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Saturday, 21 June 2014

{Book Blitz + Giveaway} Never Far Away by Marysue G. Hobika




22029535Never Far Away by Marysue G. Hobika
Release Date: May 20th, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

All Theo Baker wants is to get on with his new life as a student at Columbia, but his dreams keep getting infiltrated by the one girl who stole his heart—Stella, his sexy neighbor back home. They shared a kiss that turned his world upside down; only she said it didn’t mean anything to her. But he knows she lied and all he wants is a chance to prove that they could have something real, but it’s hard pining away for a girl who’s been avoiding him for the past year and a half.

Incoming freshman Stella Freeman is excited about going to college for photography—her true passion. She’s never more herself than when she is behind the camera. Regardless of her father’s constant backlash, she follows her heart to the city where Theo is currently living. He’s the only boy she’s ever loved, but she's pushed him away. Still, he’s never been far from her thoughts, even if he doesn’t know.

What will happen when their paths cross? Will they have a second chance to be with their one first true love?

This book is intended for audiences 17+

Interview with Marysue G. Hobika

What genre is your book?
“Never Far Away” is my first crack at writing a New Adult/Contemporary Romance novel. My resume includes 3 YA novels, and I was ready to branch out and expand my style and audience.

What inspired you to write this novel?
A real life event inspired this novel. I took a real situation—two neighbors fighting over seats on the back of the bus in elementary school, never really agreeing on anything, and placed these two antagonist characters years down the road. What happens? How are they different? The same? They share history, but can they share a future? 

What book are you reading now?
Currently I am reading short stories in Spanish and meeting with a great group of ladies once a month to discuss them. Hablamos en español todo el tiempo y me encanta.


If you could have breakfast with anyone past or present who would you choose, and why? 
I would choose my mother. She died when I was in my early twenties and so much has happened in my life since then that I’d love to share with her—I finished college, got my first job, got married, and had kids. I’d love to see the look on her face when I told her I’m a writer too. I’ll never forget the day back in high school when she drove me to school and I suddenly remembered I had written an essay on a whim for a contest and it was due that day—typed. (This was before computers were in every household). My mom sighed and took the essay to work and typed it for me and dropped it off at school, and I won. She was proud of me then and I’m sure she’d be proud of me know. After breakfast I’d like to have her show me how to make an apple pie with her homemade crust because that’s something I miss. 

What’s your favorite dessert?
My mom’s homemade apple pie, of course.

How would you describe yourself in three words? 

Creative, Happy, and Kind.

AUTHOR BIO: Marysue G Hobika grew up in Caledonia, NY and attended SUNY at Buffalo where she studied to be a Spanish teacher.  Currently she lives in Pittsford, NY with her husband, three children, and her two pugs.

She has learned that stories don’t write themselves and tries to make time every day to sit down and write. She does her best thinking while in the shower, driving her kids around, or right before she falls asleep. She keeps a moleskin notebook handy that a dear friend gave her as a gift, so that if an idea occurs she can write it down. 

She doesn’t know where this journey will take her, but she has a lot of characters and stories floating around inside her head waiting to be brought to life. 

Author links: 
http://marysuehobika.wordpress.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5765439.Marysue_G_Hobika

Friday, 20 June 2014

{Review, Excerpt + Giveaway} Come Back to Me by Mila Gray



20935107Posted by Donna
Release Date: June 19th, 2014
Finished Date: June 1st, 2014
Publishers: Pan Macmillian 
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance 
Source: For Review
Format: eARC
Pages: 373
Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have.

But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms.

What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for.

Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak.

The Review: You all know how much of a fan I am of Sarah Alderson's work, so to hear she was releasing a new adult story under her pen name Mila Gray, was pretty damn exciting. And after reading Come Back to Me I've come away knowing this, Sarah Alderson is a phenomenal writer and Come Back to Me just proves to the greatness of work that this women can create. I'm simply left wanting more! 

Jessa has lived a sheltered life. Her strict father watches her and her brother carefully leaving them walking on egg shells in their own home. One thing Jessa can't understand is why her father hates her brothers Marine best friend, Kit Ryan. Jessa has had the biggest crush on him forever, but she's only ever watched him from afar. After he returns home from a tour, Kit finally decides it's time that he and Jessa get to know another other that little bit more. But can their lives tear them apart before their journey has just begun? 

Absolutely heart-breaking, Come Back to Me is a whirlwind of a roller-coaster that will leave you an emotional mess! It's lovable, charming, sweet, hot, sad, intense, it's everything a new adult story should be and more, and I was hooked from the very first moment. 

I adored both Kit and Jessa. It's pretty hard not to. They're both fantastic characters that you can only wish the best for. They're very lovable and compelling that you can't put their story down. Their journey isn't easy and the dual narrative worked perfect with the story. It made it that much more emotional because you can understand what each character was going through, and it just cracks your heart a little bit. 

In all, I just knew that this novel would be fantastic and it is! If you're a fan of Sarah Alderson's or even if you haven't discovered her yet, try this book and see for yourself why we all adore her so much! 

Excerpt from Come Back to Me by Mila Gray

‘I can’t believe I’ve never been here before,’ she says, resting back on her elbows and stretching her legs out. I take a deep breath, trying to tear my eyes off the smooth, tempting length of them. I snatch the spare blanket and throw it over us, then lie down beside her. After a moment she rolls gently against me. I lift my arm and she scoots even closer, resting her head on my shoulder. For a long while neither of us moves, and I’m not sure about Jessa, but I know that I’m not thinking about stars. All I can concentrate on is the feel of Jessa’s body relaxing against mine, the warmth of her bare legs pressed against my thigh, the feel of her breasts against my side and the cool silk of her hair tickling my neck.
The tension in her body gradually seeps away as my hand gently strokes her shoulder and arm beneath the blanket. Goosebumps prickle her skin and my gut tightens in answer. I want nothing more than to kiss her, but I don’t. I don’t want her to think I brought her all this way just so I could make out with her. I mean, I do want to make out with her, but I also want to take things slowly, make sure she knows I’m not putting any pressure on her. If all we did was lie here and look up at the stars, that would be enough.
‘That’s the big dipper,’ I say, pointing out the plough shape of stars in the sky. ‘And this little one here, that’s the little dipper, Ursa Minor. See the brightest star in it? At the end of the handle? That’s the North Star.’
Jessa follows my hand with her eyes.
‘It’s always there, all night. Doesn’t rise, doesn’t set. All the other stars revolve around it. It’s the one you look for if you’re lost. It’ll take you home.’
Jessa is quiet for a moment. ‘How do you know all this?’ she finally asks.
‘They taught us in basic training. We have to be able to navigate without a compass at night.’
Jessa tenses a little and then her hand moves beneath the blanket and comes to rest on my stomach. Oh man. I hope to God it stays there and doesn’t wander any lower, because I’m barely managing to stay cool as it is.
‘What else did they teach you?’ she asks, her fingertips gently and slowly smoothing their way across my T-shirt, tracing the bottom line of my ribs and then my stomach muscles. Blood pounds in my ears like a hammer against an anvil.
‘To iron. I have mad ironing skills,’ I practically stammer. ‘And I also know which spoon to use for soup and which to use for dessert.’
‘Useful in the heat of battle,’ she laughs. ‘Why do you need to know about place settings?’
‘We work in an embassy. We’re guarding diplomats. They give us etiquette lessons before they send us into the field so we don’t go embarrassing ourselves at all the fancy functions and act like grunts who’ve never seen a knife and fork before.’
Jessa leans up on one shoulder and looks at me strangely, as though she’s checking if I’m kidding or not. I’m not. ‘You get to go to parties?’ she asks.
I shrug, pulling her back down so her head rests on my shoulder. I like feeling the weight of it there. ‘Yeah, sometimes. I mean, embassy functions, socials, that kind of thing.’
‘And there I was imagining you living in a dorm with a dozen guys, standing sentry all night and living on rat packs.’ 
She’s talking about the foil pouches containing what some guy with no taste buds who works in supply believes constitutes food – the packs marines are forced to eat in combat zones. ‘Nah,’ I tell her. ‘No rat packs for us. We have our own chef.’
She tries to sit up again but I tickle her under the arm and she collapses back down, this time almost right on top of me.
‘You get your own chef?’ she asks, incredulous. ‘No wonder you and Riley both wanted to become embassy guards.’
It’s true. Both Riley and I trained hard and sat numerous tests so we could be selected for embassy duty. They’re pretty choosy, but we both made the rank of corporal and then made the grade. But right now, it must be said, I couldn’t pass a simple English proficiency test. Jessa’s thigh is flung across my legs, her stomach resting on my hip, and I can feel my body responding automatically. I try to think of my old drill sergeant screaming in my face, to picture myself in the pit doing push-ups until my body cramps, but when Jessa leans her weight on her arms and looks down at me, her hair trailing down on either side of my face, her lips just an inch from my own, all those images vanish, replaced with just one − her naked beneath me.

Giveaway!
To celebrate the release of Come Back to Me, Sarah is celebrating by offering one lucky winner the chance to win £50 of vouchers to a store of your choice, signed books & more (international entry welcome).  So if you're interested, click the rafflecopter link below!

Here’s the link to the Rafflecopter;
https://www.facebook.com/MilaGrayBooks?sk=app_228910107186452

Sarah AldersonAUTHOR BIO
Having spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where Sarah now spends her days writing by the pool and trying to machete open coconuts without severing a limb.

She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila, just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.

A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.

The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013. She has a further three thrillers due for release in the next few years.

You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com

Thursday, 19 June 2014

{Blog Tour} The Anna Wolfe Series by Casey Keen


17693317Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: October 4th, 2013
Finished Date: June 3rd, 2014
Publishers: Nevermore Press 
Genre: Adult,Paranormal, Romance 
Source: For Review from Paranormal Cravings
Format: eBook
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

A sister kidnapped.

An impending war between Heaven and Hell looming around the corner.

A Grand Witch who has no idea what she is.

The Prince of Darkness’s obsession in claiming her.

Two sinfully gorgeous men pulling her in two different directions.

As the owner of the coffee shop Déjà Brew in Savannah, Georgia, Anna thought her life was ordinary. That is until her sister is kidnapped by a demon, prompting two handsome men to march into her life unexpectedly. Valen, the sinfully gorgeous, overprotective werewolf who is Anna’s sworn guardian and Roman, the most handsome and powerful Warlock in the entire Netherworld. 

Suddenly, her world is stripped of everything she knows and replaced with frightening news about who she really is - a powerful Grand Witch. Now, it’s up to her to draw out her dormant magic, rescue her sister and stop an impending heavenly war threatening to eradicate the human race all while staying alive.

The Review: What can I say? I hate giving less than favourable reviews and this is a mixed bag of pluses & minuses. On the plus side the author has a good story, the idea behind it is good and I liked what world our main character was being brought into, her hidden background, what that means for her and the people that would use it for their benefit. On the minus side the pacing was terrible -for me- the author tends to be overly descriptive, writing every little detail - seriously, one morning scene of getting up, ready & breakfast took about 5 kindle pages -TMI- and it wasn't needed and harmed the story for me because it bogged it down. Then stuff would happen storywise and I'd perk up, but back to being long winded when the excitement was over. There was just too many times when I lost interest through the filler so the story didn't flow well at all. I also didn't like that every man who met her - wanted her and she wanted them - nope, give me one good love interest, maybe another for flirtation but not 4 and also her gay pal was like a carbon copy of Lafeyette out of True Blood. I forced myself to read it to the end and didn't even get any answers because it has a cliffhanger - CBA to read book 2 even if it is half the size of this. I really wanted to like this and maybe with a good edit & a lot of pages removed, it could be a decent read but in it's current form I was left felling like I had wasted a chunk of my life =(
Casey KeenAUTHOR BIO
I was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in the suburban outskirts of this amazing city. I love anything paranormal and/or supernatural - seriously I live in Philadelphia! For those of you who don’t know, this city is an awesomely haunted place! This healthy paranormal addiction has provided me the motivation to write my first book, “I’ll Be Damned.” 

I graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and I'm currently working on the Anna Wolfe Series.

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway; Day 5


Hey everyone! How are you enjoying the giveaways? Well, we're now on day 5 and this is the last day! *sad face* 

 Today we have many more prizes to be won by FIVE lucky winner. Woohoo!!  This is only open to UK/IRE followers!  If you're an international follower please check out day 1 - 4 and they are all international giveaways! 

Most of this giveaway was possible because of so many awesome UK publishers, please make sure you do the extra entries and follow them because without them this giveaway would not have been possible. 


DAY 5 Giveaway Bundle #5 – UK/IRE only giveaway – anyone under the age of 17 will need parental consent due to some adult content in some books. 

