Sunday, November 24, 2013

Review: Sia by Josh Grayson

Title: Sia
Author: Josh Grayson
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: November 20, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.


Sia is a great story that takes a look at the social dynamics of high school in a very interesting way.  When Sia loses all her memories, she finds herself living with the homeless for a week - eating at soup kitchens, collecting cans, and sleeping under bridges.  She has no idea that she is actually the daughter of a famous movie producer.

When an accident lands her in the hospital, she is reunited with her family only to find it isn't the perfect life that everyone told her it was.  As her family falls apart around her, she struggles in school with what her friends expect her to be.  She finds out that she was a "mean girl" - the worst of the bunch, but now she doesn't want to be that.  Will she be able to reinvent herself into a better person.

I absolutely loved this story.  Sia was a very genuine and honest character throughout and it was amazing to watch her turn her life and family around into better people.  While there wasn't a lot of action, there was a lot of character growth and exploration which I love in a book.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


Trailer Reveal: The Replacement by Rachael Wade

The Replacement by Rachael Wade
Publication date: January 27th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

*Contains sexually explicit content and mature subject matter, including language and elements of abuse.*

A gritty New Adult drama about a young woman’s self-destructive quest to find purpose, self-worth, and love in a broken world.

My name is Elise Duchamp. I’m twenty-three years old and I’m known as the town whore.

No, not the kind who exchanges sexual favors for money. The other kind. The kind who gives it all away for free, whenever and however she likes. I am that girl. The one everyone whispers about and the one none of the girls seem to like, because all of their boyfriends either want to sleep with me or already have. Promiscuity is my thing—the kind that slowly, violently turns my insides black, but gives me something I need.

All things considered, I’m not completely reckless. I’m safe, and contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart. I live in a world of careless choices, and with those choices come careless people. I cannot judge them, because I am one of them. I too bow down to the altar of the self-serving. I am not a good friend. I am not and never could be anyone’s girlfriend. I’m convinced any goodness in me shriveled up and died long ago.

But I am a replacement. That is something I know how to be, and this is a story of the lengths I’d go to in order to keep it that way.



AUTHOR BIO
Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of The Preservation Series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the upcoming sci-fi series, The Keepers Trilogy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. Visit her at www.RachaelWade.com and www.LightsOnOutreach.com, or come chat with her on Twitter via @RachaelWade.

Author links:

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Review: Say Yes by Tara West

Title: Say Yes (Something More #2)
Author: Tara West
Source: Author Request
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Andrés, 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?




My review of Book one:  Say When

Book two of the Something More series starts out with quite the bang.  Tara West had my heart pounding immediately as we see Christina visiting baby Ty in the hospital with an unknown illness that could be life threatening.  The pace of the story stays intense throughout the whole story as Andre and Christina examine their relationship and stumble over hurdles they didn't realize were there.

Both Andre and Christina will have some life altering experiences that have the potential to draw them even closer together or separate themm forever.  There are several misunderstandings thrown in that only served to complicate things - just a little too much for my taste.  Their lives have enough without the added drama.  I did love the new family issues and experiences that they see, it explained a lot of their pasts and helped them move forward as individuals as well.  There is a massive cliff hanger at the end.....I'm not sure when Book Three will be released, but I hope it's soon.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


Friday, November 22, 2013

Holiday Kindle Fire Giveaway

Holiday Kindle Fire Giveaway



Just in time for the HOLIDAYS - Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)



This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT!

Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".



The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)


Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)


Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)






Holiday Kindle Fire Giveaway #1 Sponsors:
  1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
  2. Feed Your Reader
  3. Allergic to Life by Kathryn Chastain Treat
  4. The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl
  5. Living, Learning, and Loving Life
  6. Confessions of a Librarian in Training...
  7. Bea's Book Nook
  8. Author Kary Rader
  9. Author Jennie Sherwin
  10. A Book Lover's Retreat
  11. These are but Shadows
  12. Tressa's Wishful Endings
  13. Author Lia Fairchild
  14. Author Helen Smith
  15. Buku-Buku Didi
  16. Truth Seekers Dare to Enter
  17. The Reporter and the Girl
  18. Author Terah Edun
  19. Young Adult Book Deals
  20. Diva Booknerd
  21. Jessica Loves Books
  22. Homebound Unlimited
  23. Author L.A. Matthies
  24. Author Janeal Falor
  25. Like a Broken Vessel
  26. Author Bonnie Blythe
  27. Author Bella Street
  28. Candlelight Reads
  29. Author Louise Caiola
  30. Kelly's Lucky You
  31. Author Elizabeth Isaacs
  32. Word to Dreams
  33. Kimber Leigh Writes
  34. Author Wendi Sotis
  35. ~Owl Always Be Reading~
  36. Fairie Chick's Fantasy Book Reader
  37. Author Talia Jager
  38. MichaelSciFan
  39. Author Charlene A. Wilson
  40. Every Free Chance Book Reviews
  41. MyLadyWeb: Women's History and Women Authors
  42. Darkmotive's Books and More
  43. Ketch's Book Nook
  44. Blogging the Beloved
  45. Book Lover's Life
  46. Kelly P's Blog
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  48. Lori's Reading Corner
  49. Author Kay Kenyon
  50. A Bookish Escape
  51. Christine's Blog


Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway:

http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups



Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7".

Ends 12/18/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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Book Blitz Excerpt and Giveaway: Alive by Megan D. Martin

Alive by Megan D. Martin 
(Crave #1) 
Publication date: November 22, 2013
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance

Flesh-eating zombies, dirty sex, and a shattered past…
What’s more dangerous—the man who broke her heart or those trying to eat it?


Fighting to survive, Eve finds herself alone in the world after the Crave—the only parallel of her former life. On the hunt for her sister, she runs into Gage—the first and only boy to have her heart and break it. It’s been four years and he isn’t a boy anymore, nor is he the same person he used to be. Against her better judgment, Eve agrees to stay with him when he divulges information on a safe haven near the small town they grew up in—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it…

Returning home elicits a myriad of emotions that both Eve and Gage thought they had buried. The past and present collide and they are  forced to the face bitter deceits that ruined them in the before and threaten to destroy them now…



AUTHOR BIO:
Megan D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks.


Excerpt from Alive:

“Come here,” he whispered, barely recognizing his own voice. He heard her movement in the dark, the rustling of leaves against the thick soles of her boots. His hand slipped down her arm and he reveled at the smooth skin.

“Don’t touch me.” The harsh words were a shock to his system. She jerked her arm away and scooted away from him. What the hell?

“Eve—”

“Go to sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

He took a deep breath trying to get his rioting emotions under control. “How do I know you won’t try to kill me while I sleep?” 

“You don’t.”


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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Double Cover Reveal: A Shot of Red by Tracy March and Dyed and Gone by Beth Yarnall



Title:  A Shot of Red by Tracy March
Genre: Romantic Mystery/Suspense
Length: 400 pages
ISBN-13: 9781622661251
On-Sale Date: April 22, 2014
Imprint: Entangled Select


After fleeing DC following a
one-night stand that had her reeling, biotech company heiress Mia Moncure has
thrived working with a humanitarian aid team administering vaccines in Haiti.
When the United States is threatened with a flu epidemic, Mia’s grandmother
demands her return to unveil a new flu vaccine for Moncure Therapeutics. She
arrives to find that her ex-boyfriend, the company’s PR Director, has died in a
suspicious accident in Switzerland that Mia soon suspects was murder.
          
Determined to reveal a killer, Mia
heads to Switzerland, where she’s threatened as she discovers a plan to
infiltrate the vaccine for nefarious purposes. Desperate for backup, she turns
to sexy Gio Lorenzo, Communications Director for her mother, a high-ranking
senator—and Mia’s one-night stand. While negotiating their rocky relationship,
they race to uncover a deadly scheme that could ruin her family’s reputation.
But millions of people are being vaccinated, and there’s more than her family’s
legacy at stake. Mia and Gio struggle to discover the truth about the scheme
and their feelings for each other, but it just might be too late.  


Author Bio:
Award-winning author Tracy March writes romantic thrillers influenced by her career in the pharmaceutical field, and her interest in science and politics. She also writes lighthearted romances inspired by her real-life happily ever after.
Always up for travel and adventure, Tracy has flown in a stunt plane, snowmobiled on the Continental Divide, ziplined in the Swiss Alps, and been chased by a bull in the mountains of St. Lucia. She loves Nationals baseball, Saturday date nights, and Dairy Queen Blizzards—and rarely goes a day without Diet Coke and Cheez-Its.




Title: Dyed and Gone by BethYarnall
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Length: 400 pages
ISBN-13: 9781622661237
On-Sale Date: March 25, 2014
Imprint: Entangled Select


Hairstylist Azalea March is looking forward to a wild weekend in Las Vegas with her friends. Oh, sure, they’re supposed to be there on business, attending the biggest hair show on the west coast, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun.                                                                         
But fun quickly turns to drama. On the first morning of the show, Dhane, the biggest celeb of the hair-styling world, is found dead. As it turns out Azalea’s friend, Vivian, not only knew Dhane, but the tale she weaves of how they met is faker than a showgirl’s uh... assets. When Vivian confesses to the murder and is arrested, Azalea knows there’s no way she could have done it and suspects Vivian may be trying to protect someone. But who?
Azalea now has to convince Alex, the sexy detective from her past, to help her prove Vivian’s innocence and comb through clues more twisted than a spiral perm. But the truth is stranger than anything found on the Las Vegas Strip, and proving Vivian’s innocence turns out to be more difficult than transforming a brunette into a blonde. 
Author Bio:
Beth Yarnall writes romantic suspense, mysteries and the occasional hilarious blog post. A storyteller since her playground days, Beth remembers her friends asking her to make up stories of how the person `died' in the slumber party game Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, so it's little wonder she prefers writing stories in which people meet unfortunate ends. In middle school she discovered romance novels, which inspired her to write a spoof of soap operas for the school's newspaper. She hasn't stopped writing since.

For a number of years, Beth made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and co-owned a salon with her very best friend. Somehow hairstylists and salons always seem to find their way into her stories. Beth lives deep in the heart of 'The O.C.', California with her husband, two sons, and their dog where she is hard at work on her next novel. For more information about Beth and her stories please visit her website- www.bethyarnall.com


Tracy March is giving away an Amazon/Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice)
gift card worth $10 during this reveal.


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Cover Reveal: Shattered Veil by Tracy E. Banghart


Shattered Veil by Tracy E. Banghart 
(The Diatous Wars #1) 
Publication date: February 28, 2014
Genres: New Adult, Science Fiction

Selection

War has come to Atalanta, infecting its quiet villages and lush woodlands, igniting whispered worries in its glittering capitol.

All across the dominion, young men are being Selected for Military and sent to the front lines…and eighteen-year-old Aris Haan’s childhood sweetheart is one of them.

Secrets

Pyralis Nekkos, Atalanta’s leader, has kept the truth from his people, that their dominion will fall…and much sooner than anyone could guess.

Galena Vadim, his reluctant ally, wishes she could forget their shared past...until her future seems to depend on it.

Sacrifice

And for the boy she loves, Aris, a talented wingjet pilot, will give up everything - her home, her name, even her face...

...only to become the key to her dominion's survival.



AUTHOR BIO
Tracy E. Banghart is a cheesy movie–loving, fantasy football–playing (go Ravens!), globe-trotting Army wife who began “practicing” her craft at the age of five, when she wrote her first story. She loves visiting the international friends she met while pursuing her MA in Publishing and spends a portion of every summer at her family’s cabin in Canada, where she finds inspiration and lots of time to relax on the dock. She lives with her husband, son, two lazy dogs and one ornery cat. When not writing or spending time with her family, she is on a mission to bake the perfect cupcake.