Forever BRANDED–Review and Giveaway

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the BRANDED blog tour sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stops on the tour, click here. Today’s book is a dystopian YA adventure romance from the writing team of Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki.

Summary from Goodreads:
Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.

Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

My Review:
At first, I was thrown by the Lexi’s willingness to die–the opening scene was of her attempting suicide–but, as I got further into the story, I realized Lexi’s problem wasn’t depression. It was her unwillingness to be controlled any longer. See, ever since her father was murdered and her brother ran away, Lexi’s stepfather has been abusing her–emotionally and physically. Lexi’s mother has been checked out on drugs a long time, but she sobers up enough to catch Step-Daddy in the act of molesting Lexi–and turns her own daughter in to the Morality Guard.

With no trial and her mother’s accusation, Lexi becomes a branded Sinner and is dumped into the Hole. What is peculiar about her situation there? Lexi has a private guard. This, I couldn’t fathom for the life of me–especially as we learned more about Lexi’s real dad–and her brother Keegan. Before he died, Lexi’s dad was a champion against the brutal Commander. He wanted to restore the judicial system, instead of the “you’re accused, you’re punished” Commander’s dictum.

With her guard, Cole, Lexi’s safe in the Hole. Somewhat. Cole spends a lot of time helping Lexi dodge bullets and lecherous suitors–even his own fellow guards. Chaos reigns in the Hole, and a beauty accused of Lust is a shiny sex beacon for the riff-raff. One thing we learn quickly, loving a Sinner will get you executed, so Cole tries to maintain a professional distance from Lexi.

But, it’s so hard. Especially when the physicians find that Lexi isn’t guilty of the crime of premarital sex.

Background forces strive to keep Lexi alive. Dr. Sutton, her employer, and Cole both make choices to cover-up the budding attraction between Lexi and Cole. This romance seems ready to wither on the vine when Cole is assigned to hunt down Lexi’s long-lost brother, Keegan–a rising figure in the revolution against the Commander.

A daring escape actually leads Lexi to Keegan. And the rift between Lexi and Cole widens when Lexi decides she’s going to fight in the revolution. For her, making this decision is the first step to claiming her destiny.

In total, BRANDED dances over many themes. Child molestation, religious zealotry, suicide, rape, fighting a corrupt government, positive self-image, forgiveness, embracing forbidden love, doing the ‘right thing’ regardless of the consequences. These are all admirable, to be sure, but I had some issues with how they translated in the book. Likewise, at times I felt the story was too centered on the “we can’t love each other or they’ll kill us” device, and would have appreciated a quicker pace. Dialogue, for me, seemed stilted and info-dumpy and at times I was irritated by the inane comments some of the characters made. I wished that Keegan had been more supportive of Lexi, and was gratified that I called the identity of the Commander after reading the second chapter.

(A copy of this book was provided to me for the purpose of this blog tour/review.)

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

About the Authors:
Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure. You can find Abi and Missy at their website, Goodreads, twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click on the Rafflecopter link for your chance to win one of
20 ebooks of Branded (mobi) (Open Internationally)
or one of 5 signed print copies and picture of Cole (US only)
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Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

He Knows How to STIR ME UP–Review and Giveaway!!

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the STIR ME UP blog tour hosted by YA Bound blog tours. For other stop on the tour, click here. Today’s book is a mature YA romance by Sabrina Elkins.

Summary from Goodreads:
Cami Broussard has her future all figured out. She’ll finish her senior year of high school, then go to work full-time as an apprentice chef in her father’s French restaurant, alongside her boyfriend, Luke. But then twenty-year-old ex-Marine Julian Wyatt comes to live with Cami’s family while recovering from serious injuries. And suddenly Cami finds herself questioning everything she thought she wanted.

Julian’s all attitude, challenges and intense green-brown eyes. But beneath that abrasive exterior is a man who just might be as lost as Cami’s starting to feel. And Cami can’t stop thinking about him. Talking to him. Wanting to kiss him. He’s got her seriously stirred up. Her senior year has just gotten a lot more complicated….

