Blog Tour: Entangled Embrace Pre-Launch & Giveaway

Guys - Entangled has a New Adult Line, Entangled Embrace launching tomorrow, with four very cool titles.  We are excited to be a part of the Pre-Launch Blog Tour featuring three of these very cool titles!  

Ruined by Jus Accardo

Here's the blurb:

Jax lost the genetic lottery.  Descended from Cain, the world's first murderer, he's plagued by a curse that demands violence in exchanged for his happiness.  He left everything behind, including the girl he loved, but thriving on the pain of others is lonely...And it's killing him.

After a series of heartbreaking losses, Samantha put rubber to pavement and headed for college as fast as her clunker could carry her.  But she can't outrun her problems.  When an attack at school drives her back home, she's thrown into the path of a past - and a guy - she's been trying to forget.

Sam strains Jax's control over his darkness, but running isn't an option this time.  Someone - or, something - followed her home from school: a ruthless monster with a twisted plan centuries in the making.  Forced together to survive, and fighting an attraction that could destroy them both, Jax and Sam must stop a killer bent on revenge.  


Here's a snippet:

"The doors were stuck.  How did we get out?"
He narrowed his eyes.  Only the slightest hint of gray was visible.
"Does it matter?  Maybe I should put you back in?  It'd give you an excuse to grope me again."

I know I can't wait to read this one.  If you haven't tried Accardo's Denazen Series or Darker Agency series, you definitely should. 


Definitely, Maybe In Love by Ophelia London

Blurb:

Her theory of attraction is about to get a new angle.

Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment.  Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published.  Spring swears she'll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.  

"Whatever it takes," however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.

Henry is Spring's only hope at publication, but he's also the uber-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring's polar opposite.  Too bad she can't help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically.  As they work on her thesis, Spring finds there's more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters... but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in?  Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride.  

Snippet:

"What's so funny?" I asked, surprised to see Knightly chuckling into a fist.
"Your buttons," he said.
I looked down at the top I was wearing.  It was a black pullover sweater, no buttons.
"No," he said with another chuckle.  "Your buttons, Spring." He pointed at me, his fingers like a gun.  "They're very easy to push, aren't they?"

Trouble Comes Knocking by Mary Duncanson

Blurb:
It's hard not to answer when trouble comes knocking.

A girl who can't forget...

Twenty-two-year-old Lucy Carver is like Sherlock Holmes in ballet flats, but her eidetic memory is more albatross than asset, and something she usually keeps hidden.  When she notices that something's amiss at her dead-end job, she jumps at the chance to finally use her ability for good.  That is, until, a man is murdered, and she becomes the target of the killer.  

A detective on his first case...

Detective Eli Reyes is overbearing, pompous, way too hot for Lucy's own good, and seems as determined to ruin her relationship with her boyfriend, John, as finding the murderer.  He brings Lucy in on the case, thinking she can help him get to the truth, only to cut her loose when he realizes he's gotten far more than he ever bargained for.

A past that won't go away...

When memories from her childhood invade her present, Lucy discovers a mystery bigger than she could have imagined.  With the killer still after her and Eli nowhere to be found, she takes things into her own hands, determined to expose the truth no matter what - before trouble comes knocking...again.  

Snippet:
"Today will be a good day.  Today I will start my new path.  Today I will not stick my nose where it does not belong," I chanted as I applied teal eyeliner to make my hazel eyes pop.  When the smell of blueberry muffins made me salivate and a quick glance at the time on my phone pushed my ass into gear, I grabbed my favorite lip gloss and sailed down the stairs."

Don't these titles sound awesome?!  Now, enter to win a Kindle Fire:









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The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

* * * * 1/2


Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

Review:

Gansey is trying to not question Adam about waking the ley line and how it has affected him.  Gansey is also trying to not be disappointed by the fact that not only was it not him that woke the ley line but Cabeswater seems to have disappeared.

