Who else is excited that Rachel Vincent is taking us back to her Shifters series... or kind of. This time around she's written a "New Adult" series and I for one am seriously looking forward to it! Take a look at the first books cover and enter to win her giveaway below!

Title: Lion’s Share (Wildcats #1)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: (February 23rd 2015)
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

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

Synopsis: Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.

Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.

A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.

About the Author:

Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series and the Unbound series for adults, as well as the Soul Screamers series for teens.

Rachel's next young adult book is THE STARS NEVER RISE, coming from Delacorte in June of 2015, and her new series for adults will debut with MENAGERIE, coming from Mira books in the fall of 2015

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who's been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy--but social media is a close second.

Find Rachel Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!!!

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Today I have another cover reveal and this time it's for author Jennifer Iacopelli’s Losing at Love. And for a HUGE bonus I'm also helping to reveal the new redesign for the first book in the series, Game. Set. Match. Jennifer also provided an excerpt from Losing at Love, as well as a giveaway, so be sure to check it all out below!!!

Title: Losing at Love
Author: Jennifer Iacopelli
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Day: February 24^th
Add to: Goodreads
Pre order now!!


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

About Losing at Love: Grass courts, tennis whites and the fiercest competition in the world. Wimbledon. After two crazy weeks in Paris, the girls of the Outer Banks Tennis Academy are headed to London with just one thing on their minds: winning.

Indiana Gaffney is fresh off a surprise win at the French Open junior tournament. Sponsors are clamoring for her attention, but what she wants more than anything—aside from a wild card to Wimbledon—is to be with Jack Harrison, but international fame and a secret relationship rarely mix well.

When Penny Harrison dreamed of playing at Wimbledon she never imagined agonizing pain shooting through her ankle with every step. With just a month until the tournament and the whole world expecting her to win, she’s determined to play, with or without the support of her coach or the love of her life, Alex Russell.

For the first time ever, no one expects anything from Jasmine Randazzo. After a crushing first-round defeat in the French Open juniors, the tennis world has given up on her, but worse than that, so have her parents, her best friend Teddy and maybe even her coach. With everyone writing her off, can she find it within herself to go after her dreams?

Excerpt:

Stepping into the sunshine, Indy shouldered her bag and turned towards the OBX library, her mind running through the assignments she still had to complete when a shadow crossed over her path, a large body falling into step with her, close, but not touching, their strides matching.

“Jack,” she said, glancing up at him sideways, a small smile threatening at the corner of her mouth.

“Indiana,” he said, echoing back her name, sending a shiver down her spine. He was the only one allowed to call her that, the only person who made the name she’d hated since forever sound friggin’ good.

They walked together without another word, turning the corner that separated the courts from the residential area of the complex, but her stride was suddenly cut off when Jack shuffled his feet, sliding his arm around her waist and pulled her into a shady walkway between buildings. Her bag slid off her shoulder, but he caught it before it crashed to the ground and smashed her laptop to smithereens. He let it settle on the ground gently before leaning over her, forcing her to step back into the wall.

Walls were their thing. Their first kiss had been against a wall in a random hallway at Roland Garros, their second pressed against the wall of their hotel in Paris and now that they were back in North Carolina, they found any excuse to push each other against a wall and kiss until they were gasping for air and their bodies begged for relief. Jack’s lips trailed from her temple, using the wall behind her as an anchor before bending his head to hers. Pushing up onto her toes, Indy met him halfway. She’d never been so grateful for every millimeter of her five feet ten inches as she was when she was kissing Jack. His hands slid through her hair, twisting it around his fingers, then cradling the back of her head, drawing her mouth more firmly against his. Indy brought her hands to his torso, gripping his t-shirt, letting her palms press against the cut of muscle that disappeared into his cargo shorts. The skin on skin contact made his breath hitch, his mouth opening just enough to allow her tongue to slide in, deepening the kiss, before letting her teeth nip at his bottom lip. A groan rumbled in his throat as he stumbled forward, pressing his body full length against hers. He wrenched his lips from hers, trailing his mouth over the line of her jaw to the spot just behind her ear. It was her turn to gasp and her head fell back as she arched into him. No one had ever kissed her there before. Jack smiled against her skin as her fingertips dug into his sides and she let a moan slip free as he focused his attention on that spot, scraping his teeth against it then soothing that small pain with a flick of his tongue. Her hands scrambled to get purchase against his shoulders, desperate for some leverage, anything to help her slide her body against his. Then he was gone, his hand gone from her hair, his mouth gone from her neck and his body inches then feet away. Indy blinked at him, trying to figure out what happened when the voices echoing down the pathway towards them finally reached her ears.

