GIVEAWAY for 1 Signed Copy (U.S. ONLY) and 3 e-books (INTL.) of "I Want Crazy" by Codi Gary!!!

       Hey everyone!  I hope you are all having a great New Year so far, with many great reads in your book life! :D  As of New Year's Eve 2014, I was tweeting a link to my Top 10 Books of 2014 (and the 10 runners up).  I was just putting a blog post out there, sharing my opinions like usual.  It started a conversation with romance author Codi Gary, whose wonderfully funny and touching book I Want Crazy (Loco Texas #2) (my review here) was part of my Top 10 list.  She generously offered to send me a signed copy of her book and to send an additional one for this giveaway!  Because I love this book so much (and it's only $0.99 for the Nook & Kindle right now!!!), I decided to spread the love a little more by giving away 3 ebook copies (format of your choice) as well.  Just enter the giveaway below and good luck to you all!  I hope whoever wins enjoys this book just as much as I did! :D

Published: July 8th, 2014

I Want Crazy (Loco Texas #2)

By: Codi Gary

Books with Benefits Press

ISBN-13:  9781941170007

Alfred “Red” Calhoun is in a rut so big, he doesn’t know how to climb out of it. After his second best-selling romance novel, Red signed a contract for three more books, but now he’s having trouble finding his romantic mojo. To top it all off, his favorite bar has been bought by a woman who wants to close down and re-vamp it. With his favorite place gone, Red is looking for a distraction…just not the kind that the bar-ruining Jessie Dale has to offer, no matter how hot she may look in a pair of paint-covered overalls…

Jessie has been running away from trouble since the time she was a kid and now that she’s decided to make a place in Loco, Texas, she’ll be damned if she’s going to let a pain in the rear cowboy with too blue eyes chase her out of town. As Red and Jessie go toe to toe in an epic battle of wills, Jessie finds it hard to stay mad when Red’s kisses make her want to forget her trust issues…and take him home for a test drive.

But when Jessie’s pissed-off ex comes to town to make trouble, Red finds himself playing a hero in his own life and can’t seem to stay away from the her. But will he be able to handle all the crazy baggage Jessie’s been hauling around, or will these two miss out on the greatest adventure of all…falling in love? 

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The Comeback Kid

Expected Publication:  February 17th, 2015

The Return (Titan #1)

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Spencer Hill Press

ISBN-13:  9781939392626

The Fates are cackling their bony asses off...

It's been a year since Seth made a deal with the gods that pledged his life to them.  And so far, the jobs they've given him have been violent and bloody - which is kind of all right with him.  But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth.  He's got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy's deal might be, but it's a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home about to be thrown in an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree.  Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Review

       I was really kind of disappointed by how much I didn't love this one.  Not to say that I love EVERY book that JLA writes, but the good majority of hers that I've read have been four or five stars for me - pure enjoyment.  I kind of feel really bad about even reading it, cause once I realized it was a sister series to her Covenant books (which I have no interest in reading), I knew I wasn't going to be gushing about it's wonderfulness.  The funny part is, I liked Seth well enough.  I think that surprised me, but Jennifer definitely knows how to write a misunderstood, bad-boy hero sympathetically.  It's kind of a trademark of hers at this point (in a good way).  I even liked the way the story was going, with his mystery mission from Apollo and the whole "Titans on the loose" thing.  It was shaping up to be a great read, especially as I'm a mythology nut.  Then some things started to fizzle for me, until this turned into a mediocre experience.

       The first thing I didn't love was Josie, the heroine of the story, who is "special" and must be protected at all costs - the world depends on it!  Yup, felt really "speshul snowflake" to me and unfortunately for her, she reminded me of a slightly more competent Bella Swan.  Especially considering the fact of the insta-attraction/bordering-on-love that her and Seth share for each other.  Yes Seth, I get it.  You think she's hot, innocent and so much better than you.  Guess what: you've known her like two days.  Josie got on my nerves with how easily she accepted everything that was happening to her (I won't say exactly what her circumstances are so as not to spoil anything); girl, kick and scream!  Question "authority," even if that so-called authority (that you just met, btdubs) is a VERY hot guy that you want to get it on with!  Don't take everything at face value!  Even when some big, very grief-inducing and life-changing stuff happens later in the book, she STILL acts like its all okay.  There's autopilot and denial modes, but this came off to me as robotic and over it way too soon.  Didn't make me like her any better.  

