Sentinel Tour: Review + Interview + Giveaway: Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Title: Half-Blood (The Covenant #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication date: October 18th 2013
Source: Purchased from Fully Booked
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Review:

I read Half-Blood back in 2011 and that was when I knew, I was reading something special. It was then that I fell in love with Jennifer L. Armentrout and her books. Like, crazy in love. Half-Blood was literally this rollercoaster that only got faster and higher as the pages went on and did not show signs of stopping or slowing down, it was both exhilarating and heart-pounding. I fell in love not only with Aiden (oh, yes) but with Alex, Leon and others as well (Seth was iffy for me then). There was not a second that I did not enjoy going into Half-Blood because Jennifer L. Armentrout definitely made sure that her readers would fall in love with her book, and I did.

Alexndria, or Alex, is in a word, a badass. In two words: a witty badass. There were no dull moments in this book because it being told in Alex's POV was entertaining enough. She was this exciting but also reckless girl who usually always threw caution to the wind, consequences be damned. At that time, I completely loved Alex's attitude even though it was really reckless, she was both interesting and refreshing. Alex is one of the most passionate and loyal heroines I have ever read about. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and isn't afraid to stand up to the people who she thinks needs to be put down from their pedestal. Alex certainly isn't perfect but she is such an amazing and inspiring girl (especially with what she went through) that you can't help but just be in awe of her. I certainly was.

Oh, it's time for some sexy times...  While I may be in a committed relationship with Aiden, there's no harm in looking at Seth because that man is mighty fine. But lets talk about the former first. Aiden is Alex's older and super sexy instructor who just so happens to also be super off-limits because he is a pure-blood. There is a law somewhere that states that the pure cannot fraternize with the half-bloods because it might "taint" their heritage or something. I think it's just some good ol' fashioned discrimination. Aiden is a great and really sweet guy, he supports Alex and continuously guides her through the ropes in terms of catching up with her classmates. He's never judged or ridiculed her unless she needed him to. Aiden just makes me swoon... a lot. And then there's Seth, completely hate him but he's a pretty good guy in the first few books. I love his little quips and callbacks to Alex whenever they see each other. They're both great guys, that is why it's so hard to choose. (I choose Aiden. LOL)

Half-Blood isn't just all about the badassery of one girl and the crazy hotness of two guys, it's about more than that and it'll certainly get even crazier. A lot of unexpected things happen in this book and when you think that you've got it all figured out, JLA throws you another curveball to throw you off her scent. There is a steady flow of dialogue that doesn't miss a beat and always seems so appropriate during those certain times. And the society (or is it "race"?) JLA has created is both terrifying and fascinating because we don't necessarily know what they are capable of. Things just get weirder and weirder...

I love JLA. Like, seriously. Half-Blood was what set me off and turned me into a creepy fangirl but I'm proud of being a JLA fangirl. I AM PROUD. One day, I'm going to have to make a review with Supernatural and The Walking Dead gifs... One day. Half-Blood is just an introduction to The Covenant series and once you start, you won't be able to stop. Literally. The books actually grow tentacles and forces you to read the rest of the series. *is sirius* I hope that you'll enjoy your first taste of JLA because trust me, it only gets better. *winky face*

Rating:

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For JLA – Half-Blood was your first published book. Does it hold a special place for you or do you wish you could have a chance to re-write it? Half-Blood definitely holds a special place for me, and I wouldn’t want to re-write it. I’m happy with the book.

For Leon – You defended Alex and advocated for her to stay and be trained. If you’d know she was gonna be such a pain in your ass, would have do that again. Why? Oh yeah, Alex needed to be trained, but I would have advocated for an attitude adjustment along with the training.

For Aiden – That day that Alex meets Seth for the first time, did you notice anything then that could have warned you of what was to come? Everything about him warned me.

For Seth - Did you know that Alex was not impressed with your name when she met you? She thought you should have a more Greek name like Apollo or something. Turn around is fair play. Your thoughts on her name? She’s named after a boy.

