Review: Because I Love You by Tori Rigby

From Goodreads:
Eight weeks after sixteen-year-old Andie Hamilton gives her virginity to her best friend, “the stick” says she’s pregnant. 

Her friends treat her like she’s carrying the plague, her classmates torture and ridicule her, and the boy she thought loved her doesn’t even care. Afraid to experience the next seven months alone, she turns to her ex-boyfriend, Neil Donaghue, a dark-haired, blue-eyed player. With him, she finds comfort and the support she desperately needs to make the hardest decision of her life: whether or not to keep the baby.

Then a tragic accident leads Andie to discover Neil’s keeping a secret that could dramatically alter their lives, and she's forced to make a choice. But after hearing her son’s heartbeat for the first time, she doesn’t know how she’ll ever be able to let go.





My Thoughts:
This is one of the rare times I'm inclined to give something an extra half star. I didn't enjoy it enough to give it four stars, but I didn't not enjoy it enough for three. It definitely kept me interested and I kept going right until the end, so something about it caught me. But there were just so many... well, flaws I guess.
This comes across as a teen pregnancy book. It's really not. It's a romance with a girl who happens to be pregnant which makes her finally get past herself and notices a boy. The details about doctor visits, and symptoms, and sensations make it pretty clear the author has never had a baby before.
The stuff at the beginning with her peers feels pretty accurate. I can see her friends and the father running away at sixteen years old. This was the best part of the book, the early stages where she has to deal with the teen pregnancy and the consequences.
The rest gets kind of... off. When you're pregnant, you think about being pregnant ALL THE TIME. Andie, the MC, is more concerned with boys, and friends, and parents, and drama, and the third trimester and labor is brushed over and poorly represented, which are probably the hardest parts of the whole forty weeks.
I did like the romance. I think that was what kept me going. Niel was a pretty strong, thoughtful, and interesting character. 
I also read this as an audible, and the voice irritated me! Haha! I wouldn't let that deter me from the story though. Most audio voices are a bit on the annoying side.

All up, it had good points and bad, but I did finish it, which says quite a bit when I have so many other books I need to read!

Son of a Pitch Requesting Publishers

For the third round of our events, I've lined up an amazing collection of publishers who are ready to read the efforts of the finalists. Many have returned from previously, so I'm really excited! I also have an agent who will be coming by the twitter pitch party, Jen Linnan. Exciting! Check them out.

At Blaze, we're committed to bringing you high-quality, hard-hitting books full of heart. Whether the story is a mystery, a thriller, horror, steampunk, or some goofy comedy, there will be a message woven into the pages for readers to find and fall in love with. We want you to walk away inspired, in awe, or just happy to be alive. Or maybe you'll look at other people differently, in a less negative light. Whatever the case, you will find heart in our stories.

City Owl Press is a cutting edge indie publishing company, bringing the world of romance and speculative fiction to discerning readers. 

Co-founded by award-winning authors, Yelena Casale and Tina Moss, the City Owl Press team brings together more than a decade of business, writing, editing, design, marketing, advertising, and publishing experience. 

We believe in connecting every book with the right reader and every reader with the right book.

What do you believe?

Curiosity Quills Press (CQ) is a hybrid press founded in 2011 that specializes in fresh, unique fiction of the highest quality.

At CQ, we believe that everyone needs an escape, and we want to be yours. Come grab a book and nerd out with us for a while.

Over the past three years we have successfully tripled our business going from writer-advice blog to full-service publishing press. If you are an author interested in submitting, please visit our submission page: http://curiosityquills.com/submission-guidelines/

Falstaff Books is a digital and print publishing company based in Charlotte, NC dedicated to bringing to life the best in fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and dramatic literature. We love bringing amazing stories to light and giving incredible writers a voice. The battered, ignored, rejected “misfit toys” of fiction are all welcome at Falstaff Books, where we understand that every scar is a story and only with different voices can harmony be created.

Immortal Works is a full-service small press that specializes in genre fiction for those looking for an enthralling tale, but don’t want to have to worry about graphic violence, obscene language, or pornographic content. That doesn’t mean our titles don’t have dark villains, irreverent humor, or thrilling romance. It just means that you don’t have to hide our books from your mom, wife, and bishop. Immortal Works publishes mainstream genre fiction in print, as eBooks, and every one of our titles will be available on Audible!

So many wonderful stories struggle to find homes and an opportunity to reach readers; Lakewater Press was founded to offer some of these a chance. They’re small, personal, and savvy, focusing on quality not quantity, and ensuring each book isn’t simply released then abandoned, but nurtured for its entire life.

