Corrine Jackson's Blog, page 5

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 7 – WAIT FOR YOU by J. Lynn

Today marks Day 7 of 31 Days of #BookLove. Rather than review all 300 books I’ve read this year, I decided to share one of my favorites each day this month.

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WAIT FOR YOU by J. Lynn AKA Jennifer Armentrout

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Indie (now Harper Collins)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

 

What I Liked:

WAIT FOR YOU was one of my first ventures into New Adult. Here’s a snip of the review I did earlier this year.

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I’m still a newbie when it comes to reading books that fall into the New Adult category, but if  I had to guess, I would say this book is a perfect example of the category.

Avery is a college freshman. She’s living in her first apartment, on her own for the first time, and experiencing those things you do as a freshman. She makes new friends, meets a boy, and tries for that thing that many of us do when we leave behind the people who know us – she reinvents herself. Avery has a great reason for wanting to leave her past behind and become somebody new. She’s left a horrible experience behind in her past. There are two things that I particularly loved about this book: the romance and the realization that you can’t run from your past.

Cameron is a brilliant hero. He’s sweet, charming, feels like a real guy, and is hot to boot. He gets frustrated by Avery’s issues, even though he tries to support her. I found that real. She hurts him sometimes, and he’s not afraid to show it, even tossing out some attitude. That too was real. I think it made him the perfect counterpart for Avery. He’s a good guy, and she changes when she meets him. She ends up wanting more for herself and has to deal with the past she left behind in order to move on. The chemistry between these two is sizzling, but it’s also emotional and on point. And I loved the supporting cast of friends that they had around them.

I do have a couple of minor critiques with the book. The first is that the book could have done with some editing. There were a LOT of typos, and you could tell that a copy editor hadn’t touched it. This is one of the reasons that I’ve had an aversion to reading self-pubbed lit (though I’m giving it more of a try). Every time I hit a typo, I was yanked out of the story. The story is so great that these errors do it a disservice. On a story-related note, I’m not sure I found the antagonist’s actions completely believable. The emotions driving the actions? Yes. The actual actions? Not so much. Without giving away spoilers, I’ll say that when the antagonist is revealed I was thrown because the actions didn’t line up with the person.

This book was a fantastic read and reminded me of my freshman year in my first apartment. I was sucked in and read it in a single sitting, and I can’t wait for the second book in this series. If you like Colleen Hoover or want to dip your toes in New Adult, this is a great book to start with.

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Like the sound of WAIT FOR YOU? Give the author a little #BookLove. J. Lynn AKA Jennifer Armentrout tweets @JLArmentrout.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

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The 31 Days of #BookLove

Day 1: BULLY by Penelope Douglas

Day 2: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Day 3: TANGLED by Emma Chase

Day 4: UNSPOKEN by Jen Frederick

Day 5: PLAYING FOR KEEPS by R.L. Mathewson

Day 6: ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND by Monica Murphy

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 6 – ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND by Monica Murphy

Today marks Day 6 of 31 Days of #BookLove. Rather than review all 300 books I’ve read this year, I decided to share one of my favorites each day this month.

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ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND (Drew + Fable #1) by Monica Murphy

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Indie (now Random House)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Temporary. That one single word best describes my life these last few years. I’m working at a temporary job until I can finally break free. I’m my little brother’s temporary mother since our mom doesn’t give a crap about either of us. And I’m that temporary girl all the guys want to get with because I give it up so easily. According to the rumors, at least.

But now I’m the temporary girlfriend of Drew Callahan, college football legend and all around golden guy. He’s beautiful, sweet—and he’s hiding way more secrets than I am. He’s brought me into this fake life where everyone seems to hate me. And everyone seems to want something from him. The only thing he seems to want though is…

Me.

I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is, I think Drew needs me. And I want to be there for him.

 

What I Liked:

Drew is a wealthy, popular college football guy who offers Fable money to go home with him for a week. She has a reputation as a slut and takes the money. You might think that she’s hardened and unlikable. You might think he’s a player looking for the easy way out. This story is so much more complex than that. As Drew’s story is revealed, I felt like the author was ripping my guts out. I don’t want to give too much away, but he’s nothing like what you’d expect and this story has layers that will tear you up. And Fable is right there with you for the ride, drawn to Drew despite herself. These two have misconceptions about each other, and before they can fall for each other, they have to let them go. Trust me. Read this, but be prepared to weep.

