Between The Shadows Release Day Blitz by Chanel Cleeton

Eeep! Between Shadows is out today - FINALLY! From Chanel Cleeton, the author of the International School and Capital Confessions series, comes her latest adventure. It's part mystery, part spy, part romance and all action!

BOOK SUMMARY:

A sexy new thriller about love and revenge from the author of the Capital Confessions and International School series… 

X lives by three rules: Show no weakness. Trust no one. Don’t get caught. She lives by the rules they gave her. 

The Academy—set in London, shrouded in secrecy—it trains spies, computer experts, and assassins. Their mission? Dispensing justice and altering the course of world politics. Or so they think. In a world where secrets are weapons and some kills are impossible to forget, everything X thought she knew about her life is about to change. 

They taught her to fight. To blend into the shadows like a ghost, to operate on the fringes of society, to change her identity with ease. They taught her to kill. 

She’ll need every skill they taught her, to stay alive.

Praise for the novels of Chanel Cleeton:

"Sexy, funny, and heart-wrenching--this book has it all!" - Laura Kaye, New York Times bestselling author 

"A sexy hero, strong heroine, delicious romance, sizzling tension and plenty of breathtaking scandal. I loved this book!"--Monica Murphy, New York Times bestselling author

"A sexy fighter pilot hero? Yes, please. For anyone who's ever had a Top Gun fantasy, Fly With Me is for you."--Roni Loren, New York Times bestselling author of Call On Me

"A sassy, steamy, and sometimes sweet read that had me racing to the next page."--Chelsea M. Cameron, New York Times bestselling author 

"Scorching hot and wicked smart, Flirting with Scandal had me hooked from page one! Sizzling with sexual tension and political intrigue, Cleeton weaves a story that is as complex as it is sexy. Thank God this is a series because I need more!"--New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris

"Sexy, intelligent, and intriguing. Chanel Cleeton makes politics scandal-icious."--USA Today bestselling author Tiffany King

"Fun, sexy, and kept me completely absorbed."--Katie McGarry, author of Nowhere But Here

BOOK LINKS:

Amazon     I     Barnes & Noble     I     iBooks     I     Google Play 

Kobo     I     Goodreads 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.

Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband. 



Chanel writes contemporary romances, women’s fiction, and thrillers. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, and Wild Aces series.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website     I     Facebook     I     Facebook ReaderGroup     I     Twitter   

Goodreads     I     Newsletter   

Goddess of Fire by Bharti Kirchner

* * *

A remarkable novel of a humble village girl who became one of the most powerful women in India.

Rampore, India, 1684. About to be burned alive on her late husband’s funeral pyre, 17-year-old widow Moorti is rescued from a gruesome fate by a passing British merchant. Thus begins an extraordinary love story and incredible journey as the humble village girl Moorti transforms herself into Maria, becoming one of the most powerful women in India.

Starting a new life as a lowly kitchen maid, she relies on her wits and resourcefulness to rise through the ranks of the British East India Company to eventually become founder of the great city then known as Calcutta, the first city of the British Empire.

A tale of adventure, danger, hardship and heartbreak, excitement and romance, this is the enthralling tale of a truly remarkable woman, where fiction meets fact.

Kirchner seeks to shed light on India during a crucial time in its history when various European countries – France, Holland, Portugal, and Britain – all aiming to make inroads and gain a monopoly on trade with the subcontinent. It’s a tale of complex politics and socio-dynamics interwoven with an unlikely romance as Maria and Job slowly fall in love.

Their first encounter comes when Job rescues a teenage Maria from being burned at her husband’s funeral pyre. Tradition and shame make it impossible for Maria to return to her parents’ village. With no other option she follows Job to become a member of his household. While working as a cook, she becomes familiar with the ins and outs of the household and with Job’s business. Not content to be just a cook, she has her mind set on learning English. She wants to use her knowledge of her new language along with her familiarity of her Indian culture to help Job’s business make progress in the community.

Maria and Job are based on real life figures. There is not much that is known about the real Maria so Kirchner has infused her with a spectacular persona that you wouldn’t normally associate with women of that era. Maria is emboldened by her past and her love for her friends and family. She values education, is incredibly resourceful and loyal. As for Job, I felt I only ever saw him at a distance so I didn't necessarily catch onto his personality or their chemistry.

Even with all this rich material and an equally rich landscape, I did have some trouble with the story mainly that it was hard to get a true sense of how much time passes between events. I was thrown off a few times when the story jumped forward a few years from one paragraph to another.

Goddess of Fire inspired me to read more about Job Charnock. It’s a complicated history entrenched in ill feeling after years of British colonization. He was initially considered the founder of Calcutta, now known as Kolkata until the 2003 ruling by the Calcutta High Court when his name was removed as founder. (His founding of the city of Calcutta is touched on in the book.) Not much is known about the nature of his relationship with Maria except that they had children. If you’re interested in learning more, this Wikipedia page is a good start. 

With a somewhat blank canvas, Kirchner had the room to navigate the story to bring to life so many details and key events in India as it moved from being an independent country with its various territories, countless rulers and sub-cultures, towards the era of colonization. There’s a lot to soak up in this adventurous historical drama!

~ Bel

Bibliojunkies 2016 Reading Goals

Hey look! We've all survived our first two weeks of 2016! Let's give ourselves a big pat on the back, shall we?

With the new year, comes new goals. The three of us have discussed with each other over the last few weeks what we'd like to accomplish with our reading. One thing upon which we agree is that we have tons of books (free ones especially from RT and the like) and have barely touched them. This is the year where we finally give them some attention! We're also looking to challenge ourselves personally whether it's new genres or new authors.

Anyway, here's what each of us has dedicated to achieving this year. Wish us luck and please, share with us what your goals are. How are you getting along so far?

~ Shel, Bel & Nat

Shel's Goals

Read 127 books (one more than last year). 

Read at least two books on my tbr pile per month. 

Try 9 new authors. 

Bel's Goals

Read 113 books (one more than last year).

Read 1-2 books from my bookshelf per month.

Read at least three classics I haven’t read starting with Pride & Prejudice. (I know, this is outrageous!)
Read the final books to these trilogies: End of Days by Susan Ee (Penryn & The End Of days); Raging Star by Moira Young (Dust Lands); Days of Blood & Starlight and Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bone  books #2 & #3) by Laini Taylor.

Give a second chance to a book e.g. Gone Girl. 

Read at least 2-3 memoirs.

Read one book from at least 3 prolific authors whose work I haven’t read yet. (Suggestions are welcome).

Read the first in the Nighthuntress series by Jeaniene Frost by the end of February before Shel and Nat disown me.

Nat's Goals

Read at least one book from my bookshelf each month.

Read at least one middle grade or chapter book each month.

Read at least 6 non-fiction books this year (that’s a reach for me but I think I can do it).

Write at least three reviews each month.  At the bare minimum.

Finish David Levithan’s backlist.

Read 110 books this year.  Only two more than last year but baby steps.

Interact weekly with our fellow bloggers.  I’ve been terrible about social media.  This is the year to improve that.

Read the latest (and in some cases final) installments in my favorites series – Outlander, The Mortal Instruments, The Raven Cycle.

A Peek In The BiblioBin #183

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, selected from our bookshelf, etc.

For Review:

The Haters by Jesse Andrews


Purchased:

The Score (Off-Campus #3) by Elle Kennedy

The Sisters of Versailles (The Mistresses of Versailes #1) by Sally Christie

Frosh: First Blush (Frosh #1) by Monica B. Wagner


Borrowed:

Coming Back (Ink & Chrome #3) by Lauren Dane

In The Dark (The Rules #2) by Monica Murphy

Never Tear Us Apart by Monica Murphy Promo and Review

We're celebrating the release of NEVER TEAR US APART by Monica Murphy!

Title: Never Tear Us Apart

Author Name: Monica Murphy

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Bantam January 5, 2016

Purchase Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1KzdZSa
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1R3zkuq
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1PNyi5N
iBooks: http://apple.co/1MoW1EJ
B&N: http://bit.ly/1j80Pon
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1MHt8GE
Books-a-Million: http://bit.ly/1OPM7ym
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1iL7y7T
Penguin/Random House: http://bit.ly/1Jo0Ut7
Add to your Goodreads shelf: http://bit.ly/1V9L80V

Book description:

Crazy how eight years can disappear in an instant. One look at Katie Watts, and I'm a fifteen-year-old again--the one who risked everything to save a terrified girl from her twisted kidnapper. She's grown-up now--beautiful, quiet, composed--and telling her story to the world. A story that involves me in more ways than you can imagine. She used to call me her guardian angel. Sure, I risked my life, but she was worth dying for.

I need to make contact with her. Just to ensure that she's safe.

Somehow we reconnect. We become friends . . . but I want more. I want to make her mine. And she wants me too. Does she know who I am? Has she figured me out? Not yet. But she will. In the meantime, I need to make sure that whatever hold that animal had on her is gone.

So, yeah, I'm stealing these moments with her. Savoring them. Knowing, dreading, that she'll soon find out who I really am. And everything will fall apart. All because of that twisted, perverted monster sitting on death row. Her kidnapper. A convicted serial killer.

My father.

Be sure to stop by Monica's Facebook Page daily for giveaways!

About the Author:

New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She's a workaholic who loves her job. When she's not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Review:

Never Tear Us Apart reaches down into your chest and rips your heart out.  Katie is a brave woman attempting to rebuild a life after a horrific event as a child.  She's spent years feeling afraid and alone - the only person who had a hope of understanding was forced away from her.  

Will forged a new life after his was blown apart by what happened to Katie.  He's moved on, or so he thought.  One mention of Katie's name and he's obsessed - he has to find out how she is, if she's healed and moved on.  

Never Tear Us Apart is dark and twisted and to say these characters are flawed is a gross understatement.  It's a deeply engrossing story that will keep you on edge and leave you dying to know what comes next for these beautifully broken people.  Never Let You Go is set to release in May and I cannot wait!  

Any fan of Monica Murphy will fall into this story with ease.  If you are new to Monica Murphy, be prepared to have your jaw hit the floor and stay up all night.  

~Shel

A Peek In The BiblioBin #182

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, selected from our bookshelf, etc.

For Review:

Did I Mention I Need You? (DIMILY #2) by Estelle Maskame

Nobody But You (Cedar Ridge #3) by Jill Shalvis

Getting Him Back by K.A. Mitchell

The Distance From A To Z by Natalie Blitt

Purchased:

The Dating Game (Owen & Nathan #1) by Jay Northcote

The Deepest Blue (Roadmap To Your Heart #2) by Christina Lee

Falling Into You (Falling #1) by Jasinda Wilder

Borrowed:

George by Alex Gino

The One And Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Off The Bookshelf:

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

Confess by Colleen Hoover

* * * 1/2

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

Colleen Hoover is the queen of putting her characters in the worst imaginable situations ever. The kind of tear-your-heart-out, will-they-won’t-they, should-they-say-something, it’s-too-tempting positions. You feel desperately bad for them. For me the urgency in reading her books is how her characters extricate their way out of these seemingly impossible messes. It’s not always a neat and tidy ending, and lord knows the in betweens are wrought with strife and tears. No matter the outcome, the process to get there is quite the experience.

Confess is no different. I was instantly taken with Auburn and Owen and waited patiently for their secrets to come out. Both have been visited by personal tragedies and have the scars as reminders every day. Even though they have an obvious, inexplicable attraction, it’s a precarious dance for them as their attempt at a relationship is thwarted before it has even started. This is where those pesky secrets become hindrances or game-changers. Their hands are tied and it seems that Auburn has more to lose than Owen.

I liked the beautiful artwork that is included in the book. Auburn and Owen felt more accessible to me when I got to see the paintings they were seeing. And they are gorgeous paintings, too. Luckily for us, we can see the colour prints on Hoover’s website!

Confess ranks high up there for me and it solidifies Colleen Hoover as one of my favourite authors. The scenarios she writes about are not always comfortable ones – some even left me with mixed feelings – but in her hands I feel I have the open-mindedness to explore these moments despite my reservations. She's a fantastic writer and Confess is just further proof of of how much heart she puts into every word on those pages!

~ Bel