Readers Confession

Breed of Innocence Promo + #Giveaway

2013-05-18T01:00:00.000-04:00

Breed of Innocence (The Breed Chronicles #1)

by Lanie Jordan

Published July 4th 2012 by LJ Books

Blurb:

One goal: Hunt the demon that killed my family. Make that two goals: Survive.

Six hours ago, men in dark suits and sunglasses came looking for me.

Four hours ago, they offered me training to hunt the things that killed my family: demons.

Two hours ago, I joined their secret organization--the CGE.

Now... All I have to do is survive demon-hunting school.

The classes won't kill me, but the finals might.

Website: http://www.laniejordan.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lanie_Jordan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLanieJordan

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673842.Lanie_Jordan
The Breed Chronicles: http://www.thebreedchronicles.com

About Lanie Jordan:
Lanie Jordan writes stories. Sometimes her characters drive her crazy, but then she gets her revenge by making their lives more difficult. Fictional payback is fun.
She loves reading, writing, watching TV, and listening to the same songs for months on end. The WWE is a not-so-secret secret obsession of hers, and she vows to one day write a story about wrestlers, just so she can claim watching it is for research.
Dean Winchester from Supernatural is one of her all-time favorite characters. Her friends would probably tell you she’s obsessed with all things Dean/Supernatural; she’s not, really. She just loves them a little. Okay, so it might be a tad more than a little, but if anyone ever finds out she’ll claim it was a blatant lie and that aliens wrote her bio.
And while she’s on the subject, she does believe in aliens and ghosts and things that go bump and boo in the night. You won’t find her admitting that she’s seen any of those things, of course, cause let’s face it, who would believe her? But she writes about them. And demons and angels and weirdo people who do weirdo things.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves

2013-05-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

Edelweiss & NetGalley:

Audible purchase/credit:

I also received a signed copy of Twilight Hunter from the FABULOUS Kait Ballenger yesterday! :-)

What did YOU get this week?

Off Limit Blog Tour/Review/Giveaway by Sawyer Bennett

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Off Limits

Author: Sawyer Bennett

Release date: April 16, 2013

Publisher: Big Dog Books, LLC

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

**I received this book from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for this review**

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17607787-off-limits

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Off-Limits-ebook/dp/B00CD6KQSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368140703&sr=8-1&keywords=off+limits

Blurb:

“There is a vulnerability there, hovering just below the surface. And I want to pick at it until I expose it. Then I want to kiss it."

Two years ago, Emily Burnham, had an epiphany about the shallowness of her life. And she made it her mission to become a different person…a better woman. Out from under the controlling thumb of her mother, Emily is tasting the real world for the first time. And she likes it.

Nixon Caldwell has served his time in the Marine Corps, surviving two brutal tours in Afghanistan. He is back home, surrounded by what he likes best…isolation. It's certainly the easiest way to avoid confrontation of the consuming guilt that is weighing him down.

When an accident brings Emily and Nix together, he soon learns he is not the master of his own fate. Struggling with his own pain, Nix tries to guard himself against Emily’s charms. He wants her in his bed, but he doesn’t want her in his heart.

Having grabbed life by the horns, Emily wants it all. But is she willing to accept just the small part of himself that Nix is offering? Can she reach the part of his soul that he has deemed to be Off Limits?

**This book is the follow up novel to Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett. It can be read as a stand-alone.

Review:

I love a tortured hero and Nix is very tortured. He’s a former Marine who served in Afghanistan. He suffers from trauma & guilt that he experienced there and has trouble letting people in. He comes off as one of those quiet, brooding guys who stand in the corner at parties while watching everyone else have fun. He’s also full of tattoos (ok, not surprising in this New Adult category) but he isn’t all bad-boyed out. I appreciate that he’s a well-established working man who can support and hold his own. He builds expensive motorcycles for a living so there’s no loser here and to top it off, he’s an artist. He makes beautiful pieces of art by welding different metals together.

Emily has made a complete transformation since we met her in Off Sides. She’s no longer that spoiled, b*tchy, judgmental, rich girl. Instead, she’s working on being a better person with positive influences from her brother Ryan and his girlfriend, Danny. She has grown and matured a lot while making decisions about her life despite it being against her mother’s wishes.

With Nix’s past, Emily “gets” him. She’s kind and patient even though Nix isn’t very nice to her, is stand offish and rarely smiles. Emily doesn’t push Nix for information that he doesn’t want to share. Nix is attracted to Emily but doesn’t want to admit it. The sexual tension between these two is hot! I couldn’t help but to root for them to give into it. When they finally do, it is all worth it. Again, Bennett writes good steam without being raunchy. It’s also sweet enough for a reader to connect to the characters.

This book was very fun and just what I needed to escape from reality. I really enjoyed Off Sides and Off Limits was just as good. There are some conflicts with Emily’s stalker ex-boyfriend and also her mother’s controlling attitude but the main focus is on Nix overcoming all his demons and Emily helping him along the way. It was nice to get updates of Ryan and Danny from Off Sides. The next book is about Linc, Nix’s brother, and it sounds like it may be a sports romance. I like how each book so far in this series is a different theme and I can’t wait to read more by Sawyer Bennett!

3.5 Stars

About the Author

Sawyer Bennett is the pen name for a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Author Social Media Links:

www.sawyerbennett.com

www.facebook.com/bennettbooks

www.twitter.com/bennettbooks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**I received this book from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for this review**

Cover Reveal: Giving You Forever by Ashley Wilcox

2013-05-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Giving You Forever

Author: Ashley Wilcox

Expected release date: July 8, 2013

Genre: Erotica

Age Group: Mature Adult

Cover Designed by: B Designs ; http://bdesignpublishingservices.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17375101-giving-you-forever

Book Description:

From the moment Nolan Pratt walked into Alexa Arnold’s life everything was forever changed. After a year of dating, the ring was on her finger, the house was purchased, and life was heading down Pleasantville Lane. Everything was perfect.

Or so they thought.

With help from his parent’s inheritance, Nolan takes on a new business adventure, utilizing all his free time. What was once their life- carefree with minimal responsibilities, is no more. When Alexa starts to feel the pressure from school, wedding planning, and lack of help from Nolan, exhaustion kicks in and feelings get hurt, testing the strength of their relationship. But, if there is one thing that Nolan will never compromise, it’s Alexa’s happiness. There’s nothing Nolan Pratt won’t do to make sure Alexa is well taken care of, loved, and happy.

When Nolan’s past resurfaces- a past that Alexa didn’t know existed- will it all be too much? Will Nolan’s devotion to Alexa’s happiness cost him their relationship and lose him the only thing that has ever mattered in his life? Or will Nolan discover that his past doesn’t determine his future and he is worth the happiness he doesn’t think he deserves?

About the Author

Some may consider me a jack of all trades, but I consider myself well rounded.

I’ve waitressed, styled hair, answered phones and, most recently, worked full time as mom to my two beautiful little boys.

Then there was this book…

Everyone and their brother started talking about this book series titled Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James. I didn’t really pay attention to the craze at first, since I wasn’t a big reader- okay, I didn’t read at all. But curiosity got the best of me, so I downloaded it to my kindle.

I was immediately hooked. I read the whole series in three days. Yes, three books in three days.

I kept finding all these great books that I HAD to read (just ask my credit card!).

Then I started hearing voices. Voices that turned into stories; stories that were begging to get out of my head.

I started writing them down on scraps of paper. Then I transferred them to my computer. Before I knew it, Planning on Forever was born.