Adam is confused by his new attachment to Cabeswater.  He’s also confused by his relationship with Blue.  Is she his girlfriend?  Is she not?  How is he supposed to know for sure when she flat out refuses to kiss him but still holds his hand.  And it doesn’t help that he only knows how to express his confusion through anger.  A not so lovely trait he picked up from his crappy dad.

Noah is still smudgy.

Blue is trying to figure out what her feelings for Adam.  Does she really love him?  If not, maybe she COULD kiss him.  Then there’s Gansey, who both still alternately annoys and impresses her.

And then there is Ronan.  And his dreams.  Ronan brought Chainsaw back from his dreams.  What other things can he bring.  What other secrets about himself has he yet to learn?

Just as in The Raven Boys, Stiefvater gives a little attention to Blue and each of her friends as they continue on their search for Cabeswater and the old king, Glendower.  But this story is mainly Ronan's and secondly, Adam’s.  We learn the secrets of Ronan’s dreams.  Why he has them, where they transport him to and who powers them.  And we see Adam struggle as he comes to term with the sacrifice he made when waking the ley line.

The Dream Thieves was just as good if not better than The Raven Boys.  This is another story full of intrigue, magic and adventure and I wait anxiously for the next installment in the story.

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (82)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.




By Sophie Jordan
Publication Date: November 5, 2013

Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs. 

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…

Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles #1) by Sophie Jordan

* * * *

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…

Even with her many romance novels, I’m most familiar with Sophie Jordan’s work through her excellent Firelight series.  When I heard she was doing a new adult novel, I was over the moon because that’s where my reading interests have ventured to lately.

My initial impression of Pepper is that she is exceptionally naïve.  She has never had a boyfriend  because she has been pining away for her “ideal” man, Hunter. Her roommates Emerson and Georgia believe that a fling with a more experienced guy would help her be better prepared with Hunter. Pepper is definitely not the player type. This whole plan to use and dump a guy doesn’t sit quite right with her yet Hunter IS the ultimate prize and with that in mind she’s willing to forgo any misgivings.

Reece is the older, mysterious hottie who takes her breath away. I mean, he took my breath away with his gorgeous blue eyes, eyebrow ring and tattoos. (BiblioJunkies Nat and Shel are probably rolling their eyes at me because he's totally my type right now.) Their mutual attraction is apparent from the get go. Pepper’s awkwardness is downright adorable while Reece’s personality being a bit more complicated left me on edge for a couple of reasons. One, I wondered how he would react to Pepper once he realized that she was using him. Two, I was curious what his own motivation was to go along with this truly ridiculous plan.

I relished every moment of this story because truth be told, not knowing how any of this would pan out, it made the whole scenario rather exciting. Jordan did a wonderful job with their backstories giving us a glimpse of their personal demons. Pepper with her own issues is somewhat well-adjusted whereas Reece has a touch more angst. But it’s what happens when Pepper’s two worlds collide that everything kicks into high gear. Hunter has always represented safety and reliability to Pepper. And she has been resolute in her desire for him for a long time. Her judgment gets clouded by her attraction to Reece. Ever been in a situation where you've set your mind on something it's like tunnel vision that you can't even consider that there could be other options? That's exactly what it is here. She plays the denial game very well but Reece does call her out on it in one of the best scenes, "You can't even see it. I'm the safest thing you'll ever find."

Unfortunately, I can’t share my favorite moment in the book but trust me it is good! (I just read it again and well ...) Do I recommend Foreplay? Absolutely! It successfully captures Pepper’s growing confidence while still keeping her relatively grounded.  And there’s more to Reece than just being the hot bartender to drool over. Jordan sets events up well from the beginning that allows the story to progress sensibly. The gravitational pull between Pepper and Reece is really what makes Foreplay tick and I know I'll enjoy reading it over again!

~ Bel

Thanks to Edelweiss and Above The Treeline for the opportunity to review this title.

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

**** 1/2

From Little Brown:

I never believed in ghosts.  Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, she doesn't realize that paranormal forces are responsible - not until mysterious identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into her room and destroy a deadly spirit sent to kill her.

