Book Tour: How to Say Goodbye by Amber Lin


How To Say Goodbye
by Amber Lin

 Publication date: April 7th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Amy has a secret: no one has ever held her hand. She doesn’t even know how to hug. Everybody thinks she’s brilliant, but that’s because school was all she had. Then she meets Dane, a golden-haired surfer whose easy charm and hot touch teach her what she longs to know.
Dane lives for the salty breeze and a sweet wave, because that’s all he has. He’s lived on the streets since he was fourteen. A drifter. Homeless. But Amy changes everything. Smart and accomplished, she’s everything he’s not. He wants to be the sort of man who deserves her.

Except that means facing down his past—and that past might very well swallow them both.
  Everyone knows how skeptical I've been of New Adult. So far, my experiences have been on both sides of the spectrum, and I'm still torn on knowing if New Adult is a genre I enjoy as a whole. How to Say Goodbye by Amber Lin definitely stands out. Just the writing alone is something that deserves praise. Lin has a beautiful way with words that I appreciated so much. She is able to weave a compelling story with a consuming prose. Let's just say that this book pushed me one step closer to accepting New Adult.

  This wasn't an easy, lovey-dovey read. There were parts of it that were raw. It felt real. I found myself really invested in the relationship of Amy and Dane. I had such a connection to them, and I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. They were both such lonesome souls, and I was so eager to find out if they found their happy ending. And let me just say that the ending was perfect.

  The pacing was on point, and I never felt that the book dragged. At times, the story was so heavy that I needed a break. Amber Lin writes with such realism that I needed a break from the emotions. That being said, I did enjoy this one. I would recommend it to New Adult romance fans. It's different than other NA reads, and I appreciated that change of pace.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Amber Lin and Xpresso Book Tours.


Amber Lin is an author of edgy and emotional erotic romance. RT Book Reviews gave her debut, Giving It Up, 4.5 stars and called it “truly extraordinary.”

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Book Tour: I Know Lucy by Melissa Pearl

Genre: YA Romantic Suspense

Lucy Tate is on the run. After witnessing the
brutal murder of her parents, she's spent five
years in hiding -- taking on different personas and faking her way through life. The authorities can't be trusted, so she remains in the shadows, always one beat ahead of the man who is forever hunting her. That is, until she meets Zach Schultz, a senior at Monte Vista High and the one guy she can’t bear to leave. Suddenly her natural instincts to lie, steal, and run are overshadowed by something else...the desire to stay. It’s her one shot at a normal life.

 Curious by nature, Zach is immediately drawn to the new girl at school. How can a person look both confident and vulnerable all in the same moment? Determined to learn more about her, he tries to get close, but is thrown into a world of lies and confusion .The only thing that becomes apparent is that discovering the truth may get him killed.
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  This is one of those books that comes along and totally sweeps you up into the story. I spent way too much time with this book avoiding sleep because I had to know what was happening. I've never read anything by Melissa Pearl, but it was both her writing and the suspense of the story that kept me so engaged. The story switches between the present day with Zach and flashbacks of the past from Lucy's point of view. I really enjoyed this added element and appreciated the two different views of the story.

   I really liked the entire cast of characters and connected with them all. Lucy was my favorite, and the snippets of memories from her past were such a treat while reading this book. Zach and his friends were so entertaining. 

   This story is really emotional, and I was totally left when an overload of feels whenever I finished. I'm already ready to read the next part in this series! I want Zach and Lucy both to be okay. Even after I was done reading this, I still wondered about them. The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I'm still anxiously wondering what's next. 

   What can I say? I loved this book so much! It was not your typical story, and I found myself really invested and engaged to the very end. If you're looking for a book to suck you in and keep you up at night, you have to pick up I Know Lucy!

**I received this book for free in exchange for honest review. My thanks to Melissa Pearl and Mark My Words Book Publicity.


Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books. Recently she signed with Evatopia Press and her first Evatopia book is coming out in February 2014 - True Colors, The Masks Series #1. She is very excited to be trying out new things this year while continuing to publish under her own name as well. She has six books planned for 2014 and is excited about writing each and every one of them. "I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."
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Book Tour: Blood's Voice by Aine P. Massie


Blood’s Voice 
(A House Millar book #1) 
by Áine P Massie

Genre: New Adult/Paranormal Romance 
Publisher: CHBB 
Release Date: Mar 15 2014
Anya Millar had no memory of her life or an instruction manual on how to navigate the insane world of humans, biting, and reality. Instead, Anya has had to learn to navigate the world of love, life, and sanity while avoiding those that would see her dead or enslaved.

This is the ongoing journey of Anya and Nicholas, human loving vampires and the human they love, Declán. What makes it all more complicated is that they are abominations in their own world and Declán is a natural born vampire hunter called a Guardian.

Anya must come to terms with who she is and her missing past, Nicholas must win back the object of his eternal love while dealing with new cravings in his silent heart, and Declán must learn to destroy the very creatures that he has unequivocally given his heart and blood.
  This book gives off a distinct vibe of Twilight. To some, that could be viewed as a good thing. But to those who know me and my reading preferences, it made this book a bit less enjoyable than I would have hoped for. Blood's Voice definitely has its unique parts to it, but the plot seemed very much like something I had read before. 

   The author's writing is different than what I'm used to. It took me a bit to get into the book, but once I adjusted to the style of writing I got into the story. With the copy that I was given for review, there were still quite a lot of errors that a solid editing could polish over and fix.

   The characters to me seemed to lack a personalized identity. The formal dialogue seemed to fit well with my idea of some the characters, but not so well with others. Still, I did enjoy the romance aspect of this book. It kept me intrigued. 

   After getting over the hurdle at the beginning of the book, I found the pacing to be very good. The story developed a natural flow, and I found myself able to read it easily. If you're a Twilight fan, you'll love this book.

 **I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Áine P Massie and RBTL.


 Áine P Massie is originally from Florida, she now lives in Wisconsin where she works on her House Millar series full time while raising four children (the term herding cats comes to mind). Her major in College was Childhood Education (specializing in ages zero to five) with a minor study in Deaf Culture/ASL. She is also a Wiccan priestess dedicated to the gods, family, and love.

 Áine is a proud member of the Rom-Critters, the Romance Writers of America®, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Rainbow Romance Writers. Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys . . . oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones.

 Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. However, she has been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction.


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Book Tour: The Hazel Tree by Julia Debski


The Hazel Tree
by Julia Debski

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Cover Artist: Julia Debski

The Hazel Tree revisits a classic Cinderella tale of
abuse and sought after freedom from the confines
of a cruel life.
Ivy Lune is not your ordinary girl for within her blood flows the secrets of an ancient species of werewolf; a secret that also foretells of a great war and a struggle for ultimate supremacy.
Ivy lives a life of isolation torment at the hands of her aunt and cousins for the majority of her life. Mistreated and neglected, she longs to escape the shackles of her prison-like life. And in that longing, she learns the truth of her identity. She learns her place in a long line of events that were set into motion many years ago. She finds intimacy and belonging in a much larger family. All the while, unknown to her, there are dangerous forces are at work; old blood ties and murderous plots threaten her chance at happiness beyond her current life.
The Hazel Tree is a tale of mystery and romance set against a supernatural backdrop of terrifying and awesome power.


  As someone with limited experience with fairy tales and their retellings, I really enjoyed The Hazel Tree by Julia Debski. The twists work perfectly for the story that the author is trying to tell. It was a unique tale that I found myself sucked into without any regret.

  There are certain parts of the story that do lag and feel out of place, but overall I found myself enjoying the pacing of the story. The ending was the major downfall for me. I felt like there was more of the story to be told, and it was glossed over in a race to the end. It's a very raw, unpolished story. But I feel like that works to its benefit in a way.

  The characters were engaging and had their own voice. I wish I could have gotten more into some of them, though. I feel like there is more to this story that needs to be told, and if Julia Debski decides to write it, I'll be waiting to read it! This is a fantastic retelling of Cinderella with unique twists and turns that kept me turning pages. I'd recommend it to fairy tale fans in the young adult genre who don't mind things that howl at the moon!

 **I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Julia Debski and Bewitched Book Tours.



Character Profiles



Julia Debski was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1996. Her family moved around a lot during her childhood before finally settling down in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It wasn't until the 8th grade that she found her passion for writing. It was thanks to a particularly inspiring English teacher and a story that needed to be told. So she began to write, and she never stopped.

