Book Shelf: You Were Mine (Rosemary Beach #9) by Abbi Glines

From #1 "New York Times" bestselling author Abbi Glines comes a brand-new Rosemary Beach novel about Tripp Newark and his hidden romantic past with Bethy Lowry.

In the eyes of the wealthy playboys who frequent Kerrington Country Club in Rosemary Beach, Tripp Newark is a hero. Under pressure from his parents to become a lawyer and lead a conservative, upper-class life, Tripp disappeared from town five years ago to travel the world, forfeiting the opportunity to inherit millions. Yet few know what he was really running from...

Bethy Lowry was unraveling long before her boyfriend drowned in a riptide trying to save her after she'd had one too many drinks--again. A trailer park kid working as a cart girl among the wealthy patrons of Kerrington Country Club, Bethy has always been impressionable. But five years ago, before she earned her reputation as a hard-drinking, easy girl, she had spent a single summer with Tripp Newark that changed her life forever...

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

You Were Mine is the 9th installment in Abbi Glines sensational Rosemary Beach series and is the heartbreaking and emotional tale between Bethy and Tripp that readers have been waiting for. Sexy and sensual, but extremely emotional, You Were Mine will hold you from the beginning as you feel an endless amount of emotion.

As a die heard Abbi Glines fan, I pretty much devour anything she writes with You Were Mine no exception, but boy was this book hard to read! Told through the dual POV's of Bethy Lowry and Tripp Newark, You Were Mine sees Bethy and Tripp face their past in order to be together once more. I'll be honest here; I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel. Readers such as myself have always known Bethy as the fun loving best friend of Blaire who had her world shattered when her boyfriend Jace was killed saving her life. In You Were Mine, Bethy is still broken and trying to find her feet, but it's Tripp, Jace's cousin and Bethy's first love who sets out to protect and have her again.

When Tripp first came into the series, Abbi Glines made it abundantly clear that he and Bethy had a history. Until his return, Bethy appeared to be deliriously in love with Jace, but when Jace died, it soon became evident she had once shared something with his cousin that was still haunting her despite her recent loss.

You Were Mine takes course over a manner of months and is actually a very hard book to read emotionally at times. Bethy is dealing with so much guilt over Jace's death and her part in it, as well as the secrets she kept from him for so many years. Including the fact she was one desperately in love with his cousin. And really still is. I think the hardest part with this novel is reconciling Bethy's love for Jace with her soul deep love for Tripp that has never really left her. At it's base, You Were Mine is a story of redemption, finding love once more and moving on.

It's so hard seeing someone fall in love again after they've suffered a great loss and in this case Bethy has always been the one for Tripp, so you know how desperately he loves her despite their past and the fact that until recently she was with his cousin Jace, someone he also loved. Tripp and Bethy have so much history, something Glines explores and allows readers to see through a series of flashbacks. Tripp was Bethy's first. Her first love, her first lover and in You Were Mine she slowly manages to come back to herself with the help of Tripp and her wonderful set of friends.

It really was beautiful seeing Bethy find happiness again, even though she faced some tough moments and had to let go of her guilt. Abbi Glines manages to explore something deep and beautiful with Tripp and Bethy in You Were Mine and I loved how she gave their romance such a solid foundation and history. Moving on from Jace would have been one thing to witness, but seeing how Bethy did still love Tripp; how he was her "one big love" was a beautiful thing and certainly managed to bring out a whole tirade of emotions in me---something Abbi Glines is very good at!

Wonderfully written, painful but beautiful, You Were Mine is another sensational tale by Abbi Glines that will no doubt reach into very deep parts of you as she pens a whirlwind tale of love, forgiveness and the beauty of moving on. You Were Mine is riveting and oh, so emotional, and ends with that trademark hopeful ending Glines is so good at.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Simon & Schuster (Thank you Jen!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: Another book fans of this series must read.
Cover: It's actually quite sexy; I like it....
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes.

Owl Post #65

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 and welcome to this week's Owl Post! I've got some great books to share with you this week :)

  For Review:

  From Pan Macmillan:    - Frostfire by Amanda Hocking - Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking I've recently read Amanda Hocking's Switched series and considering I'm participating in the blog tour for the third book in the Kanin Chronicles I'm excited about reading the first two books. They look very good.   ......Thank you guys! _______________________________   From Simon & Schuster: - Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas This sounds like a very unique kind of story and has the potential to be a tearjerker. Perhaps I'll try to get around to this soon.   .....Thank you guys! _____________________________   From Ellery A. Kane: - Prophecy by Ellery A. Kane I was very honored when Ellery A. Kane allowed me to read and review Legacy and I'm very excited to read it's sequel!   .....Thank you Ellery!     I Bought:

  - Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross I absolutely adored Kady Cross's Steampunk Chronicles and this book sounds sooooo incredible. Can't wait to read it!     Supanova:

 I recently attended Supanova in Sydney and had an absolutely brilliant time. Got to meet some great people and like all book lovers I made sure to snag a bunch of great books to read.

 

- Half Blood by Lauren Dawes

- Half Truths by Lauren Dawes

- Dark Deceit by Lauren Dawes

- Dark Desires by Lauren Dawes

- The Species Within by Kimberley Clark - The Ultimate Killer by Kimberley Clark - The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey - The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare   As you can see I got some really awesome books during Supanova! The books by Lauren Dawes and Kimberley Clark are all signed and I did buy The Girl At Midnight. The Iron Trial was free. Yep, that's right, FREE! Thanks to Penguin :)  

 

I also got a tone of swag including signed goodies from Lauren Dawes, Kevin Hearne and Wanda Wiltshire. Keep an eye out--I'm going to be giving away some signed bookmarks and buttons from Lauren Dawes next week, as well as a signed copy of Half Blood Lauren as so generously offered up!   And that's me this week! Lots of goodies :)
What did the owl's bring YOU this week?  

 

Book Shelf: The Wondrous and the Wicked (The Dispossessed #3) by Page Morgan

Alone and defenseless, can the Waverly family survive the final battle for their city?

Ingrid Waverly has never been more alone, or more frightened. Her sister has fled to London in fear for her life, and Luc, the one person she thought she could rely on more than anyone else in the world, has also disappeared. No one will tell Ingrid where he has gone, but rumours of a fierce leadership battle amongst the supernatural forces who protect Paris are swirling, and Ingrid fears he has been forced into a dangerous position.

And it is a dangerous time to be a leader in this city - the number of demons flooding Paris's streets are overwhelming, and Ingrid and her few allies cannot cope. All the signs point to some kind of final uprising from the Underworld - but how can it possibly be defeated when the only people who stand a chance of doing so are too busy fighting themselves? Once again, everything comes down to Luc and Ingrid, and whether they can draw on each other's strength as well as their own. And this time, love really must conquer all.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

The Wondrous and the Wicked is the sensational third and final installment in Page Morgan's immensely underrated but incredibly brilliant Dispossessed trilogy and concludes what has been a thrilling trilogy with all the action, danger and wonderfully woven romance that has made this series so great!

Throughout my time as an avid reader, there has only been a few historical novels and series that have won me over, and the Dispossessed is right up there as the best of them in my eyes. From the first novel, The Beautiful and the Cursed, through the sequel The Lovely and the Lost and now concluding with The Wondrous and the Wicked, this series has been nothing but expertly written, wonderfully paced and incredibly depicted.

Page Morgan has created a very dark and compelling world of gargoyles, demons, hunters and all manner of creatures in between within this series. She's written layered, complex and personable individuals and as the series has unfolded in varying POV's, Morgan has woven together a very exciting storyline that has developed, altered and grown to something relentless and forward moving. The setting was spot on, well described and dark; raw, gritty and beautiful, be it Paris or London we were in, Morgan has won a fan in me with her wonderful storytelling.

The Wondrous and the Wicked was a worthy conclusion to this trilogy. I've honestly personally found this series to be so underrated with many not realizing the brilliance that Morgan has written within it's pages. There's unending danger in The Wondrous and the Wicked as sisters Ingrid and Gabby continue to battle the fallen angel Axia with the help of the gargoyles and Alliance members they call friends, including Luc, Nolan, Vander, Rory, Chelle and of course their brother Grayson. Page Morgan brings this series to a thrilling climax with this passionate, thrilling and at times painful ending.

I've loved following the characters within this series with each and every book. Ingrid, Gabby, Luc, Nolan, Vander, Rory, Chelle, Grayson, Marco....I could go on and on about the standout characters Page Morgan has written. I've loved seeing some of them fall in love, fight, battle and push each other. Siblings, lovers and comrades to the very end. I'm sad to see them go, but I've adored every witty, exciting and addictive minute of following them.

My favorites are without a doubt Gabby and Nolan. She's such a fire cracker and he accepts her, and pushes her perfectly. They're electric and passionate and their romance has been one of my favorites ever. Especially in a historical novel. The innocent touches and passionate embraces weave wonderfully with soul searing kisses to create a wonderful undertone of sexual tension and attraction within the action packed story. And not just for Gabby and Nolan, but Ingrid and Luc too.

Page Morgan has truly captivated me with this series and though I'm heartbroken to see it end, I'm endlessly satisfied with how she has concluded Ingrid, Gabby and their loved ones story. As Ingrid makes a choice between Luc and Vander that always seemed inevitable, I find myself practically begging inside for a spin-off series, perhaps featuring Vander, Chelle and Rory and Hugh--I think Page Morgan could still tell so much with these four!

