Saturday, August 31, 2013

Stacking the Shelves [10]

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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

What Angela got this week:

Recieved for review:
Addicted to You by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie

Bought:
Love and Skate by Lila Felix
Untouched by Melody Grace

Borrowed:
A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard
Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

In the mail:
The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith
Thank you, Jess @ Gone with the Words!


What did you get this week?

Friday, August 30, 2013

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Don't Make Me Beautiful by Elle Casey

Don't Make Me Beautiful by Elle Casey
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: August 31, 2013
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo
A ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVEL. No one knew a woman lived there or that she even existed. A monster, living in darkness...

At twenty-six, Nicole doesn't even look human anymore. The beast made sure of that. So she hides. A monster consigned to a life of fear and solitude. This is all she deserves, she is quite sure of that.

And then one day out of the blue, the autographed baseball caught by Brian Jensen at the latest Marlins game enters her prison and manages to turn her world completely upside down.
Temptation comes in the form of pity at first, and then perhaps something more.
Does she dare to believe the things she's told, that this is not the life she was meant to live? That being a monster is not her forever-fate? And will she be willing to risk everything, to reach out and accept the helping hands around her? She knows only too well that hands can hurt. Finding out whether they can also heal is a risky proposition, especially when the beast is still out there. Looking for her.

**This story was inspired by true events. If you liked the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy", then you might like this story too. CONTENT WARNING: Violence, foul language, and adult situations. Not meant for younger readers.**
Excerpt:

Liam’s mother reverses out of the driveway, their young son strapped into the back seat and waving like a maniac out his window.  “Bye, Dad!  See ya later!”
“Bye, Li-Li!  See ya Wednesday!”
“I’ll bring him back before school,” his ex-wife says.  “I have early meetings.”
“Sounds good,” says Brian, still waving to his son.  He waits until he’s out of Liam’s sight before he puts his hand down.  It’s nice to be alone for a few days, but he already feels the pangs of missing his child creeping in.
Standing in the driveway, Brian considers his next move.  There’s an antique armoire in his workshop that needs a final coat of stain and then some clear-coat to protect it.  It took a week to repair and refinish, but he scheduled two. He could do something else if he wanted to…
It can wait.  The issue of the monster lady is weighing too heavily on his mind to let it go.  Ignoring the warning bells going off in his head, he walks to the bottom of the driveway and turns left to go down the street.
“What am I doing?” he mumbles under his breath.  “The guy obviously doesn’t like visitors.”  The fact that the guy also looks like a Bantam rooster spoiling for a fight is not making Brian’s misgivings any fewer.
“Hey there, Brian.  Going for a walk on this fine morning?”  Ethel, his next-door neighbor is out trimming her bushes again.  They don’t need trimming; they’re just a prop to give her a reason to be standing outside, waiting for passersby.
Brian waves.  “Yep.  Just getting some fresh air, I guess.  Seemed like a good idea.”
“Little Liam gone for the week?”
She must have seen him drive by.  She sees everything that happens on this street.  “Just for a few days.  He’ll be back on Wednesday.”  Brian keeps walking, although slower.  If he stops, he’ll be stuck there for an hour and probably end up in her kitchen having an iced tea.  She’s the nicest, most talkative neighbor he’s ever had.  He doesn’t usually mind it; in fact, he’s happy to indulge in a neighborly chat now and again - it’s why he moved to this area - but today, he’s on a mission and he doesn’t have time for gossip or an hour-long discussion about the upcoming weather and whether Mrs. Grandston down the street will ever start recycling.
“Tell him to stop by and see me when he gets home,” she says, poking her clippers vaguely in Brian’s direction.  “I bought some new cookies at the store and I think he’s going to like them.  He’s my official cookie taster.”
“I’ll tell him.  He’ll be really happy to hear that.”
She waves with a gloved hand as he reaches the far side of her property line, and he waves back.
Maybe I should ask Ethel about the guy around the corner.  Brian’s not sure that Ethel knows anything beyond the business of those living on Lodi Street.  She stays pretty close to home, taking care of her husband who’s slowly going downhill with dementia.  Brian’s not looking forward to the day she’ll have to put him in a nursing home.  He has a feeling it will take the spark from her, and she’s fun just the way she is, even if she is a little nosy.
The house comes into view.  As he gets closer, he sees that the window is still broken, but now there’s a piece of cardboard taped over it.  The house is still, with no sign that anyone’s home.  The large black truck that was in the driveway last night isn’t there.  Maybe it’s in the garage.
Brian walks up to the porch, taking the steps slowly as he looks around.  He’s not sure what he’s looking for, but everything seems to be in order.
“What the hell am I doing here?” he whispers to himself.  What am I going to say if that guy comes to the door again?  I’ll ask him for the bill, that’s it.  Tell him I want to pay right away.  Be a good neighbor.  Brian shakes his head at his ridiculous thoughts.  He already told the guy to leave the bill in his box.  Showing up again and ringing the bell when the sign on it says not to feels almost like harassment.  He looks at the sign again, reading the heavy scrawl.
DO NOT RING BELL.  DO NOT KNOCK.  WE DON’T TAKE VISITORS.
Brian frowns.  He can’t get past the feeling that it’s just a weird thing to do, to put a sign up like that warning people away.  It’s like something he would have done as a kid on a clubhouse to keep other kids from discovering his secret hiding place.  It’s so ridiculous it almost begs people to discover whatever it is he’s keeping inside.
Brian laughs nervously at himself.  Don’t be stupid.  You’re a grown man and so is he.  This is his house.  If you trespass he can shoot your stupid ass.
Brian steps back away from the door, prepared to leave and never come back.  But then the sound of his son’s voice and the vision of him standing on their own front porch the night before comes back to him.  “She’s not sick, Dad.  She’s just really ugly.”
Brian doesn’t want to see a really ugly woman.  That’s not what’s motivating him to stand her on this porch and risk pissing off this neighbor.  It’s just that … he’s a math guy.  Brian has always been strong in math, from the time he was Liam’s age.  He uses it every day with his work at restoring furniture, both in the actual hands-on stuff and the figuring he has to do later when he does his billing.  Everything always has to add up in his world, and this situation with the monster lady?  It wasn’t adding up.
Brian glances over at the cardboard covering the hole.  Maybe I’ll just take a look at the damage and make a call to a glass company myself.  Then I can go get some cash out of the bank and be ready to pay the guy when he gives me the bill.
Brian takes a few tentative steps down the porch towards the front window.  A car comes down the street and he freezes, waiting until it’s a few doors down before continuing.  Once in front of the window, he looks around the neighborhood.  No one is outside, and he sees no faces in any other windows.  These people need an Ethel.
Turning to look at the cardboard, he notices it’s stuck to the still intact frame with duct tape.  “That’s going to be a problem when the sun melts that adhesive onto the PVC,” he says out loud.  He runs his finger along the edge, hoping he can find a loose spot so he can pry up the cardboard a little to see the actual damage.  It’s stuck on too tight, though.
His eyes roam up.  A set of white, gauzy curtains are right in front of him, obscuring his view of the house’s interior.  This house has the same basic layout as his, so he knows there’s a large living room of sorts on the other side of the glass.  He wonders what the woman was doing when the ball came through her window.  Was she sitting in the living room reading a book?  Was she in the kitchen making cookies?
He blinks his eyes a few times as they adjust to looking through the white curtain.  There’s a couch in the center of the wall facing him with side chairs on its left and right, its dark, burry contours getting clearer the longer he stares.   A small coffee table rests in the middle of the conversation area.  His eyes roam the walls, wondering what the pictures in frames look like.  It’s too difficult to see.  He steps back and stands straighter, embarrassed when he realizes he’s being worse than Ethel, staring into people’s houses like this.
It’s then that something inside the house catches his eye.  Brian stops moving for a moment as he focuses his attention on the dark shape on the floor.  He steps closer to the window, going so far as to press his face up against the glass and cup his hands around his eyes, trying to see better.  What is that?  A carpet on the floor?  No.  It’s not a carpet.  It’s too bulky.  It looks like…
He bends down, a sense of urgency overtaking his good sense.  He scratches desperately at the edge of the duct tape, finally getting a corner of it to peel away from the window frame.  He draws it down, careful not to let it tear.  Once it’s free on one side, he grabs the cardboard and pushes it sideways, like opening the cover of the book.
What the hell am I doing?  This is nuts…  He ignores his own concerns, needing more than anything else right now to just confirm that what he thinks he’s seeing on that floor is not what he’s seeing.
The hole in the window is finally revealed, and it’s big enough for his hand to fit through.  Thank you, Liam.  Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he’d thank his son for breaking someone’s window.
Brian reaches through and grabs the curtains on the other side, using both hands to pull the bottom of them out through the hole.  As soon as he has the entire bottom seam through the broken window, he lifts it up and looks into the small space that’s remaining.  Now there are no curtains in the way and he can see into the living room as clear as if he were standing inside the house.
“Holy Mary mother of Jesus,” he whispers.  He raises his voice.  “Ma’am … ! Miss … !  Are you okay?”
There’s what he assumes to be a woman lying on the floor in the middle of the room.  All he can see is the back of her head and blood on her one exposed hand.  “Ma’am!  Are you okay?!”
No response.
“Fuck!” he yells, hurriedly shoving the curtain back through the hole and pushing the cardboard into place.  He cuts the back of his hand on the glass, but he ignores the blood, the pain, and everything else as he struggles to get his cell phone out of his front pocket.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”
“Hello, this is Brian Jensen and I’m standing on the front porch of …” He leans out and looks at the number on the front of the house near the door, “…thirty-two Fresno Street, and there’s a woman inside her house who’s passed out and there’s blood.  She needs an ambulance.”
“Are you the homeowner, sir?”
“No, I’m a neighbor.  Can you please send someone quick?  I’m afraid she might be … dead.  I’m not sure.  She’s not moving.”
“Can you check for a pulse?”
“No, I’m outside.  But just wait a minute.  I’m going in.”
“Sir, is there anyone else at the home?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Hold the line while I call the house,” the operator says.
Brian’s at the front door when the woman comes back on the line.  “They don’t appear to have a home phone on record.  Have you tried the doorbell?”
“No.” Brian realizes how ridiculous it is that he hasn’t bothered to do that first.  Surely the guy who lives here needs to know his wife is passed out on the floor.  She’s obviously sick.  Maybe she hit her head or something when she fell.
Brian rings the doorbell several times and bangs on the door with his fist.  “Is anyone home?!” he yells.
No one answers.
“I don’t think anyone’s home but her,” Brian says to the operator.  He tries the handle, but the door is locked.  “I’m going to see if they have another open door somewhere.”
“Sir, I don’t recommend you break into the home.”
“I hear ya, but I’m doing it anyway.”
Brian runs around to the back and tries the door he finds there.  It’s locked up tight as well.  “The back door’s locked too.  I’m going back to the front.”
“The ambulance is on its way along with a police officer.  Can you stay on scene until they arrive?”
“Of course.”
“Do you want me to stay on the line with you?”
“No.  Thanks for your help.”  Brian hangs up without waiting for a response.
Going back to the front, he scrambles to pull the cardboard off and the curtain through the hole again.  He leaves blood on the curtains in his attempts to see inside.
“Ma’am, an ambulance is on its way, okay?  Ma’am, can you hear me?”
He’s about to look away when he sees her first finger move.  It’s just the slightest twitch, but he’s sure he saw it.  “I see you moving!  I know you’re alive!  They’re coming, okay!  They’re coming!”
A low moan comes from inside the house, from the woman.  Brian’s breath catches in his throat as her hand moves again, this time to slide out across the carpet.  It leaves a smear of blood behind.
She moans again, this time an agonizing sound that makes Brian’s skin crawl.  “You’re going to be okay.  I called nine-one-one.”
Her moaning turns to a strange keening, like a growl and a sob blended together into something almost animalistic.  The sounds of a siren in the distance reach Brian’s ears.  He’s frozen in place, holding up the curtains and peering inside, as her head slowly turns.
The ambulance turns into the driveway as her face comes into view.  Brian needs only one second to take in the sight of the horror before him before the blood in his veins goes cold and the words fall out of his mouth unbidden.
“Oh my god … what happened to your face?”

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway



New York Times Best-Selling author Elle Casey is an American girl living in southern France with her husband, three children, and several furry creatures. She writes in a variety of genre including YA Fantasy, YA Action/Adventure, New Adult Romance, and Adult Contemporary Romance. She's a little on the wild side, usually busy making people laugh, and always in the mood for adventure. There's not much in this world that she loves more than reader interaction, so feel free to drop her a line.
Connect with Elle:


Interview with Cornelia Funke

Cornelia Funke
A Little About Cornelia:
Cornelia Caroline Funke is a multiple award-winning German author of children's and YA fiction. She is best known for her Inkheart trilogy. The Inkheart books have gained a variety of attention, and critics have praised Funke as the "German J. K. Rowling". Her books are very popular in her native country, and many have now been translated into English. Her work fits mainly into the fantasy and adventure genres. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

Connect with her:
Website || Goodreads || Twitter || Facebook

*Interview*
I adored your Inkheart series when I was younger, because I loved the idea that Meg could just read things from books into being. How did you come up with Meg and Mo’s abilities?
I always wanted to write a story where characters come out of a book. Every book eater knows the feeling that they sometimes feel even more real than our closest friends. But I didn't know how. Until I thought of my own enchantment when I hear a good reader. Only a human voice brings printed words back to the life they own - we so easily forget that they are sound. From there it was all easy:)

Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook. I need more than just a few words:)

What qualities/quirks do you share with Meg?
I am a book eater like her and I think I was as shy with boys as she is at the beginning although I was always very good friends with them.

Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what’s you favorite genre?
Yes, while I write I love to listen to the music that fits the world I am writing about. So Baroque music for the Inkworld, Schubert and Nutcracker for MirrorWorld:) in the car I listen to Coldplay , Adele and Regina Spector

What is your favorite word?
zaertlichkeit - it's the German word for Tenderness

Dustfinger and Farad were the best sidekicks (can I call them sidekicks?) ever. Did you base them off of anyone that you knew?
Dustfinger resembles in some ways my late husband but not in every aspect. he just stepped into my imagination and was wild and wonderful and in some ways my own male alter ego ( or let's say as free and wild as I would like to be:)

I remember when the movie {Inkheart} first came out. Were you disappointed at all with how it turned out?
Yes, quite disappointed. Especially as the shooting had been absolutely magical and everyone had been so passionate about it. But movies are strange beasts - so many things can go wrong. I also think that novels are in general to complex for a two hour film. that's why I didn't allow MirrorWorld to be filmed so far.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to read?
Sherlock Holmes, Neil Gaiman, poetry, non fiction...another printed dish every day

Can you tell us a little about your next project?

I am working on the second draft of The Golden Yarn, the third book in my MirrorWorld series. I am lost in Russian fairy tales and behind the Mirror with Jacob and Fox:)

Check out her Books---

Inkheart (Inkworld, #1)

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Interview with Helene Boudreau


A Little About the Author:
Hélène Boudreau writes fiction and non-fiction for children and young adults. She is also a compulsive walker, a chicklet wrangler and a lover of cheese and cheap chocolate.


Her tween novel REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS is a 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award Finalist.

Connect with Helene:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 *Interview*
I just recently read your Real Mermaids series, where Jade (our main character) finds out that she’s a mermaid. In such a delicate part of her life, how do you think that you relate to her?

I was a very late bloomer so I can definitely relate to Jade in that sense. It’s hard when you feel left behind by your peers in a physical and/or emotional sense. Jade has even bigger problems, though, in that she’s now stuck with a shiny new tail.

My own daughters are at the precipice of entering those uncertain years of raging hormones and topsy-turvy emotions. I really wanted to write a fun story for them (and girls like them) to ease them into the land of zits, training bras and smelly armpits. The upside being that—no matter how hard puberty might get—at least they don’t have TAILS!

At first, Jade and Luke’s relationship is just so awkward and sweet. How did you make it feel authentic?

I’m glad you think their relationship rings true. When I was first ‘pursuing’ my husband it took forever for him to figure out I was actually into him and wasn’t particularly a huge hockey fan—the arena was just close to where he lived. I wanted to capture that same dense but adorable quality in Jade. I think obliviousness is a charming quality. ;-)

I remember loving Jade’s attitude and her spunk. Did you base her off of an acquaintance?

Jade is not based on anyone in particular but I like to think she’s a bit like me except that I would need a full 24 hours of deep thinking to come up with some of the things she thinks or says. Actually, that’s probably why I stare at my computer screen a lot when I’m writing these books!

Facebook or Twitter?

Definitely Facebook! Twitter is too fast-moving for me and once something disappears from my stream, it’s like it’s gone forever. I like Facebook because it’s a lot more visual and appeals to my sense of order. So much of my life gets planned on Facebook. This week, I organized a lunch with a bunch of friends, shared cute music videos with my sister, and tracked my walking progress with my walking buddies! That said—it is really distracting.

I just recently became a big reader of MG as a genre-- and I feel like there’s a pressure to always have an adventure. How do you feel about that?

The middle grade age (from 9-12) is a time when kids’ worlds open up in exciting but sometimes scary ways. They’re given more responsibilities and freedoms and their stratospheres expand exponentially. At the same time, our society has become sometimes quite protective (sometimes for good reasons) so books are a way for young people to explore new worlds, characters, and situations they may not encounter in real life. And yes, those themes can definitely have an adventurous tone to them.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Hm. Lemon? I mean, I like both chocolate and vanilla but for baked goods I’m a huge lemon fan.

In a town that’s full of mer-transfers, Jade fits in with all of her quirks. Was the mermaid town just a random idea, or was it your intention from the beginning?

Jade’s town of Port Toulouse is actually based on a town called St. Peter’s near where I grew up. It has a boat canal, which connects the Atlantic Ocean to a fresh water lake just like in the book. My childhood village also had so many interesting characters at the local wharf, the bingo hall, or the post office—it was easy to draw inspiration from them!

What do you like to read when you're not writing? Feel free to name drop! (:

I’m loving Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s illustrative work in I’m Bored and am excited to see her new book with Michael Ian Black called Naked. For middle grade, Karen Rivers’ The Encyclopedia of Me is a HUGE hit in this house.  

What do you have in store for us after the Real Mermaids series?

I’m actually working on the fourth book in the Real Mermaids series at the moment. It’s called Real Mermaids Don’t Sell Sea Shells and it will be out this fall! In Book #4, Jade, Cori, Luke and Trey and their families head off for a tropical vacation in the Bahamas. Jade soon finds out that sun, surf and tropical breezes are no ‘day at the beach’ because being a teenage mermaid never takes a vacation.


After that, I’m ready to explore new territory—possibly with a new series, a stand-alone, or a new picture book. I’m working on all three possibilities at the moment so we shall see!

Check out her books--

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday [21]


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & The Bookish.

Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters


Angela's Picks:

1. Chris, Lacy, Logan, Mark, Scott from Dare You To by Katie McGarry
2. Xander and Mason from The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
3. Roux from Also Known As by Robin Benway
4. Everyone from Slammed by Colleen Hoover
5. Breckin from Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
6. George Garrett from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
7. Missy from Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire
8. Iko from Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
9. Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
10. Curtis Schwenk from Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Monday, August 26, 2013

Ravenous Talks: Book Covers, You Be The Judge

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Stephanie's Thoughts:
We all know the saying, "don't judge a book by its cover." And when we're talking about people, I completely agree with that saying. But when it comes to the literal meaning of judging a book by its cover, I'm sorry, but I think we all do that to an extent. Look at all the memes that are here in the book blogging community like Cover Crazy (and all other versions). We post a picture of a book cover that we absolutely love and adore. When you go through a bookstore, 9 out of 10 times, I buy the prettier looking books over the mediocre ones.

Diana's Thoughts:
I have to agree with Stephanie here. I am one of those people who do judge a book by its cover because to be honest I want it to look pretty! You might think I'm shallow but no, especially if we're talking about a romance/young adult/fantasy book - the prettier , the better. Another thing that I like on covers is to have pictures of couples, girls, boys, anything that will give me a general idea of what the story would be about. After reading quite a generous number of books I came to the conclusion that I don't like surcharged covers, and I enjoy them better if they're clean and sexy. If I see a book with a cover like that, chances are I will read it!

Megan's Point:
I have to agree with Steph too! I judge books by their covers all the time, and I really am less likely to accept a review request or to buy a book if the cover is ugly. I make exceptions for series, though. But about covers-- I will go so far as to make sure I have the matching series covers-- and it drives me crazy when they have mid-series changes! Not only that, but I'll try to get all of one medium. All paperback, all hardcover, etc. So yeah. I'm a book cover judger.

Sarah's Thoughts:
I agree with Steph as well. I judge books based on their covers all the time. I really am trying not to do this as often but it's hard not to since you're always going to have an initial reaction to how something looks. I've passed up books because they didn't have a pretty cover before and for all I know the story could be wonderful, I'm just more likely to buy a book with a beautiful cover as opposed to one with a less eye catching cover.


Angela's Thoughts:
I'm with Stephanie all the way. When I buy books, it's always the ones with the pretty covers that catch my eye. If the cover doesn't look nice, I'm not even going to go to see if it looks interesting. There are exceptions, but I'm more likely to buy/borrow a book with a nice cover. I try not to judge, because it's true, a pretty cover doesn't always mean it's a good book and vice versa, but when I look at books, that completely slips my mind. The first thing anyone sees is the cover, so it has to look good.


So, what are your thoughts on them?

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Stacking the Shelves [9]

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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

What Angela got this week:

Bought:
Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Borrowed:
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

I didn't get much this week. What did you get?

Friday, August 23, 2013

Review: All Over You by Beverley Kendall

All Over You by Beverley Kendall
Series: Unforgettable You, #1.5
Source: Bought
Publisher: Season Publishing LLC
Publication Date: May 6, 2013
An ex is an ex for a reason.

To Rebecca Winters, it’s not just a saying or the title to a catchy tune, it’s a rule she staunchly lives by. Especially since the break up with her ex. What’s the point in trying to fix the “unfixable”? Besides, only a girl hell-bent on more heartbreak would go back to the guy who bailed on her when she needed him most. But saying no to Scott is becoming more difficult than surviving the breakup itself. And unfortunately for her, the kind of pressure he's exerting is making her rule all too easy to break.

Scott Carver has given up trying to get over his ex. He’s still in love with her and their year apart has done nothing to change that. Yeah, he knows he screwed up. Just how royally, he wasn't aware of until now. So when Becca agrees to give him a second chance, he grabs on to it with both hands. But it’s clear the only way things will ever truly be right between them is if he comes clean…about everything. He can only pray the truth doesn't send her running—for good this time.

An ex is an ex not by chance but for a reason.

This is a much longer novella than I expected, but I enjoyed reading about Rebecca and Scott. I liked the dual point of view, so you could hear what each of them were feeling. They're both oh-so-stubborn, so unwilling to do what they both obviously want. Becca took a while to like; she's always sending mixed signals and is a bit childish at times. I like that Scott has a mysterious past that you don't find out about until the end, but I didn't like what the past actually was. It's a bit weird to me, because I don't see how it really fits.

I really liked the theme of second chances. And I'm not just talking about a second chance at Becca and Scott's relationship, but also about a second chance with family. Becca's father left before she was even born, and Becca wants nothing to do with him. She's dislikes him even more after he contacts her for the first time in sixteen years. Now, three years later, Becca's unwilling to talk or meet with him. I love that their relationship improves by the end of the novella. Although she doesn't actually meet him yet, it's implied that they will. And she likes his new family so it's a good start. (:

The writing was okay, but I what I couldn't stand were the typos. And the lack of commas! In some sentences, the missing comma didn't change the meaning of it, but in others, you really really need that comma. And sometimes the author forgets to put the comma before the final quotation mark. It's not a big deal, and I'm pretty sure most people aren't going to notice, but it's really annoying when I read and I find them.

Overall, this is a short and enjoyable read. I liked that this can be read without reading the first book (which is exactly what I did). I look forward to reading about the other characters in this series. (:


.5

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters

Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters
Publication date: September 6th, 2013
Genre: New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance

Purchase: Amazon
A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.


“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold.”

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

Prologue:
Three little words.
If anyone asked what I was most afraid of, what terrified me, stole my breath, and made my life flicker before my eyes, I would say three little words.
How could my perfect life plummet so far into hell?
How could my love for Brax twist so far into unfixable?
The black musty hood over my head suffocated thoughts, and I sat with hands bound behind my back. Twine rubbed my wrists with hungry stringed teeth, ready to bleed me dry in this new existence.
Noise.
The cargo door of the airplane opened and footsteps thudded toward us. My senses were dulled, muted by the black hood; my mind ran amok with terror-filled images. Would I be raped? Mutilated? Would I ever see Brax again?
Male voices argued, and someone wrenched my arm upright. I flinched, crying out, earning a fist to my belly.
Tears streamed down my face. The first tears I shed, but definitely not the last.
This was my new future.  Fate threw me to the bastards of Hades.
“That one.”
My stomach twisted, threatening to evict empty contents. Oh God.
Three little words:
I was sold.


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Writer, reader, sometimes wife.

An avid devourer of sexy romance and angsty New Adult.

Nothing beats lolling in a bubble bath with her array of book boyfriends.

Her two titles: Tears of Tess and Broken Chance are coming soon.

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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Swoon Thursday (9)


Swoon Thursday (9):
YA Bound created a spicy meme where every week we’ll highlight what has made us swoon from a book we are currently reading or one we’ve just finished. Basically what got our heart pounding, skin tingling, and stomach fluttering.


Before I could even entertain the idea of going any lower, Sawyer seized my waist and pulled me up, claiming my mouth with so much force I was left completely breathless. His kiss was hard, wet, and heart-stopping. It hypnotized me into a trance where the only thing that mattered was this instant in time. And the two of us.
 What made you swoon this week?