Four years later she found herself with nearly a dozen started novels and short stories. As junior in high school she was introduced to Greg Wilkey, a self-published independent author of four novels. He soon became a mentor to her as she worked to write and self-publish her own novel. After two years of hard work, and a nearly a year of mentorship The Hazel Tree was published in October 2013.
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Review: Not Quite Dead by Lyla Payne

Not Quite Dead
(A Lowcountry Ghost Story)
by Lyla Payne

Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

A broken engagement sends Graciela Harper crawling
back to Heron Creek with her tail between her legs, but
finds the sleepy little town too changed to set her life right. Not even her budding drinking problem can obscure her Gramps’s failing health, or erase the mental picture of her first love happily married to her childhood best friend. To top it all off, she’s having a heck of time convincing the town’s dashing young mayor of her unfit-for-dating status.
When the ghost of 18th century lady pirate Anne Bonny starts insisting on a near daily audience, Graciela has to confront something else she never expected—being certifiably nuts at twenty-five years old.
Her brand new "I don't give a crap" attitude makes it easy to dismiss the mysterious threats that seem to be tied to her search for more information on the long dead pirate, but when her family becomes a target, Gracie knows she needs to find out why the ghost insists on being a constant, reeking companion.
If Graciela can put aside her prejudice against people without a pulse, she may discover that Anne Bonny’s problems are intricately linked with her own. The past harbors answers could help the cantankerous spirit find closure, but she is, after all, already dead. If Graciela doesn’t move fast, she might find herself doing the haunting, instead of the other way around.


  I had never heard of Lyla Payne or read many "ghost" stories before I picked up this book. I can safely say that after reading Not Quite Dead, that I'll definitely be reading more of Lyla Payne's work. She has a beautiful way with words that draws you in and keeps you on your toes as you fly through the story she's telling. The setting of South Carolina really drew me in as a fan of Charleston and Savannah. I felt like I was Heron Creek with Graciela the entire time, and I loved it!

   This book was filled with so much win. There were all these different elements that the author was able to tie together seamlessly. It made the story and characters relatable and enjoyable. The build of suspense over the course of the story was engaging, as well. I'll admit; I'm a huge wuss when it comes to scary things. Lyla Payne was able to handle the presence of the paranormal without shying me away from the story. I was left intrigued instead of frightened.

   I know this is a ghost story, so I sound crazy. But this book feels authentic. The sayings that the characters use are ones that I've heard growing up in the south. Seeing "crap on a cracker" left me laughing uncontrollably and remembering whenever I heard my grandmother and her sisters say it whenever I was a child around them. The connection between Graciela and her Gramps had me in tears. I can relate to their relationship so much, and there were several moments during the book that I shed a tear over the beauty of it. There is even a smidgen of romance tucked in between the rest of the story, and I enjoyed it immensely.

   If you grew up in the south and you like to reminiscence as you read, you will simply adore Not Quite Dead. If you didn't have the privilege of growing up south of the Mason Dixon line, read this and find out what you missed out on! This story was so beautiful, and I'm glad to have stumbled upon it. I cannot recommend it enough.


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Review: Liberty At Last by Leigh James

Liberty At Last
(The Liberty Series #2)
by Leigh James

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult


The edge-of-your-seat conclusion to The Liberty
Series...

 I left the man I love to go to Mexico and find his missing daughter. I wanted to heal his broken heart. But now I've been captured by a traitor. I've just made everything worse...

 But John Carter Quinn is a fighter, and he won't give up on me. Or his daughter. He'll fight the cartel that's stolen us. He won't give up until we're safe -- until his daughter is safe from the man who took her. But the cartel is dangerous, and things are not always what they seem. Even the people you love the most. They can break your heart.

 John and Liberty know love's power to bring you together. Can they survive love's power to tear you apart?
18+ due to mature content. Liberty Begins (Book 1) needs to be read first and is available on Amazon.
  Wow, wow, WOW! This book was nothing like what I expected. It took me by surprise and drug me on a wild ride that I never saw coming.

