi Rye usually dreads spending the summer with her socialite mother in East Hampton. This year is no different. She sticks out like a sore thumb among the teenagers who have been summering (a verb only the very rich use) together for years. But Naomi finds herself captivated by her mysterious next-door neighbor, Jacinta. Jacinta has her own reason for drawing close to Naomi-to meet the beautiful and untouchable Delilah Fairweather. But Jacinta's carefully constructed world is hiding something huge, a secret that could undo everything. And Naomi must decide how far she is willing to be pulled into this web of lies and deception before she is unable to escape.

Based on a beloved classic and steeped in Sara Benincasa's darkly comic voice, Great has all the drama, glitz, and romance with a terrific modern (and scandalous) twist to enthrall readers.

 

 

I read (and loved) The Great Gatsby in high school, so when I heard about Sara Benincasa’s Great - a modern day retelling of The Great Gatsby where the characters were teens - I knew I had to read it. While I ended up with some mixed feelings about this book, I thought it was overall a good attempt at retelling a well-known classic.

I loved how Benincasa worked in all the Gatsby characters, but with a twist - Naomi as Nick the narrator, Jacinta as Jay Gatsby, Delilah as Daisy. I thought it was really clever. Naomi lived with her dad during the year, but spent the summers with her mother (a Martha Stewart type) in the Hamptons. She leads a regular life with her dad in Chicago, but in the Hamptons she has to live up to her mother’s standards by dressing a certain way, acting a certain way, and being friends with the ‘right people’. Naomi was against it all at first, and didn’t want to be part of the superficial lifestyle lead by everyone around her, but she slowly got sucked into that world.

I had a soft spot for Jacinta, just as I did for Jay in The Great Gatsby. Despite coming across as very sophisticated and worldly, she had this innocence and naivety about her. She was so desperate for people to like her, and she wanted to please people at any cost. She had a sweet, childlike quality to her that made it hard for me not to like her.

Benincasa did a great job of modernizing a classic. I liked that technology played a big part, showing how it can be a wonderful thing or a person’s downfall. As someone who read and loved The Great Gatsby, I enjoyed watching how things played out, and how Benincasa twisted the original in a creative and compelling way while still holding true to the heart of the story.

Ultimately, Great is one of those books that’s sort of fun and frivolous. I love really dramatic reality TV, and that’s what this book felt like a lot of the time - lots of drama and intrigue, people with more money than brains, broken hearts, broken friendships, lies, and betrayal. Not a whole lot actually happened until toward the end of the book, but it was mostly a fun ride getting there. Retelling such a well-known classic - one that’s had several movie adaptations (the Paul Rudd as Nick version is my personal favourite) - was ambitious, and I think Benincasa did a really good job. As a retelling, it has a lot of appeal, but I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if I weren’t familiar with the original.

 

Have you read Great? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read The Great Gatsby?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Series: Standalone

Published: April 15th, 2014

Publisher: Walker

342 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary young adult

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Book Depository || Chapters/Indigo}

After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

 

My review: This book was pretty much perfect so GO READ IT NOW.

Seriously though, Open Road Summer really is pretty much perfect. It came at the exact right time for me, between being in a reading slump, dealing with real life issues, and just basically feeling down. I needed an escape, and I got it in this book. It paired gorgeous writing with an amazing portrayal of friendship, a lot of character growth, a sweet romance, country music, and an epic road trip. 

I appreciated how the story basically launched right in. It would have been easy to give a ton of back-story right away, but it opened with a scene of Reagan and her best friend, Dee - a country music starlet - about to hit the road for the summer on a cross-country tour. We learned why Reagan was going on tour with Dee, and we learned a bit about the girls’ friendship, but it didn’t get bogged down in details. Right from the first page, I was completely hooked by Lord’s simple yet beautiful writing style, and I liked Reagan and Dee instantly. 

Since Nashville is currently one of my favourite TV shows, I loved the country music aspect of this story. I’m not sure if Lord modeled Dee after Taylor Swift, but that’s who I pictured throughout the book. She was sweet, humble, down to earth, and wrote honest, age-appropriate lyrics. Dee was the type of girl you want to be best friends with, and Reagan was lucky enough to hold that title. Reagan and Dee were a solid unit, almost more like family than friends. They knew each other inside and out, accepted each other’s faults, and loved each other unconditionally. Their friendship was definitely my favourite part of the book. There aren’t enough books that focus on strong, healthy female friendships; there’s so much backstabbing and fighting and hurt feelings, and while Reagan and Dee’s relationship wasn’t perfect, it was beautiful and heartwarming and made me tear up more than once.

I found myself really connecting with Reagan. I loved that she had a past; she had done stupid things, she’d made mistakes, and she’d had her heart broken. She was snarky and was the first person to admit that she’s a bitch, but she was fiercely loyal and protective of Dee, and I loved her for that. I loved her passion for photography, and the little surprises about her that were revealed throughout the story. There were a lot of bumps along the way, but she learned a lot, and it felt very authentic and realistic to me.

