Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Tell Me Something Tuesday 9/30


Tell Me Something Tuesday is hosted at Rainy Day Ramblings where Heidi discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging and encourages people to weigh in on the subjects in the comments or in their own blog posts.  I've been reading her posts for awhile, but when I saw this week's question I had to join in:

Library Love: Do you support your local library and take advantage of all it has to offer?

I love, love, love my local library and while I don't take advantage of all it has to offer, I do take advantage of most of it's reader services.  I check out & reserve books, audiobooks and movies.  I love talking to the library staff and listening to their suggestions for me since they have gotten to know me pretty well from my coming in there for years, using their reserve system and just generally checking out stacks of books at a time.

In  fact, my library pile has about 14 books in it right now and I just checked and I have 4 that came in today.  So it appears I love my library.

And while I go through phases where I like to read real books and phases where I prefer ebooks, the library seems to be where I mostly get my real book fix as of late.  And audiobooks, I fell in love with audiobooks because of my local library.




Saturday, September 27, 2014

Currently Reading: A Place Called Harmony by Jodi Thomas

A Place Called Harmony by Jodi Thomas
Obtained From: Author for blog tour

Why I chose this one: I've been reviewing the Harmony books for Jodi since the start and I look forward to each new one.  And getting a look at how the whole town started has me really excited.  I love the town as much as each love story so this should be a great one!
Date Started: 9/27/14


About A Place Called Harmony:
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas has captivated America with her novels set in the small town of Harmony, Texas. Now she tells the story of the three hard-luck men who first settled the town, a place where last chances and long-awaited dreams collide…
 
Desperate to escape his overbearing father, Patrick McAllen disappears with his bride, heading north to build a new town—discovering strength, honor and true love along the way.


After drinking away the grief from his family’s death, Clint Truman avoids jail by taking a job in North Texas and settling down with a woman he vows to protect but never love—until her quiet compassion slowly breaks his hardened heart wide open…


All Gillian Matheson has ever known is Army life, leaving his true love to be a part-time spouse. But when a wounded Gillian returns home to find her desperately fighting to save their marriage, he’s determined to become the husband she deserves.


Amidst storms, outlaws, and unwelcome relatives, the three couples band together to build a town—and form a bond that breathes life into the place that will forever be called Harmony.



Friday, September 26, 2014

Currently Reading: Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson
Obtained From: Library
Why I chose this one: Time to play catch-up with the Alex Cross series

Date Started:9/25/14

About Alex Cross, Run:
DON'T LOOK, ALEX CROSS 
Top plastic surgeon Elijah Creem is renowned for his skills in the operating room, and for his wild, no-expense-spared "industry parties," bringing in underage exotic dancers and models for nights of drugs, champagne, and uninhibited sex. That is, until Detective Alex Cross busts one of Creem's lavish soirees and ruins his fun. Now Creem is willing to do anything to avoid going to jail. 

DON'T THINK, ALEX CROSS 
But Alex doesn't have time to dwell on that case. A beautiful woman has been found murdered in her car, a lock of her hair viciously ripped off. Then a second woman is found hanging from a sixth-floor window with a brutal scar slashed across her stomach. When a third mutilated body is discovered, rumors of three serial killers on the loose send Washington D.C. into an all-out frenzy. 

JUST RUN 
Alex is under so much pressure to solve these three grim cases that he hasn't noticed that someone else investigating him-someone so obsessed and so twisted that they'll do anything-ANYTHING- to get the vengeance they require. Alex Cross, Run is James Patterson's most unrelenting story yet-a white-hot, sensational thrill ride with the most extreme and gripping characters Patterson has ever brought to life.


Just Finished/Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 337
Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 0316254770










My Review:
What a fun and cute story.  No real angst, a little love at first sight, but distance presents problems so I felt it and understood it.  Both characters have their own family issues but I like how those are worked through in the book.

