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Book Review: Nine Letters by Blake Austin

9 LETTERS LIVE

Meet Luke Crawley in Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love!

 

NOW AVAILABLE!

Amazon US   |   Amazon UK   

 


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Blurb
Luke Cawley is a broken man. After his wife’s tragic death, he lost everything that mattered in the world. Now, his life is filled with hard days, harder nights, and a steady stream of alcohol and the wrong kind of women. Nothing helps.
Until the letters arrive on Luke’s doorstep.
Nine envelopes. Nine messages. Nine chances to find his way back.
Rae Goode is looking for the real thing. After fighting her way out of a string of bad relationships, she’s ready for something different–something true.
She meets Luke while piecing her life together, and right away she can tell that he’s different. Drawn together by fate and the desire to heal, Rae and Luke discover new ways to mend their broken hearts–one letter at a time.
Discover Blake Austin’s debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love.

 

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Book Review

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

All thoughts and comments are my own.*

So, I’m just going to go ahead and say I generally live by the “don’t judge a book by its cover” rule, but every so often I get lured in by some fantastic cover. Come on, we’re all guilty of doing it at some point. In this case, I saw the cover, drooled a bit, and decided I absolutely needed to read this book before I even read the synopsis….what can I say?…cover dude is hot! I’m not actually sure the cover was a great match for the story, but it’s schmexy as all hell and definitely got my attention, so no complaints here. I wasn’t disappointed with this read, it’s engaging and heartbreaking at times, but there were a few things I felt could’ve been a bit more developed.

 

Luke Cawley has probably been living the worst year of his life. A year after the death of his wife, he’s still trying to cope with the loss. His guilt, shame and anger torment him, but when the letters arrive he starts to feel alive again and he begins to gain a semblance of hope that things will get better. What I loved most about 9 Letters was the rawness, the honesty and the grieving process that brings us on a journey with Luke. Sometimes an ugly, angry journey, sometimes a sad, heartbreaking one, but by the end you see how far this man comes and you will absolutely fall in love. 

 

Upon reading the synopsis I thought this might have been a dual POV read, but it is told solely in Luke’s POV — which I loved. I definitely would’ve like to get a bit more of Rae’s story, but as I continued reading I realized this was more about Luke finding his way and coming out stronger than he was in the first chapters. Rae has an important role in his coping and progress, but it is Luke that needs to find his way. I definitely loved his story and he is an admirable and loyal book boyfriend, not to mention the cover dude makes all thoughts of Luke Cawley schmexier 🙂

 

Seriously though, this book was a pleasant surprise from a new voice and I am excited to see what Blake Austin has in store for us next. 9 Letters gut punches you, but it connects you with Luke almost instantaneously. I read it in one sitting and it is probably the most honest fictional writing about the grieving process that I’ve ever read. You’ll love Luke. His story will leave you optimistic and reflective. As he begins to weave his way into the light you’ll hope that  he will find a way to reconnect with others — especially Rae. 9 Letters has elements of romance, but it also is a powerful story about love and loss and through these letters you see that even in death love is the most powerful voice of all. 

 

