Review: Before the Fairytale: The Girl With No Name (Seventh Night #0.1) by Iscah

Title: Before the Fairytale: The Girl With No Name
Author: Iscah
Series: Sevent Night
Genre: Fantasy, MG, YA
Publisher: Amoeba Ink
Publication date: May 30th 2013
Source: received from author (Thank you!!)







Banished from her village, a young shape shifter sets out on a journey to find her place in the world...

The first of four "Before the Fairytale" stories, "The Girl With No Name" is told in a deceptively simple storybook style with the flavor of an original Grimm's fable, but don't expect your typical once upon a time scenario. This is a coming of age tale humorously interwoven with social commentary.

This story is recommended for older children to adult readers (9 & up) but may not be suitable for younger children.

Goodreads

The Girl With No Name was quiet an interesting read. A young girl that never knew her real parents, ushered out of her village by everyone thanks to her shape shifting abilities.

The book began like every fairytale style, with ‘Once upon a time…’. The main character of this book really is the Girl With No Name, since her parents never were in the picture she never received a name. She’s a shape shifter and magic-user and that’s hard in a land that doesn’t understand or respect magic. After her guardian dies she sets off to find her place in the world but mainly to find her father. Her journey takes her through many countries and she meets many new people from booksellers to princes. Throughout her journey she gets answers to her many questions. About her family, about her magic and about the world itself.

Every town or village the girl visits is different than the others. Every place has its own rules and culture. Like in every fairytale there is a witch and a prince but they are different than the ones I’ve read about. The prince is one of my favorite characters in this book, he’s kind and funny. And it’s here were the book took a different turn than in other fairytales. And it’s always fun when a book takes by surprise. I liked how the girl grows throughout the book. She is just a young child when she set off on her journey but at the end of the book she is a young woman. She found out what she was best at and she used her talents to help others and not for power. And she didn’t forget the ones who had been kind to her on her journey throughout the years.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and it had a nice pace. The Girl With No Name is the first of four novellas later the main characters of these book will come together in a full-length fantasy novel. I’m looking forward to read the other books in this series.

El

Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Genre: Dystopian, YA
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: October 22nd 2013
Pages: 526 (paperback)
Source: borrowed from a friend






The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's know, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. 

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Goodreads

Before I had read Allegiant I couldn’t understand why people rated this book so low but now I can. Don’t get me wrong personally I still liked this book, a lot. But I can get why people were frustrated and disappointed by it.

Allegiant begins sometime after Insurgent had finished, it could be a couple of days or a couple of weeks. There is no telling how long it has been since the events in Insurgent took place. At first the book was really great. Everything was as good as circumstances allowed it, I got answers to so many questions I had since I had finished Insurgent. And enough things happened to keep the book interesting. But in the middle of the book I got really frustrated by Four/Tobias, I get why he was upset and why he acted the way he did but still I expected more from him. After all he’s the guy with only four fears, the guy who always keeps calm, he’s the reasonable one. And now he made dumb decision after dumb decision. Tris had her problems in the previous book and now Four in this one, they each get their turn I guess. But I moved past the frustrating part, which luckily didn’t last too long. End then there was the ending. I guess that this is the part were a lot of people are really frustrated about. But it didn’t bother me that much. It made me really sad and yes I would have loved it if the book had a different ending. But I have accepted it and it was a solid ending so I’m not complaining about it.

Four and Tris start off in a rocky place in their relationship. Tris lied a lot to him and she hid the truth of some things deliberately from him. So he got some trust issues when it comes to her. But they learn to voice their frustrations about one another. They learn how to really communicate with each other. So they find themselves on a more stable ground again. Another thing I really loved about this book was that all the characters came to terms with themselves and with what had happened to them earlier. You could say that they all found closure in the end in their own unique way.

There is one last thing that I want to discuss. Never before had we had a chapter in Tobias point of view and now in Allegiant, Tobias had a lot of chapters in his own point of view. At first it confused me a lot since I wasn’t used to it and now I had to keep track on whose point of view it was. And most of the time I didn’t think it was necessary, certainly at the beginning of the book. Still I understand why the author did it and if you have read the book than you know that it was definitely necessary that Tobias had his own point of view at the end of the book.

Overall I really liked Allegiant. I loved this whole series, it was well written and it brought up so many emotions. I will have a hard time to let this series go and I’m sure that I will reread it in time. If you haven’t read this series yet then you really should do so soon! 

El

Waiting on Wednesday #74: Hunted (Sinners #2) by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that I am anxiously awaiting is:

Hunted
by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki 



It's been three months since the revolt against the Commander's fifty-year-old regime failed. 
Under a new ruler, things were supposed to change. Get better. 
Now, Wilson in in charge. But, can he really be trusted? Can anyone? 
Lexi and Cole soon find out, as life takes an unexpected turn for the worse. 
In this ever-changing world, you must hunt or be hunted. 
Many more lives will be lost. 
Many more dreams will be crushed.
Many more fears will be realized.
When Cole is once again face with losing Lexi at the hands of a monster, one capture will change everything.
Forever.

HUNTED is the electrifying sequel to the bestselling debut BRANDED, A Sinners Series, by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki.

Goodreads

Why I can't wait

I read the first book in this series last year and it blew me away. I loved Branded from the beginning to the end. I'm really excited for the sequel and I can't wait to get my hands on it! 

Publication date: March 31st 2015

El

Top Ten Tuesday #41: Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks is: 

Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR

1. Vendetta (Vendetta #1) by Catherine Doyle
2. One of the Guys by Lisa Aldin
3. Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1) by Maria V. Snyder
4. Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry 
5. Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1) by J.L. Armentrout
6. I Was Here by Gayle Forman
7. I'll Meet You There by Heather Dementrios
8. The Ruby Cirle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead
9. Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
10. Beastkeeper by Cat Hellisen

El

Interesting reading facts

I saw this graph on Goodreads the other day and I thought why not share it with you guys.
This graph is very representative for me, what about you?

El

Review: The Magician (Virtual Arcana #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper

Title: The Magician
Author: Karen Amanda Hooper
Series: Virtual Arcana
Publisher: Starry Sky Publisher
Publication date: November 15th 2014
Pages: 54 (ebook) 
Source: received from author (Thank you so much!!)







The second book in the VIRTUAL ARCANA series.

The series starts with book 0: The Fool

Mysterious cards keep appearing in Kelsey's life, stirring up questions and forcing her to keep secrets from her sister, Keekee. 

Triggered by Kelsey's fear and Keekee's worry, the twins become bright blips on their tyrannical government's radar.

Xander's magic seems to be their only chance at escaping a dangerous confrontation, but is Kelsey willing to  break multiple laws and finally step into Xander's illegal world of virtual reality?

Goodreads

The Magician the second episode in the Virtual Arcana series. It picks up right after where The Fool left off.

After reading The Fool I had a strong urge to read the second book. I wanted to know what would happen next with Kelsey, Xander and Keekee. I had to find out what exactly was going on because at the end of the first book I was so confused, just like Kelsey. I did get some of my answers but at the same time I also got a lot of new questions.

It was exciting to learn more about the world Kelsey and her friends live in. It’s a really strange and complex world. All the technology that they’ve invented is so nice, especially the different worlds they can access thanks through the technology. At the same time there are also still old thing from years ago like paper books. The combination of those two is what makes this book so interesting. But at the same time the government controls every move of their citizens. So I don’t think I would ever like to live in that world.

I was sucked into The Magician right from page one. Like always the case with Karen her books the writing was great and the story flowed well from one scene to the other.  We also got to know the different characters a little better. Through the different events in this book we get to see what they do and who they are. Kelsey is growing as a character but it’s clear that she still has a long journey ahead of her. I don’t know what to think of Xander at times he’s a really great person and I love how he sees the world. But he’s still a bit of a mystery and at times he’s just a little to cheesy for me. But I am definitely looking forward to get to know him better.

Overall I really liked this book. I’m still not a huge fan of serial style books but everything is starting to come together. The ending of this book was great, yes there was a cliffhanger but it didn’t bother me as much as it usual does. I can’t wait till the next book is released, I’m so excited to find out what is going to happen next. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a YA Sci-Fi book who doesn’t mind that it’s released in serial style. 

El

Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #1) by Iain Reading

Title: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold
Author: Iain Reading
Series: Kitty Hawk Fying Detective Agency
Genre: Adventure, Young Adult
Publication date: December 2012
Pages: 316 (paperback)
Source: received from author
Buy link: Amazon





Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, and intrepid teenage pilot whit her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pipi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.

After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continuous to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turns as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and the poems of such landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world!

Goodreads

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the first book in the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency series. The series centers around Kitty, a young pilot.

At first I couldn’t really get into the story, my mind kept wandering of. In my opinion the first hundred pages could have been told in fifty or so. I mean everything we got to know about the humpback whales was interesting but it felt like a really long introduction before the actual story started. After a hundred pages or so Kitty finds herself in trouble and that’s when the real story begins. So if you read this book don’t let the beginning scare you away I promise the book will get a lot more interesting.

Kitty is a loveable character. She’s strong, courageous, smart, adventurous and independent. What I liked the most about Kitty is her love for adventure. She’s a curious person and wants to learn new things. Sure she might get herself into to trouble sometimes but she stays calm and finds her way out of this mess. And then there were the four guys in this book, you’ll know whom I’m talking about when you read the book. They were all the same but at the same time so unique. I couldn’t help but love them. Their family means everything to them, that’s what I liked the most about them. And of course it’s mostly there fault that Kitty undertakes all these adventures in this book. The action and the adventures were well-paced in this book and I was always curious to find out what was going to happen next to Kitty and her group of friends.

One of the things I loved the most about this book was all the things I learned by reading it. I learned about the humpback whales, about some native tribes up in Alaska and Canada and about the history of the Gold Rush. It definitely helped me to better visualize the book. And before reading this book I knew nothing about the Gold Rush so I really love that I know some things about it now. But there were times where there was just too much information at once. Other than that I loved it!

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, the beginning might have been slow but after that I loved every moment of it. And I’m curious about the rest of the books. I would recommend this book to any reader who is looking for a young adult adventure book.

El

Book Blitz + Giveaway: VIP (Rock & Release, Act #1) by Riley Edgewood

  

Title: VIP
Aurhor: Riley Edgewood
Series: Rock & Release
Genres: Romance, New Adult
Publication date: November 17th 2014
Buy links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo








VIP is the first act of Rock & Release, Riley Edgewood's three-part new adult romance serial!

When Cassidy Evans scores VIP tickets to a concert, she decides to use them for one carefree night before beginning a summer internship at her father's Fortune 500 company. But one carefree night turns into a few too many martinis - with two unexpected twists: a steamy encounter with Gage Logan, sexy singer and guitarist, and a tempting job offer from Gage's boss to work at the concert venue she now knows quite intimately.

She definitely can't take the job. Her internship is an opportunity any business major would kill for. But the thought of working with her father, a man furious with grief over a family tragedy that struck six months ago, fills her with dread. 

Then there's Gage. Working with him all summer could be hot. Cassidy can't stop flashing back to their night together. Molten kisses. His hands smoothing across the skin of her belly. The weight of his body above her own...

And suddenly the decision about how to spend her summer is much, much harder to make.

Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt 

        "You should stay and have a drink." The words tumble from my mouth before I can stop them, tripping over my tongue and cartwheeling past my lips and if I could grab them and swallow them back down I would.

       Or… Maybe I wouldn't. Maybe I like this bold version me who says what she wants to.
       He meets my gaze, half of an amused smile across his lips, revealing white teeth, with one slightly crooked cuspid, and, no, I actually don't regret my words at all. His mouth. Those lips. That perfectly imperfect smile… If what I said convinces him to stick around, I'd be nuts to be sorry for what I said.
       "As long as I don't have to drink anything quite this pink." He taps the rim of my glass with a long, slender finger.
       "I'm Cassidy." I stick my hand out to him—because if I'm going all confident and carefree Cassidy here, I'm not holding back.
      "Gage." He doesn't hesitate to reach out this time around, which makes me a little giddy though I hide it by swallowing the rest of my drink, which thankfully goes down smoothly this time. When he holds my fingers a second longer than necessary, I don't mind at all. And when he keeps his gaze on mine as he slides into the seat next to me, his expression friendly—and a little suggestive—my lips curve up in response.

Author bio

Riley lives in the DC area and spends most of her time with her characters, playing with her toddler and husband, and pretending she knows how to be an adult. Former dancer. Current writer. Lifelong lover of accessories, books, and the beach. And cats. Can't forget the kitties. Of which she has two.

Sign up for Riley's newsletter and never miss out on new book releases and other fun things.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

El

Review: Truth or Dare (Dare to Love #1) by Mira Lyn Kelly

Title: Truth or Dare
Author: Mira Lyn Kelly
Series: Dare to Love
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult, Adult
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication date: September 16 2014
Pages: 270 (ebook)
Source: Netgalley






In a deliciously sexy twist on the classic game, Mira Lyn Kelly proves that when playing truth or dare - always choose dare. 