Cute start with the elevator breaking down and the blackout in New York City bringing these two characters from two different economic backgrounds together and they find common ground and bond during those hours together.  Because Lucy lives in the building and Owen is the super's kid, these are not kids that would normally meet, but they do and it works.  Lucy is not worried with her status in life, she just wants to see the world and explore.  Owen longs to do the same thing but has been brought to NYC against his better judgment.  But just as these two get to know each other their families unknowingly pull them apart.

But I like them apart, it gives them time to grow without the other one affecting them.  It's interesting how they keep coming together and how they are always on each others' minds even when things aren't smooth.  The Geography of You and Me was a fun book and a great one that explores growing up and finding your way on your own and hopefully finding your way back to that true love you have found but didn't really realize how much it meant.  I loved this book, read it in one day and now cannot wait to go back and read Jennifer E. Smith's backlist books.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0


Summary
Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.



Buy Links















Author Biography

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Storm Makers, You Are Here, and The Comeback Season. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City. Her writing has been translated into 28 languages.


Social Networking Links
Goodreads

Twitter


***I received this book from my wonderful local library for my reading enjoyment. 

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Throwback Thursday: Bound by Night by Larissa Ione (my review) & Chained by Night is out next week!

BOUND TO BE UP ALL NIGHT WITH
THROW BACK THURSDAY’S BOUND BY NIGHT!
Book I of The MoonBound Clan Vampire series


Bound by Night was a fantastic start to this very promising new series…
a very tasty treat from a must be read author.  Happy reading everybody…you’re bound to love it.
Night Owl Reviews for Bound by Night

“The exceptionally entertaining Ione kicks off a sexy new vampire series…
Ione does what she does best: deliver paranormal romance with a sexy and dangerous bite!
RT Book Reviews ****HOT Review for Bound by Night

My Review:
 I haven't been reading vampire based books like I use to, so when I was sent Bound By Night in preparation for the release of Chained by Night, I wasn't sure what I was getting into.  And to top it all off, Larissa Ione is a new author to me (yes, I know, I've been living under a rock, or a mountain of ARCs by new authors). 

So what did I think?  I thought the world building for this one was fasscinating.  Vampires as slaves, a vampire uprising, vampires living on their own, yet being hunted down.  All of this made this book a great start to a new series.  I also enjoyed the characters, Nicole who has her own history with vampires and Riker who just wants to live his life in peace.  But of course when they are thrown together everything hits the fan.

Bound by Night starts out just a bit slow because of the world building but it quickly picks up pace and once the pace hits it's stride I could not put the boook down and I would have rushed into my ARC of Chained by Night if life hadn't gotten in the way in the form of school starting and football for the boys.  But I will be reading it very soon to see what happens next with the MoonBound Clan.

Excellent suspense, action and romance with very interesting world building make this a series that is a must-read for people who love vampire books or ones that are looking for a good series to start with.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

PREORDER CHAINED BY NIGHT
AND SAVOR YOUR TASTY TREAT ON 9/30!
Book II of The MoonBound Clan Vampires series
“Ione’s second MoonBound Vampires paranormal deftly uses a mixture of complex rivalries, primal violence, and sex to portray a society in which frequent vampire enslavement provokes a civil-rights dispute…Ione’s characters are relatable and sympathetic both because of and despite their id-drenched setting, and Ione’s flavor of vampirism produces a fascinating mixture of authoritarianism, atavism, and compassionate humanity that works on multiple levels.”
Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW August 25th
“Ione has created a fascinating vampire world steeped in Native American traditions and lore and developed a path to happiness for Hunter and Aylin that is fraught with potent and poignant internal and external conflicts. The action-packed plot and creative worldbuilding keep us enthralled; the romance and sexual tension keep us emotionally invested.”
Kirkus Reviews August 28th online, Sept. 15th print

“Major talent Ione is back with the second installment in her gritty new MoonBound Clan Vampire series, where vampires live under the threat of enslavement and torture by humans.  Ione’s vampire world is made up of sometimes warring clans who fight against each other as well as humans.  Uniting the clans may be the vampires’ best hope for survival in the upcoming war with humans.  With so much at stake, these excellent character relationships are fraught with intense and conflicting emotions.  Hang on tight, as this is one exciting and dangerous world!”
—Romantic Times ****1/2 HOT



Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday - Sept. 23



Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  So go there to check out more info, link up and see the future topics. 

