Friday, August 29, 2014

Blog Tour - Fly by T.A. Foster - Review

 
Fly
By: T.A. Foster
Release Date: 2014

Description:
Not everyone’s good at one-night stands.

Skye Stephens has the worst day of her professional career, and all she wants to do is shed her power suit and get lost in the sheets with the hot guy she met at the bar. The problem is, this uptight ad exec doesn’t know how to do one-night stands. She has strict rules about dating and when to let a man in her bedroom.

Fighter pilot Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle is used to lovin’ and leavin’. But, after he meets Skye, one night doesn’t seem to be enough.

When these two crash-land into each other, a connection strong enough to make the loner pilot and the sexy businesswoman shed their rules about love and relationships begins to burn deeper than either of them ever expected.


Review:

I've definitely enjoyed several of T. A. Foster's books in the past so when I was asked to review this book I couldn't refuse because everything I have read so far has been fantastic and this was on the right track and I wasn't disappointed in the least.  There were hot men, hot women, hot action and a great story.  I know I can always count on T.A. for something fun and interesting.

We meet Skye (fitting name) who is very straight edge all about work and just getting things done.  She is bummed out because she lost an account to someone else and decides to go out for once and this is where she meets super-hot pilot Ben, aka Bolt.  He is the typical love them and leave them kind of guy, especially since he’s not in every city very often.  But there is something very different about Skye that catches his attention.  At first they start to keep it fun and casual but then something changes.  They can’t be apart from one another.

It’s all very hot and heavy and super sexy.  The two of them together is like fire, they have a very strong physical attraction to one another but can that hold a relationship together, especially one that has to be long distance due to the flying?  It’s hard but I definitely think it’s doable, but you’ll have to read to find out what happens.  Even their friends try and egg them on in the right direction, you never know what you have until it’s not in front of you anymore.  Talk about taking things for granted or being underappreciated, I might be steering off course just a tad bit.

Overall this book was a fantastic very steamy good read.  I think the two main characters fell for each other hard and fast and things got kind of skewed halfway through but they worked it out. I do slightly think that Skye gave in a little too easy for Ben but I guess that shows how strongly they felt for each other.  Definitely interesting and I can totally imagine plot lines if this was the beginning to a series, just saying.  My mind goes off in crazy ways.  Great story!


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Promo Blitz Week: FLY by T.A. Foster - Release Day!!

FLY_Blitz

Today is the release day for FLY by T.A. Foster! Be sure to check out the contest below for a chance to win a gift card!

 
Fly_FrontCover_web
 

FLY BLURB:

Not everyone’s good at one-night stands. Skye Stephens has the worst day of her professional career, and all she wants to do is shed her power suit and get lost in the sheets with the hot guy she met at the bar. The problem is, this uptight ad exec doesn’t know how to do one-night stands. She has strict rules about dating and when to let a man in her bedroom. Fighter pilot Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle is used to lovin’ and leavin’. But, after he meets Skye, one night doesn’t seem to be enough. When these two crash-land into each other, a connection strong enough to make the loner pilot and the sexy businesswoman shed their rules about love and relationships begins to burn deeper than either of them ever expected.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/XK4tdQ

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/YRrknN

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1znYoip

B&N: http://bit.ly/1ophC16

FLY_ReleaseTeaser1
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TAFosterT.A. Foster met, fell in love with, and married her own Marine fighter pilot. Through deployments, trainings, and sometimes living oceans apart, their own love story continues every day. She grew up catching rays and waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her husband, two children, and two canine kiddos. T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:
Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Promo Blitz Week: FLY by T.A. Foster - Romance Wednesday!

FLY_WEEK

We are gearing up for the release of FLY by T.A. Foster. If you enjoy a hot romance, which just might feature a Fighter Pilot with United States Marine Corps, this is the book for you!

Today we are highlighting the romance in the book.

  Romance Wednesday I’m not sure about everyone else, but I know the reason I like to read and write love stories is for the romance. All those little moments that bring two characters together—the glances, the quippy dialogue, the thoughtful gestures that melt my heart. You know, the ones that make you sigh out loud. You probably know by now Fly has some personal elements for me. I married a Marine fighter pilot who was living in San Diego and stationed at Miramar. I was incredibly lucky to have my own private consultant while I was writing.
Hot young couple kissing outside on the stairs.

