{August 31, 2014} {ARC Review} Mary: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan

From Goodreads: There is a right way and a wrong way to summon her.

Jess had done the research. Success requires precision: a dark room, a mirror, a candle, salt, and four teenage girls. Each of them–Jess, Shauna, Kitty, and Anna–must link hands, follow the rules . . . and never let go.

A thrilling fear spins around the room the first time Jess calls her name: “Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. BLOODY MARY.” A ripple of terror follows when a shadowy silhouette emerges through the fog, a specter trapped behind the mirror.

Once is not enough, though–at least not for Jess. Mary is called again. And again. But when their summoning circle is broken, Bloody Mary slips through the glass with a taste for revenge on her lips. As the girls struggle to escape Mary’s wrath, loyalties are questioned, friendships are torn apart, and lives are forever altered.

A haunting trail of clues leads Shauna on a desperate search to uncover the legacy of Mary Worth. What she finds will change everything, but will it be enough to stop Mary–and Jess–before it’s too late?

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I don’t believe in ghosts, and certainly not in Bloody Mary, but that doesn’t mean you’ll catch me chanting her name to the bathroom mirror. Why tempt the powers that be? Yet even so, Monahan succeeded in scaring me quite often throughout this novel, as Mary’s powers grew and she haunted the girls. And I do enjoy a good scare. I suggest reading this one late at night in a room with mirrors. It really adds to the storyline.

This is a series, so there is going to be more, but even knowing that going in, I have to admit that I am dissatisfied with the ending. While Shauna may be doing better at the moment, nothing is truly resolved in this first installment, and I want to know more. Many questions arose as I read, and many of them seemed to suddenly crop up near the end, so I feel like I have more questions than answers at this point, which I never a good feeling at the end of a book, whether part of a series or not.

I enjoyed this novel overall, though I didn’t care for any of the characters. Yes, Mary was scary and I didn’t want bad things to happen to the innocent characters, but when they did, I never really felt any emotions. I think more detailing of the characters, more fleshing out, would have helped me connect with them more. Jess is a piece of work, and I really didn’t like her or her hold over the other girls–I wish they’d have grown a backbone and actually said no a time or two instead of thinking about it, complaining about it, but then ultimately going along with Jess.

I did enjoy the ghost aspect of this story; as I said, I liked the scare—but I really need to know the WHY behind Mary. Three and a half stars.

I received this novel from the author, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 30, 2014} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 112–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the ebook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Amazon, with many on Barnes and Noble as well. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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Stronger by Misty Provencher

Two men are vying for a place in Lydia Strong’s life. Desmond has solid ties from her distant past, while Aiden is only concerned about being her future. But right now, party-girl Lydia has lost herself in a shot glass and dozens of one night stands. Barely functioning as an alcoholic and sexual addict, she’s forgotten her own worth and is plummeting toward the rock bottom of her life.

While Des and Aiden compete to create her future, Lydia realizes she’s got to be stronger than she’s ever been, to fight her addictions and choose the life that she wants now. She must find herself again, before the wrong man walks away.

Find it on Amazon.

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A Whole New Crowd by Tijan

Taryn grew up in a different world. Her boyfriend was a criminal. His older brother was part of a gang. They weren’t great people, but they were her family.

Then everything changes when she’s adopted by a family in the neighboring town. New family. New friends. A new world. She’s elated.

This is her chance for a new beginning, but secrets start being revealed and Taryn learns her new life has ties to her old one, ties that she’s not happy about. Her new family might not have been the lucky break she thought she had. Now she’s not only fighting to live that new future, but she’s fighting to survive as well.

Find it on Amazon.

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Stardust by Rue Volley

When Jasmine gets the call that her father has died, she immediately heads home to Stillcreek, Pa. Having been gone for years, she thought she had shed the small town and the insecure girl that she once was.

However, returning home opens up all of the old wounds she thought she had mended and brings back her panic attacks and inability to deal with her overbearing sisters. The only thing that seems to pacify her anxiety is Cody Baker. Cody has a way of making her feel calm, when she needs it the most.

Opening up to this stranger she meets on a train, Jasmine lets him in when the walls she has so carefully constructed start to crumble from grief. It may appear that Jasmine is the only one in need, but as most things go, appearances can be deceiving. Perhaps she is not the one who truly needs salvation.

Find it on Amazon.

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Uncaged Love by JJ Knight

From the author of the bestselling contemporary romance series Revenge

Colt McClure is a rising MMA fighter out to prove that he has what it takes to be a champion.

Jo is on the run from her one terrible mistake.

When Colt drags Jo from a brawl with street thugs, he recognizes her potential as a female fighter.

But as they begin her training, their desire for each other sparks a love affair that could jeopardize them both.

UNCAGED LOVE VOLUME 1 is 25,000 words or about 110 pages.
UNCAGED LOVE is a 5-part series. Each book is approximately the same length.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Phenomenal X by Michelle A. Valentine

Good Girl. Notorious Bad-Boy. One Phenomenal Love.

From the mean streets of Detroit rises the newest superstar of professional wrestling, Xavier Cold, better known as Phenomenal X. His muscular physique makes men cower before him and woman lose their minds with desire.

Anna Cortez is fresh out of college and naive to the harsh realities of the real world. Tired of living under the thumb of her conservative family, she defies them when she accepts a job as the assistant to wrestling’s most notorious bad-boy. Phenomenal X has an animalistic nature that even good girl Anna finds hard to resist.

One night forced to share a bed in a sold-out hotel, lines blur between them and they quickly learn that one lustful night changes everything and neither one of them will ever be the same.

Find it on Amazon.

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Freedom by S. A. Wolfe

Dylan Blackard is back in town and certain everyone knows his secrets.

Putting away his notorious reputation as the wild guy with a womanizing past, he’s now on a new path, wanting to be the good guy his brother can stop worrying over. As long as he gives up his old vices—including women—he can keep himself on the straight and narrow and finally live up to everyone’s expectations.

However, obsessing about his lack of self-control is making Dylan one humorless, cranky hermit. That all changes, though, when his brother hires a new employee, the stunning Emma Keller, who will be sharing an office with him and all of his tightly wound nerves.

Emma, a spunky young woman from New Jersey, isn’t about to feel sorry for Dylan and his situation. She is beyond distracting to him, and that is enough to turn his emotional balancing act upside down. Not only is she intelligent, and a smart aleck, she’s also very determined to pull the sexy Dylan Blackard out of his self-imposed isolation.

From the moment he meets her, he feels alive again, but Emma doesn’t come as a gift with a pretty bow; she comes with major baggage—a family embedded in its own tumultuous history.

Will Emma be the tipping point that causes Dylan to regress into his past destructive behaviors…or will he actually pursue her for keeps?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Twisted Fate by Sharon Rose Mayes

History repeating itself is usually a joke people make to explain things that seem to happen over and over again. But what if it is more than that?
Amelia Fitzgerald is about to find out that the saying is more than what she ever thought it was.
After a tragic accident claimed the lives of her parents Amelia started having the most vivid dreams. The kind where the tears are very real, leaving Amelia convinced that her dreams are more than dreams. When she meets Liam it all seems to come in a bit of truth and even more questions.
She learns that everyone’s fate is set, but that sometimes it gets twisted. Of course with the truth comes a price and there are those who want to make sure that the truth doesn’t get out.
After all the good and the bad doesn’t want the world to know, people just may start choosing sides.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Something Wonderful by M. Clarke

Jeanella’s confidence and trust in Max continues to grow, and life seems to be on track. Then Crystal decides to pursue a sexual harassment lawsuit, and Jeanella’s world turns upside down. Once again, she wonders if she will ever be enough for Max. Jeanella is forced to make a decision; stay and fight for her man or leave him for good.

Becky’s unexpected friendship with Matthew continues to blossom, as they try to define the boundaries of their relationship; but a one-night stand threatens to ruin it all. As Matthew’s feelings for Becky grow, he’s torn between guilt and heartache over his deceased fiancée. Can Becky break through his wall and help him heal?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Unlit Star by Lindy Zart

We are not guaranteed anything, not even this life.

Rivers Young is the popular guy untouchable by reality. He is like a star—bright, consuming, otherworldly. The thing about stars, though, is that they eventually fall, and he is no different.

He falls far and he falls hard.

Delilah Bana is the outcast enshrouded in all of life’s ironies. Alone, in the dark, like dusk as it falls on the world. When Rivers hits the ground, she is the night that catches him. In the darkness, they meld into something beautiful that shines like the sun.

Only, the greater the star is, the shorter its lifespan.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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This Sky by Autumn Doughton

Gemma Sayers has spent the last six days rotting in a hotel room, wallowing in a noxious combination of gin, junk food and self-pity. She’s no stranger to disappointment but nothing could have prepared her for the chaos that unfolded when her celebrity boyfriend publicly humiliated her. Now the fairytale is officially over and Gemma is determined to put the past behind her and strike out to find a new dream. Just a few teeny-tiny details to work out: she’s currently broke, homeless and unemployed.

Landon Young has his own worries. Surfer by day and bartender by night, he doesn’t have the interest or the time to be anyone’s happily-ever-after. Weighed down by the memory of what happened two years ago, Landon can barely keep his head above water.

This Sky is the thoughtful and often funny story about broken trust, an unexpected love and the hopes we keep sewn in the linings of our pockets.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

{August 29, 2014} {Blog Tour: Review} The Write Stuff by Tiffany King

From Goodreads:

Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn’t taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.

Not that she hasn’t tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.

Opportunity presents itself in the form of hot-as-sin-on-a-lollipop-stick bartender/premed student Alec Petropoulos, who agrees to be the cover model for her upcoming book. Sparks fly instantly between them, and Nicole begins to entertain the possibility that she’s finally found the right guy to hand over her tattered V-card. Alec has all the makings for a perfect one-night-stand candidate except, much to Nicole’s surprise, he seems to be the only man in existence not interested in bagging a virgin.

Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what’s a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn’t it work for her?

After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.

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Oh. My. Goodness. If you’re looking for a sexy read full of laughs, then look no further that Tiffany King’s The Write Stuff. This amazing story pulled me in from the get go, and I loved how much I was able to connect with both the characters and the story itself, seeing the ins and outs of self-publishing as N.S. Blake begins to make a name for herself with her intoxicating stories. If you’ve never been to a mass signing or weekend book conference before, then you’re really missing out, and you’ll see just how much when you read Kings novel. I had to laugh out loud at all the antics of the ladies, ogling the male models, lining up for pictures and signatures and insisting that the models take off their shirts for photos–an aspect that has indeed become a “thing” at book conferences and signings. And King captures the chaos and awesomeness that it is as she writes from personal experience from the many signings and conferences she’s attended (and I’m lucky enough to say that I’ve attended two with her, as well!). Everything about the writer/reader world that King incorporates in her novel is 100% true, and having experienced much of it at conferences I’ve attended, I was just tickled pink with how much I could truly visualize as I read. King certainly has a way with words, and I adored her insights into the bookish world, a world we don’t hear much about inside books, which makes it all the more awesome.

And Alec? Mmmmmmmmm. He is definitely hotness on a stick, and I loved how honest and forthright he was. He’s a man who knows what he wants, and he has some shocking but valid reasons for denying N.S. Blake, reasons that made me respect him on a whole nother level as the novel unfolded. Of course, there is definitely a lot of friction between N.S. Blake and Alec, and I loved how their friendship bloomed. Their relationship is extremely realistic, and I enjoyed their antics as the plot thickened.

One of the aspects that I really adore about this novel is that it’s completely unique. While the “virgin trying to de-virginalize herself” seems to be a plot that I’m noticing more often lately, King doesn’t follow the same patter as others, and her novel really stands apart. From the intricacies of the bookish world to the chemistry and maturity of the main characters, King takes readers on a realistic journey of love and heartache, and it’s so very amazing. This is a must read! Five stars!

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

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About Tiffany King

USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iPhone and iPad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.

For information on any of Author Tiffany’s titles, visit her blog at www.authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Where to connect with Author Tiffany

Twitter– @AuthorTiffany

Facebook– AuthorTiffanyKing

Pinterest– Tiffany King

Blog– authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Goodreads– Tiffany King

Email– authortiffany@yahoo.com

“Dreams do come true…Dream big.”

{August 28, 2014} {Release Day Launch} Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd (Periodic #2)

IT’S HERE!!! I am so excited that today is the Release Day for Megan Curd’s IRON PENDULUM! IRON PENDULUM is Young Adult Steampunk Fantasy and the second book in Megan’s The Periodic Series!!

Cover designed by Mae I Design

Amazon | Barnes & Noble — Coming Soon

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IRON PENDULUM Synopsis:

A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn’t even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she’s uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

Read my 5 Star Review HERE!

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About Megan Curd:

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Author Goodreads | IRON PENDULUM Goodreads

Enter to win a SIGNED paperback of STEEL LILY HERE!

{August 28, 2014} {Release Day Launch: Review and Giveaway} Guardian by Courtney Cole

GUARDIAN is a YA Paranormal Romance, and a book close to author Courtney Cole’s heart. And, it’s Courtney’s birthday! To celebrate all of the awesome, she is making a few select titles only .99 TODAY ONLY! Grab them all!

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Review:

Synopsis: Sometimes, things that go bump in the night are real.

My name is Whitney Lane. I’m sixteen years old and at first, I thought I was crazy.

I kept seeing shadows move along walls, and hearing whispers around corners, but whenever I looked, there was never anything there.

Until one day, there was.

Our world isn’t what we think. There are things around us, good things, bad things, scary things.

Things that we tell ourselves aren’t real, but they are.

They’re very real, and they’re terrifying.

I’ve been swept up now, in a battle of good and evil, confused about love and what is supposed to be love, but isn’t. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t trust my emotions and I don’t know what is true.

There’s only one thing I know for sure.

Nothing is what it seems.

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The idea of a guardian angel is one that I’ve always been curious about. What if everything bad that happens to me happened because something worse was trying to get to me, and the bad is actually a saving grace? What if the losses in my life are the result of a bigger, grander scheme where all the pieces fit neatly together? These questions have been something I’ve found myself thinking about a lot over the past few years, and it really has helped me see the positive in even the most dire situations, and so when I read the title and synopsis for Courtney Cole’s Guardian, I knew I wanted to read the novel.

This is a very well written story that I enjoyed very much, though I will admit that I personally didn’t connect with Whitney as much as I’d like to, but I believe that’s because Whitney and I are actually in completely different places in our lives, and that’s okay. Whitney is struggling—her life began to fall apart the moment her father died, and her mother’s inattention to both Whitney and her little sister, as well as the frustration and sadness that accompanies a sudden death, are eating Whitney alive. Tasked with taking care of her sister, attending school, and trying to keep a lid on her mother’s spiraling depression, Whitney is full of fear and anger. I feel like these emotions are completely just, but at the same time, as an outsider looking in, knowing that relatives are just a phone call away, I had some issues with how Whitney handled some situations. And this is what I mean about being in different places in our lives. What Whitney does, and what I would do, are two completely different entities, and that’s reality. Yet while I didn’t really agree with some of Whitney’s choices, they are realistic and valid, especially as she’s dealing with some terrible situations no teenager should have to deal with, and I really liked the believability of this portion of the novel.

I loved the idea of Whitney’s Guardian showing himself, and his explanations of the way guardians work was awesome and really got me thinking. It was fun learning about his duties and though frustrating for both Whitney and me, I enjoyed being kept in the dark as well, since the Guardian was only allowed to divulge so much to Whitney as the story progressed. These is a decent amount of foreshadowing within the novel as well, so I was easily able to predict what would happen next, and seeing it all unfold was fun, though I wouldn’t have minded just a bit more mystery. Overall, this is a good read; if you’re interested in the lore behind guardian angels, I suggest you give it a read. Three and a half stars.

I received this novel from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon | Kindle | iBooks

Barnes and Noble Coming Soon

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Excerpt:

Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real.

Happy birthday to me.

I close my eyes and burrow into my pillow as I try to sleep, as I try to escape this life.

It’s a life I never thought I’d have, a life I most certainly don’t want.

I’m still feeling sorry for myself as the blackness of sleep finally overtakes me.

I don’t know what time it is when I shoot straight upward like a rocket. Something had yanked me from the oblivion of sleep, something loud and shrill scraping my window.

My room is completely dark and I glanceat my clock in confusion.

3:00 a.m.

As my heart pounds hard against my ribcage, I quickly scan every corner of the room.

In the last few hours, dark shadows had migrated onto my pink walls, but they’re familiar, nothing out of the ordinary, although in the night, they seem twisted and scary.

I remain motionless as I allow the sleep-induced fog to clear from my brain.

As I sit, I feel common sense and logic slowly returning.

Of course nothing had touched my window because my bedroom is on the second floor. Nothing can reach it. And there are no trees near enough to brush against it. It was just a dream.

It was only a dream.

I chant it silently to myself like a mantra as I consciously slow my breathing down, hoping that my racing pulse will soon follow. It was only a dream.

But just as I’m calming down, I hear it again.

A high-pitched shrill shriek, reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard, scraping down my window. I gasp and pull my feet up to my chest, which is when I notice the temperature.

I notice because I can see my breath.

Timidly, I blow a puff out again, watching the way my breath turns white in the air.

Holy crap. Oh my God.

What the hell?

The sound stops and stillness surrounds me once again, the silence so loud that it echoes in my ear.

Nothing moves around me, the shadows are perfectly still as they twist across my wall. They look like mangled fingers and arms and legs, but they don’t move.

My legs are weak and shaking, but I know I have to move. I have to move off my bed because it feels like something is under it. Something terrifying.

With a leap, I bound across the room, my feet hitting the floor several feet away from the edge of my bed.

The floor is ice cold, as though it had been covered in a blanket of snow.

I’m trembling as I race to the far wall and check the thermostat. Because that’s the only explanation. I must’ve bumped it earlier, I must’ve turned the AC way down.

But the luminous numbers stare at me in contradiction.

74 degrees.

It must be broken. It has to be broken.

My breath is coming in pants now, terrified, anxious pants.

My fear isn’t logical. I know there’s nothing here. I’m the only one in this room.

Or am I?

The air seems to push at me from all around, something dark, something heavy, something real. Something unseen.

My fingers shake, my legs tremble, and then all of a sudden, they can no longer support my weight. I go down like a pile of bricks, collapsing onto the floor. I lie still because I can’t move, because something seems to sit on my chest, holding me down.

The shadows start to move, to slither across the walls, to reach and pull and dance.

I struggle to focus, to see what it is.

But all I can see are the numbers on the thermostat suddenly moving, rapidly counting down from 74 to 20.

Twenty degrees?

The air is frigid as I suck it in, as I try to pull the ice crystals into my mouth so I can breathe.

All of a sudden, there’s a blackness in front of me. It hovers over me, a shapeless mass, sucking in the cells of the air, the atoms and the molecules. It’s darker than the blackness of my room, blacker than the blackest black.

Something is here.

With me.

“Dad?” I whisper in a white puff. Because what else could it be?

I reach out a finger to touch it, and then I can’t see anything else, because the darkness of it surrounds me, bleeding into everything else, even my vision. The shriek is back, screaming into my ears, bleeding into my brain.

Then there’s nothing.

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**To celebrate the release of GUARDIAN and Courtney’s birthday the following books are on sale for .99, today only!**

GUARDIAN
Confessions of an Alli Cat
Dante’s Girl
Mia’s Heart
The Minaldi Legacy
Soul Kissed
Soul Bound

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ABOUT COURTNEY COLE:

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

Website |Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp| Pinterest

ENTER THIS RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

{August 27, 2014} {Giveaway} My 3000 Likes Giveaway!

In celebration of reaching 3000 likes on my Facebook page, I’m running a special giveaway!

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One awesome Facebook follower will win:

Signed Books:

Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Pyxis: The Discovery by K.C. Neal

Alight: The Peril by K.C. Neal

Signed Bookmarks from:

Heather Hildenbrand– Imitation

K.C. Neal–Pyxis

Angeline Kace– Descended by Blood

Rubber Bracelets:

Helia’s Shadow by K.C. Neal—Contains Aliens

Helia’s Shadow by K.C. Neal—YA Sci-fi Romance

DFTBA (from The Fault in Our Stars)

Plus:

Signed Purse—K.C. Neal

Sampler Booklet—Afterworlds by Scott Westerfield

Sampler Booklet—The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkmans

Sample Lesson Booklet—Game of Thrones Dothraki Language

Sampler Booklet—The Young World by Chris Weitz

The Fault in Our Stars Stickers

Veronica Roth Answers Four Questions Poster

“Warning: Zombies Inside” Poster

The Maze Runner by James Dashner Poster

Good luck!

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To enter you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on Rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click here to go to the Rafflecopter entry form!

This contest is open internationally and will end at 12:01am EST on September 27th. The winner will receive email notification from me soon after! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a thoughtful comment!

{August 27, 2014} {Blog Tour: Excerpt and Review} Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd (Periodic #2)

REVIEW:

From Goodreads: A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

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This second novel of the Periodic series knocked my socks off—if you’re looking for an awesome steampunk dystopian series, then look no further! Curd has woven a tale so captivating that when all is said and done, you’ll be dying for more. And dying for more is exactly where I am as Curd leaves us with a most amazing cliffhanger that had my mind in a whirl!

Avery and all her beloved companions are back in Iron Pendulum, including swoonworthy Jaxon, best-friend Alice, and tech savvy Sari, a cast of characters I would certainly throw my lot in with if the chance ever came up. From the get go, I was enthralled with this second installment, jumping right back into to fierce world that Curd has created in this dystopian steampunk adventure.

As Avery tempts fate with her presence back in Dome 4, where corruption runs rampant and the tables have drastically turned against Avery and her friends, there were many a time that I just wanted to reach through the pages and punch her adversaries—they are awful, and I just loved to hate them as the story progressed. Erin, another teen able to produce steam, as well as another foe who I shall not name because his/her appearance in the novel had my jaw dropping, are so loathsome that I cannot wait for them to get their comeuppance; Curd has definitely turned this story on its head with betrayals and, like I said before, a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers.

The world building is absolutely superb, and as evil slowly begins to take over all aspects both inside and outside the Dome, it’s a heart-pounding race against time for not only Avery and her friends, but everyone else, as well.

If you love a good story and you’re looking for a series that is kick-butt and will leaving you breathless, then look no further. Curd’s Periodic series has it all—mystery, elements, zombies, romance, kick butt fight scenes, betrayal, heartache, joy, fear… read it. You won’t be disappointed. Five amazing stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This title releases tomorrow.

Be sure to pick up book 1, Steel Lily, now!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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EXCERPT:

Alice huffed, the sound sending static through the earpieces. The Alliance had provided us the new and improved masks, capable of allowing us to speak without lifting our masks and exposing us to low oxygen levels. It was a great development, one that Sari had worked on for months to perfect. One that was currently annoying me, since all I heard was a flurry of irritation at my momentary attention lapse.

I adjusted the map and clicked on my headlamp, its dull glow illuminating the wrinkled, water-stained blueprints in my hands. I traced the lines of our route. “I think we need to go left.”

“You think?” I heard Jaxon’s voice, not through the muffled sound of the speaker, but loud and clear beside me. His lips grazed the side of my cheek, not exactly kissing me, but dissolving my focus all the same. His musical tone sent shivers down my spine, even when he was being infuriatingly sarcastic.

Jaxon’s ability to breathe in lower-oxygen situations was because of his father, Riggs, who had performed research on Jaxon from a young age. While Riggs had been forced to do it by Xander—the man behind the Resistance, and the one responsible for the fact that we were living in hiding—I still didn’t have much love for Riggs. He’d hurt Jaxon, and that hurt me. It would be a while before I trusted Riggs, no matter what he said or how many times Lexie vouched for him.

Jaxon leaned against the cement wall with his arms crossed, his dreads pulled back in a standard leather tie. His headlamp sat cockeyed, as if in tribute to his off-kilter humor and devil-may-care attitude. I wouldn’t want it any other way, even though I knew he did care, and he wasn’t nearly as unimpressed with the world as he’d like everyone to think. He’d proven that when he’d taken a vial of my blood, allowing himself to be a test subject once more for the sake of learning more about my abilities. We didn’t know how the blood would affect him—would it hurt him? Give him abilities like mine?—but it was a chance he was willing to take.

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GIVEAWAY:

Win a $5 gift card to your choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble PLUS an ecopy of Steel Lily!!

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About Megan Curd:

Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Author Goodreads | IRON PENDULUM Goodreads

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Make sure you stay tuned to the rest of the tour!

Blog Tour Schedule:

August 26^th

Book Lovin’ Mamas – Excerpt

Fabulous and Fun – Excerpt & Review

Once Upon a Twilight – Excerpt & Review

Coffee Books & Art – Excerpt

August 27^th

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Excerpt & Playlist

A Book Vacation – Excerpt & Review

Becky on Books – Excerpt

Born To Read – Excerpt & Review

August 28^th

Adventures in Writing – Guest Post & Review

In between The Pages – Excerpt & Review

Let Me Be Fictional – Excerpt & Review

Bibliophilia, Please – Excerpt

August 29^th

Roxy’s Reviews – Excerpt & Review

A Dream Within A Dream – Excerpt & Review

Paperback Cowgirl Reviews – Excerpt & Review

SassyCat’s Books Review – Excerpt & Character Playlist

August 30^th

Book Sense – Excerpt & Review

Loves All Things Books – Excerpt & Dream Cast

Girl in the Woods Reviews – Excerpt & Review

The Small Nerd – Excerpt & Review

August 31^st

Ashley’s Paranormal Book Blog – Excerpt & Review

One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads – Excerpt & Review

deal sharing aunt – Excerpt & Interview

Chibi Reader – Excerpt & Review

September 1^st

GenGen’s Book Blog – Excerpt & Review

Resch Reads and Reviews – Excerpt & Review

Shelfspace Needed – Excerpt & Review

This Redhead LOVES Books – Excerpt

September 2^nd

The Revolving Bookcase for Young Readers – Excerpt

Dowie’s Place – Excerpt & Review

Istyria book blog – Excerpt & Review

The Bearded Scribe – Excerpt & Review

September 3^rd

Addicted Readers – Excerpt

Shayna Varadeaux Books & Reviews – Excerpt & Guest Post

K.R. Grace – Excerpt & Review

Mercurial Musings – Excerpt & Review

September 4^th

Avid Reader Musings – Excerpt & Review

Bookinfatuation – Excerpt & Review

Out of Time – Excerpt & Review

Morgan Wylie~Author – Excerpt

September 5^th

Fabulous and Fun – Excerpt & Interview

A Cup of Coffee and a Book – Excerpt & Review

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

September 6^th

The Rest Is Still Unwritten – Excerpt & Review

Write Away Bliss – Excerpt & Review

Racing To Read – Excerpt & Review

September 7^th

Such a Novel Idea – Excerpt & Guest Post

The La La Land of Books – Excerpt & Review

paranormal book club ( PBC) – Excerpt & Review

The Book Beacon – Excerpt & Review

September 8^th

Much Loved Books – Excerpt & Review

Life Between the Pages – Excerpt & Review

Reading on the Farm – Excerpt & Review

Shelves of Books/ Reading For Fun – Excerpt & Review

September 9^th

Books for a Delicate Eternity – Excerpt & Review

The Bookie Monster – Guest Post & Review

Dizneeee’s World of Books – Excerpt & Review

{August 26, 2014} {ARC Review} How to Fall by Jane Casey

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Jess Tennant has never met any of her relatives, until her mom suddenly drags her out of London to spend the summer in the tiny English town where her family’s from. Her mom’s decision is surprising, but even more surprising is the town’s reaction to Jess. Everywhere she goes, people look at her like they’ve seen a ghost. In a way, they have—she looks just like her cousin Freya, who died shortly before Jess came to town.

Jess immediately feels a strange connection to Freya, whom she never got to meet alive. But the more Jess learns about the secrets Freya was keeping while she was alive, the more suspicious Freya’s death starts to look. One thing is for sure: this will be anything but the safe, boring summer in the country Jess was expecting.

Beloved author Jane Casey breaks new ground with How to Fall, a thrilling and insightfully written mystery.

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This novel is actually about two separate things: How Freya died, and the truth about Dan Henderson. However, only one aspect is actually answered in the novel, which left me a bit frustrated since the mystery surrounding the police officer is definitely a key point in novel, even though it does not really relate to what happened to Freya.

Jess Tennant has an uncanny resemblance to her deceased cousin, Freya, a person she never met due to her mother’s estrangement from her twin sister. Because of her looks, and Freya’s apparent accident, she’s the talk of the town, it seems, which spurs Jess on to find out the truth about Freya’s death. I agree with Jess, I’d be determined to find out the truth, too, and I love Jess’ spunk. She has some crazy ideas and awesome comebacks throughout the novel, and I really enjoyed that about her. I loved the end too—the way Jess finally learns the truth–while a bit far-fetched (or, not something I would ever consider) it works well with the storyline and I was glad that this aspect of the novel had a conclusion.

But I am left unsatisfied. What do I need to know? More about Dan and Jess’ mother’s relationship. Is Dan a real creeper, like he seems? Why is he so rude and aggressive towards everyone? What is he hiding? Was he coming on to Jess, or was she just overreacting? What is the relationship between Dan and his son really about? What’s going on there? Why do people seem to fear Dan? While we’re given a small paragraphish glimpse into the story behind Dan and Jess’ mother, it’s not enough to answer any of my questions, and I really felt like the novel set itself up to tell this story, but then didn’t. Which left me confused. I have one thought about Jess and Will’s relationship and why Dan might not want it, but I can’t go into specifics because, A. I’m probably wrong and, B. it’d be a bit spoilery to state it.

Dan aside, I did love the language of this novel. It is so very British in its colloquialisms, and I enjoyed them very much, having spent some time abroad when I was in college. There are some terms that some may need to look up, but overall they translate easily enough for readers outside Britain, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Three stars.

I received this novel from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. This title releases today.

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 26, 2014} {ARC Review} Can’t Look Away by Donna Cooper

From Goodreads: Donna Cooner establishes herself as our own Jodi Picoult in this timely tale of sisters, loss, and redemption.

Torrey Grey is famous. At least, on the internet. Thousands of people watch her popular videos on fashion and beauty. But when Torrey’s sister is killed in an accident — maybe because of Torrey and her videos — Torrey’s perfect world implodes.

Now, strangers online are bashing Torrey. And at her new school, she doesn’t know who to trust. Is queen bee Blair only being sweet because of Torrey’s internet infamy? What about Raylene, who is decidedly unpopular, but seems accepts Torrey for who she is? And then there’s Luis, with his brooding dark eyes, whose family runs the local funeral home. Torrey finds herself drawn to Luis, and his fascinating stories about El dio de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.

As the Day of the Dead draws near, Torrey will have to really look at her own feelings about death, and life, and everything in between. Can she learn to mourn her sister out of the public eye?

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This is an interesting read that depicts the life of a teen beauty vlogger, a wildly popular young woman who posts to YouTube, which I admit is a channel I personally rarely visit. My students are obsessed with youtube videos, so I definitely wanted to check out this novel and see if it brought on any insights, because truth be told, vlogs tend to drive me insane. I don’t think I’ve been able to watch very many straight through, because the spontaneity and bloopers of it all just isn’t for me. But, that’s exactly what Torrey does, or did, prior to the novel’s beginning, and as Torrey looks back on her past life, one where her little sister still existed, we begin to see just who Torrey Grey truly is, both now and then.

I definitely enjoyed this novel, and it did make me tear up a time of two, but I personally don’t follow why people are blaming Torrey for her sister’s death, or why they feel the need to write nasty comments on her vlogs. I get that trolls exist, and over the past three years as an online reviewer, I’ve seen some pretty nasty comments left on both author and blogger accounts alike, but I don’t quite understand the why behind it, and while I think this novel attempts to answer this question, it really doesn’t. Why are people so callous and rude? Torrey fought with her sister, just like all siblings do. She was mean, just like all siblings can be. But she didn’t push her sister into the street, and she certainly didn’t cause the accident, so I don’t see where anyone has the right to bully her, or why they would ever think to, in the first place. Of course, it seems that that is what humanity is good at doing; putting others down anonymously, and this happens to Torrey, though I have to say that I really felt like this was more the background story than the forefront, and I really wish this aspect of online life, with the trolls and wannabes, was dived into more deeply as it’s the main aspect I was more interested in.

Now, as I said, the story focuses on Torrey, and she’s definitely going through a hard time at the moment, and she struggles to pull herself together. Her attempt to piece her life back together, hanging with the popular crowd, is a farce, an attempt at healing—if only things could go back to the way they were, but unfortunately they never do, and Torrey has to learn this the hard way. I respected this about her, but she rubbed me the wrong way on some occasions, snubbing her true friends in order to make a name for herself… I think we’re all probably guilty of this in some way or other, but it did leave me a bit disappointed in Torrey, though she does eventually seem to get her head on straight.

I really liked Luis and enjoyed the Dia de los Muertes references and make-up tutorial (I’m so doing this), but again, never really understood why people were bashing on Torrey, or why the popular crowd at her new school disliked her so much. As I said, I liked the idea behind this novel overall, and the story is indeed well written, it’s just a little beyond me; I don’t really understand why anyone acted the way they did within the novel. Three and a half stars.

I received this novel from the publisher, via Netgalley, prior to its release today.

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 25, 2014} {Release Day Launch} The Write Stuff by Tiffany King

The Write Stuff

TIFFANY KING

Available August 25, 2014

From Goodreads:

Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn’t taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.

Not that she hasn’t tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.

Opportunity presents itself in the form of hot-as-sin-on-a-lollipop-stick bartender/premed student Alec Petropoulos, who agrees to be the cover model for her upcoming book. Sparks fly instantly between them, and Nicole begins to entertain the possibility that she’s finally found the right guy to hand over her tattered V-card. Alec has all the makings for a perfect one-night-stand candidate except, much to Nicole’s surprise, he seems to be the only man in existence not interested in bagging a virgin.

Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what’s a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn’t it work for her?

After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

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About Tiffany King

USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iPhone and iPad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.

For information on any of Author Tiffany’s titles, visit her blog at www.authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Where to connect with Author Tiffany

Twitter– @AuthorTiffany

Facebook– AuthorTiffanyKing

Pinterest– Tiffany King

Blog– authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Goodreads– Tiffany King

Email– authortiffany@yahoo.com

“Dreams do come true…Dream big.”

{August 24, 2014} {Review} Grimnirs by Ednah Walters (Runes #3)

From Goodreads: Straight out of the psych ward, Cora just wants her life to be normal. She doesn’t want to see souls or the reapers collecting them. The guy she’s loved from a distance for years moves away without saying goodbye. So yes, she’s nursing a serious heartbreak. It’s no wonder love is the last thing on her mind when Echo storms into her life.

The chemistry between them is mind-blowing.The connection defies logic. Even better, the souls leave her alone when he is around.

Too bad Echo is the poster boy for everything she hates in a guy—hot, beautiful, and cocky. He is also a soul reaper. A Grimnir.

The very beings she wants out of her life. Maybe normal is overrated because Cora wants it all. Answers. Love. A life.

This is a full novel, not a novella.

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Walters is a great writer and I love her world of the runes—it really is Norse mythology at its finest. Cora and Echo’s story is an amazing addition to the already awesome Raine and Torin, and I actually might just love them a little more than the previous main characters… a close tie, to say the least.

This novel is a little more hot and heavy than its predecessors, and my one and only issue with it is the sexual escapades. I’m not 100% sold on the love relationship between the characters, but as immortals and soul mates, it is indeed more than plausible—I just feel like I need a little bit more relationship building and a little less sex. I especially don’t need the visuals when it comes to their personal happy times together. Thankfully, Walters fades to black for the majority of it, which I am extremely happy about, but she doesn’t every time, and there’s more times than I personally feel like need to be in the story as it doesn’t necessarily drive the plot. Aside from this, Cora and Echo’s story is fantastic, and I really enjoyed getting to know them more in this novel. Four stars.

*update: Walters did release a CLEAN version of this story. I just don’t know if it overrides the novel available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, though.

I received this novel from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 23, 2014} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 111–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the ebook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Amazon, with many on Barnes and Noble as well. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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Proud by Allison Gottlieb

Pride, noun: a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority

Hayley Waters used to be a normal teenage girl: smart, athletic, and more or less a good person. Now she’s a weapon for the devil.

Demon energies for each of the seven deadly sins have escaped into Los Angeles. They need a human host to bind to—a vessel for influencing others. And one has chosen Hayley. She just doesn’t know it yet.

As graduation approaches, Hayley’s life is torn apart as her demon begins to use her to wreak havoc on the city. But when two men show up, claiming to know what’s wrong with her and offering their help, will she believe them? Or will her deadly pride be her undoing?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Fated — 5 Full Novels by Rachael Wade, Nikki Jefford, Stacey Marie Brown, Alyssa Rose Ivy, and Heather Hildenbrand

Amaranth by Rachael Wade – Camille moves to Southern Louisiana to escape her abusive past, not expecting to fall in love and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford – Thanks to her rare blood type, Aurora’s forced to hunt vampires in Alaska. Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire.

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown – Ember has never fit in. After she lands herself in a facility for troubled teens, she meets the darkly mysterious and hot as hell, Eli Dragen who is keeping secrets that can’t stay hidden much longer.

Flight by Alyssa Rose Rose – A summer in New Orleans leads to a chance encounter with the infuriating yet alluring Levi. Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand – Five months after Whisper is released from the Skye View Wellness Center she stumbles upon an unconscious boy at a bonfire party who holds the key to breaking her curse.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Secrets and Lies by Rachael Brownell

MAGDELYN BECKER lost her entire family when she was seventeen. Ever since, she’s avoided relationships at all costs: personal, physical and emotional. She doesn’t trust anyone and won’t allow herself to get close enough to create a connection. It’s the way she is – take it or leave it. Her new job as an FBI agent has her letting her guard down, and letting the wrong person into her life, her mind and her heart.

TAYLOR DONOVAN is sexy, powerful and dangerous for Maggie’s heart. He doesn’t show emotion and can spot an agent a mile away. The thought of her being an FBI agent is the farthest thing from his mind when he lays eyes on Maggie Becker. She’s beautiful, sweet and brutally honest, and honesty is not something Taylor is used to in his business. It’s her beauty which blinds him though, and it might be what costs him everything, including his heart.

No one can be honest 100% of the time, not even Maggie. It’s her job to lie to Taylor. It’s her job to break him down and then bring him down. The only problem is she has to do it without Taylor realizing it’s happening. After all, Taylor Donovan is supposed to be dead. The FBI shouldn’t be looking for him.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Fighting to Stay by Kasey Millstead

“Never stay, Lacey. Promise me. Promise me right now, that whenever things go bad in life, you will run. Never, ever stay.”
Lacey Monroe was used to running. When things got bad, when things got dangerous, when there was a chance that she would get hurt – physically or emotionally – she did what her momma said. She ran. She kept running, until she landed in Salt Rock, Alabama. She meets Roam Cooper, the Vice President of the Mayhem Motorcycle Club. For the first time in her life, Lacey considers staying…and then right before her eyes, her world falls apart, and she runs again.
“No more runnin’, Lacey. ‘Bout time you started fighting to stay.” – Roam.

**This is a stand-alone, full length novel with a happy ever after**

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Drawn by James Hankins

Available for 99 cents for the first time ever – limited time only!

A mysterious little boy has begun appearing in the paintings of a New York City artist who can’t remember ever actually seeing him. A partially blind, disfigured agoraphobic who suffers crippling panic attacks if he even tries to leave his apartment is forced out by an unseen entity. A lonely widower begins to suffer terrifying nightmares that his long-missing son is still alive…and in mortal danger. A young runaway realizes that a man he thought was his traveling companion is actually his captor.

The lives of four very different people, driven by different but very powerful forces, crash together as they fight to solve their individual mysteries, to defeat a brutal enemy, and to save the life of an innocent boy.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Asher by Jo Raven

*** USA TODAY and NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ***

Almost three years ago, a car crash took Audrey’s dad and scarred her for life. Now eighteen, she returns to her hometown for the first time after the accident.
She’s here to start again. Go to college and have fun. Make new friends. Get over the past.

But the past won’t let go.
Asher is here—her first kiss, her first heartbreak. More handsome and distant than ever, he’s still the boy who used to be her best friend. That was before he changed into someone she hardly knows anymore—the boy who started getting into fights and gave her the cold shoulder for years.

Asher isn’t what she needs. In fact, she hates him and should try her best to keep away from him.
Yet her body doesn’t seem to care about how she feels, and maybe, just maybe this time her body got it right. Not that she has much of a choice. Asher draws her like a bright flame, and if she isn’t careful, she’ll burn.

And that may not be such a bad thing after all…

*Warning: this book contains graphic language, sex, and violence. Mature readers only. Not intended for young readers.*

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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He’s Come Undone by Theresa Weir

This story is deep, dark, sexy, funny, and emotional.

Penniless and behind on rent, college student and once famous child actress Ellie Barlow takes on the role of a lifetime when she’s hired by a group of young women to break the heart of the campus player who cruelly dumped them.

Transformed from slob slacker to jaw-dropping beauty, Ellie is dressed, styled, bleached and waxed, her chunky glasses exchanged for violet contacts. Along with physical prepping, she’s coached on Julian’s obsessions, which include long-distance running, Doctor Who, and J.D. Salinger.

In no time, Julian is in pursuit of his custom-made next victim, but when Ellie goes off script and begins to fall for her target, the newest broken heart in this risky game could be her own.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Isn’t She Lovely by Lauren Layne

The rules are clear—until they’re broken. The first book in Lauren Layne’s Redemption series gives a classic love story its edgiest twist yet.

“Who knew that pretending you’re not falling for someone would be so much more difficult than pretending that you are?”

Stephanie Kendrick gave up her whole summer to ace her NYU film school screenwriting course, so she’s pissed to be stuck with a preppy, spoiled frat boy as her writing partner. Then again, with her piercings, black-rimmed eyes, and Goth wardrobe, Stephanie isn’t exactly Ethan Price’s type, either. He’s probably got his eye on some leggy blonde with a trust fund . . . or does he?

As the summer scene kicks off in the Hamptons, Ethan is desperate to make his snobbish mother forget the pedigreed girl who broke his heart. While Stephanie’s a stretch as a decoy, the right makeover and a pastel cardigan just might do the trick. She may not love the idea of playing Ethan’s brainless Barbie girlfriend, but the free rent and luxurious digs make a tempting offer. So does the promise of a ready-made screenplay idea inspired by their charade.

But when Stephanie steps into Ethan’s privileged world, the “acting” begins to feel all too real. The kissing and touching that were intended to fool the Hamptons crowd wind up manipulating them. And Stephanie faces a question she’s too afraid to ask: Is Ethan falling for the real her or for the dolled-up princess he wants to see?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Beckoning Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy

As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has a strong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again.

Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she’s going to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, but she’s completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.

Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where she meets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte is pulled deeper into this hidden world, it’s up to her older brother Kevin to rescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlotte fighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilities that she has only just discovered she possesses.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Soul Survivor by Michelle N. Files

Hailee Mai Hart is just a simple, normal girl. Or so she thought.

When she left her one-horse town for a college education in the big city, she never could’ve imagined what awaited her.

She’s quickly thrown into a world filled with angels, danger, and a curse…her curse. Come to find out, she’s not so simple after all. She’s actually the last of her kind, and the fate of the world rests on her shoulders. She has one chance to save Earth, and it all comes down to one choice: Light or Darkness. What is right and what is wrong is all a matter of perspective, which leaves her heart dangerously tangled. No matter which path she takes people will die, and that’s just not an option.

Will she be able to save everyone, or will she be the Soul Survivor?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

{August 22, 2014} {Release Day Launch: ARC Review} Secrets and Lies by Rachael Brownell

From Goodreads: Magdelyn Becker lost her entire family when she was seventeen. Ever since, she’s avoided relationships at all costs: personal, physical, emotional. She doesn’t trust anyone and won’t allow herself to get close enough to create a connection. It’s the way she is. Take it or leave it. Her new job as an FBI agent has her letting her guard down, and letting the wrong person into her life, her mind and her heart.

Taylor Donovan is tall, sexy and powerful. He doesn’t show emotion and he can spot an agent a mile away. Being an FBI agent is the farthest thing from his mind when he lays eyes on Maggie Becker. She’s beautiful, sweet and honest and honesty is not something that Taylor is used to in his business. It’s her beauty that blinds him, though, and it might be what costs him everything, including his heart.

No one can be honest 100% of the time, not even Maggie. It’s her job to lie to Taylor. It’s her job to break him down then bring him down. The only problem is she has to do it without Taylor realizing it’s happening. After all, Taylor Donovan is supposed to be dead. The FBI shouldn’t be looking for him.

Secrets & Lies is a companion novella to A Secret Life. It is recommended to read A Secret Life first.

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This companion novel to A Secret Life takes place a few years after the conclusion of its predecessor, focusing on a whole new cast of characters as the plot unfolds, drawing readers once again into the world of the FBI as they track a killer hell bent on finding the only girl he ever lost, Courtney (also known as Kat in A Secret Life). This is a well written story, and I liked the change of pace, seeing everything from the opposite side as Brownell focuses on the “bad guy” as opposed to the good, as she did in her previous novel.

I will admit that I feel as if a piece of the story is missing—the gap between how Taylor survived and has since outwitted the FBI alludes me a little, mainly as Taylor was portrayed as being less than smart when a teen. Years have passed, and he certainly has turned hard, but I really want to know the backstory here—how, why, and while there is a sentence of two that define this a little for readers, I’m dying for the whole story and am hoping that Brownell will fill readers in with another novel in this series.

Brownell does a great job making Taylor a likeable character. We don’t see the bad in him as much as maybe we ought to, which is the same issue Maggie has as she attempts to infiltrate his business, and watching the two dance around one another was a ton of fun. The instant-love connection showed up again in this novel, though, and I’m not really one for a whirlwind romance. However, I completely get the characters feelings, and I do love how hard they fall for one another, even if it is instant.

This is definitely a book that needs to be read after the first in the series, A Secret Life, so that readers understand Agent Cam’s obsession with Taylor, and who Taylor really is, in the first place. Though seemingly far-fetched at times, this is a fun read and I did thoroughly enjoy it. I am certainly hoping for a follow-up, or perhaps a novel that bridges the gap behind the lost years. Three and a half stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon | Kindle (99 cents) | Barnes and Noble

{August 21, 2014} {Review} A Secret Life by Rachael Brownell

From Goodreads: “I think you and I were meant to meet. I think all of this was supposed to happen. You are my destiny.”

She never thought that her life would be this complicated. Or this dangerous. Running from her past, Kat and her mom end up in a small Colorado town when Kat run’s directly into her future. She changes everything about herself to try and blend into the background, to go unnoticed. She pushes everyone away and erects walls around herself and her heart. As hard as she tries, though, Kat can’t seem to escape the pull that Cam has on her.

Cam has never been so intrigued by anyone. Not only is Kat the most gorgeous girl he’s ever seen but also the most mysterious. She’s hiding something and he’s hell-bent on finding out what it is. The only problem is that she’s trying to shut him out which only furthers his determination to get close to her.

When Kat learns that her past is catching up with her again she has to run, leaving Cam, and her broken heart, behind.

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I read this novel a few weeks back, and it’s stuck with me ever since. While I did find the insta-attraction portion of the novel just a tad cheesy in the beginning, as the novel progressed and the characters grew up, going from high school to college, I found myself rooting for the lovebirds, Cam and Kat, enjoying their antics and so happy that their attraction to one another lead to a much deeper relationship. Brownell tells their story in two parts, glossing over a few years in between in order to take her YA novel into the NA world while keeping it clean, and it works very well.

This novel has many different layers; many stories to tell. It’s about a mother and daughter in witness protection. It’s about first love. About danger. Crime. Grief. Protection. The FBI. Doing what’s right. Outrunning your past, and looking to the future. And I enjoyed this aspect of the novel very much. There is so much going on and Brownell slowly peels back the layers, providing a fun, easy, engaging read, though I will admit that I have many more questions than I have answers, and I think that’s one of the reasons this novel has stuck with me long after I finished it. I find myself trying to figure it out at random times during my days, and that’s a rarity for me as I read so many books and move from one to the next quite rapidly.

I am intrigued by Cam and his love for Kat. I love Kat’s tenacity and her yearning for a simple life. Together, they are perfect, insta-love aside, and I’m glad they found one another. What I don’t necessarily get is what happened during the climax of the novel–we’re led up to it, but as we’re looking through Kat’s eyes, and she’s not watching events unfold, we seem to miss everything as it unfolds, and as no one clarifies the event for Kat, we are left in the dark. All we know is that some very bad things went down, and I’m dying to know what happened to everyone. I need to know. And I also need to know how some of the people mixed up in it all got mixed up in it all. I’m not giving names nor explanations, because that’d be a spoiler, but I keep wracking my brain trying to figure it out. I need to know, and Brownell’s next novel in the series, Secrets and Lies, releases tomorrow… so here’s hoping for more. Four stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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{August 21, 2014} {Release Day Blitz and Reviews} Fated — 5 Full Novels by Rachael Wade, Nikki Jefford, Stacey Marie Brown, Alyssa Rose Ivy, and Heather Hildenbrand

The Fated 5 have come together to bring you a collection of five steamy new adult urban fantasies about sacrifice, second chances, destiny and love against all odds. With fan favorites from new adult and urban fantasy bestsellers Rachael Wade, Nikki Jefford, Stacey Marie Brown, Alyssa Rose Ivy, and Heather Hildenbrand.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Available for a LIMITED TIME only!

Five full-length novels in a boxed set for only 99 cents.

Amaranth by Rachael Wade – Camille moves to Southern Louisiana to escape her abusive past, not expecting to fall in love and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford – Thanks to her rare blood type, Aurora’s forced to hunt vampires in Alaska. Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire.

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown – Ember has never fit in. After she lands herself in a facility for troubled teens, she meets the darkly mysterious and hot as hell, Eli Dragen who is keeping secrets that can’t
stay hidden much longer.

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy – A summer in New Orleans leads to a chance encounter with the infuriating yet alluring Levi. Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand – Five months after Whisper is released from the Skye View Wellness Center she stumbles upon an unconscious boy at a bonfire party who holds the key to breaking her curse.

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Reviews:

So far, I’ve read two of the full length novels in the Fated Boxed Set, Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand, and Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

WHISPER by Heather Hildenbrand

From Amazon: The Cherokee believe when a person dies, their soul is reborn. Life is repeated. An endless cycle of lessons to be learned, love to be found, destiny to be fulfilled. For the past six months, in every flower, every bird, I’ve imagined my parents, relieved of their human forms.

Now, after five months at the Skye View Wellness Center, it was summer. A time for parties and friends, but that’s the last thing I want to do. So when my best friend Erin convinces me to attend a bonfire at Eagle Point, I can’t handle the crowd full of sympathetic stares or drunken class clowns who would use my tragedy as a way into my heart – or my pants. The solitude of the woods offers an escape, until I stumble upon a boy, unconscious and bleeding, his pockets stuffed not with identification but with poetry illustrating the beauty of dying. I’ve seen enough death. I will not leave this boy’s side.

Even after he wakes, when the only thing he can remember are visions of events that haven’t happened yet…

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When I heard that Heather Hildenbrand was updating and re-releasing her wonderful novel, Whisper, I was beyond excited. I first read this novel back in 2012, and I thoroughly enjoyed it then. And knowing that scenes were going to change, new events would be occurring, and that the relationship between Hildenbrand’s characters would be turned up a notch had me eagerly awaiting this novel for a re-read, and let me just say, it’s perfection.

Whisper is not like any of Hildenbrand’s other novels; it’s completely unique to her writing style yet still innately hers through and through. It’s a captivating read, tackling the very real issue of grief, while putting a supernatural spin on it. While Hildenbrand has written many supernatural novels before, this novel has a more contemporary feel, and it’s attention to the tough topics of death and redemption are hard hitting, but extremely beautiful. Truth be told, not all readers are going to understand Whisper’s feelings or struggle to move on with her life if they haven’t experienced such debilitating grief in their own lives, so it may seem a bit slow to some readers; it’s not an action novel (not until near the end, that is). Yet, while it does start out slow, that’s the nature of this story; it’s not meant to be a fast-paced gripping novel, but rather one of love and grief. Those feelings wouldn’t be portrayed correctly if it moved any faster than it does, and I, personally, enjoyed this slower paced novel, allowing me to connect with the characters in a more real, vivid way than action packed novels tend to do.

Dylan is a most amazing character. He completes Whisper in a way that automatically brings a smile to my face, and I just adore him. Hildenbrand did a phenomenal job fleshing out her characters so well, especially Whisper, making the reader really feel for her, and all the characters, for that matter. Whisper’s grief is palpable and her character drudged up some long buried feelings I had concerning my own grief. Likewise, Taregan caused me to feel immense hatred, and yet, Hildenbrand was able to make me still feel sorry for him in the end; the fact that she actually made me feel for the one character I couldn’t stand is a testament to Hildenbrand’s sheer writing capabilities, and I really enjoyed this story, especially the Cherokee folklore, magic, and overall presence of the novel. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before.

I loved the changes in the novel as well. Hildenbrand has smoothed over some areas, added some steam, and she’s indeed changed the entire ending to create a more fluid conclusion. And I loved every minute of it. While I didn’t realize it the first time I read the novel a few years back, these updates bring about a real sense of connectivity, and they have strengthened the novel tenfold. If you haven’t read this novel yet, or even if you have, this updated re-release is a must read. Five stars.

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FLIGHT by Alyssa Rose Ivy:

From Amazon: Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

(Mature Young Adult / New Adult, contains sexual situations, underage drinking, and mild language).

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Alyssa Rose Ivy has done a phenomenal job creating a paranormal world that really draws the reader in. Set in New Orleans, Ivy places her fictional characters in a place that exudes otherworldly power, and I loved that Ivy really gave readers a taste of the area and culture, weaving it into the story alongside her interesting plotline. The paranormal aspect of this novel was extremely unique, and Ivy does a great job whetting readers’ appetites; I can’t wait for more because she’s only just begun to scratch the surface in terms of who the Pteron really are and what power they hold over the entire paranormal world.

Initially, however, I didn’t like Levi. He is the representation of the cocky male who knows he looks good and won’t take no for an answer, and this persona has never impressed me in real life or fiction. Levi is arrogant, and he’s always turning the conversation into something sexual, so I was worried that I actually wasn’t going to like the novel since Allie seemed to be giving in to him too easily, which is a big no-no for me as I’m a supporter of the strong female lead. Yet, as the book progressed, Levi grew on me a little, and I began to enjoy his and Allie’s whirlwind summer romance, especially once I knew more about Levi’s background and noted that Allie was strong in her own right. My love for Levi was once again suspended, though, when he went ahead and did something that angered me to no end, something I’m not okay with by any means, and neither is Allie, as is evidenced from the last 30% of the novel. But truth be told, I’m very proud of Allie’s reaction. I feel exactly the same way Allie does when everything comes to light, but I am also a little worried that her defenses will fall away too easily as Levi attempts to smooth talk his way out of this situation. Only time will tell.

I really do like Allie, but many times throughout the novel I found her making rash and ill-advised decisions, which turned me off a bit. However, she has just graduated from high school, she’s 18, has no supervision, and has just ended a long relationship. I know how it feels to be let loose and trying to turn over a new leaf, so I can’t hold it against her.

I also was very thankful that Ivy keeps her novel clean. With Levi as the main character and his obsession, it seems, with getting Allie into bed, it was nice that Allie held out and that any and all sexual encounters between the characters were all “fade to black.” This is turn makes it more YA friendly in that it’s not explicit or overbearing for younger readers whom I think will really enjoy the story and Allie’s strong sense of self-worth. She doesn’t need a man to make her strong, and I loved that she was so assertive and a good role model in that respect. Four stars.

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Giveaway

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{August 20, 2014} {Review} Jordyn: The Final Battle by Tiffany King (Daemon Hunter #3)

From Goodreads: By USA Today Bestselling Author Tiffany King comes the final installment in the Daemon Hunter Series.

I have finally come to grips with the purpose of my existence. I am a weapon in the battle against evil. Accepting that doesn’t mean I can’t still wish to have a normal life sometimes.
Well…Normal in my world.

My friends and family members are angelic beings, my boyfriend is an ex soul trader, and most of my time is spent training and hunting daemons.

After rescuing my friends from an eternity of torture in the Caverns of Gloom, I may have accidentally opened a gateway to hell, unleashing an army of daemons to run wild throughout the city.

Once again, I will do what I was created to do.

I am the only hope. I am Jordyn.

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This novella is the perfect end to the amazing Deamon Hunter series, and I just adore it. Tiffany King is a master storyteller, able to transcend genres from the paranormal to contemporary, YA to NA; King had indeed written some amazing novels, and the paranormal YA Daemon Hunter series is definitely one of my favorite series out there. A spinoff to Kings first ever series, The Savings Angels, the Daemon Hunter series is its own story; no need to read The Savings Angels series to understand what’s happening in any of the three Deamon Hunger books, but since The Saving Angels series is so amazing, you’re going to want to. Trust me.

This final installment is, like the title denotes, a final battle between heaven and hell. Jordyn, a daemon killer created by heaven, is a kick butt character who is strong yet fragile, smart yet wild, capable yet unsure of herself, and King blends these traits all together to create a realistic young woman set on doing what’s right, what she’s been created to do, even if that means giving the ultimate sacrifice. Jordyn is far from perfect, though, and her inner monologue, questioning of herself, show her vulnerability, a side she attempts to hide from all those around her.

This novella is indeed sad, but triumphant as well—King delivers punch after punch in this amazing conclusion, and readers will find themselves on pins and needles as the final battle looms ever closer. Five stars.

I received this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.

ONLY $1.87

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And make sure you pick up book one in the series, Jordyn, on sale right now for FREE!

And pick up book two, Jordyn and the Cavern of Gloom, for just $3.99, too!

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{August 19, 2014} {ARC Review} One Kick by Chelsea Cain

From Goodreads: Kick Lannigan, 21, is a survivor. Abducted at age six in broad daylight, the police, the public, perhaps even her family assumed the worst had occurred. And then Kathleen Lannigan was found, alive, six years later. In the early months following her freedom, as Kick struggled with PTSD, her parents put her through a litany of therapies, but nothing helped until the detective who rescued her suggested Kick learn to fight. Before she was thirteen, Kick learned marksmanship, martial arts, boxing, archery, and knife throwing. She excelled at every one, vowing she would never be victimized again. But when two children in the Portland area go missing in the same month, Kick goes into a tailspin. Then an enigmatic man Bishop approaches her with a proposition: he is convinced Kick’s experiences and expertise can be used to help rescue the abductees. Little does Kick know the case will lead directly into her terrifying past…

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First and foremost, I want to assure readers that, while this novel does deal with child abduction and pornography, there are no descriptions. This is not a graphic story—allusions are made, but readers never learn what Kick herself experienced, and there are no descriptions of the photos or pornography sites the characters reference. This, for me, was a godsend. I was interested in the story, but I knew going in that I couldn’t stomach any graphic imagery at all, and as this is a very sensitive subject, I was very happy that Cain tread lightly here. However, I must admit that I still didn’t really enjoy the story. Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed in the main character, Kick. Said to be the new Lisbeth Salander by the editor in the introduction of the novel, I was expecting great things, but Kick falls bit too flat for me. There is what I consider a lack of action in this novel—with all the hype surround Kick, such as her ability to kill a man 571 ways with just her left hand, I expected to actually see her fight. She rarely does, and, in most instances that she does, she’s actually bested by her opponent. For all the time and training she put in to the arts, self-defense, knife throwing, and the like, I was really looking forward to seeing her skills. But they were not noteworthy, and for me, that’s somewhat of the opposite of what I expect when a character is compared to another kick-butt character, such as Lisbeth Salander.

Kick is still in a fragile state of mind, though she tries to put on a tough front. Abducted and used in child porn for five years of her young life, this is expected. She does have a good handle on herself in most situations, and I admire her perseverance; I find her realistic, though she wasn’t essentially deep or fleshed out in the story. Perhaps one of the reasons Kick is bested time and time again as she hunts for the missing children from Portland is because of her background; freezing up in situations when action is key and she must push herself to survive. Thank goodness she has Bishop there to help her when the going gets tough.

Then again, Bishop is a jerk. The main reason that Kick continually freezes is because Bishop has thrust her back into the world of abducted children. Kick seems to function relatively well in the real world, but once Bishop comes charging in, her entire world shifts, and Bishop is none to kind in his treatment of Kick. In fact, he doesn’t do anything within the novel that redeems him in my eyes. So while the mystery aspect of the novel was indeed intriguing, I did not connect with any of the characters and I wasn’t spurred on to read the novel as much as I’d hoped I’d be, based on the hype surrounding this story.

The first chapter is indeed an attention grabber, but as the novel unfolds, much of the intensity tapered off for me. Overall, I’d say it’s an okay read for me, but it’s really just not my speed. Two stars.

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{August 18, 2014} {ARC Review} Ghosting by Edith Pattou

From Goodreads: On a hot summer night in a Midwestern town, a high school teenage prank goes horrifically awry. Alcohol, guns, and a dare. Within minutes, as events collide, innocents becomes victims—with tragic outcomes altering lives forever, a grisly and unfortunate scenario all too familiar from current real-life headlines. But victims can also become survivors, and as we come to know each character through his/her own distinctive voice and their interactions with one another, we see how, despite pain and guilt, they can reach out to one another, find a new equilibrium, and survive.

Told through multiple points of view in naturalistic free verse and stream of consciousness, this is an unforgettable, haunting tale.

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If you haven’t yet added this unique novel to your TBR pile, then I’m going to suggest that you do so right now. Written in free verse, this novel throws out exactly what each character is thinking as it happens, and while initially jarring, I found that I liked it very much. Readers easily know who is thinking and speaking as the sections are chunked, focusing on one character at a time, but it certainly isn’t a traditional novel in the sense of its flow.

Ghosting, told through the eyes of the many teens involved in the prank/misunderstanding, allows readers an up close and personal look at these teens inner and outter lives before and after the life-altering event. I have to say that it took a while to lead up to the event in question, painting a vivid portrayal of the characters lives, and it was as if I was their shadow, watching, knowing something bad was coming. This put me on pins and needles, and I liked how well I got to know all the characters as the plot slowly drove toward the event that changes everything. And once we are there, it all seems to then quickly tumble to its end as those involved attempt to heal in many ways. It’s beautiful, and the ark of a story is followed superbly as we build to the climax and resolution. Due to the way it’s written, this is actually a rather fast read, though it looks to be much longer than it really is, so do not let the size of the novel stop you from picking up this unique read. Four and a half stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon | Kindle (Only $3.99 at time of this post) | Barnes and Noble

{August 17, 2014} {#ShareTheLove Returns} An Interview with Blogger A Book Vacation AND a #Giveaway

You guys! Michelle N. Files writes this awesome post called #ShareTheLove every now and again, in which she features a reader, author, blogger, cover designer, or publicist, and then posts it online with a giveaway; a few days later, a follow-up post about why Michelle loves that person goes live too, and it’s just too cool! And you know what? Michelle interviewed ME! I am so excited! Check it out and make sure you enter to win the giveaway!

You could Win:

*Any e-book version of MY favorite 2014 reads* (that are currently available for purchase/pre-order) — and you can see all 37 of my top reads in Michelle’s post

*Signed Paperback of Soul Survivor by Michelle Files*

*Random swag pack of awesomeness*(includes UTOPYA swag Michelle collected and swag from RT 2014!)

Make sure you hop on over to Michelle’s Blog and check it all out!

{August 17, 2014} {Giveaway} No Blog Left Behind–AN AMAZING GIVEAWAY FOR BOTH US AND INTERNATIONAL ENTRANTS!

No Blog Left Behind is running an AWESOME Giveaway for both International and US entrants! Check it out!! From No Blog Left Behind:

Please, do not cheat your way through these entries. These authors and bloggers took time away from other things to donate and are all awesome and deserve your love. All of our love!
Also, please makes sure you enter the correct giveaway! There are two, US Only and International. I’m so pleased to see the amount of donations for the international giveaway. It makes me happy beyond imagination. Just remember though, if you are in the US, you can enter both!

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US ONLY

Special thank you to:

Mindy McGinnis.Kristine Wyllys, Megan Erickson, Kim from Kimberly Faye Reads, Nikki Godwin, Hollie Westring, and Jay Crownover for these awesome donations to this giveaway!

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International

Special thank you to:

Lia Riley, Eva Pohler, Mindy Ruiz, Rachel Harris, Christina Lee, Carlyle Labuschagne, AJ Pine, Kim from Kimberly Faye Reads, Nikki Godwin, Chelsea Fine, Bella Roccaforte, Hollie Westring, Amber Lough, Kris from The Book Beacon, Kris from I Read Selfies for donating all these awesome prizes to this giveaway!

TO ENTER, CLICK HERE:

http://noblogleftbehind.booksbymigs.com/?p=72

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Stronger by Misty Provencher

Find it on Amazon.

A Whole New Crowd by Tijan

Find it on Amazon.

Stardust by Rue Volley

Find it on Amazon.

Uncaged Love by JJ Knight

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Phenomenal X by Michelle A. Valentine

Find it on Amazon.

Freedom by S. A. Wolfe

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Twisted Fate by Sharon Rose Mayes

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Something Wonderful by M. Clarke

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Unlit Star by Lindy Zart

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This Sky by Autumn Doughton

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

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IT’S HERE!!! I am so excited that today is the Release Day for Megan Curd’s IRON PENDULUM! IRON PENDULUM is Young Adult Steampunk Fantasy and the second book in Megan’s The Periodic Series!!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble — Coming Soon

Read my 5 Star Review HERE!

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Enter to win a SIGNED paperback of STEEL LILY HERE!

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GUARDIAN is a YA Paranormal Romance, and a book close to author Courtney Cole’s heart. And, it’s Courtney’s birthday! To celebrate all of the awesome, she is making a few select titles only .99 TODAY ONLY! Grab them all!

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Review:

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Excerpt:

To celebrate the release of GUARDIAN and Courtney’s birthday the following books are on sale for .99, today only!

ABOUT COURTNEY COLE:

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

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In celebration of reaching 3000 likes on my Facebook page, I’m running a special giveaway!

One awesome Facebook follower will win:

Signed Books:

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Be sure to pick up book 1, Steel Lily, now!

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Win a $5 gift card to your choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble PLUS an ecopy of Steel Lily!!

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The Write Stuff

TIFFANY KING

Available August 25, 2014

From Goodreads:

Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn’t taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.

Not that she hasn’t tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.

Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what’s a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn’t it work for her?

After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.

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About Tiffany King

For information on any of Author Tiffany’s titles, visit her blog at www.authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com

Where to connect with Author Tiffany

Twitter– @AuthorTiffany

Facebook– AuthorTiffanyKing

**To celebrate the release of GUARDIAN and Courtney’s birthday the following books are on sale for .99, today only!**

Available for a LIMITED TIME only!

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown – Ember has never fit in. After she lands herself in a facility for troubled teens, she meets the darkly mysterious and hot as hell, Eli Dragen who is keeping secrets that can’t
stay hidden much longer.