Blog Tour: Guest Post: Brighton Walsh

I have the lovely Brighton Walsh on the blog today for today blog tour stop of her newest book, Exposed, second in the companion series of Captive. Here is a little on Exposed:

Exposed
(Captive #2)
Author: Brighton Walsh
Release Date: July 21, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Formats: Trade Paperback Original & eBook
Price: TPO $14.99 / eBook $9.99

Love can be lost but never forgotten. Beautiful, sophisticated, and engaged to the son of a Senator, Evie Masterson has the perfect life. Except for one thing: it's all based on a lie. Five years ago, she created a new identity for herself and cut all ties to her criminal past. But she can't run forever, because something she witnessed years ago comes back to haunt her. And the only person there to help is the man she thought she left behind forever—the one man she's never been able to forget.

Devastatingly gorgeous and just as ruthless, Riley Everett is the criminal for hire who once stole Evie's heart. Years have gone by, but he's never been able to forget her either. Now her life is in jeopardy, and even after all this time, he'd still do anything to protect her, even if that means breaking into her mansion and stealing her away.

As they hide from the world, their long-lost passion reignites. But despite their undeniable chemistry, Evie can't give up the perfect life she's been working toward...and Riley has no part in it.

I'm super excited to have Brighton stopping by because I've been a fan of hers for ages and I LOVE her writing and her heroes. Her heroes just does something for because each and every time, I'm left more in love with her characters. But there's something I particularly love about Brighton's work. I love how she has visual images on her characters. More specifically, her male characters. Brighton has this handy Pinterest board that she has where gets her *ahem* heroes ideas from.

Brighton:
I initially started using Pinterest for my personal life—recipes and kids’ birthday party ideas and DIY decorations for holidays. Then, a couple years ago, I stumbled across Jill Shalvis’ Pinterest account, and thought, whoa…there are a lot of *ahem* very nice looking inspirational things available on Pinterest. Maybe I should start an author account?

Almost two-thousand pins later, nearly half of which are smokin’ hot dudes, and my author Pinterest board is my go-to when I’m looking for inspiration for my characters. Don’t get me wrong, I also have boards for heroines and locations and details. But let’s be real: the hero board is where it’s at.

When I’m going through and finding images to pin to my board for possible future use, I look for different things. At first, I was a lot less picky about who I’d pin there. Hot, half-naked guy in low slung jeans? Okay. Firefighter in any form of dress? Yes, please. Rugged, outdoorsman? Twist my arm.

Now, though, with so many pins, and thus so many pins to weed through when I need a look for a new hero, I’ve found my tastes are a bit more discerning. If you look at my board, you can see I very obviously have a type: tall, dark and handsome. (Shout out to my hubs who fits all three!) When I’m pinning new images now, I try to think about how I could use it, if I could see him as a hero in a future book, if he has a different look than the guys I’ve already got pinned on there. It also helps to have a range of ages available as inspiration, as I write everything from new adult to adult, heroes ranging from early-twenties to mid-thirties.

So there you have it, my selection process and what goes through my mind when I’m choosing these images. Although, I’ll be honest…a lot of times when I’m browsing these pins, all that goes through my head is: jkfldjsakljckdsnacjk.

It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it.

About the author: 

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with her first love: writing. When she’s not pounding away at the keyboard, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children, and, yes, she considers forty degrees to be hoodie weather. Her home is the setting for frequent dance parties, Lego battles, and more laughter than she thought possible.
Her debut novel, Caged in Winter, is available now from Berkley/Penguin. She is represented by Mandy Hubbard of D4EO Literary Agency.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Pinterest

Waiting on Wednesday (#118)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

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

How to Say I Love You Out Loud by Karole Cozzo

Expected Release Date: August 4, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Words are strong. Love is stronger.
When Jordyn Michaelson’s autistic brother joins her at her elite school, she’s determined not to let anyone know they're related. Even if that means closing herself off to all her closest friends, including charming football stud Alex Colby. But despite her best intentions, she just can't shake the memory of kissing Alex last summer, and the desire to do it again.
Can Jordyn find the courage to tell Alex how she really feels—and the truth about her family—before he slips away forever?

This sounds just like my kind of read so I can't wait to get my hands on it. Doesn't it sounds adorable?

What are you "Waiting on?"

Release Day Blitz - Exposed by Brighton Walsh

Exposed
(Captive #2)
Author: Brighton Walsh
Release Date: July 21, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Formats: Trade Paperback Original & eBook
Price: TPO $14.99 / eBook $9.99

Love can be lost but never forgotten. Beautiful, sophisticated, and engaged to the son of a Senator, Evie Masterson has the perfect life. Except for one thing: it's all based on a lie. Five years ago, she created a new identity for herself and cut all ties to her criminal past. But she can't run forever, because something she witnessed years ago comes back to haunt her. And the only person there to help is the man she thought she left behind forever—the one man she's never been able to forget.