Bending down, he lifted her bag as she ran her fingers through her hair, knowing he’d made an unholy mess of it. “You’re fine,” he muttered, handing her the bag, then keeping the distance between them as a group of junior boys stomped past them, none giving them a second glance.

“You have good ears,” Indy said, biting her lip at the close call. If those boys had seen them, the news would have spread like wildfire through the OBX campus and everyone would have known by the end of the day. She was only seventeen for another few months, but that wasn’t really the problem, seventeen or eighteen wouldn’t matter to other people. She was a young tennis pro, he was an up and coming agent. The last thing either of their careers needed was the heightened publicity of a controversial relationship, even if Jack Harrison was far more of a gentleman than any guy she’d ever met. Sometimes a little too much of a gentleman, truth be told.

Jack shrugged, glancing back over his shoulder again before facing her fully. “I’m sorry about this.”

She reached out and took his hand, “We both agreed,” she said, entwining their fingers together, “it’s just between us for now. It makes sense for the both of us.” Pressing his lips together in a thin line, he nodded, but she knew he wasn’t entirely convinced. “Jack, we talked about this. You said you were okay with it.”

“I just wish it were different,” he said, tugging her closer, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. His hands released hers and dropped to her hips, the edges of his thumbs brushing against her hipbones in slow circles sending shivers over her skin.

“Me too.” She wanted to scream it from the rooftops that this amazing guy was hers. That he had deep green eyes and a smile that brightened them whenever he looked at her. That he was brilliant in ways that she couldn’t even fathom with his degree from Harvard. That he’d fought their attraction for so long because of that ingrained sense of honor, like one of those heroes in a fairy tale, except Jack was real, flesh and blood.

"Have you thought...maybe we should tell Penny?" Indy asked, her fingertips landing on his forearms, gently stroking up to his elbows and back down to his wrists.

Jack let out a heavy breath. "Penny has a lot on her plate right now."

"I know, I just feel funny keeping it from her. Jasmine knows."

"We'll do whatever you want to do. This is your show, baby."

"I don't need a supportive…" she hesitated, almost using the word boyfriend, but that didn't really fit, did it? Not if they were keeping it a secret, "I need honest Jack."

He leaned back, looking her in the eye. "Honest? Honestly, my sister doesn't do well with change. It freaks her out and right now, I'm not sure that the idea of you and me will go over that well. On the other hand, if we don't tell her and she finds out?"

"She'll be pissed."

"Yep."

"Maybe we wait a little longer. We could tell her in London?"

Jack nodded, "Face to face instead of over the phone."

“There’s always Skype,” she said, not really sure if she wanted to know what Penny, the only girl who’d made an effort to befriend her when she first arrived at OBX, would think if she found out she and Jack were together.

“There’s that.”

Indy shook her head. They should do it in person. They should have done it before they left Paris, but Penny had been so devastated by withdrawing from the tournament that it hadn’t felt like the right time then either. “In London. We’ll be there in less than a week. We’ll tell her then.”

“Okay, in London.” They stood there for a moment, just breathing each other in until Jack leaned away. “I’ve gotta go. I have a meeting with a potential new client this afternoon and I’ve got to prep.”

Indy snorted a laugh. “Right, like you don’t already have a complete profile worked up along with potential sponsors to contact if they sign.”

“You know me so well,” he said, leaning around the building, checking the pathway for any more unwanted spectators. “I’ll go this way.”

Indy nodded back in the opposite direction. “And I’ll go that way.”

With a bow, he was gone, around the corner and out of sight, so she turned and adjusted her bag over her shoulder, heading out from between the buildings and towards the library. She’d have about half the time to get her Calc done than she originally planned. Fingertips pressing against that spot on her neck lightly recalling the feel of his mouth and the way her entire body was lit on fire by his touch, it was totally worth it.

“Are you sure that is a good idea?” a voice rang out from just a few steps behind her, the French accent giving its owner away, if the superiority and condescension weren’t enough of a clue. Indy spun around and came face to face with her agent, tall, blonde, perfectly put together in a silk blouse and linen skirt, somehow looking completely cool and calm despite the blaze of the sun. She was in town before they all left for England, mostly to go over her plans for Indy’s future off the court.

A denial formed on Indy’s tongue, but she knew it was useless. Caroline had seen them and it probably just confirmed what she’d suspected for a while. Her agent was damn good at her job and it wasn’t like she and Jack had been super careful about keeping private moments behind closed doors. “Good idea or not, it’s none of your business.”

Raising her eyes to the sky and shaking her head Caroline said, “You are my business, Indiana.”

“How many times do I have to say it? Don’t call me that, and my tennis is your business,” Indy corrected. “Keep your nose out of everything else.”

“It is not that simple,” Caroline insisted, her voice inching up in pitch.

“It really is.” She turned on her toe and walked away, wanting to look back, hoping that Caroline’s brow was furrowed and her hands were on her hips, lips pursed in aggravation. But looking back would ruin the moment because despite getting in the last word, Caroline now had the upper hand and it was only a matter of time before she used it to her advantage.

To celebrate the cover reveal, Game. Set. Match. is on sale for .99!!

About Game. Set. Match.: Nestled along the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy

is the world's most elite training facility. In this pressure-cooker environment, futures are forged in blood and sweat, and dreams are shattered in an instant. Penny Harrison, a rising female star, is determined to win the French Open and beat her archrival, Zina Lutrova. But when her coach imports British bad boy Alex Russell as her new training partner, will Penny be able to keep her laser-like focus? Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. The daughter of two Grand Slam champions, she's hell-bent on extending her family’s legacy and writing her own happily-ever-after...until her chosen Prince Charming gives her the just-friends speech right before the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic. With a powerful serve and killer forehand, newcomer Indiana Gaffney is turning heads. She’s thrilled by all of the attention, especially from Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and hot older brother, except he keeps backing off every time things start heating up. With so much at stake, dreams—and hearts—are bound to break. Welcome to OBX: Where LOVE is a four-letter word, on and off the court.

Amazon | BN | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads

About Jennifer Iacopelli:

Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave...ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor's degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master's in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.

Find Jenifer Online:

newsletter signup | twitter | facebook | website | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon Author Page

Enter Jennifer’s giveaway!!

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Book to DVD Review

Title: Gone Girl
Studio: 20th Century Fox, DVD Release: (January 13th, 2015)
Staring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry
Rated: R (Restricted)

Order the DVD Online: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK

Synopsis: With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.

Review: 4.5 Stars - So, I think I’ll start out this review by saying that I did this kind of backwards this time. I watched the movie before reading the book. EEEK! Right? I have no idea how that happened, but it did. I had read a comment somewhere that someone had said, or was told that if you don’t want to know the twists then don’t read the book before watching the movie. Not usually something I’d pay any mind too, but for some reason it stuck with me.

I’ve also been told that the movie follows the book pretty spot on and that this is one of the better book to movie adaptations they’ve had the pleasure of reading and watching, so that was a pretty big plus in my book. I had set out to read the book first and I just ran out of time. So when I was approached to watch and review I remembered the comment again about the twists and jumped at the chance.

To say I was a little bit excited to see this one was an understatement. I didn’t get a chance to see this at the theater so when the DVD arrived I planned a “Date” night with my hubby – take-out, popcorn, M&M’s and all – and we both watched and had our guesses from beginning to end on what was about to play out for these characters.

Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike play the two main characters, husband and wife and the story is told from the present and then in flashbacks. It’s through both of these jumps in time that their story unfolds and just when you think you have one small clue what’s about to happen the first twist hits and threw these two viewers into a mind f***!  Now I usually don’t swear when I write up reviews and posts but there’s really no other way to describe this movie. It’s numerous mind bending events that, not to worry I have NO intention of even giving readers here a hint to what happens, but yeah… be prepared to have your mind bent time and time again.

