Waiting on Wednesday (#52)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Plus One

by Elizabeth Fama

Expected publication: April 8th 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller.

Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray.

Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

**I can't wait to get my hands on this book. I love the cover!!!!! I don't think I've read anything like it before. What is everyone waiting to read?***

Thank You for stopping by! (: 

Freebie Tuesday (Edition #10)

Hi guys! Freebie Tuesday is a new meme that I will be hosting from now on. I know there are probably a lot of memes like this one already, but it doesn't hurt to find out more about authors that some of us haven't heard of before. I will include 2-3 books that are free to download on either kindle or at the apple store in each post (that way it's more accessible to anyone that wants to download them.) I hope everyone finds this post helpful (if anyone is looking for a new book to read).  Enjoy! 

The Mystic Wolves 

by Belinda Boring 

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?
Someone is trying to send a deadly message to Mason, arranging the deaths of those he loves and it puts the entire pack and Alpha on high alert. Darcy understands the primal instincts driving her beloved Mason's commands. With the help of those he sets as protectors, she learns about herself and the things she'll need to help support her Alpha and pack. When events turn dire however, one truth offers her strength - once given, oaths are unbreakable ... even if it means risking it all. 

   

Better Off Dead

by H.P. Mallory

If there's such a thing as luck, Lily Harper definitely doesn't have it. Killed in a car accident before it's her time to go, Lily learns that the hereafter isn't exactly what she hoped it might be. First, there's AfterLife Enterprises, the company responsible for sorting out the recently dead and sending them on their way to the Kingdom, (aka happily ever after, ) or to the Underground City, (not so happily ever after.) Learning that Lily's death was indirectly their fault (her guardian angel, Bill, was MIA during her accident and was one of their employees, ) Afterlife Enterprises offers Lily the chance to live again. But, as with most things involving the afterlife, beware the fine print. 

Most notably, Lily will have to become a soul retriever, venturing into the bowels of the Underground City to retrieve souls that were mistakenly sent there by Afterlife Enterprises during a Y2K computer glitch. Second, there's angel Bill. As if risking her second life in the Underground City wasn't enough, Lily's guide to the Underground is none other than her incompetent, alcoholic, womanizing guardian angel, Bill, the antithesis of anything wholesome. 

With only Dante's Inferno and Bill to help her in her quest, Lily's future isn't looking bright. Finally, there's the legendary bladesmith, Tallis Black. As Scottish as his kilts and heavy brogue, Tallis Black is a centuries-old Celt who, for reasons only known to him, offers to train Lily and act as her escort into the depths of the Underground City. Dark, brooding and definitely dangerous, Lily knows she shouldn't trust Tallis, but she also can't deny her attraction to him. Between soul retrieving in hell, dealing with Bill and trying to figure out what's in it for Tallis, Lily wonders if maybe she would've just been better off dead. 

    

Just This Once 

by Rosalind James

Everyone needs to be rescued sometimes.

Everyone but Hannah Montgomery, that is. She just needs a vacation. Three weeks in New Zealand to sort out her life, figure out what she wants, seems just right. Oh, and to relax. She should definitely put that on the agenda. She certainly isn’t looking for a fling with a professional rugby player, no matter how attractive he is. Hannah doesn’t do casual. But maybe just this once. . .

As much as he’s shared with Hannah, Drew Callahan has kept one very big secret. And learning the truth, now that she’s back home again, has made Hannah warier than ever. Drew knows that she’s right for him. But how can he convince her to let down her guard enough to explore what they could have together? 

***That's it for this post, be sure to come back every Tuesday for more freebies and feel free to check out my last four posts, Edition 1 , Edition 2 , Edition 3, Edition 4, Edition 5, Edition 6, Edition 7, Edition 8 and Edition 9 for more books that you might have missed. Thanks for stopping by! :)***

Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Heartbeat 
by Elizabeth Scott
Released Date: Published January 28th 2014 by Harlequin Teen
Pages: 304
View/Purchase: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N

Life. Death. And...Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

My Review:

Heartbeat is a definite must-read for anyone out there that is looking for a heart warming story of forgiveness and acceptance. When I first looked at the cover and the title, I was immediately pulled in and had to read it. I have only read another book by Elizabeth Scott and it was great, so I didn't hesitate to read her latest book. 

