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Friday, February 28, 2014

{Release Day Launch/GIVEAWAY} "Night Games" By Collette West


Today I am very excited to be showcasing NIGHT GAMES on my blog for it's release day launch! Below check out the cover, the books description, info on the amazing author, and enter the giveaway!

Night Games Synopsis:
The moment Grey Kelleher locks eyes with All-Star shortstop Chase Whitfield, she's a goner. For years, she's watched him play on TV, and now she's gazing at his hard, lean body across a bar in her hometown.

Grey's crush on Chase goes all the way back to his rookie season. So when she approaches him for an autograph, she's startled by what a jerk he can be.

Chase is no mood to humor his fans, even one as alluring as Grey. He's in the last year of his contract and stuck having to prove himself on a minor league team. He's only there to rehab an injury, nothing more.

But when Grey tells him off, Chase realizes her fiery spirit may be just the distraction he needs to take his mind off not being in the majors. His heart is safe. No one's going to break his streak as baseball's most eligible bachelor. Not even someone as irresistible as Grey.

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About the Author:
Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball's biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette's impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.

 Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she's not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com.


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Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway







Thursday, February 27, 2014

{Blog Tour/Excerpt} "The Division Chronicles: Book Two: Emblazed" By Connie Smith

Today I am very excited to feature Emblazed for its blog Tour. The blog tour will last from February 24th-28th. During this tour there are two very exciting perks!

The first one is that the first book in this trilogy, Essenced, will be FREE during the tour. To get a copy go HERE. This is such a great opportunity for those who haven't read book one yet, but are interested in this series. 
The second is that Connie will be having daily giveaways throughout the blog tour. Today and tomorrow are the only days left for a chance to enter and win one so make sure you try! Connie's Twitter

Emblazed just released on Monday, February 24th and I am so happy to bring you all the details about it. Below check out the cover, the book's description, an excerpt, and author info.

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Emblazed Synopsis:
After all the preparations, Nicholai’s warriors stand on the threshold of warfare, the demons entering the realm in battalions and the world unknowingly depending on the army’s success to continue intact. But the battle is only the beginning of deadly struggles, and the soldiers will soon realize how little they know, how many things are at stake, and how much they have to lose.

Love, hate, hope, despair, anguish, joy… The journey is a gauntlet of emotion and combat, threatening their resolve as much as their lives.

Will their training and ties be enough, or will the complications and the forthcoming evil forever cripple the world’s last hope of survival?

