Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 128
January 5, 2018
Cover Reveal: THRIVE by Aly Martinez
Today I'm excited to share with you the fabulous cover of Aly Martinez's THRIVE! This book sounds seriously amazing and I can't wait to read it!
Thrive is the second book in the Guardian Protection series and it can be read as a complete standalone. It will be releasing on January 18! Be sure to sign up for the RELEASE ALERT to be notified when the book goes live!
Thrive by Aly Martinez (Guardian Protection, #2) Coming January 18The THRIVE paperback will go live EARLY on Jan 11. Sign up for the RELEASE ALERT to be notified when the book goes live!
Synopsis:Technically, you aren’t supposed to fall in love with your best friend’s girl. But if we’re talking technicalities, he wasn’t supposed to be cheating on her every other weekend, either. The day I met Mira York, I knew she was off-limits. But after months of stealing side-glances while he ruined the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, I realized there wasn’t a rule in the world I wouldn’t break to make her mine. She chose him anyway. I wasn’t sure how I’d ever move on, but bitterness turned into fuel for my fire. Without Mira, I thrived. Until seventeen years later, when she showed back up, begging for protection from the very same man she’d left me for all those years earlier. Now, it was my turn to choose. And she wasn’t going to like my answer. THRIVE takes place seventeen years AFTER a love triangle.
Add Thrive to GoodreadsSign up for Aly's Newsletter to receive exclusive details!
----------------------------Purchase the previous book in the Guardian Protection Series
SINGE is the first book in the Guardian Protection Series and is FREE in KindleUnlimitedAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU---------------------
AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Sign up for Aly's Newsletter
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon
Thrive is the second book in the Guardian Protection series and it can be read as a complete standalone. It will be releasing on January 18! Be sure to sign up for the RELEASE ALERT to be notified when the book goes live!
Thrive by Aly Martinez (Guardian Protection, #2) Coming January 18The THRIVE paperback will go live EARLY on Jan 11. Sign up for the RELEASE ALERT to be notified when the book goes live! Synopsis:Technically, you aren’t supposed to fall in love with your best friend’s girl. But if we’re talking technicalities, he wasn’t supposed to be cheating on her every other weekend, either. The day I met Mira York, I knew she was off-limits. But after months of stealing side-glances while he ruined the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, I realized there wasn’t a rule in the world I wouldn’t break to make her mine. She chose him anyway. I wasn’t sure how I’d ever move on, but bitterness turned into fuel for my fire. Without Mira, I thrived. Until seventeen years later, when she showed back up, begging for protection from the very same man she’d left me for all those years earlier. Now, it was my turn to choose. And she wasn’t going to like my answer. THRIVE takes place seventeen years AFTER a love triangle.
Add Thrive to GoodreadsSign up for Aly's Newsletter to receive exclusive details!
----------------------------Purchase the previous book in the Guardian Protection Series
SINGE is the first book in the Guardian Protection Series and is FREE in KindleUnlimitedAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU---------------------
AUTHOR INFORMATION:Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Sign up for Aly's Newsletter
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon
January 4, 2018
One To Watch: Forgetting You, Remembering Me by Monica James
Today I'm excited to share with you a book to look out for: Forgetting You, Remembering Me by Monica James. From the internationally bestselling author of
Addicted to Love
and
Hard Sin
comes the conclusion to her
Forgetting
series,
Forgetting You Remembering Me
!
Buy Links for FORGETTING YOU, REMEMBERING ME (Book #2)Release: February 28th 2018Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/ycdtn4lyiBooks: https://tinyurl.com/ycs6duxeNook: https://tinyurl.com/ybxtkhbfKobo: https://tinyurl.com/ybnxvmwgGoodreads: https://tinyurl.com/yacfymsf
Download Book 1 FORGETTING YOU, FORGETTING ME (Book #1) now!Kindle: bit.ly/FYFMKindleAmazon Paperback: bit.ly/FYFMAmazoniBooks: bit.ly/FYFMiBooksNook: bit.ly/FYFMNookKobo: bit.ly/FYFMKobo
Excerpt:“I’m going to take off the blindfold,” he whispers into my ear. I pause in my tracks, eagerly awaiting the view.
No surprise as Saxon draws out the reveal, torturing me further. I bounce from foot to foot. His husky chuckle tickles me from the inside out. “I thought you didn’t like surprises.”
“I don’t, but maybe you’ll change my mind.”
“Maybe,” he covertly replies before removing the soft fabric over my eyes.
It takes me a moment to adjust to the dim lighting, but after blinking a few times, what I see takes my breath away. “Saxon…oh my god. It’s beautiful.” And it really is.
“You like it?”
“Like it? I love it.” My feet act of their own accord as I float down the steps and spread my arms out wide. My fingertips brush over hundreds of sunflowers arranged in endless tall glass vases as I walk my yard. “When did you do this?”
“Today. You looked like you could do with some color in your day.”
I pause in the middle of my backyard, needing a moment to take it all in. A red and white picnic blanket lays just a few feet away, and to the left is a wicker basket. Bouquets of sunflowers are dotted as far as the eye can see, adding bursts of vibrancy and instantly lightening my mood.
When I turn over my shoulder, the fairy lights fashioned as stars dangle from the porch railings and rafters. They add to this most picturesque scene. However, when I focus on Saxon leaning against a wooden pillar with a lopsided smirk tugging at his full lips, I know he is the picture of perfection.
“I can’t believe you did this. Is this why you’ve been scarce all day? I was starting to think I smelled.”
He laughs, pushing off the post. “You smell amazing. Hungry?” My growling stomach answers for me.
I watch as Saxon saunters down the stairs, takes my hand, and leads us to the blanket. The gentle hue of the lights wraps us in our own private romantic bubble. I fold my legs beneath me as I sit, running my fingers along the sunflower petals next to me. I can’t help but reminisce about the first time I saw these flowers with Saxon—I was on the back of his bike as he saved me from yet another bad day.
Saxon kneels, reaching into the basket. It’s not until now that I realize how hungry I am. Glued to the computer all day, I’ve forgotten to eat or move. This is so thoughtful. So Saxon. “I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble. Well, clearly you did—” I sweep my hand toward the beauty in front of me “—but I hope you weren’t slaving over a hot stove all day.”
He gives me a playful grin, and I discover why when he exposes what’s inside the basket. “Oh my god.” I laugh. “Just when I thought I couldn’t love you any more, you go and do this.” And by this, I mean when he produces an enormous paper bag filled with only the best Mexican in all of Montana. However, the crème de la crème is when he adds a bottle of Dr. Pepper to the mix. “You know the way to my heart.”
“Or stomach,” he quips, passing me the bottle. “Here is your seven-layer burrito, extra onions.” He hands over my mountain of goodness with a grin.
“What did I do to deserve this?” And I’m not only talking about the food.
“Just being you,” he replies, kissing the end of my nose. My heart swells. He spreads his long legs out in front of him, sipping a beer. “How’s work?”
I sigh, unwrapping my burrito. “Not great. I know there will always be conflict in the world, but it just seems that lately no one is getting along.”
Saxon moves his lips from side to side, appearing to be in thought. “I’m glad we are, though.”
Afraid of choking, I chew slowly, needing a minute to process what he just said. “Me too.” Something is bugging him. It’s written all over his face. “About this morning—”
He cuts me off. “It’s okay, Lucy. I just…need to get over this irrational jealousy when it comes to you. I know you love me, but it’s just difficult sometimes.”
“I completely understand.” I reach for his hand, intertwining our fingers. “I’m glad you know that I love you. Because I do. We’re all trying our best to deal with this pretty messed-up situation. Personally, I think we’re doing great.”
He nods, my words appearing to appease him. But something is still stirring behind his eyes. Just when I’m about to ask what’s going on, his phone rings—again. He digs into his pocket, the ‘something’ amplifying tenfold.
“I won’t be a minute.” He stands quickly and walks briskly away, out of earshot.
Sighing, my appetite gets shot to hell, and I place my barely touched burrito back into the paper bag. I watch for any signs of what the secret conversation Saxon is having entails. But he turns his back as if sensing my inquisitive stare.
I hate this unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. The light at the end of the tunnel with Sam is shining dimly, but it’s suddenly overshadowed with whatever Saxon is hiding. He turns over his shoulder, meeting my eyes, before heading toward the house, which just makes me feel worse.
Unable to sit still, I stand, feeling constraints tug at my heart. Needing to escape, I take flight to the stables. Memories of when I felt similar to how I do now cloud my mind, and I do the only thing that has cleared my head since I learned to ride.
Potter, my horse, neighs when he sees me, sensing my desperation. Without thought, I put on his bridle, then I mount him, bareback, and squeeze my calves around his muscular barrel. I cluck my tongue twice, sending him into a gallop. He knows what I need. We both relish in the need to be free.
Clutching the reins, I lean forward and take a deep breath when he tears out of the stables, nothing but the open vastness greeting us. I work on autopilot as I lead him toward the mountains. We have been here before, and the memories linger on my tongue just as if they were crafted yesterday.
The wind whips through my hair, instantly easing some of the tension within. The terrain is bumpy, but we’ve both learned from experience to navigate this ground with caution. “Easy, boy,” I coo, tugging lightly to slow him down. He does.
I examine my surroundings, the untouched openness giving me the peace I need. We settle to a trot, and although I’ve lived here for years, I still am in awe of how picturesque everything is. But the prettiest thing of all is when my gaze alights on where Saxon and I shared our first kiss. This spot has been imprinted on my mind.
Fingering my lips, I recall the tenderness and uncertainty of his touch. I was so naïve to think that kiss wouldn’t change my life as I knew it. It not only changed my life, but it changed me too. Saxon has shaken up my world, but I would happily dance in the chaos because when I’m with him, I’ve never felt more alive.
Dismounting Potter, I tie him to a tree where he happily munches on the grass. So different from when we were here last. My bare feet sink into the terrain, and I savor the feel of being in touch with mother nature in the purest form.
Wrapping my arms around my middle, I close my eyes and return to the past. I can remember his words as if spoken only yesterday.
“Let’s pretend tomorrow doesn’t exist. Whatever happens now, it’ll just be memories from yesterday.” I could feel the tremble rumble throughout his entire body.
A quiver bubbles to the surface, and I hum. Saxon’s love for me has never wavered. I was just too blind to see. But my eyes, figuratively speaking, are opened now, and I’ll be damned if anything stands in the way of our happily ever after.
“What are you doing out here?” His voice is silk, encasing me in a velvety sphere.
“You kissed me here. Right in this spot. Do you remember?”
“Of course, I do,” he whispers, the nostalgia tethering us together.
With eyes still closed, I tip my face toward the heavens and take a deep breath. “We were fated from that moment forward.”
“We were fated a long time before then.” And he’s right. The first moment we met, touched, my world changed forever. “Is everything all right? You just took off.”
Sighing, I decide no more second-guessing. “Who were you talking to?”
“Just…”
“And don’t tell me just work.”
Silence.
“You’re not telling me something, and I can’t help but feel you’re not telling me this because your secret will change everything.”
I’m hoping he will brush away my insecurities and tell me I’m overreacting, but when he does neither, a sense of dread settles low within my stomach. Unable to stand this a second longer, I open my eyes and turn to face him. The cloud of guilt hangs over his head as he peers down at his scuffed motorcycle boots.
“Just tell me what it is. This is your free pass. Whatever it is, I will deal with it. But please, don’t lie to me or hide the truth because we’ve had enough deceit to last us a lifetime.”
He mulls over my proposition, which has me wondering what exactly he’s done. A cold sweat suddenly coats my skin, and I swallow. “Oh god, Saxon, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, Lucy, nothing. I promise.” I’m in his arms a moment later as he hugs me with all his might. “Everything is all right. Everything will be fine.” I didn’t realize things weren’t already fine.
Breaking our embrace, I shake my head, adamant to find out the truth. “I don’t believe you.” Nothing but regret rolls off him as his shoulders drop. I can’t stand this. I don’t know why, but my gut tells me this involves Cleo. I knew she was trouble from the first moment we met, but I never thought she’d have the power to drive a wedge between us. “Does this have anything to do with… Cleo?” His jaw clenches.
I’m waiting for him to put my mind at ease, but he doesn’t. He simply stands mute, hands dug deep into his pockets. I feel sick. “Saxon, answer me. What…what did you do?”
He hisses, taking a step back. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Then tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Why would you automatically assume Cleo is involved?”
“Because whoever you’re speaking to, you clearly don’t want me to know who it is. So unless you have another girl on the side…”
“Another girl?” he spits, angered. “I don’t have any girls but you, Lucy.”
“Then tell me what’s going on!”
An exasperated breath leaves him as he begins to pace. This place once filled with happy memories is now tainted with secrets and doubt. I give him the time he clearly needs because he’ll just clam up if I continue to push.
“Yes, I need to tell you something, but…” He comes to a stop, running both hands through his snarled hair. “But I know when I do, you’ll…” The sentence remains unfinished because the ringing of Saxon’s cell cements my fate for good.
About Monica
Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.
When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. Her inspiration comes from every day life.
She is a bestselling author in the US, Australia, Canada, and the UK.
Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.
Connect with Monica Online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormonicajames
Twitter: https://twitter.com/monicajames81
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MonicaJames
Instagram: @MonicaJames
Website: http://monicajamesbooks.blogspot.com.au/ (Buy links are on her site)
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/monicajames81 /
Buy Links for FORGETTING YOU, REMEMBERING ME (Book #2)Release: February 28th 2018Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/ycdtn4lyiBooks: https://tinyurl.com/ycs6duxeNook: https://tinyurl.com/ybxtkhbfKobo: https://tinyurl.com/ybnxvmwgGoodreads: https://tinyurl.com/yacfymsf
Download Book 1 FORGETTING YOU, FORGETTING ME (Book #1) now!Kindle: bit.ly/FYFMKindleAmazon Paperback: bit.ly/FYFMAmazoniBooks: bit.ly/FYFMiBooksNook: bit.ly/FYFMNookKobo: bit.ly/FYFMKobo
Excerpt:“I’m going to take off the blindfold,” he whispers into my ear. I pause in my tracks, eagerly awaiting the view.
No surprise as Saxon draws out the reveal, torturing me further. I bounce from foot to foot. His husky chuckle tickles me from the inside out. “I thought you didn’t like surprises.”
“I don’t, but maybe you’ll change my mind.”
“Maybe,” he covertly replies before removing the soft fabric over my eyes.
It takes me a moment to adjust to the dim lighting, but after blinking a few times, what I see takes my breath away. “Saxon…oh my god. It’s beautiful.” And it really is.
“You like it?”
“Like it? I love it.” My feet act of their own accord as I float down the steps and spread my arms out wide. My fingertips brush over hundreds of sunflowers arranged in endless tall glass vases as I walk my yard. “When did you do this?”
“Today. You looked like you could do with some color in your day.”
I pause in the middle of my backyard, needing a moment to take it all in. A red and white picnic blanket lays just a few feet away, and to the left is a wicker basket. Bouquets of sunflowers are dotted as far as the eye can see, adding bursts of vibrancy and instantly lightening my mood.
When I turn over my shoulder, the fairy lights fashioned as stars dangle from the porch railings and rafters. They add to this most picturesque scene. However, when I focus on Saxon leaning against a wooden pillar with a lopsided smirk tugging at his full lips, I know he is the picture of perfection.
“I can’t believe you did this. Is this why you’ve been scarce all day? I was starting to think I smelled.”
He laughs, pushing off the post. “You smell amazing. Hungry?” My growling stomach answers for me.
I watch as Saxon saunters down the stairs, takes my hand, and leads us to the blanket. The gentle hue of the lights wraps us in our own private romantic bubble. I fold my legs beneath me as I sit, running my fingers along the sunflower petals next to me. I can’t help but reminisce about the first time I saw these flowers with Saxon—I was on the back of his bike as he saved me from yet another bad day.
Saxon kneels, reaching into the basket. It’s not until now that I realize how hungry I am. Glued to the computer all day, I’ve forgotten to eat or move. This is so thoughtful. So Saxon. “I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble. Well, clearly you did—” I sweep my hand toward the beauty in front of me “—but I hope you weren’t slaving over a hot stove all day.”
He gives me a playful grin, and I discover why when he exposes what’s inside the basket. “Oh my god.” I laugh. “Just when I thought I couldn’t love you any more, you go and do this.” And by this, I mean when he produces an enormous paper bag filled with only the best Mexican in all of Montana. However, the crème de la crème is when he adds a bottle of Dr. Pepper to the mix. “You know the way to my heart.”
“Or stomach,” he quips, passing me the bottle. “Here is your seven-layer burrito, extra onions.” He hands over my mountain of goodness with a grin.
“What did I do to deserve this?” And I’m not only talking about the food.
“Just being you,” he replies, kissing the end of my nose. My heart swells. He spreads his long legs out in front of him, sipping a beer. “How’s work?”
I sigh, unwrapping my burrito. “Not great. I know there will always be conflict in the world, but it just seems that lately no one is getting along.”
Saxon moves his lips from side to side, appearing to be in thought. “I’m glad we are, though.”
Afraid of choking, I chew slowly, needing a minute to process what he just said. “Me too.” Something is bugging him. It’s written all over his face. “About this morning—”
He cuts me off. “It’s okay, Lucy. I just…need to get over this irrational jealousy when it comes to you. I know you love me, but it’s just difficult sometimes.”
“I completely understand.” I reach for his hand, intertwining our fingers. “I’m glad you know that I love you. Because I do. We’re all trying our best to deal with this pretty messed-up situation. Personally, I think we’re doing great.”
He nods, my words appearing to appease him. But something is still stirring behind his eyes. Just when I’m about to ask what’s going on, his phone rings—again. He digs into his pocket, the ‘something’ amplifying tenfold.
“I won’t be a minute.” He stands quickly and walks briskly away, out of earshot.
Sighing, my appetite gets shot to hell, and I place my barely touched burrito back into the paper bag. I watch for any signs of what the secret conversation Saxon is having entails. But he turns his back as if sensing my inquisitive stare.
I hate this unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. The light at the end of the tunnel with Sam is shining dimly, but it’s suddenly overshadowed with whatever Saxon is hiding. He turns over his shoulder, meeting my eyes, before heading toward the house, which just makes me feel worse.
Unable to sit still, I stand, feeling constraints tug at my heart. Needing to escape, I take flight to the stables. Memories of when I felt similar to how I do now cloud my mind, and I do the only thing that has cleared my head since I learned to ride.
Potter, my horse, neighs when he sees me, sensing my desperation. Without thought, I put on his bridle, then I mount him, bareback, and squeeze my calves around his muscular barrel. I cluck my tongue twice, sending him into a gallop. He knows what I need. We both relish in the need to be free.
Clutching the reins, I lean forward and take a deep breath when he tears out of the stables, nothing but the open vastness greeting us. I work on autopilot as I lead him toward the mountains. We have been here before, and the memories linger on my tongue just as if they were crafted yesterday.
The wind whips through my hair, instantly easing some of the tension within. The terrain is bumpy, but we’ve both learned from experience to navigate this ground with caution. “Easy, boy,” I coo, tugging lightly to slow him down. He does.
I examine my surroundings, the untouched openness giving me the peace I need. We settle to a trot, and although I’ve lived here for years, I still am in awe of how picturesque everything is. But the prettiest thing of all is when my gaze alights on where Saxon and I shared our first kiss. This spot has been imprinted on my mind.
Fingering my lips, I recall the tenderness and uncertainty of his touch. I was so naïve to think that kiss wouldn’t change my life as I knew it. It not only changed my life, but it changed me too. Saxon has shaken up my world, but I would happily dance in the chaos because when I’m with him, I’ve never felt more alive.
Dismounting Potter, I tie him to a tree where he happily munches on the grass. So different from when we were here last. My bare feet sink into the terrain, and I savor the feel of being in touch with mother nature in the purest form.
Wrapping my arms around my middle, I close my eyes and return to the past. I can remember his words as if spoken only yesterday.
“Let’s pretend tomorrow doesn’t exist. Whatever happens now, it’ll just be memories from yesterday.” I could feel the tremble rumble throughout his entire body.
A quiver bubbles to the surface, and I hum. Saxon’s love for me has never wavered. I was just too blind to see. But my eyes, figuratively speaking, are opened now, and I’ll be damned if anything stands in the way of our happily ever after.
“What are you doing out here?” His voice is silk, encasing me in a velvety sphere.
“You kissed me here. Right in this spot. Do you remember?”
“Of course, I do,” he whispers, the nostalgia tethering us together.
With eyes still closed, I tip my face toward the heavens and take a deep breath. “We were fated from that moment forward.”
“We were fated a long time before then.” And he’s right. The first moment we met, touched, my world changed forever. “Is everything all right? You just took off.”
Sighing, I decide no more second-guessing. “Who were you talking to?”
“Just…”
“And don’t tell me just work.”
Silence.
“You’re not telling me something, and I can’t help but feel you’re not telling me this because your secret will change everything.”
I’m hoping he will brush away my insecurities and tell me I’m overreacting, but when he does neither, a sense of dread settles low within my stomach. Unable to stand this a second longer, I open my eyes and turn to face him. The cloud of guilt hangs over his head as he peers down at his scuffed motorcycle boots.
“Just tell me what it is. This is your free pass. Whatever it is, I will deal with it. But please, don’t lie to me or hide the truth because we’ve had enough deceit to last us a lifetime.”
He mulls over my proposition, which has me wondering what exactly he’s done. A cold sweat suddenly coats my skin, and I swallow. “Oh god, Saxon, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, Lucy, nothing. I promise.” I’m in his arms a moment later as he hugs me with all his might. “Everything is all right. Everything will be fine.” I didn’t realize things weren’t already fine.
Breaking our embrace, I shake my head, adamant to find out the truth. “I don’t believe you.” Nothing but regret rolls off him as his shoulders drop. I can’t stand this. I don’t know why, but my gut tells me this involves Cleo. I knew she was trouble from the first moment we met, but I never thought she’d have the power to drive a wedge between us. “Does this have anything to do with… Cleo?” His jaw clenches.
I’m waiting for him to put my mind at ease, but he doesn’t. He simply stands mute, hands dug deep into his pockets. I feel sick. “Saxon, answer me. What…what did you do?”
He hisses, taking a step back. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Then tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Why would you automatically assume Cleo is involved?”
“Because whoever you’re speaking to, you clearly don’t want me to know who it is. So unless you have another girl on the side…”
“Another girl?” he spits, angered. “I don’t have any girls but you, Lucy.”
“Then tell me what’s going on!”
An exasperated breath leaves him as he begins to pace. This place once filled with happy memories is now tainted with secrets and doubt. I give him the time he clearly needs because he’ll just clam up if I continue to push.
“Yes, I need to tell you something, but…” He comes to a stop, running both hands through his snarled hair. “But I know when I do, you’ll…” The sentence remains unfinished because the ringing of Saxon’s cell cements my fate for good.
About Monica
Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. Her inspiration comes from every day life.
She is a bestselling author in the US, Australia, Canada, and the UK.
Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.
Connect with Monica Online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormonicajames
Twitter: https://twitter.com/monicajames81
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MonicaJames
Instagram: @MonicaJames
Website: http://monicajamesbooks.blogspot.com.au/ (Buy links are on her site)
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/monicajames81 /
January 3, 2018
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #105
For my first read of 2018 I'm in the middle of one of the books I received for Christmas and absolutely loving it. This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm Reading...
There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
Blurb:Love hurts...
Makani Young thought she'd left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She's found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn't far behind.
Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.
Why I Chose This Book | What I Think So Far:I first wanted to read this book back when I was doing my fall 2017 releases blog because it sounded amazing and reminded me of Scream but then when it came out I had second thoughts because I'd had a difficult reading year. Then just before Thanksgiving I flipped through it at Half Price Books and it looked good so I asked for it with the other things on my Christmas wishlist. I picked this one to read first because it was one of the shorter two I got and it grabbed me right away. It's thrilling and page-turning without being too gruesome and there's a lot of hints as to Makani's past so I can't wait to see what she did that was so wrong. I just got past the second murder which was a great scene - if a little unbelievable - to read. I'm not exactly sure, depending on the weapon used, that what the author suggested was the fate of this character would really be possible that easily. One thing is for sure, whoever the killer is and whatever their motive, they sure have a lot of strength!
There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
Blurb:Love hurts...Makani Young thought she'd left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She's found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn't far behind.
Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.
Why I Chose This Book | What I Think So Far:I first wanted to read this book back when I was doing my fall 2017 releases blog because it sounded amazing and reminded me of Scream but then when it came out I had second thoughts because I'd had a difficult reading year. Then just before Thanksgiving I flipped through it at Half Price Books and it looked good so I asked for it with the other things on my Christmas wishlist. I picked this one to read first because it was one of the shorter two I got and it grabbed me right away. It's thrilling and page-turning without being too gruesome and there's a lot of hints as to Makani's past so I can't wait to see what she did that was so wrong. I just got past the second murder which was a great scene - if a little unbelievable - to read. I'm not exactly sure, depending on the weapon used, that what the author suggested was the fate of this character would really be possible that easily. One thing is for sure, whoever the killer is and whatever their motive, they sure have a lot of strength!
January 2, 2018
{Release Day Blitz + Inspiration Post} CURSEBREAKER: An East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon Retelling
Today I'm excited to share with you the release of my YA Historical Fantasy Fairytale Retelling, CurseBreaker! CurseBreaker is my seventh published novel! I hope you're as excited to read it as I am to have it out in the world!
Title: CurseBreaker Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Fairytale RetellingAuthor: Taylor FennerPublisher: Taylor C. Fenner PublishingRelease Date: January 2, 2018
Blurb: A Scorned Queen, A Cursed Prince, A Girl begging for love and adventure...
History Channel's Vikings meets Norse Folklore and Mythology in this High Fantasy retelling of the Norwegian Fairy Tale, East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon.
Eighteen-year-old Helga "Hel" Daalgaard has accepted that the only love and adventure in her future live within the pages of the books her father brings for her from his travels. She's content helping around the home she shares with her parents and eight siblings; it may be a dull life but it's all she's ever known... until a polar bear arrives at their tiny cottage and offers up a strange proposal.
After spurning his young stepmother's advances, Prince Dyre is cursed to spend his days in the body of a polar bear. To break the curse he must find a woman to fall in love with him and stay with him for a year - but the woman of his choosing can never learn that he is truly a man or Dyre will be forced into a future even worse than spending his days as a polar bear. He thinks Hel could be the one to break the curse, but if Hel ever finds out what brought them together he may lose her forever.
Nobody ever crossed Viveka, Queen of Aldavellir, and lived to tell about it. Dyre is the only man alive that has turned her down but she'll have him whether he likes it or not. She'll make it impossible for the girl he's chosen to last long enough to break the curse. After all, queens don't have to play fair.
Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo ✦ Smashwords ✦ Add to Goodreads
Excerpt“Shhh,” the polar bear hushes me as he listens to something in the distance. His ears perk up and a menacing growl passes his pursed lips. I scan the forest for signs of a disturbance and my eyes play tricks on me as I glimpse figures of shadow and mist peeking around the trunks of trees. “Hel, I need you to listen to me very carefully,” the urgency in the polar bear’s voice gets my attention. “I want you to run in the direction we came from and hide among the trees. Whatever you hear do not come out until I come find you. Can you do that?”
“I can help you,” I suggest as my eyes scan the forest again. The shadow figures are creeping closer.
“No!” the polar bear snarls. Softening his voice he adds, “Please Hel, just do as I say.”
Reluctantly I slip from his back and run away, my cloak whipping wildly in my wake. I hear the polar bear’s powerful growl echoing through the forest as I run as fast as I can. I mentally curse the dress I’m wearing as it wraps around my legs. Behind me, I can hear the sounds of growls and inhuman whines followed by the sickening sound of flesh being ripped from bone. My braided hair slaps against my back and loose strands blur my vision as I swear I see more shadowy mist figures popping up in the direction I’m heading. I skid to a halt and change course but I can see something rushing toward me in my peripheral vision.
Something bites my elbow and I shriek in pain as I cradle my wounded arm against my chest and try to outrun my invisible assailant.
Don’t look back, don’t look back, don’t look back, I chant over and over in my head as I feel invisible hands tugging and ripping at my cloak. I spin around to fend off the grabbing hands with my pack and come face to face with my assailant at the moment it loses its invisibility. A scream reverberates through the forest and it takes me a minute to realize it is coming from me.
I back up quickly as the eyes of the monstrous creature narrow and zero in on me. Bigger and stronger than me the creature standing before me is completely naked and covered in thick black hair on nearly every inch of its’ body. Its’ nose is large and bulbous and crazed unfocused eyes catch my every movement. A trickle of blood oozes out of the corner of its’ mouth from my elbow wound as it stalks forward hunting me. Long claw-like fingernails swing in my direction as I back into a tree trunk and throw my arms up in front of my face in a lame attempt to protect myself. I can feel the hard bark of the tree scraping my back through my dress, a small pain compared to what the troll is about to do to my face and body.
Just as the troll is about to lunge at me the polar bear pounces on it and rips its throat out in one swipe. Excess blood splashes on my face and dress as the troll drops lifelessly to the ground.
How Vikings Inspired My Writing Process:I always knew I wanted to do a retelling of East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon. It was my favorite fairytale as a child and as I flipped through it at an older age, reading through the story I could see the images of the story expanding unfolding in my mind. At the time I just didn't know the hows or whys of how I would retell EOTSAWOTM.
Then a year and a half ago I spent the summer binge-watching Vikings on Netflix. I was hooked. I loved the culture and the time period but the thing I think that stood out the most was how strong the women of that time period were, the freedoms they had. It seemed like in other parts of the world in that era - such as England and France - women were still considered beneath men. They didn't have positions of power or the liberties that the Viking women seemed to. So with those women in mind CurseBreaker began writing itself in my mind.
Why couldn't a woman travel the world to rescue the man she loved from the evil queen? What if the man she loved had been a warrior, who hungered for the feel of the ocean wind on his skin as he paced his empty palace waiting for a curse to be broken? What if a queen put a curse on her stepson not because he was in the way of her ruling, but because he injured her vanity?
Researching this story was fun and I learned a lot about Viking customs during the process. Tomorrow you'll see inside my pinboard to the pictures that helped in the writing of this book, but here are a few Viking Fun Facts you might not have known:
- Vikings used to give kittens to new brides to honor Freya, the Norse goddess of love, sexuality, beauty, and fertility.
- Vikings didn't have buttons. Instead they used brooches, belts, and laces to keep their clothing fastened.
- Vikings mainly drank water, milk, and ale although the wealthier Vikings did have access to wine.
- During weddings, rings were traditionally presented on a sword's blade.
About the Author:
Taylor Fenner grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. She's been an avid reader with a vivid imagination since she was very young. Most of her childhood can be described as having her nose stuck in one book or another.
An admitted workaholic, when not working on a novel Taylor spends most of her time blogging about books, taking photos for her bookstagram account, binge watching the latest season of Vikings, and listening to music that's sure to ruin her hearing eventually.
Taylor still currently lives in Wisconsin, not far from where her debut novel The Haunting Love is set. Taylor is the author of The Haunting Love, Finding Elizabeth, Out of Darkness (Eternals Trilogy #1), Into the Light (Eternals Trilogy #2), Through the Fog (Eternals Trilogy #3), Eternal Fire: An Eternals Trilogy Novelette, Night of Terror and Other Assorted Stories, and her upcoming New Adult debut, Headless, a contemporary reimagining of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
You can connect with Taylor online on her website: www.taylorfenner.com, on Facebook: www.facebook.com/taylorfennerwrites, on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylorfenner, or on her blog: taylorfenner.blogspot.com.
Follow The Blog Tour:January 1, 2018@ BeautyGuise - Review & ExcerptJanuary 2, 2018@ Taylor Fenner's Bookish World - Release Day Blitz & How Vikings Inspired My Writing ProcessJanuary 3, 2018@ Reader With A View - Review & Guest Post
Title: CurseBreaker Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Fairytale RetellingAuthor: Taylor FennerPublisher: Taylor C. Fenner PublishingRelease Date: January 2, 2018
Blurb: A Scorned Queen, A Cursed Prince, A Girl begging for love and adventure...
History Channel's Vikings meets Norse Folklore and Mythology in this High Fantasy retelling of the Norwegian Fairy Tale, East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon.
Eighteen-year-old Helga "Hel" Daalgaard has accepted that the only love and adventure in her future live within the pages of the books her father brings for her from his travels. She's content helping around the home she shares with her parents and eight siblings; it may be a dull life but it's all she's ever known... until a polar bear arrives at their tiny cottage and offers up a strange proposal.
After spurning his young stepmother's advances, Prince Dyre is cursed to spend his days in the body of a polar bear. To break the curse he must find a woman to fall in love with him and stay with him for a year - but the woman of his choosing can never learn that he is truly a man or Dyre will be forced into a future even worse than spending his days as a polar bear. He thinks Hel could be the one to break the curse, but if Hel ever finds out what brought them together he may lose her forever.
Nobody ever crossed Viveka, Queen of Aldavellir, and lived to tell about it. Dyre is the only man alive that has turned her down but she'll have him whether he likes it or not. She'll make it impossible for the girl he's chosen to last long enough to break the curse. After all, queens don't have to play fair.
Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo ✦ Smashwords ✦ Add to Goodreads
Excerpt“Shhh,” the polar bear hushes me as he listens to something in the distance. His ears perk up and a menacing growl passes his pursed lips. I scan the forest for signs of a disturbance and my eyes play tricks on me as I glimpse figures of shadow and mist peeking around the trunks of trees. “Hel, I need you to listen to me very carefully,” the urgency in the polar bear’s voice gets my attention. “I want you to run in the direction we came from and hide among the trees. Whatever you hear do not come out until I come find you. Can you do that?”
“I can help you,” I suggest as my eyes scan the forest again. The shadow figures are creeping closer.
“No!” the polar bear snarls. Softening his voice he adds, “Please Hel, just do as I say.”
Reluctantly I slip from his back and run away, my cloak whipping wildly in my wake. I hear the polar bear’s powerful growl echoing through the forest as I run as fast as I can. I mentally curse the dress I’m wearing as it wraps around my legs. Behind me, I can hear the sounds of growls and inhuman whines followed by the sickening sound of flesh being ripped from bone. My braided hair slaps against my back and loose strands blur my vision as I swear I see more shadowy mist figures popping up in the direction I’m heading. I skid to a halt and change course but I can see something rushing toward me in my peripheral vision.
Something bites my elbow and I shriek in pain as I cradle my wounded arm against my chest and try to outrun my invisible assailant.
Don’t look back, don’t look back, don’t look back, I chant over and over in my head as I feel invisible hands tugging and ripping at my cloak. I spin around to fend off the grabbing hands with my pack and come face to face with my assailant at the moment it loses its invisibility. A scream reverberates through the forest and it takes me a minute to realize it is coming from me.
I back up quickly as the eyes of the monstrous creature narrow and zero in on me. Bigger and stronger than me the creature standing before me is completely naked and covered in thick black hair on nearly every inch of its’ body. Its’ nose is large and bulbous and crazed unfocused eyes catch my every movement. A trickle of blood oozes out of the corner of its’ mouth from my elbow wound as it stalks forward hunting me. Long claw-like fingernails swing in my direction as I back into a tree trunk and throw my arms up in front of my face in a lame attempt to protect myself. I can feel the hard bark of the tree scraping my back through my dress, a small pain compared to what the troll is about to do to my face and body.
Just as the troll is about to lunge at me the polar bear pounces on it and rips its throat out in one swipe. Excess blood splashes on my face and dress as the troll drops lifelessly to the ground.
How Vikings Inspired My Writing Process:I always knew I wanted to do a retelling of East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon. It was my favorite fairytale as a child and as I flipped through it at an older age, reading through the story I could see the images of the story expanding unfolding in my mind. At the time I just didn't know the hows or whys of how I would retell EOTSAWOTM.
Then a year and a half ago I spent the summer binge-watching Vikings on Netflix. I was hooked. I loved the culture and the time period but the thing I think that stood out the most was how strong the women of that time period were, the freedoms they had. It seemed like in other parts of the world in that era - such as England and France - women were still considered beneath men. They didn't have positions of power or the liberties that the Viking women seemed to. So with those women in mind CurseBreaker began writing itself in my mind.
Why couldn't a woman travel the world to rescue the man she loved from the evil queen? What if the man she loved had been a warrior, who hungered for the feel of the ocean wind on his skin as he paced his empty palace waiting for a curse to be broken? What if a queen put a curse on her stepson not because he was in the way of her ruling, but because he injured her vanity?
Researching this story was fun and I learned a lot about Viking customs during the process. Tomorrow you'll see inside my pinboard to the pictures that helped in the writing of this book, but here are a few Viking Fun Facts you might not have known:
- Vikings used to give kittens to new brides to honor Freya, the Norse goddess of love, sexuality, beauty, and fertility.
- Vikings didn't have buttons. Instead they used brooches, belts, and laces to keep their clothing fastened.
- Vikings mainly drank water, milk, and ale although the wealthier Vikings did have access to wine.
- During weddings, rings were traditionally presented on a sword's blade.
About the Author:
Taylor Fenner grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. She's been an avid reader with a vivid imagination since she was very young. Most of her childhood can be described as having her nose stuck in one book or another. An admitted workaholic, when not working on a novel Taylor spends most of her time blogging about books, taking photos for her bookstagram account, binge watching the latest season of Vikings, and listening to music that's sure to ruin her hearing eventually.
Taylor still currently lives in Wisconsin, not far from where her debut novel The Haunting Love is set. Taylor is the author of The Haunting Love, Finding Elizabeth, Out of Darkness (Eternals Trilogy #1), Into the Light (Eternals Trilogy #2), Through the Fog (Eternals Trilogy #3), Eternal Fire: An Eternals Trilogy Novelette, Night of Terror and Other Assorted Stories, and her upcoming New Adult debut, Headless, a contemporary reimagining of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
You can connect with Taylor online on her website: www.taylorfenner.com, on Facebook: www.facebook.com/taylorfennerwrites, on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylorfenner, or on her blog: taylorfenner.blogspot.com.
Follow The Blog Tour:January 1, 2018@ BeautyGuise - Review & ExcerptJanuary 2, 2018@ Taylor Fenner's Bookish World - Release Day Blitz & How Vikings Inspired My Writing ProcessJanuary 3, 2018@ Reader With A View - Review & Guest Post
January 1, 2018
Book Review: The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins
The Great Pursuit (Eurona Duology #2) by Wendy Higgins
Blurb:Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.
In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.
One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.
My Review:One beast is dead, but Rozaria Rocato is just beginning her destructive path of Eurona in The Great Pursuit. Princess Aerity of Lochlanach is engaged to Lord Alvi of Ascomanni who has eyes for her cousin Wyneth. Meanwhile Aerity's true love Paxton Seabolt has left Lochlanach with the Zandalee tribe, possibly to never return again.
With King Lochson not wanting to give in to Rozaria's demands or to listen to his daughter's ideas and Aerity's upcoming nuptials to Lord Alvi pressing in on her Aerity leaves the palace with the soldier, Harrison to search for Paxton. Meanwhile Paxton has entered the lion's den - Rosaria Rocato's camp of Lashed. She's building an army of Lashed to overthrow Lochlanach and the rest of Eurona. Can Paxton get close enough to Rosaria to find out her exact plans so he can keep the love he's not allowed himself to have from harm's way?
Vixie Lochson and Paxton's younger brother Tiern have feelings for each other, but with the Lashed blood running in Tiern's family he knows he shouldn't want Vixie. He has to think of the kingdom first. But he can't stay away and Vixie makes it terribly hard to resist her - especially after she sets her mind to tracking down Aerity.
Lady Wyneth has decided her mourning period for Breckon has to come to an end. She has to move on with her life and she wants to do all she can for the kingdom during this time of strife. Is there a possibility for her to find love again? With someone she never would have expected?
With danger and war looming over their heads and traitors in their midst it will be a fight for the kingdom of Lochlanach and the rest of Eurona. Lashed and Unlashed will have to set aside their differences for the homelands they love to overpower Rozaria and her band of Lashed. Will Princess Aerity be successful? Will she and Paxton ever have a chance at happiness? Will life ever be the same?
I was really looking forward to The Great Pursuit and it didn't disappoint. I liked the follow up to The Great Hunt and the conclusion to Aerity's story. All of your favorite characters are back and the thing I was most worried about was which characters were going to end up together in the end.
That left me wide open for plot twists I wasn't expecting, some I liked but one that left me a little confused. This book jumps between character perspectives a lot from the main characters to the secondary characters to the villain and even a random unnamed character riding Paul Revere style through the towns during the beginning of the war but we only hear the fate of Aerity's parents in passing. I would have liked to have seen something in either her mother or father's perspective right before the end. What were they doing during the period when they were taken? Did they even try to escape? Were they certain someone was coming for them? Were they afraid? Trying to comfort one another? Being tortured?
It's just that there were a few parts of this book I thought were a little too drawn out and took too long to get through, there was nothing about that part of the story - like a big gaping plot hole.
Overall, I liked this story. Wendy Higgins continues to be one of my favorite authors, but although I liked this conclusion I'm not sure I liked it as much as The Great Hunt.
My Rating:
Blurb:Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.
One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.
My Review:One beast is dead, but Rozaria Rocato is just beginning her destructive path of Eurona in The Great Pursuit. Princess Aerity of Lochlanach is engaged to Lord Alvi of Ascomanni who has eyes for her cousin Wyneth. Meanwhile Aerity's true love Paxton Seabolt has left Lochlanach with the Zandalee tribe, possibly to never return again.
With King Lochson not wanting to give in to Rozaria's demands or to listen to his daughter's ideas and Aerity's upcoming nuptials to Lord Alvi pressing in on her Aerity leaves the palace with the soldier, Harrison to search for Paxton. Meanwhile Paxton has entered the lion's den - Rosaria Rocato's camp of Lashed. She's building an army of Lashed to overthrow Lochlanach and the rest of Eurona. Can Paxton get close enough to Rosaria to find out her exact plans so he can keep the love he's not allowed himself to have from harm's way?
Vixie Lochson and Paxton's younger brother Tiern have feelings for each other, but with the Lashed blood running in Tiern's family he knows he shouldn't want Vixie. He has to think of the kingdom first. But he can't stay away and Vixie makes it terribly hard to resist her - especially after she sets her mind to tracking down Aerity.
Lady Wyneth has decided her mourning period for Breckon has to come to an end. She has to move on with her life and she wants to do all she can for the kingdom during this time of strife. Is there a possibility for her to find love again? With someone she never would have expected?
With danger and war looming over their heads and traitors in their midst it will be a fight for the kingdom of Lochlanach and the rest of Eurona. Lashed and Unlashed will have to set aside their differences for the homelands they love to overpower Rozaria and her band of Lashed. Will Princess Aerity be successful? Will she and Paxton ever have a chance at happiness? Will life ever be the same?
I was really looking forward to The Great Pursuit and it didn't disappoint. I liked the follow up to The Great Hunt and the conclusion to Aerity's story. All of your favorite characters are back and the thing I was most worried about was which characters were going to end up together in the end.
That left me wide open for plot twists I wasn't expecting, some I liked but one that left me a little confused. This book jumps between character perspectives a lot from the main characters to the secondary characters to the villain and even a random unnamed character riding Paul Revere style through the towns during the beginning of the war but we only hear the fate of Aerity's parents in passing. I would have liked to have seen something in either her mother or father's perspective right before the end. What were they doing during the period when they were taken? Did they even try to escape? Were they certain someone was coming for them? Were they afraid? Trying to comfort one another? Being tortured?
It's just that there were a few parts of this book I thought were a little too drawn out and took too long to get through, there was nothing about that part of the story - like a big gaping plot hole.
Overall, I liked this story. Wendy Higgins continues to be one of my favorite authors, but although I liked this conclusion I'm not sure I liked it as much as The Great Hunt.
My Rating:
December 31, 2017
BIG New Year's Eve Book Blog: 2017 in Review
2017 was a difficult reading year for me. I either really loved a book or I really hated it and books that I thought I would love I was surprised to find I really didn't care for while books I thought were a long shot turned out to exceed my expectations.
My Top 10 Favorite Books I've Read in 2017:
10. Paper Princess by Erin Watt
9. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
8. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
7. Begin Again by Mona Kasten
6. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
5. Undone by Wendy Higgins
4. Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
3. The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee
2. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
1. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Authors I Discovered & Loved in 2017:
Erin Watt (Co-Authors of The Royals Series and When It's Real)
Alwyn Hamilton (Author of the Rebel of the Sands Series)
S. Jae-Jones (Author of Wintersong and Shadowsong)
Julie Cross (Author of the Juniper Falls Series)
Amber Mitchell (Author of Garden of Thorns)
Rosalyn Eves (Author of Blood Rose Rebellion)
Cora Carmack (Author of Roar)
Kendall Ryan (Author of Sexy Stranger, The Soul Mate, and more)
Kerri Maniscalco (Author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series)
Leigh Bardugo (Author of the Grisha Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology and The Language of Thorns)
Francesca Zappia (Author of Eliza and Her Monsters)
Shea Ernshaw (Author of The Wicked Deep)
Mona Kasten (Author of Begin Again)
Kelly Armstrong (Author of Bitten)
Mary Lindsey (Author of Haven)
Brenna Yovanoff (Author of Fiendish)
That's a wrap on 2017! Truly, looking at it now, this year was successful for me branching out and discovering a bunch of now must-read authors. I can't wait to see what 2018 brings from these amazing authors, my other favorites, and new authors I'm bound to discover and love in the new year. What were some of your favorite books/new authors of 2017? Let me know in the comments! Let's swap recs!
Happy New Year Bookdragons! I'll see you in 2018!
My Top 10 Favorite Books I've Read in 2017:
10. Paper Princess by Erin Watt
9. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
8. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
7. Begin Again by Mona Kasten
6. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
5. Undone by Wendy Higgins
4. Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
3. The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee
2. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
1. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Authors I Discovered & Loved in 2017:
Erin Watt (Co-Authors of The Royals Series and When It's Real)
Alwyn Hamilton (Author of the Rebel of the Sands Series)
S. Jae-Jones (Author of Wintersong and Shadowsong)
Julie Cross (Author of the Juniper Falls Series)
Amber Mitchell (Author of Garden of Thorns)
Rosalyn Eves (Author of Blood Rose Rebellion)
Cora Carmack (Author of Roar)
Kendall Ryan (Author of Sexy Stranger, The Soul Mate, and more)
Kerri Maniscalco (Author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series)
Leigh Bardugo (Author of the Grisha Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology and The Language of Thorns)
Francesca Zappia (Author of Eliza and Her Monsters)
Shea Ernshaw (Author of The Wicked Deep)
Mona Kasten (Author of Begin Again)
Kelly Armstrong (Author of Bitten)
Mary Lindsey (Author of Haven)
Brenna Yovanoff (Author of Fiendish)
That's a wrap on 2017! Truly, looking at it now, this year was successful for me branching out and discovering a bunch of now must-read authors. I can't wait to see what 2018 brings from these amazing authors, my other favorites, and new authors I'm bound to discover and love in the new year. What were some of your favorite books/new authors of 2017? Let me know in the comments! Let's swap recs! Happy New Year Bookdragons! I'll see you in 2018!
December 30, 2017
#BookTag Saturday: The Meet the Bookstagrammer #2 Tag
This week I'm thin on tags since it's the end of the year but a friend of mine tagged me on Instagram with the Meet The Bookstagrammer #2 Tag!
December 29, 2017
Sale Alert: The Delta Collection: Special Edition by Cristin Harber
Today I'm happy to share with you an amazing sale going on. Get ready to put a (small) dent in those Christmas gift cards!
New York Times bestselling author Cristin Harber's DELTA COLLECTION Special Edition is on sale for $2.99 for a very limited time! Three DELTA books, plus excerpts of two others for this price - you don't want to miss it!
ABOUT DELTA COLLECTION Special EditionThe Delta Collection Special Edition boxed set includes three complete, bestselling romantic suspense stories (DELTA: RETRIBUTION, REVENGE, AND REDEMPTION) plus excerpts from DELTA: RESCUE and never seen before DELTA: RICOCHET (releases February 2018).
DELTA: RETRIBUTION A MAN IS NOTHING WITHOUT HIS TEAM Trace Reeves was one bad day from a dishonorable discharge. The best the Navy SEALs had to offer, he became a vengeful, angry mess when his twin brother was killed-in-action. Now he's focused on a deadly obsession and unable to cope with the pain and guilt... except one time, in the arms of a one night stand that he'd never see again. She was smart, the sexiest thing he'd ever touched, but she disappeared into the night. Titan Group was recruiting for their Delta team. They wanted ghosts. No ties. Nothing personal. The best of the best who could live off the grid and surface when commanded. Trace was the perfect recruit. Damaged. Heroic. Nothing to lose. UNTIL A MISSION--OR A WOMAN--CHANGES EVERYTHING But when Trace's one-time fling becomes his high-value target during a black ops job, the lines blur between her rescue mission and saving himself.
DELTA: REVENGE A Tortured Hero with a Heart of Gold Growing up on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Almeida has only his older sister to protect him. When she's sold to a human-trafficker, he vows to hunt down those responsible. Years later, Titan Group's Delta team finds him, tattooed and brawling, a vigilante protector with information they want. They take him in and train him, working him harder than a man should be driven, until he's a soldier harboring an obsession. Ready for revenge, Javier ghosts his way across the globe, tracking the men who took his sister and working elite private security jobs. Meets Sweet and Sassy Jilted at the altar, Sophia Cole turns the reception into a one-woman party. She's intent on devouring all the cake and champagne, so she can bask in the calories she's been avoiding. In the midst of the revelry, he walks in, the one man she can never ignore. Javier is her older brother's black ops teammate--an automatic Do Not Go There. But if there's one thing better than fondant and a buzz to ease the wounds of a cheating fiancé, it might be a one-night stand with a South American military man. It's a Game Changer Javier didn't expect to see Sophia again. He never thought he would even want to see her again. He shouldn't have touched her, but his mind won't stay away from her. Now, Sophia Cole is thousands of miles away from the safety of her parents' lavish estate and working alongside him in hell. She's a staffer at an Embassy, and he's there to keep them alive. There are bombs and bullets and blood-hungry enemies. And then she's taken. Gone. Just like his sister. But so much worse.
DELTA: REDEMPTION "My name's Victoria--No last name. Don't ask." That was all that the woman would share when Delta team's expert trigger man, an Australian named Ryder, pulled her from the pits of a human trafficking nightmare and took the gun from her hand. He didn't mean to steal her revenge but survival was the priority. Now that Victoria was home? She had a past he was trying to understand while still keeping a secret from her. But he's not the only one. When she goes missing, Delta team discovered that Victoria No Name was a one-woman vigilante force, taking on whoever crossed her path, from gunrunners to a drug-pushing motorcycle club. She was exactly who Ryder thought she might be, and now he was coming in to help--whether she wanted backup or not.
Get your hands on the DELTA COLLECTION now:
✦Amazon http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionAMZ ✦iBooks http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEdiBooks ✦Barnes & Noble http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionBN ✦Kobo http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionKobo ✦Google Play http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionGP
About Cristin HarberCristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy, steamy romantic suspense and military romance. Readers voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance bestseller.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Team Titan Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
New York Times bestselling author Cristin Harber's DELTA COLLECTION Special Edition is on sale for $2.99 for a very limited time! Three DELTA books, plus excerpts of two others for this price - you don't want to miss it! ABOUT DELTA COLLECTION Special EditionThe Delta Collection Special Edition boxed set includes three complete, bestselling romantic suspense stories (DELTA: RETRIBUTION, REVENGE, AND REDEMPTION) plus excerpts from DELTA: RESCUE and never seen before DELTA: RICOCHET (releases February 2018).
DELTA: RETRIBUTION A MAN IS NOTHING WITHOUT HIS TEAM Trace Reeves was one bad day from a dishonorable discharge. The best the Navy SEALs had to offer, he became a vengeful, angry mess when his twin brother was killed-in-action. Now he's focused on a deadly obsession and unable to cope with the pain and guilt... except one time, in the arms of a one night stand that he'd never see again. She was smart, the sexiest thing he'd ever touched, but she disappeared into the night. Titan Group was recruiting for their Delta team. They wanted ghosts. No ties. Nothing personal. The best of the best who could live off the grid and surface when commanded. Trace was the perfect recruit. Damaged. Heroic. Nothing to lose. UNTIL A MISSION--OR A WOMAN--CHANGES EVERYTHING But when Trace's one-time fling becomes his high-value target during a black ops job, the lines blur between her rescue mission and saving himself.
DELTA: REVENGE A Tortured Hero with a Heart of Gold Growing up on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Almeida has only his older sister to protect him. When she's sold to a human-trafficker, he vows to hunt down those responsible. Years later, Titan Group's Delta team finds him, tattooed and brawling, a vigilante protector with information they want. They take him in and train him, working him harder than a man should be driven, until he's a soldier harboring an obsession. Ready for revenge, Javier ghosts his way across the globe, tracking the men who took his sister and working elite private security jobs. Meets Sweet and Sassy Jilted at the altar, Sophia Cole turns the reception into a one-woman party. She's intent on devouring all the cake and champagne, so she can bask in the calories she's been avoiding. In the midst of the revelry, he walks in, the one man she can never ignore. Javier is her older brother's black ops teammate--an automatic Do Not Go There. But if there's one thing better than fondant and a buzz to ease the wounds of a cheating fiancé, it might be a one-night stand with a South American military man. It's a Game Changer Javier didn't expect to see Sophia again. He never thought he would even want to see her again. He shouldn't have touched her, but his mind won't stay away from her. Now, Sophia Cole is thousands of miles away from the safety of her parents' lavish estate and working alongside him in hell. She's a staffer at an Embassy, and he's there to keep them alive. There are bombs and bullets and blood-hungry enemies. And then she's taken. Gone. Just like his sister. But so much worse.
DELTA: REDEMPTION "My name's Victoria--No last name. Don't ask." That was all that the woman would share when Delta team's expert trigger man, an Australian named Ryder, pulled her from the pits of a human trafficking nightmare and took the gun from her hand. He didn't mean to steal her revenge but survival was the priority. Now that Victoria was home? She had a past he was trying to understand while still keeping a secret from her. But he's not the only one. When she goes missing, Delta team discovered that Victoria No Name was a one-woman vigilante force, taking on whoever crossed her path, from gunrunners to a drug-pushing motorcycle club. She was exactly who Ryder thought she might be, and now he was coming in to help--whether she wanted backup or not.
Get your hands on the DELTA COLLECTION now:
✦Amazon http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionAMZ ✦iBooks http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEdiBooks ✦Barnes & Noble http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionBN ✦Kobo http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionKobo ✦Google Play http://smarturl.it/DeltaSpecEditionGP
About Cristin HarberCristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy, steamy romantic suspense and military romance. Readers voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance bestseller.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Team Titan Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
December 28, 2017
#BookMail Thursday #41
Between Christmas and the arrival of an amazing ARC I requested from a publisher I have one last book mail post for 2018. Let's open my mailbox and see what had me jumping up and down with excitement...
Christmas 2017 Haul
Christmas was good to me this year and I got some amazing gifts that I'm really excited about.- When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon- There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins- A Darker Shade of Magic Collector's Edition by V.E. Schwab- Bonfire by Krysten Ritter(Plus two pairs of bookish socks and a book t-shirt!)
ARC
I got a physical ARC of The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco earlier this week and it was a total surprise. I'd requested a copy months ago but gave up hope that I'd get one but when I got my mail on Tuesday and found a package with no return address I thought maybe it was something from my secret Santa. Imagine my delight when I opened the package and this beautiful ARC was inside. I was jumping up and down and squealing, I was so excited!!!! Thank you so much Sourcebooks Fire!
January Waiting On:- My Signed, Personalized Copy of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Christmas 2017 Haul
Christmas was good to me this year and I got some amazing gifts that I'm really excited about.- When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon- There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins- A Darker Shade of Magic Collector's Edition by V.E. Schwab- Bonfire by Krysten Ritter(Plus two pairs of bookish socks and a book t-shirt!)ARC
I got a physical ARC of The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco earlier this week and it was a total surprise. I'd requested a copy months ago but gave up hope that I'd get one but when I got my mail on Tuesday and found a package with no return address I thought maybe it was something from my secret Santa. Imagine my delight when I opened the package and this beautiful ARC was inside. I was jumping up and down and squealing, I was so excited!!!! Thank you so much Sourcebooks Fire! January Waiting On:- My Signed, Personalized Copy of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
December 27, 2017
Waiting On Wednesday: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
With the busyness of the holidays I haven't had a chance to finish The Great Pursuit yet and when I do I'll be jumping into Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore my annual New Year's Eve read so instead of a "What I'm Reading" Wednesday post I'm ending out the last Wednesday of 2017 with a Waiting on Wednesday.
January 2nd is going to be a busy day with not only the release of my YA Fantasy novel, CURSEBREAKER, but so many other wonderful books. This TBR book is the one I'm looking forward to the most of the January 2nd books (other than my own!)...
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Blurb:Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
Why I'm Waiting:I was disappointed with ACOWAR earlier this year so I've been hungry for a good Faerie read for months and this book has appealed to me from the first moment I heard about it. This sounds more along the lines of a darker faerie world, though I do hope there is some romance. I haven't read anything by Holly Black before... wait - I think I have, there was a short story once in an anthology that I think went along with her "Coldest Girl In Coldtown" book and I really liked that, so now that I remember that I'm eager to read more by her. (Plus this Barnes and Noble exclusive edition is gorgeous and I can't wait to get my signed, personalized copy!)
January 2nd is going to be a busy day with not only the release of my YA Fantasy novel, CURSEBREAKER, but so many other wonderful books. This TBR book is the one I'm looking forward to the most of the January 2nd books (other than my own!)...
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Blurb:Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
Why I'm Waiting:I was disappointed with ACOWAR earlier this year so I've been hungry for a good Faerie read for months and this book has appealed to me from the first moment I heard about it. This sounds more along the lines of a darker faerie world, though I do hope there is some romance. I haven't read anything by Holly Black before... wait - I think I have, there was a short story once in an anthology that I think went along with her "Coldest Girl In Coldtown" book and I really liked that, so now that I remember that I'm eager to read more by her. (Plus this Barnes and Noble exclusive edition is gorgeous and I can't wait to get my signed, personalized copy!)