       The double point of view didn't help either.  The plot was very slow moving, and the two of them spent most of them time trying NOT to jump each other's bones,while thinking about it 24/7.  Josie's thoughts were really shallow and I kept wishing JLA would pick a POV and stick with it (just Seth would have made more sense, because he IS the established character from the last series).  Also, the comparisons everyone makes between Josie and the girl from the Covenant series (Seth's unrequited love, Alexandra) got annoying.  Supposedly this can be read as a stand-alone, but I wouldn't attempt it.  Yes, you'll be able to understand the plot (what little there seems to be) but the allusions to past events might frustrate the un-indoctrinated reader.  Overall, not fun for me personally.  I think fans of the first series will enjoy it though, as it seems to be mostly written for them.  To me it was poorly written, with an annoying heroine and the plot moved glacially until almost the end of the book when it was setting up for the next one.  Honestly, it reminded me of a New Adult version of Twilight, mixed with Vampire Academy.  

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars (Most of this is for easy readability and Seth, who I really liked)

**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is February 17th, 2015.**

Rogue or Just Plain Asshole?

Published:  July 29th, 2014

Rogue (Real #4)

By: Katy Evans

Gallery Books

ISBN-13:  978146755618

The fourth story in the new adult series that began with the New York Times bestseller Real, featuring Brooke's best friend, Melanie, and the ROGUE she can't resist.

Greyson King...

My boyfriend.  My friend.  My protector.  He's the reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, and the reason I fall asleep limp, worn out, and aching for his warm arms around me.  When we make love, he says my name like it means something.  Like I mean something.

He lied.

His name is Greyson King, but his alias is Zero.  There's no trace of him, he has zero past, and now I know that with him, I will have zero future.  He may leave no trace of him anywhere, but his imprint is in me, in my very soul -- and I hate that a mere look at him commands the beat of my heart.  The temperature of my body.

I've looked love my entire life.  I've waited for the butterflies, the rainbows...

Instead, I'm in a free fall of emotions and there's no one here to catch me but the one man I should be running away from.  The one man I thought was my prince charming.  Except this prince charming went rogue.  Greyson will stop at nothing to make me be with him.  He'll let no one stand in our way, will allow no one to threaten me, and maybe this is what scares me most of all...

What will my rogue do to keep me?

Review

       Thank me later for my edits to the original Goodreads synopsis, which is a run-on sentence if I ever saw one!  Jesus Christ, they're called line breaks and commas people.  Yes Virginia, there is a wonderful and magical thing called grammar & sentence structure.  That bitching and moaning aside, I read this one thinking that maybe it could be better than Real, which I read and pretty much completely disliked.  I didn't mind Melanie too much, so I figured I'd give her book a shot.  After all, less Brooke and Remy is a good thing right?  There was a story to this one, with some legitimate angst to it.  Greyson King is the heir and enforcer to The Underground, which is basically a mafia that collects on debts that people incur gambling and recovers money loaned out that hasn't been repaid.  Melanie is a bit of an airhead/free spirit, who has grown disillusioned with one-night-stands and wants to find her own Prince Charming.  She wants a love that's passionate and all-consuming, like her friend Brooke's.  They collide one night when he helps save her Mustang convertible from the rain and they have a sexy night together.  But with Greyson having a hidden connection to Melanie that changes everything and some serious intimacy issues, can they make a relationship work or will it burn out?

       The grammar, sentence structure, and overall writing "style" is completely atrocious in this book.  The effusive metaphors and hyperbole used by both characters are laughable and stupid.  NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT!!!  Not to mention the fact that Greyson and Melanie can't have a single conversation that doesn't delineate into filthy, sex-talk.  Which yeah, I can see that in the bedroom, and sometimes out of it, but not ALL THE TIME.  Not to mention, he supposedly thinks she's cute and amazing beyond belief, but the way that he talks to her about what to expect from him is superbly shitty.  This guy is the epitome of being an asshole.  He basically tells her that he's toxic and is going to use her.  Who thinks that's romantic or sexy???!!!  Not me personally, so that really annoyed me after awhile.  Basically I liked some of the humore and there were a couple of sweet moments, but everyone acted juvenile with each other and talked like the older, even more sex-obsessed "Dawson's Creek" teens -- just with a filthier vocabulary and some sexual experience.  Prime example of the dialogue that made me crinkle my nose in disgust:

     "For me this is a fantasy.  You're the fantasy.  For you, this will be a mistake.  A long, pleasurable mistake."  I watch her eyes darken, and I've never been a man to mince words.  "I'm going to be everything you never wanted," I warn on a gruff breath, "nothing that you need."  I slide my other hand further up her thigh.  "Sometimes my work will take me away, and I won't call, and I'll piss you off."  I graze my longest finger over the V covering her sex.  "I'll be selfish, I'll take everything I want, whenever I want it.  I'm not the man of your dreams, Melanie.  I'm your worst nightmare."

     And it just goes on like that, with them continuously talking like this: "You look delectable, Melanie, you taste delectable.  Who is that you're panting for?"  Seriously, what the actual fuck?  I guess this isn't the author for me, considering I want an actual plot in my reading material (and the debt collection side of things was extremely thin, as was the mob life in general) and some dialogue other than dirty talk.  After awhile it got really repetitive and boring.  There was a sex scene every other page and practically all they did was have sex, or do stupid shit/have dumb conversations when they were apart.  And Melanie's man-hater friend Pandora was just the worst stereotype ever.  No one I know, no matter how bitter (and God was she a SHREW) they are in their own life, would be that rude and hurtful to someone who's supposed to be one of their closest friends.  If a friend has made a questionable choice and you have qualms, you voice them and let it be if they insist on ignoring you.  We can't live other people's lives for them, we can just be there to support our friends - approving or not.  Their scenes were painful for me to read.  All in all, a waste of my time and I totally give up on this author.  Not my cup of tea, at all.  Not to say I won't read more New Adult, because I know there's better stuff out there than this (i.e. Cora Carmack, Colleen Hoover, Jessica Park, etc.).

VERDICT:  1.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Stubborn Blog Tour - Review and GIVEAWAY ($20 INT. Amazon Gift Card)!!!!!

TOUR SCHEDULE: http://www.itchingforbooks.com/2014/02/blog-tour-sign-upstubborn-by-jeanne.html

Release date: January 6th 2014

Purchase: Amazon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19211063-stubborn

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

With a train ticket, a bad attitude, and an unfortunate scribbling of obscenities across her forehead, seventeen-year-old Avery Ross is tossed out of the frying pan and into the fire when she’s sent from New York to the vast oil field region of North Dakota. When a green-eyed boy with a sultry Texan accent comes to her defense, Avery has no clue that his actions will lead her into a passion-charged summer, full of temptation and loss. 

Defiant and relegated to work at her aunt’s boarding house, Avery discovers a connection between her aunt and the striking boy. He and his brothers are seeking revenge for the wrongful death of their sibling, and Avery becomes entangled in their battle over oil rights, loyalty, and love. Avery falls for the brooding, younger brother, Gabriel Halden, against her aunt’s forewarnings and creates more tribulations than any of them could anticipate.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeanne Arnold is the author of STUBBORN and other young adult romances. At a young age she found her creative outlet in art, and for years her fictional characters came to life in drawings and paintings, until they demanded a voice. Now they grace the pages of her stories. Jeanne shares her time with her fictional teenage counterparts and her human family in Central New York. 

www.jeannearnoldbooks.com | http://twitter.com/jeannesbooks

Review

     Avery has been sent to oil field rich North Dakota after getting in trouble at home.  Summer with her Aunt Meggie isn't something she's expecting to be very interesting.  After all, she's not there to have fun.  Then she meets the Halden brothers and they totally turn her life upside down...especially the youngest one, Gabriel.  But the boys are still recovering from the death of their older brother Eli, especially Gabriel who it hit the hardest.  Gabe is also still trying to take down Hunt, the guy he holds responsible for the drunk driving accident that killed Eli - and the guy that stole his girlfriend Jordan, who was also in the car.  Avery has her own issues and Gabe definitely isn't looking for a girlfriend, and flat out tells her so.  But they keep being drawn together, inexplicably and sparks are flying.  Now if only it didn't seem like his brothers (epsecially suggestive, flirtatious Caleb), her Aunt Meggie, and the whole universe were conspiring to keep them apart!  Can Avery get through to Gabe before it's too late, or will he just let her slip through his fingers?

     I kind of fell in love with this book.  The summary doesn't really do it all that much justice!  I loved Avery as a heroine so much!  She's just a regular, smart-mouther, tough as nails girl - but she definitely has a vulnerable side that she tries to hide from everyone.  I loved the reasons for the swear words on her forehead!  She consistently made me laugh out loud and her banter with Gabe and his brothers, Caleb and Lane (Caleb especially), was hilarious.  I loved the complexity to these characters, and how even when Gabe was pulling away he'd have moments that completely melted your heart.  And Caleb was a lascivious asshole, who kept hitting on Avery but Jeanne still managed to make me like him!  Probably my least favorite thing was how Jordan was portrayed as a complete and total moron, and like she could've left Hunt's abusive ass at any time.  Anyone who's ever suffered abuse of any type knows that its never that easy.  As one of my favorite T.V. characters ever once said, "We accept the love that we think we deserve."  It is extremely true, not to mention she was motivated by a fear for her own life as well.  Not that I liked the character (she was a sometimes underhanded, bitch in my opinion).  But the abuse storyline could have been played out better.  