Praise for Stir Me Up:

“Fun, steamy, and leaves you hungry for more. Sabrina Elkins nails the vulnerability of becoming an adult and the choices that come with growing up.” —Katie McGarry, author of Dare You To

“Cami’s slow burn for a wounded hero will rivet readers. I seriously loved this book.” —Jennifer Echols, author of Dirty Little Secret

“This book is one of my favorite young adult contemporaries. Not only does it feature a hot romance, it’s also very meaningful and well, you just have to read it and see.” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

My Review:

I read this book on fast-forward. Cami is a high school senior who has grown up in her father’s restaurant. She’s always cooked, and wants to make it her career, despite her father constantly pushing college. That’s not the only force on her life, however. Her boyfriend is pushing her into a more physical relationship, and now her new step-mother is pushing her into a closet of a room to accommodate her nephew, an amputee returning from Afghanistan.

Julian is not happy to be “home”. Since he enlisted in the Marines his aunt, and former guardian, has married and his new step-cousin is…too much. He’s mean and nasty; angry at the world and his crap luck. His parents die, and his comrades die, and now this busted up young man feels he has nothing to offer the pretty girl who sees him, always, at his very worst.

Julian’s gruff demeanor would put anyone off, but, after years of prep work in a professional French restaurant, Cami’s used to overbearing men. Not that she’s looking for anything. Really, because she isn’t. She and Julian do develop quite a friendship, bonding over the pain of losing mothers–his to cancer, hers to abandonment. The boyfriend? Well, he doesn’t quite measure up to Julian, even as an amputee.

Their relationship does turn physical–after months of get-to-know-you–and it’s tender and caring, not a hot sticky mess. Through their love, Julian is able to move past his trauma (mostly) and Cami develops the confidence to take the next step in her professional world–pretty much tell her dad no college.

It’s a solid love story with well-drawn characters and patient affection. Due to the not-exactly-fade-to-black sex, the book is rated for upper YA readers. I think it’s acceptable for anyone who reads YA.

Disclosure: A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Interested? You can find STIR ME UP on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, BAM, iTunes and ZOLA. So, pretty much anywhere!

About the Author
I am a former journalist who worked for the Los Angeles Daily News and other newspapers in the greater Los Angeles area. Prior to this I worked in advertising, writing ad copy for corporate travel accounts and major motion pictures. My first job out of college was as an administrative assistant to an executive chef and a food & beverage director at a Four Seasons hotel. I also spent some time working as a prep cook for Spago in Beverly Hills.

I received my Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Southern California. While in graduate school, I had the privilege of studying fiction writing under renowned author Hubert Selby, Jr., and comedy writing under famed comedian Shelley Berman. I am a past participant of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers Summer Writing Workshop.

Raised in the woods of Vermont, I now live in the greater Los Angeles area with my husband and three children. STIR ME UP is my first novel.

Wow. Find Sabrina on her website, Goodreads, twitter, or Facebook!

***GIVEAWAY***
Click on this link: a Rafflecopter giveaway
to win 1 OF 3 STIR ME UP fun foodie gift packs!

Good Luck and keep reading my friends!

Cami’s Cookbook Pack
Le Petit Paris: French Finger Food by Nathalie Benezet
500 Soups by Susannah Blake
Godiva chocolate bar
Stir Me Up magnet

Julian’s Late-Night Pack
George Noory’s Late-Night Snacks by George Noory
Dinner and a Movie by Katherine Bebo
Godiva chocolate bar
Stir Me Up magnet

Sweet Desserts Pack
Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor
Cutie Pies by Dani Cone
Godiva chocolate bar
Stir Me Up magnet

RULES AND RESTRICTIONS:
Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 18 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

Why I Loved ELEANOR & PARK…

I got a recommendation to read Rainbow Rowell‘s Eleanor & Park months ago. Like, back in September. And I heeded this recommendation. But, I didn’t go buy it. Sorry. Buying a paper book is a little pricey for a gal who reads as much as I do. Also, TRUTH BE TOLD when I read a book I like, I buy copies as gifts for others I think will enjoy it. I’ve got too too many books, really. I gave away probably 250 books in my last move…so I went to my library. No copies. I went to my library’s digital download center. It was a month-long wait to get the book–and when it came it was an AUDIOBOOK. No dice, baby.

There is no time for me to sit and listen to a book, and, frankly, I can read it just as fast–likely faster–without a constant stream of noise disturbing my family in the middle of the night–when I often read.

I FINALLY got my hands on a copy after a second (long) library request wait, and I’m glad I did.

