On Solid Ground blog tour: Review & Giveaway

On Solid Ground

by Michelle Kemper Brownlow
(In Too Deep #2)
Publication date: December 3rd 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

On Solid Ground on Goodreads here.

Synopsis:

Gracie survived an emotionally abusive relationship that wrecked her. Her ex, Noah, systematically chipped away at her self-esteem through intimidation, humiliation and infidelity which left Gracie unable to trust her own perception of his intentions. But after falling head over heels for Jake, her best friend and the man who stood by her through it all, she is ready to experience life in the way it was meant to be lived.  However, Gracie may find it impossible to simultaneously heal from the trauma of abuse while navigating a relationship with Jake. Can she put her heart on hold in order to heal her soul?The sequel to the five-star debut novel, In Too Deep, chronicles Gracie’s steps toward healing as she falls deeper in love, reaches out for help, stands on her own, steps out of her comfort zone, faces her biggest fears, and reconnects with a sensual, talented soul from her past all in hopes of finding herself on solid ground.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B & N

My Thoughts:

Way better than book #1!

Although I much preferred sticking to Gracie's point of view, I thoroughly enjoyed getting Jake's perspective on events throughout On Solid Ground, and if anything I feel as though this man is too perfect. Seriously ladies, this man had me swooning quite a bit, Gracie is so lucky.

Speaking of Gracie, I found her a much more tolerable character in this second instalment, she's still very insecure and lacks self-esteem, but she's also grown quite a bit, and doesn't allow others to walk over her like she did in book #1.

The chemistry between these two is sizzling! And I'm so glad we get to see Jake and Gracie together through much of the book, not to get too cheesy, but these two really do seem to be "on solid ground" this time around.

I will be rereading this instalment quite a bit, because I have developed a huge crush on Jake, thanks so much to Michelle for creating such a sexy hero!

New adult fans should really this title a chance, it's filled with angst and romance, what more could you ask for?! haha

Happy Reading!!!

About the Author:

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.

Connect with Michelle: 

Author Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway time!!! Open to U.S. and Canada residents! Good luck to all who entered!

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Covert Assignment Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Covert Assignment 

by Missy Marciassa

Now Available!!!

Covert Assignment on Goodreads here.

Synopsis:

    Covert Assignment is a New Adult, Coming of Age Novel with a strong romantic element. Elle is ready for graduation and full-fledged adulthood: no more living like the leftover of her parent’s divorce. She’s about to graduate with her degree in Information Science (the 21st century term for Library Science) and has a ten-year plan as well-designed as any model for analyzing metadata: earn her JD/MBA, enjoy a couple of years as a single professional, then marry her college sweetheart, Adam, and start her own family.
    Yet Elle feels like she returned to an alternate universe her final semester. There are pictures of Adam with a classmate who must be surgically enhanced, but he insists he wants Elle. CIA recruiters show up on campus, and they aren’t just interested in recruiting Elle for future employment: turns out she’s already working for them since they’re funding her thesis. Hot operative Preston Raddick is tasked to work with her. Preston isn’t just hot: he’s hot for Elle, but is he offering happy ever after or happy for right now? A fling with Preston could be the beginning of a new life plan, which is exciting and scary, especially with espionage thrown in. Elle needs a predictive model to tell her which decisions have the greater likelihood for happiness…
    Covert Assignment is about the unexpected turns life can take when making “adult” decisions.

Purchase Links: Amazon

My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed Covert Assignment, and am so relieved that Missy won't be making us wait too long for books 2 and 3!

Elle was a great heroine, I found her very relatable. She wasn't whiny or a huge pushover, which was a huge relief (as I feel like this seems to be a recurring theme in New Adult titles). Although I have to admit I'm not a huge math whizz like Elle, I enjoyed watching the adventures her brain and skills got her into.

Preston is sexy but elusive and can I just mention how much I LOVE the name of this guy, it just sounds sexy! Haha. There's some serious chemistry between these. Plenty of steamy moments to be had and I can't wait to see where Missy will take them next. Especially after that ending!

HOWEVER now many who have already read Covert Assignment might disagree with on this, but I flippin LOVE Adam. I know I should hate him, but I can't, and I really hope there's more of him in the next instalments.

Covert Assignment is a fresh contemporary New Adult pick that many Romance fans are sure to love, and it's a real quick read. Go order your copy!

Happy Reading!!!

