Book Blitz for Knowing Jack by Rachel Curtis; Excerpt

Knowing Jack 
by Rachel Curtis
Publication date: January 14th, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Purchase: Amazon 

I am not a slut, although I’ve been called one often enough. Yeah, I spent three months screwing one of my college professors, but I was crazy about the guy. Then he broke up with me.

I am not a bitch, although people like to say I am. I kept our relationship secret. I’m not responsible for telling the university administrators about it, but a lot of students still blame me for getting their favorite professor fired.

I am not a drama queen, although everyone thinks I am now. When I got a few nasty messages, I just deleted them. When I got the threat, I assumed it was someone being stupid. I still think that’s all it was. My parents worry, though, so they hired me a bodyguard. Now Jack follows me around, intimidating everyone who approaches me and looking obnoxiously hot.

This is what I am. I’m Chloe. I’m a twenty-year-old art history major. Kind of shy, although I pretend not to be. Stubborn enough to stay here for my senior year, even though everyone hates me. 

And I’m stuck with Jack.

He calls me “Princess,” but I’m not a princess either.

Knowing Jack is a New Adult contemporary romance and includes adult content and language. The plot of the book is fully resolved at the end, but the last page includes a hanging teaser for the next book in the series.

Teaser Excerpts from Knowing Jack

“Now would you please get out of here?” I say, raising my voice to make sure it carries appropriate authority. “In case you haven’t noticed, I still have to get dressed, and I’m already running late.”

Let’s not forget that I’m still wearing nothing but my favorite bra and panty set—which I put on a few minutes earlier to give me courage to face the day.

“Yeah, I did notice that.”

There is no reason for such harmless words to make me flush so hotly. They do, though. I have fair skin, so I blush a lot. It can be very annoying.

Jack is big—tall with amazing broad shoulders, flat abs, and lean hips. He suddenly seems to fill up all the space in my bedroom. My whole body reacts to his presence. I can’t seem to think of anything else. Just him and his body and his hot blue eyes.

“Be careful of the broken glass,” he says, some sort of rough texture in his voice that makes me want to shiver. “You’ve got bare feet.”

“I know I have bare feet. Now get out.”

“All right. But first tell me this.”

“What?”

“Why do you have naked babies on your underwear?”

“They’re not naked babies! They’re cherubs. And if you weren’t such a hulking Neanderthal you’d recognize Michelangelo when you saw it.”

I was absolutely thrilled earlier in the year when I found in a New York boutique this bra and panty set with details from the Sistine Chapel ceiling on them. They were absurdly expensive, as you might imagine, but I couldn’t resist buying them anyway.

Jack stares down at my bra. “Michelangelo?” He sounds rather dazed.

“Yeah. From the Sistine Chapel. Look, here’s where God’s hand meets Adam’s. Everyone recognizes that much at least.”

He clears his throat. “Uh, princess, you might think you’re showing me a famous work of art, but what I’m seeing is…”

“What?”

“The most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

AUTHOR BIO

Rachel is a writer, a teacher, a romance reader, and a dog-mom. She loves animals and art and hot men with soft hearts under a tough exterior. She tries to write love stories that feel real, even in unlikely circumstances.

A Review for Defy by Sara B. Larson

Posted by Donna
Release Date: January 7th, 2014
Finished Date: January 19th, 2014

Publishers: Scholastic Press
Genre: YA, Fantasty, Romance
Source: For Review

Format: eARC
Pages: 336

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

The Review: "It's always been you, you know that, right? From the first moment I realized you were a girl - it was always you."

What a fantastic debut novel by Sara B. Larson - Defy just stole a piece of my heart!

At the age of 14 after witnessing the death of their parents, Alex and her twin brother Marcel are forced to lie to the King of Antion in order to stay to together and train to fight to protect their country. Their lie is that Alex is really Alexa - a girl. If Alexa is ever discovered she will be forced into a life in the breeding houses, where she will be forced to breed new warriors for the Kings war. Three years later, Alexa and Marcel are now apart of the King's elite guards and guard the kings spoiled and arrogant son - Prince Damian. And with Marcel doing everything in his power to keep Alexa save - even though she's the best fighter amongst the guards - what could go wrong? It's not until something happened that Alexa is suddenly thrown in Prince Damian's life, more closely than ever, so keeping her secret is even more important than ever. When Prince Damian is kidnapped by a powerful sorcerer, Alex and her close friend Rylan are taken too. It is there they discover something much more disturbing than the war that has been happening - the truth. Alexa and her friends have a chance to change thing once and for all, but it's not going to be easy.....but can they do it?

