The Love Game Blog Tour!

If you've been on a New Adult contemporary binge like I have been, then you definitely NEED to check out The Love Game by Emma Hart.  After I saw the synopsis for it, I needed to read it.  It looked like it had all the goods, angst, romance, steam, and a bad boy who needs a lesson.  Needless to say The Love Game left me very impressed!

Review:  Something that I think Emma Hart has a great talent at is creating fantastic characters. Maddie and Braden jumped off the pages.  I totally got Emma.  She definitely speaks my language of bringing the player down back to Earth. I appreciated that she was a strong and independent woman.  Braden is definitely one of those self absorbed boys, but he was also swoon worthy and a total alpha male, so of course I couldn't hate him at all.  The minor characters in TLG were hilarious.  I loved how Maddie interacted with her friends, and the language they used with each other was spot on.  I definitely felt like I was apart of the conversations in the book, rather than reading them.

The whole twist of the story felt very "How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days" to me, and let's be real; that movie is great.  So my expectations for The Love Game were along the lines of some crazy Love Fern proportions (If you've watched the movie you'll know what I'm referencing here). While there weren't any love fern moments per-say, I loved the idea Maddie and Braden playing each other and then realizing that they might be better as something more than just fake boyfriend/girlfriend.

The side drama with Maddie's brother Pearce was really sad.  Unfortunate family situations are never fun, and I can definitely understand why Maddie moved all the way across the country from Brooklyn. When Pearce makes his appearance in the book I was totally cheering for how Braden showed up on the scene.  That moment made me absolutely fall in love with him, well that and other things ;).

Overall The Love Game fits nicely into the NA genre, and if you have been on a binge in this genre like I have, this book will definitely appease your craving.  The Love Game is a fun and emotionally satisfying read.  Pick it up, it's only $.99!

Recommended for lovers of: romance, NA, alpha males, strong female leads, good reads.

4.5/5 OH YEAH I LOVED IT

His challenge? Make her fall in love with him.
Her challenge? Play the player.
Until life changes the rules of the game.

Maddie Stevens hated Braden Carter on sight. Arrogant, egotistical, and the playboy of the University of California, Berkeley, he's everything her brother Pearce has taught her to despise. So why, when the girls challenge her to play the player, doesn't she say no? She doesn't know either.

Braden wanted fiery little Maddie the second he laid eyes on her - and he'd do anything to have her, hence why he's agreed to make her fall in love with him. After all, it's the only way he'll get what he wants. Sex.

But, as Braden discovers, there's more to the girl from Brooklyn than he ever imagined - and he can't help but care about the broken girl behind those pretty green eyes.

Maddie finds Braden isn't just a walking erection - he actually has feelings. He can be sweet, funny and his good looks don't exactly hurt. That means trouble - but when her brother Pearce turns up in Berkeley begging for her help, she realises Braden and Pearce aren't so alike anymore.

And maybe, just maybe, they're exactly what each other needs.

Buy The Love Game!
 Kobo
Amazon
Amazon UK


About Emma:

By day, Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to a terrible two year old. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of wine and writes books.

She likes to write about magic, kisses and whatever else she can fit into the story. Sarcastic, witty characters are a must. As are hot guys. She has two new series planned as well as her New Adult Romance, Never Forget, due February 2013. She likes to be busy - unless busy involves doing the dishes.
Her debut YA series, The Mauve Legacy, is an Apple iBooks Bestseller - and this makes Emma excited.

Where to stalk Emma:

                                                 Smashwords Profile Page 
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Facebook Fan Page 

Blog

Twitter : @EmmaHartAuthor

Devour Blog Tour!

Review: This series is completely addicting.  I'm not joking. I started the first book, and lo and behold I couldn't stop at the first.  I had to blow through all the books.  The Warm Delicacy series is like book-crack.  Seriously, once you start, just clear your whole day.  Believe me, that advice will save you a massive headache of not being able to gobble these up in one go.  

So I have to do a little back tracking first, because the concept that the whole series starts off with is a completely fascinating twist on Vampire lore that we have been inundated with in other books.  I really, really liked the first book, hence the mad dash to finish them all.

Devour was really solid.  It didn't really have any monotonous repetition, I loved the new characters we met, and the setting to where Claire travels is quite fascinating.  I pictured a kind of morphed Tatooine from Starwars for all the desert scenes.  Even though, I didn't like Titan and Ronan as characters, they definitely brought a warrior fierceness to the battle aspect of the book.

I also felt that Claire has done so much growing in this book, and it is a joy to see her stepping up and be a really strong character, and accepting who she really needs to be.  Plus, we saw more Arrick and his and Claire's love story is progressive and sweet.

Overall, the books in the Warm Delicacy series are in fact delicacies.  They need to be devoured, yet at the same time savored.  I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this series!  Do yourself a favor and download book one if you haven't already.  I guarantee you that you will enjoy it!

Recommended for: Lovers of YA PNR, action, hot guys, tough guys, clean reads.

4.5/5 Oh Yeah I liked it a lot!

Blurb:You never know how strong you are until something makes you choose between humanity, and the beast.

As Claire descended deep into the ancient tomb; laying to rest the bodies of the fallen, she wondered if time healed all wounds, would an eternity be long enough? Still recovering from a brutal attack that nearly killed her, she refused to let evil win. Pain and destruction glared at her everywhere she went. Nothing and no one would ever be safe until Baal was not only defeated, but destroyed. Fueled by her thirst for revenge, she traveled with her father to the ‘old world’, seeking the aide of a long forgotten ally. Will their quest for help lead to their salvation, or is it only the first step in their annihilation?

Facebook 

Twitter 

Blog 

Waiting on Wednesday!

So today I want to bring everyone's attention to this super awesome book that I am really looking forward to reading!  The Forgotten One's by Laura Howard sounds super awesome! 

The Forgotten Ones 

Author: Laura Howard

Expected Release: May 13th

And now, I have a super exciting surprise for you!  Laura sent me a teaser for The Forgotten Ones!  I'm so excited, and this teaser will definitely whet your appetite! Thanks Laura! ;)

“Allison?” Ethan's voice was soft and serious, sounding warning bells in my mind.

“Mm hmm?” I was afraid to look at him, afraid of the way he said my name.

“I want to know why you never date,” he said.

I opened my mouth, but I couldn't come up with an appropriate answer so I closed it.

“You could have anyone you wanted. Why is it you're always alone?” I could feel his eyes on me as I stared into the star-studded night.

I sighed, trying to think of the right response, one he would understand.

“I guess I'm just always busy.”

He chuckled. “Everyone gets busy. You have to give me a better reason than that.”

My mouth felt like cotton. Why did I have such a hard time forming coherent sentences when he was looking at me?

I licked my lips and looked over at him. He stared directly into my eyes. The question still hung between us.

“I want to take care of my mother. It's all I want.” I curled my fingers into fists and pulled my shoulders back, looking back up at the stars. I'd had this conversation countless times over the years.

“I know you do,” he said softly. I glanced back at him, surprised he wasn't telling me that what I wanted was ridiculous. “But... who will take care of you?”

“I will take care of me.” I shook my head sadly. “My whole life everyone has had to take care of me. My grandparents, my aunt and uncle. They all sacrificed so much for me.”

“You act like it's your fault. But, it's not.”

Now I was back on familiar territory. “Before I was born my mother was normal. When I came along she began her descent into schizophrenia. You don't think that's connected?”

He shifted in his seat. “I just know sometimes things happen. Things that can't be explained. But, you deserve to be happy.”

I glanced over at him before looking down at my hands. I uncurled my fingers. “I am happy. I'm enrolling in grad school, working and saving the money I make at the store. It's what I want.”

“But, what about friends? What about fun?”

“My idea of fun is just different from yours, I guess. I don't need to be with a lot of people to be happy.” I hoped he would pick up the double entendre of my answer.

Ethan sighed and turned his body to face mine. He reached up and lightly traced a finger down my cheek.

A shiver ran through my body. I turned my face away and focused my attention on finishing my ice cream. There were people everywhere. I didn't want what happened between me and Ethan to be the subject of their gossip.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” Ethan said, unaffected. He reached down and picked up my left hand, interlacing his strong fingers with mine. “It seems like I've been trying to get you to go out with me forever.”

I stared down at our joined hands. “Ethan, you've never had a lack of dates. I'd even say you've had more than your fair share.”

He ducked his head and laughed. “You think I'm a jerk, don't you?”

I looked at him and smiled. “No. I don't, actually. What you did today, for my grandparents – that was really great. Thank you.”

“You're welcome. It was no big deal.” He squeezed my hand and jumped down from the tailgate. “But I'm going to take you home now, while you still think I'm so great.”

Blurb:  Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.

When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.

Wolfspell Blog Tour!

Review:  Wolf Spell was a really fun read, and I was definitely impressed with M.R. Polish's writing skills while reading the story.  We are immediately thrust into a chaotic time in Ara/Esmerelda's world.  The book opens at her mother's funeral, and I immediately connected with her.  But, man shizz hits the fan literally the minute Ara/Esmerelda sits down for the service.  She is pretty much kidnapped, told her name isn't really Arabeth, and oh there's a crazy guy who needs her to fulfill the key ingredient of a spell in order to create a new race of crossbreed paranormals.  One thing I can definitely say about Wolf Spell, it's definitely not a slow paced book.

You are thrown into the action, and the bombs keep on dropping.  I feel pretty bad for Esmerelda at points in the book, but I do think that she is a great and strong character.  The only point of contention I had with her, was that she kind of left with Victor and Jarak pretty easily.

There were tons of characters in Wolf Spell, and there were points that I got confused, but I appreciated the prologue of backstory we got.  It definitely helped me orient myself within the story.  If it has to come down to which characters I liked the best out of the book, I would hands down say Esmerelda, and Ian.  Even though we only met Ian half way through the book, he brought something to the story that wasn't there before, even with Guardian Jarak.  Esmerelda, while I was shaky on her characterization at first, turned into a really solid and strong character.  I always can appreciate a transformation into a kick-butt character.

As  I said before, the plot is intense because there is so much going on.  There is no time for breathers in Wolf Spell, which was refreshing because I didn't skim like I sometimes tend to do in PNRs. Overall this was a solid debut, and I will definitely be picking up the sequel to this one!

Recommend for lovers of paranormal, love triangles, intense action.

4/5 Oh Yeah I liked it a lot!

Blurb: With a death starts a new beginning...

Eighteen-year-old Esmerelda thinks she’s just a normal girl, but all of that changes the day of her mom’s funeral, when a warlock, intent on using her special powers, kidnaps her. Powers she didn’t know existed. Thrown in the middle of a magical battle, Es struggles to learn her magic while fleeing both vampires and warlocks, at the same time, hunting for the witches that can help defeat her adversary. The only problem is that they are dead.

Thankfully, she has the help of Jarak—her Guardian—who quickly captures her heart, but she wonders if she can win his? Just when she thinks Jarak is the one for her, Ian appears with daggers drawn to save Es from a vampire attack. Ian is cocky and rude, but there is something magnetic about him—something that attracts her to him. With her heart torn between two men, she faces the foes that are out for her blood. Can Es do the unthinkable and awaken them from their graves before time runs out?

Enter The Contest!   

"http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/55e1f386/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Choose You Blog Tour!

Review:  When I saw this book up for review I was really excited.  I've read the first one in this series and it was pretty good.  But, then I saw the blurb for I Choose You and I immediately wanted to read it.  Plus, I really liked Nicole from Make It Last (book one) and wanted to see more of Kent! 

Overall the story was a really sweet one.  I really liked Nicole's character.  I definitely appreciate when a girl sticks to her guns.  Plus she was very sweet and likable.  While I did like Kent's character, I just felt a slight disconnect from him.  I really think it was just because we didn't get as much of his backstory that we got for Nicole.  I think the character that most intrigued me from this story was Kent's sister Roni, who coincidently is the main character of the next book in the series.  

The plot of I Choose You was sweet, yet was fairly predictable.  Overall though it is really cute story that was an enjoyable and fast read. If you are looking for a quick weekend read, or maybe something for the beach (it's supposed to be 90 in SoCal today!).  

Recommended for Romance lovers, redemption stories, and happy endings. 

3.5/5 Oh yeah I liked it!

Up until now, Nicole's life has been mapped out for her. She'd go to college, marry Jake and become the upstanding minister's wife. When she leaves that life to begin again in a small town in Texas, she finally has the freedom to live as she chooses. There, she meets Kent, a guy whose charm and passion make it hard to stick to her morals.

Dodging his father’s fists and protecting his twin sister made Kent into the man he is today. He learned by watching his mother stay by his father’s side that it’s better to keep relationships simple. Then he meets Nicole. Her sweet smile and genuine response to him land like punches to his resolve. After a lifetime of learning to protect his heart, can he finally let down his guard?

Everlost Release Day!!

Hey people something crazy exciting happened today!!! Everlost by Brenda Pandos is OUT! YAY!  So to celebrate, I'm giving away a signed copy of Everlost, and I'll even throw in a signed bookmark!  Super fun!

Oh, and go buy your e-copy right here! ;)   Everlost

U.S. only folks! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Depths Review!!

I just finished this amazing book.  Guys, I am so impressed with how awesome a team Liz Reinhardt and Steph Campbell are.  They are the power-duo of indie authors, and I am going to try and give the most non-spoilery review to give Depths justice.

First of all, if you haven't read the first book in this series, Lengths, please check it out.  We see many characters from Lengths in Depths, and the reunion could not have been sweeter.  In Depths we get Cohen's perspective and everyday life, and I'm pretty sure I have not truly fallen in love with a male character like I did Cohen.  Literally this man is perfection.  He is the ultimate rock, and even though we meet him in some really sucky circumstances at the beginning of Depths, he never fails to exhibit what a great and genuine person he is.  Liz and Steph, you guys are magicians in crafting some wonderful male heroes.   I also really liked Maren.  I wasn't sure what to expect from her, based on what I'd read from blurbs and teasers, (I stalked this one hardcore) but I ended up really admiring her character.  Plus she's a hardcore Angels fan, you can never hate a fellow Angels fan ;-).

Oh and I have to give a shout out to Deo.  I loved Deo from Lengths, and seeing him and Cohen interact in Depths was hilarious and heartwarming.  Pure friendships are sometimes really hard to illustrate, and Liz and Steph do a wonderful job at creating a concrete friendship that is ultimately brotherhood.  I also really enjoyed the Rodriguez family dynamic, and seeing their dinners was quite entertaining.

There was not really a dull moment in Depths, and I literally plowed through this one.  It honestly was a beautiful story of how deep love can form.  Where as Lengths was about how far someone could go for love, Depths explored how deeply rich love can form within a person.  It was parts beautiful and steamy.

Ok, and that steam. Hawt Dayum.  All I'll say.  Just read and you'll agree.

Overall reading Depths was awesome.  I'm so thankful I got an ARC of this (Thanks Steph and Liz!).  This book went beyond my expectations.  I really think I might love Depths more than I did Lengths.  But, that also could be due to my new book boyfriend Cohen.  Seriously, I'm in love; and if you read this blog semi-often, you guys know I do not throw out the book boyfriend term out... like ever.  Really, please do yourself a favor today.  Download this awesome book.  It's fantastic, and it released two days early. ;)  Oh and it's also only .99 cents.   For easier purchasing capabilities I've included the Amazon link (aka Ilovedthisbookgobuyit).
BUY DEPTHS ON AMAZON

5/5 OH YEAH I LOVED IT

Do you believe in love at first phone call?

Cohen Rodriquez, Deo’s hilarious, über responsible best friend in LENGTHS got dumped by his longtime girl because he’s ‘not impulsive enough,’ and he's burned up.

But maybe, just maybe, she’s more right than he wants to admit. So he starts to date.
A lot.
But no one really feels like the one. And the more girls he dates, the more Cohen’s convinced she isn’t really out there.

Luckily he has Maren—the girl with the sexy voice who always cracks the best jokes. They’ve been talking daily for a year…on the phone. What started as all work soon blooms into friendship. Then she asks him.

Do you want to meet?

He's scared out of his mind to ruin the one easy, fun relationship he has going for him. But he takes the plunge, and things are just fine, totally easy and comfortable.

Except that they both sense it's not strictly platonic...there is an undeniable attraction and absolute raw chemistry between them…and every time they're in the same room, that attraction gets deeper and harder to ignore.

Maren could be the best thing that’s ever happened to Cohen… Or she could send his carefully compartmentalized life into a tailspin.

Cohen has to decide if he’s ready to let go of his comfortable fantasy and embrace the one girl who might be able to change his luck in love.

Never Forget Blog Tour

Review: The synopsis of Never Forget really caught my attention.  It sounded like it was going to be an intense and super angst-y story that I could just eat up.  I was really surprised though because the majority of Never Forget is intense and sweet.  Not too much angst like a lot of NA books have been giving us lately.  But, this change up was good.  It was nice to read about normal people, with normal problems.  Never Forget is a summer romance gone great.  It is a beautiful story about two individuals growing up and learning that when you love someone you have to trust them, and sometimes do things you don't want to in order to protect them.

Lexy's character was fun.  She seemed like the typical teenager who is on the brink of going to University.  At first she sulks having to go to Lilac Bay for the summer, but she slowly gets over it.  The only thing I didn't understand about Lexy was why she had her heart on lock down, other than that she was a completely likable and relatable character.  Alex is awesome.  Seriously this guy is wonderful.  Read Never Forget simply because Alex is a wonderful character.

I was amazed at how many kooky and completely adorable characters Emma created.  I loved Grammy.  She is a bad-ass, and I truly loved her character and shenanigans. Emma's brother was also another one that I adored.  I felt like there was some foreshadowing going on with his character, and I mean, I definitely would not complain if he was getting his own story sometime in the future.  That bad boy needs to be tamed. ;)  Oh, and I can't forget about Jen.  You know those friends that you have always had, talk to sporadically, but can still pick right up where you guys left off?  That's Jen, and she is hilariously fun.  Emma created a truly spectacular group of secondary characters that just leap off of the pages.

The plot of Never Forget was true Summer Romance story.   I did think it was funny how Alex eventually chips away at Lexi.  The ending is fast paced, I wasn't too caught off guard with what unfolded, but the way the characters handled the events surprised me... in a good way.

Overall, I think this is a solid story with some awesome characters.  Knowing how Emma can create these wonderful characters in her stories, I can't wait to see what she has next.  I recommend this one for lovers of: Romance, coming of age stories, fantastic characters, and great family dynamics.

4/5 Oh Yeah I liked it a lot!

A city girl.

A small town boy.

A summer they'll never forget.

Spending the summer at her Grammy's in Lilac Bay, Devon, is city girl Alexis 'Lexy' Edwards idea of hell. That is, until she reconnects with her childhood friend, Jen, and meets Alec Johnson.

Alec is the kind of guy Lexy knows she needs to stay away from. He's the village flirt, ridiculously hot and very dangerous to her self control. But there's a problem – she can't seem to keep him out, even though she knows he'll break her heart.

As Alec slowly strips away Lexy's defences and the two embark on a summer romance she never wanted, their feelings grow to more than either expected. But nothing lasts forever, and reality intrudes.

As her world is shaken to it's core, Lexy's self made prediction comes true when she discovers she's spent six weeks surrounded by secrets. Kept out by her family and the only guy she's ever trusted, she falls apart.

And when Grammy tells her that 'you might not end up where you wanted to be, but you'll always end up where you're meant to be,' she has to figure out if her meant to be is back home in London, or if it's been in Devon the whole time.

About Emma:

By day, Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to a terrible two year old. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of wine and writes books.

She likes to write about magic, kisses and whatever else she can fit into the story. Sarcastic, witty characters are a must. As are hot guys. She has two new series planned as well as her New Adult Romance, Never Forget, due February 2013. She likes to be busy - unless busy involves doing the dishes.
Her debut YA series, The Mauve Legacy, is an Apple iBooks Bestseller - and this makes Emma excited.

Where to stalk Emma:

                                                 Smashwords Profile Page 
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Facebook Fan Page 

Blog

Twitter : @EmmaHartAuthor

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out these stops tomorrow!

 http://fantasyinyourmind.blogspot.com/ 

 http://michellemuto.wordpress.com/ 

It Was You Review!

Review:  Anna Cruise, that's a name you're going to want to remember guys.  Her first book It Was You, well it was awesome.   In it we meet Abby Sellers, recent high school graduate, soon to be college student, and twin sister hater.  Seriously though, her twin sister is one mean b****.   Abby's sister Annika is the evil girl everyone fears and loathes, and yeah I definitely wanted to punch her, more than a few times.  Anna did a great job creating a character that I could just hate, unflinchingly.  It was awesome.  We also meet West, who let's be real, is his own particular brand of crazy as well.   The secrets that he and Abby hide from each other are big things, and could easily tear them apart.

The storyline in It Was You was nicely paced, with a nice build up of the main characters before everything goes to hell in a hand basket.  The drama in it is great, and Abby really comes into her own by the last pages.  I was impressed with how much she grew over the course of the book, and was cheering right alongside her in certain scenes of the book.

The relationships in this book are executed perfectly.  You can see the love and bond between Abby and her best friend Tana.  You can see the pure hatred between Abby and Annika.  Best yet, you can see the love story between West and Abby come to life.  When West and Abby first meet, sparks are a-flyin, and really not in a good way.  It actually made me laugh how Abby had to come around to West because I've definitely had one or two of those situations happen to me before.

Overall, I highly recommend this to any NA romance lovers out there.  It has plenty of angst, lots of love and hate, and a really awesome message in it.  Pick it up when it comes out soon!

4/5 Oh Yeah I liked it a lot!

Abby Sellers knows what she wants.

Enduring eighteen years in the shadow of her identical twin sister, Annika, she wants a fresh start. A chance to create her own life, separate from her conniving, deceptive twin.

Surprising both her family and friends, Abby ditches her plans for college and enrolls at a new school instead. There, she encounters West Montgomery, a sexy fellow student who immediately disarms her with his good looks and charm. West takes a liking to Abby and she suddenly finds herself walking a thin line, fabricating a fictional life created not by lies but by omission. She soon discovers West has secrets of his own, secrets that he's not altogether interested in sharing.

Out from under the shadow of her twin, Abby's life—and her relationship with West—blossoms. When Abby leaves town one weekend, something unthinkable happens and her relationship with West is shattered. Reeling from the discovery, Abby fears all of her plans have backfired and she's created a mess for both of them, a mess that no one can clean up.

But West isn't willing to let her go that easily. When he forces her to confront secrets they've both been hiding, Abby must decide more than if she's willing to forgive and forget. She must also decide just what kind of life she wants...and who she wants to live it with.