Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2)
By Katie McGarry 
Expected Release Date: May 28, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: HarlequinTeen through NetGalley
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 4 stars out 5 stars

Summary:
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again...

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd sen her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the days her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does...

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock - with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shared everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare become an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams - and his life - for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close if daring herself to want  it all...

         Okay, I have to admit that I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book or not. Beth was not a character I really cared about.  In Pushing the Limits, I always hated how she treated Echo, even Noah at times. She came off as being very abrasive, and I wasn't sure if I could handle reading a whole book with her as the main character. However, I decided to give her a chance to explain herself and to withhold my judgement.

Beth was definitely an interesting and complex character and I found myself going back and forth throughout the whole book wondering how I felt about her. I came to understand and sympathize her, but she is not a favorite heroine of mine. But I think that's okay. Knowing Beth, she would hate to be put on the same spotlight as every other beloved heroine and would try her hardest to do the exact opposite of what every one is doing.

Learning about Beth's life and everything that she went through was a definite eye opener and it explained why Beth is the way she is. She has some crazy trust issues that stems from people always leaving her and she has no sense of self-worth. She doesn't believe that she deserves more in life and it caused me to mentally yell at Beth a lot. I felt like I was Beth's life coach at times. I wanted her believe in her worth and that she is the only one who determines her worth. I was also very dismayed at how Beth treated Scott, Isaiah and Ryan. Beth quickly passed judgement on them even though she hates when people do that to her. And she never gave them a chance to explain until it was too late.

Ryan, on the other hand, is the sweetest guy I have read in a while. He had me swooning during certain parts throughout the book but especially during this part:

"I hold the bottle out into the rain and watch as the steady flow slowly fills it. When there is enough, enough that Beth can clearly see, I close the bottle and hand it to her.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow, but accepts the bottle.

"It's our rain, Beth."

Her head barely shakes to show her confusion while I rub the back of neck and search for my courage. "I told you I loved you in this rain and when you doubt my words, I want you to look at this bottle."

Sighhh...My heart.

I found myself really enjoying getting to know Ryan. When I first heard about this book, I was confused because I thought it was supposed to be a Beth and Isaiah story and I was a little hesitant about this love interest that we didn't know. However, after reading the book and getting to know Ryan, it really show us that he is the best guy for Beth. For her to grow and to be her true self.

That is not to say that I wasn't heartbroken for Isaiah. I was really bothered by how Beth treated him, considering that he is her best friend. I was so angry at her and wouldn't let go of that anger until she talked and apologized to him. Friendship is a two-way street and she needed to be honest with him. I'm looking forward to reading his book, Crash into You, and see if he gets his happy ending, too.

After everything that happened, I do admit that I enjoyed Dare You To a lot more than Pushing the Limits. Katie McGarry managed to create a book where I wasn't a big fan of the main character but I grew to like and gain a new level of respect for. I believe that shows how good of a writer McGarry really is and I can't wait to see what else she has up her sleeves.

Mini Review: Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry

Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Friend's Personal Copy
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Summary: Katie McGarry captivated readers with her "riveting, emotional"*Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it's worth crossing the line for love...

Lila McCormick, Echo's best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters - or that she'd fall for the boy she's only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he's never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila's forgiveness - and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

This is the cutest novella I have read in...forever. It was such a fun read that I was so disappointed when I finished. I became so invested in Lila's and Lincoln's story, that I wish we had gotten a full length novel instead.

I didn't really remember Lila from Pushing the Limits but I'm blaming the fact that it been a year since I read the book. However, getting to know Lila in her own story was fun. Although at times I found her fear of being home alone tiresome, I grew to like Lila and I could see why she is Echo's best friend.

One of the things that I love about Katie McGarry's work is that she does dual POVs. So getting a boy's point of view is always something I enjoy. I also love the way McGarry wrote Lila's and Lincoln's chemistry. She does teenagers really well. I look forward to reading more of McGarry's work.

DNF Review: Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel

Stolen Nights (Vampire Queen #2) 
By Rebecca Maizel
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: St. Martin's Griffin through NetGalley
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 2 stars out of 5 stars

Synopsis:  A new year is beginning at Wickham Boarding School. A new chance at life, at reversing the evil in past. But nothing is ever simple as it seems...

