Sense and Second Chances by Brittany Larsen -- Blog Tour

Sense and Second Chances

Author: Brittany Larsen

Publisher: Covenant

Published: May 2017

ISBN13: 9781524401610

Paperback: 272 pages

FTC FYI: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Amazon Summary

Emily Carter is on the fast track to success when the unthinkable happens: a tragic accident claims the lives of her parents. Now Emily must set aside her dreams and raise her two younger siblings, Annie and Bryce. Emily and Annie are sisters, but that doesn't mean they are anything alike. Whereas Emily reacts to the tragedy with her characteristic stoic calm, passionate Annie spirals into depression. Just when things seem like they can't get any more difficult, Emily's older half-brother and his fiancée arrive, not to help but to claim the family home he's inherited from their parents. Without a place to call their own, Emily must take action—and fast.

When an exciting employment opportunity arises in Utah, the displaced Carters decide to build a new life in a new home. But it soon becomes clear that their future prospects will go far beyond professional as each sister is faced with an unexpected romance. Yet love is never simple, and in matters of the heart, one sister must proceed with caution while the other needs to take a leap of faith.

My Review

Sense and Sensibility is my favorite Jane Austin novel, so I jumped at the chance to review this book, also being a book of Brittany's, I knew it would be a great book, and I was not disappointed.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish.  I loved how the book resembled Sense and Sensibility, and how it also had a beautiful story to tell of its own.  I loved the similarities  between the two books.  Brittany's characters were pretty close to perfect.  Emily took control of a tough situation with the loss of her parents.  She is her younger brother Bryce's caretaker and manager of her sister Annie's acting career, all while she is fighting feelings for Joel and deciding what is best for her family.  Whether they are to move to Utah and complete up her deceased father's dream, or stay in LA.  I loved so many things about Joel, especially when he sees Utah for the first time.  The author's descriptions made me appreciate my home state even more.  I connected with the characters and the book was very enjoyable.

5 out of 5 stars.  I can't wait for more from this author. 

Schedule: 

*May 8th: http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/

*May 9th: http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/

*May 10th: http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*May 11th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/ 

* May 12th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://www.kindleandme.com/

Author Links

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Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book / Seagull Book

Jack by Liesl Shurtliff

Jack: The true story of Jack & the Beanstalk

Author: Liesl Shurtliff

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Published: April 2015

ISBN13: 970385755795

Hardcover: 304 pages

FTC FYI: Received a hardcover copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Jack has always been told that giants are not real. But if that’s the case, how do you explain the huge, foot shaped pond in the yard, or the occurrence of strange and sudden storms in which the earth quakes and dirt rains from the sky? When his father is carried away in such a storm, Jack gives chase in the only logical way: by trading the family cow for some magic beans that will give him access to a land beyond the clouds. He arrives to find that the giants themselves have giant-sized troubles. With the help of an overachieving little sister, a magic goose and a chatty cook (who is not interested in grinding human bones into bread, thank you very much!) Jack sets out to save his dad and save the day.

My Review

Another enjoyable and delightful book by Liesl.  I (as you know) love middle grade fiction and I especially love a fantasy re-telling.  As much as I enjoyed RUMP, I liked JACK even more.  Every turn of the page brought new challenges for Jack.  His Papa is taken away by Giants and he is determined to find him.  I loved the events that took place, and to top it all off, there are cameos of characters from RUMP.  I really enjoyed the mixing of the two books, that was a really fun twist.  King Barf is still awful in this book, but I had a greater appreciation for Queen Opal.  I thought Jack was handling things well as on his own, but I really loved it when a special someone comes up the beanstalk too.  I really liked Jack's character, but I loved Annabella, what a fun surprise she was, especially with how she interacted with those in the Above. The whole book is full of fun twists and surprises.  Great characters, with humor and heart.  

5 out of 5 stars!

Author Links

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble