Waiting on Wednesday #10

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!

Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

Expected Publication: May 28 2013
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads

Why am I so eagerly awaiting this release you ask?

I know there were a lot of mixed reviews for Of Poseidon but I was in the 'I enjoyed it' camp.  I thought it was a fun story to read and I really enjoyed the characters.  I am a sucker for the dual POVs so it helped that it was written that way.  So I am really looked forward to Of Triton which appears to be scheduled for release at the end of May.  This will be a nice book to kick start the summer.

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!

Review: The Vincent Boys

Beau Vincent is rude, bad, and dangerous to know.

So why can't good girl Ashton Gray keep away from him?

She already has the perfect boyfriend - her town's local Prince Charming, Sawyer Vincent. But Sawyer is away for the summer, and in the meantime Ashton is bored, and the heat between her and Beau is undeniable - as well as irresistible.

Ashton is about to unleash her bad girl - but what will she do when Sawyer comes home? And how will Sawyer react when he returns to find his girlfriend in the arms of his best friend - and cousin?

Title: The Vincent Boys: New and Uncut (The Vincent Boys ~ Book 1)
Author: Abbi Glines | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: November 14 2012
Publisher: Hot Key Books 
Length: 288 Pages 
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Sexy!
Point of View: Alternating 1st person between both Beau and Ashton

My Rating: 5 Stars

oooOOOooohhh how I enjoyed this book!  It was exciting, flirty, entertaining and oh so much fun.  This was the second book by Abbi Glines that I have read and I am so glad that I have found her.  Thank goodness for fellow book bloggers and Goodreads because without them I would not find perfect little gems such as this.

The Vincent Boys is set in Alabama (aka the deep south).  I loved the accents, the mannerisms and holy sweet tea the Southern boys!  *swoon*

“Girl, there ain't a boy in this town who can hold a candle to Beau Vincent with his shirt off.”

The story starts with three best friends, two boys (cousins Beau and Sawyer) and a girl (Ashton).  They have known each other their whole lives and were inseparable when they were younger... until something inevitable happens.  Puberty.  One day Sawyer asks Ashton out and then everything changes for the three of them.

“Trouble can be a lot of fun. It's the straight and narrow that makes life tedious and boring.” 

Ashton and Beau were always closer growing up, they were each other's partner in crime and always getting into trouble with Sawyer always having to get them out of it.  But Ashton changed, as soon as she started dating Sawyer she stopped causing trouble with the town bad boy and did everything she could to become the 'good girl' that she thought Sawyer deserved.

“No one expected the preacher's daughter to sin, but they sure would love to catch me at it,”

Three years later Sawyer and Ashton are still going strong but Sawyer goes away for the summer on a family camping trip.  Ashton and Beau start hanging out again and it quickly becomes clear as to why Beau stopped hanging around the golden couple...  he is deeply and madly in love with Ashton.  Always has been and always will be.

“I was very aware that you were a girl, Ash. I was just scared because the one person in the world who knew every secret I'd ever had also happened to be the most beautiful girl I'd ever known. My feelings for you were scary as Hell.”

I will admit that I was hesitant to start The Vincent Boys because I didn't know how I would feel about a book that you go into knowing there is cheating involved.  I have to say... I didn't have a strong reaction to it at all.  Does this make me a bad person?  Nope.  Not at all.  Why the lack of reaction?  I think it has to do with a couple of factors.  Sawyer is not in the book until almost half way through so you aren't involved in his and Ashton's relationship.  Then once you see how much Ashton has changed herself and how much she struggles to keep up her good girl act you see how unhappy she is in her own skin.  Of course she loves Sawyer but for her he was a way to make her family happy.  Does this excuse cheating?  No it doesn't but I understood the feelings she was having and I wanted her and Beau together so badly that I would have forgiven anything of them both in order for them to get their happy ending.

I strongly suggest The Vincent Boys and I am so very excited to immediately start The Vincent Brothers.  I need more of the Vincent boys in my life as soon as possible.  Trust me in saying you will adore this book and you will fall in love with Ashton, Beau and Sawyer.

“She started walking toward me and perfect white teeth caught her full bottom lip between them. I’d fantasized about those lips way too many times. She’d barely covered up her long tanned legs with a pair of shorts that made me want to go to church this Sunday just to thank God for creating her.”