Kennedy learns that her mother's death was no accident, and now she has to take her place in the Legion of the Black Dove - a secret society whose five members were all murdered on the same night, leaving the Legion in the hands of the next generation: a misfit group with unique skills.  

As the new members race to find the only weapon capable of destroying the demon, they use their individual talents to battle paranormal entities and earn their rightful place in the Legion - except for Kennedy.  

If she is truly the missing piece of the puzzle, can she stay alive long enough to find out - without losing her heart in the process?

Protect Yourself.  What you can't see can hurt you.

I'll be honest, I haven't read the Beautiful Creatures series.  I tried the first one, but never really got into it.  I've met Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl a couple of times and they are awesome, which makes me feel totally guilty for not reading their stuff, but I got my chance with Unbreakable, thanks to Little Brown.  

Unbreakable had me from the very beginning.  It's a haunting, edge-of-your-seat good time, that made it impossible for me to sleep, what with the nightmares and all.  Completely creepy and exactly the kind of book that is so fantastic this time of year.

More than that though, Kami Garcia's writing is nearly lyrical in parts and always mesmerizing.  Her characters are fun and interesting - I especially enjoyed Priest, the Hephaestus-like engineering wiz-kid.  The only thing stopping me from giving Unbreakable a five-star rating is Kennedy, the heroine of the story and even then, I can't pinpoint what about her that bothers me, but something about her character felt off to me.  Besides that one sticking point (and the unwanted bad dreams), Unbreakable is one of the most surprising books I've read this year.  

A huge thank you to Little Brown for the galley, because I don't know that I would have picked this book out for myself and that would have been a shame.      

~Shel

Spies & Prejudice by Talia Vance

From Egmont:

Fields' Rule #1:  Don't fall for the enemy.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend.  She's busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she's sure all men commit.  And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant - and gorgeous - Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her "nothing amazing," it's no loss for Berry.  She'll forget him in no time.  She's more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother's death.  

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way?  Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat?  And why can't Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful not to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

Spies & Prejudice is Jane Austen meets Veronica Mars, except Berry is fueled by her mother's death, where Veronica was fueled by her BFF's death.  Spies & Prejudice is full of intrigue, fun gadgets, betrayals and misunderstandings.  While some things were blatantly obvious, there were plenty of twists and turns to the story to keep you guessing about how it would end.  I hope this is the start to a series, because it was a lot of fun.

If you enjoy mysteries, Jane Austen and/or Veronica Mars (and who doesn't, these are three awesome things), you will enjoy Spies & Prejudice.  Check out Talia Vance's website for more info:  www.taliavance.com

~Shel

Waiting on Wednesday (81)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By C.L. Stone

Publication Date: December 24, 2013

With an agoraphobic mother and a barely-there father, Sang abhors the isolation keeping her in the shadows. The only thing Sang craves is a fresh start and to be accepted as ordinary by her peers, because for her being different meant being cast out alone.

When her family moves to a new school district, Sang infiltrates a group of boys nearly perfect in every way. Grateful for an influence outside of her parents’ negativity, she quickly bonds with the boys, hoping to blend in and learn from them what it means to have a natural relationship with friends.

Only the boys have secrets of their own and they’ll do anything to keep her safe from the knowledge of the mysterious Academy that they've sworn allegiance to. Bit by bit, Sang discovers that her friends are far from the normalcy she expected. Will her loyalty change when she's forced to remain in the dark, or will she accept that she's traded one house of secrets for another?

Meet Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke and North in a story about differences and loyalty, truth and mystery, friendships and heart-throbbing intimacy.

The Academy, ever vigilant.

Always on My Mind by Jill Shalvis

From Forever Romance:

There's nothing like the real thing.

After dropping out of pastry school and messing up her big break on a reality cooking show, Leah Sullivan needs to accomplish something in her life.  But when she returns home to Lucky Harbor, she finds herself distracted by her best friend, Jack Harper.  In an effort to cheer up Jack's ailing mother, Dee.  Leah tells a little fib - that she and Jack are more than just friends.  Soon pretending to be a hot-and-heavy with this hunky firefighter feels to real to handle...

No-strings attachments suit Jack just fine - perfect for keeping the risk of heartbreak away.  But as Jack and Leah break every one of their "just friends" rules, he longs to turn their pretend relationship into something permanent.  Do best friends know too much about each other to risk falling in love?  Or will Jack and Leah discovery something new about each other in a little town called Lucky Harbor?  

Jill Shalvis combines her trademark steamy romance with mystery in Always on My Mind.  Best Friends Leah and Jack muddle through their feelings for each other when they complicate things with sex, while Jack tries to track down an arsonist.   Can our sexy firefighter get the girl and catch the bad guy?  Of course he can, it's Lucky Harbor - which is exactly why we love Lucky Harbor and all wish we could live there too!

If you haven't read the Lucky Harbor books yet, you should.  They are all funny, sexy and teeming with happily ever afters.  Check out Jill's website for more info or just to read her hilarious blog:  www.jillshalvis.com.

Next up for my BFF is Rumor Has It, an Animal Magnetism book.  Sexy guys with animals, could she possibly melt our hearts any more???

And then, just in time for Valentine's Day we have Once In A Lifetime, the ninth in the Lucky Harbor series!

I don't know about you guys, but I'm seriously looking forward to Aubrey giving Ben hell in Once in a Lifetime.

~Shel

Waiting on Wednesday (80)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By L.A. Weatherly

Publication Date:  November 26, 2013

As half-angel Willow strives to save the world from her parasitic otherworldly kin, romance and tension heat up to a climactic finale.

In the devastated remains of the world, millions of people live in "refugee" camps provided by the angels who have all but enslaved humanity. As this angelic stranglehold tightens, Willow and Alex are recruiting and training new Angel Killers while struggling to hold ground on the celestial battlefield. But Willow continues to have feelings for Seb, and her love and resolve are tested as a shattering revelation sends Alex on a separate journey. Now that the final battle versus the angels is about to begin-and the fate of the world hangs in the balance-each of them must face the consequences of their own choices. Will love endure? Will the human race survive?

Jane's Melody by Ryan Winfield

* * * * 

What boundaries would you cross for true love?

That's the question a grieving mother must answer when she takes in a young street musician she believes can shed light on her daughter's death—only to find herself falling for him. A sexy but touching love story that will leave you both tantalized and in tears, Jane's Melody follows a forty-year-old woman on a romantic journey of rediscovery after years of struggling alone.

Sometimes our greatest gifts come from our greatest pain. And now Jane must decide if it's too late for her to start over, or if true love really knows no limits.

Jane’s Melody is a surprisingly thoughtful and pleasant read despite the circumstances that start the events rolling. I must admit that even I wondered why I was taking on this book. I mean did I really need to drown myself in sorrow? Well I guess I did because I’m a glutton for punishment and I was bombarded by images of this book online. There you go – adverts on Facebook work!

Back to the story … Jane is desperate to find out more about Melody, the daughter she lost touch with because of Melody’s drug addiction. She’s clutching at straws when she invites a complete stranger into her household in the hopes of finding answers.  It’s a rough start. At first glance, it may look like Jane turned her back on her only child. But because of her own experience with living through her father's alcoholism and through attending AA meetings over the years, she has learned the hard fact that no addict can be saved until they admit they want and need the help. Winfield gently addresses the fallout of addiction from the point of view of the people who are affected by it. With that he gives Jane a sympathetic and objective perspective on Melody’s troubles.

Caleb is the guy she believes will help her get to know the real Melody. The whole circumstance of how she takes him into her household is a bit weird for me but I went with it. The relationship that develops is sweet.  He’s mum about himself but so very kind that she is drawn to his easy-going personality. He genuinely becomes a good friend to her and for once she starts to relax a bit. When their mutual attraction becomes undeniable, things really heat up. There’s plenty of magic time in this book but they’re described so beautifully. Jane’s hesitation to jump into a relationship with a younger man, and someone who she believes was close to Melody are understandable. But so is her attraction to Caleb. And oh my god when Caleb comes clean to her about his feelings I swear I myself became undone. There’s a very delicate scene involving repainting a room that was so touching that I shed a quiet tear or two. It’s impossible to not be affected by that significant moment.

Jane’s Melody isn’t just about a mother trying to connect the dots about her mysterious daughter. It’s about her own self-discovery and emancipation from the familial crap that’s held her back all her life. It’s about great friendships where the best of friends don’t judge but support each other and come through when most needed.  It’s also about a curmudgeonly old neighbor and a goat. You weren’t expecting that one were you? Neither was I and it provided for some hilarious moments!

Please don’t be fooled. Jane’s Melody may sound like a downer but it is most definitely not. Embracing change, moving on and declaring love are all handled with such care. If you’re in the mood for a sweet romance where the heroine figures out her own happily ever after, then I highly recommend this. And I’ll be reading more by Ryan Winfield in the near future!

~ Bel

3rd Annual Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!

Hello gentle-readers!  Welcome to our third (yes third) Spooktacular Giveaway!  It's impossible to believe that we've been doing this for three years.  As always, a big thank you to Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for hosting the hop.  After you enter to win our fantastic giveaway should check out all the amazing participating blogs in the linky below.

Today we are giving away two fantastic books to go along with the Halloween theme.  I've been lucky enough to meet the fantastically talented Chloe Neill on multiple occasions, most recently at Anderson's Bookshop, where she autographed a copy of the first in the Chicagoland Vampire series, Some Girls Bite, for our giveaway.

Guys, if you haven't read this series, you need to.  It is awesome!

Our second book up for grabs is a signed copy of The Collector first in  the Dante Walker  series by Victoria Scott.  Bel loves this series, which is recommendation enough for me (plus there's a pretty hot guy on the cover).  

You know the drill, fill out the Rafflecopter below and good luck!  Don't forget to check out all the other giveaways!

~Shel, Bel & Nat

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A Peek In The BiblioBin #75

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the BiblioBin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga's Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.  

For Review:

The Pursuit of Mary Bennett (A Pride & Prejudice Novel) by Pamela Mingle



Purchased:

Velveteen by Daniel Marks

Dark Star (Dark Star #1) by Bethany Frenette

Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman

Ethan In Gold (Johnnies #3) by Amy Lane

Ethan Gold by Amy Lane

* * * * *

Evan Costa learned from a very early age that there was no such thing as unconditional love and that it was better to settle for what you could get instead of expecting the world to give you what you need. As Ethan, porn model for Johnnies, he gets exactly what he wants—comradeship and physical contact on trade—and he is perfectly satisfied with that. He’s sure of it.

Jonah Stevens has spent most of his adult life helping to care for his sister and trying to keep his beleaguered family from fraying at the edges. He’s had very little time to work on his confidence or his body for that matter. When Jonah meets Ethan, he doesn’t see the hurt child or the shamelessly slutty porn star. He sees a funny, sexy, confident man who—against the odds—seems to like Jonah in spite of his very ordinary, but difficult, life.

Sensing a kindred spirit and a common interest, Ethan thinks a platonic friendship with Jonah won’t violate his fair trade rules of sex and touch, but Jonah has different ideas. Ethan’s pretty sure his choice of jobs has stripped away all hope of a real relationship, but Jonah wants the whole package—the sexy man, the vulnerable boy, the charming companion who works so hard to make other people happy. Jonah wants to prove that underneath the damage Ethan has lived with all his life, he’s still gold with promise and the ability to love.


Review:

Sometimes relationships are just meant to be.  Take for instance a reader that loves when a book is so full of angsty drama that it makes her cry buckets.  And then there is the author that doesn’t feel she has fulfilled her purpose in this world until she has produced enough tears to bring on a flood of biblical proportions.  That reader is me.  That author is Amy Lane. We go together like macaroni and cheese.  Peanut butter and jelly.  Popcorn and butter.  Except not. Because those things don’t make anyone cry.  Unless, of course, I pour the hot butter onto my bare foot before getting it over the popcorn bowl.

Amy hits another home run with Ethan Gold.  Ethan shows up a number of times in Chase in Shadow (the first book in the Johnnies series and the first Amy book that Bel and I ever read) and he managed to steal my heart the few scenes he was in.   So when I heard he was getting his own story, I was beyond excited.  But I was also scared.  As a reader I had certain expectations of Ethan’s story.  I expected sweetness and emotional pain that made you want to pull that poor boy into a giant bear hug.  Not sure what I was worried about.  This is the queen of angst and pain we are talking about here.  Of course she delivered.   And then some!

Ethan’s story starts out at the tender age of five when he falls off his bike and a neighbor helps him home.  That short walk home changes his life forever.  On the walk home, Ethan lets it slip about what the teacher aide did to him at school.  The kind neighbor informed Ethan’s parents which changed Ethan’s family life forever.  Thanks to a wonderful psychiatrist, Ethan goes on to deal remarkably well with the abuse he suffered.  But the same isn’t true for his mom.  Her inability to handle the situation in a loving manner causes a whole new set of issues for Ethan to deal with well into his adult life.  Issues that force Ethan to look elsewhere for affection.  And that elsewhere ends up being the porn industry.

Jonah inwardly swoons when the very sexy Ethan and Tommy walk into his place of employment.  Tommy is there for an interview and Jonah ends up chatting with Ethan until Tommy is done.   Jonah enjoys the few minutes of fantasy before he floats back down to his reality.  That reality being a life that consists of working full time to help his parents financially support his teenage sister that is living with cystic fibrosis.  When he isn’t working, Jonah spends his time taking his sister to numerous doctor and therapy appointments through out the week.  Needles to say, Jonah doesn’t have time for romance.  But he doesn’t complain too much.  He loves his parents and his sister so helping them is a no brainer for him. But sometimes fate has other plans.  And apparently those plans include a sexy new boyfriend with a more than questionable career choice.

Amy does an amazing job of testing boundaries and making the reader take an uncomfortable look at the unfairness of things that do not fit into societies norms.    Can someone in porn have a relationship?  According to Chase in Shadow and Dex in Blue, the answer is yes.  But can a porn model have a relationship with someone who has no ties to the industry (something NOT explored in the previous two books in this series)?   The answer to that isn't as easy.  Jonah’s feelings in regards to Ethan’s job are emotionally complex at best.  And Ethan’s feelings on dating someone on the “outside” aren't any simpler.  It is an issue that is not nearly as black and white as some might think and Ethan and Jonah will have to work hard to find a way to be together while still meeting their emotional and physical needs.

This is easily one of Amy Lane’s best books.  As always, if you love some (or a lot of) angst and pain with a hope of a Happy For Now (if not a Happy Ever After) ending, then pick this lovely up.  You will be happy you did.  After you are done sobbing and cursing the author.  Of course.

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (79)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


By Marni Bates
Publication Date:  October 29, 2013

I take no prisoners…

I'm Chelsea Halloway and I will happily destroy your social life if you mess with me. Just ask anyone. There is no situation I can't handle. Divorcing parents? No problem. An ex-boyfriend who wants to date Smith High School's biggest geek instead of me? Just a matter of time before I can make him see reason. At least, until my parents decide to ship me off on a study abroad trip to Cambodia…

Now instead of being admired as the queen of the Notables, I'm stuck with a bunch of college students who don't take me seriously, and a professor who accidentally landed himself on the wrong side of a drug lord. And it's up to me to get us all out of the country alive--even the annoying jerk with the green eyes who won't stop calling me "princess."

Oh yeah, what could possibly go wrong?

Everything You Need to Know by Helenkay Dimon

From Goodreads:

Welcome to Need to Know - because a woman can't be too informed.

Dating in D.C. is like navigating an apocalyptic wasteland populated by men in expensive suits with zero mating potential.  Need to Know provides all the information a savvy single woman like you needs to avoid dating disasters.

By night, Jordan McAdam is the proprietor of a popular website that rates D.C.'s hottest bachelors - everything from how quick they are to email you back to their skills in the sack.  She's been burned once too often to accept any man at face value.  By day, her job as an office temp puts her in the perfect position to do a little fact checking on her rich and powerful subjects.  

When her latest assignment brings her face to face with the sexy but mysterious Forest Redder, Jordan decides to do a little "hands on" research of her own.  To Jordan, he seems like the perfect man - but she knows there is no such thing.  Moreover, there's a big problem: Forest knows Jordan's the woman behind the scandalous site - and Jordan knows he knows.  Will he expose her secret - or find his own posted on Need to Know?

Having had the extreme pleasure of meeting Helenkay Dimon, I had very high expectations for this book.  Helenkay is hilarious and just as boy crazy as the BiblioJunkies girls, so it is a match made in heaven.  Everything You Need to Know is funny, it has some sizzle and has that ever satisfying happily ever after.  I thoroughly enjoyed my first Helenkay Dimon experience, but I didn't love it.  I think that's because it was so short and there were other characters and things I wanted to know!  At just over one hundred pages, I'm really hoping there will be some related books, so that i can satisfy my need to know!

If you are looking for a quick, humorous, romantic read, pick up Everything You Need to Know.

~Shel

A Peek In The BiblioBin #74

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the BiblioBin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga's Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.  

For Review:

Unbreakable (Legion #1) by Kami Garcia


Purchased:

Two Roads by L.M. Augustine

Jane's Melody by Ryan Winfield


Borrowed:

Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Blogger Blitz - Dragon Rising: A Hidden Novella by Jaime Rush

Today we are excited to be a part of the Blogger Blitz for Dragon Rising, a novella in Jaime Rush's Hidden Series.  At the end of the post is a rafflecopter form to enter to win a copy of Dragon Rising AND the first novella Dragon Mine, so don't forget to enter!  

They are the Hidden.

Not quite human. Far from normal.

And never, ever safe . . .

After her father falls victim to a serial kidnapper, cunning Dragon shifter Lyra Slade is determined to rescue him. When she discovers a clue to his disappearance that leads her to a sexy but aloof stranger, she knows she shouldn't trust him to help her, but she's run out of options.

Archer Grant, a descendant of fallen angels, is reluctant to aid the beautiful dragon because her evidence implicates his own brother . . . But when his brother also goes missing, Archer must work with Lyra to uncover the truth. But even as a supernatural desire grows between angel and dragon, they are hunted by an evil force. Faced with the deadliest of dark magick, can even love save them?

ABOUT JAIME RUSH:

Things that go bump in the night have always fascinated Jaime Rush. Sometimes those things are human; other times, not so much. Now she has twisted them all together in the Hidden, a trilogy about humans with the essence of gods who walk the knife's edge between the glamour of Miami and a place filled with dark magick and dangerous beauty.

Jaime is the author of the Offspring series and also writes under the name Tina Wainscott. She is the bestselling author of eighteen romance novels. She lives in Southwest Florida with her husband, daughter, and cat.  

Social Media for Jaime Rush:

http://www.jaimerush.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JaimeRushBooks

https://twitter.com/Jaimerush

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2168689.Jaime_Rush

Buy Links for Dragon Mine

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Mine-Hidden-Novella-ebook/dp/B00BWQW7ZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380297801&sr=8-1&keywords=dragon+mine

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-mine-jaime-rush/1114855711?ean=9781455527991

http://www.bookish.com/books/dragon-mine-jaime-rush-9781455527991/59be4c44-9812-4225-b472-bcf459222fae

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragon-mine/id622828425?mt=11

Buy Links for Dragon Rising

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Rising-Hidden-Novella-ebook/dp/B00DB7RBPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380296378&sr=8-1&keywords=dragon+rising

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-rising-jaime-rush/1115575695?ean=9781455528004

http://www.bookish.com/books/dragon-rising-jaime-rush-9781455528004/ea23d4ef-6d54-4912-b6b3-0725fe03159c