~ Happy Reading Lovelies ~ 

 9 LETTERS TEASER


Excerpt

I was about twenty minutes early for my shift, but I got up to the bar, grabbed a rag, started wiping it down, bussing some dishes.
“Damn, Luke,” Jake said, watching me work. “You win the lotto or something? Royals win the pennant last night and I forgot to watch?”
“I’m just in a good mood, that’s all,” I said.
I thought about it a moment longer, decided I should tell him more. Impart some wisdom learned from my not-particularly-advanced years.
“When everything’s dark for so damn long and your eyes get used to it,” I said, “just a little glimmer of sunshine lights up the whole world.”
He nodded, then grabbed a bus bin and headed back into the kitchen.
Warren though, Warren wasn’t impressed. He was sitting by one of the daytime barflies, but he’d stopped talking and was just watching me. I was on thin ice, and I knew it. I couldn’t afford to lose my job. A heartbroken, drunk, angry widower is probably as unemployable as the average ex-con.
I came on at the end of the day shift. Warren liked tending bar during the day, because it meant just shooting the shit with the regulars. That day I had a smile for every customer, sparse words of wisdom like day drunks want to hear. Tending bar wasn’t my dream. But to hell with letting that make me lazy. I kept the place clean, I poured drinks like I cared.
I was getting into the swing of it when happy hour kicked in and a few more people filtered through the door. Couple of middle-aged bikers, a retired couple that parked their RV out front.
The door swung open again, letting in a little bit of that early-evening cold, and I glanced up to see a crowd of three women, with two men. One of the women was a reddish blonde, radiant. Sort of stole the light out of the room. It was Rae. Our eyes met and her smile gave the room back its light.
She’d been in jeans at the shelter, but she was in a blue dress now and she looked damn fine in either. Took my mind right off Maggie, faster than I thought it would be possible. I met her eyes, and she gave out a little gasp and giggle. I was probably smiling in surprise myself.
The crowd came over to the bar. I’d thought the other four were two couples, but I realized pretty quick that the black girl with the afro was dating the quiet white guy in a beard and glasses and tattoos, and that the other guy was trying to impress Rae. He had a John Deere hat, but his clothes were way too clean for me to buy it that he worked on a farm. I hated him, right off. I probably would have hated him if he was the best guy in the world, though. The other girl, she was tall, latina, and for some indiscernible reason was interested in the poser farmer.
Most of the time, I’m awful at reading people. But for some reason, at work I can tell you everything about everyone who walks in the door. About who’s into who, about who had a bad day at work. Who wants to get drunk and miserable, who wants to get drunk and happy, who wants to get drunk and start trouble. Maybe it’s some magic of the job, maybe it’s just how people carry themselves at a bar. Helps with tips, that’s for certain. You wingman right, and the money flows in.
Warren, he likes to upsell them drinks when he’s doing that. Get them excited about the top shelf. Not me.
“Hey, Rae,” I said.
“Luke,” she said.
John Deere looked at me like I was the scum of the earth. And maybe I was, but if I was the scum then he was… I don’t know, something worse than scum. Wannabe scum.
She introduced me to her friends. Nicole had the afro, her boyfriend was Eric. The girl with bad taste was Irina, and John Deere had some name but honestly it went in one ear and out the other. He was John Deere to me. Yeah, maybe I’m an asshole.
“So, how do you know this guy?” Deere asked, tossing me a look that said I clearly wasn’t good enough to be friend with someone like Rae.
“Oh, he came in just the other day. Adopted the sweetest dog, a bloodhound.” She turned to me, flashing that dimple high on her cheek. “How is he? You guys call a truce yet?”
“King’s great,” I said. “I mean, he’s probably at home right now, eating everything I’ve ever owned, but I figure I was due for a purge anyway, right?”
It was a lame attempt at humor, but Rae laughed.
“What can I get you all? Friend of Rae’s is a friend of mine.”

9 LETTERS TEASER BT


blake austin bioAbout the Author
Blake Austin is a guitar playing father of one, who lives in Los Angeles. He’s written music for as long as he can remember and was inspired to add book writing to his repertoire. 9 Letters is his debut novel.
For updates: Follow Blake Austin on Facebook

 

 


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Book Review: NOVEMBER 9 by Colleen Hoover

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NOVEMBER NINE

BY COLLEEN HOOVER

 

November 9 is yet another breathtaking novel by Colleen Hoover that’s full of blushing, gushing, and heartache. I loved every page and breathed in every beautiful word.”
—Anna Todd, Author of the After series
 
Visit www.November9.com for teasers, tour dates and more. 

 

ABOUT NOVEMBER NINE:
Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.
Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, This Girl, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not, and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

 

FIND COLLEEN ONLINE: 
Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Instagram  

 


Book Review

 

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.*

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To rate this book 5 stars would be an understatement. It is by far the best book I’ve read this entire year and may very well be the best book Colleen Hoover has ever written. She outdid herself and with every book release she continues to remind me why I love her writing so much. She’s brilliant. She makes you feel, makes you cry, makes you angry, makes your heart break – practically guts you before there can even be a HEA. For some, the end of a book is usually the most dreaded part, because you’ve become a part of this world you can’t describe yet you connect with these characters so well, you hurt with them, you love with them, you feel with them and when it comes to an end you just want more. When I read a Colleen Hoover book that expectation goes out the door. For me, the endings have become my favorite part because the journey her characters take to get there are some of the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful I’ve ever experienced. You learn some valuable life lessons and by the end it’s a bittersweet goodbye that leaves you completely satiated. A Colleen Hoover book is an experience you will truly never ever forget.

 

There’s this process I go through on an annual basis where I try to pick the best book I’ve read all year. I read, love and repeat this process over and over again often citing how this one is a favorite or that one is absolute poetry, but with every Colleen Hoover release this process becomes a battle because it’s like her books continuously try to outshine the previous release.  They often do, but my thoughts range from OMG I love it, I have a new book boyfriend to what the heck does Colleen have in store for us next? In the past I’ve said it’s too difficult to rank her books in order of my favorite to my least favorite because they’ve all been favorites. Her books are truly gems, but November 9 just changed the game for me. I know without a doubt (and I mean no disrespect to any authors I’ve read or will read from here on out, but) this will be the best book I’ve read for all of 2015. The wait was grueling, but it was definitely worth it. Secondly, this is likely the best book I’ve EVER read and I have only said that about a handful of books (which I’ll sort through and list at a later date). Colleen Hoover deserves awards for this release. It is brilliant, chilling and poignant. I fell in love and was devastated with equal measure. I was in tears and on edge for about 30-40% of this book. She threw unexpected curves and shattered my heart and I swore she’d never render it whole again.

 

I’m not going to summarize the plot, the synopsis is wicked enough for that. Instead I’ll tell you that November 9 is easily the best book you will ever read. It is a book that you will want to own and read over and over again. It will draw you in and make you wish you could find a love as epic as Fallon and Ben’s. This is a must read, must own, must be made into a film…. fingers crossed on the last one there. It was the most beautiful story I’ve ever read. Colleen Hoover never disappoints and with all the release dates and published books that alone speaks volumes. She’s opened a book store, started a monthly book subscription service with all proceeds going to charity, has a family and makes time to deliver us masterpiece after masterpiece. She is truly amazing and when you read a work like this, her brilliance and creativity shine through. I hope she continues to bring more great releases like this one. It is outstanding.

 

~ Happy Reading Lovelies ~

 


BUY IT NOW 

NOVEMBER NINE
BY COLLEEN HOOVER
www.november9book.com
Atria Books Paperback | 320 pages | ISBN: 9781501110344 | November 10, 2015 | $16.00
eBook: 320 pages | ISBN: 9781501110351 | $7.99

 

ORDER NOVEMBER 9:

Amazon   |   Barnes & Noble   |   Bilo   |   Books-a-Million      
iBooks   |   IndieBound   |   Kobo   |   Google   |   Nook  

 


Don’t miss Colleen on tour for NOVEMBER 9:

DALLAS, TX
Monday, November 9th
HALF PRICE BOOKS
10:00 PM
5803 E Northwest Hwy
Dallas, TX  75231
www.hpb.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/571747856307832/ 

 

CINCINNATI, OH
Tuesday, November 10th
JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS
7:00 PM
2692 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208
www.josephbeth.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/910564405703742/

 

CHICAGO, IL
Wednesday, November 11th
ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP
7:00 PM
26 S. La Grange Rd.
La Grange, IL 60525
www.andersonsbookshop.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/877624532344894/

 

RIDGEWOOD, NJ
Thursday, November 12th
BOOK ENDS
7:00 PM
211 E. Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
www.book-ends.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/176661676006949/

 

WHITE PLAINS, NY
Friday, November 13th
BARNES & NOBLE #2202
7:00 PM
230 Main Street
White Plains, NY 10601
www.barnesandnoble.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/760158847428849/

 

MIAMI, FL
Saturday, November 14th
BOOKS & BOOKS
5:00 PM
265 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
www.booksandbooks.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/903716756377916/

 

BOSTON, MA
Sunday, November 15th
BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH
5:00 PM
279 Harvard St
Brookline, MA  02446
www.brooklinebooksmith.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1484734548495141/

 

LOS ANGELES, CA
Tuesday, November 17th
CHEVALIER’S BOOKS
7:00 PM
126 N. Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
www.chevaliersbooks.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1008186655868793/

 

AUSTIN, TX
Tuesday, December 8th
BOOK PEOPLE
7:00 PM
603 N. Lamar Blvd 
Austin, TX 78703 
512-472-5050
http://www.bookpeople.com/
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1642732965964748/

 


GIVEAWAY

Now for the fun….the #November9 Contest!
Enter the Rafflecopter to win a prize bundle of one signed copy of NOVEMBER 9 and a pair of #November9 sunglasses! (5 prize bundles in total) Contest is open until November 30th.

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Book Review: Cam Girl by Leah Raeder

 

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ABOUT CAM GIRL:
Vada Bergen is broke, the black sheep of her family, and moving a thousand miles away from home for grad school, but she’s got the two things she loves most: her art and her best friend—and sometimes more—Ellis Carraway. Ellis and Vada have a friendship so consuming it’s hard to tell where one girl ends and the other begins. It’s intense. It’s a little codependent. And nothing can tear them apart.
Until an accident on an icy winter road changes everything.
Vada is left deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. Her once-promising art career is cut short. And Ellis pulls away, unwilling to talk about that night. Everything Vada loved is gone.
She’s got nothing left to lose.
So when she meets some smooth-talking entrepreneurs who offer to set her up as a cam girl, she can’t say no. All Vada has to do is spend a couple hours each night stripping on webcam, and the “tips” come pouring in.
It’s just a kinky escape from reality until a client gets serious. “Blue” is mysterious, alluring, and more interested in Vada’s life than her body. Online, they chat intimately. Blue helps her heal. And he pays well, but he wants her all to himself. No more cam shows. It’s an easy decision: she’s starting to fall for him. But the steamier it gets, the more she craves the real man behind the keyboard. So Vada pops the question: 
Can we meet IRL?
Blue agrees, on one condition. A condition that will bring back a ghost from her past.
Now Vada must confront what she’s been running from. A past full of devastating secrets—those of others and those she’s been keeping from herself…

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Leah Raeder is a writer and unabashed nerd. She is also the USA Today bestselling author ofUnteachable and Black Iris. Aside from reading her brains out, she enjoys graphic design, video games, fine whiskey, and the art of self-deprecation. She lives with her very own manic pixie dream boy in Chicago. Visit her at www.leahraeder.com.
 
FIND LEAH ONLINE: 
Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Instagram

 


BOOK REVIEW

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.*


Wow. Just wow. Leah Raeder’s third release Cam Girl is powerful and hauntingly beautiful. “Love is love.” A friend of mine has those words etched on her skin. She’s an incredible mother and likely one of the biggest LGBTQ supporters I know. When I read this book, I didn’t really know what to expect. As I read Cam Girl, that message reverberated in my mind. I knew Leah Raeders books are usually deep and likely strike a chord for some. The writing is powerful and I found myself highlighting lines from nearly every page. My only suggestion to readers is to go into this with an open heart and mind. Try not to open the book with preconceived notions and you’ll likely appreciate what a masterpiece it is. 

 

As with all of Raeder’s books, Cam Girl offers an insightful perspective that resonates deeply. Leah’s evocative and poetic prose draws you in and leaves you utterly spellbound. One of the reasons I’ve never been disappointed with Raeder is the writing although dark at times, it’s an honest account of powerful emotions that many people experience, yet few are brave enough to acknowledge. For some, Raeder’s books may be seen as controversial, but they are nonetheless captivating. I’m glad there is a writer out here that can connect not only with the LGBTQ community, but she is an author whose voice can transcend gender and sexuality and force people to take a hard look at themselves as well as their perception of others. 

 

There is a raw and painful undercurrent that forces you to think, forces you to feel, forces you to connect with these characters. Leah Raeder’s writing often gives you a bit of a harsh yet plausible reality check and you’re usually left stunned. I read this book in one sitting and could not put it down. I knew from Black Iris and Leah’s hilarious tweets that Cam Girl would be different and it definitely was. I stopped thinking in terms of gender and just read about these characters who loved, hurt, and clung to each other for support and hope. It was a poignant reminder of how far we still have to go. I don’t make a habit of reading reviews about books I read, but I came across a few that made me wonder if these characters were heterosexual would the ratings have been a bit higher? I’ll leave that to you to decide. For me this was a wonderful book. Every character was connected to some piece of Leah’s puzzle and by the end you may figure it out as I did, but the way things unravel is always the prize. I implore you to also read the acknowledgments. They always give you bit more of who Leah is and what struggles helped created this amazing author. As with all of Raeder’s books, if you really pay attention, you’ll learn something. Highly recommend this to all my readers. 

Happy Reading lovelies xo

 


ORDER CAM GIRL by Leah Raeder

Atria Books Paperback | ISBN: 9781501114991 | On sale: November 3, 2015 | 432 pages | US $16.00 |

eBook: Atria Books | ISBN: 9781501115004 | On sale: November 3, 2015 | 432 pages | US $5.99

US LINKS:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books-a-Million  |  IndieBound  |  Apple  |  Blio  |  Google  |  Kobo 

 

UK LINKS:

Amazon  |  Waterstones  |  WHSmith  |  Apple  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

 

AUS LINKS: 

Bookworld  |  Booktopia  |  Apple   |  Amazon 

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Book Review: That One Night (That One Series, #1) by Josie Wright

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Blurb
All it takes is just one moment to change the course of your life. For me, it was one perfect night.
I have always had a thing for my brother’s best friend, Ben. When I found him on my parents’ couch, drowning his sorrows in a whiskey bottle, my attempts to comfort him quickly turned into a night of raw and intense passion. 
My foolish heart hoped he might feel the same way I do. 
But Ben wasn’t there to stay and I woke up the next morning alone with a broken heart.
I attempted to forget the guy with a smile to die for and a touch that sets me on fire.
I thought I was over him.
I thought he was gone forever.
Until, eighteen months later Ben returns and learns my secret. Now, he is hell-bent on winning me back. 
He plays dirty. 
And he won’t stop until he gets what he wants—me.

But he has secrets of his own. 
Secrets that could destroy everything we might have and everything we are.

Not suitable for under 18’s due to strong language, violence and sexual content
This book is an interconnected standalone and first in the series.
Approx. 86,000 words

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About the Author
Josie Wright has always been a bookworm, spending every free moment with her nose buried in a book. While others were out partying, she spent her evenings with Heathcliff, Sydney Carton or Snape. Romance, fantasy, thrillers – you name it, she read it.
Thanks to the Kindle, she finally arrived in the 21St century and discovered the Indie literature world. Josie has been lost to it ever since. With her love for the written word and her promiscuous feelings for countless book boyfriends, the next logical step was to start writing. The voices in her head and her imaginary friends wanted out to play and so she wrote her debut novel “That One Night”, that’s to be released early summer 2015. And the good news is, there are more voices and imaginary friend where Ben and Frankie came from.
Josie is a financial expert by day and a writing junkie by night. The rest of the time she’s a bit of a hippie, a bit of a goth and many things in between. Josie loves to spend time with her husband when she can tear herself away from her book boyfriends. She loves video games, movies, good food and even better music. She’s addicted to chips, long baths and shoes. Oh, and books of course. Definitely books.
Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Pinterest   |   Goodreads

 


Book Review

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.*

Josie Wright’s debut novel That One Night was a pleasant surprise and I could not put it down. It had me hooked from the very first page and I was dying to know what would happen next. The characters are witty and snarky and I caught myself laughing out loud quite a few times. The story is also emotional at times and makes you feel for both Ben and Frankie. I won’t give away too much of the storyline, but lets just say these two have serious chemistry and the sexual tension I felt while reading this book nearly set my kindle aflame. These two shared a special night that was ruined by Ben’s mysterious disappearance that left Frankie heartbroken and 18 months later still trying to mend the wounds. Ben is set on gaining her trust and hoping she will forgive him, but there are secrets that Ben is hesitant to share with Frankie. Secrets that cause a greater divide between them. As both have been broken down and are trying to find a way to recover, they lean on one another, but Frankie is hesitant to open her heart again and Ben fears his secret will destroy the trust he’s fought so hard to rebuild. 
I found myself deeply invested in this story and wanted to hug both Ben and Frankie for all they’d been through — together and separately. They both struggled with trust issues and restraining their feelings for one another. Frankie for fear of being hurt again and Ben mostly feared judgement. This book makes you feel, it makes you think how second chances may be difficult, but not impossible. You will root for these two and hope they find a way to overcome all that has stood in their way and find their happily ever after. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I was sad when this ended, but ecstatic with how the story unfolded. The secondary characters also helped make this story even more enjoyable and I hope to see how these characters develop in future stories. This was a solid 4 star read and I recommend it for New Adult, Romance/Contemporary Romance fans. The book is funny, emotional and at times a bit of a tear jerker. I think this is a great feel good summer read. Happy Reading lovelies.
xo 💋

 

BUY IT NOW:

Amazon   |   Amazon UK

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Book Review: Amber to Ashes by Gail McHugh

AMBER  to ASHES

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

GAIL McHUGH

 

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They were a storm I never saw coming, an unforeseen heartbreak on the edge of a dangerous cliff.
In AMBER TO ASHES (Atria Paperback; June 9th, 2015), Amber Moretti’s life changes in the span of minutes. An orphaned outsider, she is desperate to start fresh the moment she walks onto campus. In the time it takes to cross the university’s dining hall, she meets two men who bring color, air, and light to her darkened world.
They became my addiction, each a needle to my next hit, my high.
Brock Cunningham’s appeal is dizzying, a potent force Amber can’t deny. A green-eyed smooth talker, he instantly attracts Amber. It doesn’t take long for him to consume her every thought, her every breath.
Ryder Ashcroft, a blue-eyed, tattooed, and pierced bad boy, turns Amber off immediately—that is, until he kisses her, stealing a piece of her heart, her soul.
They were as opposite as fire and ice, yet I ached for them equally. 
Never knowing she could be broken down in so many unexpectedly beautiful yet petrifying ways, Amber finds herself falling for both men.
Immoral? Maybe. I say undeniable. Uncontained.
But one devastating event changes everything, shattering each of their lives…and Amber isn’t sure she can recover from it.

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Book Review 

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.*

My favorite thing in the world is picking up a new book and reading through all the words an author has penned together creating a new journey for me to embark upon. Words are powerful and can reveal the most beautiful or even the ugliest inner workings of someones mind. Gail McHugh has a gift with words and through it they reveal a story in which she has claimed contain many layers of her own reality. Parts of her own story woven together with fictional elements to create a gem that will captivate you from start to finish. 

 

This is the first book I’ve read by Gail McHugh and it definitely won’t be my last. I don’t think I have EVER read a story like Amber to Ashes. I was completely spellbound. I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting by the final page I was dying for more. Addiction, obsession, desire, love, lust, pleasure, pain by the end you’ll have fought a battlefield of emotions and even question your sanity. The physical and emotional turmoil all three characters experience will tear at your heart. Their desires overwhelming at times, torturous and completely unlike any story you’ll ever read. It is not an erotic fantasy come to life, it is a dangerous and desperate yearning that plague these three and may be the beginning of the end for all of them. I was intrigued and as I delved deeper into the story it was hard to form an alliance or choose. I almost felt like I was Amber because I became as torn as she was. Parts of this story at least the arrogance of the two leading men made me a bit suspicious of their intentions at times. This book will mess with your head. Gail’s poetic style of writing leaves you to ponder many painful yet harsh realities of love, life, death and everything in between.

