Monday, August 1, 2016

ARC August: Sign up Post



ARC August starts today and let me tell you, I have waited for this for a long time. Now, I know what I said two years ago, about giving up ARCs and all of that, but I'm a book addict okay? And ARCs are my drug of choice. So, as you can probably tell, I have a lot of ARCs I need to go through, and what better way to do it, than in the company of so many great readers.

In case you're wondering, ARC August is an event hosted by the amazing, wonderful and awesome Octavia and Shelly from Read.Sleep.Repeat and if you want to participate, hurry up and sign up. (I admit that I signed up late, because like an idiot I forgot to make up the post. Like literally FORGOT to write it. Don't ask, working in a school kind of fried my brain).

Anyway, here are the books I hope to get to read this month (and there are a lot of books in this list, so have patience here):

Young Adult


Menagerie by Rachel Vincent
The Hawkweed Prophecy by Irena Brignull
The Otherlife by Julia Gray
Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven
The Continent by Keira Drake
Ink And Bone by Rachel Caine
Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine
Riverkeep by Martin Stewart
How To Make Out by Brianna R. Shrum
Extraordinary October by Diana Wagman

Adult


Relentless Flame by Jillian David
Flame Unleashed by Jillian David
Flame's Dawn by Jillian David
Wrong For Me by Jackie Ashenden
The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy Cambron
Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen
Playing By Her Rules by Amy Andrews
Bad Boys After Dark by Tina Moss, Ellis Leigh, Vivian Lane, Kallysten, Fionn Jameson, Shelley Munro, Nicola R. White, Bonnie Dee
Son Of Thunder by Libby Bishop
Lure Of Obsession by Lisa Kessler
Mastering Darkness by Kate Wendley
Abandoned Darkness by Kate Wendley
Chaos Rises by Pippa DaCosta


Comic Books



• Monstress issues #3, #4, #5 & #6 by Marjorie Liu


In case you didn't count, that's 27 books. Actually more, since Bad Boys After Dark is actually a collection of 8 full-length books, so 34 books to read for ARC August. Good thing I'm on vacation, right?

Are you joining on the fun? What does your TBR for this challenge look like?

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Book Review: #Static by Eric Laster

Author: Eric Laster
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Mystery & Thrillers
Publisher: Automatic Publishing
Release Date: 19 Apr 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):
When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who’s been dead a week, he’s sure it’s to help him find evidence that will lead to a murderer’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling, meant to help him adjust, is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with discontinued products.

Wilt’s death ruled a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling through high school and his single mom’s poor choices.

Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who’d wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they’ve ever had.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Automatic Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book in any way.

As soon as I saw the description on Netgalley I was intrigued, because the theme of a dead person being able to call a loved one is one that I haven't read much about. I was also a bit confused by the genre, because surely a book that talks about receiving phone calls from the dead has a little bit of fantasy in it, right? Or horror, depends on how you look at it.

It was interesting to read an entire story from a boy's POV. I found it a bit strange at times, but I definitely found it an interesting and good change from what I normally read.

I thought Curtis was a fascinating character. He had moments when he frustrated me, but for the most part I rooted for him and hoped he'd succeed in what he was doing. The story reveals a lot of things about Curtis that made me question some of the things about the story. I feel like, in the end, he does the best he can with the cards he was dealt. His parents are far from perfect, his life in general sucks. The fact that his brother died is important, but I feel like the fact that he got these phone calls from Wilt helped him cope or at least ignore the fact that Wilt isn't physically there for him when he needs him the most.

Remember when I said that I was confused by the genre? Well, the story itself left me with a lot of doubts regarding these phone calls. I kept wondering, mostly because of some of the details that emerged about Curtis throughout the book, if those phone calls were real. Which in a way I thought was brilliant, because then, depending on what you want to believe, there's two ways in which you can see the book. Either Curtis was completely delusional, or he really was talking to his dead brother on the phone.

I felt like the pace was a little too slow for my taste, and the ending turned out to be completely not what I imagined. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected.

My only issue was with the parents in this book. I would've wanted at least one of the parents to be somewhat normal, or at least true, mature adults. Actually, now that I think about it, all of the adults in this book weren't exactly role models, or even adults per se.

Anyway, I thought the book was okay and if you're fans of YA mysteries, you should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.


Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Release Blitz: Touch Me #3 by Skye Malone


Title: Touch Me #3 by Skye Malone
Series: Touch Me
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Wildflower Isle
Publication Date: February 18, 2015
Cover Designer: Karri Klawiter



Monsters walk among us.

