28 February 2015

(Late) Book Blitz: Love Bites by Rachel K. Burke w/ Giveaway


Love Bites
Release Date: 12/29/15
Harper Impulse
New Adult
225 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
What do you do when you fall in love with your best friend’s boyfriend?

That is the question that twenty-six year-old Justine Sterling has been asking herself ever since the day she met David Whitman, her best friend Renee’s boyfriend. Justine is determined to ignore her growing feelings for the irresistibly charming David, until one night, when she finds herself in the bed of the one person she should stay away from.

When Justine and David’s affair ends in heartbreak, Justine is forced to repair the damaged friendship with her best friend. In doing so, she learns that right and wrong decisions aren’t always black and white, and sometimes you have to follow your heart to see where it leads.


Buy Links:
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About the Author:
Rachel discovered she wanted to be a writer at the age of ten, when her love of R.L. Stine murder mystery novels inspired her to start writing her own.
In 2008, Rachel combined her love of writing and music and began freelancing for a music column in Worcester Magazine. She also worked as a music journalist for Starpulse News Entertainment and Jamsbio Magazine, as well as a fitness journalist for Prevention Magazine.
Rachel graduated from Bridgewater University in 2011 with a B.A. in Communications and Media Studies.

She currently resides in Santa Monica, CA.


Author Links:
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Excerpt:
I didn’t sleep with David that night. I mean, sure, I slept with him, but not in the sexual sense. Only in the nocturnal sense.
After changing out of our soaking wet swimsuits, David and I somehow ended up in my bed. I’m not really sure how it happened. One minute, I was curled up under my covers, trying to warm up because my hair was soaking wet. The next minute, David was sitting on the edge of my bed, attempting to continue our conversation. Eventually, we both fell asleep without leaving that general proximity.
By the time I woke up the next morning, David was no longer in my bed, so it sort of felt like it never happened. Instead, he was now in the kitchen, making coffee and eggs and toast. God, he was so damn perfect. Even in his gym shorts with messy bedhead. I remember, at that distinct moment, thinking about how much I wished I could find someone like him. And hating Renee for not realizing how lucky she was.
“So, little lady,” David said, placing two plates of food down on the kitchen table. “What are your plans for this evening?”
I sat down at the table and rubbed my throbbing temples. “Well, I can tell you what I won’t be doing.”
“Hmm… breaking up more families?”
I glared at him. He grinned.
“Too soon?”
I picked a piece of crust off my toast and threw it at him. “Funny,” I retorted. “I think I’m just going to stay in tonight.”
He took a bite of scrambled eggs and nodded. “Well, if you’re here later, maybe I’ll swing by. I don’t really feel like going out either.”
There was a part of me that felt like I should say no, because it felt wrong to be spending time with Renee’s boyfriend when she wasn’t there. But there was also a part of me that thought I was overreacting. I mean, what was the big deal? We hadn’t done anything wrong. We had a drink, went swimming and fell asleep. That was it.
So why did I feel guilty?
Deep down, I knew why. It was because of the way I felt about him. The way I’d felt about him since the moment I met him. But of course, I couldn’t tell him that.
“That’s fine,” I said. “As long as it’s cool with Renee.”
“I’m sure she’d be happy that I was here to cheer you up. Since she couldn’t be.”
It was then that I saw something in his eyes. That look. It was the same look I always fought to ignore, but it seemed more intense now, more dangerous. Maybe because we were alone. Or maybe because my feelings for him weren’t entirely one-sided. But I could’ve sworn, at that moment, that I felt something between us change.
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27 February 2015

(Late) Release Day Blitz: The Dream Catcher by Anya Monroe w/ Giveaway


The Dream Catcher
Release Date: 02/19/15
300 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
***Paddle boards, bonfires & bikinis won’t help Penny. She craves the boy from the woods; not knowing she’s already caught in his nightmare. ***

Penny’s nightmare is ruling her life and she doesn’t know why. It started a few months ago, and since then Red Bulls, 5-hour Energy Shots, and Starbucks drive-thru are her lifeline.

When Penny’s parents decide to take their research of a rare Native American cult to a remote cabin for the summer, she's less than enthused.

