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

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My blog: http://michellekemperbrownlow.blogspot.com

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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.

*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.

*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.”

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)

**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.

Blurred's Amazon Link

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ReVamped by Ada Adams

Synopsis:

A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

My Review

4 Stars

I chose to read this book solely upon it's cover. After all I'm a cover whore and this one is at the top of the pack. I mean the backward "R" to me is definitely a nice touch. ReVamped was nothing like what I expected it to be going in and it was a great change for the YA vampire genre I believe. The aspects Ada ties into her plot and characters all have a new twist on the old school favorite. I loved Dawn, Sebastian and Ada's group of misfit vampires. Yes, I didn't mention Ethan because as much as I want to like him (and I know Dawn does), I'm just not sure. Starting out I wasn't sure where Dawn's journey was going to take her and throughout the entire book, I never knew. The epic twist towards the end made me literally take a moment to think about what just happened. Oh and I laughed because I was just so surprised. But Dawn has this sense of duty and responsibility about her that is commendable and ReVamped is like a story about her real "first" chance at living. I'm glad I read her story and that Ada invited us to share her journey. But I must mention Sebastian who is swoon worthy and proved his weight in gold. Even though for a while there, I was worried about whose side he was playing for or if he was just going to be some distraction of Dawn's. The dynamics of the relationships between all the characters and their situation and back-story's, I feel like Ada got it right. The friendly teasing banter was spot on, as were the moments that called for more. Yeah, you know the ones. The one's that clench your heart in their grasp and refuse to let go until you read enough to know what happens. However, in ReVamped I feel safe in saying, you won't see what's coming. 

About the Author

"Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my head and act them out."

In her career as a writer and an actress, Ada spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the kick-butt female characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Masters of Science in Education.

Ada began her writing career at age three with a string of short stories that only a mother could love, and has been inventing quirky characters and imaginary worlds ever since. Her readership has now grown to include people who aren't directly related to her. A passionate advocate for the arts, Ada is also an editor-in-chief of VEUX Magazine - a fashion/literary publication which showcases up-and-coming talent from all over the world. Amongst other things she enjoys are zombies, chocolate, and bubble tea.

www.authorgraph.com/authors/Ada_Adams

Links-

Series Website-http://angelcreekseries.com/

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5757476.Ada_Adams

Twitter- https://twitter.com/Ada_Adams

Facebook Fanpage- https://www.facebook.com/revampedbook?fref=ts

Angel Creek Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/angelcreekbook

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The Domino Effect Review & Giveaway

Synopsis

Twenty-one-year-old college student and aspiring journalist Nancy Delaney’s nose for news smells a hot story idea when it comes to international playboy and artist Peter Rostovich. But as she works to get her story, she soon becomes intimately entangled with the mysterious Rostovich, who finds her irresistible. He becomes Nancy’s ticket to sexual awakening, and she soon discovers she has an appetite for bondage, too.

And there’s far more to Rostovich than just his art — he’s involved in a strange, violent criminal underworld that kidnaps Nancy and spirits her halfway around the world, where she’s held prisoner and made to serve as private Dominant-for-hire somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Will the sexual powers Rostovich helped awaken in her be Nancy’s only hope for escape?

Goodreads Link

My Review

3.5 Star

I was excited to read The Domino Effect because the synopsis intrigued me. Going into it, I thought I would love it because let's be honest I devoured 50 Shades of Grey (all three books) in less than 18 hours and they seemed to be similiar themed books. Hughes does a great job setting the back drop of Cleaveland and what it's like for Nancy as she struggles to pay bills, finish school and set up her portfolio since she's an aspiring journalist. Peter Rostovich was a strong male character and I found his evasiveness and approach to be rather sexy. Especially since he had some clear dealing in things that may not be on the "up and up." However, I found the commonalities between Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele (from 50 Shades) to be overwhelming. They share the same qualities but have different jobs. They even meet in the exact same sort of situations. Nancy does her bestfriend/roommate a favor and ends up falling into Rostovich's immensely wealthy lap. Oh and of course, Nancy is a virgin. 

But I did like the plot and the way that the stories differed. Minus the fact that the cast reminded me of 50 Shades. I liked how the progression between Nancy and Peter's relationship fit their character's personalities and was realistic. reflecting on my own experiences, I could totally relate to Nancy in some areas and she definitely had me as a cheerleader. She knew what she was getting into (being a journalist she possesses some natural instincts and questions everything) and she still took it on head first, refusing to give up. When she gets kidnapped and shipped off to a foreign country under duress, I was proud of how she handled herself and glad that Hughes didn't bend Nancy in a different direction because her reactions were so fitting. I high fived her in my mind for not becoming a complete mess and breaking down. 

The thing I loved the most about The Domino Effect was the way Hughes wrote her. Her writing style provided a different perspective into these themed books. The scenes with sex were done in a way I haven't read before and for me, that was really cool. Instead of just seeing the chemistry between Nancy and Peter during the sexy scenes, Hughes also delivered the emotional side of their actions. Reading what was going through Nancy's head, her reactions, doubt, wonder and everything else when you're new to the BDSM theme (and sex in general) allowed me to really connect with her. Granted there was a scene thrown in there when she was being kidnapped and the next thing I knew she was having a fantasy dream when the last thing I read, she was in the middle of a conversation. Other than that, the plot is well paced and leaves only a couple loose ends (remember this is the first book in a series, so to me, the couple loose ends aren't really a big deal) but the cliffhanger at the end, is jaw dropping. I never saw that coming and the sudden change between loyalties to the "major players" towards the end was another great twist.

I just want to note that I believe some readers will love this story, it will fill them with butterflies and rainbows and squeal worthy moments. There were aspects that just weren't for me and some of the similarities in the beginning made it hard for me personally to connect to the story until halfway through. But I will be reading the second installment because I want to know what happens and how Nancy and Peter's story will unfold. 

Amazon Link                                      Smashwords

B&N Link                                          Amazon UK

About the Author

JILL ELAINE HUGHES is a professional journalist, playwright, memoirist, and fiction author. She has written for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Washington Post, Cat Fancy magazine, New Art Examiner, and numerous other media outlets. Her plays have been widely published and produced by theaters in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, the United Kingdom, and Australia. She is also the author of several New Adult fiction books. Ms. Hughes also writes erotic fiction under two pen names: Jamaica Layne and Jay E. Hughes.

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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.

**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.

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.

**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.

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*

Don't Bite the Bridesmaid Amazon

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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!

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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)! 

**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?

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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.

Blog:  http://michelegmiller.blogspot.com

Goodreads:  Michele G Miller

Facebook:  Michele G Miller

Twitter:  @chelemybelles

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Rock Star Blog Tour!

Yay, this is my stop on the Rock Star blog tour and I'm pretty excited. I'm sorry I was late getting it up but after the tropical storm that came through decided to ruin my day yesterday fried my laptop. I had to re-type it after class. On the plus side, I totally got to dissect and eyeball and a brain in class today and it was spectacular. Seriously, take a class where you can dissect stuff. Back to the books! I present you today my review and a couple excerpts.

Faded

by Mercy Amare

Synopsis

I left Hope – the only place I’ve ever felt at home. So now what? Where do I go from here?

When I left, I didn’t just leave my home. I left my friends, my sisters, and Stephan… I just found them. I can’t lose them now.

I know that I want to do MY music. I need to remember WHY I wanted to play music in the first place. And the only way to get that is by firing my dad, but that may be harder than I thought.

On top of everything, I now have cameras following me around everywhere. Even my own home isn’t safe anymore.

I’ve come to realize that normal will never be an option for me.

My Review

4 Stars

So after the cliff hanging ending of Jaded and all the twists along the way, I was pretty excited to read Faded. Plus I really liked the cover of Faded and think that overall it was a great fit for the story (which is a plus becomes sometimes; I see covers that for the life of me, I can’t relate to the book).  After growing to love Scarlett and Stephan in Jaded and the ending, I was pleased to find that Faded started just a week later. Thank God it wasn’t a week where I missed something or else I definitely would have been emailing Mercy Amare as I kept reading. Thankfully Scarlett stayed true to her nature while developing even more as a strong character throughout book two. The last few chapters of this book were game changing and I am looking forward to reading Hated.