Buy LinkAmazon

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Excerpt:
AJ sensed him there, standing wordlessly some feet in the distance, just like she always recognized his presence when he lingered near. She absorbed the comfort and happiness he brought her – not that she’d admit that out loud – before sighing and speaking. “It’s called making a bed, Julius. It’s pretty commonplace.”
He didn’t push away from the doorframe, instead leaning further against it while he continued to observe her. “Sweetheart, nothing’s commonplace when you do it.”
Hearing the grin and affection in his voice, she smiled, peeking at him over her shoulder. “Is that a compliment or an insult?”
He gazed upward to stare at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression, then returned his attention to her, his shrug carefree. “Both.”
She smirked. “Sweet talker.”
“Odd ball.” He finally moved from the threshold, unhurriedly advancing toward her. “You know, most people make their beds in the morning. Not ten o’clock at night.”
She snorted. “Yeah. I’m gonna make my bed as soon as I roll out of it at six AM. I wouldn’t be making it now if I didn’t have to wrestle the sheet back on four times a night.” Finally setting her pillow in its position, she turned to him with an unashamed grin.
He chuckled, his adoration plain, and brushed a lock of hair from her face. “You’re one of a kind, you know that?”
“Compliment or insult?” she teased again.
“Compliment.” He smiled, cupping her cheek. “Definitely a compliment.” 
“Sweet talker,” she repeated, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, his circling her waist, she dove into the moment, reveling in the wonderful sensations only Julius incited. Safety. Warmth. Passion. So many more she couldn’t quite put a name to, the combination too heady and consuming to adequately decipher. It was simply a Julius effect, and its wonder had no equal in her life. Gradually breaking away, she knowingly lifted an eyebrow. “You didn’t come here just to make fun of me over my bed-making habits.”
“Maybe I came up here just to kiss you.”
“If that were the case, dear Julius, you wouldn’t have waited until I kissed you.”
Narrowing his eyes, he barely restrained his smirk at her forwardness and how well she’d grown to understand him in their time together. “You have a point.” He stepped back from her embrace, grasping her hand in his. “Come on. We have a mission.”
“A mission?” Her brow furrowed, though she made no move to retrieve her palm from his, following him in confusion as he neared the hallway. “At ten o’clock at night?”
“I believe we already covered the time in this conversation, AJ.” He made a clucking noise with his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “You really need to keep up with matters a bit more.”
She glared at the back of his head, lips thinning despite her vexing boyfriend’s inability to see her from his location. Realizing the futility of her frustrated efforts, she clenched the fingers he clutched, smiling in accomplishment at his grunt of discomfort. “Yeah, we covered it, but in household chore way. Not in a mission way. What could we possibly have to do this late at night?”
He sent her an amused glance – one she deemed condescending, particularly after the physical hint of her annoyance  – while tugging her through the doorway. “You do realize it isn’t ten o’clock everywhere, right?”
“Of course I realize that! I’m not a moron!”
“I never said you were…”
She growled, steeling her feet against the floor and prying her hand from his. “You didn’t have to. Your little grin said it all for you.”
His stare revealed sincere bewilderment – maybe a speck of frustration as well – and his arm dropped to his side. “So let me get this straight. You’re angry at me… because I smiled at you?”
Her eyes widened in fury, one finger raising to point at his chest while her left fist braced against her hip. “Don’t try to turn this around like I’m crazy!”
He scrunched his forehead, gaze traveling up and down her form while he held his hands out, as if silently offering his evidence.
She groaned, unhappy, turning away from him to rein in her irritation. For several seconds, she simply scanned her room, livid exhale after livid exhale falling from her lips, but the attempts did little to calm her turmoil, Julius actually flinching when her focus again landed on him. “It’s the grin you used. It’s the same one that was on your face when you drove into New Mexico, and I was surprised the facility was stationed here. Like I’m the dumbest person in the world and your number one source of entertainment.”
Instantly, his expression softened. “You can’t possibly think that I think that way?”
She just glared at him.
“Look, I’m not gonna lie.” He approached her, smiling tenderly. “You do amuse me, but not because I think you’re stupid. You’re… animated. And quirky. But not stupid. And I get it’s late, and no matter what time zone we’re entering, it’s ten o’clock here and we’re handing over sleeping hours, but Nicholai insists we need to go now.”
She kept pinched eyes on him, but her posture loosened a bit.
He laughed, reaching for her hand once more. “See? Animated. I can pretty much watch the wheels in your head turn.”
“Does that make you my mental stalker, too?”
Processing the playful edge of her words, he kissed her knuckles and led her into the hall. “Trust me, sweetheart. I have no desire to wander through your mind. I can’t imagine all the weird things I’d encounter.”
She tilted her head to the side, smiling. “Compliment or insult?”
Smirking over his shoulder, he caught her eyes with his. “Insult.”

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About the Author:
Connie L. Smith spends far too much time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and will be forever sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. When she isn’t reading or writing, there’s a good chance she’s goofing off with her amazing, wonderful, incredible, fabulous nieces and nephew, or listening to music that is severely outdated. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either) and likes to snap photos. Oh, and she likes apples a whole big bunch.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

{Release Day Launch} "White Hot Kiss" By Jennifer L. Armentrout

We are beyond excited to participate in the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's WHITE HOT KISS! WHITE HOT KISS is a young adult paranormal romance being published by Harlequin Teen TODAY! This is the first full-length novel in The Dark Elements Series and one you'll want to grab as soon as you finish reading this post.    

White Hot Kiss
ABOUT WHITE HOT KISS: 
One kiss could be the last. Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever. Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul. But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.  

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EXCERPT:
  “I don’t think of Zayne that way!” She laughed.
“What man-parts-loving female in this world doesn’t think of Zayne that way? I can barely keep myself breathing when I see him. All the guys in school have squishy waists. I can tell Zayne doesn’t. He’s the awesome sauce with extra sauce.” 
That he was and he so didn’t have a squishy waist, but I tuned Stacey out at that point. I really did need to cram for this test and I also didn’t want my fantasies involving Zayne to occupy my mind right now. Especially after I’d woken up this morning, carefully tucked under the covers. The bed had smelled like him: sandalwood and crisp linen. 
 “Oh, sweet baby Jesus in a manger,” Stacey murmured. 
I clenched my jaw, cupping my hands over my ears. She jabbed me in the side with her elbow. At this rate I’d be covered in bruises before lunchtime. 
“Our bio class just got a billion times more interesting. And hotter, lots and lots hotter. Holy mother, I want to have his babies. Not now of course, but definitely later. But I’d like to start practicing soon.” 
 The cell wall is a thick and rigid layer covering the plasma something, something plant cells… 
Stacey stiffened all of a sudden. “Oh my God, he’s coming—” 
Composed of fat and sugar— 
Something slender and shiny fell from who knew where, landing in the middle of Sam’s notes. Blinking tightly, it took me a couple of seconds to recognize the faded and half peeled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sticker covering the back of the silver cell phone. My heart slammed against my ribs. Gripping the edges of the notebook, I slowly lifted my gaze. Unnaturally beautiful golden eyes met mine. 
“You forgot this last night.” 

