April 30, 2013

Cover Reveal: Catching Liam by Sophia Bleu

Catching Liam by Sophia Bleu
Publication date:  Summer 2013 
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Book Description:
Twenty-one year-old Jillian Nichols only has one rule when it comes to boys: catch and release. Boy-catching isn't just a game for Jillian and her friends, it's a lifestyle. After all, boys might be good for a dance or a drink and certainly a little under-cover action of the scandalous variety, but expect much else and you're bound for heart ache.

So when her best friends and fellow boy catchers start dropping like flies junior year, Jillian is determined to keep boys in her bedroom and out of her heart. Until she meets Liam McAvoy, the kind of guy that sticks around to make waffles and who can't—or perhaps won't—take a hint. 

Study abroad student Liam doesn't want to be another notch on Jillian's bedpost. Actually he has much more interesting ideas for Jillian and her bedposts, but his student visa's set expiration date means he can't promise her forever. That doesn't mean he's going to walk away from the challenge of discovering why Jillian is hell-bent at keeping people at a distance. 

Before long, neither is sure who is catching who—or if they're playing for keeps. Jillian knows one thing though: falling in love will not only break the only rule of boy-catching, it could also break her heart.



About the Author
Sophia Bleu is a secret identity where I can write about fantasies and falling in love and all the smexiness in between.  In real life, I'm likely catching a plane, chasing kids, or making out with the love of my life—all 6 ft 3 inches of hotness that he is.  Life is pretty good.

Cover Reveal Spotlight: His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey + Giveaway

His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey (Line of Duty #2)
Release Date: May 2013
Publisher: Entangled Brazen Ever After

Book Description:
The greater the risk, the hotter the reward?

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation on the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control?until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he?ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy?s avoiding, but when she walks into O?Hanlon?s Pub and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her?risks be damned. But there?s a connection between Ruby?s shadowed past and a case Troy?s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?


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April 29, 2013

Cover Reveal: Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan

Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan
Publication date:  May 27th, 2013 
Genre: New Adult Romance

Book Description:
“If you’re broken, I’ll fix you…”

I’m only twenty-one and already damaged goods. A slut. A failure. A disappointment to my picture-perfect family as long as I can remember. I called off my wedding to William Bailey, the only man who thought I was worth fixing. A year later, he’s marrying my sister. Unless I ask him not to…

“If you shatter, I’ll find you…”


But now there’s Asher Logan, a broken man who sees the fractures in my façade and doesn’t want to fix me at all. Asher wants me to stop hiding, to stop pretending. Asher wants to break down my walls. But that means letting him see my ugly secrets and forgiving him for his.

With my past weighing down on me, do I want the man who holds me together or the man who gives me permission to break?




About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Ryan writes romances with humor, heat, and heart. Her books are described as fun, flirty, and wickedly sexy. A lover of learning, Lexi has been in the classroom all her life and currently holds the title of assistant professor of English at her local community college. Lexi is a proud member of Romance Writers of America. She lives in rural Indiana with her husband and two children.

Cover Reveal: Beauty From Surrender by Georgia Cates

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Beauty from Surrender by Georgia Cates (Beauty #2)
Expected release date: May 30, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Cover Designer: Georgia Cates

Book Description:
  The story of Jack Henry and Laurelyn continues... How do you move on when he’s every song you sing? After Laurelyn Prescott walks away from the love of her life, she returns to Nashville to pursue the only dream she has left. Determined to find a distraction from the pain of losing Jack Henry, she immerses herself in her music. But with her old life comes old acquaintances and new expectations. When Laurelyn refuses her record producer’s outrageous demands, she finds herself without a career—until an unforeseen opportunity presents itself. From there it’s a rocket ride straight to the top where Laurelyn finds the success she’s always dreamed of. Will it be enough to bring her the happiness she so deserves, or will the absence of Jack Henry leave her wanting more?

Jack Henry McLachlan never expected to fall in love with Laurelyn Prescott—but he did. After he foolishly let her slip through his fingers, he spends three months searching for her, but their reunion doesn’t come easy. The woman he finds isn’t the same one who drifted away without a goodbye. No longer an insecure girl on an Australian adventure, this Laurelyn is a successful musician with a promising career. Her dreams are becoming a reality, and Jack is terrified his American girl won’t have a place for him in her new life. With only a month to convince her otherwise, will it be enough time to make her visualize a life beyond the glitz and glamour, a life that includes him?  
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  About the Author

 photo GeorgiaCatesProfilePicToEmail_zps11a21cef.jpgGeorgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before deciding to pursue her dream of becoming an author. Despite the struggle, she has no regrets in her decision to try this crazy life. She can honestly say that she’s living the dream.



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April 28, 2013

Cover Reveal: Until I Break by M. Leighton

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Until I Break by M. Leighton (A Twisted Novel)
Release date: May 14, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours
Book Description:
  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.   
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About the Author

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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding wild horses, skiing the slopes of Aspen or scuba diving with a hot rock star, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

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April 27, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #36

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews where you can share books obtained via the bookstore, the library, online, through trade, borrowed from friends, gifted and/or received for review that you're adding to your shelf.

Subscribe to my channel!


Books Mentioned:
Between Friends by Amanda Cowen
Ember by Jessica Sorensen
What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor
Hidden Depths by Aubrianna Hunter
Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend by Louise Rozett
Broken at Love by Lyla Payne
Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

Bloggers Mentioned:
Gabby @ Gabby Reads

Thanks to:
Lyla Payne
Harlequin Teen

April 26, 2013

Blog Tour: Deeper We Fall, Faster We Burn Review + Giveaway

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Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron 
Publication Date: January 24, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

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.

My Review
I’m going to tell you straight up that Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron was sensational! I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started, but I assure you I was feeling all the feels while I read and after! 

Charlotte, better known as Lottie, talks too much and I loved that so hard! This girl was freaking funny and had me laughing out loud from her banter with her twin brother, Will and with her inner thoughts and reactions. The best thing about Lottie was her loyalty to her family, friends, and anyone she cared about. Her snarky attitude, the way she speaks her mind and tends to babble when she was uncomfortable was not only charming, but downright fiercely adorable. I was disappointed in Lottie being too quick to judge when it came to Zan, but I understood where her pain and hatred was coming from. I loved that even after all those years, she made an effort to be there for Lexie no matter how hard it was for her. And I really got a kick out of Lottie’s passion for books and how she would go on book buying binges when stressed out. I think the girl is after my own bookish heart! 



Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron
Publication Date: April 20, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
The 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?

My Review
I was touched with Lottie and Zan’s love story and was introduced to all of their friends in Deeper We Fall. Among those friends were Katie and Stryker, two characters that made an imprint in my heart early on. This time around in Faster We Burn, it’s Katie and Stryker’s story. A story that is full of hope, strength and of course, love. 




Getting to know more of Katie in Faster We Burn was a lovely experience. That strong sometimes self-absorbed and happy go lucky girl I first saw was just one layer to Katie. Due to her previous abusive relationship, that spark of light I saw in Katie dwindled into a girl who became a little broken, bent, and was scared to open her heart. Katie loses herself, but slowly finds and rebuild herself with the help of her amazing friends and her most complicated non-relationship with Stryker. With him, Katie was sarcastic, stronger, fiercer, and able to open up more than ever before. What Katie goes through in this book is tough and heart breaking, but she really perseveres. The immense amount of willpower she shows was commendable. Katie made mistakes, but she really learns from them and grows as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend. 

My rating and full review here!

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About the Author 
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. 




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REVIEW: Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron

Title: Faster We Burn (Fall and Rise #2)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Publication Date: April 20, 2013
Format: eARC*
Rating: 5/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N
Katie Hallman is done with douchebags. Done with guys who treat her like crap and leave her broken. But then Stryker Grant is there anyway. With his numerous piercings and bleached hair, he’s the polar opposite of all of her past relationships, which makes him the perfect candidate.

At first, Katie just sees him as a physical escape from her previous rocky relationship, and Stryker doesn’t seem to mind just being a distraction from Katie’s problems. But soon he’s getting under her skin, peeling back layers she’d rather keep covered. She tries to make it clear that she doesn’t want a relationship, but keeps breaking her own rules.

Then a tragedy sends Katie into the only arms who are there to catch her, and she’ll realize that she needs him more than she ever thought possible. But is she ready to let herself trust another guy with her already-battered heart? Or will she push him away to protect herself from getting hurt again?

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions
I was touched with Lottie and Zan’s love story and was introduced to all of their friends in Deeper We Fall. Among those friends were Katie and Stryker, two characters that made an imprint in my heart early on. This time around in Faster We Burn, it’s Katie and Stryker’s story. A story that is full of hope, strength and of course, love. 




