Book Highlight: Unfiltered & Unlawful by Payge Galvin & Ronnie Douglas

Title: Unfiltered & Unlawful
Author: Payge Galvin & Ronnie Douglas
Series: Unfiltered #1
Genre: Adult Romance
Expected Publication: January 15, 2013

After a night-shift shooting of a drug dealer in The Coffee Cave, thirteen strangers each walk out with more than $100,000 in dirty money, a pact never to meet again, and the chance to start over …

Until that night, Sasha "Sugar" Kovac spent her days selling coffee to the co-eds at ASU Rio Verde and her nights trying not to run back to her ex…or join the throngs of girls lusting after her friend, Adam.

But why should Sugar give in to the Harley-riding tattoo artist when his longest relationships haven't lasted more than a weekend?

Sugar's life takes a turn for the dangerous when someone comes looking for the people connected to the Cave shooting and the cash they split. To protect herself and those she cares about, Sugar has to get out of town --and fast.  When Adam insists on coming with her, Sugar finds herself holed up in a tiny house with a hot man, a stash of cash, and a lot of secrets.

Can Sugar protect both her life and her heart when temptation is so close? Or is the past she's fled going to catch up with her?

"A full-throttle read that's dangerously sexy and exciting. I can't wait to see what happens next!"  -- Jeaniene Frost, NY Times bestselling author of the Night Huntress Series

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Excerpt

Chapter 1

First there was sex, and then came death. I just had no idea that the two were so tangled together until everything fell apart so spectacularly.  I was at work at The Coffee Cave on Saturday night trying to ignore thoughts of the sex I couldn’t have—and consequently craved even more than the drugs that I used to need more than my next gasp of air. 

I’d been off the poison for going on five months and away from my ex, Tommy, for the same time. The difference was that I still slipped up on the sex-with-Tommy front. It was stupid, but I wasn’t ready to let go of the way we were without words or clothes between us.  Neither was Tommy.  If we had let go of the lingering threads of our two-year relationship, I’d be all over the beautiful tattoo artist who was smiling at me as I started a fresh pot of his favorite coffee. 

Adam was the fantasy, the man I pictured when I allowed myself to dream of the happily ever after I’d never get.  I settled for calling him my friend, and being the eager recipient of his smiles and confidences.

“You know I’ll drink whatever you have brewed,” Adam said, his deep blue eyes crinkling at the corners .

“And you know you’re happy that I make the coffee you actually prefer.” I grinned at him.  I wasn’t flirting. I tried my damnedest not to do that with him. I was pretty sure that I was the only woman in Rio Verde who tried not to flirt with him.

Adam Bradbery was six feet of taut muscle and gorgeous ink. With his smoothly-shaved head and five o’clock shadow, he was the kind of guy who had nothing but bad habits, but he was actually a bit of a food purist. He made me want to give up more of my lingering bad habits. I’d already given up cocaine because of the conversations we’d had.

Adam flashed me another perfect smile and said, “Thanks. I do prefer the organic Kona. Shade grown, toxin free. It’s better for you.”

“Uh huh. I’ve heard the speeches a few times already, Adam. Toxins are bad; organic is good.”  I smiled at him though. I didn’t mind his speeches even a little. I didn’t mind anything about Adam. He was my ideal for what I wanted if I ever had a normal relationship: strong, smart, healthy, and sexy.

His was the kind of build that made women sigh and men pause. Adam looked intimidating even in his most gentle moods. He had the sheer size that often meant that he didn’t need to raise a fist to stop a fight.  He had no fat anywhere on him.  Adam was all muscle, and his spa-perfect skin was liberally decorated with tattoos.  Even out in the desert sun, his art still looked crisp. The man knew how to take care of his body, and it showed.  He was a bit intense about his health. No drugs. No cigarettes. He lived on an organic diet.  He was also committed to meditation and a rigorous work-out schedule of boxing, weightlifting, and running.  Somehow, Adam managed to be bad-ass and supremely healthy all at once.  He drank a little, but his only true vice was indulging in naked relationships with far too many of the ink bunnies who loitered in his path.  Sex was Adam’s one big weakness.  It was easy to see why. Looking at him for longer than a minute was enough to make me consider taking a turn in his line of all-too-willing partners.

Unfortunately, Adam was also Tommy’s cousin, so Adam and I were firmly in the friend zone.  There were perks to being his friend, of course. We had conversations, lunches, shared a drink after work most weeks. Being the only girl in his life that was around for more than a night was the biggest perk. I knew that the rest of the girls were fleeting, but I was a part of his life—and it would stay that way as long as we didn’t fall into bed.

I still looked. A lot. Whenever I had an excuse, like right now, I let my gaze roam where my hands and lips couldn’t.  I dreamed of him, and I fantasized about what life would be like if I wasn’t such a mess and he was willing to do commitments.  That was all it could be: dreams and fantasies. 

As I tried to keep my thoughts from my expression, Adam repeated his regular question of late: “When are you coming by Sinners to finish the piece?”

I shrugged as I stacked clean mugs on the counter.  I glanced around the shop at the two drunk girls who seemed to be having a heated conversation in a low voice, the customers studying or staring at their laptops, and my co-worker Cass who was staring at Dillon, the hot musician singing to the motley crowd.  There were no distractions to save me from the conversation.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to get my tattoo done, but I had my reasons for putting it off. “Not sure,” I muttered.

“I’ll be at The Tiger tonight if you want to look at your schedule with me,” he offered.

I nodded, glancing again at one of the drunk girls who looked like she was going to spew at any minute.  Cass was glaring at the girls as if willpower alone would prevent vomit.  The only thing keeping her from getting rude was the way Dillon’s voice kept distracting her. He was like that: the voice of either an angel or a devil. 

“I don’t know,” I told Adam, who was standing with his hands on the counter and his gaze on me.

The truth was that I wasn’t sure I could handle seeing him tonight, especially at the local dive bar. He never picked up his fling of the moment in front of me anymore, but sometimes I thought that only made it harder to remind myself that he was off limits.  My eyes traced over the light gleam of sweat of his tattooed biceps and the way the torn black t-shirt clung to his chest and abs. Every inch of his body was so lickably gorgeous that it was hard not to sigh. Adam was built to be sighed over.  The shaved head, bright blue eyes, and sculpted muscles combined to make him damn near irresistible.  I had resisted though. Even though I was single again, I resisted. He was a friend when I’d been in desperate need of a shoulder, even bringing me soup when I was sick and alone one weekend.  Despite his revolving bedroom door, Adam was definitely one of the good guys.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous. I’d seen him throw down in more than a couple fights. Being a tattooist sometimes meant dealing with an unsavory crowd. Being Tommy’s cousin often meant dealing with a bad element.  Adam handled the worst of them like an off-duty MMA fighter . . . which made him risky in a whole different way for me. I liked men who could handle themselves in a brawl.  Hell, I liked everything about him.

I quickly looked down at a burn mark on the counter before my staring was too obvious. I wished my hair wasn’t all pulled back in a braid. It was harder to hide my face without my hair to use as a shield.  I wasn’t going to ruin our friendship—or Adam’s relationship with Tommy—by thinking about Adam’s perfect mouth or his obscenely muscular body. Okay, I wasn’t going to ruin it by letting him know I thought about it. I couldn’t really stop thinking about him, not entirely. I’d tried.

“As soon as I can,” I said. “I promise. I want to get my tattoo finished. I just can’t right now.”

I didn’t tell him why. I knew he thought it was about money, and I let him think that.  It wasn’t like I had much money to spare.  I would for this, but that wasn’t the real problem. The tattoo I’d started in January—a series of cherry blossoms and branches that spanned my right side and would eventually stretch under my right breast and ease along my hip—was something I’d wanted for years, but we’d reached the part of the piece that was on my chest, and I couldn’t handle being stretched out topless on Adam’s table while his beautiful hands held me in place.  It was difficult enough when he was working on my side and back.  The one session we’d had where he’d started the outline on my chest had sent me running out the door.

Friends. Friends was good. Friends meant I couldn’t allow myself the tremors I felt when his eyes and hands were all about me.

A banging noise in the back drew my attention. I didn’t even want to ask who was having sex in the bathroom again. I knew we were a bit of a dive, but really? Sex in the coffee shop bathroom? It was vulgar.

“We can work something out, Sasha,” Adam suggested, once more pulling my attention to him. 

“Not right now.” I loved the way he said my real name. No one else used it.  Everyone had started calling me Sugar since I took up with Tommy a couple years ago. He had introduced me as Sugar Sweet when I met people, and they mostly figured it was what I wanted to be called. So, Sugar became my name. It was even what I called myself.  Adam refused to use it. To him, and him alone, I was still Sasha.

He gave me a strange look that I couldn’t read. On someone else, I’d have said it was jealousy, but Adam and I weren’t like that.  We were friends.

“Are you back with Tommy?” he asked.

I shook my head.  My New Year’s Resolution this year was to get my shit together.  Tommy wasn’t willing to do the same, so we split up. Most of the time we even stayed split up.  Not all the time though. Staying clear of drugs was easier than staying away from Tommy.

“I’m not with anyone,” I told Adam. I met his eyes as I added, “I’m not back on the shit either. Five months.”

Adam nodded. “Just asking. I know it’s hard, and you’ve been doing great.” He paused and gave me a proud look. “You’re strong enough to do anything you want, Sash. Tommy’s good people, but you don’t need mixed up in the shit he sells.”

I caught Cass watching us then.  She was always quick to suggest I should work out my issues with Tommy by overdosing on the lusciousness that was Adam.  She didn’t understand that I didn’t want to throw Adam’s friendship away over a few days of sex, and even if I did want to, I couldn’t see Adam doing that to Tommy. Seeing Cass made all of my arguments to her rise up in my mind.  It helped.

“I’ll call you soon. Promise,” I told Adam.

He paid for his coffee—black, no sugar or cream, nothing fancy other than the beans themselves—and then dropped a ten-dollar bill onto the counter.  Before he turned away he added, “You don’t have to avoid me because you’re too stubborn to let me do your art on credit, you know?”

“Sinners Ink doesn’t accept credit,” I reminded him.

“The shop doesn’t, but I would for you, Sasha.” He looked at me with the same smoldering gaze that made all the ink bunnies drop to their knees if he gave them half a chance.

“I don’t need credit.”

“The option’s on the table if you change your mind. If you aren’t coming by for art, we can still grab a drink or whatever.”

“I’m sure you’ve been busy, and I don’t want to get in the way of your social life,” I said.  He was a great friend, and I didn’t want to screw it up by hanging around all the time like I was one of the ink groupies or the girl who chases away all his hook-ups.

“You’re never in the way,” he said. He shook his head, turned, and left.

I watched him go, wishing things were different. He was beautiful, sweet, and covered with the kind of tattoos that made clothing seem like a crime. For as long as I’d known him, he was also with a different girl every week, and he wouldn’t poach Tommy’s territory even if I ever admitted that I wanted poached. There was no way anything could happen with Adam. Not now. Not ever. Neither of us was looking for a relationship.  He screwed ink bunnies, and I still made late night visits to Tommy more often than I should.  I just needed to keep some space while I got my head around the fact that he was off limits.  Our last few tattoo sessions had made that detail absurdly hard to remember. The man was gifted with his hands even when he was just doing his job.  It was embarrassing how close I’d come to whimpering simply by being tattooed by him.

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About the Authors

PAYGE GALVIN has always wanted to be a writer.  She also loves spending time with her friends, so after a few cosmos at the pool with her friends, the idea for UNFILTERED was born.  Together the group wrote thirteen books about thirteen strangers who share a dark secret…and who all want to find love (because, really, who doesn't?).

VERONICA DOUGLAS has a weakness for trying new things. Some of those have been rather unwise (going for a Harley ride in the rain while wearing nothing but a bikini and boots) and some have been much wiser (writing a book series with thirteen friends). But it’s all been a lot of fun.

You can follow Payge on Twitter at @PaygeGalvin or Ronnie at @ronnieadouglas, or keep up with all the latest news on the Unfiltered series at www.unfilteredbooks.com.

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Giveaway

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January Random Reads (1): Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This year I decided that, since I didn't join in on any reading challenges (I know, the sacrilege! *gasps*), I should let something else decide what books to read and in what order. I also wanted to do this because, honestly, my TBR mountain scares me and I've no idea what I should read first. So I'm joining in on Sarah's meme and I'll let Random.org choose my books for me.

