I Read Indie: SHAKEN NOT STIRRED by Alyssa Rose Ivy Blog Tour {Playlist/ Review/Giveaway}

Title: SHAKEN NOT STIRRED

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Source: ebook from author for review

goodreads...

Finding the perfect guy is like mixing the perfect drink. It's all about the taste and presentation.

Maddy's gone off the deep end, at least that's what her family thinks when she handles her med school rejections by moving to the Outer Banks. It doesn't help that she's paying her bills by bartending and is sharing walls with two guys, even if one of them is her childhood best friend.

Her choice of men seems more balanced on the surface—Colin is driven, sexy, and gainfully employed, but she can't help spending her Thursday nights searching for the perfect drink for Lyle, whose music captivates her with its haunting lyrics. Maddy believes everyone has a perfect drink—and finding Lyle's isn't a challenge she's willing to lose.

My take...

SHAKEN NOT STIRRED is a fantastic read that I found increasingly hard to put down as the story flowed. I read through the first half quickly and couldn't wait to get back to it the next day. This book was so darn interesting and entertaining. Of course I knew it would be. Ivy is an extraordinary author that brings even the simplest of stories to life. And the romance was so absolutely perfect. I was smiling all the way through with this one.

Maddy was such a great character. I loved her witty sense of humor and the crazy predicaments she'd find herself in. She also had an odd obsession. Every Thursday night while working as a bartender, she would try to find the perfect drink for the local musician, Lyle. Maddy is usually able to figured out everyone's perfect drink who find themselves seated at her bar. But Lyle was a different case. Never saying more than 3 words to her and rarely taking more than a few sips of her drink she presented to him. She was a woman on a mission to know what his drink was and what inspired him to write such beautiful lyrics.

When Maddy finally accepts a date with Collin, a guy who has been after her all summer, she assumes it will be a fun, sexy fling. But Collin is different than any guy she has ever known. He is wanting to take things slow and it is only adding to the sexual tension growing between them. And taking things slow usually means 'relationship' and that is not what Maddy is willing to face. Because facing that would mean she needs to tackle the other problems in her life. Something she'd rather sweep under the rug.

I gotta admit that this read had me scared a few times. Ivy gets you thinking she is about to make a detour with the story and the characters only to right the course and leaving the reader breathing a sigh of relief. At least it was that way for me. It could have been a very awkward read had it went the other way. I think those little twists actually added to the story and enhanced it considerably. But the storyline was fun and I adored it so. I especially loved Maddy's roommates. I need to see if Ivy plans on continuing on with this as a series. Because I could definitely see a great read focusing on Brody and Macon. They have a story to tell and I need to hear it.

AMAZON B&N GOODREADS

I had so much fun with this playlist. The music behind Shaken Not Stirred was varied and both emotional and exciting. This list definitely fits the book, and the experience I had writing it. At times I felt like I was on vacation, but other times I just wanted to give Maddy a huge hug. Here are a few songs that were played on repeat a lot. For the full list, check out my Spotify link below.

1)Counting Stars- One Republic. Just hearing this song makes me think about Colin. I’ve listened to it a million times, but it never gets old.

2)Clarity- Zedd (Feat. Foxes!)- This was my Maddy song. When I needed to dive back into her experience I listened to it on repeat.

3) More Than Life- Whitley- I love this song. It’s the feel that worked so well for this book. It transported me to Corolla.

4) Ghost- Charlene Soraia- This song got me into Maddy’s mind. She was so conflicted and feeling so down on herself, yet she never lost her strength and humor. For some reason this song helped me with that.

5)The War Within- Churchill- Such a great song, I love the feel. It was my go to “second wind” song.

To see the other songs....

http://open.spotify.com/user/1210818391/playlist/5qruNI9Sm3Vl1LUh2sJ2w8

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Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.