Promo + Giveaway ~ Love Resolution by Michelle Mankin

Title: Love Resolution
Author: Michelle Mankin
Release date: April 16, 2013
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: New Adult



Buy Links: Amazon


Book Description:
There’s a storm brewing at Black Cat Records and lead singer Marcus Anthony and guitarist Avery Jones are at the center of it.
Brutal Strength is leaving Vancouver and heading out on a big stadium tour with the reprobate rockers from Tempest as their opening act.
Avery is forced to deal with a troubling figure from her past while being pursued by Tempest’s tatted bad boy, Bryan ‘Bullet’ Jackson.
Meanwhile, Marcus must battle his own internal demons as well as this rival for Avery’s affection.
Can Avery and Marcus keep their fairy tale happily ever after together when the prevailing winds of the real world are against them?
Love Resolution is the third book in the Black Cat Records series.
**A new adult contemporary novel with mature subject matter**
Author note: Each book in the Black Cat Records series can stand alone. The first, Love Evolution is appropriate for all ages. The second, Love Revolution, and the third, Love Resolution, are for mature teens/new adult.




Reclining against the back of the garden tub with her eyes closed, she knew the moment he stepped into the room by the way her body reacted, tingling with an awareness that had always been there between the two of them. Even when she’d been disguised as a guy.
Heat that had nothing to do with the temperature of the bath flooded her veins. She opened her eyes to find him leaning back against the door frame looking at her with a heavy lidded gaze. Steam billowed from the white porcelain mug cupped in his masculine hands. Slowly, the focus of his gaze lifted from where her breasts peeked out above the surface of the bubbles to her face. Looking pointedly at the mug, she arched a brow. “Is that for me?”
“The tea you mean?” Marcus asked suggestively, giving her a sexy half smile.
Avery reached out with a soapy arm to take the mug he offered her. “The tea will do… for now,” she said, playing along. Blowing over the top before taking a sip, she sighed with pleasure at the first taste of the rich exotic brew. Warmth from the tea slid down her throat while the passionate expression on Marcus’ face fueled warmth of a different sort.
Purposefully, she sat up further in the water, feeling the bubbles sliding down to her waist. Eyes darkening to deep sapphire followed their path with focused concentration. She started to bring the tea to her mouth again when he abruptly reached for it and removed it from her hands.
The mug clattered as he set it down on the black granite countertop. He grabbed a thick white bath towel off the warming rack. Wordlessly, he unfolded it and held it outstretched for her to step into. “You are so beautiful,” he said watching her rise from the tub.
He wrapped her flushed body in the soft heated towel and swept her off her feet. Cradled tight to his rock-hard chest, she found herself swiftly carried to the bedroom. Her heart hammered excitedly against her ribs as he laid her out on the king sized bed and began to caress her body. With calloused fingertips he expertly stroked her like an instrument that he had mastered. She’d never had a lover like Marcus. Not that there had been many before him. But she could never have imagined anyone making love to her the way he did. Like it was a physical expression of what he felt inside his soul.
He ran his hands across every inch of her sensitized creamy white skin plucking lightly in certain areas, circling teasingly in others, always seeming to intuitively know where and how to touch in a way that would give her the most pleasure. By the time he covered her body with his own she was trembling and ready. She moaned deep in her throat at the exquisite feeling of completion she felt when he finally brought their bodies together.
Over the past week she’d sensed his lovemaking taking on an even higher level of intensity than usual as if he was savoring each moment. Now he made love to her so tenderly and so patiently that it took only moments before he’d coaxed from her the ultimate crescendo. And as it always was between them, after she cried out his name, he soon followed, dampening her vocal release with his mouth over hers, as if he were drinking in her essence.





Michelle Mankin is a young adult romance writer as well as a self- proclaimed giant... inside of her own mind!
For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn't kill her but the hour and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander.

Love Evolution is her debut novel. A rock 'n roll romance based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. It is the first in a planned trilogy using the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare combined with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.

When she is not putting her daydreams down on paper, you can find her traveling the world with her family, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.


Website

Print or ebook copy from Amazon of Love Resolution.

Print copies are US/Canada only.

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Blog Tour ~ The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder [Review + Giveaway]

The Unloved
by Jennifer Snyder
Publication Date: July 30th 2012
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary Romance



Buy Links: Amazon | B&N
Book Description:
Sometimes the love our heart needs to heal can be found in the familiar eyes of a childhood friend...