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Giveaway:
 Now that you have a taste for this fabulous new series, here are the details for the AMAZING international giveaway!!! Harlequin Teen is giving away a large Harlequin Teen Tote. 
 Tote Includes:
 • Harlequin TEEN branded tote 
 • The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (trade)
 • Pawn by Aimee Carter (hard cover) 
• Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (hard cover)
 • Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (hard cover) 
 • 2 copies of White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout 
• 1 pair of black harlequin branded socks (they are so comfy!)
 
White hot Kiss Release Day banner

 About Jennifer L. Armentrout:
Author Photo
  # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.   She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. 

Saturday, February 22, 2014

"A New Kind Of Magic" By Evelyn Burke

To wonder which creature from the paranormal will next set our minds on fire is to ask a question that's probably wrong in the first place. It implies that we as consumers of YAP are simply waiting for the next thing to spin off the paranormal roundabout. But we know that isn't how it works. Vampires didn't suddenly become a humungously popular sub-genre simply because it was their turn - they did so because Twilight found a way to pull a new spin on it, i.e in a realistic, modern high-school setting, and with a heroine who wrestled with the idea of willingly becoming one of them. So maybe the question we should be asking ourselves is not, which creature next - it's what kind of spin could be put on the existing ones to make them fresh enough for us to keep reading?

Vampires  
A tricky one, as obviously the new spin on it is the freshest in our minds. But I began to imagine, in the later Twilight books as my mind started to drift, a parallel universe where it was not Bella but maybe Alice Cullen who had been the star of the story, and perhaps attended Fork High as the sole vampire among a school of humans. I believe that, given a similar downbeat treatment and with Alice perhaps showing more flair and a sense of humor at her predicament, while still being required to live practically as a vampire, this would be a take on the genre I'd be very keen to read. Why should it only be Edward having his fun with the humans, after all?

Werewolves
The supposed obsession with werewolves always seemed to me a little contrived - it was vampires, and you made out you loved werewolves in the same way you act like you also adore the little brother of the guy you have a crush on. Maybe that's just me. Either way, Teen Wolf is still a popular show on MTV, so there might be literary mileage yet in the genre. Perhaps what would really breathe new life into it is to have a werewolf in a high-school setting, a la Twilight and Teen Wolf - but as a twist on the conventional instinct they seem to have to conceal their paranormal alter-ego from the world, have them try to wear it as the badge of the baddest boy in school. I think that YAP readers are easily mature enough to deal with idea of, for example, a high-school boy who had to deal with symptoms of hypersexuality caused by his wolfish nature, while at the same oscillating between a mixture of fear at himself and 'If you've got it, flaunt it'. Werewolves don't automatically have to be all about slavering jaws and messy sideburns, after all - in the right hands they could be cute, and that person could also weave into the narrative some kind of funny and moving commentary on the difficulties of teenage sexuality.

Zombies
On film and in print, for the last few years or so zombies seemed to be everywhere. From Brad Pitt's epic World War Z to the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to Nicholas Hoult playing love-struck zombie R in Warm Bodies, based on the 2010 novel of the same name, shuffling and moaning was the craze of the day. The inherent problem zombies pose to YAP, though, is that it's very hard to create a character that is both a convincing zombie and someone you want to spend much time with, although Warm Bodies was a nice attempt at reinventing the genre by depicting a zombie who retained just enough of his old self to fall in love. Frankly, though, of all these genres I think it's the one that shows least future promise, at least in book form.

Something Wicked This Way Comes?
This might just be personal preference, but the one 'paranormal' presence I feel is under-represented in YAP, and which could definitely lend itself to a compelling story, is the devil. If vampires and werewolves can find themselves struggling with the practical realities of life at the average high-school, why can't a devil? For one thing, he or should would have no problem acting like the biggest bad-ass on campus, and would provide genuine tension when interacting with earthbound people. How they came to end up there is also a back-story I'd be interested to read, and it seems there are any number of climactic outcomes that a talented author could spin from this premise.

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Evelyn, thank you so much for writing this very thought provoking post. I always find myself wondering the same questions, "what creature will be the next IT thing?" or "What book is going to change the genre norms?". It  is something that is very interesting to see play out in the book world. I also seriously hope that some authors are reading this post, because Evelyn's idea about the devil in high school sounds awesome and needs to be written!

Thank you, again, Evelyn and I hope you all enjoyed her thoughts as much as I did. Make sure to comment below with what you think about all this. 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

{Cover Reveal/GIVEAWAY} "Deep Surrendering" By Chelsea M. Cameron

I am so happy to be featuring this cover reveal on my blog! I think Chelsea M. Cameron is an amazing author and definitely someone you should check out if you haven't read one of her books before. 

