Friday 29 May 2015

Currently Reading

Just a small update on my currently reading. Please comment below if you've got any recommendations!

Right now I'm currently reading Teaching the Boss by Mallory Crowe, which I received through NetGalley. It is a series but can be read as a standalone!



I'm also reading Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I received it through the publisher, Washington Square Press. I love it so far, it's like Sliding Doors with Gwenyth Paltrow.


Comment below linking to your currently reading or to your most recent blog post.

Tuesday 19 May 2015

*Jivin' Tango by Connie Smith* SPOTLIGHT

Jivin’ Tango by Connie L. Smith
Blurb:
Lila and Austin have known each other since she befriended his younger brother when she was a toddler. In fact, since her parents moved from her hometown, Lila’s lived with Austin’s family. The two are friends, though more of the teasing, taunting breed than the BFF variety.
But all it takes is one moment for everything to change…
For Austin, that moment comes when Lila performs a rumba in the school’s auditorium to qualify for the state dance competition, the young woman on stage so far-removed from the little girl in his memories.
For Lila, the moment is a reflected image of Austin preparing for prom, the guy standing in front of his mirror hardly resembling the child that spent so much of his youth pestering her.

Will they find a way to admit to themselves and their families that their feelings are deeper than friendship? And can Lila focus on this building relationship – and deal with her unstable ex – and still win the dance contest?
EXCERPT
“I kind of have a thing for this other girl.”
She smiles a bit. “Anyone I know?”
“Yeah, you know her.” I lean closer to her, not moving my stare from her face. “She’s beautiful, and smart, and funny, and quirky. The sad thing is, I didn’t notice any of those things until about a week ago.”
“What happened a week ago?”
“Well, she did this dance. One she hates, by the way.” I pause to let her laugh. “She wore a blue dress, and her hair was flowing down her back. She was elegant, and gorgeous, and I couldn’t look away.” Reaching out, I play with a strand of her hair that’s fallen forward, one that’s dripping water from her shower. “And I couldn’t push the attraction back. I tried, because it was so confusing.
“You see,” I continue, “I’ve known her since she was just a pesky girl who hung around mostly for my kid brother, and being attracted to her took some getting used to. But I had to deal with it, since I couldn’t look at her the way I used to anymore. Once I saw her as the beautiful woman she’d grown into, I couldn’t step back from that.”
“Austin—”
I put a finger to her lips to stop her comments. I need to get all of this out. Now. “I tried, Munchkin. I tried to keep myself from wanting you, but I can’t. I figured that out at prom. You’re what I want, what I need, and the one girl I have to be with. If you don’t want to be with me like that, I’ll take friendship. I’ll take just about anything because you’re the one part of my whole life I can’t let go of.”
She reaches up so she can move my finger away from her mouth. “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I didn’t want to be with you.”
Relief fills me, and I let out a long breath. “I was hoping you’d say that.”


About the Author:
Connie L. Smith spends far too much time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and might forever be sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. Her music of choice is severely outdated, and as an adult she’s kind of obsessed with Power Rangers. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either), and is currently working on her MA.

Monday 18 May 2015

Review: Tangled by Emma Chase

Tangled by Emma Chase



Synopsis
Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed? 

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything - or anyone - derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating. 

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life? 

Can Drew Evans win at love? 

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.


EMMA CHASE
By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother of two who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she is a keyboard crusader, toiling away the hours to bring her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine. 

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.



REVIEW


I bought this book well over 6 months ago. And for some reason, I hadn't read it yet. I read it in almost one sitting. It was great, Emma Chase did an amazing job on being in a man's head. I laughed so hard at some of Drew's comments. Really, I've never been a huge fan of comedy books, but this one really got me. It was so funny, so interesting, I couldn't look away for a moment. The romance was awesome, the humour was great, the writing was just fantastic.

Drew and Kate were adorable together. Near the end of the book when Drew went nuts with the gifts and such, it was such a great scene to read. If this is actually how guys think, then it is 100% true that guys think about sex every three seconds. Everything Kate did reminded Drew of sex somehow. It was just so funny how the tiniest thing turned into a huge deal in his mind. It is so good to know that it's not just girls that can be the ones to over analyze something!

The story was great. I love office romance's, and this one is definitely one to be recognized. I actually think I preferred this one to Beautiful Bastard because of the characters bantering. It was captivating, no matter what was happening, your eyes can't leave the page! This is a book I can recommend to someone and almost guarantee that they will love it!

Once again, I recommend this to fans of new adult and comedy, even if you not a huge fan of new adult and you just like comedy or romance, give this book a shot. It is a guarantee that you'll laugh at least once!

Review: Rumble by Ellen Hopkins

RUMBLE by Ellen Hopkins




Synopsis
Can an atheist be saved? The New York Times bestselling author of Crank and Tricks explores the highly charged landscapes of faith and forgiveness with brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance.

“There is no God, no benevolent ruler of the earth, no omnipotent grand poobah of countless universes. Because if there was...my little brother would still be fishing or playing basketball instead of fertilizing cemetery vegetation.”

Matthew Turner doesn’t have faith in anything.

Not in family—his is a shambles after his younger brother was bullied into suicide. Not in so-called friends who turn their backs when things get tough. Not in some all-powerful creator who lets too much bad stuff happen. And certainly not in some “It Gets Better” psychobabble.

No matter what his girlfriend Hayden says about faith and forgiveness, there’s no way Matt’s letting go of blame. He’s decided to “live large and go out with a huge bang,” and whatever happens happens. But when a horrific event plunges Matt into a dark, silent place, he hears a rumble…a rumble that wakes him up, calling everything he’s ever disbelieved into question.



ELLEN HOPKINS
Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of CrankBurnedImpulseGlassIdenticalTricks,FalloutPerfectTrianglesTilt, and Collateral. She lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her husband and son. Hopkin's Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest pages get thousands of hits from teens who claim Hopkins is the "only one who understands me", and she can be visited at ellenhopkins.com. 

Like most of you here, books are my life. Reading is a passion, but writing is the biggest part of me. Balance is my greatest challenge, as I love my family, friends, animals and home, but also love traveling to meet my readers. Hope I meet many of you soon!



REVIEW



I'm a Christian. That is the sole reason for picking up this book. I must say, I was slightly disappointed in the story because it wasn't exactly as I thought it would be. I went into this book thinking it would be about God and Matthew's journey of believing in God. But it wasn't. It was also very frustrating that when Matthew "hears a rumble" it happens three quarters of the way into the book. I mean, come on, the synopsis for the book says that he hears a rumble and it happens at the end?

The characters were not likeable, which is one of the reasons I've continued to read Ellen Hopkins. She writes characters that you hate and some that you can't help but like even if you want to hate them. I wanted to like Alexa from the beginning but I didn't, however she did grow on me throughout the book. Hayden, I can't explain how I felt about her. I had incredibly mixed feelings. I couldn't tell exactly how the author wanted me to feel about her, but she definitely did a good job on making me confused about my feelings for many characters, which I think is good. I enjoyed the internal struggle of not knowing who to actually like.


The story wasn't what I expected, as I mentioned. However, I enjoyed it. It was a good read, something definitely to be followed up with light reads because this one is certainly going to keep you thinking of it long after you're done it.

May/June TO-READ

May is soon to be over, and recently I haven't been posting much, but it's almost summer! Exciting, and you know what summer brings? Reading! Lots and lots of reading! And here's my list of to-read that I hope I can read ASAP. They are a mix of books I've been wanting to read forever, and books I just got from publishers, as well as books I just found out about!

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Black Iris by Leah Raeder

Amber to Ashes by Gail McHugh

You Were Mine by Abbi Glines

After the Rain by Renee Carlino

Unteachable by Leah Raeder

Forbidden Surrender by Priscilla West

Secret Surrender by Priscilla West

Beautiful Surrender by Priscilla West

Stupid Girl by Cindy Miles

Stupid Boy by Cindy Miles

Ruined by Tracy Wolff

A Kiss by Design by Christy Hayes

Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen

Saving Quinton by Jessica Sorensen

Nova and Quinton: No Regrets by Jessica Sorensen

Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine

The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell

The Real Thing by Cassie Mae

Fair Game by Monica Murphy

What are you planning to read these next few months? Excited for summer too? Comment below linking me to your blog or goodreads!

Friday 8 May 2015

Surviving Ice by K. A. Tucker COVER REVEAL



 

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you  the Cover Reveal for K.A. Tucker’s SURVIVING ICE!! SURVIVING ICE is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel, and the fourth novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. SURVIVING ICE is set to be released October 13, 2015!

 

SURVIVING ICE (US)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound |  Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

SURVIVING ICE (UK)

Amazon | Waterstones | Foyles | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

SURVIVING ICE (AUS)

Apple | Amazon



About SURVIVING ICE: Ivy Lee, a talented tattoo artist who spent the early part of her twenties on the move, is looking for a place to call home. She thinks she might have finally found it working in her uncle’s tattoo shop in San Francisco. But all that changes when a robbery turns deadly, compelling her to pack up her things yet again. When they need the best, they call him. That’s why Sebastian Riker is back in California, cleaning up the mess made after a tattoo shop owner with a penchant for blackmail got himself shot. But it’s impossible to get the answers he needs from a dead body, leaving him to look elsewhere. Namely, to the twenty-something-year-old niece who believes this was a random attack. Who needs to keep believing that until Sebastian finds what he’s searching for. Ivy has one foot out of San Francisco when a chance encounter with a stranger stalls her departure. She’s always been drawn to intense men, so it’s no wonder that she now finds a reason to stay after all, quickly intoxicated by his dark smile, his intimidating strength, and his quiet control. That is, until Ivy discovers that their encounter was no accident—and that their attraction could be her undoing.  