Julie Porter learned the hard way that trust is something which must be earned and not something to be given out lightly, those who say they love you are those who hold the power to hurt you most, and best friends can help you survive anything—until they move away.

Nick Owen knows a thing or two about a hard life. At a young age Nick learned how to take a hit and to make lemonade out of the lemons life tossed his way. Returning home after nearly two years of being away, all Nick cares about now is protecting his mom from the abusive hands of his father and catching up with his best friend—the girl who lived across the street, the girl he can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Finally reunited after two years apart, Nick and Julie are about to learn that age does nothing to protect you from life’s trials and tribulations, heartache and loss, but maybe together they’ll find a way to survive.

(Mature Young Adult, contains violence, language, and sexual situations.)

This book really surprised me. I thought it would be a sweet romance book about two people finding their way to each other after two years, but it was much more. It deals with a lot of problems, from abusive parents to drug addiction.

Nick and Jules have been best friends since they were little kids and always protected and helped each other out, but Nick moves away when he was 15. Now they're both 17, and Nick is back. It takes some time until the two pick up where they left and soon they are both having romantic feelings.

The book is told from both Nick and Jules' POV so we know what's going in their heads at all times. They both had a really rough childhood. Nick had an abusive father who kept beating up him and his mom, and Jules' mom was a drug addict striper who liked changing her partners every few weeks. Like I said, I didn't expect this book to be so hard, and it made me really sad to see what were they going throught, but that made them stronger.

The romance was the complete opposite, it was sweet. I always love romances that develop between two best friends. Jules had a hard time letting Nick become closer to her because she was affraid one of them would get hurt in the end. And she was right, they did get hurt, but in the end, they found their way to each other.

This is a quick read, but it contains so much elements. At some times you think your heart will break, and then at some moments you're really happy and think everything will be okay. Fans of contemporary novels will for sure enjoy this one.

I live in a small town nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina with my husband and two small children. Growing up, I was always an avid reader. My mother spent way too much money on R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike books!
Writing a novel of my own wasn't something I'd ever given much thought to. It seemed like an unobtainable, far-fetched dream. Then, in late 2007, I attempted to put pen to paper for the first time. What came out wasn't pure gold. And what came out next wasn't either. Things didn't work that way for me. I had to write and rewrite and learn more about my 'voice' as an author first.
It took me a while to find that. Roughly about two years.
I did make a stab at going the traditional route to getting a novel of mine published, but it didn't work out. Some might say I gave up too quickly, some might not. You can look on the 'For Writers' tab to read my post on why I went the way I did to hear the full story.
I will say, I don't regret my decision to Self-Publish. It was right for me. I'm loving that fact that I am able to still be a stay-at-home-mom even though my kids are both now in elementary school. I thank my readers for that. Seriously, a million times over I thank you!
SHATTERED SOUL was my debut novel and no, you haven't seen the end of me yet...

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Blog Tour ~ The Prophecy Girl by Cecily White [Review + Giveaway]

Prophecy Girl (Angel Academy, #1)
by Cecily White

Publishing date: April 2nd 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen



Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository
Book Description:
Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.
Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.
Then he shows up.
Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?
Wrong.
Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

This book blow me away. In the last few weeks I wasn't very lucky with liking what I read. The books I thought would be awesome I ended not liking, but not this one. To be honest, I picked this one because I thought it was a safe territory, angels/demons/magic/vampires what could possibly go wrong, at least I would kinda enjoy it and I needed to read a good book. I was so wrong, because you see, this book is amazing! I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it, and yey, I finally got my happy surprise!

Amelie Bennett is a girl who is a Crossworld Demon slayer, a girl who seems to be on a first name basis with trouble and a girl who is destined to kill a guy she loves, according to the prophecy. When her instructors start disappearing and strange things begin to happen, there comes a new guy Jackson Smith-Hailey, who also happens to be her new trainer. Soon Amelie is suspected to be a big threat to the angelbloods and the whole city is hunting her. She has five days to find out who is killing the angelbloods, partnered with Jack she is set to find out the whole truth.

This book was thrilling and exciting from the very start and stayed that way until the end. There were so much twists and turns that had me guessing if something would happen even in the normal situations. Add to it a great writing with a lot of humor and already you've got a story made of awesome! The world building, the demons and vampires were described in so much detail that when you finish the book, you feel like those stuff are part of your everyday life.

I loved Amelie as a character, not only because she has my favorite name, but because she was a kickass, witty, sarcastic and a very tough character. While Jackson is your ultimate bad boy and I wanted to punch him more than a few times, he managed to win my heart. The chemistry between the two is amazing! From the first time they met, there were sparks between them (literally!). The constant bickering and snarky comments made me like them even more.