About the author:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, 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 also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find Jennifer on: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog

Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway: Sweet Surrendering by Chelsea M. Cameron

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Title: Sweet Surrendering (Surrender Saga #1)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Publication date: October 15th 2013
Source: Received eARC from publicist (Thanks, Jessica and Chelsea! <3)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / iTunes



She’s his boss. He doesn’t care. This office isn’t big enough for the two of them…

When Rory Clarke ends up hiring the guy she spent one steamy night with to be her administrative assistant, she's determined to keep things professional.

Lucas Blaine has other plans for her. He wants Rory, and it’s hard to resist his stunning blue eyes, chin dimple and the way he fills out a suit. Everywhere she looks, there he is, giving her a panty-melting smile and pulling her away for the most amazing (and satisfying) sex she’s ever had in her life.


What starts off as one sexual encounter turns into multiple trysts in and out of the office and the lines she’d tried to draw so carefully are blurring. But the closer they get, the more Rory realizes that there are things about Lucas she doesn’t know, things he’s hiding from her. She’ll have to decide if she can surrender to her feelings or get out while she still can.

Review:

Holy hot crumping tamales! This book is hot, hot, hot. There's always something so exciting about inter-office romances, maybe it's because there's usually some kind of "No fraternizing with fellow employees" rule somewhere in there. But what makes Sweet Surrendering so special is because there's an obvious power-play between the two parties, meaning: Lucas is totally Rory's b*tch in this book. Oh yeah, I went there.

I love reading about dominant males as much as the next woman out there but sometimes, the women just have to take charge and that is exactly what happens in this book. Rory Clarke isn't just the vice president of her father's company, she's also this confident and intelligent lady who definitely knows what she wants. And she may or may not be harboring a little secret somewhere in there. *winky face* But serious face on, Rory is someone who is calculating and takes each step with caution especially since she's a woman, a lot of people underestimate her and that just drives her to prove them all wrong and to succeed even more. That's something I look up to in a protagonist, someone who is determined and perseveres not just to say "Screw you!" to other people but to also feel a sense of self-accomplishment as well.

... But if Rory were to have one weakness, it would have to be Lucas. Oh, Lucas. YES. I'm pretty sure that I've already mentioned this before but I have a huge thing for guys with auburn hair (it may or may not be because of Edward Cullen, I dunno). And yes, Lucas has auburn hair. And yes, now I am obsessed with Lucas. If he and Rory weren't so cute together, I'd totally just snatch him up. Did I mention that he can sing too? Because he can, seriously, sing. Seriously. Also, he's got a few surprises in there somewhere. *winks lasciviously* Heehee. But Lucas isn't just a pretty face with a lot of talents, he's got a few secrets too. Honestly, I never expected whatever happened to happen. I didn't even consider it, but it did happen so... Huge. Shocker. That is all. *zips mouths shut*

If you're looking for an exciting and fun read, Sweet Surrendering is definitely for you. Chelsea M. Cameron manages to create the perfect blend of lovable characters, quick and efficient writing, and an engaging plot. I really enjoyed Sweet Surrendering and I can't wait to read the next book of the Surrendering Saga (it'll be about Sloane and Ryder, Lucas' brother!)

Rating:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click to be redirected to Amazon.

About the author:

Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Her New Adult Contemporary Romance titles include My Favorite Mistake, which has been bought by Harlequin along with a sequel, Deeper We Fall and Faster We Burn (April 20, 2013)

Her Young Adult books include Nocturnal, Nightmare and Neither, the first three books in The Noctalis Chronicles. The fourth and final book, Neverend will be out in 2013. Whisper, the first in The Whisper Trilogy is also available, with the second book in the series, Silence and the final book, LIsten coming out in 2014.

You can find her here:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway: Wish I May by Lexi Ryan

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Title: Wish I May (New Hope #2)
Author: Lexi Ryan
Publication date: October 4th 2013
Source: Received eARC from publicist (Thanks, Jessica and Lexi! <3)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo



I grew up wishing on stars.

