Tuesday, June 18, 2013

{Excerpt+Giveaway} Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller


Triangles
by Kimberly Ann Miller
Release Date: 06/18/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads: 
A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?

In the Bermuda Triangle—a lot.

Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life--her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who’s practically stalking her--seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser’s suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she’s full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that these "alternate realities" could become permanent.

She just has to ask herself one question—how the hell is she going to get out of this mess?





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Excerpt

“Are you all right, honey?”

I opened my eyes. An attractive young woman with red hair and brilliant
green eyes was looking at me. What I thought was salt water from the
ocean must have been tears because my face was the only one nearby that
was wet. I glanced at her concerned expression and smiled. “Yes, thank
you. I’m fine.” I swiped away a tear with my finger. “Just…everything’s
fine.”

She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “This cruise will change
your life. Nothing will be the same when it’s over, but it will be worth it.
You’ll see.” Her emerald eyes twinkled, and she nodded her head once.

I forced a laugh to be polite. “Thanks. Enjoy your cruise.”

What a weirdo. What did that even mean? How could a cruise change
my life? I moved from my spot to avoid more weirdness from her and
found a less populated area at the back of the ship. New York and New
Jersey disappeared behind us as we charged toward Bermuda and away
from the mess my life had become.

A cloud covered the retreating sun, sending shivers through me. A
white-haired lady dropped her purse and lots of change tumbled out. A
penny hit my foot and landed on tails.

My cell phone buzzed. I pulled it from my pocket. I had thirteen
messages and thirteen texts. How would Nisha survive the next five days
without hearing from me? I took care of the messages and told her I’d call
her when we got back to Jersey.

Even though I was not very superstitious, a bad feeling crawled into
the pit of my stomach and took up residence.


I knew what I was leaving behind, but what was I floating toward?

Kimberly Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and young adult novels. She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides in Monmouth County with her husband and three cats. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She always takes her Nook with her. 


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{Cover Reveal} Conjure by Jennifer Snyder




Available July 1, 2013
Sometimes to understand the present you have to conjure up the past...

The last thing Addison Harmon needed was to become tethered to the broody, often seemingly cold, Theo Van Rooyen, but that's exactly what happened.

Forced to partner up with Theo to figure out a way to break the tether, Addison soon realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew.

(New Adult/Mature Young Adult: Contains sexual situations, language, underage drinking, and drug usage.)



Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing new adult and young adult fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is a tea lover with an obsession for Post-it notes and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.







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Monday, June 17, 2013

{Excerpt+Giveaway} Romancing the R.A. by Ashleyn Drake

Hey guys, I wanted to share an excerpt and giveaway with you for this book because it sounds totally cool. I really want to get my hands on a copy of this one!

Romancing the R.A. (Campus Romance #1)
Release Date: 05/28/13
Age Group: New Adult

Summary from Goodreads:
Noelle Buckman is looking forward to making a fresh start in college, one that doesn’t involve immature high school boys. The second she steps on campus for freshman orientation, she can sense the possibilities. Especially when she spots Andy, a resident advisor who’s not just hot but also thoughtful enough to open doors for a girl. 

And Andy has his eye on Noelle. Even when her nerves take control and she thinks she comes off as a hillbilly with no direction, Andy can see what she’s really like and he’s more than a little interested.

But orientation is less than two full days and there’s an entire summer between Noelle and Andy. Will her attempt to romance the R.A. be as short-lived as college orientation?


Excerpt:

He’s stunned at first and doesn’t move. I start to pull away, thinking I’ve made a huge mistake, but then I feel Andy’s hand on my lower back, pulling me closer. His lips part, and he deepens the kiss.

Every inch of me is on fire. Andy’s an incredible kisser, but the position we’re in is awkward. I reach my hands up and bury my fingers in his hair, which prompts him to lift me onto his lap. Much better. Our bodies are pressed so close I can feel every inch of him. My lungs are screaming for air, but I’m not willing to give in to them. I’ve been dying to kiss Andy ever since he first smiled at me, and I’ll be damned if I’m backing away that quickly.

His hands move up my back to my hair, and he pulls my head back gently exposing my neck. His lips trail down my jaw and to the nape of my neck. I bite my lip to stifle a moan, but it manages to slip out anyway. Andy slowly eases off, opening his eyes to see my reaction. I debate pulling his lips back to mine, but for the moment I drape my arms around his shoulders and just stare into his baby blue eyes.

“Wow.”

He can say that again. “Yeah.”

“I can honestly say that’s the first time I didn’t have to make the first move.”

“And it’s the first time I ever made the first move.”
           

He smiles. “Then I’m honored.” He leans forward and places a single kiss on my neck. His hips rise under me, and I know exactly where he’s hoping this is going to lead. My body is screaming for his touch, but I don’t want to be that girl. The one who goes off to college and sleeps with the first guy she meets. As much as I want Andy, I can’t do this right now.
 
Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance author represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. Look for her debut New Adult romance, Romancing the R.A., from S.B. Addison Books!

*Author Links*
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Signed Romancing the R.A. postcard and $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (INT)
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Friday, June 14, 2013

{Review+Giveaway} In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

Welcome to my stop on the In Too Deep blog tour
 Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!
Publication date: June 6th 2013
by Sapphire Star Publishing
Genre: New Adult Romance

Synopsis:
Long- Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?
In too Deep is such an emotional book. It deals with some pretty tough and serious topics, but man oh man does it do so in such a phenomenal way. I completely fell in love with this book. Gracie came to life for me almost instantly. And even though there were a few times I wanted to shake her, she was stronger than even I gave her credit for. I really loved reading her story. It was beautiful, in a raw and very very real way.

Unfortunately, the story that Gracie goes through is an all too common one. We got to see first hand the struggle that she faced with Noah. On one hand, she didn't want to let him hurt her anymore and she saw that maybe he wasn't as changed and reformed as she thought he was, but on the other hand she does love him and he does always say all the right things to make her want to give him. A few times throughout the book, I even caught myself wanting to believe him, and I was completely surprised. I think that is a testament to Michelle Kemper Brownlow's amazing writing more than anything else, because normally I would say kick him to the curb and don't look back. But that is the wonderful thing about In too Deep. It kind of grays and blurs all of the lines. You feel like you are in Gracie's shoes and at times you are just as confused about what she should do as she is. She really surprised me with her strength. At first, I pegged her to be kind of a weakling. One of those girls that guys could easily mold and oppress, but then you get to know her and you can see that is not who she is at all. Sure, there were times when I wanted to slap some sense into her and times where I just couldn't stand the decisions she made, but it just made her a more three dimensional character. And we got to see her thought process throughout everything, which just makes you fall in love with her even more. I loved how personal the writing seemed.

I think you can see it coming that I love Jake. He is just sweet and dependable and totally nice. I just want to hug him and smell him. (is that weird?) Gracie deserves someone nice like him. In Too Deep is an emotional journey that I wasn't expecting to be so incredible. I expected to like the book, even love it, but I didn't expect to be as touched as I was by it. This book really spoke to me because it seemed so real. I could just picture this happening at any university, with any group of people. I loved how gritty and real In too Deep was. This is a book that I would confidently recommend to any fan of contemporary, realistic fiction, young adult, new adult, romance...I think you get the idea.
4/5 Gavels
 
Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.

Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.

The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.

Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.

“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow

Links:

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Thursday, June 13, 2013

{Review+Giveaway} Hidden by M. Lathan

Welcome to my stop on the Hidden blog tour
 Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

You can currently get Hidden for FREE on B&N, Itunes, Smashwords, and Kobo, so grab a copy of the book before this deal is gone :) 
Hidden by M. Lathan
Series: Hidden, #1
Publication date: November, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant has given up on being normal. She’d settle for stopping the voices in her head, intrusive visions of the future, and better odds of making it to her seventeenth birthday.

That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.

Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.

Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.

Let’s hope she can stay hidden.
I wanted to start out this review by talking about the cover for a little bit. I really like the cover, but I love it after reading the book. I think it is the perfect cover for this story. There are just so many things that I like about it. I love how it is black and the girl in the middle is not only not the focus, but is kind of grayed out so that she is secondary to the blackness around her. That is just how Leah, or Christine was for a lot of the first half of the book. I think the cover goes great with the story and that just makes me like it even more. Ok, now onto the rest of the review. Hidden was a really interesting book. It had a bit of a slow start. Not really uninteresting slow, just kind of depressing slow. I was so sad for Leah. I just wanted to hug her and tell her that she is such a sweet girl and not to believe everything. I was so excited when she was taken from her awful environment and those mean girls.

Hidden is very mysterious. I think that was a lot of the appeal for me. I didn't always know exactly who I could trust and what everyone's motives were. I thought there were plenty of twists and turns in the story and all of the characters, even the secondary characters added to the overall story progression and plot. I really liked how everything and everyone was incorporated into the story. As for the twists, I saw a few of them coming but there always seemed to be something extra up M. Lathan's sleeve. She is a tricky one and I loved her writing style because of that.

My favorite part of the book was the relationship between Christine and Nathan. It was so crazy to see how well they worked together. I loved how similar both of them are, they can relate to each other so well. Everything about the two of them is adorable and natural. Neither one of them had a lot of friends in the past so they were both kind of awkward, but as soon as he showed up at her door with a newspaper that said "play with me" I was a goner. And then when they came up with nicknames for each other, even more gone. I just love the two of them.

M. Lathan created a really interesting world with the idea of hunters and copies. I thought the concept of copies was a unique twist with the whole paranormal creature hunter idea. I thought her writing style made it really easy to connect with Christine and all of the characters really and it made the story really enjoyable for me. I was able to lose myself within the pages of Hidden effortlessly. This is a series that I am looking forward to continuing.
3.5/5 Gavels
 

M. Lathan lives in San Antonio with her husband and mini-schnauzer. She enjoys writing and has a B.S. in Psych and a Masters in Counseling. Her passion is a blend of her two interests – creating new worlds and stocking them with crazy people. She enjoys reading anything with interesting characters and writing in front of a window while asking rhetorical questions … like her idol Carrie Bradshaw.

Links:

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Rules
-Must be 16+
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-open internationally


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