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Review: The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye
Series: The Crown's Game #1
Published by Balzer + Bray on May 17, 2016
Pages: 416
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

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Find out more about The Crown's Game and the Pre-order here!

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye (May 17, 2016, Balzer + Bray) I absolutely LOVED this book, so, I’m BEYOND excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

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The Crown’s Game was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016 and it definitely did NOT disappoint! If anything, it exceeded my expectations – by a LOT. The characters were amazing, the writing was epic and the plot was filled with magic and mayhem.

Vika was powerful and confident in her abilities. She reminded me a LOT of Alina from the Grisha trilogy. But her confidence made her a bit careless – made her feel she was a shoe-in as The Imperial Enchanter. She never even considered that there might be another enchanter out there who could best her. I loved her command of the elements, though. That was pretty awesome!

Being an orphan who had to fight for everything made Nikolai strong and determined. He has every reason to fight and win – and every reason to fear losing. The way his story ended though… HOLY CRAP!!! I did NOT expect what happened to happen! And I can’t wait to see how it’s resolved in the second book!

I really liked Pasha. He reminded me of Charles in Reign. He’ll do his duty, but he’d rather not. He’s a bit aloof. There were some moments near the middle/end where he was really awful and it really upset me, but looking back, I understand why he behaved that way and what caused him to behave that way, so I feel like I kind of forgive him now. Sort of. He still needs to earn back his brownie points!

I loved the way Vika and Nikolai one-upped each other with their powers. It’s like magical banter and more hilarious than verbal banter could have been. I definitely shipped them a LOT, but not in the beginning. Only because I actually really loved the idea of Vika and Pasha together and I shipped them until the half-way point in the book, roughly.

Plus, at times, I seriously shipped Nikolai and Renata. Their relationship gave me major Kaz/Inej feels. So when I was shipping them, it was easy to forget about my Nikolai/Vika feels. But really, I think I’d be happy with any combination of Vika/Nikaolai, Vika/Pasha, Nikolai/Renata. I just had SO MANY FEELS that, honestly, any of those ships would satisfy me. Normally I’d pick an OTP for a book, but that’s impossible to do with The Crown’s Game because all the characters are so epic, I just love all the potential pairings!

Yuliana was wise and stubborn. She’s outspoken, but she knows just the right thing to say to make every outspoken thing she says count. Also, the fact that Yuliana can handle the viciousness of the Game with a “fierce and wistful,” smile makes me just a touch afraid of her! She can also be incredibly convincing, borderline manipulative. I think she means well, but she’s steadfast in her loyalty to her country and she’ll do whatever she has to to ensure its safety, even if it means her brother’s well-being is secondary.

In two weeks, I’ll be posting for my stop on the Tsar’s Guard Parade blog tour. My post includes five random thoughts that I had while reading The Crown’s Game. I don’t want to go into too much detail on those points now because I don’t want to get repetitive. But I’ll briefly mention them here: If you were a fan of the Grisha trilogy, I HIGHLY recommend The Crown’s Game! Also, if you loved A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray! Are you a fan of Anastasia? Because I had SO MANY ANASTASIA FEELS!!! So if you love Anastasia, that’s another incentive to read The Crown’s Game right there! Finally, if you’re a fan of Fairy Tales (specifically Russian ones), there are several Fairy Tale references in The Crown’s Game! So that makes it a MUST READ for Fairy Tale fans!

This book is a FAST read, mostly because once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it down! I read the first 315 pages in 13 hours, with breaks only for food and to take care of my dog! Every time I thought “one more chapter,” I ended up desperate to see what happened next. The pacing was always on point, never slowing.

Near the end, my state of mind/statuses/comments dissolved into a lot of “OMG” and “WTF” and “!!!!!!!!!!!” My poor heart just couldn’t handle all the revelations, twists and unexpected craziness! And then the ending (like, the absolute ending) was… Holy amazeballs!!! So intense and epic and WHY DID I READ THIS BOOK SO EARLY?!?! NOW THE WAIT UNTIL BOOK TWO IS EVEN LONGER!!!! GAH!!! I NEEDS IT!!!

*Clears throat*

Anyway, if you couldn’t tell from my review (Um. Seriously?), I LOVED this book. I don’t even think “loved” is a strong enough word. It’s absolutely one of my top favorite reads for 2016 (and it’s only March!!) and I HIGHLY recommend it! Seriously! Add it to your TBR! If you have an ARC, READ IT NOW! It’s amazing and I’ll definitely be pushing it on as many people as I possibly can! Evelyn Skye is an amazing writer and story teller and I absolutely can’t wait for book two (and what a long wait that will be.. SOBS!)!!! I also can’t wait to see what else she writes outside of the Crown’s Game world. She’s definitely a debut author to keep your eye on!

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And now for the giveaway! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

Evelyn Skye was once offered a job by the C.I.A., she not-so-secretly wishes she was on “So You Think You Can Dance,” and if you challenge her to a pizza-eating contest, she guarantees she will win. When she isn’t writing, Evelyn can be found chasing her daughter on the playground or sitting on the couch, immersed in a good book and eating way too many cookies. THE CROWN’S GAME is her first novel.

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Tumblr | Instagram | Facebook

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Tour Schedule:

Monday, February 29: Bookish Lifestyle – Review + Pinterest Boards
Tuesday, March 1: One Less Lonely Blog – Review
Wednesday, March 2: It Starts at Midnight – Review
Thursday, March 3: Stories & Sweeties – Review + Russian Tea Cake Recipe
Friday, March 4: The YA Book Traveler – Review + Dreamcast & Book Trailer
Saturday, March 5: Pandora’s Books – Review
Sunday, March 6: Seeing Double in Neverland – Review
Monday, March 7: Out Of Time – Review + Song
Tuesday, March 8: Book Nerd Addict – Review + Favorite Quotes
Wednesday, March 9: Paper Fury – Review + Reasons to Read This Book!
Thursday, March 10: A Reader Under The Sea – Cover Recreation
Friday, March 11: The Broke and the Bookish – Review

Television Tuesday: An Introduction

Mar1

Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!

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Hey everyone! I’m really excited to introduce this new feature to you. I’ve been in a bit of a blogging and reading slump lately and I’ve been searching for ways to make blogging fun again. Of course Once Upon a Time has been epic, even though I haven’t been doing it for long yet. But I just felt like I needed something more and I think Television Tuesday is going to be a fun way to spice things up around here!