   With the first book, I was unsure of Liberty. She was well written, don't get me wrong. But I didn't like her decisions. With the beginning of this book, she continued with those careless decisions. But wow. Once I got into the story, I saw Liberty in a different light. Leigh James did an excellent job at writing her character arc flawlessly. By the time I finished this book, I thought back to the Liberty that we first met and can definitely see a difference in her. 

  The secondary characters were some of my favorites in this story. I adored Ian, John's father. The scenes with him often left a smile on my face. And Matthew become such a big brother type to Liberty. I found myself reading ahead during the action scenes to make sure he was okay. (Leigh, you almost killed me with that scene in the strip club with Matthew!) And Catherine? My favorite character. Sure, she's crazy beyond repair. But she was that type of crazy that you just can't look away from and giggle at when she has her moments.

   Overall, I enjoyed the two books in this series. Leigh James is a very good writer, and I've enjoyed getting lost in her world. This book is fast paced, and I found myself growing antsy whenever I neared the final chapters of the book. I wasn't ready to leave the world of Liberty and John behind. That tells me all I need to know about these books! Again, New Adult fans will devour this series! 

 My review of the first book in this series, Liberty Begins, is here.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Leigh James.
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Review: Liberty Begins by Leigh James

Liberty Begins
(The Liberty Series #1)
by Leigh James
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
My name is Liberty and I'm a good girl. I come from nothing.
I have no one but myself. Sometimes I do things I don't
want to -- I do them because I have to. Stripping. That's my life in Vegas. And my boss keeps pressuring me to do more than just take my clothes off...

 Then John Carter Quinn crashes into my life. He's an older, gorgeous billionaire in a thousand dollar suit. He keeps coming to see me, night after night. I'm not sure what he wants -- but I know what I want. One night he pulls out his gun at my club to take down a bad guy, and I find out what type of business he's actually in. Hint: he doesn't sit at a desk, he employs a bunch of ex-Navy Seals, and it's lethal to be on his bad side.

  Like me, John has his share of secrets. Dark secrets, dark pain. One of his secrets involves my past. These secrets will bring us together. And then tear us apart.
18+ due to mature content. Contains a cliffhanger, but the finale, Liberty At Last, is available now!

  Obviously this is not my normal read, but I enjoyed dipping my toes into a different genre. I'm still not sold on being a fan of New Adult, though. This was definitely a step in that direction, though. Leigh James is an excellent writer, and I'd seek out her works regardless of what age category they fall in.

   My fault with this book (and other NA books, it seems) was the main character. There were so many times whenever I was left shaking my head at her rash decisions. I felt like the author stayed true to Liberty during the entire story, but I had such a hard time grasping why Liberty did and said some of the things that she did. I wanted to reach into the pages and smack some sense into her. I honestly liked the character of John Carter Quinn. (It doesn't hurt that John Quinn is the name of my favorite Southern Vampire Mysteries male!) He was dominant and protective without being abusive and crazy. For that, I thank you Leigh James. You showed me that it's possible to have a swoon-worthy love interest without all of the nasty abuse and control that rears its ugly head in New Adult.

   There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, and it does end on a cliffhanger. But I really enjoyed it. I liked getting to know the characters. I feel like Leigh James was able to give them their own voice and showcase them as individuals. She kept my attention during the entire story, and I had to start reading the second book as soon as I finished this one to know what happened. 

   New Adult fans will adore Liberty and John's story. Just have the second book on hand, because the ending will leave you craving more of their story! Check back in a few hours to see my review of book two; Liberty At Last.

 **I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Leigh James.


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Blitz: An Aria in Venice by KaSonndra Leigh


An Aria in Venice
(A Musical Interlude #1.5)
by KaSonndra Leigh

 Publication date: April 22nd 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

 **This novel is a standalone with no cliffhanger.**
His goal…One night with the ballerina.

 Her goal…To beat the player at his game.

 The outcome…Something completely unexpected.

 Adriana Dostov pegged Luca Martuccio from day one: gorgeous, talented, arrogant, a man who has had difficulty committing to one woman in the past. He is known in fashion circles as the player with a scandalous history. So when the girls in her ballet troupe suggest she gives up her virginity to him, she doesn’t say no. But she’s not sure that a ‘yes’ is the right answer either. Yet, she can’t stop herself from making the offer…a one night stand in Venice.

