Tour + #Giveaway: Under the Lights by @MissDahlELama

Under the Lights (Daylight Falls #2)
by Dahlia Adler
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Release Date: June 30th 2015

Genre: GLBT, Young Adult/New Adult, Contemporary
Rate: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Josh Chester loves being a Hollywood bad boy, coasting on his good looks, his parties, his parents' wealth, and the occasional modeling gig. But his laid-back lifestyle is about to change. To help out his best friend, Liam, he joins his hit teen TV show, Daylight Falls...opposite Vanessa Park, the one actor immune to his charms. (Not that he's trying to charm her, of course.) Meanwhile, his drama-queen mother blackmails him into a new family reality TV show, with Josh in the starring role. Now that he's in the spotlight—on everyone's terms but his own—Josh has to decide whether a life as a superstar is the one he really wants.

Vanessa Park has always been certain about her path as an actor, despite her parents' disapproval. But with all her relationships currently in upheaval, she's painfully uncertain about everything else. When she meets her new career handler, Brianna, Van is relieved to have found someone she can rely on, now that her BFF, Ally, is at college across the country. But as feelings unexpectedly evolve beyond friendship, Van's life reaches a whole new level of confusing. And she'll have to choose between the one thing she's always loved...and the person she never imagined she could.

  You guys! I adored this book. If every YA LGBT book was as good as Under the Lights, I'd never read anything else. It was such an authentic approach that I greatly appreciated. The inclusion of young Hollywood also added another element to this book that I found really interesting. It's not something I read about often, so I was really intrigued about the behind the scenes aspect.

  The chemistry between Vanessa and Brianna was perfect. I loved the slow build of their relationship. No insta-love here, y'all! They really are a great couple. As the book progresses, their relationship really shines. The secondary relationships were so fun, too. Dahlia Adler got the friendship dynamic so right in this book. Often times, I'm left wanting more. Not this time! The author delivered witty and realistic friendships that enhanced the book and characters so much.

  All in all, you can't go wrong with Under the Lights! If you love YA and LGBT, you'll be hard pressed to find a better book! I'd encourage people who aren't fans of LGBT literature to give it a try, too. It transcends the typical stereotypes and tells a great story without being heavy handed. It'd be an excellent book for someone to discover how great YA LGBT literature is or to reinforce their love of the genre!

Shin Min Ah as Vanessa Park

Colton Haynes as Josh Chester

Ashley Greene as Brianna

Follow the Under The Lights by Dahlia Adler Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

I'm an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day, a Copy Editor by night, and I blog at The Daily Dahlia, YA Misfits, and the Barnes & Noble book blog. I also write contemporary YA (The Daylight Falls duology) and NA (The Radleigh University series). Rec-ing books is approximately my favorite thing in the universe, with macarons being a close second. Come say hi on Twitter, where I'm @MissDahlELama!

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Release Blitz: Forget Me Knot by Ruth Silver @writeawaybliss

Forget Me Knot (Royal Reaper 2)

by Ruth Silver

Publisher: Booktrope

Published: June 23, 2015

  Don’t mess with death. When Wynter explores his newly developed dark angel powers, regret soon fills his heart and mind. Saving a soul isn’t what he imagined it to be, and it puts the grim reaper he loves in grave danger. Obligated to take the throne as Queen, Mara must face the truth and unravel secrets she may not be ready to accept. The second book in the Royal Reaper saga takes you on a paranormal fantasy adventure into a world of grim reapers, dark angels, and undead trucidators.

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Also available on Barnes & Noble and iBooks

Death crept into the castle. Mara could feel its darkness pressing her down. As she walked to her father's bedchamber, the thought of marrying a man she did not love weighed heavily on her. All the invitations had been sent out months ago. Just as her life was beginning to almost feel normal, her father, King Philip, had fallen ill along with the court of Casmerelda and much of the kingdom. The second wave of the plague violently spread, leaving a trail of death and burning corpses for the living to clean up.

Her father had been bedridden for three days. His fever spiked and his skin glistened. He grew delirious, falling in and out of consciousness. As much as she despised him for what he’d done to her sister’s boyfriend, he was still her father. She didn’t want to be left alone.

“You must marry Astin at once.”

Mara cringed. “I can’t.” Her lips hidden as she wore a piece of ivory cloth against her nose and mouth, the slightest bit of protection from the disease that had taken over the kingdom. “I don’t love him. Please don’t do this to me.”

“Don’t be selfish.” The words struggled to reach his lips. He coughed and heaved, his chest rising and falling quickly as his pulse raced. “I’ll be with your mother soon…”

“You’ll be dead.”

Taking in several deep breaths, he opened his mouth, his words coming out as a whisper. “You will be reigning queen. Mara, you must act the part. Marry Astin and forge an alliance with the country of Morro, for the sake of Casmerelda. Your people need you.”

“I need you,” Mara said, gripping her father’s hand. She frowned, studying the tips of his fingers, a blackened hue lacing his skin.

“You shouldn’t touch me.” He tried to pull away, unsuccessfully. Her grip remained tight, but more significantly, he’d grown weak from the disease ravaging his body.

“I haven’t been infected, and I’ve been at your bedside every night.” Mara ordered the servants to bring more water and rags. It had done little good to break his fever or alleviate the discomfort he must have been experiencing, but it was all she could think of to help.

“Marry Astin.” His words were rough slipping past his lips. He wheezed, trying to speak, but Mara rested a hand upon his chest.

“Don’t.” She didn’t want to have this conversation again.

“For the sake of the kingdom,” he said, pleading with her.

Mara refused to answer. Marrying Astin wasn’t what she wanted. “I have no desire to be queen so young. You will pull through, do you hear me?”

He’d fallen into a deep slumber, unable to answer her.

Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of the Aberrant trilogy. With a passion for writing and a love of story-telling, Ruth is actively writing two series: Royal Reaper and Orenda. She also writes The Federal Agent Chronicles and Palace Secrets, both of which are adult romance under the name Ravyn Rayne for Blushing Books. Her interests include traveling, reading, and photography. Her favorite vacation destination is Australia. Ruth currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois. Follow Ruth here: Blog- http://writeawaybliss.com Facebook- http://facebook.com/writeawaybliss Twitter- http://twitter.com/writeawaybliss Looking for a steamier read? Check her out here: Blog- http://ravynrayne.com Facebook- http://facebook.com/ravynraynereads Twitter- http://twitter.com/blushingravyn

Blitz + #Giveaway: Implanted by @hletto2

Implanted by Heather Letto

Ascension #2

Publication: June 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian

After a narrow escape from the city of Impervious, Fran’s heart aches for the ones she left behind. Will her brother ever connect the dots? And, what about Pete? Could he, along with the remaining Rebels, have survived the Council’s violent oppression? As Fran ponders the fate of her friends, an even more disturbing revelation drops into her world—the knowledge that she, along with anyone who had lived underground remains implanted with the sinister presence of the Council. A fate rendering her powerless to save. Yet one with pure blood, untouched by the Council’s defiling, lives among them. Could he be the new lifeline of hope? Is salvation of the city worth risking the life of this one-and-only?

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Suddenly, another bellow filled the air, causing tiny bumps to rise on Ret’s forearms. He dumped the bowl and swiped an extra rock from the dirt, tossed it into his pouch and took off in the direction of Sophie’s wails.

As he raced along the river’s edge, Sophie launched another battle cry. If she was this upset, her cubs must be in danger. Ret broke into a full run, loading his sling as he followed the sound.

But when he reached the clearing, the cubs appeared safe, wrestling and rolling in the meadow as usual. Sophie, on the other hand, stood on her hind legs, knee deep in the river, with the rapids splashing up high on her furry form. Her cry of distress continued and Ret wondered if she’d been injured.

He slowed to a walk as he approached, clucking his tongue in a soothing manner. What had always worked in the past, however, didn’t seem to faze the mother bear. Once near enough, Ret assessed her from head to toe. No obvious wounds. She stood upright and strong, and bellowed again, filling the air with thick vibrations.

Ret’s gaze whipped along the raging river and a swatch of color caught his eye. Had someone fallen into the rapids? Ret knew the villagers opted not to enter the river this time of year claiming his sport of rapid riding to be a bit extreme. Yet, his gut—and Sophie—told him something wasn’t right.

He scanned the shoreline with Sophie’s desperate cries as a backdrop. On a nearby river rock, Ret saw a torn cloth clinging to the rock’s edge. His eyes darted from one rock to another while searching the foamy islands.

He saw her hand first. Laying casually on top of a boulder as if she’d simply stopped for a rest while swimming. Her body, wedged between the boulder and mass of sharp stones, lifted and dipped as the water passed over and under her form.

Like the rushing of the water before him, adrenaline cut through Ret’s veins. He thrust himself, waist deep, into the freezing water. Before he could even wonder what had brought Wolf into these dangerous rapids, the current yanked at his body. He carved a trail to the high boulder, the roar of the river drowning out Sophie’s wails.

The torrent labored to hamper his progress, but Ret pushed back. Would the ferocious waters dislodge Wolf, sending her downriver before he could reach her? His mind reeled with calculations—percentage of submerged mass in relation to the speed of the current—as if he could determine the number of remaining moments before she launched. She bobbed on the water’s surface, and Ret swallowed back lumpy fear. He reached out and lunged, catching her around the waist. Relief lasted a short moment, as Ret rolled her over to face the sky.

Her skin was ashen grey.

Ret looked back at the shore. Could he maneuver her back in time? He couldn’t risk losing a precious second. Instead, he hefted her limp body fully onto the boulder that had served as her temporary refuge. After crawling to her side, he placed a finger on her carotid artery, and a wave of relief exploded through him. He felt a feathery pulse—but she wasn’t breathing.

With a supportive hand beneath her skull, he pulled down on her chin, rolled her head back, and opened her mouth. Without hesitation, he performed as he had been taught. He covered her lips with his own, pinched her nose and sent a strong breath into her lungs. He watched her chest. No movement. He repeated the process.

No rise. No fall. He pinched off her nose, covered her mouth with his own and released another breath before sitting back on his heels.

“Come on, Rebel. Breathe!”

I’m a book-writing, selfie-taking, latte-drinking, social media gal. I’m living a good life on the road as a full-fledged Bedouin (Well, except, my tent is actually a fully-equipped RV.) Me and my partner-in-crime (Benj) tend to hunker down wherever the skies are clear and the temps stay in the 70’s. We call ourselves Gypsy Nerds because we aimlessly wander the U.S. with glasses perched upon our noses and faces jammed into computer screens (for the first half the day... The second half of the day is typically devoted to playing because we’re also somewhat immature.)

Like most authors, the characters I create are my extended family. And like most readers, when the story ends, I get a little sad. In real life, I have two handsome, hardworking, grown-up boys who know how to make their Mama proud! *Waves to Joey and Mike!*

The Ascension Series is my debut into the world of YA fiction.

I’m living what I love and loving what I live!

[Website | Twitter]

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Review: The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher

The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Geeky

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound]

It all begins when Ana Watson's little brother, Clayton,
secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the
Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip.

If slacker Zak Duquette hadn't talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn't have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.

Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.

But in spite of Zak's devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…

  Read that synopsis. Doesn't that scream geeky goodness and cutesey romance? Well, that's exactly the opposite of The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak. I have SO much to say about this book.

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  My biggest issue with this book was Ana. At first, I felt a bit of sympathy for her because her parents seemed so overbearing and demanding. That's gonna put anyone on edge, you know? But the way that Ana handled that stress straight up pissed me off. She let it turn herself into a monster who judged and belittled every. single. female in this book. It was tiring. Ana was supposed to be intelligent, but all I got from her was insecure and bitter. I'll let Ana speak for herself.

Ana meets a bald, female friend of Zak's. Here are a few of the gems relating to that.
"Cue ball snaps to attention."
"Baldy wasn't bad-looking, and yet she was all awitter over Zak."
"What the hell was up with this place? First Baldy, now this."

  Mind you that Ana never once considered that perhaps there was a medical reason why the girl was bald. Nope, she went straight to harsh and just pure mean judgement. But it doesn't stop there. Zak, the other main character, wasn't safe from her. Throughout the entire book, she put him down and discounted his feelings because he enjoyed the geekier side of life. At one point she wonders why such a geek like Zak can be liked by his fellow geeks.

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  I know I'm all over the place, but I have to return to the issue of Ana judging and criticizing other women. I marked nearly every time she did it on my Kindle. I could post pages and pages of her horrible attitude. In one part the only description she uses for another girl is "fatso". There's one girl that she meets that she doesn't say anything about her looks (!), but in the next sentence she's pissed because the girl's laugh is irritating. I just can't you guys. There is NO REASON to judge other women like that. It's unfair, ugly, and unneeded. She's the epitome of an insecure person who has to bring everyone around her down for some sense of comfort in her own mediocrity. GO AWAY, ANA. No one likes you.

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  Okay, enough ranting about Ana. Let's get to the rest of the book. The story could have been great. The premise of two teenagers running amok throughout a convention could have really shined. But towards the end, things spiral out of control. It goes from humorous, geeky fun to some weird and unbelievable wanna be thriller. The amount of Star Trek and LotR references couldn't save this book from itself.

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  This is seriously my least favorite read of 2015. I don't even know a single person I'd recommend this book to. It was such a let down. I enjoy all manners of geekery. But I just don't enjoy women being criticized and judged endlessly. No thank you. Never again.

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

Tour + #Giveaway: City Love by @susanecolasanti @epicreads

City Love by Susane Colasanti

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: April 21st 2015

Synopsis:

Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna are living together in New York City the summer before their freshman year of college begins. With no parents, no rules, and an entire city to explore, these three girls are on the verge of the best summer of their lives.

Sadie is a native New Yorker. She is hopeful, romantic, and an eternal optimist who is ready to find her soul mate. Then she meets her dream boy: cute, funny, and quirky in all the right ways. The chemistry between them is unreal. Could he be the one?

Darcy is a free spirit from SoCal with rebellious tendencies and unlimited financial resources. Moving to New York City is just another adventure for her. Darcy wants this summer to be all about boy adventures—nothing serious. But how much fun is too much?

Rosanna leaves Chicago for NYC so she can put her past behind her and reinvent herself. The only thing standing in her way is the grand total of seventy-three cents she has saved. Then she meets a guy who wants to show her the glamorous side of New York—a side that she would never get to experience on her own. If Rosanna doesn't resist, she may find herself in city love.

Told from alternating points of view, City Love captures the moments in each girl's life when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying all at once . . . in a way it will never be again.

Follow the City Love by Susane Colasanti Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Susane Colasanti is the bestselling author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, So Much Closer, Keep Holding On, All I Need, and Now and Forever. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author in 2007, Susane was a high school science teacher for ten years. She lives in New York City.

The first book of Susane's City Love trilogy will be released on April 21, 2015.

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