Friday, September 30, 2016

Blog Tour: Somewhere to Begin by Mika Jolie...Review and Giveaway!



So excited to be sharing one of my favorite reads with you all today, Somewhere to Begin by Mika Jolie!
Please keep reading to learn more about the book and it's author and to see my review.
And be sure to enter the giveaway! 

About the Book


Can two souls with fractured parts be the best cure for each other’s wounds? Find out the first book in Mika Jolie’s latest contemporary romance series, Poison and Wine, with SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN.


There are wounds that never show on the body.For twenty-nine years, Colbie Bennington does as expected with an eternal smile stained on her lips. The biggest chances she’s ever taken can be counted on one hand, three fingers to be exact—her battered red chucks, painting her toenails a vibrant blue, and her wedding dress. Always the dutiful daughter and a Stepford fiancĂ©e, she has never acted on impulse, never been in love.

She’s never lived.

On her wedding day, Colbie ends a toxic relationship, drops the fake smile, and says, “I can’t do this anymore.”

Navy SEAL Zander Serrano returns home broken and burdened with a volcano of remorse. Too trapped in a mental war to be at peace and too damaged to be at war, he shuts the world out. The last thing he expects is to feel, especially for a runaway bride with her own baggage.

Two empty hearts marred in different spots find themselves drawn to one another. Each with their own scars.  Some, the world can see. Others, unseen to the naked eye.

They say two broken people should not be together. But for Colbie and Zander, their attraction is undeniable, unexpected.

Can two souls with fractured parts be the best cure for each other’s wounds?

Starting over is never easy, but sometimes in life, everyone needs somewhere to begin.


About the Author


Mika Jolie is the bestselling author of the Martha’s Way series. She lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos—her husband and their energizer bunnies. A sports fanatic and a wine aficionado, she’s determined to balance it all and still write about life experiences and matters of the heart. Let’s face it, people are complicated and love can be messy. When she’s not weaving life and romance into evocative tales, you can find her on a hiking adventure, apple picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up.

She loves to hear from readers.

Connect with Mika:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page



My Review


Title: Somewhere to Begin
Author: Mika Jolie
Format: Digital ARC
Source: Netgalley

Wow! This is my first Mika Jolie book, but I can tell you now it won’t be the last one I read. This emotion-filled story was so touching and well-done that I immediately lost myself in the story.  I couldn’t put it down. Even now the story still occupies my mind from time to time. Somewhere to Begin is a story of healing and hope.  It’s a story of love and friendship.  It’s a story of determination and finding your own strength.  It shows that it is possible to lose oneself, but that the path to discovering who you are is still there if you look for it.

And that is exactly what Colbie Bennington does after fleeing her own wedding.  Colbie decides to think of herself first and sets out a journey of self-discovery and independence.  A journey that leads her to wounded war veteran, Xander Serrano.  Xander’s training as a SEAL and protective instincts kick into high gear when he rescues Colbie from an accident and offers her a place to stay.  As he continues to find ways to come to her rescue and be a part of her life, he does his best to fight his attraction to Colbie believing she deserves better.  But after years of doing what everyone expected of her, Colbie wants to finally do something for her and assert her independence. As she says in one of my favorite line from the book, “The thing is I’m not looking for someone to save me…I’d much rather have someone stand by my side as I save myself.”

Both Colbie and Xander have plenty of Baggage with a capital B when they meet.  Scarred physically and emotionally, Colbie has her guard up after leaving an abusive situation and still doubts her own self-worth.  And  Xander is in his own dark place having not quite come to terms with his new reality and the traumatic even that changed his life.  Having grown up in a wealthy family with certain expectations to live up to, Colbie is afraid of letting people down…especially Xander.  And he believes she deserves more than he can give her.  They are two physically and emotionally wounded individuals who help each other heal and find their way out of the dark places in which they have found themselves.  And I loved every minute of their journey.

I also loved the wonderful cast of supporting characters in the story.  There is a large cast of friends, family, and more that want to help these two scarred characters find love and happiness again.  And then there are some that Colbie was right in walking away from…her ability to do so shows such strength despite the pain it causes her.  As for the other characters, I hope we get a chance to read more about them…especially the Serrano brothers.  There’s definitely potential for more with them and I hope we see them again.  By the way, after reading, I discovered that this is a spin-off of Mika Jolie’s previous series and some of the characters from it are mentioned, but you don’t have to have read it to follow this story.  But you will probably want to after reading this one…I know I do.

But getting back to our main couple in Somewhere to Begin and their story, Colbie and Xander are afraid to just let themselves go and feel.  By helping each other out, they are helping themselves. The changes these characters go through as they begin to heal are apparent to those around them who want nothing but the best for them.  And I couldn’t help but want the best for them as well.  

Somewhere to Begin was such a great book with strong and wonderful main characters and a story that touched my heart.  The emotions and strength packed between the pages were amazing.  The book demonstrates that if you are lost, it is possible to heal and to find your way again. If this is what I can expect from a Mika Jolie book, then I hope to read many more from her and encourage you to do the same.

My Rating: 5 Stars

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


I know, I rambled on and on, but I tend to do that with books I love. I just hope I made sense.  I really did love this book so I hope you check it out.
And don't forget to enter the giveaway below!

GIVEAWAY




Thursday, September 29, 2016

Blog Tour: Something I Need by Lena Lowe...Review and Giveaway!





