It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up. She graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily; and the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his no dating rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan, her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all too human characters, “It Ends with Us” is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price. 

Source: advance e-galley provided by Atria in exchange for an honest review 



* * * * *

Colleen Hoover writes about imperfect characters caught in difficult circumstances. I never know exactly where she's going to take them and despite my worries I trust her to follow the plot she sets forth. And oh my gosh you guys! This one, THIS had me from start to finish, twisting me inside and out along the way.

Things are going swimmingly for new couple, Lily and Ryle until that exact moment when the crack suddenly appears. Their young relationship is thrust into uncharted territory with everything becoming tense and unpredictable. Hoover left me in suspense wondering where Lily and Ryle were headed; particularly Lily. It felt like there was a weight pushing down on me with each page I turned.

I'm shying away from particular details because this story needs to be personally experienced. When you do read it, I know that you will be moved by it as I have by the experience and insight of its characters. It'll unsettle you and also inspire you. Lily is an amazing protagonist - heartbroken and confused but also resilient in a way that reminds me of a few women in my life I look up to. Undoubtedly the biggest success of IEWU is that even though the story is narrated solely from Lily's perspective, Hoover manages to evoke sympathy for all parties concerned. It's a somber reminder that nothing is simple especially when you're disappointed by the one you cherish most. 

I was aware of IEWU's sensitive premise and I knew that it would ask a lot of me emotionally, but I wanted to know this story and these people. It's impossible not to be overcome by a barrage of emotions but the journey is worth it! I didn't think that I could admire Colleen Hoover more than I already do, but here I am, a jumbled mess of "feels", in total awe of what she has given us straight from the heart. 

~ Bel

About the Author

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, This Girl, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not, and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Please visit ColleenHoover.com.

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It Ends With Us website

Don't miss Colleen Hoover on tour!

BOSTON, MA

Tuesday, August 2^nd

BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH

7:00 PM

279 Harvard Street

Brookline, MA 02446

www.brooklinebooksmith.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1765869680321385/

MADISON, NJ

Wednesday, August 3^rd

SHORT STORIES COMMUNITY BOOK HUB

7:00 PM

23 Main Street

Madison, NJ 07940

www.shortstoriesnj.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1816436548588340/

NEW YORK, NY

Thursday, August 4^th

STRAND BOOK STORE

7:00 PM

828 Broadway

New York, NY 10003

www.strandbooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1266828406680888/

CINCINNATI, OH

Friday, August 5^th

JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS

7:00 PM

2692 Madison Road

Cincinnati, OH 45208

www.josephbeth.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/277088292641430/

CHICAGO, IL

Saturday, August 6^th

ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP

2:00 PM

Meiley-Swallow Hall

On the campus of North

Central College 31 S Ellsworth Street

Naperville, IL  60540

http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/260878437616737/

LOS ANGELES, CA

Sunday, August 7^th

CHEVALIER’S BOOKS

6:30 PM

126 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90004

www.chevaliersbooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/260712770964176/

PHOENIX, AZ

Monday, August 8^th

CHANGING HANDS BOOKSTORE

7:00 PM

6428 S. McClintock Drive

Tempe, AZ 85283

www.changinghands.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1188482081195713/

HOUSTON, TX

Tuesday, August 9^th

BARNES & NOBLE – Town & Country

7:00 PM

12850 Memorial Drive

Houston, TX 77024

www.barnesandnoble.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1755063464713808/

DALLAS, TX

Wednesday, August 10^th 
HALF PRICE BOOKS

7:00 PM
5803 E. Northwest Hwy
Dallas, TX 75231 
www.halfpricebooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1714556692137769/

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Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst Blog Tour

EVERYWHERE AND EVERY WAY

The Billionaire Builders, #1

Purchase now:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1YqvR9O 
iBooks:  http://apple.co/1ZO0tCp 
BN:  http://bit.ly/1TCkbg4
GooglePlay:  http://bit.ly/24WYzWY
Kobo: http://bit.ly/27kudwu

BLURB:

Hot on the heels of her beloved Marriage to a Billionaire novels, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst nails it with the first in an all-new sexy romance series featuring red-hot contractor siblings who give the Property Brothers a run for their money!

Ever the responsible eldest brother, Caleb Pierce started working for his father’s luxury contracting business at a young age, dreaming of one day sitting in the boss’s chair. But his father’s will throws a wrench in his plans by stipulating that Caleb share control of the family business with his two estranged brothers.

Things only get more complicated when demanding high-end home designer Morgan hires Caleb to build her a customized dream house that matches her specifications to a T—or she’ll use her powerful connections to poison the Pierce brothers’ reputation. Not one to ignore a challenge, Caleb vows to get the job done—if only he can stop getting distracted by his new client’s perfect…amenities.

But there’s more to icy Morgan than meets the eye. And Caleb’s not the only one who knows how to use a stud-finder. In fact, Morgan is pretty sure she’s found hers—and he looks quite enticing in a hard hat. As sparks fly between Morgan and Caleb despite his best intentions not to mix business and pleasure, will she finally warm up and help him lay the foundation for everlasting love?

PURCHASE NOW: 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1YqvR9O
iBooks:  http://apple.co/1ZO0tCp
BN:  http://bit.ly/1TCkbg4
GooglePlay:  http://bit.ly/24WYzWY
Kobo: http://bit.ly/27kudwu

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25814135-everywhere-and-every-way


----------------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION: 

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.

She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.


Website:  www.jenniferprobst.com
Facebook Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/jenniferprobst.authorpage
Twitter:   https://twitter.com/jenniferprobst
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2965489.Jennifer_Probst

REVIEW:

If you've been following the blog you know that while I love romance, what I really love in books is the interaction between the main characters and supporting characters.  I ADORE the bromances, the interactions between siblings and groups of friends - I get lost in the smack-talk and ribbing.  I CHEER when the supporting characters have the come to jesus talk with the main characters to tell them to get their heads out of their respective asses.  

Probst has written a truly dysfunctional and fascinating family with the Pierce Brothers.  Their pain and anger comes alive on the page and watching them try to find a way back to one another is pure entertainment.  I love the brothers.  I love the set-up for the next book, Any Time and Any Place.  I love the visual of the hot construction workers.  I love that the heroine, Morgan, can handle her own on a job site full of men.  There's so much to love in Everywhere and Every Way.

What I did not love is how Morgan manipulates Cal's business to get him to build the house for her clients.  It's unethical, illegal, and grounds for a lawsuit.  It's certainly not something that Cal should gloss over the way he does and trust is not something he should ever give Morgan afterward.  It says a lot about her character - and none of it good.  And also, completely at odds with how she is portrayed in the rest of the book.  

If you can get over that, Everywhere and Every Way is an enjoyable read.  It's a steamy, slow build romance that has plenty of twists to keep you interested.  If you are like me and love the character interaction, this is definitely one to add to the tbr.  I will definitely be checking out Probst's backlist and waiting for Any Time and Any Place!

The Professional No. 1 by Kresley Cole (18+ Only)

****

From Simon & Schuster:

He makes the rules . . .

Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Sevastyan will do anything to possess her as well—on his own wicked terms.

Rules are made to be broken...

This one is definitely for our 18 and over crowd only.  I'm a big fan of Cole's Immortal After Dark Series, so I requested The Professional, thinking that it would be along the same lines.  I didn't realize it was erotica and so hot, steam would come from my e-reader...

This is the first part of a new erotica series about a girl, a guy and the Russian Mafia.  Natalie has been searching for her birth parents and when The Siberian comes for her, she finds out she may not want to know.  The heat between these two leaps from the page.  It's only 160 pages, but you will be dying for more.  Luckily, the second part comes out on January 6, 2014 and the third installment on January 20th.  I have a feeling the relationship between our two main characters will be filled with passion and pain.  

If you are a Kresley Cole fan, an erotica fan, or just a fan of seriously hot and alpha men, check out the Professional.  

For more info, check out Kresley Cole's website at:  http://kresleycole.com/paranormal-romance/

~Shel

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrik

* * * 1/2 

WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT’S LEFT,  CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?

“Nora Grey can’t remember the past five months of her life.  After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she’s been missing for weeks – with no one knowing where she was or who she was with – she tries to get her life back on track.  Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge her mom’s creepy new boyfriend.

But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch.  Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.

And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.

Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to.  He seems to hold all the answers…and her heart.  Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love.  Again.”

Dear Readers, October has been a good month for fun stuff.  My son’s birthday, new music releases by my favorite bands and last but never least, my fictional boyfriend Patch has returned!   You all know that I’m a complete nutter for him so imagine my frustration when I went to a certain retail location and they didn’t have him…err, I mean the book out.  How dare they keep me from my man, I mean book!  Luckily, BiblioJunkies Nat came to the rescue with her stealth-like determination and managed to get me a copy at a different retailer.  She still had to take matters into her own hands and pry open a box to retrieve him/the book.  She saved the day!

But I digress.  Let’s get back to business.  Silence didn’t start off the way I expected it to which was a nice surprise.  It takes place a few months later with Nora having no memories of the previous 5 months.  However, that doesn’t mean she experience déjà-vus and gut feelings nagging at her.  One déjà-vu  in particular from Hush, Hush will bring a smile to your faces.

Things have changed since she’s been away.  Her mother is now dating Hank Millar (gag!) her arch nemesis, Marcie’s dad.  People aren’t exactly being liberal with details to help her fill in the gaps including Vee, her loyal but slightly obnoxious best friend.  The same cast of characters return, Scott Parnell, the beefcake Nephil, Dabria, psycho fallen archangel and Det. Basso who we have yet to figure out.  I hope there’s more to him later.  And the Black Hand’s mark is everywhere.  Nora doesn’t give up.  She knows that there’s something missing and she’s determined to find out.  Even if it means making dumb decisions like walking around alone at night and getting into trouble.  Hello!  You’ve been kidnapped and away for months and whoever did this is still out there!  So some things don’t change.  (BilblioJunkies Nat and I will be having a discussion with Becca about this particular problem).  But Nora is becoming more fearless as the fog clears and she learns more about her family tree and what’s in store for her.

Things have also gotten a bit complicated thanks to the Black Hand. There’s something brewing between the Nephilim and the fallen angels and it’s up to our heroine and Patch to figure it out.  First she must remember him.  Watching her regain her memories of Patch is fun and he’s still as hot as ever (naturally).  As for Patch – I have to say I didn’t think he was as snarky in Silence probably because he’s busy brooding over Nora.  He’s going by Jev and is more serious with his own agenda.  The old Patch comes back later thankfully once he and Nora start reconnecting.  Case in point:

Nora: “ Do you think they’re going to buy that a guy in tacky leather chaps dances like this?”

Patch/Jev: “Keep it up, and I’ll put you in the chaps.”

Oh Patch, you say the sweetest things!  I won’t divulge much else except that while Silence was supposed to be the final book, Becca Fitzpatrick recently announced that there will indeed be a fourth book.  Yay!  Why a fourth?  Because she can.  And also because the book’s recurring theme of Cheshvan, the two-week period where fallen angels take over a human vassal’s body and run rampant like it’s spring break in Ibiza, is fast approaching and this time it looks like there’ll be a showdown between the Nephilim and the fallen angels. 

I liked how Becca Fitzpatrick describes in intricate detail Nora's memories fleeting in and out and how she'd grasp at them, trying to piece them all back together.  You could feel the mental exhaustion she was going through.  I also liked the subtle hints that there's more to Nora we have yet to discover.  Silence was fun and judging by how it started and ended, I have no idea what’s going to happen in the next one.  Patch isn't the only one calling the shots anymore. Nora has had to make some tough decisions that affect them.  We’ll see how they fare...

~Bel

P.S.  There's also a  special edition (available only through Wlamart, Inc) which includes an exclusive chapter from Patch's point of view.  It's about the first time Patch and Nora meet and it's not what you think. ;-)

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

* * *

Some summers are just destined to be pretty

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer – they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up the way it should have been all along.


I think the best way to describe The Summer I Turned Pretty is that it’s a coming-of-age story. I was expecting some great summer high jinx with plenty of laughs but it’s rather the opposite.


Belly, her brother Steven and their mom, go to this beach house every summer that belongs to her mother’s best friend, Susannah. It’s been a long-lasting friendship, one that’s been through ups and downs and Belly and Steven have pretty much grown up with Susannah’s boys Jeremiah and Conrad.


When Belly arrives at the beach house, the other two boys immediately notice that she’s no longer a little girl. Belly has had a crush on Conrad for as long as she can remember but she’s always been the “little sister” to the boys. And unfortunately because she’s a girl, she’s also felt like the odd one out at times. Belly’s maturing isn’t the only change happening. Steven will be going off to college when the summer is over and Conrad has been acting strange and Susannah has been spending more time in her room. The only one who pays any attention to her and treats her normally is Jeremiah.


The story goes back and forth between present day and previous events that happened at the beach house. Belly does eventually meet another boy, Cam at a party and the two begin to hang out together. As that happens, Conrad and Belly’s relationship becomes tense and Jeremiah is left to be both the buffer and peacemaker.