Eleanor & Park is one of those special books–the kind I love–because of the quiet love story and tender angst of two characters trying to figure out who they are in the world and in their own skin. I’m also enamored with stories told in first-person, and if I can get the POV of both love interests? OVER THE MOON.

The Story:

Sixteen y/o Eleanor is a mess. She’s only just returned to her family (a patchwork of mom/stepdad/siblings-full-and-step) after a year of being abandoned at her mother’s longtime friends for A YEAR. That’s right. Her lecherous, alcoholic, abusive stepdad kicked her out a year ago. She’s naturally scared of what that year meant. That she wasn’t worth getting, most likely. And her actual father isn’t much better. He’s called once. To ask her to babysit his girlfriend’s kid. Beyond this she’s tall, and awkward, and poor and red-headed. All things destined to attract the wrong kind of attention in her new school.

On her first school day, Eleanor can’t find a seat on the bus. Not that there aren’t seats; no one will share with her. An Asian boy, Park, takes a miserable slice of pity on her–practically yelling at her to sit down already…with him.

They sit side-by-side. Not touching. Enveloped in awkwardness. They share a couple of classes and Park can’t help noticing Eleanor. How tall she is. How fair her skin. How strange she dresses. How she doesn’t seem to care that the others mercilessly ridicule her. Yet, he can’t bring himself to speak to her. For…weeks. They continue to share a bus seat, but in complete silence, complete isolation. Until he notices she’s reading his comics over his shoulder. A tentative friendship develops over the WATCHMEN and X-MEN, and soon punk rock, when Park shares his music collection.

It is the barest of romances. Holding hands setting off internal fireworks. The long wait for the weekend to end so they will see each other on the bus. Looking away shyly, not coyly. There are no ploys, only core feelings. Love, sadness, anger, exhilaration.

Eleanor can’t have a boyfriend, but she can’t resist the temptation to spend more time with Park outside of school. Park isn’t sure he wants Eleanor as a girlfriend–at first. He mistakes her odd dress habits for style, when it’s simply covering the flaws in her worn-out clothes. He convinces her to say she’s spending time with a girlfriend so she can hang out at his house. Unfortunately, Park’s mother thinks she’s weird, and rude, when Eleanor is just plain overwhelmed by the kind and loving atmosphere of Park’s happy home.

Over the course of the year, Eleanor and Park develop a tender relationship–parental interference notwithstanding. Park’s mom helps make-over Eleanor, and the glam-look damages Park’s tenuous relationship with his father in the process. Eleanor’s siblings nearly (possibly) rat out her boyfriend-status causing the biggest rift Eleanor has had to experience. It is Park who gives his heart away first, in both the figurative and literal sense.

A bittersweet end is what I expected until the very last line…with which I am totally smitten.

I’ve seen the low side of poverty, and drug abusing parents, and 1986, so I bonded with both the setting and the characters. It’s a book adult readers will enjoy as much as YA readers–and it’s Fade-To-Black, innocent/realistic teen coupling, so no smexytimes to steam up the title pages. I’ve got FANGIRL all queued up on my iPad, so expect to hear about it soon…

Interested? You can find ELEANOR & PARK at your local library, Goodreads, AMAZON and Barnes & Noble….anywhere probably.

Be sure to let me know what you thought of it in the comments, and, as always, keep reading my friends!

Book Blitz and Giveaway for the MIDNIGHT FIRE series

The Complete Midnight Fire Series (Midnight Fire)

by Kaitlyn Davis

Available NOW!

**Get the first two books FREE when you buy the entire series at once!**

From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes a paranormal romance perfect for fans of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

“With one last look, one final search of the lines of his face for some sign, Kira turned and ran away from the sound of the man she loved laughing in the face of her death.”

When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they’re keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan’s lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.

Available from:

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RAVE REVIEWS for the Midnight Fire Series!

“The writing is effortlessly mind blowing. I could not put this entire series down. Once you’re hooked, you won’t either because it’ll eat you up not knowing what happened! And then you’ll pick a team like I did and you’ll fall in love with all the characters and you’ll want all the bad guys to die horribly! Just trust me when I say it really is your loss to miss out on this series! It’s a blaze of glory!” – Happy Tales and Tails Blog

“Kaitlyn Davis writes some of the best action scenes I have come across in a young adult book; they are fast paced and so well delivered making this more than just a silly romance.” – Reflections of a Bookworm

“The only downside to this series, is that it ended. But the ending was beautiful.” – My Seryniti

“Kira isn’t a human girl who is one dimensional and in love with a vampire. She’s a well-thought out character who comes to life from the pages and steals into your heart. Read the books. Do it.” – Urban Girl Reader

“I love and hate how fast of a read this was! I love it because I couldn’t get enough of it and hate it because once I finished I wanted more!” – I Just Wanna Sit Here And Read

“I really enjoyed Ms Davis’s writing, I was riveted throughout and was eager to see what would happen – there was drama, danger, action and romance that was wonderfully detailed and described.” – Obsession With Books

“You’ll make friends with Kira, choose sides with Tristan and Luke, and fall in love with the story at heart about a girl with so bright a future….even shades aren’t gonna cut it.” – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Want a taste of IGNITE?
The blast of cold breeze felt fantastic and Kira let Tristan lead her away from the school, past the football field to the big tree overhanging the school’s manmade lake. He sat down and leaned against the tree, motioning for her to sit with him, but Kira ignored it and started dancing to the quiet strains of music they could hear coming from the gym.
“Kira, sit down.” He sounded frustrated.
“No! I want to dance.” She started jumping up and down to the beat of the music and almost lost her balance, but Tristan stood up and caught her before she crashed. He slipped his jacket off and Kira pushed her arms through the oversized sleeves. Finally, she calmed down and swayed to the music with him.
Kira sighed, resigned to the fact that the moment felt completely right.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m supposed to be ignoring you, but it’s not working.”
He laughed quietly. “No, that doesn’t seem to be working for either of us.”
“Is that why you punched Carter?”
“I just couldn’t stand the way he was touching you.” Kira smiled to herself.
“Jelly belly,” she said, wishing she could get her mouth to stop word vomiting. She could feel his chin on the top of her head as he pulled her in closer.
“Maybe.” He said, but it sounded more like a begrudging yes.
Kira yawned.
“Time to sit down,” he told her while helping her down to the spot next to him on the ground and leaning her back against the tree. Kira watched the moon reflect off the water. She looked at the sky and saw it still swerving there, and finally had the realization Tristan must have had in the gym.
“I think my sodas were not just soda,” she concluded as the world continued to spin.
“I think you’re right.” He put his arm around her, letting her head fall to his shoulder. They sat silently in the moonlight, just enjoying one another’s company.
“Are you like one hundred years old?” Kira spat out the first question that came to her mind. She had never even thought of it before, too consumed by his eating habits instead.
Tristan shrugged. “A little older.”
Kira sat up, fascinated, and turned to look him in the eyes. “How old?” She asked, feeling like a little girl.
“About one-hundred and fifty, give or take a year.” Kira’s jaw dropped and her eyelids widened in complete shock.
“Gross!” She clamped her hands over her mouth before she could say anything else. He just laughed it off.
“I look pretty good for someone who’s more than a century old, right?” He grinned. She blushed, thinking of their kiss, and silently agreed.
“So, what do we do now? I’m seventeen and growing, you’re seventeen and stagnant.” Kira finally felt herself coming down from the alcohol Carter had slipped her. The lake still seemed to glow and the stars still danced in the sky, but she was regaining her mental control.
“I don’t know,” he whispered and reached for her hand. Kira intertwined her fingers with his, amazed at his cool touch against her boiling skin. Fire and ice, she thought. That really was what they were, complete opposites. Fire could melt ice and ice could douse a fire, but was there any way for the two to meet in the middle?

About the Author

I’ve always been a writer. I grew up duct taping my novels together, started writing complete manuscripts in high school and studied creative writing at Johns Hopkins University. Upon graduating, I decided it was finally time to actually give my dream career a chance. So, of course, I started writing a young adult paranormal romance series — and no, I’m not jumping on the bandwagon. I’ve been a true paranormal supporter for my entire life! I blame my obsession almost completely on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my all-time favorite television show. And, before you ask: Yes, I own every season… even the post WB ones! I especially challenge anyone to watch the first three seasons and not fall in love with Angel, securing a lifelong love of vampires! Other culprits
of my paranormal obsession are some of my favorite authors: JK Rowling, Raymond Feist, Meg Cabot, Richelle Mead, Lynne Ewing and Tamora Pierce.