Electric, romantic and powerfully told, The Wondrous and the Wicked was everything I could have asked for in a series conclusion. Page Morgan kept me entertained until the very end and leaves me knowing that while their journey hasn't been always an easy one, her characters are exactly where they are supposed to be.....

I honestly can't recommend this series enough and urge you all to put it on your to be read list if it isn't already. I promise you won't regret it!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Hot Key Books (Thank you Susie!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: A brilliant and underrated historical fantasy tale--this series is incredible!
Cover: Perfect with the other two in the series.....
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is the final book in this trilogy, but I can't wait to read more from Page Morgan!!

Book Shelf: Flicker (Flicker #1) by Kaye Thornbrugh

When sixteen-year-old Lee Capren is spirited away to Faerie, she is forced to serve capricious faeries as a prized portrait artist… and live as their prisoner.

A chance encounter with the charming Nasser grants Lee a chance for freedom—but what felt like mere days in Faerie spanned years in the human world, and Lee no longer has a home to return to.

Nasser is a Seer—a human with magical powers—and Lee is quickly plunged into his world: a sprawling city teeming with magic and mystery, where supernatural creatures walk hidden among humans. With the help of a rag-tag group of teenage Seers, Lee must master her newfound magical talent and outwit a cunning faerie determined to destroy her.

More info on Goodreads.....

Review:

Flicker by Kaye Thornbrugh is a deliciously woven and well depicted tale of magic, faeries and friendship that can only be described as Cassandra Clare meets Julie Kagawa! Completely unassuming and downright addictive, Flicker is an unexpected adventure you are sure to love! Flicker is told in the third person and follows a great cast of characters who are a part of the faerie community in one way or another.

Flicker predominately follows Weatherly “Lee” Capren whose whole world is changed forever when the talented artist is bewitched and whisked away to the land of Faerie; forced to paint, draw and serve fey masters whilst in a trance. Rescued after years in this state by the beguiling Nasser, Lee discovers that the life she once knew is no more, and with the help of Nasser, a Seer and someone who can see the fey, Lee finds herself learning about the world she is now a part of and that hides behind every day mortal life. Making new friends, and making new discoveries about herself, Lee soon realizes that the chance to continue on in her new life will not come easy.

I was really impressed with Flicker, I mean really. I’m not quite sure what I expected, but whatever it was, Kaye Thornbrugh exceeded it. Flicker is wonderfully written and Kaye Thornbrugh depicts a vivid, lyrical world of the fey that intertwines with ours throughout this story. Flicker truly is captivating from the start, and in the tradition of all the best faerie and fantasy tales of our time, Flicker is exceptionally layered and complex. There was always a new discovery to be made in this novel; magic, danger and friendship thoroughly explored.

Flicker follows various characters, with Lee understandably being a focal one, but with Nasser, Filo and the dryad Byrony also taking the reins upon occasion. I personally loved all the characters; Lee, Nasser, Filo, Jason, Alice….even some of the faeries like Rodney and Conall proved likable.

Like many authors before her, Thornbrugh illustrates the complex nature of the fey in Flicker and I loved how she wrote them. By nature faeries are tricksters and have little to no appreciation of human life, something evident in their actions and their attitudes. They're beautiful and alluring and Kaye Thornbrugh wonderfully depicts this. I'm actually a real fan of these kinds of fey and enjoy it when authors mix with their fey characters to create likable and unpredictable individuals. Though the main characters in Flicker are either mortal or Seer, it was the smaller roles of certain fey that added that extra something to the novel.

There's danger galore in Flicker, but also plenty of friendship and romance. Thankfully Thornburgh stays away from the dreaded love triangle--something that won a fan in me, and instead chooses to build a solid friendship between Lee and the men in her life besides Nasser. I enjoyed the humor and fun within the story and found it so easy to lose myself in the tale.

Vivid, magical and sensationally written, Flicker is a fantastic debut that leaves me ready to lose myself in Kaye Thornbrughs beautiful world once more and excited to read the sequel!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by the author (Thank you Kaye!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
My Recommendation: Fans of Julie Kagawa are sure to love this!
Cover: I think it's pretty and personifies Lee excellently.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes!

Waiting on Wednesday #98

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.....  

Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood

Releases on: December 8th 2015

Add on Goodreads!

 

Three royal houses ruling three interplanetary systems are on the brink of collapse, and they must either ally together or tear each other apart in order for their people to survive.

Asa is the youngest daughter of the house of Fane, which has been fighting a devastating food and energy crisis for far too long. She thinks she can save her family’s livelihood by posing as her oldest sister in an arranged marriage with Eagle, the heir to the throne of the house of Westlet. The appearance of her mother, a traitor who defected to the house of Galton, adds fuel to the fire, while Asa also tries to save her sister Wren's life . . . possibly from the hands of their own father.

