He can ANIMATE ME!–A Review

Animate Me Hi there! Wanted to share something fun I picked up as an Amazon Freebie a couple weeks ago. This fun New Adult romance by Ruth Clampett is everything I look for in a book–solid love story, some realistic complications, and a resolution that leaves me swoony.

ANIMATE ME does it animal-style. (more on that below!)

Here’s what happens:

Twenty-four year old animator Nathan Evans has the biggest crush on Brooke, an executive at his studio. Not only does he admire her from afar, he names is comic book character B-Girl after her.

One day their paths cross in the elevator and there’s some banter about Brooke wanting a coffee. As Nathan was on his way out for coffee anyway he buys one for Brooke, too. Being the shy-romantic he is, he draws her a tiny cartoon on the paper cup. Something to make her flash that megawatt smile he adores.

They chat a bit and he’s so into it he decides to repeat this encounter the next day. And the next. Soon it becomes an afternoon ritual they both enjoy. It’s a giant leap for Nathan–he’s a bit (deliciously) socially awkward–to reach out to a woman. See Nathan’s only had two “relationships” in his life and neither was actually consummated…that’s right. Nathan’s a 24 y/o virgin.

I love how Clampett turns the innocence tables here–having Nathan be the fumbling novice and Brooke the savvy instructor! Genius!

In fact, Brooke thinks their flirtation is designed to attract another co-worker Nathan desires. Too shy to correct her–and wanting more than anything to spend more time with Brooke–he proceeds with Brooke’s Love Lessons all the while getting more action than he’d ever dreamed. Not that it’s all roses. Cause it ain’t.

Brooke’s pseudo-boyfriend, Arnauld, is the president of their animation studio. And when he learns that Brooke is falling hard for Nathan, Arnauld’s not willing to let her go. His attempt to destroy Nathan’s career is vicious and yet perfectly believable.

Through the flame war that erupts, Nathan and Brooke get separated. The longing, anguish and anger that Nathan experiences are so poignant–I wanted to jump into the book and hug him. Tell him, “Hold on baby, it’ll all work out!”

And it does, so HEA’s for everyone.

ANIMATE ME is a home run for me. I loved the male viewpoint! I loved Nathan’s innocence and excitement and steadfastness. He’s the kind of guy I hope my sons grow into–the kind that look for a special girl to cherish and then pour their whole soul into loving her. And, bonus, we get cute little cartoons that build on the love story!

Here’s where you can find ANIMATE ME: Goodreads AMAZON

New books are coming out from Ruth Clampett and they sound just as fun. I’ll keep you posted when I get my eyes on them…

Let me know if you pick up ANIMATE ME and drop me a comment on how you liked it.

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

Can one boy KEEP ME STILL?–Tour Review and Giveaway!

Hi there and Welcome to my stop on the KEEP ME STILL blog tour sponsored by InkSlinger Promotions. Today I’m reviewing a YA Romance from best-selling author Caisey Quinn, whose GIRL WITH GUITAR I absolutely loved…

BOOK SUMMARY:
Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

My Review:
This YA/New Adult Romance is an emotional rollercoaster. Layla is used to being the invisible girl–until Landen comes along. His unabashed affection brings her out of her isolation and causes her to hope that love is possible. That perhaps everybody doesn’t leave.

Until he does. His mother is separating from his abusive father and he’s moving to Colorado. Heartbroken, Layla can’t move on, but a new diagnosis helps her see that she can give up on life, or actually live it.

She moves to LA to go to USC only to reunite with Landon. Can she trust him again, is one huge question. But, more importantly, should she give in to her desire knowing that her medical issues will guarantee her time with him is finite?

It’s a difficult decision, for sure. Especially when Layla learns that she doesn’t have any secrets. Landon’s the one keeping everything from her.

I enjoyed this one. I’ve been a Quinn fan since GIRL WITH GUITAR and was not disappointed here. The emotions run high, but not to the melodramatic. Given the additional novellas–LET YOU LEAVE and KEEP US CLOSE that come along for the ride, the story is well-rounded and touching. Watching these broken souls find peace is a satisfying journey. I think the book(s) are fine for any upper YA reader. The smexytimes aren’t terribly graphic and make sense within the book’s plot lines.