My father taught me to believe…in destiny, in magic, in happily ever after. Dreams were my scripture and the starry night sky was my temple. Then Mom stopped believing, left him, and took us with her. At the age of sixteen, I cashed in my dreams to pay the rent, pawned my destiny to keep my sisters together. 

Now, seven years later, I’m returning home, grieving the death of my mother, and settling my sisters back into the life Mom threw away. I never intended to stay. I don’t want to deal with my father, who is so invested in the spiritual world he forgets the physical. I don’t want to face William Bailey, whose eyes remind me of the girl I was, the things I’ve done, and the future I lost.
This would all be easier if Will hated me. As it is, I have to hold my secrets close so they won’t hurt him more than they’ve already hurt me. But he wants to be in my life. He wants what I can’t bring myself to confess I sold. He wants me.

I find myself looking to my stars again...wondering if I dare one more wish.

Review:

Lexi Ryan has proved me wrong... again. For about the gazillionth time, I bet she's getting tired of being right all the time. Now let me tell you why she's right and why I don't even care that I'm wrong...

I thought that Unbreak Me was the most intense and angsty book that Lexi Ryan would give us, but I was wrong. Wish I May is probably the one (hopefully because I can't take anymore intenseness or I might actually explode.) I really loved this book and the conflict between the characters (and within them) makes the story so much more. There were parts that I figured out right from the get-go because of the hints being dropped but there were parts that caught me off guard. Like, really caught me off guard. I'm going to go ahead and say that I enjoyed this more than Unbreak Me which is more than a little surprising because I loved Unbreak Me, it was one of the most real and heart-wrenching books I have ever read. Really.

My heart shriveled up and died for Cally; as gross as that may be, it's completely accurate. The things she had to sacrifice and do was so painful to read about, and she was so strong through it all. A human being might actually off himself if that ever happened to him but Cally had her sisters to take care of, and they didn't even know what she had to do for them. My heart hurts for her especially since their father is completely unreliable and Cally is stuck taking care of her sisters again. You'd think she'd catch a break, but she doesn't. At all. Drew, one of her little sisters, is a total b*tch to her, Gabby, the youngest sister, choses to not talk because of what happened to them and now William, her first love, is showing interest in her again but she doesn't know what to do since she doesn't think she'll be staying in New Hope too long (she's afraid of giving William her heart again especially since he doesn't know the whole story and he might react violently). Yeah, secrets suck.

William isn't a new character to you if you've read Unbreak Me and we all know how much of a sad fellow he is. He's been through a lot but always seems to be positive when it comes to the aspect of love. Even though Cally broke his heart all those years ago, he was still willing to forgive her and be generous to them after all they've been through. I fell in love with William in Unbreak Me but now, I would just like to have his babies. William's life wasn't as difficult as Cally's but he did go through a lot of things as well. He is such a great man you will really see his greatness in Wish I May. He has so much to give.

Going into this book, I knew that I'd love it. How could I not? I know that Lexi Ryan is a master of sorts when it comes to writing books that will really attach themselves to your heart. There are many things about this book I loved and there were also things I hated. Love: William, Cally, Hanna, Lizzy, Max, Sam, Gabby, Maggie and Asher. Hate: Meredith and Brandon. In-between: Drew and their dad. These people are what made up Wish I May and they're the ones who gave the book life and its story. It's because Lexi Ryan was able to create such complex but realistic characters that really know how to get through your chest cavity and into your heart. Whether they be good or bad feelings, they're still welcome.

There was definitely a lot of feelings in regards to this book. There was anger, sadness, heartache and even happiness because no matter how dark times may be, there's always room for a little light. Everything was well-thought out and that made everything so well-executed in the end. Lexi Ryan will really get you to feel things, trust me. Like I said, I loved Wish I May and I can't wait to read the next New Hope book (Hanna's story)! Wish I May had just the perfect amount of angst, drama and romance to make it into a great book so kudos to Lexi Ryan!

Rating:

.5

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About the author:

Lexi Ryan, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, writes romances with humor, heat, and heart. A former college English professor, Lexi now writes full time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband and two children. Please visit www.lexiryan.com.

