Thursday, October 31, 2013

Ruin by Rachel Van Dyken ~ Review

Source: Purchased eBook

I'm not your typical girl. I've been running away from the memories that haunt me for so long that depression has become my only comfort. I was content in the darkness...until Wes Michals offered to be my light.

I didn't know that time wasn't my ally -- that every second that ticked past was one step closer to the end of something that was beginning to mean the end of myself. He tried to warn me. He promised me all he was able to offer--each moment as it came--but it would never be enough.

Sometimes when you think it's the end, it's only the beginning. Wes thought he could save me, but in giving me everything, he ruined me. Because after one kiss, one touch, I couldn't--I wouldn't ever be the same.

And from that moment on, his heartbeat became my own.





 My Thoughts:




4 stars - This one has the feel of a fairy tale with the sexy Wes staring as the Prince!

Best $.99 I've spend in a very long time.

Yes this is New Adult romance but it has this fairy tale feel that I just loved.  So there were lots of things that wouldn't normally add up for me but they just worked in this one.  For example, she's holding her V-card AND she's never been kissed at age nineteen.  Yeah, there a reason for it.  She's suffering from some pretty bad depression but figures it out with Wes' help.  Their emotions develop really fast.  The secret that Wes is keeping is overwhelming and emotional.  The ending is too perfect.  If any of these things had been in another book to the degree they are in this book, I probably wouldn't have liked it BUT this one mixes those things together with some fairy tale pixy dust to make it one delicious read.

Wes.  Love him.  He's a talker.  The words that come out of his mouth sometimes had me wanting cuddle time with him.  He knows how to touch Kiersten's heart in ways that heal her.  I loved that.  He's a sexy football player with some yummy abs too.  I loved his relationship with his dad.  He has this lamb and wolf thing going between them that was just precious! I loved the friendship he makes with Gabe.  I loved Wes.

Speaking of Gabe.  THAT boy! He had me cracking up so much.  Him and his cousin, Lisa, are just so much fun to read.  I was sailing through the pages giggling because of them.  I'm so excited that Gabe gets his own book.  Can't wait to find out what has driven him to his player ways.  Should be another good one.

This one reads fast.  I read the first half with my pal, Autumn.  We had a great time stressing over a few things and doing some virtual hand  holding.  I could have read it straight through if my pesky day job didn't get in the way. As it was, I read it in two evenings easily.

I can't resist a few quotes to convince you that this one is SO WORTH IT!

Quotes:

"Yeah, well, you don't strike me as the type of guy who just holds hands."

"You're right." I exhaled.  "But I'm a fan of hands, or maybe it's just yours, Lamb."  It was true.  I liked her hands.  Everything about her screamed innocence.  I almost felt bad for corrupting her, for wanting her.  Almost being the key word. (Kindle Location 449)




"Stay," he whispered in a hoarse voice.  "Stay with me."

"In your room?"

"No. On the roof." He chuckled in my ear.  "Yes, in my room.  What if I promise not to touch you?"

"Isn't that what guys say before they seduce girls?  At least in the movies?"

"Not a movie."  His fingers tapped my collarbone and then moved slowly down the front of my shirt, stopping right on my heart.  "I just want to feel your heart beating.  That's all." (Kindle Location 762)




Her breath hitched as my mouth met hers in such a whisper that it was almost as if we weren't touching, but we were.  Her lips were wet.  I liked along the seam, breaking them apart, and then slowly letting her taste take over.  I pushed my tongue against the inside of her mouth loving the way her body tensed as the pressure increased.

She moaned, putting her arms around my neck.  I helped her, rocking her harder against my body.  My hands came around her back, and I tried to get all of her to press against me.  I'd never felt so alive as when that girl, that perfectly strange girl who I'd only met days before, was near me.  (Kindle Location 1388)

You can find one more quote from a swoon I posted HERE.



About the author:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers!





The Darkest Part by Trisha Wolfe is ON SALE!

Pressing the boundaries of both the psyche and the heart, Sam and Holden embark on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of love.

Sam Wintry’s life used to be almost perfect. She was engaged to her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, Tyler Marks, planning an amazing cross-country honeymoon during her college break. But after a hit-and-run leaves her in ruin, she begins seeing Tyler’s fractured, ghostly presence, and her family believes she’s losing her mind. Not until she completes their journey, stopping along the way to scatter Tyler's remains, will Tyler be able cross over. Only...is Sam ready for him to leave her?

When the black sheep of the Marks' family, Holden Marks, returns to check on Tyler's case, Sam convinces him to give her his brother's ashes. Despite their shaky history, she needs him...plus, he owes it to Sam and his brother. What she doesn’t count on is Holden’s relentlessness to go on the trip.

On the road, Holden realizes just how unhinged Sam has become. Dealing with her psychosis forces him to confront his dark past, making it harder to keep secrets hidden that should remain buried. Especially from Sam, the only woman he’s ever loved. And as Sam starts to unravel the truth, she begins to question if the brother she's unwillingly falling for again is in an even darker place than her.

New Adult Contemporary coming this year.

What readers are saying about THE DARKEST PART...

"This is a great story that captures every element bringing it to a full circle of knowledge and love. A worthy read that is unique and entertaining, The Darkest Part is great." - Savannah @ BooksWithBite

"The Darkest Part is not your typical NA. It’s a powerful mentally and emotional story about true love and finding your way out of the darkness. Something that only a talented writer can pull off." - Nereyda @ Mostly YA Book Obsessed

"The Darkest Part is emotional, raw, dark, and passionate, and I felt each of those emotions with Sam and Holden through the entire novel." - Ellen @ Always YA At Heart





Available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon 
for only 99¢ from now until November 2nd!


Find the author...







Swoon Thursday ~ 10/31/13



The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme.  Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the chicks at YABound!

 Sentinel (Covenant, #5) by Jennifer L Armentrout

It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13605723-sentinel

"You need your eyes checked."
He smiled a little.  "And you need your head examined."
I bit down on my lip.

"Come here," he said again, raising his hand.
This time, I didn't think about the numbness and the coldness in my chest.  I pushed past them and forced my legs forward.  In three uneven steps my fingers curled around his.

 Aiden tugged me into his lap, fitting me against his chest so I could hear his heart thunder in his chest.  His arms swept around me, holding me in place.  A breath shuddered through him, and gods, I loved it when he held me like this.

His lips brushed my forehead. "Agapi mou." (Page 29)

I so love Aiden.  I love it when guys say "come here".  I love this book.  What about you?  Have a swoon for me?  Leave me a comment.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Fighting Fate by Linda Kage ~ Review & tour stop

Source: Received eBook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
See complete tour here






*New Adult Romance*

Forgiving your brother's murderer may be noble, but falling in love with him borders on betrayal.

When Paige Zukowski enrolls at Granton University in honor of her dead brother, she has no idea fate will land her on the same campus with the very guy who killed him. But Logan Xander isn't quite the murderer she's always believed him to be.

A day hasn't passed since the tragedy that Logan doesn't wish he could go back and undo everything. It doesn't take Paige long to realize he's suffered as much as she has. Forgiving him for ruining her life might not be so impossible after all. But when she actually starts to like him and realizes he likes her in return, their true anguish begins.





My Thoughts:




4 stars - A very different New Adult story that will keep you reading late into the night!

I love it when I pick up a book at bedtime with the thought of just having a taste only to finish it early the next morning.  That's what happened with this book.  Honestly, I haven't seen a whole lot of different in the New Adult genre.  But this one is exactly that, different.

Paige is trying very hard to live her brothers life but she never thought she would find the guy who killed him attending the same college as her.  She lived a terrible life the last three years since her brothers death and it's all Logan's fault.  Her anger is clear.  Her unwillingness to see past the pain she lives with is real.  But as she keeps running into the tortured Logan, she starts to see some things she wasn't expecting.  And that just doesn't make her happy at all.  He is not supposed to be a good guy.  He is not supposed to volunteer his time.  He is not supposed to help her.  She is not supposed to be attracted to him, at all.  She has to stay away from him, that's all.  Of course, fate disagrees.

See, Logan is/has paid more than enough for the horrible mistake he made three years ago.  But the end of that suffering is no where in site.  Paige's appearance on campus only makes it worse.  He doesn't blame her for the hatred she feels for him - he agrees with her.  So he tries to stay away from her and he makes sacrifices to make it happen.  But as hard as he tries, they were never meant to be apart.  As a matter of fact, they may need each other to come to terms with their common past.  I really fell for Logan.  He made a mistake.  A mistake a lot of guys have made but the results were much more dramatic.  It ruined his life as much as it did Paige's and he can't forgive himself anymore than she can.  But he's learned from his mistake and he's become a great guy because of it.

The things that I loved most about this book include the fact that the love does not happen in the first two chapter and then we have angst after that to prevent them from being together.  No, things move at what feels like a normal pace as months pass as the story unfolds.  I loved that both of these characters are likable.  I truly loved them both.  I didn't fight the urge to slap one of them.  I just watched as they fought their attraction and worked through some serious feeling and clear signs of grief.  Nothing was easy and everything felt real.

Like I said, I read this one straight through.  I didn't want to put it down and I had the time so I just read.  It was a pleasant surprise after reading so many so-so books lately.

If you love the NA genre then this one is just enough different to be a treat!  Pick it up.



About the author:


Linda is a contemporary romance author from the midwestern USA, where she lives with her wonderful husband, daughter, and nine cuckoo clocks. The eighth and final child of dairy farmers, she was forced into having a vivid imagination if she ever wanted to do something one of her siblings hadn't already tried. Feel free to visit her at her website: www.LindaKage.com




****GIVEAWAY****


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Trailer Reveal ~ Foreplay by Sophie Jordan

You already know I loved this book, now check out the trailer!









FOREPLAY:
Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs.

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom-take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep-with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…


http://www.amazon.com/Foreplay-The-Ivy-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00BATNQDShttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/foreplay-sophie-jordan/1115217155?ean=9780062279873https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17254035-foreplay?from_search=true


Cover Reveal

ALL THE PRETTY LIES by M. Leighton has a cover and we get to share it with you today! Check out how pretty it is and then look below to read all about the title and M. Leighton! That's right! M. Leighton is bringing us a new series!!



Isn't it gorgeous?!? ALL THE PRETTY LIES is a New Adult Contemporary Romance filled with heat, lies, and romance. It is scheduled to be released November 12, 2013.

About ALL THE PRETTY LIES:

All the Pretty Lies
“Live, no regrets”

Her…
Sloane Locke has led a sheltered life.  However, with a history like hers, she can understand why her brothers and her father want so much to protect her.  She has gone along with it for twenty long years, but those days are over.  For the girl who never makes promises, Sloane has made a pact with herself that things will change on her twenty-first birthday.  So when the clock strikes midnight, Sloane strikes out to spread her wings and break a few rules.

Him…
In addition to inking skin, Hemi Spencer possesses many talents. Controlling himself has never been one of them.  It’s never had to be.  He’s lived a life of indulgence for as long as he can remember.  Right up until tragedy struck.  Now, he’s nothing but controlled. He’s a man on a mission, one who will let nothing and no one stand in his way. 

Them…
Nothing in their lives could’ve prepared Sloane and Hemi for what they’d find in each other—distraction and obsession, love and possession.  But the one thing they can’t find is a future.  Neither one has been totally honest.  And they’ll soon learn that the devil is in the details.  In the details and in the lies.

How far will two people go to live in the now when the now is all they’ve got?

M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies.  She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books.  When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.  

For more about M. Leighton, visit her website at www.MLeightonBooks.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@mleightonbooks.






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#CuddlesByVal ~ 10/30/13



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 11/19/13

Torn (Billionaire Bachelors Club, #2) by Monica Murphy

Marina Knight came to this party for one thing only: to slap Gage Emerson in the face. Poised to snatch up her family’s real estate empire, the sexy tycoon is on the verge of making an enemy for life—even if he can make her melt with a single kiss …
 

When Gage discovers that the alluring woman before him is the key to his latest acquisition, claiming her as his suddenly doesn’t seem quite so cut-and-dried. To get what he wants, he must get to know the fierce woman willing to face him down—as she steadily steals his heart.
Gage’s persistence and intense passion war with Marina’s determination to protect her family. As they delve deeper into an affair they didn’t see coming, Marina’s torn: Will she lose her heart to Gage—or everything she holds dear?



AND

It's on SALE!



Loved Crave and can't wait to get to Torn!

http://www.amazon.com/Torn-Billionaire-Bachelors-Novel-ebook/dp/B00BKZGPD0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1383104120&sr=8-5&keywords=monica+murphyhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/torn-monica-murphy/1115182703?ean=9780062289360&itm=1&usri=9780062289360&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17905596-torn?from_search=true



Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Foreplay by Sophie Jordan ~ Tour






FOREPLAY:
Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs.

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom-take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep-with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…

Pre-Order it from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Add it to Goodreads



My Thoughts:




5 stars - EXACTLY what I love about New Adult and I couldn't put it down!

I loved Firelight by this author, so when I saw she had a new adult book coming out, I jumped at the chance to read it.  New adult is such a passion of mine right now and to know that the author is already good just added to the excitement for this one.

I'll bet you're wondering WHY I read this one so soon.  It doesn't come out until November after all.  Yeah, about that.  See I was having a very bad day and my mood was really bad.  How do I deal with that?  I get stuck in a book.  It's my coping mechanism.  So, I had quite of few choices of upcoming books and current things I hadn't gotten to yet all nicely tucked on my kindle.  But this one called to me.  (I've told you this before - books call to me.  Don't judge!)  Yeah, so I started reading this book (in a REALLY BAD MOOD) at like 6PM.  I really don't remember doing much accept flipping pages and the next thing I knew 5 hours had passed, the book was over and my bad mood was gone.  Yeah, it's that good.

Characters.  Pepper is in her second year of college and has only been kissed by one boy one time in 10th grade.  The V-card is still held.  Before you go and say something about how that's so not gonna happen, let me stop you.  For Pepper, it makes sense.  Two things contribute to this.  One I can tell you and the other I can't.  She's been in love with her best friends brother since she was twelve.  She has the "I'm not interested in anyone else" vibe going big time.  Put that with the other thing that I can't tell you, it makes perfect sense.  And I love Pepper.  She's smart and strong but she has made a habit of hiding when things get hard.  Her mom taught her that.  Strong because of what she went through in her life.  The fact that she made it to college after her upbringing says so much about her.  I love how she learns to be stronger still as she faces things head on.  A couple of times, things go awkward but she's going back and facing it.  I loved that about her.

And who is she facing?  The very yummy Reese, bartender and keeper of many secrets.  I love him to bits.  He's gorgeous but he's not the player Pepper thought.  Can't really explain that one but I loved how that unfolded.  I LOVE how he acquired Pepper's phone number! So much respect for Reese for that one.  I love how he takes her honesty over the awkward moments the way that he does.  And that first kiss? LOVE!  I love how he falls for this girl despite what she's looking for.  I love how gentle and patient he is with her as she learns foreplay.  Oh and dang I loved those lessons. YUMMY.

As I told you, I read it straight through in about 5 hours.  Totally involved in the story, I was surprised a few times.  I hoped for the ending I wanted but things didn't turn out quite the way I expected.  Love it when surprised and happy.  The ending is perfect, brilliant and yummy.

When you take a talented and trusted author and mix the wonderful new world of new adult, you get Foreplay.  DO. NOT. MISS. THIS. ONE.  Get this baby pre-ordered.  You will want it the day of and plan to read it straight through.

As for this series? I'm super excited to see who gets to be in book 2.  I could hope for a couple of different ones who's story I want.  Can't wait and I will drop everything to read it.



About Sophie Jordan


Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List

Follow Sophie via: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


****GIVEAWAY****

a Rafflecopter giveaway