30 April 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: The Truth About Alice





Waiting on Wednesday is my weekly post where I obsess over the shiny new books  I cannot wait to read!


This week I'm waiting on... 

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu


What they say: Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.

  • Expected publication: June 3rd 2014 by Roaring Brook Press  




Why I'm Waiting on The Truth About Alice:
  • The blurb sounds intriguing!
  • The concept of blame is always interesting.
  • Who is Alice?
  • I love the cover!







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Better When He's Bad ARC Review


Welcome to the Point series book #1 
by Jay Crownover


What they say: The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Rome returns with a combustible new series that is sexier, darker, more dangerous--and better than ever!

There's a difference between a bad boy and a boy who's bad . . . meet Shane Baxter.

Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn't just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he's the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn't care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there's a new player in the game, and she's much too innocent, much too soft...and standing directly in his way.

Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She's always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.

Bax terrifies her, awakening feelings she never thought she'd have for a guy like him. But it doesn't take Dovie long to realize . . . some boys are just better when they're bad.

  • Expected publication: June 17th 2014 by William Morrow/Harper Collins
  • ISBN: 0062351893 / ISBN13: 9780062351890

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I received an ARC from the publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!


What I say: I'm a big fan of Jay Crownover's Marked Man series and couldn't wait to read her brand new series Welcome to the Point. Better When He's Bad is the first instalment in Jay's gritty new series and I loved it!!

Jay is great at creating believable characters and she outdoes herself in Better When He's Bad. Shane Baxter aka Bax is the ultimate bad boy, he's got beauty, swagger, attitude and charm. Bax is also a total bad ass who is fresh out of prison. To say Bax is on a mission is something of an understatement, as really he's on a vendetta. This mission puts him in direct contact with female main character Dovie.

Dovie is sweet, caring and damaged. The girl has the worst luck and almost everybody seems to want something from her. Bax is no exception and he's not exactly polite about getting the info from her he needs - their banter was one of my fav parts of the story!
I loved Bax because he isn't your average bad boy and cannot stop being bad. I went from wanting to smack him to wanting to hug him. Jay does a great job in reminding you this isn't your average redemption story. Bax is who he is (which a lot, of the time is a real arse)! What I liked was the balance Dovie brings to his chaos.

I was expecting to miss Rule, Jet, Rome, Nash etc but Jay's created some fab, but very different new characters who I loved in a totally different way. I'm looking forward to more of The Point, and as ever am fully in #TeamJay.
4.5 Stars in my Sky!



Author Spotlight: I’m supposed to share interesting details about myself so that my readers get to know me so here we go in no particular order: I’m an natural redhead even though I haven’t seen my real hair color in years, I’m a big fan of tattoos and have a half sleeve on either arm and various other pieces all over the place, I’ve been in the bar industry since I was in college and it has always offered interesting insight into how men and women interact with each other, I have 3 dogs that are all crazy, I live in Colorado and love the snow, I love music and in all reality wish I could be a rock star not a writer or a bartender but I have zero talent so there is that.

I love to write, love to read and all I’m interested in is a good story with interesting characters that make the reader feel something.






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29 April 2014

Don't Blackmail the Vampire Release



Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!!

I know it's not wednesday but I just came across the info for this one and I couldn't not mention it. Tiffany Allee's previous book in the series, Don't Bite the Bridesmaid is really funny & I hope Don't Blackmail the Vampire is too!


Don't Blackmail the Vampire
by Tiffany Allee
A Sons of Kane novel:




Rachel Davis will do anything to get her sister out of a bad relationship with her fiancé. Even if it involves a few fibs, a little breaking-and-entering, and blackmailing the fiancé’s potential boss, Charles, for his help. So what if the handsome Charles happens to be a vampire?

Charles Wright has found the perfect way to trap the man threatening his brother's wife: befriend him, get invited along on the skiing trip, and then search for incriminating evidence. How much better that audacious but adorable Rachel has her own vendetta against the bastard, and is just as eager to nail him to the wall. As far as Charles is concerned, there's nothing wrong with a little blackmail between two consenting adults. Especially when it's time for Rachel to pay up.



Special release price of 99c (I think this may only be from the Entangled Covet site).
 



How I managed to miss this one and not sign up for the tour is beyond me, but anyway I'm to 1-Click it & I hope it's as witty as Don't Bite the Bridesmaid as Alice & Noah had me in hysterics! You can read my review of their story here!


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Friend-Zoned Review



Friend-Zoned #1
by Belle Aurora








What they say: Nikolai Leokov never thought he'd fall in love with the only girl he's ever befriended. 



Valentina Tomic has issues with commitment after the ultimate betrayal. 

When Tina decides to make broody Nik's day better, she never thought she would end up friends with the hard man. 

Nik has never had a woman be so affectionate to him without expecting something in return. 

Nik and Tina cordially invite you to read Friend-zoned. 

A story of friendship, humour and love.






What I say: I loved the concept of Friend-Zoned and was pleasantly surprised about how funny the book was. 

Valentina 'Tina' Tomic owns a clothing shop opposite a trendy (not that she's ever been inside) club called The White Rabbit. Every day she see's a beautiful and moody looking guy come out of the club, but has no idea who he is or why he doesn't smile. The guy in question is club owner Nikolai 'Nik' Leokov. 

I loved what Tina does and how they ended up becoming friends! Tina is hilarious and her POV was my fav part of the book. Her backstory is really sad and it was really heartwarming seeing her trying to move on and always putting others first. I'd love to get my hands on Tina's cupcake recipes. 

Nik handles Tina barging into his life really well and his initial reaction to her was brilliant! I was torn between him and Max as to who I liked the most. Nik is hot, successful and rich. He also has an army of willing and ready women, and is justifiably confused when Tina offers to be his friend. "Wait, what? I stare at her, a frown forming at my mouth. Did I ... ? Did I just get Friend-zoned?"  Nik may have a lot of, er, experience with women, but Tina turned him from a suave guy into a bumbling idiot at times (in a good way).

I loved watching Tina and Nik trying to convince themselves they were happy with being friends. I also couldn't work out how Nik was so oblivious to Tina's feelings. I'm not always a fan of guys going into alpha, overprotective mode, but with Nik I found it a big plus. Nik is really family originated and it was great how Tina and her friends fit into his and the other guys' lives. I must admit this was a bit convenient at times, but it set up the next book nicely. It also confused me with Tina's ex being called Jace Weathers because it was so similar to Jake Wethers (Sam Towles rocker).

The banter, one-liners and snark were hilarious additions, and really helped lightened up some heavy moments. Friend-Zoned is pretty light hearted (mostly) but there's enough drama, intrigue and humour to keep things interesting!!

4 Stars in my Sky!

My fav non-spoilery quotes:

  • "What is it with chicks and squealing?" Trick answers "It's their version of when a dog gets so excited it pees."
  • Oh, dear god, what have I done? I'll tell you what... I just humped a sleeping person!
  • I'd rather have three true friends than three hundred acquaintances.





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Knight of my Dreams Release

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Knight of My Dreams
by Lynsay Sands

Genre: Romance / Historical / Medieval
Publish Date: April 29, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.


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~ Book Synopsis ~

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lynsay Sands comes a classic short story of a knight in need of a bride…


Lady Alice knows she is not the type to entice a man. She’s too voluptuous, too intelligent, too strong-minded. Why, she even reads! But then Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, arrives at court. Tall, dark and handsome, the knight is any woman’s dream. And he has just been ordered by the king to find a bride…and Alice is to help him!

Jonathan has been evading his mother’s matchmaking schemes for years, so why does she insist that Lady Alice isn’t for him? Alice is only to aid in his search for a bride, yet Jonathan can’t help but be distracted by her glorious hair the color of a sunset, and her figure that is like a lush berry about to burst to full ripeness... Has Jonathan fallen prey to love?




Excerpt:

"Are you all right?"

Alice glanced up in surprise at the concern in Lord Jonathan's voice. He wasn't looking at her; his gaze was traveling down her body in the wake of his hands as he checked her over to be sure she wasn't injured. She flushed at the familiar way his fingers skimmed over her, and took a quick step back, nearly tumbling again.

"I am fi-fine," she got out a little breathlessly as he caught her arms to steady her. "Really," Alice added when he continued to look concerned. After a brief pause, he swallowed and nodded, then turned to grab at the reins of his mount.

Her gaze moved distractedly back to the small swatch of blue cloth on the ground by her feet. She was about to draw Jonathan's attention to it, when she was suddenly caught by the waist and lifted onto his horse.

Alice promptly began to protest. "Oh, really, my lord. There is no need for us to ride. I can walk back to the clearing. I—"

At last she gave up her protests, mostly because he was ignoring her. He mounted in front of her and drew her hands around his waist.

"Hold on," he instructed.

Alice nodded against his back, breathing in deeply to try to steady her nerves. It was rather novel to be in such close proximity to a man. She had never done so before. Unmarried women were simply not allowed such familiarity. Of course, this was an unusual circumstance, and…

Her thoughts died as she breathed in the scent of him. He smelled of the woods and the river and…male. It was a surprisingly pleasant mix, she decided, breathing it in again as her fingers interlocked at his middle. Feeling the muscles of his stomach bunch and ripple, she flattened her fingers over them to get the full sensation, then, realizing what she was doing, stopped breathing in embarrassment. Her fingers stilled.

Of course, Alice couldn't go long holding her breath. She managed to do so for the short ride back to the clearing, but there the breath left her in a slow hiss. The place was empty. Lady Fairley and her uncle had not waited for them; they had apparently ridden on ahead. Alice recalled the small swatch of cloth she had spotted near the horses and pondered silently, wondering why Lady Fairley had been by the horses. Surely she hadn't untied Alice's mount and let it go? Had she really been so annoyed with Alice as to wish to have her walk back to the castle?

"Well, we shall have to ride quickly to catch up," Lord Jonathan said.

Alice glanced at the back of his head, then pressed close and held on tightly as he spurred his mount into a trot. She didn't hold her breath this time. Instead she sat, her breasts pressed against his back, her hands clutched at his front, breathing in deeply of his scent. She was enjoying it so much, it took her most of the ride to realize that despite his words, Jonathan wasn't trying very hard to catch up to her uncle and his mother. He had the horse going at a trot, but a rather slow one, really. They had ridden here faster. She was so startled by the realization that she loosened her hold and started to pull away, but he stopped her by catching her hands with one of his own.

"You had best hold on," he said. "I would not wish to see you fall."

Alice wondered at the husky note to his voice, but decided to merely enjoy the ride. She relaxed against him.


Purchase Links:





Author Spotlight:


Lynsay Sands photo 17059_zps13695b26.jpg
LYNSAY SANDS is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there’s occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus.


Author’s Social Media:



Giveaway:

3 digital copies of To Marry a Scottish Laird





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28 April 2014

Join Team Jay: Nash Tour & ARC Review


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Nash (Marked Men #4)
by Jay Crownover

Genre: New Adult/ Coming of Age
Publication Date: April 29, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, an imprint of HarperCollins
Event Organized By: Literati Author Services, Inc.




Synopsis:

Will their past determine their future?

Saint Ford has worked hard to achieve her childhood dream of becoming of nurse. Focused on her work and devoted to her patients, there’s no room for love. She doesn’t need a guy making waves in her calm, serene life—especially when he’s the unforgettable hottie who nearly destroyed her in high school. Dark, brooding Nash Donovan might not remember her or the terrible pain he caused. But he turned her world upside down . . . and now he’s trying to do it again.

Saint has no idea that Nash isn’t the cocky player he once was. Uncovering a devastating family secret has rocked his world, and now he’s struggling to figure out his future. He can’t be distracted by the pretty nurse he seems to meet everywhere. Still, he can’t ignore the sparks that fly between them —or how she seems so desperate to get away from him. But the funny, sweet, and drop-dead gorgeous Saint is far too amazing to give up on—especially since she’s the only thing in his life that seems to make sense.
When Nash discovers the truth about their past, he realizes he may have lost her heart before he could even fight for it. Now, Saint has to decide: is Nash worth risking herself for all over again?






Purchase Links: 






Author Spotlight:

Crownover photo JayCrownoverAuthorPiccopy2_zps37a4d3cd.jpgI'm supposed to share interesting details about myself so that my readers get to know me so here we go in no particular order: I'm an natural redhead even though I haven't seen my real hair color in years, I'm a big fan of tattoos and have a half sleeve on either arm and various other pieces all over the place, I've been in the bar industry since I was in college and it has always offered interesting insight into how men and women interact with each other, I have 3 dogs that are all crazy, I live in Colorado and love the snow, I love music and in all reality wish I could be a rock star not a writer or a bartender but I have zero talent so there is that. I love to write, love to read and all I'm interested in is a good story with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. Thanks for taking the time to check my stuff out...


Connect with Jay: 
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I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!



What I say: I think by now it must be clear how much I love Jay Crownover's Marked Men series, but if you were ever in doubt, then it's a LOT! From the second I finished ROME, I've been impatiently waiting for Nash's story. The hot guy on the NASH cover really helped too. I was fortunate enough to get my greedy paws on an ARC of NASH and have already read it twice!

Saint (epic name, right?) is the pretty nurse we met at the end of ROME. On the outside she's kinda introverted and skittish, but she's also loyal, strong and intelligent. Without giving anything away, I found it really interesting to discover Saint's backstory and find out if or where Nash fit into it.

Oh Nash! Our Mr nice guy (well sort of)! It was really good to get to know Nash as more than Rule's friend. As you can probably tell from the blurb and if you read ROME, Nash goes through a lot in this book. With the other guys (Rule, Jet, Rome, Rowdy etc) having such strong personalities I didn't really expect to like Nash as much as I did (I seem to end up saying this after reading every new book in the Marked Men series). Nash has mainly been in the background until now (in more ways than one) but after reading NASH I really felt as though I knew him so much better. I have no intension of spoiling anything for you, but watch out for his tattoos! Oh boy!

The reason I like this series so much is because of how well Jay presents her characters. They are all sort of so-called-misfits, but in a variety different ways. Crownover's group of characters are often judged/misjudged by society and Jay does a great job of giving them a voice. She keeps things balanced by showing not only their strengths, but also their faults.

The book does get heavy at times (keep the tissues ready), but there are plenty of light and funny moments. I really liked seeing our favourite characters back (oh Rule!) and being introduced to some new ones. NASH is a fab addition to the Marked Men series and I'm now very impatiently waiting for  Rowdy's story!


4.5 Stars in my Sky!








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27 April 2014

Taking Chances Release











Taking Chances - Release Blitz
By Ariadne Wayne
Contemporary Romance
Date Published: April 27, 2014

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Lauren and Mark Burrows lost their parents in a car accident one night. Despite their father being the drunk driver, both struggle with the urge to turn to drink; Lauren most of all. When all they have is each other, Lauren feels lost when Mark falls in love with Cassie Warren and moves out.

Ethan Stone has been alone since his divorce. His ex-wife took him for everything, and he has felt empty for a long time. He's not looking for love, but Lauren brings him back to life. The question is whether she can fight her demons for the man she loves, and if Ethan can handle the wild ride that is life with Lauren.


Excerpt:


With Ethan’s arm around her shoulders, Lauren nestled up close, nuzzling his cheek.

“I did want to watch this, Lauren. You’ll distract me.”

“That’s the idea.”

He grinned. “I am trying not to make our relationship just about sex.”

“I know. I’m happy right here, but I’m still trying to distract you.”

Ethan laughed. “You’re so naughty.”

“Always.” She rolled her eyes. “As if I would be anything else.”

He kissed her lips softly. “Is that better?”

“Getting there.”

“If I keep kissing you, I’m not going to want to stop.” He said, in an attempt to look serious.

“That’s what I’m counting on.”

Ethan kissed her on the nose. “That’s all you’re getting until the movie is finished.”

“Spoil sport.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. Moving his hand down from her shoulder to rub her arm, he shared a smile before snuggling up again.

“I know I tease, but I do like this,” she said.

“So do I. You know, it’s been so long since I was this close to anyone. Just to have you here and in my arms is the best feeling.”

“I’m glad, Ethan. I’ve been looking forward to being here with you, even if it is only for a few days.”

“We’ll have to make the most of it. Spend every second we can together.”

He leaned back to look at her. What this beautiful woman saw in him, he didn’t know. Her long blonde hair hung in curls around her shoulders, and she had those gorgeous brown eyes that just sucked you in. The type you just want to look into forever.

She smiled, and his stomach plunged through the floor. There was so much to her that no-one else could ever know about. How anyone had never worked that out was a mystery, but Ethan saw it.

The depth of Lauren’s feeling in return was obvious. Looking at her, really looking at her, her emotions were written all over her face.

“How can no-one have claimed you before,” he said, softly.

She blushed, colour flooding her cheeks. The look on her face made his heart race at the thought she was his.

“Ethan,” she whispered.



Author Spotlight:

Ariadne Wayne loves books and lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband and two children. Having always had a prolific imagination she now writes the words down instead of storing them in her head where she can't share them.

When she's not writing she works in Telecommunications, frequently banging her head on the desk with the random things that can happen to the ordinary phone line.


Author Links:




Giveaway
Stirling silver bracelet & Amazon gift cards








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