The plot as a whole was written amazingly well and the actors portrayed their characters impressively. Looking back I had wished I would have found time to read the book first, however I just might go back and read it after the fact.

I felt some pretty strong feelings throughout the movie and by the end I wasn’t sure what the heck I had just watched. Thinking back now the only thing that comes to mind is just how twisted this story is and how I was shocked at some of the things that happened as the movie progressed.

I highly recommend this movie for the story and acting alone… but there’s just so much more to it to make future viewers interested and excited that it shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s rated “R” so people should keep that in mind as there are plenty of events, language and adult content that might adversely affect some younger viewers. I mean I’m well past my teen years and this one affected me enough to make sure that I made this comment.

In the end I loved the movie. The cast was pretty perfect and the story was gripping and often I was on the edge of my seat and in awe with what happened from beginning to end. I hope viewers love the movie as much as I do; now to go find time to read the book and any others by author Gillian Flynn. Enjoy!

About the Book

Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Broadway Books (Movie Tie-in Edition), 422 Pages (August 26th, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

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

Synopsis: The #1 New York Times Bestseller

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? 

About the Author:

Gillian Flynn is an American author and television critic for Entertainment Weekly. She has so far written three novels, Sharp Objects, for which she won the 2007 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller; Dark Places; and her best-selling third novel Gone Girl.

Her book has received wide praise, including from authors such as Stephen King. The dark plot revolves around a serial killer in a Missouri town, and the reporter who has returned from Chicago to cover the event. Themes include dysfunctional families,violence and self-harm.

In 2007 the novel was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Writer, Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie, CWA New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers, winning in the last two categories.

Flynn, who lives in Chicago, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated at the University of Kansas, and qualified for a Master's degree from Northwestern University.

Find Gillian Online:

Website | Twitter| Facebook | Goodreads

Special thank you goes out to 20th Century Fox for providing the DVD Blu-Ray copy for review.

LOVE these covers! Talk about beautiful!! Congrats to my friend Emma on another amazing cover and her up and coming release!

Title: Sidelined (By His Game #2)
Author: Emma Hart
Publisher: (March 2nd, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
No order links at the time of posting

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

Synopsis: Three people. Three motives. Three reasons.
When the game leaves the field in the second book in the USA Today bestselling BY HIS GAME series and mixes with sex, lies, and betrayal, the future isn't the only thing on the line...

Macey Kelly has sworn off men. Unless they’re going to zip in and out of her apartment—and her vagina—quicker than they can give her an orgasm, she’s not interested. Finding out her boyfriend of three years got her cousin pregnant was a total confidence knock. Luckily for Macey, confidence is

something she has in abundance, so all Mitch’s asshole move did was make her pretty cynical toward men.

The last thing Jack Carr needs at the start of the season is for a dark-haired, sexy as sin, gyspyesque beauty to be consuming his thoughts. Football is his life, which leaves no time for girls. Unless they’re the love ‘em and leave ‘em girls. Becoming one of the best running backs the league has ever seen by racking up the yards is his top priority… not bedding Macey Kelly, despite her affinity for blow jobs and total sexual abandon.

Avoiding each other is the perfect solution, but when your best friends are in a serious living together kind of relationship, that isn’t always an option. Sometimes, sex on tap is the easiest option. And the sweetest.

Until Mitch shows up with a bombshell that could shatter Macey’s perfectly carved out life. It’s been a year, but he isn’t giving her up, not now he has a chance at winning her back. And he knows her buttons. Every single one of them.

Unfortunately for him, Jack Carr isn’t a loser. The star running back has his eye on the Vince Lombardi—and on Macey. But seeing her hanging between them both isn’t something he’s down with, not when he discovers why she’s so against anything more-ish, as she puts it.Macey quickly realizes she’s the ball being passed between two desperate yet opposing teams, and that only one of them can score the touchdown. But will the winner be the guy she lived with and loved for three years, or will the winner be the guy who understands her and makes her body come alive?

In this game, someone will be sidelined, and calling the play isn’t always as easy as it seems.

(SIDELINED is a full-length, standalone novel. It's not necessary to read BLINDSIDED before this book, but it is advised.)

From Emma Hart, the New York Times bestselling author of the Game series, comes a brand new series where the game is realer, the tension is tighter, the sex is hotter, and the stakes are the highest of all…

Title: Blindsided (By His Game #1)
Author: Emma Hart
Publisher: (January 12th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads

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

Synopsis: Two people. Two agendas. Two games.

What happens when the out-there It-Boy of football meets the secret It-Girl of fashion?

As the daughter of Hollywood’s sweetheart, Leah Veronica can’t even buy a coffee without finding her face on a magazine stand, so it’s no wonder she’s launching her first fashion line in secret. With it debuting at New York Fashion Week in just under a month, extra time in the spotlight is the last thing she needs.

The son of the best quarterback the league has ever seen, filling legendary shoes as the L.A. Vipers’ quarterback was inevitable for Corey Jackson. So was meeting Leah Veronica—the first girl to hand him his ass without putting a hair out of place.

Getting the handsome, prickly blonde into his bed becomes his number one goal. But getting the sexy, over-confident footballer the hell away from her becomes Leah’s—at least until she realizes the best way to do that is to give him what he wants.

If only it was that simple.

When Corey discovers who she is, and private photos of Hollywood’s finest find their way online, everything they thought they knew is thrown into disarray.

And when secrets are exposed and hearts are shattered, they have to figure out if they’ve been blindsided by love or reality, and if it’s worth running the extra yard to win the game they never meant to play.

Order Online: 

AmazonUS, AmazonUK, Barnes & Noble. iBooks, AmazonAU, AmazonCA

About the Author:

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies - usually wine - and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy - unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

Find Emma Online:

NEWSLETTER  FACEBOOK  TWITTER  GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

"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 Fill-In Boyfriend
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen, 352 Pages (May 5th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend— two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party — three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publisher: Razorbill, 443 Pages (April 28th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself. 

*covers are always subject to change.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau is...UK!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Going Vintage
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publisher: US - Bloomsbury, 320 Pages, (March 26, 2013), UK - Scholastic, 304 Pages, (April 1st, 2013)
Add to Goodreads:USA Version | UK Version
Order online here: USA:Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK:Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

About the Author:

Lindsey Leavitt is a former elementary school teacher and present day writer/mom to three (mostly) adorable little girls. She is married to her high school lab partner and lives in Las Vegas. She is the author of the PRINCESS FOR HIRE series (www.princessforhire.com), SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD and GOING VINTAGE Visit her on the web at www.lindseyleavitt.com

Find Lindsey Online:

Website | Blog | Twitter| Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This week is pretty easy for me. I'm really drawn the UK cover. It's light, airy and feels "vintage" to me. The US cover feels to quirky. And while I like quirky there's something kind of special about the UK cover.

So, this weeks vote for me goes to the UK! Which one will YOU be voting for in the poll below?

Michelle I like the UK cover. I like the whimsical effect it has and the vintage look of it. However I LOVE the US cover. I love the retro vibe of it, the funky bold colours and the general appearance of it. To me this represents the ‘vintage’ part of Going Vintage much more than the UK one does. Take a look at my review to see what I thought of the book.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt NOW!

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YAY for new releases to look forward to from author Jen McLaughlin!!! Blurred Lines, the 5th title in her Out of Line Series will be releasing January 26th, but first I have some exclusive content to share. Be sure to check out the contest below for a chance to win the series. Today we have the incredible book trailer from Blurred Lines. 

Title: Blurred Lines (Out of Line #5)
Author: Jen McLaughlin
Publisher: (January 26th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

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

Synopsis: Once burned… Finding my fiancée naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

Twice shy…

I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again. That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition.

BOOK TRAILER:
 

 

About the Author:

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Find Jen Online:

Website | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter | Goodreads

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Win an ebook set of OUT OF LINE, OUT OF TIME, OUT OF MIND, and the adult standalone title FRACTURED LINES by Jen McLaughlin! International.

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Today is the revealing the cover for GENTLE CHAINS by Nazarea Andrews. This is a new adult title and it will be released in March. Click the link below to read the first 6 chapters!   

Title: Gentle Chains
Author: Nazarea Andrews
Publisher: (March 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

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

Synopsis When slavers steal Juhan and his twin sister Chosi from their home planet of psychics, their only comfort is in the fact that they’re together. When they are separated at auction, Juhan swears to find his sister, no matter the cost.

