{August 17, 2014} {Review} The Deep by Jen Minkman (The Island #3)

From Goodreads:

‘The world is never-ending.
I never realized just how much space there is – how far and wide the water around our island stretches out. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I may have believed that a second Wall ran around Tresco, containing the infinite waters so we wouldn’t all wash over the edge and plummet down into the depths.’

Leia and Walt are on their way to the Other Side, where the legendary land of Cornwall awaits them. Tony, their new friend, has told them that all wars of the past have been forgotten and the citizens of Bodmin and Dartmoor live in peace. People adhere to the tenets of an old religion that preaches forgiveness and non-violence.

However, Walt and Leia soon discover that even a peace-loving, ideal society like this one may have its flaws. While on a forbidden trip to Exeter, the old city of their ancestors, the two Islanders discover more about the new world than they ever bargained for.

Secrets run dark and passions run deep in this thrilling conclusion to the Island novella series.

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This third and final installment of Minkman’s Island series is just as good as those that come before it, and as Leia, Walt, and their family and friends leave the island to see what is beyond their horizons, the novel takes a more sinister turn. I really enjoyed this final conclusion, and the ante is definitely way up in this novel as evil lurks within Bodmin and Dartmoor.

Leia and Walt continue to be my two favorite characters of the series, though I truly enjoyed Alisa and Saul as well. And as they all get themselves into trouble, they must find a way to flee back to their own settlement across the water before it’s too late. Greed and power are a very real threat in the real world, and as Leia and Walt find out, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Though some of the adventures of the characters seems a little far-fetched to me, I also have a limited imagination and sometimes can’t pictures events within my head well enough for them to compute. Regardless, this fantastical novel definitely kept my attention and I enjoyed it very much.

This is a very innovative story, and it liked it very much, especially whereas the other installment in the series are novella length, and this final installment is that of novel length, adding more depth to the story and giving readers a broader scope of the world as it exists within the pages of this fun series. Four and a half stars.

I was given this novel by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle | Nook

{August 16, 2014} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 110–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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Superman’s Cape by Brian Spangler

When Sara Connely is asked what life is like today, she answers with the simple words, ‘life goes on.’ The life she and her boys enjoyed the last dozen years is gone. Sara struggles to cope with the death of her husband and doing so with two young boys, and no money, is almost too much to ask.

Life does go on, but when Sara’s oldest boy becomes lost in Croatan National Forest, life comes to a stop.

Twelve-year-old Kyle Connely doesn’t know the woods. He doesn’t know the wildlife. He doesn’t know how to get home. Lost in the wilderness, he faces dangers the likes of which he has never seen. Kyle’s time is running out. A hurricane is looming, and in its path is the coastal forest he is trying to survive.

Jacob Hanson has a gift. An intuition. An insightfulness. And it has helped him find success. But his gift turns into a curse as he becomes an unwilling participant in Kyle’s plight.

What Jacob Hanson doesn’t know is he also holds the key to Sara’s past and the lifetime she lost with her husband.

Find it on Amazon.

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Be with Me by J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wait for You

Do Teresa and Jase have a real shot at getting together or will life get in the way?

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, life-changing kiss. Then she got out of a terrible relationship. Now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for plan B: college. And maybe she’ll have a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone—especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about is kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Teresa can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not. . . .

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Fighting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins

Have you ever heard of the old Celtic legends of the Fae – beautiful, magical, deadly and a love of messing with humans just for kicks and giggles?

Welcome to my world.

What started out as a strange assignment, leads to one of the most gruesome murder mysteries of our times and my friends and I are set and determined to find out who is killing off Fae and Witches alike.

Couple of problems in the way – I hate the Fae and the Prince of the Dark Fae is bound and determined that I work for him. He’s a rude, overbearing egotistical ass with a compulsive need to possess, dominate and control me. Oh – did I mention that he is absolutely sex-on-a-stick gorgeous and he makes me feel things that I never ever wanted to feel for a Fae…every time he touches me or looks at me with those golden eyes seems to pull me further in under his spell, despite my better judgment.
My friends and I can’t trust anyone and nothing is as it seems on the surface – not even me.

Warning: Mature content and language not intended for anyone under the age of eighteen.

This book is not intended for anyone under the age of 18, or anyone who doesn’t like lip biting, throw your ass on the bed, tear your clothes off and leave you panting dominant alpha male characters. This is a dark, dangerous, intense, gritty and raw. Scenes are dark, disturbing, and scorching HOT. This book is a soul crushing, tear jerking, and leave you hanging on the edge of your seat fast paced book.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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The Only One by Magan Vernon

Honor student, manager at the campus coffee shop, owner of an impressive sweater collection – Melanie Wilder has it all together. Then John “John Boy” Walden strolls into her life wearing nothing more than an impish grin and all-too-revealing loin cloth.

Soon, make-out sessions replace homework, lust triumphs over work. And to further crumble her perfect world, an unexpected phone call threatens to take away everything she’s worked for.

Now, as Melanie struggles to pick up the pieces, she realizes that John may be the only one to put her life back together…unless he shatters it first.

**This is not a sequel to The Only Exception. It’s a companion novel with two characters from the first book. You don’t need to read The Only Exception to understand this book.**

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Beg Me to Slay By Lisa Kessler

He’ll slay her demons, but it may cost her heart…

Four years ago Tegan Ashton was attacked. Determined never to be a victim again, she devotes her life to martial arts and self-defense. When her assailant returns to finish what he started, only one person can help her.

Gabe is a private investigator by day and demon slayer by night. After losing loved ones, he vows to defend people from a threat they don’t realize exists.

The relationship is supposed to be strictly business, but fighting demons together stirs up emotions they never expected. Turns out demon slaying is a breeze compared to facing their scarred pasts and even worse – hearts.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

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…

Find it on Amazon.

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Inhale, Exhale by Sarah M. Ross

Jillian had a plan: celebrate the end of her first year of college with an amazing summer full of beaches, barbeques, and bonfires. When her mom insists she needs a summer job, and her boyfriend spends more time with his band than with her, Jillian’s plans go down the drain.

Grant had a plan: finish his Masters, get a great job at Google, and get the hell out of Georgia. He might be giving up some of the fun of his youth, but he knows his all work and no play method would be worth it when his dreams came true.

But things never go according to plan.

When temptation brings them together and tragedy tears them apart, Jillian and Grant will be forced to choose: fight for their dreams, or fight for each other.

Find it on Amazon.

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Dream Chaser by Angie Stanton

Willow Thomas has a bad habit of running away from things that scare her. And most recently, she quit her high school cheerleading squad after a terrifying fall.

With time on her hands, she auditions for a musical production directed by a Broadway choreographer. Just as things are looking up, Willow discovers she will be performing opposite Eli McAvoy, the best friend she abandoned three years before. To make matters worse, the kids in the musical hate her, her singing sucks, and her dog is sick.

Eli has grown up during their years apart and now possesses confidence and good looks, as well as a giant chip on his shoulder. He is in no hurry to play nice with Willow, but their entwined roles in the musical lead to entwined bodies in the backseat of his car.

Just when Willow finally has her life under control, another surprise is delivered in the form of her greatest challenge yet. Will she run or finally stand and face her fears? And will Eli be there to help or turn his back on her for good?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Mercy by Misty Provencher

“My will to survive is the first thing to drown.
I know, because I hold it under myself.”

After facing severe tragedy in life, Madeline assumes her death will be easy.
But the angels do not come to take her to Heaven.
Instead, what retrieves her is something she never expected: a gargoyle.

