Blog Tour: Beautiful Chances by Alicia Rae + Giveaway

 

Beautiful Chances

The Beautiful Series 1

Author: Alicia Rae 
Pages: 292 pgs
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: September 10th 2013
Review Source: Author
Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

After losing her parents and sister in a tragic car accident, Lily distances herself from those still around her. As she solely focuses on her work, she refuses to form any emotional attachments in fear of struggling through another unbearable loss.

…until Kyle enters her life with his possessive and overbearing personality. Instead of running, Lily finds herself drawn to him. Helping her on a path to healing, Kyle stands by her side and lends her his strength.

A bond is formed, but it is tested when the unthinkable happens.

Can taking a chance on love conquer all?

Beautiful Chances, Alicia Rae's debut, is a sweet romance that will keep your interest until the very end. And I love how the cover fits so perfectly with the story.

Lily struggles throughout the story with the death of her family and figuring out how to live life again. Even when she does begin to venture out and find some happiness, she still struggles and works to cope with her loss. I loved that Alicia kept those emotions so real and that they were an important part of Lily's growth.

And what's a romance without a pretty hunky hero for our heroine. Kyle was probably one of my favorite male leads to read about in this genre. He was strong, beautiful, hard working, and was a great strength to Lily. He could be overbearing at times and he definitely had those typical male tendencies that make you want to roll your eyes, but that's what I enjoyed about him. He was real.

I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in this series, My Beautiful, and finding out what else is in store for Lily and Kyle. There are certain things that aren't answered in this first book, but I think that's important to bring readers. I know it's worked for me.

And if you want to find out what I'm talking about that check out this out...

*GIVEAWAY TIME*

Kindle Fire ~ US & Canada Residents Only  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams…

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Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet

The Lunar Chronicles 2

Author: Marissa Meyer 
Pages: 454 pgs
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dystopian
Release Date: February 5th 2013
Review Source: Purchased

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

I was taken by surprise by how much I enjoyed Cinder when I first read it, and with Scarlet I just crossed my fingers that it would be even better. Which it was! I had to slow myself down while reading it so that I didn't finish it too quickly.

The world that Marissa created is so fascinating and fun to get lost in, I can definitely understand why she's called it a space opera now. There's just so much to take in and your left on the edge of your seats wondering just what's going to happen next.

I absolutely loved Scarlet and Wolf. At first I only wanted more of Cinder and that's it, but again Marissa proved me wrong and showed how amazingly their stories intertwine. Especially with Cinder and the Lunar's. And, again, can I say how much I loved Wolf.

We also got to see Cinder in a completely different way. Now that she's no longer impeded by her stepmother, her personality came through a lot more and I realized why I loved her character all over again.

Waiting for the next book, Cress, has felt like forever, but I know that it will totally be worth it!

Blog Tour: Fix You by Beck Anderson

 

Fix You

Author: Beck Anderson 
Pages: 254 pgs
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: September 17th 2013
Review Source: Omnific

When Kelly Reynolds’s husband died, he left her—the awkward, cautious one—to raise their two young boys. She’s pieced herself back together, barely. Now she takes refuge in her routine: running her kids around and running the trails near her Idaho home.

Two years after her husband’s death, a chance encounter on a run brings Andrew into her life. But Andrew is Andy Pettigrew, the Andy Pettigrew, famous actor. Kelly hates risk, and a love affair with Andrew is certainly tempting fate. She doesn’t fit into his Hollywood world. She doesn’t own a pair of Louboutins, and she couldn’t walk five paces in them if she did. Andrew oozes cool. She reeks of dork.

But despite this, they click. It may be inexplicable, but it works. However, it’s also becoming clear that Andrew struggles with the pressures of his fame. Kelly’s hold on a so-called normal life is already tenuous, and as much as she might want to indulge the fantasy, she doesn’t know how either of them is supposed to cope with stalkerazzi and tweet-happy fans with camera phones. She and Andrew both have secrets that seem impossible to keep.

Beck Anderson’s witty, engaging writing yields an emotional tale of love, loss, and all the little things that make up a life. In the end, what is it that really holds us together? Kelly must decide if love can fix two people who might be broken beyond repair.

Beck's debut novel is a beautifully written work that I truly enjoyed. She offers a different insight into the glamorous world that I think we all, at one point or another, want to know more about.

One thing you learn right off the bat is that this story has some difficult situations that the characters have to deal with. They aren't glossed over or expressed into graphic detail, but are presented in way so that you know what they've had to deal with. I really liked how Beck did that. She didn't make anybody immune to heartache or just life.

That also leads me to how real her two main characters were, Andrew and Kelly. That's what I loved and appreciated about this book more than anything. Yes, Andrew was a movie star, but he wasn't presented as perfect, he was just a man. And Kelly was adorably awkward and shy, learning how to date again, or even just to deal with people in general. Beck did a brilliant job with that.

And all of that, in my opinion at least, makes the romance between Andrew and Kelly even better. It was real and awkward and difficult. It took time to build and was sweet. There was just the right blend of everything to keep you intrigued and rooting for the characters to find their happy place. I'm definitely crossing my fingers for more from this author.

