Cover Reveal: The Reason I Stay by Patty Maximini

The Reason I Stay by Patty Maximini 

Release Date: Summer 2014

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Synopsis: Jack Daniels is the cure to all evils. 

Sex should be casual and, preferably, anonymous.

Giving a damn is for nurses, philanthropists and suicide hotlines.

Those are the values Mathew Rogers built his adult life on and plans to spend the rest of his days honoring. In his pursuit of happiness, he embarks on a one year journey where he’ll have to prove he can live by his values and rely only on himself.

Four months and thirteen days later, due to a series of unfortunate events, he finds himself in the rickety town of Jolene, Alabama. There, he meets Lexie, a waitress with some serious attitude and values of her own.

Never underestimate the healing power of chocolate chips. 

If it walks and talks like a jerk, it’s definitely a jerk. Stay the hell away. 

When in doubt, go with a smile and kindness. It goes a long way.

Taken by her beauty and personality, Mathew questions all he’s ever known and, much to his surprise, begins to give a damn about someone else for once in his life. The problem, however, is that Lexie seems to despise him.

Desperate to get his life back but unable to get in his car and drive to the next unplanned destination, Matt stays in Jolene. In the midst of arguments, unlikely friendships, new values and heartbreak, they’ll both try to find a reason to stay.

Goodreads

Meet The Author:

Words have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always loved to read them, write them and learn them in other languages. Last year, I’ve decided to take that passion and turn it into a book, the result was Exception, my very first novel due this October.

Whenever I’m not sitting behind my computer, I’m either enjoying the company of my dear hubby, Alex, and our four four-legged babies or reading. I’m a firm believer in long hand written letters, love of any kind and good stories.

Author links: 

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I hope you all enjoyed the cover reveal!

Cover Reveal: Torrent by Gemma James

Torrent by Gemma James

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Genres: Erotica, Romance

Synopsis: I’ve been obsessed with Rafe Mason since I was thirteen. The twisted part of this story is that I still want him, even now.

Now that he’s holding me captive on an island.

Rafe has his reasons for doing what he’s doing, and if I’m honest, I can’t blame him—I’m the girl who sent him to prison for a heinous crime he didn’t commit.

But now he’s free and the tables have turned…now he’s the one driven by obsession.

Goodreads

Gemma James (a pseudonym for Christina Jean Michaels) loves to explore the darker side of sex in her fiction. She's morbidly curious about anything dark and edgy and enjoys exploring the deviant side of human nature. Her stories have been described as being "not for the faint of heart."

She lives with her husband and their four children—three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone’s attention.

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Book Blitz: Deliver Me by Kate Jarvik Birch

Deliver Me by Kate Jarvik Birch
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark
Release Date: April 14, 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Synopsis: One People. One Union. One Future. 

Wynne’s entire life is dictated by the Union: the clothes she wears, the books she reads, even the genes she inherited. And like every other girl in the Union, Wynne dreams of being chosen as a Carrier on her 16^th birthday—one of the elite selected to carry the future generation within her womb. Wynne and her best friend Odessa are certain they will both make the cut, but when Odessa is chosen and whisked off to a life of privilege, Wynne is left behind to work as an assistant, delivering babies for the Union.

As Odessa slips deeper and deeper into the role of Carrier, Wynne begins to see the Union for what it really is: a society that criminalizes the notion of love, and forbids words like mother and family.

For the first time in her life, Wynne is faced with a choice: submit to the will of the Union, or find a way to escape and save Odessa before she is lost forever.

Goodreads

Purchase:

--Amazon

--B&N

Meet The Author:

Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals including Indiana Review and Saint Ann’s Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. To learn more visit www.katejarvikbirch.com




Author links:

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Excerpt:

“And now the time for selection has come,” the Councilman said, opening an ornate leather ledger containing the nine chosen names. “When called, please step forward and take your place behind me.”

Around me, I felt the whisper of a collective breath drawn in by all the girls. We held it deep in our chests, afraid to let it go, afraid to breathe.

The Grand Councilman studied the paper in front of him, “G454-71.” 

His voice reverberated through the hall, bouncing off the carefully carved stonework and the dark wooden floors. For a moment we all stood still, letting the number ricochet around inside us.

The girl who stepped forward carried an air of superiority about her that had always bothered me. I didn’t think she was any more beautiful than Odessa or me, and her hair was a strange color, tinged with a bit of orange, but she was taller by at least a couple of inches. I knew she was strong, but I also knew with certainty that she wasn’t any smarter than us. In class her answers always sounded rote and memorized, as if she didn’t really give thought to what she was saying, but had taken great care to repeat things word for word from the text book.

Maybe I was completely off base, assuming I knew what the Union wanted in their Carriers. Maybe it was all about beauty, height and strength, maybe nothing else really mattered. Maybe the rest of the test was simply a formality.

The Grand Councilman watched as the first of the robes was placed over the girl’s shoulders before he turned back to us with an expression of satisfaction on his face. The look sent a chill through me. He looked back down at the ledger in front of him and called out the next number, “G458-89.”

