Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Liberator by Victoria Scott ~ Tour Stop

Click here for complete tour


Summary from Goodreads:
Bad boy, meet bad girl.

Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.

When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.


Where to find The Liberator:
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My Thoughts:




5 stars - Snarky and sexy, I totally love Dante Walker!

How do I describe this book?  This book is so Dante Walker.  I totally and completely LOVE that it's from his point of view.  He is a badass demon turned liberator, sorta.  See, Dante may be a liberator working for the big guy but he's not convinced he's anything more than a demon at heart.  He loves his girl and he wants to protect her and fight for her but he doesn't feel worthy of her.  He has work to do to understand who he is.  Enter his assignment, oh and she has a name - Aspen! POW!

Do not fear love triangle peeps, there isn't one.  Aspen teaches Dante about who he is and what's important.  Along the way, he may have helped her out a bit too.  They stand by each other.  I love their relationship.  I love Aspen and her fingerless gloves! That girl can kick some booty!  And if there ever was a soul that should be liberated to heaven, it would Aspen.  But don't tell the girl I said so cause she'll kick my butt.  She so don't want to be liberated.  Yeah, I'm not crossing her, no way.

Needless to say, I love these characters.  The humor and love between them is so much fun to read.  Aspen is a mystery that I didn't get till the end.  Charlie is still wonderful Charlie, trying to figure out what to be for her man but really just Charlie and I'm so glad.  Love her.  Valery?  Yeah, not so sure about that chick but gotta love her with that name - though who taught her how to spell it?  So wrong.  I loved all of the characters.  And one that I wasn't expecting to love again - loved him too.

This world is dynamic and unique.  There really is nothing out there even close to being similar.  The combination of collectors, liberators plus the wit and charm of these characters makes this such an incredible read that just can't be compared.

As for the story?  Who knew where things were going.  Every once in a while, I guessed something right but mostly I was hanging on for dear life.   One little thing at the end threw me into craziness.  Resolution?  Yeah, not so much.  But you know what?  This book has NONE and I mean NONE of that middle book syndrome.  Why?  Because this book, this series is Dante Walker and he did some serious growing in this book.  It wasn't a set-up for the big finale.  No it was a training ground for someone who the big guy is pretty interested in for bigger things.  I'm thinking that with all the very special people in this story, the one that is most important is Dante.

This book is YA paranormal at it's VERY best.  You just can't miss this book, this series.  It's so good.  If you like paranormal even a little bit, then you need to read this.  If you like YA even a little, then you need to read this.  If you like humor, then you need to read this.  If you like to read, then you need to read this.  Truly, you will not be disappointed.  I mean it.  Go get it! POW!


About the Author
I’m a teen fiction writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. My work is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger literary agency. I have a master’s degree in marketing, and currently live in Dallas with my husband, Ryan.
My first series started with THE COLLECTOR, and was published by Entangled Teen in April 2013. The second book in the trilogy, THE LIBERATOR, will release August 2013. My next series kicks off with FIRE & FLOOD and is being published by Scholastic, February 2014.

*Author Links*
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#CuddlesByVal ~ 7/31/13



This is my version of Waiting on Wednesday but with more cuddles, books I can't wait to cuddle for various reasons.

What am I waiting on this week?  THIS!

Available August 6th


26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.



 Why am I waiting?  Love Courtney Cole - that's why!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Near & Far (Lost & Found, #2) by Nicole Williams

Now Available!
See complete tour here.
Book Description:

There’s optimistic. And there’s Jesse Walker.

If he wasn’t so charming, his sunny disposition and incessant grin would get annoying. Fast.

Falling in love with the girl who had at first seemed immune to it, was the best thing to happen to Jesse since the Walkers adopted him into their family when he was five. But loving the girl who has her fair share of secrets is about as easy as that same girl loving the boy who seems to have none.

As Jesse’s life continues at the ranch, and Rowen begins making her mark in the Seattle art community, they begin to wonder where the middle ground is. Or if there even is one.

As push comes to shove and choices aren’t only needing to be made, but forced to be made, Jesse and Rowen have to face what their lives might look like without the other.

Can two people with such tragic pasts and different presents, go on to expect a promising future? Whatever the answer, they’ll need a lot more than love to make it.




Source:  Received eBook from author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Thoughts:




5 stars - I thought I loved Jesse Walker before, now I love and adore him!

I will admit to being terrified to read this book.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the first one.  I fell hard core for Jesse Walker and the story was so awesome.  And that is exactly why I was terrified.  You see, I was sure there would be a rough road for these two.  I wasn't sure my heart could take it.  Nothing prepared me for this book awesome factor, though.  Nothing prepared me for just how good these two are together.  And while I did need some virtual hand holding from a twitter pal, I totally and completely loved this book.

The way book one ended, I knew things would have to be a struggle and they were.  These two could not be apart and be okay.  Jesse is patient and supportive, so I knew he would try but these two need each other like air.  What I wasn't prepared for was just how hard it would be on Jesse.  His past, his struggles haunted him.  I just wanted to cuddle him, hold him and cry with him.  Then I wanted to hit him.  Yes, he made this decision that just ticked me off and I wanted to hurt him.  But, of course, I could never hit Jesse Walker and cuddling is better. 

I loved the dual POVs.  Getting to read from Jesse's POV was the best.  I felt so much closer to him in this book.  It was huge.  I loved the time he spend with Garth.  I never thought I'd like Garth, as in at all, but I learned to.  I'm really hoping there will be a book 3 for Garth.  He saved the day, again.  Yeah, his ego doesn't need that little tidbit from me but it's true.  He was there for both Jesse and Rowen.  I really loved that.

The story was fabulous, so much so that I couldn't put it down.  Stayed up late reading it.  Took me about a day to read it.  I've learned that when I start a Nicole Williams book, I need to schedule the time to finish it in one sitting or plan on being up late.  She's just that kind of author for me.

If you loved Lost & Found, then you NEED this book and I mean NOW.  If you haven't read Lost & Found, what the heck are you waiting for?  Get on that.  It's NA and wonderful.  Don't miss this series.


About the author:

I’m the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of the LOST & FOUND series, the CRASH series, and a handful of others. Basically, I get to do what I love. Every single day. I write romance because I’m a sucker for a good love story, and I write happy endings because there are too few of them in real life.



****GIVEAWAY****

Tour giveaway is for 2 print copies of Near & Far (International)
$50 Gift Card from Amazon (International)




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Celebration #4


Got a couple more giveaways for you!

Still celebrating so many wonderful things here at StuckInBooks.

My wonderful followers!

Over 5000 followers on Facebook!

Almost 8000 followers on Twitter!

Great opportunities to work with great publishers and authors!
And books! Always books!

Have TWO giveaways for you!

Giving away my review copy (Signed) of...



She seemed far beyond his reach…could love draw them together?
For years shy animator Nathan has carried a torch for Brooke, the beautiful and dynamic Director of Development at their animation studio, even creating B-Girl, a comic-book heroine in her likeness. When a new project throws the two of them together, lovestruck Nathan finally seizes his moment – only to find Arnauld, head of the animation studio, claiming exclusive rights to Brooke’s affections.

But Nathan, it turns out, is not giving up on his dreams so easily. With inspired determination, he sets out to be the super hero of wooing his girl. Threatened by his persistence, Arnauld plays dirty – only to spark an uprising at the studio that unleashes the sort of havoc only a building full of frustrated animators can create. While Nathan pulls out all the stops to win his B-girl, Brooke has to choose. Should she pursue the sparkling career that has taken her years to build…or follow her heart?




INTERNATIONAL!

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Giving away my review copy (Signed) of...




Two people couldn't be more opposite...

Kellen Peterson, the gorgeous star quarterback of the Griffin High football team, seems to have it all. Until the night of the Homecoming game, when Kellen gets tackled and suffers a traumatic brain injury - an injury that changes his life - including his ability to walk, talk and throw a football.

Ivy Ly is a senior and counting down the days until she can escape to college. Though her parents have big plans for her to be a doctor, Ivy is afraid to tell them she'd rather pursue music as a career.

Ivy's best friend, Mira, is obsessed with Kellen. When Ivy is asked to tutor the injured football player upon his return to school, she thinks it's the perfect opportunity for Mira to get to know him better - but sparks fly - in more ways than one...




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Teaser Tuesday ~ 7/30/13

This is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.


To participate you:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


What do I have for you today?  This!


Jesse Walker!

I froze for a moment and just let myself...admire her.

That girl, that women, was mine.  And even though that was a hallmark I was intensely proud of, I was more sure and proud of something else.

I was hers. (Kindle location 86)


Book Description:

There’s optimistic. And there’s Jesse Walker.

If he wasn’t so charming, his sunny disposition and incessant grin would get annoying. Fast.

Falling in love with the girl who had at first seemed immune to it, was the best thing to happen to Jesse since the Walkers adopted him into their family when he was five. But loving the girl who has her fair share of secrets is about as easy as that same girl loving the boy who seems to have none.

As Jesse’s life continues at the ranch, and Rowen begins making her mark in the Seattle art community, they begin to wonder where the middle ground is. Or if there even is one.

As push comes to shove and choices aren’t only needing to be made, but forced to be made, Jesse and Rowen have to face what their lives might look like without the other.


Can two people with such tragic pasts and different presents, go on to expect a promising future? Whatever the answer, they’ll need a lot more than love to make it.



Totally love Jesse Walker! What you think of him?  Have a teaser for me?  Leave me a comment.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Cover Reveal ~ Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn & GIveaway

Available March 4, 2014 from Entangled Teen



Blurb

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt
Christian looks at me. I wait for a smart-aleck reply or a smile but get neither. Just his blue eyes sucking me in like a whirlpool. “That’s what I thought you would say. So you just have to keep fighting for it. Keep fighting to get it back.”
    My eyes won’t leave his and his won’t leave mine. And he’s cute. God, he’s so cute, I just want to focus on his cuteness. I want that to be all that matters. When his hand comes up and cups my cheek, I gasp. He brushes his thumb under my eye and licks his lips and I’m frozen and on fire and close to having a heart attack and anxious all at the same time.
    Slowly, he leans forward and I know he’s giving me time. And my heart is leaping and I want to feel his lips. This is Christian. The boy who asked me to dance. The boy I ran to my mom about and told her that I loved. And now he’s my friend. The first person who has made me feel normal since everything happened.
    But I’m so scared. Scared of messing it up. Scared he’ll decide he doesn’t want me. Scared of losing him. Of getting hurt.
    He gets closer and I smell his sweet, sugary scent. See his mouth and wet lips and that hair I want to touch.
    See the one person besides Emery who I have. The one person I can’t lose. “Wait,” I say and Christian stops moving. He’s still close. So very, very close that his lips are only an inch away from mine. “I’m scared,” I admit.
    “I won’t hurt you.”
    And I swear a part of me believes him. Maybe all of me. But how do I know if that’s the right decision or not?
    He runs his hand down my face and touches my hair. Love that he’s not nervous to do it the way I am with him and I watch his fingers, brown against my red hair.
    “Go out with me, Bryntastic. Let’s go do something this weekend. Don’t keep running. I won’t even try to kiss you again unless you tell me to. Or I’ll wait for you to do it. Just let go. Live.”
    His words are what I want. I want them so badly and they sound so perfect that it’s hard not to just scream, “Yes!” right now. “Why?” I ask him. “Why are you so nice to me?”
    I love his strength. Love that he doesn’t even hesitates before saying, “Because you were my first crush. Because I used to watch you conqueror anything and used to listen to you laugh with your friends. You were happy and I loved your smile. Because I had to work up the courage to ask you to dance and I did, and then I left and the one thing I missed was that smile. I watched my sister lose hers and watched my family fall apart and when I came back here? I wanted to see your smile again. Because you’re beautiful when you smile and you’ve lost it now. I want you to conquer this because what the hell is the purpose in it all if the first girl I ever danced with loses her smile?”
    I don’t realize I’m crying until Christian wipes my tears. “You think I’m beautiful?  



About Nyrae Dawn



Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn’s passion. There have been times in her life where she wasn’t able to chase that dream the way she desired, but she always found her way back to telling stories.


One of her loves has always been writing about teens. There’s something so fresh and fun about the age that she loves exploring. Her husband says it’s because she doesn’t want to grow up. She doesn’t think that’s such a bad thing and luckily for her, he doesn’t either.


Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she’s a total romantic at heart and proud.


Nyrae resides in sunny Southern California with her husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two awesome kids.


When she’s not with her family, you can be pretty sure you’ll find her with a book in her hand or her laptop and an open document in front of her.She writes for Entangled Publishing, Grand Central Publishing and is self-published.

Nyrae is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

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Book Blitz ~ You are Mine by Janeal Falor


You Are Mine (Mine #1)
Release Date: 05/06/13
273 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.

Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.


On sale for only $.99!
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Advanced Praise:
“I was blown away by the beautiful writing, haunting themes, and chilling visuals.” ~Becca at Nawanda Files


“There were times when I had to fight back my tears and the emotion that this book drew from me made me feel so connected to what was going on as if I was actually there. You Are Mine should be on everyones to-read list and I cannot wait to see what Janeal Falor comes up with next.” ~Danielle at Coffee and Characters

Excerpt #2:
“May I kiss you now?”

No. Kisses leave me feeling sick. “I suppose it would be for the best.”

He leans closer. I want to pull away. Thomas's kisses were callous. Painful even. The thought of more of that makes me feel queasy. But giving my permission somehow makes it harder to pull away.

His hand reaches up and brushes my face. Flecks of gold are mixed with the green of his eyes. Suddenly, he scoops me into his arms and plops me on his lap. I yelp.
“Sorry, I guess I should have warned you first.”

After straightening my skirt with quivering fingers, I hold myself stiff. His nose nuzzles against the side of my neck. Warm lips brush my jaw and sweep along my cheek until they reach the corner of my mouth. My breath comes in shallow gasps. He smells lightly of citrus.

I don't move. His fingers tangle in my hair. His lips hover over mine. A nervous flutter grows in my chest. The creak of the door opening spurs him into action.

His lips touch mine. Flowing and sunny. They grow firmer. It feels so much better than I thought it could. His fingers run through my hair, the tendrils falling out of their confinement. Heat grows between us. He pulls me closer to him. Not only do I manage to refrain from fighting him, but I want to draw even closer.


About the Author
Janeal Falor lives in Utah where she’s finally managed to live in the same house for more than five years without moving. In her spare time she reads books like they’re nuts covered in caramel and chocolate, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and enjoys the outdoors. Her husband and three children try to keep up with her overactive imagination. Usually they settle for having dinner on the table, even if she’s still going on about the voices in her head.

Author Links:
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