If you’re looking for a swoonworthy romance, Open Road Summer certainly has it. Matt Finch is one of my new favourite book boys. He was a lot like Dee - sweet and down to earth. He’d been through a lot, and he put on a good face, but underneath the jokes and the winks was a boy who was as broken as Reagan. I loved the way he challenged Reagan, and I also loved that their relationship wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. The progression was natural and believable, and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. 

Open Road Summer made me laugh, cry, and swoon. I could easily picture myself on the road with Reagan, Dee, and Matt, and I found myself constantly wishing I was on their epic summer road trip. I ran the gamut of emotions through the course of Open Road Summer, but I was left with a big smile on my face and a feeling of hope. I would love to see these characters again…maybe a companion novel from Dee’s perspective? *hint hint Ms Lord*

 

“My therapist one told me: you are the only person who can build emotional barriers, but you’re also the only person who can topple them. Other people can’t knock down the walls you’ve built, no matter how much they love you. You have to tear them down yourself because there’s something worth seeing on the other side.”

~Quote from the ARC of Open Road Summer~

 

Have you read Open Road Summer? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you like road trip books? Books about music?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

AFTER THE STORM Release Day!

Today is the official release day for AFTER THE STORM! I'm so excited to have this book out in the world. 

Here's a little fun fact for you: at the beginning of the book, Ella mentions that she and Charlotte are Irish twins (siblings born less than a year apart), so I wanted the WAITING FOR THE STORM and AFTER THE STORM to be Irish twins. WFTS was published April 9th last year and ATS came out a year minus a day later. A little cheesy maybe but I liked the symbolism. ;-)

Want to know more about AFTER THE STORM?

For most people, starting senior year at a new high school would be a nightmare, but for Ella O’Dell it’s the new beginning she desperately needs. Two months after her mother’s death, she’s ready to leave behind the rebellious, unhappy person she became when she found out her mom was dying.

When Ella meets River Maracle and Sadie Fitzgerald, she begins to learn it’s okay to be herself, even if that means being different. River and Sadie aren’t ashamed of their misfit status—River grew up on a reservation, and his mother is the school counselor; Sadie stands out with her funky homemade clothes, and is a master at ignoring the whispered rumors that have plagued her since the beginning of high school.

Ella finds a kindred spirit in Sadie, and something more in River. After almost a year of pretending to be someone she’s not, she finally embraces life and allows herself to have fun without constant guilt. But despite her budding happiness, something is off with her new life. She doesn’t want to dwell on the past, but Angel Island is a small place, and she soon realizes her demons are harder to outrun than she thought…

BUY THE BOOK

Until April 16th you can get AFTER THE STORM for just 99 cents!

{Amazon US || Amazon Canada || Amazon UK || Smashwords || Barnes & Noble}

AFTER THE STORM is a standalone companion to WAITING FOR THE STORM (GoodReads). You don't need to read WAITING FOR THE STORM first, but it would help in understanding more about Ella. You can buy WAITING FOR THE STORM on Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo for $2.99

I wish I could do a big release day giveaway, but I've had some unexpected expenses lately, and I really can't afford it. *insert sad face here* BUT I'm hoping to do a big giveaway soon. I have something pretty cool in mind, I just need to get everything together. I'm also hoping to have a few fun giveaways throughout the summer, so be on the lookout for those!

Want to win some signed Angel Island swag? I've got postcards, mini bookmarks, and stickers. I'll pick three winners, and this is open internationally!

Do as many or as few of the Rafflecopter entries as you want...depending on how badly you want this beautiful swag! ;-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown so much support over the last three years. I really hope you enjoy reading Ella's story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

New Release: The End of Feeling by Cindy C Bennett

Now available: Cindy C Bennett's The End of Feeling

After missed deadlines and pushed-back release dates, it's finally here!

Benjamin Nefer seems to have it all. He’s the most popular guy in school, the star quarterback with college scouts looking at him, his grades are near the top of his class, he can get any girl he wants . . . but he hides behind his dream life to mask the nightmare of his reality.

Charlie Austin is the new girl. Forced to move in with a bitter aunt, she only wants to protect her fragile mom from the world’s cruelty. When Benjamin sets his sights on Charlie, she’s armored against his charm—friends warned her about Benjamin’s game of pursuing and then dumping a long line of girls, not caring about the broken hearts he leaves behind. She doesn’t count on how single-minded he can be when she refuses him, or how charismatic, easing into her life through what he claims is just friendship.

Benjamin thought he could keep Charlie in the same place he keeps all girls—something to be used and then discarded. But Charlie has as many secrets as he does, secrets he’s determined to discover while keeping his own hidden. He realizes she’s the perfect girlfriend candidate . . . someone he can use to keep up the façade of a perfect life. Now he just has to keep his frozen heart from softening toward this unique girl, because if he doesn’t, his carefully constructed lies might just come thundering down around him, crushing him beneath the burden of feeling.

Get your copy today at:

Proud to be a part of Amazon's Kindle Matchbook - Purchase the paperback, get the Kindle version free!

Here's what's being said about The End of Feeling

The End of Feeling is a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. Haunting, heartbreaking, in other words, another winner for Bennett!

~ Sherry Gammon, author of Unlovable

From the moment I picked it up, my heart was warmed, melted, broken, and pieced back together again. A beautiful story that will leave you aching long after the last page.

~ Jamie Canosa, author of Falling to Pieces

A tale of hope and love about a couple of teens who have every reason to believe in neither. It's raw and real, but leaves us believing in the power of redemption.

~ Juli Caldwell, author of Psyched

The reality both characters live makes their story captivatingly unique, and emotionally powerful. . . Demonstrates the beautiful truth that two people can learn to be true to themselves, no matter what—especially while falling in love. 

~ Heather Frost, author of The Seers trilogy

The struggles in this story bring to light the fact that beauty and truly miraculous things can be found in the everyday, and that the most important thing any one of us can possess, is love.

~ Shannen Crane Camp, author of Under Zenith

Once again Cindy C Bennett's incredible talent shines through yet another masterpiece . . . a triumphant story of love, compassion and human strength.

~ Camelia MironSkiba, author of Hidden Heart

Bennett brilliantly weaves the fears and trepidation of two teens treading the hazards of acceptance, young love, and. Curl up with this story and enjoy the ride—it's terrific.

~ Jeffery Moore, author of Jericho Solus

Learn more at Cindy C Bennett's blog.

Visit The End of Feeling blog to read the full reviews.

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}

Review: The Summer I Wasn’t Me by Jessica Verdi

The Summer I Wasn’t Me by Jessica Verdi

Series: Standalone

Published: April 1st, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

352 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary young adult/LGBT

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Book Depository || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of My Life After Now}

Ever since her mom found out she was in love with a girl, seventeen-year-old Lexi’s afraid that what’s left of her family is going to fall apart for good.

You are on the road to truth. Help is on the way.

The road signs leading to New Horizons summer camp promise a new life for Lexi—she swears she can change. She can learn to like boys. But denying her feelings is harder than she thinks. And when she falls heads over heels for one of her fellow campers, Lexi will have to risk her mother’s approval for the one person who might love her no matter what.

 

I want to start out by saying I have so much respect for Jessica Verdi. She’s not afraid to push boundaries and write stories that are bold, brave, and different. When I read her debut novel, My Life After Now, I thought ‘the world needs a book like this’ and I feel the same way after reading The Summer I Wasn’t Me. I can’t wait to see what Ms Verdi comes up with next.

After Lexi’s dad dies, her mother falls apart. Things become worse when she finds out Lexi is gay. Hoping to make her mother happy again, Lexi agrees to go to New Horizons - a camp that teaches young people how to beat the ‘sickness’ of homosexuality. *insert initial ragey-ness here*

The whole idea of ‘de-gayifying’, and homosexuality being something you can 'overcome' made me so angry. I spent a good portion of the book with my mouth hanging open in shock and horror at the things that went on at New Horizons. The teens were told that a trauma in their lives caused them to be gay, and the camp focused on the importance of gender roles - girls wearing pink, boys wearing blue, girls being able to cook and clean, and boys being able to play sports and fix things. The idea of homosexuality being a ‘sin’ is nothing new, but these people took it to a whole new level, and it made me both sick and sad, because even though the book is fiction, places like this do exist, and a lot of churches/religious people do hammer those points home.

I really liked Lexi. She wasn’t afraid to be her own person, and she pretty much knew what she wanted from life. I admired her desire to make her mother happy, even though it would have meant changing who she was, living a lie, and possibly never being truly happy herself. She was mature and selfless for someone so young, and she came across as genuine and believable. Lexi’s group at camp consisted of Carolyn, Matthew, and Daniel. They were all well fleshed out, and each of them had something to teach Lexi. I especially loved Matthew - he was funny and caring and not afraid to be himself.

The romance in this book is so sweet. I love the way the characters bonded and grew a friendship that slowly turned into more. The ‘forbidden love’ aspect worked really well because of the situation the characters were in, and it made their interactions all the sweeter, while sometimes having that sexy exciting feeling of doing something you know you’re not supposed to be doing.

The Summer I Wasn’t Me made me feel so much. I spent quite a bit of the book being angry because of the situation Lexi was in, but it made me connect with her and the story even more. There were moments of humour and sweetness to balance the parts that were rage-inducing, heartbreaking, and sickening. This book is powerful and emotional. It’s a must read whether you’ve struggled with who you are or you’re completely comfortable with yourself. It’s full of beautiful messages about acceptance, friendship, and love.  

 

 

Have you read The Summer I Wasn't Me? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you ever done something you really didn't want to/didn't feel quite right about to make someone else happy? Do you read LGBT fiction?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Instagram || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}