Delivered to Truce, the King of the Gargoyles, Madeline now has choices she never wanted. She has the ability to take over the entire Gargoyle Kingdom, if she is willing to kill the king. However, looking to prevent takeover, Truce transforms Madeline, thereby granting her the ability to achieve the thing she wants most—death—if she can just find the human recipient for the Gargoyle Gift that she now has to give. It should be easy.

But lives, whether they are lived or not, are seldom simple, and Madeline’s past still stands in her way. Now, only a voyeur in the life of The Boy with the Golden Rod Voice, Madeline’s must reconcile her own life and death, if she ever hopes to have free reign of her soul.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Moonlight by Tim O’Rourke

When eighteen-year-old Winter McCall is offered a chance to leave her life of poverty behind on the streets of London, she reluctantly accepts, and moves to a remote part of the south west of England.

Here she takes up the job as housekeeper to the young and handsome, yet mysterious, Thaddeus Blake.

Warned that he has some curious habits, Winter soon realises that not all is as it firsts appears at the remote mansion where she now lives and works.

Blind to the real danger that she is in, Winter finds herself becoming attracted to Thaddeus. With nowhere to run and no one to turn to, she slowly succumbs to his strange requests. But none of them are as strange as his requests for her to stand each night in the moonlight.

Find it on Amazon.

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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 15, 2014} {Review} Unlikely Family by Lee Adams

From Goodreads: When Joshua Anthony finds himself homeless at fourteen, he is determined to survive on his own. With the help of motel owner Curt, Josh is doing just that when he encounters three other homeless teens; Charles, Elise and Leah. They decide to band together, pool their resources, and form their very own unlikely family. Along the way, they encounter Liz, a 27 year old woman who is down on her luck and needs a break. Will these teens be just what she needs to get her life back on track?

This is the story of four resilient teenagers, determined to thrive in spite of their circumstances. They encounter many hardships on their road to adulthood, but also learn to love, hope, and find success.

Join this unlikely family on their journey of discovery. Laugh with them, cry with them, fall in love with them as they do with each other.

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This story is indeed amazing. Told from five different first-person perspectives, readers get to know five homeless people, four teens and one adult, as they make an unlikely family. Though the story sometimes reads a bit clipped, it drew me in as a reader and captivated me. These kids are amazing, and as the story unfolded, I found myself drawn to them and their plight, rejoicing with their triumphs, and crying with their failures. Adams has written a clean read–though homeless, there is no sex or prostitution, an aspect that generally is prevalent in stories I’ve read about homeless teens. While not every situation in the novel struck home with me, I connected very much with the characters, and by the end Adams had me ugly crying so hard that I had to set the book aside–it tour my heart out, and yet it was a most beautiful scene… be ready to have your world rocked as you fall in love with the five main characters.

Honestly, this is a beautiful, poignant story that is definitely a must read. Yes, it made me cry, but overall it’s a story of triumphs, and there is a believable happy ending. In my opinion, the only aspect that needs work is the cover. Unfortunately, the cover is one I would definitely pass up in a bookstore or anywhere I saw it, truth be told, because it looks too fake and it just isn’t interesting to me. A new cover, sleek cover would grab readers’ attention, which needs to happen because this is an amazing, poignant read. And you really do need to read it. Five stars.

I purchased this novel from the author at a book festival.

Amazon Paperback | Kindle

{August 14, 2014} {Blog Tour: Review and Excerpt} Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

Review:

From Goodreads: 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.

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

Paperback | Kindle

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Excerpt:

I still couldn’t believe Dad’s good news. Months and months of research. Unceasing energy and determination. I hadn’t allowed myself the belief that it wouldn’t work. There was too much at stake for the animals. Especially Dolly. And now she was coming home to live with me instead of that nasty excuse for a trainer. I’d won!

I ate standing up. The microwave never cooked evenly so the outside edges were hotter than the middle. I didn’t care. I was starved. I didn’t even bother to chew until the fifth bite.

Footsteps in the hall behind me signaled Tinker must be off the phone. I waited for him to pick up our previous conversation, or tell me about some part of his day that I’d missed while stuck inside the walls of learning. But there was only silence. I turned and found him standing in the kitchen doorway, his hands limp at his sides and the most confused expression I’d ever seen on his face.

“Tinker?”

No answer.

He stared at a spot on the wood-planked wall that bordered the breakfast nook. My eyes followed his and I found a tiny cross-stitched plaque that read “Home Is Where the Heart Is” in blue thread. Grandma had sewn it years before I’d been born.

“Tinker?” I repeated. “Who was on the phone?”

“A friend of mine, lives down by Port Creek.” His voice was distant, hollow.

I hadn’t been worried until the moment our eyes locked. When they did, it felt like a tidal wave rushing up to meet me. Suddenly, I knew that whatever he was about to say would be very, very bad.

“Whisper …”

The doorbell rang, its chime echoing through the otherwise still house. I stared back at Tinker. Something final rested in his eyes. The only time I’d ever seen him look like that …

“I’ll get it,” I said around the lump in my throat.

I tossed the spaghetti aside and went to the door, sliding carefully by Tinker on my way. I didn’t want to touch him. It was something about the energy he gave off, and I knew if I touched him it would infect me. He didn’t move to follow.

I pulled open the door and found a man in a dark uniform staring back at me. The shiny silver buttons on his shirt matched a gleaming badge on his belt loop. His hat was big enough that, had it been yellow, this could’ve been a scene from Curious George Goes to Colorado.

“Ms. Whisper Grant?” he asked. His thin lips arched into a frown when he spoke.

“Yes?” I said. Tinker came up behind me. I felt his hand come down heavily onto my shoulder.

“I’m State Trooper Nelson. This is Hefley.” He gestured to another man off to the side, who I hadn’t even noticed, on the porch but away from the light of the door. His expression matched the first man’s. If they were going for gentle or caring, the twist in their lip ruined it.

Nelson consulted a single sheet of paper attached to the clipboard he held. “Says here your birthday was three weeks ago. You’re eighteen now. Is that correct?” he asked without looking up.

“Correct,” I confirmed. “Can I help you?” I asked. I felt the spray of another approaching wave and braced myself.

“Guess that makes you the official emergency contact.” He sighed like he’d hoped for a different answer. “I’m afraid I have some bad news. There was an accident. On the bridge near Port Creek. A pickup truck went over the embankment. The vehicle was registered to a Shawn and Anna Grant. They are your parents, I believe? A man at the scene said he knew you, gave us your address.”

Tinker’s hand squeezed into my shoulder.

That’s the last thing I remember of that night.

In fact, much of the next few weeks and months that followed is still a blur. Including the night I downed a pill bottle full of Xanax and went to sleep. Even after five months at Skye View, I still can’t remember it all. Over time, it’s become easier to cope with the missing pockets of time. To cope with the numbing sadness, the raging anger, the quiet desperation that came out of that moment of loss. But I’m still not me.

Tinker said I lost myself. He said it’s what animals do when the pain of loss is too much to bear. He said one day, I’ll find myself again. A new me, a version who is able to live despite the loss I’ve suffered. I told him that sounds like something Grandma would say. He said he learned it from her, and he’s learning to find himself again, too.

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About the Author:

Author of Across the Galaxy, Whisper, and the Dirty Blood series. I write, read, and fuss at my kids. Oh, and I do laundry, lots of laundry. I’m pretty good at it, too. Sometimes I even read WHILE doing laundry – and fussing at my kids. I’m a multi-tasker.

For more information on my books, release dates, or just general stalker material, um, I mean FAN material, visit my website. www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers!

Likes and dislikes? I love vintage tees, hate socks with sandals, and if my house was on fire the one thing I’d grab is my Amazon Fire TV! (oh yeah, I’m a fan of puns.)

Website / Facebook / Twitter

{August 13, 2014} {Cover Reveal} Perception: A New Adult Anthology — Featuring Nealy Gihan, Scott Davis, Mary Laufer, Linda Davis, and Heather Hildenbrand

Perception: A New Adult Anthology

Releasing September 10, 2014

The world will never look the same…

There comes a defining moment in every young person’s life that irrevocably shifts their point of view. For a new teacher who still compares herself to her students, it’s a missing girl and a false accusation that could cost her more than her career. For a young man who settles into a rut that not even his broken marriage can pull him out of, it’s a drifter’s gun to his head. For an idealistic college student, it’s her parents’ divorce pulling back the curtain on who they really are, shattering everything she thought she knew about love. And for a recovering addict who’s not ready to change, it might just be an unhappy ending to her illicit affair.

In Perception, discover five captivating stories that explore what it means to be a new adult.

Links to find the authors:
Nealy Gihan, author of Drive, on Facebook
Scott Davis, author of Outlaw, on Twitter
Mary Laufer, author of Missing, on Facebook
Linda Davis, author of My Boyfriend is a Senator, on Elephantine’s author list
Heather Hildenbrand, author of The Talisman, on Facebook

For more information and other releases, visit us at:
http://www.elephantinepublishing.com

FICTION FREEBIES: free stories, excerpts, and interviews from Elephantine authors. Sign up and get inboxed!

{August 13, 2014} {Release Day Blitz} Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

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Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

New Adult Paranormal Fantasy

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…

Purchase

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1kzLPzd

Barnes & Noble: Coming Soon

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About the Author:

Author of Across the Galaxy, Whisper, and the Dirty Blood series. I write, read, and fuss at my kids. Oh, and I do laundry, lots of laundry. I’m pretty good at it, too. Sometimes I even read WHILE doing laundry – and fussing at my kids. I’m a multi-tasker.

For more information on my books, release dates, or just general stalker material, um, I mean FAN material, visit my website. www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers!

Likes and dislikes? I love vintage tees, hate socks with sandals, and if my house was on fire the one thing I’d grab is my Amazon Fire TV! (oh yeah, I’m a fan of puns.)

Website / Facebook / Twitter

{August 11, 2014} {Review} Common Descent by Natasha Larry (Darwin’s Children #3)

From Goodreads: Eighteen-year old Jaycie Lerner’s telekinesis is finally in check – too bad levitating a picnic table is now a workout. Not to mention her previously dormant telepathy is back and raging out of control. As she struggles to manage her frightening power, the Dey-Vah announce they will soon reveal the supernatural world to the human race. To make matters worse, people start dropping dead all over northern Alabama. Then, a mysterious new enemy emerges. Jaycie must elicit the help of the world’s only master vampire slayer and an assassin who converses with the voices in her head. Strengthening the Core is the only way to protect mankind from the coming vampire army, and that’s not even their most dangerous threat. Jaycie and her family face their darkest hour when an innocent young girl serves as a pawn to form a deadly Alliance. The perfect vampire, Lilith Bradshaw, becomes an eye-opening example of how far the Alliance will go to serve their own destructive ends. The world around Jaycie plummets into darkness, and betrayals from the past threaten to undo them all.

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Jaycie Lerner’s story continues in this third installment of the Darwin’s Children series, an action packed ride for those in love with all things paranormal. As is Larry’s nature, this novel indeed picks up where the Unnatural Law left us, and we thrust deep into the storyline from the very first page.

As is true in all things, once one aspect of Jaycie’s life within the Core seems fixed, all hell breaks loose elsewhere. Such is the case time and time again as Jaycie, her beau Matt, Haylee, and the entire cast of characters complete or smooth over an aspect within the novel. I almost feel bad for them; while there is some downtime, much of the novel itself is action related as Jaycie attempts to figure out the truth behind her enemies and the growing vampire army intent on destroying everything she holds dear. And yet, these constant events keep the novel hopping with its fast paced nature, easily gluing readers to the pages as it all unfolds.

Jaycie and Haylee continued to grow on me throughout this novel, and at this point, I really do love them. As their budding relationships blossom as well, there are some swoonworthy scenes that steal the show, as it were. And as the threats around Jaycie and Haylee abound, I couldn’t help but begin to really fret for their safety, especially at the end, where Larry again throws readers one hell of a cliffhanger. I’m looking forward to the fourth installment already! Four stars.

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

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 10, 2014} {ARC Review} Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

From Goodreads: Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder’s mother is cursed with a spell that’s driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city’s secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they’re not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don’t always seem to stay that way.

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If you enjoy magical-realism and/or the paranormal set within the realms of everyday life, then I highly suggest you pick up this novel. It reminded me just a touch of the movie Sin City based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, with the spells and abilities replacing superpowers and villains, though I wouldn’t say Dark Metropolis is nearly as gruesome or action packed. Secrets abound, magic flies, and as the novel unfolds, Dolamore does a great job foreshadowing what’s to come, nudging readers in the right direction as they attempt to figure out just what is at work in the depths of the city.

I enojyed the characterization and the surprise at the end, and am interested to see what happens next in this surreal world full of danger and magic. Told from the perspective of multiple characters, a writing style that I just adore, I think many will enjoy this series. Four stars.

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

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 9, 2014} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 109–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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Holding On by Rachael Brownell

For five years Becca has been struggling to hide her feelings for her best friend, Brad. Now she finally has a chance to move on. She’s in a new city, she’s attending a new school, and she’s met the first guy besides Brad who’s held her attention in a long time. Not only is Ethan attractive, he’s an amazing tennis player, and he might just be Becca’s match on and off the courts.

Brad has loved Becca for as long as he can remember. Now that Becca’s family has moved two thousand miles away, Brad may finally be ready to lay his heart on the line and do whatever it takes to hold on to Becca.

But is Brad too late? Or will Ethan’s secret drive Becca back into Brad’s arms? Torn between her love for Brad and the promise of something new and exciting with Ethan, Becca has an almost impossible choice to make, the choice between letting go or holding on.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Glass Frost by Liz DeJesus

When Cinderella’s glass slipper is stolen, Queen Felicia sends her faithful steward Terrance to the real world to retrieve his love and witch-in-training, Bianca Frost. The power of the glass slipper in the wrong hands could ruin peace in Everafter. Bianca must gather every bit of magic she has learned in the past few weeks to find the slipper and protect her new love. Together, Bianca, Ming, Prince Ferdinand, and Terrance venture deep into the heart of Everafter to seek clues as to who has stolen the slipper and why. Along the way, they uncover what happened to the Seven Dwarves after Snow White married the prince, but also learn the awful risk of tampering with black magic and the high price that must be paid for magical aid, even when used for good.

Bianca and Terrance’s relationship is put to the test. Through the pain of suffering and loss, Bianca must determine if following her gallant boyfriend into his faraway world is in fact her heart’s desire.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Broken Series (All 4 Books) by Dawn Pendleton

All four books of Dawn Pendleton’s Broken Series are combined in this set: Broken Promises, Broken Dreams, Broken Pieces, and Broken Valentine.

Broken Promises: After three years in Boston attending college, Mallory Wells has come home to Casper, Maine to care for her father, who is dying from cancer. She left Casper without looking back, leaving her small-town life and everyone in it, behind. Including her sexy high school sweetheart.

Luke Bates was devastated when Mallory left him for the city life. He managed to pull himself together and move on, even if only just barely. When Mallory shows up in town, Luke vows to stay away from her at all costs. So why does he want to spend as much time with her as he can? He knows she’s going back to Boston eventually, but he just can’t resist the lure of Mallory. Even if it means he’s heartbroken again when she leaves.