Last year, the love of my life dies performing a ritual to fulfill my one wish and make me human. And now I've performed the same ritual for my friend - Vicken - and survived. Why am I here, back safe on Wickham campus?

The strong magic I used in the ritual did more than just me Vicken human. It drew someone to Lover's Bay who does not belong here. She wants the ritual. Then she wants me dead. And she will take down any and everyone in my life to get what she wants.

As it that weren't enough, the ritual has also summoned the anger of the Aeris, the four elements and most fundamental powers on earth. They have a surprise and an unbearable punishment for me - like stepping into the sun for the first time, only to be put into a cage. And now I have to make an impossible choice - between love or life, yearning or having, present or past...

**This is a Did Not Finish review. I did not read the whole book, only up to 49%, so this is just my thoughts up to what I read.**

           Sigh. I...no. I couldn't with this book. I tried and tried but I couldn't finish. It saddens me because I had such high hope for Stolen Nights after that ending in Infinite Days. Unfortunately, it didn't end up working out that way.

After trying to read Stolen Nights for almost two months, I gave up. Lenah, the MC kept giving me a whiplash with her emotions and I just wanted to slap her. Homegirl needed to make up her mind or at least stop playing with people's feelings until she figured out what it was that she wanted. I have no tolerance for people who toy with other people's feelings. For someone who has been alive for almost 600 years, Leanh is very immature and indecisive. She kept going from "Oh! I love you so much, Rhodes. I miss you/him. And I know you love me too." to "I need to see Justin. He'll make me forget." I blank-stared at the book so hard I think I gave myself a headache. I may be slightly exaggerating. Only slightly, though.

And can I mention Justin really quickly? He is like a completely different character this time around. Yes, the girl you "love" is in love with someone else, didn't you know that already? Yes, you do. She told you about Rhodes in the first  book and about their connection. Why are you so surprised and hurt?

The love triangle of this book is just one of the reasons why I couldn't finish the book. I'm not a fan of love triangles and this book just enforced it. Lenah is the other reason why I wasn't able to finish Stolen Nights. If the book consisted of more Rhodes, I may have been persuaded to finish the book. There are some bookish bloggers who have read the book and they had trouble with it but that the ending is might be worth giving it a second chance. Maybe later on in the future, I'll give Lenah a chance to redeem herself and I'll finish the book. But no promises.

Book Promo: Excerpt & Giveaway - Stripped by Brooklyn Skye

Stripped by Brooklyn Skye

Release Date: May 14, 2013

Publisher: Brooklyn Skye

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

"I like you." His voice is low and soft, which I don't deserve. I look away, down the rutted parking lot.

"Don't...waste those words on me."

He touches my cheek. "You just need someone to show you."

"No." I ease back again. "I don't. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and save me. I don't need saving."

College freshman Quinn Montgomery will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister made - killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack, just enough to let Torrin, the university's top varsity oarsman, see that the real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think. But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is connected to Quinn's family in more ways than she could ever imagine.

**Excerpt**

From STRIPPED:

Muscles. That’s all I see walking toward me. Rock-hard muscles.

“No chance I’m changin’ your name now,” Torrin says. Eyeing the cigarette pinched between my fingertips, he lifts a teasing smirk. I grimace and hide the cigarette behind my back because, really, I’m not in the mood for this.

Okay, that’s not true. I’m sort of in the mood for it because it is loosely fascinating. I’ve obviously charmed the guy out of his mind.

“I only took one drag. This cigarette shouldn’t count.” 

“Still does.” He sits on the wall next to me. A camera swings under his arm.

“What if I’m really stressed?”

Jutting out his chin, he slips the camera strap off his shoulder. “Get rid of that thing and check this out.” 

I take another drag and blow it out in front of me. He waves the smoke away from his face.

“That’s disgusting.” 

I grin. “Someone twisting your arm to sit here?”

He ignores my question and sets the camera in my lap. I’m no camera expert, but I do know this one’s probably over a thousand dollars by how heavy it is and the overabundance of buttons and dials and digital screens. I should run with it, sell it to pay for my tuition—

“A Nikon D300. Ever use one of these?”

I shake the thought away. It’s crazy. And I doubt I’d be able to outrun him.

“No.” 

“Check out the LCD screen. Three inches.”

I pick it up. At the same time he leans in and presses a button on top. An intricate menu displays on the screen with words and acronyms that may as well be a foreign language: JPEG compression, NEF (RAW) something or other.

I am so stupid. So stupid. I told him I was into photography, and that’s why he’s here trying to camera-talk with me, but maybe I should’ve said I like to look at photos. He’s obviously much more experienced and equipped and, God, I hope he doesn’t expect me to be the same.

“I’ve had this for a few months,” he says. “I’m still learning how to use it. The manual is over four hundred pages.” 

I lift the camera to my face, peer through the lens at a teacher walking in the distance. Jackie McNamara. Science department. She spoke to my dad once about funding for telescopes. Bet she didn’t do something ridiculously illegal to get them.

Lowering the heavy black box, I meet his gaze. “I’ve never held such a fancy camera before.”

He nudges me with his elbow. “C’mon. I’ll show you how to use it.”

My stomach twists.

“No.”

He blinks. “No? Why not?”

I stand. Because I’m not at Pacific Rim to make friends. I’m here to earn money and I’m done doing that for the day and should be heading back to school for whatever ghastly concoction Loyola’s cafeteria decides to call dinner.

I return the camera to his hand.

“I can’t.” 

“Why?” He stands too, looks down at me. “You have somewhere else to be?” His head cocks curiously to the side. “A boyfriend’s house?”

“No.” The word comes out too fast. Dammit. I grab my bag. “I mean, yes.”

“Well, which is it?” He grins. “You seem a little unsure.” 

My head is telling me I need to walk away right now. Right now. Before I have to say anything more, but my hands are the only ones listening, and they’re shaking and my feet won’t move.

I need to kill this conversation.

“Listen, Torrin. You’re not getting in my pants. Not today. Not ever. So you can go."

**Giveaway**

One signed paperback copy of Stripped (US only) or one e-book copy with authorgraph (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author, Brooklyn Skye:

Brooklyn Skye is just your average awkward girl who's obsessed with words. She grew up in a small California town where she quickly realized writing was an escape from small town life.

Author Links: Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Check out of the rest of the Stripped blog tour by clicking here: http://yabound.blogspot.com/2013/05/blog-tour-schedule-stripped-brooklyn.html

Book Blitz and Excerpt - Come Back to Me by Coleen Patrick

Come Back to Me by Coleen Patrick

Release Date: March 4, 2013

Publisher: Coleen Patrick

Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords

Synopsis:

Whitney Denison can't wait to start over.

She thought she had everything under control, that her future would always include her best friend Katie... Until everything changed.

Now her life in Bloom is one big morning after hangover, filled with regret, grief, and tiny pinpricks of reminders that she was once happy. A happy she ruined. A happy she can't fix.

So, she is counting down the days until she leaves home for Colson University, cramming her summer with busywork she didn't finish her senior year, and taking on new hobbies that involve glue and glitter, and dodging anyone who reminds her of her old life.

When she runs into the stranger that drove her home on graduation night, after she'd passed out next to a ditch, she feels herself sinking again. The key to surviving summer in Bloom is unraveling whatever good memories she can from that night.

But in searching for answers, she'll have to ask for help and that means turning to Evan, the stranger, and Kyle, Katie's ex-boyfriend. Suddenly, life flips again, and Whitney finds herself on not only the precipice of happy love, too, causing her questions whether she can trust her feelings, or if she is falling into her old patterns of extremes.

As she uncovers the truth about her memories, Whitney sees that life isn't all or nothing, and that happy isn't something to wait for, that instead, happy might just be a choice.

**Excerpt**

I went to the rec center.

The front desk pointed me down a checkerboard-tiled hallway.  Halfway down, I heard guitar strumming and a mish mosh of clanging tambourines.  I transferred the paper bag with the last muffin to my other hand and swiped my damp palm against my shorts.  I moved toward the music, my gaze darting from one closed door to the next, until I found the right classroom.  There, I peeked into the square window on the door.

Evan.

