Friday 28 February 2014

BLOG TOUR - Everlasting by Candace Knoebel (Excerpt & Playlist)

Title: Everlasting
Series #: 1 of 7
Series: Night Watchmen Series
Author: Candace Knoebel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
HEA: This is an on-going series. Some questions will not be answered until book two which will release before the end of this year. A novella will also be published in the MPOV.
Sexual Rating: Moderate
Language: Moderate

Synopsis:
What if your destiny lay on the other side of death?

The annual Culling ceremony is a day every coming-of-age novice looks forward to within the Primeval Coven. It’s the start to being initiated into the Night Watchmen, humankind’s protectors, and it’s the long-awaited day when novices discover if they’re a Hunter or a Witch.

But this day is not a happy one for Faye Middleton. Not when she’s known her whole life that she’s a Defect and is about to face banishment in front of her fellow novices. She’s forced to attend the Culling with little hope for her future, but what she discovers about herself is far worse than she could’ve imagined. And far more dangerous.

Thrown into training and separated from her friends, Faye must learn to adjust. She struggles to find her place within the Coven, and with Jaxen Gramm, the darkly handsome and extremely unnerving man assigned to watch and protect her. Emotions run high, and when she discovers a deadly secret about him, her struggles deepen. As corruption within the Coven begins to unravel, Faye pieces together her role in saving the future of her people, and within Jaxen’s life...but will the truth save her, or be her undoing?





EXCERPT:
“Come here,” he says, his tone low, husky. My heart flaps harder, wilder. He’s looking straight into the mirror. I want to be that mirror looking back at him, drowning in his eyes and words of want. His back is a mountain of lean, cut muscles. His fists are pressed against the counter, held tight and firm. Thick veins stick out from under his skin, just waiting for my fingers to trail over.

I find myself just a step away from him, my heart hammering against my chest. I don’t know why. He’s helping me, nothing more, so why do I feel so lightheaded and flushed inside? Why does my skin crave for his touch, a touch that’s sure to come, even if full of innocence? 
He moves just enough to fit me in between him and the counter. I swallow down my nerves and stand in front of him, resting a hand against the marbled countertop to help stabilize me. I try not to notice the tension in his body, the way his eyes close when my leg brushes against his, the way he licks his lips when our faces come just a breath’s length away from each other.

His eyes open, and he holds me with his gaze. He allows me to see past his titanium wall. In front of him, gazing into his endless, green eyes, I know I could fall at any moment, physically and emotionally, and this scares the hell out of me. I barely know him, yet, I feel like I’ve known him forever.
He reaches behind me and turns the hot water on. He’s so close, so unbelievably close, my fingers almost slip out from under me. There’s no steadying my heart, no taming my breathing as he waits for the water to heat before wetting the towel. He lifts his other hand, and it hovers next to my waist like he’s waiting for something; a sign, an approval. I close my eyes, breathe in, and then his hand drifts down my waist where it comes to rest on top of my hip. 

My breathing stops, along with my heart. My muscles clench with want. I curse the material between my skin and his hand. I want to give in to whatever delirium has taken over my rational thinking. 

He gently pushes me back against the counter. The back of my legs bump against it, stopping me as he closes the distance between us. The way his body ever so slightly presses against mine ignites a flame inside of me, burning and aching for more of his touch. His hand lifts, slightly shaking, and then brushes the hair from my face until it comes to rest at the base of my neck. He’s a pyromancer, controlling and building the fire within me. The firmness of his grip sends heat to places I’ve never felt heat before.

His eyes lock on mine. His other hand lifts, bringing the towel just to the edge of my lip where the cut is. I wince when he presses it against my mouth and squeeze my eyes shut. Shut the pain off, I tell myself. I had during the fight without even trying. I open my eyes again and focus on the color of his, the deep evergreen color that displays wisdom. He’s looking down at my mouth, still wiping away blood. His eyes brush mine again, and then move to the cut on the side of my eyebrow.

My heart feels like it could drift away at any moment with all the fluttering. There’s such a gentleness about him, a kindness that has yet to be shown, and yet, here he is, showing it to me, to someone who had brought this upon herself.

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PLAYLIST:

I have a huge playlist. I used Spotify a lot while writing.