First Prize:
$10 Evernight Teen Gift Card  + eBook copy of Unraveled 
Hardback SIGNED copy of Half Bad by Sally Green.
SIGNED copy of Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Make You Mine by Macy Beckett
Take Me Under & Keep Me Closer Rhyannon Byrd  
Eversea & Forever Jack by Natasha Boyd
A goody bag filled with Harper Collins bestsellers.
Swag pack 

Second Prize:
SIGNED copy of Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
SIGNED copy of Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff
A Midsummer Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Make You Mine by Macy Beckett
Eversea & Forever Jack by Natasha Boyd
Take Me Under & Keep Me Closer by Rhyannon Byrd  
Masquerade by Nyrae Dawn 
Blue by Lisa Glass
A goody bag filled with Harper Collins bestsellers.
  
Third Prize:
SIGNED copy of Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington
Letters to My Daughter’s Killer by Cath Staincliffe.
Masquerade by Nyrae Dawn 
Then Came You by Jill Shalvis 
Heated by J. Kenner
Blue by Lisa Glass

Fourth Prize:
SIGNED copy of Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
Since I Saw You by Beth Kerry
Then Came You by Jill Shalvis 
Let Me Hold Your Hand by Marie Force
Heated by J. Kenner
Blue by Lisa Glass

Fifth Prize:
SIGNED copy of Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn
The Glasgow Coma Scale by Neil Stewart
Letters to My Daughter’s Killer by Cath Staincliffe.

DAY 5 Giveaway Bundle #5 – UK/IRE only giveaway – anyone under the age of 17 will need parental consent due to some adult content in some books. 

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway; Day 4

Hey everyone! How are you enjoying the giveaways? Well, we're now on day 4! 

 Today we have many more prizes to be won by TWO lucky winners. This is an 17+ Giveaway (open INT) and we also have just a USA only giveaway! If you love Mature YA Paranormal, Adult Paranormal and New Adult, then this is the giveaway for you. 
Excited? We hope so! 

Here is the list of the authors taking part and please do pop over to their Goodreads page and check out their work. 
(Just click on their names to be taken to Goodreads)  
Kim Harnes
Emma Raveling
Jessie Donovan 
Shannan Albright
Brandy L Rivers
Becky Wicks
Janelle Stadler
Stephanie Witter
Aleya Michelle
Erin Horn
Violet Heart
H.D Gordon

Day 4 Giveaway Bundle 4 - Open 17+ ONLY (INT) 

Monday, 16 June 2014

5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway; Day 3

We hope you're having tons of fun entering the giveaway so far! Why not pop on over to the last two posts - day 1 and 2 - to find out the details and of course enter the giveaway. 

 Today we have many more prizes to be won by ONE lucky winner (open internationally). Excited? Well, you should be because we have some great prizes donated by some very awesome authors. 

Here is the list of the authors taking part and please do pop over to their Goodreads page and check out their work. 
(Just click on their names to be taken to Goodreads)  
Danielle Belwater
K.D. Vanbrunt
Amy Lutchen 
Melissa Simmons  & Allana Kephart
Devri Walls 
Teal Haviland
Kaiya Hart

So want to know what ONE lucky winner could win, yes? See the list below! 

Day 3 Giveaway Bundle 3 - (INT) 

Sunday, 15 June 2014

5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway; Day 2

Welcome to day 2 of our 5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway!

If you're only just joining us, why not pop on over to yesterday's post - day 1 - to find out the details and of course enter the giveaway.

Today we have many more prizes to be won by ONE lucky winner (open internationally). Excited? Well, you should be because we have some great prizes donated by some very awesome authors. Here is the list of the authors taking part and please do pop over to their Goodreads page and check out their work.
(Just click on their names to be taken to Goodreads)
T.G Ayer

Day 2 - Giveaway Bundle #2 

Saturday, 14 June 2014

5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway; Day 1

Over here at Book Passion for Life, we wanted to celebrate Summer with a massive giveaway. Not only that but we wanted to say thank you to all our followers for supporting us over the last 3 years and so, we can up with our 5 Day Summer Spectacular Giveaway, welcome everyone! 

Over the next 5 days you will find awesome giveaways with tons of prizes. All you need to do to is follow us and enter. Of course there are a ton of extra entries. We had a ton of donations from some very lovely authors and there are ways to gain more entries by following the authors and showing them the same support that you've shown us.  And of course, we welcome all new followers! 

And please do not forget to check out these awesome authors who kindly donated towards this giveaway! If you looking for more information on each other, you can visit their Goodreads pages (just click on their names below)
Sarah Alderson
Sasha Hibbs
Mireille Chester
Devri Walls
Airicka Phoenix
Kaiya Hart
T.G Ayer
J.A Belfield
Stacey Marie Brown

So want to know what ONE lucky winner could win, yes? See the list below! 

Day 1 Giveaway Bundle 1 - (INT) 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Click the links below to check out the other giveaways!
Day 2 Giveaway 
Day 3 Giveaway
Day 4 Giveaway
Day 5 Giveaway

Friday, 13 June 2014

{Review} Changing The Game (Play by Play #2) by Jaci Burton

21238561Posted by Donna
Release Date: December 5th, 2013
Finished Date: April 14th, 2014
Publishers: Headline Eternal
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance 
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Most people play by the rules. Gavin and Liz aren't most people....

Win at any cost. That's always been the mantra of sports agent Liz Darnell. When she carries things too far and risks losing her number-one client, baseball pro Gavin Riley, Liz realizes that she'll have to work extra innings to win him back. It might not be too much of a stretch. She's had a thing for this player's moves since she first laid eyes on him, and by the looks of it, he wants her just as bad.

Gavin's more than ready—especially when Liz is offering herself as part of the bargain. And as much of her as Gavin wants. For added thrills, he decides to throw a little curve ball Liz's way to see just how far she's truly willing to go to keep him as a client. But when love unexpectedly enters the playing field, neither Liz nor Gavin are ready for the biggest game-changer of them all.

The Review: Changing the Game is book two in Jaci Burton’s erotic Play by Play series and what a scorcher it is!

When Liz Darnell loses Mick Riley as a client, she was sure she was going to lose his brother – Gavin Riley too. So before that happens she decides to do the one thing she’s wanted to do forever and that’s kiss Gavin. However when Gavin doesn’t follow in his brother’s footsteps, Liz realizes she probably made the worse decision of her life because now not only does she have to see Gavin but she still is employed by him. Trying to be as professional as possible, Liz tries to keep away from Gavin…but Gavin has other ideas.  
Famous ball player Gavin Riley lives his life in style and usually has a different woman every week. Never having a girlfriend has so many perks to it but when his agent, Liz Darnell kisses him, Gavin can’t stop thinking about her and decides he needs to know her more than ever. As Liz and Gavin head into friends with benefits relationship, soon they are trying to overcome so much more together than just their new found relationship. Can these find a happy ending together?

It’s impossible not to love this book! Changing the Game is another cracking read by Jaci Burton and I’m only left wanting more. I know I’m only two books into the series but they seem to get better and better and let’s not forget, hotter and hotter! 

I absolutely loved Liz. I know when we first meet her she’s quite cold and doesn’t like to open up to anyone because of her experience with her parents, but once she does open up, she’s blossoms into a new person – a happy one who will experience anything but she’s still so vulnerable. Gavin opens her up as well as opening himself up to. Together these two had a great relationship – both professionally and personally – but the best is when they are romantically involved, it’s completely swoon-worthy.

In all, Changing the Game was another fantastic read and I can’t wait to get my hands on book three! 

Favourite Quote: “Sometimes your world falls apart. And it’s okay for you to let people in and let them see you crumble” 

Thank you to Headline Eternal for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, 12 June 2014

{Review} Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

20703051Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 1st, 2014
Finished Date: June 3rd, 2014
Publishers: Hot Key Books
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 327
It begins as an assignment for English class: write a letter to a dead person - any dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain - he died young, and so did Laurel's sister May - so maybe he'll understand a bit of what Laurel is going through. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people - Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart... it's like she can't stop. And she'd certainly never dream of handing them in to her teacher. She writes about what it's like going to a new high school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time - and how her family has shattered since May died.

But much as Laurel might find writing the letters cathartic, she can't keep real life out forever. The ghosts of her past won't be contained between the lines of a page, and she will have to come to terms with growing up, the agony of losing a beloved sister, and the realisation that only you can shape your destiny. A lyrical, haunting and stunning debut from the protégé of Stephen Chbosky (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER)

The Review: Emotional, painful but surprisingly enjoyable, Love Letters to the Dead is a beautifully written story that deals with grief, hope and first love. 

The story follows Laurel, a teenage girl who struggling to move on after the death of her older sister. After given a school assignment to write a letter to a dead person, Laurel suddenly finds a way to express all of her feelings – by writing to several dead people. However, Laurel doesn’t turn in her assignment and continues to write to these dead people throughout the year. In the letters, Laurel pours her heart and soul into the pages, sharing her deep and darkest secrets, but soon Laurel will have to face the reality of losing her sister, the question is, will she lose herself in the process? 

Love Letters to the Dead was so much more than I was expecting. I went into this book with completely no expectations and I was honestly blown away by it. I think what stood out the most for me, was how the story was written – in letter format. I haven’t read a book like this before so it came across very unique. I’ve heard The Perks of a Wallflower is similar however, I’m glad Love Letters to the Dead was the first book that I read this way because it’s definitely left an impression. 

Laurel’s journey is, if I’m honest, very sad. It’s emotional and really tugs on your heart. The emotions that poured out of me while reading her story were unbelievable, because I was feeling so many different things all at once: sad, confused, happy, hopeful and so many more. My heart just broke for poor Laurel. She is dealing with so much and not just the loss of her sister but, there are some other secrets that Laurel is hiding – ones that I didn’t expect and it added a bit of darkness to the story that made it that much more emotional and heart-breaking. 

The one good part of the story is the support Laurel has from her friends. They’re the ones who help her get through each day, and even more so is Laurel’s love interest Sky. She could connect to him like no other. Their relationship was enjoyable to read it about as it blossomed and it really became something strong by the end, but it was no without it’s trials and errors. 

In all, Love Letters to the Dead is a gut-wrenching roller coaster but one that must be read this summer. It’s not on you want to miss! 

Favourite Quote: “I know I wrote letters to people with no address on this earth, I know that you are dead. But I hear you. I hear all of you. We were here. Our lives matter.” 

Thank you to Hot Key Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Wednesday, 11 June 2014

{Book Blitz + Giveaway} Two Little Lies (Edgewood Falls #2) by Rhonda Helms


21843024Two Little Lies 
(Edgewood Falls #2) by Rhonda Helms
Release Date: 5th June, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Natalie Goldsmith has a fabulous life and an equally awesome boyfriend. So what is her best friend Bianca thinking when she says she suspects West is cheating—and confesses that she’s hired a PI to prove it? Totally not cool.

Especially since the cynical PI, Kyle Winslow, is her grade school nemesis. With a smug, know-it-all look on his face, Kyle declares he can smell a cheater from a mile away, and he’s willing to bet it all on West. Well, if he wants to waste his time chasing a lie, more power to him. But just days later, he presents irrefutable evidence of her boyfriend’s unfaithfulness, and Natalie’s enviable life takes a total nosedive.

Determined to not let this ruin her New Year’s Eve, she goes out on the town, dressed to the nines…and ends up having a drunken night of mind-blowing sex with Kyle. Now the guy she hates is the one person she can’t get out of her mind. Even crazier, he seems just as drawn to her too. The more time they spend together, the more she realizes Kyle could be everything she’s been looking for. But should she risk it all on a guy who says he doesn’t believe in love?

Interview with Rhonda Helms

How did you come up with the concept for TWO LITTLE LIES?
When I was writing the other book in the series, ONE BROKE GIRL, I realized that Kyle and Natalie belonged together, no question. Natalie has loathed Kyle since elementary school, when he threw her lunchbox out a bus window. Kyle’s now a sexy, cynical PI; I knew I wanted something work-related to give them a reason to start talking. Hence the research into Natalie’s boyfriend and the start of the story. These two characters practically wrote themselves.

What are you working on right now?
I’m doing a New Adult two-book series for Kensington Publishing, so I just finished drafting the second book (the first is called SCRATCH, coming Sept 30). And I have a few other teen and New Adult book ideas battering around my head that are all begging for my time. ;-)

What is your go-to snack while writing?
Does wine count? Hah. I also enjoy noshing on chocolate or chugging a Diet Coke. Gotta love addictions…

What was your favorite scene to write in this book?
Oh, this one’s easy. The bathroom scene, hands down. I was like, OMG these two are a bit naughtier than I realized. Hah. I kinda pushed my own personal envelope a bit while writing it. I hope you guys enjoy!

How can readers learn about what’s up next for you?
You can drop by my website at http://rhondahelmsbooks.com to find out more about all my teen and adult romance releases. Make sure to sign up for my newsletter at http://bit.ly/1x35SsU. I do exclusive giveaways, teasers, and other fun things!

Rhonda HelmsAUTHOR BIO: Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also edits for Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin Publishing) and freelance edits.
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 scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.
Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her family.

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