Release Blitz & Giveaway: The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch of Rachel Harris' THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING is the first book in Rachel's The Fine Art of Pretending Series published by Spencer Hill Contemporary.

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  THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Synopsis:

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind
you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa
Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy.

Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight.

When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart.

Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently.

He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back.

Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience.

And that I’m kissing Brandon.

We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes.

That was unexpected. 

Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.

   

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING Goodreads

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Release Blitz & Giveaway: Bone Deep by Brooklyn Skye

I am so excited for this book. I adore Brooklyn and am thrilled to pieces with her newest novel. Check out this amazing book and be sure to enter Brooklyn's giveaway!!

The boy who wants forgiveness…

Haunted by the train accident his father instigated, college freshman Krister Ledoux is obsessed with finding the person sending him cryptic hate mail. He knows it’s one of them—a family member of one of the accident victims, and he’s willing to go to hell and back to find out which one.

The girl he can’t forget…

She was a stranger who kissed him in the middle of the train station, and now she’s the girl who pleads with her eyes for Krister to be the distraction she’s so desperate for. Krister doesn’t know what it is about her, why he’s sucked into playing Cambria’s game… All he knows is that when he’s with her, he isn’t consumed with thoughts of the crash.

The collision that can’t be avoided…

Cambria doesn’t know who Krister is—that he’s the son of the town’s most infamous killer, and he knows if his true identity surfaces he’ll lose her forever. However secrets can’t stay buried forever, and now Krister must fight to prove that their bone-deep connection is far more powerful than the hatred she now has toward him.

Amazon | Bone Deep Goodreads

She stares at me, tracing her finger over my face, my eyebrows, the two-day-old stubble on my jaw. I catch her hand and kiss her knuckles, then wrist. “It’s just…” Jesus, how do I say this? “My life’s a little complicated right now, and I’m trying not to drag you into the middle of it.” The look she gives me is one I’m starting to recognize. The one that makes it seem like she understands there’s something more I want to tell her, but can’t. Or don’t know how. “On top of that…I’m a dickhead. And being with me will ultimately result in me hurting you, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Actually…” She lowers my palm to her thigh, narrowing her gaze onto mine. “…you being concerned about hurting me is very non-dickhead-ish of you.” Little by little, she slides my hand up her leg and around her ass. “Besides, what if I want to be in the middle of it?”

I slam my eyes shut, my fingers burning at the touch of her. She doesn’t know what she’s asking for. Being with me—being constantly reminded of her dead mother—will slowly but surely kill her inside. And I’m not a murderer like my father.

Brooklyn Skye grew up in a small town where she quickly realized writing was an escape from small town life. Really, she’s just your average awkward girl who’s obsessed with words. She writes young adult and new adult fiction. You can follow her on Twitter as @brooklyn__skye or visit her web site for updates, teasers, giveaways, and more. www.brooklyn-skye.com She is the author of FRAGILE LINE, STRIPPED, Without You, and STRIPPED Without You

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Pretty Little Indies: Tiana Warner

  Happy Monday, world! I'm really excited for Pretty Little Indies today! Tiana Warner is our featured author along with her fantasy tale about mermaids!

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble]

A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose:
to lure a sailor to his death.

The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

  I'll admit right from the beginning that mermaids aren't my thing. They always remind me of Ariel, and I'm not the biggest fan of Disney movies. (I've never really watched them. For shame.) But the way that Tiana Warner writes them, I'm a fan y'all! Gone are the fairy tales. I really enjoyed the angle that the author portrayed mermaids.

  Meela was a strong main character. I feel like Tiana Warner was really able to capture her voice and make Meela seem so real and authentic. Even though she was fierce, Meela had her moments like the rest of us. What I didn't like was the drawn out back story. I'm always weary of information dumps, but I don't think that's what the author intended. I just think that less would have been more with such a drawn out glimpse into the past.

  Tiana Warner is such a talented writer. I think with time, she'll only get better and better. While mermaids aren't my thing, I was still easily swept up into the world of Meela. If you're looking for Ariel, I don't think Ice Massacre is for you. But if you love a good and gritty fantasy, then you'll enjoy this epic tome.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

1. Describe Ice Massacre in one word.
Badass.

2. If you could choose one television show to promote your book on, which would you choose?
Once Upon A Time. When it comes to a unique twist on classic fairy tales, that show gets it. Didn’t they actually do something on deadly mermaids recently? Sign me up!

3. Which character was the easiest for you to write?
Dani. Girl’s got issues. Her character arc is one I’ve wanted to write for a very long time, and I knew exactly how it would go.

Plus, the antagonist is generally my favourite part of any book or movie.

4. Which character was the hardest for you to write?
Probably Meela, but only because she’s the protagonist. Meela is one cool chick with a lot of complex layers, and I wanted to make sure I drew them properly. (Literally. I drew them on a giant piece of paper and taped it to my wall. It looks like a failed Picasso piece.)

5. You only get to read one book for the rest of your life. Which would you pick?
Harry Potter… book five. No wait, seven. No, four. Three. Definitely five.

6. Bookmarks or dog-eared pages?
Dog-eared. I carry my books around a lot and my bookmarks always fall out.

7. What made you decide to write about mermaids?
I wanted to write a story about supernatural creatures, but I wanted it to be something different. I haven’t seen much out there that portrays mermaids for what they really are: dangerous sea demons.

Also, I think I was destined to write about flesh-eating mermaids. When I was little, I used to paint Disney colouring books entirely in black. Top to bottom, just black. I mean to say: maybe I’ve always had the knack for turning something beautiful into something dark.

8. How similar are you and Meela? 
We have our differences. Meela’s scrappy, she loves the ocean, and she’s forced to mature and become a leader at an early age. I, on the other hand, was always a very well behaved child who was so shy that my teachers thought I was a mute. Also I’m terrified of the ocean.

That said, I think a writer will always inject her own personality into her characters. I see myself in the way Meela interacts with the other girls on the Massacre—in her tendency to be reserved, yet embrace leadership when the opportunity arises.

We also share a deep love for all living creatures. Like Meela, I will literally go out of my way to save a drowning insect.

9. Lastly, what's up next for you? Any projects we should be looking out for?
The sequel! Ice Massacre is going to be a trilogy. The working title for book two is Ice Crypt. I’m working on it now, and boy do I have big plans.

Tiana Warner was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. She enjoys riding her horse, Bailey, and collecting tea cups.

[Goodreads | Website | Twitter]

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Camryn Cross Series by Brina Courtney

RELEASE DATES: October 20^th, November 10^th, November 24^th

Camryn Cross is not human.
But she doesn’t know what she is. Not yet.

The world is falling apart and her only escape is Camp Silverlake where she frequently stayed as a child. But Camryn’s summers weren’t filled with crafting and swimming, they were spent learning combat skills and how to protect herself from the outside world.

Now she must return to Camp Silverlake to learn the truth, about who she is and she’ll discover the secret hidden within her blood. A secret that could save them all.

[Goodreads]

Camryn Cross is not human. But her best friend Kiley is.

They’re stuck, they can’t leave Silverlake without possibly being killed. Or Kiley could become one of the Sick. She could die. But Silverlake isn’t safe for her either. The Cured don’t want her there. The sickness could use her to mutate the virus again.

She could kill them all.

Camryn could be the key to saving them.

[Goodreads]

Camryn Cross is not human.
 But she will fight to protect those who are.

Kiley is her best friend. And now there’s Finn. Finn with his blue eyes, and his long eyelashes. Finn makes Camryn’s heart stop. She has to decide to not stop for him though. The Sick are coming and if they get inside the walls of Silverlake war will be inevitable.

Death is everywhere.

[Goodreads]

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Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs. You can find her on her website, http://brinacourtney.blogspot.com/ or on Twitter, @brinacourtney.

[Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon]

Entangled Teen October Blast

October is almost here which means the haunting season is upon us. Why not dig into these two new paranormal reads from Entangled Teen to get into the mood.

 

 

A new companion novel to Alison Kemper's Donna of the Dead

(Both titles can be read as standalones and involve completely separate characters)

About the book: 

The end of the world just might be their perfect beginning… 

 

Glenview, North Carolina. Also known—at least to sixteen-year-old Ava Pegg—as the Land of Incredibly Boring Vacations. What exactly were her parents thinking when they bought a summer home here? Then the cute-but-really-annoying boy next door shows up at her place in a panic…hollering something about flesh-eating zombies attacking the town.

At first, Ava’s certain that Cole spent a little too much time with his head in the moonshine barrel. But when someone—or something—rotted and terrifying emerges from behind the woodpile, Ava realizes this is no hooch hallucination. The undead are walking in Glenview, and they are hungry. Panicked, Ava and Cole flee into the national forest. No supplies, no weapons. Just two teenagers who don’t even like each other fighting for their lives. But that’s the funny thing about the Zombpocalypse. You never know when you’ll meet your undead end. Or when you’ll fall dead over heels for a boy…

Pick up your copy:

Amazon | B&N |  iTunes 

Follow the blog tour to win!

 

The exciting conclusion to the Salt duology!

About the book:

A little salt. And a whole lot of magic…

Up until recently, Penelope was a witch with no magic. After having it stolen by a demon when she was just a child, Penelope had been forced to rely on sharing others’ powers as she went through the grueling training required to become an elite demon hunter. Now Penelope has more magic than she’s ever known. And when you’re this powerful, who needs salt to keep the demons away?
But power has a dark side.

Carter Prescott just wants to hunt demons and be with Penelope. But suddenly, witches who formerly had no magic are developing out-of-control powers. Now the world Carter swore to protect isn’t just endangered by malicious demons—it’s threatened by the same witches who once defended it. And Carter is horrified to see his girlfriend starting to change. Stronger. More powerful. Unrecognizable. It’s just a matter of time before Penelope transforms into something far beyond his worst fears…

 Get your copy:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes

 Follow the blog tour!

Lazy Weekend Reviews #5

In an effort to catch up on reviews and indulge in a lazy weekend, I've rounded up a few of my recent reads for quick reviews below. Included are Sadie the Sadist by Zane Sachs and Predator and Prey by James D. Horton.

Sadie the Sadist by Zane Sachs

Genres: Horror, Humor

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble]

Like many people, Sadie feels undervalued and
frustrated. Employed by a supermarket, she plots to
murder coworkers—or lure them into the employee bathroom for a quickie. Sick of being treated like a robot, she taps into a powerful (and deranged) alter-ego and transforms into Sadie the Sadist.

READER BEWARE: This book contains graphic violence, psycho/sexual incidents, and Sadie’s favorite recipes. X-tremely Black Humor/Horror.

   Whoa. Sadie the Sadist is just as humorous as it is depraved and horrifying. I went from laughing uncontrollably to cringing and wishing for mind bleach while reading this one. It only took one sitting for me to finish this book, though.

  There is plenty of gore to go around with Sadie the Sadist, but I didn't mind it. I was genuinely intrigued in seeing the world through Sadie's point of view as her sanity rapidly deteriorated before my eyes. This book is nothing like what I'd normally read, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. If you have a strong stomach and can handle unbridled depravity, then you'll definitely enjoy Sadie the Sadist.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Predator & Prey by James D. Horton

(Predator & Prey #1)

Genre: Paranormal Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Lily works the night shift at a radio station, taking calls
from forlorn and damaged souls who can't sleep. She
knows their pain and they find solace in her comforting words. The city is ruthless; nameless creatures roam the streets and prey on the lost and innocent.

As she leaves work one night at the crest of dawn, Lily comes face-to-face with depravity. She is a survivor at heart, but she is unfairly outnumbered and surrenders to her fate. From the shadows an ally emerges, the mysterious and alluring, Wolf. After coming to Lily's aid, he takes her to shelter.

The immediate danger has passed, but the incident is far from over. Wolf tells Lily she is not prey, and sets off into the night with her by his side to set a wrong right. What she sees when entering the dark heart of the city will change her existence forever. Has Wolf taken on a force too big? Will Lily survive the night?

  Predator & Prey? Yes, please! This novella is very short, coming in around 30 pages. The punch that James D. Horton packs into those pages is phenomenal, though! This story came to a close way too early for me. I enjoyed every element of it, and I can't wait to spend more time with Lily and Wolf.

  Lily is my kind of heroine. She radiated determination and grit. I wish more heroines were written like her! I really enjoyed Wolf, too. I chuckled at his ironic name. The relationship between the two really works out well. Intensity, of the good kind, is one of the adjectives I'd use for them!

  Like I said, this book is on the shorter side. But I am still amazed at how quickly I was drawn into it. You just simply cannot go wrong with reading about Lily and Wolf. I know the second book in the series is going on my TBR pile!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.