Then Penny meets Delsin in a clearing in the woods, and her view of the world awakens. Apathy defines her, but Delsin lives life to it’s fullest. A shaman-in-training, he is everything Penny is not.

Each morning she comes to the woods, handing pieces of her heart to him, but when Penny is confronted with her worst nightmare, Delsin asks for a sacrifice Penny didn’t see coming.


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About the Author:
Anya Monroe likes to write stories and paint words on her walls. She believes in love at first sight and fights for happily-ever-afters. As a wife and mom to six kids, she carves out time to write between carpool pick-ups and date nights because words are her heartbeat. She lives a ferry ride from Seattle and is a total Pacific Northwesterner who drinks chai lattes and wears Birkenstocks and has dreadlocks. She's a cliché, but doesn't mind it. Not even a little.

She documents her lovely-messy life on IG @anyamonroe. Find her there!


Author Links:
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Excerpt:
My parents told me apathy is the first sign of depression and I told them I don’t give a shit. That’s when I got locked up in the psych ward for fourteen days, which is how long insurance would let me stay. The only decent thing about that place was the drugs were so good I could sleep without remembering.
At home, I don’t have that luxury. Grandma got all hooked on painkillers a few years ago so to say my parents have “issues” with narcotics would be an understatement. In their opinion, Advil is basically a gateway drug.
Besides the drugs, I hated the psych ward. The food was seriously disgusting and access to Starbucks was a no-go. One time Ollie tried to bring me a quad-venti-salted-caramel-mocha and he had to dump it out in a sink. Literally dump the entire twenty ounces of glory down the drain in front of the nurse. I told him he was a jackass for even telling me that story.
You don’t mess with caffeine.
At least I don’t. Not anymore.
I suppose I am a hypocrite. Since I do care about coffee, which is the only thing keeping me on this side of crazy.
“I’m getting a bagel. You want anything to eat?” Ollie asked as we pulled into the Starbucks drive-thru. I shook my head no, frowning at the question. Carbs made me sleepy. Sleeping is where all the trouble started. “Okay, one bagel and a venti Americano with cream. Oh, and a grande chocolate chip Frappuccino,” he said into the intercom.
“I can’t believe you’re drinking that before 8 am.”
“It’s all good, Penny. I’m headed to the lake with my paddleboard. Ain’t nobody gonna hold me down!” He gets all gangster when he’s pumped. He graduated high school last week and suddenly the world is his oyster. Which would make sense if he weren’t currently couch surfing.
“I still have to go to school, okay? Stop rubbing it in my face.”
I had another week of junior year. Ollie could suck it. He got to do whatever the hell he wanted. I mean, besides the homeless part. I handed him a twenty, which he in turn handed to the barista hanging out the window wearing a green apron and a smile.
I scowled at her.
Taking a sip of the coffee helped even though Ollie kept driving toward the massive brick masterpiece that had been my school for way too long. The place blew, and Ollie was the only reason it had managed to remain semi-tolerable.
“I can’t believe you’re ditching me. I would never do that to you,” I whined to my best friend as we pulled up to the curb for drop off.
“Look, I’ll pick you up after school, just like we promised your parents, and then we can go do something epic. Something totally Penny.” He leaned over to open the door for me, kissing me on the cheek.
“What in the world is something totally Penny?” I asked, as I got out of his ancient Honda civic.
“We could go to the mall. There’s a sale at American Eagle.”
I rolled my eyes out of habit. Having a gay best friend would be better if I liked to shop.
“You’re such a cliché,” I said, shutting the door.
“See you at three!” He called through the rolled-down window as he drove away, leaving me standing, half-awake, on the sidewalk outside of the lamest establishment known to man.
I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my hoodie as it vibrated. Mom.
MOM: Hope you made it to school okay!
      See you at 6. Please check in at 3 and hand in paper! XO
I needed more coffee if I was going to get through the day.

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06 February 2015

Book Blitz: Valentines Heat Anthologies

New from Etopia Press, a couple great Valentine's Day themed Anthologies to spice up your reading! The anthologies feature short stories from Etopia authors: Ally Shields, Nessie Strange, Keith Melton, C.L. Bledsoe, Elizabeth Ellen Carter and Cynthia Hampton. These anthologies have something for everyone so make sure you check these sizzling stories out!


