Title: Change of Heart

Genre/Category: "New Adult"

Currently Available!

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: Persevere.

That's how I've gotten through nineteen years of life. It's what I do every single day—no matter how badly the odds are stacked against me.

Persevere, and survive.

Those are my two guiding words. I never knew either of my parents. I have no family and no home. The only person I could ever rely on was myself. In this cruel world, that's about as much as I could ask for.

Love? Hah. Don't talk to me about love. I stopped believing in it the day my first boyfriend ripped out my heart three years ago.

That's why love is the last thing on my mind when I leave a packed college bar with a captivating stranger. Yet everything changes when I'm awakened in the middle of the night by a pounding at the door. Suddenly, an arrangement meant for just one night threatens to become something much deeper.

All expectations are thrown to the wind as I'm tangled in a dangerous world unlike anything I can believe. The man I met has secrets swirling around him like a dark cape. I'm about to become his biggest one...

Together, we stumble toward the elevator. Rich breaks away for a second to hit the button. The light doesn’t come on.

“Damn,” he growls, “it’s busted again.”

I’m one step ahead of him. I’d spotted the stairs when we entered. I grab his hand and pull him after me with no hesitation. I start up the cement stairwell, determined to get to his room as fast as possible.

“Penny, wait.”

I look back, confused. “What?”

A devilish smile plays on his lips. “Only this.” Without warning his hands wrap around my waist, and I’m being lifted up as easily as if I were a doll. He turns to the side and presses my body against the wall, suspending me between him and the concrete.

His mouth crashes down on mine again. I curl my legs around his torso, locking my ankles together, and kiss him back with the passion reserved for a lover after ten long years apart. I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m getting even more turned on. Rich’s hands move down to grasp the outside of my thighs, and I moan into his kiss as the muscles of my core clench in sinful fashion. I want him so badly. If we don’t get somewhere private soon, I won’t be wholly opposed to jumping him in public.

I gasp as he steps away, freeing me from the wall. I start to fall, but one of his hands darts down to catch me just beneath the knees. The other one cradles my shoulders. Before I know it, I’m slung across his arms like a bride on her wedding night.

“I’ve always wanted to carry a girl up these stairs,” Rich admits.

I laugh, and wrap my arm around his neck. “Oh, you are just the best type of romantic.”

Four flights of stairs later, Rich pushes open the fire door to a dimly-lit hallway. He carries me down the hall and stops in front of an entrance on the right. He sets me down, then fishes around in his jeans for the key. When the door creaks open, he sweeps a hand out in front of him. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

I walk in, curious about his apartment. I tend to side with the camp of people who believe that a person’s living arrangements can reveal a lot about his personality. But, I don’t find much to work with here.

The apartment is sparse and dark. Pale moonlight filters in through the balcony window, shining down on the only piece of furniture present: a queen size mattress lying on the floor of the living room. The red brick walls are totally empty—no girly posters or other things I might expect in a bachelor’s apartment. There are no lamps, no chairs, no couches.

After a moment, I notice a second piece of furniture: a small, old-school CRT TV camped in one corner of the studio apartment.

Rich switches on the light. “So?” he asks, “what do you think?”

I walk past the entrance. There’s one hall leading away from the room. It is filled with brown cardboard boxes. Lots and lots of boxes. “Did you just move in or something?”

Rich laughs behind me. “Yeah, something like that. You want a drink?”

“A drink?” I say. “No, I—”

The words catch in my throat as he grabs my hips and spins me around. I had no idea he’d come so close. He’d moved from the door to me without making a sound. His fingers lock together against my lower back, and he tugs me into him, pressing my belly to his waist. I feel his growing erection right away, and a diabolical excitement builds inside me.

Nothing happens.

For a long moment, Richard just holds me like that, staring into my eyes as I’m left dangling off his arms. His irises are the color of sea mist. I’m hypnotized by the deep intensity I see brewing just beneath the surface. I have no doubt that that type of intensity is mirrored in my eyes.

Then, moving slowly, as if restraining himself, Richard lowers his mouth to cover mine. This time, his kiss is sweet and gentle. Subtle and caring. He explores my upper lip first, then traces the line going to the corner of my mouth. His lips form a perfect mold over mine.

I was wrong before. This is the kiss reserved for a lover you haven’t seen in ten years.

Purchased your copy today

Amazon † Barnes and Noble 

I'm Scarlett Edwards. I'm a full-time student (2nd year, undergrad) and part-time writer. I hope to switch those around soon!

I'm kind of old fashioned. I write all my stories using paper and ink. At the end of the day, I transcribe them on my laptop. It takes a bit longer, but writing in a notebook really focuses my thoughts.

I love vintage photography. I have an old-school film camera that was my mom's from before I was born. I use it to take pictures almost every day. Yours to Savor is the first full book I worked on. It went through six drafts, and took me ten months to complete. In the two months since getting it done, I finished two drafts of brand new stories. I'm getting faster!

I love hearing from my readers. I love getting feedback about my books. I'm just getting started, and plan on doing this writing gig for a long, long time. I take inspiration from all the indie romance authors. Addison Moore, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover, Jessica Sorensen, and everyone else…. you girls rock!

Website † Facebook † GoodReads

I love hearing from readers! If you read my book and want to share your thoughts, good or bad, email me! Scarlett@ScarlettEdwards.com. I'll be sure to reply!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Love in the Time of Global Warming
Author: Francesca Lia Block
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., 240 Pages (August 27th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) has lost everything—her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother. Like a female Odysseus in search of home, she navigates a dark world full of strange creatures, gathers companions and loses them, finds love and loses it, and faces her mortal enemy.

In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who holds hope and love in her hands and refuses to be defeated.

Title: The Waking Dark
Author: Robin Wasserman
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 464 Pages (September 10th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves.

Both of these books have great covers! I can't wait for both of these. The first book listed sounds like an emotional read for heroine Pen. And then the second book sounds dark and twisty and I happen to love dark and twisty. I can't wait for both! What do you guys think?

*covers are always subject to change.

Title: Taken (Taken #1)
Author: Erin Bowman
Publisher: HarperTeen, 360 Pages (April 16th, 2013)
From: the Publisher & Amazon Vine
Format: ARC
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Review: 3 Stars - Taken, the debut title from author Erin Bowman was a highly anticipated book for many readers. From the beautifully haunted cover to the mysterious “Heist” of all boys on their eighteenth birthday, I just couldn't pass this book up.

The setting of Claysoot is almost a character in itself. It’s a walled city with no way out, except if you’re a boy turning eighteen. At midnight on their doomed birthday they simply vanish right before everyone’s eyes, never to be seen again. The town is strange because of this, so the rules for the boys and the girls are somewhat shocking but understandable… if their world as they know it is to survive. Trying to get over the wall, to stay alive and to trick the Heist hasn't worked for others in the past, but our main character Gray Weathersby - just might want to take that chance.

Gray’s alone, his family gone. His brother’s eighteenth birthday came and the Heist took him. Of the two brothers, Gray is more the wild one. The one who goes against the grain for what he believes is right. He questions things that could be dangerous for him to question especially living in Claysoot. He was a hard character to like. I had more of a Love/Hate relationship with him. Just when I felt he was doing or saying something good, something horrible would follow. Some of this I think is due to circumstance but I can’t even use that excuse for him 100% of the time.

Another main character is Emma from Claysoot, whom I also had a Love/Hate relationship with. She didn't stick to her guns, she was easily swayed and was way too quick to forgive and forget and change her feelings for Gray in what felt to me like the blink of an eye. Some of this could also be due to circumstance, but again… she’s not a stupid girl, so I didn't understand her playing one in the times she did while reading.

There is a love triangle that made me upset. I hated how wishy-washy Gray was over this and this is when my heart hurt for Emma, yet she pretty much did the same thing, so they were BOTH wrong and this in turn made me upset in a different light.

Now, to explain how after these issues I’m still giving it 3 stars – because while reading I always wished for more for the characters because I felt so much was continually taken from them. I wanted to know what the Heist was all about and what the grand master plan was for all these taken boys. And it was a shocker that I didn't see coming right off the bat. I also wanted these characters to grow up and I was hopeful that I’d have a chance to see this throughout the book.

While this wasn't the best, it has potential for the next two installments for the trilogy. It fell short, but I don’t think I’ll be giving up all together. I still want to know more. I’m still looking for these characters to grow and for them to take back what was taken from them. I’m looking forward to the next book because I have hope that these things will be given to me and the characters. This title is dystopian-esque so fans of the genre should give this one a try and make up their own minds to see if it’s for you.

FTC Disclaimer: I did NOT pay for this book, nor have I been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this HONEST review.

Thanks for stopping by. I’m pretty excited to be hijacking A Life Bound by Books! Lisa is on vacation – I’m so jelly!

Click to add to: Goodreads. This is an Adult title.

I receive questions all the time about The Beaumont Series, some I answer and some I give very vague yes or no responses too, but not this time. I asked fans to chime in and a few did, so hopefully your questions are answered.

Jennifer O asked: Will there be a story about Mason and Katelyn or at least about Katelyn moving on since there’s a one about Nick?

Let me tackle the first part – yes, Mason will have a story. I don’t have a release timeline on when this will be done, but I do plan to give Mason his story.

The second part – My Unexpected Forever is Katelyn’s story.

Katelyn W asked: Will there be a Beaumont #3, and what will the POV’s be?

Yes, there will be a Beaumont #3 and the male lead is JD aka Jimmy. Female is under wraps for now.

Greydaysohmy Fanfiction asked: Are Liam and Josie finally going to tie the knot and are there going to be more little rockstar Westbury’s?

Liam and Josie will tie the knot despite what was said in My Everything. You know how vague women can be when their ex starts asking personal questions. As for a baby… maybe.

Alana asked: Will Liam confront his father?

No, he won’t. He doesn’t feel there is a relationship to fix and he’s doing just fine with Noah on his own. There aren’t any daddy issues to deal with.

Jackie O asked: Will there be a story about Josie and Liam when they were in high school where we get the chance to meet Mason and everyone and see how they’re story really began?

Definitely for Mason, I haven’t decided if Liam and Josie will tell their story from their POV or if it will just be Mason.

Natasha D: Will we get to see some on the road/tour scenes?

Yes, the there’s a tour in My Unexpected Forever.

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope some of your questions have been answered. Please don’t forget to visit my website for more information or find me on Facebook.

If you have time, check out Lost in You, my newest release. My Unexpected Forever will be out September 1st, unless of course you’re heading to Vegas for The Naughty Mafia Rocks Vegas – check my website for more details.

Title: Lost in You
Author: Heidi McLaughlin
Publisher: May 2013
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: Ryan Stone is a less than average teenager. He doesn't have fancy clothes. He doesn't carry around the latest smartphone and he definitely doesn't have an MP3 player. Instead, he goes to school, does his chores and dreams of a new life away from Brookfield where he’s expected to follow in his blue collar family’s footsteps.

Hadley Carter is America’s Pop Princess. A successful recording artist living her dream with a sold-out tour and a handful of Grammy’s there isn't much that she wants for, except love. But finding love on the road is near impossible when all she longs for are romantic dinners, a nighttime stroll on the beach and holding hands with someone who isn't going to exploit her.

When a chance encounter introduces Ryan to Hadley, will he be like her adoring fans looking for a way in, or will it be Hadley who pursues Ryan even though it might cost her the only career she's known.

Lost in You is a story about following your dreams, taking risks and getting lost in love.

About the author:

Heidi is the author of USA Today, Digital Book World, Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestselling novel, Forever My Girl

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she's writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.

Find Heidi Online:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Order Heidi's Books Online:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 432 Pages (September 17th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: COLDTOWN WAS DANGEROUS, TANA KNEW. A GLAMOROUS CAGE, A PRISON FOR THE DAMNED AND ANYONE WHO WANTED TO PARTY WITH THEM.

Tana lived in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

Title: Undercurrent
Author: Paul E. Blackwell
Publisher: HarperTeen, 320 Pages (July 23rd, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: In this suspenseful teen thriller with a touch of the otherworldly, perfect for fans of Neal Shusterman, a boy goes over a waterfall and wakes up to find himself in a twisted version of the life he knew.

A shadowy figure. An intense roar. The sensation of falling—fast.

That’s all Callum Harris remembers from his tumble over the waterfall. But when he wakes up in a hospital bed and finds his best friend trying to kill him, Callum knows something is seriously wrong. Unfortunately for him, the mysteries are just getting started.

Why are his parents acting like he’s some big sports star all of a sudden? And why are all the buildings in town more run-down than Callum remembers? Worst of all...what happened to Callum’s brother? Either Callum has gone seriously crazy or something happened when he went over the falls. Something impossible. Callum needs answers, and now. Because in this twisted new version of the life Callum knew, his former best friend isn't the only one who wants to see him dead.

Filled with mind-bending suspense and unsettling thrills, Undercurrent is a grippingly paced teen debut that will pull you under and never let go.

Title: Charm & Strange
Author: Stephanie Kuehn
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 244 Pages (June 11th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: When you've been kept caged in the dark, it’s impossible to see the forest for the trees. It’s impossible to see anything, really. Not without bars . . .

Andrew Winston Winters is at war with himself.

He’s part Win, the lonely teenager exiled to a remote Vermont boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts all his classmates out, no matter the cost.

He’s part Drew, the angry young boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who spent a fateful, long-ago summer with his brother and teenage cousins, only to endure a secret so monstrous it led three children to do the unthinkable.

Over the course of one night, while stuck at a party deep in the New England woods, Andrew battles both the pain of his past and the isolation of his present.

Before the sun rises, he’ll either surrender his sanity to the wild darkness inside his mind or make peace with the most elemental of truths—that choosing to live can mean so much more than not dying.

I read and LOVED the novella - The Coldest Girl in Coldtown in the The Urban Fantasy Anthology. I wanted more and jumped around the house going a tad crazy when I found out this was going to be a FULL book. If you haven't read the novella, you should. Right now. I'm serious. 

The other two books - Undercurrent with that yum cover! I love a good mysterious story and I think that'll fit the bill. And then the last title this week - Charm & Strange - sounds pretty mysterious too. Looking forward to all three.

What do you guys think of my choices?

*covers are always subject to change.

Click the tour button to check out all the stops for the tour!

Title: Predatory (Immortal Guardians #3.5)
Author: Alexandra Ivy, Nina Bangs, Dianne Duvall, Hannah Jayne
Publisher: Zebra, 384 Pages (May 7th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository
Review: Darkness Dawns (Immortal Guardians, #1)
Review: Night Reigns (Immortal Guardians, #2)
Review: Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians #3)

NOTE: This is an Adult novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: Four of today's most exciting paranormal authors take readers into the thrilling realm of vampires, immortals, and other supernatural beings with a thirst for illicit desire...

Out Of Control by Alexandra Ivy

Ph.D student Angela Locke has a crush on her sexy professor, Dr. Nikolo Bartrev. When she learns he's actually a Sentinel with extraordinary powers, she joins forces with him to catch a psychopath. But soon, their hottest pursuit is of each other...

Ties That Bind by Nina Bangs

Cassie Tyler agrees to sub for her friend at the funeral home where she works. But she gets more than she bargained for when a group of men attack her and a vampire comes to her rescue. . .

In Still Darkness by Dianne Duvall

Immortal Richart d'Alençon can't forget the woman who rewarded him with a sensuous kiss after he saved her from a trio of vampires. While Richart knows that loving a human can only bring trouble, the taste of forbidden lust is too great to resist. . .

High Stakes by Hannah Jayne

When vampire fashionista Nina LaShay's design contest rival is found dead, she's the prime suspect. Sexy photographer Pike is number two. He's the kind of man who makes Nina salivate. But will she have to reveal herself to have him--and to save them both? Or does Pike have a secret of his own?

15 Things You’ll “Overhear” in My Immortal Guardians Series

Thank you, Lisa, for letting me visit A Life Bound by Books again!  I’m so excited to be here today, celebrating the release of PREDATORY, an anthology that contains my Immortal Guardians novella “In Still Darkness”, along with stories by Alexandra Ivy, Nina Bangs, and Hannah Jayne!

“In Still Darkness” features Richart d’Alençon, a two-hundred-and-thirty-year-old immortal warrior who spends his nights hunting and destroying psychotic vampires.  Though his brother and sister are also immortal, Richart nevertheless considers it a lonely existence . . . until he rescues charming single mother Jenna McBride and is rewarded with a scorching kiss.  Unable to resist her lure (or forget that kiss), he daringly attempts what few other immortals have tried:  He attempts to carry on a traditional courtship while keeping his vampire hunting profession, as well as his immortality, a secret.  As you might’ve guessed, it doesn’t go very smoothly.  :-)

If you’re new to my Immortal Guardians series, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of the characters through some favorite quotes.  For those who are already familiar with the series, I included some sneak peeks into “In Still Darkness” and DARKNESS RISES (October 1, 2013):

            1.  “You stabbed me in the ass?” ~ Bastien, DARKNESS DAWNS, Book 1.

            2.  “I’m not antisocial.  I just want to be left alone.” ~ Roland, DARKNESS DAWNS, Book 1.

            3.  “What kind of crack pots have you been dating?” ~ Sarah, DARKNESS DAWNS, Book 1.

            4. “Um . . . is that cat bald?” ~ Ami, NIGHT REIGNS, Book 2.

            5.  “What did you think I would do? Ask her if I could braid her hair after we gave each other facials and painted our toenails?” ~ Marcus, NIGHT REIGNS, Book 2.

            6.  “Are you sure I can't talk you into leaving this old sod and running away with me? I do so love strong women.” ~ Étienne, NIGHT REIGNS, Book 2.

            7.  “All right.  All right.  Settle down.  We're all glad Sarah stabbed Bastien in the ass.” ~ Seth, PHANTOM SHADOWS, Book 3.

            8.  "If you tell me you have two gifts and one of them is X-ray vision, I'm going to have to hurt you." ~ Melanie, PHANTOM SHADOWS, Book 3.

            9.  “Is this going to get weird?  Like kinky weird?” ~ John, PREDATORY, “In Still Darkness”.

            10.  “Wow, you guys really know how to make a girl feel self-conscious.” ~ Jenna, PREDATORY, “In Still Darkness”.

            11.  “I am so smitten with you.” ~ Richart, PREDATORY, “In Still Darkness”.

            12.  “Dude, vampires threaten to feed me my own entrails all the time.  You’re going to have to come up with something better than that.” ~ Sheldon, PREDATORY, “In Still Darkness”.

            13.  “Are you off your nut?” ~ David, DARKNESS RISES, Book 4 (October 1, 2013).

            14.  “Could I just say holy crap again?” ~ Krysta, DARKNESS RISES, Book 4 (October 1, 2013).

            15.  “Great.  There goes our security deposit.” ~ Sean, DARKNESS RISES, Book 4 (October 1, 2013).

Intrigued?  I hope so.  Thanks so much for joining me!

Author Bio: 

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series.  Her debut novel DARKNESS DAWNS was nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews, for Best Paranormal Romance - Vampire by The Romance Reviews, and for Best Book of 2011 by Long and Short Reviews.  NIGHT REIGNS, the second book in her Immortal Guardians series, was declared an "utterly addictive" Top Pick by RT Book Reviews.  PHANTOM SHADOWS, the third book in the series, was deemed a Top Pick by both The Romance Reviews and by Night Owl Reviews.  DARKNESS RISES, Immortal Guardians Book 4, will be released on October 1, 2013.
When she isn't writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.

Find Dianne online:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

GIVEAWAY!!!

One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of his/her choice of one of the first three Immortal Guardians books —DARKNESS DAWNS, NIGHT REIGNS, or PHANTOM SHADOWS — plus Immortal Guardians swag.

Rules and how to enter:

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.
Name & Email Address must be provided. (Easy Entry, just click the form & it does it for you!)
You must be at least 17 years old to enter.
This giveaway is open: INTERNATIONAL!
Giveaway ends: June 10th, 2013 (12:00AM EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How I Found My Way Into New Adult Books

I didn't even realize that there weren't books about people between the ages of say 19 and 25 until New Adult books burst onto the scene a couple of years ago.  And then I was all “where were these books all my reading life!”

Maybe the first New Adult book I read was “Anne of Avonlea.”  She was only sixteen but she began working as a schoolteacher at the Avonlea school which is pretty new adult in my book. Plus, Gilbert goes from being the horrible boy who torments Anne to the one who can’t stop looking at how awesome her red hair is.

Another classic New Adult book is Daddy Longlegs by Jean Webster written in 1912.  It’s an epistolary novel and I bring this up for a calculated reason. There are letters in my book, Undeclared, too!
Okay, enough self pimpage.  In Daddy Longlegs Jerusha Abbott is an orphan whose post secondary education is funded by an anonymous benefactor.  The story is told almost entirely through letters Jerusha writes to her benefactor whom she calls “Daddy LongLegs”.  She ultimately falls in love with him and reveals that his anonymity was revealed to her much earlier than he thought.  I first read this book after I watched the 1955 film with my mother starring Fred Astaire  and Leslie Caron.  My mother was a big fan of these black and white films and would rent them during the holidays.

 Fast forward many years (not revealing how many) until the summer of 2013 when I read “Easy” by Tammara Webber.  The sweet romantic tale of a young college girl suffering a bad breakup and an assault on her college campus was a story that I couldn't get enough of.

I went on a tear and read Colleen Hoover’s “Slammed” and “Point of Retreat.” My goodness, who knew I was a slam poetry fan? “Something Like Normal” by Trish Doller, narrated by a 19 year old Marine back on leave and having to attend his best friend’s funeral broke my heart and then knitted it back together. (*cough* like my book *cough*)

There are the super angsty reads like J. Lynn’s “Waiting for You” and Jessica Sorenson’s “The Coincindence of Callie and Kayden” and the heart wrenching emotional trilogy by S.C. Stephens “Thoughtless, Reckless, and Effortless.”

One of my favorites, though, is “Sea of Tranquility” by Katja Millay.  If you told me I would love a book wherein the heroine doesn't say a single word for the first third of the book, I would have laughed at you. But Millay writes a powerful narrative about a girl who suffered a terrible random assault that crushed her dreams. It is all she can do to wake up and move each morning, let alone talk.

One thing I love about New Adult books is that it is a time that we can give our characters a little more leeway. They are learning to be responsible. They make a lot of mistakes.  But they also form lasting relationships with boys and girls that will carry them into the next phase of their lives.

New Adult books are rocking my world.  I've named a few of my favorite. Why don’t you recommend some for me?

Title: Undeclared (Woodlands #1)
Author: Jen Frederick
Publisher: (May 1st, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters. Ever since that day, Grace has been coasting, academically and emotionally. The one thing she’s decided? No way is Noah Jackson — or any man — ever going to break her heart again.

Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That’s why he joined the Marines and that’s why he’s fighting his way — literally — through college. Now that he’s got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.

This is a mature New Adult book. I see that it is classified as YA - not sure how to change that - but I wanted to be clear that it has explicit love scenes in the story.

About Jen:

Jen Frederick lives in the Midwest with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog.  She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.

Find Jen Online:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Purchase Undeclared Online:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

***BREAKING NEWS***

This is a breaking news announcement by your very own X at Wanless Wanderer Radio covering Wanless, California and the surrounding areas.

According to multiple sources, over forty Union meetings have been cited across the west coast over the past few days and a warning from President Seamus Kendrick himself was issued only moments ago. In that warning, President Kendrick reminded America’s citizens of their obligation to serve, saying conspiracies were by no means proof of anything solid. He also bridged the topic of recent fires igniting in towns across the state, including Perrierre and Hudsonville to the east, and acknowledged that hiding will ultimately do no one any good and the last thing he wants to do is ...harm anyone.

This will be the second time Unions have been reported as going into hiding in the past so many months, which leaves locals wondering if there is more going on than meets the eye. One anonymous source informs us here at the Wanless Wanderer that Unions are receiving leaked information from somewhere at the Capitol quarters, though no one, from the Capitol on down, is willing to say who from. If this is indeed true, it would explain the lack of willingness of volunteers for the previous years’ drafts, as Union members still hold quite a bit of clout even while they are in hiding.

Sacramento officials have been questioned regarding this matter by WW reporters but the bigs in Sacramento deny anything is going on and suggested listening more to Kendrick Radio and less to the whacko conspiracy ones.

Beyond whisperings that something else unofficial might be coming into the play over the next few weeks (an assumption many here in Wanless and other local towns have been wondering about), nothing appears to be in concrete. President Kendrick’s right hand man in our area, Mr. Tuscon Olive, affirmed during a recent interview that the only reason things appear to be worse is because people have stopped being together. That is what President Kendrick designed Markets for: a place for families to spend time with their loved ones and boost the economy by supporting local vendors.

When asked how the support appeared to be racking compared to last year’s pre-holiday season, Mr. Olive assured us that though Wanless’ finances were slightly down, it was, quote, nothing to worry about.

In the end, the real questions are no different than they were two, three years ago, folks. Where have the drafted men gone and why is Market continually pushed as so important? We asked Mr. Olive this at the end of the interview and, after a moment of silence, he gave us this answer:

Our men may be gone and I may not be able to tell you where they are, but remember this: Beyond the drafts and the lack and utter devastation many feel, it’s important to focus on what you still have. Hold your loved ones. Share your food with your neighbors. I’ve heard we’re supposed to be getting a drizzle here and there which means our water allotment might be going up so take care to conserve if you plan on having a garden. The President has many things going on, some of which I am unable to speak of, but do not doubt that he wants the best for you. His way may seem cold and calloused, but it is always in our best interest.

Upon asking if Mr. Olive if he truly believed that himself, he hung up.

Reporting live with the facts of Wanless and the surrounding territories, this has been breaking news by X

Title: Pity Isn't an Option
Author: Jessica Brooks
Publisher: 325 Pages (March 8th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords

Synopsis: Seventeen year-old Jonas Norton is trying to come to terms with what his blood disorder has robbed from him, including his two most favorite things: basketball, and competing in Hatchet Racket, Wanless’ annual hatchet-throwing contest. The facts that his father works constantly to pay for his blood tests and Jonas can actually see the disappointment in his eyes for being such a failure only make matters worse. And even worse than all of that? Jonas' own twin brother, Micah, is perfectly healthy and becoming quite the basketball player. Also, Hattie, the girl Jonas has loved for forever? She has no idea how he feels.

Sixteen year-old Hattie Akerman lives down the hill from Jonas. Though her father, Heath, tries to hide his lack of mental clarity behind the bottle and she's pretty much given up on having any kind of relationship with him, she would still rather her younger sister, Lucy, not have to deal with the consequences of his behavior. Hattie helps her mother by baking food to sell at Market and looking out for Lucy. No matter what the rest of the town says about her crazy father, Jonas sticks up for them. He is, by far, her very best friend.

As if things aren’t complicated enough already, Heath and Micah are unexpectedly drafted into President Kendrick's army (an army from which no one ever returns) just days before Thanksgiving. When Heath disappears instead of arriving at the Meeting Place to check in, Hattie and Jonas decide they’ve had enough, and take matters into their own hands. And though nothing could have prepared them for what happens next, Hattie and Jonas learn that hope can be seen in every situation. You just have to know where to look.

Find Jessica Online:

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

Title: Shutdown (Glitch #3)
Author: Heather Anastasiu
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 320 Pages (July 2nd, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution.

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands.

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults.
The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy.

Title: Goddess (Starcrossed #3)
Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen, 432 Pages (May 28th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

Title: After Eden (After Eden #1)
Author: Helen Douglas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books, 288 Pages (July 4th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Eden Anfield loves puzzles, so when mysterious new boy Ryan Westland shows up at her school she's hooked. On the face of it, he's a typical American teenager. So why doesn't he recognise pizza? And how come he hasn't heard of Hitler? What puzzles Eden the most, however, is the interest he's taking in her.

As Eden starts to fall in love with Ryan, she begins to unravel his secret. Her breakthrough comes one rainy afternoon when she stumbles across a book in Ryan's bedroom - a biography of her best friend - written over fifty years in the future. Confronting Ryan, she discovers that he is there with one unbelievably important purpose ... and she might just have destroyed his only chance of success.

And I'm back to three books this week. I really can't wait to see how the Glitch Trilogy ends, I've read  Starcrossed and LOVED IT! Talk about some beautiful covers in that series too. And then the third title this week - After Eden - I love a good mystery and this one sounds pretty great if you ask me. So, what do YOU think of these three books? I'd love to hear in the comments.

*covers are always subject to change.

Title: Click To Subscribe
Author: L.M. Augustine
Publisher: May 9th, 2013
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: 135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them.

As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn't know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.

To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him.

Guest Post:

First off, thanks so much to Lisa for having me on her blog! I’m so excited to be here! Since my main character in Click To Subscribe has a popular vlog, she had the great idea for me to write a guest post in the style of that vlog, so I did.

To give background: in the beginning of the book, you meet West, who vlogs under the pseudonym Sam Green, and immediately you learn that he’s done probably the most inconvenient thing ever: he’s fallen in love with a girl, Harper, over the internet. I mean, he doesn't know anything about her aside from her comments on his vlog and some rather epic emails about pizza written in haiku, but as stupid as it sounds, he feels like… he needs her. Like they were meant to find each other.

So, he creates the below video equivalent of a love letter and sends it to Harper. (Just a note that this love letter vlog does not actually appear in the book. It’s an outtake, almost. If it was in the book, though, it would be in chapter one, so it’s 100% non-spoilery.)

***

Before I turn on my camera, I follow the same ritual that I always do before filming my vlogs. I sit down at my desk and face the screen, tapping my fingers against my thigh and waiting. I take a deep breath, then close my eyes for the longest time. I picture Mom again. I picture her laugh, her smile, the way she would do an entirely awful rendition of the disco whenever she beat me in FIFA. I miss her. I miss her more than anything. I miss her like I always do when I’m filming, because this camera is the only one I have left to feel close to her again.

I turn around. The rest of bedroom is small and narrow, with nothing else but fading green-painted walls and my too-small bed behind me. Sunlight streams in through my window, warming my back, and I feel oddly… peaceful.

After the longest time, I open my eyes, reach out, click play, and begin.

“Dear Harper,” I say into my camera. Yesterday, she dared me to email her a personalized love letter vlog. She didn't seem to think I would actually do it, of course, and so naturally it was for that very that I accepted. “It has come to my attention that my wooing has finally paid off and you have fallen for me,” I continue. It feels so good to physically talk to her—even if I’m the only side of the conversation. “As your wonderful knight in shining armor, I must say, I am not surprised. My immense charm, dazzling good looks, gorgeous lashes, and everything else about me, is pretty much irresistible. Not only that, but I also have excellent hair.” I suppress a smile. I always do that when I think about her. “Point being, I can’t blame you for thinking I’m wonderful (and entirely kissable.) It’s only the natural reaction when a girl sees me.” 

I pause. I lean into the camera, lowering my voice a little, as if I’m about to tell her something I can barely even admit to myself. Spoiler: I am. “But, that’s not the point of this video, is it? You are the point of this video, Harper. You… you are the point of so many things in my life nowadays.” I sigh. “You know how your YouTube avatar is a picture of a cow riding a bicycle while simultaneously eating pizza? That image just proves that we were meant to be. I never thought anyone could be dorkier than I am. I was wrong, though, and I’m so glad I was.” I swallow hard, knowing what to say but not knowing how to say it. “I don’t think anyone else on the planet knows as much Harry Potter trivia as you do, and I’m sure as hell that no one is as obsessed with cows operating vehicles as you. Though I admit, it would be pretty badass to see a cow driving a Honda…” 

 “The point is, Harper, I met you over the internet and somehow, you've got me falling for you. Hard.” Then, I lower my voice to a whisper. “So, as the pizza said to the soda: I need you in my life.”

Without another word, I turn off the camera, email Harper the video, lean back in my chair, and realize just how much I mean it.

About this author:

L.M. Augustine is a YA romance author who is obsessed with writing about dorky teenagers, love, and happy endings. He currently lives in New England, where he spends far too much time reading books and screaming at his computer, and he believes that the solution to the world’s problems can be found in chocolate cake. Click To Subscribe is his first novel, but it won’t be his last.

Find L.M. Online:

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

L.M., thanks for stopping by and I LOVED the guest post!! Came out perfect! Can't wait to read Click to Subscribe. Thanks for everything!

At the beginning of the year I signed up for the "New Adult" Reading Challenge. Since I haven't done a post at all about it, I figured it would be perfect to set up and post while I'm away on vacation.

So, what is this challenge all about you ask? Well, it's co-hosted by my friend Tara from Tater's Tall Tails and a few other bloggers/Author(s) - Danya at A Tapestry of Words, Victoria at Confessions of a Twenty Something Fiction Writer and Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf. The object of this challenge is to read books that fit into the "New Adult" category.

Here are all the details about the challenge that I've taken from Tara's post, which you can check out by >>>CLICK HERE<<< Also it's not too late to sign up!

Here's all the rules & fun stuff right from Tara herself! Thanks for letting me borrow this Tara!

Challenge Objective: Read more books about "New Adult" novels! Books with protagonists in their late teens or early twenties (18-30 or even some mature YA books), post-graduation, fending for themselves in the adult world they have been pushed into.
Runs From: Jan 1, 2013 - Dec 31, 2013.
Books that count: 

• The book must feature a protagonist who is past the average age for graduation from high school (18 in most places) and all the way up to age 30. 
• If they're sitting on the fence at precisely age 18, then you can make the judgment call on whether it is more YA or New Adult. (If the majority of it is set in high school, I'd classify it as YA.) 
• The protag should be 30 or younger, just to give a maximum limit as well (otherwise we're getting into Not-So-New Adult literature!)
• They don’t have to be contemporaries! Fantasy, dystopian and paranormal fans rejoice, your books count too. As long as the characters fall into the comparative age group on whatever planet or in whatever world, it works
• You don’t have to have a blog to participate, but you must post your reviews somewhere accessible online (like Goodreads)

Crossover Challenge? YES

Levels 

Just Graduated: Read a minimum of 5 New Adult books
Moving Out: Read a minimum of 10 New Adult books
Living On Your Own: Read a minimum of 20 New Adult books
Fully Independent: Read a minimum of 30 New Adult books

Love "New Adult"? Then SIGN UP!!!

So, I'm going for - Fully Independent: Read a minimum of 30 New Adult books

Check out my Goodreads Shelf: New Adult & New Adult Challenge Read - 2013

And here's the titles for the Challenge that I've read so far:

1. Tidal By: Emily Snow
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

2. If You Stay (Beautifully Broken #1) By: Courtney Cole
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

3. Deeper We Fall (Fall and Rise #1) By: Chelsea M. Cameron
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

4. Focus (The Crescent Chronicles #2) By: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

5. Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) By: Carrie Butler
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

6. A Song for Julia (Thompson Sisters) By: Charles Sheehan-Miles
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

7. Picture Perfect By: Alessandra Thomas
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

8. REAL (Real, Raw & Ripped #1) By: Katy Evans
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

9. Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) By: Jamie McGuire
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

10. Drowning in You (Finding Forever in Us #1) By: Rebecca Berto
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

11. Falling Into You (Falling #1) By: Jasinda Wilder
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

12. The Only Exception By: Magan Vernon
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

13. Broken at Love (Whitman University #1) By: Lyla Payne
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

14. The Space Between (Space) By: Victoria H. Smith
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon

15. The Space Between (The Book of Phoenix #1) By: Kristie Cook
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

16. Suddenly Royal By: Nichole Chase
Add to: Goodreads Purchase on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.


Extras to help:

Goodreads Very Own NA Genera Page, New Adult/Post HS Books, New Adult Literature, New Adult Contemporary, New Adult of 2012 (includes some good paranormal and fantasy), New Adult Dark & Gritty, Speculative New Adult Fiction, New Adult Fantasy Series’, College Romance And the best resource of them all, NA Alley.

Keep up to date and connect with other NA LIt lovers in our Reading Challenge Group (it's currently set up for 2012 but we are working on changing that soon!) Goodreads New Adult Reading Challenge Group.