WHO ARE WE? Simply put: we’re authors, lovers of the written word. Whether we started as readers, editors, designers or television personalities, our driving passion is the creation and growth of incredible stories. Collectively, our team has over a dozen years of experience in all aspects of the industry–from the traditional query, agent, publisher pathway . . . to the wild and fast-moving world of advertising . . . to the complex and delicate workings of bottom-line driven marketing. We use these valuable skills to magnify the talents of our authors and showcase their works to the fullest degree.

REUTS is an boutique YA/NA publisher that offers an unconventional, yet advantageous and author-friendly approach to traditional publishing.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? It means we offer our authors the enhanced creative control usually associated with self-publishing, while also providing the expert level of support one might expect from a professional publishing house. Essentially, we’ve combined the best of both worlds while leaving behind the undesirable or inconvenient parts of either.

Join the movement– get REUTED in an amazing book.

Soul Mate Publishing welcomes you to romance, where two become one.  We offer high-quality romantic fiction for readers around the world.  Our novels, written by only the finest authors, will be available both electronically and in paperback.

Whether you enjoy traditional romance or are searching for stories that push the limits, you'll find what you're looking for.  We are NOT the same old thing! 

World Weaver Press, LLC is an independently owned and operated publisher of fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction founded by Eileen Wiedbrauk and Elizabeth Wagner, and currently based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We believe that publishing speculative fiction isn’t just printing words on the page — it’s the act of weaving brand new worlds.

We believe in great storytelling. We believe in challenging genre boundaries and engaging the fundamental human drive to tell stories that resonate emotionally. The way we do this is by partnering with great writers to craft and edit the best fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction stories possible. By creating beautiful, well designed paperbacks and ebooks. By growing their publicity. And by fostering a family of authors and editors excited to work with us. 

#SonofaPitch Publishers for Round 3

So, for the third round, I've lined up an amazing collection of publishers who are ready to read the efforts of the finalists. Many have returned from our February line up, so I'm really excited! Check them out.

Blaze

Bloomsbury Spark

BookFish Book

Curiosity Quills

Soul Mate Publishing

Release! Asleep by Krystal Wade

To celebrate the release of the spine-chilling YA psychological thriller ASLEEP by Krystal Wade, we have a full blog tour and exciting giveaways ahead! ASLEEP is the debut novel from Blaze Publishing, and answers the question of what happens when Sleeping Beauty meets Freddy Krueger. If you want to see more of ASLEEP, you can still find the Ten Weeks of Teasers and other great content on the Blaze Publishing blog. Order your copy now!

Asleep
Krystal Wade
Published by: Blaze Publishing
Publication date: February 16th 2016
Genres: Horror, Young Adult

“To cure fear, you must use fear.”
Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Signed Copy

Follow the Blog Tour!

Tuesday 2/16	Wednesday 2/17	Thursday 2/18
Vicki Leigh: First Chapter Reading	Jordan Elizabeth: First Chapter Reading	Eve Langell: First Chapter Reading
Case Maynard: Promo Post	What A Nerd Girl Says: Interview	A Thousand Books: Teaser One
Friday 2/19	Saturday 2/20	Sunday 2/21
OriginiquEquanimity: Promo Post	Janelle Howard: Teaser Two	Archaeolibrarian: Teaser Three
Ryan Hill: Interview		Nerd Girl Official: Promo Post
		Tesairie’s Book Reads: Promo Post

Chapter 1 read by author:

Author Bio:
Krystal Wade can be found in the sluglines outside Washington D.C. every morning, Monday through Friday. With coffee in hand, iPod plugged in, and strangers-who sometimes snore, smell, or have incredibly bad gas-sitting next to her, she zones out and thinks of fantastical worlds for you and me to read. How else can she cope with a fifty mile commute?
Good thing she has her husband and three kids to go home to. They keep her sane.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Want to stay up to date on everything from Blaze Publishing? Sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss a thing! The first 100 subscribers get free Blaze bookmarks (UK, US, and Canada only) AND get added to our Loyal 100 group, which gives you access to exclusive news, teasers, prizes, and ARCs!

Website   Instagram   Twitter   YouTube   Facebook   Tumblr   Google+

GIVEAWAY!

We're giving away some awesome prizes to celebrate the release of ASLEEP, including this stylish cuff! Enter with the Rafflecopter below and tell your friends!

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Review: Asleep by Krystal Wade

From Goodreads:

"To cure fear, you must use fear." 

Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be. 