I often find that I have a lot of thoughts and feels when it comes to the shows I watch – both past and present. And, as we all know, Twitter isn’t a great place to discuss these thoughts and feels, between spoilers and trolls. I mean, every time I try to comment on The Walking Dead on Twitter, I get trolled! I’ve been told I’m an ugly bitch and that I should’t f*cking watch it if I hate it… *Cue cackling.*

Plus, let’s face it, it’s hard to discuss TV shows in depth when we only have 140 characters to do it. A simple thought ends up taking 10+ tweets. So this seemed like a much easier way to execute some thoughtful conversations – in a safe, troll-free environment.

In a way, this feature really began when I did the Irish Banana Blog Tour for the Reign books based on the TV show and discussed the Many Ships of Reign. I had so much fun with that post – not only in writing it, but in doing my research and looking up the perfect pictures/GIFs/videos – that Television Tuesday began taking shape in my mind. And now I’m finally making this feature a reality!

I have some AMAZING posts planned for you guys and I’m really excited for them! Sometimes, I’ll be reviewing new shows (like Fuller House and the Gilmore Girls revival). Sometimes, I’ll re-watch a show and share my thoughts as compared to my first run-through of the show. I also have some in-depth discussions planned for particular aspects of particular shows – But I don’t want to spoil you by mentioning what they are now!

Speaking of spoilers, I’m going to try to keep my posts relatively spoiler free. But if I’m reviewing a season or discussing characters and plots in-depth, it may be difficult to do. I promise to always include spoiler warnings! And I ask that you do the same in your comments!

Next Tuesday (March 8), I’ll be sharing my Fuller House review! I debated posting it today, but since it JUST released, I want to give others a chance to watch and enjoy it before I post my review. It’s basically spoiler free, but it still only seems fair to give others a chance to finish it!

I know I’ve said this a few times, but I’m really excited for this new feature, you guys. Between this and Once Upon a Time, I can already sense that 2016 is going to be a great year for Pandora’s Books!

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So, tell me what you think! Are you excited for Television Tuesday? I know Pandora’s Books is 98% book blog, but I hope you’re as excited as I am for this feature!

And I’m open to taking requests! Have something you want me to cover? A certain show (just in general) or a certain topic (whether it be in general, or in relation to a particular show)? Let me know in the comments! If I’ve watched the show and/or feel I have enough to say on the topic you suggest (and it’s a safe, relevant and appropriate topic), I’ll write about it!

Release Day Launch: The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard

Mar1

We want to wish Amalie Howard and The Almost Girl the happiest of Book Birthdays!

17 year-old Riven comes from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, a parallel world to Earth. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.

Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier and in a race against time to bring Caden home, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Book Depository | IndieBound | Books-A-Million

PRAISE FOR THE ALMOST GIRL:

“A high-octane thriller. SF and dystopia fans will be right at home with this book and its fierce, capable heroine.” ~ Publishers Weekly

“Amalie Howard writes a fast paced and thrilling story with a kick butt, authentic heroine and a brilliantly crafted world.“ ~ Eve Silver, author of Rush

“The Almost Girl is a feminist tour de force. It is filled with powerful, interesting female characters. Riven is one of my favorite fictional characters ever; she is fierce, passionate, funny and smart. This sexy, fast-paced story is impossible to put down. A must read! Fans of Divergent will love it!“ ~ Kim Purcell, author of Trafficked

“A riveting union of science fiction thriller, romance, family drama, and conspiracy theory, The Almost Girl had me wishing I could crawl inside the pages and join Riven on her epic journey between parallel worlds. Amalie Howard’s writing is sharp and smart. I’m definitely craving the next installment!” ~ Page Morgan, author of The Beautiful & The Cursed

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About Amalie:

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island (Trinidad & Tobago) where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published in a University of Warwick journal. At fifteen, she was a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive.

She is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. She is also the co-author of the adult historical romance series, THE LORDS OF ESSEX. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.

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Review: Harmony House by Nic Sheff

Feb27

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Harmony House by Nic Sheff
Published by HarperTeen on March 22, 2016
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
two-stars

Jen Noonan’s father thinks a move to Harmony House is the key to salvation, but to everyone who has lived there before, it is a portal to pure horror.

After Jen’s alcoholic mother’s death, her father cracked. He dragged Jen to this dilapidated old manor on the shore of New Jersey to “start their new lives”—but Harmony House is more than just a creepy old estate. It’s got a chilling past—and the more Jen discovers its secrets, the more the house awakens. Strange visions follow Jen wherever she goes, and her father’s already-fragile sanity disintegrates before her eyes. As the forces in the house join together to terrorize Jen, she must find a way to escape the past she didn’t know was haunting her—and the mysterious and terrible power she didn’t realize she had.

A classic horror story finds a terrifying home in Harmony House, drawing on favorite tropes and edgy, modern characters to create a chilling tale of blame, guilt, and ghostly revenge.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. Because I need to rant and I can’t rant without spoilers. You’ve been warned.
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Okay.. Harmony House was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Based on the cover, title and synopsis, I was gearing up for something creepy and spooky that would make me want to sleep with the lights on. And… I didn’t get that. At all. This book was basically one giant metaphor for addiction. Which, with Nic Sheff’s past, I guess that isn’t so surprising; however, it was disappointing. It wasn’t scary and despite the fast pace and moments of intrigue, it was an overall boring read with a disappointing ending that left me feeling unsatisfied.

The characters in this book were all.. off and.. I don’t know..? I felt really detached from them and their stories. At first, I thought it was just the typical Horror Character Disconnection – where you refuse to let yourself like the characters because you don’t know who will survive and who won’t, so you refuse to get attached. But after finishing the book, I think it’s more that I just didn’t like them. Jen was odd and aloof when it came to the things happening to her. Like, “Oh, hey, I’m sick and hallucinating and having visions, cool!” Also, apparently she was pregnant and never questioned it, even though an ex-boyfriend is NEVER mentioned. Ever. Colin seemed like an intriguing character but he literally just showed up and disappeared and then… Nothing? Like, legit, nothing. We never found out who or what he was (except for that one flashback, but we received no confirmation after that) and then he just never showed up again.

