Friday, May 29, 2015

Dare to Run - Cover Reveal and Scavenger Hunt




Today we are celebrating the release of the DARE TO RUN cover! 

DARE TO RUN is a gritty, super sexy, adult title coming out on February 2, 2016 from Jen McLaughlin and published by Penguin (NAL Signet). 

To celebrate, we are having a scavenger hunt! There are 8 clues scattered around groups of bloggers hosting this feature. 

All you have to do is find all 8 clues and figure out the scrambled word.


dare to run comps_final.indd

AMAZON ~  THE BOOKDEPOSITORY ~  KOBO

ADD THE BOOK TO GOODREADS

To make it easy for you, we will tell you where you can find Clue #1.

Just go to this article on DARE TO RUN, found at USA Today HEA!

In order to find the groups of bloggers posting, go to Jen McLaughlin's blog and she will have the lists so you can check out each group and find the remaining 7 clues.

 

For this site, the clue is listed below, along with the rafflecopter.

DTR_SHunt_Clue6    


DARE TO RUN Summary:

The New York times bestselling author of the Out of Line Novels takes readers to Boston where one gang of criminals knows how being bad can be so good…

She knows what he’s like on Boston’s mean streets. Now she’s going to find out if he’s got some heart.

Lucas Donahue is not ashamed of his criminal past, but after a brief stint in prison, he’s ready to go legit and live a normal life. The problem is, no one leaves the gang without permission—even if he is one of the boss’s top men. Plus someone’s placed a hit on him. And then there’s that feisty little bartender who’s going to cause him even more trouble.

Heidi Greene knows to keep her distance from a ladies’ man like Lucas—even if she can’t keep her eyes off him. When he rescues her from an attack in the alley outside her bar, she’s forced to stay by his side for safety. But the longer she spends time with him, the greater her chances are for getting hurt in more ways than one.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

JenMJen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

FIND HER HERE:

WEBSITE ~ TWITTER ~ FACEBOOK ~ GOODREADS

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Lion Heart - Top Ten and Giveaway

I am SO excited to have the chance to share this book with you.  
This series Young Adult series by A.C. Gaughen is one of my all time favorites.  
I am sad to say that Lion Heart is the last in the series but it is so amazing just like the other two books.  If you love YA and/historical romances this is an amazing series...I can not recommend it enough.






Book Description:

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?
 




A.C. Gaughen's Top Ten Must Haves for Writing



So I’m pretty low maintenance—ten things for writing is definitely a stretch, but I’ll see what I can do.  

1.  Scrivener
Yup, I drink that Kool-Aid hard.  I LOVE Scrivener; it makes so much more intuitive sense for me than any other writing program; it has it’s own “desktop” on my computer, so it feels like when I swipe over to Scrivener, I’m instantly in the writing mindset. 

2.  MacBook Air
Well, Scrivener would be nothing without a beautiful computer to use it on!  I carry my computer with me just about everywhere, which means that every ounce I can shave off is crucial.  I’ve had this for two years now, but I have to admit, the new space gray one looks insanely shiny and tempting….#bitesnails

3.  Post Its
So post its are my problem solving tool.  If there’s an issue with plot or character, something I can’t quite figure out, I don’t think that well with my fingers at the computer.  I need to get out of my head and use a different muscle, so I pull the artwork off the walls in my apartment, and start writing down everything I know on post its, switching colors when it makes sense.  So I have a huge collection that I LOOOVE! 

4.  Sharpies
For all the same reasons as #3—I need the sharpies to write on the post its!

5.  Moleskine Notebooks
I also have a small collection of these, but this is more modest, because my loyalty shows through here.  I use every last page of these notebooks—I am currently using a gray soft cover one that I can draw on and make notes on as necessary.  These become just life collection points—to do lists for my jobs, my writing, my non-profit work.  Notes from meetings from any of those places, thought work, everything.  I also love the Moleskine planners, though I go through phases of not wanting to carry it.  I’m currently trying to make iCal happen. 

6.  Panera
This is my office!  I have a desk at home but I’m not fortunate to have an office, and I really value the feeling of stepping away from everything else and deeply engaging with my writing.  I’m a binge writer, so I typically take one day a week and write about 8-10 thousand words.  Panera feeds me and gives me free refills of diet coke while this happens!  I am such a junky that I have favorite Paneras and ones that I don’t like to go to, based on food preparation, internet speed, availability of darker spaces near plugs and parking. 