 Luca wanted fiesty little Adriana the moment they first met – and he fully intends to have her, hence why he’s agreed to accept her proposal. In the end, he’ll get what he wants. No commitment. All sex.

 But, as Luca discovers, there’s more to the ballerina with the overbearing mother – and he can’t help but care about the frightened girl behind those sad eyes.

 Adriana discovers Luca isn’t just walking sex on a stick – he has a wildly passionate side, a lost soul who has suffered just as much grief as her. And it could be, they’re exactly what the other one needs.
  KaSonndra Leigh was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She now lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to write about people of all ages doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.

   She loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora's Box (good writer's block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

 I'd love to connect with you:
http://www.kasonndraleigh.com/
https://twitter.com/kasonndraleigh
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5137209.KaSonndra_Leigh

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Follow Friday #11: The Furbabies

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!
Have any pets? Tell us or show us!

I'm so excited for this Feature and Follow! I love my furbabies, and I can't wait to see everyone else's!

 Story time. Last year, I went to a psychic in Atlantic City. (Because that's what you do whenever you've gambled away your money and hate the beach.) She told me that I have two soulmates. One of them I was in love with and in a relationship with (my guy, obviously). And I have a second that she thought was a pet or friend, not romantic. Cue: my cat. Crazy psychic lady or not, I'm totally going with my cat being my second soulmate. Meet Absinthe "Abi" Maye:




I, also, have two guinea pigs (Caesar and Milo) and a hamster (Fuzzbutt). My love for small creatures goes deep. They're all too fast for me to snap any good, non-blurry pictures of them. So just know that they're very adorable!
Leave a comment below and tell me about your furbabies!
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Review | Giveaway: Defender's Blood Alex's Destiny by A.K. Michaels Book Tour


Defender’s Blood Alex’s Destiny
(Defender's Blood #1)
by A.K. Michaels

Genres: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Alex has no idea her life is about to change beyond her
wildest imaginings. She is the last in a long line of very
special females born for a dangerous task, and she isn't sure she is up to it. Zach, her vampire protector, is just as sure she is.

Demon attacks, angels and even the ultimate, divine intervention, shake Alex to her very core. Can she do this? Can Zach keep her safe? The alternative is unthinkable: demons once more ruling the earth.

Zach has to ensure that Alex puts a stop to this - and quickly!
PLEASE BE AWARE THERE ARE EXPLICIT SEX SCENES IN THIS BOOK - NOT SUITABLE FOR UNDER 18!

  Quick and entertaining is how I would sum this book up. There are some issues I had while reading it, but overall I found myself enjoying this story. There seemed to be an overload of information dumped on the reader, a common symptom of the first book in a series. There was no shortage of intriguing characters or a descriptive world, though.

   I found Alex to be relate-able, and I liked her as the protagonist. The chemistry between her and Zach is definitely visible! Though, I felt like some of the dialogue stalled in places. It seemed to deviate from how I perceived the characters. I think this stemmed from the information dump about the world and the past.

   There is a definite hurdle at the beginning to get past to get into the story, and I felt that same slow drag creeping up during other parts of the story. It's mostly due to some repetitive parts. Though, A.K. definitely has talents as a writer. With more experience in polishing her stories, I have no doubt that A.K. will go far. 

   I will be tuning in for the other books in this series. There are an array (almost too many) supernatural creatures in this story, so fans of paranormal will find themselves intrigued by Defender's Blood Alex's Destiny. 

 **I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to A.K. Michaels and RBTL Book Tours.

  A.K. Michaels was born in Scotland quite a number of years ago! She was married at a young age and is a mother to three much loved children. After the birth of her last child she went back to higher education and studied for a year before gaining employment in the banking industry. She worked in that role for a number of years before leaving, both the job and the country.

   She lived abroad for a few years before returning to Scotland and finally taking up her dream - writing.

  She is the author of the Defender's Blood series of books and two other series, The Witch, The Wolf and the Vampire and also Sabrina's Vampire, together with a Wolf Erotica Novella, Lori's Wolf. Her books fall into the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy genre and she loves writing those particular kinds of stories where she can let her imagination run wild!

   She now spends her time reading - everything from Sci Fi to Crime, Erotica to Fantasy, Thrillers to Paranormal Romance. She loves spending time with her family and, of course, writing!


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