Juhan is bought by the spoiled daughter of a political scion. Caught in her glittering world of intrigue and politics, Juhan is startled to find Sadi playing a long game to change intergalactic politics and Juhan is merely a pawn in her game. But as his vow and Sadi's lies takes them across galaxies, he begins to wonder if his young owner is more than an arrogant rich girl. And he has to consider the cost of his promise—especially when people they both care for begin to die.

A galaxy away, Chosi is sold into blood sport. With her psychic ability, she earns a precarious position of value within the gladiator school, training the draken—wild creatures of smoke and fire—for the arena. In the midst of that hell, she forges a friendship with the slave Jemes and the draken she cares for. But when her defiance comes with devastating results, Chosi contemplates suicide as an escape from her chains. Yet, she can't forget the brother who promised to find her, and even as she welcomes the risk of death, she clings to that promise.

Spun across space and exotic worlds, Juhan and Chosi try to find each other, and home in a stunning story about the lengths love will take you.  

Read the first 6 chapters of GENTLE CHAINS

EXCERPT:

I wake up slowly, and lift my head. The quiet hum is comforting and familiar--I’m on the Leen. “Where is Sadi?” I murmur, shifting to stand. “Galley,” the ship answers promptly, and I stagger to the door. “Ill-advised. I will inform Sadi of your status.”
“Disregard. I’m fine,” I answer, and the ship subsides, with a minute rumble of systems that makes me think it’s disgruntled. I find Sadi slumped at the table, cradling a mug of warm chocolate, fatigue pulling her eyes closed. Tin stirs something on the hotsurface, the smell of spice and cream and vegetables thick in the air. I watch them, testing the surface of their emotions before I clear my throat. Sadi glances blearily at me, and then nudges a chair out with a loud screech. I sink down and we sit silently for a long time before she asks, hoarsely, “Want some? Chocolate can make anything better.”
I take the proffered cup, recognizing it for the peace offering it is. “How’s that working for you?” I ask before taking a sip. Liquid, velvet heat fills my mouth, slides down my throat. It tastes like a memory, and I struggle to see past a vision of Chosi and a thousand mornings, sitting at the table with her and a cup of chocolate. I force the memory away, focusing on Sadi.
Sadi shrugs and gives me a weak smile. “Not terribly well.”
I touch her psyche again, feeling the conflict, disgust and desperation. Her eyes are impossibly young when they find mine. “How does this happen? There are thousands injured--we didn’t even make a dent today. And that says nothing of the dead. And no one cares. Because they’re whores,” she finishes bitterly. She almost snatches the chocolate from me, burying her nose in the cup. “What are the estimates on the dead?”
“Thirty thousand, in Centari alone,” Tin answers. He ladles out soup and hands steaming bowls around. “Ninety percent of the dead were slaves.” Sadi glares. “That doesn’t make the deaths acceptable.”
“No one said it did, Sadi,” he says mildly and nudges her spoon. She stares at it and then takes a tiny bite. As soon as she swallows, her eyes widen and she bolts from the table.
Tin drops his spoon with a curse and moves to go after her. “Let me,” I say, standing and following her.
She’s leaning over the commode, tears streaming down her face. I let my mind go, touching along her psyche, a flutter of moth wings. It’s so broken, shattered into so many pieces it stuns me. How can she appear so together when she is completely broken?
-Sadi?-
-How can we expect to make a difference?- she whispers. -It’s so much and we are so small, and no one cares--no one is even here. The IPS will gladly let their world burn.-
-They care,- I say, uselessly.
She twists to glare at me. -Don’t you dare lie for them. Don’t you dare. They look the other way while your entire world is raped of its people. While your sister is Taken and branded and sold. They use slaves. So don’t you dare lie for them. They don’t deserve it.-
I push aside the truth in her words, the rush of anger that she’s one of the slave owners she’s denouncing, and crouch next to her, brushing hair over her ears and murmuring, “We’ll make a difference because you can’t help it, Sadi. You change things.”
As I say it, I realize how true my words are. She has changed me.

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Nazarea Andrews Bio:

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She is the author of the University of Branton series, Neverland Found series, and Edge of the Falls.

