Cover Reveal: The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Summary:
On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

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About the Author:

Born and raised in northern Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller still lives there on a windy hill with her husband and kids. She loves comic books, lava lamps, fuzzy socks, and Cherry Coke. She spends most of her days reading things she likes and writing things she hopes other people will like. 

Feature and Follow #8

Q: Activity! Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think they look like? Add an image to make us all happy.

There are so many good choices for good book boyfriends! It's hard to choose, but I can narrow it down to two. The obvious choice is Daemon from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Or course we all know what he looks like. yum!

The other one that I just can not eliminate comes from The Proposition by Katie Ashley. Aiden may have made some mistakes, but he is yumtastic as well! :) Of course, all Katie Ashley fans know that Jensen Ackles is the perfect Aiden!!

Who is your book crush? :)

Review: Flawed by Kate Avelynn

Summary:
Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact.

***I received this book in exchange for my honest review.***

My Thoughts:
This is the type of book that is not necessarily for the faint of heart. This is the first YA book that I have read that deals with possible incest, but Avelynn tackles this subject beautifully. 

Sarah and James have had a hard life. It's not even possible to comprehend the extent the abuse has had on them in the beginning of the book. When we meet Sarah, she is convinced that the best course of action for her is to be invisible in all areas of her life. James is her brother, her protector, and the one person she trusts. She is perfectly fine with letting him make decisions for her and to do what he thinks is best, that is until Sam finally works up the nerve to talk to her. 

Sam melts my heart. He is so caring, gentle, and kind. He is everything Sarah needs in life, even if she isn't at a point where she can recognize that yet. He has an understanding of what is happening with their father, but he quickly becomes suspicious of how possessive James is of Sarah. Try as he might and as much as he loves Sarah, she is determined to stay with James no matter what. James has seen to it that Sarah feels extreme guilt whenever she even thinks about a life of her own.

James is very complex. I think it is important to remember while reading the book that he is also a victim. He has been putting himself in front of the abuse to save Sarah for most of his life. While I admire all he did to protect his little sister, somehow he went from protecting her and loving her life a brother should, to trying to cross a line that will only hurt himself and Sarah. He quickly starts barreling down a dark path filled with violence and makes some horrible decisions. 

Sarah is a total sweetheart and my heart goes out for all she has suffered. I just kept wishing that she could see what was going on with James. His idea of what Sarah was to him was quickly becoming warped, but I don't think she could have stopped it from happening. James was beginning to unravel and only professional help could have stopped his downward decent. Sam was so right and it isn't until the end of everything that she begins to understand that she can be strong without her brother, she should be allowed to follow her own dreams, and that she has placed her trust in the hands of the wrong person. 

I understand why the book ended the way it did. It needed to happen. It made the book more complete, but how I wished it could have ended differently. Needless to say I was shocked. It was such an emotional ending that it stuck with me the rest of the day. I will not be forgetting about this book for a long time to come.


My Rating: 5 Stars! 


About the Author:

Kate Avelynn lives in Central Oregon with her husband, whom she fell in love with at eighteen after realizing he shared her obsession with music, sports, and psychoanalysis. When not devouring Stephanie Perkins and Jennifer Echols novels, holding down her editing gig, or attempting to coax life out of the weed patch she calls a "garden," Kate writes dark, young adult romance that blends first love, betrayal, and danger. Flawed is her debut novel.

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Book Tour: Toying with Temptation by Madison Martin

Toying With Temptation
Madison Martin

Genre:   Romance

Publisher:  Chances Press, LLC

ISBN:  978-0981718644

ASIN:  B005TWZQFS

Number of pages:  188

Word Count:   45,000

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Book Description:

Driven, business savvy Hailey Burton, Vice President of Tryton Financial Institute, has been put in charge of running what could be her first ever failure: the company's Christmas Eve toy drive. Toys and Christmas are beyond Hailey's expertise, but when she's offered the chance for the promotion she's been waiting for if she succeeds, her competitive spirit kicks into high gear.

