Release Day: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

FINALLY! The much awaited White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout is out today! Dani and I are both indescribably excited for the first book to Jen's new Dark Elements series, especially after that lovely novella Bitter Sweet Love.

For those interested in White Hot Kiss, be sure you don't miss Bitter Sweet Love, which will give you some insight onto pre-White Hot Kiss events. And I mean, why would you even pass over a JLA book in the first place? ;)

Goodreads Synopsis:

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

White Hot Kiss is gladly on its way from Amazon, and I really just need to have it in my hands knowing that it is out in the world for the taking as of today. Of course, be expecting our review for this (and I'd also like to mention I have a review for Rule and Jet by Jay Crownover--I've been in a cave recently reading those phenomenal NA books). Today is also the release day of the paperback of ICED by Karen Marie Moning, for those who have been patiently waiting to purchase a less expensive copy of the first Dani O'Malley book compared to a pricy and bulky hardcover. Another notable release today is Victoria Scott's Fire & Flood, which has recently gotten a lot of my attention. She's the author of The Collector and The Liberator, both two awesome books. Fire & Flood sound intriguing and it is definitely on my imminent to-read list!

Can't wait to read WHK! 

Here is an Amazon to both WHK and Bitter Sweet Love, the prequel. BSL is a FREE purchase ebook on Amazon for Kindle format (and I'm sure other e-readers will have free versions as well), again, no reason to pass up a good story!

Bitter Sweet Love: http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Sweet-Love-Dark-Elements-ebook/dp/B00DPAFPQG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393372689&sr=1-1&keywords=bitter+sweet+love

White Hot Kiss: http://www.amazon.com/White-Hot-Kiss-Dark-Elements/dp/0373211104

~Steph

Waiting On Wednesday (19): The Forever Song by Julia Kagawa

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This is a meme that many book blogs participate in to goggle over highly anticipated upcoming releases and fabulous covers and authors!

I think the question is more of how could I NOT be looking forward to this book? Dani and I have been diehard Julie Kagawa fans ever since we read The Iron Fey Series, and we will both read pretty much anything she writes, of course including The Forever Song.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

MONSTER

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

Oh gosh, here is another end to another awesome series. Julie's take on vampires is just so much more unique than other cliche vampire voices out there in the YA world. I wish this series was a few books longer so we got a bigger taste of Blood of Eden. 

The ending to The Eternity Cure was a HUGE cliffy, and while the dying urge to read this book immediately has dissipated over the past year (this is what happens to me when books come out too far apart for me), I can't wait for April to roll around carrying The Forever Song with it; the end to Allie's story. 

Review: A Little Too Hot by Lisa Desrochers

A Little Too Hot by Lisa Desrochers

Steph's Rating: 4.5 stars

Overall: 4.5 stars

Format: Kindle ebook

Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)

Publication Date: January 21st, 2014

Pages: 284

Goodreads Synopsis:

If you play with fire…

Tossed out of college and cut off by her parents, Samantha West is in pretty dire straits. So when her rocker best friend hooks her up with a job dancing at a gentlemen’s club, who is she to turn it down? Plus, there are rules to dancing at Benny’s: No touching, keep your clothes on at all times, and never get closer than three feet. Unfortunately for Sam, her first private client makes her want to break every single one of them.

Harrison Yates is scorching hot, but he’s got a past that involves being left at the altar not too long ago. Sam is determined to make him forget about his ex, but when she makes her move, it flings her life into a spiral of chaos she never saw coming.

Because Harrison Yates isn’t who he seems to be. And his secret will probably get her killed.

Steph's Review: 

I wasn't sure what to expect going into A Little Too Hot. We met Sam in A Little Too Far, but she wasn't a huge character, and we honestly knew very little about her. I'm glad to say that the 3rd book of this series is definitely my favorite of them all. A Little Too Hot is definitely not your average new adult novel, and incorporates several genres into the mix. 

After flunking out of her college classes, Sam West has been thrown out of the house by her parents, who think she needs to learn some responsibility the hard way. She has pretty much nowhere to go, since she's got a rather rocky relationship with her best friend Lexie after dating Lexie's now-to-be husband Trent while she was away in Rome. Suddenly saddled with an ridiculous rent, she resorts to dancing at Benny's: a posh gentleman's club that could earn her hundreds a night. It is there she meets Harrison Yates, the drop-dead gorgeous man with a warm-honey accent and striking blue eyes. Little does she know what Benny's really does behind the scenes, and that Harrison isn't who he claims to be at all--in fact, he's in the center of the mess.

Unlike the first two books of this series, A Little Too Far isn't just another slice-of-life contemporary romance. There actually is mystery and suspense involved for a good portion of the book before it really even gets that romantic. It incorporates some pretty gritty thriller action that drew me into this book immediately. I think this is the only NA book I've read that isn't solely some fluffed up romance/realistic story, and I really prefer reading NA this way.

Harrison Yates. Well, unfortunately, I can't say too much on him. His *ahem* true identity is revealed pretty early on in the book, but I still feel like giving away that is a spoiler. Let me just tell you that you might end up hating him for a while, and you might feel like he and Sam have no future in sight, but just wait patiently. I was definitely enamored with this guy by the end of A Little Too Hot, and how I see it now, he's the perfect match up for Sam. 

Sam turned out to be a pretty interesting lead. Her narration is great--she's got a sense of snarky humor that I missed from Hilary's POV in A Little Too Much, and reminds me somewhat of Lexie in A Little Too Far. Even though she carries around an outgoing, wild and highly extroverted persona, she has her own share of problems, especially with her family, and she really just wants her real friends and family back.

Even though Lisa Desrochers says that this is a stand-alone, I still think that it's a better idea to at least read A Little Too Far before reading this. It belongs in the series just as much as the other books rather than a spin-off-ish kind of thing. Lexie, Trent, and Katie's names pop up several times throughout the book, and I think having the first book as background would help understanding this book better. A Little Too Hot is phenomenal read, and is the closest book to sheer perfection I've read within NA!

Steph

Review: A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers

A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers

Steph's Rating: 3.5 Stars

Format: e-book

Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)

Publication Date: November 12th, 2013

Pages: 416

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the follow-up to Lisa Desrochers’ explosive New Adult novel A Little too Far, Alessandro Moretti must face the life he escaped and the girl he loved and left behind.

Twenty-two year old Hilary McIntyre would like nothing more than to forget her past. As a teenager abandoned to the system, she faced some pretty dark times. But now that’s all behind her. Hilary has her life on track, and there’s no way she’ll head back down that road again.

Until Alessandro Moretti—the one person who can make her remember—shows up on her doorstep. He’s even more devastatingly gorgeous than before, and he’s much too close for comfort. Worse, he sees right through the walls she’s built over these last eight years, right into her heart and the secrets she’s guarding.

As Hilary finds herself falling back into love with the man who, as a boy both saved and destroyed her, she must decide. Past or future? Truth or lies?

Steph's Review:

*minor spoilers ahead*

Yep, I read this book as soon as I could after A Little Too Far, otherwise known as the book that made me fall madly in love with Alessandro Moretti. I was beyond enthusiastic to read the story Lisa Des had in store for him. This book wasn't exactly a disappointment since I did like the story, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as A Little Too Far.

Hilary McIntyre is finally getting her life together after the psychological shambles she was in as a teenager. She's aiming for Broadway musicals and has the connections to get her into the world of acting--her dream career. She's got a steady bartending job to get her through auditions, and everything is stabilizing at last. At least until Alessandro Moretti shows up at her New York apartment door, nearly unrecognizable at first glance, but carrying with him everything Hilary has tried to forget from her teenage life. She's trying to outrun her past, but it seems to be catching up with her no matter where she turns.

Overall, A Little Too Much is a darker tale than its predecessor. If you wondering why Alessandro seemed so tormented in the first book, well this is where you find out exactly what happened in his past to make it so. Lexie had her relationship problems, but both Alessandro and Hilary's ghosts go beyond just basic regret. It's not nearly as lighthearted as A Little Too Far, but I was pretty happy with the outcome. 

The biggest reason why I gave this book a 3 was because of character development. It's NOT Alessandro's problem. He's as gentlemanly (and scorching hot) as always, and he's back in the States to confront his past. All he wants to do is have a burden lifted from his shoulder's, and end the guilt-fest he's been putting on himself for all the past years. He's still my perfect Alessandro, and his flaws make him even better. The problem to me is Hilary. I actually really liked Hilary at the beginning of the book. She comes across as a spunky, independent girl who knows how to handle herself and her life. She seems to know what she wants and is very goal-driven, which I admired. 

However, as soon as Alessandro enters the picture, I felt like her character kind of started to deteriorate. I know she's more than troubled by the boy she loved in group-home, but I though her narration started getting a little monotone. Since things are narrated in Hilary's POV, her not-so-brilliant characterization negatively impacts the story a little. Hilary's character development wasn't very smooth. A good 3/4 of the book, she just absolutely doesn't want Alessandro back in her life. I found it rather annoying that she was running from her own feelings, and she was just constantly denying anything she felt to herself and to outsiders. When she finally decides to let Alessandro in a little more though, it all just happened in one big "whoosh" basically. Where did gradual character development go? One chapter, Hilary was all "no, no, no" and then just suddenly in the next chapter she's all for Alessandro. I mean, how could you resist the guy, but seriously? Things just changed too abruptly in their relationship, in my opinion.

If you loved A Little Too Far, there is no reason to not read A Little Too Much. You get more of the hot Alessandro goods, his past, present, and future with this book. In the end everything worked out to me, and I'm just glad Lisa wrapped up his story--a well deserved HEA for him. Will be reading A Little Too Hot, Samantha's story, soon as well since I won an ebook copy of it from Lisa herself!

And on that note, Happy Valentine's Day!

Steph

Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite me by Tahereh Mafi  
Dani's Rating: 4 stars

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Harper Collins

Goodreads Synopsis:

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end

Dani's Review:

*Spoilers if you have not read Shatter Me or Unravel Me. But I don't know why you're looking at this review if you haven't read the first 2 books.*

I have been waiting for this book to come out for months, and I was so happy when I finally got my hands on it last week! Ignite Me is a stunning and dramatic finale to the Shatter Me series, but it was not without its faults.

Unravel Me left off with Andersen, the dictator of the Reestablishment and Warner's father, badly injuring Juliette with a shot to her stomach. Ignite Me begins with Juliette's recovery, saved by none other than the maybe-he's-evil-but-maybe-he's-actually-a-nice-guy: Warner. Or should I start to call him Aaron, his first name? I love the name Aaron so much more than Warner! As Juliette ponders her life and the fate of her friends who may have died at the Base (their HQ), she has an epiphany. She realizes that she should be the one to lead the Reestablishment. She isn't the helpless little girl she was when Warner tortured her and Adam picked up the broken pieces of her mind. She has power, and now she knows how to use it. She is sick of hiding in the back, waiting for others to defend her. She is Juliette Ferrars.

Again, Ms. Mafi triumphed in creating Juliette's unique voice, tone, and reaction to the world. I think the strongest part of her writing is her ability to transport the reader into Juliette's head and really understand what Juliette is thinking. Her character development of Warner is also fantastic. I loved reading about Juliette slowly "unraveling" Warner's life and learning that he isn't actually such a bad person. He is just a nineteen-year-old boy who has been abused by his father all his life. I was Team Adam, but I quickly converted to Team Warner at the start of this novel. Trust me, your heart will also go out to Warner.

Adam is so annoying in this entire book. He is constantly complaining, yelling, and begging Juliette to get back together. Talk about clingy. Where is the sweet, benevolent boy from Shatter Me?

I loved the relationships that Warner developed with each character! Shocker: After a long talk, Adam and Warner do not completely abhor each other anymore! Surprised? Juliette and I certainly were. Another big surprise is that Warner and James, Adam's brother, also began to develop a relationship. James is fascinated with the elusive Warner and peppers him with personal questions, many pre-teen boys will do. Warner tries his best to evade James's questions, but some of them just have to be answered.

As usual, Kenji is an absolutely hilarious character. He does have a few serious moments and almost had an emotional breakdown, but he's still the same old Kenji

"Are you out of your goddamn mind? You think we can take on two hundred soldiers? I know I am an extremely attractive man, J, but I am not Bruce Lee.”

“Who’s Bruce Lee?”

“Who’s Bruce Lee?” Kenji asks, horrified. “Oh my God. We can’t even be friends anymore.”

“Why? Was he a friend of yours?”

“You know what,” he says, “just stop. Just—I can’t even talk to you right now.”

The reason I knocked off 1 star in this review is because I extremely disliked the ending. The final battle/war was so short and void of suspense or drama. I would like to have read about a more drawn out "final battle", but it was almost too easy for the protagonists. They were like, "Oh, I'll just levitate these people over here and knock them out! Easy as pie!" Do they not get tired from using all those superpowers? I still have many questions about various things in the Shatter Me series, and several loose ends are left untied. We never find out exactly what happened to a certain character that made him so short-tempered and mean to his previous best friend, and we never find out what kind of government is established after the Reestablishment. Maybe Taherah Mafi plans to write some sequels? I just thought the ending was not wrapped up well. I have read better "open endings" than this one.

But overall, Ignite Me is a book worth reading! If you were disappointed by Unravel Me (I was!), you will be surprised by how much better Ignite me is! 

P.S. Have you ever wondered what happened to Warner's mother? ;)

Waiting On Wednesday (18): Recklessly Royal by Nichole Chase

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This is a meme that many book blogs participate in to goggle over highly anticipated upcoming releases and fabulous covers and authors!

I read Suddenly Royal not too long ago, and fell in love with the characters. Obviously I can't wait for Recklessly Royal to come out now--the story featuring Princess Cathy D'Lynsal this time around. You can read my review for Suddenly Royal by clicking HERE. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Catherine has spent her life being the perfect princess. She’s kept her hands clean, her head down, and most importantly—men at arm’s length. After all, most men are after only one thing, and for Cathy there’s a lot more at stake than her bed; she has to worry about the fate of an entire nation. But at the rate she’s going, Cathy is afraid she’ll give the Virgin Queen a run for her money. She is tired of waiting for someone good enough to come along. She has a plan, and it all hinges on seducing the one man who seems utterly unimpressed by all things royal. The one man she is tempted by more than any other . . .

When David arrives at the royal wedding of his friend, the newly ordained Duchess Samantha Rousseau, he expected to feel uncomfortable and out of his element, but he wasn’t prepared to be targeted by Prince Alex’s gorgeous younger sister. With Cathy’s giant blue eyes, killer figure, and sense of humor, it won’t take long before he gives in. But when he finds out just how innocent the crown princess really is, will he play the part of knight in shining armor or the dashing rogue?

I realize I usually don't do adult novel WOW's or reviews on the blog, but Cathy is one of my favorite characters in Suddenly Royal, and I'm so delighted that Nichole Chase is going to give her a story as well--basically her own HEA (I HOPE!). From the synopsis, I was not expecting David to be part of the story anymore, but hey, as long as it works it's fine with me. I'm also hoping we get a few cameo's form our beloved Prince Charming Alex ;). 

Recklessly Royal is out on March 25th, only a month away. I'm definitely pre-ordering this one, and for those of you who have not tried Suddenly Royal yet, it is a definite cute and flirty must-read!  

Review: A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

Steph's Rating: 4 stars

Dani's Rating: 4.5 stars

Overall Rating: 4.25 stars

Format: Paperback/Ebook

Publisher: HarperCollins (William Morrow)

Publication Date: September 17th, 2013

Pages: 336

Goodreads Synopsis:

Have you ever gone just a little too far?

Lexie Banks has.

Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother. In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for the better part of the last few years … and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome.

But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble. Raised Catholic, she goes to confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt … and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional and right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy-on-the-eyes deacon … only eight months away from becoming a priest. Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.


Our Review:

*This is an NA/Adult novel unlike most reviews we do on this blog, just FYI to those sensitive about the genre*

Oh my gosh, this book is simply mind-blowing. It is so scandalous yet so intriguing! We have been waiting to read this book forever, and we were not disappointed in the least!