     Aunt Meggie was wonderful and I loved the subplot involving her own romantic life and I loved Avery's cousin Josh (maybe a book about him in the future?), who was typical teenage boy, but loyal to a fault.  And you could tell he really loved his Mom and his cousin.  The characters and situations were just SO REAL in this book!  Getting caught making out in the car by a family member, climbing in bedroom windows, and no one was a "damaged drug-addict/rock star/billionaire that needed saving (I don't count Gabe, because its his Dad's money not his).  This was a New Adult book that I could be proud to recommend to a friend and it definitely stands out from the crowd.  Never once did I feel like I was reading a Mary Sue, written in by the author trying to live through her character.  This book exemplifies what I love about romance and the reality that sometimes teenagers are stupid and do stupid things - that doesn't mean that they can't surprise us.  I highly recommend this one!

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

**I received an ARC from the author and tour host for the purpose of this blog tour. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published January 6th, 2014.**

**GIVEAWAY**

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Broken, Not Shattered

Published:  September 24th, 2013

The Mephisto Mark (The Mephisto Covenant #3)

By: Trinity Faegan

Pink Publishing, LLC

ISBN-13:  9781940431031

Raised by abusive relatives in Bucharest, Mariah learned to box up agonizing memories and put them in permanent mental storage.  Now almost nineteen, she's steadily overcoming her past, but when an enigmatic stranger walks into the pub where she works and the trajectory of her life changes yet again, she begins to wonder if she'll run out of mental shelf space.

The only females unafraid of the Mephisto brothers are the extremely rare Anabo, born without Original Sin.  Over one hundred years ago, Phoenix's Anabo was murdered by his oldest brother and enemy, Eryx.  Wrapped up in grief and guilt, Phoenix's only outlet is planning the takedowns of those who have pledged their souls to Eryx.  When Mariah is brought to Mephisto Mountain, he's torn between his instinctive, poweful need to pursue her, and his certainty that he can never have her.

Drawn into the world of the Mephisto, Mariah's mental boxes begin to fly open, and all that keeps her from slipping off the edge is her unlikely, sexually charged friendship with Phoenix.  He's incredibly screwed up; she's completely broken.  It would take a miracle for them to find happiness.  Then Eryx brings the war for Hell to a whole new level, forcing Mariah and Phoenix to make a choice that will bind them together for all eternity, or rip them apart forever.

Review

     I was fairly excited to read this book!  I had picked up the first two books in this series and the mythology has me intrigued.  But there were some issues I had with it as well.  For one, I was kind of disappointed by the fact that the story overlapped with the last book, The Mephisto Kiss.  I felt like it was bit of taking the easy way out, using that on the readers.  It was sucky, because for a new heroine I wanted a completely new story.  And yet, I suppose it was also good in way because it shows the events of the last book from Mariah's point of view - and shows us what a strong, bad-ass girl she is!  The whole story, as usual, centers on one of the Mephisto brothers whohas been waiting with the rest for an Anabo to save him.  The difference being, that Phoenix feels like he already had his chance with an Anabo named Jane and blames himself for her horrific death at the hands of the evil brother Eryx.  In the last book we met Jordan, who was adopted by the President of the U.S. from an orphanage in Romania.  This time around, the Anabo found is her older sister Mariah.  When they were little, Mariah left Jordan at an orphanage to get her away from their abusive Aunt and Uncle, who they were forced to live with after their parents died.  Mariah spent years being abused mentally and physically, with it advancing to sexual abuse when she was a teen.  Escaping when her Uncle died in mysterious circumstances, Mariah has been living on her own and staying away from people - especially men - ever since.

     I enjoyed the fact that the author portrayed Mariah as being a strong, decisive person who could take care of herself.  Abuse victims are not necessarily completely broken and unable to function as almost or completely normal (even if only on the surface).  Passing me on the street, you'd never know that I spent three years as the victim of sexual abuse as a child.  So it was gratifying to see that while Mariah has serious issues with men, sex, touching of any kind and personal boundaries/intimacy, that didn't completely define her as a person.  Mariah is a smart, willful, loyal, strong woman who takes no prisoners and doesn't tolerate anyone trying to bullshit her!  In fact, her and Phoenix spend most of the time butting head as she calls him on being a self-pitying, whiny crybaby (maybe not in quite those words).  It was however, devastating to see Mariah dealing with her issues of completely demolished self-esteem, and her attitude towards sex was also pretty harsh/depressing.  Watching her try to overcome those feelings and realize there could be good men in the world as she interacted with the brothers almost broke me sometimes!  That said, the whole thing with Mariah reading romance novels was adorable but I didn't like that it was a segue in the forward motion of her relationship with Phoenix.  Chick reads romance novels and they transform her attitude toward sex, after years of abuse?  Yeah, I could so see that happening (infer my sarcasm here).  

     The revelations of why Phoenix's relationship with Jane, his last Anabo, ended so tragically were pretty interesting.  I was not AT ALL expecting her to include Zee and Denys (two of the other brothers) in it and make it a case of mistaken identity!  That one definitely surprised me.  Probably the thing that disappointed me the most about this book, was the lack of interaction between Mariah and Jordan.  The scenes that they did have were interesting and played with my emotions, but for a book that started out focused on their relationship and shared past, it really didn't bother going in that direction at all.  It could have added more meat to the story, other than just a romance (as good as it was most of the time).  Also, the whole thing with Mariah, Jordan and Eryx near the end was just REALLY over the top to me.  And Jordan, who acted somewhat like a dumbass got away without any real consequences!  Mariah was the one who did all the suffering.  Overall, I think that Trinity did an extremely good (if graphic and somewhat uncomfortable) job of portraying the effects of abuse on a former victim.  The healing wasn't quite as realistic to me, but still okay.  I enjoyed the book and feel like it was good addition to the series, even with the issues I had while reading it.  Recommended if you're a fan already and have read the other two books.  It could stand alone, but might be slightly confusing.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, Pink Publishing, LLC via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published September 24th, 2013.*

Hopeless For You - Release Blitz and Giveaway!!!

Release Date:  September 19th, 2013

Purchase: Amazon

Goodreads Page

Synopsis

"If I am more alive because love burns and chars me, as a fire, given wood or wind, feels new elation, it's that he who lays me low is my salvation, and invigorates the more, the more he scars me."
― Michelangelo

Ash Jensen, a squeaky-clean sophomore at the University of Tennessee, has a trail of baggage a mile long―she buried her fiancé only a year and a half ago. She swore she'd never love again but when she finds herself interned to a yummy Canadian conservation officer that promise is tested big-time. Kade Gyllenhahl sports wild tattoos, a rebellious attitude and a fohawk to die for. He's definitely the wrong man for her and she knows it.

Kade doesn't have time for a girl like her. She's a pretentious, unreadable princess who lives her life by her parents' rules. Kade knows nothing about her past and he'd prefer to keep it that way. Besides, he'll lose his job if he sleeps with Ash. Now if only he could get his mind off her.

When the two of them end up alone and isolated on a routine field trip in the woods, things get a little complicated...

One man afraid of commitment.
One woman afraid to love again.
Two lives.
Two hearts.
One life-changing journey.

Excerpt

"You like vodka?" Kade said.

"What?" I glanced at him uncertainly. "That's kind of an odd question. From way out in left field."

"You're half Russian." He was staring at me intensely. "You must like vodka."

"Oh, no." I returned his gaze with equal intensity. Had he felt that tingle when our hands touched, too? Our conversation was all innocent on the outside but I could sense the sexual tension seething on the inside. Neither of us broke eye contact. He wasn't sitting all that far from me. It wouldn't take much to close the gap and wrap my lips around his. "I had vodka once when I was in tenth grade. Almost threw up. Scotch is more my thing."

"Scotch? That's a man's drink."

I shrugged, but didn't break eye contact. "Not really."

"Any preferred brands?" His voice sounded deeper, more sexual. I was starting to lose myself in those eyes.

"I don't know." My voice sounded strange, too. A little breathy. "All kinds of brands. I don't like Jack Daniels, though."

"That's not even scotch. That's whiskey."

"Same thing."

Kade stood up now and edged a little closer. His eyes never left mine. "How can you not like Jack Daniels? That's, like, a Tennessee institution. They make it there, don't they?"

"They do." My heart was beating fast. "But Collier and McKeel is more my thing."

"How do you know so much about all these drinks, anyway?" he said in that deep, slow voice. "The legal age is twenty-one in Tennessee."

I knew my eyes were broadcasting sheer want. He felt it. I'm sure he did, because his eyes fed that want right back at me. "I'm a delinquent."

"You are." He took another step closer. I could hear his breathing now. Deeper. Faster. "Collier and McKeel... remind me to let you try Seagram's 83 sometime. Canadians make the best whiskey. Perfect for a delinquent like you."

"I'm actually more of a wine person. At least I used to be." We were so close now, barely a hand-span away. Those green eyes never left mine, and consumed me.

"Wine? I can see that. I'd peg you as a fan of white. You speak Sauvignon Blanc?" The way he said those French words sounded so sexy.

"I speak champagne," I said huskily. "Dom Perignon makes the most amazing Cristal. White Gold is--" I choked off the words, feeling suddenly like I was drowning, and I turned away from Kade. I couldn't hold back the sudden tears.

After all this time, something so simple as the name of a drink still affected me. I almost hoped Kade would wrap his arms around me and carry me away from the horrors of the past and save me from the guilt, but when I looked at him I saw he'd retreated to the shade again. He was sitting on the log with his arms crossed, facing away from me, staring at the river.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hayden Hill is a New Adult Romance author. Her debut novel, Hopeless for You will be released in September 2013.

Writing HOPELESS FOR YOU was an emotional rollercoaster for Hayden. It started out as a rosebud of an idea which grew into this all-consuming tree. She poured everything into the book, heart and soul. It was a labor of love that’s for sure. They say that great art comes from pain. Well then Hopeless For You is her greatest work yet.

Thanks for giving the book a chance!

Official links: haydenhillbooks.com | twitter.com/haydenhillbooks

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Still Kind of Cold

 

Published:  July 15th, 2013



Frigid (Frigid #1)
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout (writing as J. Lynn)
Spencer Hill Contemporary
ISBN-13:  9781939392749


For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

Review

 

     Sydney and Kyler have been best friends since their playground days and that relationship is still going strong.  Now they're both in their last year of college, and both of them are secretly in love with each other.  Sydney is too scared of rejection to admit her feelings and Kyler thinks she deserves better so he's sleeping with a ton of different girls, trying to bury his feelings.  Going away for the weekend at a ski resort where Kyler's parents have a house, he and Sydney get stranded when a blizzard strikes.  The rest of their friends are unable to make it and with nothing else to distract them from the growing tension and the feelings they can no longer hide, things finally explode.  Just when it looks like Sydney and Kyler might actually be able to start a real relationship, a violent stalker appears on the scene putting their lives in danger.  Will they both get out of the resort alive and if they do, can they manage to make things work romantically or will they lose their friendship for good?

     I am kind of tired of the good girl/virgin/naïve heroine trope in New Adult books.  And the guys she falls for is always some tatted up, womanizing bad boy.  Been there, done that and so sick a tired of it that I'm almost completely out the door with the entire genre as it currently stands.  That said, this book did kind of take a fresh turn by making the two leads childhood best friends, who both want something more with each other.  It was extremely nice to have a romance between two people who have seen each other at their best and worst, know almost everything about each other and they still are attracted to each other after that.  Usually it's a couple people who've known each other for a month, f***** like rabbits, and now "love" each other.  Yeah, sure you do kids.

     Unfortunately, refreshing best friend aspect aside, this book was an extremely mediocre read for me.  Insecure girl, man-whore guy and some really contrived suspense to add an element of danger and make the reader "fear" for the characters' lives.  Sydney and Kyler were both somewhat two-dimensional and I think the thing that bothered me the most was Sydney's supposed naivety and inexperience when it came to sex.  She worries a lot about being frigid, which is what her ex-boyfriend called her when breaking up with her.  They only did it ONE TIME and she's basing her entire sexual self around that experience!  It got on my nerves, because yeah the first time is usually uncomfortable and a little painful.  And unless the guy is some sort of sex god, you're probably not going to get off.  That's kind of common sense, but Sydney's self-confidence issues get in the way of her realizing this and she takes it on as her fault.  This makes her even more reluctant to admit her feelings to Kyler, because of how much of a sexual person he is.  Then when they get together, Kyler is questioning her at every turn, whether or not she actually wants to be with him (which I get, cause she basically propositions him like a male hooker).  They both treat each other stupidly, even after sleeping together.  And the suspense plot is very easily figured out, with really no purpose other to lend some action to a pretty sparse plot. 

     My favorite part was the end, when Kyler and Sydney spend Christmas together and resolve their feelings, finally getting together.  Overall, I really liked the "best friends in love" aspect, but it wasn't enough to really sustain this one for me.  The characters are likeable enough, but really flat and kind of annoyingly dumb when it comes to their own and each others' feelings.  I only recommend this if you really are in the mood for some brainless fluff, with a little but better writing than average.  Cute romance, but no spine or real substance.

 

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published July 15th, 2013.*

You Ain't Got No Alibi

 

Published:  July 29th, 2013

Friday Night Alibi

By: Cassie Mae

Flirt

ISBN-13:  9780345548818

 

 

Rising star Cassie Mae introduces New Adult readers to a practical soon-to-be college freshman who seems to have everything—until a special guy shows her what she’s been missing.

In the wealthy town of Sundale, Kelli Pinkins has hatched the perfect plan to capitalize on her sweet reputation. For a generous fee, she will be every trust-fund baby’s dream: a Friday-night alibi, the “girlfriend” or “BFF” that parents dream about. With college approaching in the fall, Kelli’s services are in demand more than ever, which means that her social life is nonexistent. But Kelli is A-okay with that. She’s raking in cash for school. Besides, relationships are tricky, and sometimes very messy. She’d rather be at home on Xbox LIVE, anyway. Then the unexpected happens: She meets college stud Chase Maroney.

Chase isn’t like the preppy, privileged guys Kelli usually meets in Sundale. For starters, he’s twentysomething, always wears black., and he shoots back one-liners as fast as she can dish them out. But Kelli’s attempts to drive Chase away falter when she realizes that he treats her like he really knows her, like he cares about knowing her. When Kelli finally gives in to the delicious kiss she’s been fighting for so long, she faces a tough decision: make Chase a real-life boyfriend and risk her heart . . . or keep her clients and lose her first true love.

 

Review

 

     Kelli Pinkins is the stereotypical good girl and in a town full of rich, uptight, religious families it pays off to be good.  At least for Kelli, who has started her own 'alibi' business to help out her classmates and make cash for college.  In exchange for a set fee, Kelli gives an alibi packet that the person memorizes and keeps them from losing their trust funds, etc.  But when she meets Chase Maroney at the bowling alley bar one night when she's supposed to be home as someone's alibi, things come crashing down.  He's completely different from anyone she knows, obnoxious and is suddenly everywhere that Kelli is!  But the more she gets to know Chase, the more she realizes that he's not what she thought he was.  Chase is something more important and could be worth diving into a relationship for.  Kelli would have to give up her alibi business to have a real chance and make Chase her boyfriend.  Can she do it, or will Kelli stick with her safety net instead of taking a risk?

     I was interested to read this, mostly because it sounded a lot different than the normal angsty fare that New Adult has offered up so far to me as a reader.  It was about a girl who hires her services as an alibi for chrissakes!  But with that said, Kelli had some major issues with her parents and Chase had some with his family as well.  The romance between the two of them started off in a way that reminded me of twelve year olds harassing each other with rude comments and juvenile pranks/actions.  He calls her 'Stinky' and she tricks him into a full body wax after he causes her to lose her hair in a gum incident.  They are constantly antagonizing each other and it didn't really make me swoon or want them together.  Mostly I started to feel annoyed.  Kelli as a narrator was kind of condescending and I feel like she used her alibi business as a way to feel like she was so much better than everyone else.  She wasn't your average girl, but I feel like the whole inexperienced, good girl trope is used in every New Adult book under the Sun (unless she happens to be the complete and extreme opposite of good).

     I was okay with the majority of this book, but I knew pretty much everything that was going to happen before it actually did.  There were some cute scenes, especially when Chase takes care of Kelli when she's sick and their bonding over oranges.  For the most part I can take or leave this novel though.  I didn't love any of the characters and they tended to get on my nerves.  I did appreciate the author not resorting to sex scenes to carry the plot and it was a fun, fluffy read.  I think that as long as you can deal with the major immaturity of both the leads, this is a good beach read/time waster.  Not something I would really recommend all that effusively though.

 

VERDICT:  2.75/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on July 29th, 2013.*



I'd Dive For You

Published:  July 1st, 2013
Lick (Stage Dive # 1)
By: Kylie Scott
Momentum
ISBN-13:  9781743342374

Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this.

Evelyn Thomas’s plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. But she sure as hell never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man, and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened.

One thing is for certain, being married to rock and roll’s favourite son is sure to be a wild ride.

Review

      I read the synopsis of this book and my initial thoughts were this:  Hot rock star.  Vegas marriage.  Sign ME THE HELL UP FOR THAT! :)  At the same time I was kind of wary.  Right now with the classification being so new and inviting a lot of play from unknown/self-pubbed authors, New Adult invites a lot of mediocre crap along with the good.  I've been lucky enough to mostly read good stuff, but I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.  This wasn't that time, actually quite the opposite.  Evelyn 'Evie' Thomas is pretty kick-ass, as far as main characters go.  She's just an average girl who prefers country music over rock 'n roll, is wound way too tight from parental expectations and wants to get laid.  So she goes wit her best friend Lauren to Vegas and wakes up the next morning next to a strange man, with tattoos and piercings.  Turns out they got married the night before and she doesn't remember a thing.  Evie also got herself a tramp stamp of his name - 'David.'  Oh and he just happens to be a famous rock star.  Agreeing to get an annulment as soon as possible, David and Evie go their separate ways but when she is descended on by the paparazzi she joins him in California until they can be done for good.  In close quarters and getting to know each other, their feelings begin to change in ways they never imagined.  Can they give marriage to each other a real shot, or will it be just a mistake that they erase from their histories?  