Interested? You can find KEEP ME STILL at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.

About the fan-tab author:
Caisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places. You can find her online at her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

***GIVEAWAY****
Want a chance to win a $50 Gift Card (1), a KEEP ME STILL Kindle Case (1), and a swag pack (1). Plus signed copies of WISH I MAY by Lexi Ryan (1) , BREAK IT UP by E.M. Tippetts (1), and a winner’s choice title from Elizabeth Lee (1)? Click the link below to enter!

5 winners get one or more of these prizes! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to let me know if you pick up KEEP ME STILL and if you liked it!

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

CLAN–Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Clan
by Realm Lovejoy
Release Date: 11/12/13
Summary from Goodreads:
Clans are Unity.
No variation. No deviation.
On Clades, to be a Clan is to be an exact copy.
A perfect society cloning themselves to survive, even as the zombielike Frags threaten to overrun them on an unforgiving planet.
Clan 1672 (privately known as Twain) was never supposed to survive the Incubation Tank.
But he did. Illegally.
He is different from the other Clans.
A secret that could destroy him.

How about a little tease?
The fetuses all faced the same way. The glass curved and magnified them until every trickle of vein was visible.
“Clans, do not tap on the glass, as you may disturb your fetus Brethren.”
Luge continued forward in the dark tunnel toward the large monitor embedded in the wall. It was blue and various data splashed across it—numbers, graphs.
Twain lagged behind the outermost edge of the group until he could barely see Luge. The bubbling blue fluid in the cases around him had a saltwater smell. Though most probably did not notice, Twain knew the scent too well. Whenever he had his nausea episode, he had to soak in a vat of Incubation Fluid—regenerative for cells, his sponsor had said. It was lukewarm and had a musty salt smell, like blood. Just remembering the fluid provoked nausea.
Twain rubbed his head and stared at the ground, blinking rapidly and chewing his lip. His vision dimmed as the bitter taste in his mouth brought him back to reality. Please don’t get sick…
“I think he looked at us,” someone whispered with childlike wonder. 1249’s nose was almost touching the glass capsule. The light put a halo around his slightly rumpled hair. He wasn’t chewing his gum today, but he still had the sugary scent on him.
“His eyes are closed,” Twain said. “They just look open because his eyelids are transparent.”
1249’s eyes caught the blue light when he turned away from the fetus. “In which case, he sees through them…”
“Sure.” Twain looked back to the floor and took a large gulp of air. Nausea crawled through his stomach.
“Are you all right?”
Twain looked up. “What?”
“I asked if you were all right.”
Twain noted that 1249 said “I.” Only Father Krume and the First-Batchers were allowed to say that. Was he trying to act like the leaders of Clan?
“Why would you ask something like that?”
“You look ill.”
Twain tried to rectify his posture as he turned his face away. 1249 is strange.
“You have a bruise on your face,” 1249 continued.
Twain grimaced. “You can see it?”
“How can I not?”
“We thought… nobody noticed.” Twain’s eyes darted over to 1348 who was standing among the cluster of students up ahead.
“You afraid of him?” 1249 whispered.
“Afraid? I…” Twain started, but the word “I” hung in the sticky air.
Slowly, 1249’s mouth curved into a smile.
Twain backed away.
“My name is Buster,” 1249 said.

Kinda like high school, huh? 🙂
In all seriousness, the book sounds great and I can’t wait to read it…

Kirkus Reviews: “In this fast-paced novel, Lovejoy uses economical prose while developing the story’s characters and setting in detail. She also meets the challenge of creating memorable characters in a world of identical people…” (Read
more here!)

Available from:

About the Author
Realm Lovejoy is a writer and an artist. She was raised in Washington State and the alps of Nagano, Japan. Her father is a Japanese ex-monk and her mother an English teacher from Rhode Island. Her art is influenced by both the East and the West.
Realm aspires to tell stories through her writing and art.
She is agented by Jessica Regel. Her upcoming YA sci-fi novel is titled CLAN, is newly released.
Author Links:

***GIVEAWAY***

1 Signed Paperback + CLAN Button + Signed Illustration from Paperback (6×8) (US only)

6 Paperbacks of CLAN (US only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz
hosted by:

BEFORE THEY FIND US–Cover Reveal

Before They Find Us

By Michelle A.Hansen

Cover Designed by: Cathi Stevenson of Book Cover Express

Book Summary:

I’m going to make you wish you were dead.
Just a text. Seventeen-year-old Rebecca Hales tries not to worry. Probably a wrong number. Not really meant for her, and definitely not related to the crime she witnessed six years ago. Right?

Then two states away, a bomb goes off in her best friend’s locker. Soon Ryan is labeled a terrorist and runs to the safest place he knows—Rebecca’s house in small-town Wyoming. It doesn’t take long for the FBI to show up asking questions. Rebecca lies, of course, and says she hasn’t seen him.

Now she’s neck-deep in it with him, whatever “it” is. The only way out is to return to Vegas, where Ryan is a wanted man. The city of lies and illusion puts Rebecca’s small-town wits to the test as she struggles to find the person who framed Ryan and why.

Is Rebecca’s text linked to the bombing? And what does it have to do with a six year old murder? Rebecca needs to find out before she loses Ryan—and her own life.

About the Author
Michelle A. Hansen was raised in southeastern Washington. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in English teaching from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and taught high school English for six years.

Michelle loves Pepsi and Doritos more than chocolate. She loves summertime and hates to be cold. She has had three near-death experiences. She’s addicted to office supplies and has an irrationally large stash of pens and notebooks

Author Links:

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Flooded with emotion FORTY DAYS/FORTY NIGHTS–Reviews and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m blitzing Stephanie Parent’s two-part YA epic historical romance. Why? Because they rock…As you will see below.

Forty Days (Neima’s Ark #1)

by Stephanie Parent

Summary from Goodreads:

The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic…
…until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her
entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive?
With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.
My Review:
Holy Moly! So to be clear, while the center of this story is Noah and the flood, the heart of the story is Neima–the awkward, ungainly grand-daughter of Noah. She’s sixteen and an independent thinker, even if she doesn’t say what she thinks often.

Still, she’s dutiful, and follows orders even when it means loading the Ark. The Ark that she’s hated her entire life. Because that Ark has poisoned her entire village. It looms over everyone, and the villagers find her whole family tainted by Noah’s perceived madness.

Her two best friends, Debya and Jorin, stand by her side until the unthinkable happens.
Neima’s cousin Kenaan–a highly attractive young man–sure that they will be betrothed actually takes the matter into his own hands. He attempts to coerce Neima into relations, which breaks Debya’s heart and sets Jorin back. See, Jorin’s always loved Neima. And Debya wanted Kenaan for herself.

And then the flood happens. And Neima’s trapped on the Ark with Kenaan, his parents and sister, her parents, grandparents, and another uncle and aunt–and about a million stinking animals. All her friends are washed away. Gone. Destroyed in this One God’s watery wrath.
Neima can’t make sense of this new world. This world where Noah isn’t crazy and Kenaan stalks her in the shadows.

Until she finds the stowaway. One she’s willing to cast her life overboard to save.

FORTY DAYS is heady and amazing and nothing I imagined it would be. It does contain a cliffhanger ending.

Readers looking for a traditional, religiously oriented version of the Noah’s Ark story should be warned that FORTY DAYS may not appeal to them. The novel will, however, appeal to lovers of apocalyptic fiction, historical fiction, and romance, as well as anyone who’s ever dreamed of having a baby elephant as a pet.

Get your FREE copy:

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Forty Nights (Neima’s Ark #2)

by Stephanie Parent

Release Date: September 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Neima, her family, and her grandfather Noah have found themselves trapped aboard an ark as a great flood destroys all life in the world. As their time aboard the ark lengthens, food begins to run out, wild animals grow restless, and family tensions become as much of a threat as the flood outside. In the second and final installment of Neima’s Ark, the stakes are higher, the conflicts are greater, and Neima finds herself facing a choice as impossible as the destruction all around her.

Forty Nights is a continuation of the story begun in Forty Days, and it’s recommended that you read Forty Days first for the best experience. Forty Nights does, however, contain a character guide to refresh readers’ memories. The Neima’s Ark series is a historical, feminist reimagining of the story of Noah’s Ark rather than a religiously oriented one, and the novels are best suited for readers who are comfortable with new interpretations of biblical stories.

My Review:
When I survived my mini-heart attack from the ending of FORTY DAYS I popped open FORTY NIGHTS.

The story picks up at the exact right moment, a moment where Neima raises her voice to be heard. When the horrors of the past are opened to the light of day. The stowaway has been found and his life is forfeit. Noah is certain only family is to survive–and Neima’s uncle vows to toss himself over, too–sure that his lineage is tainted.

It is Nezmar, Noah’s wife, who acts as the voice of reason. And still, the danger isn’t over. A freak fire and an unnecessary slaughter are blamed upon the stowaway…meanwhile the rain pounds down.

For Neima, it is a time of strife and constant vigilance to keep herself safe from Kenaan and the other predators lurking in the Ark’s holds. But time and again Neima demonstrates that strength is not always physical. Her burgeoning love for the young man whose life she had spared reminds her there are bigger things to hope for, a future to look forward to, perhaps. And love is a force in it’s own right.

With an unlikely ally and her mother’s blessing, Neima finds the strength to overcome her past, and build the future she couldn’t have dreamed.

So powerful. I just really loved this ending. But, then again I loved the beginning and the middle, too. It is a fully realized story of hope and faith and love, that while not religious, calls us to find that inner peace and resilience that most people have cast aside. I picked up on Stephanie Parent back in the summer when I downloaded PRECIOUS THINGS and, after FORTY DAYS and FORTY NIGHTS, I know I’ll be looking for more of her work soon.

Available from:

PRAISE FOR THE NEIMA’S ARK SERIES:

“Stephanie Parent takes a story I would have immediately shrugged off and turned it into a story with a surprising amount of reality and despite being religious based is not at all religious. Stephanie somehow created a paradox… When I think of a word to describe this story I think, layers.
The tension is extremely layered. We get internal tension among the characters, tension relating to the animals, and tension from the storming raging outside. It’s not even supernatural elements, it’s all practical points like food and animal needs. The characters are also well defined and fleshed out.”

–Michelle, In Libris Veritas

The romance is slow and imperfect, but it’s realistic and believable. I can honestly say that this love story is one of if not the best one I’ve read so far…a very thrilling read full of some great twists…[the ending] was everything I could have asked for and more, it was a perfect ending to an imperfectly perfect story.

–Zachary Flye, Zach’s YA Reviews

About the Author

Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block’s WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.

***Author Links***

*GIVEAWAY*

1- ebook of Forty Nights & $10 Amazon Gift Card
(INT)

2- ebook copies of Forty Nights (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz
hosted by:

THE STAR CATCHER Shines–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on The Star Catcher blog tour organized by YA Bound Book Tours. This YA Paranormal Romance is the finale of The Star Child trilogy by Stephanie Keyes.

Magick and destiny intertwine as Kellen St. James fights to save his kingdom and the goddess he loves. Her kiss…the feel of her skin…the beat of her heart…For seventeen-year-old Kellen St. James, each memory is marred by a single sentence on a lone strip of paper.

Cali has been taken…

Armed with an amulet that channels the ultimate power of Faerie, Kellen searches for his love. However, control of the amulet’s energy comes with a price, and Kellen soon learns that Cali’s captor has plans for the stone. With the threat of the Star Catcher’s evil looming above Kellen and his kingdom, he’ll have to free the Heart of Faerie and break the curse the binds the Children of Danu to the darkness. But before that, he has to find his real father, the king. No pressure, right?

Kellen and Cali will battle bewitched armies and unknown foes as they fight to stay together. Will Kellen embrace his immortal destiny? Or will his world, and the man he is fated to become, be destroyed by The Star Catcher?

“One of the best endings in a trilogy I have seen in a while. Fans will not be disappointed!”-Jackie Jackson, The Book Maven

My Review:
Allow me to sum up…
Kellen is a half-Fae prince. An ancient prophesy has foretold that Kellen will:
1. Save Faerie from a power-hungry being
2. Marry Calienta, an immortal female who lights the stars–literally.
3. Rescue his father, the King of Faerie, and unite Faerie’s fractured realms.
And, the ride is spectacular.
This multi-viewpoint adventure tracks Calienta as she endeavors to escape the Big Bad–Ainmore–a Star Catcher, or usurper of fae magic. He’s also the unwitting father of Cali’s niece.
Kellen can’t believe Cali has been kidnapped on the eve of their wedding–but he won’t rest until he has her safe and by his side. He strikes out to find the keeper of all Fae magic-Sid-and gives up his mortality so that he can safely wield Danu’s amulet.
Now immortal, Kellen can fight the castaway demons of humanity’s fears to rescue his father and fulfill the prophesy. Oh, and get married. Because there is a wedding.

We have the good luck to tag along with Gabe–Kellen’s best friend and a Protector or shapeshifter. He’s bound by honor to protect Kellen at all cost–and he risks much, his life and his love.

Ainmore is willing to destroy all of humanity in his quest for Danu’s amulet and the ultimate universal power. So, he’s a serious adversary. Kellen struggles to undo the dark magic that has bound his father and their subjects in misery.
I loved the many viewpoints–each had its own voice so it didn’t overwhelm. And it was fun to track different sides of a scene through different eyes. This trilogy has a solid footing fantasy. The worlds are well-realized and this book drops you into the action and it doesn’t stop until you turn the final pages. Despite the solid romance the work is innocent. I’d recommend it to my 11 y/o son…so, ya know, it’s middle-grade safe.

The Trailer

Interested to learn more about The Star Catcher? Check out the cool trailer from the award-winning, Kristen Kress of BrainFry Productions!

Star Catcher Book Trailer from Brain Fry Productions on Vimeo.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Goodreads

Read the books that started it all… Click on each of the covers below to learn more…

The Giveaway

So for this giveaway, we’re releasing several cool items. Let me tell you about them!

1 The Star Child series E-book Pack (includes all three novels, plus the novelette, After Faerie)
2 The Star Catcher e-book
1 The Fallen Stars custom faerie bookmark
1 The Star Child series swag pack (contains bookmarks, and more!)

Part of The Star Child series swag pack…

The Fallen Stars custom bookmark -The Book Swag Shop

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Book Tour

The Star Catcher tour is running through November 29th, so check out some of the great sites that’ll be participating!

About the Author

I think my face is frozen. Yup, definitely frozen.

Stephanie Keyes, author of The Star Child series

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she’s still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

When she’s not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she’s best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Mrs. Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society For Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author in the global group of writers, Love a Happy Ending.com.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and the soon to-be-released finale, The Star Catcher (November 2013), all from by Inkspell Publishing. Mrs. Keyes is hard at work on a new YA Paranormal Romance.

Good luck and, as always, keep reading my friends!

To be FOREVER YOUNG–Review and Giveaway

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the FOREVER YOUNG blog tour sponsored by AToMR Book Tours. Check out other stops on the tour by clicking here. FOREVER YOUNG is a the first in a YA series from bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.

Book Description:
She’s a loner, she likes to fight and, oh yeah…she has the ability to see the demons that lay beneath the faces of ordinary humans. It’s a gift Charlie Wright inherited the night her parents were brutally murdered when she was fourteen years old.

Now in her last year of high school, Charlie just can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble. Rather than taking a one-way trip to juvenile detention, Charlie chooses to join a mysterious group called The ForeverLand Alliance.

And then her life really gets weird.

Charlie finds herself magically transported to an alternate universe. In Semper Terra, no one ages, people fly, and one stunningly gorgeous, immortal man manages to capture Charlie’s heart and awaken the adult woman she is becoming.

But it’s not all fun and games. For Charlie is training to become an Annihilator, a select group of Semper Terrans who protect mankind from all of those things that go “bump in the night”.

It’s only when Charlie finds herself stuck in the middle of a prophecy that could bring about the end of the world that she truly begins to understand the deep sacrifices she will have to make.

My review:
I liked it. Charlie is a little sensitive, a little snarky, and a lot heroic. She’ll brawl to help anyone weak defeat their attackers. She doesn’t tolerate mean girls and can’t understand why the new males in her life find her attractive…particularly Caiden Gallagher, the perpetually youthful 400+ year old Annihilator serving as Charlie’s mentor.

Of course, Charlie’s mean girls aren’t only students–her headmistress Sarah is part of the I-Hate-Charlie club also, mainly because Sarah has a history with Caiden, one she’d like to repeat. The story reminds me a bit of Veronica Roth’s DIVERGENT without the dystopia and recruit maiming. Charlie must master hand-to-hand combat so she can survive battle. With demons. But only the bad demons, because, for an interesting twist, not all demons are bad. Who knew?

I love Charlie’s gay BFF Justas. He’s a beefy character, not stereotypically done–think Tiny Cooper–and he’s a nice foil to Charlie’s occasional pessimism. Plucky Emerson Potts, the tiny black waif recruit, will remind you of Rue (Hunger Games) but we get to know her quite a lot better.

Charlie’s doing well in her training, and Caiden is keeping her fantasies filled, but it’s Charlie’s heart that takes over the story. It’s easy to root for a hero, and Charlie defines the archetype. I wasn’t surprised by the ambush ending, but I was unsettled by the sudden appearance of Charlie’s real father. In all it feels like a good start to a quality series.

Interested? You can find FOREVER YOUNG at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About Sawyer Bennett:
USA Today Best-Selling author, Sawyer Bennett, is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Catch up with her at Facebook or on Twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the link below for your chance at winning a $50 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

And, as always: keep reading my friends!

COME ALIVE–an Experiment in Terror Series Blast and Giveaway!

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on the Experiment in Terror Blog Tour. Experiment in Terror is a collection of full-length New Adult Romantic Suspense/Horror from diabolically best-selling author Karina Halle. Today’s feature is COME ALIVE. You can check out other books in the series here.

Book Description:
It’s one thing to bring the woman you love back into your life. It’s another to try and keep her there. For Dex Foray, convincing Perry Palomino to open herself to their burgeoning relationship has been more challenging than hunting ghosts, battling demons and stalking Sasquatch combined. Add in the fact that the only way they can keep their Experiment in Terror show running is to take on a third partner in the form of the mysterious Maximus Jacobs — all while investigating a sinister voodoo sect in New Orleans — and you’ve got the perfect Southern storm and a recipe for disaster. Luckily, Dex has never been one to back down, even when his life –and heart — are on the line.

Come Alive is told from Dex’s POV.

The big tease:

“No,” she said, smiling. I wanted to kiss her nose. “It’s okay. I’m glad you did. I’m sorry I’m being such a weirdo about all of this. It’s just hard to believe how far we’ve come, you know? My brain is just catching up now.”

“So you’re okay with me being your boyfriend? I’ll treat you real nice. We can go steady and you can wear my letterman jacket.”

“Ooooh, maybe,” she said playfully. “What letter is on it?”

“No letter, just a picture of a cock.”

She snorted. “Of course there is.”

“It’s a rooster, you pervert.”

She eyed me dryly. “Oh yeah? Why a rooster?”

“It symbolizes my cock. Can’t love me without loving cock.”

Oh…that Dex. He’s incorrigible…

Interested? You can find COME ALIVE for $.99 (through Nov 14th) on Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

I also happened to notice that the first book in this series–DARK HOUSE is currently free at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I snapped that deal right up!

About the talented Ms. Karina Halle

Karina Halle is the USA Today Best Selling Author of The Artists Trilogy (On Every Street, Sins & Needles, Shooting Scars, and Bold Tricks) published by Hachette, the Experiment in Terror series, and The Devil’s series published by Diversion.

The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.

Karina is represented by Scott Waxman of the Waxman Leavell Literary Agency. You can find her on Facebook, twitter, and Goodreads. The Experiment in Terror books are also on Facebook.

***GIVEAWAY***
2 EIT Swag Packs
a Rafflecopter giveaway

READY TO GO–Book Tour and Giveaway

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on the READY TO GO Blog Tour sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. Today’s book is a debut New Adult novel by Stephanie Mann. For other stops on the tour click here.

Summary from Goodreads:
Daniel is sick of his wonderfully boring and predictable life. He dutifully gets up every morning, goes to class, goes to work, and it never changes. He does, says and even wears exactly what others expect of him. He’s so predictable that he barely notices just how unhappy he truly is.

One afternoon, everything changes when David meets a girl on the run from her own demons. She doesn’t need Daniel’s help, but he offers and she accepts–setting a course for an adventure neither will soon forget.

Together, on an impromptu road trip, two strangers become friends and a bit more, all while facing money problems, car problems, and tourist traps and the naked truth: they can’t run forever.

Will they finally stop running long enough to discover true and lasting love?

Here’s an excerpt to entice you…
There were a few other people standing outside the library, waiting for it to open, when he got there. Some looked like students, same as him, while others looked like homeless people who probably just wanted to use the free bathrooms. Or maybe they would want to read—it was free entertainment, after all. Not that it mattered to him. He just had to study.

A librarian came up to the doors from inside and unlocked them, pushing them open for the patrons. The small crowd pressed into the building and then split up to head to their intended destinations. Daniel went to the reference books.

He was not prepared to see a girl asleep on the couch in that section. She had to have spent the night there, as she hadn’t come in with the rest of the crowd. So how hadn’t the librarian noticed her? He figured they’d checked the library before opening it, but maybe he was wrong.

He decided to ignore her, just let the poor girl sleep. He crouched down by the shelves and scanned one row of books, searching for the text he needed. There it was. He pulled it off, set it on a nearby table, and pulled out his laptop that held his paper.

The laptop made its usual musical jingle when he turned it on. The girl on the couch shifted and groaned. Daniel glanced over at her and only then noticed her suitcase. It was that same ugly floral suitcase that he’d seen the girl in the museum carrying. That girl who’d asked for directions to the library. As the girl now sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes, he realized it was the same girl.

She noticed him, and her eyes widened. “Sorry!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know anyone was here!”

“Did you sleep here?” he asked.

She stood up, stretching her arms over her head. Daniel couldn’t help but look a little lower than her arms.

“No,” she answered his question. It was clear she was lying.

Interested? You can find READY TO GO at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author
Stephanie Mann lives in Massachusetts. Besides writing, she spends her free time working with fan conventions. She loves to travel, and has visited many tourist traps along the way. You can also find her on Goodreads and twitter.

READY TO GO is Stephanie Mann’s first novel.

***GIVEAWAY***
1 – $10 iTunes gift card & ebook of Ready To Go (INT)
3 – ebook copies of Ready To Go (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Can one girl BREAK IT UP? Review and Giveaway

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on the BREAK IT UP blog tour sponsored by AToMR Book Tours. If you’d like to stop by the other tour sites, click here. Today’s book, BREAK IT UP, is a YA Romance by E. M. Tippetts and it’s a solid read.

What’s it all about?
Kyra Armijo is making a few changes in her life. One of them being, she’s no longer going to give it up to every guy who looks at her twice. And she’s putting her hopes and dreams for her future first. When the aspiring photojournalist gets the opportunity of a lifetime to tag along with international boy band sensation, Triple Cross, she can’t pass up the chance.

The only problem is that she’s in love with one band member, dodging the unwanted attention of another, and desperate to keep her turbulent past under wraps. Triple Cross have “nice guy” appeal, approved of by parents the world over, but have just let go their longtime manager, who controlled their clean image and media exposure with an iron fist. When Zach Wechsler, the object of Kyra’s affection, begins to show interest, she has to be careful.

Surely one girl can’t destroy a band that’s been together for ten years… only what if she can? Kyra knows she’s one bad decision away from ruining everything she’s worked for, and taking the hottest act of her generation down with her.

My Review:
I liked this one from the start. Kyra is a witty, savvy narrator who takes us on her redemption tale–only to have her whole life go up in tabloid. The low-down: Kyra’s mother abandoned her at birth and her father raised her. Despite his best intentions Kyra was a wild child. She carries the baggage of her promiscuous ways, and, at 18, is only just seeing the value in valuing herself.

She has a tremendously supportive family, including her step-mother Jen and her step-uncle, Jason Vanderholt–Jen’s twin and (also) a movie star. In fact her oblique celebrity through Jason is what gets Kyra and a couple friends invited for dinner with Triple Cross when they layover in Albuquerque. It’s problematic, in that Kyra’s a fangirl. She’s so nervous she’s unaccountably shy, which appeals to Zach, soulful center of the band. They sleep together–operative word SLEEP–and not long after Zach begins to text her up.

See, he’s kinda lonely. Now that his mother’s isolating influence is gone, Zach realizes he doesn’t know the first thing about managing his band–or his band mates, his brother Logan and cousin Ben. Kyra had been such a good listener over their night together, he continues to lean on her. It’s sweet and not at all sassy. In fact he’d really like Kyra to go on their new European tour to hang out and help out with the tour movie–if she’s interested.

Actually Kyra isn’t interested. She feels unable to control her attraction for Zach, and senses that he’d never consider her romantically if her knew her sordid sexual history–something Ben makes crystal-clear. Because Ben is all about the bad girls and want Kyra to get on board/on bed (?). It’s a twisted love triangle. In the face of Zach’s pleading, and against her better wishes, Kyra caves.

Each step along the way Kyra gets deeper into the murk. Zach clearly has an attraction, and Ben isn’t even subtle about his desire. Triple Cross struggles as Ben goes AWOL and shows up late for concerts–only Kyra can rein him in. And the videographers are taking unlimited footage of the wheels coming off this wagon. Meanwhile Kyra’s desperate to stay out of the limelight and tabloids. Unsuccessfully.

In truth, I loved the strength that Kyra exhibited in her trial-by-media. For someone so young she behaved in an admirable way. Throughout her redemption she made her boundaries clear, and kept her relationships professional–something few girls in her position might have even contemplated. It’s a story of self-love, and finding the strength to succeed when the whole world (quite literally–you should have seen the flame wars!) is against you. While the book is marketed for New Adult, I’d recommend it to older teens and above. It really felt YA to me.

Interested? You can find BREAK IT UP on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble—TOMORROW! (I will come back and update with the Live links…when they ARE live!)

About the Author
Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance as E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy as Emily Mah. She is a former attorney with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and business law from UCLA, and currently lives in her lifelong home state of New Mexico with her family. For more information or to sign up for updates on future book releases, visit her website, follow her on twitter or Facebook.

***GIVEAWAY***
(5) Print copies of Break It Up – International
(1) Swag pack including a temporary tattoo of Kyra’s tattoo from the book – International
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! and as always, keep reading, my friends!

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V's Reads…

Reviews, Rants and Rambles from a mom and pre-published author

Author: Veronica Rundell

He can ANIMATE ME!–A Review

Can one boy KEEP ME STILL?–Tour Review and Giveaway!

CLAN–Book Blitz and Giveaway!

BEFORE THEY FIND US–Cover Reveal

Flooded with emotion FORTY DAYS/FORTY NIGHTS–Reviews and Giveaway!

THE STAR CATCHER Shines–Review and Giveaway!

The Trailer

The Giveaway

The Book Tour

About the Author

To be FOREVER YOUNG–Review and Giveaway

COME ALIVE–an Experiment in Terror Series Blast and Giveaway!

READY TO GO–Book Tour and Giveaway

Can one girl BREAK IT UP? Review and Giveaway