7.  Library Card
But not for the reason you might think.  I usually buy any book I’m interested in (kind of as a courtesy to fellow authors and good karma—and tax writeoffs), but I’m lucky enough to have been a student at Harvard, and also for the past year to be working there as a teaching fellow.  Because of this, I have access to their stupid, unbelievable, ridiculous library.  I totally geek out over academic resources, especially when writing Lion Heart. 

8.  Music
I’ve only written one book where I really needed a character-specific soundtrack in my head; for most writing, I’m listening to something a little dark and dramatic, like Bastille or the Pacific Rim soundtrack, but honestly anything will do.  I just need something to contribute to the background noise and occasionally drag my energy level up. 

9.  Critique Group
Okay, I don’t think this is quite what you meant, but this is both new and important for me.   I was never much of a critique group person, but I’ve been with this critique group for about a year, and it’s kind of amazing to have people—I’ve been lucky to have a lot of writer friends since publication, and great beta readers and trusted partners, but this is different.  It’s pretty amazing to find people you click with AND can trust with your writing/innermost thoughts!



10.  TV
I love books—that’s pretty obvious, but often I need to be in a reading mode, and I find I can’t be too deep in my own writing.  I tend to read like ten books over two weeks and then not read for a few months, because there’s something about it that stops me from writing.  But TV—TV I can watch while I write, and it’s one of those things that I can admire the deftness of storytelling and feel that delicious inspiration without feeling like I’m blocked by it.  I think I’ve watched the first few seasons of Grey’s Anatomy more times than I should admit.  Good or bad, it definitely helps me focus! 


GiveAway


3 complete sets of the SCARLET series. US Only. Copies will be sent out from the publisher at the end of the tour.

About the Author

I am shamelessly addicted to staying up far too late (it feels like stealing time), diet coke (it burns so good), Scotland (stupid country stole my heart and won't give it back. Interpol has been ineffective for prosecution) and thieves (so I guess I'm not that mad at Scotland). 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Shadow - Cover Reveal


I am so honored to get the chance to help reveal this cover today.  Sylvain Reynard is one of my favorite authors and Gabriel's Inferno one of my favorite Adult Contemporary Romances.  Now he's got a new Paranormal Romance series out....I am not sure I can take it!  

The Shadow is the second book in his newest series, The Florentine and will be released February 2nd, 2016.  Make sure to check below the cover for Pre-order and GoodRead links and grab up a copy of the first book in the series, The Raven.






Book Description:

Raven Wood’s vampyre prince has returned, pledging his love and promising

justice for every wrong done to her. In the wake of their reunion, Raven is faced

with a terrible decision—allow the Prince to wreak vengeance against the

demons of her past, or persuade him to stay his hand. But there is far more at

stake than Raven’s heart...

 

A shadow has fallen over the city of Florence. Ispettor Batelli will not rest until he

uncovers Raven’s connection to the theft of the priceless art from the Uffizi

Gallery. And while the Prince hunts a traitor who sabotages him at every turn, he

finds himself the target of the vampyres’ mortal enemy.

 

As he wages a war on two fronts, he will need to keep his love for Raven secret,
or risk exposing his greatest weakness...



Book 1 in The Florentine Series, The Raven




Book Description:

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…


About the Author:

I’m interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition – particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.
I’m also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.



I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and        Covenant House. For more information, see my Charities page.



Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Violent Things - Cover Reveal

I am excited to help share the cover for Callie Hart's upcoming book in her Chaos and Ruin series, Violent Things.  All I really have to say is ZETH IS BACK and I can't wait to see what's happening in his world.  

If you don't know who Zeth is now is the time to pick up Callie's Blood and Roses series to get all the back story although I don't believe it is necessary to start this new series.

Violent Things releases 30 June 2015!





Book Description:

You’re never really out until you’re dead. That’s what the mob bosses, gunrunners and car thieves of Seattle will tell you, anyway.

Zeth Mayfair, ex mafia enforcer, has other ideas. Since falling for Sloane, he’s managed to turn her life upside down. Now, he’s determined to give her a stable, happy and, most importantly, safe life. If that means he has to sleep with one eye open and one hand on a shotgun, then that’s what he’ll do.