And now they have Ruby.

Best friend. Confidant. Ally when everything in my life felt like hell. There are very few people I trust.

And none of them come close to Ruby.

But now demons have her. House Volgert has taken her, demanding that I serve as their emissary to the equally dangerous and terrifying House Linden. But Linden is after me too.

I’m stuck between two titans of the demon world. I’m running out of options and I’m running out of time. But when I find out what demons do to the humans they capture, the nightmare gets even worse.

If I don’t find Ruby soon, it won’t matter if she escapes the Houses.

I’m still going to lose her forever.

**Touch Me 3 is the third installment of a New Adult paranormal romance serial filled with twists, turns, and dark surprises. This episode is 30,000 words (approximately 125 pages) long.**

**Due to strong language and some sexual situations in this and later installments of the series, it is appropriate for readers 18+.**

Purchase

***

The Touch Me Series


Currently FREE

***




______________________________________________________________

About the Author

Skye Malone is a fantasy and paranormal romance author, which means she spends most of her time not-quite-convinced that the magical things she imagines couldn’t actually exist.
A Midwestern girl who migrated to the Pacific Northwest, she hopes someday to travel the world — though in the meantime she’ll take any story that whisks her off to a place where the fantastic lives inside the everyday. She loves strong and passionate characters, complex villains, and satisfying endings that stay with you long after the book is closed. An inveterate writer, she can’t go a day without getting her hands on a keyboard, and can usually be found typing away while she listens to all the adventures unfolding in her head.
Skye also writes YA urban fantasy as Megan Joel Peterson and is the author of The Children and the Blood trilogy.
______________________________________________________________

Excerpt
          
          Amar is studying me. His hand moves, taking my own carefully like he’s afraid I’ll pull away. And I freeze. The look in his eyes… it’s like I’m all he sees. Me, now. Me, then, back in that restroom, alone in the moments before Ruby walked in. But there’s no pity in his gaze. Just something else, dark and deep.
          Safety.
          I can’t breathe. My thoughts are trying to catch up to my impressions, struggling to put words to a man so unfathomable it should be funny. I don’t know what he wants, though. To kiss me? To have sex? Somewhere inside, I’m still ready for that, but that part of me feels like it’s drowning in the nightmare of this evening, the exhaustion of all the hours since, and the rawness of what I’ve just said.
          He lifts his other hand, taking my cheek, and his thumb strays across my lips, parting them while his eyes track the motion. My heart slams into my ribs. Even the simple contact makes my insides start to burn. Maybe I’m drowning in all this madness.
          Maybe I just need something good to hang onto.

______________________________________________________________

Giveaway
  • You could win a ’DEMONS: Not all of us are evil’ watch, water bottle, and signed bookmarks, plus a $25 Amazon gift card!
  • A second prize winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card.
  • Open Internationally
  • Giveaway ends August 1st




Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Comic Book Tuesday #12: Monstress #1 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress
Genre: Comic Books, Graphic Novels
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: November 4th 2015
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Steampunk meets Kaiju in this original fantasy epic for mature readers, as young Maika risks everything to control her psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, placing her in the center of a devastating war between human and otherworldly forces.





*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

My latest foray into the world of comic books takes me into somewhat familiar waters. I was a bit familiar with Marjorie M. Liu's work as a graphic novelist, and I've liked what I've read so far, enough that I didn't hesitate to request the Monstress books when I saw them on Netgalley.

The story is really intriguing. The focus moves from past to present, as we get to see Maika before and after being captured and sold into slavery. We get to see a little bit of her past, enough to know her mindset in the present time, but not enough to understand why she did what she did or how she got captured. I think that's pretty interesting, from a storytelling perspective, to have the story developing on two separate timelines, yet ultimately not answering any questions, at least in this first issue.

Maika seems like a very angry young woman. She's desperate enough to do some extreme things in order to reach her goals, which at the time the first issue ends, the reader knows nothing about. Or at least I couldn't figure out much. What she's looking for is just as much a mystery as the girl herself. I think it's related to her past before the war, or maybe to when she was a little girl, but I'm not sure at this point. The mystery though didn't bother me, as it kept me on my toes and it made me want to read the first issue pretty fast, to find as many things about Maika's backstory as I could.

The graphic part of this book is also pretty awesome. The art is beautiful, with mostly dark colors and harsh lines at times, but that made it even more beautiful. I found it intriguing how the illustrator put some vivid, rich colors into some of the more darker scenes. In a way, it makes sense when you read the book, because it seemed to me that those colors underlined the differences between those who won the war and those who lost it, or at least that's how I interpreted it.

I did have a bit of an issue with how this first book ended, in the sense that it felt a bit too easy, in a way. But based on how the book ended, I'm not sure Maika will have an easy future, at least for now. I'm curious to see how the story moves on from that point. I'm also interested to see if the story will reveal how she got captured. I can't wait to pick up the rest of the issues and see how the story ends.


Rocked my world photo Image9.png


Monday, July 25, 2016

Book Review: Hell Or High Water (ARC) by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: Gemini #3
Audience: +18
Publisher: CrushStar Multimedia LLC
Release Date: July 30th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Camille Ellis has gone rogue agent, and there’s no turning back now. The conclave might have put the Charybdis case to bed, but Cam isn’t willing to let it lie. No badge doesn’t mean no backup these days.

As mate to an alpha warg, she has access to new and lethal resources. A whole pack full of them. And they all want justice for the sins committed against them.

But the stakes are higher than she knows, the secrets exposed darker than she feared, and the cost of winning higher than she ever imagined.
*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and CrushStar Multimedia LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

Here it is guys, the end of this series. We finally get to see who the killer is, as well as who lives and who dies.

Camille goes through a lot of stuff in this book, some of which blew my mind a bit. I was shocked, but now that I think back to the previous two books, it makes a lot of the things that happened to have more sense, and it puts them in a different light. It doesn't make me like certain characters at all, but it makes sense.

I feel like this discovery also opens a lot of doors and raises a lot of questions for the world of this series and the other connected series as well. Aside from that, I'm also curious to see how a certain something that happened right at the end of the story will impact the world of the series.

Speaking of future...I like how Graeson and Cam's story ended. Graeson did something for Cam that made me want to cry happy tears, it was so cute and so romantic in a Graeson way.

The pace is really good, and the action keeps you on the edge of your seat. There was a...let's just say there was something at the end of the book that makes me super happy and giddy and excited, that I cannot wait to see how it develops. All in all, a good way to end a trilogy and a good way to make way for new stories and new characters.


Thursday, July 21, 2016

Excerpt Reveal: Reaper's Fire by Joanna Wylde

 

Excerpt


Tinker
       It was almost seven that evening when I felt the AC kick back on. I’d been lying on my back on the (relatively) cool tile floor behind the counter, staring up at the pressed-tin ceiling and trying to remember why I hadn’t already moved back to Seattle.
       In Seattle it rained.
       Cool breezes blew off the bay and the lush greenery covered everything with its shaded canopy. People didn’t really need air-conditioning, but if they happened to have it and it broke, there were lots of repair men available.
       Of course, Seattle also had Brandon. Not only that, my dad didn’t want to move, and I’d come to realize I couldn’t leave him here alone. It wasn’t safe for him, not since Mom died.
       Ugh.
       At least the AC was working again, blowing down from the ceiling vent across my sweaty body, reminding me that while the world might not be crawling with perfect men, at least there were still a few useful ones running around. Cooper Romero was a keeper, and it had nothing to do with how sexy he was . . . although the fact that he was sex on a stick—make that sex with a stick—didn’t exactly diminish his appeal.
       When I’d dragged him up to the black tar roof to show him the ancient AC, I’d expected him to make a run for it. Any sensible man would. Instead, he’d spent the whole afternoon busting his ass to save my chocolates—Oh God, I wish that were code for something more exciting—officially qualifying him as a superhero in my book.
       As for me, there wasn’t much I could do once I got all the sweets safely downstairs into the basement. There weren’t any customers walking in off the street, and seeing as I couldn’t make or ship candy in a 102-degree shop, I’d alternated between attempting to read a book, looking over orders I couldn’t fulfill on my laptop, and bringing Cooper glasses of iced tea. I’d been nervous around him at first, but you can only stay nervous for so long when you’re sweating like a pig—there’s a certain freedom in knowing you look like hell and there’s no saving your hair. I’d thrown my arm across my eyes in a pathetic attempt to block out reality toward the end.
       When cold air started flowing into the room, I could’ve cried with relief. He’d never had a chance to fill out the application form, and I’d long since decided it didn’t matter. Unless he was an ax murderer, I’d give him the apartment and the job.
       Might give it to him even if he was, to be honest.
       “It’s working again,” Cooper announced, and I jerked, startled. Shit, had I fallen asleep? Opening my eyes, I looked up to find him standing over me. Dear God in heaven—that was one hell of a bare chest.
       Holy. Shit.
       I’d taken note of his build when he first walked in the shop, but everything under his shirt had been theoretical. Now there was six-foot-plus of raw sex appeal right there, all sweaty and sculpted and . . . well, let’s just say I’d be stopping off on the way home to pick up some fresh batteries.
       That’s when the situation hit me—Cooper Romero was the hottest man I’d met in forever, and he’d just found me lying on the floor in my own sweat and filth like a dog. Typical luck. I scrambled to my feet, pretending I wasn’t totally embarrassed (I was) and not in the least bit freaked out by how unspeakably attractive this guy was. Okay, “attractive” wasn’t quite the right word, because it implied a certain level of polish and class that just didn’t fit Cooper at all.
       Brandon was attractive.
       Cooper?
       I’d lick him all over and massage his butt if he asked. He stared down at me, his eyes carefully blank, making it very clear he wasn’t asking. Story of my fucking life. Sitting up, I pushed myself to my feet without bothering to dust off. Lost cause at this point.
       “Not sure how much life the AC has left,” he said slowly. “I managed to get it going, but fixing it right would cost more than it’s worth and then some.”
       Of course it would.
       “I just need to get through the summer,” I told him, wiping a finger under my eye. My perfectly applied, vintage-style makeup had melted, leaving me with a clown face. Fortunately I’d (mostly) given up on caring three hours ago, right around the time I’d discovered the floor tiles were cooler than the rest of the room. “After that, I’ll worry about the furnace and by next summer I might not even be here anymore.”
       “Really?” he asked, cocking a brow. “You selling out?”
       “Not sure,” I told him. “I’m not thinking that far ahead right now. Things are very iffy with my dad . . . I think he’s got some—”
       No. I couldn’t say it. Saying it out loud made it too real, plus the last thing I needed were a bunch of rumors flying around town. So far we’d kept dad’s situation mostly to family and friends.
       “Tinker?”
       Shaking myself, I smiled at him. “Thank you so much for fixing that. I’m not even sure what I would’ve done—I can’t afford to miss a week’s worth of orders. Not only would it put me behind, it would burn my customers.”
       He nodded, studying me thoughtfully. God, he really was beautiful . . . Nothing like Brandon’s polished sophistication. No, Cooper gave off more of a warrior-tossing-you-over-his-fearless-steed kind of vibe. Yeah, like that would end well, because my track record with men was so fucking perfect, right?
       Pull your head out of the gutter. He probably has a girlfriend.
       At least I could finally lock up this hellhole of a shop and get a shower.
       “Thank you so much—you have no idea how much I appreciate it.”
       “No, but the whole throwing yourself at my feet thing was a subtle hint,” he said, and I realized he was teasing me. Was he flirting? I couldn’t decide if that kicked ass or scared the shit out of me.
       “Anyway, it’s getting late,” I told him, feeling suddenly awkward. “I’m going to grab some dinner down the street, and then I could take you over and show you the apartment.”
       A small, knowing smile crossed his face, and I realized he thought I was hitting on him.
       “No,” I said quickly, mortified. “I wasn’t asking you out. Omigod, this is weird.”
       “What, you aren’t turned on by a man who smells like old socks?” he asked lightly, raising his arm and giving a sniff. He was joking, but the sweat wasn’t a turnoff. Nope. Not even a little bit. “If that’s not enough for you, the roof tar on my ass should be a big attraction.”