 

Amber to Ashes is a raw and artfully crafted masterpiece that takes you on a bumpy, deeply emotional, chaotic and passionate journey through the lives of three people whose stories culminate in the mother of all cliffhanger endings. This is a dark and gritty story that will rip you to shreds rendering you absolutely speechless . It is a book you won’t soon forget. One that will seep its way into the depths of your soul and completely own you. It is an all-consuming, fiery, get your heart racing, question your sanity kind of ride. I loved every minute of it and I cannot wait for more. Check out an excerpt here.

 

Buy NOW

 

AMBER TO ASHES by Gail McHugh
Atria Books Paperback | On sale: June 9, 2015 | 480 pages
ISBN: 9781476766010, $15.00 | eBook ISBN: 9781476766041, $7.99

 

Order the AMBER TO ASHES paperback:
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441084315_hrAbout the author:
Gail McHugh is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Collide and Pulse. She is the mother of three beautiful children and has been married to her husband for fifteen years. 

 

Visit Gail online at:
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Missing Pieces

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Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Maddie Davis has spent her whole life on the move. With an unstable mother who has a knack for making bad decisions, she’s never stayed in one place long enough to remember its postcode. But this time is different… This time, she has been dragged half way across the world. Arriving in California and being forced to go back to school feels like stepping back in time. She wants to go home…

Until she meets Blaine Elwood – the stepson of an old family friend.

Blaine appears to have it all. To the outside world, quarterback Blaine is rich, confident and has the ‘arrogant bad boy’ image down to a tee. But nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. Nobody ever can. He has vowed never to let anyone get too close – let anyone discover how weak he is. So when new girl Maddie starts tugging at strings he didn’t know existed in his heart, his only option is to push her away…

Until he realizes how much he needs her.

Together, after being forced into adulthood from an early age, they begin to learn what it feels like to be young – to smile, to laugh… to love. So when shattered secrets and splintered lies start unraveling around them, will the trust they’ve worked so hard to build be irreparably destroyed? Or will they realize they are two pieces of the same broken puzzle? 

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Review

I’m in complete awe of Nicola Haken’s bravery as an author. She pushes boundaries and doesn’t always stick with the safest path, She discusses the uncomfortable topics and does so in a way that draws you in, makes you hold your breath and cling to her words. Every single one of her books has left me in utter disbelief at one point or another. Missing Pieces is no different, except I do believe I may actually be a bit traumatized at how severe and twisted some of the storyline in this book is. Does this make it a bad read? Absolutely not, as I’ve said before…Nicola Haken has found her way into my heart and I love all her books thus far including Missing Pieces. This book is pretty heavy and though I’ve read all her published work so far, this is probably the most disturbing book for a number of reasons. I wasn’t quite sure what would happen by the end of this book, but I couldn’t quite shake the feeling of impending doom. Was I right? You’ll have to judge for yourself…yeah, some things you just have to experience on your own and I won’t give away the ending. 

The book is about two relatively young adults Maddie and Blaine, both are seventeen and seniors in high school. They’ve grown up incredibly fast and taken on roles unsuitable for the typical high school student. Their home life is pretty screwed up and they end up leaning on one another as they learn more about each other. 

Blaine is the star football player and all the girls at school want a piece of him. He’s got a reputation for being a womanizer – a love ‘em and leave ‘em guy, but when Maddie moves to America and is forced upon him by his stepmom, he tried everything in his power to push her away. She gets under his skin and he doesn’t like feeling that way. Maddie can’t figure Blaine out and is stuck trying to figure out why he is so hot and cold. As Blaine and Maddie grow closer, secrets they’ve tried to keep hidden begin to unravel. Soon they begin to need one another. They rely on one another to get through the many traumatic and heartbreaking events of this book. Blaine fears his secrets will only push Maddie away. While he longs to keep her in his life he knows it will only bring pain upon them. He’s afraid she will know he isn’t as strong as she believes.

Maddie has become the parent of her household; her life has been one obstacle after another. Never remaining in one place long enough to make friends or get comfortable, Maddie begins to form some of her best relationships while in California. The one relationship she wants more than anything is with Blaine, but he harbors some pretty deep scars and even though she’s breaking through to him she’s afraid she’ll push him away if she digs too deeply.  

This book is heartbreaking and beautiful. I couldn’t put it down. I wept for the two young adults that endured a tremendous amount of pain while exhibiting an inconceivable amount of strength and love. Though Missing Pieces is about two young adults, it does contain mature content and can get pretty dark at times. It is not suitable for readers under 18.  I’d recommend this for Nicola Haken fans, New Adult/Mature YA fans and anyone who is interested in a story of strength, courage, unwavering love and loyalty.  