Mason Reeves is just looking for a way to take care of his sick sister. Since their mother left, things have been hard, and they’re only getting harder. Prescription meds don’t come cheap, and working as an auto mechanic only pays so well. If he wants to give Millie the life she deserves, he’s going to have to earn it with his fists. And who better to teach him how to fight than the guy who took down the biggest gangster in Seattle?

You can try to get out…

You can try to be good…

You can steer clear of trouble…

But it’s only a matter of time before trouble comes looking for you.



Callie has experienced many changes throughout her life, and gone through many ups and downs that have all worked towards shaping and moulding her into the person she is today: fun loving, active, social, and hard working. The only thing that has remained a constant throughout her life is writing. Creating characters who will tear your conscience in two is a favorite pastime of Callie’s. There are few real saints and sinners in her books; more often, the denizens of her stories are all very human. Broken, flawed, and always with the potential for redemption.
Despite the subject matter being markedly hot and heavy in comparison to the stories she wrote in elementary school, there will always be an element of fairytale to her work.
Callie Hart is the author of the Blood & Roses Series. Zeth & Sloane’s story is now complete, but there are a number of stories still to be released under the Blood & Roses banner. 2015 will see Cade, Michael and Rebel’s stories being released, as well as a number of brand new stories, all of which will be Dark Romance novels.

Hades - Review and Excerpt

HADES Review & Excerpt Tour banner  

I am excited to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Larissa Ione's HADES! 

HADES is a novella in Larissa's Demonica Series as part of the 1001 Dark Nights Collection and is exclusively available as Amazon Kindle and Paperback. 

Grab the latest installment in this sexy series!

  Hades -cover

 Amazon US Kindle ~ Amazon Paperback ~ Amazon UK Kindle


Book Description: 

A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It’s easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice — or bestowing mercy — on the beautiful female who could be his salvation…or his undoing. Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel’s plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades’s boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades’s prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected…  


  HADES - teaser   


Excerpt:

“And what does good and evil feel like?” he rasped. “On your skin, I mean?”
“I’ll show you.” She moved toward him, every step popping out her hips and making her breasts bounce in a smooth, seductive rhythm. His mouth went dry again, but then it began to water as she reached out and placed her palm in the center of his chest. 
Very slowly, she dragged her hand along the contours of his pecs, her touch so featherlike that he barely felt it, and yet, he was hyper-aware of every move her hand made, every centimeter of skin her palm passed over.
“Goodness and light,” she said softly, “is like bathing in Champagne. It’s tingly and effervescent. It wakes you up even as it relaxes you.”
“Like sex,” he murmured. “With someone you like.”
“With someone you like?” She blinked. “Why would you have sex with someone you didn’t like?”
A rumbling purr vibrated his chest. “Baby, it’s like fighting, but with orgasms.”
“And less blood, I suppose.”
“Not if you’re doing it right.” He waggled his brows, and she rolled her eyes. “So what does evil feel like to you? If good feels good, then does evil feel bad?”
“That’s the funny thing.” She inched closer, adding another palm to his chest, and he gripped the cup so hard he heard it crack. More. He needed more. And damn her for making him crave it when he’d been perfectly fine being alone for all these years. “It’s as seductive as good, but in a different way.” She shivered delicately. “It’s hot. If good is like bathing in Champagne, evil is like bathing in whiskey. There’s a burn, but it’s almost always a lovely burn.”
Yeah, he felt that lovely burn where she was touching him. As she talked, it spread across his chest and into his abdomen, then lower, to his pelvis and groin. Everything tightened and grew feverish with lust.
“Seems to me,” he said in a humiliatingly rough voice, “that bumping up against evil would be an incredible temptation for angels like you.”
“It is,” she purred. “Which is why we aren’t allowed to leave Heaven except under certain circumstances, and even then, we must have an escort. It’s one of the reasons I know I can’t ever enter Sheoul. To become a True Fallen would be to have my full powers of detection restored, and I’d be skewed toward evil. The few Seraphim who have become fallen angels are like drug addicts, seeking out the most evil beings they can find, to serve them, to just be near them.”
He wondered how having a Seraphim fallen angel as a warden in the Inner Sanctum would play out. Then Cat dragged her palms down his chest to his abs, and he forgot all about everything except what was happening right now, right here in his home.


My Review:

Is it possible to make the Lord of the Dead likable?  One wouldn't think so, he's a bit cocky and a whole lot of mean.  His job is to torture and punish and he reports directly to Azagoth, The Grim Reaper.  We've seen bits of him through out the Demonica Series and never has she come across as a likable character, but you know what Larissa was able to take this unlikely hero and make him on of my favorites of the series.  

Cataclysm AKA Cat, was cast from Heaven after finding herself unknowingly in the middle of a plot to kick of the Apocolypse.  As an Unfallen Cat's fearful of spending her time penitence on earth where she is in danger of being dragged into Sheoul where she would become a True Fallen.  Instead she takes on a position in Azagoth's realm of Sheoul-gra determined to do the near impossible and earn her way back into heaven.  There is only one problem, she is a horrible house keeper, continually mucking up her menial jobs and earning the ire of Azagoth.  She also manages to make an ally in Azagoth's mate, Lilliana and catches the eye of a True Fallen guy with a blue mohawk and body made for well....sin.  As if life as a bumbling Unfallen with a serious crush on the Lord of the Dead wasn't bad enough Cat manages to send the entire Underworld into a tailspin when she accidentally opens the portal to Sheoul's Inner Sanctum.

I loved this book and have to say it is probably one of my favorites in this series in a long time.  There is just something about the tortured soul of Hades and a naive angel coming together to save the Underworld and in the end each other.  One of my favorite parts comes toward the end of the story where we learn why Azagoth and Hades have the relationship that they do and how they fix it.  I love the simplicity and the meaningfulness behind the act of contrition that occurs.  It's a good reminder that mending a relationship or someone's pain doesn't have to be difficult it just takes letting go of your pride and stubbornness.  

As with all the Demonica books this one is full of wit and snark, it has moments where you want to break down and cry for the characters or at times beat sense into them.  And because I love these two characters so much the only thing bad I can really say is that I wish it had been a full length novel instead of a novella.  Larissa does a great job fitting their entire story into this quick read, you won't walk away feeling cheated or as if things ended suddenly like I find happens often with novellas, but like me you might finish wishing that you just had a little more time with them because they are such a great couple.   

You all know my typical spiel when it comes to series books and I will mention it here with this one.  Do you have to have read all 11 books in the series prior to this one, no, but will it help you get the entire picture yes.  That said out of all the Demonica books I think this one is most like a standalone so if you haven't read the rest of the series do not let that stop you from picking up this wonderful story.  When you are done though be ready with your one click finger because I think you will be wanting the rest of the books.

This is a great story for Paranormal Romance Fans.  It is only about 100 pages so it is a super quick read and it is well worth your time!

~Happy Reading~

HADES Review & Excerpt Tour

May 22
May 23
BookHounds-Excerpt BookLovers for Life-Review & Excerpt Deluged With Books Café-Review & Excerpt The Book Blog-Review & Excerpt
May 24
Books That Hook-Review & Excerpt Cocktails and Books-Review & Excerpt RhiReading-Excerpt Undercover Book Reviews-Excerpt
May 25
Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom-Review & Excerpt Grownup Fangirl-Excerpt Literary Misfit-Review & Excerpt Love Affair with Fiction-Excerpt New Syndrome Book-Excerpt Rambling Reads-Review & Excerpt TSK TSK What to Read-Review & Excerpt
May 26
May 27
Book Lovin Mamas-Review Little Read Riding Hood-Review & Excerpt Lostinthegreatperhaps-Review The Reading Chameleon-Review & Excerpt
May 28
Between the Lines-Review Kelsey’s Corner Time-Review & Excerpt Nite Lite Book Reviews-Review & Excerpt Reading in Pajamas-Excerpt Revenge of the Feels-Review & Excerpt Smut Book Junkie Reviews-Review & Excerpt
May 29
Girls With Books-Excerpt Got Nikki?-Excerpt Reading Between the Wines-Excerpt Travels N Reads-Review & Excerpt Us Girls & A Book-Review & Excerpt
May 30
Book Liaison-Review & Excerpt Jax’s Book Magic-Excerpt Kayla’s Place-Review & Excerpt Red Moon-Excerpt Roxy’s Reviews-Excerpt
May 31
Becky on Books-Review & Excerpt Evermore Books-Review & Excerpt I Heart YA Books-Excerpt Vera is Reading-Excerpt


 
Larissa Ione
About Larissa Ione: Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.      

Website ~ Facebook ~ TwitterNewsletter ~ Pinterest Author Goodreads ~ Novel Goodreads

No-Where But Here - Release Day Launch, excerpt, and giveaway

Nowhere But Here RDL Banner  

I am absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's NOWHERE BUT HERE! 