After her one attempt at commitment ends with the discovery that her fiancé already has a wife and kid, Maggie Lawson vows that the only people she'll love 'til death do they part will be her friends. Unfortunately that means Maggie letting her bestie rope her into a year-long dating dare: score a new date each month or pay a penalty. Seems doable - until Maggie's date stands her up, leaving her only one option: the sexy stud who just moved in upstairs. The problem? He and Maggie can't stop fighting - and that's just the beginning.

His name is Tyler Daniels and the last thing he needs is his neighbor distracting him with her girl-next-door smile and sharp tongue. Tyler's in Chicago for one reason: to woo back his selfish ex in order to reclaim the child he once thought was his - and that means keeping Maggie out of his bad. A tall order, since Maggie has become a bigger temptation than he ever expected. But before they can even consider leaving the past behind, Maggie and Tyler must accept a brand-new dare: real, forever love.

Goodreads

This is the second book that I’ve read by Mira Lyn Kelly and I can safely say that she didn’t let me down.

Maggie has everything she needs in her live, good friends, a job she loves, a place she can call her home. Her life is perfect as it is. After all why would you need a man in your life, he would only complicate things. But when her best friend traps her into a pact that involves dating one guy each month for the next year Maggie has no option than to open herself to the possibility. The last guy on her dating list is Tyler, Apartment Three, but when he has to help her twice with her date problems she can’t ignore the electric tension between them anymore.
Tyler moved a while ago from NYC to Chicago, with only one goal, to win his ex-girlfriend back. So the girl-next-door is the last thing he needs. But he can’t help to be attracted to her… cookies. Ever since the first time they met there is a friendly sort of bantering between them.

Both Tyler and Maggie were interesting characters. They were both very determined, they both set out goals and they would let anything or anyone come between it. That is until they met each other. I loved all the bantering between them, some of the scenes were so hilarious. Just like some of the movie and TV references. The sharp dialogue between them made me enjoy the book even more. I also loved how they grew throughout this book. Maggie learned to open her heart again after what had happened to her a few years ago. Tyler was afraid to let anyone get close to him, even offering friendship was hard for him. Because he knew that he would disappear in a moment when he got the chance to be with Gina again. But he learned to have fun again and enjoy every single moment he got. The other characters were amazing too. There was such a great vibe between all of them. If I had a group of friends like them I would cherish them forever.

Another thing that I loved was that we got to now Tyler’s background story in bits and pieces. It wasn’t just a big chunk of information that was thrown at you. Everything was revealed at the perfect moment. But I missed that the author didn’t do the same with Maggie’s history, know it was just mentioned as some side information while her history was as heartbreaking as Tyler’s.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read more books in this series. I’m interested to learn more about Maggie and her group of friends. They all deserve their own story. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an animated and heartwarming NA contemporary romance story. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. 

El

Waiting on Wednesday #73: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that I am anxiously awaiting is:

Suspicion 
by Alexandra Monir



Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor.

"There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.

Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left  to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess. 

All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself - and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into? 

Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.

Goodreads

Why I Can't Wait

This book sounds so amazing. A mystery set on an estate of a wealthy family. I don't know if this book is set in the past or not. But anyway it sounds really great and I can't wait to read it! 

Publication date: December 9th 2014

El

Top Ten Tuesday #40: Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait To Get

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks is: 

Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait To Get

1. Hunted (Sinners #2) by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki: The first book came out a year ago and I loved it! Ever since I've been waiting for the sequel to be released.
2. The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead: I love this series, I can't believe that this will be the last book in the series... But I'm so excited to read it. 
3. Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry: More Noah and Echo, can't wait to read it!
4. Captive (The Blackoat Rebellion #2) by Aimée Carter: The first book in this series was so amazing. I can't wait to find out what will happen next.
5. Shadow Study (Study series #4) by Maria V. Snyder: She's one of my favorite fantasy authors, and Valek and Yelena were so amazing. I'm so excited for this book.
6. Blades of Illusion (Crown Service #2) by Terah Edun: This book was already released but the author is rewriting it at the moment. So I can't wait until she releases the new version of it. 
7. The Ruby Airship (The Diamond Thief #2) by Sharon Gosling: I read the first book in this series a few months ago and I loved it! I'm so excited to read this one! 
8. Glittering Shadows (Dark Metropolis #2) by Jaclyn Dolamore: The first book in this series was really good. I can't wait for this sequel to come out. 
9. The Forgotten Crown (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2) by Julie Kagawa: It's been so long since the previous book came out in this series. And there is still nothing we know about this book, no blurb, no cover,... But I'm still patiently waiting for this book to be released.
10. Untitled (Wild Cards #2) by Simone Elkeles: She's one of my favorite YA contemporary authors, and while the first book in this series wasn't my favorite of hers I'm still excited for the second book. 

El

Review: The Mistletoe Melody by Jennifer Snow

Title: The Mistletoe Melody
Author: Jennifer Snow
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult
Publisher: Harlequin (Heartwarming) 
Publication date: November 1st 2014
Pages: 368 (ebook) 
Source: received from author (Thank you so much!!) 







'Tis the season of forgiveness but can she ever forget? 

Brad Monroe was truly unbelievable. Blowing back into Brookhollow for three days to film a Christmas special - three years after the accident that killed his best friend, her husband - and expecting Melody to be civil? Please. He'd been the only one who'd survived the tragedy, hightailing it to Nashville and hijacking her dream, Patrick's dream. She'd spent that time grieving, working three jobs, struggling to raise her boys and keep a roof over their heads. Now she was losing on all fronts, and not about to forgive and forget. Or give him the one thing that could save them all.

Goodreads

Every time I finish a book by Jennifer Snow it leaves me with a happy feeling, The Mistletoe Melody was no different.

I’ve always admired Melody, she is a single mom with twin boys, struggling to make ends meet. But she never gives up, she is just too pride and stubborn for that. At the same time she’s grieving her husband’s death almost three years ago. So it’s not easy for her when her husband’s best friend Brad, who caused the car accident, returns to town for a couple of days.
Brad is a great guy, he struggles with the guilt he feels every single day. He doesn’t know how he can forgive himself when he thinks he doesn’t deserve it. So the last thing what he wants to do is return to Brookhollow, but when his publicist makes him he has no other choice.

I really loved both of them, they are such a great characters. And it was so great to see how the characters developed in this book. They learned to move on from the past so that it doesn’t control their lives anymore. They learned to forgive and to love again. They are probably one of my favorite couples so far in this series. I admired them both so much, Brad for following his dream no matter what and for trying to convince Melody to do the same. Melody because she is so brave! I couldn’t imagine being in her shoes.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The Mistletoe Melody has it all love, forgiveness, tragedy, passion, strength, loss…. Once I picked up the book it was hard for me to put it back down. It was an amazing read and I enjoyed every single moment of it.  I could recommend it to anyone whose looking for a great Adult romance story, it’s especially perfect for this time of the year with its Christmas setting. . I’m secretly hoping that Jennifer’s next book will be about Heather, anyhow I can’t wait to read more books from Jennifer

El

Stacking The Shelves #50

Showcase Sunday's/Stacking the Shelves aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. This Sunday meme is hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea and Tynga's Reviews: 

I didn't get any books this week, but I got these amazing book marks in the post this week: 

Thank you so much Katie!

El

Book Blitz: Captured Love by Juliana Hayger

   

Title: Captured Love
Author: Juliana Hayger
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult
Publication date: November 10th 2014
Buy links: Amazon | B&N









It's been four years since twenty-year-old Jessica Hayes has been home, but when she discovers her father is dying, she must return to her hometown in South Carolina and face her past. Jessica thought patching up her relationship with her father would be her biggest challenge, but when she runs into Ryan Dawson - the catalyst of her problems - she wonders if coming home was a mistake.

Ryan knows he screwed up. Hell, he paid the price... with interest. But when he runs into his best friend's little sister, Jessica, he's reminded that his debt will never truly be paid. He may have turned his life around, but he can't undo the damage. So, he does what he should have done all those years ago. He stays away from Jessica, and all the other personal demons that still haunt him. 
Jessica thought she wanted nothing to with Ryan, but something is different about him and she needs to know why. When she discovers the truth behind his change, she puts her troubles aside and tries to help him. But is putting her heart back in the line of fire worth disrupting her stable life back in Ohio, or will the past repeat itself, leaving her brokenhearted once again? 

Goodreads

Giveaway (international!)

$20 Starbucks Gift Card

2 signed copies of Playing hard

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt

Ryan
       As Luke and Jason chatted about the next race, I leaned against the rail, looking at the stars. After that night under the stars with Jessica, the night she told me I could be anything I wanted to be, I never looked at the night sky the same way. It was like the stars and I shared a secret, as if the night sky knew something about me that no one else did.
       Jason leaned on the rail beside me. “What’s up?”
       “Nothing.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Where’s Luke?”
       “He went to the car to grab a bottle of whiskey.”
       “Oh.” Maybe it was time for me to leave. Seeing the guys drinking whiskey while I had to hold back was probably a bad idea.
       I looked around, trying to remember where I had parked my car.
       “She didn’t come,” Jason said. He must have misinterpreted me and thought I was looking for his sister. “Rachel and Sophie stopped by the house and tried to convince her to come, but since you told her about your past, she’s been quiet. Well, quieter.”
       I frowned. “Why?” He shrugged. “I didn’t tell her so she would feel bad about it. I told her because I realized she would find out one way or other. Better if it came from me.”
       Jason nodded. “I know.” He tilted his head at me. “Are you okay?”
       I chuckled—a sarcastic sound. “Never been better.”
       With a hint of pity in his eyes, he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “You know I’m here for you, man. Whatever the problem is.”
      “I know, J-man.” I sighed. However, there was nothing to be done. My problem was with the past, and unfortunately, I couldn’t change it. Neither could I let it go.
       Luke showed up with the whiskey bottle. “Dude, it took me a few minutes to find it. I thought I had forgotten it.”
       I glanced at the bottle, then at Jason. Comprehension spread across his face.
      “Luke, maybe we shouldn’t drink that tonight,” Jason said.
       Luke’s face fell, but a second later, he nodded. “Right. Of course.”
       “Nah, it’s okay.” I pushed against the rail. “I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I’m gonna go. But you guys should drink that whiskey and have a good time.”
       “Ryan, you don’t need to go,” Jason started.
        I shook my head. “No, I do.” I wasn’t kidding about waking up early. After all, I had to be at the Habitat for Humanity site at eight sharp. As much as I wanted to stay and drink—Coke—with them, I knew my mood wasn’t great for company. “See you guys soon.”
        Jason and Luke smacked my shoulder as I walked past them. The party went on as I walked by. I smiled, but inwardly, I envied them. I still had a wild night here and there, but if I could help it, they happened rarely. Meanwhile, these people could drink and stay out all night long. They could have fun; they could enjoy themselves, guiltlessly.
With a long exhale, I slipped into my Mustang and pulled away before I gave in to temptation and joined them.

Author bio

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow pries, she settles for the less exciting - but equally gratifying - life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy. 

Co-founder and contributor at NA Alley.

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Cutlass (Cutlass #1) by Ashley Nixon

Author Ashley Nixon held a launch party about a month ago to show off her new book.
Here is the old cover:

Notorious pirate Barren Reed has one thing on his mind: Revenge against the man who killed his father. So kidnapping his enemy's fiancé seems a perfect plan…until he actually does it. 

Larkin Lee is more than a pretty face and fiancé to a powerful man. Her fierce personality is enough to make any pirate want to push her overboard.

But when the King of the Orient comes to Barren with a task—to find the Bloodstone, a powerful gem thought only to exist in legend, Barren sees another opportunity to destroy his enemy. Together, Barren, Larkin and a crew of pirates set off to find the stone, only to discover it caused the death of Barren’s own mother and Larkin’s, too. As his strongest allies turn into his greatest enemies, and the life of the girl he kidnapped becomes more important than he ever dreamed, Barren’s quest for revenge becomes a fight to save the Orient.

The book is Young Adult high fantasy. It's not just about pirates, there are elves and magic and all that fun stuff! I do have to ask since September 19th is a Friday and I work 8-5, is there anyway to have it at like 6? Or is that too late? I think a two hour one would be fun, you don't think it would be too long, do you? 

Goodreads

Author Bio

Ashley was born and raised in Oklahoma, where the wind really does sweep down the plains, and horses and carriages aren't used as much as she'd like. She has a Bachelor's in English Writing and a Master's in Library Science and Information Technology. When she's not writing she's either working out or pretending she's Sherlock Holmes. Her obsession with writing began after reading the Lord of the Rings in the eighth grade. Since then, she's loved everything Fantasy--resulting in an unhealthy obsession with the 'geek' tab on Pinterest, where all things awesome go.

New cover

Are you ready to see the new cover?

Here it is:

If you would like to read this book, check it out here: Amazon

Giveaway

You can also enter to win a copy of the book with it's new cover here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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