Review: Descent by L.A. Starkey

Descent by L.A. Starkey
(Soul Keeper Series #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

From the final book in the Soul Keeper Series…

The path of truth lies hidden deep,
To find the light the climb is steep.
But in despair resolve is sound,
What once was lost will now be found.

All is lost and the prophecy seems null and void. Samantha is dead to the living world, and Marcus and Nicolas completely destroyed, but things aren’t always as they seem. To save the one they love, the boys will have to traverse the Descent, a darkness that all will enter and few will ever leave. The interference of gods and goddesses on the chessboard of blood has left the door open for a new player to enter the scene, and she holds the most powerful gift of all—sacrificial love.

Will the exit clause be invoked, dissolving of the chain that binds the trio together?

Will the Descent be the final setting for their love story or will they rise again?

As the curtain draws closed on this tale of old, who will rise and who will fall?

And what if their choice is no choice at all?
  I've been so excited for this book! And L.A. Starkey did not let me down with Descent! As much as I don't want this story to be over, I felt like Descent was a perfect and satisfying good-bye to a group of characters that I've grown so close to!

  Looking back to the first book in this series, I'm amazed at how L.A. Starkey has written this journey. The characters have grown in ways that I wouldn't have imagined when I started this series. There are so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat while racing towards the end. Descent is the stellar ending that this series deserved.

  I'm torn between being sad that the story is over and happy that I got to follow it. Descent is a bittersweet ending for me. I'm not nearly ready to let Sam and the others go. But what a brilliant journey that they've been on thanks to the author's wonderful prose. This series is incredible, and I recommend it to all paranormal and fantasy fans!

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

Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me
by Jennifer E. Smith

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth
and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment
building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.
   I have a lot of love for Jennifer E. Smith. Her writing is flawless, and I always fall in love with her books. So whenever I got my hands on The Geography of You and Me, I knew I'd love it. I just didn't realize how much!

credit
  Lucy and Owen were meant to be from the very first page. I loved the way they interacted. It seemed so natural and realistic. With the few exceptions, I've never gotten this emotional over a bookish couple. But they just seemed real, y'all. With every twist and turn, my fingers were crossed for them to make it. Team Lowen forever.

credit
  The Geography of You and Me is the best of young adult contemporary romance. It has everything that makes a good one and so much more. It's been such a long time since I've felt this much of a connection to a story, and I'm in love with this feeling.

The Geography of You and Me in a gif.
credit

I'm at Harry Potter World Right Now

YOU GUYS.


I'm at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter right now. This is a dream come true, y'all!

Anything you guys want pictures of? Tell me! I'll try my hardest!

I'm planning on picking up some sort of treat or souvenir for a giveaway whenever I get back. Any suggestions on what I should get?


I'll be taking plenty of pictures and posting them to Instagram and Twitter. Follow me over there!

YOU GUYS. I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS!!!

Review: Double Life by S. Usher Evans

Double Life by S. Usher Evans
(Razia Series #1)

Genre: SciFi

Piracy is a game. How much are you worth?

Since she was a little girl, everyone - from her father to the Great Creator himself - told Lyssa Peate the same thing: she's worthless. But when she becomes the pirate bounty hunter Razia, she can see the price tag on her own head. Employed by one of the four pirate syndicates, she uses bank transactions and her considerable wits to capture rival members. At least, she would be if Razia's boss ever gave her a chance. It's a man’s world, and all she’s allowed to hunt are purse snatchers while she languishes on probation.

To pay the bills, she's stuck in her old life as Lyssa, discovering and analyzing distant planets and selling them for cash. She's doing just enough to stay out of trouble, pretending to be continuing her father's mysterious research while away for long periods of time. Her slimy boss is always asking questions and even assigns one of her younger brothers, Vel, to intern with her. Already struggling to keep the balance between her double lives, she tries everything to rid herself of the kid...

...until the universal police mistake Lyssa’s intern for Razia's hostage.
   I've been on such a space kick lately! Double Life was a book I was looking forward to, and S. Usher Evans definitely delivered. But this book wasn't just SciFi. It had a lot of depth to it that I appreciated. It added many extra layers to the story that made it stand out.

  The one thing that stood out the most to me about the main character, Razia, was that she was relatable. Her story resonated so well with me and formed an instant bond between us. There is plenty of masterful character development to go around, and I was impressed with S. Usher Evans' handling of it. It was brilliant and so enriching to the story.

  Double Life is an entertaining read that excels beyond its genre. Those who are not the biggest fans of SciFi will find something to love and latch onto in this wonderful story. YA readers will definitely be drawn to Razia and her world.

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

Cover Reveal: My Favorite Second Change by Rue

                                                                          
Presented by: Sparkle book Tours

My Favorite Second Chance -  The Lake Effect Series # 2by Author - Rue


Audience: NA and Adult - Genre: Romance/Contemporary; LGBT - Formats: E-book and Paperback - Publisher: Sittin’ On A Goldmine Productions - Cover by : Regina Wamba, Mae I Design - Editor : Jazmine Hale - Pages : 328 pages - ISBN-13: 978-0-9860627-3-5 (Paperback) - ISBN-13: 978-0-9860627-2-8 (eBook) -Date Published - 10 March 2015
Have you ever wished for a second chance?
The Hutchinson sisters are out of the frying pan and into the fire—just like their mother always threatened!
Gwenn is floating in the dreamy, fragile glow of her new relationship with wealthy artist, Daniel Gregory, when a blast from her past makes a triumphant return. Sure he ran out on her over a decade ago, but can she turn her back on a war hero?
Rachel is on the brink of having everything she ever dreamed of, but that’s not how things work out for Hutchinson girls. Her rock-star girlfriend is leaving for a lengthy tour and something is afoot at the bakery. The righteous hand of her mother, Shirley, can orchestrate tribulations from halfway across town.
The sisters think they can run away from their troubles on a quick trip to the heart of Mexico, when an unexpected phone call shatters that illusion.
Filled with intriguing characters, plenty of steamy romance and lovely plots twists, MY FAVORITE SECOND CHANCE will have you flushed with anticipation, blinking back tears, laughing out loud and cheering for your favorite characters.
Add to your Goodreads here
Rue graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, with a degree in Journalism. Her intimate knowledge of the Midwestern United States, the inordinate amount of time she spent in its churches’ pews and her unique parentage make her an expert on life after religion. Having moved 17 times by the time she graduated from high school Rue has seen more than her share of the Great Plains. She never stayed in one place long enough to make lasting human friends. Her best friends were all characters from her beloved books; and the love of reading led to a lifelong passion for writing.
 

Release Blitz + 2 Giveaways: This is the Wonder by Tracey Ward


This is the Wonder by Tracey Ward

Publication date: February 19th 2015
Genres: Comedy, New Adult, Romance

From the moment I saw him – all blue eyes and
American pie – I knew I’d never be the same.

Determined to escape the pressure of her impending graduation, Wren Porter chooses to take a semester in Europe. She’s there to study, party, and hide from the question that’s haunting her – What’s next?

At least that’s the plan until one night in Munich when she meets Jax, an American soldier stationed overseas. He’s charming, he’s handsome, and in one small act of kindness he becomes Wren’s own personal hero. Suddenly the two are swept up in a mad romance that will cross countries, break laws, and leave them both breathless.

But Jax has questions about his own future and when reality comes calling their bond is put to the test. Are they only meant to have the nights they shared together in Europe, or could they be so much more?

Could they be the future they’ve both been looking for?
Jax calls and I seriously consider ignoring him, but it’s a weak move and I’m bigger than that. I don’t run, I don’t hide, and if this is going to hurt then so be it. That’s life. If I didn’t want to run the risk of saying goodbye, I never should have said hello.
“When is your flight?” he asks.
His voice is horrible. It’s salt on the wound. It’s deep and slow, like he’s dragging time out. Laying it down and asking it to be still.
“Day after tomorrow. Early.”
“Can I take you to the airport?”
I close my eyes, so touched and so reluctant. Jax standing tall and beautiful in the airport watching me walk away to get on the plane – just the thought of it threatens to bring tears to my eyes.
“Wren?”
“I don’t want to say goodbye to you,” I whisper.
He breathes calmly but it sounds forced. “Let me take you to the airport tomorrow.”
“I don’t leave until the day after.”
“I’ll come get you tomorrow. We’ll have one more day. Give me one more day and then I’ll take you to the airport in the morning.”
I hesitate. I want it so badly. I don’t know what he has planned but I want to find out. I trust him implicitly. I’d follow him to the ends of the earth and, really, has he steered me wrong yet?
“Don’t say no,” he pleads.
“Yes.”
“Yeah?”
I smile. “Yeah.”
“I’ll be there in the morning. Early. And, Wren?”
“Yeah?”
“You won’t be sorry.”

***

There’s a brittle cold snap to the air the next morning. It stings my eyes when I step outside and freezes my breath in my lungs. I could stay inside but I’ve already said my goodbyes and I don’t want to say anymore. Definitely not this last one.
Just as the first of many fat, fluffy snowflakes begin to fall around me, Jax’s car comes gliding down the road. He parks in front of me, throws on his hazards, and gets out to help me load my bags.
“What are you doing standing out here in the cold?” he asks, lifting two suitcases like they don’t weigh more than I do. “You should have waited inside.”
“I couldn’t stand to be in there anymore. I’m ready to go. All of this has been looming ever since finals and I just want it to be over.”
I don’t have a ton of bags. I travel light and all of it fits into Jax’s trunk and back seat easily. He has a small black duffle bag back there too and my heart leaps at the thought of spending one last day with him. One last night in his arms. Under his hands.
By the time we reach Frankfurt the snow is coming down heavily and the roads are getting dangerous. Jax sees my tension as the conditions worsen. He knows I can’t handle being on the roads much longer.
“I had a whole day planned,” he explains, his voice barely rising above the purr of the engine and the crunch of the wheels on the freezing asphalt. “We were going to go to Cologne. It’s really beautiful. The entire city was nearly destroyed in World War II and this church is one of the few buildings that survived the bombings. We were going to have lunch there, then dinner in Frankfurt.”
“That would have been nice.”
“There are a lot of places I wish I had time to take you to.”
I smile faintly as I stare out the window at the falling snow covering everything, the ancient streets and the new buildings. The old world and the new world being blanketed together as though they’re the same. As though they’re not separated by hundreds of years, hundreds of lives.
Hundreds of stories that have played out between them, all of them the same but somehow different. Each one unique in its own right.
Jax and I are nothing new. Our situation is the same as so many others that happened before us. What makes us different is how we live it. How we write our story.
How we author our own fairy tale.
I roll my head toward him and smile. “I want to see Moscow with you.”
He glances at me, surprised. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ve always wanted to visit Russia. I want to do that with you. Let’s go tomorrow.”
“I thought you had a flight to catch.”
“But if I didn’t, would you go with me?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“So we’ll visit Moscow. Then where?”
“Japan,” he says, no hesitation. “I want to see Japan with you.”
“All of it?”
“Every square mile.”
“That’ll take a while.”
He looks at me steadily. “We’ve got nothing but time, right?”
I smile encouragingly. “Right.”

"I don't write romances, I write relationships. One is pretty and perfect and all consuming. The other is real."

I was born in Eugene, Oregon and studied English Literature at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) I love writing all kinds of genres from YA Dystopian to New Adult Romance, the common themes between them all being strong character development and a good dose of humor.

My husband, son, and snuggly pitbull are my world.


Thanks to the awesomeness of Tracey Ward and Xpresso Tours, there are two giveaways for this blitz! The first is for an ebook copy of This is the Wonder, open internationally. The second is for a $20 Amazon gift card, also open internationally.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Season's Meetings by Amy Dunne

Season's Meetings by Amy Dunne

Genres: LGBT, Holiday, Romance

Could the festive road trip from hell actually lead
to love?

Catherine Birch is a lonely workaholic who hates Christmas. This year, she is being forced to celebrate with her best friend’s family in the Highlands of Scotland. Having missed her flight, Catherine reluctantly ventures on a road trip with beautiful stranger Holly Daniels.

Although polar opposites, the intense attraction between them is unmistakable. Just as Catherine begins to think spending Christmas with Holly might not be so bad, a raging snowstorm leaves them stranded in the middle of nowhere. Huddled together, with little chance of rescue, they forge a pact: if they escape, they’ll make this a Christmas to remember. But will it be remembered for the right reasons?
   I didn't get to read this until a few days after Christmas, and it immediately made me miss the holidays! It's so perfectly festive. There is enough charm to go around, and I easily fell in love with this book!

  The characters were all so great. I really enjoyed them individually and how they interacted. Even through the nail biting suspense, I loved following Catherine's story. The romance in this book is sweet and charming.

  Season's Meetings is a heartwarming read. I only wish that more books like it were available. The descriptions in this book paint a beautiful picture, and I can't wait to reread this around the holidays this year!

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

Review: Beacon by Angela Brown

Beacon by Angela Brown
(Ripped Ties #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian

***When ignorance is bliss, Bliss is power.***

Tsunamis reduced the USA into a shell of itself, called The Fold. Surviving humans and vampires joined forces to form The Colony, where registered citizens do as they're told.

They donate blood quarterly and dream of being chosen as Attendees for the Jubilee celebrations, that is, everyone except Macie Breen. With high school graduation near, she’s anxious to ditch the rules in hopes of starting a new life with Thane, an unregistered and also her best friend.

Her hopes fizzle when Macie is selected as an Attendee, forever registered. Any future with Thane…impossible. Being chosen comes with another unexpected price.

Truths about The Colony blaze into ashes and lies when she discovers the vampires haven't kept their part of the bargain. Worst still, Macie’s life unravels as her stint in the city of Bliss forces her to face daunting truths about who, and what, she really is.
   Wow! What a delightful and imaginative book! I had no idea how Brown would write vampires whenever I began this book. Sometimes I really love how vampires are portrayed, other times not so much. But I loved the way that Brown wrote hers! There is so much mystery shrouding this story, and I was unable to look away for even a moment!

  Beacon is filled with action. There's never a boring moment in this book! So many elements are streamlined into this story and work so well with the world that the author has created. The world building is absolutely awe-inspiring. I enjoyed Macie so much. She was a great character that I loved reading about.

  I can't wait to tune in for the next book in this series! Angela Brown has started her YA dystopian series in an explosive way with Beacon. I have no double that the rest of this series will be just as incredible!

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

Blitz + Giveaway: Death by Social Suicide


Death by Social Suicide by Karen Anne

Publication date: February 13th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

The night Brittany Wakefield kissed her best friend,
Jaime, she lost everything. Who knew one amazing
moment could send him running— spinning a web of deceit and avoidance for two years. Stepping onto campus, she’s ready to win him back, even if it involves pledging a sorority she has no interest in.

Erik Draxton fell hard for Brit the moment she walked into the art room. With vibrant purple hair, music in her veins and a rebellious flair, she’s all he’s ever wanted.

While Jaime shrouds himself in secrets, Brit finds herself longing even more to be a part of his world. Unable to watch the girl of his dreams get tossed to the side, Erik decides to take matters into his own hands. But when Erik crosses a line, Brit feels backed into a corner, and discovering Jaime’s secret leaves her devastated.

With a shattered heart from Jaime, and the risk of losing Erik on the horizon, she knows one thing: navigating the social circles can be a suicide mission.
KAREN ANNE is a New Adult Contemporary Romance author who lives in New York. She loves cats, coffee and deeply misses 90’s grunge.

Karen is also known as Kat Daemon, Paranormal Romance writer and lover of all things dark and twisty.
You can find out more about her at www.katdaemon.com


a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Top 5 Bookish Couples


Happy Valentine's Day, lovelies!

In celebration of the day of love, I thought I'd share my favorite bookish couples!
Let the swooning begin!

1. Sydney and Adrian [Sydrian]
Bloodlines Series by Richelle Mead

2. Hazel and Augustus
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3. Katie and George
Backward Compatible by Sarah Daltry & Pete Clark

4. Severus Snape and Lily Evans Potter
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

5. Arwen and Aragorn
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Alright, who did I miss? 
Tell me your favorites in the comments!
I cried while searching for all of these gifs. No shame.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...