My Top Reads of 2014!

My Top Reads of 2014!

My favourite books of 2014 – These include YA, NA & Adult Romance, Dystopia, Paranormal, Rockstar & Biker books…

Archer’s Voice – Mia Sheridan – New Adult Contemporary

I’ve been banging on about Archer Hale all year and he still tops my 2014 list. Archer and Bree’s story is unique and I loved how Archer may be silent but finds other ways to communicate. It’s my ONLY 5 STAR review of 2014!

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Opposition – Jennifer L. Armentrout – Young Adult Paranormal

I love how JLA finished the Lux series because it was extremely satisfying seeing how far Katy & Daemon have come. I’m a big fan of alien and paranormal books and I particularly love the banter between the leads. The action really picks up in Opposition so be prepared for drama!

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Rowdy - Jay Crownover - NA Contemporary

I think by now it’s clear how much I love Jay’s MM series but I particularly enjoyed getting to know more about Rowdy. I’m anxiously awaiting Asa’s story but as it’ll be the final Marked book, I’m sure it’ll be bittersweet.

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Ugly Love – Colleen Hoover

Miles!!! I cried a LOT reading Ugly Love but enjoyed that however sad the story got, it was always optimistic and hopeful too. Love may be painful but as Tate and Miles discover it’s also sort of beautiful.

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Taming the Storm – Samantha Towle

Oh Tom! I don’t think I’ve laughed as much at any BBF’s one-liners than Tom’s and that’s once I got past the ‘Rub the Lamp’ tattoo. It was interesting seeing Lyla bring him to his knees and of course catching up on Jake and Tru!

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Beautiful Oblivion – Jamie McGuire - NA Contemporary

If you liked Travis Maddox, then you’ll love his brother Trenton. Beautiful Oblivion is the first in the series focusing on the complicated loves of the Maddox brothers. I liked Cami a lot more than Abby/Pigeon and so found this story much easier to read!

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Snow Like Ashes – Sara Raasch – YA Dystopian

I know there has been a lot of debate over this one but I really enjoyed Meira’s story and found the pacing fast and fun.

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Reaper’s Stand – Joanna Wylde – Adult MC Contemporary

I love this MC (biker) series and although I’m not always a fan of alpha men treating woman badly, I appreciated how Picnic has well and truly met his match in the feisty London.

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Lead – Kylie Scott – Adult Contemporary

I love me some Stage Dive guys and Jimmy had to work hard to convince me he wasn’t a complete douche! We learn a lot about him and the rest of the band in Lead and Lena kicks arse!!

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Wicked – Jennifer L. Armentrout – NA Paranormal

I just finished reading this one over Christmas & I loved Ivy, Ren & Tink! Gimme the trolls! I’m still coming to terms with THAT ending but as ever JLA has pulled off another fab story!

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Better When He’s Bad – Jay Crownover – NA Contemporary

Don’t call Bax a bad boy!! I loved Dovie and Bax’s story and appreciated that Bax isn’t your average BBF – he’s really kinda an arse and isn’t ever going to change. He owns his criminal swagger and only shows any softness with Dovie!

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Wild – Sophie Jordan – NA Contemporary

Get your swoon on for Logan! This may be the only time it’s acceptable to lust after a friend’s (or friend’s BF’s) younger brother. What I loved the most about Wild was Logan’s balls (minds out of the gutter people) – he’s prepared to go all in and fight for Georgia. Le sigh!

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Which books top your 2014 list?

Heartlines Release Day Launch

Heartlines is the third book in S. G. Holster's Thirty Seconds to Die paranormal trilogy. She's got a fabulous giveaway as well, so read down to check out all the details.

Heartlines is not a standalone book. It is only meant to be read after first reading Thirty Seconds To Die and Terrible Lies.

Sometimes in battle surrender is the strongest move of all.

Brett Owen, the son of a Sentori leader, promised himself he’d never do the work of his brotherhood - killing reborn souls. He’d been naïve to make such a vow. He’d been naïve about a lot of things – such as the bond of family and love.

Taunted by a Sentori hunter, Brett does whatever he can to survive, even if it means embracing his dark Sentori side and earning the unwanted attention of the Sentori leaders. His life had never looked so frantic. And all the while, his true family is infecting his heart and mind.

When his heart is tied to an unexpected soul, he finds himself fighting for a future he desperately wants to live to see. It becomes clear that whatever freedoms Brett is hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Fragile lives that had been carefully woven together will be ripped apart swiftly and easily.

Faith is betrayed.

Remorse and innocence intertwine.

Fate and chance collide to mend the tattered strands of Brett’s heart in the shocking conclusion to the Thirty Seconds To Die series.

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Catch up on the series!

About Thirty Seconds to Die:

Lexi Flynn thought she could hide from her dreams.

She thought her fears were all in her imagination.

She couldn't imagine that after everything she'd been through, she could fall in love.

She was wrong.

An ancient society, one extraordinary letter, and the secret Alexandra Flynn would die for - again - to protect.

For Lexi, life had always been - normal. But it only took one moment to change everything. Her life quickly becomes the opposite of normal when Ren Miller moves to the small community where she lives. Mysterious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Lexi discovers Ren is no stranger. They've met before - in another life.

When Ren pulls her into his bizarre world of past lives and secret societies, all bets are off. They become the targets of the Sentori, an ancient, secret society who believes it must protect the sanctity humankind by killing those like Lexi and Ren, those who are reborn.

In an effort to protect Ren from the Sentori, Lexi is forced to enlist the aid of the most unlikely of all allies. Her decision ignites a series of events that lead to a heartbreaking decision and a devastating conclusion.

If your life was all you had to give, wouldn't you give it to save the only person you ever loved?

Thirty Seconds to Die draws the reader deeply into a story of danger and flight, of love and hate, and of the extraordinary power of the spirit - human or otherwise.

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Terrible Lies:

This is the second novel in the Thirty Seconds To Die series. Ren and Lexi's story continues...

"Love is whatever you can still betray.

Betrayal can only happen if you love."

- John le Carre

Against the odds, Lexi Flynn closed the passage for the souls. Fleeing to Alaska was a heartbreaking decision that has left her feeling devastated and alone. She wishes that her life could go back to normal. But as the protector for the passage and being pursued by superhuman assassins, it’s hard to tell what normal is. Just as she hits rock bottom, Ren sweeps in as her hero.

Refusing to let her go, he attempts to rebuild her trust. What no one knows is that Ren needs Lexi to save him from his own devastation when a dark family secret is uncovered. Transformed by their decisions, their choices become irrevocable as they learn that some secrets should remain hidden.

Lexi must fight to save those she loves while dealing with the conflicting emotions of grief, forgiveness, love, and while discovering the strength of her own identity.

Terrible Lies author S.G. Holster’s second book of the Thirty Seconds to Die series, is an exciting journey with twists, heartbreak, romance and sacrifice.

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Author Spotlight:

S.G. HOLSTER lives in California with her husband and their two daughters. She is the author of the THIRTY SECONDS TO DIE series. The third and final book in the series, Heartlines, will be published late in 2014.

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S.G.'s giveaway:

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Fight With Me Review

Fight With Me - With Me in Seattle #2 by Kristen Proby

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What they say: Jules Montgomery is too busy and content with her life to worry about a man, especially one Nate McKenna. If growing up with four brothers has taught her anything, she knows to stay away from sexy men with tattoos and motorcycles. That goes double if he's your boss. During the one incredible night they shared, he violated the no fraternization policy...among other things, and it won't happen again. Jules won't risk her career for mind-blowing sex, no matter how much her body and her damn heart keep arguing with her. 

Nate McKenna could give a shit about the no fraternizing policy. He wants Jules and he'll have her. The rules could bend around them, or be damned. He's not a man to be taken lightly, and Jules Montgomery is about to find out just how he responds to being pushed aside after the best night of sex he's ever had. She can fight all she wants, but he'll have her in his bed in the end.

FIGHT WITH ME is the second novel in the With Me In Seattle Series.

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What I say: Jules is trying to forget the one awesome night she spent with her hotter-than-hell boss Nate. She thinks Nate wants to move on and won't risk her career by violated the no work based relationship policy. Nate has other ideas and isn't impressed about her attempts to keep things strictly professional.

Fight With Me is hot. There are a lot of sexy scenes, so if that's not your thing, then I'd avoid this one. The welcome change in the book though is how it's the girl who isn't looking for commitment (rather than the guy). Jules spends most of the story denying her feelings and running from Nate. I appreciated Nate's determination and drive when it came to winning her over - he's not giving up.

I'm not usually a fan of guys in suits (Christian and Gideon aside) because I prefer less manscaping in my male leads, but I really liked Nate and he totally won me over with he suits and smart style. 

I had expected to be irritated by Jules and her constant running but I actually found her extremely likeable. I appreciate sassy women in books and she has some great one-liners. She's also really vulnerable and contained, so it was enjoyable to see Nate ruffle her feathers!

I'm thinking another visit to Seattle is in order some time soon!

4 Stars in my Sky!

Stone Cold Touch Review

Stone Cold Touch - The Dark Elements #2 by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Every touch has its price.

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden.  Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

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Ahh! I just realised that I hadn't posted this review (which I wrote in October)!!

What I say: I'm a BIG fan of JLA's writing style (she does snarkasm REALLY well) and I loved Stone Cold Touch. In case you haven't read any of The Dark Elements series... Layla is half Warden (gargoyle) and half Demon. She lives with a Warden clan and has been in love with Zayne for years. Her demon side means she can steal souls with a kiss. Layla's life dramatically alters when she meets Roth, a super hot and bad ass demon Prince. After the dramatic ending to White Hot Kiss I've been impatiently waiting to find out what happened to Roth and how Layla would cope with recent revelations! 

The story starts not long after the end of WHK and Layla is struggling to cope with what happened to Roth and the big secrets that had been kept from her. Not only does she miss Roth but she's having issues with her abilities. Throw in the continued secret keeping Wardens and Zayne acting weird and Layla has herself one hell of a situation.

I love Roth in WHK and although there were many times when I wanted to smack him in SCT, I think I ended up loving him even more. He's actually really sweet at times! Now here comes the problem...I also really liked Zayne, which I was not expecting. It was obvious how much he cared for Layla but he actually begins to open up and step up a lot more this time. But I did have a problem with a few of his actions and the fact he withheld certain things.

I'm really looking forward to the conclusion to the series and to see which guy won the vote (JLA had an online vote where readers got to decide who Layla ends up with). I think you can probably tell from the button on my sidebar which team I'm on!!

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

Author Spotlight: 

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

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

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

Series Website * Website * Twitter * Facebook * JLA Goodreads

New Release: Forbidden

Is there anything more scrumptious than forbidden love?

Buy Links:

Amazon US * Smashwords

Cloaked in Red: A Shattered Fairy Tale – Kelly Martin

Frederick Dodsworth has no desire to find love at Anthony Wexley's Christmas gathering. Yet when he lays his eyes on the beautiful Rebecca for the first time, he is beyond smitten.

Lust turns to love. Love turns to jealousy. Jealousy turns to betrayal.

How did Frederick Dodsworth become the most evil man in Darenset?  Simple. It started with a kiss.

For the Love of A Lady – Kristin Vayden

Jilted, rejected, unwanted.

Lady Esther Flanguard is all of the above… but that’s all about to change soon.

Because, Essie has a plan. And it’s sure to work brilliantly.

The only thing standing in her way is trying to convince Cross—her best friend’s brother—to go along with it.

Lord Crossby, Cross to those who know him well, knows that Essie’s plan is not a good idea.

Because Essie doesn’t know, is that he’s been in love with her for years. He refuses to leave this second chance left to fate. He lost her once, and plans to never lose her again.

So, knowing he’ll risk his heart, he agrees to play along with her disastrous plan. Silently vowing, that though Essie might be pretending…he isn’t, and this time he’s playing for keeps.

The Devil Duke Takes A Bride – Rachel Van Dyken

Who said being bad wasn't oh so good?

Benedict Devlyn, Duke of Banbury, has one thing on his mind and it isn't marriage. But things take a turn for the worse when his menacing aunt throws a hitch in his plans to remain the most sinful and talked about man in the ton. After all, a man cannot keep the reputation of being The Devil Duke when he is leg-shackled to some simpering spinster.

But his aunt, bless her heart, thinks she's dying, and believes her nephew's behavior is the only thing standing in the way between her entrance to heaven or hell. So she very lovingly and selflessly sets him up. With his childhood nemesis.

A young woman who, though she claims it was an accident, has nearly killed him thrice through her lack of grace and manners. It matters not that the minute he sets eyes on her at the Christmas ball, his blood boils with lust. He refuses to allow himself to fall prey to his aunt's ministrations.

That is, until he is compromised and stuck in an engagement to a girl who claims she'd rather jump from a moving carriage than marry him. Funny thing that, for the very minute she says no, he finds his heart very much wants to say yes. When she doesn't leap at the chance to marry him, he sets about to not only prove that he's worthy of her favor, but also worthy of her heart.

A Winter Wish – Nadine Millard

Mariah Bolton is as headstrong as she is clever, as strong-willed as she is beautiful. She enjoys her life and, apart from a rather snobbish mama, she is happy with her lot.

Imagine her consternation then when her world is turned upside down by the brooding and aloof Mr. Brandon Haverton!

Mariah and Brandon are forced to endure each other’s company more than either wants to when a snowstorm traps them in the same house.

They argue, they bang heads and they drive each other insane.

But something precious is blooming beneath the surface of all that ice. Something neither looks for but both need.

Can love melt the snow around Brandon’s cold heart?

Can Mariah be brave enough to take a leap of faith?

And can a Winter Wish help bring two souls together forever?

Author Spotlights:

Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

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Nadine Millard:

Nadine hails from Dublin, Ireland though she now lives in a quiet town in County Laois. When she’s not writing her own books, she’s reading them. A lot!

She has three beautiful children, a pretty awesome husband and a seriously fluffy dog!

Her favourite thing to do to escape the cheerful chaos of her life is to read, drink coffee and wine and eat far more chocolate than she should.

Kristin Vayden:

Kristin's inspiration for the romance she writes comes from her tall, dark and handsome husband with killer blue eyes. With five children to chase, she is never at a loss for someone to kiss, something to cook or some mess to clean but she loves every moment of it! She loves to make soap, sauerkraut, sourdough bread and gluten free muffins. Life is full of blessings and she praises God for the blessed and abundant life He's given her.

Kelly Martin:

Kelly Martin is the bestselling author of contemporary, historical, fairy tale, and YA romance. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When Kelly isn't writing, she loves watching YouTube and drinking white chocolate mochas. You can follow her writing adventure at www.kellymartinbooks.com