Cover Reveal: A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

I am so honored to be a part of the cover reveal of Lisa Desrocher's New Adult novel, A Little Too Far. I am a huge fan of the New Adult genre and an even bigger fan of Lisa, so I absolutely can't wait to read this one! Without further ado, the cover of A Little Too Far:

That is one enticing cover!!

Have you ever gone just a little too far?

Lexie Banks has.

Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother.In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for better part of the last few years…and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome.But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble. Raised Catholic, she goes to Confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt…and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy on the eyes deacon…only eight months away from becoming a priest. As Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.

Early praise:

"More than a ridiculously sexy, HOT read, Desrochers takes you on a wild ride of self-discovery and bittersweet romance." —Jennifer L. Armentrout (J. Lynn), New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

(Open Internationally! :D)

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ARC Review: Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

Title: Wild Awake

Author: Hilary T. Smith

Pages: 375 pages

Format acquired: Paperback (ARC)

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication date: May 28th 2013

Source: Received from publisher (Thanks, Christine!)

Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:

1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:

1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.**also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

Crazy. This book is crazy. I'm not even sure if it's good or bad kind. But for Miss Smith to write that down and put it on paper for every one else to see, it's simply brilliant. She was able to pinpoint every emotion, every thought and characterize every person. It was hazy between Kiri and the rest of the world but somehow, it wasn't. It was getting fuzzy, but at the same time clearer for her. I don't know how else to explain it but I'll do my very best because this book is sure worth a lot.

The book starts off with our dear Kiri-bird in the midst of artistic stimulation (that's high on drugs for us simpletons) she's with her friend Lukas, who, you guessed it! She has a crush on. They are also bandmates and they kissed. Once. And he also said that he wanted to focus on their music and getting into a relationship would mess everything up. So from the get-go of the story, anyone with half a brain would conclude that either Lukas A.) Just found out he was gay and didn't want to tell Kiri or B.) Is not interested thankyouverymuch. Apparently, Kiri doesn't get the hint and still lives waiting her sexual fantasy with her and Lukas to come alive. (It's B, by the way. Lukas is just a coward.) But then she gets a phone call from a strange man who says that if she wants Sukey's things, she must come and get it or it will be thrown away. Sukey is her sister and she is also very dead. The thing is, she is actually torn between getting her sister's things or not. Sukey was the "black sheep" of the family but Kiri was short of worshipping her. And when Sukey died and everyone started getting mean, Kiri was there to replace her. To be the daughter their parents wanted. And she has this voice in her head which I'm not sure if it's her conscience of not but it argues with her constantly and after giving in to the little voice, She bikes to Sukey's old apartment and everything changes from there on.

The change wasn't rapid or anything. It was actually progressive. At first, It was the thoughts then they got so loud she started to act them out. But then she got really crazy. As in, batshit crazy. The second half of the book is like stepping into a drug-induced world. I think the fact the she smoked a lot of marijuana and drank alcohol a lot and didn't sleep could be the reason. She starts zooming through places and things and conversations and she just keeps on going. I imagined her to be a young madwoman. With the crazy hair and everything. I really didn't catch what her tipping point was, but I think it may be finding out that her sister was murdered intentionally and not killed in a car crash (which explains the biking). She starts acting like Sukey (worshipped her) and eventually, she starts to become like Sukey. At first, you're "wow, she's gone mad. Sukey was a bad egg!" But then Sukey's real story comes out and it's not the one her parents were feeding her all these years. And I guess it's because she misses Sukey a lot and this is her way of bringing her back. She tries and tries but in the end, she becomes successful at it.

Through the book, you get to meet Skunk who is this mammoth of a guy and actually has problems of his own *SPOILER* (but they get together). I don't know what to make of him because they're both actually weird and their problems aren't like acne or excessively sweaty hands but mental ones. So... a druggie+mental guy is not exactly the best combo you'd look out for. But they make it work anyway. Go figure.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was how much vices were in it. And the fact that she got through most of her life issues using it. She gets super wasted and stoned and passes out for around 2 days and (that's where she started getting crazy.) she frequently smokes marijuana and hangs around shady people. I mean, I know that a lot of teenagers do that today and stuff but I don't think you should be fine with it. The drugs and alcohol were a bit abused if you ask me. And I don't think that it should have been that a huge part of the story, but then again I'm not the author and it's her artistic choice anyway. :)

All in all, this book was a fresh, slightly comedic but really good contender for me this year. I don't think I'd forget this book for a long, long time. Awesome job, Miss Smith! :D

P.S. I really liked a quote from p.217 try to guess what it is! :)

Note: The copy I have is an advance reading copy so the pages and format of the book may still change.

