Wednesday, October 28, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: Crashing Souls by Cynthia A. Rodriguez


TITLE: Crashing Souls 
AUTHOR: Cynthia A. Rodriguez
RELEASE DATE: October 27, 2015


SYNOPSIS

I am darkness; what you would consider a thief amongst the living.
I’ve spent time, so much of it that it seems a trifle word to call it, in that gloom being swallowed whole by human grief and human tears.
I am the Angel of Death.
And all was dark until I met a man, searching for a woman.

Given a second chance to find the love of his life, whose soul was placed inside someone else after a tragic accident, a young man finds himself taking over the life of a teenager named Dexter. But there are rules: She will not remember him and he will only have fragmented memories, not knowing anything about the life he has been placed in and barely anything about the life he once lived. He embarks on a journey to right Dex’s wrongs and find the woman whose soul belongs with his, no matter what it takes. Finding her is one thing, loving her and her self-destructive ways is another. 

Artful, sharp, and compelling, Crashing Souls explores the permanent mark left behind when two souls crash together.

MY REVIEW
5/5 STARS

“Are you always going to be so afraid of life that you don’t live it?"


I always take pleasure in discovering new authors. While I love the lightness and romantic feels most novels give me, I crave a certain depth of emotion and Cynthia A. Rodriguez handed that to me effortlessly. 

Crashing Souls was literally a roller-coaster of emotions and realizations, a form of depth I never experienced in other books. It's like a piece of the author's soul was embedded in the story and was wonderfully played out by equally poignant characters. There were bits and pieces of heart-quaking scenes that gave me mini-heart-attacks, and specks of lightness that magnificently sustained the romance. The author knows how to keep a reader's interest with the story getting more and more gripping on every passing page. There were so many moments that I stopped for a while to feel, just feel, the raw emotions of the characters and contemplate on how real they were. 

This book was an unexpectedly life-stirring, heart-breaking, soul-piecing, magnificently written and driven book. Yep. The title definitely spoke for itself. I can't wait to drown further on her next book!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

ARC REVIEW: My Soul to Keep by Kennedy Ryan


TITLE: My Soul to Keep
AUTHOR: Kennedy Ryan
SERIES: Soul Series Book 1
RELEASE DATE: November 16, 2015

SYNOPSIS

It seems the things worth keeping are often the hardest to hold...

KAI

I had two things in life that mattered. My mother and my music. 
Mama was taken from me too soon, and now music is all I have left. It’s the thing that’s pushed me right out of backwoods Georgia into Los Angeles, where the line between fantasy and reality shimmers and blurs. I’m finally making my way, making my mark. I can’t afford to fall for one of music's brightest stars. Not now. Music is all I have left, and I’m holding on tight with both hands. I won’t let go, not even for Rhyson Gray.

RHYSON

I had one thing in my life that mattered – music. The only constant, it’s taken me to heights most people only dream about; a gift dropped in my lap at birth. I thought it was enough. I thought it was everything until I met Kai. Now she’s all I think about, like a song I can't get out of my head. If I have to chase her, if I have to give up everything - I will. And once she's mine, I won't let go.


MY REVIEW
5/5 STARS

“Sometimes we have to fight our way out of the dark because the light doesn’t come looking for us.”


Kennedy Ryan is one of my favourite voices ever. She proves it with every book she writes. I get immediately wrapped up in her story and completely forgetting time. No book of hers ever failed on that area. But with My Soul to Keep , she showed a different Kennedy Ryan that made me love her more.

The characters are both interesting, polar opposites but definitely equally poignant. I loved how the two of them were so different and yet so the same in some ways. Like they were molded for each other but they could stand on their own and still completely shine. 

Throughout the book, I felt this intense connection with the characters and the story. It was driven wonderfully by the masterful storytelling of the author and it was spellbinding. It’s like I couldn’t help it. The story was hypnotizing, it ran so fluid and was so effortlessly engaging that leaving a chapter was just impossible. It was definitely a book of #feels ; ranging from a mere spark of interest that tickled my heart, to tumultuous feelings that left me torn, to fervent emotions that I could hardly contain. There was not a single scene in this book that made me think of closing it. 

