Showing posts with label Addictive Reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Addictive Reads. Show all posts

Friday, July 26, 2013

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer Cover Reveal

Oh my pretties. How I LOVE this series and I absolutely adore Brigid Kemmerer. When I saw she needed hosts for her cover reveal for Secret I may have gotten a wee bit excited. Because what girl doesn't love to see the cover of a book she's been waiting for when she can't actually read it yet? The Elemental series is addictive, every book is creative and full of surprises. Read them. Now you can see the cover of Secret too!

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer
Kensington Books 
Release Date: January 28, 2014
ISBN: 0758294379

Summary:
           
Nowhere is safe. Not even home…

Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.

Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.

Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.

Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—or he’ll lose his family.

Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.

Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.

Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?

                                                    

About the Author


Brigid Kemmerer is the author of The Elemental Series, about a family of four brothers who control the elements, and their battle with those who want them dead. Storm, Spark, and Spirit are available now wherever books are sold. To read the novella introducing Nick’s story, be sure to check out Breathless http://www.brigidkemmerer.com/books/elemental-novellas/breathless/
 available as an e-book only from major e-book retailers. You can learn more about Brigid and the Elemental boys at www.brigidkemmerer.com.

Where to buy:



Thursday, July 18, 2013

Vitality Release Day Blitz



Book Info-
Title-Vitality
Series-Proximity Book # 3
By-M.A. George
Expected Publication Date-July 16th, 2013

Blurb-
Palta learned long ago not to expect a “normal” life.  She’d settle for one free of close encounters with supernaturally-gifted homicidal maniacs.

Apparently that’s too much to ask.

Join your favorite Onontian royal family, as they settle into life at the palace...only don’t get too comfortable, because things are about to take a hair-raising turn.

Vitality is the gripping third installment in the Proximity series.

Links-

Facebook Event for Vitality Book Release Blast- https://www.facebook.com/events/1392088281009099/



**This is a great series!! I loved it and Palta's an amazing leading lady**



Book Info-
Title:Proximity
Proximity Series-Book #1
By: M.A. George
Published on October 3, 2012

Book Blurb-
 
Dr. Palta Capal would be a typical American career woman…if only she were human.

She has found her calling in this world as a physician. It’s an ideal outlet for her compassionate spirit...and unearthly healing powers.

Palta may spend her nights rereading Jane Austen novels, but she deliberately avoids pursuing her own love story. Human men — attractive as they may be — inevitably grow old and wither, leaving her to grieve in solitude. Frankly, no one has seemed worth the torment.

Enter Eric Moran, the intensely attractive and enigmatic new coworker on the scene. With his quiet confidence and warm smile, he manages to draw Palta’s attention. Little does she know that he, too, holds a secret…one that will propel them both into an escalating collision of two worlds.


Buy Links-





Book Info-
Title: Relativity
Proximity Series Book #2
By M.A. George
Publication Date: January 9, 2013

Book Blurb-

No matter the planet, Palta Capal is an alien.

She’s lived a lifetime where she never belonged…but relocating to the “home world” she’s never seen has her feeling more like an outsider than ever.

Teetering between the thrill of newfound love and the despair of family loss—not to mention the looming threat of global war—Palta doesn’t need any more excitement in her life.

But what she needs and what she gets are two entirely different things.



Buy Links-







Wednesday, July 17, 2013

In Too Deep Blog Hop (Review & Excerpt)


Blurb:

Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.
Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?

My Review

4.5

((All the emotional aspects make up for Gracie's tendency to make me want to slap her. I know girls like her. Once I may have been similar to her))


Gracie is drowning.

I wondered what it felt like to hold on to someone you knew wouldn't let you go-Gracie

Come on, we've all been there. That moment when you think you have everything under control, that you really can handle everything that's going on regardless of the flashing warning signs going off around you. Still, you try to deny it, to hold on to what you wish was really happening versus what's really going on. It's no different for Gracie in In Too Deep. The title and blurb caught my attention and I knew I had to read it. I loved the cover and everything the photo represents. In Too Deep tore me to pieces and had me struggling to contain my emotions. All three of the characters we're so distinct and broke my heart in different ways. Even though sometimes I wanted to deck Gracie or shake her, I could honestly relate and for me, that took the story to a completely different level. Now, I understand how my best friend felt back then when I was kind of like Gracie.

I love the way Michelle developed all the characters and was able to create such vivid and dynamic relationships with her debut novel. Things didn't just effect Gracie but rather the entire cast was dealing with their own fears, doubt and insecurities weighing them down. Turning the page became almost like an addiction because I had to know what happened next or if anyone was going to feel better. There's so much hope inside the pages that I almost couldn't stand it when I thought maybe there wasn't going to be the ending I had hoped for. Michelle did a great job depicting Gracie and I appreciated that she was a struggling student in her early twenties which helped me connect with Gracie, making her more realistic. The story isn't all hearts and butterflies, it has a raw intensity that takes the reader from hopeless to hopeful. If you're looking for an amazing read that will tug on your heartstrings and make you face or think of things you haven't before, then I'd definitely recommend In Too Deep to you. This isn't for someone looking for a fairy tale or anything equally as sweet. This is a gritty, raw, emotional read that in the end, you'll need a few moments of silence to let everything begin to set in.

Excerpt

My phone buzzed.
Jake: Gracie?
I turned off my phone. The doorbell rang before I even had a chance to feel guilty for not answering. I threw the covers over my head and lay there, eyes wide open. It rang again.Can someone please get the door? I’m too busy feeling sorry for myself to get up.
Ding dong.
I groaned as I pulled myself from under the covers and flung my legs off the edge of my bed. The UPS man was going to get an eyeful because I didn’t even have the energy to pull my sleep pants on. The super huge t-shirt I wore to bed was longer than some skirts I had. I would just have to reach around the opened door, sign something on his little clipboard and throw the package on the hall table before jumping right back into bed. No one was home. I could have slept all day. Stupid delivery guy.
But when I rounded the corner into the foyer, I could see Noah through the side window to the right of the door. My heart slammed its next beat so hard I was sure someone standing in front of me would have seen my ribcage lunge forward.
“What do you want?” I said the words on my side of the window. He didn’t need to hear me, he had to be expecting something like that. He knew I wouldn’t be happy to see him. I was pissed that he was at my door. Flashes of my birthday night coursed through my mind one by one. I winced and squeezed my eyes closed hoping to wring the images from my head.
“Gracie, I know you don’t want to open the door, but I need you to listen to what I have to say.” He was talking louder than he needed to for me to hear him. I was instantly annoyed. I shuddered.
“So talk.” If I kept a locked door between us, I could walk away whenever I’d had enough.
“Can I please come in?”
“No.”
“Okay, I’ll talk through a window if that’s the only way you’ll listen.” He waited a couple seconds like he thought I’d have a change of heart and open the door. When he saw that was not in his cards, he started talking. I leaned my forehead against the cool glass and watched his lips form words that proved introspection, self-awareness and a level of thought so deep I could do nothing but hold my breath and wish he wasn’t doing this to me.
“Gracie. I haven’t had a solid example of how to show love or how to accept it. At least not the depth of love you are willing to give. I don’t know how to reciprocate that without feeling terrified. I never expected to fall so hard for you. I never thought I could love someone so hard it hurt. But I can. I do.
“Gracie. When you look at me and I know you can see all the way into my soul, my first instinct is self-preservation. I instinctively push you away so you won’t climb deeper into me. Your heart is so big, Gracie, it could swallow me whole, and that scares the shit out of me because I shouldn’t be worthy of that kind of love. I don’t deserve you. I guess in a twisted sort of way, I push you away to save you.”
The window steamed from the warm breath escaping between my lips. I remembered the conversation I had with my mom. She said only if it was of their own volition could someone truly make a change. I couldn’t believe what was happening in front of me. A huge part of me didn’t want it to be happening because Noah and I proved to be a disaster. I knew I couldn’t handle one more blow from him. My sanity was already climbing the walls. But, as if they had minds of their own, one hand turned the deadbolt and the other opened the door. Cool air across my thighs reminded me I was still only in a t-shirt. I motioned for Noah to follow me back to my room. I needed to put more clothes on so he didn’t ruin his heart-felt apology by making a move on me. He sat on my bed and I pulled sweats off the hook on the back of my door and slid myself inside them. I sat down next to him. He took my hands in his.
“I am head over heels in love with you, Gracie. I have been since the night you kissed me after the fireworks. I’ve always thought that shock between our lips was a sign that you were the one. I’m terrified of that. If I let myself truly feel the level of love I know we are capable of, then what happens if you leave me? I don’t know how to handle that kind of pain. I am sure I’ve never felt something that severe.”
“Noah, you just described what you have done to me, over and over and over. You have split my heart wide open so many times because, unlike you, I don’t know how to guard my heart. I opened it to you almost two years ago, and I’ve been giving you all I have ever since. I can’t turn it off, I don’t know how. So, when you pierce me with your hateful words, the pain is palpable. It takes me to my knees.” There was no holding back the tears. I didn’t even try to. I was done walking on eggshells. Again.
That’s when he did something I never thought I’d see. He fell into my lap and cried like a baby. I had taken all the pain he had inflicted on me and threw it straight to his heart before he had the chance to get that wall back up.


