Friday, May 9, 2014

Royally Lost Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt



Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Royally Lost by Angie Stanton. After you check out my review and an excerpt, you should check out some of the other awesome blogs taking part in this tour. The full schedule is here
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Review
This book has all things I love: traveling, royalty and well...does there need to be more? I love this cover, I love the concept and was so excited for a fun jaunt around Europe with a beautiful prince in tow. As a fan of movies like The Prince and Me and more recently, books like Suddenly Royal, this was right up my alley.

This is a great, light book that would be great company on a trip to the beach or as you travel across Europe. I can't help but enjoy myself when books take me to different places. And there's always something I completely connect with when a main character is traveling for the first time. It's always an adjustment and a little scary - but you have to go through that before it gets good. And with this book - it does just that. The prince stuff is all great - he's adorable and wonderful and all things you want your prince to be. But it's really when Becca has to stand on her own and how she grows into who she is because of her travels that I really came to adore this book.

That said, I also have to throw in a word about Becca's brother Dylan. I had to include the excerpt with him, because he's just the best. He may be the brightest character in this book. I love his balance of annoying brother and really great ally. He was always helping Becca in ways that were really adorable I kind of want to read his story.

If you're looking for a read to get you in the mood for summer, this is a great place to start. Becca starts out a little whiny and some of the dialog is a little too unnatural, but it grows out of that as Becca comes into herself. I love where she ends up by the end. 
-------------------------
Excerpt
"So how was your date with Nikolai?"
Becca glared at her brother, Dylan.
"Uh-oh. Did he stand you up?" Dylan held a rolled-up magazine. 
She frowned, frustrated that she'd been so easily played. "Yeah, you could say that."
"This might explain why." Dylan held the magazine under her face, forcing her to look at the glossy picture of a guy who looked exactly like Nikolai. 
She took the magazine and examined it closer. Her breath caught in her throat. "That's Nickolai!"
She'd recognize him anywhere. She couldn't read the foreign headline, but it ended with an exclamation point. "Dylan where did you find this?"
He grimaced and shrugged. "It was at every newspaper stand I saw today."
"Why is he on the cover? Did he do something wrong?" She paged through the magazine, holding her breath. Confusion turned to shock when she saw a two-page spread filled with pictures of Nikolai. Nikolai at the beach; a picture of him playing polo; a picture of him in a tuxedo with a girl wearing a glittering gown. Then Becca's eyes landed on a formal picture of Nikolai in uniform, with a sword at his belt, standing next to a young girl. A stern man and austere woman sat in gilded chairs; both adults wore crowns. 
Her jaw dropped open. 
"Why is Nikolai in that picture with people wearing crowns? Who is he?" she asked. Her heart pumped so fast she could feel the blood pulse through her temples. "And why did he lie about his identity?"
-------------------------
About the Book
Author: Angie Stanton
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: May 6, 2014

Summary: Dragged on a family trip to Europe’s ancient cities, Becca wants nothing more than to go home. Trapped with her emotionally distant father, over-eager stepmother, and a brother who only wants to hook up with European hotties, Becca is miserable. That is until she meets Nikolai, a guy as mysterious as he is handsome. And she unknowingly finds herself with a runaway prince.

Nikolai has everything a guy could ask for-he's crown prince, heir to the throne, and girls adore him. But the one thing he doesn't have...is freedom. Staging a coup, he flees his kingdom and goes undercover on his own European tour.

When Nikolai and Becca meet, it’s their differences that draw them together. Sparks fly as they share a whirlwind of adventures, all the while dodging his royal guard. But Becca's family vacation ends in a matter of days. Will Nikolai and Becca be forced to say goodbye forever, will his destiny catch up to him, or will they change history forever?

-------------------------
About the Author
Angie Stanton never planned on writing books; she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in rural Wisconsin, with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head, she began to write them down, and the rest is history.

Angie is the author of six books including Royally LostRock and a Hard Place, and Snapshot. She graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin, and is a proud double finalist of the National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em.