I’ve known Kennedy Ryan to have complicated characters trapped in complicated situations. But with Rhys and Kai, she enchanted me with a love that was free, passionate, straightforward, and irreplaceable. From the very beginning, Rhys owned Kai and Kai owned Rhys (but I totally loved the little arguments in between). My Soul to Keep is a keeper. It’s a book that I would read over and over. You have no idea how many times I’ve read this story but still felt every speck of emotions like it was my first time. 

Yet again, Kennedy Ryan captured everything I want in the book and more. Great characters, great romance, humor, steam, amaaaaaazing secondary characters, fluid plot, poignant background stories, and excellent writing. One of my top books this year!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills


SYNOPSIS 

A scarred fighter.
A girl with rules.
One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more. 

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

*a modern love story inspired by Pride and Prejudice* 

MY REVIEW
5/5 STARS

Ilsa Madden-Mills is really a hypnotic writer. One read on the first line of Dirty English and I was hooked! It was intense, suspenseful, fun, romantic, everything I love in a book rolled into one heart-stealing novel. 

Loving Declan was like the rain storms I loved to dance in. Crazy and unpredictable, sometimes turbulent, sometimes gentle. 

Declan was an intensely passionate character. The magnificent mix of his roughly naughty and possessive sweetness lit the pages in flames. What I loved about him was he covered every angle of sexy. He was smart, strong, determined, and goal-driven. I mean come on, how can a woman resist a tattooed naughty fighter who can quote romance classics?

She was my queen and I wanted to be her king. I wanted to sit at the throne of her body and love her forever... 

Elizabeth Bennett had a one-night-only rule when it comes to involvements with men. She needed to own her body, take control, and call the shots. Only until Declan, though. 

Elizabeth was a really unique heroine. A bad event from her past took a bit of her control over herself but she fought hard and took the reins on her own independence. I loved her sassiness so much! She knew what she wanted and how she wanted to get it. She was driven, independent but she was badass and sexy. 

If he wanted to use his fists, I’d stand in his corner and kiss him before he put his gloves on. He’d do the same for me. 

I really loved how the plot of this book ran. It's as if the first few pages broke my heart and the following ones sought out to fix it. The heat seeped right into every word of this book. It's sexy, sweet, angsty, and hard to forget! Miss Ilsa's writing is hypnotic and gripping. It's as if I couldn't afford wasting a minute not delving into this book. I felt myself anticipating at every scene and yet reveling on every bit. It was really sexy yet really sweet at the same time. I can't wait for more of her Brits!

BOOK REVIEW: Still Water (Still Life #2) by A.M. Johnson


SYNOPSIS


After being rejected by his childhood best friend, Todd Dixon turns his back on love and all its false promises. Three years later, he's living in a new city, making a name for himself with his bar, record label, and one night stands. 

Lily Spring knows nothing but the music that flows through her veins, but after one night of betrayal that ended in tragedy, her entire life falls from under her right along with her musical dreams. Now, she finds herself living in a new state with a sister she barely knows and a dream that she MUST fulfill. 

He's everything she doesn't need. 

Stubborn as hell, sexy as sin, with a reputation as wicked as his body. To make things worse, he's her new boss and the ticket to what she's always wanted. 

When two fates collide and passions burn high, will the fire die or will it simmer into a slow burn becoming much more than either of them thought possible

This isn't just a love story. 

This is a story of hope, repentance and second chances. 

Are you ready?

MY REVIEW
5/5 STARS

A. M. Johnson's poignant and gripping writing prose mixed with her marvelously complex plot is really something every romance reader should watch out for. Starting Still Water was like testing my toes in the water and ending up completely drowning in the authors' prowess. Magnificently written and driven. 

"You're my king, Todd. You rule this heart more than you'll ever know." 


Todd was burned once and the scar will never heal. Losing the only person he loved on earth sliced him deep and he wouldn't easily allow another human being to acquire that kind of power against him again. Todd is probably one of my most favorite hero. He had a tinge of broken but he was a good man. I loved how his character wasn't pretentious, fictional. His acts were honest, raw, real, as if an exact cut out of a man who has come close to brokenness. And he was one of my most favorite part of this book. 

“I love you, Lily. You are where I begin and end." 


Lily just wanted to be enough. She just wanted to be someone's priority, someone's choice. Lily was hope, dream, and passion personified. The complexity of her character was poignant, sweet, and badass at the same time. I loved her character so much! She held her own doubts and hopes but they never stopped her from going after the things she's passionate about. She was broken, too, but her beauty dwelled on the hope for happiness and contentment. 

We belonged to each other —Lily was my one true thing, and I was hers. 


I reaaaalllly loved this book! From the start til the end, I was grasped and gripped by the words, the scenes, and the plot in general. A.M. Johnson is a superb author. Her prose is clear, raw, and soul-stealing. She writes with a voice that you'd like to drown in, like you can go on and on reading it and not feeling a bit tired. Her characters are rich, entertaining, and remarkable. The interesting mix of sweet, angst, sex, passion, and warmth made this book remarkable than the usual romances I've read. I'm sure the storyline has been done before but AM Johnson's unique and poignant prose lit it and made it roar. I can't wait for Seth's story!

Friday, October 16, 2015

BLOG TOUR: Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills



Meet Declan and Elizabeth in Ilsa Madden-Mills 
new fighter romance!

$0.99 LIMITED TIME ONLY!

★★ PURCHASE Dirty English Today!★★

**Dirty English is a modern love story inspired by Pride and Prejudice**


A scarred fighter.
A girl with rules.
One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more. 

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.


Excerpt of DIRTY ENGLISH

 “Come to my apartment and spend the night with me.” I touched his face, my fingers stroking the softness of his sensuous lips. “Just one night and we can make this shitty world disappear.”

He exhaled. “A one-night stand?”

“Yeah.” 

He cupped my chin. “Someone hurt you, didn’t they?”

My lips tightened. No one at Whitman knew about Colby except for Shelley and Blake, and I sure as hell wasn’t telling him. He’d judge me like everyone else had in Petal, North Carolina. “That’s none of your business.”

“I see.” His eyes searched mine until I felt like a bug under a microscope. “What if I wanted more than just one night?” 

“Then your hands can let go of my hips now.”

He removed his hands slowly, the tips of his fingers grazing mine. “This may surprise you, but I don’t sleep with every girl I kiss.”

I’d been rejected. Again. “Blake said you got around, that you used—”

“And you believed him?” His voice was incredulous. “Dude is in love with you and he saw exactly how we looked at each other tonight—”

“Looked at each other? What are you talking about? You refused to dance with me and then you ran off with your girlfriend. Not to mention I just kissed you and you didn’t even care.” I threw my hands up.

“I wanted to fuck you the minute you walked in that party,” he snapped.

“Then why don’t you,” I bit out, tossing back my shoulders.

“You think you want me?” he said tightly. “You can’t handle me, Elizabeth. I can see it in your eyes. You’re scared of something, maybe not me, but something.”

My eyes went to his black eye.

He let out a harsh laugh. “Ah, that’s what you’re afraid of. You want the real truth? You told me tonight you didn’t like violence, but I’m an arsehole who uses his fists. That’s who I am.”

“What do you mean?”

His gaze was intense, dark and low, his face struggling as he fought to find the right words. “I’m in a fight club for money. I show up at warehouses and fight other blokes. Sometimes I beat them so bad they need medical attention. A few times, I’ve been beat to unconsciousness. I’m everything you need to stay away from.”

I inhaled, anger and lust and excitement all riding me. Anger that he was pushing me away, lust for the alpha male in him, and God help me, the fighting thing repelled me and excited me at the same time. “I don’t want to stay away from you. I want you to fuck me and stop making excuses for why you can’t.”

My words seemed to snap his taut restraint.

He pulled me back in his arms, his lips fusing with mine unerringly. His tongue plundered me in a sensual way my body had craved for years. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my anger morphing into all-out desire as he turned us and pressed me against the wall.

Yes, yes, this is what I craved.

A passion to remind me that I was real, not just some sad excuse of a girl who chose to exist on scraps of love.