About the Author

Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.
Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.
The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.
Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.
“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow.

Extras
IN TOO DEEP hit three genre-specific best seller lists on Amazon the day before its release.
IN TOO DEEP’s sequel, ON SOLID GROUND, will be released sometime in December 2013.

Easy tag line: The day he said, “I love you” should have been the day she said, “Goodbye.”

Sapphire Star Publishing: http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/michellekemperbrownlow

Stalk Her Here


Twitter: MK_Brownlow

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Entanglement by Dan Rix- Review time

 

*He actually changed the cover right before I posted my original review over on Supagurls and it was a great decision. This one relates to the story so much more and it's more intriguing in my opinion.

Blurb

"...the scientific explanation is quantum entanglement, whereby the boy and girl—even when separated by great distances—react instantaneously to changes in each other's states..." —Dr. Casler Selavio, on the entanglement of halves.

In a world like ours, humans are born in pairs. When a newborn boy takes his first breath in the coastal town of Tularosa, the exact time is noted, recorded in the Registry, and later compared to the birth times of other newborns around the globe. There will be one identical match—his half. They will meet on their eighteenth birthday and they will spend their lives together. Except this time, there is no match.

Hotheaded heartthrob Aaron Harper is scheduled to meet his half in twenty-nine days, and he doesn’t buy a word of that entanglement crap. So what if he and his half were born the same day and share a spooky psychic connection? Big deal. After breaking one too many teenage girls’ hearts, he’ll stick to brawling with the douchebag rugby players any day.
Until the day a new girl arrives at school and threatens everything he takes for granted.

Cold and unapproachable, Amber Lilian hates the growing list of similarities between her and the one boy she can’t read, Aaron: born the same day, both stubborn, both terrified of meeting their halves. . . . All the more reason not to trust him. That she would rather die than surrender herself as her half’s property is none of his damn business. But once lost in Aaron’s dangerous, jet black eyes, she’s already surrendered more than she cares to admit.


Tangled in each other’s self-destructive lives, Aaron and Amber learn the secret behind their linked births and why they feel like halves—but unless they can prove it before they turn eighteen, Aaron faces a lifetime alone in a world where everyone else has a soul mate . . . and he’ll have to watch Amber give herself to a boy who intends to possess not only her body but also a chunk of her soul.

My Review

4.5 Stars


I was attracted to the story from the beginning; Dan Rix wasted no time diving head first into a plot that kept my head spinning. It was well thought out and the world Rix created in Entanglement and the concept was intricate and suspenseful. I was engulfed by the first few chapters and drawn into Aaron Harper’s world where halves are determined when you’re born. There’s no choice, you have no say and on your eighteenth birthday you meet the other half of your soul. Except Aaron doesn’t buy the “halves” concept and neither does the new girl he meets Amber Lilian. 

Entanglement is full of complex characters and a web weaved with secrets, destinies, tangled life lines and two teenagers fighting for their rights and each other. Both Aaron and Amber are trapped in their own downward spiral of self-destruction when they meet, each of them giving up for their own reasons. I loved everything from the fast pace, intricate characters, and  the detailed concept Rix created. Oh, how the story began unfolding at an alarming rate after they meet as they continue stirring up more trouble than they could imagine trying to save each other before it’s too late. Aaron Harper or number eleven is a strong willed, teenage heart throb that any girl will fall for and there’s something about his character that sucked me in and I wanted to know more, to see what made fueled his temper. Amber is feisty and just as engaging, she fights everybody the entire time, she never gave up and was just as smart as Aaron and they complimented each other. The snappy dialogue and complicated relationships and circumstances kept me guessing. The supporting characters were a delight because I was never sure who was good or evil and if anybody (or who I expected) was going to step in. Dan Rix’s use of their roles and ambiguity about their true loyalties made the story even more thrilling and detailed.

oh my god gifs photo: Kame oh my god omgbobo3393.gif

*Seriously this is how I felt with almost every turn of the page. I probably even made the same face.*

I really enjoy stories like this where at the end everything comes together smoothly and blends until you’re convinced you just witnessed the whole thing literally. Entanglement was full of those wonderful awkwardly amazing moments that steal your breath and demand you keep reading until the wee hours of the morning and I even found myself holding my breath scared to keep reading.

begging gifs photo:  Rachel-begging.gif

*and then of course there was this face and my begging that what I was reading wasn't really true and that it was a trick.

At one point I thought the entire book changed and as I kept reading I realized Dan Rix did introduce something that changed everything and the need to finish the book was undeniable. I tuned everything out from my step-mom to the radio in the background and all I heard was the words as I kept reading. Completely lost in the story and fidgeting with excitement. My heart is still throbbing from the explosive ending to Entanglement.