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragon-rising/id660379998?mt=11

Pre-order Links for Dragon Awakened, the first print book in the series

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Awakened-Hidden-Book-ebook/dp/B00CO7FNIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380297650&sr=8-1&keywords=dragon+awakened

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-awakened-jaime-rush/1115250962?ean=9781455523221

http://www.bookish.com/books/dragon-awakened-jaime-rush-9781455523221/839e911b-747a-4a97-8712-3c669525dd9c

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781455523221

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragon-awakened/id645574523?mt=11

Pre-order Links for Magic Possessed, Book 2

http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Possessed-Hidden-Series-ebook/dp/B00CO7FNH2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380298084&sr=8-2&keywords=magic+possessed

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magic-possessed-jaime-rush/1115250961?ean=9781455523207

http://www.bookish.com/books/magic-possessed-jaime-rush-9781455523207/aa134a4e-45f2-4f70-b410-8de29b2d601e

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781455523207

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/magic-possessed/id645574520?mt=11

Pre-order links for Angel Seduced, Book 3

http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Seduced-Hidden-Series-ebook/dp/B00CO7FNJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380298227&sr=8-1&keywords=angel+seduced+jaime+rush

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angel-seduced-jaime-rush/1115250963?ean=9781455523238

http://www.bookish.com/books/angel-seduced-jaime-rush-9781455523238/f7f0ad4c-9c01-4402-9b12-9c4fd3fcc6bc

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781455523238

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/angel-seduced/id645574748?mt=11

And here's an excerpt to hold you over - Enjoy!

DRAGON RISING excerpt

She and Archer skirted the dance floor, jam-packed with writhing, rubbing, sliding 

bodies. He tugged her toward a vacant spot at the bar, where undulating colors lit the thick glass. 

There were no available stools, just enough space for him to lean toward the female bartender 

and ask if she’d seen either Anika or Jeremy.

She stared at him and then shook her head. “Another Caido? Wow, this club’s getting 

interesting. I haven’t seen Jeremy in a few days, but Anika’s here somewhere.” She searched the 

crowd. “I don’t see her at the moment.” 

He ordered an absinthe, then turned to Lyra. “Drink?”

Definitely not an absinthe. “Cranberry and Absolut, please, dash of Tabasco.” He raised 

his eyebrow at that. “Dragons have a thing for…hot and spicy.” 

Did she see his mouth quirk? Probably not. Archer was anything but hot and spicy, 

though she wondered what was beneath the surface. She tried to pay, but he put money on the 

bar when the drinks arrived. He handed her the shorter glass and gripped his as he scanned the 

people sitting at the bar. 

Lyra looked for Anika, too, but was drawn again to watch the dance floor. The 

sensuousness pulled at her, pulsing through her body with a song that was hard rock and 

electronica at once. “Firestarter,” the singer rapped, oddly appropriate to how she felt. She 

gulped half her drink and set it on the bar, her arm brushing Archer’s side. 

She wanted to touch him. Knowing it was the Thrall didn’t quell her desire one bit. She 

didn’t even realize she’d begun to move to the beat until her butt brushed against him. The music 

was irresistible, too. She turned to him, nearly his height with her high heels, and moved close to 

his ear. Unfortunately, that action pressed her breasts against his chest.

“Now I know why you looked so pained about coming here. Is this what it’s like, women 

wanting to touch you all the time?”

He kept his gaze on the dance floor. “Everything about this is painful.”

“What is it that makes me—women—want to touch you? It’s beyond that you’re 

gorgeous. It’s a compulsion.”

He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. “It’s our energy, the essence we carry 

from our ancestors.”

His face was only inches from hers, the shimmer in his eyes pulling at her, making her 

eyes heavy. “Are you mesmerizing me on purpose?”

He didn’t look away. “No.”

“I won’t touch you. I’m stronger than your pull.”


His mouth turned up in a soft smile.


We hope you enjoy Dragon Rising and don't forget to enter to win below!

~Shel

a Rafflecopter giveaway