The book pretty much centers on Belly and her hang up over Conrad. I found it aggravating as the reader that she didn’t pick up on some serious stuff that was hinted at that was happening with other people at the beach house. At the same time, it wasn’t her fault as everyone else felt that they had to protect Belly from what was going on – treating her like a little child, something she was anxiously trying to change.


I was able to finish The Summer I Turned Pretty in one night but at the end I felt solemn.  While it turned out to be completely different from what I thought it would be, it's still a well written story.  It’s not lighthearted because every one has to grow up really fast and face some harsh truths. In the end, it’s more than just a love story but also a story about enduring friendships and growing up.


~ Bel

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

* * * *

"Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant dust storms.  That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother, Lugh, is around.  But when a monster sandstorm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered.  Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on a quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her.  So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent.  Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, relentless action, and an epic love story."

I LOVE this book – so much so that when I unintentionally woke up at 4:30am on a Saturday morning I had no desire to go back to sleep.  This book is everywhere and I didn’t have the impulse to pick it up until I saw that James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner had recommended it.  I loved The Maze Runner and if Mr. Dashner says I should read it then I will.

Moira Young does a superb job immediately establishing the tone of the book.  And much like Dashner, the language and grammar of the characters are unique to their world. It took me a few pages in to get accustomed to it and by then I was so engrossed in the story it felt so natural.  You’re not quite sure when or where exactly this takes place but it’s post-apocalyptic.  What happened is never discussed and is actually unimportant here. 

Eighteen year-old Saba is devoted to her twin brother, Lugh and they live in an area called Silverlake, a harsh, desolate place isolated from everyone.  They have only themselves, their father, their younger sister Emmi and Saba’s pet crow, Nero for company.  Lugh is Saba’s world.  She hangs on every word he says and resents anyone else taking away his attention from her, including their little sister.  He holds the family together as his father has been unstable since their mother died giving birth to Emmi.  They trudge through their day scrounging for scraps – metal, plastic - that have been left behind by the Wreckers, the lost civilization.  One day their ho-hum world gets thrown upside down when Lugh is kidnapped.  Saba vows to find him and bring him back and reunite the family.

Saba is a fierce heroine.  She's unpretentious and unapologetic.  While, it’s almost cringe-worthy to hear her admit some bitter flaws about herself, it’s also her unwavering loyalty and love for her brother that drives her to reunite her family.  Her search for Lugh takes her beyond Silverlake to a place called Hopetown.  If only it lived up to its name!  Having received undesirable attention on the way there, she gets captured and thrown into the violent world of cage fighting reminiscent of the gladiator fights in ancient Rome.  And Saba becomes the star attraction who is quickly dubbed the “Angel of Death”. 

While she’s trapped she uncovers a web of intrigue surrounding the town's inhabitants.  Having tunnel vision all along regarding her brother's rescue, she's surprised to learn how Lugh's kidnapping is connected to her current predicament.  She befriends a  group of young girl fighters known as the “Free Hawks” and together they hatch a plan for escape.

It’s so fascinating to read how Saba gradually grasps the concept of friendship. She’s reserved and has no interest in getting involved in other people’s quarrels; however, everyone she encounters along the way enlightens her.  Maev, as the leader of the Free Hawks becomes a kind of BFF.  She begins to understand that this is bigger than just her search for her brother; that her personal mission also carries the hopes of many people.

There is of course, a love interest in the form of Jack.  They meet as fellow fighters who escape together.  Jack is a much-needed comic relief that is a mix of Jace and Patch – good-looking, cocky, irritating and heroic. Despite the instant attraction between them, Saba never admits it nor does she allow that to distract her from her plans.  It was great fun to watch the two antagonize each other as their sexual tension steadily built.  And ladies, let me tell you there was even a dirty sexy cave scene that had me jumping!

By the end I felt as if I had been through this rough ordeal with Saba.  It could have been a thoroughly depressing read but Young added plenty of light-hearted moments by sprinkling some humorous interplay between the characters.  It was such a pleasure to watch Saba develop into a person who realizes that she has her own strength and ambition, independent of her brother.  At no time is it more apparent than when she has to fight for her life in the cages.  Her description of the adrenaline rush she gets - "red hot" as she calls it - are vivid.  And despite the violence she has to suffer through, she maintains her simple morals. 

Blood Red Road is the first in the Dustlands trilogy and apparently director Ridley Scott has already optioned the film rights.  Until that happens, I wait patiently to continue Saba's journey, especially since there were some minor characters introduced that I suspect will play a bigger role in the next book.  Moira Young is a gifted storyteller and I hope you’ll think so too!

~ Bel