Thursday, April 23, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Blog Tour Review feat Giveaway- The Truth About Jack by Jody Gehrman
The Truth About Jack
by Jody Gehrman
Release Date: 04/14/15
Entangled Crush
Dakota McCloud has just been accepted into a prestigious art school. Soon she'll leave behind the artists' colony where she grew up―hippie dad, tofu since birth, yurt―and join her boyfriend
and best friend on the East Coast. It was the plan…until akota finds out her boyfriend and best friend hooked up behind her back. Hurt and viciously betrayed, akota pours out her heart on a piece of paper, places it in a bottle, and hurls it into the ocean. But it doesn't quite go where she expects…
Jack Sauvage finds the bottle washed up on the shore and responds to akota's letter. Except what if his straight-laced life doesn’t jive with the free-spirited girl he’s only seen from afar? As Jack creates a persona he believes she’ll love, they slowly fall for each other with each new
letter. Now Jack is trying to find a way to make this delicate, on-paper romance happen in real life…without revealing his deception.
Review:
The Truth About Jack started off strong then it kind of tampered off. Even though it didn't hold my interest near the end, I still was able to finish and ended up liking it. I don't love it but I think it has a cute premise even if a bit unrealistic. My thoughts when Jack starts pretending to be someone he isn't is why? Why not just come out and be who you are? It would have been so much easier.
Dakota gets betrayed in the worst way possible by not only her best friend but her boyfriend as well. They started seeing each other while off in college, leaving poor Dakota with only an email explaining that the feelings that her best friend has for Dakota's boyfriend are true love. Otherwise, she wouldn't have even thought twice about "stealing" the jerk. If you ask me, it's a load of crock!
And even worse, I hated how Dakota started having second guesses right away about going off to the
college she got in too which is RISD just because her "friends" would be there too. Um, seriously!? You're going to let a loser guy and shitty best friend dictate you going to school? Yeah, no. To me the only saving grace was Jack, even though I don't like that he's deceived Dakota. Despite that fact, I think he was the most real and relatable. I felt bad for him. His mother was....overbearing? Yeah...overbearing. And it wasn't cute!
I think it was cool that Dakota putting that message in a bottle was wonderful and even if yeah, it was unrealistic to me, I still liked it. I just wish Jack would have been upfront from the beginning! Other than the misgivings of some things, I did enjoy this. I think the author is a great writer and I look forward to reading more from her.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a review copy for an honest review.
Buy Links:
Amazon- http://amzn.to/1GeeWC2│Barnes & Noble-http://bit.ly/1JodH0r│Amazon UK- http://amzn.to/1JodXMQ
Jody Gehrman is a native of Northern California,where she can be found writing, teaching, reading, or obsessing over her three cats most days. She is also the author of ten novels and numerous award-winning plays. Her Young Adult novels include The Truth About Jack, Audrey's Guide to Black Magic, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love. Babe in Boyland was optioned by the Disney Channel and won the International Reading Association's Teen Choice Award. Her adult novels are Bombshell, Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin. Her plays have been produced in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle .I. She is a professor of English and Communication Studies at Mendocino College.
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook
Book Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours
Release Blitz feat Review + Giveaway:
Aflame by Penelope Douglas!!!
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From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bully, Until You, Rival, and Falling Away comes the sizzling conclusion to the Fall Away series.
The tables have turned. Now I have the power—and it’s his turn to beg…
Everyone wants to be me.
Maybe it’s the sway of my skirt or the way I flip my hair, but I don’t care. Even though their attention is the last thing I crave, I just can’t stop. I dominate the track, the speed rattles my bones, and the wind and the crowd screams my name.
I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.
They all talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?
But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.
Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.
If you’re a fan of the Fall Away Series such as I am, then you've seen the highs and the lows that Jared Trent and Tatum Brandt have faced together. And in all honesty, it made sense for me when Jared left Tate at the end of Falling Away. It wasn't meant to be permanent. It was meant to give him time to find himself. To find his calling. And who can blame him, really? Tate always had a sense of direction and knew what she wanted to do with her life. Jared didn't have that, and like most of us, he needed time to discover himself. I had faith that everything would be okay in the end.
Now, I’m not going to give you a rundown of the story as I want you to go into it with an open mind. But I'm happy to say that Penelope did an AMAZING job with Aflame, and I was thrilled with the way it ended. My heart feels full and I couldn't have asked for more.
It was fun seeing Tate taking her place on the tracks, racing right there with the guys. I absolutely loved seeing her and Jared race one another again. It was like coming full circle. I adored Madoc for the strong friendship that he has with the both of them, and the brotherly way that would watch out for her.
And most of all, I loved the sparks that still jumped off of the pages every time Jared and Tate were in close proximity with one another. It was hot, sweet, and heart felt. There’s no way in hell that these two would ever have been able to stay away from each other.
Normally I would have devoured this book, refusing to set it down for even a minute, but instead I took my time, choosing to savor it. It's not because it wasn't good. It's not because I didn't WANT to devour it. I took my time simply because I didn't want to say goodbye to this series. To the characters that I've loved and followed for two years.
I would have to give Aflame 5 I-can’t-believe-this-is-the-end, but-thank-you-for-completing-me stars. It was the perfect closing for a Series that I loved, and I’m so grateful for the time that I got to live in their world.
**Aflame is not a standalone, and while I think the reading experience would be best if you’ve read all of the books, I would, at minimum, recommend reading Bully and Until You before starting on this.**
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Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble
Amazon / iTunes / Barnes & Noble
Amazon / iTunes / Barnes & Noble
Penelope Douglas is a writer in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children.
Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor's degree in Public
Administration, because her father told her to "just get the degree!" She then earned a Masters of
Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration.
One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and
three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A
daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, The Originals, and she shops at Target almost daily.
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Release Week Blitz feat Excerpt + Giveaway!
HOT FOR TEACHER
As the new head of the English department, Dani doesn't have much time for anything but lesson planning and literature. Romance--or even sex? Forget about it. But then the principal introduces her to last-minute hire Nate Ryan. Finding time to mentor a new teacher won't be easy, especially when his incredible body and equally disarming charisma are enough to make her heart skip a beat . . .
Nate may be fresh out of school, but he's confident in his teaching skills--and in his feelings for Dani. But while she's everything he's ever wanted, he knows his place on her staff--and his age--may be problematic for his sexy boss. How can he convince her to ignore the gossip mill currently in full swing in the teacher's lounge and surrender to what's meant to be?
Excerpt:
This will be a great story to tell the kids one day.
Why that ridiculous thought kept tumbling through Nate’shead was beyond him. But it did.
Your mom and I got locked in a supply closet together. That’s when we decided to start dating.
There was a stack of papers they’d used to play what seemed like a million games of tic-tac-toe, which had been followed by hangman. Over an hour had passed, and there was no sign of the custodian.
Funny, but he no longer minded losing all that time to getthings ready for the first day of school. Instead, he found himself drawn to his pretty, witty boss.
He recognized her perfume. Angel. Once, he’d gone to the trouble of picking a perfume he thought was the perfect scent and bought his fiancée what the salesman called a “recruitment set.” The bundle of Angel products had everything from the perfume in a star-shaped bottle to body lotion.
Kat had hated it.
Obviously Dani liked it as much as he did. Everything about her appealed to him and—Jesus have mercy. She was his boss. So why did he keep forgetting that?
“My legs are getting stiff.” She struggled to stand, groping for one of the shelves. A hiss fell from her lips. “Shit.”
The pain on her face hit Nate hard, and he grabbed her arm to help steady her. “What’s wrong?”
“Cramp. Leg cramp.” She leaned heavily on him as she got to her feet and immediately stuck out her right leg, pointing and flexing her foot. “Damn, that smarts.”
“Where?” He didn’t want to start pawing her leg, but hewanted to help.
“Calf.” Dani’s face tightened into a grimace again.
Nate eased down on one knee and started rubbing her leg.
“Nice knot you’ve got there.”
“I think I’m dehydrated.” As he kept working on the knot, she flexed and extended her foot. “Left my water in my room.”
“Yeah, well, neither of us expected to be here so long.” The muscle relaxed under his kneading fingers. “Getting better?”
“Much.”
So why couldn’t he stop touching her? When it dawned on him that he wanted to trail his fingers up her leg, to her slender thigh and beyond, he slowly stood. Her eyes were locked with his, and tension rose between them as he gently put his hands on her waist, easing her forward.
Her head cocked just enough to show that she would allow him to kiss her. With a smile, he lowered his face to hers.With a loud rattle of the lock, the door suddenly swung open,and the sixty-something custodian stared at them wide-eyed.
“What in the hell are you two doing?”
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About the author:
Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband. She's a high school social studies teacher who especially loves psychology and United States history. Since she and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses, they often spend time together at the two Indiana racetracks.
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THE BOTTOM LINE by Sandy James (May 6, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book; The Ladies Who Lunch Book #1)
When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. Surviving a failed marriage and an illness that almost takes her life, high school teacher Mallory Hamilton needs the Ladies Who Lunch more than ever . . .
After a year of upheaval, Mallory has had her fill of change-with one exception. Her house is a disaster, and she wants it fixed. Hiring a contractor to finish the projects her ex-husband started will help her banish the past so she can return to the life she had before everything went awry. But her contractor is sexy, sweet, and single, which threatens the peaceful, solitary life Mallory has planned for herself.
Ben Carpenter has had a hard time raising his daughter without his ex-wife's help. His new client's projects will give him the extra income he needs, not to mention afternoons alone with a gorgeous woman. Though their attraction is undeniable, Ben sees the fear and pain hiding in Mallory's beautiful eyes. But how can he help her if she won't let him in? Ben can fix just about anything-but can he fix Mallory's broken heart?
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED by Sandy James (July 1, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book; The Ladies Who Lunch Book #2)
When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. High school teacher Juliana Kelley tells the Ladies Who Lunch that her life needs an overhaul . . . and gets a whole lot more than she wished for.
Juliana has spent thirteen years in the same teaching job. She's ready to dive into a new career with both feet . . . when a run-in with the hottest man she's ever seen knocks her head over heels. But with her failed marriage to a fellow teacher fresh on her mind, Jules can't afford to lose herself in a relationship-no matter how perfect it may seem.
Connor Wilson has hit rock bottom when he loses his career as a top-notch Realtor because of a large gambling debt. Now, in a small town he finds a fresh start-and a gorgeous redhead who sparks new life into him. Together they start a successful real estate company, but when pleasure sneaks into the business, they'll have to decide what they can let go . . . and what they can't live without.
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SEALING THE DEAL by Sandy James (November 4, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book; The Ladies Who Lunch Book #3)
After losing her sister, Bethany Rogers needs a shoulder to lean on more than ever-though she never expects that shoulder to belong to her new boss . . .
Bethany has been in love with Robert Ashford since they were teachers at the same high school. After Robert leaves to start his own construction company, Beth puts her feelings aside to focus on her goals. When she finally lands a gig as a part-time designer, she is shocked to find her new boss is none other than Robert . . . and he's hotter than ever. But Bethany's happiness is short-lived when she receives word that her sister has been killed in combat.
With the success of building homes for one happy family after another, Robert is finally ready to settle down. When Beth is left to care for her nine-month-old niece, Robert can't help but step in. And before long, the trio are inseparable. Yet convincing the cautious, bereaved Beth of letting him in proves difficult-but Robert will give everything he's got for the chance at his own happily ever after.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Release Blitz feat Review + Giveaway:
Instigation by Tessa Teevan!!!!!
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble
Book 1 in The Clandestine Affairs Trilogy
Breaking up is hard to do.
Three years after her life changed forever, Gabriella Latham finally has it all. Killer job [if working for her boyfriend counts]. Killer closet [even if she doesn't technically own any of it]. Killer boyfriend [who refuses to let her leave him, even when she tries]. Unfortunately for her, the last part isn't hyperbole. She just doesn't know it yet.
Adrian Morningstar was a dream come true. No one had ever loved her more, and for the first time, in longer than she could remember, she was no longer alone. He was the Prince Charming to her Cinderella, until suddenly he became the Beast from whom she could not escape.
Until him.
When Rafe Matthews is hired to oversee the guest home construction of one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, he finally has his in. Nothing will get in the way of what he sets out to do.
Until her.
Watching from the shadows, he's drawn to the beautiful, isolated woman of the house. His curiosity is piqued and he has to have her. She may be taken by the boss, but that's not enough to stop him. Or her.
It leads to a game of cat and mouse. But who is the true predator? And who is the prey?
Nothing is quite as it seems.
Passions ignite. Tempers flare. Secrets kill.
A devilish, almost villainous grin graced his lips as his eyes filled with amusement. “Oh, Gabriella, you’ve no idea,” he said. “I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t be here, but I can’t seem to help myself.”
His words caught me off guard as his hands gripped my hips and he pushed me backwards until the brick of the wall bit into the skin of my lower back. He leaned down until his lips were dangerously close to mine. My insides quivered, and my heart leaped into my throat. For an entire week, I’d been waiting for his hands to be on me again, and now that he was right there, I knew I’d die if he didn’t touch me. Kiss me. Take me home and ravish me like he had that first night.
“Adrian,” I whispered, surprised at the breathy, sultry tone of my voice. God, it’d only been a week and I was already dangerously addicted to him.
His eyes gleamed as if he could read my mind, and I wondered if this has been his plan all along. To give me a taste, a perfect sneak peek at what being his would be like, and then take it away, only to keep showing up to tease me. To dangle the proverbial carrot on the string that was too high for me to get a taste or even the slightest nibble. It would suffice only for a moment, but it would be just enough to keep me from going insane. He was a deranged Pavlov and I was his little dog, salivating and panting, wanting him, that torturous bell ringing over and over again, but instead of giving me what I wanted, he kept it too far out of reach.
Gabriella Latham entered into a whirlwind romance with Adrian Morningstar. Their love was intense. All-consuming. He was everything she could ever want.
Until he changed. He’s harboring secrets and she can no longer see the man she once loved. He’s now cold. Distant. Unrecognizable.
Rafe Matthews is a man with an agenda. He’s also inexplicably drawn to Brie. It doesn’t matter that she’s taken by his boss, he just knows he has to have her. But he, too, has secrets of his own.
And Brie is quickly learning that some secrets can get you killed.
Oh, where to begin? I’m a huge fan of Tessa’s and have read every single story that she’s written so far. And this book is unlike any other work that she’s published. It’s suspenseful and intriguing. It’s sweet and sexy as hell. It’s something that will grab ahold of your attention from the very first page and hold you captive until you’ve read the words, “the end.” And then you’re going to write her a letter demanding that the second book to be sent to you NOW.
Adrian is intense. He’s shady. I liked him in the beginning and found myself hating him as the story progressed. Then I found myself wanting to know more about HIS story. I’m looking forward to learning more about him later in the Series.
Brie drove me crazy. A part of me wanted to smack her for her stupidity. Another part of me wanted to shelter her from the storm that was inevitably coming her way. She was too trusting. Too gullible. Too sweet. But as the story progressed I got to see her transform before my very eyes. She became a vixen. She became more confident and more in control. It was nice to see her holding her own.
Rafe. Just typing that name makes me smile. He’s hot. Mysterious. Sweet with his words. He’s a character that I just gravitated towards and didn’t want to let go of. I have some suspicions and guesses as far as what his story may be, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out in future installments. All I know is that I want more of him in my kindle and on my bookshelf asap.
Instigation was a deliciously entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked it the first time I read through it and I loved it even more the second time around. And because of that fact, I’d have to give it 5 stars. But don’t take my word on it. One-click this book and try it out yourself. If you’re anything like me, you won’t be disappointed.
I'm a twenty something book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are my teams! I work for the government during the day, hang out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and have been married to my own book boyfriend for over seven years. We currently live right outside of Dayton, OH with our two cats.
If I’m not writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find me curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. I love my sports almost as much as I love my books. My other obsessions include red wine, hot men, country music, and all things Grace Potter.
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Thursday, April 16, 2015
Cover Reveal: Bounce (Boomerang #3) by Noelle August
The wonderful cover reveal to the third book in the Boomerang series by Noelle August! Bounce looks awesome...well duh of course it will be awesome just like the first two were.
BOUNCE: A BOOMERANG NOVEL
By Noelle August
Coming to you August 25th, 2015!
William Morrow Trade Paperback; August 25, 2015; $13.99; ISBN: 9780062331106
Following in the bestselling tradition of Molly McAdams and J. Lynn, this final chapter in the fun and steamy New Adult trilogy by Noelle August (authors Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger) features two aspiring musicians who must choose between their careers…and their sizzling attraction for each other.
Playing the occasional club gig just isn’t cutting it for twenty-two-year-old cellist Skyler Canby, who’s trying to support herself and her mother back home in Kentucky. Persuaded by her best friend Beth to accompany her on an audition for the first feature film launched by Blackwood Entertainment, she figures why not? Beth’s a shoe-in for the lead, but maybe Skyler’s newly dyed pink hair will help her stand out enough to score a small speaking part.
Never in her wildest dreams does Skyler imagine she’ll land the lead role or that she’ll have her shoes knocked off her feet by the kiss her audition partner, Grey Blackwood, plants on her—a kiss that feels very real and not at all “acted. ”
After throwing a party that causes thousands of dollars of damage to his older brother’s home, reckless musician Grey Blackwood gets roped into working off his debt on the set of his CEO brother’s newest project. Grey spends his days fetching coffee and doing odd jobs around the studio, but he lives for nights when he performs with his band. He knows if he can stay focused, success as a singer is just around the corner. But that’s tough with a distracting pink-haired girl occupying his every waking thought.
Skyler and Grey have every reason to resist each other. But, like a song neither of them can get out of their minds, they have no choice but to go where the music takes them.
William Morrow Trade Paperback; August 25, 2015; $13.99; ISBN: 9780062331106
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Question: What do you get when friends pen a story with heart, plenty of laughs, and toe-curling kissing scenes? Answer: Noelle August, the pseudonym for renowned editor and award-winning writer Lorin Oberwegerand New York Times bestselling YA author Veronica Rossi, the masterminds behind the Boomerang series. You can visit them at NoelleAugust.com, @Noelle_August,
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
ARC Review:Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby
Publisher: HarperTeen
Expected
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: E-ARC
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb:
When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.
After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.
Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.
After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.
Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.
Review:
I had no idea what to expect when I started Things We Know By Heart. I have to admit, the synopsis didn't really interest me all that much. I've read too many books lately that involve a girl losing her longtime boyfriend and having to deal with the aftermath of not having the boyfriend around anymore. But, when another blogger raved how good the book was, I decided to give it a chance. I'm so glad I did too! The book was so well written that I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know more about Quinn and Colton. I even wanted to know about Trent.
Quinn hasn't had it easy. She lost her boyfriend to a horrible accident. Even though they were so young, the love they had for each other went far beyond their years. It was a lasting type of love. So you can imagine the pain that Quinn faced everyday since she lost Trent. Struggling to even make it out of the bed... It's absolutely heartbreaking. When Trent died, his heart was donated to a boy who desperately needed a new heart. Quinn had wrote him a letter so she could meet him but she never heard back from him. It wasn't until she dug real deep that she found a blog that Colton's sister kept up with, with his progress on his heart condition. When she finds out where he is located, she goes to seek him out. The day she meets him was anything but graceful. She decides a little too late that it was a mistake stalking him out and runs away from him; only to back up into a car. Resulting in Quinn needing stitches.
All Quinn knows is that it was a mistake meeting Colton and she decides to never see him again...
Easier said then done. Literally. The pull between Colton and Quinn is magical; they can't help but gravitate towards one another. Will Quinn ever let on that she already "knows" Colton?
Man... I loved this book so much. It's also my very first book ever by Jessi Kirby. I have no idea why I've waited so long to read her stories. If they're anything like this one, I'm in for a bunch of book hangovers. Did I shed some tears while reading? Absolutely. They weren't just sad tears either, there were also tears of joy. I love seeing characters grow. I felt Quinn did just that. She's experienced pain beyond anything she should ever have to deal with. It may have taken her awhile but she was able to overcome that. It wasn't easy in a long shot but she did it.
Colton was one of the many things I loved about the story. He, as a character, is what makes me love reading so much.
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