You can find her here:

Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook

ARC Review: Far Too Tempting by Lauren Blakely

Title: Far Too Tempting
Author: Lauren Blakely
Publisher: Entangled: Edge
Publication date: October 21st 2013
Source: Received eARC from the author (Thanks so much, Lauren! <3)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



Jane Black has written the breakup album of the century, earning her a Grammy, a huge legion of new fans, and the pressure to repeat her success. Sure, the heartbreak from her husband’s unconventional abandonment might have been her inspiration, but it hasn’t done her any favors in the dating department. So when Matthew Harrigan, the toughest music journalist out there, asks for an interview, Jane agrees—as long as her personal life is completely off-limits. 

British, gorgeous, and way too tempting, Matthew’s the first guy Jane’s been attracted to since her husband. As she spends more time with him and their relationship heats up, though, so does her writer’s block. How can the queen of the break up pen the perfect follow-up when she’s seriously in love?

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads)

Review:

It's not news that I'm a huge Lauren Blakely fan so I had pretty high expectations for her and this book... and she definitely delivered. I don't think there will ever be a time when I'll ever be disappointed by anything she writes because she always manages to surprise us with her ingenuity when it comes to writing. Far Too Tempting is yet another proof of how great of a writer Lauren Blakely is, she has definitely done it again. This book doesn't just appeal to readers because it's a romance novel, it's about forgiveness and being able to realize your own self-worth. Reading Jane's journey to that discovery was both enlightening and heartwarming. And hot. Did I mention that it was hot? Because it was. Super. *fans self* Oh, and emotional too but we'll get to that later.

I think being known as the Queen of Break Ups will put pressure on anyone, just ask Jane Black. Having just won her very first Grammy after a few albums that didn't do so well, she finally hit the jackpot when her husband split up with her and she decided to write an album about broken hearts because happy and in love music apparently doesn't sell anymore. So now, Jane is being pressured to write more break up songs but what if the Queen of Break Ups... isn't so broken up anymore?

This is where things get shakey, while Jane may still be filled with lingering resentment towards her ex-husband (they ended in really, really bad terms, in Jane's part), it seems that her mind chose exactly the moment she got a Grammy to block itself. There's a huge expectation for her to write even better songs but the question is how? I applaud Jane's evasion tactics because she's like a freakin' ninja. She deflects her producer person so stealthily. Haha! But seriously speaking, Jane is a great woman but she's definitely not perfect. She's still trying to get over what her ex-husband did to her and forgiveness is a difficult process, you know. I honestly felt sorry for her because there are actually women who have been through what she went through and I'm sure some real life readers might actually be able to relate. You see, Jane's dilemma is tangible enough that it affects even the readers, that's the magic of Lauren Blakely's writing. She gets you to relate to her characters, that's why you'll really sympathize with Jane and what she's going through.

Matthew. Oh, Matthew. He is one of the most supportive and engaging men I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. He is such a great complement to Jane because even though he's known as the most critical music critic out there (yes, he's criticized her past works before... badly) he still urges her to try her best to do even better. Matthew doesn't pressure her to be someone who she doesn't want to be. He challenges her and they just mesh so well together because of their obvious chemistry. I could literally just swoon over Matthew throughout this whole review but I won't. I promise. Point is, Matthew is not only a total hottie *winks at Matthew* he's the kind of guy that even though he isn't exactly perfect, he's perfect for Jane and that's all that matters.

Far Too Tempting will not only tempt you, it will coax you in with its beautiful and entertaining prose that will leave you begging for more. Lauren Blakely gives us a novel that isn't just all about the romance, it's learning how to get over something we thought we'd never recover from because through it all, we're never alone. I loved this book and I don't doubt that you will too!

Rating:

.5

Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway: Wild Child by M. Leighton

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Title: Wild Child (The Wild Ones #1..5)
Author: M. Leighton
Format acquired: ePub (eARC)
Publication date: October 22nd 2013
Source: Received from publicist (Thanks, InkSlinger PR, Kelly and Michelle!)



Jenna Theopolis has always known what she wanted. Getting out of her small hometown of Greenfield was number one on her list of priorities. Until she met Rusty Catron.
Rusty’s fun-loving personality was the perfect match for Jenna’s inner wild child. But what started off as a summer fling quickly turns into something more. At least it does for Jenna.

Rusty has lived with the ghost of his father’s abandonment since he was a child, but now he’s beginning to feel the crippling effects of his scars. He wants to trust in Jenna, but deep down he doesn’t believe someone so wild and free can ever be tamed. 

But tragedy strikes, pushing Jenna out of Greenfield and leaving Rusty with a choice to make—face his inner demons or lose the love of his life. Forever.

(Image and summary provided by InkSlinger PR)

Review:

I really enjoyed The Wild Ones (I'll have to review that one day) and I was so ecstatic to have been picked to be a part of this tour. As soon as I got the e-mail for Wild Child, I devoured all a hundred plus pages of it. And I loved every word of the book.

Jenna was already pretty much my best friend ever since the first book (sorry, Ge!) and definitely wanted to go steady with her in this one even more. Jenna is such a loyal, hilarious and sweet friend. You just get good vibes from her throughout the whole first book but I'm glad that she finally got a chance at the limelight. In Wild Child, Jenna is all grown up, fresh out of college and willing to take all of her responsibilities... Oh and did I mention that she's totally with Rusty in this book? But more on that later. And good news, (spoiler for those who haven't read The Wild Ones) Cami and Trick are getting prepared for their upcoming wedding (yes, I mean bachelor and bachelorette party sexiness.) Like I said, I really liked Jenna even more in this book mostly because she was willing to risk it, you know? She's already in love with Rusty and even though he hasn't said it back, she still held on anyway. She's such a great person like that.

I honestly wanted to smack Rusty upside the head throughout the whole book. And while I do love auburn haired guys (I blame Twliight), I wanted to beat this one. It's not that Rusty is afraid of commitment but it's because he's harboring some major daddy-abandonment issues. He expects Jenna to just up and leave him for a "better life". The problem is that he doesn't have faith in her to stay for him. And in the end, he just succeeded in pushing her away from himself.

There was a part in the book where I was literally just left like this: O.O "What the fuuuuuuuuuuuuu--! WHYYYYYY. WHYYYYY." That is all. It was a huge twist to the story that I'm sure no one would expect. Well played, Michelle, well played.

I will admit that there were moments that I almost cried (I couldn't because I stayed up late trying to finish the book) but they were definitely tear-worthy. Wild Child definitely lived up to its name but was also surprisingly beautiful and filled with sharp twists and turn, M. Leighton always knows what to give to her readers and more. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the next one in the series. *winks at Jake* M. Leighton has done it again!

Rating:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies.  She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books.  When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.  

You can find her here:

Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway: Worth the Fight by Vi Keeland

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Title: Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter #1)
Author: Vi Keeland
Pages: 378 pages
Format acquired: ePub (ARC)
Publication date: October 3rd 2013
Source: Received from AToMR Book Blog Tours (Thanks, Vi and AToMR Book Blog Tours!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same. 

Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.

Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.

(Image and summary provided by AToMR Book Blog Tours)

Review:

MMA fighters, who can resist 'em? There's always something so enticing about them, no? Especially when they're in book! The way the author describe, with detail, how the fighter moves with such grace and fluidity but also with an animal intensity, or something like that. It was definitely interesting reading about Vi Keeland's own fighter because while Nico may be a total badass, there was also a vulnerability to him that will leave most people shocked. I've always loved the concept of an innocent, unassuming girl being thrown into a fighter's messy rumble. But that's just your typical fighter story, Vi Keeland was able to bring a different perspective into the overused plot. Now, we have a not-so innocent girl harboring a crazy secret (crazy, I tell you!) that will seriously leave you wondering.

At first, I was kind of iffy about Elle as a protag. She was just your typical, slightly boring character who led a very normal life but as the story progressed, she was really able to grow into a strong and interesting character. No, Elle didn't have some kind of secret alternate personality or anything. She just had a secret that she's kept buried inside that's been eating away at her for a long time.

Nico was a very well-developed character. He was multi-faceted and whenever a new side to him was revealed, it was both shocking and expected at the same time. Nico, like Elle, also had a pretty dark past. During one of his MMA fights, he ended up killing his opponent and because of that, he's stopped competing. Killing a person is just... whoa. But when you're a fighter, you know the risks you're going to be taking so it should be at least considered. I really felt bad for Nico because of what happened to him, he's been living with the guilt of the man he's killed and it's something that he carries throughout most of the book. While he may be playful, sweet and intense with Elle, there's also a side to him, the side that's being rotten away by guilt, that hinders him from truly being happy. It's like there's a part of him that just really needs forgiveness... but how can you ask forgiveness from someone who's already dead?

Elle and Nico, two very different people, were both just trying to find redemption in their lives, and they found it within each other. They were each other's rock in this book and they were constantly comforting the other. There were times in the book were you will actually feel worried as to what's going to happen between them but worry not, Elle and Nico are a strong couple and they will definitely overcome a lot of things. They have a great dynamic with each other.

Worth the Fight had just the right amount of angst, comedy and romance so they all ended up blending well together. I'm very excited to read Vinny's story! (He was so cute in this book!)

Rating:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn't change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

You can find her here:

Facebook / Website / Twitter

{Cover Reveal} Seeing Black by Sidney Halston

I really enjoyed Seeing Red by Sidney Halston and I am just super duper excited to read the second book, Seeing Black! Is it November yet? But to temporarily sate our hunger, here is the gorgeous cover of Seeing Black!

Title: Seeing Black (Seeing Red #2)

Author: Sidney Halston

Publication date: November 5th 2013

Seeing Black, the conclusion of Seeing Red, continues right where Jillian left off. The love ‘square’ has been resolved, and Jill is finally getting her happily ever after. Just as things are steaming up with her and her beau, her estranged father makes a request that sets her life spiraling out of control into an endless plunge down the rabbit hole.

What will happen when Paul Black, her deceitful ex-boyfriend, reappears into her life to shed new light on her father? Could she ever trust him? And will Alexander stick by her during the explosive blowup with her father.

(Image and summary provided by AToMR Book Blog Tours)

About the author:

Sidney Halston lives her life with one simple rule: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Mark Twain, or even simpler, “Just Do It” Nike. 

And that’s exactly what she did. After working hard as an attorney, Sidney picked up a pen for the first time at thirty years old to begin her dream of writing. Having never written anything other than very exciting legal briefs, she found an outlet for her imaginative romantic side and wrote Seeing Red, among four other novels currently in the works, including the sequel to Seeing Red. That first pen stroke sealed the deal and she fell in love with writing.

Sidney lives in South Florida with her husband and children. She loves her family above all else, and reading follows a close second. When she’s not writing you can find her reading and reading and reading… She’s a reader first and a writer second.

When she’s not writing or reading her life is complete and utter chaos trying to balance family life with work, and writing (and reading). But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

You can find her here:

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Blog Tour: ARC Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: American Girl on Saturn by Nikki Godwin

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Title: American Girl on Saturn (Saturn #1)
Author: Nikki Godwin
Pages: 340 pages
Format acquired: ePub (eARC)
Publication date: August 29th 2013
Source: Received book from Dianne at Oops! I Read A Book Again (Thanks, Nikki and Dianne!)
Pre-order the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

(Image and summary provided by Dianne at Oops! I Read A Book Again)

Review:

I absolutely adored American Girl on Saturn! I'm going to confess that I am not a fan of boy bands (post-Westlife, 'N Sync, Backstreet Boys and South Border) but I am definitely a fan of Spaceships Around Saturn. Those boys (especially Milo and Noah) caught me, hook, line and sinker! Here is why I turned into a Saturnite... in poem form!