Getting to know more of Katie in Faster We Burn was a lovely experience. That strong sometimes self-absorbed and happy go lucky girl I first saw was just one layer to Katie. Due to her previous abusive relationship, that spark of light I saw in Katie dwindled into a girl who became a little broken, bent, and was scared to open her heart. Katie loses herself, but slowly finds and rebuild herself with the help of her amazing friends and her most complicated non-relationship with Stryker. With him, Katie was sarcastic, stronger, fiercer, and able to open up more than ever before. What Katie goes through in this book is tough and heart breaking, but she really perseveres. The immense amount of willpower she shows was commendable. Katie made mistakes, but she really learns from them and grows as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend. 


I was infatuated with Stryker Grant the minute he showed up on page in DWF. He fascinated me and being able to be in his head and feel his emotions was exhilarating. Stryker has had a rough and hard childhood, but he has made something of himself. The man was extraordinary! He was highly intelligent, artistically and musically talented and loved to restore cars. He was comfortable with Katie’s obsession with the color pink and wasn’t embarrassed to paint her nails either. Stryker even likes to keep his kitchen in order and has a spice rack that is arranged in alphabetically. Though he looked like a bad boy with his tattoos and piercings and could sometimes be an asshole, he had a really big heart. He saw something in Zan and in Katie. He never reserved judgement and always gave them the benefit of the doubt. He stood up for what he believed in and defended anyone he cared about. He was there for Katie whether she needed him or not. When he thought he would never fall in love, he did and he fell hard and deep and not without passion. I loved Stryker, his wrongs and rights and every little flaw and perfection he had. 

The chemistry between Stryker and Katie wasn’t something I was expecting, but they totally had me smiling like a fool and feeling all the fuzzy feelings at every turn. I enjoyed their complicated undefined relationship that started out as a physical attraction and builds into something more as they spent more time together, slowly destroying the walls they had. The blooming love and realization of that love was beautiful to read. The mutual connection and understanding Stryker and Katie had was proof how meant to be they really were. 

Again, Chelsea Cameron managed to captivate me and uplift me. She created a story that was a total knock out, one that was impressionable and memorable. Cameron brought out the best and worst of these characters, putting them situations that are relatable to all. Faster We Burn was definitely heavier, darker, and a lot more emotional. There is just something about Cameron’s writing that just hits home. Her ability to create heartfelt stories with such an authentic voice takes my breath away and completely leaves me needing more and more. 


*Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours & Chelsea for sending a copy for review

REVIEW: Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron

Title: Deeper We Fall (Fall and Rise #1)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Published by: DRC Publishing
Publication Date: January 24, 2013
Format: ebook* 280 pages
Rating: 5/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N
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.

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions
I’m going to tell you straight up that Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron was sensational! I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started, but I assure you I was feeling all the feels while I read and after! 

Charlotte, better known as Lottie, talks too much and I loved that so hard! This girl was freaking funny and had me laughing out loud from her banter with her twin brother, Will and with her inner thoughts and reactions. The best thing about Lottie was her loyalty to her family, friends, and anyone she cared about. Her snarky attitude, the way she speaks her mind and tends to babble when she was uncomfortable was not only charming, but downright fiercely adorable. I was disappointed in Lottie being too quick to judge when it came to Zan, but I understood where her pain and hatred was coming from. I loved that even after all those years, she made an effort to be there for Lexie no matter how hard it was for her. And I really got a kick out of Lottie’s passion for books and how she would go on book buying binges when stressed out. I think the girl is after my own bookish heart! 


Imagine my surprise when I found that this book was spilt between Lottie and Zan’s points of view. I was more than thrilled to say the least. While I loved Lottie’s hilarious lines and her inability to shut her mouth, I craved the deep, dark and angst thoughts from Zan. He gave me huge mutant butterflies in my tummy and made me swoon all over the place when he announced that he loved reading, when he recited poetry, when he freaking ate Pop Tarts for breakfast and when he played the banjo and started singing. The guy was a walking, talking dream boat. My heart cracked and splintered from the all pain and guilt that he felt. He may have been more than six feet tall, known to have meaningless fucks and even did drugs back then, but I still wanted to wrap myself around him and make him all better because he was the sweetest thing to ever grace this earth. He really wanted Lottie to see he was a different person, but he never pushed and was patient all the time. I simultaneously loved and hated how Zan cleaned up after his brother’s messes and still cared despite everything Zack had done.