The voices in my head are still talking, so I’m still writing.

For more information about me, and what I’m working on please follow me on:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashley-Wilcox-Author/534100859949004

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564533.Ashley_Wilcox

https://twitter.com/ashleywilcox55

http://www.ashleywilcoxauthor.com/

ARC Review: One Tiny Secret by Adam Kunz

2013-05-16T00:43:00.002-04:00

One Tiny Secret
by Adam Kunz
Published May 16th 2013
Source: eARC from author

**I received this book from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for this review**

Blurb:

Just one tiny secret has the potential to ruin everything.

Being the daughter of the sheriff in a small town like Holden Ridge means that eighteen-year-old Danielle “Dani” Marks’ life is under constant surveillance. She’s made a habit of staying under the radar by being a floater among social circles at school, which has kept her out of trouble—until now.

After a missing persons case stirs up the entire town, Dani finds herself caught right in the middle of the scandal. When she’s labeled a possible suspect, things quickly go from bad to worse. The sudden return of her old flame, Parker Reed, manages to make her whole situation even more complicated.

When an elusive unknown person begins to blackmail Dani by threatening to reveal her deepest secrets, Dani refuses to play along. That is, until the person’s actions take a violent turn. Holden Ridge begins to lose its sense of quaint town security, and Dani is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Who can she trust when anyone around her could be a suspect?

One thing’s for certain though: Never underestimate the power of one tiny secret.

Review:
**Please keep in mind that I was a beta reader for this book and my views may be slightly biased**

Let me start out by saying, this book is nothing like I normally read. I'm a total scaredy cat, I don't even watch scary movies, so I wasn't sure how much I would like this book. Adam is awesome and so is his mom, Carol (the other half of C.A. Kunz) so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this one.

Within my first few pages I knew I would love this book. Dani is funny and sarcastic (just like me :-P) and seems just REAL! She's a typical teenage girl in high school, but she keeps finding herself is these precarious situations. She is tested over and over and must protect her loved ones.

Parker is the ex boyfriend, the one that got away. Parker is sweet, understanding and the perfect match for Dani. Although the burden falls primarily on Dani, Parker is there every step of the way helping Dani.

Unknown (the villain) was great, I was actually impressed. I could not figure out (still haven't) how the heck the villain was able to set Dani up in all of these situations. The scenarios were so intricate and Dani almost didn't even have a chance.

One Tiny Secret had me on my toes the entire time. Every time that I thought I just KNEW who the killer was, Ugh, something would happen and NOPE not him. Then NOPE, not her. There were surprises, twists and turns, through the whole book and I was shocked and in aw by the end.

I do want to also add that this book reminded me a tiny bit of Scream. This could also possibly be because I don't have much to compare it too except that movie.

I'm glad that Adam has helped me find a new genre of books to read and I can't wait to read more from him in the future.

**I received this book from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for this review**

One Tiny Secret Blog Tour & #Giveaway

2013-05-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

First off...Happy Release Day to Adam!!!

*throws confetti*

Be sure to buy One Tiny Secret TODAY!!!

Amazon

it's ONLY $3.99

But...there's more of course...

Please give a warm welcome to the one of my new favorite people, Adam Kunz!!

Just in case, tell everyone a little bit about yourself.

Hello! I’m Adam Kunz, the A part of the mother and son author duo C.A. Kunz. Growing up, I always had a fondness for R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series and other books that go bump in the night. So, when I decided to write my own standalone novel, it was a no brainer that it’d be a thrilling mystery with a dash of horror and a little romance thrown in for good measure.

When I’m not busy writing, I enjoy my job at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida as a décor consultant for their Art and Design department. This job brings me face to face with all sorts of nightmarish creatures, especially when I help decorate the haunted houses for the park's annual Halloween Horror Nights event. Oh, and it’s been said by many that my addiction to Starbucks coffee will most likely be my downfall later in life, hahaha!

Congrats Adam on your first solo book. As you already know I LOVED the book. How nervous were you to write a book by yourself?

I was INCREDIBLY nervous to write One Tiny Secret. I had the idea and the outline of the story all set, but I was so used to writing books with my mom that writing a book all by myself seemed like a daunting task. I was still able to bounce ideas off of her when I was stuck on a scene or something, but it just wasn’t the same. It was definitely not a bad experience by any stretch of the imagination, but it was certainly different.

How did that change your typical writing style?

It’s kind of funny you ask this question, because for the most part my writing style stayed the same. I did however write more from the gut than I usually do when I write with my mom, but I still used a very structured outline to lay out the story beforehand. When I write with my mom, we tend to stick to our outline very closely, but with One Tiny Secret I found myself veering from it quite often. There was a sense of freedom that I don’t necessarily have with the co-authored books, which added both pros and cons to the process. With the other books I help write, there’s another person’s ideas that have to be incorporated and discussed along with mine, but with One Tiny Secret every idea was pretty much mine alone, and I had to connect them all to weave the story until the conclusion all by my lonesome.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? If no, when did you realize it?

Yes, I have always wanted to be a writer in some way. Now, I never thought I would be writing books as a career choice, but I have always loved writing. From an early age I wrote poems, short stories, and even movie scripts, but never thought I’d be where I am today with my writing. There are some days that I absolutely CANNOT go without putting words on paper (yes, I still handwrite most stuff). I almost feel guilty if I’m not writing sometimes.

What can we expect from you in the future? What are you working on?

Well, before 2013 concludes, I plan to write a spin-off for One Tiny Secret, but it won’t be a direct sequel. The working title for the book is Two Little Lies. Oh, and just so I’m clear on this, One Tiny Secret does have a definite end. After finishing it though, I had another idea for a story that takes place in the same world as OTS.

Mom and I are also in the process of writing Wicked Darlings which is the 3rd novel in our The Childe series. And after that, we will work on the 2nd book in our The Modified trilogy, The Enhanced. To say the least, I’ve got A LOT of writing to get done before the year is out, hahaha!

Quickfire:

Favorite authors: Gretchen McNeil, R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, James Patterson.
Favorite food: Thai foodFavorite all-time book(s): The entire Harry Potter series and the entire Fear Street series.
Favorite drink: Iced tea with lemonade (an Arnold Palmer)
Favorite quote: The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read. -Abraham Lincoln

Just one tiny secret…has the potential to ruin everything.

Being the daughter of the sheriff in a small town like Holden Ridge means that eighteen year old Danielle “Dani” Marks’ life is under constant surveillance. She’s made a habit of staying under the radar by being a floater between social circles at school, and up until now this has kept her out of trouble…but that’s all about to change.

After a missing persons case stirs up the entire town, Dani finds herself caught right in the middle of the scandal. When she’s labeled as a possible suspect, things quickly go from bad to worse. Not to mention the sudden return of her old flame, Parker Reed, manages to make her whole situation even more complicated.

Then an elusive unknown person begins to blackmail Dani by threatening to reveal her deepest secrets if she doesn't cooperate. When she initially refuses to play along, the person’s actions take a violent turn, and Holden Ridge completely loses its false sense of quaint town security.

Who can Dani turn to? Who can she really trust, when anyone around her could be a suspect?

One thing’s for certain though…never underestimate the power of one tiny secret.

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for 17+ due to language, violence, and sexual content.

