Friday, 28 June 2013

Paris Love Match: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway


Piers Chapman had seen Paris, In pictures, In movies, In books.

What he hadn't seen was the mobster. Or the dictator. Or the trained killers. Or the diamonds they were chasing.

But it was Paris, The city of light, The city of love. And a girl had already stolen his heart. What could possibly go wrong?

Getting a taxi in Paris can be hell. Piers Chapman expected a boring business trip to Paris. What he didn't expect was to fight over a cab with a beautiful girl. After a bad meeting, Sidney Roux just wanted to hail a cab, go home, and have a glass of wine. She didn't expect to fight over a cab with some pompous British tourist. Neither of them expected another man to jump in their cab. Or to be involved in a gun fight. Or a car chase through the streets of Paris. Or for the man to die. But they're thrust together when the mob demands they return what the dead man stole. Will Piers and Sidney work together? Will they find what he had stolen? Will they stay alive? And will they do the last thing they expected? Will they fall in love?

Title: Paris Love Match
Author: Nigel Blackwell | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: May 2 2013
Publisher: Bandit Publishing  
Tour Organized by: ATOMR Tours
Length: 250 Pages
Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads
Buy ItAmazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Cover Love: Pretty much how I pictured both Piers and Sidney
Point of View: 3rd person, following mostly Piers

My Rating: 4 Stars

If I gave half stars I would say this was a solid three and a half for me.  However, I do not do halves so I have rounded up to four, simply because it did make me laugh several times and I love Piers.

I thought Piers was lovely, and I really liked his character.  He was believable and so funny.  Sidney... well she annoyed me.  I know at the start her character was all about herself.  And I understand that, I do.  It's just that there were times when I felt like she was a little over the top.  They were running for their lives, and she wants to stop to go shopping for new clothes?  Is this really the right time Sidney?

However, even in saying that by the end I warmed to her.  I didn't really get how Piers fell for her at the start though, because she was pretty self absorbed.  But by the end I wanted them together so that is all that matters.

The side characters, Little and Large, were also hilarious.  I couldn't help thinking of them as two bumbling bandits, and a lot of the laughs came from these two.

Overall, I recommend Paris Love Match to those who enjoy a good caper.  The banter and dynamics between Piers and Sidney is funny and well written, they bicker more than an old married couple.  The ending is smart and very well laid out.







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Thursday, 27 June 2013

Review: One Tiny Lie


Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

Title: One Tiny Lie (Ten Tiny Breaths ~ Book 2)
Author: K.A. Tucker | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: June 11 2013
Publisher: Atria Books 
Length: 336 Pages
Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads
Buy ItAmazon US | Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Gorgeous.  Love the colors, love the leaves.. love, love, love it all.
Point of View: 1st person, following Livie

My Rating: 5 Stars

What a complete surprise One Tiny Lie turned out to be.  Don't get me wrong, I loved Ten Tiny Breaths and I knew going in I was going to enjoy Livie's story... but wow.  This was so not how I expected Livie's story to play out.

“That’s my Livie Girl.  Make me proud.”

We of course all know Livie as Kacey's sister, she is the good girl, good grades, good manners, etc... but what I didn't expect is that it is all that good that makes her so messed up.  I can see you now shaking your head and wondering what the heck I am talking about.  Did you ever stop to think how Livie turned out so normal?  Her life was turned just as much upside down as Kacey's, yet Livie is just so... yeah, normal.  Well, on the surface she is...

I adore Livie.  She is so very sweet and when she needs to be, fiery.  She has always acted the grown up, the mature one, but on the inside she is still that same little girl from years ago.  I love how loyal she is, and how understanding, she really comes into herself as the story goes along.

“I’m sorry . . .”  She shrugs, glancing back at him.  “Gotta admit he’s hot, though, Livie.  He looks like a Mediterranean underwear model.  There’d be no coyote-ugly situation in the morning there.”