She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Find Nazarea Online:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Amazon author page

Title: My Lea (A Broken Love Story #1)
Author: E. Mellyberry
Publisher: (November 11th 2014)
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK

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

Synopsis: A simple girl.

A broken guy.

One horrible incident.

When Lea Amelia landed her feet in San Francisco for her overseas study, her idea of freedom was simple, like eating junk food ten times a day, sitting in front of the TV in her PJs, or going out late with her friends without the need to check in with her mother constantly.

Then she met Andrew Jaya, her brothers’ best friend. A twenty-two-year-old guy whose physical appearance looked like he was crafted straight from God’s heavenly hands, but possessed a past as bleak as if it was drawn by Evil himself. A conflicted guy who wore sadness like nobody’s business beneath his mask, a perfect-looking mask she slowly peeled away.

He was also the guy who hurt her.

Suddenly, everything about her was no longer simple.

Andrew Jaya had convinced himself that not feeling was good for him. He’d been doing it splendidly for almost his entire life. But that was before his best friend’s sister stepped into his life and ruined it. After weeks of knowing Lea, all of those warm and wonderful feelings he’d long ago denied to himself started to reappear. Problem was, the brighter the light, the bigger the shadows that came with it.

His traumatic past refused to let him go.

When the unthinkable happened, the easiest thing to do was to run. But life often proves that the easiest way is usually the hardest.

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

Excerpt: Cable Car Ride

          The cable car made a descending ride and Lea’s body swayed forward, hitting him in his chest. Thank you, San Francisco’s hills and valleys! Andrew placed a hand on her waist to secure her. He saw her smile widened as she laid her cheek against his shoulder. Both of his arms instantly went around her, cuddling her as if that was the sole purpose of him having arms. To keep her close and to love her.
          Wait a fucking minute.
          No, no, no. Not love, you miserable idiot.
          He hadn’t thought about that word in a long, long time. Once, he thought he’d found it. He was wrong. Love was nothing but an illusion. A betrayal at hope.
          He took a deep and long breath to calm himself down. Not the right time to have such a thought. He closed his eyes and willed his mind to go blank.
          Focus. In San Francisco. Focus on Lea. Lea… Lea…
          His focus also detected that she had tilted her face up a little, therefore bringing their mouths dangerously close together. He was terrified to open his eyes, afraid to find what he desperately wanted to see in hers. He was also scared shitless that she would be able to read the chaos inside him, catch the haunting demons in the depth of his eyes, and back away from him.
          She kept moving her face slowly, as if it was the wind that made her head move, not her own muscle. The tip of her nose and mouth made a feathery connection with his jaw, creating one hell of a friction between her soft, warm lips and his sharp, short stubbles.
          Oh my good God, the torture. 
          His ears picked up her soft moan, and his dirty mind immediately conjured up an image of how her mouth had wrapped around the ice cream’s spoon earlier and… fucking hell. His loving sensation was quickly turned into a pure, hot lust. The speed of his blood rushing down south was faster than any of those race cars in Formula One. As much as he tried to slow it down, it was a moot effort since nothing could fight gravity. To make matter worse, his dick had made it its mission to remind him that he hadn’t gotten any in five long weeks, therefore it refused to be slowed down.
          His body stirred awake with hunger, but it wasn’t the same hunger he usually experienced when he was about to have sex with a girl. This was a different kind of hunger. It was possessive, and though the emotion felt foreign to him, it was not unwelcomed.
          Her mouth made that sensual drag down to his chin now. He stood so fucking still that the muscles in his body bleed from the stiffness. Then he acted without thinking. Without fearing the consequences. He only remembered his want, need, and longing. He opened his eyes and lowered his face to hers. He couldn’t interpret what he saw in her expression, but it didn’t stop him from dipping his face farther and catching her mouth with his. The moment his lips touched hers, a thousand fireworks exploded inside him. Every living cell in his body shot up, flying free and without burden. The only sound he heard was the roar of his blood in his ears, wolf-whistling and shouting barbaric encouragements at him. The only thing he could think of was her mouth opening up to his and how good her body felt against his own. If he died at this moment, he would die a happy man. A happier man than he could ever imagine. Both of his hands reached up to touch her face. Now he kind of regretted that he’d put her hoodie on. He wanted to be able to freely touch her hair, her face, her neck. He devoured her taste like a madman. His tongue pushed inside, hungrily caressing the hot walls of her mouth and the silkiness of her tongue. She kissed him back, one important fact that Andrew would print and hang in his Hall of Accomplishment.
          She. Kissed. Me. Back.