Adam Kunz is the A part of the mother and son author duo C.A. Kunz. Growing up, he always had a fondness for R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series. So, it was a no brainer when he decided to write his own novel that it’d be a thrilling mystery with a dash of horror. When he’s not busy writing, Adam enjoys his job at a theme park in Orlando, Florida as a décor consultant. This job brings him face to face with all sorts of nightmarish creatures, especially when he decorates the haunted houses for the park's annual Halloween event. It’s been said by many that his addiction to Starbucks coffee will most likely be his downfall later in life. If you would like to find out more about this author, C.A. Kunz, or One Tiny Secret, please visit the links below:

Author Website- http://www.cakunz.blogspot.com

Facebook Author Page- http://www.facebook.com/cakunz11

GIVEAWAY TIME (INT)

One Tiny Secret Promo Tour Grand Prize Giveaway:

Make sure to visit each blog on the One Tiny Secret Promotion Tour schedule to grab the hidden word or words to crack the code! *Hint: the blogs are in order for a reason.

Once you’ve gathered the puzzle pieces from each blog, and arranged them to complete the hidden phrase, please send your answer directly to authoradamkunz@gmail.com for an entry into the Grand Prize Giveaway.

One winner will be drawn for the GRAND PRIZE:

A signed paperback copy of One Tiny Secret
A Hello Kitty Masquerade plush doll
A mini pink skull-and-crossbones clutch purse
A hand crafted skull-and-crossbones flower pin
A One Tiny Secret book charm necklace
A hand crafted skull-and-crossbones over the shoulder bag
A One Tiny Secret button
A purple skull-and-crossbones lanyard with a pink skull-and-crossbones charm attached
A pair of black and silver skull-and-crossbones earrings
A One Tiny Secret beaded bracelet
A One Tiny Secret bookplate
A One Tiny Secret glitter framed front cover picture (made by Adam Kunz himself)
A $10.00 gift card to Amazon
A $10.00 gift card to Barnes and Noble

Here are the tour schedule:

Thursday, May 16th – Jenese: Reader’s Confession

- Review/Interview/Giveaway

Friday, May 17th – Trinity: A Love Affair with Books

- Review/Back Book Blurb/Giveaway

Saturday, May 18th – Melanie: Reviewer for Little Read Riding Hood

- Interview/Giveaway

Sunday, May 19th – Mandy: I read Indie Bookl Blog

- Review/Back Book Blurb/Giveaway

Monday, May 20st – Holly: I Love Indie Books Blog

- Review/Back Book Blurb/Giveaway

Tuesday, May 21nd – Diane Morasco: Blog critics

- Review/Interview/Giveaway

Wednesday, May 22rd – Heather Gunter: Into the Night Book Reviews

- Review/Back Book Blurb/Giveaway

Review: Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

2013-05-15T00:00:00.002-04:00

Spirit (Elemental #3)
by Brigid Kemmerer
Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by K Teen

Blurb:

With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

Review:

I was totally blown away by this one!

So it's not secret that I got hooked on this series. I actually read every book and novella in one go. One straight after the other. I was totally Elemental obsessed, then I ran out of material...

I love getting into a series so much that you need to spend every free minute reading. Sadly that happens very rarely, partly because authors take a while to churn out those books and the other much more significant part: those are the top of the crop. It's those few series that become your favorite and that you start comparing others to. Well, Elemental has become one of them for me.

I think I would be one of a million, if I would mention that these novels are really character driven. I think I even said so in my review of Breathless. Spirit is the same as the previous books in that. If you someone who like a really good plot, well this ain't your series. Though I do feel that Spirit had a wee bit more to offer when it comes to plot than the other books in the series. Still basically its the an "elemental Guy falling for a girl, they have doubts/ confusions and they finally end up together" formula. But I guess by now people who like this series don't care that much about that. Because as I said this is a character driven series

And the character building is superb! I know I just admitted to be kinda obsessed with this series, but I was actually a bit apprehensive about Spirit Hunter was rather annoying me in Storm and while Fearless gave one an idea of where he was coming from I didn't care for him at all. Then he teamed up with Gabe in Spark and I didn't totally loath him anymore. But an entire novel all about him? I wasn't sure if I would like this one as much as the others.. BUT I loved it.

I think that Kemmerer's writing has grown and improved over the series. Honestly I might not have noticed it as much wouldn't I have read them back to back. Still it's impressive and exciting. And writing Hunter the way she did, made her one of my favorite YA writers.
Hunter was still confused and at times angry, indecisive and distrusting. But amazingly enough I totally got him. I absolutely could relate to him and I ended up really caring for him. That's where I see Kemmerer strength. She takes one of the characters in each book and slowly fleshes them out and makes them come to live. I care for the characters in the series. And every time around it's like meeting old friends again.

Kate is a different female lead than the others. She is stronger more forward in some ways, really insecure in others.

I loved the interactions between Kate and Hunter. The sassy dialogues were my favorite bit of the book. Oh and I should mention, I think this is the steamiest novel of the series. Hunter and Kate make out A LOT.

One of my friends actually mentioned to me that she found Kate was just a make-out backdrop for Hunter. I didn't think so, but I think in compare to Hunter Kate came out a little flat.

I think this might have to do with the fact that we got way more of Hunters POV. But also because Kate had little interaction with the support cast in compare to Hunter. The relationships between Hunter and all the other characters were simply amazingly written.
To be honest I actually think if you can't connect to Hunter than you might not like this novel very much.

A really good sequel to a great series. The only downside? I have to wait soooo long for the next one!

1 Year Blogoversary Kick-Off

2013-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Well I made it!! Can you believe I've hit my 1 year? I can't! It feels like I started my blog just yesterday. :-/

I have made tons of friend along the way. I now have plenty of ladies that are willing to lend a helping hand, push me to read THAT book or just talk dirty on Twitter. LOL!

THANK YOU to my new friends for being there! You are going to hear from them soon-eekk, they're going to interview me. THAT should be fun or scary, let's see!

Jennifer of The Book Nympho
Laura of Little Read Riding Hood
Christen of Goldilox and The Three Weres
Shelley of Gizmo's Reviews
Cimmaron & Braine of Talk Supe

Rachel from Parajunkee likely doesn't know this but she helped me TREMENDOUSLY at the beginning of my blogging career. She has several tutorials on her blog that were my first real lessons into HTML.

There are tons more bloggers that helped me a long the way that I have learned from, unfortunately I can't name them all. But thanks for you ALL!!

I have met TONS of new authors, went to my first book con (Olde City, New Blood) and already have my next 3-4 book events already planned out! Be on the look out for pics and more info about these events, especially Coastal Magic Convention. :-)

A special thank you to my girls here at RC - Louise, Deniz and Kay! You have helped me a lot recently and I hope we will celebrate more together!

Of course I couldn't have done it without my readers. I appreciate you all for stopping by, entering my giveaways, leaving comments and feedback. You are all AWESOME!!! To celebrate my LURVE for you all, here's another giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Restore Me by J.L. Mac

2013-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Restore Me (Wrecked #2)
by J.L. Mac
Published April 29th 2013 by J.L. Mac Books

Blurb:

Navigating the world alone is all Josephine Geroux has ever known. Life altering tragedy struck early on for her. She endured an admirable struggle through her youth and learned the hard way how to adapt and survive. She managed to arrive at adulthood in one piece in spite of it all.

After such chaos, maintaining a life free of complications is a priority for her.
Everything changed when a man with amber eyes came through her door and claimed her heart. She fell hard in more ways than one. The pull between Jo and Damon seemed like fate bringing things full circle.

With another devastating loss looming, Jo fights to hold on to the very thing that brought her to her knees. She finds herself torn between a promising future and clinging to a devastating past.
But that’s not the most worrisome problem on her hands.