He stood in the middle of the room, chairs pushed to the edges, orchestrating a dozen or so kids holding tambourines, triangles, and recorders.  The sound they made was loud, shy of any sort of regular rhythm, much like my heart suddenly, but they were all smiling, including Evan.  He clapped his hands over his head, while the guitar strapped around him swayed.  His shirt was blue—another button down, sleeves rolled to his forearm and shirttail hanging over his shorts as they played to their finale.  The tallest boy crashed his cymbals together while the kids with tambourines shook them wildly in the air. 

The butterflies in my stomach joined the ruckus, and I pressed a palm to my stomach.   It was just nerves thinking about our forthcoming conversation.  It wasn’t going to be easy to ask him about that night.

A girl in braids, the one holding the triangle, pointed at me and, in the moment, before Evan turned, I felt the muscles in my legs tense, but I stayed still.  I wasn’t going to run the other way anymore, not when I wanted answers.  Instead, I waved, and Evan raised his hand before heading in my direction.

“All right guys.” He opened the door wide.  “I’ll see you Friday.” 

One by one, the kids streamed past me, chattering to one another. I focused on the tops of their heads, unsure of how I would start my conversation with Evan.

“Hi.” I said, when the last kid was halfway down the hallway.  Then I got tongue-tied.  I smiled at him, but my lips trembled, drawn up by sudden nerves. 

Evan put out his hand for me to shake. I smiled, scrunching up my nose. 

“Hi,” he said.  “I’m Evan Foster.”

I laughed.  A slow smile spread on his face, and I felt the butterfly orchestra in my gut move into crescendo mode.  I held out my own hand.  His hand closed over mine.  It was warm, strong.    

“Whitney Denison,” I said, feeling a little bit silly.  That turned out to be good though, because as I took a deep breath, my nerves evened out.  “Whitney Elizabeth Morgan Denison.”

Evan raised an eyebrow.  “Oh, well in that case, I’m Evan Sebastian Foster.”

“Sebastian?” 

“Yes, my mom was really into The Little Mermaid.”

Again I laughed, but then stopped.  “What?  Wait, you’re serious?”

“Yeah.  She named me after Sebastian the crab.”

“And you tell everyone this story?”

“Not really.”  He watched me in a way that sent my heart on a faster pace.  “So, girl-with-two-middle-names…”

“I don’t think I’m ready for you to be calling me by my Native American name.”

He grinned and glanced down at the floor for a moment.  Then, he reached a hand in his jeans, pulling out his car keys.  Immediately, I was disappointed.  I didn’t want to be done talking with him.  I was just getting started.

I remembered the bag in my hand and held it up to him.  “Are you hungry?”

About the Author, Coleen Patrick:

Coleen Patrick grew up in New Jersey, Virginia, Michigan, Louisiana, and Indiana. Always being the new kid, she learned that books and friends are precious - and dessert. She never met a dessert she didn't like (except for flan).

When she's not writing, reading (or avoiding flan), she enjoys TV, arts and crafts, quoting movies, and trying to take cool pictures.

She lives in Virginia with her husband and two kids.

Author links: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review - Plus One by Brighton Walsh

Plus One by Brighton Walsh
Release Date: May 6, 2013
Publisher: Carina Press
Source: Carina Press through NetGalley
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / Carina Press

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
Olivia hates the singles scene, so her best guy friend, Ian, offers to be her plus one to a series of weddings she has to attend, she agrees. Although she doesn't want to complicate their lifelong friendship, she can't pass up the chance to have a steady date without the dating drama. What she doesn't expect is to now find Ian so incredibly sexy. 

When Ian sees his old friend Olivia dolled up for wedding #1, the boyhood crush he once nurtured transforms into smoldering attraction. It doesn't take long for their no-strings arrangement to turn physical. But as Olivia's desire to stay "just friends" become clear, Ian's feelings are deepening. In the time they have together, how will Ian convince Olivia that plus one can make for a lifelong pair?

            I loved this novella. It was short, sweet and juuust right. It was exactly what I needed after reading so many YA novels back to back. Brighton Walsh knows how to weave a story and have you falling in love right alongside with the characters. And I love the story line of friends to more. It makes my girly heart sigh in contentment and have me cheering the couple on.

Olivia is the kind of female heroine that I wish I see more of in books. She's a strong and independent woman without coming off as bitch. Ian is, oh my god, he's the kind of guy you would want to end up with in real life. He is so sweet and swoony and knows what he wants and knows how to work a suit.

Olivia has been on a string of bad dates and have nine (!) weddings to attend and Ian offers to be her plus one. They have been friends for twenty years but Ian has always nurtured a crush on Olivia and it has resurfaced when he sees her all dolled up for wedding #1. For her part, Olivia has always thought that Ian was attractive but when she's sees him working his suit for the wedding, she realizes that her friend is a lot more attractive than she originally thought.

For being a novella, Olivia's and Ian's story did not feel rushed at all. Everything happened at the right time and it felt believable. Most times, I'm always turned off from a book by how rushed and unrealistic the story line feels. This was not the case with Plus One. You can tell that there is history between Olivia and Ian by how they interact with each other. You can also see when it starts becoming more than just a friend doing a favor for another friend for Olivia. And it felt very natural when Ian realized that Olivia is the woman for him. If I wasn't already a fan of Ms. Walsh's work, I would have become a fan of hers with this novella.

Plus One is a wonderful story that I can see myself going back and rereading and recommending to all my friends. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Walsh's work and falling in love with more of her heroes. I may have gotten a copy from the publisher but I went out and bought my own ebook copy and you should too!

Cover and Trailer Reveal - Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss

Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss

Expected Release Date: July 1, 2013

Publisher: J.A. Huss

Cover designed by: Phatpuppy Art

Cover reveal by: Xpresso Book Tours

Synopsis:

Francesca Sabatini came to America to take in the sights, celebrate her high school graduation, and have fun wasting time before college starts in the fall.

That's not what happens.

Fresh off the plane and barely on American soil more than a handful of minutes, Francesca's face is recognized by TSA scanners to be a match for a child who was kidnapped twelve years ago.

Brody Mason remembers the day Fiona Sullivan went missing during a family vacation in Italy and it's haunted him his whole life. So when Francesca shows up at the Sullivan farm down the road, he's compelled to figure out if this girl really is his long lost friend.

But Francesca knows she's not Fiona Sullivan. She knows exactly who she is. At least she thinks she knows - until Brody Mason relentlessly pursues her and she begins to have feelings for him. Maybe being Fiona isn't so bad?

Reality becomes blurred, secrets are revealed, and life will never be the same when the final questions are answered: Is she Francesca or Fiona? And where does she really belong? 

Here is the book trailer:

About the Author, J.A. Huss:

J.A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddle with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really - Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master's degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Books Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Book Blitz - Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe

Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wofle

Release Date: April 19, 2013

*Excerpt*

"What's your rank, baby blue eyes?" the guy asks, pushing off his cot and stalking toward the prince. Everything in me screams to act, but I don't want to declare alliances this early on. Not without understanding the dynamic of placements and bonds already formed among these people. But I'll not let this hulk of a man harm the prince. I brace my heel against the wall, ready to push off and lunge. Prince Caben rises to his feet, slowly turning to face him. He straightens his spine, squaring his shoulders. "I don't have one. And my name is Payne. Not 'baby blue eyes', meathead." Big guy laughs, his husky voice bounces off the rock walls. "I'm Crew" - he beats his chest hard once, like a barbarian - "and I won three fights. I'll win the next two and be the one awarded the freedom ring." He leans down toward Prince Caben, leveling their faces. "So don't even think about you or your princess over there walking out of here. I'm ranked as a Colossal. The strongest Colossal in Bax's league." Princess? I nearly scoff. Then I realized what the problem with Crew is: he feels threatened by Prince Caben. That revelation almost makes me laugh out right. What does a big stack of muscles like Crew have to fear from the prince? The other prisons slowly circle around the stand-off in the center of the cell. Tension thickens the musty air. It coils around my spine, tightening my muscles. If I allow the fight to continue without interruption, will the guards stop it? They'd want their fighters in pristine shape, wouldn't they? Prince Caben doesn't back away from Crew. Instead, he moves into his space. I roll my eyes. Stupid, conceited man. "Freedom ring?" the prince questions. "As in, there's a chance to leave?" He rubs his chin, and I notice the dark shadow of facial hair that has darkened his features overnight. "Is there a season that has to be won, or can someone gain five win during their entire imprisonment?" Crew's eyes pinch together. He's  clearly despondent that he hasn't succeeded in intimidating the prince. "We're in a season right now, you weakling. If you don't win - you're dead. Which by the looks of you, will happen in your first match." Prince Caben nods, as if he's simply piecing together a jigsaw puzzle and not being told of his demise. "What is the cuff for?" He points to the iron clamp around Crew's wrist. "It's our biometric monitor." Crew shoves the cuff up close to the prince's face. "See those three blue lights? Those are my wins. When the fifth lights up, I'm outta here." "Has anyone ever won the freedom ring before?" Prince Caben asks. Crew's massive arms tremble. "No," he grinds out. "But I will." He cocks his cuffed hand back, then sends a blow to Prince Caben's chin. Hell. I'm up and racing across the cell before the prince hits the ground. Crew spots me from his peripheral. He turns and swipes the air. I duck, roll, and come up behind him. I jump on the cot and leap onto his back. "You squirrely little ..." he mumbles, trying to reach over his shoulders to get a hold on me. Tightening my arms around his thick neck, I squeeze. He gasps for air, and rams my back into the wall. I wheeze as the air whooshes from my lungs, pain splintering through my already bruised chest. But I hold tight, bearing down harder, and cut off his supply for oxygen. Finally, I feel Crew weaken beneath my hold. He drops to his knees, and I only release him once I'm sure he's knocked out. Stepping around the now limp Crew, I glance at all the wide eyes studying me, and meet the prince's. Fury ignites his stormy blue irises. He picks himself off the floor and heads toward one of the sides chambers, throwing the tattered material aside as stalks inside. I follow after him. When I step inside the tiny chamber, dank room, my eyes trail Prince Caben as he paces. He reaches each sides of the small chambers with three quick strides. Back and forth. On his third round, I open my mouth and get out a single syllable before he holds up a hand, halting me. He drives his hand through his dark hair. "Thank you for making me look like a spineless jerk." He shakes his head and face me. Taken aback, I say, "This is my duty to protect -" "No. In your country it was your duty to guard me. In my world and here" - he opens his arms wide - "a man fights his own battle. He does not depend on a woman to fight them for him. You just disgraced me." Fire simmers in core. "I'm still assigned as your protector no matter what realm we inhabit, Your High -"  I stop myself before addressing by title out of habit. "Your pride is polluting your reasoning." He laughs. "Yes, well. Thanks to your little show out there, I no longer have my pride to worry about." 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

Buy Of Silver and Beasts for only $2.99: 
 

***GIVEAWAY***

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Book Blitz organized by:

Cover Reveal - Catching Liam by Sophia Bleu

Catching Liam by Sophia Bleu

Expected Release Date: July 2013

Cover designed by: Sophia Bleu

Cover reveal organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Synopsis:

Twenty-one year-old Jillian Nichols only has one rule when it comes to boys: catch and release. Boy-catching isn't just a game for Jillian and her friends, it's a lifestyle. After all, boys might be good for a dance or a drink and certainly a little undercover action of the scandalous variety, but expect much else and you're bound for heart ache.

So when her best friends and fellow boy catchers start dropping like flies junior year, Jillian is determined to keep boys in her bedroom and out of her heart. Until she meets Liam McAvoy, the kind of guy that sticks around to make waffle and who can't - or perhaps won't - take a hint.

Study abroad student Liam doesn't want to be another notch of Jillian's bedpost. Actually, he has much more interesting ideas for Jillian and her bedposts, but his student visa's set expiration date means he can't promise her forever. That doesn't mean he's going to walk away from the challenge of discovering why Jillian is hell-bent at keeping people at a distance.

Before long, neither is sure who is catching who - or if they're playing for keeps. Jillian knows one thing thought: falling in love will not only break the only rule of boy-catching, it could also break her heart.

About the author, Sophia Bleu:

Sophia Bleu is a secret identity where I can write about fantasies and falling in love and all the smexiness in between. In real life, I'm likely catching a plane, chasing kids, or making out with the love of my life - all 6 ft 3 inches of hotness that he is. Life is pretty good.

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