     The romance between David and Evie was NOT insta-love, but it wasn't that slow of a build either.  I think the best thing about it was how normal they make each other.  She never treated him like some God incarnate because of his rock star status and he makes her question what she really wants to do with her life - follow her parents' dreams or find her own.  Also, Evie and David are physical opposites with her being a bit of a big girl who is strictly vanilla and him being a rock 'n roll wild child.  We do get to see the background stories of both (more of Evie's than his though) and how life has made them what they are now.  The supporting characters weren't super fleshed out, but they weren't cardboard cutouts either.  Later in the series I'm definitely hoping for more of Mal, who cracked me up but obviously has a huge heart.  Of course there is off the charts chemistry and when they finally do have sex it is hotter than a jalapeno pepper people!!!  There was a misunderstanding/obstacle as per usual in a romance novel, with the main characters torturing themselves and acting lovesick.  The angst is short-lived though and things were resolved to my satisfaction.  But I am excited to see what happens in the second book in the series, whether or not Kylie focuses on Evie and David again, or gives facetime to one of his bandmates (maybe his brother which would for sure be interesting).  On a small note, Lauren was super hilarious and the romance between her and Evie's brother made me laugh.  Drew away from the main tension in a good way.  Overall, a good book for anyone who enjoys rock star romances, has a good sense of humor and would like to dive into the New Adult genre with a good read.  But beware, there is a good amount of mature content, not recommended for those under 17 unless they can handle it.  The characters in this book are in their 20s for a reason! :)

VERDICT:  4.25/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published on July 1st, 2013.*

Running Leah Over

Published: October 9th, 2012

Chasing Leah (Journey Series # 1)

By: C.A. Williams

Self-Published

ASIN #: B009ODBZKS

Leah Rossi hasn't had an easy upbringing and is looking to start fresh when she leaves for college. Being abandoned by her mom and ignored by her grandma, shes basically on her own dealing with life's everyday struggles and added into the mix is a three year old. But as soon as she locks eyes with a tattooed up bad boy looking Chase O'Neil, shes hooked and has no where to run while she fights the overgrowing attraction that ignites between them.

Review

     

     I went into this one knowing that it was self-published, but I have read some really good books that were.  So I gave it a fair shot at making me a fan.  I wish that I could burn it for having wasted my time, but it's an e-copy and Kindles are expensive devices!!!  I loved the idea of the story, a college aged girl caring for her little brother and struggling to trust anyone after being screwed over by her Mom.  A hot, tattooed musician looking to break through her shell and true love that blossoms between them (I'm a cheesy romantic at heart still <B).  What I got was a meandering plot, mediocre writing that bordered on torture for my eyes, which are already bad and the butchering of yet another good idea someone else should have had.  Or at least this author should have hired a professional editor.  The sloppiness of the sentence structures, word choice and over usage of certain phrases had me cringing and rolling my eyes in disgust.  How many times could Chase actually freaking smirk???  A lot apparently!  And Leah was one of those Mary-Sue heroines that is the obvious case of an author writing herself into her book, a la Stephanie Meyer with Twilight.  A heroine with no real faults except an annoying inability to be consistent in her beliefs is annoying at best and revolting at worst.  This fell somewhere between the two, due to the adorable presence of her brother Caleb.  Even he didn't manage to be very realistic though and I have never met a toddler as well behaved as that kid.  Not a single tantrum?  No one is that mature at the age of three!!! The accident that she was in only had me wishing that Leah would just die already, so maybe someone more interesting could become the main character or something would finally, effing HAPPEN!!! (but with Allie, an obvious Twilight rip off of Alice as the BFF, this never would have happened anyways).     Overall a huge disappointment and I will NOT be reading anything more by this author unless she is picked up by a major publishing house and severely edited.  I don't know how I made it to the end - it was a freaking, modern miracle! :()

VERDICT:  1/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Crash Into Me Baby...

Published: January 5th, 2012

Slammed (Slammed # 1)

By: Colleen Hoover

Self Published

ISBN-13: 2940014187602

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Review

     So I got schooled this year, by this novel.  This one was what I consider to be my first true introduction to the New Adult Contemporary genre that has popped up over the last few years and expanded like mad in the writing community.  This book in particular seems to be one most people either really dislike, or really love.  I saw an article about New Adult fiction in Romantic Times magazine and figured I'd give one of the spotlighted books a shot.  Boy am I seriously grateful that I chose this one (which won the draw mostly because it's set in my home state of Michigan!).  Layken was a relatable main character, who although she was mature and good-hearted was far from perfect.  In fact there were times when she was a downright brat to everyone who loves her.  And that made this more real to me than a million perfect heroines with true 'speshul' loves ever could.  We are never our best selves 100 % of the time - EVER.  I loved the way that she and Will met and while the source of their angst and the thing keeping them apart was very cliched, for the most part it was handled extremely well by the author and never delved into the realm of lurid fantasy that it could have easily hijacked.  Layken and Will's little brothers were hilarious and heartbreaking, especially with the tragedy that they're going through with Layken's one remaining parent.  Their Halloween costume made me cry and laugh both.  This book was so sincere and gripping in its emotions that I couldn't put it down, reading it straight through in one sitting!  I can't say much more without giving major spoilers, so all I will say is that if you love romance and reading characters that are people you could actually know, this is the one for you.  But have the sequel within close reach or you'll be dying for the next fix! 

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**