Author Links:

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GIVEAWAY:

3 Digital sets of The Complete Midnight Fire Series. Each copy includes all FOUR books in the series – Ignite, Simmer, Blaze & Scorch (INT)

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Book Blitz hosted by:

Swooning for THIRD DAUGHTER!!–A Review and Giveaway

If you had to marry for love or marry for peace, what would you choose?

That’s the question facing Princess Aniri, Third Daughter to the Queen of Dharia.

It’s two weeks until Aniri turns eighteen and can choose to marry her beau–Devesh, a courtesan and emissary from Samir. Her two older sisters have already married men that complement their station, even when love is not present, and Aniri is determined to follow her heart, not her duty.

Especially when her duty involves marrying Prince Malik, heir to the throne of the barbarous northern Jungali provinces. No. No! NO!

Except, Aniri knows she can’t decline outright–and rumors of a Jungali airship weapon are serious indeed. If Aniri accepts the prince’s proposal she can get close enough to find out if the airship is real–and maybe she can help her homeland and her mother’s Queendom figure out how to avoid a war.

Prince Malik makes it easy on Aniri–he tells her their marriage would be one of business. That she could (discreetly) take a lover if she wished. Hmm… And her mother, the Queen, assures her that the choice is hers.

Aniri does what she must–becomes a spy. I loved her reactions to the “barbarians” she encounters on her journey north! Oh, how sweet to have her realize, “Hey, they’re pretty awesome in their own way!” Then Devesh shows up and tells her the airship is a ruse–a trick to get her to marry Malik. After which she will be killed and her beloved country Dharia overrun by Samir and Jungali. Aniri doesn’t know who to believe, and espionage is not her strong suit. The political intrigue is high and Aniri barely escapes an attempt on her life.

The tension is fierce throughout. Each new chapter brings Aniri closer to either love, or death. We get a fantastic steampunk world, with an East Indian flair, and a strong female main character who picks up the ball and runs her hardest. Even when she fumbles, Aniri is worthy of cheers because she learns from her mistakes and never quits.

What I hadn’t expected, and thoroughly adored, was Malik’s assistance. He realizes his only shot at peace is this marriage, and he’s willing to trust a confessed spy with the biggest military secret of his country. Aniri could never have learned what was necessary to save her people without Malik earning her forever trust. And Devesh? Well, perhaps an on-the-side lover isn’t the best place for him in the Jungali court. In the end, Aniri does choose her own husband. And she chooses very well indeed.

Three words to describe this Third Daughter? Indomitable. Passionate. Resourceful. She’s my kind of heroine.

And, can I say the cover is exquisite? The internal art (chapter headings and section breaks) is just as lovely, and speaks volumes about the care that went into making this book.

So, a bit of disclosure: I have known the delightful Susan Kaye Quinn for going on four years. We are longtime critique partners and I’ve read everything she’s published (except the INDIE GUIDE TO SELF PUBLISHING). THIRD DAUGHTER is, in fact, the first book I received from Sue as a freebie for the purpose of review. I absolutely LOVED it, and would recommend it to any YA reader. Its smidgeon of passion–some swoony kisses–won’t make you blush, but will get your heart beating.

Interested? You can find THIRD DAUGHTER at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and kobo. It comes out today, so HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY, THIRD DAUGHTER!
*tosses confetti* *releases balloons to the sky*

About the Fantastic Susan Kaye Quinn:

Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. Her teachers pretended not to notice and only confiscated her stories a couple times. Susan left writing behind to pursue a bunch of engineering degrees, but she was drawn back to writing by an irresistible urge to share her stories with her niece, her kids, and all the wonderful friends she’s met along the way. She doesn’t have to sneak her notes anymore, which is too bad.Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as a much as she can handle. You can find Sue actively engaged in writing and mentoring on her website, Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win any of these cool prizes!

–20x “Third Daughter” mini M&M packs (US only)

–A steampunk key necklace (INTL)

–“Third Daughter” East-Indian style bridal jewelry (INT)

Best of luck, and as always, keep reading my friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

STIR ME UP–Book Blitz and Giveaway

Stir Me Up

by Sabrina Elkins

Release Date: 10/01/13

Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Cami Broussard has her future all figured out. She’ll finish her senior year of high school, then go to work full-time as an apprentice chef in her father’s French restaurant, alongside her boyfriend, Luke. But then twenty-year-old ex-Marine Julian Wyatt comes to live with Cami’s family while recovering from serious injuries. And suddenly Cami finds herself questioning everything she thought she wanted.Julian’s all attitude, challenges and intense green-brown eyes. But beneath that abrasive exterior is a man who just might be as lost as Cami’s starting to feel. And Cami can’t stop thinking about him. Talking to him. Wanting to kiss him. He’s got her seriously stirred up. Her senior year has just gotten a lot more complicated….