My favorite line and I highlighted a bunch was “the task is not to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought about that which everybody sees.”


Monday, July 1, 2013

Blurred by Tara Fuller my Review

Blurred by Tara Fuller

**This MASTERPIECE was released today. Read it now.**

Seriously. I'm not kidding.
Reading book one isn't even an absolute necessity. But reading this story is.


Blurb



Cash is haunted by things. Hungry, hollow things. They only leave him alone when Anaya, Heaven’s beautiful reaper, is around. Cash has always been good with girls, but Anaya isn’t like the others. She’s dead. And with his deteriorating health, Cash might soon be as well.

Anaya never breaks the rules, but the night of the fire she recognized part of Cash’s soul—and doomed him to something worse than death. Cash’s soul now resides in an expired body, making him a shadow walker—a rare, coveted being that can walk between worlds. A being creatures of the underworld would do anything to get their hands on.

The lines between life and death are blurring, and Anaya and Cash find themselves falling helplessly over the edge. Trapped in a world where the living don’t belong, can Cash make it out alive?

My Review

5 Stars. ALL the stars in the sky

Tara Fuller weaved an experience into Blurred. There is remarkable depth inside this from the characters, their journey and the dark haunted world Fuller created for her reapers. Blurred, the second installment in this series officially made me a forever fangirl. The way she blurs the line between Heaven, Hell and the inbetween with only her words is amazing. I could see the things she spoke of and feel the emotions that were evoked between the characters. Fuller knows just what to say and when to say it to drive the scene home and leave a lasting impression. My world quit existing until I finally finished reading Blurred. Literally sat outside on the porch drinking coffee with my tablet gripped between my fingers, gasping from time to time, as well as contain my excitement in others.
**Yeah this is exactly what I was thinking about Blurred and Tara's characters**

Choosing to tell the story through Cash(Emma’s best friend from Inbetween) and Anaya was a wonderful choice and all the intensity I expected to be there was. There was actually more than I anticipated and their journey to the end was explosive. Cash provided plenty of swoon worthy moments as well as some torturous ones when I could feel the pain engulfing him. Even though I expected his story to be dark and twisty, I love how Fuller was still able to surprise me with revelations I never saw coming. Seeing as how his role ended in Inbetween his personality at the beginning of Blurred was expected. However his growth from page one was crafted impeccably. I devoured every scene but the ones where Cash and  Anaya interacted were filled to the brim with tension and their reactions were believable and realistic. Connecting with both of them was easy and at the end I didn’t even want to let go.

This is one of my favorite sentences in Blurred and I feel like it gives a glimpse into the passion burning in each character and just how emotionally taxing what they’re going through truly is. How every choice has the potential to haunt you forever or change you in ways you never saw coming.

“Every soul you touch will rot,” he whispered, stepping closer. “You will be hated. You will be feared. You will be the very thing inside of you that you’re trying to fight. Don’t let one pretty face trap you into that kind of existence.” –Noah (you’ll have to read it to find out more about him)
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**Yes, yes that did just happen. Expect emotional outbursts to accompany you while reading**

Anaya, Anaya, Anaya…the poor girl. Her part in the story had my heart tied in knots. Fuller’s clearly has a talent for evoking emotions and reactions from her readers as well as her characters. She has a gift for timing and making the right choices with her words and scene set-ups. I found myself wanting to grab Anaya and tell her everything would work out, it had too. She’s been waiting a thousand years for this moment and I couldn’t believe how things were playing out. Through Anaya I was taken on a completely different journey, I witnessed her growth from the beginning as well and seeing how Tara blurred their tales together was an experience all its own. Reading it you can see that Fuller understands each and every one of her characters and how their choices will affect those around them.

I can’t wait to read the next book in her Kissed By Death series and would recommend these books to anyone who is looking to truly get lost in another world. The plot moves quickly and sinks its claws in from page one. Surprises lurk behind every corner and hard truths are revealed leaving you reeling until you read far enough to see just how the truth affects their lives.

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Saturday, June 22, 2013

Don't Bite the Bridesmaid Review

Okay my pretties. I posted this review on all the *official sites* but never managed to put it on the blog. So since I have some free time and you need to read this book, I'm going to post it now!

When I was given the opportunity to review Don't Bite the Bridesmaid for Entangled Covet I was really excited. It's been a while since I've read a vampire book and what better kind to read than one with a sexy swoon worthy vamp that you know will have some even sexier moments.