And don’t forget BURYING WATER, BECOMING RAIN and CHASING RIVER, the first three books in this thrilling series…

 

BURYING WATER (US)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

 BURYING WATER (UK)

Amazon | Google | Kobo | Blinkbox | Apple | Waterstones | Foyles | WHSmith

 BURYING WATER (AUS)

 Apple | Amazon | Kobo | Booktopia | Bookworld

  About BURYING WATER: The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away. Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him? Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried. The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.  
Becoming 

Rain

BECOMING RAIN (US)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Books-a- Million | Google

 BECOMING RAIN (UK)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Google | Waterstones | Foyles

 BECOMING RAIN (AUS)

 Amazon | Apple | Booktopia | Boomerang Books


About BECOMING RAIN: Luke Boone doesn't know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it—the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he's finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it's not exactly legal, Luke's never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain. Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she's one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington, DC, major crime unit, and she's just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the West coast's most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she'll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year-old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle's footsteps. As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she'll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she'll even want to. ​  

CHASING RIVER (US Preorder)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound |  Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

 CHASING RIVER (UK Preorder)

Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Waterstones | Foyles

 CHASING RIVER (AUS Preorder)

Amazon | Apple | Booktopia

About CHASING RIVER: Armed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin.  Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude. Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn't let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub.  Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him.  And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move. Maybe it's because he saved her life, or maybe it's because he's completely different from everything she's left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone. And River isn't the kind of guy she'd want to catch.    

  About K.A. Tucker: Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.          

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook


z-InkSlinger Blogger

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Stacking the Shelves ~ 05/06/15


Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

~~~

ARC
When You're Back by Abbi Glines

I stayed up until 1:30AM reading and finishing this and couldn't sleep until 3:00AM because of my excitement. Get excited for this, such an amazing book!

Amber to Ashes by Gail McHugh

I've never read a Gail McHugh book, but I am extremely excited to read this because she's been on my to-read for the longest time!

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This sounds like a super interesting book, and fun to read too!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATRIA BOOKS

KINDLE FREE
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I've actually never read this, but all of a sudden, I felt the need to read it. It sounds like a good romance, and hopefully it's just as good as everyone says it is.

The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin

Recommended to me by Laura from Blue Eye Books, and when I looked it up on amazon, it came up as free. Sounds like it will be an interesting book!

LIBRARY
This week I put a lot of holds at the library because my to-read list is getting higher, so I'm hoping that April and May, I can shave off a few books I've been meaning to read for a long time.

Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens

One I've wanted to read for years, but never got around to. It sounds like something I'd really love and all three books (or is it four?) are out so I can just binge read!

The Wild Ones by M. Leighton

After the new cover came out and it was in store, I've been meaning to buy it, but never got around to it; then I saw it at my library and thought, why not?

Bang by Lisa McMann

When I read the first one, it was so easy to read and I've been looking for some fast reads recently.

Unteachable by Leah Raeder

I've wanted to read this for some time, hopefully I love it!

On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

I added this to my to-read years ago and never got around to it. When I saw it was $5.99 on kindle, I took a stab at the library and was pleased to see they had copies of the entire series!

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

The last book I read by Lauren Oliver, I wasn't to happy with but this one sounded amazing and super interesting!

PAPERBACK
Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I saw the new covers for this series, and was sad to see these beautiful covers go. Personally, I love the older covers better so I made sure to buy this one quickly so that I'd have those covers.

COMMENT BELOW LINKING TO YOURS!

Friday 1 May 2015

BLOG TOUR: BLACK IRIS by LEAH RAEDER

BLACK IRIS
by Leah Raeder



ABOUT BLACK IRIS:
It only took one moment of weakness for Laney Keating’s world to fall apart. One stupid gesture for a hopeless crush. Then the rumors began. Slut, they called her. Queer. Psycho. Mentally ill, messed up, so messed up even her own mother decided she wasn't worth sticking around for.

If Laney could erase that whole year, she would. College is her chance to start with a clean slate.

She's not looking for new friends, but they find her: charming, handsome Armin, the only guy patient enough to work through her thorny defenses—and fiery, filterless Blythe, the bad girl and partner in crime who has thorns of her own.

But Laney knows nothing good ever lasts. When a ghost from her past resurfaces—the bully who broke her down completely—she decides it's time to live up to her own legend. And Armin and Blythe are going to help.

Which was the plan all along.

Because the rumors are true. Every single one. And Laney is going to show them just how true.

She's going to show them all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Leah Raeder is a writer and unabashed nerd. Aside from reading her brains out, she enjoys graphic design, video games, fine whiskey, and the art of self-deprecation. She lives with her very own manic pixie dream boy in Chicago. Visit her at LeahRaeder.com.

FIND LEAH ONLINE:

ORDER:
UK LINKS:

AUS LINKS:

Some teasers from the author's pinterst board




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