From the very start we meet Emma, a high school girl who has lost her mother and in a way her stepfather. It is evident right from the beginning that her relationship with her stepfather is not easy and she is angry at him for what he did (and is still doing) to her mother. Emma's mother is brain dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her. But having a mother kept alive by machines is difficult for Emma to handle and more so now that her stepfather decided to do that to her without asking Emma's opinion makes their relationship that much more difficult. Now she resents her stepfather for destroying her mother and not letting her go all because of the baby. Emma struggles to forgive her stepfather and turns to her best-friend Victoria to keep her from losing herself completely. Victoria represents the life that she could have outside her home, while her house represents unhappiness and anger. But it isn't until Caleb walks into her life that she feels safe and understood. 

Both of them have struggled deeply in their lives and together they support one another and give each other the comfort that they need to keep going. As the story unfolds, they start to feel more for one other and that's what eventually saves them. 

I really enjoyed reading Heartbeat, the book deals with difficult issues that you just don't see every day. The story wasn't overshadowed by the romance, although the romantic scenes between Emma and Caleb were really sweet. The overall book was more about what Emma goes through to accept her new life and to understand each relationship that she has. The writing was really good, it goes from present to past most of the time. Is is mainly Emma's character that is remembering what happened before with her mom and recalling memories. I would have liked to see more of Caleb's story, and perhaps some type of resolution to his problems, that would have made the story that much better. But overall, the story was great, the ending was satisfying and I highly recommend it.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

My Rating: 4.5/5

Book Tour Review: Cowboys & Kisses by Sasha Summers

Cowboys & Kisses 

by Sasha Summers 

Released Date: Published February 10th 2014 by InkSpell Publishing 

Series: Teens of black falls texas #1

Pages: 304

View/Purchase: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes& Noble, Kobo, AlleRomance 

Allie had big plans for the future. Falling for a cowboy wasn't part of it. 

1. Get out of Black Falls Texas - aka Redneck Hell (Graduation was eight months away. After that, she was out of there.)

2. Avoid Wyatt Holcomb at all costs. (Except he was everywhere and kind of hard to ignore since he was hot-and a really nice guy.)

3. Avoid her parents. (Shouldn't be too hard to do since her father hated her and her mother pretended nothing was wrong.)

4. Stop thinking about Wyatt. (Which would be a lot easier if he wasn't so sweet... and he'd keep his shirt on.)

5. Decide what she really wants.(Instead of holding onto the past and the guilt.)

Maybe falling for a cowboy could work after all?

My Review: 

I loved reading Cowboys & Kisses, Sasha Summers did an amazing job creating a sweet and romantic story. The characters are very likable and relatable, making the story that much more interesting to read. From the very beginning we are introduced to Allie, a high school student who is moving to Black Falls Texas with her dysfunctional family. We are not told what is going on with her family and her at the beginning, but it's clear that they have problems and moving to Black Falls is making Allie's life difficult. But was she wasn't expecting to find in her house is a cowboy, and a very good looking one at that. It all seemed a bit rushed, but their attraction to each other is instant yet they don't seem to want to accept that and that's where the story really starts to take off. 

What makes the book great are the characters and the setting. Both Allie and Wyatt have suffered in the past and that's what ultimately brings them together. Allie's character and personality reflect what she has been through, she is tough and not afraid to hurt anyone's feelings at first. But that's all due to what happened to her and by wanting to shut everyone out of her life she attracts Wyatt's attention. On the other hand, Wyatt is a sweetheart, he truly is. He is the guy that any girl would want to bring home to meet her parents and his politeness is hard to resist. Not only is he the good-looking cowboy and the town's golden boy. He also has a passion for rodeo, which makes him that much more attractive. Yet underneath all of that, is a guy that has definitely suffered a lot in his life. His father is the town's alcoholic who gets in trouble with everyone and that puts a lot of pressure in Wyatt. He has learned to cope with his problems and now that he works for Allie's parents in their house, he is determined to help her cope with her troubles. Along with their good chemistry and attraction to one another, they genuinely care for each other and their sweet moments together in the book makes it hard to put down. I couldn't stop reading the book, from the writing to the plot, Sasha Summers created an amazing read. I highly recommend everyone to give this story a try, you will not regret it. 

*A Copy was provided as part of a Blog Tour, all opinions are my own*

My Rating: 

About the Author: 

Sasha Summers

Sasha is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, history, romance, and travel. She writes lyrical romantic fantasy, steamy contemporary romance, sci-fi romance, and young adult romance. Her first play was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She's been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she's doing so. Luckily, her family is super understanding and supportive. 