I love dual POVs and Cameron hit the spot with Lottie and Zan! It couldn’t have been more perfectly well written. Being able to get into both of their heads just really added to overall experience of emotions I felt throughout reading book. Cameron really dived deep into Lottie and Zan’s characters and I was amazed at their tentative physical and emotional development. The anticipation of them being together was inevitable, but still had me holding my breathe waiting for it to happen. Cameron also does an outstanding job of making the secondary characters prominent in the book. They weren’t just in the background, they were memorable and I felt the bond and closeness they all with each other. I loved how though this book centered around Lottie and Zan coming together, it was also about family, friendship, forgiveness, and redemption and Cameron continued to impress me at her ability to weave in all this in a balanced and well profound manner. Though this book had its dark aspects, it is not without wit! I was flailing and grinning more times than I can count. And all the music and literary references was just that flawless touch that made this book the whole package. 


All in all, Deeper We Fall was like tasting chocolate for the first time; luscious at the first bite, addictive when finished.

*Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours & Chelsea for sending a copy for review

April 25, 2013

Cover Reveal: Untouched by Melody Grace


UNTOUCHED by Melody Grace
Publication date: May 14th
Emerson Ray is trouble. Juliet knows it the minute she lays eyes on Cedar Cove’s resident bad boy. Forced to spend her summer before college in the sleepy beach town, she never expected to crash into the most devastating guy she’s ever met—or for Emerson’s blue eyes to strip through her dark secrets, and make her feel a desire she’s never known. Their connection is undeniable, but Juliet is torn. She knows, once she gives him everything, there’ll be no turning back.

Juliet McKenzie is dangerous. Emerson can tell from the way she blows through all his defences, laying bare the demons he’s carried alone all his life. He’s left a trail of broken hearts and empty beds in his wake, but Juliet is different. Her innocence is intoxicating—and the passion she keeps hidden, just below the surface. He wants to be the only one to set it free, but with every kiss, he’s closer to losing control and doing the one thing he swore he never would: fall in love.

One summer. Two damaged hearts. Their story is only just beginning…

UNTOUCHED is a prequel novella to the USA Today Bestselling UNBROKEN. It also can be read as a stand-alone story.




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April 24, 2013

Cover Reveal: Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert

Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert 
Publication date: August 2013 
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Book Description:
Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma’s life and kills her horse, Hannah’s immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can’t turn away even though she’s not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.

Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.


About the Author
While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Cover Reveal: Good Vibrations by S.L. Scott

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Good Vibrations by S. L. Scott
Expected release date: June 4th, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Cover Designer: Okay Creations
Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Book Description
  I grab her exploring finger just as it reaches my happy trail—a trail that if I let her wander down further will lead us to do things we can’t take back. Things like three-word phrases being confessed that would end me if I was rejected. Things like selfishly wanting to own her body and doing things to her that would make my fantasies blush. And things like making her promises too soon that won’t do either of us any good. She makes me want a future that’s not possible, and one I don’t deserve. Listening to my ego got me into this situation. Will listening to my heart get me out? 

      About the Author 
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  S.L. Scott has a degree in Journalism and is the author of the novels—Naturally, Charlie, and A Prior Engagement as well as several novellas, including Sleeping with Mr. Sexy and Morning Glory--all currently available on Amazon. Pursuing her passion for telling stories, she spends her days escaping into her characters, letting them lead her on their adventures. She is a Contributor to Huffington Post and writes for her own blog along with several other popular sites. Travelling, music festivals, and surfing are a few of the hobbies she loves, but she doesn't get to enjoy on a regular basis. She has an obsession with movies, a varied taste in books, and collects Fitz & Floyd teapots. With a memory full of useless trivia facts, and a Keurig addiction, she loves a fun night in with her family as much as a loud night out with her friends. Scott lives in the lively city of Austin with her husband, two young sons, and two Papillons, enjoying life in the beautiful hill country of Texas. She welcomes your notes at sl@slscottauthor.com.  

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Waiting on Wednesday #41

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where you share an upcoming release that you're anticipating on reading.

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Blurred by Tara Fuller
Expected Release Date: July 2, 2013
Cash is haunted by things. Hungry, hollow things. They only leave him alone when Anaya, Heaven’s beautiful reaper, is around. Cash has always been good with girls, but Anaya isn’t like the others. She’s dead. And with his deteriorating health, Cash might soon be as well.