I first came across Defy a few months ago and knew I wanted to read it, and after just literally finishing this book, I'm bursting with so many different emotions that I feel I need to shout at the top of the roof tops, READ THIS BOOK NOW! It honestly feels like such a long time since I've felt this much passion towards a book, that I feel the need to write a review straight away. I was worried before I started reading because I had seen a few mixed reviews, but I'm so glad I never let them put me off because Defy really did take my breath away...and I urge you all to read it.

What drew me to Defy in the first place was the whole 'Disney Mulan theme' going on - I don't know if that it was intentional, but either way, it completely worked for the world that Sara B. Larson has created. Alexa's world is scarily terrifying if you're a girl/women, or even if you're a boy/man. Imagine growing up in a world where you're choices are taken away from you, you're children are never safe and you're always in a war that has no signs of ever stopping because of a King that only cares about himself. Well that's what Defy was. But what a fantastic journey it was.

I completely adored Alexa from the get-go. There's just something about her character that makes you give her your full attention. Her story is not easy but some how she manages to get through. She's a strong and fast fighter - the best at what she does. And because she is the best, she's picked by Prince Damian to help protect him. Prince Damian is someone that hides his appearance and for one, I'm grateful he did. I don't want to tell you too much about his background because it will spoil the many surprises in this book, but I will tell you, it's very hard not to fall for the Prince. I loved Damian and Alexa's scenes together. They are both very secretive character and reading their stories unfold was amazing.....watching them try to trust each other was amazing. The love triangle isn't the main focus of the story but it's something you always think about mainly because we see Alexa struggling with her feeling for both the Prince and Rylan. I do believe there is a clear winner - and hopefully many of you will agree who that should be.

It wasn't just the characters that made me fall in love with this book, it was just everything about it. It's unique and written very well, it has many surprises along the way to keep you on your toes, and it has a very interesting history too. The ending was not at all predictable - if anything, I judged how this story would end before I even finished it, so I was certainly surprised that it ended the complete opposite of how I thought. It does have me questioning what's in store for the sequel, but I can't wait either way.

I for one can not wait for more from Sara B. Larson because Defy is a must read for 2014, and like I said before, I hope you'll be giving this new author a try, it's not one you want to miss out on.

"True beauty is what lies inside of us, not what the world sees. A beautiful shell that houses a vile soul becomes sullied over time. But an outer shell, imperfect as it may be, that houses a beautiful soul shines with that beauty, radiating it for all who have eyes to see."

A Review for Black Amaranth by Sasha Hibbs

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: August 16th, 2013
Finished Date: December 26th, 2013

Publishers: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle
Pages: 216

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Eighteen-year-old Ally Watson arrives home from high school graduation, more than a little annoyed that her Uncle Argyle—Ally’s legal guardian and only surviving relative—didn’t even bother showing up. But instead of berating him for his forgetfulness, Ally finds him in a life-or-death battle with a monster. Argyle manages to kill the creature, and gives Ally a parcel containing a destiny she never knew existed.

Ally, along with her best friends Michael, Jessica, and David, hurry to Georgia to uncover the truth of Uncle Argyle’s secrets, and the meaning of the mysterious marks that Ally bears. Are the marks related to the blacksmith mythology of her ancestors? Who are these heavenly warriors who show up in the oddest of places? And will an ancient gypsy curse destroy the very things Ally fights to save?

Black Amaranth: a simple flower, a symbol with an ancient legacy, a conduit for prophecy…while faith and hope are essential to the journey, Ally soon discovers that love is the most powerful force of all.