An appetizer of STIR ME UP:
It’s maybe twelve-thirty when I decide to do the unthinkable. I slip my jeans back on, take a room key, glance at Estella—sound asleep—and tiptoe out the door barefoot, hands shaking. I knock lightly on Julian’s door, sure he too is fast asleep. I can’t hear a thing inside his room. But I know he’s got the cane and his legs to deal with, so I wait. Even though he’s sleeping. He said he was tired. This is stupid… I clutch my room key and decide I’ll leave. I’ll wait twenty more seconds and then leave. He’s not coming. Okay. I turn—and of course that’s when the door opens. Jeans. Cane. Bare chest.

“Hi,” I manage.

The door opens wider. I slip inside, and I’m instantly pinned to the wall by Julian’s free arm and body. “Estella’s asleep?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“You’re trembling.”

“I… ” His kiss leaves me breathless; my arms are wrapped around him. His balance is better now, but distantly I worry about him falling again. My legs may give out also. “Ahh… ”

“Come to bed.”

WOW! Julian sounds like one hearty snack… I’ll be reviewing STIR ME UP in a few weeks, so stay tuned!

Available from:

About the Author

Sabrina Elkins, author of Stir Me Up, has also worked as a journalist, movie copywriter and prep cook. She graduated from USC and currently lives with her husband and three children in the greater Los Angeles area.

Sabrina loves hearing from her readers, and encourages you to visit her at

www.sabrinaelkins.com, on Twitter @sabrina_elkins, Facebook at
elkins.sabrina, and Goodreads.

***Author Links***

GIVEAWAY:

Win 1 of 3 stockings filled
with holiday candy, chocolates, a hand-crafted Christmas charm bracelet and $10
Amazon gift card. Open Internationally. Void
where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

SUBMERGED–Book Blitz and Giveaway

Submerged (Outbreak #1)

by Nicole Sobon

Release Date: 02/14/13

Summary from Goodreads:

After a mysterious virus makes its way into the United States, the government demands that states seal themselves off from one another and do their best to protect their surviving residents. When the state of Florida is bordered off from the surrounding states, Taylen Fincher, a seventeen-year-old girl with a yearning for her former life finds herself wondering how much of what they’ve been told is true.

When Troum took control of the state, he told the residents that the other states had fallen to the virus and that he wouldn’t allow the same thing to happen to them. But Taylen doesn’t believe it. She insists that there is still life outside of the state, and she is going to do whatever it takes to prove it… but her actions will cost her more than she ever expected.

Troum kidnaps Taylen’s sister, Penelope, in hopes of coaxing her into behaving–-into being a submissive resident, much like the others. But Taylen isn’t one to give in that easily.

Eager to rescue her sister, Taylen will set out on an adventure that’ll force her to open her heart to the unexpected and to uncover secrets that will change everything.

SUBMERGED is the first book in a YA dystopian duology.

How about a little taste?
“Milo, can I ask you something?” I asked, lifting my hand to my lip.
“Not here.” He looked back at Penelope and signaled for me to follow him outside. “Come on.”
I followed Milo out of the Hovercopter, nearly running into him when he stopped suddenly at the end of the walkway. “If you’re wondering if I knew, I didn’t,” he paused, lowering himself onto the ground, “My parents were faithful followers, unwilling to believe things could only get worse after the Outbreak. Though I can’t say much, after all, I was just as naive as they were.”
You weren’t the only one, I thought.
“I had a twin sister,” he said after a moment of silence.
“What happened to her?”
“She died.” He lowered his head as if not sure he wanted to discuss it, but he continued, “Our parents insisted that we join the guard on our seventeenth birthday. She did her best to follow Troum, but over time, she began to grow tired of fighting for a system that clearly didn’t care for its people. She’d spent most of her time serving the Widowed Sector, where she met a boy her age.”
“They fell in love,” I said, knowing exactly where this story was headed.
“I don’t think that it was love. I’d say it was longing more than anything,” he corrected. “She knew what would happen if she began a relationship with a resident, especially one from the Widowed Sector, but she didn’t care.”
“What was her name?” I took a seat next to Milo, resting my head in my hand.
“Miranda,” he said, smiling. “She was a lot like you, you know.”
“I’m not entirely sure that is a good thing.”
“It is.” Milo reached for my hand.
Wow! This one sounds great!