Nicola HakenAuthor Bio

Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (six if you include the dogs!) She is the author of New Adult/Contemporary romance novels Inevitable, Saving Amy and the Take My Hand series. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…

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That’s a Promise (Promises, Promises #1)

Publications Date: December 10, 2013
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Synopsis:
This book is book one in a three part series, so not all matters are resolved at the end of the novel. It is also meant for ages 18+ due to yummy adult content 😉
Happily ever after doesn’t exist. Not just in the romantic sense, but in the sense that there will never be a point in life that will contain no more obstacles.
Josie Sommers is a nerdy twenty four year old, elementary school teacher who has always considered herself a strong person. But with the loss of a loved one and the return of someone she vowed to never see again, her strength starts to break.
When he betrayed her in the ultimate way, she never thought she would let him back into her life, let alone open herself up to falling back in love with him.
Plagued with resentment and the burden of her own dishonesty,
Josie has to decide if forgiving and coming clean is worth the risk of losing him again. With so many hurdles, we know that Josie’s story is no fairytale.
That’s a promise.

 

 

Review:  

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and comments are my own.*

That’s a Promise is a pretty powerful read. It deals with some heavy issues and reminded me slightly of Ten Tiny Breaths. I really enjoyed this book and completed it in one sitting. I am impressed that this is the author’s debut and extremely grateful to have been asked to read an ARC. I did have some issues with the editing, but that didn’t take away from the story as those were minor issues. I’m going to be as vague as possible because I do feel this is a great story with the potential to be a great series, but I don’t want to take away from the experience for anyone so I will give away as little as possible. 
Now, where do I begin? This is a book that consists of a lot of conflict. Honesty plays a vital role with many of the relationships forged as well as forgiveness. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the direction the author took with the romance/love triangle…partially because I myself am confused. I’m not entirely sure who I want Josie to be with, but I am partial to one individual. Let me say, I did fall in love with both men BUT I am leaning towards one of the guys more so than the other and I’m not sure many readers would agree with me here. In fact, I’d really like some feedback after you guys read this one so shoot me an email or comment below. I’d love to know who you’re rooting for!
Josie is conflicted, confused and deeply scarred, but the more you get to know her, the more you understand her dilemma, the more you love her and want to see things turn out well for her. She’s young and yet her life experiences have aged her. Things are complicated and nothing comes easy or simply for Josie. She’s doing exactly what someone her age should be doing, she’s living, making mistakes, loving hard, experiencing loss and trying to figure shit out. She’s convinced that she’s found her soulmate yet her decisions make the reader question her certainty and as you learn more about each character involved in her life, you begin to peel back layers and learn much more than what’s on the surface. I have to reiterate the fact that I found this book deep. Perhaps I am a bit biased in having experienced some of the same loss Josie had but the story overall is one that just makes you relate to it in one aspect or another. Josie is a strong woman that has endured a lot of pain and by the end of this book you will be in awe of her resilience. There will be times when you are angry, sad, hurt or simply unsure of how to feel, but you will get emotional at one point or another as there are quite a few moments that may strike a chord for you as many things in this book are relatable. This book is real, raw and utterly addicting. 
By the end of the book matters are certainly not resolved, but I enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t the usual happily ever after and that things were more realistic, the protagonist is flawed as most of the characters are. This makes the them more realistic. You will fall in love with them and they will weave their way into your heart. Although the final book may have a happy ending, this book leads me to believe that journey definitely won’t be an easy one.
This book goes between present day and past/flashbacks. I enjoyed how the author tied everything together, but from the beginning you pretty much know something bad happened to Josie. It’s just a matter of time before you get the full story and even then things get crazier. There is a bit of a cliffhanger…eh not really a cliffhanger, but definitely an, “OMG I can’t wait to see what happens next” moment. I really enjoyed this read and I think you will too. I recommend this for new adult/contemporary romance fans.
The purchase and goodreads links are at the top of this post, an excerpt is below along with the author bio/contact info and of course an awesome giveaway!

 

Excerpt: 

“You are gorgeous, as always, Josie.” He turned me around and brought his lips to mine. He kissed me slowly, and I could feel myself getting heated. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the bed. I was a little embarrassed when he started undressing us, unable to believe that I agreed to do something so risqué. He position me in a particular way, and went back to his cameras to make sure his shot was right and to set up timers on them.

“Okay, don’t think about the cameras,” he said, coming back to me.
He started sucking on my neck as his hands roamed my thighs, stomach, and then my chest. I tried to ignore the cameras and focused on his tongue and mouth on me. ClickHe brought one of my breasts into his mouth and sucked on my hard nipple. His tongue always knew how to make my body feel good. ClickI moved my hands into his shaggy sandy blonde hair, and arched my back, needing more of him. Click. Seth aligned his chest with mine, and went back to assault my neck as I moved my hands to rub his shoulders and arms.  Click. His other hand that wasn’t fondling my breast, moved its way in between my legs, and rubbed me. I gasped at the feeling of increased pressure on my clit. Click. His fingers really were magical. It didn’t take me long before both the pressure of his mouth on my neck and breasts and the rubbing of his fingers against me, made me come. Click. “So sexy,” he whispered, before putting on the condom he had ready on the bed. His eyes were hooded with desire. He positioned himself in front of me and moved my long hair in a way that covered my breasts. Click. He eased inside of me gently, and then pulled back out fast. Click. He teased me like that for a while, as I whimpered with need. I decided to sit up and grab onto his back, nearly clawing him to finally give me what I needed. I started to raise my hips to his at a better rhythm, loving the small whimper that came out of his mouth. Click. 