When every company in Los Angeles turns her down, desperation leads her to Quinn Matheson. Ten years ago, Hailey chose a prosperous career over Quinn, but as she falls for him all over again, she can't deny that they make a good team in business...and more. This second time around, is she finally ready to make the leap and become his partner in love?

Short Excerpt

She couldn’t wait any longer. She unzipped his pants and pulled them down with such force that she almost knocked both of them to the floor. He pulled her down along with him until they landed together in a heap on the carpet.
He gave out a deep laugh.

Years and years of seamless business deals, and somehow she was managing to screw this up. Always with the personal stuff, she was there to make a mess of it. “You’re laughing at my ravaging you?” she asked sheepishly, feeling her cheeks burning. “I know, I know…being with me is kind of like being in a French farce, right?”

“I’m not complaining.” Still seeming to be enjoying himself, he drew her up beside him on the carpet and kissed her.

“You gotta admit that was kind of funny. It’s okay to laugh at yourself sometimes.”

Instead of taking offense, she lightened up. “Help me, then.”

Together they managed to get his pants all the way off.

Pushing him flat onto his back, she settled herself on top and pressed her hands against the delineated muscles of his chest. He was all hers. She raised up onto her knees, and a little jab of pain made her wince.

With a harsh breath, he leaned up, a worried look on his face. “Your knee…”

“No, it’s all right.” She adjusted her astride position, settling comfortably. “There. That’s better.”

“No, this won’t work. We’ll hurt it.”

“It’s fine,” she insisted.

Unconvinced, he leaned up and grasped her thigh with one hand. “That scab still looks bad.”

“It’s all right. I promise.”

He leaned back, giving in. With a gruff sigh, he said through gritted teeth, “I should have known you’d want to be on top.”

She grinned, shifting her silky underwear along the hard length covered by his boxers. “You used to like it.”
He gritted his teeth and grasped her hips. “Sure. Use and abuse me,” he croaked out.

She examined the look on his face and bit her lower lip. Was she really torturing him? “You don’t sound too happy about it.”

“I’m not going to be able to handle much of your teasing tonight.”

All right, so she admitted she liked teasing him. He was too fun to tease, only because he took it so well. “Are you mad about—?”

In a split second, he had her flat on her back. She laughed as Quinn moved on top of her, pressing his body against hers.

“How about we do it like this?” he asked with a triumphant smile, his dark eyes exploring her face.


My Thoughts:
This was a short but wonderful read. I was worried in the beginning that Hailey and Quinn wouldn't be able to work out their differences, but I was so happy to be proven wrong!

Hailey made a choice ten years ago, and I think she really regrets it. Sure she has an awesome career, but as the story progresses she finally sees that there is so much more to life then how much money you make or what your social status is. Love is worth so much more.

Quinn was a sweetheart. He had a right to be hurt, and it was entertaining to see him attempt to get his revenge.

I loved this book and can't wait to read more by this author!

My Rating: 4 Stars!

About the Author:

Madison Martin is currently seeking help for her life-long addiction to movies, books, and anything else in which she can lose herself in a good story. Madison lives in the Washington, DC area. She is the author of The Deep End: Erotic Stories For Women, The Deep End 2, Briefly Yours: An Erotic Romance Novel, Nights on Catalina, and Toying With Temptations.

Please visit the author's website at www.madisonmartinbooks.com    

Blog Tour: Reckoning by Molly M. Hall

Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy

Title: Reckoning (Dark Prophecy #1)

Author: Molly M. Hall

Date Published: 10/2/12

 "They say the truth can set you free. I found out it can kill you."