Devastatingly gorgeous and just as ruthless, Riley Everett is the criminal for hire who once stole Evie's heart. Years have gone by, but he's never been able to forget her either. Now her life is in jeopardy, and even after all this time, he'd still do anything to protect her, even if that means breaking into her mansion and stealing her away.

As they hide from the world, their long-lost passion reignites. But despite their undeniable chemistry, Evie can't give up the perfect life she's been working toward...and Riley has no part in it.

About the author: 

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with her first love: writing. When she’s not pounding away at the keyboard, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children, and, yes, she considers forty degrees to be hoodie weather. Her home is the setting for frequent dance parties, Lego battles, and more laughter than she thought possible.
Her debut novel, Caged in Winter, is available now from Berkley/Penguin. She is represented by Mandy Hubbard of D4EO Literary Agency.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website / Pinterest

Quotes (#115)

Morning Swooners,
This is my general state of being these days. There is a ton of things that need to get done, but I'm not panicking nope... I got this... Anyway I hope your coming is week is a great one.

“You’re wishin’ too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be.” ~Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“Love is so short, forgetting is so long.”
~Pablo Neruda, Love: Ten Poems

“Tonight I can write the saddest lines
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.”
~Pablo Neruda, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair

“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.”
~Marie Lu, Legend

“Love is illogical, love had consequences--I did this to myself, and I should be able to take it.”
~Marie Lu, Prodigy

“Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”
~ Marie Lu, The Young Elites

“To love is to be afraid. You are frightened, deathly terrified, that something will happen to those you love. Think of the possibilities. Does your heart clench with each thought? That, my friend, is love. And love enslaves us all, for you cannot have love without fear.”
~ Marie Lu, The Young Elites

Have a great day!

Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy
(Vampire Academy #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Release Date: January 1, 2007
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires--the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's--but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy's iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...

4 stars out of 5 stars

I just want to preface this review by saying three things: 1. Thanks to the movie and my two of my friends for pushing me to read this series, I love it. 2. I'm glad I didn't read the books as they were being published because I would have died from the cliffhangers and the need to know. And 3. I LOVE MY RUSSIAN GOD, DIMITRI. Whew! Glad to get that off my chest.

Now, as for the book, I quickly became obsessed and I could not put the book down. Rose Hathaway is such a fun, charming and sarcastic character and I loved being in her head. The moment you pick up the book, you're thrust into the story and at first I found myself lost and confused. However, I quickly noticed that that is the way Rose work. She quick to act and punch and then later learns the who, why and reasons for doing so. The friendship between Rose and Lissa Dragomir is so important to both girls, to their characters and to their growth. It was interesting seeing their dynamic with each other and with everyone else.

Now, the boys in this series cannot be forgotten. Dimitri Belikov, sigh, is a badass and he knows how to get the job done. He's a man with not a lot of words but when he does speak, you better be listening. Christian Ozera is perfect for Lissa and even Rose. He gives both girls the perspectives they hadn't thought of themselves.

The story itself is unique because of the bond that Rose and Lissa share. However, for me, the story work so well because Rose is such an awesome main character. All the shenanigans that she got up to was so very entertaining but the more I got to know Rose, I saw how much Lissa means to her and how much she was willing to put her life on the line. Like I said before, I'm very glad I read this series when all books were out because the wait would have killed me. But I seriously should have read this book sooner. Dimitriiiii!

Waiting on Wednesday (#117)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

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

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Expected Release Date: September 1, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

I love the cover of this book! It's soooo pretty, that I had to have it. I was so happy when I read the synopsis and found it interesting as well. I can't wait to read Everything, Everything!

What are you "Waiting on?"

Quotes (#114)

Morning Swooner,
Happy Monday! We have a lot of things going on as usual, so please forgive our lack of posting on occasion. We will keep up as much as we can though. Have a wonderful week!

“Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection." He paused to reconsider that. "Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try."
~Richelle Mead, Bloodlines

“Nothing he said could change what I think of you. I've had my mind made up about you for a long time... and it's all good.”
~Richelle Mead, The Golden Lily

“I know how you guys feel about us. I'm not stupid, and believe me, I've tried to get you out of my head. But there isn't enough liquor or art or any other distraction in the world to do it. I had to stop going to Wolfe's because it was too hard being that close to you, even if it was all just pretend fighting. I couldn't stand the touching. It was agonizing because it meant something to me－and I knew it meant nothing to you. I kept telling myself to stay away altogether, and then I'd find excuses… like the car… anything to be around you again.”
~Richelle Mead, The Golden Lily

“Nice blouse, Sage,” Adrian told me, deadpan. “It really brings out the khaki in your pants.”
~Richelle Mead, The Golden Lily

“I'll just love you whether you want me to or not.”
~Richelle Mead, The Indigo Spell

“He was too perfect, despite being one of the most imperfect people I knew.”
~Richelle Mead, The Indigo Spell

“You're my flame in the dark. We chase away the shadows around each other.”
~Richelle Mead, The Indigo Spell

Happy week everyone!

Review: Party Girl by Rachel Hollis

Party Girl
(The Girls #1)
Author: Rachel Hollis
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Publisher: Chic Publishing
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn and Nahomi

Landon Brinkley’s dreams are all coming true. She’s landed an internship with the fabulous Selah Smith, event planner for the Hollywood elite, taking her from small-town Texas to the bright lights of LA. Landon soon finds herself in a world in which spending a million dollars on an event—even a child’s birthday party—is de rigueur and the whims of celebrity clients are life-and-death matters. At first, the thrill of working on A-list parties and celebrity weddings is enough to get Landon through the seventy-five-hour workweeks and endless abuse at the hands of her mercurial boss. But when the reality of the business reveals itself, she’s forced to make a choice: do whatever it takes to get ahead, or stay true to herself.

Drawing on the author’s real-life experiences as an event planner to the stars, Party Girl takes readers on an adventure among Hollywood’s most beautiful—and most outrageous—people, revealing the ugly side of Hollywood’s prettiest parties.

Jenn's rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Nahomi's rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall rating: 4.5stars out of 5 stars

Jenn:
I read this book because of Nahomi's insistence and because we had made a deal. I read this book and she had to read one I told her to. I'm glad I did read this because Landon is a breath of fresh air with her sunny disposition and nonstop optimism. I love sarcasm as much as the next girl but sometimes the jaded and negativity can be a lot so being able to be in Landon's head was such a refreshing experience.

First off, I would NEVER have able to survive Landon's job. I probably would have walked away crying and hoping my mom is available for hugs. That being said, the way Landon handled herself with as much dignity as she could was truly inspiring. I know I wouldn't have been able to do all that hard work and still remaining optimistic.

The story is easy to get into and I found myself invested in Landon's story from the get-go. I wanted to see her succeed and to come out unscathed. I loved getting to know her and all the other characters, Max, Miko, Taylor, and Brody. I adored all the scenes with all of them and I kept hoping for more. In regards to the romance between Landon and Brody, I didn't really see his appeal but I did like how he tried to restrain his snobbiness.

I'm super excited to read Max's and Miko's story. I loved how they both helped Landon in her time of need so I'm looking forward in getting to know these two women.

Nahomi:

I absolutely loved this book!!! This story is sweet and inspirational. Party Girl is well written, everything from the characters to the dialogue and transitions were flawless. I love the humor throughout the story and found myself loling several times during the story. Besides the fantastic writing this story is full of wonderful characters that kept me hooked on the story and left me wanting more.

Landon is such a great character! I admire her work ethic and determination. Honestly I couldn’t have endured half of the tasks and humiliations she did. I truly enjoyed seeing her evolve and create for herself a future and a career she wanted. Max and Miko provide much needed comic relief they support Landon and keep things interesting.

The male characters in this story are great! Both are HOTT and endearing in their own ways. It’s hard to choose a favorite between Taylor and Brody. But in the end Landon definitely ends up with the perfect guy for her.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and can’t wait to read more books by Rachel Hollis!

Waiting on Wednesday (#116)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

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

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

Expected Release Date: August 4, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Never date your best friend
Always be original
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken
Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school.
Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he's broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It's either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.
Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they've actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

This sounds just like my kind of read so I can't wait to get my hands on it.

What are you "Waiting on?"

Mini Review: A Shattered Moment by Tiffany King

A Shattered Moment 
(Fractured Lives #1)
Author: Tiffany King
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Source: Berkley
Review by: Jenn

In the new series by Tiffany King, the USA Today Bestselling author of the Woodfalls Girls novels, six friends—fresh from high school graduation—discover that the future can come at you from out of nowhere.
This is Mackenzie’s story…
Mackenzie Wilson once had hope for what life had to offer, but everything changed on the night of her graduation. A year later, the only way she can find comfort is by keeping her head down and hoping she remains unnoticed at college.
When Bentley James discovered Mac in that twisted SUV, he was just a newbie EMT on his first call. It was a gut-wrenching moment that made him realize not everyone can be saved—and sometimes they don’t want to be.
A chance encounter on campus brings Bentley back into Mac’s life. Despite her initial resistance, he sets out to discover the girl hiding beneath a shield of seclusion. He evokes painful memories in Mac—but also feelings. As the spark between them grows, Mac must decide if she can let go of the past and believe in something as fragile as love…

3.5 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an early finished copy of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

Quick to grab my attention and full of angst, Tiffany King hooked me from the first page with A Shattered Moment. I love reading books that can break my heart and leave me sobbing. While I wasn't sobbing my eyes out, I was left reeling with emotions and watered eyes.

Mac's story of loss, grief, friendship and healing was hard to read at times but I couldn't help but just wanting to push forward and see how she would heal from the aftermath of such a tragedy. Bentley was super patient and sweet and I love the way he managed to help Mac in her healing process. Normally, I'll be all over the romance in these books but this time I felt like I wasn't as interested in it as much as I wanted to see Mac become whole again. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the romance but I was more invested in Mac's progress.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series because after that shocking ending, I NEED to know what happens next.