A MONSTER LIKE ME by Pamela Sparkman

Heart of Darkness series #2

HELLO STRANGER by Lisa Kleypas

The Ravenels series #4

THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT by Emma Scott

Companion to the Full Tilt series

PLAYING FOR KEEPS by Jill Shalvis

Heartbreaker Bay series #7

UNWRITTEN by Jen Frederick

Woodlands series #5

Cross My Heart by L.H. Cosway

Hearts series #5.75

MOONSHADOW by Thea Harrison

Moonshadow series #1

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Christie's Review, Excerpt and Giveaway: The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan

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Title:The Hook Up
Series: Game On #1
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Date: September 8, 2014
Rating:4.5 stars
Cliffhanger: No

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she's shut him down. Completely.

That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It's a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football…Game on.






This is not a debut author, but she's new to me. Although she's written several books, they are in the historical/paranormal/steampunk genres and I don't dabble much in those. This is her first attempt at New Adult and I have to say, I was completely impressed with this book. The writing was fantastic. It was emotional, it was funny, it was gripping in a way that I was unable to set this bad boy down once I took a peek at it! You know exactly what I'm talking about, I know you do. Your curiosity is aroused so you turn to the first few pages to get a sample of the writing and before you know it, you're chapters in and promising yourself, "Just a few more pages." True story here. Looking at the cover, sorry but I wasn't too crazy about it. He looks goofy as hell! But please don't judge the book on that smarmy guy. I'm so glad I decided to try this one out.

This book has all the signs of a superior book:

#1...Un-put-down-able
#2...Freaking fire alarm steamy-don't read this in public H.O.T. (This is not your typical NA fare)
#3...An abundant amount of #2
#4...Made me laugh multiple times
#5…My highlighting finger got a really good workout.
#6…Supporting characters were just as well built that now I am auto-reading the next book

And the most important one, I just really, really liked this authors words.



On to the story....

A bad first impression, a heroine with a past that has shaped her to be prickly and sensitive, and a hero not used to getting immediate adoration because of his football stardom (not that he enjoys it, he's a pretty humble guy)...a very bad combination. At first sight, Drew is thunderstruck and speechless over Anna. It's not insta-love. In his own words:

I'm not going to say it was love at first sight. No, it was more like oh, hell-yes-please, I'll have that. With a helping of right-the-fuck-now on the side.

Anna is not impressed by his adulation. In fact, it has the opposite effect. She’s an introverted type of person and he’s so popular, he’s followed on Twitter and Instagram. They take football seriously down south, and his talent has them clambering for a piece of him.



Anna is a complicated girl. She throws off a tough girl vibe that screams strength, but inside, because of bullying in high school, has body and confidence issues. Her body has changed since then, but her mind hasn't. Though she had her insecurities, I still liked her. She was funny, independent, intelligent, and loyal. She was the complete package, but doesn't do serious relationships. So when she has a similar reaction to Drew upon meeting him, she puts up a fortress around herself that's she's determined to keep up around him.



But eventually, one night at a party, it happens.

The Hook Up.

It was the single, most electrifying, life changing experience for both of them. And Ho-lee Hell. Two words. They're hooked. The problem is, she doesn't want to be.

Tonight was obviously an ill-advised hook up for her. And I'm so screwed up because it was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

After realizing she can't stay away from him, she erects "The Rules" to keep them from getting too close. No kissing, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and no falling in love. Drew's willing to gamble that he can make her break all those rules. Game on. They really had some combustible chemistry. And the fact that they couldn't kiss added so much sexual tension to the mix. When they finally do break that rule, it was AMAZING. Never before has so much importance and heat been put into a single first kiss. It's significance is unspoken but plain as day. They give each other untold pleasure but both secretly yearn to explore the intimacy and everything that giving that piece of themselves symbolizes. Best first kiss ever.



And Drew? Perfection. He had a tragic past, but he doesn't obsess over that, he's hot yet sweet, and he's not a manwhore. Yet he was still strong and determined when it came to what he wanted. And that would be Anna. Her complete surrender.