She must convince more than just herself to let the past stay in the past, where it belongs, but on her journey to find closure and resolution, she does the exact opposite. An old wound caused by a heinous act becomes exposed for what it is. The truth is catastrophic and Jo is helpless, watching as the ruins of her fragile world endure more turmoil.

Can something conceived from tragedy and malice end well? Can something so completely poisoned conquer adversity? Jo is left to make a decision; accept the circumstances she finds herself in or fight with unwavering ferocity to restore what has been damaged.

Review:

The end of Wreck Me ends on a cliffhanger, but for me it wasn't too bad. I knew how that book was going to roll, and I knew deep down that Damon was going to be ok.. sort of.

Restore Me picks up where Wreck Me left off, Jo is feeling anxious about Damon's current state, who wouldn't, the guy is pratically a zombie. Unsure if Damon will ever come back to her, Jo is trying real hard to make things right between them. Jo is also battling with her own demons and now Damon's and I think she does a great job of keeping things together. I love Jo's personality, she's strong and reliable and she refuses to give up. I love how J.L.Mac wrote Jo.

I don't want to talk much about Damon, but what I will say is, for the most part of this book, he's a complete bastard to Jo. Damon is cruel with his words and he treats Jo unfairly, but she takes it, and gives as good back. The sex is different from book one. Damon is hard, cold and the sexual connection they shared has shifted, but at the same time it was still hot and I think I loved it even more.

We're also introduced to some new characters. Brian is Jo's new gay best bud, who's also Damon's right hand man. I love Brian, he's so funny and sweet and I'm glad that Jo has a friend. We also meet Elise, Elise is Damon's sister. Elise is a piece of work, but Jo soon puts that right. Then there's Handy Andy... I'm not sure about this guy. Andy is weird and creepy and I have feeling Andy is going to cause some trouble.

Grams is also back! I love Grams, she's a great character and I think J.L.Mac could have some fun with her. Jo has grown close to Grams, she visits her a lot and she feels bonded with her. Jo would do anything to protect her, so when Grams money starts going missing and Edward, Damon's drunken asshole father comes on the scene she will do anything and everything to help her.

I picked up on something with Noni in book 1, and yes! I was right. I loved the ending to this book, we get a revelation, mystery and the possibility of something quite dangerous. I did find some things predictable, but it doesn't make the story any less enjoyable. I loved the writing, the pace and the way everything unfolds. J.L.Mac has created some wonderful characters and I can't wait for book 3. I need it now!!...please!

Promo & #Giveaway: Until I Break by M. Leighton

2013-05-13T01:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Until I Break

Author: M. Leighton

Release date: May 14, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17667913-until-i-break

Blurb:

Laura Drake is an author. She writes bestselling paranormal romances that continue to top the charts. She is sharp. She is confident. She is in control.

And she doesn’t exist.

Samantha Jansen is the woman behind the wig, the woman most of the world doesn’t know exists. She is shy. She is insecure. She is nothing like her main character or her alter ego. She is scarred—deeply scarred—by a past she can’t let go of and a present she can’t make peace with.

Samantha’s dreams are consumed by one man, the broken hero from her books. Mason Strait is both her wildest fantasy and her most terrifying nightmare.

When Samantha meets Alec Brand, a corporate consultant, it is as though Mason has come to life. Alec is handsome to a fault, as elegant as he is arrogant, and more intense than any man has a right to be.

Samantha is soon sucked into a world that mirrors the fiction she writes. Just like her main character, Daire Kirby, Samantha finds herself unable to resist the forbidden lure of Alec. And just like Daire, she also finds that she is faced with taking a chance on a man who could either set her free or destroy her.

The scale tilts toward destruction when Samantha finds out that Alec is as much a work of fiction as Mason. And he has scars of his own, scars that could ruin them both.

Bio: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton lives in the deep South with her super-hero husband and super-smart malti-poo. She has a fondness for coffee and chocolate, loves the color red, laughs at almost anything and often stares out her window, daydreaming of far-away places.

Author social media links:

Blog http://mleightonbooks.blogspot.com

FB http://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Leighton/189192087759491#!/pages/M-Leighton/189192087759491

GR http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1152263.M_Leighton

Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/mleightonbooks

EM m.leighton.books@gmail.com

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/M.-Leighton/e/B004LL0TAU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/m-leighton?r=1

EXCERPT:

“Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod!” she hisses through lips that move very little. “Here he comes!”

I don’t move. Not a single muscle. I just stare into Chris’s wide eyes until a shape appears at my right. Slowly, I turn my head and look up, falling headlong into the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen in real life. I see them in my head all the time. And I saw them from somewhat of a distance. But no amount of exposure could’ve prepared me for the reality of them up close. They’re like drops of cool lime with a splash of warm cream.

He glances away from me and nods to Chris before his eyes return to mine. He tilts his head slightly to the side as he considers me. Still, he hasn’t said a word. Still, my pulse is racing out of control.

“Can we help you?” Chris says from across the table. I can hear the smile in her voice.

He doesn’t answer for several long seconds.

“I know you.” It’s a statement, not a question.

A voice inside my head, one that I only listen to when I’m writing, cries out emphatically. Yes, yes, yes! You know me inside and out! Just like I know you.

But I shush her. He doesn’t know me. He couldn’t possibly. And I couldn’t possibly know him. Even though he looks and, thus far, acts exactly like the man that arose from the core of my imagination, from my darkest desires and deepest fears, I can’t let myself forget that he’s not Mason Strait.

“No,” I reply.

He falls silent again, his continued perusal making me increasingly breathless. Finally his eyes narrow on me. “I want to.”

GIVEAWAY TIME

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Review: Lord's Fall by Thea Harrison

2013-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Lord's Fall (Elder Races #5)

by Thea Harrison

Published November 6th 2012 by Berkley
Source: ebook gifted

Blurb:

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them…

Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom.

In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…

Review:

There was some good stuff in this one and some boring stuff in my opinion. Overall, I would describe this book more as meh or blah. Nothing great, nothing bad.

Dragos and Pia's interactions were my favorites of this book. I constantly wanted more from them, as I love Dragos so much. They have great dialogues and cute banter. Dragos was his usual pig headed, alpha male self. He's not accustomed to having a woman in his life and actually having to compromise. He's not able to rule with an iron fist like he can with others. Instead he has to learn how to be a mate, husband and father.

Pia annoyed several times in this one. I hated that she called her security team "the psychos" through the entire book. Yes, they were an interesting bunch but they still watched out for her and took care of her. She knew their names did she still need to refer to them as "the psychos"? I did like her interactions with the baby. I thought it was cute, their connection they had so early on in her pregnancy.

The story wasn't pretty much broken into 2 parts. Wyr side and the Elven side. Pia went to visit the Elves to try and repair the relationship between the Wyr and Elven races. Dragos stayed behind to host the Sentinel Games. The Sentinel Games was interesting. I enjoyed hearing about the fights during the Games as well as learning about the new fighters. One in particular sounds VERY interesting, but I don't want to spoil it. Pia's trip to see the Elves was pretty boring to me, but once the action picked up after the crossed the Wood then it all got better. The story quickly moved after that and the battle/action scenes were good.

Although I was happy that this book went back to Pia and Dragos, I wish there was more of them together. This book had them separated for far too long.

Stacking the Shelves

2013-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Smashword Freebie with Code: UU33D

$10 Audible credit:

Edelweiss:

What did YOU get this week?