MORE QUOTES FROM THE VINCENT BOYS

Review: Ten Tiny Breaths

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

Title: Ten Tiny Breaths
Author: K.A. Tucker
Publication Date: December 11 2012
Publisher: Papoti Books
ISBN: 0991686004
Length: 262 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Stunning! The colors are amazing, one of my favorites.
Point of View: 1st person, following Kacey

My Rating: 4 Stars

“Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love them.”

What an emotional and enjoyable read!  It pulls you in right from the start and you are tangled up in the story as it all slowly unravels.

You quickly learn that Kacey and Livie's parents were killed in a car accident four years prior and they were taken in by their Aunt.  Her Aunt's husband however is not the best of people so they are forced to flee in the middle of the night and have ended up in Miami.

Since the accident Kacey has tried many coping mechanisms, drugs, alcohol, sex... all in a way to forget what she has lived through.  Now she has turned to kickboxing, she takes her anger out on the sandbags at the gym.  She never lets anybody close to her and hasn't had any real romantic relationships in years.

“Isn't it exhausting?"

"What?"

"Keeping people out.”

Kacey and Livie move into an apartment complex and she soon meets her next door neighboor, Storm.  Storm has a little girl, Mia, and she is probably the sweetest little girl in the world.  Livie starts watching Mia regularly and through this Kacey slowly starts getting closer to them both.  Then she meets Trent, another new neighboor that recently moved in next to her.  Trent has an immediate effect on Kacey and she finds herself drawn to him.  She hasn't had these type of feelings for a long time and they take her by surprise.

“For two years, I haven’t given anyone the time of day. Now, here I am, day one into our new life, and I’m ready to straddle this guy on the washer.”

And of course there is a twist... in fact it is a pretty big one!  The only reason I am giving Ten Tiny Breathes four stars instead of five is because of the twist.  It's not that it's not a great twist it's just that I had it figured out pretty early on.  Granted I still enjoyed the twist when it happened... I simply would have liked to have had that shocked moment when it did happen.  I think there were just too many clues given...

“I want to make you smile. For real. Always. We're going to go for dinners, and see movies, and walk on the beach. We'll go hang-gliding, or bungee jumping, or whatever you want to do. Whatever makes you smile and laugh more. Let me make you smile.”

All of the side characters help to make this story beautiful.  They become a close knit set of friends and they all help each other out when needed.  Storm is a strong caring woman and even though she is not that much older than Kacey I felt she really took her under her wing and even felt a motherly vibe from her.  Livie is just perfect.  She pushes Kacey just enough to help her open up but knows to not push her too far.  She challenges Kacey and that is exactly what she needed.  My favorite of them all is of course Trent... *sigh* Trent is wonderful.  It helps that he is described as sex on legs... tall, handsome, has a tattoo and rides a Harley.  *swoon* But he is also caring and supportive of Kacey and he is so sweet with Storm's daughter Mia. 

"And you must be Princess Mia? I've heard about you."

Her lips pucker and she leans out just a bit further from Storm's cover. "You have?"

He nods.  "Well, I heard about a Princess Mia who likes ice cream.  That must be you, right?"

She nods slowly and whispers, "Did you hear that, Mommy?  People know I'm a princess!"

I would strongly suggest this book, even though it faces a lot of heavy emotional situations there are also plenty of laughs and smiles.  You really do care about the characters and you experience all of the emotions they go through.

I am also very excited to say that when I was writing this review I found that there is going to be a second book in this series! I can not even describe how much this excites me!  It appears that the title will be One Tiny Lie and it will be a new story from Livie's point of view.  It is due to be published in April 2013.  This is so very exciting.

“I can feel his very existence as if it's wrapping its hand around my soul, cradling it, trying to protect it from harm and I'm terrified.

Terrified because I don't ever want the feeling to end.”

MORE QUOTES FROM TEN TINY BREATHS

Book Blogger Spotlight: Xpresso Reads

Xpresso Reads

Hi Christine. Thanks so much for having me! My name is Giselle I'm the blogger over at Xpresso Reads. I'm coming to you from the north pole--or at least that's what it feels like here in Canada :D

When and why did you become a book blogger?

I started my blog in September 2011. I had been reviewing books for a few years before, on Goodreads and Facebook, and I wanted to see what this book blogging business was all about. I didn't even know it was a thing before I saw people talking about it on Goodreads to be honest. But I didn't expect it to be this much fun! :)

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

I wanted something unique, so anything super bookish was too common for me so I started thinking what I liked--coffee ;) -- and I integrated it in my blog name. I liked the sound of Espresso (I pronounce it Expresso) but I wanted a funky spelling just to be weird.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

Definitely the friends I have made. I love meeting people who enjoy reading as much as I do, and some of these have become my best friends! No matter how hard or full of drama there may be in the blogging world, it's the community that makes it worth it!

What do you find the hardest about blogging?

Having to review books negatively when it's an author you have become friendly with on Twitter. It's by far the most cringe-worthy aspect of blogging--having to press send on the email to the author that has the link to your review. I also cringe when it's the publisher I'm sending it too, but it's not as stressful. 

Does your blog participate in any weekly features and if so which is your favorite?

I have 3 on the blog. One is the most popular meme ever--a weekly book haul. I personally participate in Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga's Reviews but there are a lot of other ones too. I also do Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine), and the third is a personal one for my blog--Fresh Batch--where I feature the book releases of the upcoming week.

What has been your favorite moment since you became a book blogger? Which review, interview or giveaway have you been most proud of?

I can't say I've had a specific favorite moment, but the ones that stand out are when some of my favourite authors and bloggers have followed me on Twitter. It's still exciting!!

Me and Jenni at Alluring Reads have started doing a regular giveaway event on both of our blogs (we link each other's) called Cover Madness. Every couple of months or so we go through the recent cover reveals that we loved and we make a giveaway where the prize is a pre-order of one of them. They've been the most popular giveaways I've done on the blog (we've had 2 so far), and I have been really happy that we thought of the idea. Here are the links for them:  Round 1 and Round 2

Make sure to look for Round 3 soon! ;)

What kind of genres do you enjoy reading and reviewing the most?

I read mostly YA, but I do like adult novels, too. As far as sub-genres, I love dystopians but they're so rarely original anymore that I've branched into reading a lot of Contemporaries and Psychological thrillers which I have been loving!

What is your favorite individual book or series? What makes you love it so much?

Omg this is so hard! And they change all the time. Well aside from the obvious Harry Potter answer, one of my more recent reads that became an all time favorite is Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies series. It gave me a particular love for zombie novels and even after months of having read them, I still remember all the emotions I felt while I was reading.

Who is your favorite fictional male character, why and from what book or series are they from?

The first one that came to mind was Cas from the Anna Dressed in Blood series. He's just such a charismatic character. His humour and personality quickly made him my fav male protagonist.

Who is your favorite fictional female character, why and from what book or series are they from?

This is also really hard, so I'm just going to go with the very first one that popped in my mind, and that's Charley Davidson from the Darynda Jones series. She is hilarious! I freaking almost died laughing when I read those books.

Who are your favorite three authors and why?

Rhiannon Frater for sure! She's the shizz! And a mastermind.

Kathleen Peacock rocks my face a lot, too. Hemlock was epic! Plus, she only lives 2 hours away so I can totally go stalk her.

One of my favourite authors since way before I even started my blog (like 10 years before) is Kelley Armstrong. She's my go-to author where I will read anything she writes. I love both her YA and adult stuff (her Women of the Otherworld series was my first experience with her writing).

If you could turn one book or series into films, what would you pick and who would you cast as the main characters?

A recurring theme here because, dude, that series is amazeballs!! But I would give my left leg (I mean, who needs that anyways?) to see the As the World Dies series on screen. The actors I would choose are exactly the ones Rhiannon said she would pick--they're her characters after all so who am I to disagree? ;) They are Kristanna Loken and Odette Annable for the main girls. They're so perfect for how I pictured them! You can see her casting for the others HERE.

What books are you most looking forward to in 2013?

I'm super excited for Mila 2.0, Breaking Point (which I actually read halfway but had to put down because I got uber busy), When We Wake, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch. 2013 rocks as far as book releases!

Paper books or ebooks?

Paper-no question

Where is your favorite place to read?

On my couch with a cup of coffee

Milk chocolate, white chocolate or dark chocolate?

Milk chocolate--duh!

Coffee, hot tea or hot chocolate?

Coffee!--Double duh!

Would you like to give any other details about yourself? How can others find you around the web? Such as Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc...

Blog: http://www.xpressoreads.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XpressoReads
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Giselleco
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4800103-giselle
Xpresso Book Tours: http://www.xpressobooktours.com
Xpresso Degisn: http://www.xpresso-design.com

Review: Fallen Too Far

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

Title: Fallen Too Far (Fallen Too Far ~ Book 1)
Author: Abbi Glines
Publication Date: December 14 2012 
Length: 207 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Love this cover! Exactly how you picture Blaire and Rush.
Point of View: 1st person, following Blaire

My Rating: 5 Stars

This is my first book by Abbi Glines and I am happy to say it will not be my last.  I have already mentally moved a few of her other books to the top of my to be read pile.  Even though this was not a large book it was packed full of great characters and intense emotions.  And the sexy times... Holy hotness!  If her other books have half the attraction and sparks that we witness between Blaire and Rush then I am in for some great reading.

“Because I’ve had a taste and I’m not sharing. This isn’t just for fun. I may be slightly addicted.”

I really love Blaire.  She is quite naive even at the age of nineteen but the more you learn of her past you can understand why she is the way that she is.  She has had one boyfriend and at sixteen her Mom became ill.  She needed to spend time with her and take care of her so her boyfriend moved on because at that age he wanted more than she could give.  Her Mom was ill for three years so now at nineteen she finds herself without any real male relationships, even her father had run out on them five years ago.

 “The love she left behind will be the reason dreams are reached. She was the rock in a world that was crumbling. Her strength will remain. It’s in our hearts.”

When Blaire's Mom passes away she has no where to go.  She gets in touch with her father who has now remarried.  He offers her a place to stay while she finds work and gets back on her feet.  She shows up to find that the house is not actually owed by her father but rather his new wife's son.

This is where Rush comes into the story... he is the embodiment of a bad boy wrapped in an enigma.  He is one of those guys that you just know there are softer layers underneath but the outer layers are cold and hard.  In other words the exact type of guy we don't want to fall for.  But we do fall.  Hard.  His father is/was a drummer for a big rock band.  He has piercings, tattoos and his own share of groupies.  He is basically sex on legs.

“That first night I tried to get rid of you. Not because I disliked you.” He let out a hard bitter laugh. “But because I knew. I knew you’d get under my skin. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay away. Maybe I hated you a little bit then because of the weakness you’d be able to find in me.” 

Blaire and Rush slowly start getting closer.  It is obvious from them both that there is an attraction.  Blaire is attracted to his bad boy confidence and Rush is attracted to her innocence.  Even though technically they are step brother and sister you never get a weird vibe about their growing attraction.  They are not really related and it is not as if they have grown up together.  I mentioned before that Blaire is naive but she is still really strong.  She does not shy away from telling Rush her feelings for him.  When he continues to push her away she continues to tell him exactly what she wants from him.  The sparks between these two are strong and bright.  Honestly... they are on fire.

“Blaire, even if all we do is kiss or just lay there and talk, I'm okay with that. I just wanted you up here. Close to me.”

The side characters make for a nice rounded story.  Woods is the local rich boy (well they all seem pretty rich in this town) and I really did end up liking him a lot, he is a good friend to Blaire.  Bethy works with Blaire and she was a hoot.  Then there is Grant who is Rush's brother, he was kind and I would really love for him to be in the next book a bit more.  Nan is Rush's younger sister and... well... Nan is a bitch.  But I'm not going to go too far into that as I don't want to give away the major plot points.  It is clear from the start there are secrets and they center around Rush and Nan.  Trust me when I say there are plenty of twists and one heck of a cliffhanger.

Thankfully there is not that long a wait until Never Too Far is due to be released, it is currently scheduled for March 12th, 2013.  I can not wait to find out what happens next! oooOOOooohhh and I also think it may be dual POV and that will be a major awesome! I so wish that Fallen Too Far was dual because I would have loved to be in Rush's head.  If you would like a sneak peak of what it is like in there you can check out this scene that the author has recently shared.  This is a scene from Fallen Too Far so please do not read it until you have finished the book! Special excerpt from FALLEN TOO FAR retold in Rush’s POV

“I held his gaze. I could see the storm in his eyes. I knew he was confused. I could see the fear. Then there was the love. I saw it. The fierceness in his eyes. I believed it. I could see it clearly. But it was too late now. The love wasn't enough. Everyone always said that love was enough. It wasn't. Not when your soul was shattered.”

MORE QUOTES FROM FALLEN TOO FAR