About the Author:
Melly is a full-time mom, wife, and fangirl. She used to work in a school and she’s very passionate about education.
Melly has been writing children’s books since 2011 under the name mellyberry. She loves reading all kinds of books in her spare time, mostly MG, YA, NA, contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. She avoids horror and sci-fi as much as she can.
Melly was born in Indonesia and grew up in a multi-language environment. When she talks to people, she could accidentally string words from different languages into one sentence. When she does that, simply reminds her to speak properly.
Her ideal vacation always involves a beach; usually it’s the Nusa Dua beach, Bali. She spent a few years in USA to complete her Master degree. It was during that time that she’d fallen madly in love with San Francisco and the Bay Area. According to her, San Francisco is no doubt the most romantic city in the world.

Find Melly Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!!!

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
3 signed-paperback copies of My Lea by E. Mellyberry (This is a limited edition - only 50 copies worldwide and it's not available in bookstores and other retail sites.)
$15 Amazon Gift Card

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Title: Shadow Study (Soul Finders #1)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira/Harlequin, 384 pages, (February 24th, 2015)
From: Net Galley ARC from publisher
Format: eBook
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Once, only her own life hung in the balance.

Oddly enough, when Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. But she'd survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia. Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands and protect her relationship with Valek.

Suddenly, though, they are beset on all sides by those vying for power through politics and intrigue. Valek's job - and his life - are in danger. As Yelena tries to uncover the scope of these plots, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked. She must keep that a secret - or her enemies will discover just how vulnerable she really is - while searching for who or what is responsible for neutralizing her powers.

Yes, the days of tasting poisons were much simpler. And certainly not as dangerous...

Review: 5 stars - There are no words that can describe my excitement when I approved to review this book. I have waited patiently for more tales of Ixia. I love the world, the characters and the adventures. Snyder’s Study series are my “Go to” books when I’m in a reading rut. I feel at home in the world Snyder has created. It’s like every time I pick up the Study or Glass books I’m being embraced by a good friend.

To describe Shadow Study you need to define AMAZING.

The book starts with Valek and Yelena being reunited, but as with this pair, nothing ever goes to plan. Valek is called back to Ixia and Yelena sets off on her own mission of discovery.

As with Snyder’s previous novels, there’s a twist in the tale. I can’t say much because I would spoil the whole plot. Let’s just say Chronicles of Ixia fans will not be disappointed.

A reader having read the Study and Glass series (Chronicles of Ixia) is a bonus to readers, but Snyder advises it is not essential. The book can be read by a reader new to the series. I personally think it only enhances the reading experience if you have read the Study and Glass series as you really bond with the characters and it helps with the world building. I would advise anyone thinking of checking out this book to read the other books first.

Along the way we find faithful family and friends- Leif, Mara, Devlen, Opal, and my personal favourites Ari and Janco. Yay for Janco’s witty banter being back!

I loved finding out more about Valek’s history in this book. He’s always been a bit of a secretive character. You can’t second guess him. It’s probably what makes him one of my favourite fictional characters.

I had my suspicions about something that happens at the end of the book from about half way through. Something twigged my interested and through the rest of the book it was constantly on my mind. When I read the end I was stunned into silence for a few seconds; this was quickly followed by squealing and a doing little happy dance.

When reading this book we switch perspective between Yelena, Valek and Janco. You care constantly kept on edge because of this and I found myself needing to read on to find out what happened to who, when I should have been going to bed. It’s a brilliant way of writing and keeps the reader constantly engrossed in the story.

Once again Snyder has written a fantastic fantasy adventure, in which I’m sure every reader will enjoy. I eagerly anticipate the release of the next book in the series- Night Study, which is expected to be published in 2016.

Recommended for fans of Maria V. Snyder’s Study, Glass and Healer series. Also for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Ellision.