And of course there is Ashton... holy swoon alert.  Ashton is amazing.  I loved everything about him.  I loved how sweet, adorable, kind, loving, and broken he was.  I kid you not, every time he came into a scene I started smiling like a crazed, love sick high schooler.  He was just enough the bad boy that you deep down know you shouldn't be loving him, but there is just something about him that draws you in, and it never lets you go.  Is he perfect? Nope, mistakes are made.  But it is how he finally decides to take his life into his own hands that makes him the hero of this story.  This is honestly, just as much his story as it was Livie's.  He overcomes a lot and rises to it all in the end.

"I don't have all the pieces to fix this beautiful, trapped, broken man, but I do have one piece and it's mine to give... Me."

And he is funny... did I mention he can make you laugh?

“1. I’m brilliant
2. I’m charming
3. I’m hung like a thoroughbred
4. I’ve stopped all philandering
5. I’m highly skilled, as you’ve learned the other night. 


P.S. Stop staring at my hands.  I know what you want me to with them.”

I love when we get companion novels, because not only is it a way to have the storyline of favorite secondary characters continued, but we also get to see some of our old favorites.  I loved the parts with Kacey and Trent, it reminded me how much I loved them both.

I will warn you now that there is a bit of a love triangle.  No wait... don't run for the hills just yet.  Trust me, I am no fan of them either but this one really didn't bother me.  Mostly because it is very clear from the get go that Livie and Ashton need to be together.  That third side is there as a distraction, I never for a minute believed she was going to end up with anybody else.

There is absolutely no cliffhanger either so you can rest assured that everything is wrapped up perfectly.  The series is continuing, with the next book being Cain's story, Four Seconds to Lose.  Right now it is showing as being scheduled for November 2013, this seems a bit soon to me but I am hoping it is true.  You may remember Cain from Ten Tiny Breaths, he is the owner of the club where Kasey and Storm worked.  He made a little appearance here in One Tiny Lie, but we saw more of him in book one.  I'm interested to see where his story takes him.  He is an intriguing character, and I love the male point of view.

“Because you're not a one-night girl, Irish.'  Leaning in to place a kiss on my jawline, he whispers, 'You're my forever girl.”

MORE QUOTES FROM ONE TINY LIE

Swoon Thursday #31



Who doesn't love a good swoon?

The ladies over at YA Bound have created this hot and fun meme!
If you want to join in here's all you need to do.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling and your stomach fluttering?

Then pick a smaller portion of your swoon and tweet it, just don't forget to add the #YABOUND Hashtag to your tweet!


Sebastian may very well be the sweetest guy... ever.  I have fallen in love with him.  I was cautious about starting The Education of... series because I didn't want to have my heart broken.  I knew going in what their obstacle was going to be, it is age.  Caroline is 30 and Sebastian is 17, about to turn 18.

I am only a quarter of  way through The Education of Caroline (which is book 2) and I am still unsure if there is going to be a happy ending.  There best be... because I simply love Sebastian.  He must have his happy ending.


Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads

"Are you cold?"

"No, not really.  Are you?"

He shook his head, a wide grin threatening to break out again.

"Are you going to stop smiling at any point?" I asked, amused.

"Nope, Shouldn't think so."

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"A walk?"  He looked longingly at the back seat and I knew what he was thinking because I was thinking it, too.  But there was something else I wanted to do first.

"Yes, a walk: perambulation, a stroll, an amble, a short journey made on foot."

Oh.  That sort of walk.  Okay, I guess."

He half-fell out of the car and scooted around to open my door.

"My gallant knight."

"Your anything," he said seriously.  "But I want to be your everything."

Oh Sebastian.  You already are.

"I want to make love to you again," he said softly.

What is your swoon worthy moment this week?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know so that I can come and check out your blog in return!

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Review: Forever Too Far


Rush promised her forever... but promises can be broken.