Before you know it, not only their sexual connection is drawing her in, but she's found a best friend in him. They talk long into the night, they debate with each other, their sense of humor is the same, and she finds herself not just wanting him but needing him. Just as he needs her.

His entire body seems to light up. Like he's plugged in to me. And that energy bounces back over me, lifting the little hairs along my skin, tripping up the steady beat of my heart. Lost. I know that now. I've lost myself to him.

Drew presses my hand against his sweaty chest where his heart still beats a fierce rhythm. His voice is whisper-quiet but crystal clear. "My world lives in your palm, Anna."




This book was a lot more than I was planning on. Of course, I had hoped it would be good, but it exceeded my expectations in many ways. More emotion, more steam, more humor, it was simply more. I must mention however, I did have one pet peeve in this book and that was the hero blushing. FYI, that's not hot-he's not a bride or a virginal heroine. But other than that, I couldn't think of a thing to complain about. The characters weren't perfect, but showed real human emotions and even when I wanted to break out something really hard and smack Anna upside her stubborn little head, I was rooting for them all way. I loved how this couple grew together and learned a lot about themselves and what they were capable of. They gave each other strength and I loved spending time with them!! I'm really excited for the next book in the series with Drew's best friend.



Excerpt


My mother once told me that the most important moment in my life wouldn’t be when I won the National Championship or even the Super Bowl. It would be when I fell in love.

Life, she insisted, is how you live it and who you live it with, not what you do to make a living. Given that she told me this when I was sixteen, I basically rolled my eyes and worked on practicing my pass fakes.

But my mother was insistent.

“You’ll see, Drew. One day, love will creep up and smack you upside the head. Then you’ll understand.”

My mom, it turns out, was wrong in one regard. Love, when it came for me, did not creep. No, it walked up to me, bold as you please, you know, just in case I wasn’t paying attention. It did, however, slap me upside my head.

And while I’d be happy to tell my mom that she was right about that, she’s dead. A fact that hurts even more now that I’ve been struck down. More like shot down. Cut off at the knees. Totally fucked. Whatever you want to call this disaster. Because the object of my affection hates me.

I am man enough to acknowledge that the cluster fuck that is my current love life is entirely my fault. I wasn’t prepared for Anna Jones.

I still cringe at the memory of when I first laid eyes on her at the beginning of the semester. Being late for class, I’d rushed to a seat in the back row, and was trying to remain unnoticed. I can’t go anywhere on campus without getting attention. And though it sounds like an awesome thing, it gets tiring.

When the roll call reached the back row, a soft voice, rich and thick as maple syrup, slid over me.

“Anna Jones.”

Just her name. That was all she’d said. It was like a hot finger stroking down my spine. My head snapped up. And there she was, so fucking pretty that I couldn’t think straight. I might as well have been sacked.

Breathless, my head ringing, I could only gape. I’m not going to say it was love at first sight. No, it was more like oh, hell-yes-please, I’ll have that. With a helping of right-the-fuck-now on the side.

Thinking maybe I was overtired and simply overreacting to something that wasn’t really there, I stared at Anna Jones and tried to make sense of my extreme reaction.

As if feeling my gaze, she’d turned, and fucking hell… Her eyes were wide, almost cat-like, with the corners tilting up just a bit. At first, those eyes appeared brown, but they were really bottle green. And so clear. And annoyed. She glared at me. I didn’t care. One word was playing a loop in my head: mine.

I don’t remember the rest of the class. I watched Anna Jones like a condemned man getting his last view of the setting sun. While she tried to ignore me. Admirably.

The second class ended I shot up, and so did she. We nearly collided in the middle of the aisle. And then it all fell to shit.


Giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the author


Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather do. She is a three-time RITA nominee, and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.


 
 
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Friday, August 29, 2014

Blog Tour: I Want It That Way by Ann Aguirre; Review

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Title: I Want It That Way
Series: 2B #1
Author: Ann Aguirre
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Rating: 3.5 stars

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true—for her parents' sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…. 

 Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. 

But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other. The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.


"A tender, sweet, and sexy story about how life—and falling in love—can never be planned."

—Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You


I WANT IT THAT WAY on Goodreads









I Want It That Way is a story about Nadia, college student that finally moved out with her friends from campus to nice neighbourhood; that’s where she meets Ty, who happens to be living in apartment above her. He’s handsome, young man that quickly caught her eye. He’s also a single parent raising his four year old son, Sam.




In a matter of short time, Nadia is seriously crushing on her neighbour from 1B. But Ty is not ready for any kind of relationship, he avoids commitment for now as he has a little boy to raise, work and his studies.


So when the things get a little bit out of hand, and they find themselves tangled in friends with benefits situation, Nadia’s heart is ridiculously close to being broken and Ty’s vow to not to fall in love may be endangered.




Ann Aguirre surprised me with nice, strong storyline, that definitely was captivating; seeing Ty as a single parent was as much heart-warming as heartbreaking. I started liking him instantly. He was strong, good and awesome young man, who was dealing with single parenthood the best he could. Although, some of the things he’s done made me mad at him and I really wanted to hurt him for being an asshole.


Nadia was also very likeable, warm heroine. I liked reading about her and her struggles. She seemed very ‘normal’ and relatable. I quickly grew to cheer for her and hoped she would get her HEA.




Overall, I really enjoyed most of this book. It was sweet, romantic and touching. It had a little bit of angst, lots of great sexual tension and nice, likeable characters. It was quick charming new adult read, which didn’t completely blow me away, but kept me entertained enough. Although the execution was okay, if things were a little bit more thought through (there were some issues that need fixing), the whole novel could have been wonderful; I just hoped the main characters would be more developed and didn’t go friends with benefits route. It made this book quite predictable, yet I felt glued to the pages.


**ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**








Ann AguirreAnn Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. She likes all kinds of books, emo music, action movies and Doctor Who. She writes all kind of fiction in multiple genres, both YA and for adults.  


Links:



Other Books in the 2B Trilogy:





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Thursday, August 28, 2014

Release Day Launch: Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid

RDL Banner Beauty and the Mustache
by Penny Reid
Publication Date: August 28, 2014 
Genres: ContemporaryHumorRomance 
Purchase from: Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks • 


Blitz and Tour: Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid

Add to Goodreads.

Synopsis

There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.

This is a full-length novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the fourth book in the 'Knitting in the City' series.

Also in the Series: 

Neanderthal Seeks Human (Knitting in the City, #1) Tour: Neanderthal Marries Human by Penny ReidFriends Without Benefits (Knitting in the City, #2) Love Hacked (Knitting in the City, #3)

 

About Penny Reid

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SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Cover Reveal: Ruin by C.D. Reiss

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Title: Ruin (Songs of Corruption, #2)

Author: C.D. Reiss

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: October 14, 2014

goodreads

 

Synopsis

What happens when a mob capo falls for a lawful woman?

Does he ruin her, or does she ruin him?

Do they live together, or die together? 

This is Antonio Spinelli's story.



WARNING: This book contains delicious sex scenes with a hot man dirty-talking in Italian; women handling firearms and explosives; and scenes of violence with a crystal virgin Mary cigarette lighter.  

Pre-Order Ruin today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo 

 

Spin (Songs of Corruption, #1)

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Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Mafia capo, Antonio Spinelli blew through my orderly life like a cyclone.

Gorgeous and passionate, with a breathtaking brutality, he put me under his spell the moment he touched me, drawing me into his underworld of risk, violence and betrayal.

And I found, just as this sophisticated savage didn’t trust me, I didn’t trust myself. Something happened to me. Some alchemy from the heat between us.

I discovered I was a savage, too.

 

About the Author

CD Reiss CD Reiss lives smack in the middle of Los Angeles with her children and husband. She likes to make pretty pictures and write dirty scenes. She eats dark chocolate and chili, together, sometimes with bacon, and doesn't care what you think about that. There are a million more things she could tell you about herself besides that, but they're all too boring to mention in company.

Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Pinterest

 

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