The rules are pretty simple:

1. If you’re on Goodreads enable sorting to your to-read shelf
2. Go to Random.org and type in the Min as 1 and the Max as how many ever books are on your to-read shelf.
3. Scroll down to the book matching the number Random.org picks.
4. Link up to your Random Reads post. If you choose more than one book per month, be sure to put a number by your name in the list so it doesn’t look like a duplicate.
5. Read and be merry.

Here's what Random.org chose for me: 263. That means *drum roll*...

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Yay! I'm so excited to read this book. As you know, I'm a huge fan of Armentrout's Lux series and I'm also a bit sad that it's going to end *pouting* But I have heard a lot of good things about her other books, especially the Covenant series, so it has been patiently waiting on my TBR island. I can't wait to read this book.

Tour Highlight: The One by Lorhainne Eckhart

Title: The One
Author: Lorhainne Eckhart
Genre: Adult Romance
Publication: December 23, 2013

Margaret Gordon was once a prominent  Seattle surgeon, until a slip of the knife leaves a young boy without a future. Margaret is fired and returns to her hometown, the perfect spot to hide out from everyone and to lick her wounds, with no one around but her horse.

Margaret never considered herself a horse person. In truth, she understands horses better than people. And when the now-widowed Joe Wilde drives in one morning with a teenage boy and a horse with a problem, Margaret turns into that klutzy teenage misfit that silently carried a torch for Joe all through school. But when smooth-talking Joe convinces Margaret into working with the temperamental horse, she grows closer to his son Ryan, and soon learns the horse’s issues have more to do with father and son, and Ryan’s anxiety over the fact his father is now dating a woman who is only interested in the sexy Joe Wilde, and not his misfit of a son.

The only problem is Ryan wants Margaret to be his mother, so he takes matters into his own hands setting Margaret in his father’s path, every chance he gets. Even though sparks fly and sizzle between them Joe believes Margaret has despised him all his life, and decides all his  rebellious son needs is a mother. But when Joe proposes marriage to the wrong woman, his son takes off with a backpack and a feisty horse, into the Backcountry.

Except to Joe’s surprise, it’s Margaret who saddles up her horse,  and heads off alone with him in over a hundred of miles of wilderness in a race against time and the elements to find his son. And with his son's life in jeopardy will that be enough for Joe and Margaret to put aside their differences and realize that the other is, The One?

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TOUR SCHEDULE

January 6^th

TattooedBook Review 

January 7^th

GoodChoice Reading

January 8^th

Booksand Their Worldly Realm

January 9^th

Musingsof Immortals

January 10^th

RipeFor Reader

January 13^th

DealSharing Aunt

January 14^th

CoullCritiques

January 15^th

MythicalBooks

January 16^th

Dalene'sBook Reviews

January 17^th

Paulette'sPapers

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About Lorhainne

2012 was an amazing year in the publishing world for me, and it started with The Forgotten Child, which landed on the Amazon bestseller list for western romance and romance series. 2013 has seen me posted in the top 100 authors on Amazon for romantic suspense, mystery/thrillers, and police procedurals.

Where did it all begin? In 2008, I published my first novel, The Captain’s Lady, a contemporary military romance, through The Wild Rose Press. I’ve since received the rights back from my publisher, and I rewrote the book and republished it with a brand new title, Saved.

I write edgy romantic suspense (Walk the Right Road Series), western romance (Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series), and young adult mystery, and I warn my readers to expect the unexpected. I’m a mother of three children and we live on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. I encourage you to contact me by email; I do answer every email I receive.

Stay tuned. There is more to come from the Walk the Right Road Series and Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series, as well as a brand new western romance series coming later this fall, The One.

And to my readers and all of you who have shared my stories with your family and friends, a big, heartfelt thank-you.

Twitter | Facebook

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Book Review: Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Author: Shannon Messenger
Series: Sky Fall #1
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: March 5th 2013
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Source: Free read on Pulseit
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

I read this book during the #31 days of reading event on Pulseit.com. I've had that book on my TBR based solely on the awesome cover and when I saw it was included as a free read in the event I decided to read it right away.

I have to be honest and say that ever since I've read about the book, I've had Adele's song stuck in my head. After reading this book I kind of think the song fits with it. Not just because of the title, but the lyrics as well.

The first thing that I noticed about this book and that I loved with all my heart was that it was written from two POVs, Audra's and Vane's. This helped me get not only the two perspectives, but also a full view of the story, both the past and the present. And I felt that it was done in such a great way, it didn't confuse me, it didn't feel rushed or choppy in any way.

From the very beginning I thought Audra was very sad and very lonely. I couldn't quite understand why at first, but she just seemed lonely. My heart broke for her a few times reading this book. She was a fun character though and I really liked her a lot. She was also very strong and loyal and I felt that her pain fed that strength. I hated her mother immediately and I wanted to strangle her a few times.

Vane was a very funny guy. Oh sure, at times I wanted to smack him silly, but he's a teenage guy, so it wasn't THAT surprising. He's very loyal and I liked seeing him grow as a character. I also liked the fact that he genuinely loved his foster parents. He can be difficult at times, though. He is very smart too. I liked at the end when he figures out who the bad guy is.

Another character I absolutely adored was Gavin. I know, he's a bird, but I loved him. I think that if he could talk, he'd be a real smart-ass. I also have a thing for birds, so maybe I'm biased here.

Vane and Audra have a very complex relationship and while at first it seems a bit weird, as the story moves forward you figure things out and you understand it better. It makes sense ultimately and I liked seeing them together. They do know how to annoy each other sometimes, so that is fun to watch as well. But I do think they're great for each other. Vane helps Audra break out of her shell, become a better version of herself and not be so sad and lonely all the time; Audra makes Vane be more disciplined, which at first might seem difficult.

I did suspect a bit of what happened and who one of the bad guys might be and, honestly, this is one of those rare occasions when I'm happy it went down the way it did. I would've been a bit disappointed had it not, which is weird for me, I know. I also loved the ending. Vane knew exactly what Audra needed and he gave it to her, which I thought was simply amazing.

Another thing that I loved was the world. I liked the idea of controlling the wind and it was a first for me. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. I am hooked and I hope you give it a try if you haven't already.

Wednesday Chatter #6: Why I don’t write negative reviews

Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks


WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

 

There have been many discussions about posting negative reviews and the pros and the cons of that. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all heard of at least one blogger/ reviewer that received a lot of negative responses over a negative review. I also know that a lot of bloggers like to read on other book blogs both negative and positive reviews. I know I'm probably in the very small boat of people who don't write negative reviews, but here's my take on writing them.

I've had a few close friends who know about me being a blogger ask me why I don't write negative reviews. Do I like every book I read? Not necessarily. Are all the books that I love deserving of a 5 stars/cups/whatever-your-rating-system-is ? No. Am I trying to appear as a reader that likes everything she reads? Hell no. So why don't I post negative reviews? Easy.

I probably said this so many times, you guys are tired of hearing it, but it is the truth: it's very easy for me to DNF a book. It doesn't make me feel like I'm disappointing anyone, it doesn't make me feel like I didn't try hard enough. I don't have a system, a mark, a certain number of pages that I need to read before I decide I will not read one more page of a book. It's just a feeling I get or, if you like, it's like I lose a connection that maybe wasn't even there to begin with, but I thought it was. I read and then at some point it stops being a fun experience. When that happens, I shut the book, pick up another and I never give it another thought. Do I feel okay about DNFing a book? No, especially if it's a book that I was dying to read and everyone around me seems to love it except me. I don't feel fine at all. But it is what it is and instead of losing time reading something I know I won't enjoy, I just don't read it.  I really respect the readers who can keep reading even if they don't like the book, I really do. I wish I could read a book I didn't particularly enjoy, but I can't.

Ever since I discovered that reading was cool and that I loved books, there has been only one book that made me want to keep reading even though I didn't particularly like it, and that's the only book I've ever given a rating below 3 cups. Of course, in my twisted mind, I kept hoping that there was some paranormal element in it, some twist that will make the book magically awesome at some point. There wasn't but that's not the point. That review exists, it's on my blog and if you want, you can read it here. There's also a DNF review on my blog and even though I don't feel particularly good about writing and publishing it, I won't pull it from my blog. It just wouldn't seem fair.

Why don't I review DNFs? Well, it has nothing to do with the fact that you shouldn't review books you didn't finish. I think that as long as you can still be honest and respectful and have something to say about it, you should write it. But I find it so hard at times to explain why I decided to stop reading it. Yes, it's easy to say "I'm not reading this anymore", but explaining what led me to that decision is hard. Sometimes it can just be a word or expression I don't like, sometimes it can be a scene, sometimes it's a character or maybe I just don't click with the story. I don't write DNF reviews not because I don't want to, but because I honestly can't explain it at times.

I said earlier that I don't always like every book I read, which is true. This is why you'll find 3 cups reviews on my blog. But I've been reading for quite some time now and I have some good systems that allow me to know for sure if I'm going to like a book before I decide to buy it. Of course, there's always that book that slips through the cracks, the one book that doesn't raise any flags and then not liking it takes me by surprise.

For example. I don't like reading about time travel. I just don't get it. I understand the confusion of someone going into the future. Hell, if I went in the future and saw flying cars and weird robot-like creatures flying everywhere I'd be confused. But being confused about what was in the past? Come on, dummy, you studied about some of those things in history class, did nothing stick with you? I don't like reading about characters going in the past and being confused about what happens there. Oh, okay, I'd probably be confused as well if I went in the past, I don't know. But since I've tried reading a book about time travel and didn't enjoy it, I know when I see time travel on the blurb that I won't enjoy it and stay away from it. Am I losing some good books, worlds, characters or stories? Yes, I most certainly am. But why risk it? Why should I try reading a book about a subject I already know I don't like? So I just don't.

What I'm trying to say here is that I have no hidden reason for not writing negative reviews. I'm not trying to show readers and/or authors how positive I am or to appear as a reader that loves everything. Lord knows I don't and I couldn't stand it if I liked everything I read either. But I know how to choose my books and I know when to give up.  So that's my reason for not writing negative reviews.

What about you? Do you write negative reviews? What do you think about the whole should we/shouldn't we write them subject?

Books I'm dying to read in 2014

Hey everyone! 2014 is only one day away (or a few hours, depending on your time zone; or maybe it's already here, in which case Happy New Year!!) and I've been thinking of all the awesome books that will be published in 2014. I have a big list of those (who doesn't?) and I hope I'll have time to read them all. Here are a few of those books:

YA

• Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I am so not ready for this series to end *sobs* I really loved Daemon and Katy's story and the latest book just broke my heart. :-(
• Illusion by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Seriously, no list would be complete without at least one book by my favorite author in the whole wide world. Inferno not only finished in a most surprising way, it also had some big details regarding the world of the Dark Hunters and a certain group of characters. After reading Styxx I am dying to know if my suspicions regarding some characters are correct or not. 
• Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead - I wasn't so surprised by what happened at the end of The Fiery Heart. After reading the Vampire Academy series, I've actually been expecting something like that to happen. What will be a huge surprise is what comes next. There are a few things I'm keeping my fingers crossed for.
• Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins - Another amazing series is ending next year and my heart is breaking over this one. But I really can't wait for this one and I hope there will be some major ass kicking in it :D
• The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa - I can't wait to see what happens with Zeke and Allie and the rest of the gang. I am not ready for this series to end, but I sure am excited about this book. 
• Let The Storms Break by Shannon Messenger - I read the first book a few days ago, during the #31 days of reading on Pulseit.com and I loved it a lot. I can't wait to see what's coming and I am very curious about the cover for book 3.
• Uninvited by Sophie Jordan - Killer gene and amazing hair on that cover. Need I say more?
• White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I loved Bitter Sweet Love and it was my very first book about gargoyles. I love gargoyles (both the statues and the cartoon, remember that one?) and I am so ready to read more about these creatures :D