Torn between his love for his family and his love for Blaire, Rush has to find a way to save one without losing the other. In the end one has to be more important. Letting go isn’t easy.

Blaire believed in her fairytale... but no one can live in a fantasy.

Her love for Rush and desire to have a family keep her believing that they can find a way for this to work. Until she has to make the right decision for her and the baby. Even if it breaks her heart.

Can they find the forever that they both want or has it all just gone... too far?

Title: Forever Too Far (Too Far ~ Book 3)
Author: Abbi Glines | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: June 9 2013
Publisher: Self Published
Length: 304 Pages
Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads
Buy ItAmazon US | Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Perfect for the series
Point of View: Alternating 1st person between both Blaire and Rush (With a couple of surprises thrown in toward the end)

My Rating: 4 Stars

Hhhhmmm...  I was one of the ones cheering Abbi on to give Rush and Blaire a third and final book.  I thought they deserved more to their story, and I wanted to see Rush with his son.

However, what I didn't want was a book that centred mostly around Nan.  Unfortunately, that is what Forever Too Far felt like.  I can not even put into words the amount of hatred I have for Nan.  I always said I refused to read a book if she was the main character.  I don't even care if she does a complete 180 and turns into a saint.  I hate her and I would never read her own book.  However, I feel like I have been suckered into reading it anyway.  She was everywhere in this book.  In Rush's point of view, in Blaire's point of view... e. v. e. r. y. w. h. e. r. e.  And I hated it.  Every single time she came into the scene I wanted to throw my Kindle.  Then when she finally left for a bit, I thought okay here we go... she is going to come back, apologize for being the pathetic loser that she is, and we can all move on from her childishness.  Nope.  She comes back and is still a bitch.

Well, Nan, you know what?  I. HATE. YOU.  And I will say it right now.  I am so excited for Grant's book, This One Chance, and if Nan ruins that book for me I swear I am going to flip a chair a something.

“When you find your reason for living, hold onto it.  Never let it go.  Even if it means burning other bridges along the way.”

Okay, I think I have all of that out of my system... so on to what I did love about Forever Too Far.  That would be Rush.  I just simply love him.  I wish there would have been more steamy scenes cause that is where Rush really wins me over.  He is just such a sweet, yet very dominate guy.  And there is no where that he is more dominate than in the bedroom... holy hotness batman.  But even he annoyed me a few times because again, it all came back to Nan.  He just could not get past her drama, and again wasn't there for Blaire when she needed him.  He really just needs to nip that cord and let Nan go her own way.  I don't care if she threatens to swallow two dozen bottles of pills, the world would be better off in the long run.

“I never imagined anyone like you, Blaire. But every time I think about forever with you, I’m humbled that you chose me.”

Blaire was the same for me.  She has always annoyed me with her self doubt.  Yes, I know Rush is all over Nan like a bad rash and he seems to be with her during really important moments but there is nothing more Rush could do to show Blaire he loves her.  Even though Nan can be annoying and Rush's attentiveness toward her is super annoying, Blaire really should never doubt his loyalty and love.

I also really enjoyed Rush's father, Dean.  I was scared he was going to be a complete jerk and I really ended up liking him.  He of course has his faults, old habits die hard... but all in all I really liked him.

And my favorite part?  Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue.  This was one of the sweetest scenes... EVER.  Loved every moment of it.

“He'd made sure I had something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”

So, to sum it all up... this is a must read for the Too Far series lovers out there.  Just please go into it knowing that Nan plays a huge part.  You hated her before, you will hate her during and you will hate her after.  But, in between her bits you get more Rush.  And who could say no to more Rush Finlay?

“I’m not ever letting your sexy ass get too far away from me again.”
“How far is too far?” I asked.
“It’s all too far. I want you right here beside me… forever.”

MORE QUOTES FROM FOREVER TOO FAR

Waiting on Wednesday #33



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is a perfect way to highlight books that we are waiting patiently to be released... it is also a sure-fire way to watch your TBR pile grow!