I liked Christy but her character didn’t do much. I’m pretty sure the only reason she was in the book was so it would be less weird when Rose spoke to Jen. Also, because Christy’s accident allowed for Jen to leave the house and for Rose to get her alone to talk. That was it. Alex was an asshole and we never found out if he was JUST an asshole or if he was drunk or possessed or whatever. And that attempted rape scene? Why do male writers always do that crap? Please, can someone tell me why? And finally, of course, I hated Jen’s father and his asshole-ish behavior.

Now, speaking of Jen’s dad, that brings me to one of my biggest issues with this book (besides the fact that we were misled into believing this was a horror story and it wasn’t): Religion. Religion in books annoys the crap out of me for two reasons – First, I’m not a very religious person, so I don’t enjoy books that are overly religious. Second, most of the time, books with religion go the Carrie’s mom route and religion is just used as a scapegoat to make someone seem crazy, overzealous and righteous. Also, abusive. And Harmony House did just that (the latter, that is). Now, I might not be religious, but I don’t care if other people are – to each their own! And it isn’t fair to those who embrace their religion, who believe in God, to be portrayed as crazies all the time. And speaking of Carrie, this book definitely had a little bit of a Carrie vibe, what with the religious stuff/crazy religious parent and the way Jen’s anger manifests into telekinesis (which was completely random and never explained, either, by the way).

Now, I will say that this was a fast book and it had me intrigued and guessing until the end. I read half the book in two hours and then finished it off throughout the course of the day. It definitely had “Just One More Chapter” syndrome and I didn’t want to put it down. At least for that first half. With the second half, things began to feel… Well, I started to get that sinking feeling that this “horror story” wasn’t actually a horror story. And it wasn’t.

The ending was dreadful. Sometimes, horror novels with open endings are epic and keep you guessing, even after you’ve finished reading and you just can’t stop thinking about what you read. But Harmony House had me feeling like I missed something, like I wasted my time. SO many things were left unanswered and so many things lacked explanation.

I’m so tired of this trend of alleged horror novels that are not really horror or supernatural, just delusions or potential mental health issues or people playing tricks on other people or just a confusing ending where they don’t tell you if it’s real or supernatural. It’s so frustrating! I just want a straight-up supernatural horror read with an actual haunting and ghosts and WHY CAN’T I HAVE THAT?!? IS IT ASKING TOO MUCH FOR A LEGIT HORROR NOVEL?

*Takes a breath.”

Okay, rant over. So yeah, I don’t recommend this book if you’re looking for a creeptastic horror read. Because this is not a creeptastic horror read and you’ll be sorely disappointed. I know I am.

Review: You’re Still the One by Rachel Harris (Blog Tour + Excerpt)

Feb26

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: You’re Still the One by Rachel Harris (Blog Tour + Excerpt)

You're Still the One by Rachel Harris
Series: Country Blues #1
Published by Entangled: Bliss on February 15, 2016
Pages: 254
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Love is one dare neither of them can take...

Arabella Stone, Nashville’s darling, is eager to shuck her prim-and-proper rep, and a few wild months spent checking items off her “ summer bucket list” is the way to do it. First up: kiss the man she’s crushed on since she wore a training bra, the bad boy of country himself, Blue bassist Charlie Tucker.

For Charlie, a beautiful woman flirting with him isn’t out of the norm—but a beautiful woman bolting after the hottest kiss of his life sure is. And when he finds out his kiss-and-run Cinderella is none other than Arabella Stone, daughter of his label’s CEO, he knows he’s in trouble. Because not only is she a Stone, she’s also his employee for the next few months at the recording studio he just bought.

Over the course of one thrilling summer, Arabella and Charlie chip away at her bucket list and fight the simmering attraction between them...knowing that once it's all over, so is their time together.

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Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

We are so excited to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Rachel Harris’s YOU’RE STILL THE ONE, the first novel in Rachel’s Country Blues Series! YOU’RE STILL THE ONE – a novel published by Entangled Bliss – is out now. Grab your copy today!

We have a lot of fun things for you today! First, here’s my review! Enjoy!

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I absolutely LOVED this book! I mean, I love all of Rachel Harris’ books, but I REALLY loved this one! Ella and Charlie were amazing and definitely my OTP, out of all of Rachel’s couples. I loved them, the secondary characters and the plot! And, as always, Rachel’s writing was epic and full of swoons and feels!

Ella was both adorably awkward and fierce. That sounds like SUCH a contradiction of descriptions, but she really exhibited both personalities. At times, she was really shy and withdrawn. But she had moments where she came out of her shell and really shined. I loved her backstory and the way she fought for her reputation, to make a name for herself outside of her father’s influence. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for.

Charlie was epic – the ultimate bad boy musician with a reputation to boot. But, of course, he had a softer side that he kept well-guarded. Basically: tough exterior, gooey interior. He cared deeply for his family and his band. His passion for both really fueled him.

I totally, 100% shipped Charlie and Ella. I used to think Tyler and Sherry were my ultimate ship within these books, but Charlie and Ella totally trump them! The banter and sexual tension between them was intense and epic! There was one particular chapter that was pure perfection, for so many reasons! I can’t say why because of spoilers but.. *Fans self!!!*

I love the way Rachel weaves together all her books and characters. It never feels forced or unnecessary. I love the way their lives and stories come together and the way they’re all family – whether directly related or because of budding relationships or friendships. I still LOVE Tyler and Sherry, so it was awesome seeing so much of them, as well as Colby and Cane. I also officially need a Deacon/Hannah novel. Make that happen, Rachel!

This whole book can be summed up in two phrases: ‘grinning like an idiot’ and ‘swooning like a fool.’ Basically, those are the two things I did throughout the entire book. When I wasn’t grinning like an idiot at something Charlie and/or Ella said or did, I was swooning and fanning myself! There were moments that were hilariously awkward and epic. There were moments that were HOT HOT HOT. And there were a LOT of moments that were filled with feels. MY POOR FEELS!!! SO MANY FEELS!!! Rachel Harris’s books always have me smirking, grinning and cackling. But this book took that up a notch!

Also, Life & Lyrics Foundation SO needs to be a real thing. I absolutely loved the concept and what it could mean for those with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.

And then that ending! OMG OMG OMG!!!! Usually, Rachel’s books are stand-alones within the overall series. But if I don’t get more Charlie and Ella, I think I’ll break down into hysterics and tantrums like a toddler! Okay, maybe that’s a bit extreme.. But.. I NEED MORE ELLA AND CHARLIE!!!!

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from my review (Uh.. Did you even read it?!?!), I LOVED this book! I ADORED IT TO PIECES! Charlie and Ella were epic and amazing and are my OTP. Rachel’s writing was on point in this book! The plot was amazing, the ending was amazing and the feels and swoons were non-stop amazeballs! You NEED to read this book and every single one that Rachel has ever written. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

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And now here’s the excerpt! Enjoy!

Yup, this was a recipe for unmitigated disaster. With the hot sting of jealousy currently roiling in his gut, demanding he lay claim to what was his, the smart thing for Charlie to do would be to turn tail and run before they breached the point of no return.

Don’t push too far, Tucker. Remember, she’s not for you.

Even his conscience knew better than to suggest bailing. Completely walking away wasn’t an option anymore. The attraction was too strong. The oppressive Louisiana heat boiled his blood just enough to make dangerous ideas seem possible.

“It’s a beautiful night.” Arabella was a low whispered voice behind him, and when Charlie turned it was in time to watch her cover-up fall to the ground.

Sweet Jesus. The dress she’d worn all day had been typical Arabella, classy and feminine. She’d looked beautiful as always, so much so that it hadn’t been a shocker to find another guy hanging on her with drool on his chin. But the swimsuit hidden beneath the simple dress almost dropped Charlie to his knees.

The two-piece was emerald green, a spectacular color set against her olive skin that made those doe eyes pop. It was vintage in style, like everything she owned, and the bottom consisted of more fabric than half the women’s shorts today, but it cupped her hips and thighs in a way that his hands itched to replicate. And the swimsuit’s top… Charlie swallowed thickly. Arabella’s small, high breasts were lifted in a mouthwatering display of cleavage that was a feast for the eyes.

She looked seductive and innocent and, good God, she was trying to kill him.

Charlie was moving before he even realized it, walking in a lust-filled daze toward her. But then, his feelings were more complicated than simple lust…and that was the problem.

“You take my breath away.” The line was cliché, like a lyric from some lame power ballad, but for the first time in his life, Charlie understood the meaning. Arabella’s eyes latched onto his, and her chest rose and fell as her pink lips parted in an exhale and, for a moment, he legitimately forgot his own name.

Arabella made his chest ache with want. She made him forget everything in the world other than how it felt to hold her in his arms. How their bodies aligned, her height allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder if she wanted to. Or stare into his eyes if and when he kissed her.

Right now, he wasn’t thinking about the many reasons why he shouldn’t want that, why he didn’t deserve her or why it would be so wrong to reach out and slide his hand along the gentle curve of her waist. No, Charlie forgot all those things, so when his palm grazed across her petal-soft skin, and Arabella’s gasp hit his ears, he also forgot why it was wrong, so very wrong, to act on his needs.

Lowering his head, he breathed in her floral fragrance and closed his eyes.

“Baby girl, you destroy me,” he whispered against her lips. “You have to tell me if you don’t want this, because I’m holding on by a thread.”

“Then let go.”

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And now here’s the giveaway! Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

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Rachel Harris Goodreads | Newsletter Sign Up

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Rachel Harris’ YOU’RE STILL THE ONE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

February 16^th

What I’m Reading – Review & Excerpt

Alpha Book Club – Review

I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt

Ficwishes – Review

Book Starlets – Review & Excerpt

FMR Book Grind – Review

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

February 17^th

Lovin’ Los Libros – Review & Excerpt

Angel Reads – Review

SassyCat’s Books Review – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Books According to Abby – Review & Excerpt

First Dream of Books – Excerpt

February 18^th

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

Tsk Tsk What to Read – Review & Excerpt

Oh the Book Feels – Excerpt

Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous – Review & Excerpt

SnoopyDoo’s Book Reviews – Excerpt

E-Reading After Midnight – Review & Excerpt

February 19^th

thebookdragon – Review & Excerpt

Adventures in Writing – Excerpt

Reviews With Rah – Review & Excerpt

Cyn’s Reviews AndPromotionals – Review & Excerpt

Extreme Bookaholic’s – Excerpt

Jack of All Trades, Master of None – Review & Excerpt

February 20^th

The Lovely Books – Review & Excerpt

Miss Riki – Excerpt

Bookaholics Reading Haven – Review & Excerpt

Literary misfit – Excerpt

We All Make Mistakes in Books – Review & Excerpt

Liz’s Reading Life – Excerpt

BookWorm221 – Review & Excerpt

February 21^st

Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Review & Excerpt

The Bibliophile Confessions – Review

Jen’s Reading Obsession – Review & Excerpt

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs – Review

Romance Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt

Debbie’s World of Books – Excerpt

February 22^nd

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Crazy Cajun Book Addicts – Review & Excerpt

Vi3tbabe – Review

Ticket to Anywhere – Review & Excerpt

Worth Reading It? – Review

My Fictional Escape – Review & Excerpt

February 23^rd

Bridget’s Book Bungalow – Review & Excerpt

Dazzled by Books – Review & Excerpt

The Cover Contessa – Excerpt

Bound By Books Books Book Review – Review & Excerpt

All For Love of the Word – Excerpt

February 24^th

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review

Sultry, Steamy Reading – Review & Excerpt

Alphas Do It Better Book Blog – Excerpt

Library of a Book Witch – Review & Excerpt

Book reviews by lexi – Review

My Fictional Escape – Review & Excerpt

February 25^th

Jax’s Book Magic – Review & Excerpt

Lazy Book Lovers – Review

Romantic Reads and Such – Review & Excerpt

A crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Books Eater – Review & Excerpt

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Review

Karen McCoy Books Presents: The Writer Librarian – Excerpt

February 26^th

Ramblings From This Chick – Review & Excerpt

G & T’s Indie Café – Excerpt

phishbowl’s bookshelf – Review & Excerpt

Beneath The Covers Blog – Excerpt

The Power of Three Readers – Review & Excerpt

Becky’s Book Bytes – Excerpt

Pandora’s Books – Review & Excerpt

Girl with a Pen and a Dream – Excerpt

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Review: Seven Black Diamonds by Melissa Marr (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

Feb25

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Seven Black Diamonds by Melissa Marr
Published by HarperCollins on March 1, 2016
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

This riveting fantasy marks Melissa Marr’s return to the world of faery courts that made her Wicked Lovely series an international phenomenon.