Before I knew it, he’d shoved my robe off, his hands sculpting my shoulders, massaging them as he ravaged my mouth. I reveled in the warmth of his hand on my neck as his mouth skated down, kissing the hollows of my throat, sucking on my collarbone.

“Like this?” he asked, his voice dark and gravelly. “You want me to take you up against this wall?”

“Yes,” I moaned. Gone. Past caring as long as he kept his hands on me.

Out of control, my brain whispered, but I beat back the dark warnings as his warm hand found my breast and squeezed, his fingers rolling my nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

I gasped in pleasure and arched my back to get closer to his body, ignoring the fear that pricked at the surface.

The rules girl in my head stamped her foot and yelled at me. I ignored her.

But even if I wanted to stop right now, I couldn’t. My tongue tangled wildly with his, my hands pulled at his hair, spurring him on, his hand palming my breast and then tugging. Sharp sensations of need went straight to my core.

“Is this what you want? Something quick where we just take what we want and forget each other the next day?”

No. Not that. Not like the way he said it, like it was something dirty.

“Yes, like that,” I whispered against his shoulder, my mouth on his skin, tasting him as my teeth bit down. 



ABOUT THE AUTHOR


New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She's addicted to all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding heroes in books. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she's a Gemini), Sephora make-up, and tattoos. 

She has a degree in English and a Master's in Education.

When she's not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets, paints old furniture, and eats her weight in sushi.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

You can stalk her on her website as well as get signed books: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com


Ilsa Madden-Mills’ other books:

VERY BAD THINGS

VERY WICKED BEGINNINGS

VERY WICKED THINGS

VERY TWISTED THINGS

GIVEAWAY 
SIGNED PAPERBACK OF DIRTY ENGLISH

Thursday, October 15, 2015

COVER REVEAL: My Soul to Keep by Kennedy Ryan

Cover Reveal banner 1   My Soul to Keep AMAZON

My Soul To Keep

Kennedy Ryan

Coming November 16th

Cover by Hang Le

 
My-Soul-To-Keep-print-FOR-WEB

Synopsis

It seems the things worth keeping are often the hardest to hold...
KAI
I had two things in life that mattered. My mother and my music. Mama was taken from me too soon, and now music is all I have left. It’s the thing that’s pushed me right out of backwoods Georgia into Los Angeles, where the line between fantasy and reality shimmers and blurs. I’m finally making my way, making my mark. I can’t afford to fall for one of music's brightest stars. Not now. Music is all I have left, and I’m holding on tight with both hands. I won’t let go, not even for Rhyson Gray.
RHYSON
I had one thing in my life that mattered – music. The only constant, it’s taken me to heights most people only dream about; a gift dropped in my lap at birth. I thought it was enough. I thought it was everything until I met Kai. Now she’s all I think about, like a song I can't get out of my head. If I have to chase her, if I have to give up everything - I will. And once she's mine, I won't let go.

Goodreads

 
Want to know as soon as MY SOUL TO KEEP goes live? Sign up here!
Young passionate lovers lie on the floor and enthusiastically kissing. The boy grabbed the girl's face with his hand.

Giveaway

About Kennedy Ryan

 
I just can't write about myself in third person for one more bio! I'm a wife, a mom, a writer, an advocate for families living with autism. That's me in a nutshell. Crack the nut, and you'll find a Southern girl gone Southern California who loves pizza and Diet Coke, and wishes she got to watch a lot more television. You can usually catch me up too late, on social media too much, or FINALLY putting a dent in my ever-growing To Be Read list!
   

Connect with Kennedy

Facebook / Amazon/ Twitter/ Website / Goodreads / Instagram

 
cropped-SSFprLogo3.png

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

RELEASE BLITZ: Only You by Stephanie Rose

Only You Release Banner
Title: Only You (A Second Chance Novel)
Author: Stephanie Rose
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 14, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Only You is a STANDALONE novel in the Second Chances Series.

I spent my life searching for love, but Evan was right there all along. As gorgeous on the inside as he was on the outside, I never had to wonder if he loved me. He showed me with every glance, every sweet touch, every scorching kiss. 

I wanted nothing more than to give him my forever—until I found out I may not have one. 