Pandora Ann Phillips' life is just normal-crazy

Her mom's a psychic, her dad's mom is a snob, her mom's parental units are "too down to earth" and her best friends are newlyweds. Okay, so her best friends being newlyweds isn't really abnormal, but living with them in a cramped two-bedroom apartment definitely is. Sex, sex, sex is totally on their minds. Actually it's not only on their minds, but it's on the kitchen table, couch, on top of the washer...well, you get the picture.

Being a celibate (not by choice, mind you) full-time college student, and an almost full-time barista, Pandora can't afford to lose anymore sleep. So, she seeks out a new place to lay her head. Enter three "drool worthy" male models that are looking for a fourth roommate and they want her...and won't take no for an answer.

Hilarity ensues as Pandora's life turns completely upside down, and she begins to wonder if it will ever be the same again!

Expected Publication: August 2013
Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads

Why am I so eagerly awaiting this release you ask?

Have you ever just looked a cover of a book and thought 'I must read this'?  Yep, that is exactly what happened here.  There is no way possible, after seeing that cover... that I am not reading this book.

Thankfully, the blurb sounds like this will be a lot of fun.  Unfortunately, finding out definitive information about it's release has been a bit difficult.  I saw some blogs with June dates, but Goodreads doesn't seem to have any date listed.  I have however tracked down Amanda Jason's Facebook page, and from a comment she made on a somebody's post... she seems to think it will be ready and published for August.  I hope she is able to make that happen.

I mean honestly... just look at that cover again.  

What is your Waiting on Wednesday?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know!

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Top Ten Tuesday #19


Hosted by Broke and The Bookish


This Week's Topic is:

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013


There have just been far too many great books this year to pick only Ten...



 MY REVIEW OF FLAT-OUT LOVE

He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.

But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations—it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.







MY REVIEW OF THIS GIRL

There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.







 MY REVIEW OF BEAUTY FROM PAIN

They agreed on three months...but their love knew no boundaries.

Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth make him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that’s why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. He arranges relationships like business deals and they’re always the same. No long term relationships. No real names.

It’s his game and his rules. He’s content to play as usual, but when Laurelyn Prescott enters his life, his strategy must change because this player is like none he's ever encountered. His world is turned on its head after he begins a three month affair with the beautiful American musician. Nothing goes according to plan and as he breaks more and more of his own rules for her, she’s exceptionally close to becoming something he never thought possible. His ultimate game changer.







 MY REVIEW OF LOVE LOVE

Gabrielle Willis is smart. She's funny. And oh yes, she's a bit klutzy.

When Gabrielle left sunny California bound for the energy of Manhattan, she was willingly leaving the life she had known for the new life she would create. But was she really leaving something behind or was she running away?

On the outside, Gabrielle Willis has it all under control. A new life in Manhattan, a great roommate, and a good job. But she is haunted. Haunted by a memory she's tried to forget and by a family who's abandoned her. But what happens when what's on the outside is only an illusion and in perfect contradiction to what's buried deep within?

Enter Dane Rhodes. He's gorgeous, smart, and sexy as hell. Just what Gabby wants, or so she thinks. But when she meets Brad Dixon, the sweet guy with the crooked smile, he begins to make her see that the very thing she is trying to run from is the very thing that just may push her to see the light.







 MY REVIEW OF CONSEQUENCES

Bartender Claire Nichols has always kept her customers at a friendly distance. But one serious lapse in judgment causes her life to take a drastic and brutal turn. She finds herself thrust into a life she never knew or wanted. She must depend on her intuition and adaptability. Yet she has difficulty trusting her own instincts. Now, every aspect of her livelihood depends on a tall wealthy dark-haired, dark-eyed businessman. Did fate bring Anthony Rawlings into her life? Or was it something more calculated? More sinister?

With very limited options, Claire attempts to endure a hellish existence that has changed her beliefs, her personality, her looks, and even her name. Actions have consequences. Will Claire be able to control the actions to accomplish her new goal—survival? Follow her tumultuous journey as she struggles to fight back and regain her freedom no matter what the Consequences…







MY REVIEW OF CONNECTED

What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London's soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soul mate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia's grief begins to lift—but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.

But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?







MY REVIEW OF RECKLESS

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other survive the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they've formed, the new family they've found, and the history they've forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band's exploding popularity.

A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together.

Fame comes with a price-but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?







 MY REVIEW OF THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.







 MY REVIEW OF ENTWINED WITH YOU

From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.

No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.

Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…

To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him







 MY REVIEW OF WAIT FOR YOU

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…







MY REVIEW OF CLOCKWORK PRINCESS

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?

Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.

A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.







MY REVIEW OF LEO

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job, she has friends, she's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?







MY REVIEW OF TANGLED

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything - or anyone - derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

So there you go... this weeks Top Ten Many! What is yours?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know so that I can come and check out your blog in return!

Friday, 21 June 2013

Leo's Chance: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway



The follow-up to Leo, the USA Today bestselling novel by Mia Sheridan.

Does everyone deserve a second chance? Even someone who lies and deceives to get it?

Do we all have a second chance coming? Even if we play a part in our own destruction?

How hard would you fight to have a second chance at love? A second chance at life? Another chance to tell your own story?

Every love story has two sides. Evie told hers. This time it's Leo's chance.

Title: Leo's Chance (Sign of Love ~ Book 2)
Author: Mia Sheridan | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Author Spotlight
Publication Date: June 25 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Tour Organized by: Confessions of a Book Heaux
Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads
Buy ItAmazon US | Amazon UK

Source: eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Love, love, love! Perfect companion to Leo's cover.
Point of View: 1st person, following Leo

My Rating: 5 Stars

When I read Leo I was blown away by the writing, the characters, the story... I loved every single thing about it.  To say I have been eagerly awaiting Leo's Chance is a huge understatement.  Then, when I was asked to be a part of the Blog Tour, I was over the moon excited.  I just knew that Leo's Chance was going to be amazing, and it makes me so happy to say I was right.  Leo's Chance is brilliant.  We not only get our favorite scenes of Evie and Leo together from his point of view, but we learn so much more about Leo himself.

Once upon a time, she had saved me by loving me, by believing in me.  Will she be able to again?  Even after everything?  I hope to God the answer is yes.

But the full details of Leo's past is not all we learn about him.  Mia Sheridan wrote this book in a way to not only bring us those alternate perspective scenes, but she also managed to expand the original story.  There is so much that was going on in the background of Leo, that we just never got to see from Evie's point of view.
A lot of Leo was from inside Evie's head, there are a lot of times that she and Leo were not together.  You will be stunned to learn what was happening during all of those times, honestly it felt like a brand new book, there was just so much more to be told.

After years and years of pining for her so intensely, she was right in front of me, and yet she was still a thousand miles away. 

Everybody who knows me, knows that I cry at books.  I cry happy tears, I cry sad tears, and quite a few times I cry ugly tears.  I experienced all of those while reading Leo's Chance.  This shows just how powerful Mia's writing is, and just how powerful this story is.  We already know the story right?  Why would we be affected by it again?  Because it is written so beautifully.

 Reality is so overwhelming that I can barely keep up with everything I’m feeling.  It’s as if all my emotions for her are in living color now and coursing through my body at light speed.   I’m home.

We all know how damaged Leo is, we thought we understood where his hurt, anger, shame and guilt were coming from.  Well, we knew the over all cause... but you just can't appreciate him and his story until you have seen it through his eyes.  And it is not only the heartbreak that you feel for his past, but also the passion and love he has for Evie.  His emotions are raw and unbridled.  Honestly, I could go on and on... Everything just comes together so perfectly, and if you thought you loved Leo before, you will fall even more head over heels in love with him now.