Lilywhite Abernathy is a criminal—she’s half human, half fae, and since the time before she was born, a war has been raging between humans and faeries. The Queen of Blood and Rage, ruler of the fae courts, wants to avenge the tragic death of her heir due to the actions of reckless humans.

Lily’s father has always shielded her, but when she’s sent to the prestigious St. Columba’s school, she’s delivered straight into the arms of a fae sleeper cell—the Black Diamonds. The Diamonds are planted in the human world as the sons and daughters of the most influential families and tasked with destroying it from within. Against her will, Lilywhite’s been chosen to join them...and even the romantic attention of the fae rock singer Creed Morrison isn’t enough to keep Lily from wanting to run back to the familiar world she knows.

Melissa Marr returns to faery in a dramatic story of the precarious space between two worlds and the people who must thrive there. The combination of ethereal fae powers, tumultuous romance, and a bloodthirsty faery queen will have longtime fans and new readers at the edge of their seats.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Seven Black Diamonds by Melissa Marr! I’m a HUGE fan of Melissa Marr, so I’m incredibly excited to be on this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review! And don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post!!

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As a huge Melissa Marr fan, I was so excited to see her return to the world of Faery! As is typical of Marr, the plot was intriguing, the characters were epic and the writing was perfection!

This book had a huge ensemble of characters. I won’t go into details for each one, but I’ll highlight some of the important stuff. Lily is fierce and badass and I adored her. I LOVED the direction her story went in and I LOVED how her story ended in this book. I’m really excited to see what happens next for her! Creed was an intriguing character and I liked the chemistry between him and Lily; however, I’m not sure I’m convinced of their ship yet. Though I definitely ship them more than I ship Lily and Zephyr. I think Zephyr is a natural leader and I liked him, I just got the friend vibe from him. Speaking of friends, I really liked the friendship between Lily and Kamy!

I really liked Eilidh, Rhys and Torquil and their storyline. Honestly, I think I liked their storyline more than the storyline between Lily and the rest of the Diamonds. Though both sets of characters/stories were intriguing, I love being in Marr’s Faery World more than her Human World and – more often than not – Eilidh, Rhys and Torquil were in the Faery World. I also just found their plot to be more intriguing in general.

I loved the way the two storylines came together, though. Sometimes, too many characters can make things confusing – you can’t keep track of who’s who and such. This happened a little bit in the beginning but, as the story went on, the characters distinguished themselves and I was able to tell them apart just fine.

My only issue with this book was that it started out a bit confusing. We were dropped into the world with little to no explanation and you had to just read to discover answers to your questions. Basically, the reader got answers as the characters got their answers. Some people enjoy that, some don’t. It only bothered me a little bit because I love Melissa Marr so much and the story itself was incredible, so I let the confusion slide – and eventually, I got the answers I needed and everything made sense. So it just depensd on how you feel about something like that.

Overall, this book was amazing. Confusing parts aside, this had everything that a signature Marr book always has – an intriguing plot, amazing characters and beautiful writing. If you loved Marr’s Wicked Lovely trilogy, I highly recommend Seven Black Diamonds – being back in Marr’s world of Faery will have you feeling nostalgic and desperate for book two!

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And now for the giveaway! 6 winners will receive a finished copy of SEVEN BLACK DIAMONDS, US Only. To enter, complete the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Melissa:

Melissa Marr is the author of the bestselling Wicked Lovely series as well as the adult fantasy novels Graveminder and The Arrivals. When not writing, editing, or traveling, Melissa is buried under a plethora of books, dogs, and children in Virginia or online

Website | Twitter
Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:
2/22/2016 – Gone with the Words – Scavenger Hunt
2/23/2016 – Katie’s Book Blog – Review
2/24/2016 – YA Book Madness – Scavenger Hunt
2/25/2016 – Pandora’s Books – Review
2/26/2016 – Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Scavenger Hunt

Week Two:
2/29/2016 – The Best Books Ever – Review
3/1/2016 – Me, My Shelf and I – Scavenger Hunt
3/2/2016 – Rabid Reads – Review
3/3/2016 – Once Upon a Twilight – Scavenger Hunt
3/4/2016 – YA Bibliophile – Review

Cover Reveal: Dead Girl by Tessa Marie

Feb24

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share with you the cover for Dead Girl by Tessa Marie (March 3rd 2016). This book sounds AMAZING!

Are you ready to see it??

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

…
….
…..
….
…

Here it is!

DG Final

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?!?!?! Here’s more about the book!

If her mother wasn’t watching, Kylie Presby would punch Queen Bee, Natalie Silvers, in the face -again. But as Kylie wipes her tears away with the layers of toilet paper encasing her car, she knows she can’t retaliate like she did last time. Her dead mother wouldn’t approve. Kylie no longer cares about popularity. Invisible would work just fine.

Then the new kid, Braydon, mysterious, good looking and too clever for his own good, shows up and sacrifices his social status, becoming Kylie’s shield from the front line assault. After enough chocolate ice cream and movies it’s as if they’re best friends. Crazy, since Kylie knows so little about him.

As Natalie continues her relentless attacks on Kylie another person deals with his own line of bullies. Jack Stine was popular until his deepest secret was revealed and his friends abandoned him. Kylie and Jack bond over their tormentors and form an unbreakable friendship.

Three lost souls each with a story that binds them together, but will it be enough when the bullying goes too far and secrets are revealed?

ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR

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About the Author

Tessa Marie aka Theresa Paolo lives on Long Island, NY with her fiancé and their fish. She is the author of NA and YA contemporary romances. Her debut novel (NEVER) AGAIN, released in Fall 2013 with Berkley (Penguin) and the companion novel (ONCE) AGAIN released Summer 2014. Both her books HOME IS WHERE YOU ARE and PROVE ME WRONG are Amazon bestsellers. She is also the coauthor of the Amazon bestselling Beds Series. She has a hard time accepting the fact she’s in her early thirties (very early), and uses her characters to relive the best and worst years of her life. She put her love of writing on hold while she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Dowling College. When she’s not writing, she’s behind a camera, reading, watching Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars, or can be found on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

Blog Tour: The Many Ships of Reign (Giveaway)

Feb18

Hey everyone! Today, I’m BEYOND EXCITED to share with you my post for the Reign Blog Tour! That’s right – Reign as in the television show! For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you know I’m OBSESSED with this show. Like, I cried happy tears when it was renewed for season three and I’m PRAYING it gets renewed for season four. I live tweet almost every episode. I randomly re-watch favorite episodes on Netflix and via my DVDs. I also tend to cast the Reign characters as characters in the books I’m reading – frequently.