       Closing my eyes, I bit back a groan. He started laughing. Not in a cruel way, but companionably, which I guess made sense because both of us were disgusting as hell. Of course, now I wanted to check out his ass, but I managed to keep my eyes on target (mostly) when I answered him.
       “Well, it’s sexy but I’ll manage to control myself somehow. I do want to grab dinner, though, and we need to figure out the apartment details.”
       “I’ll take the place, doesn’t matter what it is,” he replied. “I’m in a hotel and it’s getting old. I’d love to move in on Sunday, but I can’t go look at it right now—gotta get my ass cleaned up. Meeting up with someone later.”
       Of course he was, because men who looked like Cooper didn’t spend Friday nights alone.
       “Sounds great,” I told him, refusing to show any disappointment. “Just text me when you’re ready, and I’ll get you the key.”
       He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden pounding against the locked shop door caught us both off guard. I spun around to find Talia Jackson glaring at me through the glass. Talia and three of her skankier friends, including Sadie Baxter, a girl I used to babysit when I was in college.
       A girl who was now twenty.
       Damn.
       “Cooper!” Talia shouted. “What the fuck are you doing?”
I glanced at my new handyman, startled. Talia Jackson and her brother, Marsh, were two of the nastiest people I’d ever met. Marsh was president of the local motorcycle gang, a group called the Nighthawk Raiders motorcycle club. The club had been around most of my life, but it was only in recent years that they’d turned really bad. I mean, they were never the kinder, gentler sort of bikers, but I’d never been actively afraid when I’d heard a motorcycle, either.
       Now? Let’s just say we’d all gotten a little edgy.
       “That’s my girl,” Cooper said, and something deep down inside of me died a little. Of course he’d go for someone like Talia. She might have the heart of a deranged circus clown—you know, the kind that survives by eating the souls of innocent children—but she was hot.
       Really hot.
       Not only that, she was slutty, and while I wasn’t into the whole slut-shaming thing (like I had room to judge after the bachelorette party debacle . . . ugh), I wasn’t naive enough to think he was attracted to her personality. Cooper Romero might have a sweet smile, and he’d fixed my AC, but now I had proof positive that he’d never be into a girl like me.
       Specifically, a grown-up with curves.
       All righty, then. Probably for the best anyway.
       “Just a sec!” I called to her, determined to take the high road, then I grabbed my keys so I could open the door. She pushed inside with her posse, and I do mean pushed. Little bitch shoved me so hard I nearly knocked over the display of antique Russian teacups my mother had lovingly collected. (So far as I knew, she’d never sold a single one of them, but it’d made her happy.)
       “Careful,” I warned, and Talia turned on me.
       “What did you just say to me?”
       “Babe, let’s talk,” Cooper said, catching her arm and pulling her into his body. She squealed, going from aggressive to flirty in an instant.
       “You’re all sweaty. It’s sooo disgusting.”
       I noted she wasn’t trying to get away. Cooper smiled down at her, a hint of something feral in his eyes. Yeah, okay—whatever smile he’d been giving me, it hadn’t held any of that kind of intensity.
       Yours truly was officially chopped liver.
       “I was just about to head out and grab a shower,” he told her. “Wanna come with me?”
       She pouted. “I can’t. The girls and I need to get fixed up. I’ll see you at the bar, though, right?”
       He looked down at her, offering a sexy, indulgent smile. “Can’t wait.”
       “Perfect,” she said, reaching around to grab his ass for a quick squeeze. Then she turned and strutted back out without a word to me, her gaggle of girls following like well-trained geese. Sadie gave a little finger wave on the way. The door closed behind them with a cheerful little jingle, and I wondered why the hell I even bothered with Hallies Falls.
       I missed Seattle.
       So what if it had Brandon? I could drown him in Lake Washington. Problem solved.
       “Sorry about that—Talia is a little high-strung,” Cooper said.
       “Oh, I know all about her,” I replied, hoping I didn’t sound as catty as I felt. Cooper didn’t seem to notice.
       “I’m new to town, but she’s been showing me around,” Cooper continued, stepping over to stand in front of me, hands shoved deep in his front pockets. “I should get going.”
       “Of course—don’t let me keep you. What time do you think you’ll be in touch tomorrow?”
       “Afternoon work?”
       “No problem. Looking forward to hearing from you.”
       He nodded and pushed through the door, walking down the street without a second look back. I locked up behind him, wondering why all the hottest guys were douchebags. Not that Cooper had acted like a douche, but he had to be my age or older—late thirties—and Talia was the same age as Sadie. She was also a raging bitch. There was only one reason a man like him would date a girl like that, and it had nothing to do with personality or character.
       Cooper Romero might be beautiful, but obviously he was shallow. Suppose it was too much to hope for a man who could fix an air conditioner and have a soul at the same time.
       Pity







Are you ready for Gage and Tinker’s story?
Reaper’s Fire releases on August 9th!




Blurb

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde returns to the “wild and raw”* world of the Reapers MC with the story of Gage and Tinker…

The club comes first.

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.





Have you heard?
Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde has a NEW COVER!


Meet Horse & Marie for ONLY $3.99 (normally $7.99)
Author’s Note: This book was originally released through a small publisher in 2013. This independent edition has been lightly edited, and contains a bonus short, “Sticky Sweet” (originally published on the author’s website) and a Q&A with the author.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Nook | Kobo |






About the Author

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | TwitterGoodreads


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