Spaceship into My Heart

by Louisse

I'm not really into boy bands

But these boys have traveled many lands

From Earth, Mars and now to Saturn

These boys make my ovaries burn

Nikki Godwin's writing is really good

Like, "You need to read this book, dude!"

Chloe is such a cool gal

Any guy would be lucky to be her pal

Her ex-boyfriend is a major douche

He deserved a kick in the tush

So when her dad made an announcement

They let go of their enjoyment

For Spaceships Around Saturn

They soon learned

Would be living with them

For they almost got shot at, while singing their anthem

Chloe's little sister, Emery

Was really, really excited to meet Benji Baccarni

Almost creepily so

(She almost trapped him with a lasso)

Chloe thought all was doomed

Till she met the boy with caramel eyes, that made her heart go boom

My insides turned mushy

And Aralie is really pushy

These boys threw a dart

That was actually a spaceship into my heart

I really wanted to be Chloe

'Cause Milo is sooo swoony

Tate was kinda weird

And Jules would look odd with a beard

No one really liked Jules

'Cause he was usually a total tool

But Noah was such a great guy

You could lean on him, should you ever cry

I felt really bad for Benji

'Cause Emery is really, really crazy (x2)

That needed to be repeated twice

But I really mean to be nice

Emery says Jules smells like crushed lady-bugs

Maybe he just really needs a bunch of hugs

I friggin' loved this book

Nikki Godwin has me on a hook

From her I need more, more, more

'Cause her books will never be a bore

This a great book about love, family and rockstars

Who probably own really fancy cars

And can I just mention

That Paige deserves to be poisoned

I seriously don't doubt that you will love this novel

'Cause if you don't, I will beat you with a shovel.

Yaaay! But seriously guys, American Girl on Saturn is such a fun and wonderful book that I am sure you will love. I stayed up till 3 AM just reading this book so I mean what I say! I've been reading a bunch of NA novels lately so it's really good to enter the YA world being greeted by this amazing book. I can't wait to read the second book of the Saturn series, Cross Me Off Your List, which is Noah's story. I love that guy almost as much as I love Milo who is seriously sooo swoony. *swoons*

Rating:

.5

      He reaches toward the tray and grabs the lone Oreo. “Okay, this is my last one for the night,” he says. “Half it with me?”

Seriously? If I wasn’t the envy of every Saturnite in the world just by sitting across the table from him, I’m definitely the envy of them now because the Milo Grayson wants to half his precious Oreo with me. And the thing that sucks the most is that no one knows about it to be jealous of me!

He holds the cookie up and waits for a response.

“Yeah, we can half it,” I say.

I reach across the table for it, but he jerks his arm back. The sleeve of his T-shirt hugs his bicep tightly, and oh how I wish to be that fabric.

“Not so fast,” he says. “Let’s make it interesting.”

Could this be any more interesting? Hello – you’re gorgeous and famous and sharing cookies with me! Any more ‘interest’ and I might burst like a firework.

“If you get the side with the cream, I’ll give you my honest male opinion about your checkout line drama today,” he says. “But if I get the cream side, you have to tell me, honestly, who you think the best looking guy is in Spaceships Around Saturn.”

Oh God. He’s for real. Does he know? He totally knows. He knows I’m lusting for him from behind this glass of milk and tattoo magazine. He knows that his eyes make me melt and that I clearly watch him on Twitter because I know all about amazzzzzing. Now he wants to make me ‘fess up.

“Deal.” I say it before I can chicken out.

I can always lie and say Benji’s name. He’s the fan favorite anyway. Benji Baccarini is Spaceships Around Saturn for so many girls.

He leans forward, positions himself over the table, and holds up that fated Oreo. I push my glass of milk aside because the last thing I want is to knock it over with my quivering nerves. Then I lean toward him, grip the cookie with my fingers, and inhale every scent of his body wash that I can while I twist my half of the Oreo away from his half.

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About the author:

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult/New Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She may or may not completely love One Direction.

You can find her here:

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