So it comes as no surprise that, when I received the blog tour sign-ups for this tour, I POUNCED. Like, I told Queen Hannah (the blog tour host) that I’d be forever grateful and call her Queen Hannah forever and I think I even promised to be her loyal subject, but I’m not positive. I also may have said something about “heads will roll and I will sob” if I didn’t get on the tour, hehe.

ANYWAY. Long intro is long! My point is, I’m obsessed with this show and SO EXCITED to be on this tour! For my tour stop, I’m going to be discussing the MANY ships of Reign. First, here’s some info about the books based on the show:

An original novel based on the hit television series, Reign.

Since Mary, Queen of Scotland was a child, the English have wanted her country and her crown. She is sent to France to wed its next king–to save herself and her people. It’s a bond that should protect her, but there are forces that conspire…forces of darkness, forces of the heart. Mary’s rule, and her life, has never been safe.

Find out what happens to Mary, Francis, Bash, and the rest of the French court after the season one finale.

Long may she reign.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks

France is aflame with rumors of witchcraft and treachery. Who will be burn for their transgressions? Find out in this haunting original novel based on the hit CW television show, Reign.

Something sinister has been sweeping the villages surrounding the French court. Rumors of Satan’s horsemen traveling the countryside and claiming the souls of villagers have sent the people reeling into a religious frenzy and soon fear and suspicion lead them to accuse a young girl of witchcraft. After the prisoner is brought to the palace for questioning, Mary, Greer, Kenna, and Lola work to prove her innocence. But there are others who will stop at nothing to see the girl and her secrets silenced forever…

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks

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FAIR WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS! Because, unfortunately, it’s hard to discuss ships without spoilers. Even just shipping a couple can be a spoiler if you didn’t know they were a couple or if you didn’t know Person X had broken up with Person Y and you find out because Person X is with someone new. So yeah, SPOILERS AHEAD! Read at your own risk!

As I mentioned above, today I’m going to be chatting with you about the Many Ships of Reign! This show, guys. Omg, this show! I have SO MANY ships in this show! Most of them are of the romantic variety but one is more a Friend-SHIP and one is of a more devious nature. But I can promise you, this show is full of ships and feels and sinking ships and heartache and heartbreak and joy and DID I MENTION FEELS?!?!? I’ve narrowed it down to my Top Five Favorite Ships, going from #5 down to #1, with #1 being my ultimate OTP of the show. So, here we go!!!

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Reign Ship #5: Catherine and Narcisse

Okay, okay! Before you boo and scream and hiss, let me explain! I can’t stand Narcisse as of late. His treatment of Mary and Catherine, his manipulation of Charles and Lola – I’m not a fan. HOWEVER. Catherine and Narcisse together? They’re both manipulative, conniving and devious and together, they’re Wickedly Delicious. Plus, they shared some pretty hilarious moments together! Can we please talk about Catherine’s bold… Er.. Hand slip? *Cackles*

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Reign Ship #4: Kenna and Bash

I’m 98% positive that Kenna and Bash were doomed from the beginning. That didn’t stop me from shipping them, though! First of all, I adore Bash! Like, HE’S SO YUMMY! And I actually did ship him and Mary VERY BRIEFLY in season one. He’s just epic and adorable and awesome! And at the time they’re ship began, Kenna was my favorite of Mary’s ladies. Her plot was the most intriguing, at least. I just thought they were adorable together and they were both so stubborn and perfect! I’m sad they didn’t work out, but I kind of didn’t expect them to. So it didn’t hurt TOO much when this ship sank.

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Reign Ship #3: Greer and Leith / Claude and Leith

Okay, I’m cheating here. Because I’m still holding out hope for Greer & Leith – I mean, has everyone forgotten Nostradamus’s prediction?!?!?!

“You’ll fall in love with a man with a white mark on his face” – Nostradamus to Greer, referring to Leith. Season one, episode 3

Like, I’m still holding out hope for that! I know it was said in season one, but Nostradamus’s prediction regarding Mary and Francis also didn’t happen until season three, so, you know.. There’s still hope!

However, the last few episodes of season three were giving me major Claude and Leith feels! It feels like a betrayal to my original ship and I seriously couldn’t stand Claude and Leith together in the beginning. But yeah, they’re growing on me and I actually find them pretty adorable now!

Plus, honestly, I think Greer and Leith might be past the point of no return and they make pretty good friends now. So.. Sigh. Despite coming to terms with it, this ship sinking still hurt a bit.

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Reign Ship #2: Mary and Catherine (Matherine)

Anyone who watches the show can guess why Matherine is my number two favorite ship. It’s not a romantic ship, but Mary and Catherine – when they’re working together and not at odds – are epic! For most of seasons one and two, they were fighting each other, thanks to that vision Nostradamus had. But they still had some amazing moments together, especially when Catherine’s maternal instinct kicked in and she tried to protect or comfort Mary. Especially after that one excruciating episode in season two…

Trigger Warning (Rape) for the video below. But this powerful moment defined Matherine and I feel it relevant to this post

*Shudders* Guys, that scene… That scene gives me chills and makes me cry every time I see it. But again, it’s a very defining moment for Mary and Catherine and it shows Catherine’s maternal instinct, that she cares for Mary and her country. More importantly, it shows Mary’s strength and resilience, her determination to not be a victim, but a Queen.

Matherine will never stop being one of my favorite duos on television. When they work together, they’re amazing. They’re powerful. They’re bold and brilliant. They’re fierce.

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Reign Ship #1: Mary and Francis (Frary)

Did anyone really doubt this would be my number one ship? My OTP in the Reignverse? If you did, you don’t know me at all! My heart hurts just talking about Frary because, if you watch the show, you know this ship has sunk so hard and so permanently… But I SWEAR I’LL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP! And, to be honest, I already have.

I know there are many people who despised Francis, especially in season two. I did, too. But in season one and season three? This power couple was EPIC. I adored the genuine love between them. They started out at odds in season one and then grew closer, becoming closer still in season two until Francis’ poor decisions led to Mary’s rape. I loved the way the writers handled this, taking Mary’s recovery slowly, having her pull away from Francis until she felt healed. And I loved their reconciliation in season three, especially.