Anaya never breaks the rules, but the night of the fire she recognized part of Cash’s soul—and doomed him to something worse than death. Cash’s soul now resides in an expired body, making him a shadow walker—a rare, coveted being that can walk between worlds. A being creatures of the underworld would do anything to get their hands on.

The lines between life and death are blurring, and Anaya and Cash find themselves falling helplessly over the edge. Trapped in a world where the living don’t belong, can Cash make it out alive?
Why I'm waiting?
I loved Inbetween, the first book in this series, and I am really excited for the story to continue. When Finn and Emma's story came to a close, I wasn't ready to let go of them and the world that Finn brought. I'm even more excited that it will star two characters I absolutely adored in the first book. This time, we'll get a chance to be in their heads and I'm itching to see an HEA between Cash and Anaya. Especially for Cash. He is just sexy and wonderful. Plus, I love Tara's writing and her ability to create a heart capturing story! 

April 22, 2013

Blog Tour: Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti Review + Giveaway

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Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: March 2013
Format: eARC* 287 pages
Rating: 5/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N | iBookstore | Kobo
Never challenge a cowboy in the courtroom…

Surveying the proposed site for a high-end golf course should have been a breeze for spunky Landscape Architect Sophie Smith. But when this born-and-bred city girl is suddenly—and quite literally—swept off her feet by a sexy cowboy on horseback, she realizes that the country life has some serious (and seriously steamy!) possibilities. That is, until she finds out exactly who her smokin’-hot wrangler really is.

Cowboy and Tribal lawyer Jake Lodge is desperately trying to block the development. And if that means playing hardball—and being every inch the shark lawyer—so be it. But Sophie is a distraction he didn’t expect. A distraction that makes his blood burn.

Two different worlds. Two opposing sides. And when they finally give into the exquisite temptation, the consequences will shake the foundations of both of their lives…


My Review
Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti is another example of why I love Entangled’s Brazen line so much. I swear, each release just gets better and better. It was just impossible not to fall in love with Zanetti’s book because it had so much going on in the story besides the romance. 



Sophie was fanfreakingtastic! She was just a great character all around. Sophie had the brains and the looks. She was well educated, stubborn, and ready to put anyone in their place. She didn’t just have spirit, but she had fire. I really loved how she grew throughout the story, realizing her full potential as an artist and just embracing who and what she believed in. She didn’t just want to settle, she wanted love and passion in her relationship. She wanted a family she had always been dreaming of, a place where she would belong and all of this was explored and discovered for her. 

Jake Lodge was absolutely wonderful! He was the jelly to Sophie’s peanut butter and he was just the way I liked ‘em. He was the most sexiest horse riding kissable cowboy lawyer I damn wished I could get my hands all over. I loved how devoted he was to the Kooskia tribe and how important his heritage was. I especially loved how he had great family ties and values. He was very protective of his sister Dawn and was an amazing father to his daughter Leila. He was just amazing all around. Every quality in a man that a woman may be looking for, Jake had it. He was powerful, clever and so easily able to command a room, who wouldn’t be swooning all over him?


I really liked that Jake and Sophie’s relationship, though they had some hesitations, were able to communicate and push aside their oppositions against each other professionally. They had lovely chemistry together and the way Jake’s family embraced Sophie was heartwarming. Zanetti totally gave this book everything. Her writing had the perfect flow with just the right amount of witty sense of humor and sensual sexiness I couldn’t get enough of. Her descriptions of the landscape was beautifully written, I had no problem visualizing it all in my mind. I loved how she mixed in the loyalty between family and heritage, love and career, and risking it all. 



Spicy, dangerous, and completely tantalizing, Against the Wall will have you racing to finish the book, but regretting that it ever ends! I can’t wait for the next installment in the Maverick Montana series!

*Thanks to Entangled for sending a copy for review

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner - only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and sexy contemporary romances.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day--or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.



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April 19, 2013

Love & Romance


ro·mance  

/rōˈmans/
Noun
A feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.
Verb
Court; woo: "the wealthy owner romanced her".
Synonyms
noun.  novel - love affair
verb.  exaggerate

*from Google
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I've read so many books with all kinds of love and romance and whatnot, I can't even count. I've read so much that sometimes they start to blend and lose meaning. Since my ever growing love for YA and even my new found love in NA, I'm reading even more books that involve love. Why not, right? I'm a big sap and a hopeless romantic.. bite me. I rarely read a book that doesn't have some kind of love or romance in it. Not that I won't read a book without a romantic element, it's just here, there, everywhere and I'm more than ok with that. Hopeless romantic, remember? However, sometimes I read a love story that sweeps me off my feet, while others suck so bad I want to puke. And I ask myself, what makes a good romantic love story? Why do I like in this love story compared to that one that just didn't work for me at all? I will tell you. 

No insta-love
Yep, I said it. How can I not? There are plenty of [YA/NA/Adult] books out there that have this wretched insta-love crap that I know most of us can't stand. I don't know about others, but I sure as hell don't believe in love at first sight. Attraction at first look? Sure. Lust at first sight? Hell to the yes. I just don't believe you can love someone at that first glance, interaction, or even after the first date. There is no substance there. If a book has the protagonist and love interest saying I love you's not even a days or god forbid, hours of meeting each other I will be so turned off I'll probably have a whole paragraph in my review of how much I hate this damn insta-love nonsense. I do not believe two people can fall in love within a few hours of meeting. It's just ridiculous and absurd and completely unrealistic. The only love that can bloom within such a short span of a few minutes is between a person and their first taste of chocolate. Even that relationship is still one sided. 

Build me up, buttercup
And this brings me to my next point: build up and develop the relationship. Just because the characters may connect with each other doesn't mean I will be able to feel it as well. The spark and chemistry has got to be there and should be growing as the relationship progresses. I gotta feel it grow. (God that sounded better in my head). It has to develop over time and I mean a good amount of time. The anticipation of the two characters coming together is the best part. If they are lovin' and kissin' and professing their undying gratitude and commitment at page 35, well then..it loses its excitement. But, don't draw it too long because if they are at odds with each other for most of the book then finally kiss and make up at page 234 in a 245 page book, I will be unsatisfied. Basically, the love has to be like stoking the flames of the fire.


Show and not tell.
This one is pretty self-explanatory. I love you's get thrown around like condoms being distributed out of my college health center, fast and without meaning. I don't have to know that the characters are in love. I want to feel it, experience it, be able to remember why these characters loved each other so much long after I finished the book. It has to strike some chord there, whether through unsaid words, crazy gestures, or simple actions. In four words: you gotta woo me.

Three little words.
I know that I'm talking about love and romance, but sometimes those three words don't have to be there to make a relationship between characters. What I'm saying is no exchange of I love you's is necessary. The characters can have a deep meaningful and committed relationship and not have to say I love you until much later one since love grows. Lets take a trilogy for example, do the characters have to say I love you before the end of the first book? No. It can wait until maybe the second or even the third. I don't know if I've read series that does that. I have read a book where the characters never say I love you, but their chemistry and their likeness/fondness of each other is super cute. I'm not saying that if they do end up saying I love at the end of the first book or so that I will be turned off. No, I'm just saying they don't have to, that's all. 

Established.
If the feelings of love are already there, lets say like in Everneath by Brodi Ashton and If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman, I think this is where the relationship is already established. The characters then go through obstacles that keep them a part or make things entirely too complicated. Here, the love and romance is seen and felt and prominent throughout the whole book getting stronger and deeper as the couple faces several trial and tribulations. Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook doesn't fail to establish the relationship between Will and Zoe, it's just that it wasn't as strong compared to Adam and Mia or Nikki and Jack. I have to be able to see why the characters fell in love in the first place because if they are already in love but I never know the why or the how, I just don't give a damn. 


Love triangle.
You don't need one for a good romance nor do you need to use it to make conflict, tension, blah blah blah towards the main character and the main love interest. Especially if it's already obvious who she was going to choose from the beginning. *coughBELLAcough* Sometimes love triangles are tiresome and unecessary. Other forces of nature can be the conflict, whether the characters have hidden secrets, family issues, or maybe because the character just can't keep it in his pants.. there are just so many other possibilities that don't involve a love triangle or square or circle. Be creative, think outside of the box and don't use a lame ass love triangle that will end up ending when one love interest dying a horrible death. If you're going to make a love triangle, it better be as good as the whole Will/Tessa/Jem craziness or even better yet, like Warner/Juliette/Adam. 

I may have went off topic or a tangent or too, but I think you guys get what I mean right? Feel free to comment on your thoughts if you agree, disagree or a agree to disagree, etc! I just felt like I needed to get this out of my head, hence this blog post! Thanks guys!