Overall, I loved this book and i can't wait to read the next book in the series. If you pick it up, I am sure you will not regret it.

Cecily Cornelius-White, Psy.D. makes a habit of avoiding boredom whenever possible. She has enjoyed careers as a hand model, GAP salesgirl, movie projectionist, psychotherapist, yoga instructor, university professor, artist, dance choreographer, eating disorders specialist, psych diagnostician, book reviewer and copy editor. None of which are as much fun as writing novels.

She currently lives in Springfield, MO with two FABULOUS kids, and a schizophrenic yet well-mannered cat. She can swear in Klingon, take down an alien aggressor using only her mind (or a pair of chopsticks), and kill giant spiders without getting schmutz on her shirt.

When not singing to herself, she spends time creating new worlds and thinking up ways to make this one better…

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3 paperbacks of PROPHECY GIRL (US Only)

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4/2/2013- Fade into Fantasy - Guest Post
4/3/2013- Bookalicious - Review
4/4/2013- Booky ramblings of a neurotic mom - Top 10 List.
4/5/2013- Bibliophilia Please - review
4/8/2013- Hope, Love and Happy Endings - review
4/9/2013- Two Chicks on Books - Music Post - Playlist for The Prophecy Girl
4/10/2013- Books and Needlepoint - review
4/11/2013- Fiktshun - top ten or top five to ten favorite quotes
4/12/2013- Fantasy Book Addict - Interview

Blog Tour: There Comes a Prophet by David Litwack [Promo + Giveaway]

There Comes a Prophet
by David Litwack
Publication Date: July 9th 2012
Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing
Genre: YA Dystopian


Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository


Book Description:
Who among us will cast aside a comfortable existence and risk death to follow a dream?

A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their sorcery in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.

Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.

If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:

“If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”




Nathaniel had forgotten his dilemma. The idea of the keep had awakened something in him he thought he’d lost forever.
“But who’ll solve the puzzle?”
“The founders of the keep believed a new generation would arise that would seek the truth at all costs, even at the risk of their lives. Some few from that generation would take the lead. These would be called seekers, and their task would be to solve the puzzle and rediscover the keep.”
“But what’s in the keep?”
“The chain started so long ago, Nathaniel. Even the keepers don’t know any more. The keep may not even exist.”
“Ancient magic?”
“More. Something the Temple fears. Something that might change the world.”
Nathaniel’s hands were shaking. I’d be a seeker if I could.



The urge to write first struck when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. There Comes a Prophet is his first novel in this new stage of life.

David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.


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One (1) Paperback copy [US/CAN]

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Blog Tour ~ The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan [Review + Giveaway]

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The Boys of Summer (Summer, #1)
by C.J. Duggan
Publication Date: December 17th 2012
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
294 pages



Buy Links: Amazon | B&N

Book Description:
It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘OnslowBoys’. Every time they swaggered in the front doorof the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.

Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.
To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.

How did she let her friends talk her into working?

After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer ofworking expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.

All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.
It will be a summer she will always remember.
Warning: sexual references, and occasional course language.




When I started The Boys of Summer I expected it to be a sweet New Adult novel with interesting characters and a cute romance. I'm happy to say it was all I hoped it would be.

The book focuses on three friends, Tess, Adam and Ellie and how they spend their summer before their 12th year at High School. While Adam and Ellie are really excited about their summer job at the local Onslow Hotel, Tess isn't quite fond of the idea. But as they start working, they meet The Onslow Boys and her long time crush Toby, Tess finds herself enjoying the job and the time she spends with them.

What I loved the most about this books are the characters and their relationship. C.J. Duggan spent a lot of time developing each and every one of them. Not only Tess, Ellie, Adam and the Onslow Boys, but also other secondary characters too. While Tess, Ellie and Adam have quite different personalities, they do have a strong friendship and they care about each other.
Tess is a little unsecure about herself and it was amazing to see how much she changed during the novel. Ellie was outgoing and bubbly and she was the one who encouraged Tess to do most things she normaly wouldn't. Adam was a bit of a clown. No mather what he did or said, I always found myself laughing or giggling. The Onslow Boys, even tought a few years older, accepted them and never treated them like naive High School kids.

The romance was sweet, and while Ellie and Stan hit it off pretty quickly, Tess and Toby took time while something between happened. It was never dull or borring and I found myself really enjoying it.