**Look out for moments like this. Where when you reading you get all excited like the characters

I like how Mercy managed to make Jaded focus more about all the changes in Scarlett’s life, and Faded is where she gets to learn to live with it. From the first book, Scarlett had a strong personality that has changed for the better in Faded. To me it felt like she was a more well-rounded person while still being strong. Even though she has some moments with Stephan where I think she could have stood her ground a bit more…but I can understand why she lets things slide a little more easily. She’s young and in love. Alec was around much more too which I was grateful for. I like his attitude, he’s funny and truthful. And he gets his own little romance sub plot which was so cute. I can admit that recently I’ve been reading a lot more Romance books than normal for me, but I can’t help it. I keep falling in love with characters like Scarlett, Stephan, Alec, Bridgett and Stacy.

**Seriously, I feel like we may come to find out all those things she acted like was cool, was indeed not cool. I mean, he ends up crushed for awhile before his happy ending.**

Now I’m waiting for Hated so I can hopefully get to know more about how some things turn out from this book. Like the ending, I swear I never saw that coming and now I need to know what Mercy is going to do with this. Faded was so much better than Jaded, the plot had more depth to it and we got to know everyone a little more. Seeing how their stories end will be so much fun. Especially if it happens like anything I’ve planned out in my head. You definitely need to read Jaded first before you pick up Faded or you’ll spend a lot of time trying to imagine what happened before. There were a couple spots where to me it didn’t flow as well as it could have but it didn’t really affect the story. It’s just one of my “things.” If you’re looking for an easy read that’s fun and full of twists, you should definitely check these books out. Faded will not disappoint readers who were left waiting after Jaded.

Excerpts

Stephan's POV

I watch as Scarlett walks down the stairs. When I told her to look hot, I hadn’t expected her to look this hot. She’s wearing a short dress that barely covers her ass, and I know that I am going to have a hard time keeping my hands to myself.

“You probably should have worn more comfortable shoes, Blondie,” I tell her, looking at her shoes. I’m trying really hard not to stare at her perfect figure.

“You told me to dress hot. You can't look hot and be comfortable,” she replies, shaking her head.

“You'd look hot in anything...” I pause, and then add, “or nothing. I'm ok with that option as well. Feel free to take your clothes off.”

Why did I say that? My mouth has like no filter when I’m around her… Especially when she is dressed like this.

She rolls her pretty blue eyes at me. “Seriously, perv, if this is how it's going to be tonight, I will just go home.”

She starts to turn around, but I grab her by the elbow. “No, no, I'll be good. I promise.”

“Just remember – you will never see me naked. EVER.” Her eyes say something very different, and I know that one day she will be mine.

“One day soon, I will prove you wrong. And when I do, I am going to remind you of this very conversation.”

She bites her lip, and I can tell she’s trying not to smile. Damn, she’s hot.

Scarlett's POV

“You will break one day,” he says confidently.

“Maybe, but maybe not. I’m a pretty strong willed person. I could make you wait until our wedding night.”

Stephan smiles. “Wedding night?”

Crap. Did I just say that out loud? Now would be a really great time for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. I turn away from him, and try to think of something to say. I can feel the heat in my cheeks. Why oh why did I just say that?

“I’m sorry,” I finally speak. “I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean to imply that we were going to get married.”

“Scarlett, turn around,” he demands.

I turn around to see him standing directly in front of me. He puts his hands on the sides of my face, and tilts my head up so that I am looking at him.

“You’re really beautiful when you blush.”

I can’t help but smile at his words.

He kisses my cheek. “That’s better. Let’s just forget you said that.”

As always, Stephan knows exactly what to say to make me feel better. “Thank you.”

“Scarlett Montgomery,” he nods approvingly. “I like it.”

“I thought we were forgetting I ever said anything,” I remind him.

“I was just testing it out, you know, for future reference.”

I shake my head. “Let’s just play.”

About the Author

I am a YA/ NA author of the books: Don’t Tell, You Got Me, and the Rock Star Trilogy: Jaded, Faded, and Hated. I have a slight addiction to the TV series Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries. I'm 23 years old, and I currently live in St Louis, with my husband of 2 years.

Stalk her here

FACEBOOK –  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mercy-Amare/466953106650292

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/MercyAmare

WEBSITE – http://www.mercyamare.com

GOODREADS – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6464549.Mercy_Amare

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