But, sadly, this ship sank harder than the Titanic and in a VERY permanent, tear-inducing, heart-breaking way. But Frary will always live on in my heart. Long May They Reign!

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Reign Ship Bonus Round: Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots is fierce and fabulous. If you look up “Fierce” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of Mary. She makes this show what it is. She has so many incredible moments in her story, things she needs to do, sacrifices she needs to make. Being a Queen isn’t always about what you want, but what’s best for your country. Mary definitely struggled and suffered, but she also thrived.

I’m very sad to see that she’ll be leaving French Court to return to Scotland (when season three returns) because MATHERINE! SOBS!! But I also can’t wait to see her thrive in her own kingdom.

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So! Those are my Reign Ships! What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts with me in the comments! But keep it friendly, guys! I know Ship Feels can run deep, but let’s be kind and respect everyone’s ships!

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And now for the giveaway! 1 Grand Prize Winner will receive both books in the REIGN series and a set of Season 1 DVDs!!! And 2 Winners will receive both REIGN books. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
2/8: Chapter by Chapter – Review of Reign: The Prophecy
2/9: The Hardcover Lover – Polyvore Style Board
2/10: Once Upon A Twilight – REIGN Inspired Makeup
2/11: Books A Blog – A Day in the Life….
2/12: Fangirl Confessions – Reign Dream Squad

Week 2:
2/15: Addicted 2 Novels – Royal Recipes
2/16: No BS Book Reviews – Keepin’ It Real: Book & Show
2/17: Books Buying Beauty – The Art of the Binge Watch
2/18: Pandora’s Books – The Many Ships of REIGN
2/19: Rachel’s Book Reviews – Review of Reign: Hysteria

Release Week Blitz: You’re Still the One by Rachel Harris (Excerpt, Trailer & Giveaway)

Feb17

We are so excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Rachel Harris’s YOU’RE STILL THE ONE, the first novel in Rachel’s Country Blues Series! YOU’RE STILL THE ONE – a novel published by Entangled Bliss – is out now. Grab your copy today!

Love is one dare neither of them can take…

Arabella Stone, Nashville’s darling, is eager to shuck her prim-and-proper rep, and a few wild months spent checking items off her ” summer bucket list” is the way to do it. First up: kiss the man she’s crushed on since she wore a training bra, the bad boy of country himself, Blue bassist Charlie Tucker.

For Charlie, a beautiful woman flirting with him isn’t out of the norm–but a beautiful woman bolting after the hottest kiss of his life sure is. And when he finds out his kiss-and-run Cinderella is none other than Arabella Stone, daughter of his label’s CEO, he knows he’s in trouble. Because not only is she a Stone, she’s also his employee for the next few months at the recording studio he just bought.

Over the course of one thrilling summer, Arabella and Charlie chip away at her bucket list and fight the simmering attraction between them…knowing that once it’s all over, so is their time together.

Goodreads | Amazon
Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

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Here’s an excerpt from the book! Enjoy!

What would Charlie think, if he came in here and saw her like this? Would he approve of the way her body looked? Her small breasts, long legs, decent collarbone, and slightly jiggly behind? Or would he be disappointed?

Would she measure up to the scores of women he’d seen this way over the years?

Arabella’s mind wandered, imagining him suddenly appearing behind her in the mirror. He wouldn’t be shocked. No, he’d be turned on, his eyes molten and hungry, devouring her. He wouldn’t be able to stand still, either; he’d step up behind her and knock her hands away, replacing them confidently with his own.

A moan escaped. It echoed off the glass and the basin, and Ella’s head fell back, envisioning his rough, calloused palms molding her breasts, his fingers plucking the tips. Heat exploded under her skin as she imagined his golden eyes hooded and filled with sin.

“You ready, darlin’?”

Ella’s head snapped up as her heart leaped into her throat.

“Arabella? You about ready to go?”

Charlie’s heavy footsteps clomped down the hall, and in a panic, she slammed the bathroom door shut, her heart pounding in her ears. “Uh…just a minute!”

Those heavy footsteps stopped just outside the door, two seconds away from getting a shocking show, and Ella frantically spun around looking for something—anything—to cover herself with. Her gaze landed on the pink fingertip towel she’d hung near the sink, thick and lush, and far away from its matching larger friends who were stupidly waiting for her in the hallway linen closet. Way to go, Ella!

“H-how did you get in here?”

“Uh, I own the place, remember?” Normally, his low chuckle would’ve twisted her insides into goo, but now it only heightened her awareness of her supreme nakedness. “I’ve got a spare key…not that I needed it,” he added, shifting his feet, “since the front door was wide open. I did knock, though.” He paused for a second before adding, “Sorry to barge in.”

She heard what he didn’t say—that Ella had been barging her happy butt into his side of the duplex all week, assuming that as long as no women were around (which strangely enough, there never were) it wasn’t that big of a deal. And from what she could tell, it hadn’t been; Charlie hadn’t said so much as a peep. Which meant she was being a big fat hypocrite.

A very naked, slightly cold, incredibly freaked-out hypocrite.

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And here’s the book trailer!

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Now, the giveaway! Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Rachel Harris Goodreads | Newsletter Sign Up

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Review: Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtliff (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

Feb15

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtliff
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on April 12, 2016
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Oh, reader, what big teeth you have! The better to devour RED: THE TRUE STORY OF RED RIDING HOOD!

Can’t get enough of the new fairy-tale-retelling trend? Don’t miss Liesl Shurtliff’s new dark, humorous stand-alone middle grade novel RED: THE TRUE STORY OF RED RIDING HOOD (on sale April 12, 2016)!

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Red is not afraid of the big bad wolf. She’s not afraid of anything . . . except magic.

But when Red’s granny falls ill, it seems that only magic can save her, and fearless Red is forced to confront her one weakness.

With the help of a blond, porridge-sampling nuisance called Goldie, Red goes on a quest to cure Granny. Her journey takes her through dwarves’ caverns to a haunted well and a beast’s castle. All the while, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman—two mortal enemies who seek the girls’ help to defeat each other. And one of them just might have the magical solution Red is looking for. . . .

Liesl Shurtliff weaves a spellbinding tale, shining the spotlight on a beloved character from her award-winning debut, Rump.

And don't miss Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk, "a delightful story of family, perseverance and courage" (Booklist).

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Red: The True Story of Red Riding by Liesl Shurtliff (April 12, 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers) I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! I absolutely loved this book and I hope you enjoy my review!