Broken Dreams: Rainey Daniels has been keeping a secret since she left her hometown, three years ago. The death of a friend’s father, though, has her questioning whether or not running away from her past is what’s best for her future. Add sexy Chris Baker in the mix and she’s even more unsure. After all, life is short.

Baker is an all-around good guy with a great sense of humor struggling to keep his new bar afloat. And he always thought Rainey was hot, even when she carried a few extra pounds in high school. Hell, he thinks she’s too skinny now. He knows she’s hiding something, too, but when he pushes the issue, she pushes him away. He tries not to care; she only wants a summer fling, right? But when her life is threatened, he realizes he may just be in love with her… and then he learns her secret.

Can they find love together before it’s too late?

Broken Pieces: It’s been a rough year for Gabby Peterman. Her best friend’s dad died six months ago, her other best friend has leukemia and isn’t doing well, and her marriage? After three years, it’s more of a joke than a relationship. Despite all the odds, she’s managed to stay strong for the people around her, supporting them through all their trials. But when death strikes again and one of her closest friends disappears, Gabby loses it.

On the verge of a mental breakdown himself, Wolfe Landon will do anything to win Gabby over. But first, he’s going to prove to her just how much he cares and loves her, because losing her will rip out his heart and soul.

Broken Valentine: Mallory and Luke have been joyously living out their happily ever after. With a baby on the way, they think nothing could ruin their happiness. When the baby’s life is in danger, though, they’ve got a tough decision to make.

**This is a new adult series and is recommended for people 18+**

Find it on Amazon.

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My Skylar by Penelope Ward

This book is recommended for readers over the age of 18 due to strong language and explicit sexual content.

From the author of the #1 bestselling romance, Jake Undone, comes a friends-to-lovers story of longing, passion, betrayal and redemption…with a twist that will rip your heart out.

Skylar was my best friend, but I secretly pined for her. One thing after another kept us apart, and I’ve spent the last decade in fear of losing her forever.

First, it was the cancer, but she survived only to face the unthinkable at my hands. Because of me, she left town. For years, I thought I’d never see her again.

But now she’s back…and living with him.

I don’t deserve her after everything I’ve put her through, but I can’t live without her. This is my last chance because she’s about to make the biggest mistake of her life. I can see it her eyes: she doesn’t love him. She still loves me…which is why I have to stop her before it’s too late.

My Skylar is a STANDALONE story of 99,000 words and a companion to the novel, Jake Undone. It does NOT need to be read in conjunction with any other book.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Pandora by Laura Howard, et. al

*20 COMPLETE FULL-LENGTH NOVELS & NOVELLAS*

Whether you love paranormal in the form of romance, mystery, or fantasy, this boxed set will entice your preternatural sensibilities.

With:

Riley J Ford, NY Times & USA Today Bestseller: INTO YOU–Winter knows exactly what her friends are thinking, but there’s a catch…

Rebecca Hamilton, Amazon Bestselling & Film-Optioned Novelist: HER SWEETEST DOWNFALL–Ophelia’s initiation won’t be complete until she kills the man she loves.

Apryl Baker, Amazon Bestselling & Film-Optioned Novelist: THE AWAKENING–Bones breaking and muscles tearing haunt Alexandria Reed.

Carole Lanham, Amazon Bestselling Author & Bram Stoker Award Nominee: CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE–“There are monsters in this world. Sometimes I have fallen victim to them and sometimes I have been one.”

Thomas Sullivan, Pulitzer Prize Nominee: THE WATER WOLF–An adventurer searching for links in a colossal subterranean network finds a dangerous churchyard where he encounters strange magic.

Rainy Kaye, Amazon Bestselling Author: SUMMONED–A reluctant genie criminal unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him.

Conner Kressley, Amazon Bestselling Author: THE BREAKER’S CODE–Cresta thinks everything is the end of the world. She might be right.

Laura Howard, Amazon Bestselling Author: THE FORGOTTEN ONES

Noree Cosper, B.R.A.G. Medallion: A PRESCRIPTION FOR DELIRIUM–Madness spreading like a virus and a revenge that’s waited for over 500 years.

Louise Caiola, Amazon Bestselling Author: WHAT TRULY KNOWS–Some said Truly was born with a gift. Others, a curse. But it was the very thing meant to save her life. If it didn’t kill her first.

Susan Stec, Amazon Bestselling Author: DEAD GIRLS NEVER SHUT UP–Toni’s grandmother is a psychopath. Her sister is a ghost. Her boyfriend is possessed. And she has no idea who she is.

Kelly Anne Blount, Amazon Bestselling Author: SHADE–The traumatic kidnapping of Abriana Vega, a Hispanic college student.

Christi Goddard, Amazon Bestselling Author: FOUR IN THE MORNING–When a smart-ass magical creature invades Kathleen’s life, a boy she hates turns up dead and her mother goes missing.

Steven Katriel, Amazon Bestselling Author: THE PORTRAIT OF ALATIEL SALAZAR–When Helena vanishes from his life, Gabriel journeys to the man responsible for her disappearance.

DelSheree Gladden, Amazon Bestselling Author: INVISIBLE–Being invisible won’t hide Mason for long.

Angela Fristoe, TheNextBigWriter 2010 Strongest Start Romance Winner: LIE TO ME

Heather Kenealy, MTV’s “Stan Lee presents the Seekers” winner: THE TRAITORS’ TRILOGY

Peter Dawes, BBF Reader’s Choice Award: EYES OF THE SEER

Samantha LaFantasie: MADE TO FORGET

Rachel Walter: TRUE CONNECTION

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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This Much is True by Katherine Owen

Both on the verge of fame. A ballerina who lies. A baseball player who believes her. Well, the truth changes everything.

Since Valentine’s Day, Tally Landon has owned the most tragic story at Paly High. Now, she just wants to graduate, pursue her ballet career in New York, and leave this personal tragedy of hers far behind. Her best friend convinces her to attend one last party–a college party–where she meets Stanford’s latest baseball wonder. Tally has a little fun at this guy’s expense when she lies about her age and who she really is, intent on being someone else for just one night. After all, what’s the harm in a few innocent lies, especially when she’s so good at telling them?

Lincoln Presley’s future is all mapped out. There is only baseball. With the big leagues circling with a lucrative offer, the star pitcher is solely focused upon securing his future. His cousin’s party serves as a welcome distraction but then he sees the girl from Valentine’s Day–the one he rescued from the burning wreckage on the 101. He can’t quite hide his disappointment when she appears to look right through him, obviously not remembering him at all. Linc vows to learn her name at least. What would be the harm in getting to know this girl? What’s the worst that can happen?

Fate brings them together. Fame & lies tear them apart. One truth remains…

Find it on Amazon.

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Red Moon by M.A. Grant

Dark, moving and original, a story of family, survival, and getting on with life…

Flynn Sinclair understands pack loyalty — for years as his Alpha father’s enforcer, he has done things in the name of duty that he can’t ever forget. But the vast expanse of Alaska offers him a peace he’s never known. Alone, removed from pack life, he can focus on his research and try to forget his life before.

But duty has a way of inviting itself in, and Flynn finds himself doing two reckless things in one week: leaving the safety of Alaska to save his brother Connor’s life, and unwittingly falling in love with Evie Thompson, a woman who doesn’t deserve to be drawn into his terrifying world.

Connor carries news of their father’s descent into madness, and it looks like neither geography nor Flynn’s attempts at disengagement will put off a confrontation. Flynn had finally begun to believe that he might deserve something good in his life — something like Evie — but to move forward in the light, he must first reconcile with the dark.

Find it on Amazon.

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Charged by L.M. Moore

We are not alone…we never have been.

When ex-cop Lewis Kagen learns his childhood friend has been viciously murdered, his sheer determination to hunt down the killer has him breaking all the rules. And the FBI is more interested in confiscating what Lewis has found rather than searching for the murderer. The only real piece of evidence doesn’t lead Lewis where he thinks it will. Instead, it drags him into the depths of the earth where he discovers mankind is not alone and hasn’t been for centuries.

Book two – The Drid, now available
Book three – Dekka, to be released soon

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Love Finds a Way (Boxed Set) by Karen Booth, Margaret Ethridge, Karen Stivali, and Holly Gilliatt

Four unconventional love stories, from popular and bestselling romance authors, each with sequels from Turquoise Morning Press.

BRING ME BACK by Karen Booth

Claire Abby was a starry-eyed teenager when she fantasized that British rock star Christopher Penman was her boyfriend. More than twenty years later, she’s about to fall in love with him for real.

CONTENTMENT by Margaret Ethridge

Fifteen years after saying, “I do”, Tracy Sullivan feels lost in a tangle of marriage, family, home, and career. Poised on the verge of losing it all, she embarks on a quest to redefine her life. With the help of a few good friends and the enduring love of her husband, she discovers that while happiness is fleeting, contentment can last a lifetime.

MEANT TO BE by Karen Stivali

Sometimes you’re already committed to the wrong person when fate finally brings you the right one. Daniel and Marienne’s friendship has helped them weather every hardship—now they’re both secretly wondering if it can survive a first kiss.

′TIL ST. PATRICK’S DAY by Holly Gilliatt

Over the course of one winter, three best friends encounter what happens when love doesn’t go according to plan.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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The Long Way Home by Andrea Stark

Terra is 28, single, and muddling through her life as though locked in a time capsule of early adulthood. She obsesses about an old crush, commiserates with her best friend from high school and scours her old diaries for answers. That is, until a strange encounter with a violent waitress whisks her back to the world she documented in her diaries — a world where she is 16 years old, her life hasn’t yet ground to a screeching halt, and she might still have a chance with the boy of her dreams. As Terra sets out to change the mistakes she made as a teenager, she discovers that her memories and reality don’t quite fit together in this new version of her old life. A boy who claims to be in love with her becomes more dark and controlling, her own crush is more aloof than ever, and a mysterious girl lurks in the periphery, threatening to tear down the walls of Terra’s past. As the truth begins to unravel, Terra slips into a time-bending spiral of memories and lost dreams that she might not be able to escape with her life.

Find it on Amazon.

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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 8, 2014} {Review} The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

From Goodreads: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. Having missed her flight, she’s stuck at JFK airport and late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it.

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This was a very cute YA romance, taking place over a 24 hour period. Beginning with a missed flight, everything falls into place for Hadley as she meets Oliver, a beautiful boy sharing her flight to England. As they talk and get to really know one another during their eight hour flight, their connections to one another continually grow, only to have it all dashed by the bustle of the customs agency as they land. Separated, Hadley resigns herself to the idea that she’ll never see him again… or will she?

Ultimately, this is a novel of love, loss, and forgiveness, and it’s extremely interesting and well written. Although it focuses on the budding relationship of Hadley and Oliver, two very well written characters, there is still more to the story, including family tensions, heartache, and as I already said, forgiveness. Though some of the events struck me as far-fetched, it’s a sweet tale of love, and if you’re looking for a cute, short read, then I highly suggest picking this one up. Four stars.

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

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 8, 2014} {Spotlight} Witch Hunter Olivia by T.A. Kunz

Here’s what New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors are saying about Witch Hunter Olivia by T.A. Kunz:

“Witch hunters and sexy tattoo artists? This New Adult Paranormal is EVERYTHING fans of romance and action are looking for.”

– #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

“A fun, action-packed, enjoyable read!”

– New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack

“The perfect blend of New Adult and Paranormal. It’s absolutely fantastic!”

– New York Times bestselling author Nichole Chase

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Reviewers are calling Witch Hunter Olivia “amazing, fun, well-written, and entertaining.” You don’t want to miss the hottest New Adult paranormal romance of the summer!

Read my 5 star review!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the town of Piedmont Pointe, where paranormal is the norm, a girl can easily get herself in over her head with a single wrong move. Unfortunately for Olivia Adams, she’s about to make several.

Starting over is never easy, but it seemed like the only option to Olivia. The decision to turn her back on the Guild of Witch Hunters, the very group she devoted her entire life to, was one of the hardest things she ever did. It meant leaving her family, her friends, and her old identity behind forever. Coming to terms with what caused her to abandon her duties in the first place was even harder.

While trying to lay low and stay off the Guild’s radar, Olivia finds herself thrust back into her old ways after unknowingly interrupting an assassination hit on a powerful witch. What follows is the last thing she ever thought she’d agree to do–protect the very thing she was groomed to hunt.

To complicate things even further, Olivia begins to develop feelings for a tattoo artist who also happens to be half warlock, and no matter how hard she tries to fight it, she can’t resist her inescapable draw to him. Olivia’s forbidden relationship isn’t her only issue though, because once the mystery behind the assassination attempt starts to unravel, she’s forced to choose sides when the loyalties still tied to her past life are tested again.

So much for the idea of a fresh start.

BUY THE BOOK NOW:

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AUS ~ B&N ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author T.A. Kunz has always had a fondness for reading thrilling mysteries and action-packed urban fantasies. So, it was no surprise when T.A. decided to write stories that they’d fall into one of those two genres. T.A. lives in Central Florida with two fur babies and a mechanical engineer who also happens to be quite the culinary badass, which there are no complaints about. Being a self-diagnosed caffeine addict, many joke that T.A.’s addiction to Starbucks coffee will likely be their downfall later in life.

STALK THE AUTHOR:

Website ~ Twitter

{August 7, 2014} {Review} The Things You Kiss Goodbye by Leslie Connor

From Goodreads: Bettina Vasilis can hardly believe it when basketball star Brady Cullen asks her out, and she just about faints when her strict father actually approves of him.

But when school starts up again, Brady changes. What happened to the sweet boy she fell in love with? Then she meets a smoldering guy in his twenties, and this “cowboy” is everything Brady is not—gentle, caring, and interested in getting to know the real Bettina.

Bettina knows that breaking up with Brady would mean giving up her freedom—and that it would be inappropriate for anything to happen between her and Cowboy. Still, she can’t help that she longs for the scent of his auto shop whenever she’s anywhere else.

When tragedy strikes, Bettina must tell her family the truth—and kiss goodbye the things she thought she knew about herself and the men in her life.

Leslie Connor has written a lyrical, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about family, romance, and the immense power of love.

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Connor captures the essence of a low self-esteemed, smitten teenaged girl traversing her first-ever relationship in this novel, and as we all know, love is “blind.” Thus, Bettina makes excuse after excuse for her abusive, sexually aggressive boyfriend, and she continually goes back to him time and time again, even after her hurts her in ways that no person should never allow. On the outside looking in, it’s easy to judge. I judged Bettina, and I’m sure any and all readers are going to do the same. We don’t understand her choices; we are screaming at her to wake up, to break up with Brady, to listen to Cowboy and pull it together. But sometimes it isn’t as easy for the person actually in the relationship to do that. If it were, I feel like there wouldn’t be as many domestic violence cases in the news—that no woman/man would allow it to happen to them, but think about it. There are many, many women in Bettina’s place right now. Why?

This novel is very realistic, and it’s not a happy story. There certainly is no happy ending, Bettina’s home life isn’t the best, her psyche is damaged, and she’s looking for love in all the wrong places. And though we may not want to acknowledge it, this is true for many teens out there in the world. It’s also true that there are teens out there with great families, great high schools, great relationships, and happy endings. This story isn’t one of them, though, and that’s okay. Even though it’s depressing and really not necessarily enjoyable for me as a reader, it’s real, and that’s why it’s so powerful. Perhaps that’s also why we don’t like it? No, I didn’t love this story. But I didn’t hate it, either. It’s somewhat eye opening for me as a reader, and makes me want to be even more vigilant and less condemning of others who are in situations that I just can’t understand. It also makes me want to help—to keep my eyes open and intervene when I can. Perhaps that’s the point of the story? Three and a half stars.

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

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 6, 2014} {Giveaway} Win an 8×10 Signed Silas Weir Mitchell Photo–Monroe from GRIMM

On August 3, I had the opportunity to attend the Shore Leave Convention, an annual sci-fi con that apparently takes place every year. I’d never heard of it, but the newspaper had a little write-up about it, and when I saw that Silas Weir Mitchell—Monroe from GRIMM—was going to be in attendance, I drove right up!

I wandered around for a while and it was definitely an experience, from the people dressed up to the Tardis booth, there were lots of interesting people and attractions to see. I met Michael Welch while there—Mike Newton from Twilight, among other roles—and had him sign all my Twilight books; he was really chill and nice about it. And cute.

And then I attended an hour long question and answer with Silas Weir Mitchell, and it was amazing. He was funny, articulate, and very much Monroe. It was awesome to hear about how he got his start in acting, how GRIMM actually came to be, and what all his fellow co-stars were like. His mannerisms and facial expressions were the definition of Monroe, and it was so cool to actually see him up close (I was in row 2) and realize how much he really made Monroe his own character. Perfection.

There was a signing a little while after his question and answer session, and so I did get to talk to him just a tiny bit while he signed some photos for me, and you know that I’m always thinking of my blog readers and potential giveaways whenever I go somewhere cool, so you know I got Silas to sign an 8×10 photo of himself just for a giveaway on the blog.

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So, without further ado, I give you the signed 8×10 Silas Weir Mitchell photo that I’m giving away to one lucky winner, complete with a photo protector. This is an international giveaway. Good luck!

To enter you must:

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

-Complete 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 10th. The winner will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

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And don’t forget to enter my other epic giveaways:

Win a signed hardcover of Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater, an exclusive book wrapper of Sinner, and tons of signed swag–ENDS August 10

Win a Signed Paperback of The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay plus tons of signed swag–ENDS August 17

Win a Signed Paperback of The Mechanic by Tim O’Rourke–ENDS August 20

Your Choice Recent Release–ENDS September 1

{August 5, 2014} {Release Day Launch} Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

IT’S HERE!!!! I am so very excited to share with your the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s OPPOSITION!

OPPOSITION is a young adult Paranormal Romance being published by Entangled Teen and the fifth book Armentrout’s her LUX Series!

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | IndieBound | Others via Entangled

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About OPPOSITION:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can’t believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

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EXCERPT:

Katy

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

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

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

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

“Daemon?” I whispered, voice thick.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Don’t miss the books that started it all…

LUX: BEGINNINGS:

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Barnes and Noble | BAM | Powell’s Books | Book Depository

LUX: CONSEQUENCES

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Barnes and Noble | BAM | Powell’s Books | Book Depository

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About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website Twitter Facebook Author Goodreads OPPOSITION on Goodreads

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And make sure you enter the GIVEAWAY!

You could win:

a Lux Series Basket with Lux themed jewelry

a signed set of the Lux Series

and a $50 gift card to a retailer of the winner’s choice (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound).

Click HERE to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway

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{August 4, 2014} {ARC Review} The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco

From Goodreads: You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night.

A dead girl walks the streets.

She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago.

And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan.

Because the boy has a terrifying secret – one that would just kill to get out.

The Girl from the Well is A YA Horror novel pitched as “Dexter” meets “The Grudge”, based on a well-loved Japanese ghost story.

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This novel is intense—from the very beginning—and scary to boot! If you’ve seen The Ring, then you’re familiar with the insanely creepy girl that crawls out of the well, out of the TV, and into the life of strangers—to kill them. Well, that very frightening girl is indeed our narrator! Talk about scary! Now, while the narrator, Okiku, is the same ghost-like figure from the movie, this is not that story. Instead, Chupeco focused heavily on the Japanese folklore surrounding Okiku’s murder and her ghostly decision to murder child killers and protect the pure of heart.

Opening with Okiku standing on the ceiling observing a vile man who has murdered a young child, the introduction quickly escalates as Okuku removes all the lights and taunts the man as she appears in his mirror, crawls out of his bathtub, and ultimately sends him screaming to his watery death. INTENSE. I began this novel on a sunny afternoon, and I had chills as I descended into this amazing story. And it only gets better from there.

As the story progresses, we see other characters through Okiku’s eye and also learn more about her and why she is haunting the world—including the circumstances surrounding her death. As the living main character, Tark comes on the scene, the ghost’s interest is piqued, and we learn much about ancient Japanese beliefs, the spirit world, and exorcisms. Of course, I saved the novel for the nighttime because I do enjoy a good scare, and that’s exactly what I got…

The writing is unique, and our ghost, Okiku, is fascinated with numbers, hence, her constant counting throughout the novel. While generally a silent entity throughout, observing those around her but rarely speaking with them, we still learn so much about her and, as Tark’s darkness becomes ever more present, the things that go bump in the night will leave narrators completely and utterly petrified. I loved the characterization, and while not all the events seemed plausible to me in terms of how Tark’s father treated him, etc., the eerie nature of the novel has be almost believing in ghosts myself…

This novel is great–from the scare factor to the characterization, I was in love from the very beginning. Read it. You don’t want to miss this fantastic story. Five stars.

I received this novel from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review prior to its release tomorrow, August 5, 2014.

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble

{August 4, 2014} {Cover Reveal} Cherish by Tracey Garvis-Graves (Covet #1.5)

I am so excited to share with you the gorgeous cover for Cherish, a novel by New York Times Bestselling Author Tracey Garvis-Graves!

This novella is a companion to Covet.

Title: Cherish (Covet 1.5)

Author: Tracey Garvis-Graves

Age Group: Adult

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Contemporary Romance

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Fans of Covet by New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves will be delighted by this novella-length sequel.

When Daniel Rush wakes up in the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the head, the last person he expects to see at his bedside is his ex-wife Jessica. Their marriage disintegrated after the death of their infant son Gabriel, and Daniel gave Jessie what he thought she wanted: the freedom to start over with someone else. But Daniel never updated his emergency contact information, and Jessie is the one who receives the call with the devastating news.

Daniel was Jessie’s one true love. Together since college, Jessie had dreams of raising a family with Daniel, and growing old together. When Gabriel died, Jessie buried those dreams with her beloved son and shut everyone out, including Daniel.

Daniel faces months of grueling rehabilitation and he’s going to need some help. Jessie is the last person anyone expects to volunteer, but this is her one chance to make amends, giving her and Daniel a shot at getting things right this time.

The road to recovery will be long and arduous. But with Jessie leading the way, Daniel just might be able to get his old life back.

Daniel knows how to covet. But can Jessie help him remember how to cherish?

*Please note that this is a novella-length sequel. Reading Covet before Cherish is highly recommended in order to enhance your reading pleasure.

See where Daniel’s story begins, with Covet

GoodReads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

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About Tracey Garvis-Graves

Tracey Garvis-Graves is the author of On the Island and Covet. She lives in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa with her husband, two children, and hyper dog Chloe. She blogs at http://www.traceygarvisgraves.com using colorful language and a snarky sense of humor to write about pop culture, silly television shows, and her suburban neighborhood. You can e-mail her at traceygarvisgraves@yahoo.com. She’d love to hear from you.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | GoodReads

{August 3, 2014} {Review} Shoveling Snow by Brett Sills

From Goodreads: Ben and Caroline barely recognize each other any more. Their once solid relationship now broken and beaten by unfathomable events, leaving only a shell of past promise. When pressure cracks the last vestiges of their bond, Ben hastily leaves their Southern California home, pointing the car east to what he hopes is the edge of the Earth. After driving until he can no further, he settles in the small, coastal town of Swintonport, Maine to lose himself in quiet and anonymity, renting the quaint guesthouse of Maggie and her ten-year-old daughter, Smoof. But when tragedy strikes his landlord’s family, Ben is confronted with a sobering truth reminiscent of the one he left behind.

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This is an intriguing novel in which our three dysfunctional main characters must learn to lean on one another in order to heal. A man, Ben, running from a relationship, a teacher, Rose, wishing for a connection with her estranged son, and a young girl, Smoof, wishing for her mother’s recovery all tie unlikely bonds to one another as the novel unfolds.

Initially, readers are only given the overview of each character, but as the novel progresses, we are given deeper insight, and as the truth comes out concerning the Ben’s reason’s for running, the Rose’s reasons for estrangement, and the Smoof’s heartbreaking family circumstances, the puzzle pieces begin to click and it leaves readers with feelings of hope for the future.

It’s a very well written piece, more so for those who enjoy adult fiction (not because of anything sexual–that’s just the genre) as the novel truly focuses on the adults in the story as they attempt to overcome their past in order to help young Smoof have a brighter future. It’s a story that will make you think, and while the end is a bit abrupt, leaving me with a yearning to know more/read more, based on the characters and all they’ve been through, it is indeed perfect. Four stars.

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

Amazon

{August 2, 2014} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 108–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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Sin: Part 1 by Casey L. Bond

My name is Morgan Sinclare. My father is a United States Senator. He’s kept me locked away for most of my life in private all-girl schools, in our home. But I just heard what he has planned for me. He’s sold my hand to the highest bidder. I’m supposed to marry one of his friends, someone twice my age. I’m biding my time, acting like the giddy bride-to-be, like the dutiful daughter.

We are to elope as soon as possible to seal the deal. I acted devastated that I wouldn’t get my dream wedding, so they’re letting me choose the honeymoon location. I’ve always heard that Las Vegas is a magical place. And I think it’s time I disappear….

SIN is part of a serial series. A new part will release each month varying in length from 15-25,000 words. It is comparable to episodes in a television show, with the next part taking off where the previous part ended.

Intended for readers ages 18+ due to language and adult situations.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Honey Queen by Christina Mercer

Love is honey sweet, but it comes with a fatal sting . . .

Melaina Maris needs wings to fly the gap between loving Sam and her family’s ancient curse that forces carnal love and then kills the male lovers. She won’t let the same fate that killed her father befall another. She refuses to allow her goddess-created bloodline to continue. But there’s no easy way out, especially after the curse turns her into the Honey Queen-savior to honey bees-intensifying her charms.

To help her fulfill the curse’s demands in the least harmful way, her grandmother takes her to mate with terminally ill Boyd. But Boyd’s gay. And an expert in mythology. Instead of having sex, Melaina learns how she might summon the goddess who created the first ancestor bee-charmer and cursed her bloodline. Melaina’s magic-tears to save honey bees from endangerment-could be enough to persuade the goddess to end the curse. But an unexpected discovery soon changes that hope, spinning Melaina into a swarm of love, friendship and death.

Find it on Amazon.

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Caged by Sophie Davis

After her brush with death at Ian Crane’s compound, Talia Lyons feels like a prisoner, confined in her childhood home. Plagued with seizures- the result of an unidentified drug injected in her neck by Crane’s men- Talia must put her dream of becoming a Hunter on hold. So when Agency Director McDonough asks Talia to go undercover at the School for the Talented, to find the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, Talia jumps at the opportunity.

Soon she learns that her new-found freedom comes with a price- working with Donavon on a daily basis. As if that isn’t awkward enough, her former teammate, Erik, also shows up at the School. But at least Talia has the unexpected company of her best friend Penny; to not only assist her in uncovering the spy, but also to deal with the complications that the guys create.

As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly learns the lengths that the Agency and Mac will go in the name of war. With Crane’s influence spreading, Talia learns that there are few Operatives without ties to the Coalition. Forced to face hard truths and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it is those closest to her who are hiding the biggest secrets. As the task of finding the traitor becomes more problematic, desperation and frustration rule Talia’s world. It becomes clear that Talia can’t do this alone. But who can she trust, when everyone around her is lying?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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My Soul For You by Morgana Phoenix

You are cordially invited to have your heart’s desire come true.

For Kaitlin Claremont this is a very tall order. What wouldn’t an orphan girl living over of her aunt’s shop wish for? But when her one night of passion in the arms of sexy and completely out of her reach Kaleb turns into a nightmare, Katie realizes quickly that nothing is as it seems and there is so much more to Kaleb O’Reilly than she ever bargained for.

Kaleb has his own demons and even with all his training, he’s not prepared for the brown-eyed beauty, nor can he deny he wants her in a way that very much complicates everything. But what happens when the hunger wins and his true purpose puts Katie at risk? Can he protect her from his mistakes? And can Katie protect those she loves from a monster with no mercy?

Time is running out.
Will they kill or be killed?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Kissed by Kimberly Loth

Trapped in a dark cult, sixteen-year-old Naomi Aren has lived a quiet, albeit unhappy, life nestled deep in the hills of the Ozarks. With uncut hair, denim skirts, and only roses for friends, Naomi seldom questions why her life is different from other kids at school. Until the day her abusive father, who is also the cult’s leader, announces her wedding. Naomi must marry Dwayne Yerdin, a bully who reeks of sweat and manure and is the only one person who scares her worse than her father.

Then she meets Kai, the mysterious boy who brings her exotic new roses and stolen midnight kisses. Kisses that bring her a supernatural strength she never knew she had. As the big day approaches, Naomi unearths more secrets of about her father’s cult. She learns she has power of her own and while Kai may have awakened that power, Naomi must find a way to use it to escape Dwayne and her father—without destroying herself.

Find it on Amazon.

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A Different Kind by Lauryn April

Payton Carlson’s life is perfect – until the night she’s abducted by aliens. Now she’s plagued by pieces of memories from a night that feels as hazy as a dream, and that’s not the only strange thing that’s been happening. When Payton’s neighbor, Logan Reed, who spends every night sitting on his roof staring at the stars, starts to pay extra attention to her, Payton starts to wonder if he knows more about the night she can’t remember than she does. Suddenly finding a date to the Homecoming dance and cheering at the football games aren’t as important as they used to be – especially when the aliens return for a second time.

Find it on Amazon.

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Saving Babylon by Pyxi Rose

There are some losses you can’t come back from…

For twenty-four year old, Tempest Ishi the sudden death of her twin brother, Rafe is one of those losses. Completely destroyed by this tragedy, she becomes more of a ghost than her brother; a walking shell of who she once was. With Rafe’s suicide crippling her beyond repair, her parents fear losing another child to the darkness of depression. Faced with no other choice, they commit her in hopes of saving her, but nothing can protect her against herself.

There is no greater hate than that of loathing oneself…

Leland Baladan knows that all too well. Being born of a race of sadistic killers, he wants nothing more than to be something other than his angelic brothers. Haunted by a moment of weakness, Leland needs to make things right for the girl of smoke and sorrow. Even if it takes losing his humanity, he will save Tempest from herself, from his brothers, and above all, himself. Because when the truth of what she is to become is made known, nothing will stop his brothers from taking what is his. Because with saving her, he could save them all…

Find it on Amazon.

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Destined to Fail by Samantha March

Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, and befriends two new girls at college- Kiley and Cari. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Shadow’s Dangers by Cindy Mezni

Losing a loved one is never easy. Deliah learned to live without her parents when fate took them from her as a young girl. But history repeats itself and causes her to face even greater challenges when Tess, the woman who raised her and was like a second mother to her, passes away. Even worse than dealing with her loss is the coinciding arrival of inexplicable nightmares that haunt Deliah’s nights.

She becomes consumed with images she doesn’t understand and a recurrent dream about her parents’ car accident. Oddly, this dream details different versions from what she had always been told about the accident.

But when a new family, The Wates, arrive in town and begin to pay close attention to her, even stranger events follow. Now, Deliah must not only face her nightmares, but the possibility that a world she never suspected exists. And this world may cost her everything.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Adam’s List by Jennifer Ann

She’s ready to give up on life, hiding her depression with sarcasm and booze. He’s got a secret and quit college, with few friends to lean on. When they discover each other, the sexual attraction is undeniable. So why does it seem impossible for them to be together?

Everyone wanted to be Jewels Peterson in high school. Naturally beautiful, exceptionally smart, talented cheerleader, life of the party, and with an All-American boyfriend to boot. One regrettable choice and fatal accident later, and Jewels found herself unceremoniously knocked off her pedestal. Now she’s in college, going through the motions, but not really living.

Adam Murphy is easy-going, charming, considerate, and crazy good looking; he’s exactly the kind of guy Jewels pictures herself being happy with. But Jewels is already involved with someone, and Adam makes it known that he’s guarding a dark secret, one that makes him the wrong guy for her. Trumped by the promise of an innocent friendship, Jewels is forced to ignore her overwhelming hunger for Adam.

After Jewels unknowingly helps Adam create a bucket list, they embark on the adventure of a lifetime that pushes their platonic relationship to its limits. But does she want to be with Adam without knowing the truth behind the skeletons in his closet, or is being with him just another pointless thing in her life?

Find it on Amazon.

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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 1, 2014} {Cover Reveal} Secrets and Lies by Rachael Brownell

Secrets & Lies

by Rachael Brownell

“He wants me. He wants all of me. What he doesn’t know is that 90% of what I tell him is the truth. The other 10% is all secrets and lies.”

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.

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

{August 1, 2014} {Release Day Blitz: Review} The Reflective by Tamara Rose Blodgett (Reflection #1)

From Goodreads: Those born Reflective are the only beings with the ability to jump between worlds. With The Cause firmly entrenched by years of highly stylized military-type training in combat of every kind, they use their natural born ability for inter-dimensional travel to police worlds where wrongdoing has overtaken civility.

As an elite Reflective, Jeb Merrick finds himself partnered with a rare female Reflective. Merrick is convinced that she can do nothing but slow him down. Beth Jasper is small, in both stature and mindset. When they are thrust together as partners, Merrick vows that she will receive the same neutral treatment as a male. Merrick cannot allow the unlikely union of Beth Jasper to get in the way of finding his prophesied soulmate. .

Beth discovers she is partnered with the cockiest of all pureblood Reflectives and struggles to maintain her composure with a hostile partner whose loyalty she doesn’t possess.

Can the Reflectives uphold The Cause, reach a point of compromise and find their chosen soulmates?

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This is another beautiful story by the ever talented Tamara Rose Blodgett, a new series that combines the world of Blodgett’s Death, Blood, and Savage series, but with a completely new cast of characters.

The Reflective are part of The Cause, policing the many world by jumping through reflective sources, such as mirrors, water, knives, and the like. The novel instantly pulls the reader in as we meet Beth, a young girl intent on becoming a warrior. Her story is intriguing, and we automatically want to know more about it. Blodgett then jumps ahead a number of years, and as Beth is finally completing her training, we learn of her ill treatment and status in a world where she is the sole female reflective warrior in a world of males. Thrust together with Jeb Merrick, an intense, extremely male warrior, her story unfolds as she and Jeb jump from world to world unintentionally wreaking havoc and upending their world as they know it.

The characterization is absoltuely superb; Blodgett has created extremely vivid, realistic characters in not only actions, but also the way they speak. Her world-building is amazing as well, and I was whisked away into this intriguing story immediatley, especially with the imagery Blodgett creates through her words. I can’t wait for more!

Complete with vampires, reflectives, savages, and earthlings, readers do meet up with some old characters from Blodgett’s other series, as well as meeting a completely new set of evildoers that will leave your blood chillled.

This is an intense read that is tons of fun, though reader beware, there is a cliffhanger that will leave you dying for more. Five stars.

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

Kindle | Nook

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Superman’s Cape by Brian Spangler

Find it on Amazon.

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Be with Me by J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Fighting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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The Only One by Magan Vernon

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Beg Me to Slay By Lisa Kessler

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

Find it on Amazon.

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Inhale, Exhale by Sarah M. Ross

Find it on Amazon.

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Dream Chaser by Angie Stanton

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Mercy by Misty Provencher

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Moonlight by Tim O’Rourke

Find it on Amazon.

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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.

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Perception: A New Adult Anthology

Releasing September 10, 2014

The world will never look the same…

In Perception, discover five captivating stories that explore what it means to be a new adult.

Links to find the authors: Nealy Gihan, author of Drive, on Facebook Scott Davis, author of Outlaw, on Twitter Mary Laufer, author of Missing, on Facebook Linda Davis, author of My Boyfriend is a Senator, on Elephantine’s author list Heather Hildenbrand, author of The Talisman, on Facebook

For more information and other releases, visit us at: http://www.elephantinepublishing.com

FICTION FREEBIES: free stories, excerpts, and interviews from Elephantine authors. Sign up and get inboxed!

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Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand

New Adult Paranormal Fantasy

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.

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

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1kzLPzd

Barnes & Noble: Coming Soon

Author of Across the Galaxy, Whisper, and the Dirty Blood series. I write, read, and fuss at my kids. Oh, and I do laundry, lots of laundry. I’m pretty good at it, too. Sometimes I even read WHILE doing laundry – and fussing at my kids. I’m a multi-tasker.

For more information on my books, release dates, or just general stalker material, um, I mean FAN material, visit my website. www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers!

Likes and dislikes? I love vintage tees, hate socks with sandals, and if my house was on fire the one thing I’d grab is my Amazon Fire TV! (oh yeah, I’m a fan of puns.)

Website / Facebook / Twitter

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Holding On by Rachael Brownell

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Glass Frost by Liz DeJesus

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Broken Series (All 4 Books) by Dawn Pendleton

Find it on Amazon.

My Skylar by Penelope Ward

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Pandora by Laura Howard, et. al

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This Much is True by Katherine Owen

Find it on Amazon.

Red Moon by M.A. Grant

Find it on Amazon.

Links to find the authors:
Nealy Gihan, author of Drive, on Facebook
Scott Davis, author of Outlaw, on Twitter
Mary Laufer, author of Missing, on Facebook
Linda Davis, author of My Boyfriend is a Senator, on Elephantine’s author list
Heather Hildenbrand, author of The Talisman, on Facebook

For more information and other releases, visit us at:
http://www.elephantinepublishing.com

Read my 5 star review!