Over It by Sarah Billington: Blog Tour!

Teen Youtube song writing sensation Poppy Douglas's lead singer boyfriend Ty's been criss-crossing the country and living it up on tour for months while Poppy has been stuck in the boring suburbs, finishing out the school year.
But it's Summer now, and the best thing just happened: Poppy's royalties for writing the hit song The Kiss Off just came in. She's minted, and she knows just what she's going to blow it on.
Ty's band Academy of Lies are headlining a summer music festival, and Poppy is taking her girlfriends along for the best weekend of their lives. It's all organized: the weekend is going to be full of camping under the stars, backstage passes, VIP rooms and partying like rock stars, not to mention some long awaited one-on-one time with America's favourite front man.
Except, when someone drops out of the trip and Poppy takes the opportunity to mend a broken friendship, it doesn't quite go according to plan. And when she meets her boyfriend's BFF from another band, the paparazzi form their own totally wrong conclusions. There's also the matter of Ty's 'super fan' stalker, but the less said about her the better.
The biggest test of all comes in the form of an opportunity too good to pass up. But will insecurities and jealousy stand in Poppy's way? Can Poppy and Ty's relationship even survive it?
Life is about to get much more complicated for Poppy Douglas, but what can you expect when your boyfriend is a rock star?

 

I loved The Kiss Off so I jumped at the chance to join this tour! Unfortunately I didn't finish Over It in time to review it so enjoy this extract!

 

Extract

I walked barefoot in the shallows, my shoes in one hand, aloe vera bottle in the other. One thing could be said for the beach: best exfoliator ever.
Lost in my own thoughts, I wasn’t prepared for what happened next. I really should have been more alert.
“Hey there pretty lady.” A low, gruff voice growled in my ear and hands snaked around my waist from behind, trapping me to him. I screamed; screamed like I’d never screamed before and jerked away, but his arms tightened around me.
“Hey–hey–hey,” the man said, his beard brushing against my neck.
It wasn’t Ty; abort! The handsome stranger wasn’t Ty! I screamed again and suddenly his hand was over my mouth.
I was going to die. I was alone on the beach in the dark and I was going to die. I’d watched the crime channel, I knew this was how women ended up murdered and floating face down, or found stabbed to death in a lifeguard station.
“Get away from me!” My words came out muffled and quiet under his warm palm. His calloused fingers pressed against my cheek. My heart was in my throat, choking off my air supply. His hand clamped over my mouth wasn’t helping the breathing situation either.
“Just ssh, will you?”
“Let me go! Help!” I dug my elbow into the guy’s ribs and he doubled over with a groan. His arms went slack around me. I dashed thirty feet up the beach before I turned around to put a face to my attacker. You know. For the police sketch artist.
“Poppy, it’s me!”
It was a homeless man, or at least he looked homeless, in fisherman pants and a tattered army jacket. The beard was pulled down, hanging loose around his neck, and he pulled off the ratty trucker cap that had cast his face in shadow. His eyes were wide with urgency.
Wait, I knew that homeless man.
My heart beat extra hard for a second, adrenaline exploding through my system as I bent at the waist, breathing hard with relief.
“How did you sneak up on me?” I said. “How did I not hear you? Jesus, Ty!”
He laughed in surprise and rubbed his ribs. “Well that went down differently than I’d expected.”
“Really?” I asked. “Really. What did you expect?”
He was quiet for a moment. “I didn’t think it through enough, did I.  
 

About Sarah Billington
Sarah Billington is an Australian writer and editor who likes to write stories with love,laughs, suspense and zombies. Sometimes all in the same story. Her favouritest thing to write about are those horrendously awkward moments that come with being a teenager. Or a human being. Sarah was extremely accident-prone and klutzy as a kid and teen, so her cup runneth over with experiences of horrendously awkward moments to draw from in her writing. Thankfully, she has grown out of her klutziness. Mostly. She is, however, still an embarrassment.
She loves a variety of random things, which include Swing Dancing, Ice Hockey, Roller Derby and is a bit obsessive about paranormal investigation shows and channel E!.

I love Ty and I can't wait to finish Over It!
Let me know if you're a fan too!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxxx

The Kiss Off Blog Tour- Sequel!

 
Hopefully you've read my review of The Kiss Off and you want to know if you can read more about Poppy's adventures?
Well..... The Kiss Off 2 is coming 2013!

The Kiss Off 2 will include:

• A road trip with an unexpected passenger.
• Camping.
• The realization too late that they don't actually like camping.
• Sunburns.
• Accidental topless swimming.
• Paparazzi punch ups.
• A news-worthy (yet totally false) love triangle.
• Obsessed fan girls.
• A stalker.
• And an overwhelming request from someone super-famous.

 Here's a short extract to tided you over until then!

 

The money's in! Poppy's royalties for penning the accidental hit song

The Kiss Off that shot her boyfriend's band to super-stardom are in

and she knows EXACTLY what she's doing with it.

 

“See that?” I said, pointing at the feature band name on the flyer.

“Academy of Lies are headlining Bay Fest over in Tallulah Shores.”

“They’re headlining? Are you serious?” Mads said.

I grinned. “Pack your bags, baby.”

“Shut up.”

“Two words: road trip,” I said. “One word: camping.”

“Shut up.”

“Five wor — is it five? Yeah — five words: One week by the sea.”

“Shut up.”

“Four more words-”

“Enough with the words already.”

“I’m nearly done,” I said, “four final words: you, me and Van.”

She bit her bottom lip, staring at me when her hands started wringing

in front of her again. And she started bouncing.

“No,” I said, “no, no. You shut up. You start screaming again and

you’re not coming.”

Instead, Mads squeezed me in a bear hug and planted a kiss on my

cheek. “I’m going to Babe Fest. I’m going to Babe Fest!”

Bay Music Festival. Of all the nicknames in the world, it could have

been a lot worse.

 

Sounds even more fabulous than the Kiss Off!!

What do you think?

Much Love!

Lettie

Xxx

 

The Kiss Off Blog Tour!

 

When sixteen year old Poppy Douglas writes a song about her ex-boyfriend Cam and ex-friend Nikki, she has no idea that her heartbreak is about to go global.

A local band picks up her song from Youtube and soon she’s along for the ride with her own fanbase as they blow up on the local club scene and hit the international charts. Though it turns out leaving Cam behind isn’t as easy as she had hoped.

Tangled in a web of unfinished homework, ill-considered sexting and a new lead-singer boyfriend, Poppy has a choice to make between the ex that inspired it all and the rock God whose poster lines the inside of half the lockers at school. But as she struggles to keep her emotional dirty laundry private, she learns that the truth can be hard to find when your life is in the headlines!

 

 

Welcome to the Kiss Off Blog Tour! This is the first of two posts! *due to a scheduling error it's actually the second!*
I loved the sound of Kiss Off so I was thrilled to get a chance to read it!

What I loved:

• Poppy- I loved how spontaneous she was! She literally just picked a random boy, recorded songs when she felt it. I think the way she dealt with Cam and Nikki was very realistic, regardless of semantics it was a betrayal- the song was only an issue as it was so popular! The whole 'sexting' issue was again realistic- Her snap decision to send it was based on the very real anxieties of any girl separated from their new boyfriend, especially one who feels she has been cheated on before. At least he realised it was stupid straight away! I  
• Youtube/music- I loved the role Youtube and Music played in the book it made it seem very current! I liked how casual Poppy and her friends were about her uploading her songs until 'Kiss Off' exploded! I thought her parents were a little uninvolved with it- they really could of learnt alot about Poppy's life by watching her videos!
• Plot- I really enjoyed the plot, it was a bit familiar but the characters and inclusion of Youtube freshened it up!
• Ty- Who wouldn't like a charming musician?? I liked how he was honest and laid all his cards out. I felt a bit sorry for him as his fame escalated because it made everything so much harder for him! I would of liked to read more of him..
• Side cast- I always love a good side cast! What I liked most about this one was the variety! Most main characters have one or two 'main' friends and then a few nondescript ones throw in. Ty had distinct friends and Poppy actually had a variety of different friends! They were all well written and individual. I think Mads was my favourite- I'd actually love to read her story!

What I didn't love as much:

• Poppy- I think what I liked and disliked about her most was how she really frustrated me and annoyed me like any teenager would! She was stubborn and very wishy washy! Also if some guy recorded my song and made it a hit my first question would be, where's my cheque?! Poppy did not seem at all bothered despite the fact she was struggling to save up for a car....
• Cam- I didn't really understand why his role seemed to morph into a completely different one halfway through... I didn't buy Poppy and him together, if he liked her so much regardless of how forward Nikki was, he would have waited for her to come home to actually talk to her before jumping in to another relationship. I also disliked how easily Poppy let him off the hook compared to Ty!
• Location- When I found out the author was from Australia I was super excited to read a book set in Australia! I was quite disappointed when I realised it wasn't. Nothing wrong with location, I just would have preferred Australia!
• Warning/Rating- The Goodreads description has a warning of sexual references and coarse language. I didn't think there was any 'real' coarse language and the sexual references were realistic to the age group the book is aimed at. I've read similar books with no warning and far worse situations!

 

I really enjoyed the central, plot, the reality of the characters and the inclusion of Youtube!

I'm so excited for the sequel- I posted a sneak peek!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxxx