Blog Tour: Stories About Melissa series by Bethany Lopez - Review

 Ta Ta for Now! (Stories About Melissa, #1)      
By Bethany Lopez
Release Date: June 17, 2011
Description:
Melissa begins her freshman year with one goal in mind, getting Brian Jackson to be her boyfriend. She will soon learn that things don't necessarily turn out the way you plan them, the value of true friendship, and the importance of family.

Review:
Freshman year of high school, it's really the make it or break it year for the rest of the time you are in high school.  Melissa is very confident in the beginning and has her eyes set on snagging Brian as her own.  But then things begin to turn awry.  First her best friend has turned Goth and completely ignores her and her supposed new friend is out to destroy Melissa's attempt at a relationship.  Again the first year of high school, complete drama and I love it.  Brings back memories of what high school life was all about.

There is a lot of teenage problems in this book for sure, and I really felt like there was a high schooler in front of me complaining about their problems.  The book is written in journal form and I bet if I bought out my old journal it would sound very similar to Melissa.  Perhaps not the things that happened to her but the tone of voice.  This book we get introduced to all the main characters, Melissa, Jess, Brian, Jimmy and Melissa's family.  Each one has their own story within her journal so you get a glimpse of all of them and their day to day issues.  I have to say that I was a little disappointed with Melissa in some parts, and she really is very materialistic but that's who she is so we can't fault her for it.

Overall interesting start to a series.  Let's see what happens next ...

xoxoxo (Stories About Melissa, #2)      
By Bethany Lopez
Release Date: March 2, 2012
Description:
Melissa has learned a lot since her freshman year began, but it isn't over yet! Her world is about to change again with the birth of her new sibling, and she has to figure out how she will adjust to being the eldest of five kids. She, Jess, and Jimmy are inseparable, and she is having a fantastic time although she can't help but miss Brian as she tries to learn how to deal with his relationship with Layla. Everything seems to be happening at once and that is when she is introduced to Ben Campbell, a senior at Dearborn High, who becomes an interesting distraction as he helps her deal with the new developments in her life.

Review: 

I've really started to get invested in these characters that seem to grow through each book from all their hardships.  Sure some things might be trivial to some people but others are quite grand.  Like the birth of Melissa’s baby brother Max who has come out to be quite a special boy.  His birth leads on to new friendships, new emotions and new experiences with each character.  I love how one little thing can change everyone in different ways.  It really brings out that sliding door mentality because of this one thing didn't happen their lives would be completely different.  It’s events like the birth of a child that brings family together and your morals and personality come out in full force.

There were some tough times throughout the book but that’s life.  Melissa is now a sophomore and high school doesn’t get any easier, but with the help of family and good friends anything can be possible.

Ciao (Stories About Melissa #3)      
By Bethany Lopez
Release Date: August 2012
Description:
Melissa has had a fantastic summer hanging out with her friends and making new ones. Life as she knows it will change when they all come together to begin their sophomore year at Dearborn High. Connections will be made and friendships will be tested. Will Melissa’s family and friends be able to help her through the challenges she will face in the upcoming months?


Review:

This one definitely started out with a shock, for shocks value stake I believe.  It’s like you’re watching a soap opera and out of the blue one of the semi-main characters just offs themselves or some tragedy happens that you were not expecting and just can’t help but think what the hell just happened.  This book definitely bought that element out and I loved it more for it because it just took that plain sense of moving along and shook it up a little. 

In this book we learn how the different characters learn to deal with the hard situation, and even if they want to get in bed and just lie there forever they know they have to move on.  This book helps explore that situation along.  There is a lot of growing up that is done in this book and I have to say between all the characters I can’t choose a favorite but I am totally for team Jimmy because he seems like the most intriguing.  You just want to give him a hug and Melissa although quite materialistic in manor she really does have a big heart. 

Again another lesson in bringing family and friends together through the hard times and the good times as long as they are together they can conquer anything.

Overall

This series has great morals, great story telling and very soap opera esque for younger adults starting off high school.  I mean I’ve never seen Degrassi but this is how I picture it.  (No offense to those who have seen the show and it doesn’t compare this is just my perception) The characters are good and quite different from one another that helps bring in different elements into any story.  They are believable and realistic in the way they are and the different ways they overact. I would definitely check out the next book in the series that comes out next month and they are short and sweet.  Very quick reads that will make you wonder what this bunch of friends will come up with next. 

Below is a view into what will be happening in the next book.


TTYL (Stories About Melissa #4)      
By Bethany Lopez
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Description:
The last few months have been a rough road for Melissa. Her grades have slipped, her parents treat her like a prisoner, and her closest friends are too involved in their own lives to spend time with her. Desperate to escape her depressing funk, she starts spending more time with Layla, who introduces her to a new crowd...the wrong crowd. When Melissa starts to go down a dangerous path, can anyone get through to her before she does something she'll regret

PROMO Addison Moore's SOMEONE TO LOVE release day!

Someone To Love

By: Addison Moore

Release Date: October 29, 2013
Series: Someone to Love
 

Description:

“If you don’t give your heart away, you can’t get it broken.” When twenty-year-old Kendall Jordan transfers across the country to Garrison University, the last thing she’s looking for is a one-night stand. Unfortunately that’s exactly what gorgeous Cruise Elton offers. Kendall has long since come to realize that love is an illusion, and Cruise couldn’t agree more—but something deep inside her wants him all for herself. So Kendall devises a plan to “play the player” and proposes that Cruise tutor her in becoming a female version of himself—Garrison University’s own playboy. But as real feelings emerge, the game gets complicated, and Kendall and Cruise will find themselves questioning everything they thought they knew about love.

This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content.

Author Biography:

Addison Moore is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading.

Blog: http://addisonmoorewrites.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Addison-Moore/140192649382294 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AddisonMoore

 

Links:

Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes&Noble

 

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For a chance to win ANOTHER Kindle, make sure you visit Addison's blog!

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Promo: The Storm Inside by Alexis Anne - Excerpt / Giveaway

The Storm Inside by Alexis Anne
Genre: Adult Romance
Published: September 17th, 2013

“The only thing holding me back was my heart. You know, the broken one. It knew if Jake and I got back together we’d make our past relationship look like child’s play. It would be a sweet footnote to this new, torrid love affair. ‘Jake and Eve 2.0’ would be an uncontrolled explosion of sex and adoration.
Uncontrolled explosions were dangerous. Everyone knew that.
And yet, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from playing with the matches…” ~Eve

Loving someone and being in love aren’t always the same thing.

That’s what Eve Daniels is trying to come to terms with when Jake Spencer suddenly returns to her life after ten years of silence. Haunted by a past he had no power to control, Jake left everyone and everything behind in hopes of saving Eve from his demons. His one regret was breaking her heart.

From the moment they reconnect, it is clear to Eve the passion, brilliance, and determination that first attracted her to Jake are stronger than ever. So strong that fighting their pull seems useless. But falling back in love isn’t as easy as letting the walls down. Eve soon realizes the choices they’ve both made come with consequences. Ones that will test how deep her love runs for a man living with a storm inside.

Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

Purchase:

Amazon (paperback) | Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes & Noble

Jake slammed my back into the wall of the shack, the boards of the wall bending and flexing from the impact.  For a moment I worried we’d punch a hole right in the side of the building, but then Jake nipped my earlobe at the exact same moment he flexed his hips into mine, and I forgot everything I was thinking.

Everything but him. 

I didn’t think about the ten years he’d been gone or how much I hated him.  All I could feel was his hard body pressed up against mine, his rough hands as they desperately roamed over my skin, and the intensity in his kiss.

We’d always made an explosive combination; that clearly hadn’t changed.  If anything, the added experience and time apart made what we’d had in the past look sweet and warm.  Because this—what we were doing now— was off the charts insane.  It was brutal and animalistic in the most fantastic way.

The afternoon thunderstorm was howling outside.  It was my favorite time of day, and Jake knew it.  The thing about Florida’s summertime storms was that you could feel them.  When lightning strikes, the air crackles with electricity moving through everything around you.  The moment it splits the sky, thunder vibrates so deeply it shakes the earth and every molecule in your body.  You feel it everywhere.

Thunderstorms are a full body experience from the light and the vibrations, to the sound of the wind, the pounding of the rain, and the taste of the humidity in the air.

It’s like Mother Nature is trying to sweep you away in a symphony of senses.  And at the moment I was swept away by both the storm and by Jake.  I was completely lost to everything.

It had always been like this with us.  Ten years hadn’t dulled it at all.  If anything, the waiting only made it more intense than ever. 

His hand closed around my jaw, turning my head away so that he could nuzzle my neck.  As his tongue stroked upward along my skin, the muscles in my belly clenched and I squeezed my legs around him tighter.

“Oh god, Eve…” he moaned, pinning my hands to the wall and looking up at me with fire in his eyes as he continued to rock against me.  The intensity with which he wanted me only made me crave him more.  I ground back against his firm waist even harder.

Words seemed to ruin everything between us, so I wasn’t about to start talking now.  I just panted, throwing my head back, and pushing against him with my hips to let him know I wanted to continue.  There was no doubt in my mind how wet I was, my body was practically begging to have Jake back inside me.

Taking my cue, Jake released my wrists and slowly, silently began to undress me, not that it took much.  My bikini was held on by four sets of strings.

His eyes hungrily roamed over my naked breasts with a passion that made me shiver with hot desire.

Thunder rattled the roof as Jake stepped back, pulling me toward him with his hand knotted in my hair.  The tug on my hair follicles hurt in the most fantastic way.  He crushed his lips against mine and I would have cried out in pain if it hadn’t felt so good.

The one thing that kept running through my head, the one thing I couldn’t ignore any longer, was how badly I wanted this man.  Every inch of me wanted to possess him.  I felt like a tigress stalking her prey.  Jake was mine and no one else’s.  Always had been, always would be.

The shack was dank and old: there wasn’t a surface in the place that seemed clean or inviting, let alone suitable for our naked bodies.

Jake’s towel was flung over the back of a folding chair and with a quick flip of his wrist, the towel now covered the seat.  I let him pull me onto his lap, my toes just barely reaching the floor on either side of him.  His warm and sweaty skin against mine was electric and I gasped.  I needed him inside me, now.

Alexis Anne lives in Central Florida with her tall, dark, and handsome husband and their two adorable superheroes. Their crazy lives have taken them from archaeology digs to breaking news as they traversed the worlds of anthropology and television news. When she's not reading or writing, Alexis can be found at the beach or on the water with her family. Her first series, FILTERS, are contemporary romance short stories. The Storm Inside is her first full-length novel.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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Review: The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

The Forever of Ella and Micha
By: Jessica Sorensen
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Series: The Secret #2

Description:
Ella and Micha have survived tragedy and heartbreak. When they're together, anything seems possible. But now they are thousands of miles apart, and managing their long distance relationship will put their love to the test.

Ella is back at school, trying hard not worry so much about her future. But with her father in and out of rehab, she's having a hard time making it through the days. All she wants is Micha by her side, but she refuses to let her problems get in the way of his dreams.

Micha spends his days touring the country with his band, but deep down he knows something is missing. Being away from Ella is harder than he thought it would be. He wants her closer to him-needs her with him. But he won't ask her to leave college, just to be with him.

The few moments they do spend together are intense and passionate, but it only makes it more difficult when they have to part. They know they want to be together, but is wanting something enough to get them to their forever?

Review:
This continuation of Micah and Ella was a great book and Jessica Sorensen really kept the book going.  There were times where I wanted to smack some people because it’s like get out of that funk already! That’s the only part that was annoying but it could be because I don’t really know much about mental health issues and this book touches upon it, as well as different addictions and how people deal with things that are hard in life.

We are back with Micah and Ella and of course their sidekicks Lila and Ethan.  They have their continuous ups and downs and it’s all about how to deal with things in life.  Ella on one hand freaks out and runs away at the first sign of something serious, either that or goes into a deep depression.  While on the other hand Micah deals with his issues by picking up a bottle, something Ella isn’t fond of considering her father an all.  But even he gets help and it’s tough but it had to be done.  Lila and Ethan are still a mystery although you can totally tell how much they enjoy each other’s company and I can’t wait to read their story in the next book in this series.

There are a lot of moments in this book that made me smile and some that made me sad, but overall the back and forth was getting too much.  They obviously belong together so why fight it.  Let the past go and move on with the future.  I think by the end they are able to do this but the getting there was an enjoyment to read.  This book took me a little longer to get through, I’m not sure if I was slowly not feeling it or just didn’t have sufficient time to read it quickly but I know it took me longer than the first book.  I think the repetitiveness got to me.  Although sure there were more issues that were resolved all around, but still. 

Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the book because I really like Sorensen’s writing style and the bad boy in this book with his singing is just dreamy and worth it all around just for him.  It’s just the wishy washy that gets annoying.  I’m ready to read the next one though hopefully will bring life back into the series that I was so enjoying.  It was definitely angst at its best but again it was good to see some things resolved and bring a smile to your face.  And you know what I’m grateful for, bad boys with lip rings lol.

I really like the new covers for this series because it’s simple and attractive to look at other than the typical couple because I’d much rather imagine what Micah and Ella look like in my mind than a representation of them.  Good read, good series and on to the next one!

Blog Tour: Riptides by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt

Riptides: A Lengths Novella
By: Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Series: Lengths 4.5

Description:
Enzo Rodriguez doesn't take much seriously--unless it involves waves, boards, or good beer.

When too-hot-to-handle Jessica Mills strolls into his life, Enzo is willing to forego all of those things for every second he can spend with her.

But Jessica has a huge secret--and when it’s revealed, it not only crushes Enzo, but has the last person he wants to ask a favor of--his brother-in-law Adam--bailing him out of jail.

Enzo is convinced that the only way to mend his bruised ego and heart, is to pack his bags and leave the turbulent waters of Silver Strand...for good.

Review:

This was a quick and easy read, but I think that I needed to have read all the books in this series and all the novellas to get just how close this family and group of friends really are.  Sure I can keep up with the relationships but it’s always the fun part getting there.  Either way I was glad that I got a glimpse into the world of these very interesting characters. 

We meet Enzo (which I have to say there are some great names in this series), and he just recently met Jes at a bar of all places, really who does that anymore but it’s a rare thing and it’s an intriguing thing.  They seem like polar opposites, I’m not sure what it is Enzo does other than surf but Jess owns a bakery and I can only imagine as a baker myself how hard and time consuming that is.  So imagine when she’s thrown into this pseudo relationship with Enzo, who is all hot and well just really hot.  There were some steamy scenes between the two of them but there is a definite secret that is being kept here. 

What that is, well of course you will have to read the book to find out.  It’s fun seeing a man watching his brothers and friends getting paired off with their significant others and he can’t help but want and need to have that feeling too.  He believes this is his second chance as the first one must have fallen through (again definitely need to read the series to find out the whole back story on this), but he strongly believes that his second chance is with Jess.  Only question is does she believe that she can even give him a chance.  There is a lot of hot cold between the two of them that makes you wonder what it is she is keeping.

I really enjoyed this story because it doesn't necessarily end the way you think it will or hope it will but it does show how grown up some of the characters can be when they know when to walk away and how to learn how to deal with situations even if you don't want to.  This is also a start or a Segway into a new branched out series.  Could be interesting because I'm definitely interested in finding out what Enzo will be up to next.

Make sure to check out the other books in the Lengths series:

 

Author Biographies:
Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, but now calls the Northeast home. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession. She's repped by Kevan Lyon at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Steph's works include Delicate, Grounding Quinn and Beautiful Things Never Last; My Heart for Yours and My Fate for Yours (with Jolene Perry); A Toast to the Good Times (with Liz Reinhardt) and the bestselling new adult LENGTHS series with Liz Reinhardt: Lengths, Depths, Limits and coming soon: Ties & Riptides.

steph.campbell725@gmail.com
stephcampbell.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/stephcampbellauthor
@stephcampbell_

--

Liz Reinhardt was born and raised in the idyllic beauty of northwest NJ. A move to the subtropics of coastal Georgia with her daughter and husband left her with a newly realized taste for the beach and a bloated sunscreen budget. Right alongside these new loves is her old, steadfast affection and longing for bagels and the fast-talking foul mouths of her youth.

She loves Raisinettes, even if they aren't really candy, the Oxford comma, movies that are hilarious or feature zombies, any and all books, but especially romance (the smarter and hotter, the better), the sound of her daughter's incessantly wise and entertaining chatter, and watching her husband work on cars in the driveway.

She is the author of the Brenna Blixen series (Double Clutch, Junk Miles, Slow Twitch), the Youngblood series (Fall Guy, Perfectly Unmatched), and co-writes with the awesome Steph Campbell in the Lengths series (Lengths, Depths, Limits, Ties, Riptides).

Blog: http://elizabethreinhardt.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizreinhardtauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizreinhardt 

Goodreads Link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18194811-riptides?ac=1

Amazon Link

http://www.amazon.com/Riptides-Lengths-ebook/dp/B00FW2UZRE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381896781&sr=8-1&keywords=riptides+novella

Review: The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

The Secret of Ella and Micha
By: Jessica Sorensen
Release Date: October 4, 2012
Series: The Secret #1

Description:
Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

(New Adult Contemporary)
*Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.

Review:

Jessica Sorensen has become one of my favorite authors and this series does not disappoint, at all.  You are immediately hooked in to the intensity of the characters and their need for one another on different levels.  This book is relatable and you can see yourself living their lives through these words.  Ella and Micha are very enticing and addicting to say the least, they have a pureness about them.

We meet Ella and her roommate Lila as they are about to go on break for the summer from college and they seem to get along really well except that Ella is hiding who she really is deep down inside.  When Lila goes to drop off Ella at her home, the real Ella begins to reappear slowly with the help of her neighbor and longtime friend, Micha.  Micha is your typical bad boy but something happened between him and Ella that left her so scared she ran away and for the past 8 months he’s been searching for her until she finally reappears at home.  He’s very playful and flirty and I get the feeling they are both very blunt with one another but they still continue to hold back in their relationship.  It’s all fueled by fear. 

There’s a definite strong intensity that is felt between the two of them Micha and Ella and there is some serious sexual tension for sure.  It’s very tantalizing. I love their moments together whether it’s in private or right out there in public, they need to stop fighting the attraction and juts give in already, I know I would have.  But its fun reading this back and forth between the two of them, going further and further each and every time, just a little bit more.  Again need I say it was intense!

But the sexual tension is not all what this book is about, there are the underlying issues between the characters and their families.  Ella has problems with her father’s drinking and what her mother did in the past, although I think that really has more to do with guilt than anything else.  Then Micha definitely has issues with his past, mainly his father that left when he was around six or so.  These things and going through them whether together or apart help make you the person that you are.  It’s these trials and tribulations that shape your future. 

Jessica Sorensen has a way of capturing you in her words and characters.  There’s always something that makes you feel for them and I certainly felt for each and every character in this book, even the secondary characters of Lila and Ethan.  The situations are realistic, the personalities, the music, everything is realistic and relevant and I can’t wait to dive into the next book in the series and see what will happen with the four of them.  This is an excellent start to a new series for me to read and get involved with.

Review: Torn by K.A. Robinson

Torn
By: K.A. Robinson
Release Date May, 7, 2013

Description:
Two people with battered souls are thrust together unexpectedly, leaving a profound impact on each other’s lives.
In K.A. Robinson’s USA Today bestselling debut novel, Torn, Chloe hasn’t had the easiest childhood. With a mother who was absent most of the time, she practically had to raise herself. Determined to start a new life and leave her demons behind, she heads to West Virginia University with her best friends Amber and Logan. On the first day of classes, she spots a student who takes her breath away. Drake is a pierced, tattooed bad boy, and no matter how hard she tries to fight it, he’s all she can think about.

Drake has never cared about anyone other than himself, but when Chloe takes the empty seat next to him in class, he is instantly drawn to her. Drake is left wondering whether this girl can take his cold, womanizing heart and alter him forever.

Falling for each other was never a part of their plan, and when it happens, things do anything but fall into place. Long-hidden feelings are revealed and friendships are tested to the brink as Chloe and Drake become helplessly entwined in each other’s love.

Review:
Torn was the perfect start to a great series.  It has you hooked and connecting with the main characters and leaves you wanting more.  Trying hard to find out what is going to happen next.  There are many great moments throughout this book that keeps your mind turning and just thinking about the characters in general and this to me makes it a great beginning to a story I'm ready to read more of.  K.A. Robinson did a great job with this book

This was the epitome of the perfect love triangle. You have the best friend, Logan,  in love with the main character, Chloe, for years secretly pining for her and in comes the bad boy, Drake, that turns her world upside down. You can't help but root for this couple to make things work out the way you believe they should, or should I say the way I believe they should be.  I'm totally team Drake.  He's got that one hundred percent bad boy image and the piercings and tattoos and the singing are just added bonuses to his character because he definitely has the charisma that leaves the ladies wanting more.  Lead singer to a bad, piercings, sorry had to mention them again because they are mentioned so much throughout the book that I loved it, total bad boy sex god.

Chloe and her two best friends are off in college as they went together because they just can't be apart.  Chloe has an unhealthy best friend relationship with Logan, and I say this is unhealthy because she is so obviously clueless to the way he feels about her and she completely leads him on for a good while.  But the relationship she has with Drake, someone who just happens to sit next to her on the first day of classes has an undeniable attraction to one another.  They are like magnets and the chemistry is totally desirable to anyone who is reading this book.  On the other hand he has his issues, and I wish we could explore them more, hopefully in the continuation they will be more revealed.

Throughout this whole thing Chloe is trying to deal with her mother and her feelings of being unloved, so much so that she gets a tattoo that states that, which i wish i could see because it sounds awesome.  At the end of the book you are definitely left with a cliffhanger that leads you wanting more because you have to know what is going to happen next especially with the person that just landed on their doorstep.

The ups and downs of this love triangle were fun to experience and I definitely enjoyed it, especially the dream, woo hoo talk about steamy.  You'll see what I mean when you read it because you definitely have to read it.  I really love the music in this book and the attitude of the characters, very well done.  I love the cover also because you can totally see this college girl just tyring to figure things out and is completely torn between different things in her life.  Love it.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Atria Books, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight
By: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Series: A Throne of Glass Novel

Description:
She is the greatest assassin her world has ever known.But where will her conscience, and her heart, lead her?

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown—a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes. Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon—forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she willing to fight for?

About the Author:
SARAH J. MAAS is a New York native who currently lives in the California desert. Throne of Glass was her first novel. She has a large on-line fanbase who eagerly support her writing. Visit her online at www.sarahjmaas.comFacebook: facebook.com/throneofglassTwitter: @SJMaas

Links

Author website | Facebook page | author twitter

Review:
This series gets more amazing the more I read into it.  The author has sent us on a journey with someone who can rival some of the greatest heroines of all time.  There is empowerment and strength in this book with a little bit of magic and romance in this book, just enough to wet your whistle and make you wanting to come back for more.  Some series tend to start going downhill but this one has gone up hill and hasn't even reached the top of the hill yet.  There's still so much to explore and I can't wait to sink my teeth into the rest of this series.

We are back with Celaena as she is now the kings champion doing his dirty work for him.  Or at least that is what she leads everyone to believe.  She is secretly helping her proposed victims to go into hiding all while trying to convince the king to continue believing in her and discovering all his secrets.  But Celaena has some of her own secrets that are revealed in this book and some are shocking and others you just knew or at least hoped they were all true and when they turn out the way you want them to you can't help to cheer this book on and this character.  Although there were times when I was a little disappointed in her because trust is a major thing for her and my heart broke with the actions that happened between her and Chaol, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The prince is still experiencing more things about himself and his family in his search for the truth of what is going on.  He learns new things that will turn his world upside down, but what happens with that knowledge is what is important, and only time will tell what will happen with him.  Is he on the side of good or on the side of something more sinister.  I have hope in him too because he seems to be a very loyal person and his strength begins to grow within himself.  He will rise above all the evil things and I can't wait to read about them.

Chaol on the other hand has so much going on and there are emotions thrown all over the place and my heart soars and breaks with him.  I want things to work out with him and Celaena because I believe they compliment one another perfectly.  They just have to learn to trust each other and confide in each other with everything that they have.  Heartbreaking and truly romantic because you know they deserve each other in the best way possible.

The king is his usual evil self, but he too is keeping secrets and he's out for world domination.  He sends Caleana out into the world searching for those who dare to be a traitor to him.  Anyone who even remotely shows any sense of having magic is automatically beheaded or thrown in the dungeons for his use later in a plan that is slowly showing itself to us as the readers and man is he evil.  There are secrets that he has discovered when he was younger and in these secrets he has found a wealth of power but being human and naturally greedy he is in search of more of this power.  Using anyone in his wake that he can to finish off his game plan.

Again this book was amazing there were so elements in this book that it kept you at the edge of your seat wondering what would happen next and you couldn't help but continue to think about this book even after you read it. Even while you were reading it you couldn't help but think further into it.  It was great and I read it and couldn't keep my mind off all the characters.  Having recently read all the novellas it just helped me put every little piece together.  You really should read them before reading this because all the little bits and pieces and back stories are in those novella's.  I'm rooting for Celaena, Chaol and Dorian.  They deserve to be the victors in this book.

I love the cover, I love the characters, I love everything about this and I can't say that enough.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Book Blast for Liar, Liar by Dawn Pendleton

Hazel is a freshman at Coastal Carolina and looking forward to making new friends. When she meets Roman, she’s head over heels for him. There’s one problem, though: he’s still hung up on Hazel’s roommate, Cheyanne. But Cheyanne has a secret, one that has the potential to ruin her life in college. When Hazel learns the secret, she’s determined to use it against Cheyanne to win over Roman. She never imagines her plan could backfire, leaving her as a pariah among her new circle of friends.

The BFF series follows the lives of new adults, Hazel, Miranda, Cheyanne, Destiny, Audric, Nolan, Andre, and Roman. Follow their stories as the first season of novellas are released once a week from September to March.

Get your FREE copy today!

Amazon † BN 

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Blog Tour: Out From Under You by Sophie Swift - Review

Out From Under You
By: Sophie Swift
Release Date: August 1, 2013
Series: Smart Girls Finish First

Description:
“Love is an earthquake. It comes when you least expect it. It rips the ground clear away. Right out from under you.” The day Lia Smart met Grayson Walker, eight years ago, was the day she fell helplessly in love with him. Coincidentally, it was the same day Grayson fell in love with someone else: Lia’s smarter, sexier, superior-in-every-way older sister, Alex.

Now, nearly a decade later, Alex and Grayson are long over and twenty-two-year-old Lia has finally managed to forget all those lonely nights she spent pining after her sister’s boyfriend. But when Grayson unexpectedly arrives back in town with Alex for Labor Day weekend and the two announce that they’re not only back together but engaged, all the feelings that Lia buried suddenly come bubbling back to the surface.

But Lia is no longer the awkward, gangly tomboy she was at fourteen. Far from it. And Grayson is conflicted by the lustful thoughts he’s now having for her. He knows he could never act on those thoughts, however. Grayson has always prided himself on being one of the “good guys.” But as the weekend wears on, he’s finding this new grown-up version of Lia more and more impossible to resist...

Heartbreaking and sexy with a dash of humor, Sophie Swift crafts a passionate, unforgettable tale about desire, growing up, and the kind of love that shakes us to the core.

*Contains adult situations and explicit content. Recommended for ages 17+

Review:
Have you ever loved someone so much that you've built them up in your mind and you hope and you wish that one day they will look at you the same way you look at them?  That is unrequited love, and this book was phenomenal at showcasing that.  Is it realistic? It could be, and many will hope it can be but even if it isn't it was an amazing story. 

We meet Lia who is currently at her mother’s abandoned restaurant and is trying to keep it afloat when she gets news that her sister is in town and is coming to meet up with her.  They haven’t always gotten along because Lia has always felt like she was in Alex’s shadow.  Alex was perfect and always got everything.  This is a typical sibling rivalry where one thinks the other is best and vice versa they just don’t know it.  But in walks Grayson Walker – someone Lia has been in love with for the past 8 years but he chose Alex. 

Standard unrequited love story of any young teenage girl, but when the surprise hits her that Grayson is back together with her sister and about to get married she just can’t let this go.  She’s tried but then Grayson begins to show interest in her and one thing leads to another.  But let me tell you the power of their connection was amazing!  The author did a really great job of setting them both so free when they were together.  It was like magic on paper.  But still their actions caused certain consequences and the tired tale of will he leave his fiancé for the new love interest.

It’s all very back and forth with yes I will, no I can’t, yes I will and so on and so forth and it makes you angry because you just want Grayson to grow a pair and get out from under that spell of Alex’s.  It’s heartbreaking at one point and I can completely sympathize for Lia and her situation but she makes the best of it and of course everything works out in the end, almost everything.  Again there are always consequences for your actions. 

Overall this book was a really great read; I loved every minute of it and was hooked immediately after the first sentence.  The author did a fabulous job of highlighting her characters, both the good and the flawed.  I will definitely without a doubt read another book by this author in a heartbeat.  The steamy scenes were very well written and not vulgar at all and it was refreshing to see such a great story. 

I know some might not like this book because there is obvious cheating in here, but sometimes I have to say you just can’t help it.  That saying where once a cheat always a cheater is just not true in my opinion because sometimes it just turns out that you haven’t found the right person for you and when you do then you wouldn’t dare think about cheating and I think that’s exactly what happened with Grayson in this book.

The cover is great too but I didn’t really connect it with the story that much, it just didn’t seem right maybe they should have been in a kitchen or just three people on the cover, something different. But I will say this the title of the book is so perfect because it has so many different meanings that relates to the book.  Out from under the mother leaving, out from under her sisters shadow, out from under a bad relationship, out from under not pursuing your dreams, just so much meaning.

I love the very beginning of this book because they don’t try to sugar coat anything, here’s a great sneak peak into this book.

No one ever tells you the truth about love. It’s a massive conspiracy and the entire world is in on it. They make love look like a brochure for a tropical island vacation. All gentle breezes and warm waters and happy endings tied up with string. But in reality, it’s not like that at all.
 (Kindle Locations 41-44)

Review: In Too Deep by Eliza Jane

In Too Deep
Author: Eliza Jane
Release Date: October 1, 2013

Description:
In Too Deep, Book One...

When gifted computer hacker Taylor Beckett wins a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, she figures it’s only a matter of time before they discover she hacked into the testing system and cheated on the test. But when she arrives at the academy, they already know and her hacking talents are what won her the scholarship.

When she’s paired with the school’s scrumptious nineteen-year-old martial arts instructor, aka manwhore, Colt on a field assignment, hanging out with him becomes a necessary evil to get the job done, but resisting the bad-boy that is so off limits might be more than she can manage. He's one of those guys you just know isn't good for you –he can–and often does–have any girl he wants.

The deeper she gets involved in a troubling field assignment, the more she finds herself relying on Colt. If she can just figure out how to do the right thing and not fall for irritatingly hot Colt in the process, life can go back to normal. Baby steps.

IN TOO DEEP is a mature young adult contemporary romance told in dual point of view. It is book one in a series. Book two, TEMPTED is due fall of 2013

Review:

This book was without a doubt very fascinating and hypnotizing, because I couldn’t stop reading it, the writing in this book was addicting to say the least.  The overall book was great and I definitely could have used a little more spy intrigue in this book but I’m hoping there will be more in the second.  Something about intense situations just always bring out those intense moments that I love so much. 

We meet Taylor as she is being shipped off to a school because she hacked into the testing site and changed her scores, of course she doesn’t’ realize that they only want her for her hacking skills.  There she meets Colt, the 19 year old martial arts instructor who is there to teach her how to defend herself.  But he’s got quite the reputation as the typical manwhore who uses and dumps his victims.  Even with this in mind Taylor is still attracted to him but fights it for a while.  But this only makes Colt want her more, you know the saying you always want what you can’t have.  Boys and new toys you know!

So throughout the book she is given little missions most of them are in the computer lab hacking away but she does get to go out one time and that experience was exciting, like I said in the beginning I hope there are more scenes like this in the second book because those moments really capture you.  You want to see the fighting and the drama of what could happen because after all they are in a special school where there are missions that could be quite dangerous out in the field.  But the chemistry the two of them have is quite nice, there is nothing too graphic in this book but there are some great moments.

I really enjoyed the concept behind the book and the writing style of the author.  Makes me want to know what the conclusion will be like.  The characters were great down to her best friends in the dorm and even the villain in this book seemed to have a soft spot even though we didn’t get to see that much of him, it was the regular obsession with greed that was driving his badness.

This book was a definite good girl bad boy mentality but if you think about it how good can the girl be if she’s in there hacking up the system in peoples profiles etc., she’s obviously not that good but still has those shy qualities about her.  Colt the bad boy, definite typical mom issues, but it’s still sad in a way that made you feel sorry for him, especially since he’s overcompensating for his sense of everyone leaving him and that’s why he is the way he is.  I can definitely picture this as being a TV series with them going on different missions and the attraction between the two main characters and the secondary characters even shining on their own. 

Overall really great book, the cover was very generic but okay and the title can go so many ways that it definitely fits the book itself.  I will be reading the next one as soon as I get my hands on it.

*************************************

Make sure to check out the second book in this series, I know I will because I just have to know what happens next!


Tempted
Release Date: October 5, 2013

Description:
Seventeen year old Taylor has survived her first year at the Wilbrook Academy for gifted teens. Even more difficult than her hacking assignments is learning to trust that her boyfriend Colt’s manwhoring ways are history.

But if she can get over his past, she may get her first chance at love. When an extended field assignment takes Colt and his ex-fling Bria to London, Taylor gets stuck entertaining Colt’s younger, and just as tempting brother, Reis. Can she trust Colt alone with Bria? And what about when emotionally available and baggage-free Reis makes his feelings for her clear, will she be the one tempted to cheat?

Tempted is the sexy conclusion to In Too Deep.



Disclaimer:
I received this book from Eliza Jane and the YA Books Group on Goodreads, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: The Road to You by Marilyn Brant

The Road to You
By: Marilyn Brant
Release Date: October 3, 2013

Description:
Sometimes the only road to the truth...is one you’ve never taken.

Until I found Gideon’s journal in the tool shed — locked in the cedar box where I’d once hidden my old diary — I’d been led to believe my brother was dead. But the contents of his journal changed all that.

The Road to Discovery...
Two years ago, Aurora Gray’s world turned upside down when her big brother Gideon and his best friend Jeremy disappeared. Now, during the summer of her 18th birthday, she unexpectedly finds her brother’s journal and sees that it’s been written in again. Recently. By him.

The Road to Danger...
There are secret messages coded within the journal’s pages. Aurora, who’s unusually perceptive and a natural puzzle solver, is hell bent on following where they lead, no matter what the cost. She confides in the only person she feels can help her interpret the clues: Donovan McCafferty, Jeremy’s older brother and a guy she’s always been drawn to — even against her better judgment.

The Road to You...
Reluctantly, Donovan agrees to go with her and, together, they set out on a road trip of discovery and danger, hoping to find their lost brothers and the answers to questions they’ve never dared to ask aloud.

In that expectant space between silence and melody, our trip began...

“Until I found Gideon’s journal in the tool shed—locked in the cedar box where I’d once hidden my old diary—I’d believed my brother to be dead. But the contents of his journal changed all that.”

Review:
I can without a doubt say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was hooked on their mystery and their road trip to finding out the truth, Nancy Drew watch out (just don't let Aurora hear me calling her that lol).  This book was definitely more mystery than anything else, yes there was a little romance thrown in there and it helped the story on an additional level but it really didn’t even need it.  This book was exciting and adventurous and I’ve never read a mystery before so it was definitely something new for m and I enjoyed it.

We meet Aurora who just discovered a journal from her brother who went missing two years previously with his best friend, but there are new entries in it from the week before.  This surprises her and she joins forces with Donavan who is the older brother of Jeremy the one who went missing with her brother.  They set off on a road trip and discover so many weird things that make them question who their brothers really were and what they could possibly have been doing.  But one thing leads to another and they are off on another longer road trip, one full of discoveries.

This book contains a fabulous mystery with a great ending, there are car chases, motorcycle duded, explosives, fireworks, corrupt police men and possible mob ties thrown in for good measure.  There is so much adventure in this book with a side of romance that is really quite adorable because Donavan being the older of the two holds back his feelings, at least until she turns 18 then it’s free reign. 

I really loved the different places they visited and the addition of having route 66 which has always been a mystery on itself was an added bonus.  Hitting all the small towns from the mid-west to the south west they go about discovering crazy corruption through several states all while trying to find their brothers who were alive in their minds because they were in contact with them, or at least they were with Aurora’s brother Gideon.  All roads lead to finding out the truth and their brothers.

There were a few moments in the book well I really felt for the characters because their journey is long and frustrating and who knew there were so few people you could actually trust in this world.  I loved the different settings from this book, and the time as well because it happened before I was born, before there was so much technology, when things were both harder and simpler at the same time.  If they had the technology we have now none of this would have even transpired in my mind and I love that it really was nostalgic.  Especially when they were talking about Grease coming out in the theater for the first time and their reactions to the movie, I thought that was adorable. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book and am happy I had the chance to review it.  If you love a good mystery with a lot of excitement and a little bit of romance then you will definitely have to read this book.  I couldn’t put it down and was mad when I had to go to sleep and I wanted to know what was going to happen next, very addicting. 

About the Author:

Marilyn Brant is a national bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary fiction. For Kensington Books, she wrote ACCORDING TO JANE, a new adult contemporary that won RWA’s Golden Heart Award, as well as the Aspen Gold and Booksellers’ Best; FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, a Doubleday Book Club and Book-of-the-Month Club pick in women’s fiction; and A SUMMER IN EUROPE, a romantic women’s fiction story featured by the Literary Guild and BOMC2, as well as by the Rhapsody Book Club, where it was Top 20 Bestseller in “Fiction & Literature.”

She's also a #1 Kindle Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, including ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH, both of which were Amazon and B&N Top 100 bestselling novels. She was recently named the 2013 Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English and lives in the northern Chicago suburbs with her family. She’s a big fan of travel, music and chocolate of all varieties, but she’s not so fond of celery or snakes. Or doing laundry.

Author social media links/website, etc.:

Website | Blog/“Brant Flakes”  | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Disclaimer:
I received this book from Marilyn Brant, the author (through ATOMR tours), so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!