BONUS:

Be warned! ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND ended on a hell of a cliffhanger. If you read this book, you MUST read SECOND CHANCE BOYFRIEND. Luckily, they’re both out so you won’t have to wait to finish Drew+ Fable’s story.

Like the sound of ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND? Give the author a little #BookLove. Monica Murphy tweets @MsMonicaMurphy.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

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The 31 Days of #BookLove

Day 1: BULLY by Penelope Douglas

Day 2: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Day 3: TANGLED by Emma Chase

Day 4: UNSPOKEN by Jen Frederick

Day 5: PLAYING FOR KEEPS by R.L. Mathewson

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 5 – PLAYING FOR KEEPS by R.L. Mathewson

Today marks Day 5 of 31 Days of #BookLove. Rather than review all 300 books I’ve read this year, I decided to share one of my favorites each day this month.

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PLAYING FOR KEEPS (Neighbor from Hell #1) by R.L Mathewson

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Indie – Rerum Publishing House

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Done with being the world’s biggest pushover, Haley decides that things are going to change starting with the aggravating neighbor who has too much charm and not enough restraint. What she didn’t expect was to be sucked into his world, but Haley has a game plan and she won’t let herself forget just what the bad boy next door is capable of.

The last thing Jason expected was for his little shy neighbor to go Rambo on him over some ruined flowers. After he decides to take her under his wing he can’t help but notice that she fits very nicely in his life. Now the only thing left is to convince her that this is anything but a game.

 

What I Liked:

Haley just wants to enjoy her house, but her annoying neighbor Jason makes that impossible. He’s inconsiderate, loud, and destroying her property value. Still, she puts up with it and keeps to herself until the day he dares to touch the flowers she planted between their houses. These two go head to head, and Jason decides that Haley needs to loosen up and have more fun – and he’s just the tutor to help her do it. So begins a prank war, a sleep affair, and Jason’s determination to demolish any and all food that enters his line of sight. His territorial attempts to lay claim to anything Haley cooks were hilarious. He becomes a spoiled five-year-old anytime someone threatens to touch anything he considers his. While there were things about PLAYING FOR KEEPS that I wished had been edited more carefully, I got over it – honestly, the laughs made it worth it. Yes, Jason is immature, but that’s part of his charm. And the cast of characters – especially his family and friends – were made of awesome. Just turn off your internal editor and enjoy this book for the romp that it is.

BONUS:

After I read PLAYING FOR KEEPS, I devoured 90% of the author’s other available titles. I really liked PERFECTION and CHECKMATE, the second and third books in the Neighbors from Hell series respectively. If you like the ensemble of characters in PLAYING FOR KEEPS, then you’ll like these too, as they include characters from that world. All of the novels can be read independently of each other.

Like the sound of PLAYING FOR KEEPS? Give the author a little #BookLove. R.L. Mathewson tweets @RLMathewson.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

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The 31 Days of #BookLove

Day 1: BULLY by Penelope Douglas

Day 2: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Day 3: TANGLED by Emma Chase

Day 4: UNSPOKEN by Jen Frederick

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 4 – UNSPOKEN by Jen Frederick

Today marks Day 4 of 31 Days of #BookLove. Rather than review all 300 books I’ve read this year, I decided to share one of my favorites each day this month.

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UNSPOKEN (Woodlands #2) by Jen Frederick

Genre: New Adult Contemporary 

Publisher: Indie – Pear Tree LLC

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary. 

I’ve been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He’s everything I shouldn’t want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren’t the danger to me, though, it’s his charm. He’s sliding his way into my heart and I’m afraid that he’s going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered. 

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I’ll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I’ve got fighting and I’ve got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She’s everything I didn’t realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she’s been hurt too much in the past and I don’t want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can’t.

 

What I Liked:

AM slept with one lacrosse player her freshman year and ended up with a bad reputation. Bo is an ex-Marine with a hot temper and a reputation as a player. Where AM’s rep has sent her into near hiding, Bo is the man girls want. And the disparity isn’t lost on AM. One of my favorite lines:

“If you were a guy, your conquests made you a god. If you were a girl, you were the conquered, no better than a toy.”

Despite resenting Bo, AM is attracted to him, while slightly fearful of getting involved with anyone again. Then Bo arranges for them to be partners in a biology lab. As they work together, Bo discovers that AM offers a respite from his demons. I loved the juxtaposition of these two characters – the ultra controlled AM and the out-of-control Bo. They balance each other, and the dynamic between them makes for sparks and fun verbal sparring. I also enjoyed the cast of characters comprised of their circle of friends. Expect an emotional read with doses of humor, friendship, and lots of heat.

BONUS:

After I realized UNSPOKEN was the second in a series, I went back and read UNDECLARED (Woodlands #1). While I liked UNSPOKEN more, I really enjoyed the first book in the series too. They can be read independently, so start where you like, but I would recommend both. I’m looking forward to more books in this series (please, tell Finn’s story!).

Like the sound of UNSPOKEN? Give the author a little #BookLove. Jen Frederick tweets @JenSFred.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

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The 31 Days of #BookLove

Day 1: BULLY by Penelope Douglas

Day 2: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Day 3: TANGLED by Emma Chase

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 3 – TANGLED by Emma Chase

Today marks Day 3 of 31 Days of #BookLove. Rather than review all 300 books I’ve read this year, I decided to share one of my favorites each day this month.

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TANGLED by Emma Chase

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Omnific Publishing (now distributed by Simon & Schuster)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything – or anyone – derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

 

What I Liked:

A romance novel told entirely from a male POV? I was doubtful, but man, oh man…this novel had me from page one. The voice is hilarious – as in chuckling/guffawing out loud. You might want to label Drew a douchebag. And why not? He admits that he sleeps around and is out entirely for himself. I wanted to not like him as he brashly revealed gave his opinion on women, the workplace, and the singles scene. Instead, I felt like I’d sat down in a pub with a funny-as-hell guy who opened the floodgates and revealed the inner workings of the single male mindset. Even better, I got to see this guy get a dose of his own medicine when he falls for an unavailable woman. A woman who is his biggest competition at work. I loved this book so hard, and I can’t wait for anything else this author writes.

Like the sound of TANGLED? Give the author a little #BookLove. Emma Chase tweets @EmmaChse.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

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The 31 Days of #BookLove

Day 1: BULLY by Penelope Douglas

Day 2: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 2 – THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Yesterday marked the first day of 31 Days of #BookLove. Rather than review all 300 books I’ve read this year, I decided to share one of my favorites each day this month.

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THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Publisher: Indie (now distributed by Simon & Schuster)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

 

What I Liked:

Josh F*cking Bennett. He’s 90% of what I love about this book. While Nastya’s story is heartbreaking, and I wanted to solve the mystery behind what happened to her, Josh is the reason I forged ahead. At the outset of the novel, he’s the untouchable guy, the one so touched by tragedy and surrounded by mystique that no one even tries to go near him. Without family, he lives alone in a house (I’ll let you discover the why of this) and builds furniture in his garage. Nastya is drawn to him and kind of forces her presence on him, forging an unusual and shaky friendship. These two are so lovely together, and I liked Nastya’s story (even if the mystery didn’t leave me satisfied). I didn’t care because hey – I

Like the sound of THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY? Give the author a little #BookLove. Katja Millay tweets @KatjaMillay.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

 

31 Days of #BookLove: Day 1 – BULLY by Penelope Douglas

At some point this year – without ever making a conscious decision to act – I stopped watching television. Instead, I went on an epic reading binge. And by epic, I mean DEMENTED. As of today, I have read….

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300 books!

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Does that make me accomplished or sick in the head? I’ll let you decide. Mostly, I read new adult or adult romance with a smattering of YA. A great many of the books I read were self-pubbed.Now I don’t rate books on Amazon or Goodreads, though I write reviews when I can. I think it’s safe to say that I will not have time to write reviews of all 300 books I read this year. Instead, I thought it would be more fun to share my favorites with you. To that end, each day of December I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite reads of the year (in no particular order).

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BULLY by Penelope Douglas

Genre: New Adult

Publisher: Indie

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

My name is Tate. He doesn’t call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all.

We’re neighbors, and once, we were best friends. But then, one summer, he turned on me and has made it his mission to screw up my life at every opportunity. I’ve been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to hide from him. I worried about what was around every corner and behind every door.

So I left.

I spent a year studying abroad and bathed in the freedom of life without Jared. Now I’m back to finish up high school and get the hell out of here forever. I’m hoping that after a year of breathing room, he’s moved on and forgotten all about me.

But even if he hasn’t changed, I have. I’m not interested in avoiding him or turning the other cheek anymore. We’re going to go head to head, because neither of us wants to back down.

 

What I Liked:

SO. MUCH. TENSION. When Tate begins to stand up to her bully, I wanted to stand up and cheer for her as she finds her strength. I loved her internal journey of discovery, especially when she discovers the complexity of her situation – that in standing up for herself, she walks a thin line between courage and becoming a bully herself.

As for Jared, her nemesis? I didn’t think it was possible for the author to convert a character I disliked so much into a potential love interest, but damn – she proved me wrong x1000. I’ve read this book twice already, and I’ll definitely be reading it again.

Like the sound of BULLY? Give the author a little #BookLove. Penelope Douglas tweets @PenDouglas.

 

Buy:

Amazon | Kobo | Goodreads

 

Cover Reveal: IGNITED (Sense Thieves #3)

I went online this week and googled my name (don’t act like you don’t do it!), and what did I find? The US and German covers for IGNITED – the final book in the Sense Thieves Trilogy – have launched online (along with release dates and pre-order links). Since you’re probably not googling me, I thought I’d share my find. Behold!

Read below to see the book synopsis.

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The US Cover (releases May 27, 2014)

The German Cover (releases March 19, 2014)

What do you think?

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Nobody hides forever.

Ever since Remy O’Malley discovered her dual identity as a Healer and a Protector, she’s kept alive by staying one step ahead of both sides in this centuries-old war. Now someone’s trying to draw her out of hiding, using her kidnapped father as bait.

To save him, Remy will need every friend she’s got. But as new alliances form, old bonds fray. Her boyfriend Asher is losing his powers, becoming more mortal every time she touches him. Meanwhile, Remy finds herself growing closer to Asher’s brother Gabe, even as a family tragedy drives her sister Lucy farther away.

On a rescue mission to London, Remy decides she’s tired of being the hunted. It’s time to end this war once and for all, as Protectors and Healers alike hurtle towards a final, violent confrontation that not everyone will survive.

This is Book Three in the Sense Thieves trilogy.

Publisher: Kensington/KTeen

Published: May 27, 2014

ISBN-10: 0758273347

ISBN-13: 978-0758273345

Buy the Book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million| German Amazon

Add to Your Shelf:

Goodreads

 

PUSHED Book Birthday!

Today, my third novel PUSHED (Sense Thieves #2) is officially released into the wild! I’m so excited for all of you to read this continuation of Remy’s story. To celebrate, I’m holding a contest.

RULES:

Write an honest review of PUSHED. 
Send me a link to the review via the comments on this page, a tweet, or via my email at corrine@corrinejackson.com. I’ll add it to a list of reviews on my website.
You’ll be entered to win one of ten signed copies of IGNITED – the final book in the Sense Thieves trilogy (Releases May 2014). I’ll be shipping these from my author copies which I usually receive a month prior to the release date of the book, so you’ll get the book before it’s officially out.

Please help me get the word out about PUSHED!

If you Tweet, Facebook post, Tumblr, Instagram, or use any other social media device to send me a pic of PUSHED in the wild, I’ll send you a signed PUSHED bookmark and sticker. Send me a link to the post and email your full address to corrine@corrinejackson.com. Note: Incomplete addresses are invalid.

This contest is valid for US, Canada, the UK, and Australia only.

Corrine

 

Remy O’Malley was just learning to harness her uncanny healing power when she discovered the other,

darker half of her bloodline. Now she lives trapped between two worlds, uneasy among her fellow

Healers—and relentlessly hunted by the Protectors.

Forced to conceal her dual identity, and the presence of her Protector boyfriend Asher Blackwell, Remy

encounters a shadow community of Healers who will put her loyalties to the test.

Pushed to the limit, with the lives of those she loves most on the line, Remy must decide whether to

choose sides in a centuries-old war—or make the ultimate sacrifice and go to a place from which she may

never return…

This is Book Two in the Sense Thieves trilogy.

Publisher: Kensington/KTeen

Published: November 26, 2013

ISBN-10: 0758273347

ISBN-13: 978-0758273345

Buy the Book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million| German Amazon

Add to Your Shelf:

Goodreads

Fullerton College Visiting Writer

Hey All,

This week I am honored to be the Visiting Writer for Fullerton College. If you live in Southern California, I hope to see you at the event! There will be live music, a reading, plus a Q&A where you can ask all those burning questions you have about my books or writing in general. For more information, see the poster below.