Sorcha O'Dowd's Blog, page 22
December 15, 2014
Book Blitz + Review ~ ‘Feel’ by Karen-Anne Stewart.
Feel by Karen-Anne Stewart
Publication date: December 2014
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal Romance
*****
SYNOPSIS
The one whose emotions I can’t feel is the one who makes me feel the most.
I was a sensitive, at least that’s what I was told by the boy who saved me from the overwhelming emotions that consumed my soul, the boy who saved me from myself when my gift became stronger. Through the years, he was my redemption, my reason to take my next breath…then, he was gone.
Jensen always told me I was strong, but I didn’t believe him until I was forced to be strong on my own, and I kept breathing without him. I’ve taken 42 million breaths since the moment he sent me away. Now, four years later, he’s standing in front of me, and I can barely breathe.
This isn’t just a story about the abilities I possess; it’s a story about something much stronger…the love of the man who possesses every part of me.
***Disclaimer – Feel is intended for readers 18+ due to strong language, mature scenes, and some violence.
*****
“You know why I did that! I sent you away to protect you, Saige,” I yell, raking my hands roughly through my hair, trying to expel the guilt and pain. “I’ve never stopped protecting you…never.”
The hurt in her eyes kills me, and I step closer to her, slowly running a strand of her hair through my fingers. “And, what do you think of me now, Saige?” I ask, needing her to understand, to know that I never stopped loving her, and desperately needing her absolution.
Her eyes fill with tears as she takes a step away from me. The sadness in her voice rips through my soul, “Fuck Superman.”
The ache in my chest intensifies. Her breathing is labored as she glares at me, her fists coiled tightly at her side. She brings her soft, full bottom lip punishingly between her teeth again. Her eyes are screaming at me, but she says nothing. A full minute passes as I search for the right words to say. My time runs out as she blinks back tears before turning to leave.
“What are you going to do?” I yell after her pathetically.
“Find him,” Saige states simply, not taking the time to slow down.
“By yourself? What the hell do you plan to do with him after you find him, Saige?”
“Stop him,” she replies, quickening her pace.
“Will you stop walking already and answer me with more detail than two fucking words?”
Andy catches up and pushes me to the side, “Don’t get her talking more! I like her a helluva lot better when she uses less words.”
“Shut-up, Andy,” I warn before damning my pride and running after her. When I grab Saige’s arm, she flinches and tries to pull away.
I immediately release her, shocked by her reaction. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I barely manage to force the words out through the pain crushing my chest as I witness the brief shot of fear in her eyes.
Her lips part like she’s going to give another smartass remark, but she closes them, pressing those full lips together so tightly they start to pale.
“You don’t have to do this. You can walk away and start over somewhere else. I’ll help you, Saige. I taught you how to control the emotions. No one has to know what you can do, and you can have a life without all of this.”
“You might be able to just walk away from people, but I can’t do something like that so easily,” she seethes, the pain burning so brightly it sets my heart on fire. Her eyes close, darkening when she opens them again, “If I walk away, people die. I won’t let that happen just so I can have some pathetic semblance of a normal life.”
Her bottom lip starts to tremble before it’s quickly sent back to its persecutor and bit so hard I flinch for her and quickly rub my thumb against the punished flesh, freeing the tender skin before it begins to bleed.
“Walking away from you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” I growl, wanting to suck her lip into my mouth and taste its sweetness like I’ve done a thousand times in the past. Damn, I want her so badly, my body aches. “I just wanted you to have a real chance to put all the shit behind you.”
Taking a step closer to me, her eyes sear my entire being. The intoxicating scent of her kills me, but it’s her agony that is torturing as she whispers, “You expect me to just walk away from them to save myself?” The bitter laugh that leaves her lips is so unlike the Saige I remember. Her eyes close again. When they open, they hold me prisoner as she asks, “Could you?”
I run my hand down her neck and gently fist her hair as I lean so close, I can feel the warmth of her breath against my lips. “You have no idea what I would do, just how far I would go, when it comes to you, Saige.”
She swallows hard and her voice breaks, “Yes, I do.”
For a few seconds, I see the old Saige, a spark of the innocence that beckoned me like saving grace thirteen years ago. Then, her fist connects hard against my jaw before I have the chance to see it coming. Biting back a pained grunt, I roughly swipe my hand against my lip, wiping away the blood. My anger vanishes as soon as I see her body trembling. The wild look in her eyes rips my fucking heart out.
“Stay away from me, Jensen,” Saige whispers so quietly, I can barely hear her.
“Let me help you.”
She spins, never breaking her pace as she walks backwards and holds up her wrists, “No thanks; you’ve already shown me your version of help, twice, and I’d prefer to save my own ass.”
*****
~ YouTube ~
*****
*****
Book Review ~ ‘Feel’ by Karen-Anne Stewart ~ 5 Stars!
‘Feel’ left me with that wonderful feeling of having escaped to another world, one where love can conquer all, just like we dream it can. Karen-Anne Stewart has such a wonderful talent with words that she can make any love story seem strong and powerful without making it cliché or sappy. Instead she delivered an exhilarating love story between Saige and Jensen, and made us root for them from the start to end.
Saige’s story was a heartbreaking one, I loved the emotion that went into writing Saige’s character, as she felt like a real person to me, and one whom I admired for being so strong despite the trauma of her past. I wanted nothing more for her to have somebody else to help bear the burden of her gift, and Jensen was the perfect match for her. I have a soft spot for second-chance love stories, and this one was a very special one indeed.
This novel had the really fun feel of being almost a road-trip. The protagonists chase of the villain was brilliantly paced, and I never felt that the characters development was being shadowed by the thrill of the hunt for the bomber. The relationships formed on the road-trip were ones that gave a whole extra layer to the story, and I just adored seeing how Saige and Jensen connected more and more as their journey went on.
Karen-Anne Stewart very cleverly entwined paranormal elements to this story, but without it feeling like a hard-core fantasy novel. There were so many elements flawlessly added to Saige and Jensen’s story that can be so tricky to pull off well, but as always Karen-Anne delivers with sparkling prose, witty one-liners and meaningful relationships being formed throughout.
This was a brilliant, fun, moving and wonderfully written book which is another firm favourite. Karen-Anne Stewart never disappoints, and with ‘Feel’, she has added yet another book to my definite recommended list.
5 Stars!
*Review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
*****
Karen-Anne Stewart
Karen-Anne Stewart has always adored reading and has now fallen in love with writing. Her written works are The Rain Trilogy: Saving Rain, Healing Rain, and After the Rain. Her debut novel, Saving Rain: The First Novel in The Rain Trilogy, was a nominee for the Book Junkie’s Choice Awards and is a nominee for the 2013 RONE Awards.
When Karen-Anne isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, and visiting new places. She fuels her addiction of creating new stories by her only other addiction, caffeine, and listening to a myriad of musical genres. Tucked away near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Karen-Anne lives with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and their cat. She plans on writing new adult romance as long as her fingers maintain dexterity.
*****
~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
*****
Book Blitz organised by Xpresso Book Tours.
*****
December 10, 2014
Release Day Blast ~ ‘His Jar of Hearts’ by S.P. Cervantes.
His Jar of Hearts by S.P. Cervantes
(A Broken Fairy Tale #3)
Age: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: December 11, 2014
۞
SYNOPSIS
Joey McMillian is man that everyone loves. Women fall at his feet everywhere he goes, and men want to be him. Working at the fire department in the small shore town where he grew up, staying close to the only constant in his life, his best friends, has been all Joey thought he wanted in life. While his friends have all found love and started families, Joey bounces from woman to woman, never opening himself up to the opportunity of loving someone and being truly loved in return.
Kat Pierce is a fiercely independent thirty something who knows Joey’s womanizing ways far too well. When she lands a teaching job and moves into her cousin’s house at the shore, she finds herself with Joey more than she would like. There’s always been an attraction between the two of them, but Kat knows better than to act on her feelings. Her heart has been broken before, and she knows Joey is a one way ticket to having it broken again.
Will Joey and Kat find the love they are looking for?
۞
۞
I can hardly keep busy enough at work today. I’d hoped there be more action with summer only a few weeks away and vacationers already taking advantage of the early heat wave. I wonder whether being away from Kat will always be this hard, or whether it will get easier as time passes. I never minded being gone from home for weeks at a time, but as the fire season draws near, the times where I’m away for weeks at a time will feel nearly impossible. I know the way I’ve been thinking about Kat and a future together is crazy, but these days, I can’t imagine one more day without her. Being in love is so much more all-consuming than I expected, I’m glad that it didn’t happen for me until now. Because now, I have no doubt that I will do anything it takes to spend the rest of my life with her. I have no questions whether there’s someone else out there for me. I’ve been with all kinds of women before, but not one has touched my heart the way Kat has, or even come close.
She’s.
My.
Plaster.
۞
۞
۞
۞
Dust to Dust
(A Broken Fairytale #1)
~ Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ B&N ~
Wished Away
(A Broken Fairytale #2)
۞
۞
Prizes
(1) Signed Copy, (1) ebook
۞
۞
S.P. Cervantes
S.P Cervantes lives in Orange County, California with her husband and three children, where she is a teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, reading, and running, but is always thinking of an idea for her next novel.
S.P. Cervantes is the author of the highly rated New Adult Romantic Fantasy series Secrets of Shadow Hill. “Always and Forever” and “The Prophecy” are the first two book in the series that are available now. The third book in the series, “War of Wizards” released May 27, 2014.
S.P. Cervantes also has a contemporary romance series, A Broken Fairy Tale, in with the first book of the series, “Dust to Dust (A Broken Fairy Tale)” released March 4, 2014. The second book of the series, “Wished Away” released August, 2014. The third book in the series, “His Jar of Hearts” will release on December 11, 2014.
۞
~ Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~
۞
۞
December 8, 2014
Excerpt Reveal ~ ‘Ripped’ by Katy Evans.
Ripped by Katy Evans
Real #5
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: December 9th 2014.
~*~
SYNOPSIS
A ripped rock star with attitude. An ex-girlfriend with a reckless plan.
