Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 147
June 16, 2017
{Excerpt Reveal} Rock Star by Stacey Kennedy
Thanks to InkSlingerPR, today I have a sizzling teaser to share with you for Stacey Kennedy's upcoming novel, ROCK STAR! After reading the excerpt I can't wait to read this book! Read on for the excerpt and be sure to read to the bottom for an awesome giveaway!!
Today we have the fun teaser reveal for Rock Star by Stacey Kennedy! Check it out and pre-order your copy now!
Title: Rock StarAuthor: Stacey KennedyRelease Date: June 27thGenre: Contemporary Romance About Rock Star: A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new erotic romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy.
Veterinarian, Rae Evans expects to attend a dreadful ten-year high school reunion. Instead, she’s confronted by a past she’s never gotten over. The love of her life, Travis Walker, has returned to Catfish Creek, and the now-famous rock star wants only three things: Her. Naked. And screaming his name.
Fresh off his last world tour, Travis has returned to town to get a dose of reality. With fame casting a superficial cloud over Travis’s life, he’s scrambling to stay afloat. He needs an anchor, and Rae is that for him. But as he finds himself, he’s determined to remind Rae of the heat that once burned between them.
Before they know it, their one hot night is three, and soon, just like ten years ago, Travis holds the strings to Rae’s heart. But Rae’s not that young girl who watched her high school sweetheart race off to become famous. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and realizes when a man needs her. She just has to decide if she should put the past on repeat, or walk away from it forever.Pre-Order ROCK STAR today:Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo Exclusive Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Travis Walker made women’s panties disappear.
On most nights, anyway.
Tonight, sitting on a wooden stool set upon the stage at Catfish Creek High School’s conference center, only one woman was on his mind. His fingers strummed over the strings of the guitar, mouth rested near the microphone, and after he sang the final two lines of the chorus—I wanna kiss you under the moonlight. And love you ‘til the sun comes up—the applause from the crowd reopened his eyes.
Sparkling string lights and masquerade masks hung from the ceiling above him, reminding him that he wasn’t surrounded by thousands of his typical screaming and wild fans. In his Texas hometown, he stared out at teachers, old friends, and classmates, all dressed in formal wear and masquerade masks.
From his seat in the spotlight, he recalled playing for smaller crowds on this very stage back in high school. Those had been some of the happiest days of his life. Now, fresh off his last world tour, he realized he loved that scene, too. The energy of a smaller crowd, who knew him personally, and a larger crowd, who thought they were in love with him, was so different he couldn’t compare the two, but admittedly, he missed the intimacy that came from a smaller venue.
Done with his song, and with the crowd quieting, he slid the guitar strap over his head and handed the instrument back to a member of the band that’d been hired to play at Catfish Creek High School’s ten-year reunion. When he jumped off the stage, he sighed in relief, finding that all the cell phones pointed in his direction were now put away, and the flashing lights were gone.
That’s when he set his focus on what mattered tonight: finding her. Rae Evans—the muse behind the song he sang tonight, Moonlight.
He scanned the crowd overtop the decorated tables with their gold chairs, but the beauty had escaped him somehow. He recognized Annie Flowers, the librarian, who gave him a little wave, and Christopher Christianson, the principal, who was grabbing a drink from the bar. Travis could have sworn he spotted Rae entering the masquerade ball when he began his song. Desperation now clawed at his chest.
Determined to find her, he moved farther into the crowd, just as his cell vibrated in his pocket. Knowing exactly who it’d be, and that he couldn’t ignore the call, he reached for his phone and then frowned at the text from his manager, Scott Price.
Awesome job. The video is already up on YouTube. Fans are loving it. The mask was a nice touch. Don’t miss your flight in the a.m.
Travis shifted the black masquerade mask around his eyes, and the muscles along his shoulders tightened with the reminder of the weight they carried; of the need for him to always be on point, and the fact that nothing, not even his high school reunion, was sacred anymore.
Life had changed dramatically since the last time Travis stepped foot in the conference center. But he didn’t want to think about the shit weighing on him, so he fired off a response—I’ll be on it—then tucked his cell phone back into his pocket.
He had tonight to fix everything that was wrong with his life, and he wouldn’t waste it. In the eyes of his manager, Travis had come to the reunion to put on a show and to look real to his fans. But Travis hadn’t come for the publicity; he had come for one very good reason: to find his anchor—the woman who stopped his world from spinning wildly out of control. Lately, in a sea of chaos, he’d finally stopped drowning and saw a way back to the happiness he once had. That happiness had started with Rae, and surely, she was his way to find himself again.One touch. One taste. He wanted to remember what that happiness felt like. Again, he searched the crowd, ignoring the way some men glowered at him, and some women batted their lashes. Rae. That’s whom he’d come here to see tonight. Only her. The band behind him started playing another ballad, and that’s when he found her, staring right at him from across the room. She wore a sleek, black, strapless gown around her slender figure with matching long, black gloves.
His muscles surged with adrenaline, and he went to move toward her when a hard voice came from behind him.“Karly wants you to play another song.”
Travis slowly glanced over his shoulder to find the biggest asshole in Catfish Creek High School history, Jason, a blond-haired, slender, one-time big shot. Rae was best friends with Kate, and Kate had loved—and later married and divorced—the dipshit behind him.Times had changed.
Travis didn’t owe Jason anything now, and he certainly didn’t owe the reunion’s event planner, Karly, shit. “You can tell Karly that I told her I’d play one song, and that’s exactly what I did. Bother me again, and we’ll have a problem.”
Jason didn’t make a move or say a word in rebuttal. Once a coward, always a coward.
Refocused on the only person who mattered tonight, and pulled by the energy only Rae conjured, Travis stretched out his fingers, shedding his frustrations as he moved with purpose through the crowd. Her pretty, hazel eyes surrounded by dark makeup followed his every move, and she yanked him forward with a simple look.
She’d always been a pretty girl, but she’d grown into a blindingly beautiful and stunning woman. Her gown fit her like a glove. A gold filigree mask somehow made the creaminess of her skin appear richer. She wore her shoulder-length, brown hair in big waves framing her round face.
Tonight, she didn’t look so fresh-faced and innocent. She looked sexy as hell, and just the sight of her again caused Travis’s cock to swell eagerly.
While he’d talked to her through email, text, and the occasional late-night, drunk phone call every birthday and Christmas over the last ten years, he hadn’t seen her. Not since that day on his parents’ porch. Sure, he’d kept an eye on her through the Catfish Creek Chronicle when they featured her for her charity work, and also on the website for the vet clinic she owned. But after he’d walked the path that led away from her, he’d never found his way back. Life got busy. New friends were found. Fame overtook him.