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**Yes, yes I did use pink ponies to show my excitement**

Don't Bite the Bridesmaid

by Tiffany Allee


4 Stars

Noah…where can I find me a Noah. Please tell me if you see him around. I read this book in one sitting. Two if you count the time I spared for dinner and cleaning up afterwards. This book captured me from the very beginning and not only I swoon for Noah, but I found myself rooting for Alice. Who am I kidding, there were quite a few moments I wished I was Alice! Don’t Bite the Bridesmaid was an amazing read and I couldn’t read it fast enough. I found myself checking my progress a couple times in the beginning hoping I wasn’t too close to the end yet and then at about 70%, I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge the end was approaching quickly.

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The plot blossomed from the first page developing quickly. Things passed full speed ahead and it really added to the total awesomeness that was Don’t Bite the Bridesmaid. The whole story is spun based on Alice who’s been Noah’s neighbor for five years but now she needs a favor from Noah. In fact that very agreement haunts them both for a while, just enough to make you wonder what’s really going to happen in the story. Tiffany Allee brought Noah, Alice, Cindy, Brent, Edna and more come to life with witty dialogue and the best week long wedding event. We all know how family can be and you must read this book to find out all the possible ways things could go. Allee builds scenes with ease that draw you in. Especially when its Noah and Alice interacting. I’d advise that if you read this in public and grinning is not something you normally do, you may get some probing. There will be a smile on your face and a squeal in your throat.


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**There are quite a few of those moments^^ yup, the ones where you grin, clutch your heart and brace yourself for what's to come**

In a couple spots I was confused by the writing momentarily. It was like the narrative switched from third person to first person and I wasn’t really clear. However it’s not enough to worry about or that really hinder the story as a whole. Just a sentence here or there a few times, probably because the third person aspect switched from someone watching her, to someone watching him. But I still fell in love and absolutely loved reading every minute of this book.  There also was a back story with Alice’s brother that’s added in there, that left me wondering if I missed a story or a paragraph. I see where it’s meant to strengthen the story and explain why Alice reacts how she does, but the way it was introduced took me out of the story briefly. Seriously though my pretties this book was a great, fast paced story filled with angst, a lovable wedding party and some sexy moments.

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I’m actually hoping that there could be a second book in their story (but don’t fear, Don’t Bite the Bridesmaid’s ending is wrapped up nicely). I can’t believe I almost forgot to mention that there was a twist in here that caused me some panic. I never saw it coming, it wasn’t even in my line of thought. I couldn’t believe Allee did that to me or to Alice and Noah! The best thing I can tell you is to grab a copy, clear your to-do list, grab a drink and prepare to be swept away.

**Oh and I chatted with Tiffany Allee during a #CovetBash Twitter chat and great news my pretties...there IS going to be more books in the series! *eek*



About the Author:

CPA-turned-romance-author Tiffany Allee used to battle spreadsheets in Corporate America, and now concentrates on her characters' battles to find love. Raised in small-town Colorado, Tiffany currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, by way of Chicago and Denver. She is happily married to a secret romantic who tolerates her crazy mutterings.
She writes about ass-kicking heroines and the strong heroes who love them. Her work includes the suspense-driven Otherworlder Enforcement Agency series which revolves around a group of paranormal cops solving crimes and finding love, and Don't Bite the Bridesmaid, a lighthearted paranormal romance (Entangled Publishing).
Tiffany has an MBA in accounting and nearly a decade of experience in corporate finance. All super useful stuff for a writer who spends far too much time trying to figure out fun ways to keep her characters apart, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books--of course!).

You can find her on the web Here! Click here!



Monday, June 17, 2013

Promise Me This Review

**BTW If I have "missed" a post, PLEASE let me know because I had to get a new computer and I lost everything on my old laptop. Reviews, WIP, calendar and such is all gone-I'm trying to catch up. So If I missed yours please email me so I can add it to my list. Now onto the BEST part of my weekend:

Promise Me This

by Sarah Ashley Jones


**FYI The Cover Whore is me LOVES PMT's cover. The fact that the models on it are her real friends, makes me wish we were really friends. :))

Synopsis:

WARNING: This book is intended for mature readers due to strong language and sexual situations.

Welcome to the South - where the tea is sweet and the accents are sweeter. This Southern way of life is all Charlie has ever known. It’s not until she loses the only person who pushed her to break free of the Southern Belle mold that she starts living the life she needs and not the life her parents forced on her.

Jhett has lived on the edge for as long as he could remember - constantly teetering back and forth between being a rock star and living a normal life. His rebellious and sometimes arrogant attitude is known to get him into trouble, especially with the girls who hang on his every move.

Charlie never thought that a trip to pack up her brother’s apartment would leave her feeling even more unsettled about the grainy details of her brother’s death. Her quest for information leads her straight to his old hangout and into arms of Jhett, who suspiciously knows more about her situation than he ever should.

Only a few questions remain - Can you trust someone based on their word alone? And if you make a promise, how far will you go to keep it?

My Review

5 Stars


**Just dive in. I did. It was an AMAZING story**

Okay so I want to get this done in time for release day and I sincerely hope I do Sarah Ashley Jones and her novel Promise Me This, justice because I’ve sat here for twenty two minutes staring at a blank screen. I mean I even took notes. There are page numbers all over my hand…I flipping made my very first *fangirl* picture, in case you were unsure about how I was feeling. It was a really good book, Sarah Ashley Jones delivered so much more than I even expected, that I’m still struggling with the perfect words.

 

**Promise Me This was my personal paradise**

 Jhett and Charlie’s backstory’s and mannerisms are complicated in multiple aspects, tangled throughout their worlds are Cameron, Ginger and Hannah. All of whom tie their own knots in the plot and leave their own signature on each of the main character’s lives. Besides being a cover whore (and PMT’s cover is gorgeous, that I actually had to message Sarah after I saw her reveal and tell her how much I Loved it, kind of like a *bookish creeper* moment)! 


Hang out with us this summer! XOXO, @SummerBreak

**Okay so she reminded me of Charlie and her spirit**

She broke my heart, piece by piece. Each page I turned, the deeper into their stories I read, the more enthralled with PMT I became. Sarah made the right decision alternating points of views between Jhett and Charlie. Both added a depth of their own to the characters they represented and by the end, every detail and insight given played a role in character development and the fluency of the plot. Charlie is an energetic, passionate, wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve kind of girl and her moments of shortcomings, regret and self-discovery we’re alive on the paper. I connected with Charlie immediately and connected with the story just as fast. Sarah doesn’t leave you waiting or giving you all the answers you think you want in the beginning. The lives they share are realistic and described with ease. I could not quit reading PMT. I had to know more.

 “The thing about Charlie was that she was passionate in everything she did. Whether she was happy, sad, mad, or excited; it didn’t matter…I knew how she felt about me; I could feel it emanating off of her.”-Jhett

“If you need to know one thing about me, Charlie, it’s that I’ll always be myself, no matter what others might want me to be.”--Jhett

Jhett is difficult in the best of ways. Uh, he’s the guy you want to claim, and let’s be honest sometimes tame. But his points of view grow throughout the story and you see how Charlie sees him changing. All the while Jhett has to face his own demons while helping Charlie battle hers and those are some of my favorite quotes and moments in the entire book. 

 

** Jhett is this week's BB. He may even last longer than a week. Just so freaking *breathes* hott and swoon worthy, everything about him screams sex appeal WITHOUT being cocky and "too" sexy. Muah. I'm in love. seriously. #JhettMafia**


In quite a few spots you’ll wonder if they’re fighting in vain and where their relationship is going to end. I loved how Sarah portrayed Jhett and although he is strong, smart and a musician, but he’s not in the story to solely save Charlie. You really need to read it to understand the connections made. Now a swoon moment:

 “I only hoped that I could live up to what she needed me to be. I never wanted to be the reason for her to feel anything less than the way she did in that very moment.”



Sarah really drives the knife home, making Promise Me This remarkable with the last quarter of the book. So much happens, most of which I never saw coming. And the one spot I stood a chance of getting correct, I completely missed. I have no idea what I was thinking. The twists that show themselves later, to me are some of the most key elements, that I thought I should have seen coming! The ending to Promise Me This is a completely different ending then I ever could have imagined. It’s beautifully written, flawlessly executed and I enjoyed everything. With the way PMT ends, I’ll be hanging on the edge of my seat for book two.

**So tell me, what's your Summer story?

Get Your Copy Here

Seriously, you won't regret it.





Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Never Let You Fall Review, Excerpt & Giveaway



Before I get into this too much, I just want to say OH MY GOD. I have been searching, and searching for a book where the female lead isn't a "good girl" whose never truly made a mistake and biggest regret is not studying for a test. Michelle G. Miller delivered her to me in Never Let You Fall. Thank the heavens above. I have been waiting for this moment.


**See me get my groove on baby**


Blurb

Orphaned at 7, with no memory of her past or the family she lost, 17 year old Skye Martin is tired of being alone and afraid. After a hard night of partying, Skye wakes up alone in an unfamiliar hotel. All she can remember is the deep voice of her rescuer and his promise: “I am safe.”

Xander has been tasked with watching Skye from afar for the past two years, in order to keep her safe from the demons that hunt her. An easy job - until a pair of red glowing eyes reveal themselves to Skye, and Xander, in a moment of weakness, is forced to break his cover to protect her.