G458-89. 

Of course I recognized the number. It was imprinted in my mind, the digits as clear in my memory as they were tattooed into the soft skin of Odessa’s forearm. The breath of air I’d been holding escaped my lips and I turned to my best friend, pushing her forward to the podium. 

Odessa, beautiful Odessa. 

I knew she would be called. Maybe she hadn’t been first, but she was close. Pride pushed at the inside of my chest and I suppressed a cheer. If only we were allowed to clap at least, but the selection was a sacred moment and I had to keep my emotions contained. Later tonight I could tell Odessa how proud I was of her. 

On the podium, one of the elegant Carrier robes was being placed over Odessa’s shoulders. From somewhere deep inside my head a low humming had begun. My fingers and toes felt strange, tingly.. I rubbed my hands together, trying to concentrate on the Grand Councilman’s words.

Six more numbers were called and progressively, as each girl took her place on the stand, I began to see the panic setting in on Odessa’s face. Normally, she would have caught my eye and made a funny face to break the tension, but she hardly looked like herself up there. The color still hadn’t returned to her cheeks and a bit of perspiration had sprouted on her forehead. In her eyes I saw the look of someone desperate, someone hungry. Only one more number left to call. Around me some of the girls were weeping silently, maybe it was because they were overcome with the pressure of it all, or maybe they realized their dreams of being a Carrier were dying out, merely the flicker of a flame remaining. 

The last robe hung limply on its form. Beneath the other selection robes the bodies of eight lucky girls fidgeted, waiting to see if one of their friends would be called. I caught Odessa’s eye and tried to smile, but my lips stuck to my teeth, tight and dry. The moments clicked slowly by, an eternity of waiting. What sort of future would I have if it wasn’t as a Carrier? 

Finally the Grand Councilman spoke, “The ninth and final Carrier is…D456-06.”

Odessa covered her face with her hands, but I couldn’t move; my body was completely numb. 

It wasn’t my number. It wasn’t. My number hadn’t been called.

For a moment things slowed around me. Sixteen years had brought me to this point in time and here I was completely unprepared. The air seemed to vibrate, my mind racing to catch up with the real world. I could almost see the split before me. In one direction was the future I’d imagined, in the other lay the hazy reality I’d stepped into.

I didn’t get to say goodbye to Odessa. One minute she was behind the podium and the next she was gone, swept away from me. 

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Book Blitz: Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Love and Leftovers

by Sarah Tregay 

Paperback Re-Release: 05/13/14

Katherine Tegen Books

Summary from Goodreads:

My wish
is to fall 


cranium over Converse

in dizzy, daydream-worthy 
love.

(If only it were that easy.)

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.

But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it?

Available from:
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Book Depository

About the Author
Raised without television, Sarah Tregay started writing her own middle grade novels after she had read all of the ones in the library. She later discovered YA books, but never did make it to the adult section. When she's not jotting down poems at stoplights, she can be found hanging out with her "little sister" from Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sarah lives in Eagle, Idaho with her husband, two Boston Terriers, and an appaloosa named Mr. Pots. Her next book, Fan Art, will be released in June.

Author Links:

   

Guest Post: Character Interview with Marcie:

Hi, I’m Marcie Foster. Love and Leftovers about me and what happened when my dad came out of the closet and I got stuck on summer vacation in East Nowhere, New Hampshire without my friends, the Leftovers, my boyfriend, Linus, or my security blanket. 

So, you like to write? 

I am a compulsive journal writer. I can’t live without my blue notebook. Writing poems in my notebook helps me make sense of my life and how I feel about it, sort of like psychotherapy, only a lot less expensive. And it’s private. Well, unless… never mind.

What makes a good story?

Every good story has a love story in it, like those romance novels Aunt Greta leaves behind and my mom abhors. Okay, so maybe I’m a little preoccupied with the idea of falling in love. 

What is a novel in verse?

A verse novel is written in a series of poems. All together, the poems reveal the story. 

Who is your best friend?

My best friend is Katie Raskolnikov—the blonde with a pink streak in her hair. Yes, I noticed. Her socks don’t match. We’ve been best friends since sixth grade. Yeah, I’ve gotten used to the hair. And the socks. Did you know she has a tattoo?

Do you have a boyfriend? A crush?

Both. Oops. I shouldn’t tell you that. You’ll post it on your blog. 

See there’s J.D. in New Hampshire. Think Prince Harry and throw in a little David Beckham (or other soccer-playing hunk of yumminess) and add an New England accent. Adorable. And he brings me breakfast.

Then there’s Linus, my boyfriend, back in Boise. He’s sweet and 4.0-smart with deep, espresso brown eyes. He’s the youngest of four boys and wears hand-me-down t-shirts that are all soft and huggable. He writes me love songs and posts them on YouTube. Who couldn’t love a guy like that?