The Review: I thought Black Amaranth was a great read & I really enjoyed it. The synopsis tells us everything we need to know as we join 18 year old Ally on her journey of self discovery. Ally was a great character, easy to gel with and really route for. I liked everything about her particularly how she can take everything in her stride, I loved watching her grow as she dealt with the secrets and the things that were thrown at her. I liked the relationships that developed for her, it was sort of a love triangle but wasn’t overly complicated because she was only on the verge of a relationship but happened to have two potential boyfriends. I did feel a connection to her from both sides and would have happily went with either one, although one was slightly more mysterious than the other BUT she has a way to find her true mate… This was also one of those books where the secondary characters are just as important and interesting as the main characters, it was easy to become involved in their drama & relationships and I really hope we get their stories too. The storyline was awesome, quite original and a great introduction to a series that has so much potential. I loved the history of it all, there are a lot of myths from all sides that lead up to current times and a big prophecy which is again told differently by all sides but all equating to the same outcome. We meet a couple of the clans of the supernaturals and they were really interesting particularly the warriors who are to protect Ally, every one of those men need a book of their own and I can’t wait to see them in action. ;) This book is filled to the brim with secrets and a whole lot of them are surrounding Ally which is always great, her heritage has been kept secret from her so she’s about to stumble upon that in a big way and I really liked that, I liked how she finds out things about herself from the past and they brought about some really revealing moments and it doesn’t end there, because as I said ‘brimming with secrets’…. And there are some jaw dropping surprises in store towards the end. I also love the soul mate angle, I’m such a sucker for soul mates, truly, nothing makes me happier and it was done well in this, I like how it’s possible to find out who your true mate is and I like the bonding part too in which the lovers make the ultimate sacrifice for love. To sum it up… Black Amaranth is an awesome story filled with so much potential, it has great characters, tons of secrets, a fair bit of action, a huge helping of romance from more than one source, a nice big prophecy and a battle between good & evil in the ultimate power play and really can’t wait for more. 

A Review for Stealing Justice (Justice Team, #1) by Misty Evans & Adrienne Giordano

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: January 14th, 2014
Finished Date: January 6th, 2014

Publishers: ALG Publishing LLC
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Adult
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle
Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

In this first book in a thrilling new romantic suspense series…

Justice “Grey” Greystone was fired from the FBI for insubordination. Now the FBI wants him to use his renegade skills to take down a serial killer who’s above the law. To trap the Lion, Grey will need to send the perfect woman undercover.

Sydney Banfield runs a women’s shelter and bends the law daily to help victims of abuse escape their painful lives. Three of the women she’s recruited for government jobs have become victims of the Lion. If Syd has her way, the vicious killer will never touch another woman again.

Grey and Sydney set a trap—with Sydney as the sexy bait—but the Lion adds a complex twist to his homicidal agenda. With Sydney’s life on the line, Grey must race against the clock to catch a killer who’s as unstoppable as he is evil.

The Review: 4.5 Flowers! 

This is another excellent novel by Misty Evans, this time collaborating with Adrienne Giordano and bringing us a great murder mystery in the political world…
The synopsis is spot on in its description as we meet Justice ‘Grey’ Greystone who is not above bending the law to snare the bad guy and Sydney Banfield who will always put the safety of a woman in need over laws any day. Both are great characters and both admirable in their own way. I like a renegade cop/FBI agent and Grey definitely fits that category and when he sets his sights on Sydney as the perfect undercover operative for a covert investigation, he’s about to meet his match. I loved Sydney’s character, in fact everything about her, what she did for a living, how she did it, her attitude to life, even her secrets… she had many layers that she used to shield herself emotionally and I really liked that Grey had her figured out and was a match for her in every way. I liked Grey a lot, even more so when we find out his story and they had great chemistry as a couple, they clicked together effortlessly , complementing each other and it wasn’t hard to connect with them and their troubles and they definitely brought the sizzle factor.
I really liked the storyline and I said this about Misty Evans previous book…. They read like movies/tv series, I could just imagine watching this and loving it! We have a current serial killer case that has been dogging our male lead, he lost his job because of it so what better way to start a series off? I love those type of stories…a lawman who lost everything for a case & if he can only crack the case then not only will he get his job back but his life will be complete again….you know the drill and the romance juts adds to that, especially when the woman - who has finally evoked some feeling in him - ends up being a target and in danger – I love this stuff! The investigation that ensued was fraught with tense situations where rape & murder is a high possibility and they can only trust each other and when you are thrust into that type of intense relationship it explodes into the bedroom with the same intensity & need, giving the story a massive dose of hotness. It was just great! Everything about it, right down to the pacing & love of cupcakes so, I’m already looking forward to book two and Monroe’s story. 

Book Blitz for All I Ever Want: An Abbott Springs Anthology; Excerpt + INT Giveaway

All I Ever Wanted: An Abbott Springs Anthology 
by Marilyn Brant, Rhonda Helms, Caisey Quinn, Lexi Ryan 
Publication date: January 13th 2014 
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Purchase: Amazon / Amazon UK

Winterfest is heating up in Abbott Springs...