Now, if you'd like to get your hands on a copy check this out...

*GIVEAWAY TIME*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the Author

Beck Anderson believes in the power of perfectly imperfect women and in the healing power of love. Her new novel, Fix You, grew out of those beliefs and the time to write afforded by the worst Thanksgiving blizzard she’s ever witnessed in West Yellowstone.

For Beck, the path to published novelist has taken lots of twists and turns, including a degree in anthropology, a stint as a ticket seller at a ski resort, a much-loved career as a high school English teacher, and a long tenure as a member of the best writing group ever, hands down.

Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.

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Blog Tour: Hydraulic Level 5 by Sarah Latchaw

 

Thanks to Literati Author Services for hosting. To follow the rest of the tour go HERE.

Hydraulic Level 5

Hydraulic Level 5 #1

Author: Sarah Latchaw 
Pages: 342 pgs
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: September 3rd 2013
Review Source: Omnific

Hydraulic Level Five (n.): A whitewater rapid classification indicating large waves, continuous rapids, large rocks and hazards, potential large drops, where precise maneuvering is required. Often characterized by "must make" moves, i.e. failure to execute a specific maneuver at a specific point may result in serious injury or death.

Kaye is an extreme sports addict with a kind heart and an axe to grind with her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband, renowned writer Samuel Caulfield Cabral. While Samuel enjoys a celebrity life in New York, Kaye remains in their hometown of Lyons, Colorado, running her PR agency and chatting daily with Samuel's family, the beloved Cabrals-first-generation Mexican-Americans who have embraced Kaye as their own.

But when Samuel returns home for his sister's wedding with a new love interest, stunning editor Caroline Ortega, the gloves are stripped off. Kaye is determined to unearth the reasons behind the death of their marriage and why two people who lived to love each other were driven apart, all leading to startling revelations about Samuel, about life, and about herself.

She soon realizes that maneuvering the tumultuous waters of her relationship with Samuel will prove as dangerous as any outdoor adventure she might attempt...at least where her heart is concerned.

I was so excited for the chance to read Sarah's debut novel and jumped at the opportunity for this blog tour. And I'm so glad that I did!

To begin with, there are certain chapters that start with a separate story being told, which you eventually learn is a story that Samuel is writing. I enjoyed getting his insight and thoughts through his "writing" since overall this story is in Kaye's point of view. I think it helps to get an idea of what's going on with him, even though it's not all clear.

Also, Sarah did a phenomenal job of showing the relationships of her characters and how they all fit into each others lives. Though you mainly want to learn about Kaye and Samuel, you get to meet their friends and family who are a large part of their lives and add so much to the story.

There are also plenty of references for different extreme sports (and Spanish phrases), but it doesn't take away anything at all. In fact, I felt as though I was really a part of the world and understood the characters even better because of it. You definitely get a little bit of everything.

Even though this doesn't end on a cliffhanger, there are plenty of questions still left unanswered and your left wanting more. So, when I saw that there will be a sequel, Skygod, I was thrilled. Sarah had such a fun story in this first novel and I have no doubt that will continue with the second, along with some long awaited answers.

And, if you'd like to get your hands on a copy of this book then keep on scrolling...

*GIVEAWAY TIME*

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

TBR Tuesday

Making a plan for what I wanted to read for the month seems to work out pretty well, so I thought I'd take a page from my sister's book (pun intended) again and post my plan for this month. You can check out her blog HERE to see what she's up to.

I'm really enjoying making these plans each month. It's helped me stay on track and it looks like I'll actually meet my goals for the reading challenges I set for myself. Plus, I even have a couple more books planned to read before the Austin Teen Book Festival near the end of this month. Let's see how I'll do.

     

     

   

I'm kind of excited for this month. The line up seems just right and I can't wait to get started.

Also, it was my turn to pick a book for the book club I joined with my sister. My choice, since Allegiant is coming out next month and the Divergent movie in 2014, I decided to go with:

 

Okay, so these are my choices for this month. What are you planning on reading?

 

Blog Tour: Hold Tight by Cherie Colyer + Giveaway

 

Thanks to AToMR for hosting. To follow the rest of the tour go HERE.

Hold Tight

Embrace Series 2

Author: Cherie Colyer 
Pages: 244 pgs
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: August 20th 2013
Review Source: Omnific

What’s one little spell?

When you’re new to magic, one spell can be the difference between getting what you want...and ruining the lives of everyone you love.

Sixteen-year-old Madison has just embraced her magical powers. The trick now is learning how to control them. She and her boyfriend -and fellow witch- can’t even enjoy a simple kiss without getting shocked when their powers collide. Instead of mastering her new skills, though, Madison is stuck watching her kid brother and doing chores.

But being a witch does have its benefits. With a simple spell, Madison instantly conjures the help she needs around the house. Or so she thinks. Her idea of “help” invites trouble of its own as a pair of dangerous yet enticing beings enter her life. When a classmate disappears soon afterwards, Madison discovers she's the next victim of a threat she's powerless to resist...and there’s nothing it won’t kill to make her surrender.

Caught in the crossfire between two dashing but deadly creatures, Madison must figure out which one to trust and how to rid her world of the other—before one of them destroys her and everyone she cares about.

In this second installment of Cherie Colyer's Embrace series, we get a pretty different look into Madison and Isaac's lives. Embrace, the first book, was all about Madison Riley discovering who she really was and "embracing" her power. But now, in the sequel, Madison and her friends go on a journey unlike anything else they've experienced, one that gets them into a lot of trouble.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the fact that Cherie brought it some myths and folklore. I always love to see other peoples spins on the different legends we hear about, and I got another taste of that in Hold Tight. I don't want to give away what any of it was, but let me just say that it was fun and also brought in some tension between characters that worked great.

We were also introduced to some new characters, along with the old. When you get used to a certain group, writing about them and understanding them, I think it's difficult to bring in a new group and figure out just who they are and what their purpose will be. But, Cherie did a great job and had me wanting to know more about them. I'm even curious now if one particular new character will be showing up in as the series progress. We'll just have to wait and see.

And if you really want to know what's in store for Madison and her friends, then check out the giveaway below.

 *GIVEAWAY TIME*

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Promotional Event: Until Next Time by Justine Dell + Excerpt

Title: Until Next Time

Author: Justine Dell

Publisher: Omnific Publishing; http://omnificpublishing.com/

Release date: August 27, 2013

Genre: Contemporary romance

Age Group: Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours; http://atomrbookblogtours.com

Links to the book:

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17668641-until-next-time

Book Description:

Piper Downing knows a thing or two about death. She’s spent her entire life working inside her family’s funeral home. Now thirty, Piper’s been running the place on her own for what feels like an eternity. Not that she minds. Losing her parents at a young age, watching her teenage boyfriend die before her eyes, and seeing every type of death and tragedy possible in her line of work did something to her psyche. Piper copes with her job—and the world—by putting every emotion in a box and burying it. She doesn’t get close to people, has no friends, and only has relationships with men for sexual satisfaction. She doesn’t love. Love is selfish.

Macy Quinn Oliver knows a thing or two about death, too. An injury caused him to be honorably discharged as a fighter pilot and now he works as grief counselor at the local VA hospital. He grew up in a family that understands the pain of death, yet embraces what it means. He was taught that death isn’t the end, it is simply… until next time. Even after losing his young bride to brain cancer, Quinn loves. Quinn lives. But because of his vow to his late wife, Quinn will never marry. When he meets Piper at his Grandmother’s wake, her chestnut hair and matching eyes stirs him in a way that hasn’t happened for a long time.

And Quinn has the same effect on Piper. Together they make the perfect pair; a girl who won’t love and a guy who won’t marry. But in order to get their happy ever after, Piper has to learn that love isn’t an end all, and Quinn must make a commitment he promised to never make again.

And now, to give you a little taste...

“You didn’t have to go through all that trouble, you know. Store-bought cookies would’ve done the trick.”

A rumbling laugh rolled out him, his eyes glittering with mischief in the mix of low sun and candle light.

“You’re special, I guess,” he said on a sigh.

Her face went hot. She busied herself stuffing her mouth full of food so she wouldn’t have to say anything. After she finally thought she could control the ping-pong of sizzle, she spoke again. “Why the graveyard, Quinn? I think your tactic of asking me out alone was clever, but this…this has to be the strangest place I’ve ever had dinner with a man.”

His gaze caught hers. “Romantic?”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

“Unforgettable?”

“Positively.”

He leaned back in his seat, studying her. “Then I’ve done well.”

She looked down at her empty plate, unable to stare at the strong features of his face. The twitch of his dimple when he smiled. The soft observation of his eyes. This really wasn’t turning out to be a total bust. And her resolve to not like him was quickly slipping through her fingers.

A hand appeared before her face. “Walk with me?” His voice caressed her senses. No other’s man voice had ever done that.

She looked up, feeling out of place with her inner electricity acting like he was the cure for the fire beneath her skin. That thought terrified her, but she wouldn’t tell him no. He’d gone to all this trouble. There was this churning feeling in her stomach, making her wonder if Quinn’s trouble was going to end up being her trouble, too.

About the Author

Justine lives in the Midwest, happily catering to her family, which consists of a horse-obsessed teenage daughter, four dogs, and a husband who is to good to be true. She’s never moved from her hometown, but hopes to grow old in a much warmer climate.

During the day she works a normal job with college students who try their best to keep her young. They’ve done a good job thus far. At night, said teenage daughter and her horse require mounds of love and attention. The weekends belong solely to her and her writing. That’s when she morphs into a sticky bug, unable to leave the confines of her computer chair.

She started writing three years ago after seeing a movie that set off a chain reaction she couldn’t have stopped if she’d wanted. It’s not a hobby for her; it’s an obsession. One she loves and one she loves to share. Her debut novel, RECAPTURED DREAMS, and her second book, ALL AMERICAN GIRl, are available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold. 

Author social media links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dell.Justine

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustineDell