31 August 2015

Aflame - Review

My 'I-just-found-this-post-from-ages-ago-and-hadn't-posted-it' Review:

Aflame - Fall Away #4
by Penelope Douglas






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What they say: From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Bully, Until You, Rival, and Falling Away comes the sizzling conclusion to the Fall Away series. 



The tables have turned. Now I have the power—and it’s his turn to beg…

Everyone wants to be me.

Maybe it’s the sway of my skirt or the way I flip my hair, but I don’t care. Even though their attention is the last thing I crave, I just can’t stop. I dominate the track, the speed rattles my bones, and the wind and the crowd screams my name.

I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.

They all still talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?

But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.

Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.



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What I say: *There may be spoilers from the previous Fall Away books!* Once I knew the series would end by revisiting Tate and Jared, I wasn't sure I wanted to read Aflame. This was only because I felt like they had already been through a lot together, but I decided to trust Penelope when she said the events needed to happen. She is the creator and writer of the series and knows her characters far better than anybody else could ever hope to. I'm glad I decided to give Aflame a chance because it was nice to see all of the characters come full circle. After finishing their stories I now understand why the books took the direction they did.

As I mention above I wasn't sure about Aflame and this was mainly because I'm not a fan of drama for drama's sake. For me there's nothing more annoying than for my fav characters to suddenly break up and have a load of unnecessary tension after the HEA. This really isn't the case with Aflame. It's actually a very different book to what I was expecting - It's not an angst-fest. Tate and Jared are still the same characters we love, but they have definitely matured and aren't about just punishing each other.  

I have to admit I was one of the readers who blamed Jared at the end of Falling Away (yes, I know it was unfair). I also was firmly on team 'Tate-should-get-more-experience-with-other-guys-and-Jared-should-have-work-hard-to-win-her-back' and I'm not going to spoil the story by telling you if this does happen. I will point out that Penelope made me feel completely horrible for doubting Jared - I feel as though I should be baking him some kind of apology cake!


As I reflected back on the entire series it became more and more obvious Jared was trapped. Tate is passionate about medicine but Jared's yet to find out what he wants to do, so he has to leave. It was the way he left which came as a shock to both the reader and Tate. I completely understood her anger and devastation. I got why she wouldn't listen to him after everything he'd done to her in the past and what they'd been through together. I wouldn't have been happy in her situation, but I now understand why he left. 


If you're worried about reading another story full of drama and teen angst then I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Aflame - It is a Tate and Jared story so there is always going to be a certain amount of arguing, petty behaviour and tension - but that's what I personally love about them. I'm extremely happy with how the story ended - spin-off anybody?!

4.5 Stars in my Sky!



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30 August 2015

Review - A Pound of Flesh

A Pound of Flesh
by Sophie Jackson





Wes Carter is a bad boy hero you won't be able to resist. 

And A Pound of Flesh is a love story you won't want to stop talking about. 

Fans of Samantha Young, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Jamie McGuire, Katy Evans will find this powerful love story utterly addictive and unforgettable. 

Their love is forbidden. But won't be denied... Can true love heal the deepest scars? 
For Kat Lane, teaching inmates at a New York prison is her way of upholding the legacy of her beloved father, murdered fifteen years ago. But when new student Wes Carter walks into her classroom, she's shaken by the strength of her attraction to him. Carter is as handsome as he is dangerous, as mysterious as he is quick-witted - and he ensures people keep their distance. Yet vibrant Kat bypasses his defences and challenges him to reveal the real man behind the intimidating reputation. As their emotional barriers crumble, their inescapable but forbidden feelings cannot be ignored. But will Kat's discovery of Carter's role on the night her father died force them apart...or bind their hearts for ever?

A Pound of Flesh is a tale of loyalty, redemption and all-consuming love against the odds, introducing an irresistible bad boy hero...

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Buy Links:
Amazon * Amazon UK


I received a copy as part of the Goodreads First Reads scheme in exchange for an honest review!


What I say: I do love a book named after a Shakespeare quote (The Fault in Our StarsThe Darling Buds of May, By The Pricking of My Thumbs, More Things in Heaven and What Dreams May Come to name just a few). In Sophie Jackson's forbidden contemporary romance the characters really do pay their dues. 

"The pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought; ’tis mine and I will have it." —Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene I. 

Kat has put her privileged upbringing aside to focus on a cause she believes in - she wants to do something worthwhile. She works a a teacher in prison, helping the inmates improve their literacy skills and their chances of rehabilitation after release. 


Wes Carter is a snarky, intelligent and determined prisoner. He doesn't appreciate having to take part in prison classes, or at least he doesn't until he sees his teacher. 

Their relationship is dramatic and far from ideal, but I liked the idea of them together. I had my suspicions regarding certain revelations. I wanted Carter to open up sooner, but I liked their banter and belief. Parts of the narrative reminded me of Sarah and Michael from Prison Break - other than the obvious prisoner & employee aspect, their obvious connection seemed similar.

For the most part I enjoyed the book, but there were times when it seemed a little off or where I wasn't convinced by certain events. I was expecting more adversary and I felt certain events seemed a little too convenient. BUT I did enjoy their story and the sexy scenes made me blush.

3.5 Stars in my Sky!


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29 August 2015

Demon Road - Review



Demon Road #1
by Derek Landy





What they say: Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor sharp dialogue, DEMON ROAD kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves.


Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…


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Released 28th Aug by Harper Collins Children's

Buy links:
Amazon * Amazon UK

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!


What I say: I'm going to try to keep this review from being a Skulduggery Pleasant comparison, but I will point out that Demon Road could only have been written by Derek Landy. It's full of sass, humour, drama, action and fab one-liners.


Onto the book itself: What I particularly appreciated was the lack of a long drawn out introduction. Although I am a fan of description, I felt as though the story didn't need too much detail before getting to grips with Amber's story - we get it along the way. Most people get a party for for their sixteenth birthday, but Amber gets a shock. She discovers that she's actually a demon and her parents want to EAT HER! The narrative follows Amber as she goes on the run with her protector Milo.


I liked Amber and definitely found her entertaining. I laughed at her 'shifting' issues. Milo reminded me of a certain Skulduggery and I'd like to see more of him. I wasn't the biggest fan of Glen. I initially found him annoying and he often confused me. I did soften towards him at times but he didn't completely win me over. Amber's parents were far more entertaining than I had expected.

There is a lot of action, fighting and dark humour. Certain parts may be a bit of a shock for younger readers but I liked the fights and slightly grim topics.



I decided to read Demon Road because I love the Skulduggery Pleasant series and also because I read a sampler chapter at YALC earlier this year. Along with the sampler chapter, I also received a Demon Road map and other goodies which definitely helped visualise their journey - But you honestly don't need it to get engrossed in Amber's world. I enjoyed the story and laughed along at their antics.

4 Stars in my Sky!




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28 August 2015

Into the Dark - Review

Into the Dark
by Caroline T. Patti





What they say: A girl’s sweet sixteen party is supposed to be among the most memorable events of her life. But on the night of hers, Mercy Clare wakes in the waiting room of a hospital with no memory of how she got there. To make matters worse, she’s wearing something she’d never be caught dead in: her best friend Lyla’s clothes. 


Mercy’s nightmare is just beginning. The doctor arrives to tell her that it’s she who lies in the hospital bed waiting to die. A trip to the bathroom confirms Mercy’s fears, as Lyla’s face stares back at her and Lyla’s curvy figure pokes through her tight clothes. 

But finding out what’s really going on won’t be easy. Because if Mercy wants her body back, it might just cost her Lyla’s life.


Buy links:


I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!


What I say: I loved the concept behind Into the Dark, it's really clever. What should have been a fun night turns into a nightmare when Mercy finds herself somehow suddenly trapped inside her best friend Lyla's body. Her actual body is critically injured in hospital. With everybody thinking she's Lyla, she has no idea what happened or how to fix things.

When the impossible has happened you need somebody to help out - Cue Gage (don't worry no spoilers). Not only is the mysterious Gage aware that Lyla is Mercy, he also introduces her to the secret world of Breachers and hunters. I wasn't sure what to make of Gage, but I appreciated his dedication. He certainly rocks at being mysterious! 

A lot happens in a short period of time, so be prepare for drama, action and twist galore.   I did find Mercy a little trying at times, but I did understand her confusion. She definitely grew on me as the story progressed. 


It was extremely hard for Mercy to know who to trust because almost everybody had an agenda. This helped to give the narrative interesting and away from too much teen angst. I was left with a couple unanswered questions but I got the impression this was done to make way for a potential sequel or series... 


4 Stars in my Sky!



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27 August 2015

Rip - Cover Reveal


On OCTOBER 20 Rachel Van Dyken brings you Rip a standalone novel that fans of the Eagle Elite series will devour! 

With twists and turns you won't see coming, this dark romantic suspense will keep you on your toes and leave you screaming for more.









Pretty things aren't meant to be broken.
But I broke her, and now we both have to pay the price.
I'm her nightmare.
I'm her savior.
And now that I have her signature on an ironclad contract, I
own her body and soul.
She doesn't remember me.
She will.
It's inevitable.
Because as much as I know I need to stay away, for fear of
unlocking the memories I helped her father bury--I can't.
She was the apple in the Garden, dangled in front of me, her
core so tempting and sweet. A voice whispered. Just. One. Bite.
I bit.
I tasted.
I fell.

Welcome to the world of the Russian mafia, where death, is
your only future.






Author Spotlight:







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, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from
readers!


Want to be kept up to date on
new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!


You can connect with her on
Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken
 or join her fan group Rachel's New
Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com 



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Because of Sydney - Release Day Blitz


Because of Sydney
by TA Foster


AVAILABLE NOW




Determined to establish a new life far from the ghosts of her past, twenty-two year old Sydney Paige is willing to try anything to launch her reporting career and quiet the painful memories of her family back home.

Money-driven Mason Lachlan knows exactly what he wants in life and how to get it. Nothing stands in the way of the successful millionaire’s next deal, not even the deeply-buried anguish he feels from being abandoned by his father and tucked away as a dark family secret.

When Sydney must report the biggest land deal to hit South Padre in years, Mason becomes the focus of her story. Problems surface when their undeniable attraction for each other compromises everything they both have worked for.

Can love exist when bottom lines and deadlines collide?
This is a standalone Contemporary Romance, there is NO cliffhanger!

Buy links:





To celebrate the release of Because of Sydney, TA Foster has her first book on sale for ONLY $0.99












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Beyond Fate Paperback Release

BEYOND FATE - RDL banner

We are so excited to bring you Today is the release of Heather Lyons' BEYOND FATE.

 BEYOND FATE is a Fate Series novella and is written in Jonah’s point of view. It is his side of the story from A MATTER OF FATE.

And that’s not all! BEYOND FATE has gotten a cover makeover! This amazing new cover was created by Carly Stevens!


BEYOND FATE - New Cover

Amazon * Amazon UKB&N * iBooksKobo

 

Release Day Excerpt:

I remember Joey telling me once that, of all the big waves he’s ever ridden in his life, the one that got his blood pumping most was Mavericks. “It’s sick,” he said as we waxed our boards at one of his favorite breaks near his house in Australia. “Cold as all hell. Gotta be careful of the Boneyard nearby. There’s a reason they call it that, you know. The reef below loves nothing more than to welcome you to stay forever. But,” his easy grin slid out, “when conditions are right, and you can take off in the hollow and traverse the long wall before finishing in white water, your life flashes before your eyes. You’re flying through hell like a slingshot, only to come out in paradise.”

Obviously, it made me want to surf Mavericks so bad I could taste it.

When Kel and I first got to California, we’d wanted to come here together. Ride these waves in Joey’s honor. But that never happened.

He’s with Chloe right now, after yet another attack during which she walled both him and me inside a building and took off toward San Francisco in an effort to lead what we now know as Elders away. I know why she did it. I felt it the moment her resolutions within hardened—she believed she was protecting the people she loved. In a weird way, I was incredibly proud of her for it, even as I tore my hair out, trying to get the hell out of the tomb she sealed us in so I could get out there and protect her myself. Karl and I searched for her for hours . . .

And then she decided to gut me once more by calling my brother to go and get her.

So here I am, in the back of a boat, tugging the hood of my wetsuit over my head in the pursuit of some kind of nirvana high amidst the hell I’ve found myself in lately. Raul Mesaverde’s questioning my sanity for wanting to go out into the monster waves we’re heading toward, but I do my best to ignore my temporarily assigned Guard. We’re accompanied by one of Joey’s Wave colleagues, who’s come along upon Astrid’s insistence. I tried to assure her I knew what I was doing, but considering she pretty much had an anxiety attack after researching Mavericks and learning people have died here, I figured this was the lesser of two evils.

“You’re loco,” Raul yells at me over the boat’s engine.

I laugh. This? Coming from a Cyclone? Especially one who agreed to chauffeur Chloe on her crazy attempt to lure the Elders away?

The Wave we’re with turns away from the wheel and smiles. He’s crazy, too—because he’s got that same look in his eyes that Joey always had. Like the ocean is his temple. “Nah, bra,” he tells Raul. “Maverick’s all about enlightenment.”

Raul white knuckles the side of the boat. I completely tune him out and let myself slide into that place Joey taught me about so long ago.

“When you let yourself go,” he’d told me as we’d sat out beyond the breaks, “when you put yourself out there and really just let yourself go, knowing any second you could be swallowed whole by the ocean, you’ll realize that all of that shit you worry so much about—girls, school, parents, grades, work, responsibilities—they’re meaningless. Because it’s just you and the waves. They don’t give a rat’s ass what kind of day you’re having. They don’t care if you’ve just bagged the hottest girl in the worlds or if your dad thinks you’ve failed him. They’re gonna rise up and fall no matter what. Let yourself go along that ride, J. There’s worry enough for later.”

This is what I’m thinking as I’m waiting for my set to come.

When it does, I paddle hard. Anticipation and fear is just as strong on my tongue as the salt water surrounding me. I let my worries go.
This one’s for you, Joey.

I gladly fling myself into oblivion.

 

BEYOND FATE- New Cover Wrap

 

 

BEYOND FATE (Fate Series #1.5) Synopsis:

There are always two sides to every story . . .

His whole life, Jonah Whitecomb has strove to meet everyone's expectations of him: the perfect student, dutiful son, loyal twin, accomplished surfer, and powerful Magical. But behind his carefully composed façade hides the truth of how his family has fallen apart, leaving Jonah more often than not feeling adrift. To complicate matters, he fell in love long ago with a girl in his dreams, one he's never told anyone about, including his twin brother.

Just when life seems its bleakest, Jonah discovers that Chloe is real. Wanting to finally reach out and grab happiness for himself, he embarks on a journey to track down the girl of his dreams, only to find that happy endings aren't always guaranteed, the best laid out plans can go horribly awry, and sometimes, you have to simply let yourself go along for the ride.

* Beyond Fate is Jonah's point-of-view of the events of A Matter of Fate, and is a companion novella for the YA/NA crossover urban fantasy/romance Fate series.

And don’t miss the first books in the Fate Series!

A Amtter of Fate

A MATTER OF FATE (Fate Series #1)


BEYOND FATE - New Cover

BEYOND FATE (Fate Series #1.5)


A Matter of Heart

A MATTER OF HEART (Fate Series #2)


A MAtter of Truth

A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate Series #3)


A Matter of Forever Cover

A MATTER OF FOREVER (Fate Series #4)

 

Author Spotlight:
Author Photo

Heather Lyons writes epic, heartfelt love stories and has always had a thing for words. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

WebsiteAuthor GoodreadsBEYOND FATE Goodreads

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26 August 2015

Cover Reveal - Sins of Sevin

SINS OF SEVIN
(A standalone)
A Contemporary Romance novel
New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
Penelope Ward

sins of sevin full.jpg

Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, r.b.a designs
Photo: Scott Hoover Photography
Model: Zeb Ringle  


sins of sevin cover.jpg





Sign up for Penelope’s mailing list now and be the first one notified of releases!



RELEASE DATE: September 21, 2015

Blurb:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Stepbrother Dearest, comes a new forbidden STANDALONE romance.
What happens when the one you want is the only one you can’t have?
My name is Sevin.
Homeschooled and sheltered by my ultra-religious family, I was always taught that lust was a sin.
Elle was the girl who’d been carefully chosen for me.
After a long-distance courtship, I’d be moving into her family’s guesthouse so that we could get to know each other in the months before the wedding.
Boundaries were set: no inappropriate touching, no kissing, no sex before marriage.
I’d accepted those rules and my fate.
Until I met the one I wanted to sin with.
That was when restraint became a problem…especially since the one wasn’t Elle.
It was her sister, Evangeline.
You know what they say about best laid plans.
My name is Sevin, and I have sinned.

Told in alternating points of view, Sins of Sevin is a full-length standalone novel. Contains sexual content and harsh language. Only appropriate for adult readers age 18+.



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Author Spotlight:

PENELOPE WARD.jpg

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.
       

Other books from Penelope Ward:

Cocky Bastard


Stepbrother Dearest

Gemini
Jake Undone (Jake #1)
My Skylar
Jake Understood (Jake #2)


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