But as Asa and Eagle forge a genuine bond, will secrets from the past and the urgent needs of their people in the present keep them divided?

Author Tessa Elwood's debut series is an epic romance at heart, set against a mine field of political machinations, space adventure, and deep-seeded family loyalties.

 

Thoughts:

I've read a few YA sci-fi novels lately that I've been a real fan of, and this one looks like it could be my next fave. Not only did the cover catch my attention straight away, but the description sounds like something I'd love!

What are your thoughts on Inherit the Stars? Is it something you would want to read?

 

Book Shelf: Love Bomb (The Ladybirds #2) by Jenny McLachlan

Perfect Valentine's reading for fans of Geek Girl and Louise Rennison.

Betty Plum has never been in love. She's never even kissed a boy. But when H.O.T. Toby starts school it's like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid's arrows. It's like a bomb has exploded – a love bomb!

More than ever Betty wishes her mum hadn't died when Betty was a baby. She really needs her mum here to ask her advice. And that's when she finds hidden letters for just these moments. Letters about what your first kiss should feel like and what real love is all about …

Is Betty ready to fall in love? Will she finally have her first kiss?

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Love Bomb is the second book in the Ladybugs series by Jenny McLachlan and this time follows quirky and unique Betty in yet another smile inducing and enjoyable tale.

Betty Plum is turning fifteen, an important day in any teenage girl’s life. Not only that but she’s just caught the eye of the new boy at her school Toby and finally finds herself liking a boy. With her mum having died when Betty was a baby, Betty has become used to it being only her dad and her great friends, but suddenly Betty finds herself missing the woman she never knew more than ever. Luckily for Betty, her mum left her a series of letters about important stages in a girl’s life that she reads over the course of the book, getting to know her mother like never before and discovering just who is really important and the person she should really be giving her heart to.

I don't think I loved Love Bomb quite as much as I did the first novel, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Jenny McLachlan continues to write in her easy to read and follow style, and incorporates all the friendship, character development and humour I loved in Flirty Dancing. This series is just great wholesome fun.

Betty was quite the quirky young lady and actually quite crazy at times. I really liked that she wasn’t afraid to be outside the box and takes chances. Some of Betty’s decisions weren’t the best, but I’m striking that up to age and inexperience. People are meant to make mistakes and bad choices---it’s the growth in Betty that make everything she does worth it.

Betty plods through a lot of substantial moments in her life during this book. Her first crush, her first kiss……seeing her dad date someone for the first time etc., and it was really quite sweet to see Jenny McLachlan assist Betty through these moments with the help of her late mother. Through a series of adorable letters, Betty manages to really get to know her mum, and her mum helps her through so much. It was wonderful to read about and a great way to add something different to Betty’s story.

Sweet and easy to fall into, Betty’s story is another great instalment in this series. Love Bomb couldn’t have ended any better and leaves me endlessly happy with where Betty and her friends and family are now their story has been told. I’m very excited to read Kat and Pearl’s stories in the future and look forward to seeing what Jenny McLachlan has in store for these four gals next!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Bloomsbury Australia (Thank you Sonia!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: Fans of cute and fun YA will eat this up.
Cover: Love the vibrant colours!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes, can't wait to read the other books :)

Cover Reveal: Forsworn by Emily Wibberley & Excerpt

I read and reviewed Emily Wibberley's debut novel Sacrificed earlier this year and I'm excited to be participating in the cover reveal for the sequel Forsworn! I'm SO excited for Forsworn and absolutely love the cover. It's seriously kick ass! What do you think?

Clio can see the future, but what she doesn’t know about her past could destroy her.

It’s been a year since Clio made her sacrifice to the Deities and embraced her destiny as the Oracle to save her people.

The only family she has left is a brother who wants her dead.

The prince, her oldest friend, is a king with his own agenda.

And the man who once loved her, now hates her.

All she can do is try to forget about Riece, the enemy commander whose heart she broke to save his life, as she serves the Deities. Her days are filled with Visions and bloodshed in a never-ending war against the Untouched. To add to her problems, she must pose as King Derik’s mistress to conceal her forbidden powers from the Emperor’s spies.

When Riece unexpectedly returns to Sheehan with a new and beautiful ally, Clio knows she must put him out of her mind once and for all, but first, they are thrust together into battle against a mysterious Untouched warrior with otherworldly power. To reclaim her city, she must team up with the man she hurt, the man she still loves but can never be with, and finally confront the questions about her origin—questions with answers that Clio may not be prepared to face.

The highly anticipated sequel to the award-winning novel Sacrificed (The Last Oracle, Book 1) heralded as a “Must-Read Romantic Fantasy” by USAToday.com

Add on Goodreads!
 

Check out Sacrificed on Goodreads or read my 5 star review!