The romance problem I had with the main character, Ben, was that he was a love ‘em and leave ‘em type, so finding a way to make him romantic was a challenge. For that, I drew on some personal  experience.

.Marriage Having Erotic Moment

Some of my absolute favorite dates in San Diego with my then-fiance’, where in the Gaslamp district, at the Hotel del Coronado, and walking the beaches of Coronado. By sneaking some of those ideas in I was able to work romance into a storyline that started out as a very physical connection between two unlikely people. I can’t give it all away, but there are ways that romance develops between these two that I think will surprise you, make you smile, and hopefully make you sigh out loud.

  Fly_FrontCover_web

BOOK SUMMARY:

Not everyone’s good at one-night stands. Skye Stephens has the worst day of her professional career, and all she wants to do is shed her power suit and get lost in the sheets with the hot guy she met at the bar. The problem is, this uptight ad exec doesn’t know how to do one-night stands. She has strict rules about dating and when to let a man in her bedroom. Fighter pilot Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle is used to lovin’ and leavin’. But, after he meets Skye, one night doesn’t seem to be enough. When these two crash-land into each other, a connection strong enough to make the loner pilot and the sexy businesswoman shed their rules about love and relationships begins to burn deeper than either of them ever expected.  

Add the book to GOODREADS

 

PRE-ORDER IT NOW!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/XK4tdQ

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/YRrknN

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1znYoip

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

TAFosterT.A. Foster met, fell in love with, and married her own Marine fighter pilot. Through deployments, trainings, and sometimes living oceans apart, their own love story continues every day. She grew up catching rays and waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her husband, two children, and two canine kiddos. T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:
Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster

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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Promo Blitz Week: FLY by T.A. Foster - Setting

FLY_WEEK

We are gearing up for the release of FLY by T.A. Foster. If you enjoy a hot romance, which just might feature a Fighter Pilot with United States Marine Corps, this is the book for you!

Today we are highlighting the beautiful setting in the book.

San Diego Cityscape
 

As I started writing Fly, I knew instantly what part of the country I wanted to portray in the story: San Diego. When I first met my husband I was living in College Station, TX and he was a fighter pilot at Miramar in San Diego, CA. On trips to visit him I was able to experience all of the fun and touristy parts of the city such as the San Diego Zoo, Mission Bay, Balboa Park, and my all-time favorite, the Hotel del Coronado. The city was gorgeous. Every view was filled with tropical flowers, the ocean, and terrain I never had back home. It was hard not to feel the romance the city offered. Eventually, we were engaged and I moved to San Diego. Living in the city gave me a new perspective on the place I had fallen in love with. While Fly isn’t the story of our romance, it does hold some personal insight into the seaside town. Fly was the perfect way to incorporate the single and wild life of a pilot with the beauty and fun of the city.
San Diego from Ferry Landing in Coronado


Fly_FrontCover_web
Bolt needed to live somewhere near a fighter pilot base. I thought of some of the East Coast military bases, but they didn’t offer the nightlife and corporate world I needed for Skye. San Diego was the perfect blend of professional, military, and recreational outlets I needed to work into the story. Where else could they catch a professional baseball game, walk on the beach, and hit the hottest clubs all in the same week? I think Bolt and Skye could fall for each other no matter where they met, but having the story in San Diego added romance I couldn’t capture anywhere else.
BOOK SUMMARY:
Not everyone’s good at one-night stands. Skye Stephens has the worst day of her professional career, and all she wants to do is shed her power suit and get lost in the sheets with the hot guy she met at the bar. The problem is, this uptight ad exec doesn’t know how to do one-night stands. She has strict rules about dating and when to let a man in her bedroom. Fighter pilot Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle is used to lovin’ and leavin’. But, after he meets Skye, one night doesn’t seem to be enough. When these two crash-land into each other, a connection strong enough to make the loner pilot and the sexy businesswoman shed their rules about love and relationships begins to burn deeper than either of them ever expected.  