Review: Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett

2013-05-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Off Sides (Off Series #1)
by Sawyer Bennett
Published February 21st 2013 by Big Dog Publishing

Blurb:

Ryan Burnham is the privileged son of a U.S. Congressman and captain of his university’s hockey team. While he is on the verge of fulfilling his dreams to play in the NHL, his parents want him on a different course. One he is expected to accept for the sake of his family’s public image.

Forced her to abandon her music career after the heart breaking death of her parents, Danny Cross exists on the opposite side of the tracks from Ryan. She is struggling to make her own way, working two jobs, attending college part time and volunteering in a homeless shelter. She is on a mission to build her own success.

With a chance meeting, their vastly different worlds collide, causing each to evaluate whether they are truly on the correct path to self-fulfillment and happiness. Can their relationship survive? Particularly when others are against them every step of the way. A lot can happen in just ten short days...

Review:

This is such a fun theme of a rich, privileged boy who meets a girl who couldn’t be more opposite. For a New Adult novel, I find this to be quite refreshing since it is not a common theme of a girl and her attraction to bad boys. This is a short book, roughly about 137 ebook pages, which I finished within a few hours because I just couldn’t put it down. I was pleasantly surprised how satisfied I was when I was done.

As for the characters, I really like Danny. She’s a virgin, has piercings, purple hair and smart wit. Her parents are dead, she is a talented violinist but had to drop out of Julliard (not by choice), and she’s working as a waitress to make ends meet. Life is not a piece of cake for her and I appreciate how she is hard working and determined to conquer all this. Despite this tough life, she finds time to volunteer at a homeless shelter while she pays her way through college part-time.

Ryan is a rich guy who basically has everything handed to him on a silver platter. He’s the all American boy, captain of his hockey team, popular and in a fraternity at his college. With all this going for him, I value that he does not have the “sense of entitlement” attitude that most kids of his background have. Ryan is well aware of just how shallow his so-called friends are and I admire that he recognizes the fakes from his genuine friends.

When Ryan and Danny decide to pursue their attraction and begin a relationship, it’s not easy since they are from two different worlds. I like how Ryan freely admits how scared he is and asks Danny to take a chance on him so that they can face everything together. The obstacles they encounter include crude remarks from Ryan’s friends and team mates, his mother’s arrogant behavior about pushing Ryan to be with a girl of the same “class,” and an ex-girlfriend who torments Danny at every meeting. There are also some scenes of violence where the consequence of that is another issue they both have to combat as well. Despite all of the forces against them, they have the “love conquers all” attitude where they deal with everything openly and honestly.

I do think that the author’s writing style flowed really well for me which attached me greatly to the story. The sexiness was not “fade to black” nor was it overly explicit. I thought it was just the right amount to feel the characters emotional and physical connection to each other. Be warned that “love” and “marriage” comes up sooner in their relationship than one would expect but to me, I felt their connection so I didn’t question it. This is such a hidden little gem and I hope many people will pick up this book.

3.5 - 4 Bolts

* Please join me at Readers Confession on May 17th for the author’s “Off Limits” Blog Tour where I will review, Off Limits, the second book to this series about Ryan’s sister, Emily.

ARC Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

2013-05-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

Blurb:
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Review:

Beth was not my favorite character in Pushing The Limits so reading her story was going to be... interesting.. on several levels. I was wondering if I'll be ok reading an entire book about the at times rather bitchy girl, if McGarry could sway me and if this is going to be a completely different story line than Pushing The Limits. Knowing how well McGarry written the previous sequels in this series I did expect a lot. AND a lot I got.

McGarry has managed to write another amazing piece and her writing has improved and grown even more. But before I'll gush on about how much I loved her writing, the plot was interesting. Similar set up as Pushing The Limits, except McGarry to Beth out of the familiar setting. A stroke of brilliance in my opinion. Also with that new characters were introduced but also while we still saw the familiar Beth new aspects of her could unfold and we got to learn about her past and understand why she is the way she is. As I said the set up is similar, one kid from broken home and ruff background the other from a good upbringing and problems at home. They kinda end up together and fall in love. Well at least that's the basic run down. But McGarry made this super basic set up into a completely different story and without breaking the connection to the previous book, this is in my opinion the incredible feat she achieved. It felt new and unique but there were familiar and love aspects there as well. Brilliant!

As I said I wasn't that excited about Beth to start off with, and she did live up to my expectations several times in behaving like the utter bitch. But as the story went on things become clearer and Beth does change as well and I ended up really really liking her. (Another testament to McGarry writing skills)

While Beth comes from a rough background, her bitchiness isn't just kinda excused because of it. One actually get to see that, yes she is sassy and sometimes even mean, she also is loyal and devoted. And her relationship with her mother is devastating and moving both at once.
McGarry has a real sensibility towards building up realist and rounded characters and she went all out with Beth. I could totally connect to her feelings and insecurities even though she is the furthest from my character.

Ryan is sweet, fun and genuinely good guy. And everyone is going to root for him. Because he also is cocky, charming and a golden boy. The only thing I found a bit too much was his problems at home. It kinda felt a bit over the top.

Scot is the one support character that I have to mention. He is amazing! His story is difficult and as we get to know him, you realise how much he invested and how much he cares for Beth. He is the one that chose to do things right. I loved how he rebuild his relationship with Beth and also how he protected his wife.

I really enjoyed getting to know the new support characters, but was also happy to get a glimps of the old "crew". And its interesting to see them through Beth's and Ryan's eyes.

There are so many details to this novel that are worth mentioning. This is not just your straight forward plain romance story. NO! There are so many levels to it. I would say that McGarry is best at writing emotions but that isn't quite true. She also created really amazing characters, with interesting backgrounds and then there a little things like the analogy with the bird in the barn. And the rainwater in the bottle.
The dialogues are fun and witty as well.

Which brings me to my favorite bit McGarry's prose. I have little words to explain how good it is. She transmits feelings and situations with beauty. I can only say that McGarry is offically one of my favorite YA writers. Because yes her novels are great and much deeper than most but her writing! AH! She is an artist. And the best part, it gets better with each book!

So I am not only waiting desperately to read what Isaiah's Story, I am waiting for anything McGarry is going to write!

Guest Post/Promo with Poppy Dennison

2013-05-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Please give a warm welcome to m/m author Poppy Dennison! I actually met her in February at Olde City New Blood mini-con and she was a total doll! Look forward to my review soon of Book 1 of the Triad series. Without further ado, here is Poppy!

GUEST POST

From Angel to Angelus: Writing the Male POV

Since I started writing Gay Romance (M/M Romance), I’ve often been asked about writing men. What’s different about it? Isn’t it a challenge to accurately portray the male perspective?

The answer is as complex as the question. Yes and no. The challenge of being a writer is digging deeply into your character’s heart and finding their motivations. The emotions are key. Without them, you have a cardboard cutout with no personality.

Those of you who follow me know that I’m a bit of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanatic. If you watched the show too, you’ll be very familiar with the characters Angel and Angelus. Both men (well, vampires!) and both in the same body. One could argue that they are the same person. But are they?

Angelus is the dark side, the evil villain of the story in many ways. He’s soulless and torments the other characters in truly horrifying ways (those poor goldfish…). His alter ego is our hero, Angel: the vampire with the soul who helps Buffy on her mission to save the world from other evil vampires.

So what does this have to do with writing the male perspective? Good question! LOL. The genius that is Joss Whedon created a character who travels all sides of the emotional spectrum. All of the characters I create have their own journey. Just like Angelus, they all have a dark side, or flaws that they battle to become the person they are meant to be. But on the other hand, they are also the dark hero, Angel, with a mission and goals of their own.