It is my turn to play host to the Something I Need Blog Tour!
Keep reading to learn more about this start of a new series and to read my review!
And don't forget to enter the giveaway!

About the Book


Something I Need
Lena Lowe
(xoxo Nashville, #1)
Publication date: September 14th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Jonte Williamson has a dream: become Nashville’s next big star. Finding herself unexpectedly homeless hot off the plane wasn’t part of her grand plan.
Cash Bellini is a simple man: he loves his twin sister, Dolly, hates country music, and stays far away from anything more complicated than that.
When Jonte stumbles into Cash’s bar, helping out the homeless country music wannabe is the last thing on his agenda. Pity someone forgot to send the memo to his too-big heart and meddling twin. Throw in a pair of baby blue cowboy boots, a pool table and a splash of tequila, and these two are set to ignite in a hot sexy mess! Will either of their hearts survive the tug-o-war between what they want and what they need?

About the Author

Author Bio:
Lena lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three daughters. She completed a MA in Writing in 2013 and has been working on a New Adult series based in Nashville. The first book in the series, Something I Need, was a 2014 RWA Contemporary Romance Stiletto finalist in the New Adult category.
In early 2015, Lena and her family spent 5 weeks road tripping across the US. It was an amazing once in a lifetime family holiday and research for her debut series all rolled into one!
Lena is an avid reader, especially in the New Adult genre. She is a mad Colleen Hoover, Samantha Young and KA Tucker fan, and is more than a little bit in love with Becca and Krista Richie’s Addicted series, Jay Crownover’s Marked Men series and Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series.

My Review

Title: Something I Need
Author: Lena Lowe
Format: Digital ARC
Source: Netgalley

This was a wonderful start to what I hope is a long series by author, Lena Lowe.

Hoping to find success as a singer, Australian Jonte arrives in Nashville and promptly finds herself stranded with no place to stay. She soon wanders into a bar owned by what she sees as a rarity in Nashville, a man who doesn’t like Country music. Cash can’t help himself when it comes to Jonte and finds himself helping out the stranded Aussie despite the fact that he should probably stay far away from her given his attraction to her.  But he can’t seem to resist and soon the relative strangers start to become more.

I have to confess that it took me awhile to warm up to Jonte.  I am not sure what it was about her that didn’t click for me in the beginning, but as I continued reading she grew on me and I wanted to root for her to succeed.  Despite her family’s wishes for  her to hop on the next flight home, Jonte is determined to make her dreams come true. That determination is what leads her to leave everything safe behind and take a chance on her dream.  That takes guts and I couldn’t help but admire her actions and eventually enjoy the journey Jonte takes us on.  But I think what I liked most were her interactions with other characters, such as Cash and his twin sister, Dolly.

While it took me a bit to care about Jonte and her as a character, there was no such problem with Cash and his family.  Cash’s heart of gold and charming personality with just a hint of mystery really appealed to me and I wanted to know more about him from the very first page. His unsuccessful determination to stay out of things, his internal dialogues, and the mystery behind the man only made me like him more.  His “save the day” mentality made me like him more especially when his sister teases him about being a knight on a white horse. We need more knights in shining armor with big hearts. As one would expect there is a story behind his actions, which endears him to me even more.  Cash’s wit was also quite endearing.  I enjoyed every interaction that he had with other characters, such as Jonte and his sister, Dolly, and the internal conversations he would have with himself because we learn more about him and gain an understanding of what makes him tick.  There is more than what meets the eye…which could be said about all of the characters in Something I Need.

In addition to a wonderful main couple of characters, the secondary characters of the story really add to things and I enjoyed getting to know them as well and I hope to see more of them in future books in the (XOXO Nashville Series).  Cash’s sister Dolly really stood out to me and I feel there is a story there (some of which we learn, but I want to know more).  I truly loved all of the interactions and easy banter between the various characters.  It just made me feel good and smile and gave the characters a quality of realness.

I truly enjoyed watching Jonte and Cash’s relationship unfold as they went from two strangers to two people who cared about one another immensely with all of the ups and downs you’d expect in a relationship…especially given their backgrounds and shaky introduction to one another.  She wants to follow a dream, and he is determined to support her as much as he is capable of doing.

This was a great first book to kick off a new series, and I cannot wait to read more by Lena Lowe.

My Rating: 4 Stars

*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


GIVEAWAY!

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Be sure to check out the rest of the tour stops...schedule can be found here!

And if Something I Need sounds like a book you're interested in, it is on sale until the end of September for 99cents...so hurry to get your copy!

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Blog Tour: Shadow of a Girl by Shannon Greenland...Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway!


Today I am hosting Shannon Greenland as part of the Shadow of a Girl Blog Tour!
Keep reading for Shannon's Playlist for the book as well as my review of this emotional read!

About the Book


Shadow of a Girl by Shannon Greenland
Publication Date: September 19, 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Use cash and keep moving.

After I ran away from home, these were the two rules that dictated my life. Scoring a job as a roadie fit perfectly for what I needed. Traveling, cash, and life out of the spotlight. But when my path collides with West, the lead singer of Bus Stop, I can’t seem to stay out of his spotlight—especially since we’ll be touring together for an entire year.

West is determined to break down my walls. He won’t give up. And little by little they come crumbling. But if he knew what lurked behind them, he wouldn’t be so eager to get rid of them.

The more time we spend together, the more the lines of our friendship become blurred. He makes me dream of things I never thought possible. But while our friendship has been evolving into a romance, my secrets have been closing in. And just when I’ve decided to reveal my past to West, I’m confronted by it. The cost of my freedom could ruin the life of the guy I love…


About the Author


Shannon Greenland is the award winning author of the teen spy series, The Specialists, and the YA romance, The Summer My Life Began. She also writers thrillers under S. E. Green. Shannon grew up in Tennessee where she dreaded all things reading and writing. She didn’t even read her first book for enjoyment until she was twenty-five. After that she was hooked! When she’s not writing, she works as an adjunct math professor and lives on the coast in Florida with her very grouchy dog. Find her online everywhere @segreenauthor.



Guest Post


Since the story takes place during a music festival tour and both of our main characters are musicians, I asked Shannon about a playlist for Shadow of a Girl and here is her response...

For a playlist I thought I’d first copy/paste a few paragraphs. It’s a conversation between West and Eve, and it’s totally applicable.

West leans his shoulder against mine and leaves it there,
and I don’t think anything’s ever felt so good. “So what kind
of movies do you like?” he asks.
“Anything funny. Despicable Me was great.” 
“A woman after my own heart.” He does an impression
of the minions, “Ba-na-na,” pointing his finger at me and
widening his eyes, and we both crack up. “How about
music?” he asks next, still laughing.
“I’m old school. I love Fleetwood Mac and Eagles and
England Dan.” I get excited just thinking about all the
records Bluma’s mother has that she let us listen to. I love
those records. “Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles. The
Who. I could go on.”
He nudges his shoulder to mine again. “Me, too!
Cartoons, funny movies, old school rock. Like I said, a
woman after my own heart.”

And so with that, here are some of Eve’s favorite songs:

1) Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac. It brings out the free spirit in Eve.
2) Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles makes her feel carefree.
3) I Am A Rock, by Simon and Garfunkel. It reminds Eve that she’s a survivor.

And the #1 song for West is:

1. Annie’s Song by John Denver. Because of Eve. All things Eve…

Thank you so much for sharing, Shannon!
I love all of those songs and they are perfect for the characters!  For those who haven't heard any of the songs, I encourage you to listen to them and then read the story so you can see for yourself how well these songs fit the characters and story!

My Review


Title: Shadow of a Girl
Author: Shannon Greenland
Format: Digital ARC
Source: Netgalley

An emotional, but also romantic story, the various emotions that Shadow of a Girl made me experience was a pleasant surprise. Joy, sadness, anger, hope, fear, I felt them all and more.

After escaping an abusive situation with the help of a friend, Eve is now touring the country as a roadie for a music festival.  Always looking over her shoulder, afraid that her past will catch up to her, Eve has built walls around her not knowing who she can trust.  Lead singer West Wolf is determined to get past those defenses and get to know the real Eve…if only she’ll let him.

Scarred both on the inside and outside, Eve has lived in fear most of her life and now that she is free, she fears being discovered.  The friendship she develops with West surprises her as do the feelings she develops for him.  It was both exciting and heartbreaking to see Eve experience things she has missed out because of her past situation and the fear.  Her new friends, relationships, and job help her to gain the confidence she needs to push past that fear and open her eyes to life full of possibilities and new experiences.

And West wants nothing more than to help Eve to feel safe and loved as he helps her explore her newfound freedom.  He knows she is hiding something, but shows tremendous patience and understanding and doesn’t push the issue.  With Eve he can be himself and drop the façade that he shows to the rest of the world.  West is quite the charming guy with a great sense of humor, I could easily see how Eve fell for him.  I loved watching their relationship develop as well as the confidence that West tried to instill in Eve as he pointed out her beauty, strength, talent, and other qualities that she had never allowed herself to see before.  They were an amazing couple who were perfect for each other.

While Eve’s story is heartbreaking, it is also filled with joy, hope, and love. I enjoyed watching the changes the main character goes through during the story.  You can see Eve grow from a scared young girl, to a young woman with determination and strength.  The author handled the story wonderfully by adding a bit of humor, fun, and joy to what could easily have been a too heavy and emotional read.  It’s a nice balance which isn’t always easy to find in books dealing with the subject matter in Shadow of a Girl. 

I enjoyed Shadow of a Girl, and I hope we get a chance to see more of Eve and Wolf because I would love to see where their journey takes them.  There are so many possibilities.

My Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


Giveaway!

3 Winners will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card

Chapter by Chapter

I encourage you to check out this great book and be sure to check out the other stops on the Shadow of a Girl Blog Tour!
You can find the schedule by clicking here!

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Blog Tour: Nine Candles of Deepest Black by Matthew S. Cox...Review and Giveaway!



Today I am excited to tell you all about a new Young Adult Horror story as I host the Nine Candles of Deepest Black Blog Tour!
 I loved this book, so keep reading for my review as well as your chance to enter the giveaway!

About the Book


Nine Candles of Deepest Black
Matthew S. Cox
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: September 15th 2016
Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult
She saw it coming. She knew it would happen―but no one believed her. 
Almost a year after tragedy shattered her family, sixteen-year-old Paige Thomas can’t break free from her guilt. Her mother ignores her, doting on her annoying little sister, while her father is a barely-functioning shell. He hopes a move to the quiet little town of Shadesboro PA will help them heal, but Paige doesn’t believe in happiness anymore. 
On her first day at school, a chance encounter with a bullied eighth grader reawakens a gift Paige had forgotten, and ingratiates her into a pack of local outcasts. For weeks, they’ve been trying to cast a ritual to fulfill their innermost desires, but all they’ve done is waste time. After witnessing Paige touch the Ouija board and trigger a paranormal event, the girls are convinced another try with their new fifth member will finally work. 
Once the darkness is unleashed, it’s not long before they learn it will give them exactly what they asked for―whether they want it or not.

About the Author



Author Bio:
Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey. 
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.

He is also fond of cats.

My Review

Title: Nine Candles of Deepest Black
Author: Matthew S. Cox
Format: Digital ARC

I am not even sure where to start with this review. As a fan of the spooky and supernatural as well as reading, I am always on the look out for what might be a fascinating horror story.  Trust me, Nine Candles of Deepest Black is just as creepy and chilling as the cover and title suggest.  It’s as if the author had a list of everything I desired to read in a horror story plus a few things I didn’t even know I wanted.

After the death of her older sister, Paige and her family are struggling with their new reality and not everyone is handling it so well. Unfortunately, Paige feels alone and ignored as she struggles to come to grips with not only the loss of her beloved sister, but also the effects it has had on her parents and little sister.  And as if that weren’t enough to deal with, Paige’s parents decided to move thinking the quiet little town of Shadesboro would be a safer place for the grieving family…shows what little they knew.

Now Paige must also adapt to a new town and school full of strangers, as well as the changes to the family dynamic, oh, and did I mention that Paige also seems to have psychic visions that foretell horrible events and that her new friends are into witchcraft?  When you add all of that together, you have one complicated horror story that is quite entertaining and touching.

The story was a bit reminiscent of one of my favorite movies, The Craft as well as a few other movies that I have enjoyed over the years.  Five girls decide to dabble with witchcraft to fulfill their wishes giving little thought to the consequences of their actions.  And those consequences are quite chilling and terrifying as are the visions that plague Paige as she realizes what she and her new friends have done and tries to stop it.

The author definitely has a way with words and I enjoyed the characters he created as well as the terrifying and spooky events that occur in the story.  Each character is unique and adds something to the story and everything is so vivid.  I could easily imagine what was happening in each chilling and terrifying moment and felt Paige’s anguish as well as her uncertainty as she struggles with the consequences of what she and her friends started.  And the quiet moments between characters as they bonded and opened up to one another were just as enjoyable as the more thrilling ones.  I stayed up all night reading because I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.  I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Matthew S. Cox and recommend this one to horror fans.

My Rating: 5 Stars

*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


GIVEAWAY!

Now for theTour-wide giveaway (INTL)
You could win $25 Amazon gift card + a signed paperback of Nine Candles of Deepest Black



Be sure to check out the rest of the tour schedule by clicking here!

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Monday, September 26, 2016

Blog Tour: The Shattered Seam by Kathleen Groger...Review & Giveaway!



Today I'm a stop on the Blog Tour for The Shattered Seam, the first book in the Seam Stalkers series by Kathleen Groger!

Make sure you read my review for this eerie story below and keep reading to enter the amazing giveaway!

About the Book


The Shattered Seam
Kathleen Groger
(Seam Stalkers, #1)
Publication date: September 13th 2016
Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult
Spending spring break on an isolated island rumored to be haunted is not sixteen-year-old Sam’s idea of fun. Spending spring break with her uncle and his ghost-hunting film crew on an isolated island is even worse.
Way worse.
Her family’s secrets—and a genetic ability she can no longer deny—surface, along with the ghost of a rich serial killer who left behind a trail of trapped souls.
And he’s not through yet.
With only one chance for escape, Sam must embrace her family’s curse and close the Seam between the living and the dead. Or be lost, forever.


About the Author



Author Bio:
Kathleen wrote her first story in elementary school about a pegasus named Sir Lancelot. It had no plot or conflict, but it sparked a dream. After serving a fifteen-year sentence in retail management, the bulk in big box bookstores, she turned her love of reading into a full-time career writing dark and haunting characters and stories. She writes paranormal, fantasy, suspense, horror YA books. She is a contributing member of READerlicious, writers who love readers. Check out her blogs here.
She lives by the mantra that a day is not complete without tea. Lots of tea. Kathleen lives in Ohio with her husband, two boys, and two attention-demanding dogs. When not writing or editing or revising, you can find her reading, cooking, spending time with her family, or photographing abandoned buildings.

My Review


Title: The Shattered Seam
Author: Kathleen Groger
Format: Digital ARC

Ghosts, a creepy island, death, spookiness, and more…this first book in The Seam Series is chock-full of paranormal goodness.

The last place Sam wants to be spending her Spring Break is on a supposedly haunted island.  But after her Nana’s recent death and with her parents off to Jamaica, that is exactly where she finds herself.  Along with her ghost hunting uncle, his fellow TV crew, and some peculiar guests, skeptical Sam is stranded on Shadow Island filming an episode of her Uncle’s TV show, “Horrors and Hauntings” as they investigate the mansion of a supposed serial killer.  They soon find more than they bargained for as events turn majorly creepy and Sam learns some interesting things about herself and her family.

As a fan of horror and the paranormal, I live for books like this one.  There are a few predictable elements in the story, but I was truly fascinated from the very beginning when the crew arrived on the island and with each page I couldn’t wait to see what unnerving event lurked next for Sam and the others. And let’s just say there is plenty of horror awaiting this unusual bunch of fascinating characters.  Through the author’s wonderful storytelling and vivid descriptions, I could easily picture each event as it unfolded…to the point that I was even a bit creeped out just reading it.  That doesn’t always happen for me when reading horror/paranormal stories so I really enjoyed it.

And I loved getting to experience it all through Sam’s point of view because she is a fascinating character.  A teenager dealing with grief and struggling with some very unusual abilities all while battling supernatural forces that she previously didn’t even believe existed, Sam handled everything much better than I would have.  I probably would have drowned trying to escape the island after the first bump in the night…well, maybe, after the second bump…definitely after the third.  Especially, surrounded by a crew with video cameras that is so eager to experience something paranormal, they explore dark, eerie places and ignore the fact that some serious injuries or bodily harm could occur.

So while some things were predictable for a ghost story especially given the author’s use of foreshadowing, the plot and characters managed to keep me interested and spooked throughout…right up until the pulse-pounding climax of the story. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens next for our ghost fighting characters.

My Rating: 4 ½ Stars

*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to check out the rest of the tour!
To see the schedule, click here!

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Friday, September 16, 2016

Blog Tour: Operation Tenley by Jennifer Gooch Hummer...Review and Giveaway!


Today I'm a stop on the Operation Tenley Blog Tour!
Keep reading for my review and your chance to enter the giveaway! 

About the Book

Operation Tenley (The Fair City Files #1)
by Jennifer Gooch Hummer
Publication Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books


Meet Tenley Tylwyth, an Elemental Teen born with the power to produce weather. Cool? Not really. Elementals who can create weather make Mother Nature angry. It’s time she got rid of them. Only one thing is standing in her way—Fair Ones. These ancestors of fairies keep kids like Tenley safe, but when rookie Fair One, Pennie, fails to do so, she’s forced to travel to Earth—a place where no Fair One wants to go. Now, Pennie has forty-eight hours to convince Tenley to give up her power. It won’t be so easy. Tenley’s got a way with wind. And after falling deep into Mother Nature’s gardens, where trees grow upside down and insects attack on command, a little wind might be just what Tenley needs to survive. Even if it kills her.

About the Author

Jennifer Gooch Hummer is the award-winning author and screenwriter of her debut novel, Girl Unmoored (SparkPress). Girl Unmoored has also been published in German (Carlsen).  Jennifer has worked as a script analyst for various talent agencies and film studios. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters.

My Review


Title: Operation Tenley
Author: Jennifer Gooch Hummer
Source:  Publisher
Format: Digital ARC

In Operation Tenley, we meet Pennie, a descendant of Fairies…also known as a Fair One. As a Fair One it is her duty to look out for Tenley, a human with the ability to control the wind...she's sort of like a guardian angel, but she's kind of been slacking at her duties and failing to report her charge's use of her Elemental Power. The problem is that Tenley isn’t supposed to be using her Elemental Power and every time she uses it, she risks making Mother Nature very, very angry…we’re talking earthquake and tornado-level angry.  When Pennie’s bosses get wind (no pun intended) of Tenley’s inappropriate use of her powers, they send Pennie to Earth to convince Tenley to sign an agreement not to use her power or else she would be “erased” and Pennie banished from her home.  But things don’t quite go as planned leading to some very crazy situations and lessons in trust and friendship for both Pennie and Tenley.

I seriously do not know how Pennie did it.  She must have really loved Tenley because I would have given up long before the deadline was up.  Truthfully, Tenley was very hard to like.  She was determined to win a contest called “America’s Next Most Inspirational Teen” through her nail art and online videos. But she was a self-absorbed, walking disaster.  But I guess Pennie truly did love her since she was willing to go to Earth to save her and had been monitoring her since she was born. Perhaps in those 13 years Pennie saw something I didn’t and hopefully Tenley finally saw the light and changed her ways after everything was said and done (don’t want to spoil anything so I am not going to mention what happened, but it was major).


I did love Pennie though.  She was a sweetheart with the patience of a saint and I would have loved to have known more about her background and family.  She had a good heart and I loved her interactions with all of the other characters.  She was really a cheerleader for everyone and helped boost the confidence of whoever she was speaking to, which was nice. Even her fellow Fair One, Laraby and his human charge, Holden, aren’t immune to her kindness by the end of the story.  It was interesting how she and Tenley were almost complete opposites and how they interacted with each other and other people.  It was a little weird how Tenley and her mom just welcomed Pennie into their home though, no questions asked, I do have to say that.


The whole story and concept was really interesting and not something I had read before.  I really liked the idea of a guardian-Fair One looking over you and the whole world that the author built for the Fair Ones fascinated me what with robes, tool belts with magic tools, propellers instead of wings, holograms, magic, and more.  It was an interesting mix of technology and fantasy.

Operation Tenley was an interesting story with memorable characters and a fascinating plot that I enjoyed reading.


My Rating: 4 Stars


*I received a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review* 

Giveaway

Now for the giveaway...
· One (1) winner will receive a scrabble tile book cover charm (US ONLY)
· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Operations Tenley by Jennifer Gooch Hummer (INT)


Check out the rest of the Tour Schedule by clicking here!

Chapter by Chapter

Cover Reveal: Rookie Mistake by Alice Ward




Rookie Mistake
Alice Ward
(Beasts of Baseball, #1)
Publication date: October 1st 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Sports
Who knew major league baseball could be so ruthless?
Calvin Malone loved pitching for his small-town minor league baseball team, almost as much as he loved his high school girlfriend Whitney Harris. His dream was a simple one; make it to the majors, marry Whitney and have a family of his own. He had prepared for the hard work, the strain on his body and even the publicity, but he wasn’t prepared for the partying, the women and the backstabbing career and life destroying politics that surrounded the major league team that drafted him. He soon realized that what started as a dream was more of a nightmare.
Would he survive, would Whitney and her love?

Author Bio:
Alice Ward is the bestselling author of dozens of hot and steamy contemporary romances. She’s an amazingly prolific writer, releasing a new book almost every single month. Her books are widely read, especially by women and any other lovers of the romance genre. My Stepbrother, My Lover, was her first smash hit.
Alice lives in Miami with her hunky husband. The beach is her all time favorite place to relax with her laptop and write.
She might or might not have a thing for Gerard Butler (it’s the accent).
To find out what Alice is up to currently, visit authoraliceward.com.

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Book Blitz: #Bae by Cambria Hebert plus Giveaway!


#Bae
Cambria Hebert
(Hashtag #8: Conclusion)
Publication date: September 16th 2016
Genres: New Adult College Romance
BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
The Hashtag Series #8
Happily-ever-after.
That’s what happens when you get married.
Right?
Turns out sparkly rings, cake and a fantastic wedding do not automatically grant you that, not even when it’s all you truly want.
I’m even starting to doubt the bottomless, unconditional love I share with the man I married will be enough.
I can’t have happily ever after, know why?
Because I can’t give Romeo what he truly wants. I’ve tried. So hard. I won’t be happy unless he is and something is missing. Someone.
Paparazzi are in my face. The flashing cameras and prying eyes are everywhere. My secret is getting harder to hide, and I know the second the scoop is dished the grip I have on the fraying rope of that happily ever after will snap right in my face.
In our face.
I can’t let that happen. No matter what.
Because with or without a happy ending, Romeo comes Before Anyone Else.
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Author Bio:
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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Review: Poppy Mayberry, The Monday by Jennie K. Brown

Title: Poppy Mayberry, The Monday
Author: Jennie K. Brown
Source: Publisher
Format: Digital ARC
To Buy on Amazon
To Buy on B&N
Add to Goodreads

Poppy Mayberry, The Monday was a delightful read that left me wanting to read more of this charming little town and its residents.

In Nova, the day of the week you were born on determines what power you possess. In Poppy Mayberry’s case, she’s a Monday which means she is telekinetic…but she’s not quite mastered her power yet which leads to some humorous moments.  It isn’t long until her worst nightmare comes true: she has to attend Power Academy to learn how to control her telekinesis…with her fellow classmate and nemesis Ellie, a Thursday who misuses (or rather overuses) her telepathy or ability to read minds.

Soon the two girls find themselves forced to work together along with other classmates to get personal items that they brought to the academy back.  Poppy being Poppy, of course, brought her pup, Pickle as her personal item so time is of the essence here. The kids must learn to work together and control their powers if they are going to complete their mission.  As they work together there are twists and turns and surprises for them and for readers.

The characters in this book are so much fun and so likeable.  I absolutely loved Poppy!  She’s the type of quirky character that I adore. Funny, awkward, still figuring out who she is, but determined.  And the other characters really added to the story and plot making the story fun and interesting.  I really wanted to know more about them as well as Poppy.

And the whole concept of the days of the week and the powers was so fascinating to me.  It reminded me of the poem I learned as a kid… “Monday’s Child is fair of face, Tuesday’s Child is full of grace” Only in this case, Monday’s child is telekinetic and Tuesday’s child can teleport…and so on.

My only complaint about the book is that there wasn’t more. Seriously…there is a lot of things that happen off page that I would have liked to have read in the book.  Plus the whole “mission” and tasks could have been longer and more complicated, in my opinion.  This book could easily have been twice the length and I would happily have read every word of Poppy and her friends’ adventures.  I hope there are many more Nova Kids books to come!


My Rating: 4 ½


*I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Cover Reveal: One Summer with Autumn by Julie Reece with Giveaway

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Welcome to the Cover Reveal for
One Summer with Autumn by Julie Reece
Be on the look out for this upcoming release from Swoon Romance!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
 
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Seventeen-year-old Autumn Teslow arrives at her father’s job fair knowing she’ll never measure up to the perfect image of daddy’s little girl—her twin sister.
Wearing anger management issues like a second skin won’t help Autumn win her dad’s approval for the big trip she’s been planning—or meet his condition that she successfully complete a summer internship for college.
Autumn’s cool unravels when her sister lectures against disappointing the family again. And when a young, bearded guy steps through the crowd to settle the growing argument between siblings, Autumn lashes out, dubbing him a “Duck Dynasty wannabe.”
At Nineteen, Caden Behr is clueless as to why his man parts are threatened by the fearsome girl before him. He'd only come to find an intern for his recreational equipment company, not break up a girl-fight between two sisters.
Unfortunately, the only candidate left is the girl who just told him off. Without her, he’ll never prove to his CEO mother that he’s ready for more responsibility.
Autumn and Caden agree that if they can keep from killing one another, they can use one another to get what they want and then never have to see each other again. Which is what they want.
Until it isn’t.
Because despite her best efforts to scare him off, and his fading desire to push her into the lake, they’re beginning to enjoy the time they spend together. But pride is a hard habit to break. And if neither will admit their changing feelings, they could lose a whole lot more than one summer.
add to goodreads
One Summer with Autumn by Julie Reece Publisher: October 18, 2016 Publisher:  Swoon Romance
Available for Purchase: Amazon
 
About-the-Author2
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As a child, Julie’s summers were about horseback riding and fishing, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all. She struggled with multiple learning disabilities, and spent much of her time gazing out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) she fought dyslexia for her right to read and won.
Afterward, she invented stories where powerful heroines kicked bad-guy butt to win the hearts charismatic heroes. And then she wrote one down…
Writing ever since, Julie weaves southern gothic, contemporary, fantasy, and young adult romances. She enjoys sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a really hot guy. Her writing is proof a dream and some hard work can overcome any obstacle.
 
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Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!
 
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Book Blitz: Bette & the Beast by Liza Penn plus Giveaway!

Welcome to the world of Happily Ever Afters...
Each of the Hotel Ever After books is (very) loosely based on a fairy tale. Which means they're all guaranteed to have a happily ever after. They're also guaranteed to have a (very) sexy twist. My heroines aren't literally princesses, but they are very much in control of their destiny--and they're not afraid to take exactly what they want from their prince charmings!
This new series of novellas releases monthly. Each one is about 75 pages long—perfect for an afternoon tryst—and they promise happy endings for all ;)


Bette & the Beast
Liza Penn
(Hotel Ever After, #1)
Publication date: September 13th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Bette owns Fairhaven’s only bookstore…but only barely. She’s struggling with bills, but she refuses to sell to the hotel mogul Richard Dickson because he only wants to tear down the beloved store and replace it with a hotel. Can these two find a compromise and save the bookstore?
Want to read this book for free?
Just click here!
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Richard’s eyebrow quirked up. His hands slid lower, lingering on the silk stocking covering her knees, then they slipped under her skirt, his fingers toying with the straps of her garter, sliding up and down, dipping under the top of her silk stockings, dancing higher and higher up toward the lace of her panties.
“You put these on for me to find,” he said.
It was not a question, but Bette still denied it. “I just prefer them to regular hose,” she said, tilting her head up. “They’re…”
“Sexier.”
“Nicer.”
Richard grinned wickedly. “Sexier,” he said. “And you know it.”
Bette didn’t deign to answer.
“And that’s why you wore them for me.” Richard said. His voice was getting lower.
“And what if I did?” Bette asked.
“Then,” Richard said, his hand sliding up Bette skirt, wrapping around her black-lace covered hips, “you deserve a reward.”


Author Bio:
Liza Penn is the pseudonym of an author living with her family in the piedmont of the Carolinas. She writes the Hotel Ever After books for fun and values her privacy.






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Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Blog Tour: The Fixer by Jenny Holiday...Guest Post and Giveaway!


Anyone who knows me knows how big a fan of the '80s I am...the movies, the music, the TV shows, the styles...well, maybe not so much the styles. But I was born during that totally fab decade, so I am totally excited to be a stop on The Fixer Blog Tour and to be hosting author, Jenny Holiday as she stops by to share some of her favorite '80s Romantic Movies (it's like she read my mind, y'all)!

First, here is some info about the first book in this new '80s inspired series...

Title: The Fixer
Series: New Wave Newsroom #1
Author: Jenny Holiday
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: September 13, 2016
Length: 35k words
Format: Digital/Paperback
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9950927-1-6
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9950927-0-9

Jenny Fields is a crusader. The editor of her college newspaper, she never met a cause she couldn’t get behind. So when the administration announces it’s tearing down the historic art building, she’s on the case All she needs to do is get Matthew Townsend, the art department’s boy wonder, on board. They say he his talent is unbounded. It turns out so is his ego.

Matthew Townsend cares about art. And that’s pretty much it. If he has a reputation for being moody and aloof, that suits him just fine. He doesn’t have a family worth speaking of, and as a scholarship student, he can’t afford to goof off like the preppy rich kids at his school. He certainly doesn’t care about the art building. Or about the relentlessly perky Jenny, who looks like she was barfed up by Rainbow Brite. What will it take to the preternaturally cheerful girl with the massive savior complex to leave him alone?

Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
And here is a little about Jenny Holiday...
Jenny Holiday started writing at age nine when her awesome fourth grade teacher gave her a notebook and told her to start writing some stories. That first batch featured mass murderers on the loose, alien invasions, and hauntings. (Looking back, she’s amazed no one sent her to a kid-shrink.) She’s been writing ever since. After a brief detour to get a PhD in geography, she worked as a professional writer, producing everything from speeches to magazine articles. More recently, her tastes having evolved from alien invasions to happily-ever-afters, she tried her hand at romance. A lifelong city-lover, she lives in Toronto, Canada, with her family. She is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Greenburger Associates.
You can visit her online at the following places: 

And now here is author Jenny Holiday to share some awesome '80s movies that you should definitely check out...
Six romantic 1980s movies everyone should see... 

All right, this was HARD! There were a lot of great movies in the 1980s! I’ve limited myself here to half a dozen movies and to movies where romance is a big part of the plot. (Because otherwise we could go on and on: Star Wars, Heathers, Blade Runner, Labyrinth…)

John Hughes movies
John Hughes movies really need a category all their own, don’t they? The chronicler of the 1980s high school experience was, for a time, a master. My personal favorite, even though it is less overtly romantic than movies like Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, was The Breakfast Club. The simple conceit of a bunch of kids trapped together in Saturday detention (and the teacher somehow leaves them alone all day, naturally)—what could better? I loved the romance between Molly Ringwald’s Claire and Judd Nelson’s Bender, aka “the princess” and “the criminal.” When she gives him the diamond earring at the end? Swoon. (And of course, he puts it in his single pieced ear. It is the 1980s, after all.) I think we were supposed to take from the ending of that nothing is going to change for the kids socially once they’re back in the normal routine of school, but I refuse to believe it. I always thought Claire and John endured, despite the odds.

Better Off Dead
This is a very sweet, very weird little movie that not many people saw, and I think it’s my all-time favorite 1980s movie. It starred John Cusack (who, I read later, disavowed it) as a hapless and heartbroken high school boy who’s just been dumped by his vapid girlfriend and Diane Franklin as the French exchange student who moves in next door. Their romance blossoms amid science experiments gone wrong, fantasy animation sequences, fast food burgers come to life, deranged paperboys, and friendly stoners who can’t seem to get their hands on real drugs. (Did I mention this movie is weird?) But the slow fall that our hero and heroine undertake is charming. The movie has become a cult favorite for a reason.

Romancing the Stone
Joan (Kathleen Turner) is a romance novelist. Jack (Michael Douglas) is a smuggler. They meet in the Columbian jungle, where Joan is trying to ransom her kidnapped sister (don’t you hate it when that happens?). There’s a treasure map, a disgruntled nemesis, and a helpful drug lord who loves romance novels. What more do you want?

Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Baby Helen Hunt and Baby Sarah Jessica Parker star in this movie about two Catholic school pals who sneak out at night to compete in a televised dance competition. Of course, mousy Sarah Jessica falls in love with her dance partner, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Their love and their contest fate in are threatened by a Mean Girl rival, and, as is so often the case in real life, the whole thing must be settled by a dance-off. 

Lady Jane
Probably this shouldn’t be included since although it was released in the 1980s, it is set in the mid-sixteen century. The movie tells the story of sixteen-year-old Lady Jane Grey, a great-granddaughter of Henry VIII who, for nine days, though the machinations of her parents and others, inherited the English throne. The facts of the story are true, though the movie focuses on (and embellishes) Jane’s romance with her arranged husband, Guilford Dudley. There’s something very John Hughesesque about the movie, which is why I include it here—Jane and Guildford are a couple of kids falling in love as they try to make their way in a world that adults have made for them. There are even romance montages. And Jane and Guildford are played by Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes before they were famous. (And for that matter, Jane’s father is played by Patrick Stewart, before his Captain Picard fame). Watching tightly-wound Jane and dissolute Guildford fall for each other is a pleasure. (Though, mind you—SPOLIER ALERT!—they do lose their heads a the end, so…)

Say Anything
Ahhh, is there anything better than devoted Lloyd Dobler and his pursuit of perfect Diane Court? He doesn’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything. He doesn’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought or processed. He puts his jacket on the ground so she doesn’t have to walk through a puddle. And of course there’s the famous boom box scene. Sigh.

Thanks so much Jenny for the recommendations!
I haven't seen all of Jenny's choices (which I plan on rectifying), but I completely agree with almost all of the others...especially the John Hughes and Girls Just Want to Have Fun recs!  And the boombox scene in Say Anything gets me every time...so definitely check that one out!

And I also recommend you check out Jenny's book, The Fixer!

Now for the giveaway!

Follow the tour and enter to win a $20.00 Amazon GC and 1980’s themed adult coloring book!
Make sure to watch for books two and three coming this fall!
Entries from all tours will be eligible for an additional grand prize!

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Here is the Tour Schedule for you to follow along...

Sept 12th
Dandelionn Wine Book Blog - Review
Library of a Book Witch - Review
More Books Than Livros - Review
Bookworm Dee Reads - Spotlight
Lipstick 'N Lashes Chronicles - Review
Books,Dreams,Life - Spotlight

Sept 13th
OMGReads – Review
Mary Gramlich (The Reading Reviewer) - Spotlight
KeyReadThat - Review
EskieMama Reads - Spotlight
RhiReading - Spotlight
What Is That Book About - Spotlight

Sept 14th
WTF Are You Reading? - Review
A Page to Turn Reviews - Spotlight
Never Too Many To Read – Guest Post
Those Crazy Book Chicks - Spotlight

Sept 15th
Ellesea Loves Reading - Review
Evermore Books – Guest Post
Reese's Reviews - Review
Tangle Hearts Book Reviews – Spotlight

Sept 16th
Fiona Reads and FoodSpots - Review
Miss Riki - Review
underneath the covers - Spotlight

And be sure to be on the lookout for more books from the New Wave Newsroom coming this fall!
The Gossip: coming Oct 4, 2016:
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

The Pacifist: coming Oct 25, 2015:
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |iBooks



So do you have any favorite '80s movies???