 

 

VK bio picAuthor Bio: 

Victoria Klahr (pronounced like “Claire”) lives in Elizabeth City, North Carolina with her husband and daughter, Stephen and Alexis. She loves her chug (Pug/Chihuahua), Bandit, and three year old to pieces. She loves to stay home and take care of them, even if they do drive her insane at times. She is a huge and proud book nerd who looks at her bookshelf in admiration daily. She has her Associate’s degree in Business Administration, but her passion has always been the stories that talk to her in her head. One day she decided to take a chance and let the voices write her story. She has never felt more certain or comfortable about who she is than when she writes.

Email  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Blog
 

 

 

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Wild Chase (Vengeful Honor #1) Blog Tour & Review

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Synopsis
Music is a Moral Law, It Give Soul to the Universe” – Plato
 
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how long you know a person. The effect they can have on you can happen after four seconds or four years.
 
In Chase Taylor’s case – it’s both.
 
Avery McGuire doesn’t just flip on a light inside of her – he set a blaze to everything holding her back. After only a week together he has to leave, but he strikes a match before walking away that won’t easily burn out.
 
Four years later, Chase finds herself face to face with the boy – now rock star – who changed everything. The same one she still can’t admit to falling head over heels in love with. She has no idea that her world is about to get rocked, in more ways than one.

 

 

Review

Holy shit what did I just read??? This book is…wow….I’m…wow.This book is insane and I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in a couple of hours and I’m still sitting here writing this review with my jaw dropped. I’m going to focus on the positive because I do believe there are things people will love and things they might be upset or dislike about the turns this story takes, BUT I’m sure readers will still see this for what it is, an absolutely AMAZING book! I do believe it is the authors debut novel which is mind blowing because this book is…yeah I know I said it already, but this book is insane! That’s probably the best way I can describe its intensity. It’s an incredible story. I went through a roller coaster ride of emotions reading this. I was swooning, heartbroken, displeased, happy, sad jeez u name it I felt it! Ooooh and guess what? It has some of my favorite things…Rockstars, Piercings and Tattoos! *sigh* yeah, I’m totally drooling!

Where do I begin? Chase is a girl who has been raised by two deeply religious parents. She isn’t allowed to do much of anything, but she’s got an incredible gift. She sings like an angel and while she believes she’ll never be anything more than a missionary after graduation, her best friend Victoria pushes her to sing in public. One night she gets an incredible opportunity and knowing she may never have a chance like this again she seizes the opportunity. That night she meets Avery and her world is forever changed. He’s wild, intense and sexy as hell! He’s in a band and they are drawn together like magnets from the start. They can’t get enough of each other and hearing each other sing seems to be their undoing. They fall hard and fast and while the pace of their courtship is pretty quick, it’s pretty intense and not wholly unbelievable. The thing is what brings them together is something I could totally buy would make someone fall…music. Their mutual interest and love of all things music bonds these two in such a beautiful way. Circumstances draw them apart, but neither will ever be the same. It’s heartbreaking, but the impression they leave on one another is one that will last a lifetime.

Listen, I seriously don’t want to give away too much so I’m just going to say this book is a must read. There are some fucked up moments, some heartbreaking moments and people will be hurt. The book isn’t a cheesy romance, it’s raw and gritty and makes you think what would you do if you landed in a similar situation? It’s drama filled, you’ll be angry, sad, happy and swoon for more than one man…yeah I did mention the rock stars before, right? Yum, so hot…sigh…

Anyway, if you’re a Rockstar romance fan, a new adult fan, an of romance with a touch of drama…yeah, you’ll seriously love this read! It will take you on one hell of a ride with both Chase, Avery and a few characters in between. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for the follow up! I know that will be one hell of a story to tell!

Check it out…seriously, go now
Happy Reading

Buy Wild Chase (Vengeful Honor #1): 

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About the Author
 
 
L.A. Bressett is a simple, city-country girl that love chocolate chip cookies, Erik Northman, and laughing until her stomach hurts. Her love for books began in diapers and has only grown over the years. She spends her days listening to music, watching her two kiddos grow up way to fast, and watching an obscene amount of TV with her main man. You can catch her on Facebook, avoiding her household chores, anytime.
 
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Book Trailer:

Wild Chase – Book Trailer from Christine on Vimeo.

 

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