Friday 22 November 2013

SPOTLIGHT Alluring Turmoil by Sky Turner

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ALLURING TURMOIL by SKYE TURNER
(Book One in the Bayou Stix Series)


PICK THIS BOOK UP AT:


Synopsis


Alexia Sloane is the twenty-six year old owner of the highly successful Louisiana coffee shop/bakery, Java and Sweeties. The past couple of years have been all she’s dreamed of and her business takes all of her focus, all of her heart. 

Jude Delecroix is the lead singer of one of the most famous rock bands in the country, Bayou Stix, and the man who broke Lexi’s heart.


Lexi and Jude have a past. 


When Jude comes back to town eight years after leaving to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a famous musician and comes face to face with Lexi, forces collide, old hurts are brought to the surface, and life as these two have been living it will never be the same. 


There are two sides to every story, and what happens when the things you believed to be concrete suddenly crumble like ash and fade away? 


What happens when two people afraid to face the past, become involved in the present? Can they hope for a future?


Welcome to Louisiana where humidity and passion are high and things are not always what they seem. 


***Contains graphic sex and language. Not for young readers.***


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Excerpt

I forget everyone but the two of us. I thrust my cock that’s now rock hard against her and breathe just against her lips. There’s barely an inch of space between our faces. 
We’re so close, I can feel her breathing get faster and smell her minty toothpaste.
Leaning in to close the distance, I scrape my teeth along her jaw, just behind her ear. She gasps and my cock gets even harder. I lick the shell of her ear and her hands grab my shoulders. She moans.
Trailing my tongue against her jaw line, I find her mouth and sweep my tongue inside.
Her hands find my hair and my hands drop to her hips, pulling her into me. I’m so turned on, I start thrusting against her as her tongue spars with mine, and her hands run through my hair, grabbing handfuls and holding on.
We are so consumed with each other; we forget where we are, until someone clears their throat and breaks our trance.
I raise my head and turn to look towards the sound. Her breathing is rapid and her hard nipples are pressing against my chest through the fabric of her dress.
My eyes meet the blue of Erik’s and I realize what I’ve just done. I’ve almost fucked her against a wall, in the hallway of my concert.

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About the Author

Skye Turner is an avid reader and an editor turned writer.


She attended Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University where she majored in Mass Communications, centering her studies in Journalism. Unfortunately life intervened and she made the choice to leave her studies. 

She lives in small town Louisiana with her husband, 2 children, and 4 fur babies.

When she's not chained to her laptop pounding out sexy stories she can usually be found playing Supermom, reading, gardening (playing in the dirt), listening to music and dancing like a fool, or catching up on her family oriented blog.

Skye Turner

GIVEAWAY!


Thursday 21 November 2013

In the Stillness by Andrea Randall

I'm not sure what the best way to say this is, so let's go with I'm pissed.

I'm pissed that I have an uncomplicated life.

I'm pissed that Natalie is a character in a book, and I can't do anything for her.

I'm pissed that Tosha didn't kill Eric.

I'm pissed that there are people out there like Natalie who don't have people to comfort them, listen to them, or just be there for them.

I'm pissed that there are people who probably think that things like this are just a phase, and one will get over it soon.

I'm pissed that this book has only 197 reviews on Amazon.

I'm pissed that I cried way too much this week over books.

I'm pissed that I waited almost 4 months to read this book.

And now I'm pissed that the story of Ry and Nat is over.

Making Faces by Amy Harmon


On very rare occasions, I read a book that makes me believe. On very rare occasions, I read a book that leaves me speechless. Where I have to Google synonyms for simple words to make sure that everything I'm experience is captured. On very rare occasions, I read one line and start crying. I'm overwhelmed by the magnificent story that I regress and forget the English language. I can't speak; only cry. 

The first 25% of the story:

buoyant cheerful comfortable confident eager enthusiastic rosy sanguine trusting upbeat calm content faithful high anticipating anticipative assured at-ease blithe elated emboldened expecting forward-looking hoping inspirited keeping-the-faith lighthearted looking-forward-to reassured rose-coloured satisfied serene trustful

The next 26 - 80% of the story:

abashed aghast alarmed anxious apprehensive aroused blanched cowardly cowed daunted discouraged disheartened dismayed distressed disturbed faint-hearted frightened frozen have-cold-feet horrified in-awe intimidated nervous panic-stricken perplexed perturbed petrified rattled run-scared scared scared-stiff scared to death shocked spooked startled stunned suspicious terrified terror-stricken timid timorous trembling upset worried


The rest of the story:

Affirmed for me that there are some beautiful writers out there.

Because every second, minute, hour I spent with the words on these pages tore me apart. The glue that's holding me together right now is the absolute perfection of this kind of love.



Monday 18 November 2013

COVER REVEAL Walk Into Me by Jill Prand





Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance


Expected date of release: December 2, 2013





I know I will never get over her. Watching her walk away with him ripped my heart out and left it bleeding on the floor. But I can’t hide anymore. I have to face my life without her.

Brad has been in love with Lisa for as long as he can remember. One night years ago they took each other’s virginity but while it was the best night of Brad’s life, for Lisa it was a way to forget about Bobby. Or was it?

Brad re-emerges right when Lisa needs him most. Only Brad knows everything about her and when Lisa’s insecurities come to the surface the shoulder Lisa needs is Brad’s. Now Brad has to decide if he has it in him to trust his heart.



I walk through the door into the crowded house, looks like the gangs all here and then some.  I look around and see all my friends but the person who sees me first is her mom, “Brad! So good to see you,” she hugs me, “Lisa will be so glad you’re here. She’s missed you.”

I don’t know what to say to that. I know that Lisa loves me like a brother but I want so much more with her, “I’ve missed her too.” It’s the truth, staying away has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I even took the boat over to Fire Island for a couple of weeks hiding out at my sister’s summer house. She was not happy about that until I started to fix the outside shower. Now she tells me I can use it anytime I want as long as I fix something each time I’m there. Her husband can’t fix shit, damn Ivy League pretty boy.

I turn back toward the party and suddenly Lisa is in my arms kissing my cheek and holding me tight, “Don’t do that again,” she tells me. “I missed you too much.” She is running her hands over my shoulders and through my hair and if I don’t get her off me soon she will know exactly how much I missed her.

I release her and put my hand in the pocket of my jacket, “Happy Birthday Lisa,” I pull out her gift and hand it to her. She smiles up at me but keeps her hand on my arm like she doesn’t want to let me go. Maybe she does feel more than friendship towards me.  I look into her eyes and hope she can’t see how much I want her.

She looks down at the box in her hand then back up to me, “Do you want me to open this now?”

I want to see her reaction but I don’t want an audience, “No later, after the party.”

“Does that mean you will stay ‘til everyone leaves?” her smile widens.

“If you want me to,” I can’t say no to her, I never could.

Then he comes up behind her pulling her back to him and extending his hand to me, “Brad, good to see you.”

I know he is staking his claim but he doesn’t have to remind me that Lisa is not mine. I have known that for a long time, “Bobby,” I can’t bring myself to say more than his name. I really want to yell at him to get his hands off of her but he has every right to touch her. She is his.


There's still time to read book one of the series:



Watch for it on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple!










I live in Northern New Jersey. I am a wife and mother of two girls. 
I have been an avid reader my whole life, I cannot remember a Sunday afternoon that did not include my parents reading. We had a huge bookshelf in our den with a diverse set of authors like Ayn Rand, Stephen King, Mario Puzo & Danielle Steele. 

I have always had ideas and characters running around my head but it took a few good friends to push me to start putting them down on paper. 

I hope you enjoy my musings. Please feel free to contact me I would love to hear from you.




Sunday 17 November 2013

Must Love Otters by Eliza Gordon

You know when you get a book and you hope it's good? Then you read a bit more, and you really hope that it keeps up the insanity that is just sheer brilliance? And then you get hiccups because you are laughing so hard? And then you realize that this is one of those books that defies categories and should scream 'READ ME' to anyone who considers passing up the chance to read it?

Yeah - this is one of those books.

Friday 15 November 2013

Embrace (book 2) & Entangled (book 2.5) by S.E. Hall

My husband doesn't read my blog so I can say this and not worry about it coming back to bite me in the ass.

I'm not perfect.

So in one of my not-so-perfect moments, I did something I warn others against all the time; I judged books by their covers. More specifically, this entire series. The covers screamed YA to me. And well, I just don't read that genre.

Now - I've included the covers in the post so you know exactly what you should be one-clicking. 

And then I actually read the book. Not YA at all.

Emerge (book 1) starts off when the characters are younger, but I'd say 98% of the story takes place in college. And all 3 books have, uh, scenes, that are not YA in the least. Actually, they are the opposite of YA.

So in hopes of getting more people to read this series, I promise the following:
  1. These books are not YA
  2. These books are laced with funny dialogue
  3. These books have Evan and Dane. Both who have MASSIVE book-boyfriend potential....shit - forget potential, I'm a devoted fan of Team Dane
  4. Now this is the last thing, and it might be considered a bit scandalous. Your significant other will also appreciate this book *wink wink, nudge nudge*.
Still don't believe me? OK - here are legitimate Facebook conversations. Sure it's only 3, but I can attest that Maria is VERY picky :) I've tried to remove the spoilers!

 













Wednesday 13 November 2013

COVER REVEAL Mended by Kim Karr


Title: Mended (Connections #3)
Release date: June 3, 2014

MENDED SYNOPSIS:

MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL ALL…BUT NOT ALL BROKEN HEARTS CAN BE MENDED.

Always in control, Xander Wilde considered life on the road to be a perfect fit for him. But when disaster strikes on the Wilde Ones’ latest tour, fate intervenes…and a newly single Ivy Taylor, the only girl he has ever loved, steps back into his life.
After moving past her painful breakup with Xander years ago, Ivy was poised to become the next big name in pop music…when suddenly she withdrew from the limelight—the same day she announced her engagement to her controlling agent, Damon Wolf.
Xander knows he should keep his distance. But once they’re on the road, he can’t resist pursuing her for a second chance. Yet a jealous Damon can’t let her go—and he’s keeping dangerous secrets that could destroy them all.  
When the three of them come together, everything falls apart. But if Xander and Ivy can hold tight to the bond that connects them, they just might have a chance at reclaiming the powerful love they thought they had lost forever....


MENDED BOOK TRAILER - 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kim Karr

Monday 11 November 2013

Emerge by S.E. Hall (Book 1 - Evolve Series)

I have a major soft-spot for books with this kind of story-line. I inhale them. I neglect everything that would otherwise make me a good mom. Emerge was absolutely no exception.

I held my breath too often with this story. Got lightheaded more time than I can remember, or am willing to admit. There's a list of reasons I liked this story. I mean really linked this story. But I'll leave you with just one - DANE.

Shortest review ever, but the second book is calling my name.

Sunday 10 November 2013

Night Owl by M. Pierce

I shit you not, I one-clicked this because of one word in the title. I have a thing for owls.

From the very first sentence, I loved the writing style. Very much to the point. It felt like the author was cutting through all the bull-shit. I quickly realized that this book was intense. No doubt comparisons will be made to others in this genre. If that's what gets you to read this book, then so be it. But make up your own mind and love (or hate) this book for what it is.

Laurence is the perfect wing man. Every man needs a Laurence.

Little Bird was so much stronger than I thought her character would be when I started reading this book. Not a martyr, but a realist. She chooses to act in ways that some might compare to a doormat, but life isn't perfect, and you try to make the best of really crappy situations

Night Owl is a grade-A asshole with very few redeeming qualities (the few he does have include the car/lawn scene). 

Until he's not and your heart is destroyed for him. And not like a crumpled piece of paper. Mine felt like it had been put through the shredder, taken out and cut up with scissors, and then burned in a fire pit. And in case my recovery for even a moment gave me hope, it was pushed off a cliff with the final words. At this point, I'm still trying to figure out if I flew off the edge with a parachute.

I live for broken characters who manage to redeem themselves. Their path to salvation isn't always pretty but the end result restores some of my faith in the human character every.single.time. Even if they are fictional.

I was addicted to this book. I'm still reeling from it.

God this was so vague...

Welcome to Sugartown by Carmen Jenner

My parents are both trained pastry chefs. So I should know how to bake a pie. But I can’t even boil water without looking up instructions (true story). After this story, I’m so tempted to become Betty freaking Crocker if it meant that Elijah Cade would eat my pie.

Oh - you’ve read this story? You want to bake pies for Elijah as well? I DON’T SHARE!

I really Really REALLY liked this story. It started out innocent enough. Ana lives in Sugartown with her family and runs the pie shop, right across from her dad’s garage. It’s a very small town, with all the fixings you’d expect to go along with it; the pretty boys that are douches, the gossips that encourage defamation, and no real way out.

And in rides Elijah. Because he shows up on a bike, is gorgeous, and tattooed to the high heavens, you know there’s a story, and you better believe it will be a good one. That is, if he ever lets anyone close enough to discover it.

Him and Ana together are hot. If you read the synopsis, you know she's, uh, innocent. And, well, he’s ridden his bike around the block more than a few times. But it still works for them. As their relationship progresses, you slowly learn a bit more of Ana and Elijah as individuals. You being to hope that our boy gets his head out of his arse quickly enough before it starts to diminish hope of an HEA.

And then all hell breaks loose.

Up until this point, I was so taken in by the witty banter; the lightheartedness of it all. And then, all goes to shit in the story.

Some people like some warning that crap is about to go down. I couldn't care less. As long as I like the story before and after the pivotal moment, the main characters can turn into kangaroos for all I care (HA!  Because I read this books while practising my Aussie accent, I just had to).

I’ll try not to give anything away during the rest of this review, so I beg for your forgiveness for making all this very vague.

Elijah has one hell of a past. And it literally catches up to him. Like any hot-as-f***, brooding, complicated man, he chose not to share that part of himself with Ana. And to say that she’s confronted by it in a horrific manner is really an understatement.

Persistence seems to be a theme after this point, but things aren’t looking for great. I’m praying that this is not one of those WTF cliffhanger books. I mean, I can handle those once in a while, and yesterday was not the day. Then our Elijah does something dumb. I mean really dumb. At this point, I was taking my glass of chocolate milk, raising it in the air, and drinking for Australia (it will all make sense!). I don’t drink, but I was praying to the chocolate-gods to give me strength to get past this point.

Ana and I chose different paths when it came to dealing with Elijah’s dummery (give me a break  sometimes words need to be made up). Sure this was added to a list of flaws, but when you choose not to lay claim, you can’t bitch about it either.

Then the author went somewhere I didn’t think she would. And it broke my heart. It actually had me taking a breather, because long gone were the days of laughing and blissful sighing. The events after ward were fully warranted, but it only broke me further.

Through all this, I have to admit that I fell in love with Holly (the best friend), Bob (Ana’s dad), Jackson (Ana’s cousin), and Sam (Ana’s brother) more than I ever though I would. They got me through parts of the book where I wasn’t sure anyone could shine a bit of sunshine on.

THEN MY BATTERY DIED ON MY EREADER AS THEY WERE SHARING M&Ms! Panic rocketed through me. This is not how it was going to end! At 11:45pm EST, I was tearing through the house looking for an extra charger.

With 3% battery, I finished the story of Elijah and Ana. I don’t rate books by stars. I rate them on whether I think they are worthy of physical space on my bookshelf.

I will allocate 4 spaces to Welcome to Sugar Town - 1 paperback for me, 1 to lend out, 1 as a back up, and 1 in the event I ever meet Carmen Jenner and grow a pair to ask for a signature.