Website, Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter: @sashawrites

Waiting on Wednesday (#51)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Red at Night 

by Katie McGarry

Expected publication: April 1st 2014 by Harlequin Special Releases

In Red at Night, Stella and Jonah are total opposites. She's the girl with purple hair from the wrong part of town. He's a high school senior who hangs with the cool crowd. Until a car accident leaves him haunted by guilt, and Jonah starts spending time at Stella's favorite refuge…the local cemetery.

Stella knows she should keep her distance—after all, she spent her girlhood being bullied by Jonah's friends. Once he's sorted out his tangled emotions, Jonah won't have time for her anymore. Too bad she's already fallen for him…

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

**I can't wait to read another amazing book by Katie McGarry! When I saw the cover and synopsis I knew immediately that this will be one of the books that I'll be picking up as soon as it's out.** What are you guys waiting to read? Let me know and I'll make sure to check it out! Thanks :) 

Freebie Tuesday (Edition #9)

Hi guys! Freebie Tuesday is a new meme that I will be hosting from now on. I know there are probably a lot of memes like this one already, but it doesn't hurt to find out more about authors that some of us haven't heard of before. I will include 2-3 books that are free to download on either kindle or at the apple store in each post (that way it's more accessible to anyone that wants to download them.) I hope everyone finds this post helpful (if anyone is looking for a new book to read).  Enjoy! 

Stained 

by Ella James 

After a fire destroys seventeen-year-old Julia’s home and kills her foster parents, she chases the half-demon responsible across the country and back, determined to avenge her family and discover why a host of celestial baddies want her dead. With Julia is enigmatic hottie - Cayne, who has his own score to settle with the half-demon, and who might be just as dangerous as the creature he and Julia hunt. 

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

     

Shine On

by Allison Jewell

Emmie Talbot is a quintessential good girl.
Smart, Southern, Kind
Church Goer
Small Town Seamstress
Aspiring Teacher
And
A Misguided Moonshiner

Emmie's sole purpose in life was taking care of her moonshine loving step-father. When he is killed in a fiery crash on their farm, she is left alone and frustrated with a mountain of debt. Working as a seamstress for a crazy-old-coot shopkeeper is not the kind of life she had imagined for herself.

The curious events that surround her step-father’s death send Emmie on a quest for answers. Answers that lead to a dangerous secret tucked away on her property. Stumbling on a moonshine still was an unfortunate event for most folks in the hills of Kentucky. She was lucky not to have been shot on the spot. Emmie saw hope in the steam escaping the curved copper pipe of "Ole Maizy". However, a series of mishaps put her front and center in a local moonshine war.

In the midst of chaos, Emmie is befriended by an attorney recently transported from Chicago. Silas McDowell is a man seeking some answers of his own. In an attempt to find a little roaring twenties glamour in the small town, he introduces Emmie to the underground world of Speakeasies and Blind Pigs. Loyalty, lies, and murder conspire to push Silas and Emmie together or rip them apart. Cloaked in secrets and unsure whom to trust, Emmie must decide to drown in darkness or find a way to Shine On.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

    

Enlightened

by Melissa Lummis

Loti Dupree’s meager healing abilities have been more a curse than a blessing. What’s the point if she can’t even save her husband from cancer? Harboring a painful secret, Loti flees the life they had in a small Appalachian town for the ashram, the spiritual retreat where she trained to be a yogini. But she finds herself running from more than grief when an ominous nightmare sets her on a dangerous path of self-discovery that challenges everything she believes, and threatens her life.

While dodging psychic attacks from an unknown assailant, Loti races to understand who and what she is before her enemy can catch up with her. To make matters worse, events throw her into the arms of a handsome but frustrating vampire. Love and light are waiting for her—if she can only figure out how to stay alive.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

     

Extra Book of the Day! :)

Dangerous 

by Suzannah Daniels

Stone Hamilton had never known fear...until the accident. Since then, his life has spiraled out of control. He's been kicked out of private school, deemed a disappointment by his father, and forced to endure his own guilt, anger, and grief. The last thing he wants is a relationship with someone who will have expectations of him. But once he's enticed by the shimmering pink lips of the oh-so-popular, academically-excelling, straitlaced hottie from his new school, he knows he's in trouble.

Seventeen-year-old Dara Golding has one goal for the summer: make enough money to buy a car, so that she can drive to school her senior year. After starting a new job, she realizes that she'll be working with the brooding, motorcycle-riding, bad boy who started attending Quail Mountain High last year. With his less than stellar reputation, he's everything she's afraid of...and that makes him dangerous.

Their undeniable attraction has Stone struggling with his inner demons. As Dara slowly allows Stone to claim her heart, a little white lie to cover an ugly truth could determine whether she's his savior or the final straw that will break his sanity.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

      

***That's it for this post, be sure to come back every Tuesday for more freebies and feel free to check out my last four posts, Edition 1 , Edition 2 , Edition 3, Edition 4, Edition 5, Edition 6, Edition 7, and Edition 8 for more books that you might have missed. Thanks for stopping by! :)***

                                                                                                                                 

Review: Review: Til Death (Fractured Souls #1) by Kate Evangelista

Til Death
by Kate Evangelista
Released Date: March 4th 2014 by Entangled Teen
Series: Fractured Souls #1
Pages: 320 
View/Purchase: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N

Sixteen-year-old Selena Fallon is a dreamer. Not a daydreamer, but an I-see-the-future kind of dreamer. Normally, this is not a problem, as she has gotten pretty good at keeping her weird card hidden from everyone in her small town. But when Selena dreams of her own rather bloody death, things get a little too freaky—even for her.

Enter Dillan Sloan. Selena has seen the new guy in a different dream, and he is even more drool-worthy in person. Beyond the piercing blue eyes and tousled dark hair, there is something else that draws her to him. Something…electric. Too bad he acts like he hates her.

When Selena learns she’s being targeted by a force bigger and darker than anything she ever imagined, she’s had enough. Despite her death dream, Selena is not going to give up easily, especially when she discovers that Dillan isn’t what he seems…and might not actually hate her after all. Dillan might be the only person who can save her.
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

My Review:

What attracted me first to the book was its cover and the synopsis. Not having read any books by the author before, I really was interested in reading Til Death. From the synopsis, I knew that I had to read the book. Now being the first book of a new series, I knew that there wasn't going to be a lot of action, instead more event/character building. But what I didn't like so much was the pace of the story, it started off slow which made it difficult for me to get into. As the story progressed, the more events started happening and I couldn't stop reading the book. 

Til Death starts off by introducing Selena Fallon, a sixteen-year old high school student who has a special power of seeing the future (more like dreaming about the future.) She lives with her grandparents after her parents died and she has two best friends, Kyle and Penny. They are the only ones that know what she can do and she likes to keep that way. But that doesn't last long after a mysteriously hot new student, Dillan Sloan, enters her class and she starts feeling sparks whenever they accidentally touch (literally) and it is because of that, that they also start to feel some type of connection. Which at the beginning wasn't much, but that's what makes it harder for them to be away from each other. As the both interact, it's hard for them to keep their secrets a secret form one another. 

Despite hiding who he is, Dillan is forced to tell Selena about what he does and what he is part of. When a strange, yet deadly dream scares Selena, she is the one forced to find out who is targeting her and those that she loves. There were a lot of things that I liked about the story, one of them being the story line. I feel that it was well thought out, yet it started off really slow (which it eventually changed later on in the story). The characters were likable, some were better than others. I loved Kyle's personality. He is the perfect guy friend, and he genuinely cares for Selena. He is also the one character that made the most impact in the story. With twists and turns, he was the one that kept me reading, as well as the main characters. Dillan is funny and protective. I love how softy he can get, yet I would have liked to see more of his personality in the story. Selena's character is tough and courageous. She fights for what he believes in, which leads us to the end and what an ending that was! I wanted to keep reading, but there was a cliffhanger at the end. I really hope to read the second book of this new series, because it was just getting to the very good parts. Overall, the story was great. I recommend it to those that want to read something new, with twists and turns. It will leave you wanting for more. 

*ARC provided by the author, in exchange for an honest and fair review*

My Rating: 3.5/5

Waiting on Wednesday (#50)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Finding My Prince Charming

by J.S. Cooper

Expected publication: March 31st 2014

Can a Playboy Prince ever be tamed?

When Lola Franklin decided to study abroad she never anticipated embarking on a whirlwind weekend romance with a hot guy before classes started.

And she certainly never counted on the hot guy being her new professor. Or a Prince. Or the biggest asshole she had ever met.

Xavier Van Romerius is the playboy Prince of Europe and he loves his life. He doesn’t do relationships, and never wants to get married. But when he see’s Lola Franklin flirting with his little brother Casper, he realizes that maybe he needs to rethink his ideas about love before the wrong Prince gets the girl.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

***I really like the cover of this book, and it sounds like a book I would definitely read. I haven't had the chance to read anything from J.S. Cooper so this book might end up being a really good book. *** What is everyone waiting to read? Let me know and I'll make sure to check out your WoW posts. :) 

Thanks for stopping by! (: