Cover Reveal + Giveaway - Stan & Max by C.J. Duggan

I am in LOVE with the covers for the novellas for the Summer Series. I can't wait to read these babies!

Stan (Summer Series #1.5) by C.J. Duggan

Expected Release Date: December 2014

Publisher: C.J. Duggan

Links: iTunes / Goodreads

Synopsis:

I had plans, big plans, but all that changed the night Bel Evans darkened my doorstep.
Stan Remington is the go-to man; what he doesn't know about Onslow means one of two things: it doesn't exist or it hasn't happened yet.
And when it comes to Onslow, for Stan, being an only child has meant a guilt-riddled sense of duty to help out at his parents’ caravan park every summer. Same old town. Same old story.
Until Belinda Evans.
The wild and annoying doctor’s daughter spends her summer family holidays at Remington’s Caravan Park, and normally she’s not Stan’s problem. But then she sabotages his planned weekend escape. Now Stan finds himself not only caretaking the caravan park on his own, but also responsible for Bel.
Just the two of them.
Under the one roof.
For one long, long weekend.
In a world where mundane routine and small-town boredom is his norm, one weekend changes every element of his world to anything but boring.

Max (Summer Series #2.5) by C.J. Duggan

Expected Release Date: December 2014

Publisher: C.J. Duggan

Links: iTunes / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Max Henry thought he’d left the dusty flats of Ballan behind, but when the past slams into his present, suddenly there is no escaping – even if he wanted to.
Melanie Sheehan didn’t set out to be a liar, but her last lie landed her in big trouble. Now Mel must suffer a harsh consequence – she’s not allowed out of her father’s sight.
No friends, no parties, no life.
Since impeccably good behaviour is now all she’s about, her dad, renowned Ballan local ‘Bluey’ Sheehan, is about to finally cut Mel some slack. The catch? While he heads out of town on business, she has to stay at the Onslow Hotel, and he’s entrusting Max Henry, the eldest son of Bluey’s best mate, to look out for her.
He just doesn’t know it yet.
Max, the new head barman at the Onslow Hotel, is the one boy Mel has been crushing on since forever. At a time when Mel plans to go on the straight and narrow, she is about to tell the biggest lie of all. Will Max be able to handle the fiery farm girl or should he be considered the last boy in Onslow to trust?

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About the Author:

C.J Duggan is a Number One Best Selling Australian Author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn’t writing books about swoony boys and 90’s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos.

The Boys of Summer is Book One in her international best selling New Adult Romance Series.

The 'Summer Series':
The Boys of Summer
Stan (Summer Novella)
An Endless Summer
Max (Summer Novella)
That One Summer
Ringer (Summer Novella)
Forever Summer 

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Cover Reveal organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Quotes (#70)

Morning Swooners,

Today marks the third week in our get fit plan and I am just plain exhausted. On a different note, I just finished the Lux series last week by Jennifer L. Armentrout! So in honor of this great series today's quotes will all be from Katy or Daemon! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

“Why are you such an ass?" The words came out before I could think twice.
"Everyone has to excel at something, right?"
"Well, you're doing a great job.” 
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Obsidian

“I've always found that the most beautiful people, truly beautiful inside and out, are the ones who are quietly unaware of their effect." His eyes searched mine intently, and for a moment we stood there toe to toe. "The ones who throw their beauty around, waste what they have? Their beauty is only passing. It's just a shell hiding nothing but shadows and emptiness.”
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Obsidian

“Air punched out of my lungs. I held her tight, and I knew right then I would burn down the whole universe for her if I had to. I would do anything to keep her safe. Kill. Heal. Die. Anything. Because she was my everything.”
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Onyx

“You haven't been smiling much. I missed it, so I decided to reward you for doing it." "Reward me?" I laughed. "God, only you would think kissing someone is a reward." "You know it is. My lips change lives, baby.”
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Opal

“I want a years-worth of seconds and minutes with you. I want a decade's worth of hours, so many that I can't add them up.” 
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Origin

“So I was thinking, there're eighty-six thousand, four hundred seconds in a day, right? There're one thousand, four hundred and forty minutes in a day...There're one hundred and sixty-eight hours in a week. Around eighty-seven hundred and then some hours in a year, and you know what?...I want to spend every second, every minute, every hour with you...I want a year's worth of seconds and minutes with you. I want a decade's worth of hours, so many that I can't add them up.” 
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Origin

“The kiss . . . holy alien babies, the kiss was a raw combination of lust and possession.” 
~ Jennifer L. Armentrout, Opposition

Y'all have a great week!

Review: See Me by Wendy Higgins

See Me
Author: Wendy Higgins
Release Date: March 17, 2014
Publisher: Wendy Higgins
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Nahomi

While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he’ll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there’s more to her betrothal and McKale’s clan than she was led to believe.

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands in the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants—and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn’s family and McKale’s clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

4 stars out of 5 stars

      From the moment I found out that Wendy Higgins was working on See Me, I was excited about reading it! I fell in love with the story and the characters and was sad at the end because I wanted to read more about these wonderful characters and world.

In the beginning I had a hard time connecting with Robyn, but as the story went on, I got to know her I grew to like her a lot. She is strong and although a little insecure at time Robyn knows what she wants. Her situation although difficult to identify with isn't totally a foreign concept, and the whole arranged marriage thing was done really well. McKale is really sweet. He's kinda shy, a good guy and a total cutie. I really liked his character and how proper he was, he definitely had his swoony moments.

I loved how the love story developed. Both Robyn and McKale were tentative and a little unsure of the other in the beginning, but then they slowly got to know each other and it was just a really sweet experience. There were times in the story things were really tight, I was so nervous I was biting my nails.

Overall I was really happy with this story, its pacing, characters and resolution. I really enjoyed reading it and hope that one day Ms. Higgins will revisit Robyn and McKale's story, just so I can get another glimpse into their lives.

DNF Review: 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

3:59
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: BEA 2013
Review by: Jenn

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

1.5 stars out of 5 stars

 **This is a Did Not Finish review. I did not read the whole book, only up to page 72 . So this is just my thoughts up to where I read.**

I was super excited when I first started 3:59. I managed to meet Gretchen McNeil at BEA 2013 and I read the first chapter while waiting in line and I was intrigued. Once I finally got home and started reading though, I couldn't fully immersed myself into the story. I found myself easily distracted and not really caring about Josie, our main character.

I struggled to read and finish this book for about 7 to 9 months before finally calling it quits on page 72. At that point and after thinking things through, I'm just giving up on it. It took a lot of back and forth arguing with myself to DNF, especially after seeing a lot of my bookish friends loving it and rating it 4 to 5 stars, but I just couldn't keep doing that to myself. There are plenty of other books I could read so I might as well focus on them.

That's not to say I won't read any more of Gretchen's books, it just mean I get to pick another one. I'm just guessing 3:59 wasn't the book for me or it wasn't the time for me to read it.

Waiting on Wednesday (#70)

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:

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

Expected Release Date: September 16, 2014

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

This sounds amazing and I can't to finally read this one. I actually heard about it from a WoW a couple of weeks ago so thanks to that blogger!

What are you "Waiting on?"

Release Day Launch + Giveaway - Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Opposition (Lux #1)

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: August 5, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Entangled / Goodreads / IndieBound /  iTunes

Synopsis:
Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.
She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.
Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.
They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.
War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

New covers for the previous books in the Lux series:

Excerpt

Katy

I still stared at Daemon, completely aware that everyone else except him was watching me. Closely. But why wouldn’t he look at me? A razor-sharp panic clawed at my insides. No. This couldn’t be happening.No way.
 My body was moving before I even knew what I was doing.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dee shake her head and one of the Luxen males step forward, but I was propelled by an inherent need to prove that my worst fears were not coming true.

After all, he’d healed me, but then I thought of what Dee had said, of how Dee had behaved with me. What if Daemon was like her? Turned into something so foreign and cold? He would’ve healed me just to make sure he was okay.

I still didn’t stop.
 Please, I thought over and over again. Please. Please. Please. On shaky legs, I crossed the long room, and even though Daemon hadn’t seemed to even acknowledge my existence, I walked right up to him, my hands trembling as I placed them on his chest.

 “Daemon?” I whispered, voice thick.

His head whipped around, and he was suddenly staring down at me. Our gazes collided once more, and for a second I saw something so raw, so painful in those beautiful eyes. And then his large hands wrapped around my upper arms. The contact seared through the shirt I wore, branding my skin, and I thought—I expected—that he would pull me against him, that he would embrace me, and even though nothing would be all right, it would be better.

Daemon’s hands spasmed around my arms, and I sucked in an unsteady breath.

His eyes flashed an intense green as he physically lifted me away from him, setting me back down a good foot back.

I stared at him, something deep in my chest cracking. “Daemon?”

He said nothing as he let go, one finger at a time, it seemed, and his hands slid off my arms. He stepped back, returning his attention to the man behind the desk.

“So . . . awkward,” murmured the redhead, smirking.

I was rooted to the spot in which I stood, the sting of rejection burning through my skin, shredding my insides like I was nothing more than papier-mâché.

“I think someone was expecting more of a reunion,” the Luxen male behind the desk said, his voice ringing with amusement. “What do you think, Daemon?”

One shoulder rose in a negligent shrug. “I don’t think anything.”

My mouth opened, but there were no words. His voice, his tone, wasn’t like his sister’s, but like it had been when we first met. He used to speak to me with barely leashed annoyance, where a thin veil of tolerance dripped from every word. The rift in my chest deepened.
 For the hundredth time since the Luxen arrived, Sergeant Dasher’s warning came back to me. What side would Daemon and his family stand on? A shudder worked its way down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, unable to truly process what had just happened.

“And you?” the man asked. When no one answered, he tried again. “Katy?”

I was forced to look at him, and I wanted to shrink back from his stare. “What?” I was beyond caring that my voice broke on that one word.

The man smiled as he walked around the desk. My gaze flickered over to Daemon as he shifted, drawing the attention of the beautiful redhead. “Were you expecting a more personal greeting?” he asked. “Perhaps something more intimate?”

I had no idea how to answer. I felt like I’d fallen into the rabbit hole, and warnings were firing off left and right. Something primal inside me recognized that I was surrounded by predators.

Completely.

Giveaway

We will be giving away a Lux Series Basket with Lux themed jewelry, a signed set of the Lux Series and a $50 gift card to a retailer of the winner’s choice (Amazon, Barnes&Noble, or Indiebound).

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About the author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Author's Links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Release Day Launch organized by: InkSlinger PR

 

Quotes (#69)

Young Harry Potter knows how we all feel about Monday. Ugh!

Morning Lovelies!

Another Monday has come upon us. At least I have something to look forward to this week. Hopefully you all make it through. Here are some quotes for you.

“Love doesn't just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” - Ursula K. Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven

“The more the heart is nourished with happiness, the more it is insatiable.” - Gabrielle Roy

“We are surrounded by story.” - Alice McDermott

“Dare to be strong and courageous. That is the road. Venture anything.” - Sherwood Anderson

“You know, one of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music.” - Annie Proulx

“Keep on truckin'” - R. Crumb

“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

That's it for me. It the boyfriend's birthday this week so I still have to finish his birthday gift. Boys are so different to shop for. Hope you all have a great week!

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard

Strange and Ever After (Something Stranger and Deadly #3)

By: Susan Dennard

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.

You can click here for the series recap. And here for the first 66 pages.

Giveaway

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About the author:

Susan Dennard is a writer turned marine biologist turned writer again. Strange and Ever After is the conclusion to her trilogy, which includes A Darkness Strange and Lovely and Something Strange and Deadly. Among the traits she shares with her heroine Eleanor are a weakness for Shakespeare quotes, a healthy appetite for baked goods, and an insatiable curiosity. Sadly, Susan does not get to wear a corset or wave a parasol on a daily basis.
Author's links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Book Blitz organized by: IFB Tours

Review: Great by Sara Benincasa

Great
Author: Sara Benincasa
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Edelweiss
Review by: Jenn

In Sara Benincasa's contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, a teenage girl becomes entangled in the drama of a Hamptons social circle, only to be implicated in a tragedy that shakes the summer community.

Everyone loves a good scandal.

Naomi Rye usually dreads spending the summer with her socialite mother in East Hampton. This year is no different. She sticks out like a sore thumb among the teenagers who have been summering (a verb only the very rich use) together for years. But Naomi finds herself captivated by her mysterious next-door neighbor, Jacinta. Jacinta has her own reason for drawing close to Naomi-to meet the beautiful and untouchable Delilah Fairweather. But Jacinta's carefully constructed world is hiding something huge, a secret that could undo everything. And Naomi must decide how far she is willing to be pulled into this web of lies and deception before she is unable to escape.

2.5 stars out of 5 stars

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

I haven't read The Great Gatsby (yet) but I have seen the movie, so I was really excited about starting Great. I've been eyeballing the cover because is so eye-catching and it one of the reason why I chose to read it. However, Great wasn't all that great (pun intended). 

Naomi is spending the summer in the Hampton and somehow managed to become a part of popular crowd, partly because of her mother and because Jacinta seeks her out. Jacinta is the new girl in the neighborhood and everyone is curious about her. Jacinta has an air of mysterious clout and it was very interesting seeing it unravel.

As the story progressed, I was curious about some of the characters' motives. I was concerned that they were using Naomi for their own sneaky scheme and that she would get hurt. I was always suspicious of Delilah's, Teddy's and Jeff's real reasoning for hanging out with Naomi. But I did managed to figure out (well partly) Jacinta's motives. And unlike Naomi, I would have checked out of the budding friendship she had with Jeff a lot earlier than she did. Yes he was being charming but the way he defended Teddy when he was being an asshole really rubbed me the wrong way. I understand Teddy is Jeff's best friend but there was always something underlying in his reasoning.

I was a little disappointed that I didn't end up loving the book. I just couldn't click with any of the characters, not even with Naomi. I think I'll read The Great Gatsby and hopefully that will make up for the disappointment of Great.

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Found in Us by Layla Hagen

Found in Us (Lost #2)

By: Layla Hagen

Release Date: July 24, 2014

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / iTunes / Kobo

Synopsis:

All Jessica wants -as a college graduate — is to be a good girl. She landed the job of her dreams at a museum and is trying to eliminate temptations. No more short skirts (when she can help it). No wild parties. And no men.

She particularly excels at that last thing. . .

Until her path crosses Parker’s. Again. Jessica remembers the last time their paths crossed very well. She was left with a seriously bruised ego. She knows it would be best to avoid him altogether. But the charming Brit makes it hard for her to elude his electrifying pull. He is as irresistible as he is captivating.

And enigmatic.

Because underneath the sleek Armani suit and the sweet British accent that makes her crave his touch, Parker isn’t the perfect gentleman everyone thinks he is.

He’s exactly what Jessica doesn’t want, but desperately needs.

A bad, bad boy.

**This can be read as a STANDALONE. The second book in the Lost series tells Jessica and Parker’s story.**

Giveaway

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You can also purchase the first book in the series, Lost in Us, and Found in Us for $0.99.

You can also check out Nahomi's review on Found in Us. She LOVED it.

About the Author:

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author. I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later. I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world. And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Book Blitz organized by: Xpresso Book Tours