#Shelflove: Finance

Fist of all, I haven't read a single book for this challenge. I am horrible, I know, but there's a good reason for it. Besides the never-ending thesis that I hope I'll finish before the zombie apocalypse starts *fingers crossed*. I started reading one of the books from that list immediately after signing up. However, the more I read, the more the book disappointed me. Now, usually, as you all know, I just DNF it and move on to the next one without blinking. However, this time, this particular book is breaking my heart, because it's written by one of my all time favorite authors. So I'm now having a dilemma: keep reading or DNF it, even though it's heartbreaking and painful and sad, just sad. I did get to read half of it, but I just don't know....*sighs*

Anyway, finances. So far I haven't spent much on books. I did hoard tons of Amazon/Smashwords freebies , to be fair. I can't wait to start reading them. I do promise to read a book from my list this month.

How about you? Did you get to read any book from your Shelf Love list?

Cover Reveal: From Origins by Mary Ting

Skylar, Mason, and the other descendants embark a deadly quest to the underworld to confront the evil Hades, who has been plotting to kill off the descendants of all the gods.

On this journey, they soon discover that the ancient gods are not dead as once believed but are held captive in a secret location. In order to save the world from destruction at the hands of Hephaestus, the descendants must set out on a crusade to rescue the gods.

In the process, Skylar learns more about her bloodline and her powers, but there is also a heavy price to pay. The darkest forces known to man are about to return to reclaim their stolen kingdom. 

TEASER

Seeing nothing but darkness through door one heightened my awareness, and the mist that slowly crept out like thin layer of clouds, spreading and covering our feet, brought another level of fright. The ground started to shake, then a sound like thunder boomed, getting louder…louder…until it sounded more like a stampede.

My imagination got the best of me as I envision buffaloes charging for us. Roaring sounds burst in the air when a dozen of the Cerberuses tried to charge through at once. I would have preferred the buffaloes, but instead, we got Hades’s guard dogs.

Their glowing red eyes were what I saw first, then their vampire like teeth, and last three heads to a body. With serpent’s heads on the tips of their tales and lion like claws, they looked like they could rip us to shreds as they dashed for us as if we were a gourmet meal.

“Cerberus. I should have guessed.” Zara quaked, standing next to Tara. Extending both of their arms up, they were creating a shied. Blazing light engulfed us.

“You should have guessed sooner, but I don’t think it would have mattered.” Nick’s eyes glowed, ready to fight. “Here puppy, puppy. Let’s play.”

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Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

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#ShelfLove: The Book List

So last week I decided that out of all the reading challenges out there the Shelf Love one was the only one that I was going to officially sign up for. Lots of reasons behind that, the most important one being that I need to read the books I already have before buying new books.

Like I said in my sign-up post, I'm not going to include e-books in this challenge. No real reason behind it, just that I wanted to spend more time this year reading paperbacks rather than e-books. (There's another resolution for 2015!)

I currently have 28 books on my list. My Godreads shelf says only 27, however. The reason for that is simple. The 28th book is a book of Italian fairy tales, that unfortunately I couldn't find on Goodreads :( Here's the Amazon link to it, if you want to see what it looks like.

So yeah. 28 books. I feel like I'll add more books as I read the ones that are already on the list. There are about 10 more books, I think, that will end up on the list later on. I want to get at the end of this year with no unread books on my shelves. That would be nice, wouldn't it?

Anyway, I can't wait to get started with reading the books on that list. I'll most definitely start with Marc Levy's books, because as you probably already know, I'm pretty obsessed with his books. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'll start today, because I have a cold and I'm feeling pretty crappy because of it. I feel like a mutant, to be honest with you *pouts*

Are you participating in this challenge and if you are, what books are you most excited to read from your list?

Shelf Love 2015 Reading Challenge

Over the years I've bought a lot of books that are, unfortunately, sitting on my shelf looking pretty and collecting dust. When I heard about this challenge I decided to finally show those books the love they deserve and also to spend less money (for now at least) on new books.

This amazing challenge is hosted by the Rose, Julie and Lynn from ChapterBreak and Terri from Second Run Reviews. The rules are simple: read the books you already own and either abstain from buying new books or set up a monthly budget.

There are 6 levels that you can choose from:

• 1-10 books: shake hands with your shelves 
• 11-20 books: pat your shelves on the back 
• 21-30 books: give your shelves a warm friendly hug 
• 31-40 books: regular date night with your shelves 
• 41-50 books: my shelves are now my bff 
• 51+ books: my shelves and I are going steady

I'm choosing to read between 21 and 30 books from my shelf. I feel like this is the most realistic goal for me (we all know how bad I am at meeting them *sighs*). This, by the way, does not include digital books. 

If you want to join in on the fun, click on the photo or the links in the post and sign up.

Happy New Year, Blogosphere!

Hey everyone! Happy 1st January! I hope your holidays were amazing and filled with joy and happiness and family and I wish you a great 2015!

How are you today? I'm feeling kinda refreshed today. I did sleep in, to be fair, so I'm very relaxed and full of energy.

As you can see, I changed the color scheme of my blog again. What can I say, I was getting tired of the old one. I think I'll stick to this one for some time. I'm also working on some posts for the blog, which I hope to finish soon and post.  If you don't know this, I'm close to graduating and hopefully after that happens I'll have lots of free time to catch up with my reading. (Let's be honest, that will probably be about a week or so of being completely lazy, after that internship hunting starts *hides in a dark corner*).

Speaking of reading, what are you guys reading? I'm reading Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper - Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell and so far I'm enjoying it a lot. I bought the book about 8 months ago at a local charity shop and I decided to read it last week. That's actually one of my resolutions for this year: read the books I already own and are collecting dust on my shelf before I buy more books (good luck with that, Ruby!).

Anyway, that's it for today. I hope you had a great time last night and I wish you all an amazing 2015!

Release Blitz: The Mackenzie Duncan Box Set by Adrianne James

Title: The Mackenzie Duncan Box Set

Author: Adrianne James

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Includes: The Tempering, The Enlightening, The Uprising

Mackenzie Duncan's whole life is ripped from her by the teeth of a strange wolf with yellow-green eyes. Learning quickly that she now lived by the moon cycles was hard enough, but finding her heart torn between two hot Werewolves amidst the blood and violence her new life brought was almost too much to handle. When her new pack's secrets came to light, Mackenzie's conscious wouldn't let her stay quiet. Follow along the amazing journey as Mackenzie fights for what her heart wants and what her kind needs.

INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: Never before seen scene from Geoff's POV, roll call, play list, and Mackenzie's family tree!

→Purchase←

Amazon 

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→Excerpt←

Geoff stood in the doorway, watching them. Mackenzie was still angry with him, but that didn’t stop her insides from turning in circles or her skin from flushing with heat in his presence.

“Hey, you hungry?” Liam grunted out between bites, not noticing the obvious tension in the room.

“Nah. But can I talk to Mackenzie for a bit?” Liam looked between Mackenzie and Geoff for a moment, before standing and nodding his head.

“Yeah, sure. Hey, Mackenzie, maybe we can talk some more later?”

She smiled at him and nodded before he walked out with his plate in hand. Her gaze returned to Geoff. Mackenzie crossed her arms and sat back in her chair, waiting. If he wanted to talk, then he needed to talk. She had nothing to say.

“So, Liam came around like I said he would, huh?” Geoff’s grin was too damn cute. Mackenzie hated that it was so damn cute. She couldn’t understand why he had that affect on her. Most of the time, she welcomed it, but dammit, she was supposed to be mad at him.

“Uh huh.”

“You want to talk about what happened earlier?”

“You want to apologize?”

“Me? I don’t think I was the one who did anything wrong. I have told you before, if there is ever going to be you and me, and I really do want there to be, we have to take things slow. I know that your humanity is so recent that a few weeks time seems like forever when your hormones are in overdrive, but really, it’s nothing.”

“Oh, right. I’m the one to blame. I am twenty years old! I’m not a virgin, so why the hell should I have to go back to celibacy because Margret told you to take things slow? Is she in charge of your body? No one sure as hell told me that rule. And it’s not as if I tried to jump your bones right there! I kissed you. I didn’t even use tongue. All you had to do was not push me away. A peck, that’s all it would have been. But keeping up your golden boy routine is so much more important than embarrassing me in front of everyone.”

“Do you really think it would have been just a peck?” Geoff took a giant step forward, coming face to face with her. So close, she could feel the heat radiating off his skin and smell his grassy scent. Every nerve ending was on high alert as his words washed over her. “If you think I could stop with just a peck, you are mistaken.”

“Is that right? All you have ever managed to do was ogle me or hold my hand. Prove me wrong.” Mackenzie spoke with such confidence. She knew she was pushing him, but if it got his lips on hers, she was all for it.

“Mackenzie,” he growled out. His eyes were fierce and the caramel brown color caught the light in such a way that had her transfixed. If she had been able to look anywhere else, she would have seen him wet his lips ever so slightly.

She couldn’t even form words in response, only a growl escaped her. Before she knew what was happening, Geoff had his hands in her hair, gripping tightly as he pulled their bodies together and smashed his lips against hers.

With a racing heart and flaming skin, Mackenzie pressed herself closer to him. Her hands began to explore the contours of his back and found their way under his shirt. She needed to feel his skin on hers. Geoff walked them backwards, never removing his grip on her or his lips from hers, insistent on tasting every inch of her mouth. When the counter dug into her back, she pulled away slightly, just long enough to take a breath and hop up, allowing Geoff the room to stand between her legs and press himself more firmly against her .