Available from: (only $.99!)

About the Author

Nicole Sobon is the
author of the Emile Reed Chronicles, Capture, No Place Like Home, and various
short stories.

***Author
Links***

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2 signed copies of Submerged in paperback
plus swag (Program 13 and Deprogrammed bookmarks) (INT)

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SIA is Unforgettable–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the SIA Blog Tour sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book on review is a YA romance by debut author Josh Greyson and it’s a good one!

Summary from Goodreads:
When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.

My Review:
This YA adventure is fast-paced and captivating. Sia comes to awareness in a park wearing nothing but a hot-pink bra top and running shorts and her gym shoes. She has an iPod, no ID, no money, and no idea who (or where) she is. For the next eight days her life is all about survival. After being propositioned by many and nearly kidnapped by a pimp, Sia is cared for by Carol, a homeless woman who helps as best she can.

Through her friendship with Carol, Sia learns the skills she needs to survive on the streets. They sleep under bridges and make the rounds of soup kitchens, aiming to find day work to make a little cash. One morning, a boy from her high school sees Sia in line at the soup kitchen and accuses her of pranking everyone. Scared, Sia flees the shelter and is hit by a car. When she wakes in the hospital, the doctors recognize Sia’s condition–dissociative fugue–a rare type of temporary amnesia that has wiped out all of Sia’s memories.

Her parents come to claim her and she’s unsettled and mystified, but she’s apparently very wealthy. Resuming her old life, Sia learns she was the high school mean girl: beautiful and nasty wrapped in a designer label. The new Sia can’t reconcile the way she now feels with the person she used to be. Her friends and boyfriend are stunned by her new sensitivity, and really don’t want to accept this tidal wave of social change, so Sia helps them out. By moving on. She tries to strike up new friendships, with mixed success, and is certain that there’s something about Kyle that she really likes. He’s the boy from the shelter. The one who smells like his parents’ bakery. The one who volunteers his time helping the homeless and recent earthquake victims.

For the new Sia, this world where a thin veneer of “perfection” overlays her father’s dismal financial state and her mother’s alcoholism, is something she can strive to overcome. A world she can make better. This is Sia’s “Do Over” and she makes the most of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and read it in one sitting. It’s YA, but will appeal to upper MG grade readers and adults who love a good YA redemption tale.

Interested? You can find SIA at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

What others think about SIA…
“A compelling read full of intrigue, romance, and lots of surprises. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!” – Jennifer Read Hawthorne, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“There have been very few books that made me think they made to someday become a movie (i.e. Warm Bodies, The Host). And I guess Sia can join the club, because this book, I say, is perfect for it. I felt like I was reading a script for a movie, the plot is fantastic and the characters are great, there’s a little of humor as well as tragic situations.” -Bookish Randomness—I agree! The book read like a screenplay–V

“Well I finished this book amazingly fast. This whole book will leave you amused, intrigued, in awe, and most importantly in love with the whole story line until the very last word. I’ll have to go with 5 stars for this book.” – Lovely Reads

“Beautifully written…this one will have you reflecting on your current and past actions. Although a fiction, Sia inspires.” –A Starry-eyed Heart Review

About the Author
Josh Grayson was born in Mexico, raised in Massachusetts, and now lives in Martinsville, Virginia. It was his move to the South that stirred his imagination and gave him the courage to start writing. During his free time, Josh enjoys reading, jogging, swimming, and watching YouTube videos.

Josh currently works as a medical driver, shuttling people all over Virginia and North Carolina. He has also worked as a machinist, film sales rep, administrative assistant, and telemarketer (he apologizes if he called you). You can catch up with Josh on his website, Goodreads, Facebook, and twitter.

Sia is his debut YA novel.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win:

5 print copies of SIA (US only)

5 ebooks copies of SIA (INT)

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Best of luck 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)

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STIR ME UP–Book Blitz and Giveaway

SUBMERGED–Book Blitz and Giveaway

SIA is Unforgettable–Review and Giveaway!

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

CLAN–Book Blitz and Giveaway!