The key to writing from the male POV is making sure I take the time to develop that background so that I truly know my character. When Buffy’s writers were crafting lines for Angel or Angelus, they had to keep their distinct histories and personalities in mind. It’s my job to do that for each of my characters, to give them their own unique personalities that are so clear that even if they are identical (or share the same body in Angel/Angelus’ case) my readers can tell them apart by the way they talk and how they act. I have a writing friend who once told me that she even knows what her characters smell like! Now, I’ve got to confess that I don’t necessarily know their smells, but I do know them.

Take, for example, Simon Osborne. (Anyone catch the little Buffy reference there?) Simon’s journey begins in Mind Magic, the first book of my Triad trilogy, and concludes in Soul Magic. Simon has his Angel side (he has a heart of gold and is willing to break the rules to help kids in danger) but he also has his Angelus side in the form of self-doubt, anxiety, and a general lack of self-worth. Sound familiar? They are flaws many of us face on a daily basis, myself included!

The trick was to take those flaws and transport them to the male perspective. How do males react to self-doubt differently from women? As a writer, it’s my job to understand that difference. I’ll give you a funny example of a misstep I made in my first draft of Mind Magic. I confess to being a little nervous about the first sex scene I wrote. I had a good friend read it for me. He did, then handed me back the chapter with a frown.

“Poppy, love,” he said as he patted my arm sympathetically. “For gay men, a blow job is like a handshake. Try again!”

Once I picked my jaw up off the floor (and stopped blushing!) I realized he was right. I’d not really gone into Simon’s head when I wrote that scene. I did try again, and the result was a chapter that had my buddy fanning himself with appreciation!

For me, writing the male POV can be a challenge at times, but that’s what I like about it. Characters are the backbone of any romance novel, and being able to dig deep, to get both the Angel and the Angelus of their emotions into play, well, that’s what makes the challenge worthwhile!

Soul Magic (Triad #3)

Publisher: Dreamspinner

Genre: Paranormal M/M

Price: $6.99 eBook $14.99 Print

Release Date: May 6, 2013

Blood runs soul-deep. Cormac hasn’t been the same since the night the High Moon Pack was attacked. With his magic weakened, he’s consumed by a bloodlust he hasn’t felt since he first became a vampire. His need to replenish his power makes him a danger to his last remaining family member, and his hunger makes him careless. And that’s just the beginning of his troubles. Feeding from pack beta Liam Benson was supposed to slake his appetite, not leave him craving more.

Simon Osborne and Gray Townsend are trying to fight a being history says shouldn’t exist—one with all three types of magic. The pack must use all of their resources to combat the mysterious triad, even turning to the shady Council of Mages for help. While Cormac struggles to reconcile his past failures with his current desires, Simon must attempt the impossible: an alliance between mind, body, and soul.

Buylinks:

Dreamspinner Page http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_602

About the author

A sassy southern lady, Poppy Dennison developed an obsession with things that go bump in the night in her early years after a barn door flew off its hinges and nearly squashed her. Convinced it was a ghost trying to get her attention, she started looking for other strange and mysterious happenings around her. Not satisfied with what she found, Poppy has traveled to Greece, Malaysia and England to find inspiration for the burly bears and silver foxes that melt her butter. Her love of paranormal continues to flourish nearly thirty years later, and she writes steamy love stories about the very things that used to keep her up all night. If her childhood ghost is lucky, maybe one day she’ll give him his own happily ever after.

You can find out more about Poppy’s books on her website http://www.poppydennison.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poppy-Dennison/270574609631110?ref=ts

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/ParanormalPoppy

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5108648.Poppy_Dennison

Cover Reveal: Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2013-05-07T23:30:00.000-04:00

Obsession

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Expected publication: May 31st 2013 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Covet)

He’s arrogant, domineering, and… To. Die. For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something…unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlarmentrout

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Website: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/

BlogLovin'

2013-05-07T14:35:00.000-04:00

Ok ok, I finally started BlogLovin' account!

Peer pressure I tell ya, blame it on Lupilup from Hot Listens, LOL!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Review: Wreck Me by J.L. Mac

2013-05-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wreck Me
by J.L. Mac
Published February 20th 2013 by J.L. Mac Books

Blurb:

Life can be cruel. People can be ruthless and evil. The world can be cold and uninviting. No one knows these things better than Josephine Geroux. By her own definition, she is a twenty-five year old “nobody with nothing,” and she is content to stay that way. Growing up an orphan has made her tough and indifferent to the people around her until she meets a strangely familiar man with a face that haunts her for reasons she can’t understand.

Despite the pain that will inevitably ensue, she makes it her mission to discover what parts of her tragic puzzle she is missing. On her journey to discovering why the she feels an alarming connection to an absolute stranger, her greatest fear is reawakening the demons and darkness from the past that will surely overtake her if she lets her guard down.

Little does Josephine know that the past should be the least of her worries. She is toying with a man who has already broken her heart once. She just doesn’t realize it.
Although she makes it a point to avoid interactions with others, Josephine’s life becomes entangled with the enigmatic stranger. Before she realizes it, she has given herself over to the one person who is close enough to wreck her.

Review:

Ah, this book just set my pants on fire!

Jo is 25 and she's been throuigh some real hard times. Josephine lost her parents at a young age, and is pushed into a system of abusive foster families, the childrens orphange, finally ending up on the streets. It's on the streets that Jo learns how to take care of herself and not be pushed around. Jo doesn't wallow in self pity, she wants to better herself and she does! Good on her!!

I loved Jo. She is strong, fierce, kick ass and I loved her no self pity rule. I love a character that's been through the bowels of hell and they come out strong willed. Jo has a love of books, she works in a bookstore and its where we're introduced to the lovely Damon Cole.

Damon is hot, sexy, smart, strong but its also broken by a past that haunts him, a past that he keeps secret from Jo. In my head, Damon was David Boreanaz. David has these strong willfull arms and the way Damon would sweep Jo up and flip her over, I had David Boreanz in my head...which really isn't a bad thing ;-) Damon and Jo are two pieces of the same puzzle, they just fit together. They connect not just through sex, but on another level, they bounce off each other and there was a lot of funny moments that had me laughing. J L Mac wrote Damon and Jo beautifully, not I only did I feel for these characters, but to make me laugh at them too... it takes a lot for me to laugh and feel hooked on both main characters.

Ok, the sex was AHHH-MAY-ZING!! The sex is so toe curling hot!! J L Mac can write amazing sex scenes, there's no doubt about it. There's no cheese or corny lines, no dripping memebers, it's just raw, dirty sex and I loved it!!! When I say dirty, I don't mean in a wrong way, more unadulterated. The sex scenes aren't over the top, but the way they are wrote and the connection that Jo and Damon have made it so much more.

When we first meet Damon, I knew instantly where this story was going. I did find this predictable and I guessed right again when Damon's father is introduced. Predictability aside, I loved this book and the cast of characters. Grams is a great secondary character, she's a hoot! I love Grams and I hope there's more of her in the second book, Restore Me. I want to quickly mention Noni. Noni plays a minor part but I have this feeling that she's got a secret, I think I know what it is! I'm expecting a pow from Noni in the second book. There is a cliffhanger, but because I saw it coming it didn't hit me hard..that said, I'm downloading Restore Me right now!

There are a few minor errors, nothing that distracts from the story. I did have a niggle about Grams dentures. Yeah, I know... but hear me out. Grams has dentures, yet when Jo is visiting Grams with circus peanut she thinks to herself, ' I'm the one that's going to be responsible for Grams loosing her teeth' but she has no frigging teeth, she's got dentures. So that bugged me a bit.

Overall, I loved the story, the characters and the writing and I'm looking forward to Restore Me.

Rating 4.5

Lost & Found Blog Tour and Excerpt - Nicole Williams

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Lost and Found

Author: Nicole Williams

Release date: May 7, 2013

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads

There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.

After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.

Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.

Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.

When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself.

Excerpt from Lost and Found

I was folding my last pile of clothes when a sock fell off the side of the island. I’d dropped as much laundry as I’d folded.

Blowing out a breath, I kneeled and crawled around the side of the island. I’d just snagged the escapee sock when the door to the laundry room flew open. But it wasn’t Rose.

Nope. Definitely not Rose.

Jesse tossed his hat onto the island before tugging his shirt free of his jeans. They were just as tight as the ones he’d worn yesterday. I was ready to bolt up and demand to know what the hell he thought he was doing stripping in front of me when he pulled the dirty, damp shirt from his body and tossed it into one of the laundry carts.

He didn’t know I was there. I wasn’t exactly making my presence known by staying motionless in my hiding spot. I might have been on all fours on the floor of a laundry slash torture room, but right then, I had the best damn view in the house.

Making his way over to the utility sink, Jesse cranked on the water before leaning down and splashing his face and hair. Hello, fine, fine ass. How I’d missed you.

He turned off the water and grabbed a towel hanging over the edge of the sink. As Jesse straightened up, my eyes shifted from the denim suctioning that backside up the seam of his back.

Hot damn, did that man have more than his fair share of muscles. As my eyes explored his back, lingering on the shadowed groves and highlighted peaks, I had the nearly uncontrollable urge to touch him. To feel him. To scroll my finger through the lines making up Jesse Walker.

My heartbeat picked up, along with my breathing, and the space below my navel started firing to life in a familiar way.

What the hell?

Was I about to get off in a laundry room spying on the back of some cowboy I’d known for all of a day and a half?

After Jesse finished drying his face, he tossed the towel into the cart, too. Okay, he was done. He’d removed his filthy shirt, washed up, and he could get out of here so I could get back to taking full breaths again.

That was when he unfastened his belt buckle and moved for his fly.

Ah, hell.

“Stop!” I shouted right as his thumbs hitched beneath the waist of his jeans. If I had to watch the rest of the Jesse Walker strip tease, I would moan the alphabet.

Jesse spun around. His look of surprise fell when he saw me peeking my head around the side of the island.

My gaze shifted from his face down. And I thought his back had been worthy of building the pyramids all over again. The wide chest, flowing down to his tapered waist, trailing down to his . . .

The undone belt buckle and button of his jeans did not make it easy to not think about certain pieces of anatomy I really shouldn’t be thinking about when he looked at me like that.

“Are you spying on me?” Those sky blue eyes sparkled as he took a few steps my way.

I forced myself to close my eyes because I seemed incapable of looking away from his general navel area. Those deeply grooved muscles angling their way to his . . . ahem . . . weren’t making it any easier for me to not think about it.

“No,” I replied, my voice three notes too high. “I was looking for some stupid sock I dropped, minding my own business, when you burst in and started taking your clothes off.” In addition to my voice being a few notes too high, it was also a few notches too loud.

“And you decided to stay silent and hidden for the entire time I was stripping and washing because . . .?” he asked, but he wasn’t really asking. That smirk of his gave away that he knew exactly what I’d been doing. When I didn’t answer, his smirk grew more pronounced. “Because you were enjoying the free show.” Not a smidgeon of doubt.

My eyes snapped open, and I forced them, upon penalty of plucking them out, to stay north of his neck. Not that Jesse’s face calmed my heartbeat, but at least my lady business wasn’t about to bust something.

“Not even,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “I was waiting patiently for you to be on your merry way.”

“Sure you were.”

“Sure I wasn’t doing whatever you so egotistically think I was doing,” I snapped back.

“Whatever, Rowen. You were checking me out so hardcore your face is still red.” Jesse took a few more steps my way. Crouching down beside me, his smirk shifted into a smile. “Mind if I join you down here?”

About the Author

I'm a wife, a mom, a writer. I started writing because I loved it and I'm still writing because I love it. I write young adult because I still believe in true love, kindred spirits, and happy endings. Here's to staying young at heart *raises champagne glass* . . . care to join me?

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ARC Review: Mafia Captive by Kitty Thomas

2013-05-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

Mafia Captive
by Kitty Thomas
Published April 17th 2013

Blurb:

Faith Jacobson was in the wrong place at the wrong time. After witnessing a mob hit, she’s only moments from death when Angelo Raspallo decides to give his brother an unlikely gift.

Leo has avoided involvement with the family business, but it doesn't make him a saint. He’s troubled and ashamed by his darker sexual desires, one of which is to own a slave. But when his brother throws Faith at his feet, repainting the scenario to make Leo the hero rescuing her from certain death, his moral fortitude will be tested. If Faith were kinky, it would be easy to live out his fantasy, but she’s not—not even a little bit. Even the mildest spanking sparks terror in her that Leo can’t bear.

The gift soon becomes a burden as he fights with himself over how to handle the addition to his home. He could release her, but his brother doesn't do loose ends. The only thing keeping her out of the bottom of the harbor is Leo’s mercy. She’s like a beautiful piece of art he keeps in a glass case but can never touch. Is possessing her enough?

Author’s Note: Mafia Captive has more of a love theme than many other Kitty titles, though the work is still quite psychologically dark. Readers may also notice a “new adult” flavor as Faith is just out of college and trying to find her place in the world when she is thrust into Leo’s life and home.

Review:

I was so happy to finally get my hands on this book. I love Kitty Thomas' books and this one wasn't any different. Thomas puts a totally different twist on Stockholm Syndrome. She gets right down to the psychological dark parts of someone going through these kidnapping events.

Let's be honest here, these horrible and unspeakable events that happen in dark erotica, psychological books are nothing that anyone would wish upon a human being. That being said, Kitty Thomas makes these events in such a way that she makes you want to live them. *gasp* They're not TOTALLY romanticized but almost. It's just a F*$%ed up Happily Ever After and I love it. It's my guilty pleasure.

Ok...back to Mafia Captive. Faith never had an easy life. She's was basically alone most of her life, doing everything on her own. When she finds herself kidnapped, ironically enough it was a HUGE upgrade. She wasn't in a dungeon, not that kind of kidnapping, but found herself inside a lavish lifestyle. She had freedom, although not total. Who wouldn't romanticize this situation.

Faith's capture is good looking and rich. Leo is a healer, he's kind and sweet but there is also his dark side. This is the side that scares Faith and makes them bump heads. When he wants to be Leo can be very much like Angelo and the rest of his mafioso family.

Leo will not and can not give up Faith. It takes quite a bit of compromise on both of their parts to pull off the farce that they have going on with his family. As time passes by, Faith begins to buy into this life. The life of family, money and riches, of which she never had or experienced. Faith's feelings for Leo begin to change. Rightfully so, she has major conflicts with this and doesn't know if she should go this way or that. In the end, no one knows including herself whether she made the right choice, but it seems like it will work for them.

There were a few things that I wished I knew more about, like a few loose ends. I assume as a reader that she was reported missing and/or people began looking for her. I wanted to know how she felt about that, did she see it on the news or did Leo prevent her from that stuff?

There was also the ending that had me quite confused. Ok, not confused, but just not sure WHY it was thrown in there necessarily. It just seemed like it came out of left field. And then of course the abrupt ending, I hate those. I do understand though that these dark erotica's don't have the fairy tale ending that most books have and it's tough choices at the end. This doesn't make for good endings.

As always I look forward to reading more Kitty Thomas books. :-)

Stacking the Shelves

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, it's all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
I was so busy last week that I wasn't able to do a post so here it my haul for 2 weeks.
B&N purchases: (Exiled was listed as freebie last I checked- double check before you download)

Pre-ordered

Won from Awesomesauce Book club in their ParaRT13 feature!

Edelweiss:

What did YOU get this week?

House of Comarre Read A Long: Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

2013-05-03T01:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first House of Comarre series Read-a-long discussion this time around we will be talking about Blood Rights. If you have read ahead in the series please remember to not spoil about future plot lines. To help with this I've come up with a few discussion points for us to talk about. Feel free to talk away in the comments and if you have posted a review for Blood Rights leave a link for us to check out.

WARNING: if you have not read this book you might want to come back after reading since this discussion MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

Discussion Topics:

What do you think of all the different species names? It's not your typical vampires and shifters, but Nothos, Anathema, Comarre and Varcoli.
Did the terminology get distracting at all?
How did you like the world building?
Who are your favorites- Mal or Chrysabelle? Secondary characters?
How did you like Tatiana as a villain?
Predictions?

Tell us what you think in the comments

and feel free to leave a link to your review.

Be sure to check out The Book Nympho's review here
And Little Read Riding Hood's review here.

Read-a-Long Schedule:
May 3: Hosted at Readers Confession Chat and Discussion on Blood Rights
June 7: Hosted at Little Read Riding Hood Chat/Discussion on Flesh and Blood
July 5: Hosted at The Book Nympho Chat/Discussion on Bad Blood
Aug 7: Hosted at Readers Confession Chat/Discussion on Out for Blood
Sep. 6: Hosted at Little Read Riding Hood Chat/Discussion on Last Blood

Please follow my co-hosts:

Review: Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

2013-05-03T00:00:00.001-04:00

Blood Rights (House of Comarre #1)
by Kristen Painter
Published October 1st 2011 by Orbit

Blurb:

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarré -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

Quickie Review:

Let's be real here...the covers are so gorgeous that them alone made me want to try this series out! Don't judge a book by it's cover, yes I know, but I can't help it. Luckily this book turned out to be more than just a pretty cover.

Blood Rights is the first of five books in the House of Comarre series. I thought it was a great start to a new series. I love Chrysabelle's name, as well as Malkolm (remind me of Malkolm from Kresley Cole's Demon in the Dark).

I enjoyed the story and was pulled in very quickly. There are several POV in this book, mostly from Chrysabelle and Malkolm but we also get the villain's POV, Tatiana. Tatiana was a great villain, possibly one of my favorites. She was so sadistic and power hungry, she would do anything for more.

The connection between Chrysabelle and Malkolm was palpable. As they didn't meet on the greatest terms it took some time to truth each other to be able to work together. There is some serious sexual attraction and I look forward to seeing them work together in the next few installments.

I was conflicted throughout the book in regards to all the new names of creatures. There was several times that I felt lost in all the different names. I'm sure I will learn them with time but it's typical creatures we, as readers, are used to having other names for. For instance, shifters are varcolai. There are also three different types of vampires, each with very unique names like anathema.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and Ms. Painter's writing style.

Deeper We Fall Tour + 2 #Giveaways - Chelsea M. Camerson

2013-05-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron (Deeper We Fall #1)
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publication date: January 24th 2013
Synopsis:Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.
Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.
Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face.
Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen.
The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16157294-deeper-we-fall

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Deeper-We-Fall-ebook/dp/B00B5I2WV6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360817804&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deeper-we-fall-chelsea-m-cameron/1114224340?ean=2940016054926&r=1%2c+1&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10%3a1&

Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron (Deeper We Fall #2)Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publication date: April 20th, 2013

SynopsisThe last thing Katie Hallman needs is another guy in her life, but Stryker Grant is there anyway. What starts out as just an escape from her previous relationship disaster soon turns into something more. Stryker gets under her skin the way no one has before, and soon she realizes she can't shake him, even if she wanted to. But is Katie ready to trust her already-battered heart to the guy who could shatter it into a million pieces?

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17283748-faster-we-burn

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chelsea-M.-Cameron/e/B0079J3A8O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/c/chelsea-m.-cameron

AUTHOR BIO

Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.chelseamcameron.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752359.Chelsea_M_Cameron

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelsea-M-Cameron-Official-Author-Page/304422529610919

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chel_c_cam

GIVEAWAY TIME

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2 Reviews in One: Deeper We Fall & Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron

2013-05-02T01:00:00.000-04:00

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron (Rise and Fall #1)
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publication date: January 24th 2013
Synopsis:Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.
Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.
Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face.
Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen.
The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache.

Quickie Review:

From the beginning it seemed like Lottie and Zan were meant for each other, they both seemed like two peas in a pod. It seemed that life just kept getting in the way of them getting any closer to each other. This connection that these two have made it impossible for them to hate each other, well impossible for Lottie to hate Zan.

For being college freshman they both have gone through so much in their lives. They are not easy go lucky characters. Zan and Lottie both deal with lots of guilt in their past stemming from this accident, but guilt for different reasons.

Lottie tried to keep her distance but it seems like Zan is always around. After a few choice meetings it seems like she can't just ignore this chemistry between them. As the story unfolds we realize there is TONS more to Zan than meets the eye. The great thing is that we are able to witness ourselves as readers thanks to having dual POVs with Lottie and Zan.

Even though these two were pretty much enemies through half of the book, it felt very natural and easy for them to come together. I very much enjoyed their story and was looking forward to the next one when I finished.

Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron (Rise and Fall #2) Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publication date: April 20th, 2013

SynopsisThe last thing Katie Hallman needs is another guy in her life, but Stryker Grant is there anyway. What starts out as just an escape from her previous relationship disaster soon turns into something more. Stryker gets under her skin the way no one has before, and soon she realizes she can't shake him, even if she wanted to. But is Katie ready to trust her already-battered heart to the guy who could shatter it into a million pieces?

Quickie Review:

This story starts more or less towards the end of Deeper We Fall. What I commend Ms Cameron for is that she didn't go back and rehash EVERYTHING all over again. She recapped it nicely so that if you didn't read the first book you wouldn't skip a beat but if you did read Deeper We Fall you were reliving it all again. *applaud*

Katie and Stryker (love his name by the way) are both totally dysfunctional. Katie, well lets face it, she comes off a little slutty. It's not just because of how quickly she slept with Stryker but also because when times get tough she just wants to sex her way out of dealing with issues. I didn't quite like that about her. Katie went through a bad break up and has her guard up and most times ends up taking it out on Stryker. He becomes more than just sex and he becomes her rock during hard times.

Stryker has had a bad upbringing since his childhood. He had to grow up at a very early age and for that he is mostly normal. He's very smart and nerdy but bad boy at the same time. Is that possible? Yes it is apparently! Stryker has that perfect balance. He can be totally sweet but with the flip of a switch he can be a total ass!

After going threw so much tragedy together there was no more denying their love for each other anymore.

I'm not sure if this is going to happen, but I'm totally ready to hear about Audrey & Will, hell even Trish's story.

If you loved Cameron's My Favorite Mistake or any other NA/CR books out right now, you will definitely love these crazy college students from Maine.