This week's topic is:

Top Ten Books On My Fall To-Be-Read list


  1. Christopher's Diary: Secrets of Foxworth by V.C. Andrews - I just can't help it, I'm a sucker for this series and I'm interested in it from Christopher's POV.
  2. The Tudor Vendetta by C.W. Gortner  - I love the historical books by this author and can't wait to read this new one.
  3. Sideswiped by Lia Riley - Loved Upside Down so I can't wait to get more of Talia and Bran.
  4. Snow Falling on Bluegrass by Molly Harper - I just can't help it, this sounds like a fun and I am a sucker for a trapped in a place book.
  5. Motherless by Erin Healy - simply because Ms. Healy has never disappointed me.
  6. Virtue Falls by Christina Dodd - because Fall needs a great romantic suspense to read
  7. Final Lap by Erin McCarthy - it has racing and it's by Erin McCarthy, enough said.
  8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling - because it's time I get through this book and continue along the wonderful Harry Potter series.
  9. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - for those of you that have waited two years for this book, I am so sorry.  I just finished book #2 and cannot wait to get my hands on this one!
  10. Burying Water by K.A. Tucker - simply I have never read a bad book by this author so I'm ready to see what she can do away from the Ten Tiny Breaths series.
What books are on your must read list for fall.  Add your list to the linky at The Broke and the Bookish and/or tell me about some interesting books in the comments.  I just got an Amazon GC so I have some money to burn :)



Monday, September 22, 2014

Currently Listening: Game On by Tracy Solheim

Game On by Tracy Solheim
Obtained From: Tantor Audio for review at Ramblings from that Chick

Why I chose this one: I'm a sucker for sports romances right now and this one intrigued me.  I also have the second in the series and I can already tell I'm going to enjoy these books.

Date Started: 9/21/14

About Game On:
With a reputation for fast moves on the gridiron and even faster moves off the field, Shane Devlin was a player in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, his bad-boy persona has made him a risky prospect as a quarterback, and only the Baltimore Blaze are willing to give him a chance. And he’s about to take a hit he never expected.

Working for the Blaze, Carly March knows too well how jocks think—and what they think with—so she’s always made a point of keeping them at arm’s length. But when she shares a kiss with the devilishly handsome Shane, she finds it hard to play by her own rules—and even harder to resist him.

Can a football hero and a business-minded beauty take it all the way? Or will their mutual attraction cost them the big game?



Currently Reading: Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Obtained From: Library
Why I chose this one: I read and enjoyed the first in this series and with the catch-up I seem to be doing lately with James Patterson books, it seemed like a good one to read.
Date Started: 9/20/14


About Confessions: The Private School Murders:
In the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Confessions of a Murder Suspect, James Patterson keeps the confessions coming breathlessly as Tandy Angel delves deeper into her own tumultuous history-and proves that she can rise above the sordid Angel legacy.

Wealthy young women are being murdered on Manhattan's exclusive Upper West Side, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. The first case she cracked was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now, while she's working to exonerate her brother of his glamorous girlfriend's homicide, she's driven to get involved in the West Side murder spree.

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer, but the NYPD isn't listening to her...and Tandy can't ignore the disturbing fact that she perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?

What Are You Reading Monday #6

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see Sheila at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and join in!

Books Completed Last Few Weeks:
  • Straddling the Line by Jaci Burton (audio for Ramblings from this Chick)
  • Private Games by James Patterson (library)
  • Private: London by James Patterson (library)
  • Private #1 Suspect by James Patterson (library) 
  • In This Moment by Autumn Doughton (audio for Ramblings from this Chick)
Reading Now: 
  • Game Changer by Collette West (for Ramblings from this Chick)
  • Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs (review)
  • Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson (library)
  • Game on by Tracey Solheim (for Ramblings from this Chick)
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (just because)
Next:
  • The Betrayed by Heather Graham (review)
  • Four Seconds To Lose by K.A. Tucker (library)
Summary -
Busy weekend out of town to attend a park opening in my great-uncle's name.  That was special and a wonderful dedication to a man who gave his life for his country in WWII.  I also got to spend quality time with my kids, watching a favorite stupid movie (Talledega Nights), watching a football game on tv (Clemson/Florida State, boo on the loss), going to favorite places to eat and even having pizza delivered (we live out in the country and always have to pick it up).  It was also wonderful to spend time with family.  The 6 hour drive allowed me to finish one of my audiobooks and start another using the one-headphone in method.  The audiobooks I had for review were not kid appropriate, but it was great because both kids needed to do their own reading for school (oldest just read Divergent and loved it) and I got to do my required reading :)  Oh and it appears I'm on a bit of a James Patterson kick.  I realized how behind I was and I am just enjoying.  I know a lot of people aren't crazy about him anymore, but I still love his books.  They entertain me and don't require much concentration which with trips, football, more football and general life is perfect right now.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Currently Reading: Game Changer by Collette West

 
gamechangerGame Changer by Collette West
Format:
ebook
Pages:
226
Release Date: July 18, 2014
Obtained From: Ramblings From This Chick (watch for review there)
Date Started:  9/16/14

Why I chose this one:

For some reason I am addicted to books involving sports players right now and I loved the sound of this one.  It’s definitely off to a great start!

About Game Changer:

Young, rich, and unaware of how seriously hot he is, Brooks Davison is tearing it up as the latest shortstop for the New York Kings, despite his tendency to blush whenever girls scream his name.

When a health scare forces his best friend, Kyle Roberts, off the team, no one can stomach the thought of replacing him, especially so close to the playoffs.

Until Kyle's sister, Sasha, steps in, convincing management to let her take his place. The idea of signing the first female player in Major League history proves too tempting for the Kings to resist.

Nevertheless, Brooks doesn't want any part of it. Sasha is Kyle's little sister, not some sideshow.

Yet when Kyle takes a turn for the worse, Brooks promises to do everything in his power to help Sasha win a championship for him. Because there's no way he's letting either of them down. Not now, not ever.


Currently Reading: Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs

 

gossamerghost

Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Release Date: October 7, 2014 (review will be posted closer to release)
Obtained From: ARC from the author
Date Started:  September 16, 2014

Why I chose this one:

While I will read gruesome mysteries and suspense tales, I do love a cozy, especially settling into fall, and what better than a Halloween cozy involving a woman who owns a scrapbooking store.  I have read Laura Childs in the past and adore her works so this was an easy yes when asked by the author to review.

About Gossamer Ghost:

Carmela Bertrand knows that Halloween in New Orleans means a week of rabble-rousing, costumed craziness—and she can’t wait to get the party started. But when a local antiques dealer turns up dead, Carmela suddenly finds herself in a real-life danse macabre…

An evening’s work deciding on the class schedule for her scrapbooking shop has put Carmela in the mood to kick up her heels. But after some strange noises draw her into Oddities, the neighboring antiques shop, Carmela’s night is abruptly put on hold when a bloody body falls out of a curio cabinet—and into her arms.

While shop owner Marcus Joubert was known for being an eccentric with a penchant for eclectic merchandise, Carmela never thought he was the kind of man who could inspire the passion required to kill. But when Marcus’s assistant—and fiancée—Mavis reveals that a priceless death mask was also stolen, it becomes clear that murder wasn’t the culprit’s sole intention.

Carmela can’t resist the urge to investigate the growing mystery, but as the list of suspects increases, she realizes it’ll take every trick in the book to unmask the killer thief before there’s another night of murderous mischief…


Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander Cover Reveal & Giveaway


baker
Today we're excited to announce the cover reveal of Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander. This is a cozy mystery that releases December 30th by St. Martin's Press. This is the first in the Bakeshop Mystery series!

MeetYourBaker
About the Book:
Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it’s criminal…After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte’s customers turns up dead, there’s much ado about murder…

"Sure to satisfy both dedicated foodies and ardent mystery lovers alike."―Jessie Crockett, author of Drizzled with Death

The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival’s newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her…but still. The silver lining? Jules’s high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can’t help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all…

"Alexander weaves a tasty tale of deceit, family ties, delicious pastries, and murder.” ―Edith Maxwell, author of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die


About the Author:
Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.

Links: 


Giveaway:
Prize package of goodies (US only)

MEET YOUR BAKER giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Currently Reading: In This Moment by Autumn Doughton

In This Moment by Autumn Doughton
Obtained From: Tantor Media for review at Ramblings from This Chick

Why I chose this one: It sounded like a book that I would really enjoy and so far I am.  The readers for this one are great for their parts.
Date Started: September 15, 2014

About In This Moment:
A year ago, Aimee Spencer's world imploded, and she has been running ever since. She doesn't want to feel. She doesn't want to remember. To bury the ghosts that haunt her, she is living a life that has become unrecognizable. 

Cole Everly has grown accustomed to girls throwing themselves at his feet, but when Aimee trips and literally lands in his lap one afternoon, she's not at all what he expects--difficult, damaged, and closed-off. If Cole needed to make a list of qualities to avoid in a girl, Aimee would probably match up with every single one of them. He knows that he should stay away, but he's drawn to her in a way that he can't exactly explain. 


In this honest and absorbing story, Aimee and Cole struggle to sort out the thin spaces between loss and love. Ultimately, they will need to learn how to navigate through the pieces of the past if they want to hold on to the future and each other.



Currently Reading - Private: London by James Patterson and Mark Pearson

I'm starting a new feature on my blog, aiming to get me back into blogging and back into writing reviews, because if I tell you what I'm reading and format up this post maybe I'll make sure to review when I'm done.  So that's the point of Currently Reading, to share what I'm currently reading.  Hopefully it will be followed quickly with a review, whether it's a quick one or a full one or it will direct you to Ramblings From This Chick where I also review.  So wish me good luck!

Private: London by James Paterson and Mark Pearson
Obtained From: My wonderful local library. 
Why I chose this one: I picked up the first Private book a few weeks ago and I was hooked.  I finished Private Games yesterday and quickly read over 250 pages in this one last night so I hope to finish tonight. So far it's fast paced like any Patterson novel and it's easy to read and provides an interesting and twisted story.  Patterson has been a go-to author since I read Along Came a Spider back in college (around 20 years ago).  I admit I had slacked off his books lately, but I'm glad to be picking them up again.  They are not great literary tomes, but they are fun and take me away from real life for awhile.

About Private: London:
SOMETIMES WHEN THE NIGHTMARE ENDS - THE TERROR IS ONLY JUST BEGINNING

For Hannah Shapiro, a beautiful young American student, this particular nightmare began eight years ago in Los Angeles, when Jack Morgan, owner of Private - the world's most exclusive detective agency - saved her from a horrific death. She has fled her country, but can't flee her past. The terror has followed her to London, and now it is down to former Royal Military Police Sergeant Dan Carter, head of Private London, to save her all over again.

In central London, young women are being abducted off the street. When the bodies are found, some days later, they have been mutilated in a particularly mysterious way. Dan Carter's ex-wife, DI Kirsty Webb, is involved in the investigation and it looks likely that the two cases are gruesomely linked.

Dan Carter draws on the whole resources of Private International in a desperate race against the odds. But the clock is ticking... Private may be the largest and most technologically advanced detection agency in the world, but the only thing they don't have is the one thing they need - time.

James Patterson's white-knuckle rollercoaster has just reached London. Buckle up, it's one hell of a ride!




Fall Bloggiseta To Do List




It's that time, Bloggiesta is my second favorite blogging thing after the Read-A-Thons.  But it is very helpful to me.  Yes during this time, we as bloggers make a To Do list of things we would like to get done between Thursday September 18th and Sunday September 21.  During this time there are challenges and chats and general things to inspire us to work on our blogs.  And boy does my blog need some work, it has been woefully neglected so here is my to do list:

  • Work on scheduling meme posts for next 3 weeks
  • Work on scheduling reviews for next few weeks, write at least 5 for my blog
  • Write up all due reviews for Ramblings from This Chick Blog
  • Clean up labels
  • Work on updating review archive
  • Clean up review format and other meme formats, make templates so I can just put the relevant information in.
  • Clean up sidebar, update links
  • Clean up blog-related email
  • Organize my calendar, prioritize reviews
  • Attend at least 1 chat
  • Participate in some of the mini-challenges

That's it for now and probably more than I can ever accomplish, but it gives me something to work towards.  Want to join?  Click on the Bloggiesta Button at the top and join in!

Top Ten Tuesday - Sept. 16

A new-to-me meme to participate in is Top Ten Tuesday.  I have always enjoyed seeing this one on other blogs I read so I decided it was time for me to participate. 

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  So go there to check out more info, link up and see the future topics.  There are a bunch I am looking forward to.

This week's topic is: 

Top Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More (links go to author's Goodreads page)

  1. Larissa Ione - yes somehow I have missed out on this great author. I read the first one in her new Moonbound Clan series, Bound By Night which was amazing, so now it's time to check out book #2, Chained by Night and then her Demonica series.
  2. Marata Eros - I loved The Darkest Joy so I can't wait to check out the next book in the series and some of her other series as well.
  3. Jen Frederick - I read Unraveled which was actually the third in The Woodlands series, so I am anxious to go back to the beginning of this series and I have to say she is on my must read list for anything new and anything I missed.
  4. Melissa Bourbon - I love A Killing Notion so I will be checking out more of her A Magical Dressmaking series.
  5. Kendra Elliot - I read the first in her new Mason Callahan series and will read all new books in it and plan to go back and read her Bone Secrets series as well.
  6. Melissa West - I really enjoyed Pieces of Olivia. I have Gravity already on my TBR pile and I can't wait for more in the Charleston Haven series.
  7. Lia Riley - She may just be my favorite, I loved, loved, loved Upside Down and I am getting ready to read Sideswiped.  This Off the Map series is amazing!
  8. Megan Hart - Yes it has taken me this long to read something by this incredible author but Flying has me wanting to read more!
  9. Catherine McKenzie - Another author that has been around for awhile and I just got a chance to read.  I've already requested another of her books from the library, I loved Arranged that much!
  10. Sarah Castille - Can you say hot?  Not only was In Your Corner my first book by Sarah Castille but it was also the first I have read that features MMA.  And I can't wait for more MMA and more of Sarah's books. Against the Ropes is currently on my wishlist!

Any other authors you would suggest?  Would love to hear some of your favorites that you have just read one and are dying to read more.  Tell me in the comments and/or link up in The Broke and the Bookish's linky.



Forgive Me by Eliza Freed Excerpt Spotlight and Giveaway

FORGIVE ME by Eliza Freed 
(November 4, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book)
 
When two lost souls find each other are they still lost?
At twenty years old, Charlotte O'Brien is suddenly lost and can't seem to find her way home. In the wake of her parents' tragic death she replaces a healthy mourning period with an emotionally and sexually intense relationship with Jason Leer, a fellow lost soul and an unlikely lover. She's a student of diversity, a lover of Manhattan, and about to be a junior at Rutgers University. He's a steer wrestler, an Oklahoma State cowboy, and the hottest thing Charlotte has ever laid eyes on.

Charlotte buries herself in Jason. When they're together it's everything, but when they're apart it's utterly frustrating. Can love survive when distance is measured in more than just miles?





Pre-Order Now!

About the author:
After graduating from Rutgers University and returning to her hometown in rural South Jersey, Eliza Freed discovered her creativity and gift for story telling as a corporate trainer and spent years perfecting her presentation skills and studying diversity. It was during this time she became an avid observer of the characters we meet and the heartaches we endure. Her years of study have taught her laughter is the key to survival, even when it’s completely inappropriate. She currently lives in New Jersey with her family and a misbehaving beagle named Odin. An avid swimmer, if Eliza is not with her family and friends, she’d rather be underwater. While she enjoys many genres, she has always been a sucker for a love story…the more screwed up the better.

Social Media Links:

Excerpt:
“To exist in silence as I lay my soul bare”

And so it goes. The days are blurs of Sean, Jenn, and Margo helping me with the administration
of my life. There’s a will, a house, cars, belongings. Too much to comprehend. And my nights are Jason Leer.

He comes when the others leave; always here within minutes of loneliness setting in. He
saves me from my thoughts and my memories. Two days ago I showed him the key under the
turtle rock and now he no longer knocks. Knocking would imply asking permission to come in and he’s already here.

Something’s different about tonight, though. Sean and Michelle brought dinner over and
drove Dad’s tractor back to their house. They left an hour ago, later than expected, and he’s still
not here. I haven’t slept without him since the funeral and now that he’s absent, the depth to which I need him scares me.

I look in the mirror as I brush my teeth and my face is distraught. I refuse to let myself
consider why. Too afraid it has more to do with Jason’s absence than with my parents. That’s
impossible, though. Did he say he had something to do tonight? Did he say anything? Do we ever say anything? I thought I understood. Until tonight. Now that he’s not here the last week no longer makes sense.

I button the last button on my favorite nightshirt and climb into bed. It’s enormous and
cold without him. The silent darkness allows the memories to seep in. The moonlight invades my
room and everything is gray and sad. Why?

Why did you die?
 

Why aren’t you here?

Where the hell is Jason Leer?


Tears fill my eyes, and I roll onto my stomach and bury my face in my pillow. I can’t be
without them. They have to come back. I hear the truck tires on the gravel of my driveway and
hurry out of bed. His truck door moans as he closes it and I go to the back door to meet him. I open it just as he’s fitting the key into the lock.

His smile fades as the look on my face registers. He steps to me and wipes the tears from
my face, which makes me cry a little more.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he whispers, so as to not disturb the quiet that’s descended on the
house. He smells of cigarettes and dirt. Actual dirt. And I’m so thankful he’s here.

“Worried I wasn’t coming?” Jason moves closer to me and I lose my breath as he pins me
up against the wall. I nod my head slowly, my eyes never leaving his.

“I came as soon as the rodeo ended.”

“Did you forget the rodeo?”

“No. I know the rodeo is on Saturday.” Jason’s face turns to confusion. “I didn’t know today is Saturday,” I say, and my complete disconnection from the living makes me start to cry
again. If my parents were alive, I would know what fucking day it is.

Jason pulls me close to him and kisses the side of my head as he runs his fingers through my hair.

“I need a shower,” he says, but I can’t be concerned with what he needs.

I lay my soul bare; Jason’s to do with me what he wants because I can’t seem to care about it anymore. He forces me back to the wall and presses his body against mine until I can feel him. Until I can feel something.


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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Teaser Tuesday #1


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week my teaser comes from What I Love About You by Rachel Gibson (and okay it's more than two sentences, but I thought it was a good look at the humor in the book):




"Then Michael let all that high finance go to his head." She frowned. "The big city just corrupted him."
"New York?" He tossed the razors in his cart.
"Boise."
Boise? He chucked and coughed in his fist. Boise was a nice-size town, but could never be mistaken for the big city.


What are you reading this week and what lines stand out to you?


Have you read this one yet? What did you think? I am loving it so far.  My review will be up later this week at Ramblings from This Chick.