Find Angie Online: Website :: Twitter :: Facebook
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Giveaway

Friday, May 9, 2014

Royally Lost Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt



Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Royally Lost by Angie Stanton. After you check out my review and an excerpt, you should check out some of the other awesome blogs taking part in this tour. The full schedule is here
-------------------------
Review
This book has all things I love: traveling, royalty and well...does there need to be more? I love this cover, I love the concept and was so excited for a fun jaunt around Europe with a beautiful prince in tow. As a fan of movies like The Prince and Me and more recently, books like Suddenly Royal, this was right up my alley.

This is a great, light book that would be great company on a trip to the beach or as you travel across Europe. I can't help but enjoy myself when books take me to different places. And there's always something I completely connect with when a main character is traveling for the first time. It's always an adjustment and a little scary - but you have to go through that before it gets good. And with this book - it does just that. The prince stuff is all great - he's adorable and wonderful and all things you want your prince to be. But it's really when Becca has to stand on her own and how she grows into who she is because of her travels that I really came to adore this book.

That said, I also have to throw in a word about Becca's brother Dylan. I had to include the excerpt with him, because he's just the best. He may be the brightest character in this book. I love his balance of annoying brother and really great ally. He was always helping Becca in ways that were really adorable I kind of want to read his story.

If you're looking for a read to get you in the mood for summer, this is a great place to start. Becca starts out a little whiny and some of the dialog is a little too unnatural, but it grows out of that as Becca comes into herself. I love where she ends up by the end. 
-------------------------
Excerpt
"So how was your date with Nikolai?"
Becca glared at her brother, Dylan.
"Uh-oh. Did he stand you up?" Dylan held a rolled-up magazine. 
She frowned, frustrated that she'd been so easily played. "Yeah, you could say that."
"This might explain why." Dylan held the magazine under her face, forcing her to look at the glossy picture of a guy who looked exactly like Nikolai. 
She took the magazine and examined it closer. Her breath caught in her throat. "That's Nickolai!"
She'd recognize him anywhere. She couldn't read the foreign headline, but it ended with an exclamation point. "Dylan where did you find this?"
He grimaced and shrugged. "It was at every newspaper stand I saw today."
"Why is he on the cover? Did he do something wrong?" She paged through the magazine, holding her breath. Confusion turned to shock when she saw a two-page spread filled with pictures of Nikolai. Nikolai at the beach; a picture of him playing polo; a picture of him in a tuxedo with a girl wearing a glittering gown. Then Becca's eyes landed on a formal picture of Nikolai in uniform, with a sword at his belt, standing next to a young girl. A stern man and austere woman sat in gilded chairs; both adults wore crowns. 
Her jaw dropped open. 
"Why is Nikolai in that picture with people wearing crowns? Who is he?" she asked. Her heart pumped so fast she could feel the blood pulse through her temples. "And why did he lie about his identity?"
-------------------------
About the Book
Author: Angie Stanton
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: May 6, 2014

Summary: Dragged on a family trip to Europe’s ancient cities, Becca wants nothing more than to go home. Trapped with her emotionally distant father, over-eager stepmother, and a brother who only wants to hook up with European hotties, Becca is miserable. That is until she meets Nikolai, a guy as mysterious as he is handsome. And she unknowingly finds herself with a runaway prince.

Nikolai has everything a guy could ask for-he's crown prince, heir to the throne, and girls adore him. But the one thing he doesn't have...is freedom. Staging a coup, he flees his kingdom and goes undercover on his own European tour.

When Nikolai and Becca meet, it’s their differences that draw them together. Sparks fly as they share a whirlwind of adventures, all the while dodging his royal guard. But Becca's family vacation ends in a matter of days. Will Nikolai and Becca be forced to say goodbye forever, will his destiny catch up to him, or will they change history forever?

-------------------------
About the Author
Angie Stanton never planned on writing books; she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in rural Wisconsin, with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head, she began to write them down, and the rest is history.

Angie is the author of six books including Royally LostRock and a Hard Place, and Snapshot. She graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin, and is a proud double finalist of the National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em.

Find Angie Online: Website :: Twitter :: Facebook
-------------------------
Giveaway