Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Has it been a while since you read about a guy who was emotionally closed off in a book?

Yeah? Then read Ugly Love.

Has it been a while since you got eeeeking-ly happy about the on-page chemistry between said guy and a female heroine who should want more but is happy to get pieces of a broken soul rather than nothing at all?

Yeah? Then read Ugly Love.

Has it been a while since you’ve been so torn about which relationship you want to cheer for, that a part of you hopes that the story never ends, that you never find out what happened, or that it might end on a random word just so you wouldn’t know?

Yeah? Then read Ugly Love.

Has it been a while since you’ve read about heartbreaking devastation that you find yourself inconsolable over, and in retaliation using the f-word in all the languages you know to condemn Colleen Hoover to the deepest and darkest pits of hell for doing this to you yet again? YET AGAIN! And then letting out one of those evil, diabolical laughs that you’re sure she does whenever she comes up with these stories?

Yeah? Then read Ugly Love.

Has it been a while since you woke up the next morning and realized that you love a book more after 8 hours of sleep than you did at the moment you finished reading it? That if this book was a person and that you didn’t have a significant other that you adored to the ends of the world, you’d probably toss him/her in a taxi and tell the drive to take you the nearest wedding chapel (or city hall)?

Yeah? Then read Ugly Love.

Has it been a while since you were thankful that your child wanted pizza for dinner that cooks for 17 minutes over the healthier choice of baked chicken breast and potatoes, with a side of grilled vegetable that cooks in 45 minutes because that means you have an extra 28 minutes to read a book?

Yeah? Then read Ugly Love.

Friday, 18 July 2014

COVER REVEAL: Eyes of the Woods by Eden Fierce

We're excited to share with you the cover for Debut Author Eden Fierce's upcoming release, Eyes of the Woods! This cover is gorgeous! Let us know what you think!


Title: Eyes of the Woods
Author: Eden Fierce
Age Group: YA
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Okay Creations, Sarah Hansen

Description

Eris Helgren knew her life was about to end. A daughter of the Priory--a generations-old family who protected their territories from nightwalkers--Eris was strong and independent. But on her birthday, her father would announce her betrothal. A year later, she would be forced to marry.

What Eris didn’t know was that the very beings she hunted were watching her, and that being tamed wasn’t what would kill her after all. 

In a land where the woods were forbidden and the laws meant life, Eris will have to make a decision that could bring peace between enemies, or war among friends.




About the Author

Eden Fierce was born on August 25, 1999 and lives in Enid, Oklahoma with her parents and two siblings. Eyes of the Woods is her debut novel, although it's only one of nine novels she has completed. Eden enjoys writing, reading, and high school cheer and volleyball.

Connect with Eden: Facebook | Twitter


Tuesday, 15 July 2014

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Left Drowning!




Title: Left Drowning
Author: Jessica Park
Print Length: 399 pages
ISBN: 1477817158
ASIN: B00BJQR23C
Publisher: Skyscape (July 16, 2013)



Synopsis


What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?

Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

*This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content.

Note: due to mature content recommended for Ages 17+






One year ago I received an ARC; gave my honest opinion. One year later, I stand by every single word in this review.

If I wanted to become an author, this is the calibre of writing I would aspire to. As a reader, Left Drowning is the reason I read; the reason I neglect my housework, deprive myself of sleep, and buy a stupid number of the same paperbacks.

This review might contain some spoilers, but I tried to be as vague with the characters as possible. That was hard because this book had me laughing and crying. It's really hard to say "BELIEVE ALL THE HYPE" and not give the whole thing away. Through Ms. Park's ability to write an amazing and captivating story, it made me consider God, love, family, and hope.

The beginning of this beautiful story permeated desolation. I have no idea how this author has such an innate ability to write depression nor do I care. Knowing these trade-secrets would almost be blasphemous.

The reader is first introduced to the main character in what could later be described as the turning point of her emotional bottom. Though the character can very well use a therapist, a prescription of antidepressants, and normal social interactions, her self-awareness is uncanny and gives the reader hope that there is an end to her self-imposed social exile.

After meeting a coffee-thief, the clouds seem to dissipate a bit for the main character. Unfortunately, in this moment of just maybe also came my moment of despair. Even through all the coffee-thief’s bravado, I can sense that not all is as it seems and my heart breaks immediately. In the first instance of meeting this thief, I fell for him hook, line, and sinker. I have no idea who this person is, and my soul is already shattered for him.

In that moment the coffee-thief seems to provide possibility of ‘more’, but it still isn’t enough. I can sense that the frail threads that are the main character are still loosening themselves. And it takes a stone-thrower to pull the few loose ends.

The life-altering tragedy of what happened to the main character and the way she unravels is so poetic that I was actually expecting an iambic pentameter somewhere in the midst of all the emotional brutality. After the gut-wrenching beat-down, it’s evident that the threads were suffocating her to the brink of nonexistence. With the help of the stone-thrower, she’s able to breathe.

About half way through, my hands begin to shake. I notice that I’m sweating, and the part of my brain that’s trying to protect my heart is telling me to put the book down. PUT THE FUCKING BOOK DOWN! It’s like having the ability to see three seconds into the future; just enough time to know, but not enough time to do anything about it. The stone-thrower is tearing my mending heart into a gazillion pieces. By the next chapter, I’m fighting nausea, wiping my tears and my snotty nose with my sleeve. There is nothing I can do to stop the destruction that’s about to occur, and I know this will only get worse.

But eventually it does get better. The main character has the unconditional love of the soccer player she reconnected with, the waitress she adores, the devoted study partner, and the coffee-thief who is the platonic love of her life.

But my original distress comes back with a vengeance and incapacitates me like a bullet through my guts.

The world of the coffee-thief, the waitress, the study partner, and the stone-thrower has been so damaged that the main character’s tragedy for a moment pales in comparison. It makes one want to inflict pain on those who wronged them regardless of their fictional status. It makes one want to take a black Sharpie and remove any mention of them. The one who wronged them is also the one that keeps everyone together and that is their only saving grace.

This is a story about bearing crosses that are too big for any one to carry alone. It’s a story about believing in the ability to just believe. It’s about love, and knowing that no matter how it’s done, it’s all-consuming and unconditional. It’s about hope for one day....

Simply, it’s a magnificent piece of fiction.


BUY LINKS:
Amazon Digital Services, Inc. | B&N






About the Author

Jessica is the author of LEFT DROWNING, the New York Times bestselling FLAT-OUT LOVE (and the companion piece FLAT-OUT MATT), and RELATIVELY FAMOUS. She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations. On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.

Please visit her at jessicapark.me and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapark and Twitter @JessicaPark24