Pandora assumed getting her heartbroken by her bad boy ex could only happen once–until Mackenna Jones comes back to town for the biggest concert of his career. They say girls are getting pregnant just thinking about the Crack Bikini tour and it’s destined to be a huge hit.
Oh, it’ll be a hit alright–when Pandora comes out swinging. She and her friend Melanie are determined to humiliate him onstage. But when they’re caught by security and her ex is summoned, Mackenna decides not to press charges if she’ll join him on tour and follow certain conditions–rules designed to give him the upper hand and keep her in close contact with him once again. Soon, the passion they once shared is reignited, and no matter how much Pandora wants to hate him, her hard exterior starts to crack.
And worse: Mackenna knows it, too. But he hasn’t uncovered all her secrets…
~*~
~*~
Sneak Peek Excerpt
The big dose of reality hits me when I wake up and he is sprawled, in all his muscular glory, across my hotel bed. It takes a second for me to remember that I, uh . . . I let Mackenna stay over?
I groan and slap my palm against my forehead. Fuck. Why why why does he weaken my willpower? The mattress squeaks as he shifts in bed, one arm reaching out as he groans in his sleep and seems to search for me. I roll away quickly and watch his hand settle on a pillow.
“Mackenna,” I say, toeing his side with my foot. “Mackenna!” I hiss.
He rolls around and sits up, and thank god the covers are halfway around his waist, because if I see one more inch of bare flesh I might explode from the heat spreading through me. I feel myself blush even deeper when his muscles bulge as he pushes himself up with his arms. His eyes adorably heavy, he blinks to adjust to the light, his mouth as perfect and generous as it was yesterday. And then he looks at me. That gaze is softer silver in the morning, not as sharp or as intimidating, almost . . . intimate when he sees me. Glimmering playfully.
And too late, I realize why he’s fucking grinning. My T-shirt got caught on the waistband of my panties. And he’s taking me in, in one quick sweep. “Well, fuck, someone woke hungry this morning,” he says, his voice bedroom sleepy as he looks at me, and I grab the pillow to cover myself.
“I’m not hungry,” I say.
“I was talking about me. Come over here.”
“No, Mackenna! Come on. Get out of my room already. I told you to leave!”
He grins and gets up, and I toss the pillow and flush as I pull down my T-shirt while he heads to the bathroom. It only takes him a minute to come out. Not enough to comb all my fingers through the tangles in my hair. If I were into that and cared what the asshole thought. Which I don’t.
His eyes run up the length of my legs, continue from the hem of my T-shirt to my neck, then land on my head. “Leave your hair, it looks all right,” he says huskily, stopping to loom before me.
Heat flows through my body as he looks down at me with blatant need. What is wrong with him? With us?
“Nothing’s wrong,” he murmurs.
“I said that out loud?” I groan.
“You’ve been . . . vocal, all night. I like it.”
God. I dreamed. I dreamed . . . I’m not even sure what. I dreamed about the closet again. I dreamed we were in bed. I dreamed he tried to kiss me, and when I turned away, he set a thousand shivery kisses up and down my neck.
The memory makes me flush cherry red. Did that happen during the night? By the intimate way he looks at me, I think he wanted inside me real bad. I didn’t let him, thank god. He fingers the collar of my tee, then watches me as he slowly drags his finger up my neck, his thumb caressing my bottom and top lip. Even though his hold is loose and he’s not physically holding me down, I feel trapped. His gaze alone holds me motionless.
He used to look at me with this same proprietary gleam when he was my boyfriend. My secret boyfriend, who nobody knew about . . . except me. I guess, in the end, my mom knew.
But while the secret lasted, we hid in the janitor’s closet in school and made out until I could hardly walk, my legs unsteady as I headed for class with his taste in my mouth, the scent of his soap clinging to my clothes.
I’m fighting the urge to smell his neck now. It’s a war to just stand here motionless, tracing every inch of his masculine face with my eyes when I want my fingers to do the same. The years become nothing.
The hum between us is just like in the old days, when I was the center of his galaxy. When the girls in school would stare longingly at him when he walked past my locker, having eyes only for me. Sometimes, when the halls were vacant enough, he quickly leaned over me and kissed the back of my ear and every part of my body, from my toes up to the back of my ear. I’d grow hot, and the place between my legs would start pulsing.
Too easily I remember coming home and squealing.
Me—squealing.
I would play love songs, only to replay the words he said to me and the ways he touched me. I would shower, eat, and sleep Mackenna Jones. . . .
But deep down, my mother’s bitterness and my father’s infidelity poisoned me. I kept all these feelings to myself—kept them from my mother so she wouldn’t take Mackenna from me. But because I didn’t want to lose him, because I feared it wasn’t real, I also kept my feelings from him, and now I’m used to saying nothing. Keeping it bottled up.
Why do I feel like I’m about to burst now?
“Don’t, Kenna,” I say when he uses his thumb to open my lips. He stands dangerously close—his height, his breadth, his size, his do-me-now-woman sex appeal intimidating the hell out of me.
He grins wickedly and strokes a hand over my hip.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not going to happen,” I say breathlessly.
“Yeah, it will.” His smirk says, It definitely will.