Valentines Heat I



“Heart’s Pride” by Ally Shields
The Guardian Witch Series

When their wedding is ruined by a werepanther attack, Katrina is left hospitalized and Blane is just...gone. But when he finally finds his way back to Riverdale, he learns he’s not the only one who’s been tracking Katrina...

“Lost Soul, Lost Love” by Nessie Strange
The Living Dead World Series


It’s Jen MacLellan’s first trip back to earth as a new reaper, and Mardi Gras is in full swing. When she happens upon Chip, a partier stuck in a perpetual 1983, Jen decides to help him find the woman he loves so he can move on. Assuming all goes well when he finds her...

“Red Dogs” by Keith Melton
The Zero Dog Mission Series


Mercenary pyromancer Andrea Walker has just saved the world from bloodthirsty hagworms and is late for her Valentine’s date with Jake. Until she hears that Jake has already left her house...with her...

“V-Day” by CL Bledsoe
The Necro-Files Series


Daisy and her friends think going to a frat party on Valentine’s Day will be a fun, not-at-all-desperate Girls Night Out. What they don’t expect is to have Delilah’s succubus pheromones accidentally set off the apocalypse...


Valentines Heat II


“Moonstone Promise” by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

After her husband’s death in Colonial Pennsylvania, Ann Sellars forges a business partnership with Toby Jackson that quickly becomes a friendship. But when Toby proposes marriage on the eve of leaving for England, Ann isn’t sure if she’s ready to leave her memories, or her new business, behind...

“A Perfect Judge” Cynthia Hampton


When Kamber Prescott agrees to emcee the annual Valentine’s Day Fantasy Auction, she has no intention to bid on one of the sexy bachelors. But seeing Jeffrey Hatcher again after their Christmas party fling makes her reconsider. Especially since the auction has only one rule: the rules exist only if you want them to...
  

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For more great books from Etopia Press, visit them here:

04 February 2015

January 2015 Reading Wrap Up!

January 2015 Reading Wrap-Up!
*The books mentioned in this video are the few that I managed to finish in the month of January!





The Books:
When by Victoria Laurie 
Finding Paris by Joy Preble
Slavery And Freedom by James Oakes 

Thank you so much for stopping by! Don't forget to tell me what you finished, or leave video links in the comments below. I would love to check them out :)

30 January 2015

Early Review: Finding Paris by Joy Preble

Finding Paris by Joy Preble
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: April 21, 2015
# of Pages: 272
Synopsis: A page-turning, evocative novel for fans of THIRTEEN REASONS WHY and SPEAK, about a girl who must follow a trail of mysterious clues to discover what happened to her sister.

Sisters Leo and Paris Hollings have only ever had each other to rely on. They can’t trust their mother, who hops from city to city and from guy to guy, or their gambler stepfather, who’s moved them all to Las Vegas. It’s just the two of them: Paris, who’s always been the dreamer, and Leo, who has a real future in mind—going to Stanford, becoming a doctor, falling in love.

But Leo isn’t going anywhere yet… until Paris ditches her at the Heartbreak Hotel Diner, where moments before they had been talking with physics student Max Sullivan. Outside, Leo finds a cryptic note from Paris—a clue. Is it some kind of game? Where is Paris, and why has she disappeared?

When Leo reluctantly accepts Max’s offer of help, the two find themselves following a string of clues through Vegas and beyond. But the search for the truth is a not a straight line. And neither is the path to secrets Leo and Max hold tightly.


My Review:
I received Finding Paris by Joy Preble from the program, Around The World ARC Tours where you can get ARCS to read and review, and then pass on to the next person.

Finding Paris was amazing the whole way through. The characters were great, the plot was intense with all its plot twists I found myself never wanting to put the book down. In the very beginning we meet sisters Leo and Paris. First off I love the way they are introduced, with Paris waking Leo up in the middle of the night for pie because of a boy. It just showed their character and I found it very interesting.

When Tommy is first introduced, there was not anything I felt was strange about him. He just seemed like a normal drunken stepfather, this is really common in books so I did not think anything of it. I immediately loved Max when he came into the picture. The way Leo approached him with pie in hand, it was incredibly cute and I loved it.

I obviously already knew that Paris was going to disappear because it reveals that to us in the synopsis but I was still confused when it happened. The first not said something like he made me do it, and I kept trying to figure out who ‘he’ was but I did not start figuring it out who it was until the end of the book. Paris leaving almost was a good thing though because it really brought Leo and Max together for the better. The two had their ups and downs yes but they had just met, they cannot be expected to love everything about each other right away. So the few tiffs they had were to be expected.

The ending completely threw me! I was definitely not expecting what happened. I read the few pages that the secret came out on and said out loud, “plot twist,” everyone around me was confused but it made sense to me. In the end I fell more in love with the bond that Paris and Leo had for each other, and what lengths they were willing to go to for each other. I have always wanted a sister so I could have that kind of bond with someone. 
 
 
 

24 January 2015

Stacking The Shelves - January 24, 2015





Hello Bookies, how are you all on this very snowy day? This is going up a little late but we are in the middle of a snow storm, and I also just got home from work. So it has been a very slow day.

In other news! Here are the books I have received recently!
Bought:
Still Alice by Lisa Geneova

Borrowed: 
Between Shades Of Gray by Ruta Septeys 

From Work:
All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Around The World ARC Tours:
Finding Paris by Joy Preble

School:
Slavery & Freedom by James Oakes

For Review:
Bit Players, Has Been Actors & Other Posers by S.M. Stevens
Bit Players, Bullies & Righteous Revels by S.M. Stevens
Bit Players, Bird Girls & Fake Break Ups by S.M. Stevens


My Reviews You May Have Missed! 


Thanks for stopping by! Leave links to your hauls, and STS' below :)


15 January 2015

Book Blitz: The Clone Chronicles by Heather Hildenbrand

   
Deviation by Heather Hildenbrand
Publisher: Alloy
Release Date: December 30, 2014
Synopsis: Until a month ago, eighteen-year-old Ven had never set foot outside the windowless warehouse where she was created. An Imitation of Raven Rogen, Ven spent her days confined in the lab, studying videos of her Authentic, all so she could step into Raven’s life at a moment’s notice.
Now, Ven lives in Raven’s penthouse apartment, kisses Raven’s boyfriend, and obeys every order from Raven’s dad, Titus Rogen—the very man who created her. But Ven has a secret plan. She doesn’t want Raven’s life. She wants her own. In the action-packed sequel of Imitation, Ven wages a dangerous war against Titus. First she’ll free herself, then she’ll free every last Imitation. . . . 

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1wXxNHZ
Haven't started the Imitation series yet?

Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand
Publisher: Create Space Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: April 3, 2013
Synopsis: Everyone is exactly like me. There is no one like me.
Ven wrestles with these contradicting truths every day. A clone of wealthy eighteen-year-old Raven Rogen, Ven knows everything about the girl she was created to serve: the clothes she wears, the boys she loves, the friends she loves to hate. Yet she’s never met the Authentic Raven face-to-face. Imitations like Ven only get to leave the lab when they’re needed—to replace a dead Authentic, donate an organ, or complete a specific mission. And Raven has never needed Ven . . . until now. When there is an attack on Raven’s life, Ven is thrust into the real world, posing as Raven to draw out the people who tried to harm her. But as Ven dives deeper into Raven’s world, she begins to question everything she was ever told. She exists for Raven, but is she prepared to sacrifice herself for a girl she’s never met? Fans of Cinder, The Selection and Sara Shepard’s Lying Game series will love Imitation, a thrilling, action-packed novel sure to keep readers guessing until the very last page.   

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1AO8UlO
 
Meet The Author:
Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. (She's only slightly socially awkward as a result.) Since 2011, she's published more than eight YA & NA novels including the bestselling Dirty Blood series. She splits her time between coastal Virginia and the island of Guam and loves having a mobile career and outrageous lifestyle of living in two places. Her most frequent hobbies are riding motorcycles and avoiding killer slugs.
Heather is also a publishing and success coach bent on equipping and educating artists who call themselves authors. She loves teaching fellow writers how to create the same freedom-based lifestyle she enjoys. For more information visit www.phoenixauthorink.com and find out how to create your own OutRAGEous Life. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman. You can find out more about Heather and her books at www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com
 
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