Seventeen-year-old Kat Matheson has never revealed the dark secret that sets her apart from everyone else: She can see and hear the dead. Until now, she has been able to ignore the strange apparitions and whispering voices. But it may not be that simple anymore. Haunted by eerie visions and increasingly frightening nightmares, Kat begins to fear she may be the target of a dark and ominous force from beyond the grave. Complicating matters is the arrival of her new neighbor, a young man she instinctively distrusts but is inexplicably drawn to. Gorgeous and mysterious, he seems to hold a disturbing knowledge of her long-held secrets.

As she desperately tries to maintain control, events take an unexpected and violent turn. Discovering that nothing is what it seems and that her psychic abilities may involve far more than just communing with the dead, Kat may be forced to confront her worst fears and the powerful curse that controls her destiny.

Excerpt -

I step into the pool of light beneath the streetlamp, anxious to leave the darkness behind. Suddenly, the light flickers, an odd sizzling sound emanating from the globes. I stop and stare, watching as several sparks shoot out the sides. The bird, the largest crow I have ever seen, swoops down from the trees, one shining, jet black eye looking directly at me. Sound disappears and time seems to fold in on itself, slowing to half-speed. The same weightless feeling I’d experienced at school creeps over me, and I tense, fighting off the panic.

I stare at the bird, watching it descend lower and lower. It’s wings beat once, moving slowly down and back up again. Sparks continue to jet from the streetlamp, each brightly pointed flash of light spewing out in a torpid, glowing trail, before dropping slowly and silently to the ground. The bird is nearly on top of me. It sweeps past, close enough that I can feel the rush of air beneath its wings, gently lifting my hair. Then it arcs upward, higher and higher, before turning and diving back toward me again, it’s beak open in a silent cry.

My Thoughts:

This was the first book I have read by this author and I am hooked! I loved every minute of this book. completely original and safe to say that I am completely looking forward for the next book!

Kat is an amazing female character. She is strong, but she still has her vulnerable side. I love the perfect blend of action, adventure, and romance that Hall has created!!! Beautiful writing is only made better by a plot that never stops. I was so happy to never find a dull spot in this book!

I can't wait for the next book!

My Rating: 4 Stars!

About the Author:

I’ve spent most of my life in Colorado and currently live just outside of Denver. I write my books on a laptop perched atop a rather creaky desk, surrounded by two crazy and loving cats. I love to travel and have visited 27 of the 50 states, as well as Canada, Ireland and England. And there are still a lot of places I want to go.

I spent entirely too many years in the gray dullness of the corporate world, imagining something more exciting as I punched numbers on a keyboard. During that time, I worked on a degree in English Literature, but never quite managed to complete it. Mostly because I was too busy reading and creating fantasy worlds in my head. It’s actually my love of reading and imagining that led me to take up writing full time. I thought I should finally give all the characters in my head a voice.

Music is a huge part of my life and plays a big role in the creation of my books. Although I listen to everything from Johann Sebastian Bach and Dvorak, to Glen Miller and Bobby Darin, to Rihanna and Nox Arcana, as well as movie and video game soundtracks, there are two bands whose music is practically my lifeblood: Daughtry and Linkin Park. I will listen to or see them live anytime, anywhere.

I’m a fan of British television, Doctor Who (favorite doctor? David Tennant. Let the debate begin!), The Vampire Diaries, Japanese animé, Ghost Hunters, MI-5 and Eureka. And anything featuring James McAvoy. And I probably would never be able to unwind without That 70′s Show.

When I’m not reading and writing, you'll probably find me listening to music, practicing yoga, working on my very inadequate French, playing piano, enjoying a lovely glass of red wine or champagne, or looking for inspiring landscapes to photograph.

Contact Links

Website

Twitter - @mollymhallbooks

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Buy Links

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Smashwords

Blog Tour: Treason by SM Boyce

YA Epic Fantasy

Title: Treason (Grimoire Trilogy #2)

Author: S. M. Boyce

Date Published: 10/27/12

Summary: 

Ourea has always been a deadly place. The lichgates tying the hidden world to Earth keep its creatures at bay—for now.

Kara Magari ignited a war when she stumbled into Ourea and found the Grimoire: a powerful artifact filled with secrets. To protect the one person she has left, she strikes a deal that goes against everything she believes in. But things don’t go as planned. 

Braeden Drakonin can no longer run from who—and what—he is. He has to face the facts. He’s a prince. He’s a murderer. He’s a wanted man. And after a betrayal that leaves him heartbroken, he’s out for blood.

To survive, both Kara and Braeden must become the evil each has grown to hate.

Treason, Book two of the Grimoire Trilogy by S. M. Boyce

Excerpt from chapter one

Kara pushed herself to her feet. “We should probably make our way back to the mansion, Braeden.”

“Nope,” he said.

“What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“You wanted to learn to fight. We haven’t trained today. We need to spar.”

She groaned. They’d been sparring. She’d healed dozens of bruises and even a broken finger, all evidence to the fact she was barely able to react in time to a sword coming at her face, much less a magical technique. She just wasn’t a very good fighter.

“But—”

He laughed. “You’ll never get better if you don’t practice. Come on.”

He drew his sword.

Her stomach twisted. “Right here? Seriously? On a ledge? Those are rapids!”

“Yes. Today, it’s all about controlling your opponent’s movement and fighting in difficult terrain. Since you aren’t strong in this environment, drive me back up the stairs and to the forest, where you have more room to move. Also, you should never be without a sword.”

“But I don’t have one!”

“That was my point.”

“Shouldn’t I practice one lesson at a time?”

In answer, he swung his sword at her arm. She pressed her back against the cave wall, ducking the blow seconds before the blade cut the air. Goose bumps crawled up her neck.

Braeden laughed. “The best way to learn is baptism by fire. Let’s go!”

Kara ducked another swing and looked around, but she had no tactical advantage. Braeden blocked her way to the stairs. She couldn’t run past him or—she glanced over the ledge at the tumbling river below. Nope, she was not jumping into that. Her only escape was a nearby hole in a ledge that ran above her like a catwalk. If she could—

Braeden shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, apparently ready to lunge and end this whole bout before it began.

No time to think. Just go.

Kara sprinted away, toward the gap. Braeden followed, and Kara jumped for the ledge seconds before he lunged. She grabbed the walkway, the splinters of rock digging into her arms as her momentum lifted her legs out of Braeden’s passing reach.

His fingers brushed her ankle, sending a shiver up her leg. She resisted the impulse to smile at the tingling sensation his touch left behind. It made her think of his hand on her back, of their kiss—

“Clever!” he said.

Focus, Kara.

She pulled herself onto the ledge and wished she had a witty response, but she’d learned that lesson the hard way during an earlier match. She had distracted herself by talking, instead of distracting him like she’d hoped. Braeden had tripped her and knocked her clean onto her back. Dialogue was yet another weapon, one that required practice. Let the better fighters banter. Lesser fighters focus.

Kara got to her feet and raced along the upper pathway toward the waterfall, her satchel bouncing against her back while she ran as fast as she could. Braeden would be faster, but she had to try.

The ledge curved around a bend in the cave. Her feet pounded against the rock, sending shards of cave wall sprinkling to the ground below. The walkway likely hadn’t seen action like this in its lifetime. She hoped it wouldn’t crumble.

Braeden’s steps echoed from under her as the edge of the catwalk came into view. It would end about ten feet before the stairs, so she picked up her pace. She couldn’t slow down, or Braeden would catch her.

Five feet away, now.

Two feet—

Jump!

Kara kept her eyes where she wanted to go, just as Braeden had taught her the last time they’d sparred. She’d tried to jump from a tree and wound up in a bramble bush.

Instinct and a dozen failed attempts in prior matches told her to tuck her head, to curl onto her shoulder and let the momentum propel her forward.

Rocks dug into her neck and shoulder before pushing against her back, but nothing stung. She rolled back onto her feet and took off again, not daring to look back for Braeden. She would probably trip if she did.

She grinned, adrenaline numbing her fingertips as she ran. She had no earthly idea how she would do it again, but to hell with it. She’d finally rolled!

Kara followed the path as it curved and disappeared behind the waterfall. The water misted along her neck, blocking all light as she passed behind it. She let her feet find the stairs as she bolted up two at a time. Braeden’s light breaths came from somewhere in the darkness behind her.

Green sunlight illuminated the top of the stairs, the light blocked by a thick canopy of trees. Brown blurs came into view—bark. There would be a root right when she rounded the last stair, so she had to be careful not to—

Kara’s foot hooked on the root anyway.

She shot forward and skidded along the dirt path. Sticks left gouges in her arms. Her cheek stung. She wiped her hand over her face, but that just made the stinging worse. Blood stained her fingers when she pulled away.

A sword glinted in Kara’s peripheral vision. She sprung to her feet. Braeden stood a short way off, without a scratch on him. He grinned.

“Falling was an interesting choice,” he said.

“Cute.” Kara rolled her eyes and brushed dust off her clothes.

My Thoughts:

First and foremost, let me just say that to read book two before reading book one would be a terrible mistake. You will miss out on so much! So, read them in order. :)

I love this series. First, because of the originality. It's great to read books that are similar and to compare and contrast them, but it's even better to read books that are unlike anything you have had the pleasure to read.

Second, because of the characters. The romance that heats up between Kara and Braeden just brings a smile to my face. I love their banter and how they get along with each other to a point. The characters in this book also show a great deal of character development. It really made the book seem like it was progressing that much better. It didn't allow for dull areas in the story and you didn't feel like the characters were stuck in place spinning their wheels. 

Book 2 in this series is even better than the first and just makes me want the third book that much more! A must read!

My Rating: 4 Stars!

Links to Buy 

Amazon Author Page

About the Author:

S. M. Boyce writes fantasy and paranormal fiction. Boyce is a sarcastic twit, but she still has friends because some people seem to like that. She’s currently working on the YA epic fantasy series the Grimoire Trilogy. Lichgates, the first in the series, is already available. Treason (book 2) releases October 27. Feel free to connect with her online or check out her blog.

CONTACT

Website
Twitter: @theSMBoyce
Facebook

Goodreads Author Page

Goddess Giveaway!

I've been having an amazing month, so I decided to go ahead and throw my first giveaway! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family so now it is time to celebrate! I decided to include the books in one of my favorite series by Aimee Carter. One winner will win a copy of The Goddess Test, The Goddess Interrupted, and The Goddess Legacy. Giveaway is only open to US residents due to shipping costs. Once the winner is announced, you will have 48 hours to respond. Enjoy!

Summary:

EVERY GIRL WHO HAS TAKEN THE TEST HAS DIED.

NOW IT'S KATE'S TURN. 

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she suceeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess. IF SHE FAILS...

Summary:
Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

Summary:

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimée Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness….

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal….

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another….

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others#151;but never knew true loss before….

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope….

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Feature and Follow # 7

Q: What blog are you thankful for?

Great question, but I don't have just one blog I am thankful for. I only started blogging  about 2.5 months ago, and it was a combination of different blogs that I learned from. I do have to thank Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View for the amazing blog hop that has helped me connect to so many blogs!

I guess I am just thankful that the book blogging community is very kind and open minded. Many people in the real world think reading as much as I do is nerdy and weird. It's nice to get on here and read about/talk about books and know that everyone on here loves books as much as I do! So in short, I am thankful for you all that I have followed so far, and for all that I will follow in the future. :)

Official Opal Book Trailer!!!

Opal (The third book in the Lux Series)
Available in both print and digital version on December 18, 2012
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Official Opal Book Trailer

                               Check out Jennifer L. Armentrout on the following sites:

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Official Website