Today I am super psyched to be showing you the cover of the first book in her new series. This series is a contemporary Adult novella series set in the same world as her Sweet Surrendering series. Each month a new book (or episode) will be released for this cool new series and I am so happy to be one of the first people to tell you about it. 

The first episode (who's cover I am revealing today) will be out on March 20th so make sure to get it once it's release!

Now, without further ado... I bring you the cover of Deep Surrendering!

Monday, February 17, 2014

{Cover Reveal} "A Soul's Kiss" By Debra Chapoton

Coming March 15, 2014 from Creative Prose Publishing, the newest novel from international author Debra Chapoton:

About A Soul's Kiss:
When a tragic accident leaves Jessica comatose, her spirit  escapes her body. Navigating a supernatural realm is tough, but being half dead has its advantages.
      
Like getting into people’s thoughts.

Like taking over someone’s body.

Like experiencing romance on a whole new plane - literally.

Jessica learns an amazing truth as she struggles to return to her body before the doctors pull the plug, only she can’t do it alone. Now the only two people willing to help Jessica’s splintered soul are the two she’s hurt the most. They must find a way to guide her soul back to her body ... before it’s too late.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #5 - Letter To Yourself

Dear Past Self,

This book blogging idea is going to become the best thing you have ever done for yourself. You are going to have so much fun creating the look and feel of your blog and you are going to have so much fun writing posts. You will meet so many amazing people through this blog, too. You will meet other bloggers who will become close friends, readers of your blog who share the same tastes, and most importantly authors. Some of these authors will help change the rest of your life. You will learn that there are people behind these books you review and to always keep them in mind when you are about to criticize their work. Most importantly one of these amazing authors will help you decide your major in college and help you realize what you want to do with the rest of your life. It will be an idea you never even thought possible and you will get so excited to finally figure out that you can have a dream job in the book industry.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #3 - Mad Lib

One day, I was walking with Edward Cullen. Out of the blue, a bird came out of nowhere! It was so pretty, green and magical. At first, we were afraid, we were petrified, but we walked. We hopped on a bus to make our getaway. 

 As we escaped, we turned up the radio because Blurred Lines came on and made me jump. Everything was extremely smooth sailing until an alligator appeared in the middle of the road. We swerved to avoid it, but while Edward stayed on the bus, I got thrown onto my side in the woods. 

 I couldn't get up, and felt handsome as I lay there staring up at the trees. What was I going to do? I heard a buzzing among the leaves, and felt peaceful. Surely, this was going to be my end. As my eyes fluttered shut, the last thing I saw was a head of green hair and blue eyes. 

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon - Get to know Book Bite Reviews


I am so excited to be participating in the Book Blogger Love-A-Thon! This is my first time joining in on the fun and I cannot wait to see what these two days will bring. I hope you all are joining in on the fun and are participating as much as possible. Click the photo above to be taken to one of the hosts, Katelyn, page to find more information on this event. 

Without further ado, here are my answers to the interview questions so you all can learn about and fall in love with me! lol

Friday, February 14, 2014

{Release Day Blitz} Marked Hearts

Marked Hearts are 12 YA and NA authors coming together to celebrate Valentine's Day with stories of love. These are 12 separate stories centered around romance brought to you by some best selling authors: Brina Courtney, Sarah Ashley Jones, Magan Vernon, Dawn Pendalton, Amy Evans, Amber Garr, Morgan Black, Jo Briggs, Jessica Gibson, Tammy Blackwell, Sarah Makela and Michelle D. Argyle. So this Valentine's Day cuddle up with amazing book boyfriends for under a dollar.

Monday, February 3, 2014

{Book Spotlight} "Shards" By Kit Campbell

Every myth starts with truth...

Book Description:
Eva Martinez isn’t sure why she’s pursuing a master’s degree in religious studies, except that something about the material resonates in the depths of her soul. But when her dreams start to be invaded by lost gardens, forbidden fruit, and a strangely familiar mystery man, even she has to wonder if she’s taking her schoolwork too seriously.

Then Eva starts to notice the strangeness seeping into everyday life. The man from her dreams is real and Eva feels a curious connection with him. Her classmate, someone she’s known for years, starts to act increasingly volatile. And it seems like everyone, including her bosses, is keeping secrets…secrets that have something to do with her. Eva’s determined to find out what’s going on, how it involves her, and why she’s transforming into someone buried deep in her memories.

The deeper in that Eva gets, the more she feels like she should understand what’s happening around her. The secrets conceal real dangers, and if she can’t untangle them and find the truth in time, she--and all those she’s come to care for--will face defeat at the hands of an ancient enemy, one who recognized Eva long before she learned to recognize herself.