My Thoughts:
How can I wrap my head around what I want to say about this book. The twists and turns definitely had me wondering throughout the entire book. I'm afraid if I say too much, I'll give out spoilers unintentionally.
Rose isn't exactly what I'd describe as likable, but considering the situation, I don't think likability is important to the story. She's made some bad choices, and ended up at the wrong end of the stick. Throughout the book she undergoes a great deal of growth, which gave me the desire to root for her.
Phillip is great, right from the beginning. He figures everything out and works his hardest to help Rose through. Despite their awful circumstances, he slots in as the perfect hero in her plight.
Although this is technically a "fairy tale" retelling, there isn't much of the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty involved, so don't expect that at all. It's very raw, and there are parts that are truly sad. It's a psychological story, as you watch the people around Rose mess with her head. But she fights back, refusing to believe the lies.
I saw several things coming, but not the conclusion, Again, no spoilers!
I'd consider it a clean read, in the sense that there's no sex or explicit violence. It does leave you wondering, what is going on? though, as almost archaic treatments are implemented.

***Thank you to Blaze Pub for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review***

Son of a Pitch Publisher: Blaze Publishing

About Blaze Publishing:

Books with Heart for Young Adults

At Blaze, we're committed to bringing you high-quality, hard-hitting books full of heart. Whether the story is a mystery, a thriller, horror, steampunk, or some goofy comedy, there will be a message woven into the pages for readers to find and fall in love with. We want you to walk away inspired, in awe, or just happy to be alive. Or maybe you'll look at other people differently, in a less negative light. Whatever the case, you will find heart in our stories.

About Krystal Dehaba: 

Krystal (who writes as Krystal Wade) entered the publishing industry when she finally realized words were life. She began her career acquiring works of teen fiction for Curiosity Quills Press, then moved onto editing and productions, while writing and publishing five young adult novels on the side, working full time, raising three kids and a backyard full of chickens.

Krystal comes to Blaze as the CEO and Editor in Chief and brings with her a mission to introduce readers to Books with Heart. They might be fantasy, contemporary, horror, or any genre really, but they'll all have heart and a message waiting for readers to discover.

But watch out, because we hear she's a feisty editor!

Son of a Pitch: List of Publishers

As well as our awesome Agents, we have a huge line up of publishers for you. I will be posting about these publishers and the requesting editors over the next few weeks. But for now, here they all are!

BookFish Books

REUTS

Tigearr

Bloomsbury Spark

Carina

City Owl

Dancing Lemur 

Elephantine

Future House

Loomis Park

Omnific

Blaze Feature End and Submission Details

Thanks to those who dropped by to support the Blaze feature this week.Below I've included details for subbing to Blaze. I love supporting indie publishers because they bring out rich, unique, and a wide range of books that break from the mainstream and dare to be different.

Don't forget to swing by for the big announcement next week!

Publisher Feature Week: Meet Blaze Founder Krystal Wade

Tell us how you came to create Blaze, and what kind of vision do you have for the company?

Creating Blaze came with a realization, a personal revelation of sorts, one that smacked me in the head and said, "Krystal, you don't need anyone's approval. You have the knack for business, and you WANT to run a publishing house. Never mind people always tell you to start one, so what are you waiting for?" Yeah, that was the realization, that I was holding myself back because I wanted approval of some fancy agent, or a posh NY publishing house. But any time I sought those things, my career suffered. The months passed by without more books published, each rejection letter made me crawl backward, into myself, and think I wasn't worthy, and then when the fulls were passed on with little explanation? I thought it was all over. And it was all over, my need for that pat on the back anyway. So I dug out plans I've been putting together since 2012 and launched Blaze. My vision is to have a happy house of authors, readers, and reviewers. Period. I want everyone to know if we say we're putting out a book, that we follow through. And I want that book to be loved.

2.     What does your job entail? 

Everything! I'm an accountant, web designer, graphics designer, video producer and actress, editor, and answerer of questions. Since we have such a small group, and a small publication schedule, we're all partnering up on our duties. When an offer is made, everyone is involved. When a video is posted, we're all aware. We are open, visible, and always in communication with each other. And I love it, but my primary focus is on finding the books, editing them, and building our business brand.

3.     What do you enjoy most about working with everyone at Blaze? 

We have fun. Even though publishing is a lot of hard work, we all love what we do, and we do it well.

4.     What have your experiences been like throughout the journey from the dream to founding to now?

Rewarding. I'm the type of person to look at every situation as a learning situation. As I've encountered setbacks in my career, I've asked myself what I can take away from them. So, while I'm not rich and living in the mountains with my husband, wearing slippers as I write books and drink coffee all day long--yet--I can't imagine not being where I am right now, publishing others. That doesn't mean the road for me hasn't been bumpy, sometimes washed out, but I've forged new paths for myself, as everyone should. There's no such thing as an impossible dream--unless we're talking teleportation, and even then....

5.     What is the hardest part of running a small press?

I don't know that I've encountered anything hard, exactly, but the concern that I do right by my team and the authors we publish weighs heavily on me. Always. Which is why we've crafted lengthy, well-thought out plans for the books we publish.

6.     And what is the best part?

Being there to tell an author YES! Yes, I love your book. Yes, I will publish your book. And the ability to share in that excitement with my team. Which is amazing.

7.     Last question; If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?

Does it have to be in history? Can't I just state that I'd like to meet Jensen Ackles, even if we don't exchange words, just so I can drool for a bit? Yeah, enough said!

Publisher Feature Week: Meet Blaze Designer Eliza Tilton

1.      Tell us how you came to work with Blaze.

I’ve always been a techy type of girl. I went to college for graphic design and marketing, but based on the job market at that time, I never went into the field. I used my skills for the job I currently worked at to create logos and t-shirt designs. When Krystal approached me about doing the formatting for Blaze, a buzz zipped through me. This is what I went to school for. This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I couldn’t have said yes fast enough.

2.     What does your job entail? 

I’m a bit of a mixed bag. My main job is to do all the formatting for our books, but I also help out with swag design, social media, videos, and anything else Krystal wants to throw my way.

3.     What do you enjoy most about design? 

Whenever I do a class visit, I always show the interior artwork in books. While a beautiful cover makes you open the book, flawless formatting can enhance the reading journey. Most readers don’t think of how the words flow on the page, but there is a silent rhythm that can you pull deeper into the story. My job is to find it.

 4.     What have your experiences been like working with authors?

 There’s nothing more exciting than having an author see your ideas and go, WOW!

5.     What is the hardest part in creating a design for a book?

 Technology…anytime Photoshop or Indesign decide not to work, I yell and eat more chocolate. Not good for my waist line!

6.     And what is the best part?

 Creating.

7.     Last question; If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?

I’ve always loved the story of Esther. She was a woman who was prepared to sacrifice her life in order to save her people. That’s the type of role model we need, someone courageous. If we met, I’d ask how she found that courage and what advice she could give our youth when facing extremely difficult situations.

Publisher Feature week: Meet Blaze Project Manager Kristen

1.       Tell us how you came to work with Blaze.

Krystal and I have been talking about opening a publishing company since 2012. For the longest time, it was just a pipe dream. However earlier this year, Krystal came and told me she was going to do it. She wanted to take things into her own hands, and I decided I would do everything I could to help.

2.       What does your job entail? 

My job is separated into two parts. First and foremost, I am in charge of Author Relations. One thing that we noticed in some other publishing houses is that sometimes you go over a week without hearing from someone after you have asked a question. We definitely did not want that for Blaze. So I act as the liaison from Blaze to the Authors, a personal contact they can reach out to. The second part is Project Management. I have worked extensively in project management for over ten years, and keeping a project on schedule is vital to the success of any business. I work with both the authors and the other blaze members to make sure our production schedule runs smoothly, and completes on time!

3.       What do you enjoy most about being project manager and author relations? 

My favorite part is working with the Authors, and seeing their book come to life. I get front row tickets to watching someone’s dream come true, and you really can’t beat that.

4.       What have your experiences been like working with the authors?

It has been great! I work with three fantastic authors, and we just signed on two wonderful women! I can’t say it won’t be hard at times, as any partnership always has its ups and downs, but I am glad to be doing what I am doing.

5.       What is the hardest part of your job?

Waiting. Waiting for submissions. Waiting for the Author to accept our offer. Waiting for the final cover art. Waiting to hold the published book in my hands. Patience was never one of my strengths, and this job is all about patience!

6.       And what is the best part?

That’s a tough one. A part of me believes it is working with three fabulous women who truly want to make a difference in the industry. They want to help Authors publish their books. They want to help readers connect with high quality and meaningful stories. Another part of me would say it is helping authors achieve their dream of publication. It is magical to see how excited they are when we offer the acceptance, and with how much excitement they tackle their tasks. Its inspiring. However, if I were being honest with myself, I would have to be selfish and say that the best part is getting to read all the submissions and books. Maybe it will save me some money on my Amazon bill!

7.       Last question; If you could bring any book/movie/TV show to life, what would it be and why?

Harry Potter. Definitely Harry Potter. Why? Because I want to ride a magic broom, and jinx my nosey next door neighbor.