Sunday Showcase (2)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme, hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea, for sharing our newest books or book related swag
and to see what everyone else bought, borrowed or received for review this week.

Character Spotlight: Dean West

This feature was inspired by That's What He Said Thursday (hosted by Julie & Rose at Chapter Break) 

and Swoon Worthy Saturday (hosted by Hazel at Stay Bookish).

Any chance I get to swoon over one of my many book boyfriends, I AM IN. But I need to gush about my favorite heroines as well! So I'm starting this feature. It won't be a weekly thing but I do hope to spotlight one hero and one heroine a month. It's really just an excuse so I can talk about my favorites haha. To start, many of them will be from books I've read before I started blogging. :)

Here's a low-down of what a character spotlight will entail:

• One favorite quote from said character 
• What book/series they're from
• Super-quick character profile
• A small dose of fangirling (aka. why I love them)

Today's spotlight hero is sexy history professor and loving husband, Dean West.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Falling, A 7-Novel New Adult Anthology

Title: Falling: A 7-Novel New Adult Anthology

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 14, 2014

Cover Design by Najla Qamber Designs

PURCHASE
| Amazon | Barnes&Noble | iBooks | Kobo |

 
Falling never felt so good . . . Seven best-selling stories of love, heartbreak, and redemption.

Grab your copy of this limited-time anthology featuring a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, along with some of the hottest debuts of 2014 for ONLY 99 cents!

***These full-length novels are either stand-alones or the first in a series.***

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SPIN MY LOVE by Chantal Fernando, NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author

Facebook | Goodreads | Website

World renowned DJ Tane Miller returns to his hometown after leaving when he was eighteen and never looking back. When he runs into his beloved childhood friend Giselle, his life takes a turn he could never have anticipated.

DEAREST CLEMENTINE by Lex Martin

Facebook | Goodreads | Website

Clementine Avery doesn't date. Not after her ex cheated and a professor stalked her. But when she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class, she has a hard time resisting hot RA Gavin Murphy, who volunteers to help her find a little "inspiration."

Top Ten Books On My Fall To-Be-Read List

This week's topic is to pick our top ten books to be read in the fall!

I thought this list was incredibly hard to narrow down!
But here are the books at the top of my tbr-list that I'm so excited to dive into :)

- - - Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, where a new topic is given for a top ten list - - -

Review: UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky #1
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
| +Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | BookDepository |

Worlds kept them apart.

Destiny brought them together.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its places, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild—a savage—but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

| Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr |

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

"If there was no fear, how could there be comfort? Or courage?"

I LOVED IT. I was incredibly hyped about starting this book because I was told that the romance was a glorious slow burn and that the secondary relationships were incredibly heart-warming (I'm a sucker for bromance and friendship). Under The Never Sky met those expectations and left me wanting more! More Perry. More Roar. More Perry and Roar. Oh, yeah and more Aria. I loved that she got pretty kick-ass in around the last third the book. Yay for character development! :D

"I never really wanted to sing. Now I have the urge to do it. Songs are stories. 
Maybe I've got my own stories to tell now."

The story was unique, amazing and complex. You had Aria who lived inside the Pods and then Peregrine who lived outside them. I loved being able to read both their perspectives and get a feel for both worlds. There's quite a lot of terminology and I found myself writing them down or asking questions to make sense of it all. But I did like how new information about the setting was given at a pace that didn't overwhelm me. One feature of Aria's world that I really liked was the 'Smarteye', a virtual reality device worn over one eye. Everyone living inside the Pods were dependent on these devices, they never took it off. With the device, the world was brighter and more colorful. Within the Realms the device can take you to, there was no need for fear and no sense of pain. When Aria finds herself on the outside without her Smarteye, she has to learn how to survive.

""A world of nevers under a never sky." She fit in well then, he thought. A girl who never shut up."

Ahh I loved how Perry and Aria's relationship developed. Every moment I felt they were growing emotionally closer, I couldn't help but grin. I love enemies-to-friends-to-lover scenarios cause I find they often have the most amusing dialogue between the main characters. And their bantering...oh, their bantering was excellent. I liked Aria from the start. I liked her even more at the end. She was strong-minded when she had a plan and she wasn't one to stand to the side and let other's do all the work. She'd want to help, even if it meant the possibility of killing. She wasn't afraid to do things on her own and her determination to find a way out made me admire her even more.

I have a deep love for Perry. Right off the bat, I felt for him, I felt his worries and his love for his nephew, Talon. His conflicting feelings about his brother, Vale. He was incredibly caring. He always had the tribe's best interest in mind. All the little things he did for Aria, like making her shoes and teaching her how to pick berries (Perry's pov during this scene was priceless), everything, made my heart all warm and fuzzy. He was a natural leader with killer instincts. And when he has his sights set on you, he can be incredibly smooth. Their kiss... I can't even...so many feels when it finally happened!!! Then there's Roar, Perry's best friend, who made me smile until my cheeks hurt. He was such a fantastic secondary character and great comic relief.

"Everyone feels lost and low. It's how a person acts that makes them different."

I cannot wait to continue with Perry and Aria's story, but before that I must know that Roar has a happy ending! For anyone who hasn't read Under The Never Sky yet, DO IT. There's friendships, love, alliances, betrayals, supernatural powers, deaths, twists, scenes that melt your heart, scenes that make you grin and chuckle, and more!

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Roar

I love Roar! He's charming and witty.

Reasons why I think he's awesome:

1. He's desperately in love with Liv

2. He's compassionate (e.g helping Cinder)

3. He's the perfect wing-man

Tosca Aria
It was almost like the words of the aria were foreshadowing the future of their relationship.
They were telling each other their feelings without actually saying them.
The feels were strong with this one.
"They reached for each other then like some force had pulled their hands together."

Extras: Aria+Perry edit

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, 

for sharing upcoming releases we're highly anticipating.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Seeds of Iniquity

By J. A. Redmerski
Release Date: October 1, 2014

Victor Faust’s new Order is growing. Business is good as there is no rest for the wicked in an underground world of hardcore criminals and contract killing. Relationships among the operatives have changed little over the past year—but things are about to change now, and all six high-ranking members of the new Order will be blindsided by an unlikely enemy.

Loved ones whose only ties to Victor’s organization are their relationships with its members, are abducted. The price to get them back safely—the six must confess their deepest, darkest secret to this mysterious young woman named Nora, who is as deadly as she is beautiful, and who seems to know more about each of them than they know about each other. And although no one has any clue about who Nora really is, it becomes clear that she also isn’t who she appears to be.

So much more is at stake than secrets and the lives of innocent loved ones; with each member that Nora forces to confess, the truth about their dark pasts and their present objectives will cast suspicion, pit some against each other, and may tear others apart.

Before the game is over everyone will know who this woman is and why she is here, but the damage she will leave in her wake could be the beginning of the new Order’s destruction. Whose dark secret will be the darkest of all? And can Victor’s Order survive any of them?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Top Ten Authors I NEED To Read More From

This week's topic is to pick ten authors who we've only read one book from but really really want more.
I've posted the cover of the book I have finished and added what I'm looking forward to reading next.


- - - Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, where a new topic is given for a top ten list - - -

#TenBookChallenge

I was tagged by the lovely T and G at T&G Book Boutique to do this #TenBookChallenge. It's my first book challenge ever! Needless to say, I was very excited to complete it. Big thanks and hugs to T and G, I had a lot of fun writing this post! :D

The challenge: "List 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Do not take more than a few minutes and do not think too hard. They do not have to be the "right" books or great works of literature, just ones that have affected you in some way. Paste these instructions and tag 10 friends, including me, so I can see your list."

Okay I'll admit now that some of my choices are series. Yeah, yeah, the challenge said 10 books. But to me, some of these books can't be thought of without it's sequels, it's the entire story and the world it creates that left an impression on me. Therefore, I'm bending the rules a little hehe.

Showcase Sunday (1)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme, hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea, for sharing our newest books or book related swag
and to see what everyone else bought, borrowed or received for review this week.

I don't have as much reading time as I would like now that the school term has started up but of course
that won't stop me from picking up more books.
I found a used bookstore in the downtown area this week and there was a sale going on... I couldn't help myself.
I did endure my first full week of lectures after all. I think I deserved it. ;)

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
for sharing upcoming releases that we're highly anticipating.

I'm trying to add more YA books to the mix and I happened to stumble across this one while surfing goodreads. 

First thing I noticed was how creepy and ominous the cover was (not to mention that title). I like. 

Then I read the blurb and BAM. I'm intrigued, I want more. 

It sounds like my kind of book, dark and mysterious with a hint of a romantic subplot.

Plus, it releases on my birthday—it's meant to be.

Review: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer #1
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
| +Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | BookDepository |

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killer her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

| Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Tumblr | Pinterest |

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

"Sometimes, the mind has a way of protecting us from things until we're ready to deal with them."

Woah. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was my first YA, paranormal read after a long line of adult contemporary romances. It. Was. Awesome! The build-up was wonderful and though I felt the excitement leveled off a bit part-way through, it picks right back up and leaves you hanging. Literally too. There's a cliff hanger!! I haven't read a book with a cliff hanger in what feels like forever. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

"Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real."

Mara wakes up in a hospital bed with no recollection of how she got there. But she quickly learns that she was the only survivor among her friends of a horrible accident. Mara (with her family) moves to Rhode Island and enrolls into a private high school hoping to start anew and move on from the tragedy. Unfortunately, she's suffering from PTSD and hallucinations. As the story progresses, she begins to question her sanity (as did I) as the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur.

I really liked how the flashbacks were spread throughout the book. The pacing was good and it felt more realistic that she didn't remember everything all at once. The story was intriguing and kept me on edge, questioning what happened and what would happen. There were many memorable secondary characters. Mara's family was a big one. I loved how overbearing and protective her mother was. Or how her older brother Daniel would look out for her at school or even at home. Then there's Noah Shaw. Oh, Noah.

"Today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever. I was made for you, Mara."

Cue swoon. I was suspicious about him at first, especially with his interest in Mara but he stole my heart pretty quickly. Noah's "the guy" when it comes to whose pants the female population of Croyden want in. Luckily, he's not an a-hole about it and he's actually quite the gentleman. Saving Mara from the humiliation of her art book being shown (+10 brownie points) and always opening doors for her (+5 brownie points). 

And that ending!! I'll be honest, I didn't see that coming at all and I'm not entirely sure I believe it was even real. I look forward to reading what the sequel, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, will have in store. There's a HEA in the horizon... right?

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Jamie Roth

I really hope we see more of him!

Any moment with Jamie present was enjoyable.
He was a great friend and was good comic relief in an otherwise intense story.

A Better Person

"You're the only one who knows, Mara. The only person who knows me. I don't want to lose you."

I won't lie. Even though Noah made my heart melt in this scene, 

I was secretly chanting "Do it." The dark side was just too tempting.

Extras: Character Casting

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
for sharing upcoming releases that we're highly anticipating.

Romance and mystery, my second favorite combination (romantic suspense being the first)! 

I'm a huge fan of K.A. Tucker's Ten Tiny Breaths series so I'm really excited 

to see how she'll move away from that 'world' and on to something new. 

The blurb is intriguing. The cover draws me in. I want this, bad. *grabby hands*