Paige was the girl of my dreams. So beautiful in every way; no one would ever compare. I feared she would never be mine, and then she became my everything. I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life. 

I wanted her to be my forever. But love may not be enough.

Why do I have to say good-bye to the love of my life? How can I let you go—when it’s always been only you? 

PLEASE NOTE: Only You is a Contemporary Romance with intense language and sexual situations meant for readers 18 and up.

BUY THE BOOK

only you cover


EXCERPT

“So, are you . . . interested in anyone now?” Evan leaned forward, his voice low and husky.

“Actually, yes I am.” Oh God, I was really doing this! “He’s a friend of mine, so it’s a little weird . . . but he’s sweet and sexy . . . and it annoys me that I never noticed how amazing he was. I think he might be interested, too—but like I said, my instincts are shit so who knows.” I shrugged and took a sip of my coffee, pretending to focus my attention on my computer screen.

I had never been so forward with a man in my entire life. How could I play this off that I was talking about someone else if I read him wrong? 

“Maybe not.” Evan scooted his chair closer to the table and slammed my laptop shut. I had nowhere to look but into his hay-colored eyes that, at the moment, seemed to burn right through me.

“Maybe he’s noticed you for years, but never thought he had a shot. Maybe he’s sick of watching you waste your time with guys who don’t deserve you. Maybe if you ask, you’ll find out he’s very, very interested.” The intense expression on Evan’s face as he fixed his gaze on me made my pulse race.

“Maybe he figured out who I was talking about?” I crinkled my nose and gave Evan a playful grin.

He lowered his eyes and chuckled. “I need to work this weekend; the diner job starts on Saturday morning, but I’m free Thursday night. There is an awesome restaurant I know in Brooklyn if you wouldn’t mind making the drive with me.”

“I would love that. But, if you’re busy, it can wait. I know you guys are trying to get as much work as you can. We can always go out when things aren’t so crazy—”

“If things go the way I hope they will, business will always be busy and crazy.” Evan rose from his seat and threw away his empty cup. He sauntered over to where I sat and leaned over, one hand on my chair and one on the table—completely closing me in.

He pressed a soft kiss right below my ear and whispered, “I’ve waited for this date since I was fifteen years old, and I’m not waiting anymore.” I stiffened as his wet and warm lips lingered on my skin. My breath hitched, and I was sure Evan noticed as he stood with a sweet and satisfied smile.

“See you Thursday, Daisy.” I watched him stroll out the door, too tongue-tied to say anything in reply. Sweet, butter-doesn’t-melt-in-his-mouth Evan was hot as hell, and had a little alpha streak.

I had a lot to learn about nice boys, and couldn’t wait for Evan to teach me.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie author pic

Stephanie is the author of the Second Chances series, stories based in New York City about second chances at love. She lives in the Bronx, New York with her superhero-obsessed husband and son. Her day job is marketing, but she always has a story in her head. This lifelong New Yorker lives for Starbucks, book boyfriends, and 80s rock. Her voice often gets mistaken for a Mob Wives trailer. After making up stories her entire life in various journals, she took her fingers to the keyboard on a dare from a friend and wrote her first novel in 2015. She's excited to finally bring the characters she's been dreaming about to life!
 

The Second Chance Series
Always You Cover


Only you full

love 2
 

Monday, October 12, 2015

RELEASE BLITZ: Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills




Meet Declan and Elizabeth in Ilsa Madden-Mills 
new fighter romance!

$0.99 RELEASE DAY ONLY!

★★ PURCHASE Dirty English Today!★★

**Dirty English is a modern love story inspired by Pride and Prejudice**

 A scarred fighter.
A girl with rules.
One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more. 

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She's addicted to all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding heroes in books. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she's a Gemini), Sephora make-up, and tattoos. 

She has a degree in English and a Master's in Education.

When she's not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets, paints old furniture, and eats her weight in sushi.


SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

You can stalk her on her website as well as get signed books: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com


Ilsa Madden-Mills’ other books:

VERY BAD THINGS

VERY WICKED BEGINNINGS

VERY WICKED THINGS

VERY TWISTED THINGS


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