Rating:

ARC Review: ONE by Leigh Ann Kopans

Title: ONE
Author: Leigh Ann Kopans
Pages: 374 pages
Format acquired: Paperback (ARC)
Publication date: June 11th 2013
Source: Received from author (Thank you so much, Leigh!! <3)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



When having two powers makes you a Super and having none makes you a Normal, having only one makes you a sad half-superpowered freak.

It makes you a One.

Sixteen-year-old Merrin Grey would love to be able to fly – too bad all she can do is hover.

If she could just land an internship at the Biotech Hub, she might finally figure out how to fix herself. She busts her butt in AP Chem and salivates over the Hub’s research on the manifestation of superpowers, all in hopes of boosting her chances.

Then she meets Elias VanDyne, another One, and all her carefully crafted plans fly out the window. Literally. When the two of them touch, their Ones combine to make them fly, and when they’re not soaring over the Nebraska cornfields, they’re busy falling for each other.

Merrin's mad chemistry skills land her a spot on the Hub's internship short list, but as she gets closer to the life she always wanted, she discovers that the Hub’s purpose is more sinister than it has always seemed. Now it’s up to her to decide if it's more important to fly solo, or to save everything - and everyone - she loves.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

There are moments in a reader's life when you just know. Know what? I don't really know but whatever it is, it just hits you smack in the face. ONE was exactly that, one big sock in the face. I don't mean it in a bad way at all. This is probably the only kind of face-smacking I'm okay with because after that, I knew. Knew what? That ONE was special.

 I don't think there's anything that sucks more than being half of what you deserve and that's what happened to Merrin and all the other Ones. Being a One means that you only have half of a Two's abilities, like being able to create fire but not having the indestructibility to be able to protect yourself from your own flames. It's these people who are unlucky but also lucky, in a way. The Ones are the people who are given the opportunity to see the world in two different lights. While they might not actually "belong" anywhere, that doesn't mean that they can't carve their own place into the world. I just wish some of them didn't give up so easily because that's what it really means to be a hero, you must never. Give. Up. Which Merrin never did.

I never thought that such a tiny person can have so much anger in her. Anger that she's a one, anger that her own parents expected her to give up, anger for that creep who tried to kiss her, and who knows what else? And they're all completely justified. Merrin actually has such a unique way of venting out all that anger, she likes to play the drums. Like, if her drum set was a person, it would be dead by now. It's this little thing about her that makes her so... relatable. There are always going to be moments in our lives when we feel lost and we have no one else to turn to but some inanimate object, like a pillow or something. I honestly really like Merrin as a character, yeah she had some flaws but don't we all? The one thing that flawed her was also what made me admire her, Merrin's determination. Merrin was super determined to get into The Hub that she didn't even care who she trampled, even if she had to lie to her parents and whatever else. Because in her mind, getting into The Hub's internship program will give her and opportunity to research about becoming a Super and while that saddened me, I understand where she was coming from. I mean, her brothers can walk on water! Yes, seriously. The thing that bothered me though was that she still felt incomplete even after discovering what she could do with Elias. It broke my heart that he wasn't enough but again, I understand where she was coming from. I look up to Merrin because even if people don't expect too much for her, she tells them to go screw themselves (not necessarily in those words) and she proves them wrong. This was the side of her that I loved. Even though her parents thought that she'd given up on being a One, she didn't. She practiced tirelessly because while she was okay with floating, she wanted more. I can't count the number of times I was fist pumping because I was thinking, "Go, Merrin!" She is an inspiration.