For the scene inspiration, I used these songs:
1.       Wish by Still Corners
2.      Drive Darling by Boy
3.      Before I Ever Met You by Banks
4.      Ash Tree Lane by Ms Mr
5.      The Suburbs by Mr Little Jeans

For inspiration behind Faye and how she felt, I used these songs:
1.       Run Cried the Crawling by Agnes Obel
2.      Boy by Emma Louise
3.      Breathe in Breathe out by Thelma Plum
4.      Navigate by Band of Skulls
5.      Siren Song by Bat for Lashes

For inspiration behind Jaxen and how he felt, I used these songs:
1.       Something You Can’t Ignore by Josh Auer
2.      Volcano by Damien Rice
3.      Bloodstream by Stateless
4.      Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne
5.      The Lightning Strike by Snow Patrol

For inspiration behind their love scenes, I used these songs:
1.       Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar
2.      Distance by Christina Perri
3.      To Be Alone With You by Sufjan Stevens
4.      Letters From the Sky by Civil Twilight
5.      The Loved Ones by Sanders Bohlke

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About The Author

picture-222-1329600950

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-a young adult fantasy trilogy.
Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. Embracing the Flames, the second in the trilogy, is scheduled for release in the summer of 2013. Candace Knoebel discovered through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. Since then, she crawled out of Purgatory and has devoted her time to writing and sometimes heelying.

DOUBLE COVER REVEAL - How To Series by Cassie Mae @CassieCook2


I am so excited to be a part of the cover reveal for books 2 & 3 in the How To series by Cassie Mae. Granted I haven't read book 1 yet but it's next on my list. I loved Switched so I know I'm gonna love this series :) 

So are you ready to see the covers?




How To Seduce A Band Geek (How To #2)
Expected publication: June 2014
Synopsis:
Sierra Livingston’s got it bad for her sister’s best friend, Levi Mason—the boy who carries his drumsticks in his pocket, marches with the school’s band, and taps his feet to whatever beat runs through his head. Sierra racks her brain for ways to impress the sexy drummer, but the short skirts and bursting cleavage don’t seem to cut it.

When Sierra gets paired with Levi’s sister, Brea, for a mentorship program, they strike a deal. In exchange for Sierra keeping her mouth shut about Brea ditching the program, Brea lets Sierra dig for more info on Levi to help get the guy of her dreams.

But when Sierra discovers Levi no longer plays the drums, his family has moved into a trailer, and he’s traded in his Range Rover for a baby blue moped, Sierra’s not sure if she can go through with violating his privacy. She’ll have to find the courage to ask him straight out—if he’s willing to let her in—and explore other ways to seduce the school’s band geek.




How To Hook a Bookworm (How To #3)
Expected publication: Summer 2015
Synopsis:
It’s Brea Mason’s sixteenth birthday, and she has three wishes. 1. Be magically eighteen like the rest of her friends. 2. Grow a money tree for her family whose financial problems are well known about town.  3. Overcome her test anxiety before she flunks out of every class. 

But one day later, she's still sixteen, her family's money worries abound, and she's no closer to passing than she was the day before!

Then a very sexy transfer student—with gobs of cash—shows up. Brea figures she has a better chance of burping up glitter than attracting the new guy, but he seems extremely interested in her. 

Just when Brea thinks things are looking up, her report card arrives marked with four giant F’s. Enter resident bookworm and Brea's loyal friend, Adam Silver. If he can't help Brea pass, no one can. 

Even with Adam's help, Brea can't handle the mounting pressure, and finds an escape with the new student who knows little about her problems. 

But spending oodles of time with her boyfriend strains the friendship with Adam she relies so heavily on. Faced with losing the only real comfort and support she has ever had, Brea starts to wonder if she can hook a bookworm before it's too late. 



AUTHOR BIO: 
Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. She’s the author of the Amazon Bestsellers REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND and HOW TO DATE A NERD, and is the debut author for the Random House FLIRT line with her New Adult novels FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI and SWITCHED. She spends time with her angel children and perfect husband who fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.





Thursday 27 February 2014

Shame On Me: Completed series's that I still need to finish



So I was looking through my bookshelves the other day and I noticed something. I have a lot of series's that I need to finish. There are so many series's that have come to an end that I have only read the first book of. And oddly enough the majority are trilogies :P There are also a few that I only have like one or two books left to read and I'm just like, "Why haven't I read you yet??"

Below are some of the series's that I need to finish. Have you read any of them? What did you think of them?

~~~~~~

Paranormalcy Series by Kiersten White
I loved the first book! Evie was such an awesome character and Lend was adorable! 







The Revenants Series by Amy Plum
I really liked Die For Me, I thought it was so unique and I loved that it was set in Paris. And just look at those covers! So pretty!






Matched Series by Ally Condie
I liked the first book but I read it like forever ago so I can't really remember much of it :P







Nightshade Series by Andrea Cremer
I love books about werewolves so I loved Nightshade. I'm gonna have to re-read it before I start Wolfsbane because again I read it ages ago :P






Across the Universe Series by Beth Revis
I really really liked the first book. It was so different to anything I had read before that point. It was the first sci-fi book I read and I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store in the 2nd and 3rd books.




Gods & Monsters Series by Kelly Keaton
I love books about mythology so it was no surprised that I loved Darkness Becomes Her! I really don't know why I haven't bought the 2nd and 3rd books yet.





Firelight Series by Sophie Jordan
It's about dragons, people. Dragons! Like why the hell haven't I continued with this series?? 







Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver
OK now I know why I haven't finished this series yet. The ending of the first book killed me! It was such a cliffhanger and I'm scared to find out what happens next :( Delirium was amazing but dear god that ending!! 




Starcrossed Series by Josephine Angelini
I really liked the first book. Again it was the whole mythology aspect. The reason I haven't read Dreamless and Goddess? Two words. Love triangle. Why must there be a love triangle? They annoy me so much :/




Hush, Hush Series by Becca Fitspatrick
I really liked Hush, Hush and Crescendo. I think the reason I didn't continue on is because I was reading the Fallen series around the same time so I got a bit sick of fallen angels. I'll have to re-read the first two before starting Silence but I'll be looking forward to getting some more Patch in my life :P


This is just a small selection of series's that I have to finish. I'd be here all day if I was to list out all the series I have to finish :P 

What series do you need to finish?



eARC REVIEW - Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine

Title: Best Kind of Broken 
Author: Chelsea Fine
Series: Finding Fate #1
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Release date: March 4th 2014
Genres: NA Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N
Source: NetGalley

Summary:
Pixie and Levi haven't spoken in nearly a year when they find themselves working―and living―at the same inn in the middle of nowhere. Once upon a time, they were childhood friends. But that was before everything went to hell. And now things are... awkward.


All they want to do is avoid each other, and their past, for as long as possible. But now that they're forced to share a bathroom, and therefore a shower, keeping their distance from one another becomes less difficult than keeping their hands off each other. Welcome to the hallway of awkward tension and sexual frustration, folks. Get comfy. It’s going to be a long summer.



4/5

Oh how I loved this book. So. Many. Feels! I think I cried about three times while reading it. It was so gut wrenching but at the same time there were so many laugh out loud moments. I loved the humor in it, it nicely broke up all the sadness and heartbreak.

I adored Pixie and Levi, they were brilliant characters. The book is told in alternating POV's and I love books like this. It's so nice to get into the heads of both characters and know what they are both really feeling. And boy did they have some hilarious inner monologues at times. I found myself laughing out loud more than once. The reason for why they haven't spoken in a year isn't given to us straight away. It is slowly revealed piece by piece as the story progresses and I LOVED this! It makes you more invested in the story, wanting to know what the hell happened between these two. We get little flashbacks to their childhood too and it was so cute to see these two as kids. They were such good friends which just makes you more curious as to what could have broken up their friendship. And when you do eventually find out? Oh how my heart broke! Tears were shed. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and take away all their pain. Ms Fine really knows how to write a tearjerker. The book was so beautifully written that you felt every emotion Pixie and Levi felt. 

As well as loving the main characters, there was also a whole host of secondary characters to love. Some of them were seriously awesome and hilarious, especially Zack. I adored him! And there was a bit near the end involving the characters from the next book that made me want to read it even more. I have a feeling I'm gonna love it just as much as this book.

Another thing that I loved about this book is that although it is NA, a sex scene didn't appear until like 80% into the book. I know a lot of people will hate this but I found it really refreshing. Too many NA books out there focus more on the sex than the actually story so it was a nice change. Don't get me wrong, the book is jam-packed with sexual frustration and intense scenes, and one particularly hot shower scene, but again that didn't appear until late in the book.

Now the reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it got a little bit repetitive. You think they are finally starting to open back up to one another, starting to mend their friendship and then they go back to not speaking a word to each other for weeks on end. There was too much one step forward, two steps back. It got a little frustrating after a while but not enough to deem me giving lower than 4 stars. 

Overall this was a humorous as well as gut-wrenching read, one that will leave readers emotionally raw. A must for NA lovers! This is the first book I have read by Ms Fine and it won't be the last. I am so excited for the rest of the books in the series. Can I request that Zack get a book? Pretty please? I absolutely adored him and I want more :) 

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*



Wednesday 26 February 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (#75)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine,
which spotlights upcoming books we can't wait to read.


My WoW for this week is:

All Lined Up (Rusk University #1)
by Cora Carmack 

Goodreads Summary:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.

When your dad is a coaching legend in Texas high school football, your life isn’t your own. That’s why Dallas Cole can’t wait to get to Rusk University and finally get out of her father’s shadow. But when he makes the jump to college ball—at her school no less—it’s déjà vu all over again.

Now, half the team (and all their groupies) avoid her like the plague, convinced she’ll tattle to her notoriously hardass father about a frat party or a bent curfew. The other half just wants to use her to get closer to the coach.

And then there’s Carson McClain, the supremely hot, newly transferred second-string quarterback. Oblivious of her identity, he approaches her at a party, and for once in her life Dallas decides to kiss first and ask questions later.

While the heat between them is undeniable, Dallas and Carson have more than a few issues to tackle. He’s a football player with a lot to prove. She’s the coach’s daughter who just wants a life of her own. How can they possibly win when they’ve both got so much to lose?

My thoughts:
I loved the Losing It series so I am so super excited for this.  Love this woman's writing. And it's out in May so I don't have long to wait! Yay!


Expected Release Date: May 13th 2014


What book are you waiting for?



BOOK BLITZ - Fifty First Times: A New Adult Anthology


Fifty First Times: A New Adult Anthology 
Published by: Avon Impulse
Publication date: February 25th 2014
Genres: New Adult

Synopsis:
You always remember your first time...

Whether it's the couple who decides not to go through with it, the two boys who finally aren't ashamed, the newlyweds whose wedding night could very well be their last night together, the deaf pair who have no choice but to take body language to a new level--or, of course, the two young lovers fumbling and laughing, getting everything wrong. These are the memories that will never fade.

Join nineteen fantastic authors as they pull back the curtain and give you a peek inside that one intense moment in their characters' lives when everything changes and nothing will ever be the same again.

Featuring stories from some of the hottest names in New Adult, Young Adult, and Romance including New York Times Bestselling authors J.Lynn/Jennifer Armentrout, Molly McAdams, Sophie Jordan, and Carrie Ryan.

NOTE: These stories are works of fiction. If you want to know about our first times, you'll have to buy us a pet monkey first.


Purchase:

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AUTHORS:
Julie Cross (creator)
J. Lynn
Molly McAdams
Sophie Jordan
Roni Loren
Tracy Wolff
Lauren Layne
Andrew Shaffer
Cole Gibson
Myra McEntire
Carrie Ryan
Mark Perini
Gennifer Albin
Lisa Desrochers
Hannah Moskowitz
Lyla Payne
Alessandra Thomas
Melissa Landers
Melissa West

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INTERVIEW:

Finish this sentence, "Fans of ____ book, author, TV/movie might enjoy your story"
Julie Cross (DAYLIGHT): The Notebook or another soul mates separated, timeless type story
Hannah Moskowitz (THIS IS MY SIGN): The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan
Mark Perini (FOR THE SAKE OF SCIENCE): Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, or An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Myra McEntire (STRIKE OUT): Summer Catch, Trouble With the Curve

Tell us about your story’s main character(s)
Andrew Shaffer: The unnamed narrator is a booksmart English major who spends too much time studying and not enough time partying—at least according to his best friend Allen.