Add the book to GOODREADS

 

PRE-ORDER IT NOW!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/XK4tdQ

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/YRrknN

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1znYoip

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

TAFosterT.A. Foster met, fell in love with, and married her own Marine fighter pilot. Through deployments, trainings, and sometimes living oceans apart, their own love story continues every day. She grew up catching rays and waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her husband, two children, and two canine kiddos. T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.

Author Links:
Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster

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#destinyisdangerous Review: Dangerous Destiny (Night Sky 0.5)

Dangerous Destiny
By: ,
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Series: Night Sky 0.5

Description:
In this pulse-pounding prequel to the Night Sky series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann and her daughter Melanie Brockmann, Skylar has her first brush with Destiny. She's about to meet a boy who will change her life—and a girl who wants to end it.

Skylar Reid is the new girl at school. Her mom just moved them to Florida—aka The Land of the Living Dead where the average age of her new neighbors was seventy-five—to start over. Skylar is not a fan of the change or her total lack of friends. Until she meets Calvin, a funny, sarcastic boy who doesn't let being in a wheelchair stop him from verbally shredding their preppy classmates. Skylar's just about to decide her new school's not a total loss when an odd girl wearing an oversized trench coat in the murderous Southern heat declares, "You're one of us." And then tries to kill her.

Excerpt:
I know her.
Know her from inside the dreams. Inside those terrible, murderous, bloody dreams. I've heard her-screaming, her voice mixing in an awful chorus with all those other girls. Little girls.

Please, God.
That's what one of the little girls keeps saying, in the dream that is not just a dream. Please, God.
But I know better. There's no escaping this fate. This is destiny.
I must kill Skylar.

This will be FREE on release day, today! Not sure hor how long after that.

Mini Review:
 This was definitely a super short novella, but I will say this it definitly got my attention and has me wondering exactly what is going on.  Who are they?  Why do they have to die?  What's going to happen next to these characters?  How awesome that her new bff basically in a new school is in a wheel chair and he has total confidence and actually helps when needed.  It's all very interesting and I can't wait to see what the full length first novel is going to bring, becuase really there is some crazy stuff going on!

Don't forget to check out the Full length first book in the series, comes out in October!

Night Sky
By: ,
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Series: Night Sky #1

Description:
In Night Sky, sixteen-year-old Skylar Reid is thrown into a strange world when she discovers that she has unique telekinetic and telepathic powers. After Sasha, the child she babysits, is kidnapped and believed to be murdered, Sky and her best friend Calvin are approached by Dana, a mysterious girl who has super-abilities similar to Sky’s. With the help of Dana and her sidekick Milo, the four teens — two from the rich part of town, and two living hand-to-mouth on the streets — embark on a quest to discover who killed Sasha, and to bring the killers to justice.

With Dana as Skylar’s surly and life-toughened mentor, Sky attempts to harness her powers to aid them in their quest. Complicating an already complex relationship with the older girl, Sky starts to fall for the dangerously handsome and enigmatic Milo–and begins to suspect that the attraction is mutual. But then Sky realizes that Sasha might still be alive, and the unlikely foursome’s mission becomes one of search and rescue, pitting the heroic teens against a very deadly enemy.

Night Sky is the first book in a YA trilogy set in the same dark future as Suzanne Brockmann’s Born to Darkness, a New York Times bestselling hardcover, published last year as the first installment in her Fighting Destiny series. Night Sky has the same mix of suspense, romance, humor, and the paranormal, and deals with many of the same themes, including society’s relentless exploitation and devaluation of females, and the empowerment that comes when women and girls recognize their strength and intellect, and stand up, fight back, and save the day.


Author's Info:
Suzanne’s website is here: http://www.suzannebrockmann.com/upcoming/night-sky/

Buy Link:
Amazon | BN.com

Monday, August 25, 2014

Promo Blitz Week: FLY by T.A. Foster - Character Post

FLY_WEEK

We are gearing up for the release of FLY by T.A. Foster. If you enjoy a hot romance, which just might feature a Fighter Pilot with United States Marine Corps, this is the book for you!

Today we are highlighting the characters from the book -- Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle and Skye Stephens.

Meet Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle

Sexual muscular nude man posing over dark background.


Profile Relationship Status: Single Occupation: Fighter Pilot United States Marine Corps Residence: San Diego, CA Home Town: Greene, TN Hobbies: Working Out, Baseball, Women Favorite Movie: Top Gun Most Romantic Date: No time for romance Bolt: “I’m not the boyfriend type and definitely not the marrying type.” “It’s a good day to fly, man.” “Because if I can do this now, imagine what we’ll feel like together.” “Baby, I would walk through fire for a night like that with you.”  

Meet Skye Stephens

Sexy brunette woman in red dress
Fly_FrontCover_web
Profile Relationship Status: Single Occupation: Campaign Executive with Regency Advertising Residence: San Diego, CA Home Town: Sullen’s Grove, NC Hobbies: Work, Sketching, San Diego Zoo Favorite Movie: The Devil Wears Prada Most Romantic Date: Two years ago, dinner and a movie Skye: “One drink. But I’m warning you. I’m not going to be any fun, no matter how awesome the bar is.” “I just wanted to let go for once. I don’t usually pick guys up in bars. I take that back. I never pick guys up in bars.” “Do not pretend with me that you don’t get a lot of numbers. I know your type.” “I’m playing with fire, and we both know it. I just can’t stop.”

BOOK SUMMARY: Not everyone’s good at one-night stands. Skye Stephens has the worst day of her professional career, and all she wants to do is shed her power suit and get lost in the sheets with the hot guy she met at the bar. The problem is, this uptight ad exec doesn’t know how to do one-night stands. She has strict rules about dating and when to let a man in her bedroom. Fighter pilot Ben “Bolt” Hardcastle is used to lovin’ and leavin’. But, after he meets Skye, one night doesn’t seem to be enough. When these two crash-land into each other, a connection strong enough to make the loner pilot and the sexy businesswoman shed their rules about love and relationships begins to burn deeper than either of them ever expected.  

Add the book to GOODREADS

 

PRE-ORDER IT NOW!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/XK4tdQ

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/YRrknN

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1znYoip

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

TAFoster
T.A. Foster met, fell in love with, and married her own Marine fighter pilot. Through deployments, trainings, and sometimes living oceans apart, their own love story continues every day. She grew up catching rays and waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her husband, two children, and two canine kiddos. T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip. Author Links: Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster

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Release Date: Something Forever by M. Clarke


Happy Release Day!

Something Forever by M. Clarke
SeriesSomething Great #3
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 25th, 2014

A heated moment.

Desperate decision.

Life altering choices.

Max and Jenna are forced to test their relationship. Will they be able to embrace the challenges life throws their way?

Secrets can ruin the foundation of a relationship. Will Matthew choose to withhold vital information from Becky that could consume her with doubt about their future?

When it comes to love, Something Great can turn into Something Wonderful, but can it be Something Forever?



Purchase for $2.99 for a limited time!
B&N | Google Play | KOBO 





 







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Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.


Website † Facebook † GoodReads † Twitter † Instagram † Pinterest 
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Friday, August 22, 2014

Promo: Edge of Falling by Valia Lind


Title: Edge of Falling
Author: Valia Lind
Series: Falling, #2
Genre: Contemporary YA
Publication: August 1, 2014

For Chance, there's always only been Dakota.

He's been in love with the girl since the day they met. He's tried everything to get her to notice him and nothing has worked. So when things suddenly start moving in the right direction, Chance can't believe his luck.

Until Kyle comes along.

Kyle is like a new shiny toy and Dakota loves new and shiny. She falls for the tall, blonde and gorgeous fast and without looking back. Dating the summer before college wasn't in the plans, but come on, Kyle is perfect. So why does Chance and his snarky grin keeps popping up in her mind now that Dakota has found her happiness?

When Chance's world comes crashing down, Dakota proves the strength of their friendship, surprising herself and everyone around her, by helping him pick up the pieces. In return, Chance is finally able to crack her hard shell, discovering that not everything is sunny in Dakota-land. Her world is not what it seems on the outside, and together, they're able to pull each other to the brink of safety and sanity.

Dakota likes that things are simple with Kyle, so why does she feel more like herself around Chance?

As graduation grows closer, both Chance and Dakota learn that the plans you make for your life don't always play out the way you expect them and sometimes, everything starts to make sense when you find yourself on the edge of falling.



Purchase

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Excerpt
It doesn't take me long to reach the cabin. Grayson greets me as I run up to the house. The girls are already inside, getting settled. So is Kyle. I can see them inside the main room, the one with all the large windows.
"You guys are here early."
"Well, you know how Brooklynn loves her early mornings." I roll my eyes at my friend, because Brooklynn is not the morning person of the group. Dakota is. And now, apparently so is Kyle because he comes bouncing down those stairs with a huge smile on his face.
"This place is sweet!" He grabs one of the bags, and heads back into the house without another word.
"He's very cheerful in the mornings." Grayson comments.
"Grand."
The girls walk out then, coming down the porch stairs. Brook heads toward me, but before she can hug me, she crinkles her nose and frowns. I know Dakota is standing next to her, but I'm keeping my eyes strictly on Brook.
"Really, Chance? This is how you greet your guests?" She waves her hand over my sweaty body.
"Yep. Come here, darling." I reach for her, but she drags Dakota to block the path, nearly making us collide. Dakota is wearing her usual annoyed expression and the simplicity of practiced interactions make me braver. With a gleam in my eyes, I lunge at the girls, wrapping Dakota in my arms as I reach for Brook hiding behind her. Both of them squeal, trying to wiggle out of my embrace.
The movement does weird things to my insides as Dakota's frame fits so perfectly against mine. Brook manages to escape, and now it's just Dakota and me, locked in an embrace. I look down at her, my eyes crashing into hers and it's like everything I've ever imagined. Time stands still for one perfect moment, before I'm bending over and gasping for breath.
"Did you seriously just punch me in the stomach?" I rasp, glaring at Dakota's smug smile.
"You're lucky that's all I did." Oh is this how we're going to play it? Good thing I know this game. Right then and there, I decide that I'm going for it. Just for this weekend, I won't hide from Dakota and my feelings for her. I'm going to rebuild the awkward friendship we've established last year and see where it takes us. I know she sees the change as my eyes light up, mischievously.
"You know, Dakota. You stink a bit of sweat. Maybe you should take a little bath." I reach for her, my intentions clear. She smacks at my arms, turning to run back into the house and away from the hot tub that's a lot closer than she'd like. I haven't been running all my life for nothing. I catch up to her easily, grabbing her from behind and lifting her clear off the ground.
"Chance! Don't you dare put me into that water. I swear I will get you for it."
"Awe, honey. Promises, promises."


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About Valia

Author. Photographer. Artist. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Valia Lind always had a love for the written word. She wrote her first full book on the bathroom floor of her dormitory, while procrastinating to study for her college classes. Upon graduation, she has moved her writing to more respectable places, and have found her voice in Young Adult fiction. Falling by Design is her debut young adult novel. You can visit her online at www.valialind.blogspot.com or follow her on twitter, where she spends way too much time, @ValiaLind.



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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Review: The Bridge from Me to You by Lisa Schroeder

The Bridge from Me to You
By:








Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Book Review: The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

The Art of Lainey
By: Paula Stokes
Release Date: May 20, 2014
Series: The Art of Lainey #1

Description:
"A satisfying and sweet story." -Publishers Weekly

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warning, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that’s when the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, they're sure they can use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey’s arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous. After a few "dates", it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game.

What's a girl to do when what she wants is totally different from what she needs? How do you figure out the person you're meant to be with if you're still figuring out the person you're meant to be?


Review:
This was one of those books where you loved to hate some of the characters, and at the same time you just wanted to knock some sense into the main ones.  There is unfortunately a lot of shallowness in this world, and this book definitely highlighted this unfortunate trait of young kids today.  They are all very me, me, me, when really they should be thinking of other people not just themselves.  The author did an amazing job at making the main character realize that maybe they just don’t want the superficial things in life, because some things, or people are just worth it.

We meet Lainey quite brilliantly as she gets dumped by her longtime boyfriend in the middle of her parents coffee shop in front of everyone, as if that’s not humiliating enough, but a great introduction to the character nonetheless.  One thing leads to another and her closest friend suggests using tactics to win her boyfriend back from The Art of War.  Now this is really quite wonderful if you think about it, all’s fair in love and war.  Using tactics from the book Lainey and Bianca devise a plan to get Jason back into her life, by perhaps leveling the playing field and finding herself a fake boyfriend.  Enters, Micah (I love that name); the Mohawk cook from the family shop who witnessed the whole thing from beginning to end.
 
Of course when you want one thing to go one way, you know it’s not going to work out that way because life is just not that easy, especially for Lainey who tries so hard to fit in.  Sometimes life is not about fitting in, or trying to get your life into this perfect mold that everyone expects of you, sometimes you just have to be yourself and learn to be happy with yourself and the things you do.  This I think is the greatest lesson learned in this book.  The amount of shallowness handled by her ex-boyfriend and his sister are amazing, talk about mean girls and the boys who follow.  Sure there is always one of those in high school but it doesn’t mean you have to follow them.


Lainey spends more and more time with Micah and they feel a spark between each other that even though they fight it they know it’s bound to happen eventually.  It’s adorable and sweet and can I just say, Mohawk boys are sexy as hell, throw in a tattoo and that they can bale - major, major bonus points.   I love it when he says Damn girl, it’s just part of that swagger, and you’ll see when you read the book.  Which you should definitely do.

Overall this book was again very sweet, funny at times and had a great lesson to learn.  I always believe books with lessons are the best kind because you can be entertained and learn something new.  The characters were great, fun and some major shallowness and eye rolls, but all worth reading in the end.  The cover is absolutely perfect because you don’t have some stereotypical model with a fancy dress; no you have a real person who looks like they should be playing soccer like Lainey does.  Overall go read this was a great fast read, perfect to get your mind going in different places.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Review: Swimming to Tokyo by Brenda St. John Brown

Swimming to Tokyo
By:
Release Date: July 28, 2014

Description:
The rules for swimming are simple:

Rule #1: There is no lifeguard on duty.

Since her mom died three years ago, nineteen-year-old Zosia Easton’s been treading water. Living at home. Community college. Same old Saturday nights. So when her father breaks the news he’s taken a job transfer—and by the way, it means renting out the house that’s been her refuge—a summer in Tokyo feels like it just might be a chance to start swimming again.

Rule #2: Beware of unexpected currents.

Finn O’Leary has spent God knows how many years trying to drown out his past. Juvenile detention. Bad decisions. Worse choices. He’s managed to turn it around – MIT, Dean’s List, a sexier-than-thou body with a smile to match – at least on the surface. When his mom asks him to spend the summer with her, Tokyo seems as good a place as any to float through the summer.

Rule #3: Swim at your own risk.


Links
spencerhillcontemporary.com

Review:


I love reading about different cultures and locations, anything with traveling is always a plus so when I saw this book I just knew I had to pick it up.  I wasn’t disappointed at all, sure there were a lot of touristy things being done in this book but it wasn’t about that at all, it was about the dynamic between two people who couldn’t be more different but complement one another just the right way.  There really are so many different people out there in this world, and you’d be surprised just who the person’s perfect match is.  I think the author did a great job showcasing both the good and the bad on both of the main characters.
This was a fun; quick and easy read with a little emotion, trauma and of course traveling thrown in for good measured.  I enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end and wasn’t bored for a single second.  We meet Zoisa (interesting name) who is about to go to Japan to live with her dad for a while until school starts back up, talk about an amazing summer travelling abroad.  Well turns out that Finn, a guy she crushed on in high school is also doing the same thing with his mom and they have officially connected themselves to one another to explore the different places in Japan.  It’s cute watching their story grow and it shows you how some people really do need some reassurance that hey, you’re worth it.  Because everyone has something to offer, good or bad you just have to believe in yourself.

I love the characters together because where Zoisa is level headed and so very fresh to all these experiences, Finn is experienced but holding back so as to not scare Zoisa away, it’s sweet the things he does.  He just doesn’t know how sweet they are because in his mind again they don’t belong together, which is said quite a few times.  Regardless of what he thinks she pushes forward without pushing too far.  Their relationship is fun at times, and it’s interesting to see how they hook up, without actually hooking up if you know what I mean, interesting to say the least.

Overall I enjoyed this book, I’m a little afraid of trains in japan now (too many people scare me), I definitely want to go to Harajuku, and I heart Finn and Zoisa together.  The little bit of Polish was sweet too, I love seeing other languages in books, sometimes it’s fun to learn new things.  I have a few Polish people in my life so this is a great nod to them, and of course Japan.  Great book, smooth reading, great writing style from Brenda St. John Brown, can’t wait to see what else is available by her.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Spencer Hill Press, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!


Blog Tour - Revenge Bound by Heidi Joy Tretheway - Review/Excerpt/Giveaway

 
 
Revenge Bound
By:
Release Date: July 31, 2014
Series: Tattoo Theif #3

Description:
Companion to the first two the books in the Tattoo Thief series (Tattoo Thief and Tyler & Stella) which can be read as a standalone.

On the Internet, secrets never die…

Violet can’t imagine anything worse than having her very private, very naked photos strewn across the Internet.

Until they multiply like a virus.

With her name, address, and phone number attached.

And her boss finds out. And a stalker finds her.

Violet’s refuge is a rock star known for going through groupies faster than guitar picks. Letting Jayce get close enough to protect her exposes her secrets—and her heart—to a man whose celebrity could ruin her.

That’s because being a nobody is the one thing that keeps Violet’s photos from making headlines. And it’s the reason she can never fall for a rock star.

Secrets spread like wildfire when a celebrity fans the flames.


REVENGE BOUND is a full-length, standalone novel, and a companion to the Tattoo Thief books. It contains steamy scenes and strong language intended for mature readers.


Review:
This was not necessarily the type of book I’ve read in the past because I’m not really into all that control/obedience/dominance type of physical relationship but beside that I thought this story was really interesting and quite enlightening.  It touches upon a subject that really is important, that is revenge porn, something you can’t control and just tends to destroy your life if you let it take over.  Heidi Joy Tretheway wrote a great book describing this type of situation.

We meet Violet (great name) who is in the middle of struggling with some unwanted attention thanks to her d-bag of an ex boyfriend who decided to post pictures of her bound and mostly naked on the internet.  This causes her to have a stalker, which is a scary thing on itself.  She by chance meets Jayce who happens to be quite famous, which is an inopportune time for her to have any more type of media attention.  But there is something about him that she wants to give him control over her.

Mind you Jayce is very much the ladies man so having someone like Violet in his life as a permanent person is a whole new thing for him, but it’s different with her.  He feels very over protective of her, wanting her to be safe and with him at all times.  It seems it’s his first try at dominance but he loves every minute of it.  Again not my thing but still interesting to read about, after all this is something new. 

Overall the story was really interesting, with the stalker and I love that they threw in some normalcy with Violet searching for a graffiti artist she’s been photographing.  That was fun, the lyrics were not much there but what was there was of it was good.  Will definitely have to check out the rest of the series, because now I’m intrigued about the rest of the characters and can I say how much I have Dave’s girlfriend, you’ll know what I mean when you read it.

Great and sexy cover and great subject matter, will be reviewing the other books once I get my hands on them.  This was definitely a quick read as well because I couldn’t quite put it down wondering what was going to happen next.

Excerpt:
Jayce discovers that Violet is receiving threatening text messages from a stalker. He escorts her home and stays at her apartment—on the couch—when it’s clear the stalker is watching them. This is from Violet’s perspective the morning after.  

The silence stretches between us, growing more uncomfortable as I feel his eyes on me. I sip my coffee, desperate to have something to do, plotting my escape so I can shower and change and … why is he still here?

“You didn’t have to stay.”

“I did.” His voice is low, intense.

“I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”

“Doesn’t mean you should have to handle it alone.” Jayce slides a shiny iPhone across the small table to me. “This is for you. A private number.”

What the what? “You can’t give me your phone,” I say stupidly.

“I’m not. This is your phone. A new number, so you won’t have to deal with those texts. Take it, Violet.”

I know I should be grateful, for this and for everything he’s done for me so far, but anger flares instead. Presumptuous, arrogant jerk. “Do you think you can just throw money at a problem and it’ll go away?”

“It works sometimes, Violet.”

My cheeks flame with embarrassment that he thinks I need to be rescued. “Well, it doesn’t work for me.”

Jayce pushes back from the table and grabs our empty plates, spinning toward the kitchen. Plates clatter and water runs.

I lean on the wall by the sink. “Since when do you think you can just wave your magic rock star wand and do this? Fix this? I don’t want your pity.”

There. It’s out there—a four-letter word that stings worse than any filthy epithet. Pity.

“Fuck pity. I don’t want some nasty stalker sending you messages like the ones from last night. Call it a gift.”

I plunge my hand deep into my hair, trying to hold onto my fraying composure. “I don’t like your mouth,” I hiss, hating the F-bomb as it explodes from his lips.

Jayce gives me a slow look, intimate and searching. His hands drip with water, but he reaches to touch my face. I steel myself. I will not flinch.

“Oh, but I love yours,” he murmurs, his thumb ghosting across my lower lip. He strokes my cheek as my color rises. I’m frozen under his gaze. “And this blush. I can’t help it. Seeing what he wrote makes me a bit … protective.”

I stumble backward out of his grasp. I don’t know Jayce from Adam. I was stupid to let him take me home, and to trust him in my apartment while I freaked out and melted down. He could be another stalker, for all I know.

“I don’t want to be protected,” I say, and the lie slides out of my mouth as I edge back toward my room, wishing Neil would hurry up in the bathroom so I could dive in there and get away from Jayce. “I want to be left alone.”

“As you wish, princess,” he says, and he winks. He stinking winks, like he knows I’ll get that line from The Princess Bride. Like he knows I can’t stay mad at him because he’s irresistible.
I can’t. He is. But that’s not the point.

“You can’t just come in here and act like you own me, like you can just do things and I’ll be OK with that,” I say, pointing to the phone, but my argument’s already losing steam.

Jayce shakes his head and picks up his keys from a side table. I think he’s going to walk out the door—and an apology is on the tip of my tongue—but he spins and walks straight to me, invading my space, backing me up against my apartment wall with a soft thud.

His chest rises and I feel heat radiating off him, less than an inch separating our bodies. There’s something so powerful, so masculine about him that my heart beats fast in my chest, and he threads his fingers through the wild tangles of my hair.

“I don’t act like I own you,” he says, his breath on my cheek, tickling the corner of my mouth.

“You act like you want to control me.” I whimper as his hand tightens to a fist in my hair.

“Ah, but control is a different thing entirely. Control can be earned. Power can be given.” Jayce’s nose brushes my cheek. “You gave me control last night. You let me protect you.”

I raise my hands to his chest to push him away, to put distance between us, but I falter as I feel his chest rise and fall, feel his heart beat hard inside it. I shake my head. “No.”

Jayce’s shoulders drop and he allows another inch of air between us, his hands skimming through my hair as he releases me. “No is a word I respect. Always.”

I feel his body shift to turn away from me and I’m suddenly bereft without his touch, limp like I could slide down the wall. “But—”

His body is hard against mine in an instant, erasing the air between us. “But I want to have you. And I will.” Jayce’s mouth twists toward mine and I part my lips, anticipating a kiss. Instead, I feel a sharp sting in my lower lip.

He bit me!

And in one motion, Jayce turns and walks out the door.

About the Author:
Heidi Joy lives in Happy Valley off Sunnyside Road. She swears she did not make that up.

Heidi’s obsessed with storytelling. Her career includes marketing, journalism, and a delicious few years as a food columnist. Media passes took her backstage with several rock bands, where she learned that sometimes a wardrobe malfunction is exactly what the rock star intends.

You’ll most often find Heidi Joy with her husband and two small kids cooking, fishing, exploring the Northwest, and building epic forts in their living room.

She loves to hear from readers via messages at facebook.com/author.heidi.

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