As the town’s yearly festival kicks off, cold days turn into steamy nights, new flames will be ignited, and old romances will be rekindled.

All About Us by Marilyn Brant—All Sami Abbott ever wanted was permission to be herself. At home, she aims to be the perfect daughter but never measures up. At college, she’s the bold girl who had a one-night stand with sexy musician, Alex Hamilton. When he arrives unexpectedly in Abbott Springs, her worlds collide and she must reconcile the girl she tries to be with the person she really is.

All I Need by Caisey Quinn–All pink-haired rocker chick Everly Abbott thought she wanted was acceptance in her straight-laced hometown. But her best friend and bandmate Justin Cohen is about to show her that what she thinks she wants isn’t necessarily what she needs.

All for Love by Rhonda Helms–All Maya Monterey ever wanted was to belong. Happiest with the Abbott family, Maya’s been secretly in love with sexy pastry chef Oliver Abbott for years. With a flirty new look, she’ll pull out all the stops to get him to notice her. And if her plan fails, she’ll walk away from the only home she’s ever known–and Oliver–for good.

All or Nothing by Lexi Ryan—After years of placing the wrong bets, all Aubree Baxter wanted was someone to take a chance on her. Golden boy Kennedy Hale plays it safe in life and love, but to keep Bree in Abbott Springs, he’ll have to go all in. 

Excepts: 

From ALL ABOUT US by Marilyn Brant 

Alex slipped through the swinging door off to the side of the counter and joined me. I was still holding the plate with the scone out for him. He took it from me this time…and immediately set it on the counter.

“Oh, sorry! Did you want a fork?” I asked, reaching toward the drawer with the silverware.

But he put his hand on mine, stopping me. “No, Samantha,” he whispered. “That isn’t what I want.”

He swallowed again and nudged me toward the kitchen wall nearest us until my shoulders were touching it. Until the zipper of his leather jacket pressed against the red Abbott’s Sweet Confections apron I was wearing. Until I could feel his breath on my forehead.

He looked into my eyes and waited. Waited until I’d tilted my head up toward him and licked my lips and leaned a little closer. Then he smiled and brought his mouth down on mine.

Everything about our kiss said hunger to me. We were in a place filled with heaping platters of food, but Alex was the only thing in the whole building I wanted to devour. It was like my dream from this morning, only better because it wasn’t a simple dream. Because I could really feel the roughness of his stubble on my cheek, smell the crisp January air when he exhaled, taste the warmth of his tongue as it mingled with mine and left me wanting more. More of him. All of him. 

From ALL I NEED by Caisey Quinn 

Somehow it had become bigger than us. Bigger than a couple of kids playing around in the garage. At our last few shows, we’d been approached by managers and even a few small record labels.

I gripped the steering wheel so tight to keep from reaching over and putting my hand on her knee that my knuckles ached. As much as I wanted to comfort her, I knew if I ever touched her like that I wouldn’t be able to stop. A hand on the knee would turn to a hand on her inner thigh. Which would turn to… Jesus. I could not go there while operating a motor vehicle. Think of the band, dude.

We were on the brink of something huge, and in a way, it was fucking terrifying. What was even more terrifying was that every second of the day I knew I was one wrong move from ruining all of it. From destroying Ev’s dream of the band making it big before she’d even had a chance to live it. 

From ALL FOR LOVE by Rhonda Helms 

With her eyes fixed down at the table, Maya’s voice was soft as she began to organize the trays for easy carrying. “I’m not a little kid anymore, Oliver.”

No, she wasn’t—she was nineteen now, no longer that scrawny pre-teen girl our family had unofficially adopted. My gaze was drawn to her face, and I studied her like it was the first time I was really seeing her. Her high cheekbones, the bridge of her small nose, the proud thrust of her chin.

My focus moved to her mouth, and I detected a slight sheen of pink gloss on her lips. Funny, that color made her mouth look more plump than usual.

My throat tightened.

“What are you thinking about?” she suddenly asked as she turned to face me. Her intense brown eyes locked on mine.

I swallowed; my heart gave a knock against my ribcage. “Um, what?”

Maya took a step toward me, and her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip. My eyes darted down and I noticed her coat was unzipped a touch. Enough for me to see right into the curves of her cleavage.

A strange stirring pumped through my torso, a throb that ended at my crotch and caused my back to stiffen. I ripped my attention away from her chest and looked back into those eyes that were staring so innocently up at me. What the hell was my problem today? Was I seriously just checking out Maya—my friend?  

From ALL OR NOTHING by Lexi Ryan 

“So, are we going to pretend it didn’t happen?” he asked. His voice was low and rough, and I wanted to rub against it, nuzzle it like a cat. You’ve lost your mind, some sane part of my brain told me. “Because I think we should talk about it.”

My head snapped back and my eyes went wide. “Talk about what?”

“October? You showing up unannounced? Naked in my bed? Ring any bells?”

This was not the conversation I’d expected to have tonight. Didn’t he want to pretend it hadn’t happened even more than I did?

His dark eyes softened as he studied me, and I stiffened at his pity. I hated that he felt sorry for me.

“Yes,” I finally said. “Yes, we’re going to pretend it didn’t happen. I hardly remember it anyway. You know me. I get drunk and do stupid things.”

“And then you avoid my calls for months? Fuck that, Bree.” I tried to escape his embrace, but he drew me tighter against him and whispered in my ear, “I’m not going to let you throw this friendship away just because you’re embarrassed by some dumb drunken mistake.”

Dumb drunken mistake? Five years of unrequited love and he thought the night I found the courage to act on it was a drunken mistake?

AUTHOR BIO

Marilyn Brant is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of eight novels to date, writing in the genres of contemporary women's fiction, romantic comedy, and new adult/mystery. Recently, the Illinois Association of Teachers of English selected her as their 2013 Author of the Year. As a former teacher, library staff member, freelance magazine writer, and national book reviewer, Marilyn has spent much of her life lost in literature. Her books have been featured by the Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, Literary Guild, BOMC2, and Rhapsody Book Club, and they've won awards such as the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart, the Booksellers' Best, and the Aspen Gold Reader's Choice. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her family, reads a lot of Jane Austen, and loves chocolate, old movies, and road trips with music blaring and the windows rolled down. Please visit her online at www.marilynbrant.com or find her on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/marilyn.brant and Twitter @marilynbrant

Caisey Quinn lives in a suburb outside of Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She wears cowgirl boots most of the time, even to church. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series and writes New and Young Adult books about country girls finding love in unexpected places. She can be found online at www.caiseyquinnwrites.com or on Twitter as @CaiseyQuinn where she spends entirely too much time chatting with readers, writers, and anyone who’s willing. 

Rhonda Helms started writing novels several years ago and loves teen and New Adult romance. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also freelance edits (visit rhondaedits.com to learn more about her services). When she isn't writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat way too much cheese. Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her family, dog, and a very loud cat. Visit her at rhondahelmsbooks.com for details about her and her books. You can also find her on twitter @rhelmsbooks or Facebook at facebook.com/rhondahelmsbooks.

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author, Lexi Ryan considers herself the luckiest chick she knows. Her books have been described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. When not writing, she enjoys watching football, perfecting her chocolate martini, and reading her way to the title of Biggest Romance Fangirl Evah. A former college professor, her biggest fears include faculty meetings and large stacks of ungraded freshman composition papers. She now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband and two children and their neurotic dog. You can visit Lexi at her website www.lexiryan.com or find her on Twitter @writerlexiryan or Facebook at facebook.com/lexiryanauthor. 

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A Review for Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3) by Samantha Young

Posted by Donna
Release Date: January 16th, 2014
Finished Date: January 12th, 2014

Publishers: Penguin UK
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback
Pages: 464

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

One simple lesson in seduction between two friends can turn into so much more… 

Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.

Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left broken-hearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever…

The Review: I really love the On Dublin Street series and this instalment just proves how strong this series is becoming. Before Jamaica Lane is definitely my favourite of the series so far and I have to say I believe it's Samantha's best written work to date. 

This time around we see Olivia and Nate - both of them are strong characters that have had to deal with losing someone close to them. Olivia and Nate just click. As soon as they meet, they fast become friends and somehow their lives wouldn't be the same without the other. Olivia has harboured feelings for Nate since she first met him, but knowing that Nate's a playboy that will never settle down, her feelings are a lost cause. It's not until Olivia gets  drunk one night that that she admits to Nate that she's unhappy with her life - she wants to find love, but she's too shy to do anything about it. With Nate's help, he tries to train her into someone that is more confident in her looks and with who is really is, but by doing so, their feelings soon become muddled and Olivia finds herself losing more than just her best friend. 

I was completely addicted to Olivia and Nate's story. I loved it! I loved it so much more than the other couples we've seen so far. I don't know why, I don't know if it was just down to my reading mood, but their story just clicked for me and once I found myself putting their story down, it was the only thing I could think about until I managed to pick it up again. I don't think I've devoured a book like this in a long time...and I'm glad it was this one. 

Like I said, something just clicked for me with Olivia and Nate. I loved them as characters and I really loved reading about them together. I'm a huge fan of the best friends fall in love and Samantha Young wrote their story perfectly. I loved the whole geekiness they had going on. It bought a lot of humour to the story and had me laughing out loud in parts. Their story had some major ups and downs, some heart-breaking times, but then there was so many fun times and not to mention all the steamy times too. Their story was a very well rounded story that had a little bit of everything and in parts, even made me well up with tears. 

It was also great to catch up with all the other characters. It's good see they haven't been forgotten and they are progressing in their lives. I adore how much of a tight knit group they are and really help each other out. I'm dying for Hannah's story and I'm even wondering if Cole will get his own story now too. I really hope so! 

In all, Before Jamaica Lane is a heart-wrenching and all-consuming read, one that is wrote perfectly. Olivia and Nate's story really was a joy to read and I can't wait for more from Samantha Young. 

Waiting on Wednesday (#68)

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Jess's WoW

Take A Chance (Chane #1)

by Abbi Glines

Release date: February 25th, 2014

 When Harlow Manning's rocker father goes on tour, he sends her to Rosemary Beach, Florida, to live with her half-sister, Nan. The problem: Nan despises her. Harlow has to keep her head down if she wants to get through the next nine months, which seems easy enough. Until gorgeous Grant Carter walks out of Nan's room in nothing but his boxer briefs.

Grant made a huge mistake getting involved with a girl with venom in her veins. He'd known about Nan's reputation, but still he couldn't resist her. Nothing makes him regret the fling more than meeting Harlow, who sends his pulse racing. Yet Harlow wants nothing to do with a guy who could fall for her wicked half-sister, even if there are no strings between Grant and Nan. Grant is desperate to redeem himself in Harlow's eyes, but did he ruin his chances before he even met her?

Jess's thoughts: More Abbi? I can't ever say no to her. I am so excited for this, and we finally have a cover! It's so pretty. Look at that Grant model? A young Heath Ledger he looks like! Yay! More Abbi! 

Donna's WoW

Sinner
by Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: July 1st, 2014

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved? "Legions of fans -- myself included -- have wanted Maggie to return to the world of Shiver, and now she's found an ingenious, sexy, utterly compelling way to do it," says David Levithan, VP/Publisher and Editorial Director, Scholastic Press. "This isn't so much a re-visitation as it is a reinvention, with Maggie taking readers to many places they've never been with her before. There is nothing quite so amazing as Maggie Stiefvater at the top of her game."

Author Maggie Stiefvater says, "For me, finishing the Shiver trilogy was a bittersweet moment -- I knew that I wouldn't be returning to Mercy Falls once Sam and Grace's story was over. But Cole and Isabel still lurked in the back of my mind. Both of them were only half-fixed at the end of the trilogy, and I wanted to know if they could be fixed the rest of the way."

Donna's thoughts: Is anyone else excited about this book just as much as me? I was disappointed with the ending that Isabel and Cole had at the end of the Shiver series, so I'm so pleased Maggie decided to write more!

<What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

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Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. 

Happy Reading!

Books to watch out for in 2014!

Hey everyone! 

With the start of a new year, we have new and exciting books to get ready for. So we thought we'd show you some of the books that we think you should be watching out for over the next few months.

   

Cress by Marissa Meyer - Feb 4th

Raging Star by Moira Young - May 13th

Out of Control by Sarah Alderson - Aug 1st

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead - July 29th

   

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Feb 25th

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater - July 1st

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong - April 8th

Carnal Secrets by Suzanne Wright - Feb 11th

   

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare - May 27th

Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor - April 8th

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi - Feb 4th

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick - April 15th

   

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott - Feb 25th

The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson by Paige Toon - Jan 30th

Panic by Lauren Oliver - March 4th

Unbeloved by Madeline Sheehan - Spring

  

Anything to Have You by Paige Harbison - Jan 28th

Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux - March 17th

Twisted by Emma Chase - March 25th

Take a Chance by Abbi Glines - Feb 25th

   

The King by J.R. Ward - April 1st

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout - April 15th

The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison - Feb 25th

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen - Feb 4th

Wow! There are so many great titles up there which we can't wait to read. 

What are you looking forward to reading in 2014?

Blog Tour for Golden Dunes of Renhala (Renhala #2) by Amy Joy Lutchen

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: November 2013
Finished Date: December 14th,, 2013

Publishers: Self Published
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Source: For Review

Format: eARC

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

How do you live with a secret so dark and so deeply woven into your being that it threatens to smother your very existence, with no known way out? Use it to your advantage.

Kailey Rooke, karmelean, and now a possibly unethical karma-for-hire, has spent the past year jumping from project to project without any real hope for salvation. With repercussions from her actions at every turn, she discovers that as time goes on, she loses a bit more of herself to that which feeds on her anguish--that which is thriving inside her own body.

When a new contract to find a missing girl arises, Kailey attempts to put her past and its associated problems on the back burner, but she soon finds out that treachery and deceit lie shortly ahead in Golden Dunes, only giving face to new problems, with one leading right back to her childhood past.

She struggles to complete her contract as her own life teeters on a fulcrum, constantly tipping according to karma’s whim. How long will she keep her balance? Which way will she fall?

The Review: **SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE (if you haven’t read it, don’t read this!!)**

In the Golden Dunes of Renhala live a community lead by a woman covered in snakes and her name is Eve, she is a powerful woman who owns a successful plantation and has everything she wants even a son, daughter & mate….. but she no longer has her daughter, for she is missing and she will do whatever it takes to bring her back home, even employ the Karmelean – Kailey Rourke. Kailey has spent the last year putting her karma skills to good use, a little karma for hire didn’t do anyone any harm right? Well that may be a different story when you also host sudo-abominor that is steadily chipping away at her control, making her dangerous and unpredictable. When she takes on Eve’s case, Kailey may not be strong enough to come out the other side but when she gets her claws into a good case, she is determined to let karma have its day.

I really enjoyed this sequel to Renhala and I appreciated that most of the book was set there. It was very easy to reconnect with the characters again, especially Kailey who I enjoyed reading of her coming out of her shell in the first book, in this she has more struggles with herself but in a different way. After being exposed to sudo-abominor she struggles to remain balanced, unpredictably becoming angry & enraged as she wrestles for control of her own body & mind… it was good to see this side of her but you could also feel how the bad the situation was getting and how it deteriorated throughout the book and I thought it made Kailey a more dangerous threat to people and in my opinion that wasn’t such a bad thing, I like a character that can kick butt! I liked how she stayed close to the friends she made in book one, it would have been so easy for her to crawl back into herself but she stayed strong. I was surprised she had started a relationship with one of the characters, it was nice to see her have a touch of love after losing so much but I felt the chemistry more with her other suitor.

I really liked the direction the storyline went, I think the karma-for-hire idea was great because not only will it bring mystery & intrigue with each case they take but it also opens up a lot of possibilities for stories and the opportunity to explore even more of Renhala and its inhabitants. The case they took on was very mysterious, not just the case itself but also the inhabitants of Golden Dunes and I was interested in their way of life & liked how the crops & such were explained…obviously there is a lot more going on than what I can say but they brought an interesting addition to the story and even though Kailey & the gang had been invited, they also came across as territorial…or was it because they had something to hide? It wasn’t hard to know that everything isn’t as it seems & whilst I thought I had the big mystery all worked- I hadn’t – so it definitely kept me on my toes right up until the end. I liked how the series plot developed too, following the end of book one, we had five major facts 1) Kailey’s mother dies 2) Kailey’s Father apparently dies 3) Kailey’s best friend is now pregnant with her half sibling 4) Kailey has a brother 5)Kailey is now hosting sudo-abominor , all are mentioned in the book and at least two of these facts will impact this story in a big way and it’s sooo good, leading to some pretty intense moments but leaving me very excited for next book.

AUTHOR BIO
Was born in Chicago and slept in a dresser drawer for the first few weeks of my life, marking me as a future claustrophobe.

I studied at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (man I grew up quick), where I became a number, but decided it was a good number.

I write with plenty of snacks in hand, making sure they are not in multiples of three. That number makes me nervous.

Author of the Renhala series.