Elias. How can you not love the guy? He's cute, funny and smart. And he has glasses! Leigh knows my weakness. But seriously speaking, Elias is such a compassionate guy. Not only does he care for his friends, he also has a great relationship with his twin sisters (who are Supers, btw. Elias is a One.) He's genuinely such a nice guy, always smiling and puts others before himself because he doesn't want them to get hurt. And him with Merrin? They are adorable together. He softens her and shows her the brighter side of things. If they weren't already dating, I'd kidnap Elias and lock him in my boyfriend closet. But then again, girlfriends have never stopped me before! Mwahaha! We need more good guys like Elias, who isn't really completely good because I know there's a wild boy in there. Rawr. You can really see that Merrin completes him and his lines in the book? I think my body grew a third ovary because my first two exploded. There are so many quotes in the book from him that warmed my heart and made me fall in love with him more. I'm tearing up just thinking about them. Elias isn't just there to look good or to woo every girl who reads One, he's Merrin's support, best friend, soulmate, fly-buddy and everything else in between. He's every but important as she is, he's the other half of One. *hugs Elias* Be mine.

I can't recommend this book enough. Not only is the cover gorgeous but everything inside is beautiful. There are a bunch of really shocking and explosive stuff that happens in the book that I can't talk about but I will give you a few hints: it involves the Supers, Merrin and you'll most likely want to throw the book at the wall, in a good way. Leigh Ann Kopans has created a shining gem that I am proud to wear, in my heart. Cheesy? Well you obviously have not read One yet if you think so because this book is just... Wow. And like my friend Dianne from Twitter pointed out, it has the most perfect last line and ending (ever.) *fist pumps*

Rating:

.5

Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway: The Do Over by A.L. Zaun

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Title: The Do Over
Author: A.L. Zaun
Pages: 492 pages
Format acquired: eBook (mobi)
Publication date: May 20th 2013
Source: Received from the author (Thank you, AToMR Book Blog Tours and Ana!)
Buy the book: Amazon



Life doesn't look like it's supposed to for Daniela, aka Dani. After a painful break-up with Rick, Dani decides she doesn't want to deal with the hassles of relationship.

After almost two years, Dani's friends stage an intervention, forcing her out of her holding pattern and back into the real world of dating. 

Liam, a down to earth firefighter, may be just the person to show her she’s still worth something. Their chemistry is instant and electric. But will Dani be able to trust her patched-up heart with him? 

And what will happen when Rick decides he’ll go to any lengths to get her back?

(Image and summary provided by AToMR Book Blog Tours.)

Review:

I don't remember the last time I read a book with a love triangle in it... Unless I recently did and I ended up repressing the memory. Haha! Seriously though, I know most people are already tired of reading love triangles, and I kind of am too, but I actually enjoyed this one. But now that I really think about it, it's really much of a love triangle kind of story, there's already a clear choice and the other guy is just there to add more drama.

The Do Over is definitely the type of book hardcore romantics are meant to read. It's so sweet that it nearly made my teeth hurt. I hoped that there would be a different aspect to the story but everything pretty much revolved around Liam, Dani and Rick's relationship.

Let's start with Dani. Dani is our recovering brokenhearted heroine, she spent nearly two years immersing herself in her Kindle just to try and piece together her broken heart. *glares at Rick* While I appreciate a protag who loves to read, Dani's is just... unhealthy. She basically had a relationship with her Kindle (Dani has three Kindles! THREE.) She's the type of person who's in denial about the things most people notice and point out to her. I was pretty relieved that her friends staged an intervention but that doesn't mean I like the way they did it (but more on that later.) Dani is a great girl but the way she wants to live her own fairy tale did not seem realistic at all. I was glad though when she was finally able  to see through all the bullstuff happening in front of her and just admitted the truth. Go, Dani!

Liam, oh Liam. A man after my own heart. He's such a sweetie. Liam is the perfect blend of caveman and adorable man-candy. He is such a great guy and he's a firefighter too! Is it wrong for me to say that he can do no wrong in my eyes? Because he really can't. *winks at Liam*

The thing with Rick is that while he tried his best to change for Dani and to become what she wanted most, but it's obvious that it's never going to happen. He only thought that he wanted to change because he was jealous and there certainly was an effort, just not enough. Dani wasn't enough for him to change but another woman was though. I have nothing against Rick because in the end, he turned out to be a pretty good guy.

I recommend The Do Over to people who really enjoy their romance because this one just brims with it.

Rating:

.5

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About the author:

A.L. Zaun graduated from Florida International University with a degree in English Literature a long time ago.  A degree she didn’t use at all in her professional endeavors.  She loves to read, write and take pictures.  She walks around with her camera, and most importantly she has her e-reader available at all times.  Healthcare Management by day, Mommy in the evening and most nights, you can find her sitting in front of her laptop with a bottle of Diet Pepsi, bringing the voices in her head to life on the pages of her debut novel, The Do Over.

You can find her here:

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Blog Tour: ARC Review + Giveaway: Jet by Jay Crownover

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Title: Jet (Marked Men #2)
Author: Jay Crownover
Pages: 400 pages
Format acquired: eBook (eARC)
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication date: May 28th 2013
Source: Received from publisher (Thanks, Edelweiss, William Morrow, Literati Literature Lovers and Jay!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iTunes / Kobo



With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.


Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.

Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?

(Image and summary provided by Literati Literature Lovers.)

Review:

I have a confession to make, I absolutely dislike the cover of this book. Not that it affected my judgement or anything but the cover. *covers eyes* I just can't look at it because the image of hot Jet is slowly being replaced in my mind. But now that that's out the way, my thoughts on the book:

I took about may 10 minutes trying to figure out what rating to give this book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book but that doesn't necessarily mean that I loved it. The first part was a definite sold 3 for me, but as the story wore on the plot got thicker and it got better, over-all. I already had a definite interest in Jet ever since the first book, Rule. I'm a serious sucker for the rocker type, it's true. And add in the obvious sexual tension between Jet and Ayden, boom, you've got an excited penguin. I just had a feeling that it was going to go somewhere and it did.

Jet and Ayden have to be the two most stubborn people in the world. When they're not trying to hook up with each other, they're trying to solve their problems by themselves (so stubborn that they refused to ask for help when they had such amazing and supportive friends.) I was really impressed that they managed to last so long without ripping each other's clothes off because let's face it, their sexual tension is so thick that you can feel across the continent. But I guess, in a way, their stubbornness was pretty appealing, it made their union (wrong word choice?) all the more sweeter. When they finally managed to get the other person's defenses down, the victory seemed pretty sweet.

I adored Jet, he was a great guy. He didn't start off as a douche but he's definitely far from perfect. I don't think it's because he's afraid of commitment per se, but there were moments in the book when you could tell he was getting pretty nervous. I mean, Ayden is the type of girl who radiates white picket fences and two-point-five kids but Jet is just... Jet. He's a born rockstar and when you were made for the stage, it's hard to maintain a stable relationship, especially when you add in his baggage. No smokin' guy ever comes without baggage and Jet's just makes me want to kill both his parents. I wanted to strangle his mom and dad so that they'd be cut off from the book but unfortunately, we can't always get what we want. Jet really needed a break from everything; his family, the pressure of work and his band and in a way, Ayden was his break.

Ayden was a harder nut to crack than Jet. There was way too many secrets surrounding her life. And once you find out what they are, you'd be really shocked. I was pretty dumbfounded myself when I discovered what her "secret" was... and then I wanted to go and hunt down her brother. I'm still after you, Asa. Ayden didn't just need a break, she needed a freakin' one-year long vacation. Her life is so complicated that I felt so sorry for her, and when she and Jet finally got together? It felt like the weight of the world was taken off my shoulders because at least now, she got back a little of her freedom. Unfortunately, life is never easy nor fair and a lot more stuff was thrown her way. It was during these times that the book started to pick up its pace and I started to enjoy it more.

Jet was a pretty cool book, it was definitely hot and also more emotional than Rule was. But I actually still prefer Rule more... Still, Jet is worth reading because everything by Jay Crownover is sure to be a winner. I seriously can't wait to read Rome!

Rating:

.5

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About the author:

Jay Crownover is the bestselling author of Rule. Like the characters in her Marked Men series, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters and that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

You can find her here:

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