Journey with Books: Mature YA

Showing posts with label Mature YA. Show all posts

Jul 3, 2013

Book Excerpt and Giveaway: Losing Francesca by J. A. Huss

Unknown July 03, 2013 0 Comments

Losing Francesca By J. A. Huss
Expected Publication: July 1, 2013
Genre: Mature Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Francesca Sabatini came to America to take in the sights, celebrate her high school graduation, and have fun wasting time before college starts in the fall.

That’s not what happens.

Fresh off the plane and barely on American soil more than a handful of minutes, Francesca’s face is recognized by TSA scanners to be a match for a child who was kidnapped twelve years ago.

Brody Mason remembers the day Fiona Sullivan went missing during a family vacation in Italy and it’s haunted him his whole life. So when Francesca shows up at the Sullivan farm down the road, he’s compelled to figure out if this girl really is his long lost friend.

But Francesca knows she’s not Fiona Sullivan. She knows exactly who she is. At least she thinks she knows – until Brody Mason relentlessly pursues her and she begins to have feelings for him. Maybe being Fiona isn’t so bad?

Reality becomes blurred, secrets are revealed, and life will never be the same when the final questions are answered: Is she Francesca or Fiona? And where does she really belong?

Losing Francesca is a YA/NA crossover contemporary romance. :)

What people are saying about Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss!

"A 'you must drop everything and read this' kind of story." - Author Alexia Purdy @ http://alexiaepurdy.blogspot.com/

"...this book is so sweet and full of emotions and I loved it. I couldn't stop reading." - Lola @ Lola's Reviews!

"This. Was. Great!!!!! It was amazing! I loved it!" - Kimberly @ Kimberly's Novel Notes!

I lie back on the beach and put my hands behind my head. "So, we're gonna spend the whole summer hanging out and I'm not allowed to get to know you even in the most basic and simple ways? Is that how this is gonna go, Fee?"

She lies back next to me and turns on her side, her eyes searching mine. "Why do you insist that I am her? I'm not her, Brody. This fact will hurt you if you don't accept it and I don't want to hurt you. You're nice, I like you, but I'm not that girl."

"I want you to be her." I tell her truthfully. "I so, so want you to be her, Francesca. I cannot even explain how much I want to talk to her again. How much I want to tell her about all the days we never shared, to tell her that I thought of her at the end of every single one of them and that I prayed to God for years, every night, on my fucking knees, that she'd come back. I want to give her the Fruit Roll-Up I brought to school that first day back after summer vacation. That stupid Fruit Roll-Up that I still have hidden away, because I had this faith as a kid. This unwavering faith that only a kid can have that one day my friend would be back. And when she finally showed up, I'd give her that stupid snack to show her how much I missed her. And to prove myself to her. Because that little girl was my soulmate."

She frowns so deep it makes me hold my breath.

"I'm sorry," I say, turning my head to stare up at the sky. "I shouldn't tell you this stuff, I'm sorry." I'm projecting, that's what I'm doing. I want Francesca to be my Fee so bad I'm starting to believe it myself, even as she sits here and tells me straight up she's not her.

Her hand touches my cheek and I look back over.

"You can ask me one question, but it can't be about my other life."

I laugh. "What good does that do me?"

"Well, you can ask about things, but not my family, or school, or the places I've lived."

"Give me a for example, because I'm not seeing the difference."

She sighs and turns away, biting on her thumbnail a little. "OK," she says, turning back. "For example, I'll ask you the first question and you answer, then I'll answer the same question for you."

I smile.

She chews on her bottom lip this time. Clearly she is nervous. "All right, tell me about the best day of your life."

I sit up and stare down at her. "The best day of my life?"

She nods.

"Today, Fee. The best day of my life is today."

Get your copy today!

JA Huss is a SF and new adult romance junkie, has a love-hate relationship with the bad boys, and likes to write new adult books about people with real problems. She lives with her family on a small acreage farm in Colorado and has two donkeys named Paris and Nicole. Before writing fiction, she authored almost two hundred science workbooks and always has at least three works in progress. Losing Francesca is her first young adult romance.

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Apr 17, 2013

Book Review: Labyrinth (Acropolis Series Book 2) by R.K. Ryals

Unknown April 17, 2013 0 Comments

Author: R.K. Ryals

Title: Labyrinth

Series: Acropolis Series

Pages: 157 pages

Language: English

ASIN: B009I5KI7S

Book Blurb:

"There are countless wise quotes that wax poetic about choosing a path in life, poetry about the road less traveled, but there is nothing that says either path is easy. Each path requires sacrifice, each path is full of scars." ~Emma Chase

My name is Conor Reinhardt. I am a gargoyle Guardian in exile for killing my own. My mark is safe, the group of hybrids we've led from the Acropolis, secure. There's a new hybrid king in the Outer Levels of Hell, and he needs the Acropolis refugees. I expect the journey ahead. I even expect the danger. I don't expect the shadows that haunt me, those beckoning spirits of guilt that never let me sleep. Guilt from killing my own. I don't expect the things the hybrids learn about themselves. I don't expect many of the challenges in our path. I'm not sure I even expect us to survive The Labyrinth.

My Thoughts:

I actually don't know where to start but I guess I should say how much this book made me feel. R.K Ryals definitely wowed me again! Clearly, she's one of my most favorite authors ever because she's never disappointed me. Every book she has written that I've read had never failed to make me feel every single emotion her characters feels or experiences. Every word and every emotion written on her books affected me to my very core.

Labyrinth is the second book of the Acropolis series. It was two months after the hybrids' escape from the Acropolis. Connor left Emma in the SOS headquarters in Italy to help Dayton and Marcas battle Lucifer. He's confused and guilty because of what he did to free the hybrids. He's conflicted if he did the right thing so he just left without saying goodbye to Emma. A few weeks passed and Connor came back with Marcas as the new hybrid King. Marcas needs the hybrids' help to secure the new kingdom of hybrids. Specifically, he wants Emma to lead his army. The hybrids needs to learn how to become a unit in order to succeed but with their differences and Emma's lack of control of her powers, it seemed impossible. And there's the turmoil of Connor and Emma's cut-short romance.

Labyrinth is a really powerful novel. It's much better than the first. In this book we get to know more about the other hybrids, not just Emma which is really great. I loved these hybrids. In the first book, they were pretty much insignificant. It was always just about Emma and Connor, but in this second book we get to see the depths of the other characters. I love how each character is important and how R.K Ryals made them important and how she made me fall in love with them, flaws and their rough edges.

The plot was so excellently played out. There were times when I didn't expect things to turn out that way but they did and it was shocking and that made this book so good. It was completely unpredictable.

The pacing was good too. It wasn't hurried out or forced. Everything is simply exciting and played out well. The well played out turn of events made me hold my breath and kept me on the edge all through out.

The action in this book is phenomenal! It's well written that sometimes I forget to breathe while reading them.

As I said the characters are really endearing. I loved them all, especially the hybrids. The way they became a unit is simply fascinating. What they experienced together made them stronger as a unit and it's great. They were rough and flawed but also vulnerable, these things made me love them so much. I feel like exactly how Connor feels about the hybrids. Connor slowly sees the depths of the hybrids, not just Emma. He slowly sees them as not just half demons that's capable of evil but as humans too that's capable of good. That these hybrids crave peace and freedom too. They just want a home that they can call their own.

The romance between Connor and Emma is great too. The romance did not took over the whole plot which is nice. The romance was there but it's a process. It was gradual and natural. It wasn't forced out. I loved how Connor and Emma had to really find themselves first before going in too deep into a thoughtless relationship. I loved how R.K Ryals made the romance sensible and natural. I root for Emma and Connor because they deserve happiness.

Overall, I simply LOVE this book. It's perfect. Labyrinth is a nerve wracking, gut wrenching and an action packed adventure that's full of real emotions that a reader would feel to the depths of the reader's heart. It's simply amazing. If you're looking for all of these on your next read, pick up this book because this is for you and I swear you wouldn't regret it.

PS: I NEED THE NEXT BOOK LIKE I NEED AIR.

BUY HERE:

Labyrinth (Acropolis Series Book 2)

About the Author:

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, R. K. Ryals is a scatterbrained mother of three whose passion is reading whatever she can get her hands on. She makes her home in Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, a Shitzsu named Tinkerbell, and a coffeepot she couldn't live without.

Visit her at
http://rkryals.blogspot.com/, or on on facebook at http://www.facebook.com

Nov 17, 2012

Blog Tour: Guest Post, Book Excerpt and Giveaway: Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux

Unknown November 17, 2012 0 Comments

Hi everyone! I hope all of you are enjoying the weekend. I'm here today to feature another New Adult book entitled Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux. The author had graciously agreed to put guest post in here. We'll know more about her book and also there's a giveaway down below. So let's see what Ms. Jennifer Comeaux have to say to us..

Author Guest Post:

10 Things You Didn’t Know About LIFE ON THE EDGE

Thanks so much for visiting my blog tour! Today I thought I’d share some “behind the scenes” facts about Life on the Edge!

1. The book started out as a serial that I wrote just for friends to read. It wasn’t until a year after I started writing that I decided to take everything I’d written and edit it into a publishable book.

2. I gave myself a cameo in the book! You’ll have to read it to see if you can spot me ;-)

3. The townhouse on Cape Cod where Emily and her best friend Aubrey live is in a complex where I stayed on vacation ten years ago. I loved it so much and always pictured it as a cool setting for a book.

4. The book is set in 2000-2002 because I first came up with the idea for the story about seven or eight years ago, and even though years passed before I put it down on paper, I

still pictured the big event in the story being the 2002 Olympics and didn’t want to alter the timeline.

5. I’m in love with all things Boston and Cape Cod, so I couldn’t imagine the story being set anywhere else.

6. One of the first pivotal events in the book is a Sting concert that Emily and Sergei attend together in Mansfield, Massachusetts, and Sting actually did play a show in Mansfield in the summer of 2000. He also played there in the summer of 2010, and I just happened to be vacationing on the Cape that week (I thought that was fate!). Of course, I had to go to the concert and experience the venue where my characters had a memorable night!

7. The locations of the all the competitions in the book are the actual locations where those events took place in real life.

8. When I picture Sergei in my head, I see Josh Dallas, who plays Prince Charming on Once Upon a Time.

9. Emily’s best friend Aubrey is named after one of my favorite baseball players, former Tulane standout Michael Aubrey, who played in the Cleveland and Baltimore minor

league systems.

10. The sequel, Edge of the Past, will be released this winter!

Book Excerpt:

The wind picked up, rustling the trees and sending my empty cup skittering over the table. Sergei snatched it and noticed the time on his watch.

“Oh, wow, it’s two thirty. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stay this late.”

“No worries. I can sleep till noon tomorrow.”

He rose from his chair, stretching his arms. “Do you think they all killed each other downstairs?”

“My guess is they played so hard they passed out at some point. That’s been known to happen.”

I got up and smoothed my skirt. I’d kicked off my sandals hours ago, and the weathered wood of the patio was cool under my bare feet.

Sergei took a step toward me. “Thanks again for the great meal. And the even better company.”

“You’re very welcome. I’m so glad you came.”

I stood on tippy-toes to give him a quick hug, but Sergei’s strong arms held me against him, enveloping my small frame. His body exuded warmth. I closed my eyes and breathed in the woody scent of his cologne. We’d shared plenty of hugs at competitions, but this felt so different, like we belonged nowhere else but in this embrace.

After what seemed like both an eternity and a split second, Sergei pulled away, his hands brushing down my back. He glanced downward and gestured to the door.

“I can let myself out.”

My head bobbed weakly. “Okay. I’ll see you Monday.”

“See you.” He held my gaze a moment longer than necessary. Then he was gone.

I stood paralyzed, listening to the blood pulse in my ears. My heart beat so fast I thought it might pound out of my chest. I couldn't have imagined the electricity I’d felt in Sergei’s arms. It was too real. And I had no idea how I could ever forget it.

Title: Life on the Edge
Author: Jennifer Comeaux
Date Published: 1/3/12
Genre: New Adult / Upper YA

Book Blurb:
Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history. Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games.

But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily’s dreams of gold.

Barnes & Noble

Astraea Press

My book review for this book will be posted next week. So wait for it...

About the Author:

Jennifer Comeaux earned a Master of Accounting from Tulane University and is a Certified Public Accountant in south Louisiana. While working for a Fortune 1000 company, she sought a creative outlet and decided to put on paper a story that had played in her head for years. That story became Life on the Edge, her first published novel.

When not working or writing, she is an avid follower of the sport of figure skating, travelling to competitions around the country. Those experiences allow her to see another side of the sport and serve as an inspiration for her writing. Jennifer is blessed with a wonderful family and many friends who have encouraged her to pursue her dream of being a published author.

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Twitter: @LadyWave4

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Nov 14, 2012

Blog Tour: Book Review and Giveaway: The Wild Ones by M. Leighton

Unknown November 14, 2012 0 Comments

Hi everyone! I'm back with another blog tour! This time I'm reviewing a book from the very talented author,

M. Leighton. The book is for mature young adults and it's entitled "The Wild Ones". You're all gonna get my views about this book and there's your favorite part in a blog tour.. the giveaway! So, if you guys want to get a chance to win something from this blog tour, just keep on reading.. the giveaway is somewhere down below..

I want to thank AToMR Tours for organizing this lovely blog tour.

Author: M. Leighton

Pages: 330 pages

Date Published: July 30 2012

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1478334371

ISBN-13: 978-1478334378

Book Blurb:

**MATURE CONTENT ADVISORY: May not be suitable for younger readers**

Passion as hot as midnight in the South and love as wild as the horses they tame.

Camille “Cami” Hines is the darling daughter of the South’s champion thoroughbred breeder, Jack Hines. She has a pedigree that rivals some of her father’s best horses. Other than feeling a little suffocated at times, Cami thought she was pretty happy with her boyfriend, her life and her future.

But that was before she met Patrick Henley.

“Trick” blurs the lines between what Cami wants and what is expected of her. He’s considered the “help,” which is forbidden fruit as far as her father is concerned, not to mention that Trick would be fired if he ever laid a hand on her. And Trick needs his job. Desperately. His family depends on him.

The heart wants what the heart wants, though, and Trick and Cami are drawn to each other despite the obstacles. At least the ones they know of.

When Trick stumbles upon a note from his father, it triggers a series of revelations that could ruin what he and Cami have worked so hard to overcome. It turns out there’s more to Trick’s presence at the ranch than either of them knew, secrets that could tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

The Wild Ones is the first book I've read from M. Leighton and I can absolutely say that this book is a delight to read.

I will not give away the story so I'm not going to put anymore spoilers other than what is written in the official book blurb above. It's because I think book blurbs are short and as vague as they can be for a reason. It's much more interesting to read a book without too much expectations. In that way, you can absorb and be in the book as much as you can.

Let's start with the plot of the story. The hard part in doing the Contemporary Romance Genre is that choices in plots are very much limited. It's either you have the same plot as others and it turns out bland or you made the same plot and make it yours thus making it as unique as it could get. I can say that The Wild Ones has an ordinary boy meets girl plot but the author had so many twists and turns and conflicting feelings that made the story hers and unique, and as a reader I appreciated that.

The characters, I think are the biggest part of why I enjoyed reading this book. They are simply interesting and exciting and they feel so much alive. As a reader, I felt their energy and chemistry. Not just romantic chemistry but also the chemistry of the main characters with their friends. Although, the focus of the book is the relationship between Trick and Cami, I absolutely enjoyed their interactions with their friends, Jenna and Rusty. I really wish they could have their own book someday.

As I was saying, the chemistry between Trick and Cami is quite undeniable. You could feel it every time they interact and it just makes you, as a reader, root for them. I just want their deserved happy ending. I also liked the progress of Trick and Cami's relationship. It wasn't an easy one because of the obstacles that hinders them from being together but I loved the slow burn process because it's much more felt and it was exciting to see how everything will unfold for them.

Overall, I simply loved the book. It's for mature young adults because of its somewhat mature theme but it doesn't over shadow the whole plot which I think is great. I loved the way M. Leighton gave life to these very exciting characters. I loved the romance and the friendships in this book. It's realistic but it's also a lot of fun. There were heartfelt dramas but there are also laugh out loud witty situations that I'm sure you'll all enjoy. So, if you're looking for all of these in your next read, don't forget to pick up "The Wild Ones" because I'm sure it's for you.

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

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Twitter: @MLeightonBooks

Giveaway:

Win a SIGNED The Wild Ones Paperback & T-shirt and SIGNED Blood Like Poison Paperback & T-shirt

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Nov 5, 2012

Blog Tour: Book Review: Saving You, Saving Me by Kailin Gow

Unknown November 05, 2012 1 Comments

Hi guys! I hope you're all doing alright. I haven't posted anything in a long time, but worry no more because I'm back! I'm here to review a book for New Adults entitled Saving You, Saving Me by Ms. Kailin Gow. It's the first installment of You & Me Trilogy and you're all going to get a glimpse on the inside of this book.

Title: Saving You, Saving Me

Author: Kailin Gow

Date Published: 4/15/12

ISBN-10: 1597480436

ISBN-13: 978-1597480437

Genre: Mature YA / New Adult

Book Blurb:

18 year old high school senior and aspiring psychologist Samantha Sullivan (Sam) never thought she would fall for the one mysterious guy she has been speaking to over the phone for months, the boy the counselors called Daggers. She wasn't supposed to talk to him outside of their sessions. But as she began to peel the layers of Daggers and learn who he is, the one boy she is supposed to be saving, might just be the one who is saving her.

My Thoughts:

Saving You, Saving Me is the first installment of You & Me Trilogy by Ms. Kailin Gow. It's also the very first book I've ever read from this author and I must say that this book is very intense and interesting.

This book is a contemporary romance novel for mature young adults. The plot is very nice. I wouldn't say that it's perfect but I'd say it's a very nice way to start a trilogy. There are some things I didn't appreciate though or maybe it's just that it has a bit of 50 Shades in it. Now, I loved 50 Shades and some happenings in this book is so 50 Shades which I think the book failed to pull off but other than those very little flaws, I think this book has a good enough plot.

The characters are interesting. Ms. Kailin Gow wrote them in a way that we could somehow relate to them. Sam and Collins are very complex characters. They're very different and yet somehow they get each other. Sam is the daughter of a pastor. Something happened to her when she was only 13 years old. She made a humongous mistake that normal teenagers often do and after that she pledged to be the perfect daughter of a pastor and for years, she was. Until she met the mysterious Collins.

Collins went through something horrifying while growing up and it had affected him in a way that hinders his growing romance with Sam.

Sam and Collins' chemistry is very intense. I liked it. I also liked the progress of their romance. Their first meeting is fun and sexy and cute which I think is very well executed in this part of the plot. Actually, it may be my favorite part of the book. I guess it also helps that Sam and Collins interactions are very hot.

The book also showed a few of what the teenagers commonly go through on their daily lives. The problems that were mentioned when Sam answered calls were very interesting and I know that they do happen in real life. The only problem I had with it is that the conversations were so mechanical. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they lacked feelings. The conversations were supposed to invoke empathy on me as a reader but I felt nothing which is very sad because I think that this part of the plot of the book could have been used to make this book even more interesting and more real and more heartfelt. I'm hoping that the author would explore this part of the plot in the next book. I hope she could put more feelings on the conversations. I think it would be a big hit.

Overall, I think Saving You, Saving Me is a nice way to start the trilogy. Despite all of its glitches, I enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the intensity of Sam and Collins' romance. It's the best part of this book. Their individual personalities are also very interesting. I liked the growth of their characters throughout the book. Ms. Kailin Gow did a really nice job writing this book and I'm expecting an even better one for its sequel. I am so excited to find out what happens to Sam and Collins.

If you want to read a YA book that is intense and mature without loosing fun and romance then this book is for you.

About the Author:

Kailin Gow has appeared on top national syndicated talk shows such as ABC Radio, Barbara Dooley show, Chat with Women on KKNW Seattle, Broadminded on Sirius Radio XM, and more as a leading authority on YA and women's issues including self-esteem, body image, dating and sexual relationships, abuse, and bullying. Kailin has been a published author for over 10 years with over 100 titles published under her name and under pen names.

She is the founder of the community social site, The Saving You Saving Me Project, http://www.savingyousavingme.com which helps teens, young adults, and women deal with social issues like sexual abuse, self-esteem, body image, bullying, cutting, relationships, and more in a positive community environment. The Saving You Saving Me Project is an extention of her YA-mature fiction Saving You Saving Me.

Kailin Gow began writing books for tween girls to help them with self-confidence and self-esteem. Her book, Gifted Girls Activities Guide to 365 Days of the Week, became a reference book used in girls organizations across the U.S. As her tween fans grew to become teens and young adults, Kailin began writing engaging and entertaining young adult book series for them. The results are book series like the Frost Series, PULSE Series, Wicked Woods Series, Stoker Sisters, Phantom Diaries, The Fire Wars, FADE, DESIRE, and more.

All her books are inspired by personal experiences. Saving You Saving Me was inspired by her experience as a peer counselor for young women during college and from her psychology major college roommate's experience being in a relationship similar to the one portrayed by Sam and Collins in the book. Loving Summer was inspired by Kailin's experience growing up with a family consisting of a mother, two sons, and a daughter who went through a similar experience of tragedy in the book. Aunt Sookie is based on herself and some actor friends she knows. The Frost Series, Circus of Curiosities Series, and FADE Series came about through vivid dreams. Never Say Never was inspired by Kailin's experience as a radio host and working with and interviewing bands, as well as having college friends who were in bands. Kailin also played the drums and keyboard for a band she once started. A classically-trained musician, she was once led her school orchestra, playing first chair violin. Her experience in the music world and her love of Phantom of the Opera, inspired the Phantom Diaries. PULSE was inspired when Kailin was in the hospital suffering from heavy blood loss post surgery and needed several bags of blood to survive (like a vampire). Beautiful Beings was inspired by her college encounter with a young demon exorcist. A pastor once told her she had the gift of sight and that she was destined to become a prolific author, many times over.

She began taking her writing seriously when her daughter was diagnosed as being on the spectrum and her mother was fighting three types of cancer. Four years later, her daughter was no longer on the spectrum, and her mother became cancer free. Kailin believes in hope and miracles, after having been through several struggles and experiences herself. This is why she writes.
When not busy inhaling chocolate and drinking coffee by the gallon, Kailin makes time for writing fantasy books, blogging as an expert blogger for Fast Company, volunteering as an Emergency Responder and volunteering for battered women's shelters. For fun, she plays the electric violin, and puts together a music playlist for her radio and web shows.

Her Frost Series consisting of the Bitter Frost Series, The Wolf Fey Series, and the Fairy Rose Chronicles along with her other book series are being developed into worldwide MMORPG Games by SEE GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT, which is the world's leading game developer known for developing the top blockbuster films into games.

Contact Links:

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Twitter - @kailingow

Oct 10, 2012

Blog Tour: Book Review and Giveaway: Shallow (Going Under Series Book 2) by Georgia Cates

Unknown October 10, 2012 0 Comments

Hi everyone! I'm here again with another blog tour! I'm on a roll this week, right? But now, I'm going to review the second book of Going Under Series entitled Shallow by Ms. Georgia Cates. Shallow can actually be read as a stand alone book but I suggest that you also read Going Under because it's good and I'm sure you guys wouldn't want to miss out on a good read.

Anyways, there's also a giveaway down below so please just read on. I know you're all waiting for the giveaway because it's the best part of blog tours. This lovely tour was organized by AToMR Tours.

Title: Shallow

Author: Georgia Cates

Series: Going Under Series Book 2

Date Published: September 21, 2012

ASIN: B009FC6242

Pages: 261 pages

Genre: Mature YA/New Adult

Book Blurb:

Payton Archer's best friend, Claire, strives to be perfect in every way. Payton doesn't and this is her story.

Nick Hawke likes his car fast and his girls even faster. He blows through females quicker than his muscle car races down the "The Strip" in Collinsville and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Determined to avoid the devastation he has watched his father endure in the aftermath of his mother leaving, he believes there is no room in his life or his heart for a relationship lasting more than one night. He seeks happiness in things that won’t let him down...fast cars, adrenaline and one night stands. To his absolute dismay, all of that changes when he unexpectedly runs into an old friend and is introduced to Payton Archer, the first girl he ever wanted for more than one night. There’s only one catch...she is completely immune to him and his smooth talking ways.

Payton Archer is looking for what Claire has with Jessie, but she has given up on finding it...at least until she leaves for college in the Fall because she is certain that is where she will find the perfect guy to fit into her perfect world. She plans on Summer being nothing but three uneventful months of fun, but it turns out to be anything but ordinary when Payton is introduced to Nick Hawke, one of Jessie’s old Collinsville friends. She is shocked by her immediate and intense attraction for “Hawke” because nothing about him is what Payton is looking for. Sure, he’s hot and sexy but he comes from Collinsville and that is definitely not on her list of prerequisites. Everything about him makes Payton’s heart speed because he is exciting and dangerous, but his fast car and the dangerous chances he takes aren't what scares Payton the most...it’s the way Nick Hawke makes her feel every time he looks at her.

Can Payton find that moment of total fearlessness and make the decision to leave the safe, shallow end of love to risk going under completely?

My Thoughts:

Shallow is the second book of Going Under Series by Ms. Georgia Cates and I must say that I liked it much better than the first one. Everything is more.. more fun, more daring and more intense.

I had so much fun reading this book. As I said it's more fun than the first one. I think it's because Payton and Nick had this much stronger personality. Payton is the kind of girl who's outspoken. She's strong and sassy but also vulnerable. She longs for true love and when she met Nick Hawke, there's an instant attraction but Payton doesn't believe Nick is the one for her because of Nick's reputation as a player. And it's up to Nick to convince Payton that he is her "Truly, Madly, Deeply".

I love Nick and Payton's oozing chemistry. I also appreciated the fact that Payton didn't easily gave in to Nick despite the attraction. The chase was really fun to read. Nick and Payton's interactions are fun and witty and sexy which makes this book so exciting.

Also, the fact that we get a glimpse of Jessie and Claire is a big plus for me.

Overall, I recommend this book to all the romance addicts out there. If you want a fun and witty romance without loosing it's angst and intensity in your next read, then get this book now because this is for you.

Author Bio:

I am a wife, mother of two daughters and a labor and delivery nurse. I have recently added Paranormal Romance Writer to my list of things to keep be busy, but I am ecstatic to release my debut novel, Blood of Anteros, the first book in The Vampire Agápe Series.

Like others that enjoy a great story of paranormal romance, I am easily bored by the tale of an obtainable, ordinary romance and was inspired to create The Vampire Agápe Series. When I am not tied up with my family or delivering babies, I am working feverishly on the second book in The Vampire Agápe Series.

http://georgiacates.com/

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Oct 8, 2012

Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Unknown October 08, 2012 0 Comments

Title: Slammed

Author: Colleen Hoover

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Atria Books

Date Published: September 18, 2012

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1476715904

ISBN-13: 978-1476715902

Book Blurb:

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

My Thoughts:

Slammed is the first book I've read from Colleen Hoover. It has pleasantly surprised me and I enjoyed feeling everything while reading this book. This book actually surprised me because it was so good. At first, I thought it was just a simple girl meets boy and they fall in love with each other but I was wrong! It was so much more than that. It was so much deeper than that. It has so many twists and turns. It's like a roller coaster ride. The highs the lows of life will be absolutely felt while reading this book.

The plot is simply amazing! It simply describes how real life is and sometimes it just really sucks but we all have to live it, to deal with it because it's life and the truth is, life just doesn't wait for anyone. There's no "pause" in it when you feel like it's getting too much. You just have to go on because you can't just stop while life and everyone in it goes on.

The characters are just so fascinatingly real. Layken and Will are so adorable together. They had this instant connection, maybe because they were both sad and they had these extreme grief surrounding them. They were both very strong people and yet they're very vulnerable. I liked that about them. Actually, I really connected to these characters. I felt their pain and their frustration at their situation.

I'm not going to spoil this for anyone. There is a reason why the book blurb is so vague. It adds up to the excitement and it actually knocks you down with "WTF" expression when you get to the part where things go down and get heavy. It was actually the good part about this book. I went in and read it not expecting anything at all and I ended up feeling every single emotion there is. It feels like I'm going through everything with these characters especially Layken. It feels like I've been experiencing everything with Layken from the very first page to the last. I felt everything.

Overall, this book is one of the best books I've read. There's no way to describe how much I felt all the strong emotions while reading this book. I think it would be a crime not to read it. This book is simply about the reality of the good and the bad parts of life. This book is about love and how you have to fight for it if you really want it. "Happy Ever After" doesn't just happen, you have to make it happen. It's a decision, a choice, whether you want to wallow in self-pity and be sad or if you would learn how to accept things that you can't change and change the things that you could and be happy with what you have. You have to choose happiness if you want it.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone who wants to read something real and yet sweet.

About the Author:

I'm addicted to and seriously floored by the talent of The Avett Brothers band, which is obvious in both of my books. They are 99% of my playlist. The other 1% being Eminem and Jason Mraz.

I love lindor truffles (the white ones with the chips inside) and have an unhealthy addiction to diet pepsi. A serious addiction.

I get stoked whenever I get a message from goodreads saying I have a new friend request...so request me, dangit!

If you want to know when I have new books out or just want to be inundated by daily, pointless blog posts, follow me at www.colleenhoover.com