Lexie Banks is a young college student who loves art history--the pee in your pants from excitement of a  famed art gallery kind of love--and was awarded a scholarship to study a year abroad in the home of great art itself: Rome. But, she still hasn't quite gotten over her break-up with her last boyfriend, the jerk who she dated for 3 years of her high school life and promptly cheated on her the minute they were off to college. When she stumbled upon him accidentally at the local Applebee's, she realizes she still may have feelings for him, no matter what her girlfriends warn her. Conflicted and confused, she stumbles home into the arms of her super hot stepbrother and star wrestler, Trent.

And she did the best and worst thing possible. She slept with him.

 It's a good thing that she's on her way to Rome, where she won't have to confront Trent face to face anymore. Rome is a place to start anew; to create a new Lexie Banks for the next year and leave behind all the boy trouble in the States. At least until she meets Alessandro--the totally hot but off-limits Catholic priest-in-training who so happens to have already taken his vow of celibacy.

A Little Too Far basically follows the love life of Lexie rather than anything to do with Rome or school. I felt like she was in Rome mostly because it was a good setting for Alessandro, but I felt like the story could have taken place in the US or Europe and gone down the same way. I know it sounds like that since this book is pretty much entirely about Lexie's relationship trouble, it's going to have a teenage-prissy-drama queen vibe, but trust me that it doesn't (I mean, it's also New Adult, though I have read some questionable new "adult" novels). You won't have to deal with the annoying angst buildup here.  Lisa Desrochers wrote this book beautifully in my opinion, and definitely builds the tension and romances in ways that fully seize your attention instead of turning your head in the other direction.

It's an understatement to say that it is difficult to pick a team in this novel. At the beginning of the book I was in LOVE with Trent--he was such a gentleman despite his jock-like exterior. He was tender and charming and musical. I think I was a hopeless Trent girl until about halfway into the book, and I believe I can speak for both Dani and I that Alessandro garnered most of our adoration by the end. He's just such a deep and real character, and I didn't feel like he was there as some sex distraction for Lexie or anything like that. Yeah he's hot, but there's more to Alessandro than that. Both Trent and Alessandro are just amazing male leads and nearly impossible to choose between, but Alessandro really grew on me. I guess I have to consider we only ever get to hear Trent's voice through the text messages and phone calls he has with Lexie, while Alessandro was right around the corner. Neither guy is perfect, and I appreciate that sentiment. Alessandro especially, has his own devastating demons to fight. Yes, it is a love triangle, but every corner plays a pivotal role to the conclusion. In the end I think Lexie ended up with the right guy--not gonna say who--and although it probably angered 50% of all the fans out there, I think Lisa Des did right with Lexie's story.

The synopsis comes across as some serious and grim tragic love tale, but A Little Too Far is a steamy, sexy yet heartfelt read that will leave you breathless on one page and swooning on the next. Every character is described so vividly, and each of their individuality's shines through the prose. This book is everything we hoped for it to be and more, and A Little Too Much is on our prospective to-read list. It is imperative for us to read that sequel as soon as possible!

Cover Reveal: Fifty First Times Anthology

I just signed up with Lisa Desrochers to do a late-ish cover reveal of the new Avon Romance (through Avon Impulse) anthology, Fifty First Times, which features various New Adult stories from the following authors:

Gennifer Albin

 Julie Cross

 Lisa Desrochers

 Cole Gibsen

 Sophie Jordan

 Melissa Landers

 Lauren Layne

 Roni Loren

 J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

 Molly McAdams

 Myra McEntire

 Hannah Moskowitz,

 Lyla Payne

Mark Perini 

Carrie Ryan

 Andrew Shaffer

Alessandra Thomas

Melissa West

Tracy Wolff

 Ready for the cover? It's hot!

 

Description:

"Fifty First Times" is a collection of fictional short stories from variety of published Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Romance authors aimed at a New Adult audience. Each story magnifies a moment in two characters’ lives that shows the reader their decision to take physical intimacy to a new level, the events leading up to this moment and in some cases, the events that follow.

Fifty First Times is out on February 25th, 2014, not long away from now (which coincidentally has the same release day as the WOW I did earlier today...). I have books from plenty of the authors featured in the book, so I think I'll be on the lookout for this. 

Goodreads Link (for early reviews and news):

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18513487-fifty-first-times

Interested? Here are some buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8P3A36/

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fifty-first-times-julie-cross/1118477580?ean=9780062329707

  

I do not know if any of these stories are spoilers for any of the authors' books, or if you need to have already read some of their respective books to understand the stories within this, but there are lots of great authors included on the list and you would not be missing out with this anthology! Also FYI, there are a few giveaways planned for the release of Fifty First Times, so keep your eyes opened for the rafflecopter on blogs closer to the release date!

Happy Reading ~

Steph

Waiting On Wednesday (17): Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This is a meme that many book blogs participate in to goggle over highly anticipated upcoming releases and fabulous covers and authors!

 

 

Here's our blogging meme of the week! Today's WOW is Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott, the first book to her new series with the title name. I totally fell in love with her after reading The Liberator, and I can't wait to see how this book plays out!

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

 

I really haven't been keeping up-to-date with this book, but I was looking through my to-read list on G-reads and found this book to be coming out this month! That's right, Fire & Flood will be released on February 25th, less than 3 weeks away. 

Fire & Flood by description sounds like a daunting adventure and perhaps with a slight dystopian edge. I definitely will be trying to get my hands on a copy of this series debut as soon as it is out!

Steph

Review: Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

Steph's Rating: 4 stars

Overall Rating: 4 stars

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Publication Date: March 30th, 2013

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 400

Goodreads Synopsis:

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

Steph's Review:

*FYI, this is a New Adult/Adult novel, for those sensitive to the genre*

Suddenly Royal is a light and flirty read for fans of contemporary romance! This is one of the books I won in the Molly McAdams Pranktacular Giveaway, and I was immediately drawn to this book above all of the other prizes as soon as I read the synopsis. I just knew this was going to be a fun read for me.

Samantha (Sam) Rousseau is a grad student wildlife biologist at a university in Minnesota. She's busy with her degree, her work, and taking care of her stepfather, and doesn't give attention to many things outside of that. When a Duchess and Prince arrive at the university and ask to meet with her, she automatically assumes she will meet with them in place of the department's director to discuss a donation to the school. Upon meeting the royalty of Lilaria, she is flabbergasted to find out that Duchess Rose and Crown Prince Alex were there for one reason--her--to tell her that her family is descendant of Lilarian royalty, and that it is time for her to claim her title.

It's hardly an easy decision. In Lilaria, fame, wealth, and status wait for her, and Prince Alex is starting to show her signs of interest... She will never have to worry about her financial security and rent again, but is a crown worth putting the pressure on her family and friends and leaving behind her dream career?

I actually expected there to be more political backstabbing and "royal" drama in this book as Sam has to adjust to her new life dubbed as "America's Duchess", but I feel like it was half about her moving into Lilaria and half about her relationship solely with Alex. It isn't an action packed or suspenseful story, just a cute contemporary romance to brighten up your day. Even though it didn't have a lot of the elements I usually look for in my choice of books, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Suddenly Royal.

And of course, part if that is because of Alex. He has been added onto our Book Boyfriend list. He is that utterly perfect Prince Charming with an added hint of sexy and ego that will make every lady around the world swoon on their feet. I really liked that Nichole Chase took the time to grow his and Sam's relationship too. At first he was just interested, but mostly there to help Sam adjust, at least until that grew into something more for both of them. You won't be finding much insta-love here!

Sam isn't lacking either. She has a sensible and collected exterior (mostly--you will probably get mad at her at one point though ;) ), but still has the undercurrent of fire and feisty-ness that will get her through her sticky situation. In otherwords, she's a girl with a tough backbone.

Obviously, I'm not royal, so I can hardly say if Nichole Chase's view on royalty and what they deal with is accurate, but I still love her take on them. I'm sure you will hate journalists and reporters by the end of this book :).

If you've got space on your shelf, be sure not to miss this modern-Cinderella story! I will be on the lookout in March for Recklessly Royal, which features a story about Cathy, Alex's younger sister. So glad I found this author!

Steph

*Side Note: I would just like to mention that Be With Me by J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout) and Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi are out today! Be looking out for those titles as well!