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I don’t read a lot of Middle Grade. But the few I’ve read so far have been epic! And Red was no exception! I loved the mingling of fairy tales, as well as the world and the rules. I love twisted fairy tales and this book was the perfect combination of twisty and fun!

It takes a little while to warm up to Red. In the beginning, she’s a bit snippy, bossy and rude. But she was also fierce, brave and determined. I don’t know if it’s just because their stories stem from the same fairy tale or what, but Red reminded me a LOT of Scarlet from The Lunar Chronicles! She definitely had a LOT of character growth from beginning to end!

Goldie was really chipper and kind, but also incredibly innocent (borderline naive) and just a touch annoying – especially in the beginning. She definitely means well, she just doesn’t seem to know how to express certain things. By the end of the book, though, I adored her and the friendship between her and Red!

I loved the wolf. From the very beginning, we were led to believe he was the bad guy. But I refused to believe it. You can judge for yourself when you read the book, but I loved his character and the way his story ended.

There were a LOT of secondary characters that I adored, but it’s hard to discuss them all without spoilers. So I’m just going to encourage you – again – to read this epic book!

There were also a LOT of life lessons in this book. Maybe I just noticed it more because I’m older, but it felt like each one was not-so-subtly shoved at the reader; however, this was a good thing because the life lessons taught were VERY important! The biggest life lesson this book teaches – in my opinion – is about fearing death and that you actually shouldn’t. Death is a part of life. It’s good to feel sadness in times of loss because it means we have loved and lost, but we’re truly alive. That death isn’t the end because we live on in the memories of others. Another important life lesson is that you should trust yourself and be confident in your abilities. The other life lessons I noticed are a bit more spoilerish, so I won’t share them – You’ll just have to read the book to discover them!

Red is a companion to Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin and Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but it can be read on its own. There were a few moments when Red mentioned Rump and I could see how reading Rump first might help, but I never felt lost or confused or like I HAD to read them.

My biggest issue with this book? I wanted maps! The land was described in such detail and Red and Goldie traveled to such amazing places, I just wanted maps of EVERY place they went! Desperately! (Dear Knopf Books for Young Readers: Please give me maps! In the book or as swag for the book.. I’m not picky! Just please give me maps!!!)

There were some epic twists and turns in this book. Some I expected, some I didn’t. But all of them kept me intrigued and dying to find out how things would end. I read it in a matter of hours because it was a quick, fun book and I just didn’t want to put it down!

Overall, if you couldn’t tell, I adored this book! If you love fairy tale retellings, I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of middle grade! And if you don’t read much middle grade, I still highly recommend it – it just might change your mind!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Abot Liesl:

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy-tale.” – Hans Christian Anderson

I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah the fifth of eight children. My seven siblings tortured me but I really like them now. I loved dancing, singing, playing the piano and reading books by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Roald Dahl. I also read Grimms’ Fairy Tales so often I wore through the binding. Today I live with my husband and three children in Chicago, which is a wonderful city except that it is decidedly flat and very cold in the winter. When I write, I often wander back to my childhood and gather the magic that still remains. I hope to share that magic with children everywhere.

If you would like to learn a little more about me (and even see some childhood pictures!), just click HERE.

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Liesl Shurtliff’s first book, Rump, won over kids and critics alike, earning an IRA Award, a Texas Bluebonnet nomination, a Whitney nomination, and a starred review from Kirkus, proclaiming it “as good as gold.”

In RED, Liesl Shurtliff is at her best. New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Chris Grabenstein raves that “Liesl Shurtliff has truly out-magicked herself. Red is the most wonder-filled fairy tale of them all.” RED will capture the hearts of readers who like it Grimm, as well as followers of ABC’s TV show Once Upon a Time.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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RED: THE TRUE STORY OF LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD Pre-Pub Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February, 1: Bookiemoji, Author Guest Post
Tuesday, February, 2: Seeing Double In Neverland, Review
Wednesday, February, 3: MundieMoms/Kids, Review
Thursday, February, 4: BookHounds, Author Interview
Friday, February, 5: The Lovely Books, Review
Saturday, February, 6: I’m Shelf-ish, Guest Post
Sunday, February, 7: Kid Lit Frenzy, Review
Monday, February, 8: Mel’s Shelves, Review
Tuesday, February, 9: Once Upon A Twilight, Author Random Facts
Wednesday, February, 10: SciFiChick.com, Review
Thursday, February, 11: Swoony Boys Podcast, Review
Friday, February, 12: Bittersweet Enchantment, Review
Saturday, February, 13: WinterHaven Books, Review except 18
Sunday, February, 14: The Cover Contessa, Review
Monday, February, 15: Pandora’s Books, Review
Tuesday, February, 16: On Starships and Dragonwings, Review
Wednesday, February, 17: As They Grow Up, Review
Thursday, February, 18: Owl Always Be Reading, Review
Friday, February, 19: Such a Novel Idea, Playlist and Review
Saturday, February, 20: The Children’s Book Review, A Selfie and a Shelfie
Sunday, February, 21: The Mod Podge Bookshelf, Author Movie Cast
Monday, February, 22: Katie’s Clean Book Collection, Review
Tuesday, February, 23: Words We Heart, Review
Wednesday, February, 24: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, Author Guest Post
Thursday, February, 25: Confessions of a Readaholic, Review
Friday, February, 26: Bookish Antics, Review
Saturday, February, 27: Bumbles and Fairy-Tales, Review
Sunday, February, 28: Valerie’s Reviews, Review
Monday, February, 29: Lili’s Reflections, Review
Tuesday, March, 1: To Read, or Not To Read, Review
Wednesday, March 2: Stories & Sweeties, Review
Thursday, March 3: Cafinated Reads, Review
Friday, March 4: The Book Monsters, Review
Saturday, March 5: Twinning for Books, Review
Sunday, March 6: Curling Up With A Good Book, Review
Monday, March 7: The Compulsive Reader, Review
Tuesday, March 8: The Reading Nook Reviews, Review
Wednesday, March 9: Resch Reads and Reviews, Review
Thursday, March 10: Beauty and the Bookshelf, Review
Friday, March 11: Xpresso Reads, Review
Saturday, March 12: Diamond’s Reads, Review
Sunday, March 13: Blissful Book Reviews, Review
Monday, March 14: Vi3tbabe, Review
Tuesday, March 15: The Book Cellar, Review