Now, he was…home.
When he finally reached her, the air between them felt charged. “Rae,” he said.
Her eyes warmed. Dark, red-painted lips curved. “Travis.”
Christ, he remembered how those lips tasted. How she tasted—every goddamn inch of her. Beneath her mask, those pretty eyes now turned a little suspicious. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to the reunion?”
Perhaps he should have called, but… “I wanted to surprise you.” Because there were important reasons he returned to his hometown, ones that he didn’t want her to know about. Yet.
It all began with an article in the Catfish Creek Chronicle.
Dr. Rae Evans feels she’s done what was needed to help the animals in Catfish Creek, and she’s ready to begin a new journey. She’s looking to open another clinic in one of the neighboring towns.
At twenty-eight years old, she’d achieved what she hoped to do by thirty, and that article reminded him of the guy he used to be when she’d first made those plans. He wasn’t the same man who left Catfish Creek all those years ago, and he didn’t know when exactly he lost himself. While Rae had likely found all the happiness she wanted in her success, he simply wanted to find his way back to the carefree guy he once was.
To do that, he had to come back to the place where he was the happiest. He had to come back to her. “But to tell you why I wanted to surprise you, I need to tell you a story.” He offered his hand. “How about we dance, and I’ll share it.”
For a second, he thought she might refuse him. She simply stared at his hand. When her eyes met his again, and she slowly slid her palm into his, the tightening in his chest eased. He closed his fingers around hers and sensed her soften, making him smile. Reliving that infectious energy she carried, he led her into the middle of the dance floor, then he spun her around and pulled her to him, nice and close, sliding his hand across her lower back.
She laughed softly, eyes twinkling behind her mask. “You’ve still got the moves, I see.”
“My moves will never fail me.” He grinned.
The band played the perfect song. Something a little sexy and slow, keeping her hips swaying perfectly with his. He did nothing to shield his erection, but one look into her eyes told him that was all right. With her breasts pressed against his chest, her cheeks a little pink now, he noticed the heat in the depths of her gaze. He’d recognize it anywhere. That fire felt like it belonged to him—always had, always would. Yet in the past, she’d shy away from that desire. Now, he noted how she firmly held his gaze, telling him she wasn’t the young lover he once had.“How long are you staying in town?” she asked, in an obvious attempt to divert their attention away from his cock.
“Just tonight.” He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand, keeping her as close as he could, inhaling her flowery scent that had faded from his memory. “I fly out bright and early in the morning.”
“Only tonight?” She shot him a questioning glance. “You came all the way here from New York just for the reunion?”
“You seem surprised.”
She shrugged, seemingly unaffected when another couple bumped into her, her interest obviously centered on him. “Seems like a long way to come for only a few hours.” A very good point, indeed. “Well, you see, that brings us to my story.” He sent her out, twirling her around before bringing her in close again and returning the smile she gave him. “But I think we need to go back even further for you to truly understand.”
“Go on,” she said, watching him closely.
He paused, collecting his thoughts, then he began. “You’ll never hear me complain about my life. I have far more than I probably deserve.”
“That’s a good thing,” she said firmly, even as a playful grin teased her lips. “You have a pretty amazing life, and you’d better not complain to me about all the fabulous trips you get to take around the world, or you might lose a tooth.”
He chuckled but leaned in, calling her out. “And how do you know so much about my life? Reading up on me?”
“A little,” she admitted.
That’s what he liked most about Rae. She was honest, through and through. The fact that she followed his life could bite him in the ass later, but at this point, there was no going back, so he pushed the conversation along. “So, then you know that I have a very good life. I travel. I stay in fancy hotels. I eat at amazing restaurants. I never have to lift a finger. I have everything that anyone should want.”
Her eyes searched his. “But it’s not the life you want?”
Of course, she caught on. He didn’t expect otherwise. That’s why he’d come to the reunion—to be with someone who truly knew him. “It’s not that I don’t want the life I live,” he explained gently. “It’s that something is missing. Something very important.”
“Which is?”
“The guy I used to be.”
She began nibbling her lip like she used to do in high school when she became confused. “What do you mean?”
“I can have anything I want, Rae. There is nothing that’s not available to me.” He slid his hand along her spine, pulling her in closer, leaving no room between them. “But the guy I was when we were together…I don’t know him anymore.”
Her eyes softened, and her voice grew quiet. “That’s really kinda sad, Travis.”
“It is what it is.” He shrugged, not wanting to get stuck on the things he couldn’t change. “My manager told me that I’d been invited to the reunion and saw it as a business opportunity. But I saw it as a personal one.”
The song shifted to something faster, and the crowd began to fill the dance floor, bumping into his back. He refused to let her go, holding her tightly against him. “Do you want to know the real reason I came to the reunion tonight?”
“Yes,” she said, a little breathlessly.
“I came to relive the past, Rae.” He released her hand, wrapping his other arm around her and bringing his mouth close to hers. “That’s the only reason I’m here. I want to remember what it’s like to be with a woman who knows the real me.” He was encouraged by her shiver. An involuntary movement that spoke of her willingness to give him all that he wanted and more.
Hot and hard, he dropped his head into her neck, inhaled the subtle hints of her flowery perfume, and said into her ear, “We have a chance that many people don’t get. To go back and feel what we felt before.” He dragged his nose across her neck in the way he knew she liked, feeling her quiver under his hands. “Tomorrow, our lives will return to normal. Nothing will have changed. You’ll live here, entirely focused on your clinic and your life, and I’ll live mine in New York. Tonight’s our one free pass to dip into the past, and I want to take it. Because tonight, Rae”—he brushed his lips across her neck, and a soft moan escaped her mouth as he murmured—“I want one more taste of you.”
She gasped and stepped back, blinking rapidly. “I…sorry, excuse me. I need to get some air.” Then those pretty pink cheeks and wide, excited eyes were gone, her dress trailing behind her as she ran for the door.
Travis shoved his hands into the pockets of his suit and grinned. He didn’t mind hunting her, it sweetened his reward.
Don't miss the other books of Bad Boy Homecoming:Dropout by Carrie Ann RyanTrouble by Avery FlynnProm Queen by Katee RobertHonor by Kennedy Layne
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy has written more than 30 romances, including titles in her wildly hot Club Sin, Dirty Little Secrets, and Filthy Dirty Love series. Her books are about real people with real-life problems, searching for that special thing we call love…in a very sexy way. When she’s not burning up the pages and setting e-readers ablaze, she’s living her happily ever after with her husband and two young children in southwestern Ontario. She’s a firm believer that wine, chocolate, and sinfully sexy books can cure all of life’s problems. To keep in touch with Stacey, get updates right to your inbox at staceykennedy.com/newsletter/.Stacey’s Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
Enter Stacey’s Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Today we have the fun teaser reveal for Rock Star by Stacey Kennedy! Check it out and pre-order your copy now!
Title: Rock StarAuthor: Stacey KennedyRelease Date: June 27thGenre: Contemporary Romance About Rock Star: A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new erotic romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy.Veterinarian, Rae Evans expects to attend a dreadful ten-year high school reunion. Instead, she’s confronted by a past she’s never gotten over. The love of her life, Travis Walker, has returned to Catfish Creek, and the now-famous rock star wants only three things: Her. Naked. And screaming his name.
Fresh off his last world tour, Travis has returned to town to get a dose of reality. With fame casting a superficial cloud over Travis’s life, he’s scrambling to stay afloat. He needs an anchor, and Rae is that for him. But as he finds himself, he’s determined to remind Rae of the heat that once burned between them.
Before they know it, their one hot night is three, and soon, just like ten years ago, Travis holds the strings to Rae’s heart. But Rae’s not that young girl who watched her high school sweetheart race off to become famous. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and realizes when a man needs her. She just has to decide if she should put the past on repeat, or walk away from it forever.Pre-Order ROCK STAR today:Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo Exclusive Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Travis Walker made women’s panties disappear.
On most nights, anyway.
Tonight, sitting on a wooden stool set upon the stage at Catfish Creek High School’s conference center, only one woman was on his mind. His fingers strummed over the strings of the guitar, mouth rested near the microphone, and after he sang the final two lines of the chorus—I wanna kiss you under the moonlight. And love you ‘til the sun comes up—the applause from the crowd reopened his eyes.
Sparkling string lights and masquerade masks hung from the ceiling above him, reminding him that he wasn’t surrounded by thousands of his typical screaming and wild fans. In his Texas hometown, he stared out at teachers, old friends, and classmates, all dressed in formal wear and masquerade masks.
From his seat in the spotlight, he recalled playing for smaller crowds on this very stage back in high school. Those had been some of the happiest days of his life. Now, fresh off his last world tour, he realized he loved that scene, too. The energy of a smaller crowd, who knew him personally, and a larger crowd, who thought they were in love with him, was so different he couldn’t compare the two, but admittedly, he missed the intimacy that came from a smaller venue.
Done with his song, and with the crowd quieting, he slid the guitar strap over his head and handed the instrument back to a member of the band that’d been hired to play at Catfish Creek High School’s ten-year reunion. When he jumped off the stage, he sighed in relief, finding that all the cell phones pointed in his direction were now put away, and the flashing lights were gone.
That’s when he set his focus on what mattered tonight: finding her. Rae Evans—the muse behind the song he sang tonight, Moonlight.
He scanned the crowd overtop the decorated tables with their gold chairs, but the beauty had escaped him somehow. He recognized Annie Flowers, the librarian, who gave him a little wave, and Christopher Christianson, the principal, who was grabbing a drink from the bar. Travis could have sworn he spotted Rae entering the masquerade ball when he began his song. Desperation now clawed at his chest.
Determined to find her, he moved farther into the crowd, just as his cell vibrated in his pocket. Knowing exactly who it’d be, and that he couldn’t ignore the call, he reached for his phone and then frowned at the text from his manager, Scott Price.
Awesome job. The video is already up on YouTube. Fans are loving it. The mask was a nice touch. Don’t miss your flight in the a.m.
Travis shifted the black masquerade mask around his eyes, and the muscles along his shoulders tightened with the reminder of the weight they carried; of the need for him to always be on point, and the fact that nothing, not even his high school reunion, was sacred anymore.
Life had changed dramatically since the last time Travis stepped foot in the conference center. But he didn’t want to think about the shit weighing on him, so he fired off a response—I’ll be on it—then tucked his cell phone back into his pocket.
He had tonight to fix everything that was wrong with his life, and he wouldn’t waste it. In the eyes of his manager, Travis had come to the reunion to put on a show and to look real to his fans. But Travis hadn’t come for the publicity; he had come for one very good reason: to find his anchor—the woman who stopped his world from spinning wildly out of control. Lately, in a sea of chaos, he’d finally stopped drowning and saw a way back to the happiness he once had. That happiness had started with Rae, and surely, she was his way to find himself again.One touch. One taste. He wanted to remember what that happiness felt like. Again, he searched the crowd, ignoring the way some men glowered at him, and some women batted their lashes. Rae. That’s whom he’d come here to see tonight. Only her. The band behind him started playing another ballad, and that’s when he found her, staring right at him from across the room. She wore a sleek, black, strapless gown around her slender figure with matching long, black gloves.
His muscles surged with adrenaline, and he went to move toward her when a hard voice came from behind him.“Karly wants you to play another song.”
Travis slowly glanced over his shoulder to find the biggest asshole in Catfish Creek High School history, Jason, a blond-haired, slender, one-time big shot. Rae was best friends with Kate, and Kate had loved—and later married and divorced—the dipshit behind him.Times had changed.
Travis didn’t owe Jason anything now, and he certainly didn’t owe the reunion’s event planner, Karly, shit. “You can tell Karly that I told her I’d play one song, and that’s exactly what I did. Bother me again, and we’ll have a problem.”
Jason didn’t make a move or say a word in rebuttal. Once a coward, always a coward.
Refocused on the only person who mattered tonight, and pulled by the energy only Rae conjured, Travis stretched out his fingers, shedding his frustrations as he moved with purpose through the crowd. Her pretty, hazel eyes surrounded by dark makeup followed his every move, and she yanked him forward with a simple look.
She’d always been a pretty girl, but she’d grown into a blindingly beautiful and stunning woman. Her gown fit her like a glove. A gold filigree mask somehow made the creaminess of her skin appear richer. She wore her shoulder-length, brown hair in big waves framing her round face.
Tonight, she didn’t look so fresh-faced and innocent. She looked sexy as hell, and just the sight of her again caused Travis’s cock to swell eagerly.
While he’d talked to her through email, text, and the occasional late-night, drunk phone call every birthday and Christmas over the last ten years, he hadn’t seen her. Not since that day on his parents’ porch. Sure, he’d kept an eye on her through the Catfish Creek Chronicle when they featured her for her charity work, and also on the website for the vet clinic she owned. But after he’d walked the path that led away from her, he’d never found his way back. Life got busy. New friends were found. Fame overtook him.
Now, he was…home.
When he finally reached her, the air between them felt charged. “Rae,” he said.
Her eyes warmed. Dark, red-painted lips curved. “Travis.”
Christ, he remembered how those lips tasted. How she tasted—every goddamn inch of her. Beneath her mask, those pretty eyes now turned a little suspicious. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to the reunion?”
Perhaps he should have called, but… “I wanted to surprise you.” Because there were important reasons he returned to his hometown, ones that he didn’t want her to know about. Yet.
It all began with an article in the Catfish Creek Chronicle.
Dr. Rae Evans feels she’s done what was needed to help the animals in Catfish Creek, and she’s ready to begin a new journey. She’s looking to open another clinic in one of the neighboring towns.
At twenty-eight years old, she’d achieved what she hoped to do by thirty, and that article reminded him of the guy he used to be when she’d first made those plans. He wasn’t the same man who left Catfish Creek all those years ago, and he didn’t know when exactly he lost himself. While Rae had likely found all the happiness she wanted in her success, he simply wanted to find his way back to the carefree guy he once was.
To do that, he had to come back to the place where he was the happiest. He had to come back to her. “But to tell you why I wanted to surprise you, I need to tell you a story.” He offered his hand. “How about we dance, and I’ll share it.”
For a second, he thought she might refuse him. She simply stared at his hand. When her eyes met his again, and she slowly slid her palm into his, the tightening in his chest eased. He closed his fingers around hers and sensed her soften, making him smile. Reliving that infectious energy she carried, he led her into the middle of the dance floor, then he spun her around and pulled her to him, nice and close, sliding his hand across her lower back.
She laughed softly, eyes twinkling behind her mask. “You’ve still got the moves, I see.”
“My moves will never fail me.” He grinned.
The band played the perfect song. Something a little sexy and slow, keeping her hips swaying perfectly with his. He did nothing to shield his erection, but one look into her eyes told him that was all right. With her breasts pressed against his chest, her cheeks a little pink now, he noticed the heat in the depths of her gaze. He’d recognize it anywhere. That fire felt like it belonged to him—always had, always would. Yet in the past, she’d shy away from that desire. Now, he noted how she firmly held his gaze, telling him she wasn’t the young lover he once had.“How long are you staying in town?” she asked, in an obvious attempt to divert their attention away from his cock.
“Just tonight.” He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand, keeping her as close as he could, inhaling her flowery scent that had faded from his memory. “I fly out bright and early in the morning.”
“Only tonight?” She shot him a questioning glance. “You came all the way here from New York just for the reunion?”
“You seem surprised.”
She shrugged, seemingly unaffected when another couple bumped into her, her interest obviously centered on him. “Seems like a long way to come for only a few hours.” A very good point, indeed. “Well, you see, that brings us to my story.” He sent her out, twirling her around before bringing her in close again and returning the smile she gave him. “But I think we need to go back even further for you to truly understand.”
“Go on,” she said, watching him closely.
He paused, collecting his thoughts, then he began. “You’ll never hear me complain about my life. I have far more than I probably deserve.”
“That’s a good thing,” she said firmly, even as a playful grin teased her lips. “You have a pretty amazing life, and you’d better not complain to me about all the fabulous trips you get to take around the world, or you might lose a tooth.”
He chuckled but leaned in, calling her out. “And how do you know so much about my life? Reading up on me?”
“A little,” she admitted.
That’s what he liked most about Rae. She was honest, through and through. The fact that she followed his life could bite him in the ass later, but at this point, there was no going back, so he pushed the conversation along. “So, then you know that I have a very good life. I travel. I stay in fancy hotels. I eat at amazing restaurants. I never have to lift a finger. I have everything that anyone should want.”
Her eyes searched his. “But it’s not the life you want?”
Of course, she caught on. He didn’t expect otherwise. That’s why he’d come to the reunion—to be with someone who truly knew him. “It’s not that I don’t want the life I live,” he explained gently. “It’s that something is missing. Something very important.”
“Which is?”
“The guy I used to be.”
She began nibbling her lip like she used to do in high school when she became confused. “What do you mean?”
“I can have anything I want, Rae. There is nothing that’s not available to me.” He slid his hand along her spine, pulling her in closer, leaving no room between them. “But the guy I was when we were together…I don’t know him anymore.”
Her eyes softened, and her voice grew quiet. “That’s really kinda sad, Travis.”
“It is what it is.” He shrugged, not wanting to get stuck on the things he couldn’t change. “My manager told me that I’d been invited to the reunion and saw it as a business opportunity. But I saw it as a personal one.”
The song shifted to something faster, and the crowd began to fill the dance floor, bumping into his back. He refused to let her go, holding her tightly against him. “Do you want to know the real reason I came to the reunion tonight?”
“Yes,” she said, a little breathlessly.
“I came to relive the past, Rae.” He released her hand, wrapping his other arm around her and bringing his mouth close to hers. “That’s the only reason I’m here. I want to remember what it’s like to be with a woman who knows the real me.” He was encouraged by her shiver. An involuntary movement that spoke of her willingness to give him all that he wanted and more.
Hot and hard, he dropped his head into her neck, inhaled the subtle hints of her flowery perfume, and said into her ear, “We have a chance that many people don’t get. To go back and feel what we felt before.” He dragged his nose across her neck in the way he knew she liked, feeling her quiver under his hands. “Tomorrow, our lives will return to normal. Nothing will have changed. You’ll live here, entirely focused on your clinic and your life, and I’ll live mine in New York. Tonight’s our one free pass to dip into the past, and I want to take it. Because tonight, Rae”—he brushed his lips across her neck, and a soft moan escaped her mouth as he murmured—“I want one more taste of you.”
She gasped and stepped back, blinking rapidly. “I…sorry, excuse me. I need to get some air.” Then those pretty pink cheeks and wide, excited eyes were gone, her dress trailing behind her as she ran for the door.
Travis shoved his hands into the pockets of his suit and grinned. He didn’t mind hunting her, it sweetened his reward.
Don't miss the other books of Bad Boy Homecoming:Dropout by Carrie Ann RyanTrouble by Avery FlynnProm Queen by Katee RobertHonor by Kennedy Layne About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy has written more than 30 romances, including titles in her wildly hot Club Sin, Dirty Little Secrets, and Filthy Dirty Love series. Her books are about real people with real-life problems, searching for that special thing we call love…in a very sexy way. When she’s not burning up the pages and setting e-readers ablaze, she’s living her happily ever after with her husband and two young children in southwestern Ontario. She’s a firm believer that wine, chocolate, and sinfully sexy books can cure all of life’s problems. To keep in touch with Stacey, get updates right to your inbox at staceykennedy.com/newsletter/.Stacey’s Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
Enter Stacey’s Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 15, 2017
Cover Reveal: THE SOUL MATE by Kendall Ryan
Today I'm pleased to share with you the sexy cover reveal of one of my new favorite contemporary romance authors, Kendall Ryan's upcoming novel! Her latest standalone in her Roommates Series, The Soul Mate is coming out August 14, 2017!
Check out the cover reveal below...******
From New York Times Bestseller Kendall Ryan comes a sexy new stand-alone novel in her Roommates series.
The smoking-hot one-night stand I was never supposed to see again?
Yeah, well, I might be pregnant, and he’s my OB-GYN.
ADD TO GOODREADS
PRE-ORDER NOWAmazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo
About the Author:
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extrasSubscribe to Newsletter Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page
Check out the cover reveal below...******
From New York Times Bestseller Kendall Ryan comes a sexy new stand-alone novel in her Roommates series.The smoking-hot one-night stand I was never supposed to see again?
Yeah, well, I might be pregnant, and he’s my OB-GYN.
ADD TO GOODREADS
PRE-ORDER NOWAmazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo
About the Author:
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extrasSubscribe to Newsletter Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page
June 14, 2017
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #79
So far this month I've been mostly "miss" when it comes to the books I've chosen to read from my "TBR" shelf. The book I'm reading this week has gotten rave reviews but I'm having trouble connecting with the narrator. This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading...
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Blurb:
Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.
Why I Chose This Book | What I Think So Far: I received this book in OwlCrate's February box and I've heard that it is amazing. For some reason, I've put it off for a few months but I finally decided it was time to read it. I started reading this book over the weekend and I was really excited, but so far I'm really not liking the narrator. Her personality just isn't appealing to me and I can't even figure out why. I also don't like the random sections that seem to go back in time to when Scarlett and Tella listened to their grandmother tell stories about Caraval. I'm hoping if I keep reading the story will pick up, although for right now I think I'll switch to listening to the audiobook and see if that holds my interest better.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Blurb:
Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.
Why I Chose This Book | What I Think So Far: I received this book in OwlCrate's February box and I've heard that it is amazing. For some reason, I've put it off for a few months but I finally decided it was time to read it. I started reading this book over the weekend and I was really excited, but so far I'm really not liking the narrator. Her personality just isn't appealing to me and I can't even figure out why. I also don't like the random sections that seem to go back in time to when Scarlett and Tella listened to their grandmother tell stories about Caraval. I'm hoping if I keep reading the story will pick up, although for right now I think I'll switch to listening to the audiobook and see if that holds my interest better.
June 13, 2017
Book Review: Daughter of The Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Blurb:
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for.
Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.
My Review: Yo ho ho, it's not a pirate's life for me.
This book held a lot of promise and for me it just didn't work. I was expecting humor and adventure when everyone insisted that Alosa was like a female Jack Sparrow but if there was any humor in the book I didn't see any trace before I DNF'd it at 25%.
Alosa was a very unlikeable character. From page one you hear how great of a pirate she is and how better of a swordsman she is or how smarter she is than everyone else. But to me that read as such cockiness that I couldn't sink into her story at all.
Alosa allows herself to be kidnapped so she can find part of a map that will allow her father return to the island where sirens hide all of their treasure. But the crew of the Night Farer isn't what she was expecting. The captain is a jerk - but he's a young jerk. Then there is Riden, the first mate and also the captain's brother. I think he was meant to be Alosa's love interest but it just never developed much into romance as far as I saw because Alosa is just so full of herself.
Also, you'd think that if you had a prisoner in your brig you'd have someone guarding her, not falling asleep so she can let herself out of her cell and search the ship all night. That seemed a little unbelievable.
I'll admit, this isn't the first pirate-themed book that I've read and disliked, but I figured the other one I didn't like was because it was a historical fiction that didn't make a lot of sense. This was supposed to be YA Fantasy and I didn't even really see it as that. I even tried reading the last chapter to see if I liked the ending enough to pursue getting to it and even that didn't work for me.
Overall, if you loved a female lead that's cocky, arrogant, and self-absorbed, Alosa is your girl. This book could have been so great, such an adventure, but it let me down.
My Rating:DNF @ 25% - No Star Rating
Blurb:
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for.Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.
My Review: Yo ho ho, it's not a pirate's life for me.
This book held a lot of promise and for me it just didn't work. I was expecting humor and adventure when everyone insisted that Alosa was like a female Jack Sparrow but if there was any humor in the book I didn't see any trace before I DNF'd it at 25%.
Alosa was a very unlikeable character. From page one you hear how great of a pirate she is and how better of a swordsman she is or how smarter she is than everyone else. But to me that read as such cockiness that I couldn't sink into her story at all.
Alosa allows herself to be kidnapped so she can find part of a map that will allow her father return to the island where sirens hide all of their treasure. But the crew of the Night Farer isn't what she was expecting. The captain is a jerk - but he's a young jerk. Then there is Riden, the first mate and also the captain's brother. I think he was meant to be Alosa's love interest but it just never developed much into romance as far as I saw because Alosa is just so full of herself.
Also, you'd think that if you had a prisoner in your brig you'd have someone guarding her, not falling asleep so she can let herself out of her cell and search the ship all night. That seemed a little unbelievable.
I'll admit, this isn't the first pirate-themed book that I've read and disliked, but I figured the other one I didn't like was because it was a historical fiction that didn't make a lot of sense. This was supposed to be YA Fantasy and I didn't even really see it as that. I even tried reading the last chapter to see if I liked the ending enough to pursue getting to it and even that didn't work for me.
Overall, if you loved a female lead that's cocky, arrogant, and self-absorbed, Alosa is your girl. This book could have been so great, such an adventure, but it let me down.
My Rating:DNF @ 25% - No Star Rating
June 12, 2017
Book Review: Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty
Kiss Me, Kill You
Larissa Hardesty
YA Paranormal Romance
June 12, 2017
Entangled Teen Blurb: First kisses should be legendary—not deadly.
Emmy Duivel believes in true love: heart-stopping kisses, candlelight dinners, and a connection that lasts forever. But not the kind of kisses that land your date in the hospital. Emmy always knew she was different, but not in the supernatural sense. Not in the succubus sense.
Paul Andinn had only one job: watch over Emmy and make sure she doesn’t expose the supernatural world. It should have been easy, but the moment he looked away, she kissed that boy, and everything changed.
He should be more upset. But he can’t. Not when he’s falling hard for her.
My Review: Fifteen-year-old Emmy can't wait for the day when she falls in love like the characters in the romance novels she loves so much, much to the annoyance of her mother and best friend Lily who've been telling her that love isn't real all of her life. Emmy even has the perfect candidate, her History partner Paul who she's had a crush on since the beginning of the year.
But when Paul turns her down for a date and suddenly other boys are paying attention to her she finds herself accepting a date with popular jock, Jake. Even though she isn't attracted to Jake she finds herself having fun on their group date - until she kisses him and he ends up in the hospital.
Emmy's life is about to be turned upside down when she learns that her mother and her best friend have been lying to her for her entire life. What she's about to find out will change her entire life, but will it also crush her romantic dreams?
After learning his own truth two years ago, Paul had one job. Watch over Emmy for "The Powers" and report back when she started showing signs of her birthright. Their kind isn't meant to fall in love - but try telling that to his heart.
Can love really triumph over all like the stories Emmy reads about? Or are Paul and Emmy just another set of doomed lovers?
Kiss Me, Kill You was an interesting, fun, quick read. I loved the idea of teen succubi and I thought that the author plotted the story of a teenage girl who only wants to fall in love suddenly finding out she was a succubus really well.
The story is told in alternating perspectives between Emmy and Paul and I love books that are told that way because I like seeing how both characters are thinking and feeling as opposed to books told solely in one perspective.
The characters were well-developed and I, as a reader, enjoyed seeing the parallel between Emmy's story and those of the characters in the books she was reading.
The only problem I had with this book was the idea that the way to contact the "Powers" was through smoke in an incense bowl - what would happen if you just didn't report in? What would a bunch of invisible figures really be able to do? I think that could have been explained or expanded on a little better.
I liked the pace of this story, it kept me engaged and overall I really enjoyed reading Kiss Me, Kill You though the ending left me wondering, will this continue as a series?
My Rating:4 of 5 Stars!
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty is available today, Monday, June 12, 2017, from Entangled Teen! Grab Your Copy Today!Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Add to Goodreads
Kiss Me, Kill YouLarissa Hardesty
YA Paranormal Romance
June 12, 2017
Entangled Teen Blurb: First kisses should be legendary—not deadly.
Emmy Duivel believes in true love: heart-stopping kisses, candlelight dinners, and a connection that lasts forever. But not the kind of kisses that land your date in the hospital. Emmy always knew she was different, but not in the supernatural sense. Not in the succubus sense.
Paul Andinn had only one job: watch over Emmy and make sure she doesn’t expose the supernatural world. It should have been easy, but the moment he looked away, she kissed that boy, and everything changed.
He should be more upset. But he can’t. Not when he’s falling hard for her.
My Review: Fifteen-year-old Emmy can't wait for the day when she falls in love like the characters in the romance novels she loves so much, much to the annoyance of her mother and best friend Lily who've been telling her that love isn't real all of her life. Emmy even has the perfect candidate, her History partner Paul who she's had a crush on since the beginning of the year.
But when Paul turns her down for a date and suddenly other boys are paying attention to her she finds herself accepting a date with popular jock, Jake. Even though she isn't attracted to Jake she finds herself having fun on their group date - until she kisses him and he ends up in the hospital.
Emmy's life is about to be turned upside down when she learns that her mother and her best friend have been lying to her for her entire life. What she's about to find out will change her entire life, but will it also crush her romantic dreams?
After learning his own truth two years ago, Paul had one job. Watch over Emmy for "The Powers" and report back when she started showing signs of her birthright. Their kind isn't meant to fall in love - but try telling that to his heart.
Can love really triumph over all like the stories Emmy reads about? Or are Paul and Emmy just another set of doomed lovers?
Kiss Me, Kill You was an interesting, fun, quick read. I loved the idea of teen succubi and I thought that the author plotted the story of a teenage girl who only wants to fall in love suddenly finding out she was a succubus really well.
The story is told in alternating perspectives between Emmy and Paul and I love books that are told that way because I like seeing how both characters are thinking and feeling as opposed to books told solely in one perspective.
The characters were well-developed and I, as a reader, enjoyed seeing the parallel between Emmy's story and those of the characters in the books she was reading.
The only problem I had with this book was the idea that the way to contact the "Powers" was through smoke in an incense bowl - what would happen if you just didn't report in? What would a bunch of invisible figures really be able to do? I think that could have been explained or expanded on a little better.
I liked the pace of this story, it kept me engaged and overall I really enjoyed reading Kiss Me, Kill You though the ending left me wondering, will this continue as a series?
My Rating:4 of 5 Stars!
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty is available today, Monday, June 12, 2017, from Entangled Teen! Grab Your Copy Today!Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Add to Goodreads
June 11, 2017
May Wrap-Up
In case you missed anything on my blog or social media last month, this is what I got up to:
READING
Books I Reviewed In May:
Like A Memory by Abbi Glines - I loved this book and the blending of her Sea Breeze and Rosemary Beach worlds!
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas - My most anticipated book of the year fell flat, not living up to my expectations. :(
Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan - My first read by this contemporary romance writer and it definitely will not be the last!
Divine by Leanne Rathbone - I loved the first book in this series, Grace, but Divine hit the sophomore slump for me.
When It's Real by Erin Watt - Another amazing book by one of my favorite writing duos!
Books I Read In May:
When It's Real by Erin Watt
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine
Divine by Leanne Rathbone
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty
After the Game by Abbi Glines
Trust by Kylie Scott
Books To-Be-Read in June:
Daughter of The Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Beautiful Creatures: The Manga
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
WRITING
Last month I continued writing my current work-in-progress, Headless, which is a New Adult Contemporary Reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I devoted a lot of time, setting a goal of a minimum of 1k words per day and wrote just over 31,000 last month!
BLOGGING
As always, I was busy in May with various cover reveals and blog (review) tours. I hope you had the chance to stop by and check some of them out!
I hope you had a great May and I hope your summer is fantastic!
READINGBooks I Reviewed In May:
Like A Memory by Abbi Glines - I loved this book and the blending of her Sea Breeze and Rosemary Beach worlds!
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas - My most anticipated book of the year fell flat, not living up to my expectations. :(
Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan - My first read by this contemporary romance writer and it definitely will not be the last!
Divine by Leanne Rathbone - I loved the first book in this series, Grace, but Divine hit the sophomore slump for me.
When It's Real by Erin Watt - Another amazing book by one of my favorite writing duos!
Books I Read In May:
When It's Real by Erin Watt
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine
Divine by Leanne Rathbone
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty
After the Game by Abbi Glines
Trust by Kylie Scott
Books To-Be-Read in June:
Daughter of The Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Beautiful Creatures: The Manga
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
WRITING
Last month I continued writing my current work-in-progress, Headless, which is a New Adult Contemporary Reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I devoted a lot of time, setting a goal of a minimum of 1k words per day and wrote just over 31,000 last month!
BLOGGING
As always, I was busy in May with various cover reveals and blog (review) tours. I hope you had the chance to stop by and check some of them out!
I hope you had a great May and I hope your summer is fantastic!
June 10, 2017
A-Z Book Tag
I found this book tag on Lauryn April's Blog and it was originally created by The Perpetual Page Turner. I love doing bookish tags on #bookstagram so I thought I'd do one here on my blog.
Author you've read the most books from:Abbi Glines. I love my YA fantasy novels, but when I need a break and want to grab something contemporary I pick up Abbi Glines's latest or reread one of my favourites!
Best sequel ever:A Court of Mist And Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas! Best second book in a series EVER!
Currently reading: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Drink of choice while reading: Some sort of coffee drink (Frappuccinos, Cappuccinos, etc.) or iced tea.
E-Reader or Physical Books:Physical Books. E-Books are convenient because I can just grab my Kindle, but the screen is torture for my eyes after a while.
Fictional character you probably would have dated in high school:Probably someone like Varen Nethers from Kelly Creagh's Nevermore Trilogy. I've always loved the tortured souls!
Glad you gave this book a chance:The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee! Sci-fi isn't my usual thing, but the way it reads isn't at all like what I imagine a sci-fi novel is like and I'm completely addicted to the series!
Hidden gem book:Awaken by Skye Malone. Her writing is just amazing!
Just finished:The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee
Kind of books you won't read:Books with LGBT main characters (I'll read some books, like Zoey Derrick's first 3 69 Bottles Series books where there are bisexual characters, but only if it's mostly guy-and-girl; it's nothing personal, just not something I enjoy reading). Also most Sci-Fi and Dystopian.
Longest book you've read:Probably that one Harry Potter book that was over 800 pages.
Major book hangover because of:I don't get major book hangovers... I can always start a new book within in a day even if an amazing book is still on my mind. Lately I can't stop obsessing over The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee... so good!
Number of bookcases you own:3 main bookcases plus a giant shelf, 3 DVD shelf-things full, and a plastic three-door cabinet full (just in my room)
One book you've read multiple times: Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie, an oldie but a goodie!
Preferred place to read:In bed or in my chair in the living room.
Quote that inspires you/Gives you all the feels because of a book you've read:"To the stars who listen and the dreams that are answered." - Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury.
Reading regret:Not getting around to reading the Game of Thrones books yet. They're just so long and I have so many books to read right now.
Series you started and need to finish:The Mayhem Series by Jamie Shaw. I read the first book last year and got books 2 & 3 from the Apollycon Virtual Signing this year so they're on my shelf, just not read yet. And I need book 4!
Three of your all-time favorite books:The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins, A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, and Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot
Unapologetic fangirl for:The ACOTAR series, although ACOWAR didn't live up to my expectations.
Very excited for this release:Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones and Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalo
Worst bookish habit:Starting a book, not really liking it, but telling myself I have to finish it before I can move on to something else. Book masochism!
X-Marks the spot. Start at the top of your bookshelf and pick the 27th book:Persuasion by Jane Austen
Your latest book purchase:The Shadow City by L.C. Hibbit - It's free through this weekend I believe, so I decided to pick up the whole trilogy.
ZZz, last book that kept you up way too late:Trust by Kylie Scott
Want to take the A-Z Bookish Survey? Consider yourself tagged!
June 9, 2017
When Your Ship Doesn't Sail
We've all been there. Falling in love with two characters that we just know belong together. Watching them interact, from that first meet to the first kiss to the inside jokes and cute nicknames, but then you get halfway through the book or the series and you start to see that the author is pairing one of your OTPs with someone else!
You feel like:
How could the author do this to you? Doesn't he/she see that character A and character B are perfect for each other?!?! Besides character C isn't even right for character A!
Okay, so you calm down. The book isn't over yet, there's still time! The author might surprise you by joining your characters together at the end of the book... or series... right?
You feverishly finish the end of the book, staying up all night until your eyes are bloodshot and itchy and the author did the unthinkable. Character A and Character C ride off into the sunset leaving poor character B all by him/herself.
Now you feel like:
But you're not giving up! After all just because nobody else gets it, you still love the relationship that could have been if only the characters had been given a chance...
And if you see someone shipping the other character with your character? You think, how can someone not see that character A would be so much better off with character B?!?! But in the end...
Your friends don't get it. They tell you it's just a book. The characters aren't real. But shipping characters can be a real problem, especially when your ship doesn't sail.
You're determined that no matter what...
Because...
And even if you have to write your own fanfiction, your OTP will always live on in your heart!
At least until you find your next set of characters to ship. Bottomline, sometimes your characters end up together, sometimes they don't. But it's the passion you have for those characters that is what's important.
What were the last characters you shipped hard? Did they end up together in the end? Let me know in the comments!
You feel like:
How could the author do this to you? Doesn't he/she see that character A and character B are perfect for each other?!?! Besides character C isn't even right for character A!
Okay, so you calm down. The book isn't over yet, there's still time! The author might surprise you by joining your characters together at the end of the book... or series... right?
You feverishly finish the end of the book, staying up all night until your eyes are bloodshot and itchy and the author did the unthinkable. Character A and Character C ride off into the sunset leaving poor character B all by him/herself.
Now you feel like:
But you're not giving up! After all just because nobody else gets it, you still love the relationship that could have been if only the characters had been given a chance...
And if you see someone shipping the other character with your character? You think, how can someone not see that character A would be so much better off with character B?!?! But in the end...
Your friends don't get it. They tell you it's just a book. The characters aren't real. But shipping characters can be a real problem, especially when your ship doesn't sail.
You're determined that no matter what...
Because...
And even if you have to write your own fanfiction, your OTP will always live on in your heart!
At least until you find your next set of characters to ship. Bottomline, sometimes your characters end up together, sometimes they don't. But it's the passion you have for those characters that is what's important.
What were the last characters you shipped hard? Did they end up together in the end? Let me know in the comments!
June 8, 2017
#BookMail Thursday #24
This #Bookmail Thursday was completely not my idea... my grandmother wanted the new Nora Roberts novel, so I merely ordered that and another book she wanted from Amazon while ordering a candle making kit for myself. This is this week's book mail...
Come Sundown by Nora Roberts and The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
About Come Sundown:
A novel of suspense, family ties, and twisted passions from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Obsession...
The Bodine ranch and resort in western Montana is a family business, an idyllic spot for vacationers. A little over thirty thousand acres and home to four generations, it’s kept running by Bodine Longbow with the help of a large staff, including new hire Callen Skinner. There was another member of the family once: Bodine’s aunt, Alice, who ran off before Bodine was born. She never returned, and the Longbows don’t talk about her much. The younger ones, who never met her, quietly presume she’s dead. But she isn’t. She is not far away, part of a new family, one she never chose—and her mind has been shattered…
When a bartender leaves the resort late one night, and Bo and Cal discover her battered body in the snow, it’s the first sign that danger lurks in the mountains that surround them. The police suspect Cal, but Bo finds herself trusting him—and turning to him as another woman is murdered and the Longbows are stunned by Alice’s sudden reappearance. The twisted story she has to tell about the past—and the threat that follows in her wake—will test the bonds of this strong family, and thrust Bodine into a darkness she could never have imagined.
About The Good Widow Bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke make their suspense debut in this twisty, emotional thriller.
Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.
For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.
Now, following the twisting path of that fateful road, Jacks is learning that nothing is ever as it seems. Not her marriage. Not her husband. And most certainly not his death…
Yes, I'm Still Waiting On...
Signed Copies of:
- Roar by Cora Carmack
- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
- Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
-Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh
-Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
Contemplating:
I got a $5 Amazon Gift Card, so I'm contemplating buying this book:
About Given to the Sea:
Kings and Queens rise and fall, loyalties collide, and romance blooms in a world where the sea is rising—and cannot be escaped.
Khosa is Given to the Sea, a girl born to be fed to the water, her flesh preventing a wave like the one that destroyed the Kingdom of Stille in days of old. But before she’s allowed to dance an uncontrollable twitching of the limbs that will carry her to the shore in a frenzy—she must produce an heir. Yet the thought of human touch sends shudders down her spine that not even the sound of the tide can match.
Vincent is third in line to inherit his throne, royalty in a kingdom where the old linger and the young inherit only boredom. When Khosa arrives without an heir he knows his father will ensure she fulfills her duty, at whatever cost. Torn between protecting the throne he will someday fill, and the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is at odds with his heart.
Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race whose dwindling magic grows weaker as the island country fades. Animals cease to bear young, creatures of the sea take to the land, and the Pietra—fierce fighters who destroyed the Indiri a generation before—are now marching from their stony shores for the twin’s adopted homeland, Stille.
Witt leads the Pietra, their army the only family he has ever known. The stone shores harbor a secret, a growing threat that will envelop the entire land—and he will conquer every speck of soil to ensure the survival of his people.
The tides are turning in Stille, where royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the rising sea calls for its Given.
Come Sundown by Nora Roberts and The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
About Come Sundown:
A novel of suspense, family ties, and twisted passions from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Obsession...
The Bodine ranch and resort in western Montana is a family business, an idyllic spot for vacationers. A little over thirty thousand acres and home to four generations, it’s kept running by Bodine Longbow with the help of a large staff, including new hire Callen Skinner. There was another member of the family once: Bodine’s aunt, Alice, who ran off before Bodine was born. She never returned, and the Longbows don’t talk about her much. The younger ones, who never met her, quietly presume she’s dead. But she isn’t. She is not far away, part of a new family, one she never chose—and her mind has been shattered…
When a bartender leaves the resort late one night, and Bo and Cal discover her battered body in the snow, it’s the first sign that danger lurks in the mountains that surround them. The police suspect Cal, but Bo finds herself trusting him—and turning to him as another woman is murdered and the Longbows are stunned by Alice’s sudden reappearance. The twisted story she has to tell about the past—and the threat that follows in her wake—will test the bonds of this strong family, and thrust Bodine into a darkness she could never have imagined.
About The Good Widow Bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke make their suspense debut in this twisty, emotional thriller.
Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.
For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.
Now, following the twisting path of that fateful road, Jacks is learning that nothing is ever as it seems. Not her marriage. Not her husband. And most certainly not his death…
Yes, I'm Still Waiting On...
Signed Copies of:
- Roar by Cora Carmack
- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
- Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
-Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh
-Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
Contemplating:
I got a $5 Amazon Gift Card, so I'm contemplating buying this book:
About Given to the Sea:
Kings and Queens rise and fall, loyalties collide, and romance blooms in a world where the sea is rising—and cannot be escaped.
Khosa is Given to the Sea, a girl born to be fed to the water, her flesh preventing a wave like the one that destroyed the Kingdom of Stille in days of old. But before she’s allowed to dance an uncontrollable twitching of the limbs that will carry her to the shore in a frenzy—she must produce an heir. Yet the thought of human touch sends shudders down her spine that not even the sound of the tide can match.
Vincent is third in line to inherit his throne, royalty in a kingdom where the old linger and the young inherit only boredom. When Khosa arrives without an heir he knows his father will ensure she fulfills her duty, at whatever cost. Torn between protecting the throne he will someday fill, and the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is at odds with his heart.
Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race whose dwindling magic grows weaker as the island country fades. Animals cease to bear young, creatures of the sea take to the land, and the Pietra—fierce fighters who destroyed the Indiri a generation before—are now marching from their stony shores for the twin’s adopted homeland, Stille.
Witt leads the Pietra, their army the only family he has ever known. The stone shores harbor a secret, a growing threat that will envelop the entire land—and he will conquer every speck of soil to ensure the survival of his people.
The tides are turning in Stille, where royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the rising sea calls for its Given.
June 7, 2017
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #78
I am in complete book hangover territory after finishing The Dazzling Heights yesterday and I almost don't want to start a new book yet. I just want to stay in the perfect bubble of that world. But I have to keep moving through my TBR stack so this "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading...
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Blurb:
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for.
Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.
Why I Chose This Book: I got this book in March's OwlCrate Box and it was one of my winter books-to-read, so I think it's about time I gave it a try. I'm kind of on the fence because the last pirate-themed book I read I ended up having mixed emotions about, but that was Historical Fiction and this is YA Fantasy so I'm interested to see the difference. I just hope there is enough romance in this book to satisfy me.
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Blurb:
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for.Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.
Why I Chose This Book: I got this book in March's OwlCrate Box and it was one of my winter books-to-read, so I think it's about time I gave it a try. I'm kind of on the fence because the last pirate-themed book I read I ended up having mixed emotions about, but that was Historical Fiction and this is YA Fantasy so I'm interested to see the difference. I just hope there is enough romance in this book to satisfy me.