To sum it up, The Boys of Summer is a perfect summer read and I think fans of Jenny Han would really enjoy it. I look can't wait to read the next book in the series and I'm happy I'll be reading it in summer.






C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.
The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.


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Blog Tour ~ Starseed by Liz Gruder [Promo + Giveaway]

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Starseed
by Liz Gruder
Publication Date: February 5th 2013
Publisher: WiDo Publishing
Genre: Paranormal YA

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N

Book Description:
Kaila Guidry has always known she is different. After all, her mother insists Kaila hide her hair under a tin foil shield and a wig before leaving the house. When Kaila meets Jordyn Stryker one day at school, she starts to understand the origin of her mother’s seemingly irrational fears.

Jordyn Stryker was born and raised far from Earth, a starseed, one of six new students sent undercover to Louisina’s Bush High to learn human ways. When Kaila is pushed to her limit by high school bullying and cruelty, Jordyn steps in and awakens her to a new reality, and to love. Out of loyalty to him, Kaila looks the other way when the real purposes of the starseed begin to unfold.

As the horrific plan behind the starseed visit to Earth moves forward, Kaila and Jordyn, caught in an impossible love, must face who they really are and decide where their true loyalties lie.




“Incredible,” marveled Lucius. “She is one of us but born and raised on Earth.”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Bourg. “Kaila is a starseed just like you. Half-extraterrestrial, half-human.” Mrs. Bourg contemplated Kaila, submerged in a hypnotic trance. “Poor
thing. She looks just like a doll, staring with those empty blue eyes. Yet, this is a wonderful situation. We will have to educate her. You will all have to become good friends with Kaila. I am sure she can teach you many things about being human. And we have many things to teach her too.”
“The moment I saw her, I knew,” Jordyn said. “I never felt that about any human before.” He gazed at her, his face softening. “She holds lots of interesting things inside. How much she feels emotion for her family. How she feels emotion for animals. I looked, and I had to stop because there was so much emotion.”
“That’s the way it is with all humans,” Lucius said disdainfully.
“They haven’t learned how emotions get in the way,” Echidna said.
Jordyn said nothing, staring at Kaila.




As a youth, Liz Gruder saw a series of UFOs with her best friend while riding bikes. Ever since, she’s held a fascination for the stars. An avid reader, she used to hide under her covers and read with a flashlight. She has degrees in English and Psychology from Tulane University, a nursing license and a yoga certification. After going through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Liz realized how short life is and is now slowly fulfilling her bucket list: she’s been to the Egyptian pyramids (totally awesome and thought provoking) and is now teaching yoga and writing speculative fiction. Starseed is her debut novel.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/10/13


Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Review: Just Remember to Breathe by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Just Remember to Breathe (Thompson Sisters)
by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Publishing date: November 12th 2012
Publisher: Cincinnatus Press
280 pages


Book Description:
Alex Thompson’s life is following the script. A pre-law student at Columbia University, she’s focused on her grades, her life and her future. The last thing she needs is to reconnect with the boy who broke her heart.

Dylan Paris comes home from Afghanistan severely injured and knows that the one thing he cannot do is drag Alex into the mess he’s made of his life.

When Dylan and Alex are assigned to the same work study program and are forced to work side by side, they have to make new ground rules to keep from killing each other.

Only problem is, they keep breaking the rules.

The first rule is to never, ever talk about how they fell in love.

I think this is the first Contemporary Romance novel I read that is written by a male author. It really surprised me, I must say, and it was really good. Charles did a great job on this novel and I can't wait to read some of his other books.

Alex and Dylan have a history, and now they must learn how to work together. They met as teenagers on their trip to Israel and fell in love, but when they returned to their homes, things started to complicate. Long distance relationship was much harder than they tought it would be and they broke up. Now that they are in the same College, will they be able to forgive each other and give their relationship another try?

Just Remember to Breathe is told from dual POV. We have the insight to both Dylan and Alex's head. I enjoyed reading from both perspectives. It helped us learn how they both feel about each other and what are the reasons why they broke up. I also loved the little flashbacks to their trip to Israel. It was nice to see how they met and how their relationshiop progressed.

This book has more emotions in it than the blurb shows us. Dylan has been injured in Afghanistan and is now a veteran who is dealing with PSTD and a troubled past. Alex is dealing with her strict family and an attempt on rape. They both were strong charatcters and they delt with their problems with an admiring strenght. Always wanting to move on, to work past all the problems they encounter.

Overall, this book is the perfect NA book and I think everyone who likes New Adult Contemporary Romance will enjoy Just Remember to Breathe.