NOWHERE BUT HERE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’sThunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen

Grab your copy today!!

Nowhere But Here - cover

Amazon ~ Kobo ~ BAM ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!


Book Description:

  An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible 

 Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.  

  Hand rider on handlebars, close-up


Excerpt:


From Oz's Point of View. Set up: Emily has been separated from her parents and after a long night of worrying, her emotions and exhaustion catch up to her and it causes Oz to have his first fluttering of emotion for Emily. 

WIND BLOWS IN FROM THE NORTH AND A FEW pieces of Emily’s dark hair sweep across her face. One minute Emily’s a bright flame, then a gust snuffs out her light. Her body sways like a top at the tail end of a spin and I lunge forward.
Emily’s knees give out and her eyes roll back into her head. I catch her inches before she crashes onto the porch. She’s light as I swing her into my arms and her head circles onto my shoulder, reminding me of one of those rag dolls Violet used to play with when we were kids.
“Emily!” Eli’s on top of me, attempting to yank her out of my arms. “Open your eyes.”
Her eyelids flutter, but remain closed as her hand limply clutches my shirt. Eli rams his arms underneath mine and he makes Emily a rope in a tug-of-war. I should let her go. I should want to let her go, but then Emily goes and screws it up for me. “Oz.” 
It was a damn whisper, but I heard my name on her lips and so did Eli. His eyes flash to mine and Cyrus’s words repeat in my mind. That girl trusts you. And screw us both for that.
“She’s exhausted,” I say. “Hasn’t slept at all tonight.”
Eli’s expression hardens as he glares at me. I’ve seen Eli throw a coma-inducing punch for less defiance and I readjust the sleeping girl in my arms. A reminder if he decks me now, he’ll be putting his daughter at risk.
Temporarily surrendering, Eli cups Emily’s face in his hands and angles her toward him. “Emily, please open your eyes.”
She does. It’s barely a crack and they’re completely glazed.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” Eli affirms.
“I want my mom and dad,” she mumbles.
“You’ll see them tomorrow.” Eli pushes a strand of hair from her cheek. “You’re safe here. I promise.”

She rejects Eli by curling into me. Her head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck and I loathe the wave of protective­ness that rumbles through my body. Emily’s fingers tighten their grip near my shoulders and the impulse is to shield her from the guys gawking at this intimate scene. Yeah, this is club business, but Emily never asked for any of this.


NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:
 


Katie McGarry Author PhotoAbout Katie McGarry: Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.  

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Tumblr ~ Instagram





  Nowhere But Here - Teaser 1 

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Friday, May 15, 2015

The King - Flashback Friday Review




Author: J.R. Ward
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, book 13
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Age Recommendation: 18 and up
Rating: 5 Stars

Book Description:

Long live the King…

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over?



My Review:

I am pretty certain that most of the living, breathing, reading world know how I feel about this book.  Sufficed to say I LOVED it.  The King takes us back to the storytelling of the earlier Black Dagger Brotherhood books, even with the numerous sub-plots going on, we get back to that grungy hardness that I grew to love in the first Brotherhood books.

While there is a lot going on in this book, the main focus and the one that JR Ward gets done so well is the rise of the one true king.  Wrath truly comes into his own in this book.  He's struggled to find his place in his world, to fulfill his destiny and in The King he finally finds his true power and his place.  I love that he does it with Beth, his Shellan, and the Brotherhood beside him and backing him all the way.

The King will truly have your feelings all over the place, I know I cried and cheered through it all.  It's a gritty book, as is the norm for this series, but at the same time it is going to make you swoon and feel so full of hope.  JR Ward also preps us, as she does in each story, for the next book.  We get peeks of what will be coming in The Shadows (just like The Shadows gives us peeks at The Beast; Can. Not. Wait.) as well as glimpses into the lives of her vast list of characters.  I know that multiple story lines bothers some readers and I will admit it can get confusing and a bit frustrating when you just want to know what is going on with the main couple, but I love these looks into everyone's world.

Assail and Sola, that story...I was happy to see it in the book because I love everyone's stories but I am not sure when they will be getting their own book and I'm afraid that by the time their 'big' story comes around I will have forgotten what happens here in The King.

I am of course always thrilled to get a look into Xcor's life.  I know, I know, you're saying but he's a bad guy, he's so cruel and awful and he wants Wrath dead!  All I can say is please don't break my heart, I have such a weak heart when it comes to the underdog and I know he's supposed to be this horrible guy, but I just can't help but kinda love him hard and want him to have this amazing redeeming story.  Xor will truly make your heart explode in this book, if you hated him before I think you will at least walk away with a genuine like of him when the end of The King comes.

Let me repeat, PLEASE DON"T BREAK MY HEART JR Ward.  

Beth and Wrath, it's everything.  Love, fear, heartache, pain... years of dreams and desires come to a head in this book for this couple.  I love how much they love each other, especially Wrath, his devotion to Beth, his fear for her, it is a beautiful thing.  This truly is their story (even if we don't have a book that is solely theirs), the depth of feeling we get from them...I can't even describe how emotional it is.  

Tres, iAm, Selena...I've read The Shadows...I can't say anything right now on this because there is so much to say about The Shadows, just well set up JR Ward.  

There are so many stories in this one book, so many stories to look forward to and so many stories to get wrapped up in.  Don't let that scare you away or reduce your love of the book and Brotherhood.  Take each story as what it is, separate lives being lived out simultaneously.  This is how the world works, our lives are lived along the side of others and they all intersect. JR Ward's books are like living, breathing entities.  They are an entire world that we get to be a part of and watch from above all while feeling like we are immersed into the world of the Brotherhood.  I love how with every book JR Ward's couples have us falling more and more in love with them.  She has this ability to make us feel their love, she brings them to life, they are compelling, angering, and moving, and I want more.  I want it all!

LONG LIVE THE KING!


If you are a BDB fan you won't want to miss reading this...You can't not read this.  I can't promise that you will be happy with it, but you won't want to miss out on seeing Wrath coming into his own and taking his rightful place.  If you have not started this series before this is one of the best Paranormal Romance series out there.  Do not start with The King however.  You must go back and start with book one, Dark Lover.  I know you might be cringing because this is a big series, The King is book 13 (and we now have The Shadows, book 14) but every book builds on the next and you want to watch these characters grow and fall in love.

~Happy Reading~

*Side note, this cover did not work for me.  It could have, there is such amazing opportunity here but 1. Wrath is 'The Blind King' he never (well in public) takes off his wrap-arounds, and two Wrath has midnight black hair, this guy looks blonde.  I am just bummed about it because Wrath makes is such a striking presence and this cover just falls a little flat, but I want to love it so hard.*


  
J.R. Ward is a #1 New York Times and USAToday Best Selling author of erotic paranormal romance. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. After graduating from law school, she began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.





The Ruins - Cover Reveal

We’re having a cover reveal for TH Hernandez’s The Ruins! 

I am quite excited about this new dystopian YA from TH, and today, in addition to the cover, 
TH is sharing an exclusive excerpt with us!! 

Check it all out!! :)

The Ruins (The Union Series _2) by T.H. Hernandez 

   Release Day: June 16, 2015 


Book Description:

 Heartbroken, grief-stricken, and wracked with guilt, seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor returned to the Union, leaving behind the boy she loved. Now, she and her friends must find a way to do the impossible – warn the citizens of the Union about an impending rebel attack without alerting the government and risking retaliation against her friends in the Ruins. When every move Evan makes is thwarted, it soon becomes clear she's being watched. Faced with a daily fight to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, she returns to the Ruins. But life in the Ruins has its own dangers, and soon she’s fighting a different battle – to stay alive long enough to discover the truth. THE RUINS is the second book in THE UNION series, a young adult romantic adventure set in the near future.  