I knew I would work hard every day of my life to give us more than what our parents had given us.  I was going to make her safe, make her happy.  I was going to make a home with her.

So, again... if I can stress anything it would that this is not just an alternate point of view retelling.  This is Leo's Story 100%.  Even the scenes you already know from Evie's point of view feel fresh and new as Leo tells the story.  And again, there are just so many new scenes that you never knew took place during the time frame of Leo.

There is also a new epilogue, written from Evie's perspective. This takes us into a nearer future than the epilogue that was at the end of Leo.  So for those that were wanting a continuation, you do get a further glimpse into their future.  I can not recommend Leo and Leo's Chance enough, I can easily say these are two of my favorite books.

She always had a way of soothing me, simply with her touch.  How did I doubt it would always be this way?  Then, now, a million lifetimes from this one.  My Evie, my heart, my savior.   My lion tamer.

MORE QUOTES FROM LEO'S CHANCE







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Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #32



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is a perfect way to highlight books that we are waiting patiently to be released... it is also a sure-fire way to watch your TBR pile grow!


Sometimes the right choice can be the deadliest.

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.

Expected Publication: August 20 2013
Add it to your TBR PileGoodreads

Why am I so eagerly awaiting this release you ask?

Let's give some cover love first... I *love* this cover.  All of the covers in this series have been been awesome, this is probably my favorite.

Now on to the book.  I need this book like I need air to breathe.  There were some changes with the publication date, (congrats to Karina Halle for signing a publishing deal) so we have to wait until August.  But I've waited this long, I guess a bit longer will be okay........... *starts rocking slowly, while humming to herself*

And dual POV?  My favorite!!!


What is your Waiting on Wednesday?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know!

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Top Ten Tuesday #18


Hosted by Broke and The Bookish


This Week's Topic is:

Top Ten Books At The Top Of My Summer TBR List




In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.







What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?

Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.







Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.







For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.







You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.







Sometimes the right choice can be the deadliest.

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.







Live young. Live hard. Love deep.

Charley Redford was just an ordinary girl until Jake Caplin moved to her small town in Indiana and convinced her she was extraordinary. Almost from day one Jake pulled Charley into the deep and promised he was right there with her. But when a tragic incident darkened Jake’s life he waded out into the shallows and left Charley behind.

Almost four years later Charley thinks she’s moved on. That is until she takes a study year abroad in Edinburgh and bumps into none other than Jake Caplin at a party with his new girlfriend. The bad-boy-turned-good attempts to convince Charley to forgive him, and as her best friend starts spending time with Jake’s, Charley calls a truce, only to find herself tumbling back into a friendship with him.

As they grow closer, the spark between them flares and begins playing havoc with their lives and relationships. When jealousy and longing rear their destructive heads, Charley and Jake struggle to come to grips with what they mean to one another.

And even if they work it out, there is no guarantee Charley will ever trust Jake to lead her back into the deep…







There’s optimistic. And there’s Jesse Walker.

If he wasn’t so charming, his sunny disposition and incessant grin would get annoying. Fast.

Falling in love with the girl who had at first seemed immune to it, was the best thing to happen to Jesse since the Walkers adopted him into their family when he was five. But loving the girl who has her fair share of secrets is about as easy as that same girl loving the boy who seems to have none.

As Jesse’s life continues at the ranch, and Rowen begins making her mark in the Seattle art community, they begin to wonder where the middle ground is. Or if there even is one.

As push comes to shove and choices aren’t only needing to be made, but forced to be made, Jesse and Rowen have to face what their lives might look like without the other.

Can two people with such tragic pasts and different presents, go on to expect a promising future? Whatever the answer, they’ll need a lot more than love to make it.







An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt. But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?







Bad boy, meet bad girl.

Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.

When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

So there you go... this weeks Top Ten! What is yours?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know so that I can come and check out your blog in return!