Never good at trusting people, Skye is inexplicably drawn to Xander and the immediate bond she feels for him. However, Xander is filled with secrets and ties to her past that threaten to thrust Skye into a world she could never imagine existed…

As she begins to unravel the truth about who Xander is and the details surrounding her family, she discovers that she might just be the key to saving everything...

And, most importantly, she finds that there has always been someone by her side who would never let her fall…

Exceprt


“Go.  I will be in touch soon.  I promise, Xander,” Rioden vowed, and then pushed me forward and turned back towards the hotel. 
Whirling quickly, I grabbed Skye’s hand and pulled her along; keeping one hand in my jacket, wrapped about my dagger in case of danger. 
“Come on!  His car is down a few blocks and we need to hurry.”
“Xander, what is he doing?  What’s wrong?” she asked, as she practically ran to keep up with me, her hand squeezing mine tightly. 
After a moment my hand was yanked backwards, and Skye stood there in the street, mulishly looking at me.  I glared at her questioningly and she began to verbally flay me.  “Xander!  What is he doing?  Where are we going?”
“He’s trying to protect us Skye!  Protecting YOU!  We need to go now before they find us!” I snapped.  I continued to try pulling her along, but she wasn’t having it.
“No!  You can’t just leave him there to fight those things by himself!  Go help him!”
“Damn it, Skye!  He told me to leave.  You heard him, and he also told you to listen to me and you said you would.  We have to go NOW!  There aren’t just Semvon back there, but men - trained men - and I…”  The truth crashed down, causing my shoulders to fall as I admitted the truth to her.  “Skye, I don’t think I can win against them.  That’s why he wants us to run.”

My Review

 5 Stars

Just like in real life, the concept "first impressions matter the most," apply to the book world too. To me (as we all know) covers tend to be a BIG player in how "excited" about the book I get. Honestly, I will change my reading list solely based on a cover. Sad but true. I loved Never Let You Fall's cover. Everything about it and combined with the blurb (another slice of perfection) had me counting down the days until I was able to dive in. Another area first impressions are key in books, is when a reader is introduced to the character's for the first time.


**Loved Skye from the inside out and and truly appreciated such a refreshing leading lady**

Skye is thrown onto a path she never expected and into a world she never considered and I enjoyed everything about her journey. She was so realistic and NOT a goody goody, which is a common theme in YA books. That for me, made Skye that much more realistic and enabled Michelle to capture my heart and attention within the first few chapters. Her partying habits are just a way cope with feelings she hasn't accepted yet, things she doesn't understand. And when she learns about what she must do, she questions it (like MOST people would do) and allows herself time to adjust. Even with Xander backing her up and protecting her, Skye manages to still be strong and learn to fight for herself and her destiny. I love her. She was unique to the YA genre and definitely raised the bar in my opinion. 

"He didn't relax his stance, and he didn't say a word. He just let me wrap myself around him." 
-Skye
 
**Yeah, you just need to read Never Let You Fall so you can feel the fireworks and chemistry between Xander and Skye**

Xander is everything you could want and desire. His love for Skye even when things get complicated for her and exciting twisty things happen (like that vagueness-no spoilers. You know my rules) made my heart melt. The entire book had my heart melting and feeling like it was in a pair of vice grips. I had to re-read some of the dialogue and moments of reflection just so I could feel the impact again. Michelle inserted those "heart wrenching, hold your breath, squeal for joy at the sound of those words" moments in the perfect places! The relationship between all the characters are balanced so well and really strengthen the plot line of the story. I cannot wait for book two so I can hopefully catch another peek at a couple of the supporting characters.

**Never Let You Fall has some of the best scenes/moments I have read this year! I could feel Skye and Xander's emotions like they were actually tangible**

This is not all Romance either! The plot starts from the very beginning, you're dropped into the action right along with Skye and Michelle wastes no time getting things stared. She did an amazing job developing the plot and throwing in twists and adrenaline pumping moments where needed. The story kept me turning the pages and refusing to do homework. I could not stop. When it ended I was so sad, like epic status sad for two reasons. 


A. Never Let You Fall ends, it just ends on a SUPER pivotal plot moment, I am not being dramatic. Even though it was an amazing ending and I can totally understand why it ended there...the book nerd in me was a little peeved. So Michelle if you happen to read this, feel free so send me what would be "the next chapter." B. The other reason I was mad was because it ended. At some point in the middle of the night, my kindle said 99% and no matter how much I shouted in my head "No." I need book two now. Please. I can't wait to delve into book 2 and see how the ending of Never Let You Fall turns out. Plus there's a couple characters I'm not positive or confident where their loyalties lie and for me, that was just another stroke of genius for Michelle.

So that's all for my review! Michelle's Top Tens list and an Excerpt on below!

Wait--one final note about how glad I was to read Skye's story and the journey about to come.


About the author


Having grown up in both the cold, quiet town of Topsham, Maine and the steamy, southern hospitality of Mobile, Alabama, Michele is something of a enigma.  She is an avid Yankees fan, loves New England, being outdoors and misses snow.  However she thinks southern boys are hotter, Alabama football is the only REAL football out there and sweet tea is the best thing this side of heaven and her children’s laughter! 

Her family, a doting husband and three awesome  minions, have planted their roots in the middle of Michele’s two childhood homes in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Never Let You Fall is Michele’s first novel and she is beyond thrilled to have finally followed up on a dream she has held for over 20 years!  God willing there will be many many more books to follow.



Goodreads:  Michele G Miller
Facebook:  Michele G Miller
Twitter:  @chelemybelles


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Sunday, June 2, 2013

Your Turn to Be Charmed by Lindy Zart

My Review of Charmed

by Lindy Zart


Synopsis

On the day Taryn turns eighteen her life changes. A black-eyed man with a chilly aura accosts her and she's abducted by a man who really isn't a man, but a Manang; half-man, half-angel.

She's told she's someone special; a Charmed, and the key to winning in a battle of worlds about to collide. Only problem is, she can be a weapon of good or a weapon of bad, depending on who gets to her first.

My Review

4 Stars

I enjoyed Charmed from cover to cover. Enjoyed, doesn’t really even encompass the way I felt while reading Charmed. Taryn had me hooked with her story by the end of the first chapter and her dislike of surprises and birthdays. She was instantly relatable and I loved her from the get go (sometimes, it takes me a while to like some female characters)! Then Lindy Zart introduces Creed. This jaw droppingly gorgeous manang sent to protect Taryn and his mix of nonchalant yet protective nature only increases his swoon factor. Oh, and you won’t stop falling in love there. Wait till you meet Luke who gives Creed a run for his money and soon you’ll be stuck in the book hangover debate of which one you love more. I still can’t decide…Personally, I’ll take one of each. Every time you think you figured something out, Lindy surprises you with another twist.

**I certainly found myself thinking “I did not see that coming.”


MRW I give my boyfriend a hug and he gets a boner piles of gifs

**Oh the swoon worthy males in this story...*catches breath*

Every character throughout the entire story displays their own development and growth, each one also contributes to the overall plot, keeping you intrigued. There’s Mora, Eli, Reece, Shah and more who add their own flare and twists to the plot line. Lindy commands her character’s beautifully throughout and will capture your attention with the fast paced thrill ride that is Taryn’s charmed life. Although there were a couple spots where I thought some moments passed to quickly or maybe I thought Taryn’s reaction should exuded more emotion, it doesn’t affect the flow or story as a whole.
There really is a spot I’d like to talk about and a couple characters but I don’t want to spoil any of the awesome parts for you! However I will warn you that Lindy goes as far as to introduce a third character who will seek his own attention from your heart strings.



**again, I’m not sure if I’m saying this to Creed, Luke or the mystery co-star, but I know I repeated it multiple times in my head


Overall I loved this book and am already anticipating reading book two (Charmed Again). Lindy Zart definitely Charmed me with the first novel in this series. The plot line was constant and engaging throughout the entire tale. She wove a flawless story and there weren’t any contradictions considering the world building Lindy accomplished. Her world involving the Charmed, Manangs and Deadeyes came alive through her use of detail. Lindy used her talent for description and dialogue to bring her world alive through Taryn and the rest of the cast. Every page was a treat and I found myself on the edge of my seat and daydreaming outcomes when I was stuck sitting in class.


double-carlton

I loved this book. If you haven’t read Lindy Zart’s books, you need too. Seriously, be Charmed. She’ll wrap you around her finger by the end of the first chapter. Lindy kept me guessing (and wishing) until the very end.

Charmed Links



About Lindy Zart

I've been writing since I was a wee lass. I was reading before that; possibly while still in the womb. Don't think about that too much.

I started out with short horror stories and poetry. I was terrible at it. The poems not so much, but the stories were awful.

I decided to finish a book (and I DO mean finish--I'd started plenty throughout the years) when I was in my mid-twenties (so not that long ago because I'm young and will forever stay that way). Again, not my best work.

But that's the thing about writing; it improves with time. (It's also a good thing to know your work can't possibly be any worse than it was when you first started.)

What I love most about writing is having people tell me how much they enjoy my work; how my writing touches them; makes them feel intensely.

Bringing a reader to laughter or tears is a wonderful feeling for a writer, and no, I'm not sadistic. *insert evil laugh HERE* It means I got them to feel, to respond to something I created.

Also, I just like to make stuff up and put it down on paper. I have an endless supply of stories in my head; lots of stuff to share with the world.


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