ADULT

• Son of No One by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Apparently there's a secret about Thorn that's going to be revealed in this book. I can't wait to see what this secret is. I am hoping this book won't break my heart as much as Styxx did. I don't think it could handle it. I am, however, ready for awesomeness :D
• Melting the Ice by Jaci Burton- This is another of my favorite authors and she writes amazingly sexy, funny and good stories. The Play by Play series is one of my favorites and I am so happy it's not ending anytime soon.
• Revenant by Larissa Ione - I know Reaver just came out, but I am soooooo excited to read about this character's story. If you've read Reaver, you know who Revenant is. If you haven't read it, go ahead and do it!
• Chained By Night by Larissa Ione - I really loved the first book in the series. Plus, it has vampires and they never get old for me :D
• The Professional parts 2 & 3 by Kresley Cole - I adored the first part and I seriously need to read more of Sevastyan and I'll pretend the heroine is actually named Ruby *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*

I am missing a few books that I am absolutely dying to read, but I can't help it. In case you want to see the whole list, go here. What about you? What are the books you can't wait for in 2014?

Book Highlight: The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

Title: The Forgotten Ones
Author: Laura Howard
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
Series: The Danaan Trilogy #1
Published: April 28, 2013

Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.

Amazon | B&N

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

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2014 Bookish Resolutions

Hey people! I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and that Santa brought you all the goodies you wished for.

So, we all make New Year's resolutions. I tell myself every year I will not, but the last week of December starts and I'm back to planning stuff for next year. I don't know, maybe I'm just bored or something, but I keep making them. I thought that instead of making resolutions for my personal and/or professional life (those resolutions are a tad boring and they get so repetitive) I'd stick to bookish resolutions this year.

• Read from the TBR pile more

Since I decided not to make any more requests for ARCs, this should be doable. I plan on making a dent in my 1000+ mountain of TBR next year. Hopefully, it will count for something, though I believe that list is a descendant of Hydra.

• Lower thy expectations

This one is a bit harder to keep, but I've noticed the bigger the hype around a book and the more a book is loved by most of my fellow bloggers, the higher my expectations. I will try in 2014 to not let my expectations get so big.

• Write down reviews as soon as I finish reading a book

This is something that I never do and while most of the times it's not problematic and I can remember most of what happened during the book I'm trying to review, I've had some problems recently. Granted, I've been under a lot of stress what with my exams and my dissertation, but I still want to make a habit of writing the review right after I finish the book.

• Schedule posts more often

I know, I'm terrible with this, but I promise I'll get better. I swear!

• Read the books I already own before buying new ones

Actually, this could go hand in hand with the first resolution. I figure the first step in making a dent in my TBR pile would be to actually read the books I've already bought, the ones that are patiently waiting on my shelves and that are silently begging me to read them. So I'll do that this year.

• While reading, take notes that actually make sense

I have found that taking notes during reading helps me write better reviews. I didn't think it was possible, at first, but I've tried it and it actually works. HOWEVER. I actually need to take notes that make sense. I scheduled a review for a book I read a few weeks ago and I found it rather difficult to understand what the hell I was talking about when I wrote certain things down. So maybe I'll get a notebook and use it and write down something that is easy to understand. Maybe even write down page number, start of the paragraph, stuff like that.

This is the list that I came up with and I want to meet every goal I for myself, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. What about you? Did you make any resolutions for 2014? I'd love to hear about them.

Book Highlight: Astrid, The Dragonslayer's Blacksmith: a mini novel by Resa Nelson

Blurb:

Astrid constantly worries about her place in the village of Guell. She loves being the apprentice of Guell’s blacksmith, Temple. But Temple bought her from a childseller many years ago, which means Astrid has no blood kin in Guell. If anything should happen to Temple she’s likely to lose her home, her work, and her sweetheart, DiStephan, the dragonslayer’s son.

One day Astrid’s worst fear comes true when Temple and DiStephan fail to return from a short journey to a nearby village. A teenage boy named Finehurst arrives in Guell, claiming to be Temple’s nephew and rightful heir – and insisting that he saw Temple and DiStephan killed by a dragon. The villagers are divided in their opinion of Finehurst, but Astrid is soon thrown out of her own home, desperate to find a way to regain it. Before the dragonslayer goes in search of his missing son DiStephan and Astrid’s mentor Temple, he sets forth a challenge for Finehurst and Astrid to prove their blacksmithing skills by forging a dagger. Normally, Astrid would be confident, but the village’s iron supplies are so low that she doesn’t know how she can possibly make a dagger that can prove her worth.

