Monday, September 30, 2013

Review: A Little Bit Scandalous by Robyn DeHart

Title: A Little Bit Scandalous (Forbidden Love #3)
Author: Robyn DeHart
Genre: Historical Romance
Source: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: August 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A woman in search of a gamble…

Mathematics prodigy, Caroline Jellico, plans to support herself by winning big in the gaming hells of London—while dressed as a boy. She’s tired of waiting for the elusive Roe to notice her. She’ll marry him or no man. 

A gambler in need of redemption…

Monroe Grisham, Duke of Chanceworth, needs to marry off his beautiful young ward and ensure she attaches herself to the right man, not an irresponsible cad like him. But all grown up now, Caroline’s presence is an utter distraction. One he can neither act on nor deny.

A game of seduction…

But when Roe and Caroline meet across the gaming table, all bets are off. Seduction is in the cards and the winner will take all…or lose everything.



Caroline was a fantastic character.  I loved that she was fierce and independent and not afraid to go after what she wants.  Pair that with being a bit naive and she finds herself in potential trouble dressed as a man in a card game.  On the other hand, we have Monroe.  He was a bit stale to me.  So many historical heroes are written this way and he didn't seem to have a unique perspective.  I did enjoy him more as the book moved forward, he just never really stood out from the rest.

The story line was a lot of fun.  Caroline and Monroe are a perfect match in many ways.  They enjoy being intellectually challenged and have a hard time finding someone that can do that.  While Caroline has always knows Monroe was the right man for her, it takes awhile (and a little interference from his mother) to make his see what's right in front of him.  With a  little bit of a mystery to solve behind the scenes it was a very pleasant read.


Amazon: A Little Bit Scandalous
Barnes & Noble: A Little Bit Scandalous

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Lost Without You by Liz Hannah


Designed by Cover It! Designs
Lost Without You
by Liz Hannah


Expected Publication: December 30 2013

Grace Young thought she was a survivor - until the day her twin brother died, leaving her parents heartbroken and their relationship with Grace fractured beyond repair. Now all Grace wants is a chance to experience something of a normal life, before it's all too late. 


Going to college hundreds of miles from home seems like the right way to embrace her new found freedom, especially after years of homeschooling, but while Grace takes to her classes naturally, it's the other side of college that she's unprepared for.
The parties. The friendships. The boys. Especially one Dean Michaels, the Haven University's star soccer player. Fate throws the pair together, and their friendship starts to turn into something more. But can Grace keep the secrets of her past hidden without hurting those she's come to count on the most?

*New Adult Contemporary Romance, recommended for readers 17+ for mature situations*


Author Bio: Liz Hannah is a New Adult author that calls both Scotland and Australia home. Currently studying her Bachelor of Arts at university, when she’s not busy reading or writing, Liz can be found procrastinating from her studies indulging in her Pinterest habit or watching too many TV shows. Lost Without You is her debut New Adult novel.



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Entangled Ever After Release Day Blast and Giveaway


Find Your Ever After in Under An Hour



Ruby Hill by Sarah Ballance


From her earliest memories, Ashley Pearce has been drawn to Ruby Hill Lunatic Asylum, and she's not the only one. Decades after the abandoned hospital ended its institutional reign of torture and neglect, something lurks in the shadows. Since she’s a paranormal investigator, it's Ashley's job to find out what.



Crime scene expert Corbin Malone doesn't believe in ghosts. A born skeptic, he has no interest in entertaining the hype surrounding the mysterious deaths at Ruby Hill, but he won't turn his back while more women die. He agrees to an overnight investigation, never expecting his first encounter would be with the woman he pushed away a year ago. But when he discovers Ashley is a target, he learns his greatest fear isn't living with his own demons, but losing her for good.





One Thousand and One Nights by Ruth Browne


Sheri spends her days fighting zombies and her nights chained to a wall, earning her every breath by telling stories to her captor Aleksy—stories that make them both forget the ruined world. Sheri could put up with the conditions—at least she knows her sister is safe in the community Aleksy leads—until she realizes she’s falling for him...even though he wants her dead.