About the Author:

Missy Marciassa loved getting lost in novels from the time she could read, so it’s no surprise she wanted to write. Her very first “novels” were re-writing the books she read to get the endings she wanted in second grade. Missy continued to read and write through grade school and high school.

After becoming rather disillusioned with fiction after writing literary criticism as an English major in college, however, Missy focused on her enjoyment of learning about people and studied psychology. Reading fiction fell to the wayside with all the reading and writing required for college and graduate school, but once Missy became a doctoral candidate, she rediscovered her love of fiction. Then she started getting the urge to write, an urge that wouldn’t go away (she refuses to diagnose it as a compulsion). CovertAssignment is the end result of that urge.

Connect with Missy:

Author Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Grand prize giveaway

Prize (open internationally): 

 a $25 Visa gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special thanks to Missy and Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!

What's the Story McCoy?

Hey Everyone!

I'm so sorry I've been so terrible keeping up with my blog these past few months, my Teacher's Program is very time-consuming and much more demanding than I could have ever imagined, but rewarding nonetheless!

I will be catching up on my reading in the upcoming holiday season, and hope to have lots of good reviews to share with you in the new year. Be on the lookout in mid-December for my second BOX OF ARCs GIVEAWAY where I'll be giving away 20+ ARCs

The following are books I've accumulated over the past month or two:

Gifted/Swapped

Finished Copies and ARCs from Publisher

I bought

E-ARCs from Publisher

That's my story for the past couple months! Huge thanks to HarperTeen, HarlequinTeen, Simon and Schuster Canada, Penguin Canada and Raincoast Books for making it so epic!

What's your story?

I'll be back very soon! :)

Bad Boy Rock Star Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Today, I'm glad to be one of the stops on the BAD BOY ROCK STAR blog tour!

Bad Boy Rock Star

by Candy J. Starr
Release date: November 18th 2013
Bad Boy on Goodreads here.

Synopsis:

Hannah Sorrento never planned to be a band manager. She’s a princess. The toughest obstacle she’s had to face is finding shoes to match her outfit.

Then her father disappears and she’s left with only the money in her purse and a contract for the management of hot, indie rock band, STORM. She plans to sell the management company, one or another, then head back to law school with her designer wardrobe and wait for this whole mess to blow over.

But lead singer, Jack Colt, has other ideas and he’s messing with Hannah’s head. Not to mention her heart.

With the help of crazy rock chick, Angie, Hannah sets the band on their first steps to the big time and learns that poor people can have a  lot of fun.

But this isn’t some game she can escape from and soon her secrets get exposed.

He’s arrogant and infuriating but he’s the one that’s there for Hannah when her world comes crashing down. With secrets of his own, will Jack Colt save Hannah or destroy her?

Purchase Links: Amazon  

My Thoughts:

Oh boy, this is an addictive first instalment! A fun, one-sitting read!

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to relate to Hannah, but I actually found her narration fresh and her character quite likeable. 

Jack was just as infuriating throughout this novel, as he was sexy. I absolutely loved the relationship between he and Hannah, I really liked the build up, it wasn't too fast or too slow (but please let there be more sexy times in book #2) haha. A funny thing that I need to mention, while reading this new adult, I had the Katy Perry song, "Hot and Cold" stuck in my head, because it is a perfect example of these two's relationship. 

But be warned, there is a huge cliffhanger to this book, and I was so relieved to see that Jack and Hannah's story will be continuing. I know Jack will have a chance to redeem himself (but that's all I'm going to say because I don't want to spoil it ;))

Please read Bad Boy Rock Star, if you enjoy contemporary romance with a rich girl down on her luck, and sexy, guarded rock stars, then you're sure to love it!

Happy Reading!!!

About the Author:

Candy J. Starr used to be a band manager until she realised that the band she managed was

so lacking in charisma that they actually sucked the charisma out of any room they played. “Screw you,” she said, leaving them to wallow in obscurity – totally forgetting that they owed her big bucks for video equipment hire.

Candy has filmed and interviewed some big names in the rock business, and a lot of small ones. She’s seen the dirty little secrets that go on in the back rooms of band venues. She’s seen the ugly side of rock and the very pretty one.

But, of course, everything she writes is fiction.

Connect with Candy: Author Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway time!!!!! (And it's international) Good luck to all who enter!

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Special thanks to Candy and Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!

Blog Tour: Attempting Elizabeth by Jessica Grey, Review

Attempting Elizabeth

by Jessica Grey 

Now Available!!!
Attempting Elizabeth on Goodreads here.

Synopsis:

Kelsey Edmundson is a geek and proud of it. She makes no secret of her love for TV, movies, and, most especially, books. After a bad breakup, she retreats into her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, wishing she had some of the wit and spirit of Elizabeth Bennett.

One night at a party Kelsey meets handsome Australian bartender Mark Barnes. From then on, she always seems to run into him when she least expects it. No matter how Kelsey tries, she always seems to say the wrong thing.

After a particularly gaffe-filled evening around Mark, Kelsey is in desperate need of inspiration from Jane Austen. She falls asleep reading Darcy’s letter to Lizzy and awakens to find herself in an unfamiliar place that looks and sounds suspiciously like her favorite book. Has she somehow been transported into Pride and Prejudice, or is it just a dream?

As Kelsey tries to discover what’s happening to her, she must also discover her own heart. Is Mark Barnes destined to be her Mr. Darcy? In the end, she must decide whether attempting to become Elizabeth is worth the risk or if being Kelsey Edmundson is enough.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B & N

My Thoughts:

Great, fresh contemporary retelling!

I really enjoyed Attempting Elizabeth, it was nice reading from Kelsey's point of view because I think she and I are in very similar positions in life, so she was a relatable character to me. Plus, my best friend is VERY similar to Tori, in her persistence to set me up haha. This was a fast read for me and it made for a great escape (it was a nice reprieve from all the heavy angst-ridden titles I've been reading lately).

One of my favourite parts of Attempting Elizabeth was the way Jessica twisted events around for Kelsey and Mark's first meeting so that Kelsey was the arrogant one, caught bad-mouthing him (it was perfect!) The progression of the relationship between these two was a bit slower than I would have liked, but I enjoyed the challenges they both posed for each other.

Mark is a fantastic leading man. I loved his confidence and easy nature. Plus who doesn't love a man with an accent? Am I right? haha :) I think the only thing that irked me about him (and this is going to sound so superficial) was that he isn't very tall, now I know this is realistic and awful for me to point out, but I must say I think tall men are sexy! haha

Overall Attempting Elizabeth is a great contemporary new adult title that is loosely based on one of Austen's classics and I would definitely recommend you give this one a shot!

Happy Reading!!!

About the Author:

Jessica Grey is an author, fairytale believer, baseball lover, and recovering Star Wars fangirl. A life-long Californian, she now lives in Montana with her husband and two children where she spends her time writing, perfecting the fine art of preschooler-wrangling, and drinking way too much caffeine.

Connect with Jessica: 

Author Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Special thanks to Jessica and Xpresso Books Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!

Blog Tour: The Devil's Tattoo by Nicole Taylor, Review Stop

The Devil’s Tattoo
By Nicole R. Taylor
Now Available!!!The Devil's Tattoo on Goodreads here.
Synopsis:

Zoe Granger picked up her first guitar the day her heart was smashed into a billion pieces. It was a way to keep her mind off her inevitable downward spiral, but music soon became her escape. She's been burned too many times to tell and is just happy to coast through life, never putting herself out there. That's until her best friend Dee suggests they start a band and suddenly she finds herself not just a part of it, but fronting the whole outfit.

They call themselves The Devil's Tattoo and when they release their debut EP, it rockets to the top of the charts and it's like an overnight fairytale. Contracts, photo shoots, royalties and interviews are heaped onto the shy Zoe and it's like she's finally found her place. Then comes the phone call that changes everything. They've been asked to co-headline a tour with one of the hottest bands of the moment, The Stabs and Zoe will never be the same again.

Will Strickland is one fourth of the hottest indie rock band to ever grace the airwaves. He's the bass player in The Stabs, hot as hell and could have his pick of any girl that flings herself at him. But he's only got eyes for Zoe and she has no idea why he'd bother. She's got one hell of a trust issue and an attitude to boot and Will seems to be the one who wants to tame her, but is he game enough?

The Devil's Tattoo and The Stabs go on the road and it's either going to be a highway to hell or a stairway to heaven. Only time will tell who will come out on top and Zoe's determined to do it without getting her heart broken… again.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B & N

Checkout the trailer!

My Thoughts:

Loved it!

With so many Rock n' Roll New Adult picks out there right now and that I've read, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy The Devil's Tattoo. Thankfully, I adored this one. Zoe and Will are both terrific characters and narrators. I found Zoe very relatable and likeable and I really enjoyed the strong support she received from her band (I seriously wish I had a bestie guy friend like Dee!) 

Zoe's really likeable but also very fragile and defensive (she suffered a traumatic experience) and her music is her way of escaping the memories that plague her. 

Will was just so sweet, I don't want to be spoilery, but I just fell hard for him when he got Zoe something that she really couldn't afford, it was so sweet how generous he was and how much he wanted to surprise Zoe *sigh* I just loved it! And I really liked reading from his point of view. Don't get me wrong though, he's a guy, so he does screw up a few times in this book, but you never have to guess his true intentions with Zoe, well except for maybe one incident with a pesky ex-girlfriend ;).

I really enjoyed the progression of the relationship between these two, we go from tons of juicy sexual tension, right into some sexy love scenes. It wasn't too rushed, but the reader's not left waiting for the whole book for the sexy times to begin haha. 

I did have one irk about this book, and that's that towards the end, we see the revisit of a certain character in Zoe's life, and it gets a wee bit hokey, but ultimately I loved reading both Zoe and Will's story and will definitely keep my eye out for future works by Taylor :).

If you enjoy sexy New Adults with Rock God and Goddess, well than give the Devil's Tattoo and shot!

Happy Reading!!!

About the Author:

Nicole R. Taylor is an Australian born paranormal, fantasy and contemporary fiction author. She is a graduate of the University of Ballarat Professional Writing and Editing programme and is a former music memorabilia sales person and grocery merchandiser. She currently lives in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia with a two year old rescue cat named, Burger. She enjoys reading, writing (of course!), traveling and a little too much chocolate. One day she hopes to sky dive, but has to work up the courage first. The first in her new paranormal fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga is available in e-edition and print from March 20th 2013 Connect with the Author: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Time!!!

Grand prize giveaway

Prizes (open internationally)

1 x Swag Pack - inc. The Devil's Tattoo band t-shirt (choice of size/either vest, men's tee or womans fitted tee), tote bag, badge, signed postcards and sticker
2 x Signed Postcard Pack and The Devil's Tattoo Band Sticker
5 x Ebook Copies of The Devil's Tattoo (mobi or epub)

Good Luck to all who enter!!!

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Special thanks to Nicole and Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!

ENDLESS BLOG TOUR: Review & Author Interview

Today, I am so thrilled to be one of the blog stops on the Official ENDLESS BLOG TOUR!!!

Endless (The Violet Eden Chapters #4)
By: Jessica Shirvington
Now Available!!!
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: E-galley courtesy of the publisher
Endless on Goodreads here.
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:
Love will kill us all.

Angels are real. They aren't always kind. Violet Eden is certain of all this because she is Grigori - part angel, part human. She has felt the influence of both light and dark.

When Hell unleashes its worst, Violet must embrace every facet of her angel self to save the people she cares about and the world as she knows it. But death is not the worst thing that Violet will face. For her, the endless question 'Can love conquer all?' will finally be answered.

My Thoughts:
Wow! Just, wow!

To this day, Jessica's The Violet Eden Chapters series continues to confuse me to no end, BUT it also happens to have one of my favourite YA romances as well, so this all balances out haha! Violet continues to be a strong lead and narrator- love seeing the world (and Lincoln) through her eyes!

Quick sidenote: Totally called Dapper and Onyx in Entice!

It was nice to see Violet's Mom and Dad incorporated into this instalment so much, in the past I tended to believe that she was an orphan in earlier instalments, because her father was never "present" but it's really nice to see him making an effort, although I'm not sure I want him to get back together with Evelyn.

Now on to my favourite part- the Romance! Be warned Violet Eden fans, this instalment will break your heart, truly. I thank the stars that this isn't the final book of the series. Lincoln, without a doubt, is on my top 5 list of favourite heros, he has so much character and I love how strong and protective he is over Violet. I don't know about Violet and Lincoln, but I can't take much more heartache between these two!

And Pheonix, well without revealing to much about this character, cause A LOT happens in this instalment, my heart truly went out for him.

Be prepared for a cliffhanger ending that will leave you screaming and wanting to pull-out your hair if you don't get the next instalment right now! Please Jessica, give Violet, Lincoln and me, some satisfaction. Thank goodness we only have to wait til April for book #6 Empower!

If you've already read books 1-4 than you know you need to continue this series, and if you haven't started The Violet Eden Chapters, well you must! But be warned this series is completely addictive, so be sure to keep your schedule opened, because once you start you won't be able to stop!

Happy Reading!!!

About Jessica:


Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES, and stand alone novel, BETWEEN THE LIVES. An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for twleve years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels. 

Please join me in welcoming Jessica to the blog today!

1)Why Angels? What inspired you to write about them?

Funnily enough, when I started writing the first book it originally appealed to me because there were hardly any YA books out there that involved the angel theme. It felt unexplored. Now, that seems crazy because there have been so many of them that the market even felt a flooded by angels for a while. 

After first making the decision it was my research that really drove home how much I wanted to write about angels and the mythology that surrounded them. It became a bit of an obsession.

2)How important do you think a love triangle is in Young Adult literature?

Not at all. The story is important and the choices, the consequences, the growth and development of the characters. I think there are often stories that are branded as love triangles that are often not triangles at all. When you look closely you can see it is often not that way and it is driven more by jealousy, or mis communication or by one persons unwillingness to step back.

But I do believe love triangles are a good activator of discussion and action. I think they can drive a story forward and entice interesting confrontation so from that point of view, and from a self discovery point of view, they have a solid function. It really depends on if they are right for the story or not. I don't like them when they serve no purpose other than to see a girl stuck in the middle with a oh me, oh my kind of attitude. (hate that!)

3) Which of your characters do you relate to the most? If any.

I'm not entirely sure. All of them and none of them in so many ways. I know Violet the best. But perhaps I relate to one of the other characters - like Zoe for example, a little better.

4) How far do you plan to take the Violet Eden series?

There will be five books in total. ENDLESS is out October 1 and the final book, EMPOWER, will follow in April 2014. Very excited!!!

5) Lincoln or Pheonix? Light or Dark?

My husband swears that I somehow, magically, took everything amazing about him and split it evenly into two characters - Lincoln and Phoenix. So with that in mind...BOTH!

And as for light or dark...well, I have to say both to that one as well.

6) If you could sum up ENDLESS in three words, what words would they be?

Life changing. Heartbreaking. 

Thanks so much for stopping and for your thoughtful answers, Jessica! Super excited for EMPOWER this Spring!!!

Special thanks to Jessica and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to participate in this tour!

Say When Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Hello! Welcome to one of the next stops on the SAY WHEN BLOG TOUR!

Say When 

by Tara West 

Now Available!!!

Say When on Goodreads here.

Synopsis:

He told me to say when, but I can’t. Not with Andrés. It’s so hard to say anything when he’s trailing feather soft kisses down my neck, or when his touch sends hot currents of lust rippling across my skin.

Then there’s the way he smiles and offers soft words of encouragement when I’m creating art, almost like he believes I have talent.

He’s not like any guy I’ve ever met. Not like my ex-fiancée. Not like my father. He’s got me thinking that maybe we can have something more. More than just lust, degradation, and abuse.

And now I’m scared, because that means I’ll have to trust him with more than just my body, but with my heart, too.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

My Thoughts:

Very Intense!

To be completely honest, I had a lot of mixed emotions about Say When. I found Christina a very unlikable heroine, with a huge chip on her shoulder, her narration was a bit off-putting. Don't get me wrong though, she's been through a tremendous amount in her young life, and has every right to be a bit bitter and defensive (especially with her mother), but her constant anger and negativity was borderline depressing.

Andres was a much more likeable character to me, although I found his third person, present-tense narration a wee-bit distracting. He to has been through a lot, and is carrying a lot of guilt with him, but he was constantly striving to better himself and right the "wrongs" he feels responsible for. I thought he was incredibly sweet to Christina, and he's a very sexy and persistent man.

Now I know I've been focusing on a few negatives, but I absolutely LOVED the scenes between these two. They have a great chemistry and there were many a steamy moments to be had though out the book. And once you read about all the trials and tribulations these two have had to overcome (before they even met each other) you'll be rooting for a happy ending for them. 

I believe this is the first of a new series, and I'm excited to see where Tara takes Christina and Andres in the next instalment. Be warned this first instalment has a semi-cliffhanger ending.

I'm very curious to see where this series will go next and if you enjoy an angsty (VERY angsty) New Adult with plenty of steamy moments, than give Say When a try!

Happy Reading!!!

About Tara:

A former Texas high school teacher, I enjoyed coaching the writing team and even the hectic

deadlines that came with running the school publications. After taking a break to raise my baby girl, I now work from home as a cover artist.
In my spare time, I loves to read, exercise and spend time with family and friends. I contribute the cover art for my Whispers Series and have designed covers for over 500 other books.

Connect with Tara: Author Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway Time!!!

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