Book Shelf: Misbehaving (Sea Breeze #6) by Abbi Glines

An unexpected affair leads to mind-blowing harmony in this Sea Breeze novel from New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines.

Jason is sick of living in his rock star brother’s shadow. So when he ships off to Sea Breeze, Alabama, he’s looking for a much deserved escape and a chance to blow off some envious steam. Falling for the local bad girl was definitely not the plan. But as the new duo enjoys some naughty fun in the Alabama sun, Jason learns that even though Jax is the musician in the family, he’s not the only brother who can rock someone’s world.  

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Misbehaving is the stunning sixth installment in Abbi Glines mouth watering Sea Breeze series and is one of my favorite books in the series yet! Sensual and sizzling, Misbehaving finally tells the story of Jason Stone the woman who steals, his heart bad girl Jess and is without a doubt Abbi Glines at her best!

As a self proclaimed Abbi Glines fan, I do adore all of her novels, but admittedly some more than others. I have certain favorites I just couldn't get enough of when reading and Misbehaving is one of them. I literally breezed through this novel because I found myself so thoroughly drawn into and entranced by Jason and Jess's story. They may be as different as two people can get, but boy do these two have an amazing connection--I love it!

Readers first met Jason Stone in Breathe, and the brother of rocker Jax Stone soon became someone we all wanted to read more of. Thanks to his appearance in Amanda and Preston's tale Just For Now and his unsuccessful attempt at winning the girl, Jason Stone has been someone I've been dying to know more about. And I'm so very pleased to have finally read his tale.

Personally, I think Abbi Glines may have surprised her readers by pairing Jason with bad girl Jess, one of the minor villainesses of some of the other books in the series, but now having read Misbehaving, I think this was an absolutely brilliant move on her part. These two may be very different, but they just fit so very well.

Having read Misbehaving, I now think Jess is one of my favorite characters in this series! Told in the dual POV's of both Jason and Jess, Misbehaving allows us to discover a very different side of Jess than we've ever seen before, and my heart just broke....and melted, for this strong, vulnerable and misunderstood young woman.

Jess is someone who's had such a difficult life and it's heart breaking knowing that she's had to fight for every scrap of affection that she's had from men throughout her life. As someone who really only just wants to be loved, Jess has made the mistake of using her looks and her body to try and win people over. As a tall and sexy blonde bombshell, Jess has been used repeatedly for her body and it's really sad because the nasty persona she displays really is nothing but a shield for her to protect her heart. Jess wants more from her life, but she knows there's little chance that she'll ever make it out of the small town she's spent her life in.

Jason is the brother of a rock star and someone who is sick of living in his brothers shadow. He may enjoy the benefits that being linked with someone famous brings, but he's sick of being used for the people he knows. Jason isn't looking for love or a relationship, but when he meets Jess though, all bets are off, because even though Jess is exactly the kind of person who could use Jason's status to better herself, the last thing this contradiction of a girl does it want Jason for his money and fame.

I really like Jason. Always have, always will, and I really enjoyed seeing him feature in this novel. Honestly, it's about time he received his own story and I'm thrilled that Abbi Glines didn't disappoint with his tale! Jason, despite his fame and money is just a all round good guy. He comes to care for Jess so deeply and I love how in the end he stands up for her and is able to give her exactly when she needs and deserves.

Jason and Jess have such an electric relationship and Abbi Glines writes them so perfectly. I honestly thought these were some of the best sex scenes we've seen from Glines recently and only enhanced our reading pleasure. Jess and Jason are so cute and I love how happy they make each other.

As always it's great to see the other characters from past and present in the series, and I am excited about Krit's story next. He really seemed like he wanted to make something with Jess and I think he truly cares about her, maybe even loves her. So in saying that, I can't wait to meet the woman who knocks him off his feet--I know it's going to be one hell of a story!

Extremely sexy and oh, so addictive Misbehaving was another brilliant Sea Breeze novel that will leave readers satisfied but still very ready for more!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Simon & Schuster Australia (Thank you Jenifer!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This is a brilliant series and needs to be read!
Cover: At first I was a bit thrown by the change in the theme for our Australian covers, but I do like the fresh feel of this cover.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: YES!

Owl Post #57

Inspired by The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, Owl Post allows us bloggers to showcase the books we've bought, won or received throughout the week and is hosted by Brodie over at Eleusinian Mysteries. We all know that the Owl Post is the fastest way to send and receive mail and they certainly make me happy every time they drop a book off.  

Hi guys!

Hope you all had a fabulous Easter filled with plenty of love and chocolate....I know I did! It's been a bit slow with review books for the last couple weeks, but that doesn't mean I haven't bought some :)

 

I Bought:

  - Fall with Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout I LOVE this series....so much so that I pre-ordered this twice, lol. I've done this before in the past, and haven't realized I've done so until both books are in transit from The Book Depository. Oh, well......   - The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon I've heard nothing but good things about this book, and when I saw it on sale I decided to snag myself a copy. I look forward to finding out all about it myself.     And that's me! Not a lot, but some good ones still. What did the owls bring YOU this week?  

 

Book Blitz: Synthetica by Rachel Pattinson- Excerpt

This novel sounds really great, so it goes without saying I'm happy to be participating in the Book Blitz for Synthetica by Rachel Pattinson. Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours I have a wonderful excerpt to share with you today :)

______________________________________

This city is falling.

Seventeen-year-old Anais Finch lives in a world where everyone is born beautiful, where every dream is a possibility - and where their every move and every piece of personal information is recorded by an ID picochip inserted behind their right ear. When technology giant, Civitas, finally announces the launch of their highly anticipated Scholarly Learning Programs, which allow people to download and learn any subject instantly, Anais can hardly wait.

But not everyone is pleased with society's progress, and not everyone wants to fit in. When Anais witnesses a brutal murder on an innocent citizen and is implicated in the crime, she becomes determined to uncover the truth, especially when others like it begin to occur all over the city. But it may already be too late for Anais to stop the man who calls himself 'the Hacker' before he commits his most appalling crime yet...

Add on Goodreads or purchase on Amazon!

 

From Synthetic.....

A siren sounded in the distance and Xander glanced edgily at the window.

"Let's go," he turned and strode across the room. Anais gave Denzel one final look before following him. Xander was waiting by the door, but as she went to pass him, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She spun on her heel, staring wildly around the seemingly empty room.

"What?" Xander glanced around the room. "What's wrong?"

Anais shook her head. She didn't have the words to explain it – all she knew was, something was off. There was an inexplicable feeling that something was wrong, something they'd missed. And then it came to her.

"Xander," she said in a low voice, trying to keep her voice calm. "Denzel is dead. But he's probably been dead for what, ten, fifteen minutes, maybe? Once that...thing," she gestured to the machine in Denzel's hand. "...is downloaded into your system, you start having a fit. So there's no way he was in any state to get up and walk around for at least a few minutes before he died."

"Right," Xander shot her puzzled look. "Where are you going with this?"

Anais looked him straight in the eye.

"So who was it we heard walking around?"

Want more? I do! Grab your copy today!

 

In Her Own Words: So what qualifies me to be a writer? Well, ever since an early age I've been more interested in the worlds in my head, than the real one - so I thought it was finally time to do something about it. I went to uni, got a degree in publishing, worked in an office for a while, decided I hated it, went to China, came back...and now I'm a teaching assistant by day and a YA writer by night. Phew! It's been quite a journey, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Visit Rachel:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

 

 

Book Shelf: Sacrificed (The Last Oracle #1) by Emily Wibberley

Fifteen-year-old Clio should have never been the Oracle of Sheehan. That power is passed from mother to eldest daughter, and Clio is the youngest of four sisters. But when her entire family is murdered by Mannix, the king's adviser, Clio is left all alone and heir to a power she never wanted and doesn't understand.

Hunted by Mannix, Clio seeks refuge in a foreign city where oracles are absolutely forbidden. If she's found out, she will be sacrificed atop its great pyramid.

Clio has no choice but to win the trust of Riece, an enemy warrior. Despite the growing feelings between them, Clio knows that if he finds out who she really is, he won't hesitate to kill her.

Clio tries to hide her budding powers, but the visions she has of Mannix bringing a barbarian army into Sheehan torture her conscience. She alone has the strength and foresight to stop him, but only if she can embrace her destiny and sacrifice everything.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Sacrificed by Emily Wibberley is an exciting fantasy tale that catapults the reader into a harsh desert land where blood stains the sand and our heroine is about to find herself on a tremendous journey is the first novel in a promising new series!

Sacrificed is told through the eyes of fifteen year old Clio, a young woman from the city of Sheehan and the daughter of the lands Oracle. As the youngest of four daughters, Clio has watched as each other her sisters have been called to serve their Oracle mother and their deities, and has suffered the pain of seeing her sisters wither into shadows of their former selves. Wanting nothing to do with her mother’s duties, Clio’s life is forever changed when her family is murdered and she discovers that the abilities and powers held by the Oracle she always believed false are very real and have been passed on to her.

Fleeing to the neighboring and enemy land of Morek to escape the priest Mannix who was responsible for her family’s deaths, Clio finds herself imprisoned at the hands of Morek forces, but quickly discovers that the enigmatic young Commander Riece who leads the troops is not the heinous enemy Clio believes him to be. Slowly beginning to trust Riece, Clio discovers that there is something bigger in play than just her families murders and as she begins to reluctantly fall for Riece, Clio discovers that bigger plans are in motion and Mannix plans effect more than just Clio, they affect all of Sheehan, and possibly Morek…..

Admittedly, Sacrificed started slow for me. Though solidly written, the first couple of chapters had me questioning the strength and entertainment of the story. However, once Clio finds herself on the run, I found myself instantly swept up into her story and was extremely captivated. I found it quite hard to be the story down if I’m honest. The main character was strong and her fight was one you couldn’t help but get behind, and the chemistry she had with the young Commander she meets in Morek was one I seriously adored!

Emily Wibberley has written a very interesting story with Sacrificed. Sacrificed takes place in a fictional land that can be compared to that of Ancient Egypt and sees the heroine discover unexpected truths about herself. Personally I think Clio comes across as older than fifteen. Her voice within the story would easily pass for sixteen or seventeen, but considering the ancient feel of Sacrificed, I can understand why author Emily Wibberley wrote her at this age. In ancient times, most people didn’t live as long and as such they matured, married and started their adult lives earlier than people do now.

I quite liked Clio in this book. She was easy to follow and seriously stepped up at times. The growth she undertakes from the beginning of Sacrificed to the end is extensive and I can only imagine where Wibberley plans to take her in the rest of the series. Clio was kind and caring, and really someone you couldn’t help but enjoy. I appreciated the way she saw the world and liked that she was intelligent and knew how to hold her own verbally with the likes of Riece.

Clio finds herself with two love interests in Sacrificed. Her childhood companion Derik and the formable Commander Riece who becomes an unexpected alley in Morek. Let’s put it this way….forget Clio, I want Riece! As far as I’m concerned, there really is only one option for Clio in this story and that’s Riece.

From the moment they meet the sparks are off the chart and considering what an amazingly honorable, honest and kind man Riece is, there was never any doubt in my mind that Clio was going to fall for him. Despite his powerful position, Riece is a caring person who is absolutely brutal when he needs to be, but he can’t help but be drawn to Clio. Clio and Riece have a great chemistry and I enjoyed the witty banter exchanged by them throughout the novel. They just oozed attraction despite coming from different worlds and I loved the fierce way Riece came to love Clio and the determination he had to stand by her side.

Emily Wibberley introduces readers to an intriguing world in Sacrificed with a strong heroine, plenty of unexpected twists and a romance you can really  get behind. I wasn’t ready for the novel to end when it came to its eventual close and I find myself eagerly anticipating the release of the next installment to see what will happen next and to follow Clio and Riece once more!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by author (Thank you Emily!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon
My Recommendation: If you enjoy a good fantasy story, be sure to check this out!
Cover: I really dig this cover--it's very striking.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Absolutely!

Free Ebooks

Hey guys--I hope you're all having a fab Good Friday!

To celebrate, I've got some Amazon freebies to share with you :D

Hope you snagged something new and free!

Book Shelf: Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Sinner is the novel by Maggie Stiefvater that fans have been waiting for ever since Cole St. Claire was first introduced to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and stole readers hearts with this unique view of the world and self destructive nature. Winning fans over with his unusual attitude, Cole finally gets his own tale as he and Isabel face their issues once and for all!

Set in L.A and as far away from Mercy Falls, Minnesota as you can get, Sinner is told through the eyes of Cole St. Claire and Isabel Culpeper. Varying back and forth between their POV’s, Sinner explores Cole and Isabel like never before and sees the two of them face some startling truths about the world around them and most importantly themselves. There lot of choices to be made and it’s only as Cole and Isabel accept some difficult truths will they be able to find their own happiness.

As always I adore Maggie Stiefvater as an author and I am so glad she decided to write this companion novel to her Wolves of Mercy Falls series. Fans needed to see this book and Cole and Isabel’s story needed to be told. And Stiefvater does her usual fantastic job with this dramatically, and beautiful told story. The writing is flawless and deep and the characters one of a kind.

As a reader, Cole St. Claire is one of those rare characters you come across every now and then that is completely outside of the box and has their own individual personality that cannot be compared to anyone else within the genre. Cole is damaged, broken and self-destructive. He’s lost and feels alone despite being surrounded by people and it’s this loneliness that drives so much of Cole’s decisions. He’s a self-centered maniac who sees the world like no other. Honestly, some of the things that come out of Cole’s mouth and that Maggie Stiefvater writes surprise me purely because they’re so unusual and not what you would expect someone, rock star or otherwise to ever admit or say.

Cole is looking for something; has been for a while despite his rock star status and the fact he could have anything he wanted. Perhaps this is what drove him to become a wolf and caused him to do many of the other dangerous things he’s done that are simply self inflicted that have put himself in danger. It’s this search that sees Cole connect with Isabel and it’s this desire to be seen simply for who he is as Cole, not Cole St. Claire that makes Cole so heartbreaking to follow and read about.

Isabel Culpeper is as complicated and as fractured as Cole. On the outside it would appear that she has everything; perfectly composed with beauty, money and rich friends, but Isabel is cold and guarded and determined to keep people out. I really love Isabel. I have ever since we discovered what a great friend she could be back in the Mercy Falls book and I’ve loved having the opportunity to have her front and center in this book. Isabel has a lot of issues, a lot, but I loved seeing her slowly face them and grow in Sinner.

Cole met his match in Isabel back in the second Mercy Falls book Linger and ever since the two of them have been doing a will-they-or-won’t-they dance that has seen a solid foundation develop between them as they unexpectedly connect. Cole and Isabel have a fantastic chemistry and this helps drive the fantastic dialogue shared between them. It’s was refreshing to discover a role reversal in Sinner that sees Isabel as the one who, despite Cole’s history and status, is the one who wants to keep him at arms length. Cole is ready for Isabel and simply wants her, but Isabel is the one who refuses to take the leap for fear of having her heart shattered. I thought Steifvater did a fantastic job with their relationship; the physical aspect took a back seat to the emotional at times, but was still fiery and addictive too.

From beginning to end, Sinner is everything you could hope for; lush, imaginative and entertaining. Cole and Isabel do not disappoint as we see their story unfold, something that is difficult and beautiful to witness while managing to be as uplifting as it is somber at times. Maggie Stiefvater you’ve done it again—simply brilliant!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Scholastic Australia (Thank you guys!)
Format: Hardback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This is something fans of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series will definitely want to read.
Cover: I love the colour of this book--the orange is so striking.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is the last one in this series, but I'll read whatever Maggie Stievater writes in the future!

Waiting on Wednesday #87

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....  

Mindwalker by A.J. Steiger
Releases on: June 9th 2015
Add on Goodreads!

At seventeen, Lain Fisher has already aced the Institute's elite training program for Mindwalkers, therapists who use a direct neural link to erase a patient's traumatic memories. A prodigy and the daughter of a renowned scientist-whose unexplained death left her alone in the world-Lain is driven by the need to save others.

When Steven, a troubled classmate, asks her to wipe a horrific childhood experience from his mind, Lain's superiors warn her to stay away. Steven's scars are too deep, they say; the risk too great. Yet the more time Lain spends with him, the more she begins to question everything about her society. As she defies the warnings and explores Steven's memories, it becomes clear that he's connected to something much bigger…something the Institute doesn't want the world to discover.

Lain never expected to be a rule breaker. She certainly didn't plan on falling in love with a boy she's been forbidden to help. But then, she never expected to stumble into a conspiracy that could ignite a revolution.  

Thoughts:
This book sounds like another intriguing sci-fi type book; one I'm putting squarely on my TBR list. It sounds similar to what I have read in the last, but it sounds awesome and I look forward to read it as soon as I can!

What do you think of Mindwalker? Are you looking forward to reading it?
And what are YOU waiting on this week?