When Aleksy allowed Sheri and her sister into his compound, he didn’t know about the zombie bite on her back. It's only a matter of time before she turns into one of the rising dead and threatens their existence, but Aleksy has a secret need for Sheri and her stories. For everyone’s safety, he chains her to his bedroom wall, hoping for just one more day. But how long will the community allow Aleksy to ignore his own rule: always kill the infected. Always.





Mercy by Jan Coffey


Julia Klein’s life has begun to unravel—her daughter Amy has been suspended from school, Julia is about to lose her job, and her boyfriend Garrett is being transferred thousands of miles away. Overwhelmed, she and Amy leave for a weekend at a rambling old colonial inn. Julia never suspects that Garrett, desperate to find a way to keep Julia in his life, has decided to surprise her by joining them. Nor does she expect her daughter to befriend a mischievous ghost...or that she herself would be possessed by the malevolent spirit of a long-dead mother.



As a dark secret emerges, Julia, Amy, and Garrett find themselves pitted in a fight for survival against a savage presence that intends to resurrect/repeat/relive a horrible crime committed two centuries ago. And this time, Amy and Julia will be the victims.





Haunted Chemisty by Lindsey Loucks


When bookish college co-ed Alexis heads to the laundry room in her new apartment, she runs into Ian Reese, the chem lab partner she crushed on all last semester. And the guy who stood her up on their first date. But she’s down for an awkward reunion, and no better place than her creepy laundry room.



Ian has every intention of making amends, but just when Alexis begins to trust him again, a new threat calls more than their future together into question. A ghost from the apartment’s past is hellbent on revenge, and if he wants to get his girl, he’ll have to get the ghost first.





Wish Upon a Star by Michelle McLean


Ceri McKinley never stopped wishing that her ex-fiancĂ© Jason Crickett would come back into her life. But when he finally does, he comes with a request that puts them both—and all of humanity—into jeopardy.



Jason only wants two things: to bury his brother properly and to convince Ceri to trust him again after he jilted her. But when Ceri agrees to help him get his brother back, they end up fighting for their lives as a zombie uprising threatens them all.









Northern Light by E.J. Russell


Nothing gives art fraud investigator Luke Morganstern a bigger rush than busting forgers, the low-life criminals who dare victimize true artists. But when his latest job sends him to a remote cabin in the Oregon Coast Range, he’s stunned to discover the alleged forger is his former lover, Stefan Cobbe, the most gifted painter Luke has ever known.



Stefan, left homeless and destitute after the death of his wealthy partner, doesn’t exactly deny the forgery -- he claims he doesn’t remember, an excuse Luke can’t accept.



But Luke’s elderly client suggests Stefan may be telling the truth and presents another possibility – a dark presence in the woods, a supernatural fury simmering for decades. Luke must face down his fear of the uncanny – and admit his feelings for Stefan – if either of them is to survive.









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Sunday, September 29, 2013

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair

Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair
Published by: Simon & Schuster BfYR
Publication date: September 3rd 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read.

Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?

Purchase:
--Amazon:  Leap of Faith
--Barnes & Noble:  Leap of Faith

AUTHOR BIO:
Jamie Blair spent most of her teen years choreographing moves for her dance team routines, kissing boys on the couch after her mom went to bed, and pondering the mood enhancement qualities of Lemon Heads when consumed with Diet Coke. Writing under Kelli Maine, she’s the USA Today bestselling author of Taken. Leap of Faith is her debut New Adult novel.

Author links:


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Friday, September 27, 2013

Review: The Antique Love by Helena Fairfax

Title: The Antique Love
Author: Helena Fairfax
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author Request
Release Date: August 30, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

One rainy day in London, Wyoming man Kurt Bold walks into an antique shop off the King’s Road and straight into the dreams of its owner, Penny Rosas. Lively, spirited and imaginative, Penny takes this handsome stranger for a romantic cowboy straight from the pages of a book. Kurt certainly looks every inch the hero…but he soon brings Penny’s dreams to earth with a thump. His job is in the City, in the logical world of finance—and as far as Kurt is concerned, romance is just for dreamers. Events in his childhood have shown him just how destructive love can be. Now he’s looking for a wife, right enough, but what he wants is a marriage based on logic and rational decisions. Kurt treats Penny like he would his kid sister, but when he hires her to help refurbish his beautiful Victorian house near Richmond Park, it’s not long before he starts to realise it’s not just his home she’s breathing life into. The logical heart he has guarded so carefully all these years is opening up to new emotions, in a most disturbing way…



"A hopeless romantic."  This is what everyone thinks Penny Rosas is.  Many say it with love, but others say it with disdain.  Penny thinks that passionate love is out there for everyone and when a cowboy walks into her antique shop, her heart skips a beat.  The cowboy, Kurt Bold, isn't as romantic as she hoped.  He's a planner and has his life all laid out in front of him step by step - and it sure doesn't include passion.

I adored Penny.  Her love for antiques and history was present on every page.  I loved having a leading lady with a passion for something other than guys - it really rounded here character out well.  Kurt seemed a little more one dimensional, but towards the end his character really rounded out well, too.  Their romance is an interesting one.  Kurt wants logic and lists, Penny wants passion and romance.  It takes really getting to know Penny - and a chance at losing her - before he rethinks his position.

There was a little bit of a side story that allowed Kurt to be the cowboy on a white horse riding in to save the day.  It was nice to see a lot of background going on around the romance to fill the story without overshadowing our main characters.  This is a great sweet romance, I'm glad it was sent my way.


Purchase Links:
Barnes & Noble: The Antique Love

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Eramane by Frankie Ash

Eramane by Frankie Ash
(Eramane Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: Summer, 2013 
by Archway Publishing
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult



In the village of Eludwid, seventeen-year-old Eramane Fahnestock goes about her life, cheerfully disregarding a prophecy made to her parents that she would have a great gift. Not yet wed and beset with boredom, Eramane cannot shake the feeling that something exciting awaits her beyond Eludwid. But when she is invited to picnic with a handsome young suitor, Eramane has no idea that her life will soon change forever.

As Eramane prepares for her date, she is suddenly hypnotized by a strange voice that tells her he will be coming for her that night. Unsettled but determined to press forward, Eramane and her suitor, Lebis, head to the woods to enjoy their picnic. As darkness falls on the forest, however, a beast emerges, transforming their beautiful outing into a terrifying scene. Taken captive and carried away to a mountain hideaway, Eramane finds her memories are soon clouded, even as her family frantically searches for her back home.

In this gripping fantasy tale, evil is summoned to the mountaintop, forcing a young woman to discover her magical gifts and exact revenge against a beast determined to destroy everything she has ever loved.

Purchase: 
--Amazon: Eramane
-- B&N: Eramane



AUTHOR BIO:
Frankie Ash is the author of the YA novel Eramane, COMING SOON! She holds a B.A. in English and resides on the east-coast somewhere between “Will it ever be warm again?” and “The summers here are too short!” She is currently writing book #2 of The Eramane Trilogy, to be published in 2014.

Author links:
Website: http://frankieash.wordpress.com/


Excerpt from Eramane:
We ride slowly up the hill that leads to the river. Once we top the hill, I lean up to Lebis’s ear. “Let her go!”
Turning his head slightly, he asks, “Are you sure?”
            “Yes!” I confirm.
            “She is really fast,” he shouts proudly.
            “Yes! Yes! I am sure! Let her go!” My excitement reassures him, and he gives his beautiful horse the command. Kelwyn does not hesitate. She lunges and we gallop down the hillside into the meadow. The mare runs so fast that the wind whistles as it passes my ears. The flowers part as we trample through them. Insects fly in all directions to avoid our sudden and unstoppable intrusion. The moment engulfs me, and I let go of Lebis to put my hands out. I lift my head to the sky and inhale all of the smells from the earth. I feel the sun trying to kiss my skin, but it cannot keep up with us. I squeeze Kelwyn tightly with my legs; her slender physique enables me to hold on tight. I wish that this moment of freedom will last forever.
            My moment of enjoyment is short-lived, as the image of the beautiful man I saw earlier revisits me. But I decide immediately that I want to dwell on this moment, my moment with Lebis, his magnificent mare, and the beautiful meadow. I open my eyes and in an instant the image is gone, replaced by my beautiful surroundings. I lean forward and put my arms around Lebis’s waist, gently latching on to him. He looks back to me, and I see a smile come over him before he can turn away.
            “There it is!” Lebis shouts. “Just beyond the tree line!” Kelwyn slows her run to a trot, then to a walk. “We will have to walk her in. She gets a little spooked by the shadows. Once we are in, she will be all right,” Lebis says, pulling back on her reins. He dismounts, drops the reins, and offers his hand to me. I slide down the side of the horse and land on the softest, greenest grass I have ever seen. As I look around, I realize that I have never been to this part of the river before. Usually my family goes to the waterfall by the cliffs. Here, though, the river runs through the forest, very secluded and peaceful.


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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Cover Reveal: Say Yes by Tara West


Say Yes by Tara West
(Something More #2)
Publication date: October, 2013
Genres: New Adult, Romance

AndrĂ©s, why can’t it be enough that I love you? That I want to spend forever with you. Why must you expect so much more? I’m not ready for marriage and a family. I don’t know if I ever will be.
Christina, I need to know that what I’m putting into this relationship isn’t all for nothing. To me, you mean everything. But I won’t be your stepping stone. Because as much as it would kill me, if you refuse to commit to something more, I will walk away.
Will Christina ever be ready? Will Andrés stay or walk? Will their love endure or is it doomed before they even have a chance?


AUTHOR BIO
A former Texas high school teacher, I enjoyed coaching the writing team and even the hectic deadlines that came with running the school publications. After taking a break to raise my baby girl, I now work from home as a cover artist.

In my spare time, I loves to read, exercise and spend time with family and friends. I contribute the cover art for my Whispers Series and have designed covers for over 500 other books.

Please visit me at http://www.tarawestauthor.wordpress.com/ or www.tarawest.com where you can check out my Whispers series and sample my artwork.

Website: http://tarawestauthor.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaraWestauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1731936.Tara_West

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Blog Tour: Not Pretty Enough by Jaimie Admans Review and Giveaway

Title: Not Pretty Enough
Author: Jaimie Admans
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Not Pretty Enough Blog Tour
Release Date: August 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

“New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Lloyd Layton will know I exist. He once said three whole words to me, so this is obviously progress. If I don’t get a proper conversation out of him soon, then I’ll take my top off and streak through the cafeteria, because nobody could fail to notice these boobs.
2. I will not get expelled for streaking through the cafeteria.”

Those are the words that begin her mission.
Chessie is fourteen, not pretty enough, and very much in love. Lloyd Layton is hot, popular, and unaware of Chessie’s existence.
Her goal is clear: to get Lloyd to love her as much as she loves him, and she has exactly one year to do it.
As Chessie’s obsession with Lloyd reaches boiling point and she starts to spin a web of lies that spiral out of control, Lloyd turns out to be not quite the prince she thought he was. Can Chessie avoid the gathering storm before things go too far?



Not Pretty Enough has to be one of the most humorous stories I've read in awhile.  Chessie is a wonderful character that has lost her way in life - as in she's about as far off the path as she can get.  She is dying her hair crazy colors, walking into lamp posts and generally making a fool of herself for one very special boy by the name of Lloyd Layton.  She's sure they were meant to be, a match made in heaven - he just doesn't realize it yet.

Chessie's blunders, both big and small, are all life lessons, but they don't always feel like it.  The author isn't hitting you over the head with her point over and over, which is a very good thing.  Sometimes Chessie's antics got a little over the top and unbelievable, but that just made her an even more lovable character.  You never stop rooting for her, even when you see her heading into trouble, and I love that you can see her best friend, Debs, has the same attitude.  

The ending was a little predictable, but very fitting for the story.  It really opened Chessie's eyes to the ways of the world without causing too much hurt at the same time.  This is an excellent book for any young adult.



Purchase Links:

About Jaimie Admans

Jaimie is a 28-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, drinking tea and watching horror movies. She hates spiders and cheese & onion crisps. She has been writing for years but has never before plucked up the courage to tell people. Afterlife Academy is her third novel and she hopes you enjoy it. There are plenty more on the way!



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Sept 16

Danasquare - Review
Starbucks & Book Obsession - Review + Playlist
The Unknown Random - Review
The Love of a Good Book - Review
Stay Bookish - Review
Inside the Mind of a Bibliophile - Review
Literary Meanderings - Guest Post
Cu's Ebook Giveaways - Excerpt
Books & Tales - Excerpt
Unputdownable Books - Excerpt

Sept 17

Sheli Reads - Review
Crawling Over the Pages - Review
From the Writer's Nest - Review
Please Another Book - Review
Living a Different Fairytale - Review
Books and Cake - Review
Krystal's Enchanting Reads - Guest Post
Sab The Book Eater - Guest Post
Reader Girls - Excerpt

Sept 18

Tishylou's World - Review
Sweet Southern Home - Review
Books Books Books - Review
Living in a Bookworld - Review
Jess Time To Read - Excerpt
candy coated book blog - Excerpt
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - Excerpt

Sept 19

The Phantom Paragrapher - Review
Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews - Review
My Seryniti - Review
Mostly YA - Review
Cosmochicklitan - Guest Post
random jendsmith - Guest Post
The Bookish Confections - Excerpt
Jody A Kessler - Excerpt
Books and Needlepoint - Excerpt

Sept 20

jennyinneverland - Review
Sarah Elizabeth's Bookshelf - Review
A Bookish Escape - Review
Stacey J. Mitchell - Review
Fox Tales - Interview
Amy Bookworm - Page 99 Test
The Serial Reader - Excerpt
Reviewing in Chaos - Excerpt
alwaysjoart - Excerpt

Sept 23

Bookcomet - Review
Reads and Thoughts - Review
Ramblings of a Diva Booknerd - Review
Bookworm in Boots - Review
ReadingToTheStarsAndBack - Review
Jess Resides Here - Guest Post
Indy Book Fairy - Guest Post
A Dream Within a Dream - Excerpt
Life with Lesley - Excerpt
SBookLover Reviews - Excerpt

Sept 24

Lauraslittlebookblog - Review
Love, Literature, Art and Reason - Review
Island Lovelies Book Club - Review
Ramblings of a Daydreamer - Review
Mom in Love with Fiction - Review
frustrated yukky mommy - Review
Books, Coffee and Wine - Review
A Little Bit of R&R - Guest Post
Bookmarks, Spoilers and Happily Ever After - Dream Movie Cast
Rose & Beps Blog - Excerpt
Literary Chanteuse - Excerpt

Sept 25

The Bookish Panda - Review
pretty in pink book reviews - Review
Letter Trails - Review
Pink Polka Dot Blog - Review
Hot Off the Shelves - Review
Mommasez... - Review
The Book Addict - Review
Such A Novel Idea - Review
Mom with a Kindle - Excerpt
Deal Sharing Aunt - Excerpt
The Escapist - Excerpt

Sept 26

A Diary of a Book Addict - Review
Rebbie Reviews - Review
Butterfly Feet Walking on Life - Review
Incandescent Enchantments - Review
oldvictorianquill - Review
Amy Bookworm - Review
Paperback Princess - Review
Paranormal Sisters - Interview
Mythical Books - Excerpt

Sept 27

Bianca2b - Review
paranormal book club - Review
Jany's Book Club - Review
Room for Reading - Review
The Fantastical World of Wonders - Review
scandalous Book Blog - Review
Shawna's survey - Review
Me, Bookshelf and I - Review
random jendsmith - Review
Fragments of Life - Review + Deleted Scene
Faerie Tale Books - Guest Post

Kats Read - Review
On Emily's Bookshelf - Review
Georgia Beyers Book reviews & Blogs - Review
Brooke Blogs - Review
Read-A-holicZ - Review
Mera's YA Book List - Review
Mom's Focus - Review
Writers and Authors - Interview