Julie Cross: Audrey appears quiet and timid on the outside, but inside she has gifted intuition when it comes to reading people and a fierce loyalty to those she loves.

Lisa Desrochers: Rene Vargas' army unit was blown up by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, and she's scarred in more ways than one. She's kickass is so many ways, but her whole life has changed, and now she's left to discover who she is...with some help from Rick Hamilton (Lexie's dirtbag ex from A LITTLE TOO FAR).

Mark Perini: Luke comes off a bit nerdy, but he’s got an inner Juno cool that he’s just now figuring out about himself. He wants that movie romance but doesn’t think it’s in the cards for him. Well not yet anyway.

Melissa West: Summer is strong and opinionated, and Blake is a classic guy's guy with a huge heart.

Myra McEntire: Ben is not your typical jock, but he is an amazing athlete. Liza is a go getter with a crunchy shell and a smooth center.


What motivated you to join up with other authors for this project? Do you like collaborating with writing peers?
“Well, I started this insane projected and was hit over the head with the idea during the Romantic Times convention last year. Luckily, I was in the presence of some amazing authors and able to walk right up and pitch the idea to them. Which is literally what I did, "Fifty First Times, A New Adult Anthology...are you in?" And to my complete surprise, it totally worked. I still can't believe the authors we have onboard. And I can tell you, the stories are just fabulous. I loved every minute of reading them!” – Julie Cross, International Bestselling author of the Tempest Series and creator of Fifty First Times

“I thought the concept for the general story was so fun, and definitely something I would normally love to write anyway. The fact that it would be with a bunch of other authors sharing their stories as well just made it that much more fun. I do [enjoy collaborating with peers]! It's not something I'd ever done before this, and it was such a fun experience.” –Molly McAdams, New York Times Bestselling author

“A huge motivation was being a part of an awesome group. Plus I was able to give readers a story with Brit and Ollie.” –J. Lynn, #1 New York Times Bestselling author 

“I saw "Fifty First Times" as a unique opportunity to tell a different type of story than the fiction I'm accustomed to writing. Julie was very encouraging and helped me push the story in some interesting directions I hadn't anticipated.” –Andrew Shaffer, author of Fifty Shames of Earl Grey

“I love a challenge, and once the story idea came to me, there was no turning back. Writing it was an absolute blast!” –Melissa Landers, author of Alienated

“Anthologies are just so fun; I love the variation you see in stories all around one theme. It's a great way to highlight the strengths of individual authors. And I love collaborating! I have a co-write book coming out in 2016.” –Hannah Moskowitz, award winning author of Gone, Gone, Gone

“I was really excited to join this project because I loved the concept from the first moment I heard it. First times. Firsts are so full of intense emotions--angst and joy and fear and excitement--whether it’s someone’s first time ever or the first time with that special person. So I knew it would be a blast to write a story about—in the case of my story, “Two in the Morning"—two guys who have been best friends forever but who may be developing feelings beyond that. As for writing with this group of talented authors, what’s not to love? There are so many fresh perspectives and original concepts in this anthology that I can’t wait to read all of the other stories!” –Roni Loren, bestselling author of the Loving on the Edge series


QUOTES:
"I twist the ring around my left finger. It’s foreign to my body, but in the same way a new pet is foreign to a person’s home. It represents work and responsibility, but somehow you know that it will eventually become a part of you. Jack’s already a part of me. It’s just the ring that’s new."DAYLIGHT by Julie Cross

The friendzone wasn’t such a bad place to be. I saw how Allen treated the people he slept with. They were as disposable as red Solo cups. “I’m an equal opportunity lover,” he once told me, “but you can call me a slut.”—BUNGA BUNGA by Andrew Shaffer

“Perhaps the gods hadn't been so perverse after all.”—UNDER THE SEYRN MOON by Melissa Landers

“No, if I were brave I would have—“ but I’m not even brave enough to say the words. Instead I take another swallow wine while I finish the sentence in my head. Would have let you make a move on me. Would have touched you. Would have kissed you.”—LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR by Carrie Ryan

“Don’t push me away, V. I may not know as much as I want to about you, but the thing you need to know about me is I’m a persistent son of a bitch, and I will wear you down.”—A LITTLE TOO SCARRED by Lisa Desrochers


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