 

Sneak Peak at Forsworn.....

The hallways had never felt so small before, never so stifling. Clio could hardly catch her breath as she sped down the corridors toward Riece’s old chambers.

She needed to find out what the symbol meant. She had no choice but to go to Riece. She would just have to keep her feelings out of it.

Before she could argue herself out of her thin conclusions, she found herself standing at Riece’s door. She knocked once, quietly, almost hoping Riece wouldn’t hear, wouldn’t invite her in.

“Come in,” he said almost distractedly from within.

She stepped inside and found him seated on a small bench, sharpening the edge of a small dagger. His cloak lay folded at his side, and his chest was left bare except for the smudged lines of his warrior ink. Happily, there was no sign that the princess was around. Perhaps Clio had imagined everything between them.

“Of course. It’s you,” Riece said without glancing at her. “You changed your hair.” He put aside his dagger and looked up at her. “Black. It seems like every time I see you, it’s a different color. Fitting, I suppose. Goes with your capricious nature.”

“Capricious? That’s a pretty big word for you, Commander. You sure you know what it means?”

He laughed bitterly, and for some reason Clio felt the familiar itch in her skin that could only ever be soothed with a fight.

He was suddenly serious. “It means ever-changing. Isn’t that why you haven’t wed the king? Has he, too, grown tired of your fickle heart?” His eyes mirrored the hate in his tone.

He had never looked at her with such antipathy before, and Clio’s blood flooded her cheeks. “Of course not,” she snapped.

“No?” He rose and advanced toward her. “Then you’ve some other reason?”

He was far too close, and Clio was having trouble thinking straight.

“We’ve been at war, hardly the time for nuptials. And—” she stammered. This close, she could tell that Riece was much larger than he had been a year ago. The muscles in his shoulders shifted and bulged with the slightest movement of his neck.

“And?” he prompted.

“And someone had to defend this city after you took your army, to what? Rescue some princess?” She spat the words at him.

Riece’s eyes sparkled with silent laughter. “So that’s the reason for this delightful visit. You’re jealous. Well, you have no right to be.”

“I’m not jealous,” Clio protested.

“No? Because my remembering of this,” he gestured to the two of them, “was that you used me so you could get back to your beloved king. You made your true feelings perfectly clear.” His look had darkened, and his jaw tightened with restrained fury.

She would have preferred a slap to the way he was looking at her. “You’re right,” she admitted.

Riece’s gaze bored into her, but what he looked to find, she couldn’t say.

“Why are you really here, Clio?” he finally sighed, exasperated.

To tell you that I’ve dreamt about you every night for a year, she wanted to scream. “I need you to look at something.”

“Ordering me around so soon?” His lips quirked up in a grin that didn’t travel to his eyes.

Emily Wibberley grew up in the South Bay where she spent her formative years battling zombies on her Xbox, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and voraciously reading everything from The Hunger Games to Jane Austen, where her love for feisty young heroines was born.

After graduating from Princeton University Magna Cum Laude in 2014, she began writing. Her debut novel, Sacrificed, was named a finalist in the Young Adult category of the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Awards, in the Young Author category of the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and in the 2015 International Book Awards. Since its release, Sacrificed has spent more than four months as a Kindle Top Ten Teen and Young Adult Bestseller.

When she isn't reading the latest YA book, she enjoys watching kick-butt action movies with her two rescue German Shepherds, Hudson and Bishop, named after characters from James Cameron's Aliens.

Visit her website at www.emilywibberley.com and sign up for her mailing list to hear about giveaways and news about the upcoming release of Forsworn (The Last Oracle, Book II).

Visit Emily:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter 

 Instagram | Instagram (The Last Oracle)

 

 

I'd like to take this time to congratulate Emily, not only on Forsworn upcoming release, but on the well deserved success she is having with Sacrificed. Sacrificed is a great addition to the fantasy genre and I no doubt Forsworn will be as amazing as it's predecessor!

 

 

Book Shelf: Beautiful Oblivion (The Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt.

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red.

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Readers found themselves falling in love with Travis when we witnessed his and Abby’s tale in Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster. Now it’s time to meet a different Maddox as Jamie McGuire kicks off her brand new Maddox Brothers series with Beautiful Oblivion, a stunning love story featuring Trenton Maddox and the woman whose heart he sets out to win!

I have to say, Jamie McGuire is wholeheartedly the reason I read New Adult fiction. Considering it was the first NA book I ever read, if it wasn’t for Beautiful Disaster I may never have found myself a reader of this genre. However thanks to the sensational writing style and character development I discovered in that one book, I’m now a fan of NA and more than ecstatic that McGuire has decided to dedicate an entire series to the other Maddox boys.

Told through the eyes of Camille “Cami” Camlin, Beautiful Oblivion follows the fierce bartender as she slowly gets to know Trenton Maddox, one of the more prominent Maddox brothers we briefly met in Beautiful Disaster & Walking Disaster. Starting out as friends, Cami is unable to deny that the contradictive and alluring Trent makes her feel the kind of things she shouldn’t be feeling with someone who has a boyfriend, and soon Cami is realizing that maybe the person who is right for her might be someone she wasn’t expecting.

Honestly, I really love the way Jamie McGuire writes her novels. They’re wonderfully written and even though it’s NA, she doesn’t focus too heavily on the sexual relationships of her characters, instead choosing to explore other aspects of their lives and relationships together. Don’t get me wrong, they ooze sexual tension and do feature the kinds of naughty scenes we all love, but that also allow us to get to know the characters based on elements other than their sex lives.

As the protagonist, I really liked Cami. She was a little rough around the edges, but a real gem at her base. McGuire does a great job giving Cami her own personality and drive and I loved that she was willing to stand up to Trent. This is a girl capable of standing on her own two feet and despite the difficult upbringing she had, she’s managed to come out okay. Having read both Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster, I will admit I longed for the opportunity to experience things through Trenton’s eyes in this book. Trent was a big mystery to me heading into the novel and I’m sad to admit he still is in a lot of ways. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing; I would just have loved the opportunity to get to know him a little bit more. Although admittedly, I’ve loved what I’ve seen so far.

Beautiful Oblivion is very much a tangled web of emotions with our main character Cami in a long distance relationship, but slowly developing feelings for Trent. I thought McGuire did a superb job making this as complicated as possible, especially with the extra twist at the end. Personally I did see it coming and think most people will be quick to put two and two together, but it does make me excited for the next Maddox Brothers book more so than before!

I do feel like there are some loose ends that need to be tied up after Beautiful Oblivion, the first being T.J. for obvious reasons. The second is actually Cami’s family. McGuire depicts a very complicated dynamic between Cami and her family, with her family very dysfunctional and not in a good way. There’s so much anger and pettiness from them at times, but I do see a lot of potential for development and resolution where Cami’s brothers are concerned. Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself but I wouldn’t mind a Camlin Brothers series when the Maddox Brothers concludes in the distant future. Just a thought.......

Rich in romance, humor and sexual tension, Beautiful Oblivion introduces the next step in Jamie McGuire’s writing career and introduces us to even more complex, layered and intriguing characters. A great introduction to the Maddox Brothers series—I’m very eager to see what McGuire has in store for us next!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Simon & Schuster (Thank you Jen!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This is an excellent NA read and not to be missed!
Cover: It's an enticing cover and very interesting
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes!

The V Girl by Mya Robarts- Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm thrilled to be featuring The V Girl by Mya Robarts on the blog today. I had the privilege of reading and reviewing the The V Girl and posted by review a couple of months ago. Mya Robarts journey to publishing wasn't easy but she now has her fabulous book in the world and I'm happy to be supporting her today.

In post-apocalyptic North America, rape and sexual slavery are legal. Lila Velez, desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and can take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend, Rey, the most attractive man in her town. Lila does not love him but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute of love.

Lila’s coping mechanism to her mother’s rape and kidnapping is her secret. A secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey, a foreign, broody man. Lila does not trust him because his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. Aleksey offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

All the while Lila will have to find a way to live in the constant company of death, slavery, starvation, sexual abuse and the danger of losing the people she loves the most.

**This book is recommended for readers over the age of 18 due to strong language and sexual content.**

Add on Goodreads or check out my 5 star review!

Purchase:

Amazon | Kobo

 

 

 

Ebook vs. Printed books.

 

Today I want to share with you all my opinion about a dilemma that every bookaholic faces once in a while. The never ending debate: E-books vs. Printed books.

 

Some believe that e-readers are going to dominate the reading world.  A more conservative group of people think that the traditional book will remain the favorite choice among a huge portion of book lovers.  

 

As recent as four years ago, I was an enthusiast part of this second side. I used to believe that a book, to be “real” had to come to life in printed form.  The flipping of pages, the smell, and the texture were all irreplaceable for me and a huge part of what my reading experience had to include. And who doesn’t love to take a look at shelves full of books?

 

Eventually, I discovered the advantages of e-book readers. Portability; more books, less money,  you can read covertly when you’re not supposed to do it (let’s say a boring lecture). E-books have advantages that I never thought I’d enjoy since I was so reluctant to change the way I had always read.

 

You are not less of a book lover if you prefer e-books over printed books. Plenty of booklovers, who have a kind of physical impediment will also prefer e-books.  And carrying a thousand books with you wherever you go has its advantages.

 

Recently I saw a video in which Kat O’Keeffe  from  Katytastic –my favorite booktube channel in case you don’t recognize the name—admits she prefers e-books. Kat, owns the most beautiful shelves I’ve ever seen, and even so, when it comes to reading, she’ll take an e-book, leaving the printed book for other purposes .  Collecting them, one of those purposes.

 

I don’t see any reason to not combine the advantage of the two formats. I read in electronic format the books that I think won’t be among my favorites. When my favorite authors have a new book, I end up buying the same book twice. I order the e-book the day of release, and later I order the printed version.

 

As a book addict who enjoys her addiction, I’ll always want more books in whatever format I can get them: Electronic, Audio, Paperback, Hardcovers, etc. I want them all. The format doesn’t demerit the value of a book. An excellent book will always be great not matter what format meets our eyes. Whether your book collection is nicely stacked on shelves or available to you with just a few clicks on your e-reader, the very fact that we have options to choose is something to feel grateful for. It means more opportunities to discover our next favorite reading.
 

I am a bookaholic and regret nothing.

I spent years trying to become a contemporary dance choreographer. Eventually I realized that I enjoyed writing my stories rather than creating dances for them.

I am obsessed with books that present damaged characters, swoon worthy guys, controversial topics and happy endings.

Visit Mya:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
 

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Blog Tour: Daisy and the Front Man by Rebekah L. Purdy- Guest Post & Giveaway

As a serious Backstage Pass series, I'm super duper excited to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Daisy and the Front Man by Rebekah L. Purdy thanks to YA Bound Book Tours. Yesterday I posted my review for Daisy and the Front Man and I'm happy to say I loved it as much as the previous two books in the series. Below you'll find a guest post from Rebekah L. Purdy detailing how this stunning boy band came to be, as well as a tour wide giveaway to enter. Enjoy!

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Hell hath no fury like a fangirl scorned…

When Daisy Morris finds out she’s spending the summer with her dad, bodyguard for Seconds to Juliet—the hottest boy band around—she knows it couldn't be more perfect. But not because she’s a fan. Oh, no. Because ever since front man Trevin Jacobs completely humiliated her by standing her up for homecoming, Daisy is out for a little revenge. Yup, Trevin Jacobs is goin' down...

When one of his bandmates bets Trevin he can't make Daisy—the gorgeous but surprisingly ice-cold daughter of their bodyguard—fall in love with him, it’s a bet he can’t resist. Sure, Daisy won’t give him the time of day for reasons he can't understand, and her dad’s hell-bent against his little girl spending time with a superstar. But the terms are set, and Trevin is determined to make Daisy fall…hard.

But every front man should know never to trust a girl with a pretty face…

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, sexual situations, and seriously hot boys. It may cause swoony daydreams involving a certain super-cute front man.

Add on Goodreads or check out my 4 star review!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

How to Prepare to Write a Book About Boy Bands

Okay, so this whole book series started out as an idea on twitter. Basically throw in a few authors talking about their love for boy bands on the net and BOOM, a book series proposal is born. But before we could start writing our books, we had to discuss, how many guys we wanted in the band and who wanted to write what guy/girl combo.

And once we had a general idea of what kinds of storylines/tropes we each wanted to write, we had to pitch it to an editor. Which, lucky for us Stacy Abrams at Entangled Publishing loved our idea to take 5 authors and each write about a guy in this super famous (made up) boy band.

To prepare ourselves to write this series, we created a google group/google docs page where we had to update information on where we wanted our to urs to be (dates/venues etc). But this was a place to also list our characters and their information ( descriptions/likes-dislikes/friends/what part of the tour we wanted to write/names of fake songs/also backstories for some of our people).

We also had to depend on pictures of insides of tour buses, photos of famous people who reminded us of our characters to post and give ever yone kind of a visual of how we saw our guys/girls. We shared playlists and numerous emails back and fo rth asking one another stuff like “Hey would your guy do something like this?” And sometimes we wouldn’t all agree on one thing, like our band name (LOL). We were glad to have some help naming our band from readers and our editor.

But for me, I started to watch a lot of boy band videos—as in the behind the scenes type stuff. Like what certain bands did while out on tour, back stage stuff (and yes I bought some 1D DVDs and also brought out some of my old New Kids on the Block VH S tapes I still had). I took lots of notes and I re ad online columns and such regarding tours etc. I tuned into TV shows/specials that had to do with boy bands. I wanted to know everything there was to kno w about how the different groups ticked and what some of their downfalls were. I wanted to make things realistic, even though this book is about a fictional band.

One of the most fun parts of writing this series wi th other authors was the emails back and forth, with hot guy pics and links to boy band music videos. And since my character, Trevin, who is Korean American is kind of based off some of the KP OP bands I discovered through my niece and daughter, it was awesome sharing some of those videos with the others. If I got the chance to work with these ladies again, I’d jump on it.

The only sad thing about this series is that this band doesn’t exist in real life (LOL). I LOVE Seconds to Juliet and all our fabulous guys we created: Miles, Ryder, Trevin, Will, and Nathan.

 

**As someone who has read all the books in this series so far and who can't wait for the rest of them, I can honestly say I LOVE the Seconds to Juliet guys and the way these talented authors have put together their band! Just brilliant!**

Rebekah Purdy grew up in Michigan, where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. When not hiding at her computer and getting lost in her stories, she enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games and hanging out with her kids. She loves the unexplainable like Bigfoot, the Dogman, and the Loch Ness Monster (lots of good story material)! She admits to still having all the books she bought throughout her childhood and teen years, and she may or may not have an obsession with anything chocolate…

Visit Rebekah:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

 

 

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Book Shelf: Daisy and the Front Man (Backstage Pass #3) by Rebekah L. Purdy

Hell hath no fury like a fangirl scorned…

When Daisy Morris finds out she’s spending the summer with her dad, bodyguard for Seconds to Juliet—the hottest boy band around—she knows it couldn't be more perfect. But not because she’s a fan. Oh, no. Because ever since front man Trevin Jacobs completely humiliated her by standing her up for homecoming, Daisy is out for a little revenge. Yup, Trevin Jacobs is goin' down...

When one of his bandmates bets Trevin he can't make Daisy—the gorgeous but surprisingly ice-cold daughter of their bodyguard—fall in love with him, it’s a bet he can’t resist. Sure, Daisy won’t give him the time of day for reasons he can't understand, and her dad’s hell-bent against his little girl spending time with a superstar. But the terms are set, and Trevin is determined to make Daisy fall…hard.

But every front man should know never to trust a girl with a pretty face…

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, sexual situations, and seriously hot boys. It may cause swoony daydreams involving a certain super-cute front man.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Daisy and the Front Man kicks off the third novel in the sensationally addictive Backstage Pass series, this time written by Rebekah L. Purdy and following front man Trevin Jacobs as the meets he girl who is set to bring him down…..one way or the other!

With three novels already down, Backstage Pass has quickly become one of my favourite YA contemporary series and I’m so incredibly addicted! Each novel has been fun, funny and endlessly romantic; dealing with teen issues, family, friends and the pressure money and fame can bring to the lives of a young adult. All neatly tied up together with sass, humour and perfect romantic tension and chemistry I might add. And Daisy and the Front Man is no exception!

This time told through the eyes of Seconds to Juliet’s oldest member, front man Trevin, and Daisy Morris a teenage girl who Trevin once stood up, Daisy and the Front Man sees Daisy set out to get a little revenge against the guy who broke her heart when she finds herself spending the summer with her dad, a body guard for the famous boy band. Trevin on the other hand is in for the surprise of a lifetime when he accepts a bet to prove he can get the daughter of Seconds to Juliet’s bodyguard to fall in love with him before summer is through. The last thing he expected was to find himself falling for the surprising redhead and when Daisy begins to see that Trevin may not be so bad after all, both teens must decide whether love is worth taking a chance…..

Eeeep. More Seconds to Juliet! I’m totally stuck on this boyband. Miles, Ryder and now Trevin have won my heart and I can only hope Will will soon be next with Nathan following close behind! Rebekah L. Purdy creates a sold YA romance story with Daisy and the Front Man, writing both Trevin and Daisy’s voices perfectly. Both characters were a joy to follow and I loved being inside their heads.

Daisy and Trevin were both really likeable characters. Easy to follow, join and watch evolve, Daisy and Trevin had real personality and endearing qualities. Both made mistakes, especially where the other were concerned, but I really appreciated how Rebekah L. Purdy forced them to face their fears and grown. Trevin’s Korean heritage was a nice touch, but I would have loved to have seen even more of his family and culture. Daisy on the other hand had difficulties with her absentee father and I thought it sweet that Purdy explored this in Daisy and the Front Man too.

Another great romance featured in this novel and I really enjoyed watching it develop. Daisy and Trevin are quite adorable together and of course it was wonderful watching another Seconds to Juliet member fall. Rebekah L. Purdy won me over with the sweet romance, banter and chemistry between Daisy and Trevin. 

With Daisy and the Front Man coming to a close, I’m already hankering for the next instalment. Who it will be written by and which remaining Seconds to Juliet member it will be about remains to be seen, but I think the person who will be front and centre next time is Will and I highly look forward to it. 

Fun, addictive and wonderfully told, Daisy and the Front Man was yet another Backstage Pass novel that certainly did not disappoint!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Entangled Publishing (Thanks guys!)
Format: Kindle ebook via Netgalley
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Recommendation: This is a BRILLIANT YA series and so very worth a read!
Cover: Perfect with the other books in the series.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes. Can. Not. Wait!