Astrid, The Dragonslayer’s Blacksmith is an all new mini novel that takes place in Resa Nelson’s Dragonslayer world (the 4-book series includes The Dragonslayer’s Sword, The Iron Maiden, The Stone of Darkness, and The Dragon’s Egg). Appropriate for adults and teens, ages 14 and up.

Buy it: Amazon
Author Pages: Twitter | Website


Hey guys! I've been obsessed with this awesome series for almost two years now and I was soooo excited to hear there's a new story in this world!! And because Resa is sooo fantastic, she is giving this book for free on Amazon. That's right, FREE!! So, click here and get it right now!! And hurry up, it will only be free until December 27th.

End of Year Book Survey 2013

Hey everyone! I'm back! I decided this year I was going to do the "End of Year Book Survey" hosted by the awesome Jamie from Perpetual Page Turner. Here we go!

BEST IN BOOKS 2013

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

While I've read a lot of awesome books, I have to say none of them tops Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

2. Book You Were Excited About &  Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

There are two books that fit here. One of them is Partials by Dan Wells. The other one I haven't finished reading yet (which is why I won't mention the title), but from what I've read so far I feel like I'm definitely missing something, because almost all the reviews I've read are more than just glowing and positive. I will finish reading it, but so far I don't seem to click with this book.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

Mad World: Epidemic by Samarie Provost. I wasn't expecting to like a zombie book. Granted, the zombies are the bad guys, but still, it was surprising.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Errr...Hmmm. I am ashamed to say I can't think of any book I've recommended this year. I mean, I did do some book pimping, but not with books I've read this year. Oops.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Jennifer L. Armentrout, Veronica Roth, Debra Driza and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few other awesome authors out there.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

The Mad World series by Samaire Provost was a new one for me. Like I said before, I've never read about zombies, but I liked it :D

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Right now it's a tie between Larissa Ione's Reaver and Sherrilyn Kenyon's Styxx. Both are simply amazing.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Ha! I like this question. So besides the by now obvious Reaver and Styxx (because those two need to be read at least two or three times) I can't wait to re-read Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

Four from Divergent *swoon*.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

If we're talking book hangover then definitely Styxx. I couldn't touch another book for about a week or so.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I kept mentally smacking myself for not picking this up earlier.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

This is one of the funniest I could think of and if you've read the Dark Hunter series, you know all about Artemis and her vocabulary problems :D And before you ask, yes, this is from Styxx.

Artemis smiled. “Yes, well, payback’s a cat.”
Acheron sighed and rubbed his head. “I absolutely give up.” 

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

I'm not sure about the shortest book, but the longest is Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon, with 836 pages.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

Okay, I'm going to sound like a broken record here, I know. After I read Styxx I had this massive book hangover. During it I decided to stick with Sherrilyn Kenyon and I sort of re-read the latest installment in Chronicles of Nick, Inferno. There's one scene there that ties Chronicles of Nick and Styxx and I won't talk about it because of major spoilers. But it left me wide eyed and half confused because I have no idea what to do with that information.

There was another book that had a WTF moment and it's in Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout and it involves two characters that were previously thought to be dead.

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Lottie and Zan from Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron have a very strange relationship. Yes, it eventually turns into a romantic one, but their pasts are so painful that it makes their story very unique.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead was fantastic.

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else

The Assassin's Curse  by Cassandra Rose Clarke. I joined the Book Buddies group on BookBlogging and Anya from On Starships and Dragons wanted to read the second book in the series. We buddied up to read it, but I had to read the first one as well. I really enjoyed the book and I'm halfway through the second book now. I enjoy the world in this series a lot and I hope there will be more to follow :)

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013

This is a hard one to answer. Definitely fantasy, but I couldn't tell you the sub-genre very well. I am sure, however, that I didn't read as many contemporaries as usual.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Four from Divergent is my newest obsession.

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza was pretty awesome. Also The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger, The Assassin's Curse.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

I can't choose a book for this, because I have fun reading any book. I don't have a scale for how much fun I have reading a book. If I did, then all would be at a 10.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

I cried like a baby reading Styxx. I tear up just remembering certain scenes.

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Errr...I am ashamed to say I have no idea. I usually don't pay attention to how much a book is talked about unless it's way to obvious and the hype is inescapable (think Twilight).