Instead of waiting for Geoff to initiate the kiss again, she pulled him in fiercely. The moment his tongue touched the tip of her lip, she opened wide to him. Their tongues tangled together as his hands explored every inch of her body he could reach. Moaning into his mouth, Mackenzie rocked her hips forward, encouraging him. He thrust back into her with every movement. She had never felt as alive as she did in that moment.

Geoff let his lips wander away from hers, kissing along her jaw, nipping the skin over to her ear, suckling her earlobe, and then trailing kisses along her neck. Mackenzie pulled her hands from his back to his chest, running her nails along his skin the whole way. His skin erupted in goose bumps under her touch.

Mackenzie gripped the bottom of his shirt and ripped it from his body, letting the tattered cloth remains drop to the floor. She retreated so she could take in his beauty and was met with a steely glare. Geoff took a deep breath and two steps back, leaving her sitting on the counter breathing heavily in a lust-filled stupor.

“I told you I wouldn’t be able to stop at just a simple kiss. You didn’t believe me. Mackenzie, this cannot happen yet. There are reasons we must wait that I cannot tell you. I’m sorry. You know I want to. God, you know I do. But this cannot happen again. We have to prove to everyone that we are more than just lust-filled Weres.”

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→About the Books←

The Tempering, book #1

The Mythology department at prestigious Harvard University is tiny—and Mackenzie Duncan has just been selected as one of the lucky few. Her love for myths and legends is strong, but she never thought any of it could be real.

After being attacked by a large wolf while walking home alone, Mackenzie realizes something is not right. She heals quickly, is suddenly super strong, and is experiencing mood swings that can't possibly be normal. The myths she's studying aren't myths at all. Werewolves are real and she's one of them. Fear of what she is, and who she might hurt sends Mackenzie running from the life she’s worked hard to build–and straight into the arms of a handsome Were named Geoff and into the home of his pack. Living with her new pack takes the edge off her confusion and self-loathing, but the arrival of new pack members changes the dynamic, and tests Geoff and Mackenzie’s growing relationship.

The hardest part of being a werewolf is having no control and no memory of her time as a blood thirsty beast. When a moon cycle passes and she actually remembers bits and pieces of the night, she starts to ask questions, and the more questions she asks, the more she realizes she doesn't like the answers. Can she set aside her own sense of morals to belong to a pack that is like a family or will she leave everything behind yet again in search of a life she can be proud of?

The Enlightening, book #2

Mackenzie Duncan found out that pack life wasn’t for her. Now she is running for the second time in the six months since she was bitten and turned into a Werewolf. But this time, she isn’t alone. This time, she has Geoff and Liam with her, two very hot Werewolves vying for her heart.

But her companions aren't her focus. The only thing she can focus on is getting far from her old pack and their murderous ways. Only, she doesn’t just want to run. She wants to warn every pack she can that their lives are in danger too. No one should be turned against their will like she was and no other pack should have to surrender to the ideas of a centuries old, power hungry woman.

Not only does Mackenzie have to deal with her crazy ex-pack leader sending people out to kill her, she has to keep both men at arm’s length (and that proves to be much more difficult than she thought), but she finds out more about her own life and heritage than she ever thought imaginable.

And suddenly, everything makes sense....

The Uprising, book #3

Ever since Mackenzie Duncan watched her skin knit together after being ripped apart by a blood thirsty Werewolf, her life has been anything but normal. After being part of a pack with more secrets than the FBI, Mackenzie left and tried not to look back. Her old pack leader Margaret, a Royal wolf hungry to regain the throne and rule over all the world’s Werewolves, made that impossible. Figuring out who to trust was full of heart break, but moving forward left her with a clear path ahead.

After Mackenzie found out that she, too, is part of the Royal blood line and that she had inadvertently endangered every pack she came into contact with, she feels that it is her duty to help stop Margaret at all costs before any more blood is shed or another life is lost.

Despite traveling the world with Liam, the man she loves, her life is in danger at every turn in her hunt for other Werewolves willing to stand against Margaret. Who better to fight then the blood line that shunned the role of power centuries ago?

Bloody battles surround her at every turn and when Mackenzie thinks all is lost, she has to find a way to embrace her past and accept her future.

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→About Adrianne James←

Growing up, Adrianne couldn't get her hands on enough books to satisfy her need for the make believe. If she finished a novel and didn't have a new one ready and waiting for her, she began to create her own tales of magic and wonder. Now, as an adult, books s till make up majority of her free time, and now her tales get written down to be shared with the world.
During the day, Adrianne uses her camera to capture life's stories for clients of all ages and at night, after her two children are tucked in bed; she devotes herself to her written work. Adrianne is living the life she always wanted, surrounded by art and beauty, the written word and a loving family.
Paranormal Romance is Adrianne's most loved genre, but you will find she dabbles in contemporary stories as well. But one thing is for sure, Adrianne writes strong heroines and strong loves.  Website | Twitter ____________________________________________________________
→Giveaway←
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