He pats my butt slowly, and the familiar way he brushes his lips over mine brings my temper to a boil. Who does he think he is? Does he think because we made out by mistake he gets to play my boyfriend? When I growl and slap his hand away, he chuckles and heads back to the bathroom.
Soon I hear the shower, the sound of the water slapping his delicious man-flesh. Then I hear him hum a tune, a tune I’ve never heard before. My chest moves when I remember he used to do that when we were teens. God, no, stop thinking of those moments. It hurts. Truly it does. Think of the bad ones. When he left. When he left me on my own after making me need him and believe I couldn’t live without him.
Refusing to get all sappy with memories, I grab my phone and think of Melanie.
She’s probably at the office, missing the delightfully bitter morning company that is me.
I quickly text, I kissed him
Every second I wait for her answer, I feel worse and worse, not only about the closet incident but also about falling asleep with him around. When I woke up, the bastard was almost spooning me.
Melanie: What?
Me: I kissed the bastard! He spent the night. Oh god!!!!! This is suicide!
Melanie: Why? Was he into it? You know what they say about where there was once fire . . .
Me: He was into the kissing, into using me for his selfish reasons and I was selfish too.
Melanie: So what’s the problem?
Me: The problem is he’s going to think he WON!
And he will. He really, really will, because he’s so full of himself I’m surprised he fits inside this building.
~*~
~*~
PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
~*~
~*~
Series Reading Order
Real
(Real #1)
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
Mine
(Real #2)
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
Remy
(Real #3)
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
Rogue
(Real #4)
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
Ripped
(Real #5) 12/9
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
~*~
~*~
Katy Evans
Hey! I’m Katy Evans and I love family, books, life, and love. I’m married with two children and three dogs and spend my time baking, walking, writing, reading, and taking care of my family. Thank you for spending your time with me and picking up my story. I hope you had an amazing time with it, like I did. If you’d like to know more about books in progress, look me up on the Internet, I’d love to hear from you!
~*~
~ Email: authorkatyevans@gmail.com ~
~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
~*~
~*~
~*~
December 7, 2014
Release Week Event ~ ‘You Were Mine’ by Abbi Glines.
You Were Mine by Abbi Glines.
(Rosemary Beach)
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: December 2, 2014.
۞
SYNOPSIS
From #1 “New York Times “bestselling author Abbi Glines comes a brand-new Rosemary Beach novel about Tripp Newark and his hidden romantic past with Bethy Lowry.
In the eyes of the wealthy playboys who frequent Kerrington Country Club in Rosemary Beach, Tripp Newark is a hero. Under pressure from his parents to become a lawyer and lead a conservative, upper-class life, Tripp disappeared from town five years ago to travel the world, forfeiting the opportunity to inherit millions. Yet few know what he was really running from…
Bethy Lowry was unraveling long before her boyfriend drowned in a riptide trying to save her after she’d had one too many drinks–again. A trailer park kid working as a cart girl among the wealthy patrons of Kerrington Country Club, Bethy has always been impressionable. But five years ago, before she earned her reputation as a hard-drinking, easy girl, she had spent a single summer with Tripp Newark that changed her life forever…
۞
۞
Tripp
Present Day…
I sat on my Harley and waited for Bethy to walk out of the clubhouse. Woods had been texting me Bethy’s work schedule every two weeks, and I made sure she made it home from work safely every night. It wasn’t stalking her, exactly. It was just the only way I could remain sane.
Watching over her was all I had. If I got too close, she flipped. The last time I’d tried to talk to her, she’d started screaming. I hadn’t been able to calm her down. I was watching her lose herself slowly. And it was tearing me up.
So I followed her to work everyday, and I followed her home every night. Once she was safely in her apartment, I often sat parked across the road and watched her window until it went dark. She never looked at me, even though I wasn’t hiding the fact I was following her. There was no use in hiding it from her.
The last words she’d actually spoken to me -not screamed at me, because there’d been a lot of that- had been eighteen months ago on the beach when we’d lost Jace. My cousin, my best friend, and the love of Bethy’s life. He’d drowned saving her life when she’d wandered into the ocean drunk and got caught in a riptide. Losing him had taken a part of my soul. He’d been the little brother I never had. He’d been the good Newark heir. He’d been everything I should have been but wasn’t.
And we had loved the same girl. Although he never knew it.
Watching her pull away from life more and more each day was so damn hard. Jace wouldn’t have wanted this. He would have hated it. He loved her more than he loved himself. Seeing her like this would break his heart.
Bethy swung her long dark hair over her shoulder as she stepped out of the clubhouse. The shorts she wore had once been tight and cupped her perfect round bottom. But just like she’d lost the will to live, she’d also lost weight. Too much.
The need to hold her and help her heal was so fucking strong. But she didn’t want me. I hadn’t realized how badly she hated me until I’d returned to Rosemary Beach a little more than two years ago. I’d run like hell eight years ago from a life threatening to suffocate me. My father wanted something for me that I didn’t want, and I hadn’t been able to see my way out.
I had been eighteen years old and scared, because in three short months, one sixteen-year-old girl had become my sole concern in life. Bethy had stolen my heart the summer I met her at Rush’s party. When I’d been ready to throw away the life I’d been planning for the past year in order to be with her, my father had reminded me of just how much control he had over me.
I wouldn’t have been able to keep Bethy if I’d stayed. That wasn’t the life he’d let me have. So I’d run, hoping that when I came back in two years, when she was old enough, I could take her with me. But first, I’d needed to escape.
I watched as Bethy opened the door to her old beat-up Ford Taurus and climbed inside. The stiff way she held herself and the way she kept her focus turned away from me told me she knew I was here. She expected me to be there.
Once she would have broken into the biggest, most beautiful smile in the world and run into my arms. But that was the past. I had broken that. I had broken her, and I hadn’t even known.
۞
۞
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~
۞
۞
۞
۞
Abbi Glines
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of TWISTED PERFECTION, FALLEN TOO FAR, NEVER TOO FAR, JUST FOR NOW, WHILE IT LASTS, BECAUSE OF LOW, BREATHE, THE VINCENT BOYS, THE VINCENT BROTHERS, THE EXISTENCE TRILOGY.
۞
~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
۞
۞
December 5, 2014
Cover Reveal ~ ‘Love Lonely’ by William C. Cole.
Author: William Cole
Genre: Romance/Suspense
Release Date: December 30th 2014
Love Lonely, A Debut Novel By William C. Cole
Synopsis:
When an injury forced David into an early retirement from his professional hockey career, he accepted a position to oversee the operations of his father-in-law’s thoroughbred horse racing division.
David’s wife Sandy is referred to as one of the most influential and beautiful women in the world. However, her official role as the family’s philanthropist requires an exhaustive amount of time away from home.
Upon her return from a recent trip, Sandy took notice of her husband’s attraction to his assistant trainer Renée, instantly recognizing the magnetism between them.
Renée is a petite young French girl who is suddenly given the opportunity to work closely with David soon after the head trainer is forced to resign.
Now traveling companions, with each passing day, the sexual tension between the two intensifies.
Sandy knows all too well that she is on the verge of losing her husband. Will she be able to alter her existing lifestyle to save him?
Or is it too late…
About The Author:
Born in Toronto and raised in Northern Ontario, I currently own a small business in the Sudbury region. My wife Diane has been by my side for 34 years, which I believe should propel her directly into sainthood. I have been blessed with an amazing and supportive family.
Creativity has always been a part of my journey. Writing seems to be a natural extension to my years in the music industry, where I had the pleasure of listening to songs I penned being played on the radio.
When not working, sleeping, biking, or writing, I am on the golf course trying to keep up with my son’s Lee and Aaron.
Links:
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Publisher Limitless Publishing
Linkedin.com/pub/william-cole/a5/76a/779/
BUY LINKS FOR LOVE LONELY COMING SOON
Tour Hosted By Book Addicts One Stop PR Stop
Release Day Blast ~ ‘You and Everything After’ by Ginger Scott.
You and Everything After by Ginger Scott
(Falling #2)
Age: NA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: December 5, 2014
۞
۞
SYNOPSIS
I’m that teenaged girl who has MS. You haven’t met me, but you’ve seen me around. You probably know my sister. We’re twins, and she’s the pretty one. Maybe you’ve heard about my reputation, how much I like to hook up at parties—how easy it is to get me in bed, get what you want, and forget about me after.
Forget what you think you know. I’m leaving that girl behind.
College is all about new beginnings. So from now on—I’m just Cass. And the rest…it isn’t written yet. And no one else gets to write my story for me.
——–
“Tyson Preeter doesn’t do can’t.”
That’s exactly what I want people to think when they see me. I am strong, invincible, confident, intelligent—arrogant. I’m the man who always finds a way around, over and through—until there’s nothing left. Since losing my ability to walk six years ago, I’ve relearned life. I don’t need sympathy. I don’t want charity. And I don’t do love.
It’s better this way, saves my disappointments for me, and me alone, and it saves my strength for everything I want.
But Cass Owens is about to wreck everything. She’s about to steal all of my strength away from me, because she needs it more. She’s about to break all of my rules, and break down all of my walls. She’s about to own me…completely.
And I’m about to let her.
۞
۞
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ iTunes ~
۞
۞
I thought I felt foolish about being younger. But that was before I made a floor display of every cliché low-self-esteem brochure printed in the state of Oklahoma. Naturally, the most embarrassing one is in Ty’s hands right now.
“How to Love Yourself So Others Will Too,” Ty reads, flipping the book in his hands and skimming his eyes over the description on the back. I take this opportunity to scoop everything else up in my arms and sit on the floor with my legs crossed, quickly stuffing things back in my bag. “Oh, this is good. Wait, listen to this one…”
He starts to quote a few of the passages, mocking the stereotypical affirmations and examples in the book. I know they’re stupid—and hearing them now, I’m not sure why I picked the book up. But reading it made me feel good an hour or two ago. “Wow, what class is making you read this shit?” he asks, finally putting the book down. His laughter cuts short when he sees me, my eyes buried in my lap.
“It’s not for a class,” I say, looking up long enough to get the book from him. “My stuff’s in the dryer. Just…just knock on my door when it buzzes done.” I leave quickly, clutching my things close to my chest and feeling ridiculous.
I don’t bother to zip my bag up again, instead carrying it all into my room and letting everything spill out into a pile on my bed. I don’t know what made me check all of these things out. It all started with the book Ty was reading, actually. My hands gravitated to it while I was looking through some of the health and wellness books. At first, my attraction was the same as Ty’s—I found the book amusing. But some of those cheesy sayings actually rang true, especially the ones about feeling inferior to siblings and how we use self-deprecating humor as a crutch. Next thing I knew…I had two books, four magazines, and a dozen brochures.
Ty’s knock on my door is soft. I hadn’t shut it all the way when I walked in, so he takes advantage and comes all the way into my room with little warning.
“Dry already?” I ask, doing my best to pretend none of that happened. I pick the pillow up from my lap, laying it over the embarrassing evidence.
“No,” Ty responds, moving closer until he’s at the foot of my bed. Without pause, he slides from his chair to the bed until he’s sitting next to me. He picks up the pillow, and my stomach sinks. His smile is soft as he scoops everything into my bag, and slides it all to the floor, closing the distance between us even more until his hand is suddenly cradling my cheek.
“Just so we’re clear here, I mean this,” he says, pressing his lips softly against mine as his other hand moves to my chin, tilting my mouth toward him. I’ve been kissed by some pretty convincing boys in my life, each one wanting to make me believe something by the way their mouth worked against mine, the way their tongues coaxed their way inside. This one kiss from Ty was like removing a blindfold.
۞
۞
This is Falling
(Falling #1)
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~
۞
۞
۞
۞
Ginger Scott
Ginger Scott is a writer and journalist from Peoria, Arizona. She is the author of four young and new adult romances, with her fifth title, This Is Falling, set to release in late August 2014.
Scott has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.
When she’s not writing, the odds are high that she’s somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Scott is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork ‘em, Devils).
۞
~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
۞
۞
December 4, 2014
Cover Reveal ~ #Hater by Cambria Hebert.
Title: #Hater
Series: The Hashtag Series #2
Author: Cambria Hebert
Release Date: January 12, 2015
Genre: New Adult College Romance
Format: Ebook and Print
Cover Design: Mae I Design
~*~
SYNOPSIS
It started with unspoken animosity. The bitter bite of jealousy. And now its full blown hate.
It was during my first football game that I first felt the first chill of hate. I looked it right in the eyes and felt its sticky tentacles reach out for me. I’d never experienced something so cold and empty before.
The effect of that look lingered, like an unspoken promise, long after it was gone.
Becoming a couple – becoming the other half of a campus celebrity wasn’t easy. I let down walls guarding my heart and he looked past my glasses and accident prone tendencies. Romeo and I are an unlikely match, a #nerd and a jock. But we made it.
And we’re happy.
Zach doesn’t want us to be happy. He wants Romeo to pay for getting him kicked out of Omega and for the night he spent in jail. He’s going to use anything and everything he can to get his revenge. Including me.
As the weather on campus grows cold and the days become dark, revenge becomes the center of someone’s life and the happiness Romeo and I worked so hard for is threatened.
I can’t help but worry that our love is going to be overshadowed by hate.
~*~
Cambria Hebert
Cambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: Text, Torch, Tryst, Masquerade, and Recalled.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
~*~
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting the links below.
Email: cambriahebert@rocketmail.com
~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
~*~
Cover Reveal hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.
~*~
New Release + Book Review ~ ‘Things Lost In The Fire’ by Katie Jennings.
Things Lost In The Fire by Katie Jennings
Genre: Romance, Adult, Suspense
Release Date: 5th December 2014.
~*~
SYNOPSIS
Sadie McRae grew up in the Hollywood Hills, the only daughter of two rock ‘n’ roll legends. When a violent assault on her life ends in a torrid scandal, fifteen-year-old Sadie escapes to the quiet forests of Lake Tahoe.
Unable to resist the music in her blood, she returns to Los Angeles years later and sings under an alias. When her secret is unintentionally exposed by an old friend, journalist-turned-paparazzi Brody Odell, he’ll do anything to make it up to her, including uncovering the truth about the attack from eleven years earlier.
Stardom beckons and the chance at love is within her grasp, but the horrors of her past threaten to tear everything apart. As Sadie fights for the life she deserves, a dangerous stalker begins his game, determined to bring it all to an end.
Book Review ~ ‘Things Lost In The Fire’ by Katie Jennings ~ 5 Stars!
Once again Katie Jennings has blown me away with her incredible talent at creating characters, stories and a world which is so easy to jump into. Seriously, is there anything this woman can’t do? Nope, didn’t think so.
Katie Jennings has a knack at developing the heroes of her stories in a way that makes us understand them and in turn fall head over heels for them. Sexy paparazzi Brody is no exception, and I loved feeling out his true character as the story went on, and him coming to terms with his past and discovering that there are things worth fighting for. Bad-boy and trodden-down yet protective of those he cares about, Brody is one of those characters that you root for from the beginning.
Sadie was the perfect match for her childhood friend, and I really loved the glimpses we were given into their friendship from their teenage years. It was heartening to see how he kept her secrets for her, despite knowing that he could make a lot of money giving them away. They were the perfect pair, and Sadie brought out the romantic in Brody, whilst Brody brought out the fun-loving side in Sadie.
The suspense storyline was entwined brilliantly throughout, and I loved how the prologue set up the whole novel, with this key question of who saved Sadie’s life. The family politics involved was really exciting to read, and on more than one occasion I was honestly cursing Sadie’s mother for being so spoilt. The dynamic between her and Sadie is one of the things that made this book such a winner, and I liked seeing how their relationship developed throughout the story.
Katie Jennings excels at writing meaningful stories that really look deep within the relationships that her characters have with each other. Her talent at adding humour, romance and suspense to her stories makes every one of her books an incredible read.
5 Stars!
~*~
~*~
Katie Jennings
~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
~*~
Cover Reveal ~ Indigo Infinity’ by Jacinda Buchmann.
Indigo Infinity by Jacinda Buchmann
(Indigo Trilogy #3)
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: December 18th 2014
۞
SYNOPSIS
Supernatural powers can be more of a burden than a gift.
Two years ago, Indigo Children, Tyler and Toby discovered the hard way their powers weren’t a secret. When they gained immunity from the IIA—the agency that wanted to exploit them—they thought they would finally be able to get on with their lives, but when one of their own goes missing, they prepare to do whatever it takes to find him.
“Follow the star that’s not a star.”
When the unexpected happens, the Indigo Children are forced to split up to protect those dearest to them, but with only a riddle and their instincts for guidance, they realize help from mysterious allies may be the only way to cut ties with the IIA once and for all.
The only way to close the door on the past is to embrace the future.
Sarah finally realizes she is ready to open her heart to love, but her life unexpectedly takes a sharp detour. Meanwhile, Tyler and Liliana learn the universe and their love knows no boundaries, while Grace and Eddie begin to wonder if their relationship is destined to fail before it begins.
It’s a race against time.
The IIA has gone too far, and it’s up to the Indigo Children to protect those who can’t protect themselves, before it’s too late. Will they ever have the opportunity to enjoy love and lead normal lives? Find out in Indigo Infinity, the fast-paced, action-packed conclusion of The Indigo Trilogy.
۞
Indigo Incite
(Indigo Trilogy #1)
Book 1: Indigo Incite is permanently FREE!
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
۞
Indigo Instinct
(Indigo Trilogy #2)
~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~
۞
۞
Jacinda Buchmann
۞
Tour Hosted By Book Addicts One Stop PR Stop
~ Blog ~ Email ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~
۞
December 3, 2014
Cover Reveal ~ ‘Very Twisted Things’ by Ilsa Madden-Mills.
VERY TWISTED THINGS by Ilsa Madden-Mills
(Briarcrest Academy #3; all novels are standalones)
Release Date: February 2015
Cover Model: Drew Leighty
Genre: Hot New Adult for 18+
۞
A sassy violinist who lives next door. An obsessed rock star who watches her through binoculars. And one night when she bares it all. Life will never be the same in Tinseltown.
SYNOPSIS
Vital Rejects front guy Sebastian Tate never imagined his YouTube music video would go viral, sky-rocketing him to acting success in Hollywood. Okay, maybe he did. After all, he’s a cocky dude who knows he’s hot-as-hell, and it was only a matter of time before his stars aligned.
But life in Tinseltown is never what it seems.
After being cheated on, his only rule to falling in love is simple: Keep Calm and Don’t Do It. Spying on his mysterious new neighbor with binoculars seems innocent enough, but quickly escalates into an erotic game between two very unlikely people.
Twenty-year-old Violet St. Lyons is a world-renowned violinist who’s lost her mojo on stage. She hides away in a Hollywood mansion, trying to find her way through her twisted past in order to make her future.
He’s the life of the party with girls chasing him down for his autograph. She’s the introvert with a potty mouth who doesn’t even know who he is.
When they meet, stars collide, sparks fly, and clothes come off. Yet, giving his heart to a girl isn’t Sebastian’s plan; falling for a guy who craves attention isn’t Violet’s.
Welcome to Briarcrest Academy—Hollywood style—where sometimes the best things in life are VERY TWISTED THINGS.
۞
“Then he came along, and like a twisted piece of metal that’s burned beyond recognition, I emerged from the fire. Different. Changed.” –from the journal of Violet St. Lyons
This wasn’t happening.
Clad in a pair of red lacy bikini underwear—his favorite—I sipped on tequila—not my favorite—and glared at Sebastian Tate, sexy rock star and billboard model. Wearing low-slung jeans and nothing else, he paced around my chair in tight circles, his tall frame blocking most of my vision, the lion tattoo on his back heaving as he took deep breaths. Blonde and sporting faint stubble on his chiseled jawline, he looked like the heartbreaker the tabloids said he was.
Bad, bad boy.
But, oh, so good.
He sent me a hard look. Pissed.
From my living room in the Hollywood Hills, I gazed out the window at the Santa Monica Mountains, my eyes everywhere except on the glossy nude photos he clutched in his hand.
Of me. Of him.
Of us.
He swiveled his ice-blue eyes at me. Earlier today they’d burned with another kind of fire, but things change fast in Tinseltown. “These will be in the papers. Get ready,” he said, tossing down the pictures on the table, making me cringe.
I gazed down at them, my eyes lingering over one of us on my patio, him on his knees with his mouth between my legs as my body arched in ecstasy. My skin burned at the memory, echoes of the passion we’d shared—and now everyone in the world would see. My family. The society people in New York. The board of directors for the orphanage. My stomach heaved at the thought, bile threatening to rise up.
Another caught my eye, this one a full color close-up of me crying black mascara tears as I played my violin. Nude. It looked depressing as hell although in truth it had been love that made me emotional.
“Remind me to pass on the make-up next time. And to not have sex outdoors. Obviously,” I said, forcing my shoulders to move in a nonchalant shrug like I didn’t care, but he knew the truth. I was devastated by these.
And so was he.
Because we weren’t supposed to be together.
He said my name in that husky voice of his, the one that made me crazy, the one that made me want to rip his clothes off. “Violet—”
“Stop,” I said, clenching my fists. Because whatever he had to say didn’t matter. These pictures ruined us, ensuring that he’d leave me for her, the beautiful Bubble named Blair. Bubble, bubble, bubble. I wanted to pop her.
Why did I always come last with him?
I stood and faced him, tossing back the last of my shot. “First off, I wish we’d never met.” I held my hand up. “No. Wait. I don’t wish that because then I wouldn’t know Spider or Mila. I—I wish I’d never fallen in love with you. Loving means losing. Always. And I was stupid to forget it. I may have to sell this house and move to another freaking country to get away from you, but I’ll do it. I’ve done it before.” I sucked in a breath. “I’ll be fine without you.”
Lie. I would likely end up drunk on Mexican tequila, nursing what was left of my heart.
He closed his eyes, a dazed expression on his face as if my words crushed him.
“We were doomed from the very start,” I reminded him. “You want to be a star, and all I want is you.”
He stopped his pacing, a muscle jerking in his cheek as he leaned down until his nose was level with mine. “Then this is goodbye, Violet? You’re giving up on us already?”
Did I hear a break in his voice? Impossible.
“If I don’t say goodbye first, then someone else will.” Truth.
He’d never be mine, simply because he didn’t belong with me. I was a washed-up freak who had nothing but a mansion and a Maserati; he belonged on the silver screen with a pretty starlet on his arm.
We were over. Kaput.
I smiled, a bitter thing, and sashayed past him, enjoying the hiss of breath when I let my hand drift over his crotch. “This moment is begging for a soundtrack, don’t you think?” I said, coming to stop by the stereo system and cranking up Kurt Kobain’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. Holding my hands up in the horns rocking out signal, I bobbed my head to the beat while he watched, anger flickering across his face. I danced and twirled around, closing my eyes, the music vibrating through my body, my fingers itching for my violin.
Bam!
My eyes flew open. He’d strode over to me and clicked the stereo off, chest still heaving.
He shoved his hands in my hair and dragged my face to his, and I groaned at the fire that blazed in my body. I felt the warm heat of his skin and pressed closer and inhaled. He smelled like bourbon and sex—a rock star’s diet—and I panted, cursing myself at the same time.
How would I ever get over him?
He pressed his thumbs across my mouth. Gentle. But his voice was cold. “You can’t wait to high-tail it back to Manhattan to your lawyer boyfriend, can you?”
“I plead the fifth,” I said, staring at his full lips. I licked my own. “But you can kiss me goodbye if you want. I don’t mind.”
We stared at each other until he exhaled heavily and put his back to me, his muscles as taut as the guitar strings he played. He verged on breaking.
Yeah, well, welcome to my world.
Yet at the same time, I reached my hand out to him. Stupid hand.
But of course, he didn’t see it.
“So long, V,” he said soft as a whisper, staring at the ground as if I was breaking his heart, when all along it was the other way around. He took a step from me, then another, then another, until finally, he was nothing but a speck.
I clutched my chest and wanted to fall to the ground and rail on it. Alone. Again.
But tough girls like me didn’t cry over black-hearted boys.
Although in his defense, I owed him a thank you for saving me.
To show you, I’d have to start at the beginning, the day I lost everything.
© Ilsa Madden-Mills, NYT and USA Today bestselling author
–Unedited and may change before publication
۞
Available Now on Amazon
۞
Win $100 in Amazon gift cards!
VERY TWISTED GIVEAWAY
۞
Ilsa Madden-Mills
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.
She spends her days with two small kids, one neurotic cat, and one husband. She collects magnets and rarely cooks except to bake her own pretzels.
When she’s not crafting a story, you can find her drinking too much Diet Coke, jamming out to Pink, or checking on her carefully maintained chocolate stash.
She loves to hear from readers and fellow authors.
۞
Receive a FREE Briarcrest Academy novella ($2.99 value) plus get insider info and exclusive giveaways!
Want to join her BA Street Team on Facebook? Click here to message Ilsa Madden-Mills
۞
۞