GIVEAWAY:

Win a signed paperback copy of Love and Leftovers and a guitar-pick necklace. (USA and Canada)

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Book Blitz Organized by:

In My Mailbox 96 + Weekly Wrap Up

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi over at The Story Siren, and what we do is show off the books we have received throughout the week! Here is what I have received!

Around The World ARC Tours:
Vengeance by Megan Miranda

Borrowed from Work:
Dead River by Cyn Balog

Bought:
Extreme Couponing: Learn How to Be a Savvy Shopper and Save Money One Coupon at a Time by Joni Meyer-Crothers

Publishers:
You Should Have Known by Jean Haniff Korelitz
Tease by Amanda Maciel 
Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott
My Secret Fantasies by Joanne Rock

Paperback Swap:
Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Michael J. Fox

From Work:
No Book but the World by Leah Hager Cohen
The Interns Handbook: A Thriller by Shane Kuhn
The Vacationers by Emma Straub
Invisible Ellen by Shari Shattuck

Weekly Wrap Up:

Reviews:
Seven Day Fiancé by Rachel Harris


Blog Tours:
Book Blitz: Finally Forever by Katie Kacvinsky

Posts:
Teaser Tuesday: Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule

Book Blitz: Finally Forever by Katie Kacvinsky

Finally Forever by Katie Kacvinsky

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 9, 2014

Synopsis: College baseball player, Gray Thomas, had to go far out into left field to find a girl like Dylan, the ex-love-of-his-life. More than a year later, literally at a crossroads, they find each other together on a journey that is a pause between a painful past and an uncertain future. In this sexy and offbeat summer read, Gray and Dylan discover that a destination isn't always a place. More often, it's a person. Now it's time for them to finally decide, is this forever?

Goodreads

Teaser:

DYLAN:

I try to un-want things. It’s my latest challenge. And I’m continually broke, so it works out. Every day people make lists of the things they want, or the things they need. Shopping lists, to-do lists, grocery lists. I make it a challenge to un-want things. To see what I can do without. I un-want new shoes and make do with my dirty, worn out ones. I glue the soles together and sew holes. I un-want a new backpack and sew a patch on the one I have. Casting something away it easy, but just because it frays, just because it shows signs of age doesn’t mean it’s worthless. It’s amazing how well things hold up if you give them extra love. 

I un-wanted getting a haircut and let it grow wild until I cut it myself. I un-want makeup and let my freckles stand out. And strangely, in all the unneeding, I seem to gain more. 

I look up at the door Gray just walked out of. No matter how hard I try, I can’t un-want you. I can’t un-need you. Sometimes we don’t know what we need until we’re shown what we need. Up until then, we’re only making blind guesses. Sometimes, even when we think we’re roaming, we’re just traveling in a long circle that eventually leads us home. 

GRAY:

I walk into the bedroom and sit down on the bed. Dylan isn’t here; it gives me a chance for a mental pep talk. I run my hands through my hair. I have to mentally rise above the situation. I can’t let my mind go there. I can’t let myself remember. I can’t let myself want her. She is the one thing I can never have. 

I look up at the door she’s about to walk through. I gave you up. I realized I wasn’t born to love you. I was born to lose you. You are my sad song.  My melancholy mix. My regrets, my what ifs. You are my past until you suddenly crashed into my present. But you will never be my future. 

I replay that sentence over and over in my head. 

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Teaser Tuesday: Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted over at Should Be Reading  What we do is pick up a book we're currently reading and share a couple teaser sentences! Here are the rules:

Rules:

• Grab your current read
• Flip to a random page
• Share 2 teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be sure not to include spoilers!
• Also include the title and the author

Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule

Synopsis: A young soprano enrolls in a remote music academy where nothing, not even her mysterious young vocal coach, is as it seems

Outside Dunhammond Conservatory, there lies a dark forest. And in the forest, they say, lives a great beast called the Felix. But Sing da Navelli never put much faith in the rumors and myths surrounding the school; music flows in her blood, and she is there to sing for real. This prestigious academy will finally give her the chance to prove her worth—not as the daughter of world-renowned musicians—but as an artist and leading lady in her own right.

Yet despite her best efforts, there seems to be something missing from her voice. Her doubts about her own talent are underscored by the fact that she is cast as the understudy in the school's production of her favorite opera, Angelique. Angelique was written at Dunhammond, and the legend says that the composer was inspired by forest surrounding the school, a place steeped in history, magic, and danger. But was it all a figment of his imagination, or are the fantastic figures in the opera more than imaginary? 

Sing must work with the mysterious Apprentice Nathan Daysmoor as her vocal coach, who is both her harshest critic and staunchest advocate. But Nathan has secrets of his own, secrets that are entwined with the myths and legends surrounding Dunhammond, and the great creature they say lives there.

Lyrical, gothic, and magical, Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule will captivate and enchant readers.

Teaser:

"A sleeping part of her mind stirred from where it lay curled around her memories of home. From a moment, she was mesmerized. 

Then it passed.

She tore out his throat." pg 45

So what do you think? Let me know in the comments!