Exclusive Excerpt

Lisa opens the door still in her pajama pants and a tank top. Jack’s behind her in nothing but a pair of sweatpants. I raise an eyebrow in silent judgment. How could she have Jack spend the night with Colin here? “Where’s Colin?” she asks, looking past me. “What do you mean, where’s Colin? Isn’t he here?” “No. He never came home last night. I thought he was with you.” “You were with me.” “No, I mean after we separated. I figured he showed up at your place.” Her cheeks turn bright red. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” My hands ball into fists of anger at my sides. “You can’t really be that…” I bite off the words. It’s not my place to share how Colin feels about her. “He probably left with one of those girls we saw him with,” she says. I push into her apartment and find Colin’s duffel bag on the floor where it’s been since he began camping out on her couch last week. “So, he just blew off his train?” “Maybe,” she shrugs. “Not likely,” I say, stalking back outside, unease gnawing through my stomach. If all this other shit wasn’t going on, I could chalk it up to Colin getting laid, but I can’t shake the feeling something isn’t right. I’m halfway to Bryce’s before I realize that’s where I’m headed. Hopefully he takes me seriously. My fast walk turns into a jog as I cover the remaining three blocks and two flights of stairs down to the apartment he shares with Jack. I’ve only been here once before, but I think I remember which one it is. I lift my hand and knock on the pale blue door then pace the small empty concrete porch. Thirty seconds pass before I knock again, louder and longer this time. Still no answer. I’m beginning to think he’s not here when the lock clicks and the door cracks open. Bryce swings the door wider, and my eyes zero in on a bare chest. My gaze drifts from his firm abs and pecs up to meet a pair of gray eyes, squinted against the morning light. Confusion fills his features as he stares at me. “Colin didn’t come home last night,” I blurt out, my voice breaking. His gaze rests on my face for a moment before circling the room, reminding me we’re being monitored. “I’m sure he’s fine, but let me get dressed, and we’ll look for him.” Stepping inside, I close the door and bounce on the balls of my feet while I wait for him. The place is decorated in neo-classic guy. A fireplace and hearth runs the length of the front of the apartment, and opposite that is a solid glass wall overlooking a weedy, overgrown garden. The limited furniture is a jumble of chairs, a couch, and a couple of mismatched tables littered with empty beer bottles. Bryce dresses in record time and takes my hand, pulling me outside. He leads the way to the depot to catch a train back to the nightclub. “I want to retrace his steps after we left,” he says. “He might’ve just found some company for the evening.” “That’s what Lisa said, but I think there’s more to it.” “It’s no secret how he feels about Lisa. He might’ve just wanted to get away for the night.” “But his bag is still at her place. He would’ve had to come get it before catching his train.” The nightclub is deserted with the exception of a handful of staff still cleaning up. Bryce walks up to a lanky guy pushing a broom. “Can I talk to the manager?” A woman in her mid-thirties approaches us a few minutes later, wiping her hands on an apron. She sweeps a chunk of blond hair out of her face with the back of her wrist. “Can I help you?” “Yeah, I’m Detective Cooper,” Bryce says, flashing his credentials. “We’re looking for a friend. He was here with us last night, but we’re not sure what happened to him.” She glances between me and Bryce. “Did something happen to him?” “That’s what we’re trying to find out. Can we take a look at the security feed from last night?” “Sure,” she says, inclining her head. “Come on back.” We follow her past the bar and into a small office beyond the kitchen. “Here,” she says, indicating a chair in front of a display screen. Bryce sits and she shows him how to move through the video files. Bryce locates the one time-stamped from when we were here and forwards through frame-by-frame. I see us leaving for the night and Colin dancing with the girls, getting another drink, dancing some more, then about an hour later, Colin walks toward the exit alone. A guy in a sweatshirt, hood pulled up, hands shoved into his jeans pockets, approaches Colin. They appear to exchange words. Colin nods before following the guy out the front door. “What the hell?” I ask. “Who was that guy?” Terror sweeps through me, turning my blood to ice. “And where the hell is Colin?” “I don’t know,” Bryce says, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “But we’ll find him, I promise.”   



Author T.H. Hernandez
Author Bio: When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside my head, I live in San Diego, California, with one husband, three children, two cats, and one dog. In addition to my day job as a technical writer and editor, I write young adult fiction. I love the intensity of teen emotions and the way they're still figuring out life. When I'm not writing, you can find me with my nose in a book, hanging out with family and friends, hiking, or knitting. I'm obsessed with Facebook, young adult novels, bad lip reading videos, pumpkin spice lattes, microbrewed beers, and the San Diego Chargers. 

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  About the Cover Designer: 

Illustrator Mark SgarbossaMark Sgarbossa is an award-winning artist from San Diego, California. A partial list of his clients include Jason Mraz, Target Stores, Tony Hawk, Franz Ferdinand, Major League Baseball, San Diego State University, Snowboarder Magazine, 3 Doors Down, and AC/DC.   In addition to art, Mark is a talented musician. He played rhythm guitar and sang vocals in the indie band The Shirlies as well as playing synth and singing in the live electro duo ROTATOR.